WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Detectives investigating the eighth homicide of the year in Kansas City, Kansas have identified the victim as 48-year-old Javier Benitez-Pizarro, Des Moines, Iowa.

Just before 1a.m. Thursday, police&nbsp; were dispatched to a shooting in the 1700 block of Cleveland Avenue, according to a media release.&nbsp;

First responders discovered two men with apparent gunshot wounds. They was transported to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries.&nbsp;

 Benitez-Pizarro&nbsp;was located outside of the residence with an apparent gunshot wound. He was pronounced deceased on scene.

One of the wounded man is reported in in stable condition, according to police. The&nbsp;third victim, an adult male, remains in critical condition.

 This incident is under investigation by the KCKPD Major Case Unit. Anyone with information on this case is urged to call the Crime Stoppers TIPS hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477). All tips remain anonymous and may qualify for a cash reward.There is nothing further to report at this time.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1714658439034.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Detectives investigating the eighth homicide of the year in Kansas City, Kansas have identified the victim as 48-year-old Javier Benitez-Pizarro, Des Moines, Iowa.Just before 1a.m. Thursday, police&nbsp; were dispatched to a shooting in the 1700 block of Cleveland Avenue, according to a media release.&nbsp;First responders discovered two men with apparent gunshot wounds. They was transported to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries.&nbsp; Benitez-Pizarro&nbsp;was located outside of the residence with an apparent gunshot wound. He was pronounced deceased on scene.One of the wounded man is reported in in stable condition, according to police. The&nbsp;third victim, an adult male, remains in critical condition. This incident is under investigation by the KCKPD Major Case Unit. Anyone with information on this case is urged to call the Crime Stoppers TIPS hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477). All tips remain anonymous and may qualify for a cash reward.There is nothing further to report at this time.

1 dead, 2 remain hospitalized after shooting at Kan. home

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an attempted arson and have made an arrest.

 A man has been arrested following an attempt to light a building on fire Sunday evening.

Just before 6p.m. Sunday, police responded to Robinson Middle School, located at 1125 SW 14th Street in response to an unknown problem. It was alleged that a man later identified as 28-year-old Malcom A. Buchanan&nbsp; had attempted to light the school on fire.

Officers located a suspect matching the description reported and took&nbsp;Buchanan into custody. He was was later booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges Arson; Non-Dwelling With Intent To Injure and Transport Open Container Of Liquor.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715026405226.png" alt="Buchanan-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Buchanan-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an attempted arson and have made an arrest. A man has been arrested following an attempt to light a building on fire Sunday evening.Just before 6p.m. Sunday, police responded to Robinson Middle School, located at 1125 SW 14th Street in response to an unknown problem. It was alleged that a man later identified as 28-year-old Malcom A. Buchanan&nbsp; had attempted to light the school on fire.Officers located a suspect matching the description reported and took&nbsp;Buchanan into custody. He was was later booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges Arson; Non-Dwelling With Intent To Injure and Transport Open Container Of Liquor.

Police: Man tried to start fire at Kansas middle school

BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">SHERMAN SMITH</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — House Speaker Dan Hawkins on Monday urged Gov. Laura Kelly to sign bipartisan tax relief rather than summon lawmakers back to Topeka for a special session that would cost $84,000 per day.

The Democratic governor threatened to call a special session if lawmakers failed to adopt a package of tax cuts that met her approval. She vetoed a package of income, property and sales tax cuts that would have left the state with a budget deficit by 2029, and proposed a less-costly alternative.

But lawmakers never considered her proposal before adjourning for the year. Instead, lawmakers passed a nearly identical plan to the one she vetoed.

“The Legislature has bent over backward to address her stated concerns, the state’s fiscal outlook is positive, and we have a hefty budget surplus,” Hawkins said in a statement Monday. “The governor is out of excuses. We don’t need an $84,000-a-day special session for tax relief — the work has already been done through great bipartisan efforts of the legislative tax committees. We simply need the governor to make good on her campaign promise to govern from the middle and sign the bill.”

During her reelection campaign in 2022, Kelly promised to govern from the middle of the road.

“Still looking on the map for the road you are in the ‘middle’ of, Governor,” Rep. Rebecca Schmoe, R-Ottawa,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/rebecca_schmoe/status/1787517072114663677">wrote on X</a>. “Sign the tax bill over half of your own party in the legislature supports. Do something that helps every Kansan.”

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb37/">Senate Bill 37</a>&nbsp;cleared the House by a 108-11 margin and the Senate 25-9.

The legislation would exempt Social Security income from income tax and increase standard deductions. It would exempt $100,000 of residential property value from the state mill levy — and reduce the rate from 20 mills to 19.5 mills. It would eliminate the state sales tax on food by July 1.

It would also move the state from three income tax brackets to two.

Kansas currently uses a graduated system: 3.1% for income under $15,000, 5.25% for income between $15,000 and $30,000 and 5.7% for income above $30,000. The income amounts are doubled for couples filing jointly.

Under SB 37, the first $23,000 would be taxed at 5.2%, and anything over $23,000 would be taxed at 5.57%. The threshold would be $46,000 for couples.

The bill also would abolish the Local Ad Valorem Tax Reduction Fund. From 1937 to 2003, the state distributed a portion of sales tax collections into the fund, which then offset local property taxes. Lawmakers haven’t funded the program in two decades,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/09/25/kansas-counties-eager-for-lawmakers-to-resurrect-property-tax-relief-fund/">frustrating local officials</a>.

Kelly’s proposal would have retained the exemption on Social Security income and the July 1 expiration of the sales tax on food. She would have raised the residential property exemption to $125,000 while keeping the rate at 20 mills. And she would have added a child care tax credit valued at $18 million per year.

She would have kept the three-tier income tax system but lowered the rates to 3%, 5.2% and 5.65%.

As lawmakers worked late on April 30 to pass SB 37, Kelly’s chief of staff Will Lawrence issued a warning: “She will call the Legislature back into a special session if this is the tax plan sent to her desk.”

Lawmakers made a final tweak, lessening the amount of income tax cuts, before passing the law. It isn’t clear if the governor intends to sign it.

Rep. Tom Sawyer, D-Wichita,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/RepTomSawyer/status/1786211195021619558">posted a chart on X</a>&nbsp;that shows the amount of income tax relief a family would receive depending on their earnings. Couples who earn less than $40,000 would see some of the largest benefits, according to his chart, and the percentage of savings would disproportionately benefit low-wage earners.

“I hope the governor signs it,” Sawyer said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715083371667.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">SHERMAN SMITH</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — House Speaker Dan Hawkins on Monday urged Gov. Laura Kelly to sign bipartisan tax relief rather than summon lawmakers back to Topeka for a special session that would cost $84,000 per day.The Democratic governor threatened to call a special session if lawmakers failed to adopt a package of tax cuts that met her approval. She vetoed a package of income, property and sales tax cuts that would have left the state with a budget deficit by 2029, and proposed a less-costly alternative.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">No special session for tax relief. Sign. The. Bill. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ksleg?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ksleg</a> <a href="https://t.co/ZMACMTYFEe">pic.twitter.com/ZMACMTYFEe</a>&mdash; Dan Hawkins (@DanHawkinsKS) <a href="https://twitter.com/DanHawkinsKS/status/1787276123669213492?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 6, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>But lawmakers never considered her proposal before adjourning for the year. Instead, lawmakers passed a nearly identical plan to the one she vetoed.“The Legislature has bent over backward to address her stated concerns, the state’s fiscal outlook is positive, and we have a hefty budget surplus,” Hawkins said in a statement Monday. “The governor is out of excuses. We don’t need an $84,000-a-day special session for tax relief — the work has already been done through great bipartisan efforts of the legislative tax committees. We simply need the governor to make good on her campaign promise to govern from the middle and sign the bill.”During her reelection campaign in 2022, Kelly promised to govern from the middle of the road.“Still looking on the map for the road you are in the ‘middle’ of, Governor,” Rep. Rebecca Schmoe, R-Ottawa,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/rebecca_schmoe/status/1787517072114663677">wrote on X</a>. “Sign the tax bill over half of your own party in the legislature supports. Do something that helps every Kansan.”<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb37/">Senate Bill 37</a>&nbsp;cleared the House by a 108-11 margin and the Senate 25-9.The legislation would exempt Social Security income from income tax and increase standard deductions. It would exempt $100,000 of residential property value from the state mill levy — and reduce the rate from 20 mills to 19.5 mills. It would eliminate the state sales tax on food by July 1.It would also move the state from three income tax brackets to two.Kansas currently uses a graduated system: 3.1% for income under $15,000, 5.25% for income between $15,000 and $30,000 and 5.7% for income above $30,000. The income amounts are doubled for couples filing jointly.Under SB 37, the first $23,000 would be taxed at 5.2%, and anything over $23,000 would be taxed at 5.57%. The threshold would be $46,000 for couples.The bill also would abolish the Local Ad Valorem Tax Reduction Fund. From 1937 to 2003, the state distributed a portion of sales tax collections into the fund, which then offset local property taxes. Lawmakers haven’t funded the program in two decades,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/09/25/kansas-counties-eager-for-lawmakers-to-resurrect-property-tax-relief-fund/">frustrating local officials</a>.Kelly’s proposal would have retained the exemption on Social Security income and the July 1 expiration of the sales tax on food. She would have raised the residential property exemption to $125,000 while keeping the rate at 20 mills. And she would have added a child care tax credit valued at $18 million per year.She would have kept the three-tier income tax system but lowered the rates to 3%, 5.2% and 5.65%.As lawmakers worked late on April 30 to pass SB 37, Kelly’s chief of staff Will Lawrence issued a warning: “She will call the Legislature back into a special session if this is the tax plan sent to her desk.”Lawmakers made a final tweak, lessening the amount of income tax cuts, before passing the law. It isn’t clear if the governor intends to sign it.Rep. Tom Sawyer, D-Wichita,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/RepTomSawyer/status/1786211195021619558">posted a chart on X</a>&nbsp;that shows the amount of income tax relief a family would receive depending on their earnings. Couples who earn less than $40,000 would see some of the largest benefits, according to his chart, and the percentage of savings would disproportionately benefit low-wage earners.“I hope the governor signs it,” Sawyer said.

