SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — A Springfield man who shot two strangers in random attacks two years ago has been sentenced to two consecutive life sentences.

Kwaim Stenson, 33, was sentenced Friday after being convicted in May of several felonies arising from the shootings on June 22, 2019.

Prosecutors said Stenson shot out of his vehicle while driving through north Springfield and unincorporated Greene County. A person on a bicycle was shot and another person walking along a road was hit. They both survived.

Greene County Judge Michael Cordonnier said the life sentences were appropriate because Stenson showed no remorse for his actions, did not take responsibility and did not offer any insight into his motives, The Springfield News-Leader&nbsp;<a href="https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/crime/2021/07/23/springfield-man-kwaim-stenson-life-sentences-shooting-strangers/8068141002/">reported</a>.

Assistant Prosecutor Phil Fuhrman said Stenson intended to kill people that day, and later told an interviewer he did not have any mental health or substance abuse problems.

Stenson was found guilty in May of two counts of first-degree assault, unlawful use of a weapon and unlawful possession of a firearm.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1627331728842.png" alt="Stenson-photo Greene Co." />
 <figcaption>Stenson-photo Greene Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — A Springfield man who shot two strangers in random attacks two years ago has been sentenced to two consecutive life sentences.Kwaim Stenson, 33, was sentenced Friday after being convicted in May of several felonies arising from the shootings on June 22, 2019.Prosecutors said Stenson shot out of his vehicle while driving through north Springfield and unincorporated Greene County. A person on a bicycle was shot and another person walking along a road was hit. They both survived.Greene County Judge Michael Cordonnier said the life sentences were appropriate because Stenson showed no remorse for his actions, did not take responsibility and did not offer any insight into his motives, The Springfield News-Leader&nbsp;<a href="https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/crime/2021/07/23/springfield-man-kwaim-stenson-life-sentences-shooting-strangers/8068141002/">reported</a>.Assistant Prosecutor Phil Fuhrman said Stenson intended to kill people that day, and later told an interviewer he did not have any mental health or substance abuse problems.Stenson was found guilty in May of two counts of first-degree assault, unlawful use of a weapon and unlawful possession of a firearm.

Missouri man sentenced for random, drive-by killings 

By HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH and JIM SALTER, Associated Press

The attorney general in Missouri has sued in an effort to halt a mask mandate that took effect Monday in the St. Louis area amid a rise in COVID-19 cases that are burdening a growing number of hospitals around the state.

The mandate, one of the first to be reinstated in the country, requires everyone age 5 or older to wear masks in indoor public places and on public transportation in St. Louis city and St. Louis County even if they are vaccinated. Wearing masks outdoors is strongly encouraged, especially in group settings.

But the lawsuit said the mandates are “arbitrary and capricious because they require vaccinated individuals to wear masks, despite the CDC guidance that this is not necessary." It also questions mandating children to wear masks in school, noting they are less likely to become seriously ill.

“This continued government overreach is unacceptable and unconstitutional, especially in the face of a widely available vaccine," Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt said in a news release.

St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones said Schmitt, who is seeking the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate, would not be successful in his legal challenge. She noted that he filed an unsuccessful lawsuit last year against the Chinese government over the coronavirus, alleging that nation’s officials are to blame for the pandemic.

“I wish that he would put more of his attention toward serving the people of the state of Missouri,” she said at a news conference, “and holding our health and safety paramount instead of filing frivolous lawsuits that waste taxpayer dollars.”

Schmitt is just one of several Republicans to push back against the mandate. Gov. Mike Parson said in a tweet Monday that requiring everyone to wear masks “reduce the incentive of getting the vaccine and undermine its integrity.” And St. Louis County Councilman Tim Fitch, meanwhile, said St. Louis County Executive Sam Page was wrong to act without the support of the county commission.

Page, a Democrat, was critical of what he described as “creating distractions for political gain.”

“As some passionate supporters of the previous president hold on tight to bombast and misinformation, we are laser focused on protecting the health and welfare of people in our communities,” he said.

He acknowledged at a news conference that the the mandate “may feel like a punishment" for those who are vaccinated.

But he added: “While the vaccination can protect against serious illness, it can’t protect you from being infected with COVID-19 and passing it onto someone else, someone who may be more vulnerable.”

The decision to impose the mandate comes as both of Missouri’s urban areas see a big uptick in coronavirus hospitalizations that began in rural parts of the state, especially the southwest part of the state, where vaccination rates remain low.

One of the unvaccinated was 31-year-old Daryl Barker of Branson. He came down with the delta variant in early July and has been hospitalized 17 days. With southwestern Missouri hospitals too full, he was transferred to Lake Regional Hospital in Osage Beach, where he is slowly recovering after becoming critically ill.

On Monday, Barker’s wife, Billie, used a dry erase marker to write “I love you” backwards on the window of the intensive care unit so he could read it.

Dr. Harbaksh Sangha, chief medical officer at Lake Regional, told The Associated Press that the difference between this outbreak and the winter is that patients are younger and sicker, with an illness that progresses much faster.

“The younger population who are not vaccinated, they become very sick and the mortality in that population is high, too, this time around,” he said.

Since July 1, the hospital has admitted 70 patients with the virus. Twenty-two have died. The two hospitals in the Springfield area also reported an increase in COVID-19 deaths over the weekend.

Erik Frederick, chief administrative officer of Mercy Springfield, where 12 died, tweeted that “most of this could be prevented" unlike last year. “That," he wrote, “adds an extra layer of anguish.”

Just 47.2% of Missouri residents have received at least the first dose of the vaccine, which is far below the national rate of 56.8%, state and federal data shows.

Elsewhere in the state, Whiteman Air Force Base reinstated its mask mandate Monday, the Harry S. Truman Library &amp; Museum in the Kansas City area said it was closing and Truman Medical Center/University Health announced that it will require all workers to be vaccinated.

Dr. Barbara Pahud, an infectious disease physician and researcher at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, said the hospital is at capacity. She blamed COVID-19 and a rise in other respiratory illnesses that have emerged as mask mandates lifted.

“The world is open again, and that means infectious diseases, not just COVID, are circulating,” she said during a University of Kansas Health System briefing.

By HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH and JIM SALTER, Associated PressThe attorney general in Missouri has sued in an effort to halt a mask mandate that took effect Monday in the St. Louis area amid a rise in COVID-19 cases that are burdening a growing number of hospitals around the state.The mandate, one of the first to be reinstated in the country, requires everyone age 5 or older to wear masks in indoor public places and on public transportation in St. Louis city and St. Louis County even if they are vaccinated. Wearing masks outdoors is strongly encouraged, especially in group settings.But the lawsuit said the mandates are “arbitrary and capricious because they require vaccinated individuals to wear masks, despite the CDC guidance that this is not necessary." It also questions mandating children to wear masks in school, noting they are less likely to become seriously ill.“This continued government overreach is unacceptable and unconstitutional, especially in the face of a widely available vaccine," Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt said in a news release.St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones said Schmitt, who is seeking the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate, would not be successful in his legal challenge. She noted that he filed an unsuccessful lawsuit last year against the Chinese government over the coronavirus, alleging that nation’s officials are to blame for the pandemic.“I wish that he would put more of his attention toward serving the people of the state of Missouri,” she said at a news conference, “and holding our health and safety paramount instead of filing frivolous lawsuits that waste taxpayer dollars.”Schmitt is just one of several Republicans to push back against the mandate. Gov. Mike Parson said in a tweet Monday that requiring everyone to wear masks “reduce the incentive of getting the vaccine and undermine its integrity.” And St. Louis County Councilman Tim Fitch, meanwhile, said St. Louis County Executive Sam Page was wrong to act without the support of the county commission.Page, a Democrat, was critical of what he described as “creating distractions for political gain.”“As some passionate supporters of the previous president hold on tight to bombast and misinformation, we are laser focused on protecting the health and welfare of people in our communities,” he said.He acknowledged at a news conference that the the mandate “may feel like a punishment" for those who are vaccinated.But he added: “While the vaccination can protect against serious illness, it can’t protect you from being infected with COVID-19 and passing it onto someone else, someone who may be more vulnerable.”The decision to impose the mandate comes as both of Missouri’s urban areas see a big uptick in coronavirus hospitalizations that began in rural parts of the state, especially the southwest part of the state, where vaccination rates remain low.One of the unvaccinated was 31-year-old Daryl Barker of Branson. He came down with the delta variant in early July and has been hospitalized 17 days. With southwestern Missouri hospitals too full, he was transferred to Lake Regional Hospital in Osage Beach, where he is slowly recovering after becoming critically ill.On Monday, Barker’s wife, Billie, used a dry erase marker to write “I love you” backwards on the window of the intensive care unit so he could read it.Dr. Harbaksh Sangha, chief medical officer at Lake Regional, told The Associated Press that the difference between this outbreak and the winter is that patients are younger and sicker, with an illness that progresses much faster.“The younger population who are not vaccinated, they become very sick and the mortality in that population is high, too, this time around,” he said.Since July 1, the hospital has admitted 70 patients with the virus. Twenty-two have died. The two hospitals in the Springfield area also reported an increase in COVID-19 deaths over the weekend.Erik Frederick, chief administrative officer of Mercy Springfield, where 12 died, tweeted that “most of this could be prevented" unlike last year. “That," he wrote, “adds an extra layer of anguish.”Just 47.2% of Missouri residents have received at least the first dose of the vaccine, which is far below the national rate of 56.8%, state and federal data shows.Elsewhere in the state, Whiteman Air Force Base reinstated its mask mandate Monday, the Harry S. Truman Library &amp; Museum in the Kansas City area said it was closing and Truman Medical Center/University Health announced that it will require all workers to be vaccinated.Dr. Barbara Pahud, an infectious disease physician and researcher at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, said the hospital is at capacity. She blamed COVID-19 and a rise in other respiratory illnesses that have emerged as mask mandates lifted.“The world is open again, and that means infectious diseases, not just COVID, are circulating,” she said during a University of Kansas Health System briefing.___

Missouri AG sues over mask mandate

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a stabbing and have made an arrest.

Just after 9:00 p.m. Sunday, police responded to the 700 block of NE Twiss Avenue in Topeka on a report of a stabbing, according to police spokesperson Gretchen Spiker.

Upon arrival, officers located a man suffering from serious injuries. He was transported to a local hospital by American Medical Response.

While additional officers were responding to the scene, witnesses described the suspect vehicle. Police located a vehicle matching the description, stopped it and arrested 35-year-old Bobby L. Cott, without incident.

&nbsp;Cox was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Aggravated battery. The suspect and victim are known to one another, according to police.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1627332582316.png" alt="Cott photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Cott photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a stabbing and have made an arrest.Just after 9:00 p.m. Sunday, police responded to the 700 block of NE Twiss Avenue in Topeka on a report of a stabbing, according to police spokesperson Gretchen Spiker.Upon arrival, officers located a man suffering from serious injuries. He was transported to a local hospital by American Medical Response.While additional officers were responding to the scene, witnesses described the suspect vehicle. Police located a vehicle matching the description, stopped it and arrested 35-year-old Bobby L. Cott, without incident.&nbsp;Cox was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Aggravated battery. The suspect and victim are known to one another, according to police.

Police: Kansas man jailed for alleged knife attack

LOGAN COUNTY —Two people died in an accident just after 3:30a.m. Monday in Logan County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a&nbsp; 2015 Jeep Wrangler driven by Raymond H. Kennedy, 45, Glendale, Arizona, was eastbound on U.S. 40 eight miles west of the Kansas 25 Junction.&nbsp; The Jeep collided with a cow that was on the roadway. 

The driver attempted to break to miss the cow. The Jeep swerved, entered the north ditch and rolled.

Kennedy and a passenger Brenda G.&nbsp;Carrasco, 54, Peoria, Arizona, were pronounced dead at the scene and were transported to Baalmann Mortuary. They were properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

LOGAN COUNTY —Two people died in an accident just after 3:30a.m. Monday in Logan County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a&nbsp; 2015 Jeep Wrangler driven by Raymond H. Kennedy, 45, Glendale, Arizona, was eastbound on U.S. 40 eight miles west of the Kansas 25 Junction.&nbsp; The Jeep collided with a cow that was on the roadway. The driver attempted to break to miss the cow. The Jeep swerved, entered the north ditch and rolled.Kennedy and a passenger Brenda G.&nbsp;Carrasco, 54, Peoria, Arizona, were pronounced dead at the scene and were transported to Baalmann Mortuary. They were properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

2 dead after Jeep strikes a cow on Kansas highway

MCDONALD COUNTY, Mo.— Authorities continue searching for three men who escaped from a jail in southwest Missouri after allegedly attacking an officer, according to the McDonald County Sheriff's Department in Pineville, Missouri.

&nbsp;David Molina, 49; Carmelo Miguel Burgos, 27; and Shun’tavion Ladarrias Thomas, 23; escaped from the jail around 5 p.m. Saturday. Pineville is about 190 miles south of Kansas City.

All three men had been jailed on suspicion of violent crimes, and the sheriff's office said all three of them should be considered armed and dangerous.

“Do not attempt to apprehend,” Capt. Chris Allison wrote in a post on the sheriff’s office’s Facebook page.

Authorities continued to search for the suspects early Monday and officials urged people in the area to lock their homes and vehicles.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1627294451828.png" alt="Shun’tavion Ladarrias Thomas 23 year old Black male last seen wearing white pants and white shirt." />
 <figcaption>Shun’tavion Ladarrias Thomas 23 year old Black male last seen wearing white pants and white shirt.</figcaption>
 </figure>MCDONALD COUNTY, Mo.— Authorities continue searching for three men who escaped from a jail in southwest Missouri after allegedly attacking an officer, according to the McDonald County Sheriff's Department in Pineville, Missouri.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1627294480232.png" alt="David Molina 49 year old Hispanic male last seen wearing orange &amp; white stripe pants and white shirt." />
 <figcaption>David Molina 49 year old Hispanic male last seen wearing orange &amp; white stripe pants and white shirt.</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;David Molina, 49; Carmelo Miguel Burgos, 27; and Shun’tavion Ladarrias Thomas, 23; escaped from the jail around 5 p.m. Saturday. Pineville is about 190 miles south of Kansas City.All three men had been jailed on suspicion of violent crimes, and the sheriff's office said all three of them should be considered armed and dangerous.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1627294532289.png" alt="Carmelo Miguel Burgos 27 year old Hispanic male last seen wearing orange &amp; white stripe pants and no shirt." />
 <figcaption>Carmelo Miguel Burgos 27 year old Hispanic male last seen wearing orange &amp; white stripe pants and no shirt.</figcaption>
 </figure>“Do not attempt to apprehend,” Capt. Chris Allison wrote in a post on the sheriff’s office’s Facebook page.Authorities continued to search for the suspects early Monday and officials urged people in the area to lock their homes and vehicles.

Search continues for escapees from SW Missouri jail

DOUGLAS COUNTY – The Kansas Bureau of Investigation issued a statewide Silver Alert for a missing Lawrence couple.

The whereabouts of Russel “Red” Stevens, 76, and Mina Stevens, 71, are unknown, and the public’s assistance is requested to help locate them.

On Sunday, they were last known to be driving from Wichita to rural Douglas County, northwest of Lawrence, according to the sheriff's office.

Over 24 hours later they have not returned home, or made contact with their family. The couple is driving a dark blue 2018 Ford Explorer with a Kansas license plate 944HBC.

