Sister Rose Walters, CSA, formerly known as Sister Thomas More, died peacefully on December 15, 2019, at Nazareth Court and Center, Fond du Lac, WI.

Rose was born in Catherine, KS, on October 11, 1933, to Anthony Walters and Lidwina Polifka Walters. &nbsp;She had four sisters and six brothers.

Having initially attended Girls Catholic High in Hays, KS, Rose entered St. Agnes Convent, Fond du Lac, WI, in 1952, and graduated from St. Agnes High School.&nbsp; She made her profession&nbsp;of vows in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes on August 15, 1955.

Sister Rose received a BS in Education from Marian College of Fond du Lac, WI; earned her MS in Education at Fort Hays State University, Hays, KS; and was certified in Pastoral Ministry and Clinical Pastoral Education by St. Louis University, St. Louis, MO.&nbsp; Throughout her life Sister pursued further education to enhance and broaden her professional preparation. Sister Rose was an elementary school teacher for 25 years in WI, OH, and IN.&nbsp; She was also Assistant Principal at St. Henry School, Fort Wayne, IN for six years. She ministered as Pastoral Assistant in New Haven, IN; in Parish Administration in New Almelo, KS, for four years; and did Pastoral Ministry at St. Nicholas of Myra Parish in Hays, KS. &nbsp;She served in Campus Ministry at Kansas State University for six years. &nbsp;Sister Rose was a Pastoral Minister at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Salina, KS, for 19 years.

In 2014 Sister Rose returned to Fond du Lac where she energetically engaged in numerous opportunities to volunteer.&nbsp; She offered the gift of presence, building personal relationships and encouraging people as they experienced times of critical need. Sister’s heart was drawn to those who were poor or marginalized.&nbsp; Her volunteer ministries included: tutor for Fond du Lac Adult Literacy Program; facilitator and mentor in the Getting Ahead Program sponsored by the St. Vincent De Paul Society; and spiritual care volunteer at Hospice Home of Hope. &nbsp;On a lighter side, Sister Rose was a devoted fan of her sports teams, the Kansas University Jayhawks, the Kansas City Chiefs and the St. Louis Cardinals.

Sister Rose was preceded in death by her parents Anthony and Lidwina Walters; her brothers Herbert, Delbert, Marvin, Daniel, Patrick; and her sister Dolores Giebler.

She is survived by her brother Thomas; her sisters Catherine Perino, Nettie Kuhn-Berdi and Sister Ann Walters, CSA; her nieces and nephews; and the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed and ministered.

Cremation has taken place.&nbsp; There will be a Prayer Service on Thursday, January 9, at 11:00 a.m. at Nazareth Court and Center Chapel, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, WI.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, January 9, at 2:00 p.m. at St. Francis Home Chapel, 33 Everett Street, Fond du Lac, WI.&nbsp; The presider will be Father Ken Smits, Capuchin. &nbsp;Burial will take place at St. Catherine Cemetery, Catherine, KS, at a date to be determined.

Memorials can be directed to the CSA Mission Advancement Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center, and to the staff of Hospice Hope, for their care of Sister Rose in the past months.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1577810971044.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Sister Rose Walters, CSA, formerly known as Sister Thomas More, died peacefully on December 15, 2019, at Nazareth Court and Center, Fond du Lac, WI.Rose was born in Catherine, KS, on October 11, 1933, to Anthony Walters and Lidwina Polifka Walters. &nbsp;She had four sisters and six brothers.Having initially attended Girls Catholic High in Hays, KS, Rose entered St. Agnes Convent, Fond du Lac, WI, in 1952, and graduated from St. Agnes High School.&nbsp; She made her profession&nbsp;of vows in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes on August 15, 1955.Sister Rose received a BS in Education from Marian College of Fond du Lac, WI; earned her MS in Education at Fort Hays State University, Hays, KS; and was certified in Pastoral Ministry and Clinical Pastoral Education by St. Louis University, St. Louis, MO.&nbsp; Throughout her life Sister pursued further education to enhance and broaden her professional preparation. Sister Rose was an elementary school teacher for 25 years in WI, OH, and IN.&nbsp; She was also Assistant Principal at St. Henry School, Fort Wayne, IN for six years. She ministered as Pastoral Assistant in New Haven, IN; in Parish Administration in New Almelo, KS, for four years; and did Pastoral Ministry at St. Nicholas of Myra Parish in Hays, KS. &nbsp;She served in Campus Ministry at Kansas State University for six years. &nbsp;Sister Rose was a Pastoral Minister at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Salina, KS, for 19 years.In 2014 Sister Rose returned to Fond du Lac where she energetically engaged in numerous opportunities to volunteer.&nbsp; She offered the gift of presence, building personal relationships and encouraging people as they experienced times of critical need. Sister’s heart was drawn to those who were poor or marginalized.&nbsp; Her volunteer ministries included: tutor for Fond du Lac Adult Literacy Program; facilitator and mentor in the Getting Ahead Program sponsored by the St. Vincent De Paul Society; and spiritual care volunteer at Hospice Home of Hope. &nbsp;On a lighter side, Sister Rose was a devoted fan of her sports teams, the Kansas University Jayhawks, the Kansas City Chiefs and the St. Louis Cardinals.Sister Rose was preceded in death by her parents Anthony and Lidwina Walters; her brothers Herbert, Delbert, Marvin, Daniel, Patrick; and her sister Dolores Giebler.She is survived by her brother Thomas; her sisters Catherine Perino, Nettie Kuhn-Berdi and Sister Ann Walters, CSA; her nieces and nephews; and the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed and ministered.Cremation has taken place.&nbsp; There will be a Prayer Service on Thursday, January 9, at 11:00 a.m. at Nazareth Court and Center Chapel, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, WI.A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, January 9, at 2:00 p.m. at St. Francis Home Chapel, 33 Everett Street, Fond du Lac, WI.&nbsp; The presider will be Father Ken Smits, Capuchin. &nbsp;Burial will take place at St. Catherine Cemetery, Catherine, KS, at a date to be determined.Memorials can be directed to the CSA Mission Advancement Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center, and to the staff of Hospice Hope, for their care of Sister Rose in the past months.

Sister Rose Walters

Donald (Don) Vernon Ellis, Belgrade, formerly of Rozel, Kansas passed
 away on December 20, 2019.&nbsp; He was born on March 4, 1936 at Nekoma, 
Kansas to Harry and Beulah Ellis.&nbsp; He was raised on a farm north of 
Rozel.&nbsp; Don attended a one room school house for the first six years, 
graduating from Rozel High School in May, 1953.&nbsp; In August, 1954, Don 
enlisted in the US Army, serving during the Korean War.&nbsp; Don was 
Honorably Discharged in 1956 with the rank of Corporal.

Don married Carol Willis in LaCrosse, Kansas, on May 28, 1957.&nbsp; Carol passed away on January 14, 2014.

Don was a retired truck driver.&nbsp; He served many rolls throughout his 
life, he was a farmer with his dad, a custom harvester, a father, a 
grandfather and the roll he cherished the most was a loving husband to 
Carol. &nbsp;He was a volunteer at Habitat for Humanity for four (4) years.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;His passion has always been hunting, camping and fishing.&nbsp; In the fall 
of 2019, at the age of 83, Don went for his last antelope hunt, killing 
two.&nbsp; Once again, he got in that last hunt that he never thought he 
would get to do.&nbsp; He was a Lifetime Member of the American Legion Post 
#106 in Larned, Kansas, serving several terms as the Post Commander.&nbsp;

Don and Carol followed their lifelong dream of living in the 
mountains when they moved to Missoula, Montana in 1984.&nbsp; They lived in 
Missoula before moving to Belgrade, Montana to be closer to their 
daughter after Carol suffered a stroke.&nbsp; Don has resided in Belgrade, 
Montana, since October 2007.

Don is survived by his children, Don Jr. (Susan) – Youngsville, LA, 
Susie – Lake Charles, LA, LeAnna – Pawnee Rock, Kansas and Stacey 
(Scott) – Belgrade, MT.&nbsp; He has 7 grandchildren, Stephen (Dawn) Ellis, 
Shannon Ellis, Grant (Shannon) Unruh, Odie (Nicole) Unruh, Marci 
(Chance) Maes, Marcus Allen and Sadie Glaude.&nbsp; He has 11 Great 
Grandchildren, Madeline, Emily, Beau and Henry Ellis, Hailey and Gage 
Peterson, Brogan, Tristian and Ellis Unruh and Dahvon Pierce, Allen and 
Zayden Groff.&nbsp; Don is also survived by 2 special friends that he has 
always thought of as his own kids, Tommy and Kathy Fitch.&nbsp; Don is 
survived by a brother, Harry (Carolyn, Bozeman, Montana as well as two 
sisters, Judi Welch, Larned, Kansas and Sharilyn (Frank) Reifschneider, 
Wichita, Kansas, as well as his Brother-in-law Bob (Sue) Willis, 
Cookeville, Tennessee.&nbsp; He is survived by many nieces, nephews and 
cousins.

Don was preceded in death by his wife, Carol, parents, Harry and 
Beulah Ellis, in-laws, Harry Willis and Janet Smith, brothers, Leroy, 
Larry and Ed; brother-in-law Lynn Welch as well as sisters-in laws Donna
 Claney, Tiney Tharpe and Anna Johns.

