SEDGWICK COUNTY—Authorities are investigating a report of alleged stalking and have arrested a police officer.&nbsp;

On Friday afternoon authorities booked Wichita Police Department Officer Thomas Wallace into the Sedgwick County Jail on two counts of misdemeanor stalking, according to police spokesman officer Charley Davidson.

Officials learned of Wallace possibly stalking a woman known to him, stemming from an investigation by the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) that began late last year concerning another Wichita police department employee.&nbsp; 

The sheriff's office investigated in order to avoid conflicts of interest.&nbsp;

Wallace has been employed with WPD for five years and was placed on paid administrative leave, pending the outcome of the criminal and internal investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612615648257.png" alt="Wallace Sedgwick County Jail" />
 <figcaption>Wallace Sedgwick County Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Authorities are investigating a report of alleged stalking and have arrested a police officer.&nbsp;On Friday afternoon authorities booked Wichita Police Department Officer Thomas Wallace into the Sedgwick County Jail on two counts of misdemeanor stalking, according to police spokesman officer Charley Davidson.Officials learned of Wallace possibly stalking a woman known to him, stemming from an investigation by the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) that began late last year concerning another Wichita police department employee.&nbsp; The sheriff's office investigated in order to avoid conflicts of interest.&nbsp;Wallace has been employed with WPD for five years and was placed on paid administrative leave, pending the outcome of the criminal and internal investigation.

Kan. officer arrested for allegedly stalking woman

TOPEKA—Law enforcement authorities are investigating an incident that sent&nbsp; a woman to the hospital following domestic dispute.

Just after 7:00 a.m. Friday, officers were dispatched to the area of 21st and SE Iowa in Topeka reference what was believed to be a hit and run accident between a vehicle and pedestrian, according to Lt. Manuel Munoz.

Officers located an individual who told police that the incident was not an accident, but a result of a domestic dispute she was having with a passenger in the vehicle. 

The victim had non-life-threatening injuries and police&nbsp; summoned American Medical Response to the scene. The victim was later transported to an area hospital for treatment.

Further investigation determined that the driver of the vehicle, in which the victim was riding in and had been forcefully pushed from might be in the 1500 block of SW Central Park Ave. 

Officers located and arrested the driver, Joshua Aaron Reed, 20 of Topeka and he was booked into Shawnee County Department of Corrections on a requested charge Aggravated Battery. 

Police continue to look for the suspect who was involved in the domestic dispute, according to Munoz.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612622930765.png" alt="Reed-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Reed-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA—Law enforcement authorities are investigating an incident that sent&nbsp; a woman to the hospital following domestic dispute.Just after 7:00 a.m. Friday, officers were dispatched to the area of 21st and SE Iowa in Topeka reference what was believed to be a hit and run accident between a vehicle and pedestrian, according to Lt. Manuel Munoz.Officers located an individual who told police that the incident was not an accident, but a result of a domestic dispute she was having with a passenger in the vehicle. The victim had non-life-threatening injuries and police&nbsp; summoned American Medical Response to the scene. The victim was later transported to an area hospital for treatment.Further investigation determined that the driver of the vehicle, in which the victim was riding in and had been forcefully pushed from might be in the 1500 block of SW Central Park Ave. Officers located and arrested the driver, Joshua Aaron Reed, 20 of Topeka and he was booked into Shawnee County Department of Corrections on a requested charge Aggravated Battery. Police continue to look for the suspect who was involved in the domestic dispute, according to Munoz.

Kan. man arrested after woman pushed from vehicle

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s administration plans to begin giving COVID-19 vaccinations to Kansas prison inmates next week, ignoring a call from the Republican-controlled Legislature to postpone their inoculations so that others can get them first.

Spokesperson Carol Pitts said in an email that the Department of Corrections has not yet vaccinated any inmates but would start giving them throughout its nine facilities. Her email Thursday came as the Kansas Senate was debating&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/sr1707_00_0000.pdf" target="_blank">a resolution</a>&nbsp;condemning Kelly’s decision to make inmates eligible for shots during the second phase of the state’s vaccine rollout, which launched last month.

The Senate approved the nonbinding resolution on a&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/vote_view/je_20210204180856_291682/" target="_blank">28-8</a>&nbsp;vote, with all but one vote for it coming from its Republican majority. The measure calls on Kelly to abandon the policy involving inmates “without delay,” but the governor already had signaled her intent to disregard it with her public comments.

“You also have staff in prisons and you have people going in and out of prisons, and so we need to control the spread in our prisons to control the community spread,” Kelly told reporters Friday at a vaccination clinic for Kansas National Guard personnel.

Republican lawmakers have been at odds with Kelly for months over the state’s pandemic response, and they are likely to make what they view as mistakes with distributing vaccines an issue as she seeks a second term in 2022.

As of Friday,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data" target="_blank">the state reported</a>&nbsp;that about 218,000, or 7.5% of its 2.9 million residents, had received at least the first of two required COIVD-19 shots. More than 278,000 vaccine doses have been administered to Kansas residents, about 67% of the roughly 413,000 doses sent to Kansas by the federal government.

Kansas averaged 982 new confirmed or probable cases a day for the seven days ending Friday. The state health department added 2,647 cases since Wednesday to its pandemic total, bringing it to 281,562.

The total for COVID-19 deaths in Kansas jumped by 206 since Wednesday to 4,101, but state Department of Health and Environment spokesperson Kristi Zears said part of the increase occurred as death certificates for older and previously unreported fatalities were filed with the agency. The deaths included an unnamed 6-year-old in November, the youngest person in Kansas to die from COVID-19 so far.

The state also reported for the first time Friday that all 105 Kansas counties had at least one reported COVID-19 death.

Public health officials worry that cases, hospitalizations and deaths could rise because of the arrival of a new, more contagious variant first identified in the United Kingdom. The state confirmed its first case this week in Ellis County in northwest Kansas.

Dr. Lee Norman, head of the state health department, said it is now doing genetic testing on the coronavirus in about 30 cases a day to see whether they are tied to variants. He said the department is talking to Kansas State University and a Kansas City-area lab for more genetic testing.

Kelly and the health department are following the advice of public health officials and experts in vaccinating inmates in the second phase, along with people 65 and older, workers critical to the economy and others in group living situations. The prison system had seen more than 1,100 COVID-19 cases among staff and 5,900 among inmates as of Thursday.

“We have from the very beginning responded to this pandemic using the guidelines that are issued by public health experts,” Kelly said.

During Thursday’s debate in the Senate, Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, a Lenexa Democrat, also suggested that refusing to give inmates priority could lead to a lawsuit against the state for housing them in substandard conditions.

But Republicans argued that it’s wrong for convicted criminals, particularly violent ones and sex offenders, to be in line ahead of tens of thousands of Kansas residents with medical conditions putting them at risk of severe illness from COVID-19. Several GOP senators talked about family members who can’t yet get shots. Sen. Jeff Longbine, of Emporia, said his 21-year-old daughter, who has Type 1 diabetes, faces weeks more of being largely confined to her apartment.

“I am supposed to explain to my daughter that she can’t live a normal life, that she has to stay home and manage her blood sugar to the best of her ability, because we’re going to give vaccines to prisoners first?” Longbine said. “I’ve got a problem with that.”

The resolution was drafted by Senate health committee Chair Richard Hilderbrand, a Galena Republican, and he said he opted for a nonbinding “strong statement” from the Senate because a bill to overturn Kelly’s policy might not get through both chambers before all inmates got their shots — and the governor would likely veto it.

The resolution calls development of vaccines a “triumph of American ingenuity.” It also cited “the previous Presidential administration’s ability to accelerate and distribute a vaccine for COVID-19,” despite&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/public-health-seniors-florida-coronavirus-pandemic-e106ffb05881cd474be554dac055bff6">a rocky distribution rollout</a>&nbsp;during the final weeks of former President Donald Trump’s administration.

Sen. Tom Holland, a Baldwin City Democrat, derided the debate as “political theater” and the resolution as “a political stunt.”

“It is a hit job on the governor,” he said.

