BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/aj-dome/">AJ DOME</a>.&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/09/21/kansas-board-of-regents-sculpts-plan-for-boosting-state-aid-to-public-higher-education/?emci=78717300-c858-ee11-9937-00224832eb73&amp;emdi=fc107f78-2659-ee11-9937-00224832eb73&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>

WICHITA — There were slightly fewer tornadoes reported in Kansas and only one tornado watch issued for the central portion of the state in 2023.

Meteorologists at the National Weather Service office in Wichita are tallying preliminary results from last year’s severe weather reports. Chance Hayes, the office’s warning coordination meteorologist, said the Sunflower State recorded 44 tornadoes in 2023.

That figure is down slightly from the 2022 tornado total of 68, according to data from the Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma. In 2021, Kansas had 46 tornadoes, and in 2020 the state experienced only 27 twisters, respectively. Hayes said severe weather patterns operate in cycles, and he’s observed similar lulls in tornadic activity in his career.

“I tell folks all the time, things happen in cycles,” Hayes said. “Right now, we’re in one of those low times, where the number of tornadoes is low, but we’re anticipating that we’ll likely pop out of it this year.”

Hayes drew a parallel with the current climatological patterns to those that existed over the Plains states from 1987-89, which saw lower numbers of tornadoes and tornado-warned storms. Then, in 1990 and 1991, more than 100 tornadoes occurred in Kansas, including devastating storms that slammed communities such as Hesston and Andover.

Hayes said 2023 was below normal for tornado watches issued, including one watch that covered central Kansas counties along the I-35 corridor. That watch was issued the evening of Jan. 2, 2023. Preliminary data from scientists at the Storm Prediction Center indicates a nationwide total of 179 tornado watches and 544 severe thunderstorm watches last year. In all, the contiguous 48 states observed 1,423 tornadoes in 2023.

2023 was also the last full year for Hayes in his role at NWS Wichita, as he will be retiring Jan. 12 after 31 years with the National Weather Service. He started his meteorology career in 1993 in Louisville, Kentucky, and transferred to the Wichita office in 1995. He said retirement will allow him to spend more time revisiting some of his “early loves,” such as restoring a classic Ford Mustang convertible. Hayes also plans to do some storm chasing this year.

He’s proud of the work he’s accomplished in 31 years.

“One of the things I’m most proud of is the ability for all our partners to work together underneath the weather enterprise,” Hayes said. “We all come together for one goal, to keep people safe.”

That combined effort among emergency officials and meteorologists has led to Kansas experiencing zero tornado-related deaths in almost 12 years. The last tornado death occurred on Feb. 28, 2012, when a twister struck the small community of Harveyville in southwest Wabaunsee County just after 9 p.m. The 150-yard-wide tornado heavily damaged about 40% of the town, including the Harveyville United Methodist Church, an apartment complex and multiple homes. It also gravely injured 53-year-old Richard Slade, when his home collapsed on top of him. He died in a Topeka hospital a day later. Weeks after the tornado, scientists rated it an EF-2, with wind speeds estimated between 111 and 135 miles per hour based on the damage.

NWS Wichita meteorologist James Cuellar agreed with Hayes that Kansas is overdue for an active severe weather season.

“If you look back at the classic tornado outbreaks, Kansas hasn’t had one since April 14, 2012,” Cuellar said. “We’ve had tornadoes since then, but they were all part of these spottier, more localized events.”

Cuellar noted that the year is starting in an El Nino climate pattern, which on average leads to slightly warmer and wetter winters.

“Usually that wetter part happens in the latter half of winter, going into spring,” Cuellar said, “so you could interpret that pattern as being more active in early spring months.”

In the more immediate future, Cuellar and other meteorologists are tracking the potential for accumulating snowfall statewide and a possible winter storm Monday into Tuesday.

Cuellar said a lot of his weather models are showing “pretty high” precipitation levels for early next week, but it’s still too far out to be certain. KSN-TV meteorologist Lisa Teachman said she expects the storm system arriving Monday to be “even stronger” than the previous system, with snowfall potential looking “probable” into Tuesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704813417747.png" alt="Kansas experienced a relative lull in tornadoes throughout 2023, but experts don’t expect that to last. (AJ Dome/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas experienced a relative lull in tornadoes throughout 2023, but experts don’t expect that to last. (AJ Dome/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/aj-dome/">AJ DOME</a>.&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/09/21/kansas-board-of-regents-sculpts-plan-for-boosting-state-aid-to-public-higher-education/?emci=78717300-c858-ee11-9937-00224832eb73&amp;emdi=fc107f78-2659-ee11-9937-00224832eb73&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>WICHITA — There were slightly fewer tornadoes reported in Kansas and only one tornado watch issued for the central portion of the state in 2023.Meteorologists at the National Weather Service office in Wichita are tallying preliminary results from last year’s severe weather reports. Chance Hayes, the office’s warning coordination meteorologist, said the Sunflower State recorded 44 tornadoes in 2023.That figure is down slightly from the 2022 tornado total of 68, according to data from the Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma. In 2021, Kansas had 46 tornadoes, and in 2020 the state experienced only 27 twisters, respectively. Hayes said severe weather patterns operate in cycles, and he’s observed similar lulls in tornadic activity in his career.“I tell folks all the time, things happen in cycles,” Hayes said. “Right now, we’re in one of those low times, where the number of tornadoes is low, but we’re anticipating that we’ll likely pop out of it this year.”Hayes drew a parallel with the current climatological patterns to those that existed over the Plains states from 1987-89, which saw lower numbers of tornadoes and tornado-warned storms. Then, in 1990 and 1991, more than 100 tornadoes occurred in Kansas, including devastating storms that slammed communities such as Hesston and Andover.Hayes said 2023 was below normal for tornado watches issued, including one watch that covered central Kansas counties along the I-35 corridor. That watch was issued the evening of Jan. 2, 2023. Preliminary data from scientists at the Storm Prediction Center indicates a nationwide total of 179 tornado watches and 544 severe thunderstorm watches last year. In all, the contiguous 48 states observed 1,423 tornadoes in 2023.2023 was also the last full year for Hayes in his role at NWS Wichita, as he will be retiring Jan. 12 after 31 years with the National Weather Service. He started his meteorology career in 1993 in Louisville, Kentucky, and transferred to the Wichita office in 1995. He said retirement will allow him to spend more time revisiting some of his “early loves,” such as restoring a classic Ford Mustang convertible. Hayes also plans to do some storm chasing this year.He’s proud of the work he’s accomplished in 31 years.“One of the things I’m most proud of is the ability for all our partners to work together underneath the weather enterprise,” Hayes said. “We all come together for one goal, to keep people safe.”That combined effort among emergency officials and meteorologists has led to Kansas experiencing zero tornado-related deaths in almost 12 years. The last tornado death occurred on Feb. 28, 2012, when a twister struck the small community of Harveyville in southwest Wabaunsee County just after 9 p.m. The 150-yard-wide tornado heavily damaged about 40% of the town, including the Harveyville United Methodist Church, an apartment complex and multiple homes. It also gravely injured 53-year-old Richard Slade, when his home collapsed on top of him. He died in a Topeka hospital a day later. Weeks after the tornado, scientists rated it an EF-2, with wind speeds estimated between 111 and 135 miles per hour based on the damage.<h2>New year predictions</h2>NWS Wichita meteorologist James Cuellar agreed with Hayes that Kansas is overdue for an active severe weather season.“If you look back at the classic tornado outbreaks, Kansas hasn’t had one since April 14, 2012,” Cuellar said. “We’ve had tornadoes since then, but they were all part of these spottier, more localized events.”Cuellar noted that the year is starting in an El Nino climate pattern, which on average leads to slightly warmer and wetter winters.“Usually that wetter part happens in the latter half of winter, going into spring,” Cuellar said, “so you could interpret that pattern as being more active in early spring months.”In the more immediate future, Cuellar and other meteorologists are tracking the potential for accumulating snowfall statewide and a possible winter storm Monday into Tuesday.Cuellar said a lot of his weather models are showing “pretty high” precipitation levels for early next week, but it’s still too far out to be certain. KSN-TV meteorologist Lisa Teachman said she expects the storm system arriving Monday to be “even stronger” than the previous system, with snowfall potential looking “probable” into Tuesday.

Kansas sees lower tornado count, 1 tornado watch issued for central region in 2023

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa principal who put himself in harm’s way to protect students during&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/perry-iowa-school-shooting-things-to-know-07b7d636e9ec1d3f1ca6be628aff6e8d">a school shooting</a>&nbsp;earlier this month died Sunday, a funeral home confirmed.

Caldwell Parrish Funeral Home &amp; Crematory confirmed the death of Perry High School Principal Dan Marburger after the family announced it on a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/dan-marburgers-healing-and-recovery">GoFundMe page.</a>

Marburger&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/perry-high-school-shooting-iowa-5346218f2646bec796ba28928a00c745">was critically injured</a>&nbsp;during the Jan. 4 attack, which began in the school's cafeteria as students were gathering for breakfast before class. An 11-year-old middle school student was killed in the shooting, and six other people were injured. The 17-year-old student who opened fire also died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot.

The day after the shooting, the state Department of Public Safety said Marburger “acted selflessly and placed himself in harm’s way in an apparent effort to protect his students.”

News of Marburger's death was first posted on a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/dan-marburgers-healing-and-recovery">GoFundMe page</a> for his family. The post, by Marburger's wife, Elizabeth, said he died at about 8 a.m. Sunday, and said: “Dan lost his battle. He fought hard and gave us 10 days that we will treasure forever.”

The news that Marburger died triggered a flood of support on the Perry Facebook page with nearly 200 people posting condolences within the first hour after it was posted.

In a Facebook post on the night of the shooting, the principal’s daughter, Claire Marburger, called her father a “gentle giant” and said it wasn’t surprising that her father tried to protect his students.

“As I heard of a gunman, I instantly had a feeling my Dad would be a victim as he would put himself in harms way for the benefit of the kids and his staff,” his daughter wrote. “That’s just Dad.”

Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation spokesman Mitch Mortvedt said after the shooting that Marburger did some “pretty significant things” to protect others, but didn’t release details. Perry Superintendent Clark Wicks said Marburger was a “hero” who intervened with the teenage gunman so students could escape.

An 11-year-old sixth grader, Ahmir Jolliff, was killed in the shooting. Authorities said he was shot three times.

The shooting happened just after 7:30 a.m. on Jan. 4, shortly before classes were set to begin on the first day back after winter break. Mortvedt said the shooting started in the cafeteria, where students from several grades were eating breakfast, then spilled outside the cafeteria but was contained to the north end of the school.

Authorities said the suspect, identified as Dylan Butler, had a pump-action shotgun and a small-caliber handgun. Mortvedt told The Associated Press that authorities also found a “pretty rudimentary” improvised explosive device in Butler’s belongings, and that experts advised “it was something that they needed to disarm.” It was rendered safe.

PERRY, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa principal critically injured in a school shooting put himself in harm's way so students could try to escape from a teenage shooter who opened fire in a cafeteria as students were gathering for breakfast before school, authorities said Friday.

Perry High School Principal Dan Marburger and six others, including two staff members and four teenage students, were injured in the Thursday morning shooting that left one sixth-grader dead. The 17-year-old student who opened fire also died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot.

The state Department of Public Safety said Marburger, who is being treated in a Des Moines hospital, “acted selflessly and placed himself in harm’s way in an apparent effort to protect his students.”

A day after the shooting, the small community of Perry was somber. Yellow crime tape still lined the campus that Perry High School shares with the town’s middle school, flowers and stuffed toys had cropped up in mini memorials, and classes across the district were canceled Friday in favor of counseling.

Perry Superintendent Clark Wicks said the soonest classes will resume in the town will be next Friday.

“This is an extremely painful and difficult time for our entire school community, and in our grief, we will take time to remember,” Wicks said.

The shooting happened just after 7:30 a.m. Thursday, shortly before classes were set to begin on the first day back after winter break. Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation spokesman Mitch Mortvedt said the shooting started in the cafeteria, where students from several grades were eating breakfast, then spilled outside the cafeteria but was contained to the north end of the school.

The student killed was identified as 11-year-old Ahmir Jollif. An autopsy showed he had been shot three times.

The news that seven students and staff suffered “wounds or injuries of varying degree” during the shooting was two more than authorities said Thursday afternoon. Mortvedt said the number of injured increased after investigators later learned about two more wounded faculty members. All seven are believed to have been either wounded or grazed by bullets, and suffered injuries ranging from significant to minor.

On Friday, Marburger and two students remained hospitalized.

In a Facebook post Thursday night, the principal’s daughter said he was in “surgery all day, and is currently stable.”

Claire Marburger called her father a “gentle giant” and it wasn't surprising that her father tried to protect his students.

Authorities said the suspect, identified as Dylan Butler, had a pump-action shotgun and a small-caliber handgun. Mortvedt told The Associated Press that authorities also found a “pretty rudimentary” improvised explosive device in Butler's belongings, and that experts advised “it was something that they needed to disarm.” It was rendered safe.

Mortvedt said Marburger, who has been principal since 1995, did some “pretty significant things” to protect others during the shooting, but didn't release details. Wicks, the superintendent, said Marburger was a “hero” who intervened with Butler so students could escape. Wicks said other staff also acted heroically, including Middle School Assistant Principal Adam Jessen who “carried a wounded student into a safe area.”

A law enforcement official briefed on the investigation said federal and state investigators were interviewing Butler’s friends and analyzing Butler’s social media profiles, including posts on TikTok and Reddit. However, authorities have provided no information about a possible motive.

Shortly before Thursday’s shooting, Butler posted a photo on TikTok inside the bathroom of Perry High School, the official said. The photo was captioned “now we wait” and the song “Stray Bullet” by the German band KMFDM accompanied it. Investigators also have found photos Butler posted posing with firearms, according to the official, who was not authorized to publicly discuss details of the investigation and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.

Two friends and their mother who spoke with the AP said Butler was a quiet person who had been bullied relentlessly since elementary school. Sisters Yesenia Roeder and Khamya Hall, both 17, said alongside their mother, Alita, that it escalated recently when Butler's younger sister started getting picked on, too.

“He was hurting. He got tired. He got tired of the bullying. He got tired of the harassment," Yesenia Roeder Hall said. "Was it a smart idea to shoot up the school? No. God, no.”

Police said Thursday they believe that Butler acted alone. But investigators have not said how Butler obtained the firearms.

Investigators are still working to get a “good grasp of who Dylan was,” and the parents have been cooperating, Mortvedt said. The investigation will include Butler’s background along with the “environment of the school,” he said.

Wicks wouldn’t discuss whether Butler had been bullied but he defended the way his district responds to those situations.

“We take every bullying situation seriously and our goal is to always have that safe and inviting atmosphere, but I’m not going to comment on this individual case as well as any other individual case,” Wicks said.

Butler’s parents have been fixtures of the Perry community. His father is director of the city’s airport after serving as its public works director for years, where he won praise helping clean up Perry after a devastating wind storm in 2020. His mother has also owned a small business and served on a city development board. The parents have not responded to messages seeking comment.

On Thursday night, hundreds gathered for a candlelight prayer vigil at a park where hours earlier, students had been brought to reunite with their families after the shooting. Bundled up against freezing temperatures, they listened to clergy from many faiths and heard a message of hope in both English and Spanish.

Perry has about 8,000 residents and is about 40 miles (65 kilometers) northwest of Des Moines, on the edge of the state capital’s metropolitan area. It is home to a large pork-processing plant and low-slung, single-story homes spread among trees now shorn of their leaves by winter.

The high school is part of the 1,785-student Perry Community School District. Perry is more diverse than Iowa as a whole. Census figures show 31% of its residents are Hispanic, compared with less than 7% statewide. Those figures also show nearly 19% of the town’s residents were born outside the U.S.

Despite the shock of the shooting, Perry Mayor Dirk Cavanaugh expressed confidence the community would get through the painful experience.

