SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple charges after an arrest.

On May 12,&nbsp;members of the Topeka Police Department Narcotics Unit served a search warrant in the 2600 Block of SE Maryland Avenue in Topeka, related to an ongoing investigation.

While conducting the search warrant, the officers located marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and a stolen firearm.

As a result, officers arrested Manuel Mesa, 27, of Topeka, transported him to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges that include Possession of marijuana with the intent of distribution within 1000 feet of a school, Possession of drug paraphernalia with the intent of distribution within 1000 feet of a school, Criminal possession of a firearm by a felon, Criminal use of weapons; possess firearm by a person with a restraining order, Identity theft, Forgery, Use communication facility in the commission felony drug violation, Possession of stolen property; Firearm. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620989036663.png" alt="Mesa photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Mesa photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple charges after an arrest.On May 12,&nbsp;members of the Topeka Police Department Narcotics Unit served a search warrant in the 2600 Block of SE Maryland Avenue in Topeka, related to an ongoing investigation.While conducting the search warrant, the officers located marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and a stolen firearm.As a result, officers arrested Manuel Mesa, 27, of Topeka, transported him to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges that include Possession of marijuana with the intent of distribution within 1000 feet of a school, Possession of drug paraphernalia with the intent of distribution within 1000 feet of a school, Criminal possession of a firearm by a felon, Criminal use of weapons; possess firearm by a person with a restraining order, Identity theft, Forgery, Use communication facility in the commission felony drug violation, Possession of stolen property; Firearm.

Kansas man accused of identity theft, forgery

By BRIAN GRIMMETT <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/these-kansans-see-way-fight-climate-change-breeding-ecofriendly-crops">Kansas News Service</a>

SALINA, Kansas — Ebony Murell and a few interns 
meticulously sort 99 kinds of silphium. It’s a wild relative to a 
sunflower. And the biologists at <a href="https://landinstitute.org/about-us/" target="_blank">The Land Institute</a>
 — an outfit devoted to finding out how science can make farming more 
planet-friendly — want to unravel the plant’s secrets for tolerating 
bugs and diseases.

“We don’t know what all of these traits mean in terms of plant defenses,” Murell said. “Any or all of them could matter.”

The
 thousands of data points collected about bug resistance make up just 
one small part of the larger goal of developing the wild silphium into a
 perennial crop farmers can plant and harvest for seed oil.

Unlike
 annually planted crops such as wheat, corn and sorghum, perennial crops
 more closely mimic how a natural prairie works. Instead of planting new
 seed every year, farmers can plant once and expect years of harvests.

About
 12% of global greenhouse gas emissions and the destruction of natural 
ecosystems comes from agriculture. But the 50 or so researchers at The 
Land Institute think they can show farmers how to reduce their carbon 
footprint.

Murell said the deep root systems of perennial agriculture mimic natural prairie. They stop erosion and rebuild the soil.

All
 plants are natural carbon scrubbers. They take carbon dioxide from the 
atmosphere and turn it into leaves and flowers and grain. But it’s the 
roots that really matter. They take the carbon from the air and turn it 
into dirt.

The bigger and deeper the roots, the more carbon is sequestered.

So
 diets based on perennial grains would tread more lightly on the earth 
than the plant-harvest-plant pattern that defines most farming.

“This
 is the best opportunity we have to save the soils and still produce 
food,” said Tiffany Durr, the Land Institute’s greenhouse manager.

Some
 Land Institute projects attempt to domesticate wild perennial plants, 
like with silphium. But it’s also working on perennializing existing 
annual crops such as wheat and sorghum — all through selective breeding.

The
 Land Institute has been working on developing perennial grains since 
1976. So far, none of its work is widely used among farmers.

“We’re
 hippieville out here doing something, they don’t know what,” she said. 
“People didn’t understand that there was real science going on — big 
hope, grounded in real science.”

Some of that science is 
beginning to pay off. Kernza is an intermediate wheatgrass developed by 
the Land Institute that can be used in similar ways to wheat. Durr said 
it’s finally gotten to the point where it’s getting mainstream attention
 and major academic research partners. In fact, right now <a href="https://perennial-pantry.com/products/kernza-flour?variant=39258070450219" target="_blank">you can actually buy Kernza flour</a>.

“It’s not just a big, pie-in-the-sky idea.” Durr said. “It’s tangible, it’s real and there’s a lot more excitement.”

But
 challenges remain. Annual crops such as wheat put their energy into 
making bigger seeds, rather than developing root systems.

“The 
challenge that the Land Institute and others are trying to do: Can you 
have a perennial system that would maintain the roots, but yet produce 
seed?” said Kansas State University soil microbiologist Chuck Rice. “Can
 you have your cake and eat it too?”

He said perennial crops 
accomplish what they already know about better farming and conservation 
practices — don’t till up the ground, keep it covered with some plant 
growth between crops, and increase the diversity of what’s planted — in 
one convenient package.

“This is in my mind a workable solution,”
 Murrell said. “And that’s what motivates me to want to plant hundreds 
of plants in a greenhouse and try to do these crazy experiments that are
 so hard.”

Brian Grimmett reports on the environment, energy 
and natural resources for KMUW in Wichita and the Kansas News Service. 
You can follow him on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/briangrimmett?lang=en">@briangrimmett</a> or email him at grimmett@kmuw.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620913705905.png" alt=" Kernza, a perennial grain, growing in a greenhouse at The Land Institute in Salina, Kansas. Brian Grimmett / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption> Kernza, a perennial grain, growing in a greenhouse at The Land Institute in Salina, Kansas. Brian Grimmett / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRIAN GRIMMETT <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/these-kansans-see-way-fight-climate-change-breeding-ecofriendly-crops">Kansas News Service</a>SALINA, Kansas — Ebony Murell and a few interns 
meticulously sort 99 kinds of silphium. It’s a wild relative to a 
sunflower. And the biologists at <a href="https://landinstitute.org/about-us/" target="_blank">The Land Institute</a>
 — an outfit devoted to finding out how science can make farming more 
planet-friendly — want to unravel the plant’s secrets for tolerating 
bugs and diseases.“We don’t know what all of these traits mean in terms of plant defenses,” Murell said. “Any or all of them could matter.”The
 thousands of data points collected about bug resistance make up just 
one small part of the larger goal of developing the wild silphium into a
 perennial crop farmers can plant and harvest for seed oil.Unlike
 annually planted crops such as wheat, corn and sorghum, perennial crops
 more closely mimic how a natural prairie works. Instead of planting new
 seed every year, farmers can plant once and expect years of harvests.About
 12% of global greenhouse gas emissions and the destruction of natural 
ecosystems comes from agriculture. But the 50 or so researchers at The 
Land Institute think they can show farmers how to reduce their carbon 
footprint.Murell said the deep root systems of perennial agriculture mimic natural prairie. They stop erosion and rebuild the soil.<h2>It’s all about the roots</h2>All
 plants are natural carbon scrubbers. They take carbon dioxide from the 
atmosphere and turn it into leaves and flowers and grain. But it’s the 
roots that really matter. They take the carbon from the air and turn it 
into dirt.The bigger and deeper the roots, the more carbon is sequestered.So
 diets based on perennial grains would tread more lightly on the earth 
than the plant-harvest-plant pattern that defines most farming.“This
 is the best opportunity we have to save the soils and still produce 
food,” said Tiffany Durr, the Land Institute’s greenhouse manager.Some
 Land Institute projects attempt to domesticate wild perennial plants, 
like with silphium. But it’s also working on perennializing existing 
annual crops such as wheat and sorghum — all through selective breeding.It’s a daunting task.The
 Land Institute has been working on developing perennial grains since 
1976. So far, none of its work is widely used among farmers.Durr gets the skepticism.“We’re
 hippieville out here doing something, they don’t know what,” she said. 
“People didn’t understand that there was real science going on — big 
hope, grounded in real science.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620913785465.jpeg" alt=" A field of Kernza perennial grains at the Land Institute. Credit Brian Grimmett / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption> A field of Kernza perennial grains at the Land Institute. Credit Brian Grimmett / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>The rise of Kernza</h2>Some of that science is 
beginning to pay off. Kernza is an intermediate wheatgrass developed by 
the Land Institute that can be used in similar ways to wheat. Durr said 
it’s finally gotten to the point where it’s getting mainstream attention
 and major academic research partners. In fact, right now <a href="https://perennial-pantry.com/products/kernza-flour?variant=39258070450219" target="_blank">you can actually buy Kernza flour</a>.“It’s not just a big, pie-in-the-sky idea.” Durr said. “It’s tangible, it’s real and there’s a lot more excitement.”But
 challenges remain. Annual crops such as wheat put their energy into 
making bigger seeds, rather than developing root systems.“The 
challenge that the Land Institute and others are trying to do: Can you 
have a perennial system that would maintain the roots, but yet produce 
seed?” said Kansas State University soil microbiologist Chuck Rice. “Can
 you have your cake and eat it too?”He said perennial crops 
accomplish what they already know about better farming and conservation 
practices — don’t till up the ground, keep it covered with some plant 
growth between crops, and increase the diversity of what’s planted — in 
one convenient package.“This is in my mind a workable solution,”
 Murrell said. “And that’s what motivates me to want to plant hundreds 
of plants in a greenhouse and try to do these crazy experiments that are
 so hard.”Brian Grimmett reports on the environment, energy 
and natural resources for KMUW in Wichita and the Kansas News Service. 
You can follow him on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/briangrimmett?lang=en">@briangrimmett</a> or email him at grimmett@kmuw.org.

