BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/cindygonzalez/">CINDY GONZALEZ</a> <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/10/09/midwest-secretaries-of-state-host-election-security-and-integrity-summit-in-nebraska/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — A Nebraska nurse has had her licenses revoked for at least two years by the state’s chief medical officer for alleged fraud related to her business, which advertises weight-loss medications on social media, according to the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office.

Andrea Meisinger of Weeping Water, an advanced practice registered nurse and registered nurse, has been running a business called AR Virtual Health, which markets medications such as Tirzepatide and Semaglutide for weight loss on its website, the Attorney General’s Office said in a news release issued Friday.

In a settlement agreement filed with the State Department of Health and Human Services, Meisinger said she neither admits nor denies allegations by the Attorney General’s Office. But she consented to the order from Dr. Timothy Tesmer, Nebraska’s chief medical officer, that finds the allegations to be true and that grounds exist to revoke her licenses.

Meisinger, who was not immediately available for comment Friday, agreed to pay a civil penalty of $16,000. She allegedly prescribed to patients while her Nebraska licenses were suspended and authorized prescriptions to patients in states where she does not hold the required licensure.

She acknowledged that the revocation of her nursing licenses is for a minimum of two years and reinstatement is at the discretion of the Department of Health and Human Services and upon approval by the respective state nursing board.

The order signed by Tesmer was in response to a Nov. 5 petition filed by the Attorney General’s Office to seek disciplinary action, to revoke probation and to temporarily suspend Meisinger’s licenses.

The petition alleged that Meisinger was practicing a profession fraudulently, beyond authorized scope or with incompetence or negligence, including obtaining a fee for professional services by fraud, deceit or misrepresentation.

Previously, the Attorney General’s Office filed a petition May 16 alleging that Meisinger was trying to sell Tirzepatide without establishing any patient/provider relationship.

As a result of that lawsuit, Tesmer had ordered Meisinger to pay a $3,000 civil penalty and placed her on probation for a year. Her licenses were to be suspended and she was not to engage in activity that constitutes the practice of APRN or nursing.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732462922427.png" alt=" Dr. Timothy Tesmer, Nebraska’s chief medical officer. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption> Dr. Timothy Tesmer, Nebraska’s chief medical officer. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/cindygonzalez/">CINDY GONZALEZ</a> <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/10/09/midwest-secretaries-of-state-host-election-security-and-integrity-summit-in-nebraska/">Nebraska Examiner</a> LINCOLN — A Nebraska nurse has had her licenses revoked for at least two years by the state’s chief medical officer for alleged fraud related to her business, which advertises weight-loss medications on social media, according to the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office.Andrea Meisinger of Weeping Water, an advanced practice registered nurse and registered nurse, has been running a business called AR Virtual Health, which markets medications such as Tirzepatide and Semaglutide for weight loss on its website, the Attorney General’s Office said in a news release issued Friday.In a settlement agreement filed with the State Department of Health and Human Services, Meisinger said she neither admits nor denies allegations by the Attorney General’s Office. But she consented to the order from Dr. Timothy Tesmer, Nebraska’s chief medical officer, that finds the allegations to be true and that grounds exist to revoke her licenses.Meisinger, who was not immediately available for comment Friday, agreed to pay a civil penalty of $16,000. She allegedly prescribed to patients while her Nebraska licenses were suspended and authorized prescriptions to patients in states where she does not hold the required licensure.She acknowledged that the revocation of her nursing licenses is for a minimum of two years and reinstatement is at the discretion of the Department of Health and Human Services and upon approval by the respective state nursing board.The order signed by Tesmer was in response to a Nov. 5 petition filed by the Attorney General’s Office to seek disciplinary action, to revoke probation and to temporarily suspend Meisinger’s licenses.The petition alleged that Meisinger was practicing a profession fraudulently, beyond authorized scope or with incompetence or negligence, including obtaining a fee for professional services by fraud, deceit or misrepresentation.Previously, the Attorney General’s Office filed a petition May 16 alleging that Meisinger was trying to sell Tirzepatide without establishing any patient/provider relationship.As a result of that lawsuit, Tesmer had ordered Meisinger to pay a $3,000 civil penalty and placed her on probation for a year. Her licenses were to be suspended and she was not to engage in activity that constitutes the practice of APRN or nursing.According to Tesmer, Meisinger:<ul>
 <li>Provided prescriptions to a Georgia patient, although she held no licensure in Georgia.</li><li>Provided care to a patient in Illinois, where she holds no licensure.</li><li>Held virtual appointments with a Nebraska patient while her license was suspended.</li><li>Prescribed medications in numerous states with no licensure.</li><li>Shipped patient medications to her own address or to a coworker/friend.</li><li>Authorized dozens of prescriptions to Nebraska patients while her license was suspended.</li>
 </ul>

Nurse gets licenses yanked in connection with weight-loss business

RENO COUNTY—Investigators are working to determine the cause of an apartment fire in Hutchinson. Just before 11:30a.m. Sunday, crews responded to report of a fire to 1212 North Severance, with fire showing.

First arriving crews found a row apartment with heavy fire and smoke pushing out of all the windows in one apartment. The fire was also venting from the attic over the affected apartment. Crews started fire attack on the outside of the structure and entered the apartment.

Other crews on scene were able to search and remove all occupants from the other six apartments. A passerby called the fire in and also started the evacuation of all the apartments.

The fire caused heavy damage to one apartment and the attic space. The other apartments were not affected. The structure did not have a sprinkler system or working smoke alarms.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732473935141.png" alt="Photo Hutchinson Fire Department" />
 <figcaption>Photo Hutchinson Fire Department</figcaption>
 </figure>RENO COUNTY—Investigators are working to determine the cause of an apartment fire in Hutchinson. Just before 11:30a.m. Sunday, crews responded to report of a fire to 1212 North Severance, with fire showing. First arriving crews found a row apartment with heavy fire and smoke pushing out of all the windows in one apartment. The fire was also venting from the attic over the affected apartment. Crews started fire attack on the outside of the structure and entered the apartment.Other crews on scene were able to search and remove all occupants from the other six apartments. A passerby called the fire in and also started the evacuation of all the apartments.The fire caused heavy damage to one apartment and the attic space. The other apartments were not affected. The structure did not have a sprinkler system or working smoke alarms.&nbsp;

Passerby helps evacuate residents from Kan. apartment fire

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/sofia-resnick/">SOFIA RESNICK</a>

The 2024 election results created complicated new realities for reproductive rights in the U.S., with Americans even in a few red states overwhelmingly&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/voters-seven-states-restore-reproductive-rights" target="_blank">voting to protect</a>&nbsp;the right to have an abortion while also overwhelmingly electing anti-abortion representatives in state houses, courts, Congress and the White House.

With a Republican trifecta coming to the nation’s capital in January, anti-abortion activist groups are planning for the first potentially friendly presidential administration since the 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision overturned Roe v. Wade and eliminated a 50-year federal right to terminate a pregnancy.

They aim to end other federal and state protections while vastly expanding restrictions on reproductive health care.

Though many anti-abortion leaders are skeptical of President-elect Donald Trump’s commitment to their cause, they say they are willing to compromise to maintain influence in his administration. Some groups are strategizing how to end-run Trump’s campaign pledge not to enact any federal abortion bans — by heavily restricting medication abortion or trying to ban a common abortion procedure.

“I don’t think we have a champion here for pro-life causes,” said the Rev. Patrick Mahoney, longtime anti-abortion organizer. “What we have here is someone who will not work against us and try to crush us. We will not see pro-choice federal judges.”

Mahoney, director of the Christian Defense Coalition and the chief strategy officer of Stanton Public Policy Center, told States Newsroom that he is not a supporter of Trump and disagrees with his rhetoric on immigrants.

But he is happy Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris lost. The vice president had vowed to try to restore federal abortion rights and throughout her career has advocated for reproductive rights. As California attorney general, she&nbsp;<a href="https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-attorney-general-seizes-planned-parenthood-videos-20160405-story.html" target="_blank">prosecuted anti-abortion activists</a>&nbsp;charged with illegally recording abortion providers about a decade ago.

“We can have an opportunity now to begin the second phase after Roe was overturned,” Mahoney said. “We knew overturning Roe was only a starting line, not a finishing line.”

Lila Rose, president of Live Action, was one of the few prominent anti-abortion leaders who called out Trump before the election, after he criticized Florida’s six-week abortion ban and vowed to veto a federal ban. In late August, Rose&nbsp;<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/08/29/lila-rose-abortion-trump-interview-00176619" target="_blank">told Politico</a>&nbsp;she would write in a presidential candidate and would encourage her&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncregister.com/interview/fighting-for-life-lila-rose-s-mission-to-save-the-unborn" target="_blank">millions of followers</a>&nbsp;to do the same if Trump did not change course.