Kansas House speaker urges governor to sign tax cuts and avoid special session

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — A tornado destroyed homes and toppled trees and power lines when it roared through a small Oklahoma town, one of several twisters that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-states-severe-weather-tornado-oklahoma-kansas-045c7c09fd7f3c630f071645603a57cb">erupted in the central United States</a>&nbsp;amid a series of powerful storms that stretched into Tuesday. At least one death was reported.

The tornado ripped through the 1,000-person town of Barnsdall, about a 40-minute drive north of Tulsa, on Monday night.

At least 30 to 40 homes in the Barnsdall area were damaged, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol reported, and the state Department of Health reported a nursing home was damaged and patients were being evacuated. A natural gas leak and numerous road closings due to debris also were reported, according to Osage County Emergency Management.

“We've got one confirmed fatality and multiple injuries,” Osage County Sheriff Eddie Virden told KOKI-TV.

Damage also was reported in Bartlesville, about 20 miles northeast.

“We did take a direct hit from a tornado" in the city, said Kary Fox of the Washington County Emergency Management. “Please stay off the roadways. Stay out of those damaged areas. We're having a lot of difficulty getting in to do assessments to check on people, to see if they've got any injuries because of the traffic congestion.”

The National Weather Service in Tulsa had warned Monday evening that “a large and life-threatening tornado” was headed toward Barnsdall, with wind gusts up to 70 mph (112 kph). Meteorologist Brad McGavock said information on the tornado’s size and how far it traveled wasn’t immediately available Monday night.

The storms began earlier Monday with gusty winds and rain. But after dark, tornadoes were spotted skirting northern Oklahoma. At one point in the evening, a storm in the small town of Covington had “produced tornadoes off and on for over an hour,” the National Weather Service said. Throughout the area, wind farm turbines spun rapidly in the wind and blinding rain.

In Kansas, some areas were pelted by apple-sized hail 3 inches (7.6 centimeters) in diameter.

The storms tore through Oklahoma as areas, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tornadoes-storms-oklahoma-damage-3106c502a148f7ea969809cbd3b2d6ba">Sulphur</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tornadoes-oklahoma-sulphur-5fa3a64e552ab91e8d76dabe21f70fd6">Holdenville</a>, were still recovering from a tornado that killed four and left thousands without power late last month. Both the Plains and Midwest have been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tornado-nebraska-midwest-iowa-missouri-kansas-491cd033f91eb27f4139bf5582e57903">hammered by tornadoes this spring</a>.

Oklahoma’s State Emergency Operations Center, which coordinates storm response from a bunker near the state Capitol, remains activated from last weekend’s deadly storms.

Monte Tucker, a farmer and rancher in the western Oklahoma town of Sweetwater, had spent Monday putting some of his tractors and heavy equipment in barns to protect it from hail. He said he let his neighbors know they could come to his house if the weather becomes dangerous.

“We built a house 10 years ago, and my stubborn wife put her foot down and made sure we built a safe room,” Tucker said. He said the entire ground-level room is built with reinforced concrete walls.

Oklahoma and Kansas had been under a high-risk weather warning Monday. The last time such a warning was issued was March 31, 2023, when a massive&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-storms-tornadoes-midwest-south-4d35ce15af18e6cd50fda3aeb7a57176">storm system tore through parts of the South and Midwest</a>&nbsp;including Arkansas, Illinois and rural Indiana.

The entire week is looking stormy across the U.S. The eastern U.S. and the South are expected to get the brunt of the bad weather through the rest of the week, including in Indianapolis, Memphis, Nashville, St. Louis and Cincinnati, cities where more than 21 million people live. It should be clear over the weekend.

Meanwhile,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/flooding-texas-houston-rain-bdac71b839dc0966cd03288113956279">floodwaters in the Houston area</a>&nbsp;began receding Monday after days of heavy rain in southeastern Texas left&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/houston-texas-flooding-severe-weather-117b0f63c9bd53be31ee34e11547da21">neighborhoods flooded</a>&nbsp;and led to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/flooding-texas-houston-rain-4ca8d5d9fbcc66c622114affac7b840e">hundreds of high-water rescues</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715081609018.png" alt="Damage from the Monday night tornado in Oklahoma -image courtesy KTUL TV" />
 <figcaption>Damage from the Monday night tornado in Oklahoma -image courtesy KTUL TV</figcaption>
 </figure>OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — A tornado destroyed homes and toppled trees and power lines when it roared through a small Oklahoma town, one of several twisters that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-states-severe-weather-tornado-oklahoma-kansas-045c7c09fd7f3c630f071645603a57cb">erupted in the central United States</a>&nbsp;amid a series of powerful storms that stretched into Tuesday. At least one death was reported.The tornado ripped through the 1,000-person town of Barnsdall, about a 40-minute drive north of Tulsa, on Monday night.At least 30 to 40 homes in the Barnsdall area were damaged, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol reported, and the state Department of Health reported a nursing home was damaged and patients were being evacuated. A natural gas leak and numerous road closings due to debris also were reported, according to Osage County Emergency Management.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715076886043.png" alt="Image National Weather Service Kansas City" />
 <figcaption>Image National Weather Service Kansas City</figcaption>
 </figure>“We've got one confirmed fatality and multiple injuries,” Osage County Sheriff Eddie Virden told KOKI-TV.Damage also was reported in Bartlesville, about 20 miles northeast.“We did take a direct hit from a tornado" in the city, said Kary Fox of the Washington County Emergency Management. “Please stay off the roadways. Stay out of those damaged areas. We're having a lot of difficulty getting in to do assessments to check on people, to see if they've got any injuries because of the traffic congestion.”The National Weather Service in Tulsa had warned Monday evening that “a large and life-threatening tornado” was headed toward Barnsdall, with wind gusts up to 70 mph (112 kph). Meteorologist Brad McGavock said information on the tornado’s size and how far it traveled wasn’t immediately available Monday night.The storms began earlier Monday with gusty winds and rain. But after dark, tornadoes were spotted skirting northern Oklahoma. At one point in the evening, a storm in the small town of Covington had “produced tornadoes off and on for over an hour,” the National Weather Service said. Throughout the area, wind farm turbines spun rapidly in the wind and blinding rain.In Kansas, some areas were pelted by apple-sized hail 3 inches (7.6 centimeters) in diameter.The storms tore through Oklahoma as areas, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tornadoes-storms-oklahoma-damage-3106c502a148f7ea969809cbd3b2d6ba">Sulphur</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tornadoes-oklahoma-sulphur-5fa3a64e552ab91e8d76dabe21f70fd6">Holdenville</a>, were still recovering from a tornado that killed four and left thousands without power late last month. Both the Plains and Midwest have been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tornado-nebraska-midwest-iowa-missouri-kansas-491cd033f91eb27f4139bf5582e57903">hammered by tornadoes this spring</a>.Oklahoma’s State Emergency Operations Center, which coordinates storm response from a bunker near the state Capitol, remains activated from last weekend’s deadly storms.Monte Tucker, a farmer and rancher in the western Oklahoma town of Sweetwater, had spent Monday putting some of his tractors and heavy equipment in barns to protect it from hail. He said he let his neighbors know they could come to his house if the weather becomes dangerous.“We built a house 10 years ago, and my stubborn wife put her foot down and made sure we built a safe room,” Tucker said. He said the entire ground-level room is built with reinforced concrete walls.Oklahoma and Kansas had been under a high-risk weather warning Monday. The last time such a warning was issued was March 31, 2023, when a massive&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-storms-tornadoes-midwest-south-4d35ce15af18e6cd50fda3aeb7a57176">storm system tore through parts of the South and Midwest</a>&nbsp;including Arkansas, Illinois and rural Indiana.The entire week is looking stormy across the U.S. The eastern U.S. and the South are expected to get the brunt of the bad weather through the rest of the week, including in Indianapolis, Memphis, Nashville, St. Louis and Cincinnati, cities where more than 21 million people live. It should be clear over the weekend.Meanwhile,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/flooding-texas-houston-rain-bdac71b839dc0966cd03288113956279">floodwaters in the Houston area</a>&nbsp;began receding Monday after days of heavy rain in southeastern Texas left&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/houston-texas-flooding-severe-weather-117b0f63c9bd53be31ee34e11547da21">neighborhoods flooded</a>&nbsp;and led to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/flooding-texas-houston-rain-4ca8d5d9fbcc66c622114affac7b840e">hundreds of high-water rescues</a>.___

1 dead in Oklahoma tornado; large hail reported in Kansas

SEDGWICK COUNTY —The information technology department for the city of Wichita and its security partners continue to work around the clock to address the cyber security incident.&nbsp; Many City systems are down as security experts determine the source and extent of the incident. 

