TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas judge has dismissed a legal challenge by voting rights advocates to two provisions of a state election law enacted last year.

Four voting rights groups, including the League of Women Voters of Kansas, argued in a lawsuit filed in June that the law will make it more difficult for several groups, including the disabled, senior citizens and minorities to vote.

Shawnee County District Judge Teresa Watson on Monday dismissed the groups’ challenges to a provision that restricts people from delivering ballots for other voters, and another provision that requires election officials to match the signature on an advanced ballot to the one on record.

In her ruling, Watson said any restrictions on voting access were outweighed by the state’s interest in preventing voter fraud, The Topeka Capitol-Journal&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/state/2022/04/12/controversial-2021-mail-voting-law-partially-upheld-kansas-judge-legislature-rights-ballot/7284041001/" target="_blank">reported</a>.

The voting rights groups are currently appealing an earlier decision by Watson that allowed the state to enforce the law.

In a statement on Tuesday, Attorney General Derek Schmidt praised Watson’s ruling and said his office will continue to defend the voting rights law as long as necessary to ensure the state’s voting procedures are safe.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas judge has dismissed a legal challenge by voting rights advocates to two provisions of a state election law enacted last year.Four voting rights groups, including the League of Women Voters of Kansas, argued in a lawsuit filed in June that the law will make it more difficult for several groups, including the disabled, senior citizens and minorities to vote.Shawnee County District Judge Teresa Watson on Monday dismissed the groups’ challenges to a provision that restricts people from delivering ballots for other voters, and another provision that requires election officials to match the signature on an advanced ballot to the one on record.In her ruling, Watson said any restrictions on voting access were outweighed by the state’s interest in preventing voter fraud, The Topeka Capitol-Journal&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/state/2022/04/12/controversial-2021-mail-voting-law-partially-upheld-kansas-judge-legislature-rights-ballot/7284041001/" target="_blank">reported</a>.The voting rights groups are currently appealing an earlier decision by Watson that allowed the state to enforce the law.In a statement on Tuesday, Attorney General Derek Schmidt praised Watson’s ruling and said his office will continue to defend the voting rights law as long as necessary to ensure the state’s voting procedures are safe.

Kansas judge dismisses parts of lawsuit against election law

KANSAS CITY — A student stabbed at a Kansas City Middle School has died, according to the school district Superintendent Dr. Mark Bedell.

The stabbing occurred in a restroom at Northeast Middle School, which teaches seventh and eighth grade students, police spokeswoman Donna Drake said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The two male students had some type of confrontation but a motive for the stabbing was still being investigated, Drake said.

The school was placed on lockdown and closed for the rest of the day.

The injured student was taken to Children's Mercy Hospital where he died. Police have not released the student's name as the investigation continues.

KANSAS CITY(AP) — One middle school student suffered life-threatening injuries and another was detained after a stabbing at a Kansas City middle school on Tuesday, Kansas City police said.

The stabbing occurred in a restroom at Northeast Middle School, which teaches seventh and eighth grade students, police spokeswoman Donna Drake said.

There was no continuing threat to the public, she said.

The school was placed on lockdown and planned to close for the rest of the day.

The injured student was taken to Children's Mercy Hospital. His condition was not immediately available.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649783049453.png" alt="Police on the scene at the school Tuesday -photo by Greg Payne courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene at the school Tuesday -photo by Greg Payne courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY — A student stabbed at a Kansas City Middle School has died, according to the school district Superintendent Dr. Mark Bedell.The stabbing occurred in a restroom at Northeast Middle School, which teaches seventh and eighth grade students, police spokeswoman Donna Drake said.&nbsp;&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Dr. Bedell&#39;s statement on the passing of our NEMS scholar earlier this evening. We will have counselors at NEMS tomorrow to help our students &amp; staff process this loss. Our hearts are broken. <a href="https://t.co/d3zMdHvGBl">pic.twitter.com/d3zMdHvGBl</a>&mdash; KCPS (@kcpublicschools) <a href="https://twitter.com/kcpublicschools/status/1514081182035714048?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 13, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The two male students had some type of confrontation but a motive for the stabbing was still being investigated, Drake said.The school was placed on lockdown and closed for the rest of the day.The injured student was taken to Children's Mercy Hospital where he died. Police have not released the student's name as the investigation continues.-------KANSAS CITY(AP) — One middle school student suffered life-threatening injuries and another was detained after a stabbing at a Kansas City middle school on Tuesday, Kansas City police said.The stabbing occurred in a restroom at Northeast Middle School, which teaches seventh and eighth grade students, police spokeswoman Donna Drake said.There was no continuing threat to the public, she said.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Our schools should always be safe environments for our young people to learn. I am horrified to learn of a stabbing at a Kansas City middle school just after the beginning of the school day. We are in touch with our school district partners and authorities.&mdash; Mayor Q (@QuintonLucasKC) <a href="https://twitter.com/QuintonLucasKC/status/1513921587694776329?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 12, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The two male students had some type of confrontation but a motive for the stabbing was still being investigated, Drake said.The school was placed on lockdown and planned to close for the rest of the day.The injured student was taken to Children's Mercy Hospital. His condition was not immediately available.

Student stabbed at Kansas City middle school has died

WABAUNSEE COUNTY—A large grass fire adjacent to Interstate 70 in Wabaunsee County is under control after burning hundreds of acres, according to the Wabaunsee County Sheriff's office.

The fire temporarily closed portion of Kansas 99 Highway south of Kansas 18, south of Wamego and&nbsp;Keene-Eskridge Road was also closed from Dry Creek to Blazingstar. 

Officials had asked nearby residents to prepare to evacuate.

Just before 6p.m., crews contained the fire and they continued to monitor hot spots overnight. There were no injuries reported.&nbsp; Authorities have not reported what cause the fire.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649846674829.png" alt="Crews on the scene of Tuesday's grass fire in Wabaunsee County -photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Crews on the scene of Tuesday's grass fire in Wabaunsee County -photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>WABAUNSEE COUNTY—A large grass fire adjacent to Interstate 70 in Wabaunsee County is under control after burning hundreds of acres, according to the Wabaunsee County Sheriff's office.The fire temporarily closed portion of Kansas 99 Highway south of Kansas 18, south of Wamego and&nbsp;Keene-Eskridge Road was also closed from Dry Creek to Blazingstar. Officials had asked nearby residents to prepare to evacuate.Just before 6p.m., crews contained the fire and they continued to monitor hot spots overnight. There were no injuries reported.&nbsp; Authorities have not reported what cause the fire.

Grass fire burns hundreds of acres in northeast Kansas

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden announced Tuesday his administration will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-business-iowa-campaigns-elections-227e09a39aed1680e1f4813334aeae64">suspend a federal rule that bars higher levels of ethanol in gasoline</a>&nbsp;during the summer. The move, which Biden announced during a visit to Iowa, is intended to tamp down prices at the pump that have spiked during Russia’s war with Ukraine. Iowa is a key producer of the corn-based fuel additive.

&nbsp;U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D., member of the Senate Agriculture Committee said of the President's decision.

“As a long-time advocate of year-round E-15, today's announcement is certainly welcome news and will be beneficial for farmers, ethanol producers, and rural communities throughout Kansas this summer. However, this is nothing more than another Band-Aid trying to cover up the crisis of record high gas prices that the Biden Administration’s policies have created,”&nbsp;said Senator Marshall. “Instead of another temporary fix, Joe Biden needs to take concrete steps to unleash more American energy to keep gas prices down, including allowing for the sale of year-round E-15 into the future."

A look at how that the decision to authorize year-round use of so-called E15 will impact gas supplies, prices and the environment.

Most gasoline sold in the U.S. is blended with 10% ethanol. At Biden’s direction, the Environmental Protection Agency will issue an emergency waiver to allow widespread sale of 15% ethanol blend that is usually prohibited between June 1 and Sept. 15 because of concerns that it adds to smog in high temperatures.

Senior Biden administration officials said the move will save drivers an average of 10 cents per gallon at 2,300 gas stations that sell E15, as the high-blend ethanol is known. Those stations are mostly in the Midwest and the South, including Texas, according to industry groups.

Lawmakers from both parties and ethanol advocates have urged Biden and the EPA to allow year-round sales of E15, calling it a cheaper and readily available domestic alternative to traditional gasoline. The U.S. has banned imports of Russian crude oil since the country’s late February invasion of Ukraine, disrupting global markets and raising prices.

“Homegrown Iowa biofuels provide a quick and clean solution for lowering prices at the pump, and bolstering production would help us become energy independent once again,″ said Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, a longtime ethanol proponent. Grassley and 15 other senators sent Biden a letter last month urging him to allow year-round E15 sales.

Ethanol groups called Biden’s action a major win for American drivers and U.S. energy security. “It means cleaner options at the pump and a stronger rural economy,” said Emily Skor, CEO of Growth Energy, a biofuel trade group.

Biden administration official say the short-term move will have little effect on the environment and that EPA will work with states to “ensure there are no significant air quality impacts through the summer driving season.″

Environmentalists questioned that, saying ethanol production contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and soil erosion and raises prices for corn and other crops.

“The ethanol lobby will be happy and kids with asthma will be sicker,″ said Dan Becker of the Center for Biological Diversity, an environmental group. “However well-meaning (Biden’s action) might be, kids and the elderly shouldn’t pay the price with their health for slight gas savings.″

A recent&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.2101084119" target="_blank">report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of the Sciences&nbsp;</a>revealed that the federal ethanol mandate inflated corn prices by 30% from 2008 to 2016, made corn-based ethanol more carbon intensive than gasoline and increased annual fertilizer use by up to 8%, polluting waterways.

