KANSAS CITY (AP) —A 17-year-old who was fatally shot by police in Kansas City after confronting officers was holding a BB gun, authorities said.

Michael Mansur, a spokesman for the Jackson County prosecutors office, said Friday that the teen had a Glock 19 BB pistol equipped with a slide that “reportedly looked like a firearm."

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/michael-brown-police-shootings-d3b983c676d5fe164c3cb5b84dc21de2">Lantz Stephenson Jr.</a>, of Grandview, was shot May 16 at a park in the Kansas City suburb of Grandview, and died later that day at a hospital, the Missouri State Highway Patrol said.

The highway patrol had said shortly after the shooting said investigators recovered a type of handgun from the scene. On Friday, patrol spokesman Sgt. Andy Bell said that “We stand by our original statement, the Patrol investigators recovered a type of handgun at the scene.”

Stephenson told dispatchers that he was armed with a gun and wanted to confront police officers, Bell said. The BB gun he carried uses air pressure to fire small metal balls.

Three officers responded to the call. The teen then “aggressively approached officers” with a gun, the highway patrol reported. Two of the officers fired shots at him.

KANSAS CITY (AP) —A 17-year-old who was fatally shot by police in Kansas City after confronting officers was holding a BB gun, authorities said.Michael Mansur, a spokesman for the Jackson County prosecutors office, said Friday that the teen had a Glock 19 BB pistol equipped with a slide that “reportedly looked like a firearm."<a href="https://apnews.com/article/michael-brown-police-shootings-d3b983c676d5fe164c3cb5b84dc21de2">Lantz Stephenson Jr.</a>, of Grandview, was shot May 16 at a park in the Kansas City suburb of Grandview, and died later that day at a hospital, the Missouri State Highway Patrol said.The highway patrol had said shortly after the shooting said investigators recovered a type of handgun from the scene. On Friday, patrol spokesman Sgt. Andy Bell said that “We stand by our original statement, the Patrol investigators recovered a type of handgun at the scene.”Stephenson told dispatchers that he was armed with a gun and wanted to confront police officers, Bell said. The BB gun he carried uses air pressure to fire small metal balls.Three officers responded to the call. The teen then “aggressively approached officers” with a gun, the highway patrol reported. Two of the officers fired shots at him.The investigation is ongoing.

Authorities: KC-area teen fatally shot by police had BB gun

Five companies account for 75 percent of all traffic on rural broadband networks

WASHINGTON — Today, in a Newsweek op-ed, FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr outlined a new approach to funding the federal government’s efforts to close the digital divide.  The FCC’s current model for funding Internet builds and ensuring affordable access—the Universal Service Fund —relies on a charge that operates as tax on consumers’ monthly bills for traditional telephone services.  USF is on the verge of collapse with the contribution factor spiraling above 30 percent, and congressional policymakers are considering various reforms, including direct appropriations.

Commissioner Carr is proposing another way:  requiring Big Tech to pay its fair share.  As a member of the Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service, Carr has begun discussing this proposal with his colleagues on the Joint Board.

“Big Tech has been enjoying a free ride on our internet infrastructure while skipping out on the billions of dollars in costs needed to maintain and build that network.  Indeed, one study shows that the online streaming services provided by just five companies — Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime, Disney+ and Microsoft — account for a whopping 75 percent of all traffic on rural broadband networks.  The same study shows that 77-94 percent of total network costs are related to adding capacity or otherwise supporting the delivery of those streaming services.  Ordinary Americans, not Big Tech, have been footing the bill for those costs.

“Ending this corporate welfare is more than fair.  It is consistent with the network compact that has prevailed since the earliest days of the Ma Bell telephone network.  Historically, the businesses that derived the greatest benefit from a communications network paid the lion’s share of the costs.

“Congress and the FCC should ensure that Big Tech starts abiding by that precedent and contributing an equitable amount.  Doing so would put the federal government’s universal service efforts on stable footing.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584977952684.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Five companies account for 75 percent of all traffic on rural broadband networks</h2>FCCWASHINGTON — Today, in a Newsweek op-ed, FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr outlined a new approach to funding the federal government’s efforts to close the digital divide. The FCC’s current model for funding Internet builds and ensuring affordable access—the Universal Service Fund —relies on a charge that operates as tax on consumers’ monthly bills for traditional telephone services. USF is on the verge of collapse with the contribution factor spiraling above 30 percent, and congressional policymakers are considering various reforms, including direct appropriations.Commissioner Carr is proposing another way: requiring Big Tech to pay its fair share. As a member of the Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service, Carr has begun discussing this proposal with his colleagues on the Joint Board.“Big Tech has been enjoying a free ride on our internet infrastructure while skipping out on the billions of dollars in costs needed to maintain and build that network. Indeed, one study shows that the online streaming services provided by just five companies — Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime, Disney+ and Microsoft — account for a whopping 75 percent of all traffic on rural broadband networks. The same study shows that 77-94 percent of total network costs are related to adding capacity or otherwise supporting the delivery of those streaming services. Ordinary Americans, not Big Tech, have been footing the bill for those costs.“Ending this corporate welfare is more than fair. It is consistent with the network compact that has prevailed since the earliest days of the Ma Bell telephone network. Historically, the businesses that derived the greatest benefit from a communications network paid the lion’s share of the costs.“Congress and the FCC should ensure that Big Tech starts abiding by that precedent and contributing an equitable amount. Doing so would put the federal government’s universal service efforts on stable footing.”

FCC chair: Time to end Big Tech's 'free ride' on the internet

Tax pros may earn continuing education credits and more

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today announced that the 
2021 Virtual IRS Nationwide Tax Forum will be held over five weeks 
starting July 20, with a series of live-streamed webinars every Tuesday,
 Wednesday and Thursday.

Held each summer for 30 years, the IRS Nationwide Tax Forums are the 
IRS's marquee outreach event to the tax professional community. This 
year, the IRS decided once again to provide these events in a virtual 
format in an abundance of caution and for the safety of the tax 
professional community.

The virtual format allows experts from the IRS and its association 
partners to educate and update the tax professional community on tax 
law, cybesecurity, ethics and other topics. Registering and attending 
these virtual seminars will allow many to fully satisfy their annual 
continuing education requirements.

Tax professionals are encouraged to <a href="https://www.irstaxforum.com/index">register now</a> to take advantage of this virtual program.

The 2021 Virtual Nationwide Tax Forum will begin on July 20 and 
continue through Aug. 19 with live-streamed webinars broadcast on 
Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Registration enables attendees to 
participate in all of the live webinars earning up to 28 continuing 
education credits.

The Nationwide Tax Forum will feature a keynote address from 
Commissioner Chuck Rettig, a plenary session with tax law and 
publications updates, and multiple sessions on high-interest topics such
 as the new Advance Child Tax Credit, virtual currencies, the gig 
economy, tax professional ethics, advanced cybersecurity and more. 
Presentations are made by both IRS experts and partner associations.

This year, the plenary session and an ethics webinar will be offered 
both in English and Spanish. Additional multilngual resources will be 
available for attendees in the Virtual Expo.

Course details, including webinar titles, descriptions and schedule are <a href="https://www.irstaxforum.com/webinar_topics">available</a> now.

Tax professionals who register by June 15 at 5 p.m. ET qualify for an
 Early Bird rate of $240 per person. The standard rate, starting June 
16, will be $289.

Discounts for national association members

Members of the IRS's national partner associations listed below 
qualify for a discount of $10 off the Early Bird rate, but only if they 
register by June 15. Participating association members should contact 
their association directly for more information:

Registration at the 2021 Virtual IRS Nationwide Tax Forum includes 
access to the Virtual Expo. The Virtual Expo provides a great 
opportunity to visit with exhibitors representing dozens of commercial 
leaders in the industry, as well as leading national associations and 
several key IRS offices.

