SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating six suspects following two separate drug busts in Shawnee County.

On April 6, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office DEU arrested Wanda L. Edmonds, 33, of Topeka for a warrant at 1100 NW Harrison Street.&nbsp; During the investigation, illegal narcotics, including over 45 grams of methamphetamine, were located, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

Wanda L. Edmonds, 33, of Topeka was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections. Edmonds on requested charges that included possession with intent to distribute and using a telecommunication device to commit a felony.

Also on April 6, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office Drug Enforcement Task Force, including the Topeka Police Department and Rossville Police Department, conducted a search warrant at 3366 SE Fremont Street. During the investigation illegal narcotics, including over 100 grams of methamphetamine, and illegal firearms were located.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Deputies arrested Timothy L. Weaver, 33, of Topeka had two warrants for his arrest and was booked on requested charges of possession with intent to distribute, possession of paraphernalia with intent to distribute controlled substances and criminal possession of a weapon by a felon.

Cortney R. Richards, 31, of Topeka was jailed on requested charges of&nbsp; possession with intent to distribute, possession of paraphernalia with intent to distribute controlled substances and criminal possession of a weapon by a felon.

Elizabeth K. Kunard, 33, of Topeka had warrants for her arrest and was held on requested charges of possession of an opiate/opium/narcotic/certain stimulant and possession with intent to use drug paraphernalia into the human body.

Roy F. Huske IV, 29, of Topeka had a Topeka bench warrant for his arrest.

Michelle L. Baker, 34,&nbsp; of Topeka had three Topeka bench warrants for her arrest, according to Deputy Christian.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649414572639.png" alt="Weaver-photo Shawnee County." />
 <figcaption>Weaver-photo Shawnee County.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating six suspects following two separate drug busts in Shawnee County.On April 6, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office DEU arrested Wanda L. Edmonds, 33, of Topeka for a warrant at 1100 NW Harrison Street.&nbsp; During the investigation, illegal narcotics, including over 45 grams of methamphetamine, were located, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649414469240.png" alt="Edmonds-photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Edmonds-photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>Wanda L. Edmonds, 33, of Topeka was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections. Edmonds on requested charges that included possession with intent to distribute and using a telecommunication device to commit a felony.Also on April 6, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office Drug Enforcement Task Force, including the Topeka Police Department and Rossville Police Department, conducted a search warrant at 3366 SE Fremont Street. During the investigation illegal narcotics, including over 100 grams of methamphetamine, and illegal firearms were located.&nbsp;&nbsp;Deputies arrested Timothy L. Weaver, 33, of Topeka had two warrants for his arrest and was booked on requested charges of possession with intent to distribute, possession of paraphernalia with intent to distribute controlled substances and criminal possession of a weapon by a felon.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649414627155.png" alt="Richards-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Richards-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Cortney R. Richards, 31, of Topeka was jailed on requested charges of&nbsp; possession with intent to distribute, possession of paraphernalia with intent to distribute controlled substances and criminal possession of a weapon by a felon.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649414690930.png" alt="Kunard-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Kunard-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Elizabeth K. Kunard, 33, of Topeka had warrants for her arrest and was held on requested charges of possession of an opiate/opium/narcotic/certain stimulant and possession with intent to use drug paraphernalia into the human body.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649414490106.png" alt="Huske-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Huske-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Roy F. Huske IV, 29, of Topeka had a Topeka bench warrant for his arrest.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649414832860.png" alt="Baker-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Baker-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Michelle L. Baker, 34,&nbsp; of Topeka had three Topeka bench warrants for her arrest, according to Deputy Christian.

Kansas drug investigation leads to 6 arrests at two homes

WASHINGTON (AP) — Medicare said Thursday it's considering a cut in enrollee premiums, after officials stuck with an earlier decision to sharply limit coverage for a pricey new Alzheimer's drug projected to drive up program costs.

The agency “is looking at that, and is still going through the process,” spokeswoman Beth Lynk said of a potential reduction in premiums, as Medicare announced its final coverage decision for Aduhelm, a drug whose benefits have been widely questioned in the medical community.

Officials said Medicare will keep coverage restrictions imposed earlier on the $28,000-a-year medication, paying for Aduhelm only when it's used in clinical trials approved by the Food and Drug Administration or the National Institutes of Health.

The projected cost of Aduhelm was a major driver behind a $22 increase in Medicare’s Part B premium this year, boosting it to $170.10 a month. That price hike is already being paid by more than 56 million Medicare recipients signed up for the program’s outpatient coverage benefit.

Thursday’s decision illustrates the impact that a single medication can have on the budgets of individuals and taxpayers. It comes as legislation to authorize Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices remains stuck in the Senate, part of President Joe Biden’s stalled social and climate agenda.

Medicare's decision included an important caveat. Officials said that if Aduhelm, or any other similar drug in its class, were to receive what's called “traditional” FDA approval, then Medicare would open up broader coverage for patients.

Aduhelm received what's known as “accelerated” approval last year because of its potential promise. But manufacturer Biogen is required to conduct a follow-up study to definitively answer whether Aduhelm truly slows the progression of Alzheimer’s. If that study is successful, FDA would grant full approval.

That would also open up Medicare coverage.

Aduhelm hit the market as the first new Alzheimer’s medication in nearly two decades. Initially priced at $56,000 a year, it was expected to quickly become a blockbuster drug, generating billions for Cambridge, Mass.-based Biogen.

But although the company slashed the price in half — to $28,000 a year — Aduhelm's rollout has been disastrous.

Pushback from politicians, physicians and insurers left the company with just $3 million in sales from Aduhelm last year. Doctors have been hesitant to prescribe it, given weak evidence that the drug slows the progression of Alzheimer's. Insurers have blocked or restricted coverage over the drug’s high price tag and uncertain benefit.

The CMS decision means that for Medicare to pay, patients taking Aduhelm medication will have to be part of clinical trials to assess the drug’s safety and effectiveness in slowing the progression of early-stage dementia.

The limits stayed on despite a massive lobbying push by the Alzheimer’s Association to change Medicare’s position, including outreach to members of Congress, online advertising and social media campaigns directed at the agency.

The association, the largest group of its kind, has received contributions from drugmakers, including Biogen.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Medicare said Thursday it's considering a cut in enrollee premiums, after officials stuck with an earlier decision to sharply limit coverage for a pricey new Alzheimer's drug projected to drive up program costs.The agency “is looking at that, and is still going through the process,” spokeswoman Beth Lynk said of a potential reduction in premiums, as Medicare announced its final coverage decision for Aduhelm, a drug whose benefits have been widely questioned in the medical community.Officials said Medicare will keep coverage restrictions imposed earlier on the $28,000-a-year medication, paying for Aduhelm only when it's used in clinical trials approved by the Food and Drug Administration or the National Institutes of Health.The projected cost of Aduhelm was a major driver behind a $22 increase in Medicare’s Part B premium this year, boosting it to $170.10 a month. That price hike is already being paid by more than 56 million Medicare recipients signed up for the program’s outpatient coverage benefit.Thursday’s decision illustrates the impact that a single medication can have on the budgets of individuals and taxpayers. It comes as legislation to authorize Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices remains stuck in the Senate, part of President Joe Biden’s stalled social and climate agenda.Medicare's decision included an important caveat. Officials said that if Aduhelm, or any other similar drug in its class, were to receive what's called “traditional” FDA approval, then Medicare would open up broader coverage for patients.Aduhelm received what's known as “accelerated” approval last year because of its potential promise. But manufacturer Biogen is required to conduct a follow-up study to definitively answer whether Aduhelm truly slows the progression of Alzheimer’s. If that study is successful, FDA would grant full approval.That would also open up Medicare coverage.Aduhelm hit the market as the first new Alzheimer’s medication in nearly two decades. Initially priced at $56,000 a year, it was expected to quickly become a blockbuster drug, generating billions for Cambridge, Mass.-based Biogen.But although the company slashed the price in half — to $28,000 a year — Aduhelm's rollout has been disastrous.Pushback from politicians, physicians and insurers left the company with just $3 million in sales from Aduhelm last year. Doctors have been hesitant to prescribe it, given weak evidence that the drug slows the progression of Alzheimer's. Insurers have blocked or restricted coverage over the drug’s high price tag and uncertain benefit.The CMS decision means that for Medicare to pay, patients taking Aduhelm medication will have to be part of clinical trials to assess the drug’s safety and effectiveness in slowing the progression of early-stage dementia.The limits stayed on despite a massive lobbying push by the Alzheimer’s Association to change Medicare’s position, including outreach to members of Congress, online advertising and social media campaigns directed at the agency.The association, the largest group of its kind, has received contributions from drugmakers, including Biogen.

Medicare weighs premium cut after limiting Alzheimer's drug

Prosecutors announced Friday that they won’t seek to retry a Kansas City man after the Missouri Supreme Court overturned his conviction because the case is “tainted from all directions.”

The Jackson County prosecutor’s office said in a statement that there is insufficient evidence to prove that Keith Carnes fatally shot a rival drug dealer, 24-year-old Larry White, in 2003 in a Kansas City parking garage.

