By ALLISON WINTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/05/02/new-funding-to-curb-wildfires-pushed-in-congress-as-another-fire-season-looms/">Kansas Reflector</a>

WASHINGTON — As wildfires 
across the United States grow in size, intensity and duration each 
summer, members of Congress from the West are pushing for massive new 
investments in ecosystem management and wildfire mitigation.

With dry conditions across
 the country, 2021 could see significant fires. Currently Florida and 
parts of Kansas, Arizona, Minnesota and Montana are at high risk for 
“significant wildland fire potential,” according to a <a href="https://www.nifc.gov/fire-information/maps">forecast</a> from the National Interagency Fire Center.

Western states are in a period of moderate to “exceptional” drought, according to the <a href="https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/">U.S. Drought Monitor</a>. In Montana, over 60 percent of the state is facing drought conditions, according to a <a href="http://dnrc.mt.gov/divisions/water/management/docs/montana-water-supply-drought-outlook-report-spring-2021.pdf">report</a> Gov. Greg Gianforte released this week.

House lawmakers called for
 more attention to wildfire management and support for wildland 
firefighters at a hearing Thursday before a House Natural Resources 
Committee panel. It was just the second hearing this year for the 
Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands, and 
Subcommittee Chairman Joe Neguse (D-Colo.) said that early attention 
exemplifies the importance of the issue.

“For those of us that live
 in the West, wildfires are one of the most immediate and obvious 
impacts of climate change. Wildfires today are nearly a year-round risk,
 burning larger areas at a higher intensity. This is only projected to 
increase as the climate continues to warm,” Neguse said.

Neguse has an ambitious 
plan to create a Civilian Climate Corps, dedicated to bolstering 
wildfire prevention and managing forests. The Biden administration 
included $10 billion for the jobs plan in its massive infrastructure 
proposal, the <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/03/31/fact-sheet-the-american-jobs-plan/">American Jobs Plan</a>.

Natural Resources 
Committee Chairman Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.) said climate change and the 
higher risk of wildfire from drought is changing the decades-old debate 
on whether to manage wildfire risk with forest thinning.

“One of the issues in this
 committee has been it was always an either-or proposition when it comes
 to dealing with fire: Either you cut your way out of the problem or the
 other issue is that it is a phenomenon that cannot be controlled,” 
Grijalva said. “Climate change has changed that whole debate entirely.”

Grijalva said the Biden 
administration’s goals to reduce carbon emissions and create jobs offer 
new opportunities to move on legislation to support forest management 
and firefighters.

“Having this hearing is 
important as we address the Biden administration’s American Jobs Plan 
and what resources we can use to match the need,” Grijalva told 
lawmakers at the virtual hearing.

The issue is close to home
 for Neguse and other Westerners. The two largest wildfires in Colorado 
history both blazed through Neguse’s district last summer.

Wildfires provoked a year 
of devastating losses in 2020. More acres burned in Arizona in 2020 than
 the previous two years combined. Montana lost more structures to fire 
last year than it had since 2012.

Nevada had fewer fires than in recent summers but still issued air quality advisories due to California fires.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In total, wildfires burned about 10.3 million acres in the United States last year, according to <a href="https://www.nifc.gov/fireInfo/nfn.htm">the National Interagency Fire Center</a>, a government group dedicated to fire management. That was just a few thousand acres short of the record set in 2015.

It added to the 
significant toll of wildfires over the past 15 years. Since NIFC started
 its modern record-keeping of wildfires in 1983, there have been 10 
years when 8 million acres or more burned. All of those records occurred
 since 2004.

Riva Duncan, a retired 
fire staff officer for the Forest Service who now advocates for 
firefighters, said the firefighting season changed drastically in her 
years in federal service

“Over 30 years ago, when I
 started, the fire season was July and August … and it was not every 
year. There were some years with no big fires,” Duncan said. “The 
wildfire season today is closer to what we are starting to call a ‘fire 
year.’”

Wildfires are now beginning as early as March and continue until November.

Scientists say climate 
change amplifies the risk from wildfire, with less snowpack, changing 
precipitation patterns and plants that dry up during record heat waves.

Democrats and Republicans 
in Congress are in general agreement on the threat of wildfires and the 
need for better forest management.

But while Grijalva and 
other Democrats see an opportunity to move more aggressively because of 
climate change, that approach doesn’t sit well with some Republicans.

“Too frequently many of my
 friends on the other side of the aisle have blamed climate change for 
an ever-growing multitude of sins, including wildfires, while ignoring 
the real culprit of our present disaster,”&nbsp; Idaho Republican Russ 
Fulcher said at the hearing. “Decades of insufficient forest management,
 not climate change, have led to overgrown, diseased and dying forests.”

Fulcher and other 
Republicans blame the National Forest Service for the 68 million acres 
of high-risk forest in its care. They think the federal government 
should more actively manage its land and allow more timber companies to 
selectively harvest trees before they catch on fire.

The conflict comes with 
how much logging or “fuel reduction” the federal government should allow
 and for what types of trees. Larger trees are more valuable for timber 
companies. But environmental scientists favor selective thinning of 
small trees, seedlings and underbrush to manage for fire — a slow and 
more expensive process.

“Broadscale thinning of 
forest to manage for fire conflicts with climate goals, because the 
amount of carbon removed by thinning is much larger than that saved,” 
said Beverly Law, a professor emeritus at Oregon State University who 
studies carbon and forests. She recommended targeted removal of 
seedlings and saplings on high-risk land.

Earlier this year, Neguse and Utah Republican Rep. John Curtis <a href="https://www.nevadacurrent.com/blog/bipartisan-members-of-congress-launch-wildfire-caucus/">formed a bipartisan wildfire caucus</a> to try to reach consensus on the issue. Their press release did not mention climate change.

“I do think there are 
bipartisan solutions that can address the wildfire problems that are 
becoming so pervasive across the United States,” Neguse told colleagues 
at the hearing, after some Republican pushback on climate change. “I 
pledge to approach these questions in good faith, and we ought not to 
focus simply on what we need to do from a suppression standpoint.”

“Climate change, drought, 
we have to consider these as part of the larger equation and the impetus
 for why this is happening with such intensity,” Neguse said.

Lawmakers have floated numerous other bills dealing with wildfires.

For instance, a targeted <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/938/text">proposal</a>
 from Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.) would create an official job title of
 “wildland firefighter,” a distinction from the current practice of 
hiring people as “forest technicians” to fight fires for as little as 
$14 an hour.

LaMalfa said the bill, 
which he introduced in February with only three cosponsors, is a first 
step to getting more benefits for firefighters.

“Once we remedy that, we can get to the pay schedule. It’s one step at a time around here,” LaMalfa told the committee.

Allison Winter is a Washington, D.C., correspondent for States Newsroom, a network of state-based nonprofit news outlets that includes Kansas Reflector.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620062733694.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By ALLISON WINTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/05/02/new-funding-to-curb-wildfires-pushed-in-congress-as-another-fire-season-looms/">Kansas Reflector</a>WASHINGTON — As wildfires 
across the United States grow in size, intensity and duration each 
summer, members of Congress from the West are pushing for massive new 
investments in ecosystem management and wildfire mitigation.With dry conditions across
 the country, 2021 could see significant fires. Currently Florida and 
parts of Kansas, Arizona, Minnesota and Montana are at high risk for 
“significant wildland fire potential,” according to a <a href="https://www.nifc.gov/fire-information/maps">forecast</a> from the National Interagency Fire Center.Western states are in a period of moderate to “exceptional” drought, according to the <a href="https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/">U.S. Drought Monitor</a>. In Montana, over 60 percent of the state is facing drought conditions, according to a <a href="http://dnrc.mt.gov/divisions/water/management/docs/montana-water-supply-drought-outlook-report-spring-2021.pdf">report</a> Gov. Greg Gianforte released this week.House lawmakers called for
 more attention to wildfire management and support for wildland 
firefighters at a hearing Thursday before a House Natural Resources 
Committee panel. It was just the second hearing this year for the 
Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands, and 
Subcommittee Chairman Joe Neguse (D-Colo.) said that early attention 
exemplifies the importance of the issue.“For those of us that live
 in the West, wildfires are one of the most immediate and obvious 
impacts of climate change. Wildfires today are nearly a year-round risk,
 burning larger areas at a higher intensity. This is only projected to 
increase as the climate continues to warm,” Neguse said.Neguse has an ambitious 
plan to create a Civilian Climate Corps, dedicated to bolstering 
wildfire prevention and managing forests. The Biden administration 
included $10 billion for the jobs plan in its massive infrastructure 
proposal, the <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/03/31/fact-sheet-the-american-jobs-plan/">American Jobs Plan</a>.Natural Resources 
Committee Chairman Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.) said climate change and the 
higher risk of wildfire from drought is changing the decades-old debate 
on whether to manage wildfire risk with forest thinning.“One of the issues in this
 committee has been it was always an either-or proposition when it comes
 to dealing with fire: Either you cut your way out of the problem or the
 other issue is that it is a phenomenon that cannot be controlled,” 
Grijalva said. “Climate change has changed that whole debate entirely.”Grijalva said the Biden 
administration’s goals to reduce carbon emissions and create jobs offer 
new opportunities to move on legislation to support forest management 
and firefighters.“Having this hearing is 
important as we address the Biden administration’s American Jobs Plan 
and what resources we can use to match the need,” Grijalva told 
lawmakers at the virtual hearing.<h2>Dry, flammable conditions</h2>The issue is close to home
 for Neguse and other Westerners. The two largest wildfires in Colorado 
history both blazed through Neguse’s district last summer.Wildfires provoked a year 
of devastating losses in 2020. More acres burned in Arizona in 2020 than
 the previous two years combined. Montana lost more structures to fire 
last year than it had since 2012.Nevada had fewer fires than in recent summers but still issued air quality advisories due to California fires.&nbsp;&nbsp;In total, wildfires burned about 10.3 million acres in the United States last year, according to <a href="https://www.nifc.gov/fireInfo/nfn.htm">the National Interagency Fire Center</a>, a government group dedicated to fire management. That was just a few thousand acres short of the record set in 2015.It added to the 
significant toll of wildfires over the past 15 years. Since NIFC started
 its modern record-keeping of wildfires in 1983, there have been 10 
years when 8 million acres or more burned. All of those records occurred
 since 2004.Riva Duncan, a retired 
fire staff officer for the Forest Service who now advocates for 
firefighters, said the firefighting season changed drastically in her 
years in federal service“Over 30 years ago, when I
 started, the fire season was July and August … and it was not every 
year. There were some years with no big fires,” Duncan said. “The 
wildfire season today is closer to what we are starting to call a ‘fire 
year.’”Wildfires are now beginning as early as March and continue until November.Scientists say climate 
change amplifies the risk from wildfire, with less snowpack, changing 
precipitation patterns and plants that dry up during record heat waves.<h2>A conflict over climate change</h2>Democrats and Republicans 
in Congress are in general agreement on the threat of wildfires and the 
need for better forest management.But while Grijalva and 
other Democrats see an opportunity to move more aggressively because of 
climate change, that approach doesn’t sit well with some Republicans.“Too frequently many of my
 friends on the other side of the aisle have blamed climate change for 
an ever-growing multitude of sins, including wildfires, while ignoring 
the real culprit of our present disaster,”&nbsp; Idaho Republican Russ 
Fulcher said at the hearing. “Decades of insufficient forest management,
 not climate change, have led to overgrown, diseased and dying forests.”Fulcher and other 
Republicans blame the National Forest Service for the 68 million acres 
of high-risk forest in its care. They think the federal government 
should more actively manage its land and allow more timber companies to 
selectively harvest trees before they catch on fire.The conflict comes with 
how much logging or “fuel reduction” the federal government should allow
 and for what types of trees. Larger trees are more valuable for timber 
companies. But environmental scientists favor selective thinning of 
small trees, seedlings and underbrush to manage for fire — a slow and 
more expensive process.“Broadscale thinning of 
forest to manage for fire conflicts with climate goals, because the 
amount of carbon removed by thinning is much larger than that saved,” 
said Beverly Law, a professor emeritus at Oregon State University who 
studies carbon and forests. She recommended targeted removal of 
seedlings and saplings on high-risk land.Earlier this year, Neguse and Utah Republican Rep. John Curtis <a href="https://www.nevadacurrent.com/blog/bipartisan-members-of-congress-launch-wildfire-caucus/">formed a bipartisan wildfire caucus</a> to try to reach consensus on the issue. Their press release did not mention climate change.“I do think there are 
bipartisan solutions that can address the wildfire problems that are 
becoming so pervasive across the United States,” Neguse told colleagues 
at the hearing, after some Republican pushback on climate change. “I 
pledge to approach these questions in good faith, and we ought not to 
focus simply on what we need to do from a suppression standpoint.”“Climate change, drought, 
we have to consider these as part of the larger equation and the impetus
 for why this is happening with such intensity,” Neguse said.Lawmakers have floated numerous other bills dealing with wildfires.For instance, a targeted <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/938/text">proposal</a>
 from Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.) would create an official job title of
 “wildland firefighter,” a distinction from the current practice of 
hiring people as “forest technicians” to fight fires for as little as 
$14 an hour.LaMalfa said the bill, 
which he introduced in February with only three cosponsors, is a first 
step to getting more benefits for firefighters.“Once we remedy that, we can get to the pay schedule. It’s one step at a time around here,” LaMalfa told the committee.Allison Winter is a Washington, D.C., correspondent for States Newsroom, a network of state-based nonprofit news outlets that includes Kansas Reflector.

