By HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH, Associated Press

KANSAS CITY (AP) —Administrators at a Kansas City-area school district that is the subject of a federal civil rights investigation failed to protect a Black teen from repeated racial taunts that culminated with him being threatened with a lynching, a lawsuit alleges.

The suit filed this month in state court described what happened as “outrageous” and sought unspecified damages against the 3,500-student Kearney school district, which is just north of Kansas City. The situation got so bad that the teen, identified as K.W., called his parents in tears, saying the white students were trying to “incite violence against him" and that he “could not take it anymore.” The teen's parents pulled him from the school.

The district said in a statement that it doesn’t respond to pending litigation but is committed to “fully to ensuring that every student can learn in an environment free of discrimination in any form.”

Online U.S. Department of Education records show there are two open racial harassment investigations involving the district. The department's Office for Civil Rights does not discuss the details of its pending investigations. Dozens of other districts around the country also are under investigation, the records show.

The lawsuit alleges that issues arose during the 2018-19 and 2019-20 school year when the student was attending Kearney High School. The suit says fewer than 2% of its students are Black and 92% are white.

When K.W. joined the swim team, white swimmers told him that he needed to “shave his hair short and dye it blonde," the suit said. The student's sister, who according to the suit also had been tormented when she was in junior high, reported what had happened to the coach.

In one instance, she went to a teacher and a principal to report that she had been called a racial slur in class and was told the situation would be dealt with at a “future date” because the student had a football game and his dad was a coach, the suit said.

Another time, a white high school classmate took a picture of K.W. and superimposed a racial slur over the top of it. The situation was reported to administrators.

In January of 2019, two white Kearney high school students began to send K.W. pictures of themselves posing with a confederate flag, with messages such as “Heritage but mostly hate brotha.” The teen's mother told administrators.

The suit said that one of K.W.'s harassers was a girl, who told him that he couldn't do “nothing about" the racist comments she made on social media because if he tried she would have all the white people in town beat him. An algebra teacher who overheard the conversation escorted K.W. to the office, where the principal told him to ignore the girl because she was poorer than he was, the suit said.

The situation only got worse, with white students tormenting him with monkey sounds, the suit said.

K.W. also received anonymous messages condemning him for the way he treated the white girl. One message said: “I hope I see your black ass in tree. Alabama wind chime style.” The messages to K.W. continued: “I hope you and your monkey family gets jumped by all the whites in Kearney.”

The suit described the harassment as “terrifying at times” and said the district “tacitly condoned and tolerated” what happened because it was was slow to act and then took only “ineffective remedial action.”

The family's attorney, Dan Curry, said in a statement that K.W., transferred to a different area district, where he “thrived and graduated."

“But," Curry added, “no child should have to experience sustained racial harassment at school, and it affected my client immediately and viscerally."

By HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH, Associated PressKANSAS CITY (AP) —Administrators at a Kansas City-area school district that is the subject of a federal civil rights investigation failed to protect a Black teen from repeated racial taunts that culminated with him being threatened with a lynching, a lawsuit alleges.The suit filed this month in state court described what happened as “outrageous” and sought unspecified damages against the 3,500-student Kearney school district, which is just north of Kansas City. The situation got so bad that the teen, identified as K.W., called his parents in tears, saying the white students were trying to “incite violence against him" and that he “could not take it anymore.” The teen's parents pulled him from the school.The district said in a statement that it doesn’t respond to pending litigation but is committed to “fully to ensuring that every student can learn in an environment free of discrimination in any form.”Online U.S. Department of Education records show there are two open racial harassment investigations involving the district. The department's Office for Civil Rights does not discuss the details of its pending investigations. Dozens of other districts around the country also are under investigation, the records show.The lawsuit alleges that issues arose during the 2018-19 and 2019-20 school year when the student was attending Kearney High School. The suit says fewer than 2% of its students are Black and 92% are white.When K.W. joined the swim team, white swimmers told him that he needed to “shave his hair short and dye it blonde," the suit said. The student's sister, who according to the suit also had been tormented when she was in junior high, reported what had happened to the coach.In one instance, she went to a teacher and a principal to report that she had been called a racial slur in class and was told the situation would be dealt with at a “future date” because the student had a football game and his dad was a coach, the suit said.Another time, a white high school classmate took a picture of K.W. and superimposed a racial slur over the top of it. The situation was reported to administrators.In January of 2019, two white Kearney high school students began to send K.W. pictures of themselves posing with a confederate flag, with messages such as “Heritage but mostly hate brotha.” The teen's mother told administrators.The suit said that one of K.W.'s harassers was a girl, who told him that he couldn't do “nothing about" the racist comments she made on social media because if he tried she would have all the white people in town beat him. An algebra teacher who overheard the conversation escorted K.W. to the office, where the principal told him to ignore the girl because she was poorer than he was, the suit said.The situation only got worse, with white students tormenting him with monkey sounds, the suit said.K.W. also received anonymous messages condemning him for the way he treated the white girl. One message said: “I hope I see your black ass in tree. Alabama wind chime style.” The messages to K.W. continued: “I hope you and your monkey family gets jumped by all the whites in Kearney.”The suit described the harassment as “terrifying at times” and said the district “tacitly condoned and tolerated” what happened because it was was slow to act and then took only “ineffective remedial action.”The family's attorney, Dan Curry, said in a statement that K.W., transferred to a different area district, where he “thrived and graduated."“But," Curry added, “no child should have to experience sustained racial harassment at school, and it affected my client immediately and viscerally."

Lawsuit: Students at KC-area school taunted black student, threatened lynching

By BLAISE MESA <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-05-18/kansas-is-taking-a-nationally-unprecedented-move-to-let-foster-teens-pick-their-families">Kansas News Service</a>

TOPEKA — Kansas will be the first state to let foster 
children pick their foster parents. The goal of the one-of-a-kind 
program is to let older foster children create strong connections that 
could help them as they age out of the state’s care.

Foster 
children can find permanent homes either through adoption, being 
reunited with family or guardianship, but this new option gives foster 
youth more say.

Foster children age 16 and older would be able to 
pick up to two adults to serve as their legal, permanent family. Those 
people could include caregivers or people close to the child.

“It 
would be an unprecedented change,” said Scott Henricks, director of 
permanency at the Kansas Department for Children and Families. “It would
 be a change of direction on really how the system works.”

This program doesn’t cut ties with children’s biological parents unlike other placement options, Henricks said.

It’s
 designed to connect youth with a strong support system that’ll help 
them from teenage years to early adulthood. It also recognizes that 
family is not just about who you’re related to, Henricks said.

DCF couldn’t yet say how people will be eligible to become these guardians.

The
 Annie E. Casey Foundation estimates 20,000 people age out of foster 
care each year without a permanent family supporting them, and those 
children need help finding stable housing, getting a job or finishing 
college.

“Just imagine if you or I didn't have anyone at that 
age,” Henricks said. “We all need those supports. We all need some 
connections and this would legally recognize that.”

The Annie E. 
Casey Foundation selected Kansas as the first state to launch this 
program because of its “active and robust Kansas Youth Advisory Council”
 and commitment to expanding placement options for older children.

Patricia Duh, a permanency consultant for <a href="https://www.aecf.org/blog/soul-family-permanency-option-for-older-youth-in-foster-care" target="_blank">SOUL Fam­i­ly</a>, said in a blog post announcing the partnership that some children’s needs just aren’t met with the current options.

Duh
 was responsible for her basic needs once her time in extended foster 
care ran out, and she said having a program like SOUL would have made it
 easier to become self-sufficient.

“There is no one shoe, one size, that fits all youth when they age out," Duh said. "We have to begin to develop other options."

It
 isn’t clear when this program could start because details about it 
still need to be figured out. State law also needs to be updated to 
reflect the new placement option. The state Legislature is still 
technically in session, but any bills on the topic would likely wait 
until the 2023 session to be considered.

Henricks is excited by 
the change because he said too many children are aging out of Kansas 
foster care without a support system to help them succeed as adults. In 
March, 583 children are about to age out of care with none of the other 
placement options available. 

Letting a person pick their foster parent lets them make an important choice that could impact their lives for years.

“That
 could really change the trajectory of a young person's life,” Henricks 
said. “But more so, it will legally recognize their own voice.”