New this year is the IRS's multilingual engagement and services 
booth, which will feature the expanded resources, IRS publications, 
forms and webpages that are now available in various languages. They 
will also share some related efforts coming soon. Highlights of the 
Virtual Expo include:

In addition, attendees are invited to share their experiences 
and discuss innovative ideas directly with the IRS in small, virtual 
focus groups. Please check the website for the list of topics and 
qualifying criteria.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRS<h2>Tax pros may earn continuing education credits and more</h2><h2>IRS YouTube Video:</h2><ul>
 <li>2021 IRS Tax Forum Will Be Virtual –&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8efx_PjrOw&amp;feature=youtu.be">English</a></li>
 </ul>IR-2021-118, May 24, 2021WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today announced that the 
2021 Virtual IRS Nationwide Tax Forum will be held over five weeks 
starting July 20, with a series of live-streamed webinars every Tuesday,
 Wednesday and Thursday.Held each summer for 30 years, the IRS Nationwide Tax Forums are the 
IRS's marquee outreach event to the tax professional community. This 
year, the IRS decided once again to provide these events in a virtual 
format in an abundance of caution and for the safety of the tax 
professional community.The virtual format allows experts from the IRS and its association 
partners to educate and update the tax professional community on tax 
law, cybesecurity, ethics and other topics. Registering and attending 
these virtual seminars will allow many to fully satisfy their annual 
continuing education requirements.Tax professionals are encouraged to <a href="https://www.irstaxforum.com/index">register now</a> to take advantage of this virtual program.<h2>Seminar dates and agenda</h2>The 2021 Virtual Nationwide Tax Forum will begin on July 20 and 
continue through Aug. 19 with live-streamed webinars broadcast on 
Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Registration enables attendees to 
participate in all of the live webinars earning up to 28 continuing 
education credits.The Nationwide Tax Forum will feature a keynote address from 
Commissioner Chuck Rettig, a plenary session with tax law and 
publications updates, and multiple sessions on high-interest topics such
 as the new Advance Child Tax Credit, virtual currencies, the gig 
economy, tax professional ethics, advanced cybersecurity and more. 
Presentations are made by both IRS experts and partner associations.This year, the plenary session and an ethics webinar will be offered 
both in English and Spanish. Additional multilngual resources will be 
available for attendees in the Virtual Expo.Course details, including webinar titles, descriptions and schedule are <a href="https://www.irstaxforum.com/webinar_topics">available</a> now.<h2>2021 registration and fees</h2>Tax professionals who register by June 15 at 5 p.m. ET qualify for an
 Early Bird rate of $240 per person. The standard rate, starting June 
16, will be $289.<h2>Discounts for national association members</h2>Members of the IRS's national partner associations listed below 
qualify for a discount of $10 off the Early Bird rate, but only if they 
register by June 15. Participating association members should contact 
their association directly for more information:<ul>
 <li>American Bar Association (ABA) Section of Taxation</li><li>American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)</li><li>National Association of Enrolled Agents (NAEA)</li><li>National Association of Tax Professionals (NATP)</li><li>National Society of Accountants (NSA)</li><li>National Society of Tax Professionals (NSTP)</li><li>Low Income Taxpayer Clinics (LITC)</li><li>Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA)</li>
 </ul><h2>Virtual Expo and Focus Groups</h2>Registration at the 2021 Virtual IRS Nationwide Tax Forum includes 
access to the Virtual Expo. The Virtual Expo provides a great 
opportunity to visit with exhibitors representing dozens of commercial 
leaders in the industry, as well as leading national associations and 
several key IRS offices.New this year is the IRS's multilingual engagement and services 
booth, which will feature the expanded resources, IRS publications, 
forms and webpages that are now available in various languages. They 
will also share some related efforts coming soon. Highlights of the 
Virtual Expo include:<ul>
 <li>The latest tax products and software</li><li>The IRS Zone and engagement with representatives from IRS program offices</li><li>Bonus Q&amp;A sessions in the Speaker's Corner</li><li>Live webinars from many of our sponsors</li>
 </ul>In addition, attendees are invited to share their experiences 
and discuss innovative ideas directly with the IRS in small, virtual 
focus groups. Please check the website for the list of topics and 
qualifying criteria.

2021 IRS Virtual Nationwide Tax Forum begins in July

CONROE, Texas (AP) — A 75-year-old Kansas man has been arrested on a murder warrant in a nearly four decade old homicide in southeast Texas.

Thomas Elvin Darnell of&nbsp; Kansas City, Kansas, was taken to the Montgomery County jail Thursday after being arrested Monday in Kansas on a murder warrant for the 1983 death of Laura Purchase, according to Montgomery County Sheriff’s Lt. Scott Spencer.

Darnell is being held without bond and jail records do not list an attorney who could speak on his behalf.

Spencer said DNA evidence connected Darnell to the sexual assault and slaying of Purchase, whose burning body was found March 17, 1983 by a Montgomery County deputy.

Purchase’s slaying was one of about 600 confessed to and later recanted by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/a09070d9732f51ef0da9e3eddef314d7">Henry Lee Lucas,</a>&nbsp;a drifter who was convicted of killing Purchase in 1986, but was cleared by DNA in 2008, seven years after he died in a Texas prison where he was serving a life term for other slayings.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1621613822467.png" alt="Darnell photo Montgomery County Jail" />
 <figcaption>Darnell photo Montgomery County Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>CONROE, Texas (AP) — A 75-year-old Kansas man has been arrested on a murder warrant in a nearly four decade old homicide in southeast Texas.Thomas Elvin Darnell of&nbsp; Kansas City, Kansas, was taken to the Montgomery County jail Thursday after being arrested Monday in Kansas on a murder warrant for the 1983 death of Laura Purchase, according to Montgomery County Sheriff’s Lt. Scott Spencer.Darnell is being held without bond and jail records do not list an attorney who could speak on his behalf.Spencer said DNA evidence connected Darnell to the sexual assault and slaying of Purchase, whose burning body was found March 17, 1983 by a Montgomery County deputy.Purchase’s slaying was one of about 600 confessed to and later recanted by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/a09070d9732f51ef0da9e3eddef314d7">Henry Lee Lucas,</a>&nbsp;a drifter who was convicted of killing Purchase in 1986, but was cleared by DNA in 2008, seven years after he died in a Texas prison where he was serving a life term for other slayings.

Kan. man jailed for sex assault murder of woman in Texas

KANSAS CITY– A Kansas City man pleaded guilty in federal court Thursday to his role in a drug-trafficking conspiracy in which he sold more than 14 kilograms of methamphetamine and 30 firearms to an undercover federal agent, according to the United State's Attorney.

Jose Alvarado, 28, a citizen of Mexico, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from Aug. 15 to Dec. 4, 2019, and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.

By pleading guilty today, Alvarado admitted that he met with an undercover federal agent on six separate occasions and sold the undercover agent a total of approximately 471 grams of methamphetamine and 30 firearms. The undercover agent offered to purchase a Springfield Armory 9mm handgun on Oct. 23, 2019, but Alvarado declined to sell the firearm. Alvarado explained that it was his personal firearm he used to defend himself and his residence.

Alvarado agreed to sell a larger quantity of methamphetamine to the undercover agent. On Dec. 4, 2019, Alvarado and the undercover agent met at Alvarado’s residence. Co-defendant Victor Gomez-Rendon, 30, a citizen of Mexico residing in Kansas City, Mo., arrived at the residence and delivered 14 kilograms of methamphetamine. Alvarado and Gomez-Rendon were arrested. The Springfield Armory 9mm handgun was found in Alvarado’s bedroom.

Gomez-Rendon has pleaded guilty to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy and awaits sentencing.

Under federal statutes, Alvarado is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

KANSAS CITY– A Kansas City man pleaded guilty in federal court Thursday to his role in a drug-trafficking conspiracy in which he sold more than 14 kilograms of methamphetamine and 30 firearms to an undercover federal agent, according to the United State's Attorney.Jose Alvarado, 28, a citizen of Mexico, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from Aug. 15 to Dec. 4, 2019, and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.By pleading guilty today, Alvarado admitted that he met with an undercover federal agent on six separate occasions and sold the undercover agent a total of approximately 471 grams of methamphetamine and 30 firearms. The undercover agent offered to purchase a Springfield Armory 9mm handgun on Oct. 23, 2019, but Alvarado declined to sell the firearm. Alvarado explained that it was his personal firearm he used to defend himself and his residence.Alvarado agreed to sell a larger quantity of methamphetamine to the undercover agent. On Dec. 4, 2019, Alvarado and the undercover agent met at Alvarado’s residence. Co-defendant Victor Gomez-Rendon, 30, a citizen of Mexico residing in Kansas City, Mo., arrived at the residence and delivered 14 kilograms of methamphetamine. Alvarado and Gomez-Rendon were arrested. The Springfield Armory 9mm handgun was found in Alvarado’s bedroom.Gomez-Rendon has pleaded guilty to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy and awaits sentencing.Under federal statutes, Alvarado is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

Man from Mexico sold 30 firearms, meth to KC undercover agent

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas woman accused in the death of her sister made her first court appearance in the case Wednesday.

