SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating the murder of a woman identified as&nbsp;19-year-old Zaiylah Bronson from Wichita.

Just after 11a.m. Saturday, 911 dispatch in Sedgwick County received a call from a 911 operator from North Carolina reporting a possible homicide in the Wichita area, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.

 Based on the information given to the North Carolina 911 operator by a family member of the suspect, Wichita police officers were sent to two different locations, the 3900 block of E 17th Street North in Wichita and the 7600 block of E 21st Street N in Wichita.

Upon arrival at the 21st Street address, officers contacted 22-year-old Alexander Lewis and located Bronson's body of in the trunk of his vehicle. Officers pulled her body out of the trunk and provided life-saving measures until EMS arrived on the scene. 

She was later pronounced deceased by EMS. Police arrested Lewis on requested charges of second-degree murder.

The investigators are still working to fully determine what led up to the fatal incident and how the woman died.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1693080884540.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation Saturday-photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation Saturday-photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating the murder of a woman identified as&nbsp;19-year-old Zaiylah Bronson from Wichita.Just after 11a.m. Saturday, 911 dispatch in Sedgwick County received a call from a 911 operator from North Carolina reporting a possible homicide in the Wichita area, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1693155237617.png" alt="Lewis -photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Lewis -photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure> Based on the information given to the North Carolina 911 operator by a family member of the suspect, Wichita police officers were sent to two different locations, the 3900 block of E 17th Street North in Wichita and the 7600 block of E 21st Street N in Wichita.Upon arrival at the 21st Street address, officers contacted 22-year-old Alexander Lewis and located Bronson's body of in the trunk of his vehicle. Officers pulled her body out of the trunk and provided life-saving measures until EMS arrived on the scene. She was later pronounced deceased by EMS. Police arrested Lewis on requested charges of second-degree murder.The investigators are still working to fully determine what led up to the fatal incident and how the woman died.

Police ID body of Kan. woman found in car trunk after 911 call

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — A decade later, Simone Biles is still on top.

The gymnastics star won her record eighth U.S. Championship on Sunday night, 10 years after she&nbsp;<a href="https://www.masslive.com/sports/2013/08/simone_biles_steals_show_at_us.html">first ascended</a>&nbsp;to the top of her sport as a teenage prodigy.

Biles, now a 26-year-old newlywed considered perhaps the greatest of all time, posted an all-around two-day total of 118.40, four points clear of runner-up Shilese Jones.&nbsp;<a href="https://members.usagym.org/pages/athletes/nationalTeamWomen.html?id=431412">Leanne Wong of Overland Park Kansas</a> who competes for the University of Florida claimed third, bolstering her chances of making a third straight world championship team.

Biles is all but assured of returning to the gym where she captured her first world title in 2013. Over the course of two electric nights at the SAP Center, she served notice that even after a two-year break following the Tokyo Olympics, in gymnastics there is the one referred to as the GOAT and there is everyone else.

Biles became the oldest woman to win a national title since USA Gymnastics began organizing the event in 1963. Her eight crowns moved her past Alfred Jochim, who won seven between 1925-33 when the Amateur Athletics Union ran the championships and the events in men's competition included rope climbing.

The sport has come a long way over the last century. No one has spent more time at the far end of the Bell curve than Biles, who has spent 10 years using her singular talents to push boundaries in more ways than one.

Peaks aren't supposed to last this long. Most elite gymnasts at 26 — at least the ones who haven't retired — are simply hoping to hold on to what they have.

Biles isn't interested in that. Never has been. She finds repetition boring. She insists this time she's doing it “for herself” and her markedly different approach to her job offers tangible proof she's not lying.

Rather than let the world in to her journey as she eyes a third Olympics, she's kept most of her training under wraps, more interested in sharing glimpses of her personal life far away from the gym.

There appears to be more balance in her life, leaning into the “it's just gymnastics” mantra that helped fuel her rise.

Age hasn't caught up to her yet, though she played it relatively safe — by her standards — on Sunday. She tweaked her right ankle in training on Saturday, leading her to opt out of doing the Yurchenko double pike vault that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/simone-biles-sunisa-lee-gymnastics-paris-olympics-7e2881088b857fbb68cde056ea5800c9">she nailed</a>&nbsp;almost flawlessly during the opening night of the competition on Friday.

The 14.850 she received for her Cheng vault was still the highest of the night on the event. So was the 14.8 she earned on beam. The 15.400 that drew a standing ovation when she finished too.

Next stop is Antwerp in late September, where Biles will try to add to the 25 medals — 18 of them gold — she's captured so far in her unparalleled career.

Jones figures to be on the plane too. The 21-year-old is a marvel on bars, where she thrives despite being tall (5-foot-6ish) for someone who opts to do this for a living. The crowd erupted when she nailed her dismount, her 15.000 score was tops in the meet on the event and put 10 months filled with injuries that have slowed her training firmly behind her.

Who joins Jones and Biles at worlds remains very much up in the air.

Reigning Olympic champion Sunisa Lee, who has spent most of the year battling a kidney issue her doctors are still trying to get a handle on, could have a chance as a specialist after putting together a solid balance beam routine.

Wong, one of several athletes trying to compete at the NCAA and elite levels at the same time, put together two stellar nights that included an elegant bars routine and a floor exercise that makes up for in precision what it lacks in power.

Jade Carey and Jordan Chiles, teammates of Biles' at the 2020 Olympics, who have also spent the last two years splitting time between college and elite, weren't quite as sharp. Chiles fell off both the bars and beam. Carey finished in the top 10 on just one event — vault — where the Americans figure to be loaded.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1693184669443.png" alt="<a href="https://members.usagym.org/pages/athletes/nationalTeamWomen.html?id=431412">Leanne Wong,</a> a graduate of&nbsp;Blue Valley High School&nbsp;in Overland Park, Kansas, is one of several athletes trying to compete at the NCAA and elite levels at the same time, put together two stellar nights that included an elegant bars routine and a floor exercise that makes up for in precision what it lacks in power-photo courtesy University of Florida" />
 <figcaption><a href="https://members.usagym.org/pages/athletes/nationalTeamWomen.html?id=431412">Leanne Wong,</a> a graduate of&nbsp;Blue Valley High School&nbsp;in Overland Park, Kansas, is one of several athletes trying to compete at the NCAA and elite levels at the same time, put together two stellar nights that included an elegant bars routine and a floor exercise that makes up for in precision what it lacks in power-photo courtesy University of Florida</figcaption>
 </figure>SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — A decade later, Simone Biles is still on top.The gymnastics star won her record eighth U.S. Championship on Sunday night, 10 years after she&nbsp;<a href="https://www.masslive.com/sports/2013/08/simone_biles_steals_show_at_us.html">first ascended</a>&nbsp;to the top of her sport as a teenage prodigy.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1693187362420.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Biles, now a 26-year-old newlywed considered perhaps the greatest of all time, posted an all-around two-day total of 118.40, four points clear of runner-up Shilese Jones.&nbsp;<a href="https://members.usagym.org/pages/athletes/nationalTeamWomen.html?id=431412">Leanne Wong of Overland Park Kansas</a> who competes for the University of Florida claimed third, bolstering her chances of making a third straight world championship team.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We proudly introduce the 2023 Senior Women&#39;s National Team presented by <a href="https://twitter.com/Xfinity?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Xfinity</a>! ⭐️ Simone Biles ⭐️ Shi Jones ⭐️ Leanne Wong ⭐️ Skye Blakely ⭐️ Jordan Chiles ⭐️ Katelyn Jong ⭐️ Joscelyn Roberson ⭐️ Tiana Sumanasekera ⭐️ Kayla DiCello ⭐️ Amelia Disidore <a href="https://t.co/RdCTVimT5X">pic.twitter.com/RdCTVimT5X</a>&mdash; USA Gymnastics (@USAGym) <a href="https://twitter.com/USAGym/status/1695976625605898386?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 28, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Biles is all but assured of returning to the gym where she captured her first world title in 2013. Over the course of two electric nights at the SAP Center, she served notice that even after a two-year break following the Tokyo Olympics, in gymnastics there is the one referred to as the GOAT and there is everyone else.Biles became the oldest woman to win a national title since USA Gymnastics began organizing the event in 1963. Her eight crowns moved her past Alfred Jochim, who won seven between 1925-33 when the Amateur Athletics Union ran the championships and the events in men's competition included rope climbing.Yes, really.The sport has come a long way over the last century. No one has spent more time at the far end of the Bell curve than Biles, who has spent 10 years using her singular talents to push boundaries in more ways than one.Peaks aren't supposed to last this long. Most elite gymnasts at 26 — at least the ones who haven't retired — are simply hoping to hold on to what they have.Biles isn't interested in that. Never has been. She finds repetition boring. She insists this time she's doing it “for herself” and her markedly different approach to her job offers tangible proof she's not lying.Rather than let the world in to her journey as she eyes a third Olympics, she's kept most of her training under wraps, more interested in sharing glimpses of her personal life far away from the gym.There appears to be more balance in her life, leaning into the “it's just gymnastics” mantra that helped fuel her rise.Age hasn't caught up to her yet, though she played it relatively safe — by her standards — on Sunday. She tweaked her right ankle in training on Saturday, leading her to opt out of doing the Yurchenko double pike vault that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/simone-biles-sunisa-lee-gymnastics-paris-olympics-7e2881088b857fbb68cde056ea5800c9">she nailed</a>&nbsp;almost flawlessly during the opening night of the competition on Friday.The 14.850 she received for her Cheng vault was still the highest of the night on the event. So was the 14.8 she earned on beam. The 15.400 that drew a standing ovation when she finished too.Next stop is Antwerp in late September, where Biles will try to add to the 25 medals — 18 of them gold — she's captured so far in her unparalleled career.Jones figures to be on the plane too. The 21-year-old is a marvel on bars, where she thrives despite being tall (5-foot-6ish) for someone who opts to do this for a living. The crowd erupted when she nailed her dismount, her 15.000 score was tops in the meet on the event and put 10 months filled with injuries that have slowed her training firmly behind her.Who joins Jones and Biles at worlds remains very much up in the air.Reigning Olympic champion Sunisa Lee, who has spent most of the year battling a kidney issue her doctors are still trying to get a handle on, could have a chance as a specialist after putting together a solid balance beam routine.Wong, one of several athletes trying to compete at the NCAA and elite levels at the same time, put together two stellar nights that included an elegant bars routine and a floor exercise that makes up for in precision what it lacks in power.Jade Carey and Jordan Chiles, teammates of Biles' at the 2020 Olympics, who have also spent the last two years splitting time between college and elite, weren't quite as sharp. Chiles fell off both the bars and beam. Carey finished in the top 10 on just one event — vault — where the Americans figure to be loaded.___

Simone Biles wins 8th US Gymnastics title; Wong of Kansas 3rd

BY: Joseph Clark Department of Defense&nbsp;

The Defense Department will begin training Ukrainians to fly and maintain F-16 fighter jets, according to Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder.

