WASHINGTON — To help serve taxpayers during this challenging tax 
season, the Internal Revenue Service announced today that it is hiring 
more than 5,000 positions in its service processing centers located in 
Austin, Texas; Kansas City, Missouri; and Ogden, Utah.

These positions fall under a special hiring condition called <a href="https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/direct-hire-authority/">direct-hire authority</a>. New hires may expect to begin work within 30-45 days of their job offer.

"It's an exciting time to work for the Internal Revenue Service," 
said IRS Taxpayer Experience Officer and Wage and Investment 
Commissioner Ken Corbin. "Those who wish to work with customer service 
as their focus are encouraged to apply. This is gratifying work - as these newly hired individuals will process tax returns and deliver refunds to the nation's taxpayers."

Available positions include temporary, term and permanent jobs. Many 
are entry-level clerk and tax examiner positions in the Wage and 
Investment Division. No prior tax experience is required.

"The IRS has opportunities for almost every profession, starting with
 these entry level positions. Starting here today can guide you to your 
future career, like it has done for me starting in high school," said 
Corbin.

The IRS offers competitive pay and benefits, on-the-job training, and
 opportunities for advancement. The pay range for these positions is 
from <a href="https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/2022/general-schedule/">GS-02 to GS-09</a>.

The agency is hosting virtual direct hiring events on March 16, 23 
and 30, where the IRS will review resumes and extend job offers to 
eligible applicants on the spot.

These events are open to the public. Interested job seekers are 
encouraged to bring their resumé and two forms of identification (i.e., 
state driver's license and/or state Identification card, birth 
certificate, U.S. Passport, Military ID card or Social Security card). 
Qualified applicants may receive job offers at the in-person events.

Preregistration and social-distancing are required to attend the in-person job fairs. Per <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines</a>,
 wearing a mask is optional for these job fair sites. For complete 
details on the virtual events and to register to attend one of the 
in-person events, visit: <a href="https://www.jobs.irs.gov/find-job/irs-events">jobs.irs.gov/events</a>.

The IRS is an equal opportunity employer. All employees must be U.S. 
citizens, pass an FBI fingerprint check and tax compliance verification,
 and meet the mandatory education, training and experience qualification
 requirements.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — To help serve taxpayers during this challenging tax 
season, the Internal Revenue Service announced today that it is hiring 
more than 5,000 positions in its service processing centers located in 
Austin, Texas; Kansas City, Missouri; and Ogden, Utah.These positions fall under a special hiring condition called <a href="https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/direct-hire-authority/">direct-hire authority</a>. New hires may expect to begin work within 30-45 days of their job offer."It's an exciting time to work for the Internal Revenue Service," 
said IRS Taxpayer Experience Officer and Wage and Investment 
Commissioner Ken Corbin. "Those who wish to work with customer service 
as their focus are encouraged to apply. This is gratifying work - as these newly hired individuals will process tax returns and deliver refunds to the nation's taxpayers."Available positions include temporary, term and permanent jobs. Many 
are entry-level clerk and tax examiner positions in the Wage and 
Investment Division. No prior tax experience is required."The IRS has opportunities for almost every profession, starting with
 these entry level positions. Starting here today can guide you to your 
future career, like it has done for me starting in high school," said 
Corbin.The IRS offers competitive pay and benefits, on-the-job training, and
 opportunities for advancement. The pay range for these positions is 
from <a href="https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/2022/general-schedule/">GS-02 to GS-09</a>.<h2>Virtual hiring events</h2>The agency is hosting virtual direct hiring events on March 16, 23 
and 30, where the IRS will review resumes and extend job offers to 
eligible applicants on the spot.<h2>In-person events</h2>These events are open to the public. Interested job seekers are 
encouraged to bring their resumé and two forms of identification (i.e., 
state driver's license and/or state Identification card, birth 
certificate, U.S. Passport, Military ID card or Social Security card). 
Qualified applicants may receive job offers at the in-person events.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647012509594.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Preregistration and social-distancing are required to attend the in-person job fairs. Per <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines</a>,
 wearing a mask is optional for these job fair sites. For complete 
details on the virtual events and to register to attend one of the 
in-person events, visit: <a href="https://www.jobs.irs.gov/find-job/irs-events">jobs.irs.gov/events</a>.The IRS is an equal opportunity employer. All employees must be U.S. 
citizens, pass an FBI fingerprint check and tax compliance verification,
 and meet the mandatory education, training and experience qualification
 requirements.

More than 5,000 IRS jobs open — many in Kansas City

SEDGWICK COUNTY —The Sedgwick County District Attorney's office charged Wichita Police Department (WPD) Administrative Secretary Mia Turner with one felony count of unlawful use of a computer, according to police department spokesman Officer Trevor Macy.

The charges stem from an investigation into the unauthorized release of classified information related to a criminal case in January of this year.

Turner has been employed by the Wichita Police Department for 14 years in a nonsworn administrative role within the department. She has been placed on unpaid administrative leave pending the outcome of the criminal case and an internal investigation conducted by the Wichita Police Department.

SEDGWICK COUNTY —The Sedgwick County District Attorney's office charged Wichita Police Department (WPD) Administrative Secretary Mia Turner with one felony count of unlawful use of a computer, according to police department spokesman Officer Trevor Macy.The charges stem from an investigation into the unauthorized release of classified information related to a criminal case in January of this year.Turner has been employed by the Wichita Police Department for 14 years in a nonsworn administrative role within the department. She has been placed on unpaid administrative leave pending the outcome of the criminal case and an internal investigation conducted by the Wichita Police Department.

Wichita police dept. secretary charged with felony computer crime

KANSAS CITY (AP) —Black, Hispanic and American Indian residents were missed at higher rates than a decade ago during the 2020 census, according to a report released Thursday that evaluated how well the once-a-decade head count tallied every U.S. resident.

Even though the 2020 census missed an unexpectedly small percentage of the total U.S. population given the unprecedented challenges it faced, the increase in undercounts among some minority groups prompted an outcry from civil rights leaders who blamed political interference by the Trump administration, which tried unsuccessfully to add a citizenship question to the census form and cut field operations short.

“These numbers are devastating. Once again, we see an overcount of white Americans and an undercount of Black and Hispanic Americans,” National Urban League CEO Marc Morial said on a call with reporters. “I want to express in the strongest possible terms our outrage.”

The results of U.S. Census Bureau’s Post-Enumeration Survey showed that most racial and ethnic minorities were overlooked at statistically significant higher rates than a decade ago, with the Asian population being an exception. The survey measures whether certain populations were undercounted or overrepresented in the census. Overcounts take place, for example, if someone owns a vacation home and is counted there as well as at a permanent home address.

The Black population in the 2020 census had a net undercount of 3.3%, while it was almost 5% for Hispanics and 5.6% for American Indians and Native Alaskans living on reservations. Those identifying as some other race had a net undercount of 4.3%. The non-Hispanic white population had a net overcount of 1.6%, and Asians had a net overcount of 2.6%, according to the results.

In the 2010 census, by comparison, the Black population had a net undercount of more than 2%, while it was 1.5% for the Hispanic population. There was almost a 4.9% undercount for American Indian and Alaskan Natives living on reservations, and it was 1.6% for people identifying as some other race and 0.08% for Asians. The non-Hispanic white population had a net overcount of 0.8%.

The 2020 census missed 0.24% of the entire U.S. population, a rate that wasn’t statistically significant, while it missed 0.01% in the 2010 census.

The census figures help determine the distribution of $1.5 trillion in federal spending each year as well as how many congressional seats each state gets. Any undercounts in various populations can shortchange the amount of funding and political representation they get over the next decade.

In the years leading up to the 2020 census, advocates worried that a failed attempt by the Trump administration to add a citizenship question to the census questionnaire would scare off Hispanics and immigrants from participating, whether they were in the country legally or not. The Trump administration also unsuccessfully tried to get the Census Bureau to to exclude people in the country illegally from numbers used for divvying up congressional seats among the states and cut short the schedule for field operations that had been extended because of the pandemic.

During a conference call Thursday, Census Bureau Director Robert Santos said many Latino communities throughout the U.S. suffered during the pandemic from joblessness and housing insecurity, and that played a role in the undercount. But he added that the Trump administration’s actions also may have had an impact.

“I’m personally not surprised to see the results we see today,” said Santos, who was sworn into the position at the beginning of the year.

The severe undercount of the Hispanic population helps explain why three states with large Latino populations underperformed in the 2020 census, with Arizona failing to gain an extra seat, Florida gaining only a single seat and Texas getting only two seats, said Arturo Vargas, CEO of NALEO Educational Fund.

“It was startling to me, the level of undercount,” Vargas said. “We knew there was going to be an undercount, but the extent of it took me by surprise.”

About 70% of Native Americans live on reservations. James Tucker, the chairman of a Census Bureau advisory committee, estimated the undercount translates to at least 100,000 Native Americans on reservations not counted and more than a $300 million loss in federal funding for Indian Country annually.

“This undercount is not new — it is a continuous cycle of erasure of Native people from society,” said Lycia Maddocks, a citizen of the Fort Yuma Quechan Indian Tribe in Arizona who is political director of NDN Collective, a South Dakota-based advocacy group. “In a practical sense, an undercount means that Native people are not looked at as a significant voting block when in reality, our population has proven itself to be the margin of victory in key states such as Arizona.”

The pandemic disrupted census operations and schedules, and it made residents wary of opening their doors to answer questions from census takers. Wildfires in the West and hurricanes in the Gulf Coast during the door-knocking phase of the head count sent residents fleeing from their homes.

The Post-Enumeration showed that 18.8 million people weren’t counted correctly in the 2020 census. Although some of them may have been missed, others were counted using a statistical technique that fills in missing data.

After the results of the Post-Enumeration Survey were released, dozens of members of the Congressional Black Caucus sent a letter to the Census Bureau asking how it planned to investigate the undercount.

“A Census that does not accurately represent Black communities robs them of their equal share of federal resources in education, health care, housing, nutrition assistance, and many other areas — perpetuating systemic racism,” the letter said.

