SEDGWICK COUNY– A Kansas man was sentenced to prison for a 2018 traffic death in south Wichita. 

District Judge David Dahl sentenced Monty Carpenter Jr., 36 of Wichita, to just over 6-years in prison, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

In April, Carpenter pled guilty to involuntary manslaughter while in the commission of driving under the influence in the death of 56-year-old Marsha Oglesby of Wichita.

Oglesby died in a two-car crash on September 3rd, 2018, when Carpenter’s vehicle ran a red light at 31st Street S. and McLean Boulevard and struck a vehicle she was driving.&nbsp; &nbsp;

After the crash, Carpenter ran from the scene and crawled beneath a trailer. A Wichita police officer saw Carpenter and arrested him.

Along with the prison sentence, Judge Dahl added 36 months of post release supervision when Carpenter leaves prison and ordered him to pay $7,654.58 in restitution. Carpenter will have to pay $150 a month starting the second month after he is released, according to the district attorney.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624372165073.png" alt="Carpenter photo Sedgwick County Jail" />
 <figcaption>Carpenter photo Sedgwick County Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNY– A Kansas man was sentenced to prison for a 2018 traffic death in south Wichita. District Judge David Dahl sentenced Monty Carpenter Jr., 36 of Wichita, to just over 6-years in prison, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.In April, Carpenter pled guilty to involuntary manslaughter while in the commission of driving under the influence in the death of 56-year-old Marsha Oglesby of Wichita.Oglesby died in a two-car crash on September 3rd, 2018, when Carpenter’s vehicle ran a red light at 31st Street S. and McLean Boulevard and struck a vehicle she was driving.&nbsp; &nbsp;After the crash, Carpenter ran from the scene and crawled beneath a trailer. A Wichita police officer saw Carpenter and arrested him.Along with the prison sentence, Judge Dahl added 36 months of post release supervision when Carpenter leaves prison and ordered him to pay $7,654.58 in restitution. Carpenter will have to pay $150 a month starting the second month after he is released, according to the district attorney.

Prison sentence after Kan. woman's death in DUI crash

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Democrats’ sweeping attempt to rewrite U.S. election and voting law stalled in the Senate Tuesday, blocked by a wall of Republican opposition to what would have been the largest overhaul of the electoral system in a generation.

The bill, known as the For the People Act, would touch on virtually every aspect of how elections are conducted, striking down hurdles to voting that advocates view as the Civil Rights fight of the era, while curbing the influence of money in politics and limiting partisan influence over the drawing of congressional districts.

But many in the GOP say the measure represents a breathtaking federal infringement on states’ authority to conduct their own elections without fraud — and one meant to ultimately benefit Democrats.

Kansas Senator Jerry Moran said following the vote, "The so called ‘For the People Act’ is a laundry list of bad public policies that would federalize our elections; make elections less secure by undermining sensible voter ID laws; use taxpayer dollars to fund political campaigns; override duly elected state legislatures by mandating the restoration of voting rights for felons; and reform the structure of the currently bipartisan, six-seat Federal Elections Commission into a partisan, five-member panel."

It failed on a 50-50 vote after Republicans, some of whom derided the bill as the “Screw the People Act,” denied Democrats the 60 votes needed to begin debate. Vice President Kamala Harris, the first black woman to hold her office, presided over the chamber as the bill failed.

&nbsp;Moran continued, “We often hear that elections have consequences. In November, Americans voted for a Congress that is nearly a 50-50 split between the parties in the House, and precisely 50-50 in the Senate. If elections have consequences, then the consequence American voters had in mind was to require Congress to put aside partisan differences and work together to do its job on their behalf. The U.S. Senate upheld that mandate from the American people today by rejecting this partisan power grab.”

“Our goal has always been to make it easier to vote and harder to cheat. When you eliminate voter I.D., it makes it easier to cheat. When you promote ballot harvesting, it makes it easier to cheat,”&nbsp;said Kansas Senator Roger Marshall. “This bill would have decreased the value of one of the greatest privileges we have in this nation – the opportunity to get out and vote."

The rejection forces Democrats to reckon with what comes next for their top legislative priority in a narrowly divided Senate. They’ve touted the measure as a powerful counterweight to scores of proposals advancing in GOP-controlled statehouses making it more difficult to vote.

“This is a battle for the soul of America,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. “We will keep fighting until we succeed.”

Before the vote, Biden tweeted, “Democrats are united and committed to passing this landmark legislation to protect voting rights, ensure the integrity of our elections and repair and strengthen our democracy.”

Whatever Democrats decide, they will likely be confronted with the same challenge they faced Tuesday when minority Republicans used the filibuster — the same tool that Democrats employed during Donald Trump’s presidency — to block consideration of the bill.

Republican leader Mitch McConnell called the bill a “a solution looking for a problem” and vowed to “put an end to it.”

Pressure has been mounting on Democrats to change Senate rules or watch their priorities languish. A group of moderate Democratic senators, however, including Sens. Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema, have ruled that out, denying the votes needed to make a filibuster change.

Biden has vowed what the White House calls the “fight of his presidency” over ensuring Americans’ access to voting. But without changes to Senate rules, key planks of his agenda, including the voting bill, appear stalled.

Sen. Raphael Warnock, a Georgia Democrat and senior pastor at the Atlanta church Martin Luther King Jr. once led, called minority Republicans’ willingness to prevent debate on the voting bill a “dereliction” of duty.

“What could be more hypocritical and cynical than invoking minority rights in the Senate as a pretext for preventing debate about how to preserve minority rights in the society,” Warnock said during a floor speech Tuesday.

The changes being enacted in many Republican states are decried by voting rights advocates who argue the restrictions will make it more difficult for people to cast ballots, particularly minority residents who tend to support Democrats. Republicans, cheered on by Trump, talk instead about fighting potential voting fraud and say the Democrats’ concerns are wildly overblown.

As the Senate discussion churns, more changes could be coming to the bill.

Democrats want to protect against intimidation at the polls in the aftermath of the 2020 election. They propose enhancing penalties for those who would threaten or intimidate election workers and creating a “buffer zone” between election workers and poll watchers, among other possible changes.

They also want to limit the ability of state officials to remove local election officials. Georgia Republicans passed a law earlier this year that gives the GOP-dominated Legislature greater influence over a state board that regulates elections and empowers it to remove local election officials deemed to be underperforming.

But Democrats have divisions of their own. Until Tuesday, it wasn’t even clear that they would be united on the vote to bring the bill up for debate. Manchin, a moderate from West Virginia, announced earlier this month that he couldn’t support the bill because it lacked Republican support.

Manchin flipped his vote to a “yes” after Democrats agreed to consider his revised version. His proposal was endorsed by former President Barack Obama and called a “step forward” by Biden’s administration.

Manchin has proposed adding provisions for a national voter ID requirement, which is anathema to many Democrats, and dropping a proposed public financing of campaigns.

Those changes did little, however, to garner the bipartisan support Manchin was hoping for. Senate Republicans said they would likely reject any legislation that expands the federal government’s role in elections. McConnell dismissed Manchin’s version as “equally unacceptable.”

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a moderate Alaska Republican, said some aspects of the Democratic bill were laudable and she supports other voting rights legislation, like a reinstatement of the Voting Rights Act struck down by the Supreme Court in 2013.

But, ultimately, she said the “sprawling” bill amounted to “a one-size-fits-all mandate coming out of Washington D.C.” that “in many cases doesn’t work.”

“It will make election more difficult, expensive, subject to federal micromanagement,” Murkowski said.

Months in the making, Tuesday’s showdown over the For the People Act, as it is called, is hardly the end of the road. The struggle is taking on fresh urgency as Trump continues to challenge the outcome of the 2020 election and new limits move ahead in Republican-led states.

State officials who certified the results of the 2020 election have dismissed Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-ap-fact-check-joe-biden-donald-trump-technology-49a24edd6d10888dbad61689c24b05a5">claims of voter fraud</a>, and judges across the country have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-courts-election-results-e1297d874f45d2b14bc99c403abd0457">thrown out multiple lawsuits</a>&nbsp;filed by Trump and his allies. Trump’s own attorney general said there was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/barr-no-widespread-election-fraud-b1f1488796c9a98c4b1a9061a6c7f49d">no evidence of widespread fraud</a>&nbsp;that would change the outcome

