SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect from Nebraska on drug charges after a traffic stop in Kansas.

Just before 8:30p.m. January 7, a deputy conducted a traffic stop on a 2015 Ford Explorer near SW 17th Street and SW Buchanan Street in Topeka, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

During the stop, a deputy located evidence of financial crimes and  Illegal narcotics.&nbsp; The deputy placed the driver and sole occupant, Jordan M. Koda, 29, Omaha, Nebraska, into custody and booked him into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of&nbsp; possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, no drug tax stamp and driving with a suspended driver’s license. This incident and potential financial crimes are actively under investigation, according to Christian.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641853373576.png" alt="Koda-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Koda-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect from Nebraska on drug charges after a traffic stop in Kansas.Just before 8:30p.m. January 7, a deputy conducted a traffic stop on a 2015 Ford Explorer near SW 17th Street and SW Buchanan Street in Topeka, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.During the stop, a deputy located evidence of financial crimes and Illegal narcotics.&nbsp; The deputy placed the driver and sole occupant, Jordan M. Koda, 29, Omaha, Nebraska, into custody and booked him into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of&nbsp; possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, no drug tax stamp and driving with a suspended driver’s license. This incident and potential financial crimes are actively under investigation, according to Christian.

Man investigated for alleged financial crimes in Kansas

Fans of the beloved Betty White, seeking to honor her legacy, 
are encouraging people to contribute to animal rescue and other 
animal-related charities.

Some are calling this the “<a href="https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/betty-white-challenge-animal-shelter-donations-173246263.html" target="_blank">Betty White Challenge</a> (#bettywhitechallenge)” and intend to donate on Monday, January 17, which would have been her 100th birthday. BBB Wise Giving Alliance (BBB’s <a href="https://www.give.org" target="_blank">Give.org</a>) has compiled a list of animal charities that meet the 20&nbsp;<a href="https://www.give.org/donor-landing-page/bbb-standards-for-charity-accountability" target="_blank">BBB Standards for Charity Accountability</a> (i.e., BBB Accredited Charities).&nbsp;

Donors are encouraged when making a donation choice to watch out for animal charities that have similar sounding names. <a href="https://give.org/news/honor-betty-white-by-supporting-animal-charities" target="_blank">Access this list and information</a> or visit BBB’s <a href="https://www.give.org/" target="_blank">Give.org</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641934918670.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>Fans of the beloved Betty White, seeking to honor her legacy, 
are encouraging people to contribute to animal rescue and other 
animal-related charities.Some are calling this the “<a href="https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/betty-white-challenge-animal-shelter-donations-173246263.html" target="_blank">Betty White Challenge</a> (#bettywhitechallenge)” and intend to donate on Monday, January 17, which would have been her 100th birthday. BBB Wise Giving Alliance (BBB’s <a href="https://www.give.org" target="_blank">Give.org</a>) has compiled a list of animal charities that meet the 20&nbsp;<a href="https://www.give.org/donor-landing-page/bbb-standards-for-charity-accountability" target="_blank">BBB Standards for Charity Accountability</a> (i.e., BBB Accredited Charities).&nbsp;Donors are encouraged when making a donation choice to watch out for animal charities that have similar sounding names. <a href="https://give.org/news/honor-betty-white-by-supporting-animal-charities" target="_blank">Access this list and information</a> or visit BBB’s <a href="https://www.give.org/" target="_blank">Give.org</a>.

BBB Tip: Donating to animal charities to honor Betty White

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea on Tuesday fired what appeared to be a ballistic missile into its eastern sea, its second launch in a week, following leader Kim Jong Un’s calls to expand its nuclear weapons program in defiance of international opposition.

The launches follow a series of weapons tests in 2021 that underscored how North Korea is continuing to expand its military capabilities during a self-imposed pandemic lockdown and deadlocked nuclear talks with the United States.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said North Korea fired what likely was a ballistic missile from the area of its northern Jagang province. It said the weapon flew 700 kilometers (434 miles) at a maximum speed of around Mach 10 before landing in waters off its eastern coast, demonstrating a more advanced capability than North Korea’s launch last week.

The North’s state media described the earlier launch as a successful test of a hypersonic missile, a type of weaponry it claimed to have first tested in September.

South Korean officials didn’t provide a specific assessment of the missile type, but some experts said North Korea may have tested its purported hypersonic missile again in response to the South Korean military playing down its previous test.

Japan’s Defense Ministry said the suspected ballistic missile landed outside the country’s exclusive economic zone.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said officials were checking the safety of ships and aircraft around Japan, but there were no immediate reports of disruptions or damage.

“It is extremely regrettable that North Korea has continued to fire” missiles so soon after the U.N. Security Council discussed its response to the North’s earlier launch, Kishida said.

The Security Council held closed-door consultations on Monday on last week’s launch, but took no action. Ahead of the talks, the U.S. and five allies issued a statement urging North Korea to abandon its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

South Korea’s presidential office said Tuesday’s launch was discussed at an emergency National Security Council meeting, whose members have urged North Korea to return to talks. President Moon Jae-in expressed concern that Pyongyang was dialing up its testing activity ahead of the South’s presidential elections in March.

The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said the launch did not pose an “immediate threat to U.S. personnel or territory, or to our allies.”

Still, the launch corresponded with an order issued to ground some flights on the U.S. West Coast.

KCRA, a television station in Sacramento, California, quoted officials at both its local airport and San Francisco International Airport as saying flights stopped for around five minutes at 2:30 p.m. local time, which was just minutes after the launch. They attributed the stop to an order by the Federal Aviation Administration.

Air-traffic controllers in other West Coast areas similarly ordered aircraft down, according to recordings shared online. A San Francisco air traffic controller ordered flights to avoid its airspace and not take off or land around the time without explaining why, according to a recording by the website&nbsp;<a href="http://liveatc.net/" target="_blank">LiveATC.net.</a>

“Things are changing really quick,” the air traffic controller said in the recording, adding later: “I just heard something about ground-stopping all aircraft, so I don’t know anything, just hold tight there.”

An air-traffic controller at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport similarly told aircraft in the region they received an order for a “ground stop, all aircraft, all airports.” Air traffic controllers at Los Angeles International Airport also acknowledged receiving an order to stop departures at the same time, without explanation, according to another recording.

The FAA did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the ground stop.

The launch came six days after North Korea fired a missile into the sea in what it described as a successful test of a hypersonic missile.

Seoul’s Defense Ministry said after that test that North Korea had exaggerated its capabilities and had tested a conventional ballistic missile the South was capable of intercepting. The ministry said it doubts that North Korea has acquired the technologies needed for a hypersonic weapon.

Analyst Cheong Seong-Chang at South Korea’s Sejong Institute said the North’s leadership would have been “enraged” by South Korea’s assessment of last week’s launch and may have planned a series of tests in a push to make its threat credible.

Hypersonic weapons, which fly at speeds in excess of Mach 5, or five times the speed of sound, could pose a crucial challenge to missile defense systems because of their speed and maneuverability. Such weapons were on a wish-list of sophisticated military assets Kim unveiled last year along with multi-warhead missiles, spy satellites, solid-fueled long-range missiles and submarine-launched nuclear missiles.

Experts say North Korea is likely years away from acquiring a credible hypersonic system.

North Korea’s previous test on Jan. 5 came days after Kim vowed during a key political conference to bolster his military forces, even as the nation grapples with pandemic-related difficulties that have further strained its economy, crippled by U.S.-led sanctions over its nuclear program.

The setbacks have left Kim with little to show for his diplomacy with former U.S. President Donald Trump, which derailed after their second meeting in 2019 when the Americans rejected North Korea’s demand for major sanctions relief in exchange for a partial surrender of its nuclear capabilities.

The Biden administration, whose policies have reflected a broader shift in U.S. focus from counterterrorism and so-called rogue states like North Korea and Iran to confronting a near-peer adversary in China, has said it’s willing to resume talks with North Korea “anywhere and at any time” without preconditions.

But North Korea has so far rejected the idea of open-ended talks, saying the U.S. must first withdraw its “hostile policy,” a term the North mainly uses to describe the sanctions and joint U.S.-South Korea military drills.

