By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina Post

A rural Saline County man is out $6,200 after being scammed via telephone.

On Tuesday, a 59-year-old resident of northeastern Saline County received a phone call from someone claiming to be the "chief council" of the Social Security office, according to&nbsp;Saline County Undersheriff Brent Melander.

The caller told the man that law enforcement had located a vehicle in Texas that had blood all over it and the man's Social Security card inside. Additionally, there was a warrant for the man's arrest. The call came from a 443 area code.

The caller told the man that if he provided the numbers to $6,200 worth of gift cards, the caller could get the warrant dismissed, Melander said. The man was told that he needed to stay on the phone with the caller while he purchased the gift cards and that he would need to provide the gift card numbers as he bought the cards.

Melander said the man purchased $1,000 worth of gift cards from Walmart; $2,000 worth of gift cards from Sam's Club; $1,000 worth of gift cards from Target; $1,200 worth of gift cards from Apple iTunes and $1,000 worth of gift cards from Go Play Golf

Overnight, the man realized that he probably was scammed, so he called back and talked to the same person who called the first time. That person told the man that he could issue a refund, but would need $1,000 to start the refund process, Melander said. Once additional money was required, the Saline County man hung up.

Melander said there was little the sheriff's office could do in this case or cases like it. He offered a reminder that warrants cannot be taken care of over the phone. Additionally, he said that government entities do not take payments via gift cards.

By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina PostA rural Saline County man is out $6,200 after being scammed via telephone.On Tuesday, a 59-year-old resident of northeastern Saline County received a phone call from someone claiming to be the "chief council" of the Social Security office, according to&nbsp;Saline County Undersheriff Brent Melander.The caller told the man that law enforcement had located a vehicle in Texas that had blood all over it and the man's Social Security card inside. Additionally, there was a warrant for the man's arrest. The call came from a 443 area code.The caller told the man that if he provided the numbers to $6,200 worth of gift cards, the caller could get the warrant dismissed, Melander said. The man was told that he needed to stay on the phone with the caller while he purchased the gift cards and that he would need to provide the gift card numbers as he bought the cards.Melander said the man purchased $1,000 worth of gift cards from Walmart; $2,000 worth of gift cards from Sam's Club; $1,000 worth of gift cards from Target; $1,200 worth of gift cards from Apple iTunes and $1,000 worth of gift cards from Go Play GolfOvernight, the man realized that he probably was scammed, so he called back and talked to the same person who called the first time. That person told the man that he could issue a refund, but would need $1,000 to start the refund process, Melander said. Once additional money was required, the Saline County man hung up.Melander said there was little the sheriff's office could do in this case or cases like it. He offered a reminder that warrants cannot be taken care of over the phone. Additionally, he said that government entities do not take payments via gift cards.

Sheriff: Kansas man lost $6,200 in phone scam

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The city of Wichita is investigating after tombstones were found in the Little Arkansas River. <a href="https://www.kake.com/story/44167168/gravestones-found-in-the-little-arkansas-river">KAKE-TV reports </a>that one of the stones is for a woman who was born in 1902 and died in 1984.

The other reads, “beloved husband, father, son.” It’s unclear how the tombstones got into the river behind trees and brush. 

City of Wichita Communications and Special Events Manager Megan Lovely says the city plans to leave the stones where they are, for now, while the investigation continues.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624539526879.png" alt="Photo courtesy KAKE" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KAKE</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The city of Wichita is investigating after tombstones were found in the Little Arkansas River. <a href="https://www.kake.com/story/44167168/gravestones-found-in-the-little-arkansas-river">KAKE-TV reports </a>that one of the stones is for a woman who was born in 1902 and died in 1984. The other reads, “beloved husband, father, son.” It’s unclear how the tombstones got into the river behind trees and brush. City of Wichita Communications and Special Events Manager Megan Lovely says the city plans to leave the stones where they are, for now, while the investigation continues.

Tombstones found abandoned in Kansas river

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration has extended the nationwide ban on evictions for a month to help tenants who are unable to make rent payments during&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">the coronavirus pandemic</a>, but it said this is expected to be the last time it does so.

Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, extended the evictions moratorium until July 31. It had been scheduled to end June 30. The CDC said Thursday that “this is intended to be the final extension of the moratorium.”

The White House had acknowledged Wednesday that the emergency pandemic protection will have to end at some point. The trick is devising the right sort of off-ramp to make the transition without massive social upheaval.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the separate bans on evictions for renters and mortgage holders were “always intended to be temporary.”

This week, dozens of members of Congress wrote to Biden and Walensky&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-coronavirus-pandemic-health-business-government-and-politics-4f40c6aeefbfec1a42a0efd387279d5f">calling for the moratorium to be not only extended but also strengthened</a>&nbsp;in some ways.

The letter, spearheaded by Democratic Reps. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, Jimmy Gomez of California and Cori Bush of Missouri, called for an unspecified extension in order to allow the nearly $47 billion in emergency rental assistance included in the American Rescue Plan to get into the hands of tenants.

Ending the assistance too abruptly, they said, would disproportionately hurt some of the same minority communities that were hit so hard by the virus itself. They also echoed many housing advocates by calling for the moratorium’s protections to be made automatic, requiring no special steps from the tenant in order to gain its protections.

“The impact of the federal moratorium cannot be understated, and the need to strengthen and extend it is an urgent matter of health, racial, and economic justice,” the letter said.

Diane Yentel, president of the National Low Income Housing Coalition, called an extension of the eviction ban “the right thing to do — morally, fiscally, politically, and as a continued public health measure.”

But landlords, who have opposed the moratorium and challenged it in court, are against any extension. They have argued the focus should be on speeding up the distribution of rental assistance.

NEW YORK (AP) — More than 4 million people say they fear being evicted or foreclosed upon in the coming months, just as two studies released Wednesday found that the nation’s housing availability and affordability crisis is expected to worsen significantly following the pandemic.

The studies come as a federal eviction moratorium is set to expire at the end of the month. The moratorium has kept many tenants owing back rent housed. Making matters worse, the tens of billions of dollars in federal emergency rental assistance that was supposed to solve the problem has not reached most tenants.

The housing crisis, the studies found, risks widening the gap between Black, Latino and white households, as well as putting homeownership out of the reach of lower-income Americans.

The reports were released on the same day as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.census.gov/data-tools/demo/hhp/#/?measures=EVICTFOR&amp;periodSelector=31" target="_blank">Census Bureau’s biweekly Household Pulse Survey</a>&nbsp;came out. It showed that nearly 4.2 million people nationwide report that it is likely or somewhat likely that they will be evicted or foreclosed upon in the next two months.

Many of those tenants are waiting to see what becomes of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eviction-moratorium-rental-assistance-coronavirus-bd0947fe93b72c88305629a6608602ee">Centers for Disease Control</a>&nbsp;and Prevention eviction moratorium, which is set expire June 30. Housing advocates are pressuring President Joe Biden’s administration to extend it. They argue extending it would give states the time to distribute more than $45 billion in rental assistance and protect vulnerable communities from COVID-19. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pandemics-new-york-andrew-cuomo-coronavirus-pandemic-us-news-bfbf0744510d50a1e173247ee5f9ba1b">rental assistance</a>&nbsp;has been slow to reach tenants.

“The latest data confirm two things — emergency rental assistance is very slow to reach renters in need, and millions of renters remain behind on rent and at heightened risk of evictions,” Diane Yentel, president of the National Low-Income Housing Coalition, said in an email.

Among those confronting the June 30 deadline is Victor Richardson. The 78-year-old, who is disabled and in a wheelchair, is facing eviction from his $2,500-a-month assisted living center in Tucson, Arizona, and has a court hearing early next month.

“We have been successfully fighting this and I’ve come to believe we are going to come out this victoriously,” said Richardson, who housing advocates said would not be admitted to a homeless shelter because of his disability.

The reports by Harvard University and the National Association of Realtors come from different perspectives, but ultimately reach the same conclusion: The United States isn’t building enough housing to address population growth, causing record low home availability, and rising home prices are putting homeownership out of reach of millions of Americans.

Without substantial changes in homebuilding and home affordability, both reports say, the result will be a more-or-less permanent class of renters contrasted with what will likely be a mostly white class of homeowners. While these problems were known before the coronavirus pandemic,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/sites/default/files/reports/files/Harvard_JCHS_State_Nations_Housing_2021.pdf" target="_blank">the economic impact of the pandemic exacerbated the problem</a>, the reports say.

“These disparities are likely to persist even as the economy recovers, with many lower-income households slow to regain their financial footing and facing possible eviction or foreclosure,” researchers at Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University wrote.

A separate study commissioned by the National Association of Realtors found that the U.S. housing market&nbsp;<a href="https://cdn.nar.realtor/sites/default/files/documents/Housing-is-Critical-Infrastructure-Social-and-Economic-Benefits-of-Building-More-Housing-6-15-2021.pdf" target="_blank">needs to build at least 5.5 million new units</a>&nbsp;to keep up with demand and keeping home ownership affordable over the next 10 years. That’s on top of the roughly 1.2 million units built per year on average, or a roughly 60% increase in home construction for the next decade, just to keep up with demand.

