NICK GOSNELL <a href="https://hutchpost.com">Hutch Post</a>

HUTCHINSON — Hutchinson City Manager Jeff Cantrell explained Friday that the 
cost of the asbestos abatement at the Atrium Hotel has caused the city 
to ask for concessions from the owner, Joshua Joseph, who closed the 
hotel two years ago. 

"We did discover that there was an extensive
 amount of asbestos in the building," Cantrell said Friday. "That, of 
course, has to be abated before we can run a bulldozer through it, to 
the tune of $540,000 to $550,000. You know, it wasn't a cheap 
acquisition to start with as proposed and that just added to it. It 
upped the ante to the point where we felt that concessions were due on 
the part of the seller. We did communicate that. We have not heard back.
 I think that's a pretty strong signal to us that he's probably not 
willing to negotiate."

<a href="https://archive.hayspost.com/?s=ambassador+hotel">Joseph was the former owner of the Ambassador hotel in Hays, which was razed in 2017 after years of falling into disrepair.&nbsp;</a>

The city does not own the property at this time. The asbestos was found during the due diligence before anything was signed.

"We
 really don't have any contractual obligation," Cantrell said. "As a 
community obligation, we have a building out there that's blighted and 
at some point, we're going to have to deal with that, one way or 
another."

The city wants control of the building so they can see that it's renovated. They don't want the convention center to go away.

"The
 price point for demolition on that building is obviously a huge factor 
in that," Cantrell said. "A lot of our historic incentives for economic 
development, economic activity for the community has stemmed from 
activity that building supports. We're continuing to hear from large 
event promoters and people that utilize our city for those annual 
activities that put retail dollars back into the community, they need 
that resource to accommodate their events."

The issue is that the 
problem needs a more immediate fix and the city wants to be sure that 
whatever replaces what is there now is at least as nice as the original 
hotel was in its heyday.

"What we don't want to do is invest 
public money into something that's going to be a low rate operation, 
something that divests quickly," Cantrell said. "We want it to be of 
quality. We want it to serve a purpose in promoting those type of 
businesses and that activity to our community and region. It gives us an
 element of control that we and other cities have to have when they are 
doing these kind of projects."

Cantrell said the council wants this deal done, soon.

"They
 gave me my marching orders," Cantrell said. "They said have it figured 
out in two weeks before the next council meeting. Give proper notice to 
the seller. Of course, we've done that. This will finalize. Hopefully, 
we'll see where we're going to go from there. There comes a point where,
 if the city doesn't engage in a purchase, the seller can't come to 
terms with us, at some point, we shift gears and we treat that as a 
blighted property. We're then able to take other action. Of course, we 
don't want to do that, but that's likely what the community would expect
 of us, as public servants, to resolve it."

There has been some 
discussion previously about changes to the guest tax and that is an 
option on the table for the council to make a deal work, if that becomes
 necessary.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646411223842.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NICK GOSNELL <a href="https://hutchpost.com">Hutch Post</a>HUTCHINSON — Hutchinson City Manager Jeff Cantrell explained Friday that the 
cost of the asbestos abatement at the Atrium Hotel has caused the city 
to ask for concessions from the owner, Joshua Joseph, who closed the 
hotel two years ago. "We did discover that there was an extensive
 amount of asbestos in the building," Cantrell said Friday. "That, of 
course, has to be abated before we can run a bulldozer through it, to 
the tune of $540,000 to $550,000. You know, it wasn't a cheap 
acquisition to start with as proposed and that just added to it. It 
upped the ante to the point where we felt that concessions were due on 
the part of the seller. We did communicate that. We have not heard back.
 I think that's a pretty strong signal to us that he's probably not 
willing to negotiate."<a href="https://archive.hayspost.com/?s=ambassador+hotel">Joseph was the former owner of the Ambassador hotel in Hays, which was razed in 2017 after years of falling into disrepair.&nbsp;</a>The city does not own the property at this time. The asbestos was found during the due diligence before anything was signed."We
 really don't have any contractual obligation," Cantrell said. "As a 
community obligation, we have a building out there that's blighted and 
at some point, we're going to have to deal with that, one way or 
another."The city wants control of the building so they can see that it's renovated. They don't want the convention center to go away."The
 price point for demolition on that building is obviously a huge factor 
in that," Cantrell said. "A lot of our historic incentives for economic 
development, economic activity for the community has stemmed from 
activity that building supports. We're continuing to hear from large 
event promoters and people that utilize our city for those annual 
activities that put retail dollars back into the community, they need 
that resource to accommodate their events."The issue is that the 
problem needs a more immediate fix and the city wants to be sure that 
whatever replaces what is there now is at least as nice as the original 
hotel was in its heyday."What we don't want to do is invest 
public money into something that's going to be a low rate operation, 
something that divests quickly," Cantrell said. "We want it to be of 
quality. We want it to serve a purpose in promoting those type of 
businesses and that activity to our community and region. It gives us an
 element of control that we and other cities have to have when they are 
doing these kind of projects."Cantrell said the council wants this deal done, soon."They
 gave me my marching orders," Cantrell said. "They said have it figured 
out in two weeks before the next council meeting. Give proper notice to 
the seller. Of course, we've done that. This will finalize. Hopefully, 
we'll see where we're going to go from there. There comes a point where,
 if the city doesn't engage in a purchase, the seller can't come to 
terms with us, at some point, we shift gears and we treat that as a 
blighted property. We're then able to take other action. Of course, we 
don't want to do that, but that's likely what the community would expect
 of us, as public servants, to resolve it."There has been some 
discussion previously about changes to the guest tax and that is an 
option on the table for the council to make a deal work, if that becomes
 necessary.

Hutch facing its own Ambassador-style hotel dilemma

By ROD ZOOK <a href="https://hutchpost.com">Hutch Post</a>

HUTCHINSON — The 
Cosmosphere hopes that the approaching spring break will continue the 
strong flow of visitors to the space museum. The Cosmosphere just 
recently completed a renovation of a portion of the Hall of Space 
Museum, which opened to the public this winter.

“The story of the 
space race and the development of the technology to explore space is 
told with a better chronology and a better visitor flow,” Maria Kelson 
of the Cosmosphere said.&nbsp;

The tour still begins in the V-2 area as
 it has before but has more space and better lighting. It also has 
several new artifacts from the space race including a better view of one
 of the Cosmosphere's more popular artifacts and two small items that 
carried a big significance in the space race.

“You can walk almost 360 degrees around the flight-ready backup of Sputnik that we have so you can get just right up-close and personal with our Sputnik,” Kelson said. “Another thing I’m excited about, there are slide rules (Wernher) von Braun and (Sergei) Korolev on display.”

It was von Braun who led the American space program after WWII and 
helped with the design of the Saturn V rocket that got America to the 
moon ahead of the Russians. Korolev was the mastermind behind the Soviet
 space program and was the leader of many firsts for the program in the 
early years of the Cold War.

Shannon Wetzel is the curator for the
 many artifacts that are in the Cosmosphere’s possession and says the 
renovation of the V-2 area is exciting since it is the oldest area of 
the museum. She also wants to make sure in the modern STEM environment 
for students that the historic significance of space flight isn’t 
forgotten.

“STEM came from somewhere and you can come down here and see the 
history of it,” Wetzel said. “The story of the space race as it fits 
into the Cold War is such a crucial part of our history.”

The 
expansion also includes the new interactive area called CosmoKids and a 
more open and expanded Bell X-1 display. The Bell X-1 plane carried 
General Chuck Yeager to the first flight beyond the sound barrier.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646343885600.jpeg" alt="The expansion includes easier-to-read boards telling the history of the space race and those involved." />
 <figcaption>The expansion includes easier-to-read boards telling the history of the space race and those involved.</figcaption>
 </figure>By ROD ZOOK <a href="https://hutchpost.com">Hutch Post</a>HUTCHINSON — The 
Cosmosphere hopes that the approaching spring break will continue the 
strong flow of visitors to the space museum. The Cosmosphere just 
recently completed a renovation of a portion of the Hall of Space 
Museum, which opened to the public this winter.“The story of the 
space race and the development of the technology to explore space is 
told with a better chronology and a better visitor flow,” Maria Kelson 
of the Cosmosphere said.&nbsp;The tour still begins in the V-2 area as
 it has before but has more space and better lighting. It also has 
several new artifacts from the space race including a better view of one
 of the Cosmosphere's more popular artifacts and two small items that 
carried a big significance in the space race.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646405128537.jpeg" alt="The renovation allows for visitors to see some of the space artifacts up-close, including the Sputnik display." />
 <figcaption>The renovation allows for visitors to see some of the space artifacts up-close, including the Sputnik display.</figcaption>
 </figure>“You can walk almost 360 degrees around the flight-ready backup of Sputnik that we have so you can get just right up-close and personal with our Sputnik,” Kelson said. “Another thing I’m excited about, there are slide rules (Wernher) von Braun and (Sergei) Korolev on display.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646405162672.jpeg" alt="The slide rules that belonged to Wernher von Braun, who led the American space race, and Sergei Korolev, who led the Soviet space program." />
 <figcaption>The slide rules that belonged to Wernher von Braun, who led the American space race, and Sergei Korolev, who led the Soviet space program.</figcaption>
 </figure>It was von Braun who led the American space program after WWII and 
helped with the design of the Saturn V rocket that got America to the 
moon ahead of the Russians. Korolev was the mastermind behind the Soviet
 space program and was the leader of many firsts for the program in the 
early years of the Cold War.Shannon Wetzel is the curator for the
 many artifacts that are in the Cosmosphere’s possession and says the 
renovation of the V-2 area is exciting since it is the oldest area of 
the museum. She also wants to make sure in the modern STEM environment 
for students that the historic significance of space flight isn’t 
forgotten.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646405192699.jpeg" alt="The V-2 display, which kicks off the tour of the space museum is more open and brighter, with easier-to-read plaques that tell the history of the German rocket." />
 <figcaption>The V-2 display, which kicks off the tour of the space museum is more open and brighter, with easier-to-read plaques that tell the history of the German rocket.</figcaption>
 </figure>“STEM came from somewhere and you can come down here and see the 
history of it,” Wetzel said. “The story of the space race as it fits 
into the Cold War is such a crucial part of our history.”The 
expansion also includes the new interactive area called CosmoKids and a 
more open and expanded Bell X-1 display. The Bell X-1 plane carried 
General Chuck Yeager to the first flight beyond the sound barrier.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646405226264.jpeg" alt="The area at the opening of the renovation features a replica of the Bell X-1 aircraft that broke the sound barrier. The area is much more open than before." />
 <figcaption>The area at the opening of the renovation features a replica of the Bell X-1 aircraft that broke the sound barrier. The area is much more open than before.</figcaption>
 </figure>

Cosmosphere renovation let visitors get up close to history

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Conservative Republicans' frustrations over how&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;handled the coronavirus pandemic are complicating Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly's efforts to keep her top public health administrator in place.

