TOPEKA — The number of confirmed coronavirus cases* (see below) in Kansas increased by 232 to a total of 770,082 the state health department reported Wednesday.

The state reported 72 additional COVID-19 deaths for a total of 8,294 and 25 new hospitalizations since Monday.

<a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data">Click here for Data</a>&nbsp;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&nbsp;(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>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648661794767.png" alt="KDHE" />
 <figcaption>KDHE</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA — The number of confirmed coronavirus cases* (see below) in Kansas increased by 232 to a total of 770,082 the state health department reported Wednesday.The state reported 72 additional COVID-19 deaths for a total of 8,294 and 25 new hospitalizations since Monday.<a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data">Click here for Data</a>&nbsp;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&nbsp;(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>.

KDHE: Latest COVID-19 numbers in Kansas

WASHINGTON — With the completion of special mailings of all Letters 
6475 to recipients of the third-round of Economic Impact Payments, the 
Internal Revenue Service reminds people to accurately claim any 
remaining third-round stimulus payment on their 2021 income tax return 
as the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit.

Through December 31, 2021, the IRS issued more than 175 million 
third-round payments totaling over $400 billion to individuals and 
families across the country. Most of the third-round payments were 
issued in the spring and early summer of 2021. The IRS continued to send
 plus-up payments through December if, after their 2020 tax return was 
processed last year, the taxpayer was eligible for additional amounts.

As required by law, the IRS is no longer issuing first-, second-, or 
third-round Economic Impact Payments. Instead, people who are missing a 
stimulus payment or got less than the full amount may be eligible to 
claim a <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit">Recovery Rebate Credit</a> on their 2020 or 2021 federal tax return.

Most eligible people already received the full amount of their credit
 in advance and don't need to include any information about this payment
 when they file their 2021 tax return. This includes the additional 
payments – called "Plus-Up" Payments – the IRS issued to individuals who
 initially received a third-round Economic Impact Payment based on 
information on their 2019 tax return and were later eligible for a 
larger amount based on information on their 2020 tax return.

Individuals may securely access their <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/your-online-account">IRS Online Account</a>
 to view the total amount of the third-round Economic Impact Payment 
issued to them. This information became available on January 15, 2022, 
under the Tax Records page in Online Account. For married individuals 
filing a joint return, each spouse will need to log into their own 
Online Account or review their own <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/understanding-your-letter-6475">Letter 6475</a> for their portion of their joint total payment. See FAQs for <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/2021-recovery-rebate-credit-topic-g-finding-the-third-economic-impact-payment-amount-to-calculate-the-2021-recovery-rebate-credit">Topic G: Finding the Third Economic Impact Payment Amount to Calculate the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit</a>, for more information.

Third-round Economic Impact Payment not received? Double-check records first

Individuals are encouraged to double-check their bank accounts – 
especially in early spring and summer of 2021 – to see whether they 
received a third-round payment in advance last year.

If an individual did not receive a third-round payment – and their 
IRS Online Account shows a payment amount greater than $0, or they 
received Notice 1444-C or Letter 6475 indicating that a payment was 
issued to them –&nbsp;they should contact the IRS as soon as possible to see 
if a payment trace is needed. Note that Online Account shows the most 
current EIP information, so if a payment was issued and returned to the 
IRS, the amount shown in Online Account may be less than what is shown 
in their Letter 6475.

Taxpayers should not request a payment trace to determine if they were <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/2021-recovery-rebate-credit-topic-c-eligibility-for-claiming-a-recovery-rebate-credit-on-a-2021-tax-return">eligible for a payment</a> or to confirm the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/2021-recovery-rebate-credit-topic-g-finding-the-third-economic-impact-payment-amount-to-calculate-the-2021-recovery-rebate-credit">amount of payment</a> they should have received.

Individuals do not need to wait until their trace is complete to file
 their 2021 tax return. When completing the Recovery Rebate Credit 
Worksheet or answering EIP questions in the tax software, taxpayers have
 two options:

Correcting a mistake after the 2021 tax return is filed; no amended return needed

Individuals who made a mistake calculating the Recovery Rebate Credit and claimed an amount on line 30 for the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit should not file an amended return. The IRS will correct the amount of the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit and send a notice identifying the changes made.

If a correction is needed, there may be a delay in processing the 
return. If the taxpayer agrees with the changes made by the IRS, no 
response or action is required to indicate they agree with the changes. 
If the taxpayer disagrees, they can call the toll-free number listed on 
the top right corner of their notice.

Amended return may be needed for those eligible to claim the credit and IRS records show no Economic Impact Payment was issued

For eligible individuals who didn't claim a Recovery Rebate Credit on
 their 2021 tax return (line 30 is blank or $0) and IRS records do not 
show the issuance of an Economic Impact Payment, they will need to file a
 <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-1040x">Form 1040-X, Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return</a>,
 to claim the remaining amount of stimulus money for which they are 
eligible. This includes individuals who may not have received the full 
amount of their third-round Economic Impact Payment because their 
circumstances in 2021 were different than they were in 2020.

Individuals can use the Interactive Tax Assistant, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/help/ita/should-i-file-an-amended-return">Should I File an Amended Return?</a>, to help determine if they should amend their original tax return.

Taxpayers who need to file an amended return to claim the 2021 
Recovery Rebate Credit – even if they don’t usually file taxes - should 
use the worksheet in the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-1040">2021 instructions for Form 1040 and 1040-SR</a>
 to determine the amount of the credit. Enter the amount on the 
Refundable Credits section of the Form 1040-X and include "Recovery 
Rebate Credit" in the Explanation of Changes section.

Individuals who filed their 2021 return electronically and need to <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/if-you-must-amend-your-return">file an amended return</a>, may be able to file Form 1040-X electronically.