The training is expected to begin in October at the Morris Air National Guard Base in Tucson, Arizona, and will be facilitated by the Air National Guard's 162nd Wing. &nbsp;

The U.S.-led training is "in support of the international effort to develop and strengthen Ukraine's long-term defenses," Ryder said. &nbsp;

The Netherlands and Denmark have announced their intentions to make F-16 aircraft from their fleets available to Ukraine. &nbsp;

Secretary of State Antony Blinken signaled the United States' willingness to approve the third-party transfer of the U.S.-made F-16s to Ukraine in a letter to his European counterparts last week. &nbsp;

"The training provided by the United States will complement the F-16 pilot and maintenance training that's already underway in Europe and further deepens our support of the F-16 training coalition led by Denmark and the Netherlands," Ryder said. "Moving forward we will remain in close consultation with the Danes, the Dutch and other allies to ensure U.S. training complements the broader coalition training efforts."

Ryder added that by announcing the training, the U.S. is preempting any training capacity constraints in Denmark and the Netherlands' training pipeline to ensure the aircraft are fielded to Ukraine as quickly as possible. &nbsp;

He said Ukraine will ultimately determine the number of pilots that will require the training. &nbsp;

During a briefing last week, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said U.S. approval for the transfer would come after consultation with Congress and after completion of training for Ukrainian pilots on the aircraft.&nbsp;

Ryder said the complete training pipeline would likely take several months, depending upon the pilots' proficiency coming into the course. &nbsp;

"Part of this training will be assessing the individual pilots' skill level, which will determine help to determine how long that training will last," he said. "Your basic, new F-16 pilot with not a lot of training on the U.S. side, that training typically lasts about eight months."

That training includes a series of courses ranging from basic flight training to instruction on fighter fundamentals, weapons employment, combat maneuvering and tactical intercepts among other concepts. &nbsp;

He said training for more experienced pilots could be completed in about five months.&nbsp;

Beyond flight training, Ryder said the F-16s require significant logistics and maintenance training for ground support personnel that ensures the aircrafts remain combat capable.

Prior to flight training, the pilots will receive language training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas beginning in September.&nbsp;

The language training will ensure that all pilots have sufficient language skills to be able to fully comprehend the "complexities and specialized English required to fly the aircraft," Ryder said. &nbsp;

The announcement further underscores the United States' long-term solidarity with Ukraine as it defends itself from Russia's unprovoked war of aggression. &nbsp;

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III highlighted that commitment earlier today in a statement marking Ukraine's 32nd anniversary of its independence. &nbsp;

"The Ukrainian people have inspired the world with their courage and resolve to defend their right to live in a sovereign, democratic and free country," he said. &nbsp;

"Today, as Ukraine commemorates another year of independence, the United States remains steadfast in our commitment to ensure that it can celebrate many more," he said. "We will support Ukraine for as long as it takes in its fight for its security and freedom."

&nbsp;<a href="http://www.defense.gov/News/Author/135693/joseph-clark/">Joseph Clark</a>&nbsp;, DOD News&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1693011275570.png" alt="An F-16 assigned to the 162nd Wing, Morris Air National Guard Base, Tucson, Ariz., flies during a training mission.&nbsp;Photo By:Air Force Tech. Sgt. Hampton E. Stramler" />
 <figcaption>An F-16 assigned to the 162nd Wing, Morris Air National Guard Base, Tucson, Ariz., flies during a training mission.&nbsp;Photo By:Air Force Tech. Sgt. Hampton E. Stramler</figcaption>
 </figure>BY: Joseph Clark Department of Defense&nbsp;The Defense Department will begin training Ukrainians to fly and maintain F-16 fighter jets, according to Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder.The training is expected to begin in October at the Morris Air National Guard Base in Tucson, Arizona, and will be facilitated by the Air National Guard's 162nd Wing. &nbsp;The U.S.-led training is "in support of the international effort to develop and strengthen Ukraine's long-term defenses," Ryder said. &nbsp;The Netherlands and Denmark have announced their intentions to make F-16 aircraft from their fleets available to Ukraine. &nbsp;Secretary of State Antony Blinken signaled the United States' willingness to approve the third-party transfer of the U.S.-made F-16s to Ukraine in a letter to his European counterparts last week. &nbsp;"The training provided by the United States will complement the F-16 pilot and maintenance training that's already underway in Europe and further deepens our support of the F-16 training coalition led by Denmark and the Netherlands," Ryder said. "Moving forward we will remain in close consultation with the Danes, the Dutch and other allies to ensure U.S. training complements the broader coalition training efforts."Ryder added that by announcing the training, the U.S. is preempting any training capacity constraints in Denmark and the Netherlands' training pipeline to ensure the aircraft are fielded to Ukraine as quickly as possible. &nbsp;He said Ukraine will ultimately determine the number of pilots that will require the training. &nbsp;During a briefing last week, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said U.S. approval for the transfer would come after consultation with Congress and after completion of training for Ukrainian pilots on the aircraft.&nbsp;Ryder said the complete training pipeline would likely take several months, depending upon the pilots' proficiency coming into the course. &nbsp;"Part of this training will be assessing the individual pilots' skill level, which will determine help to determine how long that training will last," he said. "Your basic, new F-16 pilot with not a lot of training on the U.S. side, that training typically lasts about eight months."That training includes a series of courses ranging from basic flight training to instruction on fighter fundamentals, weapons employment, combat maneuvering and tactical intercepts among other concepts. &nbsp;He said training for more experienced pilots could be completed in about five months.&nbsp;Beyond flight training, Ryder said the F-16s require significant logistics and maintenance training for ground support personnel that ensures the aircrafts remain combat capable.Prior to flight training, the pilots will receive language training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas beginning in September.&nbsp;The language training will ensure that all pilots have sufficient language skills to be able to fully comprehend the "complexities and specialized English required to fly the aircraft," Ryder said. &nbsp;The announcement further underscores the United States' long-term solidarity with Ukraine as it defends itself from Russia's unprovoked war of aggression. &nbsp;Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III highlighted that commitment earlier today in a statement marking Ukraine's 32nd anniversary of its independence. &nbsp;"The Ukrainian people have inspired the world with their courage and resolve to defend their right to live in a sovereign, democratic and free country," he said. &nbsp;"Today, as Ukraine commemorates another year of independence, the United States remains steadfast in our commitment to ensure that it can celebrate many more," he said. "We will support Ukraine for as long as it takes in its fight for its security and freedom."&nbsp;<a href="http://www.defense.gov/News/Author/135693/joseph-clark/">Joseph Clark</a>&nbsp;, DOD News&nbsp;

U.S. will train Ukrainian F-16 pilots, ground crews

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a registered violent offender for alleged sex crimes.

Just before 1p.m. August 24, police&nbsp;were dispatched to St. Joseph Hospital for a rape report, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.

Officers learned that 30-year-old Styles Crump had been identified as the suspect for this crime. 

Three weeks earlier,&nbsp; police arrested Crump for an earlier alleged rape. He was released from jail with GPS monitoring after posting bail with a local bondsman. Police quickly located and arrested him for the new alleged sexual assault.&nbsp;

Crump has been listed as a registered violent offender since a conviction in 2012 for criminal restraint involving a 16-year-old victim, according to online records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1693068563066.png" alt="Crump-KBI offender registry" />
 <figcaption>Crump-KBI offender registry</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a registered violent offender for alleged sex crimes.Just before 1p.m. August 24, police&nbsp;were dispatched to St. Joseph Hospital for a rape report, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.Officers learned that 30-year-old Styles Crump had been identified as the suspect for this crime. Three weeks earlier,&nbsp; police arrested Crump for an earlier alleged rape. He was released from jail with GPS monitoring after posting bail with a local bondsman. Police quickly located and arrested him for the new alleged sexual assault.&nbsp;Crump has been listed as a registered violent offender since a conviction in 2012 for criminal restraint involving a 16-year-old victim, according to online records.

Police: Kan. registered offender arrested 2nd time in 30 days for rape

WYANDOTTE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating another homicide in northeast Kansas.

Just after 7:30p.m. Friday, police responded to a shooting outside a business in the 5500 Block of Leavenworth Road, according to a media release.

