BARTON COUNTY —Authorities reported a man intentionally set a vacant, rural home on fire and left it unattended in rural Barton County Tuesday.&nbsp; Nearby residents and fire crews did not know.

Just after 2p.m. Tuesday, Barton County Fire District 2, Hoisington, received a call to a reported structure fire near the intersection of NE 140 Road and NE 30 Avenue, according to a social media report from the fire district.

A one story house had flames showing from windows and the attic area. Once firefighters arrived on scene the house was fully engulfed with no one around the property. 

Firefighters battled the fire from the outside due to the amount of fire inside, and the stability of the house. By the time crews arrived, the roof had collapsed.

 During extinguishment, it was found that there was no electricity or propane leading in to the house, which indicated it was a vacant house. 

Investigators learned the property owner was going to tear the house down and lit the house on fire the same day, and left the structure to burn down unattended. 

Smoke and flames were visible for quite a distance and prompted several 911 calls. Many resources were used to fight the fire.

Barton Fire District 2 was assisted by Hoisington EMS, Barton Co. Sheriffs Dept and the Beaver Fire Department.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1674696326003.png" alt="Photos Barton Co. Fire District 2" />
 <figcaption>Photos Barton Co. Fire District 2</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY —Authorities reported a man intentionally set a vacant, rural home on fire and left it unattended in rural Barton County Tuesday.&nbsp; Nearby residents and fire crews did not know.Just after 2p.m. Tuesday, Barton County Fire District 2, Hoisington, received a call to a reported structure fire near the intersection of NE 140 Road and NE 30 Avenue, according to a social media report from the fire district.A one story house had flames showing from windows and the attic area. Once firefighters arrived on scene the house was fully engulfed with no one around the property. Firefighters battled the fire from the outside due to the amount of fire inside, and the stability of the house. By the time crews arrived, the roof had collapsed.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1674696326003.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure> During extinguishment, it was found that there was no electricity or propane leading in to the house, which indicated it was a vacant house. Investigators learned the property owner was going to tear the house down and lit the house on fire the same day, and left the structure to burn down unattended. Smoke and flames were visible for quite a distance and prompted several 911 calls. Many resources were used to fight the fire.Barton Fire District 2 was assisted by Hoisington EMS, Barton Co. Sheriffs Dept and the Beaver Fire Department.

Man set rural Kan. house on fire, left and did not report blaze

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today urged employers to be
 aware of the January deadline to file Forms W-2 and other wage 
statements. Filing these documents timely prevents late-filing penalties
 for employers, helps employees file their income tax returns and 
prevents tax fraud.

Employers must file copies of their 2022 <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-w-2">Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statements</a>, and <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-w-3">Form W-3, Transmittal of Wage and Tax Statements</a>,
 with the Social Security Administration by January 31, 2023. This 
deadline applies for all Forms W-2 and W-3, whether filing by paper 
forms or electronically.

Employers must also provide copies B, C and 2 of Form W-2 to their 
employees by January 31, 2023. For more information on filing Form W-2, 
see <a href="https://www.irs.gov/instructions/iw2w3">General Instructions for Forms W-2 and W-3</a>.

Use same employer identification number on all forms

Employers need to make sure the employer identification number (EIN) 
on their wage and tax statements (Forms W-2, W-3, etc.) and their 
payroll tax returns (Forms 941, 943, 944, etc.) match the EIN the IRS 
assigned to their business.

Do not use a Social Security number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer 
Identification number (ITIN) on forms that ask for an EIN. Do not 
truncate the employer's EIN or the employee's SSN on any of the forms.

If an employer used an EIN (including a prior owner's EIN) on their 
payroll tax returns that's different from the EIN reported on their W-3,
 they should review General Instructions for Forms W-2 and W-3, Specific
 Instructions for Form W-3, Box h—Other EIN used this year.

Filing wage and tax statements and payroll tax returns with 
inconsistent EINs or using another business's EIN may result in 
penalties and delays in processing an employer's returns. Even if an 
employer uses a third-party payer (such as a Certified Professional 
Employer Organization, Professional Employer Organization, or other 
third party) or a different entity within their business to file these 
documents, the name and EIN on all statements and forms filed must be 
consistent and exactly match the EIN the IRS assigned to their business.

For more information on third-party arrangements, see <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-publication-15">Publication 15, (Circular E), Employer's Tax Guide</a>.

Employers may request a 30-day extension to file Forms W-2 with SSA by submitting a <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-8809">Form 8809, Application for Extension of Time to File Information Returns</a>,
 by January 31. However, they must meet one of the criteria on Line 7 of
 Form 8809 to be granted an extension. For detailed information, see 
Form 8809 and <a href="https://www.irs.gov/instructions/iw2w3">General Instructions for Forms W-2 and W-3</a>.

Filing Form 8809 does not extend the due date for furnishing wage 
statements to employees. Filing a separate extension of time to furnish 
Forms W-2 to employees must occur by January 31. Detailed information 
and instructions on how to file an extension of time to furnish Forms 
W-2 to employees is in the General Instructions for Forms W-2 and W-3.

The IRS and SSA encourage all employers to <a href="https://www.irs.gov/e-file-providers/electronic-filing-options-for-business-and-self-employed-taxpayers">e-file</a>.
 It is the quickest, most accurate and convenient way to file these 
forms. E-filing is mandatory if an employer is filing 250 or more 
information returns.

For more information about e-filing Forms W-2 visit the SSA's <a href="https://www.ssa.gov/bso/bsowelcome.htm">Business Services Online</a>, and <a href="https://www.ssa.gov/employer/">Employer W-2 Filing Instructions &amp; Information</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today urged employers to be
 aware of the January deadline to file Forms W-2 and other wage 
statements. Filing these documents timely prevents late-filing penalties
 for employers, helps employees file their income tax returns and 
prevents tax fraud.Employers must file copies of their 2022 <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-w-2">Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statements</a>, and <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-w-3">Form W-3, Transmittal of Wage and Tax Statements</a>,
 with the Social Security Administration by January 31, 2023. This 
deadline applies for all Forms W-2 and W-3, whether filing by paper 
forms or electronically.Employers must also provide copies B, C and 2 of Form W-2 to their 
employees by January 31, 2023. For more information on filing Form W-2, 
see <a href="https://www.irs.gov/instructions/iw2w3">General Instructions for Forms W-2 and W-3</a>.<h2>Use same employer identification number on all forms</h2>Employers need to make sure the employer identification number (EIN) 
on their wage and tax statements (Forms W-2, W-3, etc.) and their 
payroll tax returns (Forms 941, 943, 944, etc.) match the EIN the IRS 
assigned to their business.Do not use a Social Security number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer 
Identification number (ITIN) on forms that ask for an EIN. Do not 
truncate the employer's EIN or the employee's SSN on any of the forms.If an employer used an EIN (including a prior owner's EIN) on their 
payroll tax returns that's different from the EIN reported on their W-3,
 they should review General Instructions for Forms W-2 and W-3, Specific
 Instructions for Form W-3, Box h—Other EIN used this year.Filing wage and tax statements and payroll tax returns with 
inconsistent EINs or using another business's EIN may result in 
penalties and delays in processing an employer's returns. Even if an 
employer uses a third-party payer (such as a Certified Professional 
Employer Organization, Professional Employer Organization, or other 
third party) or a different entity within their business to file these 
documents, the name and EIN on all statements and forms filed must be 
consistent and exactly match the EIN the IRS assigned to their business.For more information on third-party arrangements, see <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-publication-15">Publication 15, (Circular E), Employer's Tax Guide</a>.<h2>Extensions</h2>Employers may request a 30-day extension to file Forms W-2 with SSA by submitting a <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-8809">Form 8809, Application for Extension of Time to File Information Returns</a>,
 by January 31. However, they must meet one of the criteria on Line 7 of
 Form 8809 to be granted an extension. For detailed information, see 
Form 8809 and <a href="https://www.irs.gov/instructions/iw2w3">General Instructions for Forms W-2 and W-3</a>.Filing Form 8809 does not extend the due date for furnishing wage 
statements to employees. Filing a separate extension of time to furnish 
Forms W-2 to employees must occur by January 31. Detailed information 
and instructions on how to file an extension of time to furnish Forms 
W-2 to employees is in the General Instructions for Forms W-2 and W-3.<h2>Electronic filing</h2>The IRS and SSA encourage all employers to <a href="https://www.irs.gov/e-file-providers/electronic-filing-options-for-business-and-self-employed-taxpayers">e-file</a>.
 It is the quickest, most accurate and convenient way to file these 
forms. E-filing is mandatory if an employer is filing 250 or more 
information returns.For more information about e-filing Forms W-2 visit the SSA's <a href="https://www.ssa.gov/bso/bsowelcome.htm">Business Services Online</a>, and <a href="https://www.ssa.gov/employer/">Employer W-2 Filing Instructions &amp; Information</a>.

Tax season 2023: Employer wage statement deadline nears

By CINDY GONZALEZ <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/01/25/mutual-of-omaha-kicks-off-construction-of-skyline-changer/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

OMAHA — With Wednesday’s ceremonial 
groundbreaking, Mutual of Omaha kicked off construction of its $600 
million new headquarters poised to outstretch all buildings in Nebraska 
and five other surrounding states.

At 677 feet tall, the glassy tower 
slated to open in 2026 is to include 800,000 square feet of office, 
meeting and amenity space.

Public use limited to city-funded garage 

It is to feature a “sky lobby,” a 
food court, a fitness center, landscaped terraces and a million square 
feet for a 2,200-stall city-funded parking garage.&nbsp;

However, aside from garage parking on
 evenings and weekends, the project approved for more than $60 million 
in public tax-increment financing won’t offer retail, gathering or other
 spaces for public use.