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/2022/5/1652892215321.png" alt="The SOUL Family discusses the new program that promises "unprecedented change." Kansas Department for Children and Families" />
 <figcaption>The SOUL Family discusses the new program that promises "unprecedented change." Kansas Department for Children and Families</figcaption>
 </figure>By BLAISE MESA <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-05-18/kansas-is-taking-a-nationally-unprecedented-move-to-let-foster-teens-pick-their-families">Kansas News Service</a>TOPEKA — Kansas will be the first state to let foster 
children pick their foster parents. The goal of the one-of-a-kind 
program is to let older foster children create strong connections that 
could help them as they age out of the state’s care.Foster 
children can find permanent homes either through adoption, being 
reunited with family or guardianship, but this new option gives foster 
youth more say.Foster children age 16 and older would be able to 
pick up to two adults to serve as their legal, permanent family. Those 
people could include caregivers or people close to the child.“It 
would be an unprecedented change,” said Scott Henricks, director of 
permanency at the Kansas Department for Children and Families. “It would
 be a change of direction on really how the system works.”This program doesn’t cut ties with children’s biological parents unlike other placement options, Henricks said.It’s
 designed to connect youth with a strong support system that’ll help 
them from teenage years to early adulthood. It also recognizes that 
family is not just about who you’re related to, Henricks said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652892272349.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>DCF couldn’t yet say how people will be eligible to become these guardians.The
 Annie E. Casey Foundation estimates 20,000 people age out of foster 
care each year without a permanent family supporting them, and those 
children need help finding stable housing, getting a job or finishing 
college.“Just imagine if you or I didn't have anyone at that 
age,” Henricks said. “We all need those supports. We all need some 
connections and this would legally recognize that.”The Annie E. 
Casey Foundation selected Kansas as the first state to launch this 
program because of its “active and robust Kansas Youth Advisory Council”
 and commitment to expanding placement options for older children.Patricia Duh, a permanency consultant for <a href="https://www.aecf.org/blog/soul-family-permanency-option-for-older-youth-in-foster-care" target="_blank">SOUL Fam­i­ly</a>, said in a blog post announcing the partnership that some children’s needs just aren’t met with the current options.Duh
 was responsible for her basic needs once her time in extended foster 
care ran out, and she said having a program like SOUL would have made it
 easier to become self-sufficient.“There is no one shoe, one size, that fits all youth when they age out," Duh said. "We have to begin to develop other options."It
 isn’t clear when this program could start because details about it 
still need to be figured out. State law also needs to be updated to 
reflect the new placement option. The state Legislature is still 
technically in session, but any bills on the topic would likely wait 
until the 2023 session to be considered.Henricks is excited by 
the change because he said too many children are aging out of Kansas 
foster care without a support system to help them succeed as adults. In 
March, 583 children are about to age out of care with none of the other 
placement options available. Letting a person pick their foster parent lets them make an important choice that could impact their lives for years.“That
 could really change the trajectory of a young person's life,” Henricks 
said. “But more so, it will legally recognize their own voice.”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.

Kan. taking unprecedented step to let foster teens pick their families

WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris will speak Thursday with abortion providers from states with some of the nation’s strictest restrictions to thank them for their work, the White House said.

Harris’ virtual meeting with medical professionals practicing in Kansas,&nbsp; Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas and Montana comes weeks after the leaks of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-abortion-draft-opinion-07439f9fc4542f1500ab78dfd34036b1">draft Supreme Court opinion</a>&nbsp;suggesting that justices are on the brink of overturning the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion nationwide. Justices are expected to issue their final ruling in the next six weeks, but those states and others are already laying the groundwork to ban abortion outright if the court allows individual states to set their own rules for the procedure.

“The Vice President will hear stories from abortion providers who are working in states with some of the most extreme abortion restrictions, and she will thank them for fighting to protect reproductive health care, despite personal risk,” the White House said in a statement. She will “emphasize that the Administration will continue to defend women’s constitutional rights and protect access to abortion,” it said.

In fact, the Biden administration has few options available in bitterly divided Washington. A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-biden-us-supreme-court-filibusters-congress-759beeba80ac56aa95271711a8e915da">Senate bill to expand abortion access failed</a>&nbsp;due to bipartisan opposition last week.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652963399521.png" alt="Vice President Harris after a&nbsp;Senate bill to expand abortion access failed&nbsp;last week.-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>Vice President Harris after a&nbsp;Senate bill to expand abortion access failed&nbsp;last week.-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris will speak Thursday with abortion providers from states with some of the nation’s strictest restrictions to thank them for their work, the White House said.Harris’ virtual meeting with medical professionals practicing in Kansas,&nbsp; Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas and Montana comes weeks after the leaks of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-abortion-draft-opinion-07439f9fc4542f1500ab78dfd34036b1">draft Supreme Court opinion</a>&nbsp;suggesting that justices are on the brink of overturning the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion nationwide. Justices are expected to issue their final ruling in the next six weeks, but those states and others are already laying the groundwork to ban abortion outright if the court allows individual states to set their own rules for the procedure.“The Vice President will hear stories from abortion providers who are working in states with some of the most extreme abortion restrictions, and she will thank them for fighting to protect reproductive health care, despite personal risk,” the White House said in a statement. She will “emphasize that the Administration will continue to defend women’s constitutional rights and protect access to abortion,” it said.In fact, the Biden administration has few options available in bitterly divided Washington. A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-biden-us-supreme-court-filibusters-congress-759beeba80ac56aa95271711a8e915da">Senate bill to expand abortion access failed</a>&nbsp;due to bipartisan opposition last week.

VP Harris to speak with abortion providers in Kan., Mo. as court ruling looms

A Ukrainian agricultural education organizer is touring the
United States, raising money to rebuild rural villages ravaged by the war.

Roman Grynyshyn has worked with his partners throughout the
West to create the fundraising project:&nbsp;
World to Rebuild Rural Ukraine.

“We are trying to replace what was ruthlessly damaged or stolen
from the least protected stratum of rural society,” Grynyshyn tells host Barry
Birr on the KFEQ Hotline.

Grynyshyn says Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has been
devastating to rural Ukraine and its farms, cutting off agricultural production
and preventing grain shipments. While the war rages and ruins much of his home
country, Grynyshyn expresses confidence in the ultimate outcome.

“And there is not doubt that we will win,” Grynyshyn says. “The
only thing is how long will it take us to return to this beauty as it was
before.”

Grynyshyn says he has been impressed and encouraged by the
reception he has received while touring the United States, especially with the
reception he receives from cities with ties to agriculture such as St. Joseph.

Grynshyn spoke to the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce while in
town. He has been speaking to several groups in the United States, making
addresses to groups in Washington, D.C., Ohio State University, Michigan State
University, the University of Nebraska, among others. He is speaking to Missouri
and Kansas groups now before traveling to the state of Washington.

Grynyshyn has been coordinating tours and conferences for Ukrainian
farmers the past 13 years. He had a conference set up for Costa Rica in late
February, but as he prepared to leave the next day, the bombs started falling.
Over the next two days, February 23rd and 24th, he
gathered friends and family to flee the country. Grynyshyn says his large
contingent waited for 34 hours to cross over into Poland, eventually taking
refuge at a friend’s farm in Germany.

Then began the speaking tour in the United States.

Grynyshyn is also keeping those he speaks with abreast of the
latest news from the war front.

“My information that I’m getting is not coming from some sources
of media that can be biased or something like that,” Grynyshyn says. “I talk to
the actual farmers, to actual agricultural business representatives and they
say what they see, almost first hand.”

Grynyshyn charges that the Russian army has been ruthless in
devastating rural Ukraine, both to intimidate Ukrainians and destroy the
country’s agricultural industry.

Grynyshyn says many with ties to both Ukraine and Russia never
suspected Russia would follow through with its threats against Ukraine.

“I had a lot of clients, Russian speaking clients, who said
Roman, come on, they will never attack. They are our comrades,” Grynshyn says “And
when the war started, I called them. They were literally speechless.”

Grynyshyn says a saying by his father doesn’t seem as humorous
as it once did.

“My father always told me you need to learn as a priority two
subjects at school. First, is the military, to be able to shoot, to know how to
shoot and second is history, to know who to shoot.”

