GEARY COUNTY —One person has died as a result of a shooting in the 700 block of West 6th Street in Junction City, according to Police who confirmed that it is a homicide case.&nbsp;

Just before 4p.m. Friday, police responded to the Elite Cuts Barbershop in reference to shots that had been fired, according to Police Captain Cory Odell 

Upon arrival officers located an adult male that was suffering from gunshot wounds. EMS transported the victim later identified as 23-year-old Lavincent Perdue of Grandview Plaza to Geary Community Hospital where he died.

The shooting incident occurred primarily in the parking lot of the business and there were no other injuries, according to Odell. This is the first homicide this year in Junction City.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623457133412.jpeg" alt="A view of the parking lot crime scene in Junction City" />
 <figcaption>A view of the parking lot crime scene in Junction City</figcaption>
 </figure>GEARY COUNTY —One person has died as a result of a shooting in the 700 block of West 6th Street in Junction City, according to Police who confirmed that it is a homicide case.&nbsp;Just before 4p.m. Friday, police responded to the Elite Cuts Barbershop in reference to shots that had been fired, according to Police Captain Cory Odell Upon arrival officers located an adult male that was suffering from gunshot wounds. EMS transported the victim later identified as 23-year-old Lavincent Perdue of Grandview Plaza to Geary Community Hospital where he died.The shooting incident occurred primarily in the parking lot of the business and there were no other injuries, according to Odell. This is the first homicide this year in Junction City.

Kan. man dies after barber shop parking lot shooting

By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-06-10/kansas-now-has-the-beds-need-for-most-kids-awaiting-psychiatric-care-but-not-the-workers">Kansas News Service</a>

Psychiatric facilities across Kansas added enough beds last year to 
potentially dramatically cut the number of children waiting for 
intensive mental health care.

But about 100 of those spots remain empty — in large part because organizations can’t find workers.

In
 recent years, children have had to wait months for openings in 
specialized facilities that offer long-term psychiatric care. In 
mid-2018, the average wait neared 200 days.

The waits fell in 2019 and 2020. As of last month, the average wait stood at 44 days.

Yet 146 remain in line for their turn, even though 104 beds are open.

Despite significant efforts to expand capacity, the residential care centers have hit fresh roadblocks.

They’re
 struggling to compete in the current labor market. They need to fill 
shifts around the clock for physically and emotionally taxing work that 
sometimes pays less than $15 an hour.

Take KidsTLC in Olathe. 
It’s searching for the money to make that happen, while also nudging the
 state of Kansas to help it explore other incentives. Those could range 
from college tuition waivers and signing bonuses to subsidies for health
 insurance or child care.

KidsTLC bought land in March 2020 to add another 50 beds for children.

The
 expansion included specialized units for children with the most severe 
traumas and disorders, who often face the longest waits for placement — 
such as a program for victims of sex abuse who lash out sexually.

That
 work finished in December, nearly doubling KidsTLC’s residential 
capacity. It hoped to fill the spots in two or three months, but 45 of 
the new beds remain empty.

“We had space, we were licensed, and 
were feeling just exceptional about that and being able to make a 
significant dent in that waitlist,” CEO Erin Dugan said. “And then it 
became really hard to hire staff.”

Nonprofit
 facilities offer more than 400 beds for long-term psychiatric care of 
youths across Kansas. Many of those slots were added within the past 
year and a half as the administration of Gov. Laura Kelly worked to 
license more beds and reduce wait times.

“So we are proud of the 
improvement,” said Andrew Brown, the state’s commissioner of behavioral 
health services, “but ideally we would like to get to the point where 
people didn’t have to wait even a month, right? We’d like to get to the 
point where the average time is about a week or less.”

Psychiatric
 residential treatment facilities are for children and youths whose 
conditions don’t improve through other care. They may struggle with 
severe depression, for example, or attachment disorders resulting from 
childhood abuse.

Those services are different from acute mental 
health care. Children at risk of harming themselves, for example, can 
get immediate short-term care. But when they walk out of the hospital, 
the residential program that some may need for weeks or months of 
follow-up treatment takes longer to get into.

KidsTLC wants to 
fill its empty beds, but won’t until it has the personnel to do so 
safely. It has almost 300 workers but wants about 425.

The agency hasn’t struggled to recruit and retain therapists and 
other salaried specialists. Hourly staff trained to work on site 24-7 
are a different matter. Dugan hopes more applicants — who must be at 
least 21 years old — will materialize as the pandemic winds down.

Her organization offers $14-an-hour starting pay. It was working toward $15 before the pandemic hit, and is now considering $16.

“These
 folks need to be paid more, so that it is a living wage and they can 
take care of their families and do the job they love and make an impact 
in the community,” she said. “The Amazons of the world, the FedEx, the 
places where 21-year-olds go to work — they’re paying $18, $19, $20.”

Hiking pay will require significant fundraising by KidsTLC, which gets paid by Medicaid for its patients.

Medicaid
 rates are widely considered low compared to private health insurance. 
KidsTLC expects Medicaid would likely eventually increase its payments 
in recognition of the higher hourly pay, but it says adjustments like 
that take six months to a year to kick in and won’t help retroactively.

“We
 are this month sitting down to say, how do we find this large infusion 
of dollars, to at least get our minimum wage to 15 or 16?” Dugan said. 
“How does KidsTLC find a couple million dollars? It’s not sitting 
around. We don’t have a couple millions of dollars sitting around.”

She said the state is also encouraging her to put together cost estimates for her other ideas, such as child care subsidies.

Meanwhile, the state has called on one of its Medicaid contractors to reduce wait times for kids.

The
 Kansas Medicaid system — also known as KanCare — is privatized. Anyone 
on Medicaid falls under one of three private companies that run the 
program: Aetna Better Health of Kansas, Sunflower or UnitedHealthcare.

Those
 companies review and approve applications for residential treatment. 
But after the state began tracking wait times by company in 2019, it 
revealed that children with Aetna waited significantly longer than those
 with Sunflower or UnitedHealthcare. The company appeared to have 
problems promptly gathering paperwork such as parental releases to get 
children in line for care.

“We hope that we will see improvements,” Brown said.

In a statement to the Kansas News Service, Aetna said it took swift action after the state pointed out the problem.

“We
 immediately took steps to review our process, identify causes for 
delays, and implement the changes necessary to minimize interruptions in
 care for our members,” the statement says. “As a result of our internal
 review we have modified our processes to eliminate avoidable delays.”

Editor’s note: This story was reported in memory of KCUR reporter <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-04-25/kcur-reporter-and-beloved-colleague-aviva-okeson-haberman" target="_blank">Aviva Okeson-Haberman</a>, a dedicated journalist who began the research for it and submitted the open records requests shortly before her death.

