MANHATTAN — A public hearing will be conducted at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, October 19, 2023, to consider the adoption of proposed regulations that govern the administration of the Kansas Seed Law. The hearing will be held in person at the Kansas Department of Agriculture at 1320 Research Park Dr. in Manhattan, as well as via video conferencing system.

KDA is proposing four new regulations along with amendments to two existing regulations, all of which implement revisions and offer clarification to the Kansas Seed Law. The new regulations define terms, set guidelines about analysis to determine violations, establish a list of restricted weed seeds, establish a list of prohibited weed seeds, and clarify rules for seed labels.

For the most part, these changes implement revisions that were made to the Kansas Seed Law during the 2022 legislative session and also make minor clarifications. The only change imposed by these regulations that has the potential to have a practical effect on the agricultural seed industry is the addition of Caucasian bluestem and yellow bluestem seeds to the list of restricted weed seeds. This addition is proposed to help safeguard the agricultural industry from the threat of invasive weeds which is part of the agency’s mission to protect plant health.

KDA welcomes public input on any portion of the proposed regulations — especially the addition of the new species, including those species of Old World Bluestem — to the list of restricted weed seeds. Input can be shared on the public comment portion of the KDA website at&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDAsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHA6Ly93d3cuYWdyaWN1bHR1cmUua3MuZ292L1B1YmxpY0NvbW1lbnQ_dXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fc291cmNlPWdvdmRlbGl2ZXJ5IiwiYnVsbGV0aW5faWQiOiIyMDIzMDkyOS44MzM0NDExMSJ9.SdOYbS_Owt-XNYereI54qNcuhxudi0nNf3wzptYS_8U/s/1377890830/br/227073869448-l" target="_blank">agriculture.ks.gov/PublicComment</a>&nbsp;prior to the hearing or sent to the Kansas Department of Agriculture, 1320 Research Park Dr., Manhattan, KS 66502. A copy of the proposed regulations, as well as an expanded notice of public hearing, may be accessed on that webpage as well.

Public comment will also be possible at the public hearing both for in-person and online participants. Anyone desiring to participate via video conference must pre-register at the Public Comment webpage to be provided with a video link.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689965639199.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KDAMANHATTAN — A public hearing will be conducted at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, October 19, 2023, to consider the adoption of proposed regulations that govern the administration of the Kansas Seed Law. The hearing will be held in person at the Kansas Department of Agriculture at 1320 Research Park Dr. in Manhattan, as well as via video conferencing system.KDA is proposing four new regulations along with amendments to two existing regulations, all of which implement revisions and offer clarification to the Kansas Seed Law. The new regulations define terms, set guidelines about analysis to determine violations, establish a list of restricted weed seeds, establish a list of prohibited weed seeds, and clarify rules for seed labels.For the most part, these changes implement revisions that were made to the Kansas Seed Law during the 2022 legislative session and also make minor clarifications. The only change imposed by these regulations that has the potential to have a practical effect on the agricultural seed industry is the addition of Caucasian bluestem and yellow bluestem seeds to the list of restricted weed seeds. This addition is proposed to help safeguard the agricultural industry from the threat of invasive weeds which is part of the agency’s mission to protect plant health.KDA welcomes public input on any portion of the proposed regulations — especially the addition of the new species, including those species of Old World Bluestem — to the list of restricted weed seeds. Input can be shared on the public comment portion of the KDA website at&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDAsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHA6Ly93d3cuYWdyaWN1bHR1cmUua3MuZ292L1B1YmxpY0NvbW1lbnQ_dXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fc291cmNlPWdvdmRlbGl2ZXJ5IiwiYnVsbGV0aW5faWQiOiIyMDIzMDkyOS44MzM0NDExMSJ9.SdOYbS_Owt-XNYereI54qNcuhxudi0nNf3wzptYS_8U/s/1377890830/br/227073869448-l" target="_blank">agriculture.ks.gov/PublicComment</a>&nbsp;prior to the hearing or sent to the Kansas Department of Agriculture, 1320 Research Park Dr., Manhattan, KS 66502. A copy of the proposed regulations, as well as an expanded notice of public hearing, may be accessed on that webpage as well.Public comment will also be possible at the public hearing both for in-person and online participants. Anyone desiring to participate via video conference must pre-register at the Public Comment webpage to be provided with a video link.

New regulations under consideration for Kansas Seed Law

PRATT&nbsp;– On Nov. 1, 2023, the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks will hold a public auction for surplus bison from Maxwell Wildlife Refuge and the Sandsage Bison Range. The auction will begin at 11 a.m. and take place at Maxwell Wildlife Refuge – six miles north of Canton in McPherson County. Bidding and non-bidding parties are welcome and encouraged to attend.

Maxwell Wildlife Refuge is managed specifically to preserve the area’s prairie heritage. As such, herds of bison and elk are maintained, both species that are native to Kansas grasslands. However, because the Refuge can support only a certain number of animals, surplus bison are occasionally sold at a public auction.

A combined total of 62 bison will be auctioned this year, including:

10 – Cows&nbsp; 10 – Yearling Heifers&nbsp; 12 – 2-yr-old Bulls 11 – Yearling Bulls&nbsp; 9 – Bull Calves&nbsp; 10 – Heifer Calves&nbsp;

Heifer calves older than six months will be vaccinated for brucellosis and certificates issued.

Those interested in bidding may preregister by filling out the&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8va3NvdXRkb29ycy5jb20vY29udGVudC9kb3dubG9hZC81NjMxMi82MTE4MjIvdmVyc2lvbi8xL2ZpbGUvUmVnaXN0cmF0aW9uK0Zvcm0rRmlsbGFibGUrQmlzb24rQXVjdGlvbitSZWdpc3RyYXRpb24ucGRmIiwiYnVsbGV0aW5faWQiOiIyMDIzMTAwMy44MzU0Nzc5MSJ9.IcJrpXzrY_uBqsKGns2ryVqCRKp2mszxudQaEJMgHL8/s/1303161001/br/227328180713-l" target="_blank">bidder registration form</a>&nbsp;and emailing it to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:sarah.navarro@ks.gov">sarah.navarro@ks.gov</a>. Registration will also be available on site.

Buyers must pick up bison on the day of the sale or make arrangements with the refuge manager prior to the sale. Animals become the buyer’s responsibility upon settlement on auction day.

Load-out assistance is available until dusk on the day of the auction. Trailers should be covered or lined, as bison transport best in dark conditions.

Cash and personal checks (if accompanied by a notarized authorization letter from the issuing bank) will be accepted.

KDWP reserves the right to reject any or all bids.

For questions regarding the auction, contact Maxwell Wildlife Refuge manager Cliff Peterson at 620-628-4592 or the KDWP Pratt Operations Office at 620- 672-0797.

For more on Maxwell Wildlife Refuge, including tour information, click&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8va3NvdXRkb29ycy5jb20vS0RXUC1JbmZvL0xvY2F0aW9ucy9XaWxkbGlmZS1BcmVhcy9Tb3V0aC1DZW50cmFsL01heHdlbGwiLCJidWxsZXRpbl9pZCI6IjIwMjMxMDAzLjgzNTQ3NzkxIn0.OoaheellzV2QVztxV-zy0EQ02cdoMTdCYn41K73uA8k/s/1303161001/br/227328180713-l" target="_blank">HERE</a>.

For more on the Sandsage Bison Range, click&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDMsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHA6Ly9rc291dGRvb3JzLmNvbS9LRFdQLUluZm8vTG9jYXRpb25zL1dpbGRsaWZlLUFyZWFzL1NvdXRod2VzdC9TYW5kc2FnZS1CaXNvbi1SYW5nZSIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzEwMDMuODM1NDc3OTEifQ.C0SWOE4RfQA8-9Jxj3LSH5ajJvS39_9r46MWL6URb9U/s/1303161001/br/227328180713-l" target="_blank">HERE</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696428243107.png" alt="Sandsage bison (Photo by KDWP)&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Sandsage bison (Photo by KDWP)&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>KDWPPRATT&nbsp;– On Nov. 1, 2023, the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks will hold a public auction for surplus bison from Maxwell Wildlife Refuge and the Sandsage Bison Range. The auction will begin at 11 a.m. and take place at Maxwell Wildlife Refuge – six miles north of Canton in McPherson County. Bidding and non-bidding parties are welcome and encouraged to attend.Maxwell Wildlife Refuge is managed specifically to preserve the area’s prairie heritage. As such, herds of bison and elk are maintained, both species that are native to Kansas grasslands. However, because the Refuge can support only a certain number of animals, surplus bison are occasionally sold at a public auction.A combined total of 62 bison will be auctioned this year, including:10 – Cows&nbsp; 10 – Yearling Heifers&nbsp; 12 – 2-yr-old Bulls 11 – Yearling Bulls&nbsp; 9 – Bull Calves&nbsp; 10 – Heifer Calves&nbsp; Heifer calves older than six months will be vaccinated for brucellosis and certificates issued.Those interested in bidding may preregister by filling out the&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8va3NvdXRkb29ycy5jb20vY29udGVudC9kb3dubG9hZC81NjMxMi82MTE4MjIvdmVyc2lvbi8xL2ZpbGUvUmVnaXN0cmF0aW9uK0Zvcm0rRmlsbGFibGUrQmlzb24rQXVjdGlvbitSZWdpc3RyYXRpb24ucGRmIiwiYnVsbGV0aW5faWQiOiIyMDIzMTAwMy44MzU0Nzc5MSJ9.IcJrpXzrY_uBqsKGns2ryVqCRKp2mszxudQaEJMgHL8/s/1303161001/br/227328180713-l" target="_blank">bidder registration form</a>&nbsp;and emailing it to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:sarah.navarro@ks.gov">sarah.navarro@ks.gov</a>. Registration will also be available on site.Buyers must pick up bison on the day of the sale or make arrangements with the refuge manager prior to the sale. Animals become the buyer’s responsibility upon settlement on auction day.Load-out assistance is available until dusk on the day of the auction. Trailers should be covered or lined, as bison transport best in dark conditions.Cash and personal checks (if accompanied by a notarized authorization letter from the issuing bank) will be accepted.KDWP reserves the right to reject any or all bids.For questions regarding the auction, contact Maxwell Wildlife Refuge manager Cliff Peterson at 620-628-4592 or the KDWP Pratt Operations Office at 620- 672-0797.For more on Maxwell Wildlife Refuge, including tour information, click&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8va3NvdXRkb29ycy5jb20vS0RXUC1JbmZvL0xvY2F0aW9ucy9XaWxkbGlmZS1BcmVhcy9Tb3V0aC1DZW50cmFsL01heHdlbGwiLCJidWxsZXRpbl9pZCI6IjIwMjMxMDAzLjgzNTQ3NzkxIn0.OoaheellzV2QVztxV-zy0EQ02cdoMTdCYn41K73uA8k/s/1303161001/br/227328180713-l" target="_blank">HERE</a>.For more on the Sandsage Bison Range, click&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDMsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHA6Ly9rc291dGRvb3JzLmNvbS9LRFdQLUluZm8vTG9jYXRpb25zL1dpbGRsaWZlLUFyZWFzL1NvdXRod2VzdC9TYW5kc2FnZS1CaXNvbi1SYW5nZSIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzEwMDMuODM1NDc3OTEifQ.C0SWOE4RfQA8-9Jxj3LSH5ajJvS39_9r46MWL6URb9U/s/1303161001/br/227328180713-l" target="_blank">HERE</a>.