Joy Wilson, 34 of Wichita, has been charged with 1st degree murder, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Just before 5:30 a.m. May 15, police responded to an assist call at St. Joseph Hospital, 3600 E. Harry in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.

&nbsp; Upon arrival, officers contacted 34-year-old Joy Wilson and received information that her 40-year-old sister Shawna Webb was shot and needed help.&nbsp; Officers also saw a handgun inside Wilson’s vehicle.

Officers located a crime scene at a home in the 2400 block of Green in Wichita and found Webb inside, shot, and unresponsive.&nbsp; She was pronounced deceased on the scene, according to Davidson.&nbsp; Officers arrested Wilson.&nbsp;

She remains in the Sedgwick County Jail on a $150,000 bond. Her next court appearance is scheduled for June 3, according to the district attorney.&nbsp; Authorities have not reported what prompted the shooting.&nbsp; &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1621132793202.png" alt="Wilson photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Wilson photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas woman accused in the death of her sister made her first court appearance in the case Wednesday.Joy Wilson, 34 of Wichita, has been charged with 1st degree murder, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.Just before 5:30 a.m. May 15, police responded to an assist call at St. Joseph Hospital, 3600 E. Harry in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.&nbsp; Upon arrival, officers contacted 34-year-old Joy Wilson and received information that her 40-year-old sister Shawna Webb was shot and needed help.&nbsp; Officers also saw a handgun inside Wilson’s vehicle.Officers located a crime scene at a home in the 2400 block of Green in Wichita and found Webb inside, shot, and unresponsive.&nbsp; She was pronounced deceased on the scene, according to Davidson.&nbsp; Officers arrested Wilson.&nbsp;She remains in the Sedgwick County Jail on a $150,000 bond. Her next court appearance is scheduled for June 3, according to the district attorney.&nbsp; Authorities have not reported what prompted the shooting.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Kansas woman charged with murder of her sister

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas fund intended to help keep young people out of prison could be out of money by 2024 if spending and projected funding remains the same, according to the non-partisan legislative research department.

The Evidence-based Programs Fund grew out of a 2016 law designed to shift the focus in juvenile justice from incarceration to rehabilitation. The effort has had some success, with population at the Kansas Juvenile Correctional Complex dropping 40% in five years.

With annual funding and savings from reduced costs for incarceration, the fund accumulated a $42 million reserve by this year, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/article251413323.html" target="_blank">reported</a>.

Facing the potential for COVID-19 related budget shortfalls, Gov. Laura Kelly this year asked the Legislature to transfer the entire $42 million to other state needs.

Lawmakers approved moving $21 million out of the account, despite a projected $1 billion surplus in the state budget approved last week.

Sam Coleman, a spokesman for Kelly, said last week that with annual appropriations, it’s unlikely the Department of Corrections will deplete the fund.

“This administration remains committed to working with the Legislature, local governments, and stakeholders to enhance our services for justice-involved youth. At current rates of spending, we anticipate the balance on this fund may continue to grow in the short term,” Coleman said.

Depleting the fund could damage existing programs and delay new projects, advocates say.

“This is going to be a bigger issue next year,” said Rep. Russ Jennings, a Lakin Republican and chairman of the House Corrections and Juvenile Justice Committee. “Juvenile justice reform falls flat on its face if it doesn’t have the funding to provide the programs that are required.”

Current approved budgets allocate $14.3 million to the fund in 2021 and $12.5 in 2022. Savings from reduced correctional costs were only $54,000 in 2021 — a fraction of the millions transferred in previous years because fewer dollars were allocated for juvenile incarceration.

The Department of Corrections has slowly increased spending from the fund from $9.6 million in 2020 to budgeting $14.3 million in 2021 and $21.6 million in 2022.

The money goes to several initiatives, ranging from family engagement projects to mental health programs and grants to organizations like the Boys and Girls Club of Topeka.

Jennings credits those programs for a decrease in juveniles incarcerated at the Kansas Juvenile Correctional Complex — from 245 in 2016 to 147 in 2020.

“I’m afraid (loss in funding) will just turn things in the opposite direction,” Jennings said. “We’ll have more kids in the system, deeper in the system.”

Mike Fonkert, campaign director at Kansas Appleseed, said he doesn’t believe the corrections department will spend enough to deplete all funds by 2024. But he said removing half the reserves this year creates a frustrating barrier for new projects.

The Juvenile Justice Oversight Committee, which recommends expenditures, has considered building juvenile crisis intervention centers, expanding family preservation services and substance abuse counseling among other things. But no final decisions or expenditures have been made and none of the projects have been started.

Access to the full $42 million fund, Fonkert said, would have “softened the blow” to the state budget if the Department of Corrections approved the projects. He said the bureaucratic process is impeding the programs.

“The thing that sticks out as slowing this down is a lack of commitment among the Legislature and agency officials to make it a priority to get this money to communities,” he said.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas fund intended to help keep young people out of prison could be out of money by 2024 if spending and projected funding remains the same, according to the non-partisan legislative research department.The Evidence-based Programs Fund grew out of a 2016 law designed to shift the focus in juvenile justice from incarceration to rehabilitation. The effort has had some success, with population at the Kansas Juvenile Correctional Complex dropping 40% in five years.With annual funding and savings from reduced costs for incarceration, the fund accumulated a $42 million reserve by this year, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/article251413323.html" target="_blank">reported</a>.Facing the potential for COVID-19 related budget shortfalls, Gov. Laura Kelly this year asked the Legislature to transfer the entire $42 million to other state needs.Lawmakers approved moving $21 million out of the account, despite a projected $1 billion surplus in the state budget approved last week.Sam Coleman, a spokesman for Kelly, said last week that with annual appropriations, it’s unlikely the Department of Corrections will deplete the fund.“This administration remains committed to working with the Legislature, local governments, and stakeholders to enhance our services for justice-involved youth. At current rates of spending, we anticipate the balance on this fund may continue to grow in the short term,” Coleman said.Depleting the fund could damage existing programs and delay new projects, advocates say.“This is going to be a bigger issue next year,” said Rep. Russ Jennings, a Lakin Republican and chairman of the House Corrections and Juvenile Justice Committee. “Juvenile justice reform falls flat on its face if it doesn’t have the funding to provide the programs that are required.”Current approved budgets allocate $14.3 million to the fund in 2021 and $12.5 in 2022. Savings from reduced correctional costs were only $54,000 in 2021 — a fraction of the millions transferred in previous years because fewer dollars were allocated for juvenile incarceration.The Department of Corrections has slowly increased spending from the fund from $9.6 million in 2020 to budgeting $14.3 million in 2021 and $21.6 million in 2022.The money goes to several initiatives, ranging from family engagement projects to mental health programs and grants to organizations like the Boys and Girls Club of Topeka.Jennings credits those programs for a decrease in juveniles incarcerated at the Kansas Juvenile Correctional Complex — from 245 in 2016 to 147 in 2020.“I’m afraid (loss in funding) will just turn things in the opposite direction,” Jennings said. “We’ll have more kids in the system, deeper in the system.”ADVERTISEMENTMike Fonkert, campaign director at Kansas Appleseed, said he doesn’t believe the corrections department will spend enough to deplete all funds by 2024. But he said removing half the reserves this year creates a frustrating barrier for new projects.The Juvenile Justice Oversight Committee, which recommends expenditures, has considered building juvenile crisis intervention centers, expanding family preservation services and substance abuse counseling among other things. But no final decisions or expenditures have been made and none of the projects have been started.Access to the full $42 million fund, Fonkert said, would have “softened the blow” to the state budget if the Department of Corrections approved the projects. He said the bureaucratic process is impeding the programs.“The thing that sticks out as slowing this down is a lack of commitment among the Legislature and agency officials to make it a priority to get this money to communities,” he said.

Report: Kan. juvenile justice funds could run out by 2024

By C.J. JANOVY <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/05/17/after-finding-their-old-school-for-sale-on-ebay-a-kansas-community-goes-to-work-saving-its-stories/">Kansas Reflector</a>

I’m sorry to say, Kansas, that I’d never heard of the Frankfort Boys.

I now know these are 32 
soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines from the small Marshall County 
town of Frankfort who were killed in World War II.

“This small rural town has
 the highest number of casualties compared to any town of similar size,”
 then-U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts said in 2006, <a href="https://www.cjonline.com/article/20120121/news/301219849">reading their names into the Congressional Record</a>.