There will be times that people from 
outside the insurance and financial services company will be invited to 
events or meetings, said Mutual CEO James Blackledge. But the 
skyline-changing structure, at the entrance to the recently revamped 
Gene Leahy Mall, is to be devoted to its 4,000 or so local employees.

“Our investment is actually in our workforce,” Blackledge said. “That’s the central focus of our investment.”

During the event that drew top city 
and business leaders to a downtown tent, Blackledge and Mayor Jean 
Stothert also touted growth they expect the Mutual project to spur 
around the city block it will occupy.

That block, bounded by 14th, 15th, 
Douglas and Farnam Streets, is the former site of the city’s main W. 
Dale Clark Library, which was recently demolished.

“The momentum that we have to forever
 change our urban core is undeniable,” said Stothert. She compared the 
Mutual plan, which is tied to the planned $300 million-plus modern 
streetcar system, to a revitalization effort launched a half-century ago
 with creation of the original downtown mall and lagoon.

According to Stothert, more than $4 
billion in development over the past five years has been completed, is 
in progress or is planned stretching from downtown to midtown in the 
state’s largest city. That includes new facilities at the job-magnet 
University of Nebraska Medical Center.

Blackledge said Mutual, founded in 
1909, remains committed to the midtown campus it has called home since 
about 1940. The area at 33rd and Farnam Streets is along the streetcar 
route, which Mutual has said was integral to its decision to relocate to
 downtown.

Jason Lanoha, whose development 
company is involved in reshaping both the downtown and midtown Mutual 
sites, earlier told the City Council that roughly $400 million was to be
 invested in the revamp of Mutual’s midtown campus.

Said Blackledge: “So from the Med 
Center to the riverfront, linked by the modern streetcar, really the 
potential for development is virtually unlimited.”

The related plans have not come without controversy — and hefty public incentives.

In addition to the Mutual 
headquarters’ tax-increment financing package — which is among the 
highest amounts ever approved by the city — the streetcar project is to 
be financed with bonds that are to be paid off with TIF revenue.

Generally in a TIF-approved city 
project, increased property taxes generated on new development go to pay
 off eligible redevelopment costs for a period of 15 or 20 years, 
instead of being distributed to traditional recipients such as school 
districts.

After the loan is paid off, the higher property tax revenue starts flowing to regular sources.&nbsp;

Increased use of TIF in Nebraska, a 
longstanding economic growth tool authorized by state law, has raised 
eyebrows of some, including at least a few in the current Legislature.

State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of 
Elkhorn, for instance, has introduced three bills this session related 
to the streetcar, saying she believes a state-level airing of the plan 
is needed.&nbsp;

Blackledge on Wednesday reflected on the last two years since Mutual’s downtown plan hatched.

While Mutual had long been 
contemplating a new corporate base, Blackledge noted a January 2021 
meeting he had with Investors Realty broker Ryan Zabrowski and Jason 
Lanoha of Lanoha Real Estate Company.

“The pitch involved a streetcar, a 
move downtown and the redevelopment of our midtown campus —&nbsp;simple stuff
 like that,” Blackledge said, with a chuckle.

The idea bloomed into a project announced a year later, in January 2022, which linked the streetcar and the Mutual headquarters.

Among other elements of the city-Mutual agreement, the city is to pay
 about $100 million for the garage attached to the downtown tower. 
Mutual is to rent spaces from the city for its employees during the day,
 while the city is to lease spots to the public during other times.

The city also is to buy three parking garages on Mutual’s midtown campus, with those stalls to be leased to the public.

Blackledge said the downtown tower is designed and sized to support a
 flexible work model that acknowledges many employees want to work at 
least some of the time from home.

The new high-rise’s 800,000 square 
feet of office space compares to about 1.7 million square feet at 
Mutual’s current headquarters, which is more spread out.

Mutual officials said the new tower will be the tallest in Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, South Dakota and Wyoming.

A First National spokeswoman said 
Wednesday that the bank’s downtown office tower, which is currently the 
city’s tallest, is 633 feet high, putting the new Mutual at 44 feet 
higher.

Known as Project Beacon, Blackledge 
said the office structure will be a “beacon inviting employees to a new 
and modern workplace.”

“It will also be a beacon for vitality, development and investment in our downtown,” he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1674742287066.png" alt="Courtesy of Mutual of Omaha" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy of Mutual of Omaha</figcaption>
 </figure>By CINDY GONZALEZ <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/01/25/mutual-of-omaha-kicks-off-construction-of-skyline-changer/">Nebraska Examiner</a>OMAHA — With Wednesday’s ceremonial 
groundbreaking, Mutual of Omaha kicked off construction of its $600 
million new headquarters poised to outstretch all buildings in Nebraska 
and five other surrounding states.At 677 feet tall, the glassy tower 
slated to open in 2026 is to include 800,000 square feet of office, 
meeting and amenity space.<h2>Public use limited to city-funded garage </h2>It is to feature a “sky lobby,” a 
food court, a fitness center, landscaped terraces and a million square 
feet for a 2,200-stall city-funded parking garage.&nbsp;However, aside from garage parking on
 evenings and weekends, the project approved for more than $60 million 
in public tax-increment financing won’t offer retail, gathering or other
 spaces for public use.There will be times that people from 
outside the insurance and financial services company will be invited to 
events or meetings, said Mutual CEO James Blackledge. But the 
skyline-changing structure, at the entrance to the recently revamped 
Gene Leahy Mall, is to be devoted to its 4,000 or so local employees.“Our investment is actually in our workforce,” Blackledge said. “That’s the central focus of our investment.”During the event that drew top city 
and business leaders to a downtown tent, Blackledge and Mayor Jean 
Stothert also touted growth they expect the Mutual project to spur 
around the city block it will occupy.That block, bounded by 14th, 15th, 
Douglas and Farnam Streets, is the former site of the city’s main W. 
Dale Clark Library, which was recently demolished.<h2>Momentum ‘undeniable’ </h2>“The momentum that we have to forever
 change our urban core is undeniable,” said Stothert. She compared the 
Mutual plan, which is tied to the planned $300 million-plus modern 
streetcar system, to a revitalization effort launched a half-century ago
 with creation of the original downtown mall and lagoon.According to Stothert, more than $4 
billion in development over the past five years has been completed, is 
in progress or is planned stretching from downtown to midtown in the 
state’s largest city. That includes new facilities at the job-magnet 
University of Nebraska Medical Center.Blackledge said Mutual, founded in 
1909, remains committed to the midtown campus it has called home since 
about 1940. The area at 33rd and Farnam Streets is along the streetcar 
route, which Mutual has said was integral to its decision to relocate to
 downtown.Jason Lanoha, whose development 
company is involved in reshaping both the downtown and midtown Mutual 
sites, earlier told the City Council that roughly $400 million was to be
 invested in the revamp of Mutual’s midtown campus.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1674742368481.jpeg" alt="Rendering with view of new Mutual of Omaha headquarters looking west from the Gene Leahy Mall (Courtesy of Mutual of Omaha)" />
 <figcaption>Rendering with view of new Mutual of Omaha headquarters looking west from the Gene Leahy Mall (Courtesy of Mutual of Omaha)</figcaption>
 </figure>Said Blackledge: “So from the Med 
Center to the riverfront, linked by the modern streetcar, really the 
potential for development is virtually unlimited.”<h2>Public incentives </h2>The related plans have not come without controversy — and hefty public incentives.In addition to the Mutual 
headquarters’ tax-increment financing package — which is among the 
highest amounts ever approved by the city — the streetcar project is to 
be financed with bonds that are to be paid off with TIF revenue.Generally in a TIF-approved city 
project, increased property taxes generated on new development go to pay
 off eligible redevelopment costs for a period of 15 or 20 years, 
instead of being distributed to traditional recipients such as school 
districts.After the loan is paid off, the higher property tax revenue starts flowing to regular sources.&nbsp;Increased use of TIF in Nebraska, a 
longstanding economic growth tool authorized by state law, has raised 
eyebrows of some, including at least a few in the current Legislature.State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of 
Elkhorn, for instance, has introduced three bills this session related 
to the streetcar, saying she believes a state-level airing of the plan 
is needed.&nbsp;<h2>Seed planted two years ago</h2>Blackledge on Wednesday reflected on the last two years since Mutual’s downtown plan hatched.While Mutual had long been 
contemplating a new corporate base, Blackledge noted a January 2021 
meeting he had with Investors Realty broker Ryan Zabrowski and Jason 
Lanoha of Lanoha Real Estate Company.“The pitch involved a streetcar, a 
move downtown and the redevelopment of our midtown campus —&nbsp;simple stuff
 like that,” Blackledge said, with a chuckle.The idea bloomed into a project announced a year later, in January 2022, which linked the streetcar and the Mutual headquarters.Among other elements of the city-Mutual agreement, the city is to pay
 about $100 million for the garage attached to the downtown tower. 
Mutual is to rent spaces from the city for its employees during the day,
 while the city is to lease spots to the public during other times.The city also is to buy three parking garages on Mutual’s midtown campus, with those stalls to be leased to the public.<h2>Flexible work model embraced </h2>Blackledge said the downtown tower is designed and sized to support a
 flexible work model that acknowledges many employees want to work at 
least some of the time from home.The new high-rise’s 800,000 square 
feet of office space compares to about 1.7 million square feet at 
Mutual’s current headquarters, which is more spread out.Mutual officials said the new tower will be the tallest in Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, South Dakota and Wyoming.A First National spokeswoman said 
Wednesday that the bank’s downtown office tower, which is currently the 
city’s tallest, is 633 feet high, putting the new Mutual at 44 feet 
higher.Known as Project Beacon, Blackledge 
said the office structure will be a “beacon inviting employees to a new 
and modern workplace.”“It will also be a beacon for vitality, development and investment in our downtown,” he said.