The announcement came just three days after the Missouri Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-kansas-city-missouri-be6a7bb53336344350586e41216166bb">set aside&nbsp;</a>Carnes’ first-degree murder and armed criminal action convictions, ordering him to be released from prison within 30 days unless prosecutors move to retry him.

One issue was that a special master who reviewed the case found that Kansas City police did not give Carnes’ original defense team a report from a confidential informant that might have led to his exoneration.

Also, two witnesses who identified Carnes as the killer recanted their testimony in 2014, saying they had been pressured by police and Jackson County prosecutors.

Another witness also said police had intimidated him when they interviewed him about the night of the killing. He said White had an argument with another drug dealer — not Carnes — and warned the other man not to come back to his property shortly before the killing.

But in a twist to the case, one of the witnesses testified last year that her original testimony was correct and said she had recanted because of threats from Carnes’ supporters.

“Eyewitness testimony is thrown into question with recantations, including a recantation of a recantation,” the prosecutor’s office said in the statement. “We also do not have physical evidence to corroborate certain eyewitness accounts.”

The statement was highly critical of Carnes supporters, alleging witnesses were pressured to recant or change their testimony.

“In short, the evidence today in Carnes case is tainted from all directions,” the statement said.

The statement stressed that the case remains under investigation, adding that witnesses indicated that there was a second person present when White was killed. The statement said law enforcement would like that person’s identify.

“We will continue to fight for justice for Mr. White and this community,” the statement said, adding that the family continues to believe Carnes was one of the killers.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649256599295.png" alt="Photo MODOC" />
 <figcaption>Photo MODOC</figcaption>
 </figure>By HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTHProsecutors announced Friday that they won’t seek to retry a Kansas City man after the Missouri Supreme Court overturned his conviction because the case is “tainted from all directions.”The Jackson County prosecutor’s office said in a statement that there is insufficient evidence to prove that Keith Carnes fatally shot a rival drug dealer, 24-year-old Larry White, in 2003 in a Kansas City parking garage.The announcement came just three days after the Missouri Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-kansas-city-missouri-be6a7bb53336344350586e41216166bb">set aside&nbsp;</a>Carnes’ first-degree murder and armed criminal action convictions, ordering him to be released from prison within 30 days unless prosecutors move to retry him.One issue was that a special master who reviewed the case found that Kansas City police did not give Carnes’ original defense team a report from a confidential informant that might have led to his exoneration.Also, two witnesses who identified Carnes as the killer recanted their testimony in 2014, saying they had been pressured by police and Jackson County prosecutors.Another witness also said police had intimidated him when they interviewed him about the night of the killing. He said White had an argument with another drug dealer — not Carnes — and warned the other man not to come back to his property shortly before the killing.But in a twist to the case, one of the witnesses testified last year that her original testimony was correct and said she had recanted because of threats from Carnes’ supporters.“Eyewitness testimony is thrown into question with recantations, including a recantation of a recantation,” the prosecutor’s office said in the statement. “We also do not have physical evidence to corroborate certain eyewitness accounts.”The statement was highly critical of Carnes supporters, alleging witnesses were pressured to recant or change their testimony.“In short, the evidence today in Carnes case is tainted from all directions,” the statement said.The statement stressed that the case remains under investigation, adding that witnesses indicated that there was a second person present when White was killed. The statement said law enforcement would like that person’s identify.“We will continue to fight for justice for Mr. White and this community,” the statement said, adding that the family continues to believe Carnes was one of the killers.

Prosecutors won’t retry Kansas City man for 2003 killing

ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on new charges after an arrest.

&nbsp;On April 4th police officers responded to a disturbance in the 1900 block Harper Drive and subsequently arrested Jason E. Alexander, 50, for domestic battery, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson

During the investigation of the domestic disturbance information was developed that a burglary had occurred several hours earlier at a nearby residence in the 1900 block Harper Drive. 

Officers went to the residence where the resident was not home and determined that forced entry was made into the residence. The resident was later located and it was discovered that various household items, a lawnmower, a grill, an eagle statue, a tool bag, and other items totally a value of about $3,900 had been taken. 

Many of the items were recovered during the investigation. [Alexander was still in custody on the domestic battery case when he was served on Friday morning with the new charges.

On Friday, Police arrested Alexander on a District Court warrant for burglary, theft, and criminal damage to property.&nbsp;

Alexander has been jailed over a dozen times since 2004 is in custody&nbsp;

In 2015, police arrested Alexander for alleged theft and failure to appear. He has previous convictions for theft, DUI and aggravated battery, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections and has been out of prison since 2017.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649173627725.png" alt="Alexander-Atchison Co." />
 <figcaption>Alexander-Atchison Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on new charges after an arrest.&nbsp;On April 4th police officers responded to a disturbance in the 1900 block Harper Drive and subsequently arrested Jason E. Alexander, 50, for domestic battery, according to Police Chief Mike WilsonDuring the investigation of the domestic disturbance information was developed that a burglary had occurred several hours earlier at a nearby residence in the 1900 block Harper Drive. Officers went to the residence where the resident was not home and determined that forced entry was made into the residence. The resident was later located and it was discovered that various household items, a lawnmower, a grill, an eagle statue, a tool bag, and other items totally a value of about $3,900 had been taken. Many of the items were recovered during the investigation. [Alexander was still in custody on the domestic battery case when he was served on Friday morning with the new charges.On Friday, Police arrested Alexander on a District Court warrant for burglary, theft, and criminal damage to property.&nbsp;Alexander has been jailed over a dozen times since 2004 is in custody&nbsp;In 2015, police arrested Alexander for alleged theft and failure to appear. He has previous convictions for theft, DUI and aggravated battery, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections and has been out of prison since 2017.

Kansas felon with history of violence accused of burglary

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a series of burglaries and have made an arrest.

On January 28, officers were dispatched to the 900 Block of NW 25th street in Topeka on a report of an alarm activated at a business, according to Lt. Jerry Monasmith.

Upon arrival, officers located damage to the business and items missing. 

Another burglary was reported at the same business on March 1 with similar results. As the investigation unfolded and through the assistance from the community, a person of interest was identified.

As a result of the investigation, Bradley Martin, 58 years of age, of Topeka, was transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections and booked in on requested&nbsp;charges, Burglary to a business, Two Counts, Theft, Two Counts and Criminal Damage to Property, Two Counts.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649430638290.png" alt="Martin-photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Martin-photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a series of burglaries and have made an arrest.On January 28, officers were dispatched to the 900 Block of NW 25th street in Topeka on a report of an alarm activated at a business, according to Lt. Jerry Monasmith.Upon arrival, officers located damage to the business and items missing. Another burglary was reported at the same business on March 1 with similar results. As the investigation unfolded and through the assistance from the community, a person of interest was identified.As a result of the investigation, Bradley Martin, 58 years of age, of Topeka, was transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections and booked in on requested&nbsp;charges, Burglary to a business, Two Counts, Theft, Two Counts and Criminal Damage to Property, Two Counts.

Kan. man accused of 2 burglaries at a same business 

By KATIE PEIKES <a href="https://www.kcur.org/2022-04-04/the-midwest-has-lost-57-billion-metric-tons-of-topsoil-over-the-last-160-years-new-study-finds">Harvest Public Media</a>

A few years ago, Isaac Larsen attended a wedding at a pioneer church 
in Minnesota. After the ceremony, he wandered around a cemetery by the 
church.

He noticed the cemetery, which had never been tilled, was 
at least a foot higher than a corn field just on the other side of a 
fence.

“That was one of those ‘lightbulb’ moments that told me 
that a lot of soil had been eroded from that field since the founding of
 the church,” Larsen said.

The University of Massachusetts Amherst geosciences professor and his co-researchers have released a <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1029/2021EF002396" target="_blank">new study</a>
 that found topsoil in the Midwest is eroding at an average rate of 1.9 
millimeters per year. They measured elevation differences between native
 prairie and farm fields at about 20 sites, the majority in central 
Iowa, with some in Illinois, Minnesota, South Dakota, Kansas and 
Nebraska.

The researchers estimate the Midwest has lost 57.6 
billion metric tons of topsoil since farmers began tilling 160 years 
ago. This erosion, Larsen said, makes it more difficult and more 
expensive to grow crops.

“We’re going to need to feed more people 
in the future,” he said, “and degraded soils that have lost their 
organic rich horizons just aren’t as productive.”

The solution, Larsen said, is to adopt no-till farming. “It’s not some unsolvable problem.” 

In
 Iowa, never-farmed prairie is one of the rarest ecosystems besides oak 
savanna, said Emily Martin, the conservation programs coordinator for 
the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation. The group helped the researchers 
identify prairie sites throughout the state where they could take 
measurements.

Martin said the study’s findings that topsoil is 
eroding at an average rate of 1.9 millimeters per year is “a shocking 
number. But it’s not surprising either.” She said conservation groups 
like the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation need to work with farmers to 
protect land and further integrate conservation with agriculture.

