ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Three women who were diagnosed with HIV after getting “vampire facial” procedures at an unlicensed New Mexico medical spa are believed to be the first documented cases of people contracting the virus through a cosmetic procedure using needles, federal health officials said.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/73/wr/mm7316a3.htm">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</a>&nbsp;said in its Morbidity and Mortality Report last week that an investigation into the clinic from 2018 through 2023 showed it apparently reused disposable equipment intended for one-time use.

Although HIV transmission from contaminated blood through unsterile injection is a well-known risk, the report said this is the first documentation of probable infections involving cosmetic services.

Many popular cosmetic treatments are delivered with needles, such as Botox to iron out wrinkles and fillers to plump lips. A “vampire facial,” or platelet-rich plasma microneedling procedure, involves drawing a client's own blood, separating its components, then using tiny needles to inject plasma into the face to rejuvenate the skin. Tattoos also require needles.

The New Mexico Department of Health began&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/28bcd83bc954401baba3446f56022668">investigating</a>&nbsp;the spa in the summer of 2018 after it was notified that a woman in her 40s had tested positive for HIV even though she had no known risk factors. The woman reported exposure to needles through the procedure at the clinic that spring.

The spa closed in fall 2018 after the investigation was launched, and its owner was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-mexico-albuquerque-spas-hector-balderas-7c890ba01b8d373f0de952b5258e2c96">prosecuted</a>&nbsp;for practicing medicine without a license.

The report said the investigation showed how important it is to require infection control practices at businesses that offer cosmetic procedures involving needles.

It also noted that the investigation was slowed by poor record keeping and said businesses providing such services should keep better records in case clients need to be contacted later.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714401990327.png" alt="-This electron microscope image made available by the U.S. National Institutes of Health shows a human T cell, in blue, under attack by HIV, in yellow, the virus that causes AIDS.&nbsp; -Credit: Seth Pincus, Elizabeth Fischer and Austin Athman, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases/NIH" />
 <figcaption>-This electron microscope image made available by the U.S. National Institutes of Health shows a human T cell, in blue, under attack by HIV, in yellow, the virus that causes AIDS.&nbsp; -Credit: Seth Pincus, Elizabeth Fischer and Austin Athman, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases/NIH</figcaption>
 </figure>ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Three women who were diagnosed with HIV after getting “vampire facial” procedures at an unlicensed New Mexico medical spa are believed to be the first documented cases of people contracting the virus through a cosmetic procedure using needles, federal health officials said.The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/73/wr/mm7316a3.htm">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</a>&nbsp;said in its Morbidity and Mortality Report last week that an investigation into the clinic from 2018 through 2023 showed it apparently reused disposable equipment intended for one-time use.Although HIV transmission from contaminated blood through unsterile injection is a well-known risk, the report said this is the first documentation of probable infections involving cosmetic services.Many popular cosmetic treatments are delivered with needles, such as Botox to iron out wrinkles and fillers to plump lips. A “vampire facial,” or platelet-rich plasma microneedling procedure, involves drawing a client's own blood, separating its components, then using tiny needles to inject plasma into the face to rejuvenate the skin. Tattoos also require needles.The New Mexico Department of Health began&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/28bcd83bc954401baba3446f56022668">investigating</a>&nbsp;the spa in the summer of 2018 after it was notified that a woman in her 40s had tested positive for HIV even though she had no known risk factors. The woman reported exposure to needles through the procedure at the clinic that spring.The spa closed in fall 2018 after the investigation was launched, and its owner was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-mexico-albuquerque-spas-hector-balderas-7c890ba01b8d373f0de952b5258e2c96">prosecuted</a>&nbsp;for practicing medicine without a license.The report said the investigation showed how important it is to require infection control practices at businesses that offer cosmetic procedures involving needles.It also noted that the investigation was slowed by poor record keeping and said businesses providing such services should keep better records in case clients need to be contacted later.

CDC: 1st cases of HIV transmitted through cosmetic needles

MONTGOMERY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.

Just before 1p.m. April 23, detectives and deputies from the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office executed a narcotics search warrant at 633 W. Beech in Independence, Kansas, according to Sheriff Ron Wade.

 During the search, authorities took 39-year-old Crystal Blex into custody after discovering evidence of fentanyl use at the location. Upon completion of the search warrant, Blex was transported to the Montgomery County Department of Corrections, where she remains jailed on requested charges of possession of an opiate (fentanyl) and possession of drug paraphernalia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714356128391.png" alt="Blex-photo Montgomery County" />
 <figcaption>Blex-photo Montgomery County</figcaption>
 </figure>MONTGOMERY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.Just before 1p.m. April 23, detectives and deputies from the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office executed a narcotics search warrant at 633 W. Beech in Independence, Kansas, according to Sheriff Ron Wade. During the search, authorities took 39-year-old Crystal Blex into custody after discovering evidence of fentanyl use at the location. Upon completion of the search warrant, Blex was transported to the Montgomery County Department of Corrections, where she remains jailed on requested charges of possession of an opiate (fentanyl) and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Sheriff found evidence of fentanyl use at Kansas home

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The Senate provided the two-thirds majority Monday to override Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto of $15.7 million for deploying Kansas National Guard troops in support of the Texas Republican governor’s campaign to deter undocumented immigrants from crossing the Rio Grande.

The vote in the Senate was 28-12, but the House had not yet taken up the measure. House GOP leaders would need 84 votes to complete the override.

Kelly line-item vetoed the provision in a budget bill that was originally approved based on assertions the state’s investment in national security could help prevent unauthorized entry, including movement north of people intent on harming the United States. Other southern-border threats raised by override supporters were human trafficking, gang violence, foreign acquisition of farmland and importation of fentanyl, a drug linked to the spike in U.S. overdose deaths.

In Kansas, the governor serves as commander in chief of the Air and Army National Guard forces. Kelly, not the Legislature, has authority to deploy men and women in the Kansas Guard.

“When a governor deploys soldiers as part of a federal mission, it is done intentionally and in a manner that ensures we are able to protect our communities and that we do not threaten Guard readiness or limit our ability to respond to natural disasters at home,” Kelly said.

Senate President Ty Masterson, the Andover Republican who made the override motion in the Senate, said he recently visited the city of Eagle Pass where Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ordered the Texas National Guard to oust the U.S. Border Patrol from a migrant processing center in Shelby Park. The state converted into a military installation the 47-acre city park on the Rio Grande named for a Confederal general.

Masterson said he accepted the invitation of a Texas state senator to go to the border to better assess whether the $15.7 million was a reasonable expenditure and not “kind of a political game.” Critics of the budget provision, including Democratic Rep. Henry Helgerson of Wichita, had accused Republicans of delving into this border security issue to undermine Kelly or embarrass President Joe Biden.

“Every state in the nation is a border state at this point,” Masterson said. “Let Kansas be a part of it. It’s not much short of an invasion. We’re a little isolated up here, but it’s coming.”

Democrats questioned whether the $15.7 million would make a difference in Texas and reminded their Republican brethren passage of the budget measure was a “pointless exercise” because constitutional authority to deploy the Kansas Guard rested with the Kansas governor.

“I hope that folks get whatever messaging points they want to get out of it,” said Sen. Ethan Corson, a Johnson County Democrat. “No matter what we do, it’s really going to have little effect. This is, to me, all about just a political stunt. It does not change the fact that, as much as the Senate president, as much as the speaker of the House, might want to be commander in chief of the National Guard, the fact is, they are not.”

Sen. Tom Holland, D-Baldwin City, said funding to support Texas’ effort to turn away immigrants was an indication the quality of work done by the Legislature on the state budget during his 22 years as a legislator had “gotten more and more suspect.”

“I do not understand the reality in which certain people in this chamber reside,” the senator said. “Given the untold needs that our citizens have in this state, the mere idea that we would take millions of dollars and send it to another state — for what gain?”

Sen. Usha Reddi, a Manhattan Democrat, said the expenditure by Kansas wouldn’t resolve border problems that had simmered for decades. She warned that next year the Legislature could end of throwing $15 million, $30 million or more at the federal immigration stalemate.

Sen. Mark Steffen, a Reno County Republican who supported the override and blasted Biden for undermining former President Donald Trump’s executive orders on immigration, asked the Senate president for an assurance there would accountability for expenditure of Kansas tax dollars.

“Help me understand how we can take Kansas money and use it effectively in Texas — just to make sure we feel good … that money is not being squandered like so much of it is by our federal government in foreign countries?” Steffen said.

Masterson said the funding “can’t be squandered” because it would be tied directly to deployed Kansas Guard troops. “If there’s no boot on the ground, there’s no money spent,” he said.

While GOP lawmakers pointed a finger at Biden, none mentioned Trump’s role in scuttling in February a bipartisan congressional deal for tougher immigration laws. It was argued Republicans could leverage inaction on immigration to their advantage in the 2024 election cycle.

Goodland Sen. Rick Billinger, the Republican chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, said skeptics of the state’s contribution to Texas’ anti-immigration action should “open your eyes.” He said an estimated 300 people on terrorist watch lists had slipped across the southern border before their identity could be determined. People pouring into the United States weren’t parents with children keen to start a new life, he said.

“I seen the videos,” Billinger said. “These weren’t men, women and children. These were young men.”

