TOPEKA –&nbsp;The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), in partnership with The Rockefeller Foundation’s public charity, RF Catalytic Capital and Project Access to Covid Tests (Project ACT), is providing a second round of free at-home COVID-19 tests to households in all Kansas communities. All Kansas households can now visit&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDAsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjExMTAuNjY1MTY5MDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hY2Nlc3Njb3ZpZHRlc3RzLm9yZy8_dXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fc291cmNlPWdvdmRlbGl2ZXJ5In0.LK6i6q9sHhdjt5FZHrsxVzfCWtQqwUetQca9vxkFwDw/s/1305913448/br/147980946722-l" target="_blank">AccessCovidTests.org</a>&nbsp;to place an order for an additional five at-home COVID-19 test kits. Amazon will deliver the test kits directly to your house.

Testing before holiday gatherings is one way to prevent spreading COVID-19 to family and friends. Frequent testing is especially important for those with more exposure outside the home, such as kids in school or people who spend time in a group setting. By visiting&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjExMTAuNjY1MTY5MDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hY2Nlc3Njb3ZpZHRlc3RzLm9yZy8_dXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fc291cmNlPWdvdmRlbGl2ZXJ5In0.q8UckYc37C-ixo98tudCA4eV5EpS0PRHovKtAfoEg5E/s/1305913448/br/147980946722-l" target="_blank">AccessCovidTests.org</a>, Kansans will be able enter their zip code to order free, rapid, at-home COVID-19 test kits.

Kansans who need more support in ordering can call 866-534-3463 (866-KDHEINF).

If you need additional testing, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjExMTAuNjY1MTY5MDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5jb3JvbmF2aXJ1cy5rZGhla3MuZ292LzI4MC9DT1ZJRC0xOS1UZXN0aW5nP3V0bV9tZWRpdW09ZW1haWwmdXRtX3NvdXJjZT1nb3ZkZWxpdmVyeSJ9.d6BbEsixXnM0xoaONjf_WytflDzfjM3CiCCST-FxLgg/s/1305913448/br/147980946722-l" target="_blank">KnowBeforeYouGoKS.com</a>&nbsp;to find a free testing site in your community.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668121481504.png" alt="Frequent testing is especially important for those with more exposure outside the home, such as kids in school or people who spend time in a group setting—whether vaccinated or not." />
 <figcaption>Frequent testing is especially important for those with more exposure outside the home, such as kids in school or people who spend time in a group setting—whether vaccinated or not.</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA –&nbsp;The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), in partnership with The Rockefeller Foundation’s public charity, RF Catalytic Capital and Project Access to Covid Tests (Project ACT), is providing a second round of free at-home COVID-19 tests to households in all Kansas communities. All Kansas households can now visit&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDAsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjExMTAuNjY1MTY5MDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hY2Nlc3Njb3ZpZHRlc3RzLm9yZy8_dXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fc291cmNlPWdvdmRlbGl2ZXJ5In0.LK6i6q9sHhdjt5FZHrsxVzfCWtQqwUetQca9vxkFwDw/s/1305913448/br/147980946722-l" target="_blank">AccessCovidTests.org</a>&nbsp;to place an order for an additional five at-home COVID-19 test kits. Amazon will deliver the test kits directly to your house.Testing before holiday gatherings is one way to prevent spreading COVID-19 to family and friends. Frequent testing is especially important for those with more exposure outside the home, such as kids in school or people who spend time in a group setting. By visiting&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjExMTAuNjY1MTY5MDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hY2Nlc3Njb3ZpZHRlc3RzLm9yZy8_dXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fc291cmNlPWdvdmRlbGl2ZXJ5In0.q8UckYc37C-ixo98tudCA4eV5EpS0PRHovKtAfoEg5E/s/1305913448/br/147980946722-l" target="_blank">AccessCovidTests.org</a>, Kansans will be able enter their zip code to order free, rapid, at-home COVID-19 test kits.Kansans who need more support in ordering can call 866-534-3463 (866-KDHEINF).If you need additional testing, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjExMTAuNjY1MTY5MDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5jb3JvbmF2aXJ1cy5rZGhla3MuZ292LzI4MC9DT1ZJRC0xOS1UZXN0aW5nP3V0bV9tZWRpdW09ZW1haWwmdXRtX3NvdXJjZT1nb3ZkZWxpdmVyeSJ9.d6BbEsixXnM0xoaONjf_WytflDzfjM3CiCCST-FxLgg/s/1305913448/br/147980946722-l" target="_blank">KnowBeforeYouGoKS.com</a>&nbsp;to find a free testing site in your community.

Free COVID-19 tests reordering available for Kan. households

By LAURA SPENCER and CARLOS MARENO <a href="https://www.kcur.org/arts-life/2022-11-04/this-kansas-doctor-collected-medical-artifacts-for-decades-his-very-unusual-collection-is-for-sale">Kansas News Service</a>

Dr. Bruce Hodges, 90, began collecting medical memorabilia as a hobby
 about 55 years ago. It started, he says, “as one item here and one item
 there,” until he had a handful of items to fill a curio cabinet in his 
waiting room.

“It just kind of grew accidentally until I became a serious collector,” he says, “and I’ve accumulated over 5,000 artifacts.”

Those artifacts are now <a href="https://www.auctionbymayo.com/search/auctions/all-sales/ending-soon/all-categories/all-locations?terms=medicine&amp;dist=any&amp;postal=&amp;items=24" target="_blank">up for auction</a>.

Hodges earned a medical degree from the University of Kansas and 
started practicing medicine in 1964. He and his wife, Cathy, who also 
has a medical background, served tours as medical missionaries in 
Africa, where he kept collecting.

Once his collection reached 1,000 to 2,000 items, Hodges says he started looking for a building.

<a href="https://www.medicineshalloffame.com/" target="_blank">Medicine’s Hall of Fame &amp; Museum</a>
 opened March 1, 2020, at the former site of the Johnson County Museum 
in Shawnee, Kansas, but closed a week later due to COVID-19 pandemic 
shutdowns.

In October, the museum closed for good due to low attendance and financial challenges.

Online bidding on the collection is open through Mayo Auction and 
Realty, of Belton, Missouri. In-person previews will take place Friday 
from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Bidding on items will close on Monday, Nov. 7, 
Wednesday, Nov. 9, and Thursday, Nov. 10.

Auctioneer Robert Mayo says it’s a unique situation.

“You
 never see this vast of a collection sell all at once,” Mayo says. “In 
fact, you're never going to see this type of collection be sold ever 
again, because it's not one collection, it's multiple collections.”

The inventory is divided into four categories:<a href="https://bid.auctionbymayo.com/auctions/catalog/id/33824/" target="_blank"> </a><a href="https://bid.auctionbymayo.com/auctions/catalog/id/33824/" target="_blank">antiquities</a>,<a href="https://bid.auctionbymayo.com/auctions/catalog/id/33832/" target="_blank"> </a><a href="https://bid.auctionbymayo.com/auctions/catalog/id/33832/" target="_blank">Africa and Egypt</a>,<a href="https://bid.auctionbymayo.com/auctions/catalog/id/33843/" target="_blank"> </a><a href="https://bid.auctionbymayo.com/auctions/catalog/id/33843/" target="_blank">Native America</a> and <a href="https://bid.auctionbymayo.com/auctions/catalog/id/33854/" target="_blank">apothecary</a>.

“And so it does take a lot of work, for sure, to catalog it and 
present it to all the collectors across the country that are interested 
in bidding on the different types of items here,” says Mayo.

There’s
 a 1915 Ford Model T touring car, and a doctor’s saddle bag from the 
1880s with original medications. Also included are two 1940s iron lungs,
 one designed for children, that were once staples in polio treatment.

“And it's very, very rare,” Hodges says of the pediatric iron lung. “Probably not another one outside of <a href="https://www.si.edu/object/posts_0c16ac483f508011a7a975f440eaf905" target="_blank">the Smithsonian Institution</a>.”

Other items in the collection include an assortment of patent 
medicines, such as “miracle cures” or tonics for liver and kidney 
conditions, an early 1900s shrunken head from the Jivaro tribe of 
Ecuador and Peru, and an 1870s wood and rawhide medicine drum used by 
the Chippewa tribe.

Hodges says he’s disappointed the “gem of a 
museum” didn’t really take off as a tourist destination — he sunk his 
own money into the venture to keep it going.

“But finally (I) just ran out of capital to sustain it,” he says. “So, it’s on the auction block.”

Hodges
 and his wife recently downsized, and he says they just don’t have the 
space to keep any items from the collection. But he hopes that others, 
maybe even some budding collectors, will enjoy it.

