Bernard G. “Bernie” Rupp, 64, Hays, died Sunday, April 10, 2022, at McPherson Health and Rehab.

He was born June 8, 1957, in Hays, the 
son of Charles M. and Viola F. “Ollie” (Dinkel) Rupp.&nbsp; For over 45 years
 he was an over-the-road truck driver.&nbsp; On October 25, 1975, he was 
united in marriage to Sharon Braun in Victoria.&nbsp; Bernie was hardworking,
 cared for his family, and had a genuine love and concern for everyone 
in his life.&nbsp; He lived every day with gratitude and loved spending time 
with his grandchildren.

Survivors include his mother Ollie Rupp
 of Hays, a son: BJ Rupp and wife Dena of Hays, a daughter: Danielle 
Bornholdt and husband John of Hutchinson, a brother: Vernon Rupp and 
wife Mellisa of Kansas City, MO, and three grandchildren: Laine Werth, 
Kinley Rupp, and Madisyn Rupp.

He was preceded in death by his father Charles and his sister Deborah Ann Marie “Debbie” Rupp.

Bernie’s family will receive friends 
from 10:00 until 11:00 am on Thursday, April 21, 2022, at Hays Memorial 
Chapel Funeral Home. &nbsp;A rosary will be at 10:45 am, and private family 
inurnment will follow in St. Joseph Cemetery.&nbsp; 

Memorials in Bernie’s 
memory may be made payable to the Gene and Barbara Burnett Burn Center 
at the University of Kansas Hospital.&nbsp; Condolences and memories of 
Bernie may be shared with the family at www.haysmemorial.com

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649941203862.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Bernard G. “Bernie” Rupp, 64, Hays, died Sunday, April 10, 2022, at McPherson Health and Rehab.He was born June 8, 1957, in Hays, the 
son of Charles M. and Viola F. “Ollie” (Dinkel) Rupp.&nbsp; For over 45 years
 he was an over-the-road truck driver.&nbsp; On October 25, 1975, he was 
united in marriage to Sharon Braun in Victoria.&nbsp; Bernie was hardworking,
 cared for his family, and had a genuine love and concern for everyone 
in his life.&nbsp; He lived every day with gratitude and loved spending time 
with his grandchildren.Survivors include his mother Ollie Rupp
 of Hays, a son: BJ Rupp and wife Dena of Hays, a daughter: Danielle 
Bornholdt and husband John of Hutchinson, a brother: Vernon Rupp and 
wife Mellisa of Kansas City, MO, and three grandchildren: Laine Werth, 
Kinley Rupp, and Madisyn Rupp.He was preceded in death by his father Charles and his sister Deborah Ann Marie “Debbie” Rupp.Bernie’s family will receive friends 
from 10:00 until 11:00 am on Thursday, April 21, 2022, at Hays Memorial 
Chapel Funeral Home. &nbsp;A rosary will be at 10:45 am, and private family 
inurnment will follow in St. Joseph Cemetery.&nbsp; Memorials in Bernie’s 
memory may be made payable to the Gene and Barbara Burnett Burn Center 
at the University of Kansas Hospital.&nbsp; Condolences and memories of 
Bernie may be shared with the family at www.haysmemorial.com

Bernard G. 'Bernie' Rupp

Benjamin Clement Griffin, 86, of LaFayette, Georgia, (formerly of Russell, Kansas) passed away Sunday, April 10, 2022.

Benjamin was born on December 16, 1935, in Bunker Hill, Kansas, the 
son of Roland and Mary (Bostick) Griffin.&nbsp; After high school, he served 
his country by joining the United States Army and fought in the Korean 
War.&nbsp; He met, fell in love and was united in marriage to Carol Jean 
Stoppel on October 24, 1964, and from this union they were blessed with 2
 daughters Teresa and Darlene.&nbsp; Carol preceded him in death on July 16, 
1998.&nbsp; He found love a second time and was united in marriage to Barbara
 Baglin on September 6, 2003.&nbsp; He worked in the oil field industry all 
over Kansas and also worked as a truck driver in the 1980’s and retired 
in 1992, after suffering a stroke.

He was preceded in death by his first wife, Carol Jean Stoppel 
Griffin; daughter, Darlene Marie Henry; and parents, Roland Griffin and 
Mary Bostick Griffin.

Surviving family include his wife, Barbara B. Griffin; daughter, 
Teresa (Eddie) Hegwood; 11 grandchildren; 17 great grandchildren; 
brother, Stanley Griffin; and several nieces and nephews.

A Graveside services to celebrate Benjamin’s life will be held at 
11:30 a.m. on Friday, April 15, 2022, at the Bunker Hill Cemetery in 
Bunker Hill, Kansas.&nbsp; Family will greet guests and viewing will be held 
from 10 A.M. to 11 A.M. at the Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary in 
Russell, Kansas.&nbsp; 

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649863230569.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Benjamin Clement Griffin, 86, of LaFayette, Georgia, (formerly of Russell, Kansas) passed away Sunday, April 10, 2022.Benjamin was born on December 16, 1935, in Bunker Hill, Kansas, the 
son of Roland and Mary (Bostick) Griffin.&nbsp; After high school, he served 
his country by joining the United States Army and fought in the Korean 
War.&nbsp; He met, fell in love and was united in marriage to Carol Jean 
Stoppel on October 24, 1964, and from this union they were blessed with 2
 daughters Teresa and Darlene.&nbsp; Carol preceded him in death on July 16, 
1998.&nbsp; He found love a second time and was united in marriage to Barbara
 Baglin on September 6, 2003.&nbsp; He worked in the oil field industry all 
over Kansas and also worked as a truck driver in the 1980’s and retired 
in 1992, after suffering a stroke.He was preceded in death by his first wife, Carol Jean Stoppel 
Griffin; daughter, Darlene Marie Henry; and parents, Roland Griffin and 
Mary Bostick Griffin.Surviving family include his wife, Barbara B. Griffin; daughter, 
Teresa (Eddie) Hegwood; 11 grandchildren; 17 great grandchildren; 
brother, Stanley Griffin; and several nieces and nephews.A Graveside services to celebrate Benjamin’s life will be held at 
11:30 a.m. on Friday, April 15, 2022, at the Bunker Hill Cemetery in 
Bunker Hill, Kansas.&nbsp; Family will greet guests and viewing will be held 
from 10 A.M. to 11 A.M. at the Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary in 
Russell, Kansas.&nbsp; Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell, Kansas, is 
in charge of the funeral service arrangements.

Benjamin C. Griffin

BARTON COUNTY —On Monday, 48-year-old Dustin Sullivan appeared in Barton County District Court for Sentencing.&nbsp;

In October, a jury convicted Sullivan of distribution of methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine and no drug tax stamp. These two cases were consolidated for trial purposes.

In both cases, Sullivan filed motions asking the court for probation. After hearing the arguments of defense counsel, Don Anderson, and Barton County Attorney, Levi Morris, District Court Judge Carey Hipp denied the request for probation.

Sullivan was sentenced to 117 months in the Kansas Department of Corrections in the first case, 65 months in KDOC custody for the second case, plus five months for the no tax stamp conviction.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1634315188639.png" alt="Sullivan-photo Barton Co." />
 <figcaption>Sullivan-photo Barton Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY —On Monday, 48-year-old Dustin Sullivan appeared in Barton County District Court for Sentencing.&nbsp;In October, a jury convicted Sullivan of distribution of methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine and no drug tax stamp. These two cases were consolidated for trial purposes.In both cases, Sullivan filed motions asking the court for probation. After hearing the arguments of defense counsel, Don Anderson, and Barton County Attorney, Levi Morris, District Court Judge Carey Hipp denied the request for probation.Sullivan was sentenced to 117 months in the Kansas Department of Corrections in the first case, 65 months in KDOC custody for the second case, plus five months for the no tax stamp conviction.---

48-year-old sentenced for drug distribution in central Kansas

WASHINGTON (AP) — Another month, another four-decade high for inflation.

For the 12 months that ended in March, consumer prices rocketed 8.5%. That was the fastest year-over-year jump since 1981, far surpassing February’s mark of 7.9%, itself a 40-year high.

Even if you toss out food and energy prices — which are notoriously volatile and have driven much of the price spike — so-called core inflation jumped 6.5% in the past 12 months. That was also the sharpest such jump in four decades.