“The scale of underbuilding and the existing demand-supply gap is enormous and will require a major national commitment to build more housing of all types by expanding resources, addressing barriers to new development and making new housing construction an integral part of a national infrastructure strategy,” wrote Kenneth Rosen, David Bank, Max Hall, Scott Reed and Carson Goldman with the Rosen Consulting Group, in its report to the association of realtors.

The association’s report points out several regions requiring more homes, including many parts of California and the West, Southern Florida, and the Northeast, particularly the New York-New Jersey metropolitan area.

Without additional housing, an increasing share of Americans are likely to become renters in the coming years. While renting is not necessarily a bad thing since it provides more flexibility, homeownership has been the primary driver of wealth generation in the U.S. since World War II. Home equity is often a way for Americans to have a financial safety net at times of economic trouble, as seen in the pandemic.

These problems get worse when broken out by racial backgrounds. Black and Latino homeowners have less in savings than their white counterparts. White potential homeowners also have generational wealth to potentially tap in the form of a down payment.

“The diverging circumstances between those with the resources to weather the economic shutdowns and those struggling to simply stay afloat thus widened already large inequalities in income and wealth,” said the Harvard researchers.

Outside of a massive increase in homebuilding, researchers at Harvard pointed to government home affordability programs as likely the best solution to address the problem long term.

“Any of a number of new proposals to provide down payment assistance to socially disadvantaged buyers would potentially bring millions of low-income households and households of color into homeownership.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624546142101.png" alt="Dr. Rochelle Walensky, Director of the CDC said Thursday that “this is intended to be the final extension of the moratorium.” Photo courtesy White House COVID-19 Response Team" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Rochelle Walensky, Director of the CDC said Thursday that “this is intended to be the final extension of the moratorium.” Photo courtesy White House COVID-19 Response Team</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration has extended the nationwide ban on evictions for a month to help tenants who are unable to make rent payments during&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">the coronavirus pandemic</a>, but it said this is expected to be the last time it does so.Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, extended the evictions moratorium until July 31. It had been scheduled to end June 30. The CDC said Thursday that “this is intended to be the final extension of the moratorium.”The White House had acknowledged Wednesday that the emergency pandemic protection will have to end at some point. The trick is devising the right sort of off-ramp to make the transition without massive social upheaval.White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the separate bans on evictions for renters and mortgage holders were “always intended to be temporary.”This week, dozens of members of Congress wrote to Biden and Walensky&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-coronavirus-pandemic-health-business-government-and-politics-4f40c6aeefbfec1a42a0efd387279d5f">calling for the moratorium to be not only extended but also strengthened</a>&nbsp;in some ways.The letter, spearheaded by Democratic Reps. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, Jimmy Gomez of California and Cori Bush of Missouri, called for an unspecified extension in order to allow the nearly $47 billion in emergency rental assistance included in the American Rescue Plan to get into the hands of tenants.Ending the assistance too abruptly, they said, would disproportionately hurt some of the same minority communities that were hit so hard by the virus itself. They also echoed many housing advocates by calling for the moratorium’s protections to be made automatic, requiring no special steps from the tenant in order to gain its protections.“The impact of the federal moratorium cannot be understated, and the need to strengthen and extend it is an urgent matter of health, racial, and economic justice,” the letter said.Diane Yentel, president of the National Low Income Housing Coalition, called an extension of the eviction ban “the right thing to do — morally, fiscally, politically, and as a continued public health measure.”But landlords, who have opposed the moratorium and challenged it in court, are against any extension. They have argued the focus should be on speeding up the distribution of rental assistance.-------------------NEW YORK (AP) — More than 4 million people say they fear being evicted or foreclosed upon in the coming months, just as two studies released Wednesday found that the nation’s housing availability and affordability crisis is expected to worsen significantly following the pandemic.The studies come as a federal eviction moratorium is set to expire at the end of the month. The moratorium has kept many tenants owing back rent housed. Making matters worse, the tens of billions of dollars in federal emergency rental assistance that was supposed to solve the problem has not reached most tenants.The housing crisis, the studies found, risks widening the gap between Black, Latino and white households, as well as putting homeownership out of the reach of lower-income Americans.The reports were released on the same day as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.census.gov/data-tools/demo/hhp/#/?measures=EVICTFOR&amp;periodSelector=31" target="_blank">Census Bureau’s biweekly Household Pulse Survey</a>&nbsp;came out. It showed that nearly 4.2 million people nationwide report that it is likely or somewhat likely that they will be evicted or foreclosed upon in the next two months.Many of those tenants are waiting to see what becomes of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eviction-moratorium-rental-assistance-coronavirus-bd0947fe93b72c88305629a6608602ee">Centers for Disease Control</a>&nbsp;and Prevention eviction moratorium, which is set expire June 30. Housing advocates are pressuring President Joe Biden’s administration to extend it. They argue extending it would give states the time to distribute more than $45 billion in rental assistance and protect vulnerable communities from COVID-19. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pandemics-new-york-andrew-cuomo-coronavirus-pandemic-us-news-bfbf0744510d50a1e173247ee5f9ba1b">rental assistance</a>&nbsp;has been slow to reach tenants.“The latest data confirm two things — emergency rental assistance is very slow to reach renters in need, and millions of renters remain behind on rent and at heightened risk of evictions,” Diane Yentel, president of the National Low-Income Housing Coalition, said in an email.Among those confronting the June 30 deadline is Victor Richardson. The 78-year-old, who is disabled and in a wheelchair, is facing eviction from his $2,500-a-month assisted living center in Tucson, Arizona, and has a court hearing early next month.“We have been successfully fighting this and I’ve come to believe we are going to come out this victoriously,” said Richardson, who housing advocates said would not be admitted to a homeless shelter because of his disability.The reports by Harvard University and the National Association of Realtors come from different perspectives, but ultimately reach the same conclusion: The United States isn’t building enough housing to address population growth, causing record low home availability, and rising home prices are putting homeownership out of reach of millions of Americans.Without substantial changes in homebuilding and home affordability, both reports say, the result will be a more-or-less permanent class of renters contrasted with what will likely be a mostly white class of homeowners. While these problems were known before the coronavirus pandemic,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/sites/default/files/reports/files/Harvard_JCHS_State_Nations_Housing_2021.pdf" target="_blank">the economic impact of the pandemic exacerbated the problem</a>, the reports say.“These disparities are likely to persist even as the economy recovers, with many lower-income households slow to regain their financial footing and facing possible eviction or foreclosure,” researchers at Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University wrote.A separate study commissioned by the National Association of Realtors found that the U.S. housing market&nbsp;<a href="https://cdn.nar.realtor/sites/default/files/documents/Housing-is-Critical-Infrastructure-Social-and-Economic-Benefits-of-Building-More-Housing-6-15-2021.pdf" target="_blank">needs to build at least 5.5 million new units</a>&nbsp;to keep up with demand and keeping home ownership affordable over the next 10 years. That’s on top of the roughly 1.2 million units built per year on average, or a roughly 60% increase in home construction for the next decade, just to keep up with demand.“The scale of underbuilding and the existing demand-supply gap is enormous and will require a major national commitment to build more housing of all types by expanding resources, addressing barriers to new development and making new housing construction an integral part of a national infrastructure strategy,” wrote Kenneth Rosen, David Bank, Max Hall, Scott Reed and Carson Goldman with the Rosen Consulting Group, in its report to the association of realtors.The association’s report points out several regions requiring more homes, including many parts of California and the West, Southern Florida, and the Northeast, particularly the New York-New Jersey metropolitan area.Without additional housing, an increasing share of Americans are likely to become renters in the coming years. While renting is not necessarily a bad thing since it provides more flexibility, homeownership has been the primary driver of wealth generation in the U.S. since World War II. Home equity is often a way for Americans to have a financial safety net at times of economic trouble, as seen in the pandemic.These problems get worse when broken out by racial backgrounds. Black and Latino homeowners have less in savings than their white counterparts. White potential homeowners also have generational wealth to potentially tap in the form of a down payment.“The diverging circumstances between those with the resources to weather the economic shutdowns and those struggling to simply stay afloat thus widened already large inequalities in income and wealth,” said the Harvard researchers.Outside of a massive increase in homebuilding, researchers at Harvard pointed to government home affordability programs as likely the best solution to address the problem long term.“Any of a number of new proposals to provide down payment assistance to socially disadvantaged buyers would potentially bring millions of low-income households and households of color into homeownership.”

Biden administration extends nationwide ban on evictions

The Federal Trade Commission is sending refunds totaling more than $223,000 to people who lost money to a student loan and mortgage debt relief operation.

The FTC alleged that A1 DocPrep Inc., 
Streamlined Marketing, and their owner, Horman Ardalan falsely claimed 
to be from the Department of Education, and promised to reduce 
borrowers’ monthly payments or forgive their student loans in exchange 
for illegal upfront fees, according to the <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/cases/a1_docprep_inc._complaint.pdf">FTC’s September 2017 complaint</a>.
 The FTC also alleged the defendants targeted distressed homeowners by 
making false promises that they would provide mortgage relief and 
prevent foreclosure.<a href="https://public.tableau.com/profile/federal.trade.commission#!/vizhome/Refunds_15797958402020/RefundsbyCase"></a>

The refunds stem from <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2018/11/remaining-operators-student-debt-relief-scheme-settle-ftc-charges">settlements</a> the defendants reached with the FTC that also ban them from debt
 relief and telemarketing activities and prohibits them from making 
misrepresentations or unsubstantiated claims related to other financial 
products or services.

