WRIGHT COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 10a.m. Friday in Wright County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2002 Buick LeSabre driven by Ama L. Coble, 79, Hartville, was southbound on Highway 5 four miles south of Hartville.&nbsp;

The car traveled into the northbound lane and struck a 1998 Peterbilt semi driven by Jarod E. Pounds, 29, Norwood.&nbsp; After impact, the semi traveled off the road and overturned.&nbsp;

Coble was pronounced dead at the scene. A private vehicle transported Pounds to the hospital in Houston, Missouri. Coble was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

WRIGHT COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 10a.m. Friday in Wright County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2002 Buick LeSabre driven by Ama L. Coble, 79, Hartville, was southbound on Highway 5 four miles south of Hartville.&nbsp;The car traveled into the northbound lane and struck a 1998 Peterbilt semi driven by Jarod E. Pounds, 29, Norwood.&nbsp; After impact, the semi traveled off the road and overturned.&nbsp;Coble was pronounced dead at the scene. A private vehicle transported Pounds to the hospital in Houston, Missouri. Coble was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

Missouri woman dies after crash with semi

HUTCHINSON, Kan. —&nbsp;Maintaining his defense to the very end that he was drugged, raped, and shot at, Kyle V. Hardwick was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences for the murders of Marion Edward “Ed” Bates, 56, and Phillip “Phil” D. Anstine, 58, both of Hutchinson, on April 7.&nbsp;

Kyle V. Hardwick was represented by Scott Loftis, an attorney from Ponca City, Oklahoma. Hardwick pled not guilty through the entire trial. &nbsp;

Two counts of intentional and premeditated murder in the first degree. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

One count of theft of property or services, valued at $1,500 to $25,000, and an alternating count of theft of property or services of a firearm with a value less than $25,000.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

One count of solicitation perjury; testify to material fact in felony proceeding.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

On Aug. 27, 2021 Reno County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to 1016 N. Palomino Trail in Reno County based on information they received&nbsp;regarding the owners of that property. &nbsp;

When they arrived at the scene, deputies spoke to three witnesses present at the property who were concerned because they had been unable to contact Ed Bates or Phil Anstine since the evening of Aug. 25, 2021. &nbsp;

A search of the property followed.&nbsp;They eventually discovered a body in a shallow and mostly dry pond on the property that had been covered by tree branches. A further check of the property resulted in the discovery of the badly burned and charred remains of a second body in a burn pit that had been covered by a pallet and metal sheeting.&nbsp;

A&nbsp;search warrant for the property, called “the compound,” was obtained and then executed on August 28, 2021. &nbsp;

Both bodies were recovered. Along with the charred body in the burn pit, other items such as the remains of a shotgun barrel were recovered. &nbsp;

Forensic investigation conducted by Dr. Scott Kipper with the Sedgwick County Forensic Center and Reno County District Attorney’s Office determined the bodies to be of Ed Bates and Phil Anstine. &nbsp;

Autopsies determined they were killed by a shotgun, and the manner of death was determined to be homicide.&nbsp;

Subsequent investigation led to the arrest of Kyle V. Hardwick on Sept. 1 in Maize, Kansas near a Dollar General where he had made purchases. Formal charges of premeditated intentional murder of each victim and two alternative counts of theft were filed in Reno County District Court by the Reno County District Attorney’s Office. &nbsp;

A count of solicitation to commit perjury was added to the complaint after a May 19, 2022, telephone conversation during which it was alleged that the defendant attempted to solicit perjury from a witness, identified as a woman intimately known to him as Sherry Reed. &nbsp;

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/03e0722b-52f8-4b48-9a71-cca42becd55a" target="_blank">A jury trial commenced on the complaint on Jan. 24, 2023</a>. &nbsp;

The Reno County District Attorney’s Office called approximately 60 witnesses and submitted more than 130 exhibits during the trial which lasted about two weeks. &nbsp;

The defendant, Hardwick, claimed at trial that he had killed Ed Bates and Phil Anstine in self-defense.&nbsp;

Described by the state in their opening statement, the "compound" is a property east of Hutchinson, where Ed&nbsp;Bates and Phil Anstine would frequent. It had various other additions like buildings built on it, a camper, a dried-up pond, and burn pits. The two men would hang out there, shoot firearms, and overall hone their survival techniques. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Of the two male victims, Hardwick knew Phil Anstine.&nbsp;

Hardwick did not know Marion Bates, but had a prior association with Phil Anstine through work that included building houses, akin to Habitat for Humanity. Anstine was said to have overseen much of the work, while Hardwick assisted with installation. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Hardwick called Anstine a friend and they were said to have a mutual interest in firearms. They were said to be close enough that they would travel to visit each other from time to time, but not frequently. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Hardwick’s last visit to see Anstine was said to be because of personal problems in his life. He wanted get out of Kansas City for a while. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Hardwick was said to have taken a Greyhound bus from Kansas City, Missouri to Hutchinson, Kansas to visit Anstine.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Loftis told the jury that Anstine had dropped off Hardwick at the compound with a set of keys. Hardwick was said to have permission to drive Anstine’s truck and had those keys as well.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Anstine then returned shortly after with Little Caesar’s pizza and Samuel Adams beer. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Hardwick’s defense by his attorney and by his own testimony, said he began to feel strange or ill after consuming some of the beer and the pizza.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Hardwick’s symptoms were described as&nbsp;stomach pains, light-headedness, and disorientation. Hardwick was said to have voiced his sudden illness to Anstine, and then went to the camper on the property where he passed out. Hardwick was said to not remember passing out in the camper. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Hardwick alleged he woke up the next day, still disoriented, face down on a bed in the camper with his pants down, and a pain in his anus.&nbsp;

He said he&nbsp;surmised he was raped.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Upon leaving the camper to search for Anstine out of concern, Hardwick returned to the camper. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Anstine is said to have returned to the compound with a shotgun in his hands. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Hardwick said he&nbsp;tried to tell Anstine of his situation, but became suspicious when Anstine was said to have been dismissive. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

When Hardwick then accused Anstine of raping him, Anstine cocked and aimed his shotgun at Hardwick.&nbsp;

Hardwick said he wrestled the shotgun out of Anstine’s hands. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Anstine was said to have then pulled a .380 semiautomatic pistol and pointed it at Hardwick, causing Hardwick to fatally shoot him with the shotgun. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Still disoriented from the prior drugging and rape, the defense said that Hardwick then made his way to the pumphouse, north of the camper, for water. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Loftis described to the jury what happened next as, “one of the real tragedies of this case.” &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Another man, unknown to Hardwick, appeared and shot at Hardwick. Hardwick shot back with the shotgun he had taken from Anstine, striking the second man. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

After a while, determining the man is dead, Hardwick approached the body and searched the man and discovered his identity as Ed&nbsp;Bates. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Loftis said, more than likely Bates was not part of Hardwick’s alleged rape, and only came to aid his friend, Anstine. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

The state, consisting of District Attorney (DA) Thomas Stanton and Deputy District Attorney Andrew Davidson, called a number of witnesses, including friends of the victims, forensic analysts with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), and Sherry Reed herself, who corroborated the state’s opening statement that accused Hardwick of killing the pair for different reasons. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

The KBI’s testimony mostly addressed the recovery and forensic testing of a red&nbsp;truck, which belonged to Phil Anstine, which was found at Pretty Prairie Road and Victory Road in October 2021. &nbsp;

Hardwick’s DNA was found on multiple places on the truck as well as on items of evidence found in the truck. &nbsp;

Sherry Reed was the key witness of the trial, having turned in numerous evidence to the Reno County Sheriff’s Office.&nbsp;

During his testimony, Chase Mattingly, the boyfriend of Sherry Reed’s daughter, said he had overheard part of a phone conversation between Hardwick and Reed on Aug. 31,&nbsp;2021. &nbsp;&nbsp;

He only understood part of the conversation, and said he had heard Hardwick tell Reed he had messed up. &nbsp;&nbsp;

During cross-examination by the defense, Mattingly said he did not know what Hardwick was referring to at the time. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Hardwick’s&nbsp;additional count of solicitation to commit perjury stems from&nbsp;a FaceTime call between the defendant and Reed.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The FaceTime call had been played in court prior when Hardwick was bound over in June 2022, and was played again on Jan. 27. &nbsp;&nbsp;

In the recorded FaceTime conversation, Hardwick repeatedly tells Reed not to show up for the hearing and, if she did testify, to tell the court she was mentally unstable and on drugs. At one time he said, “Please don’t come,” and repeatedly said, “you don’t have to show up.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

Hardwick was also noted as telling Reed to “just tell the truth.” &nbsp;&nbsp;