As
 topsoil thins, soil productivity declines. Iowa State University 
agronomy professor Richard Cruse said farmers can lose 50%-70% of their 
yield potential because of the loss of topsoil.

“When you’re 
talking about that, you’re also talking about sustainability or 
resilience, the potential for an area to produce under good times and 
bad,” Cruse said. “The loss of soil reduces that capacity.”

Cruse,
 who said he thought the study was “done pretty well,” added that 
topsoil isn’t gone. Most of the topsoil that moves because of erosion is
 deposited in the same field downslope. But that still affects 
production potential, he said.

“The loss from the hillslope, where
 it is progressively thinning, has a much bigger negative impact on 
production than does the accumulation of that on the soil downslope 
which already has more than adequate topsoil to produce,” he said.

Cruse added a little less than a third of Iowa’s soils are no-tilled, so “it is realistic” to stop tillage, he said.

“By
 and large, we have the technology now to make no-till work or something
 that approximates it, maybe strip till,” Cruse said. “So it's 
realistic. It’s more challenging with some soils than others.”

Some farmers are already no-till. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said in August 2021 that <a href="https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2017/11/30/saving-money-time-and-soil-economics-no-till-farming" target="_blank">21% of all cultivated cropland acres are continuous no-till</a>.

Austin
 Charlson grows corn and soybeans in Wright County, Iowa. About 75%-85% 
of his acres have been no-till for seven years – primarily because when 
he started farming he had no equipment. He says he’s noticed a 
difference in the soil of his no-till acres.

“I'll take a spade 
out in the field and I'll step in, dig out a section of soil and the 
texture is evolving,” Charlson said. “For one thing, there's more 
earthworm holes, so that promotes water going down and oxygen going down
 to the roots. Earthworms add fertility and they help break up the 
soil.”

Charlson said his soils are “more crumbly” whereas other 
soils he’s seen on a field that’s been tilled and cultivated are more 
granular, “really fine like a powder,” he said.

“Right now we're 
in drought-ish conditions, but no-till is helping to reserve my water 
reserves. It’s helping to retain my subsoil moisture, or the water that 
my crops need to grow,” he said.

But Charlson said he has 
experienced some frustrations with no-till. Depending on the moisture 
conditions, the soil can be hard without tillage, which doesn’t allow 
for a good seedbed, he said.

“It’s been a challenge,” he said. “I’m constantly learning, I’m trying to modify things and make it better.”

The soil erosion study was published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2021EF002396" target="_blank">Earth’s Future</a>.

Follow Katie on Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/katiepeikes" target="_blank">@katiepeikes&nbsp;</a>

Harvest
 Public Media reports on food systems, agriculture and rural issues 
through a collaborative network of NPR stations throughout the Midwest 
and Plains.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649430822516.png" alt="University of Massachusetts Amherst geosciences professor Isaac Larsen stands on the drop-off separating the native prairie from farmland at Stinson Prairie, Iowa. UMass Amherst" />
 <figcaption>University of Massachusetts Amherst geosciences professor Isaac Larsen stands on the drop-off separating the native prairie from farmland at Stinson Prairie, Iowa. UMass Amherst</figcaption>
 </figure>By KATIE PEIKES <a href="https://www.kcur.org/2022-04-04/the-midwest-has-lost-57-billion-metric-tons-of-topsoil-over-the-last-160-years-new-study-finds">Harvest Public Media</a>A few years ago, Isaac Larsen attended a wedding at a pioneer church 
in Minnesota. After the ceremony, he wandered around a cemetery by the 
church.He noticed the cemetery, which had never been tilled, was 
at least a foot higher than a corn field just on the other side of a 
fence.“That was one of those ‘lightbulb’ moments that told me 
that a lot of soil had been eroded from that field since the founding of
 the church,” Larsen said.The University of Massachusetts Amherst geosciences professor and his co-researchers have released a <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1029/2021EF002396" target="_blank">new study</a>
 that found topsoil in the Midwest is eroding at an average rate of 1.9 
millimeters per year. They measured elevation differences between native
 prairie and farm fields at about 20 sites, the majority in central 
Iowa, with some in Illinois, Minnesota, South Dakota, Kansas and 
Nebraska.The researchers estimate the Midwest has lost 57.6 
billion metric tons of topsoil since farmers began tilling 160 years 
ago. This erosion, Larsen said, makes it more difficult and more 
expensive to grow crops.“We’re going to need to feed more people 
in the future,” he said, “and degraded soils that have lost their 
organic rich horizons just aren’t as productive.”The solution, Larsen said, is to adopt no-till farming. “It’s not some unsolvable problem.” In
 Iowa, never-farmed prairie is one of the rarest ecosystems besides oak 
savanna, said Emily Martin, the conservation programs coordinator for 
the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation. The group helped the researchers 
identify prairie sites throughout the state where they could take 
measurements.Martin said the study’s findings that topsoil is 
eroding at an average rate of 1.9 millimeters per year is “a shocking 
number. But it’s not surprising either.” She said conservation groups 
like the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation need to work with farmers to 
protect land and further integrate conservation with agriculture.As
 topsoil thins, soil productivity declines. Iowa State University 
agronomy professor Richard Cruse said farmers can lose 50%-70% of their 
yield potential because of the loss of topsoil.“When you’re 
talking about that, you’re also talking about sustainability or 
resilience, the potential for an area to produce under good times and 
bad,” Cruse said. “The loss of soil reduces that capacity.”Cruse,
 who said he thought the study was “done pretty well,” added that 
topsoil isn’t gone. Most of the topsoil that moves because of erosion is
 deposited in the same field downslope. But that still affects 
production potential, he said.“The loss from the hillslope, where
 it is progressively thinning, has a much bigger negative impact on 
production than does the accumulation of that on the soil downslope 
which already has more than adequate topsoil to produce,” he said.Cruse added a little less than a third of Iowa’s soils are no-tilled, so “it is realistic” to stop tillage, he said.“By
 and large, we have the technology now to make no-till work or something
 that approximates it, maybe strip till,” Cruse said. “So it's 
realistic. It’s more challenging with some soils than others.”Some farmers are already no-till. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said in August 2021 that <a href="https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2017/11/30/saving-money-time-and-soil-economics-no-till-farming" target="_blank">21% of all cultivated cropland acres are continuous no-till</a>.Austin
 Charlson grows corn and soybeans in Wright County, Iowa. About 75%-85% 
of his acres have been no-till for seven years – primarily because when 
he started farming he had no equipment. He says he’s noticed a 
difference in the soil of his no-till acres.“I'll take a spade 
out in the field and I'll step in, dig out a section of soil and the 
texture is evolving,” Charlson said. “For one thing, there's more 
earthworm holes, so that promotes water going down and oxygen going down
 to the roots. Earthworms add fertility and they help break up the 
soil.”Charlson said his soils are “more crumbly” whereas other 
soils he’s seen on a field that’s been tilled and cultivated are more 
granular, “really fine like a powder,” he said.“Right now we're 
in drought-ish conditions, but no-till is helping to reserve my water 
reserves. It’s helping to retain my subsoil moisture, or the water that 
my crops need to grow,” he said.But Charlson said he has 
experienced some frustrations with no-till. Depending on the moisture 
conditions, the soil can be hard without tillage, which doesn’t allow 
for a good seedbed, he said.“It’s been a challenge,” he said. “I’m constantly learning, I’m trying to modify things and make it better.”The soil erosion study was published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2021EF002396" target="_blank">Earth’s Future</a>. Follow Katie on Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/katiepeikes" target="_blank">@katiepeikes&nbsp;</a>Harvest
 Public Media reports on food systems, agriculture and rural issues 
through a collaborative network of NPR stations throughout the Midwest 
and Plains.

Study: Midwest has lost 57B tons of topsoil in last 160 years

First Neb. micro housing community funded by low-income housing tax credits

By CINDY GONAZALEZ <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/04/08/omaha-tiny-house-village-aims-to-be-final-step-out-of-homelessness/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

Nebraska’s
 first modern-day tiny house village — soon to start sprouting in north 
downtown Omaha — is expected to do more than add affordable-rent 
dwellings to the trendy urban core.

The
 50 stand-alone homes, each about 250 square feet, serve a humanitarian 
purpose: They’re to be occupied by former homeless people who have 
thrived in other shelter programs and who are ready to take the next 
step toward independence.

In
 addition, the $8.2 million project provides a training ground for 
students: Seven of the houses are being built by budding construction 
trades workers enrolled at Metropolitan Community College.

“We’re
 just really excited,” said Linda Twomey of the Siena Francis House, 
which will manage and own the residential development. “It’s innovative.
 It’s a huge neighborhood improvement. It’s going to provide a home — a 
place to grill out, to have plants and a dog.”

In
 the planning stages since 2018, “the Cottages” initiative officially 
breaks ground next week at a 2.4-acre former industrial site near 17th 
and Charles Streets.&nbsp;

The
 gated village — with a community center, gardens, common laundry 
facilities and offices for on-site managers — is slated to open in 
2023.&nbsp;

Financing
 comes primarily from the federal low-income housing tax credit program 
administered by the Nebraska Investment Finance Authority and earmarked 
for residents with special needs, such as the homeless population.

