SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting&nbsp;that fatally injured 47-year-old Deandre Freeman of Wichita.

Just before 8:30 a.m. Sunday, police responded to a check residence call at a home in the 1700 block of North Harding in Wichita, according to Office Charley Davidson.

 Upon arrival, officers entered the home and found Freeman had been shot multiple times.&nbsp; He was pronounced deceased on the scene.&nbsp; Officers also located a 53-year-old man who had been shot.&nbsp; He was taken to an area hospital in critical condition and remains hospitalized.

The investigation revealed the two victims, a suspect and two other men were all at the home and are known to each other.&nbsp; A disturbance occurred between the suspect and others when the suspect fired multiple shots striking the victims.

&nbsp;Detectives are working to locate individuals involved in this case.&nbsp; This was not a random incident, according to Davidson.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624291759233.png" alt="Police at the scene of the shooting early Sunday -photo courtesy KWCH TV" />
 <figcaption>Police at the scene of the shooting early Sunday -photo courtesy KWCH TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting&nbsp;that fatally injured 47-year-old Deandre Freeman of Wichita.Just before 8:30 a.m. Sunday, police responded to a check residence call at a home in the 1700 block of North Harding in Wichita, according to Office Charley Davidson. Upon arrival, officers entered the home and found Freeman had been shot multiple times.&nbsp; He was pronounced deceased on the scene.&nbsp; Officers also located a 53-year-old man who had been shot.&nbsp; He was taken to an area hospital in critical condition and remains hospitalized.The investigation revealed the two victims, a suspect and two other men were all at the home and are known to each other.&nbsp; A disturbance occurred between the suspect and others when the suspect fired multiple shots striking the victims.&nbsp;Detectives are working to locate individuals involved in this case.&nbsp; This was not a random incident, according to Davidson.

Police ID Kan. man who died in Father's Day shooting

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a <a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/public-inspection/2021-13262/tip-regulations-under-the-fair-labor-standards-act-partial-withdrawal" target="_blank">Notice of Proposed Rulemaking</a>
 to limit the amount of non-tip producing work that a tipped employee 
can perform when an employer is taking a tip credit. The proposed rule 
clarifies when an employee is working in a tipped occupation and when a 
worker has performed such a substantial amount of non-tipped labor that 
an employer can no longer take a tip credit and must pay the full 
federal minimum wage to the worker.

The <a href="https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/flsa">Fair Labor Standards Act</a>
 allows employers with tipped workers to pay as little as $2.13 per hour
 in direct wages, while taking a credit against the tips earned by the 
employee to make up the balance of the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per
 hour.

The proposed rule also clarifies that an employer may 
only take a tip credit when tipped employees perform labor that is part 
of their tipped occupation. Work considered part of the tipped 
occupation includes labor that produces tips and labor that directly 
supports tip-producing work, so long as the employee does not perform it
 for a substantial amount of time. For example, waiting on tables is an 
example of labor that produces tips for the worker. Labor that supports a
 server’s tip-producing work includes a server folding napkins or 
refilling salt and pepper shakers.

The proposed rule also clarifies that if an employee 
performs work that directly supports tip-producing work for a 
substantial amount of time – that exceeds 20 percent of all of the hours
 worked during the employee’s workweek or exceeds 30 continuous minutes –
 that worker is no longer performing labor that is part of the tipped 
occupation.

The proposal clarifies that employers may not take a tip credit for work that is not part of the tipped occupation. 

“Tipped workers are among those who continue to be 
hardest hit as we emerge from the pandemic, and the Wage and Hour 
Division continues to prioritize protecting these essential front-line 
workers,” said Wage and Hour Division Principal Deputy Administrator 
Jessica Looman. “This proposed rule provides more clarity and certainty 
for employers while better protecting workers. It helps ensure that 
tipped workers are treated with dignity and respect, and that they 
receive wages appropriate for the work they perform.” 

The department invites comments from the public on the proposed rule at <a href="http://www.regulations.gov" target="_blank">www.regulations.gov</a>. The comment period closes Aug. 23, 2021.

Anyone who submits a comment (including duplicate 
comments) should understand and expect that the comment, including any 
personal information provided, will become a matter of public record. 
The division will post comments without change at <a href="https://www.regulations.gov/" target="_blank">www.regulations.gov</a>
 and include any personal information provided. The division posts 
comments gathered and submitted by a third-party organization as a 
group, using a single document ID number at the site.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615920467817.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>U.S. Department of LaborWASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a <a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/public-inspection/2021-13262/tip-regulations-under-the-fair-labor-standards-act-partial-withdrawal" target="_blank">Notice of Proposed Rulemaking</a>
 to limit the amount of non-tip producing work that a tipped employee 
can perform when an employer is taking a tip credit. The proposed rule 
clarifies when an employee is working in a tipped occupation and when a 
worker has performed such a substantial amount of non-tipped labor that 
an employer can no longer take a tip credit and must pay the full 
federal minimum wage to the worker. The <a href="https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/flsa">Fair Labor Standards Act</a>
 allows employers with tipped workers to pay as little as $2.13 per hour
 in direct wages, while taking a credit against the tips earned by the 
employee to make up the balance of the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per
 hour.The proposed rule also clarifies that an employer may 
only take a tip credit when tipped employees perform labor that is part 
of their tipped occupation. Work considered part of the tipped 
occupation includes labor that produces tips and labor that directly 
supports tip-producing work, so long as the employee does not perform it
 for a substantial amount of time. For example, waiting on tables is an 
example of labor that produces tips for the worker. Labor that supports a
 server’s tip-producing work includes a server folding napkins or 
refilling salt and pepper shakers.The proposed rule also clarifies that if an employee 
performs work that directly supports tip-producing work for a 
substantial amount of time – that exceeds 20 percent of all of the hours
 worked during the employee’s workweek or exceeds 30 continuous minutes –
 that worker is no longer performing labor that is part of the tipped 
occupation.The proposal clarifies that employers may not take a tip credit for work that is not part of the tipped occupation. “Tipped workers are among those who continue to be 
hardest hit as we emerge from the pandemic, and the Wage and Hour 
Division continues to prioritize protecting these essential front-line 
workers,” said Wage and Hour Division Principal Deputy Administrator 
Jessica Looman. “This proposed rule provides more clarity and certainty 
for employers while better protecting workers. It helps ensure that 
tipped workers are treated with dignity and respect, and that they 
receive wages appropriate for the work they perform.” The department invites comments from the public on the proposed rule at <a href="http://www.regulations.gov" target="_blank">www.regulations.gov</a>. The comment period closes Aug. 23, 2021.Anyone who submits a comment (including duplicate 
comments) should understand and expect that the comment, including any 
personal information provided, will become a matter of public record. 
The division will post comments without change at <a href="https://www.regulations.gov/" target="_blank">www.regulations.gov</a>
 and include any personal information provided. The division posts 
comments gathered and submitted by a third-party organization as a 
group, using a single document ID number at the site.

U.S. Labor Department issued proposal to protect tipped workers

By KEN CARPENTER <a href="https://greatbendpost.com">Great Bend Post</a>

HOISINGTON — U.S. Sen. 
Jerry Moran stopped in Hoisington on&nbsp;Friday&nbsp;afternoon for a town hall 
meeting. About 30 people attended&nbsp;the event&nbsp;in the showroom at Ehler Chevrolet.&nbsp;Before taking questions, Moran addressed the crowd 
for about 15 minutes.&nbsp;He spent much of&nbsp;that time discussing veterans' 
access to healthcare in rural communities including veteran suicide.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"The
 challenge of veteran suicide in part is if you live in Barton County or
 you live&nbsp;where we come from, the services if they exist are someplace 
else,” Moran said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Moran said approximately 20 veterans commit 
suicide every day in the United States.&nbsp;As the previous chairman of the 
Senate Veteran Affairs Committee,&nbsp;Moran&nbsp;co-authored&nbsp;the&nbsp;Veterans Mental 
Health Care Improvement Act which was signed into law last year. That 
measure&nbsp;is designed to increase the number of mental health care workers
 at&nbsp;VA&nbsp;hospitals.&nbsp;It also&nbsp;allows local health care providers to&nbsp;offer 
treatment for&nbsp;veterans.&nbsp;

"We’re trying to take 
programs,&nbsp;particularly for&nbsp;rural communities, that would be only in the 
VA and get community organizations to help provide&nbsp;our&nbsp;services to 
veterans&nbsp;here at home,” Moran said.&nbsp;