There is no timetable for when systems could be coming back online. We appreciate your patience as we work through this incident as quickly and as thoroughly as possible. Incident recovery information and FAQs are accurate as to the time of the most current information release.

When will this incident be resolved?

Staff are working diligently and will have resolve the cyber security incident as soon as possible.

The City is dedicated to providing updates as soon as more information is available.

Is there any impact to public safety operations?

There is no expected impact to residents needing public safety assistance. WFD and WPD are responding to calls for service and utilizing paper reports.

Are water systems in any way compromised by the cyber security event?

No. All water systems are secure and functioning as normal.

During the cyber security incident we will not shut off water accounts. Those who have&nbsp; experienced a water shut off may bring payment or proof of payment to City Hall and their water will be reconnected. Anyone having difficulty paying their bill will not receive penalties or late fees until the cyber incident is resolved. Bills may still be paid via cash by coming to City Hall or by mailing payment. Customers looking to set up a new water account may do so by coming to City Hall. Auto payments are suspended for the time being.

If my water is shut off, how do I get reconnected?

During the data breach, we will not be shutting off any water accounts. Those who have experience a water shut off may bring payment or proof of payment to City Hall and their water will be reconnected.

How will I get a bus ticket or pay bus fare?

Residents may ride Wichita Transit by paying cash.

I am a vendor for the City of Wichita – how do I get paid?

Please contact your City of Wichita liaison for further information.

Can I still book a class, a golf tee time, etc. through Park and Recreation?

All golf and recreation activities may still be paid for via check or cash at City Hall or at the location of the class or recreational activity. The Park and Recreation App is also still available and working.

Can I pay for or obtain a license through the City?

Licenses may be paid for and obtained by coming to City Hall.

Will City Council, committees and other advisory board meetings be streamed?

While best efforts will be made to continue streaming any previously streamed public meetings or media opportunities, at this time, please plan to attend any City meetings in person.

Are landfill operations still in service?

The landfill is accepting cash only at this time. 

Cultural institutions for the City including CityArts, Cowtown and Indian Museum are able to hold events as scheduled but payments will only be accepted by cash or check. Century II, Botanica and the Wichita Art Museum are not affected.

All scheduled dockets will proceed as planned. There is no walk in docket at this time.

What if I have to pay a Municipal Court fine?

Payments to Municipal Court may be made in person. At this time, only cash and check are being accepted.

What impact does this have to the Airport?

No public wi-fi is available at the terminal and arrival and departure screens are not currently working. Flights are operating normally.

Public WiFi is available at the following locations: Alford, Angelou, Rockwell and Westlink branches as well as Libby. Staff can check out materials, but checking in materials, pulling holds and transferring materials between locations might be paused. We are a fine-free library, but will monitor accounts to make sure other fees are not assessed during this time. Public wifi is not available at the following locations: Advanced Learning Library, Evergreen and Walters branches. Other services that may be impacted include: staff email through the City network (if you email us, we might not be able to respond during this outage), the library website, most databases, including Kanopy, LinkedIn Learning, etc, the online catalog, the Self-service print release stations, the self-check stations, the automated materials handler at the Advanced Learning Library – place returns in the manual book drop, most incoming phone call capability.

Are neighborhood resource centers still operational?

Wi-fi and phones are currently down. Unless otherwise noted, all scheduled events services are&nbsp; operational.

All planning activities will continue. Payments may be made with cash or check.

There is no expected interruption to MABCD activities.

How is Housing and Community Services impacted?

At this time, staff are working to serve those needing Housing and Community services

Assistance as well as we can. Staff will contact those needing service as soon as possible. 

SEDGWICK COUNTY —The information technology department for the city of Wichita and its security partners continue to work around the clock to address the cyber security incident.&nbsp; Many City systems are down as security experts determine the source and extent of the incident. There is no timetable for when systems could be coming back online. We appreciate your patience as we work through this incident as quickly and as thoroughly as possible. Incident recovery information and FAQs are accurate as to the time of the most current information release.When will this incident be resolved?Staff are working diligently and will have resolve the cyber security incident as soon as possible.When will we know more?The City is dedicated to providing updates as soon as more information is available.Public Safety:Is there any impact to public safety operations?There is no expected impact to residents needing public safety assistance. WFD and WPD are responding to calls for service and utilizing paper reports.Water:Are water systems in any way compromised by the cyber security event?No. All water systems are secure and functioning as normal.How do I pay my water bill?During the cyber security incident we will not shut off water accounts. Those who have&nbsp; experienced a water shut off may bring payment or proof of payment to City Hall and their water will be reconnected. Anyone having difficulty paying their bill will not receive penalties or late fees until the cyber incident is resolved. Bills may still be paid via cash by coming to City Hall or by mailing payment. Customers looking to set up a new water account may do so by coming to City Hall. Auto payments are suspended for the time being.If my water is shut off, how do I get reconnected?During the data breach, we will not be shutting off any water accounts. Those who have experience a water shut off may bring payment or proof of payment to City Hall and their water will be reconnected.Transit:How will I get a bus ticket or pay bus fare?Residents may ride Wichita Transit by paying cash.City Vendors:I am a vendor for the City of Wichita – how do I get paid?Please contact your City of Wichita liaison for further information.Park and Recreation:Can I still book a class, a golf tee time, etc. through Park and Recreation?All golf and recreation activities may still be paid for via check or cash at City Hall or at the location of the class or recreational activity. The Park and Recreation App is also still available and working.City Licenses:Can I pay for or obtain a license through the City?Licenses may be paid for and obtained by coming to City Hall.City Meetings:Will City Council, committees and other advisory board meetings be streamed?While best efforts will be made to continue streaming any previously streamed public meetings or media opportunities, at this time, please plan to attend any City meetings in person.Landfill:Are landfill operations still in service?The landfill is accepting cash only at this time. Arts and Culture:Are cultural institutions impacted?Cultural institutions for the City including CityArts, Cowtown and Indian Museum are able to hold events as scheduled but payments will only be accepted by cash or check. Century II, Botanica and the Wichita Art Museum are not affected.Municipal Court:Is Municipal Court still in operation?All scheduled dockets will proceed as planned. There is no walk in docket at this time.What if I have to pay a Municipal Court fine?Payments to Municipal Court may be made in person. At this time, only cash and check are being accepted.Airport:What impact does this have to the Airport?No public wi-fi is available at the terminal and arrival and departure screens are not currently working. Flights are operating normally.Library:Is the Library open?Public WiFi is available at the following locations: Alford, Angelou, Rockwell and Westlink branches as well as Libby. Staff can check out materials, but checking in materials, pulling holds and transferring materials between locations might be paused. We are a fine-free library, but will monitor accounts to make sure other fees are not assessed during this time. Public wifi is not available at the following locations: Advanced Learning Library, Evergreen and Walters branches. Other services that may be impacted include: staff email through the City network (if you email us, we might not be able to respond during this outage), the library website, most databases, including Kanopy, LinkedIn Learning, etc, the online catalog, the Self-service print release stations, the self-check stations, the automated materials handler at the Advanced Learning Library – place returns in the manual book drop, most incoming phone call capability.Resource Centers:Are neighborhood resource centers still operational?Wi-fi and phones are currently down. Unless otherwise noted, all scheduled events services are&nbsp; operational.Planning:Is Planning still able to process cases?All planning activities will continue. Payments may be made with cash or check.MABCD:Is MABCD operational?There is no expected interruption to MABCD activities.Housing:How is Housing and Community Services impacted?At this time, staff are working to serve those needing Housing and Community servicesAssistance as well as we can. Staff will contact those needing service as soon as possible.