If a taxpayer did not file their 2021 return electronically, they'll 
need to submit a paper version of the Form 1040-X and should follow the 
instructions for preparing and mailing the paper form.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — With the completion of special mailings of all Letters 
6475 to recipients of the third-round of Economic Impact Payments, the 
Internal Revenue Service reminds people to accurately claim any 
remaining third-round stimulus payment on their 2021 income tax return 
as the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit.Through December 31, 2021, the IRS issued more than 175 million 
third-round payments totaling over $400 billion to individuals and 
families across the country. Most of the third-round payments were 
issued in the spring and early summer of 2021. The IRS continued to send
 plus-up payments through December if, after their 2020 tax return was 
processed last year, the taxpayer was eligible for additional amounts.As required by law, the IRS is no longer issuing first-, second-, or 
third-round Economic Impact Payments. Instead, people who are missing a 
stimulus payment or got less than the full amount may be eligible to 
claim a <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit">Recovery Rebate Credit</a> on their 2020 or 2021 federal tax return.Most eligible people already received the full amount of their credit
 in advance and don't need to include any information about this payment
 when they file their 2021 tax return. This includes the additional 
payments – called "Plus-Up" Payments – the IRS issued to individuals who
 initially received a third-round Economic Impact Payment based on 
information on their 2019 tax return and were later eligible for a 
larger amount based on information on their 2020 tax return.Individuals may securely access their <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/your-online-account">IRS Online Account</a>
 to view the total amount of the third-round Economic Impact Payment 
issued to them. This information became available on January 15, 2022, 
under the Tax Records page in Online Account. For married individuals 
filing a joint return, each spouse will need to log into their own 
Online Account or review their own <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/understanding-your-letter-6475">Letter 6475</a> for their portion of their joint total payment. See FAQs for <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/2021-recovery-rebate-credit-topic-g-finding-the-third-economic-impact-payment-amount-to-calculate-the-2021-recovery-rebate-credit">Topic G: Finding the Third Economic Impact Payment Amount to Calculate the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit</a>, for more information.<h2>Third-round Economic Impact Payment not received? Double-check records first</h2>Individuals are encouraged to double-check their bank accounts – 
especially in early spring and summer of 2021 – to see whether they 
received a third-round payment in advance last year.If an individual did not receive a third-round payment – and their 
IRS Online Account shows a payment amount greater than $0, or they 
received Notice 1444-C or Letter 6475 indicating that a payment was 
issued to them –&nbsp;they should contact the IRS as soon as possible to see 
if a payment trace is needed. Note that Online Account shows the most 
current EIP information, so if a payment was issued and returned to the 
IRS, the amount shown in Online Account may be less than what is shown 
in their Letter 6475.Taxpayers should not request a payment trace to determine if they were <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/2021-recovery-rebate-credit-topic-c-eligibility-for-claiming-a-recovery-rebate-credit-on-a-2021-tax-return">eligible for a payment</a> or to confirm the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/2021-recovery-rebate-credit-topic-g-finding-the-third-economic-impact-payment-amount-to-calculate-the-2021-recovery-rebate-credit">amount of payment</a> they should have received.Individuals do not need to wait until their trace is complete to file
 their 2021 tax return. When completing the Recovery Rebate Credit 
Worksheet or answering EIP questions in the tax software, taxpayers have
 two options:<ul>
 <li>Use the amount on the Letter 6475 (or EIP 3 Amount from Online Account) to calculate the RRC amount on line 30.
 Contact the IRS to trace the EIP amount. Once the EIP trace is 
completed, the IRS and the taxpayer will receive notification of the 
results of the EIP trace (the account it was sent to and the amount or a
 copy of the cashed check).

	If the trace indicates the taxpayer received the EIP amount, no further action is necessary.If the EIP amount was not received by the taxpayer, the IRS will adjust the RRC amount on the tax return and issue any refund. 
		&nbsp;</li><li>If the trace indicates the taxpayer received the EIP amount, no further action is necessary.</li><li>If the EIP amount was not received by the taxpayer, the IRS will adjust the RRC amount on the tax return and issue any refund. 
		&nbsp;</li><li>Use the amount of EIP the taxpayer believes they received to calculate the RRC amount on line 30.
 If the taxpayer's calculation does not match the IRS calculation, the 
processing of the tax return will be delayed, the RRC amount will be 
adjusted to match IRS records and the taxpayer will receive a notice 
that includes a telephone number to contact if they disagree with the 
change to the tax return. If the taxpayer contacts the IRS and disagrees
 with the changes made, IRS will conduct a trace of the EIP, if 
necessary. Once the EIP trace is completed, the IRS and the taxpayer 
will receive notification of the results of the EIP trace (the account 
it was sent to and the amount or a copy of the cashed check).
	If the trace indicates the taxpayer received the EIP amount, no further action is necessary.If the EIP amount was not received by the taxpayer, the IRS will adjust the RRC amount on the return and issue any refund.</li><li>If the trace indicates the taxpayer received the EIP amount, no further action is necessary.</li><li>If the EIP amount was not received by the taxpayer, the IRS will adjust the RRC amount on the return and issue any refund.</li>
 </ul><h2>Correcting a mistake after the 2021 tax return is filed; no amended return needed</h2>Individuals who made a mistake calculating the Recovery Rebate Credit and claimed an amount on line 30 for the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit should not file an amended return. The IRS will correct the amount of the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit and send a notice identifying the changes made.If a correction is needed, there may be a delay in processing the 
return. If the taxpayer agrees with the changes made by the IRS, no 
response or action is required to indicate they agree with the changes. 
If the taxpayer disagrees, they can call the toll-free number listed on 
the top right corner of their notice.<h2>Amended return may be needed for those eligible to claim the credit and IRS records show no Economic Impact Payment was issued</h2>For eligible individuals who didn't claim a Recovery Rebate Credit on
 their 2021 tax return (line 30 is blank or $0) and IRS records do not 
show the issuance of an Economic Impact Payment, they will need to file a
 <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-1040x">Form 1040-X, Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return</a>,
 to claim the remaining amount of stimulus money for which they are 
eligible. This includes individuals who may not have received the full 
amount of their third-round Economic Impact Payment because their 
circumstances in 2021 were different than they were in 2020.Individuals can use the Interactive Tax Assistant, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/help/ita/should-i-file-an-amended-return">Should I File an Amended Return?</a>, to help determine if they should amend their original tax return.Taxpayers who need to file an amended return to claim the 2021 
Recovery Rebate Credit – even if they don’t usually file taxes - should 
use the worksheet in the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-1040">2021 instructions for Form 1040 and 1040-SR</a>
 to determine the amount of the credit. Enter the amount on the 
Refundable Credits section of the Form 1040-X and include "Recovery 
Rebate Credit" in the Explanation of Changes section.Individuals who filed their 2021 return electronically and need to <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/if-you-must-amend-your-return">file an amended return</a>, may be able to file Form 1040-X electronically.If a taxpayer did not file their 2021 return electronically, they'll 
need to submit a paper version of the Form 1040-X and should follow the 
instructions for preparing and mailing the paper form.

COVID relief checks confusing your tax season? Take these steps

By NOAH TABORDA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/03/29/kansas-sports-wagering-plan-hits-snag-after-leadership-backed-amendment-fails-twice/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The future of a plan to 
legalize sports wagering in Kansas is up in the air after a House 
committee abruptly adjourned Tuesday when an amendment proposed on 
behalf of legislative leadership failed twice.

<a target="_blank" href="http://kslegislature.com/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2740/">House Bill 2740</a>&nbsp;has
 widespread support from gaming interests that have for years debated 
who gets to control the wagering action and how to divide the revenue. 
The measure authorizes sports gambling by allowing the Kansas Lottery to
 contract with gaming facility managers.&nbsp;

Managers could offer wagering 
through websites, mobile applications and on-site. The state would get 
20% of revenue through online gambling and 14% from in-person bets.&nbsp;

The bill looked primed to pass out
 of the House Federal and State Affairs Committee after a lengthy 
debate, but when a motion to reconsider a previously rejected amendment 
proposed by Rep. John Barker on behalf of House leadership came up 
short, the meeting ended without a resolution.

“I am surprised,” Barker, an Abilene Republican and committee chairman, said. “We are adjourned.”

The amendment would have removed a provision allowing the lottery to sell online tickets.&nbsp;Ultimately,
 the loss of $11 million in potential revenue in the first year of 
implementation dissuaded representatives from both sides of the aisle 
from supporting thr amendment.

Kansas Lottery estimates indicated
 sports wagering would generate additional revenue for the state of $1.8
 million in 2023, $6.0 million in 2024, and $10.0 million in 2025.&nbsp;

“Sit tight, guys, we’ll get this 
out this year,” said Rep. Stephanie Clayton, an Overland Park Democrat, 
in a tweet shortly after adjournment. “Communication and teamwork are 
key, and sometimes communications break down. We can fix this; I’m sure 
of it.”