Public invited to bison auction at Maxwell Wildlife Refuge on Nov 1

TOPEKA&nbsp;– The State Library of Kansas Board held its regular meeting at the Statehouse last week. Several grant applications were among the key items discussed. The board unanimously approved funding for one Statewide Courier Grant and three Talking Books Service Outreach Grants. &nbsp;

The Statewide Courier Grant in the amount of $190,000 was awarded to the Northeast Kansas Library System to subsidize costs associated with administering the courier services that provide cost-effective and convenient delivery of shared resources between participating libraries across the state.&nbsp;

Outreach Grants to promote Kansas Talking Books services were provided to the Central, Northwest, and Southeast Kansas Library Systems, each in the amount of $14,043. These funds are used by each system to increase awareness of Talking Books programming for Kansans with print disabilities in each regional system’s service area. Activities funded by this grant include patron assistance and participation in community events such as health fair booths, relevant regional meetings, and visits to service providers, including schools and assisted living facilities.

Networking and community participation ensure that every qualifying entity across Kansas is made aware of the resources available through the Talking Book program through personal and professional connection to a quality library service.

These decisions underscore the Board's commitment to improving statewide library services and ensuring efficient resource access for all Kansas residents. For more information about the Board, see <a href="https://kslib.info/board">kslib.info/board</a>.&nbsp;

About the State Library of Kansas:

The State Library of Kansas serves as the central library agency for the state, providing a wide range of support and resources to libraries across Kansas. Its mission is to promote, develop, and support library and information services to ensure the availability of knowledge and cultural resources for all Kansans. Visit <a href="https://kslib.info/1474/Discover-What-Your-State-Library-Has-To-">kslib.info/discover</a> for general information about library services, or contact library staff at <a href="http://kslib.info/ask">kslib.info/ask</a>. Talking Books resources and information can be found at <a href="https://kslib.info/talking">kslib.info/talking</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696425247642.jpeg" alt="Photo by Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>KS State LibraryTOPEKA&nbsp;– The State Library of Kansas Board held its regular meeting at the Statehouse last week. Several grant applications were among the key items discussed. The board unanimously approved funding for one Statewide Courier Grant and three Talking Books Service Outreach Grants. &nbsp;The Statewide Courier Grant in the amount of $190,000 was awarded to the Northeast Kansas Library System to subsidize costs associated with administering the courier services that provide cost-effective and convenient delivery of shared resources between participating libraries across the state.&nbsp;Outreach Grants to promote Kansas Talking Books services were provided to the Central, Northwest, and Southeast Kansas Library Systems, each in the amount of $14,043. These funds are used by each system to increase awareness of Talking Books programming for Kansans with print disabilities in each regional system’s service area. Activities funded by this grant include patron assistance and participation in community events such as health fair booths, relevant regional meetings, and visits to service providers, including schools and assisted living facilities. Networking and community participation ensure that every qualifying entity across Kansas is made aware of the resources available through the Talking Book program through personal and professional connection to a quality library service.These decisions underscore the Board's commitment to improving statewide library services and ensuring efficient resource access for all Kansas residents. For more information about the Board, see <a href="https://kslib.info/board">kslib.info/board</a>.&nbsp;About the State Library of Kansas: The State Library of Kansas serves as the central library agency for the state, providing a wide range of support and resources to libraries across Kansas. Its mission is to promote, develop, and support library and information services to ensure the availability of knowledge and cultural resources for all Kansans. Visit <a href="https://kslib.info/1474/Discover-What-Your-State-Library-Has-To-">kslib.info/discover</a> for general information about library services, or contact library staff at <a href="http://kslib.info/ask">kslib.info/ask</a>. Talking Books resources and information can be found at <a href="https://kslib.info/talking">kslib.info/talking</a>.

NW Kansas Library System gets state grant for Talking Books outreach service

WASHINGTON (AP) — “THIS IS A TEST:" If you have a cell phone or are watching television Wednesday that message will flash across your screen as the federal government tests its emergency alert system used to tell people about emergencies.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/practitioners/integrated-public-alert-warning-system">Integrated Public Alert and Warning System</a>&nbsp;sends out messages via the&nbsp;<a href="https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fema.gov%2Femergency-alert-system&amp;data=05%7C01%7CPMarcelo%40ap.org%7Ccef8e0e7fb174b82465408dbbacf9e85%7Ce442e1abfd6b4ba3abf3b020eb50df37%7C1%7C0%7C638309173128071582%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=aZXAjubdHzIm0ZbVuRKH0kEtRsXU2kwk8P92tEFOwyQ%3D&amp;reserved=0">Emergency Alert System</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/practitioners/integrated-public-alert-warning-system/public/wireless-emergency-alerts">Wireless Emergency Alerts</a>.

The Emergency Alert System is a national public warning system that's designed to allow the president to speak to the American people within ten minutes during a national emergency via specific outlets such as radio and television. And Wireless Emergency Alerts are short messages — 360 characters or less — that go to mobile phones to alert their owner to important information.

While these types of alerts are frequently used in targeted areas to alert people in the area to thing like tornadoes, Wednesday's test is being done across the country.

The test is slated to start at 2:20 p.m. Eastern Time Wednesday. Wireless phone customers in the United States whose phones are on will get a message saying: “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.” The incoming message will also make a noise and the phone should vibrate.

Customers whose phones are set to the Spanish language will get the message in Spanish.

The test will be conducted over a 30-minute window started at 1:20 p.m. CDT although mobile phone owners would only get the message once. If their phones are turned off at 1:20 p.m. and then turned on in the next 30 minutes, they'll get the message when they turn their phones back on. If they turn their phones on after the 30 minutes have expired they will not get the message.

People watching broadcast or cable television or listening to the radio will hear and see a message lasting one minute that says: “This is a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System, issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, covering the United States from 1:20 CDT to 1:50 hours CDT. This is only a test. No action is required by the public."

Federal law&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/senate-bill/1180">requires</a>&nbsp;the systems be tested at least once every three years. The last nationwide test was Aug. 11, 2021.

The test&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-fema-hydroxychloroquine-rand-paul-ukraine-cf1d1adb0f179593b64d92be0a5d5507">has spurred falsehoods on social media</a>&nbsp;that it's part of a plot to send a signal to cell phones nationwide in order to activate nanoparticles such as graphene oxide that have been introduced into people’s bodies. Experts and FEMA officials have dismissed those claims but some social media say they'll shut off their cellphones Wednesday.

All wireless phones should receive the message only once. The following can be expected from the nationwide WEA test:

WEA alerts are created and sent by authorized federal, state, local, tribal and territorial government agencies through IPAWS to participating wireless providers, which deliver the alerts to compatible handsets in geo-targeted areas. To help ensure that these alerts are accessible to the entire public, including people with disabilities, the alerts are accompanied by a unique tone and vibration.&nbsp;

Important information about the EAS test:

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695205625537.png" alt="Photo FEMA" />
 <figcaption>Photo FEMA</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — “THIS IS A TEST:" If you have a cell phone or are watching television Wednesday that message will flash across your screen as the federal government tests its emergency alert system used to tell people about emergencies.The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/practitioners/integrated-public-alert-warning-system">Integrated Public Alert and Warning System</a>&nbsp;sends out messages via the&nbsp;<a href="https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fema.gov%2Femergency-alert-system&amp;data=05%7C01%7CPMarcelo%40ap.org%7Ccef8e0e7fb174b82465408dbbacf9e85%7Ce442e1abfd6b4ba3abf3b020eb50df37%7C1%7C0%7C638309173128071582%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=aZXAjubdHzIm0ZbVuRKH0kEtRsXU2kwk8P92tEFOwyQ%3D&amp;reserved=0">Emergency Alert System</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/practitioners/integrated-public-alert-warning-system/public/wireless-emergency-alerts">Wireless Emergency Alerts</a>.The Emergency Alert System is a national public warning system that's designed to allow the president to speak to the American people within ten minutes during a national emergency via specific outlets such as radio and television. And Wireless Emergency Alerts are short messages — 360 characters or less — that go to mobile phones to alert their owner to important information.While these types of alerts are frequently used in targeted areas to alert people in the area to thing like tornadoes, Wednesday's test is being done across the country.The test is slated to start at 2:20 p.m. Eastern Time Wednesday. Wireless phone customers in the United States whose phones are on will get a message saying: “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.” The incoming message will also make a noise and the phone should vibrate.Customers whose phones are set to the Spanish language will get the message in Spanish.The test will be conducted over a 30-minute window started at 1:20 p.m. CDT although mobile phone owners would only get the message once. If their phones are turned off at 1:20 p.m. and then turned on in the next 30 minutes, they'll get the message when they turn their phones back on. If they turn their phones on after the 30 minutes have expired they will not get the message.People watching broadcast or cable television or listening to the radio will hear and see a message lasting one minute that says: “This is a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System, issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, covering the United States from 1:20 CDT to 1:50 hours CDT. This is only a test. No action is required by the public."Federal law&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/senate-bill/1180">requires</a>&nbsp;the systems be tested at least once every three years. The last nationwide test was Aug. 11, 2021.The test&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-fema-hydroxychloroquine-rand-paul-ukraine-cf1d1adb0f179593b64d92be0a5d5507">has spurred falsehoods on social media</a>&nbsp;that it's part of a plot to send a signal to cell phones nationwide in order to activate nanoparticles such as graphene oxide that have been introduced into people’s bodies. Experts and FEMA officials have dismissed those claims but some social media say they'll shut off their cellphones Wednesday.All wireless phones should receive the message only once. The following can be expected from the nationwide WEA test:<ul>
 <li>Beginning at approximately 2:20 p.m. ET, cell towers will broadcast the test for approximately 30 minutes. During this time, WEA-compatible wireless phones that are switched on, within range of an active cell tower, and whose wireless provider participates in WEA, should be capable of receiving the test message.&nbsp;</li><li>For consumers, the message that appears on their phones will read: “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.”</li><li>Phones with the main menu set to Spanish will display: “ESTA ES UNA PRUEBA del Sistema Nacional de Alerta de Emergencia. No se necesita acción.”</li>
 </ul>WEA alerts are created and sent by authorized federal, state, local, tribal and territorial government agencies through IPAWS to participating wireless providers, which deliver the alerts to compatible handsets in geo-targeted areas. To help ensure that these alerts are accessible to the entire public, including people with disabilities, the alerts are accompanied by a unique tone and vibration.&nbsp;Important information about the EAS test:<ul>
 <li>The EAS portion of the test is scheduled to last approximately one minute and will be conducted with the participation of radio and television broadcasters, cable systems, satellite radio and television providers&nbsp;and wireline video providers.</li><li>The test message will be similar to the regular monthly EAS test messages with which the public is familiar. It will state: “This is a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System, issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, covering the United States from 14:20 to 14:50 hours ET. This is only a test. No action is required by the public.</li>
 </ul>

Nationwide emergency alert test today via mobile phones, radio

PHELPS COUNTY —Inmates Steven Timothy Scott and Jonathan Eugene Schmidt O'Dell both managed to escape from the jail in Phelps County, according to the FBI in Kansas City. Scott later turning himself to authorities. 

Law enforcement continue to search for33-year-old Schmidt O'Dell. He is described as a white male, 6-feet-1 inches tall and weighs approximately 200 pounds with brown hair, blue eyes and a full beard at the time of his booking. 

He may have shaved his beard to disguise his identity. He was last seen wearing a maroon-colored shirt with a Phelps County logo and brown slacks with a tan stripe.

