SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal October shooting moved a suspect who had been the subject of search over the past month to a jail in Topeka.

On Nov. 29, police in Kansas City, Kansas located 29-year-old&nbsp; Tremale M. Serrano after police asked the&nbsp;public for help to find him for the death of 23-year-old&nbsp; Jackson E. Danner of Topeka. He is being held on a $1million dollar bond on charges of second degree murder. He is also accused of a violation of a protection order of abuse and harass by telephone, according to online jail records.

On October 15, police responded to a report of an individual laying in the front yard of a home in the 1600 block of SW 21st Street in Topeka, according to police spokesperson Rosie Nichols.

First responders located. Danner who was pronounced deceased at the scene.

On November 14, police booked 33-year-old Aaron Serrano into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections in connection with Danner's death. He remains jailed on a $1 million bond for the alleged murder and faces accusations of aggravated domestic battery, domestic battery, theft and criminal damage to property, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701366750026.png" alt="Tremale Serrano Wyandotte Co." />
 <figcaption>Tremale Serrano Wyandotte Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal October shooting moved a suspect who had been the subject of search over the past month to a jail in Topeka.On Nov. 29, police in Kansas City, Kansas located 29-year-old&nbsp; Tremale M. Serrano after police asked the&nbsp;public for help to find him for the death of 23-year-old&nbsp; Jackson E. Danner of Topeka. He is being held on a $1million dollar bond on charges of second degree murder. He is also accused of a violation of a protection order of abuse and harass by telephone, according to online jail records.On October 15, police responded to a report of an individual laying in the front yard of a home in the 1600 block of SW 21st Street in Topeka, according to police spokesperson Rosie Nichols.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700082583370.png" alt="Aaron Serrano" />
 <figcaption>Aaron Serrano</figcaption>
 </figure>First responders located. Danner who was pronounced deceased at the scene.On November 14, police booked 33-year-old Aaron Serrano into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections in connection with Danner's death. He remains jailed on a $1 million bond for the alleged murder and faces accusations of aggravated domestic battery, domestic battery, theft and criminal damage to property, according to online jail records.

Suspect in October killing moved to different Kansas jail

BOSTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;told campaign donors Tuesday that he wasn’t sure he’d be running for reelection if Donald Trump wasn’t also in the race, warning that democracy is “more at risk in 2024” and that the former president and his allies are out to “destroy” democratic institutions.

The president was using a trio of fundraisers to caution against what might happen should his predecessor again claim control of the White House, noting that Trump has described himself as his supporters’ “retribution” and has vowed to root out “vermin” in the country.

“We’ve got to get it done, not because of me. ... If Trump wasn’t running I’m not sure I’d be running. We cannot let him win,” Biden said, hitting the last words slowly for emphasis.

Biden's forceful rhetoric came as Trump, the current GOP front-runner, who tried to overturn the 2020 election he lost and is facing criminal charges connected to those efforts,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-biden-democracy-election-2024-f2f824f056ae9f81f4e688fe590f41b4">attempted over the weekend</a>&nbsp;to turn the tables by calling Biden the “destroyer of American democracy.”

Trump on Tuesday was asked by Fox News Channel's Sean Hannity to promise he "would never abuse power as retribution against anybody.”

“Except for day one,” Trump responded. “I want to close the border and I want to drill, drill, drill.”

"After that I’m not a dictator,” Trump added.

Biden, who said he is not alone in sounding the alarm over Trump, noted that Trump is the “only losing candidate” in U.S. history to not accept the results. Biden also said that on Jan. 6, 2021, as Trump supporters violently stormed the U.S. Capitol in a failed attempt to stop the certification of the election results, Trump sat in his dining room just off the Oval Office, “watching them threaten his own vice president.”

Biden also highlighted recent warnings about Trump from former Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., calling her a “powerful voice.”

“American democracy, I give you my word as a Biden, is at stake,” the president said at the first of three campaign fundraisers in the Boston area. Drawing some laughter from donors, Biden also mused: “He didn’t even show up at my inauguration. I can’t say I was disappointed, but he didn’t even show up.”

The warnings by Biden are increasingly part of his pitch to donors: that democracy is at stake if Trump were to win again and he must be defeated. The president is pushing to raise money for his reelection effort before the end of the year, appearing at seven events through Monday — with more to come. The events in Boston on Tuesday benefit his campaign and the broader Democratic Party.

They included an evening event in the city’s theater district featuring a concert by singer-songwriter&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/james-taylor">James Taylor</a>, who helped kick off a White House event in 2022 celebrating&nbsp;<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/Inflation%20Reduction%20Act,">the Inflation Reduction Act</a>, a climate and health care bill that Biden signed into law.

Onstage, Biden joked to the packed theater audience that he wouldn't be long because he knew he was “the only thing standing” between the audience and the performance by Taylor.

“We’re always going to defend protect and fight for democracy," he said. "That’s why I’m running.”

November was the campaign's strongest grassroots fundraising month since Biden formally announced last April that he was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-election-2024-president-democrats-trump-9c72115656855da89a41cac3f79aa65b">seeking a second term</a>, according to a campaign official who insisted on anonymity to discuss campaign finances before details are made public. The numbers will be released in January.

In October, Biden and the Democratic National Committee reported&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-democrats-election-2024-campaign-fundraising-trump-6d16c590a1f1fed055b6544e36c03b9a">raising more than $71 million for his reelection</a>&nbsp;in the three months ending Sept. 30, a sign that donors remained behind him going into the 2024 presidential race.

Biden had only political events on his public schedule for Tuesday, which is rare. Presidents who are running for reelection typically include an official event, like a policy speech, on the schedule to help defray costs for their campaign.

Biden will also attend a fundraiser Wednesday near the White House and another one Monday in Philadelphia. He’ll headline fundraisers in Washington, D.C., and in Maryland later in December.

On Friday, Biden will head to Los Angeles for a big-dollar event that will be his first since strikes by writers and actors effectively ground his fundraising to a halt in the heart of the entertainment industry, which has long served as a major source of campaign money for Democrats.

The event is slated to be at the home of Michael Smith, a celebrity interior designer who decorated the White House for President Barack Obama, and Smith's partner, James Costos, a former HBO executive who was Obama’s ambassador to Spain. It is expected to raise millions of dollars and draw a crowd of celebrities. Rocker Lenny Kravitz is slated to perform.

Film director Steven Spielberg and his wife, Kate Capshaw, who starred in “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom,” are among the hosts of the event, as are recording industry mogul David Geffen, “Scandal” showrunner Shonda Rhimes and “This is Spinal Tap” director Rob Reiner, according to an invitation obtained by the AP.

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., is also a co-host. Barbra Streisand is set to attend.