Meanwhile, some people eligible for vaccines continue to resist getting them.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/coronavirus/2021/02/05/covid-19-vaccine-county-corrections-employees-turn-down/4308879001/" target="_blank">The Topeka Capital-Journal reported</a>&nbsp;that about 70% of the 212 employees of the Corrections Department in Shawnee County declined COVID-19 shots or didn’t respond when offered them.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584622502448.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNATOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s administration plans to begin giving COVID-19 vaccinations to Kansas prison inmates next week, ignoring a call from the Republican-controlled Legislature to postpone their inoculations so that others can get them first.Spokesperson Carol Pitts said in an email that the Department of Corrections has not yet vaccinated any inmates but would start giving them throughout its nine facilities. Her email Thursday came as the Kansas Senate was debating&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/sr1707_00_0000.pdf" target="_blank">a resolution</a>&nbsp;condemning Kelly’s decision to make inmates eligible for shots during the second phase of the state’s vaccine rollout, which launched last month.The Senate approved the nonbinding resolution on a&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/vote_view/je_20210204180856_291682/" target="_blank">28-8</a>&nbsp;vote, with all but one vote for it coming from its Republican majority. The measure calls on Kelly to abandon the policy involving inmates “without delay,” but the governor already had signaled her intent to disregard it with her public comments.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610104544544.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>“You also have staff in prisons and you have people going in and out of prisons, and so we need to control the spread in our prisons to control the community spread,” Kelly told reporters Friday at a vaccination clinic for Kansas National Guard personnel.Republican lawmakers have been at odds with Kelly for months over the state’s pandemic response, and they are likely to make what they view as mistakes with distributing vaccines an issue as she seeks a second term in 2022.As of Friday,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data" target="_blank">the state reported</a>&nbsp;that about 218,000, or 7.5% of its 2.9 million residents, had received at least the first of two required COIVD-19 shots. More than 278,000 vaccine doses have been administered to Kansas residents, about 67% of the roughly 413,000 doses sent to Kansas by the federal government.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612551327421.png" alt="Friday February 5, 2021 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Friday February 5, 2021 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas averaged 982 new confirmed or probable cases a day for the seven days ending Friday. The state health department added 2,647 cases since Wednesday to its pandemic total, bringing it to 281,562.The total for COVID-19 deaths in Kansas jumped by 206 since Wednesday to 4,101, but state Department of Health and Environment spokesperson Kristi Zears said part of the increase occurred as death certificates for older and previously unreported fatalities were filed with the agency. The deaths included an unnamed 6-year-old in November, the youngest person in Kansas to die from COVID-19 so far.The state also reported for the first time Friday that all 105 Kansas counties had at least one reported COVID-19 death.Public health officials worry that cases, hospitalizations and deaths could rise because of the arrival of a new, more contagious variant first identified in the United Kingdom. The state confirmed its first case this week in Ellis County in northwest Kansas.Dr. Lee Norman, head of the state health department, said it is now doing genetic testing on the coronavirus in about 30 cases a day to see whether they are tied to variants. He said the department is talking to Kansas State University and a Kansas City-area lab for more genetic testing.Kelly and the health department are following the advice of public health officials and experts in vaccinating inmates in the second phase, along with people 65 and older, workers critical to the economy and others in group living situations. The prison system had seen more than 1,100 COVID-19 cases among staff and 5,900 among inmates as of Thursday.“We have from the very beginning responded to this pandemic using the guidelines that are issued by public health experts,” Kelly said.During Thursday’s debate in the Senate, Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, a Lenexa Democrat, also suggested that refusing to give inmates priority could lead to a lawsuit against the state for housing them in substandard conditions.But Republicans argued that it’s wrong for convicted criminals, particularly violent ones and sex offenders, to be in line ahead of tens of thousands of Kansas residents with medical conditions putting them at risk of severe illness from COVID-19. Several GOP senators talked about family members who can’t yet get shots. Sen. Jeff Longbine, of Emporia, said his 21-year-old daughter, who has Type 1 diabetes, faces weeks more of being largely confined to her apartment.“I am supposed to explain to my daughter that she can’t live a normal life, that she has to stay home and manage her blood sugar to the best of her ability, because we’re going to give vaccines to prisoners first?” Longbine said. “I’ve got a problem with that.”The resolution was drafted by Senate health committee Chair Richard Hilderbrand, a Galena Republican, and he said he opted for a nonbinding “strong statement” from the Senate because a bill to overturn Kelly’s policy might not get through both chambers before all inmates got their shots — and the governor would likely veto it.The resolution calls development of vaccines a “triumph of American ingenuity.” It also cited “the previous Presidential administration’s ability to accelerate and distribute a vaccine for COVID-19,” despite&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/public-health-seniors-florida-coronavirus-pandemic-e106ffb05881cd474be554dac055bff6">a rocky distribution rollout</a>&nbsp;during the final weeks of former President Donald Trump’s administration.Sen. Tom Holland, a Baldwin City Democrat, derided the debate as “political theater” and the resolution as “a political stunt.”“It is a hit job on the governor,” he said.Meanwhile, some people eligible for vaccines continue to resist getting them.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/coronavirus/2021/02/05/covid-19-vaccine-county-corrections-employees-turn-down/4308879001/" target="_blank">The Topeka Capital-Journal reported</a>&nbsp;that about 70% of the 212 employees of the Corrections Department in Shawnee County declined COVID-19 shots or didn’t respond when offered them.

Kan. prisons to begin giving COVID-19 shots to inmates 

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement&nbsp;authorities investigating the murder of two Kansas teens have arrested of&nbsp;22-year-old Dontenize Kelly of Wichita, according to Wichita Police Chief Gordon Ramsey.

On Tuesday, police alerted the public that 18-year-old Kayla Blackmon may be in danger and asked the public for help to find her SUV.&nbsp; Police found her 17-year-old boyfriend Michael Beasley deceased in the 1000 block of North Ash in Wichita on Monday.

As part of the the investigation police learned of Kelly's involvement and arrested him without incident Friday evening.

Both teens were victims of gunshot wounds and killed in Blackmon's Ford Escape, according to Wichita Police Sgt. Dan Hardy. Police have not recovered a weapon and have not determined a motive as they continue to investigate.&nbsp;

Kelly is being held <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20045382">on requested charges</a> of capital murder and a probation violation, according to Ramsey. He has previous convictions for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, criminal possession of a weapon and for attempted aggravated robbery, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating the death of a 17-year-old boy from Wichita have located the body of his missing girlfriend.

Early Thursday, a police lieutenant was patrolling and located Kayla Blackmon’s 2005 Ford Escape in the parking lot of an apartment complex in the 500 block of West 27th Street South in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson. Officers located Blackmon in the vehicle deceased.

On Tuesday, police alerted the public that Blackmon may be in danger and asked the public for help to find her SUV.&nbsp; Police found her 17-year-old boyfriend Michael Beasley deceased in the 1000 block of North Ash in Wichita on Monday.

Police are still working to determine the circumstances of what occurred in this case. Davidson released no additional details.

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities continue to search for 18-year-old Kayla Blackmon of Wichita. On Tuesday, police investigating a reported shooting identified the victim as Blackmon's boyfriend Michael Beasley, 17, of Wichita.

As part of the investigation, police are asking  for assistance to locate Blackm0n and her grey, 2005 Ford Escape with Kansas license plate 566 NPK.

Police believe Blackmon may be in danger. Authorities ask that if you see the vehicle, please call 911.

Just after 9:30a.m. Monday, police responded to a shooting call in the 1000 Block of North Ash in Wichita, according to Officer Charley Davidson.

A passerby saw a man lying in the grass on the north side of an abandoned church. When the passerby approached the man later identified as Beasley to see if he needed help, he discovered the man was unresponsive and called police. Sedgwick County EMS and additional first responders arrived and determined Beasley was dead.&nbsp; 

Police have released no new information in the case.

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a reported shooting have identified a victim as 17-year-old Michael Beasley of Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.

As part of the investigation, police are asking&nbsp; for assistance to locate Beasley's 18-year-old girlfriend Kayla Blackm0n of Wichita and her grey, 2005 Ford Escape with Kansas license plate 566 NPK.

Just after 9:30a.m. Monday, police responded to a shooting call in the 1000 Block of North Ash in Wichita, according to Davidson.