Despite the devastation of the war, Grynyshyn remains
optimistic Ukraine will prevail.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652908707392.jpeg" alt="Roman Grynyshyn/Photo by Brent Martin" />
 <figcaption>Roman Grynyshyn/Photo by Brent Martin</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostA Ukrainian agricultural education organizer is touring the
United States, raising money to rebuild rural villages ravaged by the war.Roman Grynyshyn has worked with his partners throughout the
West to create the fundraising project:&nbsp;
World to Rebuild Rural Ukraine.“We are trying to replace what was ruthlessly damaged or stolen
from the least protected stratum of rural society,” Grynyshyn tells host Barry
Birr on the KFEQ Hotline.Grynyshyn says Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has been
devastating to rural Ukraine and its farms, cutting off agricultural production
and preventing grain shipments. While the war rages and ruins much of his home
country, Grynyshyn expresses confidence in the ultimate outcome.“And there is not doubt that we will win,” Grynyshyn says. “The
only thing is how long will it take us to return to this beauty as it was
before.”Grynyshyn says he has been impressed and encouraged by the
reception he has received while touring the United States, especially with the
reception he receives from cities with ties to agriculture such as St. Joseph.Grynshyn spoke to the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce while in
town. He has been speaking to several groups in the United States, making
addresses to groups in Washington, D.C., Ohio State University, Michigan State
University, the University of Nebraska, among others. He is speaking to Missouri
and Kansas groups now before traveling to the state of Washington.Grynyshyn has been coordinating tours and conferences for Ukrainian
farmers the past 13 years. He had a conference set up for Costa Rica in late
February, but as he prepared to leave the next day, the bombs started falling.
Over the next two days, February 23rd and 24th, he
gathered friends and family to flee the country. Grynyshyn says his large
contingent waited for 34 hours to cross over into Poland, eventually taking
refuge at a friend’s farm in Germany.Then began the speaking tour in the United States.Grynyshyn is also keeping those he speaks with abreast of the
latest news from the war front.“My information that I’m getting is not coming from some sources
of media that can be biased or something like that,” Grynyshyn says. “I talk to
the actual farmers, to actual agricultural business representatives and they
say what they see, almost first hand.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652908749523.jpeg" alt="Grynyshyn speaks with host Barry Birr on the KFEQ Hotline/Photo by Brent Martin" />
 <figcaption>Grynyshyn speaks with host Barry Birr on the KFEQ Hotline/Photo by Brent Martin</figcaption>
 </figure>Grynyshyn charges that the Russian army has been ruthless in
devastating rural Ukraine, both to intimidate Ukrainians and destroy the
country’s agricultural industry.Grynyshyn says many with ties to both Ukraine and Russia never
suspected Russia would follow through with its threats against Ukraine.“I had a lot of clients, Russian speaking clients, who said
Roman, come on, they will never attack. They are our comrades,” Grynshyn says “And
when the war started, I called them. They were literally speechless.”Grynyshyn says a saying by his father doesn’t seem as humorous
as it once did.“My father always told me you need to learn as a priority two
subjects at school. First, is the military, to be able to shoot, to know how to
shoot and second is history, to know who to shoot.”Despite the devastation of the war, Grynyshyn remains
optimistic Ukraine will prevail.

Ukrainian farmer tours US, raising money to rebuild villages devastated by war

DETROIT (AP)&nbsp; — Ford is asking the owners of 350,000 vehicles in the United States to take them to dealers for repairs in three recalls, including about 39,000 that should be parked outdoors because the engines can catch fire.

Ford says in government documents posted Thursday that it doesn't know what's causing fires in certain 2021 Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator SUVs.

But the company says fires can happen even while the engines are off. Ford has reports of 16 fires under the hood, 14 in rental company vehicles. One person was burned. It's recommending that the SUVs be parked outdoors and away from buildings. So far it hasn't developed a repair for the fires, which appear to start at the back of the engine compartment on the passenger side.

The automaker also is recalling about 310,000 heavy-duty trucks because the driver's air bag may not inflate in a crash.

The recall covers certain 2016 F-250, 350, 450 and 550 trucks. Dust can get into the air bag wiring in the steering wheel, disconnecting the electricity.

And the company is recalling 464 electric Mustang Mach-E SUVs from 2021. A software problem can cause unintended acceleration, deceleration or a loss of drive power.

DETROIT (AP)&nbsp; — Ford is asking the owners of 350,000 vehicles in the United States to take them to dealers for repairs in three recalls, including about 39,000 that should be parked outdoors because the engines can catch fire.Ford says in government documents posted Thursday that it doesn't know what's causing fires in certain 2021 Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator SUVs.But the company says fires can happen even while the engines are off. Ford has reports of 16 fires under the hood, 14 in rental company vehicles. One person was burned. It's recommending that the SUVs be parked outdoors and away from buildings. So far it hasn't developed a repair for the fires, which appear to start at the back of the engine compartment on the passenger side.The automaker also is recalling about 310,000 heavy-duty trucks because the driver's air bag may not inflate in a crash.The recall covers certain 2016 F-250, 350, 450 and 550 trucks. Dust can get into the air bag wiring in the steering wheel, disconnecting the electricity.And the company is recalling 464 electric Mustang Mach-E SUVs from 2021. A software problem can cause unintended acceleration, deceleration or a loss of drive power.

Park outdoors: Ford recalls SUVs due to engine fire risk

By ZEKE MILLER and MIKE STOBBE, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — COVID-19 cases are increasing in the United States – and could get even worse over the coming months, federal health officials warned Wednesday in urging areas hardest hit to consider reissuing calls for indoor masking.

Increasing numbers of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">COVID-19</a>&nbsp;infections and hospitalizations are putting more of the country under guidelines issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that call for masking and other infection precautions.

Right now, about a third of the U.S. population lives in areas that are considered at higher risk — mostly in the Northeast and Midwest. Those are areas where people should already be considering wearing masks indoors — but Americans elsewhere should also take notice, officials said.

“Prior increases of infections, in different waves of infection, have demonstrated that this travels across the country,” said Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the CDC director, said at a White House briefing with reporters.

For an increasing number of areas, “we urge local leaders to encourage use of prevention strategies like masks in public indoor settings and increasing access to testing and treatment,” she said.

However, officials were cautious about making concrete predictions, saying how much worse the pandemic gets will depend on several factors, including to what degree previous infections will protect against new variants.

Last week, White House COVID-19 coordinator&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-covid-health-congress-a05afb7ebfa102992c354c99619fa944">Dr. Ashish Jha warned</a>&nbsp;in an interview with The Associated Press the U.S. will be increasingly vulnerable to the coronavirus this fall and winter if Congress doesn’t swiftly approve new funding for more vaccines and treatments.

Jha warned that without additional funding from Congress for the virus would cause “unnecessary loss of life” in the fall and winter, when the U.S. runs out of treatments.

He added the U.S. was already falling behind other nations in securing supplies of the next generation of COVID-19 vaccines and said that the domestic manufacturing base of at-home tests is already drying up as demand drops off.

Jha said domestic test manufactures have started shuttering lines and laying off workers, and in the coming weeks will begin to sell off equipment and prepare to exit the business of producing tests entirely unless the U.S. government has money to purchase more tests, like the hundreds of millions it has sent out for free to requesting households this year.

That would leave the U.S. reliant on other countries for testing supplies, risking shortages during a surge, Jha warned. About 8.5 million households placed orders for the latest tranche of 8 free tests since ordering opened on Monday, Jha added.

The pandemic is now 2 1/2 years old. And the U.S. has seen — depending how you count them — five waves of COVID-19 during that time, with the later surges driven by mutated versions of the coronavirus. A fifth wave occurred mainly in December and January, caused by the omicron variant.

The omicron variant spread much more easily than earlier versions.

Some experts are worried the country now is seeing signs of a sixth wave, driven by an omicron subvariant. On Wednesday, Walensky noted a steady increase in COVID-19 cases in the past five weeks, including a 26% increase nationally in the last week.

Hospitalizations also are rising, up 19% in the past week, though they remain much lower than during the omicron wave, she said.

In late February, as that wave was ebbing, the CDC released a new set of measures for communities where COVID-19 was easing its grip, with less of a focus on positive test results and more on what’s happening at hospitals.

Walensky said more than 32% of the country currently live in an area with medium or high COVID-19 community levels, including more than 9% in the highest level, where CDC recommends that masks and other mitigation efforts be used.

In the last week, an additional 8% of Americans were living in a county in medium or high COVID-19 community levels.

Officials said they are concerned that waning immunity and relaxed mitigation measures across the country may contribute to a continued rise in infections and illnesses across the country. They encouraged people — particularly older adults — to get boosters.

Some health experts say the government should be taking clearer and bolder steps.

The CDC community level guidelines are confusing to the public, and don’t give a clear picture of how much virus transmission is occurring in a community, said Dr. Lakshmi Ganapathi, an infectious diseases specialist at Harvard University.

When the government officials make recommendations but do not set rules, “it ultimately rests on every single individual picking and choosing the public health that works for them. But that’s not what is effective. If you’re talking about stemming hospitalizations and even deaths, all of these interventions work better when people do it collectively,” she said.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (AP) — The COVID-19 pandemic could get worse in the U.S. in the weeks ahead, officials said Wednesday, and more people could be advised to again wear masks indoors.