Kansans fight climate change by breeding ecofriendly crops 

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a single vehicle crash Sunday morning at Shawnee Mission Parkway and 55th Street in Fairway Kansas, according to the Johnson County Sheriff's Department. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp;

Due to excessive speeds, the vehicle appears to have hit a tree on the side of the road and split in half.

Westbound Shawnee Mission Parkway was closed at West 55th Street as deputies worked the scene. Authorities opened the road to traffic just after 8:30 a.m. Sunday. The sheriff's department has not released the victim's name.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1621173186884.png" alt="Sunday morning crash scene -photos Johnson County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Sunday morning crash scene -photos Johnson County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a single vehicle crash Sunday morning at Shawnee Mission Parkway and 55th Street in Fairway Kansas, according to the Johnson County Sheriff's Department. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp;Due to excessive speeds, the vehicle appears to have hit a tree on the side of the road and split in half.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1621173166580.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Westbound Shawnee Mission Parkway was closed at West 55th Street as deputies worked the scene. Authorities opened the road to traffic just after 8:30 a.m. Sunday. The sheriff's department has not released the victim's name.

Sheriff: Driver in Kansas dead after vehicle hit tree, split in half

By SUZANNE PEREZ <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/kansas-school-districts-find-ditching-offensive-mascots-costs-money">Kansas News Service</a>

What does it cost a school district to change an offensive mascot?

Some Kansas schools are starting to find out.

Wichita school board members <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/wichita-public-schools-drops-redskins-name-north-high" target="_blank">voted in February</a> to get rid of the controversial Redskins mascot at North High School.

They
 learned recently that replacing athletic uniforms, painting over a gym 
floor and retrofitting the marching band could cost upward of $400,000.

The board approved the first phase of expenditures in March, voting 
to spend $350,000 on new uniforms for the football, baseball and 
softball teams and other student activities.

Terrell Davis, 
executive director of public affairs and special projects for the 
Wichita district, led a committee that recommended changing North’s 
mascot.

He said removing the Redskins name from school uniforms 
and property will take time. The old mascot — in either words or images —
 appears on debate team blazers, bowling team jerseys, swimming pool 
flags, scoreboards and more.

“We did an evaluation of all the 
uniforms they had to see where the term ‘Redskin’ was on,” Davis said. 
“And so to remove those things is what we’re working towards.

“We also looked at where people were at in terms of their normal rotation of uniforms,” he said.

Buying
 lots of uniforms at once resulted in some discounts, Davis said. 
Spending approved in March also included a new wrestling mat.

A new gymnasium built as part of the Wichita district’s 2008 bond 
issue features North High’s new logo in the center — a red-and-white 
letter “N” with a Native American drum and feather. But stripes on 
either end of the basketball court say “Redskins” in large letters.

As
 part of the mascot changes, those words will be painted over and the 
floor named in honor of Lynette Woodard, a North High graduate and 
basketball Hall-of-Famer.

The Shawnee Mission school district in Johnson County approved a new policy in January <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-01-26/four-shawnee-mission-schools-will-have-new-mascots-after-years-of-using-native-american-imagery" target="_blank">barring mascots deemed derogatory or offensive</a>.

To
 comply with the policy, Shawnee Mission North High and three elementary
 schools dropped mascots that referenced Native Americans. Shawnee 
Mission North announced earlier this month that <a href="https://www.kcur.org/education/2021-05-05/home-of-the-bison-shawnee-mission-north-officially-replaces-indians-mascot" target="_blank">it would replace its former “Indians” mascot with “Bison.”</a>

District
 spokesman David A. Smith said the district is beginning to develop 
logos and branding for the new mascots but doesn’t yet have projected 
costs for the overhaul.

Sheril Logan, a member of the Wichita 
school district, said during a recent meeting that the cost of new 
uniforms, equipment and renovations are necessary.

“We want to make sure we remove all of the places where that name is,” Logan said.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620853552746.png" alt=" The word "Redskins" on North High's basketball court will be painted over after the Wichita district dropped the controversial name. Suzanne Perez / KMUW" />
 <figcaption> The word "Redskins" on North High's basketball court will be painted over after the Wichita district dropped the controversial name. Suzanne Perez / KMUW</figcaption>
 </figure>By SUZANNE PEREZ <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/kansas-school-districts-find-ditching-offensive-mascots-costs-money">Kansas News Service</a>What does it cost a school district to change an offensive mascot?Some Kansas schools are starting to find out.Wichita school board members <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/wichita-public-schools-drops-redskins-name-north-high" target="_blank">voted in February</a> to get rid of the controversial Redskins mascot at North High School.They
 learned recently that replacing athletic uniforms, painting over a gym 
floor and retrofitting the marching band could cost upward of $400,000.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620853626718.jpeg" alt=" Renderings of North High's new baseball uniforms. Credit USD 259" />
 <figcaption> Renderings of North High's new baseball uniforms. Credit USD 259</figcaption>
 </figure>The board approved the first phase of expenditures in March, voting 
to spend $350,000 on new uniforms for the football, baseball and 
softball teams and other student activities.Terrell Davis, 
executive director of public affairs and special projects for the 
Wichita district, led a committee that recommended changing North’s 
mascot.He said removing the Redskins name from school uniforms 
and property will take time. The old mascot — in either words or images —
 appears on debate team blazers, bowling team jerseys, swimming pool 
flags, scoreboards and more.“We did an evaluation of all the 
uniforms they had to see where the term ‘Redskin’ was on,” Davis said. 
“And so to remove those things is what we’re working towards.“We also looked at where people were at in terms of their normal rotation of uniforms,” he said.Buying
 lots of uniforms at once resulted in some discounts, Davis said. 
Spending approved in March also included a new wrestling mat.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620853666293.jpeg" alt=" The Wichita school district says removing the Redskins name from North High uniforms and property will take time and could cost around $400,000. Credit Suzanne Perez / KMUW" />
 <figcaption> The Wichita school district says removing the Redskins name from North High uniforms and property will take time and could cost around $400,000. Credit Suzanne Perez / KMUW</figcaption>
 </figure>A new gymnasium built as part of the Wichita district’s 2008 bond 
issue features North High’s new logo in the center — a red-and-white 
letter “N” with a Native American drum and feather. But stripes on 
either end of the basketball court say “Redskins” in large letters.As
 part of the mascot changes, those words will be painted over and the 
floor named in honor of Lynette Woodard, a North High graduate and 
basketball Hall-of-Famer.The Shawnee Mission school district in Johnson County approved a new policy in January <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-01-26/four-shawnee-mission-schools-will-have-new-mascots-after-years-of-using-native-american-imagery" target="_blank">barring mascots deemed derogatory or offensive</a>.To
 comply with the policy, Shawnee Mission North High and three elementary
 schools dropped mascots that referenced Native Americans. Shawnee 
Mission North announced earlier this month that <a href="https://www.kcur.org/education/2021-05-05/home-of-the-bison-shawnee-mission-north-officially-replaces-indians-mascot" target="_blank">it would replace its former “Indians” mascot with “Bison.”</a>District
 spokesman David A. Smith said the district is beginning to develop 
logos and branding for the new mascots but doesn’t yet have projected 
costs for the overhaul.Sheril Logan, a member of the Wichita 
school district, said during a recent meeting that the cost of new 
uniforms, equipment and renovations are necessary.“We want to make sure we remove all of the places where that name is,” Logan said.Suzanne Perez reports on education for KMUW in Wichita and the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter @SuzPerezICT&nbsp;or email her at perez@kmuw.org.

Kan. school districts find ditching offensive mascots expensive

Manhattan—Officials are working to determine the cause of a fire in Manhattan.

Just after 8 p.m. Saturday, firefighters were dispatched to an apartment building fire at 1200 Yuma Street in Manhattan, according to&nbsp;Deputy Chief Ryan Almes.

Upon arrival, crews found a two-story apartment building with smoke showing from the second floor. 

The building&nbsp; was searched, found to be clear of occupants, and the fire was contained within 10 minutes.&nbsp;&nbsp; The building is a two-story apartment building containing three units.&nbsp; One unit was affected by the fire and the occupants of that unit were not at home when firefighters arrived. Loss is estimated as $15,000 to the structure and $2500 for contents, according to Almes.&nbsp; The owners are listed as Keith and Shirley Vogts of Manhattan.&nbsp;No injuries were reported.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1621164626138.png" alt="Saturday evening fire at 1200 Yuma Street- photo Manhattan Fire Dept." />
 <figcaption>Saturday evening fire at 1200 Yuma Street- photo Manhattan Fire Dept.</figcaption>
 </figure>Manhattan—Officials are working to determine the cause of a fire in Manhattan.Just after 8 p.m. Saturday, firefighters were dispatched to an apartment building fire at 1200 Yuma Street in Manhattan, according to&nbsp;Deputy Chief Ryan Almes.Upon arrival, crews found a two-story apartment building with smoke showing from the second floor. The building&nbsp; was searched, found to be clear of occupants, and the fire was contained within 10 minutes.&nbsp;&nbsp; The building is a two-story apartment building containing three units.&nbsp; One unit was affected by the fire and the occupants of that unit were not at home when firefighters arrived. Loss is estimated as $15,000 to the structure and $2500 for contents, according to Almes.&nbsp; The owners are listed as Keith and Shirley Vogts of Manhattan.&nbsp;No injuries were reported.