“We are a small town, but we will pull together in a big way to get through this.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704505064411.png" alt="Dan Marburger photo courtesy KCCI-TV" />
 <figcaption>Dan Marburger photo courtesy KCCI-TV</figcaption>
 </figure>DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa principal who put himself in harm’s way to protect students during&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/perry-iowa-school-shooting-things-to-know-07b7d636e9ec1d3f1ca6be628aff6e8d">a school shooting</a>&nbsp;earlier this month died Sunday, a funeral home confirmed.Caldwell Parrish Funeral Home &amp; Crematory confirmed the death of Perry High School Principal Dan Marburger after the family announced it on a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/dan-marburgers-healing-and-recovery">GoFundMe page.</a><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705261265047.png" alt="Dan Marburger-photo GoFundMe" />
 <figcaption>Dan Marburger-photo GoFundMe</figcaption>
 </figure>Marburger&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/perry-high-school-shooting-iowa-5346218f2646bec796ba28928a00c745">was critically injured</a>&nbsp;during the Jan. 4 attack, which began in the school's cafeteria as students were gathering for breakfast before class. An 11-year-old middle school student was killed in the shooting, and six other people were injured. The 17-year-old student who opened fire also died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot.The day after the shooting, the state Department of Public Safety said Marburger “acted selflessly and placed himself in harm’s way in an apparent effort to protect his students.”News of Marburger's death was first posted on a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/dan-marburgers-healing-and-recovery">GoFundMe page</a> for his family. The post, by Marburger's wife, Elizabeth, said he died at about 8 a.m. Sunday, and said: “Dan lost his battle. He fought hard and gave us 10 days that we will treasure forever.”The news that Marburger died triggered a flood of support on the Perry Facebook page with nearly 200 people posting condolences within the first hour after it was posted.In a Facebook post on the night of the shooting, the principal’s daughter, Claire Marburger, called her father a “gentle giant” and said it wasn’t surprising that her father tried to protect his students.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fclaire.marburger%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0BgPwav4UoxVYxrbDp1cb3Pot934KkT1cuZBb8UaqoTiCZCotGkatJrJJgFyFCm4dl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="278" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>“As I heard of a gunman, I instantly had a feeling my Dad would be a victim as he would put himself in harms way for the benefit of the kids and his staff,” his daughter wrote. “That’s just Dad.”Marburger had been principal since 1995.Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation spokesman Mitch Mortvedt said after the shooting that Marburger did some “pretty significant things” to protect others, but didn’t release details. Perry Superintendent Clark Wicks said Marburger was a “hero” who intervened with the teenage gunman so students could escape.An 11-year-old sixth grader, Ahmir Jolliff, was killed in the shooting. Authorities said he was shot three times.The shooting happened just after 7:30 a.m. on Jan. 4, shortly before classes were set to begin on the first day back after winter break. Mortvedt said the shooting started in the cafeteria, where students from several grades were eating breakfast, then spilled outside the cafeteria but was contained to the north end of the school.Authorities said the suspect, identified as Dylan Butler, had a pump-action shotgun and a small-caliber handgun. Mortvedt told The Associated Press that authorities also found a “pretty rudimentary” improvised explosive device in Butler’s belongings, and that experts advised “it was something that they needed to disarm.” It was rendered safe.--------------PERRY, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa principal critically injured in a school shooting put himself in harm's way so students could try to escape from a teenage shooter who opened fire in a cafeteria as students were gathering for breakfast before school, authorities said Friday.Perry High School Principal Dan Marburger and six others, including two staff members and four teenage students, were injured in the Thursday morning shooting that left one sixth-grader dead. The 17-year-old student who opened fire also died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot.The state Department of Public Safety said Marburger, who is being treated in a Des Moines hospital, “acted selflessly and placed himself in harm’s way in an apparent effort to protect his students.”A day after the shooting, the small community of Perry was somber. Yellow crime tape still lined the campus that Perry High School shares with the town’s middle school, flowers and stuffed toys had cropped up in mini memorials, and classes across the district were canceled Friday in favor of counseling.Perry Superintendent Clark Wicks said the soonest classes will resume in the town will be next Friday.“This is an extremely painful and difficult time for our entire school community, and in our grief, we will take time to remember,” Wicks said.The shooting happened just after 7:30 a.m. Thursday, shortly before classes were set to begin on the first day back after winter break. Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation spokesman Mitch Mortvedt said the shooting started in the cafeteria, where students from several grades were eating breakfast, then spilled outside the cafeteria but was contained to the north end of the school.The student killed was identified as 11-year-old Ahmir Jollif. An autopsy showed he had been shot three times.The news that seven students and staff suffered “wounds or injuries of varying degree” during the shooting was two more than authorities said Thursday afternoon. Mortvedt said the number of injured increased after investigators later learned about two more wounded faculty members. All seven are believed to have been either wounded or grazed by bullets, and suffered injuries ranging from significant to minor.On Friday, Marburger and two students remained hospitalized.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fclaire.marburger%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0BgPwav4UoxVYxrbDp1cb3Pot934KkT1cuZBb8UaqoTiCZCotGkatJrJJgFyFCm4dl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="278" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>In a Facebook post Thursday night, the principal’s daughter said he was in “surgery all day, and is currently stable.”Claire Marburger called her father a “gentle giant” and it wasn't surprising that her father tried to protect his students.“As I heard of a gunman, I instantly had a feeling my Dad would be a victim as he would put himself in harms way for the benefit of the kids and his staff,” his daughter wrote. “That’s just Dad.”Authorities said the suspect, identified as Dylan Butler, had a pump-action shotgun and a small-caliber handgun. Mortvedt told The Associated Press that authorities also found a “pretty rudimentary” improvised explosive device in Butler's belongings, and that experts advised “it was something that they needed to disarm.” It was rendered safe.Mortvedt said Marburger, who has been principal since 1995, did some “pretty significant things” to protect others during the shooting, but didn't release details. Wicks, the superintendent, said Marburger was a “hero” who intervened with Butler so students could escape. Wicks said other staff also acted heroically, including Middle School Assistant Principal Adam Jessen who “carried a wounded student into a safe area.”A law enforcement official briefed on the investigation said federal and state investigators were interviewing Butler’s friends and analyzing Butler’s social media profiles, including posts on TikTok and Reddit. However, authorities have provided no information about a possible motive.Shortly before Thursday’s shooting, Butler posted a photo on TikTok inside the bathroom of Perry High School, the official said. The photo was captioned “now we wait” and the song “Stray Bullet” by the German band KMFDM accompanied it. Investigators also have found photos Butler posted posing with firearms, according to the official, who was not authorized to publicly discuss details of the investigation and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.Two friends and their mother who spoke with the AP said Butler was a quiet person who had been bullied relentlessly since elementary school. Sisters Yesenia Roeder and Khamya Hall, both 17, said alongside their mother, Alita, that it escalated recently when Butler's younger sister started getting picked on, too.“He was hurting. He got tired. He got tired of the bullying. He got tired of the harassment," Yesenia Roeder Hall said. "Was it a smart idea to shoot up the school? No. God, no.”Police said Thursday they believe that Butler acted alone. But investigators have not said how Butler obtained the firearms.Investigators are still working to get a “good grasp of who Dylan was,” and the parents have been cooperating, Mortvedt said. The investigation will include Butler’s background along with the “environment of the school,” he said.Wicks wouldn’t discuss whether Butler had been bullied but he defended the way his district responds to those situations.“We take every bullying situation seriously and our goal is to always have that safe and inviting atmosphere, but I’m not going to comment on this individual case as well as any other individual case,” Wicks said.Butler’s parents have been fixtures of the Perry community. His father is director of the city’s airport after serving as its public works director for years, where he won praise helping clean up Perry after a devastating wind storm in 2020. His mother has also owned a small business and served on a city development board. The parents have not responded to messages seeking comment.On Thursday night, hundreds gathered for a candlelight prayer vigil at a park where hours earlier, students had been brought to reunite with their families after the shooting. Bundled up against freezing temperatures, they listened to clergy from many faiths and heard a message of hope in both English and Spanish.Perry has about 8,000 residents and is about 40 miles (65 kilometers) northwest of Des Moines, on the edge of the state capital’s metropolitan area. It is home to a large pork-processing plant and low-slung, single-story homes spread among trees now shorn of their leaves by winter.The high school is part of the 1,785-student Perry Community School District. Perry is more diverse than Iowa as a whole. Census figures show 31% of its residents are Hispanic, compared with less than 7% statewide. Those figures also show nearly 19% of the town’s residents were born outside the U.S.Despite the shock of the shooting, Perry Mayor Dirk Cavanaugh expressed confidence the community would get through the painful experience.“We are a small town, but we will pull together in a big way to get through this.”

Principal who risked life to protect students during school shooting has died

KANSAS CITY—A driver is in custody after allegedly fleeing the scene of an accident just before 2a.m. Sunday in Kansas City.

According to KCPD Captain Corey Carlisle, a Ford F150 was southbound on North Oak at 82nd Street.&nbsp; The pickup struck a southbound bicyclist in the #2 lane and did not stop.&nbsp;

The bicyclist, who was not wearing a helmet, was ejected off the bicycle and was pronounced deceased at the scene. Police later locate the pickup in the area of 79th and N. Oak and the driver was taken into custody, according to Carlisle.

The driver and passenger of the Ford were uninjured in the collision. The investigation, to include suspected impairment is ongoing. This is fatality #6 compared to #3 at this time last year, according to Carlisle.

KANSAS CITY—A driver is in custody after allegedly fleeing the scene of an accident just before 2a.m. Sunday in Kansas City.According to KCPD Captain Corey Carlisle, a Ford F150 was southbound on North Oak at 82nd Street.&nbsp; The pickup struck a southbound bicyclist in the #2 lane and did not stop.&nbsp;The bicyclist, who was not wearing a helmet, was ejected off the bicycle and was pronounced deceased at the scene. Police later locate the pickup in the area of 79th and N. Oak and the driver was taken into custody, according to Carlisle.The driver and passenger of the Ford were uninjured in the collision. The investigation, to include suspected impairment is ongoing. This is fatality #6 compared to #3 at this time last year, according to Carlisle.

Police: Alcohol a possible factor in deadly KC hit-and run 

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/rmipro/">RACHEL MIPRO</a><a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Civil rights advocates argued in court this week that drivers’ licenses should not lead to “forced outing,” leaving a district judge to decide how a divisive law will impact the day-to-day lives of transgender Kansans.

Republican Attorney General Kris Kobach asked Shawnee County District&nbsp;Judge Theresa Watson to grant a temporary injunction blocking Kansas residents from changing the gender listed on their drivers’ licenses while courts decide the implications of an anti-transgender law passed last year.

“This case is really about the question of whether an agency follows the clear command of Kansas law or does not,” Kobach said in an interview after Thursday’s hearing. “… And they’re using this case as an opportunity to try to invent these new rights. That’s what’s going on in legal speak.”

Watson heard arguments Wednesday and Thursday regarding the implementation of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb180/">Senate Bill 180</a>, which took effect in July.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/07/05/what-is-a-woman-heres-how-a-new-kansas-anti-trans-law-skews-the-meaning-of-gender-and-sex/">The legislation</a>&nbsp;conflates sex, which has to do with biological characteristics, with gender, which is a personal and social identity. Under the law, women are defined by their reproductive ability, and state agencies that collect vital statistics are directed to identify individuals “as either male or female at birth.”

The hearings, which coincided with the opening of the legislative session, mark the latest turn in an ongoing legal battle over transgender rights.

During the hearings, Sharon Brett, legal director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas, and Kansas Department of Revenue general counsel Ted Smith emphasized the idea of driver’s licenses as a form of self expression, rather than a vital statistic.

“In a big sense, it’s an expression of someone’s identity,” Smith said in court.

They made an appeal to perspective and empathy, focusing on the danger of outing transgender residents by having a gender marker that does not match their identity, as well as the negative mental health consequences suffered by removing this source of affirmation.

As the hearing wrapped up, Watson said her opinion could be delayed because of factors such as ongoing court construction&nbsp;— the sounds of which could be heard periodically as people testified — but she assured the parties she “would be working quite a bit on this in the future.”

The GOP-dominated Legislature adopted SB 180 last year by&nbsp;overriding Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto.

The model legislation comes from&nbsp;Independent Women’s Voices, a far-right group that has a long history of opposing women’s rights, including the Equal Rights Amendment and equal pay. The law’s sex-based definition of women, and classification of those who don’t qualify as men or women as disabled, is considered offensive and not based on science.

Kobach, in his capacity as the top legal officer in the state, filed a lawsuit against the Kansas Department of Revenue’s Division of Vehicles in early July, seeking to ban transgender people from changing gender markers on their driver’s licenses.

In response, the district court issued a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ksrevenue.gov/dovgender.html">temporary restraining order</a>&nbsp;blocking Kelly’s administration from making gender marker changes on identity cards and driver’s licenses.

The court granted the ACLU of Kansas permission to intervene in the lawsuit on behalf of five transgender Kansans who would be harmed by the gender marker ban.

For now, the extended restraining order does not invalidate current driver’s licenses. However, new, replaced or renewed credentials will be reverted to sex assigned at birth.

When asked about gender markers Thursday, the governor said:&nbsp;“I’m going to let the courts sort that out.”

Rooks County physician Beth Oller, who has treated an estimated 100 transgender patients, spoke to the judge about the “great harm” suffered by those who are blocked from gender affirmation, such as increased anxiety, depression and social isolation.

A physician’s letter is required to change license markers in the state. Oller has written an estimated 40 letters recommending gender marker changes and described the “profound sense of relief” she witnessed when they had the markers changed.

Transgender residents also took the stand Thursday to testify on their personal experiences, though portions of the meeting were closed to the public to protect several of the intervenors’ anonymity. One of the interveners in the case, a transgender woman living in Lawrence, teared up while speaking of incidents before she got her license marker changed.

