By STEPHEN KORANDA and JIM MCLEAN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-04-28/kansas-lawmakers-fall-a-few-votes-short-of-banning-transgender-athletes-from-womens-sports">Kansas News Service</a>

TOPEKA — Kansas lawmakers failed Thursday to override 
Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto of a ban on transgender girls and 
women competing on girls’ and women’s sports teams.

(Click to below to listen to a portion of the debate)

The Senate <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-04-26/if-the-kansas-house-overrides-a-veto-transgender-women-and-girls-will-be-banned-from-female-sports" target="_blank">successfully voted to override</a>, but the failure in the House spells the end of <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb160/" target="_blank">the bill</a>
 for this year. Republicans came close to the needed 84 votes in the 
House, but ended up with only 81 when a few members of the GOP didn’t 
support the plan.

It’s a repeat of last session, when Kelly <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-05-03/kansas-lawmakers-fall-short-in-their-attempts-to-ban-transgender-athletes-from-female-sports-teams" target="_blank">vetoed a similar bill</a> and lawmakers lacked the votes for an override.

The
 measure would have prohibited transgender athletes on girls’ and 
women’s teams at institutions like public grade schools, high schools 
and colleges.

Almost all Republicans supported the bill, saying it
 was about making sure that girls and women in sports do not face a 
disadvantage competing against transgender athletes.

“This is what
 we’re dealing with: male and female biology,” Republican Rep. Trevor 
Jacobs said on the House floor. “I can identify as many things, but that
 doesn’t make it so.”

Several Democrats pushed back against that, 
including Rep. Stephanie Byers, the first openly transgender lawmaker in
 Kansas history.

“It comes down to whether or not we recognize someone’s identity,” Byers said. “This is not my lifestyle. This is my existence.”

Byers
 said there may be only a single transgender athlete trying to compete 
on a girls’ sports teams in Kansas. The association that manages sports 
for grades 7 through 12 in Kansas <a href="https://apnews.com/article/topeka-kansas-legislature-libraries-9ffb07cf3b25faf848dda6d78bff8856" target="_blank">told the Associated Press</a>
 that it had been alerted of six or seven instances of transgender youth
 competing in sports, but couldn’t confirm how many of them were 
transgender girls.

Opponents of the bill said it discriminates against transgender youth and can make them feel more isolated.

“Trans
 kids just want to be accepted for who they are at their core,” 
Democratic Rep. Susan Ruiz said. “It’s not about playing sports. It’s 
not about fairness. It’s about singling out a group of kids.”

Opponents of the bill said that isolation could play a part in the <a href="https://www.pitt.edu/pittwire/features-articles/study-transgender-teens-suicide-risk-higher-cisgender-peers" target="_blank">higher rates of suicidal thoughts</a> studies have found among transgender youth.

The few Republicans in the House who voted against the bill did not explain their reasons during debate on the plan.

In
 the Senate, the only dissenting Republican was Sen. Brenda Dietrich, a 
former Topeka school superintendent. She said she couldn’t support 
including grade schoolers in the ban.

“I’m just sad that this bill
 includes our youngest students,” Dietrich said in an emotional 
explanation of her vote to sustain the veto on Tuesday.

The plan 
would have required the Kansas State High School Activities Association,
 the Kansas Board of Regents and the boards governing municipal 
universities, community colleges and technical schools to adopt rules 
and regulations to enforce the ban.

Stephen Koranda is the news editor for the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/Stephen_Koranda" target="_blank">@Stephen_Koranda</a> or email him at stephenkoranda@kcur.org.

Jim
 McLean is the senior correspondent for the Kansas News Service and the 
Statehouse reporter for Kansas Public Radio. You can reach him on 
Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/jmcleanks" target="_blank">@jmcleanks</a> or email jim@kcur .org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1651175177248.png" alt="Rep. Stephanie Byers, a Wichita Democrat and the first transgender state lawmaker elected in Kansas spoke during Thursday's debate&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Stephanie Byers, a Wichita Democrat and the first transgender state lawmaker elected in Kansas spoke during Thursday's debate&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>By STEPHEN KORANDA and JIM MCLEAN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-04-28/kansas-lawmakers-fall-a-few-votes-short-of-banning-transgender-athletes-from-womens-sports">Kansas News Service</a>TOPEKA — Kansas lawmakers failed Thursday to override 
Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto of a ban on transgender girls and 
women competing on girls’ and women’s sports teams.(Click to below to listen to a portion of the debate)<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4ub1Yka8PUI?start=10668" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>The Senate <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-04-26/if-the-kansas-house-overrides-a-veto-transgender-women-and-girls-will-be-banned-from-female-sports" target="_blank">successfully voted to override</a>, but the failure in the House spells the end of <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb160/" target="_blank">the bill</a>
 for this year. Republicans came close to the needed 84 votes in the 
House, but ended up with only 81 when a few members of the GOP didn’t 
support the plan.It’s a repeat of last session, when Kelly <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-05-03/kansas-lawmakers-fall-short-in-their-attempts-to-ban-transgender-athletes-from-female-sports-teams" target="_blank">vetoed a similar bill</a> and lawmakers lacked the votes for an override.The
 measure would have prohibited transgender athletes on girls’ and 
women’s teams at institutions like public grade schools, high schools 
and colleges.Almost all Republicans supported the bill, saying it
 was about making sure that girls and women in sports do not face a 
disadvantage competing against transgender athletes.“This is what
 we’re dealing with: male and female biology,” Republican Rep. Trevor 
Jacobs said on the House floor. “I can identify as many things, but that
 doesn’t make it so.”Several Democrats pushed back against that, 
including Rep. Stephanie Byers, the first openly transgender lawmaker in
 Kansas history.“It comes down to whether or not we recognize someone’s identity,” Byers said. “This is not my lifestyle. This is my existence.”Byers
 said there may be only a single transgender athlete trying to compete 
on a girls’ sports teams in Kansas. The association that manages sports 
for grades 7 through 12 in Kansas <a href="https://apnews.com/article/topeka-kansas-legislature-libraries-9ffb07cf3b25faf848dda6d78bff8856" target="_blank">told the Associated Press</a>
 that it had been alerted of six or seven instances of transgender youth
 competing in sports, but couldn’t confirm how many of them were 
transgender girls.Opponents of the bill said it discriminates against transgender youth and can make them feel more isolated.“Trans
 kids just want to be accepted for who they are at their core,” 
Democratic Rep. Susan Ruiz said. “It’s not about playing sports. It’s 
not about fairness. It’s about singling out a group of kids.”Opponents of the bill said that isolation could play a part in the <a href="https://www.pitt.edu/pittwire/features-articles/study-transgender-teens-suicide-risk-higher-cisgender-peers" target="_blank">higher rates of suicidal thoughts</a> studies have found among transgender youth.The few Republicans in the House who voted against the bill did not explain their reasons during debate on the plan.In
 the Senate, the only dissenting Republican was Sen. Brenda Dietrich, a 
former Topeka school superintendent. She said she couldn’t support 
including grade schoolers in the ban.“I’m just sad that this bill
 includes our youngest students,” Dietrich said in an emotional 
explanation of her vote to sustain the veto on Tuesday.The plan 
would have required the Kansas State High School Activities Association,
 the Kansas Board of Regents and the boards governing municipal 
universities, community colleges and technical schools to adopt rules 
and regulations to enforce the ban.Stephen Koranda is the news editor for the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/Stephen_Koranda" target="_blank">@Stephen_Koranda</a> or email him at stephenkoranda@kcur.org.Jim
 McLean is the senior correspondent for the Kansas News Service and the 
Statehouse reporter for Kansas Public Radio. You can reach him on 
Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/jmcleanks" target="_blank">@jmcleanks</a> or email jim@kcur .org.

🎥 Kan. lawmakers fall short of ban on transgender athletes in women's sports

JOHNSON COUNTY—The City of Prairie Village received a message from one of the organizations they partnered with to collect and distribute protective equipment to the brave men and women fighting for their freedom in the Ukraine. 

Recently, the police department sent 50 ballistic vests of various types to Ukraine and this week received a picture with some of the fighters wearing the vests that were donated. 

The police department continue to partner with area police departments including Olathe, Spring Hill, the Miami County Sheriff'f office and the Blue Valley School District police to collect additional protective items such as gas masks, ballistic vests and helmets.  Another shipment is on the way from these agencies.&nbsp;

Below is the message from the partner agency who helped distribute the equipment to Ukraine.

"Today I had the most wonderful conversation with the volunteer who transported armored vests donated by Prairie Village police department to Ukraine. As 100 soldiers lined up in front of him to greet him at the military training base, he thanked them for their bravery and apologized that he didn't have enough armored vests for all of them. Then he said "you'll have pick amongst yourselves who is worthy to wear these vests". One soldiers stepped forward without any hesitation and exclaimed he is that ready to die for Ukraine. The rest quickly deliberated and decided who will be honored to wear these vests."

