BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspect on multiple drug charges.

Just after 10 a.m. March 18, sheriff's detectives conducted a methamphetamine sting operation involving several persons in Great Bend, according to sheriff Brian Bellendir.

Deputies arrested two suspects near the intersection of 10th and Monroe and a substantial amount of meth and cash were seized. Both were taken into custody without incident and transported to the Barton County Jail.

&nbsp;Jacob Vargas, 25 of Great Bend was booked on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, no drug tax stamp and an outstanding Barton County District Court warrant. nd Tanner Guyton, age 22 also of Great Bend was booked on on requested charges of distribution of methamphetamine and no drug tax stamp. Both are being held in lieu of a $300,000 bond, according to Bellendir.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616169804740.jpeg" alt="Vargas photo Barton Co." />
 <figcaption>Vargas photo Barton Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspect on multiple drug charges.Just after 10 a.m. March 18, sheriff's detectives conducted a methamphetamine sting operation involving several persons in Great Bend, according to sheriff Brian Bellendir.Deputies arrested two suspects near the intersection of 10th and Monroe and a substantial amount of meth and cash were seized. Both were taken into custody without incident and transported to the Barton County Jail.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616169817284.jpeg" alt="Guyton" />
 <figcaption>Guyton</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;Jacob Vargas, 25 of Great Bend was booked on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, no drug tax stamp and an outstanding Barton County District Court warrant. nd Tanner Guyton, age 22 also of Great Bend was booked on on requested charges of distribution of methamphetamine and no drug tax stamp. Both are being held in lieu of a $300,000 bond, according to Bellendir.

Kan. deputies arrest 2 during meth sting operation

Cancer patient urges extension of telemedicine for out-of-state doctors

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/03/19/senate-committee-spikes-irresponsible-10-million-grant-program-for-rural-kansas-hospitals/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Hutchinson 
anesthesiologist and Sen. Mark Steffen led opposition Friday to a Kansas
 House bill earmarking $10 million in state funding for grants to 
economically distressed rural hospitals working to innovate on delivery 
of health care to patients.

Steffen and other members 
of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee deflected a proposal 
establishing a private-public partnership on behalf of rural hospitals 
that featured a 2-to-1 match from private donors for every $1 invested 
by the state. He objected to potential waste of taxpayer dollars on a 
grant program open to relatively large hospitals in Great Bend, Salina, 
Hays, Hutchinson and elsewhere. He also said influx of federal COVID-19 
funding should have resolved any financial challenges at hospitals 
across Kansas.

“It’s an irresponsible use
 of $10 million in taxpayer money. We are struggling with our budget,” 
said Steffen, a Republican. “I don’t understand why we’re throwing $10 
million at them.”

The Center for Health Care
 Quality and Payment Reform released a studying indicating 75 of Kansas’
 105 rural hospitals were operating at a financial loss and at risk of 
closing. Five rural Kansas hospitals have shut down since 2010. Prior to
 the pandemic and federal spending in response to 539,000 deaths in the 
United States and 4,800 in Kansas tied to COVID-19, Kansas’ status in 
America’s Health Rankings had fallen from eighth in the nation in 1991 
to 29th in the country in 2019. The state’s decline in that ranking was 
unmatched.

The Republican-led House 
and Senate in Kansas blocked since 2014 expansion of Medicaid services 
to more than 100,000 lower-income residents. In early March, the Senate 
declined to adopt expansion legislation. Thirty-two states passed 
expansion laws and four GOP-leaning states approved voter ballot 
measures requiring expansion. In July, Medicaid expansion will come to 
Oklahoma and Missouri.

“In the midst of the worst
 public health crisis in a century,” said Vicki Hiatt, chairwoman of the
 Kansas Democratic Party, “Republicans in the Kansas Senate don’t think 
low-income working families and vulnerable Kansans who have lost their 
jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic deserve health care.”

Gov. Laura Kelly, who made
 Medicaid expansion a top priority of her administration, said the 
American Relief Plan signed by President Joe Biden offered a $460 
million incentive to Kansas for broadening access to preventative health
 services under KanCare, the state’s privatized Medicaid program.

The $10 million grant 
initiative endorsed by the Kansas House as well as the Kansas Hospital 
Association and Kansas Medical Society was excluded from Senate 
committee’s telehealth package folded into House Bill 2208.

Tara Mays, a lobbyist with
 the Kansas Hospital Association, defended the grant proposal as a way 
to benefit rural hospitals exploring new approaches to health-care 
delivery. She didn’t address to the satisfaction of senators on the 
committee questions about the bill’s ambigious language on authorization
 of grants.

“I appears to be an 
attempt to help our rural hospitals,” said Sen. Molly Baumgardner, 
R-Louisburg. “I don’t think any of us are opposed to that. It’s the 
vagueness that seems to be troubling. Hospitals should be, on an ongoing
 basis, addressing how it is that they meet the needs through delivery. 
That should be what they’re doing on an ongoing basis.”

The telemedicine bill 
approved by the Senate committee would allow the Behavioral Sciences 
Regulatory Board to alter licensure and permit requirements of social 
workers, marriage and family therapists, addiction counselors, 
psychologists and counselors. Another portion would enable 
recertification of Kansas medical facilities as “rural emergency 
hospitals” to lower the number of mandated beds and control costs.

In addition, the Senate 
committee’s bill would extend emergency waiver of regulations on use of 
out-of-state physicians through telemedicine adopted last year when the 
COVID-19 pandemic emerged.

Jill Lee, Overland Park, 
submitted written testimony to the Senate committee in support of 
preservation of telemedicine options for doctors practicing outside 
Kansas. She was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer in March 2020 and 
began chemotheraphy. She said surgeons at University of Kansas Health 
System, Olathe Health and Advent Health in the Kansas City area were 
unwilling to operate on her despite evidence of improvement in 
September. She reached out to California physician Yuman Fong through 
telemedicine services in December and tentative plans were made to 
operate.

Subsequent testing 
revealed regrowth of her cancer and compelled additional chemotheraphy 
before attempting surgery, Lee said. However, the Kansas executive order
 allowing Fong to consult with Lee is scheduled to expire by the end of 
March. It is possible the Kansas Board of Healing Arts could provide 
Fong a temporary extension to care for Lee.

“People in need of the 
kind of care that can only be found out of state shouldn’t have to 
endanger themselves by getting on a plane and being exposed to viruses 
and germs. Not when technology exists that makes it possible for them to
 have the same appointments in the safety of their own homes,” Lee said.

“In my case, no one that 
we have found in the state of Kansas is willing to do the surgery that 
could potentially save my life. Thus, out-of-state care is necessary,” 
she said. “I’m a wife and a mom to a sweet 2 1/2-year-old son, both of 
whom I am fighting desperately to stay alive for. And I’m sure there are
 others in Kansas in similar shoes. Please don’t let legislation 
preventing telemed be the reason we aren’t here for the ones we love.”