A memorial service will be held on Friday, January 3, 2020 at 1:00 
p.m. at Beckwith Mortuary Chapel with Gene Price presiding.&nbsp; Visitation 
will be 9:00 a.m to 8:00 p.m. Thursday January 2, 2020 with Family 
present from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.&nbsp; Military graveside rights to follow
 service with a reception at the VFW in Larned.&nbsp; Memorials may be made 
to Don Ellis Memorial Fund, Beckwith Mortuary, PO Box 477, Larned, KS 
67550 or to the American Legion Auxiliary, Walter S. Chears Post 106.&nbsp; 
Personal condolences may be left at <a href="http://www.beckwithmortuary.com">www.beckwithmortuary.com</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1577802325817.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Donald (Don) Vernon Ellis, Belgrade, formerly of Rozel, Kansas passed
 away on December 20, 2019.&nbsp; He was born on March 4, 1936 at Nekoma, 
Kansas to Harry and Beulah Ellis.&nbsp; He was raised on a farm north of 
Rozel.&nbsp; Don attended a one room school house for the first six years, 
graduating from Rozel High School in May, 1953.&nbsp; In August, 1954, Don 
enlisted in the US Army, serving during the Korean War.&nbsp; Don was 
Honorably Discharged in 1956 with the rank of Corporal.Don married Carol Willis in LaCrosse, Kansas, on May 28, 1957.&nbsp; Carol passed away on January 14, 2014.Don was a retired truck driver.&nbsp; He served many rolls throughout his 
life, he was a farmer with his dad, a custom harvester, a father, a 
grandfather and the roll he cherished the most was a loving husband to 
Carol. &nbsp;He was a volunteer at Habitat for Humanity for four (4) years.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;His passion has always been hunting, camping and fishing.&nbsp; In the fall 
of 2019, at the age of 83, Don went for his last antelope hunt, killing 
two.&nbsp; Once again, he got in that last hunt that he never thought he 
would get to do.&nbsp; He was a Lifetime Member of the American Legion Post 
#106 in Larned, Kansas, serving several terms as the Post Commander.&nbsp;Don and Carol followed their lifelong dream of living in the 
mountains when they moved to Missoula, Montana in 1984.&nbsp; They lived in 
Missoula before moving to Belgrade, Montana to be closer to their 
daughter after Carol suffered a stroke.&nbsp; Don has resided in Belgrade, 
Montana, since October 2007.Don is survived by his children, Don Jr. (Susan) – Youngsville, LA, 
Susie – Lake Charles, LA, LeAnna – Pawnee Rock, Kansas and Stacey 
(Scott) – Belgrade, MT.&nbsp; He has 7 grandchildren, Stephen (Dawn) Ellis, 
Shannon Ellis, Grant (Shannon) Unruh, Odie (Nicole) Unruh, Marci 
(Chance) Maes, Marcus Allen and Sadie Glaude.&nbsp; He has 11 Great 
Grandchildren, Madeline, Emily, Beau and Henry Ellis, Hailey and Gage 
Peterson, Brogan, Tristian and Ellis Unruh and Dahvon Pierce, Allen and 
Zayden Groff.&nbsp; Don is also survived by 2 special friends that he has 
always thought of as his own kids, Tommy and Kathy Fitch.&nbsp; Don is 
survived by a brother, Harry (Carolyn, Bozeman, Montana as well as two 
sisters, Judi Welch, Larned, Kansas and Sharilyn (Frank) Reifschneider, 
Wichita, Kansas, as well as his Brother-in-law Bob (Sue) Willis, 
Cookeville, Tennessee.&nbsp; He is survived by many nieces, nephews and 
cousins.Don was preceded in death by his wife, Carol, parents, Harry and 
Beulah Ellis, in-laws, Harry Willis and Janet Smith, brothers, Leroy, 
Larry and Ed; brother-in-law Lynn Welch as well as sisters-in laws Donna
 Claney, Tiney Tharpe and Anna Johns.A memorial service will be held on Friday, January 3, 2020 at 1:00 
p.m. at Beckwith Mortuary Chapel with Gene Price presiding.&nbsp; Visitation 
will be 9:00 a.m to 8:00 p.m. Thursday January 2, 2020 with Family 
present from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.&nbsp; Military graveside rights to follow
 service with a reception at the VFW in Larned.&nbsp; Memorials may be made 
to Don Ellis Memorial Fund, Beckwith Mortuary, PO Box 477, Larned, KS 
67550 or to the American Legion Auxiliary, Walter S. Chears Post 106.&nbsp; 
Personal condolences may be left at <a href="http://www.beckwithmortuary.com">www.beckwithmortuary.com</a>.

Donald (Don) Vernon Ellis

Reva Gale Lynd, a longtime resident of WaKeeney, KS, departed this 
life on December 20, 2019, at the age of 94 at the Trego County Lemke 
Memorial Hospital.&nbsp;

Reva was born to Monte and Inez (McKim) Poague on October 8, 1925, in
 Oakley, KS.&nbsp; At the age of 4 she moved with her family to WaKeeney.&nbsp; 
Reva graduated from Trego Community High School, and attended K-State in
 Manhattan, KS, for two years.&nbsp; She taught country school in Trego 
County one year.&nbsp; Reva married Marvin Lynd on September 4, 1946, at the 
First Presbyterian Church in WaKeeney, KS.&nbsp; She was a member of the 
First Presbyterian Church in WaKeeney, and belonged to several clubs and
 organizations:&nbsp; Harmony Club, P.E.O., several bridge clubs, Boots and 
Saddle Club. She worked as a medical records librarian for nine years at
 the Trego County Lempke Memorial Hospital. &nbsp;Reva loved playing the 
piano, reading, and writing.&nbsp;

Reva will be deeply missed by her husband, Marvin Lynd, of WaKeeney; 
her sister Janice Reeder of WaKeeney; her son Rex (Sue) Lynd of Fort 
Collins, CO; daughter Nancee (Jerry) Donker of WaKeeney; six 
grandchildren, Sara Lynd, Melissa Phifer, Matthew Donker, Sandra Thomas,
 Mike and Shawn Loseke; and eight great grandchildren, Makala Phifer, 
Ronin Thomas, Addie Loseke, Zoey Donker, Kyle Phifer, Liam Loseke, Nora 
Donker, and Dylan Lynd.&nbsp; Reva was preceded in death by her parents, and 
two brothers, Leighton and Lowell Poague.&nbsp;

A Memorial Service will be held 2:00 p.m., Saturday, January 25, 
2020, at the First Presbyterian Church in WaKeeney, KS.&nbsp; Please check 
back soon for service time and date.&nbsp; There will be no visitation.&nbsp; 
Memorials are suggested to First Presbyterian Church of WaKeeney or 
Trego County Lemke Memorial Hospital Long Term Care in care of Schmitt 
Funeral Home of WaKeeney, 336 North 12th St., WaKeeney, KS&nbsp; 67672.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1577801413751.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Reva Gale Lynd, a longtime resident of WaKeeney, KS, departed this 
life on December 20, 2019, at the age of 94 at the Trego County Lemke 
Memorial Hospital.&nbsp;Reva was born to Monte and Inez (McKim) Poague on October 8, 1925, in
 Oakley, KS.&nbsp; At the age of 4 she moved with her family to WaKeeney.&nbsp; 
Reva graduated from Trego Community High School, and attended K-State in
 Manhattan, KS, for two years.&nbsp; She taught country school in Trego 
County one year.&nbsp; Reva married Marvin Lynd on September 4, 1946, at the 
First Presbyterian Church in WaKeeney, KS.&nbsp; She was a member of the 
First Presbyterian Church in WaKeeney, and belonged to several clubs and
 organizations:&nbsp; Harmony Club, P.E.O., several bridge clubs, Boots and 
Saddle Club. She worked as a medical records librarian for nine years at
 the Trego County Lempke Memorial Hospital. &nbsp;Reva loved playing the 
piano, reading, and writing.&nbsp;Reva will be deeply missed by her husband, Marvin Lynd, of WaKeeney; 
her sister Janice Reeder of WaKeeney; her son Rex (Sue) Lynd of Fort 
Collins, CO; daughter Nancee (Jerry) Donker of WaKeeney; six 
grandchildren, Sara Lynd, Melissa Phifer, Matthew Donker, Sandra Thomas,
 Mike and Shawn Loseke; and eight great grandchildren, Makala Phifer, 
Ronin Thomas, Addie Loseke, Zoey Donker, Kyle Phifer, Liam Loseke, Nora 
Donker, and Dylan Lynd.&nbsp; Reva was preceded in death by her parents, and 
two brothers, Leighton and Lowell Poague.&nbsp;A Memorial Service will be held 2:00 p.m., Saturday, January 25, 
2020, at the First Presbyterian Church in WaKeeney, KS.&nbsp; Please check 
back soon for service time and date.&nbsp; There will be no visitation.&nbsp; 
Memorials are suggested to First Presbyterian Church of WaKeeney or 
Trego County Lemke Memorial Hospital Long Term Care in care of Schmitt 
Funeral Home of WaKeeney, 336 North 12th St., WaKeeney, KS&nbsp; 67672.&nbsp;

Reva Gale Lynd

By JOHN P. TRETBAR&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Kansas Common crude at CHS in McPherson starts the week and ends the year at $52 per barrel, after gaining 75 cents late last week.

The government reported U.S. crude-oil production reached its second highest weekly total ever. The Energy Information Administration reported domestic output of 12.881 million barrels per day for the week ending December 20. That's just seven thousand barrels per day less than the all time record.

EIA reported a draw down of more that five and a half million barrels in U.S. crude-oil inventories last week to 441.4 million barrels. U.S. stockpiles are about two percent above the five-year average for this time of year.

Oil-by-rail traffic in the U.S. increased slightly last week. According to the Association of American Railroads, operators moved 14,119 tanker cars hauling petroleum and petroleum products during the week that ended December 21. The cumulative total for the year is up 12.5% [["twelve point five percent"]] over the total a year earlier. Oil by rail in Canada was up more than 14 percent for the week and up 16% over the cumulative total at this point last year.

A deadline is coming up soon that has some analysts fearing the worst. New shipping fuel standards kick in starting January first. The International Maritime Organization is poised to ban shipping vessels using fuel with a sulfur content higher than 0.5%. The current standard is 3.5%. Major oil companies and shipowners have spent billions of dollars preparing for the changes, but energy analysts worry that many in the industries still appear to be unprepared. One analyst tells CNBC the change provided the "opportunity of a lifetime" to raise prices, but says shippers are not capitalizing on it. More than 170 countries, including the U.S., have signed on to the fuel change, adopted by the organization in 2016. The U.N. created the IMO to set rules for shipping safety, security and pollution.

Exploration and production company Encana is ending the year with a flurry of drilling permit filings in two shale basins in Texas. According to the Houston Chronicle, Encana has filed for 43 drilling permits over the past month with the state agency that regulates the oil and gas industry. Encana is seeking to drill 32 horizontal wells in the Permian Basin and eight in the Eagle Ford Shale.

A new report from the Federal Reserve Bank in Dallas shows activity in the old and gas industry dipped again during the fourth quarter of 2019. The Fed noted that business activity in exploration and production showed modest growth, but oilfield services dipped significantly. Production activity increased for the 13th consecutive quarter, according to the survey of oil-patch executives. Nearly 60% of those responding said their capital spending would hold steady or increase next year. About half were making spending plans based on a price expectation of from $53 to $56 a barrel for West Texas Intermediate crude.

Banks are tightening requirements on revolving lines of credit, an essential lifeline for smaller shale producers. Semi-annual reviews are prompting some large banks to reduce the size of loans linked to shale reserves. According to The Wall Street Journal, operators are reducing their estimates on the value of their shale reserves. The banks are concerned that if some companies go bankrupt, their assets won’t cover the loans.

