By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/12/02/troubling-and-authoritarian-kansas-aclu-warns-st-marys-officials-that-closing-town-library-is-unconstitutional/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas has advised St. Marys city commissioners to renew <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/11/14/future-of-kansas-towns-library-in-jeopardy-over-refusal-to-remove-divisive-books/">the imperiled lease of their local public library</a>, saying the officials are violating the Constitution in a “dangerous exercise of power.”

The Pottawatomie Wabaunsee Regional Library’s lease
 is under threat after the library refused to accept a renewal lease 
clause asking them to remove all LGBTQ and socially divisive books from 
the shelves.

The lease stipulated that the library
 not “supply, distribute, loan, encourage, or coerce acceptance of or 
approval of explicit sexual or racially or socially divisive material, 
or events (such as ‘drag queen story hours’) that support the LGBTQ+ or 
critical theory ideology or practice.”

The lease clause was discussed after a parent was outraged by “Melissa,” <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/11/18/alex-gino-author-of-book-that-sparked-effort-to-close-kansas-towns-library-speaks-out/">a book by Alex Gino</a>
 about a transgender middle-schooler. But the parent himself spoke in 
support of the library during a city debate of the library’s lease.

Officials have been debating whether or not to renew the lease — which ends Dec. 31 — for the past few months. At <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/11/16/future-of-kansas-towns-library-uncertain-after-outpouring-of-support-at-commission-meeting/">the latest commission meeting</a>,
 commissioners discussed allowing the library to have a short-term lease
 while they decided if the library met their “moral standards.” The 
deciding vote is expected to be held Dec. 6.&nbsp;

Many St. Marys residents are in favor
 of keeping the local library, and a petition in support of the library 
has more than 1,000 signatures.

The library has been housed in its 
current location since the 1980s, operating on an annual lease with the 
city. The St. Mary’s branch is the headquarters for eight locations, 
including Alma, Alta Vista, Eskridge, Harveyville, Olsburg, Onaga, St. 
Marys and Westmoreland, with county residents funding the library 
through taxes.

The ACLU urged the commissioners to 
drop their attempts at censoring the library in a letter sent to the 
commissioners Thursday, saying banning the proposed materials violated 
freedom of expression rights.&nbsp;

“Banning books on the grounds that 
they include racial, sexual, or LGBTQ+ content is not only antithetical 
to a library’s mission, it is patently unconstitutional,” the letter 
read. “And threatening to not renew Pottawatomie Wabaunsee Regional 
Library’s lease solely because the library declined to violate the 
constitution and engage in viewpoint-based censorship is a troubling and
 authoritarian step for the Commission to take.”&nbsp;

ACLU officials say they will decide what action to take pending the results of the Dec. 6 vote. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670080648771.png" alt="A Christmas village display is set up inside the Pottawatomie Wabaunsee Regional Library. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>A Christmas village display is set up inside the Pottawatomie Wabaunsee Regional Library. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/12/02/troubling-and-authoritarian-kansas-aclu-warns-st-marys-officials-that-closing-town-library-is-unconstitutional/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas has advised St. Marys city commissioners to renew <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/11/14/future-of-kansas-towns-library-in-jeopardy-over-refusal-to-remove-divisive-books/">the imperiled lease of their local public library</a>, saying the officials are violating the Constitution in a “dangerous exercise of power.”The Pottawatomie Wabaunsee Regional Library’s lease
 is under threat after the library refused to accept a renewal lease 
clause asking them to remove all LGBTQ and socially divisive books from 
the shelves.The lease stipulated that the library
 not “supply, distribute, loan, encourage, or coerce acceptance of or 
approval of explicit sexual or racially or socially divisive material, 
or events (such as ‘drag queen story hours’) that support the LGBTQ+ or 
critical theory ideology or practice.”The lease clause was discussed after a parent was outraged by “Melissa,” <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/11/18/alex-gino-author-of-book-that-sparked-effort-to-close-kansas-towns-library-speaks-out/">a book by Alex Gino</a>
 about a transgender middle-schooler. But the parent himself spoke in 
support of the library during a city debate of the library’s lease.Officials have been debating whether or not to renew the lease — which ends Dec. 31 — for the past few months. At <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/11/16/future-of-kansas-towns-library-uncertain-after-outpouring-of-support-at-commission-meeting/">the latest commission meeting</a>,
 commissioners discussed allowing the library to have a short-term lease
 while they decided if the library met their “moral standards.” The 
deciding vote is expected to be held Dec. 6.&nbsp;Many St. Marys residents are in favor
 of keeping the local library, and a petition in support of the library 
has more than 1,000 signatures.The library has been housed in its 
current location since the 1980s, operating on an annual lease with the 
city. The St. Mary’s branch is the headquarters for eight locations, 
including Alma, Alta Vista, Eskridge, Harveyville, Olsburg, Onaga, St. 
Marys and Westmoreland, with county residents funding the library 
through taxes.The ACLU urged the commissioners to 
drop their attempts at censoring the library in a letter sent to the 
commissioners Thursday, saying banning the proposed materials violated 
freedom of expression rights.&nbsp;“Banning books on the grounds that 
they include racial, sexual, or LGBTQ+ content is not only antithetical 
to a library’s mission, it is patently unconstitutional,” the letter 
read. “And threatening to not renew Pottawatomie Wabaunsee Regional 
Library’s lease solely because the library declined to violate the 
constitution and engage in viewpoint-based censorship is a troubling and
 authoritarian step for the Commission to take.”&nbsp;ACLU officials say they will decide what action to take pending the results of the Dec. 6 vote.

'Troubling': ACLU issues warning ahead of Kansas library vote

WASHINGTON – The Department of Homeland Security announced Monday its intent to extend the REAL ID full enforcement date by 24 months, from May 3, 2023 to May 7, 2025, according to a statement from the agency.

<a href="https://www.dhs.gov/real-id">Click here for</a> additional details on Real ID

Under the new regulations published to execute this change, states will now have additional time to ensure their residents have driver’s licenses and identification cards that meet the security standards established by the REAL ID Act. As required by the law, following the enforcement deadline, federal agencies, including the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), will be prohibited from accepting driver’s licenses and identification cards that do not meet these federal standards. &nbsp;

“DHS continues to work closely with U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. territories to meet REAL ID requirements,”&nbsp;said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “This extension will give states needed time to ensure their residents can obtain a REAL ID-compliant license or identification card. DHS will also use this time to implement innovations to make the process more efficient and accessible. We will continue to ensure that the American public can travel safely.”&nbsp;

The extension is necessary, in part, to address the lingering impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the ability to obtain a REAL ID driver’s license or identification card. REAL ID progress over the past two years has been significantly hindered by state driver’s licensing agencies having to work through the backlogs created by the pandemic. Many of these agencies took various steps in response to the pandemic including automatically extending the expiration dates of driver’s licenses and identification cards and shifting operations to appointment only.&nbsp;

Passed by Congress in 2005 following a 9/11 Commission recommendation, the REAL ID Act establishes minimum security standards for state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards. Security standards include incorporating anti-counterfeiting technology, preventing insider fraud, and using documentary evidence and record checks to ensure a person is who they claim to be. Under the new regulations, beginning May 7, 2025, every traveler 18 years of age or older will need a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or identification card, state-issued enhanced driver’s license, or another TSA-acceptable form of identification at airport 1security checkpoints for domestic air travel.&nbsp;

Since enactment of the REAL ID Act in 2005, advancements in technology have enabled TSA to make significant improvements in checkpoint screening, particularly in the areas of identity management, on-person screening, accessible property screening and alarm resolution. Through the deployment of technologies such as Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT), Advanced Technology (AT) X-ray, then Computed Tomography (CT), Bottled Liquids Scanners (BLS), and Credential Authentication Technology (CAT), as well as deployment of Passenger Screening Canines (PSC) and the rollout of TSA PreCheck®, TSA has continually advanced its security capabilities. TSA also increased its vetting capability through Secure Flight, a risk-based passenger prescreening program that enhances security by identifying low and high-risk passengers before they arrive at the airport by matching their names against trusted traveler lists and watchlists. REAL ID requirements will strengthen these improvements further by providing an additional layer of confidence in the identity of the traveler.&nbsp;

All 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and four of five U.S. territories covered by the REAL ID Act and related regulations are issuing REAL ID-compliant driver’s licenses and identification cards. These standards have significantly improved the reliability and accuracy of state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617726479094.jpeg" alt="REAL ID Compliant- The credential has a gold star in the upper right corner." />
 <figcaption>REAL ID Compliant- The credential has a gold star in the upper right corner.</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON – The Department of Homeland Security announced Monday its intent to extend the REAL ID full enforcement date by 24 months, from May 3, 2023 to May 7, 2025, according to a statement from the agency.<a href="https://www.dhs.gov/real-id">Click here for</a> additional details on Real IDUnder the new regulations published to execute this change, states will now have additional time to ensure their residents have driver’s licenses and identification cards that meet the security standards established by the REAL ID Act. As required by the law, following the enforcement deadline, federal agencies, including the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), will be prohibited from accepting driver’s licenses and identification cards that do not meet these federal standards. &nbsp;“DHS continues to work closely with U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. territories to meet REAL ID requirements,”&nbsp;said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “This extension will give states needed time to ensure their residents can obtain a REAL ID-compliant license or identification card. DHS will also use this time to implement innovations to make the process more efficient and accessible. We will continue to ensure that the American public can travel safely.”&nbsp;The extension is necessary, in part, to address the lingering impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the ability to obtain a REAL ID driver’s license or identification card. REAL ID progress over the past two years has been significantly hindered by state driver’s licensing agencies having to work through the backlogs created by the pandemic. Many of these agencies took various steps in response to the pandemic including automatically extending the expiration dates of driver’s licenses and identification cards and shifting operations to appointment only.&nbsp;Passed by Congress in 2005 following a 9/11 Commission recommendation, the REAL ID Act establishes minimum security standards for state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards. Security standards include incorporating anti-counterfeiting technology, preventing insider fraud, and using documentary evidence and record checks to ensure a person is who they claim to be. Under the new regulations, beginning May 7, 2025, every traveler 18 years of age or older will need a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or identification card, state-issued enhanced driver’s license, or another TSA-acceptable form of identification at airport 1security checkpoints for domestic air travel.&nbsp;Since enactment of the REAL ID Act in 2005, advancements in technology have enabled TSA to make significant improvements in checkpoint screening, particularly in the areas of identity management, on-person screening, accessible property screening and alarm resolution. Through the deployment of technologies such as Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT), Advanced Technology (AT) X-ray, then Computed Tomography (CT), Bottled Liquids Scanners (BLS), and Credential Authentication Technology (CAT), as well as deployment of Passenger Screening Canines (PSC) and the rollout of TSA PreCheck®, TSA has continually advanced its security capabilities. TSA also increased its vetting capability through Secure Flight, a risk-based passenger prescreening program that enhances security by identifying low and high-risk passengers before they arrive at the airport by matching their names against trusted traveler lists and watchlists. REAL ID requirements will strengthen these improvements further by providing an additional layer of confidence in the identity of the traveler.&nbsp;All 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and four of five U.S. territories covered by the REAL ID Act and related regulations are issuing REAL ID-compliant driver’s licenses and identification cards. These standards have significantly improved the reliability and accuracy of state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards.&nbsp;