Moran said that&nbsp;rural communities&nbsp;also benefit&nbsp;if healthcare dollars&nbsp;are spent locally.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624289576169.jpeg" alt="U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran speaks to citizens during a town hall hosted by Ehler Chevrolet in Hoisington on Friday." />
 <figcaption>U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran speaks to citizens during a town hall hosted by Ehler Chevrolet in Hoisington on Friday.</figcaption>
 </figure>By KEN CARPENTER <a href="https://greatbendpost.com">Great Bend Post</a>HOISINGTON — U.S. Sen. 
Jerry Moran stopped in Hoisington on&nbsp;Friday&nbsp;afternoon for a town hall 
meeting. About 30 people attended&nbsp;the event&nbsp;in the showroom at Ehler Chevrolet.&nbsp;Before taking questions, Moran addressed the crowd 
for about 15 minutes.&nbsp;He spent much of&nbsp;that time discussing veterans' 
access to healthcare in rural communities including veteran suicide.&nbsp;&nbsp;"The
 challenge of veteran suicide in part is if you live in Barton County or
 you live&nbsp;where we come from, the services if they exist are someplace 
else,” Moran said.&nbsp;&nbsp;Moran said approximately 20 veterans commit 
suicide every day in the United States.&nbsp;As the previous chairman of the 
Senate Veteran Affairs Committee,&nbsp;Moran&nbsp;co-authored&nbsp;the&nbsp;Veterans Mental 
Health Care Improvement Act which was signed into law last year. That 
measure&nbsp;is designed to increase the number of mental health care workers
 at&nbsp;VA&nbsp;hospitals.&nbsp;It also&nbsp;allows local health care providers to&nbsp;offer 
treatment for&nbsp;veterans.&nbsp;"We’re trying to take 
programs,&nbsp;particularly for&nbsp;rural communities, that would be only in the 
VA and get community organizations to help provide&nbsp;our&nbsp;services to 
veterans&nbsp;here at home,” Moran said.&nbsp;Moran said that&nbsp;rural communities&nbsp;also benefit&nbsp;if healthcare dollars&nbsp;are spent locally.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Moran talks about veterans health care at town hall

By ABIGAIL CENSKY <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-06-18/what-happens-when-a-kansas-school-board-uses-youtube-for-meetings-and-someone-dishes-up-bad-science">Kansas News Service</a>

OVERLAND PARK&nbsp;— At the mid-May Shawnee Mission School Board meeting, state Sen. Mike Thompson, a former Kansas City meteorologist, <a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/education/article251554913.html" target="_blank">showed up</a> mask-less to protest the district’s mask policy.

Thompson said masks exposed children to potential carcinogens.

“Think
 of it this way,” said Thompson. “I’m about six feet tall. Saying that 
this mask is going to block the virus is like saying I can’t walk 
through a doorway 6,000 feet tall and 2,000 feet wide.”

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says wearing face masks <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/science/science-briefs/masking-science-sars-cov2.html" target="_blank">does</a> prevent the spread of COVID-19.

YouTube
 — which the school board uses to stream its meetings — deemed 
statements from Thompson and other speakers so dangerous that the tech 
giant pulled the entire meeting off its platform for spreading medical 
misinformation.

That leaves the district in a quandary. Does it 
strip out the public comment portion of its streamed meetings to avoid a
 YouTube ban? Or would that effectively censor any criticism of the 
school board. It’s tough because Shawnee Mission has grown dependent on 
YouTube.

“It's accessible. It's easy to use. So, it's a great platform,” said Shawnee Mission spokesperson
 David Smith, “But we absolutely have to be concerned because we don’t 
want to lose the ability to use that platform.”

In the age of 
COVID-19 and social media, streaming public meetings offers a convenient
 way to let residents track critical debates on decisions about their 
taxes, their children, their communities.

At the same time, Big 
Tech is grappling with how to choke-out viral misinformation. But 
conversations at the meetings of city councils, school boards and other 
parts of local government can be riddled with conspiracies and 
half-truths without fact checkers to keep the record straight.

Shortly after last month’s meeting, a warning popped up on the 
Shawnee Mission School District’s webpage that more violations of 
YouTube’s policies aimed at fighting disinformation might take meetings 
offline.

The district wouldn’t be able to upload, post, or live stream for one week. YouTube <a href="https://www.youtube.com/howyoutubeworks/policies/community-guidelines/#enforcing-policies" target="_blank">community guidelines </a>state after three strikes in a 90-day period, an account can be terminated.

That
 could mean a lot of trouble for the district. It has 10 years of videos
 archived on the platform, and it uses benefits like live streaming and 
automatic closed captioning for free. The cost of moving to another 
platform would start at $20,000, Smith said.

In a statement, 
YouTube spokesperson Elena Hernandez said, “We apply our policies 
equally, regardless of the speaker or setting of the video.”

YouTube
 says that in some cases videos with medical misinformation are allowed 
to stay on the platform if they have an audio or visual disclaimer 
refuting the false claims or sharing CDC guidelines about the 
effectiveness of masks to prevent COVID-19. If an account holder 
disagrees with YouTube’s decision, they can appeal.

Katie Paul, 
director of the industry watchdog Tech Transparency Project, said the 
misinformation policy is fine. But her group is critical more broadly of
 how Big Tech moderates content.

“That is to rely on the cheapest 
option, which is (artificial intelligence),” said Paul. “But AI is not 
perfect, and it’s effective in some cases, but takes down incorrect 
content.”

She argued that companies like YouTube need to rely less
 on their algorithms to sort out content, and spend more heavily on 
workers who can pick up on the subtleties that computer programs can’t 
catch.

YouTube did not respond to questions about the role of artificial intelligence in flagging the Shawnee Mission video.

Shawnee Mission isn’t alone. Accounts in <a href="https://www.southeastiowaunion.com/news/city-council-forum-leads-to-youtube-suspending-account/" target="_blank">Iowa</a> and <a href="https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/2021/04/09/youtube-removes-video-of-desantis-coronavirus-roundtable/#" target="_blank">Florida</a> streaming public or government meetings have also been flagged for spreading medical misinformation. In early March, <a href="https://www.axios.com/youtube-removed-30000-covid19-vaccine-videos-misinformation-a8968086-95a4-4d5e-86da-0e22ddbc1b6a.html" target="_blank">Axios</a> reported YouTube removed 30,000 videos for spreading medical misinformation in a six-month period.

But
 Paul said the application of the policy has been uneven at best, and is
 “ultimately not removing the content that’s most egregious and at the 
same time removing content that should remain on the platform.”

Now
 the Johnson County school board is looking for a way forward. At a 
mid-June meeting, some board members made the case for extracting public
 comment from the streamed meeting entirely. People could still show up 
and speak before the board, but it wouldn’t be uploaded to YouTube.

Board member Jamie Borgman argued public comment was how teachers made their voices heard during <a href="https://www.kcur.org/education/2020-03-02/how-a-protracted-fight-over-kansas-school-funding-fueled-shawnee-missions-teacher-contract-dispute" target="_blank">fraught union contract negotiations</a>, and how Shawnee Tribe Chief Ben Barnes spoke about the district’s <a href="https://www.npr.org/2021/05/21/999241565/kansas-city-school-district-retires-offensive-native-american-mascots" target="_blank">previous mascot</a>.

“We’re
 putting all of our eggs in this YouTube basket,” said Borgman. “We want
 to ditch public comment because we’re afraid our meetings are going to 
get pulled from YouTube, but I think we need to look bigger.”

She’s
 advocating that the district move to a third party platform to stream 
its meetings. But that would come with a price and could mean losing the
 space to archive 10 years of district videos, and leaving the 
ubiquitous social media channel.

At the June meeting, board 
members were split on whether to stay with YouTube or leave. They’ll 
likely broach the issue again twice before making a final decision.

“I
 do not want to see us let a small group of people with some medical 
misinformation deprive our entire community of seeing what kind of 
comments are coming before this board,” said board member Jessica 
Hembree. “That’s important.”

