Renters are nearing the end of their financial rope.

People who rent have largely been able to survive the initial months of the pandemic helped by unemployment and federal relief checks. But the extra $600 in unemployment benefits ceases at the end of July and local eviction moratoriums are expiring. There is no agreement between the White House and Congress on a second federal relief package.

More broadly, there are fewer supports in place for renters than for homeowners. And as a jump in virus cases in numerous states nationwide adds more uncertainty to the economy and job market, many who rent are facing a precarious future.

“It’s an incredibly stressful situation for renters,” said Bruce McClary, spokesman for the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, a nonprofit that works directly with consumers. “I don’t know what lies in the road ahead.”

Sam Moore knows this pressure all too well. Shortly after the stay-at-home orders hit in California, Moore and his four roommates who live in San Francisco’s Treasure Island found themselves with no regular income. Only two of them received relief checks from the federal government, one was receiving unemployment and two are still waiting on it.

Ultimately, they had to decide whether to use the money they did have to cover rent or food; they chose to stop paying rent. The five eventually used a GoFundMe campaign to raise the roughly $10,000 needed to pay the back rent for April through June plus the $2,500 bill due for July.

The group, all in their early 20s, are looking for work but will have to move in with their families if they aren’t able to find jobs and face eviction.

Renters already faced a dire situation before the pandemic hit, said Alexander Hermann, a researcher at the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies.

The center reported in January that vacancy rates for rentals had hit the lowest level in decades, pushing up rent far faster than income. At last count, one in four renters spent more than half their income on housing.

Then came the pandemic, which hit renters particularly hard financially. U.S. Census data shows about 19% of renters were late or deferred their rent payments in May. And about 31% of renters surveyed in June said they have little to no confidence they will be able to pay next month’s rent.

Renters tend to have lower incomes and to be more economically vulnerable than their homeowner counterparts. They also cannot tap into the equity in their homes as a line of credit in case of an emergency. A disproportionate number of renters are black, Hispanic and other minorities.

The COVID-19 Eviction Defense Project, a coalition of economic researchers and legal experts, estimates that 19 million to 23 million Americans are at risk for eviction by the end of September.

If possible, tenants should continue to pay rent. Reach out to your landlord or property owner if you are having financial difficulties to see if an agreement can be made. Some are willing to negotiate discounted or deferred payments.

If you live in federally-subsidized housing and your income has changed, you may qualify for a reduction in rent; contact your housing authority to talk about income recertification.

Renters should be sure to take advantage of other relief programs as well to free up cash. If they qualify for unemployment, apply as soon as possible as the process takes time. Banks have been willing to make some accommodations for credit card and other loan payments for those financially hurt by coronavirus.

A number of cities and states have put some assistance programs in place, as well as moratoriums on evictions amid the pandemic.

See if you qualify for help. The National Low Income Housing Coalition has a list of state and local rent assistance programs on its website. United Way’s 211.org website also has links to local charitable assistance for housing, food and other essentials.

Find out what local protections you have. The Eviction Lab maintains a list of local and regional actions to pause evictions of renters. It’s&nbsp;<a href="https://evictionlab.org/covid-policy-scorecard/" target="_blank">policy scorecard</a>&nbsp;provides useful detail on actions in your state.

There is also some protection for renters at the federal level.

Congress put a temporary nationwide eviction moratorium in place for renters who live in a federally subsidized building or one with a federally backed mortgage through July 25. Landlords cannot charge fees or penalties for nonpayment during this time as well. Tenants can search the Fannie Mae&nbsp;<a href="https://www.knowyouroptions.com/rentersresourcefinder" target="_blank">website</a>&nbsp;or the Freddie Mac&nbsp;<a href="https://myhome.freddiemac.com/renting/lookup.html" target="_blank">site</a>&nbsp;to find out if their building has a federally backed mortgage.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has helpful information on its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.consumerfinance.gov/coronavirus/mortgage-and-housing-assistance/renter-protections/" target="_blank">website</a>&nbsp;as well.

While you may get temporary relief from eviction, rent is still due.

Tenants may need to work out an arrangement to pay back rent or cope with potential eviction. They may want legal assistance through this process.

The Stanford Legal Design Lab along with Pew Charitable Trusts, has created a user-friendly&nbsp;<a href="https://legalfaq.org/" target="_blank">website</a>&nbsp;for tenants with questions about their legal rights or facing other rent issues as well. Just Shelter, a tenant advocacy group, also offers&nbsp;<a href="https://justshelter.org/community-resources/" target="_blank">information</a>&nbsp;on local and national organizations that can provide advice to renters in distress.

Renters can also find a certified housing counselor through the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hud.gov/findacounselor" target="_blank">website&nbsp;</a>to see if they qualify for housing assistance or eviction issues.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594662436270.png" alt="Google image" />
 <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>By SARAH SKIDMORE SELL, Associated PressRenters are nearing the end of their financial rope.People who rent have largely been able to survive the initial months of the pandemic helped by unemployment and federal relief checks. But the extra $600 in unemployment benefits ceases at the end of July and local eviction moratoriums are expiring. There is no agreement between the White House and Congress on a second federal relief package.More broadly, there are fewer supports in place for renters than for homeowners. And as a jump in virus cases in numerous states nationwide adds more uncertainty to the economy and job market, many who rent are facing a precarious future.“It’s an incredibly stressful situation for renters,” said Bruce McClary, spokesman for the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, a nonprofit that works directly with consumers. “I don’t know what lies in the road ahead.”Sam Moore knows this pressure all too well. Shortly after the stay-at-home orders hit in California, Moore and his four roommates who live in San Francisco’s Treasure Island found themselves with no regular income. Only two of them received relief checks from the federal government, one was receiving unemployment and two are still waiting on it.Ultimately, they had to decide whether to use the money they did have to cover rent or food; they chose to stop paying rent. The five eventually used a GoFundMe campaign to raise the roughly $10,000 needed to pay the back rent for April through June plus the $2,500 bill due for July.The group, all in their early 20s, are looking for work but will have to move in with their families if they aren’t able to find jobs and face eviction.ROUGH TIME TO RENTRenters already faced a dire situation before the pandemic hit, said Alexander Hermann, a researcher at the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies.The center reported in January that vacancy rates for rentals had hit the lowest level in decades, pushing up rent far faster than income. At last count, one in four renters spent more than half their income on housing.Then came the pandemic, which hit renters particularly hard financially. U.S. Census data shows about 19% of renters were late or deferred their rent payments in May. And about 31% of renters surveyed in June said they have little to no confidence they will be able to pay next month’s rent.Renters tend to have lower incomes and to be more economically vulnerable than their homeowner counterparts. They also cannot tap into the equity in their homes as a line of credit in case of an emergency. A disproportionate number of renters are black, Hispanic and other minorities.The COVID-19 Eviction Defense Project, a coalition of economic researchers and legal experts, estimates that 19 million to 23 million Americans are at risk for eviction by the end of September.FIRST STEPSIf possible, tenants should continue to pay rent. Reach out to your landlord or property owner if you are having financial difficulties to see if an agreement can be made. Some are willing to negotiate discounted or deferred payments.If you live in federally-subsidized housing and your income has changed, you may qualify for a reduction in rent; contact your housing authority to talk about income recertification.Renters should be sure to take advantage of other relief programs as well to free up cash. If they qualify for unemployment, apply as soon as possible as the process takes time. Banks have been willing to make some accommodations for credit card and other loan payments for those financially hurt by coronavirus.PROTECTIONSA number of cities and states have put some assistance programs in place, as well as moratoriums on evictions amid the pandemic.See if you qualify for help. The National Low Income Housing Coalition has a list of state and local rent assistance programs on its website. United Way’s 211.org website also has links to local charitable assistance for housing, food and other essentials.Find out what local protections you have. The Eviction Lab maintains a list of local and regional actions to pause evictions of renters. It’s&nbsp;<a href="https://evictionlab.org/covid-policy-scorecard/" target="_blank">policy scorecard</a>&nbsp;provides useful detail on actions in your state.There is also some protection for renters at the federal level.Congress put a temporary nationwide eviction moratorium in place for renters who live in a federally subsidized building or one with a federally backed mortgage through July 25. Landlords cannot charge fees or penalties for nonpayment during this time as well. Tenants can search the Fannie Mae&nbsp;<a href="https://www.knowyouroptions.com/rentersresourcefinder" target="_blank">website</a>&nbsp;or the Freddie Mac&nbsp;<a href="https://myhome.freddiemac.com/renting/lookup.html" target="_blank">site</a>&nbsp;to find out if their building has a federally backed mortgage.The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has helpful information on its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.consumerfinance.gov/coronavirus/mortgage-and-housing-assistance/renter-protections/" target="_blank">website</a>&nbsp;as well.NEXT STEPSWhile you may get temporary relief from eviction, rent is still due.Tenants may need to work out an arrangement to pay back rent or cope with potential eviction. They may want legal assistance through this process.The Stanford Legal Design Lab along with Pew Charitable Trusts, has created a user-friendly&nbsp;<a href="https://legalfaq.org/" target="_blank">website</a>&nbsp;for tenants with questions about their legal rights or facing other rent issues as well. Just Shelter, a tenant advocacy group, also offers&nbsp;<a href="https://justshelter.org/community-resources/" target="_blank">information</a>&nbsp;on local and national organizations that can provide advice to renters in distress.Renters can also find a certified housing counselor through the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hud.gov/findacounselor" target="_blank">website&nbsp;</a>to see if they qualify for housing assistance or eviction issues.

