HARVEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating the fatal shooting of a 14-year-old Hesston girl and have a juvenile suspect in custody.

Just before 10 p.m. Sunday, the suspect identified as a 16-year-old boy arrived at a house in the 900 block of South Walnut in Newton where a group of teens were hanging out, according to a media release from police.

Witnesses said the boy was visibly intoxicated and was waving around a gun. He pointed the gun at others in the room before fatally shooting the girl.

Witnesses and neighbors attempted to perform CPR and called 911, and the suspect ran from the house.&nbsp; Newton Police arrested the suspect just after 10 a.m. Monday at his house in Newton.&nbsp; Police have not released the name of the suspect or the victim.

HARVEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating the fatal shooting of a 14-year-old Hesston girl and have a juvenile suspect in custody.Just before 10 p.m. Sunday, the suspect identified as a 16-year-old boy arrived at a house in the 900 block of South Walnut in Newton where a group of teens were hanging out, according to a media release from police.Witnesses said the boy was visibly intoxicated and was waving around a gun. He pointed the gun at others in the room before fatally shooting the girl.Witnesses and neighbors attempted to perform CPR and called 911, and the suspect ran from the house.&nbsp; Newton Police arrested the suspect just after 10 a.m. Monday at his house in Newton.&nbsp; Police have not released the name of the suspect or the victim.

Police make arrest for fatal shooting of girl in Newton  

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 672 to a total of 321,109, the state health department reported Monday afternoon.&nbsp;

The state reported 12 new COVID-19 deaths for a total of 5188.

<a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data">Click here for Data</a> about the COVID-19 vaccine.

<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional virus numbers from the KDHE.

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 672 to a total of 321,109, the state health department reported Monday afternoon.&nbsp;The state reported 12 new COVID-19 deaths for a total of 5188.<a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data">Click here for Data</a> about the COVID-19 vaccine.<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional virus numbers from the KDHE.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1626109115821.png" alt="Monday July 12, 2021 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Monday July 12, 2021 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>

KDHE: Latest coronavirus numbers in Kansas

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — A Springfield, Missouri hospital on Sunday announced it opened its sixth COVID-19 ward as the delta virus variant rages in the state’s southwest region.

That's the most virus wards Mercy Hospital in Springfield has had. Chief Administrative Officer Erik Frederick tweeted that the hospital needed at most five COVID-19 wards last year.

The hospital was treating 133 virus patients as of Sunday.

“Many local rural communities don’t have high vaccination rates,” Frederick wrote. “They also don’t have a hospital. Get sick, come to Springfield. I think that’s getting left out of the narrative.”

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — A Springfield, Missouri hospital on Sunday announced it opened its sixth COVID-19 ward as the delta virus variant rages in the state’s southwest region.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">133 COVID+ <a href="https://twitter.com/MercySGF?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MercySGF</a>. Opening a 6th COVID unit. Only needed 5 last year. Many local rural communities don’t have high vaccination rates. They also don’t have a hospital. Get sick, come to Springfield. I think that’s getting left out of the narrative. <a href="https://t.co/eu5DSyomX0">https://t.co/eu5DSyomX0</a>&mdash; Erik Frederick (@CAOMercySGF) <a href="https://twitter.com/CAOMercySGF/status/1414238973015339010?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>That's the most virus wards Mercy Hospital in Springfield has had. Chief Administrative Officer Erik Frederick tweeted that the hospital needed at most five COVID-19 wards last year.The hospital was treating 133 virus patients as of Sunday.“Many local rural communities don’t have high vaccination rates,” Frederick wrote. “They also don’t have a hospital. Get sick, come to Springfield. I think that’s getting left out of the narrative.”

SW Missouri hospital opens 6th COVID ward

By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina Post

Police are investigating a case as aggravated battery after a Salina man was found severely injured Friday.

Just before 3:30p.m. Friday, police were dispatched to the Travelers Lodge, 254 S. Broadway Boulevard, for the report of a disorderly subject who refused to leave, according to Police Captain Paul Forrester.

A Travelers Lodge employee told police that he was walking by a fenced in area on the north side of the property and heard a man inside moaning. The employee said he could see someone through the wooden fence, which was locked.

When the employee got no response from the man, he called police and waited until officers arrived before he unlocked the fence.

When officers entered the area, they found a 33-year-old Salina man with severe injuries consistent to battery, Forrester said. The man also had a thin blue cable around his neck.

EMS transported the man to Salina Regional Health Center, where doctors confirmed that the man's injuries were consistent with him being dragged face down, Forrester said. The man was later transferred to a Wichita hospital.

Police are contacting area businesses and organizations to see whether surveillance video is available. Additionally, anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the Salina Police Department, Forrester said.

By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina PostPolice are investigating a case as aggravated battery after a Salina man was found severely injured Friday.Just before 3:30p.m. Friday, police were dispatched to the Travelers Lodge, 254 S. Broadway Boulevard, for the report of a disorderly subject who refused to leave, according to Police Captain Paul Forrester.A Travelers Lodge employee told police that he was walking by a fenced in area on the north side of the property and heard a man inside moaning. The employee said he could see someone through the wooden fence, which was locked.When the employee got no response from the man, he called police and waited until officers arrived before he unlocked the fence.When officers entered the area, they found a 33-year-old Salina man with severe injuries consistent to battery, Forrester said. The man also had a thin blue cable around his neck.EMS transported the man to Salina Regional Health Center, where doctors confirmed that the man's injuries were consistent with him being dragged face down, Forrester said. The man was later transferred to a Wichita hospital.Police are contacting area businesses and organizations to see whether surveillance video is available. Additionally, anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the Salina Police Department, Forrester said.

Police: Man found severely injured near Kan. hotel property

RAYMORE, Mo. (AP) — Police in suburban Kansas City have arrested a man accused of killing a woman last week in her Raymore home.

Dale Williamson, 41, of Independence faces charges of first-degree murder, armed criminal action and a weapons count in the death of 39-year-old Katie Kellen, police said. Kellen’s body was found Thursday night in her home. Police have not said how she died.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1626102579754.png" alt="Williamson is being held in Clay County" />
 <figcaption>Williamson is being held in Clay County</figcaption>
 </figure>RAYMORE, Mo. (AP) — Police in suburban Kansas City have arrested a man accused of killing a woman last week in her Raymore home.Dale Williamson, 41, of Independence faces charges of first-degree murder, armed criminal action and a weapons count in the death of 39-year-old Katie Kellen, police said. Kellen’s body was found Thursday night in her home. Police have not said how she died.Williamson is being held without bond.

Suburban Kansas City police arrest man for woman's murder

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A South Carolina woman who admitted to helping swindle an elderly Wichita-area widow out of more than half a million dollars in a romance scam is due to be sentenced Monday in Sedgwick County District Court.

<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20069884">Kathy Heistand, 68, pleaded guilty </a>in May to the mistreatment of an elder person and theft.

An arrest affidavit said a 74-year-old recently widowed Kansas woman was contacted on Facebook in 2020 by someone who said his name was Victor Patrick and claimed to be a man working on an oil rig in the Gulf of Texas. The two developed an online romance.

Patrick said he’d be with the widow as soon as he retired, but meanwhile he needed money, and he asked the widow to send money to Heistand, who would give the money to Patrick.

The widow sent six cashier’s checks payable to Heistand for a total of $532,000. The widow’s financial institutions warned her it was a scam but she didn’t believe it. During the investigation Heistand said she didn’t know Patrick and that the widow sent her money as part of a business arrangement.

The Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office is recommending five years of probation with 61 months in prison if Heistand violates probation, records show.

The DA’s office said it is recommending probation because Heistand had a “lesser role in the fraud against the victim,” she helped in the investigation. Paying restitution to the victim while on probation outweighs the benefit of sending the 68-year-old to prison.