“Even with North Korea’s pandemic border lockdowns restricting trade and diplomacy, Pyongyang is determined to run an arms race against Seoul and deny Washington the luxury of focusing on Russia and China,” said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea on Tuesday fired what appeared to be a ballistic missile into its eastern sea, its second launch in a week, following leader Kim Jong Un’s calls to expand its nuclear weapons program in defiance of international opposition.The launches follow a series of weapons tests in 2021 that underscored how North Korea is continuing to expand its military capabilities during a self-imposed pandemic lockdown and deadlocked nuclear talks with the United States.South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said North Korea fired what likely was a ballistic missile from the area of its northern Jagang province. It said the weapon flew 700 kilometers (434 miles) at a maximum speed of around Mach 10 before landing in waters off its eastern coast, demonstrating a more advanced capability than North Korea’s launch last week.The North’s state media described the earlier launch as a successful test of a hypersonic missile, a type of weaponry it claimed to have first tested in September.South Korean officials didn’t provide a specific assessment of the missile type, but some experts said North Korea may have tested its purported hypersonic missile again in response to the South Korean military playing down its previous test.Japan’s Defense Ministry said the suspected ballistic missile landed outside the country’s exclusive economic zone.Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said officials were checking the safety of ships and aircraft around Japan, but there were no immediate reports of disruptions or damage.“It is extremely regrettable that North Korea has continued to fire” missiles so soon after the U.N. Security Council discussed its response to the North’s earlier launch, Kishida said.The Security Council held closed-door consultations on Monday on last week’s launch, but took no action. Ahead of the talks, the U.S. and five allies issued a statement urging North Korea to abandon its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.South Korea’s presidential office said Tuesday’s launch was discussed at an emergency National Security Council meeting, whose members have urged North Korea to return to talks. President Moon Jae-in expressed concern that Pyongyang was dialing up its testing activity ahead of the South’s presidential elections in March.The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said the launch did not pose an “immediate threat to U.S. personnel or territory, or to our allies.”Still, the launch corresponded with an order issued to ground some flights on the U.S. West Coast.KCRA, a television station in Sacramento, California, quoted officials at both its local airport and San Francisco International Airport as saying flights stopped for around five minutes at 2:30 p.m. local time, which was just minutes after the launch. They attributed the stop to an order by the Federal Aviation Administration.Air-traffic controllers in other West Coast areas similarly ordered aircraft down, according to recordings shared online. A San Francisco air traffic controller ordered flights to avoid its airspace and not take off or land around the time without explaining why, according to a recording by the website&nbsp;<a href="http://liveatc.net/" target="_blank">LiveATC.net.</a>“Things are changing really quick,” the air traffic controller said in the recording, adding later: “I just heard something about ground-stopping all aircraft, so I don’t know anything, just hold tight there.”An air-traffic controller at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport similarly told aircraft in the region they received an order for a “ground stop, all aircraft, all airports.” Air traffic controllers at Los Angeles International Airport also acknowledged receiving an order to stop departures at the same time, without explanation, according to another recording.The FAA did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the ground stop.The launch came six days after North Korea fired a missile into the sea in what it described as a successful test of a hypersonic missile.Seoul’s Defense Ministry said after that test that North Korea had exaggerated its capabilities and had tested a conventional ballistic missile the South was capable of intercepting. The ministry said it doubts that North Korea has acquired the technologies needed for a hypersonic weapon.Analyst Cheong Seong-Chang at South Korea’s Sejong Institute said the North’s leadership would have been “enraged” by South Korea’s assessment of last week’s launch and may have planned a series of tests in a push to make its threat credible.Hypersonic weapons, which fly at speeds in excess of Mach 5, or five times the speed of sound, could pose a crucial challenge to missile defense systems because of their speed and maneuverability. Such weapons were on a wish-list of sophisticated military assets Kim unveiled last year along with multi-warhead missiles, spy satellites, solid-fueled long-range missiles and submarine-launched nuclear missiles.Experts say North Korea is likely years away from acquiring a credible hypersonic system.North Korea’s previous test on Jan. 5 came days after Kim vowed during a key political conference to bolster his military forces, even as the nation grapples with pandemic-related difficulties that have further strained its economy, crippled by U.S.-led sanctions over its nuclear program.The setbacks have left Kim with little to show for his diplomacy with former U.S. President Donald Trump, which derailed after their second meeting in 2019 when the Americans rejected North Korea’s demand for major sanctions relief in exchange for a partial surrender of its nuclear capabilities.The Biden administration, whose policies have reflected a broader shift in U.S. focus from counterterrorism and so-called rogue states like North Korea and Iran to confronting a near-peer adversary in China, has said it’s willing to resume talks with North Korea “anywhere and at any time” without preconditions.But North Korea has so far rejected the idea of open-ended talks, saying the U.S. must first withdraw its “hostile policy,” a term the North mainly uses to describe the sanctions and joint U.S.-South Korea military drills.“Even with North Korea’s pandemic border lockdowns restricting trade and diplomacy, Pyongyang is determined to run an arms race against Seoul and deny Washington the luxury of focusing on Russia and China,” said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul.___

FAA stops some flights as North Korea fires another missile into sea 

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A Kansas woman has been sentenced to two years of probation for her role in the January 6 riot at the Capitol. 

Esther Schwemmer of Leavenworth also must perform community service and pay $500 in restitution for damage to the Capitol building. The sentence was handed down Monday. Schwemmer said that she hopes in time, she can forgive herself. 

Schwemmer and her friend Jennifer Ruth Parks attended then-President Donald Trump’s rally before following the crowd to the Capitol. Parks, of Leavenworth, received a similar sentence in December. Eight Kansas residents have been charged in connection with the Capitol riot.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Two Kansas women arrested in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol told the FBI they expected to participate in a peaceful protest supporting former President Donald Trump that day.

Court records show that Jennifer Ruth Parks and Esther Schwemmer were both arrested Friday. An affidavit filed in Parks’ case describes how the two women entered the U.S. Capitol after protesters broke into the building and remained inside for 30 minutes to an hour.

Parks is charged with knowingly entering or remaining in a restricted building without lawful authority, but the charges against Schwemmer had not been released as of Sunday.

“Parks believed she was attending a peaceful rally in support of President Donald Trump,” an FBI agent wrote.

The two friends who travelled to Washington together are among at least seven people from Kansas and dozens nationwide who have been charged in connection with the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol while Congress was meeting to certify Democrat Joe Biden as the winner of the 2020 presidential race.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619432644832.png" alt="Jennifer Parks and Esther Schwemmer of Kansas were arrested in April -Photo U.S. Dept. of Justice" />
 <figcaption>Jennifer Parks and Esther Schwemmer of Kansas were arrested in April -Photo U.S. Dept. of Justice</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — A Kansas woman has been sentenced to two years of probation for her role in the January 6 riot at the Capitol. Esther Schwemmer of Leavenworth also must perform community service and pay $500 in restitution for damage to the Capitol building. The sentence was handed down Monday. Schwemmer said that she hopes in time, she can forgive herself. Schwemmer and her friend Jennifer Ruth Parks attended then-President Donald Trump’s rally before following the crowd to the Capitol. Parks, of Leavenworth, received a similar sentence in December. Eight Kansas residents have been charged in connection with the Capitol riot.----------KANSAS CITY (AP) — Two Kansas women arrested in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol told the FBI they expected to participate in a peaceful protest supporting former President Donald Trump that day.Court records show that Jennifer Ruth Parks and Esther Schwemmer were both arrested Friday. An affidavit filed in Parks’ case describes how the two women entered the U.S. Capitol after protesters broke into the building and remained inside for 30 minutes to an hour.Parks is charged with knowingly entering or remaining in a restricted building without lawful authority, but the charges against Schwemmer had not been released as of Sunday.“Parks believed she was attending a peaceful rally in support of President Donald Trump,” an FBI agent wrote.The two friends who travelled to Washington together are among at least seven people from Kansas and dozens nationwide who have been charged in connection with the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol while Congress was meeting to certify Democrat Joe Biden as the winner of the 2020 presidential race.

Kansas woman sentenced for role in Capitol riot

SEDGWICK COUNTY —The board for largest school district in Kansas met for their first meeting of 2022 Monday night.&nbsp; The meeting ended before it started.

USD 259-Wichita board president Stan Reeser suspended the meeting after board members and others in attendance refused to follow the district’s mask requirement.

 Last summer, the USD 259 board unanimously approved a mask mandate for all district buildings. It went into effect August 30.