"Recently I visited Washington DC and saw this quote at the Korean War memorial. It really stuck with me : "[US] ...answered the call to defeat a country they never new and a people they never met". This is what being an American is all about."

"Prairie Village police department I bow my head to you for your help, for stepping up and supporting "country you never new and people you never met". We will always be in debt and gratitude to you."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1651142315574.jpeg" alt="The Prairie Village Police&nbsp; wished the people of Ukraine good luck in their fight-.Photo courtesy Prairie Village Police" />
 <figcaption>The Prairie Village Police&nbsp; wished the people of Ukraine good luck in their fight-.Photo courtesy Prairie Village Police</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY—The City of Prairie Village received a message from one of the organizations they partnered with to collect and distribute protective equipment to the brave men and women fighting for their freedom in the Ukraine. Recently, the police department sent 50 ballistic vests of various types to Ukraine and this week received a picture with some of the fighters wearing the vests that were donated. The police department continue to partner with area police departments including Olathe, Spring Hill, the Miami County Sheriff'f office and the Blue Valley School District police to collect additional protective items such as gas masks, ballistic vests and helmets. Another shipment is on the way from these agencies.&nbsp;Below is the message from the partner agency who helped distribute the equipment to Ukraine."Today I had the most wonderful conversation with the volunteer who transported armored vests donated by Prairie Village police department to Ukraine. As 100 soldiers lined up in front of him to greet him at the military training base, he thanked them for their bravery and apologized that he didn't have enough armored vests for all of them. Then he said "you'll have pick amongst yourselves who is worthy to wear these vests". One soldiers stepped forward without any hesitation and exclaimed he is that ready to die for Ukraine. The rest quickly deliberated and decided who will be honored to wear these vests.""Recently I visited Washington DC and saw this quote at the Korean War memorial. It really stuck with me : "[US] ...answered the call to defeat a country they never new and a people they never met". This is what being an American is all about.""Prairie Village police department I bow my head to you for your help, for stepping up and supporting "country you never new and people you never met". We will always be in debt and gratitude to you."

Kan. police department sends equipment to fighters in Ukraine

LINDSBORG —Law enforcement authorities have determined that two juvenile boys, not college students or staff, are involved in an incident in which a foreign substance, identified as line paint, was placed in a water cooler the Bethany College baseball team provided to Kansas Wesleyan University during their doubleheader on Sunday, according to a media release from Lindsborg Police.

On April 24,&nbsp; Kansas Wesleyan University (KWU) contacted the Lindsborg Police Department to file a police report regarding a foreign substance found in their baseball team’s water cooler while at Bethany College for a game. Shortly thereafter, Bethany College contacted the police department to report the same incident. A police report was filed and both colleges agreed to cooperate with the investigation.

This incident generated wide-reaching media interest after initial comments on social media claimed that a college baseball program deliberately contaminated an opponent’s water cooler. 

Allegations were made that the foreign substance found in the water of KWU’s cooler was paint thinner. Based on information obtained through the investigation, it has been determined that the foreign substance was not paint thinner, but rather line paint used on the field and to touch up bases.

The Lindsborg Police Department has conducted over 60 interviews so far, collected multiple pieces of evidence, photographed the scene, and followed various leads. Though the investigation is active and ongoing, it has been determined that no one associated with either college was responsible for tampering with the water cooler.

The Lindsborg Police Department has identified two male juveniles as being involved in this incident and are continuing to investigate this matter.

LINDSBORG —Law enforcement authorities have determined that two juvenile boys, not college students or staff, are involved in an incident in which a foreign substance, identified as line paint, was placed in a water cooler the Bethany College baseball team provided to Kansas Wesleyan University during their doubleheader on Sunday, according to a media release from Lindsborg Police.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Putting PAINT THINNER in our water coolers to get our baseball players sick and still getting toasted by 31 runs is WILD. Stay classy! Glad all our players are okay <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/buckfethany?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#buckfethany</a> <a href="https://t.co/GqPFVqwQra">pic.twitter.com/GqPFVqwQra</a>&mdash; KWU Barstool (@BarstoolKwu) <a href="https://twitter.com/BarstoolKwu/status/1518437632090517506?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>On April 24,&nbsp; Kansas Wesleyan University (KWU) contacted the Lindsborg Police Department to file a police report regarding a foreign substance found in their baseball team’s water cooler while at Bethany College for a game. Shortly thereafter, Bethany College contacted the police department to report the same incident. A police report was filed and both colleges agreed to cooperate with the investigation.This incident generated wide-reaching media interest after initial comments on social media claimed that a college baseball program deliberately contaminated an opponent’s water cooler. Allegations were made that the foreign substance found in the water of KWU’s cooler was paint thinner. Based on information obtained through the investigation, it has been determined that the foreign substance was not paint thinner, but rather line paint used on the field and to touch up bases.The Lindsborg Police Department has conducted over 60 interviews so far, collected multiple pieces of evidence, photographed the scene, and followed various leads. Though the investigation is active and ongoing, it has been determined that no one associated with either college was responsible for tampering with the water cooler.The Lindsborg Police Department has identified two male juveniles as being involved in this incident and are continuing to investigate this matter.

Police: 2 juveniles responsible for Kan. college water cooler tampering

FRANKLIN COUNTY—A Kansas man died in an accident just before 5a.m. Thursday in Franklin County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2012 Mazda CX9 driven by Weston Scott Johnson, 18, Garnett, was northbound on US Highway 59 just south of Finney Road.

The Mazda crossed the center line,&nbsp; entered the southbound lanes of travel and struck&nbsp; 2010 Toyota Tacoma driven by Bryce Jacob Crump, 31, Newton.

Crump was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Frontier Forensics. EMS transported Johnson to Advent Health and he was later transferred to Overland Park Regional Medical Center. The KHP reported Johnson was not wearing a seat belt.

FRANKLIN COUNTY—A Kansas man died in an accident just before 5a.m. Thursday in Franklin County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2012 Mazda CX9 driven by Weston Scott Johnson, 18, Garnett, was northbound on US Highway 59 just south of Finney Road. The Mazda crossed the center line,&nbsp; entered the southbound lanes of travel and struck&nbsp; 2010 Toyota Tacoma driven by Bryce Jacob Crump, 31, Newton.Crump was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Frontier Forensics. EMS transported Johnson to Advent Health and he was later transferred to Overland Park Regional Medical Center. The KHP reported Johnson was not wearing a seat belt.

Kansas man dead, another injured after 2-vehicle crash

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden asked Congress on Thursday for an additional $33 billion to help Ukraine fend off Russia’s invasion, a signal that the U.S. is prepared to mount a robust, long-term campaign to bolster Kyiv and weaken Moscow as the bloody war enters its third month with no sign of abating.

Biden’s latest proposal — which the White House said was expected to support Ukraine’s needs for five months — has more than $20 billion in military assistance for Kyiv and for shoring up defenses in nearby countries. There is also $8.5 billion in economic aid to help keep Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s government functioning and $3 billion for food and humanitarian programs to help civilians, including the more than five million refugees created by the war.

The assistance package, which now heads to Congress for consideration, would be more than twice as large as an initial $13.6 billion of defense and economic aid for Ukraine and Western allies that Congress enacted last month and is now almost exhausted. It was meant to signify that the U.S. is not tiring of helping to stave off Russian President Vladimir Putin’s attempt to expand his nation’s control of its neighbor, and perhaps beyond.

“The cost of this fight is not cheap, but caving to aggression is going to be more costly,” Biden said. “It’s critical this funding gets approved and as quickly as possible.”

The request comes with the fighting, now in its ninth week, sharpening in eastern and southern parts of the country and international tensions growing as Russia cuts off gas supplies to two NATO allies, Poland and Bulgaria.

There is wide, bipartisan support in Congress for giving Ukraine all the assistance it needs to fight the Russians, and its eventual approval seems certain. But Biden and congressional Democrats also want lawmakers to approve billions more to battle the pandemic, and that along with a Republican push to entangle the measure with an extension of some Trump-era immigration restrictions leaves the proposal’s pathway to enactment unclear.

In an accompanying letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., Biden also asked lawmakers to include an additional $22.5 billion for vaccines, treatments, testing and aid to other countries in continuing efforts to contain COVID-19.

But that figure, which Biden also requested last month, seems aspirational at best. In a compromise with Republicans, Senate Democrats have already agreed to pare that figure to $10 billion, and reviving the higher amount would be at best an uphill fight.

As if acknowledging the political problems the pandemic response is encountering, Biden’s letter to Pelosi said, “I urge the Congress to include this much needed” pandemic spending in the Ukraine package. That wording seemed to suggest that separating the two initiatives, if needed to speed the Ukraine money, might be palatable to the White House.

Biden was also asking Congress on Thursday for new powers to seize and repurpose the assets of Russian oligarchs.