Cause of Kansas apartment building fire under investigation

The Internal Revenue Services offers an online tool to track your federal tax refund status.

• Social Security number or TIN • Filing status • Exact refund amount

Click&nbsp;<a href="https://sa.www4.irs.gov/irfof/lang/en/irfofgetstatus.jsp">HERE</a>&nbsp;to track your refund.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSThe Internal Revenue Services offers an online tool to track your federal tax refund status.To track a refund, taxpayers will need:• Social Security number or TIN • Filing status • Exact refund amountClick&nbsp;<a href="https://sa.www4.irs.gov/irfof/lang/en/irfofgetstatus.jsp">HERE</a>&nbsp;to track your refund.

IRS: Where's my tax refund? Here's how to find out

Since
 October 2020, consumers have reported losing more than $80 million to 
cryptocurrency investment scams, an increase of more than ten-fold 
year-over-year, according to a new data analysis from the Federal Trade 
Commission.

In a new <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/blogs/data-spotlight/2021/05/cryptocurrency-buzz-drives-record-investment-scam-losses">consumer protection data spotlight</a>,
 the FTC breaks down the contents of nearly 7,000 reports received from 
consumers about these scams in the last quarter of 2020 and the first 
quarter of 2021. The median amount consumers reported losing to the 
scams was $1,900.

The spotlight notes that cryptocurrency 
investment scams take on a variety of forms, sometimes starting as 
offers of investment “tips” or “secrets” in online message boards that 
lead people to bogus investment websites. Another common form of the 
scam involves a promise that a celebrity associated with cryptocurrency 
will multiply any cryptocurrency you send to their wallet and send it 
back. In fact, consumers reported losing more than $2 million to Elon 
Musk impersonators alone since October.

The spotlight notes that 
consumers age 20 to 49 were over five times more likely than older age 
groups to report losing money to a cryptocurrency investment scam, and 
that in the six-month period covered by the spotlight, consumers in 
their 20s and 30s lost more money to investment scams than any other 
form of fraud. More than half of their investment scam losses were in 
cryptocurrency.

The FTC has more information for consumers about cryptocurrency investment scams, and how to avoid them, at <a href="https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/what-know-about-cryptocurrency-and-scams">ftc.gov/cryptocurrency</a>.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619632629588.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Federal Trade CommissionSince
 October 2020, consumers have reported losing more than $80 million to 
cryptocurrency investment scams, an increase of more than ten-fold 
year-over-year, according to a new data analysis from the Federal Trade 
Commission.In a new <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/blogs/data-spotlight/2021/05/cryptocurrency-buzz-drives-record-investment-scam-losses">consumer protection data spotlight</a>,
 the FTC breaks down the contents of nearly 7,000 reports received from 
consumers about these scams in the last quarter of 2020 and the first 
quarter of 2021. The median amount consumers reported losing to the 
scams was $1,900.The spotlight notes that cryptocurrency 
investment scams take on a variety of forms, sometimes starting as 
offers of investment “tips” or “secrets” in online message boards that 
lead people to bogus investment websites. Another common form of the 
scam involves a promise that a celebrity associated with cryptocurrency 
will multiply any cryptocurrency you send to their wallet and send it 
back. In fact, consumers reported losing more than $2 million to Elon 
Musk impersonators alone since October.The spotlight notes that 
consumers age 20 to 49 were over five times more likely than older age 
groups to report losing money to a cryptocurrency investment scam, and 
that in the six-month period covered by the spotlight, consumers in 
their 20s and 30s lost more money to investment scams than any other 
form of fraud. More than half of their investment scam losses were in 
cryptocurrency.The FTC has more information for consumers about cryptocurrency investment scams, and how to avoid them, at <a href="https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/what-know-about-cryptocurrency-and-scams">ftc.gov/cryptocurrency</a>.The Federal Trade Commission works to promote competition and to <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/about-ftc/bureaus-offices/bureau-consumer-protection">protect and educate consumers</a>. You can <a href="https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/">learn more about consumer topics</a> and report scams, fraud, and bad business practices online at <a href="https://reportfraud.ftc.gov">ReportFraud.ftc.gov</a>. Like the FTC on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/federaltradecommission">Facebook(link is external)</a>, follow us on <a href="https://twitter.com/FTC">Twitter(link is external)</a>, get <a href="http://ftc.gov/subscribe">consumer alerts</a>, read our <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/blogs">blogs</a>, and <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/stay-connected">subscribe to press releases</a> for the latest FTC news and resources.

FTC: Huge spike in cryptocurrency investment scams

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

Just before 1 p.m. Friday, police responded to a shooting call at an apartment complex in the 800 block of South Hydraulic in Wichita, according to Officer Charley Davidson.

Upon arrival, officers located a 17-year-old boy who had been shot. EMS transported him to area hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

The investigation revealed a disturbance ensued in the parking lot of the apartments between 45-year-old Fred Rogers and the victim, who know each other.&nbsp; 

During the disturbance, Rogers pulled out a handgun and fired multiple shots, striking the victim and then fled on foot.&nbsp; Officers arriving in the area located Rogers with the help of&nbsp; citizens who provided information to help them identify him, according to Davidson.

&nbsp;Police arrested him without further incident. He is being held on a requested charge of aggravated battery The investigation is ongoing, and the case will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.&nbsp; Rogers has previously been arrested and convicted of felony crimes, according to Davidson.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1621079307688.png" alt="Rogers photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Rogers photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting and have made an arrest.Just before 1 p.m. Friday, police responded to a shooting call at an apartment complex in the 800 block of South Hydraulic in Wichita, according to Officer Charley Davidson.Upon arrival, officers located a 17-year-old boy who had been shot. EMS transported him to area hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.The investigation revealed a disturbance ensued in the parking lot of the apartments between 45-year-old Fred Rogers and the victim, who know each other.&nbsp; During the disturbance, Rogers pulled out a handgun and fired multiple shots, striking the victim and then fled on foot.&nbsp; Officers arriving in the area located Rogers with the help of&nbsp; citizens who provided information to help them identify him, according to Davidson.&nbsp;Police arrested him without further incident. He is being held on a requested charge of aggravated battery The investigation is ongoing, and the case will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.&nbsp; Rogers has previously been arrested and convicted of felony crimes, according to Davidson.

Citizens help police ID, arrest Kansas shooting suspect

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects following a joint investigation in northeast Kansas.

Just after 10:30a.m. May 11, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a burglary and theft from a residence located at 110 W. 1st Street in the City of Hoyt. 

Deputies found a window broken in the residence and it was reported that a 65 inch flat screen T.V., a Play Station 4 and an electric sander were taken from the home.

 Deputies and detectives along with the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office and Kansas Highway Patrol located the suspect identified as 29-year-old Cory Jonathon Pruyser of Topeka and missing items in Topeka where he was arrested near 8th and Fairlawn, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

During the investigation, Alexis N. Smith, 22, of Topeka, was arrested for multiple outstanding warrants through the City of Topeka and found in the possession of cocaine and brass knuckles.

Pruyser is jailed in Jackson County on requested charges of&nbsp;&nbsp;burglary, theft and criminal damage to property. 

Smith is being held in the Shawnee County Department of Corrections for the warrants and on requested charges of possession of cocaine and criminal use of weapons.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620869417969.png" alt="Pruyser photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Pruyser photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects following a joint investigation in northeast Kansas.Just after 10:30a.m. May 11, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a burglary and theft from a residence located at 110 W. 1st Street in the City of Hoyt. Deputies found a window broken in the residence and it was reported that a 65 inch flat screen T.V., a Play Station 4 and an electric sander were taken from the home. Deputies and detectives along with the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office and Kansas Highway Patrol located the suspect identified as 29-year-old Cory Jonathon Pruyser of Topeka and missing items in Topeka where he was arrested near 8th and Fairlawn, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620869323413.png" alt="Smith photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Smith photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>During the investigation, Alexis N. Smith, 22, of Topeka, was arrested for multiple outstanding warrants through the City of Topeka and found in the possession of cocaine and brass knuckles.Pruyser is jailed in Jackson County on requested charges of&nbsp;&nbsp;burglary, theft and criminal damage to property. Smith is being held in the Shawnee County Department of Corrections for the warrants and on requested charges of possession of cocaine and criminal use of weapons.

Deputies find Kan. woman with cocaine, brass knuckles

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating over a dozen suspects for alleged sex crimes after special assignment focused on those attempting to purchase sex along the Broadway Corridor in Wichita.

On Thursday night, officers from the Broadway Corridor Team, South CRT, SIB CRT, South Community Policing, and the Vice Unit conducted the special assignment focused on those attempting to purchase sexual relations in the Broadway Corridor. 

Police arrested 18 for various sex trafficking charges. This was the 19th sex trafficking special assignment conducted by the Broadway Corridor Team and Vice. A total of 172 individuals have been arrested.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1621022877997.png" alt="Trevor Long among the 18 arrested Thursday night, according to - Sedgwick County arrest records" />
 <figcaption>Trevor Long among the 18 arrested Thursday night, according to - Sedgwick County arrest records</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating over a dozen suspects for alleged sex crimes after special assignment focused on those attempting to purchase sex along the Broadway Corridor in Wichita.On Thursday night, officers from the Broadway Corridor Team, South CRT, SIB CRT, South Community Policing, and the Vice Unit conducted the special assignment focused on those attempting to purchase sexual relations in the Broadway Corridor. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1621022968010.png" alt="Erick Magruder is among the 18 police arrested on Thursday along the Broadway Corridor, according to Sedgwick County arrest records." />
 <figcaption>Erick Magruder is among the 18 police arrested on Thursday along the Broadway Corridor, according to Sedgwick County arrest records.</figcaption>
 </figure>Police arrested 18 for various sex trafficking charges. This was the 19th sex trafficking special assignment conducted by the Broadway Corridor Team and Vice. A total of 172 individuals have been arrested.