The FTC is mailing 136 checks to consumers who previously filed a complaint with law enforcement. The checks average&nbsp;$1,641 each.
 People who receive checks should deposit or cash their checks within 90
 days, as indicated on the check. Recipients who have questions about 
their checks can call the refund administrator, Analytics, at 844-695-0454. The FTC never requires people to pay money or provide account information to cash a refund check.

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

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619632629588.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FTCThe Federal Trade Commission is sending refunds totaling more than $223,000 to people who lost money to a student loan and mortgage debt relief operation.The FTC alleged that A1 DocPrep Inc., 
Streamlined Marketing, and their owner, Horman Ardalan falsely claimed 
to be from the Department of Education, and promised to reduce 
borrowers’ monthly payments or forgive their student loans in exchange 
for illegal upfront fees, according to the <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/cases/a1_docprep_inc._complaint.pdf">FTC’s September 2017 complaint</a>.
 The FTC also alleged the defendants targeted distressed homeowners by 
making false promises that they would provide mortgage relief and 
prevent foreclosure.<a href="https://public.tableau.com/profile/federal.trade.commission#!/vizhome/Refunds_15797958402020/RefundsbyCase"></a> The refunds stem from <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2018/11/remaining-operators-student-debt-relief-scheme-settle-ftc-charges">settlements</a> the defendants reached with the FTC that also ban them from debt
 relief and telemarketing activities and prohibits them from making 
misrepresentations or unsubstantiated claims related to other financial 
products or services.The FTC is mailing 136 checks to consumers who previously filed a complaint with law enforcement. The checks average&nbsp;$1,641 each.
 People who receive checks should deposit or cash their checks within 90
 days, as indicated on the check. Recipients who have questions about 
their checks can call the refund administrator, Analytics, at 844-695-0454. The FTC never requires people to pay money or provide account information to cash a refund check.The FTC’s <a href="https://public.tableau.com/profile/federal.trade.commission#!/vizhome/Refunds_15797958402020/RefundsbyCase">interactive dashboards for refund data(link is external)</a>
 provide a state-by-state breakdown of FTC refunds. In 2020, FTC actions
 led to more than $483 million in refunds to consumers across the 
country, but recently the United States Supreme Court ruled the FTC 
lacks authority under Section 13(b) to seek monetary relief in federal 
court going forward. The <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2021/04/ftc-asks-congress-pass-legislation-reviving-agencys-authority">Commission has urged Congress</a> to restore the FTC’s ability to get money back for consumers.The Federal Trade Commission works to promote competition and to <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/about-ftc/bureaus-offices/bureau-consumer-protection">protect and educate consumers</a>. You can <a href="https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/">learn more about consumer topics</a> and report scams, fraud, and bad business practices online at <a href="https://reportfraud.ftc.gov">ReportFraud.ftc.gov</a>. Like the FTC on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/federaltradecommission">Facebook(link is external)</a>, follow us on <a href="https://twitter.com/FTC">Twitter(link is external)</a>, get <a href="http://ftc.gov/subscribe">consumer alerts</a>, read our <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/blogs">blogs</a>, and <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/stay-connected">subscribe to press releases</a> for the latest FTC news and resources.

FTC sends refunds to victims of student loan, mortgage scheme

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man on multiple drug related charges following a narcotics and identity theft search warrant at a Kansas home.

Just after 10 a.m. Tuesday, sheriff’s deputies served a search warrant at a residence in the 2500 block of SW Clay Street in Shawnee County, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

 During the investigation, deputies found illegal narcotics, firearms and arrested 35-year-old Adam J. Smith of Topeka and booked him into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on charges of criminal use of weapons, possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624543028796.png" alt="Smith-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Smith-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man on multiple drug related charges following a narcotics and identity theft search warrant at a Kansas home.Just after 10 a.m. Tuesday, sheriff’s deputies served a search warrant at a residence in the 2500 block of SW Clay Street in Shawnee County, according to Deputy Abigail Christian. During the investigation, deputies found illegal narcotics, firearms and arrested 35-year-old Adam J. Smith of Topeka and booked him into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on charges of criminal use of weapons, possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Deputies find firearms, drugs at Kansas home

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Police in the Kansas City suburb of Independence are investigating after a teenage girl was found shot to death.

Police responding to a call found the victim Wednesday afternoon inside a home. Her name and age have not been released. No arrests have been made.

The killing was the second this week in Independence. Police say 30-year-old Ales L. Carr of Kansas City, Missouri, died early Monday at a hospital, where she had been dropped off after being shot in the head. Police believe she was shot at a home in Independence.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Police in the Kansas City suburb of Independence are investigating after a teenage girl was found shot to death.Police responding to a call found the victim Wednesday afternoon inside a home. Her name and age have not been released. No arrests have been made.The killing was the second this week in Independence. Police say 30-year-old Ales L. Carr of Kansas City, Missouri, died early Monday at a hospital, where she had been dropped off after being shot in the head. Police believe she was shot at a home in Independence.

Teenage girl shot to death in Kansas City suburb

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden announced new efforts Wednesday to stem a rising national tide of violent crime, declaring the federal government is “taking on the bad actors doing bad things to our communities.” But questions persist about how effective the efforts can be in what could be a turbulent summer.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?512889-1/president-biden-attorney-general-garland-deliver-remarks-gun-crime-prevention">Click here to watch </a>the President's remarks

Crime rates have risen after plummeting during the initial months of the coronavirus pandemic, creating economic hardship and anxiety. Biden’s plan focuses on providing money to cities that need more police, offering community support and most of all cracking down on gun violence and those supplying illegal firearms.

“These merchants of death are breaking the law for profit,” Biden said. “If you willfully sell a gun to someone who’s prohibited, my message to you is this: We’ll find you and we’ll seek your license to sell guns. We’ll make sure you can’t sell death and mayhem on our streets.”

But there are also tricky politics at play, and Biden's plan shows how few options the Democratic president has on the issue.

The steps he outlined are aimed at going hard after gun dealers who break federal law and establishing strike forces in several cities to help stop weapons trafficking. He also said he would seek more money for the agency that tracks the nation's guns.

But the rest of his new strategy boils down mostly to suggestions for beleaguered localities. He's encouraging cities to invest some of their COVID-19 relief funds into policing and pushing alternative crime reduction steps such as increased community support and summer jobs for teenagers — often both targets and perpetrators of violence.

The president has been clear that he is opposed to the “defund the police” movement, which has been effectively used against other Democrats to cast them as anti-law enforcement.

“This is not a time to turn our backs on law enforcement," said Biden, who noted that "crime historically rises during the summer, and as we emerge from this pandemic the traditional summer spike may be even more pronounced than it usually would be.”

But he's also is trying to boost progressives' efforts to reform policing, following a year of demonstrations and public anguish sparked by the killing by police of George Floyd and other Black people across the country. While combating crime and overhauling the police don't have to be at odds, the two efforts are increasingly billed that way.

Biden will try to do both at once. But Republicans quickly tried to portray his measures as government overreach and linked them to efforts to rein in policing.

“I think a lot of it ties back to this whole ‘defund the police’ movement and some of the disruption we had in civil society last year,” Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts said on Fox News. “And I think that’s part of, when you start undermining that basic foundation, you start breaking apart the bonds that hold us together and that’s why you see an increase in crime.”

Biden announced a “zero tolerance" policy that would give no leeway to gun dealers who fail to comply with federal law — their licenses to sell would be revoked on a first offense.

The president has already announced a half-dozen executive actions on gun control, including going after “ghost guns,” homemade firearms that lack serial numbers for tracking and often are purchased without background checks.

A number of anti-crime and gun safety groups, including the Brady Campaign and Everytown for Gun Safety, applauded the administration's efforts.

“The president is helping start a much-needed conversation about reducing violent crime. A greater investment in community interventions will help take a bite out of violent crime," said Paul DelPonte, head of the National Crime Prevention Council. "Strategies that increase public engagement in public safety are proven crime stoppers. Putting more police officers who are trained and certified in crime prevention on the streets of our communities makes sense.”

Legislation to expand background checks has so far stalled in the Senate after the House passed it in March, even though Majority Leader Chuck Schumer vowed then that the Senate would hold a vote on the bill.

Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy has been negotiating for weeks with individual Republicans to see if there is legislation that could win enough votes for passage. One option is to narrow the scope of the House bill and expand background checks only to commercial sales like gun shows. Most Republicans oppose regulating private sales between individuals, as the House bill would do, but some have said they would support tougher regulation of gun shows.

Biden will seek increased transparency on gun data and better coordination among states, and he will push Congress for more money for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the agency responsible for enforcing federal gun laws and regulating gun dealers. The Justice Department is also launching strike forces in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., to help take down illegal gun traffickers.

Police officials have said they are struggling with increasing crime and continued tensions between police and communities; some say their calls for support aren't answered as they take the blame for the spike. Biden noted that $350 billion of the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package can be used by cities to hire law enforcement officers, pay overtime, prosecute gun traffickers and invest in technology to make law enforcement more efficient.