As of the last fundraising reporting deadline at the end of September, Biden and his party&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-democrats-election-2024-campaign-fundraising-trump-6d16c590a1f1fed055b6544e36c03b9a">reported $91 million cash on hand.</a>&nbsp;He is helped by the fact that as the party’s leader he has entered into a joint fundraising agreement with the Democratic National Committee, as well as state parties, which enables him to receive a check from a single donor that is in the range of $1 million.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701832018325.png" alt="“We’ve got to get it done, not because of me. ... If Trump wasn’t running I’m not sure I’d be running. We cannot let him win,” Biden said, hitting the last words slowly for emphasis.-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>“We’ve got to get it done, not because of me. ... If Trump wasn’t running I’m not sure I’d be running. We cannot let him win,” Biden said, hitting the last words slowly for emphasis.-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>BOSTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;told campaign donors Tuesday that he wasn’t sure he’d be running for reelection if Donald Trump wasn’t also in the race, warning that democracy is “more at risk in 2024” and that the former president and his allies are out to “destroy” democratic institutions.The president was using a trio of fundraisers to caution against what might happen should his predecessor again claim control of the White House, noting that Trump has described himself as his supporters’ “retribution” and has vowed to root out “vermin” in the country.“We’ve got to get it done, not because of me. ... If Trump wasn’t running I’m not sure I’d be running. We cannot let him win,” Biden said, hitting the last words slowly for emphasis.Biden's forceful rhetoric came as Trump, the current GOP front-runner, who tried to overturn the 2020 election he lost and is facing criminal charges connected to those efforts,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-biden-democracy-election-2024-f2f824f056ae9f81f4e688fe590f41b4">attempted over the weekend</a>&nbsp;to turn the tables by calling Biden the “destroyer of American democracy.”Trump on Tuesday was asked by Fox News Channel's Sean Hannity to promise he "would never abuse power as retribution against anybody.”“Except for day one,” Trump responded. “I want to close the border and I want to drill, drill, drill.”"After that I’m not a dictator,” Trump added.Biden, who said he is not alone in sounding the alarm over Trump, noted that Trump is the “only losing candidate” in U.S. history to not accept the results. Biden also said that on Jan. 6, 2021, as Trump supporters violently stormed the U.S. Capitol in a failed attempt to stop the certification of the election results, Trump sat in his dining room just off the Oval Office, “watching them threaten his own vice president.”Biden also highlighted recent warnings about Trump from former Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., calling her a “powerful voice.”“American democracy, I give you my word as a Biden, is at stake,” the president said at the first of three campaign fundraisers in the Boston area. Drawing some laughter from donors, Biden also mused: “He didn’t even show up at my inauguration. I can’t say I was disappointed, but he didn’t even show up.”The warnings by Biden are increasingly part of his pitch to donors: that democracy is at stake if Trump were to win again and he must be defeated. The president is pushing to raise money for his reelection effort before the end of the year, appearing at seven events through Monday — with more to come. The events in Boston on Tuesday benefit his campaign and the broader Democratic Party.They included an evening event in the city’s theater district featuring a concert by singer-songwriter&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/james-taylor">James Taylor</a>, who helped kick off a White House event in 2022 celebrating&nbsp;<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/Inflation%20Reduction%20Act,">the Inflation Reduction Act</a>, a climate and health care bill that Biden signed into law.Onstage, Biden joked to the packed theater audience that he wouldn't be long because he knew he was “the only thing standing” between the audience and the performance by Taylor.“We’re always going to defend protect and fight for democracy," he said. "That’s why I’m running.”November was the campaign's strongest grassroots fundraising month since Biden formally announced last April that he was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-election-2024-president-democrats-trump-9c72115656855da89a41cac3f79aa65b">seeking a second term</a>, according to a campaign official who insisted on anonymity to discuss campaign finances before details are made public. The numbers will be released in January.In October, Biden and the Democratic National Committee reported&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-democrats-election-2024-campaign-fundraising-trump-6d16c590a1f1fed055b6544e36c03b9a">raising more than $71 million for his reelection</a>&nbsp;in the three months ending Sept. 30, a sign that donors remained behind him going into the 2024 presidential race.Biden had only political events on his public schedule for Tuesday, which is rare. Presidents who are running for reelection typically include an official event, like a policy speech, on the schedule to help defray costs for their campaign.Biden will also attend a fundraiser Wednesday near the White House and another one Monday in Philadelphia. He’ll headline fundraisers in Washington, D.C., and in Maryland later in December.On Friday, Biden will head to Los Angeles for a big-dollar event that will be his first since strikes by writers and actors effectively ground his fundraising to a halt in the heart of the entertainment industry, which has long served as a major source of campaign money for Democrats.The event is slated to be at the home of Michael Smith, a celebrity interior designer who decorated the White House for President Barack Obama, and Smith's partner, James Costos, a former HBO executive who was Obama’s ambassador to Spain. It is expected to raise millions of dollars and draw a crowd of celebrities. Rocker Lenny Kravitz is slated to perform.Film director Steven Spielberg and his wife, Kate Capshaw, who starred in “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom,” are among the hosts of the event, as are recording industry mogul David Geffen, “Scandal” showrunner Shonda Rhimes and “This is Spinal Tap” director Rob Reiner, according to an invitation obtained by the AP.Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., is also a co-host. Barbra Streisand is set to attend.As of the last fundraising reporting deadline at the end of September, Biden and his party&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-democrats-election-2024-campaign-fundraising-trump-6d16c590a1f1fed055b6544e36c03b9a">reported $91 million cash on hand.</a>&nbsp;He is helped by the fact that as the party’s leader he has entered into a joint fundraising agreement with the Democratic National Committee, as well as state parties, which enables him to receive a check from a single donor that is in the range of $1 million.

Biden: 'If Trump wasn’t running I’m not sure I’d be running

SALINE COUNTY —Rolling Hills Zoo on Tuesday announced the newest addition to its family with the arrival of Kito, a male spotted hyena who joins Maxi, the zoo’s female hyena, according to a media release from the zoo.

Kito’s relocation from the Hattiesburg Zoo in Mississippi to Rolling Hills Zoo marks an important step in the Species Survival Program (SSP) for these majestic animals.

Born on October 17, 2022, Kito is a pivotal addition to the Spotted Hyena’s Species Survival Program, being the sole surviving hyena born in North America in 2022. With his parents Niru and Pili, Kito's lineage embodies a crucial part of the conservation efforts for these remarkable creatures.

Kito’s new habitat will be adjacent to Maxi, allowing the two hyenas to familiarize themselves with each other and their new environment.

The introduction of Kito and Maxi offers a unique opportunity for visitors to compare the distinct physical characteristics between African painted dogs and hyenas, as they often confuse the species.

Hyenas stand apart with their bigger stature, a large head with a long thick muscular neck, powerful jaws and spotted markings.

African painted dogs have a colorful patchy coat with markings as unique as a human fingerprint, large bat-like ears and a bushy tail with a white tip. Contrary to the teamwork displayed by African painted dogs during hunts and nurturing ill pack members, hyenas exhibit more competitive behaviors.

While commonly recognized for their distinctive "laughter" vocalizations, hyenas use these sounds not as an expression of joy but rather as a response to stress, threats, or frustration.

The transfer of Kito to Rolling Hills Zoo necessitated the relocation of Iris, the capybara, to the south yard of the maned wolf exhibit. However, Azalea, Iris’s sister, will continue to reside in her current pond yard.

The public is invited to come see Kito, Rolling Hills Zoo’s newest resident, as he acclimates to his new surroundings and befriends Maxi, offering a chance to witness these fascinating animals up close.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701794530136.jpeg" alt="Photo courtesy Rolling Hills Zoo" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Rolling Hills Zoo</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —Rolling Hills Zoo on Tuesday announced the newest addition to its family with the arrival of Kito, a male spotted hyena who joins Maxi, the zoo’s female hyena, according to a media release from the zoo.Kito’s relocation from the Hattiesburg Zoo in Mississippi to Rolling Hills Zoo marks an important step in the Species Survival Program (SSP) for these majestic animals.Born on October 17, 2022, Kito is a pivotal addition to the Spotted Hyena’s Species Survival Program, being the sole surviving hyena born in North America in 2022. With his parents Niru and Pili, Kito's lineage embodies a crucial part of the conservation efforts for these remarkable creatures.Kito’s new habitat will be adjacent to Maxi, allowing the two hyenas to familiarize themselves with each other and their new environment.The introduction of Kito and Maxi offers a unique opportunity for visitors to compare the distinct physical characteristics between African painted dogs and hyenas, as they often confuse the species.Hyenas stand apart with their bigger stature, a large head with a long thick muscular neck, powerful jaws and spotted markings.African painted dogs have a colorful patchy coat with markings as unique as a human fingerprint, large bat-like ears and a bushy tail with a white tip. Contrary to the teamwork displayed by African painted dogs during hunts and nurturing ill pack members, hyenas exhibit more competitive behaviors.While commonly recognized for their distinctive "laughter" vocalizations, hyenas use these sounds not as an expression of joy but rather as a response to stress, threats, or frustration.The transfer of Kito to Rolling Hills Zoo necessitated the relocation of Iris, the capybara, to the south yard of the maned wolf exhibit. However, Azalea, Iris’s sister, will continue to reside in her current pond yard.The public is invited to come see Kito, Rolling Hills Zoo’s newest resident, as he acclimates to his new surroundings and befriends Maxi, offering a chance to witness these fascinating animals up close.

Kansas zoo celebrates arrival of new hyena, Kito

Neil A. Nulton, 85, Wichita, died peacefully on December 2, 2023.