Just after 11p.m. Friday the two inmates at the Phelps County Jail escaped by comprising the structural integrity of the cell and exiting the building. 

O'Dell is facing federal charges. According to a federal indictment O'Dell planned to travel to Texas to shoot at illegal immigrants who crossed into the U.S. from Mexico. The indictment also alleges he planned to murder officers and employees of U.S. Border Patrol who attempted to stop him.

As a reminder, anyone who aids a wanted fugitive could be subject to serious charges.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Jonathan O'Dell is asked to call 9-1-1 as soon as possible.  For non-emergency tips, please call our command post at (573) 426-3886.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1696102076107.png" alt="What escaped Phelps County Jail inmate O'Dell looked like without his beard. Call 911 is you see him." />
 <figcaption>What escaped Phelps County Jail inmate O'Dell looked like without his beard. Call 911 is you see him.</figcaption>
 </figure>PHELPS COUNTY —Inmates Steven Timothy Scott and Jonathan Eugene Schmidt O'Dell both managed to escape from the jail in Phelps County, according to the FBI in Kansas City. Scott later turning himself to authorities. Law enforcement continue to search for33-year-old Schmidt O'Dell. He is described as a white male, 6-feet-1 inches tall and weighs approximately 200 pounds with brown hair, blue eyes and a full beard at the time of his booking. He may have shaved his beard to disguise his identity. He was last seen wearing a maroon-colored shirt with a Phelps County logo and brown slacks with a tan stripe.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1696102787994.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Just after 11p.m. Friday the two inmates at the Phelps County Jail escaped by comprising the structural integrity of the cell and exiting the building. O'Dell is facing federal charges. According to a federal indictment O'Dell planned to travel to Texas to shoot at illegal immigrants who crossed into the U.S. from Mexico. The indictment also alleges he planned to murder officers and employees of U.S. Border Patrol who attempted to stop him.As a reminder, anyone who aids a wanted fugitive could be subject to serious charges.Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Jonathan O'Dell is asked to call 9-1-1 as soon as possible. For non-emergency tips, please call our command post at (573) 426-3886.

FBI: Search continues for escapee from county jail in Missouri

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Starting September 25, you can order four free test kits per household through&nbsp;<a href="https://www.covid.gov/tests">COVIDtests.gov</a>.

The tests will detect the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/coronavirus-covid-19-and-medical-devices/sars-cov-2-viral-mutations-impact-covid-19-tests">currently circulating COVID-19 variants</a>&nbsp;and are intended for use through the end of 2023. The kits will include&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/coronavirus-covid-19-and-medical-devices/home-otc-covid-19-diagnostic-tests#list">instructions on how to verify extended expiration dates</a>.&nbsp;Many kits have had their expiration dates extended beyond what may be printed on the packaging.

You don’t have to pay for shipping, and you’ll never be asked for a credit card or bank account number. You only need to give a name and shipping address. If you’d like an email confirmation and delivery updates from the U.S. Postal Service, you can submit your email address.&nbsp;Anyone who asks for more information than that is a scammer.&nbsp;

• Only go to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.covidtests.gov/" target="_blank">COVIDtests.gov</a>&nbsp;to order your free test kits from the federal government. When you click to order, you’ll be redirected to&nbsp;<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/now-leaving?external_url=https%3A%2F%2Fspecial.usps.com%2Ftestkits&amp;back_url=https%3A%2F%2Fconsumer.ftc.gov%2Fconsumer-alerts%2F2022%2F01%2Fits-official-get-free-covid-test-kits-covidtestsgov" target="_blank">special.usps.com/testkits</a>. If you’re following a link from a news story, double-check the URL that shows in your browser’s address bar.&nbsp;

• No one will call, text, or email you from the federal government to ask for your information to “help” you order free kits. Don’t give out your credit card, bank account, or Social Security number. Do not respond. Instead, report it to the Federal Trade Commission at&nbsp;<a href="https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/#/" target="_blank">ReportFraud.ftc.gov</a>.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695743544779.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FTCWASHINGTON, D.C. — Starting September 25, you can order four free test kits per household through&nbsp;<a href="https://www.covid.gov/tests">COVIDtests.gov</a>.The tests will detect the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/coronavirus-covid-19-and-medical-devices/sars-cov-2-viral-mutations-impact-covid-19-tests">currently circulating COVID-19 variants</a>&nbsp;and are intended for use through the end of 2023. The kits will include&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/coronavirus-covid-19-and-medical-devices/home-otc-covid-19-diagnostic-tests#list">instructions on how to verify extended expiration dates</a>.&nbsp;Many kits have had their expiration dates extended beyond what may be printed on the packaging.You don’t have to pay for shipping, and you’ll never be asked for a credit card or bank account number. You only need to give a name and shipping address. If you’d like an email confirmation and delivery updates from the U.S. Postal Service, you can submit your email address.&nbsp;Anyone who asks for more information than that is a scammer.&nbsp;So, remember:• Only go to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.covidtests.gov/" target="_blank">COVIDtests.gov</a>&nbsp;to order your free test kits from the federal government. When you click to order, you’ll be redirected to&nbsp;<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/now-leaving?external_url=https%3A%2F%2Fspecial.usps.com%2Ftestkits&amp;back_url=https%3A%2F%2Fconsumer.ftc.gov%2Fconsumer-alerts%2F2022%2F01%2Fits-official-get-free-covid-test-kits-covidtestsgov" target="_blank">special.usps.com/testkits</a>. If you’re following a link from a news story, double-check the URL that shows in your browser’s address bar.&nbsp;• No one will call, text, or email you from the federal government to ask for your information to “help” you order free kits. Don’t give out your credit card, bank account, or Social Security number. Do not respond. Instead, report it to the Federal Trade Commission at&nbsp;<a href="https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/#/" target="_blank">ReportFraud.ftc.gov</a>.&nbsp;

FTC: Free COVID test kits are back: Here’s how to get yours

NEW YORK (AP) — With gridlock persisting in Washington, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-congress-biden-trump-mccarthy-f1b06964cf549b09977677e5f70bf9ff" target="_blank">government shutdown</a>&nbsp;is looking all but inevitable ahead of the Saturday night deadline.

While the Senate pushes forward with bipartisan approach aimed at keeping the government open, the Republican-controlled House has made little progress — most recently with Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-mccarthy-house-republicans-biden-4b6644959722dbbbed654768bd9fc653" target="_blank">last-ditch plan collapsing</a>&nbsp;Friday. If spending measures aren’t passed by Saturday night, millions of federal employees&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/national-park-grand-canyon-shutdown-budget-congress-55c06261c51650e34f4591626bd9f236" target="_blank">will be furloughed</a>&nbsp;and many others will be forced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-gop-federal-workers-congress-government-5978a4c7411eba06261d16c3aff3dfc5" target="_blank">to work without pay</a>&nbsp;until the shutdown ends.

A handful of federal safety services that people rely on everyday are also in jeopardy. From dwindling funds for critical food assistance programs to potential delays in customer service for recipients of low-staffed Medicare and Social Security offices. The ripple effects would come down to how long the shutdown lasts and varying contingency plans in place at impacted agencies.

“Collectively, hundreds of millions of Americans, a majority of the population, are receiving some kind of benefits from the government,” said Forrest V. Morgeson III, an associate professor at Michigan State University’s Broad College of Business. He noted a shutdown would bring significant financial uncertainty and economic implications down the road.

Will SNAP be affected by a government shutdown? What about WIC?

A government shutdown could risk millions of low-income Americans’ access to food and nutrition assistance programs — with impacts depending on how long the shutdown lasts and program-by-program contingency funds.

Nearly 7 million women and children who rely on the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) could be at risk of losing assistance almost immediately into a shutdown, according to the Biden Administration. That’s because the federal contingency fund supporting normal WIC operations will likely run out in a matter of days — pushing states to rely on their own money or carryover funds.

Impacted families are “going to be going to food pantries,” said Dr. Nancy Nielsen, senior associate dean for health policy at the University at Buffalo’s Jacobs School of Medicine &amp; Biomedical Sciences. “These are people who need the help. These are moms. These are infants. So this is a real problem.”

Families who receive benefits from the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program" target="_blank">Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program</a>&nbsp;could also lose assistance if a shutdown drags out for a more significant period of time. According to the Agriculture Department, regardless of what happens in Washington this weekend, households will receive SNAP assistance as usual through October.

What about Head Start programs and free school lunch?

<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/head-start-program" target="_blank">Head Start</a>&nbsp;programs serving more than 10,000 disadvantaged children&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/head-start-preschool-shutdown-budget-congress-199fcb7da90479e3f4dc3b17f6b07c43" target="_blank">would immediately lose federal funding</a>, although they might be able to stave off immediate closure if the shutdown doesn’t last long.

Those 10 programs, which are located in Alabama, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts and South Carolina, serve just a fraction of the 820,000 children enrolled in the program at any given time.

Tommy Sheridan, the deputy director for the National Head Start Association, said the programs are in trouble because their grants start on Oct. 1. Programs with grants that don’t start on that date will continue getting money. But if the shutdown drags on, the number of affected programs will grow as more grants come up for renewal.

Beyond Head Start, concerns have also arisen around&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/free-school-meals-usda-lunch-1b5a3a5209ef76c6260e64bcb44650e8" target="_blank">free school meals</a>. But the Agriculture Department says it does not anticipate any immediate issues with federal child nutrition programs, including school meals because support for these programs is provided in part by a permanent and mandatory funding authority.

In the event of a government shutdown, state and federal operations for child nutrition are set to continue through October and potentially a few months beyond that, according to the department. But the department would not be able to support these programs for the full year without appropriations.

Will I continue to receive Social Security checks?

Regardless of what happens in Washington this weekend, Social Security and Supplemental Security Income recipients will continue to receive payments. But response times for people with issues could be delayed due to furloughs.

“If you have a question about Social Security, you may not be able to find anybody to answer your questions,” Nielsen said. “But the everyday transactions of sending checks out will still continue.”

According to a recent contingency plan from the Social Security Administration, the agency will cease non-critical actions and those “not directly related to the accurate and timely payment of benefits.” The issuance of new social security cards and replacements will continue.

Would a shutdown impact Medicare and other health services?

Medicare and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/medicaid-eligibility-states-health-care-1cfb633c932c5e9e57567f1b138280a7" target="_blank">Medicaid</a>&nbsp;benefits will also continue — as both are mandatory programs funded separately from annual appropriations. That means that patients should still be able to see their doctors and have medical bills paid.

But, similar to Social Security, there could be delays and disruptions to customer service due to furloughs. According to contingency details published by the Health and Human Services Department last week, about half of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is set to be furloughed in the event of a lapse of appropriations.

Beyond Medicare and Medicaid, health care services for veterans are set to continue in the event of a shutdown. The majority of programs funded by the Indian Health Service would also remain in operation and IHS has received advanced appropriations for the 2024 fiscal year, per a recent contingency plan.

How could flights and other travel be impacted?

The nation’s air-travel system is expected to operate relatively normally during a shutdown. Air traffic controllers and TSA screeners are deemed essential workers — however, those people won’t be paid until the shutdown ends, and TSA lines could grow longer if enough screeners stay home.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said Wednesday that air travel will remain safe in a shutdown, but that the training of new air traffic controllers will stop and 1,000 trainees will be furloughed.