While crime is rising — homicides and shootings are up from the same period last year in Chicago; Los Angeles; Minneapolis; Portland, Oregon; Baltimore; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Houston — violent crime overall remains lower than it was a decade ago or even five years ago. Most violent crimes plummeted during the first six months of the coronavirus pandemic, as people stayed indoors and away from others, then started creeping up last summer.

It all comes against the backdrop of the national debate on policing and racism — and as a police reform bill is being crafted in Congress.

As a senator, Biden wrote several major anti-crime packages, including a 1994 bill that contained provisions now viewed by some as an overreaction to the crime spikes in the 1980s and 1990s. Critics say those bills helped lead to mass incarceration of Black Americans, and Biden’s involvement became an issue in his 2020 campaign.

Biden has expressed second thoughts about some aspects of the legislation. But he and his allies still point to the law’s provisions to address domestic violence, ban assault weapons and finance community policing.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624486188733.png" alt="The President's plan focuses on providing money to cities that need more police, offering community support and most of all cracking down on gun violence and those supplying illegal firearms-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>The President's plan focuses on providing money to cities that need more police, offering community support and most of all cracking down on gun violence and those supplying illegal firearms-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden announced new efforts Wednesday to stem a rising national tide of violent crime, declaring the federal government is “taking on the bad actors doing bad things to our communities.” But questions persist about how effective the efforts can be in what could be a turbulent summer.<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?512889-1/president-biden-attorney-general-garland-deliver-remarks-gun-crime-prevention">Click here to watch </a>the President's remarksCrime rates have risen after plummeting during the initial months of the coronavirus pandemic, creating economic hardship and anxiety. Biden’s plan focuses on providing money to cities that need more police, offering community support and most of all cracking down on gun violence and those supplying illegal firearms.“These merchants of death are breaking the law for profit,” Biden said. “If you willfully sell a gun to someone who’s prohibited, my message to you is this: We’ll find you and we’ll seek your license to sell guns. We’ll make sure you can’t sell death and mayhem on our streets.”But there are also tricky politics at play, and Biden's plan shows how few options the Democratic president has on the issue.The steps he outlined are aimed at going hard after gun dealers who break federal law and establishing strike forces in several cities to help stop weapons trafficking. He also said he would seek more money for the agency that tracks the nation's guns.But the rest of his new strategy boils down mostly to suggestions for beleaguered localities. He's encouraging cities to invest some of their COVID-19 relief funds into policing and pushing alternative crime reduction steps such as increased community support and summer jobs for teenagers — often both targets and perpetrators of violence.But it's voluntary.The president has been clear that he is opposed to the “defund the police” movement, which has been effectively used against other Democrats to cast them as anti-law enforcement.“This is not a time to turn our backs on law enforcement," said Biden, who noted that "crime historically rises during the summer, and as we emerge from this pandemic the traditional summer spike may be even more pronounced than it usually would be.”But he's also is trying to boost progressives' efforts to reform policing, following a year of demonstrations and public anguish sparked by the killing by police of George Floyd and other Black people across the country. While combating crime and overhauling the police don't have to be at odds, the two efforts are increasingly billed that way.Biden will try to do both at once. But Republicans quickly tried to portray his measures as government overreach and linked them to efforts to rein in policing.“I think a lot of it ties back to this whole ‘defund the police’ movement and some of the disruption we had in civil society last year,” Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts said on Fox News. “And I think that’s part of, when you start undermining that basic foundation, you start breaking apart the bonds that hold us together and that’s why you see an increase in crime.”Biden announced a “zero tolerance" policy that would give no leeway to gun dealers who fail to comply with federal law — their licenses to sell would be revoked on a first offense.The president has already announced a half-dozen executive actions on gun control, including going after “ghost guns,” homemade firearms that lack serial numbers for tracking and often are purchased without background checks.A number of anti-crime and gun safety groups, including the Brady Campaign and Everytown for Gun Safety, applauded the administration's efforts.“The president is helping start a much-needed conversation about reducing violent crime. A greater investment in community interventions will help take a bite out of violent crime," said Paul DelPonte, head of the National Crime Prevention Council. "Strategies that increase public engagement in public safety are proven crime stoppers. Putting more police officers who are trained and certified in crime prevention on the streets of our communities makes sense.”Legislation to expand background checks has so far stalled in the Senate after the House passed it in March, even though Majority Leader Chuck Schumer vowed then that the Senate would hold a vote on the bill.Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy has been negotiating for weeks with individual Republicans to see if there is legislation that could win enough votes for passage. One option is to narrow the scope of the House bill and expand background checks only to commercial sales like gun shows. Most Republicans oppose regulating private sales between individuals, as the House bill would do, but some have said they would support tougher regulation of gun shows.Biden will seek increased transparency on gun data and better coordination among states, and he will push Congress for more money for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the agency responsible for enforcing federal gun laws and regulating gun dealers. The Justice Department is also launching strike forces in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., to help take down illegal gun traffickers.Police officials have said they are struggling with increasing crime and continued tensions between police and communities; some say their calls for support aren't answered as they take the blame for the spike. Biden noted that $350 billion of the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package can be used by cities to hire law enforcement officers, pay overtime, prosecute gun traffickers and invest in technology to make law enforcement more efficient.While crime is rising — homicides and shootings are up from the same period last year in Chicago; Los Angeles; Minneapolis; Portland, Oregon; Baltimore; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Houston — violent crime overall remains lower than it was a decade ago or even five years ago. Most violent crimes plummeted during the first six months of the coronavirus pandemic, as people stayed indoors and away from others, then started creeping up last summer.It all comes against the backdrop of the national debate on policing and racism — and as a police reform bill is being crafted in Congress.As a senator, Biden wrote several major anti-crime packages, including a 1994 bill that contained provisions now viewed by some as an overreaction to the crime spikes in the 1980s and 1990s. Critics say those bills helped lead to mass incarceration of Black Americans, and Biden’s involvement became an issue in his 2020 campaign.Biden has expressed second thoughts about some aspects of the legislation. But he and his allies still point to the law’s provisions to address domestic violence, ban assault weapons and finance community policing.___

🎥 President Biden's plan to stem rising tide of violent crime

SHAWNEE COUNTY— The owner of a gun found in a Topeka home by toddlers, who then accidentally shot a 13-year-old girl is scheduled to make a court appearance Thursday.

&nbsp;Dejuan Thomas Yelverton, 22, Topeka, was charged with first-degree murder, aggravated child endangerment and criminal possession of a gun by a felon, according to&nbsp;Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay.

Yelverton owned the gun that was found by toddlers on June 12. As the children were handling the gun, it fired, hitting 13-year-old DaMya Hudnall in the back of the head. DaMay was rushed to a hospital in critical condition. 

She died after being taken off life support June 15.&nbsp; Yelverton is being held in the Shawnee County Jail on $250,000 bond.&nbsp;

SHAWNEE COUNTY— Prosecutors have charged the owner of a gun found in a Topeka home by toddlers, who then accidentally shot a 13-year-old girl.

Yelverton owned the gun that was found by toddlers Saturday morning. As the children were handling the gun, it fired, hitting 13-year-old DaMya Hudnall in the back of the head. DaMay was rushed to a hospital in critical condition. 

She died after being taken off life support Tuesday. Yelverton is being held in the Shawnee County Jail on $250,000 bond.&nbsp;Kagay requested a $1,000,000 bond. Yelverton is scheduled to appear at 3:30p.m. on June 24, 2021 for a scheduling conference in the case.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623976671929.png" alt="Yelverton photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Yelverton photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY— The owner of a gun found in a Topeka home by toddlers, who then accidentally shot a 13-year-old girl is scheduled to make a court appearance Thursday.&nbsp;Dejuan Thomas Yelverton, 22, Topeka, was charged with first-degree murder, aggravated child endangerment and criminal possession of a gun by a felon, according to&nbsp;Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay.Yelverton owned the gun that was found by toddlers on June 12. As the children were handling the gun, it fired, hitting 13-year-old DaMya Hudnall in the back of the head. DaMay was rushed to a hospital in critical condition. She died after being taken off life support June 15.&nbsp; Yelverton is being held in the Shawnee County Jail on $250,000 bond.&nbsp;-------------SHAWNEE COUNTY— Prosecutors have charged the owner of a gun found in a Topeka home by toddlers, who then accidentally shot a 13-year-old girl.&nbsp;Dejuan Thomas Yelverton, 22, Topeka, was charged with first-degree murder, aggravated child endangerment and criminal possession of a gun by a felon, according to&nbsp;Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay.Yelverton owned the gun that was found by toddlers Saturday morning. As the children were handling the gun, it fired, hitting 13-year-old DaMya Hudnall in the back of the head. DaMay was rushed to a hospital in critical condition. She died after being taken off life support Tuesday. Yelverton is being held in the Shawnee County Jail on $250,000 bond.&nbsp;Kagay requested a $1,000,000 bond. Yelverton is scheduled to appear at 3:30p.m. on June 24, 2021 for a scheduling conference in the case.