He was born October 9, 1938, in Hays, Kansas to Ralph and Lorena Akers Nulton. He was a graduate of Hays High School. After graduation he served in the United States Navy aboard the aircraft carriers USS Randolph, Roosevelt, and Intrepid as well as duty assignments at various shore stations.

Neil married JoAnn Staab on April 22, 1961, in Hays. He earned degrees related to the arts from Fort Hays University and a Master of Fine Arts degree from Wichita State University. While attending Fort Hays Neil was honored to be listed in Who's Who In American Colleges and Universities. After completing his education, he relocated his family to the Branson, Missouri area where he opened a pottery business, and developed an arts and crafts program to train potters, jewelers, painters, print makers, etc. for vocational technical schools. He taught art and coached golf at Reeds Spring High School. After a teaching career of 25 years he retired and moved to Wichita.

Upon retirement, he drew on his art background to develop skills in creating nature related sculpture of mixed media with emphasis in woodcarving. Neil has participated in numerous competitions, gaining recognition throughout the Midwest.

Survivors include his daughter, Kim Clothier and her husband, Shawn Hatfield; a sister, Nancy Schukman; two granddaughters; and two great-grandsons.

Neil was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, JoAnn; daughter, Nikki; and brother, Bruce.

In consideration of Neil's preference for privacy, there will not be any services or memorials.

Condolences may be sent to the Kim Clothier and her husband Shawn Hatfield at 7700 E. 13th Street Unit #59, Wichita, KS. 67206. Services in care of Downing &amp; Lahey East Mortuary. Share tributes online at: www.dlwichita.com

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701802406706.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Neil A. Nulton, 85, Wichita, died peacefully on December 2, 2023.He was born October 9, 1938, in Hays, Kansas to Ralph and Lorena Akers Nulton. He was a graduate of Hays High School. After graduation he served in the United States Navy aboard the aircraft carriers USS Randolph, Roosevelt, and Intrepid as well as duty assignments at various shore stations.Neil married JoAnn Staab on April 22, 1961, in Hays. He earned degrees related to the arts from Fort Hays University and a Master of Fine Arts degree from Wichita State University. While attending Fort Hays Neil was honored to be listed in Who's Who In American Colleges and Universities. After completing his education, he relocated his family to the Branson, Missouri area where he opened a pottery business, and developed an arts and crafts program to train potters, jewelers, painters, print makers, etc. for vocational technical schools. He taught art and coached golf at Reeds Spring High School. After a teaching career of 25 years he retired and moved to Wichita.Upon retirement, he drew on his art background to develop skills in creating nature related sculpture of mixed media with emphasis in woodcarving. Neil has participated in numerous competitions, gaining recognition throughout the Midwest.Survivors include his daughter, Kim Clothier and her husband, Shawn Hatfield; a sister, Nancy Schukman; two granddaughters; and two great-grandsons.Neil was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, JoAnn; daughter, Nikki; and brother, Bruce.In consideration of Neil's preference for privacy, there will not be any services or memorials.Condolences may be sent to the Kim Clothier and her husband Shawn Hatfield at 7700 E. 13th Street Unit #59, Wichita, KS. 67206. Services in care of Downing &amp; Lahey East Mortuary. Share tributes online at: www.dlwichita.com

Neil A. Nulton

By JOHN P. TRETBAR Eagle Communications Crude prices continue their losing streak. The near-month Nymex contract for light sweet crude dropped below $74 for the first time in two weeks. London Brent fell below $79 by lunchtime Monday.

Kansas Common closed out the month of November at $66.25 per barrel at CHS in McPherson. The average price for the month is a fraction below $67.60 per barrel ($67.592) , a five month low. That's down nearly eight dollars from October, and about seven dollars less than the average in November of last year. Prices in McPherson dropped another two dollars on Friday to start the week at $64.25 per barrel.

Regulators report 100 new intent-to-drill notices across the state last month. That's 1,288 so far this year, down more than 300 from a year ago. A search of the Kansas Corporation Commission Web site returns five new intents in Barton County, six in Ellis County, and three in Russell County.

The weekly Rotary Rig Count from Baker Hughes on Friday was up five oil rigs and down one gas rig for a total of 625 active drilling rigs nationwide. The count in Texas was up three rigs over the week before.

The Kansas Rig Count from Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service is down three in eastern Kansas to 16 active rigs. The tally west of Wichita dropped by one rig to 23. The weekly total is down more than nine percent from last week.

Independent Oil and Gas Service reports 38 newly-completed wells since last week. There were four in Ellis County, out of 29 in Western Kansas. That's 1,589 so far this year, or about 124 more completions than at this point last year.

Kansas regulators okayed 16 new drilling locations across the state, with nine in western Kansas including one in Russell County.

U.S. Crude production reached another all-time high last week, marking the fifth weekly tally this year to break the record. The Energy Information Administration reports domestic operators pumped of 13,239,000 barrels of crude oil per day, an increase of 25,000 barrels per day from a week earlier, and more than a million barrels a day greater than the same week a year ago. 

Energy Information Administration reported a 1.6 million barrel increase in U.S. crude inventories. The total rose to 449.7 million barrels as of November 24, which is slightly higher than the five-year average for this time of year.

The government says imports averaged 5.8 million barrels per day, down nearly 700-thousand barrels per day. Average imports over the last four weeks are less than one percent higher than during the same four weeks last year.

More output cuts are on the way from the OPEC-Plus oil exporters. Saudi Arabia will reportedly continue its voluntary million-barrel reductions and the group's other members are promising to chip in with more voluntary cuts totaling another million barrels per day.

Some of the biggest players in the Permian Basin, including Occidental Petroleum, Concho Resources, and Diamondback Energy, have come out against a proposed nuclear waste facility in southeast New Mexico. The companies signed on to a letter from the Permian Basin Coalition to oppose the temporary storage facility proposed by Holtec International. The letter by U.S. Senior Senator Martin Heinrich argues against moving the nation's nuclear waste to the proposed temporary facility before a permanent facility is approved.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652188903167.jpg" alt="Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN P. TRETBAR Eagle Communications Crude prices continue their losing streak. The near-month Nymex contract for light sweet crude dropped below $74 for the first time in two weeks. London Brent fell below $79 by lunchtime Monday. Kansas Common closed out the month of November at $66.25 per barrel at CHS in McPherson. The average price for the month is a fraction below $67.60 per barrel ($67.592) , a five month low. That's down nearly eight dollars from October, and about seven dollars less than the average in November of last year. Prices in McPherson dropped another two dollars on Friday to start the week at $64.25 per barrel.Regulators report 100 new intent-to-drill notices across the state last month. That's 1,288 so far this year, down more than 300 from a year ago. A search of the Kansas Corporation Commission Web site returns five new intents in Barton County, six in Ellis County, and three in Russell County. The weekly Rotary Rig Count from Baker Hughes on Friday was up five oil rigs and down one gas rig for a total of 625 active drilling rigs nationwide. The count in Texas was up three rigs over the week before.The Kansas Rig Count from Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service is down three in eastern Kansas to 16 active rigs. The tally west of Wichita dropped by one rig to 23. The weekly total is down more than nine percent from last week.Independent Oil and Gas Service reports 38 newly-completed wells since last week. There were four in Ellis County, out of 29 in Western Kansas. That's 1,589 so far this year, or about 124 more completions than at this point last year.Kansas regulators okayed 16 new drilling locations across the state, with nine in western Kansas including one in Russell County.U.S. Crude production reached another all-time high last week, marking the fifth weekly tally this year to break the record. The Energy Information Administration reports domestic operators pumped of 13,239,000 barrels of crude oil per day, an increase of 25,000 barrels per day from a week earlier, and more than a million barrels a day greater than the same week a year ago. Energy Information Administration reported a 1.6 million barrel increase in U.S. crude inventories. The total rose to 449.7 million barrels as of November 24, which is slightly higher than the five-year average for this time of year.The government says imports averaged 5.8 million barrels per day, down nearly 700-thousand barrels per day. Average imports over the last four weeks are less than one percent higher than during the same four weeks last year.More output cuts are on the way from the OPEC-Plus oil exporters. Saudi Arabia will reportedly continue its voluntary million-barrel reductions and the group's other members are promising to chip in with more voluntary cuts totaling another million barrels per day.Some of the biggest players in the Permian Basin, including Occidental Petroleum, Concho Resources, and Diamondback Energy, have come out against a proposed nuclear waste facility in southeast New Mexico. The companies signed on to a letter from the Permian Basin Coalition to oppose the temporary storage facility proposed by Holtec International. The letter by U.S. Senior Senator Martin Heinrich argues against moving the nation's nuclear waste to the proposed temporary facility before a permanent facility is approved.&nbsp;&nbsp;

News from the Oil Patch: U.S. weekly output breaks record for 5th time this year

&nbsp;Jimmie (Jim) Lee Kehn was born in Dodge City, KS, on October 17, 1949, to Sam and Ruth Koehn Kehn. 