&nbsp;Police found a man who was struck multiple times by gunfire. The suspects then fled the scene in a vehicle. EMS transported the victim&nbsp; &nbsp;to an area hospital, where he died from his injuries.&nbsp; &nbsp;Police have not

WYANDOTTE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating another homicide in northeast Kansas.Just after 7:30p.m. Friday, police responded to a shooting outside a business in the 5500 Block of Leavenworth Road, according to a media release.&nbsp;Police found a man who was struck multiple times by gunfire. The suspects then fled the scene in a vehicle. EMS transported the victim&nbsp; &nbsp;to an area hospital, where he died from his injuries.&nbsp; &nbsp;Police have not

Police: Man shot multiple times outside Kan. business has died

CAMDEN COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 7:30p.m. Saturday at Lake of the Ozarks.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 32-foot 2008 Crownline driven by Bobby G. Childers, 60, Sunrise Beach was operating too close to a dock. The vessel struck a large wake and then struck the breakwater.&nbsp;

A passenger identified as 44-year-old Nicolette L. McKenna, 44, Sunrise Beach, was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Alle Holman-Howe Funeral Home.

EMS transported Childrens and passengers Curtis J. Wilkie, 49, and Connor J. Wilkie, both of Kansas City to Lake Regional Hospital. All four were not wearing life jackets, according to the MSHP.

CAMDEN COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 7:30p.m. Saturday at Lake of the Ozarks.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 32-foot 2008 Crownline driven by Bobby G. Childers, 60, Sunrise Beach was operating too close to a dock. The vessel struck a large wake and then struck the breakwater.&nbsp;A passenger identified as 44-year-old Nicolette L. McKenna, 44, Sunrise Beach, was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Alle Holman-Howe Funeral Home.EMS transported Childrens and passengers Curtis J. Wilkie, 49, and Connor J. Wilkie, both of Kansas City to Lake Regional Hospital. All four were not wearing life jackets, according to the MSHP.

Woman dies, 2 from Kansas City injured at Lake of the Ozarks

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating another unique phone scam.

Sedgwick County Animal Control has recently become aware of a scam involving someone posing as an Animal Control officer over the phone, according to Sedgwick County Lt. Nathan Gibbs.

 These calls may be manipulated to appear as “Animal Control” on caller ID. On the calls, the scammer claims to have located a missing pet, that the pet is injured, and that immediate payment is required for the pet to receive emergency medical treatment. The scammer then attempts to collect credit card information or to receive payment through a mobile app. Individuals who have reported their pets missing online are the targets of the calls and this is a scam. 

Sedgwick County Animal Control will never call for credit card information or other forms of payment for an animal’s medical treatment. If you receive such a request, hang up and call Sedgwick County Animal Control at 316-660-7070.

Be wary of unsolicited requests for credit card or personal information over the phone, by email, or online.

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating another unique phone scam.Sedgwick County Animal Control has recently become aware of a scam involving someone posing as an Animal Control officer over the phone, according to Sedgwick County Lt. Nathan Gibbs. These calls may be manipulated to appear as “Animal Control” on caller ID. On the calls, the scammer claims to have located a missing pet, that the pet is injured, and that immediate payment is required for the pet to receive emergency medical treatment. The scammer then attempts to collect credit card information or to receive payment through a mobile app. Individuals who have reported their pets missing online are the targets of the calls and this is a scam. Sedgwick County Animal Control will never call for credit card information or other forms of payment for an animal’s medical treatment. If you receive such a request, hang up and call Sedgwick County Animal Control at 316-660-7070.Be wary of unsolicited requests for credit card or personal information over the phone, by email, or online.

Sheriff reports missing pet phone scam

By CASEY QUINLAN <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/02/19/rural-hospitals-gird-for-unwinding-of-pandemic-medicaid-coverage/">States Newsroom</a>

Almost two months after workplace accommodations for pregnant workers became law, the rules surrounding what employers can and cannot do have yet to be finalized — but that doesn’t mean the protections are not in place.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s proposed regulations are expected to offer more clarity once finalized, but workers can still access their rights under the new Pregnant Workers Fairness Act and employers are still required to understand the law and follow it.

Here’s what you need to know about why workers say the law was needed, what workers’ rights are under the law and employers’ obligations to employees.

Other federal laws cover the rights of pregnant workers but advocates have long argued that many of them are too narrow to address the situations pregnant workers face when they seek accommodations. The Americans with Disabilities Act, for instance, does not consider pregnancy to be a disability but pregnancy-related complications, such as preeclampsia, do qualify. Under the ADA, a pregnant worker can’t seek out an accommodation in the hope of preventing dangerous pregnancy-related complications.

The Pregnancy Discrimination Act, passed in 1978, prohibits discrimination against pregnant employees, but it’s difficult in practice for workers to receive accommodations under the law, because it requires finding another worker who received accommodations like the ones they’re seeking. This can be a challenging and time-consuming process because workers may not be aware of what kinds of accommodations their coworkers are seeking or may not have access to this information in the way their employer does.

Despite those laws,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://bipartisanpolicy.org/blog/bpc-morning-consult-pregnancy-discrimination/">23%</a>&nbsp;of mothers said in a survey last year that they had weighed whether or not to leave their job because their workplace lacked reasonable accommodations or they were worried about pregnancy discrimination.

The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, which passed in December, has been in the works for a decade.&nbsp;In the intervening years, states began taking their own action. As of April, 30 states — including Alaska, Colorado, Minnesota, and Tennessee — as well as the District of Columbia, and four localities, had similar laws to the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, some of which may offer stronger protections in certain situations than the PWFA,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.abetterbalance.org/resources/pregnant-worker-fairness-legislative-successes/">according to</a>&nbsp;A Better Balance, a worker advocacy nonprofit. Twenty states did not have state protections like these at the time of its state analysis, including Alabama, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Michigan. The nonprofit has a comprehensive&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.abetterbalance.org/resources/pregnant-worker-fairness-legislative-successes/">list</a>&nbsp;of state policies on pregnant workers’ rights.

Congress and federal agencies, employment agencies, labor organizations, private employers with 15 or more workers, and state and local governments with 15 or more workers are subject to the law, according to the EEOC.

While the rules haven’t been finalized, if you think your rights have been violated, you can already take action. On June 27, the EEOC began allowing workers to file charges under the law for violations that occurred on that day or later. Workers need to take this step before they can file a lawsuit against their employer. The law protects employees and job applicants who need accommodations because of pregnancy, childbirth, or conditions related to pregnancy and childbirth. Under the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, pregnant workers should be able to make requests for reasonable accommodations, such as closer parking, uniforms in their size, and additional rest time.

The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act is similar in many ways to the Americans with Disabilities Act. It does not require an employer to provide an accommodation if doing so would bring it “undue hardship,” or in other words, it would come at great difficulty or expense to the employer.

But the law is also a bit different than the ADA. Unlike the ADA, where the employee has to be able to do the essential functions of their job or they no longer qualify for accommodations, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act says that workers do not always have to be able to perform an essential function temporarily because of their pregnancy. It is expected that they will be able to resume those duties in the near future.

The EEOC’s proposed rules define the “near future,” or when workers will be able to perform essential functions of their job after being temporarily unable to do so, as generally going up to 40 weeks. This does not mean workers will always have 40 weeks but that needing 40 weeks doesn’t disqualify an employee for the accommodations. The regulations also say that if there are multiple options for effective accommodations, the employer should favor the worker’s preferred accommodation.

Liz Morris, deputy director for the Center for WorkLife Law, said applicants and new employees who want to work remotely because of their pregnancy will also be covered in the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act. Applicants can request accommodations during the hiring process itself, such as making modifications to a physical test. If a pregnant applicant anticipates that they will need adjustments from an employer because of their pregnancy, the applicant can agree to a general policy without accommodations and then request them once they are employed.

The EEOC regulations also get into detail about pregnancy-related medical conditions that apply to workers under the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, A Better Balance Vice President Elizabeth Gedmark said.

“…&nbsp;The proposed rule discusses pregnancy-related issues ranging from preterm labor to anxiety and depression while also making clear that limitations can also be ‘modest, minor, and/or episodic,’” she told States Newsroom over email.

Lactation, potential pregnancy, miscarriage, infertility and fertility treatments, and having an abortion are also listed in the regulation. An employee who needs to take leave because of a limitation due to a condition related to pregnancy and childbirth should qualify for that leave under the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, according to the proposed rules. The EEOC gives miscarriage and childbirth as examples of reasons for workers to take different forms of leave. The same definition of “near future” also applies. I

A Better Balance provides&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.abetterbalance.org/resources/sample-letters-to-give-to-your-employer-about-the-pregnant-workers-fairness-act/">sample letters</a>&nbsp;for employees to use when requesting work accommodations related to pregnancy.

The rules are going through a public comment period through Oct. 10, and Victor Chen, director of communications at the EEOC, told States Newsroom that employers are not required to follow the proposed rules just yet. But he added that the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act itself provides direction for employers. He suggested employers read the EEOC’s list of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.eeoc.gov/wysk/what-you-should-know-about-pregnant-workers-fairness-act">commonly asked questions</a>&nbsp;and listen to its&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftxYyTlXetE">webinar</a>. He said the EEOC “will move as quickly as possible to finalize the regulation” after the comment period closes.

Morris said that although the regulations aren’t set in stone, “If I were an employer, I would certainly follow them for now, as they are an excellent indication of how the law will ultimately be interpreted.”

The rules specify that employers can’t deny work to an applicant or employee because of their need for an accommodation, make a decision for a pregnant worker without any discussion on which accommodation they will receive or force them to go on leave if there is an accommodation they could take to continue working. They also can’t retaliate against workers for advocating for themselves under the law and reporting discrimination nor can they try to stop workers from enjoying their legal protections.

Michael Fallings, the managing partner of Tully Rinckey PLLC’s Austin office, who specializes in federal employment law, said he thinks it will be useful for employers to have more information on how to fairly treat pregnant workers seeking reasonable accommodations.