Sen. Jeff Longbine, a Republican from Emporia, said immigration was the policy and financial domain of the federal government and Congress had repeatedly failed to deliver. It wasn’t clear the governor would send Kansas Guard troops to the border or whether that would make a difference in Texas, he said.

“I do know that our immigration laws are a mess,” Longbine said. “Our federal delegation, or Congress, has failed to act.”

He said more than half the students in K-12 public schools in Emporia were Hispanic. He voted for the override on behalf of immigrants who took the time and effort to gain legal status in the United States. “These people are friends. They are neighbors. They are relatives,” he said.

Sen. Alicia Straub, R-Ellinwood, said a letter drafted in September by GOP Rep. Trevor Jacobs of Fort Scott called on the governor to send military forces to Texas. It was signed by about 20 of the state’s 165 legislators. Straub asked Masterson whether it took a trip to the border for him to realize there was a problem.

“I got tired of writing letters,” Masterson said. “It was time to do something real.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714068086083.jpeg" alt="Photo Texas Governor Greg Abbott-Texas Department of Public Safety" />
 <figcaption>Photo Texas Governor Greg Abbott-Texas Department of Public Safety</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The Senate provided the two-thirds majority Monday to override Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto of $15.7 million for deploying Kansas National Guard troops in support of the Texas Republican governor’s campaign to deter undocumented immigrants from crossing the Rio Grande.The vote in the Senate was 28-12, but the House had not yet taken up the measure. House GOP leaders would need 84 votes to complete the override.Kelly line-item vetoed the provision in a budget bill that was originally approved based on assertions the state’s investment in national security could help prevent unauthorized entry, including movement north of people intent on harming the United States. Other southern-border threats raised by override supporters were human trafficking, gang violence, foreign acquisition of farmland and importation of fentanyl, a drug linked to the spike in U.S. overdose deaths.In Kansas, the governor serves as commander in chief of the Air and Army National Guard forces. Kelly, not the Legislature, has authority to deploy men and women in the Kansas Guard.“When a governor deploys soldiers as part of a federal mission, it is done intentionally and in a manner that ensures we are able to protect our communities and that we do not threaten Guard readiness or limit our ability to respond to natural disasters at home,” Kelly said.Senate President Ty Masterson, the Andover Republican who made the override motion in the Senate, said he recently visited the city of Eagle Pass where Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ordered the Texas National Guard to oust the U.S. Border Patrol from a migrant processing center in Shelby Park. The state converted into a military installation the 47-acre city park on the Rio Grande named for a Confederal general.Masterson said he accepted the invitation of a Texas state senator to go to the border to better assess whether the $15.7 million was a reasonable expenditure and not “kind of a political game.” Critics of the budget provision, including Democratic Rep. Henry Helgerson of Wichita, had accused Republicans of delving into this border security issue to undermine Kelly or embarrass President Joe Biden.“Every state in the nation is a border state at this point,” Masterson said. “Let Kansas be a part of it. It’s not much short of an invasion. We’re a little isolated up here, but it’s coming.”<h2>‘A political stunt’</h2>Democrats questioned whether the $15.7 million would make a difference in Texas and reminded their Republican brethren passage of the budget measure was a “pointless exercise” because constitutional authority to deploy the Kansas Guard rested with the Kansas governor.“I hope that folks get whatever messaging points they want to get out of it,” said Sen. Ethan Corson, a Johnson County Democrat. “No matter what we do, it’s really going to have little effect. This is, to me, all about just a political stunt. It does not change the fact that, as much as the Senate president, as much as the speaker of the House, might want to be commander in chief of the National Guard, the fact is, they are not.”Sen. Tom Holland, D-Baldwin City, said funding to support Texas’ effort to turn away immigrants was an indication the quality of work done by the Legislature on the state budget during his 22 years as a legislator had “gotten more and more suspect.”“I do not understand the reality in which certain people in this chamber reside,” the senator said. “Given the untold needs that our citizens have in this state, the mere idea that we would take millions of dollars and send it to another state — for what gain?”Sen. Usha Reddi, a Manhattan Democrat, said the expenditure by Kansas wouldn’t resolve border problems that had simmered for decades. She warned that next year the Legislature could end of throwing $15 million, $30 million or more at the federal immigration stalemate.<h2>‘Can’t be squandered’</h2>Sen. Mark Steffen, a Reno County Republican who supported the override and blasted Biden for undermining former President Donald Trump’s executive orders on immigration, asked the Senate president for an assurance there would accountability for expenditure of Kansas tax dollars.“Help me understand how we can take Kansas money and use it effectively in Texas — just to make sure we feel good … that money is not being squandered like so much of it is by our federal government in foreign countries?” Steffen said.Masterson said the funding “can’t be squandered” because it would be tied directly to deployed Kansas Guard troops. “If there’s no boot on the ground, there’s no money spent,” he said.While GOP lawmakers pointed a finger at Biden, none mentioned Trump’s role in scuttling in February a bipartisan congressional deal for tougher immigration laws. It was argued Republicans could leverage inaction on immigration to their advantage in the 2024 election cycle.Goodland Sen. Rick Billinger, the Republican chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, said skeptics of the state’s contribution to Texas’ anti-immigration action should “open your eyes.” He said an estimated 300 people on terrorist watch lists had slipped across the southern border before their identity could be determined. People pouring into the United States weren’t parents with children keen to start a new life, he said.“I seen the videos,” Billinger said. “These weren’t men, women and children. These were young men.”<h2>What took so long?</h2>Sen. Jeff Longbine, a Republican from Emporia, said immigration was the policy and financial domain of the federal government and Congress had repeatedly failed to deliver. It wasn’t clear the governor would send Kansas Guard troops to the border or whether that would make a difference in Texas, he said.“I do know that our immigration laws are a mess,” Longbine said. “Our federal delegation, or Congress, has failed to act.”He said more than half the students in K-12 public schools in Emporia were Hispanic. He voted for the override on behalf of immigrants who took the time and effort to gain legal status in the United States. “These people are friends. They are neighbors. They are relatives,” he said.Sen. Alicia Straub, R-Ellinwood, said a letter drafted in September by GOP Rep. Trevor Jacobs of Fort Scott called on the governor to send military forces to Texas. It was signed by about 20 of the state’s 165 legislators. Straub asked Masterson whether it took a trip to the border for him to realize there was a problem.“I got tired of writing letters,” Masterson said. “It was time to do something real.”

Senate rebuffs Kan. governor, affirms $15.7 million contribution to Texas border security

SHAWNEE COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 1a.m.&nbsp; Monday on the Kansas Turnpike in Shawnee County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2022 Freightliner semi driven by Harsh Batish, 22, Winnipeg, Manitoba, was southbound&nbsp; on Interstate 335 and struck a 2015 Mercedes M-Class driven by Michael Goering, 72, Topeka, who was northbound in the southbound lanes of the turnpike.&nbsp; After impact both vehicles caught fire.&nbsp;

Goering was pronounced dead at the scene. Batish and a passenger in the semi were not injured.&nbsp; The drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

SHAWNEE COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 1a.m.&nbsp; Monday on the Kansas Turnpike in Shawnee County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2022 Freightliner semi driven by Harsh Batish, 22, Winnipeg, Manitoba, was southbound&nbsp; on Interstate 335 and struck a 2015 Mercedes M-Class driven by Michael Goering, 72, Topeka, who was northbound in the southbound lanes of the turnpike.&nbsp; After impact both vehicles caught fire.&nbsp;Goering was pronounced dead at the scene. Batish and a passenger in the semi were not injured.&nbsp; The drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Kan. man dead after wrong-way crash, fire on Kan. Turnpike

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — United Methodist delegates are heading into the homestretch of their first legislative gathering in five years — one that appears on track to make historic changes in lifting their church's longstanding bans on same-sex marriage and the ordination of LGBTQ clergy.

After a day off on Sunday, delegates to the General Conference of the United Methodist Church resumed their work Monday and will be meeting all this week before wrapping up their 11-day session on Friday

They've already begun making historic changes: On Thursday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-methodist-disaffiliation-lgbtq-regionalization-samesex-marriage-d429bb838c31f1899dbc48fbddb03197">delegates overwhelmingly endorsed</a>&nbsp;a policy shift that would restructure the worldwide denomination into regional conferences and give the U.S. region, for the first time, the same right as international bodies to modify church rules to fit local situations.

That measure — subject to local ratification votes — is seen as a way the U.S. churches could have LGBTQ ordination and same-sex marriage while the more conservative overseas areas, particularly the large and fast-growing churches of Africa, could maintain those bans.

But whether that measure maintains church unity remains to be seen. The General Conference comes as the American portion of the United Methodist Church, long the nation's third-largest denomination, has shrunk considerably.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-methodist-congregations-leaving-lgbtq-bans-dbd315f329e4cfec4ba78916668ab50b">One-quarter of its U.S. churches left</a>&nbsp;between 2019 and 2023 amid conservative dismay over the church's failure to enforce its LGBTQ bans amid widespread defiance.

A proposal to overturn those bans is headed to the delegates this week, and progressives are optimistic that they have the votes to realize their long-held dream.

Bishop Karen Oliveto of the Mountain Sky Episcopal Area, the first openly lesbian bishop ordained in the church, said the tenor of the current conference is positive.