Davidson released no additional information including Beasley's cause of death on Tuesday morning.&nbsp; Police also have not reported an arrest.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612635307589.png" alt="Kelly-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Kelly-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement&nbsp;authorities investigating the murder of two Kansas teens have arrested of&nbsp;22-year-old Dontenize Kelly of Wichita, according to Wichita Police Chief Gordon Ramsey.On Tuesday, police alerted the public that 18-year-old Kayla Blackmon may be in danger and asked the public for help to find her SUV.&nbsp; Police found her 17-year-old boyfriend Michael Beasley deceased in the 1000 block of North Ash in Wichita on Monday.As part of the the investigation police learned of Kelly's involvement and arrested him without incident Friday evening.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612284535821.png" alt="Officer Charley Davidson reported police found her SUV early Thursday." />
 <figcaption>Officer Charley Davidson reported police found her SUV early Thursday.</figcaption>
 </figure>Both teens were victims of gunshot wounds and killed in Blackmon's Ford Escape, according to Wichita Police Sgt. Dan Hardy. Police have not recovered a weapon and have not determined a motive as they continue to investigate.&nbsp;Kelly is being held <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20045382">on requested charges</a> of capital murder and a probation violation, according to Ramsey. He has previous convictions for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, criminal possession of a weapon and for attempted aggravated robbery, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.--------SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating the death of a 17-year-old boy from Wichita have located the body of his missing girlfriend.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612284535821.png" alt="Officer Charley Davidson explained during a Tuesday press briefing that authorities needed help to locate Kayla Blackmon and her 2005 Ford&nbsp; Escape ." />
 <figcaption>Officer Charley Davidson explained during a Tuesday press briefing that authorities needed help to locate Kayla Blackmon and her 2005 Ford&nbsp; Escape .</figcaption>
 </figure>Early Thursday, a police lieutenant was patrolling and located Kayla Blackmon’s 2005 Ford Escape in the parking lot of an apartment complex in the 500 block of West 27th Street South in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson. Officers located Blackmon in the vehicle deceased.On Tuesday, police alerted the public that Blackmon may be in danger and asked the public for help to find her SUV.&nbsp; Police found her 17-year-old boyfriend Michael Beasley deceased in the 1000 block of North Ash in Wichita on Monday.Police are still working to determine the circumstances of what occurred in this case. Davidson released no additional details.-------------SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities continue to search for 18-year-old Kayla Blackmon of Wichita. On Tuesday, police investigating a reported shooting identified the victim as Blackmon's boyfriend Michael Beasley, 17, of Wichita.As part of the investigation, police are asking for assistance to locate Blackm0n and her grey, 2005 Ford Escape with Kansas license plate 566 NPK.Police believe Blackmon may be in danger. Authorities ask that if you see the vehicle, please call 911.Just after 9:30a.m. Monday, police responded to a shooting call in the 1000 Block of North Ash in Wichita, according to Officer Charley Davidson.A passerby saw a man lying in the grass on the north side of an abandoned church. When the passerby approached the man later identified as Beasley to see if he needed help, he discovered the man was unresponsive and called police. Sedgwick County EMS and additional first responders arrived and determined Beasley was dead.&nbsp; Police have released no new information in the case.------SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a reported shooting have identified a victim as 17-year-old Michael Beasley of Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.As part of the investigation, police are asking&nbsp; for assistance to locate Beasley's 18-year-old girlfriend Kayla Blackm0n of Wichita and her grey, 2005 Ford Escape with Kansas license plate 566 NPK.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612285744552.png" alt="Blackmon-photo Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Blackmon-photo Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>Police believe Blackmon may be in danger. Authorities ask that if you see the vehicle, please call 911.Just after 9:30a.m. Monday, police responded to a shooting call in the 1000 Block of North Ash in Wichita, according to Davidson.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612285804058.png" alt="2005 Ford Escape with Kansas license plate 566 NPK." />
 <figcaption>2005 Ford Escape with Kansas license plate 566 NPK.</figcaption>
 </figure>A passerby saw a man lying in the grass on the north side of an abandoned church. When the passerby approached the man later identified as Beasley to see if he needed help, he discovered the man was unresponsive and called police. Sedgwick County EMS and additional first responders arrived and determined Beasley was dead.&nbsp; Davidson released no additional information including Beasley's cause of death on Tuesday morning.&nbsp; Police also have not reported an arrest.

Suspect jailed for alleged murder of Kan. teen, her boyfriend 

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden laid out his case Friday for moving fast to pass $1.9 trillion in coronavirus relief, but even as he opened the door to proceeding without Republicans, he conceded that a key element of his plan — hiking the minimum wage to $15 per hour — was unlikely to become law.

The stakes for the county and economy were amplified Friday morning by the release of the government’s jobs report for January, which showed that hiring had stalled to a pace that could hinder a return to full employment for several years. Some 406,000 people left the labor force last month as deaths from the pandemic have surged.

“A lot of folks are losing hope,” Biden said in a speech at the White House. “I believe the American people are looking right now to their government for help, to do our job, to not let them down. So I’m going to act. I’m going to act fast. I’d like to be doing it with the support of Republicans ... they’re just not willing to go as far as I think we have to go.”

The jobs report landed shortly after Senate Democrats cast a decisive vote to muscle the COVID relief plan through the chamber without Republican support, a step toward final approval next month. Vice President Kamala Harris cast the tie-breaking vote in the Senate, her first.

Biden’s speech solidified a marked shift in tone and strategy for a president who entered the White House pledging bipartisanship and met on Monday with 10 Republican senators pushing a slimmed-down $618 billion alternative. Biden concluded in his Friday speech that aid at that level would only prolong the economic pain.

Still, the president acknowledged Friday that one of his most ambitious proposals, raising the minimum wage, would likely be left out of the final bill.

“I put it in, but I don’t think it’s going to survive,” Biden said in an interview with “CBS Evening News” anchor Norah O’Donnell, adding he would push to raise it in a standalone bill. “No one should work 40 hours a week and live below the poverty wage. And if you’re making less than $15 an hour, you’re living below the poverty wage.”

Senate Democrats applauded after Harris announced the chamber’s 51-50 vote on the budget measure at around 5:30 a.m. The action came after a grueling all-night session, where senators voted on amendments that could define the contours of the eventual COVID-19 aid bill.

Following Senate approval, the House passed the measure 219-209 on Friday afternoon, also without a Republican vote. The coronavirus aid package can now work its way through congressional committees with the goal of finalizing additional relief by mid-March, when extra unemployment assistance and other pandemic aid expires. It’s an aggressive timeline that will test the ability of the new administration and Congress to deliver.

“We have been focused like a laser on getting this done,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said after leading Democrats in the House met with Biden on Friday. “We hope to be able to put vaccines in people’s arms, money in people’s pockets, children safely in schools and workers in their jobs. That’s what we are doing now.”

The push for stimulus comes amid new signs of a weakening U.S. economy. Employers added just 49,000 jobs in January, after cutting 227,000 jobs in December, the Labor Department said Friday. Restaurants, retailers, manufacturers and even the health care sector shed workers last month, meaning that private employers accounted for a meager gain of 6,000 jobs last month.

“At that rate, it’s going to take 10 years until we hit full employment,” Biden said during his Oval Office meeting with House Democrats. “That’s not hyperbole. That’s a fact.”

The unemployment rate fell to 6.3% from 6.7%, but there was a decline in the number of people who were either working or looking for a job in a sign that people are dropping out of the labor force. The U.S. economy is 9.9 million jobs shy of its pre-pandemic level.

Biden, who has been meeting with lawmakers in recent days to discuss the package, welcomed the leaders of House committees who will be assembling the bill under the budget process known as “reconciliation.” Money for vaccine distributions, direct payments to households, school reopenings and business aid are at stake.

The size of the package has been a concern for several Republican lawmakers and some economists. Larry Summers, a former treasury secretary during the Clinton administration, said in a column for The Washington Post that the $1.9 trillion package was three times larger than the projected economic shortfall. A separate analysis by the Penn Wharton Budget Model found the plan would do little to boost growth relative to its size.

The Senate also passed an amendment 99-1 that would prevent the $1,400 in direct checks in Biden’s proposal from going to “upper-income taxpayers.” But the measure, led by Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., is ultimately symbolic and nonbinding and does not specify at what level a person qualifies as upper income.

Biden told CBS he was “prepared to negotiate” on the upper boundary for where payments would phase out. “Middle-class folks need help,” he said. “But you don’t need to get any help to someone making 300,000 bucks or $250,000.”

And while Biden seemed willing to break with Republicans in his speech, White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters afterward that the budget process approved by the Senate still allows for bipartisanship.

“The process enables for time for negotiations through committee work,” Psaki said. “We certainly are hopeful that there will be opportunities for amendments from Republicans, amendments from others across the board to be a part of this process moving forward.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612616353128.png" alt="After a busy week, President Biden departed Washington, D.C. on Air Force One for the first time as president-photo courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>After a busy week, President Biden departed Washington, D.C. on Air Force One for the first time as president-photo courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden laid out his case Friday for moving fast to pass $1.9 trillion in coronavirus relief, but even as he opened the door to proceeding without Republicans, he conceded that a key element of his plan — hiking the minimum wage to $15 per hour — was unlikely to become law.The stakes for the county and economy were amplified Friday morning by the release of the government’s jobs report for January, which showed that hiring had stalled to a pace that could hinder a return to full employment for several years. Some 406,000 people left the labor force last month as deaths from the pandemic have surged.“A lot of folks are losing hope,” Biden said in a speech at the White House. “I believe the American people are looking right now to their government for help, to do our job, to not let them down. So I’m going to act. I’m going to act fast. I’d like to be doing it with the support of Republicans ... they’re just not willing to go as far as I think we have to go.”The jobs report landed shortly after Senate Democrats cast a decisive vote to muscle the COVID relief plan through the chamber without Republican support, a step toward final approval next month. Vice President Kamala Harris cast the tie-breaking vote in the Senate, her first.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612529465267.png" alt="Harris announcing her tie-breaker vote early Friday in the U.S. Senate- photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Harris announcing her tie-breaker vote early Friday in the U.S. Senate- photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>Biden’s speech solidified a marked shift in tone and strategy for a president who entered the White House pledging bipartisanship and met on Monday with 10 Republican senators pushing a slimmed-down $618 billion alternative. Biden concluded in his Friday speech that aid at that level would only prolong the economic pain.Still, the president acknowledged Friday that one of his most ambitious proposals, raising the minimum wage, would likely be left out of the final bill.“I put it in, but I don’t think it’s going to survive,” Biden said in an interview with “CBS Evening News” anchor Norah O’Donnell, adding he would push to raise it in a standalone bill. “No one should work 40 hours a week and live below the poverty wage. And if you’re making less than $15 an hour, you’re living below the poverty wage.”Senate Democrats applauded after Harris announced the chamber’s 51-50 vote on the budget measure at around 5:30 a.m. The action came after a grueling all-night session, where senators voted on amendments that could define the contours of the eventual COVID-19 aid bill.Following Senate approval, the House passed the measure 219-209 on Friday afternoon, also without a Republican vote. The coronavirus aid package can now work its way through congressional committees with the goal of finalizing additional relief by mid-March, when extra unemployment assistance and other pandemic aid expires. It’s an aggressive timeline that will test the ability of the new administration and Congress to deliver.“We have been focused like a laser on getting this done,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said after leading Democrats in the House met with Biden on Friday. “We hope to be able to put vaccines in people’s arms, money in people’s pockets, children safely in schools and workers in their jobs. That’s what we are doing now.”The push for stimulus comes amid new signs of a weakening U.S. economy. Employers added just 49,000 jobs in January, after cutting 227,000 jobs in December, the Labor Department said Friday. Restaurants, retailers, manufacturers and even the health care sector shed workers last month, meaning that private employers accounted for a meager gain of 6,000 jobs last month.“At that rate, it’s going to take 10 years until we hit full employment,” Biden said during his Oval Office meeting with House Democrats. “That’s not hyperbole. That’s a fact.”The unemployment rate fell to 6.3% from 6.7%, but there was a decline in the number of people who were either working or looking for a job in a sign that people are dropping out of the labor force. The U.S. economy is 9.9 million jobs shy of its pre-pandemic level.Biden, who has been meeting with lawmakers in recent days to discuss the package, welcomed the leaders of House committees who will be assembling the bill under the budget process known as “reconciliation.” Money for vaccine distributions, direct payments to households, school reopenings and business aid are at stake.The size of the package has been a concern for several Republican lawmakers and some economists. Larry Summers, a former treasury secretary during the Clinton administration, said in a column for The Washington Post that the $1.9 trillion package was three times larger than the projected economic shortfall. A separate analysis by the Penn Wharton Budget Model found the plan would do little to boost growth relative to its size.The Senate also passed an amendment 99-1 that would prevent the $1,400 in direct checks in Biden’s proposal from going to “upper-income taxpayers.” But the measure, led by Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., is ultimately symbolic and nonbinding and does not specify at what level a person qualifies as upper income.Biden told CBS he was “prepared to negotiate” on the upper boundary for where payments would phase out. “Middle-class folks need help,” he said. “But you don’t need to get any help to someone making 300,000 bucks or $250,000.”And while Biden seemed willing to break with Republicans in his speech, White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters afterward that the budget process approved by the Senate still allows for bipartisanship.“The process enables for time for negotiations through committee work,” Psaki said. “We certainly are hopeful that there will be opportunities for amendments from Republicans, amendments from others across the board to be a part of this process moving forward.”

