FORD COUNTY—A Kansas man died in an accident just before 3:30p.m. Sunday in Ford County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2011 Harley Davidson&nbsp;FXDB Street Bob driven by Gilberto&nbsp;Gallegos, 33, Dodge City, was northbound on U.S. 283 seven miles north of U.S. 56.

The driver attempted to pass a northbound vehicle. The motorcycle crossed the center line. The driver lost control, laid the motorcycle over on its left side and was separated from the motorcycle.

Gallegos was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to the morgue at Western Plains in Dodge City. He was not wearing a helmet, according to the MSHP.

FORD COUNTY—A Kansas man died in an accident just before 3:30p.m. Sunday in Ford County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2011 Harley Davidson&nbsp;FXDB Street Bob driven by Gilberto&nbsp;Gallegos, 33, Dodge City, was northbound on U.S. 283 seven miles north of U.S. 56.The driver attempted to pass a northbound vehicle. The motorcycle crossed the center line. The driver lost control, laid the motorcycle over on its left side and was separated from the motorcycle.Gallegos was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to the morgue at Western Plains in Dodge City. He was not wearing a helmet, according to the MSHP.

SW Kansas man dies after motorcycle accident

Senate Committees continued to review bills which have been sent over from the House and we had two days of General Orders last week in the Senate. As we work though committee bills on the floor, we will also begin to have Conference Committee reports to vote on as well. A Conference Committee is a small, bipartisan and bicameral committee that works to smooth out the differences between the House’s and Senate’s version of a similar bill. Once the Conference Committee comes to a compromise, the committee’s version of the bill will be sent to both the House and the Senate for a final vote, before advancing the bill to the Governor’s desk.

GOVERNOR SIGNS REPUBLICAN SOLUTION REFORMING KANSAS EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ACT – KEMA

Last week, the governor signed SB 40 which contains a number of provisions including ending all COVID-19 related statewide mandates, including the mask mandate, on March 31. It prohibits the governor from closing businesses, civil organizations, and churches. It protects 2nd Amendment rights and establishes due process rights for Kansans aggrieved by an issued order and preserves local control of schools and elected officials at the state and local level.

The Senate confirmed the appointments of Jacy Hurst
and Lesley Isherwood to the Kansas Court of Appeals.&nbsp;

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2008/">HB 2008</a> would
authorize the Attorney General to coordinate training regarding missing and
murdered indigenous persons for law enforcement agencies throughout Kansas.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2014/">HB 2014</a> permits
military surplus vehicles to register with the division of vehicles for road
use. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2321/">HB 2321</a> would require
certain electric utilities to take steps before exercising eminent domain to
acquire an interest in land related to the construction of an “urban electric
transmission line.” 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2022/">HB 2022</a> would amend
law concerning the filing of complaints and investigations pertaining to
abandoned wells and for plugging abandoned wells.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb2/">SB 2</a> would amend
law related to the consumption of alcohol on the grounds of the Kansas State
Fair and collection of associated liquor taxes, allowing for the consumption of
alcohol at the State Fair in more situations. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2102/">S Sub 2102</a>
would update
Kansas Egg Law regarding repackaged eggs. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2137/">HB 2137</a> would expand
the categories of alcoholic liquor licensees who can sell cereal malt beverage (CMB)
and would allow temporary permit holders to sell CMB along with alcoholic
liquor in common consumption areas. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2172/">HB 2172</a> would amend
the Kansas Water Appropriation Act by expanding the opportunity for the establishment
of multi-year flex accounts (MYFAs) for groundwater water rights to water right
holders who did not have water use between 2000 and 2009. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2178/">HB 2178</a> would vacate
lots dedicated for a college and a park in the original town plat of the City
of Americus.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2270/">HB 2270</a> would place a
limit of $100,000 on deposits into the State General Fund (SGF) each fiscal
year from moneys from a levy placed on each fire insurance company doing
business in Kansas for the purpose of maintaining the Office of State Fire
Marshal.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb99/">H Sub SB 99</a>
would amend law regarding vehicle dealer license requirements &amp; vehicle
display shows. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2007/">HB 2007</a>
would update statutes related to the regulatory authority of the Kansas
Corporation Commission
(KCC) with regard to motor carriers. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2026/">HB 2026</a> would
establish a certified drug treatment program for certain persons who have entered
into a diversion agreement pursuant to a memorandum of understanding. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2071/">HB 2071</a> would amend
the definition of the crime of stalking to include intentionally engaging in a
course of conduct targeted at a specific child under the age of 14. The penalty
for the new provision would be a severity level 7, person felony for a first
conviction and a severity level 4, person felony for a second or subsequent
conviction. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2126/">HB 2126</a> would amend
the COVID-19 Response and Reopening for Business Liability Protection Act by
replacing the definition of “adult care facility” with the following definition
of “covered facility”. The bill would replace an affirmative defense available
for an adult care facility in a civil action for damages, administrative fines,
or penalties for a COVID19 claim with immunity from liability for a covered
facility in a civil action for damages for a COVID-19 claim.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2155/">HB 2155</a> would replace
and update current law regarding soil, water pollutant releases &amp; cleanup. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2166/">Sub HB 2166</a> would add
several types of license plates, add reporting requirements for organizations sponsoring
distinctive license plates, would amend requirements for distinctive license
plate development, distinctive license plates, and personalized license plate backgrounds. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2243/">HB 2243</a> would change
the frequency of the actuarial experience and cost study performed by the Board
of Trustees of the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System (KPERS) from once
every three years to once every four years. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2252/">S Sub HB 2252</a> would amend
and create law related to fulfillment house licenses, farm winery licenses,
electronic submission of records by special order shipping license holders,
residency requirements for certain liquor licenses, and licenses that can be
held by an alcoholic liquor manufacturer. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2298/">HB 2298</a> would provide
that a plaintiff may serve a defendant by paying a fee to the Secretary and
providing to the Secretary a copy of the summons, petition, and order, and the
last known address, residence, or place of abode for each defendant. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb77/">SB 77</a> would enact
the Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb145/">SB 145</a> would
authorize the Secretary of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism to purchase a portion of
land in Kingman County. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb158/">SB 158</a> would
prohibit a person providing towing services from towing a vehicle to a location
outside of Kansas without the consent of the driver or owner of the vehicle, or
the insurance company processing a claim with respect to the vehicle or
an agent of an insurance company. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2070/">HB 2070</a>
would allow
private, not-for-profit postsecondary educational institutions in Kansas to
collect a surcharge on credit card payments.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2072/">S Sub HB 2072</a> would create
the Utility Financing and Securitization Act (UFSA), which would allow for the
securitization of utility assets to recover energy transition costs for
electric public utilities whose retail rates are subject to the Kansas
Corporation Commission (KCC). 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2104/">S Sub HB 2104</a> would
reauthorize the statewide school finance levy and amend law related to the list
of eligible county appraisers, appraisal standards, Board of Tax Appeals (BOTA)
administration, property valuation appeals, judicial review of property tax
disputes, BOTA membership, and school district budget certification. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2112/">HB 2112</a> would revise
the Self-service Storage Act as it pertains to liability claims and the
contents of storage agreements. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2145/">HB 2145</a> would exempt
from the definition of “public utility” the marketing and sale of electricity
purchased through a retail electric supplier for electric vehicles.&nbsp;

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2254/">HB 2254</a> would increase
the monetary cap on irrevocable prearranged funeral agreements, contracts, or
plans, on and after July 1, 2021, to $10,000.

Full texts of the bills and
supplemental notes as well as the Final Action vote on these measures can be
found at <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org">www.kslegislature.org</a>.&nbsp;

The Department of Labor testified along others in the Senate Commerce Committee specifically on the problem with fraudulent claims in the state. Kansas is not alone - in fact all 50 states are affected. Many people are unaware a claim has been made on their behalf until they receive a notice from KDOL in the mail or their employer does. If this happens - immediately&nbsp;
















go to <a href="https://www.fraudreport.ks.gov/?fbclid=IwAR0axIk1afiBbpdrEDa1Lajy5-9XBZI4dgglsWgwfpEfQ9sCzBm62VTHtZg" target="_blank">https://www.fraudreport.ks.gov</a>&nbsp;and report the fraudulent&nbsp;claim.&nbsp;You will receive a confirmation email with a police report case number. This number is an official law enforcement case number. You will NOT have to alert another law enforcement agency. Additional steps to take – Contact the Federal Trade Commission at <a href="http://www.identitytheft.gov">www.identitytheft.gov</a>.

Place a fraud alert on your credit record with one of the three credit bureaus:

Equifax 1 (866) 349-5191 Experian 1 (888) 397-3742 TransUnion 1 (800) 680-7289

Remember to contact your financial providers (banks, credit card companies, etc.) to flag irregular transactions and check your Social Security earnings statements online to make sure your reported wages are correct at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount?fbclid=IwAR2O4G2WUZ1oxXQiUhTiGDSq9PoACchvaKEGmv6-tF3NcxsDQ7MYKXE8Y7o" target="_blank">www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount</a>.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

WATCH AND LISTEN TO THE KANSAS LEGISLATURE

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_0NO-Pb96CFABvxDwXAq8A">Kansas Legislature YouTube</a> – Here you can follow the legislature live as it happens, or access archives of past sessions and committee meetings. <a href="http://sg001-harmony.sliq.net/00287/Harmony/en/View/Calendar/">Kansas Legislature Audio</a> – Here you can listen in on session or committees when they are in session, or access prior committee meetings, as well. Kansas Legislature website – <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/">www.kslegislature.org</a> - has extensive information on legislators, committees, bills, and past sessions.

Thank you for all of your calls, emails, and letters regarding your thoughts and concerns about happenings in Kansas. I always encourage you to stay informed of the issues under consideration by the Kansas Legislature. 

Committee schedules, bills, and other helpful information can be easily accessed through the legislature’s website at <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/">www.kslegislature.org</a>. You are also able to ‘listen in live’ at this website.

