OSAGE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities and the Kansas Fire Marshal's office are investigating a home explosion and fire in Osage County.

Just before 7p.m. Saturday, the Osage County Sheriff’s Office received 911 calls of a possible house explosion at 11600 S. Indian Hills Road, near Carbondale, according to Sheriff Chris Wells.

First arriving deputies reported that the house was destroyed and was on fire. The victim, a 62-year-old man was transported from the scene by a Lifesave Air Ambulance to University of Kansas Medical Center in critical condition.

Sheriff’s Deputies, Osage County Fire Districts #1 – Carbondale and #6 – Burlingame, Auburn Fire, and Osage County EMS all were dispatched to the scene.

The Osage County Sheriff’s Office ask that anyone with information please contact the Osage County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Unit at 785-828-3121 or to remain anonymous contact Osage County Crime Stoppers at (877) OSCRIME or email tips@oscosheriff.org.

OSAGE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities and the Kansas Fire Marshal's office are investigating a home explosion and fire in Osage County.Just before 7p.m. Saturday, the Osage County Sheriff’s Office received 911 calls of a possible house explosion at 11600 S. Indian Hills Road, near Carbondale, according to Sheriff Chris Wells.First arriving deputies reported that the house was destroyed and was on fire. The victim, a 62-year-old man was transported from the scene by a Lifesave Air Ambulance to University of Kansas Medical Center in critical condition.Sheriff’s Deputies, Osage County Fire Districts #1 – Carbondale and #6 – Burlingame, Auburn Fire, and Osage County EMS all were dispatched to the scene.The Osage County Sheriff’s Office ask that anyone with information please contact the Osage County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Unit at 785-828-3121 or to remain anonymous contact Osage County Crime Stoppers at (877) OSCRIME or email tips@oscosheriff.org.

Sheriff: Man airlifted to hospital after Kan. home explosion, fire

CRAWFORD COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 1p.m. Saturday in Crawford County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2001 Ford F150 driven by&nbsp; Leroy Edward Nutt, 71,&nbsp;Mindenmines, Missouri, was eastbound on East 570th Avenue of Kansas 126 Highway.

The driver failed to stop at the stop sign at the 200th Street intersection. The Ford struck a northbound 2017 Chrysler 300 driven by Rigby James Born, 19, Gerard, Kansas.&nbsp;&nbsp;Both vehicles came to rest at the Northeast corner of the intersection in the ditch.

Nutt was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to Frontier Forensics. EMS transported Born to Freeman West in Joplin. Nutt was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

CRAWFORD COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 1p.m. Saturday in Crawford County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2001 Ford F150 driven by&nbsp; Leroy Edward Nutt, 71,&nbsp;Mindenmines, Missouri, was eastbound on East 570th Avenue of Kansas 126 Highway.The driver failed to stop at the stop sign at the 200th Street intersection. The Ford struck a northbound 2017 Chrysler 300 driven by Rigby James Born, 19, Gerard, Kansas.&nbsp;&nbsp;Both vehicles came to rest at the Northeast corner of the intersection in the ditch.Nutt was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to Frontier Forensics. EMS transported Born to Freeman West in Joplin. Nutt was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

1 dead, teen injured after 2-vehicle crash on Kansas highway

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a non-injury accident have made an arrest of an off-duty police officer.

Just after 11:45p.m. Friday, police responded to report of an accident at Douglas and Waco in Wichita involving a blue 2010 Mazda 3 and a city of Wichita Q Line bus, according to Officer Chad Ditch.

Officers contacted the driver of the Mazda, off duty Detective MaryAnna Hoyt, who showed signs of impairment, according to Ditch. For transparency purposes, police officer contacted the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office to investigate and booked Hoyt on a requested charge of DUI.

There was minor damage to the city bus and no injuries to the driver of the bus. Hoyt is a detective with the Wichita Police Department and has been employed for 15 years and was assigned to the Investigation Division. She has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the investigation.

There will be an internal investigation upon completion of the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1664041669827.png" alt="Hoyt-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Hoyt-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a non-injury accident have made an arrest of an off-duty police officer.Just after 11:45p.m. Friday, police responded to report of an accident at Douglas and Waco in Wichita involving a blue 2010 Mazda 3 and a city of Wichita Q Line bus, according to Officer Chad Ditch.Officers contacted the driver of the Mazda, off duty Detective MaryAnna Hoyt, who showed signs of impairment, according to Ditch. For transparency purposes, police officer contacted the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office to investigate and booked Hoyt on a requested charge of DUI.There was minor damage to the city bus and no injuries to the driver of the bus. Hoyt is a detective with the Wichita Police Department and has been employed for 15 years and was assigned to the Investigation Division. She has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the investigation.There will be an internal investigation upon completion of the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office investigation.

Off-duty Kansas police detective arrested after car, bus crash

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Authorities are investigating the death of a man during an incident at a Topeka area business. Just after 8a.m. Saturday, deputies were dispatched to a medical call at the Goodyear Plant in the 1900 block of NW U.S. 24 Highway, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

First responders learned that a 59-year-old man sustained life threatening injuries while working. The Soldier Township Fire Department and American Medical Response (AMR - Topeka) responded to the scene as well. AMR transported the man to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased.

A statement from Goodyear said, "We deeply regret that a fatality occurred this morning at the Goodyear-Topeka plant. Our thoughts are with our co-worker and his family and colleagues."&nbsp; The spokesperson said they are conducting an internal investigation and will fully cooperate with outside authorities.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1664064571829.png" alt="Goodyear Tire Plant -photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Goodyear Tire Plant -photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Authorities are investigating the death of a man during an incident at a Topeka area business. Just after 8a.m. Saturday, deputies were dispatched to a medical call at the Goodyear Plant in the 1900 block of NW U.S. 24 Highway, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.First responders learned that a 59-year-old man sustained life threatening injuries while working. The Soldier Township Fire Department and American Medical Response (AMR - Topeka) responded to the scene as well. AMR transported the man to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased.A statement from Goodyear said, "We deeply regret that a fatality occurred this morning at the Goodyear-Topeka plant. Our thoughts are with our co-worker and his family and colleagues."&nbsp; The spokesperson said they are conducting an internal investigation and will fully cooperate with outside authorities.

Sheriff: Employee injured after incident at Kan. tire plant has died

MONTGOMERY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man after a high-speed chase and violent arrest.

Just before 2:30a.m. Sept. 14, sheriff's deputies attempted to conduct a traffic stop in the area of 16th and Laurel in Independence, Kansas for 90mph in a posted 30mph zone, according to Sheriff Ron Wade.

 The deputies activated their emergency lights and sirens and the vehicle failed to stop. The deputies pursued the vehicle through the Cottonwood Street and 14th Street area of Independence, Kansas. 

After the vehicle struck a stop sign at 13th and Cottonwood, the driver exited the vehicle and started running. The deputies recognized the driver to be 45-year-old Norman Hiner of Independence, Kansas. 

Deputies knew Hiner had several felony warrants and has eluded officers on several different occasions in the past few weeks. Deputies gave chase on foot for several blocks and eventually were able to catch Hiner and take him into custody with the assistance of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064833241967&amp;__cft__[0]=AZUeMxdJUgw2sqBwNoXiL7JmSOb5DeHJvgq8bH1lFTd5R8NLtfcHqtmjV9vDFr_Wf7-nIG6LcOmifMwgMUvnWjD7YTKzwzhOvzm7WxqV6TPCKPh2ezYOYoc954WgG4zgohk7e5Rwb59ebwA8kaPcBc0TYqcg0zL0MOj4PSIhomi_Zg&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Independence Kansas Police Department</a>.

During the arrest process, Hiner started biting one to the Independence Police Officers leg. 

