DOUGLAS COUNTY —The city of Lawrence reported unfortunate news Thursday. Kansa, the bald eagle, and Serena, the barn owl – part of the Birds of Prey exhibit at Prairie Park Nature Center,  2730 Harper Street in Lawrence, were killed last week by raccoons, according to a statement from the city. 

The raccoons were able to breach space between an outside wood fence and the wired-fence cage area where the birds were housed. 

Unfortunately, raccoons are common predators with caged animals at zoos and nature centers. Staff have since added additional measures to fortify the cage area and keep out predators.

Kansa was acquired by the nature center in January 2003 from the Kansas State University veterinary clinic as a one-year-old bird. She had sustained a traumatic injury to her wings due to a powerline collision in southern Kansas. Following an extensive rehabilitation, she went on display in May 2003. Over many years as one of the premier animal ambassadors of Prairie Park Nature Center, Kansa participated in hundreds of events and programs at the nature center. She was deeply loved by staff and visitors. Her antics and loud voice will be forever missed.

Serena, the barn owl, came to the nature center in 2011 from Walden’s Puddle in Tennessee following a wing injury that left her unable to be released. She was an excellent education ambassador for nature center programs on owls, the prairie ecosystem, adaptations and many other programs. Parks and Recreation staff are working on a tribute to honor the birds for the service they provided the Lawrence community. Information on this will be released at a later date.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663933756806.png" alt="Photo courtesy Prairie Park Nature Center&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Prairie Park Nature Center&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>DOUGLAS COUNTY —The city of Lawrence reported unfortunate news Thursday. Kansa, the bald eagle, and Serena, the barn owl – part of the Birds of Prey exhibit at Prairie Park Nature Center, 2730 Harper Street in Lawrence, were killed last week by raccoons, according to a statement from the city. The raccoons were able to breach space between an outside wood fence and the wired-fence cage area where the birds were housed. Unfortunately, raccoons are common predators with caged animals at zoos and nature centers. Staff have since added additional measures to fortify the cage area and keep out predators.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663933733959.png" alt="Photo courtesy&nbsp;Prairie Park Nature Center " />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy&nbsp;Prairie Park Nature Center </figcaption>
 </figure>Kansa was acquired by the nature center in January 2003 from the Kansas State University veterinary clinic as a one-year-old bird. She had sustained a traumatic injury to her wings due to a powerline collision in southern Kansas. Following an extensive rehabilitation, she went on display in May 2003. Over many years as one of the premier animal ambassadors of Prairie Park Nature Center, Kansa participated in hundreds of events and programs at the nature center. She was deeply loved by staff and visitors. Her antics and loud voice will be forever missed.Serena, the barn owl, came to the nature center in 2011 from Walden’s Puddle in Tennessee following a wing injury that left her unable to be released. She was an excellent education ambassador for nature center programs on owls, the prairie ecosystem, adaptations and many other programs. Parks and Recreation staff are working on a tribute to honor the birds for the service they provided the Lawrence community. Information on this will be released at a later date.

Popular bald eagle, owl killed by raccoons at Kan. nature center

Topeka, Kan. (AP) — Governors races often are overshadowed by the fight for control of Congress&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-2022-midterm-elections-biden-sports-donald-trump-9dc668f08bdc2db8d87497f58a105ae9">during midterm elections</a>. But this fall, which candidate wins a state’s top executive post could be pivotal for the nation’s political future.

With abortion rights, immigration policies and democracy itself in the balance, both parties are entering the final weeks before the Nov. 8 election prepared to spend unprecedented amounts of money to win seats for governor. Those elected will be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-biden-cabinet-only-on-ap-election-2020-19131c0f468839bf2b847bd7b3dfaf5c">in power for the 2024 election</a>, when they could influence voting laws as well as certification of the outcome. And their powers over abortion rights increased greatly when the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">U.S. Supreme Court in June</a>&nbsp;left the question to states to decide.

“Governors races matter more than ever,” said North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, chair of the Democratic Governors Association, the group working to elect Democrats to lead states.

For Democrats, Cooper said, governors "are often the last line of defense" on issues that have been turned over to states, including gun laws and voting rights in addition to abortion. That's been especially true in places with Democratic governors and Republican-controlled legislatures, such as Wisconsin and Kansas — states both parties have made top targets for victory in November. Democrats are leading Republican candidates in two important battleground states with GOP-led statehouses, Michigan and Pennsylvania.

Kansas&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-2022-midterm-elections-voting-rights-health-d67531f2dd6856ac167ce48b3ec890ab">Gov. Laura Kelly</a>&nbsp;is the only Democratic governor running for reelection in a state carried by former President Donald Trump in 2020. The former legislator won the office in 2018 against a fiery conservative after running as a moderate who promoted bipartisanship.

She now faces three-term state Attorney General Derek Schmidt, who has repeatedly tried to tie her to President Joe Biden and criticized her as too liberal for the red state. Schmidt's campaign has been hurt, however, by a third-party bid from a conservative state lawmaker.

During a debate at the Kansas State Fair this month,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-presidential-legislature-cd8d1d6f24da4612b7faeb325a4611bf">Schmidt portrayed Kelly's position</a>&nbsp;on abortion as too extreme, telling a crowd she supports abortion without restrictions.

Kansas has been the unlikely site of Democratic hopes in regard to abortion rights. In August, Kansas voters&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-kansas-abortion-b6d62a852c2ce4617f2c03589fbb523e">overwhelmingly defeated a proposed amendment</a>&nbsp;to the state constitution that would have allowed the GOP-controlled Legislature to greatly restrict or ban abortion. Kelly opposed the measure, though she has tried to focus her campaign elsewhere.

Schmidt said he respects the outcome of the vote but that the abortion debate isn't over.

“What was not on the ballot was Governor Kelly’s position,” he said.

Throughout nearly two decades in elective politics, Kelly has opposed nearly every restriction on abortion now in Kansas law. But asked about Schmidt’s characterization of her position on abortion, she said, “You know, I have never said that.”

Kelly hasn't emphasized abortion as an issue, though many Democrats think it would help her. Instead, she has been touting the state’s fiscal strength and her work to lure businesses and jobs.

“Maybe I'm not flashy, but I'm effective,” she said at the end of the state fair debate.

In Wisconsin, Democratic Gov. Tony Evers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-elections-wisconsin-janesville-democracy-b509e9b7b853c6884852a3d779cceadf">warns voters that democracy</a>&nbsp;is on the ballot this fall and notes he has vetoed more bills than any governor in modern state history, including measures Republicans pushed to change how elections are conducted.

Evers faces&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-wisconsin-donald-trump-campaigns-376cd7c0233e619f8574897b724854d9">businessman Tim Michels</a>, who was endorsed by Trump. Michels has claimed the 2020 presidential election was rigged —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-michael-pence-electoral-college-elections-health-2d9bd47a8bd3561682ac46c6b3873a10">a lie Trump has pushed</a>&nbsp;in an effort to overturn his loss to Biden — and supports changes to voting and election laws in the state, a perennial presidential battleground.

Michels is among several&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-wisconsin-donald-trump-marjorie-taylor-greene-b5c2ee83bb655c43e1deb9c46f2a6020">Trump-backed nominees who emerged</a>&nbsp;from sometimes brutal GOP primaries. In some cases, more moderate or establishment Republicans warned that the far-right pick endorsed by Trump would struggle to win in a general election.

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, chair of the Republican Governors Association, acknowledged the intraparty turmoil during a discussion at Georgetown University’s Institute of Politics and Public Policy last week.

“We’re a divided nation right now, and it is very tribal. And much of that crept into this cycle,” said Ducey, who is term-limited.

The RGA doesn’t endorse in primaries. But as governor, Ducey endorsed businesswoman Karrin Taylor Robson for Arizona's GOP nomination for governor. She lost to former TV news anchor&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-presidential-censures-phoenix-donald-trump-5cccb6b2ba8d47eda24826ad5623dc36">Kari Lake, who had Trump’s backing</a>.

Ducey and Trump have feuded over the governor's refusal to cede to Trump’s wishes and overturn the 2020 election results in his state. Lake has said she would not have certified Biden’s victory, even though it has been affirmed by multiple reviews.

Cooper said the DGA will be “leaning in hard” in Arizona as well as in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-voting-rights-biden-presidential-georgia-79f42eb29feb778a1ca6543f3cbf63e0">a tight contest in Georgia</a>, where GOP Gov. Brian Kemp is facing Democrat Stacey Abrams, a former state legislative leader who lost a close 2018 race to him. In the primary, Kemp easily defeated former Sen. David Perdue, who was endorsed by Trump.

Both the Democratic and Republican governors associations entered 2022 having raised record amounts of money — over $70 million each — in what they say is a sign that voters are increasingly focused on state races. Cooper attributed some of the increased interest to Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election results.

The RGA is bullish about defending Republican governorships in Arizona and Georgia, and is heavily focused on picking up a handful of blue states in the West, including Oregon and New Mexico.