Consumers have felt the squeeze in everyday routines. Gasoline is up an average of 48% in the past year. Airline tickets are up 24%, men’s suits nearly 15%, bacon 18%.

The Federal Reserve never anticipated inflation this severe or persistent. Back in December 2020, the Fed’s policymakers had forecast that consumer inflation would stay below their 2% annual target and end 2021 at around 1.8%.

Yet after having been merely an afterthought for decades, high inflation reasserted itself last year with brutal speed. In February 2021, the government’s consumer price index was running just 1.7% above its level a year earlier. From there, the year-over-year increases accelerated — 2.6% in March, 4.2% in April, 5% in May, 5.4% in June.

By October, the figure was 6.2%, by November 6.8%, by December 7%.

For months, Fed Chair Jerome Powell and some others characterized higher consumer prices as merely “transitory” — the result, mainly, of shipping delays and temporary shortages of supplies and workers as the economy rebounded from the pandemic recession much faster than anyone had anticipated. Now, most economists expect inflation to remain elevated well into next year, with demand outstripping supplies in numerous areas of the economy.

So the Fed has radically changed course. Last month, it raised its benchmark short-term rate by a quarter-point and is expected to keep raising it, probably aggressively, well into 2023. In doing so, the Fed is moving decisively away from the ultra-low rates that helped revive the economy from the recession but also helped fuel surging consumer prices.

The Fed is making a high-risk bet that it can slow the economy enough to rein in inflation without weakening it so much as to trigger a recession. The overall economy is healthy, with a robust job market and extremely low unemployment. But many economists say they worry that the Fed’s steady credit tightening will cause an economic downturn.

Good news — mostly. When the pandemic paralyzed the economy in the spring of 2020 and lockdowns kicked in, businesses closed or cut hours and consumers stayed home as a health precaution, employers slashed a breathtaking 22 million jobs. Economic output plunged at a record-shattering 31% annual rate in 2020′s April-June quarter.

Everyone braced for more misery. Companies cut investment and postponed restocking. A brutal recession ensued.

But instead of sinking into a prolonged downturn, the economy staged an unexpectedly rousing recovery, fueled by vast infusions of government aid and emergency intervention by the Fed, which slashed rates, among other things. By spring of last year, the rollout of vaccines had emboldened consumers to return to restaurants, bars, shops, airports and entertainment venues.

Suddenly, businesses had to scramble to meet demand. They couldn’t hire fast enough to fill job openings or buy enough supplies to meet customer orders. As business roared back, ports and freight yards couldn’t handle the traffic. Global supply chains seized up.

With demand up and supplies down, costs jumped. And companies found that they could pass along those higher costs in the form of higher prices to consumers, many of whom had managed to pile up savings during the pandemic.

Critics blamed, in part, President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package, with its $1,400 checks to most households, for overheating an economy that was already sizzling on its own. Many others argued that the Fed kept rates near zero far too long, lending fuel to runaway spending and inflated prices in stocks, homes and other assets.

Elevated consumer price inflation could endure as long as companies struggle to keep up with consumers’ demand for goods and services. A recovering job market — employers added a record 6.7 million jobs last year and are adding 560,000 a month so far this year — means that Americans as a whole can continue to splurge on everything from lawn furniture to electronics.

Many economists foresee inflation staying well above the Fed’s 2% annual target this year. But relief from higher prices might be coming. Jammed-up supply chains are beginning to show some signs of improvement, at least in some industries. The Fed’s pivot away from easy-money policies toward an anti-inflationary policy could eventually reduce consumer demand. There will be no repeat of last year’s COVID relief checks from Washington. Inflation itself is eroding purchasing power and might force some consumers to shave spending.

At the same time, new COVID variants could cloud the outlook — either by causing outbreaks that force factories and ports to close and disrupt supply chains even more or by keeping people home and reducing demand for goods.

HOW ARE HIGHER PRICES AFFECTING CONSUMERS?

The strong job market is boosting workers’ pay, though not enough to offset higher prices. The Labor Department says that after accounting for higher consumer prices, hourly earnings for private-sector employees fell 2.7% last month from a year earlier, the 12th straight such drop.

There are exceptions: After-inflation wages rose 8% for hotel workers and 4% for restaurant and bar employees in March from a year earlier.

Partisan politics, in the meantime, is influencing the way Americans view the inflation threat. With a Democrat in the White House, Republicans are far more likely than Democrats to say that inflation is having a negative effect on their personal finances, according to surveys of consumer sentiment conducted by the University of Michigan.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579201323708.jpeg" alt="The cost of good and services saw the sharpest such jump in four decades.. Photo by Nomin Ujiyediin / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>The cost of good and services saw the sharpest such jump in four decades.. Photo by Nomin Ujiyediin / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Another month, another four-decade high for inflation.For the 12 months that ended in March, consumer prices rocketed 8.5%. That was the fastest year-over-year jump since 1981, far surpassing February’s mark of 7.9%, itself a 40-year high.Even if you toss out food and energy prices — which are notoriously volatile and have driven much of the price spike — so-called core inflation jumped 6.5% in the past 12 months. That was also the sharpest such jump in four decades.Consumers have felt the squeeze in everyday routines. Gasoline is up an average of 48% in the past year. Airline tickets are up 24%, men’s suits nearly 15%, bacon 18%.The Federal Reserve never anticipated inflation this severe or persistent. Back in December 2020, the Fed’s policymakers had forecast that consumer inflation would stay below their 2% annual target and end 2021 at around 1.8%.Yet after having been merely an afterthought for decades, high inflation reasserted itself last year with brutal speed. In February 2021, the government’s consumer price index was running just 1.7% above its level a year earlier. From there, the year-over-year increases accelerated — 2.6% in March, 4.2% in April, 5% in May, 5.4% in June.By October, the figure was 6.2%, by November 6.8%, by December 7%.For months, Fed Chair Jerome Powell and some others characterized higher consumer prices as merely “transitory” — the result, mainly, of shipping delays and temporary shortages of supplies and workers as the economy rebounded from the pandemic recession much faster than anyone had anticipated. Now, most economists expect inflation to remain elevated well into next year, with demand outstripping supplies in numerous areas of the economy.So the Fed has radically changed course. Last month, it raised its benchmark short-term rate by a quarter-point and is expected to keep raising it, probably aggressively, well into 2023. In doing so, the Fed is moving decisively away from the ultra-low rates that helped revive the economy from the recession but also helped fuel surging consumer prices.The Fed is making a high-risk bet that it can slow the economy enough to rein in inflation without weakening it so much as to trigger a recession. The overall economy is healthy, with a robust job market and extremely low unemployment. But many economists say they worry that the Fed’s steady credit tightening will cause an economic downturn.____WHAT’S CAUSED THE SPIKE IN INFLATION?Good news — mostly. When the pandemic paralyzed the economy in the spring of 2020 and lockdowns kicked in, businesses closed or cut hours and consumers stayed home as a health precaution, employers slashed a breathtaking 22 million jobs. Economic output plunged at a record-shattering 31% annual rate in 2020′s April-June quarter.Everyone braced for more misery. Companies cut investment and postponed restocking. A brutal recession ensued.But instead of sinking into a prolonged downturn, the economy staged an unexpectedly rousing recovery, fueled by vast infusions of government aid and emergency intervention by the Fed, which slashed rates, among other things. By spring of last year, the rollout of vaccines had emboldened consumers to return to restaurants, bars, shops, airports and entertainment venues.Suddenly, businesses had to scramble to meet demand. They couldn’t hire fast enough to fill job openings or buy enough supplies to meet customer orders. As business roared back, ports and freight yards couldn’t handle the traffic. Global supply chains seized up.With demand up and supplies down, costs jumped. And companies found that they could pass along those higher costs in the form of higher prices to consumers, many of whom had managed to pile up savings during the pandemic.Critics blamed, in part, President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package, with its $1,400 checks to most households, for overheating an economy that was already sizzling on its own. Many others argued that the Fed kept rates near zero far too long, lending fuel to runaway spending and inflated prices in stocks, homes and other assets.____HOW LONG WILL IT LAST?Elevated consumer price inflation could endure as long as companies struggle to keep up with consumers’ demand for goods and services. A recovering job market — employers added a record 6.7 million jobs last year and are adding 560,000 a month so far this year — means that Americans as a whole can continue to splurge on everything from lawn furniture to electronics.Many economists foresee inflation staying well above the Fed’s 2% annual target this year. But relief from higher prices might be coming. Jammed-up supply chains are beginning to show some signs of improvement, at least in some industries. The Fed’s pivot away from easy-money policies toward an anti-inflationary policy could eventually reduce consumer demand. There will be no repeat of last year’s COVID relief checks from Washington. Inflation itself is eroding purchasing power and might force some consumers to shave spending.At the same time, new COVID variants could cloud the outlook — either by causing outbreaks that force factories and ports to close and disrupt supply chains even more or by keeping people home and reducing demand for goods.___HOW ARE HIGHER PRICES AFFECTING CONSUMERS?The strong job market is boosting workers’ pay, though not enough to offset higher prices. The Labor Department says that after accounting for higher consumer prices, hourly earnings for private-sector employees fell 2.7% last month from a year earlier, the 12th straight such drop.There are exceptions: After-inflation wages rose 8% for hotel workers and 4% for restaurant and bar employees in March from a year earlier.Partisan politics, in the meantime, is influencing the way Americans view the inflation threat. With a Democrat in the White House, Republicans are far more likely than Democrats to say that inflation is having a negative effect on their personal finances, according to surveys of consumer sentiment conducted by the University of Michigan.

