The legislation would expand a tax incentive program to help bankroll new stadiums for the teams

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/allison-kite/">ALLISON KITE</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

Representatives of the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals urged Kansas lawmakers Monday to expand a tax incentive program to provide the teams millions of dollars to leave Missouri and set up shop in new stadiums across the state line.

“If we want to be major league we’ve got to have major league teams,” Korb Maxwell, an attorney who represents the Chiefs, told lawmakers during an informational hearing at the Kansas Statehouse. “This is the greatest opportunity we’ve had in any generation, and it’s here before us right now.”

Other proponents of the plan were more blunt: If Kansas doesn’t act, a group hoping to lure the teams to Kansas argued, the Kansas City region is at risk of losing its professional football and baseball teams.

“The risk that the Kansas City Chiefs and the Kansas City Royals — our Chiefs, our Royals — could be lured away by other states is not a risk that Kansans want to take,” said Dan Murray, a lobbyist for Scoop and Score Inc., a nonprofit hoping to bring the Chiefs to Kansas.

On the table Monday was a plan to expand the state’s tax incentive program meant to help finance tourism and entertainment destinations.&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/06/16/kansas-bill-offers-bonding-to-cover-75-of-cost-to-build-chiefs-royals-stadiums-in-kansas/">Under the legislation, the teams could receive</a>&nbsp;more than $750 million to help finance stadium projects.

The informational hearing came ahead of a special legislative session that starts Tuesday. Lawmakers can’t take action on the bill until the formal start of the special session.

The legislation would enhance the state’s existing&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kansascommerce.gov/program/community-programs/star-bonds/">Sales Tax and Revenue (STAR) Bond</a>&nbsp;program to provide up to 75% of the project’s costs by issuing bonds that would be repaid with the increased sales state tax collections at the project site. Other projects can use STAR Bonds to finance up to 50% of a project.

The bill requires a minimum $1 billion capital investment and limits the eligibility to National Football League or Major League Baseball teams currently located near Kansas. The financing mechanism could be used for both stadiums and training facilities.&nbsp;

Debt on a stadium constructed under the expansion wouldn’t have to be repaid for 30 years instead of the normal 20.&nbsp;

The project could also receive a boost from liquor taxes generated in the STAR Bond district and revenues from a fund Kansas created when it legalized sports betting.&nbsp;

Gov. Laura Kelly, who has championed enormous economic development projects in Kansas, didn’t commit to supporting the legislation on Monday.

“I’m impressed by the full-court press that has been made to get these teams to consider moving across the river,” she told reporters. “It’s not something I’m going to invest a lot of energy in. I think this is something for the legislature to work through.”&nbsp;

Kelly’s chief of staff, Will Lawrence, told the joint committee the governor’s office had no concerns with the current version of the bill that would keep her from signing it.&nbsp;

STAR Bonds have been&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/08/31/legislative-audit-places-kansas-lonely-reliance-on-star-bonds-under-harsh-spotlight/">criticized by some legislators as ineffective</a>, and an&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslpa.org/audit-report-library/star-bonds-financing-program/">audit found</a>&nbsp;that less than one-quarter of the attractions funded through the program met the state’s goal of increasing tourism. There may be some cases, the audit says, where certain projects kept Kansans spending money in Kansas rather than going to Missouri.&nbsp;

“But we think it’s more often that local visitors simply move existing economic activity from one part of Kansas to another,” the audit says.

Kansas lawmakers launched an effort to lure the Chiefs or Royals — or both — after Jackson County, Missouri, voters in April rejected a proposed extension of a 3/8-cent sales tax to help finance a new stadium for the Royals and upgrades at Arrowhead Stadium.

Maxwell said the organization had been asked why the legislation needed to be passed in special session rather than when lawmakers reconvene for their normal session in January.&nbsp;

Because with only a few years left in the Chiefs’ lease at Arrowhead, “time is of the essence,” he said.&nbsp;

“The time is now,” Maxwell said. “Missouri spoke, Jackson County spoke. They had their opportunity, but now there’s a moment for Kansas to step up.”

The effort to reauthorize the sales tax in Missouri was driven primarily by the Royals, whose executives unveiled plans to move to the Crossroads Arts District in downtown Kansas City in February —&nbsp;less than two months before the vote. It failed with 58% of voters rejecting the proposal.

Earlier this month, Scoop and Score Inc. launched to advocate for moving Chiefs — the reigning Super Bowl champions —&nbsp;to Kansas. The organization’s website implores visitors to sign a petition to “tell legislators to keep the Chiefs in KC!”

The organization has hired 30 lobbyists, including Murray. The Royals have eight lobbyists, and the Chiefs employ former Kansas House Speaker Ron Ryckman Jr. and his former aide, Paje Resner, as lobbyists.

Ryckman said Kansas City Chiefs owner Clark Hunt could be open to moving the team outside of the Kansas City region.&nbsp;

“We’re aware of numerous cities that would love to be the home of the Chiefs or the Royals,” Ryckman said.&nbsp;

Murray urged lawmakers to support the legislation, arguing it has “guardrails, guardrails guardrails” to keep the state and local governments from being on the hook for the bonds.

While an attorney for the Chiefs acknowledged the franchise hasn’t come up with a design or plan for a stadium in Kansas, Murray urged lawmakers to move forward with creating a program. Vetting the details, he said, will be up to the Kansas Department of Commerce with final approval by the Legislative Coordinating Council, an eight-member committee of House and Senate lawmakers that can adopt legislation when the Legislature is not in session.

But a draft of the bill says any agreement between the state and a team would be confidential until after it has been executed.&nbsp;

The bill was panned by libertarian groups as a handout for corporations that would do little to increase economic activity in Kansas. Dave Trabert, CEO of the Kansas Policy Institute, told the committee there was no way to verify the claims that the stadiums would boost the economy.&nbsp;

“We asked Scoop and Score to provide their math. ‘Show us how you arrived at a billion dollars of economic activity,’’ Trabert said. “Nothing was forthcoming.”

In an interview, Trabert called the proposal “absurd.”