New funding to curb wildfires pushed in Congress, as fire season looms

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Vaccinations to protect the public from COVID-19 slowed last month in Kansas, even as more contagious variants of the coronavirus surged and hospitalizations from the disease rose in the state, according Kansas health officials.

Kansas Department of Health and Environment numbers show about 91,000 fewer people received first doses of the available vaccines in April than in March.

 There were 520 new hospitalizations and 157 new ICU admissions in April, compared with 438 new hospitalizations and 150 new ICU admissions in March, officials said.

“Almost exclusively, the answer is those needing hospitalized are un-vaccinated,” Dr. David Wild with the University of Kansas Health System said Friday.

Statewide, children account for a growing share of the new cases. Of the more than 6,750 new cases in April, more than 1 in 5 were patients younger than 18, according to health department numbers. Children accounted for about 12% of all cases in March.

Meanwhile, confirmed variant cases nearly tripled over the last three weeks of April, officials said.

Officials did see a decrease in deaths from COVID-19 in April, at 69, compared with 170 deaths in March.

Since the beginning of the pandemic last year, Kansas has seen more than 309,000 coronavirus cases and nearly 5,000 deaths. By April 30, there were more than 1.9 million COVID-19 vaccine doses administered out of nearly 2.58 million doses distributed to the state, state figures showed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620073236885.png" alt="hCOV-19 tracking of variants. As of Monday Kansas reported 408 and there were 436 in Missouri -image courtesy GISAID" />
 <figcaption>hCOV-19 tracking of variants. As of Monday Kansas reported 408 and there were 436 in Missouri -image courtesy GISAID</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Vaccinations to protect the public from COVID-19 slowed last month in Kansas, even as more contagious variants of the coronavirus surged and hospitalizations from the disease rose in the state, according Kansas health officials.Kansas Department of Health and Environment numbers show about 91,000 fewer people received first doses of the available vaccines in April than in March. There were 520 new hospitalizations and 157 new ICU admissions in April, compared with 438 new hospitalizations and 150 new ICU admissions in March, officials said.“Almost exclusively, the answer is those needing hospitalized are un-vaccinated,” Dr. David Wild with the University of Kansas Health System said Friday.Statewide, children account for a growing share of the new cases. Of the more than 6,750 new cases in April, more than 1 in 5 were patients younger than 18, according to health department numbers. Children accounted for about 12% of all cases in March.Meanwhile, confirmed variant cases nearly tripled over the last three weeks of April, officials said.Officials did see a decrease in deaths from COVID-19 in April, at 69, compared with 170 deaths in March.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620061406952.png" alt="Monday May 3, 2021 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Monday May 3, 2021 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>Since the beginning of the pandemic last year, Kansas has seen more than 309,000 coronavirus cases and nearly 5,000 deaths. By April 30, there were more than 1.9 million COVID-19 vaccine doses administered out of nearly 2.58 million doses distributed to the state, state figures showed.

Coronavirus variants surge, vaccines slow in Kansas

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — One of the jurors who convicted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chauvin-jurors-george-floyd-c35cff601d97deb328c0fcafe121367b">Derek Chauvin in the murder of George Floyd&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;is&nbsp;defending his participation in a protest last summer in Washington, D.C., following online speculation about his motives for serving on the jury and whether it might be grounds for appeal.

A photo, posted on social media, shows Brandon Mitchell, who is Black, attending the Aug. 28 event to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-race-and-ethnicity-ny-state-wire-dc-wire-ahmaud-arbery-e99f9bfcca9cb388054486fa41192194">commemorate Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech</a>&nbsp;during the 1963 March on Washington. Floyd’s brother and sister, Philonise and Bridgett Floyd, and relatives of others who have been shot by police addressed the crowd.

It shows Mitchell standing with two cousins and wearing a T-shirt with a picture of King and the words, “GET YOUR KNEE OFF OUR NECKS” and “BLM,” for Black Lives Matter. Chauvin knelt on Floyd’s neck for 9 minutes, 29 seconds last May as Floyd said repeatedly that he couldn’t breathe.

Mitchell, 31, acknowledged being at the event and that his uncle posted the photo, but said he doesn’t recall wearing or owning the shirt.

Mitchell was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/derek-chauvin-convicted-george-floyd-killing-d93d1f9fc61a5261e179240dc16924dc">one of 12 jurors who convicted Chauvin&nbsp;</a>of second- and third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Mitchell, the first juror to go public, spoke to several media outlets last week,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chauvin-jurors-george-floyd-c35cff601d97deb328c0fcafe121367b">including The Associated Press</a>.

“I’d never been to D.C.,” Mitchell said of his reasons for attending the event. “The opportunity to go to D.C., the opportunity to be around thousands and thousands of Black people; I just thought it was a good opportunity to be a part of something.”

Mitchell and Chauvin’s attorney, Eric Nelson, have not returned messages from The Associated Press seeking comment.

Mike Brandt, a Minneapolis defense attorney not involved in the case, told the AP the revelation alone wasn’t nearly enough to overturn Chauvin’s conviction, but it could be combined with other issues — the announcement of a massive civil settlement to Floyd’s family during jury selection, the shooting of Daunte Wright, the judge’s refusal to move the trial — in an appeal to say Chauvin was denied a fair trial.

Ted Sampsell-Jones, a professor at the Mitchell Hamline School of Law, told the AP that the photo of Mitchell was “evidence that Chauvin can point to in order to establish that his right to an impartial jury was denied.”

He added: “Speaking frankly, Chauvin did not have a fully impartial jury in the sense we usually give criminal defendants. That wasn’t the fault of the judge or the prosecutors, it was simply a function of the incredible publicity and public pressure” surrounding the trial.

Mitchell said he answered “no” to two questions about demonstrations on the questionnaire sent out before jury selection.

The first question asked: “Did you, or someone close to you, participate in any of the demonstrations or marches against police brutality that took place in Minneapolis after George Floyd’s death?” The second asked: “Other than what you have already described above, have you, or anyone close to you, participated in protests about police use of force or police brutality?”

Mitchell told Nelson during jury selection that he had a “very favorable” opinion of Black Lives Matter, that he knew some police officers at his gym who are “great guys,” and that he felt neutral about Blue Lives Matter, a pro-police group. He also said he had watched clips of bystander video of Floyd being pinned and had wondered why three other officers at the scene didn’t intervene.

Mitchell told the Star Tribune that last summer’s protest was “100% not” a march for Floyd.

