BROWN COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on new allegations after a drug bust at a Kansas home. Just before 8:30p.m. June 26,&nbsp; a search warrant was conducted by the Brown County Sheriffs Office Drug Task Force at 315 W. 12th Street in Horton, according to Sheriff John Merchant.

Deputies arrested 41-year-old&nbsp; Cameron Mayer 41 and 41-year-old Raechel Juber&nbsp; both of Horton on requested charges of Possession of Marijuana and Possession of DrugParaphernalia.&nbsp; Horton Police Department assisted

Mayer has a previous drug conviction in Jackson, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1719609510436.png" alt="Juber photo Brown Co." />
 <figcaption>Juber photo Brown Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>BROWN COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on new allegations after a drug bust at a Kansas home. Just before 8:30p.m. June 26,&nbsp; a search warrant was conducted by the Brown County Sheriffs Office Drug Task Force at 315 W. 12th Street in Horton, according to Sheriff John Merchant.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1719609529543.png" alt="Mayer photo Brown Co." />
 <figcaption>Mayer photo Brown Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Deputies arrested 41-year-old&nbsp; Cameron Mayer 41 and 41-year-old Raechel Juber&nbsp; both of Horton on requested charges of Possession of Marijuana and Possession of DrugParaphernalia.&nbsp; Horton Police Department assistedMayer has a previous drug conviction in Jackson, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Sheriff: Kansas felon jailed after drug bust at home

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a homicide&nbsp; are asking for the public’s help in locating 19-year-old Nassir Gill of Topeka, according to a media release from police.

 Gill is a person of interest in the homicide of Brian M. Wright Jr., 23, that occurred on June 21, in the 3100 block of SW Westover Road in Topeka.

Gill is described as 5-foot-6 and weighs approximately 160 pounds. He may no longer have blue/green hair, as seen in the photo released by police.

If you see or know where Gill may be, please call or email investigators at 785-368-9551 and telltpd@topeka.org. You can also report anonymously to Shawnee County Crime Stoppers at 785-234-0007 or online at www.p3tips.com/128.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1719693545861.png" alt="Gill is described as 5-foot-6 and weighs approximately 160 pounds. He may no longer have blue/green hair, as seen in the photo released by police." />
 <figcaption>Gill is described as 5-foot-6 and weighs approximately 160 pounds. He may no longer have blue/green hair, as seen in the photo released by police.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a homicide&nbsp; are asking for the public’s help in locating 19-year-old Nassir Gill of Topeka, according to a media release from police. Gill is a person of interest in the homicide of Brian M. Wright Jr., 23, that occurred on June 21, in the 3100 block of SW Westover Road in Topeka.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1719001082126.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>Gill is described as 5-foot-6 and weighs approximately 160 pounds. He may no longer have blue/green hair, as seen in the photo released by police.If you see or know where Gill may be, please call or email investigators at 785-368-9551 and telltpd@topeka.org. You can also report anonymously to Shawnee County Crime Stoppers at 785-234-0007 or online at www.p3tips.com/128.

Police searching for 19-year-old Kansas homicide suspect

BY: <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/ghills/">GRACE HILLS</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — A group of about 20 school-age participants demonstrated what peace means to them Friday inside the Kansas Statehouse.&nbsp;

According to the students, who participated in the Topeka Center for Peace and Justice Peace Camp, peace means respecting other people’s boundaries, ending gun violence and supporting kindness. They learned this over their weeklong camp, which focused on finding inner and community peace. They spent time in nature, had a “peace for me” day that was all about self care, and created projects.

Their art was displayed around the first floor of the Statehouse. Campers performed dances they choreographed, and 14-year-old Sophia Ellington sang “Stand Up” by Cynthia Erivo and “Rise Up” by Andra Day.&nbsp;

“You need to stand up for your people,” Ellington said. “And for peace and justice.”

The demonstration happens at the end of peace camp each year, but this was the first time it was held at the Statehouse. Elligton’s voice echoed through the halls, into the rooms where laws are made, carrying lyrics like: “Do you hear freedom calling?”&nbsp;

Executive director and pastor Carl Frazier said he wants lawmakers to worry.

“We want to worry them until they say, ‘OK, I’m going to do this,’ so our future can get better,” Frazier said.

Restorative Justice counselor Regina Platt said one of the ways to get better is creating safe spaces.&nbsp;

“Topeka needs a safe haven for our young people,” Platt said. “There is no need to be turning down the opportunity for young people to come in and connect.”

Frazier and Platt said they want lawmakers to take a look at the laws and regulations that affect youths. Frazier cited California as an example, with its&nbsp;<a href="https://crawford.law/what-is-californias-second-chance-law/" target="_blank">second chance law</a>, which gives people who have been convicted of crimes an opportunity to have their criminal record sealed or expunged.

Fraizer said officials also should be looking at laws that affect people with limited resources — such as those who can’t pay bail.

“Sometimes African Americans and poor people can’t make bail, because a lot of their grandmothers are taking care of them, and all they’ve got is Social Security,” Frazier said “So we’ve got laws that our youth are staying in jail because their parents can not make bail. Those things are terrible.”

Peace Camp was open to any child. But the Topeka Center for Peace and Justice usually works with kids who have “touched the criminal justice system,” Frazier said.

The organization focuses on being a hub for restorative resources: in the community, justice system and schools. It provides resources in the community through events such as peace camp and neighborhood accountability boards, in the justice system with their peace outreach program, parent adolescent mediation and victim/offender mediation, and in the schools by promoting peaceful schools restorative leadership.&nbsp;

One of the main things the Topeka Center for Peace and Justice helps with is mediation in the justice system. Community corrections officers send them referrals, and the center offers trained mediators.

One referral came from a school where a girl had an altercation with the security guard. At first, Frazier wasn’t sure she was going to make it through mediation.

“But at the end, the officer was there, and she hugged him and said she was sorry.” Frazier said. “That means the work we’re doing is touching people. It’s making a difference. And I love it, because I think everyone deserves a second chance.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1719672330997.png" alt=" Participants of the Peace Camp demonstrate their dance for peace June 28, 2024, at the Kansas Statehouse. (Grace Hills/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Participants of the Peace Camp demonstrate their dance for peace June 28, 2024, at the Kansas Statehouse. (Grace Hills/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY: <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/ghills/">GRACE HILLS</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — A group of about 20 school-age participants demonstrated what peace means to them Friday inside the Kansas Statehouse.&nbsp;According to the students, who participated in the Topeka Center for Peace and Justice Peace Camp, peace means respecting other people’s boundaries, ending gun violence and supporting kindness. They learned this over their weeklong camp, which focused on finding inner and community peace. They spent time in nature, had a “peace for me” day that was all about self care, and created projects.Their art was displayed around the first floor of the Statehouse. Campers performed dances they choreographed, and 14-year-old Sophia Ellington sang “Stand Up” by Cynthia Erivo and “Rise Up” by Andra Day.&nbsp;“You need to stand up for your people,” Ellington said. “And for peace and justice.”The demonstration happens at the end of peace camp each year, but this was the first time it was held at the Statehouse. Elligton’s voice echoed through the halls, into the rooms where laws are made, carrying lyrics like: “Do you hear freedom calling?”&nbsp;Executive director and pastor Carl Frazier said he wants lawmakers to worry.“We want to worry them until they say, ‘OK, I’m going to do this,’ so our future can get better,” Frazier said.Restorative Justice counselor Regina Platt said one of the ways to get better is creating safe spaces.&nbsp;“Topeka needs a safe haven for our young people,” Platt said. “There is no need to be turning down the opportunity for young people to come in and connect.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1719672295642.png" alt=" Regina Platt speaking at the peace demonstration for the Topeka Center for Peace and Justice on June 28, 2024, at the Kansas Statehouse. (Grace Hills/Kansas Reflector)." />
 <figcaption> Regina Platt speaking at the peace demonstration for the Topeka Center for Peace and Justice on June 28, 2024, at the Kansas Statehouse. (Grace Hills/Kansas Reflector).</figcaption>
 </figure>Frazier and Platt said they want lawmakers to take a look at the laws and regulations that affect youths. Frazier cited California as an example, with its&nbsp;<a href="https://crawford.law/what-is-californias-second-chance-law/" target="_blank">second chance law</a>, which gives people who have been convicted of crimes an opportunity to have their criminal record sealed or expunged.Fraizer said officials also should be looking at laws that affect people with limited resources — such as those who can’t pay bail.“Sometimes African Americans and poor people can’t make bail, because a lot of their grandmothers are taking care of them, and all they’ve got is Social Security,” Frazier said “So we’ve got laws that our youth are staying in jail because their parents can not make bail. Those things are terrible.”Peace Camp was open to any child. But the Topeka Center for Peace and Justice usually works with kids who have “touched the criminal justice system,” Frazier said.The organization focuses on being a hub for restorative resources: in the community, justice system and schools. It provides resources in the community through events such as peace camp and neighborhood accountability boards, in the justice system with their peace outreach program, parent adolescent mediation and victim/offender mediation, and in the schools by promoting peaceful schools restorative leadership.&nbsp;One of the main things the Topeka Center for Peace and Justice helps with is mediation in the justice system. Community corrections officers send them referrals, and the center offers trained mediators.One referral came from a school where a girl had an altercation with the security guard. At first, Frazier wasn’t sure she was going to make it through mediation.“But at the end, the officer was there, and she hugged him and said she was sorry.” Frazier said. “That means the work we’re doing is touching people. It’s making a difference. And I love it, because I think everyone deserves a second chance.”