By MIKE SCHNEIDERKANSAS CITY (AP) —Black, Hispanic and American Indian residents were missed at higher rates than a decade ago during the 2020 census, according to a report released Thursday that evaluated how well the once-a-decade head count tallied every U.S. resident.Even though the 2020 census missed an unexpectedly small percentage of the total U.S. population given the unprecedented challenges it faced, the increase in undercounts among some minority groups prompted an outcry from civil rights leaders who blamed political interference by the Trump administration, which tried unsuccessfully to add a citizenship question to the census form and cut field operations short.“These numbers are devastating. Once again, we see an overcount of white Americans and an undercount of Black and Hispanic Americans,” National Urban League CEO Marc Morial said on a call with reporters. “I want to express in the strongest possible terms our outrage.”The results of U.S. Census Bureau’s Post-Enumeration Survey showed that most racial and ethnic minorities were overlooked at statistically significant higher rates than a decade ago, with the Asian population being an exception. The survey measures whether certain populations were undercounted or overrepresented in the census. Overcounts take place, for example, if someone owns a vacation home and is counted there as well as at a permanent home address.The Black population in the 2020 census had a net undercount of 3.3%, while it was almost 5% for Hispanics and 5.6% for American Indians and Native Alaskans living on reservations. Those identifying as some other race had a net undercount of 4.3%. The non-Hispanic white population had a net overcount of 1.6%, and Asians had a net overcount of 2.6%, according to the results.In the 2010 census, by comparison, the Black population had a net undercount of more than 2%, while it was 1.5% for the Hispanic population. There was almost a 4.9% undercount for American Indian and Alaskan Natives living on reservations, and it was 1.6% for people identifying as some other race and 0.08% for Asians. The non-Hispanic white population had a net overcount of 0.8%.The 2020 census missed 0.24% of the entire U.S. population, a rate that wasn’t statistically significant, while it missed 0.01% in the 2010 census.The census figures help determine the distribution of $1.5 trillion in federal spending each year as well as how many congressional seats each state gets. Any undercounts in various populations can shortchange the amount of funding and political representation they get over the next decade.In the years leading up to the 2020 census, advocates worried that a failed attempt by the Trump administration to add a citizenship question to the census questionnaire would scare off Hispanics and immigrants from participating, whether they were in the country legally or not. The Trump administration also unsuccessfully tried to get the Census Bureau to to exclude people in the country illegally from numbers used for divvying up congressional seats among the states and cut short the schedule for field operations that had been extended because of the pandemic.During a conference call Thursday, Census Bureau Director Robert Santos said many Latino communities throughout the U.S. suffered during the pandemic from joblessness and housing insecurity, and that played a role in the undercount. But he added that the Trump administration’s actions also may have had an impact.“I’m personally not surprised to see the results we see today,” said Santos, who was sworn into the position at the beginning of the year.The severe undercount of the Hispanic population helps explain why three states with large Latino populations underperformed in the 2020 census, with Arizona failing to gain an extra seat, Florida gaining only a single seat and Texas getting only two seats, said Arturo Vargas, CEO of NALEO Educational Fund.“It was startling to me, the level of undercount,” Vargas said. “We knew there was going to be an undercount, but the extent of it took me by surprise.”About 70% of Native Americans live on reservations. James Tucker, the chairman of a Census Bureau advisory committee, estimated the undercount translates to at least 100,000 Native Americans on reservations not counted and more than a $300 million loss in federal funding for Indian Country annually.“This undercount is not new — it is a continuous cycle of erasure of Native people from society,” said Lycia Maddocks, a citizen of the Fort Yuma Quechan Indian Tribe in Arizona who is political director of NDN Collective, a South Dakota-based advocacy group. “In a practical sense, an undercount means that Native people are not looked at as a significant voting block when in reality, our population has proven itself to be the margin of victory in key states such as Arizona.”The pandemic disrupted census operations and schedules, and it made residents wary of opening their doors to answer questions from census takers. Wildfires in the West and hurricanes in the Gulf Coast during the door-knocking phase of the head count sent residents fleeing from their homes.The Post-Enumeration showed that 18.8 million people weren’t counted correctly in the 2020 census. Although some of them may have been missed, others were counted using a statistical technique that fills in missing data.After the results of the Post-Enumeration Survey were released, dozens of members of the Congressional Black Caucus sent a letter to the Census Bureau asking how it planned to investigate the undercount.“A Census that does not accurately represent Black communities robs them of their equal share of federal resources in education, health care, housing, nutrition assistance, and many other areas — perpetuating systemic racism,” the letter said.___

2020 census undercounted U.S. minority groups 

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A year-long investigation resulted in the arrests of 26 people in an alleged conspiracy to distribute drugs in Jackson County, federal prosecutors said.

Federal prosecutors said more than 200 federal and Kansas City-area police officers worked together to arrested the defendants on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Officers seized 27 firearms, more than 1,800 rounds of ammunition, 11.1 kilograms of marijuana, 300 grams of cocaine, other illegal drugs, and $35,000 in cash, according to a news release.

The federal indictment alleges the defendants conspired since Jan. 28, 2019, to distribute drugs in Jackson County. They operated mostly in east Kansas City.

In addition to the conspiracy charge, some defendants are charged in 16 drug-trafficking counts and 57 counts of illegally using a telephone to facilitate the conspiracy.

Court documents also allege some of the suspects were armed and were violent, including that some were involved in a shooting that injured three people on April 17, 2021, in Kansas City's Westport entertainment area.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A year-long investigation resulted in the arrests of 26 people in an alleged conspiracy to distribute drugs in Jackson County, federal prosecutors said.Federal prosecutors said more than 200 federal and Kansas City-area police officers worked together to arrested the defendants on Tuesday and Wednesday.Officers seized 27 firearms, more than 1,800 rounds of ammunition, 11.1 kilograms of marijuana, 300 grams of cocaine, other illegal drugs, and $35,000 in cash, according to a news release.The federal indictment alleges the defendants conspired since Jan. 28, 2019, to distribute drugs in Jackson County. They operated mostly in east Kansas City.In addition to the conspiracy charge, some defendants are charged in 16 drug-trafficking counts and 57 counts of illegally using a telephone to facilitate the conspiracy.Court documents also allege some of the suspects were armed and were violent, including that some were involved in a shooting that injured three people on April 17, 2021, in Kansas City's Westport entertainment area.

Police arrest 26 in Kansas City-area drug bust

MEADE COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 8a.m. Thursday in Meade County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2004 BMW 530 Series driven by&nbsp; Joshua K. Barnes, 21, Cincinnati, OH.,&nbsp;was westbound on U.S. 54 one half mile east of Meade.

The BMW was passing a 2023 Mack Truck driven by Christopher T. Bables, 43, Kansas City, Mo., who was towing three other trucks.

The BMW struck an eastbound 2003 Peterbilt semi driven by Mark B. West, 46, Liberal, head-on.&nbsp; The BMW then rotated counterclockwise and struck the Mack truck on the driver's side saddle tank. 

Barnes was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Fidler-Orme-Bachman Mortuary. EMS transported a passenger in the BMW Hudhaifa I.&nbsp;Groomes, 23, Dayton, OH, to the hospital in Meade. Bables and West were not injured. Barnes was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/7/1563104261595.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>MEADE COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 8a.m. Thursday in Meade County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2004 BMW 530 Series driven by&nbsp; Joshua K. Barnes, 21, Cincinnati, OH.,&nbsp;was westbound on U.S. 54 one half mile east of Meade.The BMW was passing a 2023 Mack Truck driven by Christopher T. Bables, 43, Kansas City, Mo., who was towing three other trucks.The BMW struck an eastbound 2003 Peterbilt semi driven by Mark B. West, 46, Liberal, head-on.&nbsp; The BMW then rotated counterclockwise and struck the Mack truck on the driver's side saddle tank. Barnes was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Fidler-Orme-Bachman Mortuary. EMS transported a passenger in the BMW Hudhaifa I.&nbsp;Groomes, 23, Dayton, OH, to the hospital in Meade. Bables and West were not injured. Barnes was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

1 dead, 1 hospitalized after 3-vehicle crash on Kansas highway

In this clever new scam, con artists are getting greedy. Not only are
 they trying to steal your Instagram password, they also are phishing 
for your email log-in. Follow these tips for spotting this tricky scam and protecting your passwords. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

You receive an official-seeming email from Instagram. &nbsp;According to the message, you have violated copyright laws, and your account will be deleted within 24 hours.
 But don’t worry! If you think that Instagram has made a mistake, all 
you need to do is click the button and “verify” your account. Then, you 
are taken to a website that prompts you to input your Instagram 
credentials. Most scams would end there, but not this one!

Immediately, another message appears. This pop-up claims that you must also verify your email address. You’ll
 see a list of e-mail providers. Choose yours, and you’ll be urged to 
enter your email address and password. As a final touch, the scam site 
redirects to the real Instagram website, a trick that “lends additional 
credibility to the scam,” <a href="https://usa.kaspersky.com/blog/instagram-hijack-new-wave/17354/" target="_blank">explains Kaspersky</a>.

On BBB.org, read our tips for spotting scams on <a href="https://www.bbb.org/all/spot-a-scam/how-to-spot-a-scam-email" target="_blank">email</a> and <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/23460-bbb-tip-how-to-spot-a-fake-social-media-account" target="_blank">social media</a>. &nbsp;Read more about how to <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/16758-bbb-tip-phishing-scams" target="_blank">protect yourself from phishing cons</a>. If you’ve been the victim of this or a similar scam, report it to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker" target="_blank">BBB Scam Tracker</a>. Your report can help educate other consumers by raising awareness of scammers’ tactics.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579883951052.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BBBIn this clever new scam, con artists are getting greedy. Not only are
 they trying to steal your Instagram password, they also are phishing 
for your email log-in. Follow these tips for spotting this tricky scam and protecting your passwords. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>How the scam works</h2>You receive an official-seeming email from Instagram. &nbsp;According to the message, you have violated copyright laws, and your account will be deleted within 24 hours.
 But don’t worry! If you think that Instagram has made a mistake, all 
you need to do is click the button and “verify” your account. Then, you 
are taken to a website that prompts you to input your Instagram 
credentials. Most scams would end there, but not this one!Immediately, another message appears. This pop-up claims that you must also verify your email address. You’ll
 see a list of e-mail providers. Choose yours, and you’ll be urged to 
enter your email address and password. As a final touch, the scam site 
redirects to the real Instagram website, a trick that “lends additional 
credibility to the scam,” <a href="https://usa.kaspersky.com/blog/instagram-hijack-new-wave/17354/" target="_blank">explains Kaspersky</a>.<h2>How to spot these scams:&nbsp;</h2><ul>
 <li>Double check the “from” email address and link destinations. Hover over any links in an email you receive to see where the link really leads.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.varonis.com/blog/spot-phishing-scam/" target="_blank">Suspicious links</a>
 are one of the main giveaways of email scams.&nbsp;Also, make sure the 
“from” address is actually from the business it claims to be. &nbsp; </li><li>Understand how businesses handle communications. If
 you know how a company handles disputes and suspicious activity with 
your account, it will be easier to spot a scam. Will they email you? 
Call? Send a text message? </li><li>Look into the claims. Don’t act without first 
verifying the claims. Log into your account or look up the company’s 
official phone number (check your bill or welcome email) and call them 
to confirm that there really is a case of suspicious activity associated
 with your account before you decide what to do. </li><li>Don’t panic and don’t feel intimidated. Scammers 
want you to panic. They may use intimidation tactics, such as claiming 
your account will be shut down in 24 hours, to pressure you into giving 
up your personal information or making payments. Legitimate businesses 
will not intimidate you in this way. Stay calm and think things through 
before you act. </li>
 </ul><h2>For more information</h2>On BBB.org, read our tips for spotting scams on <a href="https://www.bbb.org/all/spot-a-scam/how-to-spot-a-scam-email" target="_blank">email</a> and <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/23460-bbb-tip-how-to-spot-a-fake-social-media-account" target="_blank">social media</a>. &nbsp;Read more about how to <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/16758-bbb-tip-phishing-scams" target="_blank">protect yourself from phishing cons</a>. If you’ve been the victim of this or a similar scam, report it to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker" target="_blank">BBB Scam Tracker</a>. Your report can help educate other consumers by raising awareness of scammers’ tactics.Cover image courtesy Pixabay