The EPA has lifted seasonal restrictions on E15 in the past, including after Hurricane Harvey in 2017. The Trump administration allowed for year-round E15 sales starting in 2019, but a federal appeals court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/courts-business-c64fc205ffe03a4848e2a55c5e4d16b4">struck down the policy change in July 2021,</a>&nbsp;saying the EPA overstepped its authority.

The decision dealt a significant blow to the ethanol industry and corn farmers who had anticipated increased ethanol demand through year-round sales of the higher blend.

HOW IS THIS DIFFERENT FROM TRUMP’S ACTION?

Senior Biden administration officials said they expected the EPA waiver to survive a likely court challenge, saying that unlike the open-ended Trump rule, the action is limited to this summer and is prompted by a supply disruption caused by the war in Europe.

Greater use of E15 should “help alleviate some of the pain that we’ve seen since Russia launched this war against Ukraine,” EPA Administrator Michael Regan told a Senate committee last week.

But critics said the only emergency is Biden’s dropping poll numbers.

Emergency fuel waivers are reserved for acute supply disruptions, such as those resulting from a hurricane, said Chet Thompson, president &amp; CEO of the American Fuel &amp; Petrochemical Manufacturers, which represents petroleum refiners.

“An additional three months of E15 sales won’t do anything to address high crude oil prices, and 98% of retail (gas) stations can’t even sell the fuel,″ Thompson said. “This is politics, not a real solution for drivers.”

E15, often sold at the pump as Unleaded 88, for its octane rating, can safely be used in all cars, trucks and SUVs from 2001 on. Those model years represent more than 90% of vehicles on U.S. roads. The ethanol industry says the fuel is one of the most tested in history and has no effect on vehicle drivability. More than 20 billion miles have been driven in cars and trucks using Unleaded 88, a number continues to grow.

E15, or Unleaded 88, typically sells for 10 cents a gallon less than E10, the standard formulation for U.S. cars. The price difference between Unleaded 88 and conventional gasoline without ethanol is around 40 cents.

There is no noticeable difference between the mileage achieved when using E15 and mileage when operating on E10.

CAN I USE E15 IN MY LAWNMOWER OR OTHER SMALL-ENGINE EQUIPMENT?

E15 has not been approved by EPA for use in non-automotive engines such as boats, motorcycles, lawn mowers and other small engines. E10, the standard ethanol formulation, is approved for small engines.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden announced Tuesday his administration will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-business-iowa-campaigns-elections-227e09a39aed1680e1f4813334aeae64">suspend a federal rule that bars higher levels of ethanol in gasoline</a>&nbsp;during the summer. The move, which Biden announced during a visit to Iowa, is intended to tamp down prices at the pump that have spiked during Russia’s war with Ukraine. Iowa is a key producer of the corn-based fuel additive.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F1167545594072179%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=491" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>&nbsp;U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D., member of the Senate Agriculture Committee said of the President's decision.“As a long-time advocate of year-round E-15, today's announcement is certainly welcome news and will be beneficial for farmers, ethanol producers, and rural communities throughout Kansas this summer. However, this is nothing more than another Band-Aid trying to cover up the crisis of record high gas prices that the Biden Administration’s policies have created,”&nbsp;said Senator Marshall. “Instead of another temporary fix, Joe Biden needs to take concrete steps to unleash more American energy to keep gas prices down, including allowing for the sale of year-round E-15 into the future."A look at how that the decision to authorize year-round use of so-called E15 will impact gas supplies, prices and the environment.WHAT ACTION IS BIDEN TAKING?Most gasoline sold in the U.S. is blended with 10% ethanol. At Biden’s direction, the Environmental Protection Agency will issue an emergency waiver to allow widespread sale of 15% ethanol blend that is usually prohibited between June 1 and Sept. 15 because of concerns that it adds to smog in high temperatures.Senior Biden administration officials said the move will save drivers an average of 10 cents per gallon at 2,300 gas stations that sell E15, as the high-blend ethanol is known. Those stations are mostly in the Midwest and the South, including Texas, according to industry groups.WHY IS BIDEN DOING THIS?Lawmakers from both parties and ethanol advocates have urged Biden and the EPA to allow year-round sales of E15, calling it a cheaper and readily available domestic alternative to traditional gasoline. The U.S. has banned imports of Russian crude oil since the country’s late February invasion of Ukraine, disrupting global markets and raising prices.“Homegrown Iowa biofuels provide a quick and clean solution for lowering prices at the pump, and bolstering production would help us become energy independent once again,″ said Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, a longtime ethanol proponent. Grassley and 15 other senators sent Biden a letter last month urging him to allow year-round E15 sales.Ethanol groups called Biden’s action a major win for American drivers and U.S. energy security. “It means cleaner options at the pump and a stronger rural economy,” said Emily Skor, CEO of Growth Energy, a biofuel trade group.HOW WILL THIS AFFECT THE ENVIRONMENT?Biden administration official say the short-term move will have little effect on the environment and that EPA will work with states to “ensure there are no significant air quality impacts through the summer driving season.″Environmentalists questioned that, saying ethanol production contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and soil erosion and raises prices for corn and other crops.“The ethanol lobby will be happy and kids with asthma will be sicker,″ said Dan Becker of the Center for Biological Diversity, an environmental group. “However well-meaning (Biden’s action) might be, kids and the elderly shouldn’t pay the price with their health for slight gas savings.″A recent&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.2101084119" target="_blank">report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of the Sciences&nbsp;</a>revealed that the federal ethanol mandate inflated corn prices by 30% from 2008 to 2016, made corn-based ethanol more carbon intensive than gasoline and increased annual fertilizer use by up to 8%, polluting waterways.HAS EPA DONE THIS BEFORE?The EPA has lifted seasonal restrictions on E15 in the past, including after Hurricane Harvey in 2017. The Trump administration allowed for year-round E15 sales starting in 2019, but a federal appeals court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/courts-business-c64fc205ffe03a4848e2a55c5e4d16b4">struck down the policy change in July 2021,</a>&nbsp;saying the EPA overstepped its authority.The decision dealt a significant blow to the ethanol industry and corn farmers who had anticipated increased ethanol demand through year-round sales of the higher blend.HOW IS THIS DIFFERENT FROM TRUMP’S ACTION?Senior Biden administration officials said they expected the EPA waiver to survive a likely court challenge, saying that unlike the open-ended Trump rule, the action is limited to this summer and is prompted by a supply disruption caused by the war in Europe.Greater use of E15 should “help alleviate some of the pain that we’ve seen since Russia launched this war against Ukraine,” EPA Administrator Michael Regan told a Senate committee last week.But critics said the only emergency is Biden’s dropping poll numbers.Emergency fuel waivers are reserved for acute supply disruptions, such as those resulting from a hurricane, said Chet Thompson, president &amp; CEO of the American Fuel &amp; Petrochemical Manufacturers, which represents petroleum refiners.“An additional three months of E15 sales won’t do anything to address high crude oil prices, and 98% of retail (gas) stations can’t even sell the fuel,″ Thompson said. “This is politics, not a real solution for drivers.”WILL E15 HURT MY CAR’S ENGINE?E15, often sold at the pump as Unleaded 88, for its octane rating, can safely be used in all cars, trucks and SUVs from 2001 on. Those model years represent more than 90% of vehicles on U.S. roads. The ethanol industry says the fuel is one of the most tested in history and has no effect on vehicle drivability. More than 20 billion miles have been driven in cars and trucks using Unleaded 88, a number continues to grow.WHAT IS THE PRICE OF E15 GAS?E15, or Unleaded 88, typically sells for 10 cents a gallon less than E10, the standard formulation for U.S. cars. The price difference between Unleaded 88 and conventional gasoline without ethanol is around 40 cents.WILL I GET BETTER MILEAGE WITH E15?There is no noticeable difference between the mileage achieved when using E15 and mileage when operating on E10.CAN I USE E15 IN MY LAWNMOWER OR OTHER SMALL-ENGINE EQUIPMENT?E15 has not been approved by EPA for use in non-automotive engines such as boats, motorcycles, lawn mowers and other small engines. E10, the standard ethanol formulation, is approved for small engines.

🎥Marshall critical of Biden despite move on more ethanol in gasoline

WASHINGTON ― With the April 18 tax-filing deadline closing in for 
most taxpayers, the Internal Revenue Service wants to dispel some new 
and common myths about getting refund details or speeding up tax 
refunds. A number of these myths circulate on social media every tax 
season.

The IRS continues to <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/filing-season-statistics-by-year">process 2021 tax returns and deliver refunds</a>,
 with nine&nbsp;out of 10 refunds issued in less than 21 days. As of the week
 ending April 1, the IRS has sent out more than 63 million refunds worth
 over $204 billion. The average refund is $3,226.

The IRS reminds taxpayers the easiest way to check on a refund is <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds">Where's My Refund?</a>, an online tool available on IRS.gov and through the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs2goapp">IRS2Go mobile app</a>.
 Where's My Refund? provides taxpayers the same information and issue 
date information that IRS assistors and tax professionals have.

