LONDON (AP) — The World Health Organization has issued its first-ever guidance for how much screen time children under 5 should get: not very much, and none at all for those under 1.
Image courtesy WHO
The U.N. health agency said Wednesday that kids under 5 should not spend more than one hour watching screens every day — and that less is better.
The guidelines are somewhat similar to advice from the American Academy of Pediatrics. That group recommends children younger than 18 months should avoid screens other than video chats. It says parents of young children under two should choose “high-quality programming” with educational value and that can be watched with a parent to help kids understand what they’re seeing.
Some groups said WHO’s screen time guidelines failed to consider the potential benefits of digital media.
WHO’s screen time advice “overly focuses on quantity of screen time and fails to consider the content and context of use,” said Andrew Przybylski, director of research at the Oxford Internet Institute at the University of Oxford. “Not all screen time is created equal.”
Britain’s Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health said the data available were too weak to allow its experts to set any thresholds for the appropriate level of screen time.
“Our research has shown that currently there is not strong enough evidence to support the setting of screen time limits,” said Dr. Max Davie, the college’s Officer for Health Improvement. “The restricted screen time limits suggested by WHO do not seem proportionate to the potential harm,” he said.
WHO did not specifically detail the potential harm caused by too much screen time, but said the guidelines — which also included recommendations for physical activity and sleep — were needed to address the increasing amount of sedentary behavior in the general population. It noted that physical inactivity is a leading risk factor for death and a contributor to the rise in obesity.
The agency said infants less than 1 year should spend at least half an hour every day on their stomachs and that older kids should get at least three hours of physical activity every day.
OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — A television station aired audio Thursday it says shows Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill telling his fiancee about punching and using a belt to discipline their son one day after prosecutors reluctantly declined to file charges in a domestic incident.
Tyreek Hill -photo courtesy KC Chiefs
Police were called to Hill’s home twice last month and investigators determined the 3-year-old child had been injured. On Wednesday, Johnson County District Attorney Steve Howe said charges would not be filed, but acknowledged he was “deeply troubled” by the situation and said “we believe a crime has occurred.” He said there was not enough evidence to conclusively establish who committed it.
Hill released a statement through his attorney earlier Thursday in which he said his “son’s health and happiness is my number one priority.” Hill also said that his focus is on “working hard to be the best person for my family and our community that I can be, and the best player to help our team win.”
Hill denies any role in what happened to the child’s arm, adding: “He says Daddy does a lot of things.”
She also tells Hill their son is “terrified of you.”
Hill replies, “You need to be terrified of me, too, bitch.”
Later in the conversation, Espinal asks Hill, “What do you do when the child is bad? You make him open up his arms and you punch him in the chest.”
KCTV said the audio was sent to the station without disclosing from whom. The station said it had shared the audio with Howe’s office, which did not return a message left late Thursday. Howe has acknowledged that the case could be reopened if there was new evidence.
Neither the Chiefs nor an attorney for Hill responded to a request for comment.
Hill is a two-time Pro Bowl wide receiver with a history of domestic issues, including a case in which he was accused of punching Espinal while she was pregnant and they were attending Oklahoma State.
Chiefs coach Andy Reid and general manager Brett Veach sidestepped questions about Hill’s legal situation last week, even as the wide receiver reported for the start of offseason workouts.
Howe said the NFL attempted to contact the district attorney’s office to gather information for its own investigation. The league could still punish Hill even if he is not charged with a crime.
Hill’s attorney, Trey Pettlon, has said that the wide receiver has cooperated with law enforcement throughout the investigation. Pettlon also said that Hill waived his Fifth Amendment rights, answered questions from law enforcement and the Department of Children and Families, and that he would continue to cooperate with authorities as they provide a safe environment for the child.
Howe would not say who has custody of the child because of an ongoing DCF investigation.
“We’re talking about a minor, a child, and the system and DCF and in child investigations, we have to be very cognizant about protecting the rights of the child,” Howe said. “We have to respect the wishes of the individuals involved in the case.”
Hill is entering the final year of his rookie contract, and the Chiefs have little depth at wide receiver. That means it is possible the Chiefs could target a pass-catcher when they make one of their three picks Friday night — they traded their first-round pick to Seattle earlier this week as part of a package to acquire pass rusher Frank Clark, who has his own history of domestic violence.