Long before this week’s deadline, airlines were already been complaining that a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/faa-congress-spending-summer-travel-8b9c7cb54933fe0e5c591dab27e20b2a" target="_blank">shortage</a>&nbsp;of air traffic controllers has been causing flight delays and cancellations. The Federal Aviation Administration said in August it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/faa-limits-new-york-flights-6992dfe968891b414901f5bd2fef9de7" target="_blank">hired 1,500 new controllers</a>&nbsp;in the past year and asked Congress for money to hire another 1,800 in the new fiscal year.

The processing of passports and visas will continue in a shutdown “as the situation permits,” according to guidance that the State Department gave employees last week. The department said consulates in the U.S. and abroad will say open “as long as there are sufficient fees to support operations,” but passport work could stop if the building where the work is done gets shuttered.

The time it takes to get a passport or visa already is much longer than before the pandemic. Most Customs and Border Protection agents are also considered essential and would be expected to work at airports and border crossings.

If spending measures aren’t passed by Saturday’s deadline, the government shutdown would start the same day that student loans emerge from the pandemic pause after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loans-interest-repayment-payments-plans-1e35445c34a73f0b7b02c7296a84722a" target="_blank">beginning to accrue interest again</a>&nbsp;on Sept. 1.

But, shutdown or not, borrowers’ payments will still be due. For the most part, loan servicers will be able to continue to process payments regularly — but there could be delays for those who need to consult with or seek help from the Education Department due to the potential of agency furloughs.

Students applying for federal aid during a shutdown can expect similar delays because of this. Officials have pointed to potential disruptions to processing FAFSA applications, disbursing Pell Grants and pursuing public loan forgiveness, for example.

The United States Postal Service will not be affected by a government shutdown. The Postal Service doesn’t rely on taxpayer dollars because it generally gets its funding through the sales of products and services.

Associated Press writers David Koenig in Dallas and Heather Hollingsworth in Kansas City contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695951910798.png" alt="FILE - A sign reading "Because of the Federal Government SHUTDOWN All National Parks are Closed" is posted on a barricade in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, Oct. 1, 2013. The federal government is heading toward a shutdown at month's end that will disrupt many services, squeeze workers and roil politics. It comes as Republicans in the House, fueled by hard-right demands for deep cuts, force a confrontation over federal spending. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)" />
 <figcaption>FILE - A sign reading "Because of the Federal Government SHUTDOWN All National Parks are Closed" is posted on a barricade in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, Oct. 1, 2013. The federal government is heading toward a shutdown at month's end that will disrupt many services, squeeze workers and roil politics. It comes as Republicans in the House, fueled by hard-right demands for deep cuts, force a confrontation over federal spending. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — With gridlock persisting in Washington, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-congress-biden-trump-mccarthy-f1b06964cf549b09977677e5f70bf9ff" target="_blank">government shutdown</a>&nbsp;is looking all but inevitable ahead of the Saturday night deadline.While the Senate pushes forward with bipartisan approach aimed at keeping the government open, the Republican-controlled House has made little progress — most recently with Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-mccarthy-house-republicans-biden-4b6644959722dbbbed654768bd9fc653" target="_blank">last-ditch plan collapsing</a>&nbsp;Friday. If spending measures aren’t passed by Saturday night, millions of federal employees&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/national-park-grand-canyon-shutdown-budget-congress-55c06261c51650e34f4591626bd9f236" target="_blank">will be furloughed</a>&nbsp;and many others will be forced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-gop-federal-workers-congress-government-5978a4c7411eba06261d16c3aff3dfc5" target="_blank">to work without pay</a>&nbsp;until the shutdown ends.A handful of federal safety services that people rely on everyday are also in jeopardy. From dwindling funds for critical food assistance programs to potential delays in customer service for recipients of low-staffed Medicare and Social Security offices. The ripple effects would come down to how long the shutdown lasts and varying contingency plans in place at impacted agencies.“Collectively, hundreds of millions of Americans, a majority of the population, are receiving some kind of benefits from the government,” said Forrest V. Morgeson III, an associate professor at Michigan State University’s Broad College of Business. He noted a shutdown would bring significant financial uncertainty and economic implications down the road.<h2>Will SNAP be affected by a government shutdown? What about WIC?</h2>A government shutdown could risk millions of low-income Americans’ access to food and nutrition assistance programs — with impacts depending on how long the shutdown lasts and program-by-program contingency funds.Nearly 7 million women and children who rely on the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) could be at risk of losing assistance almost immediately into a shutdown, according to the Biden Administration. That’s because the federal contingency fund supporting normal WIC operations will likely run out in a matter of days — pushing states to rely on their own money or carryover funds.Impacted families are “going to be going to food pantries,” said Dr. Nancy Nielsen, senior associate dean for health policy at the University at Buffalo’s Jacobs School of Medicine &amp; Biomedical Sciences. “These are people who need the help. These are moms. These are infants. So this is a real problem.”Families who receive benefits from the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program" target="_blank">Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program</a>&nbsp;could also lose assistance if a shutdown drags out for a more significant period of time. According to the Agriculture Department, regardless of what happens in Washington this weekend, households will receive SNAP assistance as usual through October.<h2>What about Head Start programs and free school lunch?</h2><a href="https://apnews.com/hub/head-start-program" target="_blank">Head Start</a>&nbsp;programs serving more than 10,000 disadvantaged children&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/head-start-preschool-shutdown-budget-congress-199fcb7da90479e3f4dc3b17f6b07c43" target="_blank">would immediately lose federal funding</a>, although they might be able to stave off immediate closure if the shutdown doesn’t last long.Those 10 programs, which are located in Alabama, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts and South Carolina, serve just a fraction of the 820,000 children enrolled in the program at any given time.Tommy Sheridan, the deputy director for the National Head Start Association, said the programs are in trouble because their grants start on Oct. 1. Programs with grants that don’t start on that date will continue getting money. But if the shutdown drags on, the number of affected programs will grow as more grants come up for renewal.Beyond Head Start, concerns have also arisen around&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/free-school-meals-usda-lunch-1b5a3a5209ef76c6260e64bcb44650e8" target="_blank">free school meals</a>. But the Agriculture Department says it does not anticipate any immediate issues with federal child nutrition programs, including school meals because support for these programs is provided in part by a permanent and mandatory funding authority.In the event of a government shutdown, state and federal operations for child nutrition are set to continue through October and potentially a few months beyond that, according to the department. But the department would not be able to support these programs for the full year without appropriations.<h2>Will I continue to receive Social Security checks?</h2>Regardless of what happens in Washington this weekend, Social Security and Supplemental Security Income recipients will continue to receive payments. But response times for people with issues could be delayed due to furloughs.“If you have a question about Social Security, you may not be able to find anybody to answer your questions,” Nielsen said. “But the everyday transactions of sending checks out will still continue.”According to a recent contingency plan from the Social Security Administration, the agency will cease non-critical actions and those “not directly related to the accurate and timely payment of benefits.” The issuance of new social security cards and replacements will continue.<h2>Would a shutdown impact Medicare and other health services?</h2>Medicare and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/medicaid-eligibility-states-health-care-1cfb633c932c5e9e57567f1b138280a7" target="_blank">Medicaid</a>&nbsp;benefits will also continue — as both are mandatory programs funded separately from annual appropriations. That means that patients should still be able to see their doctors and have medical bills paid.But, similar to Social Security, there could be delays and disruptions to customer service due to furloughs. According to contingency details published by the Health and Human Services Department last week, about half of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is set to be furloughed in the event of a lapse of appropriations.Beyond Medicare and Medicaid, health care services for veterans are set to continue in the event of a shutdown. The majority of programs funded by the Indian Health Service would also remain in operation and IHS has received advanced appropriations for the 2024 fiscal year, per a recent contingency plan.<h2>How could flights and other travel be impacted?</h2>The nation’s air-travel system is expected to operate relatively normally during a shutdown. Air traffic controllers and TSA screeners are deemed essential workers — however, those people won’t be paid until the shutdown ends, and TSA lines could grow longer if enough screeners stay home.Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said Wednesday that air travel will remain safe in a shutdown, but that the training of new air traffic controllers will stop and 1,000 trainees will be furloughed.Long before this week’s deadline, airlines were already been complaining that a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/faa-congress-spending-summer-travel-8b9c7cb54933fe0e5c591dab27e20b2a" target="_blank">shortage</a>&nbsp;of air traffic controllers has been causing flight delays and cancellations. The Federal Aviation Administration said in August it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/faa-limits-new-york-flights-6992dfe968891b414901f5bd2fef9de7" target="_blank">hired 1,500 new controllers</a>&nbsp;in the past year and asked Congress for money to hire another 1,800 in the new fiscal year.The processing of passports and visas will continue in a shutdown “as the situation permits,” according to guidance that the State Department gave employees last week. The department said consulates in the U.S. and abroad will say open “as long as there are sufficient fees to support operations,” but passport work could stop if the building where the work is done gets shuttered.The time it takes to get a passport or visa already is much longer than before the pandemic. Most Customs and Border Protection agents are also considered essential and would be expected to work at airports and border crossings.<h2>Could there be student loan disruptions?</h2>If spending measures aren’t passed by Saturday’s deadline, the government shutdown would start the same day that student loans emerge from the pandemic pause after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loans-interest-repayment-payments-plans-1e35445c34a73f0b7b02c7296a84722a" target="_blank">beginning to accrue interest again</a>&nbsp;on Sept. 1.But, shutdown or not, borrowers’ payments will still be due. For the most part, loan servicers will be able to continue to process payments regularly — but there could be delays for those who need to consult with or seek help from the Education Department due to the potential of agency furloughs.Students applying for federal aid during a shutdown can expect similar delays because of this. Officials have pointed to potential disruptions to processing FAFSA applications, disbursing Pell Grants and pursuing public loan forgiveness, for example.<h2>Would mail services slow down?</h2>The United States Postal Service will not be affected by a government shutdown. The Postal Service doesn’t rely on taxpayer dollars because it generally gets its funding through the sales of products and services.<h2>___</h2>Associated Press writers David Koenig in Dallas and Heather Hollingsworth in Kansas City contributed to this report.

Government shutdown: SNAP, student loans and travel impacts, explained

WASHINGTON, D.C. − The Internal Revenue Service reminded eligible farmers and ranchers forced to sell livestock due to drought may have an extended period of time in which to replace the livestock and defer tax on any gains from the forced sales.

The IRS posted&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjYsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmlycy5nb3YvcHViL2lycy1kcm9wL24tMjMtNjcucGRmIiwiYnVsbGV0aW5faWQiOiIyMDIzMDkyNy44MzIyMTIyMSJ9.RWbfx5JTgF6_AUsvmmtMOkls7PxzqWC2HAesLsToFQ0/s/1558083055/br/226906156445-l" target="_blank">Notice 2023-67</a>&nbsp;listing the applicable areas, a county or other jurisdiction, designated as eligible for federal assistance on IRS.gov. This includes 49 states, the District of Columbia, two U.S. Territories and two independent nations in a Compact of Free Association with the United States.

