SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a robbery stemming from a transaction set up on social media. The suspect involved <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20071262">remains in jail.</a>

Just after 3p.m. June 16, police responded to a robbery call in the 8800 block of East Harry in Wichita, according to Officer Trevor Macy.

 After contacting the victim, officers learned that a suspect later identified as 20-year-old Brannen Ratliff had advertised a phone for sale on Facebook and arranged to meet the victim in the parking lot of that location.

Once Ratliff and victim met, he used a firearm to rob the victim of cash and then fled into a nearby apartment.&nbsp; Police located him in the apartment and arrested him on requested charges of Aggravated Robbery and he remains in the <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20071262">Sedgwick County Jail.</a>

Police remind you to stay safe and protect yourself when purchasing items off of social media:

• Discuss transaction details before meeting: Where you’re meeting, when you’re meeting, how to contact them

• Meet in a public place: ideally a well-lit, busy area during the day. You can always meet at a police substation.

• Consider bringing a friend: This can help decrease the chances that a buyer/seller will try to rob you, and your friend can be a good witness if something were to happen

• Trust your instincts: If something doesn’t feel right, you’re probably feeling that way for a reason

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623954619938.png" alt="Ratliff photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Ratliff photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a robbery stemming from a transaction set up on social media. The suspect involved <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20071262">remains in jail.</a>Just after 3p.m. June 16, police responded to a robbery call in the 8800 block of East Harry in Wichita, according to Officer Trevor Macy. After contacting the victim, officers learned that a suspect later identified as 20-year-old Brannen Ratliff had advertised a phone for sale on Facebook and arranged to meet the victim in the parking lot of that location.Once Ratliff and victim met, he used a firearm to rob the victim of cash and then fled into a nearby apartment.&nbsp; Police located him in the apartment and arrested him on requested charges of Aggravated Robbery and he remains in the <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20071262">Sedgwick County Jail.</a>Police remind you to stay safe and protect yourself when purchasing items off of social media:• Discuss transaction details before meeting: Where you’re meeting, when you’re meeting, how to contact them• Meet in a public place: ideally a well-lit, busy area during the day. You can always meet at a police substation.• Consider bringing a friend: This can help decrease the chances that a buyer/seller will try to rob you, and your friend can be a good witness if something were to happen• Trust your instincts: If something doesn’t feel right, you’re probably feeling that way for a reason

Police: Be wise when purchasing items off social media

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — The University of Missouri Board of Curators has rejected a proposal to add information about Thomas Jefferson's history as a slaveowner near a statue of the 3rd U.S. president on the Columbia campus, which has been roiled by racial tension for years.

The board voted 7-1 Thursday to disregard a task force recommendation to add the information about Jefferson, in response to a push last year by Black students and organizations who wanted the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-michael-brown-10afa559e503ff9674c3c8615982d5ce">statue removed</a>.

The board also rejected a proposal to add a Legacy Walk on campus to acknowledge the role Black people played in building the university.

The school drew national attention in 2015, after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/30c0a5ab1f8c4b26b6923b8102a3ca55">months of protests over reports of racist incidents</a>&nbsp;and a perceived lack of response from administrators. A graduate student held a hunger strike and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/b88a9c94ec8728e36305c1cd11a11f6c">football team threatened to refuse to play</a>. Students camped in tents and held daily rallies calling for System President Tim Wolfe to step down or be fired.

Wolfe and Columbia campus Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/e39861e9b88045bba25e28888dfa551c">resigned&nbsp;</a>in November 2015.

Last year, as protests against racial injustice spread across the country, demonstrators vandalized Jefferson’s original tombstone on campus, prompting the university to protect it with an acrylic cover.

In September 2020, hundreds of people&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/326db0641a5253950fdc302a699a4627">joined a march</a>&nbsp;and rally organized by Missouri athletes and social justice groups calling for an end to racial disparities. Some Missouri football players organized a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/b88a9c94ec8728e36305c1cd11a11f6c">similar rally</a>&nbsp;in June 2020.

University of Missouri System President and Missouri Chancellor Mun Choi created the task force as a comprise after a student-led effort gathered thousands of signatures on a petition to have the statue removed.

That task force&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-michael-brown-10afa559e503ff9674c3c8615982d5ce">recommended a sign</a>&nbsp;that would detail Jefferson's accomplishments but also note that he owned slaves and fathered children with at least one of them. A resolution to add a QR — or quick response — code near the statue that would have linked cellphone users to other resources also was rejected.

Curators said a brief sign would not provide adequate context for Jefferson's life.

“It’s problematic to fit Thomas Jefferson onto a 300-word wayside sign,” Curator Jeff Layman said.

Curator Darryl Chatman, who is Black, acknowledged the statue might continue to trouble Black students and he encouraged them to take advantage of counseling services.

The proposed MU Legacy Walk would have been a physical walk combined with a digital app to discuss many Black people important to the university's history, such as Lloyd Gaines, who sued to be admitted to the law school.

There was little discussion about the Legacy Walk but Chatman said the board felt the proposal exceeded the task force's mandate. The board did approve adding a fountain as a place of reflection.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1591924579669.png" alt="Jefferson statue on the MU campus -photo courtesy University of Missouri" />
 <figcaption>Jefferson statue on the MU campus -photo courtesy University of Missouri</figcaption>
 </figure>COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — The University of Missouri Board of Curators has rejected a proposal to add information about Thomas Jefferson's history as a slaveowner near a statue of the 3rd U.S. president on the Columbia campus, which has been roiled by racial tension for years.The board voted 7-1 Thursday to disregard a task force recommendation to add the information about Jefferson, in response to a push last year by Black students and organizations who wanted the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-michael-brown-10afa559e503ff9674c3c8615982d5ce">statue removed</a>.The board also rejected a proposal to add a Legacy Walk on campus to acknowledge the role Black people played in building the university.The school drew national attention in 2015, after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/30c0a5ab1f8c4b26b6923b8102a3ca55">months of protests over reports of racist incidents</a>&nbsp;and a perceived lack of response from administrators. A graduate student held a hunger strike and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/b88a9c94ec8728e36305c1cd11a11f6c">football team threatened to refuse to play</a>. Students camped in tents and held daily rallies calling for System President Tim Wolfe to step down or be fired.Wolfe and Columbia campus Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/e39861e9b88045bba25e28888dfa551c">resigned&nbsp;</a>in November 2015.Last year, as protests against racial injustice spread across the country, demonstrators vandalized Jefferson’s original tombstone on campus, prompting the university to protect it with an acrylic cover.In September 2020, hundreds of people&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/326db0641a5253950fdc302a699a4627">joined a march</a>&nbsp;and rally organized by Missouri athletes and social justice groups calling for an end to racial disparities. Some Missouri football players organized a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/b88a9c94ec8728e36305c1cd11a11f6c">similar rally</a>&nbsp;in June 2020.University of Missouri System President and Missouri Chancellor Mun Choi created the task force as a comprise after a student-led effort gathered thousands of signatures on a petition to have the statue removed.That task force&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-michael-brown-10afa559e503ff9674c3c8615982d5ce">recommended a sign</a>&nbsp;that would detail Jefferson's accomplishments but also note that he owned slaves and fathered children with at least one of them. A resolution to add a QR — or quick response — code near the statue that would have linked cellphone users to other resources also was rejected.Curators said a brief sign would not provide adequate context for Jefferson's life.“It’s problematic to fit Thomas Jefferson onto a 300-word wayside sign,” Curator Jeff Layman said.Curator Darryl Chatman, who is Black, acknowledged the statue might continue to trouble Black students and he encouraged them to take advantage of counseling services.The proposed MU Legacy Walk would have been a physical walk combined with a digital app to discuss many Black people important to the university's history, such as Lloyd Gaines, who sued to be admitted to the law school.There was little discussion about the Legacy Walk but Chatman said the board felt the proposal exceeded the task force's mandate. The board did approve adding a fountain as a place of reflection.

Curators reject interpretive Thomas Jefferson sign

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A man was fatally shot during a shootout with police Friday in&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;City, Kansas after he allegedly tried to break into a home.

Kansas City, Kansas police spokeswoman Nancy Chartrand said that the man had been shot by the homeowner when police arrived at the house Friday afternoon.

Police said the man turned a gun on them and then they shot at him. He died at the scene. It's unclear if the man shot at police.