On her&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSgwXPGviUA" target="_blank">podcast</a>, the millennial activist recently revealed that she met with Trump and asked him to say he would vote against Florida’s abortion-rights amendment, which he did. Days before the election, Rose&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/LilaGraceRose/status/1852731859815542991" target="_blank">endorsed Trump on X</a>.

Live Action did not respond to an interview request.

Nationally,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/voters-seven-states-restore-reproductive-rights" target="_blank">three out of 10 abortion-rights measures</a>&nbsp;failed: Florida’s proposed amendment had the highest threshold to clear, but got 57% out of the required 60% of the vote. It would have reversed the ban that reproductive rights advocates say has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/reproductive-health-care-southeast-hinges-florida-abortion-rights-ballot-measure-doctors" target="_blank">decimated abortion access in the Southeast</a>.

Another anti-abortion leader willing to compromise with the incoming president and Congress is Steven Aden, general counsel at Americans United for Life, the policy shop behind many state and federal abortion restrictions. Aden said he was disappointed the Republican Party removed from its platform a&nbsp;<a href="https://prod-cdn-static.gop.com/media/documents/DRAFT_12_FINAL%5B1%5D-ben_1468872234.pdf" target="_blank">previous commitment</a>&nbsp;to a federal ban.

However, he said his group was still able to inject critical language into the&nbsp;<a href="https://cdn.nucleusfiles.com/be/beb1a388-1d88-4389-a67d-c1e2d7f8bedf/2024-gop-platform-july-7-final.pdf?utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=ncl_amplify&amp;utm_campaign=240708-2024_gop_platform_make_america_great_again&amp;utm_content=ncl-4NsN8UE5x2&amp;_nlid=4NsN8UE5x2&amp;_nhids=g95bUYd" target="_blank">current platform</a>&nbsp;that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/rnc-approves-platform-would-give-rights-fetuses-endangering-abortion-ivf" target="_blank">effectively supports states establishing fetal personhood</a>&nbsp;through the U.S. Constitution’s 14th Amendment, which grants equal protection under the law. The platform also says Republicans “will oppose Late Term Abortion,” a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/political-rhetoric-about-third-trimester-abortion-misleading-experts-say" target="_blank">political term</a>&nbsp;used to refer to abortions in the second and third trimesters, the rarest but most restricted types of abortions in the U.S.

“We had direct input into the Trump campaign and framing the pro-life language in the party platform,” Aden told States Newsroom. “The platform language was much pared down, but we believe that the pro-life language preserves the essence of the party’s position on the pro-life issue, and we’re proud of that, and look forward to continuing to work with the incoming Trump administration.”

Federal reproductive rights protections in question

Early into his term, Democratic President Joe Biden began reversing blocks on federal funding domestically and globally for reproductive health organizations that also provide or refer for abortions. Leading up to and following the Dobbs decision, the Biden administration loosened restrictions to the medication abortion regimen, a combination of mifepristone and misoprostol, which has become the most common way of terminating pregnancy in the U.S. during the first trimester.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration allowed abortion medication to be obtained via telemedicine and dispensed directly at pharmacies.

Nearly half the country has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/see-data-reproductive-rights" target="_blank">partially or fully banned abortions</a>. But abortion numbers have risen since before Dobbs, researchers&nbsp;<a href="https://www.guttmacher.org/2024/03/despite-bans-number-abortions-united-states-increased-2023#:~:text=New%20findings%20from%20the%20Monthly,Organization%20overturned%20Roe%20v.%20Wade." target="_blank">have reported</a>, attributing the increase in part to expanded access to telemedicine abortion and to more people using online abortion clinics that mail abortion drugs from states with so-called&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/telehealth-abortion-still-rise-especially-states-shield-laws-report-shows" target="_blank">shield laws</a>&nbsp;to those with bans.

Anti-abortion groups&nbsp;<a href="https://sbaprolife.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/win-memo.pdf" target="_blank">Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.studentsforlifeaction.org/roadmap/?utm_source=ActiveCampaign&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_content=Time%20for%20a%20Pro-Life%20New%20Deal%20%F0%9F%A4%9D&amp;utm_campaign=PLG%3A%202024%20Primary%20Wins%3A%20KJH%20Op-Ed%20Email%20%28Nov%20%20%2024%29#form" target="_blank">Students for Life of America</a>&nbsp;recently unveiled memos asking the Trump administration to pull&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/health-experts-outline-how-trump-administration-could-affect-abortion-contraception-access" target="_blank">regulatory levers</a>&nbsp;that especially target abortion drugs.

Under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, regulations could include:

When asked about stories of alleged&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/women-serious-pregnancy-complications-sue-over-state-abortion-bans-2" target="_blank">denied care</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/texas-woman-died-after-hospital-said-it-would-be-crime-intervene-her-miscarriage" target="_blank">maternal deaths</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/texas-ob-gyns-urge-lawmakers-change-abortion-laws-after-reports-pregnant-womens-deaths" target="_blank">doctor confusion</a>&nbsp;related to state abortion bans, Aden chalked up the problem to a misinterpretation of state laws, which he said should be clarified to address these problems, while noting several times, “I’m not a doctor.” Americans United for Life’s&nbsp;<a href="https://aul.org/2022/11/09/introducing-the-abortion-abolition-amendment/" target="_blank">recommended health-exception language</a>&nbsp;in part says abortion should be allowed “to preserve the life of a pregnant woman or to address a serious risk of substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function.”

“That’s a health exception with teeth,” Aden said. “It doesn’t allow for a free-ranging, quote unquote, ‘mental health’ exception that would swallow the rule.”

Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-picks-dr-oz-run-mammoth-centers-medicare-and-medicaid-services" target="_blank">pick to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services</a>, which manages the country’s largest health programs, is Dr. Mehmet Oz, who&nbsp;<a href="https://19thnews.org/2024/11/trump-picks-dr-oz-celebrity-tv-doctor-medicare-medicaid/" target="_blank">opposes abortion</a>.

The U.S. Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs could:

The U.S. Agency for International Development could:

As they brace for the potential impact of Dobbs without a federal safety net, reproductive justice activists are working to expand access and fight anti-abortion laws, while also protecting new state wins. The election results did not change the fact that most people want abortion access, said Fatima Goss Graves, president and CEO of the National Women’s Law Center, during a recent media press briefing organized by the progressive Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

“Donald Trump won the election, but so did abortion, and people need to hold this incoming administration to its word that it would not restrict abortion,” Graves said. “We have to square the idea that millions of people in the United States voted for reproductive freedom … but they also will be experiencing a situation that will become even more dire, and that people will feel scared and hopeless in this period.”

Aden said AUL would support a federal “dismemberment” bill, referring to a proposed ban on a common second-trimester abortion procedure known as&nbsp;<a href="https://healthy.kaiserpermanente.org/health-wellness/health-encyclopedia/he.dilation-and-evacuation-d-e.tw2462" target="_blank">dilation and evacuation</a>, or D&amp;E. This procedure involves dilating the cervix and removing the contents of the uterus, typically performed beginning around 12 weeks. It would be a way to effectively get a 12- or 15-week ban without calling it that.

Despite its safety and efficacy record, the D&amp;E procedure has been banned in several states, over the objection of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/population-care/ban-standard-de-abortion-procedure-unsafe-unwarranted" target="_blank">American Medical Association and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists</a>. It’s part of an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/political-rhetoric-about-third-trimester-abortion-misleading-experts-say" target="_blank">old anti-abortion playbook</a>, which under Republican President George W. Bush resulted in a federal ban on another later abortion procedure — dilation and extraction, or D&amp;X — by reframing it as “partial-birth” abortion, which the U.S. Supreme Court upheld in 2007’s Gonzales v. Carhart decision.

Abortion foes describe D&amp;Es as a gruesome procedure, or as Aden puts it, “tearing 13-week-old humans apart limb from limb.” Anti-abortion doctors&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/anti-abortion-researchers-back-riskier-procedures-when-pregnancy-termination-needed-experts" target="_blank">recommend more risky and invasive</a>&nbsp;procedures like C-sections, even when the abortion is medically indicated.

If D&amp;Es are banned, there would be fewer options for later abortions, which are sometimes necessary, said reproductive-health legal expert Rachel Rebouché, dean of Temple University School of Law in Philadelphia. She noted that some of the U.S. Supreme Court justices have indicated support for abortion restrictions for reasons of preserving fetal dignity rather than preserving maternal health.

“That litigation, from the anti-abortion perspective, depends on saying the fetus is a person with rights that attach at a certain point, if not from conception,” Rebouché told States Newsroom. “Dobbs opens the door wide open for those kinds of regulations. … But the question is, is there a role for the federal government to enact a nationwide ban that would curtail the rights of states that have not gone the way of Idaho or Texas or others?”

Aden said that for now AUL will be more focused on the incremental approach to abortion restrictions, as well as calling for expanded child and prenatal tax credits and other social supports.