“I think it could be helpful for employers because I think some employers are in fear of litigation at times and now that you have a law in place that says what you can or cannot do, it provides some basis for the employers,” he said.

Morris said that employers should keep in mind that they need to swiftly provide accommodations and if they can’t, they should think about interim accommodations. The proposed EEOC regulations explain that an “unnecessary delay” could result in a violation of the law.

The future of the law and its regulations

The law’s regulations may be tweaked during the rulemaking process and could be eventually challenged in the courts. The Alliance Defending Freedom, which has been involved in numerous lawsuits challenging abortion rights,&nbsp; called the proposed regulations&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://adflegal.org/press-release/biden-admin-hijacks-pregnant-workers-law-impose-illegal-abortion-mandate">“federal overreach.”</a>&nbsp;The ADF, a legal advocacy group, has argued that the administration doesn’t have the legal authority to include abortion in its implementation. Morris said that accommodations related to abortion are reasonable to include because the EEOC has always defined pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions in the courts as including abortion.

Organizations that supported or opposed the law will also have the opportunity to suggest changes to the regulations. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce advocated for the passage of the law and will provide a public comment on parts of the rule that could be changed, the group told States Newsroom, but declined to elaborate on what should be revised.

Morris said her organization also plans to submit a public comment on the proposed EEOC regulations. She wants to see some revisions on the issue of medical certification to make it even easier for employees to receive accommodations.

“A shocking number of people don’t receive prenatal care because they don’t have access to it either because of financial barriers or because they live in a remote area where it’s difficult to travel to, to receive prenatal care,” she said.

By CASEY QUINLAN <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/02/19/rural-hospitals-gird-for-unwinding-of-pandemic-medicaid-coverage/">States Newsroom</a>Almost two months after workplace accommodations for pregnant workers became law, the rules surrounding what employers can and cannot do have yet to be finalized — but that doesn’t mean the protections are not in place.The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s proposed regulations are expected to offer more clarity once finalized, but workers can still access their rights under the new Pregnant Workers Fairness Act and employers are still required to understand the law and follow it.Here’s what you need to know about why workers say the law was needed, what workers’ rights are under the law and employers’ obligations to employees.<h2>Why the law was needed</h2>Other federal laws cover the rights of pregnant workers but advocates have long argued that many of them are too narrow to address the situations pregnant workers face when they seek accommodations. The Americans with Disabilities Act, for instance, does not consider pregnancy to be a disability but pregnancy-related complications, such as preeclampsia, do qualify. Under the ADA, a pregnant worker can’t seek out an accommodation in the hope of preventing dangerous pregnancy-related complications.The Pregnancy Discrimination Act, passed in 1978, prohibits discrimination against pregnant employees, but it’s difficult in practice for workers to receive accommodations under the law, because it requires finding another worker who received accommodations like the ones they’re seeking. This can be a challenging and time-consuming process because workers may not be aware of what kinds of accommodations their coworkers are seeking or may not have access to this information in the way their employer does.Despite those laws,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://bipartisanpolicy.org/blog/bpc-morning-consult-pregnancy-discrimination/">23%</a>&nbsp;of mothers said in a survey last year that they had weighed whether or not to leave their job because their workplace lacked reasonable accommodations or they were worried about pregnancy discrimination.The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, which passed in December, has been in the works for a decade.&nbsp;In the intervening years, states began taking their own action. As of April, 30 states — including Alaska, Colorado, Minnesota, and Tennessee — as well as the District of Columbia, and four localities, had similar laws to the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, some of which may offer stronger protections in certain situations than the PWFA,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.abetterbalance.org/resources/pregnant-worker-fairness-legislative-successes/">according to</a>&nbsp;A Better Balance, a worker advocacy nonprofit. Twenty states did not have state protections like these at the time of its state analysis, including Alabama, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Michigan. The nonprofit has a comprehensive&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.abetterbalance.org/resources/pregnant-worker-fairness-legislative-successes/">list</a>&nbsp;of state policies on pregnant workers’ rights.<h2>What your employee rights are</h2>Congress and federal agencies, employment agencies, labor organizations, private employers with 15 or more workers, and state and local governments with 15 or more workers are subject to the law, according to the EEOC.While the rules haven’t been finalized, if you think your rights have been violated, you can already take action. On June 27, the EEOC began allowing workers to file charges under the law for violations that occurred on that day or later. Workers need to take this step before they can file a lawsuit against their employer. The law protects employees and job applicants who need accommodations because of pregnancy, childbirth, or conditions related to pregnancy and childbirth. Under the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, pregnant workers should be able to make requests for reasonable accommodations, such as closer parking, uniforms in their size, and additional rest time.The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act is similar in many ways to the Americans with Disabilities Act. It does not require an employer to provide an accommodation if doing so would bring it “undue hardship,” or in other words, it would come at great difficulty or expense to the employer.But the law is also a bit different than the ADA. Unlike the ADA, where the employee has to be able to do the essential functions of their job or they no longer qualify for accommodations, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act says that workers do not always have to be able to perform an essential function temporarily because of their pregnancy. It is expected that they will be able to resume those duties in the near future.The EEOC’s proposed rules define the “near future,” or when workers will be able to perform essential functions of their job after being temporarily unable to do so, as generally going up to 40 weeks. This does not mean workers will always have 40 weeks but that needing 40 weeks doesn’t disqualify an employee for the accommodations. The regulations also say that if there are multiple options for effective accommodations, the employer should favor the worker’s preferred accommodation.Liz Morris, deputy director for the Center for WorkLife Law, said applicants and new employees who want to work remotely because of their pregnancy will also be covered in the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act. Applicants can request accommodations during the hiring process itself, such as making modifications to a physical test. If a pregnant applicant anticipates that they will need adjustments from an employer because of their pregnancy, the applicant can agree to a general policy without accommodations and then request them once they are employed.The EEOC regulations also get into detail about pregnancy-related medical conditions that apply to workers under the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, A Better Balance Vice President Elizabeth Gedmark said.“…&nbsp;The proposed rule discusses pregnancy-related issues ranging from preterm labor to anxiety and depression while also making clear that limitations can also be ‘modest, minor, and/or episodic,’” she told States Newsroom over email.Lactation, potential pregnancy, miscarriage, infertility and fertility treatments, and having an abortion are also listed in the regulation. An employee who needs to take leave because of a limitation due to a condition related to pregnancy and childbirth should qualify for that leave under the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, according to the proposed rules. The EEOC gives miscarriage and childbirth as examples of reasons for workers to take different forms of leave. The same definition of “near future” also applies. IA Better Balance provides&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.abetterbalance.org/resources/sample-letters-to-give-to-your-employer-about-the-pregnant-workers-fairness-act/">sample letters</a>&nbsp;for employees to use when requesting work accommodations related to pregnancy.<h2>What employers need to know</h2>The rules are going through a public comment period through Oct. 10, and Victor Chen, director of communications at the EEOC, told States Newsroom that employers are not required to follow the proposed rules just yet. But he added that the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act itself provides direction for employers. He suggested employers read the EEOC’s list of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.eeoc.gov/wysk/what-you-should-know-about-pregnant-workers-fairness-act">commonly asked questions</a>&nbsp;and listen to its&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftxYyTlXetE">webinar</a>. He said the EEOC “will move as quickly as possible to finalize the regulation” after the comment period closes.Morris said that although the regulations aren’t set in stone, “If I were an employer, I would certainly follow them for now, as they are an excellent indication of how the law will ultimately be interpreted.”The rules specify that employers can’t deny work to an applicant or employee because of their need for an accommodation, make a decision for a pregnant worker without any discussion on which accommodation they will receive or force them to go on leave if there is an accommodation they could take to continue working. They also can’t retaliate against workers for advocating for themselves under the law and reporting discrimination nor can they try to stop workers from enjoying their legal protections.Michael Fallings, the managing partner of Tully Rinckey PLLC’s Austin office, who specializes in federal employment law, said he thinks it will be useful for employers to have more information on how to fairly treat pregnant workers seeking reasonable accommodations.“I think it could be helpful for employers because I think some employers are in fear of litigation at times and now that you have a law in place that says what you can or cannot do, it provides some basis for the employers,” he said.Morris said that employers should keep in mind that they need to swiftly provide accommodations and if they can’t, they should think about interim accommodations. The proposed EEOC regulations explain that an “unnecessary delay” could result in a violation of the law.<h2>The future of the law and its regulations</h2>The law’s regulations may be tweaked during the rulemaking process and could be eventually challenged in the courts. The Alliance Defending Freedom, which has been involved in numerous lawsuits challenging abortion rights,&nbsp; called the proposed regulations&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://adflegal.org/press-release/biden-admin-hijacks-pregnant-workers-law-impose-illegal-abortion-mandate">“federal overreach.”</a>&nbsp;The ADF, a legal advocacy group, has argued that the administration doesn’t have the legal authority to include abortion in its implementation. Morris said that accommodations related to abortion are reasonable to include because the EEOC has always defined pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions in the courts as including abortion.Organizations that supported or opposed the law will also have the opportunity to suggest changes to the regulations. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce advocated for the passage of the law and will provide a public comment on parts of the rule that could be changed, the group told States Newsroom, but declined to elaborate on what should be revised.Morris said her organization also plans to submit a public comment on the proposed EEOC regulations. She wants to see some revisions on the issue of medical certification to make it even easier for employees to receive accommodations.“A shocking number of people don’t receive prenatal care because they don’t have access to it either because of financial barriers or because they live in a remote area where it’s difficult to travel to, to receive prenatal care,” she said.

Pregnant workers have new protections. Here’s what to expect

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Four months after he was shot in the head after ringing the doorbell at the wrong house to pick up his brothers,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ralph-yarl-kansas-city-wrong-door-b27aaabdb132fcb1544c97f7161f0027">Ralph Yarl</a>&nbsp;has begun his senior year in high school.