The state Senate health committee made no recommendation Thursday on whether Janet Stanek should be confirmed as head of the state Department of Health and Environment. The full, GOP-controlled Senate still will vote on her appointment, but the committee's move signals that some conservatives are opposing her confirmation to show their displeasure with Kelly's administration.

"I don't want to let that go,” said Sen. Mike Thompson, a conservative Shawnee Republican.

It wasn't yet clear how much trouble Stanek's confirmation faces in the full Senate. She would have to step down if the Senate rejected her appointment.

Republican lawmakers criticized Kelly persistently over restrictions she imposed to check COVID-19's spread, particularly early in the pandemic, and reduced the governor's power. Former health department leader Dr. Lee Norman resigned in November and has suggested he was a victim of pandemic politics.

Stanek declined comment, but Democratic Sen. Pat Pettey, of Kansas City, said the committee did a “disservice to our Kansans" by not recommending her confirmation.

Stanek is a former senior vice president and chief operating officer for Topeka-based Stormont Vail Health.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Conservative Republicans' frustrations over how&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;handled the coronavirus pandemic are complicating Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly's efforts to keep her top public health administrator in place.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-ccJIeybmkE?start=3187" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>The state Senate health committee made no recommendation Thursday on whether Janet Stanek should be confirmed as head of the state Department of Health and Environment. The full, GOP-controlled Senate still will vote on her appointment, but the committee's move signals that some conservatives are opposing her confirmation to show their displeasure with Kelly's administration."I don't want to let that go,” said Sen. Mike Thompson, a conservative Shawnee Republican.It wasn't yet clear how much trouble Stanek's confirmation faces in the full Senate. She would have to step down if the Senate rejected her appointment.Republican lawmakers criticized Kelly persistently over restrictions she imposed to check COVID-19's spread, particularly early in the pandemic, and reduced the governor's power. Former health department leader Dr. Lee Norman resigned in November and has suggested he was a victim of pandemic politics.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1638203429600.png" alt="Janet Stanek courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Janet Stanek courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Stanek declined comment, but Democratic Sen. Pat Pettey, of Kansas City, said the committee did a “disservice to our Kansans" by not recommending her confirmation.Stanek is a former senior vice president and chief operating officer for Topeka-based Stormont Vail Health.

🎥 Vote on Kansas health chief allows GOP to air COVID beefs

The Midwest Freedom Convoy including members of a convoy of <a href="https://coloradofreedomcon.wixsite.com/colorado-freedom-con?fbclid=IwAR2BChgoHX7TKsyD9RTjToltEOVHv7J-VUxKPAAX3y2G7RIaODsj-E_qrT8">truckers from Colorado c</a>ontinues their journey through Kansas Friday.&nbsp; They are traveling to Washington DC. in protest of COVID-19 restrictions.

The<a href="https://coloradofreedomcon.wixsite.com/colorado-freedom-con?fbclid=IwAR2BChgoHX7TKsyD9RTjToltEOVHv7J-VUxKPAAX3y2G7RIaODsj-E_qrT8"> Colorado convoy</a> left from a truck stop in Aurora on Thursday afternoon and spent the night in central Kansas. They will continue east on Interstate 70 through Topeka, Kansas City and into Missouri Friday.

The convoy is a spinoff from a protest in Canada started by truckers upset at vaccine requirements to cross the Canadian border.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646392232126.png" alt="Photo courtesy Sherman County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Sherman County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>The Midwest Freedom Convoy including members of a convoy of <a href="https://coloradofreedomcon.wixsite.com/colorado-freedom-con?fbclid=IwAR2BChgoHX7TKsyD9RTjToltEOVHv7J-VUxKPAAX3y2G7RIaODsj-E_qrT8">truckers from Colorado c</a>ontinues their journey through Kansas Friday.&nbsp; They are traveling to Washington DC. in protest of COVID-19 restrictions.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646392270005.png" alt="Onlookers cheered from overpasses as a string of trucks traveled through Sherman County on Interstate 70.-photo Sherman County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Onlookers cheered from overpasses as a string of trucks traveled through Sherman County on Interstate 70.-photo Sherman County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>The<a href="https://coloradofreedomcon.wixsite.com/colorado-freedom-con?fbclid=IwAR2BChgoHX7TKsyD9RTjToltEOVHv7J-VUxKPAAX3y2G7RIaODsj-E_qrT8"> Colorado convoy</a> left from a truck stop in Aurora on Thursday afternoon and spent the night in central Kansas. They will continue east on Interstate 70 through Topeka, Kansas City and into Missouri Friday. The convoy is a spinoff from a protest in Canada started by truckers upset at vaccine requirements to cross the Canadian border.

'Freedom Convoy' travels through Kansas to protest in Washington

WASHINGTON (AP) –The Biden administration is seeking another $10 billion to help protect Ukraine against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-united-nations-general-assembly-volodymyr-zelenskyy-kyiv-moscow-a3092d8e476949ed7c55607a645a9154">the Russian invasion</a>&nbsp;and an additional $22.5 billion to cover coronavirus pandemic-related expenses, two major additions to budget talks already underway.

The acting director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, Shalanda Young, laid out the need for the supplemental funding in a Thursday blog post. The requests would be additions to a planned budget agreement that Congress is trying to finish before a March 11 deadline.

Young said in the blog post that the money was urgently needed. The $10 billion to Ukraine would be a rapid escalation of the $1.4 billion provided by the United States since 2021, a reflection of the crisis caused by the Russian offensive that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-russia-moscow-kyiv-626a8c5ec22217bacb24ece60fac4fe1">began last month</a>. Young said the money would cover “additional humanitarian, security, and economic assistance in Ukraine and the neighboring region in the coming days and weeks.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-europe-humanitarian-assistance-congress-253f16e7102c7b70190d21197da20777">Last week</a>, Biden administration officials told congressional aides that their requests would include $3.5 billion for the Pentagon and $2.9 billion for humanitarian aid as Russia’s invasion has caused more than&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-vladimir-putin-volodymyr-zelenskyy-joe-biden-kyiv-1b396834ff3e753f8953d86c8db85383">a million Ukrainian refugees</a>&nbsp;to flee their country.

The $22.5 billion tied to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">the coronavirus</a>&nbsp;would pay for testing, treatments and vaccines as well as investments in research and efforts to increase vaccinations worldwide. There had been expectations that the request was going to be for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-business-jen-psaki-xavier-becerra-baf4c25ee59c851551dcae75e08cae25">as much as $30 billion</a>, which comes after lawmakers and the Biden and Trump administrations committed a combined $5.8 trillion over multiple years on the pandemic, according to the nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.

The requested Ukraine assistance seems sure to win broad bipartisan support in Congress, and the proposed additional COVID-19 spending has won strong support from Democrats.

“To keep schools open, to keep life as normal as it can be, we need additional COVID investments now, not after a possible new variant arrives,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Wednesday. He said COVID-19 money already provided by Congress “has been spent.”

But Republicans have balked at the request for added COVID-19 funds. In a letter to Biden, Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, and 35 other GOP senators complained Tuesday that there’s no detailed accounting of whether and how the earlier funds were spent, saying, “It is not yet clear why additional funding is needed.”

White House COVID-19 coordinator Jeff Zients said on a call with reporters on Wednesday that the plan to address the pandemic is “robust and comprehensive,” which is why it requires additional funding for immediate and longer-term priorities.

The federal government spent $6.8 trillion last fiscal year, due in large part to the emergency measures tied to the coronavirus that included President Joe Biden’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-vote-coronavirus-relief-package-33f4902ca9a2aed4e76274af6bb2ea5c">$1.9 trillion relief package</a>. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal budget was about $4.4 trillion, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

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 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) –The Biden administration is seeking another $10 billion to help protect Ukraine against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-united-nations-general-assembly-volodymyr-zelenskyy-kyiv-moscow-a3092d8e476949ed7c55607a645a9154">the Russian invasion</a>&nbsp;and an additional $22.5 billion to cover coronavirus pandemic-related expenses, two major additions to budget talks already underway.The acting director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, Shalanda Young, laid out the need for the supplemental funding in a Thursday blog post. The requests would be additions to a planned budget agreement that Congress is trying to finish before a March 11 deadline.Young said in the blog post that the money was urgently needed. The $10 billion to Ukraine would be a rapid escalation of the $1.4 billion provided by the United States since 2021, a reflection of the crisis caused by the Russian offensive that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-russia-moscow-kyiv-626a8c5ec22217bacb24ece60fac4fe1">began last month</a>. Young said the money would cover “additional humanitarian, security, and economic assistance in Ukraine and the neighboring region in the coming days and weeks.”<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-europe-humanitarian-assistance-congress-253f16e7102c7b70190d21197da20777">Last week</a>, Biden administration officials told congressional aides that their requests would include $3.5 billion for the Pentagon and $2.9 billion for humanitarian aid as Russia’s invasion has caused more than&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-vladimir-putin-volodymyr-zelenskyy-joe-biden-kyiv-1b396834ff3e753f8953d86c8db85383">a million Ukrainian refugees</a>&nbsp;to flee their country.The $22.5 billion tied to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">the coronavirus</a>&nbsp;would pay for testing, treatments and vaccines as well as investments in research and efforts to increase vaccinations worldwide. There had been expectations that the request was going to be for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-business-jen-psaki-xavier-becerra-baf4c25ee59c851551dcae75e08cae25">as much as $30 billion</a>, which comes after lawmakers and the Biden and Trump administrations committed a combined $5.8 trillion over multiple years on the pandemic, according to the nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.The requested Ukraine assistance seems sure to win broad bipartisan support in Congress, and the proposed additional COVID-19 spending has won strong support from Democrats.“To keep schools open, to keep life as normal as it can be, we need additional COVID investments now, not after a possible new variant arrives,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Wednesday. He said COVID-19 money already provided by Congress “has been spent.”But Republicans have balked at the request for added COVID-19 funds. In a letter to Biden, Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, and 35 other GOP senators complained Tuesday that there’s no detailed accounting of whether and how the earlier funds were spent, saying, “It is not yet clear why additional funding is needed.”White House COVID-19 coordinator Jeff Zients said on a call with reporters on Wednesday that the plan to address the pandemic is “robust and comprehensive,” which is why it requires additional funding for immediate and longer-term priorities.The federal government spent $6.8 trillion last fiscal year, due in large part to the emergency measures tied to the coronavirus that included President Joe Biden’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-vote-coronavirus-relief-package-33f4902ca9a2aed4e76274af6bb2ea5c">$1.9 trillion relief package</a>. 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Biden seeks another $22.5B for COVID expenses, $10B for aid to Ukraine

With all the uncertainties that come with a pandemic, more people are purchasing ticket insurance for concerts, festivals, and sports events than ever before. In fact,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/money/giggoers-should-check-terms-of-ticket-insurance-carefully-says-which-b1877461.html" target="_blank">one study</a>&nbsp;done in the United Kingdom reported that around three in 10 people would now be more likely to pay for ticket insurance, thanks to mass cancelations of big events that took place early on in the pandemic.