Hiner remains jailed on requested charges of flee and attempt to elude law enforcement, battery on an officer, and several traffic infractions.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663588223760.png" alt="Hiner-photo Montgomery Co." />
 <figcaption>Hiner-photo Montgomery Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>MONTGOMERY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man after a high-speed chase and violent arrest.Just before 2:30a.m. Sept. 14, sheriff's deputies attempted to conduct a traffic stop in the area of 16th and Laurel in Independence, Kansas for 90mph in a posted 30mph zone, according to Sheriff Ron Wade. The deputies activated their emergency lights and sirens and the vehicle failed to stop. The deputies pursued the vehicle through the Cottonwood Street and 14th Street area of Independence, Kansas. After the vehicle struck a stop sign at 13th and Cottonwood, the driver exited the vehicle and started running. The deputies recognized the driver to be 45-year-old Norman Hiner of Independence, Kansas. Deputies knew Hiner had several felony warrants and has eluded officers on several different occasions in the past few weeks. Deputies gave chase on foot for several blocks and eventually were able to catch Hiner and take him into custody with the assistance of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064833241967&amp;__cft__[0]=AZUeMxdJUgw2sqBwNoXiL7JmSOb5DeHJvgq8bH1lFTd5R8NLtfcHqtmjV9vDFr_Wf7-nIG6LcOmifMwgMUvnWjD7YTKzwzhOvzm7WxqV6TPCKPh2ezYOYoc954WgG4zgohk7e5Rwb59ebwA8kaPcBc0TYqcg0zL0MOj4PSIhomi_Zg&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Independence Kansas Police Department</a>. During the arrest process, Hiner started biting one to the Independence Police Officers leg. Hiner remains jailed on requested charges of flee and attempt to elude law enforcement, battery on an officer, and several traffic infractions.&nbsp;

Wanted Kansas man bit officer on the leg during arrest

KANSAS CITY – A Kansas City man was sentenced in federal court this week for secretly video recording a 14-year-old victim in the victim’s bedroom.

Jonathan Rodger Nelson, 42, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 17 years and six months in federal prison without parole.

On Nov. 2, 2021, Nelson pleaded guilty to one count of the attempted production of child pornography. Nelson admitted that he placed a camera, hidden in an alarm clock, in the child victim’s bedroom to secretly record the victim.

The investigation began on March 30, 2018, when a reporting party told police officers she looked at Nelson’s cell phone and saw what appeared to be video footage of the child victim’s bedroom. The reporting party then found a camera hidden in an alarm clock that Nelson had purchased online and placed in the bedroom several weeks before.

During a forensic examination of Nelson’s computer hard drive, investigators found more than 400 video and graphics files from the hidden camera. Investigators also found approximately 85 files from various livestream apps in which Nelson asked females of various ages, including children, to perform certain acts while on camera. For example, Nelson recorded his interaction with a minor female in which he promised her a phone and makeup to undress and engage in sexually explicit behavior.

Additionally, other images or videos of child pornography were found on Nelson’s devices. Nelson admitted using peer-to-peer software to download child pornography, including children as young as seven or eight years old. He admitted to looking for chat groups sharing child pornography.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alison D. Dunning. It was investigated by the FBI and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.

KANSAS CITY – A Kansas City man was sentenced in federal court this week for secretly video recording a 14-year-old victim in the victim’s bedroom.Jonathan Rodger Nelson, 42, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 17 years and six months in federal prison without parole.On Nov. 2, 2021, Nelson pleaded guilty to one count of the attempted production of child pornography. Nelson admitted that he placed a camera, hidden in an alarm clock, in the child victim’s bedroom to secretly record the victim.The investigation began on March 30, 2018, when a reporting party told police officers she looked at Nelson’s cell phone and saw what appeared to be video footage of the child victim’s bedroom. The reporting party then found a camera hidden in an alarm clock that Nelson had purchased online and placed in the bedroom several weeks before.During a forensic examination of Nelson’s computer hard drive, investigators found more than 400 video and graphics files from the hidden camera. Investigators also found approximately 85 files from various livestream apps in which Nelson asked females of various ages, including children, to perform certain acts while on camera. For example, Nelson recorded his interaction with a minor female in which he promised her a phone and makeup to undress and engage in sexually explicit behavior.Additionally, other images or videos of child pornography were found on Nelson’s devices. Nelson admitted using peer-to-peer software to download child pornography, including children as young as seven or eight years old. He admitted to looking for chat groups sharing child pornography.This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alison D. Dunning. It was investigated by the FBI and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.

KC man sentenced for secretly recording 14-year-old victim

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that critically injured a teen.

Just before 11p.m. Friday, police were dispatched to a shooting in the 5000 block of East Osie in Wichita, according to Officer Charlie Ditch.

First responders located the an 18-year-old man unconscious and not breathing.

Officers began life saving measures and the victim was transported to an area hospital in extremely critical condition, according to Ditch.

The investigation revealed that the victim had a verbal altercation with two male suspects. One suspect shot the victim in the upper body. 

This suspect is described to be 20-30 years-old and the second male suspect is described to be 18-20 years old. Both were last seen fleeing on foot southwest from the area.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1664052896490.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation late Friday" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation late Friday</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that critically injured a teen.Just before 11p.m. Friday, police were dispatched to a shooting in the 5000 block of East Osie in Wichita, according to Officer Charlie Ditch.First responders located the an 18-year-old man unconscious and not breathing.Officers began life saving measures and the victim was transported to an area hospital in extremely critical condition, according to Ditch.The investigation revealed that the victim had a verbal altercation with two male suspects. One suspect shot the victim in the upper body. This suspect is described to be 20-30 years-old and the second male suspect is described to be 18-20 years old. Both were last seen fleeing on foot southwest from the area.

Police work to ID suspects in shooting that injured Kan. teen

U.S. doctors should regularly screen all adults under 65 for anxiety, an influential health guidelines group proposed Tuesday.

It’s the first time the&nbsp;<a href="https://uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/" target="_blank">U.S. Preventive Services Task Force</a>&nbsp;has recommended anxiety screening in primary care for adults without symptoms. The proposal is open for public comment until Oct. 17, but the group usually affirms its draft guidance.

The recommendations are based on a review that began before the COVID-19 pandemic, evaluating studies showing potential benefits and risks from screening. Given reports of a surge in mental health problems linked with pandemic isolation and stress, the guidance is “very timely,” said Lori Pbert, a task force member and co-author. Pbert is a psychologist-researcher at the University of Massachusetts’ Chan Medical School.

The task force said evidence for benefits, including effective treatments, outweighs any risks, which include inaccurate screening results that could lead to unnecessary follow-up care.

<a href="https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/anxiety-disorders" target="_blank">Anxiety disorders</a>&nbsp;are among the most common mental health complaints, affecting about 40% of U.S. women at some point in their lives and more than 1 in 4 men, Pbert noted.

Black people, those living in poverty, people who have lost partners and those who have other mental health issues are among adults who face higher risks for developing anxiety, which can manifest as panic attacks, phobias or feeling always on edge. Also, about 1 in 10 pregnant and postpartum women experience anxiety.

Common screening tools include brief questionnaires about symptoms such as fears and worries that interfere with usual activities. These can easily be given in a primary care setting, the task force said, although it didn’t specify how often patients should be screened.

“The most important thing to recognize is that a screening test alone is not sufficient to diagnose anxiety,” Pbert said. The next step is a more thorough evaluation by a mental health professional, though Pbert acknowledged that finding mental health care can be difficult given shortages of specialists.

Megan Whalen, a 31-year-old marketing specialist who was diagnosed with anxiety in 2013, says regular doctors should screen for mental health issues as commonly as they do for physical problems.

“Health is health, whether the problem is visible or not,” said Whalen, of Hoboken, New Jersey.

She has gotten help from medicine and talk therapy, but her symptoms worsened during the pandemic and she temporarily moved back home.

“The pandemic made me afraid to leave home, my anxiety telling me anywhere outside of my childhood house was unsafe,” Whelan said. “I absolutely still struggle with feelings of dread and fear sometimes. It’s just a part of my life at this point, and I try to manage it as best as I can.”

The task force said there isn’t enough solid research in older adults to recommend for or against anxiety screening in those aged 65 and up.

The group continues to recommend depression screening for adults and children, but said there isn’t enough evidence to evaluate potential benefits and harms of suicide screening in adults who show no worrisome symptoms.

In April, the group issued&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-mental-e2b3dab61e1da5dae8507f6c8a5e61db">similar draft guidance</a>&nbsp;for children and teens, recommending anxiety screening but stating that more research is needed on potential benefits and harms of suicide screening kids with no obvious signs.

Guidelines from the task force often determine insurance coverage, but anxiety is already on the radar of many primary care doctors. In 2020, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.womenspreventivehealth.org/" target="_blank">group</a>&nbsp;affiliated with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommended routine primary care anxiety screening for women and girls starting at age 13.

Melissa Lewis-Duarte, a wellness coach in Scottsdale, Arizona, says rhythmic breathing, meditation and making a daily list of three things for which she is grateful have all helped with her anxiety.

“Doctors say, ‘Make sure you’re sleeping, control your stress.’ Yeah, I get that,” but not everyone knows how, said the 42-year-old mother of three. “It’s difficult to prioritize self-care, but that’s what’s necessary.”