Mutual of Omaha kicks off construction of skyline-changer

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating an alleged child sex crime and have arrested a Kansas felon.

Just before&nbsp; 12:30 a.m. on Tuesday, a 36-year-old woman reported to police that a 13-year-old was at a motel in the 2300 block of S. Broadway with a man identified as 37-year-old Lorenzo Gary, according to Officer Trevor Macy.

The woman said that she believed the two were having unlawful sexual relations.

Officers responded to the motel and located Gary and the juvenile who were both transported to the Exploited and Missing Child Unit (EMCU) for interviews. 

On Tuesday evening, police booked Gary into the Sedgwick County Jail on requested charges that include two counts of rape of a victim under 14-years old, according to Macy.&nbsp;Gary has previous convictions that include forgery and robbery, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1674663153884.png" alt="Gary has previous convictions that include forgery and robbery, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Gary has previous convictions that include forgery and robbery, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating an alleged child sex crime and have arrested a Kansas felon.Just before&nbsp; 12:30 a.m. on Tuesday, a 36-year-old woman reported to police that a 13-year-old was at a motel in the 2300 block of S. Broadway with a man identified as 37-year-old Lorenzo Gary, according to Officer Trevor Macy.The woman said that she believed the two were having unlawful sexual relations.Officers responded to the motel and located Gary and the juvenile who were both transported to the Exploited and Missing Child Unit (EMCU) for interviews. On Tuesday evening, police booked Gary into the Sedgwick County Jail on requested charges that include two counts of rape of a victim under 14-years old, according to Macy.&nbsp;Gary has previous convictions that include forgery and robbery, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections

Rape arrest: Kansas felon caught with 13-year-old at motel

FORD COUNTY –&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), and the Ford County Sheriff’s Office updated the condition of the deputy who remained hospitalized in Wichita after a fatal officer-involved shooting&nbsp; Monday in Dodge City.

The deputy from the Ford County Sheriff’s Office was released from the hospital today. He is now recovering at home.

The deputy from the Clark County Sheriff’s Office was released from the hospital Tuesday.&nbsp;

The condition of the female subject involved in the shooting was improving Tuesday. She was being treated for serious injuries, according to the KBI.

The sheriff’s deputies involved in the shooting are all on paid administrative leave pending further investigation.&nbsp;

Preliminary information indicates that deputies from the Clark County Sheriff’s Office observed a blue Toyota Tundra driving through Minneola, Kansas.

The Tundra matched the description of a vehicle connected to a double homicide in Phoenix, Arizona. When deputies initiated a traffic stop, the female driver and her male passenger, who was later identified as Leroy D. Malone, 39, of Phoenix, Arizona, fled prompting a vehicle pursuit.

The vehicles headed north on U.S. Highway 283 into Ford County, where deputies from the Ford County Sheriff’s Office and the KHP joined the pursuit. Deputies and troopers deployed stop sticks to try to slow the truck, and a deputy from the Clark County Sheriff’s Office used a maneuver to force the truck into the ditch.

After the vehicle came to rest east of the intersection of U.S. Highway 50 and 113 Road in Dodge City, gunfire was exchanged. Deputies from the Clark County Sheriff’s Office and the Ford County Sheriff’s Office discharged their firearms. A handgun was recovered from inside the truck.

Leroy Malone was hit multiple times by gunfire, and was pronounced dead at the scene. The female subject received multiple gunshot wounds and was transported to Wesley Medical Center in Wichita.

FORD COUNTY – The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI)updated information on the conditions of the law enforcement officers in the Monday morning fatal shooting in Dodge City with a&nbsp; man wanted for a double homicide in Phoenix, Arizona.

The deputy from the Ford County Sheriff’s Office, who was hospitalized in Wichita, underwent surgery today. He is improving, and is currently in good condition. The deputy from the Clark County Sheriff’s Office was released from the hospital today, and he is now recovering at home. The KHP trooper is also now recovering from his injuries at home.

The condition of the female subject involved in the shooting is improving, but she continues to be treated for serious injuries.

FORD COUNTY –&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) is investigating an officer-involved shooting that occurred Monday morning in Dodge City, Kansas. Three deputies were shot, and a Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP) trooper was injured during the fatal shooting.

Leroy Malone was hit multiple times by gunfire, and was pronounced dead at the scene. The female subject received multiple gunshot wounds and was transported to Wesley Medical Center in Wichita where she is in critical condition.&nbsp;

Two deputies from the Ford County Sheriff’s Office were shot. One deputy was transported to a Wichita hospital with serious gunshot wounds. He is currently in the intensive care unit. The second deputy was treated for shrapnel injuries and has been released from an area hospital.

A deputy from the Clark County Sheriff’s Office was shot twice, and was transported to a Wichita hospital. He is currently in serious condition. A KHP trooper was bit by a police K-9 during the shooting incident. He underwent surgery, and is in good condition.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1576429682832.png" alt="The sheriff’s deputies involved in the fatal shooting are all on paid administrative leave pending further investigation.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>The sheriff’s deputies involved in the fatal shooting are all on paid administrative leave pending further investigation.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>FORD COUNTY –&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), and the Ford County Sheriff’s Office updated the condition of the deputy who remained hospitalized in Wichita after a fatal officer-involved shooting&nbsp; Monday in Dodge City.The deputy from the Ford County Sheriff’s Office was released from the hospital today. He is now recovering at home.The deputy from the Clark County Sheriff’s Office was released from the hospital Tuesday.&nbsp;The condition of the female subject involved in the shooting was improving Tuesday. She was being treated for serious injuries, according to the KBI.The sheriff’s deputies involved in the shooting are all on paid administrative leave pending further investigation.&nbsp;Preliminary information indicates that deputies from the Clark County Sheriff’s Office observed a blue Toyota Tundra driving through Minneola, Kansas.The Tundra matched the description of a vehicle connected to a double homicide in Phoenix, Arizona. When deputies initiated a traffic stop, the female driver and her male passenger, who was later identified as Leroy D. Malone, 39, of Phoenix, Arizona, fled prompting a vehicle pursuit.The vehicles headed north on U.S. Highway 283 into Ford County, where deputies from the Ford County Sheriff’s Office and the KHP joined the pursuit. Deputies and troopers deployed stop sticks to try to slow the truck, and a deputy from the Clark County Sheriff’s Office used a maneuver to force the truck into the ditch.After the vehicle came to rest east of the intersection of U.S. Highway 50 and 113 Road in Dodge City, gunfire was exchanged. Deputies from the Clark County Sheriff’s Office and the Ford County Sheriff’s Office discharged their firearms. A handgun was recovered from inside the truck.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1674524036439.png" alt="-Malone was released from prison in June of 2020, according to the Arizona Dept.of Corrections" />
 <figcaption>-Malone was released from prison in June of 2020, according to the Arizona Dept.of Corrections</figcaption>
 </figure>Leroy Malone was hit multiple times by gunfire, and was pronounced dead at the scene. The female subject received multiple gunshot wounds and was transported to Wesley Medical Center in Wichita.------------FORD COUNTY – The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI)updated information on the conditions of the law enforcement officers in the Monday morning fatal shooting in Dodge City with a&nbsp; man wanted for a double homicide in Phoenix, Arizona.The deputy from the Ford County Sheriff’s Office, who was hospitalized in Wichita, underwent surgery today. He is improving, and is currently in good condition. The deputy from the Clark County Sheriff’s Office was released from the hospital today, and he is now recovering at home. The KHP trooper is also now recovering from his injuries at home.The condition of the female subject involved in the shooting is improving, but she continues to be treated for serious injuries.The sheriff’s deputies involved in the shooting are all on paid administrative leave pending further investigation.&nbsp;Preliminary information indicates that deputies from the Clark County Sheriff’s Office observed a blue Toyota Tundra driving through Minneola, Kansas.The Tundra matched the description of a vehicle connected to a double homicide in Phoenix, Arizona. When deputies initiated a traffic stop, the female driver and her male passenger, who was later identified as Leroy D. Malone, 39, of Phoenix, Arizona, fled prompting a vehicle pursuit.The vehicles headed north on U.S. Highway 283 into Ford County, where deputies from the Ford County Sheriff’s Office and the KHP joined the pursuit. Deputies and troopers deployed stop sticks to try to slow the truck, and a deputy from the Clark County Sheriff’s Office used a maneuver to force the truck into the ditch.After the vehicle came to rest east of the intersection of U.S. Highway 50 and 113 Road in Dodge City, gunfire was exchanged. Deputies from the Clark County Sheriff’s Office and the Ford County Sheriff’s Office discharged their firearms. A handgun was recovered from inside the truck.Leroy Malone was hit multiple times by gunfire, and was pronounced dead at the scene. The female subject received multiple gunshot wounds and was transported to Wesley Medical Center in Wichita.------FORD COUNTY –&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) is investigating an officer-involved shooting that occurred Monday morning in Dodge City, Kansas. Three deputies were shot, and a Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP) trooper was injured during the fatal shooting.Preliminary information indicates that deputies from the Clark County Sheriff’s Office observed a blue Toyota Tundra driving through Minneola, Kansas.The Tundra matched the description of a vehicle connected to a double homicide in Phoenix, Arizona. When deputies initiated a traffic stop, the female driver and her male passenger, who was later identified as Leroy D. Malone, 39, of Phoenix, Arizona, fled prompting a vehicle pursuit.The vehicles headed north on U.S. Highway 283 into Ford County, where deputies from the Ford County Sheriff’s Office and the KHP joined the pursuit. Deputies and troopers deployed stop sticks to try to slow the truck, and a deputy from the Clark County Sheriff’s Office used a maneuver to force the truck into the ditch.After the vehicle came to rest east of the intersection of U.S. Highway 50 and 113 Road in Dodge City, gunfire was exchanged. Deputies from the Clark County Sheriff’s Office and the Ford County Sheriff’s Office discharged their firearms. A handgun was recovered from inside the truck.Leroy Malone was hit multiple times by gunfire, and was pronounced dead at the scene. The female subject received multiple gunshot wounds and was transported to Wesley Medical Center in Wichita where she is in critical condition.&nbsp;Two deputies from the Ford County Sheriff’s Office were shot. One deputy was transported to a Wichita hospital with serious gunshot wounds. He is currently in the intensive care unit. The second deputy was treated for shrapnel injuries and has been released from an area hospital.A deputy from the Clark County Sheriff’s Office was shot twice, and was transported to a Wichita hospital. He is currently in serious condition. A KHP trooper was bit by a police K-9 during the shooting incident. He underwent surgery, and is in good condition.----------