Where's My Refund? can be used to check the status of a tax return 
within 24 hours after a taxpayer receives their e-file acceptance 
notification. The Where's My Refund? tool is updated only once every 24 
hours, usually overnight, so there's no need to check the status more 
than once a day. Taxpayers should only call the IRS tax help hotline to 
talk to a representative if it has been more than 21 days since their 
tax return was e-filed, or more than six weeks since mailing their 
return.

For those awaiting processing of a 2020 tax return, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/help-for-taxpayers-and-tax-professionals-special-filing-season-alerts">the IRS continues to make progress in this area and has taken numerous steps to help address this issue</a>, including <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/written-testimony-of-charles-p-rettig-commissioner-internal-revenue-service-before-the-house-ways-and-means-committee-subcommittee-on-oversight-on-the-filing-season-and-irs-operations">stopping the mailing of key notices and adding more IRS employees as part of surge teams to continue working tax returns</a>, as well as amended returns and correspondence from last year.

Myth 1: Calling the IRS or visiting an IRS office speeds up a refund

Many taxpayers mistakenly believe the commonly held myth that 
speaking with the IRS by phone or visiting in-person at an IRS Taxpayer 
Assistance Center will expedite their tax refund. The best way to check 
the status of a refund is online through the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds">Where's My Refund?</a>&nbsp;tool at IRS.gov or via the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs2goapp">IRS2Go mobile app</a>. Alternatively, those without internet access can reach Where's My Refund? by calling the automated refund hotline at <a href="tel:800-829-1954">800-829-1954</a>. IRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers operate by <a href="https://www.irs.gov/help/contact-your-local-irs-office">appointment</a> and inquiring about a tax refund's status does not expedite the process.

Myth 2: Taxpayers need to wait for their 2020 return to be processed
 before filing their 2021 return, or that all refunds are delayed due to
 the number of 2020 returns the IRS still needs to process.

The reality is that taxpayers generally will not need to wait for 
their 2020 return to be fully processed to file their 2021 tax returns. 
They should file when they're ready. People with <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/top-5-things-to-remember-when-filing-income-tax-returns-in-2022">unprocessed 2020 tax returns</a>, should enter $0 (zero dollars) for last year's AGI on their 2021 tax return when electronically filing.

Myth 3: Taxpayers can get a refund date by ordering a tax transcript

Ordering a tax transcript will not inform taxpayers of the timing of 
their tax refund, nor will it speed up a refund being processed. 
Taxpayers can use a transcript to validate past income and tax filing 
status for mortgage, student and small business loan applications and to
 help with tax preparation. But the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds">Where's My Refund?</a>&nbsp;tool is the fastest and most accurate way to check the status of a refund.

Myth 4: Where's My Refund? must be wrong because there's no deposit date yet

While the IRS issues most refunds in less than 21 days, it's possible a refund may take longer for a <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds/tax-season-refund-frequently-asked-questions">variety of reasons</a>,
 including when a return is incomplete or needs further review. Delays 
can be caused by simple errors like an incomplete return, transposed 
numbers or when a tax return is affected by identity theft or fraud. The
 <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds">Where's My Refund?</a>&nbsp;tool only updates data once a day – usually overnight.

Myth 5: Where's My Refund? must be wrong because a refund amount is less than expected

Different factors can cause a tax refund to be larger or smaller than expected. Situations that may decrease
 a refund can include corrections to any Recovery Rebate Credit or Child
 Tax Credit amounts, delinquent federal taxes or state taxes and past 
due child support. The IRS will mail the taxpayer a letter of 
explanation if these adjustments are made. The Department of Treasury's 
Bureau of the Fiscal Service may also send a letter if all or part of a 
taxpayer's refund was used to pay certain financial obligations.

Myth 6: Calling a tax professional will provide a better refund date

Contacting a tax professional will not speed up a refund. Tax 
professionals cannot move up a refund date nor do they have access to 
any "special" information that will provide a more accurate refund date.
 The <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds">Where's My Refund?</a>&nbsp;tool
 provides taxpayers with the same accurate and timely information that a
 tax professional, or even an IRS telephone assistor can access.

Myth 7: Getting a refund this year means there's no need to adjust tax withholding for 2022

Taxpayers should continually check their withholding and adjust 
accordingly. Adjusting tax withholding with an employer is easy and 
using the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/tax-withholding-estimator">Tax Withholding Estimator</a>
 tool can help taxpayers determine if they are withholding the right 
amount from their paycheck. Taxpayers who experience a life event like 
marriage or divorce, childbirth, an adoption, home purchase or major 
income change are encouraged to check their withholding. Withholding 
takes place throughout the year, so it's better to take this step as 
soon as possible.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON ― With the April 18 tax-filing deadline closing in for 
most taxpayers, the Internal Revenue Service wants to dispel some new 
and common myths about getting refund details or speeding up tax 
refunds. A number of these myths circulate on social media every tax 
season.The IRS continues to <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/filing-season-statistics-by-year">process 2021 tax returns and deliver refunds</a>,
 with nine&nbsp;out of 10 refunds issued in less than 21 days. As of the week
 ending April 1, the IRS has sent out more than 63 million refunds worth
 over $204 billion. The average refund is $3,226.The IRS reminds taxpayers the easiest way to check on a refund is <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds">Where's My Refund?</a>, an online tool available on IRS.gov and through the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs2goapp">IRS2Go mobile app</a>.
 Where's My Refund? provides taxpayers the same information and issue 
date information that IRS assistors and tax professionals have.Where's My Refund? can be used to check the status of a tax return 
within 24 hours after a taxpayer receives their e-file acceptance 
notification. The Where's My Refund? tool is updated only once every 24 
hours, usually overnight, so there's no need to check the status more 
than once a day. Taxpayers should only call the IRS tax help hotline to 
talk to a representative if it has been more than 21 days since their 
tax return was e-filed, or more than six weeks since mailing their 
return.For those awaiting processing of a 2020 tax return, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/help-for-taxpayers-and-tax-professionals-special-filing-season-alerts">the IRS continues to make progress in this area and has taken numerous steps to help address this issue</a>, including <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/written-testimony-of-charles-p-rettig-commissioner-internal-revenue-service-before-the-house-ways-and-means-committee-subcommittee-on-oversight-on-the-filing-season-and-irs-operations">stopping the mailing of key notices and adding more IRS employees as part of surge teams to continue working tax returns</a>, as well as amended returns and correspondence from last year.<h2>Seven common myths about tax refunds:</h2><h2>Myth 1: Calling the IRS or visiting an IRS office speeds up a refund</h2>Many taxpayers mistakenly believe the commonly held myth that 
speaking with the IRS by phone or visiting in-person at an IRS Taxpayer 
Assistance Center will expedite their tax refund. The best way to check 
the status of a refund is online through the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds">Where's My Refund?</a>&nbsp;tool at IRS.gov or via the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs2goapp">IRS2Go mobile app</a>. Alternatively, those without internet access can reach Where's My Refund? by calling the automated refund hotline at <a href="tel:800-829-1954">800-829-1954</a>. IRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers operate by <a href="https://www.irs.gov/help/contact-your-local-irs-office">appointment</a> and inquiring about a tax refund's status does not expedite the process.<h2>Myth 2: Taxpayers need to wait for their 2020 return to be processed
 before filing their 2021 return, or that all refunds are delayed due to
 the number of 2020 returns the IRS still needs to process.</h2>The reality is that taxpayers generally will not need to wait for 
their 2020 return to be fully processed to file their 2021 tax returns. 
They should file when they're ready. People with <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/top-5-things-to-remember-when-filing-income-tax-returns-in-2022">unprocessed 2020 tax returns</a>, should enter $0 (zero dollars) for last year's AGI on their 2021 tax return when electronically filing.<h2>Myth 3: Taxpayers can get a refund date by ordering a tax transcript</h2>Ordering a tax transcript will not inform taxpayers of the timing of 
their tax refund, nor will it speed up a refund being processed. 
Taxpayers can use a transcript to validate past income and tax filing 
status for mortgage, student and small business loan applications and to
 help with tax preparation. But the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds">Where's My Refund?</a>&nbsp;tool is the fastest and most accurate way to check the status of a refund.<h2>Myth 4: Where's My Refund? must be wrong because there's no deposit date yet</h2>While the IRS issues most refunds in less than 21 days, it's possible a refund may take longer for a <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds/tax-season-refund-frequently-asked-questions">variety of reasons</a>,
 including when a return is incomplete or needs further review. Delays 
can be caused by simple errors like an incomplete return, transposed 
numbers or when a tax return is affected by identity theft or fraud. The
 <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds">Where's My Refund?</a>&nbsp;tool only updates data once a day – usually overnight.<h2>Myth 5: Where's My Refund? must be wrong because a refund amount is less than expected</h2>Different factors can cause a tax refund to be larger or smaller than expected. Situations that may decrease
 a refund can include corrections to any Recovery Rebate Credit or Child
 Tax Credit amounts, delinquent federal taxes or state taxes and past 
due child support. The IRS will mail the taxpayer a letter of 
explanation if these adjustments are made. The Department of Treasury's 
Bureau of the Fiscal Service may also send a letter if all or part of a 
taxpayer's refund was used to pay certain financial obligations.<h2>Myth 6: Calling a tax professional will provide a better refund date</h2>Contacting a tax professional will not speed up a refund. Tax 
professionals cannot move up a refund date nor do they have access to 
any "special" information that will provide a more accurate refund date.
 The <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds">Where's My Refund?</a>&nbsp;tool
 provides taxpayers with the same accurate and timely information that a
 tax professional, or even an IRS telephone assistor can access.<h2>Myth 7: Getting a refund this year means there's no need to adjust tax withholding for 2022</h2>Taxpayers should continually check their withholding and adjust 
accordingly. Adjusting tax withholding with an employer is easy and 
using the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/tax-withholding-estimator">Tax Withholding Estimator</a>
 tool can help taxpayers determine if they are withholding the right 
amount from their paycheck. Taxpayers who experience a life event like 
marriage or divorce, childbirth, an adoption, home purchase or major 
income change are encouraged to check their withholding. Withholding 
takes place throughout the year, so it's better to take this step as 
soon as possible.