Renters face financial cliff ahead; limited help available

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 1447 to a total of 20,058, the state health department reported Monday afternoon.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional numbers from the KDHE.

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 1447 to a total of 20,058, the state health department reported Monday afternoon.&nbsp;Coronavirus deaths were reported at 288<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional numbers from the KDHE.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594660032388.png" alt="Monday July 13, 2020 KDHE" />
 <figcaption>Monday July 13, 2020 KDHE</figcaption>
 </figure>

KDHE: Latest coronavirus numbers in Kansas

&nbsp;SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities investigating the fatal weekend accident have identified as&nbsp;54-year-old Steven C. Johnson of Topeka.

Just before 9p.m. Saturday, a motorcycle driven by Johnson was southbound in the 3600 Block of SW Burlingame Road in Topeka, according to police Lt. John Trimble.

Johnson was thrown from the motorcycle and suffered life threatening injuries. EMS transported him to a Topeka hospital where he died.&nbsp;

SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal weekend accident.

Just before 9p.m. Saturday, a motorcycle was southbound in the 3600 Block of SW Burlingame Road in Topeka, according to police Lt. John Trimble.

The male rider was thrown from the motorcycle and suffered life threatening injuries. EMS transported him to a Topeka hospital where he died.&nbsp;

Police have not released the victim's name.&nbsp; Check the Post for additional details as they become available.--

&nbsp;SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities investigating the fatal weekend accident have identified as&nbsp;54-year-old Steven C. Johnson of Topeka.Just before 9p.m. Saturday, a motorcycle driven by Johnson was southbound in the 3600 Block of SW Burlingame Road in Topeka, according to police Lt. John Trimble.Johnson was thrown from the motorcycle and suffered life threatening injuries. EMS transported him to a Topeka hospital where he died.&nbsp;---------SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal weekend accident.Just before 9p.m. Saturday, a motorcycle was southbound in the 3600 Block of SW Burlingame Road in Topeka, according to police Lt. John Trimble.The male rider was thrown from the motorcycle and suffered life threatening injuries. EMS transported him to a Topeka hospital where he died.&nbsp;Police have not released the victim's name.&nbsp; Check the Post for additional details as they become available.--

Police ID Kansas man who died in weekend motorcycle crash

By DAN MARGOLIES <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-07-09/planned-parenthood-great-plains-cuts-staff-amid-complaints-of-chaos-and-toxicity">Kansas News Service</a>

Planned Parenthood Great Plains, which operates health clinics in 
Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas and Oklahoma, has offered severance packages 
to dozens of employees as it reels from a financial crisis caused in 
part by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thirty-six employees in 
communications, development, education, human resources, finance and 
public affairs were eligible to receive the offers. Friday is their 
deadline to accept. As of Thursday, nine had accepted.

The 
workforce reductions come in the wake of a sharp drop in patient demand 
caused by the pandemic, which led to canceled appointments from March 
through June, and a corresponding drop in revenues and fundraising.

The
 reductions also come atop significant employee turnover in the past 
year, with many current and former workers describing a toxic work 
culture that has added to the stress of working for an organization that
 finds itself under unremitting attack by abortion opponents.

“We 
are offering a voluntary separation program because, like many 
nonprofits, we’ve been affected by the pandemic and resultant economic 
downturn,” Mandy Culbertson, a spokeswoman for PPGP, told KCUR in an 
email. “As a nonprofit health organization serving low-income patients, 
we aim to keep patient costs down, so we look internally to control 
expenses.”

Unaffected by the buyout offers are the organization’s 
front-line health care workers, including doctors and nurses, as well as
 employees working in the areas of information technology and security.

But
 with financial projections showing PPGP with a negative cash balance as
 early as next month, additional layoffs and furloughs could be coming 
as soon as this fall, the organization has warned.

Based in 
Overland Park, Kansas, PPGP operates 10 health care centers in Kansas 
Missouri, Arkansas and Oklahoma. Besides medication and surgical 
abortions at some of those centers, it offers an array of sexual and 
reproductive health services at all of its clinics.

In addition to
 the fiscal problems brought on by the pandemic, PPGP has incurred 
substantial legal expenses over the last few years fighting <a href="https://www.kcur.org/health/2018-03-22/kansas-takes-its-effort-to-cut-off-planned-parenthood-to-the-u-s-supreme-court" target="_blank">efforts to cut off its Medicaid funding</a> and challenging <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/planned-parenthood-says-abortion-rule-would-affect-10000-patients-kansas-and-missouri" target="_blank">restrictions on abortion access and services</a> in the four states in which it operates.

Despite
 PPGP’s dire financial situation, employees who received separation 
offers, which were made in the middle of last month, said they were 
caught off-guard by the offers.

“We were only given until July 10 
to decide whether we were going to take it, which is not a lot of time, 
especially given that we’re in the midst of a pandemic,” said Ashley 
McCray, who works as an organizer for PPGP in Oklahoma and plans to 
accept the offer. “And most people living in red states can’t find 
comparable employment.”

At a tense 
“town hall” meeting via Zoom conference call in late June, employees 
sharply questioned PPGP President and CEO Brandon Hill about the moves 
and criticized pay disparities within the organization.

PPGP had told employees in April that their pay would be cut by 10% as the pandemic began to eat into PPGP’s revenues.

Hill
 draws a salary in excess of $200,000, more than six times as much as 
many lower-ranking employees make. And though he told employees at the 
meeting that he had taken a voluntary 10% pay cut, he said any further 
cuts would be up to PPGP’s board of directors.

In a phone 
interview, Hill said that PPGP’s senior leadership will be the last to 
have their full salaries restored, “which could be all the way through 
December or January, from what we’re projecting.”

Discontent at the organization had already been brewing before the 
pandemic. An employee satisfaction survey taken last year revealed 
widespread unhappiness among rank-and-file employees, who complained of a
 lack of transparency, pay inequities and a top-heavy management 
structure.

“My biggest takeaways, honestly, from my time there was
 just the lack of visibility and transparency,” said Maggie Horigan, who
 worked in the human relations department and left in January to take 
another job. “The lack of transparency was definitely reinforced by 
supervisors and the executive staff.”

While the overwhelming 
majority of employees surveyed said they found their work meaningful, 
only 31% said they were given career development opportunities, only 34%
 said different work units worked well together and only 39% responded 
affirmatively to the statement, “The environment at this organization 
makes employees in my work units want to go above and beyond what’s 
expected of them.”

“Of course, the pandemic has dealt a really 
debilitating blow to Planned Parenthood. … But it’s my hypothesis that 
there are a lot of things that contributed to the financial hardship, 
one being a toxic work environment,” said Alex Aguilar, an employee in 
the development department who accepted the severance offer.

Hill 
declined to discuss personnel matters, but he said the organization has 
policies and procedures in place to address employee complaints.

“Those
 are always taken very seriously and we do a real thorough 
investigation,” he said. “And then determinations are made, whether it’s
 discipline, whether it’s coaching, whether it’s mediation. And the one 
thing that can be tricky as we move through the process and final 
resolution is not necessarily known to everyone.”

But
 Amanda Steele, PPGP’s director of development for two years until she 
left in September, said she wondered if Hill recognized “the chaos and 
toxicity that manifested itself” at PPGP.

“Think about all of the 
incredibly hardworking, dedicated people at Planned Parenthood that have
 left, all of the talent,” Steele said. “It’s hard to leave an 
organization you believe in 100%. Planned Parenthood, that's a dream job
 for people who believe in that mission. And then to have that bad taste
 in all of our mouths. That's unfortunate.”

The organization has 
experienced a high rate of employee turnover – as many as half its 
nearly 150 employees left in the past year – although that problem 
predates <a href="https://www.kcur.org/health/2018-02-01/planned-parenthood-great-plains-names-new-president-and-ceo" target="_blank">Hill’s arrival in February 2018</a>
 and goes back to the tenure of former CEO Laura McQuade, who left to 
become CEO of Planned Parenthood of Greater New York, the biggest 
Planned Parenthood affiliate in the country.

