Today is Monday, June 15, the 167th day of 2020. There are 199 days left in the year.

On June 15, 1775, the Second Continental Congress voted unanimously to appoint George Washington head of the Continental Army.

In 1215, England's King John put his seal to Magna Carta ("the Great Charter") at Runnymede.

In 1864, Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton signed an order establishing a military burial ground which became Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.

In 1904, more than 1,000 people died when fire erupted aboard the steamboat General Slocum in New York's East River.

In 1934, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed an act making the National Guard part of the U.S. Army in the event of war or national emergency.

In 1944, American forces began their successful invasion of Saipan during World War II. B-29 Superfortresses carried out their first raids on Japan.

In 1955, the United States and Britain signed a cooperation agreement concerning atomic information for "mutual defence purposes."

In 1969, the variety show "Hee Haw," a fast-paced mixture of country music and comedy skits, debuted on CBS-TV.

In 1991, Mount Pinatubo in the northern Philippines exploded in one of the biggest volcanic eruptions of the 20th century, killing about 800 people.

In 1993, former Texas Gov. John Connally, who was wounded in the gunfire that killed President John F. Kennedy, died in Houston at age 76.

In 1996, Ella Fitzgerald, the "first lady of song," died in Beverly Hills, California, at age 79.

In 2003, with a deadline passed for Iraqis to hand in heavy weapons, U.S. forces fanned out across Iraq to seize arms and put down potential foes.

Ten years ago: In his first Oval Office address, President Barack Obama promised that "we will make BP pay for the damage their company has caused," describing the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico as a "siege" on the shores of America. Mexican President Felipe Calderon appealed to his fellow citizens to support the fight against organized crime just hours after troops killed 15 suspected gang members.

Five years ago: Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush entered the 2016 presidential campaign with a rally and speech at Miami Dade College, joining 10 other Republicans already in the race for the party's nomination. Rachel Dolezal resigned as president of the NAACP's Spokane chapter just days after her parents said she was a white woman posing as black. American businessman Kirk Kerkorian, 95, died in Beverly Hills, California. Burlesque icon Blaze Starr, 83, died in in Wilsondale, West Virginia.

One year ago: Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris held its first Mass since the devasting April 15th fire that ravaged its roof; the archbishop of Paris wore a hard-hat helmet and only about 30 people were allowed inside. Italian director Franco Zeffirelli, known for extravagant productions like the 1968 film "Romeo and Juliet," died in Rome at the age of 96. A Babe Ruth road jersey dating to 1928-1930 sold at auction for $5.64 million; the auction was conducted at Yankee Stadium, and the jersey was part of a collection that Ruth's family put up for sale.

Today's Birthdays: Rhythm and blues singer Ruby Nash Garnett (Ruby and the Romantics) is 86. Funk musician Leo Nocentelli (The Meters) is 74. Actor Simon Callow is 71. Singer Russell Hitchcock (Air Supply) is 71. Rock singer Steve Walsh is 69.&nbsp; Actor-comedian Jim Belushi is 66. Country singer Terri Gibbs is 66. Actress Julie Hagerty is 65. Actress Polly Draper is 65. Rock musician Brad Gillis (Night Ranger) is 63. Baseball Hall of Famer Wade Boggs is 62. Actress Eileen Davidson is 61. Bluegrass musician Terry Smith is 60. Actress Helen Hunt is 57. Rock musician Scott Rockenfield (Queensryche) is 57. Actress Courteney Cox is 56. Country musician Tony Ardoin is 56. Country musician Michael Britt (Lonestar) is 54. Contemporary Christian musician Rob Mitchell is 54. Rock musician Jimmy McD is 52. Actor-rapper Ice Cube is 51. Actress Leah Remini is 50. Actor Jake Busey is 49. Bluegrass singer-musician Jamie Johnson is 48. Rock musician T-Bone Willy (Save Ferris) is 48. Actor Neil Patrick Harris is 47. Actor Greg Vaughan is 47. Actress Elizabeth Reaser is 45. Rock singer Dryden Mitchell (Alien Ant Farm) is 44. Former child actor Christopher Castile is 40. Rock musician Billy Martin (Good Charlotte) is 39. Actor Jordi Vilasuso is 39. Rock musician Wayne Sermon (Imagine Dragons) is 36. Actor Denzel Whitaker is 30. Olympic gold medal gymnast Madison Kocian is 23. Actress Sterling Jerins is 16.

Thought for Today: "The times are not so bad as they seem; they couldn't be." — John Franklin Carter, American commentator and author (1897-1967).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573488868914.jpeg" alt="Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://shutterstock.com">shutterstock</a>" />
 <figcaption>Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://shutterstock.com">shutterstock</a></figcaption>
 </figure>Today is Monday, June 15, the 167th day of 2020. There are 199 days left in the year.Today's Highlight in History:On June 15, 1775, the Second Continental Congress voted unanimously to appoint George Washington head of the Continental Army.On this date:In 1215, England's King John put his seal to Magna Carta ("the Great Charter") at Runnymede.In 1836, Arkansas became the 25th state.In 1864, Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton signed an order establishing a military burial ground which became Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.In 1904, more than 1,000 people died when fire erupted aboard the steamboat General Slocum in New York's East River.In 1934, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed an act making the National Guard part of the U.S. Army in the event of war or national emergency.In 1944, American forces began their successful invasion of Saipan during World War II. B-29 Superfortresses carried out their first raids on Japan.In 1955, the United States and Britain signed a cooperation agreement concerning atomic information for "mutual defence purposes."In 1969, the variety show "Hee Haw," a fast-paced mixture of country music and comedy skits, debuted on CBS-TV.In 1991, Mount Pinatubo in the northern Philippines exploded in one of the biggest volcanic eruptions of the 20th century, killing about 800 people.In 1993, former Texas Gov. John Connally, who was wounded in the gunfire that killed President John F. Kennedy, died in Houston at age 76.In 1996, Ella Fitzgerald, the "first lady of song," died in Beverly Hills, California, at age 79.In 2003, with a deadline passed for Iraqis to hand in heavy weapons, U.S. forces fanned out across Iraq to seize arms and put down potential foes.Ten years ago: In his first Oval Office address, President Barack Obama promised that "we will make BP pay for the damage their company has caused," describing the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico as a "siege" on the shores of America. Mexican President Felipe Calderon appealed to his fellow citizens to support the fight against organized crime just hours after troops killed 15 suspected gang members.Five years ago: Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush entered the 2016 presidential campaign with a rally and speech at Miami Dade College, joining 10 other Republicans already in the race for the party's nomination. Rachel Dolezal resigned as president of the NAACP's Spokane chapter just days after her parents said she was a white woman posing as black. American businessman Kirk Kerkorian, 95, died in Beverly Hills, California. Burlesque icon Blaze Starr, 83, died in in Wilsondale, West Virginia.One year ago: Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris held its first Mass since the devasting April 15th fire that ravaged its roof; the archbishop of Paris wore a hard-hat helmet and only about 30 people were allowed inside. Italian director Franco Zeffirelli, known for extravagant productions like the 1968 film "Romeo and Juliet," died in Rome at the age of 96. A Babe Ruth road jersey dating to 1928-1930 sold at auction for $5.64 million; the auction was conducted at Yankee Stadium, and the jersey was part of a collection that Ruth's family put up for sale.Today's Birthdays: Rhythm and blues singer Ruby Nash Garnett (Ruby and the Romantics) is 86. Funk musician Leo Nocentelli (The Meters) is 74. Actor Simon Callow is 71. Singer Russell Hitchcock (Air Supply) is 71. Rock singer Steve Walsh is 69.&nbsp; Actor-comedian Jim Belushi is 66. Country singer Terri Gibbs is 66. Actress Julie Hagerty is 65. Actress Polly Draper is 65. Rock musician Brad Gillis (Night Ranger) is 63. Baseball Hall of Famer Wade Boggs is 62. Actress Eileen Davidson is 61. Bluegrass musician Terry Smith is 60. Actress Helen Hunt is 57. Rock musician Scott Rockenfield (Queensryche) is 57. Actress Courteney Cox is 56. Country musician Tony Ardoin is 56. Country musician Michael Britt (Lonestar) is 54. Contemporary Christian musician Rob Mitchell is 54. Rock musician Jimmy McD is 52. Actor-rapper Ice Cube is 51. Actress Leah Remini is 50. Actor Jake Busey is 49. Bluegrass singer-musician Jamie Johnson is 48. Rock musician T-Bone Willy (Save Ferris) is 48. Actor Neil Patrick Harris is 47. Actor Greg Vaughan is 47. Actress Elizabeth Reaser is 45. Rock singer Dryden Mitchell (Alien Ant Farm) is 44. Former child actor Christopher Castile is 40. Rock musician Billy Martin (Good Charlotte) is 39. Actor Jordi Vilasuso is 39. Rock musician Wayne Sermon (Imagine Dragons) is 36. Actor Denzel Whitaker is 30. Olympic gold medal gymnast Madison Kocian is 23. Actress Sterling Jerins is 16.Thought for Today: "The times are not so bad as they seem; they couldn't be." — John Franklin Carter, American commentator and author (1897-1967).Copyright 2020, The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Today in History -- June 15

BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating three suspects following meth investigation in Barton County.

