TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A man charged with threatening to kill a Kansas congressman is harmless, believing he has a special relationship with God and his weapons are “meteors and plagues,” not “knives and guns,” a defense attorney argued Tuesday during a federal criminal trial.

The trial for Chase Neill, 32, began amid what authorities says is a sharp rise in threats to the nation's lawmakers and their families. Prosecutors say Neill became fixated on U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-mental-kansas-topeka-lawrence-537e4ab84e3c459053d19f12352981bd">threatened to kill him</a>&nbsp;in a June 5 voicemail left with the Republican congressman's Topeka office.

Prosecutors argue that Neill was upset with LaTurner, meant the June message as a death threat and prompted LaTurner and his staff to beef up security at his Topeka office. But defense attorneys argued that Neill also threatened “everyone in the universe” in the same call, and his concerns included witchcraft, unidentified flying objects and Neill's claim that a host of U.S. government agencies were monitoring him.

Kirk Redmond, a federal public defender representing Neill, told jurors in his opening statement that authorities in Neill's northeastern Kansas hometown of Lawrence concluded after the June call that he was harmless and did not need to be arrested or sent to a mental hospital. Redmond said Neill “never went anywhere near the congressman” because he believes he can “speak a word and it happens.”

“His weapons aren't knives and guns,” Redmond said. “His weapons are meteors and plagues.”

Members of Congress have faced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-san-francisco-nancy-pelosi-congress-government-and-politics-b8a3fb8b3e6f491fcfb16e155b877427">a sharp rise in threats</a>&nbsp;in the two years since the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. In October, an intruder&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/paul-pelosi-assaulted-156ece77186eb11b97260af3c5122f67">attacked and severely beat</a>&nbsp;former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband with a hammer in their San Francisco home.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-education-coronavirus-pandemic-school-boards-35db5c9eec87b85ca8eb95a64c2f6dd7">Local school board members</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-new-mexico-donald-trump-presidential-9356ff48f081250aa54040cbd7cf1cc3">election workers</a>&nbsp;across the U.S. also have endured harassment, intimidation and threats of violence. Police in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Monday arrested a former Republican candidate for a state House seat in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-mexico-state-government-crime-albuquerque-shootings-fbed4efadff3bc7469f83a01dd888e63">a series of shootings</a>&nbsp;targeting the homes or offices of elected Democratic officials, though none were injured.

LaTurner was a Kansas state senator and state treasurer before winning his U.S. House seat in 2020. Until the Republican-controlled Kansas Legislature redrew political boundaries last year, LaTurner’s eastern Kansas district included Lawrence, home to the main University of Kansas campus, which is among the state’s most liberal communities.

In Neill's trial, after one of LaTurner's staffers testified as the first witness, Neill said he wants to represent himself. He had previously made that request through his attorneys Friday but withdrew it in court Tuesday morning before his jury was selected.

U.S. District Judge Holly Teeter ended the day early so that Neill could think more about his request overnight and told him, “I think it is an unwise decision.”

Neill said his attorneys weren't accurately portraying his beliefs. He said he didn't represent himself as God but conveyed messages from God using “an Old Testament perspective,” like prophets who spoke for God in the first person. A pretrial report on Neill said he saw himself as “the Messiah.”

When the first witness said Neill had talked about UFOs in a call in May, Neill interrupted by saying, “I think the UFOs made national headlines.”

He added, “Just so I don't look crazy in the courtroom.”

In court Tuesday, Neill wore khaki pants, a dress shirt and a navy blue jacket without a tie. He had a full beard. His ankles remained chained throughout the trial.

Teeter concluded during a hearing last month that "a preponderance of the evidence” showed Neill was mentally competent to stand trial. The official notes from the hearing showed Teeter relied on a psychological evaluation of Neill, but that document is sealed and closed to the public.

In a separate order in August, a U.S. magistrate judge who refused to released Neill from custody said in that order that Neill suffered a head injury four or five years ago “characterized as a head fracture.”

Assistant U.S. Attorney Skip Jacobs played part of the June call during his opening statement. Jurors heard Neill identify himself as “the Messiah” and “the Son of Man,” a common description of Jesus in the New Testament of the Bible.

"I am saying I will kill you, but the insurance will say it's an act of God,” Neill said in the call.

The call also included a threat against all members of Congress.

Jacobs told jurors that Topeka police started a patrol around LaTurner's home. His staffer testified that in May, the Topeka office remained locked when only one staffer was present and that after the June call, it remained locked even during business hours, and cameras were installed.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A jury was seated Tuesday in a federal criminal trial for a man prosecutors say became fixated on a Kansas congressman and threatened to kill him, a case that comes amid what authorities say is a sharp rise in treats to the nation's lawmakers and their families.

Prosecutors say Chase Neill, 32,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-mental-kansas-topeka-lawrence-537e4ab84e3c459053d19f12352981bd">threatened to kill U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner</a>&nbsp;in a June 5 voicemail message left at the Republican congressman's office, then continued to make threatening calls the following day. In one message, presiding U.S. District Judge Holly Teeter said in court Tuesday, he told LaTurner that he would “die by the hand of God.”

The selection of 12 jurors and two alternates took about two hours in the morning after Neill withdrew a request to act as his own attorney. His court-appointed public defenders notified Teeter of that request Friday and told her they would refuse to work with him in a “hybrid" defense. After a private conference, Teeter told Neill from the bench that she believed such an arrangement would be “untenable.”

After Neill withdrew his request, Teeter told him, “For whatever it's worth, I think that's a very wise decision.”

Neill’s trial in U.S. District Court on one count of threatening a public official was scheduled through Friday. It came weeks after Teeter concluded that evidence of mental illness doesn’t mean Neill can’t help his attorney or follow what happens in court.

Before jury selection, Teeter confirmed with prosecutors and Neill’s attorneys that no plea bargains had been offered or sought.

Neill told her, without explaining further, “I believe there were arguable grounds for immunity, but that’s fine.”

In court, Neill wore khaki pants, a dress shirt and a navy blue jacket without a tie. He had a full beard.

A pretrial report said Neill believes he is “the Messiah." Prosecutors have said in court documents that Neill believes he was “obligated by God” to warn “certain public figures” and detail the results of not heeding his warnings.

A magistrate who ordered Neill to remain in custody in June 2022 said he also had threatened other members of Congress. The others have not been named and Neill is charged only with threatening LaTurner.

LaTurner was a Kansas state senator and state treasurer before winning his U.S. House seat in 2020. Until the Republican-controlled Kansas Legislature redrew political boundaries last year, LaTurner's eastern Kansas district included Neill's hometown of Lawrence, which includes the main University of Kansas campus and is among Kansas' most liberal communities.

Members of Congress have seen&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-san-francisco-nancy-pelosi-congress-government-and-politics-b8a3fb8b3e6f491fcfb16e155b877427">a sharp rise in threats</a>&nbsp;in the two years since the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. In October,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/paul-pelosi-assaulted-156ece77186eb11b97260af3c5122f67">an intruder attacked and severely beat</a>&nbsp;former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband with a hammer in their San Francisco home.

In the Kansas case, Neill's attorney and prosecutors declined to comment ahead of the trial.

LaTurner's office also did not comment. The congressman and four of his staffers are potential prosecution witnesses.

The pretrial report on Neill, describing his “Messiah” belief, also said police in Lawrence had reports in March 2018 that Neill was delusional and paranoid and had accused one officer of trying to steal his “unicorn business idea.” Neill was sentenced to six months in jail in February 2019 on a domestic battery charge, the report said.

U.S. Magistrate Rachel Schwartz cited the pretrial report in refusing a request from Neill in August to be released from custody. Schwartz said in her order that he had $150,000 in student loan debt but no income.

Schwartz also said in her order that Neill suffered a head injury four or five years ago “characterized as a head fracture.”

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Jury selection began Tuesday in a federal criminal trial for a man prosecutors say became fixated on a Kansas congressman and threatened to kill him, a case that comes amid what authorities say is a sharp rise in treats to the nation's lawmakers and their families.

Jury selection began in the morning after Neill withdrew a request to act as his own attorney. His court-appointed public defenders notified Teeter of that request Friday and told her they would refuse to work with him in a “hybrid" defense. After a private conference, Teeter told Neill from the bench that she believed such an arrangement would be “untenable.”

Neill's trial in U.S. District Court on one count of threatening a public official was scheduled through Friday. It came weeks after Teeter concluded that evidence of mental illness doesn’t mean Neill can’t help his attorney or follow what happens in court.

Before jury selection, Teeter confirmed with prosecutors and Neill's attorneys that no plea bargains had been offered or sought.

Neill told her, without explaining further, “I believe there were arguable grounds for immunity, but that's fine.”

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A criminal trial was set to start Tuesday for a northeastern Kansas man who federal prosecutors say developed a fixation on U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner and threatened to kill him, at a time when authorities have seen a sharp increase in threats to the nation's lawmakers and their families.

Prosecutors say Chase Neill, 32,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-mental-kansas-topeka-lawrence-537e4ab84e3c459053d19f12352981bd">threatened to kill LaTurner</a>&nbsp;in a June 5 voicemail message left at the Republican congressman's office, then continued to make threatening calls the following day.

His federal trial on one count of threatening a public official was scheduled to begin Tuesday with jury selection, weeks after a judge concluded evidence of mental illness doesn’t mean Neill can’t help his attorney or follow what happens in court.

U.S. District Judge Holly Teeter concluded during a hearing last month that "a preponderance of the evidence” showed Neill was mentally competent to stand trial. The official notes from the hearing showed Teeter relied on a psychological evaluation of Neill, but that document is sealed and closed to the public.

Members of Congress have seen&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-san-francisco-nancy-pelosi-congress-government-and-politics-b8a3fb8b3e6f491fcfb16e155b877427">a sharp rise in threats</a>&nbsp;in the two years since the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. In October,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/paul-pelosi-assaulted-156ece77186eb11b97260af3c5122f67">an intruder attacked and severely beat</a>&nbsp;then-U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband with a hammer in their San Francisco home.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A northeastern Kansas man is facing a felony charge of threatening to kill one of the state's congressmen. But his trial has been postponed indefinitely so that a federal judge can decide whether he is too mentally ill to help his lawyers or follow what's going on in court.

