A former Johnson County insurance agent has been sentenced to 24 months of probation on insurance fraud charges and ordered to repay nearly $86,000 in restitution, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said.
Armond R. Peghee, 42, pleaded guilty in January in Johnson County District Court to one count of fraudulent insurance act, one count of theft, one count of unlawful acts concerning computers, and three counts of identity theft. Peghee also agreed to repay $85,897.87 in restitution.
Johnson County District Court Chief Judge Thomas Kelly Ryan on Wednesday sentenced Peghee to the terms of the plea agreement reached in January, and additionally imposed a $5,000 fine.
An investigation by the Kansas Insurance Department determined that Peghee engaged in a fraudulent scheme where he submitted false applications for insurance policies for his customers without his customers’ knowledge. Peghee would receive the commission for the sale of the policies. The customers were unaware of the policies and the premiums went unpaid, according to the attorney general’s office. The policies were eventually canceled for nonpayment, but investigators found Peghee kept the commissions.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Paul Brothers of the Fraud and Abuse Litigation Division in Schmidt’s office.
With a freezing start to Friday, temperatures today should reach 54 by 5 p.m., according to the National Weather Service forecast.
The temperature at 8 a.m. was a cold 30 degrees, with a wind chill index of 25, the weather service said.
Temperatures will rise to 59 on Saturday and 64 on Sunday, according to the weather service forecast. Winds will gust up to 30 mph on Sunday.
Rain will be possible Sunday night through Tuesday night, the weather service said.
Today, it will be sunny with a high near 54 and an east northeast wind of 5 to 7 mph, the weather service said.
Tonight, it will be clear, with a low of 31 and an east southeast wind of 3 to 6 mph, according to the weather service.
Saturday, it will be sunny with a high near 59 and a south southeast wind of 5 to 13 mph, gusting as high as 21 mph, the weather service said.
Saturday night, it will be partly cloudy, with a low of 43 and a south southeast wind of 9 to 11 mph, gusting as high as 20 mph, according to the weather service.
Sunday, it will be mostly sunny, with a high near 64 and a south wind of 13 to 20 mph, gusting to 30 mph, the weather service said.
Sunday night, there is a 20 percent chance of rain after 1 a.m., with a low of 48, according to the weather service.
Monday, there is a 70 percent chance of rain, with a high near 59, the weather service said.
Monday night, there is an 80 percent chance of rain, with a low of 49, according to the weather service.
Tuesday, there is a 70 percent chance of rain, with a high near 58, the weather service said.
Tuesday night, there is a 30 percent chance of rain before 1 a.m., with a low of 40, according to the weather service.
Wednesday, it will be mostly sunny, with a high near 58, the weather service said.
Wednesday night, it will be partly cloudy, with a low of 38, according to the weather service.
Thursday, it will be mostly sunny, with a high near 61, the weather service said.
The Unified Government Health Department will have 500 doses of COVID-19 vaccines Friday at the Kansas National Guard Armory for walk-in vaccinations of those age 65 and older and high-contact critical workers in phases 1 and 2.
Wyandotte County residents who are in phases 1 and 2 are eligible to receive the free vaccines between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. at the armory at 100 S. 20th, Kansas City, Kansas.
No appointments are needed for the walk-in vaccines in phase 2, according to a Health Department spokesman. Vaccines will be given while the supplies last.
Those eligible to walk in at this event include:
Wyandotte County seniors ages 65 and over High-contact critical workers* who live in Wyandotte County, which includes:
Childcare providers, K-12 and childcare workers, including teachers, custodians, drivers and other staff, plus higher education educators and workers
Workers at businesses that create materials for the COVID-19 response (for example, businesses that manufacture personal protective equipment)
U.S. Postal Service workers
Department of Motor Vehicles workers
Large scale aviation manufacturing plants
Firefighters, police officers, first responders, corrections officers
Workers living Wyandotte County who were eligible in Phase 1 and have not yet been vaccinated, including:
Healthcare-associated workers
Workers critical to pandemic response continuity
*Critical workers are those necessary to maintain systems, assets and activities that are vital to the state (or national) security, the economy or public health as defined by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Eligible people who walk-in for a vaccination do not have to fill out the online Vaccine Interest Form. Instead, they should bring the following items with them: • Seniors should bring: o Proof of age, such as an ID or birth certificate, or similar o Proof that they live in Wyandotte County, such as a piece of mail addressed to them • Critical workers should bring: o Proof of eligible employment, such as a work badge, pay stub, W-2, or similar o Proof that they live in Wyandotte County, such as a piece of mail addressed to them
The other two Wyandotte County vaccination sites also will be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday. The other two sites are at the former Kmart store at 7836 State Ave. and the former Best Buy store at 10500 Parallel Parkway.
If you are not eligible to walk in, but you want to be vaccinated, fill out the vaccine interest form online or by telephone. Visit WycoVaccines.org or call 3-1-1 for assistance in filling out the form.
Telehealth seen as silver lining
At the University of Kansas Health System news conference on Thursday, doctors discussed the more widespread use of telehealth during the pandemic.