Three officers involved in the shootout were put on paid administrative leave per the agency's standard procedures. The officers' body cameras will be reviewed as part of an investigation into the incident.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624733503174.png" alt="The homeowner also shot the man-photo courtesy Fox4Kansas City" />
 <figcaption>The homeowner also shot the man-photo courtesy Fox4Kansas City</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A man was fatally shot during a shootout with police Friday in&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;City, Kansas after he allegedly tried to break into a home.Kansas City, Kansas police spokeswoman Nancy Chartrand said that the man had been shot by the homeowner when police arrived at the house Friday afternoon.Police said the man turned a gun on them and then they shot at him. He died at the scene. It's unclear if the man shot at police.Three officers involved in the shootout were put on paid administrative leave per the agency's standard procedures. The officers' body cameras will be reviewed as part of an investigation into the incident.

Man dies after shootout with police at Kansas home

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab has announced he will seek a second term, saying the state needs leaders who will defend election integrity.

In a press release announcing his candidacy in the 2022 election, the Overland Park Republican touted his efforts to implement election security, improve business services and modernize office functions since taking office in 2019.

“At a time when Democrats in Washington D.C. are trying to dramatically change state election administration, we need leaders who will defend the integrity of our elections,” Schwab said.

Three voting rights groups have sued Schwab and other state officials since Republican-backed election laws passed this year over the veto of Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly.

One statute limits how many ballots groups or individuals may collect and deliver to election officials, a practice used by some Democrats and Democratic-leaning groups for decades to help disabled, elderly and poor voters. The second law reduces the power the governor, secretary of state and courts have to change election laws.

Schwab grew up in Great Bend and graduated from Fort Hays State University.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586715324051.jpeg" alt=" Republican Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab -photo by Stephen Koranda / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption> Republican Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab -photo by Stephen Koranda / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab has announced he will seek a second term, saying the state needs leaders who will defend election integrity.In a press release announcing his candidacy in the 2022 election, the Overland Park Republican touted his efforts to implement election security, improve business services and modernize office functions since taking office in 2019.“At a time when Democrats in Washington D.C. are trying to dramatically change state election administration, we need leaders who will defend the integrity of our elections,” Schwab said.Three voting rights groups have sued Schwab and other state officials since Republican-backed election laws passed this year over the veto of Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly.One statute limits how many ballots groups or individuals may collect and deliver to election officials, a practice used by some Democrats and Democratic-leaning groups for decades to help disabled, elderly and poor voters. The second law reduces the power the governor, secretary of state and courts have to change election laws.Schwab grew up in Great Bend and graduated from Fort Hays State University.

Election integrity: Schwab wants 2nd term as Kan. secretary of state

SHAWNEE COUNTY—The family and friends of two children injured in a one-vehicle crash on Father's Day have established an <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-zoey-zackorys-medical-expenses?member=12029563&amp;utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&amp;utm_medium=copy_link_all&amp;utm_source=customer">online fundraiser </a>to assist with paying the extensive medical bills.

Just after 8:30 p.m. June 20, police responded to a rollover accident in the 5200 block of Southwest Burlingame Road in rural Shawnee County, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.&nbsp;

The 2005 Volkswagen Jetta driven by the children's father Jimmy D. Landis, 36, Topeka, was northbound on SW Burlingame Road when it left the roadway to the east, struck a culvert and came to rest upside-down, facing southbound, in the ditch.

EMS transported Landis and two juvenile passengers identified on GoFundMe as Zoey and Zackory Landis to the hospital with serious injuries.

Zackory was sent to Stormont Vail with bumps and bruises, then released on Tuesday. Zoey was airlifted from Stormont Vail to Children's Mercy in KC with spinal injuries. 

On Tuesday, she had surgery to put plates and pins in her top vertebrae to retain movement in her arms.  Her other spinal injury is inoperable, which will leave her unable to walk, according to GoFundMe&nbsp;

Police later arrested Jimmy Landis and booked him into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of aggravated battery, aggravated child endangerment, battery of a law enforcement officer, interference with medical personnel, interference with law enforcement, child restraint violations, driving under the influence and driving while suspended.

The Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office asks that anyone who may have stopped and assisted with this incident, prior to the arrival of first responders, or anyone with information please call.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624556978515.png" alt="Zoey photo-GoFundMe" />
 <figcaption>Zoey photo-GoFundMe</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—The family and friends of two children injured in a one-vehicle crash on Father's Day have established an <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-zoey-zackorys-medical-expenses?member=12029563&amp;utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&amp;utm_medium=copy_link_all&amp;utm_source=customer">online fundraiser </a>to assist with paying the extensive medical bills.Just after 8:30 p.m. June 20, police responded to a rollover accident in the 5200 block of Southwest Burlingame Road in rural Shawnee County, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.&nbsp;The 2005 Volkswagen Jetta driven by the children's father Jimmy D. Landis, 36, Topeka, was northbound on SW Burlingame Road when it left the roadway to the east, struck a culvert and came to rest upside-down, facing southbound, in the ditch.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624301761061.png" alt="Landis was moved from the hospital to jail following the Father's Day crash" />
 <figcaption>Landis was moved from the hospital to jail following the Father's Day crash</figcaption>
 </figure>EMS transported Landis and two juvenile passengers identified on GoFundMe as Zoey and Zackory Landis to the hospital with serious injuries.Zackory was sent to Stormont Vail with bumps and bruises, then released on Tuesday. Zoey was airlifted from Stormont Vail to Children's Mercy in KC with spinal injuries. On Tuesday, she had surgery to put plates and pins in her top vertebrae to retain movement in her arms. Her other spinal injury is inoperable, which will leave her unable to walk, according to GoFundMe&nbsp;Police later arrested Jimmy Landis and booked him into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of aggravated battery, aggravated child endangerment, battery of a law enforcement officer, interference with medical personnel, interference with law enforcement, child restraint violations, driving under the influence and driving while suspended.The Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office asks that anyone who may have stopped and assisted with this incident, prior to the arrival of first responders, or anyone with information please call.

Kansas girl critically injured in Father's Day crash

By CARLA K. JOHNSON and MIKE STOBBE, Associated Press

Nearly all COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. now are in people who weren’t vaccinated, a staggering demonstration of how effective the shots have been and an indication that deaths per day — now down to under 300 — could be practically zero if everyone eligible got the vaccine.

An Associated Press analysis of available government data from May shows that “breakthrough” infections in fully vaccinated people accounted for fewer than 1,200 of more than 853,000 COVID-19 hospitalizations. That’s about 0.1%.

And only about 150 of the more than 18,000 COVID-19 deaths in May were in fully vaccinated people. That translates to about 0.8%, or five deaths per day on average.

The AP analyzed figures provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC itself has not estimated what percentage of hospitalizations and deaths are in fully vaccinated people, citing limitations in the data.

Among them: Only about 45 states report breakthrough infections, and some are more aggressive than others in looking for such cases. So the data probably understates such infections, CDC officials said.

Still, the overall trend that emerges from the data echoes what many health care authorities are seeing around the country and what top experts are saying.

Earlier this month, Andy Slavitt, a former adviser to the Biden administration on COVID-19, suggested that 98% to 99% of the Americans dying of the coronavirus are unvaccinated.

And CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said on Tuesday that the vaccine is so effective that "nearly every death, especially among adults, due to COVID-19, is, at this point, entirely preventable.” She called such deaths “particularly tragic.”

Deaths in the U.S. have plummeted from a peak of more than 3,400 day on average in mid-January, one month into the vaccination drive.

About 63% of all vaccine-eligible Americans — those 12 and older — have received at least one dose, and 53% are fully vaccinated, according to the CDC. While vaccine remains scarce in much of the world, the U.S. supply is so abundant and demand has slumped so dramatically that shots sit unused.

<a href="https://www.wrcfuneral.com/obituaries/Ross-Bagne/#!/Obituary">Ross Bagne, a 68-year-old small-business</a> owner in Cheyenne, Wyoming, was eligible for the vaccine in early February but didn't get it. <a href="https://www.wrcfuneral.com/obituaries/Ross-Bagne/#!/Obituary">He died June 4, infected and unvaccinated</a>, after spending more than three weeks in the hospital, his lungs filling with fluid. He was unable to swallow because of a stroke.

“He never went out, so he didn’t think he would catch it,” said his grieving sister, Karen McKnight. She wondered: “Why take the risk of not getting vaccinated?”