Police arrest 18 in Kansas prostitution investigation

LEAVENWORTH COUNTY—Law enforcement investigating a fatal shooting in Leavenworth have a suspect in custody.

Just after 4p.m. Friday, a 21-year-old man wanted in the shooting death of 31-year-old Floyd Ross, Jr.&nbsp;surrendered to detectives at the police station, according Leavenworth Police Chief Pat Kitchens.

On May 4,&nbsp;police responded to reports of shots fired at a city intersection. They found Ross suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at a hospital.

The suspect, whose name had not been released, faces a charge of first-degree murder.

LEAVENWORTH COUNTY—Law enforcement investigating a fatal shooting in Leavenworth have a suspect in custody.Just after 4p.m. Friday, a 21-year-old man wanted in the shooting death of 31-year-old Floyd Ross, Jr.&nbsp;surrendered to detectives at the police station, according Leavenworth Police Chief Pat Kitchens.On May 4,&nbsp;police responded to reports of shots fired at a city intersection. They found Ross suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at a hospital.The suspect, whose name had not been released, faces a charge of first-degree murder.

Suspect in fatal Kan. shooting surrenders to police

WICHITA (AP) — A Wichita health club company has agreed to pay $15,000 in civil penalties and fees for making unsolicited telemarking calls to consumers on the Kansas do-not-call registry. 

The Kansas Attorney General’s Office said in a news release Friday that the consent agreement with Genesis Health Clubs Management, Inc. also enjoins the company from further violations of state and federal consumer protection laws. The judgment was approved Thursday by Judge Mary Christopher in Shawnee County District Court.

WICHITA (AP) — A Wichita health club company has agreed to pay $15,000 in civil penalties and fees for making unsolicited telemarking calls to consumers on the Kansas do-not-call registry. The Kansas Attorney General’s Office said in a news release Friday that the consent agreement with Genesis Health Clubs Management, Inc. also enjoins the company from further violations of state and federal consumer protection laws. The judgment was approved Thursday by Judge Mary Christopher in Shawnee County District Court.

Kansas company to pay $15K for unsolicited telemarketing

By SHERIDAN WIMMER <a href="https://kansaslivingmagazine.com/articles/2021/05/05/addressing-food-insecurity-in-kansas">Kansas Living</a>

“When you have more than you need, build a longer table, not a higher fence.”

For Debbie Bearden in Allen County, her dad was an example of someone who built longer tables.

“I grew up on a dairy, and my dad allowed neighbors to get milk from
 our milk tanks,” Bearden says. “And I remember families would come with
 three or four gallon jugs and whether or not they could pay for it, my 
dad always let them have milk. Their kids needed it.”

Bearden is the county coordinator for Allen County Farm Bureau and has worked hard to lessen food insecurity in her community.

Food insecurity is a complex issue. We are lucky in the United States
 to have a plentiful, safe food supply, yet families still often 
struggle to acquire what they need, both in quality and quantity, 
because of financial hardships. It is this lack of consistent access 
that qualifies as food insecurity.

According to a report from Kansas Health Institute (KHI), children 
who grow up in food-insecure homes are more likely than their 
food-secure peers to have iron-deficiency anemia, are more susceptible 
to infection and are more likely to have a history of hospitalization. 
Beyond that, they also may develop behavioral problems, obesity and 
mental health issues, resulting in poor work performance.

&nbsp;Food insecurity also has economic pitfalls. A 2011 report by Center 
for American Progress estimates the cost of food insecurity in Kansas at
 a whopping $1.62 billion in 2010 alone from indirect costs of lost 
productivity, avoidable health care, private-sector food assistance 
programs and the need for increased educational services.

In 2018, the food insecurity rate in Kansas was 12.7 percent, 
according to Feeding America. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the 
projected overall food insecurity rate for Kansas was 15.9 percent.

Other data from Feeding America show a higher concentration of food 
insecure counties in the southeast area of the state. For example, 
Woodson County went from 17.7 percent in 2018 to 20.7 percent projected 
in 2020. Its neighbor, Allen County, increased from 15.2 percent to 18.1
 percent.

Rial Carver, program manager for the Rural Grocery Initiative, a 
Kansas State University Research and Extension effort, says this 
increase is an indicator of two criteria — income and access.

“When we’re talking about access to healthy food, there are two 
criteria to take into consideration — the income level and the access 
level of food in the area,” Carver says. “Those two indicators determine
 low-income or low-access areas, previously known as food deserts, 
according to the USDA. There are also environmental factors that 
contribute to challenges faced by low-income and low-access areas, for 
instance the area may have experienced historical economic challenges 
over the years.”

During the pandemic, Kansas Farm Bureau’s Foundation for Agriculture 
and Farm Bureau Financial Services (FBFS) joined forces to address food 
insecurity, food deserts and other hunger issues in Kansas.&nbsp;

“With or without a global pandemic, it’s important all families have 
access to food,” Terry Holdren, CEO of Kansas Farm Bureau, says. 
“COVID-19 will have long-term impacts on the economy, and there are 
going to be more people who may have difficulties when it comes to 
adequately feeding themselves and their families. This is an opportunity
 to help them.”

During the pandemic, the program (which is still accepting donations)
 encouraged county Farm Bureaus and Farm Bureau Financial Services 
agents across the state to each contribute 50 cents per member in their 
respective county. The Foundation matched up to 50 cents per member, per
 county, totaling a $1.50 per member, per county donation.

“We welcomed the opportunity to team up on this project to provide 
some hope in an uncertain time,” Michelle Hubert, regional vice 
president of Farm Bureau Financial Services, says. “Farm Bureau 
Financial Services stands strong on helping Kansas communities thrive.”

The money went to local food banks or pantries in the respective county.

“When End Hunger rolled out, the Allen County Farm Bureau board sent 
50 cents for every member in our organization, and the Farm Bureau 
Financial Services agents then sent 50 cents for each of their clients,”
 Bearden says. “We donated $1,057 to our local food pantry.”

Overall, the End Hunger campaign raised more than $95,000, which was 
given to 148 food pantry locations in each of the 105 counties in 
Kansas.

“Who better to address food insecurity than those who are focusing 
on it?” Bearden says on the involvement of Farm Bureau in food 
insecurity.

In Allen County, Farm Bureau members and agents participated in the 
End Hunger campaign, but they’ve been working on food insecurity issues 
in several other ways.

Farmers markets are a popular attraction for local vendors and 
shoppers. Produce, meat, baked goods and even crafts — there’s always an
 opportunity for healthy food at local farmers markets. In 2009, the 
Allen County Farm Bureau board supported Bearden in her effort to 
restart a farmers market in Iola.

“The County Farm Bureau board that year was instrumental in getting 
the Allen County Farmers Market started after a five-year hiatus in 
Iola,” she says. “Every board since has been very supportive of the 
efforts to increase access to healthy food."

“We researched how to outfit the vendors in order to keep them and 
shoppers safe,” Bearden says of efforts in 2020. “Vendors and shoppers 
wore face masks and vendors could wear gloves or use hand sanitizer 
between each transaction. They were encouraged to have two people — one 
to handle product, the other to handle money. There were also social 
distancing measures.”

Although Bearden says they saw a decline in shoppers, they had an increase in sales.

“People bought more when they came so they could stock up to decrease
 the number of times they had to be out of their homes, and this created
 another avenue for shoppers when grocery store shelves were thinning,” 
she says.

In 2020, the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) 
awarded a grant for more than $4 million to the Mid-America Regional 
Council (MARC) through the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program to
 continue “Double Up Food Bucks.”

The program offers a dollar-for-dollar match for eligible shoppers to
 purchase fruits and vegetables at participating locations. The Allen 
County Farmers Market offers “Double Up Food Bucks” for anyone who has 
an electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card through the Supplemental 
Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

“So, if someone comes to our farmers market with an EBT card and they
 swipe their card and get $24 off of it, they’re also given Double Up 
Food Bucks tokens for another $24,” Bearden explains. “That’s $48 to 
shop with. Double Up Food Bucks can only be used for fruits and 
vegetables. Then they have their EBT funds to buy eggs, bread, meat, 
honey or baked goods.

“Farmers markets are a big educational process veiled under 
neighborly conversations,” Bearden says. “The conversations you have can
 educate people about their food.”

Another important factor surrounding food insecurity is access to 
grocery stores. The Rural Grocery Initiative aims to help in both 
resources and financing for rural grocery stores across Kansas.

“The initiative aims to provide resources for rural communities and 
rural grocers to help them be more sustainable,” Carver says. “Over the 
years we’ve developed the rural grocery toolkits that outline how a 
community member might open a grocery store. In addition, our Kansas 
Healthy Food Initiative is a financial resource to increase access to 
healthy food to underserved areas of the state.”

Keeping rural grocery stores open and thriving is an important aspect of keeping Kansas communities alive.