Federal prosecutors contend in court documents that Chase Neill, 31, from Lawrence, developed a fixation on Republican Rep. Jake LaTurner, who represents an eastern Kansas district. Neill is accused of threatening to kill LaTurner in a June 5 voicemail message left at LaTurner's office and continuing to make threatening calls the following day.

A magistrate said later that month in ordering Neill to remain in custody that he had threatened other members of Congress. The others have not been named, and Neill is charged only with threatening LaTurner.

A hearing is scheduled in the case for Nov. 8, Election Day. Neill's trial initially was set to start in September, but U.S. District Judge Holly Teeter granted a request from both sides to have Neill's mental health examined.

“There is reasonable cause to believe that Mr. Neill has a mental disease and that the mental disease renders him unable to assist properly in his defense,” Teeter wrote in her two-page order.

LaTurner was a Kansas state senator and state treasurer before winning his U.S. House seat in 2020.

Threats to lawmakers are at an all-time high almost two years after the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol in Washington. In San Francisco early Friday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/paul-pelosi-assaulted-156ece77186eb11b97260af3c5122f67">an intruder attacked</a>&nbsp;and severely beat House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband with a hammer in their home while searching for the Democratic leader and shouting: “Where is Nancy, where is Nancy?”

In the Kansas case, neither the U.S. attorney's office for the state nor Neill's defense attorneys would comment Friday. LaTurner's office also wouldn't discuss the case. It was not clear whether Neill's examination is complete.

"Rep. LaTurner’s office will continue to cooperate with local and federal law enforcement on this matter,” spokesperson Mike Howard said in an email.

One pretrial report on Neill said he believes he is “the Messiah,” and prosecutors have said in court documents that he believes he was “obligated by God” to warn “certain public figures” and detail the results of not heeding his warnings.

U.S. Magistrate Rachel Schwartz cited the pretrial report in refusing a request from Neill in August to be released from custody. She said in her order that he had $150,000 in student loan debt but no income.

Schwartz said in her order that Neill suffered a head injury four or five years ago, “characterized as a head fracture.”

The pretrial report said that in March 2018, Lawrence police had reports that Neill, who was living with his mother there, was delusional and paranoid and accused one officer of trying to steal his “unicorn business idea.” Neill was sentenced to six months in jail in February 2019 on a domestic battery charge, the report said.

Defense: Man harmless despite threat to kill Kansas lawmaker

Rexford DeWayne Hyde was born to Mabel (Isaacson) and Sherman Hyde in
 Belleville,  KS on March 7, 1926.  Rex attended the Osborne School 
system and graduated in 1944. Following his father’s death in December 
1943, Rex joined the United States Navy, February 1944.  He started 
active duty on May 18, 1944.  Rex served in the Navy for 2 years before 
being discharged on February 19, 1946.  Rex served as a photographer in 
the service and after being discharge Rex returned home to open up a 
photography studio, called “Hyde’s Studio.” 

  After closing his studio 
Rex then worked for a locale men’s clothing store, Sollingberger’s. 
While being Max Taylor's Bestman,  Rex met Dora Dean Clemence. He and 
Dean were united in Marriage on January 14,1951.  They moved to Wichita 
where Rex worked at the Boeing airplane factory.  They then returned to 
Osborne, Ks. and Rex began working at the Osborne Post-Office. To this 
union two children were born:  Olin DeWayne Hyde, on August 16, 1954, 
and Sherridene (Hyde) Mick, on March 4, 1956.  Rex was a mail carrier 
for many years, before becoming the Post Master of the Osborne Post 
Office.  Rex retired from the post office in 1988.  After working at the
 Post Office Rex started his new job of Crop Adjusting for the next 10 
years.  Rex enjoyed his time as a Crop Adjuster.  He enjoyed meeting new
 people and making new friends. After 43 years of marriage, Dean past 
away on October 21, 1994.

After her death Rex met and 
married neighbor, Jeani (Balderston) Ballard on November 30, 1996. Rex 
and Jeani were married for 26 years before Rex‘s passing on Tuesday 
January 17, 2023. With this union two families became one.  They had 12 
Children including spouses, 30 Grandchildren including spouses, 52 
Great-Grandchildren including spouses, and 12 Great-Great Grandchildren.
 Rex loved family and he was very proud of all 106 members of his 
family.  He lived a full and wonderful life that was full of love.

Click <a href="https://www.rfmortuaries.com/obituaries/Rexford-Dewayne-Hyde?obId=27059926#/celebrationWall">HERE</a> for service details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1674045100483.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Rexford DeWayne Hyde was born to Mabel (Isaacson) and Sherman Hyde in
 Belleville, KS on March 7, 1926. Rex attended the Osborne School 
system and graduated in 1944. Following his father’s death in December 
1943, Rex joined the United States Navy, February 1944. He started 
active duty on May 18, 1944. Rex served in the Navy for 2 years before 
being discharged on February 19, 1946. Rex served as a photographer in 
the service and after being discharge Rex returned home to open up a 
photography studio, called “Hyde’s Studio.” After closing his studio 
Rex then worked for a locale men’s clothing store, Sollingberger’s. 
While being Max Taylor's Bestman, Rex met Dora Dean Clemence. He and 
Dean were united in Marriage on January 14,1951. They moved to Wichita 
where Rex worked at the Boeing airplane factory. They then returned to 
Osborne, Ks. and Rex began working at the Osborne Post-Office. To this 
union two children were born: Olin DeWayne Hyde, on August 16, 1954, 
and Sherridene (Hyde) Mick, on March 4, 1956. Rex was a mail carrier 
for many years, before becoming the Post Master of the Osborne Post 
Office. Rex retired from the post office in 1988. After working at the
 Post Office Rex started his new job of Crop Adjusting for the next 10 
years. Rex enjoyed his time as a Crop Adjuster. He enjoyed meeting new
 people and making new friends. After 43 years of marriage, Dean past 
away on October 21, 1994.After her death Rex met and 
married neighbor, Jeani (Balderston) Ballard on November 30, 1996. Rex 
and Jeani were married for 26 years before Rex‘s passing on Tuesday 
January 17, 2023. With this union two families became one. They had 12 
Children including spouses, 30 Grandchildren including spouses, 52 
Great-Grandchildren including spouses, and 12 Great-Great Grandchildren.
 Rex loved family and he was very proud of all 106 members of his 
family. He lived a full and wonderful life that was full of love.Click <a href="https://www.rfmortuaries.com/obituaries/Rexford-Dewayne-Hyde?obId=27059926#/celebrationWall">HERE</a> for service details.

Rexford DeWayne Hyde

David Arthur George, 80, of Natoma, Kansas, died on Sunday, January 8, 2023, at the Rooks County Health Center in Plainville, Kansas.

David was born on October 12, 1942, in Scott City, Kansas, to Arthur 
and Zelma (Lake) George.&nbsp; He lived in several places during his early 
years, eventually settling in Lebanon, Kansas, which he called home.&nbsp; He
 attended Lebanon High School.&nbsp; 

He met, fell in love, and was united in 
marriage to Donna Dee Wait on August 8th, 1964, in Natoma, Kansas.&nbsp; From
 this union David and Donna were blessed with 4 children, DeeAnn, 
Dennis, Dustin, and Denton.&nbsp; 

He was drafted into the United States Army 
in 1966 and served in Germany until 1968.&nbsp; He worked in several 
occupations until starting his career as a journeyman lineman in the 
Natoma area and retired in 1995.&nbsp; 

He was a member of Peace Lutheran 
Church in Natoma, the Natoma Lions Club, and American Legion Post 109. 
He served several years as a volunteer firefighter, fire chief for 
Natoma, and EMT. &nbsp;He enjoyed his part time job operating a road grader 
for Natoma and Round Mound townships, and spending time helping the 
community of Natoma with any projects or events going on in town.&nbsp; Most 
of all, he enjoyed spending time with his family and especially loved 
being active with his kids and grandkids.

Surviving family include his wife Donna of the home, daughter DeeAnn 
Heaton and husband Darren of Cuba, Missouri, sons Dennis George and wife
 Amy of Hays, Kansas, Dustin George and wife Carmen of Natoma, Kansas 
and Denton George and fiancée Jennifer of Phillipsburg, Kansas, seven 
“ornery” grandkids (who he hopes will remember to be good girls and good
 boys) Hannah Shaw and husband Cody of Cuba, Missouri, Tyler Heaton and 
wife Haley of Kansas City, Missouri, Haley Vajnar and husband Conrad, 
Emily George and Avry George all of Hays, Kansas, Erika George and Derek
 George all of Natoma, Kansas and two great grandkids Wyatt Shaw and 
Mary May Vajnar. Sisters Arlene Wagner and husband David of Great Bend, 
Kansas, and Sondra Smith and husband Cory of Springfield, Missouri, 
Brothers Leon Small of Lawrence, Kansas and Darin George of San Antonio,
 Texas. Aunt Trudy George of Orleans, Nebraska.&nbsp; Numerous cousins, 
nieces, nephews, and good friends. 

He was preceded in death by his 
parents, stepmother Zona George, uncles Eldon George and wife Bonnie, 
Lawrence George and wife Verna, Aunt Lurlene Lake and husband Herbert. 