At the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-voting-rights-abortion-nevada-legislature-8116e7ccde2168ffdd8ed9fde48bb90d">top of the list is Nevada</a>, where Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo is among Republicans' most prized recruits this election cycle and is challenging Gov. Steve Sisolak.

In Oregon, GOP hopes rest on an independent candidate siphoning enough support from the Democrat and allowing the Republican to pull out a victory.

Democrats, meanwhile, are confident they will take back&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-presidential-connecticut-donald-trump-ea21ee30c7d436f44b08c22f88f4b878">governorships in Massachusetts and Maryland</a>, two blue states currently led by moderate Republicans, after far-right Republicans won their party’s nominations.

Pennsylvania, a top presidential battleground, is another state where the GOP nominee could hurt Republicans' chances in November. GOP voters chose Doug Mastriano from a crowded field, picking a Trump-backed candidate who opposes abortion rights without exceptions, spread conspiracy theories about the 2020 election and organized bus trips to the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, the day of the violent insurrection. He faces Democratic Attorney General Josh Shapiro.

Asked about the race during the discussion at Georgetown, Ducey was blunt.

“Another axiom that we have at the RGA is that we don’t fund lost causes, and we don’t fund landslides,” he said.

In Michigan, a swing state where Trump and his allies also tried unsuccessfully to overturn his 2020 loss, Trump-backed nominee Tudor Dixon won a chaotic GOP primary. Democrats have repeatedly criticized Dixon for her stance against abortion, including in cases of rape or incest. A measure to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-2022-midterm-elections-health-constitutions-michigan-supreme-court-620a6e4b963d7bb3152c20607da5e479">enshrine abortion rights</a>&nbsp;in the state constitution also will be on the November ballot, and Democrats are hoping it will help their candidates.

First-term Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has millions more in her campaign fund than Dixon, but said after an appearance at the Detroit Auto Show that she was taking nothing for granted.

“This is Michigan, and it’s always tight in Michigan,” she said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1662846700435.png" alt="Kansas&nbsp;Gov. Laura Kelly&nbsp;is the only Democratic governor running for reelection in a state carried by former President Donald Trump in 2020." />
 <figcaption>Kansas&nbsp;Gov. Laura Kelly&nbsp;is the only Democratic governor running for reelection in a state carried by former President Donald Trump in 2020.</figcaption>
 </figure>Topeka, Kan. (AP) — Governors races often are overshadowed by the fight for control of Congress&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-2022-midterm-elections-biden-sports-donald-trump-9dc668f08bdc2db8d87497f58a105ae9">during midterm elections</a>. But this fall, which candidate wins a state’s top executive post could be pivotal for the nation’s political future.With abortion rights, immigration policies and democracy itself in the balance, both parties are entering the final weeks before the Nov. 8 election prepared to spend unprecedented amounts of money to win seats for governor. Those elected will be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-biden-cabinet-only-on-ap-election-2020-19131c0f468839bf2b847bd7b3dfaf5c">in power for the 2024 election</a>, when they could influence voting laws as well as certification of the outcome. And their powers over abortion rights increased greatly when the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">U.S. Supreme Court in June</a>&nbsp;left the question to states to decide.“Governors races matter more than ever,” said North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, chair of the Democratic Governors Association, the group working to elect Democrats to lead states.For Democrats, Cooper said, governors "are often the last line of defense" on issues that have been turned over to states, including gun laws and voting rights in addition to abortion. That's been especially true in places with Democratic governors and Republican-controlled legislatures, such as Wisconsin and Kansas — states both parties have made top targets for victory in November. Democrats are leading Republican candidates in two important battleground states with GOP-led statehouses, Michigan and Pennsylvania.Kansas&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-2022-midterm-elections-voting-rights-health-d67531f2dd6856ac167ce48b3ec890ab">Gov. Laura Kelly</a>&nbsp;is the only Democratic governor running for reelection in a state carried by former President Donald Trump in 2020. The former legislator won the office in 2018 against a fiery conservative after running as a moderate who promoted bipartisanship.She now faces three-term state Attorney General Derek Schmidt, who has repeatedly tried to tie her to President Joe Biden and criticized her as too liberal for the red state. Schmidt's campaign has been hurt, however, by a third-party bid from a conservative state lawmaker.During a debate at the Kansas State Fair this month,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-presidential-legislature-cd8d1d6f24da4612b7faeb325a4611bf">Schmidt portrayed Kelly's position</a>&nbsp;on abortion as too extreme, telling a crowd she supports abortion without restrictions.Kansas has been the unlikely site of Democratic hopes in regard to abortion rights. In August, Kansas voters&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-kansas-abortion-b6d62a852c2ce4617f2c03589fbb523e">overwhelmingly defeated a proposed amendment</a>&nbsp;to the state constitution that would have allowed the GOP-controlled Legislature to greatly restrict or ban abortion. Kelly opposed the measure, though she has tried to focus her campaign elsewhere.Schmidt said he respects the outcome of the vote but that the abortion debate isn't over.“What was not on the ballot was Governor Kelly’s position,” he said.Throughout nearly two decades in elective politics, Kelly has opposed nearly every restriction on abortion now in Kansas law. But asked about Schmidt’s characterization of her position on abortion, she said, “You know, I have never said that.”Kelly hasn't emphasized abortion as an issue, though many Democrats think it would help her. Instead, she has been touting the state’s fiscal strength and her work to lure businesses and jobs.“Maybe I'm not flashy, but I'm effective,” she said at the end of the state fair debate.In Wisconsin, Democratic Gov. Tony Evers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-elections-wisconsin-janesville-democracy-b509e9b7b853c6884852a3d779cceadf">warns voters that democracy</a>&nbsp;is on the ballot this fall and notes he has vetoed more bills than any governor in modern state history, including measures Republicans pushed to change how elections are conducted.Evers faces&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-wisconsin-donald-trump-campaigns-376cd7c0233e619f8574897b724854d9">businessman Tim Michels</a>, who was endorsed by Trump. Michels has claimed the 2020 presidential election was rigged —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-michael-pence-electoral-college-elections-health-2d9bd47a8bd3561682ac46c6b3873a10">a lie Trump has pushed</a>&nbsp;in an effort to overturn his loss to Biden — and supports changes to voting and election laws in the state, a perennial presidential battleground.Michels is among several&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-wisconsin-donald-trump-marjorie-taylor-greene-b5c2ee83bb655c43e1deb9c46f2a6020">Trump-backed nominees who emerged</a>&nbsp;from sometimes brutal GOP primaries. In some cases, more moderate or establishment Republicans warned that the far-right pick endorsed by Trump would struggle to win in a general election.Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, chair of the Republican Governors Association, acknowledged the intraparty turmoil during a discussion at Georgetown University’s Institute of Politics and Public Policy last week.“We’re a divided nation right now, and it is very tribal. And much of that crept into this cycle,” said Ducey, who is term-limited.The RGA doesn’t endorse in primaries. But as governor, Ducey endorsed businesswoman Karrin Taylor Robson for Arizona's GOP nomination for governor. She lost to former TV news anchor&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-presidential-censures-phoenix-donald-trump-5cccb6b2ba8d47eda24826ad5623dc36">Kari Lake, who had Trump’s backing</a>.Ducey and Trump have feuded over the governor's refusal to cede to Trump’s wishes and overturn the 2020 election results in his state. Lake has said she would not have certified Biden’s victory, even though it has been affirmed by multiple reviews.Cooper said the DGA will be “leaning in hard” in Arizona as well as in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-voting-rights-biden-presidential-georgia-79f42eb29feb778a1ca6543f3cbf63e0">a tight contest in Georgia</a>, where GOP Gov. Brian Kemp is facing Democrat Stacey Abrams, a former state legislative leader who lost a close 2018 race to him. In the primary, Kemp easily defeated former Sen. David Perdue, who was endorsed by Trump.Both the Democratic and Republican governors associations entered 2022 having raised record amounts of money — over $70 million each — in what they say is a sign that voters are increasingly focused on state races. Cooper attributed some of the increased interest to Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election results.The RGA is bullish about defending Republican governorships in Arizona and Georgia, and is heavily focused on picking up a handful of blue states in the West, including Oregon and New Mexico.At the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-voting-rights-abortion-nevada-legislature-8116e7ccde2168ffdd8ed9fde48bb90d">top of the list is Nevada</a>, where Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo is among Republicans' most prized recruits this election cycle and is challenging Gov. Steve Sisolak.In Oregon, GOP hopes rest on an independent candidate siphoning enough support from the Democrat and allowing the Republican to pull out a victory.Democrats, meanwhile, are confident they will take back&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-presidential-connecticut-donald-trump-ea21ee30c7d436f44b08c22f88f4b878">governorships in Massachusetts and Maryland</a>, two blue states currently led by moderate Republicans, after far-right Republicans won their party’s nominations.Pennsylvania, a top presidential battleground, is another state where the GOP nominee could hurt Republicans' chances in November. GOP voters chose Doug Mastriano from a crowded field, picking a Trump-backed candidate who opposes abortion rights without exceptions, spread conspiracy theories about the 2020 election and organized bus trips to the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, the day of the violent insurrection. He faces Democratic Attorney General Josh Shapiro.Asked about the race during the discussion at Georgetown, Ducey was blunt.“Another axiom that we have at the RGA is that we don’t fund lost causes, and we don’t fund landslides,” he said.In Michigan, a swing state where Trump and his allies also tried unsuccessfully to overturn his 2020 loss, Trump-backed nominee Tudor Dixon won a chaotic GOP primary. Democrats have repeatedly criticized Dixon for her stance against abortion, including in cases of rape or incest. A measure to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-2022-midterm-elections-health-constitutions-michigan-supreme-court-620a6e4b963d7bb3152c20607da5e479">enshrine abortion rights</a>&nbsp;in the state constitution also will be on the November ballot, and Democrats are hoping it will help their candidates.First-term Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has millions more in her campaign fund than Dixon, but said after an appearance at the Detroit Auto Show that she was taking nothing for granted.“This is Michigan, and it’s always tight in Michigan,” she said.