The Kansas Lottery has previously attempted to get iLottery into 
bills with sports wagering, but casinos have considered it a deal 
breaker.

It is the second week in a row a 
meeting on the bill has ended without a vote. The committee can 
reconvene this week and can consider the bill again, but time is running
 out for the long-sought measure.

The only opponents to testify during the hearing last week were concerned by restrictions placed on greyhound racing. Animal rights and gambling addiction organizations expressed concerns while asking for their testimony to be considered neutral.

Several other minor amendments did
 receive committee approval. The other failed amendment would have given
 the state lottery control instead of casinos, which would likely doom 
the bill.

Rep. Francis Awerkamp, a St. Marys
 Republican, said the amendment would mean more money to the state 
general fund instead of to casinos.

“Right now, we are looking at a 
new revenue stream, new gambling options, and so you have a choice on 
who gets the money,” Awerkamp said. “If we let the casinos contract out,
 we get a small percentage of the money. If we let the Kansas Lottery 
contract out, we get all of it.”

While many legislators either 
agreed with the amendment or liked the idea, it failed after Barker 
reminded the committee it would turn the state’s gaming industry against
 the bill.

“The casinos are not on board. The
 other parties are not involved. The retailers are not on board,” Barker
 said. “I can’t think of anybody that’s on board.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648654105443.png" alt="Rep. John Barker adjourned the House Federal and State Affairs Committee after an amendment he offered on behalf of leadership failed to gain traction twice, leaving an unclear future of a plan to legalize sports wagering in Kansas. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Rep. John Barker adjourned the House Federal and State Affairs Committee after an amendment he offered on behalf of leadership failed to gain traction twice, leaving an unclear future of a plan to legalize sports wagering in Kansas. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By NOAH TABORDA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/03/29/kansas-sports-wagering-plan-hits-snag-after-leadership-backed-amendment-fails-twice/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The future of a plan to 
legalize sports wagering in Kansas is up in the air after a House 
committee abruptly adjourned Tuesday when an amendment proposed on 
behalf of legislative leadership failed twice.<a target="_blank" href="http://kslegislature.com/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2740/">House Bill 2740</a>&nbsp;has
 widespread support from gaming interests that have for years debated 
who gets to control the wagering action and how to divide the revenue. 
The measure authorizes sports gambling by allowing the Kansas Lottery to
 contract with gaming facility managers.&nbsp;Managers could offer wagering 
through websites, mobile applications and on-site. The state would get 
20% of revenue through online gambling and 14% from in-person bets.&nbsp;The bill looked primed to pass out
 of the House Federal and State Affairs Committee after a lengthy 
debate, but when a motion to reconsider a previously rejected amendment 
proposed by Rep. John Barker on behalf of House leadership came up 
short, the meeting ended without a resolution.“I am surprised,” Barker, an Abilene Republican and committee chairman, said. “We are adjourned.”The amendment would have removed a provision allowing the lottery to sell online tickets.&nbsp;Ultimately,
 the loss of $11 million in potential revenue in the first year of 
implementation dissuaded representatives from both sides of the aisle 
from supporting thr amendment.Kansas Lottery estimates indicated
 sports wagering would generate additional revenue for the state of $1.8
 million in 2023, $6.0 million in 2024, and $10.0 million in 2025.&nbsp;“Sit tight, guys, we’ll get this 
out this year,” said Rep. Stephanie Clayton, an Overland Park Democrat, 
in a tweet shortly after adjournment. “Communication and teamwork are 
key, and sometimes communications break down. We can fix this; I’m sure 
of it.”The Kansas Lottery has previously attempted to get iLottery into 
bills with sports wagering, but casinos have considered it a deal 
breaker.It is the second week in a row a 
meeting on the bill has ended without a vote. The committee can 
reconvene this week and can consider the bill again, but time is running
 out for the long-sought measure.The only opponents to testify during the hearing last week were concerned by restrictions placed on greyhound racing. Animal rights and gambling addiction organizations expressed concerns while asking for their testimony to be considered neutral.Several other minor amendments did
 receive committee approval. The other failed amendment would have given
 the state lottery control instead of casinos, which would likely doom 
the bill.Rep. Francis Awerkamp, a St. Marys
 Republican, said the amendment would mean more money to the state 
general fund instead of to casinos.“Right now, we are looking at a 
new revenue stream, new gambling options, and so you have a choice on 
who gets the money,” Awerkamp said. “If we let the casinos contract out,
 we get a small percentage of the money. If we let the Kansas Lottery 
contract out, we get all of it.”While many legislators either 
agreed with the amendment or liked the idea, it failed after Barker 
reminded the committee it would turn the state’s gaming industry against
 the bill.“The casinos are not on board. The
 other parties are not involved. The retailers are not on board,” Barker
 said. “I can’t think of anybody that’s on board.”

Kan. sports wagering plan hits snag after amendment fails twice

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="http://-">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN, Neb.&nbsp; — A bill that seeks to limit, at least for now, the number of gambling 
casinos that can be established in Nebraska got out of the gate Tuesday 
but is far from the finish line.

Senators
 advanced Legislative Bill 876 from first-round debate on a 30-0 vote, 
but one leading state senator complained that western Nebraska was being
 snubbed by the bill.

State
 Sen. John Stinner of Gering said limiting casinos initially to only the
 six existing Thoroughbred racetracks means that his Panhandle 
constituents will have at least a five-hour drive to the nearest 
gambling palace in Grand Island.

“Through all of this process, you’ve excluded half of the state,” said Stinner.

In
 November, Nebraska voters overwhelmingly approved casino gambling at 
horse racetracks, operations called “racinos.” But senators have 
differed on whether the vote meant racinos only at the state’s six 
existing racetracks, or elsewhere.

Several
 communities, including Kimball, Gering, North Platte, Norfolk and 
Bellevue, had proposed racinos in hopes of luring visitors and adding 
jobs.

LB
 876, crafted by the Legislature’s General Affairs Committee and its 
chairman, Albion Sen. Tom Briese, seeks to limit the number of racinos 
by requiring any new tracks to submit an extensive study about the 
impacts of a new casino/racetrack as part of their application for a 
license from the newly renamed Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission.

Briese,
 under questioning, didn’t know how long it would take to compile such a
 study. The bill says studies should be completed by January 2025 or “as
 soon as practicable.”

Stinner
 said that means it could take three years to get approval and then 
another two years to build a casino, thus cutting out areas west of 
Grand Island for five years.

Stinner said he has drafted an amendment to the bill that allows at least two racinos, immediately, west of Cozad.

“This is 100 to 200 jobs for western Nebraska we could really use,” the senator said.