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624401128658.png" alt="Vice President Kamala Harris, the first black woman to hold her office, presided over the chamber as the bill failed-photo Courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Vice President Kamala Harris, the first black woman to hold her office, presided over the chamber as the bill failed-photo Courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Democrats’ sweeping attempt to rewrite U.S. election and voting law stalled in the Senate Tuesday, blocked by a wall of Republican opposition to what would have been the largest overhaul of the electoral system in a generation.The bill, known as the For the People Act, would touch on virtually every aspect of how elections are conducted, striking down hurdles to voting that advocates view as the Civil Rights fight of the era, while curbing the influence of money in politics and limiting partisan influence over the drawing of congressional districts.But many in the GOP say the measure represents a breathtaking federal infringement on states’ authority to conduct their own elections without fraud — and one meant to ultimately benefit Democrats.Kansas Senator Jerry Moran said following the vote, "The so called ‘For the People Act’ is a laundry list of bad public policies that would federalize our elections; make elections less secure by undermining sensible voter ID laws; use taxpayer dollars to fund political campaigns; override duly elected state legislatures by mandating the restoration of voting rights for felons; and reform the structure of the currently bipartisan, six-seat Federal Elections Commission into a partisan, five-member panel."It failed on a 50-50 vote after Republicans, some of whom derided the bill as the “Screw the People Act,” denied Democrats the 60 votes needed to begin debate. Vice President Kamala Harris, the first black woman to hold her office, presided over the chamber as the bill failed.&nbsp;Moran continued, “We often hear that elections have consequences. In November, Americans voted for a Congress that is nearly a 50-50 split between the parties in the House, and precisely 50-50 in the Senate. If elections have consequences, then the consequence American voters had in mind was to require Congress to put aside partisan differences and work together to do its job on their behalf. The U.S. Senate upheld that mandate from the American people today by rejecting this partisan power grab.”“Our goal has always been to make it easier to vote and harder to cheat. When you eliminate voter I.D., it makes it easier to cheat. When you promote ballot harvesting, it makes it easier to cheat,”&nbsp;said Kansas Senator Roger Marshall. “This bill would have decreased the value of one of the greatest privileges we have in this nation – the opportunity to get out and vote."The rejection forces Democrats to reckon with what comes next for their top legislative priority in a narrowly divided Senate. They’ve touted the measure as a powerful counterweight to scores of proposals advancing in GOP-controlled statehouses making it more difficult to vote.“This is a battle for the soul of America,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. “We will keep fighting until we succeed.”Before the vote, Biden tweeted, “Democrats are united and committed to passing this landmark legislation to protect voting rights, ensure the integrity of our elections and repair and strengthen our democracy.”Whatever Democrats decide, they will likely be confronted with the same challenge they faced Tuesday when minority Republicans used the filibuster — the same tool that Democrats employed during Donald Trump’s presidency — to block consideration of the bill.Republicans showed no sign of yielding.Republican leader Mitch McConnell called the bill a “a solution looking for a problem” and vowed to “put an end to it.”Pressure has been mounting on Democrats to change Senate rules or watch their priorities languish. A group of moderate Democratic senators, however, including Sens. Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema, have ruled that out, denying the votes needed to make a filibuster change.Biden has vowed what the White House calls the “fight of his presidency” over ensuring Americans’ access to voting. But without changes to Senate rules, key planks of his agenda, including the voting bill, appear stalled.Sen. Raphael Warnock, a Georgia Democrat and senior pastor at the Atlanta church Martin Luther King Jr. once led, called minority Republicans’ willingness to prevent debate on the voting bill a “dereliction” of duty.“What could be more hypocritical and cynical than invoking minority rights in the Senate as a pretext for preventing debate about how to preserve minority rights in the society,” Warnock said during a floor speech Tuesday.The changes being enacted in many Republican states are decried by voting rights advocates who argue the restrictions will make it more difficult for people to cast ballots, particularly minority residents who tend to support Democrats. Republicans, cheered on by Trump, talk instead about fighting potential voting fraud and say the Democrats’ concerns are wildly overblown.As the Senate discussion churns, more changes could be coming to the bill.Democrats want to protect against intimidation at the polls in the aftermath of the 2020 election. They propose enhancing penalties for those who would threaten or intimidate election workers and creating a “buffer zone” between election workers and poll watchers, among other possible changes.They also want to limit the ability of state officials to remove local election officials. Georgia Republicans passed a law earlier this year that gives the GOP-dominated Legislature greater influence over a state board that regulates elections and empowers it to remove local election officials deemed to be underperforming.But Democrats have divisions of their own. Until Tuesday, it wasn’t even clear that they would be united on the vote to bring the bill up for debate. Manchin, a moderate from West Virginia, announced earlier this month that he couldn’t support the bill because it lacked Republican support.Manchin flipped his vote to a “yes” after Democrats agreed to consider his revised version. His proposal was endorsed by former President Barack Obama and called a “step forward” by Biden’s administration.Manchin has proposed adding provisions for a national voter ID requirement, which is anathema to many Democrats, and dropping a proposed public financing of campaigns.Those changes did little, however, to garner the bipartisan support Manchin was hoping for. Senate Republicans said they would likely reject any legislation that expands the federal government’s role in elections. McConnell dismissed Manchin’s version as “equally unacceptable.”Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a moderate Alaska Republican, said some aspects of the Democratic bill were laudable and she supports other voting rights legislation, like a reinstatement of the Voting Rights Act struck down by the Supreme Court in 2013.But, ultimately, she said the “sprawling” bill amounted to “a one-size-fits-all mandate coming out of Washington D.C.” that “in many cases doesn’t work.”“It will make election more difficult, expensive, subject to federal micromanagement,” Murkowski said.Months in the making, Tuesday’s showdown over the For the People Act, as it is called, is hardly the end of the road. The struggle is taking on fresh urgency as Trump continues to challenge the outcome of the 2020 election and new limits move ahead in Republican-led states.State officials who certified the results of the 2020 election have dismissed Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-ap-fact-check-joe-biden-donald-trump-technology-49a24edd6d10888dbad61689c24b05a5">claims of voter fraud</a>, and judges across the country have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-courts-election-results-e1297d874f45d2b14bc99c403abd0457">thrown out multiple lawsuits</a>&nbsp;filed by Trump and his allies. Trump’s own attorney general said there was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/barr-no-widespread-election-fraud-b1f1488796c9a98c4b1a9061a6c7f49d">no evidence of widespread fraud</a>&nbsp;that would change the outcome

Kan. Senators help stop Pres. Biden's signature voting bill

WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury indicted Truman Gentry, 25, of Augusta, Kansas, on two counts of Production of Child Pornography, one count of Advertising for Production of Child Pornography and one count of Possession of Child Pornography, according to the United State's Attorney.

If convicted, Gentry faces 15 to 30 years in prison for each count of Production of Child Pornography, 15 to 30 years in prison for Advertising for Production of Child Pornography and up to 20 years in prison for Possession of Child Pornography.

The investigating agencies include: the United States Attorney’s Office, North Carolina Internet Crimes Against Children, Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children, Homeland Security Investigations, Kansas Bureau of Investigation, the Boone, North Carolina Police Department,

Wichita Police Department, Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office, and the Augusta Department of Public Safety.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623610186818.png" alt="Authorities arrested Gentry on June 11, according to the Sedgwick County booking report." />
 <figcaption>Authorities arrested Gentry on June 11, according to the Sedgwick County booking report.</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury indicted Truman Gentry, 25, of Augusta, Kansas, on two counts of Production of Child Pornography, one count of Advertising for Production of Child Pornography and one count of Possession of Child Pornography, according to the United State's Attorney.If convicted, Gentry faces 15 to 30 years in prison for each count of Production of Child Pornography, 15 to 30 years in prison for Advertising for Production of Child Pornography and up to 20 years in prison for Possession of Child Pornography.The investigating agencies include: the United States Attorney’s Office, North Carolina Internet Crimes Against Children, Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children, Homeland Security Investigations, Kansas Bureau of Investigation, the Boone, North Carolina Police Department,Wichita Police Department, Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office, and the Augusta Department of Public Safety.

Indictment: Kan. man faces decades in prison for child porn

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The Wichita City Council approved a request by police Tuesday for a federal partnership in an effort to address a surge in violent crime.

Police want help from the U.S. Marshals Service as gun violence escalates in the city. Police Chief Gordon Ramsey said Monday that shooting numbers have risen sharply over the past year.

Nine people were shot over the past weekend, including a police officer who was shot in the head and legs.

The partnership with the U.S. Marshals Service is known as Operation Triple Beam. It is a 60-day effort starting in July with a goal of investigating and arresting people who have active state or federal arrest warrants.

Officials say the operation will target violent crimes, weapons offenses and felony drug offenses.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624382057352.png" alt="Wichita Police Chief Gordon Ramsay during a Monday news conference to provide an update on the condition of an officer critically injured in a Saturday gun battle." />
 <figcaption>Wichita Police Chief Gordon Ramsay during a Monday news conference to provide an update on the condition of an officer critically injured in a Saturday gun battle.</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The Wichita City Council approved a request by police Tuesday for a federal partnership in an effort to address a surge in violent crime.Police want help from the U.S. Marshals Service as gun violence escalates in the city. Police Chief Gordon Ramsey said Monday that shooting numbers have risen sharply over the past year.Nine people were shot over the past weekend, including a police officer who was shot in the head and legs.The partnership with the U.S. Marshals Service is known as Operation Triple Beam. It is a 60-day effort starting in July with a goal of investigating and arresting people who have active state or federal arrest warrants.Officials say the operation will target violent crimes, weapons offenses and felony drug offenses.

Wichita police partner with feds to address violent crime

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a homicide and asking for help to locate a man who may have information in the case.

Kyle Anthony Guiterres, 24, is described as 5-foot-10, 170 pounds with brown hair and eyes, according to Overland Park Police.

On May 24, police responded to the 8500 Block of West 85th Street in Overland Park in reference to a homicide, according to Public Information Officer John Lacy.

Several witnesses heard a single gunshot two or three individuals running through a parking lot. The suspects entered a black sedan and a white sedan and left southbound through the parking lot onto west 85th Street.

Anyone with information on Guiterres is asked to contact police.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624369220060.png" alt="Guiterres-photo Johnson Co." />
 <figcaption>Guiterres-photo Johnson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a homicide and asking for help to locate a man who may have information in the case.Kyle Anthony Guiterres, 24, is described as 5-foot-10, 170 pounds with brown hair and eyes, according to Overland Park Police.On May 24, police responded to the 8500 Block of West 85th Street in Overland Park in reference to a homicide, according to Public Information Officer John Lacy.Several witnesses heard a single gunshot two or three individuals running through a parking lot. The suspects entered a black sedan and a white sedan and left southbound through the parking lot onto west 85th Street.Anyone with information on Guiterres is asked to contact police.

Police ask for help to locate man in connection to Kan. homicide

KANSAS CITY (AP) — The arrival of hot weather and the easing of the COVID-19 pandemic means bigger crowds at Missouri waterways, but too often this year the trend has taken a deadly turn.

At least 10 people have drowned so far this month in Missouri, and six others died in boating accidents. None of the 16 victims wore a life jacket.

Across Missouri, at least 39 people have either drowned or died in boating accidents so far in 2021, including at least seven children.

Public safety officials gathered Monday in the St. Louis suburb of Eureka for a news conference urging caution on the water. It followed three drownings in the St. Louis area last week alone. They included one on the Meramec River, one on the Big River and one at Creve Coeur Lake.

“Rivers are relentless. They do not discriminate, they don’t care who you are,” said Cpl. Juston Wheetley of the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

St. Louis County’s parks, once quiet, are now frequent destinations for people looking to cool off, Park Ranger Sgt. Cheryl Fechter said. She noted that because some pools are closed this year due in part to a shortage of workers, many people are instead swimming in rivers.