“The delegates are listening to each other, learning from each other, really providing a foundation for the work this week,” she said. “There have been hard conversations, but again this tone that we’re in this together. And we have a witness to make to the world that’s unified even in the midst of cultural differences.”

The denomination has debated homosexuality for more than half a century. Its Book of Discipline bans “self-avowed practicing homosexuals” from the clergy and forbids clergy from presiding at same-sex marriages. It also forbids church funding of any advocacy for the “acceptance of homosexuality.”

But legislative committees last week overwhelmingly approved several proposals liberalizing the church’s stance on sexuality. They included one committee that voted 43-9 to overturn the ban on LGBTQ clergy.

The delegates will also vote on a new set of Social Principles — a wholesale revision of an existing set of non-binding statements — which also received overwhelming committee approval last week. The new version omits the previous version's declaration that homosexuality is “incompatible with Christian teaching." And it defines marriage as a sacred covenant between “two people of faith,” without specifying gender.

Such changes could portend a further fragmentation of the international church. Delegates last week approved the departure of a small but notable part of the body — about 30 churches in Russia and other former Soviet countries, where conservative views on LGBTQ issues are strong.

Some are proposing that African and other churches be given the same chance that U.S. churches recently had to disaffiliate under favorable terms, including U.S. churches that missed the earlier deadline to do so, but a committee vote recommended against such measures.

Opponents say they already have mechanisms to depart, as some have recently done, but proponents say existing rules are burdensome.

Jerry Kulah of the advocacy group Africa Initiative said that while it will be up to individual conferences in Africa to decide whether to stay or leave the denomination, he believes it's time to leave.

“We cannot remain in this marriage,” he said. “We can’t be one church preaching different gospels.”

A large majority of African bishops, while affirming their opposition to LGBTQ ordination or marriage, have said in a joint statement they are committed to remaining in the United Methodist Church.

The denomination had until recently been the third largest in the United States, present in almost every county. But its 5.4 million U.S. membership in 2022 is expected to drop once the 2023 departures are factored in.

The denomination also counts 4.6 million members in other countries, mainly in Africa, though earlier estimates have been higher.

Conservative advocacy groups say U.S. churches that didn't meet the 2023 deadline should have the option of disaffiliating, too — along with the more than 7,000 that have already done so.

The denomination also will be debating policy stances regarding fossil fuels and other issues as well as voting on major budget cuts to denominational programs, reflective of losing thousands of congregations.

The Rev. Tracy Cox, lead pastor of First United Methodist Church in Pittsburgh, said she’s cautiously hopeful for changes to the rules on ordination and marriage. The congregation, which has long been LGBTQ-affirming, held a commissioning service on April 14 for those attending the General Conference.

“If you are called by God to be an ordained elder or deacon, no church, no institution should step in that way,” Cox said. “And as far as marriage goes, when somebody falls in love with someone, we need to be able to help them to raise a family or to be a family in the community where they’re going to serve.”

Added Tracy Merrick, a member of the congregation and a delegate: “It will say to the world about us that we really stand behind our statement that we are a church of open hearts, open minds, and open doors.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714416591781.png" alt="View inside the General Conference from the livestream&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>View inside the General Conference from the livestream&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>By PETER SMITHCHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — United Methodist delegates are heading into the homestretch of their first legislative gathering in five years — one that appears on track to make historic changes in lifting their church's longstanding bans on same-sex marriage and the ordination of LGBTQ clergy.After a day off on Sunday, delegates to the General Conference of the United Methodist Church resumed their work Monday and will be meeting all this week before wrapping up their 11-day session on FridayThey've already begun making historic changes: On Thursday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-methodist-disaffiliation-lgbtq-regionalization-samesex-marriage-d429bb838c31f1899dbc48fbddb03197">delegates overwhelmingly endorsed</a>&nbsp;a policy shift that would restructure the worldwide denomination into regional conferences and give the U.S. region, for the first time, the same right as international bodies to modify church rules to fit local situations.That measure — subject to local ratification votes — is seen as a way the U.S. churches could have LGBTQ ordination and same-sex marriage while the more conservative overseas areas, particularly the large and fast-growing churches of Africa, could maintain those bans.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714417373989.png" alt="View of the.delegates from the United Methodist General Conference live stream" />
 <figcaption>View of the.delegates from the United Methodist General Conference live stream</figcaption>
 </figure>But whether that measure maintains church unity remains to be seen. The General Conference comes as the American portion of the United Methodist Church, long the nation's third-largest denomination, has shrunk considerably.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-methodist-congregations-leaving-lgbtq-bans-dbd315f329e4cfec4ba78916668ab50b">One-quarter of its U.S. churches left</a>&nbsp;between 2019 and 2023 amid conservative dismay over the church's failure to enforce its LGBTQ bans amid widespread defiance.A proposal to overturn those bans is headed to the delegates this week, and progressives are optimistic that they have the votes to realize their long-held dream.Bishop Karen Oliveto of the Mountain Sky Episcopal Area, the first openly lesbian bishop ordained in the church, said the tenor of the current conference is positive.“The delegates are listening to each other, learning from each other, really providing a foundation for the work this week,” she said. “There have been hard conversations, but again this tone that we’re in this together. And we have a witness to make to the world that’s unified even in the midst of cultural differences.”The denomination has debated homosexuality for more than half a century. Its Book of Discipline bans “self-avowed practicing homosexuals” from the clergy and forbids clergy from presiding at same-sex marriages. It also forbids church funding of any advocacy for the “acceptance of homosexuality.”But legislative committees last week overwhelmingly approved several proposals liberalizing the church’s stance on sexuality. They included one committee that voted 43-9 to overturn the ban on LGBTQ clergy.The delegates will also vote on a new set of Social Principles — a wholesale revision of an existing set of non-binding statements — which also received overwhelming committee approval last week. The new version omits the previous version's declaration that homosexuality is “incompatible with Christian teaching." And it defines marriage as a sacred covenant between “two people of faith,” without specifying gender.Such changes could portend a further fragmentation of the international church. Delegates last week approved the departure of a small but notable part of the body — about 30 churches in Russia and other former Soviet countries, where conservative views on LGBTQ issues are strong.Some are proposing that African and other churches be given the same chance that U.S. churches recently had to disaffiliate under favorable terms, including U.S. churches that missed the earlier deadline to do so, but a committee vote recommended against such measures.Opponents say they already have mechanisms to depart, as some have recently done, but proponents say existing rules are burdensome.Jerry Kulah of the advocacy group Africa Initiative said that while it will be up to individual conferences in Africa to decide whether to stay or leave the denomination, he believes it's time to leave.“We cannot remain in this marriage,” he said. “We can’t be one church preaching different gospels.”A large majority of African bishops, while affirming their opposition to LGBTQ ordination or marriage, have said in a joint statement they are committed to remaining in the United Methodist Church.The denomination had until recently been the third largest in the United States, present in almost every county. But its 5.4 million U.S. membership in 2022 is expected to drop once the 2023 departures are factored in.The denomination also counts 4.6 million members in other countries, mainly in Africa, though earlier estimates have been higher.Conservative advocacy groups say U.S. churches that didn't meet the 2023 deadline should have the option of disaffiliating, too — along with the more than 7,000 that have already done so.The denomination also will be debating policy stances regarding fossil fuels and other issues as well as voting on major budget cuts to denominational programs, reflective of losing thousands of congregations.The Rev. Tracy Cox, lead pastor of First United Methodist Church in Pittsburgh, said she’s cautiously hopeful for changes to the rules on ordination and marriage. The congregation, which has long been LGBTQ-affirming, held a commissioning service on April 14 for those attending the General Conference.“If you are called by God to be an ordained elder or deacon, no church, no institution should step in that way,” Cox said. “And as far as marriage goes, when somebody falls in love with someone, we need to be able to help them to raise a family or to be a family in the community where they’re going to serve.”Added Tracy Merrick, a member of the congregation and a delegate: “It will say to the world about us that we really stand behind our statement that we are a church of open hearts, open minds, and open doors.”___

General Conference: United Methodists prepare for votes on lifting LGBTQ bans 

By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/rmipro/">RACHEL MIPRO</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Kansas lawmakers have sent a bipartisan school finance bill that will shape state education funding for the next three years to the governor’s desk, packaging a $75 million increase in special education funding into the bill.&nbsp;

Lawmakers passed<a target="_blank" href="https://kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb387/">&nbsp;Senate Bill 387</a>&nbsp;out of the House by a 115-2 vote and out of the Senate by 35-2 on Friday. Rep. Kristey Williams, R-Augusta, one of the chief lawmakers tasked with crafting education policy, stressed the importance of funding public schools in a Friday discussion of the bill.&nbsp;

“Outcomes really do matter,” Williams said. “Making sure we support our public schools really does matter.”