Just before 8a.m. Friday, deputies executed search warrants in Barton County at 327 Township Road in Pawnee Rock and at 7 NE. 30th Road north of Great Bend, according to sheriff Brian Bellendir.

Both search warrants were part of an ongoing methamphetamine investigation involving several suspects. Three suspects were arrested at the location on NE. 30th Road.&nbsp;

An unlawful firearm and drug paraphernalia were located at the Pawnee Rock address, drugs and drug paraphernalia were located on 30 Road.

&nbsp;Buddy Ross, age 49 of Pawnee Rock, Kansas booked on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, criminal possession of a firearm and possession of drug paraphernalia. Ross is being held in the Barton County jail in lieu of a $50,000 bond.

Dustin Sullivan age 47 of Great Bend was booked on requested charges of&nbsp; possession of methamphetamine possession of drug paraphernalia and interference with law enforcement officer. Sullivan is being held in lieu of a $10,000 bond. 

&nbsp;Jeanie Hollar-Camp age 46 of Great Bend was booked on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, interference with law enforcement officer and criminal threats against law enforcement officer. Holler- Camp is being held in lieu of a $10,000 bond.

The Sheriff’s Office has previously served multiple search warrants at both of these locations.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592219044727.png" alt="Deputies at the scene of the investigation-photo Barton Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Deputies at the scene of the investigation-photo Barton Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating three suspects following meth investigation in Barton County.Just before 8a.m. Friday, deputies executed search warrants in Barton County at 327 Township Road in Pawnee Rock and at 7 NE. 30th Road north of Great Bend, according to sheriff Brian Bellendir.Both search warrants were part of an ongoing methamphetamine investigation involving several suspects. Three suspects were arrested at the location on NE. 30th Road.&nbsp;An unlawful firearm and drug paraphernalia were located at the Pawnee Rock address, drugs and drug paraphernalia were located on 30 Road.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592219074814.png" alt="Ross photo Barton Co." />
 <figcaption>Ross photo Barton Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;Buddy Ross, age 49 of Pawnee Rock, Kansas booked on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, criminal possession of a firearm and possession of drug paraphernalia. Ross is being held in the Barton County jail in lieu of a $50,000 bond.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592219016510.png" alt="Sullivan-photo Barton Co." />
 <figcaption>Sullivan-photo Barton Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Dustin Sullivan age 47 of Great Bend was booked on requested charges of&nbsp; possession of methamphetamine possession of drug paraphernalia and interference with law enforcement officer. Sullivan is being held in lieu of a $10,000 bond. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592218945597.png" alt="Hollar-Camp" />
 <figcaption>Hollar-Camp</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;Jeanie Hollar-Camp age 46 of Great Bend was booked on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, interference with law enforcement officer and criminal threats against law enforcement officer. Holler- Camp is being held in lieu of a $10,000 bond.The Sheriff’s Office has previously served multiple search warrants at both of these locations.

Deputies arrest 3 as part of ongoing Barton County drug investigation

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a pair of residential burglaries and have a suspect in custody.

Just before 1p.m. Thursday, sheriff's&nbsp;deputies&nbsp;responded to a residential burglary that had recently occurred in the 3900 block of SE Howey Road, according to deputy Shayna Anderson.&nbsp;

The victims provided a description of the suspect and deputies began searching the area. 

At 2:15pm deputies responded to another reported residential burglary nearby in the 2200 block of SE 41st Street.

Deputies, K9’s and drones were used to search the area and the suspect was identified as Paul D. Cohagen, 50, Topeka, was found hiding in a wooded area with stolen items. 

Deputies took Cohagen into custody without incident. He was transported to the Shawnee County Sheriff’s office for questioning and later booked him on requested charges of&nbsp;Burglary, Felony theft, Theft, Criminal damage to property, Possession of marijuana and Possession of drug paraphernalia, according to Anderson.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1591958915554.png" alt="Cohagen photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Cohagen photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a pair of residential burglaries and have a suspect in custody.Just before 1p.m. Thursday, sheriff's&nbsp;deputies&nbsp;responded to a residential burglary that had recently occurred in the 3900 block of SE Howey Road, according to deputy Shayna Anderson.&nbsp;The victims provided a description of the suspect and deputies began searching the area. At 2:15pm deputies responded to another reported residential burglary nearby in the 2200 block of SE 41st Street.Deputies, K9’s and drones were used to search the area and the suspect was identified as Paul D. Cohagen, 50, Topeka, was found hiding in a wooded area with stolen items. Deputies took Cohagen into custody without incident. He was transported to the Shawnee County Sheriff’s office for questioning and later booked him on requested charges of&nbsp;Burglary, Felony theft, Theft, Criminal damage to property, Possession of marijuana and Possession of drug paraphernalia, according to Anderson.

Drones help find Kan. burglary suspect hiding in woods

SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a burglary that sent two suspects to an area hospital and have reported an arrest.

Just after 2 a.m. Monday, police responded to a burglary-in-progress call at the home in the 1400 Block of North Caddy in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.

Upon arrival, officers located a black 2017 Mazda 4-door that had crashed into a tree in the front yard of a separate home in the same block.&nbsp; Inside the vehicle was a 19-year-old female who had sustained a gunshot wound to her leg and a 19-year-old male who had sustained a gunshot wound to his body.&nbsp;

The woman identified as Mia Yevonne Marie Hidalgo was taken to an area hospital for treatment of a non-life-threatening injury, and the man was taken to an area hospital for treatment of a serious injury.

The investigation revealed a 42-year-old male was at home with his 38-year-old spouse and 5-year-old son.&nbsp; He heard his garage door open, went outside and heard a discussion between individuals in the Mazda and a black truck, targeting his home.&nbsp; 

The 19-year-old man and woman then pulled into his driveway with their headlights off and began to get out of the car.&nbsp; The 42-year-old yelled at them and fired two times from a shotgun, striking the individuals and the Mazda.&nbsp; Inside the Mazda, officers located two handguns, and the vehicle was reported as stolen.&nbsp; The truck fled the scene.

On Friday, police reported Mia Yevonne Marie Hidalgo, 19, was now in custody on requested charges of aggravated burglary, theft and a drug possession charge, according to the Sedgwick County booking report. She is being <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20061018">held on a bond of $51,500,</a> according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1591965362598.png" alt="Hidalgo -photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Hidalgo -photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a burglary that sent two suspects to an area hospital and have reported an arrest.Just after 2 a.m. Monday, police responded to a burglary-in-progress call at the home in the 1400 Block of North Caddy in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.Upon arrival, officers located a black 2017 Mazda 4-door that had crashed into a tree in the front yard of a separate home in the same block.&nbsp; Inside the vehicle was a 19-year-old female who had sustained a gunshot wound to her leg and a 19-year-old male who had sustained a gunshot wound to his body.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1591635014456.png" alt="Police on the scene of Monday's burglary -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of Monday's burglary -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>The woman identified as Mia Yevonne Marie Hidalgo was taken to an area hospital for treatment of a non-life-threatening injury, and the man was taken to an area hospital for treatment of a serious injury.The investigation revealed a 42-year-old male was at home with his 38-year-old spouse and 5-year-old son.&nbsp; He heard his garage door open, went outside and heard a discussion between individuals in the Mazda and a black truck, targeting his home.&nbsp; The 19-year-old man and woman then pulled into his driveway with their headlights off and began to get out of the car.&nbsp; The 42-year-old yelled at them and fired two times from a shotgun, striking the individuals and the Mazda.&nbsp; Inside the Mazda, officers located two handguns, and the vehicle was reported as stolen.&nbsp; The truck fled the scene.On Friday, police reported Mia Yevonne Marie Hidalgo, 19, was now in custody on requested charges of aggravated burglary, theft and a drug possession charge, according to the Sedgwick County booking report. She is being <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20061018">held on a bond of $51,500,</a> according to online jail records.