Peace campers demonstrate at Kansas Statehouse, promoting peace and second chances

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Independent presidential candidate&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/robert-f-kennedy-jr">Robert F. Kennedy Jr.</a>&nbsp;wasn't with his better-known rivals, President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;and former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>, when they debated Thursday in Atlanta.

Click below to watch a replay of Kennedy's participation.

But Kennedy responded in real time to the same questions — about inflation, the COVID-19 response and abortion — that were posed to Biden and Trump in an unusual livestream on the social platform X. Host John Stossell kept Kennedy's answers to the same strict time constraints imposed on the other candidates.

Standing alone on a stage in Los Angeles, Kennedy opened his event, dubbed The Real Debate, by accusing CNN, host of the main contest, of colluding with the Republican and Democratic parties to keep him off.

“This is something that’s important for our democracy because Americans feel like the system is rigged,” Kennedy said during his opening remarks. “This is exactly the kind of merger of state and corporate power that I’m running to oppose.”

Aside from the livestreamed response to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bidentrumppresidentialdebate-0e7577e9a354a69f50675494fea54ca9">the debate</a>, Kennedy has nothing on his public schedule for the coming weeks. Nor does his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rfk-bobby-kennedy-vp-running-mate-6be6d7e04ba7d9e74190b8c01a1bf075">running mate</a>, philanthropist&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nicole-shanahan-rfk-jr-running-mate-4ca2192ccfa0a0cbfea6026e792dd4c8">Nicole Shanahan</a>.

After a busy spring hopscotching the country for a mix of political rallies, fundraisers and nontraditional campaign events, Kennedy appears to be taking a breather.

Kennedy’s absence from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/poll-biden-trump-debate-apnorc-cc9e16ef147507162e22c96ddb889ee8">the main debate stage</a>&nbsp;and the campaign trail carries risk for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/who-is-robert-f-kennedy-jr-rfk-097ac973a32ddf2e8e4edecd6a8f3153">his insurgent quest</a>&nbsp;to shake up the Republican and Democratic dominance of the U.S. political system. He lacks the money for a firehose of television commercials, and he must spend much of the money he does have to secure ballot access. Public appearances are a low-cost way to fire up supporters and drive media coverage he needs to stay relevant.

Kennedy says he can’t win unless&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/robert-kennedy-rfk-independent-phoenix-ce8ef411c13bb7d5fc4ddff198cbbac9">voters</a>&nbsp;know he’s running and believe he can defeat Biden, a Democrat, and Trump, a Republican. That problem will become increasingly acute as the debate, followed by the major party conventions in July and August, push more voters to tune into the race.

Still, Kennedy has maintained a steady stream of social media posts, and he continues to sit for interviews, most recently with talk show host Dr. Phil.

“Mr. Kennedy has a full schedule for July with many public events, mostly on the East Coast and including one big rally,” said Stefanie Spear, a Kennedy campaign spokesperson. “We will start announcing the events next week.”

For Thursday’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cnn-presidential-debate-biden-trump-930d00479cd07b4069aff36d556b05b2">debate on CNN</a>, the network&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kennedy-rfk-cnn-debate-ballot-access-biden-trump-d3c5466a9a307ea4480508160f660a55">invited candidates</a>&nbsp;who showed strength in four reliable polls and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rfk-kennedy-ballot-access-cnn-debate-election-c259599e787e422181f986cf2272eb53">ballot access</a>&nbsp;in enough states to win the presidency. Kennedy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rfk-kennedy-cnn-debate-qualify-de23c5bf08e33e0df8639ff11d1ff424">fell short</a>&nbsp;on both requirements.

He has cried foul about the rules, accusing CNN of colluding with Biden and Trump in a complaint to the Federal Election Commission and threatening to sue.

Kennedy wasn't on stage, but his supporters had a visible presence on the streets around the debate hall.

Some Kennedy backers set up a lemonade stand a few blocks from the spin room where the press was gathered. A sign on top of the stand read, “CNN Lemons = Kennedy Lemonade.” Others waved “Heal the Divide” signs. Not far away, a Kennedy campaign bus blasted music.

Sujat Desai, a 20-year-old student from Pleasanton, California, who supports Kennedy, said Kennedy's absence from the debate is a major hurdle for him to overcome.

“I don’t think there’s any way to get awareness if you’re not on the debate stage,” Desai said. “I think it’s a pretty lethal blow not to be in this debate, and it would be detrimental not to be in the next.”

Still, Desai said he won't be dissuaded from voting for Kennedy even if he appears to be a longshot come November.

“I think this is probably the strongest I’ve seen an independent candidate in a while, so I’ll give him that,” Desai said. “I think he’s definitely doing well. His policies are strong enough to win, I just don’t know if there's awareness."

Independent and third-party candidates like Kennedy face supremely long odds, but Kennedy’s campaign has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/robert-kennedy-jr-trump-independent-third-party-7512ce6c2537453ea400f6dfaae87282">spooked partisans</a>&nbsp;on both sides who fear he will tip the election against them. Biden supporters worry his famous Democratic name and his history of environmental advocacy will sway voters from the left.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rfk-jr-presidential-campaign-independent-2024-30d940109c4956de9c81f332ec418463">Trump supporters worry</a>&nbsp;his idiosyncratic views, particularly his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/how-rfk-jr-built-anti-vaccine-juggernaut-amid-covid-4997be1bcf591fe8b7f1f90d16c9321e">questioning</a>&nbsp;of the scientific consensus that vaccines are safe and effective, will appeal to people who might otherwise vote for Trump.

Christy Jones, 54, a holistic health and mindfulness coach from Glendora, California, worries people won't know Kennedy is running without him standing next to Biden and Trump at the debate. But she said he's still all over her social media feeds and she's confident he's making himself visible.

“I do feel like he could still win if people choose to be courageous,” she said. “If all the people that actually want change voted for him, he would be in. People are asking for change.”

Until recently, Kennedy’s website promoted a variety of events weeks or more in advance, including public rallies and private fundraisers. He held comedy nights with prominent comedians in Michigan and Tennessee.