The preventable deaths will continue, experts predict, with unvaccinated pockets of the nation experiencing outbreaks in the fall and winter. Ali Mokdad, a professor of health metrics sciences at the University of Washington in Seattle, said modeling suggests the nation will hit 1,000 deaths per day again next year.

In Arkansas, which has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the nation, with only about 33% of the population fully protected, cases, hospitalizations and deaths are rising.

“It is sad to see someone go to the hospital or die when it can be prevented," Gov. Asa Hutchinson tweeted as he urged people to get their shots.

In Seattle's King County, the public health department found only three deaths during a recent 60-day period in people who were fully vaccinated. The rest, some 95% of 62 deaths, had had no vaccine or just one shot.

“Those are all somebody’s parents, grandparents, siblings and friends,” said Dr. Mark Del Beccaro, who helps lead a vaccination outreach program in King County. “It’s still a lot of deaths, and they’re preventable deaths.”

In the St. Louis area, more than 90% of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 have not been vaccinated, said Dr. Alex Garza, a hospital administrator who directs a metropolitan-area task force on the outbreak.

“The majority of them express some regret for not being vaccinated,” Garza said. “That’s a pretty common refrain that we’re hearing from patients with COVID.”

The stories of unvaccinated people dying may convince some people they should get the shots, but young adults — the group least likely to be vaccinated — may be motivated more by a desire to protect their loved ones, said David Michaels, an epidemiologist at George Washington University's school of public health in the nation's capital.

Others need paid time off to get the shots and deal with any side effects, Michaels said.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration this month began requiring health care employers, including hospitals and nursing homes, to provide such time off. But Michaels, who headed OSHA under President Barack Obama, said the agency should have gone further and applied the rule to meat and poultry plants and other food operations as well as other places with workers at risk.

Bagne, who lived alone, ran a business helping people incorporate their companies in Wyoming for the tax advantages. He was winding down the business, planning to retire, when he got sick, emailing his sister in April about an illness that had left him dizzy and disoriented.

“Whatever it was. That bug took a LOT out of me,” he wrote.

As his health deteriorated, a neighbor finally persuaded him to go to the hospital.

“Why was the messaging in his state so unclear that he didn’t understand the importance of the vaccine? He was a very bright guy," his sister said. “I wish he’d gotten the vaccine, and I’m sad he didn’t understand how it could prevent him from getting COVID."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624552053251.png" alt="Ross Bagne, a 68-year-old small-business&nbsp;owner in Cheyenne, Wyoming, was eligible for the vaccine in early February but didn't get it- photo courtesy Wiederspahn-Radomsky Chapel" />
 <figcaption>Ross Bagne, a 68-year-old small-business&nbsp;owner in Cheyenne, Wyoming, was eligible for the vaccine in early February but didn't get it- photo courtesy Wiederspahn-Radomsky Chapel</figcaption>
 </figure>By CARLA K. JOHNSON and MIKE STOBBE, Associated PressNearly all COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. now are in people who weren’t vaccinated, a staggering demonstration of how effective the shots have been and an indication that deaths per day — now down to under 300 — could be practically zero if everyone eligible got the vaccine.An Associated Press analysis of available government data from May shows that “breakthrough” infections in fully vaccinated people accounted for fewer than 1,200 of more than 853,000 COVID-19 hospitalizations. That’s about 0.1%.And only about 150 of the more than 18,000 COVID-19 deaths in May were in fully vaccinated people. That translates to about 0.8%, or five deaths per day on average.The AP analyzed figures provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC itself has not estimated what percentage of hospitalizations and deaths are in fully vaccinated people, citing limitations in the data.Among them: Only about 45 states report breakthrough infections, and some are more aggressive than others in looking for such cases. So the data probably understates such infections, CDC officials said.Still, the overall trend that emerges from the data echoes what many health care authorities are seeing around the country and what top experts are saying.Earlier this month, Andy Slavitt, a former adviser to the Biden administration on COVID-19, suggested that 98% to 99% of the Americans dying of the coronavirus are unvaccinated.And CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said on Tuesday that the vaccine is so effective that "nearly every death, especially among adults, due to COVID-19, is, at this point, entirely preventable.” She called such deaths “particularly tragic.”Deaths in the U.S. have plummeted from a peak of more than 3,400 day on average in mid-January, one month into the vaccination drive.About 63% of all vaccine-eligible Americans — those 12 and older — have received at least one dose, and 53% are fully vaccinated, according to the CDC. While vaccine remains scarce in much of the world, the U.S. supply is so abundant and demand has slumped so dramatically that shots sit unused.<a href="https://www.wrcfuneral.com/obituaries/Ross-Bagne/#!/Obituary">Ross Bagne, a 68-year-old small-business</a> owner in Cheyenne, Wyoming, was eligible for the vaccine in early February but didn't get it. <a href="https://www.wrcfuneral.com/obituaries/Ross-Bagne/#!/Obituary">He died June 4, infected and unvaccinated</a>, after spending more than three weeks in the hospital, his lungs filling with fluid. He was unable to swallow because of a stroke.“He never went out, so he didn’t think he would catch it,” said his grieving sister, Karen McKnight. She wondered: “Why take the risk of not getting vaccinated?”The preventable deaths will continue, experts predict, with unvaccinated pockets of the nation experiencing outbreaks in the fall and winter. Ali Mokdad, a professor of health metrics sciences at the University of Washington in Seattle, said modeling suggests the nation will hit 1,000 deaths per day again next year.In Arkansas, which has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the nation, with only about 33% of the population fully protected, cases, hospitalizations and deaths are rising.“It is sad to see someone go to the hospital or die when it can be prevented," Gov. Asa Hutchinson tweeted as he urged people to get their shots.In Seattle's King County, the public health department found only three deaths during a recent 60-day period in people who were fully vaccinated. The rest, some 95% of 62 deaths, had had no vaccine or just one shot.“Those are all somebody’s parents, grandparents, siblings and friends,” said Dr. Mark Del Beccaro, who helps lead a vaccination outreach program in King County. “It’s still a lot of deaths, and they’re preventable deaths.”In the St. Louis area, more than 90% of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 have not been vaccinated, said Dr. Alex Garza, a hospital administrator who directs a metropolitan-area task force on the outbreak.“The majority of them express some regret for not being vaccinated,” Garza said. “That’s a pretty common refrain that we’re hearing from patients with COVID.”The stories of unvaccinated people dying may convince some people they should get the shots, but young adults — the group least likely to be vaccinated — may be motivated more by a desire to protect their loved ones, said David Michaels, an epidemiologist at George Washington University's school of public health in the nation's capital.Others need paid time off to get the shots and deal with any side effects, Michaels said.The Occupational Safety and Health Administration this month began requiring health care employers, including hospitals and nursing homes, to provide such time off. But Michaels, who headed OSHA under President Barack Obama, said the agency should have gone further and applied the rule to meat and poultry plants and other food operations as well as other places with workers at risk.Bagne, who lived alone, ran a business helping people incorporate their companies in Wyoming for the tax advantages. He was winding down the business, planning to retire, when he got sick, emailing his sister in April about an illness that had left him dizzy and disoriented.“Whatever it was. That bug took a LOT out of me,” he wrote.As his health deteriorated, a neighbor finally persuaded him to go to the hospital.“Why was the messaging in his state so unclear that he didn’t understand the importance of the vaccine? He was a very bright guy," his sister said. “I wish he’d gotten the vaccine, and I’m sad he didn’t understand how it could prevent him from getting COVID."

Nearly all Covid deaths in U.S. now among unvaccinated

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a threatened assault  and have identified the suspect as&nbsp; 26-year-old David Hogan, who is wanted in connection to two indecent exposure cases and for a warrant through the Kansas Department of Corrections (KDOC).

Just after 1:15 a.m. May 20, police responded to a suspicious character with a gun at a hotel in the 400 block of West Douglas in Wichita, according to Officer Charley Davidson.

A female employee reported to police the suspect exposed his genitals to her and threatened to assault her. No one was injured.

Police ask that anyone who knows where Hogan is to contact them or call 911.

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a threatened assault&nbsp; and asking for assistance identifying the suspect.

Just after 1:15 a.m. Thursday, police responded to a suspicious character with a gun at a hotel in the 400 block of West Douglas in Wichita, according to Officer Charley Davidson.