Governors races take on new prominence, with higher stakes

KANSAS CITY (AP) — An 84-year-old man was convicted Thursday of shooting and killing a Kansas City lawyer who had won a multi-million judgment against him in a civil lawsuit.

A Jackson County jury deliberated about two hours before finding David Jungerman, of Raytown, guilty of first-degree murder and armed criminal action in the Oct. 25, 2017, death of 39-year-old Tom Pickert, who was shot in front of his home after he returned from walking his children to school.

Prosecutors contended Jungerman shot Pickert because he was upset the attorney had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/742acc90aae04325a9dfb9cee9625a8a">won a $5.75 million judgment</a>&nbsp;for a homeless man who Jungerman shot in 2012 because he thought the man was stealing from one of his businesses.

“We are very, very thankful that the jury has spoken and that justice has finally been brought to this family,” Tim Dollar, assistant Jackson County prosecutor, said after the verdict was announced.

Sentencing was scheduled for Nov. 18. Jungerman’s attorney, Daniel Ross, said they plan to appeal.

Prosecutors said 10 days before Pickert was shot, a garnishment was filed against Jungerman. The day before Pickert was shot, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office served Jungerman with property liens that would have prevented Jungerman from selling or transferring his property.

During the trial, prosecutors played an audio recording of Jungerman bragging about the murder to his farmhand, Kansas City media reported. Jungerman apparently recorded the conversation by accident and it was later discovered by authorities during a search of his house.

"The thing that sort of bothers me about me is that when I think about it, I grin. That (expletive) has caused me a lot of trouble,” Jungerman said on the audio.

Dollar said during closing arguments that the recording showed Jungerman had “ice water” in his veins.

“These two people are laughing,” Dollar said. "That is what he is thinking about when he says it makes me grin. What kind of monster would smile or laugh about that? That’s what he is talking about. That’s what was in his mind.”

Jungerman’s defense argued the police investigation was sloppy, with missing reports and destroyed evidence. They said about a quarter of the audio recording of Jungerman was missing.

“The state (prosecutors) ignored the facts. Why?” Ross said. “Because this fellow had a judgment against him and the lawyer who got it died, therefore he’s guilty. And that has been their approach since October 2017.”

KANSAS CITY —A jury on Thursday convicted a Raytown man in the 2018 murder of Kansas City lawyer Thomas Pickert in front of his residence, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

David Jungerman, 84, Raytown, was convicted of Murder 1st Degree and Armed Criminal Action.

According to court records, KCPD officers responded at about 8:07 a.m. on Oct. 25, 2017, to a Kansas City residence. They found the Pickert’s body on the front walk. 

He had been shot once by a .17 caliber bullet. Before the shooting, the victim had obtained a jury verdict in the amount of $5.75 million against Jungerman on behalf of his client. The day before the murder, Jungerman was served property liens by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office. 

The defendant owns a white van and told the media that no one used his van that day and that he had the only key to that van. A witness – a man walking his dog -- told police that he saw an older white man with grey hair standing behind an idling white van.&nbsp;

The fatal bullet, according to court records, was identified as a .17 caliber round, a relatively rare caliber. On March 8, 2018, a search warrant was obtained for the defendant’s car. 

Under the passenger seat an unspent .17 caliber bullet was located. A witness told police that he had a conversation with Jungerman in March 2018. During that conversation, Police executed search warrants, according to court records, at the defendant’s home and business. At his business, police found a print out from the Jackson County property tax database.

 It showed the victim’s home address. An Olympus audio recorder with a recording was recovered. The first part of the recording captured a court hearing that the defendant attended in November 2017. But after the hearing, the recorder continued to run. Later, the defendant talked to his employee about a .17 caliber rifle and about killing the victim.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663893726992.png" alt="Jungerman-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Jungerman-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — An 84-year-old man was convicted Thursday of shooting and killing a Kansas City lawyer who had won a multi-million judgment against him in a civil lawsuit.A Jackson County jury deliberated about two hours before finding David Jungerman, of Raytown, guilty of first-degree murder and armed criminal action in the Oct. 25, 2017, death of 39-year-old Tom Pickert, who was shot in front of his home after he returned from walking his children to school.Prosecutors contended Jungerman shot Pickert because he was upset the attorney had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/742acc90aae04325a9dfb9cee9625a8a">won a $5.75 million judgment</a>&nbsp;for a homeless man who Jungerman shot in 2012 because he thought the man was stealing from one of his businesses.“We are very, very thankful that the jury has spoken and that justice has finally been brought to this family,” Tim Dollar, assistant Jackson County prosecutor, said after the verdict was announced.Sentencing was scheduled for Nov. 18. Jungerman’s attorney, Daniel Ross, said they plan to appeal.Prosecutors said 10 days before Pickert was shot, a garnishment was filed against Jungerman. The day before Pickert was shot, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office served Jungerman with property liens that would have prevented Jungerman from selling or transferring his property.During the trial, prosecutors played an audio recording of Jungerman bragging about the murder to his farmhand, Kansas City media reported. Jungerman apparently recorded the conversation by accident and it was later discovered by authorities during a search of his house."The thing that sort of bothers me about me is that when I think about it, I grin. That (expletive) has caused me a lot of trouble,” Jungerman said on the audio.Dollar said during closing arguments that the recording showed Jungerman had “ice water” in his veins.“These two people are laughing,” Dollar said. "That is what he is thinking about when he says it makes me grin. What kind of monster would smile or laugh about that? That’s what he is talking about. That’s what was in his mind.”Jungerman’s defense argued the police investigation was sloppy, with missing reports and destroyed evidence. They said about a quarter of the audio recording of Jungerman was missing.“The state (prosecutors) ignored the facts. Why?” Ross said. “Because this fellow had a judgment against him and the lawyer who got it died, therefore he’s guilty. And that has been their approach since October 2017.”----------KANSAS CITY —A jury on Thursday convicted a Raytown man in the 2018 murder of Kansas City lawyer Thomas Pickert in front of his residence, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.David Jungerman, 84, Raytown, was convicted of Murder 1st Degree and Armed Criminal Action.According to court records, KCPD officers responded at about 8:07 a.m. on Oct. 25, 2017, to a Kansas City residence. They found the Pickert’s body on the front walk. He had been shot once by a .17 caliber bullet. Before the shooting, the victim had obtained a jury verdict in the amount of $5.75 million against Jungerman on behalf of his client. The day before the murder, Jungerman was served property liens by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office. The defendant owns a white van and told the media that no one used his van that day and that he had the only key to that van. A witness – a man walking his dog -- told police that he saw an older white man with grey hair standing behind an idling white van.&nbsp;The fatal bullet, according to court records, was identified as a .17 caliber round, a relatively rare caliber. On March 8, 2018, a search warrant was obtained for the defendant’s car. Under the passenger seat an unspent .17 caliber bullet was located. A witness told police that he had a conversation with Jungerman in March 2018. During that conversation, Police executed search warrants, according to court records, at the defendant’s home and business. At his business, police found a print out from the Jackson County property tax database. It showed the victim’s home address. An Olympus audio recorder with a recording was recovered. The first part of the recording captured a court hearing that the defendant attended in November 2017. But after the hearing, the recorder continued to run. Later, the defendant talked to his employee about a .17 caliber rifle and about killing the victim.Jungerman will be sentenced on Nov. 18.

Man guilty of killing KC attorney who won judgement against him 

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United States urged other nations to tell Russia to stop making nuclear threats and end “the horror” of its war in Ukraine as all three countries' top diplomats spoke — but didn't quite meet — at a high-profile U.N. Security Council meeting Thursday.

Held alongside the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/united-nations-general-assembly">annual U.N. General Assembly gathering of world leaders</a>, the session followed a striking development in the war this week: Russia&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-putin-donetsk-f64f9c91f24fc81bc8cc65e8bc7748f4">called up a portion of its reserves</a>&nbsp;for the first time since World War II. At the same time, President Vladimir Putin said his nuclear-armed country would “use all means available to us” to defend itself if its territory is threatened.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken saw Putin's remark as particularly menacing given&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-kyiv-kharkiv-3351d15af41ddde4176cb7cf72e74ac4">plans for referendums</a>&nbsp;in Russian-controlled parts of eastern and southern Ukraine on whether to become part of Russia.