Why US inflation is so high, and when it may ease

Mariella R. (Tobias) Leclerc Sawin, 93, of Sterling, Kansas, passed away March 31, 2022, at the Sterling Village, Sterling. She was born December 20, 1928, on a farm near Lyons, Kansas, the daughter of Edward A. and Pearl Brothers Tobias. Mariella has resided in Sterling since 2017, formerly of Lyons. 

She attended Union Two rural grade school, graduating from Lyons High School with the class of 1946, and later attended Sterling College. Mariella worked with young people in 4-H, in the schools and with various civic groups, including the very earliest tourism committee in Lyons. Mariella was a member of the First United Methodist Church, Lyons, where she taught children’s Sunday school classes for twelve years, was a youth group leader, sang in the church choir and was the first office secretary. 

On October 15, 1948, Mariella was united in marriage with Albert “Tod” Leclerc in Lyons, Kansas. He preceded her in death on August 26, 1989. On March 12, 1992, Mariella was united in marriage with Dean M. Sawin in Lyons. He preceded her in death on July 22, 2005. 

She is also preceded in death by her parents; five brothers, Cecil Tobias, Raymond Tobias, Robert Tobias, James Tobias, and baby Arthur Tobias; and sister, Helen Long and daughter, Jamie Leclerc. 

Mariella is survived by her son, Steven Leclerc of Hays, KS; two daughters, Connie Leclerc of Lafayette, CO, and Diane Leclerc Tehan of Xenia, OH; twelve grandchildren; and numerous great-grandchildren. 

A visitation will be from 5:00 until 7:00 P.M., Friday, April 22, 2022, at Birzer Funeral Home, Lyons, with family present. 

Memorials may be given to Lyons Christmas Bell and Star Fund or the E.A. Tobias Family Fellowship (scholarships for Lyons High School students) in care of Birzer Funeral Home, Lyons.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649859152718.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Mariella R. (Tobias) Leclerc Sawin, 93, of Sterling, Kansas, passed away March 31, 2022, at the Sterling Village, Sterling. She was born December 20, 1928, on a farm near Lyons, Kansas, the daughter of Edward A. and Pearl Brothers Tobias. Mariella has resided in Sterling since 2017, formerly of Lyons. She attended Union Two rural grade school, graduating from Lyons High School with the class of 1946, and later attended Sterling College. Mariella worked with young people in 4-H, in the schools and with various civic groups, including the very earliest tourism committee in Lyons. Mariella was a member of the First United Methodist Church, Lyons, where she taught children’s Sunday school classes for twelve years, was a youth group leader, sang in the church choir and was the first office secretary. On October 15, 1948, Mariella was united in marriage with Albert “Tod” Leclerc in Lyons, Kansas. He preceded her in death on August 26, 1989. On March 12, 1992, Mariella was united in marriage with Dean M. Sawin in Lyons. He preceded her in death on July 22, 2005. She is also preceded in death by her parents; five brothers, Cecil Tobias, Raymond Tobias, Robert Tobias, James Tobias, and baby Arthur Tobias; and sister, Helen Long and daughter, Jamie Leclerc. Mariella is survived by her son, Steven Leclerc of Hays, KS; two daughters, Connie Leclerc of Lafayette, CO, and Diane Leclerc Tehan of Xenia, OH; twelve grandchildren; and numerous great-grandchildren. A visitation will be from 5:00 until 7:00 P.M., Friday, April 22, 2022, at Birzer Funeral Home, Lyons, with family present. Memorials may be given to Lyons Christmas Bell and Star Fund or the E.A. Tobias Family Fellowship (scholarships for Lyons High School students) in care of Birzer Funeral Home, Lyons.&nbsp;

Mariella R. (Tobias) Leclerc Sawin

Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri had some of the highest 
rates of elevated blood lead levels in children

By ALLISON KITE and NIARA SAVAGE <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/04/11/known-to-be-toxic-for-a-century-lead-still-poisons-thousands-of-midwestern-kids/">Midwest Newsroom&nbsp;</a>

When
 the pediatrician recommended Lisa Pascoe have her then-toddler tested 
for lead poisoning, she thought there was no way he could be at risk. 
Everything in her South St. Louis home had been remodeled.&nbsp;

But
 then the nurse called to say her son’s blood lead level was dangerously
 high — five times the level federal health officials then deemed 
elevated.

Pascoe said she was “completely shocked” and “probably hysterical.”&nbsp;

“After
 you hang up on the phone, you kind of go through this process of ‘Oh my
 gosh, my kid is lead poisoned. What does that mean? What do I do?'” she
 said.

That same week, St. Louis city health workers came out to test the home to identify the source of the lead.

The
 culprit? The paint on the home’s front window. Friction caused by 
opening and closing the window caused lead dust to collect in the mulch 
and soil outside of the house, right where her son played every day.&nbsp;

A
 decade later, the psychological scars remain. Pascoe and her toddler 
ended up leaving their St. Louis home to escape lead hazards. To this 
day, she’s extra cautious about making sure her son, now a preteen, and 
her 2-year-old daughter aren’t exposed to lead so she doesn’t have to 
relive the nightmare.

Pascoe’s
 son was one of almost 4,700 Missouri children with dangerous levels of 
lead in their blood in the state’s 2012 report —&nbsp;decades after the U.S. 
started phasing lead out of gasoline and banned it in new residential 
paint and water pipes. Missouri’s lead poisoning reports run from July 
through June. Though cases have fallen precipitously since the mid-20th 
century, lead is a persistent poison that impacts thousands of families 
each year, particularly low-income communities and families of color.

Eradicating it has been a decades-long battle.&nbsp;

Omaha
 has been cleaning up contaminated soil from two smelters for more than 
20 years. The Argentine neighborhood of what is now Kansas City, Kansas,
 grew up around a smelter that produced tens of thousands of tons of 
lead as well as silver and zinc. About 60% of homes in Iowa were built 
before 1960, when residential lead-based paint was still used. Missouri 
is the <a target="_blank" href="https://health.mo.gov/living/environment/lead/">number one producer</a> of lead in the United States.

The
 four states have some of the most lead water pipes per capita in the 
country. While representative data on the prevalence of lead poisoning 
is hard to come by because screening rates lag in many areas, one study 
published last year found that the four states struggled with some of 
the highest rates of lead poisoning.

Over
 the next few months, The Missouri Independent and NPR’s Midwest 
Newsroom are collaborating to investigate high levels of lead in 
children of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. By analyzing scientific
 research, delving into state and local data and interviewing parents, 
experts and advocates from across the country, the project will shed 
light on a public health disaster that continues to poison children 
every year.

“We
 know that there is no safe level, that even at really low levels, it 
can affect intellectual growth, cognitive development. And we can 
prevent that type of harm,” said Elizabeth Friedman, a physician and 
director of the Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit for 
Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and Iowa. “So why wouldn’t we?”