Abigail Censky is the political reporter for the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter<a href="https://twitter.com/AbigailCensky" target="_blank"> @AbigailCensky</a> or email her at abigailcensky@kcur.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624283197458.png" alt="The mid-May meeting of the Shawnee Mission school board was pulled off of the school district's YouTube channel for spreading medical misinformation. " />
 <figcaption>The mid-May meeting of the Shawnee Mission school board was pulled off of the school district's YouTube channel for spreading medical misinformation. </figcaption>
 </figure>By ABIGAIL CENSKY <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-06-18/what-happens-when-a-kansas-school-board-uses-youtube-for-meetings-and-someone-dishes-up-bad-science">Kansas News Service</a>OVERLAND PARK&nbsp;— At the mid-May Shawnee Mission School Board meeting, state Sen. Mike Thompson, a former Kansas City meteorologist, <a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/education/article251554913.html" target="_blank">showed up</a> mask-less to protest the district’s mask policy.Thompson said masks exposed children to potential carcinogens.“Think
 of it this way,” said Thompson. “I’m about six feet tall. Saying that 
this mask is going to block the virus is like saying I can’t walk 
through a doorway 6,000 feet tall and 2,000 feet wide.”His claims about masks weren’t true.The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says wearing face masks <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/science/science-briefs/masking-science-sars-cov2.html" target="_blank">does</a> prevent the spread of COVID-19.YouTube
 — which the school board uses to stream its meetings — deemed 
statements from Thompson and other speakers so dangerous that the tech 
giant pulled the entire meeting off its platform for spreading medical 
misinformation.That leaves the district in a quandary. Does it 
strip out the public comment portion of its streamed meetings to avoid a
 YouTube ban? Or would that effectively censor any criticism of the 
school board. It’s tough because Shawnee Mission has grown dependent on 
YouTube.“It's accessible. It's easy to use. So, it's a great platform,” said Shawnee Mission spokesperson
 David Smith, “But we absolutely have to be concerned because we don’t 
want to lose the ability to use that platform.”In the age of 
COVID-19 and social media, streaming public meetings offers a convenient
 way to let residents track critical debates on decisions about their 
taxes, their children, their communities.At the same time, Big 
Tech is grappling with how to choke-out viral misinformation. But 
conversations at the meetings of city councils, school boards and other 
parts of local government can be riddled with conspiracies and 
half-truths without fact checkers to keep the record straight.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624283275388.png" alt="Shawnee Mission school district sign outside of the Center for Academic Excellence. Abigail Censky" />
 <figcaption>Shawnee Mission school district sign outside of the Center for Academic Excellence. Abigail Censky</figcaption>
 </figure>Shortly after last month’s meeting, a warning popped up on the 
Shawnee Mission School District’s webpage that more violations of 
YouTube’s policies aimed at fighting disinformation might take meetings 
offline.The district wouldn’t be able to upload, post, or live stream for one week. YouTube <a href="https://www.youtube.com/howyoutubeworks/policies/community-guidelines/#enforcing-policies" target="_blank">community guidelines </a>state after three strikes in a 90-day period, an account can be terminated.That
 could mean a lot of trouble for the district. It has 10 years of videos
 archived on the platform, and it uses benefits like live streaming and 
automatic closed captioning for free. The cost of moving to another 
platform would start at $20,000, Smith said.In a statement, 
YouTube spokesperson Elena Hernandez said, “We apply our policies 
equally, regardless of the speaker or setting of the video.”YouTube
 says that in some cases videos with medical misinformation are allowed 
to stay on the platform if they have an audio or visual disclaimer 
refuting the false claims or sharing CDC guidelines about the 
effectiveness of masks to prevent COVID-19. If an account holder 
disagrees with YouTube’s decision, they can appeal.Katie Paul, 
director of the industry watchdog Tech Transparency Project, said the 
misinformation policy is fine. But her group is critical more broadly of
 how Big Tech moderates content.“That is to rely on the cheapest 
option, which is (artificial intelligence),” said Paul. “But AI is not 
perfect, and it’s effective in some cases, but takes down incorrect 
content.”She argued that companies like YouTube need to rely less
 on their algorithms to sort out content, and spend more heavily on 
workers who can pick up on the subtleties that computer programs can’t 
catch.YouTube did not respond to questions about the role of artificial intelligence in flagging the Shawnee Mission video.Shawnee Mission isn’t alone. Accounts in <a href="https://www.southeastiowaunion.com/news/city-council-forum-leads-to-youtube-suspending-account/" target="_blank">Iowa</a> and <a href="https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/2021/04/09/youtube-removes-video-of-desantis-coronavirus-roundtable/#" target="_blank">Florida</a> streaming public or government meetings have also been flagged for spreading medical misinformation. In early March, <a href="https://www.axios.com/youtube-removed-30000-covid19-vaccine-videos-misinformation-a8968086-95a4-4d5e-86da-0e22ddbc1b6a.html" target="_blank">Axios</a> reported YouTube removed 30,000 videos for spreading medical misinformation in a six-month period.But
 Paul said the application of the policy has been uneven at best, and is
 “ultimately not removing the content that’s most egregious and at the 
same time removing content that should remain on the platform.”Now
 the Johnson County school board is looking for a way forward. At a 
mid-June meeting, some board members made the case for extracting public
 comment from the streamed meeting entirely. People could still show up 
and speak before the board, but it wouldn’t be uploaded to YouTube.Board member Jamie Borgman argued public comment was how teachers made their voices heard during <a href="https://www.kcur.org/education/2020-03-02/how-a-protracted-fight-over-kansas-school-funding-fueled-shawnee-missions-teacher-contract-dispute" target="_blank">fraught union contract negotiations</a>, and how Shawnee Tribe Chief Ben Barnes spoke about the district’s <a href="https://www.npr.org/2021/05/21/999241565/kansas-city-school-district-retires-offensive-native-american-mascots" target="_blank">previous mascot</a>.“We’re
 putting all of our eggs in this YouTube basket,” said Borgman. “We want
 to ditch public comment because we’re afraid our meetings are going to 
get pulled from YouTube, but I think we need to look bigger.”She’s
 advocating that the district move to a third party platform to stream 
its meetings. But that would come with a price and could mean losing the
 space to archive 10 years of district videos, and leaving the 
ubiquitous social media channel.At the June meeting, board 
members were split on whether to stay with YouTube or leave. They’ll 
likely broach the issue again twice before making a final decision.“I
 do not want to see us let a small group of people with some medical 
misinformation deprive our entire community of seeing what kind of 
comments are coming before this board,” said board member Jessica 
Hembree. “That’s important.”Abigail Censky is the political reporter for the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter<a href="https://twitter.com/AbigailCensky" target="_blank"> @AbigailCensky</a> or email her at abigailcensky@kcur.org.

Bad science, Big Tech at heart of Kan. school board meeting drama

MITCHELL COUNTY&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation, along with the Cloud County Sheriff’s Office and the Mitchell County Sheriff’s Office, have identified the human skeletal remains that were located in April, along the Mitchell and Cloud County line, according to a media release from the KBI.

Due to the advanced decomposition of the recovered remains, positive identification was challenging. DNA extracted from the remains was compared to DNA samples obtained from probable family members. The DNA profiles closely matched, resulting in his identification.

The deceased individual was identified as 40-year-old Waylon Fort, of El Dorado, Kan. The investigation into Fort’s death did not reveal evidence of foul play.

The investigative findings will be submitted to the Cloud County Attorney’s Office and the Mitchell County Attorney’s Office for review.

MITCHELL COUNTY&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) is investigating after human skeletal remains were located along the Mitchell and Cloud County line, according to a media release from the agency.

On Monday morning, April 26, just before noon, the KBI was asked by the Mitchell County Sheriff’s Office and the Cloud County Sheriff’s Office to investigate after they located human skeletal remains near Highway 9 and County Road 757, east of Beloit, Kan. KBI agents and the Crime Scene Response Team responded.

The Mitchell County Sheriff’s Office and the Cloud County Sheriff’s Office began searching the area on Monday morning after a resident notified law enforcement at about 10:25 a.m. that they had found a human bone. Authorities made the discovery of the remains soon after.

The KBI is working to determine what caused the person’s death. The remains have not yet been positively identified.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624301961597.png" alt="Waylon Fort, of El Dorado, Kan.-photo Mitchell County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Waylon Fort, of El Dorado, Kan.-photo Mitchell County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>MITCHELL COUNTY&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation, along with the Cloud County Sheriff’s Office and the Mitchell County Sheriff’s Office, have identified the human skeletal remains that were located in April, along the Mitchell and Cloud County line, according to a media release from the KBI.Due to the advanced decomposition of the recovered remains, positive identification was challenging. DNA extracted from the remains was compared to DNA samples obtained from probable family members. The DNA profiles closely matched, resulting in his identification.The deceased individual was identified as 40-year-old Waylon Fort, of El Dorado, Kan. The investigation into Fort’s death did not reveal evidence of foul play.The investigative findings will be submitted to the Cloud County Attorney’s Office and the Mitchell County Attorney’s Office for review.---------MITCHELL COUNTY&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) is investigating after human skeletal remains were located along the Mitchell and Cloud County line, according to a media release from the agency.On Monday morning, April 26, just before noon, the KBI was asked by the Mitchell County Sheriff’s Office and the Cloud County Sheriff’s Office to investigate after they located human skeletal remains near Highway 9 and County Road 757, east of Beloit, Kan. KBI agents and the Crime Scene Response Team responded.The Mitchell County Sheriff’s Office and the Cloud County Sheriff’s Office began searching the area on Monday morning after a resident notified law enforcement at about 10:25 a.m. that they had found a human bone. Authorities made the discovery of the remains soon after.The KBI is working to determine what caused the person’s death. The remains have not yet been positively identified.

KBI IDs human remains found in north-central Kanas

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 156 to a total of 316,659, the state health department reported Monday afternoon.&nbsp;

The state reported no new COVID-19 deaths.

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

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

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 156 to a total of 316,659, the state health department reported Monday afternoon.&nbsp;The state reported no new COVID-19 deaths.<a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data">Click here for Data</a> about the COVID-19 vaccine.<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional virus numbers from the KDHE.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624295259727.png" alt="Monday June 21, 2021 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Monday June 21, 2021 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>

KDHE: Latest coronavirus numbers in Kansas

BRANSON, Mo. (AP) — A 12-year-old boy is hospitalized after an accident at a roller coaster attraction in Branson.

Branson officials say the accident happened about 7:30 p.m. Sunday at The Branson Coaster. Emergency responders found the child trapped on a ride with what appeared to be serious injuries.

The child had to be extricated. He was flown by helicopter to a Springfield hospital. Details about his injuries have not been released. The Missouri State Fire Marshall's office is investigating the cause of the accident.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624290162308.png" alt="First responders on the scene at the roller coaster in Branson photo <a href="https://www.ky3.com/2021/06/21/firefighters-rescue-person-entrapped-underneath-branson-coaster-sunday/">courtesy KYTV</a>" />
 <figcaption>First responders on the scene at the roller coaster in Branson photo <a href="https://www.ky3.com/2021/06/21/firefighters-rescue-person-entrapped-underneath-branson-coaster-sunday/">courtesy KYTV</a></figcaption>
 </figure>BRANSON, Mo. (AP) — A 12-year-old boy is hospitalized after an accident at a roller coaster attraction in Branson.Branson officials say the accident happened about 7:30 p.m. Sunday at The Branson Coaster. Emergency responders found the child trapped on a ride with what appeared to be serious injuries.The child had to be extricated. He was flown by helicopter to a Springfield hospital. Details about his injuries have not been released. The Missouri State Fire Marshall's office is investigating the cause of the accident.