For those who choose to swim in rivers despite the risk, interim Fenton fire Chief Ramona Kaminski recommends life jackets, even for adults who consider themselves strong swimmers.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — The arrival of hot weather and the easing of the COVID-19 pandemic means bigger crowds at Missouri waterways, but too often this year the trend has taken a deadly turn.At least 10 people have drowned so far this month in Missouri, and six others died in boating accidents. None of the 16 victims wore a life jacket.Across Missouri, at least 39 people have either drowned or died in boating accidents so far in 2021, including at least seven children.Public safety officials gathered Monday in the St. Louis suburb of Eureka for a news conference urging caution on the water. It followed three drownings in the St. Louis area last week alone. They included one on the Meramec River, one on the Big River and one at Creve Coeur Lake.“Rivers are relentless. They do not discriminate, they don’t care who you are,” said Cpl. Juston Wheetley of the Missouri State Highway Patrol.St. Louis County’s parks, once quiet, are now frequent destinations for people looking to cool off, Park Ranger Sgt. Cheryl Fechter said. She noted that because some pools are closed this year due in part to a shortage of workers, many people are instead swimming in rivers.For those who choose to swim in rivers despite the risk, interim Fenton fire Chief Ramona Kaminski recommends life jackets, even for adults who consider themselves strong swimmers.

Increase in drownings prompt warnings to be careful in water

By SUZANNE PEREZ <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/pandemic-left-kids-kansas-needing-summer-school-more-ever-yet-less-willing-enroll">Kansas News Service</a>

WICHITA, Kansas — One thing the world learned during the pandemic is that school kids lose pace when Zoom replaces the classroom.

“There
 has been some academic slide,” said Andi Giesen, assistant 
superintendent for learning services at the Wichita district. “On a 
previous trajectory, we would have expected students to be maybe a 
little farther along with their learning.”

In
 the past, a relatively small fraction of students needed to spend the 
dog days catching up with their classmates. Come fall 2021, a far larger
 number of students across Kansas will enter their next grade without 
the skills they should have picked up last year.

Consequently, a record number of Kansas kids plan to attend summer school.

But
 even more schoolchildren who need to catch up won’t go. Many students, 
families and teachers say they need a break after a crazy year of 
pandemic starts and stops, and they bowed out of summer school.

“It’s been a really incredibly hard year” said Kari Ritter, a Topeka teacher and <a href="https://sites.google.com/tps501.org/2020tpssummerenrichmentcamp/home">coordinator of the district’s summer programs</a>. “I think parents are ready to give their children a break. We’re definitely seeing that.”

Not long after Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/every-school-kid-kansas-was-just-told-stay-home-until-fall-because-coronavirus">sent kids home from school</a> more than a year ago, educators and politicians started <a href="https://www.ewa.org/ewa-radio/whos-tracking-student-learning-loss">talking about learning loss</a>.

Congress approved three COVID-19 relief packages that will send about <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/24/us/covid-schools-federal-funding.html">$130 billion directly to K-12 schools</a> -- money districts can spend to reopen safely and help kids who have fallen behind. <a href="https://www.kasb.org/45132?articleID=76997">Kansas will get about $1.3 billion</a> over three years.

Still,
 significant numbers of families weary from tending school-age children 
during a year-plus pandemic don’t appear eager to rush to school this 
summer.

“We’re really looking forward to just . . . having a good
 time this summer,” said Emily Millspaugh, a mother of two who also 
teaches pre-kindergarten in Maize. “All of our kids, their bodies are 
craving interaction and movement and exploration that maybe they haven’t
 gotten to do this school year.”

Millspaugh didn’t consider 
enrolling her daughters, Murphy and Wren, in any kind of structured 
school program this summer. Now that she and her husband are vaccinated,
 they’re taking a beach trip that got canceled last year. The family got
 a new labradoodle puppy, Ollie, and plans to just relax and play.

“We’re
 looking forward to kind of making up for lost time,” Millspaugh said. 
“And really having the opportunity to say, ‘Yes, let’s do these things,’
 when we’ve had to say ‘no’ for so long.”

Wichita, the state’s largest school district, sent about 21,500 invitations to its <a href="https://www.usd259.org/Page/20341">summer programs</a>
 for students in kindergarten through eighth grade. Despite incentives 
such as free breakfast, lunch and transportation, only 4,600 — about one
 in five — enrolled.

“But I think this is every single year: 
You’re going to invite a bunch of students, whether it’s a COVID year or
 not, and you’re still probably only going to get half of them to come,”
 said Amanda Kingrey, assistant superintendent of secondary schools in 
Wichita. “So I think we fulfilled that (goal). ”

Teachers weren’t
 quick to sign up either. The Topeka school district offered teachers 
more than double the regular rate for summer school this year — money 
they have onhand from the first round of federal aid — and still had a 
hard time finding takers.

“It’s a very real challenge,” said 
Ritter, the Topeka coordinator. “But on the flip side of that, we didn’t
 get the enrollment that we envisioned either.”

Ritter’s eighth-grade daughter wasn’t interested in the catalog of classes and camps being offered in Topeka.

“I
 asked about a couple of the fun classes, and she was like, ‘Nope!’ And 
I’m OK with that,” Ritter said. “I completely am on board with her just 
taking a mental break and knowing that next summer will be different.”

Other parents said they’re taking advantage of summer school 
offerings to get their kids back into a routine and interacting with 
teachers and peers.

“When they were at home for a period of time .
 . . they definitely were not learning as much as they were in school,” 
said Kristin Marlett, a Wichita mother of two.

She said she 
wanted her sons, Oliver and Elliott, to get extra help with their 
reading this summer, so she enrolled them in the half-day summer camp at
 their Wichita elementary school.

“I feel like it’s not a 
punishment for them to go to summer school, because I think they’re 
going to have fun,” she said. “They love being around other kids, they 
love learning, and they’re going to be great at it.”

It’s hard to
 say precisely how far behind students might be after more than a year 
of pandemic learning. The U.S. Department of Education waived federal 
testing requirements after schools closed for in-person instruction last
 spring.

States were required to administer the annual reading and math tests this year, but the Biden administration <a href="https://edsource.org/2021/schools-must-give-standardized-tests-this-spring/649751">allowed for flexible options</a> such as shortened tests and a longer testing window. Results from Kansas schools won’t be reported until July or August.

Education
 officials say they can’t predict how long the recovery will take. But 
they’re playing the long game, already planning for summer programs in 
2022 and beyond.

“It may rebound quickly. We just don’t know, 
because we’ve never been through this type of loss,” said Kansas 
Education Commissioner Randy Watson. “But we’re hopeful that with 
multiple summer schools, multiple extended years, tutoring services — 
that we can make this up.”

Suzanne Perez reports on education
 for KMUW in Wichita and the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on 
Twitter @SuzPerezICT or email her at perez@kmuw.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624370595340.png" alt=" Students at a summer school program at Cessna Elementary School in Wichita. Suzanne Perez / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption> Students at a summer school program at Cessna Elementary School in Wichita. Suzanne Perez / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By SUZANNE PEREZ <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/pandemic-left-kids-kansas-needing-summer-school-more-ever-yet-less-willing-enroll">Kansas News Service</a>WICHITA, Kansas — One thing the world learned during the pandemic is that school kids lose pace when Zoom replaces the classroom.“There
 has been some academic slide,” said Andi Giesen, assistant 
superintendent for learning services at the Wichita district. “On a 
previous trajectory, we would have expected students to be maybe a 
little farther along with their learning.”Enter summer school.In
 the past, a relatively small fraction of students needed to spend the 
dog days catching up with their classmates. Come fall 2021, a far larger
 number of students across Kansas will enter their next grade without 
the skills they should have picked up last year.Consequently, a record number of Kansas kids plan to attend summer school.But
 even more schoolchildren who need to catch up won’t go. Many students, 
families and teachers say they need a break after a crazy year of 
pandemic starts and stops, and they bowed out of summer school.“It’s been a really incredibly hard year” said Kari Ritter, a Topeka teacher and <a href="https://sites.google.com/tps501.org/2020tpssummerenrichmentcamp/home">coordinator of the district’s summer programs</a>. “I think parents are ready to give their children a break. We’re definitely seeing that.”<h2>LEARNING LOSS</h2>Not long after Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/every-school-kid-kansas-was-just-told-stay-home-until-fall-because-coronavirus">sent kids home from school</a> more than a year ago, educators and politicians started <a href="https://www.ewa.org/ewa-radio/whos-tracking-student-learning-loss">talking about learning loss</a>.Congress approved three COVID-19 relief packages that will send about <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/24/us/covid-schools-federal-funding.html">$130 billion directly to K-12 schools</a> -- money districts can spend to reopen safely and help kids who have fallen behind. <a href="https://www.kasb.org/45132?articleID=76997">Kansas will get about $1.3 billion</a> over three years.Still,
 significant numbers of families weary from tending school-age children 
during a year-plus pandemic don’t appear eager to rush to school this 
summer.“We’re really looking forward to just . . . having a good
 time this summer,” said Emily Millspaugh, a mother of two who also 
teaches pre-kindergarten in Maize. “All of our kids, their bodies are 
craving interaction and movement and exploration that maybe they haven’t
 gotten to do this school year.”Millspaugh didn’t consider 
enrolling her daughters, Murphy and Wren, in any kind of structured 
school program this summer. Now that she and her husband are vaccinated,
 they’re taking a beach trip that got canceled last year. The family got
 a new labradoodle puppy, Ollie, and plans to just relax and play.“We’re
 looking forward to kind of making up for lost time,” Millspaugh said. 
“And really having the opportunity to say, ‘Yes, let’s do these things,’
 when we’ve had to say ‘no’ for so long.”Wichita, the state’s largest school district, sent about 21,500 invitations to its <a href="https://www.usd259.org/Page/20341">summer programs</a>
 for students in kindergarten through eighth grade. Despite incentives 
such as free breakfast, lunch and transportation, only 4,600 — about one
 in five — enrolled.“But I think this is every single year: 
You’re going to invite a bunch of students, whether it’s a COVID year or
 not, and you’re still probably only going to get half of them to come,”
 said Amanda Kingrey, assistant superintendent of secondary schools in 
Wichita. “So I think we fulfilled that (goal). ”Teachers weren’t
 quick to sign up either. The Topeka school district offered teachers 
more than double the regular rate for summer school this year — money 
they have onhand from the first round of federal aid — and still had a 
hard time finding takers.“It’s a very real challenge,” said 
Ritter, the Topeka coordinator. “But on the flip side of that, we didn’t
 get the enrollment that we envisioned either.”Ritter’s eighth-grade daughter wasn’t interested in the catalog of classes and camps being offered in Topeka.“I
 asked about a couple of the fun classes, and she was like, ‘Nope!’ And 
I’m OK with that,” Ritter said. “I completely am on board with her just 
taking a mental break and knowing that next summer will be different.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624370661357.png" alt="Credit Suzanne Perez / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>Credit Suzanne Perez / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>Other parents said they’re taking advantage of summer school 
offerings to get their kids back into a routine and interacting with 
teachers and peers.“When they were at home for a period of time .
 . . they definitely were not learning as much as they were in school,” 
said Kristin Marlett, a Wichita mother of two.She said she 
wanted her sons, Oliver and Elliott, to get extra help with their 
reading this summer, so she enrolled them in the half-day summer camp at
 their Wichita elementary school.“I feel like it’s not a 
punishment for them to go to summer school, because I think they’re 
going to have fun,” she said. “They love being around other kids, they 
love learning, and they’re going to be great at it.”It’s hard to
 say precisely how far behind students might be after more than a year 
of pandemic learning. The U.S. Department of Education waived federal 
testing requirements after schools closed for in-person instruction last
 spring.States were required to administer the annual reading and math tests this year, but the Biden administration <a href="https://edsource.org/2021/schools-must-give-standardized-tests-this-spring/649751">allowed for flexible options</a> such as shortened tests and a longer testing window. Results from Kansas schools won’t be reported until July or August.Education
 officials say they can’t predict how long the recovery will take. But 
they’re playing the long game, already planning for summer programs in 
2022 and beyond.“It may rebound quickly. We just don’t know, 
because we’ve never been through this type of loss,” said Kansas 
Education Commissioner Randy Watson. “But we’re hopeful that with 
multiple summer schools, multiple extended years, tutoring services — 
that we can make this up.”Suzanne Perez reports on education
 for KMUW in Wichita and the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on 
Twitter @SuzPerezICT or email her at perez@kmuw.org.