By LINDSEY TANNER, Associated PressU.S. doctors should regularly screen all adults under 65 for anxiety, an influential health guidelines group proposed Tuesday.It’s the first time the&nbsp;<a href="https://uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/" target="_blank">U.S. Preventive Services Task Force</a>&nbsp;has recommended anxiety screening in primary care for adults without symptoms. The proposal is open for public comment until Oct. 17, but the group usually affirms its draft guidance.The recommendations are based on a review that began before the COVID-19 pandemic, evaluating studies showing potential benefits and risks from screening. Given reports of a surge in mental health problems linked with pandemic isolation and stress, the guidance is “very timely,” said Lori Pbert, a task force member and co-author. Pbert is a psychologist-researcher at the University of Massachusetts’ Chan Medical School.The task force said evidence for benefits, including effective treatments, outweighs any risks, which include inaccurate screening results that could lead to unnecessary follow-up care.<a href="https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/anxiety-disorders" target="_blank">Anxiety disorders</a>&nbsp;are among the most common mental health complaints, affecting about 40% of U.S. women at some point in their lives and more than 1 in 4 men, Pbert noted.Black people, those living in poverty, people who have lost partners and those who have other mental health issues are among adults who face higher risks for developing anxiety, which can manifest as panic attacks, phobias or feeling always on edge. Also, about 1 in 10 pregnant and postpartum women experience anxiety.Common screening tools include brief questionnaires about symptoms such as fears and worries that interfere with usual activities. These can easily be given in a primary care setting, the task force said, although it didn’t specify how often patients should be screened.“The most important thing to recognize is that a screening test alone is not sufficient to diagnose anxiety,” Pbert said. The next step is a more thorough evaluation by a mental health professional, though Pbert acknowledged that finding mental health care can be difficult given shortages of specialists.Megan Whalen, a 31-year-old marketing specialist who was diagnosed with anxiety in 2013, says regular doctors should screen for mental health issues as commonly as they do for physical problems.“Health is health, whether the problem is visible or not,” said Whalen, of Hoboken, New Jersey.She has gotten help from medicine and talk therapy, but her symptoms worsened during the pandemic and she temporarily moved back home.“The pandemic made me afraid to leave home, my anxiety telling me anywhere outside of my childhood house was unsafe,” Whelan said. “I absolutely still struggle with feelings of dread and fear sometimes. It’s just a part of my life at this point, and I try to manage it as best as I can.”The task force said there isn’t enough solid research in older adults to recommend for or against anxiety screening in those aged 65 and up.The group continues to recommend depression screening for adults and children, but said there isn’t enough evidence to evaluate potential benefits and harms of suicide screening in adults who show no worrisome symptoms.In April, the group issued&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-mental-e2b3dab61e1da5dae8507f6c8a5e61db">similar draft guidance</a>&nbsp;for children and teens, recommending anxiety screening but stating that more research is needed on potential benefits and harms of suicide screening kids with no obvious signs.Guidelines from the task force often determine insurance coverage, but anxiety is already on the radar of many primary care doctors. In 2020, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.womenspreventivehealth.org/" target="_blank">group</a>&nbsp;affiliated with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommended routine primary care anxiety screening for women and girls starting at age 13.Melissa Lewis-Duarte, a wellness coach in Scottsdale, Arizona, says rhythmic breathing, meditation and making a daily list of three things for which she is grateful have all helped with her anxiety.“Doctors say, ‘Make sure you’re sleeping, control your stress.’ Yeah, I get that,” but not everyone knows how, said the 42-year-old mother of three. “It’s difficult to prioritize self-care, but that’s what’s necessary.”

Panel: US adults should get routine anxiety screening 

ATCHISON&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly Saturday joined the Amelia Earhart Foundation in honoring its namesake with a statue unveiling ceremony. The bronze statue, located at the Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum, is the sister statue of the one that was installed in Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol in July, according to a media release.

“How better to cement our state’s legacy as the Air Capitol of the World than with a statue at the museum that celebrates a woman who showed all of us what it means to “reach for the stars,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;“I want to express my deepest appreciation for this museum and for this immortalization of an extraordinary individual who truly represents the best of the Kansas spirit.”

Born and raised in Atchison, Kansas, Earhart received her pilot license in 1923 and subsequently championed the advancement of women in aviation. She is one of the world’s most celebrated aviators and the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. Earhart was declared lost at sea when she disappeared over the Pacific Ocean in 1937.

"Amelia Earhart's&nbsp;bravery and relentless fighting for equality for women and girls still gives my generation strength and inspiration,”&nbsp;Gabrielle Henry, Amelia Earhart's great-great niece, said.&nbsp;“It is an honor to have her blood run in my veins, and even more so to hold her values in my heart."

“Although it was a historic milestone to bring Amelia Earhart to the U.S. Capitol in July,&nbsp;we are&nbsp;especially thrilled to&nbsp;finally&nbsp;unveil&nbsp;this ‘twin’ bronze statue&nbsp;of Amelia&nbsp;in her&nbsp;beloved Atchison, Kansas, hometown,”&nbsp;Karen Seaberg, founder and president of the Atchison Amelia Earhart Foundation, said. “This magnificent statue will stand as an enduring symbol of Amelia’s pioneering legacy that will welcome and inspire future generations — especially the 150,00 middle school students within a 90-mile radius of Atchison — to explore aviation and aerospace careers through state-of-the-art STEM exhibits and interactive experiences in the Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum opening in 2023.”

“Amelia represents Kansas around the world as a bold, courageous, and forward-thinking woman. I think she’d be especially proud to know her Atchison hometown is close to the ‘Air Capital of the World’ in Wichita, Kansas,”&nbsp;Makinzie Burghart, Atchison native and Director of Development for the Atchison Amelia Earhart Foundation, said.&nbsp;“I look forward to welcoming everyone to the Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum — especially young girls — to introduce them to Amelia’s pioneering aviation legacy and encourage them to bravely follow in her footsteps.”

Along with Amelia Earhart, Governor Kelly recognized a long legacy of pioneering women in Kansas history, including Susanna Salter, the first woman elected mayor in the United States in 1887; Georgia Neese Gray, who, during the Truman Administration, became the first woman to serve as United States Treasurer; and Lucinda Todd, a civil rights activist and one of the petitioners in the 1954&nbsp;Brown v. Board of Education&nbsp;decision.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1664040714672.png" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly Saturday joined the Amelia Earhart Foundation in honoring its namesake with a statue unveiling ceremony. The bronze statue, located at the Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum, is the sister statue of the one that was installed in Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol in July, according to a media release.“How better to cement our state’s legacy as the Air Capitol of the World than with a statue at the museum that celebrates a woman who showed all of us what it means to “reach for the stars,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;“I want to express my deepest appreciation for this museum and for this immortalization of an extraordinary individual who truly represents the best of the Kansas spirit.”Born and raised in Atchison, Kansas, Earhart received her pilot license in 1923 and subsequently championed the advancement of women in aviation. She is one of the world’s most celebrated aviators and the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. Earhart was declared lost at sea when she disappeared over the Pacific Ocean in 1937."Amelia Earhart's&nbsp;bravery and relentless fighting for equality for women and girls still gives my generation strength and inspiration,”&nbsp;Gabrielle Henry, Amelia Earhart's great-great niece, said.&nbsp;“It is an honor to have her blood run in my veins, and even more so to hold her values in my heart."“Although it was a historic milestone to bring Amelia Earhart to the U.S. Capitol in July,&nbsp;we are&nbsp;especially thrilled to&nbsp;finally&nbsp;unveil&nbsp;this ‘twin’ bronze statue&nbsp;of Amelia&nbsp;in her&nbsp;beloved Atchison, Kansas, hometown,”&nbsp;Karen Seaberg, founder and president of the Atchison Amelia Earhart Foundation, said. “This magnificent statue will stand as an enduring symbol of Amelia’s pioneering legacy that will welcome and inspire future generations — especially the 150,00 middle school students within a 90-mile radius of Atchison — to explore aviation and aerospace careers through state-of-the-art STEM exhibits and interactive experiences in the Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum opening in 2023.”“Amelia represents Kansas around the world as a bold, courageous, and forward-thinking woman. I think she’d be especially proud to know her Atchison hometown is close to the ‘Air Capital of the World’ in Wichita, Kansas,”&nbsp;Makinzie Burghart, Atchison native and Director of Development for the Atchison Amelia Earhart Foundation, said.&nbsp;“I look forward to welcoming everyone to the Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum — especially young girls — to introduce them to Amelia’s pioneering aviation legacy and encourage them to bravely follow in her footsteps.”Along with Amelia Earhart, Governor Kelly recognized a long legacy of pioneering women in Kansas history, including Susanna Salter, the first woman elected mayor in the United States in 1887; Georgia Neese Gray, who, during the Truman Administration, became the first woman to serve as United States Treasurer; and Lucinda Todd, a civil rights activist and one of the petitioners in the 1954&nbsp;Brown v. Board of Education&nbsp;decision.