Celia
 Llopis-Jepsen reports on consumer health for the Kansas News Service. 
You can follow her on Twitter @celia_LJ or email her at celia@kcur.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623419696853.png" alt="Carlos Moreno / KCUR 89.3" />
 <figcaption>Carlos Moreno / KCUR 89.3</figcaption>
 </figure>By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-06-10/kansas-now-has-the-beds-need-for-most-kids-awaiting-psychiatric-care-but-not-the-workers">Kansas News Service</a>Psychiatric facilities across Kansas added enough beds last year to 
potentially dramatically cut the number of children waiting for 
intensive mental health care.But about 100 of those spots remain empty — in large part because organizations can’t find workers.In
 recent years, children have had to wait months for openings in 
specialized facilities that offer long-term psychiatric care. In 
mid-2018, the average wait neared 200 days.The waits fell in 2019 and 2020. As of last month, the average wait stood at 44 days.Yet 146 remain in line for their turn, even though 104 beds are open.Despite significant efforts to expand capacity, the residential care centers have hit fresh roadblocks.They’re
 struggling to compete in the current labor market. They need to fill 
shifts around the clock for physically and emotionally taxing work that 
sometimes pays less than $15 an hour.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623419775096.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>And hiking wages is no simple task.Take KidsTLC in Olathe. 
It’s searching for the money to make that happen, while also nudging the
 state of Kansas to help it explore other incentives. Those could range 
from college tuition waivers and signing bonuses to subsidies for health
 insurance or child care.KidsTLC bought land in March 2020 to add another 50 beds for children.The
 expansion included specialized units for children with the most severe 
traumas and disorders, who often face the longest waits for placement — 
such as a program for victims of sex abuse who lash out sexually.That
 work finished in December, nearly doubling KidsTLC’s residential 
capacity. It hoped to fill the spots in two or three months, but 45 of 
the new beds remain empty.“We had space, we were licensed, and 
were feeling just exceptional about that and being able to make a 
significant dent in that waitlist,” CEO Erin Dugan said. “And then it 
became really hard to hire staff.”<h2>Longer-term care</h2>Nonprofit
 facilities offer more than 400 beds for long-term psychiatric care of 
youths across Kansas. Many of those slots were added within the past 
year and a half as the administration of Gov. Laura Kelly worked to 
license more beds and reduce wait times.“So we are proud of the 
improvement,” said Andrew Brown, the state’s commissioner of behavioral 
health services, “but ideally we would like to get to the point where 
people didn’t have to wait even a month, right? We’d like to get to the 
point where the average time is about a week or less.”Psychiatric
 residential treatment facilities are for children and youths whose 
conditions don’t improve through other care. They may struggle with 
severe depression, for example, or attachment disorders resulting from 
childhood abuse.Those services are different from acute mental 
health care. Children at risk of harming themselves, for example, can 
get immediate short-term care. But when they walk out of the hospital, 
the residential program that some may need for weeks or months of 
follow-up treatment takes longer to get into.KidsTLC wants to 
fill its empty beds, but won’t until it has the personnel to do so 
safely. It has almost 300 workers but wants about 425.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623419807409.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The agency hasn’t struggled to recruit and retain therapists and 
other salaried specialists. Hourly staff trained to work on site 24-7 
are a different matter. Dugan hopes more applicants — who must be at 
least 21 years old — will materialize as the pandemic winds down.She isn’t counting on it.Her organization offers $14-an-hour starting pay. It was working toward $15 before the pandemic hit, and is now considering $16.“These
 folks need to be paid more, so that it is a living wage and they can 
take care of their families and do the job they love and make an impact 
in the community,” she said. “The Amazons of the world, the FedEx, the 
places where 21-year-olds go to work — they’re paying $18, $19, $20.”Hiking pay will require significant fundraising by KidsTLC, which gets paid by Medicaid for its patients.Medicaid
 rates are widely considered low compared to private health insurance. 
KidsTLC expects Medicaid would likely eventually increase its payments 
in recognition of the higher hourly pay, but it says adjustments like 
that take six months to a year to kick in and won’t help retroactively.“We
 are this month sitting down to say, how do we find this large infusion 
of dollars, to at least get our minimum wage to 15 or 16?” Dugan said. 
“How does KidsTLC find a couple million dollars? It’s not sitting 
around. We don’t have a couple millions of dollars sitting around.”She said the state is also encouraging her to put together cost estimates for her other ideas, such as child care subsidies.<h2>Aetna paperwork delays</h2>Meanwhile, the state has called on one of its Medicaid contractors to reduce wait times for kids.The
 Kansas Medicaid system — also known as KanCare — is privatized. Anyone 
on Medicaid falls under one of three private companies that run the 
program: Aetna Better Health of Kansas, Sunflower or UnitedHealthcare.Those
 companies review and approve applications for residential treatment. 
But after the state began tracking wait times by company in 2019, it 
revealed that children with Aetna waited significantly longer than those
 with Sunflower or UnitedHealthcare. The company appeared to have 
problems promptly gathering paperwork such as parental releases to get 
children in line for care.“We hope that we will see improvements,” Brown said.In a statement to the Kansas News Service, Aetna said it took swift action after the state pointed out the problem.“We
 immediately took steps to review our process, identify causes for 
delays, and implement the changes necessary to minimize interruptions in
 care for our members,” the statement says. “As a result of our internal
 review we have modified our processes to eliminate avoidable delays.”Editor’s note: This story was reported in memory of KCUR reporter <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-04-25/kcur-reporter-and-beloved-colleague-aviva-okeson-haberman" target="_blank">Aviva Okeson-Haberman</a>, a dedicated journalist who began the research for it and submitted the open records requests shortly before her death.Celia
 Llopis-Jepsen reports on consumer health for the Kansas News Service. 
You can follow her on Twitter @celia_LJ or email her at celia@kcur.org.

Kan. has beds for most kids awaiting psychiatric care, not the workers 

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 269 to a total of 315,769, the state health department reported Friday afternoon.&nbsp;

The state reported 3 new COVID-19 deaths for a total of 5106.

<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 269 to a total of 315,769, the state health department reported Friday afternoon.&nbsp;The state reported 3 new COVID-19 deaths for a total of 5106.<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/2021/6/1623431244684.png" alt="Friday June 11, 2021 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Friday June 11, 2021 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>

KDHE: Latest coronavirus numbers in Kansas

RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating an alleged aggravated assault in Manhattan.

Just after 7a.m. Thursday police responded to the 1200 Block of Yuma Street in Manhattan, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.

A 74-year-old man hit a 52-year-old man with a bat. The 52-year-old suspect threw a wooden board at the 74-year-old.

Police did not report how seriously the men were injured or if they were transported for treatment. There is also no report of an arrest in the case that remains under investigation.

RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating an alleged aggravated assault in Manhattan.Just after 7a.m. Thursday police responded to the 1200 Block of Yuma Street in Manhattan, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.A 74-year-old man hit a 52-year-old man with a bat. The 52-year-old suspect threw a wooden board at the 74-year-old.Police did not report how seriously the men were injured or if they were transported for treatment. There is also no report of an arrest in the case that remains under investigation.

Police: 74-year-old Kan. man involved in alleged assault

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

On June 5, a police officer was proactively patrolling in the area of 100 N. Rock Island in Wichita observed 28-year-old Breana Holt of Wichita attempting to break the window of a vehicle, according to Officer Charley Davidson.

 Officers contacted her and learned a separate vehicle in the lot had been broken into and items were taken.

Officers arrested her on requested charges of burglary of a non-dwelling, criminal damage to property, and theft of property. Officers also recovered the stolen property.

Police reminded the public to hide your items to leave in your car, lock your vehicle and take your keys.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623406770269.png" alt="Holt-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Holt-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a car burglary and have made an arrest.On June 5, a police officer was proactively patrolling in the area of 100 N. Rock Island in Wichita observed 28-year-old Breana Holt of Wichita attempting to break the window of a vehicle, according to Officer Charley Davidson. Officers contacted her and learned a separate vehicle in the lot had been broken into and items were taken.Officers arrested her on requested charges of burglary of a non-dwelling, criminal damage to property, and theft of property. Officers also recovered the stolen property.Police reminded the public to hide your items to leave in your car, lock your vehicle and take your keys.

Police catch Kansas woman breaking into cars

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Two Topeka men have been honored for rescuing a woman from a burning home. 

KSNT-TV reports that the Topeka Fire Department on Thursday gave “citizen heroism awards” to Robert Havens and Mark Elder. 

The fire broke out at the woman’s home in March. Fire Chief Craig Duke says that if the men hadn’t acted, the results would have been “disastrous.” The homeowner was treated at a hospital. Duke says she is doing much better.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Two Topeka men have been honored for rescuing a woman from a burning home. KSNT-TV reports that the Topeka Fire Department on Thursday gave “citizen heroism awards” to Robert Havens and Mark Elder. The fire broke out at the woman’s home in March. Fire Chief Craig Duke says that if the men hadn’t acted, the results would have been “disastrous.” The homeowner was treated at a hospital. Duke says she is doing much better.

Two honored for saving Kan. woman from burning home

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities continue their investigation of multiple separate murders in Kansas City on Tuesday and have made one arrest.

On Thursday, as a result of police investigation, officers served a search warrant, arrested and charged a suspect in the murder of 15-year old Terrell Bell.&nbsp;

Detectives haven’t let up on their work in any of these cases, according to a social media report from KCPD.

Around 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, officers were dispatched to the 3500 block of Independence Avenue on a shooting. They found 52-year-old Jose Lugo suffering from gunshot wounds. An ambulance transported him to a local hospital, where he was pronounced deceased.&nbsp;&nbsp;The suspect fled the scene in an unknown direction.

Half an hour later at about 2 p.m.,&nbsp;officers went to 52nd and Euclid for a shooting. When they got there, the officers found one man suffering from non-life threatening gunshot wounds. That victim was transported to a local hospital by ambulance. Another victim from the shooting scene arrived at the hospital by private transport with critical injuries. About three hours after the initial shooting, the victim with critical injuries was pronounced deceased at the hospital.&nbsp;&nbsp;He has been identified as 30-year-old Lavance Jones.&nbsp;There is no suspect information at this time.