“People would 
just be amazed at the collection. And it is quite a variety, if I do say
 so,” he says. “There’s just nothing like it in the area for a hundred 
miles — even beyond that. It is a very unusual collection.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667837196573.png" alt="Dr. Bruce Hodges pauses in the apothecary exhibit inside Medicine’s Hall of Fame &amp; Museum in Shawnee, Kansas, where all of the items are being auctioned off. Carlos Moreno / KCUR 89.3" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Bruce Hodges pauses in the apothecary exhibit inside Medicine’s Hall of Fame &amp; Museum in Shawnee, Kansas, where all of the items are being auctioned off. Carlos Moreno / KCUR 89.3</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Thousands of items are up for auction</h2>By LAURA SPENCER and CARLOS MARENO <a href="https://www.kcur.org/arts-life/2022-11-04/this-kansas-doctor-collected-medical-artifacts-for-decades-his-very-unusual-collection-is-for-sale">Kansas News Service</a>Dr. Bruce Hodges, 90, began collecting medical memorabilia as a hobby
 about 55 years ago. It started, he says, “as one item here and one item
 there,” until he had a handful of items to fill a curio cabinet in his 
waiting room.And he kept adding to it.“It just kind of grew accidentally until I became a serious collector,” he says, “and I’ve accumulated over 5,000 artifacts.”Those artifacts are now <a href="https://www.auctionbymayo.com/search/auctions/all-sales/ending-soon/all-categories/all-locations?terms=medicine&amp;dist=any&amp;postal=&amp;items=24" target="_blank">up for auction</a>.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667837287919.png" alt="A teaching skeleton built from human bones is among the thousands of items up for auction at the Medicine's Hall of Fame &amp; Museum in Shawnee. Carlos Moreno / KCUR 89.3" />
 <figcaption>A teaching skeleton built from human bones is among the thousands of items up for auction at the Medicine's Hall of Fame &amp; Museum in Shawnee. Carlos Moreno / KCUR 89.3</figcaption>
 </figure>Hodges earned a medical degree from the University of Kansas and 
started practicing medicine in 1964. He and his wife, Cathy, who also 
has a medical background, served tours as medical missionaries in 
Africa, where he kept collecting.Once his collection reached 1,000 to 2,000 items, Hodges says he started looking for a building.<a href="https://www.medicineshalloffame.com/" target="_blank">Medicine’s Hall of Fame &amp; Museum</a>
 opened March 1, 2020, at the former site of the Johnson County Museum 
in Shawnee, Kansas, but closed a week later due to COVID-19 pandemic 
shutdowns.In October, the museum closed for good due to low attendance and financial challenges.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667837323642.png" alt="Among some gruesome instruments inside the museum is a Civil War surgeon's kit, including an amputating saw. Carlos Moreno / KCUR 89.3" />
 <figcaption>Among some gruesome instruments inside the museum is a Civil War surgeon's kit, including an amputating saw. Carlos Moreno / KCUR 89.3</figcaption>
 </figure>Online bidding on the collection is open through Mayo Auction and 
Realty, of Belton, Missouri. In-person previews will take place Friday 
from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Bidding on items will close on Monday, Nov. 7, 
Wednesday, Nov. 9, and Thursday, Nov. 10.Auctioneer Robert Mayo says it’s a unique situation.“You
 never see this vast of a collection sell all at once,” Mayo says. “In 
fact, you're never going to see this type of collection be sold ever 
again, because it's not one collection, it's multiple collections.”The inventory is divided into four categories:<a href="https://bid.auctionbymayo.com/auctions/catalog/id/33824/" target="_blank"> </a><a href="https://bid.auctionbymayo.com/auctions/catalog/id/33824/" target="_blank">antiquities</a>,<a href="https://bid.auctionbymayo.com/auctions/catalog/id/33832/" target="_blank"> </a><a href="https://bid.auctionbymayo.com/auctions/catalog/id/33832/" target="_blank">Africa and Egypt</a>,<a href="https://bid.auctionbymayo.com/auctions/catalog/id/33843/" target="_blank"> </a><a href="https://bid.auctionbymayo.com/auctions/catalog/id/33843/" target="_blank">Native America</a> and <a href="https://bid.auctionbymayo.com/auctions/catalog/id/33854/" target="_blank">apothecary</a>.“And so it does take a lot of work, for sure, to catalog it and 
present it to all the collectors across the country that are interested 
in bidding on the different types of items here,” says Mayo.There’s
 a 1915 Ford Model T touring car, and a doctor’s saddle bag from the 
1880s with original medications. Also included are two 1940s iron lungs,
 one designed for children, that were once staples in polio treatment.“And it's very, very rare,” Hodges says of the pediatric iron lung. “Probably not another one outside of <a href="https://www.si.edu/object/posts_0c16ac483f508011a7a975f440eaf905" target="_blank">the Smithsonian Institution</a>.”Other items in the collection include an assortment of patent 
medicines, such as “miracle cures” or tonics for liver and kidney 
conditions, an early 1900s shrunken head from the Jivaro tribe of 
Ecuador and Peru, and an 1870s wood and rawhide medicine drum used by 
the Chippewa tribe.Hodges says he’s disappointed the “gem of a 
museum” didn’t really take off as a tourist destination — he sunk his 
own money into the venture to keep it going.“But finally (I) just ran out of capital to sustain it,” he says. “So, it’s on the auction block.”Hodges
 and his wife recently downsized, and he says they just don’t have the 
space to keep any items from the collection. But he hopes that others, 
maybe even some budding collectors, will enjoy it.“People would 
just be amazed at the collection. And it is quite a variety, if I do say
 so,” he says. “There’s just nothing like it in the area for a hundred 
miles — even beyond that. It is a very unusual collection.”

Kansas doctor's 'unusual' medical artifact collection' for sale

DALLAS (AP) — Six people were killed after two historic military planes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-texas-dallas-transportation-air-shows-28e06a464b1f200cfe22b58cc8fdd7f6">collided and crashed to the ground Saturday</a>&nbsp;afternoon during a Dallas air show, officials said.

“According to our Dallas County Medical Examiner, there are a total of 6 fatalities from yesterday’s Wings over Dallas air show incident,” Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/judgeclayj/status/1591780329278345222?s=46&amp;t=IJ1CrvPHkGyrXZH093DoWQ">tweeted Sunday</a>. He said authorities are continuing to work to identify the victims.

Emergency crews raced to the crash scene at the Dallas Executive Airport, about 10 miles (16 kilometers) from the city’s downtown. News footage from the scene showed crumpled wreckage of the planes in a grassy area inside the airport perimeter. Dallas Fire-Rescue told The Dallas Morning News that there were no reported injuries among people on the ground.

Anthony Montoya saw the two planes collide.

“I just stood there. I was in complete shock and disbelief,” said Montoya, 27, who attended the air show with a friend. “Everybody around was gasping. Everybody was bursting into tears. Everybody was in shock.”

Officials did not specify how many people were inside each plane, but Hank Coates, president of the company that put on the airshow, said one of the planes, a B-17 Flying Fortress bomber, typically has a crew of four to five people. The other, a P-63 Kingcobra fighter plane, has a single pilot.

No paying customers were on the aircraft, said Coates, of Commemorative Air Force, which also owned the planes. Their aircraft are flown by highly trained volunteers, often retired pilots, he said.

Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson said the National Transportation Safety Board had taken control of the crash scene, with local police and fire providing support.

“The videos are heartbreaking,” Johnson said on Twitter.

The planes collided and crashed around 1:20 p.m., the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement. The collision occurred during the Commemorative Air Force Wings Over Dallas show.

Victoria Yeager, the widow of famed Air Force test pilot Chuck Yeager and herself a pilot, was also at the show. She didn’t see the collision, but did see the burning wreckage.

“It was pulverized,” said Yeager, 64, who lives in Fort Worth.

“We were just hoping they had all gotten out, but we knew they didn’t,” she said of those on board.

The B-17, a cornerstone of U.S. air power during World War II, is an immense four-engine bomber used in daylight raids against Germany. The Kingcobra, a U.S. fighter plane, was used mostly by Soviet forces during the war. Most B-17s were scrapped at the end of World War II and only a handful remain today, largely featured at museums and air shows, according to Boeing.

Several videos posted on social media showed the fighter plane appearing to fly into the bomber, causing them to quickly crash to the ground and setting off a large ball of fire and smoke.

“It was really horrific to see,” Aubrey Anne Young, 37, of Leander. Texas, who saw the crash. Her children were inside the hangar with their father when it occurred. “I’m still trying to make sense of it.”

A woman next to Young can be heard crying and screaming hysterically on a video that Young uploaded to her Facebook page.

Air show safety — particularly with older military aircraft — has been a concern for years. In 2011, 11 people were killed in Reno, Nevada, when a P-51 Mustang crashed into spectators. In 2019,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/connecticut-hartford-accidents-transportation-8d48d898ee86ee0395c8895b3d91daf4">a bomber crashed in Hartford, Connecticut,</a>&nbsp;killing seven people. The NTSB said then that it had investigated 21 accidents since 1982 involving World War II-era bombers, resulting in 23 deaths.

Wings Over Dallas bills itself as “America’s Premier World War II Airshow,” according to a website advertising the event. The show was scheduled for Nov. 11-13, Veterans Day weekend, and guests were to see more than 40 World War II-era aircraft. Its Saturday afternoon schedule of flying demonstrations included the “bomber parade” and “fighter escorts” that featured the B-17 and P-63.

Arthur Alan Wolk is a Philadelphia aviation attorney who flew in air shows for 12 years. After watching the air show video and hearing the maneuvers described as “bombers on parade,” Wolk told The Associated Press Sunday that the P-63 pilot violated the basic rule of formation flying.

“He went belly up to the leader,” Wolk said. “That prevents him from gauging distance and position. The risk of collision is very high when you cannot see who you are supposed to be in formation with and that kind of join up is not permitted.”

He added, “I am not blaming anyone and to the greatest extent possible air shows, the pilots and the aircraft that fly in them are safe. Air shows are one of the largest spectator events in America and it is rare that a tragedy like this occurs.”

Wolk said it takes extensive training and discipline to fly in an air show setting. The air show qualifications of the P-63 pilot are not known.

The FAA was also launching an investigation, officials said.

DALLAS (AP) — Two historic military aircraft collided and crashed Saturday during an air show in Dallas, exploding into a ball of flames and sending black smoke billowing into the sky. It was not clear how many people were on board.

Officials would not say how many people were on board the planes, but Hank Coates, president of the company that put on the airshow, said one of the planes, a B-17 Flying Fortress bomber, typically has a crew of four to five people. The other, a P-63 Kingcobra fighter plane, has a single pilot.

A team of National Transportation Safety Board investigators will arrive at the scene of the crash on Sunday.

Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson said the NTSB had taken control of the crash scene, with local police and fire providing support.

Victoria Yeager, the widow of famed Air Force test pilot Chuck Yeager and herself a pilot, was also at the show. She didn't see the collision, but did see the burning wreckage.

“It was pulverized," said Yeager, 64, who lives in Fort Worth.

"We were just hoping they had all gotten out, but we knew they didn’t,” she said of those on board.

“It was really horrific to see," Aubrey Anne Young, 37, of Leander. Texas, who saw the crash. Her children were inside the hangar with their father when it occurred. “I’m still trying to make sense of it."

Air show safety - particularly with older military aircraft -&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/connecticut-us-news-ap-top-news-world-war-ii-ct-state-wire-bd8a291db10e4885af369fbc6590b8f8">has been a concern for years</a>. In 2011, 11 people were killed in Reno, Nevada, when a P-51 Mustang crashed into spectators. In 2019, a bomber crashed in Hartford, Connecticut, killing seven people. The NTSB said then that it had investigated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/303fbf50cb88445fbd298bc0b92fa84b">21 accidents</a>&nbsp;since 1982 involving World War II-era bombers, resulting in 23 deaths.