He wants lawmakers to make it a criminal offense for a person to “knowingly or intentionally possess proceeds directly obtained from corrupt dealings with the Russian government,” double the statute of limitations for foreign money laundering offenses to 10 years, and expand the definition of “racketeering” under U.S. law to include efforts to evade sanctions.

Biden will also ask Congress to allow the federal government use the proceeds from selling the seized assets of sanctioned Russian oligarchs to help the people of Ukraine.

In a virtual address to International Monetary Fund and World Bank leaders last week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for the proceeds of sanctioned property and Central Bank reserves to be used to compensate Ukraine for its losses.

He said that frozen Russian assets “have to be used to rebuild Ukraine after the war as well as to pay for the losses caused to other nations.”

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said at the time that congressional action would be needed to authorize such actions.

The war has already caused more than $60 billion in damage to buildings and infrastructure, World Bank President David Malpass said last week. And the IMF in its latest world economic outlook forecast that Ukraine’s economy will shrink by 35% this year and next.

In recent weeks, the U.S. and global allies have sanctioned dozens of oligarchs and their family members, along with hundreds of Russian officials involved in or deemed to be supporting its invasion of Ukraine. The White House says the new tools will toughen the impact of the sanctions on Russia’s economy and its ruling class by making sanctions more difficult to evade.

Biden last week warned that $6.5 billion earmarked for security assistance for Ukraine could soon be “exhausted” and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-biden-announces-new-military-aid-e78a7db76215a84f86586bb56122cd04">that Congress would need to approve supplemental funding</a>. More than half of the approved money for weapons and equipment for Ukraine’s military has already been drawn down.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden asked Congress on Thursday for an additional $33 billion to help Ukraine fend off Russia’s invasion, a signal that the U.S. is prepared to mount a robust, long-term campaign to bolster Kyiv and weaken Moscow as the bloody war enters its third month with no sign of abating.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F298694382441190%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=4" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Biden’s latest proposal — which the White House said was expected to support Ukraine’s needs for five months — has more than $20 billion in military assistance for Kyiv and for shoring up defenses in nearby countries. There is also $8.5 billion in economic aid to help keep Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s government functioning and $3 billion for food and humanitarian programs to help civilians, including the more than five million refugees created by the war.The assistance package, which now heads to Congress for consideration, would be more than twice as large as an initial $13.6 billion of defense and economic aid for Ukraine and Western allies that Congress enacted last month and is now almost exhausted. It was meant to signify that the U.S. is not tiring of helping to stave off Russian President Vladimir Putin’s attempt to expand his nation’s control of its neighbor, and perhaps beyond.“The cost of this fight is not cheap, but caving to aggression is going to be more costly,” Biden said. “It’s critical this funding gets approved and as quickly as possible.”The request comes with the fighting, now in its ninth week, sharpening in eastern and southern parts of the country and international tensions growing as Russia cuts off gas supplies to two NATO allies, Poland and Bulgaria.There is wide, bipartisan support in Congress for giving Ukraine all the assistance it needs to fight the Russians, and its eventual approval seems certain. But Biden and congressional Democrats also want lawmakers to approve billions more to battle the pandemic, and that along with a Republican push to entangle the measure with an extension of some Trump-era immigration restrictions leaves the proposal’s pathway to enactment unclear.In an accompanying letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., Biden also asked lawmakers to include an additional $22.5 billion for vaccines, treatments, testing and aid to other countries in continuing efforts to contain COVID-19.But that figure, which Biden also requested last month, seems aspirational at best. In a compromise with Republicans, Senate Democrats have already agreed to pare that figure to $10 billion, and reviving the higher amount would be at best an uphill fight.As if acknowledging the political problems the pandemic response is encountering, Biden’s letter to Pelosi said, “I urge the Congress to include this much needed” pandemic spending in the Ukraine package. That wording seemed to suggest that separating the two initiatives, if needed to speed the Ukraine money, might be palatable to the White House.Biden was also asking Congress on Thursday for new powers to seize and repurpose the assets of Russian oligarchs.He wants lawmakers to make it a criminal offense for a person to “knowingly or intentionally possess proceeds directly obtained from corrupt dealings with the Russian government,” double the statute of limitations for foreign money laundering offenses to 10 years, and expand the definition of “racketeering” under U.S. law to include efforts to evade sanctions.Biden will also ask Congress to allow the federal government use the proceeds from selling the seized assets of sanctioned Russian oligarchs to help the people of Ukraine.In a virtual address to International Monetary Fund and World Bank leaders last week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for the proceeds of sanctioned property and Central Bank reserves to be used to compensate Ukraine for its losses.He said that frozen Russian assets “have to be used to rebuild Ukraine after the war as well as to pay for the losses caused to other nations.”Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said at the time that congressional action would be needed to authorize such actions.The war has already caused more than $60 billion in damage to buildings and infrastructure, World Bank President David Malpass said last week. And the IMF in its latest world economic outlook forecast that Ukraine’s economy will shrink by 35% this year and next.In recent weeks, the U.S. and global allies have sanctioned dozens of oligarchs and their family members, along with hundreds of Russian officials involved in or deemed to be supporting its invasion of Ukraine. The White House says the new tools will toughen the impact of the sanctions on Russia’s economy and its ruling class by making sanctions more difficult to evade.Biden last week warned that $6.5 billion earmarked for security assistance for Ukraine could soon be “exhausted” and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-biden-announces-new-military-aid-e78a7db76215a84f86586bb56122cd04">that Congress would need to approve supplemental funding</a>. More than half of the approved money for weapons and equipment for Ukraine’s military has already been drawn down.

🎥 Biden wants $33 billion more to help Ukraine battle Russia

By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina Post

SALINA —A group of people allegedly took advantage of low staffing at a store in Salina&nbsp; Wednesday afternoon and stole multiple cellphones and smart watches.

Just one employee was working at the AT&amp;T Store, 2596 S. Ninth Street, Wednesday afternoon when two men entered the store and began asking the employee questions about cellphones, according to Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester.

 A short time later, two women entered the store and made their way to the back of the store while the men kept the AT&amp;T employee distracted in the front.

The women allegedly stole more than 30 cellphones, including iPhones, and a number of smart watches. Additionally, the store's safe was open in the back. Forrester said the store was to get a complete list of what was stolen to police on Thursday.

The store employee described the men as possibly being Middle Eastern, Forrester said. One of the men was described as having a heavy accent and being about 5'5" and heavyset. He was wearing a ball cap and a black t-shirt with a red-rhinestone teddy bear on it. The other man was described as being six-foot tall, heavyset, and wearing multi-colored clothing and a ball cap.

The only description provided for the women was that one wore a headscarf and a long skirt.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1651162231372.png" alt="AT&amp;T Store, 2596 S. Ninth Street in Salina -Google image" />
 <figcaption>AT&amp;T Store, 2596 S. Ninth Street in Salina -Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina PostSALINA —A group of people allegedly took advantage of low staffing at a store in Salina&nbsp; Wednesday afternoon and stole multiple cellphones and smart watches.Just one employee was working at the AT&amp;T Store, 2596 S. Ninth Street, Wednesday afternoon when two men entered the store and began asking the employee questions about cellphones, according to Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester. A short time later, two women entered the store and made their way to the back of the store while the men kept the AT&amp;T employee distracted in the front.The women allegedly stole more than 30 cellphones, including iPhones, and a number of smart watches. Additionally, the store's safe was open in the back. Forrester said the store was to get a complete list of what was stolen to police on Thursday.The store employee described the men as possibly being Middle Eastern, Forrester said. One of the men was described as having a heavy accent and being about 5'5" and heavyset. He was wearing a ball cap and a black t-shirt with a red-rhinestone teddy bear on it. The other man was described as being six-foot tall, heavyset, and wearing multi-colored clothing and a ball cap.The only description provided for the women was that one wore a headscarf and a long skirt.

Group takes advantage of low staffing to rob Kansas phone store

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A member of a far-right extremist group has pleaded guilty to a felony charge for his role in the January 2021 breach of the U.S. Capitol.

Louis Enrique Colon, 45, of Blue Springs, pleaded guilty Wednesday to obstructing law enforcement officers, federal prosecutors in Washington said.

Colon was a member of the Kansas City-area chapter of the Proud Boys when he took part in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol, prosecutors said.

Five other members of group&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-donald-trump-kansas-city-trials-kansas-397186ebf35fac87f3d44f5408084d95">were charged for their actions in the riot</a>. They are William Chrestman, of Olathe, Kansas, considered the leader of the Kansas City chapter; Christopher Charles Kuehn, Olathe; Ryan Ashlock, of Gardner, Kansas; and Felicia and Cory Konold, of the Tucson, Arizona, area. They have all pleaded not guilty.