Western nations have condemned those votes as illegitimate and nonbinding. But, in their wake, Moscow might see any Ukrainian attempt to retake those areas as an attack on “Russian territory,” Blinken warned.

“Every council member should send a clear message that these reckless nuclear threats must stop immediately,” he said.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov didn't mention his country's nuclear capacity or the new troop mobilization during his own remarks at the council meeting, which France called to discuss accountability for alleged abuses and atrocities during the nearly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">7-month-long war</a>.

Instead, Lavrov repeated his country’s frequent claims that Kyiv has long oppressed Russian speakers in Ukraine’s east — one of the explanations Moscow has offered for the invasion — and that Western support for Ukraine is a menace to Russia.

“What's particularly cynical is the position of states that are pumping Ukraine full of weapons and training their soldiers," he said, maintaining that their goal is to prolong fighting “to wear down and weaken Russia.”

“That policy means the direct involvement of the West in the conflict,” said Lavrov. He added that Ukraine had become “an anti-Russia staging ground to create threats against Russian security” and his country wouldn't accept it.

The Security Council has held dozens of contentious meetings on Ukraine since the war began in February, but Thursday’s session had special stature.

“That President Putin picked this week, as most of the world gathers at the United Nations, to add fuel to the fire he started shows his utter contempt and disdain for the U.N. Charter, the U.N. General Assembly and this council," Blinken told foreign ministers around the group's famous horseshoe-shaped table.

“Tell President Putin to stop the horror he started. Tell him to stop putting his interests above the interests of the rest of the world, including his own people,” Blinken added.

Regardless, no one expects the council to act against Russia, since Moscow has veto power as a permanent member.

But the meeting was still a rare moment for top diplomats from Ukraine and Russia to appear in the same room — made all the more extraordinary for the fact that Lavrov is under U.S. sanctions.

In a sign of the charged atmosphere, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba apparently objected as council staffers prepared to put a placard marking Ukraine’s seat next to Russia’s. The placard was ultimately moved to another spot.

Ahead of the meeting, Kuleba wryly told reporters that he planned to keep a “social distance” from Lavrov. But it turned out he didn't have to: The Russian appeared only just before speaking and left right after, prompting Kuleba to quip later in his own speech that "Russian diplomats flee almost as quickly as Russian soldiers.”

British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said he thought Lavrov didn't care to hear “the collective condemnation of this council.”

And in an interview with The Associated Press, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre called Lavrov's decision not to hear other speakers in person "a sign of insecurity."

In an undiplomatic exchange, Lavrov accused the U.S. and its allies of covering up alleged misdeeds by Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskyy’s government on the rationale that “he’s a son of a bitch, but he’s our son of a bitch.” Kuleba later chided Russia for the “inappropriate slang.”

Blinken argued that Russia should face further censure and isolation for its invasion, pressing other countries to join in Washington's forceful condemnations of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">the conflict</a>. He cited the discovery of mass graves in Ukraine and repeated allegations from Ukrainians that they were tortured by Russian soldiers.

The International Criminal Court&nbsp;<a href="https://pronto.associatedpress.com/and%20sent%20teams%20to%20gather%20evidence.%20Other%20nations%20also%20are%20supporting%20investigation%20efforts%20by%20sending%20experts.%20The%20prosecutor%20hasn%E2%80%99t%20yet%20announced%20any%20charges%20linked%20to%20the%20conflict.">opened an investigation in March</a>&nbsp;into possible crimes amid the war and sent teams to gather evidence. Prosecutor Karim Khan told the council Thursday that he’s dispatching more ICC staffers next week to look into allegations emerging from eastern Ukraine.

Khan hasn’t yet announced any charges linked to the conflict, but he reiterated that he believes there are reasonable grounds to think that crimes have been committed.

“The picture that I’ve seen so far is troubling indeed,” he said.

The meeting came less than a week after Ukraine's Zelenskyy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-putin-donetsk-f64f9c91f24fc81bc8cc65e8bc7748f4">announced the discovery of a mass burial site</a>&nbsp;near a northeastern city, Izium, that had recently been recaptured from Russian forces. Zelenskyy said investigators found evidence that some of the dead were tortured.

French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna told the council that the discovery prompted her country to send more investigators to join others who have been in Ukraine since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-kyiv-business-criminal-investigations-bed8a5fac1dab4cfcdf45aed815ff510">hundreds of civilians were found dead in another city, Bucha,</a>&nbsp;after a Russian withdrawal in late March.

There are “so many violations of the laws of war and so many actions for which Russia must be held accountable," she said.

Other council members also called for accountability, but in varying tones.

“Investigations into violations of international humanitarian law should be objective and fair, based on fair facts, rather than an assumption of guilt, and without being politicized,” said Foreign Minister Wang Yi of China, which has maintained strong ties with Russia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663880655086.png" alt="The United Nations Security Council meets on the situation in Ukraine, Thursday-photo courtesy U.S. State Department" />
 <figcaption>The United Nations Security Council meets on the situation in Ukraine, Thursday-photo courtesy U.S. State Department</figcaption>
 </figure>UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United States urged other nations to tell Russia to stop making nuclear threats and end “the horror” of its war in Ukraine as all three countries' top diplomats spoke — but didn't quite meet — at a high-profile U.N. Security Council meeting Thursday.Held alongside the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/united-nations-general-assembly">annual U.N. General Assembly gathering of world leaders</a>, the session followed a striking development in the war this week: Russia&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-putin-donetsk-f64f9c91f24fc81bc8cc65e8bc7748f4">called up a portion of its reserves</a>&nbsp;for the first time since World War II. At the same time, President Vladimir Putin said his nuclear-armed country would “use all means available to us” to defend itself if its territory is threatened.U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken saw Putin's remark as particularly menacing given&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-kyiv-kharkiv-3351d15af41ddde4176cb7cf72e74ac4">plans for referendums</a>&nbsp;in Russian-controlled parts of eastern and southern Ukraine on whether to become part of Russia.Western nations have condemned those votes as illegitimate and nonbinding. But, in their wake, Moscow might see any Ukrainian attempt to retake those areas as an attack on “Russian territory,” Blinken warned.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663880635322.png" alt="Secretary of State Antony Blinken during the Security Council meeting on Thursday-photo courtesy State Department" />
 <figcaption>Secretary of State Antony Blinken during the Security Council meeting on Thursday-photo courtesy State Department</figcaption>
 </figure>“Every council member should send a clear message that these reckless nuclear threats must stop immediately,” he said.Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov didn't mention his country's nuclear capacity or the new troop mobilization during his own remarks at the council meeting, which France called to discuss accountability for alleged abuses and atrocities during the nearly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">7-month-long war</a>.Instead, Lavrov repeated his country’s frequent claims that Kyiv has long oppressed Russian speakers in Ukraine’s east — one of the explanations Moscow has offered for the invasion — and that Western support for Ukraine is a menace to Russia.“What's particularly cynical is the position of states that are pumping Ukraine full of weapons and training their soldiers," he said, maintaining that their goal is to prolong fighting “to wear down and weaken Russia.”“That policy means the direct involvement of the West in the conflict,” said Lavrov. He added that Ukraine had become “an anti-Russia staging ground to create threats against Russian security” and his country wouldn't accept it.The Security Council has held dozens of contentious meetings on Ukraine since the war began in February, but Thursday’s session had special stature.“That President Putin picked this week, as most of the world gathers at the United Nations, to add fuel to the fire he started shows his utter contempt and disdain for the U.N. Charter, the U.N. General Assembly and this council," Blinken told foreign ministers around the group's famous horseshoe-shaped table.“Tell President Putin to stop the horror he started. Tell him to stop putting his interests above the interests of the rest of the world, including his own people,” Blinken added.Regardless, no one expects the council to act against Russia, since Moscow has veto power as a permanent member.But the meeting was still a rare moment for top diplomats from Ukraine and Russia to appear in the same room — made all the more extraordinary for the fact that Lavrov is under U.S. sanctions.In a sign of the charged atmosphere, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba apparently objected as council staffers prepared to put a placard marking Ukraine’s seat next to Russia’s. The placard was ultimately moved to another spot.Ahead of the meeting, Kuleba wryly told reporters that he planned to keep a “social distance” from Lavrov. But it turned out he didn't have to: The Russian appeared only just before speaking and left right after, prompting Kuleba to quip later in his own speech that "Russian diplomats flee almost as quickly as Russian soldiers.”British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said he thought Lavrov didn't care to hear “the collective condemnation of this council.”And in an interview with The Associated Press, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre called Lavrov's decision not to hear other speakers in person "a sign of insecurity."In an undiplomatic exchange, Lavrov accused the U.S. and its allies of covering up alleged misdeeds by Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskyy’s government on the rationale that “he’s a son of a bitch, but he’s our son of a bitch.” Kuleba later chided Russia for the “inappropriate slang.”Blinken argued that Russia should face further censure and isolation for its invasion, pressing other countries to join in Washington's forceful condemnations of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">the conflict</a>. He cited the discovery of mass graves in Ukraine and repeated allegations from Ukrainians that they were tortured by Russian soldiers.The International Criminal Court&nbsp;<a href="https://pronto.associatedpress.com/and%20sent%20teams%20to%20gather%20evidence.%20Other%20nations%20also%20are%20supporting%20investigation%20efforts%20by%20sending%20experts.%20The%20prosecutor%20hasn%E2%80%99t%20yet%20announced%20any%20charges%20linked%20to%20the%20conflict.">opened an investigation in March</a>&nbsp;into possible crimes amid the war and sent teams to gather evidence. Prosecutor Karim Khan told the council Thursday that he’s dispatching more ICC staffers next week to look into allegations emerging from eastern Ukraine.Khan hasn’t yet announced any charges linked to the conflict, but he reiterated that he believes there are reasonable grounds to think that crimes have been committed.“The picture that I’ve seen so far is troubling indeed,” he said.The meeting came less than a week after Ukraine's Zelenskyy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-putin-donetsk-f64f9c91f24fc81bc8cc65e8bc7748f4">announced the discovery of a mass burial site</a>&nbsp;near a northeastern city, Izium, that had recently been recaptured from Russian forces. Zelenskyy said investigators found evidence that some of the dead were tortured.French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna told the council that the discovery prompted her country to send more investigators to join others who have been in Ukraine since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-kyiv-business-criminal-investigations-bed8a5fac1dab4cfcdf45aed815ff510">hundreds of civilians were found dead in another city, Bucha,</a>&nbsp;after a Russian withdrawal in late March.There are “so many violations of the laws of war and so many actions for which Russia must be held accountable," she said.Other council members also called for accountability, but in varying tones.“Investigations into violations of international humanitarian law should be objective and fair, based on fair facts, rather than an assumption of guilt, and without being politicized,” said Foreign Minister Wang Yi of China, which has maintained strong ties with Russia.___