NIFA’s
 Shannon Harner said the Cottages is the state’s first tiny house 
community made possible with low-income tax credits. She anticipates 
that the project could pave the path for similar Nebraska ventures in 
the future.

“We’re hoping this is a prototype project,” Harner said.

While
 located only a half-block from the Siena Francis House campus — and 
therefore close to transportation, counseling and other shelter services
 — the Cottages are intended to create an independent lifestyle for 
previously homeless residents.&nbsp;

Twomey,
 executive director of Siena Francis shelters, said about 1,400 people 
on a given day experience homelessness in Omaha and Council Bluffs.

Many
 who will be eligible and chosen to reside in the small houses likely 
will have found success in one of the more support-intensive Siena 
Francis programs and are ready for that next step out of chronic 
homelessness, she said.

An
 on-site case manager will be available to help connect residents to 
community or support services, including job or rental assistance. 
Twomey said residents will be responsible for rent and likely will 
qualify for government subsidies or vouchers where they pay 30% of their
 income for rent.

Each of the tiny houses will include a kitchen, bedroom-living area and covered porch.

Trevor Secora, an instructor at Metro’s Fort Omaha campus who is overseeing the students’ construction of seven of the tiny houses, said the Cottages developer, Arch Icon, provides materials, and the students assemble the shell to be transported to the site after completion.

It’s
 a win-win situation, he said, that offers hands-on and practical 
training for young construction workers, who will be able to drive by 
afterward with family and friends and showcase their work.

“These
 are real-world projects that are going to be delivered back to the 
community,” said Secora, a member of Metro’s Construction and Building 
Science faculty.

He
 said the students are putting in an extra effort, knowing that the 
structures will actually be used instead of torn down after completion, 
as some other practice projects are.&nbsp;

“So their effort and craftsmanship is going to be stepped up a bit,” he said.

Clearing
 the north downtown site for the Cottages also helped clean up Kellom 
Greenbelt Park and some other rough spots, Twomey said.

City
 officials have said the development should provide a boost to the 
geographical pocket and perhaps lure more private investment to the 
area, which is not far from the trendy and growing Millwork Commons 
neighborhood.&nbsp;

Darin
 Smith of developer Arch Icon said his company has done numerous 
affordable and other housing projects, but the Cottages is his team’s 
first to focus on the homeless population.

Other
 partners include the City of Omaha, Midwest Housing Equity Group, Alley
 Poyner Macchietto Architecture and American National Bank.

“It’s
 kind of cool, the way we’ve worked with Metro Community College, Siena 
Francis and other partners to bring it all together,” Smith said. “We 
can’t wait to see the finished project and the benefits to the 
community.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649445069571.png" alt="Metropolitan Community College students are constructing seven of the tiny houses for the Cottages project site. (Courtesy of Arch Icon Development)" />
 <figcaption>Metropolitan Community College students are constructing seven of the tiny houses for the Cottages project site. (Courtesy of Arch Icon Development)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>First Neb. micro housing community funded by low-income housing tax credits</h2>By CINDY GONAZALEZ <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/04/08/omaha-tiny-house-village-aims-to-be-final-step-out-of-homelessness/">Nebraska Examiner</a>Nebraska’s
 first modern-day tiny house village — soon to start sprouting in north 
downtown Omaha — is expected to do more than add affordable-rent 
dwellings to the trendy urban core.The
 50 stand-alone homes, each about 250 square feet, serve a humanitarian 
purpose: They’re to be occupied by former homeless people who have 
thrived in other shelter programs and who are ready to take the next 
step toward independence.In
 addition, the $8.2 million project provides a training ground for 
students: Seven of the houses are being built by budding construction 
trades workers enrolled at Metropolitan Community College.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649445144581.jpeg" alt=" 50 tiny rental houses and community center will span about 2.4 acres near 17th and Charles Streets in Omaha. (Courtesy of APMA)" />
 <figcaption> 50 tiny rental houses and community center will span about 2.4 acres near 17th and Charles Streets in Omaha. (Courtesy of APMA)</figcaption>
 </figure>“We’re
 just really excited,” said Linda Twomey of the Siena Francis House, 
which will manage and own the residential development. “It’s innovative.
 It’s a huge neighborhood improvement. It’s going to provide a home — a 
place to grill out, to have plants and a dog.”In
 the planning stages since 2018, “the Cottages” initiative officially 
breaks ground next week at a 2.4-acre former industrial site near 17th 
and Charles Streets.&nbsp;<h2>‘Prototype project’</h2>The
 gated village — with a community center, gardens, common laundry 
facilities and offices for on-site managers — is slated to open in 
2023.&nbsp;Financing
 comes primarily from the federal low-income housing tax credit program 
administered by the Nebraska Investment Finance Authority and earmarked 
for residents with special needs, such as the homeless population.NIFA’s
 Shannon Harner said the Cottages is the state’s first tiny house 
community made possible with low-income tax credits. She anticipates 
that the project could pave the path for similar Nebraska ventures in 
the future.“We’re hoping this is a prototype project,” Harner said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649445178910.jpeg" alt="A rendering of the Cottages affordable housing development. (Courtesy of APMA)" />
 <figcaption>A rendering of the Cottages affordable housing development. (Courtesy of APMA)</figcaption>
 </figure>While
 located only a half-block from the Siena Francis House campus — and 
therefore close to transportation, counseling and other shelter services
 — the Cottages are intended to create an independent lifestyle for 
previously homeless residents.&nbsp;Twomey,
 executive director of Siena Francis shelters, said about 1,400 people 
on a given day experience homelessness in Omaha and Council Bluffs.<h2>Bragging rights for students</h2>Many
 who will be eligible and chosen to reside in the small houses likely 
will have found success in one of the more support-intensive Siena 
Francis programs and are ready for that next step out of chronic 
homelessness, she said.An
 on-site case manager will be available to help connect residents to 
community or support services, including job or rental assistance. 
Twomey said residents will be responsible for rent and likely will 
qualify for government subsidies or vouchers where they pay 30% of their
 income for rent.Each of the tiny houses will include a kitchen, bedroom-living area and covered porch.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649445206661.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Trevor Secora, an instructor at Metro’s Fort Omaha campus who is overseeing the students’ construction of seven of the tiny houses, said the Cottages developer, Arch Icon, provides materials, and the students assemble the shell to be transported to the site after completion.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649445239546.jpeg" alt="Here’s one of the teensy houses Metro Community College students are building for the Cottages. (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Here’s one of the teensy houses Metro Community College students are building for the Cottages. (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>It’s
 a win-win situation, he said, that offers hands-on and practical 
training for young construction workers, who will be able to drive by 
afterward with family and friends and showcase their work.“These
 are real-world projects that are going to be delivered back to the 
community,” said Secora, a member of Metro’s Construction and Building 
Science faculty.<h2>Students stepping up their game</h2>He
 said the students are putting in an extra effort, knowing that the 
structures will actually be used instead of torn down after completion, 
as some other practice projects are.&nbsp;“So their effort and craftsmanship is going to be stepped up a bit,” he said.Clearing
 the north downtown site for the Cottages also helped clean up Kellom 
Greenbelt Park and some other rough spots, Twomey said.City
 officials have said the development should provide a boost to the 
geographical pocket and perhaps lure more private investment to the 
area, which is not far from the trendy and growing Millwork Commons 
neighborhood.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649445264373.jpeg" alt="The 17th and Charles Streets Cottages site devoted to former homeless people. (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>The 17th and Charles Streets Cottages site devoted to former homeless people. (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Darin
 Smith of developer Arch Icon said his company has done numerous 
affordable and other housing projects, but the Cottages is his team’s 
first to focus on the homeless population.Other
 partners include the City of Omaha, Midwest Housing Equity Group, Alley
 Poyner Macchietto Architecture and American National Bank.“It’s
 kind of cool, the way we’ve worked with Metro Community College, Siena 
Francis and other partners to bring it all together,” Smith said. “We 
can’t wait to see the finished project and the benefits to the 
community.”

Omaha tiny-house village aims to be final step out of homelessness

WASHINGTON (AP) —The Biden administration on Wednesday announced that federal student loan payments will remain paused through Aug. 31, extending a freeze that began in 2020 but was set to end after this month.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-payment-moratorium-extended-d54907ea99a6745dc9f832435beda751">The action&nbsp;</a>is meant to help millions of borrowers regain financial footing before they’re back on the hook for payments.

The extension gives Americans another four months to get ready for student loan payments to restart. Borrowers won’t be asked to make payments until after Aug. 31, and interest rates will remain at 0% during that time. Under the new action, people who were behind on payments before the pandemic will automatically be put in good standing. That’s a change from previous policy, which required borrowers in default to make nine consecutive loan payments and apply to exit default. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said the extra time will help his agency prepare borrowers for a “smooth transition back to repayment.”