Kan. man in tragic accidental shooting death set for court

CREEK COUNTY —A Kansas man had a record setting fishing trip to Oklahoma. On Tuesday, Grant Rader of Wichita caught a world record 164-pound paddlefish at Keystone Lake, according to a social media report from the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624530787485.png" alt="Grant Rader of Wichita, Jeremiah Mefford with Reel Good Time Guide Service, assisted Rader on his world-record fishing trip. Also present is former world- and state-record holder Corey Watters (right) of Ochelata. Photo courtesy Oklahoma Dept. of Wildlife Conservation" />
 <figcaption>Grant Rader of Wichita, Jeremiah Mefford with Reel Good Time Guide Service, assisted Rader on his world-record fishing trip. Also present is former world- and state-record holder Corey Watters (right) of Ochelata. Photo courtesy Oklahoma Dept. of Wildlife Conservation</figcaption>
 </figure>CREEK COUNTY —A Kansas man had a record setting fishing trip to Oklahoma. On Tuesday, Grant Rader of Wichita caught a world record 164-pound paddlefish at Keystone Lake, according to a social media report from the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.

Kansas man catches world-record paddlefish 

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — As the U.S. emerges from the COVID-19 crisis, Missouri is becoming a cautionary tale for the rest of the country: It is seeing an alarming rise in cases because of a combination of the fast-spreading delta variant and stubborn resistance among many people to getting vaccinated.

Intensive care beds are filling up with surprisingly young, unvaccinated patients, and staff members are getting burned out fighting a battle that was supposed to be in its final throes.

The hope among some health leaders is that the rest of the U.S. might at least learn something from Missouri's plight.

“If people elsewhere in the country are looking to us and saying, ‘No thanks' and they are getting vaccinated, that is good," said Erik Frederick, chief administrative officer at Mercy Hospital Springfield, which has been inundated with COVID-19 patients as the variant first identified in India rips through the largely non-immunized community. “We will be the canary.”

The state now leads the nation with the highest rate of new COVID-19 infections, and the surge is happening largely in a politically conservative farming region in the northern part of the state and in the southwestern corner, which includes Springfield and Branson, the country music mecca in the Ozark Mountains where big crowds are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mo-state-wire-michael-brown-coronavirus-pandemic-lifestyle-travel-b7fa3ff68bbf489c189be74f51d49299">gathering&nbsp;</a>again at the city's theaters and other attractions.

While over 53% of all Americans have received at least one shot, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, most southern and northern Missouri counties are well short of 40%. One county is at just 13%.

Cases remain below their winter highs in southwestern Missouri, but the trajectory is steeper than in previous surges, Frederick said. As of Tuesday, 153 COVID-19 patients were hospitalized at Mercy and another Springfield hospital, Cox Health, up from 31 just over a month ago, county figures show.

These patients are also younger than earlier in the pandemic — 60% to 65% of those in the ICU over the weekend at Mercy were under 40, according to Frederick, who noted that younger adults are much less likely to be vaccinated — and some are pregnant.

He is hiring traveling nurses and respiratory therapists to help out his fatigued staff as the rest of the country tries to leave the pandemic behind.

“I feel like last year at this time it was health care heroes and everybody was celebrating and bringing food to the hospital and doing prayer vigils and stuff, and now everyone is like, ‘The lake is open. Let’s go.' We are still here doing this," he said.

There are also warning signs across the state line: Arkansas on Tuesday reported its biggest one-day jump in cases in more than three months. The state also has low vaccination rates.

Lagging rates — especially among young adults — are becoming an increasing source of concern elsewhere around the country, as is the delta variant.

The mutant version now accounts more than 20% of new COVID-19 infections in the U.S., doubling in just two weeks, the CDC said Tuesday. It is responsible for half of new cases across a swath that includes Missouri, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming.

“The delta variant is currently the greatest threat in the U.S. to our attempt to eliminate COVID-19,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert. He said there is a “real danger” of local surges like the one in Missouri in places with deep vaccine resistance.

To help counter the threat, administration officials are stepping up efforts to vaccinate Americans ages 18 to 26, who have proved least likely to get the shot when it’s available to them.

Elsewhere around the world, Britain, with an even higher vaccination rate than the U.S., has postponed the lifting of remaining restrictions on socializing in England because of the rapid spread of the variant. Israel, another vaccination success story, is reacting by tightening rules on travelers.

In Missouri, Republican Gov. Mike Parson has taken the position that it is better to ask people to take “personal responsibility" than to enact restrictions.

Missouri never had a mask mandate, and Parson&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-michael-brown-coronavirus-pandemic-mo-state-wire-public-health-38c2ce41372aae89566f52fc845742d0">signed&nbsp;</a>a law last week placing limits on public health restrictions and barring governments from requiring proof of vaccination to use public facilities and transportation.

Missouri Health Department spokeswoman Lisa Cox said the agency is encouraging people to get vaccinated, but confessed: “This is the Show-Me State and Missourians are skeptical.”

Frederick said some people in the heavily Republican state are resistant because they feel as if Democrats are pushing the vaccine.

“I keep telling people, while we are busy fighting with each other, this thing is picking us off one by one,” he said. “It takes no sides. It has no political affiliation. It is not red. It is not blue. It is a virus. And if we don’t protect ourselves, we are going to do a lot of damage to our community.”

Steve Edwards, CEO of Cox Health, lamented in a&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/SDECoxHealth/status/1407070731779911687">tweet</a>&nbsp;that while a number of major news organizations have contacted the hospital about the rise in cases, Fox News was not among them.

“Fox," he tweeted, “is the most popular cable news in our area — you can help educate on Delta, vaccines and can save lives."

Lisa Meeks, 49, of Springfield, is among those who haven't been vaccinated. She said that she is a Christian and that God gave her a strong immune system.

“As of right now, nobody knows anything long term or short term about these vaccines because they are brand new," she said, despite months of real-world evidence that the vaccines are highly safe and effective. “And so people are now basically the lab rats."

An offer of free beer from Mother's Brewing Co. in Springfield for those who get vaccinated drew a disappointing 20 to 50 people to each of the first three clinics.

“We keep trying,” said Jeff Schrag, owner and founder of Mother’s Brewing. “It is a game of inches.”

As immunizations slow, the delta variant has become the predominant form of the virus in the region. Aaron Schekorra, a spokesman for the Springfield-Greene County Health Department, said it makes up 93% of the random sample of cases that the county is sending for analysis, up from 70% three weeks ago.

He said that unvaccinated people gathering for graduation celebrations and Memorial Day festivities also fueled the spread of the virus. The events came just as the community lifted its mask mandate.

“My concern," he said, “would be that this is a preview of what is to come in other parts of the country that don’t have higher vaccination rates."