Colon had faced a charge of conspiring with other Proud Boys members to stop Congress from certifying President Joe Biden’s 2020 electoral victory. He faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine when he’s sentenced at a later date.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1651158335112.png" alt="Louis Enrique Colon-image courtesy FBI&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Louis Enrique Colon-image courtesy FBI&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — A member of a far-right extremist group has pleaded guilty to a felony charge for his role in the January 2021 breach of the U.S. Capitol.Louis Enrique Colon, 45, of Blue Springs, pleaded guilty Wednesday to obstructing law enforcement officers, federal prosecutors in Washington said.Colon was a member of the Kansas City-area chapter of the Proud Boys when he took part in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol, prosecutors said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613070062571.png" alt="William Chrestman, of Olathe, Kansas, considered the leader of the Kansas City chapter-photo Wyandotte Co. Jail&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>William Chrestman, of Olathe, Kansas, considered the leader of the Kansas City chapter-photo Wyandotte Co. Jail&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Five other members of group&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-donald-trump-kansas-city-trials-kansas-397186ebf35fac87f3d44f5408084d95">were charged for their actions in the riot</a>. They are William Chrestman, of Olathe, Kansas, considered the leader of the Kansas City chapter; Christopher Charles Kuehn, Olathe; Ryan Ashlock, of Gardner, Kansas; and Felicia and Cory Konold, of the Tucson, Arizona, area. They have all pleaded not guilty.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613070020356.png" alt="Christopher Charles Kuehn, Olathe-photo Johnson Co. Sheriff&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Christopher Charles Kuehn, Olathe-photo Johnson Co. Sheriff&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Colon had faced a charge of conspiring with other Proud Boys members to stop Congress from certifying President Joe Biden’s 2020 electoral victory. He faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine when he’s sentenced at a later date.

KC-area Proud Boy pleads guilty in Capitol breach case

Washington– U.S. Senator Roger Marshall at a press conference Wednesday discussed the record amount of drugs coming across the southern border and making their way to Kansas under the Joe Biden Administration.

The Senator called attention to the heartbreaking story of Kansan Cooper Davis – a teenager – who died last summer from a fentanyl overdose. 

A recent&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/business/health-care/article258982433.html" target="_blank">Kansas City Star&nbsp;article</a>&nbsp;on his death stated, “Now drug traffickers are adding fentanyl to illegal drugs – much of it coming in from Mexico – to make them more potent and addictive. They don’t follow the rules of quality control. They’re criminals, not pharmacists.”

In President Joe Biden’s first 14 months in office,&nbsp;more than 12,000lbs of fentanyl was seized&nbsp;from these criminals at the southern border – much more made it over the border undetected. In the past three months, Kansas has seen more than&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kmbc.com/article/law-enforcement-agencies-share-fentanyl-intel-kansas/39665615" target="_blank">2,500 drug overdoses</a>. Additionally, last month Wichita officers seized&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kake.com/story/46247858/teen-dies-of-fentanyl-overdose-same-week-wpd-finds-7000-pills-first-powderform-in-wichita" target="_blank">7,000 fentanyl pills</a>&nbsp;during a traffic stop.

“We’ve done over 90 town halls in Kansas now since being sworn in a little bit over a year ago, I can assure everyone that Kansans’ biggest concerns are inflation and the safety and security of their families. Their safety starts at this open southern border. I want to bring this issue home to Kansas… This is the front page of the Kansas City Star this weekend – two young men in the prime of their life, high school age boys that died from an overdose of fentanyl. We all should realize that a teaspoon of fentanyl could kill one or two thousand people…”

Washington– U.S. Senator Roger Marshall at a press conference Wednesday discussed the record amount of drugs coming across the southern border and making their way to Kansas under the Joe Biden Administration.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fYNJzxnU4FQ?start=24" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>The Senator called attention to the heartbreaking story of Kansan Cooper Davis – a teenager – who died last summer from a fentanyl overdose. A recent&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/business/health-care/article258982433.html" target="_blank">Kansas City Star&nbsp;article</a>&nbsp;on his death stated, “Now drug traffickers are adding fentanyl to illegal drugs – much of it coming in from Mexico – to make them more potent and addictive. They don’t follow the rules of quality control. They’re criminals, not pharmacists.”In President Joe Biden’s first 14 months in office,&nbsp;more than 12,000lbs of fentanyl was seized&nbsp;from these criminals at the southern border – much more made it over the border undetected. In the past three months, Kansas has seen more than&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kmbc.com/article/law-enforcement-agencies-share-fentanyl-intel-kansas/39665615" target="_blank">2,500 drug overdoses</a>. Additionally, last month Wichita officers seized&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kake.com/story/46247858/teen-dies-of-fentanyl-overdose-same-week-wpd-finds-7000-pills-first-powderform-in-wichita" target="_blank">7,000 fentanyl pills</a>&nbsp;during a traffic stop.“We’ve done over 90 town halls in Kansas now since being sworn in a little bit over a year ago, I can assure everyone that Kansans’ biggest concerns are inflation and the safety and security of their families. Their safety starts at this open southern border. I want to bring this issue home to Kansas… This is the front page of the Kansas City Star this weekend – two young men in the prime of their life, high school age boys that died from an overdose of fentanyl. We all should realize that a teaspoon of fentanyl could kill one or two thousand people…”

🎥 Marshall on record amount of drugs coming to Kansas from southern border

WASHINGTON (AP) — Trevor Reed is back in the United States one day after the Marine veteran was swapped for a Russian drug trafficker in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-united-states-prisoner-exchange-8fd1e58e690350019c7aab55af41bbbf">prisoner exchange between Washington and Moscow</a>, his mother tweeted early Thursday morning.

“It’s been very exciting day for The Reed family. Trevor is back in the USA,” Paula Reed said on Twitter. Photographs tweeted from the account of Rep. August Pfluger, a Texas Republican, also showed him standing next to Reed.

His destination was not immediately clear. Reed’s parents live in Granbury, Texas, near Dallas.

Reed was swapped in Turkey on Wednesday for Konstantin Yaroshenko, who had been serving a 20-year prison sentence in a cocaine trafficking conspiracy case.

“I think it’s going to really hit home for him and for us when we finally get to see him and touch him,” Reed’s father, Joey, said in an interview with The Associated Press on Wednesday.

Reed, a 30-year-old former Marine, was arrested in the summer of 2019 after Russian authorities said he assaulted an officer while being driven by police to a police station following a night of heavy drinking.

He was later sentenced to nine years in prison. The U.S. government described him as unjustly detained and pressed for his release; his family asserted his innocence and expressed concerns about his deteriorating health — which included coughing up blood and a hunger strike.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Trevor Reed is back in the United States one day after the Marine veteran was swapped for a Russian drug trafficker in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-united-states-prisoner-exchange-8fd1e58e690350019c7aab55af41bbbf">prisoner exchange between Washington and Moscow</a>, his mother tweeted early Thursday morning.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">This is the moment we have all been praying for. WELCOME HOME, Trevor Reed! 🇺🇸 <a href="https://twitter.com/freetrevorreed?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@freetrevorreed</a> <a href="https://t.co/GooLSxSfsk">pic.twitter.com/GooLSxSfsk</a>&mdash; Rep. August Pfluger (@RepPfluger) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepPfluger/status/1519611148089364480?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 28, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“It’s been very exciting day for The Reed family. Trevor is back in the USA,” Paula Reed said on Twitter. Photographs tweeted from the account of Rep. August Pfluger, a Texas Republican, also showed him standing next to Reed.His destination was not immediately clear. Reed’s parents live in Granbury, Texas, near Dallas.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1651147467062.png" alt="President Biden met with the parents of Trevor Reed last month to discuss Trevor's safe return to the United States after being detained in Russia-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>President Biden met with the parents of Trevor Reed last month to discuss Trevor's safe return to the United States after being detained in Russia-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Reed was swapped in Turkey on Wednesday for Konstantin Yaroshenko, who had been serving a 20-year prison sentence in a cocaine trafficking conspiracy case.“I think it’s going to really hit home for him and for us when we finally get to see him and touch him,” Reed’s father, Joey, said in an interview with The Associated Press on Wednesday.Reed, a 30-year-old former Marine, was arrested in the summer of 2019 after Russian authorities said he assaulted an officer while being driven by police to a police station following a night of heavy drinking.He was later sentenced to nine years in prison. The U.S. government described him as unjustly detained and pressed for his release; his family asserted his innocence and expressed concerns about his deteriorating health — which included coughing up blood and a hunger strike.

Former Marine back in US, one day after Russian prisoner swap

WASHINGTON (AP) —Dr. Anthony Fauci said Wednesday the coronavirus is under better control in the United States. but the pandemic isn’t over — and the challenge is how to keep improving the situation.

“We are in a different moment of the pandemic,” said Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, in an interview with The Associated Press.

After a brutal winter surge, “we’ve now decelerated and transitioned into more of a controlled phase,” he said. “By no means does that mean the pandemic is over.”

His comments came a day after he said on the PBS “NewsHour” that the U.S. was “out of the pandemic phase” and also told The Washington Post that the country was finally “out of the full-blown explosive pandemic phase.”