She mentioned a cashier at a gas station who told her to leave after he looked at her driver’s license and saw the “M,” as well as the “abject hate” in one man’s eyes when she was showing her card to make a purchase.

She then described the feeling of safety she received from having her marker changed. If the ban on gender markers is permanent, she said, staying in the state would no longer be a viable option.

“I would feel like I’m being kicked out of the state over something I have no control over,” she said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705237899564.png" alt="Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, seen during a September legislative hearing, argued in court this week for a temporary injunction for driver's license gender marker changes. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, seen during a September legislative hearing, argued in court this week for a temporary injunction for driver's license gender marker changes. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/rmipro/">RACHEL MIPRO</a><a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Civil rights advocates argued in court this week that drivers’ licenses should not lead to “forced outing,” leaving a district judge to decide how a divisive law will impact the day-to-day lives of transgender Kansans.Republican Attorney General Kris Kobach asked Shawnee County District&nbsp;Judge Theresa Watson to grant a temporary injunction blocking Kansas residents from changing the gender listed on their drivers’ licenses while courts decide the implications of an anti-transgender law passed last year.“This case is really about the question of whether an agency follows the clear command of Kansas law or does not,” Kobach said in an interview after Thursday’s hearing. “… And they’re using this case as an opportunity to try to invent these new rights. That’s what’s going on in legal speak.”Watson heard arguments Wednesday and Thursday regarding the implementation of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb180/">Senate Bill 180</a>, which took effect in July.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/07/05/what-is-a-woman-heres-how-a-new-kansas-anti-trans-law-skews-the-meaning-of-gender-and-sex/">The legislation</a>&nbsp;conflates sex, which has to do with biological characteristics, with gender, which is a personal and social identity. Under the law, women are defined by their reproductive ability, and state agencies that collect vital statistics are directed to identify individuals “as either male or female at birth.”The hearings, which coincided with the opening of the legislative session, mark the latest turn in an ongoing legal battle over transgender rights.During the hearings, Sharon Brett, legal director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas, and Kansas Department of Revenue general counsel Ted Smith emphasized the idea of driver’s licenses as a form of self expression, rather than a vital statistic.“In a big sense, it’s an expression of someone’s identity,” Smith said in court.They made an appeal to perspective and empathy, focusing on the danger of outing transgender residents by having a gender marker that does not match their identity, as well as the negative mental health consequences suffered by removing this source of affirmation.As the hearing wrapped up, Watson said her opinion could be delayed because of factors such as ongoing court construction&nbsp;— the sounds of which could be heard periodically as people testified — but she assured the parties she “would be working quite a bit on this in the future.”<h2>The legal fight</h2>The GOP-dominated Legislature adopted SB 180 last year by&nbsp;overriding Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto.The model legislation comes from&nbsp;Independent Women’s Voices, a far-right group that has a long history of opposing women’s rights, including the Equal Rights Amendment and equal pay. The law’s sex-based definition of women, and classification of those who don’t qualify as men or women as disabled, is considered offensive and not based on science.Kobach, in his capacity as the top legal officer in the state, filed a lawsuit against the Kansas Department of Revenue’s Division of Vehicles in early July, seeking to ban transgender people from changing gender markers on their driver’s licenses.In response, the district court issued a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ksrevenue.gov/dovgender.html">temporary restraining order</a>&nbsp;blocking Kelly’s administration from making gender marker changes on identity cards and driver’s licenses.The court granted the ACLU of Kansas permission to intervene in the lawsuit on behalf of five transgender Kansans who would be harmed by the gender marker ban.For now, the extended restraining order does not invalidate current driver’s licenses. However, new, replaced or renewed credentials will be reverted to sex assigned at birth.When asked about gender markers Thursday, the governor said:&nbsp;“I’m going to let the courts sort that out.”<h2>Impact of the law</h2>Rooks County physician Beth Oller, who has treated an estimated 100 transgender patients, spoke to the judge about the “great harm” suffered by those who are blocked from gender affirmation, such as increased anxiety, depression and social isolation.A physician’s letter is required to change license markers in the state. Oller has written an estimated 40 letters recommending gender marker changes and described the “profound sense of relief” she witnessed when they had the markers changed.Transgender residents also took the stand Thursday to testify on their personal experiences, though portions of the meeting were closed to the public to protect several of the intervenors’ anonymity. One of the interveners in the case, a transgender woman living in Lawrence, teared up while speaking of incidents before she got her license marker changed.She mentioned a cashier at a gas station who told her to leave after he looked at her driver’s license and saw the “M,” as well as the “abject hate” in one man’s eyes when she was showing her card to make a purchase.She then described the feeling of safety she received from having her marker changed. If the ban on gender markers is permanent, she said, staying in the state would no longer be a viable option.“I would feel like I’m being kicked out of the state over something I have no control over,” she said.

Driver’s license gender needs to match sex assigned at birth, Kansas AG Kris Kobach argues in court

KANSAS CITY (AP) —<a href="https://apnews.com/article/clergy-burnout-church-mental-health-summit-570e71ec96575abc92865ad5baf491e6">Post-pandemic burnout</a>&nbsp;is at worrying levels among Christian clergy in the U.S., prompting many to think about abandoning their jobs, according to a new nationwide survey.

More than 4 in 10 of clergy surveyed in fall 2023 had seriously considered leaving their congregations at least once since 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic began, and more than half had thought seriously of leaving the ministry, according to the survey released Thursday by the Hartford Institute for Religion Research.

About a tenth of clergy report having had these thoughts often, according to the survey, conducted as part of the institute's research project, Exploring the Pandemic Impact on Congregations.

The high rates of ministers considering quitting reflects the “collective trauma” that both clergy and congregants have experienced since 2020, said institute director Scott Thumma, principal investigator for the project.

“Everybody has experienced grief and trauma and change,” he said. Many clergy members, in open-ended responses to their survey, cited dwindling attendance, declining rates of volunteering and members' resistance to further change.

“I am exhausted," said one pastor quoted by the report. "People have moved away from the area and new folks are fewer, and farther, and slower to engage. Our regular volunteers are tired and overwhelmed.”

Some of these struggles are trends that long predated the pandemic. Median in-person attendance has steadily declined since the start of the century, the report said, and with fewer younger participants, the typical age of congregants is rising. After a pandemic-era spike in innovation, congregants are less willing to change, the survey said.

The reasons for clergy burnout are complex, and need to be understood in larger contexts, Thumma said.

“Oftentimes the focus of attention is just on the congregation, when in fact we should also be thinking about these bigger-picture things,” he said. A pastor and congregants, for example, might be frustrated with each other when the larger context is that they’re in a struggling rural town that’s losing population, he said: ”That has an effect on volunteering. It has an effect on aging. It has an effect on what kind of possibility you have to grow."

About a third of clergy respondents were considering both leaving their congregation and the ministry altogether, with nearly another third considering one or the other.

Most clergy reported&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-health-covid-b99b63081fb2537f0834b6699ce6eb2f">conflict in their congregations</a>, but those considering leaving their churches reported it at even higher levels and also were less likely to feel close to their congregants.

Those thinking of quitting the ministry entirely were more likely to be pastors of smaller churches and those who work solo, compared with those on larger staffs and at larger churches.

Mainline Protestant clergy were the most likely to think of quitting, followed by evangelical Protestants, while Catholic and Orthodox priests were the least likely to consider leaving.

The percentages of clergy having thoughts of quitting are higher than in two previous surveys conducted by the institute in 2021 and spring 2023, though it's difficult to directly compare those numbers because the earlier surveys were measuring shorter time periods since 2020.

The news isn't all grim. Most clergy report good mental and physical health — though somewhat less so if they're thinking of leaving their congregations or ministry — and clergy were more likely to have increased than decreased various spiritual practices since the pandemic began.

The results are based on a survey in the fall of 2023 of about 1,700 Christian clergy members from more than 40 denominations, including Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox bodies.

The survey echoes similar post-pandemic research. A 2023 Pew Research Center found a decrease in those who reported at least monthly in-person worship attendance, with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/black-protestant-church-attendance-youth-covid-pandemic-5d854b4db73e118cb22767220573455f">Black Protestant churches</a>&nbsp;affected the most.

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://bit.ly/ap-twir">collaboration</a>&nbsp;with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

KANSAS CITY (AP) —<a href="https://apnews.com/article/clergy-burnout-church-mental-health-summit-570e71ec96575abc92865ad5baf491e6">Post-pandemic burnout</a>&nbsp;is at worrying levels among Christian clergy in the U.S., prompting many to think about abandoning their jobs, according to a new nationwide survey.More than 4 in 10 of clergy surveyed in fall 2023 had seriously considered leaving their congregations at least once since 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic began, and more than half had thought seriously of leaving the ministry, according to the survey released Thursday by the Hartford Institute for Religion Research.About a tenth of clergy report having had these thoughts often, according to the survey, conducted as part of the institute's research project, Exploring the Pandemic Impact on Congregations.The high rates of ministers considering quitting reflects the “collective trauma” that both clergy and congregants have experienced since 2020, said institute director Scott Thumma, principal investigator for the project.“Everybody has experienced grief and trauma and change,” he said. Many clergy members, in open-ended responses to their survey, cited dwindling attendance, declining rates of volunteering and members' resistance to further change.“I am exhausted," said one pastor quoted by the report. "People have moved away from the area and new folks are fewer, and farther, and slower to engage. Our regular volunteers are tired and overwhelmed.”Some of these struggles are trends that long predated the pandemic. Median in-person attendance has steadily declined since the start of the century, the report said, and with fewer younger participants, the typical age of congregants is rising. After a pandemic-era spike in innovation, congregants are less willing to change, the survey said.The reasons for clergy burnout are complex, and need to be understood in larger contexts, Thumma said.“Oftentimes the focus of attention is just on the congregation, when in fact we should also be thinking about these bigger-picture things,” he said. A pastor and congregants, for example, might be frustrated with each other when the larger context is that they’re in a struggling rural town that’s losing population, he said: ”That has an effect on volunteering. It has an effect on aging. It has an effect on what kind of possibility you have to grow."About a third of clergy respondents were considering both leaving their congregation and the ministry altogether, with nearly another third considering one or the other.Most clergy reported&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-health-covid-b99b63081fb2537f0834b6699ce6eb2f">conflict in their congregations</a>, but those considering leaving their churches reported it at even higher levels and also were less likely to feel close to their congregants.Those thinking of quitting the ministry entirely were more likely to be pastors of smaller churches and those who work solo, compared with those on larger staffs and at larger churches.Mainline Protestant clergy were the most likely to think of quitting, followed by evangelical Protestants, while Catholic and Orthodox priests were the least likely to consider leaving.The percentages of clergy having thoughts of quitting are higher than in two previous surveys conducted by the institute in 2021 and spring 2023, though it's difficult to directly compare those numbers because the earlier surveys were measuring shorter time periods since 2020.The news isn't all grim. Most clergy report good mental and physical health — though somewhat less so if they're thinking of leaving their congregations or ministry — and clergy were more likely to have increased than decreased various spiritual practices since the pandemic began.The results are based on a survey in the fall of 2023 of about 1,700 Christian clergy members from more than 40 denominations, including Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox bodies.The survey echoes similar post-pandemic research. A 2023 Pew Research Center found a decrease in those who reported at least monthly in-person worship attendance, with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/black-protestant-church-attendance-youth-covid-pandemic-5d854b4db73e118cb22767220573455f">Black Protestant churches</a>&nbsp;affected the most.___Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://bit.ly/ap-twir">collaboration</a>&nbsp;with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