&nbsp;The man accused of shooting him will be in court this week.

Yarl's first day of school was Tuesday. “He was ready," his aunt, Faith Spoonmore said. “Ralph was ready to just go back to just being a teenager.”

Andrew Lester, 84,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ralph-yarl-shooting-updates-c13170d6759f2963b01a68fc8a6332f7">pleaded not guilty</a>&nbsp;to first-degree assault and armed criminal action in the April 13 shooting. His preliminary hearing is Aug. 31.

Lester told authorities that he shot Yarl through the door without warning because he was “scared to death” he was about to be robbed by the Black person standing there. Yarl was struck in the head and the arm. The case shocked the country and renewed national debates about gun policies and race in America.

Yarl continues to heal from the traumatic brain injury he suffered, but was still able to complete an engineering internship this summer.

Support for Yarl and his family poured in throughout the past few months. A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/nf36y-cover-medical-expenses">GoFundMe</a>&nbsp;set up on the family's behalf raised nearly $3.5 million.

The high school musician was also gifted a new bass clarinet — a professional model purchased with donations to a GoFundMe drive set up by a group of U.S. and Canadian musicians.

For the fall, Yarl's family is planning college trips. They expect to visit the Georgia Institute of Technology, the University of Michigan, Texas A&amp;M University and Purdue University. Yarl hopes to study engineering.

He also has an upcoming trip to the White House after President Joe Biden extended an invitation shortly after the shooting. A date has not yet been set.

Yarl and his family will have the opportunity to face his alleged assailant at Lester's court hearing next week.

“In our mind, and in a lot of people’s minds, it’s a simple case and what happened was wrong and it should not have happened,” she said, “and the person that did it should be punished for their actions.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681726215314.png" alt="Ralph Yarl photo GoFundMe" />
 <figcaption>Ralph Yarl photo GoFundMe</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — Four months after he was shot in the head after ringing the doorbell at the wrong house to pick up his brothers,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ralph-yarl-kansas-city-wrong-door-b27aaabdb132fcb1544c97f7161f0027">Ralph Yarl</a>&nbsp;has begun his senior year in high school.&nbsp;The man accused of shooting him will be in court this week.Yarl's first day of school was Tuesday. “He was ready," his aunt, Faith Spoonmore said. “Ralph was ready to just go back to just being a teenager.”Andrew Lester, 84,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ralph-yarl-shooting-updates-c13170d6759f2963b01a68fc8a6332f7">pleaded not guilty</a>&nbsp;to first-degree assault and armed criminal action in the April 13 shooting. His preliminary hearing is Aug. 31.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681844207619.png" alt="Lester-photo Clay Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Lester-photo Clay Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>Lester told authorities that he shot Yarl through the door without warning because he was “scared to death” he was about to be robbed by the Black person standing there. Yarl was struck in the head and the arm. The case shocked the country and renewed national debates about gun policies and race in America.Yarl continues to heal from the traumatic brain injury he suffered, but was still able to complete an engineering internship this summer.Support for Yarl and his family poured in throughout the past few months. A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/nf36y-cover-medical-expenses">GoFundMe</a>&nbsp;set up on the family's behalf raised nearly $3.5 million.The high school musician was also gifted a new bass clarinet — a professional model purchased with donations to a GoFundMe drive set up by a group of U.S. and Canadian musicians.For the fall, Yarl's family is planning college trips. They expect to visit the Georgia Institute of Technology, the University of Michigan, Texas A&amp;M University and Purdue University. Yarl hopes to study engineering.He also has an upcoming trip to the White House after President Joe Biden extended an invitation shortly after the shooting. A date has not yet been set.Yarl and his family will have the opportunity to face his alleged assailant at Lester's court hearing next week.“It’s scary,” Spoonmore said.“In our mind, and in a lot of people’s minds, it’s a simple case and what happened was wrong and it should not have happened,” she said, “and the person that did it should be punished for their actions.”

Ralph Yarl begins senior year; man who shot him faces KC court hearing

ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that critically injured a woman in Atchison.

Just after 4p.m. Saturday, a 19-year-old woman from Columbia, Missouri sitting in a vehicle in the 400 block U Street in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.&nbsp; A&nbsp;person drove up next to the vehicle and fired a single shot.

A private vehicle transported the woman to a local hospital. She was later transferred to a Kansas City hospital, according to Wilson. Police have not reported an arrest or additional details.

ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that critically injured a woman in Atchison.Just after 4p.m. Saturday, a 19-year-old woman from Columbia, Missouri sitting in a vehicle in the 400 block U Street in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.&nbsp; A&nbsp;person drove up next to the vehicle and fired a single shot.A private vehicle transported the woman to a local hospital. She was later transferred to a Kansas City hospital, according to Wilson. Police have not reported an arrest or additional details.

Woman injured in Kansas drive-by shooting

GEARY COUNTY —One person was injured in a crash during a chase by law enforcement just before 10:30p.m. Saturday in Geary County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Yamaha motorcycle driven by 23-year-old Calvin D.&nbsp;Amacker Jr.&nbsp; of Junction City was westbound in the 300 Block of Ash Street actively fleeing from Law Enforcement. 

The driver took the curve in the roadway too quickly. The motorcycle left the roadway to the south, struck a utility junction box and the driver was ejected.

EMS transported Amacker Jr. to Stormont Vail Junction City for treatment of serious injuries. He was wearing a helmet, according to the KHP.&nbsp; Authorities have not released details on what prompted the chase or possible charges.

GEARY COUNTY —One person was injured in a crash during a chase by law enforcement just before 10:30p.m. Saturday in Geary County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Yamaha motorcycle driven by 23-year-old Calvin D.&nbsp;Amacker Jr.&nbsp; of Junction City was westbound in the 300 Block of Ash Street actively fleeing from Law Enforcement. The driver took the curve in the roadway too quickly. The motorcycle left the roadway to the south, struck a utility junction box and the driver was ejected.EMS transported Amacker Jr. to Stormont Vail Junction City for treatment of serious injuries. He was wearing a helmet, according to the KHP.&nbsp; Authorities have not released details on what prompted the chase or possible charges.

Kansas man injured after crash during police chase

WASHINGTON (AP) — Thousands converged Saturday on the National Mall for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/march-on-washington-mlk-dream-speech-sharpton-062039daf026d65cbbae914456ba0543">60th anniversary</a>&nbsp;of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s March on Washington, saying a country that remains riven by racial inequality has yet to fulfill his dream.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?529724-1/60th-anniversary-march-washington">Click here to watch </a>a replay of the festivities

“We have made progress, over the last 60 years, since Dr. King led the March on Washington," said Alphonso David, president and CEO of the Global Black Economic Forum. “Have we reached the mountaintop? Not by a long shot."

The event was convened by the Kings’ Drum Major Institute and the Rev.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/al-sharpton">Al Sharpton</a>&nbsp;'s National Action Network. A host of Black civil rights leaders and a multiracial, interfaith coalition of allies rallied attendees on the same spot where as many as 250,000 gathered in 1963 for what is still considered one of the greatest and most consequential racial justice and equality demonstrations in U.S. history.

Inevitably, Saturday's event was shot through with contrasts to the initial, historic demonstration. Speakers and banners talked about the importance of LGBTQ and Asian American rights. Many who addressed the crowd were women after only one was given the microphone in 1963.

Pamela Mays McDonald of Philadelphia attended the initial march as a child. “I was 8 years old at the original March and only one woman was allowed to speak — she was from Arkansas where I’m from — now look at how many women are on the podium today,” she said.

For some, the contrasts between the size of the original demonstration and the more modest turnout Saturday were bittersweet. “I often look back and look over to the reflection pool and the Washington Monument and I see a quarter of a million people 60 years ago and just a trickling now," said Marsha Dean Phelts of Amelia Island, Florida. “It was more fired up then. But the things we were asking for and needing, we still need them today.”

As speakers delivered messages, they were overshadowed by the sounds of passenger planes taking off from Ronald Reagan National Airport. Rugby games were underway along the Mall in close proximity to the Lincoln Memorial while joggers and bikers went about their routines.

Yolanda King, the 15-year-old granddaughter of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., roused marchers with remarks delivered from the same spot her grandfather gave the “I Have A Dream” speech sixty years ago.

“If I could speak to my grandfather today, I would say I’m sorry we still have to be here to rededicate ourselves to finishing your work and ultimately realizing your dream,” she said. “Today, racism is still with us. Poverty is still with us. And now, gun violence has come for places of worship, our schools and our shopping centers.”

From the podium, Sharpton promised more demonstrations to push back against injustices, new and old.

“Sixty years ago Martin Luther King talked about a dream. Sixty years later we’re the dreamers. The problem is we’re facing the schemers,” Sharpton said. “The dreamers are fighting for voting rights. The schemers are changing voter regulations in states. The dreamers are standing up for women’s right to choose. The schemers are arguing whether they are going to make you stop at six weeks or 15 weeks."

After the speeches, the crowd marched to the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial.

Several leaders from groups organizing the march met Friday with Attorney General&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/merrick-garland">Merrick Garland</a>&nbsp;and Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the civil rights division, to discuss a range of issues, including voting rights, policing and redlining.

Saturday's gathering was a precursor to the actual anniversary of the Aug. 28, 1963 March on Washington. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/march-washington-biden-harris-1963-king-b8e4d25a9807d0be61099839044d4f02">observe the march anniversary</a>&nbsp;on Monday by meeting with organizers of the 1963 gathering. All of King’s children have been invited to meet with Biden, White House officials said.

Martin Luther King Jr.'s Washington remarks have resounded through decades of push and pull toward progress in civil and human rights. But dark moments followed his speech, too.