The district attorney’s office plans a Monday news conference to discuss the prominence of romance scams in the Wichita area, according to a news release

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1626086481360.png" alt="The widow sent six cashier’s checks payable to Heistand for a total of $532,000.&nbsp; Heistand remains jailed in Sedgwick County." />
 <figcaption>The widow sent six cashier’s checks payable to Heistand for a total of $532,000.&nbsp; Heistand remains jailed in Sedgwick County.</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A South Carolina woman who admitted to helping swindle an elderly Wichita-area widow out of more than half a million dollars in a romance scam is due to be sentenced Monday in Sedgwick County District Court.<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20069884">Kathy Heistand, 68, pleaded guilty </a>in May to the mistreatment of an elder person and theft.An arrest affidavit said a 74-year-old recently widowed Kansas woman was contacted on Facebook in 2020 by someone who said his name was Victor Patrick and claimed to be a man working on an oil rig in the Gulf of Texas. The two developed an online romance.Patrick said he’d be with the widow as soon as he retired, but meanwhile he needed money, and he asked the widow to send money to Heistand, who would give the money to Patrick.The widow sent six cashier’s checks payable to Heistand for a total of $532,000. The widow’s financial institutions warned her it was a scam but she didn’t believe it. During the investigation Heistand said she didn’t know Patrick and that the widow sent her money as part of a business arrangement.The Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office is recommending five years of probation with 61 months in prison if Heistand violates probation, records show.The DA’s office said it is recommending probation because Heistand had a “lesser role in the fraud against the victim,” she helped in the investigation. Paying restitution to the victim while on probation outweighs the benefit of sending the 68-year-old to prison.The district attorney’s office plans a Monday news conference to discuss the prominence of romance scams in the Wichita area, according to a news release

Romance scam: Woman swindled Kan. widow of $532,000

By SUZANNE PEREZ <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/2021-07-08/even-with-delta-driving-a-covid-resurgence-most-kansas-schools-ditch-mask-rules">Kansas News Service</a>

WICHITA&nbsp;— Most Kansas schoolchildren and teachers, 
regardless of whether they’ve been vaccinated against COVID-19, won’t be
 required to wear face masks next school year.

Schools find 
themselves under pressure to return to more normal, pre-pandemic 
operations. But officials say they stand ready to pivot — including 
reinstating mask mandates — if the pandemic worsens dramatically.

“Should
 adjustments to our plan be required,” said Alicia Thompson, 
superintendent of the state’s largest school district in Wichita, “we 
will bring our pandemic leadership team back together to recommend 
adjustments.”

She said her district weighed current data on 
infection rates, along with guidance from local health officials and 
feedback from a community survey, to craft the <a href="https://www.usd259.org/WPSadvance" target="_blank">district’s plan.</a>

Starting
 this month in Wichita schools, masks are optional. Vaccinations are not
 required. And regular activities will resume, including volunteers and 
visitors in schools.

Several large districts in Johnson County, 
including Olathe and Blue Valley, also lifted mask mandates that had 
been in place more than a year.

It’s a controversial call. Health officials <a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/441/KDHE-Mask-Guidance-PDF---5-15-21" target="_blank">recommend mask wearing while indoors</a>
 for people who aren’t fully vaccinated or who have a compromised immune
 system. And children younger than 12 aren’t eligible to get a vaccine.

Meanwhile,
 the new, more-infectious Delta variant of the virus now accounts for 
80% of coronavirus cases in the state and for nearly all new 
hospitalizations.

Fewer than half of Kansans eligible for vaccinations have been inoculated.

A few large districts, including Shawnee Mission in Johnson County, have yet to decide on masks for this fall.

Spokesman
 David Smith said Shawnee Mission leaders are “still looking for some 
clear guidance” from health officials on masks and other COVID 
protocols, especially for vulnerable elementary school populations.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that schools <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/operation-strategy.html#fully-vacc" target="_blank">continue to use COVID-19 prevention strategies</a>, including masks and social distancing, through the last school year.

The
 agency has not released guidance for the coming year. The CDC website 
says to look for updated guidance “in the coming weeks.”

Wichita 
school board member Ben Blankley said continued precautions, 
particularly with unvaccinated elementary-schoolers, could prevent 
outbreaks and related quarantines.

“I’d hate to be in a situation 
where we send entire classrooms out on quarantine and disrupt a bunch of
 people’s livelihoods again just because we decided that particular 
pandemic precautions were unpopular with some people,” he said.

Brent
 Lewis, president of the Wichita teachers union, said he agrees with the
 decision to make face masks optional. Leaders are trying to balance 
COVID-19 concerns with a desire to keep schools open and comfortable, he
 said.

But he worries that possible outbreaks could lead to widespread quarantines. Federal law <a href="https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fmla/pandemic" target="_blank">does not require districts to provide paid leave</a>
 to employees who are sick with COVID-19, under quarantine or caring for
 someone with COVID, so teachers would have to use their personal leave 
time.

It’s unclear how many of Wichita’s 4,200 teachers are 
vaccinated, but Lewis said about three-fourths signed up for vaccines 
when they were made available this spring.

In Olathe, superintendent John Allison said masks will be “highly encouraged but not required” for students, staff and visitors.

Board member LeEtta Felter asked how that will play out in classrooms if some parents want their children masked.

“I
 don’t want to unduly burden our teachers with being the mask gestapo,” 
she said. “How will we accommodate a family’s preference for their child
 to wear a mask ... and (have) no bullying?”

Allison said school leaders will talk about strategies before school starts this fall.

“We don’t tolerate bullying for whatever reason,” he said. “Masks would fit into that.”

Thompson,
 the Wichita superintendent, said COVID-19 taught school districts and 
families to be flexible. The protocol when students return Aug. 12 could
 change.

“We can say with confidence that we have now led in a 
pandemic, but none of us yet have led coming out of a pandemic,” she 
said. “There will be many lessons to be learned over the next year.”

Suzanne Perez reports on education for KMUW in Wichita and the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter @SuzPerezICT.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625774939950.png" alt="Wichita students were required to wear masks at summer school programs. Masks are now optional for all students, teachers and visitors. Suzanne Perez / KMUW" />
 <figcaption>Wichita students were required to wear masks at summer school programs. Masks are now optional for all students, teachers and visitors. Suzanne Perez / KMUW</figcaption>
 </figure>By SUZANNE PEREZ <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/2021-07-08/even-with-delta-driving-a-covid-resurgence-most-kansas-schools-ditch-mask-rules">Kansas News Service</a>WICHITA&nbsp;— Most Kansas schoolchildren and teachers, 
regardless of whether they’ve been vaccinated against COVID-19, won’t be
 required to wear face masks next school year.Schools find 
themselves under pressure to return to more normal, pre-pandemic 
operations. But officials say they stand ready to pivot — including 
reinstating mask mandates — if the pandemic worsens dramatically.“Should
 adjustments to our plan be required,” said Alicia Thompson, 
superintendent of the state’s largest school district in Wichita, “we 
will bring our pandemic leadership team back together to recommend 
adjustments.”She said her district weighed current data on 
infection rates, along with guidance from local health officials and 
feedback from a community survey, to craft the <a href="https://www.usd259.org/WPSadvance" target="_blank">district’s plan.</a>Starting
 this month in Wichita schools, masks are optional. Vaccinations are not
 required. And regular activities will resume, including volunteers and 
visitors in schools.Several large districts in Johnson County, 
including Olathe and Blue Valley, also lifted mask mandates that had 
been in place more than a year.It’s a controversial call. Health officials <a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/441/KDHE-Mask-Guidance-PDF---5-15-21" target="_blank">recommend mask wearing while indoors</a>
 for people who aren’t fully vaccinated or who have a compromised immune
 system. And children younger than 12 aren’t eligible to get a vaccine.Meanwhile,
 the new, more-infectious Delta variant of the virus now accounts for 
80% of coronavirus cases in the state and for nearly all new 
hospitalizations.Fewer than half of Kansans eligible for vaccinations have been inoculated.A few large districts, including Shawnee Mission in Johnson County, have yet to decide on masks for this fall.Spokesman
 David Smith said Shawnee Mission leaders are “still looking for some 
clear guidance” from health officials on masks and other COVID 
protocols, especially for vulnerable elementary school populations.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that schools <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/operation-strategy.html#fully-vacc" target="_blank">continue to use COVID-19 prevention strategies</a>, including masks and social distancing, through the last school year.The
 agency has not released guidance for the coming year. The CDC website 
says to look for updated guidance “in the coming weeks.”Wichita 
school board member Ben Blankley said continued precautions, 
particularly with unvaccinated elementary-schoolers, could prevent 
outbreaks and related quarantines.“I’d hate to be in a situation 
where we send entire classrooms out on quarantine and disrupt a bunch of
 people’s livelihoods again just because we decided that particular 
pandemic precautions were unpopular with some people,” he said.Brent
 Lewis, president of the Wichita teachers union, said he agrees with the
 decision to make face masks optional. Leaders are trying to balance 
COVID-19 concerns with a desire to keep schools open and comfortable, he
 said.But he worries that possible outbreaks could lead to widespread quarantines. Federal law <a href="https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fmla/pandemic" target="_blank">does not require districts to provide paid leave</a>
 to employees who are sick with COVID-19, under quarantine or caring for
 someone with COVID, so teachers would have to use their personal leave 
time.It’s unclear how many of Wichita’s 4,200 teachers are 
vaccinated, but Lewis said about three-fourths signed up for vaccines 
when they were made available this spring.In Olathe, superintendent John Allison said masks will be “highly encouraged but not required” for students, staff and visitors.Board member LeEtta Felter asked how that will play out in classrooms if some parents want their children masked.“I
 don’t want to unduly burden our teachers with being the mask gestapo,” 
she said. “How will we accommodate a family’s preference for their child
 to wear a mask ... and (have) no bullying?”Allison said school leaders will talk about strategies before school starts this fall.“We don’t tolerate bullying for whatever reason,” he said. “Masks would fit into that.”Thompson,
 the Wichita superintendent, said COVID-19 taught school districts and 
families to be flexible. The protocol when students return Aug. 12 could
 change.“We can say with confidence that we have now led in a 
pandemic, but none of us yet have led coming out of a pandemic,” she 
said. “There will be many lessons to be learned over the next year.”Suzanne Perez reports on education for KMUW in Wichita and the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter @SuzPerezICT.