Please do not hesitate to contact me with your thoughts, concerns, and suggestions. An email is the best at this point in the session.

Senator Elaine Bowers Kansas State Capitol Building Room 223-E300 SW 10th St. Topeka, KS 66612 <a href="mailto:elaine.bowers@senate.ks.gov" target="_blank">elaine.bowers@senate.ks.gov 785-296-7389</a> <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/">www.kslegislature.org</a>

Elaine Bowers, R-Concordia, is the 36th Kansas District senator.&nbsp;The 36th District includes&nbsp;Cloud, Jewell, Lincoln, Mitchell, Osborne, Ottawa, Republic, Rooks, Russell, Smith and Washington counties.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1580853658061.jpeg" alt="Sen. Elaine Bowers, R-Concordia, 36th Dist." />
 <figcaption>Sen. Elaine Bowers, R-Concordia, 36th Dist.</figcaption>
 </figure>2021 SENATE SCENE WEEK 11SENATE HIGHLIGHTSSenate Committees continued to review bills which have been sent over from the House and we had two days of General Orders last week in the Senate. As we work though committee bills on the floor, we will also begin to have Conference Committee reports to vote on as well. A Conference Committee is a small, bipartisan and bicameral committee that works to smooth out the differences between the House’s and Senate’s version of a similar bill. Once the Conference Committee comes to a compromise, the committee’s version of the bill will be sent to both the House and the Senate for a final vote, before advancing the bill to the Governor’s desk.GOVERNOR SIGNS REPUBLICAN SOLUTION REFORMING KANSAS EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ACT – KEMALast week, the governor signed SB 40 which contains a number of provisions including ending all COVID-19 related statewide mandates, including the mask mandate, on March 31. It prohibits the governor from closing businesses, civil organizations, and churches. It protects 2nd Amendment rights and establishes due process rights for Kansans aggrieved by an issued order and preserves local control of schools and elected officials at the state and local level.SENATE FLOOR ACTIONThe Senate confirmed the appointments of Jacy Hurst
and Lesley Isherwood to the Kansas Court of Appeals.&nbsp; <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2008/">HB 2008</a> would
authorize the Attorney General to coordinate training regarding missing and
murdered indigenous persons for law enforcement agencies throughout Kansas.<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2014/">HB 2014</a> permits
military surplus vehicles to register with the division of vehicles for road
use. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2321/">HB 2321</a> would require
certain electric utilities to take steps before exercising eminent domain to
acquire an interest in land related to the construction of an “urban electric
transmission line.” 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2022/">HB 2022</a> would amend
law concerning the filing of complaints and investigations pertaining to
abandoned wells and for plugging abandoned wells.<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb2/">SB 2</a> would amend
law related to the consumption of alcohol on the grounds of the Kansas State
Fair and collection of associated liquor taxes, allowing for the consumption of
alcohol at the State Fair in more situations. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2102/">S Sub 2102</a>
would update
Kansas Egg Law regarding repackaged eggs. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2137/">HB 2137</a> would expand
the categories of alcoholic liquor licensees who can sell cereal malt beverage (CMB)
and would allow temporary permit holders to sell CMB along with alcoholic
liquor in common consumption areas. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2172/">HB 2172</a> would amend
the Kansas Water Appropriation Act by expanding the opportunity for the establishment
of multi-year flex accounts (MYFAs) for groundwater water rights to water right
holders who did not have water use between 2000 and 2009. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2178/">HB 2178</a> would vacate
lots dedicated for a college and a park in the original town plat of the City
of Americus.<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2270/">HB 2270</a> would place a
limit of $100,000 on deposits into the State General Fund (SGF) each fiscal
year from moneys from a levy placed on each fire insurance company doing
business in Kansas for the purpose of maintaining the Office of State Fire
Marshal.<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb99/">H Sub SB 99</a>
would amend law regarding vehicle dealer license requirements &amp; vehicle
display shows. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2007/">HB 2007</a>
would update statutes related to the regulatory authority of the Kansas
Corporation Commission
(KCC) with regard to motor carriers. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2026/">HB 2026</a> would
establish a certified drug treatment program for certain persons who have entered
into a diversion agreement pursuant to a memorandum of understanding. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2071/">HB 2071</a> would amend
the definition of the crime of stalking to include intentionally engaging in a
course of conduct targeted at a specific child under the age of 14. The penalty
for the new provision would be a severity level 7, person felony for a first
conviction and a severity level 4, person felony for a second or subsequent
conviction. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2126/">HB 2126</a> would amend
the COVID-19 Response and Reopening for Business Liability Protection Act by
replacing the definition of “adult care facility” with the following definition
of “covered facility”. The bill would replace an affirmative defense available
for an adult care facility in a civil action for damages, administrative fines,
or penalties for a COVID19 claim with immunity from liability for a covered
facility in a civil action for damages for a COVID-19 claim.<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2155/">HB 2155</a> would replace
and update current law regarding soil, water pollutant releases &amp; cleanup. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2166/">Sub HB 2166</a> would add
several types of license plates, add reporting requirements for organizations sponsoring
distinctive license plates, would amend requirements for distinctive license
plate development, distinctive license plates, and personalized license plate backgrounds. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2243/">HB 2243</a> would change
the frequency of the actuarial experience and cost study performed by the Board
of Trustees of the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System (KPERS) from once
every three years to once every four years. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2252/">S Sub HB 2252</a> would amend
and create law related to fulfillment house licenses, farm winery licenses,
electronic submission of records by special order shipping license holders,
residency requirements for certain liquor licenses, and licenses that can be
held by an alcoholic liquor manufacturer. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2298/">HB 2298</a> would provide
that a plaintiff may serve a defendant by paying a fee to the Secretary and
providing to the Secretary a copy of the summons, petition, and order, and the
last known address, residence, or place of abode for each defendant. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb77/">SB 77</a> would enact
the Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb145/">SB 145</a> would
authorize the Secretary of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism to purchase a portion of
land in Kingman County. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb158/">SB 158</a> would
prohibit a person providing towing services from towing a vehicle to a location
outside of Kansas without the consent of the driver or owner of the vehicle, or
the insurance company processing a claim with respect to the vehicle or
an agent of an insurance company. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2070/">HB 2070</a>
would allow
private, not-for-profit postsecondary educational institutions in Kansas to
collect a surcharge on credit card payments. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2072/">S Sub HB 2072</a> would create
the Utility Financing and Securitization Act (UFSA), which would allow for the
securitization of utility assets to recover energy transition costs for
electric public utilities whose retail rates are subject to the Kansas
Corporation Commission (KCC). 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2104/">S Sub HB 2104</a> would
reauthorize the statewide school finance levy and amend law related to the list
of eligible county appraisers, appraisal standards, Board of Tax Appeals (BOTA)
administration, property valuation appeals, judicial review of property tax
disputes, BOTA membership, and school district budget certification. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2112/">HB 2112</a> would revise
the Self-service Storage Act as it pertains to liability claims and the
contents of storage agreements. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2145/">HB 2145</a> would exempt
from the definition of “public utility” the marketing and sale of electricity
purchased through a retail electric supplier for electric vehicles.&nbsp; <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2254/">HB 2254</a> would increase
the monetary cap on irrevocable prearranged funeral agreements, contracts, or
plans, on and after July 1, 2021, to $10,000.Full texts of the bills and
supplemental notes as well as the Final Action vote on these measures can be
found at <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org">www.kslegislature.org</a>.&nbsp;
UNEMPLOYMENT AND FRAUD IN KANSASThe Department of Labor testified along others in the Senate Commerce Committee specifically on the problem with fraudulent claims in the state. Kansas is not alone - in fact all 50 states are affected. Many people are unaware a claim has been made on their behalf until they receive a notice from KDOL in the mail or their employer does. If this happens - immediately&nbsp;
















go to <a href="https://www.fraudreport.ks.gov/?fbclid=IwAR0axIk1afiBbpdrEDa1Lajy5-9XBZI4dgglsWgwfpEfQ9sCzBm62VTHtZg" target="_blank">https://www.fraudreport.ks.gov</a>&nbsp;and report the fraudulent&nbsp;claim.&nbsp;You will receive a confirmation email with a police report case number. This number is an official law enforcement case number. You will NOT have to alert another law enforcement agency. Additional steps to take – Contact the Federal Trade Commission at <a href="http://www.identitytheft.gov">www.identitytheft.gov</a>.Place a fraud alert on your credit record with one of the three credit bureaus:Equifax 1 (866) 349-5191 Experian 1 (888) 397-3742 TransUnion 1 (800) 680-7289 Remember to contact your financial providers (banks, credit card companies, etc.) to flag irregular transactions and check your Social Security earnings statements online to make sure your reported wages are correct at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount?fbclid=IwAR2O4G2WUZ1oxXQiUhTiGDSq9PoACchvaKEGmv6-tF3NcxsDQ7MYKXE8Y7o" target="_blank">www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount</a>.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;WATCH AND LISTEN TO THE KANSAS LEGISLATURE<a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_0NO-Pb96CFABvxDwXAq8A">Kansas Legislature YouTube</a> – Here you can follow the legislature live as it happens, or access archives of past sessions and committee meetings. <a href="http://sg001-harmony.sliq.net/00287/Harmony/en/View/Calendar/">Kansas Legislature Audio</a> – Here you can listen in on session or committees when they are in session, or access prior committee meetings, as well. Kansas Legislature website – <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/">www.kslegislature.org</a> - has extensive information on legislators, committees, bills, and past sessions.THANK YOU FOR ENGAGINGThank you for all of your calls, emails, and letters regarding your thoughts and concerns about happenings in Kansas. I always encourage you to stay informed of the issues under consideration by the Kansas Legislature. Committee schedules, bills, and other helpful information can be easily accessed through the legislature’s website at <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/">www.kslegislature.org</a>. You are also able to ‘listen in live’ at this website. Please do not hesitate to contact me with your thoughts, concerns, and suggestions. An email is the best at this point in the session.Thank you for the honor of serving you.Senator Elaine Bowers Kansas State Capitol Building Room 223-E300 SW 10th St. Topeka, KS 66612 <a href="mailto:elaine.bowers@senate.ks.gov" target="_blank">elaine.bowers@senate.ks.gov 785-296-7389</a> <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/">www.kslegislature.org</a>Elaine Bowers, R-Concordia, is the 36th Kansas District senator.&nbsp;The 36th District includes&nbsp;Cloud, Jewell, Lincoln, Mitchell, Osborne, Ottawa, Republic, Rooks, Russell, Smith and Washington counties.