The attorney, who was 11 when Roe was decided in 1973, is expecting another half-century of litigation over abortion with the hopes that one day the U.S. Constitution gives personhood rights to the unborn, regardless of the stage of that pregnancy. Aden said a so-called Human Life Amendment is likely impossible in the near term, needing approval from two-thirds of both houses of Congress. He said U.S. culture is not there yet.

“It would require a cultural sea change in the way that the majority of Americans view human life in the womb,” Aden said. “That’s our second generational goal. Having won our first generational goal of overturning Roe, we’d love to see the day when every life is welcomed and protected in law. And if that’s through a constitutional amendment, then we’re here for that.”

Abortion foes strategize to get Trump to ban some abortions while keeping his pledge

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement investigating a deadly shooting during a burglary have&nbsp;&nbsp;identified the victim as 51-year-old Craig L. Scott of Lee’s Summit, according to a statement from police.

The suspect in the investigation has been identified as 31-year-old Keith J. Marshall of Kansas City, MO.  The defendant was charged on Saturday by Jackson County Prosecutors with 2nd Degree Murder, two counts of Armed Criminal Action, 1st Degree Burglary and unlawful use of a weapon; bond was set at $250,000 cash.

Just after 8a.m. Friday, police responded to a disturbance call in the 2100 block of SW Rutherford Drive.  The 911 caller indicated that a man later identified as Scott had been shot inside of the residence.&nbsp; The caller also indicated that the suspect was a person known to them. As officers entered the home, they located Scott who was deceased.  The suspect fled the scene prior to police arrival and surrendered himself to Police a few hours later. Detectives are working to also establish the timeline of events that led up to the shooting.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732418783443.png" alt="Marshall-photo Lee's Summit Police" />
 <figcaption>Marshall-photo Lee's Summit Police</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement investigating a deadly shooting during a burglary have&nbsp;&nbsp;identified the victim as 51-year-old Craig L. Scott of Lee’s Summit, according to a statement from police.The suspect in the investigation has been identified as 31-year-old Keith J. Marshall of Kansas City, MO. The defendant was charged on Saturday by Jackson County Prosecutors with 2nd Degree Murder, two counts of Armed Criminal Action, 1st Degree Burglary and unlawful use of a weapon; bond was set at $250,000 cash.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732419029779.png" alt="Police on the scene of the shooting investigation photo courtesy KMBC" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the shooting investigation photo courtesy KMBC</figcaption>
 </figure>Just after 8a.m. Friday, police responded to a disturbance call in the 2100 block of SW Rutherford Drive. The 911 caller indicated that a man later identified as Scott had been shot inside of the residence.&nbsp; The caller also indicated that the suspect was a person known to them. As officers entered the home, they located Scott who was deceased. The suspect fled the scene prior to police arrival and surrendered himself to Police a few hours later. Detectives are working to also establish the timeline of events that led up to the shooting.

Police ID victim in burglary killing at Kansas City area home

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —One person died in hit-and-run incident on Saturday afternoon in Wyandotte County.

According to Kansas City, Kansas police, a woman was walking northbound in the southbound lane crossing the 65th Street Bridge above Interstate 70. A southbound vehicle struck the woman and fled.

EMS transported the woman to an area hospital where she ws pronounced deceased.&nbsp; Police released no additional details.

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —One person died in hit-and-run incident on Saturday afternoon in Wyandotte County.According to Kansas City, Kansas police, a woman was walking northbound in the southbound lane crossing the 65th Street Bridge above Interstate 70. A southbound vehicle struck the woman and fled.EMS transported the woman to an area hospital where she ws pronounced deceased.&nbsp; Police released no additional details.

Kan. woman dies after hit-and-run while crossing bridge above I-70

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — After years of fraud, delayed claims and long waits, Kansas’ beleaguered unemployment program has rolled out a new, modernized system.

Gov. Laura Kelly and Kansas Department of Labor secretary Amber Shultz announced Friday the launch of the online claim system that has been three years in the making, and more than a decade overdue.&nbsp;

Kelly called it a “complete transformation.”

“Now we’ve unlocked access to a world of new possibilities,” Kelly said. “Modernizing an IT system is about more than just updating old software. It’s about rethinking the entire infrastructure.”

The old system was “slow, inefficient and, frankly, unresponsive, especially when Kansas needed it most,” Kelly told reporters and labor department staff.&nbsp;

Kansas’ aging unemployment system crumbled under the weight of a historic number of unemployment claims filed during the COVID-19 pandemic, of which an estimated hundreds of millions of dollars worth were deemed fraudulent.&nbsp;

Officials&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/09/08/kansas-legislators-clash-with-labor-secretary-over-report-on-unemployment-fraud-identity-theft/">admitted</a>&nbsp;the system should have been updated years ago.

In 2011, former Gov. Sam Brownback’s administration halted efforts to revamp the system. Kelly had planned to upgrade the 1970s-era mainframe system before the pandemic, but the process didn’t begin until June 2022.&nbsp;

Kelly referenced floppy disks, the Beatles and the Vietnam War when characterizing the time in which the system came to be. Roughly 50 years later, transforming the system was like turning a rotary phone into a smartphone, she said.&nbsp;

Kelly said the overhaul cost more than $40 million, but it would have cost about $27 million if done a decade ago. Continued investment in technology is important, Kelly said, “so we never fall behind the mark again.”

Shultz, who took over as department secretary in&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/04/16/shultz-formally-takes-reins-of-labor-department-plagued-by-challenges/">2021</a>, became emotional while thanking the labor department staff members. The “dark days” of the pandemic, as Kelly dubbed them, involved death threats and law enforcement protection for labor department staff.&nbsp;

“They came into a burning building during the pandemic,” she said.&nbsp;

A&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/09/27/kansas-labor-department-teams-with-new-federal-office-on-unemployment-modernization/">September 2021</a>&nbsp;state audit found that about 59% of the roughly 1 million unique claims filed during the pandemic were suspected to be fraudulent. That same audit showed the state processed $700 million in fraudulent benefit payments. Half came from federal funds and half from state funds.

A backlog of fraudulent claims still exists, Shultz told the Reflector. However, the department believes every case of fraud has been identified.&nbsp;

The new system, accessible at&nbsp;<a href="http://kansasui.gov/" target="_blank">KansasUI.gov</a>, was launched earlier this week. Some users encountered hiccups with the system’s multi-factor authentication, a process that is meant to add an extra layer of security, but Shultz said those affected have been contacted.

With the new system’s launch, claim filings are at normal levels, Shultz said. Typically, seasonal layoffs bring in about 1,200 initial claims this time of year, while continued claims are at about 7,500. As the new system’s first week comes to a close, volumes remain normal, Shultz said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732417306272.png" alt=" Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly and Kansas Department of Labor secretary Amber Shultz announce the launch of the state’s new online unemployment system Nov. 22, 2024, at the Statehouse. (Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly and Kansas Department of Labor secretary Amber Shultz announce the launch of the state’s new online unemployment system Nov. 22, 2024, at the Statehouse. (Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — After years of fraud, delayed claims and long waits, Kansas’ beleaguered unemployment program has rolled out a new, modernized system.Gov. Laura Kelly and Kansas Department of Labor secretary Amber Shultz announced Friday the launch of the online claim system that has been three years in the making, and more than a decade overdue.&nbsp;Kelly called it a “complete transformation.”“Now we’ve unlocked access to a world of new possibilities,” Kelly said. “Modernizing an IT system is about more than just updating old software. It’s about rethinking the entire infrastructure.”The old system was “slow, inefficient and, frankly, unresponsive, especially when Kansas needed it most,” Kelly told reporters and labor department staff.&nbsp;Kansas’ aging unemployment system crumbled under the weight of a historic number of unemployment claims filed during the COVID-19 pandemic, of which an estimated hundreds of millions of dollars worth were deemed fraudulent.&nbsp;Officials&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/09/08/kansas-legislators-clash-with-labor-secretary-over-report-on-unemployment-fraud-identity-theft/">admitted</a>&nbsp;the system should have been updated years ago.In 2011, former Gov. Sam Brownback’s administration halted efforts to revamp the system. Kelly had planned to upgrade the 1970s-era mainframe system before the pandemic, but the process didn’t begin until June 2022.&nbsp;Kelly referenced floppy disks, the Beatles and the Vietnam War when characterizing the time in which the system came to be. Roughly 50 years later, transforming the system was like turning a rotary phone into a smartphone, she said.&nbsp;Kelly said the overhaul cost more than $40 million, but it would have cost about $27 million if done a decade ago. Continued investment in technology is important, Kelly said, “so we never fall behind the mark again.”Shultz, who took over as department secretary in&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/04/16/shultz-formally-takes-reins-of-labor-department-plagued-by-challenges/">2021</a>, became emotional while thanking the labor department staff members. The “dark days” of the pandemic, as Kelly dubbed them, involved death threats and law enforcement protection for labor department staff.&nbsp;“They came into a burning building during the pandemic,” she said.&nbsp;A&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/09/27/kansas-labor-department-teams-with-new-federal-office-on-unemployment-modernization/">September 2021</a>&nbsp;state audit found that about 59% of the roughly 1 million unique claims filed during the pandemic were suspected to be fraudulent. That same audit showed the state processed $700 million in fraudulent benefit payments. Half came from federal funds and half from state funds.A backlog of fraudulent claims still exists, Shultz told the Reflector. However, the department believes every case of fraud has been identified.&nbsp;The new system, accessible at&nbsp;<a href="http://kansasui.gov/" target="_blank">KansasUI.gov</a>, was launched earlier this week. Some users encountered hiccups with the system’s multi-factor authentication, a process that is meant to add an extra layer of security, but Shultz said those affected have been contacted.With the new system’s launch, claim filings are at normal levels, Shultz said. Typically, seasonal layoffs bring in about 1,200 initial claims this time of year, while continued claims are at about 7,500. As the new system’s first week comes to a close, volumes remain normal, Shultz said.