Kan. deputy wounded in officer-shooting released from hospital

RENO COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a 28-year-old Kansas man with a history of crime on new charges.

Just before 9p.m. Tuesday, police responded to the Jimmy Johns at 900 East 30th Suite B in Hutchinson, according to a media release.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Employees reported that a man who attempted to conceal his identity, entered the store and demanded cash from the register. The suspect implied that he was armed but no weapon was displayed. He obtained an undisclosed amount of currency and fled. 

Police quickly arrested of 28-year-old William R. Webster who has previous felony convictions for aggravated robbery and burglary, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

During the investigation, police were able to link Webster to a robbery at the 1330 East 30th Kwik Shop back on Jan. 16. The suspect in that case also tried to hide who he was and said he was armed but never showed a weapon.

&nbsp;Webster is being held on requested charges of robbery and aggravated assault; placing subject in fear while disguised for both incidents. In December, Webster moved from the Lansing Correctional Facility to in-state post release in Reno County.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1674664706325.png" alt="Webster-photo KDOC" />
 <figcaption>Webster-photo KDOC</figcaption>
 </figure>RENO COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a 28-year-old Kansas man with a history of crime on new charges.Just before 9p.m. Tuesday, police responded to the Jimmy Johns at 900 East 30th Suite B in Hutchinson, according to a media release.&nbsp;&nbsp;Employees reported that a man who attempted to conceal his identity, entered the store and demanded cash from the register. The suspect implied that he was armed but no weapon was displayed. He obtained an undisclosed amount of currency and fled. Police quickly arrested of 28-year-old William R. Webster who has previous felony convictions for aggravated robbery and burglary, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.During the investigation, police were able to link Webster to a robbery at the 1330 East 30th Kwik Shop back on Jan. 16. The suspect in that case also tried to hide who he was and said he was armed but never showed a weapon.&nbsp;Webster is being held on requested charges of robbery and aggravated assault; placing subject in fear while disguised for both incidents. In December, Webster moved from the Lansing Correctional Facility to in-state post release in Reno County.

Recently released Kansas inmate accused of two robberies

WASHINGTON (AP) —Facebook parent Meta is reinstating former President Donald Trump's personal account after a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-social-media-donald-trump-government-and-politics-67e9831bc2a70f5e5ae6f8aa46e25ae1">two-year suspension</a>&nbsp;following the Jan. 6 insurrection.

The company said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://about.fb.com/news/2023/01/trump-facebook-instagram-account-suspension/">blog post</a>&nbsp;Wednesday it is adding “new guardrails” to ensure there are no “repeat offenders” who violate its rules.

“In the event that Mr. Trump posts further violating content, the content will be removed and he will be suspended for between one month and two years, depending on the severity of the violation,” wrote Nick Clegg, Meta's vice president of global affairs.

Trump, in a post on his own social media network, blasted Facebook’s decision to suspend his account as he praised his own site, Truth Social.

“FACEBOOK, which has lost Billions of Dollars in value since “deplatforming” your favorite President, me, has just announced that they are reinstating my account. Such a thing should never again happen to a sitting President, or anybody else who is not deserving of retribution!” he wrote.

He was suspended on Jan. 7, a day after the deadly 2021 insurrection. Other social media companies also kicked him off their platforms, though he was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-biden-twitter-inc-technology-congress-d88e3de4b3cc095926dc133f53dc3320">recently reinstated on Twitter</a>&nbsp;after Elon Musk took over the company. He has not tweeted.

Civil rights groups and others were quick to denounce Meta's move. Letting Trump back on Facebook sends a signal to other figures with large online audiences that they may break the rules without lasting consequences, said Heidi Beirich, founder of the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism and a member of a group called the Real Facebook Oversight Board that has criticized the platform’s efforts.

“I am not surprised but it is a disaster,” Beirich said of Meta’s decision. “Facebook created loopholes for Trump that he went right through. He incited an insurrection on Facebook. And now he’s back.”

Clegg said that in light of his previous violations, Trump now faces heightened penalties for repeat offenses. Such penalties “will apply to other public figures whose accounts are reinstated from suspensions related to civil unrest under our updated protocol.”

If Trump — or anyone else — posts material that doesn't violate Facebook's rules but is otherwise harmful and could lead to events such as the Jan. 6 insurrection, Meta says it will not remove it but will limit its reach. This includes praising the QAnon conspiracy theory or trying to delegitimize an upcoming election.

Meta said Trump's accounts will be restored in the coming weeks on Facebook and on Instagram. Banned from mainstream social media, Trump has been relying on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-donald-trump-conspiracy-theories-government-and-politics-db50c6f709b1706886a876ae6ac298e2">Truth Social</a>, which he launched after being blocked from Twitter.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1674688288496.png" alt="Trump, in a post on his own social media network, blasted Facebook’s decision to suspend his account as he praised his own site, Truth Social." />
 <figcaption>Trump, in a post on his own social media network, blasted Facebook’s decision to suspend his account as he praised his own site, Truth Social.</figcaption>
 </figure>By BARBARA ORTUTAY and JILL COLVIN WASHINGTON (AP) —Facebook parent Meta is reinstating former President Donald Trump's personal account after a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-social-media-donald-trump-government-and-politics-67e9831bc2a70f5e5ae6f8aa46e25ae1">two-year suspension</a>&nbsp;following the Jan. 6 insurrection.The company said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://about.fb.com/news/2023/01/trump-facebook-instagram-account-suspension/">blog post</a>&nbsp;Wednesday it is adding “new guardrails” to ensure there are no “repeat offenders” who violate its rules.“In the event that Mr. Trump posts further violating content, the content will be removed and he will be suspended for between one month and two years, depending on the severity of the violation,” wrote Nick Clegg, Meta's vice president of global affairs.Trump, in a post on his own social media network, blasted Facebook’s decision to suspend his account as he praised his own site, Truth Social.“FACEBOOK, which has lost Billions of Dollars in value since “deplatforming” your favorite President, me, has just announced that they are reinstating my account. Such a thing should never again happen to a sitting President, or anybody else who is not deserving of retribution!” he wrote.He was suspended on Jan. 7, a day after the deadly 2021 insurrection. Other social media companies also kicked him off their platforms, though he was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-biden-twitter-inc-technology-congress-d88e3de4b3cc095926dc133f53dc3320">recently reinstated on Twitter</a>&nbsp;after Elon Musk took over the company. He has not tweeted.Civil rights groups and others were quick to denounce Meta's move. Letting Trump back on Facebook sends a signal to other figures with large online audiences that they may break the rules without lasting consequences, said Heidi Beirich, founder of the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism and a member of a group called the Real Facebook Oversight Board that has criticized the platform’s efforts.“I am not surprised but it is a disaster,” Beirich said of Meta’s decision. “Facebook created loopholes for Trump that he went right through. He incited an insurrection on Facebook. And now he’s back.”Clegg said that in light of his previous violations, Trump now faces heightened penalties for repeat offenses. Such penalties “will apply to other public figures whose accounts are reinstated from suspensions related to civil unrest under our updated protocol.”If Trump — or anyone else — posts material that doesn't violate Facebook's rules but is otherwise harmful and could lead to events such as the Jan. 6 insurrection, Meta says it will not remove it but will limit its reach. This includes praising the QAnon conspiracy theory or trying to delegitimize an upcoming election.Meta said Trump's accounts will be restored in the coming weeks on Facebook and on Instagram. Banned from mainstream social media, Trump has been relying on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-donald-trump-conspiracy-theories-government-and-politics-db50c6f709b1706886a876ae6ac298e2">Truth Social</a>, which he launched after being blocked from Twitter.___

Donald Trump is reinstated to Facebook after 2-year ban

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an armed robbery and asking the public for help with information.

Just before 5 a.m. Wednesday, police responded to an armed robbery call at a longterm care home in the 600 block of S. Maize Court in Wichita, according to Officer Trevor Macy.&nbsp;

A 27-year-old female employee reported that three unknown suspects had robbed the business.&nbsp;

She reported that she was working when she heard a knock at the front door. When she opened the door, three suspects dressed in black scrubs forced their way into the facility. Two of the suspects tied up the employee, and the three then stole various medications before fleeing to the northwest, where they entered a silver hatchback or small SUV waiting near Hayden and Maize Road.&nbsp; The suspects left the scene Southbound on Maize Road.