Two
 senators that have racetracks in their districts, Mike Moser of 
Columbus and Ray Aguilar of Grand Island, spoke in favor of the bill. 
Moser said if too many tracks are allowed, some may close.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648658692575.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="http://-">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN, Neb.&nbsp; — A bill that seeks to limit, at least for now, the number of gambling 
casinos that can be established in Nebraska got out of the gate Tuesday 
but is far from the finish line.Senators
 advanced Legislative Bill 876 from first-round debate on a 30-0 vote, 
but one leading state senator complained that western Nebraska was being
 snubbed by the bill.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646255676328.jpeg" alt="Sen. John Stinner at the Nebraska Legislature (Rebecca S. Gratz for the Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Sen. John Stinner at the Nebraska Legislature (Rebecca S. Gratz for the Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>State
 Sen. John Stinner of Gering said limiting casinos initially to only the
 six existing Thoroughbred racetracks means that his Panhandle 
constituents will have at least a five-hour drive to the nearest 
gambling palace in Grand Island.<h2>‘Excluded’</h2>“Through all of this process, you’ve excluded half of the state,” said Stinner.In
 November, Nebraska voters overwhelmingly approved casino gambling at 
horse racetracks, operations called “racinos.” But senators have 
differed on whether the vote meant racinos only at the state’s six 
existing racetracks, or elsewhere.Several
 communities, including Kimball, Gering, North Platte, Norfolk and 
Bellevue, had proposed racinos in hopes of luring visitors and adding 
jobs.<h2>Extensive study</h2>LB
 876, crafted by the Legislature’s General Affairs Committee and its 
chairman, Albion Sen. Tom Briese, seeks to limit the number of racinos 
by requiring any new tracks to submit an extensive study about the 
impacts of a new casino/racetrack as part of their application for a 
license from the newly renamed Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647279776153.jpeg" alt="Sen. Tom Briese of Albion (Rebecca S. Gratz for the Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Tom Briese of Albion (Rebecca S. Gratz for the Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Briese,
 under questioning, didn’t know how long it would take to compile such a
 study. The bill says studies should be completed by January 2025 or “as
 soon as practicable.”Stinner
 said that means it could take three years to get approval and then 
another two years to build a casino, thus cutting out areas west of 
Grand Island for five years.Stinner said he has drafted an amendment to the bill that allows at least two racinos, immediately, west of Cozad.<h2>Needed jobs</h2>“This is 100 to 200 jobs for western Nebraska we could really use,” the senator said.Two
 senators that have racetracks in their districts, Mike Moser of 
Columbus and Ray Aguilar of Grand Island, spoke in favor of the bill. 
Moser said if too many tracks are allowed, some may close.

Neb. ‘racino’ bill advances with initial limit at six racetracks

SEDGWICK COUNTY — A 17-year-old from Wichita was killed early Thursday when the car he was driving struck a semi.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported Caden Marcus Barnes was on Interstate 35 in Sedgwick County when he lost control of a 2006 Toyota and entered into oncoming traffic.&nbsp;

The Toyota struck a Kenworth semi. The driver was not injured.

Both drivers were properly restrained, the KHP reported.

SEDGWICK COUNTY — A 17-year-old from Wichita was killed early Thursday when the car he was driving struck a semi.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported Caden Marcus Barnes was on Interstate 35 in Sedgwick County when he lost control of a 2006 Toyota and entered into oncoming traffic.&nbsp;The Toyota struck a Kenworth semi. The driver was not injured.Both drivers were properly restrained, the KHP reported.

KHP: Wichita teen dies after car hits semi

By SUZANNE PEREZ <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/2022-03-28/derby-district-opts-to-keep-the-bible-in-classrooms-and-libraries">Kansas News Service</a>

WICHITA, Kansas — A Derby school district committee decided 
not to remove the Bible from libraries or classrooms despite a challenge
 that the book contains mature themes.

Cheryl Bannon, a former 
member of the Derby City Council, asked the district’s library committee
 to review the Bible after the group decided to <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/2022-03-08/derby-district-removes-novel-from-class-materials-and-middle-school-library-after-anonymous-complaint" target="_blank">remove an award-winning young-adult novel</a> from its list of approved classroom materials.

Bannon
 said she filed her challenge to illustrate the consequences of 
censorship. The Bible is used as a textbook in Derby High School’s 
“Bible as Literature” course, a one-semester elective.

Pointing to
 verses about murder, masturbation, genocide, incest and other mature 
topics, Bannon argued that the religious text is just as provocative as 
some contemporary works.

Derby’s library committee removed Sherman Alexie’s <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/693208.The_Absolutely_True_Diary_of_a_Part_Time_Indian" target="_blank">“The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian”</a>
 from classrooms and middle-school libraries in February, citing 
profanity, sexual themes and slurs related to mental disabilities.

The 12-member <a href="https://www.derbyschools.com/news/what_s_new/library_committee" target="_blank">library committee</a>
 met for nearly two hours last week and opted not to remove the Biblical
 literature elective or its materials. Officials said various editions 
of the Bible also have been donated to school libraries and remain on 
shelves.

Ed Belsan, who teaches the Bible course and serves on the
 library committee, said the class focuses on the influence of the Bible
 as one of the foundational writings of Western literature. Similarly, 
students in other courses learn about Greek and Roman mythology.

“If
 nothing else, they get exposed to a great book that far too many people
 have very strong opinions about and have never read,” Belsan said. 
“That’s true of so many banned books.”

Belsan said his students 
are assigned to read only 149 of the Bible’s more than 1,100 chapters. 
The course includes some violent passages, such as the story of Cain and
 Abel. He said the majority of verses cited in Bannon’s challenge aren’t
 covered in the course.

“I don’t want to give the impression that there’s nothing controversial in there. That would be a misrepresentation,” he said.

“Even
 ‘Romeo and Juliet’ is controversial because of the suicide. But what I 
tell the kids on Day One is, ‘Don’t follow these guys. They’re a 
terrible example.’ The story is about families and conflict.”

Committee member Kristin Sen said removing the Alexie novel may have been a mistake because lots of books have mature content.

“It
 seems like one person initiated this whole process, and now here we 
are,” she said. “And … it’s a slidey slope. Where does it end?”

Sen,
 who also serves on the Derby Public Library’s board of trustees, said 
the committee should be consistent when reviewing books and should keep 
the whole district in mind.

“We’re kind of heavily leaning on the 
parent that’s objecting, but we’re not thinking about the group of 
parents that are saying, ‘No. … This is a good book and needs to be 
taught in a classroom setting,’” she said. “There are parents who want 
their child to go out in the world with this experience and this 
education.”

Holly Putnam-Jackson, assistant superintendent of 
curriculum, told the committee that the district’s legal team had 
cautioned against labeling books as explicit or asking parents to 
pre-approve them.

District policy allows parents to opt their 
child out of any book or lesson they find objectionable. In such cases, 
students are given an alternate assignment.

Bannon, who submitted the challenge, said she doesn’t plan to appeal the decision.

“I
 just wanted the parents and board members and faculty who make these 
decisions to see that mature themes run through lots of books, including
 the Bible,” she said.