A
 celebration of David’s life will be held at 10:30 A.M. on Saturday, 
January 21, 2023, at the Paradise Gymnasium in Paradise, Kansas.&nbsp; Family
 will greet guests the day of the service.&nbsp; 

Memorials may be given to 
the Lions Club Scholarship Fund and sent in care of the mortuary to 610 
N. Maple St., Russell, Kansas 67665.&nbsp; Cremation has been selected by the
 family.&nbsp; 

Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell and Natoma, Kansas, 
is in charge of the funeral service arrangements.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673455233858.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>David Arthur George, 80, of Natoma, Kansas, died on Sunday, January 8, 2023, at the Rooks County Health Center in Plainville, Kansas.David was born on October 12, 1942, in Scott City, Kansas, to Arthur 
and Zelma (Lake) George.&nbsp; He lived in several places during his early 
years, eventually settling in Lebanon, Kansas, which he called home.&nbsp; He
 attended Lebanon High School.&nbsp; He met, fell in love, and was united in 
marriage to Donna Dee Wait on August 8th, 1964, in Natoma, Kansas.&nbsp; From
 this union David and Donna were blessed with 4 children, DeeAnn, 
Dennis, Dustin, and Denton.&nbsp; He was drafted into the United States Army 
in 1966 and served in Germany until 1968.&nbsp; He worked in several 
occupations until starting his career as a journeyman lineman in the 
Natoma area and retired in 1995.&nbsp; He was a member of Peace Lutheran 
Church in Natoma, the Natoma Lions Club, and American Legion Post 109. 
He served several years as a volunteer firefighter, fire chief for 
Natoma, and EMT. &nbsp;He enjoyed his part time job operating a road grader 
for Natoma and Round Mound townships, and spending time helping the 
community of Natoma with any projects or events going on in town.&nbsp; Most 
of all, he enjoyed spending time with his family and especially loved 
being active with his kids and grandkids.Surviving family include his wife Donna of the home, daughter DeeAnn 
Heaton and husband Darren of Cuba, Missouri, sons Dennis George and wife
 Amy of Hays, Kansas, Dustin George and wife Carmen of Natoma, Kansas 
and Denton George and fiancée Jennifer of Phillipsburg, Kansas, seven 
“ornery” grandkids (who he hopes will remember to be good girls and good
 boys) Hannah Shaw and husband Cody of Cuba, Missouri, Tyler Heaton and 
wife Haley of Kansas City, Missouri, Haley Vajnar and husband Conrad, 
Emily George and Avry George all of Hays, Kansas, Erika George and Derek
 George all of Natoma, Kansas and two great grandkids Wyatt Shaw and 
Mary May Vajnar. Sisters Arlene Wagner and husband David of Great Bend, 
Kansas, and Sondra Smith and husband Cory of Springfield, Missouri, 
Brothers Leon Small of Lawrence, Kansas and Darin George of San Antonio,
 Texas. Aunt Trudy George of Orleans, Nebraska.&nbsp; Numerous cousins, 
nieces, nephews, and good friends. He was preceded in death by his 
parents, stepmother Zona George, uncles Eldon George and wife Bonnie, 
Lawrence George and wife Verna, Aunt Lurlene Lake and husband Herbert. A
 celebration of David’s life will be held at 10:30 A.M. on Saturday, 
January 21, 2023, at the Paradise Gymnasium in Paradise, Kansas.&nbsp; Family
 will greet guests the day of the service.&nbsp; Memorials may be given to 
the Lions Club Scholarship Fund and sent in care of the mortuary to 610 
N. Maple St., Russell, Kansas 67665.&nbsp; Cremation has been selected by the
 family.&nbsp; Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell and Natoma, Kansas, 
is in charge of the funeral service arrangements.

David A. George

By QASIM RAHIMI <a href="https://www.kcur.org/arts-life/2023-01-17/hazara-refugees-build-a-new-home-in-kansas-city-but-want-help-for-loved-ones-in-afghanistan">Kansas News Service</a>

Aziz Nadim works as a bank teller in Gardner, Kansas. He is among approximately <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-08-15/a-year-since-the-taliban-takeover-kansas-city-has-become-home-to-760-afghan-refugees" target="_blank">750 refugees who came to Kansas City</a> after United States forces left Afghanistan in 2021.

Since
 the Taliban took power, Nadim is worried about the future of his 
friends and family — his fellow members of the Hazara ethic minority who
 have long been targets of violence.

"The Taliban have resumed the
 process of massacre of Hazara that started a century ago,” Nadim said, 
“and they are trying to hand over the lands and properties of Hazara to 
the individuals and groups they support.”

About 60 Hazara families
 are living in the Kansas City metropolitan area. Mohammad Ibrahimi, who
 arrived in 1983, believes his was among the first Hazara families to 
come to the area. They now live in Overland Park.

“We left Afghanistan because of Hazara genocide,” Ibrahimi said, 
adding that the communist government at the time was against Hazara 
people because of their religion and ethnicity. “They kidnapped and 
killed my brother after we decided to leave our ancestral land. First, 
we went to Pakistan, (then) Italy and then we came to the United States 
in 1983.”

A few other Hazara families arrived after the first time the Taliban took over the government of Afghanistan <a href="https://www.npr.org/2021/08/19/1028472005/afghanistan-conflict-timeline" target="_blank">in the mid-1990s</a>,
 and during the two decades when the country was led by the U. S.-backed
 government. Almost all of these families came through Special 
Immigration Visas because they had worked for the U.S. Army or on behalf
 of the U.S. government in Afghanistan. Others were assisted by 
international immigrants’ organizations.

When nearly 60 young Hazara girls and teenagers were <a href="https://www.voanews.com/a/afghan-protests-continue-against-school-attack-as-un-raises-death-toll-to-53-/6773473.html" target="_blank">killed in an explosion at a school in Kabul in September 2022</a>,
 I could easily imagine the scene. I used to live in the area where the 
school was located, and my mother and two of my sisters’ families still 
live there. Initial reports said 53 people died, but I heard from 
sources in Kabul that five or six injured girls died later, after weeks 
in hospitals.

After that, I joined other Hazara people who demonstrated in front of Kansas City’s World War I Museum and Memorial.

“Our
 goal was to draw the attention of American institutions and people to 
the dangerous situation that Hazara people are facing in Afghanistan,” 
Nadim said. "Here in Kansas City our children can go to school and 
prepare for a future, but the Hazara people living in Afghanistan do not
 have security, food or a bright future.”

Nadim wants international institutions to deal with the massacre of 
Hazara and the violation of their human rights. After the September 
explosion, a social media campaign began with the hashtag 
#StopHazaraGenocide. Hazara people who left Afghanistan hope it will 
draw attention to the genocide of their people back home, and that the 
United Nations will take action to protect them.

Hazara
 people are Muslims and belong to the Shia and Soni sects. They speak 
Persian, which in Afghanistan is called Dari. Hazara people <a href="https://www.ushmm.org/genocide-prevention/blog/urgent-action-needed-hazaras-in-afghanistan-under-attack" target="_blank">are facing genocide in Afghanistan</a> because of their religious beliefs and ethnic differences.

This
 ethnic cleansing began in 1882 when Afghan ruler Abdul Rahman Khan 
first ordered the killing of Hazara people and the capture of their 
land. More than 60 percent of the Hazara were killed and their lands 
confiscated. Some then fled to parts of India that are now part of 
Pakistan, and others remained in remote parts of Afghanistan.

Since
 then, Hazara people have been discriminated against, are unable to join
 or work in the military, and must pay double taxes.

Their culture
 and traditions were endangered when the Taliban first took over and 
tried to remove all Hazara from Afghanistan. Between 1996 to 2001, the 
Taliban government blocked the delivery of food, gas and other 
necessities. The Taliban also destroyed the <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/taliban-destroyed-afghanistans-ancient-buddhas-now-welcoming-tourists-rcna6307" target="_blank">Buddhas of Bamiyan</a>, a symbol of the culture and history in Afghanistan.

Hazara people in Kansas and Missouri&nbsp;

Gholam Rasoul Rahimi (no relation to me) came to the United States in 2020.

“I
 had to leave Afghanistan, because of two reasons: I was a warehouse 
manager for the United States embassy in Kabul, and because of my 
religion and ethnicity,” Rahimi said. “Nobody wants to leave his home 
but sometimes you see a dark future for your children requiring one to 
make hard decisions.”

He and several Hazara people who came to Kansas City have started to establish a community here.

“We
 are in contact with all Hazara families,” said Nadim. “We want to honor
 our Hazara heritage. We try to preserve our culture and identity 
values. Let's not forget our mother tongue."

For the first time in
 Kansas City, on Dec. 17, 2022, Hazara people celebrated Shab Yalda, a 
tradition in Afghanistan to mark the longest night of the year.

Ali Mosawi, a young Hazara man, coordinated this ceremony in the 
Northeast neighborhood of Kansas City, Missouri, inviting Hazara 
families from as far away as Wichita and Manhattan, Kansas. They 
celebrated with bolani (flatbread stuffed with vegetables), ashak 
(vegetable dumplings) and ash (a vegetable noodle soup).

“We 
brought traditional Hazara dishes, we wore our cultural traditional 
clothes, we ate together and told our historical story to their 
children,” Mosawi said.

“We want to make sure that our children 
don’t forget their native language,” Rahimi said. “We lost our homeland.
 At least in the last two decades Hazara people were a part of a new 
Afghanistan. We had our own self rule, governing education, medicine, 
health and sport. Hazara women also prospered. They had a good chance to
 bring changes to their life.”