Cyberattack: City of Wichita continues work to restore online services

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Times and The Washington Post were awarded three&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pulitzer-prize-awards">Pulitzer Prizes</a>&nbsp;apiece on Monday for work in 2023 that dealt with everything from the war in Gaza to gun violence, and The Associated Press won in the feature photography category for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-pulitzer-award-journalism-23aeee7cc4a770e8a2e4be5ae1a82277">coverage of global migration</a>&nbsp;to the U.S.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.pulitzer.org/prize-winners-by-year/2024">Click here to see the list</a> or watch the announcement video below

Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel and its aftermath produced work that resulted in two Pulitzers and a special citation. The Times won for text coverage that the Pulitzer board described as “wide-ranging and revelatory,” while the Reuters news service won for its photography. The citation went to journalists and other writers covering the war in Gaza.

The prestigious public service award went to ProPublica for reporting that “pierced the thick wall of secrecy” around the U.S. Supreme Court to show how billionaires gave expensive gifts to justices and paid for luxury travel. Reporters Joshua Kaplan, Justin Elliott, Brett Murphy, Alex Mierjeski and Kirsten Berg were honored for their work.

The Pulitzers honored the best in journalism from 2023 in 15 categories, as well as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pulitzer-prizes-night-watch-jayne-anne-phillips-c1639c1c9574616a03ebc4074b494e18">eight arts categories</a>&nbsp;focused on books, music and theater. The public service winner receives a gold medal. All other winners receive $15,000.

The 15 photos in AP’s winning entry were taken across Latin America and along the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas and California in a year when immigration was one of the world’s biggest stories. They were shot by AP staffers Greg Bull, Eric Gay, Fernando Llano, Marco Ugarte and Eduardo Verdugo, and longtime AP freelancers Christian Chavez, Felix Marquez and Ivan Valencia.

“These raw and emotional images came about through day-to-day coverage of a historic moment in multiple countries documenting migrants at every step of their treacherous journeys,” said Julie Pace, the AP’s senior vice president and executive editor.

The United States has seen more than 10 million border arrivals in the last five years, with migrants arriving from a wide range of new locations like Venezuela, Cuba, Ecuador, Haiti and Africa, in contrast with earlier eras.

The AP has won 59 Pulitzer Prizes, including 36 for photography. The news cooperative was named a finalist for the national reporting Pulitzer on Monday for its coverage of hundreds of thousands of children who&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.apnews.com/features/2023/missing-children/index.html">disappeared from public schools during the pandemic</a>.

In citing the Times for its work in Israel and Gaza, the Pulitzer board mentioned its coverage of the country’s intelligence failures, along with the attack and Israel’s military response.

The award comes even as The Times has faced some controversy about its coverage; last month a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/media/2024/04/29/new-york-times-oct-7-journalism-professors-letter/">group of journalism professors</a>&nbsp;called on the publication to address questions about an investigation into gender-based violence during the Hamas attack on Israel.

The Times’ Hannah Dreier won a Pulitzer in investigative reporting for her stories on migrant child labor across the United States. Contributing writer Katie Engelhart won the newspaper’s third Pulitzer, in feature writing, for her portrait of a family struggling with a matriarch’s dementia.

“Every one of the winners and finalists showcases a drive for original, revelatory reporting that underpins so much of what we produce, from the biggest storylines in the news to feature writing as well as classic investigations,” said Joe Kahn, the Times' executive editor.

The Washington Post staff won in national reporting for its “sobering examination” of the AR-15 semi-automatic rifle, which came with some gut-wrenching photos. “We were eager to find a way to cover it differently and change the conversation about mass shootings,” Peter Walstein, the Post’s senior national enterprise editor, said in the newspaper.

The Post’s David E. Hoffman won in editorial writing for a “compelling and well-researched” series on how authoritarian regimes repress dissent in the digital age. Its third award went to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russian-prisoner-vladimir-kara-murza-vladimir-putin-72fa647534d743c22fceef9fe4a78dc4">contributor Vladimir Kara-Murza</a>, for commentaries written from a Russian prison cell.

The New Yorker magazine won two Pulitzers. Sarah Stillman won in explanatory reporting for her report on the legal system’s reliance on felony murder charges. Contributor Medar de la Cruz won in illustrated reporting and commentary for his story humanizing inmates in the Rikers Island jail in New York City.

The staff of Lookout Santa Cruz in California won in the breaking news category for what the prize board called “nimble community-minded coverage” of flooding and mudslides. On its website Monday, Lookout Santa Cruz said that it made its coverage free at a time of crisis in the community, and also used text messages to reach people without power.

“In short, we did our jobs,” the staff said in an unsigned article, “and we heard so many thanks for it. The Pulitzer is icing on that cake.”

The Pulitzers gave a second award in national reporting to the Reuters staff for an “eye-opening” series that probed Elon Musk’s automobile and aerospace businesses.

In local reporting, Sarah Conway of City Bureau and Trina Reynolds-Tyler of the Invisible Institute won for an investigative series on missing Black girls and women in Chicago, which showed how racism and the police contributed to the problem.

The Pulitzer in criticism went to Justin Chang of The Los Angeles Times for evocative and genre-spanning coverage of movies. The Pulitzer board's second special citation went to the late hip-hop critic Greg Tate.

The awards are administered by Columbia University in New York, which itself has been in the news for student demonstrations against the war in Gaza. The Pulitzer board met away from Columbia this past weekend to deliberate on its winners.

The Pulitzers announced that five of the 45 finalists this year&nbsp;<a href="https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/five-of-this-years-pulitzer-finalists-are-ai-powered,248629">used artificial intelligence</a>&nbsp;in research and reporting of their submissions. It was the first time the board required applicants for the award to disclose use of AI.

The prizes were established in the will of newspaper publisher Joseph Pulitzer and first awarded in 1917.

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Times and The Washington Post were awarded three&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pulitzer-prize-awards">Pulitzer Prizes</a>&nbsp;apiece on Monday for work in 2023 that dealt with everything from the war in Gaza to gun violence, and The Associated Press won in the feature photography category for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-pulitzer-award-journalism-23aeee7cc4a770e8a2e4be5ae1a82277">coverage of global migration</a>&nbsp;to the U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pulitzer.org/prize-winners-by-year/2024">Click here to see the list</a> or watch the announcement video below<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1k3v4rB1BhY?si=Y0rKa0mAS4L5CQqK" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel and its aftermath produced work that resulted in two Pulitzers and a special citation. The Times won for text coverage that the Pulitzer board described as “wide-ranging and revelatory,” while the Reuters news service won for its photography. The citation went to journalists and other writers covering the war in Gaza.The prestigious public service award went to ProPublica for reporting that “pierced the thick wall of secrecy” around the U.S. Supreme Court to show how billionaires gave expensive gifts to justices and paid for luxury travel. Reporters Joshua Kaplan, Justin Elliott, Brett Murphy, Alex Mierjeski and Kirsten Berg were honored for their work.The Pulitzers honored the best in journalism from 2023 in 15 categories, as well as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pulitzer-prizes-night-watch-jayne-anne-phillips-c1639c1c9574616a03ebc4074b494e18">eight arts categories</a>&nbsp;focused on books, music and theater. The public service winner receives a gold medal. All other winners receive $15,000.The 15 photos in AP’s winning entry were taken across Latin America and along the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas and California in a year when immigration was one of the world’s biggest stories. They were shot by AP staffers Greg Bull, Eric Gay, Fernando Llano, Marco Ugarte and Eduardo Verdugo, and longtime AP freelancers Christian Chavez, Felix Marquez and Ivan Valencia.“These raw and emotional images came about through day-to-day coverage of a historic moment in multiple countries documenting migrants at every step of their treacherous journeys,” said Julie Pace, the AP’s senior vice president and executive editor.The United States has seen more than 10 million border arrivals in the last five years, with migrants arriving from a wide range of new locations like Venezuela, Cuba, Ecuador, Haiti and Africa, in contrast with earlier eras.The AP has won 59 Pulitzer Prizes, including 36 for photography. The news cooperative was named a finalist for the national reporting Pulitzer on Monday for its coverage of hundreds of thousands of children who&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.apnews.com/features/2023/missing-children/index.html">disappeared from public schools during the pandemic</a>.In citing the Times for its work in Israel and Gaza, the Pulitzer board mentioned its coverage of the country’s intelligence failures, along with the attack and Israel’s military response.The award comes even as The Times has faced some controversy about its coverage; last month a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/media/2024/04/29/new-york-times-oct-7-journalism-professors-letter/">group of journalism professors</a>&nbsp;called on the publication to address questions about an investigation into gender-based violence during the Hamas attack on Israel.The Times’ Hannah Dreier won a Pulitzer in investigative reporting for her stories on migrant child labor across the United States. Contributing writer Katie Engelhart won the newspaper’s third Pulitzer, in feature writing, for her portrait of a family struggling with a matriarch’s dementia.“Every one of the winners and finalists showcases a drive for original, revelatory reporting that underpins so much of what we produce, from the biggest storylines in the news to feature writing as well as classic investigations,” said Joe Kahn, the Times' executive editor.The Washington Post staff won in national reporting for its “sobering examination” of the AR-15 semi-automatic rifle, which came with some gut-wrenching photos. “We were eager to find a way to cover it differently and change the conversation about mass shootings,” Peter Walstein, the Post’s senior national enterprise editor, said in the newspaper.The Post’s David E. Hoffman won in editorial writing for a “compelling and well-researched” series on how authoritarian regimes repress dissent in the digital age. Its third award went to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russian-prisoner-vladimir-kara-murza-vladimir-putin-72fa647534d743c22fceef9fe4a78dc4">contributor Vladimir Kara-Murza</a>, for commentaries written from a Russian prison cell.The New Yorker magazine won two Pulitzers. Sarah Stillman won in explanatory reporting for her report on the legal system’s reliance on felony murder charges. Contributor Medar de la Cruz won in illustrated reporting and commentary for his story humanizing inmates in the Rikers Island jail in New York City.The staff of Lookout Santa Cruz in California won in the breaking news category for what the prize board called “nimble community-minded coverage” of flooding and mudslides. On its website Monday, Lookout Santa Cruz said that it made its coverage free at a time of crisis in the community, and also used text messages to reach people without power.“In short, we did our jobs,” the staff said in an unsigned article, “and we heard so many thanks for it. The Pulitzer is icing on that cake.”The Pulitzers gave a second award in national reporting to the Reuters staff for an “eye-opening” series that probed Elon Musk’s automobile and aerospace businesses.In local reporting, Sarah Conway of City Bureau and Trina Reynolds-Tyler of the Invisible Institute won for an investigative series on missing Black girls and women in Chicago, which showed how racism and the police contributed to the problem.The Pulitzer in criticism went to Justin Chang of The Los Angeles Times for evocative and genre-spanning coverage of movies. The Pulitzer board's second special citation went to the late hip-hop critic Greg Tate.The awards are administered by Columbia University in New York, which itself has been in the news for student demonstrations against the war in Gaza. The Pulitzer board met away from Columbia this past weekend to deliberate on its winners.The Pulitzers announced that five of the 45 finalists this year&nbsp;<a href="https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/five-of-this-years-pulitzer-finalists-are-ai-powered,248629">used artificial intelligence</a>&nbsp;in research and reporting of their submissions. It was the first time the board required applicants for the award to disclose use of AI.The prizes were established in the will of newspaper publisher Joseph Pulitzer and first awarded in 1917.