According <a href="https://www.usd259.org/cms/lib/KS01906405/Centricity/domain/622/2022%20boe%20meetings/2022%2001%2010%20-%20Agenda%20-%20BOE.pdf">to the online agenda,</a> Monday's meeting included a Ceremonial Oath of Office for new board members Diane Albert, Kathy Bond, Julie Hedrick, and Hazel Stabler. They were among those not wearing masks.&nbsp;

The meeting will be rescheduled, and notification will be provided when the new date and time is confirmed, according to USD 259.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641866731286.png" alt="From far left: Superintendent Alicia Thompson and&nbsp;Board president Stan Reeser during Monday's meeting -Photo courtesy USD 259&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>From far left: Superintendent Alicia Thompson and&nbsp;Board president Stan Reeser during Monday's meeting -Photo courtesy USD 259&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —The board for largest school district in Kansas met for their first meeting of 2022 Monday night.&nbsp; The meeting ended before it started.USD 259-Wichita board president Stan Reeser suspended the meeting after board members and others in attendance refused to follow the district’s mask requirement. Last summer, the USD 259 board unanimously approved a mask mandate for all district buildings. It went into effect August 30.According <a href="https://www.usd259.org/cms/lib/KS01906405/Centricity/domain/622/2022%20boe%20meetings/2022%2001%2010%20-%20Agenda%20-%20BOE.pdf">to the online agenda,</a> Monday's meeting included a Ceremonial Oath of Office for new board members Diane Albert, Kathy Bond, Julie Hedrick, and Hazel Stabler. They were among those not wearing masks.&nbsp;The meeting will be rescheduled, and notification will be provided when the new date and time is confirmed, according to USD 259.

 State's largest school district board meeting suspended over masks

WASHINGTON (AP) — Starting Saturday, private health insurers will be required to cover up to eight home COVID-19 tests per month for people on their plans. The Biden administration announced the change Monday as it looks to lower costs and make testing for the virus more convenient amid rising frustrations.

Under the new policy, first detailed to the AP, Americans will be able to either purchase home testing kits for free under their insurance or submit receipts for the tests for reimbursement, up to the monthly per-person limit. A family of four, for instance, could be reimbursed for up to 32 tests per month. PCR tests and rapid tests ordered or administered by a health provider will continue to be fully covered by insurance with no limit.

President Joe&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-business-health-elections-bb16c5c52e2bf719ec8a0c5415aaf66c">Biden faced criticism</a>&nbsp;over the holiday season for a shortage of at-home rapid tests as Americans traveled to see family amid the surge in cases from the more transmissible omicron variant. Now the administration is working to make COVID-19 home tests more accessible, both by increasing supply and bringing down costs.

Later this month, the federal government will launch a website to begin making 500 million at-home COVID-19 tests available via mail. The administration also is scaling up emergency rapid-testing sites in areas experiencing the greatest surges in cases.

The insurer-covered testing would dramatically reduce costs for many Americans, and the administration hopes that by easing a barrier to more regular at-home testing, it can help slow the spread of the virus,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-business-pandemics-lori-lightfoot-afc2b0b537b092d5618bcd79e9ce88b1">get kids back into school more quickly&nbsp;</a>and help people gather safely.

“This is all part of our overall strategy to ramp up access to easy-to-use, at-home tests at no cost,” Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a statement. “By requiring private health plans to cover people’s at-home tests, we are further expanding Americans’ ability to get tests for free when they need them.”

Biden announced the federal requirement late last year, and it kicks in on Jan. 15, but the administration had been silent until now on details of the plan.

The administration is trying to incentivize private insurers to cover the tests up-front and without a cumbersome reimbursement process. Insurance plans that work with pharmacies and retailers to cover the up-front costs of the tests will be required to reimburse only up to $12 per test if purchased through an out-of-network retailer. Plans that don’t move proactively to set up a network of pharmacies would have to cover the full retail price that the customer paid — which could be more than $12 per test.

A major health insurance industry group said insurers would carry out the administration’s order, but cautioned consumers it won’t be as easy as flipping a switch.

“Health insurance providers will work as quickly as possible to implement this guidance in ways that limit consumer confusion and challenges,” Matt Eyles, president of America’s Health Insurance Plans, said in a statement. “While there will likely be some hiccups in early days, we will work with the administration to swiftly address issues as they arise.”

The group said it supports provisions in the Biden administration plan to counteract potential price gouging on tests.

Only tests purchased on or after Jan. 15 will be required to be reimbursed, the administration said. Some insurers may choose to cover the costs of at-home tests purchased earlier, but they won’t have to.

Mina Bressler, a mother of two and a therapist in San Mateo, California, was able to buy rapid test kits online and shared some with a parent who works in the service industry and doesn’t have time to “sit at her computer every hour refreshing the Walmart page to see when tests are in stock.”

“I gave her some and her kids went to school. That’s one time and there’s a million of her,” Bressler said.

“Just like vaccines becoming available really shone a light on the inequity of what’s going on in this pandemic, I think testing is the new flashlight for that because who’s going online stalking Walmart? It’s not the most vulnerable people in the county,” Bressler added.

Americans on Medicare won’t be able to get tests reimbursed through the federal insurance plan, but Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program plans are required to cover the cost of at-home tests fully. Those who are not on a covered insurance plan can receive free tests through the forthcoming federal website or from some local community centers and pharmacies.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638546938939.png" alt="Under a proposal announced by President Joe Biden, Americans can get reimbursed for the roughly $25 cost of Abbott BinaxNOW rapid tests. image&nbsp; by Laura Olson/States Newsroom" />
 <figcaption>Under a proposal announced by President Joe Biden, Americans can get reimbursed for the roughly $25 cost of Abbott BinaxNOW rapid tests. image&nbsp; by Laura Olson/States Newsroom</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Starting Saturday, private health insurers will be required to cover up to eight home COVID-19 tests per month for people on their plans. The Biden administration announced the change Monday as it looks to lower costs and make testing for the virus more convenient amid rising frustrations.Under the new policy, first detailed to the AP, Americans will be able to either purchase home testing kits for free under their insurance or submit receipts for the tests for reimbursement, up to the monthly per-person limit. A family of four, for instance, could be reimbursed for up to 32 tests per month. PCR tests and rapid tests ordered or administered by a health provider will continue to be fully covered by insurance with no limit.President Joe&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-business-health-elections-bb16c5c52e2bf719ec8a0c5415aaf66c">Biden faced criticism</a>&nbsp;over the holiday season for a shortage of at-home rapid tests as Americans traveled to see family amid the surge in cases from the more transmissible omicron variant. Now the administration is working to make COVID-19 home tests more accessible, both by increasing supply and bringing down costs.Later this month, the federal government will launch a website to begin making 500 million at-home COVID-19 tests available via mail. The administration also is scaling up emergency rapid-testing sites in areas experiencing the greatest surges in cases.The insurer-covered testing would dramatically reduce costs for many Americans, and the administration hopes that by easing a barrier to more regular at-home testing, it can help slow the spread of the virus,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-business-pandemics-lori-lightfoot-afc2b0b537b092d5618bcd79e9ce88b1">get kids back into school more quickly&nbsp;</a>and help people gather safely.“This is all part of our overall strategy to ramp up access to easy-to-use, at-home tests at no cost,” Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a statement. “By requiring private health plans to cover people’s at-home tests, we are further expanding Americans’ ability to get tests for free when they need them.”Biden announced the federal requirement late last year, and it kicks in on Jan. 15, but the administration had been silent until now on details of the plan.The administration is trying to incentivize private insurers to cover the tests up-front and without a cumbersome reimbursement process. Insurance plans that work with pharmacies and retailers to cover the up-front costs of the tests will be required to reimburse only up to $12 per test if purchased through an out-of-network retailer. Plans that don’t move proactively to set up a network of pharmacies would have to cover the full retail price that the customer paid — which could be more than $12 per test.A major health insurance industry group said insurers would carry out the administration’s order, but cautioned consumers it won’t be as easy as flipping a switch.“Health insurance providers will work as quickly as possible to implement this guidance in ways that limit consumer confusion and challenges,” Matt Eyles, president of America’s Health Insurance Plans, said in a statement. “While there will likely be some hiccups in early days, we will work with the administration to swiftly address issues as they arise.”The group said it supports provisions in the Biden administration plan to counteract potential price gouging on tests.Only tests purchased on or after Jan. 15 will be required to be reimbursed, the administration said. Some insurers may choose to cover the costs of at-home tests purchased earlier, but they won’t have to.Mina Bressler, a mother of two and a therapist in San Mateo, California, was able to buy rapid test kits online and shared some with a parent who works in the service industry and doesn’t have time to “sit at her computer every hour refreshing the Walmart page to see when tests are in stock.”“I gave her some and her kids went to school. That’s one time and there’s a million of her,” Bressler said.“Just like vaccines becoming available really shone a light on the inequity of what’s going on in this pandemic, I think testing is the new flashlight for that because who’s going online stalking Walmart? It’s not the most vulnerable people in the county,” Bressler added.Americans on Medicare won’t be able to get tests reimbursed through the federal insurance plan, but Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program plans are required to cover the cost of at-home tests fully. Those who are not on a covered insurance plan can receive free tests through the forthcoming federal website or from some local community centers and pharmacies.___

Home COVID tests to be covered by insurers starting this weekend

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Authorities investigating the cause of a Monday house fire in Topeka have identified the boy who died as&nbsp; 7-year-old Alexander Servantez.