The suspects were described as a light-complected African-American male, a white male, and a 20 to 30-year-old Hispanic female. One of the suspects was armed with a handgun during the robbery. The victim was not injured.

The Wichita Police Department wants to encourage other similar facilities to be aware of this incident to ensure that employees and residents remain safe. Employees and employers must be alert and observant for suspicious activity – especially at late night or early morning hours. "It’s also a good idea to have a plan in place for situations like this and have regular safety meetings with staff to discuss these plans."

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an armed robbery and asking the public for help with information.Just before 5 a.m. Wednesday, police responded to an armed robbery call at a longterm care home in the 600 block of S. Maize Court in Wichita, according to Officer Trevor Macy.&nbsp;A 27-year-old female employee reported that three unknown suspects had robbed the business.&nbsp;She reported that she was working when she heard a knock at the front door. When she opened the door, three suspects dressed in black scrubs forced their way into the facility. Two of the suspects tied up the employee, and the three then stole various medications before fleeing to the northwest, where they entered a silver hatchback or small SUV waiting near Hayden and Maize Road.&nbsp; The suspects left the scene Southbound on Maize Road.The suspects were described as a light-complected African-American male, a white male, and a 20 to 30-year-old Hispanic female. One of the suspects was armed with a handgun during the robbery. The victim was not injured.The Wichita Police Department wants to encourage other similar facilities to be aware of this incident to ensure that employees and residents remain safe. Employees and employers must be alert and observant for suspicious activity – especially at late night or early morning hours. "It’s also a good idea to have a plan in place for situations like this and have regular safety meetings with staff to discuss these plans."

Employee tied up during armed robbery of Kan. long term care home

By BLAISE MESA <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-01-24/kids-regularly-run-away-kansas-foster-homes-and-some-have-died-how-the-state-hopes-to-improve">Kansas News Service</a>

TOPEKA — Two Kansas foster runaways died in 2022. The 
body of one turned up in an empty lot in Kansas City, Kansas. The second
 stole a car and crashed into a semi near Parsons.

The 
deaths of those children prompted criticism of the Kansas Department for
 Children and Families, the agency ultimately responsible for kids 
tangled in the state’s foster system.

The agency still operates 
under the conditions of a lawsuit settlement to reduce the number of 
times foster children get shipped from home to home or get stuck 
overnight in offices of the private agencies hired to place them with 
families.

“There have been ongoing concerns, and now there have 
been growing concerns, about the lack of transparency and 
accountability, particularly with children spending the night in offices
 and runaways,” said state Sen. Molly Baumgardner, a Republican from 
Louisburg, when she heard about the death of the child in Parsons.

The lawmaker has called for the firing of DCF Secretary Laura Howard.

<a href="https://oig.hhs.gov/oas/reports/region7/72006095.pdf" target="_blank">A federal report</a>
 found that 7% of Kansas foster children went missing in a 30-month 
period, one of the highest rates in the nation — though state officials 
say that number is lower if the data is looked at in a different 
context.

Even by the state’s calculations, the runaway problem 
grew in recent years. In fiscal year 2015, 0.74% of all children in 
out-of-home placements were defined as runaways, according to state 
data. By fiscal year 2022, that number rose to 1.23%. The number of 
runaways hit 59 in fiscal year 2015 and topped off at 95 in fiscal year 
2022.

The state has also lost 500 foster homes in the last few years, another issue concerning lawmakers.

Meanwhile,
 state officials say they’re making progress by working on the things 
that typically cause kids to run away from group homes or foster care.

The
 state created a 12-person special response team to work with kids who 
have run or are identified as likely to run. That team tries to build a 
relationship with and mentor them.

TFI Family Services Inc., a 
private foster care agency hired by the state, partnered with the 
University of Kansas to study why kids leave. Its study found that 
children leave placement because they need more supportive care, lack 
control over their situation, are trying to get away from a flawed 
system — like one with high caseworker turnover — or they miss their 
families.

Kansas tries to keep kids with relatives.

Just
 28% of all foster care placements were in relatives’ homes in fiscal 
year 2010. That number now sits at 36%, or more than 2,000 kids in the 
most recent report. A relative's home, or kinship placements, keeps 
children with familiar family, friends, coaches or teachers.

Howard,
 the DCF chief, said that no matter how loving a foster family is, 
moving a child from the family they grew up with to a household of 
strangers is traumatic. Kinship placements are seen as a more 
comfortable transition because it keeps kids in their communities with 
support networks they’ve had throughout their lives.

Foster care 
agencies also see the benefits. They said that kids run to homes of 
people they call family, whatever their definition of family is. When 
that happens, those homes are checked to see if that could become a 
viable placement option for the child.

Kinship parents are often not expecting a new child, so DCF has rolled out <a href="https://www.kcur.org/2022-02-08/family-and-friends-who-take-on-foster-kids-in-kansas-say-they-need-more-support-from-the-state" target="_blank">training programs</a> for those fill-in parents to feel less overwhelmed by a sudden change.

The
 agency also wants more money to increase the pay for those kinship 
parents, something requested in Gov. Laura Kelly’s proposed budget. 
Family and friends who take on foster kids currently get at least $11.55
 a day. Licensed foster homes get $25.20 at a minimum. Howard said the 
proposed increase would get kinship families within 70% of the 
non-relative rate.

Kansas was also selected for a 
first-of-its-kind program that lets children play a larger role in 
picking their legal guardians. <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-05-18/kansas-is-taking-a-nationally-unprecedented-move-to-let-foster-teens-pick-their-families" target="_blank">SOUL Family</a>
 lets foster kids 16 and older pick up to two adults to be their legal, 
permanent family. Pending changes to state law, Kansas can be the first 
state in the nation to take that approach.

“We don’t shy away from innovation,” Howard said.

State
 Rep. Susan Ruiz, a Shawnee Democrat, has been a social worker for 
decades. She said children often fear foster care. One day they are 
living their lives, and the next, their things are thrown into a plastic
 bag and they are moved somewhere else.

“Why would you want to be cooperative?” Ruiz said. “Why would you not be angry about that?”

Creating
 welcoming environments could ease that anger and Ruiz said the state 
needs to pay attention to the particular needs of LGBTQ children. A 
foster family not accepting their gender identity or sexual orientation 
is reason enough for kids to run, multiple people told the Kansas News 
Service.

Kansas has no requirement that foster kids be placed in homes that accept their <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-09-24/lgbtq-foster-kids-in-kansas-have-no-guarantee-theyll-land-in-homes-that-accept-their-identity" target="_blank">sexual or gender identity</a>. But state Rep. Timothy Johnson, a Leavenworth Republican, says he doesn’t think this is that big of an issue.

“The families that I know are caring and loving, regardless of what your personal beliefs are,” he said.

Foster
 care agencies acknowledged children need to be in homes that accept 
them, but they stopped short of backing mandatory training on how to 
raise a gay or transgender kid.

Foster care agencies say they 
track which homes are supportive and do their best to steer appropriate 
placements that way. Kansas added new positions that focus on targeted 
recruiting of families to fill gaps in the system, which could be LGBTQ 
families or other areas of need.

Keeping kids in similar cultural 
backgrounds can play a role in welcoming kids. Everything from homes 
that like basketball or families without dogs are crucial.

Experts say a diverse array of foster homes is important because kids run for so many reasons.

Leecia
 Welch, deputy legal director with foster care advocacy group Children’s
 Rights, said kids could run away just to get their hair dyed and then 
come right back.

“If you don’t have choices,” she said, “you’re 
going to have a higher likelihood that you’re not going to have a fit 
and the young person is going to vote with their feet and get out of 
there.”

Kansas
 was sued in 2019 for systemic problems and made promises to fix 
problems when settling the lawsuit. In September, a settlement agreement
 tracking the state’s progress found some progress — like increasing 
placement stability. But it also found delays in mental health services.

Kids
 can move from home to home, complicating a trip to the therapist. And 
76% of the time, mental health care got delayed for other reasons.

The
 state did launch a therapeutic foster home system that takes higher 
needs kids and emphasizes a more hands-on approach, like nearly daily 
contact from specialists. The program started in July and the state has 
about four therapeutic homes six months into the program.

Howard with DCF said the effort is a work in progress.

Kansas has reworked reimbursement rates for <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-09-12/foster-kids-in-kansas-cant-get-the-mental-health-care-they-need-but-there-might-be-a-fix" target="_blank">community mental health centers </a>to give them more money. That’s intended to give all Kansans access to mental health services.

Mental
 health struggles can also co-occur with substance abuse. Drug and 
alcohol use is one of the top reasons kids run away from homes overseen 
by private foster agency KVC, said Linda Bass, the president of KVC 
Kansas.

Kids could run to go find drugs, do drugs but intend on 
coming back. That puts them in dangerous situations, Bass said. There is
 only one inpatient facility for youth with substance abuse in the 
state.

“That means every family and child do not have a facility 
that’s in their community or that’s close for them to access,” she said.

Kansas
 has a heavily privatized foster care system. That means case management
 services, hiring of social workers and adoptions get outsourced to 
private companies.

Cornerstones of Care and TFI Family Services 
are keeping caseloads manageable, the settlement agreement tracking the 
data found. Both agencies said fewer than 5% of its caseworkers had more
 than 30 cases as of Dec. 2021. KVC Kansas said 24% of its caseworkers 
had more than 30 cases. For St. Francis Ministries, that number was 42%.