12-year-old injured in Branson roller coaster accident

By NICK GOSNELL <a href="https://hutchpost.com">Hutch Post</a>


HUTCHINSON — 
Combating elder abuse has been a big emphasis of Kansas Attorney General
 Derek Schmidt during his tenure in that post and he highlighted some 
ways the Kansas Legislature came to the aid of older Kansans in an 
interview with Hutch Post this week.

"They created a statute that 
encourages and enables the creation of what they call multidisciplinary 
teams to combat elder abuse all around the state," Schmidt said. "This 
is a concept that's well proven and it's pretty common sense. The basic 
idea is everybody who works on part of the problem, whether they are law
 enforcement, prosecutors, social workers, volunteers, other community 
leaders, whatever it may be, they come together around a table 
periodically and they compare notes on cases to make sure that the right
 hand and the left hand are coordinated across disciplines, multi 
disciplines."

These groups have worked well in the state's urban 
areas, but because of jurisdictional issues, this legislation was needed
 to make the functions work better in the rural parts of the state. 
Also, the Legislature has given the laws against abusing elderly people 
more teeth.

"They actually raised the criminal penalties and 
lengthened the prison terms for people who abuse," Schmidt said. 
"Mistreatment of an elder person is a crime. Again, I think it's going 
to be a very useful tool in trying to combat elder abuse and bring to 
justice those who commit it."

Schmidt also joined a bipartisan 
coalition of state attorneys general in a letter to the U.S. Senate 
urging passage of H.R. 1215, known as the “Stop Senior Scams Act.” The 
measure, which has passed the U.S. House and has 21 sponsoring senators,
 would provide innovative ways to combat the financial exploitation of 
seniors.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623421939632.png" alt=" Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt / Credit Kansas News Service file photo" />
 <figcaption> Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt / Credit Kansas News Service file photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By NICK GOSNELL <a href="https://hutchpost.com">Hutch Post</a>
HUTCHINSON — 
Combating elder abuse has been a big emphasis of Kansas Attorney General
 Derek Schmidt during his tenure in that post and he highlighted some 
ways the Kansas Legislature came to the aid of older Kansans in an 
interview with Hutch Post this week."They created a statute that 
encourages and enables the creation of what they call multidisciplinary 
teams to combat elder abuse all around the state," Schmidt said. "This 
is a concept that's well proven and it's pretty common sense. The basic 
idea is everybody who works on part of the problem, whether they are law
 enforcement, prosecutors, social workers, volunteers, other community 
leaders, whatever it may be, they come together around a table 
periodically and they compare notes on cases to make sure that the right
 hand and the left hand are coordinated across disciplines, multi 
disciplines."These groups have worked well in the state's urban 
areas, but because of jurisdictional issues, this legislation was needed
 to make the functions work better in the rural parts of the state. 
Also, the Legislature has given the laws against abusing elderly people 
more teeth."They actually raised the criminal penalties and 
lengthened the prison terms for people who abuse," Schmidt said. 
"Mistreatment of an elder person is a crime. Again, I think it's going 
to be a very useful tool in trying to combat elder abuse and bring to 
justice those who commit it."Schmidt also joined a bipartisan 
coalition of state attorneys general in a letter to the U.S. Senate 
urging passage of H.R. 1215, known as the “Stop Senior Scams Act.” The 
measure, which has passed the U.S. House and has 21 sponsoring senators,
 would provide innovative ways to combat the financial exploitation of 
seniors.

Schmidt: Kansas Legislature helped combat elder abuse

BARTON COUNTY —The Judge in a Kansas man's child sex crime trial declared a mistrial Friday when the jury informed the court they were deadlocked.

Nicholas Schwerdtfeger, a Kansas Sex offender with numerous child sex crime convictions dating back to 2007 faced a new charge&nbsp; of Aggravated Indecent Liberties with a Child after a girl at Great Bend Middle School reported a sex offense to a school resource officer in October of 2019, according to Great Bend Police.&nbsp;

USD 428 said the incident did not take place at the school and that the accused offender was not a district employee.&nbsp;

As a result of the mistrial, the State of Kansas has the option to set the matter for a second trial. The court will review the defendant’s bond early this week.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624281623523.png" alt="Nicholas Schwerdtfeger photo Barton County" />
 <figcaption>Nicholas Schwerdtfeger photo Barton County</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY —The Judge in a Kansas man's child sex crime trial declared a mistrial Friday when the jury informed the court they were deadlocked.Nicholas Schwerdtfeger, a Kansas Sex offender with numerous child sex crime convictions dating back to 2007 faced a new charge&nbsp; of Aggravated Indecent Liberties with a Child after a girl at Great Bend Middle School reported a sex offense to a school resource officer in October of 2019, according to Great Bend Police.&nbsp;USD 428 said the incident did not take place at the school and that the accused offender was not a district employee.&nbsp;As a result of the mistrial, the State of Kansas has the option to set the matter for a second trial. The court will review the defendant’s bond early this week.

Mistrial in Kansas sex offender's new child sex crime trial

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Two Kansas City police officers who are facing assault charges and several lawsuits stemming from a 2019 arrest were also involved in an earlier shooting.

The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article252180953.html">reports&nbsp;</a>that newly released records show that Officers Charles Prichard and Matthew Brummett were involved in a January 2019 shooting during an arrest in which a man was wounded after reaching for one of the officers' guns.

The 2019 shooting was reviewed earlier this year by an internal panel of police officials. It did not recommend any action be taken in response to the shooting, and no charges were filed against the officers in that arrest. The 32-year-old man who was wounded in the arrest later pleaded guilty to attempted robbery, attempted stealing and resisting arrest and was placed on probation.

Prichard and Brummett pleaded not guilty last year to felony assault in the arrest of Breona Hill in 2019. Court records say a video of Hill’s arrest showed officers pushing her face into the sidewalk and kneeling on her. They have been on administrative duty since their 2020 indictments and they are scheduled to face trial in that arrest later this year.

Brummett, 38, and Prichard, 48, are also facing lawsuits related to Hill’s arrest and a separate 2019 arrest in which they were accused of hitting a man several times while arresting him.

Community leaders said the events show a pattern of misconduct. The Rev. Vernon Howard, president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference of Greater Kansas City, said the officers shouldn’t have been allowed to keep their jobs after these incidents.

“This is totally unacceptable,” Howard said.

Police department officials declined to answer questions about the officers and their conduct last week. Previously, they said they wouldn’t comment on the pending lawsuits.

An attorney representing Prichard and Brummett didn’t respond to calls from the newspaper.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589657213001.png" alt="Image from the video of the arrest of Breona Hill -courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Image from the video of the arrest of Breona Hill -courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — Two Kansas City police officers who are facing assault charges and several lawsuits stemming from a 2019 arrest were also involved in an earlier shooting.The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article252180953.html">reports&nbsp;</a>that newly released records show that Officers Charles Prichard and Matthew Brummett were involved in a January 2019 shooting during an arrest in which a man was wounded after reaching for one of the officers' guns.The 2019 shooting was reviewed earlier this year by an internal panel of police officials. It did not recommend any action be taken in response to the shooting, and no charges were filed against the officers in that arrest. The 32-year-old man who was wounded in the arrest later pleaded guilty to attempted robbery, attempted stealing and resisting arrest and was placed on probation.Prichard and Brummett pleaded not guilty last year to felony assault in the arrest of Breona Hill in 2019. Court records say a video of Hill’s arrest showed officers pushing her face into the sidewalk and kneeling on her. They have been on administrative duty since their 2020 indictments and they are scheduled to face trial in that arrest later this year.Brummett, 38, and Prichard, 48, are also facing lawsuits related to Hill’s arrest and a separate 2019 arrest in which they were accused of hitting a man several times while arresting him.Community leaders said the events show a pattern of misconduct. The Rev. Vernon Howard, president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference of Greater Kansas City, said the officers shouldn’t have been allowed to keep their jobs after these incidents.“This is totally unacceptable,” Howard said.Police department officials declined to answer questions about the officers and their conduct last week. Previously, they said they wouldn’t comment on the pending lawsuits.An attorney representing Prichard and Brummett didn’t respond to calls from the newspaper.

2 KC PD officers charged with assault involved in earlier shooting

WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — The Department of Veterans Affairs is moving to offer transgender veterans gender confirmation surgery, Secretary Denis McDonough announced at a Pride Month event in Orlando Saturday.

McDonough said in prepared remarks that the move was “the right thing to do,” and that it was part of an effort to overcome a “dark history” of discrimination against LGBTQ service members. The move is just the first step in what’s likely to be a yearslong federal rulemaking process to expand VA health benefits to cover the surgery, but McDonough said the VA will use the time to “develop capacity to meet the surgical needs” of transgender veterans.

The decision, he said, will allow “transgender vets to go through the full gender confirmation process with VA by their side.” McDonough also referenced what he said were higher rates of mental illness and suicidal thoughts among LGBTQ veterans, and a fear of discrimination that prevents those veterans from seeking care.

“We’re making these changes not only because they are the right thing to do, but because they can save lives,” he said.

McDonough said the decision was based on the “recommendation of our clinicians, so this is a health care decision that has very real physical health care impacts as well as significant mental health impacts.”

The National Center for Transgender Equality&nbsp;<a href="https://transequality.org/issues/military-veterans" target="_blank">estimates</a>&nbsp;that there are more than 134,000 transgender veterans and over 15,000 transgender individuals serving in the military today.

McDonough’s announcement is the latest in a series of moves by the Biden administration to expand protections and benefits to transgender individuals in the military.