The following Kansas counties are included:

Counties of Allen, Anderson, Atchison, Barber, Barton, Bourbon, Brown, Butler, Chase,&nbsp;Chautauqua, Cherokee, Cheyenne, Clark, Cloud, Coffey, Comanche, Cowley,&nbsp;Crawford, Decatur, Dickinson, Doniphan, Douglas, Edwards, Elk, Ellis, Ellsworth,&nbsp;Finney, Ford, Franklin, Geary, Gove, Graham, Grant, Gray, Greeley, Greenwood,&nbsp;Hamilton, Harper, Harvey, Haskell, Hodgeman, Jackson, Jefferson, Jewell, Johnson,&nbsp;Kearny, Kingman, Kiowa, Labette, Lane, Leavenworth, Lincoln, Linn, Logan, Lyon,&nbsp;McPherson, Marion, Marshall, Meade, Miami, Mitchell, Montgomery, Morris, Morton,&nbsp;Nemaha, Neosho, Ness, Norton, Osage, Osborne, Ottawa, Pawnee, Phillips, Pratt,&nbsp;Rawlins, Reno, Republic, Rice, Riley, Rooks, Rush, Russell, Saline, Scott, Sedgwick,&nbsp;Seward, Shawnee, Sheridan, Sherman, Smith, Stafford, Stanton, Stevens, Sumner,&nbsp;Thomas, Trego, Wabaunsee, Wallace, Washington, Wichita, Wilson, Woodson, and&nbsp;Wyandotte.

The relief generally applies to capital gains realized by eligible farmers and ranchers on sales of livestock held for draft, dairy or breeding purposes. Sales of other livestock, such as those raised for slaughter or held for sporting purposes, or poultry, are not eligible.

The sales must be solely due to drought, causing an area to be designated as eligible for federal assistance. Livestock generally must be replaced within a four-year period, instead of the usual two-year period. The IRS is authorized to further extend this replacement period if the drought continues.

The one-year extension, announced in the notice, gives eligible farmers and ranchers until the end of their first tax year after the first drought-free year to replace the sold livestock. Details, including an example of how this provision works, can be found in&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjcsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmlycy5nb3YvcHViL2lycy1kcm9wL24tMDYtODIucGRmIiwiYnVsbGV0aW5faWQiOiIyMDIzMDkyNy44MzIyMTIyMSJ9.27B745RgY4R9s6C5qklt1rh7ef9Hm3oYfs_q_aKYRUs/s/1558083055/br/226906156445-l" target="_blank">Notice 2006-82</a>, available on IRS.gov.

The IRS provides this extension to eligible farmers and ranchers that qualified for the four-year replacement period, if the applicable region is listed as suffering exceptional, extreme or severe drought conditions during any week between Sept. 1, 2022, and Aug. 31, 2023. This determination is made by the&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjgsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vZHJvdWdodC51bmwuZWR1LyIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzA5MjcuODMyMjEyMjEifQ.QCNZVotQOg-9oz1zRutakfZa8BrKI3Yzb7rZCnHLzsc/s/1558083055/br/226906156445-l" target="_blank">National Drought Mitigation Center</a>.

As a result, eligible farmers and ranchers whose drought-sale replacement period was scheduled to expire on Dec. 31, 2023, in most cases, now have until the end of their next tax year to replace the sold livestock. Because the normal drought-sale replacement period is four years, this extension impacts drought sales that occurred during 2019. The replacement periods for some drought sales before 2019 are also affected due to previous drought-related extensions affecting some of these localities.

More information on reporting drought sales and other farm-related tax issues can be found in&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjksInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHA6Ly93d3cuaXJzLmdvdi91YWMvQWJvdXQtUHVibGljYXRpb24tMjI1IiwiYnVsbGV0aW5faWQiOiIyMDIzMDkyNy44MzIyMTIyMSJ9.cqOrnw3bBZU6eEuVmhAde8Yf44ItuF3ymFGdsodDkEc/s/1558083055/br/226906156445-l" target="_blank">Publication 225, Farmer’s Tax Guide</a>, available on IRS.gov.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695920736524.png" alt="Photo by Unsplash" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Unsplash</figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON, D.C. − The Internal Revenue Service reminded eligible farmers and ranchers forced to sell livestock due to drought may have an extended period of time in which to replace the livestock and defer tax on any gains from the forced sales.The IRS posted&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjYsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmlycy5nb3YvcHViL2lycy1kcm9wL24tMjMtNjcucGRmIiwiYnVsbGV0aW5faWQiOiIyMDIzMDkyNy44MzIyMTIyMSJ9.RWbfx5JTgF6_AUsvmmtMOkls7PxzqWC2HAesLsToFQ0/s/1558083055/br/226906156445-l" target="_blank">Notice 2023-67</a>&nbsp;listing the applicable areas, a county or other jurisdiction, designated as eligible for federal assistance on IRS.gov. This includes 49 states, the District of Columbia, two U.S. Territories and two independent nations in a Compact of Free Association with the United States.The following Kansas counties are included:Counties of Allen, Anderson, Atchison, Barber, Barton, Bourbon, Brown, Butler, Chase,&nbsp;Chautauqua, Cherokee, Cheyenne, Clark, Cloud, Coffey, Comanche, Cowley,&nbsp;Crawford, Decatur, Dickinson, Doniphan, Douglas, Edwards, Elk, Ellis, Ellsworth,&nbsp;Finney, Ford, Franklin, Geary, Gove, Graham, Grant, Gray, Greeley, Greenwood,&nbsp;Hamilton, Harper, Harvey, Haskell, Hodgeman, Jackson, Jefferson, Jewell, Johnson,&nbsp;Kearny, Kingman, Kiowa, Labette, Lane, Leavenworth, Lincoln, Linn, Logan, Lyon,&nbsp;McPherson, Marion, Marshall, Meade, Miami, Mitchell, Montgomery, Morris, Morton,&nbsp;Nemaha, Neosho, Ness, Norton, Osage, Osborne, Ottawa, Pawnee, Phillips, Pratt,&nbsp;Rawlins, Reno, Republic, Rice, Riley, Rooks, Rush, Russell, Saline, Scott, Sedgwick,&nbsp;Seward, Shawnee, Sheridan, Sherman, Smith, Stafford, Stanton, Stevens, Sumner,&nbsp;Thomas, Trego, Wabaunsee, Wallace, Washington, Wichita, Wilson, Woodson, and&nbsp;Wyandotte.The relief generally applies to capital gains realized by eligible farmers and ranchers on sales of livestock held for draft, dairy or breeding purposes. Sales of other livestock, such as those raised for slaughter or held for sporting purposes, or poultry, are not eligible.The sales must be solely due to drought, causing an area to be designated as eligible for federal assistance. Livestock generally must be replaced within a four-year period, instead of the usual two-year period. The IRS is authorized to further extend this replacement period if the drought continues.The one-year extension, announced in the notice, gives eligible farmers and ranchers until the end of their first tax year after the first drought-free year to replace the sold livestock. Details, including an example of how this provision works, can be found in&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjcsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmlycy5nb3YvcHViL2lycy1kcm9wL24tMDYtODIucGRmIiwiYnVsbGV0aW5faWQiOiIyMDIzMDkyNy44MzIyMTIyMSJ9.27B745RgY4R9s6C5qklt1rh7ef9Hm3oYfs_q_aKYRUs/s/1558083055/br/226906156445-l" target="_blank">Notice 2006-82</a>, available on IRS.gov.The IRS provides this extension to eligible farmers and ranchers that qualified for the four-year replacement period, if the applicable region is listed as suffering exceptional, extreme or severe drought conditions during any week between Sept. 1, 2022, and Aug. 31, 2023. This determination is made by the&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjgsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vZHJvdWdodC51bmwuZWR1LyIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzA5MjcuODMyMjEyMjEifQ.QCNZVotQOg-9oz1zRutakfZa8BrKI3Yzb7rZCnHLzsc/s/1558083055/br/226906156445-l" target="_blank">National Drought Mitigation Center</a>.As a result, eligible farmers and ranchers whose drought-sale replacement period was scheduled to expire on Dec. 31, 2023, in most cases, now have until the end of their next tax year to replace the sold livestock. Because the normal drought-sale replacement period is four years, this extension impacts drought sales that occurred during 2019. The replacement periods for some drought sales before 2019 are also affected due to previous drought-related extensions affecting some of these localities.More information on reporting drought sales and other farm-related tax issues can be found in&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjksInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHA6Ly93d3cuaXJzLmdvdi91YWMvQWJvdXQtUHVibGljYXRpb24tMjI1IiwiYnVsbGV0aW5faWQiOiIyMDIzMDkyNy44MzIyMTIyMSJ9.cqOrnw3bBZU6eEuVmhAde8Yf44ItuF3ymFGdsodDkEc/s/1558083055/br/226906156445-l" target="_blank">Publication 225, Farmer’s Tax Guide</a>, available on IRS.gov.

IRS extends relief to farmers, ranchers impacted by drought; more time to replace livestock

The Barton Community College Board of Trustees approved the timeline for the upcoming presidential search during the board meeting Sept. 26. This follows the retirement announcement from President Dr. Carl Heilman during the College’s Board of Trustees September study session.

The college will begin accepting applications on Oct. 1 with a closing date of Nov. 10. Following the review of applications, the search committee, to be led by Chairman of the Board Mike Johnson, will begin hosting interviews in December.

Once the finalists are identified, on-campus visits will be arranged in February for final meetings with the search committee, faculty and staff, and the public. The board hopes to conclude the search at the February board meeting with the final approval of the search committee’s selection.

Other members of the search committee include Board member and secretary John Moshier, Barton Vice President of Administration Mark Dean as the vice chair, along with several community members and various Barton staff and faculty.

Heilman has served as the College’s fifth president for over 17 years, beginning his tenure in July of 2006. Heilman will retire effective June 30, 2024.

For more information on the search process, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bartonccc.edu/presidentsearch">bartonccc.edu/presidentsearch</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1653491444657.jpeg" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>BCCThe Barton Community College Board of Trustees approved the timeline for the upcoming presidential search during the board meeting Sept. 26. This follows the retirement announcement from President Dr. Carl Heilman during the College’s Board of Trustees September study session.The college will begin accepting applications on Oct. 1 with a closing date of Nov. 10. Following the review of applications, the search committee, to be led by Chairman of the Board Mike Johnson, will begin hosting interviews in December.Once the finalists are identified, on-campus visits will be arranged in February for final meetings with the search committee, faculty and staff, and the public. The board hopes to conclude the search at the February board meeting with the final approval of the search committee’s selection.Other members of the search committee include Board member and secretary John Moshier, Barton Vice President of Administration Mark Dean as the vice chair, along with several community members and various Barton staff and faculty.Heilman has served as the College’s fifth president for over 17 years, beginning his tenure in July of 2006. Heilman will retire effective June 30, 2024.For more information on the search process, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bartonccc.edu/presidentsearch">bartonccc.edu/presidentsearch</a>.

Barton Community College Board of Trustees approves presidential search timeline

By&nbsp;MARISSA HOPKINS FTC

Remember that&nbsp;CHIP won’t charge you to renew or enroll.&nbsp;CHIP may reach out to you by email, phone, or text messages to renew your coverage — but they won’t ask you to pay. They also won’t ask&nbsp;for&nbsp;your personal financial information, like your bank account or credit card number.&nbsp;

Finding and keeping health insurance for your family can be stressful and expensive. During the pandemic, your&nbsp;<a href="https://www.medicaid.gov/about-us/beneficiary-resources/index.html#statemenu">state’s Medicaid Children’s Health Insurance Program</a>&nbsp;(CHIP) might have helped — but with the end of the pandemic, states may be reaching out to update your family Medicaid enrollments. Except scammers might try to get to you first. So how can you spot them?

First, while the process to renew may differ from state to state,&nbsp;nobody&nbsp;legit will ask for your personal information over the phone or demand that you pay to renew. Medicaid won’t. CHIP won’t. But scammers will.