Fauci’s remarks reflect how health authorities are wrestling with the next stage of the pandemic — how to keep COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations manageable and learn to live with what’s still a mutating and unpredictable virus.

Fauci said the U.S. appears to be out of what he called the “fulminant phase” of the pandemic, huge variant surges that at their worst sparked hundreds of thousands of infections daily, along with tens of thousands of hospitalizations and thousands of deaths.

COVID-19 cases are at a lower point than they’ve been in months and two-thirds of the U.S. population is vaccinated. Nearly half of those who need a booster dose have gotten the extra shot, and effective treatments are available.

“We are much, much better off than we were a year ago,” he said.

Still, there have been lulls before, and while cases are low, they are increasing in many parts of the country. Vaccination rates worldwide are far lower, especially in developing countries.

To keep improving, Fauci ticked off a to-do list: Get more people fully vaccinated; develop even better vaccines; figure out the best booster strategy to counter variants; and make sure people can access treatment as soon as they need it.

“We can’t take our foot off the pedal,” Fauci said. “There’s a lot of viral dynamics throughout the world and we still may get another variant which could lead to another potential surge.”

WASHINGTON (AP) —Dr. Anthony Fauci has given an upbeat assessment of the current state of the coronavirus in the United States, saying the country is “out of the pandemic phase” when it comes to new infections, hospitalizations and deaths, but that it appears to be making a transition to COVID-19 becoming an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-spain-world-health-organization-pandemics-6d9e495e0f6dec94acefabeb0a935b8e">endemic disease</a>&nbsp;— occurring regularly in certain areas.

Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, said on the PBS “NewsHour” on Tuesday that the coronavirus remains a pandemic for much of the world, but the threat is not over for the United States, adding that he was speaking about the worst phase of the pandemic.

“Namely, we don’t have 900,000 new infections a day and tens and tens and tens of thousands of hospitalizations and thousands of deaths. We are at a low level right now,” he said.

In comments Wednesday to The Washington Post, however, Fauci seemed to clarify his earlier remarks, saying that unlike the “full-blown explosive pandemic phase” during the brutal winter omicron surge, he was describing what appears to be a period of transition toward the coronavirus becoming an endemic disease.

“The world is still in a pandemic. There’s no doubt about that. Don’t anybody get any misinterpretation of that. We are still experiencing a pandemic,” Fauci told the Post.

His comments come as health authorities wrestle with how to keep COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations manageable and learn to live with what’s still a mutating and unpredictable virus. The Biden administration has stressed that the nation has more tools — vaccinations, booster shots and medications — to better handle infections than earlier in the pandemic.

U.S. cases are far lower than they were in recent months. But health officials are keeping a close eye as highly contagious variants continue to spread. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says cases have risen about 25% in the past week.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638385235681.png" alt="Fauci said the virus threat is not over for the United States-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Fauci said the virus threat is not over for the United States-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —Dr. Anthony Fauci said Wednesday the coronavirus is under better control in the United States. but the pandemic isn’t over — and the challenge is how to keep improving the situation.“We are in a different moment of the pandemic,” said Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, in an interview with The Associated Press.After a brutal winter surge, “we’ve now decelerated and transitioned into more of a controlled phase,” he said. “By no means does that mean the pandemic is over.”His comments came a day after he said on the PBS “NewsHour” that the U.S. was “out of the pandemic phase” and also told The Washington Post that the country was finally “out of the full-blown explosive pandemic phase.”Fauci’s remarks reflect how health authorities are wrestling with the next stage of the pandemic — how to keep COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations manageable and learn to live with what’s still a mutating and unpredictable virus.Fauci said the U.S. appears to be out of what he called the “fulminant phase” of the pandemic, huge variant surges that at their worst sparked hundreds of thousands of infections daily, along with tens of thousands of hospitalizations and thousands of deaths.COVID-19 cases are at a lower point than they’ve been in months and two-thirds of the U.S. population is vaccinated. Nearly half of those who need a booster dose have gotten the extra shot, and effective treatments are available.“We are much, much better off than we were a year ago,” he said.Still, there have been lulls before, and while cases are low, they are increasing in many parts of the country. Vaccination rates worldwide are far lower, especially in developing countries.To keep improving, Fauci ticked off a to-do list: Get more people fully vaccinated; develop even better vaccines; figure out the best booster strategy to counter variants; and make sure people can access treatment as soon as they need it.“We can’t take our foot off the pedal,” Fauci said. “There’s a lot of viral dynamics throughout the world and we still may get another variant which could lead to another potential surge.”___WASHINGTON (AP) —Dr. Anthony Fauci has given an upbeat assessment of the current state of the coronavirus in the United States, saying the country is “out of the pandemic phase” when it comes to new infections, hospitalizations and deaths, but that it appears to be making a transition to COVID-19 becoming an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-spain-world-health-organization-pandemics-6d9e495e0f6dec94acefabeb0a935b8e">endemic disease</a>&nbsp;— occurring regularly in certain areas.Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, said on the PBS “NewsHour” on Tuesday that the coronavirus remains a pandemic for much of the world, but the threat is not over for the United States, adding that he was speaking about the worst phase of the pandemic.“Namely, we don’t have 900,000 new infections a day and tens and tens and tens of thousands of hospitalizations and thousands of deaths. We are at a low level right now,” he said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1650646265277.png" alt="KDHE image Friday April 22, 2022" />
 <figcaption>KDHE image Friday April 22, 2022</figcaption>
 </figure>In comments Wednesday to The Washington Post, however, Fauci seemed to clarify his earlier remarks, saying that unlike the “full-blown explosive pandemic phase” during the brutal winter omicron surge, he was describing what appears to be a period of transition toward the coronavirus becoming an endemic disease.“The world is still in a pandemic. There’s no doubt about that. Don’t anybody get any misinterpretation of that. We are still experiencing a pandemic,” Fauci told the Post.His comments come as health authorities wrestle with how to keep COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations manageable and learn to live with what’s still a mutating and unpredictable virus. The Biden administration has stressed that the nation has more tools — vaccinations, booster shots and medications — to better handle infections than earlier in the pandemic.U.S. cases are far lower than they were in recent months. But health officials are keeping a close eye as highly contagious variants continue to spread. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says cases have risen about 25% in the past week.

Fauci changes his mind, says pandemic is not over

POLK COUNTY—A Kansas woman listed as an absconder by the Kansas Department of Corrections was injured in an accident during a high speed chase just after 7p.m. Tuesday in Polk County Missouri.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 1996 Ford Ranger driven by Christina Yount, 53, Lawrence, Kansas, was eastbound on 420th Road one mile west of Bolivar being pursued by Polk County Sheriff's deputies.

The pickup skidded off a curve and struck a tree. EMS transported Yount to the hospital in Bolivar. 

Cox Air Care transported a passenger 57-year-old Scott Reed to Cox South in Springfield.&nbsp; They were not wearing seat belts, according to the MSHP. 

Yount has previous convictions for Unlawful Manufacturing of a&nbsp; Controlled Substance, Criminal Damage to Property and Fleeing or Attempting to Elude Law enforcement, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections. She had been listed as an absconder since December of 2020.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1651073779196.png" alt="Yount has previous convictions for&nbsp;Unlawful Manufacturing Controlled Substance, Criminal Damage to Property and Fleeing or Attempting to Elude Law enforcement, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections" />
 <figcaption>Yount has previous convictions for&nbsp;Unlawful Manufacturing Controlled Substance, Criminal Damage to Property and Fleeing or Attempting to Elude Law enforcement, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections</figcaption>
 </figure>POLK COUNTY—A Kansas woman listed as an absconder by the Kansas Department of Corrections was injured in an accident during a high speed chase just after 7p.m. Tuesday in Polk County Missouri. The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 1996 Ford Ranger driven by Christina Yount, 53, Lawrence, Kansas, was eastbound on 420th Road one mile west of Bolivar being pursued by Polk County Sheriff's deputies.The pickup skidded off a curve and struck a tree. EMS transported Yount to the hospital in Bolivar. Cox Air Care transported a passenger 57-year-old Scott Reed to Cox South in Springfield.&nbsp; They were not wearing seat belts, according to the MSHP. Yount has previous convictions for Unlawful Manufacturing of a&nbsp; Controlled Substance, Criminal Damage to Property and Fleeing or Attempting to Elude Law enforcement, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections. She had been listed as an absconder since December of 2020.

Wanted Kansas felon injured in high-speed chase

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Authorities are working to determine the cause of a fire at a home.

Just after 10a.m. Wednesday, firefighters responded to a fire at a home at 2206 SW Duane Street in Topeka. Upon arrival, fire crews found smoke and heavy flames coming from the rear of the two-story home.

&nbsp;Two adults, two children and two cats were able to escape the flames prior to the fire department’s arrival..

The Estimated dollar loss – $50,000.00; of which $45,000.00 is associated with structural loss and $5,000.00 is associated with contents loss. Working smoke detectors were not located in the home.