US pastors struggle with post-pandemic burnout; half considered quitting since 2020

KANSAS CITY —Investigators are working to determine the cause of a deadly house fire in the Kansas City-area.

Just after 11 a.m. Saturday crews responded to a house fire near James Downey Road at 23rd Street in Independence, according to a statement from police.&nbsp;

A juvenile died in the fire. EMS transported two adults to the hospital with critical injuries, according to police. Officials have not released the names of the victims or additional details.

KANSAS CITY —Investigators are working to determine the cause of a deadly house fire in the Kansas City-area.Just after 11 a.m. Saturday crews responded to a house fire near James Downey Road at 23rd Street in Independence, according to a statement from police.&nbsp;A juvenile died in the fire. EMS transported two adults to the hospital with critical injuries, according to police. Officials have not released the names of the victims or additional details.

Child dies, 2 adults hospitalized in Kansas City-area house fire

GARDNER, Kansas. –Kansas Department of Corrections inmate 52-year-old Clifford Leon Evans is still on escape status after it was reported at 2:45p.m. December 18, that he did not return to the facility while serving his sentence at the Johnson County Work Release center, according to a statement from the KDOC.

Evans is described as a white male, has brown hair, brown eyes, is 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighs 131 pounds.

He currently serving a sentence for violating his parole. Evans was convicted in Johnson County for possession of opiates. He is serving that sentence at the Johnson County Department of Corrections (JCDOC) Adult Residential Center (ARC) from which he walked away. Under an agreement between the KDOC and JCDOC, residents who have release plans that are appropriate to Johnson County are housed at the ARC to promote their successful reintegration back into the community.

Anyone with information on Evans can call EAI at 816-266-2102, JCDOC 913-715-6539, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation at (800) 572-7463 or local law enforcement at 911. Kansans can also contact EAI via email at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:KDOC_EAI_Intel@ks.gov">KDOC_EAI_Intel@ks.gov</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702994862044.png" alt="Evans photo" />
 <figcaption>Evans photo</figcaption>
 </figure>GARDNER, Kansas. –Kansas Department of Corrections inmate 52-year-old Clifford Leon Evans is still on escape status after it was reported at 2:45p.m. December 18, that he did not return to the facility while serving his sentence at the Johnson County Work Release center, according to a statement from the KDOC.Evans is described as a white male, has brown hair, brown eyes, is 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighs 131 pounds.He currently serving a sentence for violating his parole. Evans was convicted in Johnson County for possession of opiates. He is serving that sentence at the Johnson County Department of Corrections (JCDOC) Adult Residential Center (ARC) from which he walked away. Under an agreement between the KDOC and JCDOC, residents who have release plans that are appropriate to Johnson County are housed at the ARC to promote their successful reintegration back into the community.Anyone with information on Evans can call EAI at 816-266-2102, JCDOC 913-715-6539, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation at (800) 572-7463 or local law enforcement at 911. Kansans can also contact EAI via email at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:KDOC_EAI_Intel@ks.gov">KDOC_EAI_Intel@ks.gov</a>

Kan. inmate who walked away from work release is still missing

WASHINGTON (AP) — Shortfalls in required monitoring by American officials mean the U.S. cannot track more than $1 billion in weapons and military equipment provided to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-zelenskyy-lithuania-estonia-latvia-22ee93052cc1a6f21ea5ab586f42a3de" target="_blank">Ukraine to fight invading Russian forces</a>, according to a Pentagon audit released Thursday.

The findings mean that 59% of $1.7 billion in defense gear that the U.S. has provided Ukraine and was directed to guard against misuse or theft remained “delinquent,” the report by the Defense Department’s office of the inspector-general, the watchdog body for the Pentagon, said.

While Biden administration officials stressed Thursday that there was no evidence the weapons had been stolen, the audit undermines two years of lavish assurances from the administration that rigorous monitoring would keep U.S. military aid given to Ukraine from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-congress-funding-accountability-billions-015462075b37bd90bdcedda5286d2e93" target="_blank">being misused</a>. That’s despite the country’s longstanding reputation for corruption.

“There remains no credible evidence of illicit diversion of U.S.-provided advanced conventional weapons from Ukraine,” Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder, a Pentagon spokesman, told reporters. Citing what he said was Russian disinformation to the contrary, Ryder added, “The fact is, we observed the Ukrainians employing these capabilities on the battlefield. We’re seeing them use them effectively.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden" target="_blank">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;is already struggling to win congressional approval for more U.S. military and financial aid to Ukrainian government forces, which are struggling to drive out Russian forces that pushed deeper into the country in February 2022. The audit findings are likely to make Biden’s task even harder.

House Republican opposition for months has stalled Biden’s request to Congress&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-ukraine-israel-budget-3762a0bdf00653e3c8a38175d3c3d3cb" target="_blank">for $105 billion more</a>&nbsp;for Ukraine, Israel and other national security objectives. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Thursday that there was no funding left for additional military aid packages to Ukraine.

The U.S. has provided tens of billions of dollars in military aid to Ukraine, including big systems such as air defense. The end-use monitoring was required for gear that had sensitive technology and was smaller, making it more vulnerable to arms trafficking.

The Pentagon inspector general’s report said that the Defense Department had failed to maintain an accurate serial-number inventory of those defense articles for Ukraine as required.

Reasons for the shortfall in monitoring included limited staffing; the fact that procedures for carrying out end-use monitoring in a war zone weren’t put in place until December 2022; restrictions on movement for monitors within Ukraine; and a lack of internal controls on inventory, the report said.

While the U.S. had improved monitoring since the first year of the war, “significant personnel limitations and accountability challenges remain,” auditors said; full accounting of the gear was impossible as long as those shortfalls remained, they said.

Kirby said administration officials “has for many months now been interested in improving accountability over the end use of material that is provided to Ukraine.”

The audit didn’t attempt to determine whether any of the assistance had been diverted. It noted the Defense Department inspector-general’s office now had people stationed in Ukraine, and that its criminal investigators were still looking into allegations of criminal misuse of the security assistance.

Defense Department officials told auditors they expected to have systems for improved oversight in place this year and next.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1650881393752.png" alt="U.S. Airmen prepare supply crates containing Stinger anti-aircraft systems, Javelin anti-armor systems, and other equipment bound for Ukraine at Dover Air Force Base in April 2022 -photo U.S.Defense Department" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Airmen prepare supply crates containing Stinger anti-aircraft systems, Javelin anti-armor systems, and other equipment bound for Ukraine at Dover Air Force Base in April 2022 -photo U.S.Defense Department</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Shortfalls in required monitoring by American officials mean the U.S. cannot track more than $1 billion in weapons and military equipment provided to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-zelenskyy-lithuania-estonia-latvia-22ee93052cc1a6f21ea5ab586f42a3de" target="_blank">Ukraine to fight invading Russian forces</a>, according to a Pentagon audit released Thursday.The findings mean that 59% of $1.7 billion in defense gear that the U.S. has provided Ukraine and was directed to guard against misuse or theft remained “delinquent,” the report by the Defense Department’s office of the inspector-general, the watchdog body for the Pentagon, said.While Biden administration officials stressed Thursday that there was no evidence the weapons had been stolen, the audit undermines two years of lavish assurances from the administration that rigorous monitoring would keep U.S. military aid given to Ukraine from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-congress-funding-accountability-billions-015462075b37bd90bdcedda5286d2e93" target="_blank">being misused</a>. That’s despite the country’s longstanding reputation for corruption.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695389171060.png" alt="In September Ukraine President Zelensykk met with Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III -Photo Department of Defense" />
 <figcaption>In September Ukraine President Zelensykk met with Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III -Photo Department of Defense</figcaption>
 </figure>“There remains no credible evidence of illicit diversion of U.S.-provided advanced conventional weapons from Ukraine,” Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder, a Pentagon spokesman, told reporters. Citing what he said was Russian disinformation to the contrary, Ryder added, “The fact is, we observed the Ukrainians employing these capabilities on the battlefield. We’re seeing them use them effectively.”<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden" target="_blank">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;is already struggling to win congressional approval for more U.S. military and financial aid to Ukrainian government forces, which are struggling to drive out Russian forces that pushed deeper into the country in February 2022. The audit findings are likely to make Biden’s task even harder.House Republican opposition for months has stalled Biden’s request to Congress&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-ukraine-israel-budget-3762a0bdf00653e3c8a38175d3c3d3cb" target="_blank">for $105 billion more</a>&nbsp;for Ukraine, Israel and other national security objectives. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Thursday that there was no funding left for additional military aid packages to Ukraine.The U.S. has provided tens of billions of dollars in military aid to Ukraine, including big systems such as air defense. The end-use monitoring was required for gear that had sensitive technology and was smaller, making it more vulnerable to arms trafficking.The Pentagon inspector general’s report said that the Defense Department had failed to maintain an accurate serial-number inventory of those defense articles for Ukraine as required.Reasons for the shortfall in monitoring included limited staffing; the fact that procedures for carrying out end-use monitoring in a war zone weren’t put in place until December 2022; restrictions on movement for monitors within Ukraine; and a lack of internal controls on inventory, the report said.While the U.S. had improved monitoring since the first year of the war, “significant personnel limitations and accountability challenges remain,” auditors said; full accounting of the gear was impossible as long as those shortfalls remained, they said.Kirby said administration officials “has for many months now been interested in improving accountability over the end use of material that is provided to Ukraine.”The audit didn’t attempt to determine whether any of the assistance had been diverted. It noted the Defense Department inspector-general’s office now had people stationed in Ukraine, and that its criminal investigators were still looking into allegations of criminal misuse of the security assistance.Defense Department officials told auditors they expected to have systems for improved oversight in place this year and next.