Then at 2:30 p.m., officers were dispatched to the area of 108th and Sycamore, where they found a 15-year-old boy who had been shot. Officers attempted life-saving measures before the victim was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced deceased. The victim has been identified as Terrell Bell, 15.

Meanwhile, police are also are investigating after 15-year-old Kaden Bauswell was killed Tuesday in a shooting near an elementary school. Police are urging anyone with information about that shooting to call a tips hotline anonymously at 816-474-TIPS.&nbsp;&nbsp;There is a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to an arrest in these cases through the TIPS Hotline.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623184131475.png" alt="Police on the scene of the fatal shooting investigation near&nbsp;Hazel Grove Elementary-photo courtesy Fox4 Kansas City" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the fatal shooting investigation near&nbsp;Hazel Grove Elementary-photo courtesy Fox4 Kansas City</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities continue their investigation of multiple separate murders in Kansas City on Tuesday and have made one arrest.On Thursday, as a result of police investigation, officers served a search warrant, arrested and charged a suspect in the murder of 15-year old Terrell Bell.&nbsp;Detectives haven’t let up on their work in any of these cases, according to a social media report from KCPD.Around 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, officers were dispatched to the 3500 block of Independence Avenue on a shooting. They found 52-year-old Jose Lugo suffering from gunshot wounds. An ambulance transported him to a local hospital, where he was pronounced deceased.&nbsp;&nbsp;The suspect fled the scene in an unknown direction.Half an hour later at about 2 p.m.,&nbsp;officers went to 52nd and Euclid for a shooting. When they got there, the officers found one man suffering from non-life threatening gunshot wounds. That victim was transported to a local hospital by ambulance. Another victim from the shooting scene arrived at the hospital by private transport with critical injuries. About three hours after the initial shooting, the victim with critical injuries was pronounced deceased at the hospital.&nbsp;&nbsp;He has been identified as 30-year-old Lavance Jones.&nbsp;There is no suspect information at this time.Then at 2:30 p.m., officers were dispatched to the area of 108th and Sycamore, where they found a 15-year-old boy who had been shot. Officers attempted life-saving measures before the victim was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced deceased. The victim has been identified as Terrell Bell, 15.Meanwhile, police are also are investigating after 15-year-old Kaden Bauswell was killed Tuesday in a shooting near an elementary school. Police are urging anyone with information about that shooting to call a tips hotline anonymously at 816-474-TIPS.&nbsp;&nbsp;There is a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to an arrest in these cases through the TIPS Hotline.

Police make one arrest in series of murders in Kansas City

WASHINGTON –
 A mother of two struggles to budget for child care expenses on an 
hourly income of $11.50 as a call center worker with a federal 
contractor. A construction company owner learns they’ve lost another 
federal contract because a competitor was able to underbid the job by 
not paying livable wages. Socially conscious investors want to maximize 
their savings and do the planet some good, but are frustrated by the 
investment options available to do that.

As part of the Biden-Harris administration’s Spring 2021 regulatory agenda – published today as required by <a href="https://www.reginfo.gov/public/jsp/Utilities/EO_12866.pdf" target="_blank">Executive Order 12866</a> – the U.S. Department of Labor is announcing a series of anticipated regulatory actions to ensure the well-being of these workers, employers and others.

The order requires the publication of an agenda of 
regulations that contains a listing of all the regulations the 
Department of Labor expects to have under active consideration for 
promulgation, proposal or review during the coming one-year period.

The department’s portions of the agenda published today include actions to implement
 the Biden-Harris Administration’s priorities in the areas of economic 
relief, wages, climate change and racial equity. It also includes 
proposals to withdraw the obstacles to protecting and strengthening 
workers’ economic security and civil rights that the prior 
administration put in place.

Prior rulemakings are also being proposed for
 withdrawal because of their deleterious effects on the lives of working
 people, including a rule on labor standards in apprenticeship.

The entirety of the department’s semiannual agenda is available online at <a href="http://www.reginfo.gov" target="_blank">www.reginfo.gov</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615920467817.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>U.S. Department of LaborWASHINGTON –
 A mother of two struggles to budget for child care expenses on an 
hourly income of $11.50 as a call center worker with a federal 
contractor. A construction company owner learns they’ve lost another 
federal contract because a competitor was able to underbid the job by 
not paying livable wages. Socially conscious investors want to maximize 
their savings and do the planet some good, but are frustrated by the 
investment options available to do that.As part of the Biden-Harris administration’s Spring 2021 regulatory agenda – published today as required by <a href="https://www.reginfo.gov/public/jsp/Utilities/EO_12866.pdf" target="_blank">Executive Order 12866</a> – the U.S. Department of Labor is announcing a series of anticipated regulatory actions to ensure the well-being of these workers, employers and others.The order requires the publication of an agenda of 
regulations that contains a listing of all the regulations the 
Department of Labor expects to have under active consideration for 
promulgation, proposal or review during the coming one-year period.The department’s portions of the agenda published today include actions to implement
 the Biden-Harris Administration’s priorities in the areas of economic 
relief, wages, climate change and racial equity. It also includes 
proposals to withdraw the obstacles to protecting and strengthening 
workers’ economic security and civil rights that the prior 
administration put in place.Regulatory protections include:<ul>
 <li>Increasing the Minimum Wage for Federal Contractors:&nbsp;In
 response to Executive Order 14026, “Increasing the Minimum Wage for 
Federal Contractors,” the department’s Wage and Hour Division is 
drafting regulations that will increase the hourly minimum wage rate 
paid by parties that contract with the federal government to $15 for 
those employees working on or in connection with a covered federal 
government contract.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>Fairness for Workers Who Rely on Tips:&nbsp;The Wage and Hour Division is also engaged in rulemaking to address the economic security of tipped workers.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>Modernizing the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts Regulations: The
 DBRA requires the payment of locally prevailing wages and fringe 
benefits to laborers and mechanics as determined by the department. The 
Wage and Hour Division is proposing to update and modernize the 
regulations implementing the DBRA to provide ensure workers are truly 
paid prevailing wages on federal construction contracts.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>Re-examining our approach to investments that tackle climate change: To
 implement Executive Order 13990, “Protecting Public Health and the 
Environment and Restoring Science to Tackle the Climate Crisis,” and 
Executive Order 14030, “Climate-Related Financial Risks,” the Employee 
Benefits Security Administration is undertaking a review of regulations 
under Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, including 
“Financial Factors in Selecting Plan Investments” and “Fiduciary Duties 
Regarding Proxy Voting and Shareholder Rights.”</li>
 </ul>Prior rulemakings are also being proposed for
 withdrawal because of their deleterious effects on the lives of working
 people, including a rule on labor standards in apprenticeship.The entirety of the department’s semiannual agenda is available online at <a href="http://www.reginfo.gov" target="_blank">www.reginfo.gov</a>.

Tipped workers, minimum wage hike part of Biden workplace shakeup

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds complained in a letter sent Thursday that the federal government didn't notify her before flying migrant children into the Des Moines airport in April, then shuttling them to other cities as part of an effort to join them with relatives.

In a letter sent to Iowa U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, Reynolds called for a Senate Judiciary Committee oversight hearing on immigration that should address the Biden administration’s lack of notice when it moves children through the states.

Although similar migrant children relocation occurred during the Trump and Obama administrations, Reynolds spokesman Pat Garrett said the recent flight was different because it occurred late at night and a federal agency initially denied it had organized the flight.

Reynolds claims 19 children were flown into the Des Moines International Airport from Long Beach, California, late on April 22. Two buses were used to transport most of the children to other airports in or near Kansas City, Chicago, Detroit, Ft. Wayne, Indiana, and Janesville, Wisconsin. Two children were unified with their sponsors at the Des Moines airport.

Reynolds, a Republican and a Donald Trump supporter, said little about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-politics-immigration-united-states-a5bfcbea280a468b431a02e82c15a150">immigration problems</a>&nbsp;when Trump was president despite highly publicized issues, but she has repeatedly sought to focus attention on President Joe Biden's immigration efforts since the Democrat took office.

In the letter, Reynolds said Trump had made significant progress at the nation's southern border and argued Biden's “failed policies have incentivized the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-coronavirus-pandemic-immigration-central-america-united-states-cfc974a2358e926438e8a8f24bd642b6">largest surge</a>&nbsp;in illegal crossings in 20 years, including the largest monthly number of unaccompanied children in history.”

Reynolds said the lack of notice about the movement of children through the airport forced law enforcement to investigate whether the flights indicated “a criminal act of human trafficking or the federally-sponsored transport of vulnerable children.”

The letter also was signed by Republican Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, who questioned similar flights into his state.