Despite COVID Delta resurgence, most Kan. schools ditch mask rules 

DENVER (AP) — Four people have been arrested and more than a dozen weapons and hundreds of rounds of ammunition have been seized at a downtown Denver hotel that is close to several events planned in conjunction with this week's Major League Baseball All-Star Game.

Officers responding to a tip searched two rooms at the Maven Hotel, a block from Coors Field, on Friday night. Three men and a woman in their 40s were arrested, and two vehicles were impounded to be searched for evidence.

The recovered weapons included several rifles, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press.

So far, investigators have not found any evidence to suggest the group was plotting a mass shooting or other similar attack, the official said, while cautioning that the investigation is still in its early stages. The official could not discuss the matter publicly and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.

Authorities were called after an employee found the guns in a hotel room, the official said.

The men who were arrested are being investigated for possession of a weapon by a previous offender, and the woman, who has a separate warrant, is being investigated on a drug charge.

“We have no reason to believe this incident was connected to terrorism or a threat directed at the All-Star Game,” the FBI said in a statement released Sunday. “We are not aware of any threat to the All-Star Game events, venues, players or the community at this time.”

Meanwhile, Mayor Michael Hancock and police Chief Paul Pazen praised the hotel’s staff for alerting authorities and sought to ease any concerns that the area around the ballpark is unsafe. They declined to say what, if anything, the suspects were planning to do with the firearms.

“We don’t know what we don’t know. That’s what the investigation is all about,” Pazen said during a news conference. “We need to identify exactly, to the extent possible, why (the) individuals were here in the first place, why (the) proximity to downtown. We don’t have those answers.”

Coors Field will host the All-Star Game on Tuesday, but festivities have been underway in and around the ballpark and downtown for the past several days.

Police said in a statement that visitors should always be aware of their surroundings and report any suspicious or illegal behavior.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1626087575274.png" alt="The Maven Hotel is a block from Coors Field -Google image" />
 <figcaption>The Maven Hotel is a block from Coors Field -Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>DENVER (AP) — Four people have been arrested and more than a dozen weapons and hundreds of rounds of ammunition have been seized at a downtown Denver hotel that is close to several events planned in conjunction with this week's Major League Baseball All-Star Game.Officers responding to a tip searched two rooms at the Maven Hotel, a block from Coors Field, on Friday night. Three men and a woman in their 40s were arrested, and two vehicles were impounded to be searched for evidence.The recovered weapons included several rifles, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press.So far, investigators have not found any evidence to suggest the group was plotting a mass shooting or other similar attack, the official said, while cautioning that the investigation is still in its early stages. The official could not discuss the matter publicly and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.Authorities were called after an employee found the guns in a hotel room, the official said.The men who were arrested are being investigated for possession of a weapon by a previous offender, and the woman, who has a separate warrant, is being investigated on a drug charge.“We have no reason to believe this incident was connected to terrorism or a threat directed at the All-Star Game,” the FBI said in a statement released Sunday. “We are not aware of any threat to the All-Star Game events, venues, players or the community at this time.”Meanwhile, Mayor Michael Hancock and police Chief Paul Pazen praised the hotel’s staff for alerting authorities and sought to ease any concerns that the area around the ballpark is unsafe. They declined to say what, if anything, the suspects were planning to do with the firearms.“We don’t know what we don’t know. That’s what the investigation is all about,” Pazen said during a news conference. “We need to identify exactly, to the extent possible, why (the) individuals were here in the first place, why (the) proximity to downtown. We don’t have those answers.”Coors Field will host the All-Star Game on Tuesday, but festivities have been underway in and around the ballpark and downtown for the past several days.Police said in a statement that visitors should always be aware of their surroundings and report any suspicious or illegal behavior.___

Report: Hotel maid finds guns, ammo near MLB All-Star game

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Five Kansas City police officers facing criminal charges remain on the job, with four on administrative duty and one still on patrol.

Community leaders who have been critical of the Kansas City Police Department say they are particularly angry that a detective charged with manslaughter, Eric DeValkenaere, remains on administrative duty and is being paid,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article252529253.html">according&nbsp;</a>to the Kansas City Star.

“I think it’s despicable,” said Randy Fikki, senior pastor of Unity Southeast, who led several Black Lives Matter demonstrations last summer.

Police spokeswoman Capt. Leslie Foreman said department’s policies give supervisors discretion to determine whether to suspend officers and whether that suspension should be paid or unpaid.

That is despite a separate policy that says officers charged with a crime related to their use of a department firearm will be suspended, which would apply to DeValkenaere, who is charged in the 2019 shooting of Cameron Lamb in Lamb’s backyard following a traffic incident. Officials said that policy requiring suspension when an officer's gun is used is under review.

DeValkenaere was suspended with pay after the shooting, but returned to work in January. He is the only one charged in an incident involving a gun.

Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, who serves on the supervisory Board of Kansas City Police Commissioners, said officers charged with felonies should be suspended with pay. But Lucas said the department's policies need to be clarified.

“I would think that we need to be consistent with the policies as produced,” Lucas said. “In all situations, to the extent that there is a departure, I find it very troubling. And I would hope, although not be optimistic, that the board would ensure that those policies are being followed.”

Some policing experts criticized the decision to keep officers who have been charged on the force.

“Criminal charges raise serious concerns about an officer’s fitness to protect and serve,” said Lauren Bonds, legal director for the National Police Accountability Project. “The chief’s decision to allow officers to continue their employment while charges are pending needlessly exposes communities to abuse and undermines the prosecutor’s decision to pursue an indictment.”

Sgt. Matthew Neal was indicted last year on a felony assault charge for allegedly placing his knee on the back of a 15-year-old boy’s neck and forcing the boy’s head into the pavement while in handcuffs.

Matthew Brummett and Charles Prichard both face felony assault charges for alleged excessive use of force when they arrested Breona Hill in May 2019. A video showed officers pinning her to the ground and slamming her head into the pavement.

Nicholas McQuillen was charged this year with misdemeanor assault for allegedly pepper spraying a teenager at protests last summer. He is the only charged officer still on patrol.

All five officers are white. All of the victims in the cases are Black.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Five Kansas City police officers facing criminal charges remain on the job, with four on administrative duty and one still on patrol.Community leaders who have been critical of the Kansas City Police Department say they are particularly angry that a detective charged with manslaughter, Eric DeValkenaere, remains on administrative duty and is being paid,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article252529253.html">according&nbsp;</a>to the Kansas City Star.“I think it’s despicable,” said Randy Fikki, senior pastor of Unity Southeast, who led several Black Lives Matter demonstrations last summer.Police spokeswoman Capt. Leslie Foreman said department’s policies give supervisors discretion to determine whether to suspend officers and whether that suspension should be paid or unpaid.That is despite a separate policy that says officers charged with a crime related to their use of a department firearm will be suspended, which would apply to DeValkenaere, who is charged in the 2019 shooting of Cameron Lamb in Lamb’s backyard following a traffic incident. Officials said that policy requiring suspension when an officer's gun is used is under review.DeValkenaere was suspended with pay after the shooting, but returned to work in January. He is the only one charged in an incident involving a gun.Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, who serves on the supervisory Board of Kansas City Police Commissioners, said officers charged with felonies should be suspended with pay. But Lucas said the department's policies need to be clarified.“I would think that we need to be consistent with the policies as produced,” Lucas said. “In all situations, to the extent that there is a departure, I find it very troubling. And I would hope, although not be optimistic, that the board would ensure that those policies are being followed.”Some policing experts criticized the decision to keep officers who have been charged on the force.“Criminal charges raise serious concerns about an officer’s fitness to protect and serve,” said Lauren Bonds, legal director for the National Police Accountability Project. “The chief’s decision to allow officers to continue their employment while charges are pending needlessly exposes communities to abuse and undermines the prosecutor’s decision to pursue an indictment.”Sgt. Matthew Neal was indicted last year on a felony assault charge for allegedly placing his knee on the back of a 15-year-old boy’s neck and forcing the boy’s head into the pavement while in handcuffs.Matthew Brummett and Charles Prichard both face felony assault charges for alleged excessive use of force when they arrested Breona Hill in May 2019. A video showed officers pinning her to the ground and slamming her head into the pavement.Nicholas McQuillen was charged this year with misdemeanor assault for allegedly pepper spraying a teenager at protests last summer. He is the only charged officer still on patrol.All five officers are white. All of the victims in the cases are Black.