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — As the U.S. emerges from the COVID-19 crisis, Missouri is becoming a cautionary tale for the rest of the country: It is seeing an alarming rise in cases because of a combination of the fast-spreading delta variant and stubborn resistance among many people to getting vaccinated.Intensive care beds are filling up with surprisingly young, unvaccinated patients, and staff members are getting burned out fighting a battle that was supposed to be in its final throes.The hope among some health leaders is that the rest of the U.S. might at least learn something from Missouri's plight.“If people elsewhere in the country are looking to us and saying, ‘No thanks' and they are getting vaccinated, that is good," said Erik Frederick, chief administrative officer at Mercy Hospital Springfield, which has been inundated with COVID-19 patients as the variant first identified in India rips through the largely non-immunized community. “We will be the canary.”The state now leads the nation with the highest rate of new COVID-19 infections, and the surge is happening largely in a politically conservative farming region in the northern part of the state and in the southwestern corner, which includes Springfield and Branson, the country music mecca in the Ozark Mountains where big crowds are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mo-state-wire-michael-brown-coronavirus-pandemic-lifestyle-travel-b7fa3ff68bbf489c189be74f51d49299">gathering&nbsp;</a>again at the city's theaters and other attractions.While over 53% of all Americans have received at least one shot, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, most southern and northern Missouri counties are well short of 40%. One county is at just 13%.Cases remain below their winter highs in southwestern Missouri, but the trajectory is steeper than in previous surges, Frederick said. As of Tuesday, 153 COVID-19 patients were hospitalized at Mercy and another Springfield hospital, Cox Health, up from 31 just over a month ago, county figures show.These patients are also younger than earlier in the pandemic — 60% to 65% of those in the ICU over the weekend at Mercy were under 40, according to Frederick, who noted that younger adults are much less likely to be vaccinated — and some are pregnant.He is hiring traveling nurses and respiratory therapists to help out his fatigued staff as the rest of the country tries to leave the pandemic behind.“I feel like last year at this time it was health care heroes and everybody was celebrating and bringing food to the hospital and doing prayer vigils and stuff, and now everyone is like, ‘The lake is open. Let’s go.' We are still here doing this," he said.There are also warning signs across the state line: Arkansas on Tuesday reported its biggest one-day jump in cases in more than three months. The state also has low vaccination rates.Lagging rates — especially among young adults — are becoming an increasing source of concern elsewhere around the country, as is the delta variant.The mutant version now accounts more than 20% of new COVID-19 infections in the U.S., doubling in just two weeks, the CDC said Tuesday. It is responsible for half of new cases across a swath that includes Missouri, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming.“The delta variant is currently the greatest threat in the U.S. to our attempt to eliminate COVID-19,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert. He said there is a “real danger” of local surges like the one in Missouri in places with deep vaccine resistance.To help counter the threat, administration officials are stepping up efforts to vaccinate Americans ages 18 to 26, who have proved least likely to get the shot when it’s available to them.Elsewhere around the world, Britain, with an even higher vaccination rate than the U.S., has postponed the lifting of remaining restrictions on socializing in England because of the rapid spread of the variant. Israel, another vaccination success story, is reacting by tightening rules on travelers.In Missouri, Republican Gov. Mike Parson has taken the position that it is better to ask people to take “personal responsibility" than to enact restrictions.Missouri never had a mask mandate, and Parson&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-michael-brown-coronavirus-pandemic-mo-state-wire-public-health-38c2ce41372aae89566f52fc845742d0">signed&nbsp;</a>a law last week placing limits on public health restrictions and barring governments from requiring proof of vaccination to use public facilities and transportation.Missouri Health Department spokeswoman Lisa Cox said the agency is encouraging people to get vaccinated, but confessed: “This is the Show-Me State and Missourians are skeptical.”Frederick said some people in the heavily Republican state are resistant because they feel as if Democrats are pushing the vaccine.“I keep telling people, while we are busy fighting with each other, this thing is picking us off one by one,” he said. “It takes no sides. It has no political affiliation. It is not red. It is not blue. It is a virus. And if we don’t protect ourselves, we are going to do a lot of damage to our community.”Steve Edwards, CEO of Cox Health, lamented in a&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/SDECoxHealth/status/1407070731779911687">tweet</a>&nbsp;that while a number of major news organizations have contacted the hospital about the rise in cases, Fox News was not among them.“Fox," he tweeted, “is the most popular cable news in our area — you can help educate on Delta, vaccines and can save lives."Lisa Meeks, 49, of Springfield, is among those who haven't been vaccinated. She said that she is a Christian and that God gave her a strong immune system.“As of right now, nobody knows anything long term or short term about these vaccines because they are brand new," she said, despite months of real-world evidence that the vaccines are highly safe and effective. “And so people are now basically the lab rats."An offer of free beer from Mother's Brewing Co. in Springfield for those who get vaccinated drew a disappointing 20 to 50 people to each of the first three clinics.“We keep trying,” said Jeff Schrag, owner and founder of Mother’s Brewing. “It is a game of inches.”As immunizations slow, the delta variant has become the predominant form of the virus in the region. Aaron Schekorra, a spokesman for the Springfield-Greene County Health Department, said it makes up 93% of the random sample of cases that the county is sending for analysis, up from 70% three weeks ago.He said that unvaccinated people gathering for graduation celebrations and Memorial Day festivities also fueled the spread of the virus. The events came just as the community lifted its mask mandate.“My concern," he said, “would be that this is a preview of what is to come in other parts of the country that don’t have higher vaccination rates."

Unvaccinated Missourians fuel COVID: 'We will be the canary'

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – Michael Tae Kim Ahlers, 50, of Lenexa, Kansas, was sentenced to two years in prison after stealing more than $556,000 from his former employer, the University of Kansas Medical Center (KUMC), as well as from KUMC Research Institute and from KU Endowment, according to the United State's Attorney.

In February, Ahlers pleaded guilty to charges of bank fraud and filing a false tax return. The prison sentence will be followed by three years of supervised released, and Ahlers is ordered to pay more than $680,000 in restitution.

According to court documents, from 2009 to August 2015, Ahlers abused his position as the administrative officer of the KUMC Occupational Therapy Education Department. While embezzling $526,000 from KUMC, he spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on personal expenditures. Some of those expenditures include:

− approximately $81,000 on travel to locations such as Las Vegas, New Orleans, New York, Myrtle Beach and Caribbean cruises; approximately $81,000 in cash withdrawals; approximately $36,000 on golf memberships and fees; and approximately $36,000 on sports tickets and on license or donor fees.

To conceal the fraud, Ahlers used a KUMC Credit Union bank account over which he had exclusive control. He created fraudulent invoices to prevent the discovery that he was using the account for his personal gain. Ahlers stole approximately $30,000 from KUMC Research Institute and KU Endowment by submitting falsified invoices for which he was paid. 

He then willfully failed to include the stolen funds on his federal tax returns which resulted in a tax loss of more than $104,000 from 2009 to 2015.

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, and the U.S. Secret Service investigated the case.

“After multiple years of embezzling from the University of Kansas Medical Center and spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on himself, Mr. Ahlers is now going to federal prison,” said Amanda Prestegard, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation division in the St. Louis Field Office. “Mr. Ahlers’ sentence further exhibits that IRS CI, along with our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, will continue to identify, investigate and prosecute individuals that participate in abusive criminal activity, and are duty bound to protect the integrity of the U.S. tax administration.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612904961409.png" alt="Ahlers photo Wyandotte Co." />
 <figcaption>Ahlers photo Wyandotte Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, KAN. – Michael Tae Kim Ahlers, 50, of Lenexa, Kansas, was sentenced to two years in prison after stealing more than $556,000 from his former employer, the University of Kansas Medical Center (KUMC), as well as from KUMC Research Institute and from KU Endowment, according to the United State's Attorney.In February, Ahlers pleaded guilty to charges of bank fraud and filing a false tax return. The prison sentence will be followed by three years of supervised released, and Ahlers is ordered to pay more than $680,000 in restitution.According to court documents, from 2009 to August 2015, Ahlers abused his position as the administrative officer of the KUMC Occupational Therapy Education Department. While embezzling $526,000 from KUMC, he spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on personal expenditures. Some of those expenditures include:− approximately $87,000 on gambling;− approximately $81,000 on travel to locations such as Las Vegas, New Orleans, New York, Myrtle Beach and Caribbean cruises; approximately $81,000 in cash withdrawals; approximately $36,000 on golf memberships and fees; and approximately $36,000 on sports tickets and on license or donor fees.To conceal the fraud, Ahlers used a KUMC Credit Union bank account over which he had exclusive control. He created fraudulent invoices to prevent the discovery that he was using the account for his personal gain. Ahlers stole approximately $30,000 from KUMC Research Institute and KU Endowment by submitting falsified invoices for which he was paid. He then willfully failed to include the stolen funds on his federal tax returns which resulted in a tax loss of more than $104,000 from 2009 to 2015.The Kansas Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, and the U.S. Secret Service investigated the case.“After multiple years of embezzling from the University of Kansas Medical Center and spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on himself, Mr. Ahlers is now going to federal prison,” said Amanda Prestegard, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation division in the St. Louis Field Office. “Mr. Ahlers’ sentence further exhibits that IRS CI, along with our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, will continue to identify, investigate and prosecute individuals that participate in abusive criminal activity, and are duty bound to protect the integrity of the U.S. tax administration.”

Former KUMC employee sentenced for stealing $556K

SEDGWICK COUNTY– The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and Sedgwick County Health Department (SCHD) continue to investigate cases of illness associated with Tanganyika Wildlife Park in Goddard, just west of Wichita, according to a media release from the state. The splash park remains closed.

Initially, there were three cases that were identified as linked to the park.&nbsp; These cases have tested positive for&nbsp;Shigella&nbsp;bacteria. Additional testing is underway to determine if the bacteria from each person are related.&nbsp;Shigella&nbsp;is a bacteria spread from person-to-person through exposure to contaminated stool (feces).

Shigella&nbsp;spreads easily; just a small number of bacteria can spread illness. Someone can become infected with&nbsp;Shigella&nbsp;through swallowing contaminated recreational water, touching items that are contaminated and touching your mouth, or caring for someone who has&nbsp;Shigella, including cleaning up after the person uses the bathroom or changing diapers.

On June 20, KDHE and SCHD released a survey for people who had visited Tanganyika and experienced fever, diarrhea or vomiting. More than 200 people have responded to the survey. Further analysis of the survey results will determine which respondents may be connected to this investigation.

If you experienced symptoms of fever, diarrhea, or vomiting after visiting Tanganyika Wildlife Park on or after May 28, 2021 and have not completed the survey, please take the survey at&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDAsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTA2MjMuNDIzMzIxMDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3Rpbnl1cmwuY29tL2tkaGVzcGxhc2g_dXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fc291cmNlPWdvdmRlbGl2ZXJ5In0.r7tYzVFrFbPo-2qBor9qZUqrgD1aPHcBucMsHKJPjDA/s/1305913448/br/108340001091-l" target="_blank">https://tinyurl.com/kdhesplash</a>. If you visit a healthcare facility, ask the medical provider to test your stool (feces).

If you live in Sedgwick County, and do not have access to a computer to complete the survey, contact the Sedgwick County Health Department via email at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:DiseaseReporting@sedgwick.gov" target="_blank">DiseaseReporting@sedgwick.gov</a>&nbsp;or call 316-660-5558 and leave a message.