Tim Carpenter has reported on Kansas for 35 years. He covered the Capitol for 16 years at the Topeka Capital-Journal and previously worked for the Lawrence Journal-World and United Press International.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616184260694.png" alt="Sen. Mark Steffen, a Hutchinson Republican, helped shoot down Friday a proposal to offer $10 million in public-private matching funds to help rural Kansas hospitals innovate in delivery of health care to patients. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Mark Steffen, a Hutchinson Republican, helped shoot down Friday a proposal to offer $10 million in public-private matching funds to help rural Kansas hospitals innovate in delivery of health care to patients. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Cancer patient urges extension of telemedicine for out-of-state doctors</h2>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/03/19/senate-committee-spikes-irresponsible-10-million-grant-program-for-rural-kansas-hospitals/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Hutchinson 
anesthesiologist and Sen. Mark Steffen led opposition Friday to a Kansas
 House bill earmarking $10 million in state funding for grants to 
economically distressed rural hospitals working to innovate on delivery 
of health care to patients.Steffen and other members 
of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee deflected a proposal 
establishing a private-public partnership on behalf of rural hospitals 
that featured a 2-to-1 match from private donors for every $1 invested 
by the state. He objected to potential waste of taxpayer dollars on a 
grant program open to relatively large hospitals in Great Bend, Salina, 
Hays, Hutchinson and elsewhere. He also said influx of federal COVID-19 
funding should have resolved any financial challenges at hospitals 
across Kansas.“It’s an irresponsible use
 of $10 million in taxpayer money. We are struggling with our budget,” 
said Steffen, a Republican. “I don’t understand why we’re throwing $10 
million at them.”The Center for Health Care
 Quality and Payment Reform released a studying indicating 75 of Kansas’
 105 rural hospitals were operating at a financial loss and at risk of 
closing. Five rural Kansas hospitals have shut down since 2010. Prior to
 the pandemic and federal spending in response to 539,000 deaths in the 
United States and 4,800 in Kansas tied to COVID-19, Kansas’ status in 
America’s Health Rankings had fallen from eighth in the nation in 1991 
to 29th in the country in 2019. The state’s decline in that ranking was 
unmatched.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616184409454.jpeg" alt="Gov. Laura Kelly is pressing for expansion of Medicaid to assist struggling rural hospitals with newly available federal incentives of $460 million to broaden enrollment in KanCare, the state’s Medicaid program. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Gov. Laura Kelly is pressing for expansion of Medicaid to assist struggling rural hospitals with newly available federal incentives of $460 million to broaden enrollment in KanCare, the state’s Medicaid program. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>The Republican-led House 
and Senate in Kansas blocked since 2014 expansion of Medicaid services 
to more than 100,000 lower-income residents. In early March, the Senate 
declined to adopt expansion legislation. Thirty-two states passed 
expansion laws and four GOP-leaning states approved voter ballot 
measures requiring expansion. In July, Medicaid expansion will come to 
Oklahoma and Missouri.“In the midst of the worst
 public health crisis in a century,” said Vicki Hiatt, chairwoman of the
 Kansas Democratic Party, “Republicans in the Kansas Senate don’t think 
low-income working families and vulnerable Kansans who have lost their 
jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic deserve health care.”Gov. Laura Kelly, who made
 Medicaid expansion a top priority of her administration, said the 
American Relief Plan signed by President Joe Biden offered a $460 
million incentive to Kansas for broadening access to preventative health
 services under KanCare, the state’s privatized Medicaid program.The $10 million grant 
initiative endorsed by the Kansas House as well as the Kansas Hospital 
Association and Kansas Medical Society was excluded from Senate 
committee’s telehealth package folded into House Bill 2208.Tara Mays, a lobbyist with
 the Kansas Hospital Association, defended the grant proposal as a way 
to benefit rural hospitals exploring new approaches to health-care 
delivery. She didn’t address to the satisfaction of senators on the 
committee questions about the bill’s ambigious language on authorization
 of grants.“I appears to be an 
attempt to help our rural hospitals,” said Sen. Molly Baumgardner, 
R-Louisburg. “I don’t think any of us are opposed to that. It’s the 
vagueness that seems to be troubling. Hospitals should be, on an ongoing
 basis, addressing how it is that they meet the needs through delivery. 
That should be what they’re doing on an ongoing basis.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616184438740.jpeg" alt="Sen. Molly Baumgardner, R-Louisburg, said vague language in a House bill outlining a proposed $10 million grant program for rural hospitals made it difficult to vote for a measure that otherwise could have merit. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Molly Baumgardner, R-Louisburg, said vague language in a House bill outlining a proposed $10 million grant program for rural hospitals made it difficult to vote for a measure that otherwise could have merit. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>The telemedicine bill 
approved by the Senate committee would allow the Behavioral Sciences 
Regulatory Board to alter licensure and permit requirements of social 
workers, marriage and family therapists, addiction counselors, 
psychologists and counselors. Another portion would enable 
recertification of Kansas medical facilities as “rural emergency 
hospitals” to lower the number of mandated beds and control costs.In addition, the Senate 
committee’s bill would extend emergency waiver of regulations on use of 
out-of-state physicians through telemedicine adopted last year when the 
COVID-19 pandemic emerged.Jill Lee, Overland Park, 
submitted written testimony to the Senate committee in support of 
preservation of telemedicine options for doctors practicing outside 
Kansas. She was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer in March 2020 and 
began chemotheraphy. She said surgeons at University of Kansas Health 
System, Olathe Health and Advent Health in the Kansas City area were 
unwilling to operate on her despite evidence of improvement in 
September. She reached out to California physician Yuman Fong through 
telemedicine services in December and tentative plans were made to 
operate.Subsequent testing 
revealed regrowth of her cancer and compelled additional chemotheraphy 
before attempting surgery, Lee said. However, the Kansas executive order
 allowing Fong to consult with Lee is scheduled to expire by the end of 
March. It is possible the Kansas Board of Healing Arts could provide 
Fong a temporary extension to care for Lee.“People in need of the 
kind of care that can only be found out of state shouldn’t have to 
endanger themselves by getting on a plane and being exposed to viruses 
and germs. Not when technology exists that makes it possible for them to
 have the same appointments in the safety of their own homes,” Lee said.“In my case, no one that 
we have found in the state of Kansas is willing to do the surgery that 
could potentially save my life. Thus, out-of-state care is necessary,” 
she said. “I’m a wife and a mom to a sweet 2 1/2-year-old son, both of 
whom I am fighting desperately to stay alive for. And I’m sure there are
 others in Kansas in similar shoes. Please don’t let legislation 
preventing telemed be the reason we aren’t here for the ones we love.”Tim Carpenter has reported on Kansas for 35 years. He covered the Capitol for 16 years at the Topeka Capital-Journal and previously worked for the Lawrence Journal-World and United Press International.&nbsp;

Senate committee spikes $10M grant program for rural Kan. hospitals

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House has voted to unlatch a gateway to citizenship for young “Dreamers,” migrant farm workers and immigrants who have fled war or natural disasters, giving Democrats wins in the year’s first votes on an issue that faces an uphill climb in the Senate.

On a near party-line 228-197 vote Thursday, lawmakers approved one bill offering legal status to around 2 million “Dreamers,” brought to the U.S. illegally as children, and hundreds of thousands of migrants admitted for humanitarian reasons from a dozen troubled countries.

They then voted 247-174 for a second measure creating similar protections for 1 million farm workers who have worked in the U.S. illegally. The government estimates they comprise half the nation’s agricultural laborers.

In a statement after the votes, President Joe Biden called the action a “critical first step” toward a more sweeping overhaul he’s proposed. He said he wants to work with Congress toward “building a 21st century immigration system that is grounded in dignity, safety, and fairness, and finally enacts the long term solutions we need to create an orderly and humane immigration system.”

Both bills largely hit&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-ap-top-news-immigration-coronavirus-pandemic-4dcf287375d1a1563deb737988b84dd4">a wall of opposition from Republicans</a>&nbsp;insistent that any immigration legislation bolster security at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/is-us-mexico-border-in-crisis-explained-aea57dde734f5cccb920e0d5d6111e65">the Mexican border</a>, which waves of migrants have tried breaching in recent weeks. The GOP has accused congressional Democrats of ignoring that problem and Biden of fueling it by erasing former President Donald Trump’s restrictive policies, even though that surge began while Trump was still in office.

While “Dreamers” win wide public support and migrant farm workers are a backbone of the agriculture industry, both House bills face gloomy prospects in the evenly split Senate. That chamber’s 50 Democrats will need at least 10 GOP supporters to break Republican filibusters.

The outlook was even grimmer for Biden’s more ambitious goal of legislation making citizenship possible for all 11 million immigrants in the U.S. illegally, easing visa restrictions, improving border security technology and spending billions in Central America to ease problems that prompt people to leave.

Nine House Republicans joined all Democrats in voting for the “Dreamers” measure, but 30 GOP lawmakers backed the farm workers bill, giving it a more bipartisan hue.

Congress has long deadlocked over immigration, which again seems headed toward becoming political ammunition. Republicans could use it to rally conservative voters in upcoming elections, while Democrats could add it to a stack of House-passed measures languishing in the Senate to build support for abolishing that chamber’s bill-killing filibusters.

Democrats said their measures were aimed not at border security but at immigrants who deserve help.

“They’re so much of our country,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said of “Dreamers,” who like many immigrants have held front-line jobs during the pandemic. “These immigrant communities strengthen, enrich and ennoble our nation, and they must be allowed to stay.”

Neither House measure would directly affect those trying to enter from Mexico. Republicans criticized them anyway for lacking border security provisions and used the debate to lambaste Biden, who’s ridden a wave of popularity since taking office and winning a massive COVID-19 relief package.

“It is a Biden border crisis, and it is spinning out of control,” said House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.

While the number of migrants caught trying to cross the border from Mexico has been rising since last April, the 100,441 encountered last month was the highest figure since March 2019.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/9da3a0c7cb6e20dd5fc441a2bd90658e">Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas&nbsp;</a>has said the number is tracking toward a 20-year high.

In another measure of the problem, around 14,000 children and teens are in Customs and Border Protection custody or Health and Human Services Department shelters while officials find relatives or sponsors to take them, Biden administration officials told reporters.

Democrats were making that problem worse, Republicans said, with bills they said entice more immigrants to sneak into the U.S. and provide amnesty to immigrants who break laws to get here.

“We don’t know who these people are. We don’t know what their intentions are,” Rep. Jody Hice, R-Ga., said of immigrant farm workers who might seek legal status. He added, “It’s frightening, it’s irresponsible, it’s endangering American lives.”