Videos of previous Wings Over Dallas events depict vintage warplanes flying low, sometimes in close formation, on simulated strafing or bombing runs. The videos also show the planes performing aerobatic stunts.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668307203249.png" alt="The collision occurred during the Commemorative Air Force Wings Over Dallas show.- photo courtesy CBSDFW TV" />
 <figcaption>The collision occurred during the Commemorative Air Force Wings Over Dallas show.- photo courtesy CBSDFW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>DALLAS (AP) — Six people were killed after two historic military planes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-texas-dallas-transportation-air-shows-28e06a464b1f200cfe22b58cc8fdd7f6">collided and crashed to the ground Saturday</a>&nbsp;afternoon during a Dallas air show, officials said.“According to our Dallas County Medical Examiner, there are a total of 6 fatalities from yesterday’s Wings over Dallas air show incident,” Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/judgeclayj/status/1591780329278345222?s=46&amp;t=IJ1CrvPHkGyrXZH093DoWQ">tweeted Sunday</a>. He said authorities are continuing to work to identify the victims.Emergency crews raced to the crash scene at the Dallas Executive Airport, about 10 miles (16 kilometers) from the city’s downtown. News footage from the scene showed crumpled wreckage of the planes in a grassy area inside the airport perimeter. Dallas Fire-Rescue told The Dallas Morning News that there were no reported injuries among people on the ground.Anthony Montoya saw the two planes collide.“I just stood there. I was in complete shock and disbelief,” said Montoya, 27, who attended the air show with a friend. “Everybody around was gasping. Everybody was bursting into tears. Everybody was in shock.”Officials did not specify how many people were inside each plane, but Hank Coates, president of the company that put on the airshow, said one of the planes, a B-17 Flying Fortress bomber, typically has a crew of four to five people. The other, a P-63 Kingcobra fighter plane, has a single pilot.No paying customers were on the aircraft, said Coates, of Commemorative Air Force, which also owned the planes. Their aircraft are flown by highly trained volunteers, often retired pilots, he said.Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson said the National Transportation Safety Board had taken control of the crash scene, with local police and fire providing support.“The videos are heartbreaking,” Johnson said on Twitter.The planes collided and crashed around 1:20 p.m., the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement. The collision occurred during the Commemorative Air Force Wings Over Dallas show.Victoria Yeager, the widow of famed Air Force test pilot Chuck Yeager and herself a pilot, was also at the show. She didn’t see the collision, but did see the burning wreckage.“It was pulverized,” said Yeager, 64, who lives in Fort Worth.“We were just hoping they had all gotten out, but we knew they didn’t,” she said of those on board.The B-17, a cornerstone of U.S. air power during World War II, is an immense four-engine bomber used in daylight raids against Germany. The Kingcobra, a U.S. fighter plane, was used mostly by Soviet forces during the war. Most B-17s were scrapped at the end of World War II and only a handful remain today, largely featured at museums and air shows, according to Boeing.Several videos posted on social media showed the fighter plane appearing to fly into the bomber, causing them to quickly crash to the ground and setting off a large ball of fire and smoke.“It was really horrific to see,” Aubrey Anne Young, 37, of Leander. Texas, who saw the crash. Her children were inside the hangar with their father when it occurred. “I’m still trying to make sense of it.”A woman next to Young can be heard crying and screaming hysterically on a video that Young uploaded to her Facebook page.Air show safety — particularly with older military aircraft — has been a concern for years. In 2011, 11 people were killed in Reno, Nevada, when a P-51 Mustang crashed into spectators. In 2019,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/connecticut-hartford-accidents-transportation-8d48d898ee86ee0395c8895b3d91daf4">a bomber crashed in Hartford, Connecticut,</a>&nbsp;killing seven people. The NTSB said then that it had investigated 21 accidents since 1982 involving World War II-era bombers, resulting in 23 deaths.Wings Over Dallas bills itself as “America’s Premier World War II Airshow,” according to a website advertising the event. The show was scheduled for Nov. 11-13, Veterans Day weekend, and guests were to see more than 40 World War II-era aircraft. Its Saturday afternoon schedule of flying demonstrations included the “bomber parade” and “fighter escorts” that featured the B-17 and P-63.Arthur Alan Wolk is a Philadelphia aviation attorney who flew in air shows for 12 years. After watching the air show video and hearing the maneuvers described as “bombers on parade,” Wolk told The Associated Press Sunday that the P-63 pilot violated the basic rule of formation flying.“He went belly up to the leader,” Wolk said. “That prevents him from gauging distance and position. The risk of collision is very high when you cannot see who you are supposed to be in formation with and that kind of join up is not permitted.”He added, “I am not blaming anyone and to the greatest extent possible air shows, the pilots and the aircraft that fly in them are safe. Air shows are one of the largest spectator events in America and it is rare that a tragedy like this occurs.”Wolk said it takes extensive training and discipline to fly in an air show setting. The air show qualifications of the P-63 pilot are not known.The FAA was also launching an investigation, officials said.-------DALLAS (AP) — Two historic military aircraft collided and crashed Saturday during an air show in Dallas, exploding into a ball of flames and sending black smoke billowing into the sky. It was not clear how many people were on board.Emergency crews raced to the crash scene at the Dallas Executive Airport, about 10 miles (16 kilometers) from the city’s downtown. News footage from the scene showed crumpled wreckage of the planes in a grassy area inside the airport perimeter. Dallas Fire-Rescue told The Dallas Morning News that there were no reported injuries among people on the ground.Anthony Montoya saw the two planes collide.“I just stood there. I was in complete shock and disbelief,” said Montoya, 27, who attended the air show with a friend. “Everybody around was gasping. Everybody was bursting into tears. Everybody was in shock.”Officials would not say how many people were on board the planes, but Hank Coates, president of the company that put on the airshow, said one of the planes, a B-17 Flying Fortress bomber, typically has a crew of four to five people. The other, a P-63 Kingcobra fighter plane, has a single pilot.No paying customers were on the aircraft, said Coates, of Commemorative Air Force, which also owned the planes. Their aircraft are flown by highly trained volunteers, often retired pilots, he said.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The NTSB is launching a go-team to investigate Saturday’s mid-air collision between a Boeing B-17G and a Bell P-63F near Dallas, Texas. Member Michael Graham will serve as spokesperson on scene. Team expected to arrive tomorrow. Check Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/NTSB_Newsroom?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ntsb_newsroom</a> for updates.&mdash; NTSB Newsroom (@NTSB_Newsroom) <a href="https://twitter.com/NTSB_Newsroom/status/1591583319795408896?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 13, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>A team of National Transportation Safety Board investigators will arrive at the scene of the crash on Sunday.Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson said the NTSB had taken control of the crash scene, with local police and fire providing support.“The videos are heartbreaking,” Johnson said on Twitter.The planes collided and crashed around 1:20 p.m., the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement. The collision occurred during the Commemorative Air Force Wings Over Dallas show.Victoria Yeager, the widow of famed Air Force test pilot Chuck Yeager and herself a pilot, was also at the show. She didn't see the collision, but did see the burning wreckage.“It was pulverized," said Yeager, 64, who lives in Fort Worth."We were just hoping they had all gotten out, but we knew they didn’t,” she said of those on board.The B-17, a cornerstone of U.S. air power during World War II, is an immense four-engine bomber used in daylight raids against Germany. The Kingcobra, a U.S. fighter plane, was used mostly by Soviet forces during the war. Most B-17s were scrapped at the end of World War II and only a handful remain today, largely featured at museums and air shows, according to Boeing.Several videos posted on social media showed the fighter plane appearing to fly into the bomber, causing them to quickly crash to the ground and setting off a large ball of fire and smoke.“It was really horrific to see," Aubrey Anne Young, 37, of Leander. Texas, who saw the crash. Her children were inside the hangar with their father when it occurred. “I’m still trying to make sense of it."A woman next to Young can be heard crying and screaming hysterically on a video that Young uploaded to her Facebook page.Air show safety - particularly with older military aircraft -&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/connecticut-us-news-ap-top-news-world-war-ii-ct-state-wire-bd8a291db10e4885af369fbc6590b8f8">has been a concern for years</a>. In 2011, 11 people were killed in Reno, Nevada, when a P-51 Mustang crashed into spectators. In 2019, a bomber crashed in Hartford, Connecticut, killing seven people. The NTSB said then that it had investigated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/303fbf50cb88445fbd298bc0b92fa84b">21 accidents</a>&nbsp;since 1982 involving World War II-era bombers, resulting in 23 deaths.Wings Over Dallas bills itself as “America’s Premier World War II Airshow,” according to a website advertising the event. The show was scheduled for Nov. 11-13, Veterans Day weekend, and guests were to see more than 40 World War II-era aircraft. Its Saturday afternoon schedule of flying demonstrations included the “bomber parade” and “fighter escorts” that featured the B-17 and P-63.Videos of previous Wings Over Dallas events depict vintage warplanes flying low, sometimes in close formation, on simulated strafing or bombing runs. The videos also show the planes performing aerobatic stunts.The FAA was also launching an investigation, officials said.

Update: 6 dead after 2 historic aircraft collide at Veterans Day show

The United Methodist Church moved toward becoming more progressive and<a href="https://westernjurisdictionumc.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/LGBTQIA-Caucus-Resolution-11.3.22-UPDATED.pdf"> LGBTQ-affirming during U.S. regional meetings</a> this month that included the election of its second openly gay bishop. Conservatives say the developments will only&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-gay-rights-f3fc3ec9e1f39501495d227d5a0963f8">accelerate their exit from</a>&nbsp;one of the nation’s largest Protestant denominations.

Each of the UMC's five U.S. jurisdictions — meeting separately in early November — approved similarly worded measures aspiring to a future of church where “LGBTQIA+ people will be protected, affirmed, and empowered.”

They also passed non-binding measures asking anyone to withdraw from leadership roles if they're planning to leave the denomination soon — a category that almost entirely includes conservatives moving toward the exits.