Telehealth has been a silver lining during the pandemic, said Jason Grundstrom, executive director of continuum of care at the health system. Because of the emergency, some of the previous barriers to the use of telehealth were eliminated. The KU Health System went from 100 patients a month on telehealth before the pandemic to about 33,000 patients in April 2020. Telehealth use now has leveled off, and many doctors now view it as an important part of their practice. Federal grants of $3 million allowed a huge increase in telehealth service, according to Grundstrom. He said they would like to keep the ability to use telehealth services.
Telehealth has been especially beneficial for small towns, according to Dr. Phillip Newlin, chief medical officer, Ascension Medical Group Via Christi. It helps small town doctors collaborate with experts, and also has helped in treating children who are sick, while preventing illness from spreading to the office.
According to Dr. Keith Sale, vice president of ambulatory medicine at the KU Health System, telehealth is very popular but won’t replace seeing a doctor in person. Most older patients have been able to figure it out, and telehealth even can be used for urgent care visits, according to Dr. Sale. He was in favor of keeping telehealth and helping it grow.
According to the doctors, 86 percent of Kansans support expanding or maintaining telehealth after the end of the pandemic.
COVID-19 case numbers reported
The University of Kansas Health System reported nine active COVID-19 patients on Thursday morning, a decrease of two since Wednesday, according to Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control. Of the nine patients, three were in the intensive care unit, a decrease of two since Wednesday. One patient was on a ventilator, a decrease of one since Wednesday. There were another 17 COVID-19 patients who were hospitalized but are out of the acute infection phase, a decrease of one since Wednesday. There is a total 26 patients, a decrease of three from Wednesday.
Wyandotte County reported an increase of 18 COVID-19 cases on Thursday, March 18, since Wednesday, for a cumulative 17,941 cases. There was a cumulative total of 281 deaths reported, an increase of three reported since Wednesday.
The Mid-America Regional Council’s COVID-19 dashboard reported 162,668 cumulative COVID-19 cases on Thursday. The daily average of new hospitalizations was 68. The number of cumulative deaths was 2,301.
The state of Kansas reported 298,904 cumulative COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, March 17, an increase of 686 cases since Monday. There were a total cumulative 4,837 deaths reported, an increase of two deaths. Kansas reported 894,507 doses of COVID-19 vaccine had been administered in the state as of 9 a.m. March 17, including first and second doses.
The Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 dashboard on Thursday night reported 29,665,203 cases in the United States, with 539,662 total deaths reported nationwide.
COVID-19 tests scheduled Friday
Free COVID-19 tests will be available from 8 a.m. to noon Friday, March 19, at Beatrice Lee Community Center, 1310 N. 10th St., Kansas City, Kansas.
Another COVID-19 testing site will be at Lowe’s, 6920 State Ave., Kansas City, Kansas, at 8 a.m. Friday, March 19. Tests are through WellHealth. Appointments are required, check with the website, www.gogettested.com/Kansas, for available appointment times.
Pierson Community Center, 1800 S. 55th St., Kansas City, Kansas, will offer COVID-19 testing at 9 a.m. Friday, March 19. Tests are through WellHealth. Appointments are required, check with the website, www.gogettested.com/Kansas, for available appointment times.
Unified Government Health Department COVID-19 testing and vaccine sites are scheduled to be open on Friday, March 19. The test site at the former Kmart building at 78th and State will be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, March 19. Appointments are not needed for COVID-19 tests and vaccinations for those over 65 on Friday. There is also a UG Health Department location for COVID-19 testing and vaccinations at the former Best Buy store, 10500 Parallel Parkway, Kansas City, Kansas. A third Health Department site, for vaccinations, is at the Kansas National Guard Armory at 100 S. 20th.
The Health Department is offering saliva COVID-19 tests to the public. Tests from the Health Department are free for those who live or work in Wyandotte County.
The tests are open to asymptomatic people as well as those who have symptoms or have been exposed to COVID-19. Check with the UG Health Department’s Facebook page to see if there have been any changes in the schedule. Bring something that shows that you live or work in Wyandotte County, such as a utility bill.
More residents now can walk in for vaccinations
The UG Health Department is offering COVID-19 vaccines Monday through Friday for Wyandotte County residents who are 65 and older, and also for high-contact critical workers in Phase 2.
Those Wyandotte County residents who are 65 or older, and critical workers in Phase 1 and 2, can walk in and do not need an appointment from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday at the vaccination sites at the former Kmart store at 7836 State Ave., the former Best Buy store at 10500 Parallel Parkway and the Kansas National Guard Armory at 100 S. 20th.
Those who walk in to get vaccines should bring an ID and something showing their Wyandotte County address, such as mail. Critical workers should bring a work badge or a document showing they work in Wyandotte County.
Those Wyandotte County residents who are younger than 65, or are not eligible yet, may fill out a form expressing interest in getting a vaccine at WycoVaccines.org or call 3-1-1.
There are also pharmacies giving COVID-19 vaccinations in Wyandotte County by appointment, when available. These include Price Chopper and Hen House pharmacy at 76th and State Avenue, and 81st and State Avenue (see https://www.ballsfoodspharmacy.com/), and Medicine Shoppe pharmacy at 65th and Parallel by appointment when available (see https://www.facebook.com/The-Medicine-Shoppe-Kansas-City-281548241870522). CVS pharmacy also has announced Thursday that it will offer COVID-19 vaccines at one of its stores in Kansas City, Kansas, beginning as early as March 21. Registration is at CVS.com.