Police ask that anyone who knows the suspect's identity or have information on the case, should contact Detective Patricia Brock at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:PBrock@wichtia.gov" target="_blank">PBrock@wichtia.gov</a>&nbsp;or 316-352-4837.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1621544108540.png" alt="Hogan photo KDOC" />
 <figcaption>Hogan photo KDOC</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a threatened assault and have identified the suspect as&nbsp; 26-year-old David Hogan, who is wanted in connection to two indecent exposure cases and for a warrant through the Kansas Department of Corrections (KDOC).<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1621527963187.png" alt="Security camera image of the Hogan-Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Security camera image of the Hogan-Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>Just after 1:15 a.m. May 20, police responded to a suspicious character with a gun at a hotel in the 400 block of West Douglas in Wichita, according to Officer Charley Davidson.A female employee reported to police the suspect exposed his genitals to her and threatened to assault her. No one was injured.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1621527740265.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Police ask that anyone who knows where Hogan is to contact them or call 911.-----------SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a threatened assault&nbsp; and asking for assistance identifying the suspect.Just after 1:15 a.m. Thursday, police responded to a suspicious character with a gun at a hotel in the 400 block of West Douglas in Wichita, according to Officer Charley Davidson.A female employee reported to police the suspect exposed his genitals to her and threatened to assault her. No one was injured.Police ask that anyone who knows the suspect's identity or have information on the case, should contact Detective Patricia Brock at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:PBrock@wichtia.gov" target="_blank">PBrock@wichtia.gov</a>&nbsp;or 316-352-4837.

Search continues for man with gun, who exposed himself to hotel employee

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Missouri Gov. Mike Parson said he is not convinced that Kevin Strickland is innocent, despite prosecutors and other supporters calling for Strickland's exoneration for a triple murder that has kept him in prison for four decades.

Parson&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kshb.com/news/local-news/missouri-gov-mike-parson-on-kevin-strickland-i-dont-know-whether-hes-innocent-or-not">told KSHB-TV</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday that he has looked at Strickland's case several times but the “bottom line” is that no court of law has found Strickland innocent.

“I am not convinced that I’m willing to put other people at risk if you’re not right,” Parson told the station.

Parson said he is “more than likely” going to sign a new law that would provide Strickland with a new legal avenue toward release. The law would give local prosecutors the authority to ask judges to exonerate prisoners they believe are innocent.

Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mo-state-wire-michael-brown-06e726b7ef07be53ba7bdb6088282548">sought Strickland’s release</a>&nbsp;and said if Parson signs the new legislation, she will file a motion asking a Jackson County judge to exonerate Strickland at 9 a.m. Aug. 28, when it would become law.

Several state lawmakers from both parties have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/michael-brown-kansas-city-d37ccea2df5ffd264e3f8a17b41cb3a9">asked Parson</a>&nbsp;to pardon Strickland, who has maintained his innocence since he was convicted in the April 1978 deaths of three people in Kansas City.

Members of the prosecution team that convicted Strickland have said he should be exonerated, as have federal prosecutors in the Western District of Missouri, Jackson County’s presiding judge, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas and the Midwest Innocence Project.

The Kansas City Star reported in September that two men who pleaded guilty in the killings said for decades that Strickland was not with them during the shooting. The only eyewitness also recanted and wanted Strickland released.

Defense attorneys said in a motion filed with the Missouri Supreme Court in May that prosecutors removed the only four Black potential jurors from the trial for Strickland, who is Black. The state Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mo-state-wire-michael-brown-courts-c38ba2572f5286b69602ee832e248efe">declined to hear&nbsp;</a>Strickland’s case, without giving a reason.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620695920927.png" alt="Strickland photo MODOC" />
 <figcaption>Strickland photo MODOC</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — Missouri Gov. Mike Parson said he is not convinced that Kevin Strickland is innocent, despite prosecutors and other supporters calling for Strickland's exoneration for a triple murder that has kept him in prison for four decades.Parson&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kshb.com/news/local-news/missouri-gov-mike-parson-on-kevin-strickland-i-dont-know-whether-hes-innocent-or-not">told KSHB-TV</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday that he has looked at Strickland's case several times but the “bottom line” is that no court of law has found Strickland innocent.“I am not convinced that I’m willing to put other people at risk if you’re not right,” Parson told the station.Parson said he is “more than likely” going to sign a new law that would provide Strickland with a new legal avenue toward release. The law would give local prosecutors the authority to ask judges to exonerate prisoners they believe are innocent.Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mo-state-wire-michael-brown-06e726b7ef07be53ba7bdb6088282548">sought Strickland’s release</a>&nbsp;and said if Parson signs the new legislation, she will file a motion asking a Jackson County judge to exonerate Strickland at 9 a.m. Aug. 28, when it would become law.Several state lawmakers from both parties have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/michael-brown-kansas-city-d37ccea2df5ffd264e3f8a17b41cb3a9">asked Parson</a>&nbsp;to pardon Strickland, who has maintained his innocence since he was convicted in the April 1978 deaths of three people in Kansas City.Members of the prosecution team that convicted Strickland have said he should be exonerated, as have federal prosecutors in the Western District of Missouri, Jackson County’s presiding judge, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas and the Midwest Innocence Project.The Kansas City Star reported in September that two men who pleaded guilty in the killings said for decades that Strickland was not with them during the shooting. The only eyewitness also recanted and wanted Strickland released.Defense attorneys said in a motion filed with the Missouri Supreme Court in May that prosecutors removed the only four Black potential jurors from the trial for Strickland, who is Black. The state Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mo-state-wire-michael-brown-courts-c38ba2572f5286b69602ee832e248efe">declined to hear&nbsp;</a>Strickland’s case, without giving a reason.

Governor not convinced inmate innocent of KC murder

TOPEKA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Topeka returned an indictment charging 14 people in connection to a kickback scheme involving more than $1 million in fraudulent customer refunds, according to the United State's Attorney.

Kanesha Mercer, 32, Darius Polite, 27, and Rudy Hunt, 29, were indicted on Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud. Mercer, Polite, Hunt as well as Veronica Kilman, 31, were indicted for Wire Fraud.

According to court documents, Mercer, Polite, Hunt and Kilman are all former employees of Advanced Call Center Technologies (ACCT) in Junction City, Kansas. ACCT provides support services including processing refunds for AT&amp;T Digital Life home security systems. Mercer, Polite,

Hunt, and Kilman are accused of authorizing fraudulent refunds then directing the deposits into the bank accounts of other accomplices who agreed to return a percentage of the money.

A federal grand jury also indicted Sharika Pope, Erica Jackson, Caylon McCormick, Mercele Brooks, Shunqureau Gilbert, Fontelle Jolly, Kory Epps, Jr., Kiondra Armstrong, Anthony Charite, and Shenece Marryshow on Laundering of Money Instruments.

Each of the charges, Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, Wire Fraud, and Laundering of Money Instruments, carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

TOPEKA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Topeka returned an indictment charging 14 people in connection to a kickback scheme involving more than $1 million in fraudulent customer refunds, according to the United State's Attorney.Kanesha Mercer, 32, Darius Polite, 27, and Rudy Hunt, 29, were indicted on Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud. Mercer, Polite, Hunt as well as Veronica Kilman, 31, were indicted for Wire Fraud.According to court documents, Mercer, Polite, Hunt and Kilman are all former employees of Advanced Call Center Technologies (ACCT) in Junction City, Kansas. ACCT provides support services including processing refunds for AT&amp;T Digital Life home security systems. Mercer, Polite,Hunt, and Kilman are accused of authorizing fraudulent refunds then directing the deposits into the bank accounts of other accomplices who agreed to return a percentage of the money.A federal grand jury also indicted Sharika Pope, Erica Jackson, Caylon McCormick, Mercele Brooks, Shunqureau Gilbert, Fontelle Jolly, Kory Epps, Jr., Kiondra Armstrong, Anthony Charite, and Shenece Marryshow on Laundering of Money Instruments.Each of the charges, Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, Wire Fraud, and Laundering of Money Instruments, carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

 14 indicted in Kan. for alleged $1M kickback scheme 

DODGE CITY, Kan. (AP) — A Dodge City police corporal has been indicted after a woman died in a traffic crash while he was responding to a call. 

A Ford County grand jury this week indicted Cpl. Shane Wade Harris on an involuntary manslaughter charge, or an alternative vehicular homicide charge. Investigators said Harris was responding to reports of a break-in on Jan. 25, 2020, when his car collided with a vehicle driven by 27-year-old Vanessa Guzman, of Dodge City. 