DHS extends REAL ID full enforcement deadline again

By GREG ECHLIN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/sports/2022-12-02/from-ghana-to-aggieville-ekow-boye-does-unlikely-journey-to-kansas-state-football">Kansas News Service</a>

When Kofi Boye-Doe and his family emigrated from Ghana to the United States in 2003, there were two connections he would’ve never imagined making in his new country: American football and the Kansas State Wildcats.

But 19 years later, his youngest son, born in a country where soccer is practically a religion, has excelled on the gridiron. After being raised in Lawrence, on the University of Kansas doorstep, Ekow Boye-Doe is doing it in Manhattan.

Plus, the starting senior cornerback for the Wildcats is enjoying the best stretch of football in his life. One week after the Wildcats’ victory over the Jayhawks, their biggest rivals, K-State is playing a 12-0 team from Texas Christian University Saturday in the Big 12 Football Championship.

“In high school I went to the playoffs, first-round, and lost,” said Boye-Doe, a Lawrence High School graduate who was born in Accra, Ghana’s capital city. Boye-Doe was 3 years old when his family settled in Kansas.

“That was the closest to a championship I’ve ever gotten,” he said.

Since then, he has distinguished himself with blazing speed.

"I mean, he's fast," senior defensive nose guard Eli Huggins said.

“You know what type of mindset and work ethic he’s going to show up with every day,” said Huggins. “It’s nice to have a veteran guy like that you know you can count on back there.”

Boye-Doe’s consistent defensive play has earned him a&nbsp;<a href="https://big12sports.com/news/2022/11/30/2022-all-big-12-football-awards-announced.aspx" target="_blank">2022 All-Big 12 Honorable Mention</a>.

Kofi Boye-Doe said his son’s speed comes from his mother, Valentina, who was a high school middle-distance runner in Ghana. But neither track nor soccer caught on with Ekow.

“I’m not a fan of just running for fun, and the workouts honestly,” said Boye-Doe with a laugh. “Football was my best option. I&nbsp;can&nbsp;run really fast.”

Boye-Doe remembers playing soccer after learning to walk and run in Ghana, but he got attached to football after moving to the USA. In Lawrence, his best friend’s dad convinced the speedy youngster to play youth football.

“I stuck with it. I loved it,” he said.

At Lawrence High School, Boye-Doe hardly left the field, playing wide receiver on offense, and defensive back the rest of the time.

Kofi admits he wasn’t crazy at first about his son deviating from the path to KU, where Ekow’s older twin brothers graduated. Both became successful in their own fields, one as a resident doctor in Chicago and the other as an accountant.

“Sports wasn’t my first love,” Kofi said, recalling his hopes for his youngest son. “Go get some sociology or something, then go to law school — do something.”

“I wasn’t so much into that kind of sport,” said Kofi, who shied away from attending some of Ekow’s games early on because of how rough the gameplay was.

“Of course,” laughed Kofi, who retired from the Johnson County, Kansas, Department of Corrections this year. He still teaches criminal justice at Johnson County Community College, and is a daily services coordinator for GoodLife Innovations, which provides residential and home care services for people with disabilities.

“During my childhood, growing up, my parents taught me to appreciate life and always support your children,” he said. “Initially, I didn’t like the sport, but I have no choice but to support him.”

“I’m a criminologist — I study crimes for a living. If you say you want him to be a (pro) cornerback, so be it,” said Kofi.

Ekow earned his social studies degree last spring, but he said he’d like to get a shot at playing in the NFL.

“I’ve also had dreams and aspirations of working in the real estate business,” he said.

One other thing that’s changed is Kofi’s allegiance–from KU’s crimson and blue to K-State’s royal purple.

KU did offer a football scholarship to his son, but only after the Wildcats had already done so. By then it was too late.

“It’s still a mind-boggling thing,” said Kofi, looking back on KU’s whiff.

The Jayhawks’ loss back then was K-State’s gain, and it has helped the Wildcats reach their first conference title game since 2003 — a pretty significant year for the Boye-Doe family, too.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670261570732.png" alt="Ekow Boye-Doe is playing the best football of his career as a Kansas State Wildcat, something his father would never have imagined for his son. Sophie Osborn / Kansas State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Ekow Boye-Doe is playing the best football of his career as a Kansas State Wildcat, something his father would never have imagined for his son. Sophie Osborn / Kansas State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>By GREG ECHLIN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/sports/2022-12-02/from-ghana-to-aggieville-ekow-boye-does-unlikely-journey-to-kansas-state-football">Kansas News Service</a>When Kofi Boye-Doe and his family emigrated from Ghana to the United States in 2003, there were two connections he would’ve never imagined making in his new country: American football and the Kansas State Wildcats.But 19 years later, his youngest son, born in a country where soccer is practically a religion, has excelled on the gridiron. After being raised in Lawrence, on the University of Kansas doorstep, Ekow Boye-Doe is doing it in Manhattan.Plus, the starting senior cornerback for the Wildcats is enjoying the best stretch of football in his life. One week after the Wildcats’ victory over the Jayhawks, their biggest rivals, K-State is playing a 12-0 team from Texas Christian University Saturday in the Big 12 Football Championship.“In high school I went to the playoffs, first-round, and lost,” said Boye-Doe, a Lawrence High School graduate who was born in Accra, Ghana’s capital city. Boye-Doe was 3 years old when his family settled in Kansas.“That was the closest to a championship I’ve ever gotten,” he said.Since then, he has distinguished himself with blazing speed."I mean, he's fast," senior defensive nose guard Eli Huggins said.“You know what type of mindset and work ethic he’s going to show up with every day,” said Huggins. “It’s nice to have a veteran guy like that you know you can count on back there.”Boye-Doe’s consistent defensive play has earned him a&nbsp;<a href="https://big12sports.com/news/2022/11/30/2022-all-big-12-football-awards-announced.aspx" target="_blank">2022 All-Big 12 Honorable Mention</a>.<h2>‘I can run really fast’</h2>Kofi Boye-Doe said his son’s speed comes from his mother, Valentina, who was a high school middle-distance runner in Ghana. But neither track nor soccer caught on with Ekow.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670261700536.png" alt="Kofi Boye-Doe and his family emigrated from Ghana to the U.S. in 2003. Greg Echlin / KCUR 89.3" />
 <figcaption>Kofi Boye-Doe and his family emigrated from Ghana to the U.S. in 2003. Greg Echlin / KCUR 89.3</figcaption>
 </figure>“I’m not a fan of just running for fun, and the workouts honestly,” said Boye-Doe with a laugh. “Football was my best option. I&nbsp;can&nbsp;run really fast.”Boye-Doe remembers playing soccer after learning to walk and run in Ghana, but he got attached to football after moving to the USA. In Lawrence, his best friend’s dad convinced the speedy youngster to play youth football.“I stuck with it. I loved it,” he said.At Lawrence High School, Boye-Doe hardly left the field, playing wide receiver on offense, and defensive back the rest of the time.Kofi admits he wasn’t crazy at first about his son deviating from the path to KU, where Ekow’s older twin brothers graduated. Both became successful in their own fields, one as a resident doctor in Chicago and the other as an accountant.“Sports wasn’t my first love,” Kofi said, recalling his hopes for his youngest son. “Go get some sociology or something, then go to law school — do something.”“I wasn’t so much into that kind of sport,” said Kofi, who shied away from attending some of Ekow’s games early on because of how rough the gameplay was.But all of that has changed.“Of course,” laughed Kofi, who retired from the Johnson County, Kansas, Department of Corrections this year. He still teaches criminal justice at Johnson County Community College, and is a daily services coordinator for GoodLife Innovations, which provides residential and home care services for people with disabilities.“During my childhood, growing up, my parents taught me to appreciate life and always support your children,” he said. “Initially, I didn’t like the sport, but I have no choice but to support him.”“I’m a criminologist — I study crimes for a living. If you say you want him to be a (pro) cornerback, so be it,” said Kofi.Ekow earned his social studies degree last spring, but he said he’d like to get a shot at playing in the NFL.“I’ve also had dreams and aspirations of working in the real estate business,” he said.<h2>‘A mind-boggling thing’</h2>One other thing that’s changed is Kofi’s allegiance–from KU’s crimson and blue to K-State’s royal purple.“I bleed purple,” he said.KU did offer a football scholarship to his son, but only after the Wildcats had already done so. By then it was too late.“It’s still a mind-boggling thing,” said Kofi, looking back on KU’s whiff.The Jayhawks’ loss back then was K-State’s gain, and it has helped the Wildcats reach their first conference title game since 2003 — a pretty significant year for the Boye-Doe family, too.

From Ghana to Aggieville: An unlikely journey to K-State football 

JACKSON COUNTY, Kan. —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on drug charges after a traffic stop.

Just after 3p.m. Dec. 3, a sheriff’s deputy conducted a traffic stop&nbsp; on a 2001 Nissan Sentra after allegedly committing a traffic infraction near 118th and U.S. Highway 75, according to Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse.