The denomination still officially bans same-sex marriage and the ordination of any “self-avowed, practicing homosexual,” and only a legislative gathering called the General Conference can change that.

But this month's votes show growing momentum — at least in the American half of the global church — to defy these policies and seek to reverse them at the next legislative gathering in 2024.

Supporters and opponents of these measures drew from the same metaphor to say their church is either becoming more or less of a “big tent,” as the United Methodists have long been described as a theologically diverse, mainstream denomination.

“It demonstrates that the big tent has collapsed,” said the Rev. Jay Therrell, president of the conservative Wesleyan Covenant Association, which has been helping churches that want to leave the denomination.

“For years, bishops have told traditionalists that there is room for everyone in the United Methodist Church," he said. "Not one single traditionalist bishop was elected. Moreover, we now have the most progressive or liberal council of bishops in the history of Methodism, period.”

But Jan Lawrence, executive director of Reconciling Ministries Network, which works toward inclusion of Methodists of all sexual orientations and gender identities, applauded the regional jurisdictions. She cited their LGBTQ-affirming votes and their expansion of the racial, ethnic and gender diversity of bishops.

Jurisdictions elected the church's first Native American and Filipino American bishops, with other landmark votes within specific regions, according to United Methodist News Service.

“It is a big tent church,” Lawrence said. “One of the concerns that some folks expressed is that we don’t have leadership in the church that reflects the diversity of the church. So this episcopal election doesn’t fix that, but it’s a step in the right direction.”

Bishop Cedrick Bridgeforth, elected in the Western Jurisdiction meeting, agreed. He is the first openly gay African-American man to be elected bishop. The vote comes six years after the Western Jurisdiction elected the denomination's first openly lesbian bishop, Karen Oliveto of the Mountain Sky Episcopal Area.

The LGBTQ-affirming resolutions point "to the alignment of the denomination more with the mainstream of our country,” Bridgeforth said. “It can also help us begin to center our conversations where we have unity of purpose, rather than centering on divisions.”

Bridgeforth will lead churches in the Greater Northwest Area, which includes churches in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and small parts of Montana and Canada. He said he has always worked across ideological lines in his administrative duties and would continue to do so.

“I have used our differences as an opportunity for us to come together,” he said. “It creates more space for a different kind of conversation than, ‘That’s different, that’s bad, we can’t be together.'” If some churches under his jurisdiction do choose to leave the United Methodist Church, Bridgeforth said he would help them make that transition.

“I would not want anybody to be where they don’t want to be,” he said.

Progressive groups have said the church should be open to appointing bishops and other clergy, regardless of sexual orientation, who show they have the gifts for ministry and a commitment to serve the church.

Conservatives, however, say the church needs to abide by its own rules.

“I am sure Bishop Bridgeforth is a person of sacred worth, but he does not meet the qualifications to hold the office of elder, much less bishop, and should not have been elected,” Therrell said.

At least 300 U.S. congregations have left the denomination this year, according to United Methodist News Service. Hundreds more are in the process of leaving, and Therrell predicted that number would be in the low thousands by the end of 2023. Overseas conferences in Bulgaria and Slovakia have ended their affiliation with the denomination, and churches in Africa are considering it, he said.

Many are bound for the newly formed conservative denomination,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-religion-marriage-b6a4ec4a28ce2674932573ba6c850f4a">the Global Methodist Church</a>.

The UMC is a worldwide denomination. American membership has declined to about 6.5 million, from a peak of 11 million in the 1960s. Overseas membership soared to match or exceed that of the U.S., fueled mostly by growth and mergers in Africa. Overseas delegates have historically allied with American conservatives to uphold the church's stances on sexuality.

Support for a compromise measure that would have amicably split the denomination,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-top-news-religion-sierra-leone-981b9b19d6d0983f91333974d54085b1">negotiated in 2020,</a>&nbsp;fell apart after that year's legislative General Conference was postponed three times due to the pandemic. The next General Conference is now scheduled to begin in April 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

A vote by a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-us-news-ap-top-news-mi-state-wire-marriage-15f5b291512e4a39a6c93ad9eb1a3ee9">2019 General Conference</a>&nbsp;was the latest of several in recent decades that reinforced the church's ban on gay clergy and marriage. But that vote also prompted many local conferences to elect more liberal and centrist delegates, whose influence was felt in this month's regional votes.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668266869687.png" alt="Bishop Cedrick Bridgeforth, the first openly gay African-American man elected Bishop, at Battle Ground Community Methodist Church. The photo shows Bridgeforth and his husband&nbsp;Christopher Hucks-Ortiz.&nbsp; -image courtesy the BGCUMC YouTube page" />
 <figcaption>Bishop Cedrick Bridgeforth, the first openly gay African-American man elected Bishop, at Battle Ground Community Methodist Church. The photo shows Bridgeforth and his husband&nbsp;Christopher Hucks-Ortiz.&nbsp; -image courtesy the BGCUMC YouTube page</figcaption>
 </figure>By PETER SMITH Associated PressThe United Methodist Church moved toward becoming more progressive and<a href="https://westernjurisdictionumc.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/LGBTQIA-Caucus-Resolution-11.3.22-UPDATED.pdf"> LGBTQ-affirming during U.S. regional meetings</a> this month that included the election of its second openly gay bishop. Conservatives say the developments will only&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-gay-rights-f3fc3ec9e1f39501495d227d5a0963f8">accelerate their exit from</a>&nbsp;one of the nation’s largest Protestant denominations.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/abWgyO1C2nM?start=146" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>Each of the UMC's five U.S. jurisdictions — meeting separately in early November — approved similarly worded measures aspiring to a future of church where “LGBTQIA+ people will be protected, affirmed, and empowered.”They also passed non-binding measures asking anyone to withdraw from leadership roles if they're planning to leave the denomination soon — a category that almost entirely includes conservatives moving toward the exits.The denomination still officially bans same-sex marriage and the ordination of any “self-avowed, practicing homosexual,” and only a legislative gathering called the General Conference can change that.But this month's votes show growing momentum — at least in the American half of the global church — to defy these policies and seek to reverse them at the next legislative gathering in 2024.Supporters and opponents of these measures drew from the same metaphor to say their church is either becoming more or less of a “big tent,” as the United Methodists have long been described as a theologically diverse, mainstream denomination.“It demonstrates that the big tent has collapsed,” said the Rev. Jay Therrell, president of the conservative Wesleyan Covenant Association, which has been helping churches that want to leave the denomination.“For years, bishops have told traditionalists that there is room for everyone in the United Methodist Church," he said. "Not one single traditionalist bishop was elected. Moreover, we now have the most progressive or liberal council of bishops in the history of Methodism, period.”But Jan Lawrence, executive director of Reconciling Ministries Network, which works toward inclusion of Methodists of all sexual orientations and gender identities, applauded the regional jurisdictions. She cited their LGBTQ-affirming votes and their expansion of the racial, ethnic and gender diversity of bishops.Jurisdictions elected the church's first Native American and Filipino American bishops, with other landmark votes within specific regions, according to United Methodist News Service.“It is a big tent church,” Lawrence said. “One of the concerns that some folks expressed is that we don’t have leadership in the church that reflects the diversity of the church. So this episcopal election doesn’t fix that, but it’s a step in the right direction.”Bishop Cedrick Bridgeforth, elected in the Western Jurisdiction meeting, agreed. He is the first openly gay African-American man to be elected bishop. The vote comes six years after the Western Jurisdiction elected the denomination's first openly lesbian bishop, Karen Oliveto of the Mountain Sky Episcopal Area.The LGBTQ-affirming resolutions point "to the alignment of the denomination more with the mainstream of our country,” Bridgeforth said. “It can also help us begin to center our conversations where we have unity of purpose, rather than centering on divisions.”Bridgeforth will lead churches in the Greater Northwest Area, which includes churches in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and small parts of Montana and Canada. He said he has always worked across ideological lines in his administrative duties and would continue to do so.“I have used our differences as an opportunity for us to come together,” he said. “It creates more space for a different kind of conversation than, ‘That’s different, that’s bad, we can’t be together.'” If some churches under his jurisdiction do choose to leave the United Methodist Church, Bridgeforth said he would help them make that transition.“I would not want anybody to be where they don’t want to be,” he said.Progressive groups have said the church should be open to appointing bishops and other clergy, regardless of sexual orientation, who show they have the gifts for ministry and a commitment to serve the church.Conservatives, however, say the church needs to abide by its own rules.“I am sure Bishop Bridgeforth is a person of sacred worth, but he does not meet the qualifications to hold the office of elder, much less bishop, and should not have been elected,” Therrell said.At least 300 U.S. congregations have left the denomination this year, according to United Methodist News Service. Hundreds more are in the process of leaving, and Therrell predicted that number would be in the low thousands by the end of 2023. Overseas conferences in Bulgaria and Slovakia have ended their affiliation with the denomination, and churches in Africa are considering it, he said.Many are bound for the newly formed conservative denomination,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-religion-marriage-b6a4ec4a28ce2674932573ba6c850f4a">the Global Methodist Church</a>.The UMC is a worldwide denomination. American membership has declined to about 6.5 million, from a peak of 11 million in the 1960s. Overseas membership soared to match or exceed that of the U.S., fueled mostly by growth and mergers in Africa. Overseas delegates have historically allied with American conservatives to uphold the church's stances on sexuality.Support for a compromise measure that would have amicably split the denomination,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-top-news-religion-sierra-leone-981b9b19d6d0983f91333974d54085b1">negotiated in 2020,</a>&nbsp;fell apart after that year's legislative General Conference was postponed three times due to the pandemic. The next General Conference is now scheduled to begin in April 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina.A vote by a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-us-news-ap-top-news-mi-state-wire-marriage-15f5b291512e4a39a6c93ad9eb1a3ee9">2019 General Conference</a>&nbsp;was the latest of several in recent decades that reinforced the church's ban on gay clergy and marriage. But that vote also prompted many local conferences to elect more liberal and centrist delegates, whose influence was felt in this month's regional votes.

LGBTQ-friendly votes signal progressive shift for Methodists

KANSAS CITY, Kan. —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting.

