HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A man arrested in connection with the abduction and shooting in Reno and Sedgwick County on Monday made his first appearance in Reno County District Court Tuesday morning. The injured two-year-old had surgery and is recovering, according to the sheriff's department.

In a very short hearing, 22-year-old Kamden Campos answered two questions with one word answers and did not make any request for a reduction of his bond which is $2,101,500.

Campos is facing possible charges of four counts of attempted first degree murder, kidnapping and theft. Campos was arrested after allegedly abducting a woman and her daughter in Wichita. They drove out to Cheney Lake. When the woman tried to escape in a vehicle, Campos allegedly shot at the vehicle, hitting a 2-year-old.&nbsp;

The woman drove into Sedgwick County where she called 911. The child was taken to Wesley Medical Center where she remained in critical condition, according to the Sheriff's office.

District Attorney Tom Stanton said he hopes to have formal charges filed by no later than Monday. Campos is due back in court Tuesday, July 27 unless charges are brought against him before then.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1626793076473.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By ROD ZOOKHutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — A man arrested in connection with the abduction and shooting in Reno and Sedgwick County on Monday made his first appearance in Reno County District Court Tuesday morning. The injured two-year-old had surgery and is recovering, according to the sheriff's department.In a very short hearing, 22-year-old Kamden Campos answered two questions with one word answers and did not make any request for a reduction of his bond which is $2,101,500.Campos is facing possible charges of four counts of attempted first degree murder, kidnapping and theft. Campos was arrested after allegedly abducting a woman and her daughter in Wichita. They drove out to Cheney Lake. When the woman tried to escape in a vehicle, Campos allegedly shot at the vehicle, hitting a 2-year-old.&nbsp;The woman drove into Sedgwick County where she called 911. The child was taken to Wesley Medical Center where she remained in critical condition, according to the Sheriff's office.District Attorney Tom Stanton said he hopes to have formal charges filed by no later than Monday. Campos is due back in court Tuesday, July 27 unless charges are brought against him before then.

Kan. toddler recovering after kidnapping, shooting

BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities  investigating a man's death in Great Bend have located a Person of Interest identified as 36-year-old Elias Trejo, according to Great Bend Police.

Just after 6:31 p.m. Monday, the Barton County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to an area near SW 60th Avenue and SW 60th Road, according to a media relase.

A citizen had reported sighting Trejo. A deputy located the suspect, conducted a felony traffic stop and took him into custody without incident.

Trejo is being held on requested charges of murder in the 2nd degree&nbsp; on a $500,000 bond

BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities&nbsp; investigating a man's death in Great Bend have located a&nbsp;Person of Interest identified as 36-year-old Elias Trejo, according to Great Bend Police.

Police have not reported an arrest or possible charges in the case.

"This was a great example of the Police Department, Barton County Sheriff's Office and the Kansas Highway Patrol working together behind the scenes to keep the community safe," the police department wrote on social media.

BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a man's death and asking for help to locate a suspect.

Just after 11:30 p.m., Sunday, the Great Bend Police and Fire Department ambulance personnel were dispatched to the Best Western, 2920 Tenth Street in Great Bend for report of a man&nbsp;on the ground, bleeding, and not moving, according to a media release.

 Upon arrival, officers found 39-year-old Micah Merryman-Scifres deceased. Through the investigation police identified 36-year-old Elias Trejo as a person of interest. 

Trejo was last seen in a dark colored, 4-door passenger car with unknown Texas license plates. Anyone with information about this crime is asked to call the Great Bend Police Department at 620-793-4120 or Crime Stoppers at 620-792-1300.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1626714651434.png" alt="Trejo photo Great Bend Police" />
 <figcaption>Trejo photo Great Bend Police</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a man's death in Great Bend have located a Person of Interest identified as 36-year-old Elias Trejo, according to Great Bend Police.Just after 6:31 p.m. Monday, the Barton County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to an area near SW 60th Avenue and SW 60th Road, according to a media relase.A citizen had reported sighting Trejo. A deputy located the suspect, conducted a felony traffic stop and took him into custody without incident.Trejo is being held on requested charges of murder in the 2nd degree&nbsp; on a $500,000 bond---------BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities&nbsp; investigating a man's death in Great Bend have located a&nbsp;Person of Interest identified as 36-year-old Elias Trejo, according to Great Bend Police.Police have not reported an arrest or possible charges in the case."This was a great example of the Police Department, Barton County Sheriff's Office and the Kansas Highway Patrol working together behind the scenes to keep the community safe," the police department wrote on social media.--------BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a man's death and asking for help to locate a suspect.Just after 11:30 p.m., Sunday, the Great Bend Police and Fire Department ambulance personnel were dispatched to the Best Western, 2920 Tenth Street in Great Bend for report of a man&nbsp;on the ground, bleeding, and not moving, according to a media release. Upon arrival, officers found 39-year-old Micah Merryman-Scifres deceased. Through the investigation police identified 36-year-old Elias Trejo as a person of interest. Trejo was last seen in a dark colored, 4-door passenger car with unknown Texas license plates. Anyone with information about this crime is asked to call the Great Bend Police Department at 620-793-4120 or Crime Stoppers at 620-792-1300.

Suspect in Great Bend homicide being held on $500K bond

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A Kansas City man has been sentenced to 22 years in prison for shooting a passenger on a bus in northeast Kansas City last year.

The Jackson County Prosecutor's office said Monday that 52-year-old Larry Harris Jr. has been sentenced for shooting a passenger on a bus at a bus stop on March 30, 2020. A jury convicted Harris of first-degree assault and armed criminal action in May.

At the time of the shooting, witnesses told police that Harris fired a shot into the bus from the sidewalk as the bus pulled up to the stop. The shot struck a passenger in the back, and the passenger suffered life-threatening injuries, according to court documents.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613042962761.png" alt="Harris photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Harris photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — A Kansas City man has been sentenced to 22 years in prison for shooting a passenger on a bus in northeast Kansas City last year.The Jackson County Prosecutor's office said Monday that 52-year-old Larry Harris Jr. has been sentenced for shooting a passenger on a bus at a bus stop on March 30, 2020. A jury convicted Harris of first-degree assault and armed criminal action in May.At the time of the shooting, witnesses told police that Harris fired a shot into the bus from the sidewalk as the bus pulled up to the stop. The shot struck a passenger in the back, and the passenger suffered life-threatening injuries, according to court documents.

Man sentenced for shooting Kansas City bus passenger

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The health department in Kansas’ most populous county urged its public schools Monday to require students and staff who aren’t vaccinated against COVID-19 to wear masks indoors when classes resume for the fall.

The Johnson County Department of Health and Environment’s guidance came with confirmed cases of the faster-spreading delta variant continuing to rise across Kansas and fueling larger numbers of new COVID-19 cases overall.

“We want a return to normalcy, but we need to be cautious and get vaccinated if eligible.” said Dr. Sanmi Areola, the department’s director.

Lance Williamson, a registered nurse and infection prevention consultant for the University of Kansas Health System, said wearing masks is a “basic precaution” against COVID-19.

“Especially when you’re unsure of the unvaccinated people versus vaccinated people in an area, it’s just easier to have everyone wear a mask,” he said during a daily health system webcast.

The state reported Monday that confirmed delta variant cases increased by 20% since Friday, up 158 to 950. Confirming variant cases requires genetic testing of patients’ nasal swabs or saliva samples.

State data also showed that Kansas averaged 440 new COVID-19 cases overall for the seven days ending Monday, the highest such average since Feb. 26.

By JOHN HANNATOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The health department in Kansas’ most populous county urged its public schools Monday to require students and staff who aren’t vaccinated against COVID-19 to wear masks indoors when classes resume for the fall.The Johnson County Department of Health and Environment’s guidance came with confirmed cases of the faster-spreading delta variant continuing to rise across Kansas and fueling larger numbers of new COVID-19 cases overall.“We want a return to normalcy, but we need to be cautious and get vaccinated if eligible.” said Dr. Sanmi Areola, the department’s director.Lance Williamson, a registered nurse and infection prevention consultant for the University of Kansas Health System, said wearing masks is a “basic precaution” against COVID-19.“Especially when you’re unsure of the unvaccinated people versus vaccinated people in an area, it’s just easier to have everyone wear a mask,” he said during a daily health system webcast.The state reported Monday that confirmed delta variant cases increased by 20% since Friday, up 158 to 950. Confirming variant cases requires genetic testing of patients’ nasal swabs or saliva samples.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1626715232828.png" alt="Monday July 19, 2021 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Monday July 19, 2021 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>State data also showed that Kansas averaged 440 new COVID-19 cases overall for the seven days ending Monday, the highest such average since Feb. 26.___

Health Dept.: Kan. schools should mandate masks for unvaccinated

VAN HORN, Texas (AP) — Jeff Bezos blasted into space Tuesday on his rocket company’s first flight with people on board, becoming the second billionaire in just over a week to ride his own spacecraft.