Minimum wage hike in doubt in COVID relief deal

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a burglary recovered firearms, narcotics and various other items and made an arrest.

On Thursday, police investigators with assistance from the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office served a search warrant on a home in the 4400 block of SW 61st Street in reference to multiple ongoing burglary investigations, according to police spokesperson Gretchen Spiker.

During the course of the investigation two firearms, narcotics and various stolen items were recovered.

Some of the recovered items had been stolen from a business in the 3400 block of SE 21st Street.

While investigators were executing the search warrant, the suspect identified as&nbsp;26-year-old Jacob T. Slusser returned to the home and was taken into custody. 

Slusser was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of burglary, theft, possession of stolen property, criminal damage to property, criminal possession of a firearm, possession of controlled substance, possession of marijuana, use/possess w/ intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body and transport open container of liquor.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612560823379.png" alt="Slusser photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Slusser photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a burglary recovered firearms, narcotics and various other items and made an arrest.On Thursday, police investigators with assistance from the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office served a search warrant on a home in the 4400 block of SW 61st Street in reference to multiple ongoing burglary investigations, according to police spokesperson Gretchen Spiker.During the course of the investigation two firearms, narcotics and various stolen items were recovered.Some of the recovered items had been stolen from a business in the 3400 block of SE 21st Street.While investigators were executing the search warrant, the suspect identified as&nbsp;26-year-old Jacob T. Slusser returned to the home and was taken into custody. Slusser was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of burglary, theft, possession of stolen property, criminal damage to property, criminal possession of a firearm, possession of controlled substance, possession of marijuana, use/possess w/ intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body and transport open container of liquor.

Kan. burglary suspect arrives during warrant search of home

By HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH and CURT ANDERSON

Kansas City Chiefs superfan Ty Rowton hugged strangers in the streets of Miami last year after watching his team win the Super Bowl and then joined hundreds of thousands of fans back home at a victory parade, thinking little of a mysterious virus that his buddies were beginning to talk about.

The championship seems like a lifetime ago. Now the Chiefs are preparing to play in the Super Bowl again, and the virus has morphed into a once-in-a-century pandemic that has health officials on edge as fans congregate at parties and bars for the game.

The nation's top health officials sounded the alarm this week about the Super Bowl being a potential superspreader event, and they urged people to gather with friends over Zoom, not in crowds.

“I’m worried about Super Bowl Sunday, quite honestly. People gather, they watch games together. We’ve seen outbreaks already from football parties,” said Rochelle Walensky, head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “So I really do think that we need to watch this and be careful.”

The Super Bowl comes as the nation sees a dramatic drop in new virus cases — a sign that the infection spike from holiday gatherings is easing. The virus has killed more than 459,000 people in the U.S., but the seven-day rolling average for daily new cases went from 180,489 as of Jan. 22 to 125,854 as of Friday, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

Health officials fear the game could seed new cases at exactly the wrong time. Just this week, the new coronavirus strain that spread quickly in the United Kingdom was confirmed in Kansas after turning up in several other states. Other highly contagious variants also have scientists worried. States are in a race to vaccinate before the newcomers become widespread and additional strains emerge.

After a long year of shutdowns, it remains to be seen whether Americans will heed the warnings for an event that was watched by more than 100 million people last year. The fact that it's Tom Brady seeking his seventh Super Bowl victory against Kansas City's star quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, only adds to the intrigue surrounding the game.

Rowton, who goes to games wearing an arrowhead on his head and a cape signed by players, won't be hugging strangers this year. But he won't exactly be following the advice of health officials either: He plans to eat barbecue and watch the game in a friend's basement “man cave." He will be unmasked with about 10 other fans.

“I have lost a lot more people to drugs this year who have relapsed, so for me it is one of those where I can’t live in fear because if I do that, I will probably relapse and start drinking again, and that will end up killing me for sure,” said Rowton, a recovering alcoholic who attended 329 straight home games before ending the streak this season.

The game will be played in front of about 22,000 fans in Tampa, many of them vaccinated health workers.

In Tampa, Mayor Jane Castor announced a temporary ordinance requiring that masks be worn outside in several popular gathering spots. The order states that violators could be fined $500 as a “last resort.”

Another ordinance requires masks at any indoor location when social distancing is not possible. That would include many bars and restaurants but not private residences.

The city has acquired 150,000 donated masks that officials will give out to anyone who needs one in the days leading up to the Super Bowl. The slogan is “need a mask, just ask.”

Castor, a former Tampa police chief who handled law enforcement for past Super Bowls in the city, said she is keenly aware that the goal is to prevent the game from becoming an event that triggers a spike in infections.

“We are hosting an event that is going to be the most watched sporting event in the entire world,” she said. “We have got to get this right.”

As part of that effort, Castor released a joint&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/JaneCastor/status/1356957384804073472">video&nbsp;</a>with Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Quinton Lucas urging caution. Last year, an estimated 20,000 people showed up at the Power &amp; Light District in downtown Kansas City to watch the Super Bowl on a massive screen.

Lucas called for the exact opposite in the video: “I encourage everyone to celebrate in small groups instead of squeezing into a crowded bar.”

The Kansas Hospital Association enlisted the Chiefs' play-by-play announcer to do a public service announcement urging health precautions.

Hospitals in Kansas, Missouri and several other Midwestern states were bursting in November and December with coronavirus patients, although cases have dropped recently. The situation was so dire at one point that rural patients were being flown hundreds of miles for treatment because closer hospitals were full. Health officials don't want to see that scenario repeated.

“If you have 10 or 20 people you are meeting with, there is a very good likelihood that one or two of those people will have COVID-19,” said Dr. Dana Hawkinson, director of infection control for the University of Kansas Health System, which was inundated during the surge. “If you are in a small enclosed space, then three or four of those people will get it."

Kile Chaney, a 42-year-old stone mason from Harrisonville, Missouri, said he will have no trouble following that advice. He described himself as introverted by nature and said he plans to barbecue wings and watch the game at home with his family.