IRS dispels new and common myths about tax refunds

RENO COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas sex offender on new charges after an arrest.

The investigation started with an incident reported to patrol deputies in Reno County, according to a media release from the sheriff's department.

As detectives became involved, another victim and more incidents were reported. Deputies arrested&nbsp; 35-year-old Wayne J. Willard on requested charges that include three counts of rape, aggravated criminal sodomy and two counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child.

According to a release from the Reno County Sheriff's Office, a 35-year-old man was arrested Tuesday on alleged sex crime charges.

Wayne J. Willard was arrested on three counts of rape, aggravated criminal sodomy and two counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child.

Willard is being held on $500,000 bond.&nbsp;It is suspected that there may be several more victims and more incidents may have occurred, according to the sheriff's office.&nbsp;Willard has been a registered sex offender since 2008 for convictions that include aggravated indecent liberties with a child and sexual battery, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649805813736.png" alt="Willard has been a registered sex offender since 2008 for convictions that include aggravated indecent liberties with a child and sexual battery." />
 <figcaption>Willard has been a registered sex offender since 2008 for convictions that include aggravated indecent liberties with a child and sexual battery.</figcaption>
 </figure>RENO COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas sex offender on new charges after an arrest.The investigation started with an incident reported to patrol deputies in Reno County, according to a media release from the sheriff's department.As detectives became involved, another victim and more incidents were reported. Deputies arrested&nbsp; 35-year-old Wayne J. Willard on requested charges that include three counts of rape, aggravated criminal sodomy and two counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child.According to a release from the Reno County Sheriff's Office, a 35-year-old man was arrested Tuesday on alleged sex crime charges.Wayne J. Willard was arrested on three counts of rape, aggravated criminal sodomy and two counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child.Willard is being held on $500,000 bond.&nbsp;It is suspected that there may be several more victims and more incidents may have occurred, according to the sheriff's office.&nbsp;Willard has been a registered sex offender since 2008 for convictions that include aggravated indecent liberties with a child and sexual battery, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Registered Kan. sex offender accused of new sex crimes

SCOTTSBLUFF, NEB.&nbsp; — The Nebraska State Patrol has cited a Kansas man for motor vehicle homicide after a two-vehicle crash claimed the life of an Alliance woman Sunday, according to a media release from the agancy.

The crash occurred at approximately 2:10 p.m. Sunday, near Alliance on Highway 2. A Ford Escape, driven by Blythe Boness, 22, of Alliance, was traveling eastbound on Highway 2 when it was struck by a westbound Chevrolet Camaro, driven by Ryan McElroy, 36, of Salina, Kansas. The collision caused the Escape to roll into the ditch, ejecting Boness. She was pronounced deceased at the scene.

McElroy was extricated from his vehicle by the Alliance Fire Department and flown to Regional West Medical Center in Scottsbluff with serious injuries. McElroy remains at the hospital with what are believed to be non-life-threatening injuries.

Following investigation, McElroy has been cited for motor vehicle homicide, willful reckless driving, DUI – 3rd&nbsp;offense, possession of an open alcohol container, and driving under suspension. Once released from the hospital, he will be lodged in jail.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1580401534236.jpeg" alt="Ryan McElroy-photo from an earlier arrest in Saline County" />
 <figcaption>Ryan McElroy-photo from an earlier arrest in Saline County</figcaption>
 </figure>SCOTTSBLUFF, NEB.&nbsp; — The Nebraska State Patrol has cited a Kansas man for motor vehicle homicide after a two-vehicle crash claimed the life of an Alliance woman Sunday, according to a media release from the agancy.The crash occurred at approximately 2:10 p.m. Sunday, near Alliance on Highway 2. A Ford Escape, driven by Blythe Boness, 22, of Alliance, was traveling eastbound on Highway 2 when it was struck by a westbound Chevrolet Camaro, driven by Ryan McElroy, 36, of Salina, Kansas. The collision caused the Escape to roll into the ditch, ejecting Boness. She was pronounced deceased at the scene.McElroy was extricated from his vehicle by the Alliance Fire Department and flown to Regional West Medical Center in Scottsbluff with serious injuries. McElroy remains at the hospital with what are believed to be non-life-threatening injuries.Following investigation, McElroy has been cited for motor vehicle homicide, willful reckless driving, DUI – 3rd&nbsp;offense, possession of an open alcohol container, and driving under suspension. Once released from the hospital, he will be lodged in jail.

Kansas man accused in DUI crash that killed Nebraska woman

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A former corrections officer at the Jackson County Detention Center was sentenced Tuesday to 14 months in federal prison for taking bribes to smuggle illegal drugs to inmates.

Daniel Coach, 27, was also ordered to repay $3,631 in bribes he took between March 2020 and March 2021, federal prosecutors said.

Coach pleaded guilty on Dec. 3 to participating in a conspiracy to smuggle contraband into the detention center.

He used the Cash App on a mobile phone to accept bribes to smuggle drugs such as oxycodone, K2, fentanyl, Percocet, and ecstasy to inmates.

He was arrested after he took a $100 bribe from an undercover officer to deliver OxyContin pills to an inmate.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A former corrections officer at the Jackson County Detention Center was sentenced Tuesday to 14 months in federal prison for taking bribes to smuggle illegal drugs to inmates.Daniel Coach, 27, was also ordered to repay $3,631 in bribes he took between March 2020 and March 2021, federal prosecutors said.Coach pleaded guilty on Dec. 3 to participating in a conspiracy to smuggle contraband into the detention center.He used the Cash App on a mobile phone to accept bribes to smuggle drugs such as oxycodone, K2, fentanyl, Percocet, and ecstasy to inmates.He was arrested after he took a $100 bribe from an undercover officer to deliver OxyContin pills to an inmate.

Former KC-area jail officer sentenced for taking bribes 

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/04/11/kansas-governor-signs-bill-modifying-free-vision-screening-of-school-children/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly signed a
 bill altering standards for free vision screenings at public schools or
 accredited private schools and establishing a commission to help 
families secure additional services for a child failing the initial 
screening.

“Early detection of vision issues in children helps educators assess 
and address the needs of students promptly,” Kelly said. “It is critical
 we address these issues early on, especially if a student has shown 
signs of reading difficulty, to ensure our kids continue to learn to 
their fullest potential and find success in the classroom.”

The Kansas Children’s Vision Health and School Readiness Commission 
would be appointed by the Kansas State Board of Education. The 
eight-member commission would oversee the state’s vision screening and 
assist families who cannot afford after-screening services.

Basic vision screenings would be mandated annually for children with 
disabilities who were 3 to 5 five year old, at least once each school 
year for students enrolled in kindergarten, and subsequently for 
students in grades one through three, five, seven and 10 in a school 
district or accredited private school.

Under a separate provision of <a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/ccrb_sb62_01_0000.pdf">Senate Bill 62</a>
 approved by a bipartisan majority, sign language interpreters would be 
held to professional standards so Kansans who are deaf or hard of 
hearing receive quality service from interpreters. A person seeking to 
work as an interpreter would have to be registered with the&nbsp;Kansas 
Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

Sign language registrants would need the equivalent of a high school 
degree, be at least 18 years of age and obtain a certification or 
credential acceptable to the state commission.

Kelly also signed <a target="_blank" href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjA0MTEuNTYyNTAwOTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vd3d3LmtzbGVnaXNsYXR1cmUub3JnL2xpL2IyMDIxXzIyL21lYXN1cmVzL3NiMTAxLyJ9.1ij5xib6O_XPyM9pKR2OigB_gEzpKae8QjWyWDyY-_I/s/1303160910/br/129644961289-l">Senate Bill 101 </a>&nbsp;to regulate use of electric-assisted bicycles and <a target="_blank" href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDMsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjA0MTEuNTYyNTAwOTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vd3d3LmtzbGVnaXNsYXR1cmUub3JnL2xpL2IyMDIxXzIyL21lYXN1cmVzL2hiMjM4Ni8ifQ.4VjJMlLooxOfv9OO0aop3CrxHuwKlz8j3FuuIlI8e3g/s/1303160910/br/129644961289-l">House Bill 2386 </a>to set requirements for payment and reimbursement by a dental benefit plan.