5 Kansas City officers charged with crimes still on the job

WASHINGTON (AP) — Pfizer says it plans to meet with top U.S. health officials Monday to discuss the drugmaker’s request for federal authorization of a third dose of its COVID-19 vaccine as President Joe Biden’s chief medical adviser acknowledged that “it is entirely conceivable, maybe likely” that booster shots will be needed.

The company said it was scheduled to have the meeting with the Food and Drug Administration and other officials Monday, days after Pfizer asserted that booster shots would be needed within 12 months.

Pfizer’s Dr. Mikael Dolsten&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-coronavirus-pandemic-science-health-34c3f2536747a7c08980d7359a8de70c">told The Associated Press&nbsp;</a>last week that early data from the company’s booster study suggests people’s antibody levels jump five- to 10-fold after a third dose, compared to their second dose months earlier — evidence it believes supports the need for a booster.

On Sunday,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.niaid.nih.gov/about/director" target="_blank">Dr. Anthony Fauci</a>&nbsp;didn’t rule out the possibility but said it was too soon for the government to recommend another shot. He said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the FDA did the right thing last week by pushing back against Pfizer’s assertion with their statement that they did not view booster shots as necessary “at this time.”

Fauci said clinical studies and laboratory data have yet to fully bear out the need for a booster to the current two-shot Pfizer and Moderna vaccines or the one-shot Johnson &amp; Johnson regimen.

“Right now, given the data and the information we have, we do not need to give people a third shot,” he said. “That doesn’t mean we stop there. ... There are studies being done now ongoing as we speak about looking at the feasibility about if and when we should be boosting people.”

He said it was quite possible in the coming months “as data evolves” that the government may urge a booster based on such factors as age and underlying medical conditions. “Certainly it is entirely conceivable, maybe likely at some time, we will need a boost,″ Fauci said.

Monday’s planned meeting between Pfizer and U.S. health officials was first reported by The Washington Post.

Currently only about 48% of the U.S. population is fully vaccinated. Some parts of the country have far lower immunization rates, and in those places the delta variant is surging. Last week, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the CDC director, said that’s leading to “two truths” — highly immunized swaths of America are getting back to normal while hospitalizations are rising in other places.

Fauci said it was inexplicable that some Americans are so resistant to getting a vaccine when scientific data show how effective it is in staving off COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations, and he was dismayed by efforts to block making vaccinations more accessible, such as Biden’s suggestion of door-to-door outreach.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson, R-Ark., agreed Sunday that there is a vaccine resistance in Southern and rural states like his because “you have that more conservative approach, skepticism about government.”

Describing his efforts to boost vaccinations in his state, which is seeing rising infections, Hutchinson said “no one wants an agent knocking on a door,” but “we do want those that do not have access otherwise to make sure they know about it.”

The grassroots component of the federal vaccination campaign has been in operation since April, when supplies of shots began outpacing demand. It was outlined and funded by Congress in the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill passed in March and overwhelmingly is carried out by local officials and private sector workers and volunteers.

Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., blasted opposition to vaccination efforts from some GOP lawmakers as “absolute insanity.” He said House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy of California and others in the party need to speak out against “these absolute clown politicians playing on your vaccine fears for their own selfish gain.”

Fauci appeared on CNN’s “State of the Union,” ABC’s “This Week” and CBS’ “Face the Nation”; Hutchinson spoke on ABC, and Kinzinger was on CNN.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Pfizer says it plans to meet with top U.S. health officials Monday to discuss the drugmaker’s request for federal authorization of a third dose of its COVID-19 vaccine as President Joe Biden’s chief medical adviser acknowledged that “it is entirely conceivable, maybe likely” that booster shots will be needed.The company said it was scheduled to have the meeting with the Food and Drug Administration and other officials Monday, days after Pfizer asserted that booster shots would be needed within 12 months.Pfizer’s Dr. Mikael Dolsten&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-coronavirus-pandemic-science-health-34c3f2536747a7c08980d7359a8de70c">told The Associated Press&nbsp;</a>last week that early data from the company’s booster study suggests people’s antibody levels jump five- to 10-fold after a third dose, compared to their second dose months earlier — evidence it believes supports the need for a booster.On Sunday,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.niaid.nih.gov/about/director" target="_blank">Dr. Anthony Fauci</a>&nbsp;didn’t rule out the possibility but said it was too soon for the government to recommend another shot. He said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the FDA did the right thing last week by pushing back against Pfizer’s assertion with their statement that they did not view booster shots as necessary “at this time.”Fauci said clinical studies and laboratory data have yet to fully bear out the need for a booster to the current two-shot Pfizer and Moderna vaccines or the one-shot Johnson &amp; Johnson regimen.“Right now, given the data and the information we have, we do not need to give people a third shot,” he said. “That doesn’t mean we stop there. ... There are studies being done now ongoing as we speak about looking at the feasibility about if and when we should be boosting people.”He said it was quite possible in the coming months “as data evolves” that the government may urge a booster based on such factors as age and underlying medical conditions. “Certainly it is entirely conceivable, maybe likely at some time, we will need a boost,″ Fauci said.Monday’s planned meeting between Pfizer and U.S. health officials was first reported by The Washington Post.Currently only about 48% of the U.S. population is fully vaccinated. Some parts of the country have far lower immunization rates, and in those places the delta variant is surging. Last week, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the CDC director, said that’s leading to “two truths” — highly immunized swaths of America are getting back to normal while hospitalizations are rising in other places.Fauci said it was inexplicable that some Americans are so resistant to getting a vaccine when scientific data show how effective it is in staving off COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations, and he was dismayed by efforts to block making vaccinations more accessible, such as Biden’s suggestion of door-to-door outreach.Gov. Asa Hutchinson, R-Ark., agreed Sunday that there is a vaccine resistance in Southern and rural states like his because “you have that more conservative approach, skepticism about government.”Describing his efforts to boost vaccinations in his state, which is seeing rising infections, Hutchinson said “no one wants an agent knocking on a door,” but “we do want those that do not have access otherwise to make sure they know about it.”The grassroots component of the federal vaccination campaign has been in operation since April, when supplies of shots began outpacing demand. It was outlined and funded by Congress in the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill passed in March and overwhelmingly is carried out by local officials and private sector workers and volunteers.Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., blasted opposition to vaccination efforts from some GOP lawmakers as “absolute insanity.” He said House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy of California and others in the party need to speak out against “these absolute clown politicians playing on your vaccine fears for their own selfish gain.”Fauci appeared on CNN’s “State of the Union,” ABC’s “This Week” and CBS’ “Face the Nation”; Hutchinson spoke on ABC, and Kinzinger was on CNN.

Fauci: Too soon to say if you may need vaccine booster

KANSAS CITY— A Mexican national who has been deported seven times after illegally entering the United States was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a Daviess County, Missouri, marijuana-growing operation where law enforcement officers seized nearly $10 million worth of plants, according to the United State's Attorney.

Sergio Medina-Perez, 47, of El Monte, California, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to six years in federal prison without parole. This federal sentence must be served consecutively to any sentence imposed as a result of his violation of probation in an unrelated California case. Medina-Perez pleaded guilty in California to being a felon in possession of a firearm, cultivating marijuana and resisting arrest for a marijuana grow operation in Shasta County, Calif. He received a suspended imposition of sentence and was placed on three years’ probation, but indicted eight months later in this federal case.

The court also ordered Medina-Perez to forfeit the Daviess County property to the government.

On Feb. 3, 2021, Medina-Perez pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to manufacture and to possess marijuana plants with the intent to distribute. Medina-Perez also pleaded guilty to illegally reentering the United States after having been deported following a felony conviction.

Law enforcement officers, who had been keeping the marijuana grow site under surveillance, executed a search warrant at the property on Aug. 27, 2018. The plants were in a clearing inside a large area of timber. A distinct path led from a building in the wooded area to the area containing the marijuana plants.

Officers located approximately 2,464 cultivated marijuana plants. With an approximate street value of $1,800 per pound of marijuana, this results in approximately $9,757,440 in marijuana plants seized.

Two days later, on Aug. 29, 2018, Medina-Perez was arrested near the grow site. He told law enforcement that he came to Missouri from California to work as a trimmer at the marijuana grow operation and was paid $100 for every pound of marijuana that he trimmed.