The travel was arranged by the Office of Refugee Resettlement in the Administration for Children and Families, which is in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The Office of Refugee Resettlement said in a statement that its mission is to safely care for unaccompanied children until they can be unified with a vetted sponsor, usually a parent or close relative.

“Their parents and relatives are located across the United States, and ORR contractors use various transportation modes to unite unaccompanied children with their families. These modes include air and ground transportation options, taking into account child safety and wellness, travel time, and cost-effectiveness. This travel may consist of flights originating from various locations with stops/layovers in different airports," the agency said.

Data from the agency shows 27,417 unaccompanied children have been released to sponsors since October 2020, including 163 in Iowa. Last year, Iowa sponsors took 119 children and 489 were located with Iowa sponsors in 2019.

The agency provided data details numbers of children brought to Iowa since 2015.

Reynolds last month&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kim-reynolds-iowa-immigration-9c1b43cab8b52c8bdf5b597934fd5406">rejected</a>&nbsp;a federal request for the state to help migrant children, saying the need to find homes for them “is the president’s problem."

Reynolds’ stand contrasted with her willingness to accept refugees coming into the United States when Trump raised the issue in 2019. At that time, Trump signed an executive order giving states the right to refuse to take refugees.

Reynolds was among more than 30 governors who said they would accept refugees.

Iowa Democratic Party Chair Ross Wilburn said in a statement that Reynolds is "only focused on dividing and distracting Iowans from her own record and using a fake crisis to further attacks on our friends and neighbors.”

However, Democratic U.S. Rep. Cindy Axne, whose district includes Des Moines, also complained that when she asked about reports of the flights, the Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement didn't clarify the situation.

“I join Governor Reynolds in demanding further investigation and disclosure from HHS to determine why this flight was kept secret and why its existence was denied to both the public and to the public officials seeking to learn the whole truth," Axne said in a statement.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623407646888.png" alt="Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds claims 19 children were flown into the Des Moines International Airport from Long Beach, California, late on April 22. Two buses were used to transport most of the children to other airports in or near Kansas City, Chicago, Detroit, Ft. Wayne, Indiana, and Janesville, Wisconsin.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds claims 19 children were flown into the Des Moines International Airport from Long Beach, California, late on April 22. Two buses were used to transport most of the children to other airports in or near Kansas City, Chicago, Detroit, Ft. Wayne, Indiana, and Janesville, Wisconsin.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds complained in a letter sent Thursday that the federal government didn't notify her before flying migrant children into the Des Moines airport in April, then shuttling them to other cities as part of an effort to join them with relatives.In a letter sent to Iowa U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, Reynolds called for a Senate Judiciary Committee oversight hearing on immigration that should address the Biden administration’s lack of notice when it moves children through the states.Although similar migrant children relocation occurred during the Trump and Obama administrations, Reynolds spokesman Pat Garrett said the recent flight was different because it occurred late at night and a federal agency initially denied it had organized the flight.Reynolds claims 19 children were flown into the Des Moines International Airport from Long Beach, California, late on April 22. Two buses were used to transport most of the children to other airports in or near Kansas City, Chicago, Detroit, Ft. Wayne, Indiana, and Janesville, Wisconsin. Two children were unified with their sponsors at the Des Moines airport.Reynolds, a Republican and a Donald Trump supporter, said little about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-politics-immigration-united-states-a5bfcbea280a468b431a02e82c15a150">immigration problems</a>&nbsp;when Trump was president despite highly publicized issues, but she has repeatedly sought to focus attention on President Joe Biden's immigration efforts since the Democrat took office.In the letter, Reynolds said Trump had made significant progress at the nation's southern border and argued Biden's “failed policies have incentivized the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-coronavirus-pandemic-immigration-central-america-united-states-cfc974a2358e926438e8a8f24bd642b6">largest surge</a>&nbsp;in illegal crossings in 20 years, including the largest monthly number of unaccompanied children in history.”Reynolds said the lack of notice about the movement of children through the airport forced law enforcement to investigate whether the flights indicated “a criminal act of human trafficking or the federally-sponsored transport of vulnerable children.”The letter also was signed by Republican Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, who questioned similar flights into his state.The travel was arranged by the Office of Refugee Resettlement in the Administration for Children and Families, which is in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.The Office of Refugee Resettlement said in a statement that its mission is to safely care for unaccompanied children until they can be unified with a vetted sponsor, usually a parent or close relative.“Their parents and relatives are located across the United States, and ORR contractors use various transportation modes to unite unaccompanied children with their families. These modes include air and ground transportation options, taking into account child safety and wellness, travel time, and cost-effectiveness. This travel may consist of flights originating from various locations with stops/layovers in different airports," the agency said.Data from the agency shows 27,417 unaccompanied children have been released to sponsors since October 2020, including 163 in Iowa. Last year, Iowa sponsors took 119 children and 489 were located with Iowa sponsors in 2019.The agency provided data details numbers of children brought to Iowa since 2015.Reynolds last month&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kim-reynolds-iowa-immigration-9c1b43cab8b52c8bdf5b597934fd5406">rejected</a>&nbsp;a federal request for the state to help migrant children, saying the need to find homes for them “is the president’s problem."Reynolds’ stand contrasted with her willingness to accept refugees coming into the United States when Trump raised the issue in 2019. At that time, Trump signed an executive order giving states the right to refuse to take refugees.Reynolds was among more than 30 governors who said they would accept refugees.Iowa Democratic Party Chair Ross Wilburn said in a statement that Reynolds is "only focused on dividing and distracting Iowans from her own record and using a fake crisis to further attacks on our friends and neighbors.”However, Democratic U.S. Rep. Cindy Axne, whose district includes Des Moines, also complained that when she asked about reports of the flights, the Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement didn't clarify the situation.“I join Governor Reynolds in demanding further investigation and disclosure from HHS to determine why this flight was kept secret and why its existence was denied to both the public and to the public officials seeking to learn the whole truth," Axne said in a statement.

Governor questions migrant children flown to midwest states

OSAGE COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities conducting an investigation regarding the online solicitation of a child by an adult have made an arrest.

On Tuesday, the Osage County Sheriff’s Office’s Criminal Investigation Unit (CIU) took into custody a suspect identified as 39-year-old Mark E. Davenport of Topeka who had made plans to meet with someone he believed to be a minor, according to Sheriff Chris Wells.

Davenport is being held on requested charges of aggravated human trafficking, commercial sexual exploitation of a child, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623321820080.png" alt="Davenport photo Osage Co." />
 <figcaption>Davenport photo Osage Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>OSAGE COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities conducting an investigation regarding the online solicitation of a child by an adult have made an arrest.On Tuesday, the Osage County Sheriff’s Office’s Criminal Investigation Unit (CIU) took into custody a suspect identified as 39-year-old Mark E. Davenport of Topeka who had made plans to meet with someone he believed to be a minor, according to Sheriff Chris Wells.Davenport is being held on requested charges of aggravated human trafficking, commercial sexual exploitation of a child, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Sheriff: Kansas man expected to meet minor for sex

WASHINGTON – The Internal Revenue Service today posted two new, separate sets of frequently-asked-questions (FAQs) to assist <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/child-and-dependent-care-tax-credit-faqs">families</a> and <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/tax-credits-for-paid-leave-under-the-american-rescue-plan-act-of-2021-for-leave-after-march-31-2021">small and mid-sized employers</a> in claiming credits under the American Rescue Plan (ARP).

Both the child and dependent care credit as well as the paid sick and
 family leave credit were enhanced under the ARP, enacted in March to 
assist families and small businesses with the fallout of the COVID-19 
pandemic and recovery underway. The two sets of FAQs provide information
 on eligibility, computing the credit amounts, and how to claim these 
important tax benefits. An overview of these tax credits follows:

For 2021, the ARP increased the maximum amount of work-related 
expenses for qualifying care that may be taken into account in 
calculating the credit, increased the maximum percentage of those 
expenses for which the credit may be taken, modified how the credit is 
reduced for higher earners, and made it refundable.

For 2021, eligible taxpayers can claim qualifying work-related expenses up to:

Taxpayers are also required to have earnings; the amount of 
qualifying work-related expenses claimed cannot exceed the taxpayer's 
earnings.

Combined with the increase to 50% in the maximum credit rate, 
taxpayers with the maximum amount of qualifying work-related expenses 
would receive a credit of $4,000 for one qualifying person, or $8,000 
for two or more qualifying persons. When calculating the credit, a 
taxpayer must subtract employer-provided dependent care benefits, such 
as those provided through a flexible spending account, from total 
work-related expenses.