Burglary suspect wounded by Kan. homeowner moved from hospital to jail

Gilbert Baker left Kansas as soon as
 he could. But, as many around the world celebrate LGBTQ pride month, 
it's worth noting that Kansas also struggled to hold the flag creator 
dear.

By C.J. JANOVY <a href="https://www.kcur.org/arts-life/2020-06-06/rainbow-flags-creator-didnt-celebrate-his-home-state-but-some-kansans-are-keeping-his-memory-alive">Kansas News Service</a>

The iced tea is flowing, and the women of Parsons High School’s class of 1969 are on a roll.

A
 handful of them are circled up at a table in the increasingly crowded 
fellowship hall of St. John’s Episcopal Church, where yearbooks from 50 
years ago are spread out at the front of the room and laughter from old 
stories grows louder amid the white cinder block walls and 
green-and-yellow linoleum-tiled floor. One of the women at the table has
 purple hair – not the subtle tint of elderly ladies’ salon rinses but 
the declarative violet in vogue among queer kids.

All of these 
women have clear recollections of a classmate who got the hell out of 
Kansas as soon as he could and went on to change the world.

Gilbert
 Baker, born in Chanute, Kansas, on June 2, 1951, designed the rainbow 
flag, now flown all over the world to signify support for LGBTQ equality
 and pride.

“He always was into the arts,” one of Baker’s classmates remembers.

“He was a personality unto himself,” says another.

“He was always at our lunch table. He really did feel comfortable with us, and we felt comfortable with him.”

“He loved to act, and help us do the plays.”

They
 remember a dark-haired boy with thick Buddy Holly glasses. “You know, 
he would be the kind to wear a scarf or shawl, whatever you’d call it.”

“This may not be etiquette, but in ’69, we didn’t know what gay was. 
So Gilbert was just different,” says Debbie Sailsbury Burke. “People 
would make fun of him because he was different, but he set the stage way
 before it was ever a norm.”

One time, he asked Patty Eakins 
Edgington on a date. “I’d evidently broken up with a boyfriend. I don’t 
know what I’d done, I was 16 or 17, who knows. And I don’t know why he 
said – that’s just Gilbert – he said, ‘Let’s go to the drive-in.’ So we 
went to the drive-in movie and it was a quote, date, but I kind of knew 
it wasn’t really a date.”

Everyone agrees: “Just a friend — just a friend.”

“The
 next day,” Edgington continues, “I got yellow roses delivered to my 
house: ‘Thank you for a great time.’ He was just a nice guy.”

In 
the decades since they graduated, people began to realize what Baker had
 done after leaving Kansas. Eventually Facebook came along.

“I 
shot a request to him and he accepted,” Edgington says. “I posted some 
stuff over the years because I fiddled around in art, and he’d comment.”

At some point there was talk of inviting Baker back for one of the reunions, but that brought up other memories.

“At
 our lunch table, the guys, the jocks, would come by with their trays 
and they would slap him in the back of the head,” Burke says. “I mean 
some of them were cruel to him. I always felt sorry for him.”

They
 point across the room to Sandy Salyer, who remembers Baker doing 
cartwheels. Salyer says she read an interview where Baker talked about 
being bullied as a kid.

“When I heard that it broke my heart,” she
 says. “We were just innocent and didn’t understand what a gay person 
was. He was a free spirit, loving life.” A lot of people didn’t know 
where he went after high school, but he seemed destined for greatness.

“I’m
 just so proud of what he did and the movement he was part of,” Sayler 
says. And she begins to tear up. “I’m really sorry people treated him 
that way.”

Kansas
 has a rough time staking much of a claim to Gilbert Baker. By the time 
of his death, at age 65 on March 31, 2017, his personality and his work 
were too big even for San Francisco. He’d made his home in New York 
City.

“The rainbow flag has become a universal symbol for 
inclusion, peace and love,” the New York Times noted in his obituary. 
“It has been waved by gay rights supporters in China fighting for 
equality. It has been hung from apartment balconies as a sign of 
solidarity. After the United States Supreme Court legalized gay marriage
 in 2015, more than 26 million people on Facebook changed their profile 
photos to include the flag.”

In his autobiography “<a href="https://www.chicagoreviewpress.com/rainbow-warrior-products-9781641601504.php" target="_blank">Rainbow Warrior: My Life in Color</a>,”
 published posthumously in 2019, Baker devotes a grand total of eight 
pages to his Kansas upbringing. He titled that chapter “Dreaming of a 
Life Over the Rainbow.”

“I was born gay and I always knew it,” Baker writes, before detailing the pain of that knowledge in 1950s Kansas.

As
 a child in his room, Baker pulled sheets off of his bed to fashion 
outfits for a kindergartner’s imaginary drag routine, dancing to songs 
on the radio until he heard someone coming and scrambled to put the 
sheets back on the bed. 

Later, when his parents discovered him twirling in his aunt’s old 
prom dress, his father spanked him. Sundays at the Methodist church were
 no comfort. “In my soul, questions burned: Did God make me gay and love
 me, or was I going to hell for a sin?” He considered killing himself.

Still,
 his work was inspired and ultimately shaped by a quintessentially 
Kansas event: President Dwight D. Eisenhower running for re-election, 
which Baker’s mother let him watch on TV.

“I was mesmerized by the
 hoopla of bunting and balloons and thrilled by the pageantry,” he 
writes. “I especially loved the parade of state delegates, each group 
carrying signs and banners created in crepe paper. There were crazy hats
 and pretty girls in washes of stars and stripes, the national anthem 
and the Pledge of Allegiance. I was especially moved by the sight of the
 American flag.”

Armed with crayons, young Baker became obsessed 
with drawing what he’d seen. But “it was not considered normal to 
imagine greatness and beauty,” he writes. “Being an artist was bad in 
the same way that homosexuality was bad.”

Baker’s family moved to 
Wichita for his father’s law practice. By the time he was 9, he was in 
such distress that he went to the library to try to figure out what was 
wrong with him; in a book about Freud and abnormal psychology, a 
description of “delusions of grandeur” seemed to explain his feelings. 
Fearing his parents would send him to a mental institution, Baker, like 
so many other Midwestern kids of his time, tortured himself with efforts
 to be something he was not. 

He grew obsessed with death. “Only one thing seemed certain about my 
life in Kansas: I would either be blown up by a nuclear bomb or die from
 boredom.”

Peak mid-century TV provided a bit of salvation: 
Phyllis Diller on “The Tonight Show”; the political, passionate and 
kooky Barbra Streisand; the long-haired Beatles and the Rolling Stones. 
“Old people said they looked like girls, so they were definitely pushing
 a button on the taboo of homosexuality,” he writes.

Baker took up
 the trumpet, and music became his teenage means of survival – “the way I
 could compensate socially for being so effeminate and being known as 
the class queer.” Nobody wanted to play Sousa marches, so Baker 
pressured music teachers to include arrangements of Herb Alpert &amp; 
the Tijuana Brass and Blood, Sweat &amp; Tears.

“My efforts succeeded,” he writes, “and I even became popular with my classmates because of it.”

But
 fights with his parents intensified, and he grew riveted to news from 
the 1968 Democratic National Convention. The streets of Chicago were 
exploding, “but the only thing taking over the streets in Kansas was 
tumbleweed.”

By the time he was 19, he knew it was time to leave.

“So, unlike Dorothy, when the tornado came I ran right for it, saying, ‘Take me away!’”

About
 35 miles south of Baker’s birthplace in Chanute, in the far southeast 
corner of the state, Parsons is home to around 10,000 people. Its 
well-kept Main Street and the presence of Labette Community College make
 it feel almost like a city to the kids from nearby towns of just a few 
hundred.