<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-06-23/former-head-of-local-planned-parenthood-affiliate-departs-from-ny-affiliate-amid-scathing-criticism" target="_blank">McQuade stepped down</a>
 from Planned Parenthood of Greater New York last month after more than 
300 employees signed an open letter accusing her of abusive behavior, 
financial mismanagement, failing to address problems of systemic racism 
and pay disparities, and overseeing unprecedented turnover of senior 
staff.

PPGP employees acknowledge Hill inherited problems 
bequeathed to him by McQuade but say he has not done enough to quell the
 discontent.

“We have senior leaders making six figures and they have protected 
their status,” Aguilar said. “They’re not held accountable, they don’t 
do the same amount of work that lower-level staff do and they’re paid 
exorbitant amounts.”

Rachel Ulanowski, who worked in the 
development department as a data analyst, said she left last year 
because she could no longer tolerate the emotional abuse dealt out by 
her boss, PPGP’s vice president of development.

“I don’t think 
Brandon is a bad person,” Ulanowski said, referring to Hill. “But he 
doesn’t prioritize the well-being of his staff or address any of the 
complaints.”

Hill, however, said that many of the actions taken by
 the organization to address employee complaints are confidential and 
can’t be shared with employees.

“And that’s in everyone’s interest,” he said.

Luz
 Ortiz, who worked as a PPGP educator in a satellite office in Kansas 
City, Kansas, said the separation offers to employees were driven as 
much by the results of the employee satisfaction survey as by the 
pandemic.

“I kind of feel like they were just trying to get rid of
 all the external affairs people because we have been very vocal about 
how unsatisfied we have been,” Ortiz said.

Ulanowski recalled a 
time when Hill, addressing employees’ complaints that they were 
overworked, underpaid and under a great deal of stress, said that 
“everyone just needs to be sedated.”

“The environment working at 
Planned Parenthood in a purple or red state is stressful enough as it 
is,” Ulanowski said. “Like you have protesters there every single day. 
And for him to say, ‘Oh my staff – they’re just a bunch of whiners!’”

Hill
 said that since his arrival two-and-a-half years ago, he has worked 
hard to increase transparency and the employee town hall a couple of 
weeks ago was an example.

“We had staff that were seeking more information, and I very much welcomed the feedback,” he said.

“We
 share more employee satisfaction information than we ever have before, 
giving people actual reports, numbers, data, and not culling the 
information.”

One source of employee discontent has been the 
divide between PPGP’s health care side and its outward-facing side – the
 people involved in raising funds, engaging in community outreach, 
lobbying and other functions not directly related to the provision of 
health care. Employees said the two halves rarely communicated.

“There’s
 a huge silo between those two areas,” Aguilar said. “And I think that’s
 very intentional. Because external affairs, historically, have been the
 groups with very low satisfaction results.”

More than a dozen 
current and former PPGP employees interviewed by KCUR said they remain 
devoted to the organization’s mission and had been reluctant to speak 
about the work environment there for fear of imperiling that mission.

“A
 lot of the reasons why this behavior is allowed to thrive is because 
the employees are keenly aware of how much they’re up against just to 
continue to operate in our four states,” said Horigan, the former HR 
employee. “So nobody wants to be disparaging of their own organization 
because that’s just going to be fodder for the people” who want to see 
Planned Parenthood’s demise.

Hill acknowledged that working for 
Planned Parenthood can take an emotional toll, especially because 
“defeat is common in some of the fights that we have.”

“We’ve 
worked to promote as much transparency and push out as much internet 
communication as possible,” he said, “but I have no doubt that the level
 of uncertainty that our employees work in can take a toll. It’s 
inherent in the work that we do. We have great care providers who work 
for us, but we’re not invincible. We have to constantly respond to the 
external factors that are working to basically break down the health 
care system that we provide.”