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

The Tanganyika Splash Park is served by a water line from the City of Goddard. At this time, records indicate that the City is supplying compliant drinking water based on their routine monitoring.&nbsp;

This investigation remains ongoing and KDHE and Sedgwick County Health Department will continue to provide updates to the public and patrons of the park

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624228385006.png" alt="Tanganyika Wildlife Park" />
 <figcaption>Tanganyika Wildlife Park</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY– The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and Sedgwick County Health Department (SCHD) continue to investigate cases of illness associated with Tanganyika Wildlife Park in Goddard, just west of Wichita, according to a media release from the state. The splash park remains closed.Initially, there were three cases that were identified as linked to the park.&nbsp; These cases have tested positive for&nbsp;Shigella&nbsp;bacteria. Additional testing is underway to determine if the bacteria from each person are related.&nbsp;Shigella&nbsp;is a bacteria spread from person-to-person through exposure to contaminated stool (feces).Shigella&nbsp;spreads easily; just a small number of bacteria can spread illness. Someone can become infected with&nbsp;Shigella&nbsp;through swallowing contaminated recreational water, touching items that are contaminated and touching your mouth, or caring for someone who has&nbsp;Shigella, including cleaning up after the person uses the bathroom or changing diapers.On June 20, KDHE and SCHD released a survey for people who had visited Tanganyika and experienced fever, diarrhea or vomiting. More than 200 people have responded to the survey. Further analysis of the survey results will determine which respondents may be connected to this investigation.If you experienced symptoms of fever, diarrhea, or vomiting after visiting Tanganyika Wildlife Park on or after May 28, 2021 and have not completed the survey, please take the survey at&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDAsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTA2MjMuNDIzMzIxMDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3Rpbnl1cmwuY29tL2tkaGVzcGxhc2g_dXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fc291cmNlPWdvdmRlbGl2ZXJ5In0.r7tYzVFrFbPo-2qBor9qZUqrgD1aPHcBucMsHKJPjDA/s/1305913448/br/108340001091-l" target="_blank">https://tinyurl.com/kdhesplash</a>. If you visit a healthcare facility, ask the medical provider to test your stool (feces).If you live in Sedgwick County, and do not have access to a computer to complete the survey, contact the Sedgwick County Health Department via email at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:DiseaseReporting@sedgwick.gov" target="_blank">DiseaseReporting@sedgwick.gov</a>&nbsp;or call 316-660-5558 and leave a message.If you live outside of Sedgwick County and do not have access to a computer to complete the survey, please contact your local health department.The Tanganyika Splash Park is served by a water line from the City of Goddard. At this time, records indicate that the City is supplying compliant drinking water based on their routine monitoring.&nbsp;This investigation remains ongoing and KDHE and Sedgwick County Health Department will continue to provide updates to the public and patrons of the park

KDHE IDs bacteria in cases linked to Kansas splash park 

O'FALLON, Mo. (AP) — Jim Bakker and his southwestern Missouri church will pay restitution of $156,000 to settle a lawsuit that accuses the TV pastor of falsely claiming a health supplement could cure the coronavirus.

Missouri court records show that a settlement agreement was filed Tuesday. It calls for refunds to people who paid money or gave contributions to obtain a product known as Silver Solution in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The settlement also prohibits Bakker and Morningside Church Productions Inc. from advertising or selling Silver Solution “to diagnose, prevent, mitigate, treat or cure any disease or illness.” Bakker, in the agreement, does not admit wrongdoing.

Republican Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/481a64c7ad7a463db06d078e8bd32ef6">sued Bakker</a>&nbsp;and Morningside in March 2020. Schmitt sought an injunction ordering Bakker to stop selling Silver Solution as a treatment for COVID-19 on his streaming TV program, The Jim Bakker Show. The lawsuit said Bakker and a guest made the cure claim during 11 episodes in February and March of 2020.

Schmitt said in a news release on Wednesday that Bakker has already made restitution to many consumers, and must pay back another $90,000 to others.

The hour-long Jim Bakker Show is filmed in southwestern Missouri. The consent agreement notes that during the program, Silver Solution was offered to those who agreed to contribute $80 to $125.

Bakker's attorneys — Derek Ankrom and former Democratic Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon — said in a joint statement that Bakker and Morningside Church Productions are pleased to put the matter behind them so they can “continue the important work of Morningside Church.” They noted that the agreement includes “no findings whatsoever that our clients violated any laws or misled” consumers.

Nixon had previously claimed that Bakker was being unfairly targeted “by those who want to crush his ministry and force his Christian television program off the air," and that Bakker did not claim that Silver Solution was a cure for COVID-19.

The lawsuit cited a discussion on the program on Feb. 12, 2020, in which Bakker spoke with Sherrill Sellman, referring to her as a “naturopathic doctor” and a “natural health expert."

“This influenza that is now circling the globe, you’re saying that Silver Solution would be effective?” Bakker asks. Sellman, according to the lawsuit, replies: “Well, let’s say it hasn’t been tested on this strain of the coronavirus, but it has been tested on other strains of the coronavirus and has been able to eliminate it within 12 hours.”

“Totally eliminate it, kills it. Deactivates it,” Sellman replies, according to the lawsuit.

Also in March 2020, U.S. regulators warned Bakker’s company and six others to stop selling items using what the government called false claims that they could treat the coronavirus or keep people from catching it. Letters sent jointly by the Food and Drug Administration and the Federal Trade Commission warned the companies that their products for treating COVID-19 were fraudulent, “pose significant risks to patient health and violate federal law.”

Silver Solution, a form of colloidal silver, consists of silver particles suspended in a liquid. The solution is often described by manufacturers as having the power to boost the immune system and cure diseases. But it has no known benefit in the body when ingested, according to officials with the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, a federal scientific research agency.

Experts say ingesting colloidal silver can have serious side effects. The NCCIH says it can turn skin blue when silver builds up in the body’s tissue.

Nixon, who served two terms as governor from 2009 to 2017 and is now a partner at the Dowd Bennett law firm in St. Louis, said Bakker immediately complied with orders to stop offering Silver Solution on his show and ministry website after receiving the warning letters from the FDA and FTC.

Meanwhile,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/a1c54d3f49d796267702cb9f06af7471">Arkansas' attorney general</a>&nbsp;filed a lawsuit similar to Missouri's in June 2020. That case is still pending.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588705366986.png" alt="Jim Bakker courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Jim Bakker courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>O'FALLON, Mo. (AP) — Jim Bakker and his southwestern Missouri church will pay restitution of $156,000 to settle a lawsuit that accuses the TV pastor of falsely claiming a health supplement could cure the coronavirus.Missouri court records show that a settlement agreement was filed Tuesday. It calls for refunds to people who paid money or gave contributions to obtain a product known as Silver Solution in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.The settlement also prohibits Bakker and Morningside Church Productions Inc. from advertising or selling Silver Solution “to diagnose, prevent, mitigate, treat or cure any disease or illness.” Bakker, in the agreement, does not admit wrongdoing.Republican Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/481a64c7ad7a463db06d078e8bd32ef6">sued Bakker</a>&nbsp;and Morningside in March 2020. Schmitt sought an injunction ordering Bakker to stop selling Silver Solution as a treatment for COVID-19 on his streaming TV program, The Jim Bakker Show. The lawsuit said Bakker and a guest made the cure claim during 11 episodes in February and March of 2020.Schmitt said in a news release on Wednesday that Bakker has already made restitution to many consumers, and must pay back another $90,000 to others.The hour-long Jim Bakker Show is filmed in southwestern Missouri. The consent agreement notes that during the program, Silver Solution was offered to those who agreed to contribute $80 to $125.Bakker's attorneys — Derek Ankrom and former Democratic Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon — said in a joint statement that Bakker and Morningside Church Productions are pleased to put the matter behind them so they can “continue the important work of Morningside Church.” They noted that the agreement includes “no findings whatsoever that our clients violated any laws or misled” consumers.Nixon had previously claimed that Bakker was being unfairly targeted “by those who want to crush his ministry and force his Christian television program off the air," and that Bakker did not claim that Silver Solution was a cure for COVID-19.The lawsuit cited a discussion on the program on Feb. 12, 2020, in which Bakker spoke with Sherrill Sellman, referring to her as a “naturopathic doctor” and a “natural health expert."“This influenza that is now circling the globe, you’re saying that Silver Solution would be effective?” Bakker asks. Sellman, according to the lawsuit, replies: “Well, let’s say it hasn’t been tested on this strain of the coronavirus, but it has been tested on other strains of the coronavirus and has been able to eliminate it within 12 hours.”“Yeah,” Bakker says.“Totally eliminate it, kills it. Deactivates it,” Sellman replies, according to the lawsuit.Also in March 2020, U.S. regulators warned Bakker’s company and six others to stop selling items using what the government called false claims that they could treat the coronavirus or keep people from catching it. Letters sent jointly by the Food and Drug Administration and the Federal Trade Commission warned the companies that their products for treating COVID-19 were fraudulent, “pose significant risks to patient health and violate federal law.”Silver Solution, a form of colloidal silver, consists of silver particles suspended in a liquid. The solution is often described by manufacturers as having the power to boost the immune system and cure diseases. But it has no known benefit in the body when ingested, according to officials with the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, a federal scientific research agency.Experts say ingesting colloidal silver can have serious side effects. The NCCIH says it can turn skin blue when silver builds up in the body’s tissue.Nixon, who served two terms as governor from 2009 to 2017 and is now a partner at the Dowd Bennett law firm in St. Louis, said Bakker immediately complied with orders to stop offering Silver Solution on his show and ministry website after receiving the warning letters from the FDA and FTC.Meanwhile,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/a1c54d3f49d796267702cb9f06af7471">Arkansas' attorney general</a>&nbsp;filed a lawsuit similar to Missouri's in June 2020. That case is still pending.