He said Hazara families want to 
teach their children to work hard to build their future in the United 
States and to be true to the values of this country, but not forget that
 their families came from a country where their next generation is 
facing genocide.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673971981588.png" alt="Kansas City area members of the Hazara, an ethnic minority in Afghanistan who have long been targets of violence, demonstrated at the World War I Museum and Memorial in October 2022 to call attention to the killing of young Hazara women and girls in Kabul. Ali Hussaini" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City area members of the Hazara, an ethnic minority in Afghanistan who have long been targets of violence, demonstrated at the World War I Museum and Memorial in October 2022 to call attention to the killing of young Hazara women and girls in Kabul. Ali Hussaini</figcaption>
 </figure>By QASIM RAHIMI <a href="https://www.kcur.org/arts-life/2023-01-17/hazara-refugees-build-a-new-home-in-kansas-city-but-want-help-for-loved-ones-in-afghanistan">Kansas News Service</a>Aziz Nadim works as a bank teller in Gardner, Kansas. He is among approximately <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-08-15/a-year-since-the-taliban-takeover-kansas-city-has-become-home-to-760-afghan-refugees" target="_blank">750 refugees who came to Kansas City</a> after United States forces left Afghanistan in 2021.Since
 the Taliban took power, Nadim is worried about the future of his 
friends and family — his fellow members of the Hazara ethic minority who
 have long been targets of violence."The Taliban have resumed the
 process of massacre of Hazara that started a century ago,” Nadim said, 
“and they are trying to hand over the lands and properties of Hazara to 
the individuals and groups they support.”About 60 Hazara families
 are living in the Kansas City metropolitan area. Mohammad Ibrahimi, who
 arrived in 1983, believes his was among the first Hazara families to 
come to the area. They now live in Overland Park.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673972066948.png" alt="Mohammad Ibrahimi came to the United States from Afghanistan in 1983. He believes his family was one of the first Hazara families to arrive in the Kansas City area. Mohammad Ibrahimi " />
 <figcaption>Mohammad Ibrahimi came to the United States from Afghanistan in 1983. He believes his family was one of the first Hazara families to arrive in the Kansas City area. Mohammad Ibrahimi </figcaption>
 </figure>“We left Afghanistan because of Hazara genocide,” Ibrahimi said, 
adding that the communist government at the time was against Hazara 
people because of their religion and ethnicity. “They kidnapped and 
killed my brother after we decided to leave our ancestral land. First, 
we went to Pakistan, (then) Italy and then we came to the United States 
in 1983.”A few other Hazara families arrived after the first time the Taliban took over the government of Afghanistan <a href="https://www.npr.org/2021/08/19/1028472005/afghanistan-conflict-timeline" target="_blank">in the mid-1990s</a>,
 and during the two decades when the country was led by the U. S.-backed
 government. Almost all of these families came through Special 
Immigration Visas because they had worked for the U.S. Army or on behalf
 of the U.S. government in Afghanistan. Others were assisted by 
international immigrants’ organizations.When nearly 60 young Hazara girls and teenagers were <a href="https://www.voanews.com/a/afghan-protests-continue-against-school-attack-as-un-raises-death-toll-to-53-/6773473.html" target="_blank">killed in an explosion at a school in Kabul in September 2022</a>,
 I could easily imagine the scene. I used to live in the area where the 
school was located, and my mother and two of my sisters’ families still 
live there. Initial reports said 53 people died, but I heard from 
sources in Kabul that five or six injured girls died later, after weeks 
in hospitals.After that, I joined other Hazara people who demonstrated in front of Kansas City’s World War I Museum and Memorial.“Our
 goal was to draw the attention of American institutions and people to 
the dangerous situation that Hazara people are facing in Afghanistan,” 
Nadim said. "Here in Kansas City our children can go to school and 
prepare for a future, but the Hazara people living in Afghanistan do not
 have security, food or a bright future.”Nadim wants international institutions to deal with the massacre of 
Hazara and the violation of their human rights. After the September 
explosion, a social media campaign began with the hashtag 
#StopHazaraGenocide. Hazara people who left Afghanistan hope it will 
draw attention to the genocide of their people back home, and that the 
United Nations will take action to protect them. <h2>Facing genocide in Afghanistan</h2>Hazara
 people are Muslims and belong to the Shia and Soni sects. They speak 
Persian, which in Afghanistan is called Dari. Hazara people <a href="https://www.ushmm.org/genocide-prevention/blog/urgent-action-needed-hazaras-in-afghanistan-under-attack" target="_blank">are facing genocide in Afghanistan</a> because of their religious beliefs and ethnic differences.This
 ethnic cleansing began in 1882 when Afghan ruler Abdul Rahman Khan 
first ordered the killing of Hazara people and the capture of their 
land. More than 60 percent of the Hazara were killed and their lands 
confiscated. Some then fled to parts of India that are now part of 
Pakistan, and others remained in remote parts of Afghanistan.Since
 then, Hazara people have been discriminated against, are unable to join
 or work in the military, and must pay double taxes.Their culture
 and traditions were endangered when the Taliban first took over and 
tried to remove all Hazara from Afghanistan. Between 1996 to 2001, the 
Taliban government blocked the delivery of food, gas and other 
necessities. The Taliban also destroyed the <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/taliban-destroyed-afghanistans-ancient-buddhas-now-welcoming-tourists-rcna6307" target="_blank">Buddhas of Bamiyan</a>, a symbol of the culture and history in Afghanistan.<h2>Hazara people in Kansas and Missouri&nbsp;</h2>Gholam Rasoul Rahimi (no relation to me) came to the United States in 2020.“I
 had to leave Afghanistan, because of two reasons: I was a warehouse 
manager for the United States embassy in Kabul, and because of my 
religion and ethnicity,” Rahimi said. “Nobody wants to leave his home 
but sometimes you see a dark future for your children requiring one to 
make hard decisions.”He and several Hazara people who came to Kansas City have started to establish a community here.“We
 are in contact with all Hazara families,” said Nadim. “We want to honor
 our Hazara heritage. We try to preserve our culture and identity 
values. Let's not forget our mother tongue."For the first time in
 Kansas City, on Dec. 17, 2022, Hazara people celebrated Shab Yalda, a 
tradition in Afghanistan to mark the longest night of the year.Ali Mosawi, a young Hazara man, coordinated this ceremony in the 
Northeast neighborhood of Kansas City, Missouri, inviting Hazara 
families from as far away as Wichita and Manhattan, Kansas. They 
celebrated with bolani (flatbread stuffed with vegetables), ashak 
(vegetable dumplings) and ash (a vegetable noodle soup).“We 
brought traditional Hazara dishes, we wore our cultural traditional 
clothes, we ate together and told our historical story to their 
children,” Mosawi said.“We want to make sure that our children 
don’t forget their native language,” Rahimi said. “We lost our homeland.
 At least in the last two decades Hazara people were a part of a new 
Afghanistan. We had our own self rule, governing education, medicine, 
health and sport. Hazara women also prospered. They had a good chance to
 bring changes to their life.”He said Hazara families want to 
teach their children to work hard to build their future in the United 
States and to be true to the values of this country, but not forget that
 their families came from a country where their next generation is 
facing genocide.