A qualifying person generally is a dependent under the age of 13, or a
 dependent of any age or spouse who is incapable of self-care and who 
lives with the taxpayer for more than half of the year.

As in prior years, the more a taxpayer earns, the lower the 
percentage of work-related expenses that are taken into account in 
determining the credit. However, under the new law, more taxpayers will 
qualify for the new maximum 50% credit rate. That's because the ARP 
increased to $125,000 the adjusted gross income level at which the 
credit rate starts to be reduced. Above $125,000, the 50% credit 
percentage goes down as income rises. Taxpayers with adjusted gross 
income over $438,000 are not eligible for the credit.

The credit is fully refundable for the first time in 2021. This means
 an eligible taxpayer can receive it, even if they owe no federal income
 tax. To be eligible for the refundable credit, a taxpayer (or the 
taxpayer's spouse if filing a joint return) must reside in the United 
States for more than half of the year. However, special rules apply to 
military personnel stationed outside of the United States.

To claim the credit for 2021, taxpayers will need to complete Form 2441, Child and Dependent Care Expenses,
 and include the form when filing their tax returns in 2022. In 
completing the form to claim the 2021 credit, those claiming the credit 
will need to provide a valid taxpayer identification number (TIN) for 
each qualifying person. Generally, this is the Social Security number 
for the qualifying person. For more information about completing the 
form and claiming the credit, see the instructions to Form 2441. In 
addition, those claiming the credit are required to identify all persons
 or organizations that provided care for the qualifying person. This 
requires providing the care provider's name, address, and TIN.

The paid sick and family leave credits reimburse eligible employers 
for the cost of providing paid sick and family leave to their employees 
for reasons related to COVID-19, including leave taken by employees to 
receive or recover from COVID-19 vaccinations. Self-employed individuals
 are eligible for similar tax credits.

The paid sick and family leave tax credits under the ARP are similar 
to those put in place by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act 
(FFCRA), as extended and amended by the COVID-related Tax Relief Act of 
2020, under which certain employers could receive tax credits for 
providing paid leave to employees that met the requirements of the 
Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act and the Emergency Family and Medical Leave
 Expansion Act (as added by FFCRA). The ARP amends and extends these 
credits, and provides that leave wages paid to an employee who is 
seeking or awaiting the results of a test for, or diagnosis of, 
COVID-19, or is obtaining immunizations related to COVID-19 or 
recovering from immunization, are leave wages that can be eligible for 
the credits. Additionally, under the ARP, eligible employers may now 
claim the credit for paid family leave wages for all the same reasons 
that they can claim the credit for paid sick leave wages.

The FAQs include information on how eligible employers may claim the 
paid sick and family leave credits, including how to file for and 
compute the applicable credit amounts, and how to receive advance 
payments for and refunds of the credits. Under the ARP, eligible 
employers, including businesses and tax-exempt organizations with fewer 
than 500 employees and certain governmental employers, may claim tax 
credits for qualified leave wages and certain other wage-related 
expenses (such as health plan expenses and certain collectively 
bargained benefits) paid with respect to leave taken by employees 
beginning on April 1, 2021, through September 30, 2021.

The ARP keeps the daily wage thresholds that previously existed for 
these credits under the FFCRA. The aggregate cap on qualified sick leave
 wages remains at two weeks (up to a maximum of 80 hours), and this 
aggregate cap reset with respect to leave taken by employees beginning 
on April 1, 2021. The aggregate cap on qualified family leave wages 
increases to $12,000 from $10,000, and this aggregate cap reset with 
respect to leave taken by employees beginning on April 1, 2021.

The paid leave credits under the ARP are tax credits against the 
employer's share of Medicare tax. The tax credits are refundable, which 
means that the employer is entitled to payment of the full amount of the
 credits to the extent it exceeds the employer's share of Medicare tax.

In anticipation of the credits to be claimed on the applicable 
federal employment tax return, eligible employers can keep the federal 
employment taxes that they otherwise would have deposited, including 
federal income tax withheld from employees, the employees' share of 
social security and Medicare taxes, and the employer's share of social 
security and Medicare taxes with respect to all employees up to the 
amount of the credit for which they are eligible. If the eligible 
employer does not have enough federal employment taxes on deposit to 
cover the amount of the anticipated credits, the eligible employer may 
request an advance of the credit by filing Form 7200, Advance Payment of
 Employer Credits Due to COVID-19.

Self-employed individuals may claim comparable credits on the Form 1040, U.S. Individual Income Tax Return.

See the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-offers-overview-of-tax-provisions-in-american-rescue-plan-retroactive-tax-benefits-help-many-people-now-preparing-2020-returns">tax provisions</a> of the American Rescue Plan for more information. See <a href="https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus-tax-relief-and-economic-impact-payments">other provisions</a> designed to help taxpayers recovering from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Also, see <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/coronavirus-relief-and-economic-impact-payments-frequently-asked-questions">FAQs</a> on these and other provisions.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON – The Internal Revenue Service today posted two new, separate sets of frequently-asked-questions (FAQs) to assist <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/child-and-dependent-care-tax-credit-faqs">families</a> and <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/tax-credits-for-paid-leave-under-the-american-rescue-plan-act-of-2021-for-leave-after-march-31-2021">small and mid-sized employers</a> in claiming credits under the American Rescue Plan (ARP).Both the child and dependent care credit as well as the paid sick and
 family leave credit were enhanced under the ARP, enacted in March to 
assist families and small businesses with the fallout of the COVID-19 
pandemic and recovery underway. The two sets of FAQs provide information
 on eligibility, computing the credit amounts, and how to claim these 
important tax benefits. An overview of these tax credits follows:<h2>Child and dependent care credit</h2>For 2021, the ARP increased the maximum amount of work-related 
expenses for qualifying care that may be taken into account in 
calculating the credit, increased the maximum percentage of those 
expenses for which the credit may be taken, modified how the credit is 
reduced for higher earners, and made it refundable.For 2021, eligible taxpayers can claim qualifying work-related expenses up to:<ul>
 <li>$8,000 for one qualifying person, up from $3,000 in prior years, or</li><li>$16,000 for two or more qualifying persons, up from $6,000 in prior years.</li>
 </ul>Taxpayers are also required to have earnings; the amount of 
qualifying work-related expenses claimed cannot exceed the taxpayer's 
earnings.Combined with the increase to 50% in the maximum credit rate, 
taxpayers with the maximum amount of qualifying work-related expenses 
would receive a credit of $4,000 for one qualifying person, or $8,000 
for two or more qualifying persons. When calculating the credit, a 
taxpayer must subtract employer-provided dependent care benefits, such 
as those provided through a flexible spending account, from total 
work-related expenses.A qualifying person generally is a dependent under the age of 13, or a
 dependent of any age or spouse who is incapable of self-care and who 
lives with the taxpayer for more than half of the year.As in prior years, the more a taxpayer earns, the lower the 
percentage of work-related expenses that are taken into account in 
determining the credit. However, under the new law, more taxpayers will 
qualify for the new maximum 50% credit rate. That's because the ARP 
increased to $125,000 the adjusted gross income level at which the 
credit rate starts to be reduced. Above $125,000, the 50% credit 
percentage goes down as income rises. Taxpayers with adjusted gross 
income over $438,000 are not eligible for the credit.The credit is fully refundable for the first time in 2021. This means
 an eligible taxpayer can receive it, even if they owe no federal income
 tax. To be eligible for the refundable credit, a taxpayer (or the 
taxpayer's spouse if filing a joint return) must reside in the United 
States for more than half of the year. However, special rules apply to 
military personnel stationed outside of the United States.To claim the credit for 2021, taxpayers will need to complete Form 2441, Child and Dependent Care Expenses,
 and include the form when filing their tax returns in 2022. In 
completing the form to claim the 2021 credit, those claiming the credit 
will need to provide a valid taxpayer identification number (TIN) for 
each qualifying person. Generally, this is the Social Security number 
for the qualifying person. For more information about completing the 
form and claiming the credit, see the instructions to Form 2441. In 
addition, those claiming the credit are required to identify all persons
 or organizations that provided care for the qualifying person. This 
requires providing the care provider's name, address, and TIN.<h2>Paid sick and family leave credits</h2>The paid sick and family leave credits reimburse eligible employers 
for the cost of providing paid sick and family leave to their employees 
for reasons related to COVID-19, including leave taken by employees to 
receive or recover from COVID-19 vaccinations. Self-employed individuals
 are eligible for similar tax credits.The paid sick and family leave tax credits under the ARP are similar 
to those put in place by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act 
(FFCRA), as extended and amended by the COVID-related Tax Relief Act of 
2020, under which certain employers could receive tax credits for 
providing paid leave to employees that met the requirements of the 
Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act and the Emergency Family and Medical Leave
 Expansion Act (as added by FFCRA). The ARP amends and extends these 
credits, and provides that leave wages paid to an employee who is 
seeking or awaiting the results of a test for, or diagnosis of, 
COVID-19, or is obtaining immunizations related to COVID-19 or 
recovering from immunization, are leave wages that can be eligible for 
the credits. Additionally, under the ARP, eligible employers may now 
claim the credit for paid family leave wages for all the same reasons 
that they can claim the credit for paid sick leave wages.The FAQs include information on how eligible employers may claim the 
paid sick and family leave credits, including how to file for and 
compute the applicable credit amounts, and how to receive advance 
payments for and refunds of the credits. Under the ARP, eligible 
employers, including businesses and tax-exempt organizations with fewer 
than 500 employees and certain governmental employers, may claim tax 
credits for qualified leave wages and certain other wage-related 
expenses (such as health plan expenses and certain collectively 
bargained benefits) paid with respect to leave taken by employees 
beginning on April 1, 2021, through September 30, 2021.The ARP keeps the daily wage thresholds that previously existed for 
these credits under the FFCRA. The aggregate cap on qualified sick leave
 wages remains at two weeks (up to a maximum of 80 hours), and this 
aggregate cap reset with respect to leave taken by employees beginning 
on April 1, 2021. The aggregate cap on qualified family leave wages 
increases to $12,000 from $10,000, and this aggregate cap reset with 
respect to leave taken by employees beginning on April 1, 2021.The paid leave credits under the ARP are tax credits against the 
employer's share of Medicare tax. The tax credits are refundable, which 
means that the employer is entitled to payment of the full amount of the
 credits to the extent it exceeds the employer's share of Medicare tax.In anticipation of the credits to be claimed on the applicable 
federal employment tax return, eligible employers can keep the federal 
employment taxes that they otherwise would have deposited, including 
federal income tax withheld from employees, the employees' share of 
social security and Medicare taxes, and the employer's share of social 
security and Medicare taxes with respect to all employees up to the 
amount of the credit for which they are eligible. If the eligible 
employer does not have enough federal employment taxes on deposit to 
cover the amount of the anticipated credits, the eligible employer may 
request an advance of the credit by filing Form 7200, Advance Payment of
 Employer Credits Due to COVID-19.Self-employed individuals may claim comparable credits on the Form 1040, U.S. Individual Income Tax Return.See the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-offers-overview-of-tax-provisions-in-american-rescue-plan-retroactive-tax-benefits-help-many-people-now-preparing-2020-returns">tax provisions</a> of the American Rescue Plan for more information. See <a href="https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus-tax-relief-and-economic-impact-payments">other provisions</a> designed to help taxpayers recovering from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Also, see <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/coronavirus-relief-and-economic-impact-payments-frequently-asked-questions">FAQs</a> on these and other provisions.