🎥See the complete list of 2024 Pulitzer Prize winners

NEOSHO COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 3p.m. Monday in Neosho County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2003 Chevy Truck driven by Branson C. Dean, 40, Alma, Arkansas, was southbound on U.S. 169 just north of 150th Road passing vehicles on the northbound shoulder.

The truck collided head-on with a northbound 2021 Chevy Traverse driven by Clayton P. Stafford, 51, Jefferson City, Missouri.

Dean was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp; Frontier Forensics.&nbsp; EMS transported&nbsp; Stafford to KU Medical Center. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

NEOSHO COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 3p.m. Monday in Neosho County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2003 Chevy Truck driven by Branson C. Dean, 40, Alma, Arkansas, was southbound on U.S. 169 just north of 150th Road passing vehicles on the northbound shoulder.The truck collided head-on with a northbound 2021 Chevy Traverse driven by Clayton P. Stafford, 51, Jefferson City, Missouri.Dean was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp; Frontier Forensics.&nbsp; EMS transported&nbsp; Stafford to KU Medical Center. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Missouri man injured in fatal head-on Kansas crash

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A Kansas City-area man who's charged with killing his hospitalized wife told police he couldn't take care of her or afford her medical bills, court records say.

Ronnie Wiggs made his first appearance Monday on a second-degree murder charge and was referred to the public defender's office. A hearing was set for Thursday to review his $250,000 bond.

A phone message that was left with the public defender’s office wasn’t immediately returned.

His wife was getting a new port for her dialysis when staff at Centerpoint Medical Center in Independence called a “code blue” Friday because she was unresponsive.

Staff managed to get her pulse back, but they determined she was brain dead and made preparations to harvest her organs, according to the probable cause statement. His wife died Saturday.

After the attack, Wiggs left the hospital. But the statement said the woman's son brought Wiggs back to see her and he confessed. Staff heard him say, “I did it, I killed her, I choked her,” according to the statement.

He then was arrested and told a detective that he covered his wife's nose and mouth to keep her from screaming, the statement said. He said he was depressed and couldn't handle the caregiving and bills.

He said he also attempted to kill his wife while she was at a rehabilitation facility, but she woke up and told him not do that again, the statement said. He said he was going to try to kill his wife another time while she was hospitalized, but he didn’t get the chance because she was hooked up to several monitors.

KANSAS CITY —A man faces a felony charge for strangling his wife and causing her death as she was lying in a Kansas City area hospital bed this weekend, according to&nbsp; Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

Ronnie Wiggs of Independence, Missouri, faces Murder 2nd Degree.

According to court records filed Saturday, Wiggs told police he killed the victim, who had come to&nbsp;Centerpoint Medical Center, 19600 E. 39th St. South, to get a new port for her dialysis.

&nbsp;He said he choked&nbsp; her and covered her nose and mouth to keep her from screaming. Wiggs told police he couldn't take care of her or afford the medical bills. Wiggs is being held on a $250,000 bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715034289344.png" alt="Wiggs -Photo Independence Police" />
 <figcaption>Wiggs -Photo Independence Police</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — A Kansas City-area man who's charged with killing his hospitalized wife told police he couldn't take care of her or afford her medical bills, court records say.Ronnie Wiggs made his first appearance Monday on a second-degree murder charge and was referred to the public defender's office. A hearing was set for Thursday to review his $250,000 bond.A phone message that was left with the public defender’s office wasn’t immediately returned.His wife was getting a new port for her dialysis when staff at Centerpoint Medical Center in Independence called a “code blue” Friday because she was unresponsive.Staff managed to get her pulse back, but they determined she was brain dead and made preparations to harvest her organs, according to the probable cause statement. His wife died Saturday.After the attack, Wiggs left the hospital. But the statement said the woman's son brought Wiggs back to see her and he confessed. Staff heard him say, “I did it, I killed her, I choked her,” according to the statement.He then was arrested and told a detective that he covered his wife's nose and mouth to keep her from screaming, the statement said. He said he was depressed and couldn't handle the caregiving and bills.He said he also attempted to kill his wife while she was at a rehabilitation facility, but she woke up and told him not do that again, the statement said. He said he was going to try to kill his wife another time while she was hospitalized, but he didn’t get the chance because she was hooked up to several monitors.---------KANSAS CITY —A man faces a felony charge for strangling his wife and causing her death as she was lying in a Kansas City area hospital bed this weekend, according to&nbsp; Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.Ronnie Wiggs of Independence, Missouri, faces Murder 2nd Degree.According to court records filed Saturday, Wiggs told police he killed the victim, who had come to&nbsp;Centerpoint Medical Center, 19600 E. 39th St. South, to get a new port for her dialysis.&nbsp;He said he choked&nbsp; her and covered her nose and mouth to keep her from screaming. Wiggs told police he couldn't take care of her or afford the medical bills. Wiggs is being held on a $250,000 bond.

Man unable to pay medical bills kills wife in her KC area hospital bed

JOHNSON COUNTY —A woman involved in a deadly crash during a police chase has made another appearance in court.

Last week, Shyanne Canady, 23, &nbsp;pleaded guilty to aggravated battery and second-degree murder, according to the Johnson County District Attorney office. The incident involved a deadly crash that began as a shoplifting incident in Overland Park.

In November 2023, police responded to a reported theft in progress in the 7900 block of W. 160th Street, according to Overland Park Police.

Officers identified the suspect vehicle and initiated a pursuit after the suspects refused to comply with commands to stop. The pursuit continued onto northbound Blue Valley Parkway from U.S. 69 Highway.

The driver of the suspect vehicle disregarded a red traffic signal and collided with a westbound car on Blue Valley Parkway at W. 119th Street. One of the women in the suspect's vehicle later died from injuries.

Canady is due back in court June 12. She is being held on a&nbsp; $1,000,000.00 bond, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1714830968454.png" alt="Canady-photo Johnson County" />
 <figcaption>Canady-photo Johnson County</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —A woman involved in a deadly crash during a police chase has made another appearance in court.Last week, Shyanne Canady, 23, &nbsp;pleaded guilty to aggravated battery and second-degree murder, according to the Johnson County District Attorney office. The incident involved a deadly crash that began as a shoplifting incident in Overland Park.In November 2023, police responded to a reported theft in progress in the 7900 block of W. 160th Street, according to Overland Park Police.Officers identified the suspect vehicle and initiated a pursuit after the suspects refused to comply with commands to stop. The pursuit continued onto northbound Blue Valley Parkway from U.S. 69 Highway.The driver of the suspect vehicle disregarded a red traffic signal and collided with a westbound car on Blue Valley Parkway at W. 119th Street. One of the women in the suspect's vehicle later died from injuries.Canady is due back in court June 12. She is being held on a&nbsp; $1,000,000.00 bond, according to online jail records.