The moratorium applies to&nbsp;<a href="https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/covid-19/payment-pause-zero-interest" target="_blank">most federal student loan programs</a>, including the Direct Loan Program, which issues subsidized and unsubsidized student loans. It does not apply to private loans issued by banks or schools. The latest federal data show that more than 43 million Americans have student loans amounting to a combined $1.6 trillion.

The freeze has been extended multiple times as a reprieve for Americans facing financial hardship during the pandemic. In announcing the latest action, President Joe Biden said that while the nation has seen economic growth, Americans are still recovering. He said the extension will help borrowers “continue to get back on their feet after two of the hardest years this nation has ever faced.” It came amid rising fear that many borrowers would quickly fall behind if payments resumed in May. A memo from the Federal Reserve last month warned that without more time, delinquency rates “could snap back from historic lows to their previous highs.”

Colorado’s Alisa Rizo said the pause in payments has provided a path toward independence. After graduating from Colorado State University, Pueblo in 2018, she has been living with her parents in Pueblo while she pays down $24,000 in student loans. The pause has allowed her to save money in hopes of living on her own, closer to her work in Colorado Springs. “It’s lifted a huge burden from my back and it has provided me a lot of flexibility to save money,” said Rizo, who works at a housing nonprofit.

Kristin McGuire of Covina, California said the freeze has given her a break from her $50,000 in student debt, allowed her to repair her credit and refinance her home with her husband. But she said the piecemeal extensions have brought their own stress. “We still have this huge balance that’s looming over our heads, and we’re constantly just hoping and praying for reprieve,” said McGuire, executive director of Young Invincibles, which is among the groups pressing for debt cancellation as a more permanent solution. “We can put folks right back into good standing, but we’re setting them up to fail again when we have these ballooned balances,” she said.

Federal student loans have been suspended for more than two years. In March 2020, the Trump administration gave borrowers the option to pause payments for at least 60 days. Congress made it automatic soon after as part of a pandemic relief package. The moratorium was later extended multiple times by Trump and Biden.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki didn’t rule a further extension when questioned at a Wednesday briefing. “We’ll continue to assess,” she said. “While of course the economy is in better shape than it was a year ago and we have a strong recovery, we also understand that there are a range of impacts that are still longer lasting because of the pandemic.”

In addition to the loan pause, the Biden administration has been working to revamp certain programs that allow borrowers to have debt erased. The Education Department has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-congress-student-loans-education-cecef88ebeebe2f524022f603f22a83b">relaxed rules</a>&nbsp;for a notoriously complex program known as Public Service Loan Forgiveness and for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-f78bae481c408b19c96a7ab1a3e426da">another program</a>&nbsp;that erases student debt for Americans with disabilities. The agency has approved $2 billion in debt cancellation for people who were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/education-miguel-cardona-055655aebb4181aae1c2ea4042dfd333">defrauded&nbsp;</a>by their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-education-0cabfb66daddbea9e804cb2860531775">colleges</a>, plus $1 billion for students who attended the now-defunct ITT Tech for-profit college but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-business-4f20d525c72ceb76570b528d13a32042">left before graduating</a>. Some Democrats have called for additional changes to the student loan system, including an overhaul of repayment plans that critics say are overly complex and difficult to navigate.

As a presidential candidate in 2020, Biden said he would “immediately cancel a minimum of $10,000 of student debt per person.” That hasn’t happened. The White House has said Biden would sign legislation canceling up to that amount if it were passed by Congress, but it has resisted calls to erase debt using executive action. Democrats including Sen. Chuck Schumer and Sen. Elizabeth Warren have pressed Biden to cancel $50,000 across the board, saying it would further boost the economy and address racial inequities in student debt. In a statement, those Democrats applauded the new extension but said it underscores the need for “swift executive action” to cancel debt. Asked about it Wednesday, Psaki said Biden “has not ruled out” the possibility, but had no further updates.

Borrower advocacy groups welcomed the extension, but many said it isn’t enough. The NAACP urged Biden to forgive at least $50,000 for student borrowers. “With each and every repayment extension, you make a stronger case for canceling it,” the group said. The Center for Responsible Lending made the same demand, saying that while the latest action will give some borrowers a fresh start, “their debts remain the same.” Democrats in Congress applauded the pause, while Republicans blasted it as a drain on taxpayers. Sen. Richard Burr, the ranking Republican on the Senate education committee, said the administration “wants to have their cake and eat it, too: they want to tout America’s return to normal following the pandemic, but also want to keep extending emergency relief policies.”

WASHINGTON (AP) —The Biden administration on Wednesday announced that federal student loan payments will remain paused through Aug. 31, extending a freeze that began in 2020 but was set to end after this month.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-payment-moratorium-extended-d54907ea99a6745dc9f832435beda751">The action&nbsp;</a>is meant to help millions of borrowers regain financial footing before they’re back on the hook for payments.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Today, my Administration is extending the pause on federal student loan repayments through August 31st, 2022. <a href="https://t.co/xwicA1hCW3">pic.twitter.com/xwicA1hCW3</a>&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1511705892487577606?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Here’s more on the decision:WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR BORROWERS?The extension gives Americans another four months to get ready for student loan payments to restart. Borrowers won’t be asked to make payments until after Aug. 31, and interest rates will remain at 0% during that time. Under the new action, people who were behind on payments before the pandemic will automatically be put in good standing. That’s a change from previous policy, which required borrowers in default to make nine consecutive loan payments and apply to exit default. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said the extra time will help his agency prepare borrowers for a “smooth transition back to repayment.”WHO IS ELIGIBLE?The moratorium applies to&nbsp;<a href="https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/covid-19/payment-pause-zero-interest" target="_blank">most federal student loan programs</a>, including the Direct Loan Program, which issues subsidized and unsubsidized student loans. It does not apply to private loans issued by banks or schools. The latest federal data show that more than 43 million Americans have student loans amounting to a combined $1.6 trillion.WHY IS IT BEING EXTENDED?The freeze has been extended multiple times as a reprieve for Americans facing financial hardship during the pandemic. In announcing the latest action, President Joe Biden said that while the nation has seen economic growth, Americans are still recovering. He said the extension will help borrowers “continue to get back on their feet after two of the hardest years this nation has ever faced.” It came amid rising fear that many borrowers would quickly fall behind if payments resumed in May. A memo from the Federal Reserve last month warned that without more time, delinquency rates “could snap back from historic lows to their previous highs.”HOW HAS IT HELPED?Colorado’s Alisa Rizo said the pause in payments has provided a path toward independence. After graduating from Colorado State University, Pueblo in 2018, she has been living with her parents in Pueblo while she pays down $24,000 in student loans. The pause has allowed her to save money in hopes of living on her own, closer to her work in Colorado Springs. “It’s lifted a huge burden from my back and it has provided me a lot of flexibility to save money,” said Rizo, who works at a housing nonprofit.Kristin McGuire of Covina, California said the freeze has given her a break from her $50,000 in student debt, allowed her to repair her credit and refinance her home with her husband. But she said the piecemeal extensions have brought their own stress. “We still have this huge balance that’s looming over our heads, and we’re constantly just hoping and praying for reprieve,” said McGuire, executive director of Young Invincibles, which is among the groups pressing for debt cancellation as a more permanent solution. “We can put folks right back into good standing, but we’re setting them up to fail again when we have these ballooned balances,” she said.HOW LONG HAVE LOANS BEEN PAUSED?Federal student loans have been suspended for more than two years. In March 2020, the Trump administration gave borrowers the option to pause payments for at least 60 days. Congress made it automatic soon after as part of a pandemic relief package. The moratorium was later extended multiple times by Trump and Biden.WILL THE FREEZE BE EXTENDED AGAIN?White House press secretary Jen Psaki didn’t rule a further extension when questioned at a Wednesday briefing. “We’ll continue to assess,” she said. “While of course the economy is in better shape than it was a year ago and we have a strong recovery, we also understand that there are a range of impacts that are still longer lasting because of the pandemic.”WHAT ELSE IS BEING DONE?In addition to the loan pause, the Biden administration has been working to revamp certain programs that allow borrowers to have debt erased. The Education Department has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-congress-student-loans-education-cecef88ebeebe2f524022f603f22a83b">relaxed rules</a>&nbsp;for a notoriously complex program known as Public Service Loan Forgiveness and for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-f78bae481c408b19c96a7ab1a3e426da">another program</a>&nbsp;that erases student debt for Americans with disabilities. The agency has approved $2 billion in debt cancellation for people who were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/education-miguel-cardona-055655aebb4181aae1c2ea4042dfd333">defrauded&nbsp;</a>by their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-education-0cabfb66daddbea9e804cb2860531775">colleges</a>, plus $1 billion for students who attended the now-defunct ITT Tech for-profit college but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-business-4f20d525c72ceb76570b528d13a32042">left before graduating</a>. Some Democrats have called for additional changes to the student loan system, including an overhaul of repayment plans that critics say are overly complex and difficult to navigate.WHAT ABOUT WIDER LOAN FORGIVENESS?As a presidential candidate in 2020, Biden said he would “immediately cancel a minimum of $10,000 of student debt per person.” That hasn’t happened. The White House has said Biden would sign legislation canceling up to that amount if it were passed by Congress, but it has resisted calls to erase debt using executive action. Democrats including Sen. Chuck Schumer and Sen. Elizabeth Warren have pressed Biden to cancel $50,000 across the board, saying it would further boost the economy and address racial inequities in student debt. In a statement, those Democrats applauded the new extension but said it underscores the need for “swift executive action” to cancel debt. Asked about it Wednesday, Psaki said Biden “has not ruled out” the possibility, but had no further updates.WHAT ARE PEOPLE SAYING ABOUT THE PAUSE?Borrower advocacy groups welcomed the extension, but many said it isn’t enough. The NAACP urged Biden to forgive at least $50,000 for student borrowers. “With each and every repayment extension, you make a stronger case for canceling it,” the group said. The Center for Responsible Lending made the same demand, saying that while the latest action will give some borrowers a fresh start, “their debts remain the same.” Democrats in Congress applauded the pause, while Republicans blasted it as a drain on taxpayers. Sen. Richard Burr, the ranking Republican on the Senate education committee, said the administration “wants to have their cake and eat it, too: they want to tout America’s return to normal following the pandemic, but also want to keep extending emergency relief policies.”