Need for summer school in Kan. greater than ever, but where are the students?

KDHE keeping eye on COVID-19 mutations in 60 of state’s counties

By TIM CARPENTER Kansas Reflector

TOPEKA — More than 100 
cases of the COVID-19 variant first identified in India and given the 
shorthand name Delta have been diagnosed in Kansas, prompting public 
anxiety this variety could cause more severe illness or a higher degree 
of fatalities.

Lee Norman, secretary of 
the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, said in an interview 
Monday genomic sequencing on samples drawn from Kansans had identified 
47 mutated versions of coronavirus in the state. In all, KDHE said 1,460
 people scattered among 60 Kansas counties have contracted an 
alternative to the original coronavirus.

Nearly 700 of those cases 
were concentrated in Sedgwick County followed by 165 in Johnson County, 
148 in Shawnee County and 44 in Douglas County. Lab work has identified 
20 to 35 cases each in Finney, Cowley, Wyandotte, Labette, Crawford and 
Geary counties, KDHE said.

Norman said the 110 
confirmed cases of Delta — recently labeled “coronavirus on steroids” by
 a former White House adviser — amounted to 7.5% of Kansas’ variant 
cases. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention more sedately
 refers to Delta as a “variant of concern,” given the variety has been 
identified in at least 80 countries.

“We cannot ease up on our effort,” said Norman, who has continued to urge people to be vaccinated. “We just cannot let up.”

The Delta incarnation of 
coronavirus has shown up in KDHE laboratories at a higher rate since the
 start of June. he said. It was identified in late 2020 in India, but 
the World Health Organization adopted the Delta title in May.

Dana Hawkinson, medical 
director of infection prevention and control at the University of Kansas
 Health System in Kansas City, Kansas, said there was inconclusive 
research on whether the Delta variant produced greater health challenges
 than the notorious Alpha variant tied to the United Kingdom.

“We can’t really speak to:
 Is it more deadly? Does it cause more disease?” Hawkinson said. “So, it
 is vitally important for everyone to get vaccinated. We do believe the 
risks are going up, for one reason or another, for serious disease.”

The slowing rate of 
COVID-19 vaccination in Kansas leaves people vulnerable to contracting 
the COVID-19 virus that has killed 5,129 and hospitalized twice that 
figure in the state. More than 300,000 Kansans have contracted COVID-19 
during the pandemic.

In Kansas, 43.6% of the 
state’s adults have been vaccinated with one dose and 37.6% have been 
fully vaccinated. In all, 2.87 million doses have been administered in 
Kansas, KDHE said.

The state had no reported 
fatalities associated with COVID-19 from Friday to Monday, but the KDHE 
secretary said vaccination was key to limiting mortality. It would be 
folly, Norman said, for people to assert the pandemic was over.

“That’s faulty logic,” he said. “It’s natural human optimism or starry-eyed thinking.”

Tim Carpenter has reported on Kansas for 35 years. He covered the Capitol for 16 years at the Topeka Capital-Journal and previously worked for the Lawrence Journal-World and United Press International.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624383314026.png" alt="Labette and Crawford counties in southeast Kansas are in the top 10 in terms of attracting COVID-19 variants. So far, 47 mutations of COVID-19 have been detected in 60 Kansas counties. Nearly half the cases were in Sedgwick County. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Labette and Crawford counties in southeast Kansas are in the top 10 in terms of attracting COVID-19 variants. So far, 47 mutations of COVID-19 have been detected in 60 Kansas counties. Nearly half the cases were in Sedgwick County. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>KDHE keeping eye on COVID-19 mutations in 60 of state’s counties</h2>By TIM CARPENTER Kansas ReflectorTOPEKA — More than 100 
cases of the COVID-19 variant first identified in India and given the 
shorthand name Delta have been diagnosed in Kansas, prompting public 
anxiety this variety could cause more severe illness or a higher degree 
of fatalities.Lee Norman, secretary of 
the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, said in an interview 
Monday genomic sequencing on samples drawn from Kansans had identified 
47 mutated versions of coronavirus in the state. In all, KDHE said 1,460
 people scattered among 60 Kansas counties have contracted an 
alternative to the original coronavirus.Nearly 700 of those cases 
were concentrated in Sedgwick County followed by 165 in Johnson County, 
148 in Shawnee County and 44 in Douglas County. Lab work has identified 
20 to 35 cases each in Finney, Cowley, Wyandotte, Labette, Crawford and 
Geary counties, KDHE said.Norman said the 110 
confirmed cases of Delta — recently labeled “coronavirus on steroids” by
 a former White House adviser — amounted to 7.5% of Kansas’ variant 
cases. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention more sedately
 refers to Delta as a “variant of concern,” given the variety has been 
identified in at least 80 countries.“We cannot ease up on our effort,” said Norman, who has continued to urge people to be vaccinated. “We just cannot let up.”The Delta incarnation of 
coronavirus has shown up in KDHE laboratories at a higher rate since the
 start of June. he said. It was identified in late 2020 in India, but 
the World Health Organization adopted the Delta title in May.Dana Hawkinson, medical 
director of infection prevention and control at the University of Kansas
 Health System in Kansas City, Kansas, said there was inconclusive 
research on whether the Delta variant produced greater health challenges
 than the notorious Alpha variant tied to the United Kingdom.“We can’t really speak to:
 Is it more deadly? Does it cause more disease?” Hawkinson said. “So, it
 is vitally important for everyone to get vaccinated. We do believe the 
risks are going up, for one reason or another, for serious disease.”The slowing rate of 
COVID-19 vaccination in Kansas leaves people vulnerable to contracting 
the COVID-19 virus that has killed 5,129 and hospitalized twice that 
figure in the state. More than 300,000 Kansans have contracted COVID-19 
during the pandemic.In Kansas, 43.6% of the 
state’s adults have been vaccinated with one dose and 37.6% have been 
fully vaccinated. In all, 2.87 million doses have been administered in 
Kansas, KDHE said.The state had no reported 
fatalities associated with COVID-19 from Friday to Monday, but the KDHE 
secretary said vaccination was key to limiting mortality. It would be 
folly, Norman said, for people to assert the pandemic was over.“That’s faulty logic,” he said. “It’s natural human optimism or starry-eyed thinking.”Tim Carpenter has reported on Kansas for 35 years. He covered the Capitol for 16 years at the Topeka Capital-Journal and previously worked for the Lawrence Journal-World and United Press International.&nbsp;

Kan. doctors: Coronavirus Delta variant warrants strict scrutiny

MCCOOK, Neb. (AP) — An 80-year-old southwestern Nebraska woman faces sentencing next month for killing her husband, though she claimed it was in response to years of abuse.

KNOP-TV reports that Lavetta Langdon of McCook will be sentenced July 12. She pleaded no contest to manslaughter earlier this month.

Langdon was arrested in August after police found 79-year-old Larry Langdon shot to death in his bedroom. Lavetta Langdon told investigators that her husband had struck her during a fight over money.

Police said Lavetta Langdon then took a handgun and shot him in the chest.

Lavetta Langdon told police she had been the victim of domestic violence for 30 years.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624375787117.png" alt="Lavetta Langdon" />
 <figcaption>Lavetta Langdon</figcaption>
 </figure>MCCOOK, Neb. (AP) — An 80-year-old southwestern Nebraska woman faces sentencing next month for killing her husband, though she claimed it was in response to years of abuse.KNOP-TV reports that Lavetta Langdon of McCook will be sentenced July 12. She pleaded no contest to manslaughter earlier this month.Langdon was arrested in August after police found 79-year-old Larry Langdon shot to death in his bedroom. Lavetta Langdon told investigators that her husband had struck her during a fight over money.Police said Lavetta Langdon then took a handgun and shot him in the chest.Lavetta Langdon told police she had been the victim of domestic violence for 30 years.