But since he went to the June 15 premiere of a film on combatting addiction, Kennedy has been dark, though he continues to promote in-person and virtual organizing events for his supporters.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1719668235039.png" alt="Image from the video of the debate" />
 <figcaption>Image from the video of the debate</figcaption>
 </figure>LOS ANGELES (AP) — Independent presidential candidate&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/robert-f-kennedy-jr">Robert F. Kennedy Jr.</a>&nbsp;wasn't with his better-known rivals, President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;and former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>, when they debated Thursday in Atlanta.Click below to watch a replay of Kennedy's participation.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Coming up live is THE REAL DEBATE: 8:45 pm ET / 5:45 pm PT<a href="https://t.co/lsuMWx6y53">https://t.co/lsuMWx6y53</a>&mdash; Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) <a href="https://twitter.com/RobertKennedyJr/status/1806462171892895808?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 27, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>But Kennedy responded in real time to the same questions — about inflation, the COVID-19 response and abortion — that were posed to Biden and Trump in an unusual livestream on the social platform X. Host John Stossell kept Kennedy's answers to the same strict time constraints imposed on the other candidates.Standing alone on a stage in Los Angeles, Kennedy opened his event, dubbed The Real Debate, by accusing CNN, host of the main contest, of colluding with the Republican and Democratic parties to keep him off.“This is something that’s important for our democracy because Americans feel like the system is rigged,” Kennedy said during his opening remarks. “This is exactly the kind of merger of state and corporate power that I’m running to oppose.”Aside from the livestreamed response to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bidentrumppresidentialdebate-0e7577e9a354a69f50675494fea54ca9">the debate</a>, Kennedy has nothing on his public schedule for the coming weeks. Nor does his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rfk-bobby-kennedy-vp-running-mate-6be6d7e04ba7d9e74190b8c01a1bf075">running mate</a>, philanthropist&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nicole-shanahan-rfk-jr-running-mate-4ca2192ccfa0a0cbfea6026e792dd4c8">Nicole Shanahan</a>.After a busy spring hopscotching the country for a mix of political rallies, fundraisers and nontraditional campaign events, Kennedy appears to be taking a breather.Kennedy’s absence from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/poll-biden-trump-debate-apnorc-cc9e16ef147507162e22c96ddb889ee8">the main debate stage</a>&nbsp;and the campaign trail carries risk for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/who-is-robert-f-kennedy-jr-rfk-097ac973a32ddf2e8e4edecd6a8f3153">his insurgent quest</a>&nbsp;to shake up the Republican and Democratic dominance of the U.S. political system. He lacks the money for a firehose of television commercials, and he must spend much of the money he does have to secure ballot access. Public appearances are a low-cost way to fire up supporters and drive media coverage he needs to stay relevant.Kennedy says he can’t win unless&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/robert-kennedy-rfk-independent-phoenix-ce8ef411c13bb7d5fc4ddff198cbbac9">voters</a>&nbsp;know he’s running and believe he can defeat Biden, a Democrat, and Trump, a Republican. That problem will become increasingly acute as the debate, followed by the major party conventions in July and August, push more voters to tune into the race.Still, Kennedy has maintained a steady stream of social media posts, and he continues to sit for interviews, most recently with talk show host Dr. Phil.“Mr. Kennedy has a full schedule for July with many public events, mostly on the East Coast and including one big rally,” said Stefanie Spear, a Kennedy campaign spokesperson. “We will start announcing the events next week.”For Thursday’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cnn-presidential-debate-biden-trump-930d00479cd07b4069aff36d556b05b2">debate on CNN</a>, the network&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kennedy-rfk-cnn-debate-ballot-access-biden-trump-d3c5466a9a307ea4480508160f660a55">invited candidates</a>&nbsp;who showed strength in four reliable polls and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rfk-kennedy-ballot-access-cnn-debate-election-c259599e787e422181f986cf2272eb53">ballot access</a>&nbsp;in enough states to win the presidency. Kennedy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rfk-kennedy-cnn-debate-qualify-de23c5bf08e33e0df8639ff11d1ff424">fell short</a>&nbsp;on both requirements.He has cried foul about the rules, accusing CNN of colluding with Biden and Trump in a complaint to the Federal Election Commission and threatening to sue.Kennedy wasn't on stage, but his supporters had a visible presence on the streets around the debate hall.Some Kennedy backers set up a lemonade stand a few blocks from the spin room where the press was gathered. A sign on top of the stand read, “CNN Lemons = Kennedy Lemonade.” Others waved “Heal the Divide” signs. Not far away, a Kennedy campaign bus blasted music.Sujat Desai, a 20-year-old student from Pleasanton, California, who supports Kennedy, said Kennedy's absence from the debate is a major hurdle for him to overcome.“I don’t think there’s any way to get awareness if you’re not on the debate stage,” Desai said. “I think it’s a pretty lethal blow not to be in this debate, and it would be detrimental not to be in the next.”Still, Desai said he won't be dissuaded from voting for Kennedy even if he appears to be a longshot come November.“I think this is probably the strongest I’ve seen an independent candidate in a while, so I’ll give him that,” Desai said. “I think he’s definitely doing well. His policies are strong enough to win, I just don’t know if there's awareness."Independent and third-party candidates like Kennedy face supremely long odds, but Kennedy’s campaign has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/robert-kennedy-jr-trump-independent-third-party-7512ce6c2537453ea400f6dfaae87282">spooked partisans</a>&nbsp;on both sides who fear he will tip the election against them. Biden supporters worry his famous Democratic name and his history of environmental advocacy will sway voters from the left.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rfk-jr-presidential-campaign-independent-2024-30d940109c4956de9c81f332ec418463">Trump supporters worry</a>&nbsp;his idiosyncratic views, particularly his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/how-rfk-jr-built-anti-vaccine-juggernaut-amid-covid-4997be1bcf591fe8b7f1f90d16c9321e">questioning</a>&nbsp;of the scientific consensus that vaccines are safe and effective, will appeal to people who might otherwise vote for Trump.Christy Jones, 54, a holistic health and mindfulness coach from Glendora, California, worries people won't know Kennedy is running without him standing next to Biden and Trump at the debate. But she said he's still all over her social media feeds and she's confident he's making himself visible.“I do feel like he could still win if people choose to be courageous,” she said. “If all the people that actually want change voted for him, he would be in. People are asking for change.”Until recently, Kennedy’s website promoted a variety of events weeks or more in advance, including public rallies and private fundraisers. He held comedy nights with prominent comedians in Michigan and Tennessee.But since he went to the June 15 premiere of a film on combatting addiction, Kennedy has been dark, though he continues to promote in-person and virtual organizing events for his supporters.___

🎥RFK, Jr. didn't make the debate stage but answered the same questions during rival event

SEDGWICK COUNTY —An inmate booked into the Sedgwick County jail on Tuesday has died.

Early Friday&nbsp;EMS was called to transport the 37-year-old male inmate, who was housed in the Detention Facility Clinic, to the hospital due to irregular lab results, according to Sheriff's Lt. Nathan Gibbs.

Prior to EMS arriving at the jail the inmate became unresponsive. Immediate medical attention was administered from onsite medical staff and responding EMS personnel. The inmate was pronounced dead shortly before 3:00 a.m. 

The inmate had a history of a chronic health problem, which clinic staff was treating.&nbsp; The preliminary cause of death is unknown pending an autopsy.

 The inmate was being held in the Sedgwick County Detention Facility on a $150,000 felony warrant for contempt of court since June 25.&nbsp;

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation and the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Investigations Division were notified.&nbsp; &nbsp; The inmate’s family has been notified of his death and his identity is being withheld at their request.

SEDGWICK COUNTY —An inmate booked into the Sedgwick County jail on Tuesday has died.Early Friday&nbsp;EMS was called to transport the 37-year-old male inmate, who was housed in the Detention Facility Clinic, to the hospital due to irregular lab results, according to Sheriff's Lt. Nathan Gibbs.Prior to EMS arriving at the jail the inmate became unresponsive. Immediate medical attention was administered from onsite medical staff and responding EMS personnel. The inmate was pronounced dead shortly before 3:00 a.m. The inmate had a history of a chronic health problem, which clinic staff was treating.&nbsp; The preliminary cause of death is unknown pending an autopsy. The inmate was being held in the Sedgwick County Detention Facility on a $150,000 felony warrant for contempt of court since June 25.&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation and the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Investigations Division were notified.&nbsp; &nbsp; The inmate’s family has been notified of his death and his identity is being withheld at their request.

Sheriff: Man jailed in Kansas on Tuesday died on Friday

WICHITA, Kan.—&nbsp;The Kansas Turnpike will become cashless on July 1, for safety, customer convenience and operational efficiencies.

(Click below to watch how new cashless tolling works)

<a href="https://www.ksturnpike.com/cashless-tolling?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR3Q-lF_1KPUWJtKQwVjf8SXz2xu1jtaCSVGES-2r3Ai-LpGgPbymaBYt-I_aem_A0qvoLAqgjh6u_3VUqaxAw">Click here to learn</a> more about cashless tolling in Kansas.