During earlier debate on the “Dreamers” bill, Democrats said Republicans were going too far.

“Sometimes I stand in this chamber, and I feel like I’m in the Twilight Zone, listening to a number of my Republican colleagues espouse white supremacist ideology to denigrate our ‘Dreamers,’” said Rep. Mondaire Jones, D-N.Y.

Maine Rep. Jared Golden’s vote against the farm workers measure made him the only Democrat to oppose either bill.

The House approved “Dreamer” and farm worker bills in 2019 by similar partisan margins, and both died in what was a Republican-run Senate. Trump, who as president constricted legal and illegal immigration, would have signed neither.

Biden has suspended work on Trump’s wall along the Mexican border, ended his separation of young children from migrant families and allowed apprehended minors to stay in the U.S. as officials decide if they can legally remain. He has also turned away most single adults and families.

The “Dreamers” bill would grant conditional legal status for 10 years to many immigrants up to age 18 who were brought into the U.S. illegally before this year. They’d have to meet education and other requirements. “Dreamers” get their name from never-passed proposals in Congress called the DREAM Act.

To attain legal permanent residence, or a green card, they’d have to obtain a higher education degree, serve in the military or be employed for at least three years. Like others with green cards, they could then apply for citizenship after five years.

The measure would also grant green cards to an estimated 400,000 immigrants with temporary protected status or deferred enforced departure status, which temporarily allow people fleeing extraordinary problems into the U.S.

The other bill would let immigrant farm workers who’ve worked in the country illegally over the past two years get certified agriculture worker status. That would let them, their spouses and children remain in the U.S. for renewable 5 1/2-year periods.

To earn green cards, they’d have to pay a $1,000 fine and work up to an additional eight years, depending on how long they’ve already held farm jobs.

The legislation would cap wage increases, streamline the H-2A visa process for legal immigrant farm workers and phase in a mandatory system for electronically verifying the legal status of agriculture laborers.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616180562006.png" alt="The “Dreamers” bill would grant conditional legal status for 10 years to many immigrants up to age 18 who were brought into the U.S. illegally before this year-photo courtesy House Speaker Nancy Pelosi" />
 <figcaption>The “Dreamers” bill would grant conditional legal status for 10 years to many immigrants up to age 18 who were brought into the U.S. illegally before this year-photo courtesy House Speaker Nancy Pelosi</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The House has voted to unlatch a gateway to citizenship for young “Dreamers,” migrant farm workers and immigrants who have fled war or natural disasters, giving Democrats wins in the year’s first votes on an issue that faces an uphill climb in the Senate.On a near party-line 228-197 vote Thursday, lawmakers approved one bill offering legal status to around 2 million “Dreamers,” brought to the U.S. illegally as children, and hundreds of thousands of migrants admitted for humanitarian reasons from a dozen troubled countries.They then voted 247-174 for a second measure creating similar protections for 1 million farm workers who have worked in the U.S. illegally. The government estimates they comprise half the nation’s agricultural laborers.In a statement after the votes, President Joe Biden called the action a “critical first step” toward a more sweeping overhaul he’s proposed. He said he wants to work with Congress toward “building a 21st century immigration system that is grounded in dignity, safety, and fairness, and finally enacts the long term solutions we need to create an orderly and humane immigration system.”Both bills largely hit&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-ap-top-news-immigration-coronavirus-pandemic-4dcf287375d1a1563deb737988b84dd4">a wall of opposition from Republicans</a>&nbsp;insistent that any immigration legislation bolster security at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/is-us-mexico-border-in-crisis-explained-aea57dde734f5cccb920e0d5d6111e65">the Mexican border</a>, which waves of migrants have tried breaching in recent weeks. The GOP has accused congressional Democrats of ignoring that problem and Biden of fueling it by erasing former President Donald Trump’s restrictive policies, even though that surge began while Trump was still in office.While “Dreamers” win wide public support and migrant farm workers are a backbone of the agriculture industry, both House bills face gloomy prospects in the evenly split Senate. That chamber’s 50 Democrats will need at least 10 GOP supporters to break Republican filibusters.The outlook was even grimmer for Biden’s more ambitious goal of legislation making citizenship possible for all 11 million immigrants in the U.S. illegally, easing visa restrictions, improving border security technology and spending billions in Central America to ease problems that prompt people to leave.Nine House Republicans joined all Democrats in voting for the “Dreamers” measure, but 30 GOP lawmakers backed the farm workers bill, giving it a more bipartisan hue.Congress has long deadlocked over immigration, which again seems headed toward becoming political ammunition. Republicans could use it to rally conservative voters in upcoming elections, while Democrats could add it to a stack of House-passed measures languishing in the Senate to build support for abolishing that chamber’s bill-killing filibusters.Democrats said their measures were aimed not at border security but at immigrants who deserve help.“They’re so much of our country,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said of “Dreamers,” who like many immigrants have held front-line jobs during the pandemic. “These immigrant communities strengthen, enrich and ennoble our nation, and they must be allowed to stay.”Neither House measure would directly affect those trying to enter from Mexico. Republicans criticized them anyway for lacking border security provisions and used the debate to lambaste Biden, who’s ridden a wave of popularity since taking office and winning a massive COVID-19 relief package.“It is a Biden border crisis, and it is spinning out of control,” said House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.While the number of migrants caught trying to cross the border from Mexico has been rising since last April, the 100,441 encountered last month was the highest figure since March 2019.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/9da3a0c7cb6e20dd5fc441a2bd90658e">Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas&nbsp;</a>has said the number is tracking toward a 20-year high.In another measure of the problem, around 14,000 children and teens are in Customs and Border Protection custody or Health and Human Services Department shelters while officials find relatives or sponsors to take them, Biden administration officials told reporters.Democrats were making that problem worse, Republicans said, with bills they said entice more immigrants to sneak into the U.S. and provide amnesty to immigrants who break laws to get here.“We don’t know who these people are. We don’t know what their intentions are,” Rep. Jody Hice, R-Ga., said of immigrant farm workers who might seek legal status. He added, “It’s frightening, it’s irresponsible, it’s endangering American lives.”During earlier debate on the “Dreamers” bill, Democrats said Republicans were going too far.“Sometimes I stand in this chamber, and I feel like I’m in the Twilight Zone, listening to a number of my Republican colleagues espouse white supremacist ideology to denigrate our ‘Dreamers,’” said Rep. Mondaire Jones, D-N.Y.Maine Rep. Jared Golden’s vote against the farm workers measure made him the only Democrat to oppose either bill.The House approved “Dreamer” and farm worker bills in 2019 by similar partisan margins, and both died in what was a Republican-run Senate. Trump, who as president constricted legal and illegal immigration, would have signed neither.Biden has suspended work on Trump’s wall along the Mexican border, ended his separation of young children from migrant families and allowed apprehended minors to stay in the U.S. as officials decide if they can legally remain. He has also turned away most single adults and families.The “Dreamers” bill would grant conditional legal status for 10 years to many immigrants up to age 18 who were brought into the U.S. illegally before this year. They’d have to meet education and other requirements. “Dreamers” get their name from never-passed proposals in Congress called the DREAM Act.To attain legal permanent residence, or a green card, they’d have to obtain a higher education degree, serve in the military or be employed for at least three years. Like others with green cards, they could then apply for citizenship after five years.The measure would also grant green cards to an estimated 400,000 immigrants with temporary protected status or deferred enforced departure status, which temporarily allow people fleeing extraordinary problems into the U.S.The other bill would let immigrant farm workers who’ve worked in the country illegally over the past two years get certified agriculture worker status. That would let them, their spouses and children remain in the U.S. for renewable 5 1/2-year periods.To earn green cards, they’d have to pay a $1,000 fine and work up to an additional eight years, depending on how long they’ve already held farm jobs.The legislation would cap wage increases, streamline the H-2A visa process for legal immigrant farm workers and phase in a mandatory system for electronically verifying the legal status of agriculture laborers.___

House OKs legal status for farm workers, 'Dreamers'

KANSAS CITY (AP) — The regional body that represents the Presbyterian Church is joining other civil rights organizations in calling for the dismissal of Kansas City Police Chief Rick Smith.

The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article250031104.html" target="_blank">reports&nbsp;</a>that the Heartland Presbytery said in a letter Thursday that the church wants the Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners to hire a new chief who would protect residents equally and discipline officers who “act lawlessly, unethically and without proper respect, especially for Black and Brown people.”

Capt. David Jackson, a spokesman for the Kansas City Police Department, said the chief has no plans to resign.

The letter from the council cited Smith’s “total lack of a working relationship” with Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker, who has said the department has refused to issue probable cause statements in use-of-force cases.

Representing 81 congregations and 173 ministers in Missouri and Kansas, the council commended some of Smith’s efforts, such as the deployment of body cameras. But it said his “lack of a working relationship” with the Black community was problematic.