Just days into his term, President Joe Biden signed an executive order overturning a Trump administration ban on transgender individuals serving in the military. And in February, McDonough&nbsp;<a href="https://blogs.va.gov/VAntage/85152/secretary-orders-review-vas-transgender-policies/" target="_blank">ordered a review</a>&nbsp;of the department’s policies to “ensure that transgender Veterans and employees do not face discrimination on the basis of their gender identity and expression.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624278338586.png" alt="VA Secretary Denis McDonough’s announcement during a weekend Pride Month event in Orlando is the latest in a series of moves by the Biden administration to expand protections and benefits to transgender individuals in the military- photo courtesy Albert Guerrero" />
 <figcaption>VA Secretary Denis McDonough’s announcement during a weekend Pride Month event in Orlando is the latest in a series of moves by the Biden administration to expand protections and benefits to transgender individuals in the military- photo courtesy Albert Guerrero</figcaption>
 </figure>WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — The Department of Veterans Affairs is moving to offer transgender veterans gender confirmation surgery, Secretary Denis McDonough announced at a Pride Month event in Orlando Saturday.McDonough said in prepared remarks that the move was “the right thing to do,” and that it was part of an effort to overcome a “dark history” of discrimination against LGBTQ service members. The move is just the first step in what’s likely to be a yearslong federal rulemaking process to expand VA health benefits to cover the surgery, but McDonough said the VA will use the time to “develop capacity to meet the surgical needs” of transgender veterans.The decision, he said, will allow “transgender vets to go through the full gender confirmation process with VA by their side.” McDonough also referenced what he said were higher rates of mental illness and suicidal thoughts among LGBTQ veterans, and a fear of discrimination that prevents those veterans from seeking care.“We’re making these changes not only because they are the right thing to do, but because they can save lives,” he said.McDonough said the decision was based on the “recommendation of our clinicians, so this is a health care decision that has very real physical health care impacts as well as significant mental health impacts.”The National Center for Transgender Equality&nbsp;<a href="https://transequality.org/issues/military-veterans" target="_blank">estimates</a>&nbsp;that there are more than 134,000 transgender veterans and over 15,000 transgender individuals serving in the military today.McDonough’s announcement is the latest in a series of moves by the Biden administration to expand protections and benefits to transgender individuals in the military.Just days into his term, President Joe Biden signed an executive order overturning a Trump administration ban on transgender individuals serving in the military. And in February, McDonough&nbsp;<a href="https://blogs.va.gov/VAntage/85152/secretary-orders-review-vas-transgender-policies/" target="_blank">ordered a review</a>&nbsp;of the department’s policies to “ensure that transgender Veterans and employees do not face discrimination on the basis of their gender identity and expression.”

VA will now provide full gender confirmation surgery to vets

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.

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.

<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 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 rifle he used to attack police-Image Wichita Police&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>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.

Update: Kan. officer critically injured, suspect dies in gunfight

WICHITA —The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and the Sedgwick County Health Department are in the preliminary stages of investigating several individuals with diarrheal illness who had visited Tanganyika Wildlife Park in Goddard, Kan., just west of Wichita, according to a media release from the agency.

Several families said their children became sick after visiting the site.

KDHE became aware of the possible link between the cases on Friday, June 18 and began investigation the same day. Tanganyika Wildlife Park voluntarily closed the Splash Park on June 18 immediately after learning of the illnesses.

Tanganyika Wildlife Park’s Director Matt Fouts said on social media&nbsp; that he decided to close the attraction after discussions with the Sedgwick County Health Department.

He said the park is working to fix a filtration system problem, Cameron Vandusen said his 4-year-old daughter, Kennedy, was hospitalized Saturday after she started throwing up. Four other family members who went to the splash park Friday were also throwing up and having diarrhea on Saturday.

If you experienced symptoms of fever, diarrhea or vomiting after visiting Tanganyika Wildlife Park on or after May 28, 2021, please take this survey at&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDAsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTA2MjAuNDIxNzE3NDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3Rpbnl1cmwuY29tL2tkaGVzcGxhc2g_dXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fc291cmNlPWdvdmRlbGl2ZXJ5In0.kdvq3t3XT2EXzMLHYDA8EhdOIcOsD3HGal2gwUpZvbk/s/1305913448/br/108183106576-l" target="_blank">https://tinyurl.com/kdhesplash</a>.

If you live in Sedgwick County, and do not have access to a computer to complete the survey, contact the Sedgwick County Health Department via email at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:DiseaseReporting@sedgwick.gov" target="_blank">DiseaseReporting@sedgwick.gov</a>&nbsp;or call the COVID-19 line at 316-660-1022 (press 1 to leave a message). Sedgwick County is working to set up a separate, non-COVID phone line which will be released this week.

If you live outside of Sedgwick County and do not have access to a computer to complete the survey, please contact your local health department.

This is very early in the investigation. As KDHE and Sedgwick County continue to further investigate and work with Tanganyika Wildlife Park, updates will be provided to the public and patrons of the park.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624228385006.png" alt="Photo courtesy Tanganyika Wildlife Park" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Tanganyika Wildlife Park</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA —The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and the Sedgwick County Health Department are in the preliminary stages of investigating several individuals with diarrheal illness who had visited Tanganyika Wildlife Park in Goddard, Kan., just west of Wichita, according to a media release from the agency.Several families said their children became sick after visiting the site.KDHE became aware of the possible link between the cases on Friday, June 18 and began investigation the same day. Tanganyika Wildlife Park voluntarily closed the Splash Park on June 18 immediately after learning of the illnesses.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Ftwparkfans%2Fposts%2F10159512874704539&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="282" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>Tanganyika Wildlife Park’s Director Matt Fouts said on social media&nbsp; that he decided to close the attraction after discussions with the Sedgwick County Health Department.He said the park is working to fix a filtration system problem, Cameron Vandusen said his 4-year-old daughter, Kennedy, was hospitalized Saturday after she started throwing up. Four other family members who went to the splash park Friday were also throwing up and having diarrhea on Saturday.If you experienced symptoms of fever, diarrhea or vomiting after visiting Tanganyika Wildlife Park on or after May 28, 2021, please take this survey at&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDAsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTA2MjAuNDIxNzE3NDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3Rpbnl1cmwuY29tL2tkaGVzcGxhc2g_dXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fc291cmNlPWdvdmRlbGl2ZXJ5In0.kdvq3t3XT2EXzMLHYDA8EhdOIcOsD3HGal2gwUpZvbk/s/1305913448/br/108183106576-l" target="_blank">https://tinyurl.com/kdhesplash</a>.If you live in Sedgwick County, and do not have access to a computer to complete the survey, contact the Sedgwick County Health Department via email at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:DiseaseReporting@sedgwick.gov" target="_blank">DiseaseReporting@sedgwick.gov</a>&nbsp;or call the COVID-19 line at 316-660-1022 (press 1 to leave a message). Sedgwick County is working to set up a separate, non-COVID phone line which will be released this week.If you live outside of Sedgwick County and do not have access to a computer to complete the survey, please contact your local health department.This is very early in the investigation. As KDHE and Sedgwick County continue to further investigate and work with Tanganyika Wildlife Park, updates will be provided to the public and patrons of the park.

KDHE wants to hear from families who visited splash park

BARTON COUNTY —A Kansas teen was injured in an accident just after 1a.m. Saturday in Barton County.

A 2001 Ford Expedition driven by a 17-year-old from Ellinwood was southbound in the 300 Block of Northeast 110 Avenue just north of Ellinwood, according to Sheriff Brian Bellendir.

The SUV entered the east ditch struck a farm drive and came back onto the roadway, slid sideways in the road and rolled into the west ditch. First responders found the driver approximately 35 feet beyond where the vehicle came to rest in a wheat field.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The driver was unresponsive at the scene, according to Bellendir. EMS transported him to Ellinwood District Hospital and later he was airlifted to St. Francis Medical Center in Wichita.&nbsp; The sheriff did not release the driver's name.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624246911135.jpeg" alt="First responders found the teen driver approximately 35 feet beyond where the vehicle came to rest in a wheat field.&nbsp;&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>First responders found the teen driver approximately 35 feet beyond where the vehicle came to rest in a wheat field.&nbsp;&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY —A Kansas teen was injured in an accident just after 1a.m. Saturday in Barton County.A 2001 Ford Expedition driven by a 17-year-old from Ellinwood was southbound in the 300 Block of Northeast 110 Avenue just north of Ellinwood, according to Sheriff Brian Bellendir.The SUV entered the east ditch struck a farm drive and came back onto the roadway, slid sideways in the road and rolled into the west ditch. First responders found the driver approximately 35 feet beyond where the vehicle came to rest in a wheat field.&nbsp;&nbsp;The driver was unresponsive at the scene, according to Bellendir. EMS transported him to Ellinwood District Hospital and later he was airlifted to St. Francis Medical Center in Wichita.&nbsp; The sheriff did not release the driver's name.

Sheriff: Kan. teen thrown 35-feet from SUV in rollover accident

OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — Newly released court records say surveillance video has captured a suburban Kansas City day care worker abusing babies more than 170 times, including by shaking and slapping them. 

Twenty-four-year-old Rachel Beth Schrader is on house arrest after she was charged earlier this month in Johnson County District Court with four counts of child abuse. 