If you see Russell or Mina Stevens please contact the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office immediately at 785-843-0250.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1627335843886.png" alt="Russel “Red” Stevens, 76, and Mina Stevens, 71,&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Russel “Red” Stevens, 76, and Mina Stevens, 71,&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>DOUGLAS COUNTY – The Kansas Bureau of Investigation issued a statewide Silver Alert for a missing Lawrence couple.The whereabouts of Russel “Red” Stevens, 76, and Mina Stevens, 71, are unknown, and the public’s assistance is requested to help locate them.On Sunday, they were last known to be driving from Wichita to rural Douglas County, northwest of Lawrence, according to the sheriff's office.Over 24 hours later they have not returned home, or made contact with their family. The couple is driving a dark blue 2018 Ford Explorer with a Kansas license plate 944HBC.If you see Russell or Mina Stevens please contact the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office immediately at 785-843-0250.

KBI: Statewide Silver Alert for missing Kan. couple

By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-07-26/kansas-coronavirus-cases-skyrocket-from-hundreds-to-thousands-per-week">Kansas News Service</a>

Kansas has managed to travel backward in pandemic time. Suddenly it’s February again.

Except this time, the state faces a version of COVID-19 that’s twice as contagious.

The
 delta variant is plowing through a lightly vaccinated population, and 
multiplying fast. In mid-June, Kansas saw hundreds of new cases a week. 
Now, there are thousands of new cases per week.

Say
 you get a shot of Pfizer tomorrow, then the second dose three weeks 
later. A couple more weeks must pass before your body has built up its 
arsenal of antibodies to guard you against hospitalization and death.

“Five
 weeks is a long time,” deputy state health officer Joan Duwve said. 
“That’s just a prime opportunity for this virus to find you, to make you
 sick and to spread to other members of your family.”

Yes, you can
 still catch COVID-19 after getting a vaccine, but misinformation about 
what that means deflects from this simple fact: For the vast majority of
 people, your vaccinated body will be ready for it.

“These are 
just heroic vaccines,” said Vaughn Cooper, who heads the Center for 
Evolutionary Biology and Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh. “The 
chief scientific achievements of my lifetime.”

Around 99% of recent coronavirus deaths in the U.S. and 97% of the hospitalizations involved people who were <a href="https://www.npr.org/2021/07/16/1017002907/u-s-covid-deaths-are-rising-again-experts-call-it-a-pandemic-of-the-unvaccinated" target="_blank">unvaccinated</a>.

Each day, a few thousand Kansans get a shot of the vaccine that scientists say can stop this pandemic.

Meantime, Kansas hospitals are filling beds fast, and some are <a href="https://www.kcur.org/health/2021-07-22/kansas-city-hospitals-at-tipping-point-as-beds-fill-up-with-more-than-just-covid-patients" target="_blank">turning away seriously ill COVID patients from other areas</a> and asking nurses to sign up for extra shifts.

In late April, Kansas identified its first case of the delta variant. Now <a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas" target="_blank">almost all</a> the COVID cases here are this flavor.

Kansas sits smack dab in the delta zone, wedged between <a href="https://fortune.com/2021/07/21/delta-variant-covid-cases-states-where-its-most-prevalent/" target="_blank">other states</a> with the same problem — most notably, Missouri, where preventable infections are overwhelming hospitals in <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2021/07/delta-missouri-pandemic-surge/619456/" target="_blank">Springfield</a>.

And
 so delta is doing what delta does best: spreading. The Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention lists Kansas as one of 17 states with <a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#cases_community" target="_blank">high transmission levels</a> right now.

Not satisfied with hugging the Missouri border, the variant has 
crisscrossed the state, fueling upticks around Junction City, Wichita 
and other areas.

On the past three Mondays, Ascension Via Christi’s St. Francis Hospital in Wichita went from 13 patients to 20 to 46.

Dr. Sam Antonios, Via Christi’s chief clinical officer, described the health system’s staff as “disheartened.”

“They obviously don't want to have to go back to the same level of severity of illness,” he said.

Ascension built up significant stores of protective garb, testing gear and other supplies in the wake of last year’s shortages.

“What
 will continue to be the challenge is getting all the right staff in the
 right places,” he said. “We’re bringing in extra staff where we can and
 where we need to. However, it would be better for us to not have to do 
any of that.”

And that’s possible, scientists say, if people lean on the same tools that helped combat other varieties of COVID-19.

You’ve heard it before. It matters again. Wearing masks. Social distancing. Limiting gatherings to outdoors or <a href="https://www.centerforhealthsecurity.org/our-work/pubs_archive/pubs-pdfs/2021/20210526-school-ventilation.pdf" target="_blank">well-ventilated</a> spaces. Getting the vaccine. Going for a <a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/280/COVID-19-Testing" target="_blank">free coronavirus test</a> if you have so much as the sniffles.

Could
 it get as bad as last December, when daily COVID inpatients topped 
1,000 and desperate hospitals spent hours calling each other in search 
of a free bed, only to send critically ill patients hours by ambulance 
out of state to Omaha or whatever other Midwest city had a free spot 
that day?

Experts lean toward “no,” but with significant caveats.

The
 good news: 80% of the state’s residents 65 years and older got 
vaccinated. That group faced the biggest risks from COVID-19. So with 
far fewer older people landing in the hospital, the hope is to avoid 
running out of beds like last winter.

But the other 20% of people over the age of 65 who didn’t get vaccinated are still a lot of people.

And on the whole, less than half the state’s population got the shots. In many counties, less than a third.

That’s not enough to keep such a swift moving variant in check, as Springfield shows.

“We
 don’t, unfortunately, have high enough vaccination in Kansas or 
Missouri” to slow the spread, said Amber D’Souza, a professor of 
epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. 
“It’s going to have to be preventive measures — distancing and 
behavioral changes.”

Delta “is just a harder battle,” she said. “Because it is spreading to more people each time someone is infected.”

The new variant generates <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-01986-w" target="_blank">far more copies</a>
 of itself in a person, which helps it reach the next one. Even a 
vaccinated person with little in the way of symptoms could pass the 
germs along to an unvaccinated friend, who then gets very ill.

So 
while the U.S. as a whole shouldn’t see inpatient numbers and deaths 
spike as high as last winter, experts like D’Souza warn that some parts of the country could get clobbered just as bad this fall.

Last winter, the U.S. was racking up more than <a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#trends_dailytrendscases" target="_blank">200,000 new confirmed infections a day</a>,
 which fell to around 10,000 earlier this summer. With the advent of 
delta, the country is back to reporting more than 60,000 a day.

Kansas confirmed nearly 4,000 new cases last week and daily inpatient
 numbers have climbed back to nearly 400. The state hasn’t seen figures 
like that since February.

“It is scary,” said Duwve, from the state health department.

“That
 story has yet to be written,” she said. “Because we as individuals have
 a lot of control over our behavior, and we know that there are things 
we can do to prevent the ongoing spread.”

Schools face a tough decision for that reason: whether to make students mask up when classes restart in a few weeks.

“The
 safest thing to do is to wear masks all the time,” D’Souza said. “But 
there's a cost for that. For everyone's comfort, right?”

The 
ideal, she said, is for school districts to set a threshold. When the 
case rate in their area hits that number, it’s time to put on the masks.

But some school districts might find it difficult to communicate that plan to the public, she said.

So if superintendents have to make a call in August and stick with it, then they’ve got to look at the outlook now.

Apparently, Kansas City doctors think the situation is bad enough to warrant masking up.

Last week, 100 of them signed <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-07-22/despite-covid-surge-and-advice-from-health-experts-most-kansas-schoolkids-wont-have-to-wear-masks" target="_blank">an open letter</a> begging schools to have unvaccinated students and teachers wear masks this fall.

So far just one major Kansas school district — Kansas City, Kansas — has agreed.