Kan. shoplifting suspect involved in fatal crash during police chase

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man accused in a murder in 2023 made a court appearance last week.

Julian Wedge, 24 of Wichita, is charged with 1st degree murder, robbery, criminal possession of a weapon, and interference with law enforcement, according to the Sedgwick County District attorney's office.&nbsp;

On March 4, 2023, sheriff's deputies made a welfare check of a man lying in the street at 4200 S. Clifton in Wichita, according to the Sedgwick County Sheriff's office.

&nbsp;Deputies found individuals attempting to help 24-year-old Evan Harrison who had been shot. EMS transported Harrison to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased.

<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=238759">Wedge is being held in the </a>Sedgwick County Jail on a $1 million bond.

He has been registered as a violent offender since March of 2019 for convictions that include criminal discharge of firearm into an unoccupied dwelling, according to the Kansas offender registry.

He is due back in court May 16, according to the district attorney's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1714661173832.png" alt="Wedge -KBI offender registry" />
 <figcaption>Wedge -KBI offender registry</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man accused in a murder in 2023 made a court appearance last week.Julian Wedge, 24 of Wichita, is charged with 1st degree murder, robbery, criminal possession of a weapon, and interference with law enforcement, according to the Sedgwick County District attorney's office.&nbsp;On March 4, 2023, sheriff's deputies made a welfare check of a man lying in the street at 4200 S. Clifton in Wichita, according to the Sedgwick County Sheriff's office.&nbsp;Deputies found individuals attempting to help 24-year-old Evan Harrison who had been shot. EMS transported Harrison to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased.<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=238759">Wedge is being held in the </a>Sedgwick County Jail on a $1 million bond.He has been registered as a violent offender since March of 2019 for convictions that include criminal discharge of firearm into an unoccupied dwelling, according to the Kansas offender registry.He is due back in court May 16, according to the district attorney's office.

Kansas violent offender charged in robbery, killing

BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/rmipro/">RACHEL MIPRO</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA —About 150,000 people who had some form of interaction with Kansas courts might have had their data breached in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/11/21/kansas-court-officials-confirm-details-of-evil-criminal-international-cyberattack/">the October cyberattack</a>&nbsp;that took the judicial system offline for weeks.

The Office of Judicial Administration on Monday announced findings from a third-party investigation into the cyberattack. The office said information accessed during the attack came from files given to the office through appellate court litigation, applications to the Kansas bar and other administrative records.

Information such as Social Security numbers, driver’s licenses, government identification cards, payment card information, tax identification card numbers, passports, and health insurance policy information could have all been accessed, among other data.

Chief Justice Marla Luckert apologized on behalf of the Kansas Supreme Court.

“We’re sorry anyone was personally impacted by the actions of the criminals who attacked our court computer systems,” Luckert said. “The judicial branch respects the privacy of information given to us, and it’s a high priority throughout the court system to keep that information secure.”

People impacted by the breach have been sent notification letters. In cases where the person’s address information wasn’t available, their notifications have been published on the judicial branch website.

Court officials stressed that notifications have not been made through phone, text or email, and warned Kansans against engaging with anyone using these forms of communications to talk about the cybersecurity attack. A<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kscourts.org/About-the-Courts/Court-Administration/OJA/Kansas-Courts-Cybersecurity-Incident">&nbsp;court webpage</a>&nbsp;has been implemented to help address questions.

The attack disrupted all but one of the state’s appellate court operations for weeks, with networks locked down and attorneys and judges relying on manual filing of court documents. In November,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/11/21/kansas-court-officials-confirm-details-of-evil-criminal-international-cyberattack/">justices confirmed the attack</a>&nbsp;was the result of a “sophisticated foreign cyberattack,” and that perpetrators “stole data and threatened to post it to a dark website if their demands were not met.”&nbsp;

Information on whether the judicial branch met these demands has not yet been released.

Luckert said the office has placed additional security controls in place and will work to reduce the possibility of future cybersecurity attacks.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1576879254086.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/rmipro/">RACHEL MIPRO</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA —About 150,000 people who had some form of interaction with Kansas courts might have had their data breached in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/11/21/kansas-court-officials-confirm-details-of-evil-criminal-international-cyberattack/">the October cyberattack</a>&nbsp;that took the judicial system offline for weeks.The Office of Judicial Administration on Monday announced findings from a third-party investigation into the cyberattack. The office said information accessed during the attack came from files given to the office through appellate court litigation, applications to the Kansas bar and other administrative records.Information such as Social Security numbers, driver’s licenses, government identification cards, payment card information, tax identification card numbers, passports, and health insurance policy information could have all been accessed, among other data.Chief Justice Marla Luckert apologized on behalf of the Kansas Supreme Court.“We’re sorry anyone was personally impacted by the actions of the criminals who attacked our court computer systems,” Luckert said. “The judicial branch respects the privacy of information given to us, and it’s a high priority throughout the court system to keep that information secure.”People impacted by the breach have been sent notification letters. In cases where the person’s address information wasn’t available, their notifications have been published on the judicial branch website.Court officials stressed that notifications have not been made through phone, text or email, and warned Kansans against engaging with anyone using these forms of communications to talk about the cybersecurity attack. A<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kscourts.org/About-the-Courts/Court-Administration/OJA/Kansas-Courts-Cybersecurity-Incident">&nbsp;court webpage</a>&nbsp;has been implemented to help address questions.The attack disrupted all but one of the state’s appellate court operations for weeks, with networks locked down and attorneys and judges relying on manual filing of court documents. In November,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/11/21/kansas-court-officials-confirm-details-of-evil-criminal-international-cyberattack/">justices confirmed the attack</a>&nbsp;was the result of a “sophisticated foreign cyberattack,” and that perpetrators “stole data and threatened to post it to a dark website if their demands were not met.”&nbsp;Information on whether the judicial branch met these demands has not yet been released.Luckert said the office has placed additional security controls in place and will work to reduce the possibility of future cybersecurity attacks.

Kan. court investigation confirms cyberattack compromised personal data of 150K people

WASHINGTON (AP) — An American soldier has been arrested in Russia and accused of stealing, according to two U.S. officials.

U.S. officials said the soldier, Staff Sgt. Gordon Black, 34, was stationed in South Korea and was in the process of returning home to Fort Cavazos in Texas. Instead, officials said he traveled to Russia.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss personnel details.

Cynthia Smith, Army spokeswoman, confirmed that a soldier was detained on Thursday in Vladivostok, a major military and commercial Pacific port, on charges of criminal misconduct. She said Russia notified the U.S. and the Army told the soldier's family.

“The U.S. Department of State is providing appropriate consular support to the soldier in Russia,” Smith said.

It was unclear Monday if the soldier is considered absent without leave, or AWOL.

The arrest comes less than a year after American soldier Travis King&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-us-citizen-crossed-border-e4aaa883901052e65f5c400c8279438b">sprinted into North Korea</a>&nbsp;across the heavily fortified border between the Koreas. North Korea&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-travis-king-quick-release-analysis-e0e1a2e3a90097c0d666cb385b185071">later announced</a>&nbsp;that it would expel&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/travis-king/">King</a>, who was returned to the U.S. He was eventually charged with desertion.

Russia is known to be holding a number of Americans in its jails, including corporate security executive Paul Whelan and Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, The U.S. government has designated both as wrongfully detained and has been trying to negotiate for their release.

Others detained include&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-musician-arrested-drug-trafficking-3d32c6e75660d17f993dd6afe396eea7">Travis Leake</a>, a musician who had been living in Russia for years and was arrested last year on drug-related charges; Marc Fogel, a teacher in Moscow, who was sentenced to 14 years in prison, also on drug charges; and dual nationals&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-american-journalist-radio-free-europe-alsu-kurmasheva-0bd25c4f04201eed5b3a9aa871e1f6ad">Alsu Kurmasheva</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/los-angeles-woman-arrest-russia-ukraine-3a121981719ed1904c0bbdbdb38f14ab">Ksenia Khavana</a>.

The soldier's arrest in Russia was first reported by NBC News.

The soldier, who is not being identified, was stationed in South Korea and was in the process of returning home to the United States. Instead, officials said he traveled to Russia.