Suzanne Perez reports on education for KMUW in Wichita and the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter @SuzPerezICT.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648650614739.png" alt="KCUR 89.3" />
 <figcaption>KCUR 89.3</figcaption>
 </figure>By SUZANNE PEREZ <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/2022-03-28/derby-district-opts-to-keep-the-bible-in-classrooms-and-libraries">Kansas News Service</a>WICHITA, Kansas — A Derby school district committee decided 
not to remove the Bible from libraries or classrooms despite a challenge
 that the book contains mature themes.Cheryl Bannon, a former 
member of the Derby City Council, asked the district’s library committee
 to review the Bible after the group decided to <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/2022-03-08/derby-district-removes-novel-from-class-materials-and-middle-school-library-after-anonymous-complaint" target="_blank">remove an award-winning young-adult novel</a> from its list of approved classroom materials.Bannon
 said she filed her challenge to illustrate the consequences of 
censorship. The Bible is used as a textbook in Derby High School’s 
“Bible as Literature” course, a one-semester elective.Pointing to
 verses about murder, masturbation, genocide, incest and other mature 
topics, Bannon argued that the religious text is just as provocative as 
some contemporary works.Derby’s library committee removed Sherman Alexie’s <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/693208.The_Absolutely_True_Diary_of_a_Part_Time_Indian" target="_blank">“The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian”</a>
 from classrooms and middle-school libraries in February, citing 
profanity, sexual themes and slurs related to mental disabilities.The 12-member <a href="https://www.derbyschools.com/news/what_s_new/library_committee" target="_blank">library committee</a>
 met for nearly two hours last week and opted not to remove the Biblical
 literature elective or its materials. Officials said various editions 
of the Bible also have been donated to school libraries and remain on 
shelves.Ed Belsan, who teaches the Bible course and serves on the
 library committee, said the class focuses on the influence of the Bible
 as one of the foundational writings of Western literature. Similarly, 
students in other courses learn about Greek and Roman mythology.“If
 nothing else, they get exposed to a great book that far too many people
 have very strong opinions about and have never read,” Belsan said. 
“That’s true of so many banned books.”Belsan said his students 
are assigned to read only 149 of the Bible’s more than 1,100 chapters. 
The course includes some violent passages, such as the story of Cain and
 Abel. He said the majority of verses cited in Bannon’s challenge aren’t
 covered in the course.“I don’t want to give the impression that there’s nothing controversial in there. That would be a misrepresentation,” he said.“Even
 ‘Romeo and Juliet’ is controversial because of the suicide. But what I 
tell the kids on Day One is, ‘Don’t follow these guys. They’re a 
terrible example.’ The story is about families and conflict.”Committee member Kristin Sen said removing the Alexie novel may have been a mistake because lots of books have mature content.“It
 seems like one person initiated this whole process, and now here we 
are,” she said. “And … it’s a slidey slope. Where does it end?”Sen,
 who also serves on the Derby Public Library’s board of trustees, said 
the committee should be consistent when reviewing books and should keep 
the whole district in mind.“We’re kind of heavily leaning on the 
parent that’s objecting, but we’re not thinking about the group of 
parents that are saying, ‘No. … This is a good book and needs to be 
taught in a classroom setting,’” she said. “There are parents who want 
their child to go out in the world with this experience and this 
education.”Holly Putnam-Jackson, assistant superintendent of 
curriculum, told the committee that the district’s legal team had 
cautioned against labeling books as explicit or asking parents to 
pre-approve them.District policy allows parents to opt their 
child out of any book or lesson they find objectionable. In such cases, 
students are given an alternate assignment.Bannon, who submitted the challenge, said she doesn’t plan to appeal the decision.“I
 just wanted the parents and board members and faculty who make these 
decisions to see that mature themes run through lots of books, including
 the Bible,” she said.Suzanne Perez reports on education for KMUW in Wichita and the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter @SuzPerezICT.

Despite challenge, Kan. school district won't remove Bible from libraries, classrooms

All photos from joeybahr.com

The Kansas Forestry Service’s Tanker 95 operated from the Great Bend Municipal Airport on Tuesday afternoon and evening. &nbsp;

The Grumman S2F aerial firefighting tanker conducted water drops on the fires burning between Larned and Garfield. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Great
 Bend Fire Department personnel helped with hoses and connection to a 
fire hydrant at the airport to refill the 800-gallon water tank in the 
belly of the aircraft.

Tanker 95 conducted at least five drops
 from the Great Bend airport before returning to their Hutchinson 
Regional Airport base.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Plans were being made Tuesday night by 
the Red Cross to set up a rest area at the Larned Community Center for 
fire fighters and citizens affected by the fire.

The Kansas Forest Service is also assisting with fires in Hodgeman, Jewell and Rooks counties.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648648404297.jpeg" alt="A member of the ground crew signals the flight crew that the hose has 
been disconnected.&nbsp;&nbsp;Tanker 95 of the Kansas Forestry Service operated 
out of the Great Bend Municipal Airport in Great Bend, Kansas to attack a
 wildfire between Larned and Garfield on March 29, 2022.&nbsp;&nbsp;(Photo: Joey 
Bahr,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joeybahr.com/" target="_blank">www.joeybahr.com</a>)&nbsp;&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>A member of the ground crew signals the flight crew that the hose has 
been disconnected.&nbsp;&nbsp;Tanker 95 of the Kansas Forestry Service operated 
out of the Great Bend Municipal Airport in Great Bend, Kansas to attack a
 wildfire between Larned and Garfield on March 29, 2022.&nbsp;&nbsp;(Photo: Joey 
Bahr,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joeybahr.com/" target="_blank">www.joeybahr.com</a>)&nbsp;&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>All photos from joeybahr.comThe Kansas Forestry Service’s Tanker 95 operated from the Great Bend Municipal Airport on Tuesday afternoon and evening. &nbsp;The Grumman S2F aerial firefighting tanker conducted water drops on the fires burning between Larned and Garfield. &nbsp;&nbsp; Great
 Bend Fire Department personnel helped with hoses and connection to a 
fire hydrant at the airport to refill the 800-gallon water tank in the 
belly of the aircraft. Tanker 95 conducted at least five drops
 from the Great Bend airport before returning to their Hutchinson 
Regional Airport base.&nbsp; &nbsp;Plans were being made Tuesday night by 
the Red Cross to set up a rest area at the Larned Community Center for 
fire fighters and citizens affected by the fire.The Kansas Forest Service is also assisting with fires in Hodgeman, Jewell and Rooks counties.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648648288491.jpeg" alt="Members of the Great Bend and Albert Fire Departments monitor the hose as a hydrant is hooked up to refill the 800-gallon tank. (Photo: Joey Bahr,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joeybahr.com/" target="_blank">www.joeybahr.com</a>)&nbsp;&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Members of the Great Bend and Albert Fire Departments monitor the hose as a hydrant is hooked up to refill the 800-gallon tank. (Photo: Joey Bahr,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joeybahr.com/" target="_blank">www.joeybahr.com</a>)&nbsp;&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648648265716.jpeg" alt="(Photo: Joey Bahr,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joeybahr.com/" target="_blank">www.joeybahr.com</a>)&nbsp;&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>(Photo: Joey Bahr,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joeybahr.com/" target="_blank">www.joeybahr.com</a>)&nbsp;&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>

Firefighting plane helps battle wildfires near Larned

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The moment nurse RaDonda Vaught realized she had given a patient the wrong medication, she rushed to the doctors working to revive 75-year-old Charlene Murphey and told them what she had done. Within hours, she made a full report of her mistake to the Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Murphey died the next day, on Dec. 27, 2017. On Friday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-homicide-tennessee-208900696fba7ec95b00b37ac1989dfb">a jury found Vaught guilty</a>&nbsp;of criminally negligent homicide and gross neglect.

That verdict — and the fact that Vaught was charged at all — worries patient safety and nursing groups that have worked for years to move hospital culture away from cover-ups, blame and punishment, and toward the honest reporting of mistakes.