“It was directly related to MLK’s March on Washington from the ’60s … The date of the March on Washington is the date … It was literally called the anniversary of the March on Washington,” he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618953264612.png" alt="Ex-officer Derek Chauvin is handcuffed moments after the judge read the guilty verdict&nbsp; on April 20-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Ex-officer Derek Chauvin is handcuffed moments after the judge read the guilty verdict&nbsp; on April 20-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — One of the jurors who convicted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chauvin-jurors-george-floyd-c35cff601d97deb328c0fcafe121367b">Derek Chauvin in the murder of George Floyd&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;is&nbsp;defending his participation in a protest last summer in Washington, D.C., following online speculation about his motives for serving on the jury and whether it might be grounds for appeal.A photo, posted on social media, shows Brandon Mitchell, who is Black, attending the Aug. 28 event to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-race-and-ethnicity-ny-state-wire-dc-wire-ahmaud-arbery-e99f9bfcca9cb388054486fa41192194">commemorate Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech</a>&nbsp;during the 1963 March on Washington. Floyd’s brother and sister, Philonise and Bridgett Floyd, and relatives of others who have been shot by police addressed the crowd.That photo recently recirculated online.It shows Mitchell standing with two cousins and wearing a T-shirt with a picture of King and the words, “GET YOUR KNEE OFF OUR NECKS” and “BLM,” for Black Lives Matter. Chauvin knelt on Floyd’s neck for 9 minutes, 29 seconds last May as Floyd said repeatedly that he couldn’t breathe.Mitchell, 31, acknowledged being at the event and that his uncle posted the photo, but said he doesn’t recall wearing or owning the shirt.Mitchell was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/derek-chauvin-convicted-george-floyd-killing-d93d1f9fc61a5261e179240dc16924dc">one of 12 jurors who convicted Chauvin&nbsp;</a>of second- and third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Mitchell, the first juror to go public, spoke to several media outlets last week,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chauvin-jurors-george-floyd-c35cff601d97deb328c0fcafe121367b">including The Associated Press</a>.“I’d never been to D.C.,” Mitchell said of his reasons for attending the event. “The opportunity to go to D.C., the opportunity to be around thousands and thousands of Black people; I just thought it was a good opportunity to be a part of something.”Mitchell and Chauvin’s attorney, Eric Nelson, have not returned messages from The Associated Press seeking comment.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619012623324.png" alt="Chauvin booking photo following the verdict-photo Minnesota Dpt. of Corrections" />
 <figcaption>Chauvin booking photo following the verdict-photo Minnesota Dpt. of Corrections</figcaption>
 </figure>Mike Brandt, a Minneapolis defense attorney not involved in the case, told the AP the revelation alone wasn’t nearly enough to overturn Chauvin’s conviction, but it could be combined with other issues — the announcement of a massive civil settlement to Floyd’s family during jury selection, the shooting of Daunte Wright, the judge’s refusal to move the trial — in an appeal to say Chauvin was denied a fair trial.Ted Sampsell-Jones, a professor at the Mitchell Hamline School of Law, told the AP that the photo of Mitchell was “evidence that Chauvin can point to in order to establish that his right to an impartial jury was denied.”He added: “Speaking frankly, Chauvin did not have a fully impartial jury in the sense we usually give criminal defendants. That wasn’t the fault of the judge or the prosecutors, it was simply a function of the incredible publicity and public pressure” surrounding the trial.Mitchell said he answered “no” to two questions about demonstrations on the questionnaire sent out before jury selection.The first question asked: “Did you, or someone close to you, participate in any of the demonstrations or marches against police brutality that took place in Minneapolis after George Floyd’s death?” The second asked: “Other than what you have already described above, have you, or anyone close to you, participated in protests about police use of force or police brutality?”Mitchell told Nelson during jury selection that he had a “very favorable” opinion of Black Lives Matter, that he knew some police officers at his gym who are “great guys,” and that he felt neutral about Blue Lives Matter, a pro-police group. He also said he had watched clips of bystander video of Floyd being pinned and had wondered why three other officers at the scene didn’t intervene.He said he could be neutral at trial.Mitchell told the Star Tribune that last summer’s protest was “100% not” a march for Floyd.“It was directly related to MLK’s March on Washington from the ’60s … The date of the March on Washington is the date … It was literally called the anniversary of the March on Washington,” he said.

George Floyd trial juror who attended rally may jeopardize guilty verdict

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Two men have been charged with second-degree murder after their accomplice in a home invasion and robbery attempt in suburban Kansas City was shot and killed by a resident in the home, prosecutors said.

Antonio Johnson, 18, and Andre Mays Jr., 19, were charged following the fatal shooting Wednesday of 17-year-old Elijah Lockhart.

Police said the three were trying to force their way into an Independence home around 2 a.m. Wednesday when they were confronted by the home’s residents.

Police said Lockhart pointed a gun at one of the residents, who then shot the teen. Lockhart was later found dead outside the house.

Johnson and Mays have also been charged with first-degree attempted robbery and armed criminal action, prosecutors said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620068523962.png" alt="Mays photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Mays photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — Two men have been charged with second-degree murder after their accomplice in a home invasion and robbery attempt in suburban Kansas City was shot and killed by a resident in the home, prosecutors said.Antonio Johnson, 18, and Andre Mays Jr., 19, were charged following the fatal shooting Wednesday of 17-year-old Elijah Lockhart.Police said the three were trying to force their way into an Independence home around 2 a.m. Wednesday when they were confronted by the home’s residents.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620068672765.png" alt="Johnson photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Johnson photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Police said Lockhart pointed a gun at one of the residents, who then shot the teen. Lockhart was later found dead outside the house.Johnson and Mays have also been charged with first-degree attempted robbery and armed criminal action, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors: Teens charged for robbery, accomplice killed by homeowner

GEARY COUNTY —The Junction City /Geary County Drug Operations Group is waring the public about OxyContin pills laced with fentanyl, according to a media release from the organization.

 The pills are round, blue in color, and stamped with an "M" and "30."&nbsp; Area law enforcement have seen an increase in these pills laced with fentanyl which is 50 to 100 times more potent than Morphine.&nbsp;

Often these pills are mistaken for prescription medication, but they are counterfeit pills pressed to resemble prescription OxyContin.

Police said that the lack of quality control used when the pills are pressed leads to high amounts of fentanyl in certain pills and often to an overdose death of the person taking the pill. These pills have led to countless overdoses and deaths throughout the nation.

Police asked that you inform your friends and family about the dangers associated with taking these pills. Only take pills prescribed for you by a doctor and that are purchased from an actual pharmacy.

If anyone has information regarding these pills call the Junction City Police Department at 785-762-5912, or Crime Stoppers tip line at 785-762-8477. You can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward.&nbsp;

GEARY COUNTY —The Junction City /Geary County Drug Operations Group is waring the public about OxyContin pills laced with fentanyl, according to a media release from the organization. The pills are round, blue in color, and stamped with an "M" and "30."&nbsp; Area law enforcement have seen an increase in these pills laced with fentanyl which is 50 to 100 times more potent than Morphine.&nbsp;Often these pills are mistaken for prescription medication, but they are counterfeit pills pressed to resemble prescription OxyContin.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620077726771.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Police said that the lack of quality control used when the pills are pressed leads to high amounts of fentanyl in certain pills and often to an overdose death of the person taking the pill. These pills have led to countless overdoses and deaths throughout the nation.Police asked that you inform your friends and family about the dangers associated with taking these pills. Only take pills prescribed for you by a doctor and that are purchased from an actual pharmacy.If anyone has information regarding these pills call the Junction City Police Department at 785-762-5912, or Crime Stoppers tip line at 785-762-8477. You can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward.&nbsp;

Police warn of more counterfeit Oxycodone with Fentanyl in Kansas

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects after a high speed chase in Shawnee County.

Just after 3 a.m. Monday, a sheriff’s deputy attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a red Chevy Aveo for an equipment violation near the intersection of SW Topeka Boulevard and University Boulevard, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

 The driver failed to stop for the deputy, initiating a pursuit. The Chevy Aveo traveled south on SW Topeka Boulevard and then west on Gary Ormsby Drive. The pursuit continued west on SW 77th Street and north on SW Wanamaker Road when a deputy completed a controlled vehicle intervention maneuver which ended the pursuit.

The driver, James A. Frye, 25, Emporia, was transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested&nbsp;charges of Flee or attempt to elude; avoid tire deflating device (felony), Reckless driving, Defective headlamps, Possession of stolen property; value less than $1500, Driving while suspended; misdemeanor and Other driving violations, according to Christian.

The passenger, Sarah L. Utech, 33, of Emporia, was booked into jail on requested charges that include Possession of methamphetamine and Possession of drug paraphernalia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620072409742.png" alt="Frye photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Frye photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects after a high speed chase in Shawnee County.Just after 3 a.m. Monday, a sheriff’s deputy attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a red Chevy Aveo for an equipment violation near the intersection of SW Topeka Boulevard and University Boulevard, according to Deputy Abigail Christian. The driver failed to stop for the deputy, initiating a pursuit. The Chevy Aveo traveled south on SW Topeka Boulevard and then west on Gary Ormsby Drive. The pursuit continued west on SW 77th Street and north on SW Wanamaker Road when a deputy completed a controlled vehicle intervention maneuver which ended the pursuit.The driver, James A. Frye, 25, Emporia, was transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested&nbsp;charges of Flee or attempt to elude; avoid tire deflating device (felony), Reckless driving, Defective headlamps, Possession of stolen property; value less than $1500, Driving while suspended; misdemeanor and Other driving violations, according to Christian.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620072301558.png" alt="Utech-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Utech-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>The passenger, Sarah L. Utech, 33, of Emporia, was booked into jail on requested charges that include Possession of methamphetamine and Possession of drug paraphernalia.

Sheriff: Kansas couple jailed after high-speed chase

BY DAN MARGOLIES <a href="https://www.kcur.org/health/2021-05-03/ransomware-attack-on-midwest-transplant-network-affects-more-than-17-000">Kansas News Service</a>

Families of organ, eye and tissue donors are receiving letters this 
week from the Midwest Transplant Network informing them of a data breach
 affecting more than 17,000 individuals.

The breach, a malicious 
ransomware attack, occurred in February and locked Midwest Transplant 
Network out of its files for a brief period before it was able to regain
 access.