He passed away peacefully on December 3, 2023, in his room at Western Prairie Senior Living. He was seventy-four years old.

He started school at Copeland KS. He then attended Garfield Elementary and later the Alta Brown Elementary school in Garden City.

 After his family moved from Garden City to eastern Grant County to start farming, he finished his elementary education at Red Rock School.Dad gave his heart to God at the age of 13. 

He was baptized into the Church of God in Christ, Mennonite, on February 17, 1963, by Minister Sam Jantzen. 

Being an obedient follower of Christ’s teachings was always important to him. 

Shortly before his death he had a beautiful vision that reassured him of his relationship with Christ.

As a young adult, he served two years in 1-W service at the hospital in Halstead KS. 

That is how he met our mother, Anita Dirks. 

They lived in Halstead until Dad finished his time of service at the hospital. 

They then moved to Ulysses so Dad could help on the farm.

Dad worked hard at a number of vocations throughout his life.

 He farmed and later was a mechanic at Moody’s Engine Service.

 He was also a mechanic at Coop Car Care, and later at Innermotion. 

He very much enjoyed his last job at the maintenance department for USD 214.

Dad made thoughtful choices and most always had a good reason for doing whatever he did.

He expressed his loves, interests, and passions with his hands rather than words. 

He engaged in his work and his hobbies with the mind of a craftsman. He found much fulfillment in producing high quality work.

His retirement years were some of the most wonderful of his life. 

He and Mom formed many strong friendships with the vendors and customers at the many craft shows they attended.

 He thoroughly enjoyed working in his woodshop making items to sell. 

He was able to enjoy this blessing until the last couple months of his life.

His survivors include his wife, Anita; two sons: Patrick and Rebeca, Lakin, KS, and Toby and Anne, Ulysses, KS; two grandchildren: Athena and Aden; brothers: Victor and Joyce Kehn, and Joe and Rita Kehn; sisters: Sherri Kehn; and Jonetta and Rod Yost; and two special girls that have become family, Rachel Anderson and Jenny Hernandez.

He was preceded in death by his parents and parents-in-law.

Funeral service will be Wednesday, December 6, 2023, at 10:30 AM at the Grant Mennonite Church in rural Grant County with Minister Denton Koehn, Minister Stuart Jantzen, and Minister Gary Schmidt officiating.

 Visitation will be Tuesday, December 5, 2023, from 12:00 PM until 4:00 PM at Garnand Funeral Home in Ulysses. 

Interment will follow at the Grant Mennonite Cemetery. 

Arrangements are in the care of Garnand Funeral Home, 405 W. Grant Ave, Ulysses, KS 67880. 

Condolences may be posted at www.garnandfuneralhomes.com.&nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;Jimmie (Jim) Lee Kehn was born in Dodge City, KS, on October 17, 1949, to Sam and Ruth Koehn Kehn. He passed away peacefully on December 3, 2023, in his room at Western Prairie Senior Living. He was seventy-four years old.He started school at Copeland KS. He then attended Garfield Elementary and later the Alta Brown Elementary school in Garden City. After his family moved from Garden City to eastern Grant County to start farming, he finished his elementary education at Red Rock School.Dad gave his heart to God at the age of 13. He was baptized into the Church of God in Christ, Mennonite, on February 17, 1963, by Minister Sam Jantzen. Being an obedient follower of Christ’s teachings was always important to him. He read the entire Bible many times. Later in life as often as twice a year. Shortly before his death he had a beautiful vision that reassured him of his relationship with Christ.As a young adult, he served two years in 1-W service at the hospital in Halstead KS. That is how he met our mother, Anita Dirks. They were married on January 11, 1970. They lived in Halstead until Dad finished his time of service at the hospital. They then moved to Ulysses so Dad could help on the farm.Dad worked hard at a number of vocations throughout his life. He farmed and later was a mechanic at Moody’s Engine Service. He was also a mechanic at Coop Car Care, and later at Innermotion. He very much enjoyed his last job at the maintenance department for USD 214.Dad made thoughtful choices and most always had a good reason for doing whatever he did. He expressed his loves, interests, and passions with his hands rather than words. He engaged in his work and his hobbies with the mind of a craftsman. He found much fulfillment in producing high quality work.His retirement years were some of the most wonderful of his life. He and Mom formed many strong friendships with the vendors and customers at the many craft shows they attended. He thoroughly enjoyed working in his woodshop making items to sell. He was able to enjoy this blessing until the last couple months of his life.His survivors include his wife, Anita; two sons: Patrick and Rebeca, Lakin, KS, and Toby and Anne, Ulysses, KS; two grandchildren: Athena and Aden; brothers: Victor and Joyce Kehn, and Joe and Rita Kehn; sisters: Sherri Kehn; and Jonetta and Rod Yost; and two special girls that have become family, Rachel Anderson and Jenny Hernandez.He was preceded in death by his parents and parents-in-law.Funeral service will be Wednesday, December 6, 2023, at 10:30 AM at the Grant Mennonite Church in rural Grant County with Minister Denton Koehn, Minister Stuart Jantzen, and Minister Gary Schmidt officiating. Visitation will be Tuesday, December 5, 2023, from 12:00 PM until 4:00 PM at Garnand Funeral Home in Ulysses. Interment will follow at the Grant Mennonite Cemetery. Arrangements are in the care of Garnand Funeral Home, 405 W. Grant Ave, Ulysses, KS 67880. Condolences may be posted at www.garnandfuneralhomes.com.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Jimmie (Jim) Lee Kehn

Georgia Lee Marie Temple, 84, of Norton, KS passed away December 2, 2023 at the Norton County Hospital.

 She was born on October 7, 1939 in Oregon to LaVerne and Betsie Cart.

Georgia lived in Oregon until her family moved to Norton around the age of two. She was a graduate of Norton Community High School. Georgia married Richard Lyle Temple on March 21, 1959 in Norton.

 They lived in Goodland for several years before moving back to Norton. While in Goodland, she worked at a mental health facility as a housekeeper and often worked days at a time caring for the patients.

 From a young age Georgia and Russell were very close and recently they spent a lot of time shopping, traveling, and visiting their families.

Georgia is survived by her children, Vinton Temple of Hill City, KS and Twila Temple of Norton, KS; siblings: Russell (Barbara Thompson) Cart of Almena, Marvina Stilow of Norton, Chuck (Sheila) Cart of Salina, and Rodney (Marilyn) Dial of Norton and many nieces and nephews.

 She was preceded in death by her parents, LaVerne and Betsie and husband, Richard.

Graveside services and inurnment will be held on Thursday, December 14, 2023 at 10:00 am in the Norton Cemetery.

 Memorial contributions may be made to Plumer-Gobber Funeral Home to help with funeral expenses and may be sent in care of the funeral home, 215 W. Main St., Norton, KS 67654. 