Cashless tolling allows for more consistent fares since elements used for cash collection, such as rounding to the nearest nickel or quarter, are no longer necessary. With the elimination of rounding to the nearest nickel or quarter, many short-distance travelers will see a reduction in the toll they pay.

The new toll structure will be a flat, per-mile rate based upon axle count and whether the vehicle has a transponder or is identified by their license plate. Find&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ksturnpike.com/uploads/misc-documents/Cashless-Toll-Rates.pdf">new per-mile rates here</a>.

"This change will be especially beneficial for customers who drive shorter distances, such as Kansans commuting to work or school,” Deb Miller, Chairperson of the Kansas Turnpike Authority Board, said.

These new per-mile toll rates will go into effect when the Kansas Turnpike converts to cashless tolling in mid-2024.

Establishment of these toll rates is one of many tasks necessary for the modernization. In addition to on-roadway work, KTA teams have been developing the account management functions necessary to support customers.

This month, customer service call center hours will increase to 7:30 am – 6:30 pm, Monday through Friday, to better serve customers in advance of the conversion. Walk-in retail hours will remain the same 8 am – 5 pm.

Customers will also see a refreshed K-TAG logo that aligns visually with its parent organization, the Kansas Turnpike Authority. K-TAG is a small in-vehicle device used to facilitate a customer’s toll payment and provides the lowest toll rate on the Kansas Turnpike – now and in the future.

“We are excited about our progress toward cashless tolling and believe our customers will be too,” Steve Hewitt, CEO of the Kansas Turnpike Authority, said. “KTA’s recent satisfaction survey shows that 84 percent of customers support the modernization to cashless tolling.”

Additional information will be provided in the months leading up to the conversion. Learn more about cashless tolling, and watch short informational videos, at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksturnpike.com/cashless-tolling">www.DriveKS.com</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706545368725.png" alt="Image KTA" />
 <figcaption>Image KTA</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, Kan.—&nbsp;The Kansas Turnpike will become cashless on July 1, for safety, customer convenience and operational efficiencies.(Click below to watch how new cashless tolling works)<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kdgGrbsT68A?si=1xl5UKVy3G1j3hKl" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div><a href="https://www.ksturnpike.com/cashless-tolling?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR3Q-lF_1KPUWJtKQwVjf8SXz2xu1jtaCSVGES-2r3Ai-LpGgPbymaBYt-I_aem_A0qvoLAqgjh6u_3VUqaxAw">Click here to learn</a> more about cashless tolling in Kansas.Cashless tolling allows for more consistent fares since elements used for cash collection, such as rounding to the nearest nickel or quarter, are no longer necessary. With the elimination of rounding to the nearest nickel or quarter, many short-distance travelers will see a reduction in the toll they pay.The new toll structure will be a flat, per-mile rate based upon axle count and whether the vehicle has a transponder or is identified by their license plate. Find&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ksturnpike.com/uploads/misc-documents/Cashless-Toll-Rates.pdf">new per-mile rates here</a>."This change will be especially beneficial for customers who drive shorter distances, such as Kansans commuting to work or school,” Deb Miller, Chairperson of the Kansas Turnpike Authority Board, said.These new per-mile toll rates will go into effect when the Kansas Turnpike converts to cashless tolling in mid-2024.Establishment of these toll rates is one of many tasks necessary for the modernization. In addition to on-roadway work, KTA teams have been developing the account management functions necessary to support customers.This month, customer service call center hours will increase to 7:30 am – 6:30 pm, Monday through Friday, to better serve customers in advance of the conversion. Walk-in retail hours will remain the same 8 am – 5 pm.Customers will also see a refreshed K-TAG logo that aligns visually with its parent organization, the Kansas Turnpike Authority. K-TAG is a small in-vehicle device used to facilitate a customer’s toll payment and provides the lowest toll rate on the Kansas Turnpike – now and in the future.“We are excited about our progress toward cashless tolling and believe our customers will be too,” Steve Hewitt, CEO of the Kansas Turnpike Authority, said. “KTA’s recent satisfaction survey shows that 84 percent of customers support the modernization to cashless tolling.”Additional information will be provided in the months leading up to the conversion. Learn more about cashless tolling, and watch short informational videos, at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksturnpike.com/cashless-tolling">www.DriveKS.com</a>.

🎥New cashless tolling begins Monday on the Kansas Turnpike

GEARY COUNTY —A strong thunderstorm brought flooding rain and did considerable damage in Junction City and other areas of Geary County on Friday.

The storm cause a build to partially collapse in the 600 block of North Washington in Junction City. The structure was vacant and there were no injuries.

Also in Junction City there is tree damage in addition to multiple power outages. Emergency Management Director Garry Berges said rainfall recorded at McFarland Road. and U.S 77 totaled 5.97 inches.:

According to Geary County Emergency Management, many areas and basements are flooding due heavy rain. Unless you have medical emergency first responders were unable to assist.

Sheriff Eric Coffman said that there were power outages in Milford State Park and Old Milford Road areas.&nbsp;

Junction City Police urged residents to stay home, do not travel. &nbsp;There were powerlines down across the city and crews continue working to remove debris and powerlines from the roads.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1719627302143.jpeg" alt="Photos by Geary County Emergency Management Director Garry Berges&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Photos by Geary County Emergency Management Director Garry Berges&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>By Dewey Terrill, JC PostGEARY COUNTY —A strong thunderstorm brought flooding rain and did considerable damage in Junction City and other areas of Geary County on Friday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1719627442990.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The storm cause a build to partially collapse in the 600 block of North Washington in Junction City. The structure was vacant and there were no injuries.Also in Junction City there is tree damage in addition to multiple power outages. Emergency Management Director Garry Berges said rainfall recorded at McFarland Road. and U.S 77 totaled 5.97 inches.:According to Geary County Emergency Management, many areas and basements are flooding due heavy rain. Unless you have medical emergency first responders were unable to assist.Sheriff Eric Coffman said that there were power outages in Milford State Park and Old Milford Road areas.&nbsp;Junction City Police urged residents to stay home, do not travel. &nbsp;There were powerlines down across the city and crews continue working to remove debris and powerlines from the roads.

Storms flood Geary Co., cause partial building collapse in Junction City

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Guests were evacuated after a fire at a hotel fire in Topeka.

Just&nbsp; after 10 p.m. Thursday, crews&nbsp;responded to a reported hotel fire at the Quality Inn, 1240 SW Wanamaker Road, according to Department spokesperson Rosie Nichols.&nbsp;

Firefighters found smoke coming from the north side of the building and identified an Air Conditioning unit on fire.

Crews extinguished the fire and evacuated all three floors of the hotel as smoke was cleared from the building. No injuries have been reported.

The cause of the fire was likely due to an electrical issue, originated in the Air Cconditioning unit.

The total estimated loss associated with the incident is approximately $8,000, with $5,000 associated with structural loss and $3,000 associated with content loss.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1719603826129.png" alt="photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Guests were evacuated after a fire at a hotel fire in Topeka.Just&nbsp; after 10 p.m. Thursday, crews&nbsp;responded to a reported hotel fire at the Quality Inn, 1240 SW Wanamaker Road, according to Department spokesperson Rosie Nichols.&nbsp;Firefighters found smoke coming from the north side of the building and identified an Air Conditioning unit on fire.Crews extinguished the fire and evacuated all three floors of the hotel as smoke was cleared from the building. No injuries have been reported.The cause of the fire was likely due to an electrical issue, originated in the Air Cconditioning unit.The total estimated loss associated with the incident is approximately $8,000, with $5,000 associated with structural loss and $3,000 associated with content loss.

Guests evacuated after fire at Kansas hotel

WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-gaza-pier-us-military-aid-hunger-1dedd321e2a4e5fdba5a26cbbc51df77">pier built by the U.S. military</a>&nbsp;to bring aid to Gaza has been removed due to weather to protect it, and the U.S. is considering not re-installing it unless the aid begins flowing out into the population again, U.S. officials said Friday.

While the military has helped deliver desperately needed food through the pier, the vast majority of it is still sitting in the adjacent storage yard and that area is almost full. Aid agencies have had difficulty moving the food to areas further into Gaza where it is most needed because the humanitarian convoys have come under attack.