Celia
 Llopis-Jepsen reports on consumer health for the Kansas News Service. 
You can follow her on Twitter @celia_LJ or email her at celia@kcur.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1627330587128.png" alt="Carlos Moreno / KCUR 89.3" />
 <figcaption>Carlos Moreno / KCUR 89.3</figcaption>
 </figure>By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-07-26/kansas-coronavirus-cases-skyrocket-from-hundreds-to-thousands-per-week">Kansas News Service</a>Kansas has managed to travel backward in pandemic time. Suddenly it’s February again.Except this time, the state faces a version of COVID-19 that’s twice as contagious.The
 delta variant is plowing through a lightly vaccinated population, and 
multiplying fast. In mid-June, Kansas saw hundreds of new cases a week. 
Now, there are thousands of new cases per week.That’s why time really matters.Say
 you get a shot of Pfizer tomorrow, then the second dose three weeks 
later. A couple more weeks must pass before your body has built up its 
arsenal of antibodies to guard you against hospitalization and death.“Five
 weeks is a long time,” deputy state health officer Joan Duwve said. 
“That’s just a prime opportunity for this virus to find you, to make you
 sick and to spread to other members of your family.”Yes, you can
 still catch COVID-19 after getting a vaccine, but misinformation about 
what that means deflects from this simple fact: For the vast majority of
 people, your vaccinated body will be ready for it.“These are 
just heroic vaccines,” said Vaughn Cooper, who heads the Center for 
Evolutionary Biology and Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh. “The 
chief scientific achievements of my lifetime.”Around 99% of recent coronavirus deaths in the U.S. and 97% of the hospitalizations involved people who were <a href="https://www.npr.org/2021/07/16/1017002907/u-s-covid-deaths-are-rising-again-experts-call-it-a-pandemic-of-the-unvaccinated" target="_blank">unvaccinated</a>.Each day, a few thousand Kansans get a shot of the vaccine that scientists say can stop this pandemic.Meantime, Kansas hospitals are filling beds fast, and some are <a href="https://www.kcur.org/health/2021-07-22/kansas-city-hospitals-at-tipping-point-as-beds-fill-up-with-more-than-just-covid-patients" target="_blank">turning away seriously ill COVID patients from other areas</a> and asking nurses to sign up for extra shifts.<h2>The delta in Kansas</h2>In late April, Kansas identified its first case of the delta variant. Now <a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas" target="_blank">almost all</a> the COVID cases here are this flavor.Kansas sits smack dab in the delta zone, wedged between <a href="https://fortune.com/2021/07/21/delta-variant-covid-cases-states-where-its-most-prevalent/" target="_blank">other states</a> with the same problem — most notably, Missouri, where preventable infections are overwhelming hospitals in <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2021/07/delta-missouri-pandemic-surge/619456/" target="_blank">Springfield</a>.And
 so delta is doing what delta does best: spreading. The Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention lists Kansas as one of 17 states with <a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#cases_community" target="_blank">high transmission levels</a> right now.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1627330645256.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Not satisfied with hugging the Missouri border, the variant has 
crisscrossed the state, fueling upticks around Junction City, Wichita 
and other areas.On the past three Mondays, Ascension Via Christi’s St. Francis Hospital in Wichita went from 13 patients to 20 to 46.Dr. Sam Antonios, Via Christi’s chief clinical officer, described the health system’s staff as “disheartened.”“They obviously don't want to have to go back to the same level of severity of illness,” he said.Ascension built up significant stores of protective garb, testing gear and other supplies in the wake of last year’s shortages.“What
 will continue to be the challenge is getting all the right staff in the
 right places,” he said. “We’re bringing in extra staff where we can and
 where we need to. However, it would be better for us to not have to do 
any of that.”And that’s possible, scientists say, if people lean on the same tools that helped combat other varieties of COVID-19.You’ve heard it before. It matters again. Wearing masks. Social distancing. Limiting gatherings to outdoors or <a href="https://www.centerforhealthsecurity.org/our-work/pubs_archive/pubs-pdfs/2021/20210526-school-ventilation.pdf" target="_blank">well-ventilated</a> spaces. Getting the vaccine. Going for a <a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/280/COVID-19-Testing" target="_blank">free coronavirus test</a> if you have so much as the sniffles.<h2>The big question</h2>How bad will it get in Kansas?Could
 it get as bad as last December, when daily COVID inpatients topped 
1,000 and desperate hospitals spent hours calling each other in search 
of a free bed, only to send critically ill patients hours by ambulance 
out of state to Omaha or whatever other Midwest city had a free spot 
that day?Experts lean toward “no,” but with significant caveats.The
 good news: 80% of the state’s residents 65 years and older got 
vaccinated. That group faced the biggest risks from COVID-19. So with 
far fewer older people landing in the hospital, the hope is to avoid 
running out of beds like last winter.But the other 20% of people over the age of 65 who didn’t get vaccinated are still a lot of people.And on the whole, less than half the state’s population got the shots. In many counties, less than a third.That’s not enough to keep such a swift moving variant in check, as Springfield shows.“We
 don’t, unfortunately, have high enough vaccination in Kansas or 
Missouri” to slow the spread, said Amber D’Souza, a professor of 
epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. 
“It’s going to have to be preventive measures — distancing and 
behavioral changes.”Delta “is just a harder battle,” she said. “Because it is spreading to more people each time someone is infected.”The new variant generates <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-01986-w" target="_blank">far more copies</a>
 of itself in a person, which helps it reach the next one. Even a 
vaccinated person with little in the way of symptoms could pass the 
germs along to an unvaccinated friend, who then gets very ill.So 
while the U.S. as a whole shouldn’t see inpatient numbers and deaths 
spike as high as last winter, experts like D’Souza warn that some parts of the country could get clobbered just as bad this fall.Last winter, the U.S. was racking up more than <a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#trends_dailytrendscases" target="_blank">200,000 new confirmed infections a day</a>,
 which fell to around 10,000 earlier this summer. With the advent of 
delta, the country is back to reporting more than 60,000 a day.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1627330675834.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas confirmed nearly 4,000 new cases last week and daily inpatient
 numbers have climbed back to nearly 400. The state hasn’t seen figures 
like that since February.“It is scary,” said Duwve, from the state health department.So what happens next?“That
 story has yet to be written,” she said. “Because we as individuals have
 a lot of control over our behavior, and we know that there are things 
we can do to prevent the ongoing spread.”<h2>The school debate</h2>Schools face a tough decision for that reason: whether to make students mask up when classes restart in a few weeks.“The
 safest thing to do is to wear masks all the time,” D’Souza said. “But 
there's a cost for that. For everyone's comfort, right?”The 
ideal, she said, is for school districts to set a threshold. When the 
case rate in their area hits that number, it’s time to put on the masks.But some school districts might find it difficult to communicate that plan to the public, she said.So if superintendents have to make a call in August and stick with it, then they’ve got to look at the outlook now.Apparently, Kansas City doctors think the situation is bad enough to warrant masking up.Last week, 100 of them signed <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-07-22/despite-covid-surge-and-advice-from-health-experts-most-kansas-schoolkids-wont-have-to-wear-masks" target="_blank">an open letter</a> begging schools to have unvaccinated students and teachers wear masks this fall.So far just one major Kansas school district — Kansas City, Kansas — has agreed.Celia
 Llopis-Jepsen reports on consumer health for the Kansas News Service. 
You can follow her on Twitter @celia_LJ or email her at celia@kcur.org.

Kan. COVID cases skyrocket from hundreds to thousands per week 

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Department of Veterans Affairs on Monday became the first major federal agency to require health care workers to get COVID-19 vaccines, as the aggressive delta variant spreads and some communities report troubling increases in hospitalizations among unvaccinated people.

The VA’s move came on a day when nearly 60 leading medical and health care organizations issued a call for health care facilities to require their workers to get vaccinated.

At the VA, vaccines will be now mandatory for specified health care personnel — including physicians, dentists, podiatrists, optometrists, registered nurses, physician assistants and others who work in departmental facilities or provide direct care to veterans, said VA Secretary Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough.

Employees will have eight weeks to get vaccinated.

“It’s the best way to keep veterans safe, especially as the delta variant spreads across the country,” McDonough said in a statement. “Whenever a veteran or VA employee sets foot in a VA facility, they deserve to know that we have done everything in our power to protect them from COVID-19.