“We like to think about the importance of grocery stores in 
small-town Kansas in three ways,” Carver says. “First is the economic 
contribution they make to their communities. They’re an employer and 
contribute to the local tax base. Second, they can be the best source 
for healthy food in rural communities, and third, they provide a 
cultural hub for the community. There are so many examples of this. 
They’re the local coffee shop or they support local schools and teams. 
We’ve seen some stores that are also libraries or places to showcase art
 and music.”

In Allen County, a grocery store was at the precipice of closing — its owners wanted to retire, and they couldn’t find a buyer.

“Closing that store meant the eastern half of Allen County, the 
southeastern part of Anderson County, western part of Bourbon County and
 the northeastern part of Neosho County would have had to drive 20 miles
 or more for groceries,” Bearden says. “That may not sound far to some, 
but for our older shoppers, that’s a long way.”

The community got creative and created a food co-op that sold 
memberships. They then borrowed money and the co-op members bought the 
grocery store now known as the Marmaton Market.

“It has been a struggle, honestly,” Bearden says. “We were able to 
borrow money from the Kansas Healthy Food Initiative and the co-op is 
paying back loans. We were able to keep the store, and it’s a huge 
benefit to have something closer for our older generation and rural 
members. The grocery store is also just across the street from 
low-income housing.”

There are a lot of programs helping mitigate the issue, including 
SNAP, the National School Lunch Program, WIC, and others, but it starts 
at the local level. It starts with people like Debbie Bearden and her 
dad who know the implications of food insecurity and the value of 
creating a safer food supply for everyone in their community through 
farmers markets and rural grocery stores.

We can make a difference by building longer tables. Can you?

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620745387204.png" alt="Kansas Living" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Living</figcaption>
 </figure>By SHERIDAN WIMMER <a href="https://kansaslivingmagazine.com/articles/2021/05/05/addressing-food-insecurity-in-kansas">Kansas Living</a>“When you have more than you need, build a longer table, not a higher fence.”For Debbie Bearden in Allen County, her dad was an example of someone who built longer tables.“I grew up on a dairy, and my dad allowed neighbors to get milk from
 our milk tanks,” Bearden says. “And I remember families would come with
 three or four gallon jugs and whether or not they could pay for it, my 
dad always let them have milk. Their kids needed it.”Bearden is the county coordinator for Allen County Farm Bureau and has worked hard to lessen food insecurity in her community.Food insecurity is a complex issue. We are lucky in the United States
 to have a plentiful, safe food supply, yet families still often 
struggle to acquire what they need, both in quality and quantity, 
because of financial hardships. It is this lack of consistent access 
that qualifies as food insecurity.<h2>FAR-REACHING EFFECTS</h2>According to a report from Kansas Health Institute (KHI), children 
who grow up in food-insecure homes are more likely than their 
food-secure peers to have iron-deficiency anemia, are more susceptible 
to infection and are more likely to have a history of hospitalization. 
Beyond that, they also may develop behavioral problems, obesity and 
mental health issues, resulting in poor work performance.&nbsp;Food insecurity also has economic pitfalls. A 2011 report by Center 
for American Progress estimates the cost of food insecurity in Kansas at
 a whopping $1.62 billion in 2010 alone from indirect costs of lost 
productivity, avoidable health care, private-sector food assistance 
programs and the need for increased educational services.In 2018, the food insecurity rate in Kansas was 12.7 percent, 
according to Feeding America. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the 
projected overall food insecurity rate for Kansas was 15.9 percent.Other data from Feeding America show a higher concentration of food 
insecure counties in the southeast area of the state. For example, 
Woodson County went from 17.7 percent in 2018 to 20.7 percent projected 
in 2020. Its neighbor, Allen County, increased from 15.2 percent to 18.1
 percent.Rial Carver, program manager for the Rural Grocery Initiative, a 
Kansas State University Research and Extension effort, says this 
increase is an indicator of two criteria — income and access.“When we’re talking about access to healthy food, there are two 
criteria to take into consideration — the income level and the access 
level of food in the area,” Carver says. “Those two indicators determine
 low-income or low-access areas, previously known as food deserts, 
according to the USDA. There are also environmental factors that 
contribute to challenges faced by low-income and low-access areas, for 
instance the area may have experienced historical economic challenges 
over the years.”<h2>END HUNGER IN KANSAS FUND</h2>During the pandemic, Kansas Farm Bureau’s Foundation for Agriculture 
and Farm Bureau Financial Services (FBFS) joined forces to address food 
insecurity, food deserts and other hunger issues in Kansas.&nbsp;“With or without a global pandemic, it’s important all families have 
access to food,” Terry Holdren, CEO of Kansas Farm Bureau, says. 
“COVID-19 will have long-term impacts on the economy, and there are 
going to be more people who may have difficulties when it comes to 
adequately feeding themselves and their families. This is an opportunity
 to help them.”During the pandemic, the program (which is still accepting donations)
 encouraged county Farm Bureaus and Farm Bureau Financial Services 
agents across the state to each contribute 50 cents per member in their 
respective county. The Foundation matched up to 50 cents per member, per
 county, totaling a $1.50 per member, per county donation.“We welcomed the opportunity to team up on this project to provide 
some hope in an uncertain time,” Michelle Hubert, regional vice 
president of Farm Bureau Financial Services, says. “Farm Bureau 
Financial Services stands strong on helping Kansas communities thrive.”The money went to local food banks or pantries in the respective county.“When End Hunger rolled out, the Allen County Farm Bureau board sent 
50 cents for every member in our organization, and the Farm Bureau 
Financial Services agents then sent 50 cents for each of their clients,”
 Bearden says. “We donated $1,057 to our local food pantry.”Overall, the End Hunger campaign raised more than $95,000, which was 
given to 148 food pantry locations in each of the 105 counties in 
Kansas.“Who better to address food insecurity than those who are focusing 
on it?” Bearden says on the involvement of Farm Bureau in food 
insecurity.In Allen County, Farm Bureau members and agents participated in the 
End Hunger campaign, but they’ve been working on food insecurity issues 
in several other ways.<h2>FARMERS MARKETS</h2>Farmers markets are a popular attraction for local vendors and 
shoppers. Produce, meat, baked goods and even crafts — there’s always an
 opportunity for healthy food at local farmers markets. In 2009, the 
Allen County Farm Bureau board supported Bearden in her effort to 
restart a farmers market in Iola.“The County Farm Bureau board that year was instrumental in getting 
the Allen County Farmers Market started after a five-year hiatus in 
Iola,” she says. “Every board since has been very supportive of the 
efforts to increase access to healthy food."“We researched how to outfit the vendors in order to keep them and 
shoppers safe,” Bearden says of efforts in 2020. “Vendors and shoppers 
wore face masks and vendors could wear gloves or use hand sanitizer 
between each transaction. They were encouraged to have two people — one 
to handle product, the other to handle money. There were also social 
distancing measures.”Although Bearden says they saw a decline in shoppers, they had an increase in sales.“People bought more when they came so they could stock up to decrease
 the number of times they had to be out of their homes, and this created
 another avenue for shoppers when grocery store shelves were thinning,” 
she says.In 2020, the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) 
awarded a grant for more than $4 million to the Mid-America Regional 
Council (MARC) through the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program to
 continue “Double Up Food Bucks.”The program offers a dollar-for-dollar match for eligible shoppers to
 purchase fruits and vegetables at participating locations. The Allen 
County Farmers Market offers “Double Up Food Bucks” for anyone who has 
an electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card through the Supplemental 
Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).“So, if someone comes to our farmers market with an EBT card and they
 swipe their card and get $24 off of it, they’re also given Double Up 
Food Bucks tokens for another $24,” Bearden explains. “That’s $48 to 
shop with. Double Up Food Bucks can only be used for fruits and 
vegetables. Then they have their EBT funds to buy eggs, bread, meat, 
honey or baked goods.“Farmers markets are a big educational process veiled under 
neighborly conversations,” Bearden says. “The conversations you have can
 educate people about their food.”<h2>GROCERY STORES</h2>Another important factor surrounding food insecurity is access to 
grocery stores. The Rural Grocery Initiative aims to help in both 
resources and financing for rural grocery stores across Kansas.“The initiative aims to provide resources for rural communities and 
rural grocers to help them be more sustainable,” Carver says. “Over the 
years we’ve developed the rural grocery toolkits that outline how a 
community member might open a grocery store. In addition, our Kansas 
Healthy Food Initiative is a financial resource to increase access to 
healthy food to underserved areas of the state.”Keeping rural grocery stores open and thriving is an important aspect of keeping Kansas communities alive.“We like to think about the importance of grocery stores in 
small-town Kansas in three ways,” Carver says. “First is the economic 
contribution they make to their communities. They’re an employer and 
contribute to the local tax base. Second, they can be the best source 
for healthy food in rural communities, and third, they provide a 
cultural hub for the community. There are so many examples of this. 
They’re the local coffee shop or they support local schools and teams. 
We’ve seen some stores that are also libraries or places to showcase art
 and music.”In Allen County, a grocery store was at the precipice of closing — its owners wanted to retire, and they couldn’t find a buyer.“Closing that store meant the eastern half of Allen County, the 
southeastern part of Anderson County, western part of Bourbon County and
 the northeastern part of Neosho County would have had to drive 20 miles
 or more for groceries,” Bearden says. “That may not sound far to some, 
but for our older shoppers, that’s a long way.”The community got creative and created a food co-op that sold 
memberships. They then borrowed money and the co-op members bought the 
grocery store now known as the Marmaton Market.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620745464429.png" alt="Kansas Living" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Living</figcaption>
 </figure>“It has been a struggle, honestly,” Bearden says. “We were able to 
borrow money from the Kansas Healthy Food Initiative and the co-op is 
paying back loans. We were able to keep the store, and it’s a huge 
benefit to have something closer for our older generation and rural 
members. The grocery store is also just across the street from 
low-income housing.”There are a lot of programs helping mitigate the issue, including 
SNAP, the National School Lunch Program, WIC, and others, but it starts 
at the local level. It starts with people like Debbie Bearden and her 
dad who know the implications of food insecurity and the value of 
creating a safer food supply for everyone in their community through 
farmers markets and rural grocery stores.We can make a difference by building longer tables. Can you?