It’s the kind of place where people remember<a href="https://www.kshs.org/kansapedia/zasu-pitts/15496" target="_blank"> ZaSu Pitts</a>,
 an actress who started out in silent films and worked up through 1963’s
 “It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.” Pitts has a star on the Hollywood 
Walk of Fame and a bronze star in front of the Parsons movie theater. 
It’s also the birthplace of a jazz trumpeter named<a href="https://library.umkc.edu/archival-collections/clayton" target="_blank"> Buck Clayton</a>,
 who played with Count Basie, Benny Goodman and Billie Holliday and has 
been honored with a local jazz festival. Cherryvale, 20-some miles away,
 has bragging rights to two people:<a href="https://www.kshs.org/kansapedia/vivian-vance/15499" target="_blank"> Vivian Vance</a> from “I Love Lucy,” and<a href="https://www.kshs.org/kansapedia/pledge-of-allegiance/12172" target="_blank"> Frank E. Bellamy</a>, a high school student who wrote the Pledge of Allegiance.

“We
 jump on every little tiny thing we can to get people to our towns,” 
says Scotty Zollars, the library director at Labette Community College. 
“But why has there never been any mention of Gilbert, who had much wider
 representation than that?”

It would be easy to consider that a 
rhetorical question with the obvious answer that a stereotypically 
conservative place like small-town Kansas wants no part of celebrating 
gay culture. But the real answer is more complicated.

Even 
Zollars, a gay man in his late 50s who has lived around Parsons for 
almost his entire life, had never heard of Gilbert Baker until 2017. And
 that’s not because Zollars has stayed in the closet.

“I don’t 
hide it. Everybody at work knows, my boss knows. My fiancé and I go to 
college events, we go to Mass together, we’ve had no repercussions at 
all,” Zollars says. “We just act like it’s normal. And there’s other 
couples in town who are the same way. My impression is that people in 
southeast Kansas, they really don’t care as long as you don’t shove it 
in their face.”

Flying rainbow flags does, of course, put something in people’s 
faces. But that only partly explains the lack of recognition for Baker’s
 legacy.

It’s also as if Baker, by leaving so early and so thoroughly, helped erase his own legacy in Kansas.

Another
 reason Zollars had never heard of Gilbert Baker until 2017 was that no 
one had made any serious effort to honor him until Aaron Casserly 
Stewart was elected to the city commission. Stewart was an anomaly in 
Parsons for two reasons.

“As a gay, black man, to be honest, I 
didn’t think I was going to be elected,” Stewart says. But he was newly 
back to town for family reasons, and ran for office to honor his father.
 “He was the city building inspector, so anything that was built in the 
town he had to sign off on it. A lot of people knew him.”

Stewart 
doesn’t think the fact that he’s gay had much to do with his election. 
“I beat out an incumbent who had been on the council for a while. I 
think people wanted a change.”

During his own high school years, a
 couple of generations after Baker’s, Stewart had been the president of 
the student council, popular enough to be president of all the southeast
 Kansas student councils. But some kids found his diary, in which 
Stewart had been trying to deal with his sexuality. They took it to a 
party and read it out loud.

“Being outed, at 17 in rural Kansas in 1983, was more than I could 
deal with, so I left,” he says. Stewart finished his senior year in 
Lawrence and, like Baker, then joined the military and left the state.

Stewart
 ended up in Minneapolis, where, possessed of a soulful baritone, he got
 a gig singing with the Sounds of Blackness, a three-time-Grammy-winning
 group whose members ran in the same circles as Janet Jackson and the 
esteemed producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. From there he moved to Los
 Angeles, where he worked as a personal assistant for the keyboardist 
Morris Hayes, who’d been in Prince’s New Power Generation.

By the 
time he came back to Parsons, Stewart had been gone for 22 years. Now in
 his late 40s, he didn’t need anyone’s validation. Dealing with people’s
 conservative views was hard, but Stewart was also surprised to find a 
lot of support.

“Because my husband is British, and we’re an 
interracial, inter-generational couple,” he explains, “there was a bit 
of, how do I say, just, interest in that because we were kind of a 
novelty.”

Recognizing an opportunity to which the rest of the town was apparently oblivious, Stewart got in touch with Baker.

“He had not been back to Parsons since he left, so I invited him back,” Stewart says.

He
 also called some of Baker’s old classmates, and they talked about 
having a day in his honor, with Stewart giving him a key to the city and
 the college hosting a Gilbert Baker Film Festival.

Over the course of almost a year, Stewart had phone conversations updating Baker on the various plans.

“He was really reluctant to come back because of the experience growing up in small town Kansas,” Stewart says.

But both men seemed struck by the fact that no one had ever asked Baker to come back.

Finally, Stewart says, “he decided to come.”

A month before his celebrated return, Baker died.

The film festival went on as planned. Zollars screened the hits “<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1013753/" target="_blank">Milk</a>” and “<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3169706/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1" target="_blank">Pride</a>” as well as “<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5839198/" target="_blank">Out Here in Kansas</a>,”
 a short documentary about a gay football star from Andover, and he gave
 an award for one of the student submissions. Hardly anyone came – maybe
 15 or 20 people including staff at the college. “It was not a good 
showing,” Zollars says, “but we did it.”

In the year that 
followed, Stewart immigrated to England where he and his husband were 
married. But he stayed in touch with a few people back in Parsons, and 
in 2019, he reached out to one of the city commissioners and asked if 
they’d fly a rainbow flag at City Hall during June.

“I didn’t get a response,” he says.

By
 then, though, another gay couple had moved to town. A doctor named 
Shawn Zimbrunes had taken a job at the hospital, bringing his husband, 
David Matthew, from Washington, D.C. When he learned it was Baker’s 
hometown, Matthew told a reporter for the Parsons Sun, he was surprised.
 “I wondered where is the memorial? Where is the honor of his legacy? 
Where are the pride flags?”

Matthew, who had spent most of his 
life on the East Coast, couldn’t let Pride Month pass without honoring 
Baker. He bought three dozen rainbow flags (which wasn’t easy, since 
they’re in short supply around that time of year). He put the first one 
up in his yard, an act that felt so momentous it brought him to tears.

He
 also approached businesses along Main Street, and the owner of the 
popular Kitchen Pass offered to fly two flags out front and one inside 
in support of LGBTQ friends and employees. There were some questions 
about affixing flag-holders to city light poles, and in general all of 
this was a lot of drama for Parsons. Two of the flags outside the 
Kitchen Pass were stolen, then returned. 

Other than that, Matthew said in <a href="https://www.parsonssun.com/news/article_b8d8be40-949a-11e9-a1c7-8fd4e0254dd0.html" target="_blank">a written statement to the Parsons Sun</a>, the response had been overwhelmingly positive.

“I
 heard heart-wrenching stories about rather awful experiences growing up
 in a town where they felt hated and excluded, where they feared 
admitting who they were. People relayed how it brought them to tears to 
see pride flags flying in a town where they had never felt seen, never 
felt accepted. I also heard from local residents who were absolutely 
thrilled to see these flags to honor Gilbert Baker, to honor their son 
or daughter who is gay, to honor their family and make them visible and 
appreciated in the place they call home,” Matthew wrote.

One city 
commissioner agreed that the town should consider a way to honor Baker, 
and encouraged people who had enthusiasm and ideas to bring them 
forward.

The fellowship hall at St. John’s church has grown loud and humid, crowded with members of the class of 1969.

Les
 Hammett, a State Farm insurance agent who bought a house with his wife 
in Liberty, Missouri, a while back but still drives to his hometown for 
work during the week, finds a place near the yearbook table to make a 
short speech. He explains why a journalist is here asking questions 
about Gilbert Baker and encourages everyone to share their memories.

“As
 far as I’m concerned, Gilbert did a lot to change the world for the 
better,” Hammett says to emphatic applause. “Some of us have been 
talking about trying to do something, just a little plaque to recognize 
Gilbert, maybe up at the city building or at the high school, 
something,” Hammett says. “If you’re interested in helping us, let us 
know.”

By the spring, the city had donated a small plot of vacant land 
downtown to a group called Southeast Kansas Point of Pride (the group’s 
name referring not to LGBTQ pride but rather the civic pride that 
inspires residents to take part in neighborhood clean-ups and plant 
flowers in pots lining downtown streets). The Point of Pride folks 
planned to turn the small, empty grassy strip into a pocket park. 
Renderings show a fountain, a couple of park benches, native plants and,
 along one wall, a plaque in honor of Gilbert Baker.