Hardwick is also quoted to have said that “Phil was a friend and he dropped like a martyr.”&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Reed grew to become inconsistent with her testimony, claiming to not remember things she said even when her prior testimonies were presented to her. &nbsp;

Brought up during the case, Hardwick was said to have told Reed he would have to kill his mother. &nbsp;

During his own testimony when cross-examined, Hardwick would also prove inconsistent and become frustrated to the point he would accuse the state of “putting words in his mouth.” &nbsp;

Hardwick also told the jury he had thoughts of suicide when he arrived to Hutchinson. &nbsp;

The presentation of evidence concluded on Feb. 1. &nbsp;

It was determined that Hardwick was stealing various guns, ammunition, and other items when Ed Bates caught him, prompting Hardwick to shoot him and move his body. &nbsp;

Phil Anstine later discovered Hardwick and was killed in an execution style in the burn pit. &nbsp;

Closing statements were made to the jury, and the jury began its deliberations,&nbsp;<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/4ab76543-081a-4c03-b2e4-be61806d0e55" target="_blank">reaching one the morning of Feb. 2 at 10:45 a.m.</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;

The jury delivered a verdict of guilty in the case of the State of Kansas v. Kyle V. Hardwick. &nbsp;

Hardwick was convicted of two counts of intentional and premeditated murder in the first degree and one count of theft of property or services, valued at $1,500 to $25,000, along with one count of theft of property or services of a firearm with a value less than $25,000 and a count of solicitation of perjury; testify to material fact in felony proceeding.&nbsp; &nbsp;

During sentencing, two months later, the family and friends of Marion Edward “Ed” Bates and Phillip “Phil” D. Anstine delivered statements to Hardwick. &nbsp;

They informed how Hardwick’s actions had impacted their lives. Many of them implored the court to hand down the maximum punishment. &nbsp;

In the State of Kansas, the burden of proof on the prosecution is extremely high in murder cases and if there is an element of doubt in a defendant’s&nbsp;guilt, a jury will not be able to reach conviction. &nbsp;

Judge Keith Schroeder reminded the jury and the gallery of this throughout the case. &nbsp;

When sentencing Hardwick, Judge Schroeder made note of the lack of sympathy from Hardwick for his actions, and that he would return in kind. &nbsp;

Stipulated with Hardwick’s life convictions, he will not receive good time credit. Additionally, he will be required to register as a violent offender. &nbsp;

Concurrent with his life convictions, Hardwick will serve eight months for his third alternative count of theft and seven months for solicitation of perjury. &nbsp;

“The Bates family is very satisfied with the outcome,” Ken Bates, brother of Ed Bates, said. “Justice is served.” &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1630599777911.png" alt="Hardwick-photo Reno Co." />
 <figcaption>Hardwick-photo Reno Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JUDD WEIL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. —&nbsp;Maintaining his defense to the very end that he was drugged, raped, and shot at, Kyle V. Hardwick was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences for the murders of Marion Edward “Ed” Bates, 56, and Phillip “Phil” D. Anstine, 58, both of Hutchinson, on April 7.&nbsp;Kyle V. Hardwick was represented by Scott Loftis, an attorney from Ponca City, Oklahoma. Hardwick pled not guilty through the entire trial. &nbsp;He was initially charged with:&nbsp;Two counts of intentional and premeditated murder in the first degree. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;One count of theft of property or services, valued at $1,500 to $25,000, and an alternating count of theft of property or services of a firearm with a value less than $25,000.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;One count of solicitation perjury; testify to material fact in felony proceeding.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;On Aug. 27, 2021 Reno County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to 1016 N. Palomino Trail in Reno County based on information they received&nbsp;regarding the owners of that property. &nbsp;When they arrived at the scene, deputies spoke to three witnesses present at the property who were concerned because they had been unable to contact Ed Bates or Phil Anstine since the evening of Aug. 25, 2021. &nbsp;A search of the property followed.&nbsp;They eventually discovered a body in a shallow and mostly dry pond on the property that had been covered by tree branches. A further check of the property resulted in the discovery of the badly burned and charred remains of a second body in a burn pit that had been covered by a pallet and metal sheeting.&nbsp;A&nbsp;search warrant for the property, called “the compound,” was obtained and then executed on August 28, 2021. &nbsp;Both bodies were recovered. Along with the charred body in the burn pit, other items such as the remains of a shotgun barrel were recovered. &nbsp;Forensic investigation conducted by Dr. Scott Kipper with the Sedgwick County Forensic Center and Reno County District Attorney’s Office determined the bodies to be of Ed Bates and Phil Anstine. &nbsp;Autopsies determined they were killed by a shotgun, and the manner of death was determined to be homicide.&nbsp;Subsequent investigation led to the arrest of Kyle V. Hardwick on Sept. 1 in Maize, Kansas near a Dollar General where he had made purchases. Formal charges of premeditated intentional murder of each victim and two alternative counts of theft were filed in Reno County District Court by the Reno County District Attorney’s Office. &nbsp;A count of solicitation to commit perjury was added to the complaint after a May 19, 2022, telephone conversation during which it was alleged that the defendant attempted to solicit perjury from a witness, identified as a woman intimately known to him as Sherry Reed. &nbsp;<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/03e0722b-52f8-4b48-9a71-cca42becd55a" target="_blank">A jury trial commenced on the complaint on Jan. 24, 2023</a>. &nbsp;The Reno County District Attorney’s Office called approximately 60 witnesses and submitted more than 130 exhibits during the trial which lasted about two weeks. &nbsp;The defendant, Hardwick, claimed at trial that he had killed Ed Bates and Phil Anstine in self-defense.&nbsp;Described by the state in their opening statement, the "compound" is a property east of Hutchinson, where Ed&nbsp;Bates and Phil Anstine would frequent. It had various other additions like buildings built on it, a camper, a dried-up pond, and burn pits. The two men would hang out there, shoot firearms, and overall hone their survival techniques. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Of the two male victims, Hardwick knew Phil Anstine.&nbsp;Hardwick did not know Marion Bates, but had a prior association with Phil Anstine through work that included building houses, akin to Habitat for Humanity. Anstine was said to have overseen much of the work, while Hardwick assisted with installation. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Hardwick called Anstine a friend and they were said to have a mutual interest in firearms. They were said to be close enough that they would travel to visit each other from time to time, but not frequently. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Hardwick’s last visit to see Anstine was said to be because of personal problems in his life. He wanted get out of Kansas City for a while. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Hardwick was said to have taken a Greyhound bus from Kansas City, Missouri to Hutchinson, Kansas to visit Anstine.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Loftis told the jury that Anstine had dropped off Hardwick at the compound with a set of keys. Hardwick was said to have permission to drive Anstine’s truck and had those keys as well.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Anstine then returned shortly after with Little Caesar’s pizza and Samuel Adams beer. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Hardwick’s defense by his attorney and by his own testimony, said he began to feel strange or ill after consuming some of the beer and the pizza.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Hardwick’s symptoms were described as&nbsp;stomach pains, light-headedness, and disorientation. Hardwick was said to have voiced his sudden illness to Anstine, and then went to the camper on the property where he passed out. Hardwick was said to not remember passing out in the camper. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Hardwick alleged he woke up the next day, still disoriented, face down on a bed in the camper with his pants down, and a pain in his anus.&nbsp;He said he&nbsp;surmised he was raped.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Upon leaving the camper to search for Anstine out of concern, Hardwick returned to the camper. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Anstine is said to have returned to the compound with a shotgun in his hands. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Hardwick said he&nbsp;tried to tell Anstine of his situation, but became suspicious when Anstine was said to have been dismissive. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;When Hardwick then accused Anstine of raping him, Anstine cocked and aimed his shotgun at Hardwick.&nbsp;Hardwick said he wrestled the shotgun out of Anstine’s hands. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Anstine was said to have then pulled a .380 semiautomatic pistol and pointed it at Hardwick, causing Hardwick to fatally shoot him with the shotgun. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Still disoriented from the prior drugging and rape, the defense said that Hardwick then made his way to the pumphouse, north of the camper, for water. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Loftis described to the jury what happened next as, “one of the real tragedies of this case.” &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Another man, unknown to Hardwick, appeared and shot at Hardwick. Hardwick shot back with the shotgun he had taken from Anstine, striking the second man. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;After a while, determining the man is dead, Hardwick approached the body and searched the man and discovered his identity as Ed&nbsp;Bates. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Loftis said, more than likely Bates was not part of Hardwick’s alleged rape, and only came to aid his friend, Anstine. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The state, consisting of District Attorney (DA) Thomas Stanton and Deputy District Attorney Andrew Davidson, called a number of witnesses, including friends of the victims, forensic analysts with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), and Sherry Reed herself, who corroborated the state’s opening statement that accused Hardwick of killing the pair for different reasons. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The KBI’s testimony mostly addressed the recovery and forensic testing of a red&nbsp;truck, which belonged to Phil Anstine, which was found at Pretty Prairie Road and Victory Road in October 2021. &nbsp;Hardwick’s DNA was found on multiple places on the truck as well as on items of evidence found in the truck. &nbsp;Sherry Reed was the key witness of the trial, having turned in numerous evidence to the Reno County Sheriff’s Office.&nbsp;During his testimony, Chase Mattingly, the boyfriend of Sherry Reed’s daughter, said he had overheard part of a phone conversation between Hardwick and Reed on Aug. 31,&nbsp;2021. &nbsp;&nbsp;He only understood part of the conversation, and said he had heard Hardwick tell Reed he had messed up. &nbsp;&nbsp;During cross-examination by the defense, Mattingly said he did not know what Hardwick was referring to at the time. &nbsp;&nbsp;Hardwick’s&nbsp;additional count of solicitation to commit perjury stems from&nbsp;a FaceTime call between the defendant and Reed.&nbsp;&nbsp;The FaceTime call had been played in court prior when Hardwick was bound over in June 2022, and was played again on Jan. 27. &nbsp;&nbsp;In the recorded FaceTime conversation, Hardwick repeatedly tells Reed not to show up for the hearing and, if she did testify, to tell the court she was mentally unstable and on drugs. At one time he said, “Please don’t come,” and repeatedly said, “you don’t have to show up.”&nbsp;&nbsp;Hardwick was also noted as telling Reed to “just tell the truth.” &nbsp;&nbsp;Hardwick is also quoted to have said that “Phil was a friend and he dropped like a martyr.”&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Reed grew to become inconsistent with her testimony, claiming to not remember things she said even when her prior testimonies were presented to her. &nbsp;Brought up during the case, Hardwick was said to have told Reed he would have to kill his mother. &nbsp;During his own testimony when cross-examined, Hardwick would also prove inconsistent and become frustrated to the point he would accuse the state of “putting words in his mouth.” &nbsp;Hardwick also told the jury he had thoughts of suicide when he arrived to Hutchinson. &nbsp;The presentation of evidence concluded on Feb. 1. &nbsp;It was determined that Hardwick was stealing various guns, ammunition, and other items when Ed Bates caught him, prompting Hardwick to shoot him and move his body. &nbsp;Phil Anstine later discovered Hardwick and was killed in an execution style in the burn pit. &nbsp;Closing statements were made to the jury, and the jury began its deliberations,&nbsp;<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/4ab76543-081a-4c03-b2e4-be61806d0e55" target="_blank">reaching one the morning of Feb. 2 at 10:45 a.m.</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;The jury delivered a verdict of guilty in the case of the State of Kansas v. Kyle V. Hardwick. &nbsp;Hardwick was convicted of two counts of intentional and premeditated murder in the first degree and one count of theft of property or services, valued at $1,500 to $25,000, along with one count of theft of property or services of a firearm with a value less than $25,000 and a count of solicitation of perjury; testify to material fact in felony proceeding.&nbsp; &nbsp;During sentencing, two months later, the family and friends of Marion Edward “Ed” Bates and Phillip “Phil” D. Anstine delivered statements to Hardwick. &nbsp;They informed how Hardwick’s actions had impacted their lives. Many of them implored the court to hand down the maximum punishment. &nbsp;In the State of Kansas, the burden of proof on the prosecution is extremely high in murder cases and if there is an element of doubt in a defendant’s&nbsp;guilt, a jury will not be able to reach conviction. &nbsp;Judge Keith Schroeder reminded the jury and the gallery of this throughout the case. &nbsp;When sentencing Hardwick, Judge Schroeder made note of the lack of sympathy from Hardwick for his actions, and that he would return in kind. &nbsp;Stipulated with Hardwick’s life convictions, he will not receive good time credit. Additionally, he will be required to register as a violent offender. &nbsp;Concurrent with his life convictions, Hardwick will serve eight months for his third alternative count of theft and seven months for solicitation of perjury. &nbsp;“The Bates family is very satisfied with the outcome,” Ken Bates, brother of Ed Bates, said. “Justice is served.” &nbsp;

