In exchange for their taking an online course focusing on responsibility and appropriate thinking, the city of Topeka dropped criminal charges against three people charged with disobeying a lawful police order last June at a Black Lives Matter rally that turned violent in downtown Topeka.
Charges were dismissed last October against Andrew J. Dome, 28, Brian C. Rutschmann, 31, and Haley P. Elliott, 20, according to Topeka Municipal Court records.
The course cost $40 and took a couple of hours to complete, Dome told The Capital-Journal on Sunday, adding that he found it to be a fair option.
Court proceedings remain in progress against seven people facing criminal charges linked to the June 1 disturbance.
Shanta Trice could have lived anywhere in Topeka, but she chose the Hi-Crest neighborhood.
“There is just a sense of belonging, being aware of who you are and being accepted,” said Trice, who is also a spokeswoman for Mothers of Murdered Sons.
The diversity of Hi-Crest, coupled with its sense of community, gives the area potential, Trice said, but she believes it is being squandered. She said some central, northern and eastern neighborhoods “definitely get slighted in city infrastructure investment.
Trice said everything from roads to business development is lacking, and that has a negative impact on schools.
“I can t tell you really where it’s broken, other than it is broke,” Trice said. “It’s a cesspool of all kinds of problems.”
Propane problems, St. Pat’s in Sept., fishing upside: News from around our 50 states From USA TODAY Network and wire reports, USA TODAY
Alabama
Montgomery: Thousands of people showed up at sites from the coast to the Tennessee Valley as Alabama began vaccinating senior citizens against COVID-19. People spent the night in cars waiting for shots in Baldwin County, where health workers began immunizing people early Tuesday. County health workers in Huntsville vaccinated 500 people Monday, although only 300 people had appointments. Other sites opened in cities ranging in size from Birmingham to Rainsville. The state is offering vaccines to people 75 and older after limiting the initial doses to health workers. Alabama is among the Southern states trailing the nation in the rate of vaccinations. In Limestone County, Pat White showed up to get her first of two doses of the Moderna vaccine Monday. She said she misses going to church and has done little other than buy g
Shawnee County saw another drop in COVID-19 cases as it sits in the first phase of the vaccination plan.
COVID-19 cases have continued to drop since cases reached near-record highs the week after Thanksgiving. The county had 1,053 cases between Nov. 29 and Dec. 5, but has only 579 cases between Dec. 20-26.
Positivity rates also dropped down to 9.9%, which is the first time in weeks positivity rates dropped below the “uncontrolled” metric on the scorecard.
Craig Barnes, division manager of the Community Health Outreach and Planning department, said the case totals are still in the “uncontrolled” range, but he said Shawnee County citizens have done a much better job of following restrictions.