Civil rights leaders have wanted Smith to resign or be fired for years, and the calls gained momentum after social justice demonstrations in Kansas City last summer.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1606271500828.png" alt="KC Police Chief Rick Smith" />
 <figcaption>KC Police Chief Rick Smith</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — The regional body that represents the Presbyterian Church is joining other civil rights organizations in calling for the dismissal of Kansas City Police Chief Rick Smith.The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article250031104.html" target="_blank">reports&nbsp;</a>that the Heartland Presbytery said in a letter Thursday that the church wants the Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners to hire a new chief who would protect residents equally and discipline officers who “act lawlessly, unethically and without proper respect, especially for Black and Brown people.”Capt. David Jackson, a spokesman for the Kansas City Police Department, said the chief has no plans to resign.The letter from the council cited Smith’s “total lack of a working relationship” with Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker, who has said the department has refused to issue probable cause statements in use-of-force cases.Representing 81 congregations and 173 ministers in Missouri and Kansas, the council commended some of Smith’s efforts, such as the deployment of body cameras. But it said his “lack of a working relationship” with the Black community was problematic.Civil rights leaders have wanted Smith to resign or be fired for years, and the calls gained momentum after social justice demonstrations in Kansas City last summer.

Church council calls for resignation of Kansas City police chief

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 606 to a total of 299,510, the state health department reported Friday afternoon.&nbsp;

Coronavirus deaths were reported at 4842, an increase of 5.

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

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

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 606 to a total of 299,510, the state health department reported Friday afternoon.&nbsp;Coronavirus deaths were reported at 4842, an increase of 5.<a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data">Click here for Data</a> about the COVID-19 vaccine.<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional virus numbers from the KDHE.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616173399995.png" alt="Friday March 19, 2021 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Friday March 19, 2021 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>

KDHE: Latest coronavirus numbers in Kansas

GEARY COUNTY (AP) — Authorities in northeast Kansas say the body of an Arkansas man was found on the shoulder of Interstate 70, and the Kansas Highway Patrol is investigating. The Geary County Sheriff’s Office initially received a call around 5:15 a.m. Thursday about a person down by the interstate near Fort Riley. 

Kansas troopers responded and found the body of 18-year-old Bennet Trotter, of West Memphis, Arkansas, on the eastbound shoulder of the interstate. Investigators believe Trotter had been walking along the road when he was hit by one or more vehicles that left the scene. 

No arrests had been reported or suspects named in the case by Friday morning.

GEARY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities found the body of a man early Thursday morning along Interstate 70 in Geary County. 

Just after 5 a.m.,&nbsp; a motorist discovered a deceased male on the eastbound shoulder of Interstate 70 near Fort Riley&nbsp; between the exits off of the interstate to Fort Riley and K-18 Highway, according to Trooper Ben Gardner with the Kansas Highway Patrol.

As of 9:50 a.m. Thursday one eastbound lane of the interstate was shut down. KHP is trying to identify the deceased man or any vehicle or vehicles that may have been involved which left the scene.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616080085524.png" alt="Traffic slows on I-70 just after 10 a.m. Thursday near the investigation. -image KanDrive" />
 <figcaption>Traffic slows on I-70 just after 10 a.m. Thursday near the investigation. -image KanDrive</figcaption>
 </figure>GEARY COUNTY (AP) — Authorities in northeast Kansas say the body of an Arkansas man was found on the shoulder of Interstate 70, and the Kansas Highway Patrol is investigating. The Geary County Sheriff’s Office initially received a call around 5:15 a.m. Thursday about a person down by the interstate near Fort Riley. Kansas troopers responded and found the body of 18-year-old Bennet Trotter, of West Memphis, Arkansas, on the eastbound shoulder of the interstate. Investigators believe Trotter had been walking along the road when he was hit by one or more vehicles that left the scene. No arrests had been reported or suspects named in the case by Friday morning.-------GEARY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities found the body of a man early Thursday morning along Interstate 70 in Geary County. Just after 5 a.m.,&nbsp; a motorist discovered a deceased male on the eastbound shoulder of Interstate 70 near Fort Riley&nbsp; between the exits off of the interstate to Fort Riley and K-18 Highway, according to Trooper Ben Gardner with the Kansas Highway Patrol.As of 9:50 a.m. Thursday one eastbound lane of the interstate was shut down. KHP is trying to identify the deceased man or any vehicle or vehicles that may have been involved which left the scene.

KHP IDs body of man found dead on I-70

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today reminds taxpayers 
that the most convenient way to check on a tax refund is by using the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds">Where's My Refund?</a>&nbsp;tool at IRS.gov or through the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs2goapp">IRS2Go Mobile App</a>.

Taxpayers can start checking their refund status within 24 hours 
after an e-filed return is received. In addition, Where's My 
Refund&nbsp;provides a personalized date after the return is processed and a 
refund is approved.

Now more than ever, the safest and best way to file a complete and accurate tax return and get a refund is to file <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/e-file-options">electronically</a> and use <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds/get-your-refund-faster-tell-irs-to-direct-deposit-your-refund-to-one-two-or-three-accounts">direct deposit</a>. Taxpayers can visit <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing">IRS.gov/filing</a> for more details about <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">IRS Free File</a>, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/e-file-providers/free-file-fillable-forms">Free File Fillable Forms</a> and <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/free-tax-return-preparation-for-qualifying-taxpayers">free tax preparation sites</a>. E-filing is also available through a trusted <a href="https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/choosing-a-tax-professional">tax professional</a>.

While most tax refunds are issued within 21 days, some may take longer because the return requires additional review.

There are several reasons a tax refund may take long:

The IRS will contact taxpayers by mail if more information is needed to process a return.

Taxpayers claiming the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit">Recovery Rebate Credit</a>
 on their tax return will not cause a delay in the processing of that 
tax return. However, it is important that taxpayers claim the correct 
amount. If a correction is needed, there may be a slight delay in 
processing the return and the IRS will send a notice explaining any 
change made. Refunds may be delayed while the IRS makes any necessary 
corrections.

Taxpayers can use Where's My Refund?&nbsp;to start checking on the status 
of their return within 24 hours after the IRS acknowledges receipt of an
 electronically filed return or four weeks after the taxpayer mails a 
paper return. The tool's tracker displays progress through three phases:

To use it a taxpayer must <a href="https://sa.www4.irs.gov/irfof/lang/en/irfofgetstatus.jsp">enter</a>
 their Social Security number or ITIN (Individual Taxpayer 
Identification Number) , their filing status and the exact whole dollar 
amount of their refund. The IRS updates "Where's My Refund?&nbsp;once a day, 
usually overnight, so there's no need to check more frequently.

Calling IRS doesn't speed up refund timing

Calling the IRS won't expedite a tax refund. The information 
available on Where's My Refund?&nbsp;is the same information available to IRS
 telephone assistors.

Most taxpayers who want to prepare their own returns can file electronically for free with <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">IRS Free File</a>. Alternatively, taxpayers who qualify can get <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/free-tax-return-preparation-for-qualifying-taxpayers">free tax help from trained volunteers</a> at community sites around the country.

Some people mistakenly believe they can expedite their refund by 
ordering a tax transcript, calling the IRS or calling their tax 
preparer. Ordering a tax transcript will not help a taxpayer get their 
refund faster or find out when they'll get their refund.

Taxpayers can use several options to help find a paid tax preparer. One resource is <a href="https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/choosing-a-tax-professional">Choosing a Tax Professional</a>, which includes a list of consumer tips for selecting a tax professional.

The <a href="https://irs.treasury.gov/rpo/rpo.jsf">Directory of Federal Tax Return Preparers with Credentials and Select Qualifications</a>
 is a free searchable and sortable database. It includes the name, city,
 state and zip code of credentialed return preparers who are CPAs, 
enrolled agents or attorneys, as well as those who have completed the 
requirements for the IRS <a href="https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/annual-filing-season-program">Annual Filing Season Program</a>. A search of the database can help taxpayers verify credentials and qualifications of tax professionals.

Taxpayers can find answers to questions, forms and instructions and 
easy-to-use tools online at IRS.gov anytime. No appointment required and
 no waiting on hold.