Report: US failed to track about $1 billion in arms sent to Ukraine

KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City-area man who approached a police officer, spoke to him and then placed an explosive device nearby was charged in an assault on the officer, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

John J. Horton, Jr., 36, faces Assault 1st Degree and Unlawful Possession of an Explosive Weapon

According to court records, late in the evening on Jan. 5, a Raytown police officer in a parked vehicle was contacted by Horton. The officer was sitting in his vehicle and talking to Horton until he&nbsp; placed a cylinder-like object on the vehicle's bumper. 

It was wrapped in plastic and a red fuse was visible. Horton acknowledged it was a bomb, backed away from it and was taken into custody. 

The Kansas City Police Department's Bomb Squad Unit confirmed the object was a viable explosive device and defused it. Prosecutors requested a $250,000 bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704753061525.png" alt="Horton-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Horton-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City-area man who approached a police officer, spoke to him and then placed an explosive device nearby was charged in an assault on the officer, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.John J. Horton, Jr., 36, faces Assault 1st Degree and Unlawful Possession of an Explosive WeaponAccording to court records, late in the evening on Jan. 5, a Raytown police officer in a parked vehicle was contacted by Horton. The officer was sitting in his vehicle and talking to Horton until he&nbsp; placed a cylinder-like object on the vehicle's bumper. It was wrapped in plastic and a red fuse was visible. Horton acknowledged it was a bomb, backed away from it and was taken into custody. The Kansas City Police Department's Bomb Squad Unit confirmed the object was a viable explosive device and defused it. Prosecutors requested a $250,000 bond.

KC-area man accused of placing explosive device near police officer

LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Joe Touissant scored 12 points and had a go-ahead three-point play with 30 seconds remaining to rally Texas Tech over Kansas State 60-59 on Saturday, running the Red Raiders' win streak to nine.

Texas Tech (14-2, 3-0 Big 12 Conference) trailed from the 3:51 mark of the first half until Toussaint's clutch play gave the Red Raiders' their 10th straight home win over the Wildcats (12-4, 2-1).

Kerwin Walton sank a 3-pointer to give Texas Tech a 22-13 lead with 7:10 left in the first half. Tylor Perry buried four 3-pointers, Arthur Kaluma and Cam Carter each hit one in a 20-0 run and Kansas State took a 33-22 lead into halftime.

Warren Washington scored 29 seconds into the second half for Texas Tech, ending a drought that reached 7:39. Washington added two more baskets and Chance McMillian hit a 3-pointer to pull the Red Raiders within 38-33 with 16:32 left to play. McMillian's three-point play and a basket by Kerwin Walton cut the deficit to 44-42 with 8:41 remaining.

Will McNair Jr. scored four points in a 6-0 run to push the Wildcats' lead to 55-46 with 4:37 to go. Washington missed the second of two free throws but Darrion Williams grabbed the rebound and turned it into a three-point play to get the Red Raiders within 57-55 at the 2:32 mark. Williams added two free throws 56 seconds later to tie the game at 57.

Perry hit two free throws with 41 second left to give K-State its last lead. He missed a jumper at the buzzer.

Washington scored nine of his 11 points in the second half for Texas Tech, adding eight rebounds. He topped 1,000 points for his career. Pop Isaacs and Williams both scored 10 with Williams grabbing six boards.

Perry led the Wildcats with 16 points and four assists. Carter made three 3-pointers and scored 15. Kaluma contributed 10 points and six rebounds. McNair finished with nine points, nine rebounds and five blocked shots.

Texas Tech has won 10 of its last 11 games under first-year coach Grant McCasland. The Red Raiders only loss in the streak was a 103-95 overtime setback to Butler.

Kansas State coach Jerome Tang and McCasland were assistant coaches on Baylor coach Scott Drew's staff from 2011-16. K-State leads the all-time series 26-25.

Kansas State returns home to play 14th-ranked Baylor on Tuesday. Texas Tech travels to play No. 2 Houston on Wednesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705190606993.png" alt="Photo K-State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo K-State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Joe Touissant scored 12 points and had a go-ahead three-point play with 30 seconds remaining to rally Texas Tech over Kansas State 60-59 on Saturday, running the Red Raiders' win streak to nine.Texas Tech (14-2, 3-0 Big 12 Conference) trailed from the 3:51 mark of the first half until Toussaint's clutch play gave the Red Raiders' their 10th straight home win over the Wildcats (12-4, 2-1).Kerwin Walton sank a 3-pointer to give Texas Tech a 22-13 lead with 7:10 left in the first half. Tylor Perry buried four 3-pointers, Arthur Kaluma and Cam Carter each hit one in a 20-0 run and Kansas State took a 33-22 lead into halftime.Warren Washington scored 29 seconds into the second half for Texas Tech, ending a drought that reached 7:39. Washington added two more baskets and Chance McMillian hit a 3-pointer to pull the Red Raiders within 38-33 with 16:32 left to play. McMillian's three-point play and a basket by Kerwin Walton cut the deficit to 44-42 with 8:41 remaining.Will McNair Jr. scored four points in a 6-0 run to push the Wildcats' lead to 55-46 with 4:37 to go. Washington missed the second of two free throws but Darrion Williams grabbed the rebound and turned it into a three-point play to get the Red Raiders within 57-55 at the 2:32 mark. Williams added two free throws 56 seconds later to tie the game at 57.Perry hit two free throws with 41 second left to give K-State its last lead. He missed a jumper at the buzzer.Washington scored nine of his 11 points in the second half for Texas Tech, adding eight rebounds. He topped 1,000 points for his career. Pop Isaacs and Williams both scored 10 with Williams grabbing six boards.Perry led the Wildcats with 16 points and four assists. Carter made three 3-pointers and scored 15. Kaluma contributed 10 points and six rebounds. McNair finished with nine points, nine rebounds and five blocked shots.Texas Tech has won 10 of its last 11 games under first-year coach Grant McCasland. The Red Raiders only loss in the streak was a 103-95 overtime setback to Butler.Kansas State coach Jerome Tang and McCasland were assistant coaches on Baylor coach Scott Drew's staff from 2011-16. K-State leads the all-time series 26-25.Kansas State returns home to play 14th-ranked Baylor on Tuesday. Texas Tech travels to play No. 2 Houston on Wednesday.___

Texas Tech rallies to top Kansas State for 9th straight victory

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A man is going to prison for a deadly hit-and-run crash in Kansas.

This week Judge Bruce Brown sentenced 32-year-old Latreell Thompson to nearly 9-years in prison for the deadly accident and also for the cultivation of marijuana, according to the Sedgwick County District attorney's office. In addition, the judge&nbsp; ordered Thompson to pay restitution of $52,000 to the insurance company and$9,800 for the victim's funeral expenses.

Just after 2a.m. on May 1, 2021, police&nbsp; responded to a report of a man down in the roadway in the 7900 block of West Cottontail in Wichita. Officers located 49-year-old Kurt Krueger unconscious and not breathing. He was pronounced deceased on scene.

Investigators learned that Krueger was walking in the neighborhood where he lives, approximately 20-30 minutes before his body was found. They believe he was struck by a vehicle, which then fled the scene.

Investigators were able to identify Thompson as a suspect and began working to locate him. On June 7, investigators were following up on the case when they observed Thompson enter a residence in the 7700 block of W. Quail in Wichita. Officers attempted to contact Thompson at the home, but the occupants were uncooperative and would not allow officers to enter.

Officers and detectives surrounded the residence and began preparing a search warrant. While preparing the warrant, three occupants exited the home, but Thompson remained inside. After several announcements from officers to exit the house, Thompson eventually did so and was taken into custody.&nbsp;

In November 2023, he plead guilty to the charges.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1654799395462.png" alt="Thompson-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Thompson-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A man is going to prison for a deadly hit-and-run crash in Kansas.This week Judge Bruce Brown sentenced 32-year-old Latreell Thompson to nearly 9-years in prison for the deadly accident and also for the cultivation of marijuana, according to the Sedgwick County District attorney's office. In addition, the judge&nbsp; ordered Thompson to pay restitution of $52,000 to the insurance company and$9,800 for the victim's funeral expenses.Just after 2a.m. on May 1, 2021, police&nbsp; responded to a report of a man down in the roadway in the 7900 block of West Cottontail in Wichita. Officers located 49-year-old Kurt Krueger unconscious and not breathing. He was pronounced deceased on scene.Investigators learned that Krueger was walking in the neighborhood where he lives, approximately 20-30 minutes before his body was found. They believe he was struck by a vehicle, which then fled the scene.Investigators were able to identify Thompson as a suspect and began working to locate him. On June 7, investigators were following up on the case when they observed Thompson enter a residence in the 7700 block of W. Quail in Wichita. Officers attempted to contact Thompson at the home, but the occupants were uncooperative and would not allow officers to enter.Officers and detectives surrounded the residence and began preparing a search warrant. While preparing the warrant, three occupants exited the home, but Thompson remained inside. After several announcements from officers to exit the house, Thompson eventually did so and was taken into custody.&nbsp;In November 2023, he plead guilty to the charges.