Fake copyright email scares Instagram users into sharing passwords

KANSAS CITY– A Kansas City man has been sentenced in federal court for the armed robbery of a female Z-Trip driver whom he shot approximately 26 times with a rifle from the back seat, according to the United State's Attorney.

Derron D. Nevels, 21, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs on Wednesday, March 9, to 13 years in federal prison without parole.

On Aug. 27, 2021, Nevels pleaded guilty to one count of robbery and one count of discharging a firearm during a violent crime.

Nevels was picked up by a Z-Trip driver on Wabash Avenue in Kansas City, Mo., on the evening of Dec. 4, 2018. The Z-Trip taxi in which the crime was committed is equipped with interior and exterior cameras. The cameras show Nevels getting into the rear passenger seat at approximately 8 p.m. The Z-Trip driver took him to Benton Avenue in Kansas City, Mo.

When they arrived at the destination, they waited in the vehicle for somebody to bring out the fare. When a second suspect approached the vehicle, Nevels held a Smith and Wesson Military &amp; Police .22-caliber rifle up to the victim’s head and demanded she give him everything. The victim attempted to explain that Nevels was being recorded, to which Nevels responded, “I don’t care; give me everything.” Nevels also appeared to be taking a photo or video with his cell phone.

The victim turned toward the back seat and grabbed onto the rifle, and a struggle ensued. The second suspect hit the victim in the face, then reached around the driver’s seat and began striking the victim in the back and the back of the victim’s head. The victim released Nevels’ rifle and then Nevels leaned back in his seat, chambered a live round, and opened fire on the victim from close range.&nbsp; Nevels fired approximately 26 times into the victim.&nbsp; Nevels and his accomplice then ran from the scene.

About 10 minutes later, Nevels and another suspect returned to the victim’s vehicle to retrieve a cell phone Nevels had left behind when he fled from the scene of the earlier robbery and assault. Nevels can be heard on the Z-Trip vehicle’s video asking the victim if she is okay.&nbsp; The victim indicates she has been shot. Nevels asked the victim if she had called the police. He got into the rear driver’s side of the taxi and picked up the cell phone, then left the scene.

When police officers arrived, the victim was transported to an area hospital in critical condition. According to court documents, she continues to suffer from her serious and debilitating injuries inflicted by Nevels.

Investigators used cell phone and Facebook data to identify Nevels and the distinctive rifle he used in the robbery. On Dec. 10, 2018, Nevels was seen getting onto a bus near Prospect Avenue and Swope Parkway. Nevels was arrested when he got off the bus at 11th Street and Grand Avenue. Nevels was carrying the loaded rifle hidden in his waistband with the barrel going down his right pant leg. The rifle was later positively identified as the weapon used to shoot the Z-Trip driver during the robbery.

Co-defendants Bailee Anna Maria Prieto, 21, of Kansas City, Kansas, and Melani Yitzel Collazo Jimenez, also known as “Mel,” 24, of Kansas City, Mo., have each pleaded guilty to being accessories after the fact to the robbery. Prieto was sentenced on Nov. 23, 2021, to three years in federal prison without parole. Jimenez was sentenced on Nov. 18, 2021, to two years and six months in federal prison without parole.

Prieto used or allowed her phone to be used to order the Z-Trip that was robbed. Prieto disposed of her phone after the robbery to avoid the police searching it.

Jimenez went to the scene to help Nevels retrieve his telephone from the Z-Trip where he left it after the robbery and shooting. Jimenez provided her apartment for Nevels, Prieto, and others to stay the night after the robbery.

Neither Prieto nor Jimenez reported anything to law enforcement. The two of them communicated with and were associated with Nevels and others, before, during, and after the robbery and shooting.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1630102827276.png" alt="Nevels-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Nevels-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY– A Kansas City man has been sentenced in federal court for the armed robbery of a female Z-Trip driver whom he shot approximately 26 times with a rifle from the back seat, according to the United State's Attorney.Derron D. Nevels, 21, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs on Wednesday, March 9, to 13 years in federal prison without parole.On Aug. 27, 2021, Nevels pleaded guilty to one count of robbery and one count of discharging a firearm during a violent crime.Nevels was picked up by a Z-Trip driver on Wabash Avenue in Kansas City, Mo., on the evening of Dec. 4, 2018. The Z-Trip taxi in which the crime was committed is equipped with interior and exterior cameras. The cameras show Nevels getting into the rear passenger seat at approximately 8 p.m. The Z-Trip driver took him to Benton Avenue in Kansas City, Mo.When they arrived at the destination, they waited in the vehicle for somebody to bring out the fare. When a second suspect approached the vehicle, Nevels held a Smith and Wesson Military &amp; Police .22-caliber rifle up to the victim’s head and demanded she give him everything. The victim attempted to explain that Nevels was being recorded, to which Nevels responded, “I don’t care; give me everything.” Nevels also appeared to be taking a photo or video with his cell phone.The victim turned toward the back seat and grabbed onto the rifle, and a struggle ensued. The second suspect hit the victim in the face, then reached around the driver’s seat and began striking the victim in the back and the back of the victim’s head. The victim released Nevels’ rifle and then Nevels leaned back in his seat, chambered a live round, and opened fire on the victim from close range.&nbsp; Nevels fired approximately 26 times into the victim.&nbsp; Nevels and his accomplice then ran from the scene.About 10 minutes later, Nevels and another suspect returned to the victim’s vehicle to retrieve a cell phone Nevels had left behind when he fled from the scene of the earlier robbery and assault. Nevels can be heard on the Z-Trip vehicle’s video asking the victim if she is okay.&nbsp; The victim indicates she has been shot. Nevels asked the victim if she had called the police. He got into the rear driver’s side of the taxi and picked up the cell phone, then left the scene.When police officers arrived, the victim was transported to an area hospital in critical condition. According to court documents, she continues to suffer from her serious and debilitating injuries inflicted by Nevels.Investigators used cell phone and Facebook data to identify Nevels and the distinctive rifle he used in the robbery. On Dec. 10, 2018, Nevels was seen getting onto a bus near Prospect Avenue and Swope Parkway. Nevels was arrested when he got off the bus at 11th Street and Grand Avenue. Nevels was carrying the loaded rifle hidden in his waistband with the barrel going down his right pant leg. The rifle was later positively identified as the weapon used to shoot the Z-Trip driver during the robbery.Co-defendants Bailee Anna Maria Prieto, 21, of Kansas City, Kansas, and Melani Yitzel Collazo Jimenez, also known as “Mel,” 24, of Kansas City, Mo., have each pleaded guilty to being accessories after the fact to the robbery. Prieto was sentenced on Nov. 23, 2021, to three years in federal prison without parole. Jimenez was sentenced on Nov. 18, 2021, to two years and six months in federal prison without parole.Prieto used or allowed her phone to be used to order the Z-Trip that was robbed. Prieto disposed of her phone after the robbery to avoid the police searching it.Jimenez went to the scene to help Nevels retrieve his telephone from the Z-Trip where he left it after the robbery and shooting. Jimenez provided her apartment for Nevels, Prieto, and others to stay the night after the robbery.Neither Prieto nor Jimenez reported anything to law enforcement. The two of them communicated with and were associated with Nevels and others, before, during, and after the robbery and shooting.

Kansas City man sentenced for shooting Z-trip driver 26 times

JOPLIN (AP) — A Joplin, Missouri, police officer who was shot along with two other officers this week “will not recover” from his injuries, Police Chief Sloan Rowland said Thursday.

Rowland announced that patrol officer Jake Reed’s family said he was being prepared to donate organs.

“We’re so proud, so thankful and forever in debt for his service to this community. ... Jake is an outstanding young man,” Rowland said.

Cpl. Benjamin Cooper&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-missouri-joplin-brian-lewis-6151d6a29d0a0b0ecd2be9cea5029c4b">died after being shot in the initial confrontation on Tuesday.&nbsp;</a>A third officer, Rick Hirshey, was also shot and was in serious but stable condition Thursday, Rowland said.

Reed joined the police force in 2017. He and Cooper were among the first officers to confront 40-year-old Anthony Felix at a shopping mall in Joplin Tuesday afternoon.

Felix shot the two officers, stole a patrol car and fled. He crashed the car and was on foot when Hirshey saw him trying to steal another vehicle and positioned his patrol vehicle to stop the theft. Felix shot Hirshey through the windshield and hit him in the face, Rowland said.

Hirshey retired from the police force three months ago after more than 20 years of service but then returned to the department. He will face serious health problems and several surgeries in the days to come, the chief said.

Felix was then shot and killed by police Capt. William Davis, Rowland said. Davis, a veteran of more than 15 years, left cover and exposed himself to stop the suspect.

“If not for Capt. Davis’ actions, additional officers and citizens could have been killed,” Rowland said.

Rowland asked everyone to pray for all the officers involved. He also thanked the community for its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-missouri-joplin-35144519fddb57ae737b018b846b0836">outpouring of support</a>&nbsp;since the shooting.