WASHINGTON (AP) — An American soldier has been arrested in Russia and accused of stealing, according to two U.S. officials.U.S. officials said the soldier, Staff Sgt. Gordon Black, 34, was stationed in South Korea and was in the process of returning home to Fort Cavazos in Texas. Instead, officials said he traveled to Russia.The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss personnel details.Cynthia Smith, Army spokeswoman, confirmed that a soldier was detained on Thursday in Vladivostok, a major military and commercial Pacific port, on charges of criminal misconduct. She said Russia notified the U.S. and the Army told the soldier's family.“The U.S. Department of State is providing appropriate consular support to the soldier in Russia,” Smith said.It was unclear Monday if the soldier is considered absent without leave, or AWOL.The arrest comes less than a year after American soldier Travis King&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-us-citizen-crossed-border-e4aaa883901052e65f5c400c8279438b">sprinted into North Korea</a>&nbsp;across the heavily fortified border between the Koreas. North Korea&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-travis-king-quick-release-analysis-e0e1a2e3a90097c0d666cb385b185071">later announced</a>&nbsp;that it would expel&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/travis-king/">King</a>, who was returned to the U.S. He was eventually charged with desertion.Russia is known to be holding a number of Americans in its jails, including corporate security executive Paul Whelan and Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, The U.S. government has designated both as wrongfully detained and has been trying to negotiate for their release.Others detained include&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-musician-arrested-drug-trafficking-3d32c6e75660d17f993dd6afe396eea7">Travis Leake</a>, a musician who had been living in Russia for years and was arrested last year on drug-related charges; Marc Fogel, a teacher in Moscow, who was sentenced to 14 years in prison, also on drug charges; and dual nationals&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-american-journalist-radio-free-europe-alsu-kurmasheva-0bd25c4f04201eed5b3a9aa871e1f6ad">Alsu Kurmasheva</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/los-angeles-woman-arrest-russia-ukraine-3a121981719ed1904c0bbdbdb38f14ab">Ksenia Khavana</a>.The soldier's arrest in Russia was first reported by NBC News.-----------------WASHINGTON (AP) — An American soldier has been arrested in Russia and accused of stealing, according to two U.S. officials.The soldier, who is not being identified, was stationed in South Korea and was in the process of returning home to the United States. Instead, officials said he traveled to Russia.The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss personnel details.Cynthia Smith, Army spokeswoman, confirmed that a soldier was detained on Thursday in Vladivostok, a major military and commercial Pacific port, on charges of criminal misconduct. She said Russia notified the U.S. and the Army told the soldier's family.“The U.S. Department of State is providing appropriate consular support to the soldier in Russia,” Smith said.It was unclear Monday if the soldier is considered absent without leave, or AWOL.The arrest comes less than a year after American soldier Travis King&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-us-citizen-crossed-border-e4aaa883901052e65f5c400c8279438b">sprinted into North Korea</a>&nbsp;across the heavily fortified border between the Koreas. North Korea&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-travis-king-quick-release-analysis-e0e1a2e3a90097c0d666cb385b185071">later announced</a>&nbsp;that it would expel&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/travis-king/">King</a>, who was returned to the U.S. He was eventually charged with desertion.Russia is known to be holding a number of Americans in its jails, including corporate security executive Paul Whelan and Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, The U.S. government has designated both as wrongfully detained and has been trying to negotiate for their release.Others detained include&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-musician-arrested-drug-trafficking-3d32c6e75660d17f993dd6afe396eea7">Travis Leake</a>, a musician who had been living in Russia for years and was arrested last year on drug-related charges; Marc Fogel, a teacher in Moscow, who was sentenced to 14 years in prison, also on drug charges; and dual nationals&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-american-journalist-radio-free-europe-alsu-kurmasheva-0bd25c4f04201eed5b3a9aa871e1f6ad">Alsu Kurmasheva</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/los-angeles-woman-arrest-russia-ukraine-3a121981719ed1904c0bbdbdb38f14ab">Ksenia Khavana</a>.

Officials ID U.S. Army soldier arrested in Russia

By RUDI KELLER,&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>

A&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/cmsimages/Elections/Petitions/2024-165.pdf">proposal to allow a new casino</a>&nbsp;near the Lake of the Ozarks on Sunday was the final initiative petition submitted for a possible slot on Missouri’s ballot later this year.

The Osage River Gaming &amp; Convention committee said in a news release that it turned in over 320,000 signatures in an effort to meet the requirement to equal 8% of the 2020 vote for governor in six of the state’s eight congressional districts, or roughly 171,000 signatures.

If approved by voters, the development would include a hotel, convention center, restaurants and other attractions, backers said in the release.

The proposal would amend the Missouri Constitution to allow a casino along the Osage River between Bagnell Dam and the confluence with the Missouri River. The constitution currently authorizes casinos only along&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=III++++39(e)&amp;bid=31794&amp;constit=y">the Missouri and Mississippi rivers</a>.

The proposal would also override a state law&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=313.780&amp;bid=16856&amp;hl=">limiting the state to 13 licensed casinos</a>, passed in 2008 as a result of an initiative sponsored by casino operators.

The Lake of the Ozarks is one of Missouri’s busiest tourism destinations. The casino proposal is being bankrolled by Bally’s, which currently operates a casino in Kansas City, and RIS Inc., a major regional developer. Each has contributed about half of the $4.1 million raised for the petition drive.

The proposal is being pushed in response to a casino development&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2021/10/29/osage-nation-plans-casino-hotel-for-missouris-lake-of-the-ozarks/">announced in 2021</a>&nbsp;by the Osage Nation, the Native American tribe that the river is named for. That project, a $60 million development, includes construction of a casino, hotel and convention center.

Backers of the initiative effort say their casino project will&nbsp; provide 700 to 800 jobs.

According to the ballot summary, the casino is expected to produce admission and fee revenue of $2.1 million annually, money that is split with the local government with jurisdiction over the site and the Missouri Gaming Commission. The tax on casino net winnings is projected to be about $14.3 million annually.

The proposal earmarks the new gambling tax revenue to early childhood literacy programs in public schools.

The initiative for the Osage River casino was the fourth submitted to the secretary of state’s office before Sunday’s deadline.

A proposal&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/04/25/missouri-initiative-petition-bill-ballot-candy-reinstated/">awaiting a final state Senate vote</a>&nbsp;would raise the threshold to pass a constitutional amendment. Instead of the statewide majority currently required, a proposal amending the constitution would need a majority vote in five of the state’s congressional districts to be approved.

Backers said the change is needed because it is too easy to place an amendment on the ballot.

This year, 174 initiative proposals were filed with the secretary of state’s office. Of that number, 24 were withdrawn, nine were rejected for various reasons and the rest were certified for signature gathering.

If the four that were submitted have sufficient signatures, they will appear on the November ballot unless Gov. Mike Parson orders a different date. To appear on the Aug. 6 ballot, the signatures must be checked and certified by early June, but the secretary of state’s office has predicted it won’t finish its work until early August.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/9/1569530951374.png" alt="The proposal would amend the Missouri Constitution to allow a casino along the Osage River between Bagnell Dam and the confluence with the Missouri River" />
 <figcaption>The proposal would amend the Missouri Constitution to allow a casino along the Osage River between Bagnell Dam and the confluence with the Missouri River</figcaption>
 </figure>By RUDI KELLER,&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>A&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/cmsimages/Elections/Petitions/2024-165.pdf">proposal to allow a new casino</a>&nbsp;near the Lake of the Ozarks on Sunday was the final initiative petition submitted for a possible slot on Missouri’s ballot later this year.The Osage River Gaming &amp; Convention committee said in a news release that it turned in over 320,000 signatures in an effort to meet the requirement to equal 8% of the 2020 vote for governor in six of the state’s eight congressional districts, or roughly 171,000 signatures.If approved by voters, the development would include a hotel, convention center, restaurants and other attractions, backers said in the release.The proposal would amend the Missouri Constitution to allow a casino along the Osage River between Bagnell Dam and the confluence with the Missouri River. The constitution currently authorizes casinos only along&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=III++++39(e)&amp;bid=31794&amp;constit=y">the Missouri and Mississippi rivers</a>.The proposal would also override a state law&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=313.780&amp;bid=16856&amp;hl=">limiting the state to 13 licensed casinos</a>, passed in 2008 as a result of an initiative sponsored by casino operators.The Lake of the Ozarks is one of Missouri’s busiest tourism destinations. The casino proposal is being bankrolled by Bally’s, which currently operates a casino in Kansas City, and RIS Inc., a major regional developer. Each has contributed about half of the $4.1 million raised for the petition drive.The proposal is being pushed in response to a casino development&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2021/10/29/osage-nation-plans-casino-hotel-for-missouris-lake-of-the-ozarks/">announced in 2021</a>&nbsp;by the Osage Nation, the Native American tribe that the river is named for. That project, a $60 million development, includes construction of a casino, hotel and convention center.Backers of the initiative effort say their casino project will&nbsp; provide 700 to 800 jobs.According to the ballot summary, the casino is expected to produce admission and fee revenue of $2.1 million annually, money that is split with the local government with jurisdiction over the site and the Missouri Gaming Commission. The tax on casino net winnings is projected to be about $14.3 million annually.The proposal earmarks the new gambling tax revenue to early childhood literacy programs in public schools.The initiative for the Osage River casino was the fourth submitted to the secretary of state’s office before Sunday’s deadline.The other initiatives are:<ul>
 <li>A proposal to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/05/03/missourians-signatures-abortion-amendment-viability/">enshrine abortion rights</a>&nbsp;in Missouri’s constitution. Supporters said Friday that they collected more than 380,000 signatures in an effort to qualify for this year’s ballot.</li><li>A proposal to change the constitution to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/pro-sports-teams-submit-petition-signatures-to-legalize-sports-gambling-in-missouri/">legalize sports wagering</a>. Currently, the constitution only allows bingo, a state lottery, parimutuel wagering on horse races and casino gambling near the state’s largest rivers.</li><li>An initiative changing state law to increase the minimum wage in Missouri to $15 an hour starting in 2026 and require employers to provide paid leave for illness and to care for a family member.</li>
 </ul>A proposal&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/04/25/missouri-initiative-petition-bill-ballot-candy-reinstated/">awaiting a final state Senate vote</a>&nbsp;would raise the threshold to pass a constitutional amendment. Instead of the statewide majority currently required, a proposal amending the constitution would need a majority vote in five of the state’s congressional districts to be approved.Backers said the change is needed because it is too easy to place an amendment on the ballot.This year, 174 initiative proposals were filed with the secretary of state’s office. Of that number, 24 were withdrawn, nine were rejected for various reasons and the rest were certified for signature gathering.If the four that were submitted have sufficient signatures, they will appear on the November ballot unless Gov. Mike Parson orders a different date. To appear on the Aug. 6 ballot, the signatures must be checked and certified by early June, but the secretary of state’s office has predicted it won’t finish its work until early August.