Reporting on the Web site "Oil Price dot com" suggests major "write downs" by major oil companies will continue to buffet an industry already battered by low prices. Last week Royal Dutch Shell announced it will write down, or reduce its value by between one-point-seven and two-point-three billion dollars in the fourth quarter. In its announcement Shell blamed a slowdown in the global economy, weak demand growth and relatively low prices for the move. This comes a little over a week after Chevron revealed a much larger reduction of ten-to-eleven billion dollars. Analysts say some companies overpaid for assets years ago, only to watch the market deteriorate. The report suggests the industry as a whole has failed to prove that it can turn a profit from shale drilling. Since October, Repsol, BP, Equinor and Halliburton have written down a combined $20 billion in assets.

Colorado’s falling oil and gas rig count appears to finally be showing up in the employment numbers. The Denver Post reports the Colorado economy shed 300 jobs in that sector between October and November. The total is down 400 jobs year-on-year, snapping a 31-month streak of employment gains.

The latest legislative report card for New Mexico’s oil and gas regulators pointed to a need for more staff and faster approvals for drilling applications as oil and gas continued to boom in the Permian Basin. The Carlsbad Current Argus reports a reduction in inspections last year, which the report blames on the high number of vacancies among compliance officers. Most drilling permits were approved within 10 business days, exceeding state goals, but fewer permits were approved than last year.

Kuwait and Saudi Arabia have put more than five years of differences behind them by signing a new deal for an oil-rich area known as the Neutral Zone, to which both have territorial claims. Forbes reports the countries last week signed a new agreement to divide the area between them. Production could resume soon from shared fields in the zone.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573140802303.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN P. TRETBAR&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Kansas Common crude at CHS in McPherson starts the week and ends the year at $52 per barrel, after gaining 75 cents late last week.The government reported U.S. crude-oil production reached its second highest weekly total ever. The Energy Information Administration reported domestic output of 12.881 million barrels per day for the week ending December 20. That's just seven thousand barrels per day less than the all time record.EIA reported a draw down of more that five and a half million barrels in U.S. crude-oil inventories last week to 441.4 million barrels. U.S. stockpiles are about two percent above the five-year average for this time of year.Oil-by-rail traffic in the U.S. increased slightly last week. According to the Association of American Railroads, operators moved 14,119 tanker cars hauling petroleum and petroleum products during the week that ended December 21. The cumulative total for the year is up 12.5% [["twelve point five percent"]] over the total a year earlier. Oil by rail in Canada was up more than 14 percent for the week and up 16% over the cumulative total at this point last year.A deadline is coming up soon that has some analysts fearing the worst. New shipping fuel standards kick in starting January first. The International Maritime Organization is poised to ban shipping vessels using fuel with a sulfur content higher than 0.5%. The current standard is 3.5%. Major oil companies and shipowners have spent billions of dollars preparing for the changes, but energy analysts worry that many in the industries still appear to be unprepared. One analyst tells CNBC the change provided the "opportunity of a lifetime" to raise prices, but says shippers are not capitalizing on it. More than 170 countries, including the U.S., have signed on to the fuel change, adopted by the organization in 2016. The U.N. created the IMO to set rules for shipping safety, security and pollution.Exploration and production company Encana is ending the year with a flurry of drilling permit filings in two shale basins in Texas. According to the Houston Chronicle, Encana has filed for 43 drilling permits over the past month with the state agency that regulates the oil and gas industry. Encana is seeking to drill 32 horizontal wells in the Permian Basin and eight in the Eagle Ford Shale.A new report from the Federal Reserve Bank in Dallas shows activity in the old and gas industry dipped again during the fourth quarter of 2019. The Fed noted that business activity in exploration and production showed modest growth, but oilfield services dipped significantly. Production activity increased for the 13th consecutive quarter, according to the survey of oil-patch executives. Nearly 60% of those responding said their capital spending would hold steady or increase next year. About half were making spending plans based on a price expectation of from $53 to $56 a barrel for West Texas Intermediate crude.Banks are tightening requirements on revolving lines of credit, an essential lifeline for smaller shale producers. Semi-annual reviews are prompting some large banks to reduce the size of loans linked to shale reserves. According to The Wall Street Journal, operators are reducing their estimates on the value of their shale reserves. The banks are concerned that if some companies go bankrupt, their assets won’t cover the loans.Reporting on the Web site "Oil Price dot com" suggests major "write downs" by major oil companies will continue to buffet an industry already battered by low prices. Last week Royal Dutch Shell announced it will write down, or reduce its value by between one-point-seven and two-point-three billion dollars in the fourth quarter. In its announcement Shell blamed a slowdown in the global economy, weak demand growth and relatively low prices for the move. This comes a little over a week after Chevron revealed a much larger reduction of ten-to-eleven billion dollars. Analysts say some companies overpaid for assets years ago, only to watch the market deteriorate. The report suggests the industry as a whole has failed to prove that it can turn a profit from shale drilling. Since October, Repsol, BP, Equinor and Halliburton have written down a combined $20 billion in assets.Colorado’s falling oil and gas rig count appears to finally be showing up in the employment numbers. The Denver Post reports the Colorado economy shed 300 jobs in that sector between October and November. The total is down 400 jobs year-on-year, snapping a 31-month streak of employment gains.The latest legislative report card for New Mexico’s oil and gas regulators pointed to a need for more staff and faster approvals for drilling applications as oil and gas continued to boom in the Permian Basin. The Carlsbad Current Argus reports a reduction in inspections last year, which the report blames on the high number of vacancies among compliance officers. Most drilling permits were approved within 10 business days, exceeding state goals, but fewer permits were approved than last year.Kuwait and Saudi Arabia have put more than five years of differences behind them by signing a new deal for an oil-rich area known as the Neutral Zone, to which both have territorial claims. Forbes reports the countries last week signed a new agreement to divide the area between them. Production could resume soon from shared fields in the zone.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573140802303.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

News From the Oil Patch, December 30

Banks are tightening requirements on revolving lines of credit, an essential lifeline for smaller shale producers. Semi-annual reviews are prompting some large banks to reduce the size of loans linked to shale reserves. According to The Wall Street Journal, operators are reducing their estimates on the value of their shale reserves. The banks are concerned that if some companies go bankrupt, their assets won't cover the loans.

Colorado's falling oil and gas rig count appears to finally be showing up in the employment numbers. The Denver Post reports the Colorado economy shed 300 jobs in that sector between October and November. The total is down 400 jobs year-on-year, snapping a 31-month streak of employment gains.

The latest legislative report card for New Mexico's oil and gas regulators pointed to a need for more staff and faster approvals for drilling applications as oil and gas continued to boom in the Permian Basin. The Carlsbad Current Argus reports a reduction in inspections last year, which the report blames on the high number of vacancies among compliance officers. Most drilling permits were approved within 10 business days, exceeding state goals, but fewer permits were approved than last year.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573140802303.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>John P. TretbarKansas Common crude at CHS in McPherson starts the week and ends the year at $52 per barrel, after gaining 75 cents late last week.The government reported U.S. crude-oil production reached its second highest weekly total ever. The Energy Information Administration reported domestic output of 12.881 million barrels per day for the week ending December 20. That's just seven thousand barrels per day less than the all time record.EIA reported a draw down of more that five and a half million barrels in U.S. crude-oil inventories last week to 441.4 million barrels. U.S. stockpiles are about two percent above the five-year average for this time of year.Oil-by-rail traffic in the U.S. increased slightly last week. According to the Association of American Railroads, operators moved 14,119 tanker cars hauling petroleum and petroleum products during the week that ended December 21. The cumulative total for the year is up 12.5% [["twelve point five percent"]] over the total a year earlier. Oil by rail in Canada was up more than 14 percent for the week and up 16% over the cumulative total at this point last year.A deadline is coming up soon that has some analysts fearing the worst. New shipping fuel standards kick in starting January first. The International Maritime Organization is poised to ban shipping vessels using fuel with a sulfur content higher than 0.5%. The current standard is 3.5%. Major oil companies and shipowners have spent billions of dollars preparing for the changes, but energy analysts worry that many in the industries still appear to be unprepared. One analyst tells CNBC the change provided the "opportunity of a lifetime" to raise prices, but says shippers are not capitalizing on it. More than 170 countries, including the U.S., have signed on to the fuel change, adopted by the organization in 2016. The U.N. created the IMO to set rules for shipping safety, security and pollution.Exploration and production company Encana is ending the year with a flurry of drilling permit filings in two shale basins in Texas. According to the Houston Chronicle, Encana has filed for 43 drilling permits over the past month with the state agency that regulates the oil and gas industry. Encana is seeking to drill 32 horizontal wells in the Permian Basin and eight in the Eagle Ford Shale.A new report from the Federal Reserve Bank in Dallas shows activity in the old and gas industry dipped again during the fourth quarter of 2019. The Fed noted that business activity in exploration and production showed modest growth, but oilfield services dipped significantly. Production activity increased for the 13th consecutive quarter, according to the survey of oil-patch executives. Nearly 60% of those responding said their capital spending would hold steady or increase next year. About half were making spending plans based on a price expectation of from $53 to $56 a barrel for West Texas Intermediate crude.Banks are tightening requirements on revolving lines of credit, an essential lifeline for smaller shale producers. Semi-annual reviews are prompting some large banks to reduce the size of loans linked to shale reserves. According to The Wall Street Journal, operators are reducing their estimates on the value of their shale reserves. The banks are concerned that if some companies go bankrupt, their assets won't cover the loans.Reporting on the Web site "Oil Price dot com" suggests major "write downs" by major oil companies will continue to buffet an industry already battered by low prices. Last week Royal Dutch Shell announced it will write down, or reduce its value by between one-point-seven and two-point-three billion dollars in the fourth quarter. In its announcement Shell blamed a slowdown in the global economy, weak demand growth and relatively low prices for the move. This comes a little over a week after Chevron revealed a much larger reduction of ten-to-eleven billion dollars. Analysts say some companies overpaid for assets years ago, only to watch the market deteriorate. The report suggests the industry as a whole has failed to prove that it can turn a profit from shale drilling. Since October, Repsol, BP, Equinor and Halliburton have written down a combined $20 billion in assets.Colorado's falling oil and gas rig count appears to finally be showing up in the employment numbers. The Denver Post reports the Colorado economy shed 300 jobs in that sector between October and November. The total is down 400 jobs year-on-year, snapping a 31-month streak of employment gains.The latest legislative report card for New Mexico's oil and gas regulators pointed to a need for more staff and faster approvals for drilling applications as oil and gas continued to boom in the Permian Basin. The Carlsbad Current Argus reports a reduction in inspections last year, which the report blames on the high number of vacancies among compliance officers. Most drilling permits were approved within 10 business days, exceeding state goals, but fewer permits were approved than last year.Kuwait and Saudi Arabia have put more than five years of differences behind them by signing a new deal for an oil-rich area known as the Neutral Zone, to which both have territorial claims. Forbes reports the countries last week signed a new agreement to divide the area between them. Production could resume soon from shared fields in the zone.