David
 Cwiertny, director of the Center for Health Effects of Environmental 
Contamination at the University of Iowa, said it’s “unacceptable” for 
anyone to be exposed to lead.&nbsp;

“We should go to the ends of the Earth to invest in staff and preventing it from happening if we can,” Cwiertny said.

At
 Pascoe’s St. Louis home, workers encapsulated the flaking paint and 
replaced the top layer of tainted soil outside the home. During 
encapsulation, lead paint is coated and sealed to prevent the release of
 lead dust or paint chips. Her toddler’s blood lead level began to drop 
from its high of 25 micrograms per deciliter.

But that wasn’t enough to keep his lead level low.

Even
 though Pascoe kept her son&nbsp; from playing outside, cleaned regularly 
with a vacuum cleaner equipped with a HEPA filter provided by the health
 department and wiped off everything that could track lead dust in the 
home — from shoes to the family dog’s feet — her son’s level hovered at 
six micrograms per deciliter for nearly a year.&nbsp;

In
 2013, Pascoe and her son moved out of the city and into a home without 
lead in St. Louis County. Finally, his levels dropped below one.

Lead
 is a dangerous neurotoxin commonly used in water pipes, paint, gasoline
 and household products until the late 20th century, decades after 
scientists began sounding the alarm about its danger.&nbsp;

In
 high doses, lead can be fatal. Women in the 19th century used it to 
induce abortions and sometimes ended up poisoning themselves. Children 
who are lead poisoned now, however, have much lower levels and don’t 
show blatant or immediate symptoms.

Even after the source of the exposure is eliminated, long-term effects of the toxin linger.

“Once a kid is exposed to lead, it is not reversible,” said Dr. Justina Yohannan, a licensed psychologist based in Atlanta.&nbsp;

Officials with the World Health Organization warn there is no safe level of lead in blood. Even levels as <a target="_blank" href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/lead-poisoning-and-health#:~:text=The%20neurological%20and%20behavioural%20effects,behavioural%20difficulties%20and%20learning%20problems.">low as five micrograms per deciliter</a> can cause behavioral difficulties and learning problems in children.

Lead-poisoned
 children may have trouble with language processing, memory, attention 
and impulsivity, Yohannan said. Many require special education services 
in school.&nbsp;

Now in sixth grade, Pascoe’s son has been diagnosed with autism and ADHD.&nbsp;

The
 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last year updated its blood 
lead reference value to 3.5 micrograms per deciliter from five. The 
reference value represents the 2.5% of children with the most elevated 
blood lead levels who should be prioritized for investigations and 
resources. It’s not a health standard, and CDC leaves it to the state 
and local authorities to determine at what levels they will take action 
depending on state laws, local ordinances and the resources they have 
available.

The
 Healthy Homes program in St. Louis County, where Pascoe now lives with 
her husband Daniel Pascoe, follows up with a home inspection&nbsp;only if a 
child’s blood lead level exceeds 10 micrograms per deciliter unless a 
family makes a request for an assessment below that level. The City of 
St. Louis separated from St. Louis County in the late 19th century and 
operates as a separate local government.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Follow-up on lower levels of exposure is focused mostly on educating parents and families about the risks and dangers of lead.&nbsp;

For
 higher levels of exposure, health workers use an X-ray fluorescence 
analyzer during assessments to test components of the home for lead.

“The
 most common source of lead exposure in the county is lead-based paint. 
So majority of the time, that’s our main focus,” said Tammi Holmes, 
supervisor of the Healthy Homes program.&nbsp;

“We’re
 looking for anything that’s original to the house, original windows, 
original doors, door casings, things like that, that may have lead based
 paint on them.”

Pascoe
 says she never saw her son eat lead paint chips. And while lead 
poisoning due to consumption of paint chips is fairly common, Holmes 
said it’s not always a factor.

“A
 lot of times people think that the only way kids are exposed is just by
 eating and ingesting lead based paint,” Holmes said. “But that’s not 
always the case. The main route of exposure, a lot of times, is 
inhalation and it’s the dust.”


  A sign warning of potential lead hazards at the site of the Pruitt 
Igoe Housing Apartment Complex in north St. Louis. The National 
Geospatial Intelligence Agency dropped the site as a potential space for
 its new headquarters, in part, due to the presence of toxins. (Brian 
Munoz/St. Louis Public Radio)

Lead poisoning disproportionately affects Black children and kids in low-income neighborhoods.

In
 predominantly Black neighborhoods of North St. Louis, across town from 
Pascoe’s old home, children suffer some of the highest rates of lead 
poisoning in the city. Black children in Missouri are nearly twice as 
likely to suffer lead poisoning as their white peers.&nbsp;

“And
 this has happened because of the racist historical practices and 
policies that continue to segregate children and families of color into 
older, sometimes less-maintained, overburdened and under-resourced 
neighborhoods where lead exposures are more common,” Friedman said.&nbsp;

Philip
 Landrigan, a lead researcher for 50 years, did research and testing 
near an enormous smelter in Kellogg, Idaho, in the early 1970s.&nbsp;

“And
 the doctor who was the doctor for the lead company … told me one time 
in a meeting that the only kids in Kellogg, Idaho, who got lead 
poisoning are ‘the dumb and the dirty,’” Landrigan said. “… And even 
though that was 50 years ago, that line of thinking is still alive and 
well.”

While
 many cities have grants or loans available to help remediate homes, 
low-income families in rental housing don’t always have the final say.

Amy
 Roberts, who runs the lead poisoning prevention program in Kansas City,
 Missouri, said landlords are often cooperative and allow for repairs 
when their tenants’ children are lead poisoned. But not always.

“Sometimes
 we get pushback from landlords who don’t want to do it, or they’ll do a
 little bit, or they’ll just take a long time,” Roberts said, “or 
they’ll evict the family.”

It’s
 illegal to evict a family because of lead exposure, Roberts said. But 
if a landlord has cause to evict a family that they haven’t acted on, 
they might do so rather than deal with the Health Department coming in.&nbsp;

“They’ll
 say, ‘Well, we didn’t evict them because of the lead. We evicted them 
because they were behind on their rent,’” Roberts said. “And so would 
they have allowed them to stay if we hadn’t gotten involved because of 
the lead? It’s hard to know.”

In Omaha, where an old lead smelter left behind contamination over 27 square miles centered on downtown, <a target="_blank" href="https://library.municode.com/ne/omaha/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIIMUCO_CH18NU">local ordinances</a>
 have more teeth. Naudia McCracken, the lead program supervisor for 
Douglas County, said landlords are required to repair any lead hazards.

“There’s no ifs, buts, maybes,” McCracken said. “They have to fix it.”

While
 Omaha has struggled with contamination brought on by the smelters, she 
said that legacy has allowed the county and city to be more aggressive 
in remediating contamination and preventing lead poisoning.

Omaha
 provides a home inspection to any family with a child whose blood lead 
level is greater than 3.5 micrograms per deciliter. And the city 
provides inspections to families in any house built before 1978.

Speaking
 only for herself, McCracken said she’d like to see more money go into 
removing lead paint and improving housing nationwide.

“In
 the majority of the country, in the way that the programs are, we’re 
waiting for there to be a child with (an elevated) lead level for action
 to take place,” she said. “And I think that’s kind of backward.”

The
 water crisis in Flint, Michigan, shone a light on the devastating 
effects of lead. Scientists’ conclusion there is no safe level of lead 
and President Joe Biden’s pledge to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/12/16/fact-sheet-the-biden-harris-lead-pipe-and-paint-action-plan/">remove the estimated 10 million water service lines</a> underground add momentum toward finally eradicating the metal.&nbsp;

Bruce
 Lanphear, a longtime lead researcher and professor at Simon Fraser 
University in Vancouver, said the U.S. has typically made progress on 
lead when crises or new research galvanized public support for action. 
But regulations and action to clean up lead contamination often depend 
on what is considered feasible.