Backers of a new casino near the Lake of the Ozarks submit signatures seeking ballot slot

ASHLAND — Staking out the elusive and rapidly disappearing lesser prairie chicken involves a stealthy 5:30 a.m. entry into a rebar-fortified bird blind, freezing into place as the sun rises and the birds begin to strut here and there, popcorning in an age-old mating dance.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681935343343.jpeg" alt="Photo by Cristina Janney" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Cristina Janney</figcaption>
 </figure>BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/rmipro/">RACHEL MIPRO</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>ASHLAND — Staking out the elusive and rapidly disappearing lesser prairie chicken involves a stealthy 5:30 a.m. entry into a rebar-fortified bird blind, freezing into place as the sun rises and the birds begin to strut here and there, popcorning in an age-old mating dance.Any lesser prairie chicken that has made it into the lek, an area of low grass in which mates are found and won, has already beaten the odds. Beset by politicians’ attempt to strip away federal protections and a dwindling habitat, the bird is battling extinction.The grouse,&nbsp;known for its colorful spring mating dance, was listed as threatened in Kansas in late 2022 by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. At the time, wildlife officials estimated that 90% of the habitat the birds once inhabited — intact tracts of native grasses — had vanished. With a multistate attempt to overturn this listing underway, the bird’s future has become even more tenuous.Jackie Augustine, executive director of Audubon of Kansas, put the number of lesser prairie chickens in the U.S. at an estimated 26,591 in 2022, 75% of which were found in Kansas.“We’ve lost so much of our prairie landscape,” Augustine said. “We’ve lost the bison, we’ve lost the wolves and the other things that used to roam in great herds all over. I feel like if we lose the prairie chicken, we’ve really lost the identity of the prairie. Because the prairie chicken is just so symbolic and charismatic of intact grassland landscapes, that if we lose them, we’ve really lost the connectivity of the landscape. It’s not just losing one species, we’re really losing a part of our heritage.”&nbsp;Augustine, who first began studying the bird as a Ph.D. candidate at Kansas State University in 2007, has logged thousands of hours watching the birds in the field.“You get to know them as individuals,” Augustine said. “And you get to see them over the course of the season. They just have so many behaviors that are so entertaining.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1714999768602.png" alt=" Jackie Augustine, executive director of Audubon of Kansas, helps set up a bird blind in preparation for a lek watch tour. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Jackie Augustine, executive director of Audubon of Kansas, helps set up a bird blind in preparation for a lek watch tour. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>The ones bobbing on the Gardiner Angus Ranch in the early hours of the morning on April 24, had made it to one of the few safe havens for the imperiled bird in the state. The ranch, which is about an hour south of Dodge City in the southwest part of the state, partners with&nbsp;Common Ground Capital on lesser prairie chicken conservation and prairie restoration efforts. CGC principal Wayne Walker spends a few months every year in Ashland to work on native prairie restoration on the Gardiner ranch. The organization invited news media and provided lodging so reporters could observe the ritual.Sitting in the bird blind, Augustine pointed out a hawk swooping down to startle the birds on the lek.Prairie chickens face risk at nearly every stage of life. With few to no defenses, Augustine said, if prairie chickens survive to adulthood, they typically only live two years between drought, habitat fragmentation, hawks, owls and ground predators that also eat chicks and eggs.The state’s annual prairie burning presents additional challenges for the birds, leaving few places for the ground-nesting bird to successfully nest. Invasive tree species and the birds’ avoidance of man-made structures such as power lines and power plants further complicate matters.The peak of mating season usually falls around mid-April. On the lek, the air fills with the sound of feet-stomping and high-pitched vocalizations as the males attempt to attract a female.A female lesser prairie chicken that successfully makes it to the lek will mate and lay a clutch of about 8-12 eggs, laying one per day. If the nest isn’t invaded by predators, the eggs will incubate for 23 days before the chicks hatch and the generation continues.This survival depends on having enough tall prairie grass to provide cover and camouflage, as well as insects to eat.“They just need the grass,” Augustine said. “And that’s also what kind of gives me hope, is we know what they need. They need grass. They don’t need trees. They don’t need anything tall on their landscape, they just need grass.”But she&nbsp;worries over the future of this “charismatic” and “comical” bird as she describes it, which has been at the center of political turmoil since it received its endangered listing in 2022.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1714999924560.png" alt=" Common Ground Capital principal Wayne Walker points out conservation areas on the Gardiner ranch. Invasive tree species prove a constant threat to prairie restoration. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Common Ground Capital principal Wayne Walker points out conservation areas on the Gardiner ranch. Invasive tree species prove a constant threat to prairie restoration. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Political turmoil&nbsp;</h2>In April of 2023, Kansas joined Texas and Oklahoma in a lawsuit to block the endangered species listing of the bird. The case will be heard in a Texas federal district court this year.In June, Congress began efforts to overturn the listing through a Congressional Review Act&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-joint-resolution/9/text?s=1&amp;r=1&amp;q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22S.J.Res.9%22%5D%7D">resolution</a>, which allows Congress to overturn administrative rules, carried by Kansas Republican Sen. Roger Marshall. President Joe Biden vetoed the move.&nbsp;In July of 2023, a group of Kansas county officials and ranchers&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/kansas-ranchers-county-commissioners-take-federal-action-against-lesser-prairie-chicken-protections/">filed a federal lawsuit</a>&nbsp;against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, arguing that implementing Endangered Species Act protective regulations for the lesser prairie chicken would restrict land use, forcing Kansas agricultural producers into making expensive changes that could hurt business.Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, along with other Kansas politicians, said the federal ruling would interfere with the rights of landowners, arguing that ranchers — as well as the oil and gas industry — would be hurt by protections.Because the birds need extensive tracts of open, well-managed prairie to survive in a state where 97% of land is privately owned, the fate of the lesser prairie chicken is largely in the hands of ranchers.“Whether you live in Topeka, or Hays or Kansas City, wherever, the prairie chicken represents the health of these ecosystems out here,” Walker said. “And everybody in the cities benefit from the stewardship of the folks, the rural landowners. It’s the air you breathe, the water you drink, the beef you consume, the vegetables you eat, etc. It all starts out here in rural America. And the prairie chicken, it’s kind of the canary of&nbsp; the prairie. Is the prairie&nbsp; healthy? Can we keep providing these things to a growing human population, or can we not?”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681936696223.jpeg" alt="Photo by Cristina Janney" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Cristina Janney</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Future of conservation&nbsp;</h2>The key to the birds’ survival, some have said, is to compensate ranchers for sharing their land with the birds. One form of this method, known as conservation banking, is at play at the Gardiner Angus Ranch’s partnership with Common Ground Capital.Conservation banking functions as an agreement among the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, landowners and developers. Landowners enter an agreement with a third-party developer and are paid to turn portions of their land into a protected habitat area.&nbsp;In most cases, the rancher can keep ranching on the land but cannot develop it.The developer maintains and manages the habitat and in exchange for this preservation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service approves habitat or species credits that the bank owners may sell to developers and other project proponents who need to offset project impacts to the same species occurring at another location.Common Ground Capital, which focuses on lesser prairie chicken conservation banking, maintains the habitat at Gardiner and sells mitigation credits to energy industries.“We’re trying to effect large, positive, disruptive change, so that these rural landscapes, people can keep making a living on them,” Walker said. “And to do that, you have to pay them a lot more money, market-based rates for being good stewards of the land. If we can do that. I think we can reverse the loss of the prairies, I think we can reverse the loss of the next generation moving to the cities and leaving these communities to dry up.”Augustine is trying to focus on the present.“I always said that I wanted to lead prairie chicken tours when I retired,” Augustine said. “And you know, I’m not sure that’s guaranteed in 20, 25 years, that these lesser prairie chickens are going to be here. I’m glad I get the opportunity to talk about them now and show people them now because the future is not guaranteed.”