Neb. woman, 80, to be sentenced in July for killing husband

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating the fatal April shooting of a 17-year-old boy in Wichita have captured a third suspect. Just after 6p.m. Monday police booked 25-year-old Jaron C. Palmer into the Sedgwick County Jail on a bond of $500,000 on requested charges of first degree murder and on over a dozen counts of sexual exploitation of a child, <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20071325">according to online jail records.</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal shooting of a 17-year-old boy continue their search for a third suspect and are asking the public for help to locate 25-year-old Jaron C. Palmer.

On April 25, police were dispatched to report of a shooting at the&nbsp;Morgan's Landing Apartments complex in the 3800 Block of West 13th Street in Wichita, according to Police Captain Jason Stephens.

When officers arrived, they learned there were five individuals inside the apartment at the time of the incident including 17-year-old Eric Stokes of Wichita who was shot and killed.

EMS transported a second shooting victim identified as a 17-year-old boy to a local hospital. He was treated for minor injuries and released, according to Stephens.

Investigators learned that three unknown, armed suspects arrived at the apartment, forced their way in and fired several shots that killed Stokes.&nbsp; The suspects fled on foot from the apartment complex.&nbsp; It was not a random incident and drugs are believed to have played a part, according to Stephens.

Police released a video of two suspects involved in the homicide.&nbsp; After the release, police received numerous tips from the community, which led to the identification and arrest of 18-year-old Easton Palmer&nbsp; and&nbsp;<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20070532">18-year-old Breckyn I. Elliot</a>&nbsp;both of Wichita. They have been charged with first degree murder&nbsp; aggravated robbery, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624361905393.png" alt="Palmer photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Palmer photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating the fatal April shooting of a 17-year-old boy in Wichita have captured a third suspect. Just after 6p.m. Monday police booked 25-year-old Jaron C. Palmer into the Sedgwick County Jail on a bond of $500,000 on requested charges of first degree murder and on over a dozen counts of sexual exploitation of a child, <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20071325">according to online jail records.</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal shooting of a 17-year-old boy continue their search for a third suspect and are asking the public for help to locate 25-year-old Jaron C. Palmer.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619801567819.png" alt="Elliott photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Elliott photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>On April 25, police were dispatched to report of a shooting at the&nbsp;Morgan's Landing Apartments complex in the 3800 Block of West 13th Street in Wichita, according to Police Captain Jason Stephens.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619547988764.png" alt="Through the investigation, detectives determined the two pictured suspects and possibly other were involved in the incident." />
 <figcaption>Through the investigation, detectives determined the two pictured suspects and possibly other were involved in the incident.</figcaption>
 </figure>When officers arrived, they learned there were five individuals inside the apartment at the time of the incident including 17-year-old Eric Stokes of Wichita who was shot and killed.EMS transported a second shooting victim identified as a 17-year-old boy to a local hospital. He was treated for minor injuries and released, according to Stephens.Investigators learned that three unknown, armed suspects arrived at the apartment, forced their way in and fired several shots that killed Stokes.&nbsp; The suspects fled on foot from the apartment complex.&nbsp; It was not a random incident and drugs are believed to have played a part, according to Stephens.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619618101953.png" alt="Palmer photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Palmer photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>Police released a video of two suspects involved in the homicide.&nbsp; After the release, police received numerous tips from the community, which led to the identification and arrest of 18-year-old Easton Palmer&nbsp; and&nbsp;<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20070532">18-year-old Breckyn I. Elliot</a>&nbsp;both of Wichita. They have been charged with first degree murder&nbsp; aggravated robbery, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.---------

Suspect in April robbery, murder of Kan. teen captured

Update Portal helps families monitor and manage Child Tax Credit payments

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today launched two new 
online tools designed to help families manage and monitor the advance 
monthly payments of Child Tax Credits under the American Rescue Plan. 
These two new tools are in addition to the Non-filer Sign-up Tool, 
announced last week, which helps families not normally required to file 
an income tax return to quickly register for the Child Tax Credit.

The new <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-eligibility-assistant">Child Tax Credit Eligibility Assistant</a> allows families to answer a series of questions to quickly determine whether they qualify for the advance credit.

The <a href="https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/accessibility-guide-for-child-tax-credit-update-portal">Child Tax Credit Update Portal</a>
 allows families to verify their eligibility for the payments and if 
they choose to, unenroll, or opt out from receiving the monthly payments
 so they can receive a lump sum when they file their tax return next 
year. This secure, password-protected tool is available to any eligible 
family with internet access and a smart phone or computer. Future 
versions of the tool planned in the summer and fall will allow people to
 view their payment history, adjust bank account information or mailing 
addresses and other features. A Spanish version is also planned.

Both the Child Tax Credit Eligibility Assistant and Child Tax Credit Update Portal are available now on IRS.gov.

The American Rescue plan increased the maximum Child Tax Credit 
amount in 2021 to $3,600 per child for children under the age of 6 and 
to $3,000 per child for children ages 6 through 17. The advance Child 
Tax Credit payments, which will generally be made on the 15th of each 
month, create financial certainty for families to plan their budgets. 
Eligible families will receive a payment of up to $300 per month for 
each child under age 6, and up to $250 per month for each child ages 6 
through 17. The first monthly payment of the expanded and 
newly-advanceable Child Tax Credit will be made on July 15. Most 
families will begin receiving monthly payments automatically next month 
without any further action required.

"IRS employees continue to work hard to help people receive this 
important credit," IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig said. "The Update 
Portal is a key piece among the three new tools now available on IRS.gov
 to help families understand, register for and monitor these payments. 
We will be working across the nation with partner groups to share 
information and help eligible people receive the advance payments."

More features coming to the Update Portal soon

Coming soon, families will be able to use the Child Tax Credit Update
 Portal to check the status of their payments. In late June, people will
 be able to update their bank account information for payments starting 
in August. In early August, a feature is planned that will allow people 
to update their mailing address. Then, in future updates planned for 
this summer and fall, they will be able to use this tool for things like
 updating family status and changes in income.

For more information see the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/2021-child-tax-credit-and-advance-child-tax-credit-payments-frequently-asked-questions">FAQs</a>, which will continue to be updated.

Instead of receiving these advance payments, some families may prefer
 to wait until the end of the year and receive the entire credit as a 
refund when they file their 2021 return. In this first release of the 
tool, the Child Tax Credit Update Portal now enables these families to 
quickly and easily unenroll from receiving monthly payments.

The unenroll feature can also be helpful to any family that no longer
 qualifies for the Child Tax Credit or believes they will not qualify 
when they file their 2021 return. This could happen if, for example:

To access the Child Tax Credit Update Portal, a person must first 
verify their identity. If a person has an existing IRS username or an <a href="https://sa.www4.irs.gov/secureaccess/ui/?TYPE=33554433&amp;REALMOID=06-0005eaac-e22a-10b8-928e-7c2b0ad00000&amp;GUID=&amp;SMAUTHREASON=0&amp;METHOD=GET&amp;SMAGENTNAME=-SM-u0ktItgVFneUJDzkQ7tjvLYXyclDooCJJ7%2bjXGjg3YC5id2x9riHE98hoVgd1BBv&amp;TARGET=-SM-http%3a%2f%2fsa%2ewww4%2eirs%2egov%2fctc%2f">ID.me account</a>
 with a verified identity, they can use those accounts to easily sign 
in. People without an existing account will be asked to verify their 
identity with a form of photo identification using ID.me, a trusted 
third party for the IRS. Identity verification is an important safeguard
 and will protect your account from identity theft.

Anyone who lacks internet access or otherwise cannot use the online 
tool may unenroll by contacting the IRS at the phone number included in 
your outreach letter.

In general, monthly payments will go to eligible families who:

An eligible family who took any of these steps does not need to do anything else to get their payments.

Normally, the IRS will calculate the advance payment based on the 
2020 income tax return. If that return is not available, either because 
it has not yet been filed or it has not yet been processed, the IRS is 
instead determining the payment using the 2019 tax return.

Eligible families will receive advance payments, either by direct 
deposit or check. Each payment will be up to $300 per month for each 
child under age 6 and up to $250 per month for each child ages 6 through
 17. The IRS will issue advance Child Tax Credit payments on these 
dates: July 15, August&nbsp;13, September&nbsp;15, October&nbsp;15, November&nbsp;15 and 
December&nbsp;15.

The IRS urges any family who hasn't yet filed their 2020 return – or 
2019 return – to do so as soon as possible so they can receive any 
advance payment they're eligible for. At the same time, the agency 
cautions that tax returns must be processed by June 28 to be reflected 
in the first batch of monthly payments scheduled for July 15, so 
eligible families filing now will likely receive payments in the 
following months. Even if monthly payments begin after July, the IRS 
will adjust the monthly amounts upward to ensure that people still 
receive half of their total eligible Child Tax Credit benefit by the end
 of the year.

Filing soon will also ensure that the IRS has their most current bank
 account information, as well as key details about qualifying family 
members. This includes people who don't normally file a tax return, such
 as families experiencing homelessness and people in underserved groups.

For most people, the fastest and easiest way to file a return is by using IRS <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">Free File</a>,
 available only on IRS.gov. Besides qualifying them for these advance 
payments, using Free File will also enable them to claim other 
family-oriented tax benefits, if eligible, such as the Earned Income Tax
 Credit and the Recovery Rebate Credit/Economic Impact Payments.

For families who don't normally file an income tax return, another 
easy option is to register for these advance payments using the new <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/child-tax-credit-non-filer-sign-up-tool">Non-filer Sign-up Tool</a>,
 introduced recently, and available only on IRS.gov. Among other things,
 the tool asks users to supply current bank information, along with key 
details about themselves and their qualifying children. The tool then 
automatically fills in a very basic 2020 federal income tax return that 
is electronically sent to the IRS. The new tool was developed in 
partnership with Intuit and the Free File Alliance.