Cwiertny noted the issue of lead poisoning through drinking water had risen in prominence following crises.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“The
 concern I have is people will — through the rhetoric of politicians 
talking about what great progress we’re making by getting $15 billion 
here and allocating recovery funds there to address this — is that 
people will think it’s a problem that gets solved and there won’t be any
 accountability,” Cwiertny said.&nbsp;

By
 the time the U.S. started phasing lead out of gasoline, banned it in 
residential paint in the 1970s and outlawed lead water pipes in 1986, 
scientists had been warning of the dangers of lead for decades.&nbsp;

In
 1925, as use of lead in gasoline gained momentum, Yandell Henderson, a 
professor at Yale University, told a gathering of engineers that it 
would slowly poison vast numbers of Americans.&nbsp;

“He said that if a man had his choice between the two diseases, he would choose tuberculosis rather than lead poisoning,” <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/1925/04/22/archives/sees-deadly-gas-a-peril-in-streets-dr-henderson-warns-public.html#:~:text=Billions%20Are%20Involved.%20%2D-,SEES%20DEADLY%20GAS%20A%20PERIL%20IN%20STREETS%3B%20Dr.,Describes%20Its%20Effects%20as%20Insidious.">the New York Times wrote at the time</a>.&nbsp;

A concerted effort by the lead industry staved off regulations, Lanphear said.&nbsp;

Lanphear said he was invited to speak to Omaha residents 20 years ago about lead poisoning. At the end, he took questions.

“T​here
 was this big burly guy with a flannel shirt, beard (who) got up 
—&nbsp;trucker’s hat — and he got teary and he said, ‘I worked at the smelter
 for years, and every morning, I was ordered to reverse the flow and 
discharge all the contaminants that they had scrubbed out during the 
day.’”

There
 are stories that “just break your heart” showing how flawed regulation 
was, Lanphear said, and how “irresponsible” the industry was.

The legacy of the lead is well-documented among adults who grew up surrounded by the metal.&nbsp;

Forty
 years ago, more than 90% of children had blood lead levels above 10 
micrograms per deciliter, almost triple the Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention’s new reference value, updated to 3.5 micrograms per 
deciliter in October.&nbsp;

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2118631119">Researchers estimated last month</a>
 that just over half of Americans alive today were exposed to high lead 
levels as children, especially those born between 1951 and 1980. On 
average, lead cost those people 2.6 IQ points.&nbsp;

Childhood exposure to the metal causes a 70% increase in the risk of cardiovascular disease mortality.&nbsp;

“But
 it was largely overlooked, largely forgotten,” Lanphear said. “All of 
the focus was on lifestyle choices, which was convenient. Industry 
didn’t have to do anything. Government didn’t have to change 
regulations.”

Acute
 lead poisoning results in noticeable symptoms, including loss of 
appetite, constipation and stomach pain, fatigue and a blue tinge around
 the gums.&nbsp;

But
 lead poisoning now is nearly always chronic, low-level poisoning that 
may not show obvious symptoms. It can manifest later in behavioral 
challenges, lowered IQ and increased risk of cardiovascular disease.&nbsp;

Scientists
 in the second half of the 20th century started documenting links 
between low-level lead poisoning and lowered IQs. In the early 1970s, 
there were children with lead levels above 40 micrograms per deciliter 
who experienced convulsions and comas, Landrigan said. Some children 
died of lead poisoning at that time.

Before
 1970, blood lead levels were considered elevated above 60 micrograms 
per deciliter. The surgeon general reduced that to 40 in 1970. The CDC 
reduced it to 30 in 1978; 25 in 1985; 10 in 1991; five in 2012; and 3.5 
last year.&nbsp;

“So
 we were really breaking new ground when we tested those children around
 the El Paso smelter and the Kellogg, Idaho, smelter and determined that
 children with no obvious symptoms had reduced IQs and slow reflexes,” 
Landrigan said.&nbsp;

Lanphear
 said it was difficult for researchers to come to grips with the fact 
that they had all been exposed to dangerous levels of lead when they 
were children.&nbsp;

“So
 there was sort of this disbelief, and I think that happened almost at 
every level,” he said. “How could it be that in the ’70s, virtually, by 
today’s standards, all kids were lead poisoned?”

The
 Pascoes are vigilant about researching the products the family uses 
now. Their 2-year-old daughter only uses toys and crayons that are 
lead-free, and the family eats from glass dishes to avoid contact with 
lead that could leach into food from ceramic plates and bowls.&nbsp;

Lisa
 avoids wearing jewelry the toddler might put in her mouth and doesn’t 
visit older or recently renovated homes that could be lead hazards.&nbsp;

Other parents are often shocked when Pascoe tells them about her son’s lead poisoning.&nbsp;

“Some
 people probably think kind of like I did initially. Like, ‘Oh well, 
that will never happen to me,’” she said. “Well that happened to my son 
and we weren’t thinking it could happen to him at all.”&nbsp;

She warns other families, especially in older houses, to get a home lead assessment.

“I thought it was a thing of the past,” she said, “that lead poisoning had just been something I’d heard about in the ’90s.”&nbsp;

Parents
 often blame themselves for their children’s lead poisoning, Lanphear 
said. And there are steps families can take to avoid lead and other 
contaminants: Adding landscaping to bare soil, dusting surfaces, 
avoiding plastic and canned foods. But he said it’s primarily up to 
federal health officials.&nbsp;

Once, Lanphear said, he was being interviewed for a book. The author asked him about his own family.&nbsp;

“He says, ‘You do this for a living, right?’ I said yes.&nbsp;

“‘Can you protect your own children?’&nbsp;

Toxic lead still poisoning thousands of Midwestern kids

Lee
 Allan J. Leiker, age 83, of Hays, Kansas died Thursday, April 7, 2022,
 at Hays Medical Center, Hays, Kansas.&nbsp; Services are pending at 
Cline’s-Keithley Mortuary of Hays.

He was born October 28, 1938, in Hays, Kansas to Isadore and Rose 
(Dorzweiler) Leiker.&nbsp; He married Dolores (Jacobs) on August 13, 1960, in
 Hays.&nbsp; She preceded him in death on December 18, 1990.&nbsp; He then married
 Nancy (Giebler) Weber on January 7, 1994, in Hays.

He worked for Henry Schwaller &amp; Sons as their heating and air 
technician for over 50 years and retired in 2017.&nbsp; Lee Allan grew up in 
Hays and was a 1957 graduate of St. Joseph Military Academy.&nbsp; He then 
attended the Heating-Ventilation-Air Conditioning Vo Technical School in
 Tyler, Texas.&nbsp; He was the Lead Singer in the “Original Flippers” music 
group from 1958 through 1961. He was a member of The Basilica of St. 
Fidelis, Victoria.&nbsp; He enjoyed music, western movies, his children, and 
his grandchildren.

Survivors include his wife, Nancy Weber-Leiker, of the home; his 
children, Debra Dreiling and husband, James, Gorham, KS; Alan Leiker and
 wife, Jackie, Hays, KS; DeAnn&nbsp; Meyers and husband, Kelvin, Hays, KS; 
Dana Beery and husband, Neal, Cimarron, KS; his nine grandchildren, 
Jessica Klusener (Caleb); Cory Dreiling(Sydney); Alexyss Leiker DDS; 
Darian Leiker; Chelsie Meyers and Coy Johnson; Kylie Unrein (Austin); 
Quentin Rupp; Lane Beery; and McKynlee Beery; seven great grandchildren;
 his three step-children, Mike Weber and wife, Tyla, Lee’s Summit, MO; 
Shelly Wittman and husband, Larry, Waco, TX; Rod Weber and wife, 
Shannon, St. George, KS; his seven step-grandchildren; his six 
step-great grandchildren; his sister, Anita Braun and husband, Fritz, 
Victoria, KS.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and his first wife.&nbsp;

Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:00 A.M. Monday, April 11, 2022, 
at The Basilica of St. Fidelis, Victoria, Kansas with Father James 
Moster O.F.M. Cap. officiating and assisted by Deacon Dave Kisner.&nbsp; 
Burial will be in St. Fidelis Cemetery, Victoria, Kansas.

A vigil service and rosary will be at 7:00 P.M. Sunday, at The Basilica of St. Fidelis.

Visitation will be from 6:00 to 8:30 P.M. Sunday, and from 9:00 to 10:00 A.M. Monday, at The Basilica of St. Fidelis.

The family suggests memorials payable to the organization: American 
Diabetes Association, Down Syndrome Guild of Greater Kansas City or The 
Basilic of St. Fidelis in care of the mortuary.