The Amazon founder was accompanied by a hand-picked group: his brother, an 18-year-old from the Netherlands and an 82-year-old aviation pioneer from Texas — the youngest and oldest to ever fly in space.

Named after America’s first astronaut, Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket soared from remote West Texas on the 52nd anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, a date chosen by Bezos for its historical significance. He held fast to it, even as Virgin Galactic’s Richard Branson pushed up his own flight from New Mexico in the race for space tourist dollars and beat him to space by nine days.

Unlike Branson’s piloted rocket plane, Bezos’ capsule was completely automated and required no official staff on board for the anticipated 10-minute, up-and-down flight.

Blue Origin was shooting for an altitude of roughly 66 miles (106 kilometers), more than 10 miles (16 kilometers) higher than Branson’s July 11 ride. The 60-foot (18-meter) booster accelerated to Mach 3 or three times the speed of sound to get the capsule high enough, before separating and aiming for a vertical landing.

The passengers were expected to get three to four minutes of weightlessness to float around the spacious white capsule. Then the window-filled capsule was going to head to a parachute touchdown on the desert floor, with Bezos and his guests briefly experiencing nearly six times the force of gravity, or 6 G’s, on the way back.

Sharing Bezos’ dream-come-true adventure was Wally Funk, from the Dallas area, one of 13 female pilots who went through the same tests as NASA’s all-male astronaut corps in the early 1960s but never made it into space.

Joining them on the ultimate joyride was the company’s first paying customer, Oliver Daemen, a last-minute fill-in for the mystery winner of a $28 million auction who opted for a later flight. The Dutch teen’s father took part in the auction, and agreed on a lower undisclosed price last week when Blue Origin offered his son the vacated seat.

Blue Origin — founded by Bezos in 2000 in Kent, Washington, near Amazon’s Seattle headquarters — has yet to open ticket sales to the public or reveal the price. For now, it’s booking auction bidders. Two more passenger flights are planned by year’s end, said Blue Origin CEO Bob Smith.

The recycled rocket and capsule that carried up Tuesday’s passengers were used on the last two space demos, according to company officials.

Virgin Galactic already has more than 600 reservations at $250,000 apiece. Founded by Branson in 2004, the company has sent crew into space four times and plans two more test flights from New Mexico before launching customers next year.

Blue Origin’s approach was slower and more deliberate. After 15 successful unoccupied test flights to space since 2015, Bezos finally declared it was time to put people on board. The Federal Aviation Administration agreed last week, approving the commercial space license.

Bezos, 57, who also owns The Washington Post, claimed the first seat. The next went to his 50-year-old brother, Mark Bezos, an investor and volunteer firefighter, then Funk and Daemen. They spent two days together in training.

University of Chicago space historian Jordan Bimm said the passenger makeup is truly remarkable. Imagine if the head of NASA decided he wanted to launch in 1961 instead of Alan Shepard on the first U.S. spaceflight, he said in an email.

“That would have been unthinkable!” Bimm said. “”It shows just how much the idea of who and what space is for has changed in the last 60 years.”

Bezos stepped down earlier this month as Amazon’s CEO and just last week donated $200 million to renovate the National Air and Space Museum. Most of the $28 million from the auction has been distributed to space advocacy and education groups, with the rest benefiting Blue Origin’s Club for the Future, its own education effort.

Fewer than 600 people have reached the edge of space or beyond. Until Tuesday, the youngest was 25-year-old Soviet cosmonaut Gherman Titov and the oldest at 77 was Mercury-turned-shuttle astronaut John Glenn.

Both Bezos and Branson want to drastically increase those overall numbers, as does SpaceX’s Elon Musk, who’s skipping brief space hops and sending his private clients straight to orbit for tens of millions apiece, with the first flight coming up in September.

Despite appearances, Bezos and Branson insist they weren’t trying to outdo each other by strapping in themselves. Bezos noted this week that only one person can lay claim to being first in space: Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, who rocketed into orbit on April 12, 1961.

“This isn’t a competition, this is about building a road to space so that future generations can do incredible things in space,” he said on NBC’s ”Today.”

Blue Origin is working on a massive rocket, New Glenn, to put payloads and people into orbit from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The company also wants to put astronauts back on the moon with its proposed lunar lander Blue Moon; it’s challenging NASA’s sole contract award to SpaceX.

VAN HORN, Texas (AP) — Jeff Bezos is about to soar on his space travel company’s first flight with people on board.

Just after 8a.m. CDT, Tuesday, the founder of Blue Origin as well as Amazon will become the second billionaire to ride his own rocket. He’ll launch from West Texas with his brother, an 18-year-old from the Netherlands and an 82-year-old female aviation pioneer from Texas — the youngest and oldest to ever hurtle off the planet.

Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket is set to blast off with its eclectic group of passengers on the 52nd anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing.

Bezos is aiming for an altitude of roughly 66 miles more than 10 miles higher than Richard Branson’s ride on July 11.

The capsule is fully automated, so there’s no need for trained staff on the quick up-and-down flight, expected to last just 10 minutes. Branson’s Virgin Galactic rocket plane needs two pilots to operate.

Bezos’ dream-come-true trip follows 15 successful test flights to space by New Shepard rockets since 2015, all of them unoccupied. If successful, Blue Origin plans two more passenger flights by year’s end.

The company has yet to open ticket sales to the public and is filling upcoming flights with those who took part in last month’s $28 million charity auction for the fourth capsule seat. The mystery winner bowed out of Tuesday’s launch because of a scheduling conflict. That opened up the slot for Oliver Daemen, a college-bound student from the Netherlands whose father was among the unsuccessful bidders.

Also flying: Bezos’ younger brother, Mark, and Wally Funk, one of 13 female pilots who went through the same testing back in the early 1960s as NASA’s Mercury astronauts, but failed to make the cut because they were women.

Not everyone in the remote, desert town of Van Horn was excited about the drama unfolding 25 miles (40 kilometers) to the north.