Kansas man sentenced for August 2021 double-murder

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a bank robbery and have a suspect in custody.

Just before 3:30p.m. April 5, police were dispatched to bank robbery in progress at Goppert Financial Bank, 2100 N. Highway 7, Pleasant Hill, Missouri, according to a media release.

While responding to the scene, officers were provided with a description of the suspect and the suspect vehicle. Officers were able to locate the suspect vehicle traveling south on Highway 7 near the area of Timber Street. 

Officers conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle and took the female driver later identified as 78-year-old Bonnie Gooch of Pleasant Hill into custody.&nbsp;

A search warrant was served on the suspect vehicle where evidence linking the woman to the bank robbery was located.&nbsp; On Thursday,&nbsp;Gooch was charged by the Cass County Prosecutors Office with Stealing or attempted stealing from a Financial Institution. Gooch is being held on a bond of $25,000 cash only.

In 2020, the Jackson County prosecutors charged Gooch in connection with a bank robbery in Lee's Summit.

She was charged with stealing more than $750, a Class-D felony.&nbsp;

According to court records, police were called to a Lee’s Summit home on Jan. 23, where Gooch's son told police that his mother was "off her rocker" and had stated she was going to rob a bank before she left the house.

Later that afternoon, police were called to the Bank of the West on Highway 291. Witnesses told police that Gooch handed a teller a note, demanding $3,000, according to court documents.

Gooch left after getting some cash. She was taken into custody in a Nissan SUV a short time later.

Court records said that police found the money and the note she passed to the teller inside.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680817861086.png" alt="Gooch-photo Pleasant Hill Police" />
 <figcaption>Gooch-photo Pleasant Hill Police</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a bank robbery and have a suspect in custody.Just before 3:30p.m. April 5, police were dispatched to bank robbery in progress at Goppert Financial Bank, 2100 N. Highway 7, Pleasant Hill, Missouri, according to a media release.While responding to the scene, officers were provided with a description of the suspect and the suspect vehicle. Officers were able to locate the suspect vehicle traveling south on Highway 7 near the area of Timber Street. Officers conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle and took the female driver later identified as 78-year-old Bonnie Gooch of Pleasant Hill into custody.&nbsp;A search warrant was served on the suspect vehicle where evidence linking the woman to the bank robbery was located.&nbsp; On Thursday,&nbsp;Gooch was charged by the Cass County Prosecutors Office with Stealing or attempted stealing from a Financial Institution. Gooch is being held on a bond of $25,000 cash only.In 2020, the Jackson County prosecutors charged Gooch in connection with a bank robbery in Lee's Summit.She was charged with stealing more than $750, a Class-D felony.&nbsp;According to court records, police were called to a Lee’s Summit home on Jan. 23, where Gooch's son told police that his mother was "off her rocker" and had stated she was going to rob a bank before she left the house.Later that afternoon, police were called to the Bank of the West on Highway 291. Witnesses told police that Gooch handed a teller a note, demanding $3,000, according to court documents.Gooch left after getting some cash. She was taken into custody in a Nissan SUV a short time later.Court records said that police found the money and the note she passed to the teller inside.

78-year-old woman jailed again for KC-area bank robbery

LAWRENCE COUNTY—A teen died in an accident just before 7p.m. Thursday in Lawrence County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2018 Honda SXS 1000M driven by a 14-year-old girl from Stotts City, was traveling on Highway F three miles northwest of Stotts City.

The UTV traveled off the right side of the road, returned to the road and overturned. The girl was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Lakin Funeral Home in Pierce City.&nbsp;

LAWRENCE COUNTY—A teen died in an accident just before 7p.m. Thursday in Lawrence County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2018 Honda SXS 1000M driven by a 14-year-old girl from Stotts City, was traveling on Highway F three miles northwest of Stotts City.The UTV traveled off the right side of the road, returned to the road and overturned. The girl was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Lakin Funeral Home in Pierce City.&nbsp;

14-year-old Missouri girl dies in UTV accident

JOHNSON COUNTY —A Kansas pilot and passenger avoided serious injuries after a small plane crash just before noon Friday in Johnson County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1980 Cessna 182 piloted by 59-year-old Jashwant&nbsp;Patel of Overland Park was flying southwesterly near Melvern, Kansas 

The pilot determined the engine was not operating correctly. He decided to return to his origin airport at New Century, Gardner Municipal Airport, 31905 W 175th Street. 

After turning back, the pilot stated the aircraft experienced a complete engine failure and the cockpit filled with smoke. The pilot performed an emergency descent and forced landing in a fallow field just south of the Gardner Municipal Airport.