News from the Oil Patch, Dec. 30

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A frightened Kansas City mother rushed to the nearest police station one afternoon in September after her 14-year-old hadn’t come home from school.

At the front desk, Judith Boris shared every detail she could think of that could help police find him.

What he was wearing when he went to his classes that day. Descriptions of his hair and eye color. His height. His weight. The scars on his face.

Then, police asked for the teen’s name.

“Legal name? Or what name he goes by?” Boris asked.

It was an important question in this case. The teen is transgender, answers to a name different from his legal name and uses male pronouns, Boris explained to police.

But later in a missing persons flier distributed to local media, police primarily identified the missing teen by his legal name and used the wrong gender.

LGBTQ advocates say that can endanger people who are transgender and can lead to law enforcement losing the trust of a community that already fears being targeted or discriminated against.

Melissa Brown, a local advocate with the Kansas City Anti-Violence Project, told&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article235531877.html">The Kansas City Star</a>&nbsp;that seeing the flier for the missing teen broke her heart. The bulletin left out key details and included “a bunch of misgendering,” putting the teen at risk, she said. The teen was eventually located, but the case is now being investigated as a possible sexual assault.

The Star is not naming the teen as the newspaper generally does not name minors who may be victims of assault.

People who identify as transgender can be more at risk as victims of violence. At least 24 transgender or gender-nonconforming people have been killed in the U.S. this year, with three of those deaths occurring in the Kansas City area, according to the Human Rights Campaign.

A report released in November by the FBI counted 7,120 hate crime incidents in 2018. Of that total, 168 incidents were motivated by gender identity bias, a 41% increase from 2017.

The Kansas City Police Department has been praised by one national figure for being forthcoming in identifying victims of homicide who are trans and for having an LGBTQ liaison officer. But it falls short, local advocates suggest, when the liaison isn’t looped in on cases like that of the missing teen.

In response to questions about the missing teenager’s case, Kansas City police spokesman Capt. Tim Hernandez said he could not say why the flier was written the way it was or why it lacked essential information such as the child’s age and physical description. The flier was written by officers in the Missing Persons Unit.

Any misunderstanding or miscommunication “was unintentional,” Hernandez said.

Unintentional or not, some advocates say this is one example that shows those in law enforcement need ongoing training to better serve people in the LGBTQ community.

When it comes to gender identity, police and advocates agree that sometimes complications can arise. Both say there are ways to navigate them.

When police don’t correctly identify transgender people who are victims of violence, it can “diminish trust within the community, confuse investigations and reinforce the very prejudice at the heart of this violence,” said Sarah McBride, national press secretary for the Human Rights Campaign.

Misgendering — whether done intentionally or through carelessness — undermines the ability of law enforcement to investigate when a person who is transgender is a victim of violence or has disappeared, McBride said. Police reports that describe a victim as a man in women’s clothing, or use the person’s former name, can also problematic and disrespectful, according to advocates.

“Outing” a trans person who has gone missing also could put them or their family members in danger, said Steph Perkins, executive director of PROMO, a Missouri-based LGBTQ advocacy organization.

When a person’s gender identity is unclear or unknown, advocates often suggest that police should avoid choosing a gender or use neutral pronouns until more information can be obtained.

Brown was out of town when Boris’ child disappeared in September, but remembers seeing the brief missing-persons bulletin that identified the teen using incorrect pronouns.

“This actually endangered (the teen) even more putting this out, so that’s where my concern is,” Brown said. ”Is KCPD listening to the community? Are they hearing when we’re saying this is not how that person identified. Can you please shift that language?”

Brown works with the Anti-Violence Project to provide services to those experiencing trauma, harassment and violence, including hate crimes. Brown said concerns of hate violence came up in the case of Tamara Dominquez, 36, a transgender woman who was run over with a vehicle and killed near Independence and Spruce avenues in the summer of 2015.

When the first police and media reports came out about Dominquez, “there was a lot of misgendering; people deadnamed her,” Brown said, meaning some identified her by her previous name.

The driver was arrested and charged in 2016. Luis Sanchez pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and armed criminal action, and was sentenced to 18 years in prison in 2018.

“We founded a group specifically for trans people of color after that so that they could have a space to heal and empower each other because we believe still that that was hate violence, a hate crime,” Brown said. “Of course, the police have to do special steps to identify this hate violence.”

Sometimes police get it wrong. In rare occurrences, others may confuse the message on social media.

It happened in the case of Jamagio Jamar Berryman, a 30-year-old father who was gunned down in the street last September in Kansas City, Kansas. A man thought to be in a relationship with Berryman was arrested across the state line and charged with first-degree murder.

Soon after the killing, someone close to Berryman made a post on social media indicating Berryman was transgender.

The post was quickly picked up by national outlets and organizations.

It caught the attention of Starzette Palmer, executive director for Our Spot KC, a hub of resources for people in the community. The information hadn’t been verified, Palmer said, so she and other advocates reached out to Berryman’s family.

Palmer and three advocates met with the family, who asked media outlets to stop misidentifying Berryman. The family described Berryman as a man and a father to a 5-year-old girl.

“Jamar was not a person who identified as a woman,” said one of the advocates, Nyla Foster of the Trans Women of Color Collective.

“The image that’s being distributed of Jamar dressed like a woman is only a piece of how he expressed himself, but it is not how he identified, so can we please stop using that language out of respect for the family and who Jamar was?”

The experience sparked conversations among advocates.

“How do we find a silver lining in this, in how we educate on what this means?’” Palmer said.

When people who are transgender or gender-nonconforming disappear or die from homicide, police and advocates are often at the mercy of family and the community in what they can learn about them.

The timing of coming out is also something to consider.

“People don’t come out to every single person in their whole life at once, and so often people who identify as part of the transgender community — whether that’s because they identify as transgender or non binary or a host of other identities under the transgender umbrella — their friends may know them as transgender and their family may not or vice versa,” Perkins said.

McBride, of the Human Rights Campaign, points to the Kansas City Police Department as an example of an agency that has taken steps over the last few years to serve the transgender community “with respect and dignity.”

Police showed the ability to meet that need in 2019 when two killings occurred in the city involving victims who were transgender.

In June, Brooklyn Lindsey, 32, was found dead with obvious signs of trauma to the face and gunshot wounds in the 600 block of Spruce Avenue, close to the same intersection where Dominquez was killed four years earlier.

Then, in October, Brianna “BB” Hill, 30, was fatally shot in the 4300 block of Hardesty Avenue.

After each death, the police department’s news release shared the victims’ birth name along with how they chose to be identified. Police said they would refer to the victims by their preferred names and asked media to do so as well.

The Kansas City Police Department partnered with the Kansas City Anti-Violence Project in 2015 to provide LGBTQ awareness training to its recruits, officers and staff. The training included instruction on LGBTQ terminology and identities and how to effectively advocate and be inclusive of LGBTQ communities.

Training is provided to recruits at the police academy primarily through the department’s diversity coordinator and LGBTQ liaison and occasionally delivered to officers. But advocates say they would like to see the training delivered to all officers and on a more regular basis. They also want to see the police department allocate resources toward employing full-time liaisons and ensuring those officers are affirmed and supported in their roles.

The police department said it believes there is “more to relationship building than training.” One way the police department is able to build a relationship with the community, it said, is through the liaison officer.

Officer Kim Shaw-Ellis has been the department’s LGBTQ liaison since the start of 2017 and is a part of the community herself. The purpose of the liaison, she says, is to help community members have their voices heard when concerns arise, offer ideas for policies or training and assist the investigations unit when crimes occur involving members of the LGBTQ community.

There is “a strong desire, a strong hunger” for that education, Shaw-Ellis said. So much so that other agencies have been inspired to establish their own LGBTQ liaisons. The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office in Kansas is one of them.

Shaw-Ellis has been in law enforcement for 32 years, most of that time spent in Kansas City. The majority of officers, she says, “really do care and want to do the right thing,” but recognize that some in the community may be afraid or hesitant to call police when they need help.

“That has been my experience,” Shaw-Ellis said. “But also knowing that there are real fears in the community of us (police) … To think somebody would be fearful to reach out when they need help, I am going to do everything I can in this last chapter of law enforcement to try to make that different because everyone deserves to feel safe and protected.”

Shaw-Ellis was not notified about the missing transgender teenager, and wasn’t involved in crafting the public bulletin about his case.

In the spring, the police department cut back Shaw-Ellis’ liaison duties and temporarily assigned her to teach basic training at the regional police academy, where she has spent about 80 percent of her time in the past several months.

In written responses to questions from The Star, the police department said it asked Shaw-Ellis to step in as an adjunct instructor earlier this year because of the large number of police academy recruits. The department said it plans to have Shaw-Ellis return to liaison duties after one of the classes graduates in January.

Local advocacy groups say they are grateful for the police department’s liaison, but “in order for a system to be inclusive, then there need to be policies or procedures that support and uplift all of us,” Brown said. “And with KCPD, that is going to take more than one person, more than 20 percent of one person’s time.

“Very little movement can be made,” Brown said, unless police give the liaison more power to make changes and keep that officer informed about incidents involving the community, such as the missing teen.

Looking back to the September afternoon when her child disappeared, Boris says, the police department could have done better.

It happened after school one Friday. Boris received a text from the teen before school let out that day, asking if he could walk home, she said.

The school and the family’s home are about two miles apart, but he had walked before, Boris said. She planned to pick up her other two teens from their school that afternoon, so she thought she would cross his path.

On the road, Boris started looking for her child. She called his cellphone. It went to voicemail.

She waited, thinking he would show up at home or at one of his favorite hangout spots, the library. He didn’t show up.

After driving around the neighborhood, she went to the police department and reported the teen missing.

This was the first time something like this had happened, Boris explained to police.

“I gave them everything that I knew,” Boris said. “Shoes, pants, shirt, backpack, glasses, hair, scars on his face … I’m thinking from top to bottom, every descriptive thing I can give you of my child.”

Police jotted down the information, Boris said. She provided a picture.

In return, police gave Boris a phone number for the missing persons unit and a case number.

The bulletin police later distributed lacked essential information such as the teen’s age, hair color, eye color, weight and height.

It used female pronouns and led with the teen’s previous name.

Friends told Boris to avoid the news stories online, but she looked at some out of curiosity, she said.

“We didn’t know where my child was, we didn’t know who had my child, and if my child has been going by (another name) for the last year and a half and identifies as male, and you’re suddenly saying (the legal name) and ‘she’ … and people were confused,” Boris said. “Are we looking for a boy? Or are we looking for a girl?”