Man ordered to prison and pay funeral costs in Kan. hit-and-run

WASHINGTON (AP) — Two&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-navy-seals">U.S. Navy SEALs</a>&nbsp;are missing after conducting a nighttime boarding mission Thursday off the coast of Somalia, according to three U.S. officials.

The SEALs were on an interdiction mission, climbing up a vessel when one got knocked off by high waves. Under their protocol, when one SEAL is overtaken the next jumps in after them.

Both SEALs are still missing. A search and rescue mission is underway and the waters in the Gulf of Aden, where they were operating, are warm, two of the U.S. officials said.

The U.S. Navy has conducted regular&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-middle-east-e4bde7250333a85445fe9a9f0f1c64a8">interdiction missions,</a>&nbsp;where they have intercepted weapons on ships that were bound for Houthi-controlled Yemen.

The mission was not related to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/attacks-red-sea-navy-mission-missiles-286d51bfd65e741e839e185f0f4a455b">Operation Prosperity Guardian</a>, the ongoing U.S. and international mission to provide protection to commercial vessels in the Red Sea, or the retaliatory strikes that the United States and the United Kingdom have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-attacks-iran-ships-retaliation-houthis-d770a3fb0fab4c4b72e2459771833e11">conducted in Yemen</a>&nbsp;over the past two days, the official said Saturday. It was also not related to the seizure of the oil tanker St. Nikolas by Iran, a third U.S. official said.

The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss details that have not yet been made public.

Besides the defense of ships from launched drones and missiles shot from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, the U.S. military has also come to the aid of commercial ships that have been the targets of piracy.

<a href="https://www.centcom.mil/MEDIA/STATEMENTS/Statements-View/Article/3644941/two-us-navy-sailors-missing-off-the-coast-of-somalia/">In a statement</a>&nbsp;Saturday, U.S. Central Command said that search and rescue operations are currently ongoing to locate the two sailors. The command said it would not release additional information on the Thursday night incident until the personnel recovery mission is complete.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Two&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-navy-seals">U.S. Navy SEALs</a>&nbsp;are missing after conducting a nighttime boarding mission Thursday off the coast of Somalia, according to three U.S. officials.The SEALs were on an interdiction mission, climbing up a vessel when one got knocked off by high waves. Under their protocol, when one SEAL is overtaken the next jumps in after them.Both SEALs are still missing. A search and rescue mission is underway and the waters in the Gulf of Aden, where they were operating, are warm, two of the U.S. officials said.The U.S. Navy has conducted regular&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-middle-east-e4bde7250333a85445fe9a9f0f1c64a8">interdiction missions,</a>&nbsp;where they have intercepted weapons on ships that were bound for Houthi-controlled Yemen.The mission was not related to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/attacks-red-sea-navy-mission-missiles-286d51bfd65e741e839e185f0f4a455b">Operation Prosperity Guardian</a>, the ongoing U.S. and international mission to provide protection to commercial vessels in the Red Sea, or the retaliatory strikes that the United States and the United Kingdom have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-attacks-iran-ships-retaliation-houthis-d770a3fb0fab4c4b72e2459771833e11">conducted in Yemen</a>&nbsp;over the past two days, the official said Saturday. It was also not related to the seizure of the oil tanker St. Nikolas by Iran, a third U.S. official said.The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss details that have not yet been made public.Besides the defense of ships from launched drones and missiles shot from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, the U.S. military has also come to the aid of commercial ships that have been the targets of piracy.<a href="https://www.centcom.mil/MEDIA/STATEMENTS/Statements-View/Article/3644941/two-us-navy-sailors-missing-off-the-coast-of-somalia/">In a statement</a>&nbsp;Saturday, U.S. Central Command said that search and rescue operations are currently ongoing to locate the two sailors. The command said it would not release additional information on the Thursday night incident until the personnel recovery mission is complete.

2 Navy SEALs missing after mission off coast of Somalia

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Kevin McCullar had 15 of his 21 points in the second half as No. 3 Kansas surged past No. 9 Oklahoma 78-66 Saturday, extending its winning streak over the Sooners to six games.

Hunter Dickinson led Kansas (14-2, 2-1 Big 12) with 24 points and 14 rebounds. KJ Adams also had a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds.

Javian McCollum had 17 points to lead Oklahoma (13-3, 1-2), which lost its second straight game. Milos Usan added 15 and Otego Oteh had 12.

Kansas finally grabbed a double-digit lead with 10:31 left on a pair of McCullar free throws en route to opening a 16-point lead.

Oklahoma took its first lead of the game when Jalon Moore followed a missed shot and slammed it home for a 27-26 lead with 6:28 left. The teams traded leads the rest of the half, and Kansas led 38-37 lead at the half.

Adams led all scorers with 15 first-half points. Dickinson had 10 points. McCollum led the Sooners with 12 points.

Oklahoma: the Sooners, who are leaving the Big 12, did not back down. After trailing by as many as 11 points, Oklahoma kept the game close until Kansas' late spurt put the game away.

Kansas: Allen Fieldhouse is still tough on visiting teams. Kansas seems to find a way to feed off the crowd to win home games.

Oklahoma: The Sooners return home Wednesday to face West Virginia before traveling to Cincinnati for their first matchup as conference foes next Saturday.

Kansas: The Jayhawks will be on the road twice next week, facing Oklahoma State on Tuesday. They also play at West Virginia .

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705185294841.png" alt="Photo courtesy Kansas Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Kansas Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Kevin McCullar had 15 of his 21 points in the second half as No. 3 Kansas surged past No. 9 Oklahoma 78-66 Saturday, extending its winning streak over the Sooners to six games.Hunter Dickinson led Kansas (14-2, 2-1 Big 12) with 24 points and 14 rebounds. KJ Adams also had a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds.Javian McCollum had 17 points to lead Oklahoma (13-3, 1-2), which lost its second straight game. Milos Usan added 15 and Otego Oteh had 12.Kansas finally grabbed a double-digit lead with 10:31 left on a pair of McCullar free throws en route to opening a 16-point lead.Oklahoma took its first lead of the game when Jalon Moore followed a missed shot and slammed it home for a 27-26 lead with 6:28 left. The teams traded leads the rest of the half, and Kansas led 38-37 lead at the half.Adams led all scorers with 15 first-half points. Dickinson had 10 points. McCollum led the Sooners with 12 points.THE TAKEAWAYOklahoma: the Sooners, who are leaving the Big 12, did not back down. After trailing by as many as 11 points, Oklahoma kept the game close until Kansas' late spurt put the game away.Kansas: Allen Fieldhouse is still tough on visiting teams. Kansas seems to find a way to feed off the crowd to win home games.UP NEXTOklahoma: The Sooners return home Wednesday to face West Virginia before traveling to Cincinnati for their first matchup as conference foes next Saturday.Kansas: The Jayhawks will be on the road twice next week, facing Oklahoma State on Tuesday. They also play at West Virginia .

Dickinson leads No. 3 Kansas over No. 9 Oklahoma

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/suzanneking/">SUZANNE KING</a>&nbsp;

In the medical industry, the goal is increasingly straightforward: Get bigger. Or else.

Consider, for example, the merger of Kansas City’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.saintlukeskc.org/">St. Luke’s Health System</a>&nbsp;with St. Louis-based&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.bjc.org/">BJC Health System</a>. When the deal closed Jan. 2, the cross-state neighbors had created one of the country’s largest nonprofit health care systems, with 24 hospitals, 44,000 employees and $10 billion a year in revenue.

In an industry with rising costs, doctors and nurses in short supply and Goliath insurers holding the purse strings, hospitals feel pressured to grow to survive.

But an increasing number of economists and consumer advocates warn that the race for size could ultimately hurt patients, bringing higher prices to people on commercial insurance and dwindling access for those on Medicare and Medicaid.

Researchers also point to evidence of health system mergers chipping away at charity care and ballooning executive salaries.

“If we look back, traditionally, mergers have been good for the entities that merge, but not as good for the public,” said Louise Probst, executive director of the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://stlbhc.site-ym.com/">St. Louis Area Business Health Coalition</a>, a nonprofit organization that works to help employers bring down health care costs. “Maybe this (St. Luke’s-BJC merger) could be different, and if it is, that’s wonderful.”

A paper to be published in the February issue of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/toc/jle/current">The Journal of Law and Economics</a>&nbsp;is the latest to find that privately insured patients in markets where hospitals have consolidated pay more, even when the merged hospitals weren’t competing for the same patients.

Hospitals argue they need to grow so they can negotiate higher reimbursement rates from giant insurance companies, pointing to costly overhead and rising costs.

“As the insurers get fewer and fewer, and therefore larger and larger, the health systems feel like in order to have any sort of negotiating power with them, they also need to get fewer and fewer and larger and larger,” said Barbara J. Zabawa, associate professor of law at the University of Missouri-Kansas City&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://law.umkc.edu/">School of Law</a>.

Christopher Garmon, assistant professor of health administration at UMKC’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://bloch.umkc.edu/">Henry W. Bloch School of Management</a>, an author of the study to be published in February, found mergers led to an average price increase of roughly 5% for commercially insured patients. Garmon’s study, which looked at whether recent increased antitrust scrutiny had changed the picture, concluded that “price effects of hospital mergers, on average, remain significant.”