Police have not released any information about Felix.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646954331789.png" alt="Memorial in front of the Joplin Police station-photo courtesy Joplin Police&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Memorial in front of the Joplin Police station-photo courtesy Joplin Police&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>JOPLIN (AP) — A Joplin, Missouri, police officer who was shot along with two other officers this week “will not recover” from his injuries, Police Chief Sloan Rowland said Thursday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646959627467.png" alt="Officer Jake Reed-photo Joplin Police" />
 <figcaption>Officer Jake Reed-photo Joplin Police</figcaption>
 </figure>Rowland announced that patrol officer Jake Reed’s family said he was being prepared to donate organs.“We’re so proud, so thankful and forever in debt for his service to this community. ... Jake is an outstanding young man,” Rowland said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646959719466.png" alt="Cpl. Benjamin Cooper-photo Joplin Police" />
 <figcaption>Cpl. Benjamin Cooper-photo Joplin Police</figcaption>
 </figure>Cpl. Benjamin Cooper&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-missouri-joplin-brian-lewis-6151d6a29d0a0b0ecd2be9cea5029c4b">died after being shot in the initial confrontation on Tuesday.&nbsp;</a>A third officer, Rick Hirshey, was also shot and was in serious but stable condition Thursday, Rowland said.Reed joined the police force in 2017. He and Cooper were among the first officers to confront 40-year-old Anthony Felix at a shopping mall in Joplin Tuesday afternoon.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646825983603.png" alt="Photo courtesy KOAM TV" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KOAM TV</figcaption>
 </figure>Felix shot the two officers, stole a patrol car and fled. He crashed the car and was on foot when Hirshey saw him trying to steal another vehicle and positioned his patrol vehicle to stop the theft. Felix shot Hirshey through the windshield and hit him in the face, Rowland said.Hirshey retired from the police force three months ago after more than 20 years of service but then returned to the department. He will face serious health problems and several surgeries in the days to come, the chief said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646959490285.png" alt="Felix-photo Joplin Police" />
 <figcaption>Felix-photo Joplin Police</figcaption>
 </figure>Felix was then shot and killed by police Capt. William Davis, Rowland said. Davis, a veteran of more than 15 years, left cover and exposed himself to stop the suspect.“If not for Capt. Davis’ actions, additional officers and citizens could have been killed,” Rowland said.Rowland asked everyone to pray for all the officers involved. He also thanked the community for its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-missouri-joplin-35144519fddb57ae737b018b846b0836">outpouring of support</a>&nbsp;since the shooting.Police have not released any information about Felix.

Chief: Second Missouri officer won't recover from shooting

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A proposal backed by conservatives to amend the Kansas Constitution to make it harder for lawmakers to increase taxes has received a state Senate committee’s approval. The Senate Assessment and Taxation Committee’s voice vote Thursday on the measure sends it to the full Senate for debate. 

The measure would require two-thirds majorities in both chambers starting in July 2023 to pass any bill that would either increase a state tax or impose a new tax. Currently, only simple majorities are required. Conservative lawmakers see the proposal as a way to limit the growth of state government. But Democratic state Sen. Tom Holland, of Baldwin City, called it “anti-democratic” and “dangerous.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646949229586.png" alt="The Senate Assessment and Taxation Committee’s voice vote Thursday on the measure sends it to the full Senate for debate-image Senate YouTube page" />
 <figcaption>The Senate Assessment and Taxation Committee’s voice vote Thursday on the measure sends it to the full Senate for debate-image Senate YouTube page</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A proposal backed by conservatives to amend the Kansas Constitution to make it harder for lawmakers to increase taxes has received a state Senate committee’s approval. The Senate Assessment and Taxation Committee’s voice vote Thursday on the measure sends it to the full Senate for debate. The measure would require two-thirds majorities in both chambers starting in July 2023 to pass any bill that would either increase a state tax or impose a new tax. Currently, only simple majorities are required. Conservative lawmakers see the proposal as a way to limit the growth of state government. But Democratic state Sen. Tom Holland, of Baldwin City, called it “anti-democratic” and “dangerous.”

Plan to make raising taxes harder in Kansas clears committee

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that sent one man to the hospital.

Just before 3:30 a.m. Thursday, police&nbsp; responded to a shooting call in the 400 block of S. Walnut in Wichita, according to Officer Trevor Macy. 

Multiple 911 callers reported hearing gunshots in the area. Another 911 caller reported a suspect was breaking into their car armed with a knife and was shot by the caller’s husband.

Officers arrived in the area and contacted a 41-year-old man with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound. EMS transported the man to an area hospital for treatment.

Officers contacted the 29-year-old male resident who reported hearing noises outside his house and seeing the 41-year-old underneath his pickup truck. He retrieved a handgun and went outside to talk to the suspect when the 41-year-old got up from under the truck with a cordless saw operating in his hand and moved toward the 29-year-old, who then fired his handgun, striking the suspect.

The suspect remains hospitalized, according to Macy.&nbsp;

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that sent one man to the hospital.Just before 3:30 a.m. Thursday, police&nbsp; responded to a shooting call in the 400 block of S. Walnut in Wichita, according to Officer Trevor Macy. Multiple 911 callers reported hearing gunshots in the area. Another 911 caller reported a suspect was breaking into their car armed with a knife and was shot by the caller’s husband.Officers arrived in the area and contacted a 41-year-old man with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound. EMS transported the man to an area hospital for treatment.Officers contacted the 29-year-old male resident who reported hearing noises outside his house and seeing the 41-year-old underneath his pickup truck. He retrieved a handgun and went outside to talk to the suspect when the 41-year-old got up from under the truck with a cordless saw operating in his hand and moved toward the 29-year-old, who then fired his handgun, striking the suspect.The suspect remains hospitalized, according to Macy.&nbsp;

Police: Kan. man shot suspect who was armed with cordless saw

By DOUGLAS SCHULER and LAURA MARIE EDINGER-SCHONS <a href="https://www.nevadacurrent.com/2022/03/10/why-hundreds-of-western-companies-are-abandoning-russia-with-barely-a-shrug/">Courtesy States Newsroom</a>

Many companies in the U.S. and elsewhere have been quick to sever ties to Russia – going well beyond applying the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-02-28/sanctions-imposed-so-far-on-russia-from-the-u-s-eu-and-u-k">sanctions ordered by their governments</a>.

IKEA, Nike and H&amp;M are <a target="_blank" href="https://edition.cnn.com/2022/03/03/business/ikea-h-and-m-russia/index.html">temporarily closing their Russian stores</a>. Disney, Sony and Warner Bros. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/mar/01/disney-and-warner-bros-pause-film-releases-in-russia-over-ukraine-invasion">paused the release of new films</a> in Russia. Apple, Samsung and Microsoft <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnet.com/news/apple-microsoft-and-other-tech-companies-stop-sales-in-russia/">stopped selling their products there</a>. McKinsey, Ernst &amp; Young and many other top <a target="_blank" href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/big-auditors-to-leave-russia-amid-invasion-of-ukraine-11646666419?mod=djemCFO">accounting</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ft.com/content/6c412673-d65e-4e75-adbb-08146c42387c">consulting firms</a> said they are leaving the Russian market – possibly for good.

In all, <a target="_blank" href="https://som.yale.edu/story/2022/over-200-companies-have-withdrawn-russia-some-remain">over 300 companies have announced plans</a>
 to close stores, reassign staff or stop selling products in Russia 
since the invasion began on Feb. 24, 2022, according to a running tally 
by Yale management professor Jeffrey Sonnenfeld. Most recently, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/08/business/mcdonalds-pepsi-coke-russia/index.html">McDonald’s</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/03/08/business/stocks-economy-inflation-ukraine">Starbucks</a> and Coca-Cola joined the list on March 8, 2022, announcing they would close stores and cease sales.

In some ways, these decisions fit in with a <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/how-corporate-ceos-found-their-political-voice-83127">recent trend in which companies have increasingly staked out</a>
 public positions on often controversial social and political issues, 
such as restrictions on trans rights and ability to vote. As <a target="_blank" href="https://business.rice.edu/person/douglas-schuler">business professors</a> <a target="_blank" href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=k7slUggAAAAJ&amp;hl=en&amp;oi=ao">who study why</a> companies engage in activism, we feel the same factors that have driven those decisions to speak out are at work over Ukraine.

But we also believe Ukraine stands out for one important reason: For 
many of these companies, it may have been one of the easiest stands 
they’ve ever taken – even if there is a financial cost.

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.doi.org/10.1177/0022242920937000">Corporate sociopolitical activism</a>
 – the technical term we use – entails companies making public 
declarations or taking actions about significant social or political 
issues that extend beyond their core business.

Until relatively recently, <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/how-corporate-ceos-found-their-political-voice-83127">companies rarely took stands</a> on social or political issues.

That didn’t really change until the 2000s, when LBGTQ rights were under attack and major companies such as <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-walmart-arkansas-analysis-idUSKBN0MT13E20150402">Walmart spoke out</a> against bills that would have allowed discrimination.

Since then, there’s been a <a target="_blank" href="https://qz.com/work/1797058/2020-is-the-year-corporate-activism-and-global-political-risk-converge/">surge in companies taking proactive stands</a> on issues ranging from climate activism and racism to abortion and voting rights.

For example, in the wake of the murder of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis in 2020, hundreds of CEOs <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/11/ceos-unveil-plans-against-racial-inequality-after-george-floyd-death.html">signed a pledge</a> against racial discrimination and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ceoaction.com/purpose/">created an organization dedicated</a> to diversity, equity and inclusion. In 2021, the CEOs of Dell, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines and AT&amp;T <a target="_blank" href="https://www.npr.org/2021/04/02/983709091/these-are-the-businesses-speaking-out-against-texass-newly-proposed-election-law">spoke out against a Texas bill</a> aimed at making it more difficult for citizens to vote.

Others have taken more decisive action. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.npr.org/2021/09/08/1035045952/lyft-uber-will-pay-drivers-legal-fees-if-theyre-sued-under-texas-abortion-law">Uber and Lyft</a>
 said they would pay to defend their drivers if they got sued under a 
Texas law that allows anyone to sue a person who helps someone get an 
abortion. And in 2016, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2017/03/27/bathroom-bill-to-cost-north-carolina-376-billion.html">PayPal and the NCAA pulled business</a> from North Carolina after the state passed a bill limiting LGBTQ protections.