Hammett 
figured it would be ready to dedicate this fall, perhaps in time for the
 next Gilbert Baker Film Festival at Labette Community College.

“It’s not often that you rub shoulders with a person who changes the 
world,” says Hammett, who guesses it was 15 or 20 years ago when he 
learned his classmate had designed the rainbow flag. He’s been impressed
 ever since.

Hammett’s own memories of high school suggest a 
nearly universal truth – that teenagers in that setting don’t have any 
clue how others perceive themselves or each other – which is especially 
sad in Baker’s case.

“He talked about being picked on in high 
school,” Hammett says. “I’ll be honest with you – I just never saw that.
 I thought Gilbert was well liked. He was in theater and that kind of 
thing, he was a fun person. I think everybody liked Gil.”

But 
Hammett was preoccupied with his own concerns. “My mom died right before
 I started high school, and I lived with my grandparents. I was just 
trying to survive. I didn’t go to dances and that kind of thing. My 
social skills and my social life in high school was not like a lot of 
folks.”

Maybe everyone feels like an outsider in high school, one way or 
another. Certainly it’s easier for gay kids today, even in a town like 
Parsons, which Hammett describes as “pretty straight.”

Rainbow flag's creator: Kan. native who never celebrated his home state

Today is Sunday, June 14, the 166th day of 2020. There are 200 days left in the year. This is Flag Day.

On June 14, 1940, German troops entered Paris during World War II; the same day, the Nazis began transporting prisoners to the Auschwitz concentration camp in German-occupied Poland.

In 1775, the Continental Army, forerunner of the United States Army, was created.

In 1777, the Second Continental Congress approved the design of the original American flag.

In 1811, Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of "Uncle Tom's Cabin," was born in Litchfield, Conn.

In 1846, a group of U.S. settlers in Sonoma proclaimed the Republic of California.

In 1919, John Alcock and Arthur Whitten Brown embarked on the first non-stop flight across the Atlantic Ocean. (Flying a Vickers Vimy biplane bomber, they took off from St. Johns, Newfoundland, Canada and arrived 16 1/2 hours later in Clifden, Ireland.)

In 1943, the U.S. Supreme Court, in West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette, ruled 6-3 that public school students could not be forced to salute the flag of the United States.

In 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed a measure adding the phrase "under God" to the Pledge of Allegiance.

In 1982, Argentine forces surrendered to British troops on the disputed Falkland Islands.

In 1985, the 17-day hijack ordeal of TWA Flight 847 began as a pair of Lebanese Shiite Muslim extremists seized the jetliner shortly after takeoff from Athens, Greece.

In 1990, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld, 6-3, police checkpoints that examined drivers for signs of intoxication.

In 1993, President Bill Clinton nominated Judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court.

In 2017, a rifle-wielding gunman opened fire on Republican lawmakers at a congressional baseball practice in Alexandria, Virginia, wounding House Whip Steve Scalise and several others; the assailant died in a battle with police. Fire ripped through the 24-story Grenfell Tower in West London, killing 71 people.

Ten years ago: During his latest visit to the Gulf Coast, President Barack Obama promised that "things are going to return to normal" and that the region's fouled waters would be in even better shape than before the catastrophic BP oil spill. A judge in Stockton, California, sentenced Sunday school teacher Melissa Huckaby to life in prison without the possibility of parole for kidnapping and murdering 8-year-old Sandra Cantu.

Five years ago: Thousands of Syrians cut through a border fence and crossed over into Turkey, fleeing intense fighting in northern Syria between Kurdish fighters and jihadis. Inbee Park shot a final round 68 and finished at 19-under par to win the KPMG Women's PGA Championship for the third consecutive year and retake the No. 1 ranking in women's golf.

One year ago: Workers at Volkswagen's plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, voted against forming a factory-wide union in a setback to the United Auto Workers' efforts to gain a foothold among foreign auto facilities in the South. Stepping back from comments two days earlier, President Donald Trump told "Fox and Friends" that if a foreign power offered him dirt about an opponent, then "of course" he would report that to the FBI or the attorney general, but he still said he would look at the information being offered to see whether it was "incorrect."

Today's Birthdays: Actress Marla Gibbs is 89. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., is 81. Country-rock musician Spooner Oldham is 77. Rock singer Rod Argent (The Zombies; Argent) is 75. President Donald Trump is 74. Singer Janet Lennon (The Lennon Sisters) is 74. Rock musician Barry Melton is 73. Rock musician Alan White (Yes) is 71. Actor Eddie Mekka is 68. Actor Will Patton is 66. Olympic gold medal speed skater Eric Heiden (HY'-dun) is 62. Jazz musician Marcus Miller is 61. Singer Boy George is 59. Rock musician Chris DeGarmo is 57. Actress Traylor Howard is 54. Actress Yasmine Bleeth is 52. Actor Faizon Love is 52. Actor Stephen Wallem is 52. International Tennis Hall of Famer Steffi Graf is 51. Actor Sullivan Stapleton is 43. Screenwriter Diablo Cody is 42. Actor Lawrence Saint-Victor is 38. Actor Torrance Coombs is 37. Actor J.R. Martinez is 37. Actor-singer Kevin McHale is 32. Actress Lucy Hale is 31. Pop singer Jesy Nelson (Little Mix) is 29. Country singer Joel Crouse is 28. Actor Daryl Sabara is 28.

Thought for Today: "It is the flag just as much of the man who was naturalized yesterday as of the men whose people have been here many generations." — Henry Cabot Lodge, U.S. senator and historian (1850-1924).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573488868914.jpeg" alt="Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://shutterstock.com">shutterstock</a>" />
 <figcaption>Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://shutterstock.com">shutterstock</a></figcaption>
 </figure>Today is Sunday, June 14, the 166th day of 2020. There are 200 days left in the year. This is Flag Day.Today's Highlight in History:On June 14, 1940, German troops entered Paris during World War II; the same day, the Nazis began transporting prisoners to the Auschwitz concentration camp in German-occupied Poland.On this date:In 1775, the Continental Army, forerunner of the United States Army, was created.In 1777, the Second Continental Congress approved the design of the original American flag.In 1811, Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of "Uncle Tom's Cabin," was born in Litchfield, Conn.In 1846, a group of U.S. settlers in Sonoma proclaimed the Republic of California.In 1919, John Alcock and Arthur Whitten Brown embarked on the first non-stop flight across the Atlantic Ocean. (Flying a Vickers Vimy biplane bomber, they took off from St. Johns, Newfoundland, Canada and arrived 16 1/2 hours later in Clifden, Ireland.)In 1943, the U.S. Supreme Court, in West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette, ruled 6-3 that public school students could not be forced to salute the flag of the United States.In 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed a measure adding the phrase "under God" to the Pledge of Allegiance.In 1982, Argentine forces surrendered to British troops on the disputed Falkland Islands.In 1985, the 17-day hijack ordeal of TWA Flight 847 began as a pair of Lebanese Shiite Muslim extremists seized the jetliner shortly after takeoff from Athens, Greece.In 1990, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld, 6-3, police checkpoints that examined drivers for signs of intoxication.In 1993, President Bill Clinton nominated Judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court.In 2017, a rifle-wielding gunman opened fire on Republican lawmakers at a congressional baseball practice in Alexandria, Virginia, wounding House Whip Steve Scalise and several others; the assailant died in a battle with police. Fire ripped through the 24-story Grenfell Tower in West London, killing 71 people.Ten years ago: During his latest visit to the Gulf Coast, President Barack Obama promised that "things are going to return to normal" and that the region's fouled waters would be in even better shape than before the catastrophic BP oil spill. A judge in Stockton, California, sentenced Sunday school teacher Melissa Huckaby to life in prison without the possibility of parole for kidnapping and murdering 8-year-old Sandra Cantu.Five years ago: Thousands of Syrians cut through a border fence and crossed over into Turkey, fleeing intense fighting in northern Syria between Kurdish fighters and jihadis. Inbee Park shot a final round 68 and finished at 19-under par to win the KPMG Women's PGA Championship for the third consecutive year and retake the No. 1 ranking in women's golf.One year ago: Workers at Volkswagen's plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, voted against forming a factory-wide union in a setback to the United Auto Workers' efforts to gain a foothold among foreign auto facilities in the South. Stepping back from comments two days earlier, President Donald Trump told "Fox and Friends" that if a foreign power offered him dirt about an opponent, then "of course" he would report that to the FBI or the attorney general, but he still said he would look at the information being offered to see whether it was "incorrect."Today's Birthdays: Actress Marla Gibbs is 89. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., is 81. Country-rock musician Spooner Oldham is 77. Rock singer Rod Argent (The Zombies; Argent) is 75. President Donald Trump is 74. Singer Janet Lennon (The Lennon Sisters) is 74. Rock musician Barry Melton is 73. Rock musician Alan White (Yes) is 71. Actor Eddie Mekka is 68. Actor Will Patton is 66. Olympic gold medal speed skater Eric Heiden (HY'-dun) is 62. Jazz musician Marcus Miller is 61. Singer Boy George is 59. Rock musician Chris DeGarmo is 57. Actress Traylor Howard is 54. Actress Yasmine Bleeth is 52. Actor Faizon Love is 52. Actor Stephen Wallem is 52. International Tennis Hall of Famer Steffi Graf is 51. Actor Sullivan Stapleton is 43. Screenwriter Diablo Cody is 42. Actor Lawrence Saint-Victor is 38. Actor Torrance Coombs is 37. Actor J.R. Martinez is 37. Actor-singer Kevin McHale is 32. Actress Lucy Hale is 31. Pop singer Jesy Nelson (Little Mix) is 29. Country singer Joel Crouse is 28. Actor Daryl Sabara is 28.Thought for Today: "It is the flag just as much of the man who was naturalized yesterday as of the men whose people have been here many generations." — Henry Cabot Lodge, U.S. senator and historian (1850-1924).Copyright 2020, The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Today in History -- June 14