So, to protect you and your family from scams:

• Remember that CHIP won’t charge you to renew or enroll. CHIP may reach out to you by email, phone, or text messages to renew your coverage — but they won’t ask you to pay. They also won’t ask for your personal financial information, like your bank account or credit card number.&nbsp;

• Don’t click on links in text or email messages, even if it looks like the message is from your state’s Medicaid agency. That’s a scam. Go to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.medicaid.gov/about-us/beneficiary-resources/index.html" target="_blank">Medicaid.gov</a>&nbsp;to find your state’s Medicaid agency. Then contact that agency to get more information.&nbsp;

• Start at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.healthcare.gov/" target="_blank">HealthCare.gov</a>&nbsp;to compare insurance plans, coverage, and eligibility. The site requires information about your monthly income and age to give you a quote. If anyone or any site asks for your financial information, like your bank account or credit card number, to get a quote, that’s a scam.&nbsp;

• Know that&nbsp;<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/spot-health-insurance-scams#medical" target="_blank">medical&nbsp;discount plans</a>&nbsp;are not medical insurance.&nbsp;Scammers often pitch medical discount plans by convincing people they’re the same as insurance — but they’re not. They often just take your money for very little in return.&nbsp;

If you spot a CHIP scam, report it to the Federal Trade Commission at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/">ReportFraud.ftc.gov</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695746415736.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;MARISSA HOPKINS FTCRemember that&nbsp;CHIP won’t charge you to renew or enroll.&nbsp;CHIP may reach out to you by email, phone, or text messages to renew your coverage — but they won’t ask you to pay. They also won’t ask&nbsp;for&nbsp;your personal financial information, like your bank account or credit card number.&nbsp;Finding and keeping health insurance for your family can be stressful and expensive. During the pandemic, your&nbsp;<a href="https://www.medicaid.gov/about-us/beneficiary-resources/index.html#statemenu">state’s Medicaid Children’s Health Insurance Program</a>&nbsp;(CHIP) might have helped — but with the end of the pandemic, states may be reaching out to update your family Medicaid enrollments. Except scammers might try to get to you first. So how can you spot them?First, while the process to renew may differ from state to state,&nbsp;nobody&nbsp;legit will ask for your personal information over the phone or demand that you pay to renew. Medicaid won’t. CHIP won’t. But scammers will.So, to protect you and your family from scams:• Remember that CHIP won’t charge you to renew or enroll. CHIP may reach out to you by email, phone, or text messages to renew your coverage — but they won’t ask you to pay. They also won’t ask for your personal financial information, like your bank account or credit card number.&nbsp;• Don’t click on links in text or email messages, even if it looks like the message is from your state’s Medicaid agency. That’s a scam. Go to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.medicaid.gov/about-us/beneficiary-resources/index.html" target="_blank">Medicaid.gov</a>&nbsp;to find your state’s Medicaid agency. Then contact that agency to get more information.&nbsp;• Start at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.healthcare.gov/" target="_blank">HealthCare.gov</a>&nbsp;to compare insurance plans, coverage, and eligibility. The site requires information about your monthly income and age to give you a quote. If anyone or any site asks for your financial information, like your bank account or credit card number, to get a quote, that’s a scam.&nbsp;• Know that&nbsp;<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/spot-health-insurance-scams#medical" target="_blank">medical&nbsp;discount plans</a>&nbsp;are not medical insurance.&nbsp;Scammers often pitch medical discount plans by convincing people they’re the same as insurance — but they’re not. They often just take your money for very little in return.&nbsp;If you spot a CHIP scam, report it to the Federal Trade Commission at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/">ReportFraud.ftc.gov</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

FTC: Children’s Health Insurance Program: Spot the scam

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Oil prices have risen, meaning&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gas-prices-rising-heat-wave-production-cuts-4cecfbe2ee68eccab7224f163fc676db">drivers are paying more for gasoline</a>&nbsp;and truckers and farmers more for diesel.

The increase also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-unemployment-federal-reserve-d4db7a2177f785c4ff1587cc6ef22b43">complicates the global fight against inflation</a>&nbsp;and feeds Russia's war chest. That poses problems for politicians as well as the people having to spend more to get to work, transport the world's goods or harvest fields.

Here are things to know about the recent increase — and where prices might be going:

Above all,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/opec-oil-prices-saudi-arabia-russia-8d70999cb8258aebc3edbfdfcae278b7">Saudi Arabia's decision to cut back</a>&nbsp;how much oil it sends to global markets has pushed prices higher.

The world's second-largest oil supplier has slashed production by 1 million barrels a day since July and decided this month to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/saudi-arabia-oil-production-cut-opec-2d6f724e899f31e92d4bdf052921125c">extend the cut</a>&nbsp;through the end of the year.

Russia, Saudi Arabia's ally in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/opec-oil-supply-gasoline-prices-saudi-russia-27e7b8785ff6fa3ca5df590d64cedb57">OPEC+ oil producers' coalition</a>, also extended its own cut of 300,000 barrels a month through 2023.

Simply, tighter supply means higher prices.

International benchmark Brent oil traded at just under $94 per barrel Monday, up from $90 before the extension on Sept. 5 and from $74 before the Saudi cut was first announced. U.S. oil traded at around $90.50, up from $68 before the Saudi cut.

Some analysts think oil could hit $100 a barrel based on robust demand and limited supply. But that's far from the only view.

Oil prices can be volatile, and while they might briefly top $100 in the coming months, they're unlikely to stay there, said Jorge Leon, senior vice president for oil markets at Rystad Energy. He foresees prices in the low $90s on average in the last three months of the year.

That's still high historically, he said, supported by “resilient”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/european-tourism-summer-travel-pandemic-recovery-ee4416b151618fce3bf6cb5e3ff24d99">demand for fuel to drive and fly</a>.

The Saudi cuts were a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/saudi-arabia-oil-production-cut-23c6b522ba9ba0e0a9e10211f991f714">unilateral move</a>&nbsp;outside the framework of the OPEC+ alliance, meaning the kingdom can make changes as needed to quickly respond to shifting market conditions.

Leon said the Saudis will review the cuts each month — and could add barrels back if prices spike to levels that could seriously&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-inflation-federal-reserve-europe-china-climate-aec9e51d969ed56e2348a8c839e764e8">worsen inflation</a>&nbsp;in countries buying oil. Excessive price increases could mean central banks worldwide&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/european-central-bank-interest-rates-inflation-recession-1b7ad9f3f6e9522de05d7b3c1f93e437">hike interest rates further</a>&nbsp;or keep them higher for longer.

“I don't think it will be clever for the Saudis to push that hard,” Leon said. “The last thing you want to do is fuel inflation again with much higher oil prices. That's going to kill economic growth, and lower growth is going to mean lower oil demand at the end of the day.”

A big question is demand for fuel, which is picking up along with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/summer-travel-inflation-airlines-hotels-b1ec8b577b6cae248923236b1c8c120c">rebounding travel</a>&nbsp;following the depths of the COVID-19 pandemic. A robust U.S. economy increases demand for oil — and the price — while&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-economy-reserve-banks-stimulus-c50a9f1640e6e311cc6d4ef82c5720b9">weak growth in China</a>&nbsp;and Europe has the opposite effect.

“We see the upside potential for the oil price as being virtually used up and if anything envisage setback potential in view of the weak economy,” said Thu Lan Nguyen, Commerzbank head of commodities research who foresees oil at $85 per barrel by year's end. “The oil price is only likely to climb more lastingly once the economic outlook begins to brighten, which should be the case next year.”

Another factor is financial speculation, and it appears investors are piling into the oil market with bets that prices will rise.

“Much of the price surge beyond $85 per barrel is due to a flood of speculative money, while fundamentally there is still plenty of oil in the world to meet demand for now,” said Gary Peach, oil markets analyst at Energy Intelligence.

Plus, more Iranian oil may come on the market as the U.S. “turns a blind eye” on enforcing sanctions to keep prices from rising further, Leon said. That could add 200,000 to 300,000 barrels a day.

Costlier oil feeds through to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oil-prices-inflation-fed-8418846309f9f92dea30c1ed1839b54a">higher prices for gasoline and diesel</a>, especially in the U.S., where roughly half the pump price reflects the cost of crude — the rest is marketing, taxes and other costs.

Crude is a smaller share of gasoline and diesel prices in Europe because fuel taxes are much higher there.

Average U.S. pump prices are still well below the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/why-are-gas-prices-rising-541819ca1aa4d3dc0a0206271f9f8589">record $5 per gallon</a>&nbsp;seen in summer 2022. But at $3.85 per gallon, they're still up 15 cents from a year ago. Oil costs are keeping gas prices high even as driving demand drops with the end of summer vacations and plentiful gasoline stocks, according to auto club AAA.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russian-diesel-fuel-embargo-explainer-28b9043593c7cb92e032aa451c837b39">Diesel prices have risen</a>&nbsp;as well, along with higher oil costs and refineries facing shortages of the specific kinds of crude best for making diesel. Refineries also are choosing to produce jet fuel instead, chasing profits as air travel rebounds. A gallon of diesel cost $4.58 last week, up from $4.34 a month ago.

That hurts farmers, who use a lot of diesel, and adds to the price of consumer goods transported by truck, which is pretty much everything.

Diesel supplies got even tighter Friday after Russia said it would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-fuel-exports-halt-gasoline-diesel-9de83f7964a723c7b0e13cb9382be88c">halt the export of refined oil products</a>&nbsp;to hold down fuel prices at home.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-economy-ukraine-war-ac83e7a74d9e426cb18c5168c5929d38">Oil is Russia's main moneymaker</a>, so higher prices help the Kremlin pay for its invasion of Ukraine and weather sweeping Western sanctions aimed at crushing its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russian-economy-ukraine-war-putin-sanctions-0231252b7a145040530245b58590f7f0">wartime economy</a>.

The recent rise in oil prices, along with a cutback in the discount that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-moscow-europe-european-union-825506b6a349cce7e5971c0ac550aeaa">sanctions forced Russia to offer</a>&nbsp;Asian customers, means Moscow will earn “significantly more revenue from those exports,” said Benjamin Hilgenstock, senior economist at the Kyiv School of Economics.

The additional revenue could reach an estimated $17 billion this year and $33 billion next year, he said in an online talk hosted by the Brussels-based European Policy Center.

Russia has lost some $100 billion in oil revenue following a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-business-global-trade-economy-prices-f8a8aed1128b576e371c7896c770e516">European Union import ban</a>&nbsp;and a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/putin-health-covid-prices-european-union-65de1c4934227208bfa68bb7d4c47716">$60-per-barrel price cap</a>&nbsp;imposed by the Group of Seven major economies, which bars Western insurers and shippers from handling oil priced above that level.

Russia, however, has increasingly found ways around the cap, including using a fleet of ghost tankers masking their ownership and origin of the crude they carry.

Any additional export earnings help&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/why-is-ruble-falling-ee777eeaf897d42befae052336fc35d5">support Russia's currency</a>&nbsp;and what it can import — including weapons components.

U.S. President Joe Biden has faced criticism from Republican lawmakers to encourage more oil drilling and scrap his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-electric-cars-uaw-strike-d73f259bf5e9242340e912ad1e9b4aa9">support for electric vehicles</a>.

But that criticism largely overlooks the rise in U.S. oil production over the past year. The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported that oil production averaged 12.8 million barrels a day in June, up 1 million barrels from 12 months ago, close to the levels achieved before the pandemic began in 2020.