Just before 7a.m., fire crews responded to the house fire at 1432 SW MacVicar Avenue in Topeka, according to&nbsp;Public Education Officer Alan Stahl.

Before their arrival, fire crews were advised there were possibly residents trapped in the home. They immediately found the home with heavy fire and smoke coming from the first floor. 

Fire crews made an interior attack on the fire. They located and rescued&nbsp;Servantez &nbsp;and an adult female, according to Stahl.

 American Medical Response (AMR) transported both of them to Stormont Vail Hospital with life-threatening injuries and the boy died, according to Stahl.

Firefighters quickly brought the fire under control, and no other homes were damaged.

After the fire was out, AMR transported a third resident of the home to the hospital to treat non-life-threatening injuries. A fourth occupant was able to escape the fire before the arrival of fire crews and had no injuries.

The Topeka Fire Department Investigation Unit and investigators from the Office of the Kansas State Fire Marshal continue working to determine the cause of the fire.&nbsp;&nbsp;At this time no foul play is suspected.

The total dollar loss is estimated to be $120,000 with $80,000 in loss to the structure and $40,000 in loss to contents. There were no working smoke detectors in the home, according to Stahl.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641835732799.png" alt="Crews on the scene of the fatal house fire Monday in Topeka-photo by Phil Anderson courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Crews on the scene of the fatal house fire Monday in Topeka-photo by Phil Anderson courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Authorities investigating the cause of a Monday house fire in Topeka have identified the boy who died as&nbsp; 7-year-old Alexander Servantez.Just before 7a.m., fire crews responded to the house fire at 1432 SW MacVicar Avenue in Topeka, according to&nbsp;Public Education Officer Alan Stahl.Before their arrival, fire crews were advised there were possibly residents trapped in the home. They immediately found the home with heavy fire and smoke coming from the first floor. Fire crews made an interior attack on the fire. They located and rescued&nbsp;Servantez &nbsp;and an adult female, according to Stahl. American Medical Response (AMR) transported both of them to Stormont Vail Hospital with life-threatening injuries and the boy died, according to Stahl.Firefighters quickly brought the fire under control, and no other homes were damaged.After the fire was out, AMR transported a third resident of the home to the hospital to treat non-life-threatening injuries. A fourth occupant was able to escape the fire before the arrival of fire crews and had no injuries.The Topeka Fire Department Investigation Unit and investigators from the Office of the Kansas State Fire Marshal continue working to determine the cause of the fire.&nbsp;&nbsp;At this time no foul play is suspected.The total dollar loss is estimated to be $120,000 with $80,000 in loss to the structure and $40,000 in loss to contents. There were no working smoke detectors in the home, according to Stahl.

Investigators work to determine cause of Kan. fire that killed 7-year-old

Latest wave brings total program commitments to nearly $4.2B

WASHINGTON — The Federal Communications Commission this week announced that it is committing $361,037,156.16 in its latest wave of Emergency Connectivity Fund program support.  This round of commitments will support 802 schools, 49 libraries and 8 consortia, which are approved to receive nearly 654,000 connected devices and over 313,000 broadband connections.  Today’s seventh funding wave brings total commitments to nearly $4.2 billion since the program was launched on June 29, 2021, supporting students, school staff, and library patrons in all 50 states, Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia.

“Today’s funding announcement will provide 700,000 more schoolchildren with the digital tools they need to connect with teachers and classmates,” said Chairwoman Rosenworcel.  “The Emergency Connectivity Fund is the single largest effort to close the Homework Gap by bringing connectivity and devices to students and library patrons.  The need for this support is apparent in both rural and urban America and I’m pleased to note that with this funding we are supporting communities stretching from Aniak, Alaska, to New York City.”

The funding can be used to support off-campus learning, such as nightly homework and virtual learning, to ensure students across the country have the necessary support to keep up with their education.  Total commitments to date are supporting over 9,800 schools, 800 libraries, and 100 consortia for over 8.9 million connected devices and over 4.7 million broadband connections.  Today’s announcement includes nearly $155 million in commitments from Window 1 applications and over $206 million in commitments from Window 2 applications. 

More details about which schools and libraries have received funding commitments can be found at https://www.fcc.gov/emergency-connectivity-fund. 

Detailed information on the status of Emergency Connectivity Fund applications is available in the Open Data Portal, including applicant details, requested funds, individual product or service details, funding commitment, and funding disbursement information.  Additional information on the Emergency Connectivity Fund program is available at: https://www.emergencyconnectivityfund.org.  The program is administered by the Universal Service Administrative Company, with oversight from and under rules unanimously adopted by the Federal Communications Commission.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584977952684.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Latest wave brings total program commitments to nearly $4.2B</h2> FCCWASHINGTON — The Federal Communications Commission this week announced that it is committing $361,037,156.16 in its latest wave of Emergency Connectivity Fund program support. This round of commitments will support 802 schools, 49 libraries and 8 consortia, which are approved to receive nearly 654,000 connected devices and over 313,000 broadband connections. Today’s seventh funding wave brings total commitments to nearly $4.2 billion since the program was launched on June 29, 2021, supporting students, school staff, and library patrons in all 50 states, Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia.“Today’s funding announcement will provide 700,000 more schoolchildren with the digital tools they need to connect with teachers and classmates,” said Chairwoman Rosenworcel. “The Emergency Connectivity Fund is the single largest effort to close the Homework Gap by bringing connectivity and devices to students and library patrons. The need for this support is apparent in both rural and urban America and I’m pleased to note that with this funding we are supporting communities stretching from Aniak, Alaska, to New York City.”The funding can be used to support off-campus learning, such as nightly homework and virtual learning, to ensure students across the country have the necessary support to keep up with their education. Total commitments to date are supporting over 9,800 schools, 800 libraries, and 100 consortia for over 8.9 million connected devices and over 4.7 million broadband connections. Today’s announcement includes nearly $155 million in commitments from Window 1 applications and over $206 million in commitments from Window 2 applications. More details about which schools and libraries have received funding commitments can be found at https://www.fcc.gov/emergency-connectivity-fund. Detailed information on the status of Emergency Connectivity Fund applications is available in the Open Data Portal, including applicant details, requested funds, individual product or service details, funding commitment, and funding disbursement information. Additional information on the Emergency Connectivity Fund program is available at: https://www.emergencyconnectivityfund.org. The program is administered by the Universal Service Administrative Company, with oversight from and under rules unanimously adopted by the Federal Communications Commission.

FCC: Another $361M set aside for emergency internet connection

If a friend asks for a favor, you do it, no questions asked. 
Right? Time to rethink that policy. In this new con, a scammer poses as a
 friend asking for a simple favor. The email is so convincing that BBB 
staff almost fell for it!

&nbsp;You get an email that appears to be from a friend 
or family member. The message looks harmless and casual—like something a
 friend might really write. For example, one version reads: “Hi, how are
 things going with you? Are you busy? I need a quick favor.” The message
 even ends with “Sent from my iPhone.” &nbsp;

Concerned about your friend, you reply and ask for more details. The 
“friend” quickly responds that they are trying to buy a gift card for 
their niece’s birthday. However, they are traveling and having trouble 
purchasing the card online. “Could you get it from any local grocery 
store around you?” reads the email. “I’ll pay you back as soon as I am 
back.” &nbsp;

The request sounds reasonable. But if you do buy the gift card, your 
“friend” will ask you share the card’s PIN and/or send a photo of the 
back of the card. Unfortunately, by doing this you are essentially 
handing money to the scammer. It’s nearly impossible to get the money 
back because <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/23734-bbb-investigation-gift-card-scams-why-do-scammers-love-gift-cards" target="_blank">gift cards do not have the same protections</a> as credit or debit cards.

Learn more about how scammers use gift cards&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/23735-bbb-investigation-gift-card-scams" target="_blank">in this BBB study on gift cards</a>&nbsp;and this&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/14400-dont-get-scammed-out-of-a-gift-card-this-season" target="_blank">tip about gift cons</a>. Also, read more about <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/scams/16918-bbb-scam-alert-emergency-scams" target="_blank">emergency scams</a> and <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/21686-who-is-really-contacting-you" target="_blank">impostor scams</a>.

If you’ve spotted a scam (whether or not you’ve lost money), report it to <a href="https://www.bbb.org/ScamTracker" target="_blank">BBB.org/ScamTracker</a>. Your report can help others avoid falling victim to scams.