“It’s a luxury that’s going to be set aside for the wealthy,” said pizza shop owner Jesus Ramirez. He planned to watch the morning launch from his restaurant’s patio with a cup of coffee.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1626787474270.png" alt="&nbsp;Blue Origin capsule floated safely back to earth-courtesy image" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Blue Origin capsule floated safely back to earth-courtesy image</figcaption>
 </figure>VAN HORN, Texas (AP) — Jeff Bezos blasted into space Tuesday on his rocket company’s first flight with people on board, becoming the second billionaire in just over a week to ride his own spacecraft.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tMHhXzpwupU" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>The Amazon founder was accompanied by a hand-picked group: his brother, an 18-year-old from the Netherlands and an 82-year-old aviation pioneer from Texas — the youngest and oldest to ever fly in space.Named after America’s first astronaut, Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket soared from remote West Texas on the 52nd anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, a date chosen by Bezos for its historical significance. He held fast to it, even as Virgin Galactic’s Richard Branson pushed up his own flight from New Mexico in the race for space tourist dollars and beat him to space by nine days.Unlike Branson’s piloted rocket plane, Bezos’ capsule was completely automated and required no official staff on board for the anticipated 10-minute, up-and-down flight.Blue Origin was shooting for an altitude of roughly 66 miles (106 kilometers), more than 10 miles (16 kilometers) higher than Branson’s July 11 ride. The 60-foot (18-meter) booster accelerated to Mach 3 or three times the speed of sound to get the capsule high enough, before separating and aiming for a vertical landing.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1626782551885.png" alt="Also flying Tuesday Bezos’ younger brother, Mark; Oliver Daemen, an 18-year-old from the Netherlands and Wally Funk, one of 13 female pilots who went through the same testing back in the early 1960s as NASA’s Mercury astronauts, but failed to make the cut because they were women-photo courtesy Blue Origin" />
 <figcaption>Also flying Tuesday Bezos’ younger brother, Mark; Oliver Daemen, an 18-year-old from the Netherlands and Wally Funk, one of 13 female pilots who went through the same testing back in the early 1960s as NASA’s Mercury astronauts, but failed to make the cut because they were women-photo courtesy Blue Origin</figcaption>
 </figure>The passengers were expected to get three to four minutes of weightlessness to float around the spacious white capsule. Then the window-filled capsule was going to head to a parachute touchdown on the desert floor, with Bezos and his guests briefly experiencing nearly six times the force of gravity, or 6 G’s, on the way back.Sharing Bezos’ dream-come-true adventure was Wally Funk, from the Dallas area, one of 13 female pilots who went through the same tests as NASA’s all-male astronaut corps in the early 1960s but never made it into space.Joining them on the ultimate joyride was the company’s first paying customer, Oliver Daemen, a last-minute fill-in for the mystery winner of a $28 million auction who opted for a later flight. The Dutch teen’s father took part in the auction, and agreed on a lower undisclosed price last week when Blue Origin offered his son the vacated seat.Blue Origin — founded by Bezos in 2000 in Kent, Washington, near Amazon’s Seattle headquarters — has yet to open ticket sales to the public or reveal the price. For now, it’s booking auction bidders. Two more passenger flights are planned by year’s end, said Blue Origin CEO Bob Smith.The recycled rocket and capsule that carried up Tuesday’s passengers were used on the last two space demos, according to company officials.Virgin Galactic already has more than 600 reservations at $250,000 apiece. Founded by Branson in 2004, the company has sent crew into space four times and plans two more test flights from New Mexico before launching customers next year.Blue Origin’s approach was slower and more deliberate. After 15 successful unoccupied test flights to space since 2015, Bezos finally declared it was time to put people on board. The Federal Aviation Administration agreed last week, approving the commercial space license.Bezos, 57, who also owns The Washington Post, claimed the first seat. The next went to his 50-year-old brother, Mark Bezos, an investor and volunteer firefighter, then Funk and Daemen. They spent two days together in training.University of Chicago space historian Jordan Bimm said the passenger makeup is truly remarkable. Imagine if the head of NASA decided he wanted to launch in 1961 instead of Alan Shepard on the first U.S. spaceflight, he said in an email.“That would have been unthinkable!” Bimm said. “”It shows just how much the idea of who and what space is for has changed in the last 60 years.”Bezos stepped down earlier this month as Amazon’s CEO and just last week donated $200 million to renovate the National Air and Space Museum. Most of the $28 million from the auction has been distributed to space advocacy and education groups, with the rest benefiting Blue Origin’s Club for the Future, its own education effort.Fewer than 600 people have reached the edge of space or beyond. Until Tuesday, the youngest was 25-year-old Soviet cosmonaut Gherman Titov and the oldest at 77 was Mercury-turned-shuttle astronaut John Glenn.Both Bezos and Branson want to drastically increase those overall numbers, as does SpaceX’s Elon Musk, who’s skipping brief space hops and sending his private clients straight to orbit for tens of millions apiece, with the first flight coming up in September.Despite appearances, Bezos and Branson insist they weren’t trying to outdo each other by strapping in themselves. Bezos noted this week that only one person can lay claim to being first in space: Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, who rocketed into orbit on April 12, 1961.“This isn’t a competition, this is about building a road to space so that future generations can do incredible things in space,” he said on NBC’s ”Today.”Blue Origin is working on a massive rocket, New Glenn, to put payloads and people into orbit from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The company also wants to put astronauts back on the moon with its proposed lunar lander Blue Moon; it’s challenging NASA’s sole contract award to SpaceX.------------VAN HORN, Texas (AP) — Jeff Bezos is about to soar on his space travel company’s first flight with people on board.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1626782551885.png" alt="Also flying Tuesday is Bezos’ younger brother, Mark; Oliver Daemen, an 18-year-old from the Netherlands and Wally Funk, one of 13 female pilots who went through the same testing back in the early 1960s as NASA’s Mercury astronauts, but failed to make the cut because they were women-photo courtesy Blue Origin" />
 <figcaption>Also flying Tuesday is Bezos’ younger brother, Mark; Oliver Daemen, an 18-year-old from the Netherlands and Wally Funk, one of 13 female pilots who went through the same testing back in the early 1960s as NASA’s Mercury astronauts, but failed to make the cut because they were women-photo courtesy Blue Origin</figcaption>
 </figure>Just after 8a.m. CDT, Tuesday, the founder of Blue Origin as well as Amazon will become the second billionaire to ride his own rocket. He’ll launch from West Texas with his brother, an 18-year-old from the Netherlands and an 82-year-old female aviation pioneer from Texas — the youngest and oldest to ever hurtle off the planet.Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket is set to blast off with its eclectic group of passengers on the 52nd anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing.Bezos is aiming for an altitude of roughly 66 miles more than 10 miles higher than Richard Branson’s ride on July 11.The capsule is fully automated, so there’s no need for trained staff on the quick up-and-down flight, expected to last just 10 minutes. Branson’s Virgin Galactic rocket plane needs two pilots to operate.Bezos’ dream-come-true trip follows 15 successful test flights to space by New Shepard rockets since 2015, all of them unoccupied. If successful, Blue Origin plans two more passenger flights by year’s end.The company has yet to open ticket sales to the public and is filling upcoming flights with those who took part in last month’s $28 million charity auction for the fourth capsule seat. The mystery winner bowed out of Tuesday’s launch because of a scheduling conflict. That opened up the slot for Oliver Daemen, a college-bound student from the Netherlands whose father was among the unsuccessful bidders.Also flying: Bezos’ younger brother, Mark, and Wally Funk, one of 13 female pilots who went through the same testing back in the early 1960s as NASA’s Mercury astronauts, but failed to make the cut because they were women.Not everyone in the remote, desert town of Van Horn was excited about the drama unfolding 25 miles (40 kilometers) to the north.“It’s a luxury that’s going to be set aside for the wealthy,” said pizza shop owner Jesus Ramirez. He planned to watch the morning launch from his restaurant’s patio with a cup of coffee.___

🎥  World's richest man reaches space on 1st passenger flight

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden tempered his assessment that social media giants are “killing people” by hosting misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccines on their platforms, saying Monday that he hoped they would not take it “personally” and instead would act to save lives.

While companies like Facebook defend their practices and say they’re helping people around the world access verified information about the shots, the White House says they haven’t done enough to stop misinformation that has helped slow the pace of new vaccinations in the U.S. to a trickle. It comes as the U.S. sees a rise in virus cases and deaths among those who haven’t gotten a shot, in what officials call an emerging “pandemic of the unvaccinated.”

Speaking at the White House, Biden insisted he meant “precisely what I said”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-health-media-social-media-73ca875f1d1c04bc69108607d8499e3c">when he said Friday of the tech giants that “they’re killing people.”</a>&nbsp;But he said the point of his rhetoric was to ramp up pressure on the companies to take action.

“My hope is that Facebook, instead of taking it personally that somehow I’m saying ‘Facebook is killing people,’ that they would do something about the misinformation,” Biden said.

Biden’s comments come as the White House has struggled to counteract resistance to getting a shot, particularly among younger and more Republican demographics. Fewer than 400,000 Americans are getting their first vaccine dose each day — down from a high of more than 2 million per day in April. More than 90 million eligible people have not received a dose.

The administration has increasingly seized on false or misleading information about the safety and efficacy of the vaccines as a driver of that hesitance. It has referenced a study by the Center for Countering Digital Hate, a nonprofit that studies extremism, that linked a dozen accounts to spreading the majority of vaccine disinformation on Facebook.

“Facebook isn’t killing people. These 12 people are out there giving misinformation, anyone listening to it is getting hurt by it, it’s killing people,” Biden said. “It’s bad information.”

“I’m not trying to hold people accountable. I’m trying to make people look at themselves, look in the mirror,” Biden said, adding, “Think about that misinformation going to your son, your daughter, your relative.”

In the view of the administration, chastising the social media companies — who have come under mounting scrutiny in Washington over not just disinformation, but also antitrust and privacy practices — is a proxy for criticizing the originators of disinformation themselves. To avoid amplifying falsehoods, the White House has generally sought to avoid engaging directly with those spreading misinformation.

Last week, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy declared misinformation about the vaccines a deadly threat to public health.

“Misinformation poses an imminent and insidious threat to our nation’s health,” Murthy said during remarks Thursday at the White House. “We must confront misinformation as a nation. Lives are depending on it.”

Murthy said technology companies and social media platforms must make meaningful changes to their products and software to reduce the spread of false information while increasing access to authoritative, fact-based sources.

Too often, he said, the platforms are built in ways that encourage the spread of misinformation.

“We are asking them to step up,” Murthy said. “We can’t wait longer for them to take aggressive action.”

Facebook on Friday responded to Biden’s attack, with spokesperson Kevin McAlister saying, “The facts show that Facebook is helping save lives. Period.”

The company also released a blog post saying its internal research showed it was not responsible for Biden’s missed vaccination goal. “The data shows that 85% of Facebook users in the US have been or want to be vaccinated against COVID-19. President Biden’s goal was for 70% of Americans to be vaccinated by July 4. Facebook is not the reason this goal was missed.”

Brendan Nyhan, a professor of government at Dartmouth College who focuses on politics and health care, said Facebook “should absolutely be held accountable for allowing vaccine misinformation to spread.”

“With that said, we should be careful about assuming that the circulation of misinformation online is a cause of hesitancy rather than a consequence,” he added.

“It’s very difficult to show the relationship between misinformation on social media and vaccine hesitancy directly. We don’t have good measures of what people see on social media or any ability to link it to their vaccination behavior. And even if we see correlations in the data, these could be spurious rather than causal — people who aren’t going to get vaccinated are presumably more likely to be exposed to negative and false information about the vaccine.”