She put her signature to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDUsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjA0MTEuNTYyNTAwOTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vd3d3LmtzbGVnaXNsYXR1cmUub3JnL2xpL2IyMDIxXzIyL21lYXN1cmVzL2hiMjYwNy8ifQ.L1PEEWpKrznCnJ8lIm6TTjaS34U2F22EtVBq2naI-gQ/s/1303160910/br/129644961289-l">House Bill 2607 </a>clarifying
 limitations for habeas corpus claims and requiring earlier notice to 
the attorney general of potential release from custody of a person who 
could be classified by the court as a sexually violent predator. The 
process of civil commitment, which occurs following completion of a 
criminal sentence, is handled by the attorney general’s office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649771117858.png" alt="Gov. Laura Kelly speaks during a news conference about the COVID-19 pandemic with the assistance of a sign language interpreter. Kelly signed a bill adding regulatory oversight of school hearing tests and of sign language interpreters in Kansas. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Gov. Laura Kelly speaks during a news conference about the COVID-19 pandemic with the assistance of a sign language interpreter. Kelly signed a bill adding regulatory oversight of school hearing tests and of sign language interpreters in Kansas. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/04/11/kansas-governor-signs-bill-modifying-free-vision-screening-of-school-children/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly signed a
 bill altering standards for free vision screenings at public schools or
 accredited private schools and establishing a commission to help 
families secure additional services for a child failing the initial 
screening.“Early detection of vision issues in children helps educators assess 
and address the needs of students promptly,” Kelly said. “It is critical
 we address these issues early on, especially if a student has shown 
signs of reading difficulty, to ensure our kids continue to learn to 
their fullest potential and find success in the classroom.”The Kansas Children’s Vision Health and School Readiness Commission 
would be appointed by the Kansas State Board of Education. The 
eight-member commission would oversee the state’s vision screening and 
assist families who cannot afford after-screening services.Basic vision screenings would be mandated annually for children with 
disabilities who were 3 to 5 five year old, at least once each school 
year for students enrolled in kindergarten, and subsequently for 
students in grades one through three, five, seven and 10 in a school 
district or accredited private school.Under a separate provision of <a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/ccrb_sb62_01_0000.pdf">Senate Bill 62</a>
 approved by a bipartisan majority, sign language interpreters would be 
held to professional standards so Kansans who are deaf or hard of 
hearing receive quality service from interpreters. A person seeking to 
work as an interpreter would have to be registered with the&nbsp;Kansas 
Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.Sign language registrants would need the equivalent of a high school 
degree, be at least 18 years of age and obtain a certification or 
credential acceptable to the state commission.Kelly also signed <a target="_blank" href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjA0MTEuNTYyNTAwOTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vd3d3LmtzbGVnaXNsYXR1cmUub3JnL2xpL2IyMDIxXzIyL21lYXN1cmVzL3NiMTAxLyJ9.1ij5xib6O_XPyM9pKR2OigB_gEzpKae8QjWyWDyY-_I/s/1303160910/br/129644961289-l">Senate Bill 101 </a>&nbsp;to regulate use of electric-assisted bicycles and <a target="_blank" href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDMsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjA0MTEuNTYyNTAwOTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vd3d3LmtzbGVnaXNsYXR1cmUub3JnL2xpL2IyMDIxXzIyL21lYXN1cmVzL2hiMjM4Ni8ifQ.4VjJMlLooxOfv9OO0aop3CrxHuwKlz8j3FuuIlI8e3g/s/1303160910/br/129644961289-l">House Bill 2386 </a>to set requirements for payment and reimbursement by a dental benefit plan.She put her signature to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDUsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjA0MTEuNTYyNTAwOTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vd3d3LmtzbGVnaXNsYXR1cmUub3JnL2xpL2IyMDIxXzIyL21lYXN1cmVzL2hiMjYwNy8ifQ.L1PEEWpKrznCnJ8lIm6TTjaS34U2F22EtVBq2naI-gQ/s/1303160910/br/129644961289-l">House Bill 2607 </a>clarifying
 limitations for habeas corpus claims and requiring earlier notice to 
the attorney general of potential release from custody of a person who 
could be classified by the court as a sexually violent predator. The 
process of civil commitment, which occurs following completion of a 
criminal sentence, is handled by the attorney general’s office.

Kelly signs bill modifying free vision screening of school children

By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-04-12/in-johnson-county-biologists-are-poisoning-trees-to-save-birds-and-butterflies">Kansas News Service</a>

Let’s talk about very hungry caterpillars.

In Kansas and
 Missouri, they face an increasingly difficult time finding things to 
eat. That’s making it ever harder for butterflies and moths to survive.

Their populations are shrinking, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/sd-state-wire-maryland-ks-state-wire-science-biology-767ab6cab1fad77e824149aad0e4fee9" target="_blank">especially in the Midwest</a>, and the birds that eat them are <a href="https://www.birds.cornell.edu/home/bring-birds-back" target="_blank">disappearing, too</a>.

The
 invasive Callery pear trees (also known as Bradford pears, Cleveland 
pears, etc.) spreading like weeds across Kansas and Missouri don’t get 
all the blame — not by a longshot.

And yet these ornamental trees 
with the white springtime blossoms and a pungent smell pose a 
significant problem. Stopping them from continuing to choke out native 
flowers, shrubs and trees would bring back food for wildlife.

This month, if you help with the effort, you can get a free native tree.

From
 the outside, a grove of rogue pears looks pretty. In spring, flowers 
cloak their branches. In fall, red leaves cover the branches.

But 
when Kansas forester Ryan Armbrust pushes his way into one of those 
groves, he finds something despairing beneath the dense canopy: neither 
prairie nor woodland nor much to support the natural food chain.

“You’ll have bare ground,” Armbrust said. “A few straggling bits of grass that are still trying to hang on.”

And as the trademark flowers, shrubs and trees of the Midwest get crowded out, the animals do, too.

“This
 becomes essentially a desert,” he said. “There’s nothing under there. 
You’re not going to have any wildlife really. … You’re not going to have
 many insects.”

Here’s an easy way to measure the scope of the loss when invasive plants win out: Butterflies and moths.

A single oak tree growing in Kansas City offers a tasty meal to <a href="https://www.nwf.org/NativePlantFinder/" target="_blank">more than 400 species</a> of butterflies and moths in their caterpillar phase of life.

A <a href="https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/wild-plum" target="_blank">wild plum</a> bush supports more than 300 species. A goldenrod plant, about 100.

But
 Callery pears, like many ornamental plants that escaped from gardens 
into the wild, are more or less inedible to the caterpillars of North 
America.

Scientists who take the time to search these trees for insects don’t find much. Entomologist Doug Tallamy <a href="https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/the-nature-of-oaks-the-rich-ecology-of-our-most-essential-native-trees_douglas-w-tallamy/27126793/#edition=58067865&amp;idiq=44247053" target="_blank">wrote last year</a> that he has found just one caterpillar species on them.

Tallamy
 and his students at the University of Delaware studied what might at 
first glance appear to be wild areas, but were actually overgrown with 
invasives such as Callery pear and bush honeysuckle (another invasive 
plant taking over parts of Kansas and Missouri). They compared them to 
natural areas dominated by native plants.

The spaces overrun with invasives had lost <a href="https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/natures-best-hope-a-new-approach-to-conservation-that-starts-in-your-yard_douglas-w-tallamy/21208219/?resultid=e242af9c-1c2a-4733-8826-cc972005ebda#edition=22656839&amp;idiq=36137252" target="_blank">more than 90% of their caterpillar populations</a>. That’s a huge hit to butterfly and moth populations. And, to birds.

The
 vast majority of songbirds have to feed their chicks soft insects — 
primarily caterpillars. A single nest of chickadees eats several 
thousand caterpillars, Tallamy says.

That’s just one reason that biologists, foresters and even state and county governments are desperate to kill off the trees.

Check
 out these images compiled by Armbrust, who coordinates rural forestry 
at the Kansas Forest Service. These show just how fast the pears are 
spreading across the state and beating out local trees, shrubs and 
wildflowers.

Yet rural landowners, foresters and conservation agencies can’t use 
the same techniques they do for fighting other rogue trees: fire and 
blades. If you burn a field full of Callery pears, they survive it. If 
you mow down the saplings and chop down the bigger ones, they simply 
grow back.

The only remedy is to poison the offenders by hand, for
 example by cutting them down and applying weed killer or tree killer to
 their stumps.

Workers at
 Johnson County Park and Recreation District have removed hundreds of 
Callery pear trees and countless more saplings infesting Shawnee Mission
 Park.

Their work isn’t done. Each spring, they scour this 
1,700-acre park — the most visited park in Kansas — when blooms make the
 pears more easily visible. They chop the trees down and apply herbicide
 carefully, to avoid killing nearby native plants.

“It’s really 
important for people to understand that these ornamental trees don’t 
stay in your front yard,” said Matt Garrett, the agency’s field 
biologist. “It’s affecting everything around you.”

This
 month, nearly 1,000 people in Missouri and Kansas can get a free native
 tree — about 4 or 5 feet tall — in return for killing a Callery pear on
 their property.

The program started in parts of Missouri, led by the <a href="http://www.moinvasives.org" target="_blank">Missouri Invasive Plant Council</a>, and grew to include the Kansas City metro.

Whether you live in Kansas or Missouri, you can sign up <a href="https://moinvasives.org/2022/03/10/callery-pear-buy-back-event-4-26-22/" target="_blank">here</a>,
 then chop down a Callery pear and submit a photo of yourself standing 
next to it. Those who do can choose among a variety of native trees, 
such as serviceberry, river birch, green hawthorn and chinkapin oak, and
 pick it up at a participating site.

In Missouri, Fedex is paying for the replacement trees. In Kansas, Johnson County Park &amp; Recreation District is.

Yes,
 even 1,000 dead Callery pears are a drop in the bucket compared to the 
number of these trees that are growing across those two states. But part
 of the goal is simply to spread the word about the havoc that the trees
 wreak.