During the roll out, the Cessna struck a culvert, causing the front end of the aircraft to strike the ground. As a result, the aircraft overturned front over end and came to a stop on its top. The pilot and passenger 42-year-old Gary Waters of LaCygne, Kansas were not injured.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680902778388.png" alt="The pilot and passenger were not injured -photo Johnson Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>The pilot and passenger were not injured -photo Johnson Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —A Kansas pilot and passenger avoided serious injuries after a small plane crash just before noon Friday in Johnson County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1980 Cessna 182 piloted by 59-year-old Jashwant&nbsp;Patel of Overland Park was flying southwesterly near Melvern, Kansas The pilot determined the engine was not operating correctly. He decided to return to his origin airport at New Century, Gardner Municipal Airport, 31905 W 175th Street. After turning back, the pilot stated the aircraft experienced a complete engine failure and the cockpit filled with smoke. The pilot performed an emergency descent and forced landing in a fallow field just south of the Gardner Municipal Airport.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680903190599.png" alt="photo Johnson Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>photo Johnson Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>During the roll out, the Cessna struck a culvert, causing the front end of the aircraft to strike the ground. As a result, the aircraft overturned front over end and came to a stop on its top. The pilot and passenger 42-year-old Gary Waters of LaCygne, Kansas were not injured.&nbsp; The NTSB will investigate the crash.

Small plane crashes, overturns in Kansas field 

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A man was fatally shot Friday morning by deputies in southwest Missouri who responded to a convenience store theft near Springfield, the Greene County Sheriff's Office reported.

The shooting happened shortly after Green County Sheriff’s deputies were called around 8:15 a.m. to the store just southwest of Springfield for a report of a theft from the store, Deputy Paige Rippee said in a news release.

The store clerk said the woman had run across the road to an abandoned house, where deputies found and arrested her.

Sheriff Jim Arnott told&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ky3.com/2023/04/07/man-killed-deputy-involved-shooting-greene-county-mo/">television station KY3</a>&nbsp;that they also encountered a man who was holding a gun to his head who told them, “shoot me, I’m not going back." The deputies shot the man when he lunged at them, the sheriff's office said.

Rippee identified the man as Michael Gann, 43, of Springfield, who died at the scene. Gann was wanted on an arrest warrant, Rippee said.

The Greene County and several other sheriff's departments are investigating the shooting, Arnott said.

The names of the deputies have not been released.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680901053972.png" alt="Gann-photo Greene Co." />
 <figcaption>Gann-photo Greene Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — A man was fatally shot Friday morning by deputies in southwest Missouri who responded to a convenience store theft near Springfield, the Greene County Sheriff's Office reported.The shooting happened shortly after Green County Sheriff’s deputies were called around 8:15 a.m. to the store just southwest of Springfield for a report of a theft from the store, Deputy Paige Rippee said in a news release.The store clerk said the woman had run across the road to an abandoned house, where deputies found and arrested her.Sheriff Jim Arnott told&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ky3.com/2023/04/07/man-killed-deputy-involved-shooting-greene-county-mo/">television station KY3</a>&nbsp;that they also encountered a man who was holding a gun to his head who told them, “shoot me, I’m not going back." The deputies shot the man when he lunged at them, the sheriff's office said.Rippee identified the man as Michael Gann, 43, of Springfield, who died at the scene. Gann was wanted on an arrest warrant, Rippee said.The Greene County and several other sheriff's departments are investigating the shooting, Arnott said.The names of the deputies have not been released.

Sheriff: Man fatally shot by deputies in southwest Missouri

WASHINGTON (AP) — Schools and colleges across the U.S. would be forbidden from enacting outright bans on transgender athletes under a proposal released Thursday by the Biden administration, but teams could create some limits in certain cases — for example, to ensure fairness.

The Kansas Legislature on Wednesday overrode Gov. Laura Kelly’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-rights-athletes-ban-kansas-711e121ea0ab00653d61f9dadf9b9c0e">third veto in three years</a>&nbsp;of a bill to ban transgender athletes.

Biden's proposed rule sends a political counterpunch toward a wave of Republican-led states that have sought to ban trans athletes from competing in school sports that align with their gender identities. If finalized, the proposal would become enshrined as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/title-ix">a provision of Title IX</a>, the landmark gender-equity legislation enacted in 1972.

It must undergo a lengthy approval process, however, and it’s almost certain to face challenges. While opponents sharply criticized the proposal, some advocates for transgender athletes were concerned that it did not go far enough.

The proposal comes on the same day that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-transgender-sports-west-virginia-64d2fd48678afb1a62e5eb84d7762c31">Supreme Court said a 12-year-old transgender girl</a>&nbsp;in West Virginia can continue competing on her middle school track and cross-country teams while legal battles over the state’s transgender law continue. The law bans transgender athletes from female teams.

All told, at least 16 states now have bans in effect covering at least high school interscholastic sports. Some also extend to intramural, club or college sports. Enforcement of bans in at least three other states has been put on hold by courts, and one more has adopted a ban that doesn’t take effect until July.

Under the Education Department's proposed rule, no school or college that receives federal funding would be allowed to impose a “one-size-fits-all” policy that categorically bans trans students from playing on sports teams consistent with their gender identity. Such policies would be considered a violation of Title IX.

Still, the proposal leaves room for schools to develop team eligibility rules that could ultimately result in restrictions around trans athletes’ participation.

That would be allowed only if it serves “important educational objectives,” such as fairness in competition and reduction of injury risks.

Any limits would have to consider the sport, the level of competition and the age of students. Elementary school students would generally be allowed to participate on any teams consistent with their gender identity, for example. More competitive teams at high schools and colleges could add limits, but those would be discouraged in teams that don’t have tryouts or cuts.

“Every student should be able to have the full experience of attending school in America, including participating in athletics, free from discrimination,” said Miguel Cardona, Biden’s education secretary, in a statement.

Biden's administration used “fairness of competition” as criteria, which has been part of the debate both in the U.S. and globally. But officials offered no specifics on how this could be done.

Of the&nbsp;<a href="https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=372">tens of millions of high school students in the U.S</a>., about 300,000 youth between the ages of 13 to 17 identify as transgender, according to a 2022 study from the Williams Institute, a think tank at UCLA focused on LGBTQ+ issues. The number of athletes within that group is much smaller; a 2017 survey by Human Rights Campaign suggested fewer than 15% of all transgender youth play sports.

Asked about the proposal, Bobbie Hirsch, a transgender man and sophomore on the Wayne State men’s fencing team, said “anything helps.” But he feared the language in the rule would make it easier for schools to tell transgender athletes they can’t play on a team. “That’s the direction things have been going,” he said in a phone interview.

Hirsch competed on the women's team in the 2021-22 season, and began transitioning socially in high school and medically last summer.

Eli Bundy, an 18-year-old transgender resident of Charleston, South Carolina, said they welcomed the proposal but were stopping short of celebrating.

“I have a hard time feeling relief when positive stuff happens at the national level, because there’s still so much at the state level from the South Carolina Legislature that is antagonistic and sends a really harmful message to trans youth,” said Bundy, who testified in 2021 against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-government-and-politics-education-legislature-south-carolina-09f1bae4d74b583ed3a5a52cfdf989f1">the state’s ban on transgender students’ participation</a>&nbsp;in girls’ or women’s sports at public schools and colleges.

Asked about the state bans now in place, a senior Education Department official briefing reporters on condition of anonymity said Title IX is the law of the land and officials would work to ensure it’s being followed in all the states.

In the West Virginia case, the Supreme Court refused to undo an appeals court order that made it possible for the girl, Becky Pepper-Jackson, to continue playing on her school’s teams. The state's law on transgender athletes defines male and female by looking to the student’s “reproductive biology and genetics at birth.” It applies to middle and high schools, as well as colleges.

Elsewhere, Republican lawmakers insisted they had the right to set policies in their states. The Biden administration's announcement came a day after Kansas lawmakers succeeded in overriding Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s third veto in three years of a bill to ban transgender female athletes from girls' and women’s sports.

“At what point does the federal government not understand the U.S. Constitution that says we have states’ rights?” said Republican state Rep. Brenda Landwehr, of Wichita. “We can make decisions on our own.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-college-112a4f400a02597c0c33c470baa31863">Critics argue transgender athletes have an advantage</a>&nbsp;over cisgender women in competition. Last year, Lia Thomas became the first transgender woman to win an NCAA swimming title. College sports’ governing body, however, adopted a sport-by-sport approach to transgender athletes in January 2002, though recently the NCAA’s board decided it won’t be fully implemented until 2023-24.

The NCAA released a statement Thursday night saying: "The NCAA’s current transgender student-athlete participation policy aligns with the Olympic movement and balances fairness, inclusion and safety for all student-athletes. That policy remains in place while the lengthy Title IX regulatory process plays out.”

At the same time, international sports-governing bodies are instituting policies that effectively ban the vast majority of trans women from track field and swimming events.