“We don't usually make too big of a deal to go out to Super Bowl parties anyway," Chaney said, "so the COVID thing is not going to play into how we celebrate a Chiefs victory."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612706325296.png" alt="Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Quinton Lucas is urging caution. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Quinton Lucas is urging caution. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH and CURT ANDERSONAssociated PressKansas City Chiefs superfan Ty Rowton hugged strangers in the streets of Miami last year after watching his team win the Super Bowl and then joined hundreds of thousands of fans back home at a victory parade, thinking little of a mysterious virus that his buddies were beginning to talk about.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Mayor <a href="https://twitter.com/QuintonLucasKC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@QuintonLucasKC</a> &amp; I may disagree on who is winning the Lombardi Trophy🏆, but we&#39;re on the same team when it comes to COVID-19 safety. We&#39;re committed to ensuring <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SBLV?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SBLV</a> is a fun, safe experience for our cities and football fans everywhere. Mask up &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoBucs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoBucs</a>!🏴‍☠️😷🏈 <a href="https://t.co/e3bGwy7ite">pic.twitter.com/e3bGwy7ite</a>&mdash; Jane Castor (@JaneCastor) <a href="https://twitter.com/JaneCastor/status/1356957384804073472?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The championship seems like a lifetime ago. Now the Chiefs are preparing to play in the Super Bowl again, and the virus has morphed into a once-in-a-century pandemic that has health officials on edge as fans congregate at parties and bars for the game.The nation's top health officials sounded the alarm this week about the Super Bowl being a potential superspreader event, and they urged people to gather with friends over Zoom, not in crowds.“I’m worried about Super Bowl Sunday, quite honestly. People gather, they watch games together. We’ve seen outbreaks already from football parties,” said Rochelle Walensky, head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “So I really do think that we need to watch this and be careful.”The Super Bowl comes as the nation sees a dramatic drop in new virus cases — a sign that the infection spike from holiday gatherings is easing. The virus has killed more than 459,000 people in the U.S., but the seven-day rolling average for daily new cases went from 180,489 as of Jan. 22 to 125,854 as of Friday, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.Health officials fear the game could seed new cases at exactly the wrong time. Just this week, the new coronavirus strain that spread quickly in the United Kingdom was confirmed in Kansas after turning up in several other states. Other highly contagious variants also have scientists worried. States are in a race to vaccinate before the newcomers become widespread and additional strains emerge.After a long year of shutdowns, it remains to be seen whether Americans will heed the warnings for an event that was watched by more than 100 million people last year. The fact that it's Tom Brady seeking his seventh Super Bowl victory against Kansas City's star quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, only adds to the intrigue surrounding the game.Rowton, who goes to games wearing an arrowhead on his head and a cape signed by players, won't be hugging strangers this year. But he won't exactly be following the advice of health officials either: He plans to eat barbecue and watch the game in a friend's basement “man cave." He will be unmasked with about 10 other fans.“I have lost a lot more people to drugs this year who have relapsed, so for me it is one of those where I can’t live in fear because if I do that, I will probably relapse and start drinking again, and that will end up killing me for sure,” said Rowton, a recovering alcoholic who attended 329 straight home games before ending the streak this season.The game will be played in front of about 22,000 fans in Tampa, many of them vaccinated health workers.In Tampa, Mayor Jane Castor announced a temporary ordinance requiring that masks be worn outside in several popular gathering spots. The order states that violators could be fined $500 as a “last resort.”Another ordinance requires masks at any indoor location when social distancing is not possible. That would include many bars and restaurants but not private residences.The city has acquired 150,000 donated masks that officials will give out to anyone who needs one in the days leading up to the Super Bowl. The slogan is “need a mask, just ask.”Castor, a former Tampa police chief who handled law enforcement for past Super Bowls in the city, said she is keenly aware that the goal is to prevent the game from becoming an event that triggers a spike in infections.“We are hosting an event that is going to be the most watched sporting event in the entire world,” she said. “We have got to get this right.”As part of that effort, Castor released a joint&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/JaneCastor/status/1356957384804073472">video&nbsp;</a>with Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Quinton Lucas urging caution. Last year, an estimated 20,000 people showed up at the Power &amp; Light District in downtown Kansas City to watch the Super Bowl on a massive screen.Lucas called for the exact opposite in the video: “I encourage everyone to celebrate in small groups instead of squeezing into a crowded bar.”The Kansas Hospital Association enlisted the Chiefs' play-by-play announcer to do a public service announcement urging health precautions.Hospitals in Kansas, Missouri and several other Midwestern states were bursting in November and December with coronavirus patients, although cases have dropped recently. The situation was so dire at one point that rural patients were being flown hundreds of miles for treatment because closer hospitals were full. Health officials don't want to see that scenario repeated.“If you have 10 or 20 people you are meeting with, there is a very good likelihood that one or two of those people will have COVID-19,” said Dr. Dana Hawkinson, director of infection control for the University of Kansas Health System, which was inundated during the surge. “If you are in a small enclosed space, then three or four of those people will get it."Kile Chaney, a 42-year-old stone mason from Harrisonville, Missouri, said he will have no trouble following that advice. He described himself as introverted by nature and said he plans to barbecue wings and watch the game at home with his family.“We don't usually make too big of a deal to go out to Super Bowl parties anyway," Chaney said, "so the COVID thing is not going to play into how we celebrate a Chiefs victory."___

Officials plead: Don't let Super Bowl become superspreader

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly said Friday that both she and her husband had fraudulent claims for unemployment benefits filed in their names with the state.

The Democratic governor’s disclosure to reporters came amid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legislature-kansas-coronavirus-pandemic-covid-19-pandemic-topeka-74ac0a21fa8c04ac74e62602605c471d">an increasingly intense focus</a>&nbsp;by the Republican-controlled Legislature on bogus unemployment claims and ongoing criticism of the state Department of Labor’s operations. The department has seen claims from jobless workers and bogus ones spike at times during the COVID-19 pandemic, including since late November.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-topeka-f79ed0b839ad8501cf50650ca51dcbb1">The state shut down&nbsp;</a>its unemployment system from Saturday afternoon until Tuesday morning to impose new security protocols to block fraudulent attempts to access the system. But some GOP lawmakers worry that the state doesn’t have a good handle on how many bogus claims have been paid.

Kelly said both she and first gentleman Ted Daughety received Department of Labor notices “months ago” about obtaining unemployment benefits. The governor’s office said the notices came in early fall and that Kelly quickly went to the department’s website and reported the fraud.

Some Kansas residents have learned of fraudulent claims in their names when the department recently began mailing out notices that they owe income taxes on benefits they didn’t receive. Kelly said she has not gotten that notice.

Lawmakers say they hear frequent complaints from people who can’t get through to a special Department of Labor call center for fraud.

“I know there are still people who are having difficulty getting through, and I hear that and we’re trying to do whatever we can on an individual basis to help them,” Kelly told reporters Friday. “It’s not like we’re not working — we are.”

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly said Friday that both she and her husband had fraudulent claims for unemployment benefits filed in their names with the state.The Democratic governor’s disclosure to reporters came amid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legislature-kansas-coronavirus-pandemic-covid-19-pandemic-topeka-74ac0a21fa8c04ac74e62602605c471d">an increasingly intense focus</a>&nbsp;by the Republican-controlled Legislature on bogus unemployment claims and ongoing criticism of the state Department of Labor’s operations. The department has seen claims from jobless workers and bogus ones spike at times during the COVID-19 pandemic, including since late November.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-topeka-f79ed0b839ad8501cf50650ca51dcbb1">The state shut down&nbsp;</a>its unemployment system from Saturday afternoon until Tuesday morning to impose new security protocols to block fraudulent attempts to access the system. But some GOP lawmakers worry that the state doesn’t have a good handle on how many bogus claims have been paid.Kelly said both she and first gentleman Ted Daughety received Department of Labor notices “months ago” about obtaining unemployment benefits. The governor’s office said the notices came in early fall and that Kelly quickly went to the department’s website and reported the fraud.Some Kansas residents have learned of fraudulent claims in their names when the department recently began mailing out notices that they owe income taxes on benefits they didn’t receive. Kelly said she has not gotten that notice.Lawmakers say they hear frequent complaints from people who can’t get through to a special Department of Labor call center for fraud.“I know there are still people who are having difficulty getting through, and I hear that and we’re trying to do whatever we can on an individual basis to help them,” Kelly told reporters Friday. “It’s not like we’re not working — we are.”___

Kan. governor, spouse victims of bogus unemployment claims

BOURBON COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 3:30p.m. Friday in Bourbon County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1998 Ford F150 driven by Michael Pete Troxel, 64, Erie, was westbound on Kansas 39 four miles north of Hepler.

The pickup left the road to the right. The driver overcorrected back onto K39, traveled off the road to the left, overturned landed on its roof in the south ditch.

Troxel was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Cheney Witt Funeral Home. He was properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

BOURBON COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 3:30p.m. Friday in Bourbon County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1998 Ford F150 driven by Michael Pete Troxel, 64, Erie, was westbound on Kansas 39 four miles north of Hepler.The pickup left the road to the right. The driver overcorrected back onto K39, traveled off the road to the left, overturned landed on its roof in the south ditch.Troxel was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Cheney Witt Funeral Home. He was properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

Kansas man dies after pickup overturns into ditch

RENO COUNTY — Items on floor furnace caused a Friday night fire at an apartment in Hutchinson.

Just before 10p.m. fire crews responded to 319 W. 9th Street in Hutchinson after report of a fire in a commercial apartment building, according to Battalion Chief&nbsp;Jeremy Unruh

Upon arrival, crews reported a working fire with heavy smoke showing from a 1st floor apartment in a multifamily 2 ½ story home. 

Crews made a quick aggressive attack containing the fire to one room.  Smoke and heat damage were noted in the adjacent rooms.  The two occupants of the affected apartment were not home at the time of the fire.&nbsp; One other apartment was occupied and that individual escaped without injury. 