But is ticket insurance really worth the cost? BBB recommends the following tips if you’re considering making the purchase.

To stay safe while purchasing event tickets, be sure to read BBB's tips for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/tips/13986-bbb-tip-buying-tickets-for-the-super-bowl-or-other-events" target="_blank">buying tickets</a>&nbsp;to an event and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/20661-big-festivals-and-seasonal-events-fabulous-fizzled-or-fake" target="_blank">BBB Scam Alert about fake events and phony tickets</a>. For general information on avoiding scams, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/scams/8767-bbb-tips-10-steps-to-avoid-scams" target="_blank">BBB.org/AvoidScams</a>.

Report scams and dishonest businesses to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/ScamTracker" target="_blank">BBB.org/ScamTracker</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579883951052.jpeg" alt="BBB Logo" />
 <figcaption>BBB Logo</figcaption>
 </figure>BBBWith all the uncertainties that come with a pandemic, more people are purchasing ticket insurance for concerts, festivals, and sports events than ever before. In fact,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/money/giggoers-should-check-terms-of-ticket-insurance-carefully-says-which-b1877461.html" target="_blank">one study</a>&nbsp;done in the United Kingdom reported that around three in 10 people would now be more likely to pay for ticket insurance, thanks to mass cancelations of big events that took place early on in the pandemic.But is ticket insurance really worth the cost? BBB recommends the following tips if you’re considering making the purchase.<h2>Is Ticket Insurance Worth It?</h2><ol>
 <li>Read the fine print before you buy. Always take the time to read the specifics about&nbsp;<a href="https://www.latimes.com/business/la-xpm-2013-may-27-la-fi-lazarus-20130528-story.html" target="_blank">what a ticket insurance covers</a>&nbsp;and what it doesn’t. Different insurances offer widely varied policies. For example, some ticket insurances cover illness, but not pandemic related illness. Others offer a refund if you test positive for COVID-19, but not if you were simply exposed to the virus and need to self-isolate. Others cover car breakdowns but not stolen tickets. Take into consideration the scenarios you may personally face to decide whether it’s worth buying the insurance. </li><li>Contact the ticket seller. If you are mainly concerned with an event being postponed or canceled, ask the ticket seller how they handle those situations. In most cases, the primary ticket vendor will offer you a refund if an event is canceled or postponed because of the pandemic. </li><li>Weigh the pros and cons of tickets to postponed events. Be sure you want to keep tickets to a postponed event if you are offered that option. Usually, once you agree to keep the tickets, you probably won’t get to change your mind later. </li><li>If you are traveling for the event, check your travel insurance. Your&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/18108-is-travel-insurance-right-for-you" target="_blank">travel insurance</a>&nbsp;may allow you to make a claim for a refund if you test positive for COVID-19, which may mean you won’t need ticket insurance from a third party company. </li><li>Always research the insurance company. Before making a purchase from a third-party company, even if they are featured on a trusted ticket vendor’s website, do some research. Look up the company on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/search">BBB.org</a>&nbsp;and read the business rating and customer reviews, keeping a close eye out for customer complaints. </li><li>Watch out for ticket insurance scams. Don’t fall for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/16758-bbb-tip-phishing-scams" target="_blank">phishing emails</a>&nbsp;that promise you too good to be true deals on cheap ticket insurance, even if they appear legitimate. In addition, make sure you aren’t on a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/22144-proceed-with-caution-bbb-tips-to-spot-fake-websites-and-scam-emails" target="_blank">fake website</a>&nbsp;if you do choose to purchase ticket insurance for an upcoming event.</li>
 </ol><h2>For More Information</h2>To stay safe while purchasing event tickets, be sure to read BBB's tips for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/tips/13986-bbb-tip-buying-tickets-for-the-super-bowl-or-other-events" target="_blank">buying tickets</a>&nbsp;to an event and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/20661-big-festivals-and-seasonal-events-fabulous-fizzled-or-fake" target="_blank">BBB Scam Alert about fake events and phony tickets</a>. For general information on avoiding scams, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/scams/8767-bbb-tips-10-steps-to-avoid-scams" target="_blank">BBB.org/AvoidScams</a>.Report scams and dishonest businesses to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/ScamTracker" target="_blank">BBB.org/ScamTracker</a>.Cover image courtesy Pixabay

Should you purchase ticket insurance for your next event?

WASHINGTON&nbsp;—&nbsp;As
 part of a longer-term effort to improve taxpayer service, the IRS has 
officially established the first-ever Taxpayer Experience Office and 
will soon begin taking additional steps to expand the effort.

"As the IRS continues taking immediate steps this filing season 
including adding more employees to address the significant challenges 
facing a resource-constrained IRS, it's critical that we work going 
forward to equip the IRS to be a 21st century resource for Americans," 
said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. "The formal establishment of this 
office will help unify and expand efforts across the IRS to improve 
service to taxpayers."

The Taxpayer Experience Office will focus on all aspects of taxpayer 
transactions with the IRS across the service, compliance and other 
program areas, working in conjunction with all IRS business units and 
coordinating closely with the Taxpayer Advocate Service. The office is 
part of the effort envisioned in the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p5426.pdf">Taxpayer First Act Report to Congress</a>&nbsp;PDF last year. This included input and feedback from taxpayers, tax professionals and the tax community that helped develop the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/taxpayer-first-act-taxpayer-experience">Taxpayer Experience Strategy</a>.
 The Report to Congress identified over a hundred different programs and
 tools that would help taxpayers, including a 360-degree view of 
taxpayer accounts, expanded e-File and payment options, digital 
signatures, secure two-way messaging and online accounts for businesses 
and tax professionals.

To help drive the IRS strategic direction for improving the taxpayer 
experience, the Taxpayer Experience Office has identified key activities
 the IRS is focusing on over the next five years, including those 
commitments outlined in the President's&nbsp;Executive Order on Transforming 
Federal Customer Experience and Service Delivery to Rebuild Trust in 
Government.

"The IRS is committed to customer experiences that meet taxpayers 
where they are, in the moments that matter most in people's lives and in
 a way that delivers the service that the public expects and deserves," 
said Chief Taxpayer Experience Officer Ken Corbin, who also serves as 
the commissioner of the Wage and Investment division, which oversees the
 current filing season and other activities.

The Taxpayer Experience Office will identify changing taxpayer 
expectations and industry trends, focus on customer service best 
practices, and promote a consistent voice and experience across all 
taxpayer segments by developing agency-wide taxpayer experience 
guidelines and expectations. The office will be adding staff in the 
coming months to help support the effort.

"Whether checking the status of a tax return, meeting with a revenue 
agent for an audit, or receiving a tax credit to their bank account, 
improving service delivery and customer experience are fundamental 
priorities for us," Corbin said. "We're committed to designing and 
delivering services that better connect with our diverse taxpayer base."

Some of the areas of improvement in the near-term include expanding 
customer callback, expanded payment options, secure two-way messaging 
and more services for multilingual customers. These activities build on 
recent improvements such as digital tools to support Economic Impact 
Payments and the Advance Child Tax Credit, online chat and online tax 
professional account.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON&nbsp;—&nbsp;As
 part of a longer-term effort to improve taxpayer service, the IRS has 
officially established the first-ever Taxpayer Experience Office and 
will soon begin taking additional steps to expand the effort."As the IRS continues taking immediate steps this filing season 
including adding more employees to address the significant challenges 
facing a resource-constrained IRS, it's critical that we work going 
forward to equip the IRS to be a 21st century resource for Americans," 
said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. "The formal establishment of this 
office will help unify and expand efforts across the IRS to improve 
service to taxpayers."The Taxpayer Experience Office will focus on all aspects of taxpayer 
transactions with the IRS across the service, compliance and other 
program areas, working in conjunction with all IRS business units and 
coordinating closely with the Taxpayer Advocate Service. The office is 
part of the effort envisioned in the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p5426.pdf">Taxpayer First Act Report to Congress</a>&nbsp;PDF last year. This included input and feedback from taxpayers, tax professionals and the tax community that helped develop the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/taxpayer-first-act-taxpayer-experience">Taxpayer Experience Strategy</a>.
 The Report to Congress identified over a hundred different programs and
 tools that would help taxpayers, including a 360-degree view of 
taxpayer accounts, expanded e-File and payment options, digital 
signatures, secure two-way messaging and online accounts for businesses 
and tax professionals.To help drive the IRS strategic direction for improving the taxpayer 
experience, the Taxpayer Experience Office has identified key activities
 the IRS is focusing on over the next five years, including those 
commitments outlined in the President's&nbsp;Executive Order on Transforming 
Federal Customer Experience and Service Delivery to Rebuild Trust in 
Government."The IRS is committed to customer experiences that meet taxpayers 
where they are, in the moments that matter most in people's lives and in
 a way that delivers the service that the public expects and deserves," 
said Chief Taxpayer Experience Officer Ken Corbin, who also serves as 
the commissioner of the Wage and Investment division, which oversees the
 current filing season and other activities.The Taxpayer Experience Office will identify changing taxpayer 
expectations and industry trends, focus on customer service best 
practices, and promote a consistent voice and experience across all 
taxpayer segments by developing agency-wide taxpayer experience 
guidelines and expectations. The office will be adding staff in the 
coming months to help support the effort."Whether checking the status of a tax return, meeting with a revenue 
agent for an audit, or receiving a tax credit to their bank account, 
improving service delivery and customer experience are fundamental 
priorities for us," Corbin said. "We're committed to designing and 
delivering services that better connect with our diverse taxpayer base."Some of the areas of improvement in the near-term include expanding 
customer callback, expanded payment options, secure two-way messaging 
and more services for multilingual customers. These activities build on 
recent improvements such as digital tools to support Economic Impact 
Payments and the Advance Child Tax Credit, online chat and online tax 
professional account.