Increasing numbers of COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations are putting more of the country under guidelines issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that call for masking and other infection precautions.

For an increasing number of areas "we urge local leaders to encourage use of prevention strategies like masks in public indoor settings and increasing access to testing and treatment,” Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the CDC director, said at a White House briefing with reporters.

Last week, White House COVID-19 coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha warned in an interview with The Associated Press the U.S. will be increasingly vulnerable to the coronavirus this fall and winter if Congress doesn’t swiftly approve new funding for more vaccines and treatments..

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652901529032.png" alt="For an increasing number of areas, “we urge local leaders to encourage use of prevention strategies like masks in public indoor settings and increasing access to testing and treatment,” said CDC Director Rochelle Walensky-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>For an increasing number of areas, “we urge local leaders to encourage use of prevention strategies like masks in public indoor settings and increasing access to testing and treatment,” said CDC Director Rochelle Walensky-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By ZEKE MILLER and MIKE STOBBE, Associated PressWASHINGTON (AP) — COVID-19 cases are increasing in the United States – and could get even worse over the coming months, federal health officials warned Wednesday in urging areas hardest hit to consider reissuing calls for indoor masking.Increasing numbers of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">COVID-19</a>&nbsp;infections and hospitalizations are putting more of the country under guidelines issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that call for masking and other infection precautions.Right now, about a third of the U.S. population lives in areas that are considered at higher risk — mostly in the Northeast and Midwest. Those are areas where people should already be considering wearing masks indoors — but Americans elsewhere should also take notice, officials said.“Prior increases of infections, in different waves of infection, have demonstrated that this travels across the country,” said Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the CDC director, said at a White House briefing with reporters.For an increasing number of areas, “we urge local leaders to encourage use of prevention strategies like masks in public indoor settings and increasing access to testing and treatment,” she said.However, officials were cautious about making concrete predictions, saying how much worse the pandemic gets will depend on several factors, including to what degree previous infections will protect against new variants.Last week, White House COVID-19 coordinator&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-covid-health-congress-a05afb7ebfa102992c354c99619fa944">Dr. Ashish Jha warned</a>&nbsp;in an interview with The Associated Press the U.S. will be increasingly vulnerable to the coronavirus this fall and winter if Congress doesn’t swiftly approve new funding for more vaccines and treatments.Jha warned that without additional funding from Congress for the virus would cause “unnecessary loss of life” in the fall and winter, when the U.S. runs out of treatments.He added the U.S. was already falling behind other nations in securing supplies of the next generation of COVID-19 vaccines and said that the domestic manufacturing base of at-home tests is already drying up as demand drops off.Jha said domestic test manufactures have started shuttering lines and laying off workers, and in the coming weeks will begin to sell off equipment and prepare to exit the business of producing tests entirely unless the U.S. government has money to purchase more tests, like the hundreds of millions it has sent out for free to requesting households this year.That would leave the U.S. reliant on other countries for testing supplies, risking shortages during a surge, Jha warned. About 8.5 million households placed orders for the latest tranche of 8 free tests since ordering opened on Monday, Jha added.The pandemic is now 2 1/2 years old. And the U.S. has seen — depending how you count them — five waves of COVID-19 during that time, with the later surges driven by mutated versions of the coronavirus. A fifth wave occurred mainly in December and January, caused by the omicron variant.The omicron variant spread much more easily than earlier versions.Some experts are worried the country now is seeing signs of a sixth wave, driven by an omicron subvariant. On Wednesday, Walensky noted a steady increase in COVID-19 cases in the past five weeks, including a 26% increase nationally in the last week.Hospitalizations also are rising, up 19% in the past week, though they remain much lower than during the omicron wave, she said.In late February, as that wave was ebbing, the CDC released a new set of measures for communities where COVID-19 was easing its grip, with less of a focus on positive test results and more on what’s happening at hospitals.Walensky said more than 32% of the country currently live in an area with medium or high COVID-19 community levels, including more than 9% in the highest level, where CDC recommends that masks and other mitigation efforts be used.In the last week, an additional 8% of Americans were living in a county in medium or high COVID-19 community levels.Officials said they are concerned that waning immunity and relaxed mitigation measures across the country may contribute to a continued rise in infections and illnesses across the country. They encouraged people — particularly older adults — to get boosters.Some health experts say the government should be taking clearer and bolder steps.The CDC community level guidelines are confusing to the public, and don’t give a clear picture of how much virus transmission is occurring in a community, said Dr. Lakshmi Ganapathi, an infectious diseases specialist at Harvard University.When the government officials make recommendations but do not set rules, “it ultimately rests on every single individual picking and choosing the public health that works for them. But that’s not what is effective. If you’re talking about stemming hospitalizations and even deaths, all of these interventions work better when people do it collectively,” she said.___-------WASHINGTON, D.C. (AP) — The COVID-19 pandemic could get worse in the U.S. in the weeks ahead, officials said Wednesday, and more people could be advised to again wear masks indoors.Increasing numbers of COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations are putting more of the country under guidelines issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that call for masking and other infection precautions.For an increasing number of areas "we urge local leaders to encourage use of prevention strategies like masks in public indoor settings and increasing access to testing and treatment,” Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the CDC director, said at a White House briefing with reporters.However, officials were cautious about making concrete predictions, saying how much worse the pandemic gets will depend on several factors, including to what degree previous infections will protect against new variants.Last week, White House COVID-19 coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha warned in an interview with The Associated Press the U.S. will be increasingly vulnerable to the coronavirus this fall and winter if Congress doesn’t swiftly approve new funding for more vaccines and treatments..The pandemic is now 2 1/2 years old. And the U.S. has seen — depending how you count them — five waves of COVID-19 during that time, with the later surges driven by mutated versions of the coronavirus. A fifth wave occurred mainly in December and January, caused by the omicron variant.The omicron variant spread much more easily than earlier versions.Some experts are worried the country now is seeing signs of a sixth wave, driven by an omicron subvariant. On Wednesday, Walensky noted a steady increase in COVID-19 cases in the past five weeks, including a 26% increase nationally in the last week.Hospitalizations also are rising, up 19% in the past week, though they remain much lower than during the omicron wave, she said.In late February, as that wave was ebbing, the CDC released a new set of measures for communities where COVID-19 was easing its grip, with less of a focus on positive test results and more on what’s happening at hospitals.Walensky said more than 32% of the country currently live in an area with medium or high COVID-19 community levels, including more than 9% in the highest level, where CDC recommends that masks and other mitigation efforts be used.In the last week, an additional 8% of Americans were living in a county in medium or high COVID-19 community levels.Officials said they are concerned that waning immunity and relaxed mitigation measures across the country may contribute to a continued rise in infections and illnesses across the country. They encouraged people — particularly older adults — to get boosters.___

Feds call for indoor masks as COVID cases increase across U.S.

RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating two reports of missing bank deposits.

On Tuesday morning, officers filed report for theft in the 300 block of Tuttle Creek Boulevard and in the 400 Block of East Poyntz&nbsp; in Manhattan, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.

Best Buy&nbsp; reported money was missing after a known male suspect was supposed to deposit $4,903.&nbsp; Ross Dress for Less reported money was missing after they same male suspect was supposed to deposit $5,117.

RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating two reports of missing bank deposits.On Tuesday morning, officers filed report for theft in the 300 block of Tuttle Creek Boulevard and in the 400 Block of East Poyntz&nbsp; in Manhattan, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.Best Buy&nbsp; reported money was missing after a known male suspect was supposed to deposit $4,903.&nbsp; Ross Dress for Less reported money was missing after they same male suspect was supposed to deposit $5,117.

Police: Bank deposits of $10,000 missing from 2 Manhattan stores

DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal weekend hit and run accident reported Monday they have located a vehicle in the Kansas City area they suspect to be the transit van involved in the crash, according to a media release from the Douglas County Sheriff's office.

Investigators are working to identify the driver of the vehicle and asking anyone who might have information to contact law enforcement. The vehicle would have been eastbound on Kansas 10 highway just after 5p.m. on Saturday.

Brooklyn Brouhard, 9, of Eudora died from injuries suffered in the crash. She was passenger on a motorcycle driven by her grandfather 54-year-old Barry Larson who was also injured.

Larson was driving a motorcycle northbound on East 1900 Road with Brooklyn as a passenger. As the motorcycle approached the overpass, the transit van moved forward from the stop sign and the top of the eastbound off ramp from K-10 and into the intersection and struck the motorcycle.