Addressing food insecurity in Kansas

By KINZLEE WALLACE Clay Center High School junior

The average American uses only 37% of the information they learned in high school post-graduation, according to a <a href="https://www.studyfinds.org/survey-americans-use-37-percent-knowledge-learned-high-school/">2019 study</a> by H&amp;R Block.

Luckily, I am confident I’ll use much more than 37% thanks to an incredible teacher at <a href="https://www.usd379.org/o/clay-center-hs">Clay Center Community High School</a> and support from some incredible community members.

My classmates and I at 
CCCHS are fortunate to be taught by Rhonda Gierhan, who leads our 
business essentials class. An educator with 34 years of experience, Mrs.
 Gierhan takes on the job of ensuring her students learn skills and have
 educational experiences that will last a lifetime.

Mrs. Gierhan knows 
students often learn best when they have hands-on experiences. That’s 
why she challenged our class to go beyond just reading and writing about
 business, and to actually learn the ins and outs of business by 
starting and operating a business of our own.

So that’s what we did. 
After lots of discussion, our class identified a gap in the local market
 and decided to launch an apparel business representing our school. And 
so, the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ccchsroarstore">Roar Store</a> was born.

From billing and invoicing
 to designing and producing, our class manages every aspect of our 
business with supervision from Mrs. Gierhan to provide spirit apparel 
for our students, parents and community. We also span our business to 
include other CCCHS classes, such as web design for our <a href="https://roarstore2.wixsite.com/ccchs">website</a> and digital media to produce commercials, and run our social media.

When we launched our small
 business, we were starting from ground zero. With no experience in the 
apparel business, we sought out to learn anything and everything we 
could. That’s when we turned to community members for guidance and 
support.

While our team is 
incredibly passionate about and dedicated to our business, it would have
 been difficult to get it off the ground without the help from members 
of Clay Center and the extended small business community.

If you’re looking to support students in your community who have a passion for business, here are some ways they helped us:

Helping out high schoolers
 who have the potential to be future leaders will only come back to 
benefit your community. A lot of industries tend to be exclusive and 
competitive, but The Roar Store received incredible support from other 
small businesses in our community. Our local printing shop, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Gate9Graphics/">Gate 9 Graphics</a>,
 played a fundamental role in the launch of our business. Our friends at
 Gate 9 were kind enough to share lessons learned though their years of 
experience and gave us incredible insights on tools and equipment to use
 and set us off in the right direction.

The takeaway here is to 
not view young entrepreneurs as competition but as partners. The more 
you each do to bring awareness to your industry and your community, the 
better off you will both be!

Support unconventional ideas and programs

Our class wouldn’t have 
been able to launch our business without an “OK” from administrators at 
our school. Our class’ curriculum differs from the “norm” and it would 
have been easy for administrators to turn down Mrs. Gierhan’s idea and 
insist we follow a traditional classroom set-up. Without the opportunity
 to take a risk and try something new, our class would have never 
learned the invaluable skills of creating and operating a business, 
which are talents we can use long after graduation.

The “big break” for our small business came when we applied for the Stahl Family Small Business Fund’s <a href="https://www.stahls.com/a2z-heat-press-scholarship">Pure Imagination Scholarship</a>. The Stahl Family Small Business Fund was founded by the Michigan-based <a href="https://www.stahls.com/home">Stahls’</a>,
 a world class innovator of custom garment decoration and equipment. 
Stahls’ is now an industry leader, but also has vast experience as a 
small business, as the family-owned company founded in a Detroit garage 
in 1932.

The scholarship program 
granted us a Stahls’ entry level heat press, heat printing materials and
 a full year of one-on-one coaching from industry experts at Stahls’.

A scholarship program is 
just one incredible way for established businesses that have found 
success to support those just getting started in their industry.

You can also support high 
schoolers interested in business by making donations to educational 
programs or by volunteering as a coach or mentor in the industry.

Republished courtesy the <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/05/11/how-a-community-helped-these-kansas-high-school-students-succeed-in-business/">Kansas Reflector.</a>&nbsp;A junior at Clay Center Community High School, Kinzlee Wallace is an officer of CCCHS’ Future Business Leaders of America.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620749826442.png" alt="The staff at the Roar Store, from left: Ella Rice, website manager; Kinzlee Wallace, office manager; Caylyn Pfizenmaier, advertising manager; Ty Pfizenmaier, production manager; Clara Edwards, project manager; Rhonda Gierhan, CEO and instructor. (Submitted) " />
 <figcaption>The staff at the Roar Store, from left: Ella Rice, website manager; Kinzlee Wallace, office manager; Caylyn Pfizenmaier, advertising manager; Ty Pfizenmaier, production manager; Clara Edwards, project manager; Rhonda Gierhan, CEO and instructor. (Submitted) </figcaption>
 </figure>By KINZLEE WALLACE Clay Center High School juniorThe average American uses only 37% of the information they learned in high school post-graduation, according to a <a href="https://www.studyfinds.org/survey-americans-use-37-percent-knowledge-learned-high-school/">2019 study</a> by H&amp;R Block.Luckily, I am confident I’ll use much more than 37% thanks to an incredible teacher at <a href="https://www.usd379.org/o/clay-center-hs">Clay Center Community High School</a> and support from some incredible community members.My classmates and I at 
CCCHS are fortunate to be taught by Rhonda Gierhan, who leads our 
business essentials class. An educator with 34 years of experience, Mrs.
 Gierhan takes on the job of ensuring her students learn skills and have
 educational experiences that will last a lifetime.Mrs. Gierhan knows 
students often learn best when they have hands-on experiences. That’s 
why she challenged our class to go beyond just reading and writing about
 business, and to actually learn the ins and outs of business by 
starting and operating a business of our own.So that’s what we did. 
After lots of discussion, our class identified a gap in the local market
 and decided to launch an apparel business representing our school. And 
so, the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ccchsroarstore">Roar Store</a> was born.From billing and invoicing
 to designing and producing, our class manages every aspect of our 
business with supervision from Mrs. Gierhan to provide spirit apparel 
for our students, parents and community. We also span our business to 
include other CCCHS classes, such as web design for our <a href="https://roarstore2.wixsite.com/ccchs">website</a> and digital media to produce commercials, and run our social media.When we launched our small
 business, we were starting from ground zero. With no experience in the 
apparel business, we sought out to learn anything and everything we 
could. That’s when we turned to community members for guidance and 
support.While our team is 
incredibly passionate about and dedicated to our business, it would have
 been difficult to get it off the ground without the help from members 
of Clay Center and the extended small business community.If you’re looking to support students in your community who have a passion for business, here are some ways they helped us:<h2>Share your expertise</h2>Helping out high schoolers
 who have the potential to be future leaders will only come back to 
benefit your community. A lot of industries tend to be exclusive and 
competitive, but The Roar Store received incredible support from other 
small businesses in our community. Our local printing shop, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Gate9Graphics/">Gate 9 Graphics</a>,
 played a fundamental role in the launch of our business. Our friends at
 Gate 9 were kind enough to share lessons learned though their years of 
experience and gave us incredible insights on tools and equipment to use
 and set us off in the right direction.The takeaway here is to 
not view young entrepreneurs as competition but as partners. The more 
you each do to bring awareness to your industry and your community, the 
better off you will both be!<h2>Support unconventional ideas and programs</h2>Our class wouldn’t have 
been able to launch our business without an “OK” from administrators at 
our school. Our class’ curriculum differs from the “norm” and it would 
have been easy for administrators to turn down Mrs. Gierhan’s idea and 
insist we follow a traditional classroom set-up. Without the opportunity
 to take a risk and try something new, our class would have never 
learned the invaluable skills of creating and operating a business, 
which are talents we can use long after graduation.<h2>Look for ways to give back</h2>The “big break” for our small business came when we applied for the Stahl Family Small Business Fund’s <a href="https://www.stahls.com/a2z-heat-press-scholarship">Pure Imagination Scholarship</a>. The Stahl Family Small Business Fund was founded by the Michigan-based <a href="https://www.stahls.com/home">Stahls’</a>,
 a world class innovator of custom garment decoration and equipment. 
Stahls’ is now an industry leader, but also has vast experience as a 
small business, as the family-owned company founded in a Detroit garage 
in 1932.The scholarship program 
granted us a Stahls’ entry level heat press, heat printing materials and
 a full year of one-on-one coaching from industry experts at Stahls’.A scholarship program is 
just one incredible way for established businesses that have found 
success to support those just getting started in their industry.You can also support high 
schoolers interested in business by making donations to educational 
programs or by volunteering as a coach or mentor in the industry.Republished courtesy the <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/05/11/how-a-community-helped-these-kansas-high-school-students-succeed-in-business/">Kansas Reflector.</a>&nbsp;A junior at Clay Center Community High School, Kinzlee Wallace is an officer of CCCHS’ Future Business Leaders of America.