IRS Taxpayer Experience Office established to improve service

BY ARIANA FIGUEROA <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/03/03/a-crisis-that-is-hiding-in-plain-sight-missing-and-murdered-women-of-color/">States Newsroom</a>

WASHINGTON
 — Parents at a Thursday congressional hearing about murdered and 
missing women of color detailed their frustrating attempts to get the 
attention of law enforcement and adequate media coverage.&nbsp;

“This
 is a crisis that is hiding in plain sight,” said Maryland Rep. Jamie 
Raskin, a Democrat and chair of the U.S. House Oversight Subcommittee on
 Civil Rights and Civil Liberties.&nbsp;

Advocates
 told lawmakers about the struggle of not having complete and accurate 
data to fully understand the scope of missing women of color because the
 federal government does not collect that data. In 2020, 40% of women 
and girls reported missing were of color, despite making up 16% of the 
population, according to the <a target="_blank" href="https://blackandmissinginc.com/statistics/">U.S. Census</a>.

“The
 epidemic of missing persons of color is not a new topic but one that 
has been dismissed because society does not care about us,” Shawn 
Wilkinson of Baltimore said.

Wilkinson’s daughter, Akia, was eight months pregnant when she <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/dateline/missing-in-america/arrest-made-case-2017-disappearance-akia-eggleston-n1288685">went missing in 2017. </a>He
 told lawmakers that law enforcement took the case seriously&nbsp;only when 
no baby was reported being born in a nearby hospital a month later.

Rep.
 Kweisi Mfume, a Maryland Democrat, expressed his frustration at how 
Akia’s case was handled as well as the lack of media coverage around her
 disappearance.

“We’ve got to keep reminding people again of the breadth and the scope of this problem in our country,” he said.&nbsp;

Natalie
 Wilson, co-founder of the Black and Missing Foundation, said that “race
 is clearly an underlying factor in the disparity in these missing 
person cases,” as well as the media coverage that follows when a person 
goes missing.&nbsp;

Black
 and Missing Foundation is a nonprofit organization based in Maryland 
that brings awareness to missing persons of color around the country.

She
 pointed to examples of missing white women who dominated national and 
international headlines such as Natalee Holloway, Gabby Petito and 
Chandra Levy.&nbsp;

Wilson said it’s a struggle to highlight the depth of the issue without accurate or reliable data.

One
 problem she and advocates have run into is when Black girls are 
reported missing, law enforcement will typically classify them as 
runaways. She said nine out of 10 missing girls are reported as 
runaways, which was <a target="_blank" href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2017/06/26/missing-kids-many-runaways-some-baited-through-technology/103211338/">reported by USA Today</a>.
 If a child is classified as a runaway, police don’t issue Amber Alerts 
or assemble the resources needed to search for a missing person.

“Black
 and brown girls are not seen as victims and oftentimes they are 
adultified,” Wilson said. “So the perception is that whatever happens to
 them, they deserve it.”

The
 top GOP lawmaker on the panel, South Carolina’s Nancy Mace, said she 
was concerned about the high levels of intimate partner violence that 
women of color face as well as sex trafficking of Black girls.

“I’m
 especially interested in what policies we should be advocating for to 
improve access to education, and economic opportunities for all women to
 decrease their vulnerability and risk for being targeted by criminals,”
 she said.&nbsp;

Mace
 was the only Republican on the panel to attend the hearing. GOP 
lawmakers on the panel include Reps. Jim Jordan of Ohio, Clay Higgins of
 Louisiana, Pete Sessions of Texas, Andy Biggs of Arizona and C. 
Franklin and Byron Donalds of Florida.&nbsp;

Mace
 said she was concerned about this issue since women, partially Black 
women and girls, have gone missing in her own district. She asked the 
GOP witness how the pandemic has affected women and girls of color.

“Lockdowns
 early in the pandemic led to an 8% increase in domestic violence,” said
 Patrice Onwuka, the director of the Center for Economic Opportunity at 
the Independent Women’s Forum.&nbsp;

She
 advocated for more funding for law enforcement to direct resources for 
missing persons cases and for looking at home life to help “prevent 
people from disappearing in the first place.”

When
 it comes to law enforcement’s role in missing women who are Indigenous,
 tribal officials are in a bind. Tribal officials generally are not 
allowed to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.tribal-institute.org/lists/jurisdiction.htm">bring charges</a> against those who are not Native American but commit crimes on tribal lands.

Angel
 Charley, the executive director of the Coalition to Stop Violence 
Against Native Women, based in New Mexico, said families in Indian 
Country often take on the burden of searching on their own for their 
missing family members.&nbsp;Charley is from the Pueblo of Laguna.

Rep.
 Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a New York Democrat, asked Charley about the 
correlation between “fossil fuel extraction sites and abductions and 
murders of Indigenous women across the United States.”

“Many
 tribes do not have jurisdiction over non-Native offenders, which a 
majority of these oil workers are,” Charley said. “We know that when 
these man camps or temporary establishments are created, that there is 
an increase in violence and particularly sexual violence against our 
Native women.”

Charley
 implored lawmakers to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act, which
 has several tribal provisions that would “expand oversight and thereby 
protection for our women and children.” The U.S. House passed the 
reauthorization bill last year, but the Senate has not.

Pamela Foster, who is a member of the Navajo Nation, told lawmakers about how <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ojp.gov/files/archives/blogs/2019/legacy-ashlynne-mike">two of her children were kidnapped</a>
 on her reservation while at the bus stop. Her 9-year-old daughter, 
Ashlynne, and 11-year-old son, Ian, were taken miles off the 
reservation, and while her son was able to escape, her daughter was 
murdered.&nbsp;

Foster
 said law enforcement could not issue an Amber Alert, and she said it 
wasn’t until her son was found wandering by a passerby that local law 
enforcement started the search for her daughter.

“Since
 the (kidnapping) happened on the reservation, the resources that I 
needed weren’t available for her to start the search,” she said. “It 
took her death to start something.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646406196036.png" alt="Orlando Cruz plays his drum as families march to the signing ceremony for New Mexico legislation on missing and murdered Indigenous people Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022 at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque. (Sharon Chischilly for Source NM, courtesy Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Orlando Cruz plays his drum as families march to the signing ceremony for New Mexico legislation on missing and murdered Indigenous people Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022 at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque. (Sharon Chischilly for Source NM, courtesy Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY ARIANA FIGUEROA <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/03/03/a-crisis-that-is-hiding-in-plain-sight-missing-and-murdered-women-of-color/">States Newsroom</a>WASHINGTON
 — Parents at a Thursday congressional hearing about murdered and 
missing women of color detailed their frustrating attempts to get the 
attention of law enforcement and adequate media coverage.&nbsp;“This
 is a crisis that is hiding in plain sight,” said Maryland Rep. Jamie 
Raskin, a Democrat and chair of the U.S. House Oversight Subcommittee on
 Civil Rights and Civil Liberties.&nbsp;Advocates
 told lawmakers about the struggle of not having complete and accurate 
data to fully understand the scope of missing women of color because the
 federal government does not collect that data. In 2020, 40% of women 
and girls reported missing were of color, despite making up 16% of the 
population, according to the <a target="_blank" href="https://blackandmissinginc.com/statistics/">U.S. Census</a>.“The
 epidemic of missing persons of color is not a new topic but one that 
has been dismissed because society does not care about us,” Shawn 
Wilkinson of Baltimore said.Wilkinson’s daughter, Akia, was eight months pregnant when she <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/dateline/missing-in-america/arrest-made-case-2017-disappearance-akia-eggleston-n1288685">went missing in 2017. </a>He
 told lawmakers that law enforcement took the case seriously&nbsp;only when 
no baby was reported being born in a nearby hospital a month later.<h2>‘Keep reminding people’</h2>Rep.
 Kweisi Mfume, a Maryland Democrat, expressed his frustration at how 
Akia’s case was handled as well as the lack of media coverage around her
 disappearance.“We’ve got to keep reminding people again of the breadth and the scope of this problem in our country,” he said.&nbsp;Natalie
 Wilson, co-founder of the Black and Missing Foundation, said that “race
 is clearly an underlying factor in the disparity in these missing 
person cases,” as well as the media coverage that follows when a person 
goes missing.&nbsp;Black
 and Missing Foundation is a nonprofit organization based in Maryland 
that brings awareness to missing persons of color around the country.She
 pointed to examples of missing white women who dominated national and 
international headlines such as Natalee Holloway, Gabby Petito and 
Chandra Levy.&nbsp;Wilson said it’s a struggle to highlight the depth of the issue without accurate or reliable data.<h2>Classified as runaways, not missing</h2>One
 problem she and advocates have run into is when Black girls are 
reported missing, law enforcement will typically classify them as 
runaways. She said nine out of 10 missing girls are reported as 
runaways, which was <a target="_blank" href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2017/06/26/missing-kids-many-runaways-some-baited-through-technology/103211338/">reported by USA Today</a>.
 If a child is classified as a runaway, police don’t issue Amber Alerts 
or assemble the resources needed to search for a missing person.“Black
 and brown girls are not seen as victims and oftentimes they are 
adultified,” Wilson said. “So the perception is that whatever happens to
 them, they deserve it.”The
 top GOP lawmaker on the panel, South Carolina’s Nancy Mace, said she 
was concerned about the high levels of intimate partner violence that 
women of color face as well as sex trafficking of Black girls.“I’m
 especially interested in what policies we should be advocating for to 
improve access to education, and economic opportunities for all women to
 decrease their vulnerability and risk for being targeted by criminals,”
 she said.&nbsp;Mace
 was the only Republican on the panel to attend the hearing. GOP 
lawmakers on the panel include Reps. Jim Jordan of Ohio, Clay Higgins of
 Louisiana, Pete Sessions of Texas, Andy Biggs of Arizona and C. 
Franklin and Byron Donalds of Florida.&nbsp;<h2>Pandemic exacerbated problem</h2>Mace
 said she was concerned about this issue since women, partially Black 
women and girls, have gone missing in her own district. She asked the 
GOP witness how the pandemic has affected women and girls of color.“Lockdowns
 early in the pandemic led to an 8% increase in domestic violence,” said
 Patrice Onwuka, the director of the Center for Economic Opportunity at 
the Independent Women’s Forum.&nbsp;She
 advocated for more funding for law enforcement to direct resources for 
missing persons cases and for looking at home life to help “prevent 
people from disappearing in the first place.”When
 it comes to law enforcement’s role in missing women who are Indigenous,
 tribal officials are in a bind. Tribal officials generally are not 
allowed to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.tribal-institute.org/lists/jurisdiction.htm">bring charges</a> against those who are not Native American but commit crimes on tribal lands.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646406286478.png" alt="Screenshot of Angel Charley, executive director of the Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women." />
 <figcaption>Screenshot of Angel Charley, executive director of the Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women.</figcaption>
 </figure>Angel
 Charley, the executive director of the Coalition to Stop Violence 
Against Native Women, based in New Mexico, said families in Indian 
Country often take on the burden of searching on their own for their 
missing family members.&nbsp;Charley is from the Pueblo of Laguna.Rep.
 Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a New York Democrat, asked Charley about the 
correlation between “fossil fuel extraction sites and abductions and 
murders of Indigenous women across the United States.”“Many
 tribes do not have jurisdiction over non-Native offenders, which a 
majority of these oil workers are,” Charley said. “We know that when 
these man camps or temporary establishments are created, that there is 
an increase in violence and particularly sexual violence against our 
Native women.”<h2>Violence Against Women Act</h2>Charley
 implored lawmakers to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act, which
 has several tribal provisions that would “expand oversight and thereby 
protection for our women and children.” The U.S. House passed the 
reauthorization bill last year, but the Senate has not.Pamela Foster, who is a member of the Navajo Nation, told lawmakers about how <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ojp.gov/files/archives/blogs/2019/legacy-ashlynne-mike">two of her children were kidnapped</a>
 on her reservation while at the bus stop. Her 9-year-old daughter, 
Ashlynne, and 11-year-old son, Ian, were taken miles off the 
reservation, and while her son was able to escape, her daughter was 
murdered.&nbsp;Foster
 said law enforcement could not issue an Amber Alert, and she said it 
wasn’t until her son was found wandering by a passerby that local law 
enforcement started the search for her daughter.“Since
 the (kidnapping) happened on the reservation, the resources that I 
needed weren’t available for her to start the search,” she said. “It 
took her death to start something.”