Two weeks later in 1963, four Black girls were killed in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/today-in-history-africa-united-states-bombings-cd946a2825508f6c3424c6a4459b6fa4">the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing</a>&nbsp;in Birmingham, Alabama, followed by the kidnapping and murder of three civil rights workers in Neshoba County, Mississippi the following year. The tragedies spurred passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

The voting rights marches from Montgomery to Selma, Alabama, in which marchers were brutally beaten while crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge in what became known as “Bloody Sunday,” forced Congress to adopt the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Speakers warned that King's unfinished dream was in danger of being further whittled away. “I’m very concerned about the direction our country is going in," Martin Luther King III said. "And it is because instead of moving forward, it feels as if we’re moving back. The question is, what are we going to do?”

Rosetta Manns-Baugh knew the answer: Keep fighting.

“I think we have accomplished a lot, but I also think we lost." said Manns-Baugh, who was a Trailways bus counter worker in 1963 when she left her seven children and husband at home in Virginia to come to D.C. Now she's so disillusioned she's stopped singing “We Shall Overcome,” the anthem of the civil rights movement.

But even at age 92, she returned to Washington for the 60th anniversary, bringing three generations of her family, all the way down to her 18-month-old grandchild. “I think that’s why we all are here because we do expect the world to get better," Manns-Baugh said. "We can’t stop working at it that’s for sure.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1693097195088.png" alt="After the speeches, the crowd marched to the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial.-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>After the speeches, the crowd marched to the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial.-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Thousands converged Saturday on the National Mall for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/march-on-washington-mlk-dream-speech-sharpton-062039daf026d65cbbae914456ba0543">60th anniversary</a>&nbsp;of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s March on Washington, saying a country that remains riven by racial inequality has yet to fulfill his dream.<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?529724-1/60th-anniversary-march-washington">Click here to watch </a>a replay of the festivities“We have made progress, over the last 60 years, since Dr. King led the March on Washington," said Alphonso David, president and CEO of the Global Black Economic Forum. “Have we reached the mountaintop? Not by a long shot."The event was convened by the Kings’ Drum Major Institute and the Rev.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/al-sharpton">Al Sharpton</a>&nbsp;'s National Action Network. A host of Black civil rights leaders and a multiracial, interfaith coalition of allies rallied attendees on the same spot where as many as 250,000 gathered in 1963 for what is still considered one of the greatest and most consequential racial justice and equality demonstrations in U.S. history.Inevitably, Saturday's event was shot through with contrasts to the initial, historic demonstration. Speakers and banners talked about the importance of LGBTQ and Asian American rights. Many who addressed the crowd were women after only one was given the microphone in 1963.Pamela Mays McDonald of Philadelphia attended the initial march as a child. “I was 8 years old at the original March and only one woman was allowed to speak — she was from Arkansas where I’m from — now look at how many women are on the podium today,” she said.For some, the contrasts between the size of the original demonstration and the more modest turnout Saturday were bittersweet. “I often look back and look over to the reflection pool and the Washington Monument and I see a quarter of a million people 60 years ago and just a trickling now," said Marsha Dean Phelts of Amelia Island, Florida. “It was more fired up then. But the things we were asking for and needing, we still need them today.”As speakers delivered messages, they were overshadowed by the sounds of passenger planes taking off from Ronald Reagan National Airport. Rugby games were underway along the Mall in close proximity to the Lincoln Memorial while joggers and bikers went about their routines.Yolanda King, the 15-year-old granddaughter of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., roused marchers with remarks delivered from the same spot her grandfather gave the “I Have A Dream” speech sixty years ago.“If I could speak to my grandfather today, I would say I’m sorry we still have to be here to rededicate ourselves to finishing your work and ultimately realizing your dream,” she said. “Today, racism is still with us. Poverty is still with us. And now, gun violence has come for places of worship, our schools and our shopping centers.”From the podium, Sharpton promised more demonstrations to push back against injustices, new and old.“Sixty years ago Martin Luther King talked about a dream. Sixty years later we’re the dreamers. The problem is we’re facing the schemers,” Sharpton said. “The dreamers are fighting for voting rights. The schemers are changing voter regulations in states. The dreamers are standing up for women’s right to choose. The schemers are arguing whether they are going to make you stop at six weeks or 15 weeks."After the speeches, the crowd marched to the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial.Several leaders from groups organizing the march met Friday with Attorney General&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/merrick-garland">Merrick Garland</a>&nbsp;and Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the civil rights division, to discuss a range of issues, including voting rights, policing and redlining.Saturday's gathering was a precursor to the actual anniversary of the Aug. 28, 1963 March on Washington. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/march-washington-biden-harris-1963-king-b8e4d25a9807d0be61099839044d4f02">observe the march anniversary</a>&nbsp;on Monday by meeting with organizers of the 1963 gathering. All of King’s children have been invited to meet with Biden, White House officials said.Martin Luther King Jr.'s Washington remarks have resounded through decades of push and pull toward progress in civil and human rights. But dark moments followed his speech, too.Two weeks later in 1963, four Black girls were killed in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/today-in-history-africa-united-states-bombings-cd946a2825508f6c3424c6a4459b6fa4">the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing</a>&nbsp;in Birmingham, Alabama, followed by the kidnapping and murder of three civil rights workers in Neshoba County, Mississippi the following year. The tragedies spurred passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.The voting rights marches from Montgomery to Selma, Alabama, in which marchers were brutally beaten while crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge in what became known as “Bloody Sunday,” forced Congress to adopt the Voting Rights Act of 1965.Speakers warned that King's unfinished dream was in danger of being further whittled away. “I’m very concerned about the direction our country is going in," Martin Luther King III said. "And it is because instead of moving forward, it feels as if we’re moving back. The question is, what are we going to do?”Rosetta Manns-Baugh knew the answer: Keep fighting.“I think we have accomplished a lot, but I also think we lost." said Manns-Baugh, who was a Trailways bus counter worker in 1963 when she left her seven children and husband at home in Virginia to come to D.C. Now she's so disillusioned she's stopped singing “We Shall Overcome,” the anthem of the civil rights movement.But even at age 92, she returned to Washington for the 60th anniversary, bringing three generations of her family, all the way down to her 18-month-old grandchild. “I think that’s why we all are here because we do expect the world to get better," Manns-Baugh said. "We can’t stop working at it that’s for sure.”___

🎥Thousands mark the March on Washington’s 60th anniversary

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A man accused of driving a car involved in a crash that killed a Kansas woman is going to prison.

This week, Jerry Batts, 31, was sentenced to just over 7 years in prison, according to the Sedgwick County district attorney's office.

In November of 2019, Batts was driving a Ford Escape and did not stop at the posted stop sign at the intersection of North Charles Street and&nbsp;West 53rd Street in Wichita, according to police.

The Ford struck a Honda passenger vehicle, rolled and struck power pole.

A passenger in the Ford identified as 28-year-old Sierra Frost of Wichita died in the crash, according to police. Batts and the 72-year-old driver of the Honda were not injured.

&nbsp;Batts pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1648843964955.png" alt="Batts-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Batts-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A man accused of driving a car involved in a crash that killed a Kansas woman is going to prison.This week, Jerry Batts, 31, was sentenced to just over 7 years in prison, according to the Sedgwick County district attorney's office.In November of 2019, Batts was driving a Ford Escape and did not stop at the posted stop sign at the intersection of North Charles Street and&nbsp;West 53rd Street in Wichita, according to police.The Ford struck a Honda passenger vehicle, rolled and struck power pole.A passenger in the Ford identified as 28-year-old Sierra Frost of Wichita died in the crash, according to police. Batts and the 72-year-old driver of the Honda were not injured.&nbsp;Batts pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter.

Man sentenced for crash that killed Kansas woman

ELLIS COUNTY —An Ellis County grand jury returned an indictment charging Ahmed Bandiou Keita and 34-year-old Kassie Lynn Day with one count each of first-degree murder for a child's death, according to a media release from the Ellis County Attorney's office.

The sole charge alleges that on May 14, 2015, in Ellis County,&nbsp; Keita and Day&nbsp; killed an infant, Marie Claire Keita while abusing the child.

On Thursday, police arrested Day and took her into custody. She is being held in the Ellis County Jail on a $500,000 bond.&nbsp;

There is an active arrest warrant for Ahmed Keita. His specific whereabouts are unknown at this time, according to the county attorney.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1693090448638.png" alt="Day-photo Ellis Co." />
 <figcaption>Day-photo Ellis Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>ELLIS COUNTY —An Ellis County grand jury returned an indictment charging Ahmed Bandiou Keita and 34-year-old Kassie Lynn Day with one count each of first-degree murder for a child's death, according to a media release from the Ellis County Attorney's office.The sole charge alleges that on May 14, 2015, in Ellis County,&nbsp; Keita and Day&nbsp; killed an infant, Marie Claire Keita while abusing the child.On Thursday, police arrested Day and took her into custody. She is being held in the Ellis County Jail on a $500,000 bond.&nbsp;There is an active arrest warrant for Ahmed Keita. His specific whereabouts are unknown at this time, according to the county attorney.

2 accused in 2015 abuse death of infant in NW Kansas

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating the murder of a woman and have made an arrest.

Upon arrival at the 21st Street address, officers contacted 22-year-old Alexander Lewis and located the body of a 19-year-old woman in the trunk of his vehicle. Officers pulled her body out of the trunk and provided life-saving measures until EMS arrived on the scene. 