In March 2012, then-Gov. 
Sam Brownback signed a bill designating a 10-mile stretch of K-99 
through Marshall County as the Frankfort Boys World War II Memorial 
Highway. The veteran who had petitioned the state to recognize his 
fallen brothers was Frank Benteman, whose sacrifices had earned him a 
Purple Heart and a Cross of Lorraine. He was 94 when he <a href="https://www.ksnt.com/news/local-news/wwii-veteran-frank-benteman-dies-his-legacy-honored-those-who-never-returned-to-kansas/">died last December</a>.

If the people still living
 in Frankfort are successful, there will someday be a courtyard in honor
 of these hometown boys at the flagpole in front of the place where they
 went to grade school.

Built in 1902-03 in the Renaissance style of architecture familiar on the prairie, <a href="http://www.frankfortdevelopmenttrust.com/home.html">Frankfort Grade School</a>
 was the educational home for nearly a century of Marshall County kids. 
And now, it’s a literal as well as symbolic example of what small towns 
around Kansas do to preserve their legacies.

“A lot of us have a very 
strong emotional connection to the building — it’s iconic for our 
community,” says Gayla Randel, who grew up in Frankfort and graduated 
from the school, as did her husband and their youngest child.

Frankfort’s official 
population is around 750, but Randel counts another 200 from the 
surrounding countryside as part of the community.

The school closed in 1997,
 then it went up for sale. A local family bought it and turned it into a
 bed and breakfast for hunters. That did well for a while, Randel says, 
and then a couple from Florida bought it but health concerns prevented 
them from doing anything with it.

“Somewhere around 2013, an
 alumni from the school district found this old grade school which was 
privately owned, and the owner had put the property up on eBay,” Randel 
says.

“So several of us started 
visiting, and we put a call out to the community,” she says. “We said, 
‘We don’t want to lose this building.’ ”

The owner was asking 
$24,000, but by then the building was so dilapidated it wasn’t really 
worth much. So the owner essentially gave it to the nonprofit started by
 about 20 people in Frankfort who began the arduous task of raising 
money and slowly repairing the damage.

They had no idea what they would use it for and still don’t.

“But it was too much of an icon to let it fall in,” Randel says.

Early support came from <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/11/07/heres-something-all-kansans-can-agree-on-a-few-of-the-best-things-about-our-state/">Marci Penner</a> with the <a href="https://kansassampler.org/">Kansas Sampler Foundation</a>,
 who raised funds to help fix the front porch so they’d have a visible 
sign of progress. Preservation grants from the Kansas Historical Society
 have helped, too. Last week, Frankfort School was among 15 projects 
around the state receiving <a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/governor-laura-kelly-announces-15-historic-properties-recommended-for-nearly-500000-in-kansas-rural-preservation-grants/">a new round of those grants</a>.

Raising money for this 
kind of project is hard in a small community, Randel says, because there
 aren’t the kind of matching grants available in larger towns with 
higher sales taxes or fully staffed economic development offices.

“We don’t have any of that here,” she says. “Our fundraisers are breakfasts, dinners on Sundays, match day once a year.”

But people have been 
generous. Even people who don’t live there anymore will send $10 or $20,
 saying they wish they could send more. And Randel estimates volunteers 
have contributed thousands of hours by now.

Randel remembers how it 
was a rite of passage when you finally got old enough to attend classes 
on the second floor. She can still hear the echo of footsteps on the 
wooden stairways.

“What I really enjoyed was
 having my own children go there,” she says. “I do remember going to 
kindergarten and how cool that was.”

Both of her children went to kindergarten in same room she did.

“In a small community, a 
school really creates a lot of emotion,” Randel says. “That’s where you 
first start to have relationships outside of your family.”

They’re still a long way 
from opening the place to the public, even for people to just roam 
around and hear the real echoes. There’s still too much to repair. Right
 now, they’re raising money to replace the windows. That’ll cost 
$365,000. They’d welcome help from anyone.

“My dad told me — he 
passed away this last year due to covid — and he always told me: There 
are people in the world who see their role is to be a steward and to 
pass things off to the next generation in the same shape or better than 
when you got there,” she says. “Then there are others who see things as&nbsp;
 a method of making money — they’re not necessarily looking at a 
legacy.”

The people of Frankfort look at their stately old grade school as a legacy.

“When children’s children come back,” Randel says, “they’ll still have the building and the stories will still be told.”

C.J. Janovy is a veteran journalist with deep roots in the Midwest. Before joining the Kansas Reflector, she was an editor and reporter at Kansas City’s NPR affiliate, KCUR. Before that, she edited the city’s alt-weekly newspaper, The Pitch.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1621274903351.png" alt="The Frankfort School's class of 1913, in a photograph taken in 1910. (Courtesy of Butch Ewing, Derby, Kansas)" />
 <figcaption>The Frankfort School's class of 1913, in a photograph taken in 1910. (Courtesy of Butch Ewing, Derby, Kansas)</figcaption>
 </figure>By C.J. JANOVY <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/05/17/after-finding-their-old-school-for-sale-on-ebay-a-kansas-community-goes-to-work-saving-its-stories/">Kansas Reflector</a>I’m sorry to say, Kansas, that I’d never heard of the Frankfort Boys.I now know these are 32 
soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines from the small Marshall County 
town of Frankfort who were killed in World War II.“This small rural town has
 the highest number of casualties compared to any town of similar size,”
 then-U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts said in 2006, <a href="https://www.cjonline.com/article/20120121/news/301219849">reading their names into the Congressional Record</a>.In March 2012, then-Gov. 
Sam Brownback signed a bill designating a 10-mile stretch of K-99 
through Marshall County as the Frankfort Boys World War II Memorial 
Highway. The veteran who had petitioned the state to recognize his 
fallen brothers was Frank Benteman, whose sacrifices had earned him a 
Purple Heart and a Cross of Lorraine. He was 94 when he <a href="https://www.ksnt.com/news/local-news/wwii-veteran-frank-benteman-dies-his-legacy-honored-those-who-never-returned-to-kansas/">died last December</a>.If the people still living
 in Frankfort are successful, there will someday be a courtyard in honor
 of these hometown boys at the flagpole in front of the place where they
 went to grade school.Built in 1902-03 in the Renaissance style of architecture familiar on the prairie, <a href="http://www.frankfortdevelopmenttrust.com/home.html">Frankfort Grade School</a>
 was the educational home for nearly a century of Marshall County kids. 
And now, it’s a literal as well as symbolic example of what small towns 
around Kansas do to preserve their legacies.“A lot of us have a very 
strong emotional connection to the building — it’s iconic for our 
community,” says Gayla Randel, who grew up in Frankfort and graduated 
from the school, as did her husband and their youngest child.Frankfort’s official 
population is around 750, but Randel counts another 200 from the 
surrounding countryside as part of the community.The school closed in 1997,
 then it went up for sale. A local family bought it and turned it into a
 bed and breakfast for hunters. That did well for a while, Randel says, 
and then a couple from Florida bought it but health concerns prevented 
them from doing anything with it.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1621274976307.png" alt="A postcard depicts the Frankfort Grade School in Marshall County, Kansas. (Submitted)" />
 <figcaption>A postcard depicts the Frankfort Grade School in Marshall County, Kansas. (Submitted)</figcaption>
 </figure>“Somewhere around 2013, an
 alumni from the school district found this old grade school which was 
privately owned, and the owner had put the property up on eBay,” Randel 
says.“So several of us started 
visiting, and we put a call out to the community,” she says. “We said, 
‘We don’t want to lose this building.’ ”The owner was asking 
$24,000, but by then the building was so dilapidated it wasn’t really 
worth much. So the owner essentially gave it to the nonprofit started by
 about 20 people in Frankfort who began the arduous task of raising 
money and slowly repairing the damage.They had no idea what they would use it for and still don’t.“But it was too much of an icon to let it fall in,” Randel says.Early support came from <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/11/07/heres-something-all-kansans-can-agree-on-a-few-of-the-best-things-about-our-state/">Marci Penner</a> with the <a href="https://kansassampler.org/">Kansas Sampler Foundation</a>,
 who raised funds to help fix the front porch so they’d have a visible 
sign of progress. Preservation grants from the Kansas Historical Society
 have helped, too. Last week, Frankfort School was among 15 projects 
around the state receiving <a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/governor-laura-kelly-announces-15-historic-properties-recommended-for-nearly-500000-in-kansas-rural-preservation-grants/">a new round of those grants</a>.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1621275004962.png" alt="The Frankfort School as it appears on the Frankfort Development Trust’s website. (Frankfort Development Trust)" />
 <figcaption>The Frankfort School as it appears on the Frankfort Development Trust’s website. (Frankfort Development Trust)</figcaption>
 </figure>Raising money for this 
kind of project is hard in a small community, Randel says, because there
 aren’t the kind of matching grants available in larger towns with 
higher sales taxes or fully staffed economic development offices.“We don’t have any of that here,” she says. “Our fundraisers are breakfasts, dinners on Sundays, match day once a year.”But people have been 
generous. Even people who don’t live there anymore will send $10 or $20,
 saying they wish they could send more. And Randel estimates volunteers 
have contributed thousands of hours by now.Randel remembers how it 
was a rite of passage when you finally got old enough to attend classes 
on the second floor. She can still hear the echo of footsteps on the 
wooden stairways.“What I really enjoyed was
 having my own children go there,” she says. “I do remember going to 
kindergarten and how cool that was.”Both of her children went to kindergarten in same room she did.“In a small community, a 
school really creates a lot of emotion,” Randel says. “That’s where you 
first start to have relationships outside of your family.”They’re still a long way 
from opening the place to the public, even for people to just roam 
around and hear the real echoes. There’s still too much to repair. Right
 now, they’re raising money to replace the windows. That’ll cost 
$365,000. They’d welcome help from anyone.“My dad told me — he 
passed away this last year due to covid — and he always told me: There 
are people in the world who see their role is to be a steward and to 
pass things off to the next generation in the same shape or better than 
when you got there,” she says. “Then there are others who see things as&nbsp;
 a method of making money — they’re not necessarily looking at a 
legacy.”The people of Frankfort look at their stately old grade school as a legacy.“When children’s children come back,” Randel says, “they’ll still have the building and the stories will still be told.”C.J. Janovy is a veteran journalist with deep roots in the Midwest. Before joining the Kansas Reflector, she was an editor and reporter at Kansas City’s NPR affiliate, KCUR. Before that, she edited the city’s alt-weekly newspaper, The Pitch.