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/consumer-packaged-goods/our-insights/great-expectations-navigating-challenging-stakeholder-expectations-of-brandsexpectations-of-brands">Surveys show</a> <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ipsos.com/sites/default/files/ct/publication/documents/2021-11/ipsos-global-trends-2021-report.pdf">today’s consumers expect</a> <a target="_blank" href="https://www.5wpr.com/new/wp-content/uploads/pdf/5W_consumer_culture_report_2020final.pdf">companies to live up</a> to the <a target="_blank" href="https://certusinsights.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Markstein-Social-Responsibility-_-Certus-Insights-Research-_.pdf">values they espouse</a> in their press releases, and big corporate groups such as the Business Roundtable even began <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessroundtable.org/business-roundtable-redefines-the-purpose-of-a-corporation-to-promote-an-economy-that-serves-all-americans">urging companies</a> to focus on creating value for everyone – not just shareholders.

More specifically, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.econbiz.de/Record/don-t-mix-business-with-politics-understanding-stakeholder-reactions-to-corporate-political-activism-appels-moritz/10012303252">research</a> has identified <a target="_blank" href="https://www.doi.org/10.5465/amr.2018.0084">three major factors</a> that typically drive a company’s decision to pursue corporate activism: employee beliefs, consumer pressure and the <a target="_blank" href="https://hbr.org/2018/01/the-new-ceo-activists">CEO’s personal involvement</a> or conviction.

It’s not always clear what is driving corporate decisions to suspend 
operations in Russia, but it seems as if all three factors are at play.

IKEA, for example, <a target="_blank" href="https://about.ikea.com/en/newsroom/2022/03/03/ikea-pauses-operations-in-russia-and-belarus">cited the support and security</a>
 of its workforce in announcing its “pause” in Russia and a donation of 
20 million euros for humanitarian assistance for those displaced by the 
war. After a #BoycottMcDonald’s <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mashed.com/789748/heres-why-boycott-mcdonalds-is-trending-on-twitter/">began trending on Twitter</a>
 to protest its presence in Russia, the fast-food chain said it was 
temporarily closing its stores there. And Tesla CEO Elon Musk <a target="_blank" href="https://www.vox.com/recode/22958373/ukraine-russia-starlink-spacex-elon-musk">agreed to provide Ukraine</a> with free satellite internet after a Ukrainian official requested it on Twitter.

But ultimately, the decision whether or not to sever a relationship 
with a country – even if temporarily – is very different from taking a 
stand on an anti-trans measure.

Even so, the speed with which U.S. and other Western companies have 
abandoned Russia is something we’ve never seen in our lifetimes. And it 
suggests the decision was likely a no-brainer.

For one thing, Russia’s invasion has been met with widespread 
revulsion in the West. And even before the war, the public’s perception 
of Russia in Western countries <a target="_blank" href="https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/02/07/russia-and-putin-receive-low-ratings-globally">was very low</a>.

One post-invasion poll found that 86% of Americans <a target="_blank" href="https://poll.qu.edu/poll-release?releaseid=3837">saw the invasion as unjustified</a> – with broad bipartisan agreement – and another showed that half of the respondents would <a target="_blank" href="https://www.live5news.com/2022/03/07/poll-finds-majority-want-russian-oil-ban-divided-biden/">compare the actions of Vladimir Putin</a> with those of Adolf Hitler.

And governments including those like <a target="_blank" href="https://www.dw.com/en/german-chancellor-olaf-scholz-announces-paradigm-change-in-response-to-ukraine-invasion/a-60932652">Germany</a>
 that have close commercial ties to Russia have strongly condemned its 
actions and joined unprecedented sanctions. About 80% of Germans said 
they approved of their government’s decision to sanction Russia and 
export weapons to Ukraine – or said it didn’t go far enough.

Ultimately, the Russian market is just not that big for companies in the U.S, such as <a target="_blank" href="https://appleinsider.com/articles/22/03/04/what-apple-risks-by-stopping-all-sales-operations-in-russia">Apple</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://deadline.com/2022/03/disney-ukraine-theme-parks-disneyplus-1234973007/">Disney</a>. For others, such as McDonald’s, which has been <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-03-08/mcdonald-s-faces-tough-questions-with-large-exposure-to-russia?sref=Hjm5biAW">in Russia since 1990 and has about 850 locations there</a>, days of pressure finally persuaded company officials they had to pull out.

On many hot-button social issues like <a target="_blank" href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/350174/mixed-views-among-americans-transgender-issues.aspx">trans rights</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/09/13/key-facts-about-americans-and-guns/">gun control</a>, the general public is split almost right down the middle, meaning taking a stand could alienate a lot of consumers.

But on the issue of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, many companies likely were more worried about the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/business/consumer/mcdonalds-us-brands-pressure-stop-business-russia-rcna18990">risks to their reputation</a>
 were they to do nothing. With so many other companies pulling out, it 
likely seemed better to explain to shareholders and customers back home <a target="_blank" href="https://edition.cnn.com/2022/03/02/business/companies-pulling-back-russia-ukraine-war-intl-hnk/index.html">why they’re leaving</a> than <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bbc.com/news/business-60660006">why they’re staying</a>.

This article is republished from <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/why-apple-disney-ikea-and-hundreds-of-other-western-companies-are-abandoning-russia-with-barely-a-shrug-178516">original article</a>.

Associate Professor of Business and Public Policy, Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice University

Professor of Sustainable Business, University of Mannheim

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646948339628.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By DOUGLAS SCHULER and LAURA MARIE EDINGER-SCHONS <a href="https://www.nevadacurrent.com/2022/03/10/why-hundreds-of-western-companies-are-abandoning-russia-with-barely-a-shrug/">Courtesy States Newsroom</a>Many companies in the U.S. and elsewhere have been quick to sever ties to Russia – going well beyond applying the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-02-28/sanctions-imposed-so-far-on-russia-from-the-u-s-eu-and-u-k">sanctions ordered by their governments</a>.IKEA, Nike and H&amp;M are <a target="_blank" href="https://edition.cnn.com/2022/03/03/business/ikea-h-and-m-russia/index.html">temporarily closing their Russian stores</a>. Disney, Sony and Warner Bros. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/mar/01/disney-and-warner-bros-pause-film-releases-in-russia-over-ukraine-invasion">paused the release of new films</a> in Russia. Apple, Samsung and Microsoft <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnet.com/news/apple-microsoft-and-other-tech-companies-stop-sales-in-russia/">stopped selling their products there</a>. McKinsey, Ernst &amp; Young and many other top <a target="_blank" href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/big-auditors-to-leave-russia-amid-invasion-of-ukraine-11646666419?mod=djemCFO">accounting</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ft.com/content/6c412673-d65e-4e75-adbb-08146c42387c">consulting firms</a> said they are leaving the Russian market – possibly for good.In all, <a target="_blank" href="https://som.yale.edu/story/2022/over-200-companies-have-withdrawn-russia-some-remain">over 300 companies have announced plans</a>
 to close stores, reassign staff or stop selling products in Russia 
since the invasion began on Feb. 24, 2022, according to a running tally 
by Yale management professor Jeffrey Sonnenfeld. Most recently, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/08/business/mcdonalds-pepsi-coke-russia/index.html">McDonald’s</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/03/08/business/stocks-economy-inflation-ukraine">Starbucks</a> and Coca-Cola joined the list on March 8, 2022, announcing they would close stores and cease sales.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>In some ways, these decisions fit in with a <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/how-corporate-ceos-found-their-political-voice-83127">recent trend in which companies have increasingly staked out</a>
 public positions on often controversial social and political issues, 
such as restrictions on trans rights and ability to vote. As <a target="_blank" href="https://business.rice.edu/person/douglas-schuler">business professors</a> <a target="_blank" href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=k7slUggAAAAJ&amp;hl=en&amp;oi=ao">who study why</a> companies engage in activism, we feel the same factors that have driven those decisions to speak out are at work over Ukraine.But we also believe Ukraine stands out for one important reason: For 
many of these companies, it may have been one of the easiest stands 
they’ve ever taken – even if there is a financial cost.<h2>Taking a stand</h2><a target="_blank" href="https://www.doi.org/10.1177/0022242920937000">Corporate sociopolitical activism</a>
 – the technical term we use – entails companies making public 
declarations or taking actions about significant social or political 
issues that extend beyond their core business.Until relatively recently, <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/how-corporate-ceos-found-their-political-voice-83127">companies rarely took stands</a> on social or political issues.That didn’t really change until the 2000s, when LBGTQ rights were under attack and major companies such as <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-walmart-arkansas-analysis-idUSKBN0MT13E20150402">Walmart spoke out</a> against bills that would have allowed discrimination.Since then, there’s been a <a target="_blank" href="https://qz.com/work/1797058/2020-is-the-year-corporate-activism-and-global-political-risk-converge/">surge in companies taking proactive stands</a> on issues ranging from climate activism and racism to abortion and voting rights.For example, in the wake of the murder of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis in 2020, hundreds of CEOs <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/11/ceos-unveil-plans-against-racial-inequality-after-george-floyd-death.html">signed a pledge</a> against racial discrimination and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ceoaction.com/purpose/">created an organization dedicated</a> to diversity, equity and inclusion. In 2021, the CEOs of Dell, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines and AT&amp;T <a target="_blank" href="https://www.npr.org/2021/04/02/983709091/these-are-the-businesses-speaking-out-against-texass-newly-proposed-election-law">spoke out against a Texas bill</a> aimed at making it more difficult for citizens to vote.Others have taken more decisive action. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.npr.org/2021/09/08/1035045952/lyft-uber-will-pay-drivers-legal-fees-if-theyre-sued-under-texas-abortion-law">Uber and Lyft</a>
 said they would pay to defend their drivers if they got sued under a 
Texas law that allows anyone to sue a person who helps someone get an 
abortion. And in 2016, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2017/03/27/bathroom-bill-to-cost-north-carolina-376-billion.html">PayPal and the NCAA pulled business</a> from North Carolina after the state passed a bill limiting LGBTQ protections.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/consumer-packaged-goods/our-insights/great-expectations-navigating-challenging-stakeholder-expectations-of-brandsexpectations-of-brands">Surveys show</a> <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ipsos.com/sites/default/files/ct/publication/documents/2021-11/ipsos-global-trends-2021-report.pdf">today’s consumers expect</a> <a target="_blank" href="https://www.5wpr.com/new/wp-content/uploads/pdf/5W_consumer_culture_report_2020final.pdf">companies to live up</a> to the <a target="_blank" href="https://certusinsights.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Markstein-Social-Responsibility-_-Certus-Insights-Research-_.pdf">values they espouse</a> in their press releases, and big corporate groups such as the Business Roundtable even began <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessroundtable.org/business-roundtable-redefines-the-purpose-of-a-corporation-to-promote-an-economy-that-serves-all-americans">urging companies</a> to focus on creating value for everyone – not just shareholders.<h2>Why companies speak out</h2>More specifically, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.econbiz.de/Record/don-t-mix-business-with-politics-understanding-stakeholder-reactions-to-corporate-political-activism-appels-moritz/10012303252">research</a> has identified <a target="_blank" href="https://www.doi.org/10.5465/amr.2018.0084">three major factors</a> that typically drive a company’s decision to pursue corporate activism: employee beliefs, consumer pressure and the <a target="_blank" href="https://hbr.org/2018/01/the-new-ceo-activists">CEO’s personal involvement</a> or conviction.It’s not always clear what is driving corporate decisions to suspend 
operations in Russia, but it seems as if all three factors are at play.IKEA, for example, <a target="_blank" href="https://about.ikea.com/en/newsroom/2022/03/03/ikea-pauses-operations-in-russia-and-belarus">cited the support and security</a>
 of its workforce in announcing its “pause” in Russia and a donation of 
20 million euros for humanitarian assistance for those displaced by the 
war. After a #BoycottMcDonald’s <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mashed.com/789748/heres-why-boycott-mcdonalds-is-trending-on-twitter/">began trending on Twitter</a>
 to protest its presence in Russia, the fast-food chain said it was 
temporarily closing its stores there. And Tesla CEO Elon Musk <a target="_blank" href="https://www.vox.com/recode/22958373/ukraine-russia-starlink-spacex-elon-musk">agreed to provide Ukraine</a> with free satellite internet after a Ukrainian official requested it on Twitter.<h2>A corporate no-brainer</h2>But ultimately, the decision whether or not to sever a relationship 
with a country – even if temporarily – is very different from taking a 
stand on an anti-trans measure.Even so, the speed with which U.S. and other Western companies have 
abandoned Russia is something we’ve never seen in our lifetimes. And it 
suggests the decision was likely a no-brainer.For one thing, Russia’s invasion has been met with widespread 
revulsion in the West. And even before the war, the public’s perception 
of Russia in Western countries <a target="_blank" href="https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/02/07/russia-and-putin-receive-low-ratings-globally">was very low</a>.One post-invasion poll found that 86% of Americans <a target="_blank" href="https://poll.qu.edu/poll-release?releaseid=3837">saw the invasion as unjustified</a> – with broad bipartisan agreement – and another showed that half of the respondents would <a target="_blank" href="https://www.live5news.com/2022/03/07/poll-finds-majority-want-russian-oil-ban-divided-biden/">compare the actions of Vladimir Putin</a> with those of Adolf Hitler.And governments including those like <a target="_blank" href="https://www.dw.com/en/german-chancellor-olaf-scholz-announces-paradigm-change-in-response-to-ukraine-invasion/a-60932652">Germany</a>
 that have close commercial ties to Russia have strongly condemned its 
actions and joined unprecedented sanctions. About 80% of Germans said 
they approved of their government’s decision to sanction Russia and 
export weapons to Ukraine – or said it didn’t go far enough.Ultimately, the Russian market is just not that big for companies in the U.S, such as <a target="_blank" href="https://appleinsider.com/articles/22/03/04/what-apple-risks-by-stopping-all-sales-operations-in-russia">Apple</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://deadline.com/2022/03/disney-ukraine-theme-parks-disneyplus-1234973007/">Disney</a>. For others, such as McDonald’s, which has been <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-03-08/mcdonald-s-faces-tough-questions-with-large-exposure-to-russia?sref=Hjm5biAW">in Russia since 1990 and has about 850 locations there</a>, days of pressure finally persuaded company officials they had to pull out.On many hot-button social issues like <a target="_blank" href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/350174/mixed-views-among-americans-transgender-issues.aspx">trans rights</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/09/13/key-facts-about-americans-and-guns/">gun control</a>, the general public is split almost right down the middle, meaning taking a stand could alienate a lot of consumers.But on the issue of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, many companies likely were more worried about the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/business/consumer/mcdonalds-us-brands-pressure-stop-business-russia-rcna18990">risks to their reputation</a>
 were they to do nothing. With so many other companies pulling out, it 
likely seemed better to explain to shareholders and customers back home <a target="_blank" href="https://edition.cnn.com/2022/03/02/business/companies-pulling-back-russia-ukraine-war-intl-hnk/index.html">why they’re leaving</a> than <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bbc.com/news/business-60660006">why they’re staying</a>.This article is republished from <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/why-apple-disney-ikea-and-hundreds-of-other-western-companies-are-abandoning-russia-with-barely-a-shrug-178516">original article</a>.<h2>Douglas Schuler</h2>Associate Professor of Business and Public Policy, Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice University<h2>Laura Marie Edinger-Schons</h2>Professor of Sustainable Business, University of Mannheim