Guzman was thrown from the car and died at the scene. Dodge City Police Chief Drew Francis declined to comment because the police department's investigation is not complete.

FORD COUNTY — The Dodge City police department has released a statement on Saturday's fatal crash involving a police officer responding to a burglary call that&nbsp;&nbsp;claimed the life of 26-year-old Vanessa Guzman and injured the officer. 

"Our heartfelt and deepest condolences go out to Ms. Guzman’s family, friends, and loved ones who have been impacted by this tragedy."

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2016 Hyundai Accent driven by&nbsp; Vanessa Guzman, 26, Dodge City was traveling north on Matt Down Lane. The vehicle entered into the path of a 2018 Ford Explorer driven by Dodge City police officer Shane Harris, 31, who was westbound on Wyatt Earp Boulevard responding to report of a break-in on 28th Avenue, according to Dodge City Police.

The Ford struck the Hyundai in the passenger side.

The impact pushed the Hyundai over a metal guardrail where it&nbsp; overturned and&nbsp;Guzman was ejected. The Ford came to rest on the west bound shoulder next to the guardrail.

Guzman was not wearing a seat belt and was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the KHP. EMS transported Harris to Western Plains Medical Center.

According to the Dodge City Police Department, "The Kansas Highway Patrol is thoroughly investigating this accident with our full cooperation. The DCPD has not used dash cameras since we converted to body-worn cameras in 2016. However, we have recovered the officer’s body-worn camera video prior to the accident and have given it to KHP. The DCPD is conducting a parallel internal investigation into the accident pursuant to departmental policy.

Both investigations will take time to resolve, and we ask the community to have patience and support all of those impacted by this terrible accident. We will continue to be as transparent as possible and release information that doesn’t directly affect the investigation.

We have also met with Guzman family members to allow them to review body-worn camera footage of the accident and ask questions.

The DCPD has a very restrictive policy regarding when officers are authorized to respond as an emergency vehicle with lights and sirens due to the dangers created by driving contrary to traffic laws. The call the officer was responding to is covered under that policy, but each call has many moving parts that can impact the decision to drive with lights and siren. The information being reported and relayed to the officers will be what they depend on to make that assessment. The officers responding to this call had received information while in route that led them to downgrade their response from lights and sirens. At the time of the crash, the officer was still responding to the call but was not responding as an emergency vehicle under lights and sirens."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624647260755.png" alt="Vanessa Guzman photo courtesy Swaim Funeral Chapel" />
 <figcaption>Vanessa Guzman photo courtesy Swaim Funeral Chapel</figcaption>
 </figure>DODGE CITY, Kan. (AP) — A Dodge City police corporal has been indicted after a woman died in a traffic crash while he was responding to a call. A Ford County grand jury this week indicted Cpl. Shane Wade Harris on an involuntary manslaughter charge, or an alternative vehicular homicide charge. Investigators said Harris was responding to reports of a break-in on Jan. 25, 2020, when his car collided with a vehicle driven by 27-year-old Vanessa Guzman, of Dodge City. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579982541980.png" alt="Intersection of Wyatt Earp Blvd. and Matt Down Lane google image" />
 <figcaption>Intersection of Wyatt Earp Blvd. and Matt Down Lane google image</figcaption>
 </figure>Guzman was thrown from the car and died at the scene. Dodge City Police Chief Drew Francis declined to comment because the police department's investigation is not complete.----------FORD COUNTY — The Dodge City police department has released a statement on Saturday's fatal crash involving a police officer responding to a burglary call that&nbsp;&nbsp;claimed the life of 26-year-old Vanessa Guzman and injured the officer. "Our heartfelt and deepest condolences go out to Ms. Guzman’s family, friends, and loved ones who have been impacted by this tragedy."The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2016 Hyundai Accent driven by&nbsp; Vanessa Guzman, 26, Dodge City was traveling north on Matt Down Lane. The vehicle entered into the path of a 2018 Ford Explorer driven by Dodge City police officer Shane Harris, 31, who was westbound on Wyatt Earp Boulevard responding to report of a break-in on 28th Avenue, according to Dodge City Police.The Ford struck the Hyundai in the passenger side.The impact pushed the Hyundai over a metal guardrail where it&nbsp; overturned and&nbsp;Guzman was ejected. The Ford came to rest on the west bound shoulder next to the guardrail.Guzman was not wearing a seat belt and was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the KHP. EMS transported Harris to Western Plains Medical Center.According to the Dodge City Police Department, "The Kansas Highway Patrol is thoroughly investigating this accident with our full cooperation. The DCPD has not used dash cameras since we converted to body-worn cameras in 2016. However, we have recovered the officer’s body-worn camera video prior to the accident and have given it to KHP. The DCPD is conducting a parallel internal investigation into the accident pursuant to departmental policy.Both investigations will take time to resolve, and we ask the community to have patience and support all of those impacted by this terrible accident. We will continue to be as transparent as possible and release information that doesn’t directly affect the investigation.We have also met with Guzman family members to allow them to review body-worn camera footage of the accident and ask questions.The DCPD has a very restrictive policy regarding when officers are authorized to respond as an emergency vehicle with lights and sirens due to the dangers created by driving contrary to traffic laws. The call the officer was responding to is covered under that policy, but each call has many moving parts that can impact the decision to drive with lights and siren. The information being reported and relayed to the officers will be what they depend on to make that assessment. The officers responding to this call had received information while in route that led them to downgrade their response from lights and sirens. At the time of the crash, the officer was still responding to the call but was not responding as an emergency vehicle under lights and sirens."

Officer indicted after crash that killed SW Kan. woman

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — The spike in COVID-19 cases is leading to a surge of critical illnesses in southwestern Missouri.

The Springfield-Greene County Health Department on Friday reported the largest number of critical care and intensive care unit patients since the pandemic began,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ky3.com/2021/06/25/springfield-greene-county-health-dept-reports-another-spike-covid-19-cases-severity-cases-worsening/">KYKY-TV</a>&nbsp;reported.

Health officials in Missouri's third-largest city say 44% of the 167 COVID-19 patients there are considered critical care or are being treated in the ICU.

The Missouri health department on Friday reported 3,330 new confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state in the last seven days. According to data from Johns Hopkins University, Missouri has had 9,440 new cases over the 14 days ending Thursday, the most new cases per capita nationwide over that time period.

State health officials said 890 new confirmed and probable cases were added on Friday, along with three new deaths.

The delta variant of the virus is believed responsible for much of the spread in Missouri, especially in the southwestern and northern parts of the state. Officials also cite low vaccination rates, especially in rural areas.

Data from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services shows that 313 of the 833 people hospitalized statewide with COVID-19 are in southwestern Missouri.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — The spike in COVID-19 cases is leading to a surge of critical illnesses in southwestern Missouri.The Springfield-Greene County Health Department on Friday reported the largest number of critical care and intensive care unit patients since the pandemic began,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ky3.com/2021/06/25/springfield-greene-county-health-dept-reports-another-spike-covid-19-cases-severity-cases-worsening/">KYKY-TV</a>&nbsp;reported. Health officials in Missouri's third-largest city say 44% of the 167 COVID-19 patients there are considered critical care or are being treated in the ICU.The Missouri health department on Friday reported 3,330 new confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state in the last seven days. According to data from Johns Hopkins University, Missouri has had 9,440 new cases over the 14 days ending Thursday, the most new cases per capita nationwide over that time period.State health officials said 890 new confirmed and probable cases were added on Friday, along with three new deaths.The delta variant of the virus is believed responsible for much of the spread in Missouri, especially in the southwestern and northern parts of the state. Officials also cite low vaccination rates, especially in rural areas.Data from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services shows that 313 of the 833 people hospitalized statewide with COVID-19 are in southwestern Missouri.

Number of critically ill COVID patients spikes in SW Missouri

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting at a home in Topeka and have identified the victim as 51-year-old Bradley Bellinder of Topeka.

Just after 10p.m. Thursday police responded to a home in the&nbsp;1200 Block of NW Polk after the Shawnee County Emergency Communication Center received a call for service on the report of an unknown medical issue, according to Lt. Jerry Monasmith.

On arrival, officers were advised of an adult victim later identified as Bellinder suffering from a gunshot wound. Officers located&nbsp; the victim who appeared to have a gunshot wound and he was&nbsp; later pronounced deceased, at the scene.&nbsp;

The police department homicide unit continues reviewing all investigative leads.&nbsp; They have not reported an arrest.

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting at a home in Topeka.