The bill marked a welcome turnaround for Kansas public school advocates, who warned that previous versions of the bill could have left special education in the state<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/04/03/education-advocate-kansas-school-finance-bill-would-permanently-underfund-special-education/">&nbsp;“permanently underfunded</a>” due to changes in the special education funding formula that would have counted local option budget funds, which use local taxpayer revenue to bolster district budgets, as part of the state’s mandated funding for special education.&nbsp;

An earlier iteration of the bill containing this change, which was criticized by&nbsp;public education advocacy groups Kansas Association of School Boards and the Kansas National Educators Association,&nbsp;passed the House on a 65-58 vote but failed in the Senate in a 12-26&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/04/05/kansas-senators-shoot-down-voodoo-math-public-education-bill/">late night vote April 5, with lawmakers citing the special education provision in their opposition</a>.&nbsp;

The Legislature adjourned for its scheduled three-week break without voting on the newest compromise piece.&nbsp;

That bill passed out Friday, after the Legislature returned, still contains several LOB provisions, such as mandating districts transfer LOB funds allocated for special education into the districts’ special education fund and use these funds specifically for that purpose, but it will not count those funds as part of the state’s mandated special education aid.&nbsp;

“I want to thank you for rejecting the other versions because this version, as the chairperson described, addresses the funding that is fair and impacts all school districts,” said Kansas City Democrat Rep. Valdenia Winn Friday. She added: “What was removed was the poison pill.”&nbsp;

Sen. Molly Baumgardner, R-Louisburg, emphasized oversight of the $75 million special education increase. Baumgardner said legislators will put a provision in&nbsp;the omnibus budget directing “explicitly how that money will be distributed.”

“The last thing we want to serve our kids, to serve our teachers and those families with special ed children, is to have $75 million sitting there and not being used,” Baumgardner said.&nbsp;

Among other budget provisions, in fiscal year 2025 the bill sets aside $65.5 million for special education services aid, $2.5 million for school food assistance, $29.6 million for state foundation aid and $2 million for a virtual math education program.

In fiscal year 2026,&nbsp; $3 billion is set aside for state foundation aid, along with $601.8 million for supplemental state aid and $601 million for special education state aid.&nbsp;

The bill would also establish a task force to review the current school finance system, academic reporting and achievement goals. The task force would provide recommendations to the governor and the Legislature by January 2027 to establish a new school finance formula, after the current funding formula expires July 1, 2027.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714413662421.png" alt="Rep. Kristey Williams explained the newest version of a school finance bill to House colleagues Friday. The legislation was passed out of both chambers and now awaits final approval from the governor. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Kristey Williams explained the newest version of a school finance bill to House colleagues Friday. The legislation was passed out of both chambers and now awaits final approval from the governor. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/rmipro/">RACHEL MIPRO</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Kansas lawmakers have sent a bipartisan school finance bill that will shape state education funding for the next three years to the governor’s desk, packaging a $75 million increase in special education funding into the bill.&nbsp;Lawmakers passed<a target="_blank" href="https://kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb387/">&nbsp;Senate Bill 387</a>&nbsp;out of the House by a 115-2 vote and out of the Senate by 35-2 on Friday. Rep. Kristey Williams, R-Augusta, one of the chief lawmakers tasked with crafting education policy, stressed the importance of funding public schools in a Friday discussion of the bill.&nbsp;“Outcomes really do matter,” Williams said. “Making sure we support our public schools really does matter.”The bill marked a welcome turnaround for Kansas public school advocates, who warned that previous versions of the bill could have left special education in the state<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/04/03/education-advocate-kansas-school-finance-bill-would-permanently-underfund-special-education/">&nbsp;“permanently underfunded</a>” due to changes in the special education funding formula that would have counted local option budget funds, which use local taxpayer revenue to bolster district budgets, as part of the state’s mandated funding for special education.&nbsp;An earlier iteration of the bill containing this change, which was criticized by&nbsp;public education advocacy groups Kansas Association of School Boards and the Kansas National Educators Association,&nbsp;passed the House on a 65-58 vote but failed in the Senate in a 12-26&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/04/05/kansas-senators-shoot-down-voodoo-math-public-education-bill/">late night vote April 5, with lawmakers citing the special education provision in their opposition</a>.&nbsp;The Legislature adjourned for its scheduled three-week break without voting on the newest compromise piece.&nbsp;That bill passed out Friday, after the Legislature returned, still contains several LOB provisions, such as mandating districts transfer LOB funds allocated for special education into the districts’ special education fund and use these funds specifically for that purpose, but it will not count those funds as part of the state’s mandated special education aid.&nbsp;“I want to thank you for rejecting the other versions because this version, as the chairperson described, addresses the funding that is fair and impacts all school districts,” said Kansas City Democrat Rep. Valdenia Winn Friday. She added: “What was removed was the poison pill.”&nbsp;Sen. Molly Baumgardner, R-Louisburg, emphasized oversight of the $75 million special education increase. Baumgardner said legislators will put a provision in&nbsp;the omnibus budget directing “explicitly how that money will be distributed.”“The last thing we want to serve our kids, to serve our teachers and those families with special ed children, is to have $75 million sitting there and not being used,” Baumgardner said.&nbsp;Among other budget provisions, in fiscal year 2025 the bill sets aside $65.5 million for special education services aid, $2.5 million for school food assistance, $29.6 million for state foundation aid and $2 million for a virtual math education program.In fiscal year 2026,&nbsp; $3 billion is set aside for state foundation aid, along with $601.8 million for supplemental state aid and $601 million for special education state aid.&nbsp;The bill would also establish a task force to review the current school finance system, academic reporting and achievement goals. The task force would provide recommendations to the governor and the Legislature by January 2027 to establish a new school finance formula, after the current funding formula expires July 1, 2027.

Kansas school finance bill, passed without ‘poison pill,’ on its way to governor

KANSAS CITY —The cause of a Kansas City area train derailment remains under investigation.

Just before 1 a.m. Sunday, the locomotive and roughly 20 cars on a Union Pacific train derailed at 87th street, near Colbern, near Lee’s Summit, Missouri.

 One crew member was taken to the hospital and has been released, the other was not hurt, according to&nbsp;Kristen South Union Pacific&nbsp;Sr. Director&nbsp; Corporate Communications.

Some sand was spilled from the rail cars.&nbsp; There were no hazardous materials in box cars, according to Sheriff Daryl Forte'.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714356431119.png" alt="Photos Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Photos Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —The cause of a Kansas City area train derailment remains under investigation.Just before 1 a.m. Sunday, the locomotive and roughly 20 cars on a Union Pacific train derailed at 87th street, near Colbern, near Lee’s Summit, Missouri. One crew member was taken to the hospital and has been released, the other was not hurt, according to&nbsp;Kristen South Union Pacific&nbsp;Sr. Director&nbsp; Corporate Communications.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714306883511.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Some sand was spilled from the rail cars.&nbsp; There were no hazardous materials in box cars, according to Sheriff Daryl Forte'.

Crew member recovering after Kansas City train derailment

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Colleges around the country implored pro-Palestinian student protesters to clear out tent encampments with rising levels of urgency Monday as classes wrap up for the semester and campuses prepare for graduation ceremonies.

Students and others have been sparing over the Israel-Hamas war and its mounting death toll. Many students are demanding their universities&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-protests-israel-divestment-palestinians-3f37f96f7be8e1124f266842d9caa627">cut financial ties</a>&nbsp;with Israel.

Protests were still active at a number of campuses. Near George Washington University, protesters at an encampment breached and dismantled the barriers Monday morning used to secure University Yard, the university said in a statement. The yard had been closed since last week.

At Columbia University, the site of the first protests, dialogue since last week between academic leaders and student organizers to dismantle encampments has not progressed, the university president said Monday. Protesters at Yale University set up a new encampment with dozens of tents Sunday afternoon, nearly a week after police arrested nearly 50 demonstrators and cleared a similar camp.

At least one school, the University of Southern California, canceled its main graduation ceremony this spring. Others are asking the protests to resolve peacefully so they can hold their ceremonies.

Protesters on both sides of the rancorous debate shouted and shoved each other during dueling demonstrations Sunday at the University of California, Los Angeles. The university stepped up security after “some physical altercations broke out among demonstrators,” Mary Osako, vice chancellor for UCLA Strategic Communications, said in a statement. There were no reports of arrests or injuries.

About 275 people were arrested Saturday at various campuses including Indiana University at Bloomington, Arizona State University and Washington University in St. Louis. The number of arrests nationwide has surpassed 900 since New York police removed a pro-Palestinian protest encampment at Columbia University and arrested&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-protests-israel-palestinian-hirsi-cd80372939c7c08a40346e8b7d546da1">more than 100 demonstrators</a>&nbsp;on April 18.

The plight of students who have been arrested has become&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-protest-gaza-war-arrest-amnesty-ae235703d6a9b99114078fca13a530a0">a central part of protests</a>, with the students and a growing number of faculty demanding amnesty for protesters. At issue is whether the suspensions and legal records will follow students through their adult lives.

The nationwide campus protests began as a response by some students to Israel’s offensive in Gaza after Hamas launched a deadly attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7.

Militants killed about 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and took roughly 250 hostages. Vowing to stamp out Hamas, Israel has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, according to the local health ministry.

Israel and its supporters have branded the university protests as antisemitic, while critics of Israel say it uses such allegations to silence opponents. Although some protesters have been caught on camera making antisemitic remarks or violent threats, organizers of the protests, some of whom are Jewish, say it is a peaceful movement aimed at defending Palestinian rights and protesting the war.

Student demonstrations have sprung up across the U.S. in various locations including New York, California, Missouri, Indiana, Massachusetts, Vermont and Virginia.