Just after midnight Sunday morning, police were dispatched to report of a shooting near Kansas Avenue and Berger Avenue in Kansas City, Kansas, according to a media release.

At the scene, they found a man inside a vehicle with a life-threatening gunshot wound. EMS transported him to an area hospital where he later died.

Police released no additional details early Sunday.

KANSAS CITY, Kan. —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting.Just after midnight Sunday morning, police were dispatched to report of a shooting near Kansas Avenue and Berger Avenue in Kansas City, Kansas, according to a media release.At the scene, they found a man inside a vehicle with a life-threatening gunshot wound. EMS transported him to an area hospital where he later died.Police released no additional details early Sunday.

Police: Kan. man found in vehicle with gunshot wound has died

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats kept control of the Senate on Saturday, repelling Republican efforts to retake the chamber and making it harder for them to thwart President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden's</a>&nbsp;agenda. The fate of the House was still uncertain as the GOP struggled to pull together a slim majority there.

Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/catherine-cortez-masto">Catherine Cortez Masto's</a>&nbsp;victory in Nevada gave Democrats the 50 seats they needed to keep the Senate. Her win reflects the surprising strength of Democrats across the U.S. this&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections">election year</a>. Seeking reelection in an economically challenged state that has some of the highest gas prices in the nation, Cortez Masto was considered the Senate's most vulnerable member, adding to the frustration of Republicans who were confident she could be defeated.

“We got a lot done and we'll do a lot more for the American people,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Saturday night. “The American people rejected — soundly rejected — the anti-democratic, authoritarian, nasty and divisive direction the MAGA Republicans wanted to take our country."

With the results in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nevada">Nevada</a>&nbsp;now decided, Georgia is the only state where both parties are still competing for a Senate seat. Democratic incumbent Sen. Raphael Warnock faces GOP challenger Herschel Walker in a Dec. 6 runoff. Alaska's Senate race has advanced to ranked choice voting, though the seat will stay in Republican hands.

Democratic control of the Senate ensures a smoother process for Biden's Cabinet appointments and judicial picks, including those for potential Supreme Court openings. The party will also keep control over committees and have the power to conduct investigations or oversight of the Biden administration, and will be able to reject legislation sent over by the House if the GOP wins that chamber.

If Democrats manage to pull off a win in the House, it would mean full control of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/congress">Congress</a>&nbsp;for Democrats — and another chance to advance Biden priorities, which he has said include codifying abortion rights. The party still lacks the 60 votes in the Senate needed to move many kinds of major legislative changes.

The Senate fight had hinged on a handful of deeply contested seats. Both parties spent tens of millions of dollars in Pennsylvania, Arizona, Nevada and Georgia, the top battlegrounds where Democrats had hoped that Republicans’ decision to nominate untested candidates — many backed by former President Donald Trump — would help them defy national headwinds.

Democrats scored a big win in Pennsylvania, where Lt. Gov. John Fetterman&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pennsylvania-senate-race-2022-midterm-elections-93709b5b7ab4cef658f45751cd76c090">defeated</a>&nbsp;celebrity heart surgeon Dr. Mehmet Oz, who was endorsed by Trump, to pick up a seat currently held by a Republican. Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly won reelection by about 5 percentage points.

A closely divided swing state, Nevada is one of the most racially diverse in the nation, a working-class state whose residents have been especially hard-hit by inflation and other economic turmoil. Roughly three-fourths of Nevada voters said the country is headed in the wrong direction, and about half called the economy the most important issue facing the country, according to AP VoteCast, a survey of 2,100 of the state’s voters.

Heading into the midterm election, Republicans focused relentlessly on the economy, a top concern for many voters amid stubborn inflation and high gas and food prices. The GOP also hit Democrats on crime, a message that sometimes overstated the threat but nonetheless tapped into anxiety, particularly among the suburban voters who turned away from the party in 2018 and 2020. And they highlighted illegal border crossings, accusing Biden and other Democrats of failing to protect the country.

But Democrats were buoyed by voters angry about the Supreme Court’s June decision overturning the constitutional right to an abortion. They also portrayed Republicans as too extreme and a threat to democracy, following the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol and Trump’s false claims — repeated by many GOP candidates — that the 2020 election was stolen from him.

Schumer said Democratic candidates' promises to defend abortion rights resonated with voters. He said the election results made him feel good about the country and its commitment to democracy.

“We knew that the negativity, the nastiness, the condoning of Donald Trump’s big lie — and saying that the elections were rigged when there’s no proof of that at all — would hurt Republicans, not help them,” Schumer said. “But too many of them, and their candidates, fell into those traps.”

Referring to Trump's “Make America Great Again” slogan, Schumer said voters had rejected "extremist MAGA Republicans.”

Nationally, VoteCast showed that 7 in 10 voters said the Supreme Court’s decision on Roe v. Wade was an important factor in their midterm decisions. It also showed the reversal was broadly unpopular. And roughly 6 in 10 said they favor a law guaranteeing access to legal abortion nationwide.

Half of voters said inflation factored significantly in their vote, while 44% said the future of democracy was their primary consideration.

Beyond Congress, Democrats won key governors’ races in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania — battlegrounds critical to Biden’s 2020 win over Trump. Republicans, though, held governors’ mansions in Florida, Texas and Georgia — another battleground state Biden narrowly won two years ago.

Though the midterms failed to deliver Republican romps, Trump remains a major factor in the national party and plans to announce his a third run for the presidency Tuesday at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida — setting up a potential rematch for the White House with Biden.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1626283910947.png" alt="“We got a lot done and we'll do a lot more for the American people,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Saturday night.- file photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>“We got a lot done and we'll do a lot more for the American people,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Saturday night.- file photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats kept control of the Senate on Saturday, repelling Republican efforts to retake the chamber and making it harder for them to thwart President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden's</a>&nbsp;agenda. The fate of the House was still uncertain as the GOP struggled to pull together a slim majority there.Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/catherine-cortez-masto">Catherine Cortez Masto's</a>&nbsp;victory in Nevada gave Democrats the 50 seats they needed to keep the Senate. Her win reflects the surprising strength of Democrats across the U.S. this&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections">election year</a>. Seeking reelection in an economically challenged state that has some of the highest gas prices in the nation, Cortez Masto was considered the Senate's most vulnerable member, adding to the frustration of Republicans who were confident she could be defeated.“We got a lot done and we'll do a lot more for the American people,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Saturday night. “The American people rejected — soundly rejected — the anti-democratic, authoritarian, nasty and divisive direction the MAGA Republicans wanted to take our country."With the results in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nevada">Nevada</a>&nbsp;now decided, Georgia is the only state where both parties are still competing for a Senate seat. Democratic incumbent Sen. Raphael Warnock faces GOP challenger Herschel Walker in a Dec. 6 runoff. Alaska's Senate race has advanced to ranked choice voting, though the seat will stay in Republican hands.Democratic control of the Senate ensures a smoother process for Biden's Cabinet appointments and judicial picks, including those for potential Supreme Court openings. The party will also keep control over committees and have the power to conduct investigations or oversight of the Biden administration, and will be able to reject legislation sent over by the House if the GOP wins that chamber.If Democrats manage to pull off a win in the House, it would mean full control of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/congress">Congress</a>&nbsp;for Democrats — and another chance to advance Biden priorities, which he has said include codifying abortion rights. The party still lacks the 60 votes in the Senate needed to move many kinds of major legislative changes.The Senate fight had hinged on a handful of deeply contested seats. Both parties spent tens of millions of dollars in Pennsylvania, Arizona, Nevada and Georgia, the top battlegrounds where Democrats had hoped that Republicans’ decision to nominate untested candidates — many backed by former President Donald Trump — would help them defy national headwinds.Democrats scored a big win in Pennsylvania, where Lt. Gov. John Fetterman&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pennsylvania-senate-race-2022-midterm-elections-93709b5b7ab4cef658f45751cd76c090">defeated</a>&nbsp;celebrity heart surgeon Dr. Mehmet Oz, who was endorsed by Trump, to pick up a seat currently held by a Republican. Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly won reelection by about 5 percentage points.A closely divided swing state, Nevada is one of the most racially diverse in the nation, a working-class state whose residents have been especially hard-hit by inflation and other economic turmoil. Roughly three-fourths of Nevada voters said the country is headed in the wrong direction, and about half called the economy the most important issue facing the country, according to AP VoteCast, a survey of 2,100 of the state’s voters.Heading into the midterm election, Republicans focused relentlessly on the economy, a top concern for many voters amid stubborn inflation and high gas and food prices. The GOP also hit Democrats on crime, a message that sometimes overstated the threat but nonetheless tapped into anxiety, particularly among the suburban voters who turned away from the party in 2018 and 2020. And they highlighted illegal border crossings, accusing Biden and other Democrats of failing to protect the country.But Democrats were buoyed by voters angry about the Supreme Court’s June decision overturning the constitutional right to an abortion. They also portrayed Republicans as too extreme and a threat to democracy, following the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol and Trump’s false claims — repeated by many GOP candidates — that the 2020 election was stolen from him.Schumer said Democratic candidates' promises to defend abortion rights resonated with voters. He said the election results made him feel good about the country and its commitment to democracy.“We knew that the negativity, the nastiness, the condoning of Donald Trump’s big lie — and saying that the elections were rigged when there’s no proof of that at all — would hurt Republicans, not help them,” Schumer said. “But too many of them, and their candidates, fell into those traps.”Referring to Trump's “Make America Great Again” slogan, Schumer said voters had rejected "extremist MAGA Republicans.”Nationally, VoteCast showed that 7 in 10 voters said the Supreme Court’s decision on Roe v. Wade was an important factor in their midterm decisions. It also showed the reversal was broadly unpopular. And roughly 6 in 10 said they favor a law guaranteeing access to legal abortion nationwide.Half of voters said inflation factored significantly in their vote, while 44% said the future of democracy was their primary consideration.Beyond Congress, Democrats won key governors’ races in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania — battlegrounds critical to Biden’s 2020 win over Trump. Republicans, though, held governors’ mansions in Florida, Texas and Georgia — another battleground state Biden narrowly won two years ago.Though the midterms failed to deliver Republican romps, Trump remains a major factor in the national party and plans to announce his a third run for the presidency Tuesday at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida — setting up a potential rematch for the White House with Biden.