 On arrival, officers were advised of an adult victim suffering from a gunshot wound. Officers located a victim who appeared to have a gunshot wound who was&nbsp; later pronounced deceased, at the scene.&nbsp;

The police department homicide unit is reviewing all investigative leads.&nbsp; They have not reported an arrest.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624623642394.png" alt="Police on the scene of the fatal shooting on Thursday photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the fatal shooting on Thursday photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting at a home in Topeka and have identified the victim as 51-year-old Bradley Bellinder of Topeka.Just after 10p.m. Thursday police responded to a home in the&nbsp;1200 Block of NW Polk after the Shawnee County Emergency Communication Center received a call for service on the report of an unknown medical issue, according to Lt. Jerry Monasmith.On arrival, officers were advised of an adult victim later identified as Bellinder suffering from a gunshot wound. Officers located&nbsp; the victim who appeared to have a gunshot wound and he was&nbsp; later pronounced deceased, at the scene.&nbsp;The police department homicide unit continues reviewing all investigative leads.&nbsp; They have not reported an arrest.--------SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting at a home in Topeka.Just after 10p.m. Thursday police responded to a home in the&nbsp;1200 Block of NW Polk after the Shawnee County Emergency Communication Center received a call for service on the report of an unknown medical issue, according to Lt. Jerry Monasmith. On arrival, officers were advised of an adult victim suffering from a gunshot wound. Officers located a victim who appeared to have a gunshot wound who was&nbsp; later pronounced deceased, at the scene.&nbsp;The police department homicide unit is reviewing all investigative leads.&nbsp; They have not reported an arrest.

Homicide: Police ID man shot at Kansas home

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?511839-1/derek-chauvin-sentencing-hearing-murder-george-floyd">Click here to </a>watch a replay of the sentencing hearing.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin has been sentenced to 22 1/2 years in prison for the murder of George Floyd, whose dying gasps under Chauvin’s knee led to the biggest outcry against racial injustice in the U.S. in generations. 

The punishment handed out Friday fell short of the 30 years that prosecutors had requested. With good behavior, Chauvin, 45, could be paroled after serving two-thirds of his sentence, or about 15 years.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Former police Officer Derek Chauvin has broken his silence at his sentencing for the murder of George Floyd, offering condolences to Floyd’s family and saying he hopes more will come out in the future to give them “some peace of mind.” Chauvin, 45, could get a decadeslong prison sentence. Removing his COVID-19 mask, he addressed the court only briefly and said he could not say much because of the federal civil rights trial he is still facing.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — George Floyd's 7-year-old daughter says she wishes she could tell her late father that “I miss you and I love you.” Gianna Floyd's video interview was played in court Thursday during the sentencing of former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin, who is charged with murder and manslaughter in Floyd's death. Gianna Floyd said in the victim impact statement that she believed her dad was still with her in spirit. She said, “I want to play with him., have fun, go on a plane ride.” Hers was the first of four victim impact statements expected at the sentencing.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Former Minneapolis police Officer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/american-protests-us-news-ap-top-news-police-mn-state-wire-8b486c2622de5504f1e65a606b0eac7f">Derek Chauvin</a>&nbsp;learns his sentence Friday for murder in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/george-floyd-profile-66163bbd94239afa16d706bd6479c613">George Floyd’</a>&nbsp;s death, closing a chapter in a case that sparked global outrage and a reckoning on racial disparities in America.

Chauvin, 45, faces decades in prison, with several legal experts predicting a sentence of 20 to 25 years. Though Chauvin is widely expected to appeal, he also still faces trial on federal civil rights charges, along with three other fired officers who have yet to have their state trials.

The concrete barricades, razor wire and National Guard patrols that shrouded the county courthouse for Chauvin’s three-week trial are gone, and so is most of the tension in the city&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/derek-chauvin-convicted-george-floyd-killing-d93d1f9fc61a5261e179240dc16924dc">as it awaited a verdict in April</a>. Still, there’s a recognition that Chauvin’s sentencing will be another major step forward for a city that has been on edge since Floyd’s death on May 25, 2020.

“Between the incident, the video, the riots, the trial — this is the pinnacle of it,” Mike Brandt, a local defense attorney who has closely followed Chauvin’s case, said. “The verdict was huge too, but this is where the justice comes down.”

Chauvin was convicted of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter for pressing his knee against Floyd’s neck for about 9 1/2 minutes as the Black man said he couldn’t breathe and went limp. Bystander video of Floyd’s arrest for suspicion of passing a counterfeit $20 bill prompted protests around the world and a nationwide reckoning on race and police brutality.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/derek-chauvin-sentencing-what-to-know-93e2176551f3a73e85fd9b78c63457b9">Under Minnesota statutes</a>, Chauvin will be sentenced only on the most serious charge, which has a maximum sentence of 40 years. But case law dictates that a 30-year sentence would be the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/death-of-george-floyd-28fa08c9c74903a7d1a0f1adcf6e65f2">practical maximum sentence</a>&nbsp;Judge Peter Cahill could impose without risk of being overturned on appeal.

Prosecutors asked for 30 years, saying Chauvin’s actions were egregious and “shocked the nation’s conscience.” Defense attorney Eric Nelson requested probation, saying Chauvin was the product of a “broken” system and “believed he was doing his job.”

Cahill has already found that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/george-floyd-death-of-george-floyd-78a698283afd3fcd3252de512e395bd6">aggravating factors in Floyd’s death</a>&nbsp;warrant going higher than the 12 1/2-year sentence recommended by the state’s sentencing guidelines. The judge found Chauvin abused his position of authority, treated Floyd with particular cruelty, and that the crime was seen by several children. He also wrote that Chauvin knew the restraint of Floyd was dangerous.

“The prolonged use of this technique was particularly egregious in that George Floyd made it clear he was unable to breathe and expressed the view that he was dying as a result of the officers’ restraint,” Cahill wrote last month.

Attorneys on both sides are expected to make brief arguments Friday, and victims or family members of victims can make statements. No family members have said publicly that they will speak.

Chauvin can also make a statement, but it’s not clear if he will. Experts say it could be tricky for Chauvin to talk without implicating himself in the pending federal case accusing him of violating Floyd’s civil rights.

Chauvin chose not to testify at his trial. The only explanation the public has heard from him came from body-camera footage in which he told a bystander at the scene: “We got to control this guy ’cause he’s a sizable guy ... and it looks like he’s probably on something.”

Several experts said they doubted Chauvin would take the risk and speak, but Brandt thought he would. He said Chauvin could say a few words without getting himself into legal trouble.

“I think it’s his chance to tell the world, ‘I didn’t intend to kill him,’” Brandt said. “If I was him, I think I would want to try and let people know that I’m not a monster.”

Several people interviewed in Minneapolis days before Chauvin’s sentencing said they want to see a tough sentence.

Thirty years “doesn’t seem like long enough to me,” said Andrew Harer, a retail worker who is white. “I would be fine if he was in jail for the rest of his life.”

Joseph Allen, 31, who is Black, said he thinks Chauvin should receive “at least” 30 years, and said he’d prefer a life sentence. He cited nearly 20 complaints filed against the now-fired officer during his career.

Allen said he hopes other police officers can learn “not to do what Derek Chauvin did.”

Nekima Levy Armstrong, a civil rights attorney and activist, called for Chauvin to be sentenced “to the fullest extent of the law.” She called Floyd’s death “a modern day lynching” and predicted community outrage if Chauvin is sentenced lightly.

When asked if she would like to hear Chauvin speak, Levy Armstrong said: “For me as a Black woman living in this community, there’s really nothing that he could say that would alleviate the pain and trauma that he caused ... I think that if he spoke it would be disingenuous and could cause more trauma.”

No matter what sentence Chauvin gets, he’s likely to serve only about two-thirds behind bars presuming good behavior. The rest would be on supervised release.

He’s been held since his conviction at the state’s only maximum security prison, in Oak Park Heights. The former officer is held away from the general population for his safety, in a 10-by-10-foot cell, with meals brought to his room. He is allowed out for solitary exercise for an hour a day.

It’s not clear if Chauvin will remain there. State prisons officials said that decision wouldn’t be made until after Cahill’s formal sentencing order.

Chauvin and the three other officers involved in Floyd’s arrest are awaiting trial in federal court on charges of violating Floyd’s civil rights. No trial date has been set.