 A Jackson County Sheriff’s K-9 alerted to the presence of illegal narcotics inside the vehicle.  Deputies located illegal drug contraband during the stop.

The passenger, Brandy Lee Martin, 40, of Topeka, was arrested on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, possession of drug paraphernalia and no drug tax stamp.

Deputies arrested the driver, Todd Wayne Ray, 46, of Topeka, on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and driving while suspended.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670239044627.png" alt="Ray-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Ray-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY, Kan. —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on drug charges after a traffic stop.Just after 3p.m. Dec. 3, a sheriff’s deputy conducted a traffic stop&nbsp; on a 2001 Nissan Sentra after allegedly committing a traffic infraction near 118th and U.S. Highway 75, according to Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse. A Jackson County Sheriff’s K-9 alerted to the presence of illegal narcotics inside the vehicle. Deputies located illegal drug contraband during the stop.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670239018146.png" alt="Martin-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Martin-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>The passenger, Brandy Lee Martin, 40, of Topeka, was arrested on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, possession of drug paraphernalia and no drug tax stamp.Deputies arrested the driver, Todd Wayne Ray, 46, of Topeka, on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and driving while suspended.&nbsp;

Sheriff: Kansas woman accused of selling meth

NEMAHA COUNTY—Authorities investigating a drowning at a Kansas lake have identified the victim as 31-year-old Jesse W. Dove of Strasburg, Virginia.

On Friday, the Nemaha County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call about a watercraft occupied by a man that had capsized at the Centralia Lake, according to a media release.

 The caller advised that there was a man in the water. Immediately upon receiving the call, multiple agencies were dispatched to the call, including Law Enforcement, Fire &amp; Rescue, EMS, Wildlife &amp; Parks, and LifeNet. 

After an extensive search, it was determined that the response was no longer a rescue, but a recovery. The search continued until dark, when it was determined that the search would have to continue early Saturday morning. 

On Saturday, with the help of Kansas Wildlife and Parks and a local civilian who was familiar with the lake, authorities recovered Dove's body.

Dove was a second-generation Deputy of the Warren County Sheriff’s Office, according to officials in Virginia.&nbsp; A procession bringing his body home entered Warren County just after 6a.m. Monday.&nbsp;

NEMAHA COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating&nbsp;&nbsp;an apparent drowning accident at the&nbsp;<a href="https://cityofcentraliaks.org/Centralia-Lake">Centralia Lake</a>, according to a social media report from the Nemaha County Sheriff's office.

&nbsp;The&nbsp; lake reopened to the public on Saturday. The sheriff's office reported no additional details.&nbsp;

Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670255826361.png" alt="Photo courtesy Warren County Sheriff’s Office" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Warren County Sheriff’s Office</figcaption>
 </figure>NEMAHA COUNTY—Authorities investigating a drowning at a Kansas lake have identified the victim as 31-year-old Jesse W. Dove of Strasburg, Virginia.On Friday, the Nemaha County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call about a watercraft occupied by a man that had capsized at the Centralia Lake, according to a media release. The caller advised that there was a man in the water. Immediately upon receiving the call, multiple agencies were dispatched to the call, including Law Enforcement, Fire &amp; Rescue, EMS, Wildlife &amp; Parks, and LifeNet. After an extensive search, it was determined that the response was no longer a rescue, but a recovery. The search continued until dark, when it was determined that the search would have to continue early Saturday morning. On Saturday, with the help of Kansas Wildlife and Parks and a local civilian who was familiar with the lake, authorities recovered Dove's body.Dove was a second-generation Deputy of the Warren County Sheriff’s Office, according to officials in Virginia.&nbsp; A procession bringing his body home entered Warren County just after 6a.m. Monday.&nbsp;------------NEMAHA COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating&nbsp;&nbsp;an apparent drowning accident at the&nbsp;<a href="https://cityofcentraliaks.org/Centralia-Lake">Centralia Lake</a>, according to a social media report from the Nemaha County Sheriff's office.&nbsp;The&nbsp; lake reopened to the public on Saturday. The sheriff's office reported no additional details.&nbsp;Check the Post for additional details as they become available.------------

Sheriff IDs 31-year-old man who drowned in Kansas lake

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/12/05/kansas-coalition-of-cities-flex-muscle-at-capitol-to-influence-tax-water-housing-reform/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The Kansas League of Municipalities is a proponent of 
eliminating the state’s 6.5% sales tax on food purchases, but an 
unexpected wrinkle complicates that policy position.

The 2022 Legislature and Gov. Laura Kelly approved a law dropping the
 statewide sales tax on groceries to 4% on Jan. 1. It would fall to 2% 
on Jan. 1, 2024, and vaporize one year later. The Republican-dominated 
2023 Legislature, which convenes Jan. 9 in Topeka, will have an 
opportunity to address Kelly’s plea to immediately strike the state’s 
share of the food sales tax. High inflation has bolstered political 
support for the move.

Here’s the catch: Reduction and elimination of the state food sales 
tax would undermine the ability of cities, such as Newton, to meet 
obligations of STAR bonds used to finance economic development projects 
that included retail stores selling groceries. The STAR bond program 
requires debt to be paid off with sales tax revenue, but that source of 
cash would be diminished when the state’s portion of the food sales tax 
was shelved.

“We absolutely support the lower food sales tax, and we support the 
Legislature doing it away with it immediately if they can,” said Spencer
 Duncan, a lobbyist for the Kansas League of Municipalities.

On the Kansas Reflector podcast, Duncan recommended lawmakers 
consider an alternative to possible default of STAR bonds tied to tax 
revenue on grocery sales. He said the state’s large surplus would allow 
resources to be set aside to cover retirement of that long-term debt.

The League of Municipalities was founded in 1910 and directly 
represents 530 member cities, but generally serves interests of all 625 
cities in Kansas. In addition to lobbying, the League of Municipalities 
conducts training and education programs on public transparency and 
government leadership. The League’s attorney took more than 2,000 calls 
this year from local government officials seeking legal advice.

The legislative priorities of the League of Municipalities runs from 
property and sales tax issues to policy on water, traffic codes, 
housing, mental health, asset forfeiture, liquor regulation, 
infrastructure, energy, pension systems and state mandates. It touches 
on longstanding local government subjects, including annexation, eminent
 domain, city and county consolidation, home rule, elections as well as 
police powers.

Duncan said water quality and quantity may not seen like a forefront 
issue for the League of Municipalities, but diminishment of the Ogallala
 Aquifer, drought and climate change posed a threat to growth and 
viability of communities. The organization urged legislators to 
aggressively pursue conservation, protection and development of water 
supplies. The League also recommended the state take action, in 
consultation with municipal suppliers, to address controversy about 
“over-appropriated surface and groundwater resources.”

“If you want to the truth, but we have hit the point where a lot of 
the legislators, especially from western Kansas, have said, ‘Enough is 
enough,'” Duncan said. “We also recognize that what works in western 
Kansas is different than what works in southeast Kansas, what works in 
the middle of the state&nbsp;or works in eastern Kansas. There needs to be 
nuances in that legislation to give those locals the ability to deal 
with their specific water issue, because they’re different.”

Another of the League of Municipalities’ priorities would be for the 
Legislature and governor to affirm state law allowing non-certified 
attendants to drive ambulances with a lone medical attendant providing 
care to the patient. Under current regulatory standards, however, both 
staff in the ambulance must be medical professionals.

Duncan said the regulation was a hardship in communities with a 
modest number of ambulances and crews. The staffing requirement 
undermined the ability of cities to respond to emergencies, he said.

The League of Municipalities also requested the state invest more in 
rural housing, including expanded use of tax credits, loan guarantees 
and other devices to spur construction of quality housing. Specifically,
 the League proposed the state create a $100 million revolving 
low-interest loan fund to finance Rural Housing Incentive Districts.

Duncan also said the organization supported bills to streamline the 
ability of local governments, neighborhood associations and private 
businesses to deal with blight of abandoned, nuisance and foreclosed 
housing.