Democrats keep Senate majority as GOP push falters in Nevada

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man charged in the drive-shooting at a home in Wichita that critically injured an 11-year-old girl has been sentenced to over 14-years in prison, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney. In October, Purcell pleaded guilty to aggravated battery in the case.

Just after 12:30 a.m. Oct. 12, 2021 officers responded to&nbsp;a shooting in the 1400 block of North Harding in Wichita. They found the girl laying in her bed with a gunshot wound. On Oct. 14., police arrested&nbsp;<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=18777609">Purcell</a>&nbsp;and originally charged him with&nbsp;aggravated battery, criminal discharge of a firearm and criminal possession of a weapon by a felon.

Police reported an<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/victim-of-shooting-family-needs-help?member=14541373&amp;sharetype=teams&amp;utm_campaign=p_na+share-sheet&amp;utm_medium=more&amp;utm_source=customer">&nbsp;11-year-old girl&nbsp;</a>was in the house and asleep in her bed when she was hit by the gunfire. She was taken to a hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening. Police say four other people in the home at the time of the shooting were not injured.

Since Nov. 2017 Purcell was in one of several Kansas prisons following three convictions for aggravated robbery. The state also reported Purcell had over two dozen disciplinary violation during his time in prison. He was released in June, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://kake.images.worldnow.com/images/21546900_G.jpeg?auto=webp&amp;disable=upscale&amp;height=560&amp;fit=bounds&amp;lastEditedDate=1634302649000" alt="Purcell-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Purcell-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man charged in the drive-shooting at a home in Wichita that critically injured an 11-year-old girl has been sentenced to over 14-years in prison, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney. In October, Purcell pleaded guilty to aggravated battery in the case.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1634162750977.png" alt="Image of the suspect vehicle driving by the home -Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Image of the suspect vehicle driving by the home -Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>Just after 12:30 a.m. Oct. 12, 2021 officers responded to&nbsp;a shooting in the 1400 block of North Harding in Wichita. They found the girl laying in her bed with a gunshot wound. On Oct. 14., police arrested&nbsp;<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=18777609">Purcell</a>&nbsp;and originally charged him with&nbsp;aggravated battery, criminal discharge of a firearm and criminal possession of a weapon by a felon.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1634171148198.png" alt="A cousin established a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/victim-of-shooting-family-needs-help?member=14541373&amp;sharetype=teams&amp;utm_campaign=p_na+share-sheet&amp;utm_medium=more&amp;utm_source=customer">GoFundMe page&nbsp;</a>to help the girl's family with medical expenses.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>A cousin established a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/victim-of-shooting-family-needs-help?member=14541373&amp;sharetype=teams&amp;utm_campaign=p_na+share-sheet&amp;utm_medium=more&amp;utm_source=customer">GoFundMe page&nbsp;</a>to help the girl's family with medical expenses.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Police reported an<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/victim-of-shooting-family-needs-help?member=14541373&amp;sharetype=teams&amp;utm_campaign=p_na+share-sheet&amp;utm_medium=more&amp;utm_source=customer">&nbsp;11-year-old girl&nbsp;</a>was in the house and asleep in her bed when she was hit by the gunfire. She was taken to a hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening. Police say four other people in the home at the time of the shooting were not injured.Since Nov. 2017 Purcell was in one of several Kansas prisons following three convictions for aggravated robbery. The state also reported Purcell had over two dozen disciplinary violation during his time in prison. He was released in June, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.

Kan. felon sentenced for drive-by shooting that injured girl

GEARY COUNTY—Two people died in an accident just after 3a.m. Saturday in Geary County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2015 Ford F150 driven by John A.&nbsp;Wagnaar III, 34, Manhattan, was westbound in the eastbound passing lane of Interstate 70 at Deep Creek Road.

The pickup and an eastbound 2013 Honda Civic driven by Morgan L. Taylor, 31, Colorado Springs, collided head-on. After impact the Ford rolled into the median and caught fire. .

Wagnaar and Taylor were pronounced dead at the scene and transported to&nbsp;Johnson Cremations, Funerals and Receptions. The KHP had incomplete seat belt usage information.

GEARY COUNTY—Two people died in an accident just after 3a.m. Saturday in Geary County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2015 Ford F150 driven by John A.&nbsp;Wagnaar III, 34, Manhattan, was westbound in the eastbound passing lane of Interstate 70 at Deep Creek Road.The pickup and an eastbound 2013 Honda Civic driven by Morgan L. Taylor, 31, Colorado Springs, collided head-on. After impact the Ford rolled into the median and caught fire. .Wagnaar and Taylor were pronounced dead at the scene and transported to&nbsp;Johnson Cremations, Funerals and Receptions. The KHP had incomplete seat belt usage information.

Kansas man dies after wrong-way, head-on crash

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Brian Shrout, 56, of Wichita, was indicted on one count of failure to register as a sex offender, according to the United State's Attorney.

Shrout was convicted of a sex crime involving a 2-year-old victim that occurred in 1993, according to the Missouri sex offender registry. The registry indicates he is living in Eldorado Springs, Missouri.

 The U.S. Marshal Service is investigating the case.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667862533549.png" alt="Shrout-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Shrout-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Brian Shrout, 56, of Wichita, was indicted on one count of failure to register as a sex offender, according to the United State's Attorney.Shrout was convicted of a sex crime involving a 2-year-old victim that occurred in 1993, according to the Missouri sex offender registry. The registry indicates he is living in Eldorado Springs, Missouri. The U.S. Marshal Service is investigating the case.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Indictment: Kan. man convicted of child sex crime failed to register

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspect on drug allegations after a drug bust.

On Wednesday, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU), as part of the Shawnee County Drug Enforcement Task Force, executed a narcotics search warrant near SW 57th Street and SW Mary Street. During the investigation, officers found illegal narcotics and a loaded firearm, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

Deputies arrested Mac C. Thomas, 50, of Topeka on requested charges that include Possession of a stimulant, Possession of an opiate and Possession of drug paraphernalia.

Damone J. Russell, 30, of Topeka is being held on requested charges of , Possession of marijuana and Criminal possession of a weapon by a felon.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668289131992.png" alt="Thomas-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Thomas-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspect on drug allegations after a drug bust.On Wednesday, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU), as part of the Shawnee County Drug Enforcement Task Force, executed a narcotics search warrant near SW 57th Street and SW Mary Street. During the investigation, officers found illegal narcotics and a loaded firearm, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668289101609.png" alt="Russell-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Russell-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Deputies arrested Mac C. Thomas, 50, of Topeka on requested charges that include Possession of a stimulant, Possession of an opiate and Possession of drug paraphernalia.Damone J. Russell, 30, of Topeka is being held on requested charges of , Possession of marijuana and Criminal possession of a weapon by a felon.

Deputies find illegal drugs, loaded firearm at Kansas home

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The U.S. government took steps Thursday to ensure that pregnant migrant youths who are in its custody but not accompanied by parents can access abortion services by assigning them to shelters in states that still allow the procedure.

Pregnant migrants under 18 who want an abortion should also be provided transportation, if necessary, from states such as Texas, where abortion is largely banned, to a state where it is legal, according to the written guidance from the Office of Refugee Resettlement.

The policy changes from the Biden administration arrive after the Supreme Court in June&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">overturned the nationwide right to abortion access</a>. Advocates for abortion rights say the new policy guidance complies with court orders that reined in efforts to deny the procedure to migrant children during the administration of former President Donald Trump.

Government officials and contractors who have religious objections to abortion aren’t required to assist in providing access under the updated policy, but they must notify authorities of any pregnant migrant youths.

The directive should provide critical access to health care for young, unaccompanied migrants who in many cases are fleeing violence, including sexual assault, the American Civil Liberties Union said. Migrants traversing Central American and Mexico are often subject to extortion and rape.

“We applaud Office of Refugee Resettlement’s decision to place pregnant unaccompanied immigrant youth in states where they can access the full range of health care they may need, including abortion," said Brigitte Amiri, deputy director of the ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project, in a statement Thursday.

The refugee office is part of the Health and Human Services Department and is responsible for oversight of migrant children who are found traveling alone.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632317742720.png" alt="Government officials and contractors who have religious objections to abortion aren’t required to assist in providing access under the updated policy, but they must notify authorities of any pregnant migrant youths.-Photo Rep. Tony Gonzales" />
 <figcaption>Government officials and contractors who have religious objections to abortion aren’t required to assist in providing access under the updated policy, but they must notify authorities of any pregnant migrant youths.-Photo Rep. Tony Gonzales</figcaption>
 </figure>SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The U.S. government took steps Thursday to ensure that pregnant migrant youths who are in its custody but not accompanied by parents can access abortion services by assigning them to shelters in states that still allow the procedure.Pregnant migrants under 18 who want an abortion should also be provided transportation, if necessary, from states such as Texas, where abortion is largely banned, to a state where it is legal, according to the written guidance from the Office of Refugee Resettlement.The policy changes from the Biden administration arrive after the Supreme Court in June&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">overturned the nationwide right to abortion access</a>. Advocates for abortion rights say the new policy guidance complies with court orders that reined in efforts to deny the procedure to migrant children during the administration of former President Donald Trump.Government officials and contractors who have religious objections to abortion aren’t required to assist in providing access under the updated policy, but they must notify authorities of any pregnant migrant youths.The directive should provide critical access to health care for young, unaccompanied migrants who in many cases are fleeing violence, including sexual assault, the American Civil Liberties Union said. Migrants traversing Central American and Mexico are often subject to extortion and rape.“We applaud Office of Refugee Resettlement’s decision to place pregnant unaccompanied immigrant youth in states where they can access the full range of health care they may need, including abortion," said Brigitte Amiri, deputy director of the ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project, in a statement Thursday.The refugee office is part of the Health and Human Services Department and is responsible for oversight of migrant children who are found traveling alone.

US providing abortion access for detained migrant youths

By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/11/11/kansas-school-leaders-urge-lawmakers-to-fully-fund-special-education-services/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — It’s difficult for 6-year-old Crosby Orlando to stay in his first grade classroom.