Stay up on the latest scams by&nbsp;<a href="https://signup.e2ma.net/signup/1900156/1902645/" target="_blank">subscribing to BBB Scam Alerts emails</a>.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579883951052.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BBBIf a friend asks for a favor, you do it, no questions asked. 
Right? Time to rethink that policy. In this new con, a scammer poses as a
 friend asking for a simple favor. The email is so convincing that BBB 
staff almost fell for it!<h2>How this scam works</h2>&nbsp;You get an email that appears to be from a friend 
or family member. The message looks harmless and casual—like something a
 friend might really write. For example, one version reads: “Hi, how are
 things going with you? Are you busy? I need a quick favor.” The message
 even ends with “Sent from my iPhone.” &nbsp;Concerned about your friend, you reply and ask for more details. The 
“friend” quickly responds that they are trying to buy a gift card for 
their niece’s birthday. However, they are traveling and having trouble 
purchasing the card online. “Could you get it from any local grocery 
store around you?” reads the email. “I’ll pay you back as soon as I am 
back.” &nbsp;The request sounds reasonable. But if you do buy the gift card, your 
“friend” will ask you share the card’s PIN and/or send a photo of the 
back of the card. Unfortunately, by doing this you are essentially 
handing money to the scammer. It’s nearly impossible to get the money 
back because <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/23734-bbb-investigation-gift-card-scams-why-do-scammers-love-gift-cards" target="_blank">gift cards do not have the same protections</a> as credit or debit cards.<h2>Protect yourself from this con</h2><ul>
 <li> Reach out to your friend directly. If you get an unusual request, call or text your friend to confirm their story. No matter how harmless the story sounds, always double-check before sending someone money. </li><li>Use gift cards wisely.&nbsp;Never do business with 
anyone who insists on payment with gift cards. Remember, providing the 
numbers from the back of a gift card is just like sending cash. </li>
 </ul><h2>For more information</h2>Learn more about how scammers use gift cards&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/23735-bbb-investigation-gift-card-scams" target="_blank">in this BBB study on gift cards</a>&nbsp;and this&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/14400-dont-get-scammed-out-of-a-gift-card-this-season" target="_blank">tip about gift cons</a>. Also, read more about <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/scams/16918-bbb-scam-alert-emergency-scams" target="_blank">emergency scams</a> and <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/21686-who-is-really-contacting-you" target="_blank">impostor scams</a>.If you’ve spotted a scam (whether or not you’ve lost money), report it to <a href="https://www.bbb.org/ScamTracker" target="_blank">BBB.org/ScamTracker</a>. Your report can help others avoid falling victim to scams.Stay up on the latest scams by&nbsp;<a href="https://signup.e2ma.net/signup/1900156/1902645/" target="_blank">subscribing to BBB Scam Alerts emails</a>.&nbsp;

Scam alert: Don’t do this friend a favor. It’s really a clever scam

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a officer-involved shooting and have two suspects in custody.

Just after 5:35p.m. Sunday, an off-duty Sedgwick County sheriff’s deputy was alerted to a theft from a business at Harry and Webb in Wichita, according to Lt. Benjamin Blick.

The deputy contacted the suspects of the theft outside of the business. During the contact, one of the suspects drove a vehicle towards the deputy. The deputy fired one round into the vehicle which didn’t strike any of the vehicle occupants. After the shot, the suspects fled in the same vehicle.

A short time later, the Wichita Police Department located the suspects and the vehicle near Oliver and Morris. They arrested 55-year-old Lisa Young and and 31-year-old Able Molina both of Wichita.

The KBI, Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office, and the Professional Standards Unit of the sheriff’s office were notified.

The deputy involved is 34 years old and has been a patrol deputy with the sheriff’s office for 7 years. He was not injured, according to Lt. Blick.

Lisa Young i<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=51609">s being held </a>on requested charges of Aggravated Assault and drug charges. Able Molina was booked on requested charges of Theft and drug charges.

Upon the completion of the criminal investigation, the case will be presented to the District Attorney’s Office for review.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641845570693.png" alt="Molina-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Molina-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a officer-involved shooting and have two suspects in custody.Just after 5:35p.m. Sunday, an off-duty Sedgwick County sheriff’s deputy was alerted to a theft from a business at Harry and Webb in Wichita, according to Lt. Benjamin Blick.The deputy contacted the suspects of the theft outside of the business. During the contact, one of the suspects drove a vehicle towards the deputy. The deputy fired one round into the vehicle which didn’t strike any of the vehicle occupants. After the shot, the suspects fled in the same vehicle.A short time later, the Wichita Police Department located the suspects and the vehicle near Oliver and Morris. They arrested 55-year-old Lisa Young and and 31-year-old Able Molina both of Wichita.The KBI, Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office, and the Professional Standards Unit of the sheriff’s office were notified.The deputy involved is 34 years old and has been a patrol deputy with the sheriff’s office for 7 years. He was not injured, according to Lt. Blick.Lisa Young i<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=51609">s being held </a>on requested charges of Aggravated Assault and drug charges. Able Molina was booked on requested charges of Theft and drug charges.Upon the completion of the criminal investigation, the case will be presented to the District Attorney’s Office for review.

Off duty Kan. deputy fired gun at suspects who drove car at him

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas woman on multiple charges after a traffic stop.

Just before 2p.m. Sunday, a deputy conducted a traffic stop on a silver 2000 Dodge Ram 1500 pickup truck near SW 37th Street and South Kansas Avenue for an expired license plate, according to Deputy Abigail Christian. A K9 Unit assisted and illegal narcotics were located.

The driver, Alice L. Ackors-King (35) of Topeka, was placed into custody and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and driving with an expired license plate.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641853056375.png" alt="Ackors-King-photo Shawnee Co" />
 <figcaption>Ackors-King-photo Shawnee Co</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas woman on multiple charges after a traffic stop.Just before 2p.m. Sunday, a deputy conducted a traffic stop on a silver 2000 Dodge Ram 1500 pickup truck near SW 37th Street and South Kansas Avenue for an expired license plate, according to Deputy Abigail Christian. A K9 Unit assisted and illegal narcotics were located.The driver, Alice L. Ackors-King (35) of Topeka, was placed into custody and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and driving with an expired license plate.

Sheriff's K-9 helps arrest Kansas woman after traffic stop 

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating&nbsp; shooting outside a weekend&nbsp; party have identified the victim as 39-year-old Justine Bell of Wichita.&nbsp;

Shortly after 2:00 a.m. Sunday, police were dispatched to a shooting call in the 2200 block of E. 12th street N. in Wichita, according to officer Trevor Macy.

At the scene, police located a Bell with a single gunshot wound. She was transported to an area hospital for treatment of critical injuries.

Investigators learned that a party took place at the location on 12th street when an argument broke out in the parking lot. This led to multiple shots being fired. One of the shots struck Bell. 

It is believed that multiple people then began to flee the location, and at least one vehicle struck Bell causing additional injuries.

Police have not reported an arrest or updated Bell's condition.

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating&nbsp; shooting outside a weekend&nbsp; party have identified the victim as 39-year-old Justine Bell of Wichita.&nbsp;Shortly after 2:00 a.m. Sunday, police were dispatched to a shooting call in the 2200 block of E. 12th street N. in Wichita, according to officer Trevor Macy.At the scene, police located a Bell with a single gunshot wound. She was transported to an area hospital for treatment of critical injuries.Investigators learned that a party took place at the location on 12th street when an argument broke out in the parking lot. This led to multiple shots being fired. One of the shots struck Bell. It is believed that multiple people then began to flee the location, and at least one vehicle struck Bell causing additional injuries.Police have not reported an arrest or updated Bell's condition.

Police ID Kansas woman shot, struck by car outside party

PAWNEE COUNTY–&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), the Larned Police Department, and the Pawnee County Sheriff’s Office released additional details related to the homicides that occurred in Larned on Saturday, according to a media release from the KBI.

The investigation determined that just after 3 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 8, Jon Smith arrived in a pickup truck at Shala Smith’s residence at 524 Park St. in Larned. He entered the house alone, while carrying a shotgun. Evidence indicates that he shot and killed both Shala Smith, his wife although separated, and Carver Smith, his 12-year-old son. He then shot himself.

The autopsies confirmed that the manners of death for Shala and Carver were homicide and that Jon’s manner of death was suicide.

PAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an incident that left three dead in Pawnee County.

Just after 9p.m. Saturday, the Larned Police Department received a 911 call from a man who discovered the three subjects dead inside a residence at 524 Park Street Larned, according to Pawnee County Attorney Doug McNett.