After finding their old school on eBay, Kan. community works to save its stories

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A judge found that a federal prosecutor in Kansas with a history of questionable conduct committed misconduct in a drug case, prompting a sharp reduction in the defendant’s sentence.

U.S. District Court Judge Daniel Crabtree ruled last week that Assistant U.S. Attorney Terra Morehead did not provide evidence to the defense attorney for Jay Giannukos, 49, who was convicted of drug and counterfeiting charges.

Morehead has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2a25b443c729439eb6678bbe87440f2e">previously accused</a>&nbsp;of concealing evidence and threatening witnesses. She was the prosecutor in Wyandotte County in 1994, when Lamonte McIntyre was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-us-news-ap-top-news-kansas-city-ks-state-wire-3e379716ed9e4dba83412311eaadfd08">wrongly convicted</a>&nbsp;in a double murder and spent 23 years in prison before he was released.

Morehead was recently moved from criminal to civil cases in the U.S. Attorney’s office in Kansas City, Kansas.

In the latest case, Morehead did not provide the defense with information about a witness’s full criminal history or a video that called into question the witness’s credibility, the judge found.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office and Morehead did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Crabtree wrote that Morehead had “failed in her duty to do justice,” and the misconduct was the reason he reduced Giannukos’ sentence from 20 years to nine years, according to a transcript of the May 10 federal court hearing.

During the trial, a key witness who survived a suicide attempt while in federal prison in Leavenworth told the jury he fell over a railing.

Morehead didn’t admit until the sentencing phase of the trial that there was a video showing the man tried to kill himself.

Crabtree said Morehead failed to be truthful about the witness’s attempt to take his life.

Morehead’s history of questionable conduct goes back decades.

A federal judge in 2017 found Morehead committed misconduct as a federal prosecutor during the Lamont McIntyre case when she threatened a witness and belatedly disclosed evidence.

And earlier this year, a man told The Star that Morehead pressured him into lying on the stand in a 2009 drug case. He said his testimony helped send an innocent woman to prison for eight years.

Morehead was also involved in wrongdoing in 2016 when federal prosecutors in Kansas City, Kansas, routinely accessed calls between defendants and their defense attorneys in violation of their rights. A federal judge held the office in contempt.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1621694735355.png" alt="Giannukos-photo Kansas Dept. of Corrections" />
 <figcaption>Giannukos-photo Kansas Dept. of Corrections</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A judge found that a federal prosecutor in Kansas with a history of questionable conduct committed misconduct in a drug case, prompting a sharp reduction in the defendant’s sentence.U.S. District Court Judge Daniel Crabtree ruled last week that Assistant U.S. Attorney Terra Morehead did not provide evidence to the defense attorney for Jay Giannukos, 49, who was convicted of drug and counterfeiting charges.Morehead has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2a25b443c729439eb6678bbe87440f2e">previously accused</a>&nbsp;of concealing evidence and threatening witnesses. She was the prosecutor in Wyandotte County in 1994, when Lamonte McIntyre was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-us-news-ap-top-news-kansas-city-ks-state-wire-3e379716ed9e4dba83412311eaadfd08">wrongly convicted</a>&nbsp;in a double murder and spent 23 years in prison before he was released.Morehead was recently moved from criminal to civil cases in the U.S. Attorney’s office in Kansas City, Kansas.In the latest case, Morehead did not provide the defense with information about a witness’s full criminal history or a video that called into question the witness’s credibility, the judge found.The U.S. Attorney’s Office and Morehead did not immediately respond to a request for comment.Crabtree wrote that Morehead had “failed in her duty to do justice,” and the misconduct was the reason he reduced Giannukos’ sentence from 20 years to nine years, according to a transcript of the May 10 federal court hearing.During the trial, a key witness who survived a suicide attempt while in federal prison in Leavenworth told the jury he fell over a railing.Morehead didn’t admit until the sentencing phase of the trial that there was a video showing the man tried to kill himself.Crabtree said Morehead failed to be truthful about the witness’s attempt to take his life.Morehead’s history of questionable conduct goes back decades.A federal judge in 2017 found Morehead committed misconduct as a federal prosecutor during the Lamont McIntyre case when she threatened a witness and belatedly disclosed evidence.And earlier this year, a man told The Star that Morehead pressured him into lying on the stand in a 2009 drug case. He said his testimony helped send an innocent woman to prison for eight years.Morehead was also involved in wrongdoing in 2016 when federal prosecutors in Kansas City, Kansas, routinely accessed calls between defendants and their defense attorneys in violation of their rights. A federal judge held the office in contempt.

Judge: Assistant U.S. Attorney in Kansas commits misconduct

KANSAS CITY (AP) —There’s a wild card in the push to return to pre-pandemic life: Many workers don’t want to go back to the jobs they once had.

Layoffs and lockdowns, combined with enhanced unemployment benefits and stimulus checks, gave many Americans the time and the financial cushion to rethink their careers. Their former employers are hiring again — and some, like Uber and McDonald's,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-coronavirus-pandemic-business-5eb1432c117e217fea65bfaa138002e9">are offering higher pay</a>&nbsp;— but workers remain hesitant.

In March, U.S. job openings rose 8% to a record 8.1 million, but overall hiring rose less than 4%,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-coronavirus-pandemic-business-5eb1432c117e217fea65bfaa138002e9">according to government data</a>.

Nate Mullins quit his job as a bartender last November after clashing with managers over mask rules and worrying that he would spread the coronavirus to his immune-compromised sister.

Mullins’ unemployment checks don’t match what he was making at his Oak Harbor, Washington bar, but they’re enough to get by while he looks for jobs that would provide health care and retirement benefits.

“This opportunity to take a step back and really think about what you’re doing really changed my mind,” said Mullins, 36. “(It) made me think long-term for the first time.”

Workers like Mullins are one reason U.S. hiring slowed in April. Employers and business groups argue that the $300-per-week federal unemployment supplement gives recipients&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pandemics-health-coronavirus-pandemic-business-9a76a15cf9e7d37076c91e5abeb1137b">less incentive to look for work</a>. Several states have begun requiring those receiving the benefits&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-coronavirus-pandemic-health-business-government-and-politics-1f092b895c281c13c87ff3dfa6279f62">to show they are actively searching for work</a>, and a few will stop providing the supplement.

But Heidi Shierholz, a senior economist who researches low- and middle-income workers with the Economic Policy Institute, said health concerns and child care responsibilities seem to be the main reasons holding workers back.

In April, she said, at least 25% of U.S. schools weren't offering in-person learning, forcing many parents to stay home. And health concerns could gain new urgency for some workers now that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said fully vaccinated people&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-government-and-politics-a48e79a4e7a9445011999e91bb30135f">can stop wearing masks in most settings.</a>

Shierholz added that unemployment benefits are designed to give workers the time to find jobs that are better suited to their abilities.