BOWERS: Senate Scene Week 11

HUTCHINSON— Fire crews&nbsp; battled a wildfire north of Hutchinson Sunday afternoon and evening. The fire started around 3:30 p.m. and burned about 85 acres of open land.

“Some people were burning a brush pile and the wind pushed some embers out into some tall grass and made a little run to the northeast,” According to Rural Fire District-2 Chief Bobby White. “District-2 territory is on the west side of Plum and Hutch Fire is on the east side so we did a joint so we did a joint operation.”

White says they had plenty of help from area departments.

“We ended up with multiple fire departments from mcPherson County, Reno County, Harvey County,” White said. “We had about 10 or 12 fire departments here.”

There were no injuries and no damage. White also said that there were no evacuations. Crews are staying on the scene to keep any hot spots under control. Red flag warnings are in effect for Monday with wind gusts expected to be above 50 MPH. Plum was closed throughout the afternoon and evening in the area of the fire.

RENO COUNTY —Crews were on the scene of a fire in rural Reno County Sunday afternoon, according to the Reno County Sheriff's Office.&nbsp; They asked area residents to&nbsp; avoid the area of North Plum between 82nd and 95th due to a large fire in the area. 

 Deputies blocked roads and fire units were working to get the fire under control.

Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616982127323.png" alt="Sunday afternoon fire in rural Reno County -photo Reno Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Sunday afternoon fire in rural Reno County -photo Reno Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON— Fire crews&nbsp; battled a wildfire north of Hutchinson Sunday afternoon and evening. The fire started around 3:30 p.m. and burned about 85 acres of open land.“Some people were burning a brush pile and the wind pushed some embers out into some tall grass and made a little run to the northeast,” According to Rural Fire District-2 Chief Bobby White. “District-2 territory is on the west side of Plum and Hutch Fire is on the east side so we did a joint so we did a joint operation.”White says they had plenty of help from area departments.“We ended up with multiple fire departments from mcPherson County, Reno County, Harvey County,” White said. “We had about 10 or 12 fire departments here.”There were no injuries and no damage. White also said that there were no evacuations. Crews are staying on the scene to keep any hot spots under control. Red flag warnings are in effect for Monday with wind gusts expected to be above 50 MPH. Plum was closed throughout the afternoon and evening in the area of the fire.------------------------RENO COUNTY —Crews were on the scene of a fire in rural Reno County Sunday afternoon, according to the Reno County Sheriff's Office.&nbsp; They asked area residents to&nbsp; avoid the area of North Plum between 82nd and 95th due to a large fire in the area. Deputies blocked roads and fire units were working to get the fire under control.Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

Burning brush pile started rural Kansas fire

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A driver has been charged with hitting and killing a Good Samaritan as she tried to help the victim of an earlier crash in Kansas City, Kansas. 

Prosecutors announced Friday that 42-year-old Ramon Vazquez-Carmona faces one count of involuntary manslaughter while driving under the influence in the March 14 crash that killed Cindy Goulding. Vazquez-Carmona also faces a lesser charge of driving without a valid license. 

Kansas City, Kansas, police said Goulding exited her car to help after a sedan struck a sport utility vehicle. She then was struck by a pickup truck and declared dead at the scene.

JOHNSON COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 3a.m. Sunday in Johnson County.

Kansas City police reported a northbound sedan struck a southbound SUV at&nbsp; 59th Street and Nogard.&nbsp; The sedan came to rest about a block from the crash. The driver and occupants fled the scene on foot.

A Good Samaritan, identified as a woman in her late 50s, stopped to check on the crash and was standing next to the SUV. A pickup struck the SUV. The impact killed the Good Samaritan, according to KCPD.

EMS transported the driver of the SUV to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Police also arrested the pickup driver.&nbsp; Authorities have not reported an arrest of the sedan driver or released name of the woman who died.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616857300340.png" alt="Vazquez-Carmona photo Wyandotte Co." />
 <figcaption>Vazquez-Carmona photo Wyandotte Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A driver has been charged with hitting and killing a Good Samaritan as she tried to help the victim of an earlier crash in Kansas City, Kansas. Prosecutors announced Friday that 42-year-old Ramon Vazquez-Carmona faces one count of involuntary manslaughter while driving under the influence in the March 14 crash that killed Cindy Goulding. Vazquez-Carmona also faces a lesser charge of driving without a valid license. Kansas City, Kansas, police said Goulding exited her car to help after a sedan struck a sport utility vehicle. She then was struck by a pickup truck and declared dead at the scene.-------JOHNSON COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 3a.m. Sunday in Johnson County.Kansas City police reported a northbound sedan struck a southbound SUV at&nbsp; 59th Street and Nogard.&nbsp; The sedan came to rest about a block from the crash. The driver and occupants fled the scene on foot.A Good Samaritan, identified as a woman in her late 50s, stopped to check on the crash and was standing next to the SUV. A pickup struck the SUV. The impact killed the Good Samaritan, according to KCPD.EMS transported the driver of the SUV to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Police also arrested the pickup driver.&nbsp; Authorities have not reported an arrest of the sedan driver or released name of the woman who died.

Man charged in Kan. crash that killed Good Samaritan

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas woman on multiple charges following a traffic stop in Shawnee County..

Just after 2:30pm. Friday, a K9 Unit conducted a traffic stop on a 1999 Buick Park Avenue at North Kansas Avenue and NW Lyman Road, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

During the investigation, deputies located narcotics and arrested the passenger, Stacy N. Minton, 35, of Topeka for a misdemeanor warrant out of the City of Topeka.&nbsp; She was also booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to Christian.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616942621741.png" alt="Minton photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Minton photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas woman on multiple charges following a traffic stop in Shawnee County..Just after 2:30pm. Friday, a K9 Unit conducted a traffic stop on a 1999 Buick Park Avenue at North Kansas Avenue and NW Lyman Road, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.During the investigation, deputies located narcotics and arrested the passenger, Stacy N. Minton, 35, of Topeka for a misdemeanor warrant out of the City of Topeka.&nbsp; She was also booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to Christian.

Weekend in jail for Kan. woman after sheriff's K-9 finds drugs

BY SHERMAN SMITH <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/03/26/court-record-shows-kansas-senate-majority-leader-drove-90-mph-evaded-roadblock/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Senate Majority 
Leader Gene Suellentrop was charged Friday with drunk driving and felony
 fleeing from police while traveling 90 mph in the wrong direction on 
Interstate 70 in Topeka.

The complaint filed in 
district court by the Shawnee County District Attorney’s Office 
indicates the early morning escapade on March 16 ended after Suellentrop
 “willfully failed or refused” to stop for police.

The Wichita Republican was
 stopped by Kansas Highway Patrol officers after several 911 callers 
reported he was driving on the wrong side of the interstate. He was 
released from jail after a judge determined there was a problem with the
 arrest report.

The next day, Suellentrop announced he was <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/03/17/kansas-senate-majority-leader-hands-off-duties-a-day-after-drunk-driving-arrest/">transferring leadership duties</a> to an assistant while resolving his legal matters.

He now faces a level nine 
felony for fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, misdemeanor 
charges of driving under the influence and reckless driving, and traffic
 infractions for driving the wrong way on a divided highway and 
speeding.

The complaint says he was 
driving 90 mph in a 65 mph zone. His blood alcohol level was over the 
legal limit of .08, but the complaint doesn’t specify the exact reading.

The felony charge 
indicates he “failed to stop for a police roadblock, drove around a tire
 deflating device placed by a police officer, engaged in reckless 
driving, was involved in a motor vehicle accident, intentionally caused 
damage to property” and eluded capture. District Attorney Mike Kagay 
said Saturday the complaint uses standard language that reflects 
different ways the prosecutor can prove the charge and is not a comment 
on the evidence in the case.

Suellentrop was booked Friday into Shawnee County Jail and released after posting $5,000 bond.

Senate President Ty 
Masterson and Vice President Rick Wilborn issued a joint statement 
saying they have reached out to the GOP Senate caucus about “how to 
proceed most effectively” after learning of Suellentrop’s charges.