The U.N., which has the widest reach in delivering aid to starving Palestinians, hasn’t been distributing food and other emergency supplies arriving through the pier since June 9. The pause came after the Israeli military used an area near the pier to fly out hostages after their rescue in a raid that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-news-06-09-2024-61eb1be9a9d0cf2dbf250cd4a8ed4dbf">killed more than 270 Palestinians</a>, prompting a U.N. security review over concerns that aid workers’ safety and neutrality may have compromised.

While always meant to be temporary and never touted as a complete solution to the problems getting humanitarian aid into Gaza, President Joe Biden’s $230 million project has faced a series of setbacks since aid first rolled ashore May 17 and has been criticized by relief groups and congressional Republicans as a costly distraction.

The pier has been used to get more than 19.4 million pounds, or 8.6 million kilograms, of food into Gaza, but has been stymied not only by aid pauses but unpredictable weather. Rough seas damaged the pier just days into its initial operations, forcing the military to remove it temporarily for repairs and then reinstall it. Heavy seas on Friday forced the military to remove it again and take it to the Israeli port at Ashdod.

Several U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss military movements, said the military could reinstall the pier once the bad weather passes in the coming days, but the final decision on whether to reinstall it hasn’t been made.

Sabrina Singh, a Pentagon spokeswoman, acknowledged that she doesn’t know when the pier will be reinstalled. “When the commander decides that it is the right time to reinstall that pier, we’ll keep you updated on that.,” she said.

She also said Friday that there is a need for more aid to come into Cyprus and be transported to the pier. She noted that the secure area onshore is “pretty close to full,” but that the intention is still to get aid into Gaza by all means necessary. She said the U.S. is having discussions with the aid agencies about the distribution of the food.

But, she added, “Of course, if there’s not enough room in the marshalling yard, then it doesn’t make sense to put our men or women out there when there’s nothing to do.”

Palestinians are facing widespread hunger because fighting in the nearly nine-month&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel-Hamas war</a>, Israeli restrictions on border crossings that are far more productive than the sea route and the attacks on the aid convoys have severely limited the flow of food, medicine and other supplies.

Ellen Knickmeyer contributed from Washington.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714471004272.png" alt="Photos U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>Photos U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-gaza-pier-us-military-aid-hunger-1dedd321e2a4e5fdba5a26cbbc51df77">pier built by the U.S. military</a>&nbsp;to bring aid to Gaza has been removed due to weather to protect it, and the U.S. is considering not re-installing it unless the aid begins flowing out into the population again, U.S. officials said Friday.While the military has helped deliver desperately needed food through the pier, the vast majority of it is still sitting in the adjacent storage yard and that area is almost full. Aid agencies have had difficulty moving the food to areas further into Gaza where it is most needed because the humanitarian convoys have come under attack.The U.N., which has the widest reach in delivering aid to starving Palestinians, hasn’t been distributing food and other emergency supplies arriving through the pier since June 9. The pause came after the Israeli military used an area near the pier to fly out hostages after their rescue in a raid that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-news-06-09-2024-61eb1be9a9d0cf2dbf250cd4a8ed4dbf">killed more than 270 Palestinians</a>, prompting a U.N. security review over concerns that aid workers’ safety and neutrality may have compromised.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718410108692.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>While always meant to be temporary and never touted as a complete solution to the problems getting humanitarian aid into Gaza, President Joe Biden’s $230 million project has faced a series of setbacks since aid first rolled ashore May 17 and has been criticized by relief groups and congressional Republicans as a costly distraction.The pier has been used to get more than 19.4 million pounds, or 8.6 million kilograms, of food into Gaza, but has been stymied not only by aid pauses but unpredictable weather. Rough seas damaged the pier just days into its initial operations, forcing the military to remove it temporarily for repairs and then reinstall it. Heavy seas on Friday forced the military to remove it again and take it to the Israeli port at Ashdod.Several U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss military movements, said the military could reinstall the pier once the bad weather passes in the coming days, but the final decision on whether to reinstall it hasn’t been made.Sabrina Singh, a Pentagon spokeswoman, acknowledged that she doesn’t know when the pier will be reinstalled. “When the commander decides that it is the right time to reinstall that pier, we’ll keep you updated on that.,” she said.She also said Friday that there is a need for more aid to come into Cyprus and be transported to the pier. She noted that the secure area onshore is “pretty close to full,” but that the intention is still to get aid into Gaza by all means necessary. She said the U.S. is having discussions with the aid agencies about the distribution of the food.But, she added, “Of course, if there’s not enough room in the marshalling yard, then it doesn’t make sense to put our men or women out there when there’s nothing to do.”Palestinians are facing widespread hunger because fighting in the nearly nine-month&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel-Hamas war</a>, Israeli restrictions on border crossings that are far more productive than the sea route and the attacks on the aid convoys have severely limited the flow of food, medicine and other supplies.—-Ellen Knickmeyer contributed from Washington.

US removing $320M Gaza aid pier again and may not put it back

Editor's note: This is a two-part series on hospice care in northwest Kansas. The first part ran on Saturday, June 1, on the Hays Post. See a link to that story below.

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

Dalene Juenemann and her father, Dean, had to make the difficult decision to enter hospice care after he was diagnosed with bladder cancer.

“He was just such a social guy and someone was in a couple times a week,” she said. “They were checking in on him and it was that security blanket he had.”

“He didn’t want to be in and out of hospital care and not doing his activities, especially because of his age,” she said.

He didn’t want to go through aggressive chemo and he didn’t qualify for a bladder removal because of his age.&nbsp;

“He chose quality of life,” she said.

"It was that final decision that we are done with everyone wanting a piece of me. I'm just going to enjoy life," she said.

Dalene's father, Dean Shearer, was a patient of NWKareS, Hospice of Northwest Kansas, which serves 16 counties from Interstate 70 to the Nebraska border and Trego County to the Colorado border.

Dalene and other family members who have been helped by hospice, as well as hospice volunteers, agreed to tell their stories in hopes of easing fears and urging other families to choose the service.

Dalene is a former resident of Hays. She now lives in Olathe, but her father was living in Norton.

Dalene visited her father every two weeks, but hospice helped fill the gap. Hospice staff contacted her and gave her regular updates on her dad’s condition. He was a hospice patient for about six months before he died.

Dalene said that finding medical supplies could be challenging because her father lived in a rural area. The hospice staff ensured he had all the medical supplies he needed.

“I find when I’m trying to encourage people that I get in contact with, it’s hard to stop putting their loved ones through all that because they’re just not ready to let their loved ones go,” Dalene said.

“I’ve also talked to someone that went ahead and did it all and said I wish we had never put him through it,” she said. “He would have had much more quality of life.”

Dalene said the social worker talked to her about her feelings and helped her prepare for her dad's death. She and her dad were very close.

"It’s a process. It’s more of an acceptance then," she said. "You’re never ready to say goodbye, but there’s very much an acceptance of what you’ve got going on in your life.

"You don't feel like you are going it alone," she said. "Because there are so many people there who you can lean on, and they are so knowledgeable of everything."

She said the extra care hospice offered allowed her to just be a daughter to her father as he was dying.

"My dad was so active. To be able to die like this with so much dignity and at home the way he wanted to, it was beautiful," she said. "I think as much as being with someone when a new life comes into the world, what an honor and blessing my brother and I felt it was to be there with our mom and our dad."

"I felt all of [the hospice workers] have supported and helped us immensely," she said. "Don’t cheat yourself of having such a great experience."

On the day her father died, the hospice nurse, Norma, who had been working with Dean, volunteered to come to his bedside on her day off.

"Once she got there, he just let go and let everything take its course," Dalene said.&nbsp;

"I was telling Dad to let go and goodbye and I said, 'Just go toward the light, Dad.' Norma was standing at the door, and she said she just saw this tear come down the side of my dad's face, and that was it.

“That is the kind of peace you want for your family members who pass,” Dalene said.

Cathy Harrison's husband, Don, was a hospice patient. Her family had a unique perspective. She and Don had been funeral directors in Colby for more than 40 years, and Don had been a long-time hospice board member.

“In the families who we served, we could see how hospice services coming in during those last months and during those last weeks and even last hours helped the family be healthy in their grief," Cathy said.

She said hospice helps guide people through what to expect in the dying process.