Condolences may be left at www.plumergobber.com

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701728687292.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Georgia Lee Marie Temple, 84, of Norton, KS passed away December 2, 2023 at the Norton County Hospital. She was born on October 7, 1939 in Oregon to LaVerne and Betsie Cart.Georgia lived in Oregon until her family moved to Norton around the age of two. She was a graduate of Norton Community High School. Georgia married Richard Lyle Temple on March 21, 1959 in Norton. They lived in Goodland for several years before moving back to Norton. While in Goodland, she worked at a mental health facility as a housekeeper and often worked days at a time caring for the patients. From a young age Georgia and Russell were very close and recently they spent a lot of time shopping, traveling, and visiting their families.Georgia is survived by her children, Vinton Temple of Hill City, KS and Twila Temple of Norton, KS; siblings: Russell (Barbara Thompson) Cart of Almena, Marvina Stilow of Norton, Chuck (Sheila) Cart of Salina, and Rodney (Marilyn) Dial of Norton and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, LaVerne and Betsie and husband, Richard.Graveside services and inurnment will be held on Thursday, December 14, 2023 at 10:00 am in the Norton Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Plumer-Gobber Funeral Home to help with funeral expenses and may be sent in care of the funeral home, 215 W. Main St., Norton, KS 67654. Condolences may be left at www.plumergobber.com

Georgia Lee Marie Temple

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities continue to investigate a 29-year-old murder and are asking the public for help with information.

On the morning of October 29, 1994 while cleaning the ditches and tree row’s in the 5600 block of west 47th&nbsp;Street South, workers with the Kansas Gas and Electric Company came across human remains buried in a shallow grave, according to a media release from the Sedgwick County Sheriff's Office.

Following an examination by the Sedgwick County Coroner’s Office and a Forensic Anthropologist the manner of death was determined to be homicide.&nbsp;

Until May of 2023 the identity of the victim has remained unknown to detectives, greatly hampering the investigation.&nbsp; In late 2022 Sgt. Michael Guthrie of the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office submitted and was awarded a grant for DNA testing of the victim by Othram Inc.

In May of 2023 Othram was able to utilize DNA technology to identify a relative of the victim and through further investigation an identification was made.&nbsp; Harold “James” Crawford, date of birth January 11th, 1973 was identified as the unknown victim.&nbsp; James was 21 at the time of his death and lived in an apartment complex on the east side of Wichita.&nbsp;

If you knew James or have any information, no matter how insignificant it may seem, you’re asked to contact the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office.&nbsp; You can call the Cold Case Hotline at (316)660-3799, Crime Stoppers at (316)267-2111 or Email&nbsp;<a href="mailto:coldcase@sedgwick.gov">coldcase@sedgwick.gov</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701453422466.png" alt="Harold 'James' Crawford-photo Sedgwick Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Harold 'James' Crawford-photo Sedgwick Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities continue to investigate a 29-year-old murder and are asking the public for help with information.On the morning of October 29, 1994 while cleaning the ditches and tree row’s in the 5600 block of west 47th&nbsp;Street South, workers with the Kansas Gas and Electric Company came across human remains buried in a shallow grave, according to a media release from the Sedgwick County Sheriff's Office.Following an examination by the Sedgwick County Coroner’s Office and a Forensic Anthropologist the manner of death was determined to be homicide.&nbsp;Until May of 2023 the identity of the victim has remained unknown to detectives, greatly hampering the investigation.&nbsp; In late 2022 Sgt. Michael Guthrie of the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office submitted and was awarded a grant for DNA testing of the victim by Othram Inc.In May of 2023 Othram was able to utilize DNA technology to identify a relative of the victim and through further investigation an identification was made.&nbsp; Harold “James” Crawford, date of birth January 11th, 1973 was identified as the unknown victim.&nbsp; James was 21 at the time of his death and lived in an apartment complex on the east side of Wichita.&nbsp;If you knew James or have any information, no matter how insignificant it may seem, you’re asked to contact the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office.&nbsp; You can call the Cold Case Hotline at (316)660-3799, Crime Stoppers at (316)267-2111 or Email&nbsp;<a href="mailto:coldcase@sedgwick.gov">coldcase@sedgwick.gov</a>.

Sheriff IDs victim in 29-year-old Kansas unsolved murder

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

Although a new forensics nurse program opened this spring in northwest Kansas, access to these exams for rape and incest victims is still difficult to access in rural areas of the state.

Many victims have to drive for hours to find nurses who are trained Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners, which can significantly delay treatment and evidence collection.

New legislation went into effect in July 2022 to increase access to SANE exams.

Although hospitals, as defined in state statute, must collect a sexual assault evidence kit if it is requested by the victim, only two hospitals in northwest Kansas — Goodland and Hays — have staff who are trained Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners, who are also known as SANEs.

Jessica Albers is a SANE from Hays who works as a statewide clinical consultant for the Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence.

"In terms of rape kits and SANE exams, I think there is a huge lack of access,” Albers said.&nbsp;

Victims travel across state to receive services

HaysMed's SANE program cared for 43 victims from Ellis County in 2022 and 35 in 2021. In 2022, the program cared for 106 victims from 23 Kansas counties from as far away as Barber County on the Oklahoma border and Sherman County on the Colorado border and Butler County in southeast Kansas.

“Three or four hours is a long way to drive for a sexual assault exam, especially after you have been sexually assaulted,” Jennifer Hecker, executive director of Options Domestic and Sexual Violence Services said. The advocacy and victims services organization is based in Hays but serves 18 counties in northwest Kansas.&nbsp;

Hays has been the most northwest program for 12 to 13 years until Goodland opened its program this spring and Great Bend opened a program in October. In southwest Kansas, there are SANE programs in Dodge City, Garden City and Liberal. The Western Kansas Child Advocacy Center Medical Mobile Unit based out of Scott City does exams for children through its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wkcac.com/medical-mobile-unit" target="_blank">Medical Mobile Unit</a>.

However, not all programs have 24-7 coverage.

As a SANE, Albers has worked with patients who traveled great distances to receive exams from a certified provider — some traveling hours one way to get an exam.

Albers said she is concerned that some health care facilities may not be aware that providing sexual assault exams is required by the law. Patients also don’t always know where to go. All sexual assault exams exams are free.

The new law has expanded where kits can be collected, including health clinics, health departments and child advocacy clinics.

“We are hopeful that language will open access among those facilities,” Albers said, “and they will be willing to provide the service to victims."

In some rural communities, health departments or clinics may be patients' only health care choice. According to the Kansas Hospital Association, 10 counties in Kansas including Bourbon, Chase, Doniphan, Elk, Gray, Linn, Osage, Wabaunsee, Wallace and Woodson have no hospital. HaysMed's SANE program cared for four victims from Wallace County in 2022.

Few hospitals in the state have SANE programs.

The advantage of a SANE performing the exam is the victim is receiving a more specialized exam, Albers said. They may take forensics photos if that is appropriate and approved by the victim. Alternative light sources can help detect fibers or dried secretions or enhance the visibility of bruises.

The SANE exam is one step in a multi-tier approach to caring for sexual crime victims and gathering evidence to hold perpetrators accountable.

“The police officer’s role is to hold the perpetrator accountable and to just get information. The nurse's job is to collect the evidence and to provide health care," Hecker said. "The advocate’s job is to be a voice for the survivor while they are going through this and to attend to their emotional safety and make sure they know what’s going to happen.

“There are already so many unknowns, and that is one of the most frightening pieces,” Hecker said. “We want to reduce those barriers about what is about to happen. We are trying to tie them back all the control that has been lost.”

SANEs are trained to work with trauma victims and try to help ease fears as they walk victims through the exam process.

“The fear of the unknown of the exam is probably stressful for the victim anyways," Albers said. "Then if you have the complication of not knowing where they can get an exam or having to travel to get to an exam or having to wait for an exam to happen it's an extra hurdle for them to get through."

Albers said if a victim has to wait for an exam she said she hoped at least that victim could be connected with an advocate. Those advocacy services are provided by organizations such as Options.

Hecker said although the law allows medical professionals who are not SANE trained to perform sexual assault exams, she was concerned providers who are not trained&nbsp;may retraumatize victims. Improperly collected evidence might not be able to be used in the prosecutions of perpetrators, she said.

“We as a community and a culture, tell survivors to go and get that exam, so their perpetrator can be held accountable,” Hecker said. “If we are telling people to do that, then we have a responsibility as a community to make sure the safety net is there so the survivors can do that.

“There is a gap between what we tell people what services are available or that they should be able to engage with and what is actually available in their communities. That is also very disheartening.”

“We are really not helping survivors in the best way possible,” she said.