As drivers return to the roads, new AAA research shows why safety may not be top of mind

WICHITA&nbsp; – After three months of staying at home, AAA warns motorists against falling back into dangerous driving habits. As economies reopen and more drivers get back on the road, new research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety shows why motorists may not be as focused on good driving behavior when they get behind the wheel.

The latest AAA Traffic Safety Culture Index finds drivers who have been in at least one crash in the past two years are significantly more likely to engage in risky behaviors like speeding or texting, even when they think the police may catch them.

“The frequency of drivers in the United States engaging in improper behavior is too high. While drivers acknowledge that certain activities behind the wheel, like texting, are dangerous, some do them anyway,” said Shawn Steward, AAA Kansas spokesman. “We need to be aware of the serious consequences of engaging in these types of dangerous driving behaviors and change course.”

The Foundation’s annual Traffic Safety Culture Index (TSCI, which highlights the gap between drivers’ attitudes and their reported behaviors, found&nbsp;that drivers perceive distracted, aggressive and impaired driving as dangerous. Yet many of them admit to engaging in at least one of these exact behaviors in the 30 days before the survey. The numbers were even higher for those involved in a recent crash:&nbsp;&nbsp;

•50% of those involved in a recent crash admit to&nbsp;talking on a hand-held device while driving&nbsp;in the past month vs. 42% not involved in a crash. 

•43% of those involved in a recent crash admit to&nbsp;texting while driving&nbsp;in the past month vs. 27% not involved in a crash. 

•39% of those involved in a recent crash admit to&nbsp;running a red light&nbsp;in the past month vs. 30% not involved in a crash

This data shows that people are not altering their behavior even when it has resulted in a crash.

Of all dangerous driving tasks, drivers dubbed these two&nbsp;extremely or very dangerous:

•Driving when so tired, it was hard to keep your eyes open (96%). 

•Driving while typing or sending a text message or an email (96%)

Yet these same drivers text when behind the wheel, even believing there is a risk of getting caught by police for reading (43.7%) or typing (42.7%) a text message.&nbsp;

Drivers engage in some dangerous behaviors less often It’s not all bad news. Compared with 2018 findings, drivers reported they are engaging in some dangerous behaviors&nbsp;less frequently. Drivers who reported talking on a hand-held cell phone saw the most significant decrease, down from 52.1% to 43.2%, while drowsy driving and texting both fell by 3 percentage points.

“If you point to the dangerous driving behaviors of others that you sometimes do yourself, then you are the problem,” said Jake Nelson, AAA’s director of traffic safety advocacy and research. “I’m encouraged to see a slight shift toward safer driving behaviors, but we have more work to do. Stay focused on driving. This is a must.”

AAA recommends these safety tips to keep in mind.

Don’t drive “Intexicated.”&nbsp;Stow your smartphone away, turn it to airplane mode, or activate call/text blocking features like Apple’s Do Not Disturb. In 2019, AAA launched a new, multi-year initiative “Don’t Drive Intoxicated, Don’t Drive Intexticated”, aimed at making texting and driving as socially unacceptable as drinking and driving. The public is invited to take the Don’t Drive Intexticated pledge. Visit&nbsp; www.aaa.com/dontdrivedistracted&nbsp;to join this lifesaving effort.

Slow down.&nbsp;Drivers tend to overestimate time saved by speeding. You’d have to travel 100 miles to save roughly 5 minutes, moving at 75 mph instead of 70 mph. Speed kills and isn’t worth the cost.

Stay alert. Stop driving if you become sleepy because you could fall asleep at any time. Fatigue impacts reaction time, judgment, and vision, causing people who are very tired to behave in similar ways to those who are drunk.

Only drive sober.&nbsp; If you consume marijuana, alcohol, or use potentially impairing prescription medications, then don’t drive.&nbsp; And if you’re going to drive, then don’t consume these substances. If you are taking prescription medications, visit&nbsp;Roadwise Rx&nbsp;to learn if they can impair driving.

The annual TSCI identifies attitudes and behaviors related to traffic safety. The survey data are from a sample of 2,714 licensed drivers ages 16 or older who reported driving in the 30 days before the survey, which was administered between Sept. 6 and Oct. 8, 2019. The AAA Foundation issued its first TSCI in 2008, and the latest report is online:&nbsp;<a href="http://aaacluballiance.pr-optout.com/Tracking.aspx?Data=HHL%3d8276%3f7-%3eLCE59.%3c5%3a%26SDG%3c90%3a.&amp;RE=MC&amp;RI=5430239&amp;Preview=False&amp;DistributionActionID=308573&amp;Action=Follow+Link" target="_blank">AAAFoundation.org</a>

About AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety: Established in 1947 by AAA, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety is a nonprofit, publicly funded, 501(c)(3) charitable research and educational organization. The AAA Foundation’s mission is to prevent traffic deaths and injuries by researching their causes and by educating the public about strategies to prevent crashes and reduce injuries when they do occur. This research develops educational materials for drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists and other road users.

About AAAAAA provides automotive, travel, and insurance services to 60 million members nationwide and nearly 347,000 members in Kansas. AAA advocates for the safety and mobility of its members and has been committed to outstanding road service for more than 100 years.&nbsp;AAA is a&nbsp;non-stock, non-profit corporation working&nbsp;on behalf of motorists, who can now map a route, find local gas prices, discover discounts, book a hotel, and track their roadside assistance service with the AAA Mobile app (<a href="http://aaacluballiance.pr-optout.com/Tracking.aspx?Data=HHL%3d8276%3f7-%3eLCE59.%3c5%3a%26SDG%3c90%3a.&amp;RE=MC&amp;RI=5430239&amp;Preview=False&amp;DistributionActionID=308572&amp;Action=Follow+Link" target="_blank">AAA.com/mobile</a>) for iPhone, iPad and Android.&nbsp;For more information, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://aaacluballiance.pr-optout.com/Tracking.aspx?Data=HHL%3d8276%3f7-%3eLCE59.%3c5%3a%26SDG%3c90%3a.&amp;RE=MC&amp;RI=5430239&amp;Preview=False&amp;DistributionActionID=308571&amp;Action=Follow+Link" target="_blank">www.AAA.com</a>.