“The complaint’s 
allegations are very serious, and we trust the legal process will ensure
 due process and a just resolution,” Masterson and Wilborn said. “We are
 thankful that no one was injured, and we continue to pray for Gene and 
his family.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616963919848.png" alt="Senate Majority Leader Gene Suellentrop, R-Wichita, transferred his leadership duties on March 17, a day after he was arrested and released. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Senate Majority Leader Gene Suellentrop, R-Wichita, transferred his leadership duties on March 17, a day after he was arrested and released. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY SHERMAN SMITH <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/03/26/court-record-shows-kansas-senate-majority-leader-drove-90-mph-evaded-roadblock/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Senate Majority 
Leader Gene Suellentrop was charged Friday with drunk driving and felony
 fleeing from police while traveling 90 mph in the wrong direction on 
Interstate 70 in Topeka.The complaint filed in 
district court by the Shawnee County District Attorney’s Office 
indicates the early morning escapade on March 16 ended after Suellentrop
 “willfully failed or refused” to stop for police.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616963978358.jpeg" alt="Senate Majority Leader Gene Suellentrop was booked Friday into Shawnee County Jail and released after posting $5,000 bond. (Shawnee County Jail)" />
 <figcaption>Senate Majority Leader Gene Suellentrop was booked Friday into Shawnee County Jail and released after posting $5,000 bond. (Shawnee County Jail)</figcaption>
 </figure>The Wichita Republican was
 stopped by Kansas Highway Patrol officers after several 911 callers 
reported he was driving on the wrong side of the interstate. He was 
released from jail after a judge determined there was a problem with the
 arrest report.The next day, Suellentrop announced he was <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/03/17/kansas-senate-majority-leader-hands-off-duties-a-day-after-drunk-driving-arrest/">transferring leadership duties</a> to an assistant while resolving his legal matters.He now faces a level nine 
felony for fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, misdemeanor 
charges of driving under the influence and reckless driving, and traffic
 infractions for driving the wrong way on a divided highway and 
speeding.The complaint says he was 
driving 90 mph in a 65 mph zone. His blood alcohol level was over the 
legal limit of .08, but the complaint doesn’t specify the exact reading.The felony charge 
indicates he “failed to stop for a police roadblock, drove around a tire
 deflating device placed by a police officer, engaged in reckless 
driving, was involved in a motor vehicle accident, intentionally caused 
damage to property” and eluded capture. District Attorney Mike Kagay 
said Saturday the complaint uses standard language that reflects 
different ways the prosecutor can prove the charge and is not a comment 
on the evidence in the case.Suellentrop was booked Friday into Shawnee County Jail and released after posting $5,000 bond.Senate President Ty 
Masterson and Vice President Rick Wilborn issued a joint statement 
saying they have reached out to the GOP Senate caucus about “how to 
proceed most effectively” after learning of Suellentrop’s charges.“The complaint’s 
allegations are very serious, and we trust the legal process will ensure
 due process and a just resolution,” Masterson and Wilborn said. “We are
 thankful that no one was injured, and we continue to pray for Gene and 
his family.”

Record: Kan. Senate majority leader drove 90 mph in wrong direction

CHICAGO (AP) — On federal death row, prisoners fling notes on a string under each other’s cell doors and converse through interconnected air ducts. A top issue these days: whether President Joe Biden will halt executions, several told The Associated Press.

Biden hasn’t spoken publicly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-us-news-pandemics-health-coronavirus-pandemic-ad6b1681aaf4128aa5e3ca0e94672e45">about capital punishment</a>&nbsp;since taking office four days after the Trump administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-wildlife-coronavirus-pandemic-crime-terre-haute-28e44cc5c026dc16472751bbde0ead50">executed the last of 13 inmates</a>&nbsp;at the Terre Haute, Indiana, penitentiary where all federal death row inmates are held. The six-month run of executions cut their unit from around 63 to 50. Biden’s campaign website said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-prisons-inaugurations-coronavirus-pandemic-executions-365258989e6be8d7077b2f67d8c3e190">he’d work to end federal executions</a>, but he’s never specified how.

Four inmates exchanged emails with the AP through a prison-monitored system they access during the two hours a day they are let out of their 12-by-7-foot, single-inmate cells. Biden’s silence has them on edge, wondering whether political calculations will lead him to back off far-reaching action, like commuting their sentences to life in prison and endorsing legislation striking capital punishment from U.S. statutes.

“There’s not a day that goes by that we’re not scanning the news for hints of when or if the Biden administration will take meaningful action to implement his promises,” said 36-year-old Rejon Taylor, sentenced to death in 2008 for killing an Atlanta restaurant owner.

Everyone on federal death row was convicted of killing someone, their victims often suffering brutal, painful deaths. The dead included children, bank workers and prison guards. One inmate,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ba912545b5dc40729c80328d598ac550">white supremacist Dylann Roof</a>, killed nine Black members of a South Carolina church during a Bible study in 2015. Many Americans believe death is the only salve for such crimes.

Views of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/06/11/us-support-for-death-penalty-ticks-up-2018/" target="_blank">capital punishment</a>, though, are shifting. One&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/discrimination-racial-injustice-united-states-archive-race-and-ethnicity-ded1f517a0fd64bf1d55c448a06acccc/gallery/acd0f206fc1e4058b6bceb96afced4c0">recent report</a>&nbsp;found people of color are overrepresented on death rows nationwide. Some 40% of federal death row inmates are Black, compared with about 13% of the U.S. population. With growing scrutiny of who gets sentenced to die and why, support for the death penalty has waned, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/68b0dd3c252940a69729cf9480610988">fewer executions are done overall</a>. Virginia lawmakers recently&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virginia-death-penalty-repeal-governor-c98c16a996037a4d1e1d497787b7e6f1">voted to abolish it</a>.

The death row prisoners expressed relief at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-leaves-white-house-ad718c0048c341d0044c4709fb23c8dd">Donald Trump’s departure from the White House</a>&nbsp;after he presided over more federal executions than any other president in 130 years. Gone is the ever-present fear that guards would appear at their cell door to say the warden needed to speak to them — dreaded words that meant your execution had been scheduled.

They described death row as a close-knit community where bonds are forged. All said they were still reeling from seeing friends escorted away for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/executioners-sanitized-accounts-of-death-25d133f59039150c2e308ba1a2a5caef">execution by lethal injection</a>&nbsp;at a garage-size building nearby.

“When it’s quiet here, which it often is, you’ll hear someone say, ‘Damn, I can’t believe they’re gone!’ We all know what they are referencing,” said Daniel Troya, sentenced in 2009 for participating in drug-related killings of a Florida man, his wife and their two children.

The federal executions during&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">the coronavirus pandemic</a>&nbsp;were likely&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/public-health-prisons-health-coronavirus-pandemic-executions-9c355b58c78492613eedbf1c7c1fb42c">superspreader events</a>. In December, 70% of the death row inmates had COVID-19, some possibly infected via air ducts through which they communicate.

The AP attended all 13 federal executions.

Five of the first six inmates executed were white. Six of the last seven were Black, including Dustin Higgs, the final inmate put to death, on Jan. 16 for ordering the killing of three Maryland women.

Memories of speaking to Higgs just before his execution still pain Sherman Fields, who is on death row but has a resentencing for convictions in the killing of his girlfriend after escaping from a jail in Waco, Texas.

“He kept saying he’s innocent and he didn’t want to die,” Fields, 46, said. “He’s my friend. It was very hard.”

While there were rumors Biden would take action on the death penalty in his first days as president, there have been no announcements. As he grapples with issues like the coronavirus and the economy, capital punishment appears to be on a back burner.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdky/pr/death-penalty-sought-murder-fort-campbell-soldier" target="_blank">Meanwhile, federal prosecutors are still saying</a>&nbsp;they’ll pursue death sentences.

Even if he’d hoped to, Biden can’t set aside the death penalty issue entirely. It came up Monday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/court-could-reimpose-dzhokhar-tsarnaev-death-sentence-719087dcbe7145514094fe3c7da8d9bf">when the Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;said it will consider a request — first made by the Trump administration — to reinstate the death sentence for Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev that a lower court tossed in July. The Biden administration could chose to say the government no longer opposes the lower court decision, though that, like everything with the death penalty, would undoubtedly create controversy.

The easiest step politically for Biden would be to simply instruct his Justice Department not to carry out any executions during his presidency. That would spare inmates’ lives for at least four years but would leave the door open for a future president to resume them.

The inmates first learned federal executions would restart after 17 years in 2019 when the first inmates were put on execution lists. More were added throughout 2020.

Through last year, inmates would flinch whenever they heard the jangle of thick key rings as a larger-than-normal contingent of guards entered their floor. That sound meant guards would soon stop at an inmate’s door and that he’d soon be in the warden’s office to be handed his death warrant.

When a frantic&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/d758efe397b4443b22c79e2bfc65df84">Keith Nelson</a>, convicted of raping and killing a Kansas girl, kept saying a year ago he was sure he’d be selected next to die, one inmate yelled at him to “shut up,” that he was unnerving everyone else, Troya recalled. Nelson was executed on Aug. 28.

Emotions ran high as execution days approached. As guards led condemned men away, other inmates shouted, “Come on! Fight ’em!” Troya said. None appeared to resist.

Inmates can’t access the regular internet but could follow news of last-minute appeals on TVs in their cells. When broadcasts confirmed an execution had been carried out, Taylor said, a hush fell on death row, followed by a chorus of curses.

Inmates know that Biden, while a senator, played a key role in passing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ae20ddaea4b51e57b5d7eff0f0c9ffcb">a 1994 crime bill</a>&nbsp;that increased federal crimes for which someone could be put to death.

“I don’t trust Biden,” Troya said. “He set the rules to get us all here in the first place.”

Several inmates said Brandon Bernard’s death was especially hard to process. They described him as introspective and kind. Bernard, convicted of participating in the Texas carjacking, robbery and killing of an Iowa couple, also organized a death-row crocheting group that shared patterns and knitting tips.

“The gentlest guy on federal death row,” Fields said.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-race-and-ethnicity-prisons-killeen-13044e3f1ab9e0e140c57d8012b67abb">Bernard’s case</a>&nbsp;drew the attention of reality TV star Kim Kardashian and other celebrities, who pleaded on Twitter for Trump to commute his sentence.

His lawyers said Bernard, 18 at the time and the lowest-ranking member of a street gang, was pressured to light a car on fire with Todd and Stacie Bagley’s bodies inside. They said he believed the Bagleys were already dead after a gang leader shot them in the head.

He and co-defendant Christopher Vialva, both of whom were Black, were convicted by a nearly all-white Texas jury in 2000.

Strapped to a cross-shaped gurney on Dec. 10, Bernard addressed the couple’s relatives in an adjoining death-chamber witness room, repeatedly apologizing and telling them he hoped his death would bring them closure.

After his execution, Todd Bagley’s mother called the killings an “act of unnecessary evil.” She said the executions of Bernard and of Vialva months earlier did bring closure. But she also expressed gratitude to both for apologizing. Beginning to cry, she told reporters: “I can very much say — I forgive them.”

Troya said he thinks often about Bernard, Vialva and Higgs, whom he considered close friends. All three, he said, had long since transformed themselves into better people and were mentoring other inmates.