The Kansas Fire Marshal's office is assisting with the investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1651140555915.png" alt="Heavy smoke from the Wednesday house fire -photo by Phil Anderson- photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Heavy smoke from the Wednesday house fire -photo by Phil Anderson- photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Authorities are working to determine the cause of a fire at a home.Just after 10a.m. Wednesday, firefighters responded to a fire at a home at 2206 SW Duane Street in Topeka. Upon arrival, fire crews found smoke and heavy flames coming from the rear of the two-story home.&nbsp;Two adults, two children and two cats were able to escape the flames prior to the fire department’s arrival..The Estimated dollar loss – $50,000.00; of which $45,000.00 is associated with structural loss and $5,000.00 is associated with contents loss. Working smoke detectors were not located in the home.The Kansas Fire Marshal's office is assisting with the investigation.

2 adults, 2 children and pets escape Kansas house fire

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden’s administration is taking steps to expand availability of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-business-health-8587aec18a3d1fc5013426f1c02d9af6">the life-saving COVID-19 antiviral treatment Paxlovid</a>, seeking to reassure doctors that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-covid-business-health-medication-fa6cd0dcc9dec4d1076b14a521e9a6e5">there is ample supply</a>&nbsp;for people at high risk of severe illness or death from the virus.

Paxlovid, produced by Pfizer, was first approved in December. Supply of the regimen was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-pfizer-medication-f5f65e7e61d6aa9c7dfa193053e8878a">initially very limited</a>, but COVID-19 cases across the country have fallen and manufacturing has increased. The White House is now moving to raise awareness of the pill and taking steps to make it easier to access.

The White House said Tuesday it is stepping up outreach to doctors, letting them know they shouldn’t think twice about prescribing the pill to eligible patients. Also, the drug will now be distributed directly to pharmacies, in addition to existing distribution channels run by states. That is expected to boost the number of sites from 20,000 to more than 30,000 next week and eventually to 40,000 locations.

The administration used the pharmacy channel to boost availability of COVID-19 vaccines more than a year ago.

“Paxlovid will be widely available everywhere in America,” said Dr. Ashish Jha, the White House COVID-19 response coordinator. The drug and antivirals like it “are the key essential tools that we’re going to need to get through the rest of this pandemic,” he said.

Vice President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-health-kamala-harris-dadf170fbacfd57922cdf51d59e87cdb">Kamala Harris</a>, who tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday, is taking Paxlovid after discussing it with her physicians.

Paxlovid, when administered within five days of symptoms appearing, has been proven to bring about a 90% reduction in hospitalizations and deaths among patients most likely to get severe disease. About 300 Americans are now dying each day from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">the coronavirus</a>, down from more than 2,600 during the height of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-business-chicago-illinois-e8727a5e7b1df775d692877e94f8cb73">the omicron wave</a>&nbsp;earlier this year.

The U.S. has ordered enough supply of the pills for 20 million people, which is estimated to last for several more months. The administration has warned that subsequent deliveries are dependent on Congress approving additional COVID-19 response funding.

“What we need to do is to help American physicians and nurse practitioners and others who can prescribe understand that we now have plenty available and anybody who is eligible, anybody who has high risk, should be getting Paxlovid,” Jha said.

He also encouraged people who test positive to contact their doctors to determine their eligibility for the drug that might prevent severe outcomes.

The Food and Drug Administration authorized Pfizer’s drug for adults and children age 12 or older with a positive COVID-19 test and early symptoms who face the highest risk of severe outcomes. That includes older people and those with conditions like obesity and heart disease, though the drug is not recommended for patients with severe kidney or liver problems.

The administration is also working to expand the number of test-to-treat sites that provide a one-stop shop for those with COVID-19 to get tested for the virus, consult with a medical professional if they’re positive and fill a prescription for Paxlovid on site. Currently there are 2,200 locations nationwide, and the administration hopes support from the Department of Health and Human Services, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and pharmacy companies will enable more sites to come online in the coming weeks.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1651093961654.png" alt="“Paxlovid will be widely available everywhere in America,” said Dr. Ashish Jha, the White House COVID-19 response coordinator.-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>“Paxlovid will be widely available everywhere in America,” said Dr. Ashish Jha, the White House COVID-19 response coordinator.-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden’s administration is taking steps to expand availability of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-business-health-8587aec18a3d1fc5013426f1c02d9af6">the life-saving COVID-19 antiviral treatment Paxlovid</a>, seeking to reassure doctors that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-covid-business-health-medication-fa6cd0dcc9dec4d1076b14a521e9a6e5">there is ample supply</a>&nbsp;for people at high risk of severe illness or death from the virus.Paxlovid, produced by Pfizer, was first approved in December. Supply of the regimen was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-pfizer-medication-f5f65e7e61d6aa9c7dfa193053e8878a">initially very limited</a>, but COVID-19 cases across the country have fallen and manufacturing has increased. The White House is now moving to raise awareness of the pill and taking steps to make it easier to access.The White House said Tuesday it is stepping up outreach to doctors, letting them know they shouldn’t think twice about prescribing the pill to eligible patients. Also, the drug will now be distributed directly to pharmacies, in addition to existing distribution channels run by states. That is expected to boost the number of sites from 20,000 to more than 30,000 next week and eventually to 40,000 locations.The administration used the pharmacy channel to boost availability of COVID-19 vaccines more than a year ago.“Paxlovid will be widely available everywhere in America,” said Dr. Ashish Jha, the White House COVID-19 response coordinator. The drug and antivirals like it “are the key essential tools that we’re going to need to get through the rest of this pandemic,” he said.Vice President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-health-kamala-harris-dadf170fbacfd57922cdf51d59e87cdb">Kamala Harris</a>, who tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday, is taking Paxlovid after discussing it with her physicians.Paxlovid, when administered within five days of symptoms appearing, has been proven to bring about a 90% reduction in hospitalizations and deaths among patients most likely to get severe disease. About 300 Americans are now dying each day from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">the coronavirus</a>, down from more than 2,600 during the height of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-business-chicago-illinois-e8727a5e7b1df775d692877e94f8cb73">the omicron wave</a>&nbsp;earlier this year.The U.S. has ordered enough supply of the pills for 20 million people, which is estimated to last for several more months. The administration has warned that subsequent deliveries are dependent on Congress approving additional COVID-19 response funding.“What we need to do is to help American physicians and nurse practitioners and others who can prescribe understand that we now have plenty available and anybody who is eligible, anybody who has high risk, should be getting Paxlovid,” Jha said.He also encouraged people who test positive to contact their doctors to determine their eligibility for the drug that might prevent severe outcomes.The Food and Drug Administration authorized Pfizer’s drug for adults and children age 12 or older with a positive COVID-19 test and early symptoms who face the highest risk of severe outcomes. That includes older people and those with conditions like obesity and heart disease, though the drug is not recommended for patients with severe kidney or liver problems.The administration is also working to expand the number of test-to-treat sites that provide a one-stop shop for those with COVID-19 to get tested for the virus, consult with a medical professional if they’re positive and fill a prescription for Paxlovid on site. Currently there are 2,200 locations nationwide, and the administration hopes support from the Department of Health and Human Services, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and pharmacy companies will enable more sites to come online in the coming weeks.

Biden administration expands availability of COVID antiviral pill

OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas man has been sentenced to more than 21 years in prison for the 2018 stabbing death of his girlfriend's ex-husband. Prosecutors said in a news release Wednesday that Vincenzo Anecio Lucasta was sentenced earlier this month to 258 months in prison for the death of 57-year-old David Paterno, of Shawnee. 

Lucasta pleaded no contest in January to second-degree intentional murder in in the case. Officers found Paterno mortally wounded in his home on Aug. 8, 2018, after a neighbor heard a loud fight inside the home. 

Lucasta had initially been charged with first-degree murder. In addition to prison, he was required to register as a violent offender April 15, according to online KBI records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1643320420372.png" alt="Lucasta-photo KBI offender Registry" />
 <figcaption>Lucasta-photo KBI offender Registry</figcaption>
 </figure>OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas man has been sentenced to more than 21 years in prison for the 2018 stabbing death of his girlfriend's ex-husband. Prosecutors said in a news release Wednesday that Vincenzo Anecio Lucasta was sentenced earlier this month to 258 months in prison for the death of 57-year-old David Paterno, of Shawnee. Lucasta pleaded no contest in January to second-degree intentional murder in in the case. Officers found Paterno mortally wounded in his home on Aug. 8, 2018, after a neighbor heard a loud fight inside the home. Lucasta had initially been charged with first-degree murder. In addition to prison, he was required to register as a violent offender April 15, according to online KBI records.

Kan. man sentenced for murder of girlfriend's ex-husband

GRAIN VALLEY, Mo. (AP) — A suburban Kansas City school board had told teachers at a high school to remove cards and stickers showing support for LGBTQ students.