Born with Down syndrome, he has been 
in therapy since he was four weeks old to work on behavioral and 
communication barriers. Orlando is mostly nonverbal and uses signs to 
communicate with classmates, though he gets restless and wants to run 
around. Once, he even escaped his Shawnee Mission school.

His mother, Sara
 Jahnke, said she used to struggle with guilt about the amount of 
resources Orlando required as a child with extra needs in a classroom 
setting. Jahnke said she then realized how beneficial being in a 
classroom was for both him and his classmates.

“They know he’s different and they 
learn to love him for those differences,” Jahnke said. “Crosby being in 
the classroom is fantastic. It pushes him to do better, to learn, to 
grow. But it’s also teaching his classmates a lesson in compassion and 
acceptance.”

Orlando is one of thousands of Kansas
 children — one in six of public school students — who receive special 
education services. But school districts have been forced to shoulder 
the burden of paying for special education services that are underfunded
 by the Kansas Legislature. Advocates say there’s a dire need for more 
money to support special education services, and the state is in a 
financial position to afford that investment.

Kansas law requires the state to 
provide 92% of the extra costs of special education, but the Legislature
 hasn’t met the requirement since 2011, according to the Kansas 
Association of School Boards. KASB said the current level of funding is 
at 71% statewide, and districts are having to divert funds from general 
education programs to pay for special education costs. KASB estimates 
the gap in funding is about $160 million.

KASB held a news conference Thursday 
at the Statehouse, following a legislative committee hearing on special 
education funding, to urge immediate action from lawmakers.

Olathe public schools have around 30,000 enrolled students, with more
 than 5,000 of these students receiving special education services, 
according to Anjanette Tolman, executive director of special services 
for Olathe schools. Tolman said the school district was only funded at 
54% last year, and had to use more than $28 million from its general 
fund budget to cover the difference.

Tolman calculated that the district could hire 350 additional 
certified staff members, improve school programs and increase pay to 
school employees if special education were funded at required amounts.

Shawnee Mission schools Superintendent Michelle Hubbard said her district was spending more than $8 million on the funding gap.

With Kansas carrying a record surplus
 of more than $2 billion, educators said there was no excuse for 
lawmakers not to fully fund special education.

“In past years, the budget situation has been the reason why they hadn’t,” said Shannon Kimball, president of the Lawrence school board and chairwoman of the KASB Legislative Committee. “You
 can’t blame it on the budget now, so now they’re looking for other 
excuses not to fund it. The state has plenty of money to meet these 
needs.”

Revenue
 estimates released this week projected an additional $800 million 
surplus for the current fiscal year and $400 million for next year. Adam Proffitt, Gov. Laura Kelly’s budget director, said Kelly will address special education funding in her January budget.

“Some other things that she’s talked 
about doing is fully funding special education,” Proffitt said during a 
Thursday announcement about the state’s revenue forecast. “Not sure what
 that policy is going to look like, but that’s something that we’ll sit 
down and talk about later this month and early December.”&nbsp;

Education advocates weren’t happy 
with Thursday’s special education hearing. Several advocates raised 
concerns about testimony from Kansas Policy Institute CEO Dave Trabert, 
saying he blatantly misrepresented special education needs. Trabert is a
 longtime opponent of funding public schools at constitutionally 
required levels.

Trabert said school districts weren’t hurt by the lack of government funding for special education.

“Our examination of the facts 
indicates there is no shortfall in school funding for special education 
or general education,” Trabert said in testimony for the committee. 
“Many students may not be getting the education they deserve, but it is 
not for a lack of funding.”

Leah Fliter, KASB assistant executive director of advocacy, said his testimony was inaccurate.

“There are groups that cherry pick 
data and present it as fact,” she said in an interview after the 
hearing. “Meanwhile, they are presented as the experts, and the actual 
experts who work for the Kansas State Department of Education — who are 
the real authorities on special education funding — are questioned and 
belittled and pressed to say where they got their data.”

Kimball said the resistance by lawmakers to invest in special 
education services was a deliberate attempt to avoid spending money on 
public education.

“I think that ultimately their goal is to cut public funding in 
general, and they see this as one avenue that they can try to attack,” 
Kimball said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668196952255.png" alt="Sara Jahnke holds her first-grade son, Crosby Orlando, during a news conference on special education funding Nov. 10, 2022, at the Statehouse in Topeka. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector) " />
 <figcaption>Sara Jahnke holds her first-grade son, Crosby Orlando, during a news conference on special education funding Nov. 10, 2022, at the Statehouse in Topeka. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector) </figcaption>
 </figure>By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/11/11/kansas-school-leaders-urge-lawmakers-to-fully-fund-special-education-services/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — It’s difficult for 6-year-old Crosby Orlando to stay in his first grade classroom.Born with Down syndrome, he has been 
in therapy since he was four weeks old to work on behavioral and 
communication barriers. Orlando is mostly nonverbal and uses signs to 
communicate with classmates, though he gets restless and wants to run 
around. Once, he even escaped his Shawnee Mission school.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668197045157.jpeg" alt="Crosby Orlando, 6, was born with Down syndrome and has been in behavioral therapy since he was 4 weeks old. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Crosby Orlando, 6, was born with Down syndrome and has been in behavioral therapy since he was 4 weeks old. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>His mother, Sara
 Jahnke, said she used to struggle with guilt about the amount of 
resources Orlando required as a child with extra needs in a classroom 
setting. Jahnke said she then realized how beneficial being in a 
classroom was for both him and his classmates.“They know he’s different and they 
learn to love him for those differences,” Jahnke said. “Crosby being in 
the classroom is fantastic. It pushes him to do better, to learn, to 
grow. But it’s also teaching his classmates a lesson in compassion and 
acceptance.”Orlando is one of thousands of Kansas
 children — one in six of public school students — who receive special 
education services. But school districts have been forced to shoulder 
the burden of paying for special education services that are underfunded
 by the Kansas Legislature. Advocates say there’s a dire need for more 
money to support special education services, and the state is in a 
financial position to afford that investment.Kansas law requires the state to 
provide 92% of the extra costs of special education, but the Legislature
 hasn’t met the requirement since 2011, according to the Kansas 
Association of School Boards. KASB said the current level of funding is 
at 71% statewide, and districts are having to divert funds from general 
education programs to pay for special education costs. KASB estimates 
the gap in funding is about $160 million.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668197081864.png" alt="Anjanette Tolman, executive director of special services for Olathe public schools, says the state only provided 54% of funding needed for special education services in the district. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Anjanette Tolman, executive director of special services for Olathe public schools, says the state only provided 54% of funding needed for special education services in the district. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>KASB held a news conference Thursday 
at the Statehouse, following a legislative committee hearing on special 
education funding, to urge immediate action from lawmakers.Olathe public schools have around 30,000 enrolled students, with more
 than 5,000 of these students receiving special education services, 
according to Anjanette Tolman, executive director of special services 
for Olathe schools. Tolman said the school district was only funded at 
54% last year, and had to use more than $28 million from its general 
fund budget to cover the difference.Tolman calculated that the district could hire 350 additional 
certified staff members, improve school programs and increase pay to 
school employees if special education were funded at required amounts.Shawnee Mission schools Superintendent Michelle Hubbard said her district was spending more than $8 million on the funding gap.With Kansas carrying a record surplus
 of more than $2 billion, educators said there was no excuse for 
lawmakers not to fully fund special education.“In past years, the budget situation has been the reason why they hadn’t,” said Shannon Kimball, president of the Lawrence school board and chairwoman of the KASB Legislative Committee. “You
 can’t blame it on the budget now, so now they’re looking for other 
excuses not to fund it. The state has plenty of money to meet these 
needs.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668197127491.png" alt="Shannon Kimball, president of Lawrence school board, asks lawmakers to fund special education services during a news conference Nov. 10, 2022, at the Statehouse in Topeka. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Shannon Kimball, president of Lawrence school board, asks lawmakers to fund special education services during a news conference Nov. 10, 2022, at the Statehouse in Topeka. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>Revenue
 estimates released this week projected an additional $800 million 
surplus for the current fiscal year and $400 million for next year. Adam Proffitt, Gov. Laura Kelly’s budget director, said Kelly will address special education funding in her January budget.“Some other things that she’s talked 
about doing is fully funding special education,” Proffitt said during a 
Thursday announcement about the state’s revenue forecast. “Not sure what
 that policy is going to look like, but that’s something that we’ll sit 
down and talk about later this month and early December.”&nbsp;Education advocates weren’t happy 
with Thursday’s special education hearing. Several advocates raised 
concerns about testimony from Kansas Policy Institute CEO Dave Trabert, 
saying he blatantly misrepresented special education needs. Trabert is a
 longtime opponent of funding public schools at constitutionally 
required levels.Trabert said school districts weren’t hurt by the lack of government funding for special education.“Our examination of the facts 
indicates there is no shortfall in school funding for special education 
or general education,” Trabert said in testimony for the committee. 
“Many students may not be getting the education they deserve, but it is 
not for a lack of funding.”Leah Fliter, KASB assistant executive director of advocacy, said his testimony was inaccurate.“There are groups that cherry pick 
data and present it as fact,” she said in an interview after the 
hearing. “Meanwhile, they are presented as the experts, and the actual 
experts who work for the Kansas State Department of Education — who are 
the real authorities on special education funding — are questioned and 
belittled and pressed to say where they got their data.”Kimball said the resistance by lawmakers to invest in special 
education services was a deliberate attempt to avoid spending money on 
public education.“I think that ultimately their goal is to cut public funding in 
general, and they see this as one avenue that they can try to attack,” 
Kimball said.

Kan. school leaders urge lawmakers to fully fund special-ed services

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on multiple allegations after a vehicle pursuit and crash.

On Friday evening, police attempted to stop a vehicle for reckless driving in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Joe Perry. The driver of the suspect vehicle initiated a pursuit. Officers discontinued the pursuit at 16th and Wanamaker.

The suspect, later identified as 27-year-old Robert Mac-Lee Thomas lost control at 17th and Wanamaker and the vehicle crashed. 