“If you have decided to make that decision to take care of a loved one at home, there is always that question of ‘What’s going to happen?’ How am I going to know?” she said.&nbsp;

"They really come alongside you in that journey," she said, "and help you begin that grieving process. When you know that person is terminal, you begin that grieving process before they are even gone."

“If that starts out in a healthy way,” she said. “Then it helps with healthy grieving after they’re gone.”

Cathy said it was important for her family to have her husband at home during the last seven months of his life.

Hospice staff members made regular visits to help assess Don's health.

"It was an easy decision to know it was time to have some help with being here at home," she said, "and our familiarity made it an easier decision."

Cathy said the hospice staff was with them through their journey with Don, even after his death.

"We were walking the journey and we were doing it with a lot of faith. I had a real determination that our home would be filled with peace and joy as Don made his final journey home," she said.

"I would tell them it is one of the final gifts that they can give to their family," Harrison said of other families considering hospice care, "not only to their loved one … but it's a gift that you give to your family that brings you together that allows you to open up conversations."

“It’s nice to have someone in a very loving and comfortable way guide you in some of those difficult conversations,” she said.

In other people she has dealt with as a funeral director, she has encountered families who don’t want to talk about the fact that someone is dying or the person who is dying doesn’t want to talk about it.

“It’s such a healthy process when you can open up about it and talk about it, and you give that loved one permission to visit with you about any concerns they may have and fears they may have, and the opportunity to say goodbye,” Cathy said.&nbsp;

“I think hospice gives you that opportunity to say goodbye to your loved one in such a warm and compassionate environment,” she said.

Volunteers can be an integral part of hospice services. Medical training is not required.

Volunteers serve as companions to patients and provide respite care and support for families.

Sherry Woodside has been a hospice volunteer for nine years. She encountered many hospice staff working in a pharmacy in Phillipsburg and admired their work.&nbsp;

When time became available, she decided to become a volunteer.

Sherry primarily visits patients in nursing homes. She talks with the patients, although some have memory issues and might not remember her name.

“I had one lady who liked to color in adult coloring books, and we colored,” she said. “Everyone is a little different in what they are able to do.”

“I had one lady who really liked to go to the church service they had Sundays at the nursing home in Philipsburg, so I tried to make it a point to try to always be there that week to go with her,” she said.

One patient with ALS couldn’t speak anymore, but she loved looking through cookbooks and pointing to her favorite recipes.

“It’s just having someone else to talk to, to have an outside voice that’s not a family member,” she said.

Sherry said she has found her time as a volunteer rewarding. Families are very appreciative.

“The family sends thank you notes, or they say, ‘My mom talked about you a lot,’” she said, her voice beginning to crack. “I counted up the other day, and I think I have had 30 already.”

Phyllis Tucker, who is from rural Smith County, said she became a volunteer to pay it forward. Her dad died suddenly, and she wasn't able to be with him. She had seen the positives of hospice when her aunt used the services.

She was her aunt's caregiver, but she Phyllis lived three hours away.

Hospice staff and volunteers kept Phyllis updated on her aunt's condition when she couldn't be with her.

As a volunteer, Phyllis does the same thing for the families she serves.&nbsp;

Most of the patients with whom Phyllis works are in nursing homes.&nbsp;

“So many folks don’t have local family,” she said.

“I go in and visit the patients, and then I text their daughter who lives in Wichita,” she said. “I can be that eyes on.”

Often, Phyllis just chats with her patients during visits. She said the patients appreciate seeing someone who chooses to come for visits.

“It’s an honor to be with people in those last days of their lives,” she said, “to hear their stories and to get to know them in a different way.”

“One patient said, ‘You’re not here because it’s your job. The volunteers come because they want to,'” she said.

She said hospice volunteers and staff gave her peace of mind in the last few days of her aunt's life.

“Most of us don’t have any experience or training and all of the sudden we are taking care of a person in this stage of life that we’re not familiar with,” Phyllis said.

“I was there for her last few days and to have some there who told me I was doing a good job,” she said. “That we were doing it right, the pain medication right, if she didn’t want to eat, we weren’t feeding her, and that was OK,” she said. “The thing that you don’t necessarily have the good instincts for.”

She said being a hospice volunteer has been very rewarding, especially in a patient's final moments of life.

She called being with someone when they die a mystical moment.&nbsp;

Phyllis urged others to volunteer with hospice. The number of volunteers with NWKareS has dwindled since the pandemic. 

There are many ways to volunteer. Some volunteers help with paperwork. Some volunteers at HaysMed Hospice Care don't see patients. They bake cookies and help with memorial or bereavement services.

The HaysMed Hospice Memorial Service is offered twice yearly, with the upcoming fall memorial service on Oct. 20. This service is specific to hospice patients who have been cared for and is not open to the community or public.

For more information on volunteering for HaysMed Hospice Care, call 785-623-6200.

You can also assist hospice by donating monetarily.

To donate to or volunteer with NWKareS call&nbsp;800-315-5122 or go to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.hospicenwks.net/donate">www.hospicenwks.net/donate</a>.

You can donate to HaysMed Hospice through the HaysMed Foundation, either online or by mail. The foundation accepts credit cards, Venmo, or PayPal. The website is&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://haysmedfoundation.org/" target="_blank">https://haysmedfoundation.org/</a>.

You may designate your donation to HaysMed Hospice or direct it to the individual’s memorial, and the HaysMed Foundation will transfer the funds to the memorial.