Washington University in St. Louis locked some campus buildings and arrested protesters Saturday. Photos showed uniformed police attempting to remove masked protesters as others, also wearing masks, linked arms to thwart the efforts.

The university said in a statement that more than 100 people, including 23 students and four university employees, were arrested on suspicion of trespassing. Megan Green, president of the St. Louis Board of Aldermen, said in a social media post that she was present and the protest remained calm “until the police came in like an ambush.”

Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein said in a social media post that she and two of her campaign managers were among those arrested.

The university’s statement defended the action and said protesters “did not have good intentions on our campus and that this demonstration had the potential to get out of control and become dangerous.”

Early protests at Columbia University in New York City, where demonstrators set up tents in the center of the campus, sparked&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inside-columbia-protest-movement-0b35ff55f18d0bf4b2c8c0a27b1dbe04">pro-Palestinian demonstrations</a>&nbsp;across the country. The demonstrations have caused the school to hold remote classes.

Columbia set a series of deadlines for protesters to leave the encampment, which they have missed, but the school said in an email to students that bringing back police “at this time” would be counterproductive. The students and administrators have engaged in negotiations to end the disruptions, but the sides have not come to an agreement, university President Minouche Shafik said in a statement Monday.

On Sunday, students walked among dozens of colorful tents in front of Low Library, where rows of chairs already have been set up in preparation for commencement in May.

At UCLA, police set up barricades before hundreds of demonstrators on both sides joined a growing crowd Sunday near tents where pro-Palestinian students have been staying around-the-clock.

Pro-Israel demonstrators who arrived for a “Stand in Support of Jewish Students” rally said their goal was to “stand up against hatred and antisemitism.” The counterprotest was organized by the Israeli-American Council, whose leader Elan Carr urged marchers to remain peaceful,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-04-28/gaza-ucla-usc-protests">the Los Angeles Times reported</a>.

Across town, the University of Southern California said it was open Sunday after administrators shut down the campus a day earlier because of what the school called vandalism and disruptions.

USC drew criticism after refusing to allow this year's class valedictorian, who has publicly supported the Palestinian cause, to make a commencement speech. Administrators then scrapped the keynote speech by filmmaker Jon M. Chu. Last week the school announced the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/university-of-southern-california-commencement-speech-canceled-125cb8db93f2247ca3e45f782b7fcb2a">cancellation of its main graduation event</a>, a day after more than 90 protesters were arrested by police in riot gear.

In the northern part of the state, officials Saturday ordered an “enforced hard closure” of California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt. Two halls remained occupied by pro-Palestinian demonstrators.

Police in riot gear cleared an encampment at Northeastern University in Boston on Saturday. About 100 protesters were arrested and will be charged with trespassing and disorderly conduct, the Massachusetts State Police said.

Boston's Emerson College said in a statement Sunday that it will not bring disciplinary charges against over 100 protesters who were arrested last week and will encourage prosecutors not to issue charges for encampment-related violations.

At Boston's Tufts University, the school said in a statement that staffers would reach out to protesters Monday to plan for the end of an encampment in coming days.

There were an unknown number of arrests over the weekend at a protest at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, a university spokesperson said Monday.

Protesters began occupying the lawn of the graduate life center Friday, the university said in a statement. The gathering violated university policy, the school said, but there was a “safe and peaceful environment” over much of the weekend.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714403040726.png" alt="Image of Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein's arrest at Washington University in St. Louis from the video" />
 <figcaption>Image of Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein's arrest at Washington University in St. Louis from the video</figcaption>
 </figure>LOS ANGELES (AP) — Colleges around the country implored pro-Palestinian student protesters to clear out tent encampments with rising levels of urgency Monday as classes wrap up for the semester and campuses prepare for graduation ceremonies.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">BREAKING: Jill Stein and her Campaign Manager and Deputy Campaign Manager, Jason Call and Kelly Merrill-Cayer, have been arrested at Washington University in St. Louis while supporting a protest against WashU’s ties to the war on Gaza. Video from <a href="https://twitter.com/KallieECox?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KallieECox</a> <a href="https://t.co/rkUYC9b5Qx">pic.twitter.com/rkUYC9b5Qx</a>&mdash; Dr. Jill Stein🌻 (@DrJillStein) <a href="https://twitter.com/DrJillStein/status/1784411081340809348?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 28, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Students and others have been sparing over the Israel-Hamas war and its mounting death toll. Many students are demanding their universities&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-protests-israel-divestment-palestinians-3f37f96f7be8e1124f266842d9caa627">cut financial ties</a>&nbsp;with Israel.Protests were still active at a number of campuses. Near George Washington University, protesters at an encampment breached and dismantled the barriers Monday morning used to secure University Yard, the university said in a statement. The yard had been closed since last week.At Columbia University, the site of the first protests, dialogue since last week between academic leaders and student organizers to dismantle encampments has not progressed, the university president said Monday. Protesters at Yale University set up a new encampment with dozens of tents Sunday afternoon, nearly a week after police arrested nearly 50 demonstrators and cleared a similar camp.At least one school, the University of Southern California, canceled its main graduation ceremony this spring. Others are asking the protests to resolve peacefully so they can hold their ceremonies.Protesters on both sides of the rancorous debate shouted and shoved each other during dueling demonstrations Sunday at the University of California, Los Angeles. The university stepped up security after “some physical altercations broke out among demonstrators,” Mary Osako, vice chancellor for UCLA Strategic Communications, said in a statement. There were no reports of arrests or injuries.About 275 people were arrested Saturday at various campuses including Indiana University at Bloomington, Arizona State University and Washington University in St. Louis. The number of arrests nationwide has surpassed 900 since New York police removed a pro-Palestinian protest encampment at Columbia University and arrested&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-protests-israel-palestinian-hirsi-cd80372939c7c08a40346e8b7d546da1">more than 100 demonstrators</a>&nbsp;on April 18.The plight of students who have been arrested has become&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-protest-gaza-war-arrest-amnesty-ae235703d6a9b99114078fca13a530a0">a central part of protests</a>, with the students and a growing number of faculty demanding amnesty for protesters. At issue is whether the suspensions and legal records will follow students through their adult lives.HOW IT STARTEDThe nationwide campus protests began as a response by some students to Israel’s offensive in Gaza after Hamas launched a deadly attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7.Militants killed about 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and took roughly 250 hostages. Vowing to stamp out Hamas, Israel has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, according to the local health ministry.Israel and its supporters have branded the university protests as antisemitic, while critics of Israel say it uses such allegations to silence opponents. Although some protesters have been caught on camera making antisemitic remarks or violent threats, organizers of the protests, some of whom are Jewish, say it is a peaceful movement aimed at defending Palestinian rights and protesting the war.Student demonstrations have sprung up across the U.S. in various locations including New York, California, Missouri, Indiana, Massachusetts, Vermont and Virginia.MISSOURIWashington University in St. Louis locked some campus buildings and arrested protesters Saturday. Photos showed uniformed police attempting to remove masked protesters as others, also wearing masks, linked arms to thwart the efforts.The university said in a statement that more than 100 people, including 23 students and four university employees, were arrested on suspicion of trespassing. Megan Green, president of the St. Louis Board of Aldermen, said in a social media post that she was present and the protest remained calm “until the police came in like an ambush.”Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein said in a social media post that she and two of her campaign managers were among those arrested.The university’s statement defended the action and said protesters “did not have good intentions on our campus and that this demonstration had the potential to get out of control and become dangerous.”NEW YORKEarly protests at Columbia University in New York City, where demonstrators set up tents in the center of the campus, sparked&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inside-columbia-protest-movement-0b35ff55f18d0bf4b2c8c0a27b1dbe04">pro-Palestinian demonstrations</a>&nbsp;across the country. The demonstrations have caused the school to hold remote classes.Columbia set a series of deadlines for protesters to leave the encampment, which they have missed, but the school said in an email to students that bringing back police “at this time” would be counterproductive. The students and administrators have engaged in negotiations to end the disruptions, but the sides have not come to an agreement, university President Minouche Shafik said in a statement Monday.On Sunday, students walked among dozens of colorful tents in front of Low Library, where rows of chairs already have been set up in preparation for commencement in May.CALIFORNIAAt UCLA, police set up barricades before hundreds of demonstrators on both sides joined a growing crowd Sunday near tents where pro-Palestinian students have been staying around-the-clock.Pro-Israel demonstrators who arrived for a “Stand in Support of Jewish Students” rally said their goal was to “stand up against hatred and antisemitism.” The counterprotest was organized by the Israeli-American Council, whose leader Elan Carr urged marchers to remain peaceful,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-04-28/gaza-ucla-usc-protests">the Los Angeles Times reported</a>.Across town, the University of Southern California said it was open Sunday after administrators shut down the campus a day earlier because of what the school called vandalism and disruptions.USC drew criticism after refusing to allow this year's class valedictorian, who has publicly supported the Palestinian cause, to make a commencement speech. Administrators then scrapped the keynote speech by filmmaker Jon M. Chu. Last week the school announced the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/university-of-southern-california-commencement-speech-canceled-125cb8db93f2247ca3e45f782b7fcb2a">cancellation of its main graduation event</a>, a day after more than 90 protesters were arrested by police in riot gear.In the northern part of the state, officials Saturday ordered an “enforced hard closure” of California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt. Two halls remained occupied by pro-Palestinian demonstrators.MASSACHUSETTSPolice in riot gear cleared an encampment at Northeastern University in Boston on Saturday. About 100 protesters were arrested and will be charged with trespassing and disorderly conduct, the Massachusetts State Police said.Boston's Emerson College said in a statement Sunday that it will not bring disciplinary charges against over 100 protesters who were arrested last week and will encourage prosecutors not to issue charges for encampment-related violations.At Boston's Tufts University, the school said in a statement that staffers would reach out to protesters Monday to plan for the end of an encampment in coming days.VIRGINIAThere were an unknown number of arrests over the weekend at a protest at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, a university spokesperson said Monday.Protesters began occupying the lawn of the graduate life center Friday, the university said in a statement. The gathering violated university policy, the school said, but there was a “safe and peaceful environment” over much of the weekend.___

Protests over Israel-Hamas war roil campuses in Missouri, nationwide

SEDGWICK COUNTY–A 19-year-old woman accused in a shooting death made her first court appearance Friday

Amunique Cavitt, 19 of Wichita, was charged with 1st degree murder, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Around noon April 23, police responded to the 1400 block of Minnesota Avenue in Wichita following reports of a shooting., according to police spokesman Andrew Ford. First responders found 34-year-old&nbsp; Norman E. Carter III with multiple gunshot wounds to his upper body.