The three other officers are also scheduled for trial in March on state charges of aiding and abetting both murder and manslaughter.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624651161510.png" alt="Derek Chauvin&nbsp;offered condolences to Floyd’s family during Friday's sentencing hearing -photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Derek Chauvin&nbsp;offered condolences to Floyd’s family during Friday's sentencing hearing -photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?511839-1/derek-chauvin-sentencing-hearing-murder-george-floyd">Click here to </a>watch a replay of the sentencing hearing.MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin has been sentenced to 22 1/2 years in prison for the murder of George Floyd, whose dying gasps under Chauvin’s knee led to the biggest outcry against racial injustice in the U.S. in generations. The punishment handed out Friday fell short of the 30 years that prosecutors had requested. With good behavior, Chauvin, 45, could be paroled after serving two-thirds of his sentence, or about 15 years.-----------MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Former police Officer Derek Chauvin has broken his silence at his sentencing for the murder of George Floyd, offering condolences to Floyd’s family and saying he hopes more will come out in the future to give them “some peace of mind.” Chauvin, 45, could get a decadeslong prison sentence. Removing his COVID-19 mask, he addressed the court only briefly and said he could not say much because of the federal civil rights trial he is still facing.MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — George Floyd's 7-year-old daughter says she wishes she could tell her late father that “I miss you and I love you.” Gianna Floyd's video interview was played in court Thursday during the sentencing of former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin, who is charged with murder and manslaughter in Floyd's death. Gianna Floyd said in the victim impact statement that she believed her dad was still with her in spirit. She said, “I want to play with him., have fun, go on a plane ride.” Hers was the first of four victim impact statements expected at the sentencing.-------<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619012623324.png" alt="Chauvin booking photo taken just after the guilty verdict in April -photo Minnesota Dept. of Corrections" />
 <figcaption>Chauvin booking photo taken just after the guilty verdict in April -photo Minnesota Dept. of Corrections</figcaption>
 </figure>MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Former Minneapolis police Officer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/american-protests-us-news-ap-top-news-police-mn-state-wire-8b486c2622de5504f1e65a606b0eac7f">Derek Chauvin</a>&nbsp;learns his sentence Friday for murder in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/george-floyd-profile-66163bbd94239afa16d706bd6479c613">George Floyd’</a>&nbsp;s death, closing a chapter in a case that sparked global outrage and a reckoning on racial disparities in America.Chauvin, 45, faces decades in prison, with several legal experts predicting a sentence of 20 to 25 years. Though Chauvin is widely expected to appeal, he also still faces trial on federal civil rights charges, along with three other fired officers who have yet to have their state trials.The concrete barricades, razor wire and National Guard patrols that shrouded the county courthouse for Chauvin’s three-week trial are gone, and so is most of the tension in the city&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/derek-chauvin-convicted-george-floyd-killing-d93d1f9fc61a5261e179240dc16924dc">as it awaited a verdict in April</a>. Still, there’s a recognition that Chauvin’s sentencing will be another major step forward for a city that has been on edge since Floyd’s death on May 25, 2020.“Between the incident, the video, the riots, the trial — this is the pinnacle of it,” Mike Brandt, a local defense attorney who has closely followed Chauvin’s case, said. “The verdict was huge too, but this is where the justice comes down.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618953264612.png" alt="Ex-officer Derek Chauvin is handcuffed moments after the judge read the guilty verdict-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Ex-officer Derek Chauvin is handcuffed moments after the judge read the guilty verdict-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>Chauvin was convicted of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter for pressing his knee against Floyd’s neck for about 9 1/2 minutes as the Black man said he couldn’t breathe and went limp. Bystander video of Floyd’s arrest for suspicion of passing a counterfeit $20 bill prompted protests around the world and a nationwide reckoning on race and police brutality.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/derek-chauvin-sentencing-what-to-know-93e2176551f3a73e85fd9b78c63457b9">Under Minnesota statutes</a>, Chauvin will be sentenced only on the most serious charge, which has a maximum sentence of 40 years. But case law dictates that a 30-year sentence would be the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/death-of-george-floyd-28fa08c9c74903a7d1a0f1adcf6e65f2">practical maximum sentence</a>&nbsp;Judge Peter Cahill could impose without risk of being overturned on appeal.Prosecutors asked for 30 years, saying Chauvin’s actions were egregious and “shocked the nation’s conscience.” Defense attorney Eric Nelson requested probation, saying Chauvin was the product of a “broken” system and “believed he was doing his job.”Cahill has already found that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/george-floyd-death-of-george-floyd-78a698283afd3fcd3252de512e395bd6">aggravating factors in Floyd’s death</a>&nbsp;warrant going higher than the 12 1/2-year sentence recommended by the state’s sentencing guidelines. The judge found Chauvin abused his position of authority, treated Floyd with particular cruelty, and that the crime was seen by several children. He also wrote that Chauvin knew the restraint of Floyd was dangerous.“The prolonged use of this technique was particularly egregious in that George Floyd made it clear he was unable to breathe and expressed the view that he was dying as a result of the officers’ restraint,” Cahill wrote last month.Attorneys on both sides are expected to make brief arguments Friday, and victims or family members of victims can make statements. No family members have said publicly that they will speak.Chauvin can also make a statement, but it’s not clear if he will. Experts say it could be tricky for Chauvin to talk without implicating himself in the pending federal case accusing him of violating Floyd’s civil rights.Chauvin chose not to testify at his trial. The only explanation the public has heard from him came from body-camera footage in which he told a bystander at the scene: “We got to control this guy ’cause he’s a sizable guy ... and it looks like he’s probably on something.”Several experts said they doubted Chauvin would take the risk and speak, but Brandt thought he would. He said Chauvin could say a few words without getting himself into legal trouble.“I think it’s his chance to tell the world, ‘I didn’t intend to kill him,’” Brandt said. “If I was him, I think I would want to try and let people know that I’m not a monster.”Several people interviewed in Minneapolis days before Chauvin’s sentencing said they want to see a tough sentence.Thirty years “doesn’t seem like long enough to me,” said Andrew Harer, a retail worker who is white. “I would be fine if he was in jail for the rest of his life.”Joseph Allen, 31, who is Black, said he thinks Chauvin should receive “at least” 30 years, and said he’d prefer a life sentence. He cited nearly 20 complaints filed against the now-fired officer during his career.Allen said he hopes other police officers can learn “not to do what Derek Chauvin did.”Nekima Levy Armstrong, a civil rights attorney and activist, called for Chauvin to be sentenced “to the fullest extent of the law.” She called Floyd’s death “a modern day lynching” and predicted community outrage if Chauvin is sentenced lightly.When asked if she would like to hear Chauvin speak, Levy Armstrong said: “For me as a Black woman living in this community, there’s really nothing that he could say that would alleviate the pain and trauma that he caused ... I think that if he spoke it would be disingenuous and could cause more trauma.”No matter what sentence Chauvin gets, he’s likely to serve only about two-thirds behind bars presuming good behavior. The rest would be on supervised release.He’s been held since his conviction at the state’s only maximum security prison, in Oak Park Heights. The former officer is held away from the general population for his safety, in a 10-by-10-foot cell, with meals brought to his room. He is allowed out for solitary exercise for an hour a day.It’s not clear if Chauvin will remain there. State prisons officials said that decision wouldn’t be made until after Cahill’s formal sentencing order.Chauvin and the three other officers involved in Floyd’s arrest are awaiting trial in federal court on charges of violating Floyd’s civil rights. No trial date has been set.The three other officers are also scheduled for trial in March on state charges of aiding and abetting both murder and manslaughter.__

🎥 Derek Chauvin sentenced for murder of George Floyd

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 287 to a total of 317,304, the state health department reported Friday afternoon.&nbsp;

The state reported 8 new COVID-19 deaths for a total of 5147.

<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 287 to a total of 317,304, the state health department reported Friday afternoon.&nbsp;The state reported 8 new COVID-19 deaths for a total of 5147.<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/2021/6/1624640531264.png" alt="Friday June 25, 2021 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Friday June 25, 2021 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>

KDHE: Latest coronavirus numbers in Kansas

PITTSBURG, Kan. (AP) — When Pittsburg, Kansas, Police Officer Jesse Spencer was sent to a home to remove a snake from the front porch, he expected the typical garden snake. And now, for something completely different: What he found was an 8-foot-long python. 

Police on Thursday posted a photo of Spencer holding the snake. The department said the officer “fulfilled the job description category ‘other duties are required.’” Pythons are constrictor snakes and are not native to the U.S., though they are sold as exotic pets. 