Biden has said he considers oil production essential to keep the economy going as a bridge to a future with EVs and renewable energy.

Still, the White House views the oil market worldwide as being undersupplied, in line with recent OPEC data that indicates there will likely be a worldwide shortfall of 3 million barrels a day. The administration is also in touch with domestic and international producers on longtime supply needs, trying to ensure that the risk of higher oil prices does not disrupt economic growth.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615499123066.png" alt="Google image" />
 <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Oil prices have risen, meaning&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gas-prices-rising-heat-wave-production-cuts-4cecfbe2ee68eccab7224f163fc676db">drivers are paying more for gasoline</a>&nbsp;and truckers and farmers more for diesel.The increase also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-unemployment-federal-reserve-d4db7a2177f785c4ff1587cc6ef22b43">complicates the global fight against inflation</a>&nbsp;and feeds Russia's war chest. That poses problems for politicians as well as the people having to spend more to get to work, transport the world's goods or harvest fields.Here are things to know about the recent increase — and where prices might be going:WHY HAVE OIL PRICES RISEN?Above all,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/opec-oil-prices-saudi-arabia-russia-8d70999cb8258aebc3edbfdfcae278b7">Saudi Arabia's decision to cut back</a>&nbsp;how much oil it sends to global markets has pushed prices higher.The world's second-largest oil supplier has slashed production by 1 million barrels a day since July and decided this month to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/saudi-arabia-oil-production-cut-opec-2d6f724e899f31e92d4bdf052921125c">extend the cut</a>&nbsp;through the end of the year.Russia, Saudi Arabia's ally in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/opec-oil-supply-gasoline-prices-saudi-russia-27e7b8785ff6fa3ca5df590d64cedb57">OPEC+ oil producers' coalition</a>, also extended its own cut of 300,000 barrels a month through 2023.Simply, tighter supply means higher prices.International benchmark Brent oil traded at just under $94 per barrel Monday, up from $90 before the extension on Sept. 5 and from $74 before the Saudi cut was first announced. U.S. oil traded at around $90.50, up from $68 before the Saudi cut.HOW HIGH COULD OIL PRICES GO?Some analysts think oil could hit $100 a barrel based on robust demand and limited supply. But that's far from the only view.Oil prices can be volatile, and while they might briefly top $100 in the coming months, they're unlikely to stay there, said Jorge Leon, senior vice president for oil markets at Rystad Energy. He foresees prices in the low $90s on average in the last three months of the year.That's still high historically, he said, supported by “resilient”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/european-tourism-summer-travel-pandemic-recovery-ee4416b151618fce3bf6cb5e3ff24d99">demand for fuel to drive and fly</a>.The Saudi cuts were a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/saudi-arabia-oil-production-cut-23c6b522ba9ba0e0a9e10211f991f714">unilateral move</a>&nbsp;outside the framework of the OPEC+ alliance, meaning the kingdom can make changes as needed to quickly respond to shifting market conditions.Leon said the Saudis will review the cuts each month — and could add barrels back if prices spike to levels that could seriously&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-inflation-federal-reserve-europe-china-climate-aec9e51d969ed56e2348a8c839e764e8">worsen inflation</a>&nbsp;in countries buying oil. Excessive price increases could mean central banks worldwide&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/european-central-bank-interest-rates-inflation-recession-1b7ad9f3f6e9522de05d7b3c1f93e437">hike interest rates further</a>&nbsp;or keep them higher for longer.“I don't think it will be clever for the Saudis to push that hard,” Leon said. “The last thing you want to do is fuel inflation again with much higher oil prices. That's going to kill economic growth, and lower growth is going to mean lower oil demand at the end of the day.”WHAT OTHER FACTORS AFFECT PRICES?A big question is demand for fuel, which is picking up along with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/summer-travel-inflation-airlines-hotels-b1ec8b577b6cae248923236b1c8c120c">rebounding travel</a>&nbsp;following the depths of the COVID-19 pandemic. A robust U.S. economy increases demand for oil — and the price — while&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-economy-reserve-banks-stimulus-c50a9f1640e6e311cc6d4ef82c5720b9">weak growth in China</a>&nbsp;and Europe has the opposite effect.“We see the upside potential for the oil price as being virtually used up and if anything envisage setback potential in view of the weak economy,” said Thu Lan Nguyen, Commerzbank head of commodities research who foresees oil at $85 per barrel by year's end. “The oil price is only likely to climb more lastingly once the economic outlook begins to brighten, which should be the case next year.”Another factor is financial speculation, and it appears investors are piling into the oil market with bets that prices will rise.“Much of the price surge beyond $85 per barrel is due to a flood of speculative money, while fundamentally there is still plenty of oil in the world to meet demand for now,” said Gary Peach, oil markets analyst at Energy Intelligence.Plus, more Iranian oil may come on the market as the U.S. “turns a blind eye” on enforcing sanctions to keep prices from rising further, Leon said. That could add 200,000 to 300,000 barrels a day.WHAT'S THE IMPACT ON CONSUMERS?Costlier oil feeds through to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oil-prices-inflation-fed-8418846309f9f92dea30c1ed1839b54a">higher prices for gasoline and diesel</a>, especially in the U.S., where roughly half the pump price reflects the cost of crude — the rest is marketing, taxes and other costs.Crude is a smaller share of gasoline and diesel prices in Europe because fuel taxes are much higher there.Average U.S. pump prices are still well below the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/why-are-gas-prices-rising-541819ca1aa4d3dc0a0206271f9f8589">record $5 per gallon</a>&nbsp;seen in summer 2022. But at $3.85 per gallon, they're still up 15 cents from a year ago. Oil costs are keeping gas prices high even as driving demand drops with the end of summer vacations and plentiful gasoline stocks, according to auto club AAA.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russian-diesel-fuel-embargo-explainer-28b9043593c7cb92e032aa451c837b39">Diesel prices have risen</a>&nbsp;as well, along with higher oil costs and refineries facing shortages of the specific kinds of crude best for making diesel. Refineries also are choosing to produce jet fuel instead, chasing profits as air travel rebounds. A gallon of diesel cost $4.58 last week, up from $4.34 a month ago.That hurts farmers, who use a lot of diesel, and adds to the price of consumer goods transported by truck, which is pretty much everything.Diesel supplies got even tighter Friday after Russia said it would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-fuel-exports-halt-gasoline-diesel-9de83f7964a723c7b0e13cb9382be88c">halt the export of refined oil products</a>&nbsp;to hold down fuel prices at home.HOW DO HIGHER OIL PRICES HELP RUSSIA?<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-economy-ukraine-war-ac83e7a74d9e426cb18c5168c5929d38">Oil is Russia's main moneymaker</a>, so higher prices help the Kremlin pay for its invasion of Ukraine and weather sweeping Western sanctions aimed at crushing its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russian-economy-ukraine-war-putin-sanctions-0231252b7a145040530245b58590f7f0">wartime economy</a>.The recent rise in oil prices, along with a cutback in the discount that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-moscow-europe-european-union-825506b6a349cce7e5971c0ac550aeaa">sanctions forced Russia to offer</a>&nbsp;Asian customers, means Moscow will earn “significantly more revenue from those exports,” said Benjamin Hilgenstock, senior economist at the Kyiv School of Economics.The additional revenue could reach an estimated $17 billion this year and $33 billion next year, he said in an online talk hosted by the Brussels-based European Policy Center.Russia has lost some $100 billion in oil revenue following a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-business-global-trade-economy-prices-f8a8aed1128b576e371c7896c770e516">European Union import ban</a>&nbsp;and a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/putin-health-covid-prices-european-union-65de1c4934227208bfa68bb7d4c47716">$60-per-barrel price cap</a>&nbsp;imposed by the Group of Seven major economies, which bars Western insurers and shippers from handling oil priced above that level.Russia, however, has increasingly found ways around the cap, including using a fleet of ghost tankers masking their ownership and origin of the crude they carry.Any additional export earnings help&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/why-is-ruble-falling-ee777eeaf897d42befae052336fc35d5">support Russia's currency</a>&nbsp;and what it can import — including weapons components.WHAT ARE THE POLITICS?U.S. President Joe Biden has faced criticism from Republican lawmakers to encourage more oil drilling and scrap his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-electric-cars-uaw-strike-d73f259bf5e9242340e912ad1e9b4aa9">support for electric vehicles</a>.But that criticism largely overlooks the rise in U.S. oil production over the past year. The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported that oil production averaged 12.8 million barrels a day in June, up 1 million barrels from 12 months ago, close to the levels achieved before the pandemic began in 2020.Biden has said he considers oil production essential to keep the economy going as a bridge to a future with EVs and renewable energy.Still, the White House views the oil market worldwide as being undersupplied, in line with recent OPEC data that indicates there will likely be a worldwide shortfall of 3 million barrels a day. The administration is also in touch with domestic and international producers on longtime supply needs, trying to ensure that the risk of higher oil prices does not disrupt economic growth.

Oil prices are up, gas more expensive and it is helping Russia's war effort

By ARIANA FIGUEROA&nbsp;&nbsp; <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/30/u-s-judge-rules-insurers-dont-have-to-cover-many-free-preventive-health-services/">States Newsroom</a>

WASHINGTON —&nbsp; Two years ago, Farzana Jamalzada and her husband made the difficult decision to separately flee Afghanistan, after U.S. troops withdrew from the country and the Taliban took over.

It took days for the couple to be reunited at an airport in Qatar, where Jamalzada would show people a picture of her husband on her phone, asking them if they had seen him.

Once reunited, they were settled into the U.S. through the Biden administration’s humanitarian parole program for Afghans that extended protections for two years, allowing them to work and live in the U.S. Because Jamalzada worked for the U.S. government in Afghanistan, she was able to apply for a Special Immigrant Visa, which is available to those who were translators, interpreters or professionals employed by or on behalf of the U.S. government in Afghanistan or Iraq.

“It has been two years and every day we are in an uncertain situation,” she said in an interview with States Newsroom. “It is very frustrating.”

Legislation in Congress known as the Afghan Adjustment Act would allow Afghan refugees to apply for permanent legal residency after undergoing additional vetting, but it’s failed to advance. Without congressional action on a pathway to citizenship, most of the more than 76,000 Afghan refugees who came to the U.S. after the Taliban takeover are stuck in legal limbo.

The humanitarian program under which they arrived in the U.S., known as Operation Allies Welcome, does not provide a pathway to citizenship. But Afghans enrolled can apply for asylum, and those who qualify can apply for a Special Immigrant Visa. Claims for asylum and the Special Immigrant Visa have a major backlog.

“For most Afghans, they’re in this kind of limbo status and waiting to see,” said Julia Gelatt, the associate director of the Migration Policy Institute’s U.S. immigration policy program.

Jamalzada and her husband, now settled in New York City, have a hearing for their green cards scheduled for Sept. 12, but their work authorization expires at the end of August. The two-week gap means neither will be legally allowed to work in the U.S., risking termination from their jobs.

“You don’t have peace of mind,” she said. “Being away from your country, your family, you’re alone in a very strange world, and yet you don’t have that support,” she said, referring to permanent protections in the U.S.

Jamalzada, now 27, said she prays that either her and her husband’s work visas are&nbsp;reauthorized, or that Congress passes the Afghan Adjustment Act.

For 20 years, the U.S. government relied on Afghans to help the government and military<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cfr.org/timeline/us-war-afghanistan">&nbsp;following the 2001 invasion</a>. Afghans worked as interpreters and helped run aid programs, such as Jamalzada, who worked on women’s empowerment projects with the United States Agency for International Development and at the Afghan presidential palace.