Refugees in Kansas City call for help for loved ones in Afghanistan

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604489595623.png" alt="Rep. Jake LaTurner- courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Jake LaTurner- courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Jury selection began Tuesday in a federal criminal trial for a man prosecutors say became fixated on a Kansas congressman and threatened to kill him, a case that comes amid what authorities say is a sharp rise in treats to the nation's lawmakers and their families.Prosecutors say Chase Neill, 32,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-mental-kansas-topeka-lawrence-537e4ab84e3c459053d19f12352981bd">threatened to kill U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner</a>&nbsp;in a June 5 voicemail message left at the Republican congressman's office, then continued to make threatening calls the following day. In one message, presiding U.S. District Judge Holly Teeter said in court Tuesday, he told LaTurner that he would “die by the hand of God.”Jury selection began in the morning after Neill withdrew a request to act as his own attorney. His court-appointed public defenders notified Teeter of that request Friday and told her they would refuse to work with him in a “hybrid" defense. After a private conference, Teeter told Neill from the bench that she believed such an arrangement would be “untenable.”After Neill withdrew his request, Teeter told him, “For whatever it's worth, I think that's a very wise decision.”Neill's trial in U.S. District Court on one count of threatening a public official was scheduled through Friday. It came weeks after Teeter concluded that evidence of mental illness doesn’t mean Neill can’t help his attorney or follow what happens in court.Before jury selection, Teeter confirmed with prosecutors and Neill's attorneys that no plea bargains had been offered or sought.Neill told her, without explaining further, “I believe there were arguable grounds for immunity, but that's fine.”In court, Neill wore khaki pants, a dress shirt and a navy blue jacket without a tie. He had a full beard.A pretrial report said Neill believes he is “the Messiah." Prosecutors have said in court documents that Neill believes he was “obligated by God” to warn “certain public figures” and detail the results of not heeding his warnings.Teeter concluded during a hearing last month that "a preponderance of the evidence” showed Neill was mentally competent to stand trial. The official notes from the hearing showed Teeter relied on a psychological evaluation of Neill, but that document is sealed and closed to the public.A magistrate who ordered Neill to remain in custody in June 2022 said he also had threatened other members of Congress. The others have not been named and Neill is charged only with threatening LaTurner.LaTurner was a Kansas state senator and state treasurer before winning his U.S. House seat in 2020. Until the Republican-controlled Kansas Legislature redrew political boundaries last year, LaTurner's eastern Kansas district included Neill's hometown of Lawrence, which includes the main University of Kansas campus and is among Kansas' most liberal communities.Members of Congress have seen&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-san-francisco-nancy-pelosi-congress-government-and-politics-b8a3fb8b3e6f491fcfb16e155b877427">a sharp rise in threats</a>&nbsp;in the two years since the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. In October,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/paul-pelosi-assaulted-156ece77186eb11b97260af3c5122f67">an intruder attacked and severely beat</a>&nbsp;former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband with a hammer in their San Francisco home.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-education-coronavirus-pandemic-school-boards-35db5c9eec87b85ca8eb95a64c2f6dd7">Local school board members</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-new-mexico-donald-trump-presidential-9356ff48f081250aa54040cbd7cf1cc3">election workers</a>&nbsp;across the U.S. also have endured harassment, intimidation and threats of violence. Police in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Monday arrested a former Republican candidate for a state House seat in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-mexico-state-government-crime-albuquerque-shootings-fbed4efadff3bc7469f83a01dd888e63">a series of shootings</a>&nbsp;targeting the homes or offices of elected Democratic officials, though none were injured.In the Kansas case, Neill's attorney and prosecutors declined to comment ahead of the trial.LaTurner's office also did not comment. The congressman and four of his staffers are potential prosecution witnesses.The pretrial report on Neill, describing his “Messiah” belief, also said police in Lawrence had reports in March 2018 that Neill was delusional and paranoid and had accused one officer of trying to steal his “unicorn business idea.” Neill was sentenced to six months in jail in February 2019 on a domestic battery charge, the report said.U.S. Magistrate Rachel Schwartz cited the pretrial report in refusing a request from Neill in August to be released from custody. Schwartz said in her order that he had $150,000 in student loan debt but no income.Schwartz also said in her order that Neill suffered a head injury four or five years ago “characterized as a head fracture.”___TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A criminal trial was set to start Tuesday for a northeastern Kansas man who federal prosecutors say developed a fixation on U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner and threatened to kill him, at a time when authorities have seen a sharp increase in threats to the nation's lawmakers and their families.Prosecutors say Chase Neill, 32,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-mental-kansas-topeka-lawrence-537e4ab84e3c459053d19f12352981bd">threatened to kill LaTurner</a>&nbsp;in a June 5 voicemail message left at the Republican congressman's office, then continued to make threatening calls the following day.His federal trial on one count of threatening a public official was scheduled to begin Tuesday with jury selection, weeks after a judge concluded evidence of mental illness doesn’t mean Neill can’t help his attorney or follow what happens in court.A pretrial report said Neill believes he is “the Messiah." Prosecutors have said in court documents that Neill believes he was “obligated by God” to warn “certain public figures” and detail the results of not heeding his warnings.U.S. District Judge Holly Teeter concluded during a hearing last month that "a preponderance of the evidence” showed Neill was mentally competent to stand trial. The official notes from the hearing showed Teeter relied on a psychological evaluation of Neill, but that document is sealed and closed to the public.A magistrate who ordered Neill to remain in custody in June 2022 said he also had threatened other members of Congress. The others have not been named and Neill is charged only with threatening LaTurner.LaTurner was a Kansas state senator and state treasurer before winning his U.S. House seat in 2020. Until the Republican-controlled Kansas Legislature redrew political boundaries last year, LaTurner's eastern Kansas district included Neill's hometown of Lawrence, which includes the main University of Kansas campus and is among Kansas' most liberal communities.Members of Congress have seen&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-san-francisco-nancy-pelosi-congress-government-and-politics-b8a3fb8b3e6f491fcfb16e155b877427">a sharp rise in threats</a>&nbsp;in the two years since the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. In October,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/paul-pelosi-assaulted-156ece77186eb11b97260af3c5122f67">an intruder attacked and severely beat</a>&nbsp;then-U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband with a hammer in their San Francisco home.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-education-coronavirus-pandemic-school-boards-35db5c9eec87b85ca8eb95a64c2f6dd7">Local school board members</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-new-mexico-donald-trump-presidential-9356ff48f081250aa54040cbd7cf1cc3">election workers</a>&nbsp;across the U.S. also have endured harassment, intimidation and threats of violence. Police in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Monday arrested a former Republican candidate for a state House seat in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-mexico-state-government-crime-albuquerque-shootings-fbed4efadff3bc7469f83a01dd888e63">a series of shootings</a>&nbsp;targeting the homes or offices of elected Democratic officials, though none were injured.In the Kansas case, Neill's attorney and prosecutors declined to comment ahead of the trial.LaTurner's office also did not comment. The congressman and four of his staffers are potential prosecution witnesses.The pretrial report on Neill, describing his “Messiah” belief, also said police in Lawrence had reports in March 2018 that Neill was delusional and paranoid and had accused one officer of trying to steal his “unicorn business idea.” Neill was sentenced to six months in jail in February 2019 on a domestic battery charge, the report said.U.S. Magistrate Rachel Schwartz cited the pretrial report in refusing a request from Neill in August to be released from custody. Schwartz said in her order that he had $150,000 in student loan debt but no income.Schwartz also said in her order that Neill suffered a head injury four or five years ago “characterized as a head fracture.”___TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A northeastern Kansas man is facing a felony charge of threatening to kill one of the state's congressmen. But his trial has been postponed indefinitely so that a federal judge can decide whether he is too mentally ill to help his lawyers or follow what's going on in court.Federal prosecutors contend in court documents that Chase Neill, 31, from Lawrence, developed a fixation on Republican Rep. Jake LaTurner, who represents an eastern Kansas district. Neill is accused of threatening to kill LaTurner in a June 5 voicemail message left at LaTurner's office and continuing to make threatening calls the following day.A magistrate said later that month in ordering Neill to remain in custody that he had threatened other members of Congress. The others have not been named, and Neill is charged only with threatening LaTurner.A hearing is scheduled in the case for Nov. 8, Election Day. Neill's trial initially was set to start in September, but U.S. District Judge Holly Teeter granted a request from both sides to have Neill's mental health examined.“There is reasonable cause to believe that Mr. Neill has a mental disease and that the mental disease renders him unable to assist properly in his defense,” Teeter wrote in her two-page order.LaTurner was a Kansas state senator and state treasurer before winning his U.S. House seat in 2020.Threats to lawmakers are at an all-time high almost two years after the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol in Washington. In San Francisco early Friday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/paul-pelosi-assaulted-156ece77186eb11b97260af3c5122f67">an intruder attacked</a>&nbsp;and severely beat House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband with a hammer in their home while searching for the Democratic leader and shouting: “Where is Nancy, where is Nancy?”In the Kansas case, neither the U.S. attorney's office for the state nor Neill's defense attorneys would comment Friday. LaTurner's office also wouldn't discuss the case. It was not clear whether Neill's examination is complete."Rep. LaTurner’s office will continue to cooperate with local and federal law enforcement on this matter,” spokesperson Mike Howard said in an email.One pretrial report on Neill said he believes he is “the Messiah,” and prosecutors have said in court documents that he believes he was “obligated by God” to warn “certain public figures” and detail the results of not heeding his warnings.U.S. Magistrate Rachel Schwartz cited the pretrial report in refusing a request from Neill in August to be released from custody. She said in her order that he had $150,000 in student loan debt but no income.Schwartz said in her order that Neill suffered a head injury four or five years ago, “characterized as a head fracture.”The pretrial report said that in March 2018, Lawrence police had reports that Neill, who was living with his mother there, was delusional and paranoid and accused one officer of trying to steal his “unicorn business idea.” Neill was sentenced to six months in jail in February 2019 on a domestic battery charge, the report said.

Trial starts for man accused of threatening Kansas lawmaker

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jill-biden">Jill Biden'</a>&nbsp;s advocacy for curing cancer didn't start with her&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/d8f69eb645d74b7886387f713981b739">son's death in 2015 from brain cancer</a>. It began decades earlier, long before she came into the national spotlight, and could now be further energized by her own brush with a common form of skin cancer.

The first lady often says the worst three words anyone will ever hear are, “You have cancer." She heard a version of that phrase for herself this past week.

A lesion that doctors had found above her right eye during a routine screening late last year was removed on Wednesday and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-maryland-mexico-city-surgery-545cac7c3ddca1f095e84383fdf8cd2d">confirmed to be basal cell carcinoma</a>&nbsp;— a highly treatable form of skin cancer. While Biden was being prepped to remove the lesion, doctors found and removed another one from the left side of her chest, also confirmed to be basal cell carcinoma. A third lesion from her left eyelid was being examined.

While it's too early to know when and how Biden might address her situation publicly, her experience could inject new purpose into what has become part of her life's work highlighting research into curing cancer and urging people to get regular screenings.

Personal experiences can add potency to a public figure's advocacy.

“Nothing like ‘I’ve been there, done that' and being personally involved," said Myra Gutin, a first lady scholar at Rider University.

Biden's spokesperson, Vanessa Valdivia, said “the first lady's fight against cancer has always been personal. She knows that cancer touches us all.”

Biden's advocacy dates to 1993, when four girlfriends were diagnosed with breast cancer, including her pal Winnie, who succumbed to the disease. She said last year in a speech that “Winnie inspired me to take up the cause of prevention and education.”

That experience led her to create the Biden Breast Health Initiative, one of the first breast health programs in the United States, to teach 16-to 18-year-old girls about caring for their breasts. Biden was among staffers who went into Delaware's high schools to conduct lectures and demonstrations.

Her mother, Bonny Jean Jacobs, and father, Donald Jacobs, died of cancer, in 2008 and 1999, respectively. A few years ago, one of her four sisters needed an auto-stem cell transplant to treat her cancer.

In May 2015,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/beau-biden">Beau Biden</a>, President Joe Biden's son with his late first wife, died of a rare and aggressive brain cancer, leaving behind a wife and two young kids. Joe Biden was vice president at the time and the blow from Beau's loss led him to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-entertainment-stephen-colbert-campaign-2016-beau-biden-37fed6382cc84756929b48eaef4be9ff">decide against running for president in 2016</a>. Jill Biden, who had helped raise Beau from a young age after she married his dad, was convinced he would survive the disease and later described feeling “blinded by the darkness” when he died.

After their son's death, the Bidens helped push for a national commitment to “end cancer as we know it.” Then-President Barack Obama — Biden's boss — put the vice president in charge of what the White House named the Cancer Moonshot.

The Bidens resurrected the initiative after Joe Biden became president and added a new goal of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-cancer-initiative-122f2d0782a30d7cf766f2892fc5962a">cutting cancer death rates by at least 50% over the next 25 years</a>, and improving the experience of living with and surviving cancer for patients and their families.

“We’re ensuring that all of our government is ready to get to work,” Jill Biden said at the relaunch announcement at the White House last February. “We’re going to break down the walls that hold research back. We’re going to bring the best of our nation together — patients, survivors, caregivers, researchers, doctors, and advocates — all of you — so that we can get this done.”

In the years between Biden serving as vice president and running for president, the Bidens headed up the Biden Cancer Initiative, a charity.

Jill Biden, 71, has been using her first lady platform to highlight research into a cancer cure, along with other issues she has long championed, including education and military families.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-race-and-ethnicity-health-disparities-cancer-virginia-2d2b44953030216aeee380b4b64295b4">Her first trip outside of Washington</a>&nbsp;after the January 2021 inauguration was to Virginia Commonwealth University's Massey Cancer Center in Richmond to call for an end to disparities in health care that she said have hurt communities of color.

She has toured cancer centers, including those for children, in New York City, South Carolina, Tennessee, Costa Rica, San Francisco and Florida, among others. She joined the Philadelphia Eagles and Phillies — two of her favorite professional sports teams — for events, including during the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mlb-health-sports-jill-biden-baseball-976bb1c829fcb1284ae40ce5759038e5">World Series</a>, to highlight efforts to fight cancer through early detection and to honor patients.

For Breast Cancer Awareness Month last October, Jill Biden hosted a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-entertainment-health-jill-government-and-politics-a662294f8cdb930e5b8a26c42b07dba1">White House event with the American Cancer Society and singer Mary J. Blige,</a>&nbsp;who became an advocate for cancer screening after losing aunts and other relatives to various forms of cancer.

The first lady also partnered with the Lifetime cable channel to encourage women to get mammograms. A Democrat, she gave&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-jill-covid-government-and-politics-a5391541e8cf5323668dde873758916c">an interview last year to Newsmax</a>, the conservative cable news channel, to discuss the federal investment in accelerating the cancer fight.

She regularly encourages audiences to schedule cancer screening appointments they skipped during the pandemic out of fear of visiting doctor's offices.

Asked on Friday how the first lady was doing, the president flashed a thumbs-up to reporters.