The cause of the fire was the result of unattended items left on a floor furnace grate. Crews were on scene for 2 hours to complete overhaul and investigation.&nbsp; Authorities did not release a damage estimate.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612609367256.jpeg" alt="Photo courtesy Hutchinson Fire Department" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Hutchinson Fire Department</figcaption>
 </figure>RENO COUNTY — Items on floor furnace caused a Friday night fire at an apartment in Hutchinson.Just before 10p.m. fire crews responded to 319 W. 9th Street in Hutchinson after report of a fire in a commercial apartment building, according to Battalion Chief&nbsp;Jeremy UnruhUpon arrival, crews reported a working fire with heavy smoke showing from a 1st floor apartment in a multifamily 2 ½ story home. Crews made a quick aggressive attack containing the fire to one room. Smoke and heat damage were noted in the adjacent rooms. The two occupants of the affected apartment were not home at the time of the fire.&nbsp; One other apartment was occupied and that individual escaped without injury. The cause of the fire was the result of unattended items left on a floor furnace grate. Crews were on scene for 2 hours to complete overhaul and investigation.&nbsp; Authorities did not release a damage estimate.

Chief: Items left on floor furnace cause Kan. apartment fire

LAWRENCE —&nbsp;Parents around the world have long told us that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Soon, basketball coaches may join them.

Researchers at the University of Kansas have published a study showing that eating breakfast can improve a basketball player’s shooting performance, sometimes by significant margins. The study, along with one showing that lower body strength and power can predict professional basketball potential, is part of a larger body of work to better understand the science of what makes an elite athlete.

Breakfast and better basketball shooting

Dimitrije Cabarkapa left his native Novi Sad, Serbia, to play basketball at James Madison University. Never a fan of 6 a.m. workouts, he was discussing whether the provided breakfast helped performance with his teammates. While he felt it was important, others argued it either didn’t make a difference or made their games worse. When he came to KU to seek his doctorate in exercise physiology, he decided to take a more scientific approach to the question.

Cabarkapa and colleagues recruited a cohort of 18 young players with high-level basketball ability, some having played professionally, some in the collegiate ranks and all with experience. Two groups were formed, one of which had breakfast before taking part in shooting drills, while another did not have an early meal before the same drills. After one week, the groups switched, and the tests were repeated. Results showed a statistically significant improvement in free throw shooting percentage and practically significant improvement in others.

The study, co-written with Andrew Fry, professor of health, sport &amp; exercise science and director of the Jayhawk Athletic Performance Laboratory at KU, and Michael Deane and Jeremy Akers of James Madison University, was published in the journal&nbsp;<a href="http://casopisi.junis.ni.ac.rs/index.php/FUPhysEdSport/article/view/6591/3766">Physical Education and Spor</a>t.

The participants took part in a week of drills in which they took a series of two-point and three-point shots from designated spots on a basketball floor as well as free throws. After each week of shooting after breakfast and without, their shooting performances were tabulated.

“We chose shooting because you need high cognitive involvement to put the ball in the little orange bucket. You also need energy to physically push through,” Cabarkapa said. “We wanted to study a possible relationship between breakfast consumption and basketball shooting influenced by anticipated improvements in mental and physical performance. A lot of research has shown the connection between breakfast and diet quality, but as far as we know, none has looked at the relation between breakfast and basketball performance.”

Results showed that while nearly all shooting categories improved when participants had breakfast, free throw percentage saw the highest difference. Others, such as three-point attempts, overall shots made and two-point shot percentage had practically significant, though not statistically significant, improvements. However, those close to the game know an additional made shot here and there can make a difference.

“If you come to somebody and tell them you can improve their shooting by 6%, any coach or player is going to ask how,” Cabarkapa said. “This shows having breakfast is a simple way to do that. Even slightly improved shooting performance can influence the outcome of a game.”

In addition to data on shooting performance, researchers collected information on participants’ diets, including calories, carbohydrates, protein and fat intake during breakfast and non-breakfast weeks. During the first session, subjects were provided information on nutritional values of various foods and encouraged to eat nutritionally balanced breakfasts. They logged information on their diets throughout the testing period, including food and liquids they consumed, amounts and how foods were prepared.

Researchers said they hope to continue analyzing the connections between breakfast and basketball performance. Cabarkapa, who regularly consumed breakfast in his playing days, including when his James Madison team competed in the NCAA tournament, said providing subjects food and testing over longer periods of time could reveal more about breakfast’s influence on performance. Meanwhile, even small improvements shown from this study suggest the value of nutrition in making another free throw or two per game, or making several more shots over the course of a season.

“Athletes are always looking to improve performance. Always looking for a competitive edge,” he said. “I always say there are three pillars of athletic performance: Strength and conditioning, nutrition and sport psychology. People often talk about taking supplements or other ergogenic aids to improve performance but often forget about basic stuff like well-balanced diet.”

Lower body strength, power and professional potential

Professional scouts examine the aforementioned pillar of strength and conditioning when evaluating which players might succeed in the ranks of professional basketball. Yet, there is still disagreement among players, trainers and coaches as to exactly which types of strength are most beneficial to players. Lower body strength that enables players to jump higher, run faster and make quick lateral movements is often analyzed by scouts, so KU researchers decided to measure performance in the area among high level players to see if those who went on to play professionally indeed had greater performance in that area.

After analyzing seven years of data from Division 1 men's college basketball players, those who played professionally in the NBA, European or other professional leagues consistently scored higher in lower body strength and power measures.

Cabarkapa and Fry co-wrote the study with Michael Lane of Eastern Kentucky University; Andrea Hudy of the University of Texas and former KU strength and conditioning coach; Patricia Dietz of Wartburg College; Glenn Cain of Rutgers University; and Matthew Andre of George Mason University. The study was published in the journal&nbsp;<a href="http://www.siz-au.com/sites/default/files/journal/snz_-_vol_10_issue_1-10-16.pdf">Sports Science and Health</a>.

Researchers graphed the power and speed of players using digital devices and 3D cameras while weight training. Over the course of seven years, nearly three dozen of the participants finished playing college basketball as “one and done” top-level NBA draft choices, while some were draftees after two or more years, some graduated and played professionally, and others completed their eligibility and did not play professionally.

“Essentially we were having them do what’s called a speed squat,” Fry said. “When they hit the parallel position, they stood up as quickly as possible. A device measured the speed of the bar and their power. They did that at various weight loads, and we measured their average power.”

The results showed that players who went on to play in the NBA had significantly higher performance in all variables, including one-repetition squat strength and maximum squat bar power, than those who played in other professional leagues. Those players had higher scores, in turn, than those who did not play professionally. When adjusted for body weight, there was no difference between groups observed, meaning body size was also an important factor.

The findings show that high levels of lower body strength and power are instrumental to success in professional basketball. While scouts and general managers do consider strength when deciding which players to draft or sign, the NBA combine does not measure barbell squat strength or similar measures when evaluating players, the authors said. The findings add to a large body of literature showing strong relationships between weight room performance and sport performance.

“In essence, the more power you can generate, the greater chance you had of going pro. The conclusion of our study is lower body strength and power are highly related to a greater level of play,” Cabarkapa said.

The researchers emphasized that the findings should not be taken to mean basketball players should lift as much weight as they possibly can in order to go pro, but that coaches and trainers should develop programs to optimize players’ lower body strength and power in order to both improve their performance and help their future prospects. In turn, professional talent evaluators would do well to consider this specific area of strength and power as a variable in making decisions on players’ potential.