After all, many nurseries and big-box stores such as Lowe’s continue to sell them.

Callery trees (Pyrus calleryana) come from Asia, and the ones sold in the U.S. go by many names: including Bradford, Cleveland and Chanticleer.

Plant breeders never intended for the trees to spread on this continent. In fact, they thought it couldn’t happen. They sold sterile cultivars.

Homeowners
 snapped up the trees to adorn yards. Cities and developers planted row 
after row of them for their spring flowers and autumn colors.

Then — cue the “Jurassic Park” music — things went very wrong.

Although
 each cultivar (Bradford, etc.) couldn’t reproduce among its own kind, 
it turned out the supposedly sterile trees were mightily prolific once 
the various cultivars came into contact with each other and 
cross-pollinated.

Armbrust started spotting saplings in ditches 
and natural areas more than a decade ago. In 2020, the Kansas Forest 
Service began mapping out how far the tree has spread in Kansas.

“When
 you started to look, and you trained your eye to see it,” he said, “you
 kind of had that moment of, ‘Oh my goodness, this stuff is everywhere! 
What are we going to do?’”

The trees now grow wild in at least half of Kansas counties, and maybe more. The Kansas Forest Service isn’t done looking.

Ironically,
 adult birds eat Callery pear fruit in the fall, and this helps spread 
the very trees that erode the caterpillar populations that the birds 
need to feed their chicks.

You can also learn about some of the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zA6xmzSXENI&amp;t=2831s" target="_blank">native alternatives to callery pears here</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649770669039.png" alt="Matt Dear, a natural resource technician in Johnson County, carefully applies herbicide to the stump of a freshly chopped callery pear. Carlos Moreno / KCUR 89.3" />
 <figcaption>Matt Dear, a natural resource technician in Johnson County, carefully applies herbicide to the stump of a freshly chopped callery pear. Carlos Moreno / KCUR 89.3</figcaption>
 </figure>By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-04-12/in-johnson-county-biologists-are-poisoning-trees-to-save-birds-and-butterflies">Kansas News Service</a>Let’s talk about very hungry caterpillars.In Kansas and
 Missouri, they face an increasingly difficult time finding things to 
eat. That’s making it ever harder for butterflies and moths to survive.Their populations are shrinking, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/sd-state-wire-maryland-ks-state-wire-science-biology-767ab6cab1fad77e824149aad0e4fee9" target="_blank">especially in the Midwest</a>, and the birds that eat them are <a href="https://www.birds.cornell.edu/home/bring-birds-back" target="_blank">disappearing, too</a>.The
 invasive Callery pear trees (also known as Bradford pears, Cleveland 
pears, etc.) spreading like weeds across Kansas and Missouri don’t get 
all the blame — not by a longshot.And yet these ornamental trees 
with the white springtime blossoms and a pungent smell pose a 
significant problem. Stopping them from continuing to choke out native 
flowers, shrubs and trees would bring back food for wildlife.This month, if you help with the effort, you can get a free native tree.The ‘desert’ effectFrom
 the outside, a grove of rogue pears looks pretty. In spring, flowers 
cloak their branches. In fall, red leaves cover the branches.But 
when Kansas forester Ryan Armbrust pushes his way into one of those 
groves, he finds something despairing beneath the dense canopy: neither 
prairie nor woodland nor much to support the natural food chain.“You’ll have bare ground,” Armbrust said. “A few straggling bits of grass that are still trying to hang on.”And as the trademark flowers, shrubs and trees of the Midwest get crowded out, the animals do, too.“This
 becomes essentially a desert,” he said. “There’s nothing under there. 
You’re not going to have any wildlife really. … You’re not going to have
 many insects.”Here’s an easy way to measure the scope of the loss when invasive plants win out: Butterflies and moths.A single oak tree growing in Kansas City offers a tasty meal to <a href="https://www.nwf.org/NativePlantFinder/" target="_blank">more than 400 species</a> of butterflies and moths in their caterpillar phase of life.A <a href="https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/wild-plum" target="_blank">wild plum</a> bush supports more than 300 species. A goldenrod plant, about 100.They are all native to the region.But
 Callery pears, like many ornamental plants that escaped from gardens 
into the wild, are more or less inedible to the caterpillars of North 
America.Scientists who take the time to search these trees for insects don’t find much. Entomologist Doug Tallamy <a href="https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/the-nature-of-oaks-the-rich-ecology-of-our-most-essential-native-trees_douglas-w-tallamy/27126793/#edition=58067865&amp;idiq=44247053" target="_blank">wrote last year</a> that he has found just one caterpillar species on them.Tallamy
 and his students at the University of Delaware studied what might at 
first glance appear to be wild areas, but were actually overgrown with 
invasives such as Callery pear and bush honeysuckle (another invasive 
plant taking over parts of Kansas and Missouri). They compared them to 
natural areas dominated by native plants.The spaces overrun with invasives had lost <a href="https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/natures-best-hope-a-new-approach-to-conservation-that-starts-in-your-yard_douglas-w-tallamy/21208219/?resultid=e242af9c-1c2a-4733-8826-cc972005ebda#edition=22656839&amp;idiq=36137252" target="_blank">more than 90% of their caterpillar populations</a>. That’s a huge hit to butterfly and moth populations. And, to birds.The
 vast majority of songbirds have to feed their chicks soft insects — 
primarily caterpillars. A single nest of chickadees eats several 
thousand caterpillars, Tallamy says.That’s just one reason that biologists, foresters and even state and county governments are desperate to kill off the trees.Photos show the rapid spreadCheck
 out these images compiled by Armbrust, who coordinates rural forestry 
at the Kansas Forest Service. These show just how fast the pears are 
spreading across the state and beating out local trees, shrubs and 
wildflowers.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649770750399.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649770775705.png" alt="The callery pears in this pasture near Manhattan are circled in red." />
 <figcaption>The callery pears in this pasture near Manhattan are circled in red.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649770799489.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649770835201.png" alt="These Google Earth images show how fast an infestation spreads. The new growth you see in the right-hand image consists almost entirely of callery pears that are taking over this Johnson County field in less than a decade." />
 <figcaption>These Google Earth images show how fast an infestation spreads. The new growth you see in the right-hand image consists almost entirely of callery pears that are taking over this Johnson County field in less than a decade.</figcaption>
 </figure>Yet rural landowners, foresters and conservation agencies can’t use 
the same techniques they do for fighting other rogue trees: fire and 
blades. If you burn a field full of Callery pears, they survive it. If 
you mow down the saplings and chop down the bigger ones, they simply 
grow back.The only remedy is to poison the offenders by hand, for
 example by cutting them down and applying weed killer or tree killer to
 their stumps.Johnson County is doing just that.Workers at
 Johnson County Park and Recreation District have removed hundreds of 
Callery pear trees and countless more saplings infesting Shawnee Mission
 Park.Their work isn’t done. Each spring, they scour this 
1,700-acre park — the most visited park in Kansas — when blooms make the
 pears more easily visible. They chop the trees down and apply herbicide
 carefully, to avoid killing nearby native plants.“It’s really 
important for people to understand that these ornamental trees don’t 
stay in your front yard,” said Matt Garrett, the agency’s field 
biologist. “It’s affecting everything around you.”Trading good trees for bad onesThis
 month, nearly 1,000 people in Missouri and Kansas can get a free native
 tree — about 4 or 5 feet tall — in return for killing a Callery pear on
 their property.The program started in parts of Missouri, led by the <a href="http://www.moinvasives.org" target="_blank">Missouri Invasive Plant Council</a>, and grew to include the Kansas City metro.Whether you live in Kansas or Missouri, you can sign up <a href="https://moinvasives.org/2022/03/10/callery-pear-buy-back-event-4-26-22/" target="_blank">here</a>,
 then chop down a Callery pear and submit a photo of yourself standing 
next to it. Those who do can choose among a variety of native trees, 
such as serviceberry, river birch, green hawthorn and chinkapin oak, and
 pick it up at a participating site.In Missouri, Fedex is paying for the replacement trees. In Kansas, Johnson County Park &amp; Recreation District is.Yes,
 even 1,000 dead Callery pears are a drop in the bucket compared to the 
number of these trees that are growing across those two states. But part
 of the goal is simply to spread the word about the havoc that the trees
 wreak.After all, many nurseries and big-box stores such as Lowe’s continue to sell them.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649770883649.png" alt="Drew Dobbeleare, a natural resource technician, uses a chain saw to cut down callery pears in a pasture in Johnson County's Shawnee Mission Park. Carlos Moreno / KCUR 89.3" />
 <figcaption>Drew Dobbeleare, a natural resource technician, uses a chain saw to cut down callery pears in a pasture in Johnson County's Shawnee Mission Park. Carlos Moreno / KCUR 89.3</figcaption>
 </figure>Callery trees (Pyrus calleryana) come from Asia, and the ones sold in the U.S. go by many names: including Bradford, Cleveland and Chanticleer.Plant breeders never intended for the trees to spread on this continent. In fact, they thought it couldn’t happen. They sold sterile cultivars.Homeowners
 snapped up the trees to adorn yards. Cities and developers planted row 
after row of them for their spring flowers and autumn colors.Then — cue the “Jurassic Park” music — things went very wrong.Although
 each cultivar (Bradford, etc.) couldn’t reproduce among its own kind, 
it turned out the supposedly sterile trees were mightily prolific once 
the various cultivars came into contact with each other and 
cross-pollinated.Armbrust started spotting saplings in ditches 
and natural areas more than a decade ago. In 2020, the Kansas Forest 
Service began mapping out how far the tree has spread in Kansas.“When
 you started to look, and you trained your eye to see it,” he said, “you
 kind of had that moment of, ‘Oh my goodness, this stuff is everywhere! 
What are we going to do?’”The trees now grow wild in at least half of Kansas counties, and maybe more. The Kansas Forest Service isn’t done looking.Ironically,
 adult birds eat Callery pear fruit in the fall, and this helps spread 
the very trees that erode the caterpillar populations that the birds 
need to feed their chicks.Tips for killing a Callery pear: <ul>
 <li>Mowing won’t do the trick. If you mow down a sapling, it just sprouts back with more stems or trunks.</li><li>Option
 one: Go after the trunk. Cut down the tree and, within 20 minutes, 
treat it with an herbicide such as Tordon or glyphosate-based 
weedkillers such as Roundup.</li><li>Option two: Go after the leaves. You can spray herbicide on them and cut down the tree after it dies.</li><li>Read <a href="https://moinvasives.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Effective-control-of-Callery-pear-4-16-19.pdf" target="_blank">more details</a> on the above options before starting. Or watch <a href="https://youtu.be/zA6xmzSXENI?t=2357" target="_blank">this video</a> discussing removal methods and herbicides.</li>
 </ul>You can also learn about some of the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zA6xmzSXENI&amp;t=2831s" target="_blank">native alternatives to callery pears here</a>.