Gov. celebrates legacy of Amelia Earhart with statue unveiling 

By BLAISE MESA and ANDREW BAHL <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-09-20/kansas-inmates-say-medical-care-is-so-bad-they-will-let-someone-die-in-here-before-they-try-to-help">Kansas News Service</a>

Inmate Terry Bowen barely copes with the pain from a variety of medical problems.

Now he's on the verge of losing access to Tylenol — his over-the-counter pain reliever — at the Lansing Correctional Facility.

So
 when the aches of his arthritis flare up, he'll just have to bear 
through the pain. Worse yet, the grapefruit-sized hernia in his chest. 
More painful still: wires used to tie his ribs back together after an 
earlier procedure broke and remain pointing at his heart and torturing 
the inside of his chest.

Tylenol may not seem like much, but the pills offer Bowen at least some relief.

“Do
 you have wires inside your chest sticking you? Have you got arthritis, 
have you got degenerating discs in your neck?” said the 75-year-old 
Bowen. “Well, if you do and you can do without Tylenol, well then, I can
 do without it. But if you’ve got to deal with the pain, you just deal 
with the pain.”

Dozens of current and former inmates in the Kansas
 prison system told The Kansas News Service and The Topeka 
Capital-Journal their medical care threatens their health.

Complaints
 touch nearly every area of medical care. Delivery of medications can be
 delayed and even if the medicine comes, inmates say, they are sometimes
 given treatments that trigger allergic reactions. Meanwhile, cancer 
screenings and checkups get missed, and if inmates are unhappy with 
their care, some struggle to get a second opinion.

To ease some of
 his pain, Bowen could get surgery. But prison staff refuse to treat the
 hernia. They might operate on the wires in his chest, but they fear 
surgery would make Bowen’s condition worse. He’s complained about the 
issues for over a year while worrying that the wires could pierce his 
heart.

“There’s times when I feel like somebody’s stabbing an ice pick in me and I damn near dropped to my knee,” Bowen said.

While
 he says his nurse at Lansing Correctional Facility is pleasant, he 
argues the rest of the system has broken down for him. Bowen, who has 
been in prison since 2012, has seen multiple health contractors come and
 go with no improvement.

Prison medical care has been a perennial 
complaint from prisoners in Kansas. The system ditched its old provider 
in 2020. It hoped its new medical services contractor, Centurion of 
Kansas, would usher in an era of better care, but, as one inmate put it,
 “They will let someone die in here before they try to help.”

The 
Department of Corrections insists it’s satisfied with the care Centurion
 provides, pointing out that monthly informal complaints about medical 
care have dropped considerably from December 2021 to August 2022, 
dipping from 281 to 32 and saying formal audits of the contractor also 
show improvement.

The agency added that there were more than 6,000
 referrals for care, 11,323 off-site services were provided, 33,073 
resident visits to the facility physician or APRN, 17,043 dental visits 
and 124,797 prescriptions filled in the fiscal year that ended in July —
 all signs of a functioning system for thousands of inmates each year. 
For context, there are currently 8441 adult offenders in Kansas prisons.

“Providing
 medical care to a resident in need is not only the right thing to do, 
it is a requirement under state and federal law,” the corrections 
department said in a written response to questions. “The employees and 
leadership of Centurion have demonstrated themselves to provide good 
customer service for both the department and our residents. They are 
responsive to feedback and have improved the quality of care provided 
for our residents.”

Even basic medical care can be hard to access in Kansas prisons

Centurion
 is audited on its ability to meet a dozen performance metrics. The 
contractor has paid more than $900,000 in fines between January 2021 and
 May 2022 for failing to hit those marks. Centurion was fined just under
 5,000 times.

Centurion's contract, Department of Corrections records show totals $76.6 million over a two-year period.

The
 department said a bulk of those fines were in the early months of the 
contract and Centurion improved services and was fined fewer times as it
 went on. However, the company was hit with larger fines more often as 
time went on.

In March 2021, Centurion was fined 338 times for $50,450. A year 
later in March 2022, there were 144 compliance fines for $45,700.

The
 company’s best month was Aug. 2021 when it had 96 infractions, the only
 time it was fined under 100 times. That is still an average of three 
compliance mistakes a day.

An inmate in a state prison, who wanted
 to remain unnamed, said dental appointments and help for their injured 
knee are frustrating, at best, because they don't speak English well and
 their prison doctors don’t speak Spanish.

They went to the 
dentist because eating cold things hurts so much they might cry. A tooth
 in the back of their mouth hurts, but the prison dentist offered to 
pull their front two teeth. The dentist tried showing them X-rays of the
 teeth to highlight the problem, but that only confused them more.

“They
 are my teeth and I just saw my teeth. I didn’t see anything unusual,” 
they said in Spanish. “They wanted to take my teeth out, right then, 
right there. I didn’t.”

That story underscores that even accessing
 basic care can sometimes prove difficult, a claim the department 
disputes. Centurion declined to comment for this story and the Kansas 
Department of Corrections declined in-person interviews. Department 
spokesperson David Thomson said via email that none of the claims 
brought forth by reporters are something they can fix without more 
information.

Department leadership pointed to audits by KU Med 
that they say show Centurion is providing good care. Those audits track 
timeliness of non-emergency health calls, mental health screenings and 
periodic health assessments, among other metrics.

The documents 
show individual prisons achieved zero percent compliance in certain 
categories nine times and 50% or lower compliance more than 40 times. It
 isn’t clear what exactly Centurion is failing to do because the 
performance reports only list compliance in broad categories.

In 
February 2022, the Lansing Correctional Facility was compliant on only 
23% of its nonemergency sick calls. In February 2021, only 6% of El 
Dorado’s intake health reports were compliant. That same month, none of 
the Topeka Correctional Facility's Facilities’ intake health reports 
were compliant.

The El Dorado Correctional Facility had the most 
fines — almost $400,000 — of any prison. The Topeka Correctional 
Facility was penalized disproportionately. The women’s prison was fined 
more than the Larned, Winfield, Ellsworth, Norton and the youth prisons 
combined, despite those facilities housing around three times the people
 held in Topeka.

The agency countered that the number of fines per
 month decreased from around 900 in February of 2021 to around 200 in 
May, 2022.

Tiffany Trotter, a 31-year-old inmate who has been in 
prison since 2020, has diabetes and is allergic to some types of 
medication. Even though medical staff knew about her allergy, they twice
 prescribed her the medication. She had an allergic reaction the second 
time that meant care was further delayed.

She also has a nagging ear injury that prison doctors can’t seem to identify. If she could, she would have seen another doctor.

“They don’t send us (to) outside doctors very often unless you've got like a broken bone or something,” she said.

Meanwhile,
 inmate Shaqwania Mathis, a 26-year-old inmate who has been in prison 
since 2017, said staff delay procedures without reason.

“I lost count on how many days, months, weeks or years KDOC staff has let something go untreated,” she said.

Lawmakers say the department lacks transparency

Requests for the KU audits from the Kansas News Service and Topeka Capital-Journal was partially denied.

Monthly
 compliance reports were produced, but fuller audits made available to 
news media in 2018 were not. KDOC said the forms have changed and denied
 the request on the grounds that they contain personally identifiable 
medical information about inmates.

In a more detailed response, 
provided by Randall Bowman, KDOC’s director of public affairs, said “an 
apparent error” was made when the agency made the records public in 
2018.

“By making the peer review process public, that threatens the integrity of the peer review process itself,” Bowman wrote.

Rep. John Carmichael, a Wichita Democrat, said the agency needs to be more transparent.

“If they changed the form in a way so that now they can claim it’s exempt under the open records act,” he said. “That is wrong.”

The
 American Correctional Association lists all of Kansas’ prisons as fully
 accredited, though some are listed as still using the prior medical 
contractor, Corizon.

Reporters asked for more documents on the 
accreditation for each prison, but the Kansas Department of Corrections 
says it doesn’t have the documents.

Centurion of Kansas declined 
to provide the accreditation records and said it is a private company 
that doesn't need to fulfill records requests. Its contract with the 
state, however, specifically says it is subject to Kansas open records 
laws.

Centurion again declined to fulfill the request even after reporters pointed out the contract stipulation.

The
 news organizations also asked inmates to provide copies of their 
medical records in an effort to further corroborate key details about 
medical care, only to be told by the individuals that the prisons 
limited access to their own records.

“If I go over to get my 
medical records, they won't print them out for me,” said Bowen, the 
inmate at Lansing Correctional Facility. “They’ll give me 15 minutes on 
the computer to look up and write down what I need to.”