“They killed future prison role models,” he said. “So much potential, lost for nothing.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1598525494909.png" alt="Keith Dwayne Nelson convicted of killing a Kansas girl was the fifth federal inmate put to death in 2020 -photo Wyandotte Co." />
 <figcaption>Keith Dwayne Nelson convicted of killing a Kansas girl was the fifth federal inmate put to death in 2020 -photo Wyandotte Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>CHICAGO (AP) — On federal death row, prisoners fling notes on a string under each other’s cell doors and converse through interconnected air ducts. A top issue these days: whether President Joe Biden will halt executions, several told The Associated Press.Biden hasn’t spoken publicly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-us-news-pandemics-health-coronavirus-pandemic-ad6b1681aaf4128aa5e3ca0e94672e45">about capital punishment</a>&nbsp;since taking office four days after the Trump administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-wildlife-coronavirus-pandemic-crime-terre-haute-28e44cc5c026dc16472751bbde0ead50">executed the last of 13 inmates</a>&nbsp;at the Terre Haute, Indiana, penitentiary where all federal death row inmates are held. The six-month run of executions cut their unit from around 63 to 50. Biden’s campaign website said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-prisons-inaugurations-coronavirus-pandemic-executions-365258989e6be8d7077b2f67d8c3e190">he’d work to end federal executions</a>, but he’s never specified how.Four inmates exchanged emails with the AP through a prison-monitored system they access during the two hours a day they are let out of their 12-by-7-foot, single-inmate cells. Biden’s silence has them on edge, wondering whether political calculations will lead him to back off far-reaching action, like commuting their sentences to life in prison and endorsing legislation striking capital punishment from U.S. statutes.“There’s not a day that goes by that we’re not scanning the news for hints of when or if the Biden administration will take meaningful action to implement his promises,” said 36-year-old Rejon Taylor, sentenced to death in 2008 for killing an Atlanta restaurant owner.Everyone on federal death row was convicted of killing someone, their victims often suffering brutal, painful deaths. The dead included children, bank workers and prison guards. One inmate,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ba912545b5dc40729c80328d598ac550">white supremacist Dylann Roof</a>, killed nine Black members of a South Carolina church during a Bible study in 2015. Many Americans believe death is the only salve for such crimes.Views of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/06/11/us-support-for-death-penalty-ticks-up-2018/" target="_blank">capital punishment</a>, though, are shifting. One&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/discrimination-racial-injustice-united-states-archive-race-and-ethnicity-ded1f517a0fd64bf1d55c448a06acccc/gallery/acd0f206fc1e4058b6bceb96afced4c0">recent report</a>&nbsp;found people of color are overrepresented on death rows nationwide. Some 40% of federal death row inmates are Black, compared with about 13% of the U.S. population. With growing scrutiny of who gets sentenced to die and why, support for the death penalty has waned, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/68b0dd3c252940a69729cf9480610988">fewer executions are done overall</a>. Virginia lawmakers recently&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virginia-death-penalty-repeal-governor-c98c16a996037a4d1e1d497787b7e6f1">voted to abolish it</a>.The death row prisoners expressed relief at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-leaves-white-house-ad718c0048c341d0044c4709fb23c8dd">Donald Trump’s departure from the White House</a>&nbsp;after he presided over more federal executions than any other president in 130 years. Gone is the ever-present fear that guards would appear at their cell door to say the warden needed to speak to them — dreaded words that meant your execution had been scheduled.They described death row as a close-knit community where bonds are forged. All said they were still reeling from seeing friends escorted away for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/executioners-sanitized-accounts-of-death-25d133f59039150c2e308ba1a2a5caef">execution by lethal injection</a>&nbsp;at a garage-size building nearby.“When it’s quiet here, which it often is, you’ll hear someone say, ‘Damn, I can’t believe they’re gone!’ We all know what they are referencing,” said Daniel Troya, sentenced in 2009 for participating in drug-related killings of a Florida man, his wife and their two children.The federal executions during&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">the coronavirus pandemic</a>&nbsp;were likely&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/public-health-prisons-health-coronavirus-pandemic-executions-9c355b58c78492613eedbf1c7c1fb42c">superspreader events</a>. In December, 70% of the death row inmates had COVID-19, some possibly infected via air ducts through which they communicate.The AP attended all 13 federal executions.Five of the first six inmates executed were white. Six of the last seven were Black, including Dustin Higgs, the final inmate put to death, on Jan. 16 for ordering the killing of three Maryland women.Memories of speaking to Higgs just before his execution still pain Sherman Fields, who is on death row but has a resentencing for convictions in the killing of his girlfriend after escaping from a jail in Waco, Texas.“He kept saying he’s innocent and he didn’t want to die,” Fields, 46, said. “He’s my friend. It was very hard.”While there were rumors Biden would take action on the death penalty in his first days as president, there have been no announcements. As he grapples with issues like the coronavirus and the economy, capital punishment appears to be on a back burner.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdky/pr/death-penalty-sought-murder-fort-campbell-soldier" target="_blank">Meanwhile, federal prosecutors are still saying</a>&nbsp;they’ll pursue death sentences.Even if he’d hoped to, Biden can’t set aside the death penalty issue entirely. It came up Monday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/court-could-reimpose-dzhokhar-tsarnaev-death-sentence-719087dcbe7145514094fe3c7da8d9bf">when the Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;said it will consider a request — first made by the Trump administration — to reinstate the death sentence for Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev that a lower court tossed in July. The Biden administration could chose to say the government no longer opposes the lower court decision, though that, like everything with the death penalty, would undoubtedly create controversy.The easiest step politically for Biden would be to simply instruct his Justice Department not to carry out any executions during his presidency. That would spare inmates’ lives for at least four years but would leave the door open for a future president to resume them.The inmates first learned federal executions would restart after 17 years in 2019 when the first inmates were put on execution lists. More were added throughout 2020.Through last year, inmates would flinch whenever they heard the jangle of thick key rings as a larger-than-normal contingent of guards entered their floor. That sound meant guards would soon stop at an inmate’s door and that he’d soon be in the warden’s office to be handed his death warrant.When a frantic&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/d758efe397b4443b22c79e2bfc65df84">Keith Nelson</a>, convicted of raping and killing a Kansas girl, kept saying a year ago he was sure he’d be selected next to die, one inmate yelled at him to “shut up,” that he was unnerving everyone else, Troya recalled. Nelson was executed on Aug. 28.Emotions ran high as execution days approached. As guards led condemned men away, other inmates shouted, “Come on! Fight ’em!” Troya said. None appeared to resist.Inmates can’t access the regular internet but could follow news of last-minute appeals on TVs in their cells. When broadcasts confirmed an execution had been carried out, Taylor said, a hush fell on death row, followed by a chorus of curses.Inmates know that Biden, while a senator, played a key role in passing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ae20ddaea4b51e57b5d7eff0f0c9ffcb">a 1994 crime bill</a>&nbsp;that increased federal crimes for which someone could be put to death.“I don’t trust Biden,” Troya said. “He set the rules to get us all here in the first place.”Several inmates said Brandon Bernard’s death was especially hard to process. They described him as introspective and kind. Bernard, convicted of participating in the Texas carjacking, robbery and killing of an Iowa couple, also organized a death-row crocheting group that shared patterns and knitting tips.“The gentlest guy on federal death row,” Fields said.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-race-and-ethnicity-prisons-killeen-13044e3f1ab9e0e140c57d8012b67abb">Bernard’s case</a>&nbsp;drew the attention of reality TV star Kim Kardashian and other celebrities, who pleaded on Twitter for Trump to commute his sentence.His lawyers said Bernard, 18 at the time and the lowest-ranking member of a street gang, was pressured to light a car on fire with Todd and Stacie Bagley’s bodies inside. They said he believed the Bagleys were already dead after a gang leader shot them in the head.He and co-defendant Christopher Vialva, both of whom were Black, were convicted by a nearly all-white Texas jury in 2000.Strapped to a cross-shaped gurney on Dec. 10, Bernard addressed the couple’s relatives in an adjoining death-chamber witness room, repeatedly apologizing and telling them he hoped his death would bring them closure.After his execution, Todd Bagley’s mother called the killings an “act of unnecessary evil.” She said the executions of Bernard and of Vialva months earlier did bring closure. But she also expressed gratitude to both for apologizing. Beginning to cry, she told reporters: “I can very much say — I forgive them.”Troya said he thinks often about Bernard, Vialva and Higgs, whom he considered close friends. All three, he said, had long since transformed themselves into better people and were mentoring other inmates.“They killed future prison role models,” he said. “So much potential, lost for nothing.”

On federal death row, inmates talk about Biden, executions

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Wary regulators have not approved a major railroad merger since the 1990s, but industry analysts say Canadian Pacific’s proposed $25 billion acquisition of Kansas City Southern has a good chance of getting the green light because there is little overlap between the two lines.

The deal is also set to capitalize on growing trade across North America by creating the first railroad that would link the United States, Mexico and Canada. Executives at the companies say those opportunities should help the combined railroad generate more revenue.

The Canadian Pacific-Kansas City Southern deal announced Sunday would combine the two smallest of the major railroads into one entity. Independent railroad analyst Tony Hatch said doing that should help stabilize the industry overall and should not lead to another round of railroad mergers.

Some, however, are already expressing concern that the combination of the two railroads could hurt shippers if they are left with fewer options.

“The freight rail industry is already highly consolidated with a small number of railroads controlling most of the rail traffic in the United States and we are concerned that this merger could potentially lead to a greater concentration of market power,” said Scott Jensen, a spokesman for the chemicals industry trade group American Chemistry Council.

The service problems and economic damage that followed railroad mergers in the 1990s are part of why regulators adopted tough rules for major railroad mergers in 2001. Regulators have said that, generally, any merger involving a major railroad must enhance competition and serve the public interest. Similar deals are blocked in other industries only if there is a risk that competition will be reduced.

Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern said they expect U.S. railroad regulators at the Surface Transportation Board to complete their review of the deal by around the middle of 2022. A spokesman for the board didn’t immediately respond Monday to questions about how the deal will be reviewed.