According to the letter, which was sent out on Friday, 
the ransomware attackers were able to obtain some personal health 
information about deceased donors and organ recipients, including names,
 dates of birth and types of organ donation or transplantation 
procedures.

“As soon as we learned about the data security 
incident on Feb. 11, we began working with a team of security experts to
 quickly halt the unauthorized access,” said Michala Stoker, a 
spokeswoman for Midwest Transplant Network. “We also notified the FBI 
and we continue to communicate and work with them regularly.”

Stoker was unable to say whether Midwest Transplant Network paid a ransom in order to regain access to its files.

“That’s technical information that I’m unable to answer,” she said.

The
 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services defines ransomware as a 
type of malicious software that “attempts to deny access to a user’s 
data, usually by encrypting the data with a key known only to the hacker
 who deployed the malware, until a ransom is paid.”

Health care 
organizations have been particularly ripe targets for ransomware 
attacks, according to Beazley, an insurer that provides cyber coverage 
for hospitals and other clients.

Truman Medical Centers in Kansas City <a href="https://www.kcur.org/health/2019-08-07/truman-medical-centers-paid-ransomware-attackers-to-unlock-its-computer-system" target="_blank">got hit with a ransomware attack</a> about two years ago, locking the hospital network out of parts of its computer system.

Truman said it agreed to pay the attackers “a small amount” to regain access to unlock the data.

And a ransomware attack about three years ago <a href="https://www.kcur.org/health/2018-08-03/ransomware-attack-at-blue-springs-medical-practice-exposes-45-000-patient-records" target="_blank">targeted Blue Springs Family Care</a>
 in Blue Springs, Mo., affecting nearly 45,000 patients. The medical 
practice did not pay a ransom and was able to regain access to its 
system by using backups, according to a spokeswoman for the practice.

Stoker
 said Midwest Transplant Network had no reason to believe the 
cyberattackers sold or otherwise distributed the data they obtained. But
 the network has, “out of an abundance of caution,” contracted with 
cybersecurity firm Kroll to address inquiries about the incident.

Stoker said that following the attack, “We were able to continue to do our life-saving work.”

She
 said the letter informing families of the attack only went out last 
week because “we wanted to make sure we got a correct list of those 
individuals who had been impacted.”

“It wasn’t something that just
 happened overnight,” Stoker said. “We needed to continue to work with 
authorities, and we also wanted to make sure that all of our information
 was safe and secure, so that was a priority.”

Midwest Transplant 
Network is based in the Kansas City suburb of Westwood, Kansas. 
Established in 1973, it provides laboratory, organ procurement and 
tissue recovery services.

In 2019, it was responsible for transplanting 929 organs from a total of 282 organ donors, <a href="https://mwtn.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/MTN-Annual-Report-2019-9x23-75-FINAL_web.pdf" target="_blank">according to its 2019 annual report</a>, the last one available. It also oversaw eye and tissue donations from a total of 1,896 donors.

Dan Margolies is senior reporter and editor at KCUR. He can be reached by email at dan@kcur.org or on Twitter @DanMargolies.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620062501408.png" alt="Midwest Transplant Network sent a letter to families notifying them that it suffered a ransomware attack in February. Carlos Moreno / KCUR 89.3" />
 <figcaption>Midwest Transplant Network sent a letter to families notifying them that it suffered a ransomware attack in February. Carlos Moreno / KCUR 89.3</figcaption>
 </figure>BY DAN MARGOLIES <a href="https://www.kcur.org/health/2021-05-03/ransomware-attack-on-midwest-transplant-network-affects-more-than-17-000">Kansas News Service</a>Families of organ, eye and tissue donors are receiving letters this 
week from the Midwest Transplant Network informing them of a data breach
 affecting more than 17,000 individuals.The breach, a malicious 
ransomware attack, occurred in February and locked Midwest Transplant 
Network out of its files for a brief period before it was able to regain
 access.According to the letter, which was sent out on Friday, 
the ransomware attackers were able to obtain some personal health 
information about deceased donors and organ recipients, including names,
 dates of birth and types of organ donation or transplantation 
procedures.“As soon as we learned about the data security 
incident on Feb. 11, we began working with a team of security experts to
 quickly halt the unauthorized access,” said Michala Stoker, a 
spokeswoman for Midwest Transplant Network. “We also notified the FBI 
and we continue to communicate and work with them regularly.”Stoker was unable to say whether Midwest Transplant Network paid a ransom in order to regain access to its files.“That’s technical information that I’m unable to answer,” she said.The
 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services defines ransomware as a 
type of malicious software that “attempts to deny access to a user’s 
data, usually by encrypting the data with a key known only to the hacker
 who deployed the malware, until a ransom is paid.”Health care 
organizations have been particularly ripe targets for ransomware 
attacks, according to Beazley, an insurer that provides cyber coverage 
for hospitals and other clients.Truman Medical Centers in Kansas City <a href="https://www.kcur.org/health/2019-08-07/truman-medical-centers-paid-ransomware-attackers-to-unlock-its-computer-system" target="_blank">got hit with a ransomware attack</a> about two years ago, locking the hospital network out of parts of its computer system.Truman said it agreed to pay the attackers “a small amount” to regain access to unlock the data.And a ransomware attack about three years ago <a href="https://www.kcur.org/health/2018-08-03/ransomware-attack-at-blue-springs-medical-practice-exposes-45-000-patient-records" target="_blank">targeted Blue Springs Family Care</a>
 in Blue Springs, Mo., affecting nearly 45,000 patients. The medical 
practice did not pay a ransom and was able to regain access to its 
system by using backups, according to a spokeswoman for the practice.Stoker
 said Midwest Transplant Network had no reason to believe the 
cyberattackers sold or otherwise distributed the data they obtained. But
 the network has, “out of an abundance of caution,” contracted with 
cybersecurity firm Kroll to address inquiries about the incident.Stoker said that following the attack, “We were able to continue to do our life-saving work.”She
 said the letter informing families of the attack only went out last 
week because “we wanted to make sure we got a correct list of those 
individuals who had been impacted.”“It wasn’t something that just
 happened overnight,” Stoker said. “We needed to continue to work with 
authorities, and we also wanted to make sure that all of our information
 was safe and secure, so that was a priority.”Midwest Transplant 
Network is based in the Kansas City suburb of Westwood, Kansas. 
Established in 1973, it provides laboratory, organ procurement and 
tissue recovery services.In 2019, it was responsible for transplanting 929 organs from a total of 282 organ donors, <a href="https://mwtn.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/MTN-Annual-Report-2019-9x23-75-FINAL_web.pdf" target="_blank">according to its 2019 annual report</a>, the last one available. It also oversaw eye and tissue donations from a total of 1,896 donors.Dan Margolies is senior reporter and editor at KCUR. He can be reached by email at dan@kcur.org or on Twitter @DanMargolies.&nbsp;

Ransomware attack on Midwest Transplant Network affects more than 17,000

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican lawmakers on Monday cut Kansas’ income taxes, lowered the age for carrying a concealed gun and tightened state election laws by overriding Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s vetoes of those measures.

A series of votes in the GOP-controlled Legislature demonstrated that its Republican supermajorities can control policy — and push the state back to the right — if they hold together. Centrist and left-of-center activists took Kelly’s election in 2018 as a sign that voters were repudiating conservative management of state government, but elections in 2020 moved the Legislature to the right.

“They listened to folks back home,” House Speaker Tem Blaine Finch, an Ottawa Republican, said of GOP lawmakers. “It’s because of, really, the grassroots in their communities telling (them), ‘Hey, this is important to us.’”

But Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, a Lenexa Democrat, derided the “veto override-a-rama.”

“Today leaves no doubt: The Kansas Legislature is more extreme than ever,” she said in a statement.

Republican leaders realized their goal of tax relief for individuals and businesses that have been paying more in state income taxes because of changes in federal tax laws at the end of 2017. The measure will save Kansas taxpayers about $284 million over three years.

The vote to override&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-personal-taxes-legislature-kansas-topeka-2aea37a50e6e51ab194cd2d8824ff9d5">Kelly’s veto</a>&nbsp;was&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/vote_view/je_20210503121841_592761/" target="_blank">30-10</a>&nbsp;in the Senate, giving GOP leaders three votes more than the two-thirds majority needed. The House vote was&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/vote_view/je_20210503125012_824360/" target="_blank">84-39,</a>&nbsp;the exact number of required yes votes.

A key change will allow people to claim itemized deductions on their state returns even if they don’t on their federal returns. The federal tax changes in 2017 discouraged itemizing, making some Kansans unable to itemize on their state returns.

“This bill corrects a huge injustice for our middle-income taxpayers,” said Republican Sen. Jeff Longbine, of Emporia.

Democrats criticized the bill because it also contained tax relief for some large businesses. Kelly vetoed two tax-cutting bills in 2019, and she called this year’s bill “reckless” and “short-sighted.”

She suggested Republicans were moving back toward a nationally notorious tax-cutting experiment in 2012 and 2013 under then-GOP Gov. Sam Brownback. Those cuts were followed by persistent budget shortfalls and were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/e4f794cd96cb488cb04ab1cd48b1458d">mostly repealed</a>&nbsp;in 2017.

“It’s as if legislative leaders want to return to the days of budget crises,” Kelly said in a statement. “I’ve never met a Kansan who wants that.”

The Legislature overrode&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bills-kansas-gun-politics-b3a1c6c30612943fa483430b5908e715">Kelly’s veto</a>&nbsp;of a bill that would create a special concealed carry permit for 18-, 19- and 20-year-olds, and that’s a major victory for gun-rights advocates. The state already allows people 21 and older to carry concealed guns without a permit and adults can carry them openly, but Kelly’s election had advocates of tougher gun laws hoping for a roll back of Kansas’ generally loose policies.

The votes were&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/vote_view/je_20210503121657_35787" target="_blank">84-39</a>&nbsp;in the House and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/vote_view/je_20210503155958_316093/" target="_blank">31-8</a>&nbsp;in the Senate. The measure also expands Kansas’ recognition of other states’ concealed carry permits.

Republicans overturned Kelly’s veto of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legislature-kansas-voting-rights-elections-coronavirus-pandemic-86f785d899956466948b4601954ce83c">an elections bill making it harder&nbsp;</a>for individuals and groups to collect absentee ballots and deliver them for voters. It will be a misdemeanor for someone to collect and return more than 10 ballots.