This news release is part of a group of IRS tips called the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/tax-time-guide">Tax Time Guide</a>. The guide is designed to help taxpayers as they near the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/tax-day-for-individuals-extended-to-may-17-treasury-irs-extend-filing-and-payment-deadline">May 17, 2021, tax filing deadline</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today reminds taxpayers 
that the most convenient way to check on a tax refund is by using the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds">Where's My Refund?</a>&nbsp;tool at IRS.gov or through the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs2goapp">IRS2Go Mobile App</a>.Taxpayers can start checking their refund status within 24 hours 
after an e-filed return is received. In addition, Where's My 
Refund&nbsp;provides a personalized date after the return is processed and a 
refund is approved.<h2>Go paperless</h2>Now more than ever, the safest and best way to file a complete and accurate tax return and get a refund is to file <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/e-file-options">electronically</a> and use <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds/get-your-refund-faster-tell-irs-to-direct-deposit-your-refund-to-one-two-or-three-accounts">direct deposit</a>. Taxpayers can visit <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing">IRS.gov/filing</a> for more details about <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">IRS Free File</a>, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/e-file-providers/free-file-fillable-forms">Free File Fillable Forms</a> and <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/free-tax-return-preparation-for-qualifying-taxpayers">free tax preparation sites</a>. E-filing is also available through a trusted <a href="https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/choosing-a-tax-professional">tax professional</a>.<h2>Refund timing</h2>While most tax refunds are issued within 21 days, some may take longer because the return requires additional review.<h2>There are several reasons a tax refund may take long:</h2><ul>
 <li>The return may include errors or be incomplete.</li><li>The return could be affected by identity theft or fraud.</li><li>The return includes a claim for the Earned Income Tax Credit or Additional Child Tax Credit.</li><li>The time between the IRS issuing the refund and the bank posting it
 to an account since many banks do not process payments on weekends or 
holidays.</li>
 </ul>The IRS will contact taxpayers by mail if more information is needed to process a return.Taxpayers claiming the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit">Recovery Rebate Credit</a>
 on their tax return will not cause a delay in the processing of that 
tax return. However, it is important that taxpayers claim the correct 
amount. If a correction is needed, there may be a slight delay in 
processing the return and the IRS will send a notice explaining any 
change made. Refunds may be delayed while the IRS makes any necessary 
corrections.<h2>Fast and easy refund updates</h2>Taxpayers can use Where's My Refund?&nbsp;to start checking on the status 
of their return within 24 hours after the IRS acknowledges receipt of an
 electronically filed return or four weeks after the taxpayer mails a 
paper return. The tool's tracker displays progress through three phases:<ol>
 <li>Return Received;</li><li>Refund Approved; and</li><li>Refund Sent.</li>
 </ol>To use it a taxpayer must <a href="https://sa.www4.irs.gov/irfof/lang/en/irfofgetstatus.jsp">enter</a>
 their Social Security number or ITIN (Individual Taxpayer 
Identification Number) , their filing status and the exact whole dollar 
amount of their refund. The IRS updates "Where's My Refund?&nbsp;once a day, 
usually overnight, so there's no need to check more frequently.<h2>Calling IRS doesn't speed up refund timing</h2>Calling the IRS won't expedite a tax refund. The information 
available on Where's My Refund?&nbsp;is the same information available to IRS
 telephone assistors.Most taxpayers who want to prepare their own returns can file electronically for free with <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">IRS Free File</a>. Alternatively, taxpayers who qualify can get <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/free-tax-return-preparation-for-qualifying-taxpayers">free tax help from trained volunteers</a> at community sites around the country.<h2>Ignore refund myths</h2>Some people mistakenly believe they can expedite their refund by 
ordering a tax transcript, calling the IRS or calling their tax 
preparer. Ordering a tax transcript will not help a taxpayer get their 
refund faster or find out when they'll get their refund.<h2>Filing options</h2>Taxpayers can use several options to help find a paid tax preparer. One resource is <a href="https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/choosing-a-tax-professional">Choosing a Tax Professional</a>, which includes a list of consumer tips for selecting a tax professional.The <a href="https://irs.treasury.gov/rpo/rpo.jsf">Directory of Federal Tax Return Preparers with Credentials and Select Qualifications</a>
 is a free searchable and sortable database. It includes the name, city,
 state and zip code of credentialed return preparers who are CPAs, 
enrolled agents or attorneys, as well as those who have completed the 
requirements for the IRS <a href="https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/annual-filing-season-program">Annual Filing Season Program</a>. A search of the database can help taxpayers verify credentials and qualifications of tax professionals.Taxpayers can find answers to questions, forms and instructions and 
easy-to-use tools online at IRS.gov anytime. No appointment required and
 no waiting on hold.This news release is part of a group of IRS tips called the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/tax-time-guide">Tax Time Guide</a>. The guide is designed to help taxpayers as they near the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/tax-day-for-individuals-extended-to-may-17-treasury-irs-extend-filing-and-payment-deadline">May 17, 2021, tax filing deadline</a>.

IRS: Use the Where’s My Refund? tool or app to check tax refund status

Missouri is hosting a Mega Vaccination event at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City on Friday, March 19 and Saturday, March 20.



This mega vaccination event will assist local providers in meeting the higher vaccine demand of the Kansas City region.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616163967350.png" alt="Partnering with Jackson County Health Department, Truman Medical Center, Ride Kansas City Transit, the Chiefs and other local leaders to host a mega vaccination event at GEAH Field at Arrowhead Stadium -photo Governor Mike Parson" />
 <figcaption>Partnering with Jackson County Health Department, Truman Medical Center, Ride Kansas City Transit, the Chiefs and other local leaders to host a mega vaccination event at GEAH Field at Arrowhead Stadium -photo Governor Mike Parson</figcaption>
 </figure>Missouri is hosting a Mega Vaccination event at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City on Friday, March 19 and Saturday, March 20.
<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616098052706.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>
This mega vaccination event will assist local providers in meeting the higher vaccine demand of the Kansas City region.

Mega vaccination event underway at Arrowhead Stadium

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas City suburb has been ordered to turn over records related to the 2018 police killing of a teenager after the media sued&nbsp;for the documents.

&nbsp;A judge found that that the severance agreement for former Overland Park officer Clayton Jenison must be disclosed under the Kansas Open Records Act.

Jenison, who was paid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/d4cb99f7d309451b7a4499f53ab19c67">$70,000</a>&nbsp;through the agreement, didn’t face charges for fatally shooting 17-year-old John Albers as he was backing a minivan out of his family’s garage. The officer had responded to the home because the teen was believed to be suicidal.

Kansas City Star Editor Mike Fannin said the ruling underscores that the government doesn’t get to withhold public records. “In a tragic case such as this one, sunshine is vital,” he said.

The teen’s mom, Sheila Albers, said the ruling means there will be some justice for her son. The family previously reached a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/af71e84e02ea41b8af098e2dee11ec4f">$2.3 million settlement&nbsp;</a>with the city in a wrongful death lawsuit.

Overland Park spokesman Sean Reilly said the city may comment later. The city could appeal the order, but would have to wait until the judge rules on attorneys fees.

While the lawsuit is continuing as a result, Overland Park could release the documents at any point.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1601028395769.png" alt="Police on the scene of the fatal shooting -photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the fatal shooting -photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas City suburb has been ordered to turn over records related to the 2018 police killing of a teenager after the media sued&nbsp;for the documents.&nbsp;A judge found that that the severance agreement for former Overland Park officer Clayton Jenison must be disclosed under the Kansas Open Records Act.Jenison, who was paid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/d4cb99f7d309451b7a4499f53ab19c67">$70,000</a>&nbsp;through the agreement, didn’t face charges for fatally shooting 17-year-old John Albers as he was backing a minivan out of his family’s garage. The officer had responded to the home because the teen was believed to be suicidal.Kansas City Star Editor Mike Fannin said the ruling underscores that the government doesn’t get to withhold public records. “In a tragic case such as this one, sunshine is vital,” he said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1601028453799.png" alt="John Albers photo courtesy McGilley Memorial Chapel" />
 <figcaption>John Albers photo courtesy McGilley Memorial Chapel</figcaption>
 </figure>The teen’s mom, Sheila Albers, said the ruling means there will be some justice for her son. The family previously reached a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/af71e84e02ea41b8af098e2dee11ec4f">$2.3 million settlement&nbsp;</a>with the city in a wrongful death lawsuit.Overland Park spokesman Sean Reilly said the city may comment later. The city could appeal the order, but would have to wait until the judge rules on attorneys fees.While the lawsuit is continuing as a result, Overland Park could release the documents at any point.

Judge orders release of records in fatal Kan. police shooting 

JACKSON COUNTY —A 40-year-old Kansas City man has been charged in connection with the homicide of a nearly 4-month old child who suffered multiple skull fractures and other trauma-related injuries, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

According to court records, on March 9, police were dispatched&nbsp; to the 5400 block of Harrison Street in Kansas City on a reported infant not breathing. The defendant told police the child had been sick and at 3 a.m. the child was breathing. 

At 6 a.m., the child was bluish and not breathing. Police noted injuries to the child not consistent with a natural death. At the hospital, it was determined the child had suffered life-threatening physical trauma, including a forehead contusion, multiple skull fractures, a brain bleed and chest trauma.&nbsp;

In addition, the child's grandmother 39-year-old Carly George faces a felony charge of Hindering Prosecution of a Felony.