“We want people well-matched to their skills and experience,” she said. “That’s what helps the economy run better.”

Higher pay for workers can push up inflation, which jumped in April as the economy struggled with widespread shortages of raw materials and parts amid a faster-than-expected reopening. If companies are forced to raise prices to cover the cost of higher wages, that could slow the recovery and reduce Americans’ purchasing power.

For now, most economists see labor shortages as likely to be temporary. As more Americans are vaccinated, fewer will worry about getting sick at work. Schools should reopen in September, freeing more parents to return to work, and the extra $300 in unemployment aid is also set to expire in early September. Those steps should bring more people into the job market.

Sarah Weitzel gave birth to her second child in February 2020. She was on leave from her job at a Victoria’s Secret store in St. Louis when the pandemic threw her life into chaos.

She got a text telling her she was furloughed. Then her husband lost his restaurant job. In financial straits, they sold their home, moved in with friends, survived on unemployment insurance and fell deeper into debt.

In the fall, Victoria’s Secret offered Weitzel part-time work that would pay $12 an hour, but she declined. She and her husband, who now works long hours at a new restaurant job, can't afford child care.

“Something just kind of broke, where I thought about how hard I was working for this job that paid about $32,000 a year,” Weitzel said.

Weitzel, 31, got accepted to Rung for Women, a St. Louis program that offers career coaching and training for jobs in high demand, including banking, health care, customer service and technology. In the fall, when her oldest daughter starts preschool, Weitzel hopes to get part-time work in a new career.

Mark Smithivas drove for Uber and Lyft for four years before he abruptly quit last spring out of concern for his health. He has spent the last year taking technology classes in a federal worker training program.

Smithivas, 52, just got his second vaccination, but he doesn’t want to go back to ride-hailing. He worries about carjackings and other crimes targeting drivers in Chicago, where he lives.

“I always viewed this job as temporary, and I really do want to find something that fits my career and background better,” he said.

Some workers say the pandemic helped them prioritize their mental and physical health.

After a lifelong career as a bartender, 57-year-old Ellen Booth was in constant pain from lifting ice buckets and beer kegs. But without a college degree, she felt she had limited options.

When the restaurant she worked for closed last year, she said it gave her “the kick I needed." Booth, of Coventry, Rhode Island, started a year-long class to learn to be a medical coder. When her unemployment benefits ran out two months ago, she started drawing on her retirement funds.

Shelly Ortiz, 25, used to love her career as a restaurant server. But things changed last June, when her Phoenix restaurant reopened its dining room. She wore two masks and glasses to protect herself, but still felt anxiety in a restaurant full of unmasked diners.

Sexual harassment also got worse, she said. Patrons would ask her to pull down her mask so they could see how cute she was before tipping her.

Ortiz quit in July after she learned that the restaurant didn’t deep-clean the bar after a bartender was potentially exposed. She and her partner, a teacher, curtailed their spending, and Ortiz returned to school full time. This month, she is graduating from Glendale Community College with a degree in film and a certificate in documentary directing.

Ortiz stopped getting unemployment benefits in November, when she did some part-time film work. Money is tight, she said, but she’s never been happier. And she doesn’t think she’ll ever be a restaurant server again.

“I don’t know if I could do it with a smile anymore,” she said. “I don’t think it should be an option for anyone to treat any worker the way that service industry workers are treated in America.”

In a tight labor market, some workers are also finding that if they hold out, they might get a better job than the one they left.

Taryn Henderson spent six years working at Best Buy before she was unexpectedly let go in February.

“They didn’t value the work I put in, the time I put in, because I got laid off,” said Henderson, 24, a college student who lives in Austin, Texas. “It was just really discouraging.”

At first she focused on her schoolwork, living on her unemployment checks and a severance payment that gave her 10 weeks’ worth of pay. But soon she was anxious to work again, and thought a new job that valued her more would make her feel better.

After a few months of searching, she found another job with a music streaming service. She’ll start later this month and will make $10 more per hour than the $17 she made at Best Buy.

“As long as I’m making enough money that I can support myself, the people that I love and I can get to travel every once in a while, I’m good,” said Henderson. “I think this job will afford me the opportunities to do that.”

KANSAS CITY (AP) —There’s a wild card in the push to return to pre-pandemic life: Many workers don’t want to go back to the jobs they once had.Layoffs and lockdowns, combined with enhanced unemployment benefits and stimulus checks, gave many Americans the time and the financial cushion to rethink their careers. Their former employers are hiring again — and some, like Uber and McDonald's,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-coronavirus-pandemic-business-5eb1432c117e217fea65bfaa138002e9">are offering higher pay</a>&nbsp;— but workers remain hesitant.In March, U.S. job openings rose 8% to a record 8.1 million, but overall hiring rose less than 4%,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-coronavirus-pandemic-business-5eb1432c117e217fea65bfaa138002e9">according to government data</a>.Nate Mullins quit his job as a bartender last November after clashing with managers over mask rules and worrying that he would spread the coronavirus to his immune-compromised sister.Mullins’ unemployment checks don’t match what he was making at his Oak Harbor, Washington bar, but they’re enough to get by while he looks for jobs that would provide health care and retirement benefits.“This opportunity to take a step back and really think about what you’re doing really changed my mind,” said Mullins, 36. “(It) made me think long-term for the first time.”Workers like Mullins are one reason U.S. hiring slowed in April. Employers and business groups argue that the $300-per-week federal unemployment supplement gives recipients&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pandemics-health-coronavirus-pandemic-business-9a76a15cf9e7d37076c91e5abeb1137b">less incentive to look for work</a>. Several states have begun requiring those receiving the benefits&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-coronavirus-pandemic-health-business-government-and-politics-1f092b895c281c13c87ff3dfa6279f62">to show they are actively searching for work</a>, and a few will stop providing the supplement.But Heidi Shierholz, a senior economist who researches low- and middle-income workers with the Economic Policy Institute, said health concerns and child care responsibilities seem to be the main reasons holding workers back.In April, she said, at least 25% of U.S. schools weren't offering in-person learning, forcing many parents to stay home. And health concerns could gain new urgency for some workers now that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said fully vaccinated people&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-government-and-politics-a48e79a4e7a9445011999e91bb30135f">can stop wearing masks in most settings.</a>Shierholz added that unemployment benefits are designed to give workers the time to find jobs that are better suited to their abilities.“We want people well-matched to their skills and experience,” she said. “That’s what helps the economy run better.”Higher pay for workers can push up inflation, which jumped in April as the economy struggled with widespread shortages of raw materials and parts amid a faster-than-expected reopening. If companies are forced to raise prices to cover the cost of higher wages, that could slow the recovery and reduce Americans’ purchasing power.For now, most economists see labor shortages as likely to be temporary. As more Americans are vaccinated, fewer will worry about getting sick at work. Schools should reopen in September, freeing more parents to return to work, and the extra $300 in unemployment aid is also set to expire in early September. Those steps should bring more people into the job market.Sarah Weitzel gave birth to her second child in February 2020. She was on leave from her job at a Victoria’s Secret store in St. Louis when the pandemic threw her life into chaos.She got a text telling her she was furloughed. Then her husband lost his restaurant job. In financial straits, they sold their home, moved in with friends, survived on unemployment insurance and fell deeper into debt.In the fall, Victoria’s Secret offered Weitzel part-time work that would pay $12 an hour, but she declined. She and her husband, who now works long hours at a new restaurant job, can't afford child care.“Something just kind of broke, where I thought about how hard I was working for this job that paid about $32,000 a year,” Weitzel said.Weitzel, 31, got accepted to Rung for Women, a St. Louis program that offers career coaching and training for jobs in high demand, including banking, health care, customer service and technology. In the fall, when her oldest daughter starts preschool, Weitzel hopes to get part-time work in a new career.Mark Smithivas drove for Uber and Lyft for four years before he abruptly quit last spring out of concern for his health. He has spent the last year taking technology classes in a federal worker training program.Smithivas, 52, just got his second vaccination, but he doesn’t want to go back to ride-hailing. He worries about carjackings and other crimes targeting drivers in Chicago, where he lives.“I always viewed this job as temporary, and I really do want to find something that fits my career and background better,” he said.Some workers say the pandemic helped them prioritize their mental and physical health.After a lifelong career as a bartender, 57-year-old Ellen Booth was in constant pain from lifting ice buckets and beer kegs. But without a college degree, she felt she had limited options.When the restaurant she worked for closed last year, she said it gave her “the kick I needed." Booth, of Coventry, Rhode Island, started a year-long class to learn to be a medical coder. When her unemployment benefits ran out two months ago, she started drawing on her retirement funds.Shelly Ortiz, 25, used to love her career as a restaurant server. But things changed last June, when her Phoenix restaurant reopened its dining room. She wore two masks and glasses to protect herself, but still felt anxiety in a restaurant full of unmasked diners.Sexual harassment also got worse, she said. Patrons would ask her to pull down her mask so they could see how cute she was before tipping her.Ortiz quit in July after she learned that the restaurant didn’t deep-clean the bar after a bartender was potentially exposed. She and her partner, a teacher, curtailed their spending, and Ortiz returned to school full time. This month, she is graduating from Glendale Community College with a degree in film and a certificate in documentary directing.Ortiz stopped getting unemployment benefits in November, when she did some part-time film work. Money is tight, she said, but she’s never been happier. And she doesn’t think she’ll ever be a restaurant server again.“I don’t know if I could do it with a smile anymore,” she said. “I don’t think it should be an option for anyone to treat any worker the way that service industry workers are treated in America.”In a tight labor market, some workers are also finding that if they hold out, they might get a better job than the one they left.Taryn Henderson spent six years working at Best Buy before she was unexpectedly let go in February.“They didn’t value the work I put in, the time I put in, because I got laid off,” said Henderson, 24, a college student who lives in Austin, Texas. “It was just really discouraging.”At first she focused on her schoolwork, living on her unemployment checks and a severance payment that gave her 10 weeks’ worth of pay. But soon she was anxious to work again, and thought a new job that valued her more would make her feel better.After a few months of searching, she found another job with a music streaming service. She’ll start later this month and will make $10 more per hour than the $17 she made at Best Buy.“As long as I’m making enough money that I can support myself, the people that I love and I can get to travel every once in a while, I’m good,” said Henderson. “I think this job will afford me the opportunities to do that.”___