“With this mandate, we can once again make — and keep — that fundamental promise,” he added.

The medical and health care groups issuing a call for mandatory vaccines included the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Nursing, the American Public Health Association and, for the first time, a nursing home industry group. LeadingAge, which represents nonprofit nursing homes and elder care facilities, had previously advocated educating nursing home employees about the benefits of getting their shots.

“Unfortunately, many health care and long-term care personnel remain unvaccinated,” the groups said in a statement. “We stand with the growing number of experts and institutions that support the requirement for universal vaccination of health workers.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1627326883921.png" alt="“It’s the best way to keep veterans safe, especially as the delta variant spreads across the country,”&nbsp; said VA Secretary Dennis McDonough.&nbsp; He is shown here answering questions from Kansas Senator Jerry Moran during a July 14 hearing -photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>“It’s the best way to keep veterans safe, especially as the delta variant spreads across the country,”&nbsp; said VA Secretary Dennis McDonough.&nbsp; He is shown here answering questions from Kansas Senator Jerry Moran during a July 14 hearing -photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Department of Veterans Affairs on Monday became the first major federal agency to require health care workers to get COVID-19 vaccines, as the aggressive delta variant spreads and some communities report troubling increases in hospitalizations among unvaccinated people.The VA’s move came on a day when nearly 60 leading medical and health care organizations issued a call for health care facilities to require their workers to get vaccinated.At the VA, vaccines will be now mandatory for specified health care personnel — including physicians, dentists, podiatrists, optometrists, registered nurses, physician assistants and others who work in departmental facilities or provide direct care to veterans, said VA Secretary Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough.Employees will have eight weeks to get vaccinated.“It’s the best way to keep veterans safe, especially as the delta variant spreads across the country,” McDonough said in a statement. “Whenever a veteran or VA employee sets foot in a VA facility, they deserve to know that we have done everything in our power to protect them from COVID-19.“With this mandate, we can once again make — and keep — that fundamental promise,” he added.The medical and health care groups issuing a call for mandatory vaccines included the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Nursing, the American Public Health Association and, for the first time, a nursing home industry group. LeadingAge, which represents nonprofit nursing homes and elder care facilities, had previously advocated educating nursing home employees about the benefits of getting their shots.“Unfortunately, many health care and long-term care personnel remain unvaccinated,” the groups said in a statement. “We stand with the growing number of experts and institutions that support the requirement for universal vaccination of health workers.”

VA sets deadline for health care workers to get vaccinated

By LAURA ZIEGLER <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-07-26/kansas-city-kansas-residents-continue-calls-to-ban-police-from-working-with-ice">Kansas News Service</a>

A crowd of roughly 75 activists and community leaders waved signs and
 cheered earlier this month as four members of Safe and Welcoming 
Wyandotte Coalition unfurled a paper banner on the plaza of the Unified 
Government municipal building downtown.

The phrase "Safe And 
Welcoming," hand-written in capital letters and colored in yellow and 
red, is a reference to a proposed ordinance that would provide 
identification to those without legal documents, the homeless, formerly 
incarcerated, those who are older, lack financial resources and other 
vulnerable populations.

“We have a lot of people who don’t have 
any legal way to identify themselves,” said Valeria Espadas, a community
 activist and one of the rally organizers. “You want to enroll your kid 
in school? You need an ID. You want a library card, a (Board of Public 
Utilities) account, you need an ID.”

But it’s the second part of 
the ordinance that’s been controversial. Along with a municipal ID, the 
ordinance would prohibit local law enforcement from coordinating with 
immigration authorities except in the case of fugitives or those with 
dangerous criminal records. Organizers have dubbed this part of the 
effort as "ICE non-compliance."

Efforts to pass the ordinance have
 been ongoing for several years, but David Alvey, mayor and CEO of the 
Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, says he 
cannot support it. Some of his opponents in the upcoming mayoral 
election, however, say they're open to the idea. 

Wyandotte Co. tops state for ICE detainees

<a href="https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/wyandottecountykansas" target="_blank">Almost 17%</a> of Wyandotte County’s population between 2015 and 2019 were foreign-born, and
 although it’s impossible to get exact figures, advocates and attorneys 
say a high number of those individuals lack legal residency papers.

Data collected by Syracuse University's TRAC Immigration information system indicates Kansas had the <a href="https://trac.syr.edu/immigration/reports/343/" target="_blank">third highest percentage nationally</a>
 of Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainees with no other criminal
 convictions through 2018. In Kansas, 71% of those detained by ICE were 
not convicted of an offense. (Missouri holds the number one spot, with 
74% of its detainees held without any prior criminal record.)

Coalition member Yasmin Bruno Valdez says she was living in the U.S. 
without legal status for 10 years before being granted status under the 
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program just last month. 
Wyandotte County has the most ICE detainees of any county in Kansas, and
 Valdez says she and others see an intimate relationship between ICE and
 local law enforcement, claiming police and the sheriff’s office notify 
immigration authorities when suspects are detained or released. 

As
 a result, Valdez says many live under the radar, skipping doctors’ 
appointments, parent-teacher conferences or opportunities to speak out 
in public. The non-compliance mandate, she says, would help coax some 
out of the shadows.

“(It) would be the first step to not only 
protect undocumented folks, but to also create a sense of belonging,” 
she said. “Undocumented people deserve to feel safe.”

Law enforcement officials deny working with ICE

Wyandotte County Sheriff Don Ash denies his office coordinates with immigration authorities.

“We
 are not holding on civil detainers and we’re not holding people until 
ICE comes to pick them up,” Ash said in an interview. “If there is a 
judicial warrant, that’s different, we will hold like we would for any 
other jurisdiction, but our policy is restrictive on what we can, can’t 
or won’t do in terms of working with ICE.”

The Kansas City, 
Kansas, police department similarly said their interaction with federal 
authorities is “very limited.” In an email to KCUR, Acting Chief Michael
 York said officers enforce only city ordinances and state statues and 
only coordinate with ICE on criminal investigations or if a violent 
offender has fled across borders. 

York said the inability to 
verify identification does not “automatically raise questions of legal 
status,” and that KCK police are not involved in detention release or 
bond hearings.

“To say that the Kansas City, Kansas, Police 
Department aggressively cooperates with immigration officials and thus 
supports unnecessary deportation is not only incorrect, but does a great
 disservice to our community by fostering fear that may discourage 
immigrants and undocumented people from reporting crimes, showing up for
 public meetings, and other activities in which they may encounter law 
enforcement,” the email stated.

The immigration issue has become part of the political debate in the 5-way race for Kansas City, Kansas, mayor.

Incumbent
 Mayor Alvey has said he can not support the ordinance because of 
preexisting contracts with federal authorities.  Signing on to the 
non-compliance provision would violate the terms of federal grants that 
require state and federal law collaboration, including with immigration 
authorities.

“We cannot codify a statement saying we will not work
 with any agency because that’s in fact what we signed off on the grant,
 he said. “I understand the Biden administration is not adding that 
criteria into new grant requirements, that’s a different matter, but 
existing agreements are already in place so I can’t do that.”

Tyrone
 Garner, a mayoral candidate and former deputy chief with the Kansas 
City, Kansas, police department has endorsed the ordinance, as has 
District Attorney Mark Dupree. 

Mayoral candidate Janice Witt said
 she'd like the Safe and Welcoming Wyandotte ordinance to extend beyond 
the immigrant community. "To be safe and welcoming to everyone," she 
told television station <a href="https://www.kmbc.com/amp/article/group-wants-to-turn-immigration-enforcement-into-issue-for-kck-mayoral-race/36945663" target="_blank">KMBC</a>, "is a human right."

Candidate Chris Steineger, a former state senator from Wyandotte County, opposes the measure. 

KCUR was unable to reach candidate Daran Duffy for comment.

Residents continue to focus their attention on the current administration. 

At this month's rally, Pastor Rick Behrens of Grandview Park Presbytarian Church led a chant aimed squarely at the mayor.