That said, Nyhan added that there is some evidence that exposure to misinformation can reduce a person’s intention to vaccinate immediately after viewing the misinformation.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki insisted Monday: “We’re not in a war or battle against Facebook — we’re in a battle with the virus.” But she ramped up pressure on the companies to share information on how many Americans are exposed to misinformation on their platforms and how their secretive and powerful algorithms promote false content to users.

“Do you have access to information from these platforms as to who is receiving misinformation?” she asked. “I don’t think that information has been released. Do you know how the algorithms are working at any of these platforms? I don’t think that information has been released.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1626736817021.png" alt="President Biden turns to answer a question during Monday's news conference and said,“My hope is that Facebook, instead of taking it personally that somehow I’m saying ‘Facebook is killing people,’ that they would do something about the misinformation."-photo courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>President Biden turns to answer a question during Monday's news conference and said,“My hope is that Facebook, instead of taking it personally that somehow I’m saying ‘Facebook is killing people,’ that they would do something about the misinformation."-photo courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden tempered his assessment that social media giants are “killing people” by hosting misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccines on their platforms, saying Monday that he hoped they would not take it “personally” and instead would act to save lives.While companies like Facebook defend their practices and say they’re helping people around the world access verified information about the shots, the White House says they haven’t done enough to stop misinformation that has helped slow the pace of new vaccinations in the U.S. to a trickle. It comes as the U.S. sees a rise in virus cases and deaths among those who haven’t gotten a shot, in what officials call an emerging “pandemic of the unvaccinated.”Speaking at the White House, Biden insisted he meant “precisely what I said”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-health-media-social-media-73ca875f1d1c04bc69108607d8499e3c">when he said Friday of the tech giants that “they’re killing people.”</a>&nbsp;But he said the point of his rhetoric was to ramp up pressure on the companies to take action.“My hope is that Facebook, instead of taking it personally that somehow I’m saying ‘Facebook is killing people,’ that they would do something about the misinformation,” Biden said.Biden’s comments come as the White House has struggled to counteract resistance to getting a shot, particularly among younger and more Republican demographics. Fewer than 400,000 Americans are getting their first vaccine dose each day — down from a high of more than 2 million per day in April. More than 90 million eligible people have not received a dose.The administration has increasingly seized on false or misleading information about the safety and efficacy of the vaccines as a driver of that hesitance. It has referenced a study by the Center for Countering Digital Hate, a nonprofit that studies extremism, that linked a dozen accounts to spreading the majority of vaccine disinformation on Facebook.“Facebook isn’t killing people. These 12 people are out there giving misinformation, anyone listening to it is getting hurt by it, it’s killing people,” Biden said. “It’s bad information.”“I’m not trying to hold people accountable. I’m trying to make people look at themselves, look in the mirror,” Biden said, adding, “Think about that misinformation going to your son, your daughter, your relative.”In the view of the administration, chastising the social media companies — who have come under mounting scrutiny in Washington over not just disinformation, but also antitrust and privacy practices — is a proxy for criticizing the originators of disinformation themselves. To avoid amplifying falsehoods, the White House has generally sought to avoid engaging directly with those spreading misinformation.Last week, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy declared misinformation about the vaccines a deadly threat to public health.“Misinformation poses an imminent and insidious threat to our nation’s health,” Murthy said during remarks Thursday at the White House. “We must confront misinformation as a nation. Lives are depending on it.”Murthy said technology companies and social media platforms must make meaningful changes to their products and software to reduce the spread of false information while increasing access to authoritative, fact-based sources.Too often, he said, the platforms are built in ways that encourage the spread of misinformation.“We are asking them to step up,” Murthy said. “We can’t wait longer for them to take aggressive action.”Facebook on Friday responded to Biden’s attack, with spokesperson Kevin McAlister saying, “The facts show that Facebook is helping save lives. Period.”The company also released a blog post saying its internal research showed it was not responsible for Biden’s missed vaccination goal. “The data shows that 85% of Facebook users in the US have been or want to be vaccinated against COVID-19. President Biden’s goal was for 70% of Americans to be vaccinated by July 4. Facebook is not the reason this goal was missed.”Brendan Nyhan, a professor of government at Dartmouth College who focuses on politics and health care, said Facebook “should absolutely be held accountable for allowing vaccine misinformation to spread.”“With that said, we should be careful about assuming that the circulation of misinformation online is a cause of hesitancy rather than a consequence,” he added.“It’s very difficult to show the relationship between misinformation on social media and vaccine hesitancy directly. We don’t have good measures of what people see on social media or any ability to link it to their vaccination behavior. And even if we see correlations in the data, these could be spurious rather than causal — people who aren’t going to get vaccinated are presumably more likely to be exposed to negative and false information about the vaccine.”That said, Nyhan added that there is some evidence that exposure to misinformation can reduce a person’s intention to vaccinate immediately after viewing the misinformation.White House press secretary Jen Psaki insisted Monday: “We’re not in a war or battle against Facebook — we’re in a battle with the virus.” But she ramped up pressure on the companies to share information on how many Americans are exposed to misinformation on their platforms and how their secretive and powerful algorithms promote false content to users.“Do you have access to information from these platforms as to who is receiving misinformation?” she asked. “I don’t think that information has been released. Do you know how the algorithms are working at any of these platforms? I don’t think that information has been released.”

Biden on social media 'killing people' with vaccine misinformation

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A third child has died following a house fire in Kansas City last week that killed two other children, police said Monday.

The Kansas City Police Department identified the victims as 10-year-old Chace Freeman, 4-year-old Achilles Hardy and 3-year-old Maxwell Hardy.

Chace and Maxwell&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fires-police-michael-brown-kansas-city-306ba011ad806aa24974614fb3e54881">died last week</a>, while Achilles died Monday of his injuries, police said in a news release.

Two other people were also injured in Wednesday's fire at the house.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Two people killed in a house fire in northwest Kansas City were children under the age of 11, police confirmed Thursday in a news release.

Two others injured in the Wednesday fire remained in critical condition and a third injured person suffered injuries not believed to be life-threatening, police said.

Officials had not released the identities of the five victims of the fire by Thursday afternoon. In the aftermath of the fire Wednesday, fire officials said three children and one adult had been taken to local hospitals.

Officials have not given the cause of the fire, saying it’s under investigation.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Two people were killed and three others injured after a house fire Wednesday in northwest Kansas City, Missouri, police said.

Police spokeswoman Donna Drake confirmed the two deaths and said two of the other victims suffered critical injuries.

The victims' names and ages were not immediately available.

Earlier in the day, fire officials said three children and one adult had been taken to local hospitals.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1626295203087.png" alt="The July 14 fatal fire photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>The July 14 fatal fire photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — A third child has died following a house fire in Kansas City last week that killed two other children, police said Monday.The Kansas City Police Department identified the victims as 10-year-old Chace Freeman, 4-year-old Achilles Hardy and 3-year-old Maxwell Hardy.Chace and Maxwell&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fires-police-michael-brown-kansas-city-306ba011ad806aa24974614fb3e54881">died last week</a>, while Achilles died Monday of his injuries, police said in a news release.Two other people were also injured in Wednesday's fire at the house.------------KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Two people killed in a house fire in northwest Kansas City were children under the age of 11, police confirmed Thursday in a news release.Two others injured in the Wednesday fire remained in critical condition and a third injured person suffered injuries not believed to be life-threatening, police said.Officials had not released the identities of the five victims of the fire by Thursday afternoon. In the aftermath of the fire Wednesday, fire officials said three children and one adult had been taken to local hospitals.Officials have not given the cause of the fire, saying it’s under investigation.--------KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Two people were killed and three others injured after a house fire Wednesday in northwest Kansas City, Missouri, police said.Police spokeswoman Donna Drake confirmed the two deaths and said two of the other victims suffered critical injuries.The victims' names and ages were not immediately available.Earlier in the day, fire officials said three children and one adult had been taken to local hospitals.

3rd child dies after Kansas City house fire that killed 2 others

RENO COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man in connection with a domestic dispute that led to a kidnapping and a child critically injured after she was shot.

Just after 11a.m. Monday a man and woman from Wichita K were involved in a domestic dispute which resulted in the woman being brought to a dead-end road at Cheney Lake in the vicinity of Yoder Road and Sun City Road, according to a media release from the Reno County Sheriff.

The man, identified as 22-year-old Kamden Campos, took the woman to the edge of the water with intent to harm her. While he was distracted, the woman jumped in the car and fled the scene. As she fled, the suspect fired multiple shots toward the vehicle from a handgun.