That echoes earlier research. In 2018, for example, a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.hbs.edu/ris/Publication%20Files/PriceEffects.2018_3c987f0d-39f2-4f25-9d4c-cda4a34bb929.pdf">study</a>&nbsp;found that mergers in the same state, but between organizations that did not have facilities in the same geographic market, led to price increases of up to 10%.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704817626179.png" alt=" St. Luke’s flagship hospital in Kansas City is now part of the state’s largest hospital system (Suzanne King/The Beacon)." />
 <figcaption> St. Luke’s flagship hospital in Kansas City is now part of the state’s largest hospital system (Suzanne King/The Beacon).</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/suzanneking/">SUZANNE KING</a>&nbsp;In the medical industry, the goal is increasingly straightforward: Get bigger. Or else.Consider, for example, the merger of Kansas City’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.saintlukeskc.org/">St. Luke’s Health System</a>&nbsp;with St. Louis-based&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.bjc.org/">BJC Health System</a>. When the deal closed Jan. 2, the cross-state neighbors had created one of the country’s largest nonprofit health care systems, with 24 hospitals, 44,000 employees and $10 billion a year in revenue.In an industry with rising costs, doctors and nurses in short supply and Goliath insurers holding the purse strings, hospitals feel pressured to grow to survive.But an increasing number of economists and consumer advocates warn that the race for size could ultimately hurt patients, bringing higher prices to people on commercial insurance and dwindling access for those on Medicare and Medicaid.Researchers also point to evidence of health system mergers chipping away at charity care and ballooning executive salaries.“If we look back, traditionally, mergers have been good for the entities that merge, but not as good for the public,” said Louise Probst, executive director of the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://stlbhc.site-ym.com/">St. Louis Area Business Health Coalition</a>, a nonprofit organization that works to help employers bring down health care costs. “Maybe this (St. Luke’s-BJC merger) could be different, and if it is, that’s wonderful.”But the evidence is not promising.A paper to be published in the February issue of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/toc/jle/current">The Journal of Law and Economics</a>&nbsp;is the latest to find that privately insured patients in markets where hospitals have consolidated pay more, even when the merged hospitals weren’t competing for the same patients.Hospitals argue they need to grow so they can negotiate higher reimbursement rates from giant insurance companies, pointing to costly overhead and rising costs.“As the insurers get fewer and fewer, and therefore larger and larger, the health systems feel like in order to have any sort of negotiating power with them, they also need to get fewer and fewer and larger and larger,” said Barbara J. Zabawa, associate professor of law at the University of Missouri-Kansas City&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://law.umkc.edu/">School of Law</a>.Christopher Garmon, assistant professor of health administration at UMKC’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://bloch.umkc.edu/">Henry W. Bloch School of Management</a>, an author of the study to be published in February, found mergers led to an average price increase of roughly 5% for commercially insured patients. Garmon’s study, which looked at whether recent increased antitrust scrutiny had changed the picture, concluded that “price effects of hospital mergers, on average, remain significant.”That echoes earlier research. In 2018, for example, a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.hbs.edu/ris/Publication%20Files/PriceEffects.2018_3c987f0d-39f2-4f25-9d4c-cda4a34bb929.pdf">study</a>&nbsp;found that mergers in the same state, but between organizations that did not have facilities in the same geographic market, led to price increases of up to 10%.“Empirical evidence suggests that a merger like this — and that doesn’t mean this one will — tend to increase prices for privately insured patients,” Garmon said. “Some of the emerging research could suggest that other patients could be affected as well.”St. Luke’s and BJC officials first announced a possible merger last spring. The health care systems cut a formal deal in the fall and lobbied for regulatory approval. For more than a decade, St. Luke’s had been part of the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.bjc.org/about/bjc-community-health/bjc-collaborative">BJC Collaborative</a>, a group of health systems that pool resources to cut costs.Chief Executive Richard Liekweg, who had overseen BJC before the merger and takes the helm of the merged entity, promised in a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.saintlukeskc.org/about/news/bjc-and-saint-lukes-complete-transaction-combine-single-integrated-health-system">press release</a>&nbsp;announcing the completed transaction that the merged health system would “enhance patient care and accelerate medical breakthroughs.”The health system’s announcement also touted expanded access to clinical trials and “increased opportunities for shared research, innovation, and clinical collaboration among physicians and researchers.”The merged system will continue to operate under the St. Luke’s logo in Kansas City and its western region. Hospital officials say patients will not notice any difference in care or operations.St. Luke’s merger with BJC is far from unique. Just in the first three quarters of 2023, U.S. hospitals announced 53 planned mergers. And as the calendar turned to 2024, in Missouri alone three mergers closed. Along with St. Luke’s and BJC, University of Missouri Health Care&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.muhealth.org/for-media/press-releases/capital-region-medical-center-and-mu-health-care-complete-integration">united with</a>&nbsp;Jefferson City-based Capital Region Medical Center, and Cape Girardeau-based SoutheastHealth&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.mercy.net/newsroom/2024-01-03/forward-together--southeasthealth-joins-mercy/">joined</a>&nbsp;St. Louis-based Mercy.There could be another Kansas City-area merger this year. In November, Liberty Hospital and The University of Kansas Health System signed a letter of intent to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.libertyhospital.org/press-releases/releases/liberty-hospital-and-the-university-of-kansas-health-system-announce-intent-to-partner/">partner</a>, saying the partnership would bring “significant investments” in the much smaller Liberty Hospital.Missouri state Sen. Greg Razer criticized the proposed deal, saying a hospital affiliated with the University of Kansas should not be allowed to reach across state lines and buy a hospital that is a legal subdivision of the state of Missouri. Liberty Hospital is governed by a publicly elected board of trustees.“I don’t want to see a legal taxing entity within the state of Missouri sold to another state,” said Razer, a Jackson County Democrat who has introduced legislation to prevent the merger. “We can’t be invading each other’s states.”But many health care executives see more industry consolidation as imperative. The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.aha.org/fact-sheets/2023-03-16-fact-sheet-hospital-mergers-and-acquisitions-can-expand-and-preserve-access-care">American Hospital Association</a>&nbsp;calls mergers and acquisitions “one of the most important tools that hospitals can use to increase access and quality of care and manage risk and financial pressures.”Lawton Robert Burns, a professor of health care management at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, said the merging trend follows regulatory changes.In a 2023 article in Milbank Quarterly, he pointed to a wave of mergers following the 1965 passage of Medicare, another wave with then-President Bill Clinton’s 1993 health plan proposal and a third with the 2010 adoption of the Affordable Care Act. Reacting to real or anticipated regulatory and payment model changes, health care executives turned to mergers.“All of these systems have one common strategy, and you can boil it down to three words,” Burns said. “Just grow, baby.”People who track the industry suspect the pandemic pushed the accelerator on mergers even more.Since individual markets have become increasingly consolidated through mergers that occurred over the last few decades, hospitals are looking for partners in different geographic regions that face less regulatory scrutiny. According to a 2022&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.hastingslawjournal.org/wp-content/uploads/2-King-final.pdf">study</a>, such “cross-market mergers” accounted for more than half of hospital mergers in the previous decade.Insurance — the way most patients pay for medical expenses — drives hospitals to get bigger. Many say the reimbursements they receive from commercial insurance companies and from Medicare and Medicaid insurance are not covering growing costs. While Medicare and Medicaid rates are set by regulators, commercial insurance rates are negotiated. And many hospitals believe they’ll have more bargaining leverage negotiating higher rates if they’re bigger.Even health systems that don’t compete for patients might fight with each other to get included in an insurance company’s network coverage. If a hospital is bigger, it may have a better chance.Zabawa also said the transition to electronic records pushes hospital mergers because some of the largest contractors won’t bother with smaller hospitals.Finally, hospitals compete for an increasingly small number of nurses and doctors. They gain leverage in recruiting and keeping those clinicians when they get bigger.But a growing chorus of industry watchers says patients don’t gain from mergers.“A merger tends to mean less competition, which leads to higher prices,” said Maribeth Guarino, a health care advocate with&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://pirg.org/">PIRG</a>, the consumer watchdog organization. “There’s only one entity you can negotiate with and two choices a patient might have had became one and the same.”Beyond higher prices, some evidence points toward hospital consolidation leading to fewer options for low-income patients.In exchange for their tax-exempt status, nonprofit hospitals must give care to people who can’t afford it. It is unclear whether hospitals make charity care policies less generous when they merge, but even if they don’t, experts say, they may shift their gaze away from parts of the market where the neediest patients live.That also could apply to Medicaid and Medicare patients, who may have less access to care once commercial insurance reimbursement rates increase. Studies show that after a merger, commercially insured patients pay rates that are at least 2 1/2 times greater than rates for Medicaid patients.“Think about it,” Garmon said. “If you’re a hospital executive, you have one set of patients that is paying 2 1/2 times more than another set of patients, where are you going to locate your clinics? Where are you going to take your hospitals? Where are you going to locate your doctors? That’s why if you’re in Johnson County, you’re tripping over doctors — they’re everywhere. But if you’re in Wyandotte County, they’re nowhere.”Burns said the public is largely unaware of the effect consolidation is having on health care prices and on patient care, which is why there hasn’t been more pushback. But that should change, he said.“This is an ugly story,” Burns said. “It has nothing to do with patients. These mergers do not improve quality of care. And they do not reduce the cost of care.”In fact, Burns said, one of the best incentives he can see for the mergers is executive compensation. Hospital chief executive salaries are pegged to salaries of CEOs at comparably sized health systems. The salaries also hang on metrics like patient volume, revenues and hospital beds, all of which increase when systems merge.“Once you make these bigger systems, the system executives make the case to their board that, ‘Executives like me in bigger systems get paid more, so I ought to get paid more,’“ Burns said.According to tax filings, Liekweg earned $3.3 million in 2021, plus $400,000 in other income. St. Luke’s CEO Melinda Estes, who retired at the time of the merger, earned just under $3 million the same year, plus $297,000 in other income.In the merged hospital system, Liekweg will serve as CEO, Nick Barto was named president of the eastern region, which will operate under the BJC brand, and Julie Quirin, who had been a top executive under Estes, will be president of the western region.This&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kcbeacon.org/stories/2024/01/09/st-lukes-merger-with-a-st-louis-hospital-system/">article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kcbeacon.org/">The Beacon</a>&nbsp;and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.