Morningstar analyst Matthew Young said he doesn’t think the proposed deal will hurt competition overall because the railroads don’t compete directly now.

“These rails generally don’t compete head to head in specific markets, thus a merger shouldn’t result in fewer rail-service options for shippers in most corridors,” Young said Monday in a research note.

Edward Jones analyst Jeff Windau said he thinks there is a good chance the deal will be approved by regulators.

“There’s really no overlap on their lines. So I think there is really minimal impact on customers,” Windau said.

Executives at both the railroads argue that customers will be helped, not hurt, by the combination because they’ll be able to ship goods throughout North America without having to have shipments handed off between railroads.

“There’s savings across the board and benefits across the board that are so compelling,” Canadian Pacific CEO Keith Creel said. As railroad customers learn about the deal, “I think they are going to be excited by this — not threatened by this.”

Five years ago, Calgary, Alberta-based Canadian Pacific abandoned its roughly $30 billion attempt to takeover rival Norfolk Southern after it encountered strong opposition from Norfolk Southern, politicians, rail customers along the route and other railroads. So the new rules for railroad mergers still haven’t been tested.

But unlike then, the boards of both Kansas City Southern and Canadian Pacific unanimously backed this deal. The combined company would operate about 20,000 miles of railway, employ 20,000 people and generate annual revenue of about $8.7 billion. Both railroads said they expect to add jobs overall across the combined network as volume grows.

The deal values Kansas City Southern at $275 per share, which represents a significant premium to Friday’s closing price of $224. Kansas City Southern shareholders will receive 0.489 shares of Canadian Pacific stock and $90 cash as part of the deal, and they will control roughly 25% of the combined company.

The railroads said this deal is timed well because Mexico, the United States and Canada agreed to a new regional trade pact last year that is expected to boost trade and investment across North America.

Officials said Kansas City Southern’s base in Kansas City, Missouri, would become Canadian Pacific Kansas City’s new U.S. headquarters after the deal but Canadian Pacific’s current U.S. headquarters in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, will remain an important base of operations for the company.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Wary regulators have not approved a major railroad merger since the 1990s, but industry analysts say Canadian Pacific’s proposed $25 billion acquisition of Kansas City Southern has a good chance of getting the green light because there is little overlap between the two lines.The deal is also set to capitalize on growing trade across North America by creating the first railroad that would link the United States, Mexico and Canada. Executives at the companies say those opportunities should help the combined railroad generate more revenue.The Canadian Pacific-Kansas City Southern deal announced Sunday would combine the two smallest of the major railroads into one entity. Independent railroad analyst Tony Hatch said doing that should help stabilize the industry overall and should not lead to another round of railroad mergers.Some, however, are already expressing concern that the combination of the two railroads could hurt shippers if they are left with fewer options.“The freight rail industry is already highly consolidated with a small number of railroads controlling most of the rail traffic in the United States and we are concerned that this merger could potentially lead to a greater concentration of market power,” said Scott Jensen, a spokesman for the chemicals industry trade group American Chemistry Council.The service problems and economic damage that followed railroad mergers in the 1990s are part of why regulators adopted tough rules for major railroad mergers in 2001. Regulators have said that, generally, any merger involving a major railroad must enhance competition and serve the public interest. Similar deals are blocked in other industries only if there is a risk that competition will be reduced.Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern said they expect U.S. railroad regulators at the Surface Transportation Board to complete their review of the deal by around the middle of 2022. A spokesman for the board didn’t immediately respond Monday to questions about how the deal will be reviewed.Morningstar analyst Matthew Young said he doesn’t think the proposed deal will hurt competition overall because the railroads don’t compete directly now.“These rails generally don’t compete head to head in specific markets, thus a merger shouldn’t result in fewer rail-service options for shippers in most corridors,” Young said Monday in a research note.Edward Jones analyst Jeff Windau said he thinks there is a good chance the deal will be approved by regulators.“There’s really no overlap on their lines. So I think there is really minimal impact on customers,” Windau said.Executives at both the railroads argue that customers will be helped, not hurt, by the combination because they’ll be able to ship goods throughout North America without having to have shipments handed off between railroads.“There’s savings across the board and benefits across the board that are so compelling,” Canadian Pacific CEO Keith Creel said. As railroad customers learn about the deal, “I think they are going to be excited by this — not threatened by this.”Five years ago, Calgary, Alberta-based Canadian Pacific abandoned its roughly $30 billion attempt to takeover rival Norfolk Southern after it encountered strong opposition from Norfolk Southern, politicians, rail customers along the route and other railroads. So the new rules for railroad mergers still haven’t been tested.But unlike then, the boards of both Kansas City Southern and Canadian Pacific unanimously backed this deal. The combined company would operate about 20,000 miles of railway, employ 20,000 people and generate annual revenue of about $8.7 billion. Both railroads said they expect to add jobs overall across the combined network as volume grows.The deal values Kansas City Southern at $275 per share, which represents a significant premium to Friday’s closing price of $224. Kansas City Southern shareholders will receive 0.489 shares of Canadian Pacific stock and $90 cash as part of the deal, and they will control roughly 25% of the combined company.The railroads said this deal is timed well because Mexico, the United States and Canada agreed to a new regional trade pact last year that is expected to boost trade and investment across North America.Officials said Kansas City Southern’s base in Kansas City, Missouri, would become Canadian Pacific Kansas City’s new U.S. headquarters after the deal but Canadian Pacific’s current U.S. headquarters in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, will remain an important base of operations for the company.

KC railroad deal seen more likely to gain regulators’ OK

KANSAS CITY (AP) — His last job was selling cars, but in his new gig, working to turn the tide against a pandemic, Herman Simmons knows not to be too pushy or overbearing.

He’s one of more than 50 outreach workers a Chicago hospital has enlisted to promote vaccination against COVID-19 in hard-hit Black and brown neighborhoods.

Their job is approaching strangers at laundromats, grocery stores and churches,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/how-do-we-know-covid-19-vaccines-safe-b688bd470d2eb8a74953dd34d29fd756">handing out educational material</a>&nbsp;and making vaccination appointments for those who are willing.

“I see myself as my brother’s keeper. I don’t try to force them. I’m persistent,” he said.

Top U.S. health officials say they’re in a race to vaccinate as many people as quickly as possible as COVID-19 variants spread, mask and distancing rules are relaxed, and Americans crave a return to normalcy.

As part of these efforts, the Biden administration announced Thursday it will invest nearly $10 billion to expand vaccine access in communities of color, rural areas, low-income populations and other underserved communities. Some of the money will go to community health centers. Funding comes mostly from the American Rescue Plan.

While the U.S. is vaccinating roughly 2.5 million people daily and nearly 1 in 3 adults have received at least one shot, roughly that many say they are skeptical or won’t get vaccinated.

“There will be a hard core that never want to be vaccinated and we can’t do anything about that,” said Dr. Eric Toner, a senior scholar at Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security.

He said that number is unlikely to prevent effective control of the virus. To make sure it doesn’t, authorities are working to change minds and boost access in minority communities where skepticism is among the hurdles to vaccination.

They’re showcasing Black leaders getting shots, preaching vaccination benefits at Sunday services, holding Zoom meetings where experts dismantle the myths. Michigan is enlisting barber shops and salons. Mobile clinics have been set up to vaccinate Kentucky racetrack workers and California migrant workers.

In the socially distanced age of COVID-19, the in-the-trenches work of regular folk-turned-recruiters stands out.

Simmons is Black, amiable and talkative — a natural for this kind of work.

“I tell ’em I was a little afraid at first” about getting the shots, said Simmons, who quit the car dealership when co-workers got sick with the virus. He tells them he has friends and family members who’ve died, and how easy it is to sign up.

“I would like to say that I get more sign-ins than not,” Simmons said, “but I don’t think that’s the case.’’

“They don’t trust it. Some think the vaccines were made too quickly to be safe,” he said. “They feel like lab rats.”

That’s a common narrative. But it’s not the whole story.

For many Black people, mistrust of medical institutions is deep-seated. Their reasons are varied, vehement and often valid. And they don’t even start with Tuskegee, the U.S. government study that began in 1932 and withheld treatment for Black men with syphilis.

Mistrust stems from surgeries on enslaved women to the absence of Black people in studies that guide modern-day medical decisions. It includes mistaken assumptions claiming race-based biological differences, and disrespect in the doctor’s office.

Some are afraid of needles. Some believe internet myths. And some say they intend to get vaccinated but want to wait and see how others fare first. For some, the problem is no transportation to vaccination sites, no internet to get information on where and when to get vaccinated, or no regular physician. However, the shots are free and you don’t need a doctor to get them.

Some U.S. polls and statistics show hesitancy in some communities of color is falling, though vaccination rates are still highest among white people. In Chicago, the gap has narrowed but rates for first doses are 36% white people, 30% Hispanic people and 24% Black people.

On a chilly March Saturday, his battleground was a laundromat in a working-class neighborhood southwest of downtown Chicago. Saint Anthony Hospital had set up a makeshift center where recruits gathered as outreach workers took down contact information and arranged appointments.

Masked and carrying a folder of vaccine information, Simmons approached Tasha McClinton, 34, a stylish Black woman with long blond tresses pulling clothes from an orange duffel bag and heaving them into a washer.

His shirt was the first pitch, emblazoned with the words, “It’s Worth the Shot,” and an image of a syringe. Next he offered to sign her up. McClinton shook her head no and listed her reasons.

She hasn’t been sick, she said, and no one in her family has gotten COVID-19. “It might cause me to have complications,” she added. Simmons accepted that and walked away.

But he returned a few minutes later, apologizing “if I caught you off guard,” and told her: “I was just really interested in why you aren’t interested.’’ She said she doesn’t trust the shots and declined his pamphlets.

“You don’t want to be really pushy,” Simmons said later. “You got to be a good judge of character too.’’