"Mayor
 Alvey, can you hear it?" he boomed from the podium. The crowd, who is 
calling for the UG government to hold a special hearing with public 
testimony on the ordinance before the upcoming election, joined in.

"Mayor Alvey can you hear it? Can you hear our mighty spirit?"

Laura Ziegler has been a producer with NPR in Washington D.C. and national NPR reporter covering the Midwest. Currently she’s a community engagement reporter and producer at KCUR. Email her at lauraz@kcur.org or reach her on Twitter @laurazig.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1627309240182.png" alt="At a rally last week in at the municipal building of the Unified Government, undocumented residents, clergy and activists urged acceptance of an ordinance they say would protect immigrants. Laura Ziegler / KCUR" />
 <figcaption>At a rally last week in at the municipal building of the Unified Government, undocumented residents, clergy and activists urged acceptance of an ordinance they say would protect immigrants. Laura Ziegler / KCUR</figcaption>
 </figure>By LAURA ZIEGLER <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-07-26/kansas-city-kansas-residents-continue-calls-to-ban-police-from-working-with-ice">Kansas News Service</a>A crowd of roughly 75 activists and community leaders waved signs and
 cheered earlier this month as four members of Safe and Welcoming 
Wyandotte Coalition unfurled a paper banner on the plaza of the Unified 
Government municipal building downtown.The phrase "Safe And 
Welcoming," hand-written in capital letters and colored in yellow and 
red, is a reference to a proposed ordinance that would provide 
identification to those without legal documents, the homeless, formerly 
incarcerated, those who are older, lack financial resources and other 
vulnerable populations.“We have a lot of people who don’t have 
any legal way to identify themselves,” said Valeria Espadas, a community
 activist and one of the rally organizers. “You want to enroll your kid 
in school? You need an ID. You want a library card, a (Board of Public 
Utilities) account, you need an ID.”But it’s the second part of 
the ordinance that’s been controversial. Along with a municipal ID, the 
ordinance would prohibit local law enforcement from coordinating with 
immigration authorities except in the case of fugitives or those with 
dangerous criminal records. Organizers have dubbed this part of the 
effort as "ICE non-compliance."Efforts to pass the ordinance have
 been ongoing for several years, but David Alvey, mayor and CEO of the 
Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, says he 
cannot support it. Some of his opponents in the upcoming mayoral 
election, however, say they're open to the idea. <h2>Wyandotte Co. tops state for ICE detainees</h2><a href="https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/wyandottecountykansas" target="_blank">Almost 17%</a> of Wyandotte County’s population between 2015 and 2019 were foreign-born, and
 although it’s impossible to get exact figures, advocates and attorneys 
say a high number of those individuals lack legal residency papers.Data collected by Syracuse University's TRAC Immigration information system indicates Kansas had the <a href="https://trac.syr.edu/immigration/reports/343/" target="_blank">third highest percentage nationally</a>
 of Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainees with no other criminal
 convictions through 2018. In Kansas, 71% of those detained by ICE were 
not convicted of an offense. (Missouri holds the number one spot, with 
74% of its detainees held without any prior criminal record.)<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1627309321352.png" alt="Yasmin Bruno Valdez has been in the United States since third grade. She was granted legal status under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program this summer." />
 <figcaption>Yasmin Bruno Valdez has been in the United States since third grade. She was granted legal status under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program this summer.</figcaption>
 </figure>Coalition member Yasmin Bruno Valdez says she was living in the U.S. 
without legal status for 10 years before being granted status under the 
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program just last month. 
Wyandotte County has the most ICE detainees of any county in Kansas, and
 Valdez says she and others see an intimate relationship between ICE and
 local law enforcement, claiming police and the sheriff’s office notify 
immigration authorities when suspects are detained or released. As
 a result, Valdez says many live under the radar, skipping doctors’ 
appointments, parent-teacher conferences or opportunities to speak out 
in public. The non-compliance mandate, she says, would help coax some 
out of the shadows.“(It) would be the first step to not only 
protect undocumented folks, but to also create a sense of belonging,” 
she said. “Undocumented people deserve to feel safe.”<h2>Law enforcement officials deny working with ICE</h2>Wyandotte County Sheriff Don Ash denies his office coordinates with immigration authorities.“We
 are not holding on civil detainers and we’re not holding people until 
ICE comes to pick them up,” Ash said in an interview. “If there is a 
judicial warrant, that’s different, we will hold like we would for any 
other jurisdiction, but our policy is restrictive on what we can, can’t 
or won’t do in terms of working with ICE.”The Kansas City, 
Kansas, police department similarly said their interaction with federal 
authorities is “very limited.” In an email to KCUR, Acting Chief Michael
 York said officers enforce only city ordinances and state statues and 
only coordinate with ICE on criminal investigations or if a violent 
offender has fled across borders. York said the inability to 
verify identification does not “automatically raise questions of legal 
status,” and that KCK police are not involved in detention release or 
bond hearings.“To say that the Kansas City, Kansas, Police 
Department aggressively cooperates with immigration officials and thus 
supports unnecessary deportation is not only incorrect, but does a great
 disservice to our community by fostering fear that may discourage 
immigrants and undocumented people from reporting crimes, showing up for
 public meetings, and other activities in which they may encounter law 
enforcement,” the email stated.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1627309353220.png" alt="David Johnson, 64, was at a rally this week calling on Mayor Alvey and the UG commission to hold a special hearing with public testimony. He says the community is not now safe and welcoming for everyone." />
 <figcaption>David Johnson, 64, was at a rally this week calling on Mayor Alvey and the UG commission to hold a special hearing with public testimony. He says the community is not now safe and welcoming for everyone.</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>An issue in the mayoral campaign</h2>The immigration issue has become part of the political debate in the 5-way race for Kansas City, Kansas, mayor.Incumbent
 Mayor Alvey has said he can not support the ordinance because of 
preexisting contracts with federal authorities. Signing on to the 
non-compliance provision would violate the terms of federal grants that 
require state and federal law collaboration, including with immigration 
authorities.“We cannot codify a statement saying we will not work
 with any agency because that’s in fact what we signed off on the grant,
 he said. “I understand the Biden administration is not adding that 
criteria into new grant requirements, that’s a different matter, but 
existing agreements are already in place so I can’t do that.”Tyrone
 Garner, a mayoral candidate and former deputy chief with the Kansas 
City, Kansas, police department has endorsed the ordinance, as has 
District Attorney Mark Dupree. Mayoral candidate Janice Witt said
 she'd like the Safe and Welcoming Wyandotte ordinance to extend beyond 
the immigrant community. "To be safe and welcoming to everyone," she 
told television station <a href="https://www.kmbc.com/amp/article/group-wants-to-turn-immigration-enforcement-into-issue-for-kck-mayoral-race/36945663" target="_blank">KMBC</a>, "is a human right."Candidate Chris Steineger, a former state senator from Wyandotte County, opposes the measure. KCUR was unable to reach candidate Daran Duffy for comment.Residents continue to focus their attention on the current administration. At this month's rally, Pastor Rick Behrens of Grandview Park Presbytarian Church led a chant aimed squarely at the mayor."Mayor
 Alvey, can you hear it?" he boomed from the podium. The crowd, who is 
calling for the UG government to hold a special hearing with public 
testimony on the ordinance before the upcoming election, joined in."Mayor Alvey can you hear it? Can you hear our mighty spirit?"Laura Ziegler has been a producer with NPR in Washington D.C. and national NPR reporter covering the Midwest. Currently she’s a community engagement reporter and producer at KCUR. Email her at lauraz@kcur.org or reach her on Twitter @laurazig.&nbsp;

KCK residents continue calls to ban police from working with ICE 

KANSAS CITY (AP) —Although the pandemic disrupted family life across the U.S. since taking hold in spring 2020, some parents are grateful for one consequence: They’re now opting to homeschool their children, even as schools plan to resume in-person classes.