The votes were&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/vote_view/je_20210503120229_673047/" target="_blank">85-38</a>&nbsp;in the House and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/vote_view/je_20210503155158_957968/" target="_blank">28-12</a>&nbsp;in the Senate.

GOP lawmakers said they are preventing fraud, arguing that the more people who handle absentee ballots, the more likely those ballots are to go missing or be altered.

“Having someone cherry pick whose ballot gets picked up and turned in is not appropriate,” Finch said.

But Republicans are curbing a practice used by some Democrats and Democratic-leaning groups for decades to help disabled, elderly and poor voters.

“We should be making it easier for people to legitimately vote,” said Rep. Brett Parker, an Overland Park Democrat.

Republicans also overrode Kelly’s veto of&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/summary_hb_2166_2021" target="_blank">a bill&nbsp;</a>expanding the number of specialty license plates available to drivers willing to pay an extra fee. The votes were&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/vote_view/je_20210503114252_656759/" target="_blank">86-37</a>&nbsp;in the House and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/vote_view/je_20210503155003_019507/" target="_blank">28-12</a>&nbsp;in the Senate.

The governor and other Democrats objected to a provision allowing a special plate featuring a coiled snake and a “Don’t Tread on Me” slogan. They’re featured on what’s known as the Gadsen flag, after its Revolutionary War-era creator, who owned a wharf where an estimated 100,000 African slaves arrived. Critics also see the flag as a symbol of white supremacist and alt-right groups.

Supporters of the bill rejected those associations. The money raised by the $25 fee would go to the Kansas State Rifle Association.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620066321597.png" alt="The measure will save Kansas taxpayers about $284 million over three years. The vote to override&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-personal-taxes-legislature-kansas-topeka-2aea37a50e6e51ab194cd2d8824ff9d5">Kelly’s veto</a>&nbsp;on taxes was&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/vote_view/je_20210503121841_592761/" target="_blank">30-10</a>&nbsp;in the Senate." />
 <figcaption>The measure will save Kansas taxpayers about $284 million over three years. The vote to override&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-personal-taxes-legislature-kansas-topeka-2aea37a50e6e51ab194cd2d8824ff9d5">Kelly’s veto</a>&nbsp;on taxes was&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/vote_view/je_20210503121841_592761/" target="_blank">30-10</a>&nbsp;in the Senate.</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNA and ANDY TSUBASA FIELDTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican lawmakers on Monday cut Kansas’ income taxes, lowered the age for carrying a concealed gun and tightened state election laws by overriding Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s vetoes of those measures.A series of votes in the GOP-controlled Legislature demonstrated that its Republican supermajorities can control policy — and push the state back to the right — if they hold together. Centrist and left-of-center activists took Kelly’s election in 2018 as a sign that voters were repudiating conservative management of state government, but elections in 2020 moved the Legislature to the right.“They listened to folks back home,” House Speaker Tem Blaine Finch, an Ottawa Republican, said of GOP lawmakers. “It’s because of, really, the grassroots in their communities telling (them), ‘Hey, this is important to us.’”But Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, a Lenexa Democrat, derided the “veto override-a-rama.”“Today leaves no doubt: The Kansas Legislature is more extreme than ever,” she said in a statement.Republican leaders realized their goal of tax relief for individuals and businesses that have been paying more in state income taxes because of changes in federal tax laws at the end of 2017. The measure will save Kansas taxpayers about $284 million over three years.The vote to override&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-personal-taxes-legislature-kansas-topeka-2aea37a50e6e51ab194cd2d8824ff9d5">Kelly’s veto</a>&nbsp;was&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/vote_view/je_20210503121841_592761/" target="_blank">30-10</a>&nbsp;in the Senate, giving GOP leaders three votes more than the two-thirds majority needed. The House vote was&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/vote_view/je_20210503125012_824360/" target="_blank">84-39,</a>&nbsp;the exact number of required yes votes.A key change will allow people to claim itemized deductions on their state returns even if they don’t on their federal returns. The federal tax changes in 2017 discouraged itemizing, making some Kansans unable to itemize on their state returns.“This bill corrects a huge injustice for our middle-income taxpayers,” said Republican Sen. Jeff Longbine, of Emporia.Democrats criticized the bill because it also contained tax relief for some large businesses. Kelly vetoed two tax-cutting bills in 2019, and she called this year’s bill “reckless” and “short-sighted.”She suggested Republicans were moving back toward a nationally notorious tax-cutting experiment in 2012 and 2013 under then-GOP Gov. Sam Brownback. Those cuts were followed by persistent budget shortfalls and were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/e4f794cd96cb488cb04ab1cd48b1458d">mostly repealed</a>&nbsp;in 2017.“It’s as if legislative leaders want to return to the days of budget crises,” Kelly said in a statement. “I’ve never met a Kansan who wants that.”The Legislature overrode&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bills-kansas-gun-politics-b3a1c6c30612943fa483430b5908e715">Kelly’s veto</a>&nbsp;of a bill that would create a special concealed carry permit for 18-, 19- and 20-year-olds, and that’s a major victory for gun-rights advocates. The state already allows people 21 and older to carry concealed guns without a permit and adults can carry them openly, but Kelly’s election had advocates of tougher gun laws hoping for a roll back of Kansas’ generally loose policies.The votes were&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/vote_view/je_20210503121657_35787" target="_blank">84-39</a>&nbsp;in the House and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/vote_view/je_20210503155958_316093/" target="_blank">31-8</a>&nbsp;in the Senate. The measure also expands Kansas’ recognition of other states’ concealed carry permits.Republicans overturned Kelly’s veto of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legislature-kansas-voting-rights-elections-coronavirus-pandemic-86f785d899956466948b4601954ce83c">an elections bill making it harder&nbsp;</a>for individuals and groups to collect absentee ballots and deliver them for voters. It will be a misdemeanor for someone to collect and return more than 10 ballots.The votes were&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/vote_view/je_20210503120229_673047/" target="_blank">85-38</a>&nbsp;in the House and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/vote_view/je_20210503155158_957968/" target="_blank">28-12</a>&nbsp;in the Senate.GOP lawmakers said they are preventing fraud, arguing that the more people who handle absentee ballots, the more likely those ballots are to go missing or be altered.“Having someone cherry pick whose ballot gets picked up and turned in is not appropriate,” Finch said.But Republicans are curbing a practice used by some Democrats and Democratic-leaning groups for decades to help disabled, elderly and poor voters.“We should be making it easier for people to legitimately vote,” said Rep. Brett Parker, an Overland Park Democrat.Republicans also overrode Kelly’s veto of&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/summary_hb_2166_2021" target="_blank">a bill&nbsp;</a>expanding the number of specialty license plates available to drivers willing to pay an extra fee. The votes were&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/vote_view/je_20210503114252_656759/" target="_blank">86-37</a>&nbsp;in the House and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/vote_view/je_20210503155003_019507/" target="_blank">28-12</a>&nbsp;in the Senate.The governor and other Democrats objected to a provision allowing a special plate featuring a coiled snake and a “Don’t Tread on Me” slogan. They’re featured on what’s known as the Gadsen flag, after its Revolutionary War-era creator, who owned a wharf where an estimated 100,000 African slaves arrived. Critics also see the flag as a symbol of white supremacist and alt-right groups.Supporters of the bill rejected those associations. The money raised by the $25 fee would go to the Kansas State Rifle Association.

'Veto override-a-rama': Kan. lawmakers cut income taxes, tighten election laws

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating Sunday shooting and have made two arrests.

Just before 3a.m., Sunday police were dispatched to a report of a drive-by shooting in the area of Jewell and Seneca in Wichita, according to Officer Trevor Macey. Multiple people called 911 to report hearing gunshots and vehicles leaving the area. 

After arriving on scene, officers located evidence of a shooting in the 2000 block of South Seneca and began conducting a preliminary investigation into what occurred.

At approximately 4 a.m., police were on scene at an area hospital in the 500 block of N Hillside when two victims from the Seneca and Jewell shooting arrived. A 37-year-old man with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound arrived in a private vehicle, and a 25- year-old woman arrived in a separate car with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound.

As officers made contact with occupants of the vehicle, two of the occupants became uncooperative and began a physical disturbance with officers. As a result, 25-year-old Miata Barber of Wichita and 18-year-old Ashanti Figures of Wichita were arrested and booked on a requested charge of Simple Battery of a Law Enforcement Officer, according to Macey.

The investigation into the original shooting call in the 2000 block of S Seneca revealed that the individuals were at an after-hours club in that area when someone opened fire on them as they were leaving. Cooperation from the victims has been somewhat limited. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620042527423.png" alt="Barber-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Barber-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating Sunday shooting and have made two arrests.Just before 3a.m., Sunday police were dispatched to a report of a drive-by shooting in the area of Jewell and Seneca in Wichita, according to Officer Trevor Macey. Multiple people called 911 to report hearing gunshots and vehicles leaving the area. After arriving on scene, officers located evidence of a shooting in the 2000 block of South Seneca and began conducting a preliminary investigation into what occurred.At approximately 4 a.m., police were on scene at an area hospital in the 500 block of N Hillside when two victims from the Seneca and Jewell shooting arrived. A 37-year-old man with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound arrived in a private vehicle, and a 25- year-old woman arrived in a separate car with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound.Each vehicle had multiple occupants.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620042607941.png" alt="Figures photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Figures photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>As officers made contact with occupants of the vehicle, two of the occupants became uncooperative and began a physical disturbance with officers. As a result, 25-year-old Miata Barber of Wichita and 18-year-old Ashanti Figures of Wichita were arrested and booked on a requested charge of Simple Battery of a Law Enforcement Officer, according to Macey.The investigation into the original shooting call in the 2000 block of S Seneca revealed that the individuals were at an after-hours club in that area when someone opened fire on them as they were leaving. Cooperation from the victims has been somewhat limited.