Medina-Perez has been deported from the United States on seven previous occasions. He was convicted in Yakima County, Washington, of possessing cocaine on Sept. 22, 1993, and deported in 1995. He illegally reentered the United States and was deported again on April 3, 1998; Aug. 30, 2002; April 4, 2003; Dec. 17, 2005; July 6, 2006; and July 11, 2006.

Co-defendant Miguel Pulido-Maldonado, also known as “Mona,” 30, ran into the woods to escape custody but was arrested on Aug. 30, 2018; he was covered in mud, his arms had numerous bites from either mosquitos or other insects and it appeared he had been outside for several days. Pulido-Maldonado had previously illegally entered the United States and was removed on Jan. 30, 2017. Pulido-Maldonado was sentenced to three years in federal prison without parole after pleading guilty to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy and to illegally reentering the United States.

KANSAS CITY— A Mexican national who has been deported seven times after illegally entering the United States was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a Daviess County, Missouri, marijuana-growing operation where law enforcement officers seized nearly $10 million worth of plants, according to the United State's Attorney.Sergio Medina-Perez, 47, of El Monte, California, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to six years in federal prison without parole. This federal sentence must be served consecutively to any sentence imposed as a result of his violation of probation in an unrelated California case. Medina-Perez pleaded guilty in California to being a felon in possession of a firearm, cultivating marijuana and resisting arrest for a marijuana grow operation in Shasta County, Calif. He received a suspended imposition of sentence and was placed on three years’ probation, but indicted eight months later in this federal case.The court also ordered Medina-Perez to forfeit the Daviess County property to the government.On Feb. 3, 2021, Medina-Perez pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to manufacture and to possess marijuana plants with the intent to distribute. Medina-Perez also pleaded guilty to illegally reentering the United States after having been deported following a felony conviction.Law enforcement officers, who had been keeping the marijuana grow site under surveillance, executed a search warrant at the property on Aug. 27, 2018. The plants were in a clearing inside a large area of timber. A distinct path led from a building in the wooded area to the area containing the marijuana plants.Officers located approximately 2,464 cultivated marijuana plants. With an approximate street value of $1,800 per pound of marijuana, this results in approximately $9,757,440 in marijuana plants seized.Two days later, on Aug. 29, 2018, Medina-Perez was arrested near the grow site. He told law enforcement that he came to Missouri from California to work as a trimmer at the marijuana grow operation and was paid $100 for every pound of marijuana that he trimmed.Medina-Perez has been deported from the United States on seven previous occasions. He was convicted in Yakima County, Washington, of possessing cocaine on Sept. 22, 1993, and deported in 1995. He illegally reentered the United States and was deported again on April 3, 1998; Aug. 30, 2002; April 4, 2003; Dec. 17, 2005; July 6, 2006; and July 11, 2006.Co-defendant Miguel Pulido-Maldonado, also known as “Mona,” 30, ran into the woods to escape custody but was arrested on Aug. 30, 2018; he was covered in mud, his arms had numerous bites from either mosquitos or other insects and it appeared he had been outside for several days. Pulido-Maldonado had previously illegally entered the United States and was removed on Jan. 30, 2017. Pulido-Maldonado was sentenced to three years in federal prison without parole after pleading guilty to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy and to illegally reentering the United States.

Plant trimmer on $10M KC-area marijuana farm sentenced to prison

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a burglary and have made an arrest.

Just before&nbsp; 4a.m. Thursday, police responded to Ed Bozarth auto dealership, 3731 SW Topeka Blvd. in Topeka after receiving a report of someone burglarizing multiple vehicles on the property, according to police department spokesperson Gretchen Spiker.

Responding officers located a man walking in the parking lot matching the description of the suspect later identified as 39-year-old David A. Thomas. A police K-9 apprehended&nbsp; Thomas and he&nbsp;was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested&nbsp;charges of Burglary, Theft &lt; $1,500 Motor Vehicle&nbsp; and interference with law enforcement.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625772817839.png" alt="Thomas photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Thomas photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a burglary and have made an arrest.Just before&nbsp; 4a.m. Thursday, police responded to Ed Bozarth auto dealership, 3731 SW Topeka Blvd. in Topeka after receiving a report of someone burglarizing multiple vehicles on the property, according to police department spokesperson Gretchen Spiker.Responding officers located a man walking in the parking lot matching the description of the suspect later identified as 39-year-old David A. Thomas. A police K-9 apprehended&nbsp; Thomas and he&nbsp;was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested&nbsp;charges of Burglary, Theft &lt; $1,500 Motor Vehicle&nbsp; and interference with law enforcement.

Police: Suspect caught burglarizing Kan. auto  dealership

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas&nbsp; man who shot a woman and left her to die in south Sedgwick County was sentenced to life in prison.

 District Judge Tyler Roush sentenced 43-year-old Darnell Coleman,&nbsp;of Wichita to life in prison with parole eligibility after 50-years, according to Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett.

On October 30th, 2017, a motorist found the body of Tamsen Kayzer next to railroad tracks a mile north of Peck on south Meridian. The 40-year-old woman had been shot five times. 

Over two weeks later, Sedgwick County Sheriff detectives arrested Coleman at his Wichita home.

A jury found Coleman guilty of 1st degree murder in April of this year. Judge Roush also ordered Coleman to pay $3,245.75 in restitution to pay for the victim's burial. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625255672481.png" alt="Coleman photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Coleman photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas&nbsp; man who shot a woman and left her to die in south Sedgwick County was sentenced to life in prison. District Judge Tyler Roush sentenced 43-year-old Darnell Coleman,&nbsp;of Wichita to life in prison with parole eligibility after 50-years, according to Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett.On October 30th, 2017, a motorist found the body of Tamsen Kayzer next to railroad tracks a mile north of Peck on south Meridian. The 40-year-old woman had been shot five times. Over two weeks later, Sedgwick County Sheriff detectives arrested Coleman at his Wichita home.A jury found Coleman guilty of 1st degree murder in April of this year. Judge Roush also ordered Coleman to pay $3,245.75 in restitution to pay for the victim's burial.

Kansas man shot woman five times, left her to die

By NOMIN UJIYYEDIIN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/2021-06-23/kansas-citys-gamers-eagerly-return-to-playing-esports-in-person">Kansas News Service</a>

On a recent Friday night at LEVELUP Arena in Overland Park, a few dozen people are beating each other up.

It’s a tournament for Super Smash Bros.,
 one of the first for the classic Nintendo fighting game in the esports 
arena since it opened in April. A crowd of people is gathered in front 
of a stage with TVs showing the game. A few are wearing masks, but most 
aren’t.

“It’s kind of a relief. I’m a very social butterfly. I 
love being around people,” said Deveneux Hill. “It’s really refreshing 
to me because we’ve been inside for so long.”

On the night of the 
Super Smash Bros. tournament, Hill would rather be playing — but 
instead, they’re working, helping customers at the register and wiping 
down the rows of computers, keyboards and headphones next to the stage. 
For Hill, competing in Smash has been a way to make extra cash 
and find new friends over the years. They’ve already befriended other 
players in the few weeks since LEVELUP started hosting tournaments.

The
 event, and other recent in-person competitions around the Kansas City 
area, is a sign that maybe, things are getting back to normal for the 
local gaming community. Many gamers relied on playing by themselves or 
online to get through pandemic lockdowns. But it wasn’t the same as 
seeing friends and competing in person. Now that vaccines are more 
widely available and restrictions have been lifted, they’re eager to get
 back to the sense of competition — and community — cultivated by 
in-person play.

Athletes on Park 
University’s esports team, meanwhile, have been playing together in 
person for two semesters now. When their campus shut down in the spring 
of 2020, their remaining competitions were cancelled. In the fall of 
that year, they returned to campus wearing masks, keeping their 
computers six feet apart and cleaning multiple times a day. This spring,
 they had to get tested for COVID once a week, like every other athlete 
on campus.

Now, the masks can come off and the desks in their 
campus practice space are back to their usual places. Competitions were 
mostly virtual before the pandemic, so that didn’t change much, said 
Ashley “AJ” Jones, who coaches the team. But the team no longer traveled
 to at least one in-person tournament each semester, a requirement she 
created so her players could interact with fans and get to know players 
from other schools.

“The opportunity for them to compete in person, it’s really special 
for esports, especially since it’s not something that happens very 
often,” Jones said. “It’s not exactly the same when the team and the 
fans are separated.”

Some players, she said, felt isolated during 
the pandemic shutdown of spring 2020. For some, the team is their 
primary social connection at the university. Jones tried to keep players
 connected by meeting with them weekly and running casual tournaments of
 games they didn’t have to take seriously, like Apex Legends or Brawlhalla. “It was a way for them to still feel connected to their teammates,” she said, “and to the university.”