At the scene, first responders located 44-year-old Shala M. Smith,&nbsp; 12-year-old Carver A. Smith and 44-year-old Jon B. Smith all of Larned, according to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. They each died from gunshot wounds. They were pronounced dead by the coroner at the scene, according to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.

KBI agents and the Crime Scene Response Team responded to Larned to investigate.

No threat to the public is believed to exist related to this incident. Additional details will be released after the autopsies are completed.

PAWNEE COUNTY–&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), the Larned Police Department, and the Pawnee County Sheriff’s Office released additional details related to the homicides that occurred in Larned on Saturday, according to a media release from the KBI.The investigation determined that just after 3 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 8, Jon Smith arrived in a pickup truck at Shala Smith’s residence at 524 Park St. in Larned. He entered the house alone, while carrying a shotgun. Evidence indicates that he shot and killed both Shala Smith, his wife although separated, and Carver Smith, his 12-year-old son. He then shot himself.The autopsies confirmed that the manners of death for Shala and Carver were homicide and that Jon’s manner of death was suicide.----------PAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an incident that left three dead in Pawnee County.Just after 9p.m. Saturday, the Larned Police Department received a 911 call from a man who discovered the three subjects dead inside a residence at 524 Park Street Larned, according to Pawnee County Attorney Doug McNett.At the scene, first responders located 44-year-old Shala M. Smith,&nbsp; 12-year-old Carver A. Smith and 44-year-old Jon B. Smith all of Larned, according to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. They each died from gunshot wounds. They were pronounced dead by the coroner at the scene, according to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.KBI agents and the Crime Scene Response Team responded to Larned to investigate.No threat to the public is believed to exist related to this incident. Additional details will be released after the autopsies are completed.-------------

KBI update: 2 adults, 12-year-old found dead in Kan. home

BUTLER COUNTY—Authorities investigating a fatal house fire in Butler County have made an arrest.

Late Friday, the El Dorado Police and Fire Departments responded to the fire at a home in the 300 block of N Taylor in El Dorado, according to a media release.

First responders learned there was an individual inside of the home. Emergency personnel were able to retrieve this individual from the home and administered life saving measures. 

Unfortunately, the individual did succumb to their injuries and was pronounced deceased. On Monday, 46-year-old David J. Poulter from El Dorado,&nbsp; was charged with 1st degree murder, aggravated arson and assault on a law enforcement officer in connection with the fire.

&nbsp;Authorities have not released the victim's name or additional details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641844111037.png" alt="Poulter is being held in the Butler Co. Jail" />
 <figcaption>Poulter is being held in the Butler Co. Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>BUTLER COUNTY—Authorities investigating a fatal house fire in Butler County have made an arrest.Late Friday, the El Dorado Police and Fire Departments responded to the fire at a home in the 300 block of N Taylor in El Dorado, according to a media release.First responders learned there was an individual inside of the home. Emergency personnel were able to retrieve this individual from the home and administered life saving measures. Unfortunately, the individual did succumb to their injuries and was pronounced deceased. On Monday, 46-year-old David J. Poulter from El Dorado,&nbsp; was charged with 1st degree murder, aggravated arson and assault on a law enforcement officer in connection with the fire.&nbsp;Authorities have not released the victim's name or additional details.

Police: Kan. man accused of murder for fatal house fire

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/01/10/legislators-governor-agree-to-allocate-154-million-in-federal-stimulus-funding/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly and 
legislative leaders unanimously agreed Monday to dedicate $154 million 
in federal stimulus funding to support economic development with 
construction of commercial buildings and to improve resources available 
to low-income students struggling in school.

Members of the State Finance Council, which includes Republicans and 
Democrats from the Senate and House, adopted a recommendation to set 
aside $100 million for expansion of structures needed to expand or 
attract businesses and jobs. The council also directed $50 million at a 
new program of $1,000 per-child grants to be used by families in the way
 most useful to students struggling through the pandemic.

In addition, $4 million was approved to help school districts upgrade internet connections to high-speed broadband services.

The spending plan was recommended by a public-private board known as 
SPARK, or Strengthening People and Revitalizing Kansas. Two SPARK 
members raised sharp objections to the Kelly administration’s plan to 
support business and education, but were outvoted.

Lt. Gov. David Toland, who also serves as secretary at the Kansas 
Department of Commerce, said a shortage of commercial space existed in 
some areas of the state. No decisions have been made about which 
communities or businesses would receive the funding, he said.

“It will be a competitive pot of money that businesses, communities 
and others will apply to for their individual projects,” Toland said. 
“This fund would also support economic development infrastructure, 
including the extension of utilities to business and industrial sites.”

Houses Speaker Ron Ryckman, a Republican from Olathe, sought more 
details about how the state would decide which 50,000 students in Kansas
 received $1,000 grants for social and mental health services, tutoring,
 books, school supplies and other educational aids.

Ryckman estimated there were 250,000 students in Kansas receiving 
free or reduce lunch who might be eligible for learning recovery 
assistance.

“How are we going to pick 50,000 students?” Ryckman said. “How do we select those 50,000 parents or families?”

Kelly said established metrics tied to household income would be 
relied upon to identify eligible families, who would be responsible for 
applying for grants.

“The grants will be allocated for the lowest income folks, households
 at the beginning,” the governor said. “We open up the grant process. 
There is a deadline to apply for that. At the end of that deadline, if 
that income level had not applied for all of the grants to use up the 
$50 million, then we would open up to the next higher tier of income.”

She said the state’s COVID-19 recovery office would work on selecting
 a vendor that would provide families with an online portal to gain 
access to approved expenditures.

“We will put up the guardrails to ensure we don’t get scammed here and don’t overpay a vendor,” Kelly said.

The appropriation was drawn from about $1.6 billion in stimulus aid 
sent to Kansas by Congress. In the past, the State Finance Council 
agreed to spend $27 million for coronavirus testing, $30 million to 
enhance salaries of hard-to-fill state jobs and $50 million for 
compensation bonuses to nurses.

Tim Carpenter has reported on Kansas for 35 years. He covered the Capitol for 16 years at the Topeka Capital-Journal and previously worked for the Lawrence Journal-World and United Press International.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641846972902.jpg" alt="The Kansas Finance Council comprised of Gov. Laura Kelly and eight legislative leaders voted to use federal stimulus funding on a $50 million program to help students struggling through the pandemic and $100 million to assist with infrastructure projects to attract or retain jobs. Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>The Kansas Finance Council comprised of Gov. Laura Kelly and eight legislative leaders voted to use federal stimulus funding on a $50 million program to help students struggling through the pandemic and $100 million to assist with infrastructure projects to attract or retain jobs. Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/01/10/legislators-governor-agree-to-allocate-154-million-in-federal-stimulus-funding/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly and 
legislative leaders unanimously agreed Monday to dedicate $154 million 
in federal stimulus funding to support economic development with 
construction of commercial buildings and to improve resources available 
to low-income students struggling in school.Members of the State Finance Council, which includes Republicans and 
Democrats from the Senate and House, adopted a recommendation to set 
aside $100 million for expansion of structures needed to expand or 
attract businesses and jobs. The council also directed $50 million at a 
new program of $1,000 per-child grants to be used by families in the way
 most useful to students struggling through the pandemic.In addition, $4 million was approved to help school districts upgrade internet connections to high-speed broadband services.The spending plan was recommended by a public-private board known as 
SPARK, or Strengthening People and Revitalizing Kansas. Two SPARK 
members raised sharp objections to the Kelly administration’s plan to 
support business and education, but were outvoted.Lt. Gov. David Toland, who also serves as secretary at the Kansas 
Department of Commerce, said a shortage of commercial space existed in 
some areas of the state. No decisions have been made about which 
communities or businesses would receive the funding, he said.“It will be a competitive pot of money that businesses, communities 
and others will apply to for their individual projects,” Toland said. 
“This fund would also support economic development infrastructure, 
including the extension of utilities to business and industrial sites.”Houses Speaker Ron Ryckman, a Republican from Olathe, sought more 
details about how the state would decide which 50,000 students in Kansas
 received $1,000 grants for social and mental health services, tutoring,
 books, school supplies and other educational aids.Ryckman estimated there were 250,000 students in Kansas receiving 
free or reduce lunch who might be eligible for learning recovery 
assistance.“How are we going to pick 50,000 students?” Ryckman said. “How do we select those 50,000 parents or families?”Kelly said established metrics tied to household income would be 
relied upon to identify eligible families, who would be responsible for 
applying for grants.“The grants will be allocated for the lowest income folks, households
 at the beginning,” the governor said. “We open up the grant process. 
There is a deadline to apply for that. At the end of that deadline, if 
that income level had not applied for all of the grants to use up the 
$50 million, then we would open up to the next higher tier of income.”She said the state’s COVID-19 recovery office would work on selecting
 a vendor that would provide families with an online portal to gain 
access to approved expenditures.“We will put up the guardrails to ensure we don’t get scammed here and don’t overpay a vendor,” Kelly said.The appropriation was drawn from about $1.6 billion in stimulus aid 
sent to Kansas by Congress. In the past, the State Finance Council 
agreed to spend $27 million for coronavirus testing, $30 million to 
enhance salaries of hard-to-fill state jobs and $50 million for 
compensation bonuses to nurses.Tim Carpenter has reported on Kansas for 35 years. He covered the Capitol for 16 years at the Topeka Capital-Journal and previously worked for the Lawrence Journal-World and United Press International.&nbsp;

Legislators, governor agree to allocate $154M in federal stimulus funding

I finally paid off all my debt except for my house, and I have an emergency fund of six months of expenses saved. It feels great to be in control of my money, but I am afraid I might lose control again and end up back where I started before I began following your plan. How can you make sure your leisure spending doesn’t get out of hand?