Responding officers immediately started life-saving measures until Sedgwick County EMS arrived and transported Carter to a local hospital. He was pronounced dead at 1:01 p.m, according to Ford.

Police detained a person of interest in their investigation and later booked 19-year-old Amunique Cavitt into jail.&nbsp;Her bond is one-million dollars, according to the district attorney's office. Her next court date is May 10.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713961470429.png" alt="Cavitt-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Cavitt-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY–A 19-year-old woman accused in a shooting death made her first court appearance FridayAmunique Cavitt, 19 of Wichita, was charged with 1st degree murder, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.Around noon April 23, police responded to the 1400 block of Minnesota Avenue in Wichita following reports of a shooting., according to police spokesman Andrew Ford. First responders found 34-year-old&nbsp; Norman E. Carter III with multiple gunshot wounds to his upper body.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713954859599.png" alt="Police at the scene of the investigation - photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police at the scene of the investigation - photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>Responding officers immediately started life-saving measures until Sedgwick County EMS arrived and transported Carter to a local hospital. He was pronounced dead at 1:01 p.m, according to Ford.Police detained a person of interest in their investigation and later booked 19-year-old Amunique Cavitt into jail.&nbsp;Her bond is one-million dollars, according to the district attorney's office. Her next court date is May 10.

19-year-old Kansas woman charged with man's murder

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities investigating gunfire at the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City are asking for help to identify suspects and a vehicle.

Just after 6:30 p.m. on April 6, police responded to a report of a shooting and individuals running near 47th and Central, according to KCPD Officer Alayna Gonzalez.&nbsp;After officers secured the scene, it was discovered that multiple vehicles had been shot into, and one of the vehicles was occupied. There were no injuries.  

Police have released images of the suspects allegedly involved and a vehicle.

&nbsp;Please contact the KCPD Assault Squad at 816-234-5227 or TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS. You can also visit <a href="https://t.co/gULWXwQkBQ" target="_blank">http://kccrimestoppers.com</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714306012521.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities investigating gunfire at the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City are asking for help to identify suspects and a vehicle.Just after 6:30 p.m. on April 6, police responded to a report of a shooting and individuals running near 47th and Central, according to KCPD Officer Alayna Gonzalez.&nbsp;After officers secured the scene, it was discovered that multiple vehicles had been shot into, and one of the vehicles was occupied. There were no injuries. Police have released images of the suspects allegedly involved and a vehicle.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714306047782.png" alt="Suspect vehicle, a black 2017 – 2020 Kia Optima with an unknown license plate.-photo KCPD" />
 <figcaption>Suspect vehicle, a black 2017 – 2020 Kia Optima with an unknown license plate.-photo KCPD</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;Please contact the KCPD Assault Squad at 816-234-5227 or TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS. You can also visit <a href="https://t.co/gULWXwQkBQ" target="_blank">http://kccrimestoppers.com</a>

Police search for KC Country Club Plaza shooting suspects

KINGMAN COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 7:30p.m. Sunday in Kingman County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a&nbsp; single engine paraglider piloted by Peter Polk, 51, Viola, crash landed in a field in the 16000 Block of SE 120th Stewwr in Kingman County. 

The single engine paraglider pilot advised he fell approximately 15 feet. EMS transported Polk to Wesley Medical Center.&nbsp;&nbsp;

KINGMAN COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 7:30p.m. Sunday in Kingman County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a&nbsp; single engine paraglider piloted by Peter Polk, 51, Viola, crash landed in a field in the 16000 Block of SE 120th Stewwr in Kingman County. The single engine paraglider pilot advised he fell approximately 15 feet. EMS transported Polk to Wesley Medical Center.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Kansas man hospitalized after paraglider crash landing

JOHNSON COUNTY—Investigator say lightning caused a weekend fire at a Kansas home.

Just after 6:30p.m. Saturday, firefighters battled a house fire at 15620 S Downing Street in south Olathe, according to social media report from Olathe Fire Department.

When firefighters arrived they found the fire was in the attic. It took 18 minutes to control the blaze. There were no injuries reported. The damage to home was significant, according to the fire department. Officials did not release a damage estimate.&nbsp;&nbsp;Lightning was blamed for three related incidents on Saturday, according to the fire deparatment.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714331283825.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY—Investigator say lightning caused a weekend fire at a Kansas home.Just after 6:30p.m. Saturday, firefighters battled a house fire at 15620 S Downing Street in south Olathe, according to social media report from Olathe Fire Department.When firefighters arrived they found the fire was in the attic. It took 18 minutes to control the blaze. There were no injuries reported. The damage to home was significant, according to the fire department. Officials did not release a damage estimate.&nbsp;&nbsp;Lightning was blamed for three related incidents on Saturday, according to the fire deparatment.

Lightning caused Kansas house fire

WASHINGTON (AP) — Ukraine has sidelined U.S.-provided Abrams M1A1 battle tanks for now in its fight against Russia, in part because&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-chernihiv-missile-strike-drones-2eaf2f93ad447bce3ea2d8f9631c554b">Russian drone warfare</a>&nbsp;has made it too difficult for them to operate without detection or coming under attack, two U.S. military officials told The Associated Press.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-military-technology-germany-7b63726a3935da3f03424e98e52a85b2">U.S. agreed to send 31 Abrams</a>&nbsp;to Ukraine in January 2023 after an aggressive monthslong campaign by Kyiv arguing that the tanks, which cost about $10 million apiece, were vital to its ability to breach Russian lines.

But the battlefield has changed substantially since then, notably by the ubiquitous use of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-drone-energy-infrastructure-drones-f57e600db45757aaf5120ba23a96980f">Russian surveillance drones and hunter-killer drones</a>. Those weapons have made it more difficult for Ukraine to protect the tanks when they are quickly detected and hunted by Russian drones or rounds.

Five of the 31 tanks have already been lost to Russian attacks.

The proliferation of drones on the Ukrainian battlefield means “there isn’t open ground that you can just drive across without fear of detection,” a senior defense official told reporters Thursday.

The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to provide an update on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-military-aid-package-kharkiv-drones-cadd79c8abd56ad58d07c93253e04ef1">U.S. weapons support for Ukraine</a>&nbsp;before Friday's Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting.

For now,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-politics-us-national-security-council-7b8475342e6d5e0ad6e45715fe5a1fd9">the tanks</a>&nbsp;have been moved from the front lines, and the U.S. will work with the Ukrainians to reset tactics, said Joint Chiefs of Staff Vice Chairman Adm. Christopher Grady and a third defense official who confirmed the move on the condition of anonymity.

“When you think about the way the fight has evolved, massed armor in an environment where unmanned aerial systems are ubiquitous can be at risk," Grady told the AP in an interview this week, adding that tanks are still important.

“Now, there is a way to do it," he said. "We’ll work with our Ukrainian partners, and other partners on the ground, to help them think through how they might use that, in that kind of changed environment now, where everything is seen immediately.”

News of the sidelined tanks comes as the U.S. marks the two-year anniversary of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, a coalition of about 50 countries that meets monthly to assess&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-war-ammunition-military-b263dfaceef57fb2c1f74c53861734da">Ukraine's battlefield needs</a>&nbsp;and identify where to find needed ammunition, weapons or maintenance to keep Ukraine's troops equipped.

Recent aid packages, including the $1 billion military assistance package signed by President Joe Biden on Wednesday, also reflect a wider reset for Ukrainian forces in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-drone-energy-infrastructure-drones-f57e600db45757aaf5120ba23a96980f">evolving fight</a>.

The U.S.&nbsp; announced Friday that it also will provide about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-funding-war-russia-patriot-missiles-026fc8f9ee064ffb49bbee2422e2908b">$6 billion in long-term military aid</a>&nbsp;to Ukraine, U.S. officials said, adding that it will include much sought after munitions for Patriot air defense systems. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details not yet made public.