<a href="https://www.cancer.org/cancer/basal-and-squamous-cell-skin-cancer.html">Basal cell carcinoma</a>, for which the first lady was treated with the procedure known as Mohs surgery, is the most common type of skin cancer, but also the most curable form. It’s considered highly treatable, especially when caught early. It is a slow-growing cancer that doesn't usually spread and seldom causes serious complications or becomes life-threatening.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.skincancer.org/blog/first-lady-jill-biden-undergoes-mohs-surgery/">Skin Cancer Foundation</a>&nbsp;says the delicate skin around the eyes is especially vulnerable to damage from the sun’s ultraviolet rays, which makes basal cell carcinoma on and around the eyelids particularly common.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673893202587.png" alt="A lesion that doctors had found above her right eye during a routine screening late last year was removed on Wednesday and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-maryland-mexico-city-surgery-545cac7c3ddca1f095e84383fdf8cd2d">confirmed to be basal cell carcinoma</a>&nbsp;— a highly treatable form of skin cancer.-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>A lesion that doctors had found above her right eye during a routine screening late last year was removed on Wednesday and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-maryland-mexico-city-surgery-545cac7c3ddca1f095e84383fdf8cd2d">confirmed to be basal cell carcinoma</a>&nbsp;— a highly treatable form of skin cancer.-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jill-biden">Jill Biden'</a>&nbsp;s advocacy for curing cancer didn't start with her&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/d8f69eb645d74b7886387f713981b739">son's death in 2015 from brain cancer</a>. It began decades earlier, long before she came into the national spotlight, and could now be further energized by her own brush with a common form of skin cancer.The first lady often says the worst three words anyone will ever hear are, “You have cancer." She heard a version of that phrase for herself this past week.A lesion that doctors had found above her right eye during a routine screening late last year was removed on Wednesday and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-maryland-mexico-city-surgery-545cac7c3ddca1f095e84383fdf8cd2d">confirmed to be basal cell carcinoma</a>&nbsp;— a highly treatable form of skin cancer. While Biden was being prepped to remove the lesion, doctors found and removed another one from the left side of her chest, also confirmed to be basal cell carcinoma. A third lesion from her left eyelid was being examined.While it's too early to know when and how Biden might address her situation publicly, her experience could inject new purpose into what has become part of her life's work highlighting research into curing cancer and urging people to get regular screenings.Personal experiences can add potency to a public figure's advocacy.“Nothing like ‘I’ve been there, done that' and being personally involved," said Myra Gutin, a first lady scholar at Rider University.Biden's spokesperson, Vanessa Valdivia, said “the first lady's fight against cancer has always been personal. She knows that cancer touches us all.”Biden's advocacy dates to 1993, when four girlfriends were diagnosed with breast cancer, including her pal Winnie, who succumbed to the disease. She said last year in a speech that “Winnie inspired me to take up the cause of prevention and education.”That experience led her to create the Biden Breast Health Initiative, one of the first breast health programs in the United States, to teach 16-to 18-year-old girls about caring for their breasts. Biden was among staffers who went into Delaware's high schools to conduct lectures and demonstrations.Her mother, Bonny Jean Jacobs, and father, Donald Jacobs, died of cancer, in 2008 and 1999, respectively. A few years ago, one of her four sisters needed an auto-stem cell transplant to treat her cancer.In May 2015,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/beau-biden">Beau Biden</a>, President Joe Biden's son with his late first wife, died of a rare and aggressive brain cancer, leaving behind a wife and two young kids. Joe Biden was vice president at the time and the blow from Beau's loss led him to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-entertainment-stephen-colbert-campaign-2016-beau-biden-37fed6382cc84756929b48eaef4be9ff">decide against running for president in 2016</a>. Jill Biden, who had helped raise Beau from a young age after she married his dad, was convinced he would survive the disease and later described feeling “blinded by the darkness” when he died.After their son's death, the Bidens helped push for a national commitment to “end cancer as we know it.” Then-President Barack Obama — Biden's boss — put the vice president in charge of what the White House named the Cancer Moonshot.The Bidens resurrected the initiative after Joe Biden became president and added a new goal of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-cancer-initiative-122f2d0782a30d7cf766f2892fc5962a">cutting cancer death rates by at least 50% over the next 25 years</a>, and improving the experience of living with and surviving cancer for patients and their families.“We’re ensuring that all of our government is ready to get to work,” Jill Biden said at the relaunch announcement at the White House last February. “We’re going to break down the walls that hold research back. We’re going to bring the best of our nation together — patients, survivors, caregivers, researchers, doctors, and advocates — all of you — so that we can get this done.”In the years between Biden serving as vice president and running for president, the Bidens headed up the Biden Cancer Initiative, a charity.Jill Biden, 71, has been using her first lady platform to highlight research into a cancer cure, along with other issues she has long championed, including education and military families.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-race-and-ethnicity-health-disparities-cancer-virginia-2d2b44953030216aeee380b4b64295b4">Her first trip outside of Washington</a>&nbsp;after the January 2021 inauguration was to Virginia Commonwealth University's Massey Cancer Center in Richmond to call for an end to disparities in health care that she said have hurt communities of color.She has toured cancer centers, including those for children, in New York City, South Carolina, Tennessee, Costa Rica, San Francisco and Florida, among others. She joined the Philadelphia Eagles and Phillies — two of her favorite professional sports teams — for events, including during the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mlb-health-sports-jill-biden-baseball-976bb1c829fcb1284ae40ce5759038e5">World Series</a>, to highlight efforts to fight cancer through early detection and to honor patients.For Breast Cancer Awareness Month last October, Jill Biden hosted a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-entertainment-health-jill-government-and-politics-a662294f8cdb930e5b8a26c42b07dba1">White House event with the American Cancer Society and singer Mary J. Blige,</a>&nbsp;who became an advocate for cancer screening after losing aunts and other relatives to various forms of cancer.The first lady also partnered with the Lifetime cable channel to encourage women to get mammograms. A Democrat, she gave&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-jill-covid-government-and-politics-a5391541e8cf5323668dde873758916c">an interview last year to Newsmax</a>, the conservative cable news channel, to discuss the federal investment in accelerating the cancer fight.She regularly encourages audiences to schedule cancer screening appointments they skipped during the pandemic out of fear of visiting doctor's offices.Asked on Friday how the first lady was doing, the president flashed a thumbs-up to reporters.<a href="https://www.cancer.org/cancer/basal-and-squamous-cell-skin-cancer.html">Basal cell carcinoma</a>, for which the first lady was treated with the procedure known as Mohs surgery, is the most common type of skin cancer, but also the most curable form. It’s considered highly treatable, especially when caught early. It is a slow-growing cancer that doesn't usually spread and seldom causes serious complications or becomes life-threatening.The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.skincancer.org/blog/first-lady-jill-biden-undergoes-mohs-surgery/">Skin Cancer Foundation</a>&nbsp;says the delicate skin around the eyes is especially vulnerable to damage from the sun’s ultraviolet rays, which makes basal cell carcinoma on and around the eyelids particularly common.

Jill Biden's skin cancer could fuel advocacy in cancer fight

Henry Joseph “Junior” Strecker, age 86, peacefully passed away on Jan 14, 2023, at his home in Wichita, KS.&nbsp;

He was born on October 3, 1936, in Spearville, KS, the son 
of Henry Joseph and Josephine Lutz Strecker. Junior was raised in 
Hodgeman County, ultimately settling in Scott City in 1975. He was 
General Manager of the Scott Co-op until he retired in 2000.&nbsp;

He was a member of the St. Joseph Catholic Church and 
Knights of Columbus for 67 years. He served as Mayor from 2001-2007, 
Treasurer from 2009-2013 and served on numerous board throughout the 
state. He spent his life following sports, most especially, the Scott 
City Beavers. In 2013, he and Sharon moved to Wichita, KS where he 
resided until his death.&nbsp;

In his early years he attended school at St Mary’s Grade 
School, Windhorst High School and Wichita State University and served 2 
years of active duty for the U.S. Army as a Medical Specialist. On July 
11, 1968, he married Sharon Bogerd in Hebron, NE.

Survivors include his wife, Sharon Strecker, of Wichita, 
KS, their daughter Karla &amp; Greg Glunz of Scott City, and two sons 
including Kelly &amp; Denise Strecker of Auburn, KS and Kevin &amp; 
Karen Strecker of Wichita, KS. Seven grandchildren including Colter 
&amp; Emily Shore of Windsor, CO, Trey &amp; Kelcie Strecker of Topeka, 
KS, Miles Glunz of Scotty City, Dylan &amp; Aurora Glunz of Scott City, 
Jade &amp; Brett Crittenden of Scott City and Michaela and Will Strecker
 of Wichita, KS. Also, seven great grandchildren including Kinsley &amp;
 Madelyn Strecker of Topeka, KS, Stella Shore of Windsor, CO, Chasen, 
Halle, Lyndon &amp; Kelton Crittenden of Scott City. Seven brothers 
including Jerry &amp; Judy Strecker of Amarillo, TX, LaVern of 
Independence, KS, Maurice &amp; Kathy of Eureka, KS, Norbert of 
Spearville, KS, Joe &amp; Linda of Dodge City, KS, John &amp; Mert of 
Colby, Mark &amp; Jackie of Spearville, KS and one sister-in-law, Cathy 
Strecker of Wichita, as well as numerous nieces &amp; nephews.&nbsp;

Junior has been preceded in death by his parents, three 
brothers William, Robert &amp; RIchard and two sister-in-laws, Sonja 
&amp; Teresa.&nbsp;

Vigil services will be held on Sunday, January 22, 2023, at 7:00 PM at the St Joseph Catholic Church in Scott City, KS. 

Memorial Funeral services will be held on Monday, January 
23, 2023, at 10:30 AM at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Scott City, KS 
with Father Warren Stecklein presiding. 