“This isn’t about economic development,” he said. “It’s about politics. It’s so people can say, ‘Look what I did. Vote for me.’ ”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718677528921.png" alt=" Former Kansas House Speaker Ron Ryckman Jr. speaks to reporters at The Statehouse. Ryckman is lobbying on behalf of the Kansas City Chiefs on a bill aimed at moving the team from Missouri. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Former Kansas House Speaker Ron Ryckman Jr. speaks to reporters at The Statehouse. Ryckman is lobbying on behalf of the Kansas City Chiefs on a bill aimed at moving the team from Missouri. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>The legislation would expand a tax incentive program to help bankroll new stadiums for the teams</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/allison-kite/">ALLISON KITE</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>Representatives of the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals urged Kansas lawmakers Monday to expand a tax incentive program to provide the teams millions of dollars to leave Missouri and set up shop in new stadiums across the state line.“If we want to be major league we’ve got to have major league teams,” Korb Maxwell, an attorney who represents the Chiefs, told lawmakers during an informational hearing at the Kansas Statehouse. “This is the greatest opportunity we’ve had in any generation, and it’s here before us right now.”Other proponents of the plan were more blunt: If Kansas doesn’t act, a group hoping to lure the teams to Kansas argued, the Kansas City region is at risk of losing its professional football and baseball teams.“The risk that the Kansas City Chiefs and the Kansas City Royals — our Chiefs, our Royals — could be lured away by other states is not a risk that Kansans want to take,” said Dan Murray, a lobbyist for Scoop and Score Inc., a nonprofit hoping to bring the Chiefs to Kansas.On the table Monday was a plan to expand the state’s tax incentive program meant to help finance tourism and entertainment destinations.&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/06/16/kansas-bill-offers-bonding-to-cover-75-of-cost-to-build-chiefs-royals-stadiums-in-kansas/">Under the legislation, the teams could receive</a>&nbsp;more than $750 million to help finance stadium projects.The informational hearing came ahead of a special legislative session that starts Tuesday. Lawmakers can’t take action on the bill until the formal start of the special session.The legislation would enhance the state’s existing&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kansascommerce.gov/program/community-programs/star-bonds/">Sales Tax and Revenue (STAR) Bond</a>&nbsp;program to provide up to 75% of the project’s costs by issuing bonds that would be repaid with the increased sales state tax collections at the project site. Other projects can use STAR Bonds to finance up to 50% of a project.The bill requires a minimum $1 billion capital investment and limits the eligibility to National Football League or Major League Baseball teams currently located near Kansas. The financing mechanism could be used for both stadiums and training facilities.&nbsp;Debt on a stadium constructed under the expansion wouldn’t have to be repaid for 30 years instead of the normal 20.&nbsp;The project could also receive a boost from liquor taxes generated in the STAR Bond district and revenues from a fund Kansas created when it legalized sports betting.&nbsp;Gov. Laura Kelly, who has championed enormous economic development projects in Kansas, didn’t commit to supporting the legislation on Monday.“I’m impressed by the full-court press that has been made to get these teams to consider moving across the river,” she told reporters. “It’s not something I’m going to invest a lot of energy in. I think this is something for the legislature to work through.”&nbsp;Kelly’s chief of staff, Will Lawrence, told the joint committee the governor’s office had no concerns with the current version of the bill that would keep her from signing it.&nbsp;STAR Bonds have been&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/08/31/legislative-audit-places-kansas-lonely-reliance-on-star-bonds-under-harsh-spotlight/">criticized by some legislators as ineffective</a>, and an&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslpa.org/audit-report-library/star-bonds-financing-program/">audit found</a>&nbsp;that less than one-quarter of the attractions funded through the program met the state’s goal of increasing tourism. There may be some cases, the audit says, where certain projects kept Kansans spending money in Kansas rather than going to Missouri.&nbsp;“But we think it’s more often that local visitors simply move existing economic activity from one part of Kansas to another,” the audit says.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718677486719.png" alt="Representing the Kansas City Chiefs, Korb Maxwell urges the Kansas Legislature to expand an economic incentive program to lure the team from Missouri. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Representing the Kansas City Chiefs, Korb Maxwell urges the Kansas Legislature to expand an economic incentive program to lure the team from Missouri. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Moving the teams</h2>Kansas lawmakers launched an effort to lure the Chiefs or Royals — or both — after Jackson County, Missouri, voters in April rejected a proposed extension of a 3/8-cent sales tax to help finance a new stadium for the Royals and upgrades at Arrowhead Stadium.Maxwell said the organization had been asked why the legislation needed to be passed in special session rather than when lawmakers reconvene for their normal session in January.&nbsp;Because with only a few years left in the Chiefs’ lease at Arrowhead, “time is of the essence,” he said.&nbsp;“The time is now,” Maxwell said. “Missouri spoke, Jackson County spoke. They had their opportunity, but now there’s a moment for Kansas to step up.”The effort to reauthorize the sales tax in Missouri was driven primarily by the Royals, whose executives unveiled plans to move to the Crossroads Arts District in downtown Kansas City in February —&nbsp;less than two months before the vote. It failed with 58% of voters rejecting the proposal.Earlier this month, Scoop and Score Inc. launched to advocate for moving Chiefs — the reigning Super Bowl champions —&nbsp;to Kansas. The organization’s website implores visitors to sign a petition to “tell legislators to keep the Chiefs in KC!”The organization has hired 30 lobbyists, including Murray. The Royals have eight lobbyists, and the Chiefs employ former Kansas House Speaker Ron Ryckman Jr. and his former aide, Paje Resner, as lobbyists.Ryckman said Kansas City Chiefs owner Clark Hunt could be open to moving the team outside of the Kansas City region.&nbsp;“We’re aware of numerous cities that would love to be the home of the Chiefs or the Royals,” Ryckman said.&nbsp;Murray urged lawmakers to support the legislation, arguing it has “guardrails, guardrails guardrails” to keep the state and local governments from being on the hook for the bonds.While an attorney for the Chiefs acknowledged the franchise hasn’t come up with a design or plan for a stadium in Kansas, Murray urged lawmakers to move forward with creating a program. Vetting the details, he said, will be up to the Kansas Department of Commerce with final approval by the Legislative Coordinating Council, an eight-member committee of House and Senate lawmakers that can adopt legislation when the Legislature is not in session.But a draft of the bill says any agreement between the state and a team would be confidential until after it has been executed.&nbsp;The bill was panned by libertarian groups as a handout for corporations that would do little to increase economic activity in Kansas. Dave Trabert, CEO of the Kansas Policy Institute, told the committee there was no way to verify the claims that the stadiums would boost the economy.&nbsp;“We asked Scoop and Score to provide their math. ‘Show us how you arrived at a billion dollars of economic activity,’’ Trabert said. “Nothing was forthcoming.”In an interview, Trabert called the proposal “absurd.”“This isn’t about economic development,” he said. “It’s about politics. It’s so people can say, ‘Look what I did. Vote for me.’ ”

Chiefs, Royals ask Kansas for incentives to allow teams to leave Missouri

After decades of local inaction, Kansas lawmakers are pushing for big changes in irrigation.

By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/allison-kite/">ALLISON KITE</a>&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/kevinhardy/">KEVIN HARDY</a> Kansas Reflector

This story, the second in an occasional series about water challenges facing the American heartland, is a partnership between Kansas Reflector and Stateline. Read the first story&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/01/29/agriculture-built-these-high-plains-towns-now-it-might-run-them-dry/">here</a>.

JETMORE, Kan. — An inch or two of corn peeks out of the dirt, just enough to reveal long rows forming over the horizon.

Sprinkler engines roar as they force water from underground to pour life into dusty fields.

Thunder cracks. The wind whips up dirt as a trail of dark storms looms. The crashing hot and cold fronts would probably set off tornado sirens —&nbsp;if there were any in this remote part of the state.

It’s spring in southwest Kansas, a hub for the nation’s crop, dairy and beef industries.

As the familiar seasonal rhythm plays out, some farmers are bracing for major changes in how they use the long-depleting&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/tag/ogallala-aquifer/">Ogallala Aquifer</a>. The nation’s largest underground store of fresh water, the&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/01/29/agriculture-built-these-high-plains-towns-now-it-might-run-them-dry/">Ogallala transformed this arid region</a>&nbsp;into an agricultural powerhouse.

After 50 years of studies, discussions and hand-wringing about the aquifer’s decline, the state is demanding that local groundwater managers finally enforce conservation. But in this region where water is everything, they’ll have to overcome entrenched attitudes and practices that led to decades of overpumping.

“It scares the hell out of me,” farmer Hugh Brownlee said at a recent public meeting in the district on the changes to come.

Last year, Kansas lawmakers passed&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2279/">legislation</a>&nbsp;squarely targeting the Southwest Kansas Groundwater Management District, which spans a dozen counties. Unlike the two other Kansas districts that sit atop the crucial aquifer, this one has done little to enact formal conservation programs that could help prolong the life of the aquifer. The new law aims to force action.

The district has come under fire from legislators increasingly incensed by its substantial travel expenses, its lack of formal conservation policies and its alienation of farmers who are trying to save water. At a hearing in February on a bill meant to help farmers in one county leave the district, a Kansas House member floated the idea of doing away with the organization, also known as Groundwater Management District 3, altogether.

“Maybe that’s something that we need to consider — just dissolve GMD 3 so that these other boards that are doing good work are not affected,” said state Rep. Cyndi Howerton, a Republican from Wichita.

District leaders think the criticism is unfair. But even they acknowledge that painful change is brewing. Change that will force farmers to cut back.

Clay Scott, a farmer and rancher who has served on the district’s board for more than two decades, said most local farmers are ready to change. That’s partly because they don’t want to give the state a reason to impose its own restrictions, he said.

Scott said the problem of overuse has been generations in the making and can’t be reversed overnight.