The woman noticed the child moving around in the car seat and pulled over to discover the girl had been shot in the back. While on the phone with 911 dispatchers, emergency personnel and first responders located her in Sedgwick County. The child was rushed to Wesley Medical Center in Wichita.

Multiple agencies responded to the area of Yoder Rd and Silver lake Rd to begin looking for the suspect. Kansas Highway Patrol aircraft, Sedgwick County Drone, Reno County Drone, and many Deputies and officers began to scour the area looking for Campos. A perimeter was established where it was believed the suspect was last seen. The aircraft identified someone walking matching the description and guided officers to him. Just before 2p.m., officers too Campos into custody without any further incident.

Deputies took him to the Reno County Correctional Facility where he was booked on requested charges of Attempted Murder in 1st Degree, Aggravated Kidnapping, and Possession of Stolen property. His bond is set at $2,101,500.00.

Late Monday, the sheriff reported the child had come out of surgery. She is stable and critical.&nbsp;

CHENEY LAKE — Law enforcement authorities booked a man into the Reno County jail in connection with a Monday afternoon shooting of a 2-year-old child.

According to records from the Reno County Correctional Facility, 22-year-old Kamden Joe Campos is being held on requested charges of first-degree murder, aggravated kidnapping and theft. He is being held on a bond of $2,101,500.&nbsp;

Check the Post for additional details as they become available

CHENEY LAKE — 
A shooting incident at Cheney Lake occurred Monday afternoon when a Wichita man kidnapped a child and her mother from a home in Wichita. 

According to Reno County Sheriff Darrian Campbell, the kidnapped woman was taken by the suspect to Fish Cove, near Sun City and Yoder Road. When the kidnapped woman attempted to drive away, the two-year-old child was shot while in the car seat. 

The child's mother drove back to Sedgwick County and called 911. The woman and the child were found in their vehicle at 61st St. N. and 263rd St. W west of Andale. The child was taken to a Wichita hospital in critical condition.

The suspect was caught around 2 p.m. Monday. It appears to have started as a domestic dispute. Over 20 agencies responded to the call. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1626747516690.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>RENO COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man in connection with a domestic dispute that led to a kidnapping and a child critically injured after she was shot.Just after 11a.m. Monday a man and woman from Wichita K were involved in a domestic dispute which resulted in the woman being brought to a dead-end road at Cheney Lake in the vicinity of Yoder Road and Sun City Road, according to a media release from the Reno County Sheriff.The man, identified as 22-year-old Kamden Campos, took the woman to the edge of the water with intent to harm her. While he was distracted, the woman jumped in the car and fled the scene. As she fled, the suspect fired multiple shots toward the vehicle from a handgun.The woman noticed the child moving around in the car seat and pulled over to discover the girl had been shot in the back. While on the phone with 911 dispatchers, emergency personnel and first responders located her in Sedgwick County. The child was rushed to Wesley Medical Center in Wichita.Multiple agencies responded to the area of Yoder Rd and Silver lake Rd to begin looking for the suspect. Kansas Highway Patrol aircraft, Sedgwick County Drone, Reno County Drone, and many Deputies and officers began to scour the area looking for Campos. A perimeter was established where it was believed the suspect was last seen. The aircraft identified someone walking matching the description and guided officers to him. Just before 2p.m., officers too Campos into custody without any further incident.Deputies took him to the Reno County Correctional Facility where he was booked on requested charges of Attempted Murder in 1st Degree, Aggravated Kidnapping, and Possession of Stolen property. His bond is set at $2,101,500.00.Late Monday, the sheriff reported the child had come out of surgery. She is stable and critical.&nbsp;---------CHENEY LAKE — Law enforcement authorities booked a man into the Reno County jail in connection with a Monday afternoon shooting of a 2-year-old child.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1626724239775.jpeg" alt="The suspect was caught around 2 p.m. Monday, according to the sheriff's department" />
 <figcaption>The suspect was caught around 2 p.m. Monday, according to the sheriff's department</figcaption>
 </figure>According to records from the Reno County Correctional Facility, 22-year-old Kamden Joe Campos is being held on requested charges of first-degree murder, aggravated kidnapping and theft. He is being held on a bond of $2,101,500.&nbsp;Check the Post for additional details as they become available---------------
By
ROD ZOOK
Hutch
PostCHENEY LAKE — 
A shooting incident at Cheney Lake occurred Monday afternoon when a Wichita man kidnapped a child and her mother from a home in Wichita. According to Reno County Sheriff Darrian Campbell, the kidnapped woman was taken by the suspect to Fish Cove, near Sun City and Yoder Road. When the kidnapped woman attempted to drive away, the two-year-old child was shot while in the car seat. The child's mother drove back to Sedgwick County and called 911. The woman and the child were found in their vehicle at 61st St. N. and 263rd St. W west of Andale. The child was taken to a Wichita hospital in critical condition.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1626724453236.png" alt="Deputies on the scene of the investigation Monday afternoon -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Deputies on the scene of the investigation Monday afternoon -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>The suspect was caught around 2 p.m. Monday. It appears to have started as a domestic dispute. Over 20 agencies responded to the call.

Update: Toddler injured after kidnapping, shooting at Kan. Lake

KANSAS CITY— A Houston, Texas, man pleaded guilty in federal court to defrauding two Kansas City-area brothers who have also been convicted in the investment fraud scheme.

Duc Nguyen, also known as “Doug,” 57, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to one count of wire fraud.

By pleading guilty July 15, Nguyen admitted that he engaged in a fraud scheme from April 2018 to August 2019 in which he proposed an opportunity for high net worth individuals to invest in the purchase, refurbishing, and sale of used oil equipment. He told Phillip Hudnall of Lenexa, Kansas, and his brother, Brian Hudnall, of Kansas City that profit from these transactions would be three to five times the amount of the investment. Brian and Phillip Hudnall raised money from investors based upon these representations from Nguyen.

For example, Brian Hudnall wire transferred $415,000 to Nguyen between May 3 and Sept. 19, 2018, for the purchase, refurbishment, and shipping of the oil equipment. Brian Hudnall wire transferred an additional $80,000 to Nguyen on Feb. 26, 2019. Phillip Hudnall transferred $1,075,000 to Nguyen between April 15 and June 17, 2019, for the purchase, refurbishment, and shipping of the oil equipment.

Nguyen admitted that he did not use any of the monies for the purchase, refurbishment, and shipment of used oil equipment, but instead spent the money on personal expenses.

Phillip and Brian Hudnall pleaded guilty in June 2020, in separate but related cases, to their roles in the investment fraud scheme and await sentencing.

Phillip Hudnall told investors that his company, BirdDog Business Group, LLC, had completed two successful transactions – a $244,000 loan and a $490,000 loan, both of which had been repaid with an interest rate of 30 percent. In fact, no prior completed transactions occurred and no monies were received from the sale of any oil equipment including any principal or interest. To support the false claim, Phillip Hudnall requested that Brian Hudnall create documents as proof of the prior successfully completed transactions. Brian Hudnall wrote two checks on the bank account of his business, DonDon LLC, which was closed. Brian Hudnall also created a fraudulent memorandum to support the false claim.

Phillip Hudnall told investors their funds would be used to purchase specific pieces of oil equipment for refurbishment and resale. Persons invested approximately $3.6 million for the purpose of purchasing specific pieces of oil equipment. Phillip Hudnall and another person also obtained a loan from a bank in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for approximately $1.3 million to finance the oil equipment scheme. Most of the money raised from investors, however, was spent on personal expenses.

Under federal statutes, Nguyen is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

KANSAS CITY— A Houston, Texas, man pleaded guilty in federal court to defrauding two Kansas City-area brothers who have also been convicted in the investment fraud scheme.Duc Nguyen, also known as “Doug,” 57, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to one count of wire fraud.By pleading guilty July 15, Nguyen admitted that he engaged in a fraud scheme from April 2018 to August 2019 in which he proposed an opportunity for high net worth individuals to invest in the purchase, refurbishing, and sale of used oil equipment. He told Phillip Hudnall of Lenexa, Kansas, and his brother, Brian Hudnall, of Kansas City that profit from these transactions would be three to five times the amount of the investment. Brian and Phillip Hudnall raised money from investors based upon these representations from Nguyen.For example, Brian Hudnall wire transferred $415,000 to Nguyen between May 3 and Sept. 19, 2018, for the purchase, refurbishment, and shipping of the oil equipment. Brian Hudnall wire transferred an additional $80,000 to Nguyen on Feb. 26, 2019. Phillip Hudnall transferred $1,075,000 to Nguyen between April 15 and June 17, 2019, for the purchase, refurbishment, and shipping of the oil equipment.Nguyen admitted that he did not use any of the monies for the purchase, refurbishment, and shipment of used oil equipment, but instead spent the money on personal expenses.Phillip and Brian Hudnall pleaded guilty in June 2020, in separate but related cases, to their roles in the investment fraud scheme and await sentencing.Phillip Hudnall told investors that his company, BirdDog Business Group, LLC, had completed two successful transactions – a $244,000 loan and a $490,000 loan, both of which had been repaid with an interest rate of 30 percent. In fact, no prior completed transactions occurred and no monies were received from the sale of any oil equipment including any principal or interest. To support the false claim, Phillip Hudnall requested that Brian Hudnall create documents as proof of the prior successfully completed transactions. Brian Hudnall wrote two checks on the bank account of his business, DonDon LLC, which was closed. Brian Hudnall also created a fraudulent memorandum to support the false claim.Phillip Hudnall told investors their funds would be used to purchase specific pieces of oil equipment for refurbishment and resale. Persons invested approximately $3.6 million for the purpose of purchasing specific pieces of oil equipment. Phillip Hudnall and another person also obtained a loan from a bank in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for approximately $1.3 million to finance the oil equipment scheme. Most of the money raised from investors, however, was spent on personal expenses.Under federal statutes, Nguyen is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