The specific reasons vary widely. Some families who spoke with The Associated Press have children with special educational needs; others seek a faith-based curriculum or say their local schools are flawed. The common denominator: They tried homeschooling on what they thought was a temporary basis and found it beneficial to their children.

“That’s one of the silver linings of the pandemic — I don’t think we would have chosen to homeschool otherwise,” said Danielle King of Randolph, Vermont, whose 7-year-old daughter Zoë thrived with the flexible, one-on-one instruction. Her curriculum has included literature, anatomy, even archaeology, enlivened by outdoor excursions to search for fossils.

The surge has been confirmed by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-census-2020-6ca21124cca741b9e6ec1c8256e1c921">U.S. Census Bureau</a>, which reported in March that the rate of households homeschooling their children rose to 11% by September 2020, more than doubling from 5.4% just six months earlier.

Black households saw the largest jump; their homeschooling rate rose from 3.3% in the spring of 2020 to 16.1% in the fall.

The parents in one of those households, Arlena and Robert Brown of Austin, Texas, had three children in elementary school when the pandemic took hold. After experimenting with virtual learning, the couple opted to try homeschooling with a Catholic-oriented curriculum provided by Seton Home Study School, which serves about 16,000 students nationwide.

The Browns plan to continue homeschooling for the coming year, grateful that they can tailor the curriculum to fit their children’s distinctive needs. Jacoby, 11, has been diagnosed with narcolepsy and sometimes needs naps during the day; Riley, 10, has tested as academically gifted; Felicity, 9, has a learning disability.

“I didn’t want my kids to become a statistic and not meet their full potential,” said Robert Brown, a former teacher who now does consulting. “And we wanted them to have very solid understanding of their faith.”

Arlena Brown, who gave birth to a fourth child 10 months ago, worked as a preschool teacher before the pandemic. Homeschooling, she says, has been a rewarding adventure.

“In the beginning, the biggest challenge was to unschool ourselves and understand that homeschooling has so much freedom,” she said. “We can go as quickly or slowly as we need to.”

Race played a key role in the decision by another African American family to homeschool their 12-year-old son, Dorian.

Angela Valentine said Dorian was often the only Black student in his classes at a suburban Chicago public school, was sometimes treated unfairly by administrators, and was dismayed as other children stopped playing with him.

As the pandemic eased, the family decided to keep Dorian at home and teach him there, using a curriculum provided by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbhe.net/" target="_blank">National Black Home Educators</a>&nbsp;that provides content for each academic subject pertaining to African American history and culture.

“I felt the burden of making the shift, making sure we’re making the right choices,” Valentine said. “But until we’re really comfortable with his learning environment, we’ll stay on this homeschool journey.”

Charmaine Williams, who lives in the St. Louis suburb of Baldwin, also is using the National Black Home Educators curriculum as she homeschools her 10-year-old son, Justin, and 6-year-old daughter, Janel.

Williams said she and her husband tried two previous stints of homeschooling for Justin after school officials complained about his behavior. Now — with the new curriculum and an accompanying support network — they feel more confident about choosing it as a long-term option.

“At school, children have to follow a certain pattern, and there’s bullying, belittling — compared to being home where they’re free to be themselves,” Williams said.

“There’s no turning back for us now,” she added. “The pandemic has been a blessing — an opportunity to take ownership of our children’s education.”

Joyce Burges, co-founder and program director of National Black Home Educators, said the 21-year-old organization had about 5,000 members before the pandemic and now has more than 35,000.

Many of the new families experienced difficulties, including lack of internet access, that limited their children’s ability to benefit from virtual learning during the pandemic, Burges said.

“It got so they didn’t trust anything but their own homes, and their children being with them,” she said. “Now they’re seeing the future — seeing what their children can do.”

For some families, the switch to homeschooling was influenced by their children’s special needs. That’s the case for Jennifer Osgood of Fairfax, Vermont, whose 7-year-old daughter Lily has Down syndrome.

Having observed Lily’s progress with reading and arithmetic while at home during the pandemic, Osgood is convinced homeschooling is the best option for her going forward.

She has made the same decision for her 12-year-old son Noah, who didn’t like the remote classes offered by his public school in the spring of 2020, and did homeschooling throughout the 2020-21 school year. It went so well that they want to continue for at least a few more years.

“He told me he was learning so much more at home than he ever did in school,” Osgood recalled. “He said, ‘School is just so chaotic — we don’t get very much done in any particular class. Here, I sit down, you tell me what to do, and minutes later I’m done.’”

Heather Pray of Phoenix, Maryland, says homeschooling has been a major success for her 7-year-old son, Jackson, who has autism. The family made the switch because Jackson was struggling with the virtual learning that his school provided during the pandemic.

“My son did great (with homeschooling), even with just two hours of schoolwork a day,” Pray said. “I got him into piano lessons, taught him to read.”

Pray is also homeschooling her daughter, Hayley, who’s going into 7th grade and had been attending a Christian school.

“I had no idea how this was going to go — I just dove in headfirst,” said Pray. “I felt God was holding my hand.”

The Gonzalez family from Appomattox, Virginia — who are devout Catholics — opted to homeschool their three sons, ages 9, 13 and 15, after their Catholic school in Lynchburg closed in 2020 due to falling enrollment.

They’re using the Catholic-focused curriculum from Seton Home Study School, which Jennifer Gonzalez, the boys’ mom, described as rigorous but well-organized.

“My kids have just excelled,” she said. “We’re able to be home and be together.”