“It’s going to take us time to turn this ship around,” he said.

But critics say the organization has already had plenty of time. Decades.

“My biggest disappointment with GMD 3 is they’ve had 50 years to build a consensus on conservation and they failed to do it,” said Frank Mercurio, who works for a dairy with facilities across southwest Kansas and southeast Colorado.

The discussions here mirror those occurring not just across the eight Ogallala states (Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas and Wyoming) but also across the country. The dual threat of climate change and overpumping of groundwater threatens farming and agricultural communities coast to coast.

Outside the town of Syracuse, Kansas, Brownlee runs a small farm with dryland and irrigated fields divided by a curvy two-lane blacktop. More than 200 years ago, Mexican and American traders following the Santa Fe Trail crossed this part of the plains on ox-pulled wagons.

Brownlee, who farms part time and drives a propane truck, said he understands the shrinking water supply. But he thinks the state is to blame — not farmers. Decades ago, Kansas officials issued more water rights than the aquifer can sustain.

The state should fix that, rather than punishing farmers with across-the-board cuts, he said.

“They want to be able to flip the switch and just stop it,” Brownlee said. “That’s not going to do anybody no good.”

‘Should have been done 40 years ago’&nbsp;

In a community center on Main Street in Lakin, Kansas, a few dozen farmers in feed and seed hats last month pulled folding chairs off a big metal rack.

Just below the stained drop ceiling panels, a tilted projector shone onto a bare beige wall the district’s plans to comply with the new law. The first step: identifying priority areas for its conservation efforts.

An expert from the Kansas Geological Survey pointed to maps of the district. Blood red blots showed where aquifer conditions were most severe. In some parts of the district, the aquifer is already all but gone. Other areas have more than 60 years of water left even if they don’t cut back their usage.

But at this and a series of meetings across southwest Kansas, district leaders outlined plans to declare its entire territory a priority area. Some critics viewed the move as a stall tactic, but district leaders say it leaves all options available to them. The district in 2026 will have to present an action plan, which it says will reflect the huge variations in aquifer conditions.

Kansas’ chief engineer, Earl Lewis, who will evaluate the board’s plan and future conservation efforts, said the board likely can designate the whole region a priority, though he’s not sure it meets “the spirit” of the law.

In the series of meetings, farmers ran through familiar questions, concerns and excuses.

What about the farms pumping the aquifer down in Oklahoma?

What about all the new dairies and feedlots coming in?

Crop irrigation accounts for 85% of all water use in Kansas —&nbsp;even more in western Kansas.

The group also discussed the possibility of paying growers to shut down their wells.

But one farmer said he can’t farm his sandy soil without irrigation. After the meeting, he declined to be named, saying he could get in big trouble for sharing his real feelings.

Local farmer Steve Sterling interjected at the first meeting in Garden City to say conservation planning “should have been done 40 years ago.” Some of his neighbors abandoned their farm when he was 12, he said. They were out of water.

Katie Durham, who manages Groundwater Management District 1 in western Kansas, drove south to attend some of the meetings in GMD 3. She said she hoped the farmers in attendance understood that change is coming under the new law.

“This is happening,” Durham said. “I just hope that urgency and sense of wanting to be involved and kind of taking ownership of the future on a local level — I just hope people are understanding that.”

Between the 1950s and the 1970s, Kansas created the fundamental problem that allows aquifer depletion by granting farmers the right to pump more water out of the aquifer each year than returns to it via rainfall. But the state has largely left it up to locals to find solutions to the problem.

The state charged&nbsp;the&nbsp;three groundwater management districts&nbsp;over the Ogallala&nbsp;with protecting both the agricultural economy and aquifer water. But their five-decade histories primarily have been marked by further decline of the Ogallala Aquifer. Two districts have made progress in recent years and helped farmers to slow, or even stop, the decline.

Burke Griggs, a water attorney who previously worked for the state, argues the southwest Kansas district isn’t doing much compared with the other two.

“The law is the same. The regs are basically the same,” he said. “This is a cultural thing.”

He argues the state should take a firmer stance in aquifer management.

“I think it’s time for a reckoning,” Griggs said.

District officials say farmers in GMD 3 have used 13% less water in the past 10 years compared with the decade before. But it’s unclear how much of that change is intentional — from conservation — or a reflection of the limited water available in the declining aquifer.

Though its territory is twice the size of the other two districts’ combined, the southwest Kansas district hasn’t accomplished as much. The other districts have offered financial assistance to farmers investing in water-efficient irrigation systems and championed large-scale restrictions on pumping.

GMD 3 has done none of that. Between 2010 and 2022, financial records show, the district spent, on average, only 13% of the money it budgeted for conservation. In most years, it didn’t&nbsp;spend anything on conservation.

Mark Rude, who has been the organization’s executive director for nearly two decades, said the district’s entire budget supports water conservation. The district takes in more than $1 million per year and spends 70% of that on salaries and benefits, according to financial documents received through a records request. The rest goes largely to office equipment, travel and other administrative costs.

“I mean, ultimately, that’s why we’re here,” Rude said, “and if you look at the $600,000-plus we (spend) on staff, why is the staff here?”

This summer, the district board will consider a 38% increase in the fee it imposes on water users, which is expected to raise more than $200,000 each year. Rude said that money would primarily be used to hire two new employees to help with grant projects offering technical assistance to farmers trying to conserve water.

Between 2010 and 2022, GMD 3 spent about four times as much on travel for Rude and staff as on water conservation. On average, the GMD pays&nbsp;more than $20,000 each year for Rude’s travel — plus another $20,000 for the rest of its staff members — compared with $10,000 for water conservation.

Last year, the district changed its financial statements, reporting fewer, broader categories. The new financial structure did not distinguish travel costs from other expenses.

Rude defends the spending by saying it’s necessary to build the partnerships and relationships needed to achieve district goals, including its aim of piping in water from out of state.

“How else do you do it?” Rude said. “Really, please show us: How else do you do it?”

Last year, lawmakers from both sides of the aisle questioned Rude during a committee hearing on why the district wasn’t doing more to conserve groundwater.

State Rep. Lindsay Vaughn, an Overland Park Democrat, said during a legislative hearing that the district had 50 years to act but made no progress on addressing aquifer decline.

“The issue is only becoming more urgent,” Vaughn said, “and I am discouraged to see that there aren’t any real efforts right now to get the ball rolling and coming up with a long-term plan.”

The district’s lack of action also has drawn the attention of farmers who mounted a campaign to secede.

In 2022, Hamilton County farmers submitted a petition to withdraw from the groundwater district.

They characterized the organization as a bureaucratic mess with a ballooning budget that spends little on conservation, obstructs programs meant to slow groundwater decline and provides no benefits for dryland farmers who also pay assessments.

The petition criticized groundwater district leaders’ fixation on building an aqueduct across the state. The organization twice has&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/10/21/officials-plan-to-truck-6000-gallons-of-water-from-missouri-river-across-kansas/">trucked water 400 miles</a>&nbsp;from the Missouri River to western Kansas in an effort to sell the idea.

In their petition, Hamilton County farmers said the project only managed to move and dump water with “no tangible benefit to anyone.”

Richard Geven, owner of the 10,000-head Southwest Plains Dairy, was among those who signed the petition to leave.

Geven, a native of the Netherlands who has been farming here for nearly 20 years, said he sees little reason for the groundwater district. When he has issues with his wells or needs clarity on water rights, he works with state regulators.

But he pays assessments every year to the district.

“We don’t know what the purpose is,” he said. “We think, ‘What are they doing? We don’t need them.’"

Across most of the Ogallala states, governments have preferred to encourage voluntary conservation rather than mandating steep cutbacks, said Kevin Wagner, director of the Oklahoma Water Resource Center at Oklahoma State University.

Oklahoma allows farmers to use up to 2 feet of water each year on every acre they own. But usage is not monitored. Farmers report annual estimates of water usage.

And the state has not banned the drilling of new irrigation wells.