US urges world to tell Russia to stop its nuclear threats

ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for alleged theft.

Shortly before 1:00a.m. on Thursday police responded to the 800 block South 6th Street in Atchison&nbsp; to check on the welfare of a person, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.

After officers arrived they observed a 2017 Chevrolet 4 door vehicle at the scene and determined it was a vehicle reported stolen in Leavenworth on Tuesday.&nbsp;

Officers arrested 31-year-old Sacandra L. Casiano, 31, Atchison, on a requested charge of possession of stolen property. She is being held without bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663872038313.png" alt="Casiano-photo Atchison Co." />
 <figcaption>Casiano-photo Atchison Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for alleged theft.Shortly before 1:00a.m. on Thursday police responded to the 800 block South 6th Street in Atchison&nbsp; to check on the welfare of a person, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.After officers arrived they observed a 2017 Chevrolet 4 door vehicle at the scene and determined it was a vehicle reported stolen in Leavenworth on Tuesday.&nbsp;Officers arrested 31-year-old Sacandra L. Casiano, 31, Atchison, on a requested charge of possession of stolen property. She is being held without bond.

Police: Kansas woman arrested for alleged vehicle theft

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Just before 1:30 a.m. Wednesday, police were dispatched report of shooting in the 3800 Block of SW South Park Avenue in Topeka, according to Lt. Donna Eubanks.

At the scene officers located a man with a gunshot wound , who was subsequently transported to a local hospital.

During the investigation, police arrested Rajhgerio Smith, 21, Topeka on requested charges Criminal Possession of a firearm, Battery on Law Enforcement Officer and Assault of Law Enforcement Officer, according to Eubanks.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663784338974.png" alt="Smith-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Smith-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Just before 1:30 a.m. Wednesday, police were dispatched report of shooting in the 3800 Block of SW South Park Avenue in Topeka, according to Lt. Donna Eubanks.At the scene officers located a man with a gunshot wound , who was subsequently transported to a local hospital.During the investigation, police arrested Rajhgerio Smith, 21, Topeka on requested charges Criminal Possession of a firearm, Battery on Law Enforcement Officer and Assault of Law Enforcement Officer, according to Eubanks.

Suspect accused of assault on Kan. officer during shooting arrest

FINNEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating alleged child sex crimes have located a suspect.

On Sept. 9, Garden City police issued an alert to help locate 23-year-old Fredis Enrique Rivera of Garden City for alleged aggravated solicitation of a child, according to a statement from police.

On Wednesday, police reported that had Rivera in custody on a $75,000 bond on requested charges that include&nbsp;Attempted aggravated indecent liberties w child under the age of 14 and&nbsp;Aggravated indecent solicitation of a child, Sex act with a child under the age of 14, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663872908509.png" alt="Rivera-photo Finney Co." />
 <figcaption>Rivera-photo Finney Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>FINNEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating alleged child sex crimes have located a suspect.On Sept. 9, Garden City police issued an alert to help locate 23-year-old Fredis Enrique Rivera of Garden City for alleged aggravated solicitation of a child, according to a statement from police.On Wednesday, police reported that had Rivera in custody on a $75,000 bond on requested charges that include&nbsp;Attempted aggravated indecent liberties w child under the age of 14 and&nbsp;Aggravated indecent solicitation of a child, Sex act with a child under the age of 14, according to online jail records.

Police capture wanted SW Kansas child sex crime suspect

KANSAS CITY (AP) —BNSF Railway Co. has asked a federal court to require victims of a deadly Amtrak crash in Missouri to pursue settlements through arbitration, rather than lawsuits.

BNSF owns the railroad tracks used by Amtrak when a Southwest Chief train traveling from Los Angeles to Chicago&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/amtrak-derailment-missouri-a5ca59f5243b1a1008f4cf9b11c2fb31">collided with a pickup truck</a>&nbsp;that was blocking an intersection near Mendon, Missouri. Three train passengers and the truck driver died and dozens more were injured in the June 27 collision.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lawsuits-kansas-city-missouri-transportation-8f2523647ba8f581bd2222458d6a2580">Multiple lawsuits have been filed</a>&nbsp;since the collision against both railway companies. Missouri transportation officials, Chariton County leaders and areas residents had been pushing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/amtrak-accident-missouri-investigation-10b519f9c4bf04d4a3cd490fddae217c">for safety upgrades</a>&nbsp;at the crossing, which is steep and had no lights or other signals to warn about an approaching train.

In a federal lawsuit filed Tuesday, BNSF asked for a preliminary injunction to require the victims to use arbitration rather than proceed with their lawsuits in court. The company also asked the judge to halt action on lawsuits pending in Missouri courts until the arbitration question is settled.

BNSF, based in Fort Worth, Texas, argues that when passengers bought tickets from Amtrak, they checked a box agreeing to terms and conditions, which includes binding arbitration agreements. BNSF argues the terms apply to the company because it is the host railroad for Amtrak.

Grant Davis, who was appointed as a lead attorney for a plaintiff’s committee working to consolidate pre-trial matters in the numerous lawsuits, said BNSF is trying to take away his clients’ constitutional right to a jury trial.

“We believe they are wrong factually and legally on this issue," Davis said. “The fact that BNSF was not a party to (Amtrak’s) poor attempt at an arbitration agreement is fatal to this effort. It’s adding insult to injury for BNSF to file a case against the very people it injured."

Among the defendants named in the lawsuit are relatives of the three passengers who died: Rochelle Cook, 58, and Kim Holsapple, 56, both of De Soto, Kansas; and Binh Pham, 82, of Kansas City, Missouri.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1656361752974.png" alt="An image courtesy a video posted by Robert Nightingale, who was a passenger aboard the Amtrak train that derailed on Monday, June 27, in Mendon, Missouri." />
 <figcaption>An image courtesy a video posted by Robert Nightingale, who was a passenger aboard the Amtrak train that derailed on Monday, June 27, in Mendon, Missouri.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) —BNSF Railway Co. has asked a federal court to require victims of a deadly Amtrak crash in Missouri to pursue settlements through arbitration, rather than lawsuits.BNSF owns the railroad tracks used by Amtrak when a Southwest Chief train traveling from Los Angeles to Chicago&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/amtrak-derailment-missouri-a5ca59f5243b1a1008f4cf9b11c2fb31">collided with a pickup truck</a>&nbsp;that was blocking an intersection near Mendon, Missouri. Three train passengers and the truck driver died and dozens more were injured in the June 27 collision.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lawsuits-kansas-city-missouri-transportation-8f2523647ba8f581bd2222458d6a2580">Multiple lawsuits have been filed</a>&nbsp;since the collision against both railway companies. Missouri transportation officials, Chariton County leaders and areas residents had been pushing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/amtrak-accident-missouri-investigation-10b519f9c4bf04d4a3cd490fddae217c">for safety upgrades</a>&nbsp;at the crossing, which is steep and had no lights or other signals to warn about an approaching train.In a federal lawsuit filed Tuesday, BNSF asked for a preliminary injunction to require the victims to use arbitration rather than proceed with their lawsuits in court. The company also asked the judge to halt action on lawsuits pending in Missouri courts until the arbitration question is settled.BNSF, based in Fort Worth, Texas, argues that when passengers bought tickets from Amtrak, they checked a box agreeing to terms and conditions, which includes binding arbitration agreements. BNSF argues the terms apply to the company because it is the host railroad for Amtrak.Grant Davis, who was appointed as a lead attorney for a plaintiff’s committee working to consolidate pre-trial matters in the numerous lawsuits, said BNSF is trying to take away his clients’ constitutional right to a jury trial.“We believe they are wrong factually and legally on this issue," Davis said. “The fact that BNSF was not a party to (Amtrak’s) poor attempt at an arbitration agreement is fatal to this effort. It’s adding insult to injury for BNSF to file a case against the very people it injured."Among the defendants named in the lawsuit are relatives of the three passengers who died: Rochelle Cook, 58, and Kim Holsapple, 56, both of De Soto, Kansas; and Binh Pham, 82, of Kansas City, Missouri.