C.B. Johnson, who runs a Chicago drug recovery group in the Black neighborhood where he grew up, is helping people there get vaccinated. He said that insider cred helps. So does patience.

“We deal with a lot of people that a lot of people don’t want to deal with,” Johnson said. “We’re able to give them the option to say, ‘Hey, if you want to do it we can get you there, but if you don’t, we will still be here when you decide that you want to.‘’’

“When you listen to what their concerns are and you hear them out and you validate their concerns, and then you come back and explain to them, ‘Hey, look, I mean what happens if you catch COVID? Would you rather have the vaccine that helps you?’”

Community activist Debra Stanley helps lead a support group for former drug users and ex-offenders in South Bend, Indiana. Vaccination was the topic at a recent meeting, and skeptics spoke up.

When Goodwill employee Sonya Chandler mentioned seeing social media posts about weird vaccine side effects, Darryl McKinney, an Air Force vet, whipped out his cellphone and read Centers for Disease Control and Prevention information aloud.

Stanley gently chided in responding: “Darryl got his information from CDC, you got yours from Facebook. Know your sources.”

Still, McKinney said he doesn’t trust the U.S. government and won’t get vaccinated.

“Last time I was at my barber, a few guys were talking about it,” McKinney said. “We’re not going to be guinea pigs.’’

Stanley said she’s not out to twist arms.

“Our whole thing is staying abreast of all the information and making sure the latest gets to the people,” she said. “We don’t ever believe it’s our role to promote a decision. It is our role to ensure that people have the best information when they get ready to make their decision.’’

Chandler said later that the meeting “made me more aware. Now I’m looking at it as, well, I may as well get the shot because it will help the rest of the community to not get sick.”

Back at the Chicago laundromat, Simmons scored a win with Theopulis Polk, a 62-year-old demolition worker he approached on the sidewalk. The gray-bearded Black man readily agreed to sign up. Inside, he retrieved a wad of dog-eared paper scraps from the pocket of his faded green coveralls, fumbling to find the one where his phone number was scrawled.

“I’ve been wanting to get vaccinated but I don’t have no primary doctor,” Polk said. He said he knows people who’ve died from COVID-19, and works around people who don’t wear masks. He lives in this neighborhood, so getting to the vaccination site at nearby Saint Anthony’s won’t be difficult.

“I’m scared of needles. I hate to get any kind of shots. But you have to,” Polk said. “I’m not worried because I’ve got God on my side.’’

KANSAS CITY (AP) — His last job was selling cars, but in his new gig, working to turn the tide against a pandemic, Herman Simmons knows not to be too pushy or overbearing.He’s one of more than 50 outreach workers a Chicago hospital has enlisted to promote vaccination against COVID-19 in hard-hit Black and brown neighborhoods.Their job is approaching strangers at laundromats, grocery stores and churches,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/how-do-we-know-covid-19-vaccines-safe-b688bd470d2eb8a74953dd34d29fd756">handing out educational material</a>&nbsp;and making vaccination appointments for those who are willing.“I see myself as my brother’s keeper. I don’t try to force them. I’m persistent,” he said.Top U.S. health officials say they’re in a race to vaccinate as many people as quickly as possible as COVID-19 variants spread, mask and distancing rules are relaxed, and Americans crave a return to normalcy.As part of these efforts, the Biden administration announced Thursday it will invest nearly $10 billion to expand vaccine access in communities of color, rural areas, low-income populations and other underserved communities. Some of the money will go to community health centers. Funding comes mostly from the American Rescue Plan.While the U.S. is vaccinating roughly 2.5 million people daily and nearly 1 in 3 adults have received at least one shot, roughly that many say they are skeptical or won’t get vaccinated.“There will be a hard core that never want to be vaccinated and we can’t do anything about that,” said Dr. Eric Toner, a senior scholar at Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security.He said that number is unlikely to prevent effective control of the virus. To make sure it doesn’t, authorities are working to change minds and boost access in minority communities where skepticism is among the hurdles to vaccination.They’re showcasing Black leaders getting shots, preaching vaccination benefits at Sunday services, holding Zoom meetings where experts dismantle the myths. Michigan is enlisting barber shops and salons. Mobile clinics have been set up to vaccinate Kentucky racetrack workers and California migrant workers.In the socially distanced age of COVID-19, the in-the-trenches work of regular folk-turned-recruiters stands out.Simmons is Black, amiable and talkative — a natural for this kind of work.“I tell ’em I was a little afraid at first” about getting the shots, said Simmons, who quit the car dealership when co-workers got sick with the virus. He tells them he has friends and family members who’ve died, and how easy it is to sign up.Sometimes it’s a tough sell.“I would like to say that I get more sign-ins than not,” Simmons said, “but I don’t think that’s the case.’’“They don’t trust it. Some think the vaccines were made too quickly to be safe,” he said. “They feel like lab rats.”That’s a common narrative. But it’s not the whole story.For many Black people, mistrust of medical institutions is deep-seated. Their reasons are varied, vehement and often valid. And they don’t even start with Tuskegee, the U.S. government study that began in 1932 and withheld treatment for Black men with syphilis.Mistrust stems from surgeries on enslaved women to the absence of Black people in studies that guide modern-day medical decisions. It includes mistaken assumptions claiming race-based biological differences, and disrespect in the doctor’s office.Some are afraid of needles. Some believe internet myths. And some say they intend to get vaccinated but want to wait and see how others fare first. For some, the problem is no transportation to vaccination sites, no internet to get information on where and when to get vaccinated, or no regular physician. However, the shots are free and you don’t need a doctor to get them.Some U.S. polls and statistics show hesitancy in some communities of color is falling, though vaccination rates are still highest among white people. In Chicago, the gap has narrowed but rates for first doses are 36% white people, 30% Hispanic people and 24% Black people.Simmons is on a mission to change that.On a chilly March Saturday, his battleground was a laundromat in a working-class neighborhood southwest of downtown Chicago. Saint Anthony Hospital had set up a makeshift center where recruits gathered as outreach workers took down contact information and arranged appointments.Masked and carrying a folder of vaccine information, Simmons approached Tasha McClinton, 34, a stylish Black woman with long blond tresses pulling clothes from an orange duffel bag and heaving them into a washer.His shirt was the first pitch, emblazoned with the words, “It’s Worth the Shot,” and an image of a syringe. Next he offered to sign her up. McClinton shook her head no and listed her reasons.She hasn’t been sick, she said, and no one in her family has gotten COVID-19. “It might cause me to have complications,” she added. Simmons accepted that and walked away.But he returned a few minutes later, apologizing “if I caught you off guard,” and told her: “I was just really interested in why you aren’t interested.’’ She said she doesn’t trust the shots and declined his pamphlets.“You don’t want to be really pushy,” Simmons said later. “You got to be a good judge of character too.’’C.B. Johnson, who runs a Chicago drug recovery group in the Black neighborhood where he grew up, is helping people there get vaccinated. He said that insider cred helps. So does patience.“We deal with a lot of people that a lot of people don’t want to deal with,” Johnson said. “We’re able to give them the option to say, ‘Hey, if you want to do it we can get you there, but if you don’t, we will still be here when you decide that you want to.‘’’“When you listen to what their concerns are and you hear them out and you validate their concerns, and then you come back and explain to them, ‘Hey, look, I mean what happens if you catch COVID? Would you rather have the vaccine that helps you?’”Community activist Debra Stanley helps lead a support group for former drug users and ex-offenders in South Bend, Indiana. Vaccination was the topic at a recent meeting, and skeptics spoke up.When Goodwill employee Sonya Chandler mentioned seeing social media posts about weird vaccine side effects, Darryl McKinney, an Air Force vet, whipped out his cellphone and read Centers for Disease Control and Prevention information aloud.Stanley gently chided in responding: “Darryl got his information from CDC, you got yours from Facebook. Know your sources.”Still, McKinney said he doesn’t trust the U.S. government and won’t get vaccinated.“Last time I was at my barber, a few guys were talking about it,” McKinney said. “We’re not going to be guinea pigs.’’Stanley said she’s not out to twist arms.“Our whole thing is staying abreast of all the information and making sure the latest gets to the people,” she said. “We don’t ever believe it’s our role to promote a decision. It is our role to ensure that people have the best information when they get ready to make their decision.’’Chandler said later that the meeting “made me more aware. Now I’m looking at it as, well, I may as well get the shot because it will help the rest of the community to not get sick.”Back at the Chicago laundromat, Simmons scored a win with Theopulis Polk, a 62-year-old demolition worker he approached on the sidewalk. The gray-bearded Black man readily agreed to sign up. Inside, he retrieved a wad of dog-eared paper scraps from the pocket of his faded green coveralls, fumbling to find the one where his phone number was scrawled.“I’ve been wanting to get vaccinated but I don’t have no primary doctor,” Polk said. He said he knows people who’ve died from COVID-19, and works around people who don’t wear masks. He lives in this neighborhood, so getting to the vaccination site at nearby Saint Anthony’s won’t be difficult.“I’m scared of needles. I hate to get any kind of shots. But you have to,” Polk said. “I’m not worried because I’ve got God on my side.’’

Vaccination race enlists grassroots aides to fight mistrust

Manhattan— Authorities are working to determine the cause of a fire at a fast food restaurant in Manhattan.

Just after 5 a.m. Sunday, the Manhattan Fire Department was dispatched to 214 Leavenworth Street, Taco John's, for a report of a structure fire, according to Deputy Chief Ryan Almes.