Hernandez, the police spokesman, said when police enter information into their system for a missing person, “we can’t put the name in as someone other than their legal name.”

“If someone goes through the court and legally changes their name, yes, then we can enter it in,” Hernandez said. “We try to do everything we can to be respectful as far as putting out the identification and information on our press releases.”

In the missing teen’s case, police included the teen’s legal name and noted another name he goes by.

Generally speaking, Hernandez said, the police department isn’t always able to get all of the details initially in each case and tries to provide updates as information comes in. In this case, Hernandez said he doesn’t know what information police had been given at the time, “but I know they wanted to get this out as quick as they could.”

To his knowledge, he added, police were not notified of a request to correct the information.

Boris said she managed four hours of sleep that night.

Several people offered to help look, Boris said, “but I was worried because anything could have happened. Not only the fact that this is a kid, but is it hate because my kid identifies as transgender?”

More than 24 hours after the teen disappeared, Boris said, she finally received a call from her child. Police confirmed the teen had been located safe.

But Boris said within half an hour of getting the call, she took him to the hospital to have a rape kit collected.

Boris learned the teen had been talking with a person over a chat app and made plans to meet in a public place. At some point during the encounter, Boris believes, someone took her teen to an apartment where he was sexually assaulted.

The mother said some of what happened to her child that night is unclear. An investigation by the Kansas City Police Department is underway.

“I would like answers. I would like this person to be caught,” Boris said. ”I would like it for adult men to leave underage people alone, whether they’re straight, gay, trans, doesn’t matter. It’s still a minor. That is still a child.”

Nearly three months after the incident, Boris says she’s still waiting on updates from police.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A frightened Kansas City mother rushed to the nearest police station one afternoon in September after her 14-year-old hadn’t come home from school.At the front desk, Judith Boris shared every detail she could think of that could help police find him.What he was wearing when he went to his classes that day. Descriptions of his hair and eye color. His height. His weight. The scars on his face.Then, police asked for the teen’s name.“Legal name? Or what name he goes by?” Boris asked.It was an important question in this case. The teen is transgender, answers to a name different from his legal name and uses male pronouns, Boris explained to police.But later in a missing persons flier distributed to local media, police primarily identified the missing teen by his legal name and used the wrong gender.LGBTQ advocates say that can endanger people who are transgender and can lead to law enforcement losing the trust of a community that already fears being targeted or discriminated against.Melissa Brown, a local advocate with the Kansas City Anti-Violence Project, told&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article235531877.html">The Kansas City Star</a>&nbsp;that seeing the flier for the missing teen broke her heart. The bulletin left out key details and included “a bunch of misgendering,” putting the teen at risk, she said. The teen was eventually located, but the case is now being investigated as a possible sexual assault.The Star is not naming the teen as the newspaper generally does not name minors who may be victims of assault.People who identify as transgender can be more at risk as victims of violence. At least 24 transgender or gender-nonconforming people have been killed in the U.S. this year, with three of those deaths occurring in the Kansas City area, according to the Human Rights Campaign.A report released in November by the FBI counted 7,120 hate crime incidents in 2018. Of that total, 168 incidents were motivated by gender identity bias, a 41% increase from 2017.The Kansas City Police Department has been praised by one national figure for being forthcoming in identifying victims of homicide who are trans and for having an LGBTQ liaison officer. But it falls short, local advocates suggest, when the liaison isn’t looped in on cases like that of the missing teen.In response to questions about the missing teenager’s case, Kansas City police spokesman Capt. Tim Hernandez said he could not say why the flier was written the way it was or why it lacked essential information such as the child’s age and physical description. The flier was written by officers in the Missing Persons Unit.Any misunderstanding or miscommunication “was unintentional,” Hernandez said.Unintentional or not, some advocates say this is one example that shows those in law enforcement need ongoing training to better serve people in the LGBTQ community.When it comes to gender identity, police and advocates agree that sometimes complications can arise. Both say there are ways to navigate them.When police don’t correctly identify transgender people who are victims of violence, it can “diminish trust within the community, confuse investigations and reinforce the very prejudice at the heart of this violence,” said Sarah McBride, national press secretary for the Human Rights Campaign.Misgendering — whether done intentionally or through carelessness — undermines the ability of law enforcement to investigate when a person who is transgender is a victim of violence or has disappeared, McBride said. Police reports that describe a victim as a man in women’s clothing, or use the person’s former name, can also problematic and disrespectful, according to advocates.“Outing” a trans person who has gone missing also could put them or their family members in danger, said Steph Perkins, executive director of PROMO, a Missouri-based LGBTQ advocacy organization.When a person’s gender identity is unclear or unknown, advocates often suggest that police should avoid choosing a gender or use neutral pronouns until more information can be obtained.Brown was out of town when Boris’ child disappeared in September, but remembers seeing the brief missing-persons bulletin that identified the teen using incorrect pronouns.“This actually endangered (the teen) even more putting this out, so that’s where my concern is,” Brown said. ”Is KCPD listening to the community? Are they hearing when we’re saying this is not how that person identified. Can you please shift that language?”Brown works with the Anti-Violence Project to provide services to those experiencing trauma, harassment and violence, including hate crimes. Brown said concerns of hate violence came up in the case of Tamara Dominquez, 36, a transgender woman who was run over with a vehicle and killed near Independence and Spruce avenues in the summer of 2015.When the first police and media reports came out about Dominquez, “there was a lot of misgendering; people deadnamed her,” Brown said, meaning some identified her by her previous name.The driver was arrested and charged in 2016. Luis Sanchez pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and armed criminal action, and was sentenced to 18 years in prison in 2018.“We founded a group specifically for trans people of color after that so that they could have a space to heal and empower each other because we believe still that that was hate violence, a hate crime,” Brown said. “Of course, the police have to do special steps to identify this hate violence.”Sometimes police get it wrong. In rare occurrences, others may confuse the message on social media.It happened in the case of Jamagio Jamar Berryman, a 30-year-old father who was gunned down in the street last September in Kansas City, Kansas. A man thought to be in a relationship with Berryman was arrested across the state line and charged with first-degree murder.Soon after the killing, someone close to Berryman made a post on social media indicating Berryman was transgender.The post was quickly picked up by national outlets and organizations.It caught the attention of Starzette Palmer, executive director for Our Spot KC, a hub of resources for people in the community. The information hadn’t been verified, Palmer said, so she and other advocates reached out to Berryman’s family.Palmer and three advocates met with the family, who asked media outlets to stop misidentifying Berryman. The family described Berryman as a man and a father to a 5-year-old girl.“Jamar was not a person who identified as a woman,” said one of the advocates, Nyla Foster of the Trans Women of Color Collective.“The image that’s being distributed of Jamar dressed like a woman is only a piece of how he expressed himself, but it is not how he identified, so can we please stop using that language out of respect for the family and who Jamar was?”The experience sparked conversations among advocates.“How do we find a silver lining in this, in how we educate on what this means?’” Palmer said.When people who are transgender or gender-nonconforming disappear or die from homicide, police and advocates are often at the mercy of family and the community in what they can learn about them.The timing of coming out is also something to consider.“People don’t come out to every single person in their whole life at once, and so often people who identify as part of the transgender community — whether that’s because they identify as transgender or non binary or a host of other identities under the transgender umbrella — their friends may know them as transgender and their family may not or vice versa,” Perkins said.McBride, of the Human Rights Campaign, points to the Kansas City Police Department as an example of an agency that has taken steps over the last few years to serve the transgender community “with respect and dignity.”Police showed the ability to meet that need in 2019 when two killings occurred in the city involving victims who were transgender.In June, Brooklyn Lindsey, 32, was found dead with obvious signs of trauma to the face and gunshot wounds in the 600 block of Spruce Avenue, close to the same intersection where Dominquez was killed four years earlier.Then, in October, Brianna “BB” Hill, 30, was fatally shot in the 4300 block of Hardesty Avenue.After each death, the police department’s news release shared the victims’ birth name along with how they chose to be identified. Police said they would refer to the victims by their preferred names and asked media to do so as well.The Kansas City Police Department partnered with the Kansas City Anti-Violence Project in 2015 to provide LGBTQ awareness training to its recruits, officers and staff. The training included instruction on LGBTQ terminology and identities and how to effectively advocate and be inclusive of LGBTQ communities.Training is provided to recruits at the police academy primarily through the department’s diversity coordinator and LGBTQ liaison and occasionally delivered to officers. But advocates say they would like to see the training delivered to all officers and on a more regular basis. They also want to see the police department allocate resources toward employing full-time liaisons and ensuring those officers are affirmed and supported in their roles.The police department said it believes there is “more to relationship building than training.” One way the police department is able to build a relationship with the community, it said, is through the liaison officer.Officer Kim Shaw-Ellis has been the department’s LGBTQ liaison since the start of 2017 and is a part of the community herself. The purpose of the liaison, she says, is to help community members have their voices heard when concerns arise, offer ideas for policies or training and assist the investigations unit when crimes occur involving members of the LGBTQ community.There is “a strong desire, a strong hunger” for that education, Shaw-Ellis said. So much so that other agencies have been inspired to establish their own LGBTQ liaisons. The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office in Kansas is one of them.Shaw-Ellis has been in law enforcement for 32 years, most of that time spent in Kansas City. The majority of officers, she says, “really do care and want to do the right thing,” but recognize that some in the community may be afraid or hesitant to call police when they need help.“That has been my experience,” Shaw-Ellis said. “But also knowing that there are real fears in the community of us (police) … To think somebody would be fearful to reach out when they need help, I am going to do everything I can in this last chapter of law enforcement to try to make that different because everyone deserves to feel safe and protected.”Shaw-Ellis was not notified about the missing transgender teenager, and wasn’t involved in crafting the public bulletin about his case.In the spring, the police department cut back Shaw-Ellis’ liaison duties and temporarily assigned her to teach basic training at the regional police academy, where she has spent about 80 percent of her time in the past several months.In written responses to questions from The Star, the police department said it asked Shaw-Ellis to step in as an adjunct instructor earlier this year because of the large number of police academy recruits. The department said it plans to have Shaw-Ellis return to liaison duties after one of the classes graduates in January.Local advocacy groups say they are grateful for the police department’s liaison, but “in order for a system to be inclusive, then there need to be policies or procedures that support and uplift all of us,” Brown said. “And with KCPD, that is going to take more than one person, more than 20 percent of one person’s time.“Very little movement can be made,” Brown said, unless police give the liaison more power to make changes and keep that officer informed about incidents involving the community, such as the missing teen.Looking back to the September afternoon when her child disappeared, Boris says, the police department could have done better.It happened after school one Friday. Boris received a text from the teen before school let out that day, asking if he could walk home, she said.The school and the family’s home are about two miles apart, but he had walked before, Boris said. She planned to pick up her other two teens from their school that afternoon, so she thought she would cross his path.On the road, Boris started looking for her child. She called his cellphone. It went to voicemail.She waited, thinking he would show up at home or at one of his favorite hangout spots, the library. He didn’t show up.After driving around the neighborhood, she went to the police department and reported the teen missing.This was the first time something like this had happened, Boris explained to police.“I gave them everything that I knew,” Boris said. “Shoes, pants, shirt, backpack, glasses, hair, scars on his face … I’m thinking from top to bottom, every descriptive thing I can give you of my child.”Police jotted down the information, Boris said. She provided a picture.In return, police gave Boris a phone number for the missing persons unit and a case number.The bulletin police later distributed lacked essential information such as the teen’s age, hair color, eye color, weight and height.It used female pronouns and led with the teen’s previous name.Friends told Boris to avoid the news stories online, but she looked at some out of curiosity, she said.“We didn’t know where my child was, we didn’t know who had my child, and if my child has been going by (another name) for the last year and a half and identifies as male, and you’re suddenly saying (the legal name) and ‘she’ … and people were confused,” Boris said. “Are we looking for a boy? Or are we looking for a girl?”Hernandez, the police spokesman, said when police enter information into their system for a missing person, “we can’t put the name in as someone other than their legal name.”“If someone goes through the court and legally changes their name, yes, then we can enter it in,” Hernandez said. “We try to do everything we can to be respectful as far as putting out the identification and information on our press releases.”In the missing teen’s case, police included the teen’s legal name and noted another name he goes by.Generally speaking, Hernandez said, the police department isn’t always able to get all of the details initially in each case and tries to provide updates as information comes in. In this case, Hernandez said he doesn’t know what information police had been given at the time, “but I know they wanted to get this out as quick as they could.”To his knowledge, he added, police were not notified of a request to correct the information.Boris said she managed four hours of sleep that night.Several people offered to help look, Boris said, “but I was worried because anything could have happened. Not only the fact that this is a kid, but is it hate because my kid identifies as transgender?”More than 24 hours after the teen disappeared, Boris said, she finally received a call from her child. Police confirmed the teen had been located safe.But Boris said within half an hour of getting the call, she took him to the hospital to have a rape kit collected.Boris learned the teen had been talking with a person over a chat app and made plans to meet in a public place. At some point during the encounter, Boris believes, someone took her teen to an apartment where he was sexually assaulted.The mother said some of what happened to her child that night is unclear. An investigation by the Kansas City Police Department is underway.“I would like answers. I would like this person to be caught,” Boris said. ”I would like it for adult men to leave underage people alone, whether they’re straight, gay, trans, doesn’t matter. It’s still a minor. That is still a child.”Nearly three months after the incident, Boris says she’s still waiting on updates from police.