Child Tax Credit Eligibility Assistant unveiled

Before filing a return or using the Non-filer Sign-up Tool, families 
unsure of whether they qualify for either the credit or the advance 
payments may want to check out another new tool — the Child Tax Credit 
Eligibility Assistant. By answering a series of questions, the tool 
helps people determine if they qualify for the credit and the payments.

The IRS emphasized that because the Child Tax Credit Eligibility 
Assistant requests no personalized information, it is not a registration
 tool, but merely an eligibility tool. Nevertheless, it can still help 
an eligible family determine whether they should take the next step and 
either file an income tax return or register using the Non-filer Sign-up
 Tool.

IRS and its partners are helping families register for the payments 
using the Non-filer Sign-up Tool. During late June and early July, free 
events will take place in Atlanta, Brooklyn, Detroit, Houston, Las 
Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Milwaukee, Philadelphia, Phoenix, St. Louis 
and Washington, D.C. More details will be available soon on IRS.gov.

The IRS has created a special Advance Child Tax Credit 2021 page, 
designed to provide the most up-to-date information about the credit and
 the advance payments. It's at <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-payments-in-2021">IRS.gov/childtaxcredit2021</a>.

Among other things, it provides direct links to the Non-Filer Sign Up
 Tool, the Child Tax Credit Update Portal, the Child Tax Credit 
Eligibility Assistant, a set of frequently asked questions and other 
useful resources.

The American Rescue Plan raised the maximum Child Tax Credit in 2021 
to $3,600 for children under the age of 6 and to $3,000 per child for 
children ages 6 through 17. Before 2021, the credit was worth up to 
$2,000 per eligible child.

The new maximum credit is available to taxpayers with a modified adjusted gross income (AGI) of:

For most people, modified AGI is the amount shown on Line 11 of 
their 2020 Form 1040 or 1040-SR. Above these income thresholds, the 
extra amount above the original $2,000 credit — either $1,000 or $1,600 
per child — is reduced by $50 for every $1,000 in modified AGI. In 
addition, the credit is fully refundable for 2021. This means that 
eligible families can get it, even if they owe no federal income tax. 
Before this year, the refundable portion was limited to $1,400 per 
child.

The IRS urges community groups, non-profits, associations, education 
organizations and anyone else with connections to people with children 
to share this critical information about the Child Tax Credit as well as
 other important benefits. Among other things, the IRS is already 
working closely with its community partners to ensure wide access to the
 Non-filer Sign-up Tool and the Child Tax Credit Update Portal. The 
agency is also providing additional materials and information that can 
be easily shared by social media, email and other methods.

For the most up-to-date information on the Child Tax Credit and advance payments, visit <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-payments-in-2021">Advance Child Tax Credit Payments in 2021</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Update Portal helps families monitor and manage Child Tax Credit payments</h2>IRSWASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today launched two new 
online tools designed to help families manage and monitor the advance 
monthly payments of Child Tax Credits under the American Rescue Plan. 
These two new tools are in addition to the Non-filer Sign-up Tool, 
announced last week, which helps families not normally required to file 
an income tax return to quickly register for the Child Tax Credit.The new <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-eligibility-assistant">Child Tax Credit Eligibility Assistant</a> allows families to answer a series of questions to quickly determine whether they qualify for the advance credit.The <a href="https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/accessibility-guide-for-child-tax-credit-update-portal">Child Tax Credit Update Portal</a>
 allows families to verify their eligibility for the payments and if 
they choose to, unenroll, or opt out from receiving the monthly payments
 so they can receive a lump sum when they file their tax return next 
year. This secure, password-protected tool is available to any eligible 
family with internet access and a smart phone or computer. Future 
versions of the tool planned in the summer and fall will allow people to
 view their payment history, adjust bank account information or mailing 
addresses and other features. A Spanish version is also planned.Both the Child Tax Credit Eligibility Assistant and Child Tax Credit Update Portal are available now on IRS.gov.The American Rescue plan increased the maximum Child Tax Credit 
amount in 2021 to $3,600 per child for children under the age of 6 and 
to $3,000 per child for children ages 6 through 17. The advance Child 
Tax Credit payments, which will generally be made on the 15th of each 
month, create financial certainty for families to plan their budgets. 
Eligible families will receive a payment of up to $300 per month for 
each child under age 6, and up to $250 per month for each child ages 6 
through 17. The first monthly payment of the expanded and 
newly-advanceable Child Tax Credit will be made on July 15. Most 
families will begin receiving monthly payments automatically next month 
without any further action required."IRS employees continue to work hard to help people receive this 
important credit," IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig said. "The Update 
Portal is a key piece among the three new tools now available on IRS.gov
 to help families understand, register for and monitor these payments. 
We will be working across the nation with partner groups to share 
information and help eligible people receive the advance payments."<h2>More features coming to the Update Portal soon</h2>Coming soon, families will be able to use the Child Tax Credit Update
 Portal to check the status of their payments. In late June, people will
 be able to update their bank account information for payments starting 
in August. In early August, a feature is planned that will allow people 
to update their mailing address. Then, in future updates planned for 
this summer and fall, they will be able to use this tool for things like
 updating family status and changes in income.For more information see the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/2021-child-tax-credit-and-advance-child-tax-credit-payments-frequently-asked-questions">FAQs</a>, which will continue to be updated.<h2>Update Portal allows people to unenroll</h2>Instead of receiving these advance payments, some families may prefer
 to wait until the end of the year and receive the entire credit as a 
refund when they file their 2021 return. In this first release of the 
tool, the Child Tax Credit Update Portal now enables these families to 
quickly and easily unenroll from receiving monthly payments.The unenroll feature can also be helpful to any family that no longer
 qualifies for the Child Tax Credit or believes they will not qualify 
when they file their 2021 return. This could happen if, for example:<ul>
 <li>Their income in 2021 is too high to qualify them for the credit.</li><li>Someone else (an ex-spouse or another family member, for example) 
qualifies to claim their child or children as dependents in 2021.</li><li>Their main home was outside of the United States for more than half of 2021.</li>
 </ul><h2>Accessing the Update Portal</h2>To access the Child Tax Credit Update Portal, a person must first 
verify their identity. If a person has an existing IRS username or an <a href="https://sa.www4.irs.gov/secureaccess/ui/?TYPE=33554433&amp;REALMOID=06-0005eaac-e22a-10b8-928e-7c2b0ad00000&amp;GUID=&amp;SMAUTHREASON=0&amp;METHOD=GET&amp;SMAGENTNAME=-SM-u0ktItgVFneUJDzkQ7tjvLYXyclDooCJJ7%2bjXGjg3YC5id2x9riHE98hoVgd1BBv&amp;TARGET=-SM-http%3a%2f%2fsa%2ewww4%2eirs%2egov%2fctc%2f">ID.me account</a>
 with a verified identity, they can use those accounts to easily sign 
in. People without an existing account will be asked to verify their 
identity with a form of photo identification using ID.me, a trusted 
third party for the IRS. Identity verification is an important safeguard
 and will protect your account from identity theft.Anyone who lacks internet access or otherwise cannot use the online 
tool may unenroll by contacting the IRS at the phone number included in 
your outreach letter.<h2>Who is getting a monthly payment</h2>In general, monthly payments will go to eligible families who:<ul>
 <li>Filed either a 2019 or 2020 federal income tax return.</li><li>Used the Non-Filers tool on IRS.gov in 2020 to register for an Economic Impact Payment.</li><li>Registered for the advance Child Tax Credit this year using the new <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/child-tax-credit-non-filer-sign-up-tool">Non-Filer Sign-up Tool</a> on IRS.gov.</li>
 </ul>An eligible family who took any of these steps does not need to do anything else to get their payments.Normally, the IRS will calculate the advance payment based on the 
2020 income tax return. If that return is not available, either because 
it has not yet been filed or it has not yet been processed, the IRS is 
instead determining the payment using the 2019 tax return.Eligible families will receive advance payments, either by direct 
deposit or check. Each payment will be up to $300 per month for each 
child under age 6 and up to $250 per month for each child ages 6 through
 17. The IRS will issue advance Child Tax Credit payments on these 
dates: July 15, August&nbsp;13, September&nbsp;15, October&nbsp;15, November&nbsp;15 and 
December&nbsp;15.The IRS urges any family who hasn't yet filed their 2020 return – or 
2019 return – to do so as soon as possible so they can receive any 
advance payment they're eligible for. At the same time, the agency 
cautions that tax returns must be processed by June 28 to be reflected 
in the first batch of monthly payments scheduled for July 15, so 
eligible families filing now will likely receive payments in the 
following months. Even if monthly payments begin after July, the IRS 
will adjust the monthly amounts upward to ensure that people still 
receive half of their total eligible Child Tax Credit benefit by the end
 of the year.Filing soon will also ensure that the IRS has their most current bank
 account information, as well as key details about qualifying family 
members. This includes people who don't normally file a tax return, such
 as families experiencing homelessness and people in underserved groups.For most people, the fastest and easiest way to file a return is by using IRS <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">Free File</a>,
 available only on IRS.gov. Besides qualifying them for these advance 
payments, using Free File will also enable them to claim other 
family-oriented tax benefits, if eligible, such as the Earned Income Tax
 Credit and the Recovery Rebate Credit/Economic Impact Payments.<h2>New tool helps non-filers register</h2>For families who don't normally file an income tax return, another 
easy option is to register for these advance payments using the new <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/child-tax-credit-non-filer-sign-up-tool">Non-filer Sign-up Tool</a>,
 introduced recently, and available only on IRS.gov. Among other things,
 the tool asks users to supply current bank information, along with key 
details about themselves and their qualifying children. The tool then 
automatically fills in a very basic 2020 federal income tax return that 
is electronically sent to the IRS. The new tool was developed in 
partnership with Intuit and the Free File Alliance.<h2>Child Tax Credit Eligibility Assistant unveiled</h2>Before filing a return or using the Non-filer Sign-up Tool, families 
unsure of whether they qualify for either the credit or the advance 
payments may want to check out another new tool — the Child Tax Credit 
Eligibility Assistant. By answering a series of questions, the tool 
helps people determine if they qualify for the credit and the payments.The IRS emphasized that because the Child Tax Credit Eligibility 
Assistant requests no personalized information, it is not a registration
 tool, but merely an eligibility tool. Nevertheless, it can still help 
an eligible family determine whether they should take the next step and 
either file an income tax return or register using the Non-filer Sign-up
 Tool.<h2>Personal help available</h2>IRS and its partners are helping families register for the payments 
using the Non-filer Sign-up Tool. During late June and early July, free 
events will take place in Atlanta, Brooklyn, Detroit, Houston, Las 
Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Milwaukee, Philadelphia, Phoenix, St. Louis 
and Washington, D.C. More details will be available soon on IRS.gov.<h2>Child Tax Credit 2021</h2>The IRS has created a special Advance Child Tax Credit 2021 page, 
designed to provide the most up-to-date information about the credit and
 the advance payments. It's at <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-payments-in-2021">IRS.gov/childtaxcredit2021</a>.Among other things, it provides direct links to the Non-Filer Sign Up
 Tool, the Child Tax Credit Update Portal, the Child Tax Credit 
Eligibility Assistant, a set of frequently asked questions and other 
useful resources.<h2>Child Tax Credit changes</h2>The American Rescue Plan raised the maximum Child Tax Credit in 2021 
to $3,600 for children under the age of 6 and to $3,000 per child for 
children ages 6 through 17. Before 2021, the credit was worth up to 
$2,000 per eligible child.The new maximum credit is available to taxpayers with a modified adjusted gross income (AGI) of:<ul>
 <li>$75,000 or less for singles,</li><li>$112,500 or less for heads of household and</li><li>$150,000 or less for married couples filing a joint return and qualified widows and widowers.</li>
 </ul>For most people, modified AGI is the amount shown on Line 11 of 
their 2020 Form 1040 or 1040-SR. Above these income thresholds, the 
extra amount above the original $2,000 credit — either $1,000 or $1,600 
per child — is reduced by $50 for every $1,000 in modified AGI. In 
addition, the credit is fully refundable for 2021. This means that 
eligible families can get it, even if they owe no federal income tax. 
Before this year, the refundable portion was limited to $1,400 per 
child.<h2>Help spread the word</h2>The IRS urges community groups, non-profits, associations, education 
organizations and anyone else with connections to people with children 
to share this critical information about the Child Tax Credit as well as
 other important benefits. Among other things, the IRS is already 
working closely with its community partners to ensure wide access to the
 Non-filer Sign-up Tool and the Child Tax Credit Update Portal. The 
agency is also providing additional materials and information that can 
be easily shared by social media, email and other methods.For the most up-to-date information on the Child Tax Credit and advance payments, visit <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-payments-in-2021">Advance Child Tax Credit Payments in 2021</a>.