Donna de Varona, a two-time Olympic gold medalist in swimming and a member of the Women’s Sports Policy Working Group, said her hope is to find a “nuanced approach” to finding space for transgender athletes while allowing for Title IX to make sure girls and women have “fairness, opportunity and safety.”

“There’s plenty of room. ... Why does it have to be in the women’s category? We’re already being compromised in our reproductive rights and now we have the other spectrum with sports,” de Varona said in a phone interview.

Sasha Buchert, Lambda Legal senior attorney and director of the group's Nonbinary and Transgender Rights Project, said the proposed rule provided “critical recognition of the importance of participating in sports for transgender youth." At the same time, she expressed concern about whether it would eliminate discrimination against transgender students.

But an attorney for cisgender runners decried the proposal as “a slap in the face to female athletes who deserve equal opportunity to compete in their sports.”

“The Biden administration’s rewriting Title IX degrades women and tells them that their athletic goals and placements do not matter,” said Christiana Kiefer, senior counsel at Alliance Defending Freedom. She represented Connecticut runners who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/danbury-us-news-ap-top-news-hartford-sports-general-8fd300537131153cc44e0cf2ade3244b">sued over the participation of two transgender girls</a>&nbsp;in track and field events.

President Joe Biden's administration has made it a priority to bolster the rights of trans students. Last year it proposed a separate federal rule that for the first time would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/campus-sexual-assault-rules-overhaul-title-IX-anniversary-518710ef2b76663c240dc0272903fe93">extend Title IX rights to LGBTQ+ students</a>, broadly protecting them from discrimination in education.

That rule — which drew more than 240,000 comments from the public and sharp opposition from conservatives — is expected to be finalized as soon as next month.

The new proposal doesn’t offer examples of acceptable limits that could be placed on school sports, but it clarifies that restrictions couldn't be directed at trans students only. Schools would be left to navigate that tricky legal terrain, with the knowledge that any violation could bring a federal civil rights investigation or lawsuits.

Schools that choose to impose limits must “minimize harms” to students who lose out on athletics opportunities, the proposal says. If a school can achieve objectives like fairness in ways that cause less harm, then the school could be deemed to be violating Title IX.

“Preventing students from participating on a sports team consistent with their gender identity can stigmatize and isolate them,” according to background information provided by the administration. “This is different from the experience of a student who is not selected for a team based on their skills.”

Schools that violate Title IX can face penalties up to a complete loss of federal funding, although no school has ever been dealt that punishment.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Schools and colleges across the U.S. would be forbidden from enacting outright bans on transgender athletes under a proposal released Thursday by the Biden administration, but teams could create some limits in certain cases — for example, to ensure fairness.The Kansas Legislature on Wednesday overrode Gov. Laura Kelly’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-rights-athletes-ban-kansas-711e121ea0ab00653d61f9dadf9b9c0e">third veto in three years</a>&nbsp;of a bill to ban transgender athletes.Biden's proposed rule sends a political counterpunch toward a wave of Republican-led states that have sought to ban trans athletes from competing in school sports that align with their gender identities. If finalized, the proposal would become enshrined as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/title-ix">a provision of Title IX</a>, the landmark gender-equity legislation enacted in 1972.It must undergo a lengthy approval process, however, and it’s almost certain to face challenges. While opponents sharply criticized the proposal, some advocates for transgender athletes were concerned that it did not go far enough.The proposal comes on the same day that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-transgender-sports-west-virginia-64d2fd48678afb1a62e5eb84d7762c31">Supreme Court said a 12-year-old transgender girl</a>&nbsp;in West Virginia can continue competing on her middle school track and cross-country teams while legal battles over the state’s transgender law continue. The law bans transgender athletes from female teams.All told, at least 16 states now have bans in effect covering at least high school interscholastic sports. Some also extend to intramural, club or college sports. Enforcement of bans in at least three other states has been put on hold by courts, and one more has adopted a ban that doesn’t take effect until July.Under the Education Department's proposed rule, no school or college that receives federal funding would be allowed to impose a “one-size-fits-all” policy that categorically bans trans students from playing on sports teams consistent with their gender identity. Such policies would be considered a violation of Title IX.Still, the proposal leaves room for schools to develop team eligibility rules that could ultimately result in restrictions around trans athletes’ participation.That would be allowed only if it serves “important educational objectives,” such as fairness in competition and reduction of injury risks.Any limits would have to consider the sport, the level of competition and the age of students. Elementary school students would generally be allowed to participate on any teams consistent with their gender identity, for example. More competitive teams at high schools and colleges could add limits, but those would be discouraged in teams that don’t have tryouts or cuts.“Every student should be able to have the full experience of attending school in America, including participating in athletics, free from discrimination,” said Miguel Cardona, Biden’s education secretary, in a statement.Biden's administration used “fairness of competition” as criteria, which has been part of the debate both in the U.S. and globally. But officials offered no specifics on how this could be done.Of the&nbsp;<a href="https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=372">tens of millions of high school students in the U.S</a>., about 300,000 youth between the ages of 13 to 17 identify as transgender, according to a 2022 study from the Williams Institute, a think tank at UCLA focused on LGBTQ+ issues. The number of athletes within that group is much smaller; a 2017 survey by Human Rights Campaign suggested fewer than 15% of all transgender youth play sports.Asked about the proposal, Bobbie Hirsch, a transgender man and sophomore on the Wayne State men’s fencing team, said “anything helps.” But he feared the language in the rule would make it easier for schools to tell transgender athletes they can’t play on a team. “That’s the direction things have been going,” he said in a phone interview.Hirsch competed on the women's team in the 2021-22 season, and began transitioning socially in high school and medically last summer.Eli Bundy, an 18-year-old transgender resident of Charleston, South Carolina, said they welcomed the proposal but were stopping short of celebrating.“I have a hard time feeling relief when positive stuff happens at the national level, because there’s still so much at the state level from the South Carolina Legislature that is antagonistic and sends a really harmful message to trans youth,” said Bundy, who testified in 2021 against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-government-and-politics-education-legislature-south-carolina-09f1bae4d74b583ed3a5a52cfdf989f1">the state’s ban on transgender students’ participation</a>&nbsp;in girls’ or women’s sports at public schools and colleges.Asked about the state bans now in place, a senior Education Department official briefing reporters on condition of anonymity said Title IX is the law of the land and officials would work to ensure it’s being followed in all the states.In the West Virginia case, the Supreme Court refused to undo an appeals court order that made it possible for the girl, Becky Pepper-Jackson, to continue playing on her school’s teams. The state's law on transgender athletes defines male and female by looking to the student’s “reproductive biology and genetics at birth.” It applies to middle and high schools, as well as colleges.Elsewhere, Republican lawmakers insisted they had the right to set policies in their states. The Biden administration's announcement came a day after Kansas lawmakers succeeded in overriding Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s third veto in three years of a bill to ban transgender female athletes from girls' and women’s sports.“At what point does the federal government not understand the U.S. Constitution that says we have states’ rights?” said Republican state Rep. Brenda Landwehr, of Wichita. “We can make decisions on our own.”<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-college-112a4f400a02597c0c33c470baa31863">Critics argue transgender athletes have an advantage</a>&nbsp;over cisgender women in competition. Last year, Lia Thomas became the first transgender woman to win an NCAA swimming title. College sports’ governing body, however, adopted a sport-by-sport approach to transgender athletes in January 2002, though recently the NCAA’s board decided it won’t be fully implemented until 2023-24.The NCAA released a statement Thursday night saying: "The NCAA’s current transgender student-athlete participation policy aligns with the Olympic movement and balances fairness, inclusion and safety for all student-athletes. That policy remains in place while the lengthy Title IX regulatory process plays out.”At the same time, international sports-governing bodies are instituting policies that effectively ban the vast majority of trans women from track field and swimming events.Donna de Varona, a two-time Olympic gold medalist in swimming and a member of the Women’s Sports Policy Working Group, said her hope is to find a “nuanced approach” to finding space for transgender athletes while allowing for Title IX to make sure girls and women have “fairness, opportunity and safety.”“There’s plenty of room. ... Why does it have to be in the women’s category? We’re already being compromised in our reproductive rights and now we have the other spectrum with sports,” de Varona said in a phone interview.Sasha Buchert, Lambda Legal senior attorney and director of the group's Nonbinary and Transgender Rights Project, said the proposed rule provided “critical recognition of the importance of participating in sports for transgender youth." At the same time, she expressed concern about whether it would eliminate discrimination against transgender students.But an attorney for cisgender runners decried the proposal as “a slap in the face to female athletes who deserve equal opportunity to compete in their sports.”“The Biden administration’s rewriting Title IX degrades women and tells them that their athletic goals and placements do not matter,” said Christiana Kiefer, senior counsel at Alliance Defending Freedom. She represented Connecticut runners who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/danbury-us-news-ap-top-news-hartford-sports-general-8fd300537131153cc44e0cf2ade3244b">sued over the participation of two transgender girls</a>&nbsp;in track and field events.President Joe Biden's administration has made it a priority to bolster the rights of trans students. Last year it proposed a separate federal rule that for the first time would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/campus-sexual-assault-rules-overhaul-title-IX-anniversary-518710ef2b76663c240dc0272903fe93">extend Title IX rights to LGBTQ+ students</a>, broadly protecting them from discrimination in education.That rule — which drew more than 240,000 comments from the public and sharp opposition from conservatives — is expected to be finalized as soon as next month.The new proposal doesn’t offer examples of acceptable limits that could be placed on school sports, but it clarifies that restrictions couldn't be directed at trans students only. Schools would be left to navigate that tricky legal terrain, with the knowledge that any violation could bring a federal civil rights investigation or lawsuits.Schools that choose to impose limits must “minimize harms” to students who lose out on athletics opportunities, the proposal says. If a school can achieve objectives like fairness in ways that cause less harm, then the school could be deemed to be violating Title IX.“Preventing students from participating on a sports team consistent with their gender identity can stigmatize and isolate them,” according to background information provided by the administration. “This is different from the experience of a student who is not selected for a team based on their skills.”Schools that violate Title IX can face penalties up to a complete loss of federal funding, although no school has ever been dealt that punishment.