Missing KC transgender teen misidentified, LGBT groups speak up

At year’s end, First Amendment issues are as controversial and multi-faceted as anything in our fractured, divided society.

The least-recognized of the amendment’s five freedoms — assembly and petition — are facing perhaps the most-immediate challenges, though freedoms of press, speech and religion don’t escape unscathed.

Most immediately, a Black Lives Matter activist faces a lawsuit from a
 Baton Rouge, La., police officer who blamed the activist for injuries 
he suffered at a 2016 protest over the police killing of a black man. 
The suit doesn’t claim the activist threw or even encouraged the 
throwing of a rock; rather, it seeks damages because the man led others 
to block a highway where the violent incident occurred.

A recent Washington Post story notes that Rep. Jim Banks 
(R-Ind.) plans to introduce legislation to “hold protesters arrested 
during unpermitted demonstrations liable ‘for police overtime and other 
fees’” around such demonstrations.

In more than a dozen states in recent years, from Oregon to Florida, 
lawmakers have faced proposals to increase penalties for obstructing 
streets and highways and to limit the financial liability of drivers 
whose cars injure protesters. In Arizona, a failed 2017 proposal rooted 
in that state’s racketeering laws would have permitted the arrest and 
seizure of homes and other assets of those whom simply plan a protest in
 which some act of violence occurs.

In a similar “financial penalty” vein, several major news operations 
face defamation lawsuits seeking massive damages over their coverage of 
news events — claims certain to roil public debate once again about the 
role, credibility and performance of the nation’s free press. Critics 
also say such lawsuits — even if unlikely to succeed — are effectively 
attempts to chill reporting and intimidate corporate owners.

Prominent among those filing the lawsuits is Rep. Devin Nunes, (R-Calif., who <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2019/12/03/devin-nunes-sues-cnn-million-alleging-it-published-false-hit-piece/" target="_blank">wants $435 million dollars from CNN</a>
 for a report he says falsely linked him to events in the ongoing 
Ukraine-Biden investigation controversy. He also is seeking $150 million
 from The Fresno Bee over a report involving a workplace scandal at a winery in which Nunes&nbsp;has a stake, $75 million from Hearst over an Esquire
 article regarding a family farm in Iowa, with the claim the magazine 
has an “axe to grind against him” and a $250 million lawsuit against 
Twitter for what he says is its intentional effort to downplay 
conservative content as well as two parody accounts that mock him.

In the introduction to the most recent lawsuit, Nunes says “CNN is 
the mother of fake news. It is the least trusted name. CNN is eroding 
the fabric of America, proselytizing, sowing distrust and disharmony. It
 must be held accountable.”

Moving to another area of contention, campus free speech issues 
continue to vex collegiate communities, from complaints that 
conservative speech and views of faculty and staff are stifled, to a 
move by President Trump that he says will fight against anti-Semitism 
but that critics say is really intended to punish student or faculty 
advocacy for the BDS Movement — “boycotts, divestiture or sanctions” — 
aimed at ending international support for Israel.

Much like the campus controversies, interpretations of religious 
liberty regarding public policy continued to swirl through the year. As 
the Supreme Court’s 2019-20 term began in October, at least eight cases 
touching on faith issues — the most in recent years — were scheduled to 
be heard. A number involved LGBTQ rights regarding employment or health 
benefits. While some cases do not directly involve religious 
organizations, the court’s decisions would affect arguments over whether
 religious beliefs can negate claims of discrimination on the basis of 
sexual preference.

An expansion of First Amendment protection for commercial speech 
(which at one time did not exist in law) continues, as courts at least 
give serious consideration to a variety of business arguments. In 
several instances, corporate lawyers are arguing that to force companies
 to make certain disclosures about product content or sources is an 
unacceptable requirement that violates the First Amendment by forcing 
companies to “speak.”

Other cases involve claims of free speech protection for hospitals 
facing a Trump administration rule requiring disclosure of secret rates.
 Industry groups filed a lawsuit earlier this month, also claiming it is
 “compelled speech” in violation of the First Amendment.

New technology continues inexorably to challenge long-standing law. 
In a mix of free speech and public safety concerns, a Texas man was 
sentenced in February to eight years in prison for using a 3-D printer 
to construct a plastic handgun and ammunition in violation of a prior 
court order against owning of a firearm. Advocates for the so-called 
“3-D gun” argue the computer instructions in such 3-D printing projects 
are “speech” and not subject to federal or state firearms regulations. 
Government officials say existing criminal law on issues such as 
possession and manufacturing should allow them to regulate — or ban — 
making or owning such weapons.

Government officials and social media critics continue to hammer 
operations such as Facebook and Twitter — which are not government 
entities, but private concerns not governed by the First Amendment — 
with regulatory threats over political advertising, hate speech and 
evidence of foreign election interference.

Threatened action ranges from using anti-trust legislation to break 
up the largest social media companies, to removal of what is known as 
“Section 230” protection for companies (from the Communications Decency 
Act of 1996) that now permits them to avoid legal responsibility for 
content they simply carry, rather than material they create or 
significantly edit.

Opponents of watering down or removing “Section 230” protection say 
either action would, in effect, end the web as we know it by shutting 
down the flow of information to the mere trickle of items or articles 
that could be independently verified by internet providers, or to bland 
factual accounts devoid of opinion or interpretation.

The year 2019 may well go down in First Amendment history as a 
turning point, in which those working to limit or control information 
avoided direct confrontations over First Amendment rights and turned to 
tactics designed to make it much more difficult, much too costly or even
 financially ruinous to exercise those rights.