Witnesses reported that after the collision, the driver of the white van proceeded down the ramp leaving its black front bumper cover behind and returned to eastbound K-10.&nbsp;

EMS transported Larson and his granddaughter to an area hospital.

DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal hit and run accident and asking the public for help to locate a van and driver that fled the scene.

Just after 5p.m. Saturday, police responded to a two-vehicle crash in the 1300 Block of East 1900 Road on the ramp over Kansas 10 Highway between Lawrence and Eudora, according to the Douglas County Sheriff.

According to a preliminary investigation, a 54-year-old man was driving a motorcycle northbound on East 1900 Road with a 9-year-old girl as passenger. As the approached the overpass, an unknown possibly a 2013-19 white Ford Transit van moved forward from the stop sign and the top of the eastbound off ramp from K-10 and into the intersection.

The van struck the motorcycle which overturned. EMS transported the man and the girl to Overland Park Regional Medical Center. He had serious but non life threatening injuries. The girl, who was wearing a helmet suffered critical injuries and died Sunday morning, according the sheriff's department.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Douglas Co. Sheriff.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652731134056.png" alt="Image Douglas Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Image Douglas Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal weekend hit and run accident reported Monday they have located a vehicle in the Kansas City area they suspect to be the transit van involved in the crash, according to a media release from the Douglas County Sheriff's office.Investigators are working to identify the driver of the vehicle and asking anyone who might have information to contact law enforcement. The vehicle would have been eastbound on Kansas 10 highway just after 5p.m. on Saturday.Brooklyn Brouhard, 9, of Eudora died from injuries suffered in the crash. She was passenger on a motorcycle driven by her grandfather 54-year-old Barry Larson who was also injured.Larson was driving a motorcycle northbound on East 1900 Road with Brooklyn as a passenger. As the motorcycle approached the overpass, the transit van moved forward from the stop sign and the top of the eastbound off ramp from K-10 and into the intersection and struck the motorcycle.Witnesses reported that after the collision, the driver of the white van proceeded down the ramp leaving its black front bumper cover behind and returned to eastbound K-10.&nbsp;EMS transported Larson and his granddaughter to an area hospital.-------------DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal hit and run accident and asking the public for help to locate a van and driver that fled the scene.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">EAST 1900 Road Fatality Accident After further investigation, Sheriff&#39;s Office detectives now believe the vehicle that left the scene yesterday was a Ford Transit Connect XL Model 2013-2019, more likely a 2018-19. Anyone with info is asked to call the DGSO, 785-843-0250. <a href="https://t.co/NazzZWkS2O">pic.twitter.com/NazzZWkS2O</a>&mdash; Douglas Co. Sheriff (@DGSOSheriff) <a href="https://twitter.com/DGSOSheriff/status/1525963802629505037?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 15, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Just after 5p.m. Saturday, police responded to a two-vehicle crash in the 1300 Block of East 1900 Road on the ramp over Kansas 10 Highway between Lawrence and Eudora, according to the Douglas County Sheriff.According to a preliminary investigation, a 54-year-old man was driving a motorcycle northbound on East 1900 Road with a 9-year-old girl as passenger. As the approached the overpass, an unknown possibly a 2013-19 white Ford Transit van moved forward from the stop sign and the top of the eastbound off ramp from K-10 and into the intersection.The van struck the motorcycle which overturned. EMS transported the man and the girl to Overland Park Regional Medical Center. He had serious but non life threatening injuries. The girl, who was wearing a helmet suffered critical injuries and died Sunday morning, according the sheriff's department.Witnesses reported that after the collision, the driver of the white van proceeded down the ramp leaving its black front bumper cover behind and returned to eastbound K-10.&nbsp;Anyone with information is asked to contact the Douglas Co. Sheriff.

Sheriff still working to ID driver in crash that killed 9-year-old Kan. girl

By JACOB FISCHLER <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/jan-6-investigators-want-lawmaker-to-explain-pre-attack-u-s-capitol-tour/">States Newsroom</a>

The U.S. House panel 
investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol on Thursday 
asked Republican Rep. Barry Loudermilk of Georgia to appear before the 
committee to answer questions about a tour of the Capitol that 
Loudermilk gave the day before the assault.

Shortly after the attack, 34 House Democrats, led by New Jersey’s Mikie Sherrill,<a target="_blank" href="https://sherrill.house.gov/sites/sherrill.house.gov/files/wysiwyg_uploaded/2020.01.13_Sherrill%20Letter%20to%20USCP%20and%20SAA.pdf">&nbsp;urged</a>&nbsp;police
 to review member-led Capitol tours in the days leading up to the event,
 saying that some rioters could have used tours to gain information 
about the layout of the Capitol complex.

Loudermilk said Republicans didn’t lead any such “reconnaissance tour” and filed an ethics complaint against the Democrats.

Thursday, the leaders of the House Select Committee Investigating the
 January 6 Attack on the United States Capitol said they’ve seen 
evidence that contradicts Loudermilk’s account and directly relates to 
the fifth-term conservative’s actions.

Committee Chairman Bennie G. Thompson, D-Miss., and Vice Chair Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., signed<a target="_blank" href="https://january6th.house.gov/sites/democrats.january6th.house.gov/files/2022-5-19.BGT%20LC%20Letter%20to%20Loudermilk.pdf">&nbsp;a letter</a>&nbsp;to Loudermilk that called on him to answer questions about a Jan. 5, 2021, tour of the Capitol he conducted.

In May 2021, Loudermilk led a group of Republicans on the House Administration Committee in filing<a target="_blank" href="https://loudermilk.house.gov/uploadedfiles/ethics_complaint.pdf?utm_campaign=2637-377">&nbsp;an ethics complaint</a>&nbsp;against
 Sherrill and the Democrats, saying they accused Republicans, without 
evidence, of providing reconnaissance tours to insurrectionists.

The complaint denied that any such tours occurred, with members 
saying they had reviewed security footage of the days preceding Jan. 6, 
and found that there “were no tours, no large groups, no one with MAGA 
hats on.”

Thompson and Cheney said that doesn’t square with what they have seen.

“The Select [Jan. 6] Committee’s review of evidence directly contradicts that denial,” Thursday’s letter said.

Loudermilk had not previously been known to be among the panel’s 
targets. A spokesman for Loudermilk did not immediately return a message
 seeking comment.

The Jan. 6 committee&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/05/13/u-s-house-jan-6-committee-subpoenas-5-gop-members-who-declined-to-testify/">earlier this month</a>&nbsp;subpoenaed
 five Republican House members who the panel believes have knowledge of 
the events leading up to the attack, including communication with 
then-President Donald Trump.

The committee sent subpoenas to House Republican Leader Kevin 
McCarthy of California, Andy Biggs of Arizona, Jim Jordan of Ohio, Scott
 Perry of Pennsylvania and Mo Brooks of Alabama.

In<a target="_blank" href="https://loudermilk.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3692">&nbsp;a statement</a>&nbsp;accompanying his ethics complaint, Loudermilk took great offense at the Democrats’ accusation.

“A Member of Congress accusing another Member of committing a crime, 
without evidence, is morally reprehensible and a stain on this 
institution,” he said. “No Republican Member of Congress led any kind of
 ‘reconnaissance’ tours through the Capitol, proven by security footage 
captured by the U.S. Capitol Police.”