BNSF sues victims, families of deadly Amtrak crash

&nbsp;JOHNSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal weekend shooting have arrested a suspect.&nbsp;

Doniel Sublett, 29, Shawnee, is being held on a $3 million dollar bond and has been charged with premeditated first-degree murder, according to online Johnson County jail records.&nbsp;

Just before 6p.m. Sunday, police responded to report of a medical emergency at an apartment in the 7400 Block of Flint, according to a media release from police.

At the scene, officers located 25-year-old Kaathleen J. Dampier with gunshot wounds. She was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp; Officers took two into custody for questioning.

The Johnson County Sheriff's office crime scene investigations unit&nbsp; assisted police at the scene.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663757512945.png" alt="Sublett-photo Johnson County" />
 <figcaption>Sublett-photo Johnson County</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;JOHNSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal weekend shooting have arrested a suspect.&nbsp;Doniel Sublett, 29, Shawnee, is being held on a $3 million dollar bond and has been charged with premeditated first-degree murder, according to online Johnson County jail records.&nbsp;Just before 6p.m. Sunday, police responded to report of a medical emergency at an apartment in the 7400 Block of Flint, according to a media release from police.At the scene, officers located 25-year-old Kaathleen J. Dampier with gunshot wounds. She was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp; Officers took two into custody for questioning.The Johnson County Sheriff's office crime scene investigations unit&nbsp; assisted police at the scene.

Suspect in Kansas woman's murder jailed on $3 million bond

ELLSWORTH – A Kansas man has been sentenced to two consecutive life terms in prison for conviction of child sex crimes under the Kansas version of Jessica’s Law, according to Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt.

Jason Cunningham, 36, was sentenced in Ellsworth County District Court by Judge Carey Hipp to two life sentences with parole eligibility after 50 years, plus an additional 32 months in prison. 

Cunningham was found guilty by a jury in July of two counts of aggravated criminal sodomy, one count of attempted aggravated criminal sodomy, one count of attempted aggravated indecent liberties with a child, one count of aggravated indecent liberties with a child, one count of indecent liberties with a child, one count of aggravated intimidation of a victim, and two counts of promoting obscenity to a minor.

Hipp also sentenced Cunningham to lifetime registration as a violent offender and lifetime parole.

The case was investigated by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation’s Northeast Child Victim Task force with the assistance from additional KBI agents, the Wilson Police Department and the Ellsworth County Sheriff’s Office. Investigators said the crimes occurred between 2014 and 2020 and involved two minor children at the time the crimes were committed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658180745683.png" alt="Cunningham-photo Ellsworth Co." />
 <figcaption>Cunningham-photo Ellsworth Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>ELLSWORTH – A Kansas man has been sentenced to two consecutive life terms in prison for conviction of child sex crimes under the Kansas version of Jessica’s Law, according to Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt.Jason Cunningham, 36, was sentenced in Ellsworth County District Court by Judge Carey Hipp to two life sentences with parole eligibility after 50 years, plus an additional 32 months in prison. Cunningham was found guilty by a jury in July of two counts of aggravated criminal sodomy, one count of attempted aggravated criminal sodomy, one count of attempted aggravated indecent liberties with a child, one count of aggravated indecent liberties with a child, one count of indecent liberties with a child, one count of aggravated intimidation of a victim, and two counts of promoting obscenity to a minor.Hipp also sentenced Cunningham to lifetime registration as a violent offender and lifetime parole.The case was investigated by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation’s Northeast Child Victim Task force with the assistance from additional KBI agents, the Wilson Police Department and the Ellsworth County Sheriff’s Office. Investigators said the crimes occurred between 2014 and 2020 and involved two minor children at the time the crimes were committed.

Kansas man sentenced to 2 life terms for child sex crimes

By JENNIFER SHUTT <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/09/22/beagles-rescued-from-virginia-dog-breeding-facility-get-the-star-treatment-in-d-c/">States Newsroom</a>

WASHINGTON — Now-famous beagles 
rescued from a breeding and research facility in Virginia were on 
Capitol Hill on Thursday as an animal welfare group and a California 
congressman pushed for legislation that would promote adoption of 
research animals.

“It’s unfortunate that animals are 
still allowed to be used in testing. That hopefully is going to go away 
very, very soon. But while it’s happening, we can do better,” said Rep. 
Tony Cárdenas.

The beagles came from a
 controversial Envigo medical dog-breeding facility in Cumberland County
 that shut down under pressure from federal regulators because of a 
string of animal welfare violations, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.virginiamercury.com/blog-va/beagle-breeding-facility-shutting-down-over-violations-will-be-allowed-to-sell-500-dogs/">the Virginia Mercury has reported.</a>&nbsp; Federal agents in May <a target="_blank" href="https://www.peta.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/012-Joint-Motion-to-Extend-TRO.pdf">seized hundreds of dogs and puppies</a> found to be “in acute distress.”

A judge in July <a target="_blank" href="https://www.wric.com/news/virginia-news/judge-approves-transfer-of-all-4000-remaining-beagles-at-breeding-facility-to-shelters-for-adoption/?eType=EmailBlastContent&amp;eId=44444444-4444-4444-4444-444444444444">approved a plan</a> to move 4,000 beagles from the facility to shelters for adoption, making national headlines. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-08-24/meghan-prince-harry-adopt-beagle-rescued-from-virginia-plant">One adopter turned out to be </a>Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, and her husband, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, who are now living in California.

On Thursday, several of the beagles 
were at the Capitol to get petted and shown off at a “meet and greet” 
and to help make a point about animal research.

Cárdenas, a California Democrat, introduced a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/5726">bill</a>
 last October that would require any facility receiving funding from the
 National Institutes of Health to make “reasonable efforts” to adopt any
 dog, cat, or rabbit deemed suitable for adoption once that animal is no
 longer needed for biomedical and behavioral research.&nbsp;

The legislation has just four other 
co-sponsors, Joe Neguse of Colorado, Jimmy Panetta of California, Donald
 Payne Jr. of New Jersey and Dina Titus of Nevada.

When asked about the strategy for 
reaching the level of support the bill would need to clear the House and
 the Senate, Cárdenas told States Newsroom that he plans to push back on
 the medical research industry criticism that the measure is “too 
onerous.”&nbsp;

Cárdenas also hopes more of his colleagues will voice support for the legislation.&nbsp;

Monica Engebretson, North America 
campaign manager for Cruelty Free International, said 15 states require 
animal research facilities to offer dogs and cats they no longer want 
for adoption. But she believes a nationwide law is needed.&nbsp;

Engebretson said the group has had 
some success in the past getting policy changes enacted through the 
annual legislation that funds the NIH, which is headquartered in 
Bethesda, Maryland, and hopes to do so again with this current policy 
proposal.&nbsp;

The NIH’s website says that it’s 
“committed to continuing to develop non-animal model alternative 
methods,” though it notes “we are not at a point where alternative 
approaches can completely replace the use of animals at this time.”

“The alternatives simply cannot 
accurately replicate or model all the biologic and behavioral aspects of
 human disease,” NIH writes. “Until that time, animal models will remain
 integral for NIH-supported research.”