In a statement issued Thursday, Baker said:  "The death of this child is an awful tragedy and horrible crime. The heart wrenching nature may lead us to feel despair. I hope any despair prompts us to report and protect kids from abuse. The link below provides COMBAT-funded assistance in our community."

Prosecutors requested a cash bond of $500,000 for Beck and $100,000 cash for George.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616100806043.png" alt="Beck-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Beck-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY —A 40-year-old Kansas City man has been charged in connection with the homicide of a nearly 4-month old child who suffered multiple skull fractures and other trauma-related injuries, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.According to court records, on March 9, police were dispatched&nbsp; to the 5400 block of Harrison Street in Kansas City on a reported infant not breathing. The defendant told police the child had been sick and at 3 a.m. the child was breathing. At 6 a.m., the child was bluish and not breathing. Police noted injuries to the child not consistent with a natural death. At the hospital, it was determined the child had suffered life-threatening physical trauma, including a forehead contusion, multiple skull fractures, a brain bleed and chest trauma.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616101044753.png" alt="Carly George photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Carly George photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>In addition, the child's grandmother 39-year-old Carly George faces a felony charge of Hindering Prosecution of a Felony.In a statement issued Thursday, Baker said: "The death of this child is an awful tragedy and horrible crime. The heart wrenching nature may lead us to feel despair. I hope any despair prompts us to report and protect kids from abuse. The link below provides COMBAT-funded assistance in our community."Prosecutors requested a cash bond of $500,000 for Beck and $100,000 cash for George.

2 charged in death of 4-month-old in Kansas City

WASHINGTON (AP) — With the U.S. closing in on President Joe Biden’s goal of injecting 100 million coronavirus vaccinations weeks ahead of his target date, the White House said the nation is now in position to help supply neighbors Canada and Mexico with millions of lifesaving shots.

The Biden administration on Thursday revealed the outlines of a plan to “loan” a limited number of vaccines to Canada and Mexico as the president announced the U.S. is on the cusp of meeting his 100-day injection goal “way ahead of schedule.”

“&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-pandemic-politics-877bcedb60014ff93a5908b971766c1e">I’m proud to announce that tomorrow, 58 days into our administration, we will have met our goal</a>,” Biden said. He promised to unveil a new vaccination target next week, as the U.S. is on pace to have enough of the three currently authorized vaccines to cover the entire adult population just 10 weeks from now.

Ahead of Biden’s remarks, the White House said it was finalizing plans to send a combined 4 million doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to Mexico and Canada in its first export of shots. Press secretary Jen Psaki said the details of the “loan” were still being worked out, but 2.5 million doses would go to Mexico and 1.5 million would be sent to Canada.

“Our first priority remains vaccinating the U.S. population,” Psaki said. But she added that “ensuring our neighbors can contain the virus is a mission critical step, is mission critical to ending the pandemic.

The AstraZeneca vaccine has not yet been authorized for use in the U.S. but has been by the World Health Organization. Tens of millions of doses have been stockpiled in the U.S., waiting for emergency use authorization, and that has sparked an international outcry that lifesaving vaccine is being withheld when it could be used elsewhere. The White House said just 7 million of the AstraZeneca doses are ready for shipment.

The initial run of doses manufactured in the U.S. are owned by the federal government under the terms of agreements reached with drugmakers, and the Biden administration has faced calls from allies across the globe to release the AstraZeneca shots for immediate use. Biden has also fielded direct requests from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador to buy vaccines produced in the United States.

Global public health advocates say wealthy nations like the U.S. need to do far more to help stem the spread of the pandemic. The World Health Organization on Thursday issued a report that fewer than 7 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered in Africa thus far. That’s the equivalent of what the U.S. administers in a matter of days.

Biden did move to have the U.S. contribute financially to the United Nations- and World Health Organization-backed COVAX alliance, which will share vaccine with more than 90 lower- and middle-income nations, but the U.S. has yet to commit to sharing any doses.

From his first days in office, Biden has set clear — and achievable — metrics for U.S. success, whether they be vaccinations or school reopenings, as part of an apparent strategy of underpromising, then overdelivering. Aides believe that exceeding his goals breeds trust in government after the Trump administration’s sometimes-fanciful rhetoric on the virus.

The 100 million-dose goal was first announced on Dec. 8, days before the U.S. had even one authorized vaccine for COVID-19, let alone the three that have now received emergency authorization. Still, it was generally seen within reach, if optimistic.

By the time Biden was inaugurated on Jan. 20, the U.S. had already administered 20 million shots at a rate of about 1 million per day, bringing complaints at the time that Biden’s goal was not ambitious enough. He quickly revised it upward to 150 million doses in his first 100 days.

Now the U.S. is injecting an average of about 2.2 million doses each day — and the pace is likely to dramatically rise later this month in conjunction with an expected surge in supply of the vaccines.

According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, injections of 96 million doses have been reported to the agency since Biden’s inauguration, but those reports lag the actual date of administration. Vaccination trend lines pointed to Biden breaking the 100 million mark on Thursday, with the numbers likely to be confirmed by the CDC as soon as Friday.

The president has moved to speed up deliveries of vaccines from Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson &amp; Johnson, as well as to expand the number of places to get shots and people who can administer them, with a focus on increasing the nation’s capacity to inject doses as supply constraints lift.

The risk in setting too rosy expectations is that an administration might become defined by its failure to meet them, such as in May 2020, when President Donald Trump said the nation had “prevailed” over the virus.

At the time, the country had seen about 80,000 deaths from the virus. This week, the U.S. death toll topped 538,000. Trump’s lax approach and lack of credibility also contributed to poor adherence to public safety rules among the American public.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616102627812.png" alt="President Joe Biden speaks about COVID-19 vaccinations from the East Room Thursday photo courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>President Joe Biden speaks about COVID-19 vaccinations from the East Room Thursday photo courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — With the U.S. closing in on President Joe Biden’s goal of injecting 100 million coronavirus vaccinations weeks ahead of his target date, the White House said the nation is now in position to help supply neighbors Canada and Mexico with millions of lifesaving shots.The Biden administration on Thursday revealed the outlines of a plan to “loan” a limited number of vaccines to Canada and Mexico as the president announced the U.S. is on the cusp of meeting his 100-day injection goal “way ahead of schedule.”“&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-pandemic-politics-877bcedb60014ff93a5908b971766c1e">I’m proud to announce that tomorrow, 58 days into our administration, we will have met our goal</a>,” Biden said. He promised to unveil a new vaccination target next week, as the U.S. is on pace to have enough of the three currently authorized vaccines to cover the entire adult population just 10 weeks from now.Ahead of Biden’s remarks, the White House said it was finalizing plans to send a combined 4 million doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to Mexico and Canada in its first export of shots. Press secretary Jen Psaki said the details of the “loan” were still being worked out, but 2.5 million doses would go to Mexico and 1.5 million would be sent to Canada.“Our first priority remains vaccinating the U.S. population,” Psaki said. But she added that “ensuring our neighbors can contain the virus is a mission critical step, is mission critical to ending the pandemic.The AstraZeneca vaccine has not yet been authorized for use in the U.S. but has been by the World Health Organization. Tens of millions of doses have been stockpiled in the U.S., waiting for emergency use authorization, and that has sparked an international outcry that lifesaving vaccine is being withheld when it could be used elsewhere. The White House said just 7 million of the AstraZeneca doses are ready for shipment.The initial run of doses manufactured in the U.S. are owned by the federal government under the terms of agreements reached with drugmakers, and the Biden administration has faced calls from allies across the globe to release the AstraZeneca shots for immediate use. Biden has also fielded direct requests from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador to buy vaccines produced in the United States.Global public health advocates say wealthy nations like the U.S. need to do far more to help stem the spread of the pandemic. The World Health Organization on Thursday issued a report that fewer than 7 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered in Africa thus far. That’s the equivalent of what the U.S. administers in a matter of days.Biden did move to have the U.S. contribute financially to the United Nations- and World Health Organization-backed COVAX alliance, which will share vaccine with more than 90 lower- and middle-income nations, but the U.S. has yet to commit to sharing any doses.From his first days in office, Biden has set clear — and achievable — metrics for U.S. success, whether they be vaccinations or school reopenings, as part of an apparent strategy of underpromising, then overdelivering. Aides believe that exceeding his goals breeds trust in government after the Trump administration’s sometimes-fanciful rhetoric on the virus.The 100 million-dose goal was first announced on Dec. 8, days before the U.S. had even one authorized vaccine for COVID-19, let alone the three that have now received emergency authorization. Still, it was generally seen within reach, if optimistic.By the time Biden was inaugurated on Jan. 20, the U.S. had already administered 20 million shots at a rate of about 1 million per day, bringing complaints at the time that Biden’s goal was not ambitious enough. He quickly revised it upward to 150 million doses in his first 100 days.Now the U.S. is injecting an average of about 2.2 million doses each day — and the pace is likely to dramatically rise later this month in conjunction with an expected surge in supply of the vaccines.According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, injections of 96 million doses have been reported to the agency since Biden’s inauguration, but those reports lag the actual date of administration. Vaccination trend lines pointed to Biden breaking the 100 million mark on Thursday, with the numbers likely to be confirmed by the CDC as soon as Friday.The president has moved to speed up deliveries of vaccines from Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson &amp; Johnson, as well as to expand the number of places to get shots and people who can administer them, with a focus on increasing the nation’s capacity to inject doses as supply constraints lift.The risk in setting too rosy expectations is that an administration might become defined by its failure to meet them, such as in May 2020, when President Donald Trump said the nation had “prevailed” over the virus.At the time, the country had seen about 80,000 deaths from the virus. This week, the U.S. death toll topped 538,000. Trump’s lax approach and lack of credibility also contributed to poor adherence to public safety rules among the American public.