Services are entrusted to Cline’s-Keithley Mortuary of Hays, 1919 East 22nd Street, Hays, Kansas 67601.

Condolences can be sent via email to&nbsp;clinesmortuary@eaglecom.net&nbsp;or on 
the online guestbook at&nbsp;www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649518480747.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Lee
 Allan J. Leiker, age 83, of Hays, Kansas died Thursday, April 7, 2022,
 at Hays Medical Center, Hays, Kansas.&nbsp; Services are pending at 
Cline’s-Keithley Mortuary of Hays.He was born October 28, 1938, in Hays, Kansas to Isadore and Rose 
(Dorzweiler) Leiker.&nbsp; He married Dolores (Jacobs) on August 13, 1960, in
 Hays.&nbsp; She preceded him in death on December 18, 1990.&nbsp; He then married
 Nancy (Giebler) Weber on January 7, 1994, in Hays.He worked for Henry Schwaller &amp; Sons as their heating and air 
technician for over 50 years and retired in 2017.&nbsp; Lee Allan grew up in 
Hays and was a 1957 graduate of St. Joseph Military Academy.&nbsp; He then 
attended the Heating-Ventilation-Air Conditioning Vo Technical School in
 Tyler, Texas.&nbsp; He was the Lead Singer in the “Original Flippers” music 
group from 1958 through 1961. He was a member of The Basilica of St. 
Fidelis, Victoria.&nbsp; He enjoyed music, western movies, his children, and 
his grandchildren.Survivors include his wife, Nancy Weber-Leiker, of the home; his 
children, Debra Dreiling and husband, James, Gorham, KS; Alan Leiker and
 wife, Jackie, Hays, KS; DeAnn&nbsp; Meyers and husband, Kelvin, Hays, KS; 
Dana Beery and husband, Neal, Cimarron, KS; his nine grandchildren, 
Jessica Klusener (Caleb); Cory Dreiling(Sydney); Alexyss Leiker DDS; 
Darian Leiker; Chelsie Meyers and Coy Johnson; Kylie Unrein (Austin); 
Quentin Rupp; Lane Beery; and McKynlee Beery; seven great grandchildren;
 his three step-children, Mike Weber and wife, Tyla, Lee’s Summit, MO; 
Shelly Wittman and husband, Larry, Waco, TX; Rod Weber and wife, 
Shannon, St. George, KS; his seven step-grandchildren; his six 
step-great grandchildren; his sister, Anita Braun and husband, Fritz, 
Victoria, KS.He was preceded in death by his parents; and his first wife.&nbsp;Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:00 A.M. Monday, April 11, 2022, 
at The Basilica of St. Fidelis, Victoria, Kansas with Father James 
Moster O.F.M. Cap. officiating and assisted by Deacon Dave Kisner.&nbsp; 
Burial will be in St. Fidelis Cemetery, Victoria, Kansas.A vigil service and rosary will be at 7:00 P.M. Sunday, at The Basilica of St. Fidelis.Visitation will be from 6:00 to 8:30 P.M. Sunday, and from 9:00 to 10:00 A.M. Monday, at The Basilica of St. Fidelis.The family suggests memorials payable to the organization: American 
Diabetes Association, Down Syndrome Guild of Greater Kansas City or The 
Basilic of St. Fidelis in care of the mortuary.Services are entrusted to Cline’s-Keithley Mortuary of Hays, 1919 East 22nd Street, Hays, Kansas 67601.Condolences can be sent via email to&nbsp;clinesmortuary@eaglecom.net&nbsp;or on 
the online guestbook at&nbsp;www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com.

Lee Allan J. Leiker

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A man charged in the 2019 killing of his father, who was a Kansas sheriff’s captain, has been convicted. 

Television station WDAF reports that Zachary Arnold was found guilty last week of involuntary manslaughter in the October 5, 2019, shooting death of 57-year-old Chris Arnold. 

The elder Arnold was a captain with the Wyandotte County Sheriff’s Office and a 25-year veteran of the department. Authorities have said Zachary Arnold was 22-years-old when he shot his father in the head during an argument at the captain's home in Kansas City, Kansas. He is set to be sentenced on May 23.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649345663009.png" alt="Arnold-photo Wyandotte Co." />
 <figcaption>Arnold-photo Wyandotte Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A man charged in the 2019 killing of his father, who was a Kansas sheriff’s captain, has been convicted. Television station WDAF reports that Zachary Arnold was found guilty last week of involuntary manslaughter in the October 5, 2019, shooting death of 57-year-old Chris Arnold. The elder Arnold was a captain with the Wyandotte County Sheriff’s Office and a 25-year veteran of the department. Authorities have said Zachary Arnold was 22-years-old when he shot his father in the head during an argument at the captain's home in Kansas City, Kansas. He is set to be sentenced on May 23.

Son convicted of killing his father, a Kansas sheriff's deputy

Linda Darlene Edwards was born October 5, 1950, to Leland J. and Ruth A. (Davies) Edwards.  She passed away on January 2, 2022, at the Hays Medical Center, Hays, KS, at the age of 71.

Linda was the fifth of seven children.  She was afflicted with Polio from age two.  This did not stop her from the things she wanted to do.

She was united in marriage to Glen “Ike” Edwards on August 8, 1971, in Downs, KS.  The couple was told that she was unable to have children due to Polio; however, they were blessed with three: Timothy Ryan, Mathew Dean, and Sammie Coleen.  She taught all three how to swim and often said the water was the only place she could keep up with her kids.

She helped Ike coach little league baseball, was in charge of a daycare center, and babysat several kids.

Linda is survived by husband Ike of Phillipsburg; 2 sons Timothy of Phillipsburg and Mathew and wife Wendy of Pleasantville, IA; daughter Sammie Pinkal and husband Kyle of Wilcox, NE; 12 grandchildren; 4 great grandchildren; 3 sisters, Kay Henry and husband Jessie of Harrisburg, OH, Bonnie Edwards and husband John of Cawker City, KS, Rita Martin of Downs, KS; 2 sister’s-in-law Margie Stout and husband Keith Gray of Beloit, KS and Glenice Emmett and husband John of Colorado Springs, CO; 3 brother’s-in-law Loren Edwards and wife Ann of Phillipsburg, Dan Edwards also of Phillipsburg, and Samuel Edwards of Prescott, AZ; and a host of nieces and nephews.

She will be missed by all that knew and loved her.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, April 16th, 2022 in the Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel, Phillipsburg, with Scott Eller officiating.

The family will receive friends Friday, April 15th, 2022, from 6:30 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel for visitation.

Memorial contributions may be made to the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital c/o Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649358996227.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Linda Darlene Edwards was born October 5, 1950, to Leland J. and Ruth A. (Davies) Edwards. She passed away on January 2, 2022, at the Hays Medical Center, Hays, KS, at the age of 71.Linda was the fifth of seven children. She was afflicted with Polio from age two. This did not stop her from the things she wanted to do.She was united in marriage to Glen “Ike” Edwards on August 8, 1971, in Downs, KS. The couple was told that she was unable to have children due to Polio; however, they were blessed with three: Timothy Ryan, Mathew Dean, and Sammie Coleen. She taught all three how to swim and often said the water was the only place she could keep up with her kids.She helped Ike coach little league baseball, was in charge of a daycare center, and babysat several kids.Linda is survived by husband Ike of Phillipsburg; 2 sons Timothy of Phillipsburg and Mathew and wife Wendy of Pleasantville, IA; daughter Sammie Pinkal and husband Kyle of Wilcox, NE; 12 grandchildren; 4 great grandchildren; 3 sisters, Kay Henry and husband Jessie of Harrisburg, OH, Bonnie Edwards and husband John of Cawker City, KS, Rita Martin of Downs, KS; 2 sister’s-in-law Margie Stout and husband Keith Gray of Beloit, KS and Glenice Emmett and husband John of Colorado Springs, CO; 3 brother’s-in-law Loren Edwards and wife Ann of Phillipsburg, Dan Edwards also of Phillipsburg, and Samuel Edwards of Prescott, AZ; and a host of nieces and nephews.She will be missed by all that knew and loved her.A Celebration of Life service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, April 16th, 2022 in the Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel, Phillipsburg, with Scott Eller officiating.The family will receive friends Friday, April 15th, 2022, from 6:30 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel for visitation.Memorial contributions may be made to the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital c/o Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel.