The affidavit describes her kicking a child square in the chest in one instance, causing him to fall backward and smack his head. In a police interview, Schrader acknowledged “losing her patience” on Mar. 26, but said that was the only time. Her attorney didn’t immediately return a phone message from The Associated Press on Saturday seeking comment.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624041740593.png" alt="Schrader photo Johnson Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Schrader photo Johnson Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — Newly released court records say surveillance video has captured a suburban Kansas City day care worker abusing babies more than 170 times, including by shaking and slapping them. Twenty-four-year-old Rachel Beth Schrader is on house arrest after she was charged earlier this month in Johnson County District Court with four counts of child abuse. The affidavit describes her kicking a child square in the chest in one instance, causing him to fall backward and smack his head. In a police interview, Schrader acknowledged “losing her patience” on Mar. 26, but said that was the only time. Her attorney didn’t immediately return a phone message from The Associated Press on Saturday seeking comment.

Surveillance video: Kan. woman abused kids at daycare

WICHITA– A Kansas man was sentenced to 210 months in prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance, a Class A Felony, according to the United State's Attorney.

According to court documents, Michael A. Arjona, 40, Wichita, admitted that over several months in 2018 he conspired with other individuals to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine. 

Arjona confessed to a plan to sell the methamphetamine to customers in the Wichita area. Three other people entered guilty pleas to charges related to the drug trafficking ring that Arjona ran. 

Nicholas Brandt, 21, of Wichita was sentenced to 96 months after pleading guilty to Use of a Communication Device to Facilitate a Drug Offense. Cody J. Cobal, 25, of Wichita pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. Matthew A. McMillan, 20, pleaded guilty to Use of a Communication Device to Facilitate a Drug Offense. Cobal and McMillan are awaiting sentencing.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623962953981.png" alt="Arjona is being held in Butler Co." />
 <figcaption>Arjona is being held in Butler Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA– A Kansas man was sentenced to 210 months in prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance, a Class A Felony, according to the United State's Attorney.According to court documents, Michael A. Arjona, 40, Wichita, admitted that over several months in 2018 he conspired with other individuals to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine. Arjona confessed to a plan to sell the methamphetamine to customers in the Wichita area. Three other people entered guilty pleas to charges related to the drug trafficking ring that Arjona ran. Nicholas Brandt, 21, of Wichita was sentenced to 96 months after pleading guilty to Use of a Communication Device to Facilitate a Drug Offense. Cody J. Cobal, 25, of Wichita pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. Matthew A. McMillan, 20, pleaded guilty to Use of a Communication Device to Facilitate a Drug Offense. Cobal and McMillan are awaiting sentencing.

Man who ran Kansas drug ring sentenced to prison

SEATTLE (AP) — Leroy Pascubillo missed his daughter’s first step, her first word and countless other precious milestones. After being born addicted to heroin, she had been placed with a foster family, and he anxiously counted the days between their visits as he tried to regain custody. But because of the pandemic, the visits dwindled and went virtual, and all he could do was watch his daughter — too young to engage via computer — try to crawl through the screen.

They are among thousands of families across the country whose reunifications have been snarled in the foster care system as courts delayed cases, went virtual or temporarily shut down, according to an Associated Press analysis of child welfare data from 34 states.

The decrease in children leaving foster care means families are lingering longer in a system intended to be temporary, as critical services were shuttered or limited. Vulnerable families are suffering long-term and perhaps irreversible damage, experts say, which could leave parents with weakened bonds with their children.

The AP’s analysis found at least 8,700 fewer reunifications during the early months of the pandemic compared with the March-to-December period the year before -- a decrease of 16%. Adoptions, too, dropped — by 23%, according to the analysis. Overall, at least 22,600 fewer children left foster care compared with 2019.

“Everybody needed extra help, and nobody was getting extra help,” said Shawn Powell, a Parents for Parents advocacy program coordinator in King County, Washington.

For months, King County, like many parts of the country, suspended nearly all hearings except emergency orders, which led to prioritizing child removals -- sparked by child welfare reports or other red flags -- over family reunifications. Adoptions slowed to a trickle. Services needed for reunification — psychiatric evaluations, random drug testing, group therapy, mental health counseling, housing assistance, and the public transportation to access these services — also were limited.

For foster care children, even doctor’s appointments must be approved by a judge, and frustrated lawyers say matters as routine as that were affected.

During the period examined in AP’s analysis, the total foster care population dropped 2% overall -- likely a result of the significant decrease in child abuse and neglect reports, where the process to remove a child from a home typically begins.

National data show that the average stay in foster care is about 20 months, which means the children most affected during the early months of the pandemic were those in the foster care system long before the pandemic.

Those in foster care are disproportionately children of color and from poor families, national data also show. Those groups tend to have more contact with social service agencies that are mandated to report potential abuse and neglect, which means the pandemic has amplified not just the challenges of poor parenting but of parenting while poor.

“The systemic problems around racism and poverty in COVID and how people are treated in the child welfare system may be compounding,” said Sharon Vandivere of the national think tank group Child Trends, who noted that longer stays in foster care are inherently traumatic and make reunifications less likely. “It was bad before, and it’s probably made it even worse.”

For D.Y., a Black teenager living at a Seattle-area group home, the pandemic has magnified the loneliness and isolation of being in the care of child protective services. He’s been out of his mother’s custody since 2016, after an abuse report found she physically disciplined her children. He had visits with her in the years following, and lawyers expected his mom would regain custody and D.Y. could go home in the fall of 2020. Then the pandemic rocked his case and life.

Because of new COVID-19 protocols and staffing shortages, already-limited privileges at the institutional group home were scaled back or revoked. In-person visits with his mom ended. Group activities all but disappeared. Inside, he resented wearing a mask and washing his hands constantly. With each exposure scare in the living facility, he and others had to quarantine.

When he resumed in-person school, he hoped officials would find it safe to see his mom again, too — but that didn't happen for months. He watched helplessly as his sister - who was placed with relatives and had a case further along in the system when the pandemic began - was returned home to their mom last summer. D.Y. was happy for them, but he wants the same: to taste his mom's cooking, to make eggs in his own kitchen, to sit on the couch with his family with no masks.

“I still want her to baby me,” the 13-year-old boy said of his mother, who declined to comment for this story while the cases of D.Y. and her third child remain active. “I can tell she has high faith of when I’ll come home. I don’t know if it’s going to happen anymore.”

The AP is not naming D.Y., instead referring to him by the initials used in his lawsuit against the Washington State Department of Children, Youth and Families. The lawsuit accuses the state of providing inadequate care as D.Y. was bounced through 50 placements before the pandemic, some days housing him in a motel or the agency’s office building. The state declined to comment on his case and lawsuit.

But Frank Ordway, chief of staff at the state's child welfare agency, blamed the court system's closures for the drop in reunifications and implored those that still haven't fully reopened to prioritize cases like D.Y.'s.

“When those systems aren’t working, those families and those children are left in limbo," Ordway said. “Our job as an agency is to help keep those families together and to get them together. Not being able to do so because of the pandemic was a wrenching experience."

King County Superior Court Commissioner Nicole Wagner, a presiding judge in the family court system, said court staff, attorneys, social workers and counselors did their best, but that no one knew how to address unprecedented issues in the pandemic. For example, she said, she wanted in-person visits for children but couldn't order social workers with underlying conditions to monitor them when required by law.

Wagner said she hopes lessons from the pandemic will help redefine how the system supports already struggling families in the process of reunification.

“It's scary, it’s overwhelming, it’s frightening. And it’s about the most important things in your life: your children,” Wagner said. “There’s no doubt in my mind that the pandemic absolutely, 100% has disproportionately impacted the more vulnerable populations.”

Illinois&nbsp;was the only state that saw an increase in foster care exits. Others in AP's analysis acknowledged a significant drop but said that each foster care case has unique circumstances beneath the numbers.

Many states, for example, extended support to those on the cusp of aging out of state care during the pandemic. This policy change effectively protected foster care youths from being kicked out of their living arrangements if they still needed a place to stay, but it also affected the number of foster care exits.

<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/connecticut">Connecticut</a>&nbsp;— which had one of the largest drops in exits, at 36% — waited until May 2021 to fully return to in-person visits, which serve as a key metric to judge whether parents are prepared to regain care and custody of their children.

The state "never stopped serving children and families, and we found that conducting some of our work virtually is both more efficient and, in some cases, preferred by our clients,” a Connecticut Department of Children and Families spokesman said in a statement.

Leroy Pascubillo, now 51, had used drugs over the course of four decades, but said he started working toward sobriety immediately after his daughter’s birth in February 2019.

The court put him in the only drug rehab center in the Seattle area that allows children to stay on site with their fathers. He had a few in-person visits with his daughter each week, and he was told that if he got through the initial stages of the program, she could join him there in March 2020 while he completed treatment. The pandemic upended that plan.

“You start building that relationship, and then it’s taken away and you try to start it all over again,” he said. All the more painful was that he knew his daughter, now 2, also had no contact with her mother. Pascubillo said she hasn’t participated in the custody case, and she couldn't be reached by the AP.

Once courts began to hear existing cases again, Pascubillo was able to reunite with his daughter, complete rehab and land a Seattle apartment with the help of state and nonprofit services. He wants to work as a parent advocate to help other fathers find their way back to their kids. He still weeps over the time he's lost and the four-month delay in reuniting with his daughter.

“It felt like 40 years. I figured she would have forgotten me. But as soon as I looked at her and sang ‘baby, baby, baby,’ she started kicking like she was in the womb," Pascubillo said. "We have this bond.”