“Not a city that’s not dealing with the housing problem,” he said. 
“We’re not asking for the free money, but a lower interest rate loan 
that these cities could take out to then build some of these 
developments and then fix some of these blight issues and rundown houses
 and turn them flip them around.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670255022389.png" alt="Spencer Duncan, a lobbyist with the Kansas League of Municipalities, outlines the organization’s 2023 legislative agenda shaped by more than 600 city government leaders for a Kansas Reflector podcast. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Spencer Duncan, a lobbyist with the Kansas League of Municipalities, outlines the organization’s 2023 legislative agenda shaped by more than 600 city government leaders for a Kansas Reflector podcast. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/12/05/kansas-coalition-of-cities-flex-muscle-at-capitol-to-influence-tax-water-housing-reform/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The Kansas League of Municipalities is a proponent of 
eliminating the state’s 6.5% sales tax on food purchases, but an 
unexpected wrinkle complicates that policy position.The 2022 Legislature and Gov. Laura Kelly approved a law dropping the
 statewide sales tax on groceries to 4% on Jan. 1. It would fall to 2% 
on Jan. 1, 2024, and vaporize one year later. The Republican-dominated 
2023 Legislature, which convenes Jan. 9 in Topeka, will have an 
opportunity to address Kelly’s plea to immediately strike the state’s 
share of the food sales tax. High inflation has bolstered political 
support for the move.Here’s the catch: Reduction and elimination of the state food sales 
tax would undermine the ability of cities, such as Newton, to meet 
obligations of STAR bonds used to finance economic development projects 
that included retail stores selling groceries. The STAR bond program 
requires debt to be paid off with sales tax revenue, but that source of 
cash would be diminished when the state’s portion of the food sales tax 
was shelved.“We absolutely support the lower food sales tax, and we support the 
Legislature doing it away with it immediately if they can,” said Spencer
 Duncan, a lobbyist for the Kansas League of Municipalities.<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1396174945&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/kansas-reflector-podcast" title="Reflector Podcast" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Reflector Podcast</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/kansas-reflector-podcast/kansas-league-municipalities-legislature-agenda" title="What Kansas cities want from the Legislature next year" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">What Kansas cities want from the Legislature next year</a></div></div>On the Kansas Reflector podcast, Duncan recommended lawmakers 
consider an alternative to possible default of STAR bonds tied to tax 
revenue on grocery sales. He said the state’s large surplus would allow 
resources to be set aside to cover retirement of that long-term debt.The League of Municipalities was founded in 1910 and directly 
represents 530 member cities, but generally serves interests of all 625 
cities in Kansas. In addition to lobbying, the League of Municipalities 
conducts training and education programs on public transparency and 
government leadership. The League’s attorney took more than 2,000 calls 
this year from local government officials seeking legal advice.The legislative priorities of the League of Municipalities runs from 
property and sales tax issues to policy on water, traffic codes, 
housing, mental health, asset forfeiture, liquor regulation, 
infrastructure, energy, pension systems and state mandates. It touches 
on longstanding local government subjects, including annexation, eminent
 domain, city and county consolidation, home rule, elections as well as 
police powers.Duncan said water quality and quantity may not seen like a forefront 
issue for the League of Municipalities, but diminishment of the Ogallala
 Aquifer, drought and climate change posed a threat to growth and 
viability of communities. The organization urged legislators to 
aggressively pursue conservation, protection and development of water 
supplies. The League also recommended the state take action, in 
consultation with municipal suppliers, to address controversy about 
“over-appropriated surface and groundwater resources.”“If you want to the truth, but we have hit the point where a lot of 
the legislators, especially from western Kansas, have said, ‘Enough is 
enough,'” Duncan said. “We also recognize that what works in western 
Kansas is different than what works in southeast Kansas, what works in 
the middle of the state&nbsp;or works in eastern Kansas. There needs to be 
nuances in that legislation to give those locals the ability to deal 
with their specific water issue, because they’re different.”Another of the League of Municipalities’ priorities would be for the 
Legislature and governor to affirm state law allowing non-certified 
attendants to drive ambulances with a lone medical attendant providing 
care to the patient. Under current regulatory standards, however, both 
staff in the ambulance must be medical professionals.Duncan said the regulation was a hardship in communities with a 
modest number of ambulances and crews. The staffing requirement 
undermined the ability of cities to respond to emergencies, he said.The League of Municipalities also requested the state invest more in 
rural housing, including expanded use of tax credits, loan guarantees 
and other devices to spur construction of quality housing. Specifically,
 the League proposed the state create a $100 million revolving 
low-interest loan fund to finance Rural Housing Incentive Districts.Duncan also said the organization supported bills to streamline the 
ability of local governments, neighborhood associations and private 
businesses to deal with blight of abandoned, nuisance and foreclosed 
housing.“Not a city that’s not dealing with the housing problem,” he said. 
“We’re not asking for the free money, but a lower interest rate loan 
that these cities could take out to then build some of these 
developments and then fix some of these blight issues and rundown houses
 and turn them flip them around.”

🎧 Kansas coalition of cities flexes its muscle at Capitol

KANSAS CITY—A Kansas City woman has been charged in connection with the death of one child and the neglect of another in their Kansas City residence, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

Adair R. Fish, 43, faces Abuse or Neglect of a Child Resulting in Death, Abuse or Neglet of a Child, and two Endangering the Welfare of a Child 1st Degree charges.

According to court records, Kansas City police were dispatched to the 5700 block of St. John Avenue on a report of a deceased child, age 5. Officers found two children, one deceased and the other non-responsive. The mother called police dispatch and reported one of the children had been dead for several days. 

The mother was the legal guardian of the child and had care, custody and control of their health and well-being. A doctor diagnosed that the deceased child suffered from malnutrition and dehydration.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670192753456.png" alt="Fish-photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Fish-photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—A Kansas City woman has been charged in connection with the death of one child and the neglect of another in their Kansas City residence, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.Adair R. Fish, 43, faces Abuse or Neglect of a Child Resulting in Death, Abuse or Neglet of a Child, and two Endangering the Welfare of a Child 1st Degree charges.According to court records, Kansas City police were dispatched to the 5700 block of St. John Avenue on a report of a deceased child, age 5. Officers found two children, one deceased and the other non-responsive. The mother called police dispatch and reported one of the children had been dead for several days. The mother was the legal guardian of the child and had care, custody and control of their health and well-being. A doctor diagnosed that the deceased child suffered from malnutrition and dehydration.

Mother charged in death of child, neglect of another in KC home

WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;is hearing the case Monday of a Christian graphic artist who objects to designing wedding websites for gay couples, a dispute that's the latest clash of religion and gay rights to land at the highest court.

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/live.aspx">Click here to </a>listen to the oral arguments that begin at 9a.m. CST

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ketanji-brown-jackson-us-supreme-court-entertainment-religion-discrimination-075f74b1f2828d117dc933d75b8bf191">designer and her supporters say</a>&nbsp;that ruling against her would force artists — from painters and photographers to writers and musicians — to do work that is against their faith. Her opponents, meanwhile, say that if she wins, a range of businesses will be able to discriminate, refusing to serve Black customers, Jewish or Muslim people, interracial or interfaith couples or immigrants, among others.

The case comes at a time when the court is dominated 6-3 by conservatives and following a series of cases in which the justices have sided with religious plaintiffs. It also comes as, across the street from the court, lawmakers in Congress are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-religion-gay-rights-marriage-clarence-thomas-2d09d9213472d04195c64d09644f124c">finalizing a landmark bill</a>&nbsp;protecting same-sex marriage.

The bill, which also protects interracial marriage, steadily gained momentum following the high court's decision earlier this year to end constitutional protections for abortion. That decision&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">to overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade case</a>&nbsp;prompted questions about whether the court — now that it is more conservative — might also overturn its 2015 decision declaring a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-courts-marriage-supreme-court-of-the-united-states-united-states-government-9e1933cd1e1a4e969ab45f5952bbb45f">nationwide right to same-sex marriage</a>. Justice&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/clarence-thomas">Clarence Thomas</a>&nbsp;explicitly said that decision should also be reconsidered.

The case being argued before the high court Monday involves&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-religion-colorado-discrimination-360d60888809823779d033acce40c9bf">Lorie Smith</a>, a graphic artist and website designer in Colorado who wants to begin offering wedding websites. Smith says her Christian faith prevents her from creating websites celebrating same-sex marriages. But that could get her in trouble with state law. Colorado, like most other states, has what's called a public accommodation law that says if Smith offers wedding websites to the public, she must provide them to all customers. Businesses that violate the law can be fined, among other things.

Five years ago, the Supreme Court heard a different challenge involving Colorado's law and a baker, Jack Phillips, who objected to designing a wedding cake for a gay couple. That case&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-ap-top-news-courts-supreme-courts-politics-459b5e723c4c47ffa40df839097503c9">ended with a limited decision</a>, however, and set up a return of the issue to the high court. Phillips' lawyer, Kristen Waggoner of the Alliance Defending Freedom, is now representing Smith.

Like Phillips, Smith says her objection is not to working with gay people. She says she'd work with a gay client who needed help with graphics for an animal rescue shelter, for example, or to promote an organization serving children with disabilities. But she objects to creating messages supporting same-sex marriage, she says, just as she won't take jobs that would require her to create content promoting atheism or gambling or supporting abortion.

Smith says Colorado’s law violates her free speech rights. Her opponents, including the Biden administration and groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union, the NAACP Legal Defense &amp; Educational Fund, disagree.

Twenty mostly liberal states, including California and New York, are supporting Colorado while another 20 mostly Republican states, including Arizona, Indiana, Ohio and Tennessee, are supporting Smith.

The case is 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis, 21-476.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670097259543.png" alt="Web designer Lorie Smith is shown in her office on Nov. 7, 2022, in the southwest part of Littleton, Colo. The Supreme Court is being warned about the potentially dire consequences of a case involving Smith, a Christian graphic artist, who objects to designing wedding websites for same-sex couples. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)" />
 <figcaption>Web designer Lorie Smith is shown in her office on Nov. 7, 2022, in the southwest part of Littleton, Colo. The Supreme Court is being warned about the potentially dire consequences of a case involving Smith, a Christian graphic artist, who objects to designing wedding websites for same-sex couples. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;is hearing the case Monday of a Christian graphic artist who objects to designing wedding websites for gay couples, a dispute that's the latest clash of religion and gay rights to land at the highest court.<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/live.aspx">Click here to </a>listen to the oral arguments that begin at 9a.m. CSTThe&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ketanji-brown-jackson-us-supreme-court-entertainment-religion-discrimination-075f74b1f2828d117dc933d75b8bf191">designer and her supporters say</a>&nbsp;that ruling against her would force artists — from painters and photographers to writers and musicians — to do work that is against their faith. Her opponents, meanwhile, say that if she wins, a range of businesses will be able to discriminate, refusing to serve Black customers, Jewish or Muslim people, interracial or interfaith couples or immigrants, among others.The case comes at a time when the court is dominated 6-3 by conservatives and following a series of cases in which the justices have sided with religious plaintiffs. It also comes as, across the street from the court, lawmakers in Congress are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-religion-gay-rights-marriage-clarence-thomas-2d09d9213472d04195c64d09644f124c">finalizing a landmark bill</a>&nbsp;protecting same-sex marriage.The bill, which also protects interracial marriage, steadily gained momentum following the high court's decision earlier this year to end constitutional protections for abortion. That decision&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">to overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade case</a>&nbsp;prompted questions about whether the court — now that it is more conservative — might also overturn its 2015 decision declaring a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-courts-marriage-supreme-court-of-the-united-states-united-states-government-9e1933cd1e1a4e969ab45f5952bbb45f">nationwide right to same-sex marriage</a>. Justice&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/clarence-thomas">Clarence Thomas</a>&nbsp;explicitly said that decision should also be reconsidered.The case being argued before the high court Monday involves&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-religion-colorado-discrimination-360d60888809823779d033acce40c9bf">Lorie Smith</a>, a graphic artist and website designer in Colorado who wants to begin offering wedding websites. Smith says her Christian faith prevents her from creating websites celebrating same-sex marriages. But that could get her in trouble with state law. Colorado, like most other states, has what's called a public accommodation law that says if Smith offers wedding websites to the public, she must provide them to all customers. Businesses that violate the law can be fined, among other things.Five years ago, the Supreme Court heard a different challenge involving Colorado's law and a baker, Jack Phillips, who objected to designing a wedding cake for a gay couple. That case&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-ap-top-news-courts-supreme-courts-politics-459b5e723c4c47ffa40df839097503c9">ended with a limited decision</a>, however, and set up a return of the issue to the high court. Phillips' lawyer, Kristen Waggoner of the Alliance Defending Freedom, is now representing Smith.Like Phillips, Smith says her objection is not to working with gay people. She says she'd work with a gay client who needed help with graphics for an animal rescue shelter, for example, or to promote an organization serving children with disabilities. But she objects to creating messages supporting same-sex marriage, she says, just as she won't take jobs that would require her to create content promoting atheism or gambling or supporting abortion.Smith says Colorado’s law violates her free speech rights. Her opponents, including the Biden administration and groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union, the NAACP Legal Defense &amp; Educational Fund, disagree.Twenty mostly liberal states, including California and New York, are supporting Colorado while another 20 mostly Republican states, including Arizona, Indiana, Ohio and Tennessee, are supporting Smith.The case is 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis, 21-476.___

🎤Supreme Court taking up clash of religion and gay rights

PULASKI&nbsp; COUNTY —A Missouri teen died in an accident just after 2a.m. Sunday in Pulaski County.