Researchers have closely monitored the decline of the aquifer across the Oklahoma Panhandle — it’s dropping about half a foot per year, he said.

But there’s no telling how much individual farmers are using or conserving.

“When I talk to producers in Oklahoma, there’s a lot of feeling that Oklahoma producers are doing just as good at conserving as their neighbors in Texas and in Kansas,” Wagner said. “And honestly there’s no data out there right now.”

Oklahoma state Rep. Carl Newton, a Republican, introduced legislation this year that would require irrigators to meter their water use.

The measure passed, but amid steep opposition from agriculture trade groups, Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt vetoed it. He called it government overreach and a violation of private property rights.

Newton said he plans to reintroduce the bill, which he described as “a starting point” for conservation efforts.

“You’ve got to find out where your problem is to get an idea of where to go,” he said. “That was my whole goal.”

Kansas started requiring irrigators to install meters and report water usage in the early 1990s.

Formal conservation efforts have been underway in other parts of the region for years.

In Nebraska’s Republican River Basin, groundwater regulators have helped producers install soil moisture probes and more accurate meters that use telemetry to conserve. And Colorado offers a master irrigator course to help farmers grow crops more efficiently.

In Wichita County, Kansas, just beyond the bounds of GMD 3, farmers created a conservation program that launched in 2021. Called a local enhanced management area, farmers committed to cutting water use by at least 25%.

Farmer Don Smith said the program provided a chance for locals to act together before the state stepped in.

Smith, his brother and nephews together run Smith Family Farms, which grows corn, wheat and milo against a backdrop of massive wind turbines. Shiny grain bins emblazoned with the family name tower near the office, where a curious Australian shepherd keeps watch, rearing up on hind legs to peer through the door.

The farm is mostly dryland. Its irrigated fields draw upon 38 wells, connected to advanced sprinkler systems that help reduce water use. The farm also has transitioned to no-till methods, which keeps more moisture in the soil.

Smith said the farm shows that growers can save water and still make money. Lower water use does lead to lower yields, he said. But it also makes growing crops less expensive.

Smith knows the groundwater district just to his south has deeper wells and more abundant water. But the declining aquifer eventually will force changes there.

“I guess it’ll be interesting to see if at some point somebody responds before the gun’s to their head,” he said. “They will face the same choices we all north of them have had to face.”

In Wichita County, Smith said, test wells show the changes have slowed or even reversed aquifer decline. But even so, he doesn’t think irrigated farming will last forever. He expects the day will come when pumping small amounts of water won’t be worth the cost.

‘Time for a reckoning.’ Kansas farmers brace for water cuts to save Ogallala Aquifer

The City of Wichita announced Monday that progress continues to be made in recovering systems following the recent cyber event.

All other resident-facing systems are now back in service.

The City’s Information Technology team continues to remediate remaining system issues both externally and internally. We appreciate your patience as there may be intermittent service interruptions over the coming days and weeks as the full recovery is in process.

<a href="https://www.wichita.gov/1199/Alert">Click here </a>for the latest updates, FAQs and contact information on any other systems of interest.

The City of Wichita announced Monday that progress continues to be made in recovering systems following the recent cyber event.Progress as of Monday, June 17, 2024:<ul>
 <li>Library:&nbsp;Self-check in of materials and credit card processing systems at the Advanced Learning Library are still offline, but all other resident-facing library systems are back in service;</li><li>Airport:&nbsp;Flight information screens are back online at Eisenhower National Airport;</li><li>Municipal Court:&nbsp;The walk-in docket has resumed with normal sign-up times from 7:00 am to 7:30am. Find more information at www.wichita.gov/alert.</li>
 </ul>All other resident-facing systems are now back in service.The City’s Information Technology team continues to remediate remaining system issues both externally and internally. We appreciate your patience as there may be intermittent service interruptions over the coming days and weeks as the full recovery is in process.<a href="https://www.wichita.gov/1199/Alert">Click here </a>for the latest updates, FAQs and contact information on any other systems of interest.

City of Wichita restoring more services following cyberattack

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for alleged animal cruelty.

Just after 8a.m. Saturday, sheriff's deputies responded to a home in the 9800 Block of SE Croco Road in rural Shawnee County after multiple reports of unknown people and vehicles on the property, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

Deputies found illegal paraphernalia associated with cock fighting.&nbsp; Deputies then arrested 66-year-old Clinton E. Dick and booked him into the Shawnee County jail on requested charges of felony animal cruelty, unlawful conduct related to cockfighting and unlawful possession of cockfighting paraphernalia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718571385119.png" alt="Dick-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Dick-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for alleged animal cruelty.Just after 8a.m. Saturday, sheriff's deputies responded to a home in the 9800 Block of SE Croco Road in rural Shawnee County after multiple reports of unknown people and vehicles on the property, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.Deputies found illegal paraphernalia associated with cock fighting.&nbsp; Deputies then arrested 66-year-old Clinton E. Dick and booked him into the Shawnee County jail on requested charges of felony animal cruelty, unlawful conduct related to cockfighting and unlawful possession of cockfighting paraphernalia.

Deputies discover cockfighting ring in Kansas

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating an accidental shooting that sent a man to a Wichita hospital.

On Sunday, patrol officers responded to a shooting incident in the 1100 block of N. Market in Wichita, according to police spokesman Andrew Ford.

Police learned a man was cleaning a firearm inside his home when it accidentally discharged, striking him in the right lower jaw.

Sedgwick County EMS transported the man to an area hospital with critical injuries. He was expected to survive, according to Ford.

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating an accidental shooting that sent a man to a Wichita hospital.On Sunday, patrol officers responded to a shooting incident in the 1100 block of N. Market in Wichita, according to police spokesman Andrew Ford.Police learned a man was cleaning a firearm inside his home when it accidentally discharged, striking him in the right lower jaw.Sedgwick County EMS transported the man to an area hospital with critical injuries. He was expected to survive, according to Ford.

Police: Kansas man shot in the face while cleaning firearm

The U.S. surgeon general has called on Congress to require warning labels on social media platforms and their effects on young people's lives, similar to those now&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cigarette-graphic-pictures-warning-labels-cancer-bb9395a53f3e414decafc9efd0df52ab">mandatory on cigarette boxes</a>.

In a Monday&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/17/opinion/social-media-health-warning.html">opinion piece</a>&nbsp;in the The New York Times, Dr. Vivek Murthy said that social media is a contributing factor in the mental health crisis among young people.

“It is time to require a surgeon general’s warning label on social media platforms, stating that social media is associated with significant mental health harms for adolescents. A surgeon general’s warning label, which requires congressional action, would regularly remind parents and adolescents that social media has not been proved safe,” Murthy said. “Evidence from tobacco studies show that warning labels can increase awareness and change behavior.”

Murthy said that the use of just a warning label wouldn't make social media safe for young people, but would be a part of the steps needed.

Social media use is prevalent among young people, with up to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2022/08/10/teens-social-media-and-technology-2022/">95% of youth</a>&nbsp;ages 13 to 17 saying that they use a social media platform, and more than a third saying that they use social media “almost constantly,” according to 2022 data from the Pew Research Center.

“Social media today is like tobacco decades ago: It’s a product whose business model depends on addicting kids. And as with cigarettes, a surgeon general’s warning label is a critical step toward mitigating the threat to children," Josh Golin, executive director at Fairplay, an organization that is dedicated to ending marketing to children, said in a statement.

Actually getting the labels on social media platforms would take congressional action — and it's not clear how quickly that might happen, even with apparent bipartisan unity around child safety online. Lawmakers have held multiple congressional hearings on child online safety and there's legislation in the works. Still, the last federal law aimed at protecting children online was enacted in 1998, six years before Facebook’s founding.

“I am hoping that would be combined with a lot of other work that Congress has been trying to do to improve the safety and design and privacy of social media products,” said Dr. Jenny Radesky, a developmental behavioral pediatrician at the University of Michigan and leader at the American Academy of Pediatrics. “Those those two things would have to go hand in hand, because there’s so much that Congress can do to follow the steps of the United Kingdom and the European Union in passing laws that take into account what kids need when they’re interacting with digital products.”