The department says this is to reduce the amount of sensitive medical information that is in prisons.

An
 inability for inmates and their families to access their own medical 
records is routinely a problem in Kansas, said Karen Russo, president of
 the Wrongful Death and Injury Institute in Kansas City, Mo., even if a 
family member has power of attorney.

“Kansas is one of the worst 
states in the country for providing medical documents or any kind of 
information regarding inmates,” Russo said.

Medical care routinely is a bugaboo for states across the country

Prison medical care is routinely cited as a problem in states across the country.

A
 decade-plus long federal court case has raged over whether Arizona’s 
privatized prison care system adequately meets the needs of inmates. It 
implicates at least a triumvirate of private contractors, including 
Centurion and Corizon.

While being sued is a fact of life for 
prisons and their contractors, this one has had real teeth. A federal 
judge, for instance, fined the state millions for not complying with 
guidelines he set forth.

And one prison worker alleged Centurion had her file falsified reports in an effort to evade court sanctions.

Marc
 Stern, assistant professor for health systems at the University of 
Washington and an expert on prison medical care, said several factors 
make providing medical care in prisons particularly difficult.

While
 the decisions by states, including Kansas, to privatize care plays a 
role, he said the biggest problem comes from an unwillingness to spend 
more on health care.

But while many Kansans may be reluctant to spend more on caring for criminals, Stern argued doing so is a good idea.

Government might save money on an individual’s medical care while they are in prison, he acknowledged.

But
 taxpayers ultimately must pay the piper if that same person and their 
untreated conditions wind up on Medicaid or another form of public 
assistance. This can also drive up health care costs for private 
employers if an individual winds up being covered through their work.

“It
 would make more sense for the public to say ‘We do want to invest money
 in the quality of health care when people are in prison,’” Stern said. 
“Because they're going to come back to the community, and if we can make
 them healthier before they do, it's actually going to save us, as the 
taxpayer, money down the road.”

Andrew Bahl is a senior 
statehouse reporter for the Topeka Capital-Journal. He can be reached at
 abahl@gannett.com or by phone at 443-979-6100. Blaise Mesa
 reports on criminal justice and social services for the Kansas News 
Service in Topeka. You can follow him on Twitter @Blaise_Mesa or email 
him at blaise@kcur.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663680763945.png" alt="Inmates in Kansas prison say medical care is so poor it threatens their health. The state disagrees. Carlos Moreno / KCUR" />
 <figcaption>Inmates in Kansas prison say medical care is so poor it threatens their health. The state disagrees. Carlos Moreno / KCUR</figcaption>
 </figure>By BLAISE MESA and ANDREW BAHL <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-09-20/kansas-inmates-say-medical-care-is-so-bad-they-will-let-someone-die-in-here-before-they-try-to-help">Kansas News Service</a>Inmate Terry Bowen barely copes with the pain from a variety of medical problems.Now he's on the verge of losing access to Tylenol — his over-the-counter pain reliever — at the Lansing Correctional Facility.So
 when the aches of his arthritis flare up, he'll just have to bear 
through the pain. Worse yet, the grapefruit-sized hernia in his chest. 
More painful still: wires used to tie his ribs back together after an 
earlier procedure broke and remain pointing at his heart and torturing 
the inside of his chest.Tylenol may not seem like much, but the pills offer Bowen at least some relief.“Do
 you have wires inside your chest sticking you? Have you got arthritis, 
have you got degenerating discs in your neck?” said the 75-year-old 
Bowen. “Well, if you do and you can do without Tylenol, well then, I can
 do without it. But if you’ve got to deal with the pain, you just deal 
with the pain.”Dozens of current and former inmates in the Kansas
 prison system told The Kansas News Service and The Topeka 
Capital-Journal their medical care threatens their health.Complaints
 touch nearly every area of medical care. Delivery of medications can be
 delayed and even if the medicine comes, inmates say, they are sometimes
 given treatments that trigger allergic reactions. Meanwhile, cancer 
screenings and checkups get missed, and if inmates are unhappy with 
their care, some struggle to get a second opinion.To ease some of
 his pain, Bowen could get surgery. But prison staff refuse to treat the
 hernia. They might operate on the wires in his chest, but they fear 
surgery would make Bowen’s condition worse. He’s complained about the 
issues for over a year while worrying that the wires could pierce his 
heart.“There’s times when I feel like somebody’s stabbing an ice pick in me and I damn near dropped to my knee,” Bowen said.While
 he says his nurse at Lansing Correctional Facility is pleasant, he 
argues the rest of the system has broken down for him. Bowen, who has 
been in prison since 2012, has seen multiple health contractors come and
 go with no improvement.Prison medical care has been a perennial 
complaint from prisoners in Kansas. The system ditched its old provider 
in 2020. It hoped its new medical services contractor, Centurion of 
Kansas, would usher in an era of better care, but, as one inmate put it,
 “They will let someone die in here before they try to help.”The 
Department of Corrections insists it’s satisfied with the care Centurion
 provides, pointing out that monthly informal complaints about medical 
care have dropped considerably from December 2021 to August 2022, 
dipping from 281 to 32 and saying formal audits of the contractor also 
show improvement.The agency added that there were more than 6,000
 referrals for care, 11,323 off-site services were provided, 33,073 
resident visits to the facility physician or APRN, 17,043 dental visits 
and 124,797 prescriptions filled in the fiscal year that ended in July —
 all signs of a functioning system for thousands of inmates each year. 
For context, there are currently 8441 adult offenders in Kansas prisons.“Providing
 medical care to a resident in need is not only the right thing to do, 
it is a requirement under state and federal law,” the corrections 
department said in a written response to questions. “The employees and 
leadership of Centurion have demonstrated themselves to provide good 
customer service for both the department and our residents. They are 
responsive to feedback and have improved the quality of care provided 
for our residents.” <h2>Even basic medical care can be hard to access in Kansas prisons</h2>Centurion
 is audited on its ability to meet a dozen performance metrics. The 
contractor has paid more than $900,000 in fines between January 2021 and
 May 2022 for failing to hit those marks. Centurion was fined just under
 5,000 times.Centurion's contract, Department of Corrections records show totals $76.6 million over a two-year period.The
 department said a bulk of those fines were in the early months of the 
contract and Centurion improved services and was fined fewer times as it
 went on. However, the company was hit with larger fines more often as 
time went on.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663680852568.png" alt="A bar graph showing the number of compliance fines month by month. KDOC" />
 <figcaption>A bar graph showing the number of compliance fines month by month. KDOC</figcaption>
 </figure>In March 2021, Centurion was fined 338 times for $50,450. A year 
later in March 2022, there were 144 compliance fines for $45,700.The
 company’s best month was Aug. 2021 when it had 96 infractions, the only
 time it was fined under 100 times. That is still an average of three 
compliance mistakes a day.An inmate in a state prison, who wanted
 to remain unnamed, said dental appointments and help for their injured 
knee are frustrating, at best, because they don't speak English well and
 their prison doctors don’t speak Spanish.They went to the 
dentist because eating cold things hurts so much they might cry. A tooth
 in the back of their mouth hurts, but the prison dentist offered to 
pull their front two teeth. The dentist tried showing them X-rays of the
 teeth to highlight the problem, but that only confused them more.“They
 are my teeth and I just saw my teeth. I didn’t see anything unusual,” 
they said in Spanish. “They wanted to take my teeth out, right then, 
right there. I didn’t.”That story underscores that even accessing
 basic care can sometimes prove difficult, a claim the department 
disputes. Centurion declined to comment for this story and the Kansas 
Department of Corrections declined in-person interviews. Department 
spokesperson David Thomson said via email that none of the claims 
brought forth by reporters are something they can fix without more 
information.Department leadership pointed to audits by KU Med 
that they say show Centurion is providing good care. Those audits track 
timeliness of non-emergency health calls, mental health screenings and 
periodic health assessments, among other metrics.The documents 
show individual prisons achieved zero percent compliance in certain 
categories nine times and 50% or lower compliance more than 40 times. It
 isn’t clear what exactly Centurion is failing to do because the 
performance reports only list compliance in broad categories.In 
February 2022, the Lansing Correctional Facility was compliant on only 
23% of its nonemergency sick calls. In February 2021, only 6% of El 
Dorado’s intake health reports were compliant. That same month, none of 
the Topeka Correctional Facility's Facilities’ intake health reports 
were compliant.The El Dorado Correctional Facility had the most 
fines — almost $400,000 — of any prison. The Topeka Correctional 
Facility was penalized disproportionately. The women’s prison was fined 
more than the Larned, Winfield, Ellsworth, Norton and the youth prisons 
combined, despite those facilities housing around three times the people
 held in Topeka.The agency countered that the number of fines per
 month decreased from around 900 in February of 2021 to around 200 in 
May, 2022.Tiffany Trotter, a 31-year-old inmate who has been in 
prison since 2020, has diabetes and is allergic to some types of 
medication. Even though medical staff knew about her allergy, they twice
 prescribed her the medication. She had an allergic reaction the second 
time that meant care was further delayed.She also has a nagging ear injury that prison doctors can’t seem to identify. If she could, she would have seen another doctor.“They don’t send us (to) outside doctors very often unless you've got like a broken bone or something,” she said.Meanwhile,
 inmate Shaqwania Mathis, a 26-year-old inmate who has been in prison 
since 2017, said staff delay procedures without reason.“I lost count on how many days, months, weeks or years KDOC staff has let something go untreated,” she said.<h2>Lawmakers say the department lacks transparency</h2>Requests for the KU audits from the Kansas News Service and Topeka Capital-Journal was partially denied.Monthly
 compliance reports were produced, but fuller audits made available to 
news media in 2018 were not. KDOC said the forms have changed and denied
 the request on the grounds that they contain personally identifiable 
medical information about inmates.In a more detailed response, 
provided by Randall Bowman, KDOC’s director of public affairs, said “an 
apparent error” was made when the agency made the records public in 
2018.“By making the peer review process public, that threatens the integrity of the peer review process itself,” Bowman wrote.Rep. John Carmichael, a Wichita Democrat, said the agency needs to be more transparent.“If they changed the form in a way so that now they can claim it’s exempt under the open records act,” he said. “That is wrong.”The
 American Correctional Association lists all of Kansas’ prisons as fully
 accredited, though some are listed as still using the prior medical 
contractor, Corizon.Reporters asked for more documents on the 
accreditation for each prison, but the Kansas Department of Corrections 
says it doesn’t have the documents.Centurion of Kansas declined 
to provide the accreditation records and said it is a private company 
that doesn't need to fulfill records requests. Its contract with the 
state, however, specifically says it is subject to Kansas open records 
laws.Centurion again declined to fulfill the request even after reporters pointed out the contract stipulation.The
 news organizations also asked inmates to provide copies of their 
medical records in an effort to further corroborate key details about 
medical care, only to be told by the individuals that the prisons 
limited access to their own records.“If I go over to get my 
medical records, they won't print them out for me,” said Bowen, the 
inmate at Lansing Correctional Facility. “They’ll give me 15 minutes on 
the computer to look up and write down what I need to.”The department says this is to reduce the amount of sensitive medical information that is in prisons.An
 inability for inmates and their families to access their own medical 
records is routinely a problem in Kansas, said Karen Russo, president of
 the Wrongful Death and Injury Institute in Kansas City, Mo., even if a 
family member has power of attorney.“Kansas is one of the worst 
states in the country for providing medical documents or any kind of 
information regarding inmates,” Russo said. <h2>Medical care routinely is a bugaboo for states across the country</h2>Prison medical care is routinely cited as a problem in states across the country.A
 decade-plus long federal court case has raged over whether Arizona’s 
privatized prison care system adequately meets the needs of inmates. It 
implicates at least a triumvirate of private contractors, including 
Centurion and Corizon.While being sued is a fact of life for 
prisons and their contractors, this one has had real teeth. A federal 
judge, for instance, fined the state millions for not complying with 
guidelines he set forth.And one prison worker alleged Centurion had her file falsified reports in an effort to evade court sanctions.Marc
 Stern, assistant professor for health systems at the University of 
Washington and an expert on prison medical care, said several factors 
make providing medical care in prisons particularly difficult.While
 the decisions by states, including Kansas, to privatize care plays a 
role, he said the biggest problem comes from an unwillingness to spend 
more on health care.But while many Kansans may be reluctant to spend more on caring for criminals, Stern argued doing so is a good idea.Government might save money on an individual’s medical care while they are in prison, he acknowledged.But
 taxpayers ultimately must pay the piper if that same person and their 
untreated conditions wind up on Medicaid or another form of public 
assistance. This can also drive up health care costs for private 
employers if an individual winds up being covered through their work.“It
 would make more sense for the public to say ‘We do want to invest money
 in the quality of health care when people are in prison,’” Stern said. 
“Because they're going to come back to the community, and if we can make
 them healthier before they do, it's actually going to save us, as the 
taxpayer, money down the road.”Andrew Bahl is a senior 
statehouse reporter for the Topeka Capital-Journal. He can be reached at
 abahl@gannett.com or by phone at 443-979-6100. Blaise Mesa
 reports on criminal justice and social services for the Kansas News 
Service in Topeka. You can follow him on Twitter @Blaise_Mesa or email 
him at blaise@kcur.org.