Dan Margolies is senior reporter and editor at KCUR. He can be reached by email at dan@kcur.org or on Twitter @DanMargolies.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594403879215.png" alt="Planned Parenthood Great Plains, based in Overland Park, operates 11 health centers in Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas and Oklahoma. File photo / KCUR" />
 <figcaption>Planned Parenthood Great Plains, based in Overland Park, operates 11 health centers in Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas and Oklahoma. File photo / KCUR</figcaption>
 </figure>By DAN MARGOLIES <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-07-09/planned-parenthood-great-plains-cuts-staff-amid-complaints-of-chaos-and-toxicity">Kansas News Service</a>Planned Parenthood Great Plains, which operates health clinics in 
Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas and Oklahoma, has offered severance packages 
to dozens of employees as it reels from a financial crisis caused in 
part by the COVID-19 pandemic.Thirty-six employees in 
communications, development, education, human resources, finance and 
public affairs were eligible to receive the offers. Friday is their 
deadline to accept. As of Thursday, nine had accepted.The 
workforce reductions come in the wake of a sharp drop in patient demand 
caused by the pandemic, which led to canceled appointments from March 
through June, and a corresponding drop in revenues and fundraising.The
 reductions also come atop significant employee turnover in the past 
year, with many current and former workers describing a toxic work 
culture that has added to the stress of working for an organization that
 finds itself under unremitting attack by abortion opponents.“We 
are offering a voluntary separation program because, like many 
nonprofits, we’ve been affected by the pandemic and resultant economic 
downturn,” Mandy Culbertson, a spokeswoman for PPGP, told KCUR in an 
email. “As a nonprofit health organization serving low-income patients, 
we aim to keep patient costs down, so we look internally to control 
expenses.”Unaffected by the buyout offers are the organization’s 
front-line health care workers, including doctors and nurses, as well as
 employees working in the areas of information technology and security.But
 with financial projections showing PPGP with a negative cash balance as
 early as next month, additional layoffs and furloughs could be coming 
as soon as this fall, the organization has warned.Based in 
Overland Park, Kansas, PPGP operates 10 health care centers in Kansas 
Missouri, Arkansas and Oklahoma. Besides medication and surgical 
abortions at some of those centers, it offers an array of sexual and 
reproductive health services at all of its clinics.In addition to
 the fiscal problems brought on by the pandemic, PPGP has incurred 
substantial legal expenses over the last few years fighting <a href="https://www.kcur.org/health/2018-03-22/kansas-takes-its-effort-to-cut-off-planned-parenthood-to-the-u-s-supreme-court" target="_blank">efforts to cut off its Medicaid funding</a> and challenging <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/planned-parenthood-says-abortion-rule-would-affect-10000-patients-kansas-and-missouri" target="_blank">restrictions on abortion access and services</a> in the four states in which it operates.Despite
 PPGP’s dire financial situation, employees who received separation 
offers, which were made in the middle of last month, said they were 
caught off-guard by the offers.“We were only given until July 10 
to decide whether we were going to take it, which is not a lot of time, 
especially given that we’re in the midst of a pandemic,” said Ashley 
McCray, who works as an organizer for PPGP in Oklahoma and plans to 
accept the offer. “And most people living in red states can’t find 
comparable employment.”<h2>A long time coming</h2>At a tense 
“town hall” meeting via Zoom conference call in late June, employees 
sharply questioned PPGP President and CEO Brandon Hill about the moves 
and criticized pay disparities within the organization.PPGP had told employees in April that their pay would be cut by 10% as the pandemic began to eat into PPGP’s revenues.Hill
 draws a salary in excess of $200,000, more than six times as much as 
many lower-ranking employees make. And though he told employees at the 
meeting that he had taken a voluntary 10% pay cut, he said any further 
cuts would be up to PPGP’s board of directors.In a phone 
interview, Hill said that PPGP’s senior leadership will be the last to 
have their full salaries restored, “which could be all the way through 
December or January, from what we’re projecting.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594403970344.png" alt="In April 2018, protesters at Planned Parenthood in Overland Park, Kansas, were met by counter-protesters, holding pink signs in support of the non-profit healthcare provider. Andrea Tudhope photo" />
 <figcaption>In April 2018, protesters at Planned Parenthood in Overland Park, Kansas, were met by counter-protesters, holding pink signs in support of the non-profit healthcare provider. Andrea Tudhope photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Discontent at the organization had already been brewing before the 
pandemic. An employee satisfaction survey taken last year revealed 
widespread unhappiness among rank-and-file employees, who complained of a
 lack of transparency, pay inequities and a top-heavy management 
structure.“My biggest takeaways, honestly, from my time there was
 just the lack of visibility and transparency,” said Maggie Horigan, who
 worked in the human relations department and left in January to take 
another job. “The lack of transparency was definitely reinforced by 
supervisors and the executive staff.”While the overwhelming 
majority of employees surveyed said they found their work meaningful, 
only 31% said they were given career development opportunities, only 34%
 said different work units worked well together and only 39% responded 
affirmatively to the statement, “The environment at this organization 
makes employees in my work units want to go above and beyond what’s 
expected of them.”“Of course, the pandemic has dealt a really 
debilitating blow to Planned Parenthood. … But it’s my hypothesis that 
there are a lot of things that contributed to the financial hardship, 
one being a toxic work environment,” said Alex Aguilar, an employee in 
the development department who accepted the severance offer.Hill 
declined to discuss personnel matters, but he said the organization has 
policies and procedures in place to address employee complaints.“Those
 are always taken very seriously and we do a real thorough 
investigation,” he said. “And then determinations are made, whether it’s
 discipline, whether it’s coaching, whether it’s mediation. And the one 
thing that can be tricky as we move through the process and final 
resolution is not necessarily known to everyone.”<h2>Leaving the dream</h2>But
 Amanda Steele, PPGP’s director of development for two years until she 
left in September, said she wondered if Hill recognized “the chaos and 
toxicity that manifested itself” at PPGP.“Think about all of the 
incredibly hardworking, dedicated people at Planned Parenthood that have
 left, all of the talent,” Steele said. “It’s hard to leave an 
organization you believe in 100%. Planned Parenthood, that's a dream job
 for people who believe in that mission. And then to have that bad taste
 in all of our mouths. That's unfortunate.”The organization has 
experienced a high rate of employee turnover – as many as half its 
nearly 150 employees left in the past year – although that problem 
predates <a href="https://www.kcur.org/health/2018-02-01/planned-parenthood-great-plains-names-new-president-and-ceo" target="_blank">Hill’s arrival in February 2018</a>
 and goes back to the tenure of former CEO Laura McQuade, who left to 
become CEO of Planned Parenthood of Greater New York, the biggest 
Planned Parenthood affiliate in the country.<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-06-23/former-head-of-local-planned-parenthood-affiliate-departs-from-ny-affiliate-amid-scathing-criticism" target="_blank">McQuade stepped down</a>
 from Planned Parenthood of Greater New York last month after more than 
300 employees signed an open letter accusing her of abusive behavior, 
financial mismanagement, failing to address problems of systemic racism 
and pay disparities, and overseeing unprecedented turnover of senior 
staff.PPGP employees acknowledge Hill inherited problems 
bequeathed to him by McQuade but say he has not done enough to quell the
 discontent.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594404014125.png" alt="Planned Parenthood Great Plains" />
 <figcaption>Planned Parenthood Great Plains</figcaption>
 </figure>“We have senior leaders making six figures and they have protected 
their status,” Aguilar said. “They’re not held accountable, they don’t 
do the same amount of work that lower-level staff do and they’re paid 
exorbitant amounts.”Rachel Ulanowski, who worked in the 
development department as a data analyst, said she left last year 
because she could no longer tolerate the emotional abuse dealt out by 
her boss, PPGP’s vice president of development.“I don’t think 
Brandon is a bad person,” Ulanowski said, referring to Hill. “But he 
doesn’t prioritize the well-being of his staff or address any of the 
complaints.”Hill, however, said that many of the actions taken by
 the organization to address employee complaints are confidential and 
can’t be shared with employees.“And that’s in everyone’s interest,” he said.<h2>Discontent and divisions</h2>Luz
 Ortiz, who worked as a PPGP educator in a satellite office in Kansas 
City, Kansas, said the separation offers to employees were driven as 
much by the results of the employee satisfaction survey as by the 
pandemic.“I kind of feel like they were just trying to get rid of
 all the external affairs people because we have been very vocal about 
how unsatisfied we have been,” Ortiz said.Ulanowski recalled a 
time when Hill, addressing employees’ complaints that they were 
overworked, underpaid and under a great deal of stress, said that 
“everyone just needs to be sedated.”“The environment working at 
Planned Parenthood in a purple or red state is stressful enough as it 
is,” Ulanowski said. “Like you have protesters there every single day. 
And for him to say, ‘Oh my staff – they’re just a bunch of whiners!’”Hill
 said that since his arrival two-and-a-half years ago, he has worked 
hard to increase transparency and the employee town hall a couple of 
weeks ago was an example.“We had staff that were seeking more information, and I very much welcomed the feedback,” he said.“We
 share more employee satisfaction information than we ever have before, 
giving people actual reports, numbers, data, and not culling the 
information.”One source of employee discontent has been the 
divide between PPGP’s health care side and its outward-facing side – the
 people involved in raising funds, engaging in community outreach, 
lobbying and other functions not directly related to the provision of 
health care. Employees said the two halves rarely communicated.“There’s
 a huge silo between those two areas,” Aguilar said. “And I think that’s
 very intentional. Because external affairs, historically, have been the
 groups with very low satisfaction results.”More than a dozen 
current and former PPGP employees interviewed by KCUR said they remain 
devoted to the organization’s mission and had been reluctant to speak 
about the work environment there for fear of imperiling that mission.“A
 lot of the reasons why this behavior is allowed to thrive is because 
the employees are keenly aware of how much they’re up against just to 
continue to operate in our four states,” said Horigan, the former HR 
employee. “So nobody wants to be disparaging of their own organization 
because that’s just going to be fodder for the people” who want to see 
Planned Parenthood’s demise.Hill acknowledged that working for 
Planned Parenthood can take an emotional toll, especially because 
“defeat is common in some of the fights that we have.”“We’ve 
worked to promote as much transparency and push out as much internet 
communication as possible,” he said, “but I have no doubt that the level
 of uncertainty that our employees work in can take a toll. It’s 
inherent in the work that we do. We have great care providers who work 
for us, but we’re not invincible. We have to constantly respond to the 
external factors that are working to basically break down the health 
care system that we provide.”Dan Margolies is senior reporter and editor at KCUR. He can be reached by email at dan@kcur.org or on Twitter @DanMargolies.&nbsp;

Planned Parenthood cuts staff amid complaints of 'chaos and toxicity'

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Authorities have charged the father of a 3-year-old Kansas girl who was found dead and his girlfriend with felony murder in the child’s death, prosecutors said Sunday.

Howard Jansen III, 29, and his girlfriend, Jacqulyn Kirkpatrick, 33, were also charged with aggravated endangerment of a child and criminal desecration in the death of Olivia Ann Jansen, Wyandotte County District Attorney Mark Dupree announced Sunday in a press briefing.

“This is a loss for our community,” Dupree said. “I implore everyone in this community to stand with this family as they go through one of the most tumultuous times, a moment that nobody in life should ever have to go through.”

Olivia’s body was found around 5:45 p.m. Friday nearly nine blocks from her Kansas City home, from which her father had reported her missing. Charging documents say the three-year-old was killed Thursday, but authorities haven’t released how she died.

Jansen initially told investigators that he saw her around 11 p.m. Thursday when he went to sleep, Officer Dustin Dierenfeldt said. Jansen said he awoke Friday morning to find her gone and a door opened to the outside. That prompted authorities to issue a state-wide Amber Alert just before noon Friday.

On Sunday outside the courthouse, scores of people, including Olivia’s grandparents, gathered to demand justice for Olivia.

“I want them to pay for what they did to her,” Elisabeth Jansen, Olivia’s grandmother, said referring to the allegations against the couple.

Jansen and Kirkpatrick are being held at the county jail on $500,000 bonds, according to Dupree.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594490776368.png" alt="Kirkpatrick-photo Wyandotte County" />
 <figcaption>Kirkpatrick-photo Wyandotte County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Authorities have charged the father of a 3-year-old Kansas girl who was found dead and his girlfriend with felony murder in the child’s death, prosecutors said Sunday.Howard Jansen III, 29, and his girlfriend, Jacqulyn Kirkpatrick, 33, were also charged with aggravated endangerment of a child and criminal desecration in the death of Olivia Ann Jansen, Wyandotte County District Attorney Mark Dupree announced Sunday in a press briefing.“This is a loss for our community,” Dupree said. “I implore everyone in this community to stand with this family as they go through one of the most tumultuous times, a moment that nobody in life should ever have to go through.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594403105823.png" alt="Olivia Jansen-photo courtesy KCK Police" />
 <figcaption>Olivia Jansen-photo courtesy KCK Police</figcaption>
 </figure>Olivia’s body was found around 5:45 p.m. Friday nearly nine blocks from her Kansas City home, from which her father had reported her missing. Charging documents say the three-year-old was killed Thursday, but authorities haven’t released how she died.Jansen initially told investigators that he saw her around 11 p.m. Thursday when he went to sleep, Officer Dustin Dierenfeldt said. Jansen said he awoke Friday morning to find her gone and a door opened to the outside. That prompted authorities to issue a state-wide Amber Alert just before noon Friday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594468009097.png" alt="Jansen" />
 <figcaption>Jansen</figcaption>
 </figure>On Sunday outside the courthouse, scores of people, including Olivia’s grandparents, gathered to demand justice for Olivia.“I want them to pay for what they did to her,” Elisabeth Jansen, Olivia’s grandmother, said referring to the allegations against the couple.Jansen and Kirkpatrick are being held at the county jail on $500,000 bonds, according to Dupree.