Gene Policinski is president and chief operating officer of the Freedom Forum Institute. He can be reached at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:gpolicinski@freedomforum.org" target="_blank">gpolicinski@freedomforum.org</a>, or follow him on Twitter at&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/@genefac" target="_blank">@genefac</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573872297806.png" alt="Gene Policinski is president and chief operating officer of the Freedom Forum Institute." />
 <figcaption>Gene Policinski is president and chief operating officer of the Freedom Forum Institute.</figcaption>
 </figure>At year’s end, First Amendment issues are as controversial and multi-faceted as anything in our fractured, divided society.The least-recognized of the amendment’s five freedoms — assembly and petition — are facing perhaps the most-immediate challenges, though freedoms of press, speech and religion don’t escape unscathed.Most immediately, a Black Lives Matter activist faces a lawsuit from a
 Baton Rouge, La., police officer who blamed the activist for injuries 
he suffered at a 2016 protest over the police killing of a black man. 
The suit doesn’t claim the activist threw or even encouraged the 
throwing of a rock; rather, it seeks damages because the man led others 
to block a highway where the violent incident occurred.A recent Washington Post story notes that Rep. Jim Banks 
(R-Ind.) plans to introduce legislation to “hold protesters arrested 
during unpermitted demonstrations liable ‘for police overtime and other 
fees’” around such demonstrations.In more than a dozen states in recent years, from Oregon to Florida, 
lawmakers have faced proposals to increase penalties for obstructing 
streets and highways and to limit the financial liability of drivers 
whose cars injure protesters. In Arizona, a failed 2017 proposal rooted 
in that state’s racketeering laws would have permitted the arrest and 
seizure of homes and other assets of those whom simply plan a protest in
 which some act of violence occurs.In a similar “financial penalty” vein, several major news operations 
face defamation lawsuits seeking massive damages over their coverage of 
news events — claims certain to roil public debate once again about the 
role, credibility and performance of the nation’s free press. Critics 
also say such lawsuits — even if unlikely to succeed — are effectively 
attempts to chill reporting and intimidate corporate owners.Prominent among those filing the lawsuits is Rep. Devin Nunes, (R-Calif., who <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2019/12/03/devin-nunes-sues-cnn-million-alleging-it-published-false-hit-piece/" target="_blank">wants $435 million dollars from CNN</a>
 for a report he says falsely linked him to events in the ongoing 
Ukraine-Biden investigation controversy. He also is seeking $150 million
 from The Fresno Bee over a report involving a workplace scandal at a winery in which Nunes&nbsp;has a stake, $75 million from Hearst over an Esquire
 article regarding a family farm in Iowa, with the claim the magazine 
has an “axe to grind against him” and a $250 million lawsuit against 
Twitter for what he says is its intentional effort to downplay 
conservative content as well as two parody accounts that mock him.In the introduction to the most recent lawsuit, Nunes says “CNN is 
the mother of fake news. It is the least trusted name. CNN is eroding 
the fabric of America, proselytizing, sowing distrust and disharmony. It
 must be held accountable.”Moving to another area of contention, campus free speech issues 
continue to vex collegiate communities, from complaints that 
conservative speech and views of faculty and staff are stifled, to a 
move by President Trump that he says will fight against anti-Semitism 
but that critics say is really intended to punish student or faculty 
advocacy for the BDS Movement — “boycotts, divestiture or sanctions” — 
aimed at ending international support for Israel.Much like the campus controversies, interpretations of religious 
liberty regarding public policy continued to swirl through the year. As 
the Supreme Court’s 2019-20 term began in October, at least eight cases 
touching on faith issues — the most in recent years — were scheduled to 
be heard. A number involved LGBTQ rights regarding employment or health 
benefits. While some cases do not directly involve religious 
organizations, the court’s decisions would affect arguments over whether
 religious beliefs can negate claims of discrimination on the basis of 
sexual preference.An expansion of First Amendment protection for commercial speech 
(which at one time did not exist in law) continues, as courts at least 
give serious consideration to a variety of business arguments. In 
several instances, corporate lawyers are arguing that to force companies
 to make certain disclosures about product content or sources is an 
unacceptable requirement that violates the First Amendment by forcing 
companies to “speak.”Other cases involve claims of free speech protection for hospitals 
facing a Trump administration rule requiring disclosure of secret rates.
 Industry groups filed a lawsuit earlier this month, also claiming it is
 “compelled speech” in violation of the First Amendment.New technology continues inexorably to challenge long-standing law. 
In a mix of free speech and public safety concerns, a Texas man was 
sentenced in February to eight years in prison for using a 3-D printer 
to construct a plastic handgun and ammunition in violation of a prior 
court order against owning of a firearm. Advocates for the so-called 
“3-D gun” argue the computer instructions in such 3-D printing projects 
are “speech” and not subject to federal or state firearms regulations. 
Government officials say existing criminal law on issues such as 
possession and manufacturing should allow them to regulate — or ban — 
making or owning such weapons.Government officials and social media critics continue to hammer 
operations such as Facebook and Twitter — which are not government 
entities, but private concerns not governed by the First Amendment — 
with regulatory threats over political advertising, hate speech and 
evidence of foreign election interference.Threatened action ranges from using anti-trust legislation to break 
up the largest social media companies, to removal of what is known as 
“Section 230” protection for companies (from the Communications Decency 
Act of 1996) that now permits them to avoid legal responsibility for 
content they simply carry, rather than material they create or 
significantly edit.Opponents of watering down or removing “Section 230” protection say 
either action would, in effect, end the web as we know it by shutting 
down the flow of information to the mere trickle of items or articles 
that could be independently verified by internet providers, or to bland 
factual accounts devoid of opinion or interpretation.The year 2019 may well go down in First Amendment history as a 
turning point, in which those working to limit or control information 
avoided direct confrontations over First Amendment rights and turned to 
tactics designed to make it much more difficult, much too costly or even
 financially ruinous to exercise those rights.Gene Policinski is president and chief operating officer of the Freedom Forum Institute. He can be reached at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:gpolicinski@freedomforum.org" target="_blank">gpolicinski@freedomforum.org</a>, or follow him on Twitter at&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/@genefac" target="_blank">@genefac</a>.

FIRST FIVE: We’re divided in new ways over core freedoms

LARNED — Donald (Don) Vernon Ellis, Belgrade, Mont., formerly of Rozel, Kan., passed away on Dec. 20, 2019. He was born on March 4, 1936 at Nekoma, Kan., to Harry and Beulah Ellis.

He was raised on a farm north of Rozel. Don attended a one-room school house for the first six years, graduating from Rozel High School in May 1953.&nbsp; In August 1954, Don enlisted in the U.S. Army, serving during the Korean War.&nbsp; Don was honorably discharged in 1956 with the rank of corporal.

Don married Carol Willis&nbsp;on May 28, 1957 in LaCrosse, Kan. Carol passed away on Jan. 14, 2014.

Don was a retired truck driver. He served many rolls throughout his life. He was a farmer with his dad, a custom harvester, a father, a grandfather and the roll he cherished the most was a loving husband to Carol.

He was a volunteer at Habitat for Humanity for four years. His passion has always been hunting, camping and fishing. In the fall of 2019, at the age of 83, Don went for his last antelope hunt, killing two. Once again, he got in that last hunt that he never thought he would get to do. He was a Lifetime Member of the American Legion Post #106 in Larned, Kan., serving several terms as the Post Commander.&nbsp;

Don and Carol followed their lifelong dream of living in the mountains when they moved to Missoula, Montana in 1984.&nbsp; They lived in Missoula before moving to Belgrade, Montana to be closer to their daughter after Carol suffered a stroke.&nbsp; Don has resided in Belgrade, Mont., since October 2007.

Don is survived by his children, Don Jr. (Susan) – Youngsville, La., Susie – Lake Charles, La., LeAnna – Pawnee Rock, Kan., and Stacey (Scott) – Belgrade, Mont.&nbsp; He has seven grandchildren, Stephen (Dawn) Ellis, Shannon Ellis, Grant (Shannon) Unruh, Odie (Nicole) Unruh, Marci (Chance) Maes, Marcus Allen and Sadie Glaude.&nbsp; He has 11 great-grandchildren, Madeline, Emily, Beau and Henry Ellis, Hailey and Gage Peterson, Brogan, Tristian and Ellis Unruh and Dahvon Pierce, Allen and Zayden Groff. 

Don is also survived by 2 special friends that he has always thought of as his own kids, Tommy and Kathy Fitch. Don is survived by a brother, Harry (Carolyn, Bozeman, Mont., as well as two sisters, Judi Welch, Larned, Kan., and Sharilyn (Frank) Reifschneider, Wichita, Kan., as well as his brother-in-law Bob (Sue) Willis, Cookeville, Tenn. He is survived by many nieces, nephews and cousins.

Don was preceded in death by his wife, Carol, parents, Harry and Beulah Ellis, in-laws, Harry Willis and Janet Smith, brothers, Leroy, Larry and Ed; brother-in-law Lynn Welch as well as sisters-in laws Donna Claney, Tiney Tharpe and Anna Johns.

A memorial service will be&nbsp;at 1 p.m. Friday, Jan. 3, 2020 at Beckwith Mortuary Chapel with Gene Price presiding.

Visitation will be from 9 a.m to 8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 2, 2020 with family present from 6 to 8 p.m. Military graveside rights to follow service with a reception at the VFW in Larned.

Memorials may be made to Don Ellis Memorial Fund, Beckwith Mortuary, PO Box 477, Larned, KS 67550 or to the American Legion Auxiliary, Walter S. Chears Post 106.

Personal condolences may be left at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.beckwithmortuary.com/">www.beckwithmortuary.com</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1577204223173.jpeg" alt="Donald (Don) Vernon Ellis" />
 <figcaption>Donald (Don) Vernon Ellis</figcaption>
 </figure>LARNED — Donald (Don) Vernon Ellis, Belgrade, Mont., formerly of Rozel, Kan., passed away on Dec. 20, 2019. He was born on March 4, 1936 at Nekoma, Kan., to Harry and Beulah Ellis.He was raised on a farm north of Rozel. Don attended a one-room school house for the first six years, graduating from Rozel High School in May 1953.&nbsp; In August 1954, Don enlisted in the U.S. Army, serving during the Korean War.&nbsp; Don was honorably discharged in 1956 with the rank of corporal.Don married Carol Willis&nbsp;on May 28, 1957 in LaCrosse, Kan. Carol passed away on Jan. 14, 2014.Don was a retired truck driver. He served many rolls throughout his life. He was a farmer with his dad, a custom harvester, a father, a grandfather and the roll he cherished the most was a loving husband to Carol.He was a volunteer at Habitat for Humanity for four years. His passion has always been hunting, camping and fishing. In the fall of 2019, at the age of 83, Don went for his last antelope hunt, killing two. Once again, he got in that last hunt that he never thought he would get to do. He was a Lifetime Member of the American Legion Post #106 in Larned, Kan., serving several terms as the Post Commander.&nbsp;Don and Carol followed their lifelong dream of living in the mountains when they moved to Missoula, Montana in 1984.&nbsp; They lived in Missoula before moving to Belgrade, Montana to be closer to their daughter after Carol suffered a stroke.&nbsp; Don has resided in Belgrade, Mont., since October 2007.Don is survived by his children, Don Jr. (Susan) – Youngsville, La., Susie – Lake Charles, La., LeAnna – Pawnee Rock, Kan., and Stacey (Scott) – Belgrade, Mont.&nbsp; He has seven grandchildren, Stephen (Dawn) Ellis, Shannon Ellis, Grant (Shannon) Unruh, Odie (Nicole) Unruh, Marci (Chance) Maes, Marcus Allen and Sadie Glaude.&nbsp; He has 11 great-grandchildren, Madeline, Emily, Beau and Henry Ellis, Hailey and Gage Peterson, Brogan, Tristian and Ellis Unruh and Dahvon Pierce, Allen and Zayden Groff. Don is also survived by 2 special friends that he has always thought of as his own kids, Tommy and Kathy Fitch. Don is survived by a brother, Harry (Carolyn, Bozeman, Mont., as well as two sisters, Judi Welch, Larned, Kan., and Sharilyn (Frank) Reifschneider, Wichita, Kan., as well as his brother-in-law Bob (Sue) Willis, Cookeville, Tenn. He is survived by many nieces, nephews and cousins.Don was preceded in death by his wife, Carol, parents, Harry and Beulah Ellis, in-laws, Harry Willis and Janet Smith, brothers, Leroy, Larry and Ed; brother-in-law Lynn Welch as well as sisters-in laws Donna Claney, Tiney Tharpe and Anna Johns.A memorial service will be&nbsp;at 1 p.m. Friday, Jan. 3, 2020 at Beckwith Mortuary Chapel with Gene Price presiding.Visitation will be from 9 a.m to 8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 2, 2020 with family present from 6 to 8 p.m. Military graveside rights to follow service with a reception at the VFW in Larned.Memorials may be made to Don Ellis Memorial Fund, Beckwith Mortuary, PO Box 477, Larned, KS 67550 or to the American Legion Auxiliary, Walter S. Chears Post 106.Personal condolences may be left at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.beckwithmortuary.com/">www.beckwithmortuary.com</a>.