Inmates: Medical care in Kansas prisons threatens their health

WASHINGTON (AP) — “God bless you, let’s have some music,” said Elton John.

With that, the White House South Lawn was transformed into a musical lovefest Friday night as John played a farewell gig to honor everyday “heroes” like teachers, nurses and AIDS activists. But as it turns out, the event was also to honor the 75-year-old British songwriter — President Joe Biden surprised him with the National Humanities Medal for being a “tidal wave” who helped people rise up for justice.

John seemed almost overcome by the accolades, telling the audience of 2,000 people: “I don’t know what to say. ... I don’t know how to take a compliment very well but it’s wonderful to be here amongst so many people who have helped my AIDS foundation and my heroes, that ones that work day to day on the front line.”

He said he’d played some beautiful venues before, but the stage in front of the White House, beneath a massive open-air tent on a perfect autumn night, was “probably the icing on the cake.”

He kicked off the show with “Your Song,” his first big international hit.

The intimate guest list included teachers, nurses, frontline workers and LGBTQ advocates, plus former first lady Laura Bush, civil rights advocate Ruby Bridges, education activist Malala Yousafzai and Jeanne White-Ginder, an AIDS activist and mother of Ryan White, who died from AIDS-related complications in 1990.

Biden and first lady Jill Biden talked about the British singer’s activism, the power of his music and his all-around goodness. The event was dreamed up and paid for by A+E and the History Channel.

“Seamus Heaney once wrote, and I quote, ’Once in a lifetime, the longed-for tidal wave of justice can rise up, and hope and history rhyme,” Biden said. “Throughout his incredible career, Sir Elton John has been that tidal wave, a tidal wave to help people rise up and make hope and history rhyme.”

The night, in fact, was called “A Night When Hope and History Rhyme,” a reference to the poem Biden quoted by Ireland’s Heaney.

Sir Elton —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/queen-elizabeth-ii-princess-diana-entertainment-concerts-royalty-ad4127ab5dd65ba6b629e25f40c3ac42">he was knighted in 1998 by Queen Elizabeth II</a>&nbsp;— has sold over 300 million records worldwide, played over 4,000 shows in 80 countries and recorded one of the best-selling singles of all time, his 1997 reworking of “Candle In The Wind” to eulogize Princess Diana, which sold 33 million copies.

John punctuated the hits Friday with emotional tidbits of his history, including a shoutout to Laura Bush and former president George W. Bush for his administration’s emergency plan for AIDS relief, and a story of how a dying Ryan White and his mother pushed him into advocacy in the first place, and helped him get sober.

“I wouldn’t be here talking tonight,” he said. “They saved my life.”

He then dedicated “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me” to Ryan.

Despite the presence of plenty of lawmakers, the political speak was kept to a minimum, except for when John said, “I just wish America would be more bipartisan on everything.”

It was his first White House gig since he performed with Stevie Wonder at a state dinner in 1998 honoring British Prime Minister Tony Blair. John is on a farewell tour that began in July after performing for more than 50 years.

The show came together after A+E Networks and the History Channel asked the White House and John if they’d be up for a collaboration honoring “everyday history-makers” as well as John himself.

It’s not clear whether the show will be broadcast. John has worked with A+E in the past on his global HIV/AIDS charity, the Elton John Foundation, which has raised more than $525 million to combat the virus around the world.

John is sticking around to play a sold-out show at Nationals Park Saturday.

The president and first lady are big fans. Biden wrote in a 2017 memoir about singing “Crocodile Rock” to his two young boys as he drove them to school, and again later to son Beau before he died of cancer at age 46.

“I started singing the lyrics to Beau, quietly, so just the two of us could hear it,” Biden wrote. “Beau didn’t open his eyes, but I could see through my own tears that he was smiling.”

John played the song Friday, saying someone told him Biden used to sing it to his little boys. “I can’t imagine him singin’ it,” John quipped before suggesting the president come up on stage. He did not. But the whole crowd did do the “La-La-Las” from their seats.