By SALLY HO and CAMILLE FASSETTSEATTLE (AP) — Leroy Pascubillo missed his daughter’s first step, her first word and countless other precious milestones. After being born addicted to heroin, she had been placed with a foster family, and he anxiously counted the days between their visits as he tried to regain custody. But because of the pandemic, the visits dwindled and went virtual, and all he could do was watch his daughter — too young to engage via computer — try to crawl through the screen.They are among thousands of families across the country whose reunifications have been snarled in the foster care system as courts delayed cases, went virtual or temporarily shut down, according to an Associated Press analysis of child welfare data from 34 states.The decrease in children leaving foster care means families are lingering longer in a system intended to be temporary, as critical services were shuttered or limited. Vulnerable families are suffering long-term and perhaps irreversible damage, experts say, which could leave parents with weakened bonds with their children.The AP’s analysis found at least 8,700 fewer reunifications during the early months of the pandemic compared with the March-to-December period the year before -- a decrease of 16%. Adoptions, too, dropped — by 23%, according to the analysis. Overall, at least 22,600 fewer children left foster care compared with 2019.“Everybody needed extra help, and nobody was getting extra help,” said Shawn Powell, a Parents for Parents advocacy program coordinator in King County, Washington.For months, King County, like many parts of the country, suspended nearly all hearings except emergency orders, which led to prioritizing child removals -- sparked by child welfare reports or other red flags -- over family reunifications. Adoptions slowed to a trickle. Services needed for reunification — psychiatric evaluations, random drug testing, group therapy, mental health counseling, housing assistance, and the public transportation to access these services — also were limited.For foster care children, even doctor’s appointments must be approved by a judge, and frustrated lawyers say matters as routine as that were affected.During the period examined in AP’s analysis, the total foster care population dropped 2% overall -- likely a result of the significant decrease in child abuse and neglect reports, where the process to remove a child from a home typically begins.National data show that the average stay in foster care is about 20 months, which means the children most affected during the early months of the pandemic were those in the foster care system long before the pandemic.Those in foster care are disproportionately children of color and from poor families, national data also show. Those groups tend to have more contact with social service agencies that are mandated to report potential abuse and neglect, which means the pandemic has amplified not just the challenges of poor parenting but of parenting while poor.“The systemic problems around racism and poverty in COVID and how people are treated in the child welfare system may be compounding,” said Sharon Vandivere of the national think tank group Child Trends, who noted that longer stays in foster care are inherently traumatic and make reunifications less likely. “It was bad before, and it’s probably made it even worse.”For D.Y., a Black teenager living at a Seattle-area group home, the pandemic has magnified the loneliness and isolation of being in the care of child protective services. He’s been out of his mother’s custody since 2016, after an abuse report found she physically disciplined her children. He had visits with her in the years following, and lawyers expected his mom would regain custody and D.Y. could go home in the fall of 2020. Then the pandemic rocked his case and life.Because of new COVID-19 protocols and staffing shortages, already-limited privileges at the institutional group home were scaled back or revoked. In-person visits with his mom ended. Group activities all but disappeared. Inside, he resented wearing a mask and washing his hands constantly. With each exposure scare in the living facility, he and others had to quarantine.When he resumed in-person school, he hoped officials would find it safe to see his mom again, too — but that didn't happen for months. He watched helplessly as his sister - who was placed with relatives and had a case further along in the system when the pandemic began - was returned home to their mom last summer. D.Y. was happy for them, but he wants the same: to taste his mom's cooking, to make eggs in his own kitchen, to sit on the couch with his family with no masks.“I still want her to baby me,” the 13-year-old boy said of his mother, who declined to comment for this story while the cases of D.Y. and her third child remain active. “I can tell she has high faith of when I’ll come home. I don’t know if it’s going to happen anymore.”The AP is not naming D.Y., instead referring to him by the initials used in his lawsuit against the Washington State Department of Children, Youth and Families. The lawsuit accuses the state of providing inadequate care as D.Y. was bounced through 50 placements before the pandemic, some days housing him in a motel or the agency’s office building. The state declined to comment on his case and lawsuit.But Frank Ordway, chief of staff at the state's child welfare agency, blamed the court system's closures for the drop in reunifications and implored those that still haven't fully reopened to prioritize cases like D.Y.'s.“When those systems aren’t working, those families and those children are left in limbo," Ordway said. “Our job as an agency is to help keep those families together and to get them together. Not being able to do so because of the pandemic was a wrenching experience."King County Superior Court Commissioner Nicole Wagner, a presiding judge in the family court system, said court staff, attorneys, social workers and counselors did their best, but that no one knew how to address unprecedented issues in the pandemic. For example, she said, she wanted in-person visits for children but couldn't order social workers with underlying conditions to monitor them when required by law.Wagner said she hopes lessons from the pandemic will help redefine how the system supports already struggling families in the process of reunification.“It's scary, it’s overwhelming, it’s frightening. And it’s about the most important things in your life: your children,” Wagner said. “There’s no doubt in my mind that the pandemic absolutely, 100% has disproportionately impacted the more vulnerable populations.”Illinois&nbsp;was the only state that saw an increase in foster care exits. Others in AP's analysis acknowledged a significant drop but said that each foster care case has unique circumstances beneath the numbers.Many states, for example, extended support to those on the cusp of aging out of state care during the pandemic. This policy change effectively protected foster care youths from being kicked out of their living arrangements if they still needed a place to stay, but it also affected the number of foster care exits.<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/connecticut">Connecticut</a>&nbsp;— which had one of the largest drops in exits, at 36% — waited until May 2021 to fully return to in-person visits, which serve as a key metric to judge whether parents are prepared to regain care and custody of their children.The state "never stopped serving children and families, and we found that conducting some of our work virtually is both more efficient and, in some cases, preferred by our clients,” a Connecticut Department of Children and Families spokesman said in a statement.Leroy Pascubillo, now 51, had used drugs over the course of four decades, but said he started working toward sobriety immediately after his daughter’s birth in February 2019.The court put him in the only drug rehab center in the Seattle area that allows children to stay on site with their fathers. He had a few in-person visits with his daughter each week, and he was told that if he got through the initial stages of the program, she could join him there in March 2020 while he completed treatment. The pandemic upended that plan.“You start building that relationship, and then it’s taken away and you try to start it all over again,” he said. All the more painful was that he knew his daughter, now 2, also had no contact with her mother. Pascubillo said she hasn’t participated in the custody case, and she couldn't be reached by the AP.Once courts began to hear existing cases again, Pascubillo was able to reunite with his daughter, complete rehab and land a Seattle apartment with the help of state and nonprofit services. He wants to work as a parent advocate to help other fathers find their way back to their kids. He still weeps over the time he's lost and the four-month delay in reuniting with his daughter.“It felt like 40 years. I figured she would have forgotten me. But as soon as I looked at her and sang ‘baby, baby, baby,’ she started kicking like she was in the womb," Pascubillo said. "We have this bond.”

Report: COVID prolonged foster care stays for thousands

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man on multiple charges after an incident involving a gun.

Shortly after 4:30 p.m. June 16, the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center received a 911 call about a shooting that just occurred in the 2300 block of NE 82nd Street. The caller advised that he and a teenager were threatened with a firearm by a known suspect later identified as 44-year-old Stephen L. Pittman of Topeka.

Deputies arrived on scene and an investigation over the incident ensued with detectives.

Deputies then arrested Pittman&nbsp; and booked him into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and aggravated endangering a child.

Sheriff Brian Hill reminded&nbsp; citizens that violence is never the answer and to always handle firearms safely and responsibly. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623976456812.png" alt="Pittman photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Pittman photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man on multiple charges after an incident involving a gun.Shortly after 4:30 p.m. June 16, the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center received a 911 call about a shooting that just occurred in the 2300 block of NE 82nd Street. The caller advised that he and a teenager were threatened with a firearm by a known suspect later identified as 44-year-old Stephen L. Pittman of Topeka.Deputies arrived on scene and an investigation over the incident ensued with detectives.Deputies then arrested Pittman&nbsp; and booked him into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and aggravated endangering a child.Sheriff Brian Hill reminded&nbsp; citizens that violence is never the answer and to always handle firearms safely and responsibly.

Kan. man accused of threatening teen with gun

‘I’m farmer to the bone. My nose is tough. This is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced’

By ALLISON KITE <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/06/14/as-massive-livestock-operations-move-in-fighting-them-gets-harder-for-rural-neighbors/">Kansas Reflector</a>

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Jeff 
Jones has lived on his family’s land east of Columbia, Missouri, his 
entire life. Some of the family’s farms are more than 150 years old.

And Jones, who raises cattle and grows row crops, has no intentions of going anywhere.&nbsp;

But
 after years of fighting, his community is home to a concentrated animal
 feeding operation, or CAFO, that can raise as many as 10,000 hogs at 
any given time. The facility, which opened in 2019, houses the animals 
in barns built over concrete pits to store manure for months at a time.&nbsp;

Jones
 and CAFO critics consider them a health hazard — or at least a 
nuisance. One of the most common complaints is the stench from hog 
manure and dead animals.&nbsp;

“I’m
 farmer to the bone. My nose is tough. This is unlike anything I’ve ever
 experienced,” Jones said of the Callaway Farrowing CAFO. “This is like 
breathing straight ammonia. It’ll make your eyes water.”