HASTINGS, Neb. (AP) - A man already sentenced to prison for having sex with his adult daughter has taken a plea deal on the same charge in a different Nebraska county.

Travis Fieldgrove, 40, pleaded no contest Wednesday to attempted incest and is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 14, according to Adams County District Court records. Prosecutors had reduced the charge from incest in return for Fieldgrove's plea.

He made a similar deal in neighboring Hall County, where he lived, and was sentenced in May to two years in prison, court records say.

Fieldgrove and his daughter Samantha Kershner, now 21, married in Adams County in October last year, a month after police began to investigate their relationship. She reported to police that she told her mother three years ago that she wanted to meet her father. 

Her mother arranged a meeting with Fieldgrove, and she and Fieldgrove had a father-daughter relationship until September last year, when it turned sexual, they told authorities in both counties. DNA tests have confirmed their biological relationship, authorities have said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1577127481494.png" alt="Fieldgrove Nebraska Offender Registry" />
 <figcaption>Fieldgrove Nebraska Offender Registry</figcaption>
 </figure>HASTINGS, Neb. (AP) - A man already sentenced to prison for having sex with his adult daughter has taken a plea deal on the same charge in a different Nebraska county.Travis Fieldgrove, 40, pleaded no contest Wednesday to attempted incest and is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 14, according to Adams County District Court records. Prosecutors had reduced the charge from incest in return for Fieldgrove's plea.He made a similar deal in neighboring Hall County, where he lived, and was sentenced in May to two years in prison, court records say.Fieldgrove and his daughter Samantha Kershner, now 21, married in Adams County in October last year, a month after police began to investigate their relationship. She reported to police that she told her mother three years ago that she wanted to meet her father. Her mother arranged a meeting with Fieldgrove, and she and Fieldgrove had a father-daughter relationship until September last year, when it turned sexual, they told authorities in both counties. DNA tests have confirmed their biological relationship, authorities have said.

Man imprisoned for having sex with adult daughter takes plea deal

TOPEKA, Kan. –&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) with assistance from the DNA Doe Project has identified the remains of a previously unidentified homicide victim who was found in 1987 in Marion County, Kansas, according to a media release from the agency.

On September 21, 1987, a county road crew discovered human remains off 290th&nbsp;St., a rural road near Lincolnville, Kan. The investigation revealed the female victim had been murdered. Typical identification methods were unsuccessful since the remains were badly decomposed. At the time of the discovery, the Kansas State University Anthropology Department examined the remains and created a physical profile of the victim. It was determined she was a white female between 20-35 years, who had likely died two to three months prior to her discovery.&nbsp;

In February 2019, KBI agents and forensic scientists, with assistance from the DNA Doe Project, worked to identify the woman using DNA testing and forensic genetic genealogy searching. During this search, a distant cousin was identified who had submitted DNA to an online service. A family tree was constructed and it was determined that the victim was closely related to the Carnall family from Cherryvale, Kan.

KBI agents were then able to connect with Leonard (Bud) and Donna Carnall of Corpus Christi, Texas, who had a missing daughter, Michelle. In October, the Carnalls voluntarily submitted DNA so that the KBI could test it against the woman's DNA. That testing recently confirmed that the remains found in Marion County back in 1987 belonged to their missing daughter.

The victim has been identified as Michelle E. Carnall-Burton. At the time she was killed, Carnall-Burton was 22-years-old and lived in Wichita. In 1986, she had left her home in Cherryvale, and lost touch with her family.

Carnall-Burton was a white female, 5 ft. 7 in. tall, and weighed approximately 140 lbs. She had brown hair and hazel eyes. She had a small cross tattooed on her lower left forearm.

The KBI is pursuing leads in this case and asks anyone with knowledge of Carnall-Burton's whereabouts in June or July of 1987 to contact the KBI at 1-800-KS-CRIME, or submit a tip to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kbi.ks.gov/sar" target="_blank">https://www.kbi.ks.gov/sar</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1577135868238.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. –&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) with assistance from the DNA Doe Project has identified the remains of a previously unidentified homicide victim who was found in 1987 in Marion County, Kansas, according to a media release from the agency.On September 21, 1987, a county road crew discovered human remains off 290th&nbsp;St., a rural road near Lincolnville, Kan. The investigation revealed the female victim had been murdered. Typical identification methods were unsuccessful since the remains were badly decomposed. At the time of the discovery, the Kansas State University Anthropology Department examined the remains and created a physical profile of the victim. It was determined she was a white female between 20-35 years, who had likely died two to three months prior to her discovery.&nbsp;In February 2019, KBI agents and forensic scientists, with assistance from the DNA Doe Project, worked to identify the woman using DNA testing and forensic genetic genealogy searching. During this search, a distant cousin was identified who had submitted DNA to an online service. A family tree was constructed and it was determined that the victim was closely related to the Carnall family from Cherryvale, Kan.KBI agents were then able to connect with Leonard (Bud) and Donna Carnall of Corpus Christi, Texas, who had a missing daughter, Michelle. In October, the Carnalls voluntarily submitted DNA so that the KBI could test it against the woman's DNA. That testing recently confirmed that the remains found in Marion County back in 1987 belonged to their missing daughter.The victim has been identified as Michelle E. Carnall-Burton. At the time she was killed, Carnall-Burton was 22-years-old and lived in Wichita. In 1986, she had left her home in Cherryvale, and lost touch with her family.Carnall-Burton was a white female, 5 ft. 7 in. tall, and weighed approximately 140 lbs. She had brown hair and hazel eyes. She had a small cross tattooed on her lower left forearm.The KBI is pursuing leads in this case and asks anyone with knowledge of Carnall-Burton's whereabouts in June or July of 1987 to contact the KBI at 1-800-KS-CRIME, or submit a tip to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kbi.ks.gov/sar" target="_blank">https://www.kbi.ks.gov/sar</a>.

KBI uses forensic genetic genealogy to identify woman killed in 1987

BUCHANAN COUNTY, Mo. — A Kansas man has been sentenced prison after being convicted of sexually abusing two minor children.

Cody Curry, 31, Olathe, was sentenced Friday for crimes he committed against a child victim, according to a media release from the Buchanan County prosecuting attorney.

During the sentencing hearing, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Kristina Zeit argued  for Curry to receive a sentence of 75 years in prison. 

In October, Curry was  found guilty of statutory sodomy in the first degree after the state presented evidence from  thirteen witnesses, including two child victims who described the abuse Cody Curry had inflicted upon them. 

 Both victims were present for the sentencing, along with their families. Buchanan County Circuit Court Judge Robb sentenced the defendant to 22 years in prison.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1577123647508.png" alt="Curry photo Buchanan County" />
 <figcaption>Curry photo Buchanan County</figcaption>
 </figure>BUCHANAN COUNTY, Mo. — A Kansas man has been sentenced prison after being convicted of sexually abusing two minor children.Cody Curry, 31, Olathe, was sentenced Friday for crimes he committed against a child victim, according to a media release from the Buchanan County prosecuting attorney.During the sentencing hearing, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Kristina Zeit argued for Curry to receive a sentence of 75 years in prison. In October, Curry was found guilty of statutory sodomy in the first degree after the state presented evidence from thirteen witnesses, including two child victims who described the abuse Cody Curry had inflicted upon them. Both victims were present for the sentencing, along with their families. Buchanan County Circuit Court Judge Robb sentenced the defendant to 22 years in prison.

13 witnesses help prosecutors in Kansas man's sex crimes trial

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A federal lawsuit alleges that Kansas City, Kansas, police broke into a man’s home in the middle of the night and beat him before having him charged with battery of a law enforcement officer.

Joseph Harter, 43, claims in the lawsuit filed last week in federal court that he was temporarily blinded by blood in his eyes and went to a hospital after the October 2018 beating.

The police department and the Unified Government of Wyandotte County declined to comment Wednesday on the pending litigation, which alleges that Harter was the victim of illegal entry, battery, false imprisonment and excessive force.

The municipal battery charge that was filed against him was dropped less than two months later “due to prosecutor discretion and pending investigation,” according to court records.

Harter’s attorney, William Dunn, said he does not believe Harter had interacted with Kansas City, Kansas, police before that night. It was unclear why police would have been at his house.

“I think what you’re wanting to understand, and certainly I want to understand too but I don’t, is what are the police doing in there,” he said to a reporter. “That will hopefully come out as the case moves forward.”

Dunn said that by filing suit Harter is hoping for compensation for his $13,000 in medical bills and lasting trauma. Harter and Dunn also hope to prevent such an event from happening to another resident of Kansas City, Kansas, he said.

“Maybe, depending on how this all shakes out, maybe the unified government needs to take a look at their policies and procedures and who they’re hiring to carry them out,” he said.

Wyandotte County prosecutor’s office spokesman Jonathan Carter said in an email that no officers were charged in the case.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1576791428455.png" alt="Joseph Harter photo Wyandotte County" />
 <figcaption>Joseph Harter photo Wyandotte County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A federal lawsuit alleges that Kansas City, Kansas, police broke into a man’s home in the middle of the night and beat him before having him charged with battery of a law enforcement officer.Joseph Harter, 43, claims in the lawsuit filed last week in federal court that he was temporarily blinded by blood in his eyes and went to a hospital after the October 2018 beating.The police department and the Unified Government of Wyandotte County declined to comment Wednesday on the pending litigation, which alleges that Harter was the victim of illegal entry, battery, false imprisonment and excessive force.The municipal battery charge that was filed against him was dropped less than two months later “due to prosecutor discretion and pending investigation,” according to court records.Harter’s attorney, William Dunn, said he does not believe Harter had interacted with Kansas City, Kansas, police before that night. It was unclear why police would have been at his house.“I think what you’re wanting to understand, and certainly I want to understand too but I don’t, is what are the police doing in there,” he said to a reporter. “That will hopefully come out as the case moves forward.”Dunn said that by filing suit Harter is hoping for compensation for his $13,000 in medical bills and lasting trauma. Harter and Dunn also hope to prevent such an event from happening to another resident of Kansas City, Kansas, he said.“Maybe, depending on how this all shakes out, maybe the unified government needs to take a look at their policies and procedures and who they’re hiring to carry them out,” he said.Wyandotte County prosecutor’s office spokesman Jonathan Carter said in an email that no officers were charged in the case.