She was later pronounced deceased by EMS. Police arrested Lewis on requested charges of first-degree murder.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1693080884540.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation Saturday-photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation Saturday-photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating the murder of a woman and have made an arrest.Just after 11a.m. Saturday, 911 dispatch in Sedgwick County received a call from a 911 operator from North Carolina reporting a possible homicide in the Wichita area, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo. Based on the information given to the North Carolina 911 operator by a family member of the suspect, Wichita police officers were sent to two different locations, the 3900 block of E 17th Street North in Wichita and the 7600 block of E 21st Street N in Wichita.Upon arrival at the 21st Street address, officers contacted 22-year-old Alexander Lewis and located the body of a 19-year-old woman in the trunk of his vehicle. Officers pulled her body out of the trunk and provided life-saving measures until EMS arrived on the scene. She was later pronounced deceased by EMS. Police arrested Lewis on requested charges of first-degree murder.The investigators are still working to fully determine what led up to the fatal incident and how the woman died.

Kan. woman's body found in car trunk after out-of-state 911 call

MCPHERSON COUNTY—A Kansas pilot had a mishap with his aircraft just before noon Saturday in McPherson County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1941&nbsp; Piper&nbsp;Fixed-Wing Single Engine Aircraft piloted by&nbsp; Justin T.&nbsp; Coletti, 33, Salina, lost a piece of his door off of the plane.

The aircraft was circling around to locate but landed in a field&nbsp;500 yards East of 25th Avenue and Arapaho Road southeast of Moundridge.

The pilot aborted the takeoff because there was not enough distance for a safe takeoff and landed again.&nbsp; While the plane was rolling, the pilot had a hard brake when coming to a stop, nosed into the ground and put a slight dent in the propeller blades. There were no injuries.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1693080298945.png" alt="Approximate location of the mishap -Google map" />
 <figcaption>Approximate location of the mishap -Google map</figcaption>
 </figure>MCPHERSON COUNTY—A Kansas pilot had a mishap with his aircraft just before noon Saturday in McPherson County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1941&nbsp; Piper&nbsp;Fixed-Wing Single Engine Aircraft piloted by&nbsp; Justin T.&nbsp; Coletti, 33, Salina, lost a piece of his door off of the plane.The aircraft was circling around to locate but landed in a field&nbsp;500 yards East of 25th Avenue and Arapaho Road southeast of Moundridge.The pilot aborted the takeoff because there was not enough distance for a safe takeoff and landed again.&nbsp; While the plane was rolling, the pilot had a hard brake when coming to a stop, nosed into the ground and put a slight dent in the propeller blades. There were no injuries.

Kansas pilot avoids injury after small plane mishap

By SAM BAILEY <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/06/grieving-moms-plea-to-kansas-lawmakers-do-something-this-epidemic-is-killing-our-kids/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Kylie Forney spent her whole life training to play collegiate softball, a dream deferred by a year because of a shoulder injury easily avoided with better attention for women in athletics.

She had experienced pain in her shoulder for years until it became unbearable the summer before she entered her freshman year on the softball team at the University of Texas at San Antonio in 2022. She had torn the labrum and rotator cuff in her shoulder.

The injury, requiring her to wear a sling and receive a medical redshirt her first collegiate softball season, could have been avoided with gender-specific resources and weight training. As a student-athlete at Andover High School, she often lifted too-heavy weights above her head and strained muscles in her body when she overcompensated to complete the lift.

When Forney tried to receive medical attention for her shoulder and other injuries accumulated throughout her career, she found that football players and other male athletes received priority. Sometimes, she said, women are left waiting for treatment if a man needs something.

“I feel they think we are sissies, and weak, and that we have a low tolerance for pain,” Forney said. “That we come off as if we are complaining about every injury. Whereas in my mind, being a college athlete, we worked so hard our entire childhood to get here. Why would we complain about an injury that can keep us from playing the game we love?”

In April, the Kansas Legislature overrode Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto and passed&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2238/">House Bill 2238</a>. The law bans transgender girls from playing sports at publicly funded educational institutions or at a private postsecondary institution that competes against the public entities.

Opponents of the “fairness in women’s sports act,” as the bill is called, said the attack on transgender children was a solution to a problem that didn’t exist and ignored real fairness problems that female athletes face.

The Kansas State High School Activities Association reported approximately two student athletes in Kansas would be affected by the legislation.

“Let’s be clear about what this bill is all about — politics,” Kelly said. “It won’t increase any test scores. It won’t help any kids read or write. It won’t help any teachers prepare our kids for the real world. Here’s what this bill would actually do: harm the mental health of our students.”

HB 2238 opened the conversation in Kansas about fairness in women’s sports, but women have been battling equality issues in athletics for decades. None of those sometimes dangerous imbalances are mentioned in the “fairness in women’s sports act.”

In Kansas, 16,000 more boys played high school sports than girls in the 2022 school year,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nfhs.org/media/5989280/2021-22_participation_survey.pdf">according to a survey</a>&nbsp;conducted by the National Federation of State High School Associations.

In December, the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/03635465221131281">American Journal of Sports Medicine</a>&nbsp;released a study reviewing more than 650 sports medicine studies. They found only 8.8% of the studies focused solely on female athletes, while 70.7% focused solely on male athletes and 20.5% focused on both.

Donnavan Dillon,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.loudlight.org/">Loud Light’s</a>&nbsp;Topeka and Lawrence organizer and a junior at the University of Kansas, followed LGBTQ legislation last session and said the law isn’t about transgender issues, but sexism in general. He said there were experts who came to the legislative sessions to speak about the science behind being transgender, but politicians didn’t listen.

Dillon said while the bill is framed around protecting women in sports, there is no progress being made on paying women’s coaches more, gaining resources for athletes, and equality in funding.

It’s “sexism from a new lens,” he said.

“All this boils down to sexism, and the Legislature (is) putting forward policies that just show how much they hate women and are sexist — whether it’s abortion bans, this bill, there’s just so many instances of that throughout the legislative session,” Dillon said. “I think it’s appalling.”

This year, more than 520 anti-LGBTQ bills were introduced in state legislatures, according to the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.hrc.org/press-releases/roundup-of-anti-lgbtq-legislation-advancing-in-states-across-the-country">Human Rights Campaign</a>.