Murder charges for death of 3-year-old that prompted Kan. Amber Alert

JEFFERSON COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on numerous charges after a chase and crash into corral.

Just after 4:30 pm Saturday a sheriff’s deputy attempted to stop a Chevy Malibu for a traffic infraction south of U.S. 75 Highway and Banner Avenue near Holton, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

The&nbsp; vehicle stopped near the intersection. 

When the deputy approached the driver, the vehicle sped off eastbound on Banner Avenue then south on Q. Road. 

A vehicle pursuit ensued heading towards southeastern Jackson County. The vehicle headed east on 134th Road into Jefferson County when a Jefferson County Deputy deployed spikes puncturing the front right tire of the suspect’s vehicle. 

The vehicle continued east as the front tire disintegrated. The car left the roadway through a fence on the south side of the road into a corral striking a cow and came to rest against a corral fence post. 

The two occupants of the vehicle fled on foot. The female passenger later identified as&nbsp;Santana Kay Noriega, 21, Mayetta, was quickly apprehended. A KHP helicopter, KHP K-9, Jackson County Sheriff’s K-9 arrived to the scene to search for the driver later identified as&nbsp;Skye Joe Covers Up, 18, of Horton.

Just after 6:30p.m. deputies captured Covers Up.&nbsp;

The cow that they hit with their car suffered two broken legs and was expected to be euthanized, according to Morse.

&nbsp;Noriega is being held on requested charges that include possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, felony interference with law enforcement, and furnishing alcohol to a minor. 

&nbsp;Covers Up is being held on requested charges of felony fleeing and eluding a law enforcement officer, transporting an open container, driving while suspended, no insurance, felony interference with law enforcement, reckless driving, and felony criminal damage to property, according to Morse.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594553715188.png" alt="Noriega" />
 <figcaption>Noriega</figcaption>
 </figure>JEFFERSON COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on numerous charges after a chase and crash into corral.Just after 4:30 pm Saturday a sheriff’s deputy attempted to stop a Chevy Malibu for a traffic infraction south of U.S. 75 Highway and Banner Avenue near Holton, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.The&nbsp; vehicle stopped near the intersection. When the deputy approached the driver, the vehicle sped off eastbound on Banner Avenue then south on Q. Road. A vehicle pursuit ensued heading towards southeastern Jackson County. The vehicle headed east on 134th Road into Jefferson County when a Jefferson County Deputy deployed spikes puncturing the front right tire of the suspect’s vehicle. The vehicle continued east as the front tire disintegrated. The car left the roadway through a fence on the south side of the road into a corral striking a cow and came to rest against a corral fence post. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594553759185.png" alt="Photo Jackson Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo Jackson Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>The two occupants of the vehicle fled on foot. The female passenger later identified as&nbsp;Santana Kay Noriega, 21, Mayetta, was quickly apprehended. A KHP helicopter, KHP K-9, Jackson County Sheriff’s K-9 arrived to the scene to search for the driver later identified as&nbsp;Skye Joe Covers Up, 18, of Horton.Just after 6:30p.m. deputies captured Covers Up.&nbsp;The cow that they hit with their car suffered two broken legs and was expected to be euthanized, according to Morse.&nbsp;Noriega is being held on requested charges that include possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, felony interference with law enforcement, and furnishing alcohol to a minor. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594553660737.png" alt="Covers Up- photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Covers Up- photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;Covers Up is being held on requested charges of felony fleeing and eluding a law enforcement officer, transporting an open container, driving while suspended, no insurance, felony interference with law enforcement, reckless driving, and felony criminal damage to property, according to Morse.

Sheriff: 2 captured after chase, crash into cow in corral

BEIJING (AP) — China on Monday said it will ban entry to U.S. Senators Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz, Representative Chris Smith and Ambassador for Religious Freedom Sam Brownback over their criticism of the ruling Communist Party’s policies toward minority groups and people of faith.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said actions by the U.S. had “seriously damaged China-U.S. relations" and that China was determined to uphold its national sovereignty against what it sees as interference in its internal affairs.

“China will respond further according to the development of the situation," Hua said.

There was no indication that any of the four had plans to travel to China.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586052372246.png" alt="Former Kansas governor Sam Brownback, President Trump’s special envoy for religious freedom-photo courtesy U.S. State Department" />
 <figcaption>Former Kansas governor Sam Brownback, President Trump’s special envoy for religious freedom-photo courtesy U.S. State Department</figcaption>
 </figure>BEIJING (AP) — China on Monday said it will ban entry to U.S. Senators Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz, Representative Chris Smith and Ambassador for Religious Freedom Sam Brownback over their criticism of the ruling Communist Party’s policies toward minority groups and people of faith.Foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said actions by the U.S. had “seriously damaged China-U.S. relations" and that China was determined to uphold its national sovereignty against what it sees as interference in its internal affairs.“China will respond further according to the development of the situation," Hua said.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Accountability a long time coming for Chen Quanguo, Zhu Hailun, &amp; Wang Mingshan, the CCP officials for whom <a href="https://twitter.com/SecPompeo?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecPompeo</a> restricted visas for gross violations of human rights in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Xinjiang?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Xinjiang</a>, including <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/religiousfreedom?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#religiousfreedom</a> abuses, against <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Uyghurs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Uyghurs</a> &amp; other Muslims. <a href="https://t.co/lkjfu7nLYL">https://t.co/lkjfu7nLYL</a>&mdash; Ambassador Sam Brownback (@IRF_Ambassador) <a href="https://twitter.com/IRF_Ambassador/status/1281258937543798789?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 9, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>There was no indication that any of the four had plans to travel to China.___

China bans former Kan. governor, 2 U.S. Senators over criticism

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A man pleaded guilty in federal court Friday to coercing and enticing a teenage victim to engage in illicit sexual activity, according to the United State's Attorney's office.

Tracy Todd Presson, 54, Gainesville, Missouri, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to one count of the sexual exploitation of a minor and to one count of the coercion and enticement of a minor.

By pleading guilty Presson admitted that he produced child pornography, using a child victim, identified in court documents as Jane Doe 1, by recording him and Jane Doe 1 engaging in sexually explicit activity on multiple occasions. &nbsp;Presson also admitted that he used FaceTime to coerce and entice Jane Doe 1 to engage in sexually explicit activity. &nbsp;When law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Presson’s residence on Oct. 3, 2018, they found a SanDisk 32GB SD card that contained child pornography, including 165 images and 68 videos of Jane Doe 1 engaged in sexually explicit activity.

Under federal statutes, Presson is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594415103045.png" alt="Presson photo Ozark Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Presson photo Ozark Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A man pleaded guilty in federal court Friday to coercing and enticing a teenage victim to engage in illicit sexual activity, according to the United State's Attorney's office.Tracy Todd Presson, 54, Gainesville, Missouri, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to one count of the sexual exploitation of a minor and to one count of the coercion and enticement of a minor.By pleading guilty Presson admitted that he produced child pornography, using a child victim, identified in court documents as Jane Doe 1, by recording him and Jane Doe 1 engaging in sexually explicit activity on multiple occasions. &nbsp;Presson also admitted that he used FaceTime to coerce and entice Jane Doe 1 to engage in sexually explicit activity. &nbsp;When law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Presson’s residence on Oct. 3, 2018, they found a SanDisk 32GB SD card that contained child pornography, including 165 images and 68 videos of Jane Doe 1 engaged in sexually explicit activity.Under federal statutes, Presson is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

Man admits using FaceTime to coerce victim into sexual activity

LEXINGTON, Neb. (AP) — A&nbsp; physician accused of fatally shooting her husband in front of their two children last month has been released on $100,000 bond. 

&nbsp;Kathleen Jourdan, 31, put up 10% of her $1 million bail to be released from jail on Thursday.

 Jourdan is charged with second-degree murder and use of a deadly weapon in the June 17 killing of her husband, 35-year-old Joshua Jourdan.

The preliminary investigation revealed that Jourdan and his wife were involved in an argument while traveling on I-80. Jourdan had been driving the vehicle and pulled over during the argument, at which time Kathleen Jourdan produced a handgun and shot Joshua Jourdan twice.

Kathleen Jourdan called 911 to report the shooting and remained at the scene. The couple’s two children were in the backseat of the vehicle. The children were not injured.