‘A crisis that is hiding in plain sight’: Missing and murdered women of color

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed into law Thursday a bill that prohibits transgender females from participating in girls high school sports and women’s college athletics, rejecting opponents’ argument that she would harm vulnerable children to solve a nonexistent problem.

Reynolds signed the bill at a ceremony in the Capitol just a day after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-discrimination-iowa-legislature-kim-reynolds-4c85ed6ce142bd82f2f099aa535b945d">lawmakers sent it</a>&nbsp;to her desk. It passed the House and Senate with only Republican support.

The Republican governor called the signing a celebration of victory for girls sports.

“No amount of talent, training or effort can make up for the natural physical advantages males have over females. It’s simply a reality of human biology,” Reynolds said. “Forcing females to compete against males is the opposite of inclusivity and it’s absolutely unfair.”

Carlisle High School Senior Ainsley Erzen, who set the state 800-meter track record and has appeared at committee meetings to support the bill, said the law will protect female athletes.

“Iowa girls today and every generation to come will be able to pursue the things they love to the best of their abilities,” Erzen said. “Whether that’s chasing titles, records, scholarships or earning a starting position on a team. No girl will be sidelined in their own sport.”

When a reporter asked Reynolds to give an example of a girl outperformed by a transgender athlete, the governor didn’t offer a specific case but maintained the restrictions were needed.

Republican leaders made the bill effective immediately, so any transgender students playing sports may be required to immediately stop. It wasn’t clear how many students it would affect, but it’s believed to be no more than a handful in Iowa.

“Because the legislation would go into effect as soon as the governor signs it, she is showing once again that she’s more interested in scoring political points than caring about the impact of legislation on some of the most marginalized kids in our society,” said Senate Democratic Leader Zach Wahls.

The bill requires students participating in interscholastic sports sponsored or sanctioned by an accredited nonpublic school or a public school district to play only with others that match the gender listed on their birth certificate. It also has provisions to allow civil lawsuits to uphold the intent of the law. The bill applies to sports from primary school grades into state universities and colleges.

Lobbyists for school boards, school administrators and teachers said the bill puts educators and administrators in an untenable position of choosing whether to follow the new state law or federal law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender in sports activities.

Des Moines Public Schools spokesman Phil Roeder said it’s not immediately clear how schools are expected to implement the law. The district’s lobbyist opposed the bill because it believes the legislation discriminates against transgender girls and women and the district is concerned it conflicts with federal anti-discrimination laws.

“Our school district welcomes and supports LGBTQ students, and providing them with the opportunities they deserve,” he said.

Iowa Department of Education spokeswoman Heather Doe confirmed that the agency has not given schools guidance but acknowledged the bill went into effect immediately.

Mark Stringer, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa, denounced the law, saying it “violates the civil rights of transgender girls and women” in Iowa.

“Today the state of Iowa bought into unsupported myths about transgender girls and women participating in sports — myths fueled by ignorance and fear,” Stringer said.

Iowa will join 10 other GOP-run states with such laws. Some have faced court challenges alleging violations of constitutional rights and federal nondiscrimination laws.

The nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency told lawmakers the state could lose federal funds if authorities find it is violating federal civil rights laws. The agency also said the bill may conflict with participation rules of university, college and junior college athletic organizations, risking loss of eligibility and media rights or competition hosting revenues. The bill also may cost the state litigation expenses.

Becky Smith, executive director of Iowa Safe Schools, an LGBTQ advocacy group, held a transgender flag behind lawmakers and girls from several schools who were with Reynolds as she spoke and signed the bill. Smith said the law will “open up a giant landslide of lawsuits against different school districts across the state when transgender students remember they have a federal right to protection under the law.”

South Dakota Gov. Krisi Noem&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-kristi-noem-legislature-gender-identity-south-dakota-25ff0b7817bc819505114fb54e242961">signed a similar ban</a>&nbsp;into law in February.

Other states with similar laws include Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Mississippi, Montana, Tennessee and Texas, all passed last year. Enforcement of a 2020 Idaho law is on hold after a federal judge ruled it is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/idaho-courts-sports-government-and-politics-b9a255e002ef1b7da5366f7dea6be091">likely to be found unconstitutional.</a>

A judge in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-sports-west-virginia-laws-sports-education-a3e8852ced2bf0c3bd8ce546bfe70d2b">West Virginia</a>&nbsp;last July issued an order allowing an 11-year-old transgender girl to participate in girls cross country, saying the state’s law passed last year would have violated her constitutional rights and a federal law that guarantees equal treatment of men and women in education and sports programs.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646394314068.png" alt="Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signs a bill that prohibits transgender girls from participating in women's sports at the Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines, Iowa, Thursday, March 3-photo courtesy office of Iowa governor" />
 <figcaption>Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signs a bill that prohibits transgender girls from participating in women's sports at the Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines, Iowa, Thursday, March 3-photo courtesy office of Iowa governor</figcaption>
 </figure>DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed into law Thursday a bill that prohibits transgender females from participating in girls high school sports and women’s college athletics, rejecting opponents’ argument that she would harm vulnerable children to solve a nonexistent problem.Reynolds signed the bill at a ceremony in the Capitol just a day after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-discrimination-iowa-legislature-kim-reynolds-4c85ed6ce142bd82f2f099aa535b945d">lawmakers sent it</a>&nbsp;to her desk. It passed the House and Senate with only Republican support.The Republican governor called the signing a celebration of victory for girls sports.“No amount of talent, training or effort can make up for the natural physical advantages males have over females. It’s simply a reality of human biology,” Reynolds said. “Forcing females to compete against males is the opposite of inclusivity and it’s absolutely unfair.”Carlisle High School Senior Ainsley Erzen, who set the state 800-meter track record and has appeared at committee meetings to support the bill, said the law will protect female athletes.“Iowa girls today and every generation to come will be able to pursue the things they love to the best of their abilities,” Erzen said. “Whether that’s chasing titles, records, scholarships or earning a starting position on a team. No girl will be sidelined in their own sport.”When a reporter asked Reynolds to give an example of a girl outperformed by a transgender athlete, the governor didn’t offer a specific case but maintained the restrictions were needed.Republican leaders made the bill effective immediately, so any transgender students playing sports may be required to immediately stop. It wasn’t clear how many students it would affect, but it’s believed to be no more than a handful in Iowa.“Because the legislation would go into effect as soon as the governor signs it, she is showing once again that she’s more interested in scoring political points than caring about the impact of legislation on some of the most marginalized kids in our society,” said Senate Democratic Leader Zach Wahls.The bill requires students participating in interscholastic sports sponsored or sanctioned by an accredited nonpublic school or a public school district to play only with others that match the gender listed on their birth certificate. It also has provisions to allow civil lawsuits to uphold the intent of the law. The bill applies to sports from primary school grades into state universities and colleges.Lobbyists for school boards, school administrators and teachers said the bill puts educators and administrators in an untenable position of choosing whether to follow the new state law or federal law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender in sports activities.Des Moines Public Schools spokesman Phil Roeder said it’s not immediately clear how schools are expected to implement the law. The district’s lobbyist opposed the bill because it believes the legislation discriminates against transgender girls and women and the district is concerned it conflicts with federal anti-discrimination laws.“Our school district welcomes and supports LGBTQ students, and providing them with the opportunities they deserve,” he said.Iowa Department of Education spokeswoman Heather Doe confirmed that the agency has not given schools guidance but acknowledged the bill went into effect immediately.Mark Stringer, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa, denounced the law, saying it “violates the civil rights of transgender girls and women” in Iowa.“Today the state of Iowa bought into unsupported myths about transgender girls and women participating in sports — myths fueled by ignorance and fear,” Stringer said.Iowa will join 10 other GOP-run states with such laws. Some have faced court challenges alleging violations of constitutional rights and federal nondiscrimination laws.The nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency told lawmakers the state could lose federal funds if authorities find it is violating federal civil rights laws. The agency also said the bill may conflict with participation rules of university, college and junior college athletic organizations, risking loss of eligibility and media rights or competition hosting revenues. The bill also may cost the state litigation expenses.Becky Smith, executive director of Iowa Safe Schools, an LGBTQ advocacy group, held a transgender flag behind lawmakers and girls from several schools who were with Reynolds as she spoke and signed the bill. Smith said the law will “open up a giant landslide of lawsuits against different school districts across the state when transgender students remember they have a federal right to protection under the law.”South Dakota Gov. Krisi Noem&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-kristi-noem-legislature-gender-identity-south-dakota-25ff0b7817bc819505114fb54e242961">signed a similar ban</a>&nbsp;into law in February.Other states with similar laws include Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Mississippi, Montana, Tennessee and Texas, all passed last year. Enforcement of a 2020 Idaho law is on hold after a federal judge ruled it is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/idaho-courts-sports-government-and-politics-b9a255e002ef1b7da5366f7dea6be091">likely to be found unconstitutional.</a>A judge in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-sports-west-virginia-laws-sports-education-a3e8852ced2bf0c3bd8ce546bfe70d2b">West Virginia</a>&nbsp;last July issued an order allowing an 11-year-old transgender girl to participate in girls cross country, saying the state’s law passed last year would have violated her constitutional rights and a federal law that guarantees equal treatment of men and women in education and sports programs.