After Kan. vote, Biden proposes new rule for trans student athletes

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A proposal designed to thwart investing that considers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-is-esg-investing-3a98b6f584357b8e10c31b1ff93ce4b6">environmental, social and governance</a>&nbsp;factors has cleared the Kansas Legislature, but divisions within its GOP majorities kept the measure from being as strong as some conservatives wanted.

Lawmakers on Thursday approved&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/documents/ccr_2023_hb2100_s_2085">a bill</a>&nbsp;that would prevent the state, its pension fund for teachers and government workers and its cities, counties and local school districts from using ESG principles in investing their funds or in awarding contracts. Such investment strategies have become the target of GOP lawmakers across the country who argue they are focused more on pushing political agendas rather than earning the best returns.

At least seven states, including Oklahoma, Texas and West Virginia, have enacted anti-ESG laws in the past two years. GOP Govs.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.flgov.com/2022/08/23/governor-ron-desantis-eliminates-esg-considerations-from-state-pension-investments/">Ron DeSantis of Florida</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://news.mt.gov/Governors-Office/Governor_Gianforte_Board_of_Investments_Block_ESG_Investing_of_State_Funds">Greg Gianforte of Montana</a>&nbsp;also have moved to ensure their states’ funds aren’t invested using ESG principles.

Some conservatives lawmakers in Kansas wanted to require managers of private funds to either disclose to clients that ESG principles guide their investing or to get clients' written consent to use ESG. Republican state senators backed a plan to force the state pension fund to divest from nations identified by the U.S. government as foreign adversaries, including China.

But proposals to impose new rules for private money managers spurred&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/esg-woke-investing-big-business-backlash-be6dac7d7d25d823645525597b6f1782">a strong backlash</a>&nbsp;from influential business and banking groups. House members said the provision requiring the pension fund to divest from other nations was written so broadly that it would prevent investing in companies founded by immigrants fleeing oppression.

“We right here wanted to focus on what we control — state pensions, state investments, government contracts, stuff like that,” said Republican state Rep. Nick Hoheisel, of Wichita, chair of the House committee handling the legislation.

The votes to approve the bill were&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/vote_view/je_20230406203524_377027/">76-47</a>&nbsp;in the House and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/vote_view/je_20230406151935_643567/">27-12</a>&nbsp;in the Senate and sent the measure to Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly. While almost all of the state's Democratic lawmakers voted “no,” Kelly has not said what she will do. Supporters had the two-thirds majority needed to override a veto in the Senate, but not in the House.

“It’s still a panicked response to a fake issue that’s been created by right-wing media,” said state Rep. Rui Xu, a Kansas City-area Democrat.

About one-eighth of U.S. assets being professionally managed, or $8.4 trillion, are being managed in line with ESG principles, according&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ussif.org//Files/Trends/2022/Trends%202022%20Executive%20Summary.pdf">a report in December</a>&nbsp;from US SIF, which promotes sustainable investing.

Supporters of ESG principles in investing argue that it's financially more prudent to consider issues such as whether a shift to green energy makes investing in fossil fuel companies riskier. Last month, hundreds of investors, companies and institutions signed on to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.freedomtoinvest.org/signatories/">“Freedom to Invest” statement</a>&nbsp;arguing that ignoring “the robust economic benefits" of clean energy represented a failure to build a stronger economy.

“Climate change poses a threat to the safety of our communities and the long-term value creation of the economy, and addressing its risks upholds investors’ fiduciary duty,” the statement said.

Xu said that even the mildest version of the bill still would hinder cities and counties when awarding contracts. Hoheisel said he's not worried about it being a problem.

Across the U.S., the criticism of ESG from Republicans has sometimes been heated.

Last month, 19 GOP governors, including DeSantis and Kristi Noem of South Dakota, issued&nbsp;<a href="https://governor.sd.gov/doc/JointGovernors-Policy-StatementonESG_3-16-2023.pdf">a joint statement</a>&nbsp;calling ESG a “direct threat to the American economy, individual economic freedom, and our way of life.” And Utah’s Republican state treasurer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2023/03/14/utah-treasurer-marlo-oaks-tells/">told a GOP gathering</a>&nbsp;that ESG “opens the door to authoritarianism” and is “Satan’s plan.”

Kansas state Sen. Mike Thompson, a conservative Kansas City-area Republican and chair of the Senate committee handling the legislation, backed the provisions on private managers and investments outside the U.S.

While he wouldn't go as far as the governors or Utah treasurer, Thompson argued that pushing investors away from lumber, mining, agriculture or fossil fuel companies harms industries critical to the economy and hurts national security.

Still, most of the Kansas debate centered on whether investment earnings drop when managers use ESG principles.

Kansas State Treasurer Steven Johnson, who supports the bill, said: "We’re interested in the highest and best return for Kansas.”

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A proposal designed to thwart investing that considers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-is-esg-investing-3a98b6f584357b8e10c31b1ff93ce4b6">environmental, social and governance</a>&nbsp;factors has cleared the Kansas Legislature, but divisions within its GOP majorities kept the measure from being as strong as some conservatives wanted.Lawmakers on Thursday approved&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/documents/ccr_2023_hb2100_s_2085">a bill</a>&nbsp;that would prevent the state, its pension fund for teachers and government workers and its cities, counties and local school districts from using ESG principles in investing their funds or in awarding contracts. Such investment strategies have become the target of GOP lawmakers across the country who argue they are focused more on pushing political agendas rather than earning the best returns.At least seven states, including Oklahoma, Texas and West Virginia, have enacted anti-ESG laws in the past two years. GOP Govs.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.flgov.com/2022/08/23/governor-ron-desantis-eliminates-esg-considerations-from-state-pension-investments/">Ron DeSantis of Florida</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://news.mt.gov/Governors-Office/Governor_Gianforte_Board_of_Investments_Block_ESG_Investing_of_State_Funds">Greg Gianforte of Montana</a>&nbsp;also have moved to ensure their states’ funds aren’t invested using ESG principles.Some conservatives lawmakers in Kansas wanted to require managers of private funds to either disclose to clients that ESG principles guide their investing or to get clients' written consent to use ESG. Republican state senators backed a plan to force the state pension fund to divest from nations identified by the U.S. government as foreign adversaries, including China.But proposals to impose new rules for private money managers spurred&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/esg-woke-investing-big-business-backlash-be6dac7d7d25d823645525597b6f1782">a strong backlash</a>&nbsp;from influential business and banking groups. House members said the provision requiring the pension fund to divest from other nations was written so broadly that it would prevent investing in companies founded by immigrants fleeing oppression.“We right here wanted to focus on what we control — state pensions, state investments, government contracts, stuff like that,” said Republican state Rep. Nick Hoheisel, of Wichita, chair of the House committee handling the legislation.The votes to approve the bill were&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/vote_view/je_20230406203524_377027/">76-47</a>&nbsp;in the House and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/vote_view/je_20230406151935_643567/">27-12</a>&nbsp;in the Senate and sent the measure to Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly. While almost all of the state's Democratic lawmakers voted “no,” Kelly has not said what she will do. Supporters had the two-thirds majority needed to override a veto in the Senate, but not in the House.“It’s still a panicked response to a fake issue that’s been created by right-wing media,” said state Rep. Rui Xu, a Kansas City-area Democrat.About one-eighth of U.S. assets being professionally managed, or $8.4 trillion, are being managed in line with ESG principles, according&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ussif.org//Files/Trends/2022/Trends%202022%20Executive%20Summary.pdf">a report in December</a>&nbsp;from US SIF, which promotes sustainable investing.Supporters of ESG principles in investing argue that it's financially more prudent to consider issues such as whether a shift to green energy makes investing in fossil fuel companies riskier. Last month, hundreds of investors, companies and institutions signed on to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.freedomtoinvest.org/signatories/">“Freedom to Invest” statement</a>&nbsp;arguing that ignoring “the robust economic benefits" of clean energy represented a failure to build a stronger economy.“Climate change poses a threat to the safety of our communities and the long-term value creation of the economy, and addressing its risks upholds investors’ fiduciary duty,” the statement said.Xu said that even the mildest version of the bill still would hinder cities and counties when awarding contracts. Hoheisel said he's not worried about it being a problem.Across the U.S., the criticism of ESG from Republicans has sometimes been heated.Last month, 19 GOP governors, including DeSantis and Kristi Noem of South Dakota, issued&nbsp;<a href="https://governor.sd.gov/doc/JointGovernors-Policy-StatementonESG_3-16-2023.pdf">a joint statement</a>&nbsp;calling ESG a “direct threat to the American economy, individual economic freedom, and our way of life.” And Utah’s Republican state treasurer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2023/03/14/utah-treasurer-marlo-oaks-tells/">told a GOP gathering</a>&nbsp;that ESG “opens the door to authoritarianism” and is “Satan’s plan.”Kansas state Sen. Mike Thompson, a conservative Kansas City-area Republican and chair of the Senate committee handling the legislation, backed the provisions on private managers and investments outside the U.S.While he wouldn't go as far as the governors or Utah treasurer, Thompson argued that pushing investors away from lumber, mining, agriculture or fossil fuel companies harms industries critical to the economy and hurts national security.Still, most of the Kansas debate centered on whether investment earnings drop when managers use ESG principles.Kansas State Treasurer Steven Johnson, who supports the bill, said: "We’re interested in the highest and best return for Kansas.”___