The move to a “Just Culture” seeks to improve safety by analyzing human errors and making systemic changes to prevent their recurrence. And that can’t happen if providers think they could go to prison, they say.

“The criminalization of medical errors is unnerving, and this verdict sets into motion a dangerous precedent,” the American Nurses Association said. “Health care delivery is highly complex. It is inevitable that mistakes will happen. ... It is completely unrealistic to think otherwise.”

Just Culture has been widely adopted in hospitals since a 1999 report by the National Academy of Medicine estimated at least 98,000 people may die each year due to medical errors.

But such bad outcomes remain stubbornly common, with too many hospital staffers convinced that owning up to mistakes will expose them to punishment, according to a 2018 study published in the American Journal of Medical Quality.

More than 46,000 death certificates listed complications of medical and surgical care — a category that includes medical errors — among the causes of death in 2020, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics.

“Best estimates are 7,000-10,000 fatal medication errors a year. Are we going to lock them up? Who is going to replace them?” said Bruce Lambert, patient safety expert and director of the Center for Communication and Health at Northwestern University.

“If you think RaDonda Vaught is criminally negligent, you just don’t know how health care works,” Lambert said.

Murphey was admitted to the neurological intensive care unit on Dec. 24, 2017, after suffering from a brain bleed. Two days later, doctors ordered a PET scan. Murphey was claustrophobic and was prescribed Versed for her anxiety, according to testimony. When Vaught could not find Versed in an automatic drug dispensing cabinet, she used an override and accidentally grabbed the paralyzing drug vecuronium instead.

Such mistakes often end up in malpractice lawsuits, but criminal prosecutions are rare. After Vaught was charged in 2019, the Institute for Safe Medical Practices issued a statement saying it had “worrisome implications for safety.”

“In an era when we need more transparency, cover-ups will reign due to fear,” the statement read. “Even if errors are reported, effective event investigation and learning cannot occur in a culture of fear or blame.”

Many nurses are “already at their breaking point ... after a physically, mentally and emotionally exhausting two years caring for patients with COVID,” said Liz Stokes, director of the American Nurses Association’s Center for Ethics and Human Rights. Vaught’s prosecution gives them one more reason to quit, she said.

“This could be me. I’m an RN as well,” she said. “This could be any of us.”

Vaught was steeped in the idea of Just Culture and says she has “zero regrets” about telling the truth, but her candor was used against her at trial. Assistant District Attorney Brittani Flatt quoted from her interview with a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation agent in closing arguments: “I definitely should have paid more attention. I should have called the pharmacy. I shouldn’t have overridden, because it wasn’t an emergency.”

It is easy to judge Vaught’s actions in retrospect, Lambert said, but overrides and workarounds are an extremely common part of healthcare, he said: “This is typical, not aberrant or bizarre, behavior.”

Meanwhile, Vaught’s honesty about her mistake has already brought about safety improvements, and not just at Vanderbilt. Because vecuronium should only be used on patients who have a breathing tube inserted, some hospitals have moved it and other paralytic drugs out of automatic dispensing cabinets.

“At my hospital, they’ve changed their policy and put paralytics into a rapid intubation kit because of this,” said Janie Harvey Garner, who founded the nurse advocacy organization Show Me Your Stethoscope. She said that because Vaught owned up to the mistake, Murphey’s death “has probably saved lives.”

While Murphey’s death may serve as a cautionary tale for other nurses, Vaught, now awaiting a sentence of up to eight years, told The Associated Press in an interview that she thinks about her patient every day.

Vaught, 37, discovered that she and Murphey lived in the same small community of Bethpage, about an hour northeast of Nashville, and that she and members of Murphey’s family have mutual friends. It would only be a matter of time before she met one of them in person.

“I’ve imagined so many times how I would feel if this were my grandma, my family member, my husband,” she said.

Recently, while buying farm supplies, she was talking with the young man behind the counter when he recognized her, and told her he was Murphey’s grandson. Instead of reproaching her, he ended up comforting her and patting her on the shoulder, she said.

“He was so kind. He was so incredibly kind,” Vaught said. “I took his grandma away, and he just kept telling me to take care of myself. There are good people in this world.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642602653897.jpg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By ASSOCIATED PRESSNASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The moment nurse RaDonda Vaught realized she had given a patient the wrong medication, she rushed to the doctors working to revive 75-year-old Charlene Murphey and told them what she had done. Within hours, she made a full report of her mistake to the Vanderbilt University Medical Center.Murphey died the next day, on Dec. 27, 2017. On Friday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-homicide-tennessee-208900696fba7ec95b00b37ac1989dfb">a jury found Vaught guilty</a>&nbsp;of criminally negligent homicide and gross neglect.That verdict — and the fact that Vaught was charged at all — worries patient safety and nursing groups that have worked for years to move hospital culture away from cover-ups, blame and punishment, and toward the honest reporting of mistakes.The move to a “Just Culture” seeks to improve safety by analyzing human errors and making systemic changes to prevent their recurrence. And that can’t happen if providers think they could go to prison, they say.“The criminalization of medical errors is unnerving, and this verdict sets into motion a dangerous precedent,” the American Nurses Association said. “Health care delivery is highly complex. It is inevitable that mistakes will happen. ... It is completely unrealistic to think otherwise.”Just Culture has been widely adopted in hospitals since a 1999 report by the National Academy of Medicine estimated at least 98,000 people may die each year due to medical errors.But such bad outcomes remain stubbornly common, with too many hospital staffers convinced that owning up to mistakes will expose them to punishment, according to a 2018 study published in the American Journal of Medical Quality.More than 46,000 death certificates listed complications of medical and surgical care — a category that includes medical errors — among the causes of death in 2020, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics.“Best estimates are 7,000-10,000 fatal medication errors a year. Are we going to lock them up? Who is going to replace them?” said Bruce Lambert, patient safety expert and director of the Center for Communication and Health at Northwestern University.“If you think RaDonda Vaught is criminally negligent, you just don’t know how health care works,” Lambert said.Murphey was admitted to the neurological intensive care unit on Dec. 24, 2017, after suffering from a brain bleed. Two days later, doctors ordered a PET scan. Murphey was claustrophobic and was prescribed Versed for her anxiety, according to testimony. When Vaught could not find Versed in an automatic drug dispensing cabinet, she used an override and accidentally grabbed the paralyzing drug vecuronium instead.Such mistakes often end up in malpractice lawsuits, but criminal prosecutions are rare. After Vaught was charged in 2019, the Institute for Safe Medical Practices issued a statement saying it had “worrisome implications for safety.”“In an era when we need more transparency, cover-ups will reign due to fear,” the statement read. “Even if errors are reported, effective event investigation and learning cannot occur in a culture of fear or blame.”Many nurses are “already at their breaking point ... after a physically, mentally and emotionally exhausting two years caring for patients with COVID,” said Liz Stokes, director of the American Nurses Association’s Center for Ethics and Human Rights. Vaught’s prosecution gives them one more reason to quit, she said.“This could be me. I’m an RN as well,” she said. “This could be any of us.”Vaught was steeped in the idea of Just Culture and says she has “zero regrets” about telling the truth, but her candor was used against her at trial. Assistant District Attorney Brittani Flatt quoted from her interview with a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation agent in closing arguments: “I definitely should have paid more attention. I should have called the pharmacy. I shouldn’t have overridden, because it wasn’t an emergency.”It is easy to judge Vaught’s actions in retrospect, Lambert said, but overrides and workarounds are an extremely common part of healthcare, he said: “This is typical, not aberrant or bizarre, behavior.”Meanwhile, Vaught’s honesty about her mistake has already brought about safety improvements, and not just at Vanderbilt. Because vecuronium should only be used on patients who have a breathing tube inserted, some hospitals have moved it and other paralytic drugs out of automatic dispensing cabinets.“At my hospital, they’ve changed their policy and put paralytics into a rapid intubation kit because of this,” said Janie Harvey Garner, who founded the nurse advocacy organization Show Me Your Stethoscope. She said that because Vaught owned up to the mistake, Murphey’s death “has probably saved lives.”While Murphey’s death may serve as a cautionary tale for other nurses, Vaught, now awaiting a sentence of up to eight years, told The Associated Press in an interview that she thinks about her patient every day.Vaught, 37, discovered that she and Murphey lived in the same small community of Bethpage, about an hour northeast of Nashville, and that she and members of Murphey’s family have mutual friends. It would only be a matter of time before she met one of them in person.“I’ve imagined so many times how I would feel if this were my grandma, my family member, my husband,” she said.Recently, while buying farm supplies, she was talking with the young man behind the counter when he recognized her, and told her he was Murphey’s grandson. Instead of reproaching her, he ended up comforting her and patting her on the shoulder, she said.“He was so kind. He was so incredibly kind,” Vaught said. “I took his grandma away, and he just kept telling me to take care of myself. There are good people in this world.”