Upon arrival, crews found the single-story restaurant that had smoke showing from the roof. Crews entered the building and extinguished the fire within 30 minutes.&nbsp; The fire reached a&nbsp; second alarm before it was contained.&nbsp; The quick-service Mexican restaurant was built and opened in 2014. Loss is estimated at $300,000 to contents and $300,000 to the structure.&nbsp; One firefighter suffered a minor injury and was treated and released at Via Christi.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616945199371.png" alt="Photo courtesy Manhattan Fire Department" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Manhattan Fire Department</figcaption>
 </figure>Manhattan— Authorities are working to determine the cause of a fire at a fast food restaurant in Manhattan.Just after 5 a.m. Sunday, the Manhattan Fire Department was dispatched to 214 Leavenworth Street, Taco John's, for a report of a structure fire, according to Deputy Chief Ryan Almes.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616945092355.jpeg" alt="Photos courtesy Manhattan Fire Department" />
 <figcaption>Photos courtesy Manhattan Fire Department</figcaption>
 </figure>Upon arrival, crews found the single-story restaurant that had smoke showing from the roof. Crews entered the building and extinguished the fire within 30 minutes.&nbsp; The fire reached a&nbsp; second alarm before it was contained.&nbsp; The quick-service Mexican restaurant was built and opened in 2014. Loss is estimated at $300,000 to contents and $300,000 to the structure.&nbsp; One firefighter suffered a minor injury and was treated and released at Via Christi.

$600K damage after Kansas restaurant fire

TOPEKA—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting and asking the public for help to locate a person on interest in the case.

Just before 9p.m. Saturday, police&nbsp;responded to a report of a possible shooting in the parking lot of Skinny’s Bar, 4016 SW Huntoon Street in Topeka, according to Lt. Shane Hilton. One victim transported themselves to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries. When officers arrived, they learned that an altercation inside of the bar spilled out into the parking lot where the shooting occurred.

The Topeka Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance in locating Misty M. Lake, 35, of Topeka, in connection with the incident. Anyone with information about Lake’s location, including past sightings is asked to call police. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616944014824.png" alt="Lake photo Topeka Police" />
 <figcaption>Lake photo Topeka Police</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting and asking the public for help to locate a person on interest in the case.Just before 9p.m. Saturday, police&nbsp;responded to a report of a possible shooting in the parking lot of Skinny’s Bar, 4016 SW Huntoon Street in Topeka, according to Lt. Shane Hilton. One victim transported themselves to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries. When officers arrived, they learned that an altercation inside of the bar spilled out into the parking lot where the shooting occurred.The Topeka Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance in locating Misty M. Lake, 35, of Topeka, in connection with the incident. Anyone with information about Lake’s location, including past sightings is asked to call police.

Police want to locate Kan. woman after shooting outside bar

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican legislators are pushing to keep in place specific rules for tracing the close contacts of people exposed to COVID-19 despite public health groups’ opposition.

(Click below to listen to the committee discussion on the proposal)

The Senate Judiciary Committee has approved&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/sb304_00_0000.pdf" target="_blank">a bill</a>&nbsp;making limits on COVID-19 contact tracing permanent, rather than repealing them May 1. The GOP-controlled Legislature approved the rules last year at Republican Attorney General Derek Schmidt’s request. He argued that they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legislature-kansas-coronavirus-pandemic-topeka-derek-schmidt-abfa3c6b1634a5b670a6943e9a3f37aa">protect the privacy</a>&nbsp;of infected people and prevent information about them from becoming public.

The committee’s voice vote Friday sent the measure next to the full Senate. It applies only to COVID-19 and not other diseases, and a key provision prevents people exposed to the novel coronavirus from being forced to disclose their close contacts. It also says people can’t face criminal charges or civil lawsuits for refusing.

“It’s a small change we are addressing while we are in session, keeping privacy protections in place,” said Committee Chair Kellie Warren, a Lenexa Republican.

But public health officials have said the rules&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bills-kansas-wichita-topeka-virus-outbreak-1402959bab4ae0016d313fae13258c62">hinder contact tracing,&nbsp;</a>and two public health associations told the Senate committee that it makes no sense to have different rules for COVID-19 and all other diseases.

“Let health care professionals have all the tools in the chest they need,” said Democratic Sen. David Haley, of Kansas City, Kansas.

By JOHN HANNATOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican legislators are pushing to keep in place specific rules for tracing the close contacts of people exposed to COVID-19 despite public health groups’ opposition.(Click below to listen to the committee discussion on the proposal)<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vs5cWpA-iWM?start=194" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>The Senate Judiciary Committee has approved&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/sb304_00_0000.pdf" target="_blank">a bill</a>&nbsp;making limits on COVID-19 contact tracing permanent, rather than repealing them May 1. The GOP-controlled Legislature approved the rules last year at Republican Attorney General Derek Schmidt’s request. He argued that they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legislature-kansas-coronavirus-pandemic-topeka-derek-schmidt-abfa3c6b1634a5b670a6943e9a3f37aa">protect the privacy</a>&nbsp;of infected people and prevent information about them from becoming public.The committee’s voice vote Friday sent the measure next to the full Senate. It applies only to COVID-19 and not other diseases, and a key provision prevents people exposed to the novel coronavirus from being forced to disclose their close contacts. It also says people can’t face criminal charges or civil lawsuits for refusing.“It’s a small change we are addressing while we are in session, keeping privacy protections in place,” said Committee Chair Kellie Warren, a Lenexa Republican.But public health officials have said the rules&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bills-kansas-wichita-topeka-virus-outbreak-1402959bab4ae0016d313fae13258c62">hinder contact tracing,&nbsp;</a>and two public health associations told the Senate committee that it makes no sense to have different rules for COVID-19 and all other diseases.“Let health care professionals have all the tools in the chest they need,” said Democratic Sen. David Haley, of Kansas City, Kansas.

🎥  Kan. lawmakers push to keep COVID contact-tracing rules

DETROIT (AP) — A federal judge in Michigan should have blocked a Trump administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/6c1af80fb290472c89fb930e223505af">ban on bump stocks</a>, a device that allows semiautomatic firearms to fire rapidly, an appeals court said Thursday.

The ban came in response to a 2017 shooting in Las Vegas in which a gunman attached bump stocks to assault-style rifles to shoot concertgoers from his hotel room.

The prohibition came in the form of a regulation from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, which treated bump stocks as if they are illegal machine guns. But the court, in a 2-1 decision, said changes in criminal law are up to Congress.

“It is not the role of the executive — particularly the unelected administrative state — to dictate to the public what is right and what is wrong,” said judges Alice Batchelder and Eric Murphy of the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

The court also said a bump stock doesn’t qualify as a machine gun.

“This is great news,” said Erich Pratt, senior vice president of Virginia-based Gun Owners of America.

In 2019, U.S. District Judge Paul Maloney in western Michigan turned down an injunction that would have stopped the bump stock ban. The case now will return to his court.

Gun owner groups “are likely to prevail on the merits and ... their motion for an injunction should have been granted,” the appeals court said.

Decisions from the 6th Circuit set legal precedent in federal courts in Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee and Kentucky.

There have been different opinions about the bump stock ban in federal courts across the country, which makes it a strong candidate for review by the U.S. Supreme Court. A year ago, the Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/36d807ad9ea481fc88c7f679dbfa1857">turned down</a>&nbsp;an appeal, but it was a procedural step in a case that wasn’t fully developed.

“Waiting should not be mistaken for lack of concern,” Justice Neil Gorsuch said at the time.

DETROIT (AP) — A federal judge in Michigan should have blocked a Trump administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/6c1af80fb290472c89fb930e223505af">ban on bump stocks</a>, a device that allows semiautomatic firearms to fire rapidly, an appeals court said Thursday.The ban came in response to a 2017 shooting in Las Vegas in which a gunman attached bump stocks to assault-style rifles to shoot concertgoers from his hotel room.The prohibition came in the form of a regulation from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, which treated bump stocks as if they are illegal machine guns. But the court, in a 2-1 decision, said changes in criminal law are up to Congress.“It is not the role of the executive — particularly the unelected administrative state — to dictate to the public what is right and what is wrong,” said judges Alice Batchelder and Eric Murphy of the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.The court also said a bump stock doesn’t qualify as a machine gun.“This is great news,” said Erich Pratt, senior vice president of Virginia-based Gun Owners of America.In 2019, U.S. District Judge Paul Maloney in western Michigan turned down an injunction that would have stopped the bump stock ban. The case now will return to his court.Gun owner groups “are likely to prevail on the merits and ... their motion for an injunction should have been granted,” the appeals court said.Decisions from the 6th Circuit set legal precedent in federal courts in Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee and Kentucky.There have been different opinions about the bump stock ban in federal courts across the country, which makes it a strong candidate for review by the U.S. Supreme Court. A year ago, the Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/36d807ad9ea481fc88c7f679dbfa1857">turned down</a>&nbsp;an appeal, but it was a procedural step in a case that wasn’t fully developed.“Waiting should not be mistaken for lack of concern,” Justice Neil Gorsuch said at the time.___

Court deals blow to nationwide bump stock ban

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an Ohio man on sex crime allegations.

Investigators learned that 46-year-old Michael Taylor had traveled to Wichita from Ohio on March 22nd to meet with a 15-year-old girl, according to officer Trevor Macey. 

Taylor and the girl had been communicating on an internet platform and agreed to meet in Wichita at a local hotel. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616791691617.png" alt="Taylor photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Taylor photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an Ohio man on sex crime allegations.Investigators learned that 46-year-old Michael Taylor had traveled to Wichita from Ohio on March 22nd to meet with a 15-year-old girl, according to officer Trevor Macey. Taylor and the girl had been communicating on an internet platform and agreed to meet in Wichita at a local hotel. The mother of the 15- year-old contacted Wichita State University police upon realizing that the child was missing. Wichita State Police conducted a check, at which point the child was located on the campus of Wichita State University, accompanied by Taylor. After police located them, they took Taylor into custody and Wichita State University Police Officers transported both to the Exploited and Missing Child Unit for interviews.At the time of the incident, it was determined that there was no relationship between Wichita State University and either of the persons involved, according to Macey. At no time was there any threat to the campus community.The investigation revealed that Taylor had engaged in unlawful sexual activity, and numerous electronic devices were seized from Taylor’s hotel room. Further investigation is ongoing into multiple violations of state and federal law. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is currently investigating with the assistance of the local agencies. The case has been turned over to the United States Attorney’s Office.