New FAQs available to help families, small business with COVID stimulus aid

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — A former Missouri police officer campaigning for a state House seat last year repeatedly told a woman to deny that they had sex years ago while she was drunk and he was on duty, the woman says.

Emily Orf, 26, spoke to The Associated Press about her interactions with now-Rep. Chad Perkins, after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/michael-brown-government-and-politics-324ed4dd6e7cae09c6812001f1868c3b">the allegations became public last month</a>. Orf said the allegations are true. She told the AP that she had not spoken to Perkins for years until he called her last year and suggested that she deny what had happened to a police chief who was investigating.

She said Perkins, a 42-year-old Republican, has been apologetic but told her that if she wanted to avoid getting her name “dragged through the mud,” she could either tell Frankford police Chief Joshua Baker they never had sex or tell him they had sex but not while she was drunk and not while Perkins was on duty as a Bowling Green police officer.

She said he’s called her roughly eight times in the past year to say the same thing and provided AP with screenshots of phone records showing some of the calls and texts from his phone number.

Perkins — who has said the relationship was consensual but denied they had sex when he was on duty or she was drunk — told the AP on Thursday that he never suggested Orf deny anything and “never put any pressure on her to say anything that wasn’t true.”

Orf recalled falling asleep in her car at a park sometime around April 2015, when she was 20 years old, and waking up to Perkins knocking on her car window. She told AP she had gotten into an argument with her then-boyfriend and had been drinking.

Orf said Perkins talked to her about the fight and drove her around in his police car for what seemed like a long time before he had sex with her in the backseat. She said she was still drunk and remembers only bits and pieces.

“He probably should’ve just taken me home to my parents if he knew where they lived, or just let me sleep there so I could fight off my drunk,” Orf said.

Asked by the AP Thursday whether he ever had sex with her while she was drunk and he was on duty, Perkins said: “No, absolutely not.” He said he took her home that night in 2015.

“We did not have sex while I was on duty,” Perkins said. “But even if I did, that wouldn’t have been a crime committed. So why would I lie about any of that?”

Orf said the two had sex again after that but she was also drunk then.

The AP typically does not name victims of potential sexual misconduct, but Orf gave permission to identify her. Orf has hired St. Louis attorney Al Watkins to handle questions.

Orf said she previously knew of Perkins through the federally funded Drug Abuse Resistance Education, or D.A.R.E., program. He was her officer.

Perkins' law enforcement license is inactive, which means he hasn’t been working as a police officer recently and can’t return to the job immediately.

The allegations became public after Baker, the Frankford police chief, in April forwarded information about it to law enforcement agencies in a position to investigate potential criminal wrongdoing and to state House leadership, who forwarded it to the House Ethics Committee. The Highway Patrol now is conducting a preliminary inquiry.

In police reports, Baker and a former detective also claimed that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/michael-brown-e81a5cd5bd2f7ac34128fccbaec997eb">Pike County Sheriff Stephen Korte</a>&nbsp;discouraged an investigation because of Perkins' political ambitions.

Perkins officially opened a campaign committee to run as a Republican for state representative in November 2019. Voters elected him in November 2020.

“We can’t prove any of this, Chad needs to win this, it’s important and the girl is loose,” the detective claimed Korte said during a September 2019 conversation, according to a police report.

Korte has denied saying that and has dismissed the claims against Perkins as “sour grapes” brought forward by law enforcement officials with political vendettas.

Perkins made the same argument Thursday and said Baker and the detective are unreliable based on their past behavior during a local election dispute involving Baker's wife.

“Emily and I are both the victims of a couple of cops that hate me so much they’re willing to humiliate a young woman who didn’t want to have anything to do with this,” Perkins said.

The former Pike County detective in a police report said he first brought the claims to Korte in September 2019 after he anonymously received printed copies of messages between Perkins and the woman.

The woman in a May 2015 message confronted Perkins about him sharing details about their relationship with another person, writing: “I’m sure you left out the part where u were on duty and I was drunk.”

Korte told the AP he flagged the claims to the Bowling Green police chief and spoke with both Perkins and the woman.

“At some point I might have talked to her, I can't remember when,” Korte previously told the AP. “I didn’t document it because she said, ‘No yeah, we hooked up,’ I think was her exact words.”