Biden: U.S. to hit 100 million vaccination goal ahead of schedule

SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities investigating a series of arson fire and have made an arrest.

Just before 7:30a.m. Thursday, firefighters responded to a structure fire&nbsp; at 1645 SW 37th Terrace in Topeka, according to Fire Marshal Todd Harrison.

&nbsp;Upon arrival, fire crews found nothing showing from the exterior of the three story apartment building. Firefighters located a fire on the bottom floor in common hallway. Damages were estimated at $250.00 to the structure, there was no content loss.

Just after 11:30a.m., firefighters responded to 3802 S. Topeka Blvd in reference to a structure fire. Firefighters arrived to find a fire burning on the exterior of a building. The fire was quickly extinguished. Damages are estimated at $500.00 to the structure and $500.00 to its contents.

Just over an hour later firefighters were called back to 1645 SW 37th Terrace and found a fire on the third floor common hallway and an estimated $250.00 in damages.

There were no injuries or fatalities reported with these fire incidents.

A fire investigation’s Unit determined the origin and cause for all three fires as intentionally set. During the course of the investigation a suspect was identified and investigators arrested 43-year-old Jenny Lynn on requested charges of arson and interference. She was transported and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections.

Investigators are working to determine if the suspect is connected to any other fires.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616151096122.png" alt="Lynn photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Lynn photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities investigating a series of arson fire and have made an arrest.Just before 7:30a.m. Thursday, firefighters responded to a structure fire&nbsp; at 1645 SW 37th Terrace in Topeka, according to Fire Marshal Todd Harrison.&nbsp;Upon arrival, fire crews found nothing showing from the exterior of the three story apartment building. Firefighters located a fire on the bottom floor in common hallway. Damages were estimated at $250.00 to the structure, there was no content loss.Just after 11:30a.m., firefighters responded to 3802 S. Topeka Blvd in reference to a structure fire. Firefighters arrived to find a fire burning on the exterior of a building. The fire was quickly extinguished. Damages are estimated at $500.00 to the structure and $500.00 to its contents.Just over an hour later firefighters were called back to 1645 SW 37th Terrace and found a fire on the third floor common hallway and an estimated $250.00 in damages.There were no injuries or fatalities reported with these fire incidents.A fire investigation’s Unit determined the origin and cause for all three fires as intentionally set. During the course of the investigation a suspect was identified and investigators arrested 43-year-old Jenny Lynn on requested charges of arson and interference. She was transported and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections.Investigators are working to determine if the suspect is connected to any other fires.

Fire Marshal: Kansas woman accused of setting three fires

LYON COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 2:30p.m. Thursday in Lyon County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Honda Civic driven by DeVawn T. Mitchell, 23, Emporia,&nbsp;was eastbound on 6th Avenue at Chestnut in the left lane.&nbsp;

The Honda was fleeing law enforcement and rear-ended a 2009 Ford F150 driven by Steven A. Henry, 64, Emporia.

The pickup then struck a power pole and came to rest off the right side of the roadway.

Henry was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Roberts Blue Barnett funeral home. EMS transported Mitchell to&nbsp;Newman Regional Health Center. The drivers were not wearing seat belts, according to the KHP.

LYON COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 2:30p.m. Thursday in Lyon County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Honda Civic driven by DeVawn T. Mitchell, 23, Emporia,&nbsp;was eastbound on 6th Avenue at Chestnut in the left lane.&nbsp;The Honda was fleeing law enforcement and rear-ended a 2009 Ford F150 driven by Steven A. Henry, 64, Emporia.The pickup then struck a power pole and came to rest off the right side of the roadway.Henry was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Roberts Blue Barnett funeral home. EMS transported Mitchell to&nbsp;Newman Regional Health Center. The drivers were not wearing seat belts, according to the KHP.

Kan. man dies after crash pushed pickup into power pole

ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug charges after an arrest.

Just before 1a.m. Tuesday, police officers conducted an investigation that began in the downtown Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.

The investigation led officers to the area of 6th and Park&nbsp; in Atchison where they recovered evidence that included controlled substances and drug paraphernalia. They also arrested 35-year-old Jerami Schmelzle on charges of possession of heroin and possession of drug paraphernalia. He is being held on a $10,000 bond, according to Wilson.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616085383131.png" alt=" SCHMELZLE photo Atchison County" />
 <figcaption> SCHMELZLE photo Atchison County</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug charges after an arrest.Just before 1a.m. Tuesday, police officers conducted an investigation that began in the downtown Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.The investigation led officers to the area of 6th and Park&nbsp; in Atchison where they recovered evidence that included controlled substances and drug paraphernalia. They also arrested 35-year-old Jerami Schmelzle on charges of possession of heroin and possession of drug paraphernalia. He is being held on a $10,000 bond, according to Wilson.

Police arrest Kansas man for alleged heroin possession

RENO COUNTY — A hearing is set for Friday afternoon for a Kansas man who wants to withdraw his plea to four counts of sexual exploitation of a child.

Patrick White, 21, Hutchinson, entered pleas to the four counts as part of a plea agreement. A fifth count was dismissed. Now White wants to withdraw that plea citing that he was not advised that his conviction meant a lifetime registration as an offender during plea negotiations.

White was arrested after deputies with the Reno County Sheriff's Department issued a search warrant on his home and cell phone.&nbsp;

The warrant stemmed from the allegations from a separate Law Enforcement agency that was made aware of White’s ongoing suspicious activity including allegedly recording The crimes are said to have occurred between October of 2018 and February of 2020.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616098486580.png" alt="White photo Reno County" />
 <figcaption>White photo Reno County</figcaption>
 </figure>RENO COUNTY — A hearing is set for Friday afternoon for a Kansas man who wants to withdraw his plea to four counts of sexual exploitation of a child.Patrick White, 21, Hutchinson, entered pleas to the four counts as part of a plea agreement. A fifth count was dismissed. Now White wants to withdraw that plea citing that he was not advised that his conviction meant a lifetime registration as an offender during plea negotiations.White was arrested after deputies with the Reno County Sheriff's Department issued a search warrant on his home and cell phone.&nbsp;The warrant stemmed from the allegations from a separate Law Enforcement agency that was made aware of White’s ongoing suspicious activity including allegedly recording The crimes are said to have occurred between October of 2018 and February of 2020.&nbsp;

Kan. man to change plea in sexual exploitation case

SHAWNEE COUNTY –Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect after finding 50 pounds of methamphetamine during a traffic stop.

Just before 10a.m. Thursday deputies conducted a traffic stop on a silver minivan at Interstate 70 and SE California Avenue, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

 During the investigation, deputies deployed a K9 that helped them locate illegal narcotics including approximately 50 pounds of methamphetamine, with an estimated street value of $375,000.&nbsp; 

They also arrested a 57-year-old man on requested charges of distribution of methamphetamine.&nbsp; &nbsp;Authorities did not release the suspect's name.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/10/1571317554423.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY –Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect after finding 50 pounds of methamphetamine during a traffic stop.Just before 10a.m. Thursday deputies conducted a traffic stop on a silver minivan at Interstate 70 and SE California Avenue, according to Deputy Abigail Christian. During the investigation, deputies deployed a K9 that helped them locate illegal narcotics including approximately 50 pounds of methamphetamine, with an estimated street value of $375,000.&nbsp; They also arrested a 57-year-old man on requested charges of distribution of methamphetamine.&nbsp; &nbsp;Authorities did not release the suspect's name.

Kan. deputies find 50 pounds of meth worth $375K 

MISSION, Kan. (AP) — More than 100 roads are closed across largely rural areas of Missouri as waters rise following recent rain, putting officials on guard as repairs continue on some levees that were damaged previously. 