🎥What to know on the extension of student loan payment freeze 

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating the theft of a box truck from a church thrift store in Topeka located the vehicle early Saturday.

Just after 7:00 a.m. Saturday, a citizen who had seen the social media postings about this vehicle called police to report it sitting in the 500 block of SE Lake Street in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Matt Danielson.

Officers were able to confirm that this was the correct vehicle, and it was unoccupied. The contents of the truck were no longer inside.&nbsp;

 The truck contained laundry baskets full of miscellaneous merchandise.&nbsp;

Police released no additional details and have not reported an arrest.

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating the theft of box truck from a church thrift store in Topeka.

Between&nbsp; 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. Friday, an unknown person stole a is a 2000 GMC C6500 (24 foot) box truck from<a href="https://www.gshtopeka.org/"> God’s Storehouse</a> at 2111 SW Chelsea Drive in Topeka, according to Lt. Jerry Monasmith.

The truck is white with orange front fenders and Kansas Tag 779JXY. 

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Topeka Police Department’s Criminal Intelligence Unit at telltpd@topeka.org.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649472108456.png" alt="The truck is white with orange front fenders and Kansas Tag 779JXY. Photo Topeka Police" />
 <figcaption>The truck is white with orange front fenders and Kansas Tag 779JXY. Photo Topeka Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating the theft of a box truck from a church thrift store in Topeka located the vehicle early Saturday.Just after 7:00 a.m. Saturday, a citizen who had seen the social media postings about this vehicle called police to report it sitting in the 500 block of SE Lake Street in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Matt Danielson.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649472091007.png" alt="Photo Topeka Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo Topeka Police</figcaption>
 </figure>Officers were able to confirm that this was the correct vehicle, and it was unoccupied. The contents of the truck were no longer inside.&nbsp; The truck contained laundry baskets full of miscellaneous merchandise.&nbsp;Police released no additional details and have not reported an arrest.--------------SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating the theft of box truck from a church thrift store in Topeka.Between&nbsp; 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. Friday, an unknown person stole a is a 2000 GMC C6500 (24 foot) box truck from<a href="https://www.gshtopeka.org/"> God’s Storehouse</a> at 2111 SW Chelsea Drive in Topeka, according to Lt. Jerry Monasmith.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649472091007.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure> The truck contained laundry baskets full of miscellaneous merchandise.&nbsp;The truck is white with orange front fenders and Kansas Tag 779JXY. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Topeka Police Department’s Criminal Intelligence Unit at telltpd@topeka.org.&nbsp;

Police: Stolen Kan. church thrift store truck found, merchandise missing

WASHINGTON (AP) — In the latest Senate package targeted at stopping the coronavirus, U.S. lawmakers dropped nearly all funding for curbing the virus beyond American borders, a move many health experts slammed as dangerously short-sighted.

They warn the suspension of COVID-19 aid for poorer countries could ultimately allow the kind of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-health-pandemics-dc99bc9f769dd6d7cb669e3d185c6261">unchecked transmission</a>&nbsp;needed for the next worrisome variant to emerge and unravel much of the progress achieved so far.

The U.S. has been the biggest contributor to the global pandemic response, delivering more than 500 million vaccines, and the lack of funding will be a major setback. The money has paid for numerous interventions, including a mass vaccination campaign in the Cameroonian capital that saw hundreds of thousands of people get their first dose, as well as the construction of a COVID-19 care facility in South Africa and the donation of 1,000 ventilators to that country.

Other U.S.-funded vaccination campaigns in dozens of countries, including Uganda, Zambia, Ivory Coast and Mali, could also come to a grinding halt.

“Any stoppage of funds will affect us,” said Misaki Wayengera, a Ugandan official who heads a technical committee advising the government on the pandemic response. He said Uganda has leaned heavily on donor help — it received more than 11 million vaccines from the U.S. — and that any cuts “would make it very difficult for us to make ends meet.”

“This is a bit of a kick in the teeth to poor countries that were promised billions of vaccines and resources last year in grand pledges made by the G7 and the G20,” said Michael Head, a global health research fellow at Britain’s Southampton University.

“Given how badly we’ve failed on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-vaccine-inequality-dac9c07b324e29d3597037b8dc1d908a">vaccine equity,</a>&nbsp;it’s clear all of those promises have now been broken,” he said, adding that without concerted effort and money to fight COVID-19 in the coming months, the pandemic could persist for years.

While about 66% of the American population has been fully immunized against the coronavirus, fewer than 15% of people in poorer countries have received a single dose. Health officials working on COVID-19 vaccination in developing countries supported by the U.S. say they expect to see a reversal of progress once the funds disappear.

“Vaccination will stop or not even get started in some countries,” said Rachel Hall, executive director of U.S. government advocacy at the charity CARE. She cited estimates from USAID that the suspended funding would mean scrapping testing, treatment and health services for about 100 million people.

Although vaccines are more plentiful this year, many poorer countries have struggled to get shots into arms and hundreds of millions of donated vaccines have either expired, been returned or sat unused. To address those logistical hurdles, U.S. aid has financed critical services in countries across Africa, including the safe delivery of vaccines, training health workers and fighting vaccine misinformation.

For example, in November the U.S. Embassy in the Cameroonian capital set up a tent for mass vaccination: Within the first five days, more than 300,000 people received a dose. Those kinds of events will now be harder to conduct without American funds.

Hall also noted there would be consequences far beyond COVID-19, saying countries struggling with multiple disease outbreaks, like Congo and Mali, would face difficult choices.

“They will have to choose between fighting Ebola, malaria, polio, COVID and more,” she said.

Jeff Zients, the outgoing leader of the White House COVID-19 task force, expressed regret the legislation doesn’t include resources for the international pandemic fight, noting that would also compromise efforts to track the virus’ genetic evolution.

“It is a real disappointment that there’s no global funding in this bill,” he said. “This virus knows no borders, and it’s in our national interest to vaccinate the world and protect against possible new variants.”

Still, Zients announced the U.S. would be the first to donate “tens of millions” of doses for children to poorer countries and said more than 20 nations had already requested the shots.

J. Stephen Morrison, director of the Global Health Policy Center at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, lamented that lawmakers were erring on the side of optimism about the pandemic precisely when another surge might be arriving.

“We’ve made that mistake several times in this pandemic. And we may be making that mistake again,” he said. In recent weeks, COVID-19 cases caused by the hugely infectious omicron subvariant BA.2 have surged across&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-health-business-immunizations-9b222cf32687808b61606391f7f7328b">Europe</a>, and American officials say they expect a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-health-europe-infectious-diseases-e338ab4c30b68025dbc049c36838f357">U.S. spike&nbsp;</a>soon.

Other experts worried the suspension of U.S. global support for COVID-19 might prompt officials to drop current vaccination goals. The World Health Organization had set a target of immunizing at least 70% of people in all countries by the middle of this year, but with nearly 50 countries vaccinating fewer than 20% of their populations, hitting that target is highly unlikely.

Instead, some organizations like the Rockefeller Foundation have pushed for officials to “refocus vaccination goals away from vaccinating 70% of all adults by summer to vaccinating 90% of those most at-risk in each country,” in what some critics say is an implicit acknowledgment of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-business-coronavirus-vaccine-pandemics-5053ab9a4c6288e1b70ccd67aa34c504">world’s repeated failures</a>&nbsp;to share vaccines fairly. Others point out there shouldn’t be competing vaccine targets and that health authorities simply need to do more, rather than adjusting global goals.

In Nigeria, which has so far received at least $143 million in COVID-19 aid from the U.S, authorities dismissed suggestions their coronavirus programs would suffer as a result of lost funding. The Nigerian president’s office said help from the U.S. was mostly “in kind” via capacity building, research support and donations of laboratory equipment and vaccines. “We are confident that this will not cause any disruption of our current programs,” it said.

However, others warned the U.S. decision set an unfortunate precedent for global cooperation to end the pandemic at a time when fresh concerns like the Ukraine war are drawing more attention.