Man admits defrauding Kan. men also convicted of investment fraud

By KEN CARPENTER Great Bend Post

Melissa Manchester is headlining the lineup for&nbsp;The Golden Belt Community Concert Association’s&nbsp;new season. Six acts make up the list of performers that will appear at the Great Bend City Auditorium&nbsp;from this September through May of next year.&nbsp;

The programs will include&nbsp;music by folk, classic country, gospel&nbsp;and jazz&nbsp;artists, plus a tribute to Elton John.&nbsp;But Manchester is the&nbsp;best-known&nbsp;performer&nbsp;to take the stage.&nbsp;

David Folin with Allied Concert Services, says&nbsp;her performance will not disappoint.&nbsp;

"I’ve seen her about four times,” Folin recounted. “She is a&nbsp;charming, classy, friendly lady&nbsp;who had big hits back in the ’70s and early '80s. She is an Oscar Award winner, a Grammy Award winner. She still sings beautifully. She plays a little piano. But it’s her and she is genuine.”&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Tickets for the entire season of six shows are $50 for an individual&nbsp;or a little over $8 per concert.&nbsp;There are also discounted prices&nbsp;for families and students.&nbsp;Admission to the concerts is by season membership only. No single concert tickets are available.&nbsp;

The Community Concert series was canceled last year because of the Covid-19 pandemic.&nbsp;Harlen Jerke, the Concert Association’s&nbsp;President,&nbsp;is optimistic about this year.&nbsp;

"We’re not sure how the Covid is going to affect us this year,” Jerke said. “We’ve had to rush this season because the&nbsp;auditorium&nbsp;was just opened up to us for mass gatherings two or three weeks ago. We’re hoping&nbsp;that&nbsp;the members will recruit some of their friends and say,&nbsp;hey, come on to a concert.”&nbsp;

Community Concert memberships can be renewed online at goldbeltcca.org. Tickets can also be purchased&nbsp;at the Best Western Angus Inn Courtyard on Aug. 5 from noon to 7 p.m. and Aug. 6 from&nbsp;10 a.m. to 5 p.m.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1626448207857.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By KEN CARPENTER Great Bend PostMelissa Manchester is headlining the lineup for&nbsp;The Golden Belt Community Concert Association’s&nbsp;new season. Six acts make up the list of performers that will appear at the Great Bend City Auditorium&nbsp;from this September through May of next year.&nbsp;The programs will include&nbsp;music by folk, classic country, gospel&nbsp;and jazz&nbsp;artists, plus a tribute to Elton John.&nbsp;But Manchester is the&nbsp;best-known&nbsp;performer&nbsp;to take the stage.&nbsp;David Folin with Allied Concert Services, says&nbsp;her performance will not disappoint.&nbsp;"I’ve seen her about four times,” Folin recounted. “She is a&nbsp;charming, classy, friendly lady&nbsp;who had big hits back in the ’70s and early '80s. She is an Oscar Award winner, a Grammy Award winner. She still sings beautifully. She plays a little piano. But it’s her and she is genuine.”&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Tickets for the entire season of six shows are $50 for an individual&nbsp;or a little over $8 per concert.&nbsp;There are also discounted prices&nbsp;for families and students.&nbsp;Admission to the concerts is by season membership only. No single concert tickets are available.&nbsp;The Community Concert series was canceled last year because of the Covid-19 pandemic.&nbsp;Harlen Jerke, the Concert Association’s&nbsp;President,&nbsp;is optimistic about this year.&nbsp;"We’re not sure how the Covid is going to affect us this year,” Jerke said. “We’ve had to rush this season because the&nbsp;auditorium&nbsp;was just opened up to us for mass gatherings two or three weeks ago. We’re hoping&nbsp;that&nbsp;the members will recruit some of their friends and say,&nbsp;hey, come on to a concert.”&nbsp;Community Concert memberships can be renewed online at goldbeltcca.org. Tickets can also be purchased&nbsp;at the Best Western Angus Inn Courtyard on Aug. 5 from noon to 7 p.m. and Aug. 6 from&nbsp;10 a.m. to 5 p.m.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1626447830306.png" alt="" />
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 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1626447876330.png" alt="" />
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 </figure>

Melissa Manchester will perform in  Great Bend

KANSAS CITY(AP) — A Kansas City man has been sentenced to 23 years in prison for fatally stabbing a mother of four in 2018.

The Jackson County Prosecutor's office said Sunday that Xzavior McDowell, 20, was sentenced Friday in connection with the death of 27-year-old Deandrea Vine. McDowell had previously pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and armed criminal action.

Vine was found stabbed to death on July 28, 2018 in front of the home where she and her four children were living with other family. At the time of her death, Vine had a 7-year-old daughter, a 5-year-old son, a 3-year-old daughter and a 21-month-old son.

McDowell and Vine worked together at a Walmart, and McDowell told police she he was in a relationship with Vine before her death.

McDowell told police after his arrest that he became upset with Vine after she told him she was pregnant and he was the father. According to court documents, McDowell said Vine tried to stab him but he took the knife away and stabbed her “a bunch of times.”

Vine was found with stab wounds to her head, face, neck, chest, stomach, arms and hands.

McDowell also told investigators that he had thrown away the knife he used in the stabbing and burned his bloody clothes.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1626700209948.png" alt="Mcdowell photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Mcdowell photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY(AP) — A Kansas City man has been sentenced to 23 years in prison for fatally stabbing a mother of four in 2018.The Jackson County Prosecutor's office said Sunday that Xzavior McDowell, 20, was sentenced Friday in connection with the death of 27-year-old Deandrea Vine. McDowell had previously pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and armed criminal action.Vine was found stabbed to death on July 28, 2018 in front of the home where she and her four children were living with other family. At the time of her death, Vine had a 7-year-old daughter, a 5-year-old son, a 3-year-old daughter and a 21-month-old son.McDowell and Vine worked together at a Walmart, and McDowell told police she he was in a relationship with Vine before her death.McDowell told police after his arrest that he became upset with Vine after she told him she was pregnant and he was the father. According to court documents, McDowell said Vine tried to stab him but he took the knife away and stabbed her “a bunch of times.”Vine was found with stab wounds to her head, face, neck, chest, stomach, arms and hands.McDowell also told investigators that he had thrown away the knife he used in the stabbing and burned his bloody clothes.

Man sentenced in fatal knife attack on KC mother of 4 

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A granite monument honoring Confederate soldiers at Wichita’s Veterans Memorial Park has been defaced with spray paint. 

Someone painted over the words Çonfederate and courage, devotion and military duty referring to Confederate troops. The monument, called the Reconciliation Memorial, is a four-sided granite obelisk with two sides honoring Confederate troops and two sides honoring Union soldiers. 

It was dedicated in 2016, a year after the removal of a Confederate battle flag in the veterans park. It was commissioned as a compromise designed to tamp down the controversy between Confederate flag supporters and opponents.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1626723565131.png" alt="Photo courtesy city of Wichita" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy city of Wichita</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A granite monument honoring Confederate soldiers at Wichita’s Veterans Memorial Park has been defaced with spray paint. Someone painted over the words Çonfederate and courage, devotion and military duty referring to Confederate troops. The monument, called the Reconciliation Memorial, is a four-sided granite obelisk with two sides honoring Confederate troops and two sides honoring Union soldiers. It was dedicated in 2016, a year after the removal of a Confederate battle flag in the veterans park. It was commissioned as a compromise designed to tamp down the controversy between Confederate flag supporters and opponents.

Confederate monument defaced at Kansas veterans park

MEADE COUNTY – The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and the Meade County Sheriff’s Office arrested a Meade man following a standoff at a residence on Sunday, according to a media release from the KBI.

Just before 7 a.m., the Meade County Sheriff’s Office requested KBI assistance after a male subject, who was known to possess firearms, barricaded himself inside a home at 617 E. Vine St. in Meade, Kan. The KBI’s High Risk Warrant Team responded.