How a community helped Kan. high school students succeed in business

WASHINGTON ― The Internal Revenue Service today reminded taxpayers 
who owe 2020 taxes that there are different ways to pay through IRS.gov,
 including payment options for many people who can't pay in full.

The most important thing everyone with a tax bill should do is file a
 return by the May 17 due date, even if they can't pay in full, or 
request a six-month extension to avoid higher penalties for failing to 
file on time. Though automatic tax-filing extensions are available to 
anyone who wants one, these extensions don't change the payment 
deadline. It is not an extension to pay. Visit <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/extension-of-time-to-file-your-tax-return">IRS.gov/extensions</a> for details.

Usually anyone who owes tax and waits until after that date to file 
will be charged a late-filing penalty of 5% per month. So, if a tax 
return is done, filing it by May 17 is always less costly, even if the 
full amount due can't be paid on time.

Free File is an easy, quick way to file that is available to anyone who makes $72,000 or less and is available on IRS.gov.

Interest, plus the much smaller late-payment penalty, will apply to 
any payments made after May 17. Making a payment, even a partial 
payment, will help limit penalty and interest charges. The fastest and 
easiest way to pay a personal tax bill is with <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/direct-pay">Direct Pay</a>, available only on IRS.gov. For a rundown of other payment options, visit <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments">IRS.gov/payments</a>.

The IRS urges taxpayers to first consider other options for payment, 
including getting a loan to pay the amount due. In many cases, loan 
costs may be lower than the combination of interest and penalties the 
IRS must charge under federal law. Normally, the late-payment penalty is
 one-half-of-one percent (0.5%) per month. The interest rate, adjusted 
quarterly, is currently 3% per year, compounded daily.

If a loan isn't possible, the IRS can often help.

Most individual taxpayers qualify to set up an online payment 
agreement with the IRS, and it only takes a few minutes to apply. 
Applicants are notified immediately if their request is approved. No 
need to call or write to the IRS. The IRS notes that <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/online-payment-agreement-application">Online payment plans</a> are processed more quickly than requests submitted with electronically-filed tax returns.

There are two main types of Online payment plans. They are:

Taxpayers who do not qualify for an online payment agreement may still be able to arrange to pay in installments. See <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/payment-plans-installment-agreements#cant_apply">Additional Information on Payment Plans</a> for more information.

For some, but not all, struggling taxpayers, three other options are available:

If the IRS determines a taxpayer is unable to pay, it may delay 
collection until their financial condition improves. However, the total 
amount owed will still increase because penalties and interest are 
charged until paid in full.&nbsp;Taxpayers can request a delay by calling the
 phone number on their <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/understanding-your-irs-notice-or-letter">notice</a> or <a href="tel:800-829-1040">800-829-1040</a>.

Some taxpayers qualify to have their late-filing or late-payment 
penalties reduced or eliminated. This can be done on a case-by-case 
basis, based on <a href="https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/penalty-relief-due-to-reasonable-cause">reasonable cause</a>.
 Alternatively, where a taxpayer has filed and paid on time during the 
past three years, the IRS can typically provide relief under the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/penalty-relief-due-to-first-time-penalty-abatement-or-other-administrative-waiver">First Time Abatement</a> program. Visit <a href="https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/penalty-relief">IRS.gov/penaltyrelief</a> for details.

Some taxpayers qualify to settle their tax bill for less than the 
full amount due, through an offer in compromise. Though there is 
typically a $205 non-refundable application fee, it is generally waived 
for low-income taxpayers, and for offers based on doubt as to liability.
 The&nbsp;<a href="https://irs.treasury.gov/oic_pre_qualifier/">Offer in Compromise Pre-Qualifier tool</a> can help determine eligibility for anyone interested in applying.

Taxpayers can securely access their federal tax account information at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/view-your-tax-account">IRS.gov/account</a>.&nbsp;Among other things, this includes viewing any amount due and payment history.

The IRS reminds taxpayers that they have rights and protections throughout the collection process. For details, see <a href="https://www.irs.gov/taxpayer-bill-of-rights">Taxpayer Bill of Rights</a>&nbsp;and <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p1.pdf">Publication 1, Your Rights as a Taxpayer&nbsp;PDF</a>.

For more information about payments, see <a href="https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc202">Topic No. 202, Tax Payment Options</a>, on IRS.gov.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON ― The Internal Revenue Service today reminded taxpayers 
who owe 2020 taxes that there are different ways to pay through IRS.gov,
 including payment options for many people who can't pay in full.<h2>File by May 17</h2>The most important thing everyone with a tax bill should do is file a
 return by the May 17 due date, even if they can't pay in full, or 
request a six-month extension to avoid higher penalties for failing to 
file on time. Though automatic tax-filing extensions are available to 
anyone who wants one, these extensions don't change the payment 
deadline. It is not an extension to pay. Visit <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/extension-of-time-to-file-your-tax-return">IRS.gov/extensions</a> for details.Usually anyone who owes tax and waits until after that date to file 
will be charged a late-filing penalty of 5% per month. So, if a tax 
return is done, filing it by May 17 is always less costly, even if the 
full amount due can't be paid on time.Free File is an easy, quick way to file that is available to anyone who makes $72,000 or less and is available on IRS.gov.<h2>Pay what you can</h2>Interest, plus the much smaller late-payment penalty, will apply to 
any payments made after May 17. Making a payment, even a partial 
payment, will help limit penalty and interest charges. The fastest and 
easiest way to pay a personal tax bill is with <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/direct-pay">Direct Pay</a>, available only on IRS.gov. For a rundown of other payment options, visit <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments">IRS.gov/payments</a>.The IRS urges taxpayers to first consider other options for payment, 
including getting a loan to pay the amount due. In many cases, loan 
costs may be lower than the combination of interest and penalties the 
IRS must charge under federal law. Normally, the late-payment penalty is
 one-half-of-one percent (0.5%) per month. The interest rate, adjusted 
quarterly, is currently 3% per year, compounded daily.If a loan isn't possible, the IRS can often help.<h2>Online payment plans</h2>Most individual taxpayers qualify to set up an online payment 
agreement with the IRS, and it only takes a few minutes to apply. 
Applicants are notified immediately if their request is approved. No 
need to call or write to the IRS. The IRS notes that <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/online-payment-agreement-application">Online payment plans</a> are processed more quickly than requests submitted with electronically-filed tax returns.There are two main types of Online payment plans. They are:<ul>
 <li>Short-term payment plan – The payment period is 120 days or less
 and the total amount owed is less than $100,000 in combined tax, 
penalties and interest. A 180-day payment plan is also possible, but 
it's only available by <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/payment-plans-installment-agreements#cant_apply">calling or writing the IRS</a>. Either way, there's no fee for setting one up, though interest and the late-payment penalty continue to apply.</li><li>Long-term payment plan – The payment period is longer than the 
short-term payment plan. Payments are made monthly, and the amount owed 
must be less than $50,000 in combined tax, penalties and interest. If 
the IRS approves a long-term payment plan, also known as an installment 
agreement, a <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/online-payment-agreement-application#collapse002a">setup fee</a>
 normally applies. But low-income taxpayers may qualify to have the fee 
waived or reimbursed. In addition, for anyone who filed their return on 
time, the late-payment penalty rate is cut in half while an installment 
agreement is in effect. This means that the penalty accrues at the rate 
of one-quarter-of-one percent (0.25%) per month, instead of the usual 
one-half-of-one percent (0.5%) per month.</li>
 </ul>Taxpayers who do not qualify for an online payment agreement may still be able to arrange to pay in installments. See <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/payment-plans-installment-agreements#cant_apply">Additional Information on Payment Plans</a> for more information.For some, but not all, struggling taxpayers, three other options are available:<h2>Delayed collection </h2>If the IRS determines a taxpayer is unable to pay, it may delay 
collection until their financial condition improves. However, the total 
amount owed will still increase because penalties and interest are 
charged until paid in full.&nbsp;Taxpayers can request a delay by calling the
 phone number on their <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/understanding-your-irs-notice-or-letter">notice</a> or <a href="tel:800-829-1040">800-829-1040</a>.<h2>Penalty relief</h2>Some taxpayers qualify to have their late-filing or late-payment 
penalties reduced or eliminated. This can be done on a case-by-case 
basis, based on <a href="https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/penalty-relief-due-to-reasonable-cause">reasonable cause</a>.
 Alternatively, where a taxpayer has filed and paid on time during the 
past three years, the IRS can typically provide relief under the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/penalty-relief-due-to-first-time-penalty-abatement-or-other-administrative-waiver">First Time Abatement</a> program. Visit <a href="https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/penalty-relief">IRS.gov/penaltyrelief</a> for details.<h2>Offer in Compromise</h2>Some taxpayers qualify to settle their tax bill for less than the 
full amount due, through an offer in compromise. Though there is 
typically a $205 non-refundable application fee, it is generally waived 
for low-income taxpayers, and for offers based on doubt as to liability.
 The&nbsp;<a href="https://irs.treasury.gov/oic_pre_qualifier/">Offer in Compromise Pre-Qualifier tool</a> can help determine eligibility for anyone interested in applying.Taxpayers can securely access their federal tax account information at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/view-your-tax-account">IRS.gov/account</a>.&nbsp;Among other things, this includes viewing any amount due and payment history.The IRS reminds taxpayers that they have rights and protections throughout the collection process. For details, see <a href="https://www.irs.gov/taxpayer-bill-of-rights">Taxpayer Bill of Rights</a>&nbsp;and <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p1.pdf">Publication 1, Your Rights as a Taxpayer&nbsp;PDF</a>.For more information about payments, see <a href="https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc202">Topic No. 202, Tax Payment Options</a>, on IRS.gov.