Bowling Green police Chief Don Nacke said Korte never contacted him about Perkins and that he wasn’t aware of the claims against him until recent media reports. Nacke said there are no records of any disciplinary action against Perkins when he was an officer.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1622202688165.png" alt="Rep. Chad Perkins" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Chad Perkins</figcaption>
 </figure>JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — A former Missouri police officer campaigning for a state House seat last year repeatedly told a woman to deny that they had sex years ago while she was drunk and he was on duty, the woman says.Emily Orf, 26, spoke to The Associated Press about her interactions with now-Rep. Chad Perkins, after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/michael-brown-government-and-politics-324ed4dd6e7cae09c6812001f1868c3b">the allegations became public last month</a>. Orf said the allegations are true. She told the AP that she had not spoken to Perkins for years until he called her last year and suggested that she deny what had happened to a police chief who was investigating.She said Perkins, a 42-year-old Republican, has been apologetic but told her that if she wanted to avoid getting her name “dragged through the mud,” she could either tell Frankford police Chief Joshua Baker they never had sex or tell him they had sex but not while she was drunk and not while Perkins was on duty as a Bowling Green police officer.She said he’s called her roughly eight times in the past year to say the same thing and provided AP with screenshots of phone records showing some of the calls and texts from his phone number.Perkins — who has said the relationship was consensual but denied they had sex when he was on duty or she was drunk — told the AP on Thursday that he never suggested Orf deny anything and “never put any pressure on her to say anything that wasn’t true.”Orf recalled falling asleep in her car at a park sometime around April 2015, when she was 20 years old, and waking up to Perkins knocking on her car window. She told AP she had gotten into an argument with her then-boyfriend and had been drinking.Orf said Perkins talked to her about the fight and drove her around in his police car for what seemed like a long time before he had sex with her in the backseat. She said she was still drunk and remembers only bits and pieces.“He probably should’ve just taken me home to my parents if he knew where they lived, or just let me sleep there so I could fight off my drunk,” Orf said.Asked by the AP Thursday whether he ever had sex with her while she was drunk and he was on duty, Perkins said: “No, absolutely not.” He said he took her home that night in 2015.“We did not have sex while I was on duty,” Perkins said. “But even if I did, that wouldn’t have been a crime committed. So why would I lie about any of that?”Orf said the two had sex again after that but she was also drunk then.The AP typically does not name victims of potential sexual misconduct, but Orf gave permission to identify her. Orf has hired St. Louis attorney Al Watkins to handle questions.Orf said she previously knew of Perkins through the federally funded Drug Abuse Resistance Education, or D.A.R.E., program. He was her officer.Perkins' law enforcement license is inactive, which means he hasn’t been working as a police officer recently and can’t return to the job immediately.The allegations became public after Baker, the Frankford police chief, in April forwarded information about it to law enforcement agencies in a position to investigate potential criminal wrongdoing and to state House leadership, who forwarded it to the House Ethics Committee. The Highway Patrol now is conducting a preliminary inquiry.In police reports, Baker and a former detective also claimed that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/michael-brown-e81a5cd5bd2f7ac34128fccbaec997eb">Pike County Sheriff Stephen Korte</a>&nbsp;discouraged an investigation because of Perkins' political ambitions.Perkins officially opened a campaign committee to run as a Republican for state representative in November 2019. Voters elected him in November 2020.“We can’t prove any of this, Chad needs to win this, it’s important and the girl is loose,” the detective claimed Korte said during a September 2019 conversation, according to a police report.Korte has denied saying that and has dismissed the claims against Perkins as “sour grapes” brought forward by law enforcement officials with political vendettas.Perkins made the same argument Thursday and said Baker and the detective are unreliable based on their past behavior during a local election dispute involving Baker's wife.“Emily and I are both the victims of a couple of cops that hate me so much they’re willing to humiliate a young woman who didn’t want to have anything to do with this,” Perkins said.The former Pike County detective in a police report said he first brought the claims to Korte in September 2019 after he anonymously received printed copies of messages between Perkins and the woman.The woman in a May 2015 message confronted Perkins about him sharing details about their relationship with another person, writing: “I’m sure you left out the part where u were on duty and I was drunk.”Orf verified those messages to the AP.Korte told the AP he flagged the claims to the Bowling Green police chief and spoke with both Perkins and the woman.“At some point I might have talked to her, I can't remember when,” Korte previously told the AP. “I didn’t document it because she said, ‘No yeah, we hooked up,’ I think was her exact words.”Orf said she never spoke to Korte.Bowling Green police Chief Don Nacke said Korte never contacted him about Perkins and that he wasn’t aware of the claims against him until recent media reports. Nacke said there are no records of any disciplinary action against Perkins when he was an officer.

Woman: Lawmaker told her to deny allegations they had sex

GREELEY, Co. (AP) —The world’s largest meat processing company says it paid the equivalent of $11 million to hackers who broke into its computer system late last month.

Brazil-based JBS SA said on May 31 that it was the victim of a ransomware attack, but Wednesday was the first time the company’s U.S. division confirmed that it had paid the ransom.

“This was a very difficult decision to make for our company and for me personally,” said Andre Nogueira, the CEO of JBS USA. “However, we felt this decision had to be made to prevent any potential risk for our customers.”

JBS said the vast majority of its facilities were operational at the time it made the payment, but it decided to pay in order to avoid any unforeseen issues and ensure no data was exfiltrated.

The FBI has attributed the attack to REvil, a Russian-speaking gang that has made some of the largest ransomware demands on record in recent months. The FBI said it will work to bring the group to justice and it urged anyone who is the victim of a cyberattack to contact the bureau immediately.

The attack targeted servers supporting JBS’s operations in North America and Australia. Production was disrupted for several days.

Earlier this week, the Justice Department announced it had recovered most of a multimillion-dollar ransom payment made by Colonial Pipeline, the operator of the nation’s largest fuel pipeline.

Colonial paid a ransom of 75 bitcoin __ then valued at $4.4 million __ in early May to a Russia-based hacker group. The operation to seize cryptocurrency reflected a rare victory in the fight against ransomware as U.S. officials scramble to confront a rapidly accelerating threat targeting critical industries around the world.

It wasn’t immediately clear if JBS also paid its ransom in bitcoin.

JBS said it spends more than $200 million annually on IT and employs more than 850 IT professionals globally.

The company said forensic investigations are still ongoing, but it doesn’t believe any company, customer or employee data was compromised.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1622817709891.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>GREELEY, Co. (AP) —The world’s largest meat processing company says it paid the equivalent of $11 million to hackers who broke into its computer system late last month.Brazil-based JBS SA said on May 31 that it was the victim of a ransomware attack, but Wednesday was the first time the company’s U.S. division confirmed that it had paid the ransom.“This was a very difficult decision to make for our company and for me personally,” said Andre Nogueira, the CEO of JBS USA. “However, we felt this decision had to be made to prevent any potential risk for our customers.”JBS said the vast majority of its facilities were operational at the time it made the payment, but it decided to pay in order to avoid any unforeseen issues and ensure no data was exfiltrated.The FBI has attributed the attack to REvil, a Russian-speaking gang that has made some of the largest ransomware demands on record in recent months. The FBI said it will work to bring the group to justice and it urged anyone who is the victim of a cyberattack to contact the bureau immediately.The attack targeted servers supporting JBS’s operations in North America and Australia. Production was disrupted for several days.Earlier this week, the Justice Department announced it had recovered most of a multimillion-dollar ransom payment made by Colonial Pipeline, the operator of the nation’s largest fuel pipeline.Colonial paid a ransom of 75 bitcoin __ then valued at $4.4 million __ in early May to a Russia-based hacker group. The operation to seize cryptocurrency reflected a rare victory in the fight against ransomware as U.S. officials scramble to confront a rapidly accelerating threat targeting critical industries around the world.It wasn’t immediately clear if JBS also paid its ransom in bitcoin.JBS said it spends more than $200 million annually on IT and employs more than 850 IT professionals globally.The company said forensic investigations are still ongoing, but it doesn’t believe any company, customer or employee data was compromised.

Meat company paid far more ransom in cyberattack than first reported

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A former Wichita teacher and city council candidate has pleaded guilty to having a sexual relationship with a student. Rodney Wren pleaded guilty Wednesday to one of three counts of unlawful sexual relations. 

He admitted having sex with an underage girl in 2015 and 2016 while he worked at Wichita Collegiate School. He was fired from the school when he was arrested in February 2020. Wren was a longtime teacher and debate coach at Wichita Collegiate. He ran unsuccessfully for  the District 2 Wichita City Council seat in 2019. His attorney said Wren's actions were wrong, but he said Wren was not a pedophile.

SEDGWICK COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas teacher for alleged sex crimes.

In January, police in Wichita were notified of possible sexual relations occurring between a teacher at Wichita Collegiate identified as 39-year-old Rodney Wren and a former student at Wichita Collegiate who was a teen at the time of the alleged relationship, according to officer Charley Davidson.

On Feb. 7, following the police investigation, officers arrested Wren&nbsp; for three counts of unlawful sexual relations.&nbsp;

Wichita Collegiate Officials are cooperating with the investigation and had placed Wren on administrative leave.

The case has been presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1581367494229.png" alt="Rodney Wren photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Rodney Wren photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A former Wichita teacher and city council candidate has pleaded guilty to having a sexual relationship with a student. Rodney Wren pleaded guilty Wednesday to one of three counts of unlawful sexual relations. He admitted having sex with an underage girl in 2015 and 2016 while he worked at Wichita Collegiate School. He was fired from the school when he was arrested in February 2020. Wren was a longtime teacher and debate coach at Wichita Collegiate. He ran unsuccessfully for the District 2 Wichita City Council seat in 2019. His attorney said Wren's actions were wrong, but he said Wren was not a pedophile.-------SEDGWICK COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas teacher for alleged sex crimes.In January, police in Wichita were notified of possible sexual relations occurring between a teacher at Wichita Collegiate identified as 39-year-old Rodney Wren and a former student at Wichita Collegiate who was a teen at the time of the alleged relationship, according to officer Charley Davidson.On Feb. 7, following the police investigation, officers arrested Wren&nbsp; for three counts of unlawful sexual relations.&nbsp;Wichita Collegiate Officials are cooperating with the investigation and had placed Wren on administrative leave.The case has been presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.