Even with Congressional approval, warning labels would likely be challenged in the courts by tech companies.

“Putting a warning label on online speech isn’t just scientifically unsound, it’s at odds with the constitutional right to free speech,” said Adam Kovacevich, CEO of the tech industry policy group Chamber of Progress. “It’s surprising to see the U.S. Surgeon General attacking social media when teens themselves say it provides an important outlet for social connection.”

Last year,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/surgeon-general-kids-social-media-teens-tiktok-instagram-443530d9baa3f91386bf9fbfb313bbaf">Murthy</a>&nbsp;warned that there wasn't enough evidence to show that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/sg-youth-mental-health-social-media-advisory.pdf">social media</a>&nbsp;is safe for children and teens. He said at the time that policymakers needed to address the harms of social media the same way they regulate things like car seats, baby formula, medication and other products children use.

To comply with federal regulation, social media companies already ban kids under 13 from signing up for their platforms — but children have been shown to easily get around the bans, both with and without their parents’ consent.

Other measures social platforms have taken to address concerns about children’s mental health can also be easily circumvented. For instance, TikTok introduced a default&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-minors-social-media-china-time-limit-f735bd496ea3513abfc6480e5637abd8">60-minute time limit</a>&nbsp;for users under 18. But once the limit is reached, minors can simply enter a passcode to keep watching.

Murthy believes the impact of social media on young people should be a more pressing concern.

"Why is it that we have failed to respond to the harms of social media when they are no less urgent or widespread than those posed by unsafe cars, planes or food? These harms are not a failure of willpower and parenting; they are the consequence of unleashing powerful technology without adequate safety measures, transparency or accountability,” he wrote.

In January the CEOs of Meta, TikTok, X and other social media companies went before the Senate Judiciary Committee to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/meta-tiktok-snap-discord-zuckerberg-testify-senate-00754a6bea92aaad62585ed55f219932">testify</a>&nbsp;as parents worry that they're not doing enough to protect young people. The executives touted existing safety tools on their platforms and the work they’ve done with nonprofits and law enforcement to protect minors.

Murthy said Monday that Congress needs to implement legislation that will protect young people from online harassment, abuse and exploitation and from exposure to extreme violence and sexual content.

“The measures should prevent platforms from collecting sensitive data from children and should restrict the use of features like push notifications, autoplay and infinite scroll, which prey on developing brains and contribute to excessive use,” Murthy wrote.

Sens. Marsha Blackburn and Richard Blumenthal supported Murthy's message Monday.

“We are pleased that the Surgeon General — America’s top doctor — continues to bring attention to the harmful impact that social media has on our children,” the senators said in a prepared statement.

The surgeon general is also recommending that companies be required to share all their data on health effects with independent scientists and the public, which they currently don't do, and allow independent safety audits.

Murthy said schools and parents also need to participate in providing phone-free times and that doctors, nurses and other clinicians should help guide families toward safer practices.

While Murthy pushes for more to be done about social media in the United States, the European Union enacted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-police-social-media-reform-52744e1d0f5b93a426f966138f2ccb52">groundbreaking new digital rules</a>&nbsp;last year. The Digital Services Act is part of a suite of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ai-act-artificial-intelligence-europe-regulation-94e2b38703b38fdbfabc9580f845ef9a">tech-focused regulations</a>&nbsp;crafted by the 27-nation bloc — long a global leader in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/artificial-intelligence-chatgpt-europe-rules-906fc89d2561b200fa6eb40a06b946a5">cracking down on tech giants</a>.

The DSA is designed to keep users safe online and make it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/twitter-russia-china-elon-musk-ukraine-2eedeabf7d555dc1d0a68b3724cfdd55">much harder to spread content</a>&nbsp;that’s either illegal, like hate speech or child sexual abuse, or violates a platform’s terms of service. It also looks to protect citizens' fundamental rights such as privacy and free speech.

Officials have warned tech companies that violations could bring fines worth up to 6% of their global revenue — which could amount to billions — or even a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chatgpt-openai-artificial-intelligence-rules-europe-1a249ab94593356940d8f56d15e8a019">ban from the EU</a>.

Murthy's focus is on teens and social media, but Radesky noted that adults could use a warning label too.

“What we’ve heard from teens is that they want their parents to be on social media less and on their devices less,” she said. “That's another behavior change we hope that parents will reflect on and think about — ‘where could I cut down or create some boundaries to create more family time or sleep time?’ — and not only hyper-focusing on what teens are doing, but really what all of us as a society are doing in terms of healthy relationships with technology."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718626581644.png" alt="U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy in a photo from his social media page" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy in a photo from his social media page</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718641231541.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —The U.S. surgeon general has called on Congress to require warning labels on social media platforms and their effects on young people's lives, similar to those now&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cigarette-graphic-pictures-warning-labels-cancer-bb9395a53f3e414decafc9efd0df52ab">mandatory on cigarette boxes</a>.In a Monday&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/17/opinion/social-media-health-warning.html">opinion piece</a>&nbsp;in the The New York Times, Dr. Vivek Murthy said that social media is a contributing factor in the mental health crisis among young people.“It is time to require a surgeon general’s warning label on social media platforms, stating that social media is associated with significant mental health harms for adolescents. A surgeon general’s warning label, which requires congressional action, would regularly remind parents and adolescents that social media has not been proved safe,” Murthy said. “Evidence from tobacco studies show that warning labels can increase awareness and change behavior.”Murthy said that the use of just a warning label wouldn't make social media safe for young people, but would be a part of the steps needed.Social media use is prevalent among young people, with up to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2022/08/10/teens-social-media-and-technology-2022/">95% of youth</a>&nbsp;ages 13 to 17 saying that they use a social media platform, and more than a third saying that they use social media “almost constantly,” according to 2022 data from the Pew Research Center.“Social media today is like tobacco decades ago: It’s a product whose business model depends on addicting kids. And as with cigarettes, a surgeon general’s warning label is a critical step toward mitigating the threat to children," Josh Golin, executive director at Fairplay, an organization that is dedicated to ending marketing to children, said in a statement.Actually getting the labels on social media platforms would take congressional action — and it's not clear how quickly that might happen, even with apparent bipartisan unity around child safety online. Lawmakers have held multiple congressional hearings on child online safety and there's legislation in the works. Still, the last federal law aimed at protecting children online was enacted in 1998, six years before Facebook’s founding.“I am hoping that would be combined with a lot of other work that Congress has been trying to do to improve the safety and design and privacy of social media products,” said Dr. Jenny Radesky, a developmental behavioral pediatrician at the University of Michigan and leader at the American Academy of Pediatrics. “Those those two things would have to go hand in hand, because there’s so much that Congress can do to follow the steps of the United Kingdom and the European Union in passing laws that take into account what kids need when they’re interacting with digital products.”Even with Congressional approval, warning labels would likely be challenged in the courts by tech companies.“Putting a warning label on online speech isn’t just scientifically unsound, it’s at odds with the constitutional right to free speech,” said Adam Kovacevich, CEO of the tech industry policy group Chamber of Progress. “It’s surprising to see the U.S. Surgeon General attacking social media when teens themselves say it provides an important outlet for social connection.”Last year,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/surgeon-general-kids-social-media-teens-tiktok-instagram-443530d9baa3f91386bf9fbfb313bbaf">Murthy</a>&nbsp;warned that there wasn't enough evidence to show that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/sg-youth-mental-health-social-media-advisory.pdf">social media</a>&nbsp;is safe for children and teens. He said at the time that policymakers needed to address the harms of social media the same way they regulate things like car seats, baby formula, medication and other products children use.To comply with federal regulation, social media companies already ban kids under 13 from signing up for their platforms — but children have been shown to easily get around the bans, both with and without their parents’ consent.Other measures social platforms have taken to address concerns about children’s mental health can also be easily circumvented. For instance, TikTok introduced a default&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-minors-social-media-china-time-limit-f735bd496ea3513abfc6480e5637abd8">60-minute time limit</a>&nbsp;for users under 18. But once the limit is reached, minors can simply enter a passcode to keep watching.Murthy believes the impact of social media on young people should be a more pressing concern."Why is it that we have failed to respond to the harms of social media when they are no less urgent or widespread than those posed by unsafe cars, planes or food? These harms are not a failure of willpower and parenting; they are the consequence of unleashing powerful technology without adequate safety measures, transparency or accountability,” he wrote.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1578090484280.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>In January the CEOs of Meta, TikTok, X and other social media companies went before the Senate Judiciary Committee to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/meta-tiktok-snap-discord-zuckerberg-testify-senate-00754a6bea92aaad62585ed55f219932">testify</a>&nbsp;as parents worry that they're not doing enough to protect young people. The executives touted existing safety tools on their platforms and the work they’ve done with nonprofits and law enforcement to protect minors.Murthy said Monday that Congress needs to implement legislation that will protect young people from online harassment, abuse and exploitation and from exposure to extreme violence and sexual content.“The measures should prevent platforms from collecting sensitive data from children and should restrict the use of features like push notifications, autoplay and infinite scroll, which prey on developing brains and contribute to excessive use,” Murthy wrote.Sens. Marsha Blackburn and Richard Blumenthal supported Murthy's message Monday.“We are pleased that the Surgeon General — America’s top doctor — continues to bring attention to the harmful impact that social media has on our children,” the senators said in a prepared statement.The surgeon general is also recommending that companies be required to share all their data on health effects with independent scientists and the public, which they currently don't do, and allow independent safety audits.Murthy said schools and parents also need to participate in providing phone-free times and that doctors, nurses and other clinicians should help guide families toward safer practices.While Murthy pushes for more to be done about social media in the United States, the European Union enacted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-police-social-media-reform-52744e1d0f5b93a426f966138f2ccb52">groundbreaking new digital rules</a>&nbsp;last year. The Digital Services Act is part of a suite of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ai-act-artificial-intelligence-europe-regulation-94e2b38703b38fdbfabc9580f845ef9a">tech-focused regulations</a>&nbsp;crafted by the 27-nation bloc — long a global leader in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/artificial-intelligence-chatgpt-europe-rules-906fc89d2561b200fa6eb40a06b946a5">cracking down on tech giants</a>.The DSA is designed to keep users safe online and make it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/twitter-russia-china-elon-musk-ukraine-2eedeabf7d555dc1d0a68b3724cfdd55">much harder to spread content</a>&nbsp;that’s either illegal, like hate speech or child sexual abuse, or violates a platform’s terms of service. It also looks to protect citizens' fundamental rights such as privacy and free speech.Officials have warned tech companies that violations could bring fines worth up to 6% of their global revenue — which could amount to billions — or even a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chatgpt-openai-artificial-intelligence-rules-europe-1a249ab94593356940d8f56d15e8a019">ban from the EU</a>.Murthy's focus is on teens and social media, but Radesky noted that adults could use a warning label too.“What we’ve heard from teens is that they want their parents to be on social media less and on their devices less,” she said. “That's another behavior change we hope that parents will reflect on and think about — ‘where could I cut down or create some boundaries to create more family time or sleep time?’ — and not only hyper-focusing on what teens are doing, but really what all of us as a society are doing in terms of healthy relationships with technology."