The NIH also has an Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare.&nbsp;&nbsp;

But neither its Public Health Service
 Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals or its Guide for 
the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals include any proposals or 
suggestions for whether cats, dogs and bunnies should be available for 
adoption after they are no longer needed.&nbsp;

The Office of Laboratory Animal 
Welfare notes on its website that it “supports the safety and protection
 of animals and reminds institutions that their policies must clarify 
the disposition of animals acquired for research once the research has 
ended, which may include adoption.” It also says it “will not assume 
legal or financial responsibility for any adoption program” of research 
animals.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663883738198.png" alt="A beagle rescued from the Envigo medical dog-breeding facility in Cumberland County, Virginia, appears at a Capitol Hill event on Sept. 22. (Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom)" />
 <figcaption>A beagle rescued from the Envigo medical dog-breeding facility in Cumberland County, Virginia, appears at a Capitol Hill event on Sept. 22. (Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom)</figcaption>
 </figure>By JENNIFER SHUTT <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/09/22/beagles-rescued-from-virginia-dog-breeding-facility-get-the-star-treatment-in-d-c/">States Newsroom</a>WASHINGTON — Now-famous beagles 
rescued from a breeding and research facility in Virginia were on 
Capitol Hill on Thursday as an animal welfare group and a California 
congressman pushed for legislation that would promote adoption of 
research animals.“It’s unfortunate that animals are 
still allowed to be used in testing. That hopefully is going to go away 
very, very soon. But while it’s happening, we can do better,” said Rep. 
Tony Cárdenas.The beagles came from a
 controversial Envigo medical dog-breeding facility in Cumberland County
 that shut down under pressure from federal regulators because of a 
string of animal welfare violations, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.virginiamercury.com/blog-va/beagle-breeding-facility-shutting-down-over-violations-will-be-allowed-to-sell-500-dogs/">the Virginia Mercury has reported.</a>&nbsp; Federal agents in May <a target="_blank" href="https://www.peta.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/012-Joint-Motion-to-Extend-TRO.pdf">seized hundreds of dogs and puppies</a> found to be “in acute distress.”A judge in July <a target="_blank" href="https://www.wric.com/news/virginia-news/judge-approves-transfer-of-all-4000-remaining-beagles-at-breeding-facility-to-shelters-for-adoption/?eType=EmailBlastContent&amp;eId=44444444-4444-4444-4444-444444444444">approved a plan</a> to move 4,000 beagles from the facility to shelters for adoption, making national headlines. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-08-24/meghan-prince-harry-adopt-beagle-rescued-from-virginia-plant">One adopter turned out to be </a>Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, and her husband, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, who are now living in California.On Thursday, several of the beagles 
were at the Capitol to get petted and shown off at a “meet and greet” 
and to help make a point about animal research.Cárdenas, a California Democrat, introduced a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/5726">bill</a>
 last October that would require any facility receiving funding from the
 National Institutes of Health to make “reasonable efforts” to adopt any
 dog, cat, or rabbit deemed suitable for adoption once that animal is no
 longer needed for biomedical and behavioral research.&nbsp;The legislation has just four other 
co-sponsors, Joe Neguse of Colorado, Jimmy Panetta of California, Donald
 Payne Jr. of New Jersey and Dina Titus of Nevada.When asked about the strategy for 
reaching the level of support the bill would need to clear the House and
 the Senate, Cárdenas told States Newsroom that he plans to push back on
 the medical research industry criticism that the measure is “too 
onerous.”&nbsp;“I don’t buy that,” he said.Cárdenas also hopes more of his colleagues will voice support for the legislation.&nbsp;Monica Engebretson, North America 
campaign manager for Cruelty Free International, said 15 states require 
animal research facilities to offer dogs and cats they no longer want 
for adoption. But she believes a nationwide law is needed.&nbsp;Engebretson said the group has had 
some success in the past getting policy changes enacted through the 
annual legislation that funds the NIH, which is headquartered in 
Bethesda, Maryland, and hopes to do so again with this current policy 
proposal.&nbsp;The NIH’s website says that it’s 
“committed to continuing to develop non-animal model alternative 
methods,” though it notes “we are not at a point where alternative 
approaches can completely replace the use of animals at this time.”“The alternatives simply cannot 
accurately replicate or model all the biologic and behavioral aspects of
 human disease,” NIH writes. “Until that time, animal models will remain
 integral for NIH-supported research.”The NIH also has an Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare.&nbsp;&nbsp;But neither its Public Health Service
 Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals or its Guide for 
the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals include any proposals or 
suggestions for whether cats, dogs and bunnies should be available for 
adoption after they are no longer needed.&nbsp;The Office of Laboratory Animal 
Welfare notes on its website that it “supports the safety and protection
 of animals and reminds institutions that their policies must clarify 
the disposition of animals acquired for research once the research has 
ended, which may include adoption.” It also says it “will not assume 
legal or financial responsibility for any adoption program” of research 
animals.&nbsp;

Beagles rescued from dog-breeding facility get D.C. star treatment

FORD COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating the motive for a stabbing outside Dodge City High School and have made an arrest.

Just after 8a.m. Thursday, police responded to the report of the stabbing of a high school student reported to the School Resource Officer, according to a media release.

At approximately 7:45a.m., the student victim parked his car in the school parking lot and was approached by the suspect. 

An altercation ensued leaving the student with a stab wound to the hand. The suspect, later identified as a 33-year-old Dodge City resident, left school grounds in his vehicle. Officers were able to identify the suspect's vehicle and track it to an address in the 2200 block of Hart Avenue.

The suspect at first refused to come to the door. He later came to the door after his father arrived. Police arrested him on requested charges of aggravated battery.

The victim was treated by school personnel and later at the hospital, according to police.&nbsp; Police released no additional details.

FORD COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating the motive for a stabbing outside Dodge City High School and have made an arrest.Just after 8a.m. Thursday, police responded to the report of the stabbing of a high school student reported to the School Resource Officer, according to a media release.At approximately 7:45a.m., the student victim parked his car in the school parking lot and was approached by the suspect. An altercation ensued leaving the student with a stab wound to the hand. The suspect, later identified as a 33-year-old Dodge City resident, left school grounds in his vehicle. Officers were able to identify the suspect's vehicle and track it to an address in the 2200 block of Hart Avenue.The suspect at first refused to come to the door. He later came to the door after his father arrived. Police arrested him on requested charges of aggravated battery.The victim was treated by school personnel and later at the hospital, according to police.&nbsp; Police released no additional details.

33-year-old jailed for stabbing student in Kan. school parking lot

By ROSE CONLON <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/news/2022-09-22/kansas-nursing-homes-are-closing-because-they-cant-find-enough-workers">Kansas News Service</a>

WICHITA&nbsp;— Kansas finds itself in a budding nursing home crisis.

A
 lack of workers and money troubles forced dozens of nursing homes and 
assisted living centers to close their doors during the pandemic, and 
more look doomed to follow.

Homes that remain open stand more than twice as likely to see staff shortages as the country overall.

Meanwhile,
 Kansas falls deeper into a demographic spiral with a fast-aging 
population and a lack of young people to take care of them. By 2036, the
 number of Kansans 65 years and older is projected to grow by more than 
40%.

Already, 35 long-term care facilities closed or downsized during the pandemic, according to <a href="https://lks.memberclicks.net/assets/docs/Workforce/SituationReport/LeadingAge%20KS%20-%20Situation%20Report.pdf" target="_blank">new report</a> by nonprofit aging services providers group LeadingAge Kansas.

The biggest reason, say nursing home operators, is a shortage of staff.

“For
 every person we hire, it seems like two are leaving,” said Heather 
Pilkinton, an administrator with Evergreen Community of Johnson County 
in Olathe.

The nursing home recently closed one fourth of its 
residential capacity because it couldn’t find enough workers. Pilkinton 
said that over the past year, around 20 of their 51 certified nursing 
assistant positions have remained unfilled.

Last week, the 
Apostolic Christian Home in Sabetha got into a bidding war with a nearby
 hospital over workers, said executive director Ed Strahm.

“Our 
staff is very much aware that they are in high demand,” he said. “It 
makes it a real challenge to stay competitively priced to the end 
customer.”

A similar story is playing out across the state.

An <a href="https://www.aarp.org/ppi/issues/caregiving/info-2020/nursing-home-covid-dashboard.html" target="_blank">AARP analysis</a>
 found that, for the past 12 months, over half of Kansas nursing homes 
saw a shortage of direct care workers. Shortages have outpaced the 
national average at least sinceearly in in the pandemic. Now the 
shortfall in Kansas is more than twice the national rate.

The costs for residents are tangible. When workers are in short supply and turnover is high, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16843237/" target="_blank">research shows</a> patients tend to lose weight and get more pressure sores, and COVID-19 <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama-health-forum/fullarticle/2794538" target="_blank">spreads more rapidly</a>.

If
 a nursing home can’t hire workers on its own, it might turn to a 
staffing agency to supply traveling nurses and nursing assistants for 
months-long contracts or one-day assignments.

But those private 
agencies charge much more than what the nursing home would pay to hire 
that same worker full-time. Part of the money goes to agency nurses in 
the form of higher paychecks, but a big chunk — sometimes nearly half — 
stays with the agency.

Across the health care industry, reliance on staffing agencies <a href="https://www.aha.org/costsofcaring" target="_blank">exploded</a> during the pandemic as an already-dire shortage of nurses worsened. And as demand went up, travel nurse salaries ballooned.

Temporary
 state and federal aid during the pandemic helped medical providers 
shoulder those costs, but that money is running out.

Now Kansas nursing home administrators want lawmakers to further regulate staffing agencies that they say are gouging prices.

“Nursing homes can’t sustain that,” Pilkinton said.

A
 growing dependence on agency nurses creates unique concerns in 
long-term care environments where elderly residents often crave 
consistency.

“It’s really difficult to have a different person 
caring for you all the time,” said Dana Weaver, the chief operating 
officer of LeadingAge Kansas. “It produces anxiety for the individual, 
and the individual actually has to teach the agency staff person how to 
care for them.”