Former Kansas teacher pleads guilty to sex with student

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Cerner says it plans to eliminate about 500 positions across the globe as part of continuing efforts to transform its mission. The healthcare information technology company did not say how many of the cuts will affect Kansas City area workers. 

The company, based in North Kansas City, said it will remain the largest private employer in the Kansas City region. Cerner employs 26,000 people across the world and about 13,000 at several Kansas City campuses. The company said it plans to hire 2,600 new employees around the world this year. Cerner made two separate job cuts in 2019 and another in June of last year.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Cerner says it plans to eliminate about 500 positions across the globe as part of continuing efforts to transform its mission. The healthcare information technology company did not say how many of the cuts will affect Kansas City area workers. The company, based in North Kansas City, said it will remain the largest private employer in the Kansas City region. Cerner employs 26,000 people across the world and about 13,000 at several Kansas City campuses. The company said it plans to hire 2,600 new employees around the world this year. Cerner made two separate job cuts in 2019 and another in June of last year.

Kansas City based Cerner to eliminate abut 500 jobs 

WASHINGTON — U.S. health officials are investigating what appear to be higher than expected reports of heart inflammation in male teens and young adults after they get a second dose of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.

It’s not clear if the heart inflammation is caused by the shots and the reports still are rare, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It urges everyone 12 and older to get vaccinated.

As of May 31, the agency had 275 preliminary reports of such inflammation in 16- to 24-year-olds, CDC’s Dr. Tom Shimabukuro told a government vaccine meeting on Thursday. That’s out of more than 12 million second-dose injections of the vaccines.

The cases seem to occur more often in men and in younger people, and most already have fully recovered, he said.

This kind of heart inflammation can be caused by a variety of infections, including a bout of COVID-19, as well as certain medications — and there have been rare reports following other types of vaccinations.

The CDC’s vaccine advisory committee will meet on June 18 to further evaluate the possible risk.

WASHINGTON — U.S. health officials are investigating what appear to be higher than expected reports of heart inflammation in male teens and young adults after they get a second dose of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.It’s not clear if the heart inflammation is caused by the shots and the reports still are rare, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It urges everyone 12 and older to get vaccinated.As of May 31, the agency had 275 preliminary reports of such inflammation in 16- to 24-year-olds, CDC’s Dr. Tom Shimabukuro told a government vaccine meeting on Thursday. That’s out of more than 12 million second-dose injections of the vaccines.The cases seem to occur more often in men and in younger people, and most already have fully recovered, he said.This kind of heart inflammation can be caused by a variety of infections, including a bout of COVID-19, as well as certain medications — and there have been rare reports following other types of vaccinations.The CDC’s vaccine advisory committee will meet on June 18 to further evaluate the possible risk.

CDC looking into reports of heart inflammation from vaccine

MISSION, Kan. (AP) — Six people are recovering after a chemical spill inside a Johnson County veterinary clinic sent them to the hospital.

A gallon of formaldehyde spilled Wednesday inside the Mission Veterinary Emergency &amp; Specialty clinic. Arriving firefighters learned that while the spill had been cleaned up, several people who had interacted with the chemicals were ill.

The Overland Park Fire Department hazmat team was called in, and the building was evacuated. Six people were treated at hospitals and released.

Firefighters used fans to ventilate the building, and employees were allowed back in hours later.

MISSION, Kan. (AP) — Six people are recovering after a chemical spill inside a Johnson County veterinary clinic sent them to the hospital.A gallon of formaldehyde spilled Wednesday inside the Mission Veterinary Emergency &amp; Specialty clinic. Arriving firefighters learned that while the spill had been cleaned up, several people who had interacted with the chemicals were ill.The Overland Park Fire Department hazmat team was called in, and the building was evacuated. Six people were treated at hospitals and released.Firefighters used fans to ventilate the building, and employees were allowed back in hours later.

Six treated after chemical spill at Kan. veterinary clinic

WASHINGTON&nbsp;– U.S. Senators Jerry Moran, Roger Marshall and 9 of their Senate Republican colleagues introduced the&nbsp;Defending Keystone Jobs Act,&nbsp;which would require the Department of Labor to submit a report to Congress on the number of jobs lost as a direct or indirect result of the Biden administration’s move to cancel construction of the Keystone XL pipeline, according to a media release from Moran's office.

This project was expected&nbsp;to provide approximately&nbsp;11,000 direct&nbsp;high-paying jobs and up to 60,000 indirect and direct jobs, generate tax revenue, increase renewable-energy demand,&nbsp;reduce emissions and strengthen&nbsp;North American&nbsp;energy independence.&nbsp;

On Wednesday, the sponsor of the pipeline said it's pulling the plug on the contentious project after Canadian officials failed to persuade the Biden administration to reverse its cancellation of the company's permit. Calgary-based TC Energy said Wednesday it would work with government agencies “to ensure a safe termination of and exit from” the partially built project.&nbsp;

“Canceling the Keystone XL Pipeline has cost our country thousands of good-paying jobs and made us more dependent on foreign countries to supply our domestic energy needs,”&nbsp;said Sen.&nbsp;Moran.&nbsp;“The Biden Administration must reverse this policy, especially in light of its decision to waive sanctions on Russia’s Nord Stream 2 pipeline, and reprioritize the needs of American workers and energy consumers.”

“The Keystone XL pipeline would have strengthened U.S. energy independence while supporting thousands of high-paying jobs in the U.S. and Canada. It’s hard to square why the administration canceled its construction, yet waived sanctions on Russia’s malign pipeline project,”&nbsp;said Sen.&nbsp;Risch.&nbsp;“Reinstating the Keystone project to invest in U.S. energy security and job creation is just common sense. Why is it bad for the U.S. to have access to natural gas, but it’s ok for Russia?”

WASHINGTON&nbsp;– U.S. Senators Jerry Moran, Roger Marshall and 9 of their Senate Republican colleagues introduced the&nbsp;Defending Keystone Jobs Act,&nbsp;which would require the Department of Labor to submit a report to Congress on the number of jobs lost as a direct or indirect result of the Biden administration’s move to cancel construction of the Keystone XL pipeline, according to a media release from Moran's office.This project was expected&nbsp;to provide approximately&nbsp;11,000 direct&nbsp;high-paying jobs and up to 60,000 indirect and direct jobs, generate tax revenue, increase renewable-energy demand,&nbsp;reduce emissions and strengthen&nbsp;North American&nbsp;energy independence.&nbsp;On Wednesday, the sponsor of the pipeline said it's pulling the plug on the contentious project after Canadian officials failed to persuade the Biden administration to reverse its cancellation of the company's permit. Calgary-based TC Energy said Wednesday it would work with government agencies “to ensure a safe termination of and exit from” the partially built project.&nbsp;“Canceling the Keystone XL Pipeline has cost our country thousands of good-paying jobs and made us more dependent on foreign countries to supply our domestic energy needs,”&nbsp;said Sen.&nbsp;Moran.&nbsp;“The Biden Administration must reverse this policy, especially in light of its decision to waive sanctions on Russia’s Nord Stream 2 pipeline, and reprioritize the needs of American workers and energy consumers.”“The Keystone XL pipeline would have strengthened U.S. energy independence while supporting thousands of high-paying jobs in the U.S. and Canada. It’s hard to square why the administration canceled its construction, yet waived sanctions on Russia’s malign pipeline project,”&nbsp;said Sen.&nbsp;Risch.&nbsp;“Reinstating the Keystone project to invest in U.S. energy security and job creation is just common sense. Why is it bad for the U.S. to have access to natural gas, but it’s ok for Russia?”Background:·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;On his first day in office, President Biden issued an executive order revoking the permit for construction of the Keystone XL pipeline.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Following this executive order, Sen.&nbsp;Moran&nbsp;<a href="https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=BD1FCB43-90B9-4A15-BA9F-880195A3EC25" target="_blank">introduced legislation</a>&nbsp;to authorize the continued construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline with seven of his Senate Republican colleagues.