Seventeen states — including Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma — have banned transgender students from competing in sports consistent with their gender identity, according to the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.lgbtmap.org/equality-maps/youth/sports_participation_bans">Movement Advancement Project</a>. Five other states have court orders blocking similar bans.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692719265721.png" alt=" Kylie Forney works out Aug. 8. Forney is about to enter her first softball season after a shoulder injury that she said could have been avoided with more attention to women's athletics. (Sam Bailey/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Kylie Forney works out Aug. 8. Forney is about to enter her first softball season after a shoulder injury that she said could have been avoided with more attention to women's athletics. (Sam Bailey/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By SAM BAILEY <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/06/grieving-moms-plea-to-kansas-lawmakers-do-something-this-epidemic-is-killing-our-kids/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Kylie Forney spent her whole life training to play collegiate softball, a dream deferred by a year because of a shoulder injury easily avoided with better attention for women in athletics.She had experienced pain in her shoulder for years until it became unbearable the summer before she entered her freshman year on the softball team at the University of Texas at San Antonio in 2022. She had torn the labrum and rotator cuff in her shoulder.The injury, requiring her to wear a sling and receive a medical redshirt her first collegiate softball season, could have been avoided with gender-specific resources and weight training. As a student-athlete at Andover High School, she often lifted too-heavy weights above her head and strained muscles in her body when she overcompensated to complete the lift.When Forney tried to receive medical attention for her shoulder and other injuries accumulated throughout her career, she found that football players and other male athletes received priority. Sometimes, she said, women are left waiting for treatment if a man needs something.“I feel they think we are sissies, and weak, and that we have a low tolerance for pain,” Forney said. “That we come off as if we are complaining about every injury. Whereas in my mind, being a college athlete, we worked so hard our entire childhood to get here. Why would we complain about an injury that can keep us from playing the game we love?”In April, the Kansas Legislature overrode Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto and passed&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2238/">House Bill 2238</a>. The law bans transgender girls from playing sports at publicly funded educational institutions or at a private postsecondary institution that competes against the public entities.Opponents of the “fairness in women’s sports act,” as the bill is called, said the attack on transgender children was a solution to a problem that didn’t exist and ignored real fairness problems that female athletes face.The Kansas State High School Activities Association reported approximately two student athletes in Kansas would be affected by the legislation.“Let’s be clear about what this bill is all about — politics,” Kelly said. “It won’t increase any test scores. It won’t help any kids read or write. It won’t help any teachers prepare our kids for the real world. Here’s what this bill would actually do: harm the mental health of our students.”HB 2238 opened the conversation in Kansas about fairness in women’s sports, but women have been battling equality issues in athletics for decades. None of those sometimes dangerous imbalances are mentioned in the “fairness in women’s sports act.”In Kansas, 16,000 more boys played high school sports than girls in the 2022 school year,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nfhs.org/media/5989280/2021-22_participation_survey.pdf">according to a survey</a>&nbsp;conducted by the National Federation of State High School Associations.In December, the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/03635465221131281">American Journal of Sports Medicine</a>&nbsp;released a study reviewing more than 650 sports medicine studies. They found only 8.8% of the studies focused solely on female athletes, while 70.7% focused solely on male athletes and 20.5% focused on both.Donnavan Dillon,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.loudlight.org/">Loud Light’s</a>&nbsp;Topeka and Lawrence organizer and a junior at the University of Kansas, followed LGBTQ legislation last session and said the law isn’t about transgender issues, but sexism in general. He said there were experts who came to the legislative sessions to speak about the science behind being transgender, but politicians didn’t listen.Dillon said while the bill is framed around protecting women in sports, there is no progress being made on paying women’s coaches more, gaining resources for athletes, and equality in funding.It’s “sexism from a new lens,” he said.“All this boils down to sexism, and the Legislature (is) putting forward policies that just show how much they hate women and are sexist — whether it’s abortion bans, this bill, there’s just so many instances of that throughout the legislative session,” Dillon said. “I think it’s appalling.”This year, more than 520 anti-LGBTQ bills were introduced in state legislatures, according to the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.hrc.org/press-releases/roundup-of-anti-lgbtq-legislation-advancing-in-states-across-the-country">Human Rights Campaign</a>.Seventeen states — including Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma — have banned transgender students from competing in sports consistent with their gender identity, according to the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.lgbtmap.org/equality-maps/youth/sports_participation_bans">Movement Advancement Project</a>. Five other states have court orders blocking similar bans.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692719135554.png" alt=" Mayah Martin in Holcom Park in Lawrence where her Rugby team practices. (Sam Bailey/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Mayah Martin in Holcom Park in Lawrence where her Rugby team practices. (Sam Bailey/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Facing off against doubts&nbsp;</h2>Last year, Mayah Martin, a University of Kansas club rugby player, was tabling at an event to spread the word about her team. She received multiple comments from men about how rugby is too rough for girls and how different it must be from the male side of the sport.&nbsp;She said even in her personal life, when she brings up playing, she hears comments about how there’s no way she plays rugby.“I’m quite the girly-girl of the group, I would say, so people automatically assume that I’m either lying for whatever reason, or that there’s no possible way a girl could be playing a sport like that,” Martin said. “People need to just realize that it shouldn’t be as taboo as it is, and if you want to play a sport, you can. It shouldn’t be some huge controversy that I like to tackle people.”Martin said having the public constantly question you can shake your confidence. She said she’s glad to have such a deep-rooted love for sports that it doesn’t bother her, but such doubts have the potential to affect someone just coming into athletics.In the 2021-2022 school year, 4.4 million boys and 3.2 million girls played sports in United States high schools,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nfhs.org/media/5989280/2021-22_participation_survey.pdf">according to a survey</a>&nbsp;conducted by NFHS. In the 1971-1972 school year, 3.7 million boys and about 300,000 girls played.That means, in 2022, fewer girls participated in high school sports than boys did in 1972.The legislation created to increase fairness in these sports does not reference any incentive to increase participation of girls in sports — it only stops transgender girls from competing with their peers.At the collegiate level, widespread participation in women’s sports only began to surface in the 1960s.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692719194730.png" alt=" Joyce Pigge in a huddle with the 1972-1973 Bethany College basketball team in Lindsborg. (Submitted)" />
 <figcaption> Joyce Pigge in a huddle with the 1972-1973 Bethany College basketball team in Lindsborg. (Submitted)</figcaption>
 </figure>Joyce Pigge, a political science professor at Bethany College who retired recently after 50 years of teaching and coaching, took charge of the women’s intramural sports program after graduating from college in 1967.When she was growing up in Illinois, there were no opportunities for girls or women to play sports. But always being around athletics, she found herself in charge of the program. In 1971, she noticed great potential in the women athletes and asked to start a basketball team.The first year, they played only two or three games. The team ended the latest season 20-8.Pigge also had a hand in creating the women’s volleyball, softball and tennis teams at Bethany. Elsewhere in Kansas, Pigge said, the pioneers of women’s sports were making history.In 1968, Kansas State University held its first women’s intercollegiate basketball game. At the University of Kansas, Marlene Mawson helped&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/06/24/how-we-worked-to-establish-womens-intercollegiate-athletics-in-kansas-before-title-ix/">build the foundation</a>&nbsp;for women’s intercollegiate athletics.“I look back on those times fondly, because it didn’t matter if you were big KU or a little Bethany, we were all in the same place,” Pigge said. “We were playing each other. We were scheduling together. It was just camaraderie, because it was all about offering opportunities for the women who were on our campuses.”In 1972, Richard Nixon signed Title IX into law, prohibiting sex discrimination in any federally funded programs and requiring equal opportunities for men and women.The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/a-title-ix-timeline/">NCAA challenged</a>&nbsp;the legality of Title IX and lost.<h2>Dangers of doubt</h2>NiJaree Canady graduated from Topeka High School in 2022 and completed her first year at Stanford University as a pitcher for the softball team. Last season, the team played in the Women’s College World Series, and she secured the win against Washington University to send Stanford into the semifinals.Before her success at the collegiate level, she played basketball and softball in high school, qualifying for the state tournament three times in basketball and winning back-to-back state titles her junior and senior year in softball.“If you Googled ‘Topeka High basketball schedule,’ our male schedule would come up, even though we were one of the most dominating teams in the state at that time,” she said.Canady said there is an imbalance in expectations of women in sports. Thinking back to her basketball career, she said if she and her teammates got excited in the game, they would often receive a warning. Then she would watch the boy’s game and sometimes see players yelling at the referees, being far more aggressive, and not receive a warning.She said she found herself at the beginning of her career being quiet, shutting herself down and not saying anything that could be seen as emotional.However, she eventually learned if the men could do it, so could she, asking: “Why should female athletes have to conform?”Canady said she sees the pressure to push down emotion in coaches who are women. She believes they aren’t allowed to speak and act as freely as their male counterparts.Laura Moreno serves as dean of athletics at Bethany and is the first woman to do so. She said people sometimes only see emotion coming from a passion for sports. She also said how that passion is perceived and accepted can be different between men and women.“The passion and dedication and prioritization that you show as a female in athletics, I think, can be taken very differently than it is as a male in athletics,” Moreno said, “If a female celebrates or comes across with fiery passion, that can be looked at in a much different light than it is when a male does that same thing.”The way the public views women’s athletics is a part of the history of women’s sports, from early rulebooks written as less competitive than men’s sports to women athletes being brought into the mainstream and men suddenly showing interest.The NCAA hosted its first women’s championship, previously held by the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women, in 1982. Throughout the increase of women’s sports, the coaching positions started to be paid more, and in turn, men began to want to coach the teams. Additionally, since women were now integrated into the established sports of the universities, the women who administered the women’s divisions in the schools&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/women-college-sports-ncaa-aiaw-11617422325">lost their jobs</a>.Pigge said through this time, and even now, people often blame women if a men’s sport gets cut, saying it is the women’s fault because they want to be equal.“Title IX obviously did much to change the landscape of things, but it’s still an issue where a school will eliminate a team and they say, ‘We have to comply with Title IX and it’s because of the women that we’re having to do it,’ and stuff like that,” she said. “I mean, that stuff still happens. But it’s absurd.”Moreno, who coached softball at Bethany before her time as dean of athletics, said while successes like Title IX work to move things in the right direction, athletics need to get to the point where the opportunities for women are truly equal to those available for men, and women being in a high position in athletics or a coach to the opposite sex isn’t an anomaly.The equality women gained through legislative support like Title IX stands in sharp contrast to anti-LGBTQ legislation that limits opportunities.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692719043392.png" alt=" Kylie Forney does dumbbell sideways lunge holds Aug. 8. (Sam Bailey/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Kylie Forney does dumbbell sideways lunge holds Aug. 8. (Sam Bailey/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Focused programs</h2>Forney is about to enter her sophomore year at UTSA after her shoulder injury kept her from competing last year. She said increased gender-specific coaching could have reduced the injuries she suffered growing up.During her junior year at Andover High School, Forney fractured her leg during one of the last plays of a softball game. When she went to get an X-ray, they missed the break and she played for another month until she was in so much pain it made her nauseous. When she went back for another X-ray, the bone had completely broken, causing her to miss about six months of competing.Coming back from physical therapy, she entered her senior year basketball season, where in one game had a severe concussion and neck sprain that put her out for about two months.Senior year was also when her shoulder injury started to progress from the pain she had played through since freshman year to an unbearable level. When she finally received an MRI after fighting with insurance, she was told it was probably bicep tendonitis and to go to physical therapy. She asked for doctors to look in the shoulder anyway, and they found her torn labrum and rotator cuff.In the summer of 2022, Forney was introduced to Anna Woods, a strength trainer who specializes in women’s health. The athlete saw a huge improvement in her body and realized how much she had been doing wrong with weight programs not designed for her. She realized that her injuries, especially to her shoulder, could have been avoided.Pete Manely, director of athlete training services at Sterling College, said focused research and internal programs can help both boys and girls increase strength and avoid injury. He said weight training, and learning balance and precision, can go a long way for athletes.While injuries happen in all sports, Manely said, it’s more common for women to experience injuries to their ACL, a ligament in the knee. He said a football weight program should not look the same as a volleyball training regimen.In his experience, about 80% of women have lifted weights in high school while 100% of the men lifted.“Girls having the opportunity to not only have a weight room access, but someone who can actually train them not only the right techniques but the right lifts, the right weights, the right — just right everything,” Manely said. “It could absolutely help with decreased injuries, maybe decrease ACLs. That’d be the hope.”<h2>Abandoned by changemakers</h2>Martin, the KU rugby player, said if lawmakers really cared about women’s sports, female athletes wouldn’t have nearly as many problems.“We have to come together to support ourselves,” she said, “because no one else seems to want to do it for us.”During legislative debate this year over the ban on transgender athletes, Rep. Lindsay Vaughn, D-Overland Park, talked about the inequities she faced as a high school athlete.“We got hand-me-down uniforms, we often shared practice space, and our events were never promoted as much as the guys’ teams,” Vaughn said. “So if we really cared about fairness in girls sports, why are we not advocating for equal funding and resources for female athletes?“Or what’s more, why aren’t we demanding pay equality for professional female athletes? Or why aren’t we fighting to eliminate or extend the statute of limitations on child sexual abuse cases to seek justice for the many female athletes who are sexually abused as children? The reason is because this bill is not about fairness. It’s about discrimination.”