The Missouri State Highway reported a 2001 Ford Ranger driven by a 17-year-old Fair Grove boy was eastbound on Interstate 44 just east of the Route 7 exit.

The pickup rear-ended a 2019 International Box Truck driven by Emir Isaev, 19, Pleasant Hill, California.

EMS was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Waynesville Memorial Funeral Home. Isaev was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

PULASKI&nbsp; COUNTY —A Missouri teen died in an accident just after 2a.m. Sunday in Pulaski County.The Missouri State Highway reported a 2001 Ford Ranger driven by a 17-year-old Fair Grove boy was eastbound on Interstate 44 just east of the Route 7 exit.The pickup rear-ended a 2019 International Box Truck driven by Emir Isaev, 19, Pleasant Hill, California.EMS was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Waynesville Memorial Funeral Home. Isaev was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

Missouri teen dies after rear-end crash

ABOARD A U.S. MILITARY AIRCRAFT (AP) — Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said he wants to keep the military’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate in place to protect the health of the troops, as Republican governors and lawmakers press to rescind it.

This past week more than 20 Republican governors sent a letter to President Joe Biden asking that the administration remove the mandate, saying it has hurt the U.S. National Guard’s ability to recruit troops. Those troops are activated by governors to respond to natural disasters or unrest.

Congress may consider legislation this coming week to end the mandate as a requirement to gather enough support to pass this years’ defense budget, which is already two months late.

Austin said he would not comment on pressure from the Hill.

“We lost a million people to this virus," Austin told reporters traveling with him Saturday. “A million people died in the United States of America. We lost hundreds in DOD. So this mandate has kept people healthy.”

“I’m the guy” who ordered the military to require the vaccine, Austin added. “I support continuation of vaccinating the troops.”

Last year Austin directed that all troops get the vaccine or face potential expulsion from the military; thousands of active duty forces have been discharged since then for their refusal to get the shots.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670210293452.png" alt="This past week more than 20 Republican governors sent a letter to President Joe Biden asking that the administration remove the mandate,The letter&nbsp;was signed by Missouri's Mike Parsons, Nebraska’s Pete Ricketts, Alabama’s Kay Ivey, Arizona’s Doug Ducey, Arkansas’ Asa Hutchinson, Florida’s Ron DeSantis, Idaho’s Brad Little, Indiana’s Eric Holcomb, Iowa’s Kim Reynolds, Mississippi’s Tate Reeves, Montana’s Greg Gianforte, New Hampshire’s Chris Sununu, North Dakota’s Doug Burgum, Oklahoma’s Kevin Stitt, South Carolina’s Henry McMaster, South Dakota’s Kristi Noem, Texas’ Greg Abbott, Utah’s Spencer Cox, Virginia’s Glenn Youngkin and Wyoming’s Mark Gordon." />
 <figcaption>This past week more than 20 Republican governors sent a letter to President Joe Biden asking that the administration remove the mandate,The letter&nbsp;was signed by Missouri's Mike Parsons, Nebraska’s Pete Ricketts, Alabama’s Kay Ivey, Arizona’s Doug Ducey, Arkansas’ Asa Hutchinson, Florida’s Ron DeSantis, Idaho’s Brad Little, Indiana’s Eric Holcomb, Iowa’s Kim Reynolds, Mississippi’s Tate Reeves, Montana’s Greg Gianforte, New Hampshire’s Chris Sununu, North Dakota’s Doug Burgum, Oklahoma’s Kevin Stitt, South Carolina’s Henry McMaster, South Dakota’s Kristi Noem, Texas’ Greg Abbott, Utah’s Spencer Cox, Virginia’s Glenn Youngkin and Wyoming’s Mark Gordon.</figcaption>
 </figure>ABOARD A U.S. MILITARY AIRCRAFT (AP) — Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said he wants to keep the military’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate in place to protect the health of the troops, as Republican governors and lawmakers press to rescind it.This past week more than 20 Republican governors sent a letter to President Joe Biden asking that the administration remove the mandate, saying it has hurt the U.S. National Guard’s ability to recruit troops. Those troops are activated by governors to respond to natural disasters or unrest.Congress may consider legislation this coming week to end the mandate as a requirement to gather enough support to pass this years’ defense budget, which is already two months late.Austin said he would not comment on pressure from the Hill.“We lost a million people to this virus," Austin told reporters traveling with him Saturday. “A million people died in the United States of America. We lost hundreds in DOD. So this mandate has kept people healthy.”“I’m the guy” who ordered the military to require the vaccine, Austin added. “I support continuation of vaccinating the troops.”Last year Austin directed that all troops get the vaccine or face potential expulsion from the military; thousands of active duty forces have been discharged since then for their refusal to get the shots.

U.S. Defense Chief: Keep COVID military vaccine mandate

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an alleged kidnapping and continue asking for help to locate a suspect.

Aldrick L. Scott, 47, of Topeka, is wanted by the Douglas County Nebraska Sheriff's Office in connection with the disappearance of 43-year-old Cari Allen.

Nebraska officials are working to locate Allen, according to a social media report from Omaha Police. She is described as a white female, 5-foot-8, 130 pounds, blonde hair and hazel eyes. She&nbsp;was last seen Saturday, Nov. 19 at 11 p.m. Scott has ties to Topeka and Shawnee County, according to the sheriff's department. On Monday, the sheriff's office released photos of Scott.

Anyone with information on Allen's whereabouts is encouraged to call the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office tip line at 402-444-6000 or 911.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669652492930.png" alt="Scott-photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Scott-photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an alleged kidnapping and continue asking for help to locate a suspect.Aldrick L. Scott, 47, of Topeka, is wanted by the Douglas County Nebraska Sheriff's Office in connection with the disappearance of 43-year-old Cari Allen.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669587276863.png" alt="Allen-photo Omaha Police" />
 <figcaption>Allen-photo Omaha Police</figcaption>
 </figure>Nebraska officials are working to locate Allen, according to a social media report from Omaha Police. She is described as a white female, 5-foot-8, 130 pounds, blonde hair and hazel eyes. She&nbsp;was last seen Saturday, Nov. 19 at 11 p.m. Scott has ties to Topeka and Shawnee County, according to the sheriff's department. On Monday, the sheriff's office released photos of Scott.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669652758142.png" alt="Scott-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Scott-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Anyone with information on Allen's whereabouts is encouraged to call the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office tip line at 402-444-6000 or 911.

Search continues for Kan. man in woman's disappearance

SHAWNEE COUNTY(WIBW)—A second person has died from injuries accident just before 2:30 pm Sunday in Shawnee County.

According to Police Lt. Michael Hren, two vehicles collided at 6th and Madison. After impact, the car traveled over the bridge onto Interstate 70. One person was pronounced deceased at scene. First responders transported another person to the hospital with life threatening injuries. Just after 10:30a.m. Monday, police reported that person had also died.

Police asked the public to avoid the area of SE 6th and Madison as well as westbound Interstate 70 at 10th Street.

Just before 5a.m. Monday, Police Lt. Kerry Connell reported all roads in the area were open.&nbsp; Police have not reported names of the victims or additional details of the accident.

SHAWNEE COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 2:30 pm Sunday in Shawnee County.

According to Police Lt. Michael Hren, two vehicles collided at 6th and Madison. After impact, the car traveled over the bridge onto Interstate 70. One person was pronounced deceased at scene. First responders transported another person to the hospital with life threatening injuries. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670238218069.png" alt="Photo by Lane Gillespie courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Lane Gillespie courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY(WIBW)—A second person has died from injuries accident just before 2:30 pm Sunday in Shawnee County.According to Police Lt. Michael Hren, two vehicles collided at 6th and Madison. After impact, the car traveled over the bridge onto Interstate 70. One person was pronounced deceased at scene. First responders transported another person to the hospital with life threatening injuries. Just after 10:30a.m. Monday, police reported that person had also died.Police asked the public to avoid the area of SE 6th and Madison as well as westbound Interstate 70 at 10th Street.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670238098086.png" alt="Photo by Lane Gillespie courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Lane Gillespie courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>Just before 5a.m. Monday, Police Lt. Kerry Connell reported all roads in the area were open.&nbsp; Police have not reported names of the victims or additional details of the accident.---------SHAWNEE COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 2:30 pm Sunday in Shawnee County.According to Police Lt. Michael Hren, two vehicles collided at 6th and Madison. After impact, the car traveled over the bridge onto Interstate 70. One person was pronounced deceased at scene. First responders transported another person to the hospital with life threatening injuries. Police asked the public to avoid the area of SE 6th and Madison as well as westbound Interstate 70 at 10th Street.Just before 5a.m. Monday, Police Lt. Kerry Connell reported all roads in the area were open.&nbsp; Police have not reported names of the victims or additional details of the accident.