Kansas rolls out new unemployment system, first in nearly 50 years

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Two weeks before Election Day, activists from across the country gathered for an online rally heralding the historic number of state ballot initiatives seeking to change the way people vote. Hopes were high that voters would ditch traditional partisan primaries and embrace ballots with more candidate choices.

Instead, the election reform movement lost almost everywhere it appeared on a statewide ballot.

“It turns out, in retrospect, we weren’t yet ready for prime time,” said John Opdycke, president of the advocacy group Open Primaries, which organized the rally.

In Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, Oregon and South Dakota — a mixture of red, blue and purple states — voters rejected either&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ranked-choice-voting-maine-alaska-elections-3c671352c0a6aa3604502955e6df3097">ranked choice voting</a>, open primaries or a combination of both.

The open primary proposals sought to place candidates of all parties on the same ballot, with a certain number of top finishers advancing to the general election. Under ranked choice voting, people can vote for multiple candidates in order of preference. If no one receives a majority of first place votes, then candidates who receive the fewest votes are eliminated and their votes redistributed to people's next choices.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ranked-choice-voting-open-primaries-election-2024-881a2630d57e3596754c714c4d90dc5e">Election reform advocates</a>&nbsp;raised about $110 million for the statewide ballot measures, vastly outpacing their opponents, according to an Associated Press analysis of campaign finance figures that could grow even larger as post-election reports are filed. Still, their promotional push wasn't enough to persuade most voters.

“While Americans are frustrated with politics, I think most Americans are just fine with the traditional way of voting,” said Trent England, executive director of Save Our States, which opposes ranked choice voting.

Advocates for alternative election methods had thought momentum was on their side after Alaska voters narrowly approved a combination of open primaries and ranked choice voting in 2020. Then voters in Nevada — where initiatives proposing constitutional amendments require approval in two consecutive elections — gave first-round approval to a similar measure in 2022. But Nevada voters reversed course this year.

In Alaska, an attempt this year to repeal open primaries and ranked choice voting appears to have fallen just short of passing, garnering 49.9% support in results released Wednesday. Final results are expected to be certified Nov. 30.

In addition to Alaska, versions of ranked choice voting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/maine-house-congress-golden-theriault-bb072ca55aaab2ebae3fb8b6339cb545">already exist in Maine</a>&nbsp;'s federal elections and about 50 counties or cities. Voters in Washington, D.C., and the Chicago suburb of Oak Park, Illinois, both approved ranked choice voting this November. And voters in the Minneapolis suburb of Bloomington, Minnesota, reaffirmed their use of it.

Data suggests that ranked choice voting rarely results in different outcomes than traditional elections won by candidates receiving a plurality, but not majority, of support. The AP analyzed nearly 150 races this fall in 16 jurisdictions where ranked choice voting is authorized, ranging from the Board of Assessors elections in the Village of Arden, Delaware, to the presidential elections in Alaska and Maine. The ranking system was needed in just 30% of those cases, because the rest were won by candidates receiving a majority of the initial votes.

Nationwide, just three candidates who initially trailed in first-place votes ended up winning after ranked vote tabulations — one for Portland City Council and two for the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.

In San Francisco, two progressive candidates campaigned together, encouraging voters to rank them No. 1 and 2. Initially, they fell behind a moderate candidate who would have won a traditional election. But after six rounds of rankings, one of the progressive candidates emerged the victor when the other was eliminated and his supporters' votes were redistributed to her.

Supporters of ranked choice voting point to that as a success, because it avoided two similar candidates splitting the vote and both losing.

“It’s kind of like a pressure valve – you don’t always need it, but when you do, you really do,” said Deb Otis, director of research and policy at FairVote, which advocates for ranked choice voting.

In Portland, Oregon, voters used ranked choice voting for the first time this November in their mayoral and City Council elections, even as Oregon voters simultaneously rejected a measure to implement it for federal and statewide offices. Political outsider Keith Wilson, who led Portland's 19-person mayoral field with about one-third of the initial vote,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/portland-oregon-mayor-keith-wilson-homelessness-ba9c06e72d9de6d71bb9b5fa65ffa422">ultimately won election</a>&nbsp;after 19 rounds of ranked tabulations. One City Council seat took at least 30 rounds to decide.

But not everyone participated in the new voting method. About one-fifth of Portland voters skipped the council races, and about one-in-seven voters left the mayoral election blank.

Opponents of ranked choice voting contend that some people find it confusing and don't vote in ranked races.

Academic research also has cast doubt on the benefits of ranked choice voting, said Larry Jacobs, a professor of politics at the University of Minnesota. Fewer Black voters tend to rank candidates than white voters, he said, and there is little evidence that ranked choice voting reduces political polarization or negative campaigning.

“I think the tide for ranked choice voting is turning away from it,” Jacobs said.

Groups that heavily financed this year's election reform initiatives aren't giving up, but may retool their approach. Supporters are considering whether to separate the efforts to end partisan primaries from those to adopt ranked choice voting, and whether to focus more on incremental changes that state legislatures can make instead of on high-stakes initiatives to amend state constitutions.

Opdycke said some of this year's initiatives may have launched prematurely, counting on ads to persuade voters without first cultivating enough grassroots support.

“I think there’s a deeper appreciation for the kind of brick work, foundation-building, conversation creation that has to go on as a precursor of launching a formal campaign," he said.

Unite America, which spent around $70 million this year in its effort to end partisan primaries, is analyzing voter surveys and focus group results to help reshape its approach.