Linda Darlene Edwards

Carolyn “Carol” Klaus, 93, Hays, passed away Monday, April 4, 2022, at Via Christi Village.

She was born October 29, 1928, on the 
family farm near St. Peter, Kansas the daughter of Jacob J. and 
Marcianna (Rohleder) Gerstner.&nbsp; She attended school in Collyer up until 
her junior year of high school and graduated from Hays High School in 
1947.&nbsp; On October 18, 1947, she was united in marriage to Wilfred Klaus 
in Pittsburg.&nbsp;

She had numerous jobs within the 
community at: Singer Sewing Company, J.M. McDonalds Department Store, 
St. Joseph’s Family Credit Union, and several banks, until she landed 
her dream job at Edward Jones.&nbsp; After almost two decades, Carolyn 
retired as a limited partner of the firm. &nbsp;She was a member of 
Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church and the Daughters of Isabella.&nbsp;
 She was very active in her church and community teaching sewing classes
 to 4-H children, an instructor for CCD/PSR classes at IHM, a member of 
American Business Women, President and Treasurer for the VFW Auxiliary, a
 member of American Legion Auxiliary, and volunteering for the Friends 
of the Library and IHM funeral dinner committee.&nbsp;&nbsp; When she wasn’t 
volunteering, she doted over her seven grandchildren as often as she 
could.&nbsp; She loved to bake, sew, embroider, as well as garden, especially
 her blackberries.

She is survived by a son: Mark Klaus 
and wife Karen of O’Fallon, MO, two daughters: Donna Harkness of 
Wichita, KS and Jean Pfeifer and husband John of Lawrence, KS, a 
brother: Rudy Gerstner and wife Pam of Sun City, AZ, a sister-in-law: 
Sandra Gerstner of Scott City, KS, three granddaughters: Chelsea McKay 
and husband Grant of Berglenn, Germany, Shannon Klaus of Sunnyvale, CA, 
and Erica Rule and husband Zach of O’Fallon, MO,&nbsp; four grandsons: Jacob 
Pfeifer and wife Emily of Bentonville, AR, Clayton Pfeifer of Manhattan,
 KS, and Reed Pfeifer and Jack Pfeifer, both of Lawrence, KS, and 
numerous nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her 
parents, her husband Wilfred in 2008, a son Arthur in 1969, and a 
son-in-law Charlie Harkness in 2014, as well as six brothers and six 
sisters.

Mass of Christian Burial will be at 
10:00 am on Saturday, April 9, 2022, at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic
 Church with Fr. Gale Hammerschmidt officiating.&nbsp; Burial will follow in 
St. Joseph Cemetery.&nbsp; Visitation will be from 5:00 pm until 8:00 on 
Friday and from 9:00 am until 9:45 on Saturday, all at the Hays Memorial
 Chapel Funeral Home.&nbsp; A combined Daughters of Isabella and VFW 
Auxiliary rosary will be at 5:30 pm followed by a vigil service at 6:30,
 both on Friday at the funeral home.&nbsp;&nbsp; 

Memorials are suggested in memory
 of Carolyn to: Immaculate Heart of Mary building fund, TMP-Marian High 
School, or to St. John’s Chapel at Via Christi.&nbsp; Condolences and 
memories of Carolyn may be shared with the family at 
www.haysmemorial.com

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649250921581.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Carolyn “Carol” Klaus, 93, Hays, passed away Monday, April 4, 2022, at Via Christi Village.She was born October 29, 1928, on the 
family farm near St. Peter, Kansas the daughter of Jacob J. and 
Marcianna (Rohleder) Gerstner.&nbsp; She attended school in Collyer up until 
her junior year of high school and graduated from Hays High School in 
1947.&nbsp; On October 18, 1947, she was united in marriage to Wilfred Klaus 
in Pittsburg.&nbsp;She had numerous jobs within the 
community at: Singer Sewing Company, J.M. McDonalds Department Store, 
St. Joseph’s Family Credit Union, and several banks, until she landed 
her dream job at Edward Jones.&nbsp; After almost two decades, Carolyn 
retired as a limited partner of the firm. &nbsp;She was a member of 
Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church and the Daughters of Isabella.&nbsp;
 She was very active in her church and community teaching sewing classes
 to 4-H children, an instructor for CCD/PSR classes at IHM, a member of 
American Business Women, President and Treasurer for the VFW Auxiliary, a
 member of American Legion Auxiliary, and volunteering for the Friends 
of the Library and IHM funeral dinner committee.&nbsp;&nbsp; When she wasn’t 
volunteering, she doted over her seven grandchildren as often as she 
could.&nbsp; She loved to bake, sew, embroider, as well as garden, especially
 her blackberries.She is survived by a son: Mark Klaus 
and wife Karen of O’Fallon, MO, two daughters: Donna Harkness of 
Wichita, KS and Jean Pfeifer and husband John of Lawrence, KS, a 
brother: Rudy Gerstner and wife Pam of Sun City, AZ, a sister-in-law: 
Sandra Gerstner of Scott City, KS, three granddaughters: Chelsea McKay 
and husband Grant of Berglenn, Germany, Shannon Klaus of Sunnyvale, CA, 
and Erica Rule and husband Zach of O’Fallon, MO,&nbsp; four grandsons: Jacob 
Pfeifer and wife Emily of Bentonville, AR, Clayton Pfeifer of Manhattan,
 KS, and Reed Pfeifer and Jack Pfeifer, both of Lawrence, KS, and 
numerous nieces and nephews.She is preceded in death by her 
parents, her husband Wilfred in 2008, a son Arthur in 1969, and a 
son-in-law Charlie Harkness in 2014, as well as six brothers and six 
sisters.Mass of Christian Burial will be at 
10:00 am on Saturday, April 9, 2022, at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic
 Church with Fr. Gale Hammerschmidt officiating.&nbsp; Burial will follow in 
St. Joseph Cemetery.&nbsp; Visitation will be from 5:00 pm until 8:00 on 
Friday and from 9:00 am until 9:45 on Saturday, all at the Hays Memorial
 Chapel Funeral Home.&nbsp; A combined Daughters of Isabella and VFW 
Auxiliary rosary will be at 5:30 pm followed by a vigil service at 6:30,
 both on Friday at the funeral home.&nbsp;&nbsp; Memorials are suggested in memory
 of Carolyn to: Immaculate Heart of Mary building fund, TMP-Marian High 
School, or to St. John’s Chapel at Via Christi.&nbsp; Condolences and 
memories of Carolyn may be shared with the family at 
www.haysmemorial.com

Carolyn 'Carol' Klaus

KANSAS CITY (AP) —Maggie Drew’s dad sent her to Circle of Hope Girls’ Ranch in Missouri in 2007, hoping strict Christian teachings would stop his 14-year-old daughter’s teenage rebellion.

Instead, Drew said, she found herself in a nightmare, sexually abused by one of the boarding school's founders and left with permanent spinal injuries after a fall from a hay barn for which she received no medical attention.

Just 25 miles away at another Christian boarding school, Brett Harper says he endured abuse that included staff members stomping on his back.

They are among dozens of people who say they were abused at either Circle of Hope or Agape Boarding School — allegations that helped prompt a new Missouri law aimed at reining in religious boarding schools that for decades went without any oversight by the state.

“I still have nightmares about these people and the things they did to us,” Drew said.

The founders of Circle of Hope&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-fe24ade3e378bfb53796a0af7cd71deb">face around 100 charges</a>, some alleging sexual abuse.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-education-arrests-missouri-springfield-82fb42da6ca67eab3a03238e14421ec3">Agape's doctor</a>&nbsp;is charged with child sex crimes and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-education-child-abuse-kansas-missouri-a97fcf244d041a1468945b10af5f5f76">five employees&nbsp;</a>are accused of assault, though Missouri’s attorney general thinks many more workers should have been charged.