Kathleen Jourdan told police she shot her husband because she feared for herself and children during an argument between the couple inside their vehicle, which pulled over alongside Interstate 80.&nbsp;&nbsp;

NORTH PLATTE— Law enforcement authorities are investigating a woman after a fatal shooting while on a drive with her husband and the couple's two children.

Just after 3p.m. Wednesday, State Troopers responded to a 911 call regarding a shooting that had occurred inside a vehicle on eastbound I-80 near Cozad, Nebraska.

 When troopers arrived, they found a man dead in the driver’s seat of a pickup truck that was pulling a trailer. The victim is identified as Joshua Jourdan, 35, of Omaha.

Preliminary investigation has revealed that Jourdan and his wife, Kathleen Jourdan, 31, of Omaha, were involved in an argument while traveling on I-80. Jourdan had been driving the vehicle and pulled over during the argument, at which time Kathleen Jourdan produced a handgun and shot Joshua Jourdan twice.

Kathleen Jourdan is being held on a requested charge of second degree murder in the Dawson County Jail. The children are in protective custody.&nbsp;

Cozad Police Officers, Dawson County Sheriff’s Deputies, and Cozad Volunteer Fire and Rescue also assisted at the scene.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594403070774.png" alt="Jourdan" />
 <figcaption>Jourdan</figcaption>
 </figure>LEXINGTON, Neb. (AP) — A&nbsp; physician accused of fatally shooting her husband in front of their two children last month has been released on $100,000 bond. &nbsp;Kathleen Jourdan, 31, put up 10% of her $1 million bail to be released from jail on Thursday. Jourdan is charged with second-degree murder and use of a deadly weapon in the June 17 killing of her husband, 35-year-old Joshua Jourdan.The preliminary investigation revealed that Jourdan and his wife were involved in an argument while traveling on I-80. Jourdan had been driving the vehicle and pulled over during the argument, at which time Kathleen Jourdan produced a handgun and shot Joshua Jourdan twice.Kathleen Jourdan called 911 to report the shooting and remained at the scene. The couple’s two children were in the backseat of the vehicle. The children were not injured.Kathleen Jourdan told police she shot her husband because she feared for herself and children during an argument between the couple inside their vehicle, which pulled over alongside Interstate 80.&nbsp;&nbsp;---------NORTH PLATTE— Law enforcement authorities are investigating a woman after a fatal shooting while on a drive with her husband and the couple's two children.Just after 3p.m. Wednesday, State Troopers responded to a 911 call regarding a shooting that had occurred inside a vehicle on eastbound I-80 near Cozad, Nebraska. When troopers arrived, they found a man dead in the driver’s seat of a pickup truck that was pulling a trailer. The victim is identified as Joshua Jourdan, 35, of Omaha.Preliminary investigation has revealed that Jourdan and his wife, Kathleen Jourdan, 31, of Omaha, were involved in an argument while traveling on I-80. Jourdan had been driving the vehicle and pulled over during the argument, at which time Kathleen Jourdan produced a handgun and shot Joshua Jourdan twice.Kathleen Jourdan called 911 to report the shooting and remained at the scene. The couple’s two children were in the backseat of the vehicle. The children were not injured.Kathleen Jourdan is being held on a requested charge of second degree murder in the Dawson County Jail. The children are in protective custody.&nbsp;Cozad Police Officers, Dawson County Sheriff’s Deputies, and Cozad Volunteer Fire and Rescue also assisted at the scene.&nbsp;

Woman who fatally shot husband on drive with kids is out of jail

As the Trump administration pushes full steam ahead to force schools to resume in-person education, public health experts warn that a one-size-fits-all reopening could drive infection and death rates even higher.

They’re urging a more cautious approach, which many local governments and school districts are already pursuing.

But U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos doubled down on President Donald Trump’s insistence that kids can safely return to the classroom.

“There’s nothing in the data that suggests that kids being in school is in any way dangerous,” she told Chris Wallace on “Fox News Sunday.”

Still, health experts say there are too many uncertainties and variables for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/f3d8baf703ae4ff1af917b6202d26888">back-to-school to be back-to-normal.</a>

Where is the virus spreading rapidly? Do students live with aged grandparents? Do teachers have high-risk health conditions that would make online teaching safest? Do infected children easily spread COVID-19 to each other and to adults?

Regarding the latter, some evidence suggests they don’t, but a big government study aims to find better proof. Results won’t be available before the fall, and some schools are slated to reopen in just a few weeks.

“These are complicated issues. You can’t just charge straight ahead,” Dr. Tom Frieden, former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said Wednesday during an online briefing.

Children infected with coronavirus are more likely than adults to have mild illnesses, but their risk for severe disease and death isn’t zero. While a virus-linked inflammatory condition is uncommon, most children who develop it require intensive care, and a few have died. Doctors don’t know which children are at risk.

“The single most important thing we can do to keep our schools safe has nothing to do with what happens in school. It’s how well we control COVID-19 in the community,” Frieden said. “Right now there are places around the country where the virus is spreading explosively and it would be difficult if not impossible to operate schools safely until the virus is under better control.”

Zahrah Wattier teaches high school in Galveston, Texas, where cases and deaths have been spiking. Until the state recently said schools must reopen to in-person classes, her district had been weighing options many others are considering, including full-time online teaching or a hybrid mix.

Wattier’s school has mostly Hispanic and Black students, many from low-income families; almost 70% qualify for free or reduced-cost lunches and many have parents who work in “essential” jobs that increase potential exposure to the virus. Online education was hard for many with limited internet access, and Wattier knows in-person classes can help even the playing field.

“My school has over 2,000 students. That’s over 2,000 exposures in a day,” said Wattier, whose parents live with the family and are both high-risk. “It’s a lot to think about. It’s my job. It’s something I choose to do, it’s something I love. Now it comes at a really high risk.”

The American Academy of Pediatrics, whose guidance the Trump administration has cited to support its demands, says the goal is for all students to be physically present in school. But, it adds, districts must be flexible, consult with health authorities and be ready to pivot as virus activity waxes and wanes.

“It is not that the American Academy of Pediatrics thinks this is a done deal because we have put out guidance,” said Dr. Nicholas Beers, a member of the academy’s school health council. “But what we do know is that we need to have a more realistic dialogue about the implications of virtual learning on the future of children. We have left whole swaths of society behind, whether it’s because they have limited access to a computer, or broadband internet,” or because of other challenges that online education can’t address.

DeVos said local school officials are smart enough to know when conditions are not right.

“There’s going to be the exception to the rule, but the rule should be that kids go back to school this fall,” she told CNN’s “State of the Union.”

“And where there are little flare-ups or hot spots, that can be dealt with on a school by school or a case by case basis.”

Following CDC and academy guidelines would mean big changes for most schools. Mask-wearing would be strongly encouraged for adult staff and students except the youngest. Desks would be distanced at least 3 feet apart; the CDC recommends 6 feet. Both suggest limiting adults allowed in schools, including parents, and canceling group activities like choir and assemblies. Staggered arrival and dismissal times, outdoor classes, and keeping kids in the same classroom all day are other options.

President Trump has threatened federal funding cuts for districts that don’t fully reopen.

DeVos defended that stance, saying, “American investment in education is a promise to students and their families.”

“If schools aren’t going to reopen and not fulfill that promise, they shouldn’t get the funds, and give it to the families to decide to go to a school that is going to meet that promise,” she said on “Fox News Sunday.”

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called DeVos’ comments “malfeasance and dereliction of duty.”

“They’re messing, the president and his administration are messing with the health of our children,” the California Democrat told CNN’s “State of the Union.”

While most funding typically comes from state and local sources, experts say schools will need more federal funding, not less, to reopen safely. Masks, extra cleaning supplies or janitors, additional classroom space, and mental health support for students and staff traumatized by the pandemic are among potential costs. And with more parents out of work, more children will qualify for federally funded school lunches.

Lynn Morales, 49, teaches 8th grade English at a high-poverty public school in Bloomington, Minnesota, that is considering several options including in-person classes; a final decision is expected Aug. 1.

Some colleagues are considering not returning to the classroom because their children’s day care centers aren’t reopening. Some say they won’t come back until there’s a vaccine.

“I am concerned and it’s because of the age group,” Morales said. ’’Middle school students ... are lovely and I love them, but they touch, they get close, they roughhouse. It is their nature. They’re 13 years old. They are defiant.”

“If masks are required and a kid isn’t wearing a mask, is my job description going to be to chase down this kid and insist they wear a mask? And what if they don’t?”

Dr. Emily Landon, a University of Chicago infectious disease specialist, is helping the university and a campus preK-12 school decide how to reopen safely.