“The question is not ‘what’s the maximum amount of strength and power I can get’ but ‘what’s the optimum amount of strength and power for a basketball player,’” Fry said. “It’s not the only factor, but there is certainly a relationship between lower body strength and power and on-the-court performance.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612308174200.jpeg" alt="(Photo by Pixabay)" />
 <figcaption>(Photo by Pixabay)</figcaption>
 </figure>KU News ServiceLAWRENCE —&nbsp;Parents around the world have long told us that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Soon, basketball coaches may join them.Researchers at the University of Kansas have published a study showing that eating breakfast can improve a basketball player’s shooting performance, sometimes by significant margins. The study, along with one showing that lower body strength and power can predict professional basketball potential, is part of a larger body of work to better understand the science of what makes an elite athlete.Breakfast and better basketball shootingDimitrije Cabarkapa left his native Novi Sad, Serbia, to play basketball at James Madison University. Never a fan of 6 a.m. workouts, he was discussing whether the provided breakfast helped performance with his teammates. While he felt it was important, others argued it either didn’t make a difference or made their games worse. When he came to KU to seek his doctorate in exercise physiology, he decided to take a more scientific approach to the question.Cabarkapa and colleagues recruited a cohort of 18 young players with high-level basketball ability, some having played professionally, some in the collegiate ranks and all with experience. Two groups were formed, one of which had breakfast before taking part in shooting drills, while another did not have an early meal before the same drills. After one week, the groups switched, and the tests were repeated. Results showed a statistically significant improvement in free throw shooting percentage and practically significant improvement in others.The study, co-written with Andrew Fry, professor of health, sport &amp; exercise science and director of the Jayhawk Athletic Performance Laboratory at KU, and Michael Deane and Jeremy Akers of James Madison University, was published in the journal&nbsp;<a href="http://casopisi.junis.ni.ac.rs/index.php/FUPhysEdSport/article/view/6591/3766">Physical Education and Spor</a>t.The participants took part in a week of drills in which they took a series of two-point and three-point shots from designated spots on a basketball floor as well as free throws. After each week of shooting after breakfast and without, their shooting performances were tabulated.“We chose shooting because you need high cognitive involvement to put the ball in the little orange bucket. You also need energy to physically push through,” Cabarkapa said. “We wanted to study a possible relationship between breakfast consumption and basketball shooting influenced by anticipated improvements in mental and physical performance. A lot of research has shown the connection between breakfast and diet quality, but as far as we know, none has looked at the relation between breakfast and basketball performance.”Results showed that while nearly all shooting categories improved when participants had breakfast, free throw percentage saw the highest difference. Others, such as three-point attempts, overall shots made and two-point shot percentage had practically significant, though not statistically significant, improvements. However, those close to the game know an additional made shot here and there can make a difference.“If you come to somebody and tell them you can improve their shooting by 6%, any coach or player is going to ask how,” Cabarkapa said. “This shows having breakfast is a simple way to do that. Even slightly improved shooting performance can influence the outcome of a game.”In addition to data on shooting performance, researchers collected information on participants’ diets, including calories, carbohydrates, protein and fat intake during breakfast and non-breakfast weeks. During the first session, subjects were provided information on nutritional values of various foods and encouraged to eat nutritionally balanced breakfasts. They logged information on their diets throughout the testing period, including food and liquids they consumed, amounts and how foods were prepared.Researchers said they hope to continue analyzing the connections between breakfast and basketball performance. Cabarkapa, who regularly consumed breakfast in his playing days, including when his James Madison team competed in the NCAA tournament, said providing subjects food and testing over longer periods of time could reveal more about breakfast’s influence on performance. Meanwhile, even small improvements shown from this study suggest the value of nutrition in making another free throw or two per game, or making several more shots over the course of a season.“Athletes are always looking to improve performance. Always looking for a competitive edge,” he said. “I always say there are three pillars of athletic performance: Strength and conditioning, nutrition and sport psychology. People often talk about taking supplements or other ergogenic aids to improve performance but often forget about basic stuff like well-balanced diet.”Lower body strength, power and professional potentialProfessional scouts examine the aforementioned pillar of strength and conditioning when evaluating which players might succeed in the ranks of professional basketball. Yet, there is still disagreement among players, trainers and coaches as to exactly which types of strength are most beneficial to players. Lower body strength that enables players to jump higher, run faster and make quick lateral movements is often analyzed by scouts, so KU researchers decided to measure performance in the area among high level players to see if those who went on to play professionally indeed had greater performance in that area.After analyzing seven years of data from Division 1 men's college basketball players, those who played professionally in the NBA, European or other professional leagues consistently scored higher in lower body strength and power measures.Cabarkapa and Fry co-wrote the study with Michael Lane of Eastern Kentucky University; Andrea Hudy of the University of Texas and former KU strength and conditioning coach; Patricia Dietz of Wartburg College; Glenn Cain of Rutgers University; and Matthew Andre of George Mason University. The study was published in the journal&nbsp;<a href="http://www.siz-au.com/sites/default/files/journal/snz_-_vol_10_issue_1-10-16.pdf">Sports Science and Health</a>.Researchers graphed the power and speed of players using digital devices and 3D cameras while weight training. Over the course of seven years, nearly three dozen of the participants finished playing college basketball as “one and done” top-level NBA draft choices, while some were draftees after two or more years, some graduated and played professionally, and others completed their eligibility and did not play professionally.“Essentially we were having them do what’s called a speed squat,” Fry said. “When they hit the parallel position, they stood up as quickly as possible. A device measured the speed of the bar and their power. They did that at various weight loads, and we measured their average power.”The results showed that players who went on to play in the NBA had significantly higher performance in all variables, including one-repetition squat strength and maximum squat bar power, than those who played in other professional leagues. Those players had higher scores, in turn, than those who did not play professionally. When adjusted for body weight, there was no difference between groups observed, meaning body size was also an important factor.The findings show that high levels of lower body strength and power are instrumental to success in professional basketball. While scouts and general managers do consider strength when deciding which players to draft or sign, the NBA combine does not measure barbell squat strength or similar measures when evaluating players, the authors said. The findings add to a large body of literature showing strong relationships between weight room performance and sport performance.“In essence, the more power you can generate, the greater chance you had of going pro. The conclusion of our study is lower body strength and power are highly related to a greater level of play,” Cabarkapa said.The researchers emphasized that the findings should not be taken to mean basketball players should lift as much weight as they possibly can in order to go pro, but that coaches and trainers should develop programs to optimize players’ lower body strength and power in order to both improve their performance and help their future prospects. In turn, professional talent evaluators would do well to consider this specific area of strength and power as a variable in making decisions on players’ potential.“The question is not ‘what’s the maximum amount of strength and power I can get’ but ‘what’s the optimum amount of strength and power for a basketball player,’” Fry said. “It’s not the only factor, but there is certainly a relationship between lower body strength and power and on-the-court performance.”

KU: Breakfast can improve basketball shooting performance

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - Police in Lincoln arrested a man in a domestic assault case, accusing him of attacking his girlfriend with a hatchet.

On Thursday, police arrested Nathan Ueding, 29, of Lincoln, on suspicion of second-degree assault, use of a deadly weapon, strangulation, making terroristic threats and false imprisonment.

The woman told officers that Ueding assaulted her Thursday morning, hitting her several times with a hatchet and not allowing her to leave the home for several hours, police said.

Police reported that the woman had significant bruising and injuries all over her body from the attack. Officers later found Ueding waiting in a vehicle outside the woman's workplace Thursday night and arrested him, police said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612548738944.png" alt="Ueding photo Lancaster County" />
 <figcaption>Ueding photo Lancaster County</figcaption>
 </figure>LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - Police in Lincoln arrested a man in a domestic assault case, accusing him of attacking his girlfriend with a hatchet.On Thursday, police arrested Nathan Ueding, 29, of Lincoln, on suspicion of second-degree assault, use of a deadly weapon, strangulation, making terroristic threats and false imprisonment.The woman told officers that Ueding assaulted her Thursday morning, hitting her several times with a hatchet and not allowing her to leave the home for several hours, police said.Police reported that the woman had significant bruising and injuries all over her body from the attack. Officers later found Ueding waiting in a vehicle outside the woman's workplace Thursday night and arrested him, police said.

Police: Man used hatchet in attack on girlfriend

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Kansas City Chiefs assistant coach Britt Reid, the son of head coach Andy Reid, was involved in a multi-vehicle crash late Thursday that injured two young children near the team’s training complex adjacent to Arrowhead Stadium. 

The team confirmed in a statement Friday that Britt Reid was involved in the accident but declined additional comment. Local television station KSHB reported that Reid told an officer on the scene that he had “two or three drinks,” according to a search warrant filed just before midnight. Reid then complained of stomach pain and also was taken to an area hospital.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612570726901.png" alt="Britt Reid photo courtesy KC Chiefs" />
 <figcaption>Britt Reid photo courtesy KC Chiefs</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — Kansas City Chiefs assistant coach Britt Reid, the son of head coach Andy Reid, was involved in a multi-vehicle crash late Thursday that injured two young children near the team’s training complex adjacent to Arrowhead Stadium. The team confirmed in a statement Friday that Britt Reid was involved in the accident but declined additional comment. Local television station KSHB reported that Reid told an officer on the scene that he had “two or three drinks,” according to a search warrant filed just before midnight. Reid then complained of stomach pain and also was taken to an area hospital.

Chiefs coach Britt Reid in car crash injuring 2 young kids

TOPEKA—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Tuesday morning shooting that critically injured a 1-year-old baby boy and are seeking the community’s assistance in locating and identifying several vehicles and the individuals associated with them.

One vehicle is believed to be a Chevrolet Suburban or GMC Yukon XL. Information about the location of this vehicle can be sent to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:telltpd@topeka.org" target="_blank">telltpd@topeka.org</a>&nbsp;or anonymously to Crime Stoppers.

Just after 4:00 a.m. Monday, the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center started receiving calls about a shooting that had just occurred in the 800 block of SE Sherman Avenue in Topeka, according to police spokesperson Gretchen Spiker.

While en route to the shooting scene, officers were flagged down near SE 6th Avenue and SE Golden Avenue by family members of an injured baby who were driving to a local hospital. 

Officers began rendering aid and called for American Medical Response to respond to their location. AMR transported the baby to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries.

A crime scene was located at 804 SE Sherman Avenue where dozens of shell casings were located.

Investigators continue to working to identify the responsible person(s) and implore anyone with information to contact police. The baby boy was in critical condition late Tuesday.&nbsp; Police did not released additional information on his condition Friday afternoon and have&nbsp;also not released the names of the baby or family members.

TOPEKA—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Tuesday morning shooting that critically injured a 1-year-old baby boy.

Just after 4:00 a.m. the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center started receiving calls about a shooting that had just occurred in the 800 block of SE Sherman Avenue in Topeka, according to police spokesperson Gretchen Spiker.