Biden’s predecessor, Donald Trump, was also a fan of John. He tried to get John to perform at his 2017 inauguration but John declined, saying he didn’t think it was appropriate for a Brit to play at the swearing-in of an American president.

The White House insisted Friday’s show wasn’t an effort to troll Trump, who has praised John in his books and has often featured John’s music — including “Rocket Man” and “Tiny Dancer” — in his pre-rally playlists over the years. Trump nicknamed North Korean leader Kim Jong Un “rocket man” for his record of test-firing missiles.

John played both Friday, to thunderous applause.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1664027969628.png" alt="President Joe Biden surprised Elton John with the National Humanities Medal Friday night-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>President Joe Biden surprised Elton John with the National Humanities Medal Friday night-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — “God bless you, let’s have some music,” said Elton John.With that, the White House South Lawn was transformed into a musical lovefest Friday night as John played a farewell gig to honor everyday “heroes” like teachers, nurses and AIDS activists. But as it turns out, the event was also to honor the 75-year-old British songwriter — President Joe Biden surprised him with the National Humanities Medal for being a “tidal wave” who helped people rise up for justice.John seemed almost overcome by the accolades, telling the audience of 2,000 people: “I don’t know what to say. ... I don’t know how to take a compliment very well but it’s wonderful to be here amongst so many people who have helped my AIDS foundation and my heroes, that ones that work day to day on the front line.”He said he’d played some beautiful venues before, but the stage in front of the White House, beneath a massive open-air tent on a perfect autumn night, was “probably the icing on the cake.”He kicked off the show with “Your Song,” his first big international hit.The intimate guest list included teachers, nurses, frontline workers and LGBTQ advocates, plus former first lady Laura Bush, civil rights advocate Ruby Bridges, education activist Malala Yousafzai and Jeanne White-Ginder, an AIDS activist and mother of Ryan White, who died from AIDS-related complications in 1990.Biden and first lady Jill Biden talked about the British singer’s activism, the power of his music and his all-around goodness. The event was dreamed up and paid for by A+E and the History Channel.“Seamus Heaney once wrote, and I quote, ’Once in a lifetime, the longed-for tidal wave of justice can rise up, and hope and history rhyme,” Biden said. “Throughout his incredible career, Sir Elton John has been that tidal wave, a tidal wave to help people rise up and make hope and history rhyme.”The night, in fact, was called “A Night When Hope and History Rhyme,” a reference to the poem Biden quoted by Ireland’s Heaney.Sir Elton —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/queen-elizabeth-ii-princess-diana-entertainment-concerts-royalty-ad4127ab5dd65ba6b629e25f40c3ac42">he was knighted in 1998 by Queen Elizabeth II</a>&nbsp;— has sold over 300 million records worldwide, played over 4,000 shows in 80 countries and recorded one of the best-selling singles of all time, his 1997 reworking of “Candle In The Wind” to eulogize Princess Diana, which sold 33 million copies.John punctuated the hits Friday with emotional tidbits of his history, including a shoutout to Laura Bush and former president George W. Bush for his administration’s emergency plan for AIDS relief, and a story of how a dying Ryan White and his mother pushed him into advocacy in the first place, and helped him get sober.“I wouldn’t be here talking tonight,” he said. “They saved my life.”He then dedicated “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me” to Ryan.Despite the presence of plenty of lawmakers, the political speak was kept to a minimum, except for when John said, “I just wish America would be more bipartisan on everything.”It was his first White House gig since he performed with Stevie Wonder at a state dinner in 1998 honoring British Prime Minister Tony Blair. John is on a farewell tour that began in July after performing for more than 50 years.The show came together after A+E Networks and the History Channel asked the White House and John if they’d be up for a collaboration honoring “everyday history-makers” as well as John himself.It’s not clear whether the show will be broadcast. John has worked with A+E in the past on his global HIV/AIDS charity, the Elton John Foundation, which has raised more than $525 million to combat the virus around the world.John is sticking around to play a sold-out show at Nationals Park Saturday.The president and first lady are big fans. Biden wrote in a 2017 memoir about singing “Crocodile Rock” to his two young boys as he drove them to school, and again later to son Beau before he died of cancer at age 46.“I started singing the lyrics to Beau, quietly, so just the two of us could hear it,” Biden wrote. “Beau didn’t open his eyes, but I could see through my own tears that he was smiling.”John played the song Friday, saying someone told him Biden used to sing it to his little boys. “I can’t imagine him singin’ it,” John quipped before suggesting the president come up on stage. He did not. But the whole crowd did do the “La-La-Las” from their seats.Biden’s predecessor, Donald Trump, was also a fan of John. He tried to get John to perform at his 2017 inauguration but John declined, saying he didn’t think it was appropriate for a Brit to play at the swearing-in of an American president.The White House insisted Friday’s show wasn’t an effort to troll Trump, who has praised John in his books and has often featured John’s music — including “Rocket Man” and “Tiny Dancer” — in his pre-rally playlists over the years. Trump nicknamed North Korean leader Kim Jong Un “rocket man” for his record of test-firing missiles.John played both Friday, to thunderous applause.

Biden surprised Elton John with the National Humanities Medal

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A Missouri county has agreed to pay $405,000 to settle two lawsuits filed in a dispute that began when some underwire bras set off metal detectors at the county detention center.

The Jackson County Legislature approved the settlement this week for two longtime jail employees who alleged in sexual discrimination lawsuits that they were reprimanded and given different duties when they repeatedly failed to pass the screening machines at the jail, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/Read%20more%20at:%20https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article266142766.html#storylink=cpy">reported</a>.

The dispute started in May 2019 when the county installed metal detectors at the detention center to keep weapons, cellphones and other contraband out of the jail in downtown Kansas City.

When underwire bras set off the detectors, attorneys were told they either had to remove them or meet with their clients via phone and separated by a window.

About 75 female attorneys and their supporters&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/151a544d2e9f46af99b939349b304726">staged a public protest</a>&nbsp;carrying signs such as “We need support!” when Jackson County Sheriff Daryl Forte and detention center director Diana Turner refused to find a solution.

Eventually,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/a59fcdc1acb540519362f37261ea69a1">a secondary screening system</a>&nbsp;was set up for attorneys and other visitors who might have contact with inmates — but not for female jail employees.

Employees Charlotte Hardin and Linda Hengel sued after unsuccessful attempts to comply with the screening process, including taking off their bras and putting them back on after they cleared the machine.

But jail management said undergarments were not allowed in the bins that went through an X-ray machine, although men were allowed to take off belts and put them back on after going through the machines.

In their lawsuits, Hardin and Hengel said they were assigned to other duties outside the secure area for repeatedly failing to get through the machine.

Hengel, who was inmate services coordinator, retired early because the new jobs aggravated her medical conditions.

At one point, Hardin&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cadb39fdb0fd406b98cf0714b5714838">was put on leave</a>&nbsp;for removing her bra and putting it through the X-ray machine. She said she was treated unfairly and denied a pay raise for complaining about what she saw as a discriminatory policy.

Under the settlement, Hardin will be paid $255,000 and Hengel will be paid $150,000. Attorney Katherine Myers, who represented both women, will share in those settlements.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663937514224.png" alt="Protest outside the Jackson County Detention Center in June of 2019-photo courtesy KSHB" />
 <figcaption>Protest outside the Jackson County Detention Center in June of 2019-photo courtesy KSHB</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — A Missouri county has agreed to pay $405,000 to settle two lawsuits filed in a dispute that began when some underwire bras set off metal detectors at the county detention center.The Jackson County Legislature approved the settlement this week for two longtime jail employees who alleged in sexual discrimination lawsuits that they were reprimanded and given different duties when they repeatedly failed to pass the screening machines at the jail, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/Read%20more%20at:%20https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article266142766.html#storylink=cpy">reported</a>.The dispute started in May 2019 when the county installed metal detectors at the detention center to keep weapons, cellphones and other contraband out of the jail in downtown Kansas City.When underwire bras set off the detectors, attorneys were told they either had to remove them or meet with their clients via phone and separated by a window.About 75 female attorneys and their supporters&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/151a544d2e9f46af99b939349b304726">staged a public protest</a>&nbsp;carrying signs such as “We need support!” when Jackson County Sheriff Daryl Forte and detention center director Diana Turner refused to find a solution.Eventually,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/a59fcdc1acb540519362f37261ea69a1">a secondary screening system</a>&nbsp;was set up for attorneys and other visitors who might have contact with inmates — but not for female jail employees.Employees Charlotte Hardin and Linda Hengel sued after unsuccessful attempts to comply with the screening process, including taking off their bras and putting them back on after they cleared the machine.But jail management said undergarments were not allowed in the bins that went through an X-ray machine, although men were allowed to take off belts and put them back on after going through the machines.In their lawsuits, Hardin and Hengel said they were assigned to other duties outside the secure area for repeatedly failing to get through the machine.Hengel, who was inmate services coordinator, retired early because the new jobs aggravated her medical conditions.At one point, Hardin&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cadb39fdb0fd406b98cf0714b5714838">was put on leave</a>&nbsp;for removing her bra and putting it through the X-ray machine. She said she was treated unfairly and denied a pay raise for complaining about what she saw as a discriminatory policy.Under the settlement, Hardin will be paid $255,000 and Hengel will be paid $150,000. Attorney Katherine Myers, who represented both women, will share in those settlements.