Brennan Myers-Keeling is the captain of the League of Legends 
team at Park. He usually plays the game for about 25 to 30 hours a week,
 either at practice or for fun. Being surrounded by other people who 
play to improve — not just for fun — pushes him to be better, he said. 
Playing in person isn’t strictly necessary but it does change the nature
 of the game.

“I just find people respond better and pay more 
attention,” Myers-Keeling said. “The space of our esports room 
encourages honing in on the gameplay and making sure that you aren’t 
distracted.”

For Nick Engstrom, 
chief operating officer and co-founder of gaming event series KCGameOn, 
competition isn’t the main goal. Instead, it’s a sense of community. 
Before the pandemic, he used to spend about 20 hours a week planning 
events that were scheduled for every two or three months.

Last 
spring, everything was cancelled. Engstrom no longer had event planning 
to keep himself busy. He and his wife struggled to keep their children 
occupied while they worked from home. But thinking of his community 
helped keep Engstrom motivated.

“The reality is, I still enjoyed 
my time doing this for people,” he said. “The joy, the happiness, the 
epic wins and things that people get out of playing. In general, seeing 
the social side of things really prompted me to be like, ‘OK, well I’m
 not going to let this go, so let’s get back in the seat.’”

Earlier this year, KCGameOn organized the Kansas City Corporate 
Esports Cup, a virtual tournament whose final rounds turned into 
KCGameOn’s first in-person event in a year. Most people wore masks and 
many brought their own controllers, Engstrom said. He has a few more 
events planned for the summer.

Now, he has to figure out whether 
future events should require masks, or if that would drive away so many 
players that KCGameOn can no longer stay financially afloat. They used 
to provide buffet meals — now, that’s probably also a thing of the past.
 One of their biggest events took place at Hy-Vee Arena in November 
2019, but he’s not sure if or how they can safely return.

“You’re 
worrying about perception of what people want. Do you want to sit by 
somebody you don’t know?” he said. “The reality is, if we don’t sell all
 of our seats, we don’t make enough money to do this again.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625755073070.png" alt="Photos by Nomin Ujiyediin / KCUR" />
 <figcaption>Photos by Nomin Ujiyediin / KCUR</figcaption>
 </figure>By NOMIN UJIYYEDIIN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/2021-06-23/kansas-citys-gamers-eagerly-return-to-playing-esports-in-person">Kansas News Service</a>On a recent Friday night at LEVELUP Arena in Overland Park, a few dozen people are beating each other up.It’s a tournament for Super Smash Bros.,
 one of the first for the classic Nintendo fighting game in the esports 
arena since it opened in April. A crowd of people is gathered in front 
of a stage with TVs showing the game. A few are wearing masks, but most 
aren’t.“It’s kind of a relief. I’m a very social butterfly. I 
love being around people,” said Deveneux Hill. “It’s really refreshing 
to me because we’ve been inside for so long.”On the night of the 
Super Smash Bros. tournament, Hill would rather be playing — but 
instead, they’re working, helping customers at the register and wiping 
down the rows of computers, keyboards and headphones next to the stage. 
For Hill, competing in Smash has been a way to make extra cash 
and find new friends over the years. They’ve already befriended other 
players in the few weeks since LEVELUP started hosting tournaments.The
 event, and other recent in-person competitions around the Kansas City 
area, is a sign that maybe, things are getting back to normal for the 
local gaming community. Many gamers relied on playing by themselves or 
online to get through pandemic lockdowns. But it wasn’t the same as 
seeing friends and competing in person. Now that vaccines are more 
widely available and restrictions have been lifted, they’re eager to get
 back to the sense of competition — and community — cultivated by 
in-person play.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625755376612.png" alt="Deveneux Hill cleans computers at LEVELUP Arena." />
 <figcaption>Deveneux Hill cleans computers at LEVELUP Arena.</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>A connection to campus life</h2>Athletes on Park 
University’s esports team, meanwhile, have been playing together in 
person for two semesters now. When their campus shut down in the spring 
of 2020, their remaining competitions were cancelled. In the fall of 
that year, they returned to campus wearing masks, keeping their 
computers six feet apart and cleaning multiple times a day. This spring,
 they had to get tested for COVID once a week, like every other athlete 
on campus.Now, the masks can come off and the desks in their 
campus practice space are back to their usual places. Competitions were 
mostly virtual before the pandemic, so that didn’t change much, said 
Ashley “AJ” Jones, who coaches the team. But the team no longer traveled
 to at least one in-person tournament each semester, a requirement she 
created so her players could interact with fans and get to know players 
from other schools.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625755424343.png" alt="Ashley "AJ" Jones watches a practice League of Legends match at the Parkade Battlegrounds at Park University." />
 <figcaption>Ashley "AJ" Jones watches a practice League of Legends match at the Parkade Battlegrounds at Park University.</figcaption>
 </figure>“The opportunity for them to compete in person, it’s really special 
for esports, especially since it’s not something that happens very 
often,” Jones said. “It’s not exactly the same when the team and the 
fans are separated.”Some players, she said, felt isolated during 
the pandemic shutdown of spring 2020. For some, the team is their 
primary social connection at the university. Jones tried to keep players
 connected by meeting with them weekly and running casual tournaments of
 games they didn’t have to take seriously, like Apex Legends or Brawlhalla. “It was a way for them to still feel connected to their teammates,” she said, “and to the university.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625755456330.png" alt="Park University esports athletes Richard Oles (left) and Brennan Myers-Keeling (right) play a practice League of Legends match." />
 <figcaption>Park University esports athletes Richard Oles (left) and Brennan Myers-Keeling (right) play a practice League of Legends match.</figcaption>
 </figure>Brennan Myers-Keeling is the captain of the League of Legends 
team at Park. He usually plays the game for about 25 to 30 hours a week,
 either at practice or for fun. Being surrounded by other people who 
play to improve — not just for fun — pushes him to be better, he said. 
Playing in person isn’t strictly necessary but it does change the nature
 of the game.“I just find people respond better and pay more 
attention,” Myers-Keeling said. “The space of our esports room 
encourages honing in on the gameplay and making sure that you aren’t 
distracted.”<h2>Can gaming events make a comeback?</h2>For Nick Engstrom, 
chief operating officer and co-founder of gaming event series KCGameOn, 
competition isn’t the main goal. Instead, it’s a sense of community. 
Before the pandemic, he used to spend about 20 hours a week planning 
events that were scheduled for every two or three months.Last 
spring, everything was cancelled. Engstrom no longer had event planning 
to keep himself busy. He and his wife struggled to keep their children 
occupied while they worked from home. But thinking of his community 
helped keep Engstrom motivated.“The reality is, I still enjoyed 
my time doing this for people,” he said. “The joy, the happiness, the 
epic wins and things that people get out of playing. In general, seeing 
the social side of things really prompted me to be like, ‘OK, well I’m
 not going to let this go, so let’s get back in the seat.’”Earlier this year, KCGameOn organized the Kansas City Corporate 
Esports Cup, a virtual tournament whose final rounds turned into 
KCGameOn’s first in-person event in a year. Most people wore masks and 
many brought their own controllers, Engstrom said. He has a few more 
events planned for the summer.Now, he has to figure out whether 
future events should require masks, or if that would drive away so many 
players that KCGameOn can no longer stay financially afloat. They used 
to provide buffet meals — now, that’s probably also a thing of the past.
 One of their biggest events took place at Hy-Vee Arena in November 
2019, but he’s not sure if or how they can safely return.“You’re 
worrying about perception of what people want. Do you want to sit by 
somebody you don’t know?” he said. “The reality is, if we don’t sell all
 of our seats, we don’t make enough money to do this again.”

Kansas gamers eagerly return to playing esports in person

KANSAS CITY (AP) — People used to go to Valley View Farms to buy five tomato plants and end up with $5,000 in patio furniture.

This year is different. After a record burst of sales in March, the showroom floor is almost empty of outdoor chairs, tables and chaises for people to buy.

The garden supply store in suburban Baltimore has been waiting six months for a shipping container from Vietnam full of $100,000 worth of wicker and aluminum furniture. Half of the container has already been sold by showing customers photographs. The container should have arrived in February, but it reached U.S. waters on June 3 and has just docked in Long Beach, California.

“Everyone is just so far behind,” said John Hessler, 62, the patio section manager. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

The Biden economy faces the unusual challenge of possibly being too strong for its own good.

There is the paradox of the fastest growth in generations at more than 6% yet also persistent delays for anyone trying to buy furniture, autos and a wide mix of other goods. It’s almost the mirror opposite of the recovery from the Great Recession of 2007-2009, which was marred by slow growth but also the near-instant delivery of almost every imaginable product.