In Kansas, biologists are poisoning trees to save birds, butterflies

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt signed a bill into law on Tuesday that makes it a felony to perform an abortion, punishable by up to 10 years in prison, as part of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-oklahoma-oklahoma-city-merrick-garland-d5f82d3fe15f3617a3811f5b58c59be3">an aggressive push in Republican-led states&nbsp;</a>across the country to scale back abortion rights.

The&nbsp;<a href="http://www.oklegislature.gov/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=sb612&amp;Session=2200" target="_blank">bill</a>, which takes effect 90 days after the Legislature adjourns next month, makes an exception only for an abortion performed to save the life of the mother. Abortion rights advocates say the bill signed by the GOP governor is certain to face a legal challenge.

Its passage comes as the conservative&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-health-united-states-mississippi-65751e1b9ca7d34f1458ffe9729f82b2">U.S. Supreme Court considers</a>&nbsp;ratcheting back abortion rights that have been in place for nearly 50 years.

“We want to outlaw abortion in the state of Oklahoma,” Stitt said during a signing ceremony for the bill, flanked by anti-abortion lawmakers, clergy and students. “I promised Oklahomans that I would sign every pro-life bill that hits my desk, and that’s what we’re doing here today.”

Under the bill, anyone convicted of performing an abortion would face up to 10 years in prison and a $100,000 fine. It does not authorize criminal charges against a woman for receiving an abortion.

Sen. Nathan Dahm, a Broken Arrow Republican now running for Congress who wrote the bill, called it the “strongest pro-life legislation in the country right now, which effectively eliminates abortion in Oklahoma.”

Abortion rights advocates say the bill is clearly unconstitutional, and similar laws approved recently in&nbsp;Arkansas&nbsp;and&nbsp;Alabama&nbsp;have been blocked by federal courts.

“Oklahoma legislators are trying to ban abortion from all sides and merely seeing which of these dangerous, shameful bills they can get their governor to sign,” Dr. Ghazaleh Moayedi, an obstetrician and gynecologist in Texas and Oklahoma and a board member at Physicians for Reproductive Health, said in a statement.

Although similar anti-abortion bills approved by the Oklahoma Legislature in recent years have been stopped as unconstitutional, anti-abortion lawmakers have been buoyed by the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to allow&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-texas-0b4ed1808ed44d176bf6c86e6646a718">new Texas abortion restrictions</a>&nbsp;to remain in place.

The new Texas law, the most restrictive anti-abortion law to take effect in the U.S. in decades, leaves enforcement up to private citizens, who are entitled to collect what critics call a “bounty” of $10,000 if they bring a successful lawsuit against a provider or anyone who helps a patient obtain an abortion.

“The U.S. Supreme Court’s failure to stop Texas from nullifying the constitutional right to abortion has emboldened other states to do the same,” Nancy Northup, president and CEO of the New York-based Center for Reproductive Rights, said in a statement. “We’ve sued the state of Oklahoma ten times in the last decade to protect abortion access and we will challenge this law as well to stop this travesty from ever taking effect.”

Several states, including Oklahoma, are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-legislature-oklahoma-3eba9ac268b4e4d7a33c3fb8916d4d78">pursuing legislation similar to the Texas law&nbsp;</a>this year.

The Texas law bans abortion after roughly six weeks of pregnancy and makes no exceptions in cases of rape or incest. Abortions in Texas have plummeted by about 50% since the law took effect, while the number of Texans going to clinics out of state and requesting abortion pills online has gone up.

One of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-legislature-oklahoma-3eba9ac268b4e4d7a33c3fb8916d4d78">Texas-style Oklahoma bills</a>&nbsp;that is one vote away from the governor’s desk would ban abortions from the moment of conception and would take effect immediately upon the governor’s signature.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649251630071.png" alt="Protesters at the Oklahoma Statehouse -photo courtesy Planned Parenthood Action" />
 <figcaption>Protesters at the Oklahoma Statehouse -photo courtesy Planned Parenthood Action</figcaption>
 </figure>OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt signed a bill into law on Tuesday that makes it a felony to perform an abortion, punishable by up to 10 years in prison, as part of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-oklahoma-oklahoma-city-merrick-garland-d5f82d3fe15f3617a3811f5b58c59be3">an aggressive push in Republican-led states&nbsp;</a>across the country to scale back abortion rights.The&nbsp;<a href="http://www.oklegislature.gov/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=sb612&amp;Session=2200" target="_blank">bill</a>, which takes effect 90 days after the Legislature adjourns next month, makes an exception only for an abortion performed to save the life of the mother. Abortion rights advocates say the bill signed by the GOP governor is certain to face a legal challenge.Its passage comes as the conservative&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-health-united-states-mississippi-65751e1b9ca7d34f1458ffe9729f82b2">U.S. Supreme Court considers</a>&nbsp;ratcheting back abortion rights that have been in place for nearly 50 years.“We want to outlaw abortion in the state of Oklahoma,” Stitt said during a signing ceremony for the bill, flanked by anti-abortion lawmakers, clergy and students. “I promised Oklahomans that I would sign every pro-life bill that hits my desk, and that’s what we’re doing here today.”Under the bill, anyone convicted of performing an abortion would face up to 10 years in prison and a $100,000 fine. It does not authorize criminal charges against a woman for receiving an abortion.Sen. Nathan Dahm, a Broken Arrow Republican now running for Congress who wrote the bill, called it the “strongest pro-life legislation in the country right now, which effectively eliminates abortion in Oklahoma.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649779268364.png" alt="“We want to outlaw abortion in the state of Oklahoma,” Stitt said during a signing ceremony for the bill.-photo courtesy Oklahoma Governor's office" />
 <figcaption>“We want to outlaw abortion in the state of Oklahoma,” Stitt said during a signing ceremony for the bill.-photo courtesy Oklahoma Governor's office</figcaption>
 </figure>Abortion rights advocates say the bill is clearly unconstitutional, and similar laws approved recently in&nbsp;Arkansas&nbsp;and&nbsp;Alabama&nbsp;have been blocked by federal courts.“Oklahoma legislators are trying to ban abortion from all sides and merely seeing which of these dangerous, shameful bills they can get their governor to sign,” Dr. Ghazaleh Moayedi, an obstetrician and gynecologist in Texas and Oklahoma and a board member at Physicians for Reproductive Health, said in a statement.Although similar anti-abortion bills approved by the Oklahoma Legislature in recent years have been stopped as unconstitutional, anti-abortion lawmakers have been buoyed by the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to allow&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-texas-0b4ed1808ed44d176bf6c86e6646a718">new Texas abortion restrictions</a>&nbsp;to remain in place.The new Texas law, the most restrictive anti-abortion law to take effect in the U.S. in decades, leaves enforcement up to private citizens, who are entitled to collect what critics call a “bounty” of $10,000 if they bring a successful lawsuit against a provider or anyone who helps a patient obtain an abortion.“The U.S. Supreme Court’s failure to stop Texas from nullifying the constitutional right to abortion has emboldened other states to do the same,” Nancy Northup, president and CEO of the New York-based Center for Reproductive Rights, said in a statement. “We’ve sued the state of Oklahoma ten times in the last decade to protect abortion access and we will challenge this law as well to stop this travesty from ever taking effect.”Several states, including Oklahoma, are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-legislature-oklahoma-3eba9ac268b4e4d7a33c3fb8916d4d78">pursuing legislation similar to the Texas law&nbsp;</a>this year.The Texas law bans abortion after roughly six weeks of pregnancy and makes no exceptions in cases of rape or incest. Abortions in Texas have plummeted by about 50% since the law took effect, while the number of Texans going to clinics out of state and requesting abortion pills online has gone up.One of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-legislature-oklahoma-3eba9ac268b4e4d7a33c3fb8916d4d78">Texas-style Oklahoma bills</a>&nbsp;that is one vote away from the governor’s desk would ban abortions from the moment of conception and would take effect immediately upon the governor’s signature.