Nurses: Guilty verdict for dosing mistake could cost lives

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service reminds taxpayers that if 
they're unable to file their tax return by this year's April 18 
deadline, there's an easy, online option to get more time to complete 
their return.

Taxpayers who need more time to complete their return can request an 
automatic six-month extension to file. An extension allows for extra 
time to gather, prepare and file paperwork with the IRS; however, 
taxpayers should be aware that:

Individual tax filers, regardless of income, can use IRS Free File to
 electronically request an automatic tax-filing extension. The fastest 
and easiest way to get an extension is through <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">IRS Free File</a> on IRS.gov. Taxpayers can electronically request an extension on <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f4868.pdf">Form 4868</a>&nbsp;PDF.
 Filing this form gives taxpayers until October 17 to file their tax 
return. To get the extension, taxpayers must estimate their tax 
liability on this form and should timely pay any amount due.

Other fast, free and easy ways to get an extension include using IRS <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/direct-pay">Direct Pay</a>, the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/eftps-the-electronic-federal-tax-payment-system">Electronic Federal Tax Payment System</a> or by paying with a <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/pay-taxes-by-credit-or-debit-card">credit or debit card or digital wallet</a>.
 There's no need to file a separate Form 4868 extension request when 
making an electronic payment and indicating it's for an extension. The 
IRS will automatically count it as an extension.

The IRS reminds taxpayers that a request for an extension provides extra time to file a tax return, but not extra time to pay any
 taxes owed. Payments are still due by the original deadline. Taxpayers 
should file even if they can't pay the full amount. By filing either a 
return on time or requesting an extension by the April 18 filing 
deadline, they'll avoid the late-filing penalty, which can be 10 times 
as costly as the penalty for not paying.

Taxpayers who pay as much as they can by the due date, reduce the 
overall amount subject to penalty and interest charges. The interest 
rate is currently four percent per year, compounded daily. The 
late-filing penalty is generally five percent per month and the 
late-payment penalty is normally 0.5 percent per month.

The IRS will work with taxpayers who cannot pay the full amount of 
tax they owe. Other options to pay, such as getting a loan or paying by 
credit card, may help resolve a tax debt. Most people can set up a <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/online-payment-agreement-application">payment plan</a> on IRS.gov to pay off their balance over time.

Certain eligible taxpayers get more time to file without having to ask for extensions. These include:

The deadline to submit 2021 tax returns or an extension to file 
and pay tax owed this year falls on April 18, instead of April 15, 
because of the Emancipation Day holiday in the District of Columbia. 
Taxpayers in Maine or Massachusetts have until April 19, 2022, to file 
their returns due to the Patriots' Day holiday in those states.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service reminds taxpayers that if 
they're unable to file their tax return by this year's April 18 
deadline, there's an easy, online option to get more time to complete 
their return.Taxpayers who need more time to complete their return can request an 
automatic six-month extension to file. An extension allows for extra 
time to gather, prepare and file paperwork with the IRS; however, 
taxpayers should be aware that:<ul>
 <li>An extension to file their return doesn't grant them an extension to pay their taxes,</li><li>They should estimate and pay any owed taxes by their regular deadline to help avoid possible penalties and</li><li>They must file their extension no later than the regular due date of their return.</li>
 </ul><h2>E-file an extension form for free</h2>Individual tax filers, regardless of income, can use IRS Free File to
 electronically request an automatic tax-filing extension. The fastest 
and easiest way to get an extension is through <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">IRS Free File</a> on IRS.gov. Taxpayers can electronically request an extension on <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f4868.pdf">Form 4868</a>&nbsp;PDF.
 Filing this form gives taxpayers until October 17 to file their tax 
return. To get the extension, taxpayers must estimate their tax 
liability on this form and should timely pay any amount due.<h2>Get an extension when making a payment</h2>Other fast, free and easy ways to get an extension include using IRS <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/direct-pay">Direct Pay</a>, the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/eftps-the-electronic-federal-tax-payment-system">Electronic Federal Tax Payment System</a> or by paying with a <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/pay-taxes-by-credit-or-debit-card">credit or debit card or digital wallet</a>.
 There's no need to file a separate Form 4868 extension request when 
making an electronic payment and indicating it's for an extension. The 
IRS will automatically count it as an extension.<h2>Important reminders on extensions</h2>The IRS reminds taxpayers that a request for an extension provides extra time to file a tax return, but not extra time to pay any
 taxes owed. Payments are still due by the original deadline. Taxpayers 
should file even if they can't pay the full amount. By filing either a 
return on time or requesting an extension by the April 18 filing 
deadline, they'll avoid the late-filing penalty, which can be 10 times 
as costly as the penalty for not paying.Taxpayers who pay as much as they can by the due date, reduce the 
overall amount subject to penalty and interest charges. The interest 
rate is currently four percent per year, compounded daily. The 
late-filing penalty is generally five percent per month and the 
late-payment penalty is normally 0.5 percent per month.The IRS will work with taxpayers who cannot pay the full amount of 
tax they owe. Other options to pay, such as getting a loan or paying by 
credit card, may help resolve a tax debt. Most people can set up a <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/online-payment-agreement-application">payment plan</a> on IRS.gov to pay off their balance over time.<h2>Other automatic extensions</h2>Certain eligible taxpayers get more time to file without having to ask for extensions. These include:<ul>
 <li><a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/international-taxpayers/us-citizens-and-resident-aliens-abroad">U.S. citizens and resident aliens</a> who live and work outside of the United States and Puerto Rico get an <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/international-taxpayers/us-citizens-and-resident-aliens-abroad-automatic-2-month-extension-of-time-to-file">automatic 2-month</a>
 extension to file their tax returns. They have until June 15 to file. 
However, tax payments are still due April 18 or interest will be 
charged.</li><li>Members of the military on duty outside the United States and 
Puerto Rico also receive an automatic two-month extension to file. Those
 serving in <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/combat-zones">combat zones</a> have up to 180 days after they leave the combat zone to file returns and pay any taxes due. Details are available in <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p3.pdf">Publication 3, Armed Forces' Tax Guide</a>&nbsp;PDF.</li><li>When the President makes a disaster area declaration, the IRS can <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/extension-of-time-to-file-your-tax-return">postpone certain taxpayer deadlines</a> for residents and businesses in the affected area. People can find information on the most recent tax relief for <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/tax-relief-in-disaster-situations">disaster situations</a> on the IRS website.</li>
 </ul>The deadline to submit 2021 tax returns or an extension to file 
and pay tax owed this year falls on April 18, instead of April 15, 
because of the Emancipation Day holiday in the District of Columbia. 
Taxpayers in Maine or Massachusetts have until April 19, 2022, to file 
their returns due to the Patriots' Day holiday in those states.