OPINION: Western companies abandoning Russia with barely a shrug

NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Baseball’s acrimonious players and owners ended their most bitter money fight in a quarter-century when a divided players’ association accepted management’s offer to salvage a 162-game season that will start April 7. On the 99th day of a lockout that delayed spring training and threatened to cancel regular-season games for the first time since 1995, the players’ executive board approved a five-year contract at about 3 p.m. in a 28-12 vote. Owners ratified the deal 30-0 just three hours later, and the lockout was lifted at 7 p.m., ending baseball’s ninth work stoppage.

NEW YORK (AP)— Players have voted to accept Major League Baseball's latest offer for a new labor deal, paving the way to end a 99-day lockout and salvage a 162-game regular season that will begin April 7.

The union’s executive board approved the agreement in a 26-12 vote Thursday, pending ratification by all players, a person familiar with the balloting said, speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because no announcement was authorized.

MLB sent the players an offer Thursday and gave them until 3 p.m. to accept in order to play a full season. The union announced the player vote around 3:25 p.m. Owners planned to hold a ratification vote later in the day.

The agreement will allow training camps to open this week in Florida and Arizona, more than three weeks after they were scheduled to on Feb. 16. Fans can start making plans to be at Fenway Park, Dodger Stadium and Camden Yards next month. Opening day is being planned a little more than a week behind the original date on March 31.

The deal will also set off a rapid-fire round of free agency. Carlos Correa, Freddie Freeman and Kris Bryant are among 138 big leaguers still without a team, including some who might benefit from the adoption of a universal designated hitter.

The sport's new collective bargaining agreement will also expand the playoffs to 12 teams and introduce incentives to limit so-called “tanking.” The minimum salary will rise from $570,500 to about $700,000 and the luxury tax threshold will increase from $210 million to around $230 million this year, a slight loosening for the biggest spenders such as the Yankees, Mets, Dodgers and Red Sox. A new bonus pool was established for players not yet eligible for arbitration, a way to boost salaries for young stars.

Commissioner Rob Manfred had set a Tuesday deadline for a deal that would preserve a 162-game schedule along with full pay and service time required for players to reach free agency. Talks spilled past the deadline and Manfred announced more cancellations Wednesday, increasing the total to 184 of the 2,230 games.

After yet another snag, this time over management’s desire for an international amateur draft, the deal came together Thursday afternoon and capped nearly a year of talks that saw pitchers Max Scherzer and Andrew Miller take prominent roles as union spokesmen.

Players had fumed for years about the deal that expired Dec. 1, which saw payrolls decline for 4% in 2021 compared to the last full season, back to their 2015 level. The union had an ambitious negotiating stance in talks that began last spring, asking for free-agency rights to increase with an age-based backstop and for an expansion of salary arbitration to its level from 1974-86.

In the late stages, the level and rates of the luxury tax, designed as a break on spending, became the key to a deal. Players think that too low a threshold and too high a rate acts tantamount to a salary cap, which the union fought off with a 7 1/2-month strike in 1994-95.

The agreement came after three days of shuttle negotiations between the MLB offices in midtown Manhattan and the players’ association headquarters, three blocks away.

Despite hundreds of hours of threats and counter-threats, the sides are set to avoid regular-season games being canceled by labor conflict for the first time since the 1994-95 strike. Games originally announced as canceled by Manfred were changed to postponed, and MLB will modify the original schedule.

The deal came at a cost, though, with years of public rancor again casting both owners and players as money obsessed. Spring training in Arizona and Florida was disrupted for the third straight year following two exhibition seasons altered by the coronavirus pandemic. Exhibition games had been scheduled to start Feb. 26.

Players will have about 28 days of training rather than the usual 42 for pitchers and catchers.

In some ways, the negotiations were similar to those in 1990, when a lockout started Feb. 15 and ended with a four-year deal announced 1:18 a.m. on March 19.

NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Baseball’s acrimonious players and owners ended their most bitter money fight in a quarter-century when a divided players’ association accepted management’s offer to salvage a 162-game season that will start April 7. On the 99th day of a lockout that delayed spring training and threatened to cancel regular-season games for the first time since 1995, the players’ executive board approved a five-year contract at about 3 p.m. in a 28-12 vote. Owners ratified the deal 30-0 just three hours later, and the lockout was lifted at 7 p.m., ending baseball’s ninth work stoppage.------NEW YORK (AP)— Players have voted to accept Major League Baseball's latest offer for a new labor deal, paving the way to end a 99-day lockout and salvage a 162-game regular season that will begin April 7.The union’s executive board approved the agreement in a 26-12 vote Thursday, pending ratification by all players, a person familiar with the balloting said, speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because no announcement was authorized.MLB sent the players an offer Thursday and gave them until 3 p.m. to accept in order to play a full season. The union announced the player vote around 3:25 p.m. Owners planned to hold a ratification vote later in the day.The agreement will allow training camps to open this week in Florida and Arizona, more than three weeks after they were scheduled to on Feb. 16. Fans can start making plans to be at Fenway Park, Dodger Stadium and Camden Yards next month. Opening day is being planned a little more than a week behind the original date on March 31.The deal will also set off a rapid-fire round of free agency. Carlos Correa, Freddie Freeman and Kris Bryant are among 138 big leaguers still without a team, including some who might benefit from the adoption of a universal designated hitter.The sport's new collective bargaining agreement will also expand the playoffs to 12 teams and introduce incentives to limit so-called “tanking.” The minimum salary will rise from $570,500 to about $700,000 and the luxury tax threshold will increase from $210 million to around $230 million this year, a slight loosening for the biggest spenders such as the Yankees, Mets, Dodgers and Red Sox. A new bonus pool was established for players not yet eligible for arbitration, a way to boost salaries for young stars.Commissioner Rob Manfred had set a Tuesday deadline for a deal that would preserve a 162-game schedule along with full pay and service time required for players to reach free agency. Talks spilled past the deadline and Manfred announced more cancellations Wednesday, increasing the total to 184 of the 2,230 games.After yet another snag, this time over management’s desire for an international amateur draft, the deal came together Thursday afternoon and capped nearly a year of talks that saw pitchers Max Scherzer and Andrew Miller take prominent roles as union spokesmen.Players had fumed for years about the deal that expired Dec. 1, which saw payrolls decline for 4% in 2021 compared to the last full season, back to their 2015 level. The union had an ambitious negotiating stance in talks that began last spring, asking for free-agency rights to increase with an age-based backstop and for an expansion of salary arbitration to its level from 1974-86.In the late stages, the level and rates of the luxury tax, designed as a break on spending, became the key to a deal. Players think that too low a threshold and too high a rate acts tantamount to a salary cap, which the union fought off with a 7 1/2-month strike in 1994-95.The agreement came after three days of shuttle negotiations between the MLB offices in midtown Manhattan and the players’ association headquarters, three blocks away.Despite hundreds of hours of threats and counter-threats, the sides are set to avoid regular-season games being canceled by labor conflict for the first time since the 1994-95 strike. Games originally announced as canceled by Manfred were changed to postponed, and MLB will modify the original schedule.The deal came at a cost, though, with years of public rancor again casting both owners and players as money obsessed. Spring training in Arizona and Florida was disrupted for the third straight year following two exhibition seasons altered by the coronavirus pandemic. Exhibition games had been scheduled to start Feb. 26.Players will have about 28 days of training rather than the usual 42 for pitchers and catchers.In some ways, the negotiations were similar to those in 1990, when a lockout started Feb. 15 and ended with a four-year deal announced 1:18 a.m. on March 19.———

MLB players vote to end lockout, salvaging 162-game season

WASHINGTON (AP) — Propelled by surging costs for gas, food and housing, consumer inflation jumped 7.9% over the past year, the sharpest spike since 1982 and likely only a harbinger of even higher prices to come.

The increase reported Thursday by the Labor Department reflected the 12 months ending in February and didn’t include most of the oil and gas price increases that followed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24. Since then, average gas prices nationally have jumped about 62 cents a gallon to $4.32, according to AAA.

Even before the war further accelerated price increases, robust consumer spending, solid pay raises and persistent supply shortages had sent U.S. consumer inflation to its highest level in four decades. What’s more, housing costs, which make up about a third of the government’s consumer price index, have risen sharply, a trend that’s unlikely to reverse anytime soon.

The government’s report Thursday also showed that inflation rose 0.8% from January to February, up from the 0.6% increase from December to January.

For most Americans, inflation is running far ahead of the pay raises that many have received in the past year, making it harder for them to afford necessities like food, gas and rent. As a consequence, inflation has become the top political threat to President Joe Biden and congressional Democrats as the midterm elections draw closer. Small business people say in surveys that it’s their primary economic concern, too.

Seeking to stem the inflation surge, the Federal Reserve is set to raise interest rates several times this year beginning with a modest hike next week. The Fed faces a delicate challenge, though: If it tightens credit too aggressively this year, it risks undercutting the economy and possibly triggering a recession.

Energy prices, which soared after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, jumped again this week after Biden said the United States would bar oil imports from Russia. Oil prices did retreat Wednesday on reports that the United Arab Emirates will urge fellow OPEC members to boost production. U.S. oil was down 12% to $108.70 a barrel, though still up sharply from about $90 before Russia’s invasion.

Yet energy markets have been so volatile that it’s impossible to know if the decline will stick. If Europe were to join the U.S. and the United Kingdom and bar Russian oil imports, analysts estimate that prices could soar as high as $160 a barrel.

The economic consequences of Russia’s war against Ukraine have upended a broad assumption among many economists and at the Fed: That inflation would begin to ease this spring because prices rose so much in March and April of 2021 that comparisons to a year ago would show declines.

Should gas prices remain near their current levels, Eric Winograd, senior economist at asset manager AllianceBernstein, estimates that inflation could reach as high as 9% in March or April.

The cost of wheat, corn, cooking oils and such metals as aluminum and nickel have also soared since the invasion. Ukraine and Russia are leading exporters of those commodities.

Even before Russia’s invasion, inflation was not only rising sharply but also broadening into additional sectors of the economy. Many prices have jumped over the past year because heavy demand has run into short supplies of items like autos, building materials and household goods.

But even for some services unaffected by the pandemic, like rents, costs are also surging at their fastest pace in decades. Steady job growth and high home prices are encouraging more people to move into apartments, elevating rental costs by the most in two decades. Apartment vacancy rates have reached their lowest level since 1984.

In the final three months of last year, wages and salaries jumped 4.5%, the sharpest such increase in at least 20 years. Those pay raises have, in turn, led many companies to raise prices to offset their higher labor costs.

Soaring energy costs pose a particularly difficult challenge for the Fed. Higher gas prices tend to both accelerate inflation and weaken economic growth. That’s because as their paychecks are eroded at the gas pump, consumers typically spend less in other ways.

That pattern is akin to the “stagflation” dynamic that made the economy of the 1970s miserable for many Americans. Most economists, though, say they think the U.S. economy is growing strongly enough that another recession is unlikely, even with higher inflation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646939706756.png" alt="President Biden during a stop for ice cream in January-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>President Biden during a stop for ice cream in January-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Propelled by surging costs for gas, food and housing, consumer inflation jumped 7.9% over the past year, the sharpest spike since 1982 and likely only a harbinger of even higher prices to come.The increase reported Thursday by the Labor Department reflected the 12 months ending in February and didn’t include most of the oil and gas price increases that followed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24. Since then, average gas prices nationally have jumped about 62 cents a gallon to $4.32, according to AAA.Even before the war further accelerated price increases, robust consumer spending, solid pay raises and persistent supply shortages had sent U.S. consumer inflation to its highest level in four decades. What’s more, housing costs, which make up about a third of the government’s consumer price index, have risen sharply, a trend that’s unlikely to reverse anytime soon.The government’s report Thursday also showed that inflation rose 0.8% from January to February, up from the 0.6% increase from December to January.For most Americans, inflation is running far ahead of the pay raises that many have received in the past year, making it harder for them to afford necessities like food, gas and rent. As a consequence, inflation has become the top political threat to President Joe Biden and congressional Democrats as the midterm elections draw closer. Small business people say in surveys that it’s their primary economic concern, too.Seeking to stem the inflation surge, the Federal Reserve is set to raise interest rates several times this year beginning with a modest hike next week. The Fed faces a delicate challenge, though: If it tightens credit too aggressively this year, it risks undercutting the economy and possibly triggering a recession.Energy prices, which soared after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, jumped again this week after Biden said the United States would bar oil imports from Russia. Oil prices did retreat Wednesday on reports that the United Arab Emirates will urge fellow OPEC members to boost production. U.S. oil was down 12% to $108.70 a barrel, though still up sharply from about $90 before Russia’s invasion.Yet energy markets have been so volatile that it’s impossible to know if the decline will stick. If Europe were to join the U.S. and the United Kingdom and bar Russian oil imports, analysts estimate that prices could soar as high as $160 a barrel.The economic consequences of Russia’s war against Ukraine have upended a broad assumption among many economists and at the Fed: That inflation would begin to ease this spring because prices rose so much in March and April of 2021 that comparisons to a year ago would show declines.Should gas prices remain near their current levels, Eric Winograd, senior economist at asset manager AllianceBernstein, estimates that inflation could reach as high as 9% in March or April.The cost of wheat, corn, cooking oils and such metals as aluminum and nickel have also soared since the invasion. Ukraine and Russia are leading exporters of those commodities.Even before Russia’s invasion, inflation was not only rising sharply but also broadening into additional sectors of the economy. Many prices have jumped over the past year because heavy demand has run into short supplies of items like autos, building materials and household goods.But even for some services unaffected by the pandemic, like rents, costs are also surging at their fastest pace in decades. Steady job growth and high home prices are encouraging more people to move into apartments, elevating rental costs by the most in two decades. Apartment vacancy rates have reached their lowest level since 1984.In the final three months of last year, wages and salaries jumped 4.5%, the sharpest such increase in at least 20 years. Those pay raises have, in turn, led many companies to raise prices to offset their higher labor costs.Soaring energy costs pose a particularly difficult challenge for the Fed. Higher gas prices tend to both accelerate inflation and weaken economic growth. That’s because as their paychecks are eroded at the gas pump, consumers typically spend less in other ways.That pattern is akin to the “stagflation” dynamic that made the economy of the 1970s miserable for many Americans. Most economists, though, say they think the U.S. economy is growing strongly enough that another recession is unlikely, even with higher inflation.

US inflation soared to a 40-year high

SALINE COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after 7a.m. Thursday in Saline County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2005 Honda passenger vehicle driven by&nbsp; Jonathan&nbsp;Ho Siuhang, 40, Arcadia, California, was westbound on Interstate 70 six miles east of the Ohio Street exit

The Honda rear-ended a 2007 International KDOT truck driven by&nbsp;Buss, Derek Jon Buss, 41, Abilene.

EMS transported&nbsp;Ho Siuhang to the hospital in Salina.&nbsp; Buss was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646940806012.png" alt="Photo courtesy KHP" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KHP</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after 7a.m. Thursday in Saline County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2005 Honda passenger vehicle driven by&nbsp; Jonathan&nbsp;Ho Siuhang, 40, Arcadia, California, was westbound on Interstate 70 six miles east of the Ohio Street exitThe Honda rear-ended a 2007 International KDOT truck driven by&nbsp;Buss, Derek Jon Buss, 41, Abilene.EMS transported&nbsp;Ho Siuhang to the hospital in Salina.&nbsp; Buss was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Driver hospitalized after I-70 crash with KDOT plow truck

By ALLISON KITE <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/03/09/kansas-bill-would-require-wind-farms-to-minimize-blinking-lights/">Kansas Reflector</a>

Residents
 of the Kansas prairie asked legislators Wednesday to restore the night 
sky they say is dominated by red blinking lights from industrial wind 
turbines.&nbsp;

“One of the greatest things about 
living in rural Kansas is being able to enjoy the night sky, the moon 
and the stars … the red blinking lights have taken that away from us,” 
said Shenan Cline, a Marshall County resident.