Iowa becomes 11th state with controversial transgender sports law

BEAUFORT, S.C. (AP) — Military officials say two Marines were able to eject and survive when their fighter jet crashed in South Carolina. 

Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort said it happened Thursday afternoon as the F/A-18D Hornet was on a routine flight. 

Officials said the jet crash caused a brushfire in an unpopulated area near Beaufort. 

Sarah Sanford Rauch, the sister of former Gov. Mark Sanford, says she saw the jet's engine catch fire and turn nose-down toward the ground. She and her brother John went searching on the family's Coosaw Plantation property and found the two Marines who had ejected.

She says both were able to walk on their own.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/8/1566211853566.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSBEAUFORT, S.C. (AP) — Military officials say two Marines were able to eject and survive when their fighter jet crashed in South Carolina. Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort said it happened Thursday afternoon as the F/A-18D Hornet was on a routine flight. Officials said the jet crash caused a brushfire in an unpopulated area near Beaufort. Sarah Sanford Rauch, the sister of former Gov. Mark Sanford, says she saw the jet's engine catch fire and turn nose-down toward the ground. She and her brother John went searching on the family's Coosaw Plantation property and found the two Marines who had ejected.She says both were able to walk on their own.

2 Marines eject and survive South Carolina fighter jet crash

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A former Kansas City police detective was to be sentenced Friday for the death of a Black man who was shot while backing a pickup truck into a garage but he will remain free on bond while his conviction is appealed.

Eric DeValkenaere, 43,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-police-shootings-race-and-ethnicity-kansas-city-933d3aba9b37c83145fba5818d557c02">was convicted</a>&nbsp;in November of second-degree involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action in the death of 26-year-old Cameron Lamb on Dec. 3, 2019.

Prosecutors had recommended that Jackson County Circuit Court Presiding Judge J. Dale Youngs sentence DeValkenaere, who is white, to four years for involuntary manslaughter and nine years for armed criminal action, with the sentences to run at the same time.

Youngs, who convicted DeValkenaere after a bench trial, ruled in February that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-police-shootings-kansas-city-kansas-cdc43324871862f01222a6ca29ef317f">he could remain free&nbsp;</a>while his conviction is appealed.

DeValkenaere’s attorney, Molly Hastings, argued the former detective was not a flight risk and noted the judge found “no evidence of malice” in DeValkenaere’s conduct.

The judge has said that he had never in 13 years on the bench allowed a defendant to remain free on bond after a conviction. But he said he did not believe it would be necessary to jail the former detective without bond to ensure he appeared at future court proceedings.

DeValkenaere has been free on $30,000 bond since he was convicted.

DeValkenaere testified during his trial that he shot Lamb as he was backing his pickup truck into a garage where he lived because Lamb pointed a gun at another detective, Troy Schwalm.

The plainclothes detectives had followed Lamb to the property to investigate an earlier report that he had chased his girlfriend in a stolen pickup truck.

Prosecutors alleged a gun found near Lamb's truck after the shooting was planted and the crime scene was staged. They also said the detectives had no reason to be on Lamb's property.

When he convicted DeValkenaere, Youngs said the detectives violated Lamb's constitutional rights because they had no probable cause to believe he had committed a crime, had no warrant for Lamb’s arrest and had no search warrant or consent to be on the property. He did not address the allegations that evidence had been planted.

DeVlakenaere was suspended from the police force after his conviction and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-police-shootings-kansas-city-2af535a9a637024a23b3530c1c20cc2e">left the force&nbsp;</a>in January. Police have not said if he was fired, resigned or retired.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619745438017.png" alt="Police on the scene of the Dec. 2019 shooting investigation photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the Dec. 2019 shooting investigation photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — A former Kansas City police detective was to be sentenced Friday for the death of a Black man who was shot while backing a pickup truck into a garage but he will remain free on bond while his conviction is appealed.Eric DeValkenaere, 43,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-police-shootings-race-and-ethnicity-kansas-city-933d3aba9b37c83145fba5818d557c02">was convicted</a>&nbsp;in November of second-degree involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action in the death of 26-year-old Cameron Lamb on Dec. 3, 2019.Prosecutors had recommended that Jackson County Circuit Court Presiding Judge J. Dale Youngs sentence DeValkenaere, who is white, to four years for involuntary manslaughter and nine years for armed criminal action, with the sentences to run at the same time.Youngs, who convicted DeValkenaere after a bench trial, ruled in February that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-police-shootings-kansas-city-kansas-cdc43324871862f01222a6ca29ef317f">he could remain free&nbsp;</a>while his conviction is appealed.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592994941014.png" alt="DeValkenaere-photo KCPD" />
 <figcaption>DeValkenaere-photo KCPD</figcaption>
 </figure>DeValkenaere’s attorney, Molly Hastings, argued the former detective was not a flight risk and noted the judge found “no evidence of malice” in DeValkenaere’s conduct.The judge has said that he had never in 13 years on the bench allowed a defendant to remain free on bond after a conviction. But he said he did not believe it would be necessary to jail the former detective without bond to ensure he appeared at future court proceedings.DeValkenaere has been free on $30,000 bond since he was convicted.DeValkenaere testified during his trial that he shot Lamb as he was backing his pickup truck into a garage where he lived because Lamb pointed a gun at another detective, Troy Schwalm.The plainclothes detectives had followed Lamb to the property to investigate an earlier report that he had chased his girlfriend in a stolen pickup truck.Prosecutors alleged a gun found near Lamb's truck after the shooting was planted and the crime scene was staged. They also said the detectives had no reason to be on Lamb's property.When he convicted DeValkenaere, Youngs said the detectives violated Lamb's constitutional rights because they had no probable cause to believe he had committed a crime, had no warrant for Lamb’s arrest and had no search warrant or consent to be on the property. He did not address the allegations that evidence had been planted.DeVlakenaere was suspended from the police force after his conviction and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-police-shootings-kansas-city-2af535a9a637024a23b3530c1c20cc2e">left the force&nbsp;</a>in January. Police have not said if he was fired, resigned or retired.

Ex-KC detective faces sentencing in Black man's death

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for a violent drive by shooting.

On Wednesday, officers received information that 24-year-old Tray Robinson was in Wichita and had active warrants in connection with a&nbsp; drive-by investigation&nbsp;in Topeka where a home was shot over 80 times and a 2-year-old girl was critically injured, according to Officer Trevor Macy.

 Officers located Robinson at a home in the 300 block of North Estelle in Wichita and saw that he was armed with a handgun.  Officers were able to communicate with Robinson and he was arrested without incident.

During the investigation, officers recovered multiple handguns, loaded extended magazines, and ammunition.  The Shawnee County DA’s Office has since charged Robinson with attempted murder.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646343582999.png" alt="Robinson-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Robinson-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for a violent drive by shooting.On Wednesday, officers received information that 24-year-old Tray Robinson was in Wichita and had active warrants in connection with a&nbsp; drive-by investigation&nbsp;in Topeka where a home was shot over 80 times and a 2-year-old girl was critically injured, according to Officer Trevor Macy. Officers located Robinson at a home in the 300 block of North Estelle in Wichita and saw that he was armed with a handgun. Officers were able to communicate with Robinson and he was arrested without incident.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646343931666.png" alt="photo Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>photo Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>During the investigation, officers recovered multiple handguns, loaded extended magazines, and ammunition. The Shawnee County DA’s Office has since charged Robinson with attempted murder.

Police: Violent drive-by shooting injured 2-year-old Kan. girl

JACKSON COUNTY— A 21-year-old man has been charged in the deaths of three people in Kansas City, according to the Jackson County Prosecutor's office.

Joshua Bell, of Kansas City, was charged with three counts of second-degree accessory murder, unlawful use of a weapon and four counts of armed criminal action.

He is the second man charged in the Oct. 2, 2021, shooting deaths of Kanen X. Wheaton, 24; Johnnai Owens, 23; and 24-year-old Devon Key.

The victims were at a home in eastern Kansas City when the suspects drove up and fired at them, prosecutors said.

Co-defendant Lucas Baker was charged in October with nine counts, including three counts of second-degree accessory murder.

Court documents show Bell’s phone was in the area of the suspect vehicle before and after the shootings. Bell also admitted that he had earlier helped steal ammunition that was found at the shooting scene.

Prosecutors have requested a $500,000 cash-only bond for Bell.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646259190160.png" alt="Bell photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Bell photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY— A 21-year-old man has been charged in the deaths of three people in Kansas City, according to the Jackson County Prosecutor's office.Joshua Bell, of Kansas City, was charged with three counts of second-degree accessory murder, unlawful use of a weapon and four counts of armed criminal action.He is the second man charged in the Oct. 2, 2021, shooting deaths of Kanen X. Wheaton, 24; Johnnai Owens, 23; and 24-year-old Devon Key.The victims were at a home in eastern Kansas City when the suspects drove up and fired at them, prosecutors said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646259263216.png" alt="Baker-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Baker-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Co-defendant Lucas Baker was charged in October with nine counts, including three counts of second-degree accessory murder.Court documents show Bell’s phone was in the area of the suspect vehicle before and after the shootings. Bell also admitted that he had earlier helped steal ammunition that was found at the shooting scene.Prosecutors have requested a $500,000 cash-only bond for Bell.

Second suspect charged in Kansas City triple murder

MANHATTAN, KAN. –&nbsp;A California man has been arrested in connection to a February 2020 shooting near Aggieville, according to a media release from the Riley County Police Department.

Just after 2:30a.m. Feb. 8, police responded to multiple 911 calls reporting shots fired in the 1100 block of Laramie Street.

When officers arrived on scene, they found an unoccupied car that had been shot and through further investigation discovered 30-year-old Travell Hairston had fired several rounds at a 27-year-old male victim.

&nbsp;Hairston of Sacramento, Calif., is already confined in the Riley County Jail for domestic battery and failure to appear and was arrested in connection with the shooting Thursday afternoon and is being held on requested charges of attempted first-degree murder.