Inconsistencies in caseload reporting made it hard to confirm all caseload numbers were accurate, the lawsuit settlement said.

Reducing
 caseloads lets caseworkers better connect with children, social 
workers, legislators and experts said. That connection allows children 
to be listened to, which is the most important thing states can do to 
reduce the number of runaway kids, said Jennifer Townsend, vice 
president of children and youth programs at FosterAdopt Connect.

“You
 can involve yourself before the issues become insurmountable … (before)
 someone’s either potentially running away or having to leave a 
placement,” she said.

Multiple people told the Kansas News Service
 that caseworkers have not been spared from labor shortages seen 
nationwide. The job is tough and the pay ranges can stretch from $30,000
 to over $50,000. Caseworkers can make more, but it depends on 
experience, whether someone is licensed, what their degree is and if 
they supervise other employees. State agencies are offering bonuses to 
attract and retain staff.

Republican state Rep. Susan Concannon, 
chair of the Child Welfare and Foster Care committee, said she wants the
 state to insist on minimum pay levels for caseworkers.

“I would be very interested in looking at some way that we can have some impact on what the pay is,” she said.

Additional
 pay, she said, could attract more qualified social workers, but other 
lawmakers called for more proactive benefit packages to increase 
interest in the jobs.

<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-07-27/ku-research-suggests-more-food-assistance-for-families-can-keep-kids-out-of-foster-care" target="_blank">A University of Kansas study</a>
 estimated foster care caseloads can drop by 14% if more money was spent
 on food benefits for families. That has some Democrats clamoring for 
expanded programs and chipping away at the HOPE Act.

The HOPE Act 
severely tightened food stamp programs and, after it passed, the number 
of people getting food assistance dropped by over 50,000, research from 
nonprofit Kansas Appleseed found in 2020. The Kansas Legislature passed 
additional SNAP requirements earlier this year. Republicans say that 
will efficiently save taxpayer dollars and make families less dependent 
on the government.

Nationally, over 70% of children put into 
foster care land there because of neglect. That can be someone 
struggling to keep enough food in the refrigerator — something a 
stronger social safety net could prevent.

Attempts to boost social
 welfare benefits gained little traction in the Legislature and 
lawmakers said the Republican-controlled body isn’t interested in a more
 liberal approach to welfare programs.

Yet Kansas was one of the 
first in the nation to join the Family First Initiative. Family First 
lets states use federal tax dollars earmarked for foster care to 
proactively address issues to keep kids out of the system.

For 
foster care agency St. Francis, that allowed funding of a 
family-centered therapy program that finds kids who might soon enter 
foster care and provides intensive, in-home services. So far, 95% of the
 children in that program have avoided the system.

Since 2019, the
 number of Kansas kids in foster care has dropped by 1,000. DCF 
officials said Family First had a significant impact because almost 90% 
of families who used those services avoided the foster care system.

Matt
 Stephens, vice president of foster care homes at foster agency St. 
Francis, said states with more robust programs — food benefits, mental 
health care or drug treatment — often have fewer kids in care.

“Systems
 that invest in the community resourcing – it pays for itself for the 
prevention benefit versus (paying for) out of home care,” he said. “It 
also is a much more efficient use of taxpayer dollars.”

Most of the lawmakers, foster agencies and experts interviewed for this story had ideas that someone else never mentioned.

They
 include changing state law to require foster parents to report a child 
missing the second they know they are gone; making DCF do a deeper case 
review for every single child that goes missing; continue working on 
foster parent exit surveys to see why families quit; or put social 
workers on state benefits to make jobs more desirable.

Welch, with the Children’s Alliance, said the state just needs to keep listening.