The Grain Valley school board sent an email to families Monday saying members had “received a concern” about the cards and stickers some high school teachers were displaying to tell students they could approach them regarding LGBTQ questions, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/education/article260751252.html#storylink=cpy">reported.</a>

“We remain committed to providing professional development to help our staff create a safe, collaborative, and inclusive environment, consistent with our core beliefs, where each student feels a sense of belonging," the email reads. "The use of these cards, however, is determined to not be an appropriate step at this time.”

Some parents, teachers and advocates in the district opposed the decision.

Travis Holt, a Grain Valley graduate who is gay, called the decision “disheartening” and said he is asking the school board to reconsider to “keep the students’ best interests at heart rather than buckling under pressure from a select few parents.”

GRAIN VALLEY, Mo. (AP) — A suburban Kansas City school board had told teachers at a high school to remove cards and stickers showing support for LGBTQ students.The Grain Valley school board sent an email to families Monday saying members had “received a concern” about the cards and stickers some high school teachers were displaying to tell students they could approach them regarding LGBTQ questions, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/education/article260751252.html#storylink=cpy">reported.</a>“We remain committed to providing professional development to help our staff create a safe, collaborative, and inclusive environment, consistent with our core beliefs, where each student feels a sense of belonging," the email reads. "The use of these cards, however, is determined to not be an appropriate step at this time.”Some parents, teachers and advocates in the district opposed the decision.Travis Holt, a Grain Valley graduate who is gay, called the decision “disheartening” and said he is asking the school board to reconsider to “keep the students’ best interests at heart rather than buckling under pressure from a select few parents.”

KC-area high school bans LGBTQ support stickers and cards

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas legislators were close Wednesday to approving a measure authorizing sports betting that would dedicate most of the state’s revenues from it to efforts to lure the Kansas City Chiefs from Missouri to the Kansas side of the metropolitan area.

Lawmakers expected to give final approval this week to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/ccrb_sb84_01_0000.pdf" target="_blank">a bill</a>&nbsp;allowing people in the state to use cellphone or computer apps to bet on sporting events and to place bets at state-owned casinos or up to 50 other locations chosen by each casino. A version&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/vote_view/je_20220402003027_589945/" target="_blank">cleared the House</a>&nbsp;earlier this month and was set for a vote Wednesday in the Senate but senators discovered that they wanted technical changes before it goes to Gov. Laura Kelly.

The state would impose a 10% tax on each bet, and the measure says 80% of the revenues — perhaps $5 million a year — would go into a fund to provide incentives for professional sports teams to come to Kansas. The teams could include professional baseball’s Kansas City Royals or pro basketball or hockey teams. However, most supporters contemplated trying to lure the Chiefs to the Legends, a shopping and entertainment district in Kansas City, Kansas, that’s already home to a NASCAR track, professional soccer’s Sporting KC, and a state-owned casino.

The idea faced bipartisan skepticism in the Republican-controlled Legislature, with some lawmakers viewing it as quixotic. But top Republicans said they’re simply trying to put Kansas in a better position to land the Chiefs or another team, should they want to move.

“I would love to see the Chiefs playing in Kansas, but I’m not in a position to really gauge and know how serious that is,” said Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican.

The U.S. Supreme Court in 2018&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nv-state-wire-north-america-courts-supreme-courts-gambling-industry-f3fa1f71b8f44378a7e2c51d321b13b4">struck down a ban</a>&nbsp;on sports betting in most states. Twenty-nine have authorized commercial sports betting, while another six allow Native American tribes to provide it,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncsl.org/research/fiscal-policy/march-madness-fuels-sports-betting-trend-magazine2022.aspx" target="_blank">according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.</a>&nbsp;Missouri lawmakers also are considering a measure to legalize sports betting.

Kansas allows betting through fantasy sports leagues, operates a state lottery and allows private companies to operate four casinos under contracts with the lottery. Efforts to authorize sports wagering have stalled in the past over state-owned casinos’ control and whether to allow other new forms of gambling.

Supporters also must contend with some lawmakers’ moral objections. GOP Rep. Paul Waggoner, of Hutchinson, argued that gambling addictions destroy families and was disappointed that fellow Republicans backed the bill.

“You’re supposed to be the party that is promoting, you know, family values, or family cohesiveness,” Waggoner said.

But other lawmakers said people already are betting illegally.

“We need to regulate it and tax it,” said House Minority Leader Tom Sawyer, a Wichita Democrat.

The proposal for attracting professional sports teams arose&nbsp;<a href="https://fox4kc.com/sports/chiefs/chiefs-consider-move-to-kansas-mark-donovan-says/" target="_blank">as reports circulated</a>&nbsp;from a recent National Football League owners’ meeting that Chiefs President Mark Donovan said the team had considered options for a new stadium in Kansas. Chiefs spokesman Brad Gee declined to comment on the legislation to The Associated Press.

With a decade left on their lease at Kauffman Stadium, baseball’s Royals&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-mlb-nfl-kansas-city-kansas-city-royals-3b4729a71e843bf8eddee42dc6ced7e1">are considering options</a>&nbsp;that include a new stadium in downtown Kansas City, Missouri. The team also didn’t comment immediately Wednesday.

The two teams’ stadiums opened side by side in Kansas City, Missouri, in the early 1970s.

Kansas state Sen. Rob Olson, an Olathe Republican who helped draft the final version of the bill, said the Legends area has room for building condominiums and more retail stores.

“I think it’s probably one of the best areas to do something like that in,” Olson said.

But other lawmakers said the provision was an unnecessary distraction. Sen. Jeff Pittman, a Leavenworth Democrat, said it looks like lawmakers are creating a “slush fund” and the money raised from sports betting would far too little to attract a new team.

“Where’s this money going to go?” Pittman said. “What happens if it’s just a pipe dream? That money is just gonna sit there for five years?”

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas legislators were close Wednesday to approving a measure authorizing sports betting that would dedicate most of the state’s revenues from it to efforts to lure the Kansas City Chiefs from Missouri to the Kansas side of the metropolitan area.Lawmakers expected to give final approval this week to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/ccrb_sb84_01_0000.pdf" target="_blank">a bill</a>&nbsp;allowing people in the state to use cellphone or computer apps to bet on sporting events and to place bets at state-owned casinos or up to 50 other locations chosen by each casino. A version&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/vote_view/je_20220402003027_589945/" target="_blank">cleared the House</a>&nbsp;earlier this month and was set for a vote Wednesday in the Senate but senators discovered that they wanted technical changes before it goes to Gov. Laura Kelly.The state would impose a 10% tax on each bet, and the measure says 80% of the revenues — perhaps $5 million a year — would go into a fund to provide incentives for professional sports teams to come to Kansas. The teams could include professional baseball’s Kansas City Royals or pro basketball or hockey teams. However, most supporters contemplated trying to lure the Chiefs to the Legends, a shopping and entertainment district in Kansas City, Kansas, that’s already home to a NASCAR track, professional soccer’s Sporting KC, and a state-owned casino.The idea faced bipartisan skepticism in the Republican-controlled Legislature, with some lawmakers viewing it as quixotic. But top Republicans said they’re simply trying to put Kansas in a better position to land the Chiefs or another team, should they want to move.“I would love to see the Chiefs playing in Kansas, but I’m not in a position to really gauge and know how serious that is,” said Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican.The U.S. Supreme Court in 2018&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nv-state-wire-north-america-courts-supreme-courts-gambling-industry-f3fa1f71b8f44378a7e2c51d321b13b4">struck down a ban</a>&nbsp;on sports betting in most states. Twenty-nine have authorized commercial sports betting, while another six allow Native American tribes to provide it,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncsl.org/research/fiscal-policy/march-madness-fuels-sports-betting-trend-magazine2022.aspx" target="_blank">according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.</a>&nbsp;Missouri lawmakers also are considering a measure to legalize sports betting.Kansas allows betting through fantasy sports leagues, operates a state lottery and allows private companies to operate four casinos under contracts with the lottery. Efforts to authorize sports wagering have stalled in the past over state-owned casinos’ control and whether to allow other new forms of gambling.Supporters also must contend with some lawmakers’ moral objections. GOP Rep. Paul Waggoner, of Hutchinson, argued that gambling addictions destroy families and was disappointed that fellow Republicans backed the bill.“You’re supposed to be the party that is promoting, you know, family values, or family cohesiveness,” Waggoner said.But other lawmakers said people already are betting illegally.“We need to regulate it and tax it,” said House Minority Leader Tom Sawyer, a Wichita Democrat.The proposal for attracting professional sports teams arose&nbsp;<a href="https://fox4kc.com/sports/chiefs/chiefs-consider-move-to-kansas-mark-donovan-says/" target="_blank">as reports circulated</a>&nbsp;from a recent National Football League owners’ meeting that Chiefs President Mark Donovan said the team had considered options for a new stadium in Kansas. Chiefs spokesman Brad Gee declined to comment on the legislation to The Associated Press.With a decade left on their lease at Kauffman Stadium, baseball’s Royals&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-mlb-nfl-kansas-city-kansas-city-royals-3b4729a71e843bf8eddee42dc6ced7e1">are considering options</a>&nbsp;that include a new stadium in downtown Kansas City, Missouri. The team also didn’t comment immediately Wednesday.The two teams’ stadiums opened side by side in Kansas City, Missouri, in the early 1970s.Kansas state Sen. Rob Olson, an Olathe Republican who helped draft the final version of the bill, said the Legends area has room for building condominiums and more retail stores.“I think it’s probably one of the best areas to do something like that in,” Olson said.But other lawmakers said the provision was an unnecessary distraction. Sen. Jeff Pittman, a Leavenworth Democrat, said it looks like lawmakers are creating a “slush fund” and the money raised from sports betting would far too little to attract a new team.“Where’s this money going to go?” Pittman said. “What happens if it’s just a pipe dream? That money is just gonna sit there for five years?”___

Kansas looks to use taxes on sports bets to attract Chiefs

COWLEY COUNTY —Authorities have identified the man who drowned Tuesday at Winfield Lake as 75-year-old John Sanford of Atlanta, Kansas,&nbsp; according to Fire Chief Vincent Warren.