National Weather Service hydrologist Scott Watson said the flooding “is pretty typical of what we see in most springs.” It comes after 2 to 6 inches of rain fell over the past week in an area stretching from Nebraska down through eastern Kansas and into parts of Missouri. 

Watson said levees are holding up and most of the areas taking on water are unprotected lowland and agricultural areas.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616104351249.png" alt="photo Missouri State Highway Patrol" />
 <figcaption>photo Missouri State Highway Patrol</figcaption>
 </figure>MISSION, Kan. (AP) — More than 100 roads are closed across largely rural areas of Missouri as waters rise following recent rain, putting officials on guard as repairs continue on some levees that were damaged previously. National Weather Service hydrologist Scott Watson said the flooding “is pretty typical of what we see in most springs.” It comes after 2 to 6 inches of rain fell over the past week in an area stretching from Nebraska down through eastern Kansas and into parts of Missouri. Watson said levees are holding up and most of the areas taking on water are unprotected lowland and agricultural areas.

Recent rains close more than 100 roads across Missouri

WASHINGTON (AP) — Students who were defrauded by their colleges and received only partial relief from their federal loans could now see them fully canceled, the Biden administration announced Thursday, reversing a Trump administration policy.

The change could lead to $1 billion in loans being canceled for 72,000 borrowers, all of whom attended for-profit schools, the Education Department said.

“Borrowers deserve a simplified and fair path to relief when they have been harmed by their institution’s misconduct,” said Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “A close review of these claims and the associated evidence showed these borrowers have been harmed, and we will grant them a fresh start from their debt.”

The department said it was rescinding the formula used by the Trump administration to determine partial relief and putting in place “a streamlined path to receiving full loan discharges.”

The decision applies to students who already had their claims approved and received only partial relief, the department said.

A senior department official briefing reporters said the agency was continuing to review both the backlog of claims yet to be decided and those that have been denied.

The department described Thursday’s action as “a first step” and said it would be looking at rewriting the regulations down the road.

In addition to having their loans fully canceled, students will be reimbursed for any payments made on the loans and have their eligibility for federal student aid reinstated. The department said it also would ask credit bureaus to remove any negative ratings tied to the loans.

“Abandoning partial relief is a strong start for a narrow subset of borrowers, but what we need from the Education Department is an overhaul of the current borrower defense process,” said Toby Merrill, director of the Project on Predatory Student Lending, which represents former students at for-profit colleges.

“The previous administration turned borrower defense into a total sham that was rigged to deny claims without any true consideration,” Merrill said. “The Biden-Harris administration must now address these failings or else perpetuate a system that is stacked against the very students they are supposed to protect.”

Career Education Colleges and Universities, an industry lobbying group, said it had no comment on the Biden administration’s actions.

The borrower defense to repayment program allows students to have their federal loans canceled if they were defrauded by their colleges. The Obama administration had expanded the program aimed at helping students who attended for-profit colleges. But President Donald Trump’s education secretary,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ab84626294d6faa0494e9c5ac7f6421e">Betsy DeVos, pulled it back</a>, saying it had become too easy for students to have their loans erased, and revised the program to make it harder for them to get relief, including providing only partial cancellation of the loans.

Congress voted to overturn DeVos’ changes last March, but it was vetoed by Trump.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/00c9b70689a3a5fdcb54e63661608b11">Nearly two dozen state attorneys general had sued the Trump administration</a>&nbsp;over its implementation of the borrower defense to repayment program, which allows borrowers to have their loans canceled if their colleges made false claims to get them to enroll. One of the plaintiffs in that suit was California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, who was confirmed Thursday as President Joe Biden’s health secretary.

The lawsuit, which was filed last July, argued that DeVos had changed the policy without justification, failed to provide a meaningful process for students to get their loans forgiven and created “arbitrary impediments” for them, including forcing them to prove that their schools knowingly misled them.

Sen. Patty Murray, who heads the Senate committee overseeing education, said DeVos used “faulty math” to deny student full relief. Rep. Bobby Scott, chair of the House Committee on Education and Labor, called it “a nonsensical formula.”

“This announcement is life-changing for tens of thousands of people across the country,” Scott said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616100370459.png" alt="Education Secretary Miguel Cardona during a press briefing Wednesday-photo courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>Education Secretary Miguel Cardona during a press briefing Wednesday-photo courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Students who were defrauded by their colleges and received only partial relief from their federal loans could now see them fully canceled, the Biden administration announced Thursday, reversing a Trump administration policy.The change could lead to $1 billion in loans being canceled for 72,000 borrowers, all of whom attended for-profit schools, the Education Department said.“Borrowers deserve a simplified and fair path to relief when they have been harmed by their institution’s misconduct,” said Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “A close review of these claims and the associated evidence showed these borrowers have been harmed, and we will grant them a fresh start from their debt.”The department said it was rescinding the formula used by the Trump administration to determine partial relief and putting in place “a streamlined path to receiving full loan discharges.”The decision applies to students who already had their claims approved and received only partial relief, the department said.A senior department official briefing reporters said the agency was continuing to review both the backlog of claims yet to be decided and those that have been denied.The department described Thursday’s action as “a first step” and said it would be looking at rewriting the regulations down the road.In addition to having their loans fully canceled, students will be reimbursed for any payments made on the loans and have their eligibility for federal student aid reinstated. The department said it also would ask credit bureaus to remove any negative ratings tied to the loans.“Abandoning partial relief is a strong start for a narrow subset of borrowers, but what we need from the Education Department is an overhaul of the current borrower defense process,” said Toby Merrill, director of the Project on Predatory Student Lending, which represents former students at for-profit colleges.“The previous administration turned borrower defense into a total sham that was rigged to deny claims without any true consideration,” Merrill said. “The Biden-Harris administration must now address these failings or else perpetuate a system that is stacked against the very students they are supposed to protect.”Career Education Colleges and Universities, an industry lobbying group, said it had no comment on the Biden administration’s actions.The borrower defense to repayment program allows students to have their federal loans canceled if they were defrauded by their colleges. The Obama administration had expanded the program aimed at helping students who attended for-profit colleges. But President Donald Trump’s education secretary,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ab84626294d6faa0494e9c5ac7f6421e">Betsy DeVos, pulled it back</a>, saying it had become too easy for students to have their loans erased, and revised the program to make it harder for them to get relief, including providing only partial cancellation of the loans.Congress voted to overturn DeVos’ changes last March, but it was vetoed by Trump.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/00c9b70689a3a5fdcb54e63661608b11">Nearly two dozen state attorneys general had sued the Trump administration</a>&nbsp;over its implementation of the borrower defense to repayment program, which allows borrowers to have their loans canceled if their colleges made false claims to get them to enroll. One of the plaintiffs in that suit was California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, who was confirmed Thursday as President Joe Biden’s health secretary.The lawsuit, which was filed last July, argued that DeVos had changed the policy without justification, failed to provide a meaningful process for students to get their loans forgiven and created “arbitrary impediments” for them, including forcing them to prove that their schools knowingly misled them.Sen. Patty Murray, who heads the Senate committee overseeing education, said DeVos used “faulty math” to deny student full relief. Rep. Bobby Scott, chair of the House Committee on Education and Labor, called it “a nonsensical formula.”“This announcement is life-changing for tens of thousands of people across the country,” Scott said.

Students who got partial loan relief to see full discharge

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Police in Kansas City have identified a man whose body was found by firefighters who were battling a house fire near the city’s east side.

The body was that of 37-year-old Edwyn Roland, Kansas City police said in a news release.

Roland’s body was discovered around 9 p.m. Tuesday as fire crews worked to extinguish the blaze along Wabash Avenue in a house believed to have been vacant, police said. An initial investigation led detectives to believe that Roland’s death was a homicide, police said.

Police have not released details about how he died and said they were seeking leads in developing a suspect in the case.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Firefighters in Kansas City discovered the body of a man while battling a house fire near the city’s east side, police said.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Police in Kansas City have identified a man whose body was found by firefighters who were battling a house fire near the city’s east side.The body was that of 37-year-old Edwyn Roland, Kansas City police said in a news release.Roland’s body was discovered around 9 p.m. Tuesday as fire crews worked to extinguish the blaze along Wabash Avenue in a house believed to have been vacant, police said. An initial investigation led detectives to believe that Roland’s death was a homicide, police said.Police have not released details about how he died and said they were seeking leads in developing a suspect in the case.---------KANSAS CITY (AP) — Firefighters in Kansas City discovered the body of a man while battling a house fire near the city’s east side, police said.The discovery was made around 9 p.m. Tuesday as fire crews worked to extinguish the blaze along Wabash Avenue in a house believed to have been vacant, Kansas City police said in a news release. An initial investigation led detectives to believe the man’s death was a homicide, police said.Police had not released the man’s name or details about how he died by Wednesday morning. Investigators are seeking leads in developing a suspect in the case, police said.