TV preacher, church settle lawsuit over COVID-19 claims

WASHINGTON (AP) — In the case of the cursing cheerleader, the Supreme Court notched a victory for the free speech rights of students Wednesday, siding with a high school student whose vulgar social media post got her kicked off the junior varsity squad.

The court voted 8-1 in favor of Brandi Levy, who was a 14-year-old freshman when she expressed her disappointment over not making the varsity cheerleading team with a string of curse words and a raised middle finger on Snapchat.

Levy, of Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania, was not at school when she made her post, but she was suspended from cheerleading activities for a year anyway. In&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/20971151-mahanoy-area-school-district-v-b-l" target="_blank">an opinion by Justice Stephen Breyer</a>, the high court ruled that the suspension violated Levy’s First Amendment freedom of speech rights. Justice Clarence Thomas dissented, noting he would have upheld the suspension.

The justices did not foreclose schools from disciplining students for what they say off campus, though they did not spell out when schools could act. An earlier federal appeals court ruling in this case would have barred public schools from punishing off-campus speech.

Despite ruling in Levy’s favor, Breyer wrote that “we do not believe the special characteristics that give schools additional license to regulate student speech always disappear when a school regulates speech that takes place off campus. The school’s regulatory interests remain significant in some off-campus circumstances.”

The case drew extra interest at a time of remote learning — because of the coronavirus pandemic — and a rising awareness of the harmful effects of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/f52ab056e47a4025ac8b10d67cca2949">online bullying</a>.

The decision was a strong endorsement of students’ right to speak freely, which the court first expressed more than a half century ago in defending armbands worn by high school students in protest of the Vietnam War, said Abner Greene, a constitutional law professor at the Fordham University School of Law in Manhattan.

“Students can engage in all kinds of critical or dissenting commentary, whether about the Vietnam War or the student cheerleading team, without losing their free speech rights. And it doesn’t matter where they say it,” Greene said.

The case arose from Levy’s posts, one of which pictured her and a friend with raised middle fingers and included the repeated use of a vulgarity to complain that she had been left off the varsity cheerleading squad.

“F——— school f——— softball f——— cheer f——— everything,” she wrote near the end of her freshman year, from a local convenience store, on a Saturday. Now 18, Levy recently finished her first year of college.

Levy’s parents filed a federal lawsuit after the cheerleading coach learned of the posts and suspended her from the junior varsity team for a year. Lower courts ruled in Levy’s favor, and she was reinstated.

The school district&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-of-the-united-states-brett-kavanaugh-elena-kagan-religion-courts-a4cbdf8ef08ea427ef94ba8f426cb9ac">appealed to the Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;after the broad appellate ruling that said off-campus student speech was beyond schools’ authority to punish.

The dispute is the latest in a line of a cases that began with Tinker v. Des Moines, the Vietnam-era case of a high school in Des Moines, Iowa, that suspended armband-wearing students. In a landmark ruling, the Supreme Court sided with the students, declaring they don’t “shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate.”

The court also held then that schools retained the authority to restrict speech that would disrupt the school environment.

Wednesday’s ruling basically adopted the reasoning of Judge Thomas Ambro of the 3rd U.S. Circuit of Appeals in Philadelphia. Ambro agreed with the other two judges who decided Levy’s case that the suspension was unwarranted, but only because what she did was not disruptive either to the cheerleading team or school.

Breyer wrote that Levy’s case seemed less serious than its Vietnam-era predecessor.

“It might be tempting to dismiss B. L.’s words as unworthy of the robust First Amendment protections discussed herein. But sometimes it is necessary to protect the superfluous in order to preserve the necessary,” he wrote, using Levy’s initials because that was how she was identified in the original lawsuit. Levy has granted numerous interviews allowing her name to be used.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1578090484280.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — In the case of the cursing cheerleader, the Supreme Court notched a victory for the free speech rights of students Wednesday, siding with a high school student whose vulgar social media post got her kicked off the junior varsity squad.The court voted 8-1 in favor of Brandi Levy, who was a 14-year-old freshman when she expressed her disappointment over not making the varsity cheerleading team with a string of curse words and a raised middle finger on Snapchat.Levy, of Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania, was not at school when she made her post, but she was suspended from cheerleading activities for a year anyway. In&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/20971151-mahanoy-area-school-district-v-b-l" target="_blank">an opinion by Justice Stephen Breyer</a>, the high court ruled that the suspension violated Levy’s First Amendment freedom of speech rights. Justice Clarence Thomas dissented, noting he would have upheld the suspension.The justices did not foreclose schools from disciplining students for what they say off campus, though they did not spell out when schools could act. An earlier federal appeals court ruling in this case would have barred public schools from punishing off-campus speech.Despite ruling in Levy’s favor, Breyer wrote that “we do not believe the special characteristics that give schools additional license to regulate student speech always disappear when a school regulates speech that takes place off campus. The school’s regulatory interests remain significant in some off-campus circumstances.”The case drew extra interest at a time of remote learning — because of the coronavirus pandemic — and a rising awareness of the harmful effects of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/f52ab056e47a4025ac8b10d67cca2949">online bullying</a>.The decision was a strong endorsement of students’ right to speak freely, which the court first expressed more than a half century ago in defending armbands worn by high school students in protest of the Vietnam War, said Abner Greene, a constitutional law professor at the Fordham University School of Law in Manhattan.“Students can engage in all kinds of critical or dissenting commentary, whether about the Vietnam War or the student cheerleading team, without losing their free speech rights. And it doesn’t matter where they say it,” Greene said.The case arose from Levy’s posts, one of which pictured her and a friend with raised middle fingers and included the repeated use of a vulgarity to complain that she had been left off the varsity cheerleading squad.“F——— school f——— softball f——— cheer f——— everything,” she wrote near the end of her freshman year, from a local convenience store, on a Saturday. Now 18, Levy recently finished her first year of college.Levy’s parents filed a federal lawsuit after the cheerleading coach learned of the posts and suspended her from the junior varsity team for a year. Lower courts ruled in Levy’s favor, and she was reinstated.The school district&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-of-the-united-states-brett-kavanaugh-elena-kagan-religion-courts-a4cbdf8ef08ea427ef94ba8f426cb9ac">appealed to the Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;after the broad appellate ruling that said off-campus student speech was beyond schools’ authority to punish.The dispute is the latest in a line of a cases that began with Tinker v. Des Moines, the Vietnam-era case of a high school in Des Moines, Iowa, that suspended armband-wearing students. In a landmark ruling, the Supreme Court sided with the students, declaring they don’t “shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate.”The court also held then that schools retained the authority to restrict speech that would disrupt the school environment.Wednesday’s ruling basically adopted the reasoning of Judge Thomas Ambro of the 3rd U.S. Circuit of Appeals in Philadelphia. Ambro agreed with the other two judges who decided Levy’s case that the suspension was unwarranted, but only because what she did was not disruptive either to the cheerleading team or school.Breyer wrote that Levy’s case seemed less serious than its Vietnam-era predecessor.“It might be tempting to dismiss B. L.’s words as unworthy of the robust First Amendment protections discussed herein. But sometimes it is necessary to protect the superfluous in order to preserve the necessary,” he wrote, using Levy’s initials because that was how she was identified in the original lawsuit. Levy has granted numerous interviews allowing her name to be used.

Justices rule for foul-mouthed cheerleader in free speech case

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a homicide and have taken a man into custody&nbsp; who may have information in the case&nbsp;

Overland Park Police reported Tuesday they located 24-year-old Kyle Anthony Guiterres.

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

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

Police released no additional details or possible charges in the case.

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

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

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

Anyone with information on Guiterres is asked to contact police.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624369220060.png" alt="Guiterres-photo Johnson Co." />
 <figcaption>Guiterres-photo Johnson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a homicide and have taken a man into custody&nbsp; who may have information in the case&nbsp;Overland Park Police reported Tuesday they located 24-year-old Kyle Anthony Guiterres.On May 24, police responded to the 8500 Block of West 85th Street in Overland Park in reference to a homicide, according to Public Information Officer John Lacy.Several witnesses heard a single gunshot two or three individuals running through a parking lot. The suspects entered a black sedan and a white sedan and left southbound through the parking lot onto west 85th Street.&nbsp; Police released no additional details or possible charges in the case.--------JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a homicide and asking for help to locate a man who may have information in the case.Kyle Anthony Guiterres, 24, is described as 5-foot-10, 170 pounds with brown hair and eyes, according to Overland Park Police.On May 24, police responded to the 8500 Block of West 85th Street in Overland Park in reference to a homicide, according to Public Information Officer John Lacy.Several witnesses heard a single gunshot two or three individuals running through a parking lot. The suspects entered a black sedan and a white sedan and left southbound through the parking lot onto west 85th Street.Anyone with information on Guiterres is asked to contact police.