Changed by pandemic, many workers won't return to old jobs

Evergy and the Wyandotte County Board of Public Utilities’ shut-off moratorium has ended

By ALLISON KITE <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/05/21/i-have-to-go-out-and-beg-residents-grapple-with-utility-costs-as-shut-offs-resume/">Kansas Reflector</a>

The pandemic has been especially hard on Louise Lynch’s family.&nbsp;

Her
 daughter caught COVID-19 as the virus first took hold in Kansas City 
and nearly succumbed to it. Lynch lost one job at the start of the 
pandemic. She says she was fired from another because of health 
complications from getting the virus late last year. She’s been fighting
 to keep herself, her daughter and her disabled husband afloat with 
spotty unemployment payments, stimulus checks and community aid.&nbsp;

Now, she faces another hurdle: the electricity and water at her Kansas City, Kan., home could be cut off.&nbsp;

The Wyandotte County Board of Public Utilities and <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/05/06/evergy-earnings-shot-up-following-february-cold-snap-that-forced-blackouts/">Evergy</a> have resumed shutting off customers’ power —&nbsp;and in BPU’s case, water —&nbsp;if they don’t pay their bills. Both organizations <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/12/10/is-cruelty-just-the-point-coalition-demands-end-to-utility-shutoffs/">had issued moratoria at various points during the pandemic</a>
 and the cold weather months. As the COVID-19 vaccine becomes more 
readily available and life in the U.S. crawls back toward normalcy, the 
reprieve is ending.&nbsp;

And just because residents
 were under a moratorium doesn’t mean their bills are forgiven. The back
 balances some families incurred are now coming due.

Across Kansas and 
Missouri, federal rent and utility relief is available to help residents
 who may have fallen behind. But with the moratoria ending, they face a 
ticking clock and bureaucratic hoops to secure help or face having their
 utilities shut off.

Lynch
 has a balance of more than $500 with BPU. She said she’s behind on rent
 and her natural gas bill, too. She received help from Wyandotte County 
Mutual Aid only to get behind again when the next bill arrived.&nbsp;

“My full-time job is not just taking care of my family,” Lynch said. “I have to go out and beg.”

Lynch
 and her family have been waiting for assistance from the Kansas 
Emergency Rental Assistance program for nearly two months — even longer 
if you consider the weeks Lynch spent struggling with the application 
system. Though her family has received an initial letter indicating they
 are qualified, the state is still processing the application.&nbsp;

In the meantime, her BPU bill says she must pay her past due balance or face disconnection.

For
 their parts, Evergy and BPU both said they work with residents trapped 
in the KERA application process and can be flexible on shutoff dates.&nbsp;

“At
 that point, communication becomes the key on whether or not we would be
 able to modify that disconnection date,” said Gina Penzig, a 
spokeswoman for Evergy.&nbsp;

In
 Kansas, KERA, administered by the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation,
 is charged with helping renters get assistance. The state received $200
 million in federal COVID response funding. Residents can also apply for
 the Low Income Energy Assistance Program.&nbsp;

Missouri
 received more than $320 million from the same program, administered 
through the Missouri State Assistance for Housing Relief. The state also
 has a Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.&nbsp;

In both states, a patchwork of local and nonprofit groups are also providing assistance.

<a href="https://www.evergy.com/Manage-Account/Billing/Financial-Help#help">Evergy</a> and <a href="https://www.bpu.com/About/MediaNewsReleases/EmergencyRentalUtilityAssistanceProgramAvailableinKansas.aspx">BPU</a> customers can find more information about accessing those resources on the companies’ websites.&nbsp;

Dustin
 Hare, a community organizer working for Wyandotte County Mutual Aid, 
said Lynch isn’t the only Kansan he has helped while they struggled to 
get KERA. In the last year, he said Wyandotte County Mutual Aid, which 
launched with a grant from the Kansas Health Foundation, has doled out 
more than $10,200 —&nbsp;most of that since January.&nbsp;

Since
 BPU ended its moratorium a few weeks ago, he said he has heard from 
dozens of residents at risk of getting their utilities shut off. Under 
the moratorium, some built up massive balances. The largest, he said, 
was $4,000.&nbsp;

“Some
 of those people have been seeking assistance throughout the course that
 their electricity has been shut off or even before…and have been shut 
off while seeking assistance,” Hare said.&nbsp;

And
 while relief programs are helpful, he thinks the relief money should 
have gone straight to BPU to forgive residents’ debts rather than 
through an application process that requires substantial paperwork from 
families in need.

In
 one week, the fund, which is completely funded by community donations, 
provided aid to three households who had already lost their power.&nbsp;

Lynch
 has also pressured BPU to leave power on for residents with certain 
medical devices. She said her husband uses a CPAP machine and can’t 
breathe at night without it. But she has had little luck.&nbsp;

She
 said the utility providers made “so much money” during the February 
cold snap that forced rolling blackouts across the midwest, “but they 
can’t help somebody who is trying to breathe.”&nbsp;

“People’s lives are at stake,” Lynch said. “That has to be worth more than a dollar.”&nbsp;

David
 Mehlhaff, BPU’s chief communications officer, said the utility was 
initially supposed to end its moratorium at the beginning of March but 
waited until the end of the month so the KERA program would be off the 
ground.&nbsp;

A couple weeks after that, disconnections began.

Since mid April, he said about 1,200 households have had their service disconnected.&nbsp;

There’s “no way of knowing,” he said, “but the lion’s share of them are probably back on.”

Evergy’s
 moratorium ended May 2. The investor-owned utility did not say how many
 households’ power it had disconnected in the last couple of weeks.&nbsp;

In
 a statement, Penzig said Evergy was the first utility in the area to 
halt disconnections and outlined incentives the company offered to help 
customers catch up on their bills when it resumed shut-offs from July to
 November.&nbsp;

“In
 February we announced that our disconnect moratorium would end on May 
2, giving customers plenty of notice to contact us to learn about 
assistance options and payment plans,” Penzig said. “We have directly 
communicated with customers by phone, email and mail about payment 
options and available community assistance. In addition we have used 
media outreach and social media to raise awareness about available help 
in the community and encourage customers to find assistance.”

One of those customers is Brandy Granados, a Missouri resident who said she owes Evergy more than $600.&nbsp;

Granados
 said she has struggled to balance work and caring for her son with 
Autism, whose school has alternated between in-person and virtual 
learning over the course of the pandemic.&nbsp;

Now
 that her son is back in school, she can start working in-person, 
meaning she should be able to afford the necessities once her paychecks 
start rolling in.&nbsp;

But
 she exhausted her last stimulus check and her income tax refund. 
Without it, she said she likely would have been homeless by March. And 
though she’s nearly out of the woods, she doesn’t know how she’s going 
to make it.&nbsp;

“I don’t know what’s going to happen next month,” she said. “Hopefully I can find help one more time.”