Albers emphasized all parts of a SANE exam are voluntary. A victim can stop the exam at any time and refuse any portion of the exam.

“We work really hard to build a rapport with the patient and make sure we are offering them choices, supporting the choices and decisions they make and how they want to proceed through the exam," she said.

Hecker said victims don't have to go through the exam alone. They can have a family member, friend or advocate with them during the exam. They are allowed to have someone in the room with them holding their hand if they choose.

Advocates will meet with the victim as soon as possible. SANEs, advocates and law enforcement try to work together so the victim doesn't have to tell his or her story over and over.

Although clothing is often taken as evidence, an advocate or SANE will provide fresh clothing for the victim to wear home. Advocates follow up with the victim and can offer a variety of support services as well as meet with family members if the victim requests.

The SANEs are also well connected to the other resources in the communities, including law enforcement and advocacy organizations such as Options in northwest Kansas.

Consenting to a sexual assault exam does not automatically mean the case will be reported. The exam preserves the evidence. The adult victim can choose to make a report with law enforcement at a later date or never.  Unreported kits are sent to the KBI where they are stored for 20 years untested.

According to state law, all&nbsp;reported&nbsp;sexual assault exam kits have to be submitted for testing.

In 2015, a backlog of 2,200 untested kits was discovered in evidence property rooms in Kansas. All of the untested kits were processed, and the law was changed in an attempt to prevent a future backlog, Albers said.&nbsp;

Although physical evidence from a sexual assault exam is not a guarantee of a conviction, Hecker said it helps.

“Rape kits are so important because so many victims of sexual assault are simply not believed,” she said.

She added, “The community has to do better. We have to make sure that the system accepts the report and collects the evidence, and we do something with the evidence, and we take action afterward. Rape is not he said/she said, but we like to think they are.”

The victim can receive treatment to prevent infection or any other injuries at the time of a SANE exam.

Trisha Haskell, forensic program coordinator for HaysMed, said SANE exams are not just about collecting evidence. They allow for expert assessment of all areas of the body.

"Forensic exams help to ensure the health and safety of our patients," she said. "This exam is performed by a specially trained nurse who has expertise in providing patient-centered care that includes history taking, collection of evidence and documentation. This creates an unbiased, objective opportunity to preserve evidence from a patient’s body while facilitating the healing process."

Based on history, patients are offered medication to help prevent sexually transmitted infections and HIV.&nbsp;

Working closely with a physician, the program offers testing, treatment and follow-up care, Haskell said.

Time is also important for the health of the victim, Haskel said.

"As with many medical conditions, timely treatment is always the preferred situation," she said. "Before HaysMed offered the SANE program, people in western Kansas had to travel to eastern Kansas to be treated. 

"Having the program here in Hays has improved access for many patients in the rural areas of the state.  Prompt response times are advantageous no matter what the situation is."

Although access is a barrier, so are myths, Albers said.

“There is the misconception that our exam is really invasive," Albers said, "'and we don’t want to put people through that.’ We work really hard to make sure to not make it traumatic. We don’t want to retraumatize the victim. That’s why it’s so important to build the rapport and comfort level with the patient before we start getting into the exam itself.”

Twenty-five of&nbsp; the victims cared for by HaysMed in 2022 were 17 years old or younger. Albers wanted to reassure parents that SANE exams are not invasive for children.

"They (mothers) think it’s like their pap smear. Before a girl reaches puberty, all we do is external examination. We don’t put anything in the vagina. We don’t pull put swabs from inside the vagina," she said.

SANEs are trained to work with victims of any gender. This includes gender nonconforming or transgender individuals.

Although the majority of SANE exams are performed on women and girls, five to 15 exams per year at HaysMed are performed on men or boys.

“We want everyone to know they are welcome to come for services regardless of their age, gender or identity,” Albers said. “We want to help. We want to help start them on that journey to healing and preserve that evidence so that if it can be used in the criminal justice system it can be preserved and the information is documented by us.”

The training to become SANE is long and costly. Training requires 160 to 180 hours.

You do not have to acquire your certification to practice as a SANE-trained nurse. However, a nurse must accrue 300 hours of SANE practice before he or she can test for SANE certification. As of April, Kansas had only 30 SANE-certified nurses in the state, according to Haskel.

<a href="https://www.pittstate.edu/nursing/sane-program.html">The Pittsburg State University, School of Nursing was awarded a SANE grant in 2018 and again in 2021 through the Health Resources and Services Administration. In July 2021, PSU received $1.5 million for a three-year extension, to recruit, train and retain RNs and APRNs in rural areas of Kansas for SANE training, resources and certification.</a>

"It is a really tough area to work in," Albers said. "You have to be the right kind of person, and it has to be something you want to do."

A hospital or clinic also must have the space and equipment to have a SANE program.&nbsp;

“Administration has to recognize that this is really a community benefit service that is being offered, but it isn’t a department that is going to make money for the facility,” she said.

Most programs require more than one or two SANE-trained staff members, Albers said. Most SANEs hold a full-time job in addition to being on-call for sexual assault exams.&nbsp;

The Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence&nbsp;provides one-day training for medical providers who are not SANE trained.&nbsp;

The agency has offered the class for three years, but it has been hard getting health care providers to sign up to take the class, Albers said.

“I think it is extremely important to have another access point for the northwest part of the state,” Albers said. “That will give one additional access point for care and hopefully [victims will ] not have to drive three hours to Hays, instead drive 30 minutes to Goodland.”

Albers and Haskel both said multiple barriers exist to expanding SANE programs in rural areas, and it's not just a problem in Kansas.

"With most of the United States being rural, it has been identified as a challenge nationwide," Haskel said. "Collaboration and education allow for all rural areas to expand their reach and knowledge to ensure all persons seeking care after experiencing violence receive adequate care.