Editor's note: This is a two-part series on hospice care in northwest Kansas. The first part ran on Saturday, June 1, on the Hays Post. See a link to that story below.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1717167614433.jpeg" alt="Dean Shearer, a hospice patient, dances with a hospice staff member several days before he died. His daughter, Dalene Juenemann, said hospice care was a great gift to her father and her family. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Dean Shearer, a hospice patient, dances with a hospice staff member several days before he died. His daughter, Dalene Juenemann, said hospice care was a great gift to her father and her family. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostDalene Juenemann and her father, Dean, had to make the difficult decision to enter hospice care after he was diagnosed with bladder cancer.“He was just such a social guy and someone was in a couple times a week,” she said. “They were checking in on him and it was that security blanket he had.”“He didn’t want to be in and out of hospital care and not doing his activities, especially because of his age,” she said.He didn’t want to go through aggressive chemo and he didn’t qualify for a bladder removal because of his age.&nbsp;“He chose quality of life,” she said."It was that final decision that we are done with everyone wanting a piece of me. I'm just going to enjoy life," she said.Dalene's father, Dean Shearer, was a patient of NWKareS, Hospice of Northwest Kansas, which serves 16 counties from Interstate 70 to the Nebraska border and Trego County to the Colorado border.Dalene and other family members who have been helped by hospice, as well as hospice volunteers, agreed to tell their stories in hopes of easing fears and urging other families to choose the service.Dalene is a former resident of Hays. She now lives in Olathe, but her father was living in Norton.Dalene visited her father every two weeks, but hospice helped fill the gap. Hospice staff contacted her and gave her regular updates on her dad’s condition. He was a hospice patient for about six months before he died.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1717167818422.jpeg" alt="Dean Shearer and his daughter,&nbsp;Dalene Juenemann. Dalene said hospice allowed her father to stay at home and remain active after his cancer diagnosis. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Dean Shearer and his daughter,&nbsp;Dalene Juenemann. Dalene said hospice allowed her father to stay at home and remain active after his cancer diagnosis. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Dalene said that finding medical supplies could be challenging because her father lived in a rural area. The hospice staff ensured he had all the medical supplies he needed.“I find when I’m trying to encourage people that I get in contact with, it’s hard to stop putting their loved ones through all that because they’re just not ready to let their loved ones go,” Dalene said.“I’ve also talked to someone that went ahead and did it all and said I wish we had never put him through it,” she said. “He would have had much more quality of life.”Dalene said the social worker talked to her about her feelings and helped her prepare for her dad's death. She and her dad were very close."It’s a process. It’s more of an acceptance then," she said. "You’re never ready to say goodbye, but there’s very much an acceptance of what you’ve got going on in your life."You don't feel like you are going it alone," she said. "Because there are so many people there who you can lean on, and they are so knowledgeable of everything."She said the extra care hospice offered allowed her to just be a daughter to her father as he was dying.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1717167975250.jpeg" alt="Dean Shearer, a hospice patient.&nbsp;Dalene Juenemann, his daughter, said hospice helped her feel as if she wasn't alone as she dealt with her father's death. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Dean Shearer, a hospice patient.&nbsp;Dalene Juenemann, his daughter, said hospice helped her feel as if she wasn't alone as she dealt with her father's death. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>"My dad was so active. To be able to die like this with so much dignity and at home the way he wanted to, it was beautiful," she said. "I think as much as being with someone when a new life comes into the world, what an honor and blessing my brother and I felt it was to be there with our mom and our dad.""I felt all of [the hospice workers] have supported and helped us immensely," she said. "Don’t cheat yourself of having such a great experience."On the day her father died, the hospice nurse, Norma, who had been working with Dean, volunteered to come to his bedside on her day off."Once she got there, he just let go and let everything take its course," Dalene said.&nbsp;"I was telling Dad to let go and goodbye and I said, 'Just go toward the light, Dad.' Norma was standing at the door, and she said she just saw this tear come down the side of my dad's face, and that was it.“That is the kind of peace you want for your family members who pass,” Dalene said.Cathy Harrison's husband, Don, was a hospice patient. Her family had a unique perspective. She and Don had been funeral directors in Colby for more than 40 years, and Don had been a long-time hospice board member.“In the families who we served, we could see how hospice services coming in during those last months and during those last weeks and even last hours helped the family be healthy in their grief," Cathy said.She said hospice helps guide people through what to expect in the dying process.“If you have decided to make that decision to take care of a loved one at home, there is always that question of ‘What’s going to happen?’ How am I going to know?” she said.&nbsp;"They really come alongside you in that journey," she said, "and help you begin that grieving process. When you know that person is terminal, you begin that grieving process before they are even gone."“If that starts out in a healthy way,” she said. “Then it helps with healthy grieving after they’re gone.”Cathy said it was important for her family to have her husband at home during the last seven months of his life.Hospice staff members made regular visits to help assess Don's health."It was an easy decision to know it was time to have some help with being here at home," she said, "and our familiarity made it an easier decision."Cathy said the hospice staff was with them through their journey with Don, even after his death."We were walking the journey and we were doing it with a lot of faith. I had a real determination that our home would be filled with peace and joy as Don made his final journey home," she said."I would tell them it is one of the final gifts that they can give to their family," Harrison said of other families considering hospice care, "not only to their loved one … but it's a gift that you give to your family that brings you together that allows you to open up conversations."“It’s nice to have someone in a very loving and comfortable way guide you in some of those difficult conversations,” she said.In other people she has dealt with as a funeral director, she has encountered families who don’t want to talk about the fact that someone is dying or the person who is dying doesn’t want to talk about it.“It’s such a healthy process when you can open up about it and talk about it, and you give that loved one permission to visit with you about any concerns they may have and fears they may have, and the opportunity to say goodbye,” Cathy said.&nbsp;“I think hospice gives you that opportunity to say goodbye to your loved one in such a warm and compassionate environment,” she said.<h2>Volunteers</h2>Volunteers can be an integral part of hospice services. Medical training is not required.Volunteers serve as companions to patients and provide respite care and support for families.Sherry Woodside has been a hospice volunteer for nine years. She encountered many hospice staff working in a pharmacy in Phillipsburg and admired their work.&nbsp;When time became available, she decided to become a volunteer.Sherry primarily visits patients in nursing homes. She talks with the patients, although some have memory issues and might not remember her name.“I had one lady who liked to color in adult coloring books, and we colored,” she said. “Everyone is a little different in what they are able to do.”She watches TV with some patients.&nbsp;“I had one lady who really liked to go to the church service they had Sundays at the nursing home in Philipsburg, so I tried to make it a point to try to always be there that week to go with her,” she said.One patient with ALS couldn’t speak anymore, but she loved looking through cookbooks and pointing to her favorite recipes.“It’s just having someone else to talk to, to have an outside voice that’s not a family member,” she said.Sherry said she has found her time as a volunteer rewarding. Families are very appreciative.“The family sends thank you notes, or they say, ‘My mom talked about you a lot,’” she said, her voice beginning to crack. “I counted up the other day, and I think I have had 30 already.”Phyllis Tucker, who is from rural Smith County, said she became a volunteer to pay it forward. Her dad died suddenly, and she wasn't able to be with him. She had seen the positives of hospice when her aunt used the services.She was her aunt's caregiver, but she Phyllis lived three hours away.Hospice staff and volunteers kept Phyllis updated on her aunt's condition when she couldn't be with her.As a volunteer, Phyllis does the same thing for the families she serves.&nbsp;Most of the patients with whom Phyllis works are in nursing homes.&nbsp;“So many folks don’t have local family,” she said.“I go in and visit the patients, and then I text their daughter who lives in Wichita,” she said. “I can be that eyes on.”Often, Phyllis just chats with her patients during visits. She said the patients appreciate seeing someone who chooses to come for visits.“It’s an honor to be with people in those last days of their lives,” she said, “to hear their stories and to get to know them in a different way.”“One patient said, ‘You’re not here because it’s your job. The volunteers come because they want to,'” she said.She said hospice volunteers and staff gave her peace of mind in the last few days of her aunt's life.“Most of us don’t have any experience or training and all of the sudden we are taking care of a person in this stage of life that we’re not familiar with,” Phyllis said.“I was there for her last few days and to have some there who told me I was doing a good job,” she said. “That we were doing it right, the pain medication right, if she didn’t want to eat, we weren’t feeding her, and that was OK,” she said. “The thing that you don’t necessarily have the good instincts for.”She said being a hospice volunteer has been very rewarding, especially in a patient's final moments of life.She called being with someone when they die a mystical moment.&nbsp;“That holiness,” she said.Phyllis urged others to volunteer with hospice. The number of volunteers with NWKareS has dwindled since the pandemic. There are many ways to volunteer. Some volunteers help with paperwork. Some volunteers at HaysMed Hospice Care don't see patients. They bake cookies and help with memorial or bereavement services.The HaysMed Hospice Memorial Service is offered twice yearly, with the upcoming fall memorial service on Oct. 20. This service is specific to hospice patients who have been cared for and is not open to the community or public.For more information on volunteering for HaysMed Hospice Care, call 785-623-6200.You can also assist hospice by donating monetarily.To donate to or volunteer with NWKareS call&nbsp;800-315-5122 or go to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.hospicenwks.net/donate">www.hospicenwks.net/donate</a>.You can donate to HaysMed Hospice through the HaysMed Foundation, either online or by mail. The foundation accepts credit cards, Venmo, or PayPal. The website is&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://haysmedfoundation.org/" target="_blank">https://haysmedfoundation.org/</a>.You may designate your donation to HaysMed Hospice or direct it to the individual’s memorial, and the HaysMed Foundation will transfer the funds to the memorial.

Families, volunteers share stories of finding peace through hospice

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The police chief for schools in Uvalde, Texas, failed to identify an active shooting, did not follow his training and made critical decisions that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uvalde-school-shooting-police-184334fed299bad71e257b585f7790ea">slowed the law enforcement response</a>&nbsp;to stop a killer who was “hunting” victims and ultimately killed 21 people at Robb Elementary, according to an indictment unsealed Friday.

<a href="https://news4sanantonio.com/resources/pdf/9497b92d-5611-4700-bd26-e2a54a0efa4a-REDACTEDARREDONDOINDICTMENT.pdf">Click here to read the</a> indictment

<a href="https://portal.cops.usdoj.gov/resourcecenter/content.ashx/cops-r1141-pub.pdf">Click here to read&nbsp;</a>the 600 page report from the Dept. of Justice

Pete Arredondo&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uvalde-school-shooting-indictments-e603acfc25c452695e6e29dd756152d0">was arrested</a>&nbsp;and briefly booked into the Uvalde County jail before he was released Thursday night on 10 state jail felony counts of abandoning or endangering a child in the May 24, 2022, attack that killed 19 children and two teachers. Former school officer Adrian Gonzales also was indicted on similar charges, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.uvaldeleadernews.com/">Uvalde Leader-News</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.expressnews.com/news/article/arredondo-indict-uvalde-robb-elementary-massacre-19543514.php">San Antonio Express-News</a>&nbsp;reported, but that indictment was not yet public.