Do you qualify for Child Tax Credit payments? Find out here

SALINA —Willie Nelson is coming to Salina in August.

The Willie Nelson and Family performance is scheduled for 8 p.m. Aug. 17 in the Stiefel Theatre, 151 S. Santa Fe Avenue.

Tickets start at $96 and go on sale at noon Friday. The new Stiefel walk-up box office is open near the main entrance M-F, noon-5 p.m. Monday through Friday. You also can purchase tickets by calling the Stiefel at 785-827-1998. If you need to leave a message calls will be returned within several hours. Additionally, you can purchase tickets online at www.stiefeltheatre.org.

About the artist from the Stiefel Theatre

With a seven-decade career, Nelson has earned every conceivable award as a musician and amassed reputable credentials as an author, actor, and activist. He continues to thrive as a relevant and progressive musical and cultural force.

In recent years, he has delivered more than a dozen new albums, released a Top 10 New York Times' bestsellers book, again headlined Farm Aid, an event he co-founded in 1985, been honored by the Library of Congress with their Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, received his fifth degree black belt in Gong Kwon Yu Sul, headlined the annual Luck Reunion food and music festival during SXSW, launched his cannabis companies Willie's Reserve and Willie's Remedy, and graced the covers of Rolling Stone and AARP The Magazine.

In July 2020, Willie released his album First Rose of Spring - an atmospheric soulful showcase of beautifully-written songs and poignant performances. September 2020 brought a memoir with his sister and pianist Bobbie Nelson, titled, Me and Sister Bobbie: True Tales of The Family Band.

For 2021, he released a new studio album in February — That's Life, Willie's second album of standards and classics made famous by Frank Sinatra (his first, 2018's My Way, earned Willie the Grammy for Best Traditional Pop Solo Album). The two legends were friends, musical colleagues, and mutual admirers of each other's work.

This month, a collection of his thoughts on America, family, faith, and music is scheduled to hit shelves as a new book, titled Willie Nelson’s Letters to America.

These creative endeavors as well as new songs and performances that add to his classic catalog, find Willie Nelson rolling at an artistic peak, writing and singing and playing with the seasoned wit and wisdom that comes from the road.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624376072128.jpeg" alt="Willie Nelson is scheduled to perform in the Stiefel Theatre Aug. 17.Photo by&nbsp; Pamela Springsteen courtesy Stiefel Theatre" />
 <figcaption>Willie Nelson is scheduled to perform in the Stiefel Theatre Aug. 17.Photo by&nbsp; Pamela Springsteen courtesy Stiefel Theatre</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINA —Willie Nelson is coming to Salina in August.The Willie Nelson and Family performance is scheduled for 8 p.m. Aug. 17 in the Stiefel Theatre, 151 S. Santa Fe Avenue.Tickets start at $96 and go on sale at noon Friday. The new Stiefel walk-up box office is open near the main entrance M-F, noon-5 p.m. Monday through Friday. You also can purchase tickets by calling the Stiefel at 785-827-1998. If you need to leave a message calls will be returned within several hours. Additionally, you can purchase tickets online at www.stiefeltheatre.org.About the artist from the Stiefel TheatreWith a seven-decade career, Nelson has earned every conceivable award as a musician and amassed reputable credentials as an author, actor, and activist. He continues to thrive as a relevant and progressive musical and cultural force.In recent years, he has delivered more than a dozen new albums, released a Top 10 New York Times' bestsellers book, again headlined Farm Aid, an event he co-founded in 1985, been honored by the Library of Congress with their Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, received his fifth degree black belt in Gong Kwon Yu Sul, headlined the annual Luck Reunion food and music festival during SXSW, launched his cannabis companies Willie's Reserve and Willie's Remedy, and graced the covers of Rolling Stone and AARP The Magazine.In July 2020, Willie released his album First Rose of Spring - an atmospheric soulful showcase of beautifully-written songs and poignant performances. September 2020 brought a memoir with his sister and pianist Bobbie Nelson, titled, Me and Sister Bobbie: True Tales of The Family Band.For 2021, he released a new studio album in February — That's Life, Willie's second album of standards and classics made famous by Frank Sinatra (his first, 2018's My Way, earned Willie the Grammy for Best Traditional Pop Solo Album). The two legends were friends, musical colleagues, and mutual admirers of each other's work.This month, a collection of his thoughts on America, family, faith, and music is scheduled to hit shelves as a new book, titled Willie Nelson’s Letters to America.These creative endeavors as well as new songs and performances that add to his classic catalog, find Willie Nelson rolling at an artistic peak, writing and singing and playing with the seasoned wit and wisdom that comes from the road.

Willie Nelson scheduled to perform in Salina 

By NOAH TABORDA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/06/21/goddard-splash-park-closed-as-health-officials-investigate-link-to-sick-children/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — A Goddard splash 
park is under investigation by state health authorities after several 
children and families who recently visited were taken to the hospital 
and suffered from fever, vomiting and diarrhea.

The Kansas Department of 
Health and Environment said Sunday it was looking into a possible link 
between Tanganyika Wildlife Park’s splash park and illnesses reported on
 Friday. Staff investigated and closed the splash zone on Saturday, 
citing difficulties with the filtration system in a Facebook post.

“The splash park is a new 
adventure for us animal people, and it was an issue we could not 
foresee. We plan to notify everyone as soon as we have a set date for 
opening,” the post said.

Those who have experienced
 fever, diarrhea and vomiting after visiting the splash park, which 
opened last summer, are advised by KDHE and local health officials to <a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDAsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTA2MjAuNDIxNzE3NDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3Rpbnl1cmwuY29tL2tkaGVzcGxhc2g_dXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fc291cmNlPWdvdmRlbGl2ZXJ5In0.kdvq3t3XT2EXzMLHYDA8EhdOIcOsD3HGal2gwUpZvbk/s/1305913588/br/108183106586-l">fill out a survey</a> to aid the investigation.

The Facebook post 
attracted more than 1,400 comments, with responses varying from concern 
to extreme displeasure. Some parents said they had to take children with
 severe symptoms to the hospital.

“Our entire household has 
been sick and we’ve gone to the immediate care a few times,” one person 
wrote. “Very concerned about what was found in the water system.”

Another person wrote: “My 
family flew in to visit family here and we had to miss our family 
reunion because we are so sick and we haven’t even seen that side of our
 family for 14 years. We deserve to know what is wrong”

Akeam Ashford, director of
 strategic communications for Sedgwick County, said the department was 
still investigating and did not have any significant findings to report 
as of Monday afternoon.

He offered general advice 
for attendees and those headed out the pool in the summer, including 
washing their hands, avoiding swallowing the water and staying home if 
they have symptoms of diarrhea.

“Sedgwick County continues
 to work with KDHE and Tanganyika through this process,” Ashford said. 
“The county will provide updates as they become available.”

Park director Matt Fouts 
also called on attendees to be proactive in working with the department 
if they experience any symptoms. He said it was not the park’s intent to
 cover anything up and that it would be vigilant in addressing the 
issue.