"Kansas as a whole does a great job of ensuring equal access for sexual assault survivors regardless of their location. It is a state statute that all medical care facilities within the state offer a sexual assault evidence collection kit to any person requesting one."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701278764783.jpg" alt="Photo courtesy of Pixabay." />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy of Pixabay.</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostAlthough a new forensics nurse program opened this spring in northwest Kansas, access to these exams for rape and incest victims is still difficult to access in rural areas of the state.Many victims have to drive for hours to find nurses who are trained Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners, which can significantly delay treatment and evidence collection.New legislation went into effect in July 2022 to increase access to SANE exams.Although hospitals, as defined in state statute, must collect a sexual assault evidence kit if it is requested by the victim, only two hospitals in northwest Kansas — Goodland and Hays — have staff who are trained Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners, who are also known as SANEs.Jessica Albers is a SANE from Hays who works as a statewide clinical consultant for the Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence."In terms of rape kits and SANE exams, I think there is a huge lack of access,” Albers said.&nbsp;<h2>Victims travel across state to receive services</h2>HaysMed's SANE program cared for 43 victims from Ellis County in 2022 and 35 in 2021. In 2022, the program cared for 106 victims from 23 Kansas counties from as far away as Barber County on the Oklahoma border and Sherman County on the Colorado border and Butler County in southeast Kansas.“Three or four hours is a long way to drive for a sexual assault exam, especially after you have been sexually assaulted,” Jennifer Hecker, executive director of Options Domestic and Sexual Violence Services said. The advocacy and victims services organization is based in Hays but serves 18 counties in northwest Kansas.&nbsp;Hays has been the most northwest program for 12 to 13 years until Goodland opened its program this spring and Great Bend opened a program in October. In southwest Kansas, there are SANE programs in Dodge City, Garden City and Liberal. The Western Kansas Child Advocacy Center Medical Mobile Unit based out of Scott City does exams for children through its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wkcac.com/medical-mobile-unit" target="_blank">Medical Mobile Unit</a>.However, not all programs have 24-7 coverage.As a SANE, Albers has worked with patients who traveled great distances to receive exams from a certified provider — some traveling hours one way to get an exam.Albers said she is concerned that some health care facilities may not be aware that providing sexual assault exams is required by the law. Patients also don’t always know where to go. All sexual assault exams exams are free.The new law has expanded where kits can be collected, including health clinics, health departments and child advocacy clinics.“We are hopeful that language will open access among those facilities,” Albers said, “and they will be willing to provide the service to victims."In some rural communities, health departments or clinics may be patients' only health care choice. According to the Kansas Hospital Association, 10 counties in Kansas including Bourbon, Chase, Doniphan, Elk, Gray, Linn, Osage, Wabaunsee, Wallace and Woodson have no hospital. HaysMed's SANE program cared for four victims from Wallace County in 2022.<h2>Everyone has a job</h2>Few hospitals in the state have SANE programs.The advantage of a SANE performing the exam is the victim is receiving a more specialized exam, Albers said. They may take forensics photos if that is appropriate and approved by the victim. Alternative light sources can help detect fibers or dried secretions or enhance the visibility of bruises.The SANE exam is one step in a multi-tier approach to caring for sexual crime victims and gathering evidence to hold perpetrators accountable.“The police officer’s role is to hold the perpetrator accountable and to just get information. The nurse's job is to collect the evidence and to provide health care," Hecker said. "The advocate’s job is to be a voice for the survivor while they are going through this and to attend to their emotional safety and make sure they know what’s going to happen.“There are already so many unknowns, and that is one of the most frightening pieces,” Hecker said. “We want to reduce those barriers about what is about to happen. We are trying to tie them back all the control that has been lost.”SANEs are trained to work with trauma victims and try to help ease fears as they walk victims through the exam process.“The fear of the unknown of the exam is probably stressful for the victim anyways," Albers said. "Then if you have the complication of not knowing where they can get an exam or having to travel to get to an exam or having to wait for an exam to happen it's an extra hurdle for them to get through."Albers said if a victim has to wait for an exam she said she hoped at least that victim could be connected with an advocate. Those advocacy services are provided by organizations such as Options.Hecker said although the law allows medical professionals who are not SANE trained to perform sexual assault exams, she was concerned providers who are not trained&nbsp;may retraumatize victims. Improperly collected evidence might not be able to be used in the prosecutions of perpetrators, she said.“We as a community and a culture, tell survivors to go and get that exam, so their perpetrator can be held accountable,” Hecker said. “If we are telling people to do that, then we have a responsibility as a community to make sure the safety net is there so the survivors can do that.“There is a gap between what we tell people what services are available or that they should be able to engage with and what is actually available in their communities. That is also very disheartening.”“We are really not helping survivors in the best way possible,” she said.<h2>What happens during a SANE exam?</h2>Albers emphasized all parts of a SANE exam are voluntary. A victim can stop the exam at any time and refuse any portion of the exam.“We work really hard to build a rapport with the patient and make sure we are offering them choices, supporting the choices and decisions they make and how they want to proceed through the exam," she said.Hecker said victims don't have to go through the exam alone. They can have a family member, friend or advocate with them during the exam. They are allowed to have someone in the room with them holding their hand if they choose.Advocates will meet with the victim as soon as possible. SANEs, advocates and law enforcement try to work together so the victim doesn't have to tell his or her story over and over.Although clothing is often taken as evidence, an advocate or SANE will provide fresh clothing for the victim to wear home. Advocates follow up with the victim and can offer a variety of support services as well as meet with family members if the victim requests.The SANEs are also well connected to the other resources in the communities, including law enforcement and advocacy organizations such as Options in northwest Kansas.Consenting to a sexual assault exam does not automatically mean the case will be reported. The exam preserves the evidence. The adult victim can choose to make a report with law enforcement at a later date or never. Unreported kits are sent to the KBI where they are stored for 20 years untested.<h2>Testing evidence</h2>According to state law, all&nbsp;reported&nbsp;sexual assault exam kits have to be submitted for testing.In 2015, a backlog of 2,200 untested kits was discovered in evidence property rooms in Kansas. All of the untested kits were processed, and the law was changed in an attempt to prevent a future backlog, Albers said.&nbsp;Although physical evidence from a sexual assault exam is not a guarantee of a conviction, Hecker said it helps.“Rape kits are so important because so many victims of sexual assault are simply not believed,” she said.She added, “The community has to do better. We have to make sure that the system accepts the report and collects the evidence, and we do something with the evidence, and we take action afterward. Rape is not he said/she said, but we like to think they are.”<h2>Sexual assault exams are health care</h2>The victim can receive treatment to prevent infection or any other injuries at the time of a SANE exam.Trisha Haskell, forensic program coordinator for HaysMed, said SANE exams are not just about collecting evidence. They allow for expert assessment of all areas of the body."Forensic exams help to ensure the health and safety of our patients," she said. "This exam is performed by a specially trained nurse who has expertise in providing patient-centered care that includes history taking, collection of evidence and documentation. This creates an unbiased, objective opportunity to preserve evidence from a patient’s body while facilitating the healing process."Based on history, patients are offered medication to help prevent sexually transmitted infections and HIV.&nbsp;Working closely with a physician, the program offers testing, treatment and follow-up care, Haskell said.Time is also important for the health of the victim, Haskel said."As with many medical conditions, timely treatment is always the preferred situation," she said. "Before HaysMed offered the SANE program, people in western Kansas had to travel to eastern Kansas to be treated. "Having the program here in Hays has improved access for many patients in the rural areas of the state. Prompt response times are advantageous no matter what the situation is."<h2>Overcoming misconceptions</h2>Although access is a barrier, so are myths, Albers said.“There is the misconception that our exam is really invasive," Albers said, "'and we don’t want to put people through that.’ We work really hard to make sure to not make it traumatic. We don’t want to retraumatize the victim. That’s why it’s so important to build the rapport and comfort level with the patient before we start getting into the exam itself.”Twenty-five of&nbsp; the victims cared for by HaysMed in 2022 were 17 years old or younger. Albers wanted to reassure parents that SANE exams are not invasive for children."They (mothers) think it’s like their pap smear. Before a girl reaches puberty, all we do is external examination. We don’t put anything in the vagina. We don’t pull put swabs from inside the vagina," she said.SANEs are trained to work with victims of any gender. This includes gender nonconforming or transgender individuals.Although the majority of SANE exams are performed on women and girls, five to 15 exams per year at HaysMed are performed on men or boys.“We want everyone to know they are welcome to come for services regardless of their age, gender or identity,” Albers said. “We want to help. We want to help start them on that journey to healing and preserve that evidence so that if it can be used in the criminal justice system it can be preserved and the information is documented by us.”<h2>Barriers to expanding services</h2>The training to become SANE is long and costly. Training requires 160 to 180 hours.You do not have to acquire your certification to practice as a SANE-trained nurse. However, a nurse must accrue 300 hours of SANE practice before he or she can test for SANE certification. As of April, Kansas had only 30 SANE-certified nurses in the state, according to Haskel.<a href="https://www.pittstate.edu/nursing/sane-program.html">The Pittsburg State University, School of Nursing was awarded a SANE grant in 2018 and again in 2021 through the Health Resources and Services Administration. In July 2021, PSU received $1.5 million for a three-year extension, to recruit, train and retain RNs and APRNs in rural areas of Kansas for SANE training, resources and certification.</a>"It is a really tough area to work in," Albers said. "You have to be the right kind of person, and it has to be something you want to do."A hospital or clinic also must have the space and equipment to have a SANE program.&nbsp;“Administration has to recognize that this is really a community benefit service that is being offered, but it isn’t a department that is going to make money for the facility,” she said.Most programs require more than one or two SANE-trained staff members, Albers said. Most SANEs hold a full-time job in addition to being on-call for sexual assault exams.&nbsp;Turnover is high in the field, she said.The Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence&nbsp;provides one-day training for medical providers who are not SANE trained.&nbsp;The agency has offered the class for three years, but it has been hard getting health care providers to sign up to take the class, Albers said.“I think it is extremely important to have another access point for the northwest part of the state,” Albers said. “That will give one additional access point for care and hopefully [victims will ] not have to drive three hours to Hays, instead drive 30 minutes to Goodland.”<h2>Not just a Kansas problem</h2>Albers and Haskel both said multiple barriers exist to expanding SANE programs in rural areas, and it's not just a problem in Kansas."With most of the United States being rural, it has been identified as a challenge nationwide," Haskel said. "Collaboration and education allow for all rural areas to expand their reach and knowledge to ensure all persons seeking care after experiencing violence receive adequate care."Kansas as a whole does a great job of ensuring equal access for sexual assault survivors regardless of their location. It is a state statute that all medical care facilities within the state offer a sexual assault evidence collection kit to any person requesting one."