Kansas passes anti-ESG bill, but it's milder than some want

Washington&nbsp;– U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, a U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee member, released the following statement addressing President Biden's Veto of the Bipartisan Resolution to reverse the Administration's revised definition of 'Waters of the United States,' according to a statement from the Senator's office.

"President Biden has once again put D.C. Bureaucrats over our nation's Agricultural producers,"&nbsp;said Senator Roger Marshall. "Farmers and ranchers are the best stewards of our land and are invested in protecting the quality of our nation's waterways."

"Kansans know that the unconstitutional Obama-era WOTUS ruling drastically expanded the federal government's involvement with minimal improvements in water quality – resulting in more red tape for our producers. The Biden rule was just as expansive, and that is why we sent bipartisan legislation to the president that would strike down his massive overstep."

"Consistent and clear guidelines and regulations are vital in protecting our waterways – we cannot keep moving the goalpost. Sadly, that is exactly what this Administration did this week,”&nbsp;said Senator Roger Marshall.

Washington&nbsp;– U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, a U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee member, released the following statement addressing President Biden's Veto of the Bipartisan Resolution to reverse the Administration's revised definition of 'Waters of the United States,' according to a statement from the Senator's office.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I just vetoed a bill that attempted to block our Administration from protecting our nation&#39;s waterways – a resource millions of Americans depend on – from destruction and pollution. Let me be clear: Every American has a right to clean water. This veto protects that right. <a href="https://t.co/ozfOVu5HEq">pic.twitter.com/ozfOVu5HEq</a>&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1644060920547627012?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>"President Biden has once again put D.C. Bureaucrats over our nation's Agricultural producers,"&nbsp;said Senator Roger Marshall. "Farmers and ranchers are the best stewards of our land and are invested in protecting the quality of our nation's waterways.""Kansans know that the unconstitutional Obama-era WOTUS ruling drastically expanded the federal government's involvement with minimal improvements in water quality – resulting in more red tape for our producers. The Biden rule was just as expansive, and that is why we sent bipartisan legislation to the president that would strike down his massive overstep.""Consistent and clear guidelines and regulations are vital in protecting our waterways – we cannot keep moving the goalpost. Sadly, that is exactly what this Administration did this week,”&nbsp;said Senator Roger Marshall.

Senator Marshall rips Biden on veto of WOTUS rule

By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina Post

SALINE COUNTY —Rural firefighters responded to two controlled burns that got out of control within a matter of minutes of each other Thursday afternoon in Saline County.

Just before 4p.m., Sheriff's deputies and personnel from Rural Fire District No. 2 were sent to the 400 block of E. Water Well Road after a control burn reignited, according to Saline County Undersheriff Brent Melander.

A 53-year-old Saline County man who had a burn permit had burned a pile of brush and thought he had put everything out afterward.

After the man left the property, the fire rekindled, setting some nearby grass on fire, Melander said. The fire spread to two wood piles, destroying them. The reignited fire was reported by neighbors.

Melander said that although the fire came close, no buildings were damaged. There was no damage estimate provided for the fire.

At 3:58 p.m. Thursday, a 45-year-old man who was conducting a controlled burn on some grass in the 9500 block of Forsse Road south of Falun called for help after the wind shifted, blowing embers onto a nearby wooden barn. Although the man had a water hose on hand, the water stream did not reach the top of the barn, Melander said.

Personnel from Rural Fire District No. 6 responded to the blaze and requested assistance from Rural Fire District No. 2 and the Marquette Fire Department. By the time they arrived, the fire had spread to a stubble field. The fire was extinguished, but not before the barn was destroyed and 100 yards of stubble had burned, Melander said. Additionally, a nearby Ford F150 had some fire damage.

Loss of the barn, which had some miscellaneous tools inside, was estimated at $15,000.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680883701718.jpeg" alt="The blaze in 400 block of E. Water Well Road south of Salina. Photos courtesy Saline County Sheriff's Office" />
 <figcaption>The blaze in 400 block of E. Water Well Road south of Salina. Photos courtesy Saline County Sheriff's Office</figcaption>
 </figure>By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina PostSALINE COUNTY —Rural firefighters responded to two controlled burns that got out of control within a matter of minutes of each other Thursday afternoon in Saline County.Just before 4p.m., Sheriff's deputies and personnel from Rural Fire District No. 2 were sent to the 400 block of E. Water Well Road after a control burn reignited, according to Saline County Undersheriff Brent Melander.A 53-year-old Saline County man who had a burn permit had burned a pile of brush and thought he had put everything out afterward.After the man left the property, the fire rekindled, setting some nearby grass on fire, Melander said. The fire spread to two wood piles, destroying them. The reignited fire was reported by neighbors.Melander said that although the fire came close, no buildings were damaged. There was no damage estimate provided for the fire.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680884064582.jpeg" alt="The fire destroyed this barn in the 9500 block of Forsse Road." />
 <figcaption>The fire destroyed this barn in the 9500 block of Forsse Road.</figcaption>
 </figure>At 3:58 p.m. Thursday, a 45-year-old man who was conducting a controlled burn on some grass in the 9500 block of Forsse Road south of Falun called for help after the wind shifted, blowing embers onto a nearby wooden barn. Although the man had a water hose on hand, the water stream did not reach the top of the barn, Melander said.Personnel from Rural Fire District No. 6 responded to the blaze and requested assistance from Rural Fire District No. 2 and the Marquette Fire Department. By the time they arrived, the fire had spread to a stubble field. The fire was extinguished, but not before the barn was destroyed and 100 yards of stubble had burned, Melander said. Additionally, a nearby Ford F150 had some fire damage.Loss of the barn, which had some miscellaneous tools inside, was estimated at $15,000.

Sheriff: Controlled burns cause damage in central Kansas

DOUGLAS COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities, as part of a traffic stop&nbsp; in western Douglas County recovered more than 1,000 suspected fentanyl pills, 2.5 pounds of methamphetamine and a suspected stolen firearm, according to sheriff's department spokesperson George Diepenbrock.

The arrest and subsequent investigation led to a search warrant being served in Shawnee County where the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office recovered additional methamphetamine and suspected fentanyl pills.

“The arrest and recovery of about 1,000 pills headed for Lawrence and marked with an M match the description of pills that are dressed up to look like legitimate Oxycodone pills, though they are laced with fentanyl,” Sheriff Jay Armbrister said.

 “These pills are sold to kids and community members as something they are not, in order to get people addicted – deadly consequences aside. Cases like this show why it’s critical for law enforcement to disrupt the supply of these dangerous substances, while also educating our community and especially our youth about the dangers of taking what appears to be a legitimate prescription pill when something much more sinister and fatal lurks just beneath its surface.”