He is being held on a $500,000 bond for the shooting arrest, resulting in a total bond of $1,115,000.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644087068240.png" alt="Photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN, KAN. –&nbsp;A California man has been arrested in connection to a February 2020 shooting near Aggieville, according to a media release from the Riley County Police Department.Just after 2:30a.m. Feb. 8, police responded to multiple 911 calls reporting shots fired in the 1100 block of Laramie Street.When officers arrived on scene, they found an unoccupied car that had been shot and through further investigation discovered 30-year-old Travell Hairston had fired several rounds at a 27-year-old male victim.&nbsp;Hairston of Sacramento, Calif., is already confined in the Riley County Jail for domestic battery and failure to appear and was arrested in connection with the shooting Thursday afternoon and is being held on requested charges of attempted first-degree murder.He is being held on a $500,000 bond for the shooting arrest, resulting in a total bond of $1,115,000.

Police: Suspect accused of February 2020 shooting in Manhattan

TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura&nbsp;Kelly on Thursday announced $160 million in grants&nbsp;available for&nbsp;child care providers in Kansas. The third round of Child Care Sustainability Grants will aid child care providers in meeting the costs of operating their businesses through the remaining impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a media release from her office.

"As we grow the economy, these grants&nbsp;will provide the continued support our child care facilities need to stay open and ensure that Kansas families have access to safe, quality child care.”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said. "This&nbsp;support&nbsp;will&nbsp;help our child care facilities, it will help Kansas parents, and it will help our&nbsp;economy.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

Qualifying child care providers are guaranteed nine months of payments ranging from $1,800 per month for family child care programs to $18,000 per month for large centers. In addition, the providers will be eligible for an additional five months of funding either in the same amount or more, depending on the utilization of the grants during the first nine months. &nbsp;

"When Covid-19 hit, we were so thankful that we were still able to be open and be there for our parents and the children who needed a safe and familiar place to go,"&nbsp;said&nbsp;Kristele&nbsp;Blessings, Precious Blessings Development Center.&nbsp;"During that time, we as a small business took a hit when some of our parents weren't able to work due to the pandemic and we lost some of our expected income.&nbsp;

"These grants have afforded us the ability to provide child care in the safest and most precautious way for our staff, children, and parents," she continued.&nbsp;

Precious Blessings Development Center received $20,000 in grants from the first two cycles. It&nbsp;is located in&nbsp;Topeka. &nbsp;

"As their businesses continue to recover from drop in classroom sizes, delayed capital improvements, and unexpected expenses for sanitization and personal protection equipment, child care providers can use the grant dollars how they need it most,"&nbsp;Department of Children and Families Secretary Laura Howard said.&nbsp;"These grants offer great flexibility to fulfill the needs of the providers."&nbsp;

The grant program will be administered by Child Care Aware of Kansas. The grant application is available starting March 1 at <a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAzMDMuNTQzMzE0NzEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vd3d3LmtzLmNoaWxkY2FyZWF3YXJlLm9yZy8ifQ.Um6S7M4uRfH0O2AOfixm3RyRi0zdnY3v1XoWzZhcAWA/s/1303160919/br/127481043307-l" target="_blank">www.ks.childcareaware.org</a>. Applications are accepted until Nov. 30, 2022. Grant dollars may be used for personnel costs, rent/mortgage, utilities, personal protective equipment, goods or services, purchases of or updates to equipment and supplies, and mental health supports.&nbsp;

"Financial support from these grants represent an unprecedented investment in the stabilization of our existing child care infrastructure, ensuring that parents have a safe, nurturing environment for their young children,"&nbsp;said Kelly&nbsp;Davydov, Executive Director of Child Care Aware of Kansas.&nbsp;"These funds are critical to ensuring that child care businesses are able to keep paying staff, even when enrollment fluctuates due to illness. They also allow child care programs to absorb the increased cost of essential supplies, like food and personal protective equipment."&nbsp;

To be considered for funding, newly licensed or established child care programs must maintain an active permanent license with Kansas Department of Health and Environment, whether they remain open or temporarily closed. Funds may be used for any normal operational expenses, additional expenses the child&nbsp;care program has due to meeting CDC guidance for mitigating the spread of COVID-19, and other activities necessary to maintain or resume the operation of programs.&nbsp;

Qualifying child care providers in Kansas are encouraged to apply at <a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAzMDMuNTQzMzE0NzEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vd3d3LmtzLmNoaWxkY2FyZWF3YXJlLm9yZy8ifQ.xOqo_6meqzKVOP0t6F9kNgtNkBGMa3DwbN5O9dq7RCU/s/1303160919/br/127481043307-l" target="_blank">www.ks.childcareaware.org</a>.&nbsp;

Round 1 and 2 of the Child Care Sustainability Grants provided $97 million in support to Kansas child care providers. Child Care Aware of Kansas estimates that nearly 211,000 children were impacted by the grants.&nbsp;

Round no. 1: $49.5 million&nbsp; Round no. 2: $47.5 million&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646347528119.png" alt="Governor Laura Kelly also toured Harvesters Community Food Network in Topeka on Thursday to highlight how eliminating the state's sales tax on groceries will help Kansas families.&nbsp;&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Governor Laura Kelly also toured Harvesters Community Food Network in Topeka on Thursday to highlight how eliminating the state's sales tax on groceries will help Kansas families.&nbsp;&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura&nbsp;Kelly on Thursday announced $160 million in grants&nbsp;available for&nbsp;child care providers in Kansas. The third round of Child Care Sustainability Grants will aid child care providers in meeting the costs of operating their businesses through the remaining impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a media release from her office."As we grow the economy, these grants&nbsp;will provide the continued support our child care facilities need to stay open and ensure that Kansas families have access to safe, quality child care.”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said. "This&nbsp;support&nbsp;will&nbsp;help our child care facilities, it will help Kansas parents, and it will help our&nbsp;economy.”&nbsp;&nbsp;Qualifying child care providers are guaranteed nine months of payments ranging from $1,800 per month for family child care programs to $18,000 per month for large centers. In addition, the providers will be eligible for an additional five months of funding either in the same amount or more, depending on the utilization of the grants during the first nine months. &nbsp;"When Covid-19 hit, we were so thankful that we were still able to be open and be there for our parents and the children who needed a safe and familiar place to go,"&nbsp;said&nbsp;Kristele&nbsp;Blessings, Precious Blessings Development Center.&nbsp;"During that time, we as a small business took a hit when some of our parents weren't able to work due to the pandemic and we lost some of our expected income.&nbsp;"These grants have afforded us the ability to provide child care in the safest and most precautious way for our staff, children, and parents," she continued.&nbsp;Precious Blessings Development Center received $20,000 in grants from the first two cycles. It&nbsp;is located in&nbsp;Topeka. &nbsp;"As their businesses continue to recover from drop in classroom sizes, delayed capital improvements, and unexpected expenses for sanitization and personal protection equipment, child care providers can use the grant dollars how they need it most,"&nbsp;Department of Children and Families Secretary Laura Howard said.&nbsp;"These grants offer great flexibility to fulfill the needs of the providers."&nbsp;The grant program will be administered by Child Care Aware of Kansas. The grant application is available starting March 1 at <a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAzMDMuNTQzMzE0NzEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vd3d3LmtzLmNoaWxkY2FyZWF3YXJlLm9yZy8ifQ.Um6S7M4uRfH0O2AOfixm3RyRi0zdnY3v1XoWzZhcAWA/s/1303160919/br/127481043307-l" target="_blank">www.ks.childcareaware.org</a>. Applications are accepted until Nov. 30, 2022. Grant dollars may be used for personnel costs, rent/mortgage, utilities, personal protective equipment, goods or services, purchases of or updates to equipment and supplies, and mental health supports.&nbsp;"Financial support from these grants represent an unprecedented investment in the stabilization of our existing child care infrastructure, ensuring that parents have a safe, nurturing environment for their young children,"&nbsp;said Kelly&nbsp;Davydov, Executive Director of Child Care Aware of Kansas.&nbsp;"These funds are critical to ensuring that child care businesses are able to keep paying staff, even when enrollment fluctuates due to illness. They also allow child care programs to absorb the increased cost of essential supplies, like food and personal protective equipment."&nbsp;To be considered for funding, newly licensed or established child care programs must maintain an active permanent license with Kansas Department of Health and Environment, whether they remain open or temporarily closed. Funds may be used for any normal operational expenses, additional expenses the child&nbsp;care program has due to meeting CDC guidance for mitigating the spread of COVID-19, and other activities necessary to maintain or resume the operation of programs.&nbsp;Qualifying child care providers in Kansas are encouraged to apply at <a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAzMDMuNTQzMzE0NzEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vd3d3LmtzLmNoaWxkY2FyZWF3YXJlLm9yZy8ifQ.xOqo_6meqzKVOP0t6F9kNgtNkBGMa3DwbN5O9dq7RCU/s/1303160919/br/127481043307-l" target="_blank">www.ks.childcareaware.org</a>.&nbsp;Round 1 and 2 of the Child Care Sustainability Grants provided $97 million in support to Kansas child care providers. Child Care Aware of Kansas estimates that nearly 211,000 children were impacted by the grants.&nbsp;Round no. 1: $49.5 million&nbsp; Round no. 2: $47.5 million&nbsp;

Gov.: $160 million in grants will support child care providers in Kansas

Thanks to new legal changes, the popularity of <a href="https://morningconsult.com/2022/01/18/sports-betting-trends/" target="_blank">sports betting has exploded</a>. If you think scammers haven’t noticed, think again. <a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker/" target="_blank">BBB Scam Tracker</a> is seeing reports from people who accidentally placed bets with scam sports betting websites or apps.

You want to place a bet on an upcoming game, so you search online for
 a sports betting service. You find a website or app that looks 
trustworthy. It may even offer an enticing introductory bonus, so you 
can make an initial bet “risk free.” &nbsp;

You place a bet, and, at first, everything seems normal. But as soon 
as you try to cash out your winnings, you find you can’t withdraw a 
cent. Scammers will make up various excuses. For example, they may claim
 technical issues or insist on additional identity verification. In 
other cases, they may require you to deposit even more money before you 
can withdraw your winnings! Whatever you do, you’ll never be able to get
 your money off the site. And any personal information you shared is now
 in the hands of scam artists.

One victim reported to <a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker/" target="_blank">BBB Scam Tracker</a>:
 “I deposited money to put a wager for a sports game. I won the bet 
[and] attempted 3 times to cash out and 3 times it was declined. Spoke 
to their representative, and they needed a picture of my driver's 
license, a photo of myself holding my ID, and a blank check from my 
bank. With all the run around I've been given, it prompted me to read 
their reviews. All horrible reviews of a scam. Called my credit card 
company to file a fraud report.”