It’s unclear whether the new audio of Hill will change the Chiefs’ approach, though they did set a precedent late last year when it comes to domestic violence cases. That’s when they released star running back Kareem Hunt following a video that showed him pushing and kicking a woman in a hotel hallway.
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OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — Chiefs star wide receiver Tyreek Hill maintained his innocence Thursday after prosecutors in suburban Kansas City declined to charge him in a domestic incident involving his fiancee and 3-year-old son even after concluding a crime occurred.
Hill said in a statement provided by his attorney that his “son’s health and happiness is my number one priority.” Hill also said that his focus is on “working hard to be the best person for my family and our community that I can be, and the best player to help our team win.”
Police were called to the Hill’s home twice last month, and investigators determined that his child had been injured the second time. On Wednesday, the district attorney in Johnson County, Kansas, declined to press charges because he could not determine who was responsible for the injuries.
“We are deeply troubled by this situation,” DA Steve Howe said. “We believe a crime has occurred, however, the evidence in this case does not conclusively establish who committed this crime.”
The Chiefs said they were aware of the prosecutor’s decision but declined further comment. Howe said the NFL attempted to contact the district attorney’s office to gather information for its own investigation. The league could still punish Hill even though he was not charged with a crime. The league has declined to comment on the case.
Hill’s attorney, Trey Pettlon, said that the receiver has cooperated with law enforcement throughout the investigation. Pettlon also said that Hill waived his Fifth Amendment rights, answered questions from law enforcement and the Department of Children and Families, and that he would continue to cooperate with authorities as they provide a safe environment for the child.
Howe would not say who has custody of the child because of an ongoing DCF investigation.
“We’re talking about a minor, a child, and the system and DCF and in child investigations, we have to be very cognizant about protecting the rights of the child,” he said. “We have to respect the wishes of the individuals involved in the case.”
Chiefs coach Andy Reid and general manager Brett Veach sidestepped questions about Hill’s legal situation last week as the wide receiver reported for the start of offseason workouts.
Hill is a two-time Pro Bowl wide receiver with a history of domestic issues, including a case in which he was accused of punching his fiancee, Crystal Espinal, while he was at Oklahoma State.
Hill is entering the final year of his rookie contract, and the Chiefs have little depth at wide receiver. That means it is possible the Chiefs could target a pass-catcher when they make one of their three picks Friday night — they traded their first-round pick to Seattle earlier this week as part of a package to acquire pass rusher Frank Clark.
“I don’t know if it changes the priorities. We have a good group of guys that we really like,” Veach said of Hill’s situation. “I think we have some guys that are still here that maybe people don’t know about or realize that we know more about. But receiver, if there is a receiver that we like, early on we absolutely wouldn’t hesitate to pull the trigger.”
LAMAR, Mo. (AP) — A jury has recommended that a 39-year-old Lamar man be sentenced to five years in prison for pulling a gun during a confrontation with a police officer.
Kirch photo Barton Co.
William Kirch was convicted Tuesday of second-degree felony assault of a police officer.
Prosecutors say an officer approached Kirch in August 2017 in a car in Lamar.
The officer, Austin Eaves, testified that as Kirch was getting out of a car, he reached for a gun in his waistband. Eaves says that Kirch dropped the gun when the officer pulled on his arms.
Kirch’s attorney argued during trial that Kirch reached for the gun in order to put it on the car seat.
Volunteers are needed to help with flood cleanup Thursday and Friday at Heritage Park.
According to the St. Joseph Parks and Recreation Department, volunteers are needed to assist with cleaning up flood debris and silt at the Heritage Park Softball Complex.
The ballfields were underwater during the spring flood and help with scraping dried silt out of the pavilion and picking up debris in all areas of the complex are necessary in order to open the facility. Volunteers must be at least 10-years-old and should wear long pants, closed-toed shoes and bring gloves, if possible.
The clean up will be from 12:30-3:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday. Volunteers can check in at the front entrance of Heritage Park, 2202 Waterworks Rd.
For more information, contact the United Way at (816) 364-2381.