Armbrister added: “In addressing the opioid crisis, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office is committed not only to education and enforcement but we will continue to advocate for policy-level changes like making and keeping Fentanyl testing supplies and Narcan legal and available to our community members.”

A DGSO deputy stopped an eastbound gray Chevrolet Tahoe for a traffic infraction just before 5 p.m. Wednesday on U.S. Highway 40 near the Shawnee County line. The DGSO K-9 unit was deployed and alerted to the presence of narcotics.

After searching the vehicle, deputies recovered 2.5 pounds of suspected methamphetamine and 1,002 suspected pressed fentanyl pills, the handgun and other property. 

Deputies have sent the suspected narcotics to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation for formal identification and analysis.

The driver of the vehicle in Douglas County, a 32-year-old Topeka man, was arrested and booked into the Douglas County Correctional Facility on requested charges of two counts of felony drug distribution and one count of possession of stolen property related to the recovered handgun.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680810732040.png" alt="Photo Douglas Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo Douglas Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>DOUGLAS COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities, as part of a traffic stop&nbsp; in western Douglas County recovered more than 1,000 suspected fentanyl pills, 2.5 pounds of methamphetamine and a suspected stolen firearm, according to sheriff's department spokesperson George Diepenbrock.The arrest and subsequent investigation led to a search warrant being served in Shawnee County where the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office recovered additional methamphetamine and suspected fentanyl pills.“The arrest and recovery of about 1,000 pills headed for Lawrence and marked with an M match the description of pills that are dressed up to look like legitimate Oxycodone pills, though they are laced with fentanyl,” Sheriff Jay Armbrister said. “These pills are sold to kids and community members as something they are not, in order to get people addicted – deadly consequences aside. Cases like this show why it’s critical for law enforcement to disrupt the supply of these dangerous substances, while also educating our community and especially our youth about the dangers of taking what appears to be a legitimate prescription pill when something much more sinister and fatal lurks just beneath its surface.”Armbrister added: “In addressing the opioid crisis, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office is committed not only to education and enforcement but we will continue to advocate for policy-level changes like making and keeping Fentanyl testing supplies and Narcan legal and available to our community members.”A DGSO deputy stopped an eastbound gray Chevrolet Tahoe for a traffic infraction just before 5 p.m. Wednesday on U.S. Highway 40 near the Shawnee County line. The DGSO K-9 unit was deployed and alerted to the presence of narcotics.After searching the vehicle, deputies recovered 2.5 pounds of suspected methamphetamine and 1,002 suspected pressed fentanyl pills, the handgun and other property. Deputies have sent the suspected narcotics to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation for formal identification and analysis.The driver of the vehicle in Douglas County, a 32-year-old Topeka man, was arrested and booked into the Douglas County Correctional Facility on requested charges of two counts of felony drug distribution and one count of possession of stolen property related to the recovered handgun.&nbsp;

Kan. deputies recover more than 1,000 suspected fentanyl pills

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Abortion opponents pushed a bill through the Kansas Legislature early Friday to require providers to tell patients that a medication abortion can be “reversed” once it's started — a measure that could face a state court challenge if its supporters can overcome the governor's expected veto.

Republican lawmakers pursued the bill even though experts dispute abortion opponents' claims about medication abortions. Democrats argue the measure defies a decisive statewide vote in August affirming abortion rights. Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed a similar measure in 2019.

Kansas has been an outlier on abortion among states with GOP-controlled legislatures because its legal and political climate won't allow a ban on abortion, despite the U.S. Supreme Court's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">ruling in June 2022</a>&nbsp;that states can outlaw abortion. The Kansas Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3f479b218a6140719e1694fcfcdb8036">ruled in 2019</a>&nbsp;that access to abortion is a matter of bodily autonomy and a “fundamental” right under the state constitution, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-kansas-abortion-b6d62a852c2ce4617f2c03589fbb523e">last year's vote was to reject</a>&nbsp;stripping out that protection.

“The people of Kansas have spoken,” state Rep. Christina Haswood, a Democrat from the liberal northeastern Kansas community of Lawrence, home to the main University of Kansas campus, said during Friday's brief debate. “They do not want us touching anything on abortion.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680876787570.png" alt="“The people of Kansas have spoken,” state Rep. Christina Haswood, a Democrat from Lawrence during Friday's brief debate. “They do not want us touching anything on abortion.”- courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>“The people of Kansas have spoken,” state Rep. Christina Haswood, a Democrat from Lawrence during Friday's brief debate. “They do not want us touching anything on abortion.”- courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Abortion opponents pushed a bill through the Kansas Legislature early Friday to require providers to tell patients that a medication abortion can be “reversed” once it's started — a measure that could face a state court challenge if its supporters can overcome the governor's expected veto.Republican lawmakers pursued the bill even though experts dispute abortion opponents' claims about medication abortions. Democrats argue the measure defies a decisive statewide vote in August affirming abortion rights. Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed a similar measure in 2019.Kansas has been an outlier on abortion among states with GOP-controlled legislatures because its legal and political climate won't allow a ban on abortion, despite the U.S. Supreme Court's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">ruling in June 2022</a>&nbsp;that states can outlaw abortion. The Kansas Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3f479b218a6140719e1694fcfcdb8036">ruled in 2019</a>&nbsp;that access to abortion is a matter of bodily autonomy and a “fundamental” right under the state constitution, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-kansas-abortion-b6d62a852c2ce4617f2c03589fbb523e">last year's vote was to reject</a>&nbsp;stripping out that protection.“The people of Kansas have spoken,” state Rep. Christina Haswood, a Democrat from the liberal northeastern Kansas community of Lawrence, home to the main University of Kansas campus, said during Friday's brief debate. “They do not want us touching anything on abortion.”Republican lawmakers and anti-abortion groups contend the vote last year doesn't preclude “reasonable” restrictions. They contend that the “abortion pill reversal” measure only ensures that patients have information.“They need to be knowledgeable about what can happen,” Republican state Rep. Susan Humphries, of Wichita, during a debate on the issue last week.The votes for the final version of the bill were&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/vote_view/je_20230407042712_286375/">80-38</a>&nbsp;in the House and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/vote_view/je_20230406233228_497570/">26-11</a>&nbsp;in the Senate. In both chambers, abortion opponents were short of the two-thirds majorities needed to override a veto but enough absent lawmakers might have voted “yes” for an override to be possible.But even then, the measure still could be challenged in court by providers who believe it would force them to give patients inaccurate information. Lawsuits have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-restrictions-lawsuits-kansas-3eb09cbcdfb18e06aee024e557f9814c">prevented Kansas from enforcing</a>&nbsp;a 2015 ban on a common second-trimester abortion procedure and a 2011 law imposing extra health and safety rules for abortion providers.Meanwhile, legislators this week also approved&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/born-alive-abortion-bill-kansas-legislature-45f8c977187656d8340eae5a44d87de0">a bill dealing with live deliveries</a>&nbsp;during certain types of abortion procedures. Doctors could face criminal charges or lawsuits for monetary damages if they are accused of not providing reasonable care to an infant delivered alive during certain types of abortion procedures.And lawmakers have included $2 million in state tax dollars in the next state budget for centers that provide free prenatal and post-birth counseling and other services as they seek to discourage women from having abortions. Abortion opponents also are pursuing creation of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-politics-united-states-government-kansas-health-c0c8a6cbe211ca4970e3a38b3aa7faf9">an income tax credit</a>&nbsp;for donors to those centers, allowing up to $10 million total a year.“This is not about abortion and it's not about a ban. We heard the vote. We get that,” House health committee Chair Brenda Landwehr, a Wichita Republican, told colleagues during a debate on the issue last week. “We also heard you say we don't care and now we're trying to step up to the plate.”The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology says there is no scientific evidence that the “reversal” method, involving using the hormone progesterone in place of the second abortion medication, is safe or effective.Two physicians started using the “reversal” method more than 15 years ago, and abortion opponents note that progesterone is often used to try to prevent women from miscarrying a pregnancy. One of the doctors who participated in a 2018 study said doctors followed more than 750 women who'd sought to reverse medication abortions and said a sizeable majority were successful.Critics have said the study was flawed and couldn't show whether the women would have carried their pregnancies to term without progesterone.“Kansas deserves providers who are free to stick to fact-based health care and not forced to spread scientific myths,” Democratic state Rep. Melissa Oropeza, a Kansas City nurse practioner, said during Friday's debate.But abortion opponents said it's not improper to promote what is essentially an off-label use for progesterone.“Heck, we use a lot of things off label,” state Rep. John Eplee, a northeastern Kansas doctor, said during last week's debate. "Viagra — sildenafil — was used as a medication for pulmonary hypertension for five years until they found all the male patients woke up with complications, quote-unquote, from it.”