By DAVID CRARYKANSAS CITY (AP) —Although the pandemic disrupted family life across the U.S. since taking hold in spring 2020, some parents are grateful for one consequence: They’re now opting to homeschool their children, even as schools plan to resume in-person classes.The specific reasons vary widely. Some families who spoke with The Associated Press have children with special educational needs; others seek a faith-based curriculum or say their local schools are flawed. The common denominator: They tried homeschooling on what they thought was a temporary basis and found it beneficial to their children.“That’s one of the silver linings of the pandemic — I don’t think we would have chosen to homeschool otherwise,” said Danielle King of Randolph, Vermont, whose 7-year-old daughter Zoë thrived with the flexible, one-on-one instruction. Her curriculum has included literature, anatomy, even archaeology, enlivened by outdoor excursions to search for fossils.The surge has been confirmed by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-census-2020-6ca21124cca741b9e6ec1c8256e1c921">U.S. Census Bureau</a>, which reported in March that the rate of households homeschooling their children rose to 11% by September 2020, more than doubling from 5.4% just six months earlier.Black households saw the largest jump; their homeschooling rate rose from 3.3% in the spring of 2020 to 16.1% in the fall.The parents in one of those households, Arlena and Robert Brown of Austin, Texas, had three children in elementary school when the pandemic took hold. After experimenting with virtual learning, the couple opted to try homeschooling with a Catholic-oriented curriculum provided by Seton Home Study School, which serves about 16,000 students nationwide.The Browns plan to continue homeschooling for the coming year, grateful that they can tailor the curriculum to fit their children’s distinctive needs. Jacoby, 11, has been diagnosed with narcolepsy and sometimes needs naps during the day; Riley, 10, has tested as academically gifted; Felicity, 9, has a learning disability.“I didn’t want my kids to become a statistic and not meet their full potential,” said Robert Brown, a former teacher who now does consulting. “And we wanted them to have very solid understanding of their faith.”Arlena Brown, who gave birth to a fourth child 10 months ago, worked as a preschool teacher before the pandemic. Homeschooling, she says, has been a rewarding adventure.“In the beginning, the biggest challenge was to unschool ourselves and understand that homeschooling has so much freedom,” she said. “We can go as quickly or slowly as we need to.”Race played a key role in the decision by another African American family to homeschool their 12-year-old son, Dorian.Angela Valentine said Dorian was often the only Black student in his classes at a suburban Chicago public school, was sometimes treated unfairly by administrators, and was dismayed as other children stopped playing with him.As the pandemic eased, the family decided to keep Dorian at home and teach him there, using a curriculum provided by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbhe.net/" target="_blank">National Black Home Educators</a>&nbsp;that provides content for each academic subject pertaining to African American history and culture.“I felt the burden of making the shift, making sure we’re making the right choices,” Valentine said. “But until we’re really comfortable with his learning environment, we’ll stay on this homeschool journey.”Charmaine Williams, who lives in the St. Louis suburb of Baldwin, also is using the National Black Home Educators curriculum as she homeschools her 10-year-old son, Justin, and 6-year-old daughter, Janel.Williams said she and her husband tried two previous stints of homeschooling for Justin after school officials complained about his behavior. Now — with the new curriculum and an accompanying support network — they feel more confident about choosing it as a long-term option.“At school, children have to follow a certain pattern, and there’s bullying, belittling — compared to being home where they’re free to be themselves,” Williams said.“There’s no turning back for us now,” she added. “The pandemic has been a blessing — an opportunity to take ownership of our children’s education.”Joyce Burges, co-founder and program director of National Black Home Educators, said the 21-year-old organization had about 5,000 members before the pandemic and now has more than 35,000.Many of the new families experienced difficulties, including lack of internet access, that limited their children’s ability to benefit from virtual learning during the pandemic, Burges said.“It got so they didn’t trust anything but their own homes, and their children being with them,” she said. “Now they’re seeing the future — seeing what their children can do.”For some families, the switch to homeschooling was influenced by their children’s special needs. That’s the case for Jennifer Osgood of Fairfax, Vermont, whose 7-year-old daughter Lily has Down syndrome.Having observed Lily’s progress with reading and arithmetic while at home during the pandemic, Osgood is convinced homeschooling is the best option for her going forward.She has made the same decision for her 12-year-old son Noah, who didn’t like the remote classes offered by his public school in the spring of 2020, and did homeschooling throughout the 2020-21 school year. It went so well that they want to continue for at least a few more years.“He told me he was learning so much more at home than he ever did in school,” Osgood recalled. “He said, ‘School is just so chaotic — we don’t get very much done in any particular class. Here, I sit down, you tell me what to do, and minutes later I’m done.’”Heather Pray of Phoenix, Maryland, says homeschooling has been a major success for her 7-year-old son, Jackson, who has autism. The family made the switch because Jackson was struggling with the virtual learning that his school provided during the pandemic.“My son did great (with homeschooling), even with just two hours of schoolwork a day,” Pray said. “I got him into piano lessons, taught him to read.”Pray is also homeschooling her daughter, Hayley, who’s going into 7th grade and had been attending a Christian school.“I had no idea how this was going to go — I just dove in headfirst,” said Pray. “I felt God was holding my hand.”The Gonzalez family from Appomattox, Virginia — who are devout Catholics — opted to homeschool their three sons, ages 9, 13 and 15, after their Catholic school in Lynchburg closed in 2020 due to falling enrollment.They’re using the Catholic-focused curriculum from Seton Home Study School, which Jennifer Gonzalez, the boys’ mom, described as rigorous but well-organized.“My kids have just excelled,” she said. “We’re able to be home and be together.”

Sparked by pandemic fallout, homeschooling surges across US

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 1,488 to a total of 328,755, the state health department reported Monday afternoon.&nbsp;

The state reported four new COVID-19 deaths for a total of 5,243.

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

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

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 1,488 to a total of 328,755, the state health department reported Monday afternoon.&nbsp;The state reported four new COVID-19 deaths for a total of 5,243.<a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data">Click here for Data</a> about the COVID-19 vaccine.<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional virus numbers from the KDHE.

KDHE: Latest coronavirus numbers in Kansas

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — Four people — including three children — have died from injuries received in a house fire at Springfield, officials there said.

Crews were called to the fire early Friday morning and learned that several people were inside the home, the Springfield Fire Department said in a news release. Arriving firefighters pulled a 40-year-old woman and three children — a 13-year-old girl, 11-year-old boy and 6-year-old girl — from the burning home and rushed them in critical condition to a Springfield hospital, where the woman and 6-year-old died shortly after arriving.

Fire officials said Sunday that the 13-year-old and 11-year-old had later died a day later from their injuries.

Authorities have not released their names or said how the fire started.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1627311521881.png" alt="Fire officials said Sunday that the 13-year-old and 11-year-old had died a day later from their injuries.-photo courtesy KYTV" />
 <figcaption>Fire officials said Sunday that the 13-year-old and 11-year-old had died a day later from their injuries.-photo courtesy KYTV</figcaption>
 </figure>SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — Four people — including three children — have died from injuries received in a house fire at Springfield, officials there said.Crews were called to the fire early Friday morning and learned that several people were inside the home, the Springfield Fire Department said in a news release. Arriving firefighters pulled a 40-year-old woman and three children — a 13-year-old girl, 11-year-old boy and 6-year-old girl — from the burning home and rushed them in critical condition to a Springfield hospital, where the woman and 6-year-old died shortly after arriving.Fire officials said Sunday that the 13-year-old and 11-year-old had later died a day later from their injuries.Authorities have not released their names or said how the fire started.

Three children, woman killed in Missouri house fire

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal weekend crash have identified the victim as Erasmo C. Ramirez Soto, 37 of Topeka.

Just after 3:30a.m. Saturday, July 24 at around responded to a single vehicle crash near the intersection of SE 29th Street and SE Adams Street, according to police spokesperson Gretchen Spiker.

Responding officers located a single passenger identified as Ramirez Soto suffering from serious injuries. Officers attempted life-saving measures and American Medical Response personnel responded to the scene and pronounced Ramirez Soto deceased at the scene.&nbsp;

The driver of the vehicle, Cesar R. Carreto-Orozco, 39 of Topeka was located nearby the crash scene and was uninjured. As a result of the investigation police arrested Carreto-Orozco on requested&nbsp;charges of Involuntary manslaughter; While under the influence of alcohol or drugs, Improper Driving On Laned Roadway and Operate a motor vehicle without a valid license, according to Spiker.

SHAWNEE COUNTY— A Kansas man was arrested after a fatal weekend crash in Topeka.&nbsp; One person died in the crash that happened around 3:30 a.m. Saturday at 29th and Adams, according to Police Lt. Joe Perry.

According to the Shawnee County Detention Center booking records 39-year-old Cesar Roberto Carreto-Orozco was&nbsp; being held on a requested charges of involuntary manslaughter while driving under the influence, driving without a license and improper driving on a laned road. He was booked Saturday and held without bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1627236588760.png" alt="Cesar Roberto Carreto-Orozco" />
 <figcaption>Cesar Roberto Carreto-Orozco</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal weekend crash have identified the victim as Erasmo C. Ramirez Soto, 37 of Topeka.Just after 3:30a.m. Saturday, July 24 at around responded to a single vehicle crash near the intersection of SE 29th Street and SE Adams Street, according to police spokesperson Gretchen Spiker.Responding officers located a single passenger identified as Ramirez Soto suffering from serious injuries. Officers attempted life-saving measures and American Medical Response personnel responded to the scene and pronounced Ramirez Soto deceased at the scene.&nbsp;The driver of the vehicle, Cesar R. Carreto-Orozco, 39 of Topeka was located nearby the crash scene and was uninjured. As a result of the investigation police arrested Carreto-Orozco on requested&nbsp;charges of Involuntary manslaughter; While under the influence of alcohol or drugs, Improper Driving On Laned Roadway and Operate a motor vehicle without a valid license, according to Spiker.--------SHAWNEE COUNTY— A Kansas man was arrested after a fatal weekend crash in Topeka.&nbsp; One person died in the crash that happened around 3:30 a.m. Saturday at 29th and Adams, according to Police Lt. Joe Perry.According to the Shawnee County Detention Center booking records 39-year-old Cesar Roberto Carreto-Orozco was&nbsp; being held on a requested charges of involuntary manslaughter while driving under the influence, driving without a license and improper driving on a laned road. He was booked Saturday and held without bond.Police have not released the name of the victim.