Victims in Kan. shooting arrive at hospital, fight with police

By TOM SHINE <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/latest-airline-survey-shows-customer-complaints-soared-2020">Kansas News Service</a>

The latest Airline Quality Rating survey from Wichita State 
University shows the nation’s major airlines improved in almost all 
areas last year.

But as Dean Headley, one of the study’s authors,
 said, that’s not surprising considering how the pandemic affected air 
travel in 2020.

“Almost all of the 10 airlines that we looked at 
did very well with being on time and handling bags and denied boardings,
 as you would expect: Nobody was flying,” said Headley, an emeritus 
associate professor of marketing at WSU. “It makes it a lot easier to be
 good when there's not enough volume to really bother you too much.”&nbsp;

Passenger volume in 2020 dropped more than 60% as the pandemic threw 
the airline industry into disarray. And that led to a record number of 
customer complaints, from 8,050 in 2019 to 34,663 last year. More than 
80% of the complaints concerned refunds.

“The customer complaints
 were the bad thing, and that hit every airline,” Headley said. “So the 
story really was who recovered the quickest from all those complaints 
that were coming in about people with canceled flights.”

And that
 was Southwest, which had the fewest customer complaints. That helped it
 finish first in the overall ratings, followed by Allegiant, Delta and 
Alaska airlines. Frontier – which saw its customer complaints per 
100,000 passengers soar from 2.57 in 2019 to 49.3 last year – finished 
last. Hawaiian Airline had the best on-time performance while Allegiant 
mishandled the fewest pieces of luggage.

Several airlines 
reported zero denied boardings for the year, no doubt related to lower 
travel volumes. The number of people flying, though, is starting to 
increase. Several national forecasts are predicting a surge in airline 
travel this summer. Officials with Wichita’s Eisenhower National Airport
 said last week that several restaurants and concession areas in the 
terminal had reopened as passenger volumes increased.

Headley said airlines are still well below 2019 passenger levels, 
“But if you look at what's happening in the first few months of 2021, 
we're looking at a million to a million and a half passengers a day 
flying somewhere. That's going to get the volumes back pretty quick.”

He
 said one question that will be answered this summer is what safety 
measures – like facemasks, proof of vaccine or negative COVID-19 tests –
 airlines will require. Headley said a lot of safety protocols 
instituted after 9/11, such as taking off your shoes when you go through
 security, are still around.

“Some of that's going to stick,” 
Headley said of current public health rules. “We just don't know how 
much, and each airline will have to figure out how much they think their
 customer base will tolerate.

“They're going to have to balance all that out that maximizes their revenue.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620062290611.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOM SHINE <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/latest-airline-survey-shows-customer-complaints-soared-2020">Kansas News Service</a>The latest Airline Quality Rating survey from Wichita State 
University shows the nation’s major airlines improved in almost all 
areas last year.But as Dean Headley, one of the study’s authors,
 said, that’s not surprising considering how the pandemic affected air 
travel in 2020.“Almost all of the 10 airlines that we looked at 
did very well with being on time and handling bags and denied boardings,
 as you would expect: Nobody was flying,” said Headley, an emeritus 
associate professor of marketing at WSU. “It makes it a lot easier to be
 good when there's not enough volume to really bother you too much.”&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620062345494.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Passenger volume in 2020 dropped more than 60% as the pandemic threw 
the airline industry into disarray. And that led to a record number of 
customer complaints, from 8,050 in 2019 to 34,663 last year. More than 
80% of the complaints concerned refunds.“The customer complaints
 were the bad thing, and that hit every airline,” Headley said. “So the 
story really was who recovered the quickest from all those complaints 
that were coming in about people with canceled flights.”And that
 was Southwest, which had the fewest customer complaints. That helped it
 finish first in the overall ratings, followed by Allegiant, Delta and 
Alaska airlines. Frontier – which saw its customer complaints per 
100,000 passengers soar from 2.57 in 2019 to 49.3 last year – finished 
last. Hawaiian Airline had the best on-time performance while Allegiant 
mishandled the fewest pieces of luggage.Several airlines 
reported zero denied boardings for the year, no doubt related to lower 
travel volumes. The number of people flying, though, is starting to 
increase. Several national forecasts are predicting a surge in airline 
travel this summer. Officials with Wichita’s Eisenhower National Airport
 said last week that several restaurants and concession areas in the 
terminal had reopened as passenger volumes increased.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620062374383.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Headley said airlines are still well below 2019 passenger levels, 
“But if you look at what's happening in the first few months of 2021, 
we're looking at a million to a million and a half passengers a day 
flying somewhere. That's going to get the volumes back pretty quick.”He
 said one question that will be answered this summer is what safety 
measures – like facemasks, proof of vaccine or negative COVID-19 tests –
 airlines will require. Headley said a lot of safety protocols 
instituted after 9/11, such as taking off your shoes when you go through
 security, are still around.“Some of that's going to stick,” 
Headley said of current public health rules. “We just don't know how 
much, and each airline will have to figure out how much they think their
 customer base will tolerate.“They're going to have to balance all that out that maximizes their revenue.”

Latest airline survey shows customer complaints soared in 2020 

TOPEKA&nbsp;– On Monday, Governor Laura Kelly announced Kansas saw a $91.3 million, or 10.2%, growth over the estimated tax receipt with $982.4 million in total tax collections during the month of April. That is $404.3 million, or 69.9%, better than last year. This increase is due, in part, to businesses having opened back up compared to the same month last year.

“Our April tax collection numbers are encouraging, but we must maintain fiscally-responsible policies as we continue to recover from COVID-19 to ensure our continued growth,”&nbsp;said Governor Laura Kelly.

With federal stimulus money, federal tax refunds, and state tax refunds getting into the pockets of Kansans, retail sales and compensating use tax collections were more than the estimate. Retail sales tax collections were $236.5 million; a 9.5%, or $20.5 million, growth from the estimate. Compensating use tax collections were $59.2 million; up $13.3 million, or 29.0%, for the month.

In addition to changing consumer purchasing patterns, another contributing factor to the increase in compensating use tax collections is the fact that more out-of-state businesses are registering with the state to collect and remit taxes that are due and owing.

Individual income tax collections are $26.5 million, or 5.8%, more than the estimate with $487.3 million collected. Corporate income tax collections were $152.8 million; a 23.9%, or $29.4 million growth from the estimate.

To view a complete breakdown of April tax receipts, click&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.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.meA-DqAxMmZQ5uxX6kg3juhZ-WR7ElgidGFzuSu0pds/s/1303160919/br/105780566655-l" target="_blank">here</a>.

TOPEKA&nbsp;– On Monday, Governor Laura Kelly announced Kansas saw a $91.3 million, or 10.2%, growth over the estimated tax receipt with $982.4 million in total tax collections during the month of April. That is $404.3 million, or 69.9%, better than last year. This increase is due, in part, to businesses having opened back up compared to the same month last year.“Our April tax collection numbers are encouraging, but we must maintain fiscally-responsible policies as we continue to recover from COVID-19 to ensure our continued growth,”&nbsp;said Governor Laura Kelly.With federal stimulus money, federal tax refunds, and state tax refunds getting into the pockets of Kansans, retail sales and compensating use tax collections were more than the estimate. Retail sales tax collections were $236.5 million; a 9.5%, or $20.5 million, growth from the estimate. Compensating use tax collections were $59.2 million; up $13.3 million, or 29.0%, for the month.In addition to changing consumer purchasing patterns, another contributing factor to the increase in compensating use tax collections is the fact that more out-of-state businesses are registering with the state to collect and remit taxes that are due and owing.Individual income tax collections are $26.5 million, or 5.8%, more than the estimate with $487.3 million collected. Corporate income tax collections were $152.8 million; a 23.9%, or $29.4 million growth from the estimate.To view a complete breakdown of April tax receipts, click&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.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.meA-DqAxMmZQ5uxX6kg3juhZ-WR7ElgidGFzuSu0pds/s/1303160919/br/105780566655-l" target="_blank">here</a>.

Kansas sees 10% growth over estimated tax receipts in April

SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas teen arrested in connection with the death of another teen at a Wichita apartment last month made his first court appearance Friday.

Easton Palmer, 18 of Wichita, was charged with 1st&nbsp;degree murder and attempted aggravated robbery in the shooting death of 17-year-old Eric Stokes, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney&nbsp;

On April 29, police&nbsp;<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20070532">booked 18-year-old Breckyn I. Elliot</a>t&nbsp;of Wichita on requested charges of first degree murder stemming from the shooting, according to Officer Paul Cruz.

Police&nbsp; continue their search for a third suspect and are asking the public for help to locate 25-year-old Jaron C. Palmer

Just before 7 p.m. April 25, police were dispatched to report of a shooting at the&nbsp;Morgan's Landing Apartments complex in the 3800 Block of West 13th Street in Wichita, according to Police Captain Jason Stephens.

When officers arrived, they learned there were five individuals inside the apartment at the time of the incident. One who was fatally shot has been identified as 17-year-old Eric Stokes of Wichita.

EMS transported a second shooting victim identified as a 17-year-old boy to a local hospital. He was treated for minor injuries and released, according to Stephens.

Investigators learned that three unknown, armed suspects arrived at the apartment, forced their way in and fired several shots that killed Stokes.&nbsp; The suspects fled on foot from the apartment complex.&nbsp; It was not a random incident and drugs are believed to have played a part, according to Stephens.