Arredondo and Gonzales are the first officers to be criminally charged for the police response to one of the worst school shootings in U.S. history, and the indictments from a Uvalde County grand jury follow two years of calls from some families for such action.

The first U.S. law enforcement officer ever tried for allegedly failing to act during an on-campus shooting was a campus sheriff's deputy in Florida who didn't go into the classroom building and confront the perpetrator of the 2018 Parkland massacre. The deputy, who was fired,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/deputy-scot-peterson-parkland-school-shooting-8f012afbc525f77fbb9f9015a65593ca">was acquitted</a>&nbsp;of felony neglect last year. A lawsuit by the victims' families and survivors is pending.

The indictment against Arredondo, who was the on-site commander at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/uvalde-school-shooting">the shooting</a>, accused the chief of delaying the police response despite hearing shots fired and being notified that injured children were in the classrooms and that a teacher had been shot. Arredondo called for a SWAT team, ordered the initial responding officers to leave the building, and attempted to negotiate with the 18-year-old gunman, the indictment said.

“After being advised that a child or children were injured in a class at Robb Elementary School (Arredondo) failed to identify the incident as an active shooter incident and failed to respond as trained to an active shooter incident and instead directed law enforcement officers to evacuate the wing before confronting the shooter thereby delaying the response by law enforcement officers to an active shooter who was hunting and shooting a child or children,” the indictment said.

More than 370 federal, state and local officers converged on Robb Elementary, but they waited more than 70 minutes before confronting the shooter, even as the gunman could be heard firing an AR-15-style rifle. Terrified students inside the classroom called 911 as agonized parents begged officers — some of whom could hear shots being fired while they stood in a hallway — to go in. A tactical team of officers eventually went into the classroom and killed the shooter.

The indictment charges Arredondo with failing to protect survivors of the attack, including Khloie Torres, who called 911 and begged for help, telling a dispatcher, “Please hurry. There’s a lot of dead bodies. Some of my teachers are still alive but they’re shot.”

The charges carry up to two years in jail if convicted. Arredondo does not have a listed phone number and the court clerk had no record of an attorney for him.

In an interview with the Texas Tribune two weeks after the shooting, Arredondo insisted to took the steps he thought would best protect the lives of students and teachers.

“My mind was to get there as fast as possible, eliminate any threats, and protect the students and staff," he told the newspaper.

Since then, scathing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-texas-education-violence-school-31aa135678f8118ed96d893ea77cf8ea">state</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uvalde-school-shooting-justice-department-report-police-16b59efa5c5015d685d917c3f0f26256">federal</a>&nbsp;investigative reports on the police response have catalogued “cascading failures” in training, communication, leadership and technology problems.

Arredondo&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uvalde-school-shooting-police-shootings-texas-6c5ba12b382b5cc42a6e5816dc418383">lost his job</a>&nbsp;three months after the shooting. Several officers involved were eventually fired, and separate investigations by the Department of Justice and state lawmakers alleged law enforcement botched their response to the massacre.

Texas state Sen. Roland Gutierrez, who represents Uvalde, said the investigation should not stop with the two indictments against the school officers. Gutierrez has been critical of the Texas Department of Public Safety and the head of the agency, Steve McCraw, who testified before the grand jury in February.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705598723648.png" alt="Photo&nbsp; U.S. Dept. of Justice" />
 <figcaption>Photo&nbsp; U.S. Dept. of Justice</figcaption>
 </figure>AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The police chief for schools in Uvalde, Texas, failed to identify an active shooting, did not follow his training and made critical decisions that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uvalde-school-shooting-police-184334fed299bad71e257b585f7790ea">slowed the law enforcement response</a>&nbsp;to stop a killer who was “hunting” victims and ultimately killed 21 people at Robb Elementary, according to an indictment unsealed Friday.<a href="https://news4sanantonio.com/resources/pdf/9497b92d-5611-4700-bd26-e2a54a0efa4a-REDACTEDARREDONDOINDICTMENT.pdf">Click here to read the</a> indictment<a href="https://portal.cops.usdoj.gov/resourcecenter/content.ashx/cops-r1141-pub.pdf">Click here to read&nbsp;</a>the 600 page report from the Dept. of Justice<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1719593775508.png" alt="Arredondo photo Uvalde Co." />
 <figcaption>Arredondo photo Uvalde Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Pete Arredondo&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uvalde-school-shooting-indictments-e603acfc25c452695e6e29dd756152d0">was arrested</a>&nbsp;and briefly booked into the Uvalde County jail before he was released Thursday night on 10 state jail felony counts of abandoning or endangering a child in the May 24, 2022, attack that killed 19 children and two teachers. Former school officer Adrian Gonzales also was indicted on similar charges, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.uvaldeleadernews.com/">Uvalde Leader-News</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.expressnews.com/news/article/arredondo-indict-uvalde-robb-elementary-massacre-19543514.php">San Antonio Express-News</a>&nbsp;reported, but that indictment was not yet public.Arredondo and Gonzales are the first officers to be criminally charged for the police response to one of the worst school shootings in U.S. history, and the indictments from a Uvalde County grand jury follow two years of calls from some families for such action.The first U.S. law enforcement officer ever tried for allegedly failing to act during an on-campus shooting was a campus sheriff's deputy in Florida who didn't go into the classroom building and confront the perpetrator of the 2018 Parkland massacre. The deputy, who was fired,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/deputy-scot-peterson-parkland-school-shooting-8f012afbc525f77fbb9f9015a65593ca">was acquitted</a>&nbsp;of felony neglect last year. A lawsuit by the victims' families and survivors is pending.The indictment against Arredondo, who was the on-site commander at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/uvalde-school-shooting">the shooting</a>, accused the chief of delaying the police response despite hearing shots fired and being notified that injured children were in the classrooms and that a teacher had been shot. Arredondo called for a SWAT team, ordered the initial responding officers to leave the building, and attempted to negotiate with the 18-year-old gunman, the indictment said.“After being advised that a child or children were injured in a class at Robb Elementary School (Arredondo) failed to identify the incident as an active shooter incident and failed to respond as trained to an active shooter incident and instead directed law enforcement officers to evacuate the wing before confronting the shooter thereby delaying the response by law enforcement officers to an active shooter who was hunting and shooting a child or children,” the indictment said.More than 370 federal, state and local officers converged on Robb Elementary, but they waited more than 70 minutes before confronting the shooter, even as the gunman could be heard firing an AR-15-style rifle. Terrified students inside the classroom called 911 as agonized parents begged officers — some of whom could hear shots being fired while they stood in a hallway — to go in. A tactical team of officers eventually went into the classroom and killed the shooter.The indictment charges Arredondo with failing to protect survivors of the attack, including Khloie Torres, who called 911 and begged for help, telling a dispatcher, “Please hurry. There’s a lot of dead bodies. Some of my teachers are still alive but they’re shot.”The charges carry up to two years in jail if convicted. Arredondo does not have a listed phone number and the court clerk had no record of an attorney for him.In an interview with the Texas Tribune two weeks after the shooting, Arredondo insisted to took the steps he thought would best protect the lives of students and teachers.“My mind was to get there as fast as possible, eliminate any threats, and protect the students and staff," he told the newspaper.Since then, scathing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-texas-education-violence-school-31aa135678f8118ed96d893ea77cf8ea">state</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uvalde-school-shooting-justice-department-report-police-16b59efa5c5015d685d917c3f0f26256">federal</a>&nbsp;investigative reports on the police response have catalogued “cascading failures” in training, communication, leadership and technology problems.Arredondo&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uvalde-school-shooting-police-shootings-texas-6c5ba12b382b5cc42a6e5816dc418383">lost his job</a>&nbsp;three months after the shooting. Several officers involved were eventually fired, and separate investigations by the Department of Justice and state lawmakers alleged law enforcement botched their response to the massacre.Texas state Sen. Roland Gutierrez, who represents Uvalde, said the investigation should not stop with the two indictments against the school officers. Gutierrez has been critical of the Texas Department of Public Safety and the head of the agency, Steve McCraw, who testified before the grand jury in February.It was unclear Friday whether the grand jury considered indictments against any other officers.“Every single officer that stood down that day must be held accountable," Gutierrez said. We can’t rest until we have justice.”