“Things are evolving from, ‘We can’t do it unless it’s perfectly safe’ to more of a harm reduction model, with the caveat that you can always step back” if virus activity flares, Landon said.

Single-occupancy dorms, outdoor classes, socially distanced classrooms and mask-wearing by students and faculty are on tap for the university. Face coverings will be required at the school too. Policies may change depending on virus activity.

She dismisses complaints from some parents who say masks are a loss of personal freedom.

“It’s not harmful for your child,” she said. “If you see wearing masks as a loss of personal freedom, then you have to think the same of pants.”

Dr. Tina Hartert of Vanderbilt University is leading a National Institutes of Health-funded study to determine what role children play in transmitting COVID-19. Almost 2,000 families are enrolled and self-test every two weeks. The idea is to find infected children without symptoms and see how easily disease spreads within families. Results may come by year’s end.

“If we don’t see significant transmission within households, that would be very reassuring,” Hartert said.

She noted that in other countries where schools have reopened, evidence suggests no widespread transmission from children.

In France, public schools reopened briefly before a summer break, with no sign of widespread virus transmission. Masks were only required for upper grades, but students stayed in the same classroom all day. A better test will be when the new school year starts Sept. 1.

In Norway, schools closed in March for several weeks. Nursery schools reopened first, then other grades. Children were put in smaller groups that stay together all day. Masks aren’t required. There have been only a few virus cases, said Dr. Margrethe Greve-Isdahl of the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, but she noted virus activity is much lower than in the U.S.

Kati Spaniak, a realtor in Northbrook, Illinois, says her five teenage daughters have struggled to cope with pandemic fears, school closures and deficits of online learning. She strongly supports getting kids back in the classroom, and all her girls will return to some form of that in the fall.

It’s been hard for her high school senior, Kylie Ciesla. Prom, graduation and other senior rituals were canceled, and there were no good-byes. “Just to get ripped away from everything I’ve worked for 12 years, it’s really hard,” Kylie said.

At college, classes will be in person, masks mandated and a COVID-19 test required before she can move into her dorm. Kylie isn’t sure all that is needed.

“I hate that this thing has become so political. I just want the science. I want to know what we need to do to fix it,” she said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593205499970.png" alt="U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos -courtesy image" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos -courtesy image</figcaption>
 </figure>By LINDSEY TANNERAs the Trump administration pushes full steam ahead to force schools to resume in-person education, public health experts warn that a one-size-fits-all reopening could drive infection and death rates even higher.They’re urging a more cautious approach, which many local governments and school districts are already pursuing.But U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos doubled down on President Donald Trump’s insistence that kids can safely return to the classroom.“There’s nothing in the data that suggests that kids being in school is in any way dangerous,” she told Chris Wallace on “Fox News Sunday.”Still, health experts say there are too many uncertainties and variables for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/f3d8baf703ae4ff1af917b6202d26888">back-to-school to be back-to-normal.</a>Where is the virus spreading rapidly? Do students live with aged grandparents? Do teachers have high-risk health conditions that would make online teaching safest? Do infected children easily spread COVID-19 to each other and to adults?ADVERTISEMENTRegarding the latter, some evidence suggests they don’t, but a big government study aims to find better proof. Results won’t be available before the fall, and some schools are slated to reopen in just a few weeks.“These are complicated issues. You can’t just charge straight ahead,” Dr. Tom Frieden, former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said Wednesday during an online briefing.Children infected with coronavirus are more likely than adults to have mild illnesses, but their risk for severe disease and death isn’t zero. While a virus-linked inflammatory condition is uncommon, most children who develop it require intensive care, and a few have died. Doctors don’t know which children are at risk.“The single most important thing we can do to keep our schools safe has nothing to do with what happens in school. It’s how well we control COVID-19 in the community,” Frieden said. “Right now there are places around the country where the virus is spreading explosively and it would be difficult if not impossible to operate schools safely until the virus is under better control.”Zahrah Wattier teaches high school in Galveston, Texas, where cases and deaths have been spiking. Until the state recently said schools must reopen to in-person classes, her district had been weighing options many others are considering, including full-time online teaching or a hybrid mix.Wattier’s school has mostly Hispanic and Black students, many from low-income families; almost 70% qualify for free or reduced-cost lunches and many have parents who work in “essential” jobs that increase potential exposure to the virus. Online education was hard for many with limited internet access, and Wattier knows in-person classes can help even the playing field.But she’s worried.“My school has over 2,000 students. That’s over 2,000 exposures in a day,” said Wattier, whose parents live with the family and are both high-risk. “It’s a lot to think about. It’s my job. It’s something I choose to do, it’s something I love. Now it comes at a really high risk.”The American Academy of Pediatrics, whose guidance the Trump administration has cited to support its demands, says the goal is for all students to be physically present in school. But, it adds, districts must be flexible, consult with health authorities and be ready to pivot as virus activity waxes and wanes.“It is not that the American Academy of Pediatrics thinks this is a done deal because we have put out guidance,” said Dr. Nicholas Beers, a member of the academy’s school health council. “But what we do know is that we need to have a more realistic dialogue about the implications of virtual learning on the future of children. We have left whole swaths of society behind, whether it’s because they have limited access to a computer, or broadband internet,” or because of other challenges that online education can’t address.DeVos said local school officials are smart enough to know when conditions are not right.“There’s going to be the exception to the rule, but the rule should be that kids go back to school this fall,” she told CNN’s “State of the Union.”“And where there are little flare-ups or hot spots, that can be dealt with on a school by school or a case by case basis.”Following CDC and academy guidelines would mean big changes for most schools. Mask-wearing would be strongly encouraged for adult staff and students except the youngest. Desks would be distanced at least 3 feet apart; the CDC recommends 6 feet. Both suggest limiting adults allowed in schools, including parents, and canceling group activities like choir and assemblies. Staggered arrival and dismissal times, outdoor classes, and keeping kids in the same classroom all day are other options.President Trump has threatened federal funding cuts for districts that don’t fully reopen.DeVos defended that stance, saying, “American investment in education is a promise to students and their families.”“If schools aren’t going to reopen and not fulfill that promise, they shouldn’t get the funds, and give it to the families to decide to go to a school that is going to meet that promise,” she said on “Fox News Sunday.”U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called DeVos’ comments “malfeasance and dereliction of duty.”“They’re messing, the president and his administration are messing with the health of our children,” the California Democrat told CNN’s “State of the Union.”While most funding typically comes from state and local sources, experts say schools will need more federal funding, not less, to reopen safely. Masks, extra cleaning supplies or janitors, additional classroom space, and mental health support for students and staff traumatized by the pandemic are among potential costs. And with more parents out of work, more children will qualify for federally funded school lunches.Lynn Morales, 49, teaches 8th grade English at a high-poverty public school in Bloomington, Minnesota, that is considering several options including in-person classes; a final decision is expected Aug. 1.Some colleagues are considering not returning to the classroom because their children’s day care centers aren’t reopening. Some say they won’t come back until there’s a vaccine.“I am concerned and it’s because of the age group,” Morales said. ’’Middle school students ... are lovely and I love them, but they touch, they get close, they roughhouse. It is their nature. They’re 13 years old. They are defiant.”“If masks are required and a kid isn’t wearing a mask, is my job description going to be to chase down this kid and insist they wear a mask? And what if they don’t?”Dr. Emily Landon, a University of Chicago infectious disease specialist, is helping the university and a campus preK-12 school decide how to reopen safely.“Things are evolving from, ‘We can’t do it unless it’s perfectly safe’ to more of a harm reduction model, with the caveat that you can always step back” if virus activity flares, Landon said.Single-occupancy dorms, outdoor classes, socially distanced classrooms and mask-wearing by students and faculty are on tap for the university. Face coverings will be required at the school too. Policies may change depending on virus activity.She dismisses complaints from some parents who say masks are a loss of personal freedom.“It’s not harmful for your child,” she said. “If you see wearing masks as a loss of personal freedom, then you have to think the same of pants.”Dr. Tina Hartert of Vanderbilt University is leading a National Institutes of Health-funded study to determine what role children play in transmitting COVID-19. Almost 2,000 families are enrolled and self-test every two weeks. The idea is to find infected children without symptoms and see how easily disease spreads within families. Results may come by year’s end.“If we don’t see significant transmission within households, that would be very reassuring,” Hartert said.She noted that in other countries where schools have reopened, evidence suggests no widespread transmission from children.In France, public schools reopened briefly before a summer break, with no sign of widespread virus transmission. Masks were only required for upper grades, but students stayed in the same classroom all day. A better test will be when the new school year starts Sept. 1.In Norway, schools closed in March for several weeks. Nursery schools reopened first, then other grades. Children were put in smaller groups that stay together all day. Masks aren’t required. There have been only a few virus cases, said Dr. Margrethe Greve-Isdahl of the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, but she noted virus activity is much lower than in the U.S.Kati Spaniak, a realtor in Northbrook, Illinois, says her five teenage daughters have struggled to cope with pandemic fears, school closures and deficits of online learning. She strongly supports getting kids back in the classroom, and all her girls will return to some form of that in the fall.It’s been hard for her high school senior, Kylie Ciesla. Prom, graduation and other senior rituals were canceled, and there were no good-byes. “Just to get ripped away from everything I’ve worked for 12 years, it’s really hard,” Kylie said.At college, classes will be in person, masks mandated and a COVID-19 test required before she can move into her dorm. Kylie isn’t sure all that is needed.“I hate that this thing has become so political. I just want the science. I want to know what we need to do to fix it,” she said.___

Doctors: Virus spread, not politics should guide schools

SEDGWICK COUNTY — A woman accused in a fatal shooting has made her first appearance in court. 