Palmer's next court appearance is set for May 13, according to the district attorney. His bond is $250,000.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619618101953.png" alt="Easton Palmer photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Easton Palmer photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas teen arrested in connection with the death of another teen at a Wichita apartment last month made his first court appearance Friday.Easton Palmer, 18 of Wichita, was charged with 1st&nbsp;degree murder and attempted aggravated robbery in the shooting death of 17-year-old Eric Stokes, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney&nbsp;On April 29, police&nbsp;<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20070532">booked 18-year-old Breckyn I. Elliot</a>t&nbsp;of Wichita on requested charges of first degree murder stemming from the shooting, according to Officer Paul Cruz.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619801280517.png" alt="Jaron Palmer" />
 <figcaption>Jaron Palmer</figcaption>
 </figure>Police&nbsp; continue their search for a third suspect and are asking the public for help to locate 25-year-old Jaron C. PalmerJust before 7 p.m. April 25, police were dispatched to report of a shooting at the&nbsp;Morgan's Landing Apartments complex in the 3800 Block of West 13th Street in Wichita, according to Police Captain Jason Stephens.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619547988764.png" alt="Security camera images of the suspects -Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Security camera images of the suspects -Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>When officers arrived, they learned there were five individuals inside the apartment at the time of the incident. One who was fatally shot has been identified as 17-year-old Eric Stokes of Wichita.EMS transported a second shooting victim identified as a 17-year-old boy to a local hospital. He was treated for minor injuries and released, according to Stephens.Investigators learned that three unknown, armed suspects arrived at the apartment, forced their way in and fired several shots that killed Stokes.&nbsp; The suspects fled on foot from the apartment complex.&nbsp; It was not a random incident and drugs are believed to have played a part, according to Stephens.Palmer's next court appearance is set for May 13, according to the district attorney. His bond is $250,000.&nbsp;

Suspect in robbery of 17-year-old Kan. boy charged with murder

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Conservative Republican legislators in Kansas failed Monday to override&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-government-and-politics-321b19c681fe78be837bde945c0f6aa4">Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto</a>&nbsp;of a proposed ban on transgender athletes in girls’ and women’s school sports.

(Click below to listen to the debate on the bill that begins at 1:54:40)

The Senate’s vote to override Kelly was 26-14, leaving backers of the measure one short of the necessary two-thirds majority and blocking an attempt in the House. The outcome was in doubt until the only Democrat to waver on voting against the override, Sen. David Haley, of Kansas City, cast his no vote.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-news-health-laws-legislature-bills-5726fdeb8a5e7cf2c89a4a2d176e8a7f">More than 20 states</a>&nbsp;have considered such proposals this year, as Republican lawmakers have pressed the issue. Idaho enacted such a law last year, and bans were enacted this year in Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee and West Virginia.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-legislature-legislation-florida-ron-desantis-a238134582f99245223a3e9764412424">Florida</a>&nbsp;lawmakers passed a bill, and South Dakota’s governor issued an executive order.

Kelly called the Kansas measure “regressive,” said it would send a message that Kansas was not a welcoming place and predicted it would hurt the state’s attempts to recruit businesses. LGBTQ-rights advocates said it would increase bullying of already vulnerable children.

The bill’s supporters said they were trying to protect fair competition in women’s sports and preserve hard-won opportunities for female athletes, such as college scholarships.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Conservative Republican legislators in Kansas failed Monday to override&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-government-and-politics-321b19c681fe78be837bde945c0f6aa4">Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto</a>&nbsp;of a proposed ban on transgender athletes in girls’ and women’s school sports.(Click below to listen to the debate on the bill that begins at 1:54:40)<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/w5_rqcT9fbw" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>The Senate’s vote to override Kelly was 26-14, leaving backers of the measure one short of the necessary two-thirds majority and blocking an attempt in the House. The outcome was in doubt until the only Democrat to waver on voting against the override, Sen. David Haley, of Kansas City, cast his no vote.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-news-health-laws-legislature-bills-5726fdeb8a5e7cf2c89a4a2d176e8a7f">More than 20 states</a>&nbsp;have considered such proposals this year, as Republican lawmakers have pressed the issue. Idaho enacted such a law last year, and bans were enacted this year in Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee and West Virginia.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-legislature-legislation-florida-ron-desantis-a238134582f99245223a3e9764412424">Florida</a>&nbsp;lawmakers passed a bill, and South Dakota’s governor issued an executive order.Kelly called the Kansas measure “regressive,” said it would send a message that Kansas was not a welcoming place and predicted it would hurt the state’s attempts to recruit businesses. LGBTQ-rights advocates said it would increase bullying of already vulnerable children.The bill’s supporters said they were trying to protect fair competition in women’s sports and preserve hard-won opportunities for female athletes, such as college scholarships.

🎥Kan. Senate fails to override veto of bill to ban transgender school athletes

DURANGO, Colo. (AP) — Human remains were found in two of the three bears euthanized after they were suspected of killing a&nbsp;Colorado&nbsp;woman in an apparent attack, state wildlife <a href="https://cpw.state.co.us/aboutus/Pages/News-Release-Details.aspx?NewsID=7779&amp;fbclid=IwAR3_PbacyXbOSpTtRQ85WH1fyf_RFqxxdKNkLkLg0UhYjCs84IKCwaBEazM">officials said Sunday.</a>

The 39-year-old woman was found dead in southwestern Colorado Friday and authorities suspected a rare bear attack because of the mauling of her body along with bear scat and hair found at the scene. 

A dog team found a 10-year-old female black bear and two yearling cubs nearby and they were killed since they were suspected of attacking her and belief they would likely attack someone else.

The human remains were found inside the sow and one of the cubs during a necropsy Saturday, Colorado Parks and Wildlife said in a statement. 

The bears all appeared to be healthy, showed no sign of disease and had adequate fat stores following the winter hibernation season, the agency said. A microscopic examination of their body tissue and rabies testing to find other possible reasons that could have led them to attack will take up to two weeks, it said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620056473100.png" alt="The La Plata County coroner's office is expected to conduct an autopsy on the deceased woman Tuesday. The coroner will determine the official cause of death and identify the remains. photo courtesy Colorado Parks and Wildlife" />
 <figcaption>The La Plata County coroner's office is expected to conduct an autopsy on the deceased woman Tuesday. The coroner will determine the official cause of death and identify the remains. photo courtesy Colorado Parks and Wildlife</figcaption>
 </figure>DURANGO, Colo. (AP) — Human remains were found in two of the three bears euthanized after they were suspected of killing a&nbsp;Colorado&nbsp;woman in an apparent attack, state wildlife <a href="https://cpw.state.co.us/aboutus/Pages/News-Release-Details.aspx?NewsID=7779&amp;fbclid=IwAR3_PbacyXbOSpTtRQ85WH1fyf_RFqxxdKNkLkLg0UhYjCs84IKCwaBEazM">officials said Sunday.</a>The 39-year-old woman was found dead in southwestern Colorado Friday and authorities suspected a rare bear attack because of the mauling of her body along with bear scat and hair found at the scene. A dog team found a 10-year-old female black bear and two yearling cubs nearby and they were killed since they were suspected of attacking her and belief they would likely attack someone else.The human remains were found inside the sow and one of the cubs during a necropsy Saturday, Colorado Parks and Wildlife said in a statement. The bears all appeared to be healthy, showed no sign of disease and had adequate fat stores following the winter hibernation season, the agency said. A microscopic examination of their body tissue and rabies testing to find other possible reasons that could have led them to attack will take up to two weeks, it said.

Human remains found in 2 bears suspected in Colorado attack

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 515&nbsp; to a total of 309,645, the state health department reported Monday afternoon.&nbsp;

Total coronavirus deaths were reported at 4985, an increase of 3.

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

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

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 515&nbsp; to a total of 309,645, the state health department reported Monday afternoon.&nbsp;Total coronavirus deaths were reported at 4985, an increase of 3.<a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data">Click here for Data</a> about the COVID-19 vaccine.<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional virus numbers from the KDHE.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620061406952.png" alt="Monday May 3, 2021 KDHE" />
 <figcaption>Monday May 3, 2021 KDHE</figcaption>
 </figure>

KDHE: Latest coronavirus numbers in Kansas

GRANDVIEW, Mo. (AP) — A man who was found dead in a crashed car in the Kansas City suburb of Grandview had been shot, police said.

Officers were called to the scene around 1:40 p.m. Sunday and found a vehicle that had crashed into a tree, police said. Officers found the body of a man who had been driving inside the vehicle and say he had been shot several times. Police did not immediately release the victim’s name, but said he was in his early 20s.

A person of interest in the death was arrested a short distance from the crash scene, police said. Detectives are investigating to determine what led up to the shooting.

GRANDVIEW, Mo. (AP) — A man who was found dead in a crashed car in the Kansas City suburb of Grandview had been shot, police said.Officers were called to the scene around 1:40 p.m. Sunday and found a vehicle that had crashed into a tree, police said. Officers found the body of a man who had been driving inside the vehicle and say he had been shot several times. Police did not immediately release the victim’s name, but said he was in his early 20s.A person of interest in the death was arrested a short distance from the crash scene, police said. Detectives are investigating to determine what led up to the shooting.