Several chances for showers starting today and continuing into the weekend as a series of weather disturbances move through. A few thunderstorms are even possible Sunday afternoon. Daytime temperatures will remain in the 60s and 70s with lows dipping into the 40 and 50s. Much of the region could see lows bottoming out in the mid to upper 30s late Saturday night into early Sunday morning. Here’s the 7-day forecast from the National Weather Service:
Today: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2 p.m. Patchy dense fog before 8 a.m. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 72. Breezy, with a light northwest wind becoming north 17 to 22 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Tonight: Clear, with a low around 45. North northwest wind 12 to 17 mph decreasing to 6 to 11 mph in the evening. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 69. North northwest wind around 8 mph becoming west in the afternoon.
Friday Night: A chance of showers after 1 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 53. Southeast wind 5 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Saturday: A slight chance of showers before 1 p.m. Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 70. Breezy, with a south wind 15 to 25 mph becoming west northwest in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 37 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 38. Breezy.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 61.
Sunday Night: A chance of showers, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 1 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 50. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Monday: A chance of showers before 1 p.m. Cloudy, with a high near 67. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
Monday Night: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 49. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
Tuesday: Showers likely. Cloudy, with a high near 61. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Tuesday Night: A chance of showers. Cloudy, with a low around 50. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
Wednesday: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 72. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – The former Linn County Attorney pleaded guilty Wednesday to federal charges of stealing 350 to 500 items including electronics and equipment that belonged to the county, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said today. The estimated value of the items is $75,000.
John Sutherland, 68, Mound City, Kan., who served as county attorney for approximately 20 years before leaving the job in January 2017, is charged with one count of mail fraud and one count of lying to federal investigators. The crimes are alleged to have taken place from sometime prior to January 2009 and continuing until Sutherland left office.
In his plea, Sutherland admitted that on Feb. 6, 2019, FBI agents found 13 items stolen from Linn County when they searched Sutherland’s office at the Wyandotte County District Attorney’s Office. At the time, Sutherland was working as an Assistant District Attorney. One of the items was a stolen Apple laptop computer.
When FBI agents interviewed him, Sutherland denied any wrongdoing and made other false statements. For instance, he claimed that an Apple TV 64 GB video-streaming device the county purchased for about $220 had been destroyed. FBI agents found the device intact at Sutherland’s residence. They also found that Sutherland had given some of the stolen items to his adult children.
In his plea agreement, Sutherland agreed to pay full restitution and to surrender his license to practice law. The mail fraud count carries a penalty of up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The false statement count carries a penalty of up to five years and a fine up to $250,000.
NODAWAY COUNTY — One person was injured in an accident just after 4p.m. Wednesday in Nodaway County.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2003 Ford Crown Victoria driven by John F. Schieber, 90, Ravenwood, was southbound on Highway E six miles east of Maryville.
After stopping at the stop sign at U.S. 136, the vehicle traveled into the path of a westbound 2012 Mazda 3 driven by Corey D. Money, 36, Maryville. The Mazda struck the Ford on the passenger side.
EMS transported Schieber to Mosaic Life Care. Money was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the MSHP.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly and top Republican legislators met Wednesday to try to break a stalemate on expanding Medicaid in Kansas, only to fail after she demanded that lawmakers approve a plan this year and the GOP leaders insisted on waiting until next year.
Kelly set aside four hours for talks in her Statehouse office with the majority leaders and heads of the health committees in the House and Senate, who oppose her expansion proposal. The meeting broke up after about 90 minutes when it became clear that neither Kelly nor the Republicans would give on whether a plan should pass this year, participants said.
The impasse sets up a high-stakes confrontation over one of the Democratic governor’s biggest campaign promises after the GOP-controlled Legislature ends an annual spring break May 1. The House approved a modified version of Kelly’s expansion plan last month, but the Senate has yet to take it up.
“She’s still willing to take (it) and try to cram it down everybody’s throats and then hope that the details come out in the wash,” said House health committee Chairwoman Brenda Landwehr, a conservative Wichita Republican. “That’s not the way to do this.”
Thirty-six states have either expanded Medicaid or seen voters approve ballot initiatives. Expansion enjoys bipartisan support in the Kansas Legislature but GOP leaders are still resisting, arguing that it is likely to prove costly to the state despite a promise that the federal government would cover 90 percent of the cost.
Patrick Willard, a senior director at Families USA, a national health care advocacy group that supports expansion, said Kelly’s meeting was a sign that GOP leaders understand the public’s deep concerns about health care and that expansion has popular support.