The schools are unrelated and are not affiliated with any particular Christian denomination. But both opened in southwest Missouri under a 1982 state law that gave religious boarding schools free rein and the state no way to monitor how kids were educated. Even the health department had no oversight, including for schools that claimed to address mental health, behavioral and addiction issues.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-michael-brown-0377a84c0cdf657eb2173f90cedb0c30">new law approved last year</a>&nbsp;followed extensive reporting from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/state/missouri/article247902155.html">The Kansas City Star</a>&nbsp;that found that several faith-based boarding schools, including Agape, relocated to Missouri after being investigated or shut down for abuse or neglect elsewhere.

Legislators heard testimony from former students such as Chanel Mare, who told of girls at Circle of Hope being forced to eat their own vomit; and James Matthew Lawson, who said he was raped at Agape and called “seizure boy” because of his epilepsy.

The Associated Press generally does not name victims of sexual abuse, but Larson and Drew both came forward publicly to discuss the allegations.

Supporters of religious boarding schools say they provide structure to troubled young people. Megan Stokes, executive director of National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs, said the wrongdoing alleged at Agape and Circle of Hope is exceedingly uncommon.

Yet unlike Missouri and many other states, her trade association requires state licensing for all of its 150 member schools, including the religious ones. Agape is not a member, nor was Circle of Hope.

Boyd and Stephanie Householder opened Circle of Hope in 2006 in the remote town of Humansville. “We use the BIBLE to teach (girls) that they are to obey their Parents and the authority over them,” the school’s website, which has been taken down, stated.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/media-kansas-social-media-archive-michael-brown-87ba63e06f2cc6e7661dc806a6c77da4">The school closed</a>&nbsp;amid a 2020 investigation; 25 girls were removed. In March 2021, Boyd Householder, 72, was charged with 79 crimes and Stephanie, 56, was charged with 22.

Sixteen former residents alleged they were restrained with handcuffs, whipped with belts, and punched. Nearly two dozen counts against Boyd Householder accuse him of sexual contact with girls.

Messages left with the Householders' attorney were not returned. In an August interview with the Star, the couple said the accusers made up their stories.

Drew, now 29, said her life was upended when her brother died in a car wreck in 2007. Her grieving father joined a church in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. Drew said that when she refused to wear a skirt and her grades dropped, church leaders persuaded her dad to send her to Circle of Hope.

“It was absolute torture,” said Drew, who also accused the Householders of stealing a $25,000 inheritance from her.

James Clemensen, a retired California trooper, and his wife, Kathy, started Agape in Stockton, Missouri, in 1990. He told a reporter in 2002 that he picked Missouri because of its lack of regulation. He died in October.

Agape serves 120-150 boys ages 12-17. Its website says it's a nonprofit school "designed to show God’s love to teen boys struggling with behavior issues that can threaten their future.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632608030678.png" alt="Agape Ranch-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Agape Ranch-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By JIM SALTERKANSAS CITY (AP) —Maggie Drew’s dad sent her to Circle of Hope Girls’ Ranch in Missouri in 2007, hoping strict Christian teachings would stop his 14-year-old daughter’s teenage rebellion.Instead, Drew said, she found herself in a nightmare, sexually abused by one of the boarding school's founders and left with permanent spinal injuries after a fall from a hay barn for which she received no medical attention.Just 25 miles away at another Christian boarding school, Brett Harper says he endured abuse that included staff members stomping on his back.They are among dozens of people who say they were abused at either Circle of Hope or Agape Boarding School — allegations that helped prompt a new Missouri law aimed at reining in religious boarding schools that for decades went without any oversight by the state.“I still have nightmares about these people and the things they did to us,” Drew said.The founders of Circle of Hope&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-fe24ade3e378bfb53796a0af7cd71deb">face around 100 charges</a>, some alleging sexual abuse.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-education-arrests-missouri-springfield-82fb42da6ca67eab3a03238e14421ec3">Agape's doctor</a>&nbsp;is charged with child sex crimes and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-education-child-abuse-kansas-missouri-a97fcf244d041a1468945b10af5f5f76">five employees&nbsp;</a>are accused of assault, though Missouri’s attorney general thinks many more workers should have been charged.The schools are unrelated and are not affiliated with any particular Christian denomination. But both opened in southwest Missouri under a 1982 state law that gave religious boarding schools free rein and the state no way to monitor how kids were educated. Even the health department had no oversight, including for schools that claimed to address mental health, behavioral and addiction issues.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-michael-brown-0377a84c0cdf657eb2173f90cedb0c30">new law approved last year</a>&nbsp;followed extensive reporting from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/state/missouri/article247902155.html">The Kansas City Star</a>&nbsp;that found that several faith-based boarding schools, including Agape, relocated to Missouri after being investigated or shut down for abuse or neglect elsewhere.Legislators heard testimony from former students such as Chanel Mare, who told of girls at Circle of Hope being forced to eat their own vomit; and James Matthew Lawson, who said he was raped at Agape and called “seizure boy” because of his epilepsy.The Associated Press generally does not name victims of sexual abuse, but Larson and Drew both came forward publicly to discuss the allegations.Supporters of religious boarding schools say they provide structure to troubled young people. Megan Stokes, executive director of National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs, said the wrongdoing alleged at Agape and Circle of Hope is exceedingly uncommon.Yet unlike Missouri and many other states, her trade association requires state licensing for all of its 150 member schools, including the religious ones. Agape is not a member, nor was Circle of Hope.Boyd and Stephanie Householder opened Circle of Hope in 2006 in the remote town of Humansville. “We use the BIBLE to teach (girls) that they are to obey their Parents and the authority over them,” the school’s website, which has been taken down, stated.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/media-kansas-social-media-archive-michael-brown-87ba63e06f2cc6e7661dc806a6c77da4">The school closed</a>&nbsp;amid a 2020 investigation; 25 girls were removed. In March 2021, Boyd Householder, 72, was charged with 79 crimes and Stephanie, 56, was charged with 22.Sixteen former residents alleged they were restrained with handcuffs, whipped with belts, and punched. Nearly two dozen counts against Boyd Householder accuse him of sexual contact with girls.Messages left with the Householders' attorney were not returned. In an August interview with the Star, the couple said the accusers made up their stories.Drew, now 29, said her life was upended when her brother died in a car wreck in 2007. Her grieving father joined a church in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. Drew said that when she refused to wear a skirt and her grades dropped, church leaders persuaded her dad to send her to Circle of Hope.“It was absolute torture,” said Drew, who also accused the Householders of stealing a $25,000 inheritance from her.James Clemensen, a retired California trooper, and his wife, Kathy, started Agape in Stockton, Missouri, in 1990. He told a reporter in 2002 that he picked Missouri because of its lack of regulation. He died in October.Agape serves 120-150 boys ages 12-17. Its website says it's a nonprofit school "designed to show God’s love to teen boys struggling with behavior issues that can threaten their future.”The school remains open. Five staffers were charged in September with abusing students. In December,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-education-arrests-missouri-springfield-82fb42da6ca67eab3a03238e14421ec3">Dr. David Smock</a>&nbsp;was charged with sexual abuse. He pleaded not guilty in March.Phone messages left with Agape’s director and Smock's attorney were not returned.Harper was 14 when he was sent there from his rural Oregon home in 1999. Now 36, he recalled long hours moving large rocks from one pile to another, toting lumber by hand and clearing land. Harper said his injuries have left him unable to keep a job.“What I went through at Agape primed me for abusive relationships with people, it primed for being an ignorant young man not knowing the way the world worked, it destroyed my family relationship,” Harper said.Missouri's new law sets minimum health and safety requirements for boarding schools, which still don't have to be licensed. The law mandates background checks for employees; requires adequate food, clothing and medical care for students; and says parents must be allowed access to their children at any time without prior notice.After a state investigation last year, Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt recommended charges against 22 Agape employees. But in Missouri, only the local prosecutor can file charges, and Cedar County Prosecuting Attorney Ty Gaither does not plan to file more.“The attorney general has his agenda,” Gaither said. “I’m an experienced prosecutor and I filed what I believe are the appropriate charges.”James Clidence, who taught math at Agape from 2012 to 2015, said he left after witnessing abuses so concerning that his wife contacted federal, state and local authorities. None would investigate, he said.“I’m for religious liberty. I’m a pastor. But at this point we’re talking about children's well-being,” Clidence, who now leads a Baptist church in Maryland, said.Harper is among those who question whether religious boarding schools will get real scrutiny in Missouri.“How many things have to happen before they act?” he asked.