County settles underwire bra jail dispute for $405K

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Food and Drug Administration acknowledged this week that its response to the U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/baby-formula-shortage-what-to-know-735cef06e68ed9c5a46233bdfcf0573d">infant formula shortage</a>&nbsp;was slowed by delays in processing a whistleblower complaint and test samples from the nation’s largest formula factory.

A 10-page report from the agency offers its first formal account of the factors that led to the ongoing shortage, which has forced the U.S. to airlift millions of pounds of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-government-and-politics-53857b4ba1006a8bf85caad251517f4c">powdered formula from overseas.</a>

The review zeroed in on several key problems at the agency, including outdated data-sharing systems, inadequate staffing and training among its food inspectors, and poor visibility into formula supply chains and manufacturing procedures.

“For things that are critical to the public health, if you don’t have some understanding of how all the pieces fit together, then when you get into a crisis or a shortage you have a real problem,” FDA Commissioner Robert Califf told The Associated Press in an interview. “To a large extent that’s what happened here.”

Califf said the FDA will seek new authority to compel companies to turn over key information.

One consumer advocate said the evaluation doesn’t go far enough to fix the problems.

“This internal evaluation treats the symptoms of the disease rather than offering a cure,” Scott Faber of the Environmental Working Group said in a statement. “Nothing in this evaluation addresses the fragmented leadership structure that led to critical communication failures.”

The FDA report was overseen by a senior official who interviewed dozens of agency staffers. It comes nearly eight months after the FDA shuttered Abbott’s Michigan plant due to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-business-health-michigan-a4205025fc781b1fb902cdd9e1264b41">safety concerns</a>, quickly slashing domestic production within the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-science-health-government-and-politics-a99273eaded440aeeb3942ab61b77d88">highly concentrated formula industry.</a>

A company whistleblower had tried to warn the FDA of problems at the plant in September 2021, but government inspectors didn’t investigate the complaints until February after four infants became sick, resulting in two deaths. The FDA is still investigating links between those illnesses and the formula.

The FDA previously&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-health-robert-califf-cce94aeeb3b53af5617d32086df01410">told Congress</a>&nbsp;that top agency officials didn’t learn about the complaint until February because of mail delays and a failure to escalate the Abbott employee’s allegations. The new report stated that FDA’s “inadequate processes and lack of clarity related to whistleblower complaints,” may have delayed getting inspectors to the plant.

“Whistleblower complaints come into the agency in many different ways, from many different sources,” said Dr. Steven Solomon, an FDA veterinary medicine official who oversaw the review. “One of the actions we’ve already taken is to make sure that however they come into the agency, they get triaged and escalated to the right leadership levels.”

FDA inspectors collected bacterial samples from the plant for testing, but shipping issues by “third party delivery companies” delayed the results, according to the report. The FDA also faced challenges ramping up its testing capacity for cronobacter, a rare but potentially deadly bacteria repeatedly linked to outbreaks in baby formula.

The FDA also noted that it had to reschedule its initial inspection of the Abbott plant due to cases of COVID-19 among company staff. That delay came on top of earlier missed inspections because the agency&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-health-climate-and-environment-business-1bc7272f40d01e8d1f89d077fe867a58">pulled its inspectors</a>&nbsp;from the field during the pandemic.

The report concluded by listing new resources that Congress would need to authorize to improve infant formula inspections and standards, including:

— Increased funding and hiring authority to recruit experts to FDA’s food division;

— Improved information technology to share data on FDA inspections, consumer complaints and testing results;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1653255522967.png" alt="One consumer advocate said the evaluation doesn’t go far enough to fix the problems.-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>One consumer advocate said the evaluation doesn’t go far enough to fix the problems.-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Food and Drug Administration acknowledged this week that its response to the U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/baby-formula-shortage-what-to-know-735cef06e68ed9c5a46233bdfcf0573d">infant formula shortage</a>&nbsp;was slowed by delays in processing a whistleblower complaint and test samples from the nation’s largest formula factory.A 10-page report from the agency offers its first formal account of the factors that led to the ongoing shortage, which has forced the U.S. to airlift millions of pounds of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-government-and-politics-53857b4ba1006a8bf85caad251517f4c">powdered formula from overseas.</a>The review zeroed in on several key problems at the agency, including outdated data-sharing systems, inadequate staffing and training among its food inspectors, and poor visibility into formula supply chains and manufacturing procedures.“For things that are critical to the public health, if you don’t have some understanding of how all the pieces fit together, then when you get into a crisis or a shortage you have a real problem,” FDA Commissioner Robert Califf told The Associated Press in an interview. “To a large extent that’s what happened here.”Califf said the FDA will seek new authority to compel companies to turn over key information.One consumer advocate said the evaluation doesn’t go far enough to fix the problems.“This internal evaluation treats the symptoms of the disease rather than offering a cure,” Scott Faber of the Environmental Working Group said in a statement. “Nothing in this evaluation addresses the fragmented leadership structure that led to critical communication failures.”The FDA report was overseen by a senior official who interviewed dozens of agency staffers. It comes nearly eight months after the FDA shuttered Abbott’s Michigan plant due to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-business-health-michigan-a4205025fc781b1fb902cdd9e1264b41">safety concerns</a>, quickly slashing domestic production within the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-science-health-government-and-politics-a99273eaded440aeeb3942ab61b77d88">highly concentrated formula industry.</a>A company whistleblower had tried to warn the FDA of problems at the plant in September 2021, but government inspectors didn’t investigate the complaints until February after four infants became sick, resulting in two deaths. The FDA is still investigating links between those illnesses and the formula.The FDA previously&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-health-robert-califf-cce94aeeb3b53af5617d32086df01410">told Congress</a>&nbsp;that top agency officials didn’t learn about the complaint until February because of mail delays and a failure to escalate the Abbott employee’s allegations. The new report stated that FDA’s “inadequate processes and lack of clarity related to whistleblower complaints,” may have delayed getting inspectors to the plant.“Whistleblower complaints come into the agency in many different ways, from many different sources,” said Dr. Steven Solomon, an FDA veterinary medicine official who oversaw the review. “One of the actions we’ve already taken is to make sure that however they come into the agency, they get triaged and escalated to the right leadership levels.”FDA inspectors collected bacterial samples from the plant for testing, but shipping issues by “third party delivery companies” delayed the results, according to the report. The FDA also faced challenges ramping up its testing capacity for cronobacter, a rare but potentially deadly bacteria repeatedly linked to outbreaks in baby formula.The FDA also noted that it had to reschedule its initial inspection of the Abbott plant due to cases of COVID-19 among company staff. That delay came on top of earlier missed inspections because the agency&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-health-climate-and-environment-business-1bc7272f40d01e8d1f89d077fe867a58">pulled its inspectors</a>&nbsp;from the field during the pandemic.The report concluded by listing new resources that Congress would need to authorize to improve infant formula inspections and standards, including:— Increased funding and hiring authority to recruit experts to FDA’s food division;— Improved information technology to share data on FDA inspections, consumer complaints and testing results;— New authority to compel manufacturers to turn over samples and records on manufacturing supply chains, manufacturing quality and safety.U.S. inventories of baby formula have been improving, hitting in-stock rates above 80% last week, according to IRI, a market research firm. That’s up from a low of 69% in mid-July. The U.S. has imported the equivalent of more than 80 million bottles of formula since May, according to White House figures, and the Biden administration is working to help&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-united-states-government-and-politics-38745bd583dc0861dbe66a3ca7f828b4">foreign manufacturers stay on the market</a>&nbsp;long term to diversify supply.Califf has commissioned a separate external review of FDA’s food division citing “fundamental questions about the structure, function, funding and leadership” of the program. That review is being led by former FDA commissioner Dr. Jane Henney, who led the agency during the final years of the Clinton administration.