What ultimately matters is that demand stay strong enough for companies to catch up and shorten the long waits.

“This is a very good problem for the economy to have,” said Gus Faucher, chief economist for PNC Financial Services. “You’re much better off having too much demand than too little, because too little demand is the recipe for an extended recession.”

Republicans have held out the shortages and price increases as a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-health-coronavirus-pandemic-inflation-business-8d4f2830ec505756f4dae7ce4435c709">sign of economic weakness</a>, while Biden can counter that wages are climbing at a speed that helps the middle and working classes. But the real challenge goes far beyond the blunt talking points of politicians to an economy being steered by a mix of market forces, tensions with China, setbacks from natural disasters and the unique nature of restarting an economy after a pandemic.

As America hurtles out of the July 4th weekend into the heart of summer, the outdoor furniture industry provides a snapshot of the dilemmas confronting the economy. A series of shortages has left warehouses depleted and prices rising at more than 11% annually as Americans resume BBQs and parties after more than a year of isolation. The industry cannot find workers, truckers and raw materials — a consequence of not just government spending but crowded ports, an explosion at an Ohio chemical plant and the devastating snowstorm that hit Texas in February.

Patio furniture makers interviewed by The Associated Press say they expect the supply squeeze to end in 2022 or 2023 — meaning it could remain a political flashpoint even if the broader risk of inflation fades as expected by many Federal Reserve officials and Wall Street analysts. The shortages reflect both the stranded shipping containers, a dearth of truckers and the compounded effect of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-columbus-fires-ohio-explosions-4326bfa033e1c62f83887635982555c3">fatal explosion in April at the Yenkin-Majestic Paints and OPC polymer plant</a>&nbsp;in Columbus, Ohio that depleted the domestic supply of furniture pieces.

The Biden administration, well aware aware of the challenge, has made fixing supply chains a priority. It’s also trying to direct more money to making the U.S. power grid and other infrastructure more resilient against extreme weather events as part of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-government-and-politics-0c4009959710686e29f5eaef259e1f18">a bipartisan deal reached with Senate Republicans</a>.

“You saw what happened in Texas this winter: The entire system in the state collapsed,” Biden said in a recent Wisconsin speech. “That’s why we have to act.”

Administration officials expect the supply chain issues to self-correct, though they’re cautious about asserting a specific timeframe because of the unprecedented nature of the recovery from the pandemic.

They noted that a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-lifestyle-business-us-news-ap-top-news-1b73aa024354791ec26b48f1e73e1b9a">shortage of toilet paper when the pandemic started</a>&nbsp;was fixed within weeks because factories could ramp up production. But in this case, Biden’s White House views the problem in global terms, with many of the challenges being in Asian ports, rather than a problem that is solely domestic in nature.

Republican lawmakers have placed the blame exclusively on Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus rescue package, saying the shortages are causing inflation that behaves like a tax by eating into workers’ salaries and savings. Outdoor furniture companies do say that finding workers has become more of a challenge in part because of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobless-claims-pandemics-health-coronavirus-pandemic-business-e2c64443a924bcaa428bb3a9b36a71a2">greater unemployment benefits</a>, but they don’t buy fully into the Republican line that government dollars have caused a lasting price bump.

“The Biden inflation agenda of too much money chasing too few goods is causing major harm to hard-working families,” House Republican Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana said at a June hearing.

The reality is not so simple for William Bew White III, who founded Summer Classics, an Alabama-based furnisher whose outdoor products look like they belong next to a Gilded Age mansion or terraced hotel along the Italian Riviera. He summarizes his problems as the three F’s: foam, fabric and freight.

“The freeze in Texas closed down two of the plants that make the chemicals that make foam,” he said. “These plants were not able to reopen until mid to late March. And supply dried up. I’m not sure how someone that’s in the upholstery business makes it on 40% to 60% of the needed products.”

His company can produce as many as 3,500 outdoor cushions a day, but for most of the year he was not getting the supplies he needed largely because of snow shutting down&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/houston-football-storms-coronavirus-pandemic-hurricanes-5fd491ed5bfd9aa0ae08426c6078539e">the Texas power grid</a>. He’s having revenue growth of between 40% and 60% on an annual basis and it’s hard to judge how much to increase production to meet that demand and whether that demand can last.

He is more concerned with what his Chinese furniture suppliers are charging than prices at home. His prices in China have jumped as much as 26.5% since January, sometimes retroactively on orders that were already in shipping containers.

“This is not sustainable,” White said.

In many cases, companies are simply trying to absorb the higher costs. Erik Mueller, CEO of the Cincinnati-based outdoor furniture and home recreation chain Watson’s, said he wants to protect his store’s reputation as providing value. He doesn’t see the situation as paralleling the 1970s mix of stagnation and inflation that helped to drive Jimmy Carter out of the presidency after one term.

“This isn’t the 70s,” he said. “We still have goods that are reasonably priced.”

While he believes that generous unemployment benefits have stunted hiring because people can earn more by not working, Mueller also sees the inflation as a spillover from the pandemic. Some people could not work because of the disease or their shifts were cut. The rush for supplies as economies reopened occurred too fast for factories and shipping firms not yet able to return to their previous capacity. All of that was coupled with a United States that after a brutal year simply welcomed the relief of lounging by the pool with friends.

The problem is one of market forces that are beyond anyone individual’s authority, even the U.S. president’s.

“You have just this exorbitant amount of demand due to a unique situation that was out of everyone’s control,” Mueller said.

By JOSH BOAKKANSAS CITY (AP) — People used to go to Valley View Farms to buy five tomato plants and end up with $5,000 in patio furniture.This year is different. After a record burst of sales in March, the showroom floor is almost empty of outdoor chairs, tables and chaises for people to buy.The garden supply store in suburban Baltimore has been waiting six months for a shipping container from Vietnam full of $100,000 worth of wicker and aluminum furniture. Half of the container has already been sold by showing customers photographs. The container should have arrived in February, but it reached U.S. waters on June 3 and has just docked in Long Beach, California.“Everyone is just so far behind,” said John Hessler, 62, the patio section manager. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”The Biden economy faces the unusual challenge of possibly being too strong for its own good.There is the paradox of the fastest growth in generations at more than 6% yet also persistent delays for anyone trying to buy furniture, autos and a wide mix of other goods. It’s almost the mirror opposite of the recovery from the Great Recession of 2007-2009, which was marred by slow growth but also the near-instant delivery of almost every imaginable product.What ultimately matters is that demand stay strong enough for companies to catch up and shorten the long waits.“This is a very good problem for the economy to have,” said Gus Faucher, chief economist for PNC Financial Services. “You’re much better off having too much demand than too little, because too little demand is the recipe for an extended recession.”Republicans have held out the shortages and price increases as a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-health-coronavirus-pandemic-inflation-business-8d4f2830ec505756f4dae7ce4435c709">sign of economic weakness</a>, while Biden can counter that wages are climbing at a speed that helps the middle and working classes. But the real challenge goes far beyond the blunt talking points of politicians to an economy being steered by a mix of market forces, tensions with China, setbacks from natural disasters and the unique nature of restarting an economy after a pandemic.As America hurtles out of the July 4th weekend into the heart of summer, the outdoor furniture industry provides a snapshot of the dilemmas confronting the economy. A series of shortages has left warehouses depleted and prices rising at more than 11% annually as Americans resume BBQs and parties after more than a year of isolation. The industry cannot find workers, truckers and raw materials — a consequence of not just government spending but crowded ports, an explosion at an Ohio chemical plant and the devastating snowstorm that hit Texas in February.ADVERTISEMENTPatio furniture makers interviewed by The Associated Press say they expect the supply squeeze to end in 2022 or 2023 — meaning it could remain a political flashpoint even if the broader risk of inflation fades as expected by many Federal Reserve officials and Wall Street analysts. The shortages reflect both the stranded shipping containers, a dearth of truckers and the compounded effect of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-columbus-fires-ohio-explosions-4326bfa033e1c62f83887635982555c3">fatal explosion in April at the Yenkin-Majestic Paints and OPC polymer plant</a>&nbsp;in Columbus, Ohio that depleted the domestic supply of furniture pieces.The Biden administration, well aware aware of the challenge, has made fixing supply chains a priority. It’s also trying to direct more money to making the U.S. power grid and other infrastructure more resilient against extreme weather events as part of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-government-and-politics-0c4009959710686e29f5eaef259e1f18">a bipartisan deal reached with Senate Republicans</a>.“You saw what happened in Texas this winter: The entire system in the state collapsed,” Biden said in a recent Wisconsin speech. “That’s why we have to act.”Administration officials expect the supply chain issues to self-correct, though they’re cautious about asserting a specific timeframe because of the unprecedented nature of the recovery from the pandemic.They noted that a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-lifestyle-business-us-news-ap-top-news-1b73aa024354791ec26b48f1e73e1b9a">shortage of toilet paper when the pandemic started</a>&nbsp;was fixed within weeks because factories could ramp up production. But in this case, Biden’s White House views the problem in global terms, with many of the challenges being in Asian ports, rather than a problem that is solely domestic in nature.Republican lawmakers have placed the blame exclusively on Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus rescue package, saying the shortages are causing inflation that behaves like a tax by eating into workers’ salaries and savings. Outdoor furniture companies do say that finding workers has become more of a challenge in part because of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobless-claims-pandemics-health-coronavirus-pandemic-business-e2c64443a924bcaa428bb3a9b36a71a2">greater unemployment benefits</a>, but they don’t buy fully into the Republican line that government dollars have caused a lasting price bump.“The Biden inflation agenda of too much money chasing too few goods is causing major harm to hard-working families,” House Republican Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana said at a June hearing.The reality is not so simple for William Bew White III, who founded Summer Classics, an Alabama-based furnisher whose outdoor products look like they belong next to a Gilded Age mansion or terraced hotel along the Italian Riviera. He summarizes his problems as the three F’s: foam, fabric and freight.“The freeze in Texas closed down two of the plants that make the chemicals that make foam,” he said. “These plants were not able to reopen until mid to late March. And supply dried up. I’m not sure how someone that’s in the upholstery business makes it on 40% to 60% of the needed products.”His company can produce as many as 3,500 outdoor cushions a day, but for most of the year he was not getting the supplies he needed largely because of snow shutting down&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/houston-football-storms-coronavirus-pandemic-hurricanes-5fd491ed5bfd9aa0ae08426c6078539e">the Texas power grid</a>. He’s having revenue growth of between 40% and 60% on an annual basis and it’s hard to judge how much to increase production to meet that demand and whether that demand can last.He is more concerned with what his Chinese furniture suppliers are charging than prices at home. His prices in China have jumped as much as 26.5% since January, sometimes retroactively on orders that were already in shipping containers.“This is not sustainable,” White said.In many cases, companies are simply trying to absorb the higher costs. Erik Mueller, CEO of the Cincinnati-based outdoor furniture and home recreation chain Watson’s, said he wants to protect his store’s reputation as providing value. He doesn’t see the situation as paralleling the 1970s mix of stagnation and inflation that helped to drive Jimmy Carter out of the presidency after one term.“This isn’t the 70s,” he said. “We still have goods that are reasonably priced.”While he believes that generous unemployment benefits have stunted hiring because people can earn more by not working, Mueller also sees the inflation as a spillover from the pandemic. Some people could not work because of the disease or their shifts were cut. The rush for supplies as economies reopened occurred too fast for factories and shipping firms not yet able to return to their previous capacity. All of that was coupled with a United States that after a brutal year simply welcomed the relief of lounging by the pool with friends.The problem is one of market forces that are beyond anyone individual’s authority, even the U.S. president’s.“You have just this exorbitant amount of demand due to a unique situation that was out of everyone’s control,” Mueller said.