U.S. President Joe Biden originally planned to convene a virtual summit in the first quarter of this year to keep international efforts on track, but no event has been scheduled.

“In light of the ongoing war in Ukraine, we don’t yet have a final date for the summit, but we are working closely with countries and international partners to advance commitments,” said a senior Biden administration official who was not authorized to comment publicly.

As of this month, WHO said it had gotten only $1.8 billion of the $16.8 billion needed from donors to speed access to coronavirus vaccines, medicines and diagnostics.

“Nobody else is stepping up to fill the void at the moment and the U.S. decision to suspend funding may lead other donor countries to act similarly,” said Dr. Krishna Udayakumar, director of Duke University’s Global Health Innovation Center.

Keri Althoff, an epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, described the U.S. suspension of funding as “devastating.”

“How could this possibly be what we’re debating right now?” she asked. “It’s a moral obligation to the rest of the world to continue to contribute to this global pandemic response, not only to protect ourselves but to protect people from around the world.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1627688144182.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — In the latest Senate package targeted at stopping the coronavirus, U.S. lawmakers dropped nearly all funding for curbing the virus beyond American borders, a move many health experts slammed as dangerously short-sighted.They warn the suspension of COVID-19 aid for poorer countries could ultimately allow the kind of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-health-pandemics-dc99bc9f769dd6d7cb669e3d185c6261">unchecked transmission</a>&nbsp;needed for the next worrisome variant to emerge and unravel much of the progress achieved so far.The U.S. has been the biggest contributor to the global pandemic response, delivering more than 500 million vaccines, and the lack of funding will be a major setback. The money has paid for numerous interventions, including a mass vaccination campaign in the Cameroonian capital that saw hundreds of thousands of people get their first dose, as well as the construction of a COVID-19 care facility in South Africa and the donation of 1,000 ventilators to that country.Other U.S.-funded vaccination campaigns in dozens of countries, including Uganda, Zambia, Ivory Coast and Mali, could also come to a grinding halt.“Any stoppage of funds will affect us,” said Misaki Wayengera, a Ugandan official who heads a technical committee advising the government on the pandemic response. He said Uganda has leaned heavily on donor help — it received more than 11 million vaccines from the U.S. — and that any cuts “would make it very difficult for us to make ends meet.”“This is a bit of a kick in the teeth to poor countries that were promised billions of vaccines and resources last year in grand pledges made by the G7 and the G20,” said Michael Head, a global health research fellow at Britain’s Southampton University.“Given how badly we’ve failed on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-vaccine-inequality-dac9c07b324e29d3597037b8dc1d908a">vaccine equity,</a>&nbsp;it’s clear all of those promises have now been broken,” he said, adding that without concerted effort and money to fight COVID-19 in the coming months, the pandemic could persist for years.While about 66% of the American population has been fully immunized against the coronavirus, fewer than 15% of people in poorer countries have received a single dose. Health officials working on COVID-19 vaccination in developing countries supported by the U.S. say they expect to see a reversal of progress once the funds disappear.“Vaccination will stop or not even get started in some countries,” said Rachel Hall, executive director of U.S. government advocacy at the charity CARE. She cited estimates from USAID that the suspended funding would mean scrapping testing, treatment and health services for about 100 million people.Although vaccines are more plentiful this year, many poorer countries have struggled to get shots into arms and hundreds of millions of donated vaccines have either expired, been returned or sat unused. To address those logistical hurdles, U.S. aid has financed critical services in countries across Africa, including the safe delivery of vaccines, training health workers and fighting vaccine misinformation.For example, in November the U.S. Embassy in the Cameroonian capital set up a tent for mass vaccination: Within the first five days, more than 300,000 people received a dose. Those kinds of events will now be harder to conduct without American funds.Hall also noted there would be consequences far beyond COVID-19, saying countries struggling with multiple disease outbreaks, like Congo and Mali, would face difficult choices.“They will have to choose between fighting Ebola, malaria, polio, COVID and more,” she said.Jeff Zients, the outgoing leader of the White House COVID-19 task force, expressed regret the legislation doesn’t include resources for the international pandemic fight, noting that would also compromise efforts to track the virus’ genetic evolution.“It is a real disappointment that there’s no global funding in this bill,” he said. “This virus knows no borders, and it’s in our national interest to vaccinate the world and protect against possible new variants.”Still, Zients announced the U.S. would be the first to donate “tens of millions” of doses for children to poorer countries and said more than 20 nations had already requested the shots.J. Stephen Morrison, director of the Global Health Policy Center at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, lamented that lawmakers were erring on the side of optimism about the pandemic precisely when another surge might be arriving.“We’ve made that mistake several times in this pandemic. And we may be making that mistake again,” he said. In recent weeks, COVID-19 cases caused by the hugely infectious omicron subvariant BA.2 have surged across&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-health-business-immunizations-9b222cf32687808b61606391f7f7328b">Europe</a>, and American officials say they expect a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-health-europe-infectious-diseases-e338ab4c30b68025dbc049c36838f357">U.S. spike&nbsp;</a>soon.Other experts worried the suspension of U.S. global support for COVID-19 might prompt officials to drop current vaccination goals. The World Health Organization had set a target of immunizing at least 70% of people in all countries by the middle of this year, but with nearly 50 countries vaccinating fewer than 20% of their populations, hitting that target is highly unlikely.Instead, some organizations like the Rockefeller Foundation have pushed for officials to “refocus vaccination goals away from vaccinating 70% of all adults by summer to vaccinating 90% of those most at-risk in each country,” in what some critics say is an implicit acknowledgment of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-business-coronavirus-vaccine-pandemics-5053ab9a4c6288e1b70ccd67aa34c504">world’s repeated failures</a>&nbsp;to share vaccines fairly. Others point out there shouldn’t be competing vaccine targets and that health authorities simply need to do more, rather than adjusting global goals.In Nigeria, which has so far received at least $143 million in COVID-19 aid from the U.S, authorities dismissed suggestions their coronavirus programs would suffer as a result of lost funding. The Nigerian president’s office said help from the U.S. was mostly “in kind” via capacity building, research support and donations of laboratory equipment and vaccines. “We are confident that this will not cause any disruption of our current programs,” it said.However, others warned the U.S. decision set an unfortunate precedent for global cooperation to end the pandemic at a time when fresh concerns like the Ukraine war are drawing more attention.U.S. President Joe Biden originally planned to convene a virtual summit in the first quarter of this year to keep international efforts on track, but no event has been scheduled.“In light of the ongoing war in Ukraine, we don’t yet have a final date for the summit, but we are working closely with countries and international partners to advance commitments,” said a senior Biden administration official who was not authorized to comment publicly.As of this month, WHO said it had gotten only $1.8 billion of the $16.8 billion needed from donors to speed access to coronavirus vaccines, medicines and diagnostics.“Nobody else is stepping up to fill the void at the moment and the U.S. decision to suspend funding may lead other donor countries to act similarly,” said Dr. Krishna Udayakumar, director of Duke University’s Global Health Innovation Center.Keri Althoff, an epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, described the U.S. suspension of funding as “devastating.”“How could this possibly be what we’re debating right now?” she asked. “It’s a moral obligation to the rest of the world to continue to contribute to this global pandemic response, not only to protect ourselves but to protect people from around the world.”

Experts: US suspension of COVID aid will prolong pandemic

DOUGLAS COUNTY—A Kansas man died in an accident just before 4p.m. Friday in Douglas County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2017 Dodge Ram 1500 driven by Anthony M. Royal, 55, Mayetta, was south bound on Kansas 10 exiting to Bob Billings.&nbsp;

The driver failed to stop at the stop sign and struck an eastbound 2017 BMW X3 Series driven by John Thomas Kirby, 71, Lawrence.

EMS transported Kirby to Lawrence Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Royal was transported to Stormont Vail for treatment of serious injuries. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

DOUGLAS COUNTY—A Kansas man died in an accident just before 4p.m. Friday in Douglas County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2017 Dodge Ram 1500 driven by Anthony M. Royal, 55, Mayetta, was south bound on Kansas 10 exiting to Bob Billings.&nbsp;The driver failed to stop at the stop sign and struck an eastbound 2017 BMW X3 Series driven by John Thomas Kirby, 71, Lawrence.EMS transported Kirby to Lawrence Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Royal was transported to Stormont Vail for treatment of serious injuries. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

Kansas man dead, another injured after pickup, BMW crash

KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City-area man has been charged with the Class A felony of Arson for setting a fire to a residence and as a result, a woman died, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

Anthony D. Jordan, 48, faces Arson 1st Degree Causing Serious Physical Injury or Death.

According to court records, the fire occurred April 4 in the 700 block of SW 36th Terrace in Blue Springs. The building was separated into two apartments. As a result of the fire the occupant in one of the apartments suffered serious injuries and was listed in critical condition. 

The Central Jackson County Fire Protection District responded to the scene to investigate the fire and determined the fire originated in the other apartment and was intentionally set. 