“The question is not if we should continue that effort," Unite America Executive Director Nick Troiano said, "but how are we ultimately going to succeed at it?”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732417787036.png" alt="“While Americans are frustrated with politics, I think most Americans are just fine with the traditional way of voting,” said Trent England, executive director of Save Our States, which opposes ranked choice voting." />
 <figcaption>“While Americans are frustrated with politics, I think most Americans are just fine with the traditional way of voting,” said Trent England, executive director of Save Our States, which opposes ranked choice voting.</figcaption>
 </figure>JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Two weeks before Election Day, activists from across the country gathered for an online rally heralding the historic number of state ballot initiatives seeking to change the way people vote. Hopes were high that voters would ditch traditional partisan primaries and embrace ballots with more candidate choices.Instead, the election reform movement lost almost everywhere it appeared on a statewide ballot.“It turns out, in retrospect, we weren’t yet ready for prime time,” said John Opdycke, president of the advocacy group Open Primaries, which organized the rally.In Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, Oregon and South Dakota — a mixture of red, blue and purple states — voters rejected either&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ranked-choice-voting-maine-alaska-elections-3c671352c0a6aa3604502955e6df3097">ranked choice voting</a>, open primaries or a combination of both.The open primary proposals sought to place candidates of all parties on the same ballot, with a certain number of top finishers advancing to the general election. Under ranked choice voting, people can vote for multiple candidates in order of preference. If no one receives a majority of first place votes, then candidates who receive the fewest votes are eliminated and their votes redistributed to people's next choices.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ranked-choice-voting-open-primaries-election-2024-881a2630d57e3596754c714c4d90dc5e">Election reform advocates</a>&nbsp;raised about $110 million for the statewide ballot measures, vastly outpacing their opponents, according to an Associated Press analysis of campaign finance figures that could grow even larger as post-election reports are filed. Still, their promotional push wasn't enough to persuade most voters.“While Americans are frustrated with politics, I think most Americans are just fine with the traditional way of voting,” said Trent England, executive director of Save Our States, which opposes ranked choice voting.Advocates for alternative election methods had thought momentum was on their side after Alaska voters narrowly approved a combination of open primaries and ranked choice voting in 2020. Then voters in Nevada — where initiatives proposing constitutional amendments require approval in two consecutive elections — gave first-round approval to a similar measure in 2022. But Nevada voters reversed course this year.In Alaska, an attempt this year to repeal open primaries and ranked choice voting appears to have fallen just short of passing, garnering 49.9% support in results released Wednesday. Final results are expected to be certified Nov. 30.In addition to Alaska, versions of ranked choice voting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/maine-house-congress-golden-theriault-bb072ca55aaab2ebae3fb8b6339cb545">already exist in Maine</a>&nbsp;'s federal elections and about 50 counties or cities. Voters in Washington, D.C., and the Chicago suburb of Oak Park, Illinois, both approved ranked choice voting this November. And voters in the Minneapolis suburb of Bloomington, Minnesota, reaffirmed their use of it.Data suggests that ranked choice voting rarely results in different outcomes than traditional elections won by candidates receiving a plurality, but not majority, of support. The AP analyzed nearly 150 races this fall in 16 jurisdictions where ranked choice voting is authorized, ranging from the Board of Assessors elections in the Village of Arden, Delaware, to the presidential elections in Alaska and Maine. The ranking system was needed in just 30% of those cases, because the rest were won by candidates receiving a majority of the initial votes.Nationwide, just three candidates who initially trailed in first-place votes ended up winning after ranked vote tabulations — one for Portland City Council and two for the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.In San Francisco, two progressive candidates campaigned together, encouraging voters to rank them No. 1 and 2. Initially, they fell behind a moderate candidate who would have won a traditional election. But after six rounds of rankings, one of the progressive candidates emerged the victor when the other was eliminated and his supporters' votes were redistributed to her.Supporters of ranked choice voting point to that as a success, because it avoided two similar candidates splitting the vote and both losing.“It’s kind of like a pressure valve – you don’t always need it, but when you do, you really do,” said Deb Otis, director of research and policy at FairVote, which advocates for ranked choice voting.In Portland, Oregon, voters used ranked choice voting for the first time this November in their mayoral and City Council elections, even as Oregon voters simultaneously rejected a measure to implement it for federal and statewide offices. Political outsider Keith Wilson, who led Portland's 19-person mayoral field with about one-third of the initial vote,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/portland-oregon-mayor-keith-wilson-homelessness-ba9c06e72d9de6d71bb9b5fa65ffa422">ultimately won election</a>&nbsp;after 19 rounds of ranked tabulations. One City Council seat took at least 30 rounds to decide.But not everyone participated in the new voting method. About one-fifth of Portland voters skipped the council races, and about one-in-seven voters left the mayoral election blank.Opponents of ranked choice voting contend that some people find it confusing and don't vote in ranked races.Academic research also has cast doubt on the benefits of ranked choice voting, said Larry Jacobs, a professor of politics at the University of Minnesota. Fewer Black voters tend to rank candidates than white voters, he said, and there is little evidence that ranked choice voting reduces political polarization or negative campaigning.“I think the tide for ranked choice voting is turning away from it,” Jacobs said.Groups that heavily financed this year's election reform initiatives aren't giving up, but may retool their approach. Supporters are considering whether to separate the efforts to end partisan primaries from those to adopt ranked choice voting, and whether to focus more on incremental changes that state legislatures can make instead of on high-stakes initiatives to amend state constitutions.Opdycke said some of this year's initiatives may have launched prematurely, counting on ads to persuade voters without first cultivating enough grassroots support.“I think there’s a deeper appreciation for the kind of brick work, foundation-building, conversation creation that has to go on as a precursor of launching a formal campaign," he said.Unite America, which spent around $70 million this year in its effort to end partisan primaries, is analyzing voter surveys and focus group results to help reshape its approach.“The question is not if we should continue that effort," Unite America Executive Director Nick Troiano said, "but how are we ultimately going to succeed at it?”

Voters rejected historic election reforms across the US, despite more than $100M push

KANSAS CITY —One person died in an accident just before 1:30p.m. Saturday in Kansas City.

A preliminary investigation revealed a&nbsp;Chevrolet Trailblazer was eastbound on 47th Street near Appleton in Kansas City at a very high rate of speed, according to KCPD&nbsp;Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

 The Chevrolet traveled off the roadway to the right through a drainage ditch and rolled.

 As the SUV rolled it vaulted up and over a large dirt mound and continued rolling eastbound across Appleton and struck an unoccupied red Ford F150 that was parked in the driveway and an unoccupied residence located at 4701 Appleton.

 The unrestrained driver and sole occupant of the Chevrolet was ejected from the vehicle and was pronounced deceased at the scene, according to DiMartino.&nbsp; The name of the driver has not been released.&nbsp; This is fatality #85 compared to #90 at this time last year in KCMO, according to DiMartino.&nbsp;

KANSAS CITY —One person died in an accident just before 1:30p.m. Saturday in Kansas City.A preliminary investigation revealed a&nbsp;Chevrolet Trailblazer was eastbound on 47th Street near Appleton in Kansas City at a very high rate of speed, according to KCPD&nbsp;Sergeant Phil DiMartino. The Chevrolet traveled off the roadway to the right through a drainage ditch and rolled. As the SUV rolled it vaulted up and over a large dirt mound and continued rolling eastbound across Appleton and struck an unoccupied red Ford F150 that was parked in the driveway and an unoccupied residence located at 4701 Appleton. The unrestrained driver and sole occupant of the Chevrolet was ejected from the vehicle and was pronounced deceased at the scene, according to DiMartino.&nbsp; The name of the driver has not been released.&nbsp; This is fatality #85 compared to #90 at this time last year in KCMO, according to DiMartino.&nbsp;

KCPD: Driver dies after violent rollover crash into driveway of home

NEW YORK (AP) — Chuck Woolery, the affable, smooth-talking game show host of “Wheel of Fortune,” “Love Connection” and “Scrabble” who later became a right-wing podcaster, skewering liberals and accusing the government of lying about COVID-19, has died. He was 83.

Mark Young, Woolery's podcast co-host and friend, said in an email early Sunday that Woolery died at his home in Texas with his wife, Kristen, present. “Chuck was a dear friend and brother and a tremendous man of faith, life will not be the same without him,” Young wrote.

Woolery, with his matinee idol looks, coiffed hair and ease with witty banter, was inducted into the American TV Game Show Hall of Fame in 2007 and earned a daytime Emmy nomination in 1978.

In 1983, Woolery began an 11-year run as host of TV’s “Love Connection,” for which he coined the phrase, “We’ll be back in two minutes and two seconds,” a two-fingered signature dubbed the “2 and 2.” In 1984, he hosted TV’s “Scrabble,” simultaneously hosting two game shows on TV until 1990.

“Love Connection,” which aired long before the dawn of dating apps, had a premise that featured either a single man or single woman who would watch audition tapes of three potential mates and then pick one for a date.

A couple of weeks after the date, the guest would sit with Woolery in front of a studio audience and tell everybody about the date. The audience would vote on the three contestants, and if the audience agreed with the guest’s choice, “Love Connection” would offer to pay for a second date.

Woolery told The Philadelphia Inquirer in 2003 that his favorite set of lovebirds was a man aged 91 and a woman aged 87. "She had so much eye makeup on, she looked like a stolen Corvette. He was so old he said, ‘I remember wagon trains.’ The poor guy. She took him on a balloon ride.”

Other career highlights included hosting the shows “Lingo," “Greed” and “The Chuck Woolery Show,” as well as hosting the short-lived syndicated revival of “The Dating Game” from 1998 to 2000 and an ill-fated 1991 talk show. In 1992, he played himself in two episodes of TV’s “Melrose Place.”

Woolery became the subject of the Game Show Network’s first attempt at a reality show, “Chuck Woolery: Naturally Stoned,” which premiered in 2003. It shared the title of the pop song in 1968 by Woolery and his rock group, the Avant-Garde. It lasted six episode and was panned by critics.

Woolery began his TV career at a show that has become a mainstay. Although most associated with Pat Sajak and Vanna White, “Wheel of Fortune” debuted Jan. 6, 1975, on NBC with Woolery welcoming contestants and the audience. Woolery, then 33, was trying to make it in Nashville as a singer.

“Wheel of Fortune” started life as “Shopper’s Bazaar,” incorporating Hangman-style puzzles and a roulette wheel. After Woolery appeared on “The Merv Griffin Show” singing “Delta Dawn,” Merv Griffin asked him to host the new show with Susan Stafford.

“I had an interview that stretched to 15, 20 minutes,” Woolery told The New York Times in 2003. “After the show, when Merv asked if I wanted to do a game show, I thought, ‘Great, a guy with a bad jacket and an equally bad mustache who doesn’t care what you have to say — that’s the guy I want to be.’”

NBC initially passed, but they retooled it as “Wheel of Fortune” and got the green light. After a few years, Woolery demanded a raise to $500,000 a year, or what host Peter Marshall was making on “Hollywood Squares.” Griffin balked and replaced Woolery with weather reporter Pat Sajak.