Amber Ahrens, 41, was charged Thursday with second-degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon by a felon, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. She remains jailed on bond totaling $200,000, <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=71827">according to online jail records.</a>

At approximately 3:30 a.m. June 17, police responded to a disturbance with shots fired at a home in the 1200 block of North Pinecrest in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.&nbsp;

 Upon arrival, officers located 53-year-old David Leddy of Wichita in the front of the residence with a gunshot wound.&nbsp; He was pronounced deceased on the scene.

The investigation revealed a disturbance ensued earlier in the day at the home between Leddy and a 19-year-old boy who did not live there.&nbsp; 

During the disturbance, Leddy’s vehicle was damaged, and the 19-year-old was battered.

The 19-year-old’s 41-year-old mother identified as Ahrens and three friends, a 44-year-old female, a 54-year-old male, and a 31-year-old female, later arrived at the home.&nbsp; A disturbance then ensued in front of the house, and shots were fired that struck Leddy.

Just before 6p.m. Tuesday, Ahrens was <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=71827">booked into the </a>Sedgwick County jail on requested charges of 2nd-degree intentional murder, criminal&nbsp; possession of a firearm and a drug charge, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592415145581.png" alt="Police on the scene&nbsp; of the investigation on June 17 -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene&nbsp; of the investigation on June 17 -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — A woman accused in a fatal shooting has made her first appearance in court. Amber Ahrens, 41, was charged Thursday with second-degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon by a felon, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. She remains jailed on bond totaling $200,000, <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=71827">according to online jail records.</a>At approximately 3:30 a.m. June 17, police responded to a disturbance with shots fired at a home in the 1200 block of North Pinecrest in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.&nbsp; Upon arrival, officers located 53-year-old David Leddy of Wichita in the front of the residence with a gunshot wound.&nbsp; He was pronounced deceased on the scene.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594216899431.png" alt="Ahrens photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Ahrens photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>The investigation revealed a disturbance ensued earlier in the day at the home between Leddy and a 19-year-old boy who did not live there.&nbsp; During the disturbance, Leddy’s vehicle was damaged, and the 19-year-old was battered.The 19-year-old’s 41-year-old mother identified as Ahrens and three friends, a 44-year-old female, a 54-year-old male, and a 31-year-old female, later arrived at the home.&nbsp; A disturbance then ensued in front of the house, and shots were fired that struck Leddy.Just before 6p.m. Tuesday, Ahrens was <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=71827">booked into the </a>Sedgwick County jail on requested charges of 2nd-degree intentional murder, criminal&nbsp; possession of a firearm and a drug charge, according to online jail records.

Woman charged with murder for shooting death at Kansas home

By LYNN HORSLEY <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-07-09/some-johnson-county-officials-upset-about-hotel-housing-coronavirus-patients">Kansas News Service</a>

Johnson County Commissioner Mike Brown and Sheriff Calvin Hayden 
expressed outrage Thursday over the state of Kansas’ decision to isolate
 COVID-19 patients in a hotel in Gardner.

“We brought positive 
COVID-19 patients into the heart of my district, around people who 
aren’t generally sick. That’s damn near criminal. That’s wrong,” Brown 
said at the county commission’s weekly meeting. “How dare the governor 
decide to just import that into Johnson County. What in the world? Why 
aren’t they in Topeka?”

Brown, who represents a southern Johnson 
County district, including Gardner, was angry that he hadn’t been 
notified previously, although state officials did alert Johnson County 
emergency management and health officials.

Brown said he’d received calls from concerned constituents.

“Why is it here?” he demanded. “Why am I dealing with this?”

In
 public comments to the commission, Sheriff Hayden also complained about
 the lack of communication from the state. He said he found out about 
the hotel indirectly on Wednesday.

Hayden said he and his staff 
have worked incredibly hard to ensure there are no COVID-19 cases in the
 jail, but the state had not alerted him to this new facility.

“Somebody
 knew. As the chief law enforcement officer in Johnson County, I did 
not,” Hayden said, adding that the commissioners also should have been 
notified but were not. “You were kept out of the loop. Unacceptable.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594404213196.png" alt="Commissioner Mike Brown expressed his concern over the hotel in a Facebook Live broadcast of a Johnson County commission meeting. Lynn Horsley / KCUR 89.3" />
 <figcaption>Commissioner Mike Brown expressed his concern over the hotel in a Facebook Live broadcast of a Johnson County commission meeting. Lynn Horsley / KCUR 89.3</figcaption>
 </figure>By LYNN HORSLEY <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-07-09/some-johnson-county-officials-upset-about-hotel-housing-coronavirus-patients">Kansas News Service</a>Johnson County Commissioner Mike Brown and Sheriff Calvin Hayden 
expressed outrage Thursday over the state of Kansas’ decision to isolate
 COVID-19 patients in a hotel in Gardner.“We brought positive 
COVID-19 patients into the heart of my district, around people who 
aren’t generally sick. That’s damn near criminal. That’s wrong,” Brown 
said at the county commission’s weekly meeting. “How dare the governor 
decide to just import that into Johnson County. What in the world? Why 
aren’t they in Topeka?”Brown, who represents a southern Johnson 
County district, including Gardner, was angry that he hadn’t been 
notified previously, although state officials did alert Johnson County 
emergency management and health officials.Brown said he’d received calls from concerned constituents.“Why is it here?” he demanded. “Why am I dealing with this?”In
 public comments to the commission, Sheriff Hayden also complained about
 the lack of communication from the state. He said he found out about 
the hotel indirectly on Wednesday.Hayden said he and his staff 
have worked incredibly hard to ensure there are no COVID-19 cases in the
 jail, but the state had not alerted him to this new facility.“Somebody
 knew. As the chief law enforcement officer in Johnson County, I did 
not,” Hayden said, adding that the commissioners also should have been 
notified but were not. “You were kept out of the loop. Unacceptable.”The
 governor’s office responded Thursday that the need for what's called 
"non-congregant housing" for COVID-19 patients had been recognized for 
some time, both in the state and nationally.“Like states across 
the country, we have been working – in accordance with FEMA guidelines –
 with counties across Kansas since April to set up non-congregant 
housing for their community members including frontline health care 
workers, individuals who have been exposed to COVID-19, and those in the
 high-risk category or who have family members in the high risk 
category,” the governor’s office said in a statement.“Due to 
HIPAA laws we can’t share specifics, nor do we think it is appropriate 
to shame individuals who are self-isolating as an act of social 
responsibility or in order to protect their or their loved ones' health.
 When the Kansas Division of Emergency Management contracts with motels,
 they contract the entire facility, there are no other guests, and they 
provide on-site support for individuals using the housing.”Commissioner
 Jim Allen said it was his understanding that the state is allowed to 
contract directly with the hotel owner for these types of non-congregant
 facilities, and the county doesn’t have a role in the decision. Cindy 
Dunham with the county counselor’s office confirmed it’s a contract 
between the state and the hotel.Commissioner Janee Hanzlick 
pointed out that the county had in the past discussed the potential need
 for such a shelter, for people who might become infected and be 
homeless. She said it’s safer to isolate and treat people in these types
 of facilities than having them living on the streets.Sanmi 
Areola, director of Johnson County’s department of health and 
environment, said it was not his responsibility to approve the facility 
or to alert the commission, although he knew about the state’s decision 
and supported it.“It’s a need,” he said. “I did not oppose this.”<a href="https://www.facebook.com/ShuteForGardner/" target="_blank">In a Facebook post on Wednesday</a>,
 Gardner Mayor Steve Shute said the Kansas Department of Emergency 
Management did not consult with him before establishing the 
non-congregant facility at the Super 8 Motel in Gardner. Lynn Horsley is a freelance writer in Kansas City. Follow her on Twitter @LynnHorsley.&nbsp;