The suspect then fled officers on foot before being apprehended.

&nbsp;Thomas was booked into Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Felony flee and elude; Criminal possession of a firearm by a felon; possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute; possession of marijuana with intent to distribute; interference; and multiple traffic offenses. He has a previous drug conviction, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668256356946.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on multiple allegations after a vehicle pursuit and crash.On Friday evening, police attempted to stop a vehicle for reckless driving in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Joe Perry. The driver of the suspect vehicle initiated a pursuit. Officers discontinued the pursuit at 16th and Wanamaker.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668256682863.png" alt="Thomas has a previous drug conviction, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections-photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Thomas has a previous drug conviction, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections-photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>The suspect, later identified as 27-year-old Robert Mac-Lee Thomas lost control at 17th and Wanamaker and the vehicle crashed. The suspect then fled officers on foot before being apprehended.&nbsp;Thomas was booked into Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Felony flee and elude; Criminal possession of a firearm by a felon; possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute; possession of marijuana with intent to distribute; interference; and multiple traffic offenses. He has a previous drug conviction, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.

Kansas felon involved in crash during police pursuit

By SHERMAN SMITH <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/09/01/kansas-foster-care-provider-criticizes-coverage-while-nebraska-lawmaker-asks-for-fraud-inquiry/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — A federal grand jury has indicted the former CEO and IT director of Saint Francis Ministries for scheming to defraud the foster care provider of at least $4.7 million by using fake invoices.

The indictment follows a two-year investigation into accusations of financial mismanagement that led to the dismissal of former CEO Robert “Father Bobby” Smith.

Prosecutors say Smith approved invoices submitted by William Whymark that inflated the actual cost of providing IT services. Smith received a previously undisclosed $50,000 kickback disguised as an authorized invoice, the indictment said. He also used Saint Francis credit cards to pay for personal expenses, including cash withdrawals, clothing and jewelry.

Smith and Whymark were indicted on conspiracy to commit wire fraud and 10 counts of wire fraud. Smith was indicted with an additional five charges of wire fraud and a charge of money laundering. Whymark was indicted on three other charges of money laundering.

If convicted, they would face a maximum prison sentence of 20 years in federal prison, plus fines and restitution.

Kansas Reflector first reported on allegations of financial mismanagement by Smith and Whymark in the weeks after they left Saint Francis in November 2020. Whymark’s $10 million IT project, combined with Smith’s personal expenses and a severely underbid contract to provide foster care services in Nebraska, had pushed the faith-based nonprofit to the brink of insolvency. The organization managed to stay afloat by receiving a $10 million Paycheck Protection Program loan that it wasn’t eligible for and never repaid.

Saint Francis is the largest foster care contractor in Kansas, providing services for Wichita and the western two-thirds of the state. In a statement, the Salina-based organization said it was aware of the federal indictment.

“As the case moves forward, Saint Francis will continue to work transparently and collaboratively with federal authorities as part of the investigative process,” the statement said. “We appreciate the diligence exhibited in the pursuit of justice by all parties.”

In January, Saint Francis filed a civil lawsuit in Saline County District Court against Smith, Whymark, former chief counsel David Schaffer and the law firm where Schaffer worked in Chicago. The lawsuit identifies Schaffer as Smith’s friend and Whymark’s brother.

Federal authorities in February seized three of Whymark’s bank accounts, with balances totaling about $700,000.

The grand jury indictment, which was filed Nov. 9, says Smith and Whymark “conspired and engaged in a scheme to defraud Saint Francis Ministries.”

Smith hired Whymark in February 2018 to lead a project to upgrade IT services for the organization. Whymark mispresented his academic credentials, falsely claiming he held a PhD in marketing sciences from the University of Connecticut, according to the indictment. He received an annual salary of $164,000.

Whymark’s company, WMK Research, hired two India-based subcontractors to perform the actual IT services, and instructed them to conceal their work. Emails from the subcontractors show how many hours employees worked and what their wages were.

Whymark submitted invoices, approved by Smith without his board’s knowledge, for inflated amounts. The indictment said payments totaled $10,737,583, of which at least $4,774,637.50 was fraudulent.

Prosecutors said Whymark used the fraudulent payments from Saint Francis to purchase a $4 million home in Armonk, New York, plus luxury vehicles, jewelry and cash withdrawals.

On Aug. 3, 2020, Whymark submitted an invoice for reimbursement of a $50,000 check he made to Smith on July 28. The invoice purported to be for marketing services and consulting work, which wasn’t in the scope of his contract. Smith approved the invoice the same day it was submitted, “causing SFM to unknowingly fund the $50,000 payment from Whymark to Smith,” the indictment said.

The indictment said Smith and Whymark conspired along with unnamed others to commit wire fraud.

Saint Francis hired&nbsp;Smith, an Episcopal priest ordained in 2014 by the Diocese of Chicago, as CEO in 2014. He resigned in November 2020 after an attorney’s investigation substantiated allegations of financial misconduct that previously were outlined by two whistleblowers.

Smith denied being a business partner with Whymark, even though one of Whymark’s companies had identified Smith as a business partner on its website. Smith said he never received compensation from Whymark’s companies.

He told the church last year that he wasn’t being investigated by federal authorities.

Rt. Rev. Paula Clark, who became bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago in September, said the church takes allegations of clergy misconduct seriously and cooperates with legal authorities.

<figure>
 <img src="https://kansasreflector.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/SFM2-1024x683.jpg" alt="Former Saint Francis Ministries CEO Robert "Father Bobby" Smith and IT director William Whymark face federal charges for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud and money laundering. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Former Saint Francis Ministries CEO Robert "Father Bobby" Smith and IT director William Whymark face federal charges for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud and money laundering. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By SHERMAN SMITH <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/09/01/kansas-foster-care-provider-criticizes-coverage-while-nebraska-lawmaker-asks-for-fraud-inquiry/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — A federal grand jury has indicted the former CEO and IT director of Saint Francis Ministries for scheming to defraud the foster care provider of at least $4.7 million by using fake invoices.The indictment follows a two-year investigation into accusations of financial mismanagement that led to the dismissal of former CEO Robert “Father Bobby” Smith.Prosecutors say Smith approved invoices submitted by William Whymark that inflated the actual cost of providing IT services. Smith received a previously undisclosed $50,000 kickback disguised as an authorized invoice, the indictment said. He also used Saint Francis credit cards to pay for personal expenses, including cash withdrawals, clothing and jewelry.Smith and Whymark were indicted on conspiracy to commit wire fraud and 10 counts of wire fraud. Smith was indicted with an additional five charges of wire fraud and a charge of money laundering. Whymark was indicted on three other charges of money laundering.If convicted, they would face a maximum prison sentence of 20 years in federal prison, plus fines and restitution.Kansas Reflector first reported on allegations of financial mismanagement by Smith and Whymark in the weeks after they left Saint Francis in November 2020. Whymark’s $10 million IT project, combined with Smith’s personal expenses and a severely underbid contract to provide foster care services in Nebraska, had pushed the faith-based nonprofit to the brink of insolvency. The organization managed to stay afloat by receiving a $10 million Paycheck Protection Program loan that it wasn’t eligible for and never repaid.Saint Francis is the largest foster care contractor in Kansas, providing services for Wichita and the western two-thirds of the state. In a statement, the Salina-based organization said it was aware of the federal indictment.“As the case moves forward, Saint Francis will continue to work transparently and collaboratively with federal authorities as part of the investigative process,” the statement said. “We appreciate the diligence exhibited in the pursuit of justice by all parties.”In January, Saint Francis filed a civil lawsuit in Saline County District Court against Smith, Whymark, former chief counsel David Schaffer and the law firm where Schaffer worked in Chicago. The lawsuit identifies Schaffer as Smith’s friend and Whymark’s brother.Federal authorities in February seized three of Whymark’s bank accounts, with balances totaling about $700,000.The grand jury indictment, which was filed Nov. 9, says Smith and Whymark “conspired and engaged in a scheme to defraud Saint Francis Ministries.”Smith hired Whymark in February 2018 to lead a project to upgrade IT services for the organization. Whymark mispresented his academic credentials, falsely claiming he held a PhD in marketing sciences from the University of Connecticut, according to the indictment. He received an annual salary of $164,000.Whymark’s company, WMK Research, hired two India-based subcontractors to perform the actual IT services, and instructed them to conceal their work. Emails from the subcontractors show how many hours employees worked and what their wages were.Whymark submitted invoices, approved by Smith without his board’s knowledge, for inflated amounts. The indictment said payments totaled $10,737,583, of which at least $4,774,637.50 was fraudulent.Prosecutors said Whymark used the fraudulent payments from Saint Francis to purchase a $4 million home in Armonk, New York, plus luxury vehicles, jewelry and cash withdrawals.On Aug. 3, 2020, Whymark submitted an invoice for reimbursement of a $50,000 check he made to Smith on July 28. The invoice purported to be for marketing services and consulting work, which wasn’t in the scope of his contract. Smith approved the invoice the same day it was submitted, “causing SFM to unknowingly fund the $50,000 payment from Whymark to Smith,” the indictment said.The indictment said Smith and Whymark conspired along with unnamed others to commit wire fraud.Saint Francis hired&nbsp;Smith, an Episcopal priest ordained in 2014 by the Diocese of Chicago, as CEO in 2014. He resigned in November 2020 after an attorney’s investigation substantiated allegations of financial misconduct that previously were outlined by two whistleblowers.Smith denied being a business partner with Whymark, even though one of Whymark’s companies had identified Smith as a business partner on its website. Smith said he never received compensation from Whymark’s companies.He told the church last year that he wasn’t being investigated by federal authorities.Rt. Rev. Paula Clark, who became bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago in September, said the church takes allegations of clergy misconduct seriously and cooperates with legal authorities.“I am deeply concerned about the allegations contained in this indictment,” Clark said. “When I learned of it yesterday, I immediately moved to suspend the Rev. Robert Smith from any and all priestly and ministerial duties and to ensure that he has no direct access to credit cards, bank accounts, or any other funds held by the church. I will meet with the Rev. Smith regularly as these legal proceedings unfold to ensure his compliance with the terms of this suspension.”