<h2>As drivers return to the roads, new AAA research shows why safety may not be top of mind</h2>WICHITA&nbsp; – After three months of staying at home, AAA warns motorists against falling back into dangerous driving habits. As economies reopen and more drivers get back on the road, new research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety shows why motorists may not be as focused on good driving behavior when they get behind the wheel.The latest AAA Traffic Safety Culture Index finds drivers who have been in at least one crash in the past two years are significantly more likely to engage in risky behaviors like speeding or texting, even when they think the police may catch them.“The frequency of drivers in the United States engaging in improper behavior is too high. While drivers acknowledge that certain activities behind the wheel, like texting, are dangerous, some do them anyway,” said Shawn Steward, AAA Kansas spokesman. “We need to be aware of the serious consequences of engaging in these types of dangerous driving behaviors and change course.”The Foundation’s annual Traffic Safety Culture Index (TSCI, which highlights the gap between drivers’ attitudes and their reported behaviors, found&nbsp;that drivers perceive distracted, aggressive and impaired driving as dangerous. Yet many of them admit to engaging in at least one of these exact behaviors in the 30 days before the survey. The numbers were even higher for those involved in a recent crash:&nbsp;&nbsp;•50% of those involved in a recent crash admit to&nbsp;talking on a hand-held device while driving&nbsp;in the past month vs. 42% not involved in a crash. •43% of those involved in a recent crash admit to&nbsp;texting while driving&nbsp;in the past month vs. 27% not involved in a crash. •39% of those involved in a recent crash admit to&nbsp;running a red light&nbsp;in the past month vs. 30% not involved in a crashThis data shows that people are not altering their behavior even when it has resulted in a crash.Of all dangerous driving tasks, drivers dubbed these two&nbsp;extremely or very dangerous:•Driving when so tired, it was hard to keep your eyes open (96%). •Driving while typing or sending a text message or an email (96%)Yet these same drivers text when behind the wheel, even believing there is a risk of getting caught by police for reading (43.7%) or typing (42.7%) a text message.&nbsp;Drivers engage in some dangerous behaviors less often It’s not all bad news. Compared with 2018 findings, drivers reported they are engaging in some dangerous behaviors&nbsp;less frequently. Drivers who reported talking on a hand-held cell phone saw the most significant decrease, down from 52.1% to 43.2%, while drowsy driving and texting both fell by 3 percentage points.“If you point to the dangerous driving behaviors of others that you sometimes do yourself, then you are the problem,” said Jake Nelson, AAA’s director of traffic safety advocacy and research. “I’m encouraged to see a slight shift toward safer driving behaviors, but we have more work to do. Stay focused on driving. This is a must.”AAA recommends these safety tips to keep in mind.Don’t drive “Intexicated.”&nbsp;Stow your smartphone away, turn it to airplane mode, or activate call/text blocking features like Apple’s Do Not Disturb. In 2019, AAA launched a new, multi-year initiative “Don’t Drive Intoxicated, Don’t Drive Intexticated”, aimed at making texting and driving as socially unacceptable as drinking and driving. The public is invited to take the Don’t Drive Intexticated pledge. Visit&nbsp; www.aaa.com/dontdrivedistracted&nbsp;to join this lifesaving effort.Slow down.&nbsp;Drivers tend to overestimate time saved by speeding. You’d have to travel 100 miles to save roughly 5 minutes, moving at 75 mph instead of 70 mph. Speed kills and isn’t worth the cost.Stay alert. Stop driving if you become sleepy because you could fall asleep at any time. Fatigue impacts reaction time, judgment, and vision, causing people who are very tired to behave in similar ways to those who are drunk.Only drive sober.&nbsp; If you consume marijuana, alcohol, or use potentially impairing prescription medications, then don’t drive.&nbsp; And if you’re going to drive, then don’t consume these substances. If you are taking prescription medications, visit&nbsp;Roadwise Rx&nbsp;to learn if they can impair driving. Always wear your seat belt.The annual TSCI identifies attitudes and behaviors related to traffic safety. The survey data are from a sample of 2,714 licensed drivers ages 16 or older who reported driving in the 30 days before the survey, which was administered between Sept. 6 and Oct. 8, 2019. The AAA Foundation issued its first TSCI in 2008, and the latest report is online:&nbsp;<a href="http://aaacluballiance.pr-optout.com/Tracking.aspx?Data=HHL%3d8276%3f7-%3eLCE59.%3c5%3a%26SDG%3c90%3a.&amp;RE=MC&amp;RI=5430239&amp;Preview=False&amp;DistributionActionID=308573&amp;Action=Follow+Link" target="_blank">AAAFoundation.org</a>About AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety: Established in 1947 by AAA, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety is a nonprofit, publicly funded, 501(c)(3) charitable research and educational organization. The AAA Foundation’s mission is to prevent traffic deaths and injuries by researching their causes and by educating the public about strategies to prevent crashes and reduce injuries when they do occur. This research develops educational materials for drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists and other road users.About AAAAAA provides automotive, travel, and insurance services to 60 million members nationwide and nearly 347,000 members in Kansas. AAA advocates for the safety and mobility of its members and has been committed to outstanding road service for more than 100 years.&nbsp;AAA is a&nbsp;non-stock, non-profit corporation working&nbsp;on behalf of motorists, who can now map a route, find local gas prices, discover discounts, book a hotel, and track their roadside assistance service with the AAA Mobile app (<a href="http://aaacluballiance.pr-optout.com/Tracking.aspx?Data=HHL%3d8276%3f7-%3eLCE59.%3c5%3a%26SDG%3c90%3a.&amp;RE=MC&amp;RI=5430239&amp;Preview=False&amp;DistributionActionID=308572&amp;Action=Follow+Link" target="_blank">AAA.com/mobile</a>) for iPhone, iPad and Android.&nbsp;For more information, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://aaacluballiance.pr-optout.com/Tracking.aspx?Data=HHL%3d8276%3f7-%3eLCE59.%3c5%3a%26SDG%3c90%3a.&amp;RE=MC&amp;RI=5430239&amp;Preview=False&amp;DistributionActionID=308571&amp;Action=Follow+Link" target="_blank">www.AAA.com</a>.

Bad Behavior: Drivers know it’s wrong, but many do it anyway

TOPEKA – With cooperation from the community, the Topeka Police Department has
identified and made additional arrests for those identified in the&nbsp; June 1, unlawful assembly at the Law
Enforcement Center, according to police Lt. Manuel.

On June 8, 2020, detectives arrested Joshua Adam Simon, 23, of Mayetta and was booked into
the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Riot; Incitement, Criminal damage to property&nbsp; and Unlawful Assembly.

On June 11, 2020, detectives arrested Feliciano Jose Anguiano, 18, of Topeka and was booked
into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Riot; Incitement, Criminal damage to property&nbsp; and Unlawful Assembly


In addition, on June 11, 2020, detectives also arrested Brett Michael House, 19, of Topeka and
was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Riot; Incitement and Criminal damage to property

House was also arrested on June 1, 2020 and was booked into the Shawnee County Department
of Corrections for Unlawful Assembly 
Interference with Law Enforcement
Criminal Damage to Property
Disobeying Lawful Police Order

The additional arrest of House was made after further investigation by detectives and great
cooperation from our community, according to Munoz.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1591698985075.png" alt="Simon-photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Simon-photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA – With cooperation from the community, the Topeka Police Department has
identified and made additional arrests for those identified in the&nbsp; June 1, unlawful assembly at the Law
Enforcement Center, according to police Lt. Manuel.On June 8, 2020, detectives arrested Joshua Adam Simon, 23, of Mayetta and was booked into
the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Riot; Incitement, Criminal damage to property&nbsp; and Unlawful Assembly.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1591994385670.png" alt="Anguiano photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Anguiano photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>On June 11, 2020, detectives arrested Feliciano Jose Anguiano, 18, of Topeka and was booked
into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Riot; Incitement, Criminal damage to property&nbsp; and Unlawful Assembly
<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1591111074275.png" alt="House-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>House-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>In addition, on June 11, 2020, detectives also arrested Brett Michael House, 19, of Topeka and
was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Riot; Incitement and Criminal damage to property
House was also arrested on June 1, 2020 and was booked into the Shawnee County Department
of Corrections for Unlawful Assembly 
Interference with Law Enforcement
Criminal Damage to Property
Disobeying Lawful Police Order
The additional arrest of House was made after further investigation by detectives and great
cooperation from our community, according to Munoz.

Police arrest suspects for protest confrontation in Topeka

Today is Saturday, June 13, the 165th day of 2020. There are 201 days left in the year.

On June 13, 1967, President Lyndon B. Johnson nominated Solicitor-General Thurgood Marshall to become the first black justice on the U.S. Supreme Court.