Police say the python removed from the porch was adopted by a “responsible individual who lives outside this community.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624635423494.png" alt="Photo courtesy Pittsburg police" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Pittsburg police</figcaption>
 </figure>PITTSBURG, Kan. (AP) — When Pittsburg, Kansas, Police Officer Jesse Spencer was sent to a home to remove a snake from the front porch, he expected the typical garden snake. And now, for something completely different: What he found was an 8-foot-long python. Police on Thursday posted a photo of Spencer holding the snake. The department said the officer “fulfilled the job description category ‘other duties are required.’” Pythons are constrictor snakes and are not native to the U.S., though they are sold as exotic pets. Police say the python removed from the porch was adopted by a “responsible individual who lives outside this community.”

Police officer removes python from Kansas home

The
 Federal Trade Commission is sending checks totaling more than $316,000 
to 10,689 people who lost money to a student loan debt relief scheme.

<a href="https://public.tableau.com/profile/federal.trade.commission#!/vizhome/Refunds_15797958402020/RefundsbyCase"></a>In a <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/cases/doc_1_complaint.pdf">complaint</a> first announced in <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2020/03/student-loan-debt-relief-companies-agree-settle-ftc-charges-they">March 2020</a>,
 the FTC alleged SLAC (which also used the name Aspyre), Navloan, and 
Student Loan Assistance Center, and their owner, Adam Owens, falsely 
told consumers that, for an upfront fee of $699 and a monthly fee of 
$39, the defendants would permanently lower or eliminate student loan 
debt. In reality, the payments could change every year, and loan 
forgiveness was not guaranteed for any consumer. The FTC also alleged 
that the defendants paid consumers for positive reviews on the Better 
Business Bureau website and failed to disclose those payments.

As part of a settlement with the FTC, the defendants agreed to pay 
funds, which are being used to send payments to affected consumers.

People who receive checks should deposit or cash their checks within 
90 days, as indicated on the check. Recipients who have questions about 
their checks can call the refund administrator, Analytics, at 
888-440-0371. The FTC never requires people to pay money or provide 
account information to cash a refund check.

The FTC’s <a href="https://public.tableau.com/profile/federal.trade.commission#!/vizhome/Refunds_15797958402020/RefundsbyCase">interactive dashboards for refund data(link is external)</a>
 provide a state-by-state breakdown of FTC refunds. In 2020, FTC actions
 led to more than $483 million in refunds to consumers across the 
country, but recently the United States Supreme Court ruled the FTC 
lacks authority under Section 13(b) to seek monetary relief in federal 
court going forward. The <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2021/04/ftc-asks-congress-pass-legislation-reviving-agencys-authority">Commission has urged Congress</a> to restore the FTC’s ability to get money back for consumers.

The Federal Trade Commission works to promote competition and to <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/about-ftc/bureaus-offices/bureau-consumer-protection">protect and educate consumers</a>. You can <a href="https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/">learn more about consumer topics</a> and report scams, fraud, and bad business practices online at <a href="https://reportfraud.ftc.gov">ReportFraud.ftc.gov</a>. Like the FTC on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/federaltradecommission">Facebook(link is external)</a>, follow us on <a href="https://twitter.com/FTC">Twitter(link is external)</a>, get <a href="http://ftc.gov/subscribe">consumer alerts</a>, read our <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/blogs">blogs</a>, and <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/stay-connected">subscribe to press releases</a> for the latest FTC news and resources.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619632629588.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FTCThe
 Federal Trade Commission is sending checks totaling more than $316,000 
to 10,689 people who lost money to a student loan debt relief scheme.<a href="https://public.tableau.com/profile/federal.trade.commission#!/vizhome/Refunds_15797958402020/RefundsbyCase"></a>In a <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/cases/doc_1_complaint.pdf">complaint</a> first announced in <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2020/03/student-loan-debt-relief-companies-agree-settle-ftc-charges-they">March 2020</a>,
 the FTC alleged SLAC (which also used the name Aspyre), Navloan, and 
Student Loan Assistance Center, and their owner, Adam Owens, falsely 
told consumers that, for an upfront fee of $699 and a monthly fee of 
$39, the defendants would permanently lower or eliminate student loan 
debt. In reality, the payments could change every year, and loan 
forgiveness was not guaranteed for any consumer. The FTC also alleged 
that the defendants paid consumers for positive reviews on the Better 
Business Bureau website and failed to disclose those payments.As part of a settlement with the FTC, the defendants agreed to pay 
funds, which are being used to send payments to affected consumers.People who receive checks should deposit or cash their checks within 
90 days, as indicated on the check. Recipients who have questions about 
their checks can call the refund administrator, Analytics, at 
888-440-0371. The FTC never requires people to pay money or provide 
account information to cash a refund check.The FTC’s <a href="https://public.tableau.com/profile/federal.trade.commission#!/vizhome/Refunds_15797958402020/RefundsbyCase">interactive dashboards for refund data(link is external)</a>
 provide a state-by-state breakdown of FTC refunds. In 2020, FTC actions
 led to more than $483 million in refunds to consumers across the 
country, but recently the United States Supreme Court ruled the FTC 
lacks authority under Section 13(b) to seek monetary relief in federal 
court going forward. The <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2021/04/ftc-asks-congress-pass-legislation-reviving-agencys-authority">Commission has urged Congress</a> to restore the FTC’s ability to get money back for consumers.The Federal Trade Commission works to promote competition and to <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/about-ftc/bureaus-offices/bureau-consumer-protection">protect and educate consumers</a>. You can <a href="https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/">learn more about consumer topics</a> and report scams, fraud, and bad business practices online at <a href="https://reportfraud.ftc.gov">ReportFraud.ftc.gov</a>. Like the FTC on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/federaltradecommission">Facebook(link is external)</a>, follow us on <a href="https://twitter.com/FTC">Twitter(link is external)</a>, get <a href="http://ftc.gov/subscribe">consumer alerts</a>, read our <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/blogs">blogs</a>, and <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/stay-connected">subscribe to press releases</a> for the latest FTC news and resources.

Feds sending checks to victims of student loan debt relief scheme

By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina Post

SALINA —A Kansas man was injured when he was struck by a car just after 9a.m. Thursday in Salina.

A 2008 Ford Focus driven by Lexxi Espada, 19 Solomon, was westbound and turning south onto Ohio Street, according to Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester.

The car struck Willard Bradshaw, 73, Salina, who was crossing South Ohio Street at the East Iron Avenue intersection. The impact threw Bradshaw onto the windshield of the car.

EMS transported Bradshaw&nbsp; to Salina Regional Health Center with unspecified injuries, according to Forrester.

The Focus received front end and windshield damage, but was able to be driven from the scene. The case is still under investigation and no citations have been issued.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624634195958.jpeg" alt="Emergency crews work a Thursday morning accident in which this Ford Focus struck a 73-year-old Salina man who was crossing S. Ohio Street.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Emergency crews work a Thursday morning accident in which this Ford Focus struck a 73-year-old Salina man who was crossing S. Ohio Street.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina PostSALINA —A Kansas man was injured when he was struck by a car just after 9a.m. Thursday in Salina.A 2008 Ford Focus driven by Lexxi Espada, 19 Solomon, was westbound and turning south onto Ohio Street, according to Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester.The car struck Willard Bradshaw, 73, Salina, who was crossing South Ohio Street at the East Iron Avenue intersection. The impact threw Bradshaw onto the windshield of the car.EMS transported Bradshaw&nbsp; to Salina Regional Health Center with unspecified injuries, according to Forrester.The Focus received front end and windshield damage, but was able to be driven from the scene. The case is still under investigation and no citations have been issued.

73-year-old Kan. man struck by car at Salina intersection

CLOUD COUNTY—Authorities are alerting parents that the Cloud County Health Department had several reports of hand foot and mouth disease within the county this week, according to a social media report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624624262850.png" alt="Image courtesy County County Health Department" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy County County Health Department</figcaption>
 </figure>CLOUD COUNTY—Authorities are alerting parents that the Cloud County Health Department had several reports of hand foot and mouth disease within the county this week, according to a social media report.Hand, foot and mouth disease is a common infectious disease and can affect children.The health department said, "with kids playing team sports, going to daycare, and playing at the park and pool, please make sure that everyone is washing their hands, wiping down surfaces and monitoring your child’s health."