Jacob Fischler covers federal policy as a senior reporter for States Newsroom.&nbsp;

By JACOB FISCHLER <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/jan-6-investigators-want-lawmaker-to-explain-pre-attack-u-s-capitol-tour/">States Newsroom</a>The U.S. House panel 
investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol on Thursday 
asked Republican Rep. Barry Loudermilk of Georgia to appear before the 
committee to answer questions about a tour of the Capitol that 
Loudermilk gave the day before the assault.Shortly after the attack, 34 House Democrats, led by New Jersey’s Mikie Sherrill,<a target="_blank" href="https://sherrill.house.gov/sites/sherrill.house.gov/files/wysiwyg_uploaded/2020.01.13_Sherrill%20Letter%20to%20USCP%20and%20SAA.pdf">&nbsp;urged</a>&nbsp;police
 to review member-led Capitol tours in the days leading up to the event,
 saying that some rioters could have used tours to gain information 
about the layout of the Capitol complex.Loudermilk said Republicans didn’t lead any such “reconnaissance tour” and filed an ethics complaint against the Democrats.Thursday, the leaders of the House Select Committee Investigating the
 January 6 Attack on the United States Capitol said they’ve seen 
evidence that contradicts Loudermilk’s account and directly relates to 
the fifth-term conservative’s actions.Committee Chairman Bennie G. Thompson, D-Miss., and Vice Chair Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., signed<a target="_blank" href="https://january6th.house.gov/sites/democrats.january6th.house.gov/files/2022-5-19.BGT%20LC%20Letter%20to%20Loudermilk.pdf">&nbsp;a letter</a>&nbsp;to Loudermilk that called on him to answer questions about a Jan. 5, 2021, tour of the Capitol he conducted.In May 2021, Loudermilk led a group of Republicans on the House Administration Committee in filing<a target="_blank" href="https://loudermilk.house.gov/uploadedfiles/ethics_complaint.pdf?utm_campaign=2637-377">&nbsp;an ethics complaint</a>&nbsp;against
 Sherrill and the Democrats, saying they accused Republicans, without 
evidence, of providing reconnaissance tours to insurrectionists.The complaint denied that any such tours occurred, with members 
saying they had reviewed security footage of the days preceding Jan. 6, 
and found that there “were no tours, no large groups, no one with MAGA 
hats on.”Thompson and Cheney said that doesn’t square with what they have seen.“The Select [Jan. 6] Committee’s review of evidence directly contradicts that denial,” Thursday’s letter said.Loudermilk had not previously been known to be among the panel’s 
targets. A spokesman for Loudermilk did not immediately return a message
 seeking comment.The Jan. 6 committee&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/05/13/u-s-house-jan-6-committee-subpoenas-5-gop-members-who-declined-to-testify/">earlier this month</a>&nbsp;subpoenaed
 five Republican House members who the panel believes have knowledge of 
the events leading up to the attack, including communication with 
then-President Donald Trump.The committee sent subpoenas to House Republican Leader Kevin 
McCarthy of California, Andy Biggs of Arizona, Jim Jordan of Ohio, Scott
 Perry of Pennsylvania and Mo Brooks of Alabama.In<a target="_blank" href="https://loudermilk.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3692">&nbsp;a statement</a>&nbsp;accompanying his ethics complaint, Loudermilk took great offense at the Democrats’ accusation.“A Member of Congress accusing another Member of committing a crime, 
without evidence, is morally reprehensible and a stain on this 
institution,” he said. “No Republican Member of Congress led any kind of
 ‘reconnaissance’ tours through the Capitol, proven by security footage 
captured by the U.S. Capitol Police.”Jacob Fischler covers federal policy as a senior reporter for States Newsroom.&nbsp;

Jan. 6 investigators want GOP lawmaker to explain pre-attack U.S. Capitol tour

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug charges after an arrest.

On Tuesday, members of the Topeka Police Department Narcotics Unit served a search warrant in the 3600 Block of SW 9th Street in Topeka related to an ongoing investigation, according to Lt. Manuel Munoz.

While conducting the search warrant, officers located methamphetamine, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia

As a result, officers arrested Jamie Cook, 33, of Topeka on requested charges that include&nbsp;Aggravated endangering a child; reckless situation, Possession of methamphetamine with the intent of distribution, Possession of marijuana and Possession of drug paraphernalia with the intent of distribution.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652881131069.png" alt="Cook-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Cook-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug charges after an arrest.On Tuesday, members of the Topeka Police Department Narcotics Unit served a search warrant in the 3600 Block of SW 9th Street in Topeka related to an ongoing investigation, according to Lt. Manuel Munoz.While conducting the search warrant, officers located methamphetamine, marijuana, and drug paraphernaliaAs a result, officers arrested Jamie Cook, 33, of Topeka on requested charges that include&nbsp;Aggravated endangering a child; reckless situation, Possession of methamphetamine with the intent of distribution, Possession of marijuana and Possession of drug paraphernalia with the intent of distribution.

Police: Mother was selling meth near kids in her Kan. home

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Police say a former University of Kansas soccer goalie has been killed and her husband has been charged with first-degree murder in her death. Police say officers found 25-year-old Regan Noelle Gibbs Marek fatally wounded Monday night at her apartment in Lawrence. 

Police say her husband, 26-year-old Chad Joseph Marek, was arrested at the scene. Investigators believe Gibbs death was likely the result of domestic violence, but police have not said how she was killed.

Gibbs was a goalkeeper for the Jayhawks’ soccer program from 2015 to 2018. The Kansas City Star reports that Marek appeared in Douglas County District Court on Tuesday. His bond is set at $1 million.

Friends of the family <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/regan-noelle-gibbs-and-family-memorial-fund?qid=9b67de1a21d85765ce555670556381f5">established a fundraiser </a>to assist them following the murder.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652810277064.png" alt="Marek-photo Douglas County" />
 <figcaption>Marek-photo Douglas County</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Police say a former University of Kansas soccer goalie has been killed and her husband has been charged with first-degree murder in her death. Police say officers found 25-year-old Regan Noelle Gibbs Marek fatally wounded Monday night at her apartment in Lawrence. Police say her husband, 26-year-old Chad Joseph Marek, was arrested at the scene. Investigators believe Gibbs death was likely the result of domestic violence, but police have not said how she was killed.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652907922881.png" alt="Gibbs photo GoFundMe" />
 <figcaption>Gibbs photo GoFundMe</figcaption>
 </figure>Gibbs was a goalkeeper for the Jayhawks’ soccer program from 2015 to 2018. The Kansas City Star reports that Marek appeared in Douglas County District Court on Tuesday. His bond is set at $1 million.Friends of the family <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/regan-noelle-gibbs-and-family-memorial-fund?qid=9b67de1a21d85765ce555670556381f5">established a fundraiser </a>to assist them following the murder.

Husband held on $1M bond for murder of former KU soccer goalie 

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Wednesday invoked the Defense Production Act to speed production of infant formula and authorized flights to import supply from overseas, as he faces mounting political pressure over a domestic shortage caused by the safety-related closure of the country's largest formula manufacturing plant.

The Defense Production Act order requires suppliers of formula manufacturers to fulfill those orders before other customers. Biden is also authorizing the Defense Department to use commercial aircraft to fly overseas formula supplies that meet federal standards to the U.S., in what the White House is calling “Operation Fly Formula.”

Supplies of baby formula across the country have been severely curtailed in recent weeks after a February recall by Abbott Nutrition exacerbated ongoing supply chain disruptions among formula makers, leaving fewer options on store shelves and increasingly anxious parents struggling to find nutrition for their children.

The announcement comes two days after the Food and Drug Administration said it was streamlining its review process to make it easier for foreign manufacturers to begin shipping more formula into the U.S. Regulators also said Monday that they’d reached a deal to allow Abbott Nutrition to restart its Sturgis, Michigan, plant, the nation's largest formula plant, which has been closed since February due to contamination issues. The company must overhaul its safety protocols and procedures before resuming production.

After getting the FDA’s OK, Abbott said it will take eight to ten weeks before new products begin arriving in stores. The company didn’t set a timeline to restart manufacturing.

By ZEKE MILLER, Associated PressWASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Wednesday invoked the Defense Production Act to speed production of infant formula and authorized flights to import supply from overseas, as he faces mounting political pressure over a domestic shortage caused by the safety-related closure of the country's largest formula manufacturing plant.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I’m taking two new steps to increase baby formula supply: - Invoking the Defense Production Act to increase domestic production - Launching Operation Fly Formula to use federal planes to fly formula in from abroad We&#39;re making sure safe formula gets to all who need it. <a href="https://t.co/lnkxsaCY6T">pic.twitter.com/lnkxsaCY6T</a>&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1527047326476410880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The Defense Production Act order requires suppliers of formula manufacturers to fulfill those orders before other customers. Biden is also authorizing the Defense Department to use commercial aircraft to fly overseas formula supplies that meet federal standards to the U.S., in what the White House is calling “Operation Fly Formula.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Just now, President Biden announced two additional actions – invoking the Defense Production Act and launching Operation Fly Formula – to speed up the import of infant formula and get more formula to stores as soon as possible. <a href="https://t.co/4Ss9H2T7BO">pic.twitter.com/4Ss9H2T7BO</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1527047301537079301?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Supplies of baby formula across the country have been severely curtailed in recent weeks after a February recall by Abbott Nutrition exacerbated ongoing supply chain disruptions among formula makers, leaving fewer options on store shelves and increasingly anxious parents struggling to find nutrition for their children.The announcement comes two days after the Food and Drug Administration said it was streamlining its review process to make it easier for foreign manufacturers to begin shipping more formula into the U.S. Regulators also said Monday that they’d reached a deal to allow Abbott Nutrition to restart its Sturgis, Michigan, plant, the nation's largest formula plant, which has been closed since February due to contamination issues. The company must overhaul its safety protocols and procedures before resuming production.After getting the FDA’s OK, Abbott said it will take eight to ten weeks before new products begin arriving in stores. The company didn’t set a timeline to restart manufacturing.