Surgeon General demands warning label on social media apps

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are invesdtigating a deadly gunfight on Father's Day in Wichita and have made an arrest.

Just after 8:30p.m. Sunday, police responded to a shooting incident in the 1900 block of N. Jackson Street in Wichita, according to Police spokesman Andrew Ford. 

While working to gather further information, the 911 dispatcher could hear gunfire in the background, prompting an immediate upgraded dispatch of officers to the scene.

First responders discovered a 28-year-old Hispanic man, later identified as Aron Lara suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Sedgwick County EMS provided initial critical care at the scene before transporting him to a nearby hospital. Despite efforts, Lara succumbed to his injuries during surgery and was pronounced deceased at 10:26p.m., according to Ford.

 Another victim, a 22-year-old Hispanic man, sustained a non-life-threatening gunshot to the arm and was privately transported to St. Francis Hospital, where he remains in stable condition on Monday morning.

The incident occurred during a neighborhood barbecue in observance of Father's Day. According to preliminary reports, Lara, was involved in a verbal altercation with the assailant earlier in the evening. The suspect, a 33-year-old Hispanic man, allegedly returned home, retrieved a rifle, and fired upon the victim, who was unarmed at the time of the shooting.

It is believed that two men accompanying the victim returned fire, resulting in injuries to the second victim. The identities of these individuals are currently under investigation as police seek their information on involvement.

The Wichita Police Department arrested the 33-year-old suspect on requested charges of first-degree murder, according to Ford. Police have not released the suspect's name.

During the investigation, officers recovered the murder weapon from a nearby residence. Additionally, investigators collected 26 firearm casings of multiple calibers from various homes and vehicles in the vicinity, indicating the extent of the gunfire exchange.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718620372726.png" alt="Police on the scene of the shooting -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the shooting -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are invesdtigating a deadly gunfight on Father's Day in Wichita and have made an arrest.Just after 8:30p.m. Sunday, police responded to a shooting incident in the 1900 block of N. Jackson Street in Wichita, according to Police spokesman Andrew Ford. While working to gather further information, the 911 dispatcher could hear gunfire in the background, prompting an immediate upgraded dispatch of officers to the scene.First responders discovered a 28-year-old Hispanic man, later identified as Aron Lara suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Sedgwick County EMS provided initial critical care at the scene before transporting him to a nearby hospital. Despite efforts, Lara succumbed to his injuries during surgery and was pronounced deceased at 10:26p.m., according to Ford. Another victim, a 22-year-old Hispanic man, sustained a non-life-threatening gunshot to the arm and was privately transported to St. Francis Hospital, where he remains in stable condition on Monday morning.The incident occurred during a neighborhood barbecue in observance of Father's Day. According to preliminary reports, Lara, was involved in a verbal altercation with the assailant earlier in the evening. The suspect, a 33-year-old Hispanic man, allegedly returned home, retrieved a rifle, and fired upon the victim, who was unarmed at the time of the shooting.It is believed that two men accompanying the victim returned fire, resulting in injuries to the second victim. The identities of these individuals are currently under investigation as police seek their information on involvement.The Wichita Police Department arrested the 33-year-old suspect on requested charges of first-degree murder, according to Ford. Police have not released the suspect's name.During the investigation, officers recovered the murder weapon from a nearby residence. Additionally, investigators collected 26 firearm casings of multiple calibers from various homes and vehicles in the vicinity, indicating the extent of the gunfire exchange.

Suspect accused in deadly Kan. Father's Day BBQ gunfight

TOPEKA –&nbsp; Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach is suing Pfizer for misleading claims it made related to the COVID vaccine.

Kobach announced the lawsuit at&nbsp;a press conference in Topeka.“Pfizer made multiple misleading statements to deceive the public about its vaccine at a time when Americans needed the truth,” Kobach said.

<a href="https://ag.ks.gov/docs/default-source/documents/2024-06-15-pfizer-complaint-(002).pdf">Click here to read</a> the complaint

According to the complaint, filed Monday in Thomas County District Court, Pfizer misled&nbsp;Kansans about the vaccines’ risks, including to pregnant women and for myocarditis.&nbsp;

Additionally, Pfizer claimed its vaccine protected against COVID variants, despite data showing otherwise. The pharmaceutical giant also suggested its vaccine prevented COVID transmission, but later admitted it had never studied whether its vaccine stopped transmission.