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be written to the Beaver 
Athletic Booster Club or St. Joseph Catholic Church in care of Price 
&amp; Sons Funeral Home, PO Box 553, Scott City, KS, 67871.&nbsp;

Inurnment will be in the Scott County Cemetery in Scott, City, KS. There will be no visitation times.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673890865226.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Henry Joseph “Junior” Strecker, age 86, peacefully passed away on Jan 14, 2023, at his home in Wichita, KS.&nbsp;He was born on October 3, 1936, in Spearville, KS, the son 
of Henry Joseph and Josephine Lutz Strecker. Junior was raised in 
Hodgeman County, ultimately settling in Scott City in 1975. He was 
General Manager of the Scott Co-op until he retired in 2000.&nbsp;He was a member of the St. Joseph Catholic Church and 
Knights of Columbus for 67 years. He served as Mayor from 2001-2007, 
Treasurer from 2009-2013 and served on numerous board throughout the 
state. He spent his life following sports, most especially, the Scott 
City Beavers. In 2013, he and Sharon moved to Wichita, KS where he 
resided until his death.&nbsp;In his early years he attended school at St Mary’s Grade 
School, Windhorst High School and Wichita State University and served 2 
years of active duty for the U.S. Army as a Medical Specialist. On July 
11, 1968, he married Sharon Bogerd in Hebron, NE.Survivors include his wife, Sharon Strecker, of Wichita, 
KS, their daughter Karla &amp; Greg Glunz of Scott City, and two sons 
including Kelly &amp; Denise Strecker of Auburn, KS and Kevin &amp; 
Karen Strecker of Wichita, KS. Seven grandchildren including Colter 
&amp; Emily Shore of Windsor, CO, Trey &amp; Kelcie Strecker of Topeka, 
KS, Miles Glunz of Scotty City, Dylan &amp; Aurora Glunz of Scott City, 
Jade &amp; Brett Crittenden of Scott City and Michaela and Will Strecker
 of Wichita, KS. Also, seven great grandchildren including Kinsley &amp;
 Madelyn Strecker of Topeka, KS, Stella Shore of Windsor, CO, Chasen, 
Halle, Lyndon &amp; Kelton Crittenden of Scott City. Seven brothers 
including Jerry &amp; Judy Strecker of Amarillo, TX, LaVern of 
Independence, KS, Maurice &amp; Kathy of Eureka, KS, Norbert of 
Spearville, KS, Joe &amp; Linda of Dodge City, KS, John &amp; Mert of 
Colby, Mark &amp; Jackie of Spearville, KS and one sister-in-law, Cathy 
Strecker of Wichita, as well as numerous nieces &amp; nephews.&nbsp;Junior has been preceded in death by his parents, three 
brothers William, Robert &amp; RIchard and two sister-in-laws, Sonja 
&amp; Teresa.&nbsp;Vigil services will be held on Sunday, January 22, 2023, at 7:00 PM at the St Joseph Catholic Church in Scott City, KS. Memorial Funeral services will be held on Monday, January 
23, 2023, at 10:30 AM at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Scott City, KS 
with Father Warren Stecklein presiding. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be written to the Beaver 
Athletic Booster Club or St. Joseph Catholic Church in care of Price 
&amp; Sons Funeral Home, PO Box 553, Scott City, KS, 67871.&nbsp;Inurnment will be in the Scott County Cemetery in Scott, City, KS. There will be no visitation times.

Henry Joseph 'Junior' Strecker

By BECKY KISER Hays Post

Mayor Mason Ruder likes to point out he was four years old in 1995 when the city of Hays purchased the R9 Ranch in Edwards County as a long-term water supply.

Now, 28 years later, the project is finally picking up speed, especially in the past year.&nbsp;

"Every day is now an R9 Ranch Day," Ruder declared with a smile during last week's city commission meeting.&nbsp;&nbsp;

City Manager Toby Dougherty updated commissioners on the R9 water transfer process. It started in February 2014 when the then-city commission voted to apply to the state to change the water use from agricultural irrigation to municipal, and begin the approval process.

In June 2015, the change applications were filed and three years later a draft master order was issued through the Division of Water Resources in the Kansas Department of Agriculture.&nbsp;

The master order was issued in March 2019.

&nbsp;The Kansas Water Transfer Act has never been enacted; by statute, the process is purposely slow and meticulous to determine if it's in the best interest of the state for the transfer of water from Edwards County to Ellis County, and then on to Russell County, which owns a small portion of the ranch.

The timeline has been dramatically slowed by several petitions and appeals starting in April 2019 by WaterPACK,&nbsp;Water Protection Association of Central Kansas, the <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5dd42db8897d147ad4bb113a">only active opponent</a> in the project.&nbsp;

On June 29, 2022 Judge Bruce Gatterman, chief district judge of the Edwards County District Court, affirmed the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s&nbsp;<a href="https://archive.hayspost.com/2019/03/28/chief-engineer-approves-hays-russell-r9-ranch-water-change-applications/">chief engineer’s 2019 approval of the cities’ change applications</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The group of irrigators believes Hays and Russell are being allowed to take too much water from the R9 Ranch, southeast of Kinsley, and there is potential harm in that.

"If they want to drag this out, fine," Dougherty said with a shrug of his shoulders. 

"We've received our positive ruling. We're starting the transfer process. We're moving forward. We don't think they're going to be successful."

Commissioner Sandy Jacobs interrupted Dougherty's report to express her anger at the continued delays and resulting increased cost to the city.

According to Dougherty, the deviations have cost the city about $2 million to date "in attorneys, in engineers. That's hard costs. Soft costs, inflation, you're talking $30-$40 million dollars, in what we could have done versus what it's going to cost now."&nbsp;

Converting water rights for one use to another is a widely used practice across Kansas, Dougherty told the commissioners.&nbsp;

"When you convert irrigation water rights to municipal water rights, you don't get 100% of that. You get a formulaic reduction to protect the water rights around you and to protect the aquifer, to make sure the new use does not use more water than the previous use," he explained.

Early on in the process, Hays and Russell voluntarily agreed to reduce their water rights by another 30% "because we want to make sure we don't do anything to potentially harm the aquifer.

Administrative law judge Matt Spurgen was appointed October 21 as hearing officer of the transfer hearing panel.&nbsp;

By the end of February, replies to the WaterPACK appeal are due from the cities and the Division of Water Resources, followed by another reply from WaterPACK.

By statute, oral arguments should be scheduled this summer with a final decision by the water transfer panel anywhere between October 2023 and May 2024.

With the entire state of Kansas currently in a drought - to various degrees - "it's getting serious again," said Jacobs.&nbsp;

"I would think this is to our benefit. We're talking about water for people, for sustainability of life in our area," she said.

Dougherty again emphasized he has "no doubt we will prevail" in the appeal process and decision by the water transfer panel.&nbsp;

"I am finalizing the wellfield and pipeline project design contracts," he told the commission. "I hope to have those in front of you within the next couple of months for your approval so we can get started on the design contract.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"As soon as the design contracts are approved, we're gonna send that RFQ (Request For Quote) for a land acquisition services firm ... and then start acquiring the land for the pipeline itself."

The R-9 Ranch is being converted to native grass and walk-in hunting from irrigated cropland.

Dougherty said he's been searching for federal funding to help pay for that conversion and a possible move to more public use of the property.

To see the entire Jan. 12 update on the R-9 Ranch, courtesy of Nex-Tech, click <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLAZTzkqtt0&amp;list=PL3Fzb-KBsZZ-V5DLSgW2fa4YLIeCQQ_9A">here</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Below is a Jan. 13 recap discussion (at about 9:00) with Dougherty and Jacobs on KAYS Radio with Hays Post news reporter Becky Kiser.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612809980009.png" alt=" Hays City Manager Toby Dougherty at the R9 Ranch in Edwards County. Photo by Brian Grimmett / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption> Hays City Manager Toby Dougherty at the R9 Ranch in Edwards County. Photo by Brian Grimmett / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By BECKY KISER Hays PostMayor Mason Ruder likes to point out he was four years old in 1995 when the city of Hays purchased the R9 Ranch in Edwards County as a long-term water supply.Now, 28 years later, the project is finally picking up speed, especially in the past year.&nbsp; "Every day is now an R9 Ranch Day," Ruder declared with a smile during last week's city commission meeting.&nbsp;&nbsp;City Manager Toby Dougherty updated commissioners on the R9 water transfer process. It started in February 2014 when the then-city commission voted to apply to the state to change the water use from agricultural irrigation to municipal, and begin the approval process.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673827604795.jpeg" alt="City of Hays document" />
 <figcaption>City of Hays document</figcaption>
 </figure>In June 2015, the change applications were filed and three years later a draft master order was issued through the Division of Water Resources in the Kansas Department of Agriculture.&nbsp;The master order was issued in March 2019.&nbsp;The Kansas Water Transfer Act has never been enacted; by statute, the process is purposely slow and meticulous to determine if it's in the best interest of the state for the transfer of water from Edwards County to Ellis County, and then on to Russell County, which owns a small portion of the ranch.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673829933735.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The timeline has been dramatically slowed by several petitions and appeals starting in April 2019 by WaterPACK,&nbsp;Water Protection Association of Central Kansas, the <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5dd42db8897d147ad4bb113a">only active opponent</a> in the project.&nbsp;On June 29, 2022 Judge Bruce Gatterman, chief district judge of the Edwards County District Court, affirmed the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s&nbsp;<a href="https://archive.hayspost.com/2019/03/28/chief-engineer-approves-hays-russell-r9-ranch-water-change-applications/">chief engineer’s 2019 approval of the cities’ change applications</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;WaterPACK appealed. The group of irrigators believes Hays and Russell are being allowed to take too much water from the R9 Ranch, southeast of Kinsley, and there is potential harm in that."If they want to drag this out, fine," Dougherty said with a shrug of his shoulders. "We've received our positive ruling. We're starting the transfer process. We're moving forward. We don't think they're going to be successful."<div><div style="position:relative; overflow:hidden; padding-bottom:56.25%"><iframe src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/players/zEJdfJ6s-P46diVCW.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" title="Sequence 01" style="position:absolute;" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div>Commissioner Sandy Jacobs interrupted Dougherty's report to express her anger at the continued delays and resulting increased cost to the city.According to Dougherty, the deviations have cost the city about $2 million to date "in attorneys, in engineers. That's hard costs. Soft costs, inflation, you're talking $30-$40 million dollars, in what we could have done versus what it's going to cost now."&nbsp;Converting water rights for one use to another is a widely used practice across Kansas, Dougherty told the commissioners.&nbsp;"When you convert irrigation water rights to municipal water rights, you don't get 100% of that. You get a formulaic reduction to protect the water rights around you and to protect the aquifer, to make sure the new use does not use more water than the previous use," he explained.Early on in the process, Hays and Russell voluntarily agreed to reduce their water rights by another 30% "because we want to make sure we don't do anything to potentially harm the aquifer."To this group, that's not enough."Administrative law judge Matt Spurgen was appointed October 21 as hearing officer of the transfer hearing panel.&nbsp;By the end of February, replies to the WaterPACK appeal are due from the cities and the Division of Water Resources, followed by another reply from WaterPACK.By statute, oral arguments should be scheduled this summer with a final decision by the water transfer panel anywhere between October 2023 and May 2024.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673832607116.jpeg" alt="City of Hays document" />
 <figcaption>City of Hays document</figcaption>
 </figure>With the entire state of Kansas currently in a drought - to various degrees - "it's getting serious again," said Jacobs.&nbsp;"I would think this is to our benefit. We're talking about water for people, for sustainability of life in our area," she said.Dougherty again emphasized he has "no doubt we will prevail" in the appeal process and decision by the water transfer panel.&nbsp;"I am finalizing the wellfield and pipeline project design contracts," he told the commission. "I hope to have those in front of you within the next couple of months for your approval so we can get started on the design contract.&nbsp;&nbsp;"As soon as the design contracts are approved, we're gonna send that RFQ (Request For Quote) for a land acquisition services firm ... and then start acquiring the land for the pipeline itself."The R-9 Ranch is being converted to native grass and walk-in hunting from irrigated cropland.Dougherty said he's been searching for federal funding to help pay for that conversion and a possible move to more public use of the property.To see the entire Jan. 12 update on the R-9 Ranch, courtesy of Nex-Tech, click <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLAZTzkqtt0&amp;list=PL3Fzb-KBsZZ-V5DLSgW2fa4YLIeCQQ_9A">here</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;Below is a Jan. 13 recap discussion (at about 9:00) with Dougherty and Jacobs on KAYS Radio with Hays Post news reporter Becky Kiser.&nbsp;<div><iframe title="Hays City Commission hears R9 Ranch water project updates" allowtransparency="true" height="300" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=5s4di-1361d11-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=300" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