🎥Biden invokes Defense Production Act for baby formula shortage

&nbsp;TOPEKA —Kansas Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld a Republican redistricting law that improves the GOP's chances of flipping the state's only congressional seat held by a Democrat. 

&nbsp;Democrats argued that the map was drawn to help Republicans unseat Democratic U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids in the 3rd District in the Kansas City area, while Republicans called it a fair map.

In a statement from her office Davids said,&nbsp;“From rushed hearings to backroom deals for votes, the redistricting process did not instill a sense of transparency or confidence in the people of Kansas. I hope that although many feel their voice was not heard, they do not feel as though their voice does not matter.

I look forward to introducing myself to the new voters in the Third District, continuing my work to find common ground and tackle the everyday issues facing our community, and showing all Kansans that to me, their voice matters."

Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt who is also running for governor,&nbsp; praised the court for quick action on the case. "I am grateful for the expeditious manner in which the court announced the outcome of the cases, and this year’s candidate filings and election preparations can now proceed.”

 “The decisions confirm that the legislative and congressional reapportionments of Kansas enacted by the Legislature this year are constitutionally sound. We have successfully defended every Kansan’s right to equal protection of the law in exercising their right to vote, as well as the public’s right to establish new districts through their elected representatives. 

"It is regrettable that Kansas taxpayers have had to bear the unnecessary cost of successfully defending the duly enacted congressional reapportionment against multiple lawsuits backed by out-of-state activists."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602270876929.png" alt="U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;TOPEKA —Kansas Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld a Republican redistricting law that improves the GOP's chances of flipping the state's only congressional seat held by a Democrat. <div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">RELEASE: House Democratic Leader Tom Sawyer on Kansas Supreme Court Redistricting Decisions <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ksleg?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ksleg</a> <a href="https://t.co/G0a2zyRuiR">pic.twitter.com/G0a2zyRuiR</a>&mdash; Kansas House Democrats (@KSHouseDems) <a href="https://twitter.com/KSHouseDems/status/1526957614000644098?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>&nbsp;Democrats argued that the map was drawn to help Republicans unseat Democratic U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids in the 3rd District in the Kansas City area, while Republicans called it a fair map.In a statement from her office Davids said,&nbsp;“From rushed hearings to backroom deals for votes, the redistricting process did not instill a sense of transparency or confidence in the people of Kansas. I hope that although many feel their voice was not heard, they do not feel as though their voice does not matter.I look forward to introducing myself to the new voters in the Third District, continuing my work to find common ground and tackle the everyday issues facing our community, and showing all Kansans that to me, their voice matters."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652719984286.png" alt="Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt argued the case before the Kansas Supreme Court&nbsp; -photo by Thad Allton for Kansas Reflector" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt argued the case before the Kansas Supreme Court&nbsp; -photo by Thad Allton for Kansas Reflector</figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt who is also running for governor,&nbsp; praised the court for quick action on the case. "I am grateful for the expeditious manner in which the court announced the outcome of the cases, and this year’s candidate filings and election preparations can now proceed.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1643147273216.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure> “The decisions confirm that the legislative and congressional reapportionments of Kansas enacted by the Legislature this year are constitutionally sound. We have successfully defended every Kansan’s right to equal protection of the law in exercising their right to vote, as well as the public’s right to establish new districts through their elected representatives. "It is regrettable that Kansas taxpayers have had to bear the unnecessary cost of successfully defending the duly enacted congressional reapportionment against multiple lawsuits backed by out-of-state activists."

Leaders respond to Kan. court decision to uphold congressional map

DOUGLAS COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities&nbsp; investigating the fatal gunfight in a store parking lot in Lawrence have identified the men who died as 22-year-old Zachary Michael Sutton and 53-year-old Monty Ray Amick, both of Lawrence, according to police department spokesperson&nbsp;Kim L. Murphree.

Investigators believe the initial interaction between the occupants of two vehicles occurred near 23rd and Harper. The vehicles then travelled west on 23rd street where a confrontation occurred near 23rd and Iowa Street. 

After the confrontation, the vehicles continued west on Clinton Parkway where the incident culminated in the shooting at the Hy-Vee parking lot, 3504 Clinton Parkway. 

&nbsp;Sutton was reportedly a passenger in a 2006 White Ford F-150 Pickup truck and Amick was the driver and sole occupant of a 2007 Blue Nissan XTerra SUV, according to Murphree.

 Police are asking anyone who observed the altercation at 23rd and Iowa Street or the shooting at the HyVee parking lot to call Lawrence Police Department Investigations at (785)830-7430.

DOUGLAS COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating fatal shooting in a store parking lot in Lawrence.

Just after 9:30 p.m., Tuesday, police responded to a shooting in the parking lot of Hy-Vee, 3504 Clinton Parkway in Lawrence, according to Police&nbsp;Lt. David Ernst.

 One man was pronounced deceased at the scene. EMS transported a second man to an area hospital with critical injuries and he was later pronounced deceased.

Investigators were speaking with 4 individuals who were present at the scene.&nbsp; Police released no additional details including names of the victims.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652870936372.png" alt="Police on the scene of the shooting - photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the shooting - photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>DOUGLAS COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities&nbsp; investigating the fatal gunfight in a store parking lot in Lawrence have identified the men who died as 22-year-old Zachary Michael Sutton and 53-year-old Monty Ray Amick, both of Lawrence, according to police department spokesperson&nbsp;Kim L. Murphree.Investigators believe the initial interaction between the occupants of two vehicles occurred near 23rd and Harper. The vehicles then travelled west on 23rd street where a confrontation occurred near 23rd and Iowa Street. After the confrontation, the vehicles continued west on Clinton Parkway where the incident culminated in the shooting at the Hy-Vee parking lot, 3504 Clinton Parkway. &nbsp;Sutton was reportedly a passenger in a 2006 White Ford F-150 Pickup truck and Amick was the driver and sole occupant of a 2007 Blue Nissan XTerra SUV, according to Murphree. Police are asking anyone who observed the altercation at 23rd and Iowa Street or the shooting at the HyVee parking lot to call Lawrence Police Department Investigations at (785)830-7430.---------DOUGLAS COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating fatal shooting in a store parking lot in Lawrence.Just after 9:30 p.m., Tuesday, police responded to a shooting in the parking lot of Hy-Vee, 3504 Clinton Parkway in Lawrence, according to Police&nbsp;Lt. David Ernst. One man was pronounced deceased at the scene. EMS transported a second man to an area hospital with critical injuries and he was later pronounced deceased.Investigators were speaking with 4 individuals who were present at the scene.&nbsp; Police released no additional details including names of the victims.

Road rage led to fatal Kan. grocery store parking lot gunfight

Board member invokes Bible verse to seek ouster of ‘Hate U Give’

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/05/17/shawnee-heights-school-board-votes-against-banning-five-challenged-books/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The Shawnee Heights 
school board voted to accept recommendations of a district review 
committee and continue making available to students five books targeted 
for removal by community members.

The books about racism, gender and personal relationships were 
brought into question because individuals outside the district, 
including a Republican state senator from Topeka, thought the content 
was inappropriate for students in the public school. Some of the books 
were on Shawnee Heights’ library shelves, while others were part of the 
district’s classroom curriculum.

Three of the five books challenged in Shawnee Heights were among the 
top 10 censored school books in the United States in 2021, according to 
the American Library Association’s office of intellectual freedom.

Shawnee Heights board member Christina Flaming took exception to “The
 Hate U Give,” the 2017 young adult novel by Angie Thomas inspired by 
the Black Lives Matter movement. The narrator is Starr Carter, a 
16-year-old Black girl from a poor neighborhood who attended a 
predominantly white private school. The story involved Carter’s reaction
 to shooting of her childhood friend by a white police officer.

During the school board meeting Tuesday night, Flaming questioned 
legitimacy of the book’s depiction of a white officer shooting a Black 
boy. She said statistics proved there was more Black-on-Black violence 
than white-on-Black violence in the United States.

She also registered opposition to the book because the central 
character’s father failed as a role model. She said he didn’t possess 
family leadership skills necessary to move his wife and children to a 
more affluent neighborhood.