2nd person dead after crash that sent car over bridge onto I-70

KANSAS CITY —Felony charges have been filed against a Kansas City man who fired shots from his vehicle, fatally wounding man on the street, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

Andrew Harold Bostic, 62, faces Unlawful Use of a Weapon and &nbsp;Armed &nbsp;Criminal Action charges.

According to court records, Kansas City police were dispatched officers to the area of Armour Blvd and Broadway after the victim was found unresponsive in the street. Emergency responders determined the victim was deceased. 

Video surveillance from the area showed Bostic's vehicle on Broadway. The vehicle is stationary while the victim interacts with it. The victim is punching the air or shadow boxing but no one is near him. 

Then, the victim throws a traffic cone at Bostic's vehicle. He doubles over and stumbles as he tries to run away. He collapses on the sidewalk. Detectives located the vehicle in the parking lot of a building on Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd. Bostic told police that he fired a shot as a warning.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670014656226.png" alt="Bostic-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Bostic-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Felony charges have been filed against a Kansas City man who fired shots from his vehicle, fatally wounding man on the street, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.Andrew Harold Bostic, 62, faces Unlawful Use of a Weapon and &nbsp;Armed &nbsp;Criminal Action charges.According to court records, Kansas City police were dispatched officers to the area of Armour Blvd and Broadway after the victim was found unresponsive in the street. Emergency responders determined the victim was deceased. Video surveillance from the area showed Bostic's vehicle on Broadway. The vehicle is stationary while the victim interacts with it. The victim is punching the air or shadow boxing but no one is near him. Then, the victim throws a traffic cone at Bostic's vehicle. He doubles over and stumbles as he tries to run away. He collapses on the sidewalk. Detectives located the vehicle in the parking lot of a building on Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd. Bostic told police that he fired a shot as a warning.&nbsp;

Kansas City man 'fired warning shot' that killed man

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects for alleged burglary. Just after noon Friday, the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center received a 911 call regarding a suspicious vehicle in the 3900 block of SW Roy Road, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

Deputies arrived and multiple individuals fled on foot from a parked silver Buick Lucerne passenger car. The Buick matched the description of a vehicle involved in a burglary that occurred in Topeka earlier in the day. Additional deputies arrived in the area and a set up a perimeter. With the assistance of citizens who reported suspicious individuals running through yards, deputies were able to take two suspects into custody after a foot pursuit. Several stolen items were recovered.

Winston T. Roberts, 27, of Auburn, Kan., and Jesse L. Cott, 30, of Topeka, were taken into custody and transported to the law enforcement center for questioning by the Topeka Police Department. Mr. Roberts had two felony warrants out of Shawnee County for his arrest and a parole violation through the Kansas Department of Corrections. Mr. Cott had warrants out of the City of Topeka. 

They both remain jailed on requested charges of burglary, theft and criminal damage to property, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670079313798.png" alt="Roberts-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Roberts-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects for alleged burglary. Just after noon Friday, the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center received a 911 call regarding a suspicious vehicle in the 3900 block of SW Roy Road, according to Deputy Abigail Christian. Deputies arrived and multiple individuals fled on foot from a parked silver Buick Lucerne passenger car. The Buick matched the description of a vehicle involved in a burglary that occurred in Topeka earlier in the day. Additional deputies arrived in the area and a set up a perimeter. With the assistance of citizens who reported suspicious individuals running through yards, deputies were able to take two suspects into custody after a foot pursuit. Several stolen items were recovered.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670079445080.png" alt="Cott -photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Cott -photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Winston T. Roberts, 27, of Auburn, Kan., and Jesse L. Cott, 30, of Topeka, were taken into custody and transported to the law enforcement center for questioning by the Topeka Police Department. Mr. Roberts had two felony warrants out of Shawnee County for his arrest and a parole violation through the Kansas Department of Corrections. Mr. Cott had warrants out of the City of Topeka. They both remain jailed on requested charges of burglary, theft and criminal damage to property, according to online jail records.

Sheriff: Citizens help deputies catch Kan. burglary suspects

By ROBERT ZULLO <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/reliability-watchdog-warns-of-potential-electric-shortfalls-this-winter/">States Newsroom</a>

The nonprofit regulator charged with 
helping ensure the reliability of the North American electric grid is 
warning of potential electric supply shortfalls during severe weather 
this winter in several regions of the country.

Earlier this month, the North 
American Electric Reliability Corporation, which sets and enforces 
reliability standards for the bulk power system in the U.S., Canada and 
part of Mexico, said New England and parts of the South and Midwest, are
 “at risk of having insufficient energy supplies during severe winter 
weather.”

The organization <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nerc.com/pa/RAPA/ra/Reliability%20Assessments%20DL/NERC_WRA_2022.pdf">pointed</a> to fuel supply problems, potential shipping disruptions,
 limited natural gas infrastructure, fossil and nuclear plant 
retirements and high potential peak electric demand as contributing risk
 factors during sustained cold weather.

“While the grid has a sufficient 
supply of capacity resources under normal winter conditions, we are 
concerned that some areas are highly vulnerable to extreme and prolonged
 cold,” said John Moura, NERC’s director of reliability assessment and 
performance analysis, in a statement. “As a result, load-shedding may be
 required to maintain reliability.” 
(<a target="_blank" href="https://www.entergynewsroom.com/storm-center/restoration/loadshed/#:~:text=When%20the%20demand%20for%20electricity,is%20called%20%E2%80%9Cshedding%20load.%E2%80%9D">Load-shedding</a> means intentionally interrupting the flow of electricity to customers to reduce the strain on the grid.)

For the part of the grid overseen by the <a target="_blank" href="https://minnesotareformer.com/2022/09/26/amid-a-massive-american-clean-energy-shift-grid-operators-play-catch-up/">Midcontinent Independent System Operator</a>,
 an area that includes all or parts of 15 U.S. states including Nebraska
 and Iowa. &nbsp;NERC worries that more than 4.2 gigawatts of nuclear and 
coal power plants have been retired. That’s the rough equivalent of four
 large (1,000 megawatt) power plants.

“An extreme cold-weather event that 
extends deep into MISO’s area could lead to high generator outages from 
inadequate weatherization in southern units and unavailability of fuel 
for natural-gas-fired generators,” the report says.

MISO predicts its peak winter demand 
will be 102 gigawatts, with 113 gigawatts of electric generation 
available “under normal grid conditions,” Brandon Morris, a spokesman, 
said in an email. The organization’s all-time peak winter record for 
power demand was 109 gigawatts on Jan. 6, 2017.&nbsp; However, Morris said 
staff members from the organization noted in a winter readiness workshop
 last month that extreme cold weather, intense winter storms and/or fuel
 supply issues could create challenges for MISO and local utilities.

Power generators in MISO, however, 
have shown improvement in preparing their plants for extreme weather, 
according to a winterization survey the organization conducted, Morris 
said.&nbsp;

NERC made a broad series of 
recommendations to mitigate risks to the power grid from extreme 
weather. First, it said power generators should be preparing for winter 
conditions and communicating with grid operators. They also should 
ensure they have adequate fuel on hand and the organizations that 
monitor them should keep tabs on fuel supplies as well. But NERC also 
urged state regulators and policymakers to “preserve critical generation
 resources at risk of retirement prior to the winter season and support 
requests for environmental and transportation waivers.”

Holly Bender, the Sierra Club’s 
senior director of energy campaigns, called NERC’s suggestion to suspend
 environmental rules to keep fossil plants running “the wrong strategy.”
 Rather, Bender said the report makes the case that reliance on fossil 
fuels itself poses risks and she urged state regulators to instead push 
energy efficiency and weatherization programs that will cut power use. 
“Whether it’s water shortages in the summer or frozen coal piles and 
short fuel supply in the winter, fossil fuels like coal and gas struggle
 through extreme weather,” she said. “In addition to the public health, 
environmental, and climate impacts, fossil fuels are increasingly 
unreliable, contributing to energy insecurity and unpredictable price 
spikes that impact the most vulnerable members of our communities the 
most.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670086191293.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By ROBERT ZULLO <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/reliability-watchdog-warns-of-potential-electric-shortfalls-this-winter/">States Newsroom</a>The nonprofit regulator charged with 
helping ensure the reliability of the North American electric grid is 
warning of potential electric supply shortfalls during severe weather 
this winter in several regions of the country.Earlier this month, the North 
American Electric Reliability Corporation, which sets and enforces 
reliability standards for the bulk power system in the U.S., Canada and 
part of Mexico, said New England and parts of the South and Midwest, are
 “at risk of having insufficient energy supplies during severe winter 
weather.”The organization <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nerc.com/pa/RAPA/ra/Reliability%20Assessments%20DL/NERC_WRA_2022.pdf">pointed</a> to fuel supply problems, potential shipping disruptions,
 limited natural gas infrastructure, fossil and nuclear plant 
retirements and high potential peak electric demand as contributing risk
 factors during sustained cold weather.“While the grid has a sufficient 
supply of capacity resources under normal winter conditions, we are 
concerned that some areas are highly vulnerable to extreme and prolonged
 cold,” said John Moura, NERC’s director of reliability assessment and 
performance analysis, in a statement. “As a result, load-shedding may be
 required to maintain reliability.” 
(<a target="_blank" href="https://www.entergynewsroom.com/storm-center/restoration/loadshed/#:~:text=When%20the%20demand%20for%20electricity,is%20called%20%E2%80%9Cshedding%20load.%E2%80%9D">Load-shedding</a> means intentionally interrupting the flow of electricity to customers to reduce the strain on the grid.)For the part of the grid overseen by the <a target="_blank" href="https://minnesotareformer.com/2022/09/26/amid-a-massive-american-clean-energy-shift-grid-operators-play-catch-up/">Midcontinent Independent System Operator</a>,
 an area that includes all or parts of 15 U.S. states including Nebraska
 and Iowa. &nbsp;NERC worries that more than 4.2 gigawatts of nuclear and 
coal power plants have been retired. That’s the rough equivalent of four
 large (1,000 megawatt) power plants.“An extreme cold-weather event that 
extends deep into MISO’s area could lead to high generator outages from 
inadequate weatherization in southern units and unavailability of fuel 
for natural-gas-fired generators,” the report says.MISO predicts its peak winter demand 
will be 102 gigawatts, with 113 gigawatts of electric generation 
available “under normal grid conditions,” Brandon Morris, a spokesman, 
said in an email. The organization’s all-time peak winter record for 
power demand was 109 gigawatts on Jan. 6, 2017.&nbsp; However, Morris said 
staff members from the organization noted in a winter readiness workshop
 last month that extreme cold weather, intense winter storms and/or fuel
 supply issues could create challenges for MISO and local utilities.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670086259419.png" alt=" Utility area covered by the Midcontinent Independent System Operator. (Courtesy of MISO)" />
 <figcaption> Utility area covered by the Midcontinent Independent System Operator. (Courtesy of MISO)</figcaption>
 </figure>Power generators in MISO, however, 
have shown improvement in preparing their plants for extreme weather, 
according to a winterization survey the organization conducted, Morris 
said.&nbsp;NERC made a broad series of 
recommendations to mitigate risks to the power grid from extreme 
weather. First, it said power generators should be preparing for winter 
conditions and communicating with grid operators. They also should 
ensure they have adequate fuel on hand and the organizations that 
monitor them should keep tabs on fuel supplies as well. But NERC also 
urged state regulators and policymakers to “preserve critical generation
 resources at risk of retirement prior to the winter season and support 
requests for environmental and transportation waivers.”Holly Bender, the Sierra Club’s 
senior director of energy campaigns, called NERC’s suggestion to suspend
 environmental rules to keep fossil plants running “the wrong strategy.”
 Rather, Bender said the report makes the case that reliance on fossil 
fuels itself poses risks and she urged state regulators to instead push 
energy efficiency and weatherization programs that will cut power use. 
“Whether it’s water shortages in the summer or frozen coal piles and 
short fuel supply in the winter, fossil fuels like coal and gas struggle
 through extreme weather,” she said. “In addition to the public health, 
environmental, and climate impacts, fossil fuels are increasingly 
unreliable, contributing to energy insecurity and unpredictable price 
spikes that impact the most vulnerable members of our communities the 
most.”