In recent decades, windswept Kansas 
has become a hotspot for wind energy development. The state has the 
fourth-largest generating capacity in the nation behind Texas, Iowa and 
Oklahoma. And it’s expected to keep growing.&nbsp;

But that <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/02/13/this-is-punitive-kansas-senate-committee-considers-poison-pill-wind-energy-bills/">wind development, critics say, has come at a price</a>.
 Some residents feel the looming towers disrupt the peace of rural 
Kansas, especially the red blinking lights at the top meant to keep 
planes from crashing into turbines.&nbsp;

They want Kansas to pass<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb478/"> legislation mandating lighting systems that detect nearby aircraft</a>
 and only blink when necessary, or dimming technology. And they want to 
leave it up to county commissions to evaluate lighting systems and 
approve them for projects. Proponents say it’s a cost effective way to 
minimize the annoyance to rural neighbors.&nbsp;

David Fisher, a Centerville resident, said wind developers were “pinching pennies” by not installing light-mitigating systems.&nbsp;

“They are simply not being good neighbors,” he said.&nbsp;

Industry representatives say they’re 
sympathetic to the concern,&nbsp;but that the bill introduced by Sen. Mike 
Thompson, a Johnson County Republican and chair of the Senate Utilities 
Committee is unworkable.&nbsp;

Josh Svaty, a lobbyist representing 
the Kansas Power Alliance and former gubernatorial candidate, said, 
first and foremost, the Federal Aviation Administration selects the 
lighting systems — not only on a project of dozens or 100 turbines, but 
on each turbine.&nbsp;

“We do not choose the lighting 
systems that go on the towers,” Svaty said. “I’m going to pause for 
dramatic effect here, and then I’m going to say it again. We do not 
choose the lighting systems that go on the tops of the towers.”&nbsp;

<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/02/13/this-is-punitive-kansas-senate-committee-considers-poison-pill-wind-energy-bills/">Thompson’s committee has seen a litany of bills</a> this legislative session <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/01/28/wind-energy-proponent-says-senate-bills-would-kill-development-in-kansas/">meant to make developing wind — and sometimes solar —&nbsp;farms more difficult</a>,
 including provisions allowing non-participating neighbors to contest 
wind farms, barring turbines from being built within a mile of an 
adjacent property line and outlawing noise and shadow flicker from the 
turbines.

Last month, the committee heard two 
days of informational testimony from critics of wind energy, a third day
 from critics speaking on one of Thompson’s bills and only one day from 
the industry and proponents of renewable development.&nbsp;

Taken together, one renewable energy attorney said, Thompson’s bills would end wind energy in Kansas.

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article258397523.html">Thompson sought to ban testimony by an environmental health specialist </a>who contradicted his claims about the so-called health effects of industrial wind farms.&nbsp;

Representatives of the wind energy 
industry asked that the committee consider a longer discussion about how
 to mitigate blinking lights on wind turbines rather than move forward 
with what they saw as a flawed bill.&nbsp;

Thompson asked them to sit down with proponents of the legislation to work on improvements. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646924351746.png" alt="A Kansas Senate bill would require that wind farm developers do more to mitigate the blinking lights at the tops of turbines. (Jill Hummels for the Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>A Kansas Senate bill would require that wind farm developers do more to mitigate the blinking lights at the tops of turbines. (Jill Hummels for the Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By ALLISON KITE <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/03/09/kansas-bill-would-require-wind-farms-to-minimize-blinking-lights/">Kansas Reflector</a>Residents
 of the Kansas prairie asked legislators Wednesday to restore the night 
sky they say is dominated by red blinking lights from industrial wind 
turbines.&nbsp;“One of the greatest things about 
living in rural Kansas is being able to enjoy the night sky, the moon 
and the stars … the red blinking lights have taken that away from us,” 
said Shenan Cline, a Marshall County resident.In recent decades, windswept Kansas 
has become a hotspot for wind energy development. The state has the 
fourth-largest generating capacity in the nation behind Texas, Iowa and 
Oklahoma. And it’s expected to keep growing.&nbsp;But that <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/02/13/this-is-punitive-kansas-senate-committee-considers-poison-pill-wind-energy-bills/">wind development, critics say, has come at a price</a>.
 Some residents feel the looming towers disrupt the peace of rural 
Kansas, especially the red blinking lights at the top meant to keep 
planes from crashing into turbines.&nbsp;They want Kansas to pass<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb478/"> legislation mandating lighting systems that detect nearby aircraft</a>
 and only blink when necessary, or dimming technology. And they want to 
leave it up to county commissions to evaluate lighting systems and 
approve them for projects. Proponents say it’s a cost effective way to 
minimize the annoyance to rural neighbors.&nbsp;David Fisher, a Centerville resident, said wind developers were “pinching pennies” by not installing light-mitigating systems.&nbsp;“They are simply not being good neighbors,” he said.&nbsp;Industry representatives say they’re 
sympathetic to the concern,&nbsp;but that the bill introduced by Sen. Mike 
Thompson, a Johnson County Republican and chair of the Senate Utilities 
Committee is unworkable.&nbsp;Josh Svaty, a lobbyist representing 
the Kansas Power Alliance and former gubernatorial candidate, said, 
first and foremost, the Federal Aviation Administration selects the 
lighting systems — not only on a project of dozens or 100 turbines, but 
on each turbine.&nbsp;“We do not choose the lighting 
systems that go on the towers,” Svaty said. “I’m going to pause for 
dramatic effect here, and then I’m going to say it again. We do not 
choose the lighting systems that go on the tops of the towers.”&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/02/13/this-is-punitive-kansas-senate-committee-considers-poison-pill-wind-energy-bills/">Thompson’s committee has seen a litany of bills</a> this legislative session <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/01/28/wind-energy-proponent-says-senate-bills-would-kill-development-in-kansas/">meant to make developing wind — and sometimes solar —&nbsp;farms more difficult</a>,
 including provisions allowing non-participating neighbors to contest 
wind farms, barring turbines from being built within a mile of an 
adjacent property line and outlawing noise and shadow flicker from the 
turbines.Last month, the committee heard two 
days of informational testimony from critics of wind energy, a third day
 from critics speaking on one of Thompson’s bills and only one day from 
the industry and proponents of renewable development.&nbsp;Taken together, one renewable energy attorney said, Thompson’s bills would end wind energy in Kansas.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article258397523.html">Thompson sought to ban testimony by an environmental health specialist </a>who contradicted his claims about the so-called health effects of industrial wind farms.&nbsp;Representatives of the wind energy 
industry asked that the committee consider a longer discussion about how
 to mitigate blinking lights on wind turbines rather than move forward 
with what they saw as a flawed bill.&nbsp;Thompson asked them to sit down with proponents of the legislation to work on improvements.

Kan. bill would require wind farms to minimize blinking lights

By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina Post

SALINA —A German man who was determined to get the woman he wanted was arrested in Salina Wednesday night on multiple charges including criminal threat and stalking.

An 18-year-old Saline County woman met Falk Meier Berndt, 22, of Hanover, Germany, online, according to Sheriff Roger Soldan.

From her perspective, there was no relationship and she expressed that, but according to Soldan, Meier Berndt had other plans.

Meier Berndt flew to the United States and during the past week had been in Saline County trying to find the local woman. 

Meier Berndt had a list of things to do while he was in Saline County, Soldan said. He went to the woman's church. He also went to her work place at a time she happened to be there. Meier Berndt allegedly told the woman that he was going to kill her 22-year-old boyfriend, marry her, and have children with her, Soldan said.

The woman's father reported the work place incident to the Saline County Sheriff's Office. Deputies also received additional information from the woman. 

Deputies located Meier Berndt at a local motel and arrested him on&nbsp; requested charges of.Criminal threat, Stalking and Harassment by telecommunication device, according to Soldan.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646932758221.png" alt="Meier Berndt photo Saline County&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Meier Berndt photo Saline County&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina PostSALINA —A German man who was determined to get the woman he wanted was arrested in Salina Wednesday night on multiple charges including criminal threat and stalking.An 18-year-old Saline County woman met Falk Meier Berndt, 22, of Hanover, Germany, online, according to Sheriff Roger Soldan.From her perspective, there was no relationship and she expressed that, but according to Soldan, Meier Berndt had other plans.Meier Berndt flew to the United States and during the past week had been in Saline County trying to find the local woman. Meier Berndt had a list of things to do while he was in Saline County, Soldan said. He went to the woman's church. He also went to her work place at a time she happened to be there. Meier Berndt allegedly told the woman that he was going to kill her 22-year-old boyfriend, marry her, and have children with her, Soldan said.The woman's father reported the work place incident to the Saline County Sheriff's Office. Deputies also received additional information from the woman. Deputies located Meier Berndt at a local motel and arrested him on&nbsp; requested charges of.Criminal threat, Stalking and Harassment by telecommunication device, according to Soldan.

Online love interest ends with German man in Kansas jail

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is developing guidance that will ease the nationwide mask mandate on airplanes, buses and other mass transit next month, according to a U.S. official, but the existing face covering requirement will be extended through April 18.

The requirement, which is enforced by the Transportation Security Administration, had been set to expire on March 18, but was extended by a month to allow the public health agency time to develop new, more targeted policies. The requirement extends to planes, buses, trains and transit hubs.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is developing guidance that will ease the nationwide mask mandate on airplanes, buses and other mass transit next month, according to a U.S. official, but the existing face covering requirement will be extended through April 18.The requirement, which is enforced by the Transportation Security Administration, had been set to expire on March 18, but was extended by a month to allow the public health agency time to develop new, more targeted policies. The requirement extends to planes, buses, trains and transit hubs.According to the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the announcement head of time, the CDC is developing a “revised policy framework” for when masks should be required on transit systems based off its newly released “COVID-19 community levels” metric.As of March 3 more than 90% of the U.S. population is in a location with low or medium COVID-19 Community Levels, where public face-masking is no longer recommended in indoor settings.“We have to look not only at the science with regard to transmission in masks but also the epidemiology and the frequency that we may encounter a variant of concern or a variant of interest in our travel corridors,” CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said on March 2, explaining why the agency was delaying removing the requirement for transit but allowed people to gather maskless in movie theaters and sports arenas.News of the extension and policy review was first reported by Reuters.