IRS: Surprise tax bill? Be sure to still file by May 17

By DAVID CONDOS <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-05-13/meatpacking-union-fights-myths-language-barriers-in-its-push-to-vaccinate-more-kansas-workers">Kansas News Service</a>

The union that represents Kansas meatpacking workers has launched a 
nationwide push to convince more of its members to get vaccinated 
against the COVID-19 virus. The campaign teams virtual town halls with 
in-person outreach targeting Latino workers.

The first town
 hall features a one-hour conversation in Spanish between the union’s 
local district president, Martin Rosas, and two Hispanic medical 
doctors, Fabian Sandoval and José Romero, emphasizing the risks of 
remaining unvaccinated.

“The COVID vaccines offer us a 
glimmer of hope,” Rosas said. “This is why (the union) wants to make 
sure all our members know the facts.”

The United Food and 
Commercial Workers union, or UFCW, represents roughly 9,000 food workers
 in the state. That includes more than 7,000 meatpacking employees at 
Cargill and National Beef plants in Dodge City and Liberal.

In March, the state sent out 12,000 vaccine doses <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-03-04/kansas-meatpacking-workers-get-covid-19-vaccines-starting-this-week" target="_blank">specifically earmarked</a>
 for meatpacking workers. Rosas said that helped jumpstart the 
vaccination effort but that he’s seen the momentum taper off over the 
past two months.

Part of the challenge, he said, comes in finding information in Spanish with answers to specific questions.

“In the state of Kansas,” Rosas said, “access to bilingual information face-to-face is pretty limited.”

The
 union has sent extra personnel to meatpacking plants to help members 
fill out vaccine paperwork and address lingering concerns people have 
about the vaccine’s development, safety or side effects.

“Person-to-person engagement is extremely important,” Rosas said. “They hear from someone they can trust.”

Statewide, the COVID-19 virus has <a href="https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/issue-brief/latest-data-on-covid-19-vaccinations-race-ethnicity/" target="_blank">disproportionately infected</a> Hispanic people. And yet, the <a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data" target="_blank">vaccination rate</a> among Latinos in Kansas — 266 per 1,000 people — continues to lag behind that of non-Latinos — 332 per 1,000 people.

In
 addition to language and access barriers, a lack of clear information 
about the shots and the spread of vaccine myths on social media have <a href="https://www.hppr.org/post/latino-leaders-southwestern-kansas-fight-overcome-myths-and-hesitancy-about-covid-19-vaccine" target="_blank">contributed to hesitancy</a> in Hispanic communities.

“There
 is a lot of misinformation out there about the vaccine,” said Sandoval,
 who leads the Emerson Clinical Research Institute in Washington, D.C. 
“Don’t listen to gossip. Gossip is what kills people.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620933064697.png" alt="The National Beef meatpacking plant in Dodge City. Chris Neal / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>The National Beef meatpacking plant in Dodge City. Chris Neal / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By DAVID CONDOS <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-05-13/meatpacking-union-fights-myths-language-barriers-in-its-push-to-vaccinate-more-kansas-workers">Kansas News Service</a>The union that represents Kansas meatpacking workers has launched a 
nationwide push to convince more of its members to get vaccinated 
against the COVID-19 virus. The campaign teams virtual town halls with 
in-person outreach targeting Latino workers.The first town
 hall features a one-hour conversation in Spanish between the union’s 
local district president, Martin Rosas, and two Hispanic medical 
doctors, Fabian Sandoval and José Romero, emphasizing the risks of 
remaining unvaccinated.“The COVID vaccines offer us a 
glimmer of hope,” Rosas said. “This is why (the union) wants to make 
sure all our members know the facts.”The United Food and 
Commercial Workers union, or UFCW, represents roughly 9,000 food workers
 in the state. That includes more than 7,000 meatpacking employees at 
Cargill and National Beef plants in Dodge City and Liberal.In March, the state sent out 12,000 vaccine doses <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-03-04/kansas-meatpacking-workers-get-covid-19-vaccines-starting-this-week" target="_blank">specifically earmarked</a>
 for meatpacking workers. Rosas said that helped jumpstart the 
vaccination effort but that he’s seen the momentum taper off over the 
past two months.Part of the challenge, he said, comes in finding information in Spanish with answers to specific questions.“In the state of Kansas,” Rosas said, “access to bilingual information face-to-face is pretty limited.”The
 union has sent extra personnel to meatpacking plants to help members 
fill out vaccine paperwork and address lingering concerns people have 
about the vaccine’s development, safety or side effects.“Person-to-person engagement is extremely important,” Rosas said. “They hear from someone they can trust.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620933120313.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><h2>‘Gossip is what kills people’</h2>Statewide, the COVID-19 virus has <a href="https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/issue-brief/latest-data-on-covid-19-vaccinations-race-ethnicity/" target="_blank">disproportionately infected</a> Hispanic people. And yet, the <a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data" target="_blank">vaccination rate</a> among Latinos in Kansas — 266 per 1,000 people — continues to lag behind that of non-Latinos — 332 per 1,000 people.In
 addition to language and access barriers, a lack of clear information 
about the shots and the spread of vaccine myths on social media have <a href="https://www.hppr.org/post/latino-leaders-southwestern-kansas-fight-overcome-myths-and-hesitancy-about-covid-19-vaccine" target="_blank">contributed to hesitancy</a> in Hispanic communities.“There
 is a lot of misinformation out there about the vaccine,” said Sandoval,
 who leads the Emerson Clinical Research Institute in Washington, D.C. 
“Don’t listen to gossip. Gossip is what kills people.”On 
top of that, some frontline food workers fear that they could lose their
 jobs if they call in sick. A study from the Economic Policy Institute 
reported that <a href="https://www.epi.org/blog/black-and-hispanic-workers-are-much-less-likely-to-be-able-to-work-from-home/" target="_blank">83% of Hispanic workers</a> can’t work remotely — that’s 15% more than non-Hispanics.“As
 Latinos, we have it ingrained that we have to work even if we are 
sick,” said Romero, who chairs the Centers for Disease Control vaccine 
advisory panel. “Many Latinos refer to COVID-19 as just a cold. I want 
to tell you, that is not true.”Rosas of UFCW said the 
unionized plants in Kansas have relaxed their attendance policies to 
allow employees to miss work for health reasons during the pandemic. 
Workers get 15 days of paid time-off, which they can use to stay home if
 they’re not feeling well, to take care of a loved one who is sick or to
 recover from vaccination side effects. Even if they have used up their 
paid time-off, they are allowed to miss work for COVID-related purposes 
without facing discipline.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620933157762.png" alt="UFCW Local 2 President Martin Rosas, upper right, leads the union's virtual town hall with doctors José Romero, upper left, and Fabian Sandoval." />
 <figcaption>UFCW Local 2 President Martin Rosas, upper right, leads the union's virtual town hall with doctors José Romero, upper left, and Fabian Sandoval.</figcaption>
 </figure>But many workers still worry that missing work for any reason puts 
their jobs in jeopardy. Rosas said he got a phone call just this week 
from a member who was feeling ill after getting her COVID shot, and she 
didn’t know what to do.“I told her, ‘Don’t worry, you don’t lose your job,’” Rosas said. “You just need to call in.”<h2>Ripple effects</h2>Meatpacking employees perform physically demanding work in close, cold quarters. That can make it <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/why-meatpacking-plants-have-become-covid-19-hot-spots/" target="_blank">difficult to curb the spread</a> of the virus, even with updated safety protocols. And the plants have continued to <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-02-18/kansas-meatpacking-workers-faced-outbreak-after-outbreak-but-still-cant-get-a-covid-vaccine" target="_blank">stay open</a> as outbreaks spread.That makes the push to increase vaccination numbers among employees all the more critical.“The
 vaccine,” Rosas said, “is the best and probably the only real source of
 protection that we have now (in meatpacking plants).”Early on, meatpacking plants were the <a href="https://www.hppr.org/post/emails-show-kansas-agencies-helped-keep-meatpacking-plants-open-despite-concerns-about" target="_blank">largest source</a>
 of COVID outbreaks in Kansas. State department of health statistics 
show the plants continue to be the third-highest source of COVID cluster
 cases, with nearly <a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas" target="_blank">4,000 people</a>
 infected since last March. The state says 122 hospitalizations and 24 
deaths have stemmed from COVID outbreaks at meatpacking facilities to 
date.But Rosas sees reason to hope. During a visit to a 
Dodge City plant this week, he said the majority of workers he spoke 
with had already gotten vaccinated. He’d like to get that number up to 
80%.And if the vaccination campaign can succeed at the 
plants, the ripple effects could have a significant impact on the 
surrounding areas. Roughly one out of every six people in Dodge City are
 UFCW members.“If each of our members has four family 
members of their household, just think about that number,” Rosas said. 
“Anything that we do in those plants will impact 75% of the population 
in that town.”David Condos covers western Kansas for 
High Plains Public Radio and the Kansas News Service. You can follow him
 on Twitter @davidcondos.