The $1 billion package emphasized counter-drone capabilities, including .50-caliber rounds specifically modified to counter drone systems; additional air defenses and ammunition; and a host of alternative, and cheaper, vehicles, including Humvees, Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles and Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles.

The U.S. also confirmed for the first time that it is providing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-long-range-missiles-4d2254639eb5a503d8b0a291ed0680e9">long-range ballistic missiles</a>&nbsp;known as ATACMs, which allow Ukraine to strike deep into Russian-occupied areas without having to advance and be further exposed to either drone detection or fortified Russian defenses.

While drones are a significant threat, the Ukrainians also have not adopted tactics that could have made the tanks more effective, one of the U.S. defense officials said.

After announcing it would provide Ukraine the Abrams tanks in January 2023,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abrams-tanks-ukraine-war-training-russia-62a21f24f4769044b3fcade518e5b44e">the U.S. began training Ukrainians</a>&nbsp;at Grafenwoehr Army base in Germany that spring on how to maintain and operate them. They also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abrams-tanks-ukraine-training-war-russia-aid-6de94897aad37e6d30e744df0dad07bd">taught the Ukrainians</a>&nbsp;how to use them in combined arms warfare — where the tanks operate as part of a system of advancing armored forces, coordinating movements with overhead offensive fires, infantry troops and air assets.

As the spring progressed and Ukraine's highly anticipated counteroffensive stalled, shifting from tank training in Germany to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-war-abrams-tanks-94294a9c1e1acc50098afa440bcb4d40">getting Abrams on the battlefield</a>&nbsp;was seen as an imperative to breach fortified Russian lines. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on his Telegram channel in September that the Abrams had arrived in Ukraine.

Since then, however, Ukraine has only employed them in a limited fashion and has not made combined arms warfare part of its operations, the defense official said.

During its recent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-avdiivka-c31eb7439d1983532a3f940061efe6e7">withdrawal from Avdiivka</a>, a city in eastern Ukraine that was the focus of intense fighting for months, several tanks were lost to Russian attacks, the official said.

A long delay by Congress in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-mike-johnson-ukraine-israel-b72aed9b195818735d24363f2bc34ea4">passing new funding for Ukraine</a>&nbsp;meant its forces had to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-weapons-avdiivka-24bd70ef8047140a10c67e000288f7d8">ration ammunition</a>, and in some cases they were only able to shoot back once for every five or more times they were targeted by Russian forces.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710267271851.png" alt="-Soldiers in an M1A2 SEPV3 Abrams tank assigned to the U.S. Army's 3rd Infantry Division fires conduct a Combined Arms Live-Fire exercise at Trzebien, Poland, Feb. 12, 2024. The 3rd Infantry Division’s mission in Europe is to engage in multinational training and exercises across the continent, working alongside NATO Allies and regional security partners to provide combat-credible forces to V Corps, America’s forward deployed corps in Europe.&nbsp;&nbsp;Photo By:Army Spc. Bernabe Lopez III" />
 <figcaption>-Soldiers in an M1A2 SEPV3 Abrams tank assigned to the U.S. Army's 3rd Infantry Division fires conduct a Combined Arms Live-Fire exercise at Trzebien, Poland, Feb. 12, 2024. The 3rd Infantry Division’s mission in Europe is to engage in multinational training and exercises across the continent, working alongside NATO Allies and regional security partners to provide combat-credible forces to V Corps, America’s forward deployed corps in Europe.&nbsp;&nbsp;Photo By:Army Spc. Bernabe Lopez III</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Ukraine has sidelined U.S.-provided Abrams M1A1 battle tanks for now in its fight against Russia, in part because&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-chernihiv-missile-strike-drones-2eaf2f93ad447bce3ea2d8f9631c554b">Russian drone warfare</a>&nbsp;has made it too difficult for them to operate without detection or coming under attack, two U.S. military officials told The Associated Press.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-military-technology-germany-7b63726a3935da3f03424e98e52a85b2">U.S. agreed to send 31 Abrams</a>&nbsp;to Ukraine in January 2023 after an aggressive monthslong campaign by Kyiv arguing that the tanks, which cost about $10 million apiece, were vital to its ability to breach Russian lines.But the battlefield has changed substantially since then, notably by the ubiquitous use of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-drone-energy-infrastructure-drones-f57e600db45757aaf5120ba23a96980f">Russian surveillance drones and hunter-killer drones</a>. Those weapons have made it more difficult for Ukraine to protect the tanks when they are quickly detected and hunted by Russian drones or rounds.Five of the 31 tanks have already been lost to Russian attacks.The proliferation of drones on the Ukrainian battlefield means “there isn’t open ground that you can just drive across without fear of detection,” a senior defense official told reporters Thursday.The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to provide an update on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-military-aid-package-kharkiv-drones-cadd79c8abd56ad58d07c93253e04ef1">U.S. weapons support for Ukraine</a>&nbsp;before Friday's Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting.For now,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-politics-us-national-security-council-7b8475342e6d5e0ad6e45715fe5a1fd9">the tanks</a>&nbsp;have been moved from the front lines, and the U.S. will work with the Ukrainians to reset tactics, said Joint Chiefs of Staff Vice Chairman Adm. Christopher Grady and a third defense official who confirmed the move on the condition of anonymity.“When you think about the way the fight has evolved, massed armor in an environment where unmanned aerial systems are ubiquitous can be at risk," Grady told the AP in an interview this week, adding that tanks are still important.“Now, there is a way to do it," he said. "We’ll work with our Ukrainian partners, and other partners on the ground, to help them think through how they might use that, in that kind of changed environment now, where everything is seen immediately.”News of the sidelined tanks comes as the U.S. marks the two-year anniversary of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, a coalition of about 50 countries that meets monthly to assess&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-war-ammunition-military-b263dfaceef57fb2c1f74c53861734da">Ukraine's battlefield needs</a>&nbsp;and identify where to find needed ammunition, weapons or maintenance to keep Ukraine's troops equipped.Recent aid packages, including the $1 billion military assistance package signed by President Joe Biden on Wednesday, also reflect a wider reset for Ukrainian forces in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-drone-energy-infrastructure-drones-f57e600db45757aaf5120ba23a96980f">evolving fight</a>.The U.S.&nbsp; announced Friday that it also will provide about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-funding-war-russia-patriot-missiles-026fc8f9ee064ffb49bbee2422e2908b">$6 billion in long-term military aid</a>&nbsp;to Ukraine, U.S. officials said, adding that it will include much sought after munitions for Patriot air defense systems. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details not yet made public.The $1 billion package emphasized counter-drone capabilities, including .50-caliber rounds specifically modified to counter drone systems; additional air defenses and ammunition; and a host of alternative, and cheaper, vehicles, including Humvees, Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles and Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles.The U.S. also confirmed for the first time that it is providing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-long-range-missiles-4d2254639eb5a503d8b0a291ed0680e9">long-range ballistic missiles</a>&nbsp;known as ATACMs, which allow Ukraine to strike deep into Russian-occupied areas without having to advance and be further exposed to either drone detection or fortified Russian defenses.While drones are a significant threat, the Ukrainians also have not adopted tactics that could have made the tanks more effective, one of the U.S. defense officials said.After announcing it would provide Ukraine the Abrams tanks in January 2023,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abrams-tanks-ukraine-war-training-russia-62a21f24f4769044b3fcade518e5b44e">the U.S. began training Ukrainians</a>&nbsp;at Grafenwoehr Army base in Germany that spring on how to maintain and operate them. They also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abrams-tanks-ukraine-training-war-russia-aid-6de94897aad37e6d30e744df0dad07bd">taught the Ukrainians</a>&nbsp;how to use them in combined arms warfare — where the tanks operate as part of a system of advancing armored forces, coordinating movements with overhead offensive fires, infantry troops and air assets.As the spring progressed and Ukraine's highly anticipated counteroffensive stalled, shifting from tank training in Germany to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-war-abrams-tanks-94294a9c1e1acc50098afa440bcb4d40">getting Abrams on the battlefield</a>&nbsp;was seen as an imperative to breach fortified Russian lines. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on his Telegram channel in September that the Abrams had arrived in Ukraine.Since then, however, Ukraine has only employed them in a limited fashion and has not made combined arms warfare part of its operations, the defense official said.During its recent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-avdiivka-c31eb7439d1983532a3f940061efe6e7">withdrawal from Avdiivka</a>, a city in eastern Ukraine that was the focus of intense fighting for months, several tanks were lost to Russian attacks, the official said.A long delay by Congress in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-mike-johnson-ukraine-israel-b72aed9b195818735d24363f2bc34ea4">passing new funding for Ukraine</a>&nbsp;meant its forces had to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-weapons-avdiivka-24bd70ef8047140a10c67e000288f7d8">ration ammunition</a>, and in some cases they were only able to shoot back once for every five or more times they were targeted by Russian forces.

Cheap Russian drones overwhelm US-made Abrams tanks in Ukraine

FINNEY COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 10:30 p.m. Sunday in Finney County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2017 Ford F150 driven by Cynthia&nbsp;Calzadillas-Marquez, 32, Garden City, was northbound on 8th Street at West Fair Street.

The pickup struck an eastbound 2022 Yamaha&nbsp;YZF Motorcycle driven by&nbsp; Gabriel E. Reyes, 30, Garden City, who failed to yield at the stop sign.