A deputy from the Meade County Sheriff’s Office had made contact with 38-year-old Daryl J. Wilkerson, of Meade, at about 5:30 a.m., when he tried to arrest him related to allegations of harassment and assault. When told he would be arrested, Wilkerson ran into the home and refused to come out.

During the standoff, verbal contact was made with Wilkerson and negotiators attempted to convince him to surrender peacefully. At approximately 2:45 p.m., he emerged from the house in an angry state. When he would not comply with commands and attempted to return inside, a KBI agent fired a less lethal munition at him, striking him. Wilkerson was still able to retreat back into the house. Then at approximately 2:50 p.m., Wilkerson fired a shot through the south side of the house. No law enforcement officers were hit by the round.

Negotiations continued. At 4:50 p.m., Wilkerson came out of the residence peacefully and was taken into custody. He was booked into the Meade County Jail on requested charges of aggravated assault and harassment by a telecommunication device.

Additional charges related to the barricade and shooting incident are expected.

The Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP), the Gray County Sheriff’s Office, the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT), and Meade County EMS also responded to help during the incident.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1626732871948.png" alt="Wilkerson has previous convictions for burglary, theft, forgery, stalking, violation of a protection order and for drugs, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections" />
 <figcaption>Wilkerson has previous convictions for burglary, theft, forgery, stalking, violation of a protection order and for drugs, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections</figcaption>
 </figure>MEADE COUNTY – The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and the Meade County Sheriff’s Office arrested a Meade man following a standoff at a residence on Sunday, according to a media release from the KBI.Just before 7 a.m., the Meade County Sheriff’s Office requested KBI assistance after a male subject, who was known to possess firearms, barricaded himself inside a home at 617 E. Vine St. in Meade, Kan. The KBI’s High Risk Warrant Team responded.A deputy from the Meade County Sheriff’s Office had made contact with 38-year-old Daryl J. Wilkerson, of Meade, at about 5:30 a.m., when he tried to arrest him related to allegations of harassment and assault. When told he would be arrested, Wilkerson ran into the home and refused to come out.During the standoff, verbal contact was made with Wilkerson and negotiators attempted to convince him to surrender peacefully. At approximately 2:45 p.m., he emerged from the house in an angry state. When he would not comply with commands and attempted to return inside, a KBI agent fired a less lethal munition at him, striking him. Wilkerson was still able to retreat back into the house. Then at approximately 2:50 p.m., Wilkerson fired a shot through the south side of the house. No law enforcement officers were hit by the round.Negotiations continued. At 4:50 p.m., Wilkerson came out of the residence peacefully and was taken into custody. He was booked into the Meade County Jail on requested charges of aggravated assault and harassment by a telecommunication device.Additional charges related to the barricade and shooting incident are expected.The Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP), the Gray County Sheriff’s Office, the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT), and Meade County EMS also responded to help during the incident.

KBI: Felon arrested following SW Kansas standoff 

KANSAS CITY (AP) — With the delta variant&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-health-coronavirus-pandemic-michael-brown-94a50e07b52002771a83e51cc6cebfba">causing a surge of new COVID-19 cases</a>&nbsp;and hospitalizations in southwestern Missouri, health officials have taken to going door-to-door in an effort to encourage vaccinations.

<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/coronavirus/article252837233.html">The Kansas City Star&nbsp;</a>recently followed along as health officials knocked on doors in Springfield, handing out brochures. The effort was non-confrontational and the officials always took “no” for an answer, the newspaper reported, despite&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mo-state-wire-michael-brown-health-coronavirus-pandemic-600303954d6364c69d080f6bd75cd363">concerns raised by Gov. Mike Parson and other Republican leaders</a>&nbsp;that the outreach would be heavy-handed.

Southwestern Missouri has seen an alarming rise in illnesses caused by COVID-19 in recent weeks. There was a tinge of good news Monday: The number of people hospitalized dipped slightly both in southwestern Missouri and across the state, according to Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services data.

After several days of more than 1,000 newly confirmed cases, the state reported 826 on Monday, bringing the total for the pandemic to 545,551. No new deaths were reported, keeping the total at 9,474.

Southwestern Missouri lags well behind the national average for vaccinations, but persuading the unvaccinated to get a shot is proving difficult.

In Springfield, Annaliese Schroeder, a community health advocate, knocked on a door and briefly talked about an upcoming clinic. She offered a door tag with information about the virus, and asked a few question: Do you want information about the clinic? Do you know someone who does? Do you have any questions about other clinics, or the vaccines?

Josh Gollaher and Nikki Schaub turned down a flyer as they walked home to their apartment complex. Both told a reporter they were adamantly against taking a vaccine.

“I just don’t want to,” Schaub, 42, said. “I’d rather wear a mask.”

Gollaher, 29, said he doesn't trust the studies about the spread of the virus.

“Their studies could be wrong,” he said. “It’ll blow over.”

Schroeder and Kelsey Connor, a public health information specialist, said those sort of encounters are rare. She and Conner are careful not to push back when residents turn them down. They never ask the resident’s vaccination status, they said.

“If somebody is already a little uncertain, being aggressive … is not something that’s going to make them feel more comfortable to come in and get vaccinated,” Schroeder said. “It’s a lot about creating that community bond … so when they see us they don’t feel unsafe or threatened.”

Greene County and Springfield have held nearly 10 door-to-door canvasses so far. Officials are using surveys at clinics to track the impact, but data isn't yet available.

Health officials know the door-to-door outreach isn't an option in some places. In low-vaccinated Shannon County 135 miles east of Springfield, anti-vaccine sentiment is so high a clinic has offered private rooms for patients who don’t want to be seen getting a shot.

“We’re not going to go knocking on doors,” said Kandra Counts, Shannon County's health administrator. “We’ve made that very clear to the public.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1626727724386.png" alt="Health officials know the door-to-door outreach isn't an option in some places.-google image" />
 <figcaption>Health officials know the door-to-door outreach isn't an option in some places.-google image</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — With the delta variant&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-health-coronavirus-pandemic-michael-brown-94a50e07b52002771a83e51cc6cebfba">causing a surge of new COVID-19 cases</a>&nbsp;and hospitalizations in southwestern Missouri, health officials have taken to going door-to-door in an effort to encourage vaccinations.<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/coronavirus/article252837233.html">The Kansas City Star&nbsp;</a>recently followed along as health officials knocked on doors in Springfield, handing out brochures. The effort was non-confrontational and the officials always took “no” for an answer, the newspaper reported, despite&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mo-state-wire-michael-brown-health-coronavirus-pandemic-600303954d6364c69d080f6bd75cd363">concerns raised by Gov. Mike Parson and other Republican leaders</a>&nbsp;that the outreach would be heavy-handed.Southwestern Missouri has seen an alarming rise in illnesses caused by COVID-19 in recent weeks. There was a tinge of good news Monday: The number of people hospitalized dipped slightly both in southwestern Missouri and across the state, according to Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services data.After several days of more than 1,000 newly confirmed cases, the state reported 826 on Monday, bringing the total for the pandemic to 545,551. No new deaths were reported, keeping the total at 9,474.Southwestern Missouri lags well behind the national average for vaccinations, but persuading the unvaccinated to get a shot is proving difficult.In Springfield, Annaliese Schroeder, a community health advocate, knocked on a door and briefly talked about an upcoming clinic. She offered a door tag with information about the virus, and asked a few question: Do you want information about the clinic? Do you know someone who does? Do you have any questions about other clinics, or the vaccines?Josh Gollaher and Nikki Schaub turned down a flyer as they walked home to their apartment complex. Both told a reporter they were adamantly against taking a vaccine.“I just don’t want to,” Schaub, 42, said. “I’d rather wear a mask.”Gollaher, 29, said he doesn't trust the studies about the spread of the virus.“Their studies could be wrong,” he said. “It’ll blow over.”Schroeder and Kelsey Connor, a public health information specialist, said those sort of encounters are rare. She and Conner are careful not to push back when residents turn them down. They never ask the resident’s vaccination status, they said.“If somebody is already a little uncertain, being aggressive … is not something that’s going to make them feel more comfortable to come in and get vaccinated,” Schroeder said. “It’s a lot about creating that community bond … so when they see us they don’t feel unsafe or threatened.”Greene County and Springfield have held nearly 10 door-to-door canvasses so far. Officials are using surveys at clinics to track the impact, but data isn't yet available.Health officials know the door-to-door outreach isn't an option in some places. In low-vaccinated Shannon County 135 miles east of Springfield, anti-vaccine sentiment is so high a clinic has offered private rooms for patients who don’t want to be seen getting a shot.“We’re not going to go knocking on doors,” said Kandra Counts, Shannon County's health administrator. “We’ve made that very clear to the public.”