🎥🎤 City: R9 Ranch water project delays costing Hays millions of dollars

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a multi-vehicle crash that injured seven people including a 5-year-old and have made an arrest.

Just before 4p.m. October 23, deputies were dispatched to an injury accident at 143rd Street East and US-54 in Sedgwick County involving eight vehicles, according to Lt. Nathan Gibbs.

Upon their arrival, deputies located several individuals with varying severities of injuries. Seven citizens including a 5-year-old passenger of a vehicle driven by 27-year-old Paloma Adame&nbsp; of Wichita were transported to local hospitals. 

All were treated and released from the hospital. Through the investigation it was found the 5-year-old was not properly restrained and Adame’s vehicle had been traveling at excessive speeds, according to Gibbs.

&nbsp;On January 12, detectives arrested Adame. She <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=18716433">remains in custody</a> on requested charges of Attempted Murder in the 2nd Degree and 11 counts of Aggravated Battery, according to online jail records.

Deputies will present the case to the District Attorney’s Office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673629872866.png" alt="Adame-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Adame-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a multi-vehicle crash that injured seven people including a 5-year-old and have made an arrest.Just before 4p.m. October 23, deputies were dispatched to an injury accident at 143rd Street East and US-54 in Sedgwick County involving eight vehicles, according to Lt. Nathan Gibbs.Upon their arrival, deputies located several individuals with varying severities of injuries. Seven citizens including a 5-year-old passenger of a vehicle driven by 27-year-old Paloma Adame&nbsp; of Wichita were transported to local hospitals. All were treated and released from the hospital. Through the investigation it was found the 5-year-old was not properly restrained and Adame’s vehicle had been traveling at excessive speeds, according to Gibbs.&nbsp;On January 12, detectives arrested Adame. She <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=18716433">remains in custody</a> on requested charges of Attempted Murder in the 2nd Degree and 11 counts of Aggravated Battery, according to online jail records.Deputies will present the case to the District Attorney’s Office.

Kan. woman jailed for 8-vehicle crash that injured 5-year-old

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Jeremy Hill, Director of the Center For Economic Development And Business Research at Wichita State University is still optimistic about job growth in Kansas, even though finding workers is hard.

"The labor market is getting tighter and tighter," Hill said. "Because it's getting tighter, employers, when they go out and look, they are getting, not the preferred candidate, not their second candidate, they are dipping way down into the barrel and getting some of these people that they just don't see as qualified, or having other issues related to absenteeism, things like that. The amount of labor available is very constrained, particularly in Kansas, but that doesn't mean that's going to remain that way."

The bounce back from the pandemic caused higher growth in 2021, but even regression to the average is still decent news if you're looking for work.

"In October and at my revisions just here in January, I'm expecting it to slow down, just because of those broad issues that's going on in the global economy and the U.S. economy and those labor constraints, but both of them, I expect to grow, actually closer to our historic average. That's actually a very positive expectation."

That average is around 0.6% growth in 2023.

"There are jobs that aren't going to come back and we created new jobs," Hill said. "The labor market has really been trying to catch up to where firms want to be, where they see the demand. That takes a lot of time, for the labor market to heal. That means people have to get training and education and move to new jobs and as we slow down, there are a lot of people who left the labor market thinking the stock market is going to do well and their portfolios are doing good, that are probably going to re-enter."

Fixing health issues and childcare issues for those who didn't feel secure enough to work due to the pandemic is an important key to seeing this growth happen.

"There's other dynamics of the cost of childcare and things like that, that clearly are policy barriers that are preventing more people to enter the labor market," Hill said. "You see that in markets like Hutchinson. You even see that in more extremes in smaller and smaller communities, where the second person would like to go, but the cost is so prohibitive."

Hill will be in Hutchinson Feb. 7 from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Crystal Ballroom at The Burt for the&nbsp;2023 Kansas Economic Outlook Conference's Reno County stop.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672757461837.png" alt="Jeremy Hill, Director of the Center For Economic Development And Business Research at Wichita State University-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Jeremy Hill, Director of the Center For Economic Development And Business Research at Wichita State University-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — Jeremy Hill, Director of the Center For Economic Development And Business Research at Wichita State University is still optimistic about job growth in Kansas, even though finding workers is hard."The labor market is getting tighter and tighter," Hill said. "Because it's getting tighter, employers, when they go out and look, they are getting, not the preferred candidate, not their second candidate, they are dipping way down into the barrel and getting some of these people that they just don't see as qualified, or having other issues related to absenteeism, things like that. The amount of labor available is very constrained, particularly in Kansas, but that doesn't mean that's going to remain that way."The bounce back from the pandemic caused higher growth in 2021, but even regression to the average is still decent news if you're looking for work."In October and at my revisions just here in January, I'm expecting it to slow down, just because of those broad issues that's going on in the global economy and the U.S. economy and those labor constraints, but both of them, I expect to grow, actually closer to our historic average. That's actually a very positive expectation."That average is around 0.6% growth in 2023."There are jobs that aren't going to come back and we created new jobs," Hill said. "The labor market has really been trying to catch up to where firms want to be, where they see the demand. That takes a lot of time, for the labor market to heal. That means people have to get training and education and move to new jobs and as we slow down, there are a lot of people who left the labor market thinking the stock market is going to do well and their portfolios are doing good, that are probably going to re-enter."Fixing health issues and childcare issues for those who didn't feel secure enough to work due to the pandemic is an important key to seeing this growth happen."There's other dynamics of the cost of childcare and things like that, that clearly are policy barriers that are preventing more people to enter the labor market," Hill said. "You see that in markets like Hutchinson. You even see that in more extremes in smaller and smaller communities, where the second person would like to go, but the cost is so prohibitive."Hill will be in Hutchinson Feb. 7 from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Crystal Ballroom at The Burt for the&nbsp;2023 Kansas Economic Outlook Conference's Reno County stop.

WSU economist: Even in tight market, there will be more jobs

Joseph A. Gomes, age 44, passed away on 
Wednesday, January 11, 2023, at the KU Medical Center in Kansas City, 
Kansas.&nbsp; He was born on September 10, 1978, in Lodi, California, the son 
of Elroy Elwood Gomes II &amp; Arlee Frances Azevedo.&nbsp; A resident of 
Scott City, Kansas, since 2006, he was an elevator operator and manager 
for COOP.

On October 31, 2009, he married Cassandra Shields-Phillips in Scott City, Kansas.

Survivors include his Wife - Cassandra Gomes of Oklahoma, One Son - 
Seth Gomes of Scott City, Kansas, Kyara Gomes of Scott City, Kansas, 
Mother - Arlee &amp; Douglas Peterson of Scott City, Kansas, Father - 
Rockie &amp; Sandy Gomes of Isleton, California, One Sister - Shelly 
Gomes of Isleton, California, and One Granddaughter - Avery Gomes of 
Scott City, Kansas.

He was preceded in death by One Son - Andrew Joseph Gomes, and One Brother - Rockie Gomes.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673716881403.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Joseph A. Gomes, age 44, passed away on 
Wednesday, January 11, 2023, at the KU Medical Center in Kansas City, 
Kansas.&nbsp; He was born on September 10, 1978, in Lodi, California, the son 
of Elroy Elwood Gomes II &amp; Arlee Frances Azevedo.&nbsp; A resident of 
Scott City, Kansas, since 2006, he was an elevator operator and manager 
for COOP.On October 31, 2009, he married Cassandra Shields-Phillips in Scott City, Kansas.Survivors include his Wife - Cassandra Gomes of Oklahoma, One Son - 
Seth Gomes of Scott City, Kansas, Kyara Gomes of Scott City, Kansas, 
Mother - Arlee &amp; Douglas Peterson of Scott City, Kansas, Father - 
Rockie &amp; Sandy Gomes of Isleton, California, One Sister - Shelly 
Gomes of Isleton, California, and One Granddaughter - Avery Gomes of 
Scott City, Kansas.He was preceded in death by One Son - Andrew Joseph Gomes, and One Brother - Rockie Gomes.A Memorial Service will be held at a late date.Memorials In Lieu Of Flowers may be written to the Joseph Gomes 
memorial fund in care of Price &amp; Sons Funeral Home, PO Box 553, 
Scott City, Kansas, 67871.There will be no calling times.