“In a state that has been holding out as long as Kansas has, people and the (health care) industry are hurting, and all of that is coming to a head,” Willard said.
Kelly and other expansion supporters have been trying to build pressure on Republican leaders to allow a Senate vote. The governor has held town hall meetings in GOP lawmakers’ districts and marked the 100th day of her administration Wednesday with a statement that Senate leaders should “stop playing games with taxpayers’ health care.”
Kelly spokeswoman Ashley All said the meeting gave Republican leaders a chance to negotiate a plan “in good faith.”
“She was disappointed that they didn’t provide any solutions or ideas — only excuses and stall tactics,” All said. “It became very clear that they were not interested in finding a solution to provide affordable health care for more Kansans this year.”
Kelly’s health secretary, Lee Norman, who participated in the meeting, said the administration agrees with the GOP leaders that more work needs to be done on the Medicaid expansion legislation.
“We’d like to continue to push ahead with it,” Norman said. “The cards are on the table, and I think the details are something that we can work out.”
Top Republicans have said in recent weeks they are willing to consider a more modest expansion than Kelly has advocated, as well as work requirements or drug testing for participants.
Families USA has released an analysis suggesting that the influx of federal dollars with expansion would spur economic activity and state tax revenues to offset the state’s costs. Kelly’s administration projected a net state cost of $34 million in expansion’s first year, but skeptical GOP leaders argue that it easily could be twice that.
Read my statement concerning today’s meeting with Governor Kelly, Senate Majority Leader Denning, Senate Health Chair Suellentrop, and House Health Chair Landwehr about Medicaid expansion. #kslegpic.twitter.com/lTdhGo2a4Q
House Majority Leader Dan Hawkins said after the meeting that he’s seen nothing that would “prevent expansion from busting the budget.”
“Medicaid expansion is like a lemon on a used car lot,” Hawkins said. “You can paint it up and give it that new car scent but it will never run right.”
I and other leadership members of the House and Senate met with Governor Laura Kelly today regarding a medicaid expansion plan. Details of the meeting are listed in the attached release. #kslegpic.twitter.com/kp0K3Qk5Wl
Senate Majority Leader Jim Denning, a conservative Kansas City-area Republican, said the legislation should also address problems with rising costs for Kansas consumers who get their health coverage through a federal marketplace. Denning committed Wednesday to a debate — but next year.
“She doesn’t want to wait until next year,” Denning said. “I always say if you want it bad, you get it bad. Gov. Kelly’s wanting it so bad, she’s willing to have it bad.”
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — Missouri State women’s basketball icon Jackie Stiles is leaving the school to be an assistant coach at Oklahoma.
Stiles-photo courtesy OU
Oklahoma announced Wednesday that it hired Stiles, who has been on the Lady Bears coaching staff for six seasons under former coach Kellie Harper.
The Springfield News-Leader reports that Stiles is leaving as Amaka Agugua-Hamilton replaces Harper as Missouri State’s head coach.
Missouri State Athletics Director Kyle Moats declined to say if Stiles was considered for the head coaching job.
Stiles held the Division I women’s basketball leading scorer record between 2001 and 2017. She led the Lady Bears to the 2001 NCAA Final Four and was the school’s first player to be drafted into the WNBA.
She is undergoing treatment for eye cancer, which was diagnosed in December 2017.
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Kansas man pleaded guilty Monday to armed bank robbery, according to U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister.
Hammeke -photo KDOCSecurity camera image from the bank robbery
Damon Hammeke, 26, Leavenworth, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of armed bank robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during a robbery. In his plea, he admitted that on Nov. 21, 2017, he robbed the Country Club Bank at 2310 South 4th Street in Leavenworth. He entered the bank wearing a white jacket and black mask and carrying a handgun. He left the bank with money.
Two days later, an officer in Tonganoxie attempted to stop him for a traffic offense. Hammeke fled, leading police on a high-speed chase through Tonganoxie, Basehor, Lansing, Leavenworth, Platte County, Mo., and Kansas City, Kan., before they were able to stop him.
Sentencing is set for July 22. He faces a penalty of up to 25 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the robbery charge as well as not less than seven years and a fine up to $250,000 on the firearm charge.