But for many nurses, the decision to join a 
staffing agency comes down to a simple reality: they can make more money
 doing the same work. Certified nursing assistants, among the most 
common medical staff in nursing homes, earn a median income of $30,000 
per year and often <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7267626/" target="_blank">work multiple jobs</a> to make ends meet.

Rebecca
 Givan, a professor of labor studies at Rutgers University, said the 
sudden growth of staffing agency costs raises questions, especially as 
investors <a href="https://www.statnews.com/2022/02/15/private-equity-firms-are-cashing-in-on-the-travel-nursing-business/" target="_blank">rushed into the industry</a> during the pandemic. But she said administrators could take steps to reduce their reliance on agencies.

“The
 way to do that is to pay them more,” she said. “And, often, these 
facilities don’t want to pay them more — but then they’re actually 
paying multiple times that out to the agencies.”

Givan said administrators should also think more holistically about how to improve working conditions.

“It means pay, but it also means voice,” she said. “It means if they’re unionized or want to unionize, not resisting.”

Robert
 Livonius, a former chairman of the American Staffing Association who 
sits on the boards of multiple health care staffing agencies, said “some
 bad actors … popped up during the pandemic period and took advantage of
 the situation, raised prices.”.

“Those people,” he said, “should be taken out of the industry.”

But he said agencies aren’t to the blame for the bigger problem: a systemic lack of health care workers.

“There
 is a very acute shortage of enough certified nursing assistants and 
nurses to work in long-term care,” he said. “That problem was there 
before the pandemic, and it’s just been exacerbated.”

Rose 
Conlon reports on health for KMUW and the Kansas News Service. You can 
follow her on Twitter at @rosebconlon or email her at conlon@kmuw.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663853554969.png" alt="Bethany Wood / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>Bethany Wood / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By ROSE CONLON <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/news/2022-09-22/kansas-nursing-homes-are-closing-because-they-cant-find-enough-workers">Kansas News Service</a>WICHITA&nbsp;— Kansas finds itself in a budding nursing home crisis.A
 lack of workers and money troubles forced dozens of nursing homes and 
assisted living centers to close their doors during the pandemic, and 
more look doomed to follow.Homes that remain open stand more than twice as likely to see staff shortages as the country overall.Meanwhile,
 Kansas falls deeper into a demographic spiral with a fast-aging 
population and a lack of young people to take care of them. By 2036, the
 number of Kansans 65 years and older is projected to grow by more than 
40%.Already, 35 long-term care facilities closed or downsized during the pandemic, according to <a href="https://lks.memberclicks.net/assets/docs/Workforce/SituationReport/LeadingAge%20KS%20-%20Situation%20Report.pdf" target="_blank">new report</a> by nonprofit aging services providers group LeadingAge Kansas.The biggest reason, say nursing home operators, is a shortage of staff.“For
 every person we hire, it seems like two are leaving,” said Heather 
Pilkinton, an administrator with Evergreen Community of Johnson County 
in Olathe.The nursing home recently closed one fourth of its 
residential capacity because it couldn’t find enough workers. Pilkinton 
said that over the past year, around 20 of their 51 certified nursing 
assistant positions have remained unfilled.Last week, the 
Apostolic Christian Home in Sabetha got into a bidding war with a nearby
 hospital over workers, said executive director Ed Strahm.“Our 
staff is very much aware that they are in high demand,” he said. “It 
makes it a real challenge to stay competitively priced to the end 
customer.”A similar story is playing out across the state.An <a href="https://www.aarp.org/ppi/issues/caregiving/info-2020/nursing-home-covid-dashboard.html" target="_blank">AARP analysis</a>
 found that, for the past 12 months, over half of Kansas nursing homes 
saw a shortage of direct care workers. Shortages have outpaced the 
national average at least sinceearly in in the pandemic. Now the 
shortfall in Kansas is more than twice the national rate.The costs for residents are tangible. When workers are in short supply and turnover is high, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16843237/" target="_blank">research shows</a> patients tend to lose weight and get more pressure sores, and COVID-19 <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama-health-forum/fullarticle/2794538" target="_blank">spreads more rapidly</a>.If
 a nursing home can’t hire workers on its own, it might turn to a 
staffing agency to supply traveling nurses and nursing assistants for 
months-long contracts or one-day assignments.But those private 
agencies charge much more than what the nursing home would pay to hire 
that same worker full-time. Part of the money goes to agency nurses in 
the form of higher paychecks, but a big chunk — sometimes nearly half — 
stays with the agency.Across the health care industry, reliance on staffing agencies <a href="https://www.aha.org/costsofcaring" target="_blank">exploded</a> during the pandemic as an already-dire shortage of nurses worsened. And as demand went up, travel nurse salaries ballooned.Temporary
 state and federal aid during the pandemic helped medical providers 
shoulder those costs, but that money is running out.Now Kansas nursing home administrators want lawmakers to further regulate staffing agencies that they say are gouging prices.“Nursing homes can’t sustain that,” Pilkinton said.A
 growing dependence on agency nurses creates unique concerns in 
long-term care environments where elderly residents often crave 
consistency.“It’s really difficult to have a different person 
caring for you all the time,” said Dana Weaver, the chief operating 
officer of LeadingAge Kansas. “It produces anxiety for the individual, 
and the individual actually has to teach the agency staff person how to 
care for them.”But for many nurses, the decision to join a 
staffing agency comes down to a simple reality: they can make more money
 doing the same work. Certified nursing assistants, among the most 
common medical staff in nursing homes, earn a median income of $30,000 
per year and often <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7267626/" target="_blank">work multiple jobs</a> to make ends meet.Rebecca
 Givan, a professor of labor studies at Rutgers University, said the 
sudden growth of staffing agency costs raises questions, especially as 
investors <a href="https://www.statnews.com/2022/02/15/private-equity-firms-are-cashing-in-on-the-travel-nursing-business/" target="_blank">rushed into the industry</a> during the pandemic. But she said administrators could take steps to reduce their reliance on agencies.“The
 way to do that is to pay them more,” she said. “And, often, these 
facilities don’t want to pay them more — but then they’re actually 
paying multiple times that out to the agencies.”Givan said administrators should also think more holistically about how to improve working conditions.“It means pay, but it also means voice,” she said. “It means if they’re unionized or want to unionize, not resisting.”Robert
 Livonius, a former chairman of the American Staffing Association who 
sits on the boards of multiple health care staffing agencies, said “some
 bad actors … popped up during the pandemic period and took advantage of
 the situation, raised prices.”.“Those people,” he said, “should be taken out of the industry.”But he said agencies aren’t to the blame for the bigger problem: a systemic lack of health care workers.“There
 is a very acute shortage of enough certified nursing assistants and 
nurses to work in long-term care,” he said. “That problem was there 
before the pandemic, and it’s just been exacerbated.”Rose 
Conlon reports on health for KMUW and the Kansas News Service. You can 
follow her on Twitter at @rosebconlon or email her at conlon@kmuw.org.

Worker shortage forcing closure of Kansas nursing homes

By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina Post

Police arrested a Salina teen on Wednesday after a bomb threat allegedly was made at a local high school.

A staff member reported to the school resource officer that a 16-year-old boy had made a verbal threat concerning a bomb in the school to a group of people at Salina South High School, 730 E. Magnolia Road, on Wednesday, Salina Police Captain Gary Hanus said this morning.

Police were able to establish that the report was credible and the boy was taken into custody. Hanus said the boy was arrested on a requested charge of criminal threat. No bomb was found.

By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina PostPolice arrested a Salina teen on Wednesday after a bomb threat allegedly was made at a local high school.A staff member reported to the school resource officer that a 16-year-old boy had made a verbal threat concerning a bomb in the school to a group of people at Salina South High School, 730 E. Magnolia Road, on Wednesday, Salina Police Captain Gary Hanus said this morning.Police were able to establish that the report was credible and the boy was taken into custody. Hanus said the boy was arrested on a requested charge of criminal threat. No bomb was found.

Police: Teen accused of making bomb threat at Kansas high school

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Kansas State Fair General Manager Bryan Schulz said the final monetary tally isn't in yet for Kansas largest get together, but it appears that allowing the carrying of alcohol throughout the fairgrounds was mostly a positive.

NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — Kansas State Fair General Manager Bryan Schulz said the final monetary tally isn't in yet for Kansas largest get together, but it appears that allowing the carrying of alcohol throughout the fairgrounds was mostly a positive."I worked with the highway patrol on a daily basis and there really wasn't anything," Schulz said. "I also went up to a lot of the people that were walking around that had a beer or a glass of wine in their hand and I said, I just need to ask, what are your thoughts? They said, it is the best thing you could have done. We want to be able to walk around and check out the grounds. We don't want to be stuck in a beer garden. That's not why we came to the fair, so we're excited about being able to do that."It also appears that alcohol sales remained strong."First blush, we are seeing that there was an uptick in sales," Schulz said. "There, too, it could be just sheer attendance. The concerts were another big part of it and I think people were just happier to have that opportunity to walk around."The Kansas State Fair announced that 315,273 people went through the gates over the 10 days earlier this month.