Jones
 is part of Friends of Responsible Agriculture and said he fought the 
Callaway CAFO “tooth and nail.” But the CAFO permit went all the way up 
to the Western District Court of Appeals, where it was upheld.&nbsp;

Some
 rural communities in northwest Missouri have successfully fought off 
CAFOs. One facility proposed for Livingston County withdrew its permit 
request earlier this year after opposition and a lawsuit from neighbors.
 In 2019, the Valley Oaks Steak Company southeast of Kansas City, 
announced it would close its doors after an earlier attempt to expand.&nbsp;

But in Jones’ view, it’s getting harder for local communities to stop industrial hog farms.&nbsp;

“They’re
 passing laws out of the benefit of money instead of out of the benefit 
of people, so the people’s voice is becoming less instead of more,” 
Jones said.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623693654857.png" alt="Jeff Jones, of Callaway County, runs his family's 100-year-old farm right next to a concentrated animal feeding operation. (Submitted)" />
 <figcaption>Jeff Jones, of Callaway County, runs his family's 100-year-old farm right next to a concentrated animal feeding operation. (Submitted)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>‘I’m farmer to the bone. My nose is tough. This is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced’</h2>By ALLISON KITE <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/06/14/as-massive-livestock-operations-move-in-fighting-them-gets-harder-for-rural-neighbors/">Kansas Reflector</a>KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Jeff 
Jones has lived on his family’s land east of Columbia, Missouri, his 
entire life. Some of the family’s farms are more than 150 years old.And Jones, who raises cattle and grows row crops, has no intentions of going anywhere.&nbsp;But
 after years of fighting, his community is home to a concentrated animal
 feeding operation, or CAFO, that can raise as many as 10,000 hogs at 
any given time. The facility, which opened in 2019, houses the animals 
in barns built over concrete pits to store manure for months at a time.&nbsp;Jones
 and CAFO critics consider them a health hazard — or at least a 
nuisance. One of the most common complaints is the stench from hog 
manure and dead animals.&nbsp;“I’m
 farmer to the bone. My nose is tough. This is unlike anything I’ve ever
 experienced,” Jones said of the Callaway Farrowing CAFO. “This is like 
breathing straight ammonia. It’ll make your eyes water.”Jones
 is part of Friends of Responsible Agriculture and said he fought the 
Callaway CAFO “tooth and nail.” But the CAFO permit went all the way up 
to the Western District Court of Appeals, where it was upheld.&nbsp;Some
 rural communities in northwest Missouri have successfully fought off 
CAFOs. One facility proposed for Livingston County withdrew its permit 
request earlier this year after opposition and a lawsuit from neighbors.
 In 2019, the Valley Oaks Steak Company southeast of Kansas City, 
announced it would close its doors after an earlier attempt to expand.&nbsp;But in Jones’ view, it’s getting harder for local communities to stop industrial hog farms.&nbsp;“They’re
 passing laws out of the benefit of money instead of out of the benefit 
of people, so the people’s voice is becoming less instead of more,” 
Jones said.&nbsp;In
 2019, Missouri had more than 500 CAFOs, according to the Missouri 
Coalition for the Environment — far less than the thousands in Iowa, the
 largest pork producing state in the United States.&nbsp;The
 Missouri Department of Natural Resources did not provide data on the 
number of permitted CAFOs each year, but according to its website, it 
has issued permits for about 20 more since 2019.&nbsp;An
 attorney representing several communities fighting CAFOs in their 
backyards said the number seemed to be on the uptick. But an attorney 
for the industry said the number of the largest CAFOs — permitted to 
house 17,500 swine or more than 7,000 cattle —&nbsp;was stagnant.&nbsp;Neighboring Kansas has about 435 CAFOs and more than 2,400 smaller livestock operations.&nbsp;Craig Volland, of the Kansas Chapter of the Sierra Club, said the number had grown steadily.One CAFO in <a href="https://www.hutchnews.com/article/20160414/News/304149916">Greeley County in far Western Kansas has 180 hog barns</a> and was looking in 2014 to expand to become the second largest in the country.&nbsp;Volland
 said right-to-farm rules in Kansas have made the state more friendly to
 CAFOs. But until recent years, regulators stuck close to federal CAFO 
rules in issuing permits.&nbsp;Over
 the past several years, Missouri has passed several pieces of 
legislation to make way for CAFOs. About 10 years ago, the Missouri 
General Assembly <a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/file/SC/Opinion_SC93816.pdf">eliminated citizens’ ability to make nuisance complaints for non-economic damages</a> against CAFOs. As of 2019, local and county health departments can’t issue <a href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/19info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=3780907">ordinances governing CAFOs that are any stricter than state rules</a>. That rule is currently tied up in court.&nbsp;Opponents say the 2019 law undermines local communities’ ability to protect residents and their natural resources.&nbsp;Robert
 Brundage, an attorney who represents several agricultural 
organizations, said the legislation, known as Senate Bill 391, put local
 communities and the state on “equal footing.”&nbsp;“Senate
 Bill 391 has prevented counties from imposing arbitrary siting 
restrictions on CAFOs that were never based in sound science,” Brundage 
said. “They were only enacted to prevent the siting of virtually any new
 livestock operation in the county, so the legislature has returned some
 more common sense approach to siting CAFOs in the state that’s based on
 science.”&nbsp;This year, the <a href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB574&amp;year=2021&amp;code=R">Legislature limited who can inspect agricultural facilities</a>
 to state and federal agriculture and environmental officials and law 
enforcement in an apparent effort to bar local health departments from 
viewing the facilities.&nbsp;Gov.
 Mike Parson signed the legislation into law Thursday, saying it 
“protects producers and supports Missouri’s agriculture industry.”Kansas, too, has been criticized for tipping the scales in favor of CAFOs.&nbsp;Officials
 with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment have been 
negotiating with large hog farmers to amend state regulations and allow 
producers to divide their herds into distinct business operations on one
 piece of property, essentially allowing them to double the size of 
their CAFO without moving it any farther from the closest body of water,
 homes, churches or schools.&nbsp;“They
 seem to be trying to accommodate the livestock industry at the expense,
 in our opinion, of the environment,” Volland said.&nbsp;KDHE said the regulations weren’t in conflict with state law and didn’t represent a shift in policy.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623693729704.jpeg" alt="Jeff Jones, of Callaway County, runs his family’s 100-year-old farm right next to a concentrated animal feeding operation. (Submitted)" />
 <figcaption>Jeff Jones, of Callaway County, runs his family’s 100-year-old farm right next to a concentrated animal feeding operation. (Submitted)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>CAFOs abound</h2>A CAFO, Jones said, is “not something anybody wants to live next to.”&nbsp;When the wind blows right, he can smell the hog waste from inside his farmhouse. He said it gets in his clothes.&nbsp;But in recent years, neighbors have steadily lost their opportunities for recourse.&nbsp;In 2016, lawmakers changed the makeup of the Clean Water Commission, which signs off on CAFO permits. <a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article101824332.html">Critics argued that the change made the commission</a>
 more friendly to agricultural interests. The chairwoman, Ashley 
McCarty, is executive director of Missouri Farmers Care, which advocates
 for farming and agricultural interests and certifies counties with 
favorable rules as “agri-ready.”&nbsp;McCarty didn’t return multiple requests for comment.&nbsp;Stephen
 Jeffery, an attorney who helped Jones and neighbors try to fight off 
the CAFO in Callaway County, said neighbors often voice concerns about 
CAFO permits but are rarely heard.&nbsp;By 2016, more than two dozen counties had adopted CAFO regulations, according to the <a href="https://extension.missouri.edu/media/wysiwyg/Extensiondata/Pro/ManureManagement/Docs/cho/county_ordinance.pdf">University of Missouri Extension</a>. Then the General Assembly prohibited such rules.&nbsp;Jeffery
 represented plaintiffs who are fighting to get the rule reversed. In a 
lawsuit filed in 2020, they said the legislation “hinders (counties’) 
ability to effectively protect the public health of their county 
residents,” noting one county had prohibited construction of manure pits
 in areas where the soil is prone to shrinking and swelling and could 
cause leaks in the manure.&nbsp;“Under
 the current Missouri law and regulations, the local community doesn’t 
really get that much input,” Jeffery said. “They’re able to provide 
comments on a proposed permit, but 99.9% of the time, the requests that 
they make for changes or revisions, unfortunately, are not implemented.”Supporters
 contend the county health ordinances allow local communities to set 
rules that are appropriate for them. Such a rule existed in Livingston 
County, where opponents successfully fought off a 10,500-hog CAFO near 
the Poosey Conservation Area.&nbsp;But
 while the neighbors in Livingston County celebrated the CAFO operator’s
 decision to withdraw its permit application, the Clean Water Commission
 <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2021/05/18/missouri-eases-rules-for-building-cafos-despite-outcry-about-potential-pollution/">eased groundwater restrictions that would have applied to the CAFO</a>, making it easier for future operators to build in areas where environmentalists say they might threaten the groundwater.While
 Jeffery has represented several communities attempting to battle back 
CAFOs, he noted the bulk of permit applications don’t garner the kind of
 attention the one in Livingston County did.“What
 that tells me,” he said, “is that most CAFO operators are responsible 
enough that they site these facilities … far enough away that they’re 
not going to adversely affect their neighbors.”Allison Kite is a data reporter for The Missouri Independent and Kansas Reflector, with a focus on the environment and agriculture.&nbsp;