The complaint also alleges that Pfizer coordinated with social media officials to censor speech critical of COVID-19 vaccines&nbsp;and declined to participate in the federal government’s vaccine development program, Operation Warp Speed, to avoid government oversight.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718647861474.png" alt="Image from the complaint" />
 <figcaption>Image from the complaint</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA –&nbsp; Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach is suing Pfizer for misleading claims it made related to the COVID vaccine.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718661741339.png" alt="Photo by Eric Ives courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Eric Ives courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>Kobach announced the lawsuit at&nbsp;a press conference in Topeka.“Pfizer made multiple misleading statements to deceive the public about its vaccine at a time when Americans needed the truth,” Kobach said.<a href="https://ag.ks.gov/docs/default-source/documents/2024-06-15-pfizer-complaint-(002).pdf">Click here to read</a> the complaintAccording to the complaint, filed Monday in Thomas County District Court, Pfizer misled&nbsp;Kansans about the vaccines’ risks, including to pregnant women and for myocarditis.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635537216378.png" alt="Photo courtesy Pfizer" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Pfizer</figcaption>
 </figure>Additionally, Pfizer claimed its vaccine protected against COVID variants, despite data showing otherwise. The pharmaceutical giant also suggested its vaccine prevented COVID transmission, but later admitted it had never studied whether its vaccine stopped transmission.The complaint also alleges that Pfizer coordinated with social media officials to censor speech critical of COVID-19 vaccines&nbsp;and declined to participate in the federal government’s vaccine development program, Operation Warp Speed, to avoid government oversight.

Read the complaint: Kansas sues Pfizer over COVID vaccine marketing

MIAMI COUNTY, Kansas —Undersheriff Matthew P. Kelly and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MARCKCMetro?__cft__[0]=AZVnoe0eXXXsstRb-yzkjPJHFCtQm88Sn_u2jBUn9-PkDl5gOtVHjeQDwqjXGBMJrgZJKlTIRnU3_yrMlrx58myU2_1EkQA1SDUJEpLZrDWII1W6UHxJxioosvrLz8rzJ0KIlXPiiBN2UoSyK5Z8QOIKsWyyppF1OBMH5pnXYcYVhwe5XISeSa_PEBQ3y449_58jDZ8RhE09UtMKwx0s4-W2&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Mid-America Regional Council</a> Public Safety Communications Board Co-Chair and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/OverlandParkPoliceDepartment?__cft__[0]=AZVnoe0eXXXsstRb-yzkjPJHFCtQm88Sn_u2jBUn9-PkDl5gOtVHjeQDwqjXGBMJrgZJKlTIRnU3_yrMlrx58myU2_1EkQA1SDUJEpLZrDWII1W6UHxJxioosvrLz8rzJ0KIlXPiiBN2UoSyK5Z8QOIKsWyyppF1OBMH5pnXYcYVhwe5XISeSa_PEBQ3y449_58jDZ8RhE09UtMKwx0s4-W2&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Overland Park Police Department</a> Deputy Chief Eric Houston presented 9-year old, Reese Hardison with the 911 Hero Award and recognized Miami County Sheriff's Office Dispatcher Jennifer Carter.

On the afternoon of April 10,&nbsp; Reese Hardison was dropped off by the school bus at his home. As he approached the residence he saw smoke inside.  He was alone and used his cell phone to call 911 to report the smoke. 

Dispatcher Jennifer Carter answered his call. Reese was able to calmly and accurately describe what was happening and provide the information needed to get help on the way.

 Jennifer made sure that Reese was in a safe place far away from the fire. Most likely seeing the smoke, the school bus driver returned to Reese’s house.  She had Reese get back on the bus to stay safe until help arrived.

Emergencies are often very emotional and stressful events. They are even more stressful when someone you love is involved. Even though his house was on fire, Reese displayed a degree of calm and composure that is rarely witnessed in events such as these, especially in a child so young. 

Reese’s heroic effort during this emergency is commendable.After Reese and Jennifer were presented their awards, Reese was given a tour of the Sheriff's Office and was able to see where his 911 call was answered.

 The primary purpose of the Kansas City Regional 911 Hero Award program is to recognize and reward young people who show that they know how and when to use 911 by performing some heroic action during an emergency. 

To receive the award, the hero must have initiated the call to 911 and was able to provide the dispatchers with the information needed to get help on the way.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718651920011.png" alt="Undersheriff Matthew Kelly, Reese Hardison and&nbsp;Miami County Sheriff's Office Dispatcher Jennifer Carter-photos by&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/toddrigginsphotography?__cft__[0]=AZVnoe0eXXXsstRb-yzkjPJHFCtQm88Sn_u2jBUn9-PkDl5gOtVHjeQDwqjXGBMJrgZJKlTIRnU3_yrMlrx58myU2_1EkQA1SDUJEpLZrDWII1W6UHxJxioosvrLz8rzJ0KIlXPiiBN2UoSyK5Z8QOIKsWyyppF1OBMH5pnXYcYVhwe5XISeSa_PEBQ3y449_58jDZ8RhE09UtMKwx0s4-W2&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Todd Riggins~Frozen In Time Photography</a>" />
 <figcaption>Undersheriff Matthew Kelly, Reese Hardison and&nbsp;Miami County Sheriff's Office Dispatcher Jennifer Carter-photos by&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/toddrigginsphotography?__cft__[0]=AZVnoe0eXXXsstRb-yzkjPJHFCtQm88Sn_u2jBUn9-PkDl5gOtVHjeQDwqjXGBMJrgZJKlTIRnU3_yrMlrx58myU2_1EkQA1SDUJEpLZrDWII1W6UHxJxioosvrLz8rzJ0KIlXPiiBN2UoSyK5Z8QOIKsWyyppF1OBMH5pnXYcYVhwe5XISeSa_PEBQ3y449_58jDZ8RhE09UtMKwx0s4-W2&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Todd Riggins~Frozen In Time Photography</a></figcaption>
 </figure>MIAMI COUNTY, Kansas —Undersheriff Matthew P. Kelly and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MARCKCMetro?__cft__[0]=AZVnoe0eXXXsstRb-yzkjPJHFCtQm88Sn_u2jBUn9-PkDl5gOtVHjeQDwqjXGBMJrgZJKlTIRnU3_yrMlrx58myU2_1EkQA1SDUJEpLZrDWII1W6UHxJxioosvrLz8rzJ0KIlXPiiBN2UoSyK5Z8QOIKsWyyppF1OBMH5pnXYcYVhwe5XISeSa_PEBQ3y449_58jDZ8RhE09UtMKwx0s4-W2&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Mid-America Regional Council</a> Public Safety Communications Board Co-Chair and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/OverlandParkPoliceDepartment?__cft__[0]=AZVnoe0eXXXsstRb-yzkjPJHFCtQm88Sn_u2jBUn9-PkDl5gOtVHjeQDwqjXGBMJrgZJKlTIRnU3_yrMlrx58myU2_1EkQA1SDUJEpLZrDWII1W6UHxJxioosvrLz8rzJ0KIlXPiiBN2UoSyK5Z8QOIKsWyyppF1OBMH5pnXYcYVhwe5XISeSa_PEBQ3y449_58jDZ8RhE09UtMKwx0s4-W2&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Overland Park Police Department</a> Deputy Chief Eric Houston presented 9-year old, Reese Hardison with the 911 Hero Award and recognized Miami County Sheriff's Office Dispatcher Jennifer Carter. On the afternoon of April 10,&nbsp; Reese Hardison was dropped off by the school bus at his home. As he approached the residence he saw smoke inside. He was alone and used his cell phone to call 911 to report the smoke. Dispatcher Jennifer Carter answered his call. Reese was able to calmly and accurately describe what was happening and provide the information needed to get help on the way. Jennifer made sure that Reese was in a safe place far away from the fire. Most likely seeing the smoke, the school bus driver returned to Reese’s house. She had Reese get back on the bus to stay safe until help arrived.Emergencies are often very emotional and stressful events. They are even more stressful when someone you love is involved. Even though his house was on fire, Reese displayed a degree of calm and composure that is rarely witnessed in events such as these, especially in a child so young. Reese’s heroic effort during this emergency is commendable.After Reese and Jennifer were presented their awards, Reese was given a tour of the Sheriff's Office and was able to see where his 911 call was answered. The primary purpose of the Kansas City Regional 911 Hero Award program is to recognize and reward young people who show that they know how and when to use 911 by performing some heroic action during an emergency. To receive the award, the hero must have initiated the call to 911 and was able to provide the dispatchers with the information needed to get help on the way.