“Both Chuck and Susie did a fine job, and ‘Wheel’ did well enough on NBC, although it never approached the kind of ratings success that ‘Jeopardy!’ achieved in its heyday,” Griffin said in “Merv: Making the Good Life Last,” an autobiography from the 2000s co-written by David Bender. Woolery earned an Emmy nod as host.

Born in Ashland, Kentucky, Woolery served in the U.S. Navy before attending college. He played double bass in a folk trio, then formed the psychedelic rock duo The Avant-Garde in 1967 while working as a truck driver to support himself as a musician.

The Avant-Garde, which tourbed in a refitted Cadillac hearse, had the Top 40 hit “Naturally Stoned,” with Woolery singing, “When I put my mind on you alone/I can get a good sensation/Feel like I’m naturally stoned.”

After The Avant-Garde broke up, Woolery released his debut solo single “I’ve Been Wrong” in 1969 and several more singles with Columbia before transitioning to country music by the 1970s. He released two solo singles, “Forgive My Heart” and “Love Me, Love Me.”

Woolery wrote or co-wrote songs for himself and everyone from Pat Boone to Tammy Wynette. On Wynette’s 1971 album “We Sure Can Love Each Other,” Woolery wrote “The Joys of Being a Woman” with lyrics including “See our baby on the swing/Hear her laugh, hear her scream.”

After his TV career ended, Woolery went into podcasting. In an interview with The New York Times, he called himself a gun-rights activist and described himself as a conservative libertarian and constitutionalist. He said he hadn’t revealed his politics in liberal Hollywood for fear of retribution.

He teamed up with Mark Young in 2014 for the podcast “Blunt Force Truth” and soon became a full supporter of Donald Trump while arguing minorities don’t need civil rights and causing a firestorm by tweeting an antisemitic comment linking Soviet Communists to Judaism.

“President Obama’s popularity is a fantasy only held by him and his dwindling legion of juice-box-drinking, anxiety-dog-hugging, safe-space-hiding snowflakes,” he said.

Woolery also was active online, retweeting articles from Conservative Brief, insisting Democrats were trying to install a system of Marxism and spreading headlines such as “Impeach him! Devastating photo of Joe Biden leaks.”

During the early stages of the pandemic, Woolery initially accused medical professionals and Democrats of lying about the virus in an effort to hurt the economy and Trump’s chances for reelection to the presidency.

“The most outrageous lies are the ones about COVID-19. Everyone is lying. The CDC, media, Democrats, our doctors, not all but most, that we are told to trust. I think it’s all about the election and keeping the economy from coming back, which is about the election. I’m sick of it,” Woolery wrote in July 2020.

Trump retweeted that post to his 83 million followers. By the end of the month, nearly 4.5 million Americans had been infected with COVID-19 and more than 150,000 had died.

Just days later, Woolery changed his stance, announcing his son had contracted COVID-19. “To further clarify and add perspective, COVID-19 is real and it is here. My son tested positive for the virus, and I feel for of those suffering and especially for those who have lost loved ones,” Woolery posted before his account was deleted.

Woolery later explained on his podcast that he never called COVID-19 “a hoax” or said “it’s not real,” just that “we’ve been lied to.” Woolery also said it was “an honor to have your president retweet what your thoughts are and think it’s important enough to do that.”

In addition to his wife, Woolery is survived by his sons Michael and Sean and his daughter Melissa, Young said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732437807657.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Chuck Woolery, the affable, smooth-talking game show host of “Wheel of Fortune,” “Love Connection” and “Scrabble” who later became a right-wing podcaster, skewering liberals and accusing the government of lying about COVID-19, has died. He was 83.Mark Young, Woolery's podcast co-host and friend, said in an email early Sunday that Woolery died at his home in Texas with his wife, Kristen, present. “Chuck was a dear friend and brother and a tremendous man of faith, life will not be the same without him,” Young wrote.Woolery, with his matinee idol looks, coiffed hair and ease with witty banter, was inducted into the American TV Game Show Hall of Fame in 2007 and earned a daytime Emmy nomination in 1978.In 1983, Woolery began an 11-year run as host of TV’s “Love Connection,” for which he coined the phrase, “We’ll be back in two minutes and two seconds,” a two-fingered signature dubbed the “2 and 2.” In 1984, he hosted TV’s “Scrabble,” simultaneously hosting two game shows on TV until 1990.“Love Connection,” which aired long before the dawn of dating apps, had a premise that featured either a single man or single woman who would watch audition tapes of three potential mates and then pick one for a date.A couple of weeks after the date, the guest would sit with Woolery in front of a studio audience and tell everybody about the date. The audience would vote on the three contestants, and if the audience agreed with the guest’s choice, “Love Connection” would offer to pay for a second date.Woolery told The Philadelphia Inquirer in 2003 that his favorite set of lovebirds was a man aged 91 and a woman aged 87. "She had so much eye makeup on, she looked like a stolen Corvette. He was so old he said, ‘I remember wagon trains.’ The poor guy. She took him on a balloon ride.”Other career highlights included hosting the shows “Lingo," “Greed” and “The Chuck Woolery Show,” as well as hosting the short-lived syndicated revival of “The Dating Game” from 1998 to 2000 and an ill-fated 1991 talk show. In 1992, he played himself in two episodes of TV’s “Melrose Place.”Woolery became the subject of the Game Show Network’s first attempt at a reality show, “Chuck Woolery: Naturally Stoned,” which premiered in 2003. It shared the title of the pop song in 1968 by Woolery and his rock group, the Avant-Garde. It lasted six episode and was panned by critics.Woolery began his TV career at a show that has become a mainstay. Although most associated with Pat Sajak and Vanna White, “Wheel of Fortune” debuted Jan. 6, 1975, on NBC with Woolery welcoming contestants and the audience. Woolery, then 33, was trying to make it in Nashville as a singer.“Wheel of Fortune” started life as “Shopper’s Bazaar,” incorporating Hangman-style puzzles and a roulette wheel. After Woolery appeared on “The Merv Griffin Show” singing “Delta Dawn,” Merv Griffin asked him to host the new show with Susan Stafford.“I had an interview that stretched to 15, 20 minutes,” Woolery told The New York Times in 2003. “After the show, when Merv asked if I wanted to do a game show, I thought, ‘Great, a guy with a bad jacket and an equally bad mustache who doesn’t care what you have to say — that’s the guy I want to be.’”NBC initially passed, but they retooled it as “Wheel of Fortune” and got the green light. After a few years, Woolery demanded a raise to $500,000 a year, or what host Peter Marshall was making on “Hollywood Squares.” Griffin balked and replaced Woolery with weather reporter Pat Sajak.“Both Chuck and Susie did a fine job, and ‘Wheel’ did well enough on NBC, although it never approached the kind of ratings success that ‘Jeopardy!’ achieved in its heyday,” Griffin said in “Merv: Making the Good Life Last,” an autobiography from the 2000s co-written by David Bender. Woolery earned an Emmy nod as host.Born in Ashland, Kentucky, Woolery served in the U.S. Navy before attending college. He played double bass in a folk trio, then formed the psychedelic rock duo The Avant-Garde in 1967 while working as a truck driver to support himself as a musician.The Avant-Garde, which tourbed in a refitted Cadillac hearse, had the Top 40 hit “Naturally Stoned,” with Woolery singing, “When I put my mind on you alone/I can get a good sensation/Feel like I’m naturally stoned.”After The Avant-Garde broke up, Woolery released his debut solo single “I’ve Been Wrong” in 1969 and several more singles with Columbia before transitioning to country music by the 1970s. He released two solo singles, “Forgive My Heart” and “Love Me, Love Me.”Woolery wrote or co-wrote songs for himself and everyone from Pat Boone to Tammy Wynette. On Wynette’s 1971 album “We Sure Can Love Each Other,” Woolery wrote “The Joys of Being a Woman” with lyrics including “See our baby on the swing/Hear her laugh, hear her scream.”After his TV career ended, Woolery went into podcasting. In an interview with The New York Times, he called himself a gun-rights activist and described himself as a conservative libertarian and constitutionalist. He said he hadn’t revealed his politics in liberal Hollywood for fear of retribution.He teamed up with Mark Young in 2014 for the podcast “Blunt Force Truth” and soon became a full supporter of Donald Trump while arguing minorities don’t need civil rights and causing a firestorm by tweeting an antisemitic comment linking Soviet Communists to Judaism.“President Obama’s popularity is a fantasy only held by him and his dwindling legion of juice-box-drinking, anxiety-dog-hugging, safe-space-hiding snowflakes,” he said.Woolery also was active online, retweeting articles from Conservative Brief, insisting Democrats were trying to install a system of Marxism and spreading headlines such as “Impeach him! Devastating photo of Joe Biden leaks.”During the early stages of the pandemic, Woolery initially accused medical professionals and Democrats of lying about the virus in an effort to hurt the economy and Trump’s chances for reelection to the presidency.“The most outrageous lies are the ones about COVID-19. Everyone is lying. The CDC, media, Democrats, our doctors, not all but most, that we are told to trust. I think it’s all about the election and keeping the economy from coming back, which is about the election. I’m sick of it,” Woolery wrote in July 2020.Trump retweeted that post to his 83 million followers. By the end of the month, nearly 4.5 million Americans had been infected with COVID-19 and more than 150,000 had died.Just days later, Woolery changed his stance, announcing his son had contracted COVID-19. “To further clarify and add perspective, COVID-19 is real and it is here. My son tested positive for the virus, and I feel for of those suffering and especially for those who have lost loved ones,” Woolery posted before his account was deleted.Woolery later explained on his podcast that he never called COVID-19 “a hoax” or said “it’s not real,” just that “we’ve been lied to.” Woolery also said it was “an honor to have your president retweet what your thoughts are and think it’s important enough to do that.”In addition to his wife, Woolery is survived by his sons Michael and Sean and his daughter Melissa, Young said.___

Chuck Woolery, game show host of 'Love Connection' and 'Scrabble,' dies at 83

JACKSON COUNTY– Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after an arrest following a house fire.