In 1842, Queen Victoria became the first British monarch to ride on a train, traveling from Slough (slow as in cow) Railway Station to Paddington in 25 minutes.

In 1911, the ballet "Petrushka," with music by Igor Stravinsky and choreography by Michel Fokine, was first performed in Paris by the Ballets Russes, with Vaslav Nijinsky in the title role.

In 1927, aviation hero Charles Lindbergh was honored with a ticker-tape parade in New York City.

In 1935, James Braddock claimed the title of world heavyweight boxing champion from Max Baer in a 15-round fight in Queens, New York. "Becky Sharp," the first movie photographed in "three-strip" Technicolor, opened in New York.

In 1942, a four-man Nazi sabotage team arrived on Long Island, New York, three days before a second four-man team landed in Florida. (All eight men were arrested after two members of the first group defected.) President Franklin D. Roosevelt created the Office of Strategic Services and the Office of War Information.

In 1966, the Supreme Court ruled in Miranda v. Arizona that criminal suspects had to be informed of their constitutional right to consult with an attorney and to remain silent.

In 1977, James Earl Ray, the convicted assassin of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., was recaptured following his escape three days earlier from a Tennessee prison.

In 1983, the U.S. space probe Pioneer 10, launched in 1972, became the first spacecraft to leave the solar system as it crossed the orbit of Neptune.

In 1986, Benny Goodman, the clarinet-playing "King of Swing," died in New York at age 77.

In 1992, Democratic presidential candidate Bill Clinton stirred controversy during an appearance before the Rainbow Coalition by criticizing rap singer Sister Souljah for making remarks that he said were "filled with hatred" toward whites.

In 1997, a jury voted unanimously to give Timothy McVeigh the death penalty for his role in the Oklahoma City bombing. The Chicago Bulls captured their fifth professional basketball championship in seven years with a 90-to-86 victory over the Utah Jazz in game six.

In 2005, a jury in Santa Maria, California, acquitted Michael Jackson of molesting a 13-year-old cancer survivor at his Neverland ranch. The Supreme Court warned prosecutors to use care in striking minorities from juries, siding with black murder defendants in Texas and California who contended their juries had been unfairly stacked with whites.

Ten years ago: Gary Faulkner, a Colorado construction worker, was detained in Pakistan while on a one-man mission to hunt down Osama bin Laden (Faulkner was released 10 days later). "Memphis," the rhythm 'n' blues musical set in the American South in the 1950s, won four Tony Awards, including best musical; "Red," about painter Mark Rothko, won best play and five other honors. Jimmy Dean, a country music legend and an entrepreneur known for his sausage brand, died in Richmond, Virginia, at age 81. The final "Annie" (formerly "Little Orphan Annie") comic strip ran in fewer than 20 newspapers, ending with a cliffhanger.

Five years ago: Hillary Rodham Clinton formally kicked off her presidential campaign with an outdoor rally in New York where she asked supporters to join her in building an America "where we don't leave anyone out, or anyone behind." To scientists' relief and delight, the Philae spacecraft that landed on a comet the previous fall "woke up" and communicated with Earth after seven long months of silence.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573488868914.jpeg" alt="Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://shutterstock.com">shutterstock</a>" />
 <figcaption>Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://shutterstock.com">shutterstock</a></figcaption>
 </figure>Today is Saturday, June 13, the 165th day of 2020. There are 201 days left in the year.Today's Highlight in History:On June 13, 1967, President Lyndon B. Johnson nominated Solicitor-General Thurgood Marshall to become the first black justice on the U.S. Supreme Court.On this date:In 1842, Queen Victoria became the first British monarch to ride on a train, traveling from Slough (slow as in cow) Railway Station to Paddington in 25 minutes.In 1911, the ballet "Petrushka," with music by Igor Stravinsky and choreography by Michel Fokine, was first performed in Paris by the Ballets Russes, with Vaslav Nijinsky in the title role.In 1927, aviation hero Charles Lindbergh was honored with a ticker-tape parade in New York City.In 1935, James Braddock claimed the title of world heavyweight boxing champion from Max Baer in a 15-round fight in Queens, New York. "Becky Sharp," the first movie photographed in "three-strip" Technicolor, opened in New York.In 1942, a four-man Nazi sabotage team arrived on Long Island, New York, three days before a second four-man team landed in Florida. (All eight men were arrested after two members of the first group defected.) President Franklin D. Roosevelt created the Office of Strategic Services and the Office of War Information.In 1966, the Supreme Court ruled in Miranda v. Arizona that criminal suspects had to be informed of their constitutional right to consult with an attorney and to remain silent.In 1977, James Earl Ray, the convicted assassin of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., was recaptured following his escape three days earlier from a Tennessee prison.In 1983, the U.S. space probe Pioneer 10, launched in 1972, became the first spacecraft to leave the solar system as it crossed the orbit of Neptune.In 1986, Benny Goodman, the clarinet-playing "King of Swing," died in New York at age 77.In 1992, Democratic presidential candidate Bill Clinton stirred controversy during an appearance before the Rainbow Coalition by criticizing rap singer Sister Souljah for making remarks that he said were "filled with hatred" toward whites.In 1997, a jury voted unanimously to give Timothy McVeigh the death penalty for his role in the Oklahoma City bombing. The Chicago Bulls captured their fifth professional basketball championship in seven years with a 90-to-86 victory over the Utah Jazz in game six.In 2005, a jury in Santa Maria, California, acquitted Michael Jackson of molesting a 13-year-old cancer survivor at his Neverland ranch. The Supreme Court warned prosecutors to use care in striking minorities from juries, siding with black murder defendants in Texas and California who contended their juries had been unfairly stacked with whites.Ten years ago: Gary Faulkner, a Colorado construction worker, was detained in Pakistan while on a one-man mission to hunt down Osama bin Laden (Faulkner was released 10 days later). "Memphis," the rhythm 'n' blues musical set in the American South in the 1950s, won four Tony Awards, including best musical; "Red," about painter Mark Rothko, won best play and five other honors. Jimmy Dean, a country music legend and an entrepreneur known for his sausage brand, died in Richmond, Virginia, at age 81. The final "Annie" (formerly "Little Orphan Annie") comic strip ran in fewer than 20 newspapers, ending with a cliffhanger.Five years ago: Hillary Rodham Clinton formally kicked off her presidential campaign with an outdoor rally in New York where she asked supporters to join her in building an America "where we don't leave anyone out, or anyone behind." To scientists' relief and delight, the Philae spacecraft that landed on a comet the previous fall "woke up" and communicated with Earth after seven long months of silence.One year ago: The United States blamed Iran for suspected attacks on two oil tankers near the strategic Strait of Hormuz, denouncing what it called a campaign of "escalating tensions"; the U.S. Navy rushed to assist the vessels, including one that was set ablaze. President Donald Trump said press secretary Sarah Sanders would leave the post at the end of the month. The Toronto Raptors captured Canada's first major title in 26 years by beating the two-time-defending-champion Golden State Warriors 114-110 to wrap up the NBA championship.Today's Birthdays: Actor Bob McGrath is 88. Magician Siegfried (Siegfried &amp; Roy) is 81. Actor Malcolm McDowell is 77. Former U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is 76. Singer Dennis Locorriere is 71. Actor Richard Thomas is 69. Actor Jonathan Hogan is 69. Actor Stellan Skarsgard is 69. Comedian Tim Allen is 67. North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper is 63. Actress Ally Sheedy is 58. TV anchor Hannah Storm is 58. Rock musician Paul deLisle (Smash Mouth) is 57. Actress Lisa Vidal is 55. Singer David Gray is 52. Rhythm and blues singer Deniece Pearson (Five Star) is 52. Rock musician Soren Rasted (Aqua) is 51. Actor Jamie Walters is 51. Singer-musician Rivers Cuomo (Weezer) is 50. Country singer Susan Haynes is 48. Actor Steve-O is 46. Country singer Jason Michael Carroll is 42. Actor Ethan Embry is 42. Actor Chris Evans is 39. Actress Sarah Schaub is 37. Singer Raz B is 35. Actress Kat Dennings is 34. Actress Ashley Olsen is 34. Actress Mary-Kate Olsen is 34. DJ/producer Gesaffelstein is 33. Actor Aaron Johnson is 30.Thought for Today: "Fear has its use but cowardice has none." — Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948).Copyright 2020, The Associated Press. All rights reserved.