Reliability watchdog warns of winter electric shortfalls

ALLEN COUNTY –&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), the Allen County Sheriff’s Office, and the Neosho County Sheriff’s Office are investigating a homicide after a man was found dead Saturday evening in Chanute, according to a media release from the KBI.

Just after 5p.m. Saturday, the Allen County Sheriff’s Office contacted the KBI for investigative assistance.

At around 4:50 p.m., Casey M. Dye, 43, of Petrolia, Kansas, arrived at the Allen County Sheriff’s Office and provided a statement to sheriff’s deputies.

Shortly after, law enforcement officers located a deceased man in a vehicle inside an automotive glass shop at&nbsp;7545 Kansas Highway 39, in&nbsp;Chanute. The man, who was identified as Ryan M. Holcomb, 45, from Chanute, had suffered fatal gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Officers arrested Dye on a requested charge of first-degree murder. He was booked into the Allen County Jail. Additional charges are expected.

Investigators allege Dye killed Holcomb Saturday morning at a rural property in Allen County, and then moved his body to the business in Chanute where he was discovered.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670178241829.png" alt="Dye-photo Allen County" />
 <figcaption>Dye-photo Allen County</figcaption>
 </figure>ALLEN COUNTY –&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), the Allen County Sheriff’s Office, and the Neosho County Sheriff’s Office are investigating a homicide after a man was found dead Saturday evening in Chanute, according to a media release from the KBI.Just after 5p.m. Saturday, the Allen County Sheriff’s Office contacted the KBI for investigative assistance.At around 4:50 p.m., Casey M. Dye, 43, of Petrolia, Kansas, arrived at the Allen County Sheriff’s Office and provided a statement to sheriff’s deputies.Shortly after, law enforcement officers located a deceased man in a vehicle inside an automotive glass shop at&nbsp;7545 Kansas Highway 39, in&nbsp;Chanute. The man, who was identified as Ryan M. Holcomb, 45, from Chanute, had suffered fatal gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.Officers arrested Dye on a requested charge of first-degree murder. He was booked into the Allen County Jail. Additional charges are expected.Investigators allege Dye killed Holcomb Saturday morning at a rural property in Allen County, and then moved his body to the business in Chanute where he was discovered.

KBI: Suspect moved victim's body after rural Kansas murder

By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/12/01/kansas-supreme-court-justice-tackles-states-severe-shortage-of-rural-attorneys/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA —&nbsp; Eighty percent of all 
active Kansas attorneys live in six urban counties, leaving Kansas rural
 communities struggling to find legal help. The newly created Rural 
Justice Initiative Committee plans to tackle the issue, with the goal of
 attracting attorneys to practices in rural areas.

In Kansas, there’s a ratio of two 
attorneys per 535 residents in urban areas, and a ration of one attorney
 per 808 residents in rural areas, according to the Kansas Judicial 
Branch. Wichita and Hodgeman counties have no attorneys at all, and five
 other rural counties have only one practicing attorney in the area. 
Eleven rural counties in the state have only two practicing attorneys in
 the area.

Kansas Supreme Court Chief Justice 
Marla Luckert created the committee Thursday with an executive order. 
Luckert said the lack of attorneys constituted a crisis, damaging the 
lives of rural residents.

“We have to recognize that there is 
not access to justice, and the system of seeking redress for those 
grievances is unbalanced because it’s financially inaccessible, or 
individuals have no lawyer or otherwise lack the resources to get the 
information they need to navigate the complex system and procedures of 
redressing that grievance,” Luckert said.

The 35-member committee, headed by 
Justice K.J. Wall, will collect data on the legal needs of rural 
populations, make recommendations about existing Kansas rural attorney 
recruitment projects and study demographic trends. At the end of 18 
months, the committee will report back to the Supreme Court with its 
initial recommendations.&nbsp;

The six counties containing most 
attorneys are Douglas, Johnson, Leavenworth, Sedgwick, Shawnee and 
Wyandotte. The attorney shortage isn’t the only shortage rural Kansans 
struggle with. With 57% of the state’s population living in these six 
urban counties, rural areas are left without medical workers, veterans 
and other young professionals who are drawn to urban areas.&nbsp;

Luckert said young attorneys were 
overwhelmingly drawn to larger cities with bigger social scenes, such as
 Kansas City and Lawrence. According to data from the Kansas Judicial 
Branch, there are only 1,578 practicing attorneys available for the 1.25
 million Kansans living in the other 99 counties across the state.&nbsp;

Committee members said they would 
have to address social factors that prevent young attorneys from moving 
to rural areas, such as the lack of shopping centers, activities and 
fewer romantic prospects.&nbsp;

“Good luck,” Luckert said. “It’s a big task.”&nbsp;

Committee member Ashley Comeau, an 
attorney practicing in Plainville, said she had firsthand experience 
with this, moving to Kansas City as a young attorney.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Practically speaking, outside of the
 practice of law, if you are a young, unmarried person fresh out of law 
school, you significantly decrease your dating chance in rural Kansas. I
 couldn’t get to Kansas City fast enough,” Comeau said.&nbsp;

Comeau only moved to rural Kansas 
after marrying her husband, whom she met at a small town festival. She 
said she would still be practicing law in Kansas City had she not met 
him.&nbsp;

“There just aren’t that many young people in rural Kansas as you’d like to see,” Comeau said. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1669990030880.png" alt="Chief Justice Marla Luckert said the lack of attorneys in rural Kansas areas was at a crisis point. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Chief Justice Marla Luckert said the lack of attorneys in rural Kansas areas was at a crisis point. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/12/01/kansas-supreme-court-justice-tackles-states-severe-shortage-of-rural-attorneys/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA —&nbsp; Eighty percent of all 
active Kansas attorneys live in six urban counties, leaving Kansas rural
 communities struggling to find legal help. The newly created Rural 
Justice Initiative Committee plans to tackle the issue, with the goal of
 attracting attorneys to practices in rural areas.In Kansas, there’s a ratio of two 
attorneys per 535 residents in urban areas, and a ration of one attorney
 per 808 residents in rural areas, according to the Kansas Judicial 
Branch. Wichita and Hodgeman counties have no attorneys at all, and five
 other rural counties have only one practicing attorney in the area. 
Eleven rural counties in the state have only two practicing attorneys in
 the area.Kansas Supreme Court Chief Justice 
Marla Luckert created the committee Thursday with an executive order. 
Luckert said the lack of attorneys constituted a crisis, damaging the 
lives of rural residents.“We have to recognize that there is 
not access to justice, and the system of seeking redress for those 
grievances is unbalanced because it’s financially inaccessible, or 
individuals have no lawyer or otherwise lack the resources to get the 
information they need to navigate the complex system and procedures of 
redressing that grievance,” Luckert said.The 35-member committee, headed by 
Justice K.J. Wall, will collect data on the legal needs of rural 
populations, make recommendations about existing Kansas rural attorney 
recruitment projects and study demographic trends. At the end of 18 
months, the committee will report back to the Supreme Court with its 
initial recommendations.&nbsp;The six counties containing most 
attorneys are Douglas, Johnson, Leavenworth, Sedgwick, Shawnee and 
Wyandotte. The attorney shortage isn’t the only shortage rural Kansans 
struggle with. With 57% of the state’s population living in these six 
urban counties, rural areas are left without medical workers, veterans 
and other young professionals who are drawn to urban areas.&nbsp;Luckert said young attorneys were 
overwhelmingly drawn to larger cities with bigger social scenes, such as
 Kansas City and Lawrence. According to data from the Kansas Judicial 
Branch, there are only 1,578 practicing attorneys available for the 1.25
 million Kansans living in the other 99 counties across the state.&nbsp;Committee members said they would 
have to address social factors that prevent young attorneys from moving 
to rural areas, such as the lack of shopping centers, activities and 
fewer romantic prospects.&nbsp;“Good luck,” Luckert said. “It’s a big task.”&nbsp;Committee member Ashley Comeau, an 
attorney practicing in Plainville, said she had firsthand experience 
with this, moving to Kansas City as a young attorney.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Practically speaking, outside of the
 practice of law, if you are a young, unmarried person fresh out of law 
school, you significantly decrease your dating chance in rural Kansas. I
 couldn’t get to Kansas City fast enough,” Comeau said.&nbsp;Comeau only moved to rural Kansas 
after marrying her husband, whom she met at a small town festival. She 
said she would still be practicing law in Kansas City had she not met 
him.&nbsp;“There just aren’t that many young people in rural Kansas as you’d like to see,” Comeau said.