Just after 6p.m. on November 21, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call of a house fire at 510 Washington Avenue in the the city of Delia, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

 Upon arrival, responders found the residence engulfed with fire.  Fire departments were able to extinguish the fire. The Kansas State Fire Marshal’s Office responded later to the scene.

  The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office served a search warrant on the residence later in the night. All fire units were clear the scene by 10 p.m. Jackson County Deputies and Detectives arrested 44-year-old Denise Elaine Meltz, of Delia. 

Meltz was transported to and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of arson, possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.

The Delia, Mayetta, Hoyt, PBPN Fire Departments, Jackson County EMS, and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office responded to assist at the scene of the fire.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732309635376.png" alt="Photo Jackson Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo Jackson Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY– Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after an arrest following a house fire.Just after 6p.m. on November 21, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call of a house fire at 510 Washington Avenue in the the city of Delia, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732309599192.png" alt="Melz photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Melz photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure> Upon arrival, responders found the residence engulfed with fire. Fire departments were able to extinguish the fire. The Kansas State Fire Marshal’s Office responded later to the scene. The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office served a search warrant on the residence later in the night. All fire units were clear the scene by 10 p.m. Jackson County Deputies and Detectives arrested 44-year-old Denise Elaine Meltz, of Delia. Meltz was transported to and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of arson, possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.The Delia, Mayetta, Hoyt, PBPN Fire Departments, Jackson County EMS, and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office responded to assist at the scene of the fire.

Kansas woman jailed for starting house fire and meth possession

PLATTE COUNTY, Mo. —Law enforcement in Kansas and Missouri investigating alleged sex crimes have made five arrests.

On November 21st and November 22nd, the Platte County Sheriff’s Office conducted a Counter Human Trafficking Operation composed of a predatory buyer interdiction operation and a survivor advocacy operation, according to Sheriff's Department Major Erik Holland.

 During the predatory buyer interdiction five men were arrested for attempting to engage in paid sex acts with females, they believed to be 14 and 15 years old.

 The survivor advocacy operation was hosted by Value Unconditional, a victim advocate group, who met with 12 commercial sex workers and provided 11 successful advocacy sessions.

"This type of crime often goes unseen by the public but victimizes some of the most vulnerable individuals in our communities, according to&nbsp;Sheriff Mark Owen. "Law enforcement in our area is committed to protecting children from sexual predators.” 

 The Platte County Sheriff’s Office thanked the Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office, the Butler County Sheriff’s Office and the Greenwood County&nbsp; Sheriff’s Offices in Kansas., the Riverside, Missouri Police Department, the Clay County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office, the Ray County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office&nbsp;and the Washoe County (NV) Sheriff’s Office for their support during this operation.

PLATTE COUNTY, Mo. —Law enforcement in Kansas and Missouri investigating alleged sex crimes have made five arrests.On November 21st and November 22nd, the Platte County Sheriff’s Office conducted a Counter Human Trafficking Operation composed of a predatory buyer interdiction operation and a survivor advocacy operation, according to Sheriff's Department Major Erik Holland. During the predatory buyer interdiction five men were arrested for attempting to engage in paid sex acts with females, they believed to be 14 and 15 years old. The survivor advocacy operation was hosted by Value Unconditional, a victim advocate group, who met with 12 commercial sex workers and provided 11 successful advocacy sessions."This type of crime often goes unseen by the public but victimizes some of the most vulnerable individuals in our communities, according to&nbsp;Sheriff Mark Owen. "Law enforcement in our area is committed to protecting children from sexual predators.” The Platte County Sheriff’s Office thanked the Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office, the Butler County Sheriff’s Office and the Greenwood County&nbsp; Sheriff’s Offices in Kansas., the Riverside, Missouri Police Department, the Clay County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office, the Ray County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office&nbsp;and the Washoe County (NV) Sheriff’s Office for their support during this operation.

5 arrested after anti-human trafficking operation in Kansas, Missouri

LEAVENWORTH COUNTY—The death of an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution in Leavenworth is under investigation.

Just after 9:30a.m. Tuesday, 33-year-old Terrace Shaw was found unresponsive at the prison, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

Responding employees initiated life-saving measures. Emergency medical services (EMS) were requested while life-saving efforts continued. EMS transported Shaw to a local hospital and subsequently pronounced deceased by hospital personnel.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation was notified.

No employees or other incarcerated individuals were injured and at no time was the public in danger.&nbsp;&nbsp;Shaw was sentenced in the Middle District of Tennessee to an aggregate 168-month sentence for Conspiracy to Commit Hobbs Act Robbery, Hobbs Act Robbery, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. He had been in custody at FCI Leavenworth since July 11, 2024. FCI Leavenworth is a medium security facility.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732199736346.png" alt="Shaw photo Tennessee Dept. of Corrections" />
 <figcaption>Shaw photo Tennessee Dept. of Corrections</figcaption>
 </figure>LEAVENWORTH COUNTY—The death of an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution in Leavenworth is under investigation.Just after 9:30a.m. Tuesday, 33-year-old Terrace Shaw was found unresponsive at the prison, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons.Responding employees initiated life-saving measures. Emergency medical services (EMS) were requested while life-saving efforts continued. EMS transported Shaw to a local hospital and subsequently pronounced deceased by hospital personnel.The Federal Bureau of Investigation was notified.No employees or other incarcerated individuals were injured and at no time was the public in danger.&nbsp;&nbsp;Shaw was sentenced in the Middle District of Tennessee to an aggregate 168-month sentence for Conspiracy to Commit Hobbs Act Robbery, Hobbs Act Robbery, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. He had been in custody at FCI Leavenworth since July 11, 2024. FCI Leavenworth is a medium security facility.

Man serving time for armed robbery dies while in custody in Kansas

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">SHAUNEEN MIRANDA</a>

WASHINGTON —&nbsp; The 2025-26 form to apply for federal student aid is now available to all students and families, the&nbsp;<a href="https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa" target="_blank">U.S. Department of Education</a>&nbsp;said Thursday.

The department&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-department-education-begins-testing-new-fafsa-form" target="_blank">used a staggered approach</a>&nbsp;to launch the 2025-26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid — better known as FAFSA — to address any issues before the form became available to everyone at a later date.

Though the department beat its Dec. 1 full launch deadline by 10 days, the form is fully available roughly two months later than the typical Oct. 1 date.

The department gradually ramped up the number of people able to complete the form since early October through four testing rounds that have featured more than 167,000 FAFSA submissions.

Meanwhile,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-house-passes-bill-move-annual-fafsa-release-deadline" target="_blank">a bill to ensure the federal student aid form</a>&nbsp;is available by Oct. 1 annually has passed both the House and Senate with sweeping bipartisan support. It’s now up to President Joe Biden to sign the measure into law.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment on the bill.

Senior department officials said they do not have a position on the legislation but reiterated that they are on track to launch the 2026-27 FAFSA by Oct. 1, 2025.

The decision for a phased rollout came after the 2024-25 form — which got a makeover after Congress passed the FAFSA Simplification Act in December 2020 — witnessed its fair share of glitches and errors, which prompted processing delays and left students and families feeling frustrated and confused.

The department worked to fix these errors as well as issues that prevented parents without Social Security numbers from completing the form.

“We recognize that the FAFSA challenge required an overhaul at the (Office of) Federal Student Aid, so we got to work,” U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said on a call with reporters Thursday.