Police: Man found dead in KC-area crash had been shot

Letters remind landlords of their obligations as part of the CDC’s moratorium

The acting heads of the Federal Trade Commission and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) have sent&nbsp;<a href="https://u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=4tNED-2FM8iDZJQyQ53jATUcs9-2BYv-2FBvF5AG8cihP-2F7iQWnd8XJYDJsRlzUaZkZLpoW4kXPe-2FBaRjE4YLy3pgmbYfwlzF6j-2BStOHbbq4b445A3-2FwNEVexyWzQ24S61QKgGNSq7rTmPj-2FfXWIoFYFQB1ZIPbe6F03LewL2CH-2B2Hii08nK5zJPPAo1teh4ax9VOcmM7Vz7gY6KbNCHaEl9Uj9qyxNMfuh2c1GW-2BSO6b0NiEXovy7a2JzHBm5j2xfaGiEgQx8_-2FnwFlkKVzcKMOkDYhP8GUyFUplsqhIzQPvqFQr864lGsZ6LVtPCJH4PgnOZrrTlucqQDHtcRpLi0WBwQJnF17kyiNbMbkJLUImClLNWXo7AcpHU4F5IA6ltZV1TSK0hiTkoZAfwzpjraLR-2B2W-2BD-2FmXXHGSd4pORMWFZsKpohCh6C3eodcceI177N2cmkotLM73tobzZ9xbW-2BdQ2VXpKKfZsfGo9-2FywbN1S2NP025QtNAQIU6gtkdVWGppW-2FvqENbyCPc4gv47I2kJcSnCJCf7kJfxQt025FZ-2FjNuzYVpxwrccZm83KfPtm4dQJf8jAm5gNyb-2Fyn7mbEP6gp52h1-2BNGB-2FQOZXIseKd74zb1J9Hs4-3D">joint notification letters</a>&nbsp;to the nation’s largest apartment landlords, which collectively own more than 2 million units, reminding them of their obligations under the ongoing national eviction moratorium put in place as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The moratorium, which was recently extended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) until June 30, 2021, prohibits evictions in certain circumstances in order to keep people in their homes and prevent the spread of the disease.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619632629588.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Letters remind landlords of their obligations as part of the CDC’s moratorium</h2>FTCThe acting heads of the Federal Trade Commission and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) have sent&nbsp;<a href="https://u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=4tNED-2FM8iDZJQyQ53jATUcs9-2BYv-2FBvF5AG8cihP-2F7iQWnd8XJYDJsRlzUaZkZLpoW4kXPe-2FBaRjE4YLy3pgmbYfwlzF6j-2BStOHbbq4b445A3-2FwNEVexyWzQ24S61QKgGNSq7rTmPj-2FfXWIoFYFQB1ZIPbe6F03LewL2CH-2B2Hii08nK5zJPPAo1teh4ax9VOcmM7Vz7gY6KbNCHaEl9Uj9qyxNMfuh2c1GW-2BSO6b0NiEXovy7a2JzHBm5j2xfaGiEgQx8_-2FnwFlkKVzcKMOkDYhP8GUyFUplsqhIzQPvqFQr864lGsZ6LVtPCJH4PgnOZrrTlucqQDHtcRpLi0WBwQJnF17kyiNbMbkJLUImClLNWXo7AcpHU4F5IA6ltZV1TSK0hiTkoZAfwzpjraLR-2B2W-2BD-2FmXXHGSd4pORMWFZsKpohCh6C3eodcceI177N2cmkotLM73tobzZ9xbW-2BdQ2VXpKKfZsfGo9-2FywbN1S2NP025QtNAQIU6gtkdVWGppW-2FvqENbyCPc4gv47I2kJcSnCJCf7kJfxQt025FZ-2FjNuzYVpxwrccZm83KfPtm4dQJf8jAm5gNyb-2Fyn7mbEP6gp52h1-2BNGB-2FQOZXIseKd74zb1J9Hs4-3D">joint notification letters</a>&nbsp;to the nation’s largest apartment landlords, which collectively own more than 2 million units, reminding them of their obligations under the ongoing national eviction moratorium put in place as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.The moratorium, which was recently extended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) until June 30, 2021, prohibits evictions in certain circumstances in order to keep people in their homes and prevent the spread of the disease.“With millions of families nationwide at risk of eviction, it's vital that landlords and the debt collectors who work on their behalf understand and abide by their obligations,” said Acting FTC Chairwoman Rebecca Kelly Slaughter. “We are continuing to monitor this area and will act as needed to protect renters.”“Landlords should ensure that [Federal Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA)]-covered debt collectors working on their behalf, which may include attorneys, notify tenants of their rights under federal law. Nearly nine million households are at risk of eviction due to the economic effects of COVID-19, but no one should lose their home without understanding their rights,” said CFPB Acting Director Dave Uejio. “We will hold accountable debt collectors who move forward with illegal evictions.”In the letter, FTC Acting Chairwoman Rebeca Kelly Slaughter and CFPB Acting Director Dave Uejio urge landlords to make sure that they and their debt collectors are complying with the FTC Act and the FDCPA. The CFPB recently enacted an interim final rule requiring debt collectors to give tenants written notice of their rights under the CDC’s moratorium and prohibiting debt collectors from misrepresenting tenants’ eligibility for eviction protection. The letter outlines these requirements and provides sample language for notice to tenants facing eviction.Acting Chairwoman Slaughter and Acting Director Uejio recently&nbsp;<a href="https://u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=4tNED-2FM8iDZJQyQ53jATUdbOg1oyC3s1BFESJfv1yTTLTfeDJ-2BarGF0Qh0X8jdkfUZ2uPJOozCnhGOpQUnY6tK9eEk2iwBfvEDnZv1T49HSKm595zTiaMHkLWmiOxwCCvjAz21w-2F2R-2FpEzOVoeR2psrkHvkFQclPiPan28aG7xw-3DpCYC_-2FnwFlkKVzcKMOkDYhP8GUyFUplsqhIzQPvqFQr864lGsZ6LVtPCJH4PgnOZrrTlucqQDHtcRpLi0WBwQJnF17kyiNbMbkJLUImClLNWXo7AcpHU4F5IA6ltZV1TSK0hiTkoZAfwzpjraLR-2B2W-2BD-2FmXXHGSd4pORMWFZsKpohCh6C3eodcceI177N2cmkotLM73tobzZ9xbW-2BdQ2VXpKKfZ9UnqG-2FeJXK8A-2F2d9fnYAdexiZ1UKQTcKZGjY6E5TpFDLPmaFGrII9xrWo1Efm-2BcplswnxTdO86g0Ucwzxyfp6c1FFZn-2FeRb1MCfegyQOEw13XDvuGU-2Bf69bYwC5vkgQ4IAu0oGdnuhTEc6KiwemT4-3D">issued a joint statement</a>&nbsp;making clear that the agencies are monitoring eviction practices for compliance with the law. The FTC also&nbsp;<a href="https://u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=4tNED-2FM8iDZJQyQ53jATUdbOg1oyC3s1BFESJfv1yTTLTfeDJ-2BarGF0Qh0X8jdkf-2BmSFR2FNqz-2BgstYxhUQ9oXwTHA-2BnYztwH2g4wY-2F6acycq23UxmZa12eEFDeomHlSNZHEHAGL6J1CoPJT7kZncMsm7mLnu34-2F3kBeTCmsWW0-3Do5pg_-2FnwFlkKVzcKMOkDYhP8GUyFUplsqhIzQPvqFQr864lGsZ6LVtPCJH4PgnOZrrTlucqQDHtcRpLi0WBwQJnF17kyiNbMbkJLUImClLNWXo7AcpHU4F5IA6ltZV1TSK0hiTkoZAfwzpjraLR-2B2W-2BD-2FmXXHGSd4pORMWFZsKpohCh6C3eodcceI177N2cmkotLM73tobzZ9xbW-2BdQ2VXpKKfYxfOtmqL-2B7br1aEtyMKoHizzKOvoIApmE8k6137kyO6BbaH1CtFIsGQChmjASJmupASQbwtsj8MDfHpgs38mACAtDAA8Ug7lC2XW2ycOcCMIgRC2B-2Fqhm7xxx5Md4Ej-2FbSoWA93LTHjj1OiG86SK4k-3D">issued guidance about the moratorium</a>&nbsp;for both landlords and tenants.The Federal Trade Commission works to promote competition and to&nbsp;<a href="https://u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=4tNED-2FM8iDZJQyQ53jATUfYotPP72MaC0HTuHPy7LHmaFRvq-2FV0-2Fyav7uDNsu0VJjdtrkGwu-2B8xkOOC6eFBfjLGVS6gwVzDH-2FsPQvdTYLu0-3DqgRt_-2FnwFlkKVzcKMOkDYhP8GUyFUplsqhIzQPvqFQr864lGsZ6LVtPCJH4PgnOZrrTlucqQDHtcRpLi0WBwQJnF17kyiNbMbkJLUImClLNWXo7AcpHU4F5IA6ltZV1TSK0hiTkoZAfwzpjraLR-2B2W-2BD-2FmXXHGSd4pORMWFZsKpohCh6C3eodcceI177N2cmkotLM73tobzZ9xbW-2BdQ2VXpKKfen7hzEIX3K2z-2BB-2BfHMjwsx-2B58s5Y6khXoAjTyXXZo-2BysM43GfGJFwGEYcJzCBRdMR-2FvbzqpyGAtX9SM1VAJiNwrpdiWWQCJ-2FG-2FUCY2ivFZls9pwGKO0lhPzvTIyIvuIEgltpWKFdzQuA3O-2BmntDe3I-3D">protect and educate consumers</a>. You can&nbsp;<a href="https://u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=4tNED-2FM8iDZJQyQ53jATUWPsgRUXOCkrjRa6-2Fnr6GSD1-2BQDTuJQRQSwPaIOWuXBOOoDz_-2FnwFlkKVzcKMOkDYhP8GUyFUplsqhIzQPvqFQr864lGsZ6LVtPCJH4PgnOZrrTlucqQDHtcRpLi0WBwQJnF17kyiNbMbkJLUImClLNWXo7AcpHU4F5IA6ltZV1TSK0hiTkoZAfwzpjraLR-2B2W-2BD-2FmXXHGSd4pORMWFZsKpohCh6C3eodcceI177N2cmkotLM73tobzZ9xbW-2BdQ2VXpKKfQEaadqOhi2KyWCcdEiD-2Br7SrlrkCiBaVyoBkANih9w-2B6xgGyo2KBX5PQCTNoiAErboGrayidHMdeH0Rflsou0gXrWPVwqnFFC9TdYOir9Y-2F621Iq7OOIRVyb28Gnoj8hRQVlxcakQkrQUut8gwyLlo-3D">learn more about consumer topics</a>&nbsp;and report scams, fraud, and bad business practices online at&nbsp;<a href="https://u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=4tNED-2FM8iDZJQyQ53jATUZnJP9TuyU-2B6kDVP73c3ho-2Bz70-2FtE2nNbZyqBiOYIrR7RPhv_-2FnwFlkKVzcKMOkDYhP8GUyFUplsqhIzQPvqFQr864lGsZ6LVtPCJH4PgnOZrrTlucqQDHtcRpLi0WBwQJnF17kyiNbMbkJLUImClLNWXo7AcpHU4F5IA6ltZV1TSK0hiTkoZAfwzpjraLR-2B2W-2BD-2FmXXHGSd4pORMWFZsKpohCh6C3eodcceI177N2cmkotLM73tobzZ9xbW-2BdQ2VXpKKfRUbiu6YCTRWNzQoP4oPiPFGQdKlaD-2FnvY9hytSot-2BLCIzfyXZpYPnoHCaXpXiuVyidM4pJiSCMv51KC0-2BkMOxO36CCLFv9is1JXRdLftJ1a1-2BZ36mj3LZghvD6YvCnNS4d10jrbYKhCk0iUQpSS-2Fcw-3D">ReportFraud.ftc.gov</a>. 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