A male occupant identified as Jordan was taken into custody at the scene. He&nbsp; told police that he poured lighter fluid in the basement of his apartment and set clothing on fire. He stated he was under the influence of alcohol when he started the fire. He said he set it because he was angry with his ex-girlfriend. The victim later died.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649413821087.png" alt="An investigation by the Central Jackson County Fire Protection District determined the fire originated in the other apartment and was intentionally set, court documents said. Photo courtesy KMBC" />
 <figcaption>An investigation by the Central Jackson County Fire Protection District determined the fire originated in the other apartment and was intentionally set, court documents said. Photo courtesy KMBC</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City-area man has been charged with the Class A felony of Arson for setting a fire to a residence and as a result, a woman died, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.Anthony D. Jordan, 48, faces Arson 1st Degree Causing Serious Physical Injury or Death.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649413846635.png" alt="Jordan-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Jordan-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>According to court records, the fire occurred April 4 in the 700 block of SW 36th Terrace in Blue Springs. The building was separated into two apartments. As a result of the fire the occupant in one of the apartments suffered serious injuries and was listed in critical condition. The Central Jackson County Fire Protection District responded to the scene to investigate the fire and determined the fire originated in the other apartment and was intentionally set. A male occupant identified as Jordan was taken into custody at the scene. He&nbsp; told police that he poured lighter fluid in the basement of his apartment and set clothing on fire. He stated he was under the influence of alcohol when he started the fire. He said he set it because he was angry with his ex-girlfriend. The victim later died.Jordan is being held on a $250,000 bond.

Man charged for setting fire in KC-area home that killed neighbor

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/nebraska-college-administrator-selected-president-of-pittsburg-state-university/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — A Nebraska higher education administrator was chosen to 
serve as the 10th president of Pittsburg State University, the Kansas 
Board of Regents said Friday.

Daniel Shipp, with a doctorate in educational leadership from 
University of the Pacific, is vice chancellor for strategic initiatives 
at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and executive vice 
president and provost of the four-campus University of Nebraska system.

He replaces PSU president Steve Scott, who was appointed president of
 the southeast Kansas university in 2009. Scott has worked at the 
university for three decades and plans to retire in June.

“I am excited to join the Pittsburg State family and take on the role
 of president at this wonderful institution,” Shipp said in a statement.
 “I’m eager to meet the members of ‘Gorilla Nation’ and work alongside 
them to serve students, the city of Pittsburg and all of southeast 
Kansas.”

He said Scott created a “remarkable and enduring legacy” at Pittsburg
 State. It’s public university with about 6,000 students in the Kansas 
Board of Regents system.

Cheryl Harrison-Lee, chairwoman of the state Board of Regents, said 
Shipp had a proven track record of developing and implementing 
initiatives designed to drive student enrollment. Those initiatives 
included removal of barriers faced by underserved student populations, 
she said.

“He also brings extensive experience in helping students succeed in 
their academic careers and after graduation,” Harrison-Lee said.

Prior to his current job in Nebraska, Shipp was vice chancellor for 
student success at the University of Nebraska-Omaha and the University 
of Nebraska Medical Center. he also was vice chancellor for student 
affairs and enrollment management at University of Nebraska-Omaha.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in education from University of 
Nebraska-Lincoln, a master’s in education at University of 
Nebraska-Omaha and the education doctorate at University of the Pacific.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649444902028.png" alt="Daniel Shipp, a Nebraska higher education administrator, was selected Friday to serve as president of Pittsburg State University in southeast Kansas. (Kansas Reflector screen capture from Pittsburg State University)" />
 <figcaption>Daniel Shipp, a Nebraska higher education administrator, was selected Friday to serve as president of Pittsburg State University in southeast Kansas. (Kansas Reflector screen capture from Pittsburg State University)</figcaption>
 </figure>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/nebraska-college-administrator-selected-president-of-pittsburg-state-university/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — A Nebraska higher education administrator was chosen to 
serve as the 10th president of Pittsburg State University, the Kansas 
Board of Regents said Friday.Daniel Shipp, with a doctorate in educational leadership from 
University of the Pacific, is vice chancellor for strategic initiatives 
at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and executive vice 
president and provost of the four-campus University of Nebraska system.He replaces PSU president Steve Scott, who was appointed president of
 the southeast Kansas university in 2009. Scott has worked at the 
university for three decades and plans to retire in June.“I am excited to join the Pittsburg State family and take on the role
 of president at this wonderful institution,” Shipp said in a statement.
 “I’m eager to meet the members of ‘Gorilla Nation’ and work alongside 
them to serve students, the city of Pittsburg and all of southeast 
Kansas.”He said Scott created a “remarkable and enduring legacy” at Pittsburg
 State. It’s public university with about 6,000 students in the Kansas 
Board of Regents system.Cheryl Harrison-Lee, chairwoman of the state Board of Regents, said 
Shipp had a proven track record of developing and implementing 
initiatives designed to drive student enrollment. Those initiatives 
included removal of barriers faced by underserved student populations, 
she said.“He also brings extensive experience in helping students succeed in 
their academic careers and after graduation,” Harrison-Lee said.Prior to his current job in Nebraska, Shipp was vice chancellor for 
student success at the University of Nebraska-Omaha and the University 
of Nebraska Medical Center. he also was vice chancellor for student 
affairs and enrollment management at University of Nebraska-Omaha.He earned a bachelor’s degree in education from University of 
Nebraska-Lincoln, a master’s in education at University of 
Nebraska-Omaha and the education doctorate at University of the Pacific.

Neb. college administrator named president of Pittsburg State

RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man for alleged sex crimes.

Just before 12:30a.m. Friday,&nbsp; police located 22-year-old Marvin Gatewood of Junction City in the 1100 block of Moro St. in Manhattan.

Gatewood was known to have an active Geary County warrant for attempted rape, attempted aggravated criminal sodomy, aggravated burglary, aggravated sexual battery, criminal restraint, and battery that held a $300,000 bond, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.

Officers arrested Gatewood on the warrant. He is being held in Geary County, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649426919164.png" alt="Gatewood-photo Geary Co." />
 <figcaption>Gatewood-photo Geary Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man for alleged sex crimes.Just before 12:30a.m. Friday,&nbsp; police located 22-year-old Marvin Gatewood of Junction City in the 1100 block of Moro St. in Manhattan.Gatewood was known to have an active Geary County warrant for attempted rape, attempted aggravated criminal sodomy, aggravated burglary, aggravated sexual battery, criminal restraint, and battery that held a $300,000 bond, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.Officers arrested Gatewood on the warrant. He is being held in Geary County, according to online jail records.

Man wanted for alleged sex crimes captured in Manhattan

Three years later, repairs of damage done by the
2019 Missouri River flood continue.

Navigation Restoration Manager for the Army Corps
of Engineers, Dane Morris, reports the Corps expects to receive $270 million to
complete repair of the levees broken and other infrastructure damaged by the
widespread flood.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649436331517.jpeg" alt="Sandbags along the western bank of the Missouri River at Elwood in 2019/Photo courtesy of the Air National Guard" />
 <figcaption>Sandbags along the western bank of the Missouri River at Elwood in 2019/Photo courtesy of the Air National Guard</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostThree years later, repairs of damage done by the
2019 Missouri River flood continue.Navigation Restoration Manager for the Army Corps
of Engineers, Dane Morris, reports the Corps expects to receive $270 million to
complete repair of the levees broken and other infrastructure damaged by the
widespread flood.“We have been awarding contracts and performing
repairs since the 2019 flood occurred,” Morris tells St. Joseph Post. “To
date, we have awarded over $78 million in contracts for repair of the BSNP
(Bank Stabilization and Navigation Project) navigation structures and we are
approximately 50% complete with those repairs right now.”Morris says more than 7,000 structures along the
Missouri were damaged by the massive flooding in 2019. He says it will be
December of 2025 before all the damage is repaired, which he adds is typical, because
it takes five to six years to complete repairs following such widespread
flooding.The Corps is also working with officials from
Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, and Iowa to target perennially weak points along
the Missouri that flood frequently and consider changes to reduce the chances
of flooding.Navigation along the Missouri River this year is
uncertain, affected by an odd two-punch problem.The Army Corps of Engineers continues to repair
levees damaged by the 2019 flood even as it reduces water releases into the
river due to near-drought conditions upstream.Morris says the Corps isn’t certain yet how
navigation on the Missouri River will be impacted this year.“We are working closely with the navigation
industry,” Morris says. “We’re talking with them on a weekly basis to try to
understand what their need is, to understand where they’re going at any one
time so we will be ready to respond.”Morris acknowledges the Corps doesn’t have much
certainty to provide barge operators, but pledges to keep everyone up-to-date
throughout the navigation season.“That’s really our strategy for this year is just
keep up communication with the boats that are on the river so we know where
they are and we know where issues could arise and try to attack them before
they become an issue,” Morris says.Morris says lower releases from upstream Missouri
River dams will lower the Missouri River. The Corps expects to be able to
maintain an eight-foot channel. Normal conditions allow the Corps to provide a
nine-foot channel for Missouri River traffic.