Investigators continue to working to identify the responsible person(s) and implore anyone with information to contact police. The baby boy remained in critical condition as 4p.m. Tuesday, according to Spiker.

Police have not released the names of the baby or family members.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Police in Topeka are investigating an early-morning shooting that left a 1-year-old baby critically injured. 

The shooting happened around 4 a.m. Tuesday, when someone riddled a home near Eighth Street and Southeast Sherman Avenue with gunfire. 

Police say one of the shots hit a baby inside the home. Investigators report they found about two dozen bullet casings in the street outside the home. Officers called to the scene found a family leaving the home with the baby and rushed the child in critical condition to an area hospital. 

The names of the baby and family members were not immediately released, and no arrests have been announced.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612561551282.png" alt="Photo of suspect vehicle released Friday afternoon from Topeka Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo of suspect vehicle released Friday afternoon from Topeka Police</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Tuesday morning shooting that critically injured a 1-year-old baby boy and are seeking the community’s assistance in locating and identifying several vehicles and the individuals associated with them.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612477615451.png" alt="photo Topeka Police" />
 <figcaption>photo Topeka Police</figcaption>
 </figure>One vehicle is believed to be a Chevrolet Suburban or GMC Yukon XL. Information about the location of this vehicle can be sent to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:telltpd@topeka.org" target="_blank">telltpd@topeka.org</a>&nbsp;or anonymously to Crime Stoppers.Just after 4:00 a.m. Monday, the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center started receiving calls about a shooting that had just occurred in the 800 block of SE Sherman Avenue in Topeka, according to police spokesperson Gretchen Spiker.While en route to the shooting scene, officers were flagged down near SE 6th Avenue and SE Golden Avenue by family members of an injured baby who were driving to a local hospital. Officers began rendering aid and called for American Medical Response to respond to their location. AMR transported the baby to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries.A crime scene was located at 804 SE Sherman Avenue where dozens of shell casings were located.Investigators continue to working to identify the responsible person(s) and implore anyone with information to contact police. The baby boy was in critical condition late Tuesday.&nbsp; Police did not released additional information on his condition Friday afternoon and have&nbsp;also not released the names of the baby or family members.-----------TOPEKA—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Tuesday morning shooting that critically injured a 1-year-old baby boy.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612303293079.png" alt="Police near the scene of the shooting early Tuesday photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Police near the scene of the shooting early Tuesday photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>Just after 4:00 a.m. the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center started receiving calls about a shooting that had just occurred in the 800 block of SE Sherman Avenue in Topeka, according to police spokesperson Gretchen Spiker.While en route to the shooting scene, officers were flagged down near SE 6th Avenue and SE Golden Avenue by family members of an injured baby who were driving to a local hospital. Officers began rendering aid and called for American Medical Response to respond to their location. AMR transported the baby to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries.A crime scene was located at 804 SE Sherman Avenue where dozens of shell casings were located.Investigators continue to working to identify the responsible person(s) and implore anyone with information to contact police. The baby boy remained in critical condition as 4p.m. Tuesday, according to Spiker.Police have not released the names of the baby or family members.-------------TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Police in Topeka are investigating an early-morning shooting that left a 1-year-old baby critically injured. The shooting happened around 4 a.m. Tuesday, when someone riddled a home near Eighth Street and Southeast Sherman Avenue with gunfire. Police say one of the shots hit a baby inside the home. Investigators report they found about two dozen bullet casings in the street outside the home. Officers called to the scene found a family leaving the home with the baby and rushed the child in critical condition to an area hospital. The names of the baby and family members were not immediately released, and no arrests have been announced.

Police work to ID SUV in Kan. shooting that injured baby

WASHINGTON&nbsp;—&nbsp;The Internal Revenue Service reminds taxpayers to avoid 
"ghost" tax return preparers whose refusal to sign returns can cause a 
frightening array of problems. It is important to file a valid, accurate
 tax return because the taxpayer is ultimately responsible for it.

Ghost preparers get their scary name because they don't sign tax 
returns they prepare. Like a ghost, they try to be invisible to the fact
 they've prepared the return and will print the return and get the 
taxpayer to sign and mail it. For e-filed returns, the ghost preparer 
will prepare but refuse to digitally sign it as the paid preparer.

By law, anyone who is paid to prepare or assists in preparing federal tax returns must have a valid <a href="https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/ptin-requirements-for-tax-return-preparers">Preparer Tax Identification Number</a>,
 or PTIN. Paid preparers must sign and include their PTIN on the return.
 Not signing a return is a red flag that the paid preparer may be 
looking to make a fast buck by promising a big refund or charging fees 
based on the size of the refund.

Unscrupulous tax return preparers may also:

The IRS urges taxpayers to choose a tax return preparer wisely. The <a href="https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/choosing-a-tax-professional">Choosing a Tax Professional</a> page on IRS.gov has information about tax preparer <a href="https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/understanding-tax-return-preparer-credentials-and-qualifications">credentials and qualifications</a>. The IRS <a href="https://irs.treasury.gov/rpo/rpo.jsf">Directory of Federal Tax Return Preparers with Credentials and Select Qualifications</a> can help identify many preparers by type of credential or qualification.

No matter who prepares the return, the IRS urges taxpayers to review 
it carefully and ask questions about anything not clear before signing. 
Taxpayers should verify both their routing and bank account number on 
the completed tax return for any direct deposit refund. And taxpayers 
should watch out for preparers putting their bank account information 
onto the returns.

Taxpayers can report preparer misconduct to the IRS using IRS <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f14157.pdf">Form 14157, Complaint: Tax Return Preparer&nbsp;PDF</a>. If a taxpayer suspects a tax preparer filed or changed their tax return without their consent, they should file <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f14157a.pdf">Form 14157-A, Tax Return Preparer Fraud or Misconduct Affidavit&nbsp;PDF</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON&nbsp;—&nbsp;The Internal Revenue Service reminds taxpayers to avoid 
"ghost" tax return preparers whose refusal to sign returns can cause a 
frightening array of problems. It is important to file a valid, accurate
 tax return because the taxpayer is ultimately responsible for it.Ghost preparers get their scary name because they don't sign tax 
returns they prepare. Like a ghost, they try to be invisible to the fact
 they've prepared the return and will print the return and get the 
taxpayer to sign and mail it. For e-filed returns, the ghost preparer 
will prepare but refuse to digitally sign it as the paid preparer.By law, anyone who is paid to prepare or assists in preparing federal tax returns must have a valid <a href="https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/ptin-requirements-for-tax-return-preparers">Preparer Tax Identification Number</a>,
 or PTIN. Paid preparers must sign and include their PTIN on the return.
 Not signing a return is a red flag that the paid preparer may be 
looking to make a fast buck by promising a big refund or charging fees 
based on the size of the refund.Unscrupulous tax return preparers may also:<ul>
 <li>Require payment in cash only and not provide a receipt.</li><li>Invent income to qualify their clients for tax credits.</li><li>Claim fake deductions to boost the size of the refund.</li><li>Direct refunds into their bank account, not the taxpayer's account.</li>
 </ul>The IRS urges taxpayers to choose a tax return preparer wisely. The <a href="https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/choosing-a-tax-professional">Choosing a Tax Professional</a> page on IRS.gov has information about tax preparer <a href="https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/understanding-tax-return-preparer-credentials-and-qualifications">credentials and qualifications</a>. The IRS <a href="https://irs.treasury.gov/rpo/rpo.jsf">Directory of Federal Tax Return Preparers with Credentials and Select Qualifications</a> can help identify many preparers by type of credential or qualification.No matter who prepares the return, the IRS urges taxpayers to review 
it carefully and ask questions about anything not clear before signing. 
Taxpayers should verify both their routing and bank account number on 
the completed tax return for any direct deposit refund. And taxpayers 
should watch out for preparers putting their bank account information 
onto the returns.Taxpayers can report preparer misconduct to the IRS using IRS <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f14157.pdf">Form 14157, Complaint: Tax Return Preparer&nbsp;PDF</a>. If a taxpayer suspects a tax preparer filed or changed their tax return without their consent, they should file <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f14157a.pdf">Form 14157-A, Tax Return Preparer Fraud or Misconduct Affidavit&nbsp;PDF</a>.

IRS: Beware of 'ghost' preparers who don’t sign tax returns

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A man was killed and a woman critically injured in a shooting in a neighborhood on Kansas City's south side, police said.

The shooting was reported around 3 p.m. Thursday, and arriving officers found a man dead at the scene, police said in a news release. An injured woman at the scene was taken to a hospital in critical condition. Their names were not immediately released.

Police said the pair were shot by an unknown suspect who then fled the area.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A man was killed and a woman critically injured in a shooting in a neighborhood on Kansas City's south side, police said.The shooting was reported around 3 p.m. Thursday, and arriving officers found a man dead at the scene, police said in a news release. An injured woman at the scene was taken to a hospital in critical condition. Their names were not immediately released.Police said the pair were shot by an unknown suspect who then fled the area.The man’s death marked the city’s 12th homicide so far this year, compared with 19 homicides by this time last year, according to data kept by The Kansas City Star.