Just before 12:30p.m.. on Tuesday, members from the Winfield Police Department and the Winfield Fire/EMS Department were dispatched to Winfield City Lake for the report of an unoccupied boat in the water near the shoreline on the north side of the lake, according to Warren.

It was believed the boat was being operated prior to it becoming lodged on the bank of the lake.

Based on this information, crews searched on land near the boat and members of Winfield Fire/EMS and the Arkansas City Fire Department each deployed a boat to start search efforts in the water.

Aircraft from the Kansas Highway Patrol and small drones from Cowley County Sheriff’s Office and the Kansas Department of Wildlife Parks also helped with the search. The Sedgwick County Fire District’s dive team and boats equipped with Sonar technology were used in the water where the victim’s boat was last seen.

Just before 5p.m. Sandford's body was located underwater by divers from the Sedgwick County Fire District and the Arkansas City Fire Department.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1651086582567.png" alt="First responders working at the lake on Tuesday -photos courtesy Sedgwick County Fire District 1" />
 <figcaption>First responders working at the lake on Tuesday -photos courtesy Sedgwick County Fire District 1</figcaption>
 </figure>COWLEY COUNTY —Authorities have identified the man who drowned Tuesday at Winfield Lake as 75-year-old John Sanford of Atlanta, Kansas,&nbsp; according to Fire Chief Vincent Warren.Just before 12:30p.m.. on Tuesday, members from the Winfield Police Department and the Winfield Fire/EMS Department were dispatched to Winfield City Lake for the report of an unoccupied boat in the water near the shoreline on the north side of the lake, according to Warren.It was believed the boat was being operated prior to it becoming lodged on the bank of the lake.Based on this information, crews searched on land near the boat and members of Winfield Fire/EMS and the Arkansas City Fire Department each deployed a boat to start search efforts in the water.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1651090673722.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Aircraft from the Kansas Highway Patrol and small drones from Cowley County Sheriff’s Office and the Kansas Department of Wildlife Parks also helped with the search. The Sedgwick County Fire District’s dive team and boats equipped with Sonar technology were used in the water where the victim’s boat was last seen.Just before 5p.m. Sandford's body was located underwater by divers from the Sedgwick County Fire District and the Arkansas City Fire Department.

Fire Chief: 75-year-old Kansas man drowns in city lake

By JACOB FISCHLER <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/04/27/congress-expands-brown-v-board-of-education-historic-site-beyond-kansas/">States Newsroom</a>

The U.S. House cleared a bill 
Tuesday that would expand the Kansas site honoring the U.S. Supreme 
Court ruling overturning school segregation, adding National Park 
Service sites in other states to commemorate their roles in the decision
 as well.

The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/270">bill</a>&nbsp;would
 designate sites related to school desegregation cases in Virginia, 
Delaware, South Carolina and the District of Columbia as important parts
 of the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision that ended legal 
school segregation. All sites would be managed by the National Park 
Service.

The House passed the bill by voice vote Tuesday, with no member raising an objection. The Senate&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/04/11/moran-marshall-laud-broadening-of-brown-v-board-education-commemorations/">also passed the bill</a>&nbsp;by
 voice vote April 6, meaning the House action Tuesday sends the measure 
to the White House for President Joe Biden’s signature.

Congress designated a national historic site in Topeka, Kansas, in 
1992 to honor Linda Brown, the first named plaintiff in the combined 
Brown v. Board of Education case, and her family.

But the Supreme Court’s Brown ruling was the result of Brown and four
 other suits and there is no NPS site to recognize the other cases.

The site in Topeka honoring Brown “tells the story of the ordinary 
people who took this extraordinary action to ensure their children had 
equal educational opportunities,” House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn, a
 South Carolina Democrat who is the highest-ranking Black member of 
Congress, said Tuesday.

“However, the other communities involved in this historic effort have
 no National Park Service presence acknowledging their contributions,” 
he added. “This bill rights that wrong.”

One of the cases that the court heard with Brown was Davis v. County 
School Board of Prince Edward County. Under the bill, the site of the 
all-Black Robert Russa Moton High School in Farmville, Virginia, which 
was the subject of the suit, will become a national historic landmark 
and museum.

The bill would also add one acre of land adjacent to the current Topeka site.

It requires the Department of Interior to develop a management plan for each site.

“In recent years, the National Park Service has made a concerted 
effort to provide a more inclusive look at American history to ensure 
that our parks tell the stories of all Americans,” U.S. Rep. Cliff 
Bentz, an Oregon Republican who led the GOP floor debate on the bill, 
said. “I applaud the National Park Service for its efforts to make all 
Americans feel welcome and included in our national park system.”

Arizona Democrat Raul Grijalva, who chairs the House Natural 
Resources Committee that oversees national parks, said the 
acknowledgement of all plaintiffs in the case was important.

“This legislative effort will continue to elevate the important stories and education of the civil rights movement,” he said.

The Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site would become 
the Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park under the 
legislation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1651076272726.png" alt="A tour group observes the Brown v. Board mural on the third floor of the Kansas Statehouse, April 26, 2022 (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)." />
 <figcaption>A tour group observes the Brown v. Board mural on the third floor of the Kansas Statehouse, April 26, 2022 (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector).</figcaption>
 </figure>By JACOB FISCHLER <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/04/27/congress-expands-brown-v-board-of-education-historic-site-beyond-kansas/">States Newsroom</a>The U.S. House cleared a bill 
Tuesday that would expand the Kansas site honoring the U.S. Supreme 
Court ruling overturning school segregation, adding National Park 
Service sites in other states to commemorate their roles in the decision
 as well.The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/270">bill</a>&nbsp;would
 designate sites related to school desegregation cases in Virginia, 
Delaware, South Carolina and the District of Columbia as important parts
 of the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision that ended legal 
school segregation. All sites would be managed by the National Park 
Service.The House passed the bill by voice vote Tuesday, with no member raising an objection. The Senate&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/04/11/moran-marshall-laud-broadening-of-brown-v-board-education-commemorations/">also passed the bill</a>&nbsp;by
 voice vote April 6, meaning the House action Tuesday sends the measure 
to the White House for President Joe Biden’s signature.Congress designated a national historic site in Topeka, Kansas, in 
1992 to honor Linda Brown, the first named plaintiff in the combined 
Brown v. Board of Education case, and her family.But the Supreme Court’s Brown ruling was the result of Brown and four
 other suits and there is no NPS site to recognize the other cases.The site in Topeka honoring Brown “tells the story of the ordinary 
people who took this extraordinary action to ensure their children had 
equal educational opportunities,” House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn, a
 South Carolina Democrat who is the highest-ranking Black member of 
Congress, said Tuesday.“However, the other communities involved in this historic effort have
 no National Park Service presence acknowledging their contributions,” 
he added. “This bill rights that wrong.”One of the cases that the court heard with Brown was Davis v. County 
School Board of Prince Edward County. Under the bill, the site of the 
all-Black Robert Russa Moton High School in Farmville, Virginia, which 
was the subject of the suit, will become a national historic landmark 
and museum.The bill would also add one acre of land adjacent to the current Topeka site.It requires the Department of Interior to develop a management plan for each site.“In recent years, the National Park Service has made a concerted 
effort to provide a more inclusive look at American history to ensure 
that our parks tell the stories of all Americans,” U.S. Rep. Cliff 
Bentz, an Oregon Republican who led the GOP floor debate on the bill, 
said. “I applaud the National Park Service for its efforts to make all 
Americans feel welcome and included in our national park system.”Arizona Democrat Raul Grijalva, who chairs the House Natural 
Resources Committee that oversees national parks, said the 
acknowledgement of all plaintiffs in the case was important.“This legislative effort will continue to elevate the important stories and education of the civil rights movement,” he said.The Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site would become 
the Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park under the 
legislation.