I get what you’re saying. You don’t want to go back to those days of being scared and out of control where your finances are concerned. You spent a lot of time, made tons of sacrifices, and put in lots of disciplined hard work&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/debt/debt-calculator">getting out of debt</a>, changing your behavior, and finally reached a point where you’re winning with money. Most people don’t forget the hardship and sacrifices that go into something like that, and I don’t think you will, either.

There’s a season to be strict, hard-nosed, and deny yourself things. There’s also a time to act like an adult, and forego instant gratification, like during those early&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/dave-ramsey-7-baby-steps">Baby Steps</a>. But some self-care and a little fun is important once in a while, too. One way to enjoy life without going financially overboard is to make a budget line for fun money.

Putting fun money in your budget isn’t a green light to forget your money goals, or go on a spending free-for-all. It’s actually part of sticking to your budget. Remember, you want a&nbsp;zero-based budget. That means giving&nbsp;every&nbsp;dollar a job, and having a fun money category helps you focus on&nbsp;all&nbsp;your spending, so you don’t accidently waste money on little things here and there.

When you give yourself a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/budgeting/guide-to-budgeting">budget</a>&nbsp;line for fun, you can spend that amount on whatever you want. We talk a lot about goals and how they need to be a balance of empowering and realistic.&nbsp;Budgeting&nbsp;fun money helps with the realistic side, because it lets you stick to your goals&nbsp;and&nbsp;have a treat every now and then.

When you think of your budget as&nbsp;permission to spend, you get a new perspective on budgeting. You’re giving your money permission to go where you want it to go. Plus, when you treat yourself once in a while, you’re less likely to fall back in your old, financially-out-of-control ways!

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635524005597.png" alt="Dave Ramsey" />
 <figcaption>Dave Ramsey</figcaption>
 </figure>Dear Dave,I finally paid off all my debt except for my house, and I have an emergency fund of six months of expenses saved. It feels great to be in control of my money, but I am afraid I might lose control again and end up back where I started before I began following your plan. How can you make sure your leisure spending doesn’t get out of hand?LavellDear Lavell,I get what you’re saying. You don’t want to go back to those days of being scared and out of control where your finances are concerned. You spent a lot of time, made tons of sacrifices, and put in lots of disciplined hard work&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/debt/debt-calculator">getting out of debt</a>, changing your behavior, and finally reached a point where you’re winning with money. Most people don’t forget the hardship and sacrifices that go into something like that, and I don’t think you will, either.There’s a season to be strict, hard-nosed, and deny yourself things. There’s also a time to act like an adult, and forego instant gratification, like during those early&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/dave-ramsey-7-baby-steps">Baby Steps</a>. But some self-care and a little fun is important once in a while, too. One way to enjoy life without going financially overboard is to make a budget line for fun money.Putting fun money in your budget isn’t a green light to forget your money goals, or go on a spending free-for-all. It’s actually part of sticking to your budget. Remember, you want a&nbsp;zero-based budget. That means giving&nbsp;every&nbsp;dollar a job, and having a fun money category helps you focus on&nbsp;all&nbsp;your spending, so you don’t accidently waste money on little things here and there.When you give yourself a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/budgeting/guide-to-budgeting">budget</a>&nbsp;line for fun, you can spend that amount on whatever you want. We talk a lot about goals and how they need to be a balance of empowering and realistic.&nbsp;Budgeting&nbsp;fun money helps with the realistic side, because it lets you stick to your goals&nbsp;and&nbsp;have a treat every now and then.When you think of your budget as&nbsp;permission to spend, you get a new perspective on budgeting. You’re giving your money permission to go where you want it to go. Plus, when you treat yourself once in a while, you’re less likely to fall back in your old, financially-out-of-control ways!— Dave*&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/">Dave Ramsey</a>&nbsp;is a seven-time #1 national best-selling author, personal finance expert, and host ofThe Ramsey Show, heard by more than 18 million listeners each week. He&nbsp;has appeared on Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, Today Show, Fox News, CNN, Fox Business, and many more. Since 1992, Dave has helped people regain control of their money, build wealth and enhance their lives. He also serves as CEO for Ramsey Solutions.

DAVE SAYS: Make a budget line for fun money

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities in Kansas City, Kansas are investigating the first homicide of 2022.

Just before 3a.m. Monday, police responded to report of a shooting the 2600 Block of 37th Street, according to a media release.

First responders discovered a deceased Hispanic man inside the home, a victim of gunfire. The KCPD major case unit is in charge of the investigation.&nbsp; &nbsp;Authorities released no additional details Monday morning.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641833217883.png" alt="Photo courtesy KMBC TV" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KMBC TV</figcaption>
 </figure>WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities in Kansas City, Kansas are investigating the first homicide of 2022.Just before 3a.m. Monday, police responded to report of a shooting the 2600 Block of 37th Street, according to a media release.First responders discovered a deceased Hispanic man inside the home, a victim of gunfire. The KCPD major case unit is in charge of the investigation.&nbsp; &nbsp;Authorities released no additional details Monday morning.

Police in KCK investigate first homicide of 2022

By Scott Edger&nbsp; Little Apple Post&nbsp;

Following nine years of flat funding, Riley County Community Corrections and its sister agencies around the state are in crisis.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Riley&nbsp;County&nbsp;Community&nbsp;Corrections&nbsp;Director Shelly Williams&nbsp;told the&nbsp;Board of the&nbsp;Board of Commissioners&nbsp;Monday&nbsp;that&nbsp;her agency needs&nbsp;its&nbsp;direct support and action in order to fulfill&nbsp;its&nbsp;mandated mission.&nbsp;

Riley County Community Corrections provides supervision of moderate to high-risk adult felony and juvenile offenders in Riley and Clay Counties.&nbsp;

There are&nbsp;about 115 adult offenders currently registered with Riley County community corrections, according to Williams, with about 70 of those being&nbsp;for person felonies.&nbsp;

Kansas has a trifurcated system of community supervision. Three different entities&nbsp;currently&nbsp;fulfill roles within the system.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Kansas judicial branch&nbsp;provides&nbsp;support services and, while the County&nbsp;funds operations and provide space,&nbsp;the&nbsp;workers are state employees.&nbsp;The&nbsp;Department of Corrections operates jails and runs the parole system, again with state employees funded through&nbsp;the&nbsp;DOC&nbsp;budget.&nbsp;

For&nbsp;this fiscal year, the Kansas legislature appropriated roughly $10.8 million for judicial branch pay increases and $4.3 million for its support officer&nbsp;positions.&nbsp;

The DOC provides Community Corrections with&nbsp;funding and oversight,&nbsp;however&nbsp;individual offices are&nbsp;county agencies&nbsp;and staffed with&nbsp;county employees.&nbsp;

This year governor Laura Kelly issued an executive order&nbsp;shortly&nbsp;before Thanksgiving that allocated just over $500,000 for&nbsp;parole officer pay increases fiscal year 2022,&nbsp;and almost $1&nbsp;million for 2022.&nbsp;&nbsp;

According to Williams, Community&nbsp;Corrections agencies did not receive any of&nbsp;the approved&nbsp;new funding.&nbsp;

“Those salary increases for the other agencies impact Community Corrections’ ability to maintain its own workforce,” she said, “and as a result public safety is, and will be negatively impacted.”&nbsp;