“Keep your promise and support the people who stood on your side and helped you,” she said.

Operation Allies Welcome evacuated and paroled 76,200 Afghans from August 2021 to September 2022.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.wrapsnet.org/documents/FY%202023%20Reception%20&amp;%20Placement%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf">A majority settled in areas</a>&nbsp;with large military bases such as Texas, California, Maryland, Virginia, Washington and New York.

But two years after the fall of Kabul, only a fraction — fewer than 10%&nbsp; — in the humanitarian parole program have secured permanent protections, through either asylum or the Special Immigrant Visa, said Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, the president of the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service. Her organization has helped settle more than 14,000 Afghans in the U.S.

“One of the biggest issues, I think, that remains uncertain is whether they will be allowed to remain permanently, and that relates to the Afghan Adjustment Act,” she said.

While those who worked for the U.S. government can apply for the Special Immigrant Visa program, many Afghans had to flee the country without the proper documentation needed to show their employment history.

“Part of that was because if they had the documentation on them, and were caught by the Taliban, that could be a death sentence,” O’Mara Vignarajah said.

O’Mara Vignarajah added that other Afghans applied for refugee status in other countries through Operation Allies Welcome and are waiting to be resettled in the U.S.

“The grim reality is that they’re likely waiting for years,” she said.

Laila Ayub, an immigration attorney and co-director of Project Afghan Network for Advocacy and Resources, said many Afghans have had no choice but to try to find a way into the U.S., even while they are waiting for their parole to be accepted by Operation Allies Welcome.

“We increasingly have been assisting people who have made a very long and difficult journey to the Southern border,” she said.

U.S. border agents apprehended more than 2,100 Afghans last year.

The closest Congress came to providing a quick pathway to citizenship for Afghans was last year, through the Afghan Adjustment Act, when Democrats controlled the House and Senate. However, those efforts were blocked by Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, and the bipartisan proposal was not included in an omnibus spending bill.

Grassley objected to the security and vetting processes for those Afghans.

He, along with several Senate Republicans, now are backing another bill by GOP Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, known as the Ensuring American Security and Protecting Afghan Allies Act.

That&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.grassley.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/ensuring_american_security_and_protect_afghan_allies_act.pdf">bill</a>&nbsp;would apply to those Afghans who were evacuated and who are ineligible for an immigration status that leads to a green card for citizenship. Those evacuees would be eligible for a four-year conditional resident status, to allow for vetting, and, upon successful completion, would become green card holders.

“The Biden Administration’s disastrous departure from Afghanistan caused a chaotic migration from the region, and our government repeatedly failed to thoroughly evaluate evacuees arriving in the United States,” Grassley said in a statement. “This bill restores order to the system by ensuring Afghan evacuees are able to assimilate while preserving American security and better supporting those who provided direct support to the United States military.”

However, the bill would limit the president’s authority to establish humanitarian parole programs, which the Biden administration has used as part of its immigration policy. It’s designated parole programs for nationals of Ukraine, Nicaragua, Haiti, Cuba and Venezuela.

The Cotton bill “is definitely throwing a wrench” in gaining support for the Afghan Adjustment Act, said Jennie Murray, president and CEO of the National Immigration Forum.

“We have used (humanitarian parole) several times in U.S. history across party lines, different presidents have used it, and it’s an important tool that we have to be able to use at a moment like World War II or the Cuban missile crisis,” she said. “It’s something that presidents have to be able to use, and so we’re very worried about that competitive legislation.”

Murray helped out evacuation efforts for Afghans when she worked for Upwardly Global, where she worked to put tougher a workforce plan for those Afghans arriving in the U.S.

She said a potential last shot at getting permanent protections for Afghans is through the National Defense Authorization Act, an annual must-pass defense policy measure.

“They cannot go back to Afghanistan,” she said. “They cannot go back to the Taliban-led state because they partnered with us.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1629986318422.png" alt="U.S. Air Force loadmasters and pilots assigned to the 816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron load passengers aboard a U.S. Air Force C-17&nbsp; Globemaster III in support of the Afghanistan evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport on Aug. 24, 2021, in Kabul, Afghanistan.-photo Dept. of Defense" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Air Force loadmasters and pilots assigned to the 816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron load passengers aboard a U.S. Air Force C-17&nbsp; Globemaster III in support of the Afghanistan evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport on Aug. 24, 2021, in Kabul, Afghanistan.-photo Dept. of Defense</figcaption>
 </figure>By ARIANA FIGUEROA&nbsp;&nbsp; <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/30/u-s-judge-rules-insurers-dont-have-to-cover-many-free-preventive-health-services/">States Newsroom</a>WASHINGTON —&nbsp; Two years ago, Farzana Jamalzada and her husband made the difficult decision to separately flee Afghanistan, after U.S. troops withdrew from the country and the Taliban took over.It took days for the couple to be reunited at an airport in Qatar, where Jamalzada would show people a picture of her husband on her phone, asking them if they had seen him.Once reunited, they were settled into the U.S. through the Biden administration’s humanitarian parole program for Afghans that extended protections for two years, allowing them to work and live in the U.S. Because Jamalzada worked for the U.S. government in Afghanistan, she was able to apply for a Special Immigrant Visa, which is available to those who were translators, interpreters or professionals employed by or on behalf of the U.S. government in Afghanistan or Iraq.“It has been two years and every day we are in an uncertain situation,” she said in an interview with States Newsroom. “It is very frustrating.”Legislation in Congress known as the Afghan Adjustment Act would allow Afghan refugees to apply for permanent legal residency after undergoing additional vetting, but it’s failed to advance. Without congressional action on a pathway to citizenship, most of the more than 76,000 Afghan refugees who came to the U.S. after the Taliban takeover are stuck in legal limbo.The humanitarian program under which they arrived in the U.S., known as Operation Allies Welcome, does not provide a pathway to citizenship. But Afghans enrolled can apply for asylum, and those who qualify can apply for a Special Immigrant Visa. Claims for asylum and the Special Immigrant Visa have a major backlog.“For most Afghans, they’re in this kind of limbo status and waiting to see,” said Julia Gelatt, the associate director of the Migration Policy Institute’s U.S. immigration policy program.Jamalzada and her husband, now settled in New York City, have a hearing for their green cards scheduled for Sept. 12, but their work authorization expires at the end of August. The two-week gap means neither will be legally allowed to work in the U.S., risking termination from their jobs.“You don’t have peace of mind,” she said. “Being away from your country, your family, you’re alone in a very strange world, and yet you don’t have that support,” she said, referring to permanent protections in the U.S.Jamalzada, now 27, said she prays that either her and her husband’s work visas are&nbsp;reauthorized, or that Congress passes the Afghan Adjustment Act.For 20 years, the U.S. government relied on Afghans to help the government and military<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cfr.org/timeline/us-war-afghanistan">&nbsp;following the 2001 invasion</a>. Afghans worked as interpreters and helped run aid programs, such as Jamalzada, who worked on women’s empowerment projects with the United States Agency for International Development and at the Afghan presidential palace.“Keep your promise and support the people who stood on your side and helped you,” she said.<h2>Parole set to expire</h2>Operation Allies Welcome evacuated and paroled 76,200 Afghans from August 2021 to September 2022.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.wrapsnet.org/documents/FY%202023%20Reception%20&amp;%20Placement%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf">A majority settled in areas</a>&nbsp;with large military bases such as Texas, California, Maryland, Virginia, Washington and New York.But two years after the fall of Kabul, only a fraction — fewer than 10%&nbsp; — in the humanitarian parole program have secured permanent protections, through either asylum or the Special Immigrant Visa, said Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, the president of the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service. Her organization has helped settle more than 14,000 Afghans in the U.S.“One of the biggest issues, I think, that remains uncertain is whether they will be allowed to remain permanently, and that relates to the Afghan Adjustment Act,” she said.While those who worked for the U.S. government can apply for the Special Immigrant Visa program, many Afghans had to flee the country without the proper documentation needed to show their employment history.“Part of that was because if they had the documentation on them, and were caught by the Taliban, that could be a death sentence,” O’Mara Vignarajah said.O’Mara Vignarajah added that other Afghans applied for refugee status in other countries through Operation Allies Welcome and are waiting to be resettled in the U.S.“The grim reality is that they’re likely waiting for years,” she said.Laila Ayub, an immigration attorney and co-director of Project Afghan Network for Advocacy and Resources, said many Afghans have had no choice but to try to find a way into the U.S., even while they are waiting for their parole to be accepted by Operation Allies Welcome.“We increasingly have been assisting people who have made a very long and difficult journey to the Southern border,” she said.U.S. border agents apprehended more than 2,100 Afghans last year.<h2>Grassley blocks resettlement plan</h2>The closest Congress came to providing a quick pathway to citizenship for Afghans was last year, through the Afghan Adjustment Act, when Democrats controlled the House and Senate. However, those efforts were blocked by Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, and the bipartisan proposal was not included in an omnibus spending bill.Grassley objected to the security and vetting processes for those Afghans.He, along with several Senate Republicans, now are backing another bill by GOP Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, known as the Ensuring American Security and Protecting Afghan Allies Act.That&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.grassley.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/ensuring_american_security_and_protect_afghan_allies_act.pdf">bill</a>&nbsp;would apply to those Afghans who were evacuated and who are ineligible for an immigration status that leads to a green card for citizenship. Those evacuees would be eligible for a four-year conditional resident status, to allow for vetting, and, upon successful completion, would become green card holders.“The Biden Administration’s disastrous departure from Afghanistan caused a chaotic migration from the region, and our government repeatedly failed to thoroughly evaluate evacuees arriving in the United States,” Grassley said in a statement. “This bill restores order to the system by ensuring Afghan evacuees are able to assimilate while preserving American security and better supporting those who provided direct support to the United States military.”However, the bill would limit the president’s authority to establish humanitarian parole programs, which the Biden administration has used as part of its immigration policy. It’s designated parole programs for nationals of Ukraine, Nicaragua, Haiti, Cuba and Venezuela.The Cotton bill “is definitely throwing a wrench” in gaining support for the Afghan Adjustment Act, said Jennie Murray, president and CEO of the National Immigration Forum.“We have used (humanitarian parole) several times in U.S. history across party lines, different presidents have used it, and it’s an important tool that we have to be able to use at a moment like World War II or the Cuban missile crisis,” she said. “It’s something that presidents have to be able to use, and so we’re very worried about that competitive legislation.”Murray helped out evacuation efforts for Afghans when she worked for Upwardly Global, where she worked to put tougher a workforce plan for those Afghans arriving in the U.S.She said a potential last shot at getting permanent protections for Afghans is through the National Defense Authorization Act, an annual must-pass defense policy measure.“They cannot go back to Afghanistan,” she said. “They cannot go back to the Taliban-led state because they partnered with us.”The NDAA does not currently include any provisions for a pathway to citizenship for those Afghans, but Murray notes that the measure is still in conference between the House and the Senate.When the House passed its version of the NDAA, a bipartisan group of lawmakers reintroduced the Afghan Adjustment Act in the Senate and in the House.Democratic U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota sponsored the bill in the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/2327?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22afghan+adjustment+act%22%5D%7D&amp;s=1&amp;r=2">Senate</a>&nbsp;and Republican Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Iowa sponsored the bill in the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/4627?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22afghan+adjustment+act%22%5D%7D&amp;s=1&amp;r=1">House</a>.

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