Check out BBB’s tips for <a href="https://www.bbb.org/all/spot-a-scam/how-to-identify-a-fake-website" target="_blank">spotting a lookalike website</a> and <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/26341-bbb-tip-how-to-avoid-app-store-scams" target="_blank">downloading apps</a>. Visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bbb.org/ScamTips" target="_blank">BBB.org/ScamTips</a>&nbsp;to stay alert to new and commonly used scam tactics.

If you've come across a sports betting scam, report it at once to <a href="https://www.bbb.org/ScamTracker" target="_blank">BBB Scam Tracker</a>. Your report can help other consumers avoid falling prey to scammers’ tricks.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579883951052.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BBBThanks to new legal changes, the popularity of <a href="https://morningconsult.com/2022/01/18/sports-betting-trends/" target="_blank">sports betting has exploded</a>. If you think scammers haven’t noticed, think again. <a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker/" target="_blank">BBB Scam Tracker</a> is seeing reports from people who accidentally placed bets with scam sports betting websites or apps.<h2>How the scam works</h2>You want to place a bet on an upcoming game, so you search online for
 a sports betting service. You find a website or app that looks 
trustworthy. It may even offer an enticing introductory bonus, so you 
can make an initial bet “risk free.” &nbsp;You place a bet, and, at first, everything seems normal. But as soon 
as you try to cash out your winnings, you find you can’t withdraw a 
cent. Scammers will make up various excuses. For example, they may claim
 technical issues or insist on additional identity verification. In 
other cases, they may require you to deposit even more money before you 
can withdraw your winnings! Whatever you do, you’ll never be able to get
 your money off the site. And any personal information you shared is now
 in the hands of scam artists.One victim reported to <a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker/" target="_blank">BBB Scam Tracker</a>:
 “I deposited money to put a wager for a sports game. I won the bet 
[and] attempted 3 times to cash out and 3 times it was declined. Spoke 
to their representative, and they needed a picture of my driver's 
license, a photo of myself holding my ID, and a blank check from my 
bank. With all the run around I've been given, it prompted me to read 
their reviews. All horrible reviews of a scam. Called my credit card 
company to file a fraud report.”<h2>How to avoid sports betting scams</h2><ul>
 <li>Look for an establish, approved service. Look for “white-listed” sports books that have been approved by your area’s gaming commission. In the United States, <a href="https://www.espn.com/chalk/story/_/id/19740480/the-united-states-sports-betting-where-all-50-states-stand-legalization" target="_blank">ESPN</a> has a list of where sports betting is legal. </li><li>Don’t fall for tempting ads. Ignore gambling-related pop-up ads, email spam, or text messages.&nbsp; </li><li>Read the fine print on incentives. Gambling sites 
and apps often offer incentives or bonuses to new users and around major
 games. But like any sales pitch, these can be deceptive. Be sure to 
read the fine print carefully. </li><li>Even legitimate sports betting sites have the right to freeze your winnings. Gambling companies can restrict user’s activity for “seeming to have an ‘unfair advantage’ or ‘irregular playing patterns,’” <a href="https://lifehacker.com/how-to-spot-a-shady-online-sports-betting-site-1848525467" target="_blank">reports Lifehacker</a>. Be sure to check the terms of service.</li>
 </ul><h2>For more information </h2>Check out BBB’s tips for <a href="https://www.bbb.org/all/spot-a-scam/how-to-identify-a-fake-website" target="_blank">spotting a lookalike website</a> and <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/26341-bbb-tip-how-to-avoid-app-store-scams" target="_blank">downloading apps</a>. Visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bbb.org/ScamTips" target="_blank">BBB.org/ScamTips</a>&nbsp;to stay alert to new and commonly used scam tactics.If you've come across a sports betting scam, report it at once to <a href="https://www.bbb.org/ScamTracker" target="_blank">BBB Scam Tracker</a>. Your report can help other consumers avoid falling prey to scammers’ tricks.Cover image courtesy Pixabay

Betting on a big game? Don't fall for a sports betting scam

'Glory to Ukraine': KU students denounce Putin’s invasion

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/03/03/ukrainian-students-stand-with-kansas-legislators-against-russians-glory-to-ukraine/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Ukrainian college students Elina Shutova and Mykola 
Hordiichuk stood under the U.S. and Kansas flags at the Capitol on 
Thursday to personally appeal for support of their homeland as family 
and friends endured brutal bombardments from invading Russian soldiers.

On the statehouse steps behind the University of Kansas students were
 dozens of state legislators backing a resolution denouncing Russian 
President Vladimir Putin’s aggression and encouraging the United States 
government to provide emergency support for Ukrainians who have been 
fighting since Feb. 24.

“I can feel the suffering of the people of Ukraine,” Shutova said. 
“Innocent people who wanted nothing but peace and to live in an 
independent country are now hiding in basements while Russians are 
destroying our cities.”

On the first day of shelling, Shutova said, her brother posed a 
poignant question that she couldn’t easily answer: “Am I going to see 
you again?”

She said the invasion wasn’t a rescue mission by Putin to rescue 
Ukrainians from terrorists. That is a lie and nothing but propaganda, 
she said. The terrorist nation is Russia, she said, a point illustrated 
by bombings that destroyed the neighborhood elementary school in her 
hometown of Kherson in the country’s south.

She urged the United States and NATO countries to continue supporting
 Ukraine with economic sanctions. She asked that the skies above Ukraine
 be closed with a no-fly zone.

“We will never forget and never forgive,” Shutova said. “We’ll win, because we are Ukrainians. Glory to Ukraine.”

Hordiichuk, who is from the city of Uman in central Ukraine, said the
 Russian military bombed cities without mercy since starting the war.

He said ordinary Ukrainians responded by flooding military volunteer 
centers and by personally taking up arms. His parents have been 
collecting bottles to make Molotov cocktails. His grandparents bake 
bread at night to feed soldiers in the morning. He sensed the horror and
 inspiration of it all.

“This is not life. This is survival,” he said. “It is hard to imagine
 until you run from explosions yourself. It is hard to believe until 
your parents’ and best friends’ trembling voices tell you they want to 
wake up from this nightmare. Is this our punishment for pursuing a fair,
 democratic system?”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646343683584.png" alt="Ukrainians Mykola Hordiichuk and Elina Shutova, both students at the University of Kansas, joined state legislators in pressing for a broad international response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Ukrainians Mykola Hordiichuk and Elina Shutova, both students at the University of Kansas, joined state legislators in pressing for a broad international response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>'Glory to Ukraine': KU students denounce Putin’s invasion</h2>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/03/03/ukrainian-students-stand-with-kansas-legislators-against-russians-glory-to-ukraine/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Ukrainian college students Elina Shutova and Mykola 
Hordiichuk stood under the U.S. and Kansas flags at the Capitol on 
Thursday to personally appeal for support of their homeland as family 
and friends endured brutal bombardments from invading Russian soldiers.On the statehouse steps behind the University of Kansas students were
 dozens of state legislators backing a resolution denouncing Russian 
President Vladimir Putin’s aggression and encouraging the United States 
government to provide emergency support for Ukrainians who have been 
fighting since Feb. 24.“I can feel the suffering of the people of Ukraine,” Shutova said. 
“Innocent people who wanted nothing but peace and to live in an 
independent country are now hiding in basements while Russians are 
destroying our cities.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646343784253.png" alt="Ukrainian Elina Shutova speaks with Evelyn Motley Thursday after a rally for Ukraine on the south steps of the Statehouse in Topeka. The child asked, Why can’t your land be free? (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Ukrainian Elina Shutova speaks with Evelyn Motley Thursday after a rally for Ukraine on the south steps of the Statehouse in Topeka. The child asked, Why can’t your land be free? (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>On the first day of shelling, Shutova said, her brother posed a 
poignant question that she couldn’t easily answer: “Am I going to see 
you again?”She said the invasion wasn’t a rescue mission by Putin to rescue 
Ukrainians from terrorists. That is a lie and nothing but propaganda, 
she said. The terrorist nation is Russia, she said, a point illustrated 
by bombings that destroyed the neighborhood elementary school in her 
hometown of Kherson in the country’s south.She urged the United States and NATO countries to continue supporting
 Ukraine with economic sanctions. She asked that the skies above Ukraine
 be closed with a no-fly zone.“We will never forget and never forgive,” Shutova said. “We’ll win, because we are Ukrainians. Glory to Ukraine.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646343821346.png" alt="Rep. Chuck Schmidt delivers opening remarks Thursday during a rally in support of Ukraine on the south steps of the Statehouse in Topeka. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Chuck Schmidt delivers opening remarks Thursday during a rally in support of Ukraine on the south steps of the Statehouse in Topeka. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>Hordiichuk, who is from the city of Uman in central Ukraine, said the
 Russian military bombed cities without mercy since starting the war.He said ordinary Ukrainians responded by flooding military volunteer 
centers and by personally taking up arms. His parents have been 
collecting bottles to make Molotov cocktails. His grandparents bake 
bread at night to feed soldiers in the morning. He sensed the horror and
 inspiration of it all.“This is not life. This is survival,” he said. “It is hard to imagine
 until you run from explosions yourself. It is hard to believe until 
your parents’ and best friends’ trembling voices tell you they want to 
wake up from this nightmare. Is this our punishment for pursuing a fair,
 democratic system?”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646343853538.png" alt="krainians Mykola Hordiichuk, Elina Shutova and Andrew Brytsko cover their hearts as the Ukraine national anthem plays. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>krainians Mykola Hordiichuk, Elina Shutova and Andrew Brytsko cover their hearts as the Ukraine national anthem plays. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>He said the United States, which embodies basic human rights of life,
 liberty and the pursuit of happiness, has an opportunity to share that 
sentiment with an embattled nation of 44 million in Europe.The bipartisan event on the Capitol steps was organized by Rep. Chuck
 Schmidt, a Wichita Democrat. More than 50 House members signed a 
resolution condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which serves the 
breadbasket of Europe and made the sunflower its national flower.“The people behind me are legislators from both sides of the aisle,” Schmidt said. “This is a nonpartisan endeavor.”Rep. Clarke Sanders, R-Salina, said he felt comfortable declaring 
three fundamental truths about the Russian invasion of neighboring 
Ukraine.“No. 1, what Vladimir Putin has done is evil,” Sanders said. “No. 2, 
the courage and resolve shown by the people of Ukraine is amazing. No. 
3, Putin needs to get the hell out of Ukraine now.”