Access to sexual assault exams lacking in rural Kansas; HaysMed has 1 of few trained staffs in state

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal October shooting have captured a suspect who had been the subject of search over the past month.

On Wednesday, police in Kansas City, Kansas located 29-year-old&nbsp; Tremale M. Serrano.. On November police asked the&nbsp;public for help to find him for the death of 23-year-old&nbsp; Jackson E. Danner of Topeka.

October 15, police responded to a report of an individual laying in the front yard of a home in the 1600 block of SW 21st Street in Topeka, according to police spokesperson Rosie Nichols.

On November 14, police booked 33-year-old Aaron Serrano into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections in connection with Danner's death.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701366750026.png" alt="Tremale Serrano is being held in Wyandotte County" />
 <figcaption>Tremale Serrano is being held in Wyandotte County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal October shooting have captured a suspect who had been the subject of search over the past month.On Wednesday, police in Kansas City, Kansas located 29-year-old&nbsp; Tremale M. Serrano.. On November police asked the&nbsp;public for help to find him for the death of 23-year-old&nbsp; Jackson E. Danner of Topeka.October 15, police responded to a report of an individual laying in the front yard of a home in the 1600 block of SW 21st Street in Topeka, according to police spokesperson Rosie Nichols.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700082583370.png" alt="Aaron Serrano-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Aaron Serrano-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>First responders located. Danner who was pronounced deceased at the scene.On November 14, police booked 33-year-old Aaron Serrano into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections in connection with Danner's death.

Police capture 2nd Kan. man wanted for October killing 

LONDON (AP) — The OPEC oil cartel led by Saudi Arabia and allied producers including Russia made&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/opec-oil-prices-saudi-arabia-russia-8d70999cb8258aebc3edbfdfcae278b7">another big swipe</a>&nbsp;at propping up lagging crude prices Thursday, expanding some output cuts into next year and bringing up-and-coming oil supplier Brazil into the fold.

Lower oil prices have been a good thing for U.S. drivers, who have been able to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gas-prices-fall-demand-oil-decline-ea4138be69adca872301ce9721770aa9">fill their gas tanks for less money</a>&nbsp;in recent months. But it’s bad news for OPEC+ countries whose oil income bolsters their economies and who have faced setbacks in pushing prices higher despite initial fears that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/energy-renewables-climate-war-oil-7b0cf535f33a3b33a2bfd8a462850ff4">Israel-Hamas war could affect oil flows</a>.

The OPEC+ oil ministers came out of an online meeting with more than 2 million barrels per day in voluntary cuts through the first three months of next year and declared that Brazil would join the bloc in January, bringing one of the world’s fastest-growing oil producers into an alliance that is trying to rein in global supply.

However, sweeping cutbacks from OPEC+ and individual member countries since October 2022 have not made lasting changes to oil prices because of concerns about too much crude circulating in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/global-economy-inflation-growth-interest-rates-ukraine-bc4b66c3de107f99cee057c183f04c93">weakening global economy</a>, which could weigh on the thirst for oil for travel and industry.

The market even shrugged off the new move, though it amounts to roughly 2% of global supply.

LONDON (AP) — The OPEC oil cartel led by Saudi Arabia and allied producers including Russia made&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/opec-oil-prices-saudi-arabia-russia-8d70999cb8258aebc3edbfdfcae278b7">another big swipe</a>&nbsp;at propping up lagging crude prices Thursday, expanding some output cuts into next year and bringing up-and-coming oil supplier Brazil into the fold.Lower oil prices have been a good thing for U.S. drivers, who have been able to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gas-prices-fall-demand-oil-decline-ea4138be69adca872301ce9721770aa9">fill their gas tanks for less money</a>&nbsp;in recent months. But it’s bad news for OPEC+ countries whose oil income bolsters their economies and who have faced setbacks in pushing prices higher despite initial fears that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/energy-renewables-climate-war-oil-7b0cf535f33a3b33a2bfd8a462850ff4">Israel-Hamas war could affect oil flows</a>.The OPEC+ oil ministers came out of an online meeting with more than 2 million barrels per day in voluntary cuts through the first three months of next year and declared that Brazil would join the bloc in January, bringing one of the world’s fastest-growing oil producers into an alliance that is trying to rein in global supply.However, sweeping cutbacks from OPEC+ and individual member countries since October 2022 have not made lasting changes to oil prices because of concerns about too much crude circulating in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/global-economy-inflation-growth-interest-rates-ukraine-bc4b66c3de107f99cee057c183f04c93">weakening global economy</a>, which could weigh on the thirst for oil for travel and industry.The market even shrugged off the new move, though it amounts to roughly 2% of global supply.Jorge Leon, senior vice president of oil market research for Rystad Energy, called it a “bit of disappointing meeting” for OPEC+ and a “bittersweet” one for Saudi Arabia in particular because it couldn't convince the whole group to commit to production cuts.The market also was let down, because it “was likely expecting a deal covering the first half of next year," he said.Saudi Arabia led the deepening voluntary cuts Thursday, extending its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/saudi-arabia-oil-production-cut-opec-2d6f724e899f31e92d4bdf052921125c">reduction of 1 million barrels per day</a>&nbsp;through March. It was followed by Russia, which is cutting 500,000 barrels per day of crude and refined oil products, and then Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Algeria and Oman with smaller amounts.Russia wants higher oil prices to boost the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russian-oil-price-cap-sanctions-ukraine-war-82ecb172697336362bccf71c1506fa5a">main way it fills its war chest</a>&nbsp;against Ukraine, while the Saudis have to earn nearly $86 per barrel to meet their planned spending goals, according to the latest estimate from the International Monetary Fund.Saudi Arabia is trying to fund an ambitious overhaul of the kingdom’s economy, reduce its dependence on oil and create jobs for a young population.But the international benchmark Brent crude has stayed in the low- to mid-$80 range in recent weeks and fell more than 2% to $80.91 a barrel following the meeting. U.S. crude also dropped 2.5% to $75.90.The expanded cuts were expected to keep crude prices in the same range of $80 to $85 a barrel for the first half of the year, Leon said.Lower oil prices have allowed U.S. gas prices to fall or stay steady since Sept. 19, AAA said. Gas is averaging just below $3.25 a gallon, the motor club said, down about 7% from a month ago.But that's still higher than when President Joe Biden took office in January 2021, when prices were averaging about $2.40 a gallon.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-interest-rates-economy-federal-reserve-1f83d45fc6e30c6864d1b02913ec60c6">High inflation has been a political challenge</a>&nbsp;for Biden going into the 2024 election, prompting him to say this week that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-supply-chains-inflation-economic-council-0b45db127f4c000c56ab4dc51e7b7599">efforts to improve supply chains</a>&nbsp;and reduce price pressures are a priority.“President Biden is focused on prices for American consumers, which have been coming down steadily,” the White House said in a statement Thursday after the OPEC+ meeting.U.S. oil production&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oil-fossil-fuels-climate-change-biden-df27160fc81f28d21fbf1fc5575b77bc">has hit records</a>&nbsp;as OPEC+ has cut back, with producers outside the group expected to keep leading global growth in oil supply next year, the International Energy Agency said.For instance, daily production in the U.S. averaged 13 million barrels a day in August, an increase of more than 1 million barrels from a year ago, according to the latest monthly figures from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.The risk is growing that production cuts could reduce the influence of OPEC+ over oil supplies as other countries boost their output.“The kingdom is balancing the desire to keep prices high by limiting supply with the knowledge that doing so will lead to a further drop in overall market share,” Leon said.Bringing in Brazil, which the IEA also said has been producing record amounts of oil this year, would give the 23-member OPEC+ a leg up.Adding Brazil's oil would bring the amount of global production controlled by OPEC+ up to 62%, similar to the share held by the organization when Russia joined in the mid-2010s, Leon said.José Chrispiniano, press secretary for President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, said the invitation was under analysis.----------------