Vaccine outreach aims to be non-confrontational

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Robert E. “Robby” Steinhardt, a violinist and vocalist with the progressive rock band Kansas, has died due to complications from pancreatitis. He was 71.

His wife, Cindy Steinhardt, said he died Saturday at a hospital in Tampa, Florida. She announced on Facebook Monday that he had just recorded his first solo album, and had been looking forward to being back on stage and going on tour.

Steinhardt, a native of Lawrence, Kansas, was an original member of the band, teaming up with Topeka West High School graduates Kerry Livgren, Rich Williams, Phil Ehart and Dave Hope and with Steve Walsh, who grew up in St. Joseph, Missouri. Steinhardt performed with Kansas from 1973 to 1982 and 1997 to 2006, the Topeka Capital-Journal&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/2021/07/19/robby-steinhardt-former-kansas-band-singer-violinist-dead-complications-pancreatitis/8013244002/" target="_blank">reported</a>.

The band sold more than 15 million records and notched up seven top 40 hits, including “Dust in the Wind” and “Carry on Wayward Son.”

The band, which now makes its home in Atlanta, continues to perform with Williams and Ehart as the only original remaining members.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Robert E. “Robby” Steinhardt, a violinist and vocalist with the progressive rock band Kansas, has died due to complications from pancreatitis. He was 71.His wife, Cindy Steinhardt, said he died Saturday at a hospital in Tampa, Florida. She announced on Facebook Monday that he had just recorded his first solo album, and had been looking forward to being back on stage and going on tour.Steinhardt, a native of Lawrence, Kansas, was an original member of the band, teaming up with Topeka West High School graduates Kerry Livgren, Rich Williams, Phil Ehart and Dave Hope and with Steve Walsh, who grew up in St. Joseph, Missouri. Steinhardt performed with Kansas from 1973 to 1982 and 1997 to 2006, the Topeka Capital-Journal&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/2021/07/19/robby-steinhardt-former-kansas-band-singer-violinist-dead-complications-pancreatitis/8013244002/" target="_blank">reported</a>.The band sold more than 15 million records and notched up seven top 40 hits, including “Dust in the Wind” and “Carry on Wayward Son.”The band, which now makes its home in Atlanta, continues to perform with Williams and Ehart as the only original remaining members.

'Kansas' rock violinist, singer Robby Steinhardt, dies at 71

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City Chiefs fans will have to get tickets in advance to visit the Super Bowl runner-up's training camp this year, and they won't be able to get autographs from players because of COVID-19.

Dr. Paul Schroeppel, the AFC champions' head orthopedic surgeon, said Monday that fans won't be allowed to interact with players under the NFL's protocols for preventing coronavirus outbreaks. He discussed the rules during a daily webcast by the University of Kansas Health System.

The Chiefs open their training camp in St. Joseph, Missouri, on July 28 with a special event for season ticket holders, with practices open to other fans July 29, with attendance limited.

Missouri has seen&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-health-coronavirus-pandemic-michael-brown-fc8de32279eb2a37d17a92bbb1912a94">a surge in new COVID-19 cases</a>&nbsp;because of the faster-spreading delta variant.

“The league has very strict protocols,” Schroeppel said. “I think they've done everything they can to control transmission in those situations. Of course, when you get a crowd together, it's going to be very difficult, particularly for those unvaccinated.”

He said the Chiefs are “doing quite well” among NFL teams with players voluntarily getting vaccinated.

Schroeppel said the team plans to allow full attendance at Arrowhead Stadium during the season, but that could change based on COVID-19 case numbers.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City Chiefs fans will have to get tickets in advance to visit the Super Bowl runner-up's training camp this year, and they won't be able to get autographs from players because of COVID-19.Dr. Paul Schroeppel, the AFC champions' head orthopedic surgeon, said Monday that fans won't be allowed to interact with players under the NFL's protocols for preventing coronavirus outbreaks. He discussed the rules during a daily webcast by the University of Kansas Health System.The Chiefs open their training camp in St. Joseph, Missouri, on July 28 with a special event for season ticket holders, with practices open to other fans July 29, with attendance limited.Missouri has seen&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-health-coronavirus-pandemic-michael-brown-fc8de32279eb2a37d17a92bbb1912a94">a surge in new COVID-19 cases</a>&nbsp;because of the faster-spreading delta variant.“The league has very strict protocols,” Schroeppel said. “I think they've done everything they can to control transmission in those situations. Of course, when you get a crowd together, it's going to be very difficult, particularly for those unvaccinated.”He said the Chiefs are “doing quite well” among NFL teams with players voluntarily getting vaccinated.Schroeppel said the team plans to allow full attendance at Arrowhead Stadium during the season, but that could change based on COVID-19 case numbers.

Chiefs to bar fan interaction with players at training camp

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1626714651434.png" alt="Trejo photo Great Bend Police" />
 <figcaption>Trejo photo Great Bend Police</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a man's death and asking for help to locate a suspect.Just after 11:30 p.m., Sunday, the Great Bend Police and Fire Department ambulance personnel were dispatched to the Best Western, 2920 Tenth Street in Great Bend for report of a man&nbsp;on the ground, bleeding, and not moving, according to a media release. Upon arrival, officers found 39-year-old Micah Merryman-Scifres deceased. Through the investigation police identified 36-year-old Elias Trejo as a person of interest. Trejo was last seen in a dark colored, 4-door passenger car with unknown Texas license plates. Anyone with information about this crime is asked to call the Great Bend Police Department at 620-793-4120 or Crime Stoppers at 620-792-1300.

Police: Great Bend homicide suspect driving car with Texas plates

WASHINGTON (AP) — A proposal to strengthen IRS enforcement to crack down on tax scofflaws and help fund a nearly $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure spending bill is officially off the table,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/d6c12b4a41608e5c6e8c1e275e451732">Republican Sen. Rob Portman</a>&nbsp;said Sunday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1626283910947.png" alt="Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is pressuring lawmakers to reach agreement this week on the pair of massive domestic spending measures, signaling Democrats’ desire to push ahead aggressively on President Joe Biden’s multitrillion-dollar agenda-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is pressuring lawmakers to reach agreement this week on the pair of massive domestic spending measures, signaling Democrats’ desire to push ahead aggressively on President Joe Biden’s multitrillion-dollar agenda-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A proposal to strengthen IRS enforcement to crack down on tax scofflaws and help fund a nearly $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure spending bill is officially off the table,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/d6c12b4a41608e5c6e8c1e275e451732">Republican Sen. Rob Portman</a>&nbsp;said Sunday.Portman, who is involved in negotiating the bill, cited “pushback” from fellow Republican lawmakers who dislike the idea of expanding the reach of the IRS, which they have accused over the years of unfairly targeting conservatives. He said another reason the IRS provision was shelved is that Democrats are including a more robust enforcement plan in a separate $3.5 trillion infrastructure bill that they intend to pass through the Senate using special budget rules and without Republican votes.“That created quite a problem because the general agreement is that this is the bipartisan, negotiated infrastructure package and that we will stick with that,” the Ohio senator said on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2021/07/18/rob-portman-irs-enforcement-infrastructure-bill-sot-vpx-sotu.cnn" target="_blank">CNN’s “State of the Union.”</a>Portman’s announcement that the IRS provision had been removed underscores the difficulty facing the bipartisan group of Republican and Democratic senators in finding mutually agreeable ways to pay for billions of dollars of new spending their White House-backed plan calls for.Portman said meetings were planned Sunday to discuss alternatives to the IRS provision, which had been estimated to bring in an estimated $100 billion over 10 years. The proposal to go after taxpayers who skip out on income taxes initially had potential bipartisan appeal, but outside groups came forward to lambaste it as a way to enable the IRS to snoop around Americans’ personal finances.IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig said at a congressional hearing in April that the national gap between federal taxes owed and actually collected is about $1 trillion annually, more than double what official government estimates have previously indicated.Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is pressuring lawmakers to reach agreement this week on the pair of massive domestic spending measures, signaling Democrats’ desire to push ahead aggressively on President Joe Biden’s multitrillion-dollar agenda.Schumer, D-N.Y., said last week that he is scheduling a procedural vote for Wednesday to begin debate on the still-evolving bipartisan infrastructure bill. Senators from both parties, bargaining for weeks, have struggled to reach final agreement on a $1 trillion package of highway, water systems and other public works projects.Portman on Sunday called that an “arbitrary deadline” and one that was premature given that senators haven’t even agreed on details of the “complex” bill yet.“We want to get it right. It’s not too much to ask that we have time to do that,” Portman said. “We ought not to have an arbitrary deadline forcing this process.”Schumer said he also wanted Democratic senators to reach agreement among themselves by Wednesday on the specific details of a separate 10-year budget blueprint that envisions $3.5 trillion in spending for climate change, education, an expansion of Medicare and more.