9-year-old Kansas boy honored for 911 call to report house fire

FASANO, Italy (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;and Ukrainian leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/volodymyr-zelenskyy">Volodymyr Zelenskyy</a>&nbsp;signed a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/06/13/bilateral-security-agreement-between-the-united-states-of-america-and-ukraine/">10-year security agreement</a>&nbsp;Thursday that they hailed as a milestone in relations between their countries, but that alone was not enough to stop Zelenskyy from wondering how much longer he could count on America's support.

<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/06/13/bilateral-security-agreement-between-the-united-states-of-america-and-ukraine/">Click here to read</a> specifics on the 10-year agreement

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718381433841.png" alt="The leaders signed the agreement on the sidelines of the annual&nbsp;<a href="https://www.g7italy.it/en/summit/">Group of Seven summit</a>, held&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/italy-puglia-venue-g7-6d7470ac1e5118938d3269820fd2f161">this year in Italy</a>, and Biden said the goal "is to strengthen Ukraine's defense and deterrence capabilities.”-image from White House video" />
 <figcaption>The leaders signed the agreement on the sidelines of the annual&nbsp;<a href="https://www.g7italy.it/en/summit/">Group of Seven summit</a>, held&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/italy-puglia-venue-g7-6d7470ac1e5118938d3269820fd2f161">this year in Italy</a>, and Biden said the goal "is to strengthen Ukraine's defense and deterrence capabilities.”-image from White House video</figcaption>
 </figure>FASANO, Italy (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;and Ukrainian leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/volodymyr-zelenskyy">Volodymyr Zelenskyy</a>&nbsp;signed a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/06/13/bilateral-security-agreement-between-the-united-states-of-america-and-ukraine/">10-year security agreement</a>&nbsp;Thursday that they hailed as a milestone in relations between their countries, but that alone was not enough to stop Zelenskyy from wondering how much longer he could count on America's support.<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/06/13/bilateral-security-agreement-between-the-united-states-of-america-and-ukraine/">Click here to read</a> specifics on the 10-year agreementZelenskyy also said his country “urgently” needed additional air defense systems to protect Ukrainians and the nation's infrastructure from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Russia's continued bombardment.</a>The leaders signed the agreement on the sidelines of the annual&nbsp;<a href="https://www.g7italy.it/en/summit/">Group of Seven summit</a>, held&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/italy-puglia-venue-g7-6d7470ac1e5118938d3269820fd2f161">this year in Italy</a>, and Biden said the goal "is to strengthen Ukraine's defense and deterrence capabilities.”Zelenskyy said at a joint news conference that the signing made for a “truly historic day,” but he also wondered about the durability of support from the United States and other allies.Ukraine's president said the right question to ask is “for how long the unity in the world will remain? The unity in the U.S., together with European leaders" and how it will be influenced by the outcome of elections this year in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/france-european-election-national-rally-marine-lepen-b132616d24de829660d8dbe0659e50fd">many of those countries</a>.Topping that list is voting in the U.S. in November in a campaign that could see the return of Republican&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;to the presidency. Trump has been skeptical of providing additional military aid to Ukraine, at one point criticizing the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-policies-agenda-election-2024-second-term-d656d8f08629a8da14a65c4075545e0f">“endless flow of American treasure.”</a>&nbsp;He more recently has expressed openness to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-aid-congress-republicans-trump-johnson-mcconnell-4cb76cfdefc38f35c1bda2ac8915b179">lending money</a>&nbsp;instead and has said Ukraine’s independence is important to the United States.Biden said the U.S. has commitments from five countries that he did not name to provide Patriot missile and other air defense systems to Ukraine. He said countries that have been expecting the same weapons from the U.S. have been told they will have to wait because “everything we have is going to go to Ukraine until their needs are met.”Zelenskyy said he “urgently” needed seven Patriot systems. Biden then told him, “You’ll have some relatively quickly.”Germany is one of the five countries that have promised an additional Patriot system for Ukraine.Zelenskyy went on to deliver a stark warning about Russian aggression, saying that “if Ukraine does not withstand, the democracy of many countries, I am sure, won't withstand either.”The U.S. and European countries also agreed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-frozen-assets-loan-39d8619f083600651fabe46b4548716d">to keep sanctioned Russian assets locked up</a>&nbsp;until Moscow pays reparations for its invasion of Ukraine, clearing the way for a $50 billion loan package for Ukraine. Combined with new sanctions against Russia announced earlier in the week, Biden said the series of actions to support Ukraine show Putin that “he cannot wait us out. He cannot divide us.”The highly anticipated agreement will leverage interest and income from more than $260 billion in frozen Russian assets, largely held in Europe, to secure a $50 billion loan from the U.S. and additional loans from other partners. Ukraine will receive the first payments sometime this year, a U.S. official said. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to preview the agreement, which will be included in the G7 leaders' statement on Friday.Ukraine will be able to spend the money in several areas, including military, economic, humanitarian and reconstruction needs, the official said.The leaders’ statement on Friday will also preserve the option of confiscating the Russian assets entirely, for which the allies have yet to secure the political will, largely citing legal and financial stability concerns.Biden and Zelenskyy met Thursday for the second time in two weeks to discuss the security agreement as the group of wealthy democracies has been looking for new ways to bolster Ukraine's defenses against Russia.The agreement on using frozen Russian assets to benefit Ukraine comes several months after the White House broke through a logjam in Congress that had stalled approval of some $60 billion in U.S. aid for Ukraine. The delay gave Russia time to make up ground on the battlefield.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-biden-zelenskyy-a77546e23fa571eb7f6509d4e14b89b3">Biden publicly apologized</a>&nbsp;to Zelenskyy for the holdup when they met last week in France.The security agreement does not commit U.S. troops directly to Ukraine’s defense against Russia. Biden does not want the U.S. to be pulled into a direct conflict with nuclear-armed Moscow.The pact, which would remain in effect for 10 years, does not offer Ukraine any new money but includes a commitment by the U.S. to work with Congress on a source of sustainable funding for the future. Text of the agreement released by the White House also describes how the U.S. will coordinate with Ukraine and other U.S. allies and partners to make sure Ukraine has the military, intelligence and other means necessary to defend itself and deter Russian aggression.The U.S. and Ukraine would also consult “at the highest levels” in the event of a future armed attack by Russia against Ukraine. Either side can terminate the agreement in writing with six months’ notice, which means a future U.S. president, including Trump if elected in November, could cancel the arrangement.Scores of countries and organizations are set to meet over the weekend in Switzerland to discuss peace for Ukraine. Biden is not attending the summit, which has disappointed Zelenskyy. Vice President Kamala Harris will represent the U.S. instead while the Democratic president attends a campaign fundraiser in Los Angeles.It wasn’t just Ukraine that occupied the allies’ attention.Biden announced that Italy was joining a G7 initiative to provide development assistance to Africa, which is meant as a bulwark against growing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/italy-china-belt-road-infrastructure-c6b6e9f3f69d46544d7550622578e913">Chinese influence on the continent</a>. Biden said $60 billion mobilized by the U.S. and the G7 is proof “democracies can deliver,” as the U.S. and its allies warn that China’s investments come attached with geopolitical and economic demands.The annual summit opened Thursday in Italy's picturesque Puglia region in the south, with leaders meeting in private to discuss the wars in Gaza and Ukraine and other mutual concerns.The Group of Seven industrialized democracies — the U.S., Britain, Canada, France, German, Italy and Japan, plus European governing bodies — meets annually. Italy holds the rotating presidency this year, and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is hosting her counterparts.—-