Reyes was transported to&nbsp;St. Catherine's Hospital where he was pronounced deceased.&nbsp;&nbsp;Calzadillas-Marquez and passengers in the pickup were not injured.&nbsp; Reyes was wearing a helmet, according to the KHP.

FINNEY COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 10:30 p.m. Sunday in Finney County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2017 Ford F150 driven by Cynthia&nbsp;Calzadillas-Marquez, 32, Garden City, was northbound on 8th Street at West Fair Street.The pickup struck an eastbound 2022 Yamaha&nbsp;YZF Motorcycle driven by&nbsp; Gabriel E. Reyes, 30, Garden City, who failed to yield at the stop sign.Reyes was transported to&nbsp;St. Catherine's Hospital where he was pronounced deceased.&nbsp;&nbsp;Calzadillas-Marquez and passengers in the pickup were not injured.&nbsp; Reyes was wearing a helmet, according to the KHP.

SW Kansas man dies after pickup strikes a motorcycle

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>&nbsp;

TOPEKA — The federal agency overseeing distribution of $42 billion in state grants for expansion of broadband networks approved Kansas’ plan for allocating $451 million to improve high-speed internet service in regions of the state not adequately served by private industry.

Approval from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s telecommunications and information administration means Kansas was ready to request access to federal dollars and prepare for submission of applications from companies or organizations capable of carrying out projects designed to close the digital divide.

Service-gap maps indicated the greatest need in Kansas was in rural counties, with significant demand in southeast and southwest regions of the state.

“I really want to congratulate the state for submitting such a sophisticated and high quality program, one that shows how the state will make high-speed internet service available to everyone in every community,” said Courtney Dozier, deputy director of Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment, or BEAD, at the federal Department of Commerce.

She said the step put Kansas closer to getting shovels in the ground, strengthening broadband systems and connecting communities to services that contribute to job creation.

Gov. Laura Kelly said the federal initiative financed through the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act would address barriers preventing Kansans from fully participating in the digital economy.

“Kansans, no matter their zip code, deserve access to reliable, high-speed internet,” the governor said.

Jade Piros de Carvalho, director of the Kansas Office of Broadband Development, said during a conference call with Dozier that the private-public partnership was crafted to bring affordable, reliable broadband to homes and businesses statewide by the end of this decade.

She said the initial steps of a five-year plan involved mapping broadband availability and determining areas in which investment should be prioritized. A pre-registration portal for potential bidders for the grants should be available by mid-May and the competitive bidding process among potential grant recipients would start in July.

The preference would be to deliver service through fiberoptic networks, Piros de Carvalho said, but alternative sources, including fixed wireless systems, would be considered.

“We’re going to be very intentional about where this … investment goes,” she said. “We also put together a regulatory framework to really help providers and other applicants understand how best to succeed in getting these funds. The goal is to get everyone connected … with the highest, most scalable technology possible.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714307272252.png" alt=" Jade Piros de Carvalho, director of the Kansas Office of Broadband Development, says the U.S. Department of Commerce approved the state's framework for distribution of $451 million in federal aid to improve home and business access to high-speed internet services. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Jade Piros de Carvalho, director of the Kansas Office of Broadband Development, says the U.S. Department of Commerce approved the state's framework for distribution of $451 million in federal aid to improve home and business access to high-speed internet services. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>&nbsp;TOPEKA — The federal agency overseeing distribution of $42 billion in state grants for expansion of broadband networks approved Kansas’ plan for allocating $451 million to improve high-speed internet service in regions of the state not adequately served by private industry.Approval from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s telecommunications and information administration means Kansas was ready to request access to federal dollars and prepare for submission of applications from companies or organizations capable of carrying out projects designed to close the digital divide.Service-gap maps indicated the greatest need in Kansas was in rural counties, with significant demand in southeast and southwest regions of the state.“I really want to congratulate the state for submitting such a sophisticated and high quality program, one that shows how the state will make high-speed internet service available to everyone in every community,” said Courtney Dozier, deputy director of Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment, or BEAD, at the federal Department of Commerce.She said the step put Kansas closer to getting shovels in the ground, strengthening broadband systems and connecting communities to services that contribute to job creation.Gov. Laura Kelly said the federal initiative financed through the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act would address barriers preventing Kansans from fully participating in the digital economy.“Kansans, no matter their zip code, deserve access to reliable, high-speed internet,” the governor said.Jade Piros de Carvalho, director of the Kansas Office of Broadband Development, said during a conference call with Dozier that the private-public partnership was crafted to bring affordable, reliable broadband to homes and businesses statewide by the end of this decade.She said the initial steps of a five-year plan involved mapping broadband availability and determining areas in which investment should be prioritized. A pre-registration portal for potential bidders for the grants should be available by mid-May and the competitive bidding process among potential grant recipients would start in July.The preference would be to deliver service through fiberoptic networks, Piros de Carvalho said, but alternative sources, including fixed wireless systems, would be considered.“We’re going to be very intentional about where this … investment goes,” she said. “We also put together a regulatory framework to really help providers and other applicants understand how best to succeed in getting these funds. The goal is to get everyone connected … with the highest, most scalable technology possible.”

Federal agency approves Kansas’ framework for allocating $451 million in broadband funding

KANSAS CITY – An anesthesiologist at a Lee’s Summit, Missouri, hospital pleaded guilty in federal court last week to illegally taking fentanyl from the hospital, according to the United State's Attorney.

<a href="https://med.umkc.edu/dir/peplinski-roman/">Roman Peplinski, 37, of Kansas City </a>waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to a federal information that charges him with one count of obtaining a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, forgery, deception, or subterfuge.

<a href="https://med.umkc.edu/dir/peplinski-roman/">Peplinski </a>was employed as an anesthesiologist at Union Hill Group in Kansas City. Peplinski worked at Lakewood Medical Center in Lee’s Summit and Truman Medical Center in Kansas City which are both part of University Health.

<a href="https://med.umkc.edu/dir/peplinski-roman/">Peplinski a</a>dmitted that he illegally obtained fentanyl from Lakewood Medical Center on Nov. 5, 2022. Peplinski misrepresented the fentanyl was for a patient, when in reality, that patient had been discharged from Lakewood Medical Center earlier that day. Fentanyl was not listed under the “medication orders” on the patient’s chart for the hospital visit.

<a href="https://med.umkc.edu/dir/peplinski-roman/">Peplinski</a> also admitted to withdrawing fentanyl from three vials from Sept. 1, 2022, through Nov. 30, 2022.

On Feb. 16, 2023, personnel from Lakewood Medical Center reported to the Drug Enforcement Administration that three vials of fentanyl in an automated dispensing cabinet showed signs of tampering. In March 2023 seven vials of fentanyl that were suspected of being tampered with were sent to the FDA’s Forensic Chemistry Center where tests were performed on the vials and their contents. Of the seven vials, three showed evidence of being tampered with. One of those vials contained no fentanyl and the other two vials contained a small amount of fentanyl.

The government has no evidence that any patients were harmed as a result of Peplinski tampering with vials of fentanyl.

Under federal statutes, Peplinski is subject to a sentence of up to four years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley Cooper. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Food and Drug Administration-Office of Criminal Investigations.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714254250527.png" alt="-Roman Peplinski photo UMKC" />
 <figcaption>-Roman Peplinski photo UMKC</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY – An anesthesiologist at a Lee’s Summit, Missouri, hospital pleaded guilty in federal court last week to illegally taking fentanyl from the hospital, according to the United State's Attorney.<a href="https://med.umkc.edu/dir/peplinski-roman/">Roman Peplinski, 37, of Kansas City </a>waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to a federal information that charges him with one count of obtaining a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, forgery, deception, or subterfuge.<a href="https://med.umkc.edu/dir/peplinski-roman/">Peplinski </a>was employed as an anesthesiologist at Union Hill Group in Kansas City. Peplinski worked at Lakewood Medical Center in Lee’s Summit and Truman Medical Center in Kansas City which are both part of University Health.<a href="https://med.umkc.edu/dir/peplinski-roman/">Peplinski a</a>dmitted that he illegally obtained fentanyl from Lakewood Medical Center on Nov. 5, 2022. Peplinski misrepresented the fentanyl was for a patient, when in reality, that patient had been discharged from Lakewood Medical Center earlier that day. Fentanyl was not listed under the “medication orders” on the patient’s chart for the hospital visit.<a href="https://med.umkc.edu/dir/peplinski-roman/">Peplinski</a> also admitted to withdrawing fentanyl from three vials from Sept. 1, 2022, through Nov. 30, 2022.On Feb. 16, 2023, personnel from Lakewood Medical Center reported to the Drug Enforcement Administration that three vials of fentanyl in an automated dispensing cabinet showed signs of tampering. In March 2023 seven vials of fentanyl that were suspected of being tampered with were sent to the FDA’s Forensic Chemistry Center where tests were performed on the vials and their contents. Of the seven vials, three showed evidence of being tampered with. One of those vials contained no fentanyl and the other two vials contained a small amount of fentanyl.The government has no evidence that any patients were harmed as a result of Peplinski tampering with vials of fentanyl.Under federal statutes, Peplinski is subject to a sentence of up to four years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley Cooper. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Food and Drug Administration-Office of Criminal Investigations.