Have a seat: Patio furniture shortage tells US economic tale

TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES, N.M. (AP) — Thrill-seeking billionaire Richard Branson has reached space aboard his own winged rocket ship in his boldest adventure yet. The feat vaults the nearly 71-year-old Branson past fellow billionaire and rival Jeff Bezos, who is planning to fly to space in a craft of his own nine days from now.

With about 500 people watching, including Branson’s wife, children and grandchildren, a twin-fuselage aircraft with his space plane attached underneath took off in the first stage of the flight. 

Aboard were Branson and five crewmates from his Virgin Galactic space-tourism company. The space plane then detached from the mother ship at an altitude of about 8 1/2 miles and fired its engine, reaching the edge of space at about 53 miles up.

The space ship then made a safe landing .

TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES, N.M. (AP) — Thrill-seeking billionaire Richard Branson strapped in and set off Sunday on his boldest adventure yet — a bid to reach space aboard his own winged rocket ship.

A successful flight would vault the nearly 71-year-old Branson past fellow billionaire and rival Jeff Bezos, who is planning to fly to space in a craft of his own nine days from now.

With a crowd of more than 500 people watching, a twin-fuselage aircraft with Branson’s space plane attached underneath took off in the first stage of the flight. Aboard were Branson and five crewmates from his Virgin Galactic space-tourism company.

The plan was for the space plane to detach from the mother ship at an altitude of about 8 miles (13 kilometers), fire its rocket engine and then pierce the edge of space at about 55 miles (88 kilometers) up. After a few minutes of weightlessness for the crew, the space plane was supposed to glide to a runway landing.

The flight was intended as a confidence-boosting plug for Virgin Galactic, which plans to start taking paying customers on joyrides next year.

“It’s a beautiful day to go to space,” Branson tweeted in the morning, posting a photo of himself with fellow billionaire and space-tourism rival Elon Musk.

Branson, the flamboyant, London-born founder of Virgin Atlantic Airways, wasn’t supposed to fly until later this summer. But he assigned himself to an earlier flight after Bezos announced plans to ride his own rocket ship into space from Texas on July 20.

More than 600 people have already made reservations for a ride into space with Virgin Galactic, founded in 2004.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1626017756153.png" alt="Branson aboard Space Ship Unity Sunday-image courtesy Virgin Galactic" />
 <figcaption>Branson aboard Space Ship Unity Sunday-image courtesy Virgin Galactic</figcaption>
 </figure>TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES, N.M. (AP) — Thrill-seeking billionaire Richard Branson has reached space aboard his own winged rocket ship in his boldest adventure yet. The feat vaults the nearly 71-year-old Branson past fellow billionaire and rival Jeff Bezos, who is planning to fly to space in a craft of his own nine days from now.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">WATCH LIVE: <a href="https://twitter.com/richardbranson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RichardBranson</a> and crew of mission specialists fly to space on <a href="https://twitter.com/virgingalactic?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VirginGalactic</a>’s <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Unity22?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Unity22</a>. A new space age is here... <a href="https://t.co/kLI6mGCUro">https://t.co/kLI6mGCUro</a>&mdash; Virgin Galactic (@virgingalactic) <a href="https://twitter.com/virgingalactic/status/1414229297267503107?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>With about 500 people watching, including Branson’s wife, children and grandchildren, a twin-fuselage aircraft with his space plane attached underneath took off in the first stage of the flight. Aboard were Branson and five crewmates from his Virgin Galactic space-tourism company. The space plane then detached from the mother ship at an altitude of about 8 1/2 miles and fired its engine, reaching the edge of space at about 53 miles up.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1626018332404.png" alt="Unity 22 space craft following the safe landing just after 10:30 a.m CDT -image courtesy Virgin Galactic" />
 <figcaption>Unity 22 space craft following the safe landing just after 10:30 a.m CDT -image courtesy Virgin Galactic</figcaption>
 </figure>The space ship then made a safe landing .------TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES, N.M. (AP) — Thrill-seeking billionaire Richard Branson strapped in and set off Sunday on his boldest adventure yet — a bid to reach space aboard his own winged rocket ship.A successful flight would vault the nearly 71-year-old Branson past fellow billionaire and rival Jeff Bezos, who is planning to fly to space in a craft of his own nine days from now.With a crowd of more than 500 people watching, a twin-fuselage aircraft with Branson’s space plane attached underneath took off in the first stage of the flight. Aboard were Branson and five crewmates from his Virgin Galactic space-tourism company.The plan was for the space plane to detach from the mother ship at an altitude of about 8 miles (13 kilometers), fire its rocket engine and then pierce the edge of space at about 55 miles (88 kilometers) up. After a few minutes of weightlessness for the crew, the space plane was supposed to glide to a runway landing.The flight was intended as a confidence-boosting plug for Virgin Galactic, which plans to start taking paying customers on joyrides next year.“It’s a beautiful day to go to space,” Branson tweeted in the morning, posting a photo of himself with fellow billionaire and space-tourism rival Elon Musk.Branson, the flamboyant, London-born founder of Virgin Atlantic Airways, wasn’t supposed to fly until later this summer. But he assigned himself to an earlier flight after Bezos announced plans to ride his own rocket ship into space from Texas on July 20.More than 600 people have already made reservations for a ride into space with Virgin Galactic, founded in 2004.Bezos’ Blue Origin has yet to open ticket sales or even announce prices, but late last week boasted via Twitter that it would take clients higher and offer bigger windows.Unlike Blue Origin and Musk’s SpaceX both launch capsules atop rockets.Virgin Galactic made three previous test flights into space with a crew.___