“If
 you center the voice of young people, and listen to them and understand
 what it is that is driving them out of placement, and try to correct 
that,” she said, “that’s how you're going to fix the system.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1674572213855.png" alt="A photo of the youth recovery report, which shows over 550 kids ran away in 2022. Blaise Mesa / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>A photo of the youth recovery report, which shows over 550 kids ran away in 2022. Blaise Mesa / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By BLAISE MESA <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-01-24/kids-regularly-run-away-kansas-foster-homes-and-some-have-died-how-the-state-hopes-to-improve">Kansas News Service</a>TOPEKA — Two Kansas foster runaways died in 2022. The 
body of one turned up in an empty lot in Kansas City, Kansas. The second
 stole a car and crashed into a semi near Parsons.The 
deaths of those children prompted criticism of the Kansas Department for
 Children and Families, the agency ultimately responsible for kids 
tangled in the state’s foster system.The agency still operates 
under the conditions of a lawsuit settlement to reduce the number of 
times foster children get shipped from home to home or get stuck 
overnight in offices of the private agencies hired to place them with 
families.“There have been ongoing concerns, and now there have 
been growing concerns, about the lack of transparency and 
accountability, particularly with children spending the night in offices
 and runaways,” said state Sen. Molly Baumgardner, a Republican from 
Louisburg, when she heard about the death of the child in Parsons.The lawmaker has called for the firing of DCF Secretary Laura Howard.<a href="https://oig.hhs.gov/oas/reports/region7/72006095.pdf" target="_blank">A federal report</a>
 found that 7% of Kansas foster children went missing in a 30-month 
period, one of the highest rates in the nation — though state officials 
say that number is lower if the data is looked at in a different 
context.Even by the state’s calculations, the runaway problem 
grew in recent years. In fiscal year 2015, 0.74% of all children in 
out-of-home placements were defined as runaways, according to state 
data. By fiscal year 2022, that number rose to 1.23%. The number of 
runaways hit 59 in fiscal year 2015 and topped off at 95 in fiscal year 
2022.The state has also lost 500 foster homes in the last few years, another issue concerning lawmakers.Meanwhile,
 state officials say they’re making progress by working on the things 
that typically cause kids to run away from group homes or foster care.The
 state created a 12-person special response team to work with kids who 
have run or are identified as likely to run. That team tries to build a 
relationship with and mentor them.TFI Family Services Inc., a 
private foster care agency hired by the state, partnered with the 
University of Kansas to study why kids leave. Its study found that 
children leave placement because they need more supportive care, lack 
control over their situation, are trying to get away from a flawed 
system — like one with high caseworker turnover — or they miss their 
families. <h2>Closest kin&nbsp;</h2>Kansas tries to keep kids with relatives.Just
 28% of all foster care placements were in relatives’ homes in fiscal 
year 2010. That number now sits at 36%, or more than 2,000 kids in the 
most recent report. A relative's home, or kinship placements, keeps 
children with familiar family, friends, coaches or teachers.Howard,
 the DCF chief, said that no matter how loving a foster family is, 
moving a child from the family they grew up with to a household of 
strangers is traumatic. Kinship placements are seen as a more 
comfortable transition because it keeps kids in their communities with 
support networks they’ve had throughout their lives.Foster care 
agencies also see the benefits. They said that kids run to homes of 
people they call family, whatever their definition of family is. When 
that happens, those homes are checked to see if that could become a 
viable placement option for the child.Kinship parents are often not expecting a new child, so DCF has rolled out <a href="https://www.kcur.org/2022-02-08/family-and-friends-who-take-on-foster-kids-in-kansas-say-they-need-more-support-from-the-state" target="_blank">training programs</a> for those fill-in parents to feel less overwhelmed by a sudden change.The
 agency also wants more money to increase the pay for those kinship 
parents, something requested in Gov. Laura Kelly’s proposed budget. 
Family and friends who take on foster kids currently get at least $11.55
 a day. Licensed foster homes get $25.20 at a minimum. Howard said the 
proposed increase would get kinship families within 70% of the 
non-relative rate.Kansas was also selected for a 
first-of-its-kind program that lets children play a larger role in 
picking their legal guardians. <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-05-18/kansas-is-taking-a-nationally-unprecedented-move-to-let-foster-teens-pick-their-families" target="_blank">SOUL Family</a>
 lets foster kids 16 and older pick up to two adults to be their legal, 
permanent family. Pending changes to state law, Kansas can be the first 
state in the nation to take that approach.“We don’t shy away from innovation,” Howard said. <h2>Creating welcoming homes&nbsp;</h2>State
 Rep. Susan Ruiz, a Shawnee Democrat, has been a social worker for 
decades. She said children often fear foster care. One day they are 
living their lives, and the next, their things are thrown into a plastic
 bag and they are moved somewhere else.“Why would you want to be cooperative?” Ruiz said. “Why would you not be angry about that?”Creating
 welcoming environments could ease that anger and Ruiz said the state 
needs to pay attention to the particular needs of LGBTQ children. A 
foster family not accepting their gender identity or sexual orientation 
is reason enough for kids to run, multiple people told the Kansas News 
Service.Kansas has no requirement that foster kids be placed in homes that accept their <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-09-24/lgbtq-foster-kids-in-kansas-have-no-guarantee-theyll-land-in-homes-that-accept-their-identity" target="_blank">sexual or gender identity</a>. But state Rep. Timothy Johnson, a Leavenworth Republican, says he doesn’t think this is that big of an issue.“The families that I know are caring and loving, regardless of what your personal beliefs are,” he said.Foster
 care agencies acknowledged children need to be in homes that accept 
them, but they stopped short of backing mandatory training on how to 
raise a gay or transgender kid.Foster care agencies say they 
track which homes are supportive and do their best to steer appropriate 
placements that way. Kansas added new positions that focus on targeted 
recruiting of families to fill gaps in the system, which could be LGBTQ 
families or other areas of need.Keeping kids in similar cultural 
backgrounds can play a role in welcoming kids. Everything from homes 
that like basketball or families without dogs are crucial.Experts say a diverse array of foster homes is important because kids run for so many reasons.Leecia
 Welch, deputy legal director with foster care advocacy group Children’s
 Rights, said kids could run away just to get their hair dyed and then 
come right back.“If you don’t have choices,” she said, “you’re 
going to have a higher likelihood that you’re not going to have a fit 
and the young person is going to vote with their feet and get out of 
there.” <h2>Drugs and mental health</h2>Kansas
 was sued in 2019 for systemic problems and made promises to fix 
problems when settling the lawsuit. In September, a settlement agreement
 tracking the state’s progress found some progress — like increasing 
placement stability. But it also found delays in mental health services.Kids
 can move from home to home, complicating a trip to the therapist. And 
76% of the time, mental health care got delayed for other reasons.The
 state did launch a therapeutic foster home system that takes higher 
needs kids and emphasizes a more hands-on approach, like nearly daily 
contact from specialists. The program started in July and the state has 
about four therapeutic homes six months into the program.Howard with DCF said the effort is a work in progress.Kansas has reworked reimbursement rates for <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-09-12/foster-kids-in-kansas-cant-get-the-mental-health-care-they-need-but-there-might-be-a-fix" target="_blank">community mental health centers </a>to give them more money. That’s intended to give all Kansans access to mental health services.Mental
 health struggles can also co-occur with substance abuse. Drug and 
alcohol use is one of the top reasons kids run away from homes overseen 
by private foster agency KVC, said Linda Bass, the president of KVC 
Kansas.Kids could run to go find drugs, do drugs but intend on 
coming back. That puts them in dangerous situations, Bass said. There is
 only one inpatient facility for youth with substance abuse in the 
state.“That means every family and child do not have a facility 
that’s in their community or that’s close for them to access,” she said. <h2>Big caseloads</h2>Kansas
 has a heavily privatized foster care system. That means case management
 services, hiring of social workers and adoptions get outsourced to 
private companies.Cornerstones of Care and TFI Family Services 
are keeping caseloads manageable, the settlement agreement tracking the 
data found. Both agencies said fewer than 5% of its caseworkers had more
 than 30 cases as of Dec. 2021. KVC Kansas said 24% of its caseworkers 
had more than 30 cases. For St. Francis Ministries, that number was 42%.Inconsistencies in caseload reporting made it hard to confirm all caseload numbers were accurate, the lawsuit settlement said.Reducing
 caseloads lets caseworkers better connect with children, social 
workers, legislators and experts said. That connection allows children 
to be listened to, which is the most important thing states can do to 
reduce the number of runaway kids, said Jennifer Townsend, vice 
president of children and youth programs at FosterAdopt Connect.“You
 can involve yourself before the issues become insurmountable … (before)
 someone’s either potentially running away or having to leave a 
placement,” she said.Multiple people told the Kansas News Service
 that caseworkers have not been spared from labor shortages seen 
nationwide. The job is tough and the pay ranges can stretch from $30,000
 to over $50,000. Caseworkers can make more, but it depends on 
experience, whether someone is licensed, what their degree is and if 
they supervise other employees. State agencies are offering bonuses to 
attract and retain staff.Republican state Rep. Susan Concannon, 
chair of the Child Welfare and Foster Care committee, said she wants the
 state to insist on minimum pay levels for caseworkers.“I would be very interested in looking at some way that we can have some impact on what the pay is,” she said.Additional
 pay, she said, could attract more qualified social workers, but other 
lawmakers called for more proactive benefit packages to increase 
interest in the jobs. <h2>Too many foster kids</h2><a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-07-27/ku-research-suggests-more-food-assistance-for-families-can-keep-kids-out-of-foster-care" target="_blank">A University of Kansas study</a>
 estimated foster care caseloads can drop by 14% if more money was spent
 on food benefits for families. That has some Democrats clamoring for 
expanded programs and chipping away at the HOPE Act.The HOPE Act 
severely tightened food stamp programs and, after it passed, the number 
of people getting food assistance dropped by over 50,000, research from 
nonprofit Kansas Appleseed found in 2020. The Kansas Legislature passed 
additional SNAP requirements earlier this year. Republicans say that 
will efficiently save taxpayer dollars and make families less dependent 
on the government.Nationally, over 70% of children put into 
foster care land there because of neglect. That can be someone 
struggling to keep enough food in the refrigerator — something a 
stronger social safety net could prevent.Attempts to boost social
 welfare benefits gained little traction in the Legislature and 
lawmakers said the Republican-controlled body isn’t interested in a more
 liberal approach to welfare programs.Yet Kansas was one of the 
first in the nation to join the Family First Initiative. Family First 
lets states use federal tax dollars earmarked for foster care to 
proactively address issues to keep kids out of the system.For 
foster care agency St. Francis, that allowed funding of a 
family-centered therapy program that finds kids who might soon enter 
foster care and provides intensive, in-home services. So far, 95% of the
 children in that program have avoided the system.Since 2019, the
 number of Kansas kids in foster care has dropped by 1,000. DCF 
officials said Family First had a significant impact because almost 90% 
of families who used those services avoided the foster care system.Matt
 Stephens, vice president of foster care homes at foster agency St. 
Francis, said states with more robust programs — food benefits, mental 
health care or drug treatment — often have fewer kids in care.“Systems
 that invest in the community resourcing – it pays for itself for the 
prevention benefit versus (paying for) out of home care,” he said. “It 
also is a much more efficient use of taxpayer dollars.” <h2>A solution?</h2>Most of the lawmakers, foster agencies and experts interviewed for this story had ideas that someone else never mentioned.They
 include changing state law to require foster parents to report a child 
missing the second they know they are gone; making DCF do a deeper case 
review for every single child that goes missing; continue working on 
foster parent exit surveys to see why families quit; or put social 
workers on state benefits to make jobs more desirable.Welch, with the Children’s Alliance, said the state just needs to keep listening.“If
 you center the voice of young people, and listen to them and understand
 what it is that is driving them out of placement, and try to correct 
that,” she said, “that’s how you're going to fix the system.”

Kansas struggles to deal with issue of runaway foster children 

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis criticized laws that criminalize homosexuality as “unjust,” saying God loves all his children just as they are and called on Catholic bishops who support the laws to welcome LGBTQ people into the church.

“Being homosexual isn’t a crime,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-ap-interview-highlights-8b9ec42afec4e0c0691a54f756b257bc">Francis said</a>&nbsp;during&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-retirement-papacy-dcca464e7c1fd910568d07d6bf4d9994">an interview Tuesday</a>&nbsp;with The Associated Press.

Francis acknowledged that Catholic bishops in some parts of the world support laws that criminalize homosexuality or discriminate against the LGBTQ community, and he himself referred to the issue in terms of “sin.” But he attributed such attitudes to cultural backgrounds, and said bishops in particular need to undergo a process of change to recognize the dignity of everyone.

“These bishops have to have a process of conversion,” he said, adding that they should apply “tenderness, please, as God has for each one of us."

Some 67 countries or jurisdictions worldwide criminalize consensual same-sex sexual activity, 11 of which can or do impose the death penalty, according to The Human Dignity Trust, which works to end such laws. Experts say even where the laws are not enforced, they contribute to harassment, stigmatization and violence against LGBTQ people.

In the U.S., more than a dozen states still have anti-sodomy laws on the books, despite a 2003 Supreme Court ruling declaring them unconstitutional. Gay rights advocates say the antiquated laws are used to harass homosexuals, and point to new legislation, such as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-dont-say-gay-law-signed-56aee61f075a12663f25990c7b31624d">“Don’t say gay” law in Florida</a>, which forbids instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade, as evidence of continued efforts to marginalize LGBTQ people.

The United Nations has repeatedly called for an end to laws criminalizing homosexuality outright, saying they violate rights to privacy and freedom from discrimination and are a breach of countries’ obligations under international law to protect the human rights of all people, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Declaring such laws “unjust,” Francis said the Catholic Church can and should work to put an end to them. “It must do this. It must do this,” he said.

Francis quoted the Catechism of the Catholic Church in saying gay people must be welcomed and respected, and should not be marginalized or discriminated against.

“We are all children of God, and God loves us as we are and for the strength that each of us fights for our dignity,” Francis said, speaking to the AP in the Vatican hotel where he lives.

Such laws are common in Africa and the Middle East and date from British colonial times or are inspired by Islamic law. Some Catholic bishops have strongly upheld them as consistent with Vatican teaching that considers homosexual activity “intrinsically disordered,” while others have called for them to be overturned as a violation of basic human dignity.

In 2019, Francis had been expected to issue a statement opposing criminalization of homosexuality during a meeting with human rights groups that conducted research into the effects of such laws and so-called “conversion therapies.”

In the end, the pope did not meet with the groups, which instead met with the Vatican No. 2, who reaffirmed “the dignity of every human person and against every form of violence.”

On Tuesday, Francis said there needed to be a distinction between a crime and a sin with regard to homosexuality.

“Being homosexual is not a crime," he said. "It's not a crime. Yes, but it's a sin. Fine, but first let's distinguish between a sin and a crime."

"It's also a sin to lack charity with one another," he added.

Catholic teaching holds that while gay people must be treated with respect, homosexual acts are “intrinsically disordered.” Francis has not changed that teaching, but he has made reaching out to the LGBTQ community a hallmark of his papacy.