Okla. governor signs bill to ban abortion, imprison doctors

By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina Post

A Salina man has been arrested on multiple requested drug and weapons charges after he allegedly stole items from a female acquaintance.

On Monday morning, a Salina woman told police that Payton Rice, 26, of Salina, had stolen various electronics, cash, and prescription pills from her residence in the 200 block of S. 10th Street, according to Salina Police Sergeant Kyle Tonniges. The property was valued at approximately $3,900.

Later on Monday, an officer spotted Rice driving in the 800 block of W. Crawford and pulled him over. According to Tonniges, Rice stopped his vehicle and fled on foot. After a short foot pursuit, Rice was taken into custody.

Tonniges reported that a majority of the stolen property was located in the vehicle Rice had been driving. Officers also located a handgun that was reported stolen in Riley County along with sale quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana. Additionally, several personal items belonging to the victim of a March 31 vehicle burglary in the 400 block of Baker Street were located, Tonniges noted.

Rice is being held on requested charges that include Criminal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, Unlawful distribution of a controlled substance, No drug tax stamp, Felony possession of drug paraphernalia, Felony interference with law enforcement. Possession of marijuana, Misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia, Felony theft, Possession of a stolen firearm and Burglary.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649778134086.jpeg" alt="Payton Rice. Photos Saline County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Payton Rice. Photos Saline County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina PostA Salina man has been arrested on multiple requested drug and weapons charges after he allegedly stole items from a female acquaintance.On Monday morning, a Salina woman told police that Payton Rice, 26, of Salina, had stolen various electronics, cash, and prescription pills from her residence in the 200 block of S. 10th Street, according to Salina Police Sergeant Kyle Tonniges. The property was valued at approximately $3,900.Later on Monday, an officer spotted Rice driving in the 800 block of W. Crawford and pulled him over. According to Tonniges, Rice stopped his vehicle and fled on foot. After a short foot pursuit, Rice was taken into custody.Tonniges reported that a majority of the stolen property was located in the vehicle Rice had been driving. Officers also located a handgun that was reported stolen in Riley County along with sale quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana. Additionally, several personal items belonging to the victim of a March 31 vehicle burglary in the 400 block of Baker Street were located, Tonniges noted.Rice is being held on requested charges that include Criminal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, Unlawful distribution of a controlled substance, No drug tax stamp, Felony possession of drug paraphernalia, Felony interference with law enforcement. Possession of marijuana, Misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia, Felony theft, Possession of a stolen firearm and Burglary.

Police: Kansas man caught with cocaine, stolen handgun

My husband and I have paid off all our credit card debt, and we are following your Baby Steps plan. We still owe about $40,000 on two cars, and our combined income is around $150,000. Since we have a good income, we were thinking about finishing our emergency fund and contributing to our IRAs while we finish off the car payments. Under the circumstances, is this okay?

I understand the temptation you guys are facing. But there’s a power in behavior modification on a short-term basis that supersedes the power of mathematics. Stick to the plan, and pay off the cars first.

When you’re still on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/dave-ramsey-7-baby-steps">Baby Step</a>&nbsp;2, you need to stop all saving and investing, and attack your debts with a vengeance. You’ve got a lot of money wrapped up in cars, and even with all the great work you two have done I know it’s probably still a little hard to see light at the end of the tunnel. Debts that large can be intimidating.

But I’m afraid you’ll lose focus and intensity when it comes to getting out of debt if you worry about your emergency fund and setting aside for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/retirement/daves-investing-philosophy">retirement</a>&nbsp;too soon. I’ve seen that happen to lots of people, and when it does it can end up taking several years to get rid of all that debt.

You guys have made great progress, and you’re making good money. If you stay gazelle-intense about getting&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/debt/debt-calculator">out of debt</a>, those car payments can be history in about a year and a half. Think about how fast you can get that emergency fund in place then,&nbsp;and&nbsp;how much money you’ll have freed up to go into retirement.

Now is the time to roll up your sleeves, get mad about all that stupid debt and knock it out once and for all. You can do this, Paola!

<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/">Dave Ramsey&nbsp;</a>is a seven-time #1 national best-selling author, personal finance expert, and host of The Ramsey Show, heard by more than 18 million listeners each week. He&nbsp;has appeared on Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, Today Show, Fox News, CNN, Fox Business, and many more. Since 1992, Dave has helped people regain control of their money, build wealth and enhance their lives. He also serves as CEO for Ramsey Solutions.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648177011035.png" alt="Dave Ramsey" />
 <figcaption>Dave Ramsey</figcaption>
 </figure>Dear Dave,My husband and I have paid off all our credit card debt, and we are following your Baby Steps plan. We still owe about $40,000 on two cars, and our combined income is around $150,000. Since we have a good income, we were thinking about finishing our emergency fund and contributing to our IRAs while we finish off the car payments. Under the circumstances, is this okay?PaolaDear Paola,I understand the temptation you guys are facing. But there’s a power in behavior modification on a short-term basis that supersedes the power of mathematics. Stick to the plan, and pay off the cars first.When you’re still on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/dave-ramsey-7-baby-steps">Baby Step</a>&nbsp;2, you need to stop all saving and investing, and attack your debts with a vengeance. You’ve got a lot of money wrapped up in cars, and even with all the great work you two have done I know it’s probably still a little hard to see light at the end of the tunnel. Debts that large can be intimidating.But I’m afraid you’ll lose focus and intensity when it comes to getting out of debt if you worry about your emergency fund and setting aside for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/retirement/daves-investing-philosophy">retirement</a>&nbsp;too soon. I’ve seen that happen to lots of people, and when it does it can end up taking several years to get rid of all that debt.You guys have made great progress, and you’re making good money. If you stay gazelle-intense about getting&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/debt/debt-calculator">out of debt</a>, those car payments can be history in about a year and a half. Think about how fast you can get that emergency fund in place then,&nbsp;and&nbsp;how much money you’ll have freed up to go into retirement.Now is the time to roll up your sleeves, get mad about all that stupid debt and knock it out once and for all. You can do this, Paola!— Dave<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/">Dave Ramsey&nbsp;</a>is a seven-time #1 national best-selling author, personal finance expert, and host of The Ramsey Show, heard by more than 18 million listeners each week. He&nbsp;has appeared on Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, Today Show, Fox News, CNN, Fox Business, and many more. Since 1992, Dave has helped people regain control of their money, build wealth and enhance their lives. He also serves as CEO for Ramsey Solutions.

Dave Says: Focus on the debt first, then save and invest

NEW YORK (AP) — At least 10 people were shot and eight others injured when a gunman filled a rush-hour subway train with smoke and opened fire Tuesday morning. 

Police were still searching for the shooter. 

There were no life-threatening injuries and the attack was not being investigated as terrorism. Officials said at least 16 in all were injured in some way in the attack at the 36th Street station in the borough's Sunset Park neighborhood. 

According to multiple law enforcement sources briefed on the investigation, preliminary information indicated that the gunman who fled was wearing a construction vest and a gas mask.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649781277377.png" alt="Photo courtesy WCBS" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy WCBS</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — At least 10 people were shot and eight others injured when a gunman filled a rush-hour subway train with smoke and opened fire Tuesday morning. Police were still searching for the shooter. There were no life-threatening injuries and the attack was not being investigated as terrorism. Officials said at least 16 in all were injured in some way in the attack at the 36th Street station in the borough's Sunset Park neighborhood. According to multiple law enforcement sources briefed on the investigation, preliminary information indicated that the gunman who fled was wearing a construction vest and a gas mask.

Gunman opens fire on Brooklyn subway; at least 10 shot

HARVEY COUNTY —The doors at Newton High School were locked down Tuesday after 911 received a report of a possible person with a gun at the school, according to Newton Police.

Students reported seeing two other students carrying an orange and white object that resembled a gun out of the automotive area to a vehicle in the parking lot. The two students then left in the vehicle. 

Many students evacuated the school, but there is no active disturbance or danger. No one with a weapon ever entered the school. 

The two students have been identified, and Police will continue to investigate.

&nbsp;Counselors are in place for any students feeling stress from the situation. NHS will continue to be monitored by law enforcement.

HARVEY COUNTY— Law enforcement are on the scene at Newton High School, 900 West 12th Street, after calls came in about a suspicious person on the grounds.&nbsp;

According to Harvey County 911, the first call came in around 9:50a.m.&nbsp;

 No other details are available as officers are still actively working the situation. The school is currently in lockdown as a precaution.

Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

HARVEY COUNTY —The doors at Newton High School were locked down Tuesday after 911 received a report of a possible person with a gun at the school, according to Newton Police.Students reported seeing two other students carrying an orange and white object that resembled a gun out of the automotive area to a vehicle in the parking lot. The two students then left in the vehicle. Many students evacuated the school, but there is no active disturbance or danger. No one with a weapon ever entered the school. The two students have been identified, and Police will continue to investigate.&nbsp;Counselors are in place for any students feeling stress from the situation. NHS will continue to be monitored by law enforcement.-------------HARVEY COUNTY— Law enforcement are on the scene at Newton High School, 900 West 12th Street, after calls came in about a suspicious person on the grounds.&nbsp;According to Harvey County 911, the first call came in around 9:50a.m.&nbsp; No other details are available as officers are still actively working the situation. The school is currently in lockdown as a precaution.Check the Post for additional details as they become available.