“I’m a biblical person. There’s a verse that talks about the dog 
returns to its vomit,” Flaming said. “To me, the overall theme was that 
dad could not leave the negative culture that he had in that 
neighborhood to get his family off to a better culture.”

The school board voted 6-1 to retain “Hate U Give” on the high school
 library’s shelf and to keep it as a reading option in a ninth-grade 
class.

Board member Jason Schulz defended retention of the book despite his 
personal challenge with the subject matter and a writing style that he 
viewed as harsh.

“It’s meant to make you think,” he said. “It’s meant to challenge what you think you know.”

In other action, the school board accepted the review committee’s 
recommendation to continue use in the district of “Not My Idea: A Book 
About Whiteness.” The novel by Anastasia Higginbotham is about white 
supremacy in the United States.

The board unanimously agreed to keep on school shelves “Beyond the 
Gender Binary” written by Alok Vaid-Menon, a gender-nonconforming artist
 who defined gender as a malleable form of expression.

Board members likewise retained for student consumption “All Boys 
Aren’t Blue” by journalist and LGBTQIA+ activist George Johnson. This 
young-adult memoir weaved together disappointments and triumphs faced by
 Black queer boys.

Rocky Busenitz, the school board’s president, said he was convinced 
the district ought to place “All Boys Aren’t Blue” beyond reach of 
Shawnee Heights students. He lost the vote 5-2.

Busenitz said the initial 200 pages of Johnson’s book was 
well-written, but subsequent sections undermined the book by 
inappropriately addressing explicit touching, oral sex and pornography 
He was particularly disturbed by an example of sexting.

“That’s not an activity or behavior we want to model or encourage,” Busenitz said. “We have an issue with that already.”

The school board voted 4-3 to continue making available the 
autobiography “Gender Queer: A Memoir.” It’s a 2019 book by Maia Kobabe.
 The district’s review committee split three ways, with two members 
voting to retain it, two urging it be restricted to students in 11th 
grade or higher and two members proposing it be removed.

Only four students in the district have checked out Kobabe’s book since it was acquired by the district in November 2019.

In April, Kansas state Sen. Rick Kloos, R-Topeka, insisted the 
Shawnee Heights superintendent unilaterally block access to “Gender 
Queer.” Kloos, who operates a Topeka thrift store and church known as 
God’s Storehouse, said he prayed the district would promptly withdraw 
the book chronicling a journey of self-identity, adolescent crushes, 
coming out to family and bonding with friends over erotic fiction.

Flaming, a board member opposed to retention of “Gender Queer,” said 
exploration of intercourse, sodomy, masturbation and other behaviors 
could be a violation of state law given Shawnee Heights’ community 
standards of what defined as patently offensive. Busenitz, the school 
board’s president, agreed with her, because he considered graphic 
illustrations in the book were obscene.

“It just seems to me this pushes even our Kansas state law. With that in mind, I will say remove the book,” Flaming said.

School board member Lauren Tice Miller, a graduate of Shawnee Heights
 High School, said she was convinced the book had educational merit and 
would offer valuable information to students interested in the subject. 
She said it would be wrong to restrict access to students in 11th or 
12th grades.

In the book, she said, the characters went to a library to seek 
answers to their questions. The Shawnee Heights library ought to be such
 a reservoir of insight, she said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652892406788.png" alt="The Shawnee Heights school board voted against requests to block student access to “The Hate U Give” by Angie Thomas, “Gender Queer” by Maia Kobabe and three other books subject to formal challenges on Tuesday. (Clay Wirestone/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>The Shawnee Heights school board voted against requests to block student access to “The Hate U Give” by Angie Thomas, “Gender Queer” by Maia Kobabe and three other books subject to formal challenges on Tuesday. (Clay Wirestone/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Board member invokes Bible verse to seek ouster of ‘Hate U Give’</h2>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/05/17/shawnee-heights-school-board-votes-against-banning-five-challenged-books/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The Shawnee Heights 
school board voted to accept recommendations of a district review 
committee and continue making available to students five books targeted 
for removal by community members.The books about racism, gender and personal relationships were 
brought into question because individuals outside the district, 
including a Republican state senator from Topeka, thought the content 
was inappropriate for students in the public school. Some of the books 
were on Shawnee Heights’ library shelves, while others were part of the 
district’s classroom curriculum.Three of the five books challenged in Shawnee Heights were among the 
top 10 censored school books in the United States in 2021, according to 
the American Library Association’s office of intellectual freedom.Shawnee Heights board member Christina Flaming took exception to “The
 Hate U Give,” the 2017 young adult novel by Angie Thomas inspired by 
the Black Lives Matter movement. The narrator is Starr Carter, a 
16-year-old Black girl from a poor neighborhood who attended a 
predominantly white private school. The story involved Carter’s reaction
 to shooting of her childhood friend by a white police officer.During the school board meeting Tuesday night, Flaming questioned 
legitimacy of the book’s depiction of a white officer shooting a Black 
boy. She said statistics proved there was more Black-on-Black violence 
than white-on-Black violence in the United States.She also registered opposition to the book because the central 
character’s father failed as a role model. She said he didn’t possess 
family leadership skills necessary to move his wife and children to a 
more affluent neighborhood.“I’m a biblical person. There’s a verse that talks about the dog 
returns to its vomit,” Flaming said. “To me, the overall theme was that 
dad could not leave the negative culture that he had in that 
neighborhood to get his family off to a better culture.”The school board voted 6-1 to retain “Hate U Give” on the high school
 library’s shelf and to keep it as a reading option in a ninth-grade 
class.Board member Jason Schulz defended retention of the book despite his 
personal challenge with the subject matter and a writing style that he 
viewed as harsh.“It’s meant to make you think,” he said. “It’s meant to challenge what you think you know.”In other action, the school board accepted the review committee’s 
recommendation to continue use in the district of “Not My Idea: A Book 
About Whiteness.” The novel by Anastasia Higginbotham is about white 
supremacy in the United States.The board unanimously agreed to keep on school shelves “Beyond the 
Gender Binary” written by Alok Vaid-Menon, a gender-nonconforming artist
 who defined gender as a malleable form of expression.Board members likewise retained for student consumption “All Boys 
Aren’t Blue” by journalist and LGBTQIA+ activist George Johnson. This 
young-adult memoir weaved together disappointments and triumphs faced by
 Black queer boys.Rocky Busenitz, the school board’s president, said he was convinced 
the district ought to place “All Boys Aren’t Blue” beyond reach of 
Shawnee Heights students. He lost the vote 5-2.Busenitz said the initial 200 pages of Johnson’s book was 
well-written, but subsequent sections undermined the book by 
inappropriately addressing explicit touching, oral sex and pornography 
He was particularly disturbed by an example of sexting.“That’s not an activity or behavior we want to model or encourage,” Busenitz said. “We have an issue with that already.”The school board voted 4-3 to continue making available the 
autobiography “Gender Queer: A Memoir.” It’s a 2019 book by Maia Kobabe.
 The district’s review committee split three ways, with two members 
voting to retain it, two urging it be restricted to students in 11th 
grade or higher and two members proposing it be removed.Only four students in the district have checked out Kobabe’s book since it was acquired by the district in November 2019.In April, Kansas state Sen. Rick Kloos, R-Topeka, insisted the 
Shawnee Heights superintendent unilaterally block access to “Gender 
Queer.” Kloos, who operates a Topeka thrift store and church known as 
God’s Storehouse, said he prayed the district would promptly withdraw 
the book chronicling a journey of self-identity, adolescent crushes, 
coming out to family and bonding with friends over erotic fiction.Flaming, a board member opposed to retention of “Gender Queer,” said 
exploration of intercourse, sodomy, masturbation and other behaviors 
could be a violation of state law given Shawnee Heights’ community 
standards of what defined as patently offensive. Busenitz, the school 
board’s president, agreed with her, because he considered graphic 
illustrations in the book were obscene.“It just seems to me this pushes even our Kansas state law. With that in mind, I will say remove the book,” Flaming said.School board member Lauren Tice Miller, a graduate of Shawnee Heights
 High School, said she was convinced the book had educational merit and 
would offer valuable information to students interested in the subject. 
She said it would be wrong to restrict access to students in 11th or 
12th grades.In the book, she said, the characters went to a library to seek 
answers to their questions. The Shawnee Heights library ought to be such
 a reservoir of insight, she said.“I found it to be a very emotional read. This young woman went 
through a lot in trying to find herself,” Tice Miller said. “All I could
 think about was, I’m sure there’s at least one student who is having 
this struggle. If this becomes the first one that we move to the side 
and restrict to 11th and 12th graders only, where does it stop?”