Allison Kite is a data reporter for The Missouri Independent and Kansas Reflector, with a focus on the environment and agriculture.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1621612302467.png" alt="Louise Lynch, a Wyandotte County resident, has struggled to get emergency rental assistance and faces the possibility the Board of Public Utilities will shut off her power and water. (Allison Kite/Kansas Reflector.)" />
 <figcaption>Louise Lynch, a Wyandotte County resident, has struggled to get emergency rental assistance and faces the possibility the Board of Public Utilities will shut off her power and water. (Allison Kite/Kansas Reflector.)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Evergy and the Wyandotte County Board of Public Utilities’ shut-off moratorium has ended</h2>By ALLISON KITE <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/05/21/i-have-to-go-out-and-beg-residents-grapple-with-utility-costs-as-shut-offs-resume/">Kansas Reflector</a>The pandemic has been especially hard on Louise Lynch’s family.&nbsp;Her
 daughter caught COVID-19 as the virus first took hold in Kansas City 
and nearly succumbed to it. Lynch lost one job at the start of the 
pandemic. She says she was fired from another because of health 
complications from getting the virus late last year. She’s been fighting
 to keep herself, her daughter and her disabled husband afloat with 
spotty unemployment payments, stimulus checks and community aid.&nbsp;Now, she faces another hurdle: the electricity and water at her Kansas City, Kan., home could be cut off.&nbsp;The Wyandotte County Board of Public Utilities and <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/05/06/evergy-earnings-shot-up-following-february-cold-snap-that-forced-blackouts/">Evergy</a> have resumed shutting off customers’ power —&nbsp;and in BPU’s case, water —&nbsp;if they don’t pay their bills. Both organizations <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/12/10/is-cruelty-just-the-point-coalition-demands-end-to-utility-shutoffs/">had issued moratoria at various points during the pandemic</a>
 and the cold weather months. As the COVID-19 vaccine becomes more 
readily available and life in the U.S. crawls back toward normalcy, the 
reprieve is ending.&nbsp;And just because residents
 were under a moratorium doesn’t mean their bills are forgiven. The back
 balances some families incurred are now coming due.Across Kansas and 
Missouri, federal rent and utility relief is available to help residents
 who may have fallen behind. But with the moratoria ending, they face a 
ticking clock and bureaucratic hoops to secure help or face having their
 utilities shut off.Lynch
 has a balance of more than $500 with BPU. She said she’s behind on rent
 and her natural gas bill, too. She received help from Wyandotte County 
Mutual Aid only to get behind again when the next bill arrived.&nbsp;“My full-time job is not just taking care of my family,” Lynch said. “I have to go out and beg.”Lynch
 and her family have been waiting for assistance from the Kansas 
Emergency Rental Assistance program for nearly two months — even longer 
if you consider the weeks Lynch spent struggling with the application 
system. Though her family has received an initial letter indicating they
 are qualified, the state is still processing the application.&nbsp;In the meantime, her BPU bill says she must pay her past due balance or face disconnection.For
 their parts, Evergy and BPU both said they work with residents trapped 
in the KERA application process and can be flexible on shutoff dates.&nbsp;“At
 that point, communication becomes the key on whether or not we would be
 able to modify that disconnection date,” said Gina Penzig, a 
spokeswoman for Evergy.&nbsp;In
 Kansas, KERA, administered by the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation,
 is charged with helping renters get assistance. The state received $200
 million in federal COVID response funding. Residents can also apply for
 the Low Income Energy Assistance Program.&nbsp;Missouri
 received more than $320 million from the same program, administered 
through the Missouri State Assistance for Housing Relief. The state also
 has a Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.&nbsp;In both states, a patchwork of local and nonprofit groups are also providing assistance.<a href="https://www.evergy.com/Manage-Account/Billing/Financial-Help#help">Evergy</a> and <a href="https://www.bpu.com/About/MediaNewsReleases/EmergencyRentalUtilityAssistanceProgramAvailableinKansas.aspx">BPU</a> customers can find more information about accessing those resources on the companies’ websites.&nbsp;Dustin
 Hare, a community organizer working for Wyandotte County Mutual Aid, 
said Lynch isn’t the only Kansan he has helped while they struggled to 
get KERA. In the last year, he said Wyandotte County Mutual Aid, which 
launched with a grant from the Kansas Health Foundation, has doled out 
more than $10,200 —&nbsp;most of that since January.&nbsp;Since
 BPU ended its moratorium a few weeks ago, he said he has heard from 
dozens of residents at risk of getting their utilities shut off. Under 
the moratorium, some built up massive balances. The largest, he said, 
was $4,000.&nbsp;“Some
 of those people have been seeking assistance throughout the course that
 their electricity has been shut off or even before…and have been shut 
off while seeking assistance,” Hare said.&nbsp;And
 while relief programs are helpful, he thinks the relief money should 
have gone straight to BPU to forgive residents’ debts rather than 
through an application process that requires substantial paperwork from 
families in need.In
 one week, the fund, which is completely funded by community donations, 
provided aid to three households who had already lost their power.&nbsp;Lynch
 has also pressured BPU to leave power on for residents with certain 
medical devices. She said her husband uses a CPAP machine and can’t 
breathe at night without it. But she has had little luck.&nbsp;She
 said the utility providers made “so much money” during the February 
cold snap that forced rolling blackouts across the midwest, “but they 
can’t help somebody who is trying to breathe.”&nbsp;“People’s lives are at stake,” Lynch said. “That has to be worth more than a dollar.”&nbsp;David
 Mehlhaff, BPU’s chief communications officer, said the utility was 
initially supposed to end its moratorium at the beginning of March but 
waited until the end of the month so the KERA program would be off the 
ground.&nbsp;A couple weeks after that, disconnections began.Since mid April, he said about 1,200 households have had their service disconnected.&nbsp;There’s “no way of knowing,” he said, “but the lion’s share of them are probably back on.”Evergy’s
 moratorium ended May 2. The investor-owned utility did not say how many
 households’ power it had disconnected in the last couple of weeks.&nbsp;In
 a statement, Penzig said Evergy was the first utility in the area to 
halt disconnections and outlined incentives the company offered to help 
customers catch up on their bills when it resumed shut-offs from July to
 November.&nbsp;“In
 February we announced that our disconnect moratorium would end on May 
2, giving customers plenty of notice to contact us to learn about 
assistance options and payment plans,” Penzig said. “We have directly 
communicated with customers by phone, email and mail about payment 
options and available community assistance. In addition we have used 
media outreach and social media to raise awareness about available help 
in the community and encourage customers to find assistance.”One of those customers is Brandy Granados, a Missouri resident who said she owes Evergy more than $600.&nbsp;Granados
 said she has struggled to balance work and caring for her son with 
Autism, whose school has alternated between in-person and virtual 
learning over the course of the pandemic.&nbsp;Now
 that her son is back in school, she can start working in-person, 
meaning she should be able to afford the necessities once her paychecks 
start rolling in.&nbsp;But
 she exhausted her last stimulus check and her income tax refund. 
Without it, she said she likely would have been homeless by March. And 
though she’s nearly out of the woods, she doesn’t know how she’s going 
to make it.&nbsp;“I don’t know what’s going to happen next month,” she said. “Hopefully I can find help one more time.”Allison Kite is a data reporter for The Missouri Independent and Kansas Reflector, with a focus on the environment and agriculture.

‘I have to go out and beg’: residents grapple with utility costs as shut-offs resume

KANSAS CITY (AP) —One man was killed and another was injured after both were struck Saturday by a pickup while walking the side of a roadway beneath the Lexington Bridge in Kansas City police said.

KANSAS CITY (AP) —One man was killed and another was injured after both were struck Saturday by a pickup while walking the side of a roadway beneath the Lexington Bridge in Kansas City police said.The Ford truck that hit the pedestrians then continued southbound before becoming involved in a collision with another vehicle, the Kansas City Police Department said in a news release.Police identified the pedestrian who died at the scene only as a 43-year-old Kansas City, Missouri, man. The other pedestrian was a 41-year-old man, also from Kansas City, who is listed in serious condition at a local hospital.The 38-year-old man who was driving the Ford pickup was taken to an area hospital where he is listed as stable. The driver of the other vehicle was unhurt.