“We made key changes at FSA, including better accountability and an increase in outside technical expertise — we held listening sessions, engaging 300 organizations, and we incorporated the feedback from our students, from parents, schools, software vendors, state agencies and other partners,” he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727807641728.png" alt=" A sign reminding people to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid — better known as FAFSA — appears on a bus near Union Station in Washington, D.C. (Shauneen Miranda/States Newsroom)" />
 <figcaption> A sign reminding people to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid — better known as FAFSA — appears on a bus near Union Station in Washington, D.C. (Shauneen Miranda/States Newsroom)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">SHAUNEEN MIRANDA</a>WASHINGTON —&nbsp; The 2025-26 form to apply for federal student aid is now available to all students and families, the&nbsp;<a href="https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa" target="_blank">U.S. Department of Education</a>&nbsp;said Thursday.The department&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-department-education-begins-testing-new-fafsa-form" target="_blank">used a staggered approach</a>&nbsp;to launch the 2025-26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid — better known as FAFSA — to address any issues before the form became available to everyone at a later date.Though the department beat its Dec. 1 full launch deadline by 10 days, the form is fully available roughly two months later than the typical Oct. 1 date.The department gradually ramped up the number of people able to complete the form since early October through four testing rounds that have featured more than 167,000 FAFSA submissions.Meanwhile,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-house-passes-bill-move-annual-fafsa-release-deadline" target="_blank">a bill to ensure the federal student aid form</a>&nbsp;is available by Oct. 1 annually has passed both the House and Senate with sweeping bipartisan support. It’s now up to President Joe Biden to sign the measure into law.The White House did not respond to a request for comment on the bill.Senior department officials said they do not have a position on the legislation but reiterated that they are on track to launch the 2026-27 FAFSA by Oct. 1, 2025.<h2>2024-25 FAFSA mishaps</h2>The decision for a phased rollout came after the 2024-25 form — which got a makeover after Congress passed the FAFSA Simplification Act in December 2020 — witnessed its fair share of glitches and errors, which prompted processing delays and left students and families feeling frustrated and confused.The department worked to fix these errors as well as issues that prevented parents without Social Security numbers from completing the form.“We recognize that the FAFSA challenge required an overhaul at the (Office of) Federal Student Aid, so we got to work,” U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said on a call with reporters Thursday.“We made key changes at FSA, including better accountability and an increase in outside technical expertise — we held listening sessions, engaging 300 organizations, and we incorporated the feedback from our students, from parents, schools, software vendors, state agencies and other partners,” he said.

Feds roll out 2025-26 college financial aid form ahead of planned date

&nbsp;WYANDOTTE COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 9p.m. Friday in Wyandotte County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported 2022 Yamaha motorcycle driven by Jessica Diana&nbsp;Adams, 34, Blue Springs, Missouri, was&nbsp;westbound on Interstate 70 near Washington Avenue to Eastbound Interstate 70 at a high rate of speed. 

The motorcycle struck and rode the bridge wall. The driver was ejected and struck the ground approximately 60 feet below Interstate 70.

Adams was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to First Call. She was wearing a helmet, according to the KHP.

&nbsp;WYANDOTTE COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 9p.m. Friday in Wyandotte County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported 2022 Yamaha motorcycle driven by Jessica Diana&nbsp;Adams, 34, Blue Springs, Missouri, was&nbsp;westbound on Interstate 70 near Washington Avenue to Eastbound Interstate 70 at a high rate of speed. The motorcycle struck and rode the bridge wall. The driver was ejected and struck the ground approximately 60 feet below Interstate 70.Adams was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to First Call. She was wearing a helmet, according to the KHP.

Motorcyclist dies after falling 60 feet off I-70 bridge 

TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly announced Friday that she granted pardons to two individuals who show strong signs of rehabilitation. The decision to grant the pardons was made following independent reviews by the Prison Review Board, the Kansas Department of Administration, and the Governor’s legal team.&nbsp;

“The decision to grant these pardons comes after a meticulous and thorough review process,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;“One of the largest factors taken into consideration is a person’s commitment to rehabilitation, making amends, and positively contributing to society. Granting these pardons will give a second chance to two individuals who have taken responsibility for their actions and are working to move on with their lives."&nbsp;&nbsp;

Governor Kelly took into consideration numerous factors to determine if the pardons were warranted, including but not limited to: the nature of the offense, impact of the crime on victims or survivors, demonstration of rehabilitation, criminal history, absence of disciplinary issues in prison, positive achievements and growth while incarcerated, and the ability to contribute to society.&nbsp;

Article 1, Section 7 of the Kansas Constitution and K.S.A. § 22-3701 grants the governor’s authority to grant clemency. 

The two individuals receiving pardons are&nbsp;Anthony Mitchell who was serving time for drug convictions and Richard McMichael, 29, who had two previous drug convictions and another for&nbsp;Aggravated Battery - Bodily Harm with a Deadly Weapon/Manner, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections. He was released from prison on March 13.

Review of clemency applications by the Governor is ongoing, and there is no set timeline for review. By law, clemency applications in Kansas must be submitted to the Prisoner Review Board and notice of an individual’s application for clemency must be published in the county newspaper where the crime was committed. The Board reviews all applications before forwarding them for further review. Additional information about the process can be found at the Board’s website:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.doc.ks.gov%2Fprb/1/01010193558b34dd-3ec09504-e403-4522-b3d0-54d4757dc546-000000/wV4_KQF6jrnMKeoHFrlajkPyo8xFiteGYr7JxwYt31I=380">https://www.doc.ks.gov/prb</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Governor’s Office encourages victims and survivors to reach out to the Office of Victim Services, which provides confidential support and information to victims, survivors, or witnesses of a crime. Information can be found&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fgcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com%2F%3Furl=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.doc.ks.gov%252Fvictim-services%26data=05%257C02%257CAna.Nixon%2540ks.gov%257C54a18c945bc94c7cef9908dcccec3705%257Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%257C0%257C0%257C638610562106773667%257CUnknown%257CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%253D%257C0%257C%257C%257C%26sdata=U8P6Gp2OXirlUshsbmG9dMZipun41jt6bVsZ%252BBaNpWQ%253D%26reserved=0/1/010101930398843c-81bda5a1-97ce-4c26-8db0-0cab921a3c6a-000000/g7dMgAYoHSriIhKRASAhNHNkYXj0zlXgaBSh8_RcUts=378">here</a>&nbsp;or by phone at 866-404-6732.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732311722319.png" alt="McMichael-photo KDOC" />
 <figcaption>McMichael-photo KDOC</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly announced Friday that she granted pardons to two individuals who show strong signs of rehabilitation. The decision to grant the pardons was made following independent reviews by the Prison Review Board, the Kansas Department of Administration, and the Governor’s legal team.&nbsp;“The decision to grant these pardons comes after a meticulous and thorough review process,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;“One of the largest factors taken into consideration is a person’s commitment to rehabilitation, making amends, and positively contributing to society. Granting these pardons will give a second chance to two individuals who have taken responsibility for their actions and are working to move on with their lives."&nbsp;&nbsp;Governor Kelly took into consideration numerous factors to determine if the pardons were warranted, including but not limited to: the nature of the offense, impact of the crime on victims or survivors, demonstration of rehabilitation, criminal history, absence of disciplinary issues in prison, positive achievements and growth while incarcerated, and the ability to contribute to society.&nbsp;Article 1, Section 7 of the Kansas Constitution and K.S.A. § 22-3701 grants the governor’s authority to grant clemency. The two individuals receiving pardons are&nbsp;Anthony Mitchell who was serving time for drug convictions and Richard McMichael, 29, who had two previous drug convictions and another for&nbsp;Aggravated Battery - Bodily Harm with a Deadly Weapon/Manner, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections. He was released from prison on March 13.Review of clemency applications by the Governor is ongoing, and there is no set timeline for review. By law, clemency applications in Kansas must be submitted to the Prisoner Review Board and notice of an individual’s application for clemency must be published in the county newspaper where the crime was committed. The Board reviews all applications before forwarding them for further review. Additional information about the process can be found at the Board’s website:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.doc.ks.gov%2Fprb/1/01010193558b34dd-3ec09504-e403-4522-b3d0-54d4757dc546-000000/wV4_KQF6jrnMKeoHFrlajkPyo8xFiteGYr7JxwYt31I=380">https://www.doc.ks.gov/prb</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;The Governor’s Office encourages victims and survivors to reach out to the Office of Victim Services, which provides confidential support and information to victims, survivors, or witnesses of a crime. Information can be found&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fgcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com%2F%3Furl=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.doc.ks.gov%252Fvictim-services%26data=05%257C02%257CAna.Nixon%2540ks.gov%257C54a18c945bc94c7cef9908dcccec3705%257Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%257C0%257C0%257C638610562106773667%257CUnknown%257CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%253D%257C0%257C%257C%257C%26sdata=U8P6Gp2OXirlUshsbmG9dMZipun41jt6bVsZ%252BBaNpWQ%253D%26reserved=0/1/010101930398843c-81bda5a1-97ce-4c26-8db0-0cab921a3c6a-000000/g7dMgAYoHSriIhKRASAhNHNkYXj0zlXgaBSh8_RcUts=378">here</a>&nbsp;or by phone at 866-404-6732.