Starting with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/archive-pope-benedict-xvi-pope-francis-7b465b60945f40deb3a68b3de742f84a">his famous 2013 declaration</a>, “Who am I to judge?” when he was asked about a purportedly gay priest, Francis has gone on to minister repeatedly and publicly to the gay and trans community. As archbishop of Buenos Aires, he favored granting legal protections to same-sex couples as an alternative to endorsing gay marriage, which Catholic doctrine forbids.

Despite such outreach, Francis was criticized by the Catholic LGBTQ community for a 2021 decree from the Vatican’s doctrine office that the church cannot bless same-sex unions “because God cannot bless sin.”

The Vatican in 2008 declined to sign onto a U.N. declaration that called for the decriminalization of homosexuality, complaining the text went beyond the original scope and also included language about “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” it found problematic. In a statement at the time, the Vatican urged countries to avoid “unjust discrimination” against gay people and end penalties against them.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615845367722.png" alt="“Being homosexual isn’t a crime,”&nbsp;Francis said&nbsp;during&nbsp;an interview Tuesday&nbsp;with The Associated Press.-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>“Being homosexual isn’t a crime,”&nbsp;Francis said&nbsp;during&nbsp;an interview Tuesday&nbsp;with The Associated Press.-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis criticized laws that criminalize homosexuality as “unjust,” saying God loves all his children just as they are and called on Catholic bishops who support the laws to welcome LGBTQ people into the church.“Being homosexual isn’t a crime,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-ap-interview-highlights-8b9ec42afec4e0c0691a54f756b257bc">Francis said</a>&nbsp;during&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-retirement-papacy-dcca464e7c1fd910568d07d6bf4d9994">an interview Tuesday</a>&nbsp;with The Associated Press.Francis acknowledged that Catholic bishops in some parts of the world support laws that criminalize homosexuality or discriminate against the LGBTQ community, and he himself referred to the issue in terms of “sin.” But he attributed such attitudes to cultural backgrounds, and said bishops in particular need to undergo a process of change to recognize the dignity of everyone.“These bishops have to have a process of conversion,” he said, adding that they should apply “tenderness, please, as God has for each one of us."Some 67 countries or jurisdictions worldwide criminalize consensual same-sex sexual activity, 11 of which can or do impose the death penalty, according to The Human Dignity Trust, which works to end such laws. Experts say even where the laws are not enforced, they contribute to harassment, stigmatization and violence against LGBTQ people.In the U.S., more than a dozen states still have anti-sodomy laws on the books, despite a 2003 Supreme Court ruling declaring them unconstitutional. Gay rights advocates say the antiquated laws are used to harass homosexuals, and point to new legislation, such as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-dont-say-gay-law-signed-56aee61f075a12663f25990c7b31624d">“Don’t say gay” law in Florida</a>, which forbids instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade, as evidence of continued efforts to marginalize LGBTQ people.The United Nations has repeatedly called for an end to laws criminalizing homosexuality outright, saying they violate rights to privacy and freedom from discrimination and are a breach of countries’ obligations under international law to protect the human rights of all people, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.Declaring such laws “unjust,” Francis said the Catholic Church can and should work to put an end to them. “It must do this. It must do this,” he said.Francis quoted the Catechism of the Catholic Church in saying gay people must be welcomed and respected, and should not be marginalized or discriminated against.“We are all children of God, and God loves us as we are and for the strength that each of us fights for our dignity,” Francis said, speaking to the AP in the Vatican hotel where he lives.Such laws are common in Africa and the Middle East and date from British colonial times or are inspired by Islamic law. Some Catholic bishops have strongly upheld them as consistent with Vatican teaching that considers homosexual activity “intrinsically disordered,” while others have called for them to be overturned as a violation of basic human dignity.In 2019, Francis had been expected to issue a statement opposing criminalization of homosexuality during a meeting with human rights groups that conducted research into the effects of such laws and so-called “conversion therapies.”In the end, the pope did not meet with the groups, which instead met with the Vatican No. 2, who reaffirmed “the dignity of every human person and against every form of violence.”On Tuesday, Francis said there needed to be a distinction between a crime and a sin with regard to homosexuality.“Being homosexual is not a crime," he said. "It's not a crime. Yes, but it's a sin. Fine, but first let's distinguish between a sin and a crime.""It's also a sin to lack charity with one another," he added.Catholic teaching holds that while gay people must be treated with respect, homosexual acts are “intrinsically disordered.” Francis has not changed that teaching, but he has made reaching out to the LGBTQ community a hallmark of his papacy.Starting with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/archive-pope-benedict-xvi-pope-francis-7b465b60945f40deb3a68b3de742f84a">his famous 2013 declaration</a>, “Who am I to judge?” when he was asked about a purportedly gay priest, Francis has gone on to minister repeatedly and publicly to the gay and trans community. As archbishop of Buenos Aires, he favored granting legal protections to same-sex couples as an alternative to endorsing gay marriage, which Catholic doctrine forbids.Despite such outreach, Francis was criticized by the Catholic LGBTQ community for a 2021 decree from the Vatican’s doctrine office that the church cannot bless same-sex unions “because God cannot bless sin.”The Vatican in 2008 declined to sign onto a U.N. declaration that called for the decriminalization of homosexuality, complaining the text went beyond the original scope and also included language about “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” it found problematic. In a statement at the time, the Vatican urged countries to avoid “unjust discrimination” against gay people and end penalties against them.

The AP Interview: Pope Francis: Homosexuality not a crime

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden announced Wednesday that the U.S. will send 31 M1 Abrams battle tanks to Ukraine, reversing months of persistent arguments that the tanks were too difficult for Ukrainian troops to operate and maintain.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1674666335585.png" alt="Biden said that in total European allies have agreed to send enough tanks to equip two Ukrainian tank battalions, or a total of 62 tanks." />
 <figcaption>Biden said that in total European allies have agreed to send enough tanks to equip two Ukrainian tank battalions, or a total of 62 tanks.</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden announced Wednesday that the U.S. will send 31 M1 Abrams battle tanks to Ukraine, reversing months of persistent arguments that the tanks were too difficult for Ukrainian troops to operate and maintain.(Click below to listen to the President's statement)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F586264320182077%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=5" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>The U.S. decision came on the heels of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-german-tanks-435da2221bf452a8aae9d2e58d23acae">Germany agreeing to send 14 Leopard 2 A6 tanks</a>&nbsp;from its own stocks. Germany had said the Leopards would not be sent unless the U.S. put its Abrams on the table, not wanting to incur Russia's wrath without the U.S. similarly committing its own tanks.Biden said that in total European allies have agreed to send enough tanks to equip two Ukrainian tank battalions, or a total of 62 tanks.“With spring approaching, Ukrainian forces are working to defend the territory they hold and preparing for additional counter offenses," Biden said in his announcement of his decision to send the tanks. “To liberate their land, they need to be able to counter Russia’s evolving tactics and strategy on the battlefield in the very near term.”The announcement ends a standoff between Germany and the United States. Biden administration officials on Wednesday sought to downplay any friction between the two countries as both unveiled their plans.Both sides had participated in "good diplomatic conversations” that had made the difference and were part of the “extraordinary shift in Germany’s security policy" over providing weapons to Ukraine&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">since Russia invaded 11 months ago</a>, said a senior administration official, who briefed reporters Wednesday on the condition of anonymity to describe the new tank package before the announcement.The $400 million package announced Wednesday also includes eight M88 recovery vehicles — tank-like tracked vehicles that can tow the Abrams if it gets stuck.Altogether, France, the U.K., the U.S., Poland, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden will send hundreds of tanks and heavy armored vehicles to fortify Ukraine as it enters a new phase of the war and attempts to break through entrenched Russian lines.But there were few answers about which U.S. tanks would be sent — whether they would be pulled from the existing stockpile of more than 4,000 Abrams and retrofitted, or whether the U.S. would use the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative to buy new systems to possibly backfill allies who send their own or buy new systems outright for Ukraine.Either way, using the assistance initiative funding route means that while Abrams have now been promised to Ukraine, it will likely be many months before the tanks are actually on the battlefield, and not in time for Russia's anticipated spring offensive.Russian Ambassador to Germany Sergey Nechayev on Wednesday called Berlin’s decision to send Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine “extremely dangerous.”Nechayev said in an online statement that the move “shifts the conflict to a new level of confrontation and contradicts the statements of German politicians about their reluctance to get involved in it.”“We’re seeing yet again that Germany, as well as its closest allies, is not interested in a diplomatic resolution of the Ukraine crisis, it is determined to permanently escalate it and to indefinitely pump the Kyiv regime full of new lethal weapons,” the statement read.Until now, the U.S. has resisted providing its own M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine, citing extensive and complex maintenance and logistical challenges with the high-tech vehicles. Washington believes it would be more productive to send German Leopards since many allies have them and Ukrainian troops would need less training than on the more difficult Abrams.Biden in an exchange with reporters bristled at the notion that Germany, which had declined to provide tanks until the U.S. agreed to provide its Abrams, forced his hand.“Germany didn’t force me to change (my) mind,” Biden said. “We wanted to make sure we were all together.”Just last week, Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Colin Kahl told reporters that the Abrams is complicated, expensive, difficult to maintain and hard to train on. One thing Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has been very focused on, he said, “is that we should not be providing the Ukrainians systems they can’t repair, they can’t sustain, and that they, over the long term, can’t afford, because it’s not helpful.”For the Abrams to be effective in Ukraine, its forces will require extensive training on combined arms maneuver — how the tanks operate together on the battlefield — and on how to maintain and support the complex, 70-ton weapon. The Abrams tanks use a turbine jet engine to propel themselves that burns through at least two gallons a mile regardless of whether they are moving or idling, which means that a network of fuel trucks is needed to keep the line moving.___