Kansas Supreme Court justice tackles rural attorney shortage

KANSAS CITY (AP) —When members of the small Pennsylvania chapter of Secular Democrats of America log on for their monthly meetings, they're not there for a virtual happy hour.

“We don’t sit around at our meetings patting ourselves on the back for not believing in God together,” said David Brown, a founder from the Philadelphia suburb of Ardmore.

The group, mostly consisting of atheists and agnostics, mobilizes to knock on doors and make phone calls on behalf of Democratic candidates “who are pro-science, pro-democracy, whether or not they are actually self-identified secular people,” he said. “We are trying to keep church and state separate. That encompasses LGBTQIA+, COVID science, bodily autonomy and reproductive rights.”

Brown describes his group as “small but mighty," yet they're riding a big wave.

Voters with no religious affiliation supported Democratic candidates and abortion rights by staggering percentages in the 2022 midterm elections.

And they're voting in large numbers. In 2022, some 22% of voters claimed no religious affiliation, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-donald-trump-race-and-ethnicity-only-on-ap-congress-a15f6d6ebd6f629c6e92531a0c7172e6">AP VoteCast</a>, an expansive survey of more than 94,000 voters nationwide. They contributed to voting coalitions that gave Democrats victories in battleground states such as Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Arizona.

The unaffiliated — often nicknamed the “nones” — voted for Democratic House candidates nationwide over Republicans by more than a 2-1 margin (65% to 31%), according to VoteCast. That echoes the 2020 president election, when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/votecast-trump-wins-white-evangelicals-d0cb249ea7eae29187a21a702dc84706">Democrat Joe Biden took 72% of voters</a>&nbsp;with no religious affiliation, while Republican Donald Trump took 25%, according to VoteCast.

For all the talk of the overwhelmingly Republican voting by white evangelical Christians in recent elections, the unaffiliated are making their presence felt.

Among all U.S. adults, 29% are nones — those who identify as atheist, agnostic or “nothing in particular” — according a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2021/12/14/about-three-in-ten-u-s-adults-are-now-religiously-unaffiliated/">2021 report</a>&nbsp;by the Pew Research Center. That’s up 10 percentage points from a decade earlier, according to Pew. And the younger the adults, the more likely they are to be unaffiliated, according to a 2019 Pew analysis, further signaling the growing clout of the nones.

“People talk about how engaged white evangelicals are, but you don’t know the half of it,” said Ryan Burge, a professor of political science at Eastern Illinois University who focuses on the interaction of religious and political behavior.

Atheists and agnostics form only a subset of nones and are less numerous than evangelicals. But they are more likely than evangelicals to make a campaign donation, attend a political meeting or join a protest, Burge said, citing the Harvard-affiliated Cooperative Election Study.

“When you consider how involved they are in political activity, you realize how important they are at the ballot box,” he said.

The nones equaled Catholics at 22% of the electorate, though they were barely half the figure for Protestants and other Christians (43%), according to VoteCast. Other religious groups totaled 13%, including 3% Jewish and 1% Muslim.

Separately, 30% of voters identified as born again or evangelical Christians.

In several bellwether races this year, the secular vote made its impact felt, according to AP VoteCast.

__About four in five people with no religious affiliation voted against abortion restrictions in referendums in Michigan and Kentucky.

By PETER SMITH&nbsp;KANSAS CITY (AP) —When members of the small Pennsylvania chapter of Secular Democrats of America log on for their monthly meetings, they're not there for a virtual happy hour.“We don’t sit around at our meetings patting ourselves on the back for not believing in God together,” said David Brown, a founder from the Philadelphia suburb of Ardmore.The group, mostly consisting of atheists and agnostics, mobilizes to knock on doors and make phone calls on behalf of Democratic candidates “who are pro-science, pro-democracy, whether or not they are actually self-identified secular people,” he said. “We are trying to keep church and state separate. That encompasses LGBTQIA+, COVID science, bodily autonomy and reproductive rights.”Brown describes his group as “small but mighty," yet they're riding a big wave.Voters with no religious affiliation supported Democratic candidates and abortion rights by staggering percentages in the 2022 midterm elections.And they're voting in large numbers. In 2022, some 22% of voters claimed no religious affiliation, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-donald-trump-race-and-ethnicity-only-on-ap-congress-a15f6d6ebd6f629c6e92531a0c7172e6">AP VoteCast</a>, an expansive survey of more than 94,000 voters nationwide. They contributed to voting coalitions that gave Democrats victories in battleground states such as Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Arizona.The unaffiliated — often nicknamed the “nones” — voted for Democratic House candidates nationwide over Republicans by more than a 2-1 margin (65% to 31%), according to VoteCast. That echoes the 2020 president election, when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/votecast-trump-wins-white-evangelicals-d0cb249ea7eae29187a21a702dc84706">Democrat Joe Biden took 72% of voters</a>&nbsp;with no religious affiliation, while Republican Donald Trump took 25%, according to VoteCast.For all the talk of the overwhelmingly Republican voting by white evangelical Christians in recent elections, the unaffiliated are making their presence felt.Among all U.S. adults, 29% are nones — those who identify as atheist, agnostic or “nothing in particular” — according a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2021/12/14/about-three-in-ten-u-s-adults-are-now-religiously-unaffiliated/">2021 report</a>&nbsp;by the Pew Research Center. That’s up 10 percentage points from a decade earlier, according to Pew. And the younger the adults, the more likely they are to be unaffiliated, according to a 2019 Pew analysis, further signaling the growing clout of the nones.“People talk about how engaged white evangelicals are, but you don’t know the half of it,” said Ryan Burge, a professor of political science at Eastern Illinois University who focuses on the interaction of religious and political behavior.Atheists and agnostics form only a subset of nones and are less numerous than evangelicals. But they are more likely than evangelicals to make a campaign donation, attend a political meeting or join a protest, Burge said, citing the Harvard-affiliated Cooperative Election Study.“When you consider how involved they are in political activity, you realize how important they are at the ballot box,” he said.The nones equaled Catholics at 22% of the electorate, though they were barely half the figure for Protestants and other Christians (43%), according to VoteCast. Other religious groups totaled 13%, including 3% Jewish and 1% Muslim.Separately, 30% of voters identified as born again or evangelical Christians.In several bellwether races this year, the secular vote made its impact felt, according to AP VoteCast.__About four in five people with no religious affiliation voted against abortion restrictions in referendums in Michigan and Kentucky.__Between two-thirds and three-quarters of nones supported Democratic candidates in statewide races in Arizona and Wisconsin.__About four in five people with no religion voted for Josh Shapiro and John Fetterman, the Democrats elected Pennsylvania's newest governor and senator, respectively.While Shapiro openly speaks about his Jewish values motivating his public service, Fetterman has not incorporated any discernible religious tradition in his public statements. He often frames issues in ethical terms— such as promoting criminal justice reform and raising the minimum wage, even calling abortion rights “sacred” — without reference to a religious tradition.Fetterman's campaign did not return a request for comment.The secular population is a diverse group, Pew reported in 2021. Two-thirds identify as “nothing in particular” — a group that is alienated from politics as well as religion, Burge said.But atheists and agnostics, though only a third of the nones, punch above their weight, given their heavy involvement in politics.The twin trends of a growing secular cohort among Democrats and the increased religiosity of Republicans are not coincidental.Several prominent Republican candidates and their supporters have promoted Christian nationalism, which fuses an American and Christian sense of identity, mission and symbols.That prompts a reaction by many secular voters, Burge said: “At least among white people, it’s become clear the Democratic Party has become the party for the non-religious people.”Yet it's not their party alone. The Democratic coalition draws heavily from religious groups — Black Protestants, liberal Jews, Catholics of color. The Black church tradition, in particular, has a highly devout base in support of moderate and progressive policies.“I think the Democrats have the biggest problem in the world because they have to keep atheists and Black Protestants happy at the same time,” Burge said.Tensions surfaced in 2019 when the Democratic National Committee passed a resolution praising the religiously unaffiliated in language that some saw as overstating their clout and denigrating religious values.Differences between secular and religious Democrats showed up in VoteCast. Majorities of Democratic voters across all religious affiliations say abortion should be legal at least most of the time, but 6 in 10 Democratic voters unaffiliated with a religion say it should always be legal, compared with about 4 in 10 Democratic voters affiliated with Christian traditions. In general, 69% of Democratic voters unaffiliated with a religion identify as liberal, compared with 46% of Christians who voted for Democrats.But growing secular constituency doesn't worry Bishop William Barber, a leader in one of the nation's most prominent faith-based progressive movements.“Jesus didn’t worry about it, so why would I?” said Barber, president of Repairers of the Breach, which calls for moral advocacy by faith and other leaders on behalf of the poor, immigrants and other marginalized communities. “Jesus said the one who is not against me is for me.”“We have a lot of people who claim they’re agnostic or atheist, and they will come to our rallies,” said Barber, who is also co-chair of the Poor People's Campaign. “They will say, ‘I don’t necessarily believe in God, but I believe in right. I believe in love. I do believe in justice.’”Brown, of the Secular Democrats group in Pennsylvania, said he had no problem supporting Democratic candidates like Shapiro, who talked openly about his Jewish values on the campaign trail. His opponent, Republican Doug Mastriano, incorporated Christian nationalist themes and imagery in his campaign.“While on the one hand I am frustrated that politicians feel the need to justify their doing the right thing by religious affiliation, I also appreciate that this was a calculated decision to appeal to religious voters,” Brown said. “I have no problem with it because I feel it was in the service of defeating a Christian nationalist candidate on the other side.”In fact, Brown even traveled to Georgia in late November to campaign door-to-door for an ordained minister — Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock, the Democrat in a runoff election. And for the same reason — despite religious differences, he sees Warnock as sharing many of the values of secular voters.