She&nbsp;also pointed out that for at least the last nine years funding for&nbsp;community corrections has remained essentially flat.&nbsp;Community Corrections funding comes out of the&nbsp;state's&nbsp;general fund -&nbsp;competing against roads and schools and every other line item.&nbsp;

Williams said that when agencies are underfunded and understaffed, caseloads become too large to adequately supervise high risk offenders and “intensive supervision is at risk.”&nbsp;

The offenders her agency supervises in the community have serious criminal histories and over 53&nbsp;percent have both mental health and substance use issues,&nbsp;according to Williams.&nbsp;She said it simply comes down to having enough staff to do effective work.&nbsp;

“Community Corrections officers do not have enough time to spend with these offenders doing the difficult work of changing offender behavior,” she said. “Underfunded agencies cannot afford to dedicate staff time to programming targeted teaching.”&nbsp;

Williams asked commissioners to use whatever influence or connections they may have&nbsp;two&nbsp;influence legislation to better compensate community corrections personnel, and hopefully maintain and attract&nbsp;employees.&nbsp;

“The inability to recruit and maintain skilled staff means less experience and specialized officers,” Williams said, “and less means more... more crime,&nbsp;more victims,&nbsp;more jail confinement,&nbsp;more future recidivism.”&nbsp;

Williams said agencies around the state are working closely with the&nbsp;Kansas Secretary of Corrections,&nbsp;Jeff Zmuda,&nbsp;who is advocating strongly for&nbsp;increased&nbsp;funding for Community Corrections.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641838863936.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By Scott Edger&nbsp; Little Apple Post&nbsp;Following nine years of flat funding, Riley County Community Corrections and its sister agencies around the state are in crisis.&nbsp;&nbsp;Riley&nbsp;County&nbsp;Community&nbsp;Corrections&nbsp;Director Shelly Williams&nbsp;told the&nbsp;Board of the&nbsp;Board of Commissioners&nbsp;Monday&nbsp;that&nbsp;her agency needs&nbsp;its&nbsp;direct support and action in order to fulfill&nbsp;its&nbsp;mandated mission.&nbsp;Riley County Community Corrections provides supervision of moderate to high-risk adult felony and juvenile offenders in Riley and Clay Counties.&nbsp;There are&nbsp;about 115 adult offenders currently registered with Riley County community corrections, according to Williams, with about 70 of those being&nbsp;for person felonies.&nbsp;Kansas has a trifurcated system of community supervision. Three different entities&nbsp;currently&nbsp;fulfill roles within the system.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Kansas judicial branch&nbsp;provides&nbsp;support services and, while the County&nbsp;funds operations and provide space,&nbsp;the&nbsp;workers are state employees.&nbsp;The&nbsp;Department of Corrections operates jails and runs the parole system, again with state employees funded through&nbsp;the&nbsp;DOC&nbsp;budget.&nbsp;For&nbsp;this fiscal year, the Kansas legislature appropriated roughly $10.8 million for judicial branch pay increases and $4.3 million for its support officer&nbsp;positions.&nbsp;The DOC provides Community Corrections with&nbsp;funding and oversight,&nbsp;however&nbsp;individual offices are&nbsp;county agencies&nbsp;and staffed with&nbsp;county employees.&nbsp;This year governor Laura Kelly issued an executive order&nbsp;shortly&nbsp;before Thanksgiving that allocated just over $500,000 for&nbsp;parole officer pay increases fiscal year 2022,&nbsp;and almost $1&nbsp;million for 2022.&nbsp;&nbsp;According to Williams, Community&nbsp;Corrections agencies did not receive any of&nbsp;the approved&nbsp;new funding.&nbsp;“Those salary increases for the other agencies impact Community Corrections’ ability to maintain its own workforce,” she said, “and as a result public safety is, and will be negatively impacted.”&nbsp;She&nbsp;also pointed out that for at least the last nine years funding for&nbsp;community corrections has remained essentially flat.&nbsp;Community Corrections funding comes out of the&nbsp;state's&nbsp;general fund -&nbsp;competing against roads and schools and every other line item.&nbsp;Williams said that when agencies are underfunded and understaffed, caseloads become too large to adequately supervise high risk offenders and “intensive supervision is at risk.”&nbsp;The offenders her agency supervises in the community have serious criminal histories and over 53&nbsp;percent have both mental health and substance use issues,&nbsp;according to Williams.&nbsp;She said it simply comes down to having enough staff to do effective work.&nbsp;“Community Corrections officers do not have enough time to spend with these offenders doing the difficult work of changing offender behavior,” she said. “Underfunded agencies cannot afford to dedicate staff time to programming targeted teaching.”&nbsp;Williams asked commissioners to use whatever influence or connections they may have&nbsp;two&nbsp;influence legislation to better compensate community corrections personnel, and hopefully maintain and attract&nbsp;employees.&nbsp;“The inability to recruit and maintain skilled staff means less experience and specialized officers,” Williams said, “and less means more... more crime,&nbsp;more victims,&nbsp;more jail confinement,&nbsp;more future recidivism.”&nbsp;Williams said agencies around the state are working closely with the&nbsp;Kansas Secretary of Corrections,&nbsp;Jeff Zmuda,&nbsp;who is advocating strongly for&nbsp;increased&nbsp;funding for Community Corrections.&nbsp;

Community Corrections in Kansas in crisis

TOPEKA — The number of confirmed coronavirus cases* (see below) in Kansas increased by 13,557 to a total of 579,619 the state health department reported Monday afternoon.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The state reported 18 additional COVID-19 deaths for a total of 7,114.

<a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data">Click here for Data</a> about the COVID-19 vaccine.

<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional virus numbers from the KDHE.

As of August 1, 2021, in accordance with an&nbsp;<a href="https://ndc.services.cdc.gov/conditions/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/" target="_blank">updated CDC/CSTE surveillance case definition</a>, a confirmed case is defined as a person who tested positive by molecular detection (e.g., PCR, NAA) or identification of SARS-CoV-2 through genetic sequencing. A probable case is defined as a person with: a) presumptive lab evidence (antigen) or b) no lab testing but meeting clinical case criteria and is epi-linked. A person will be counted as a new surveillance case (e.g. reinfection) if they test positive for SARS-CoV-2 by a diagnostic test (i.e., molecular, antigen) and it has been greater than 90 days since the previous positive diagnostic test. In addition, a person with sequencing results identifying different SARS-CoV-2 lineages regardless of the time since the previous specimen sequenced will be counted as a new surveillance case.&nbsp;

Cases occurring between&nbsp;September 1, 2020&nbsp;and July 29, 2021 were classified by&nbsp;<a href="https://ndc.services.cdc.gov/conditions/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/" target="_blank">previous CDC/CSTE case definition,&nbsp;</a>and cases prior to September 1, 2020 were classified by the&nbsp;<a href="https://ndc.services.cdc.gov/case-definitions/coronavirus-disease-2019-2020/" target="_blank">original case definition</a>.

TOPEKA — The number of confirmed coronavirus cases* (see below) in Kansas increased by 13,557 to a total of 579,619 the state health department reported Monday afternoon.&nbsp;&nbsp;The state reported 18 additional COVID-19 deaths for a total of 7,114.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641839812688.png" alt="Monday January 10, 2022" />
 <figcaption>Monday January 10, 2022</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data">Click here for Data</a> about the COVID-19 vaccine.<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional virus numbers from the KDHE.As of August 1, 2021, in accordance with an&nbsp;<a href="https://ndc.services.cdc.gov/conditions/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/" target="_blank">updated CDC/CSTE surveillance case definition</a>, a confirmed case is defined as a person who tested positive by molecular detection (e.g., PCR, NAA) or identification of SARS-CoV-2 through genetic sequencing. A probable case is defined as a person with: a) presumptive lab evidence (antigen) or b) no lab testing but meeting clinical case criteria and is epi-linked. A person will be counted as a new surveillance case (e.g. reinfection) if they test positive for SARS-CoV-2 by a diagnostic test (i.e., molecular, antigen) and it has been greater than 90 days since the previous positive diagnostic test. In addition, a person with sequencing results identifying different SARS-CoV-2 lineages regardless of the time since the previous specimen sequenced will be counted as a new surveillance case.&nbsp;Cases occurring between&nbsp;September 1, 2020&nbsp;and July 29, 2021 were classified by&nbsp;<a href="https://ndc.services.cdc.gov/conditions/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/" target="_blank">previous CDC/CSTE case definition,&nbsp;</a>and cases prior to September 1, 2020 were classified by the&nbsp;<a href="https://ndc.services.cdc.gov/case-definitions/coronavirus-disease-2019-2020/" target="_blank">original case definition</a>.