Fouts advised those who are feeling sick after visiting the park to notify the health department at diseasereport@sedgwick.gov or 316-660-5555 and seek treatment from their doctor. He promised further <a href="https://twpark.com/splash-park-closure/">updates on the park website</a>.

“As a father whose kids 
have been playing in the splash park regularly and an uncle whose nephew
 is working in the splash park daily, I understand and share your safety
 concerns,” Fouts said. “It is in no one’s best interest, including our 
family-owned businesses, to have people getting sick due to visiting.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624228385006.png" alt="Cases of a diarrheal infection and several reports from parents of sick and hospitalized children led Tanganyika Wildlife Park to close its splash zone Saturday. KDHE and Sedgwick County are investigating the issue. Photo courtesy Tanganyika Wildlife Park" />
 <figcaption>Cases of a diarrheal infection and several reports from parents of sick and hospitalized children led Tanganyika Wildlife Park to close its splash zone Saturday. KDHE and Sedgwick County are investigating the issue. Photo courtesy Tanganyika Wildlife Park</figcaption>
 </figure>By NOAH TABORDA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/06/21/goddard-splash-park-closed-as-health-officials-investigate-link-to-sick-children/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — A Goddard splash 
park is under investigation by state health authorities after several 
children and families who recently visited were taken to the hospital 
and suffered from fever, vomiting and diarrhea.The Kansas Department of 
Health and Environment said Sunday it was looking into a possible link 
between Tanganyika Wildlife Park’s splash park and illnesses reported on
 Friday. Staff investigated and closed the splash zone on Saturday, 
citing difficulties with the filtration system in a Facebook post.“The splash park is a new 
adventure for us animal people, and it was an issue we could not 
foresee. We plan to notify everyone as soon as we have a set date for 
opening,” the post said.Those who have experienced
 fever, diarrhea and vomiting after visiting the splash park, which 
opened last summer, are advised by KDHE and local health officials to <a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDAsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTA2MjAuNDIxNzE3NDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3Rpbnl1cmwuY29tL2tkaGVzcGxhc2g_dXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fc291cmNlPWdvdmRlbGl2ZXJ5In0.kdvq3t3XT2EXzMLHYDA8EhdOIcOsD3HGal2gwUpZvbk/s/1305913588/br/108183106586-l">fill out a survey</a> to aid the investigation.The Facebook post 
attracted more than 1,400 comments, with responses varying from concern 
to extreme displeasure. Some parents said they had to take children with
 severe symptoms to the hospital.“Our entire household has 
been sick and we’ve gone to the immediate care a few times,” one person 
wrote. “Very concerned about what was found in the water system.”Another person wrote: “My 
family flew in to visit family here and we had to miss our family 
reunion because we are so sick and we haven’t even seen that side of our
 family for 14 years. We deserve to know what is wrong”Akeam Ashford, director of
 strategic communications for Sedgwick County, said the department was 
still investigating and did not have any significant findings to report 
as of Monday afternoon.He offered general advice 
for attendees and those headed out the pool in the summer, including 
washing their hands, avoiding swallowing the water and staying home if 
they have symptoms of diarrhea.“Sedgwick County continues
 to work with KDHE and Tanganyika through this process,” Ashford said. 
“The county will provide updates as they become available.”Park director Matt Fouts 
also called on attendees to be proactive in working with the department 
if they experience any symptoms. He said it was not the park’s intent to
 cover anything up and that it would be vigilant in addressing the 
issue.Fouts advised those who are feeling sick after visiting the park to notify the health department at diseasereport@sedgwick.gov or 316-660-5555 and seek treatment from their doctor. He promised further <a href="https://twpark.com/splash-park-closure/">updates on the park website</a>.“As a father whose kids 
have been playing in the splash park regularly and an uncle whose nephew
 is working in the splash park daily, I understand and share your safety
 concerns,” Fouts said. “It is in no one’s best interest, including our 
family-owned businesses, to have people getting sick due to visiting.

Kan. splash park investigation, link to sick children continues

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect in connection with a stolen vehicle.

Just before 8:30a.m. Monday, police were dispatched to the area of NE Morse and Kansas Avenue in Topeka on reports of gunshots, according to Lt. Shane Hilton. After finding no vehicles there, officers were then sent to the 1900 block of N. Topeka on the report of a stolen vehicle. The two incidents were related and the vehicle’s owner reported being shot at by the suspect when he located his vehicle.

Officers checking the area for the stolen vehicle and located it abandoned in the 1200 block of NW Eugene in Topeka.

 Officers continued checking the area and discovered a residence that appeared to have had entry forced in the 1200 block of NW Jackson. Police located a ma in the home identified as Troy M. Baker, 29, of Topeka. They Bake arrested him on requested charges of Attempted Aggravated Battery, Theft – Motor Vehicle, Criminal Possession of a Firearm, Burglary, Possession of Stolen Property and Criminal Damage, according to Hilton.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624370446840.png" alt="Baker photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Baker photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect in connection with a stolen vehicle.Just before 8:30a.m. Monday, police were dispatched to the area of NE Morse and Kansas Avenue in Topeka on reports of gunshots, according to Lt. Shane Hilton. After finding no vehicles there, officers were then sent to the 1900 block of N. Topeka on the report of a stolen vehicle. The two incidents were related and the vehicle’s owner reported being shot at by the suspect when he located his vehicle.Officers checking the area for the stolen vehicle and located it abandoned in the 1200 block of NW Eugene in Topeka. Officers continued checking the area and discovered a residence that appeared to have had entry forced in the 1200 block of NW Jackson. Police located a ma in the home identified as Troy M. Baker, 29, of Topeka. They Bake arrested him on requested charges of Attempted Aggravated Battery, Theft – Motor Vehicle, Criminal Possession of a Firearm, Burglary, Possession of Stolen Property and Criminal Damage, according to Hilton.

Suspect shot at Kan. man trying to recover his stolen vehicle 

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities&nbsp; investigating a fatal officer involved shooting said the&nbsp; police officer critically injured in the Saturday night gun battle remains in critical but stable condition.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624218247273.png" alt="Tyler Hodge as seen from police body camera. He was hiding in the shed on the property with the AR-15 style assault rifle he used to attack police-Image Wichita Police&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Tyler Hodge as seen from police body camera. He was hiding in the shed on the property with the AR-15 style assault rifle he used to attack police-Image Wichita Police&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities&nbsp; investigating a fatal officer involved shooting said the&nbsp; police officer critically injured in the Saturday night gun battle remains in critical but stable condition.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWichitaPolice%2Fvideos%2F195116265865227%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=0" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>His prognosis has improved, according to Wichita Police Chief Gordon Ramsay. The officer was wounded in the legs and head and has a long road to recovery.Ramsay did not release additional details on the officer, a veteran of 5-years on the police force, including his name at the request of the family.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624198277511.png" alt="Near the scene of the Saturday night gun battle that left a Wichita Police officer critically wounded and a suspect dead-photo KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Near the scene of the Saturday night gun battle that left a Wichita Police officer critically wounded and a suspect dead-photo KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>In addition to the injured officer, Ramsay said nine people were injured in seven shootings in Wichita over the weekend.“I really feel, and chiefs around the country are all saying the same thing, that something has happened societally that is causing people to immediately resort to solving conflict through the use of guns,” Ramsay said. “It is impacting not only our city but the rest of the country and it is very concerning.”Ramsay thanked the community and others for their show of support for the wounded officer. He said the police department has heard from "around the world" offering prayer and support.With the family’s blessing and permission, The Honore Adversis Foundation will accept donations on behalf of the officer seriously injured in the line of duty Saturday night. Please go to <a href="http://www.honorduringadversity.org/?fbclid=IwAR0d2tVn-aDYqGfReREYJiVPbbaoVt6q734Z405jWU7sKIOJxEI-HU8vTsQ" target="_blank">www.honorduringadversity.org</a> and utilize the the yellow in color “donate” button on the front page.&nbsp;The community held a candle light prayer vigil for the officer at the Law Enforcement Memorial at Wichita City Hall Monday evening.-------------SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal officer involved shooting that also sent a police officer to the hospital in critical condition.Just after 10:15p.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to check welfare of a 32-year-0ld woman at a home in the 500 Block of West Carlyle in Wichita, according to&nbsp;Deputy Police Chief Jose Salcido. Officers received information that the woman could be in danger. It was reported she was yelling for help and her 13-year-old daughter was scared.Upon arrival, the woman told police of physical disturbance between her and her boyfriend identified as 28-year-old Tyler Hodge. She believed he had left.Hodge's vehicle was at the home and police began checking the home and property to make sure the woman and her daughter were safe.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624198277511.png" alt="Investigators have determined Hodge fired the rifle 18 times. In addition to the wounded officer, three homes and a patrol vehicle were damaged by the gunfire. Photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Investigators have determined Hodge fired the rifle 18 times. In addition to the wounded officer, three homes and a patrol vehicle were damaged by the gunfire. Photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>During their search, offices found Hodge hiding in a shed on the back of the property. He was armed with a rifle and ran toward the officers and fired the rifle multiple times, according to Salcido.The officers took cover and called other officers to assist. As they arrived, Hodge continued shooting at those officers arriving to assist.&nbsp; One Wichita officers was hit multiple times. The injured officer returned fire and other officers were able to pull him to safety, began life-saving measures, placed him in a police vehicle and transported him to a hospital where he is listed in critical condition but was making improvement on Sunday afternoon, according to Salcido.Hodge continued shooting at police and moved to the front of the home where an officer shot him.&nbsp; Officers moved the suspect to a safe location and began life-saving measures. Despite their efforts, Hodge was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Salcido.Investigators have determined Hodge fired the rifle 18 times. In addition to the wounded officer, three homes and a patrol vehicle were damaged by the gunfire.&nbsp; Later, investigators found a loaded handgun in the detached shed where Hodge had been hiding, according to Salcido.The officers involved in the shooting have been placed on paid leave, which is standard protocol for officer-involved shootings.&nbsp;The injured officer is a 5-year-veteran of the Wichita police department.&nbsp; The two other officers have 1 and 4-years of experience. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation and FBI are assisting with the investigation.