Haven't filed your taxes yet? Here's how to get an extension


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
A lawsuit filed earlier this month by a group for whom Kansas candidate for attorney general, Kris Kobach is general counsel, asks that airmen, including some from McConnell Airforce Base in Wichita who have religious objections to getting the COVID-19 vaccine be exempted.

"The First Amendment free exercise of religion clause protects them," Kobach said. "The government has no compelling interest in not making an exception for them. The other argument is the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993, which Congress passed, also protects them."

A Friday U.S. Supreme Court decision in a similar case involving Navy SEALS narrows the potential scope of any positive ruling, in that the court held that command still gets to decide where its resources are deployed. One of the main points of Kobach's case is that there is a large amount of sunk cost in the training of these airmen.

"Of the 36 plaintiffs, 17 are pilots," Kobach said. "They fly the KC-135 out of Wichita, McConnell Airbase, or they fly the RC-135 out of Offutt Airbase near Omaha. You know how much it costs to train one of these pilots? $5.5 million each."

Kobach's contention is that he needs to be elected attorney general to keep pressure on the Biden Administration on policy decisions like this one.

"In many cases, the only litigant who can bring a lawsuit is the state attorney general," Kobach said. "In this particular one, the airmen came to me and as a private attorney, I was able to bring the lawsuit. But, we really do need to stop an out of control administration in Washington right now."

Kobach is one of multiple Republican candidates running to replace Derek Schmidt, who is running for governor.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1582891209105.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NICK GOSNELL Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
A lawsuit filed earlier this month by a group for whom Kansas candidate for attorney general, Kris Kobach is general counsel, asks that airmen, including some from McConnell Airforce Base in Wichita who have religious objections to getting the COVID-19 vaccine be exempted."The First Amendment free exercise of religion clause protects them," Kobach said. "The government has no compelling interest in not making an exception for them. The other argument is the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993, which Congress passed, also protects them."A Friday U.S. Supreme Court decision in a similar case involving Navy SEALS narrows the potential scope of any positive ruling, in that the court held that command still gets to decide where its resources are deployed. One of the main points of Kobach's case is that there is a large amount of sunk cost in the training of these airmen."Of the 36 plaintiffs, 17 are pilots," Kobach said. "They fly the KC-135 out of Wichita, McConnell Airbase, or they fly the RC-135 out of Offutt Airbase near Omaha. You know how much it costs to train one of these pilots? $5.5 million each."Kobach's contention is that he needs to be elected attorney general to keep pressure on the Biden Administration on policy decisions like this one."In many cases, the only litigant who can bring a lawsuit is the state attorney general," Kobach said. "In this particular one, the airmen came to me and as a private attorney, I was able to bring the lawsuit. But, we really do need to stop an out of control administration in Washington right now."Kobach is one of multiple Republican candidates running to replace Derek Schmidt, who is running for governor.

Kobach is lawyer for group suing Biden administration on COVID-19 policy

By PAT MELGARES K-State Research and Extension News Service&nbsp;

MANHATTAN – The nationwide Cooperative Extension System is taking a long view of&nbsp;health&nbsp;in America’s communities.&nbsp;

Elaine Johannes, a youth development specialist and associate professor in Kansas State University’s Department of Applied Human Sciences, said many of her colleagues from land-grant universities across the United States and several national&nbsp;health&nbsp;experts recently formed a task force to develop a framework for improving&nbsp;health&nbsp;and achieving&nbsp;health&nbsp;equity.&nbsp;

Their report,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.aplu.org/CES-EqHealth" target="_blank">Cooperative Extension’s National Framework for&nbsp;Health&nbsp;Equity and Well Being</a>, is now available to view online. The project was supported by the Extension Committee on Organization and Policy, or ECOP.&nbsp;

“One of the things we discovered is that not everything fits every&nbsp;community,” said Johannes, who noted extension has a long history of improving&nbsp;health&nbsp;and well being in communities across the country. “(Differences in communities) make up the&nbsp;health&nbsp;equity piece of the new national approach to extension’s role in&nbsp;health.”&nbsp;

Johannes said many associate their&nbsp;community’s&nbsp;health&nbsp;solely on available&nbsp;health&nbsp;care agencies, medical providers, doctors, hospitals, clinics and similar services.&nbsp;

“But that comprises only 20% of our overall&nbsp;health,” Johannes said.&nbsp;

“There’s a lot more that makes up our well being. Does the&nbsp;community&nbsp;have safe streets for walking? Does the&nbsp;community&nbsp;have water that we can drink? What’s the overall&nbsp;community&nbsp;air quality? And do we have access to grocery stores, and good jobs to&nbsp;&nbsp;make sure our family has access to food? Those are some of the indicators that make up at least half of our overall&nbsp;health&nbsp;and well being.”&nbsp;

According to Johannes, the task force’s recommendations focus on three themes:

●Health&nbsp;equity, or a condition that exists when everyone has a fair and just opportunity to be as&nbsp;healthy as possible.

●Social determinants of&nbsp;health, or societal factors that influence the&nbsp;health&nbsp;of an individual.

●Coalitions and&nbsp;community&nbsp;health&nbsp;assets,&nbsp;or developing partnerships to expand the reach of existing programs.&nbsp;

While the nation’s extension service has traditionally supported&nbsp;community&nbsp;health&nbsp;with local programs, Johannes said the task force’s work provides a foundation for Kansas State University and other land-grant universities to strategically fill its role in&nbsp;community&nbsp;health.&nbsp;

In Kansas, she added, a “cookie cutter” approach to&nbsp;health&nbsp;likely won’t work. “But those stories that happen in Gove County compared to Crawford County or Riley County may give people an idea that they can try in their own&nbsp;community,” Johannes said.&nbsp;

“That type of customization is one of the roles I have, and that my colleagues (and others) in&nbsp;community&nbsp;health&nbsp;have…to look at the capacities in the&nbsp;community&nbsp;and find the gaps. Then, let’s fill the gaps in order for well-being to occur.”&nbsp;

More information on&nbsp;community&nbsp;health&nbsp;efforts is available at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksre.k-state.edu/about/statewide-locations.html" target="_blank">local extension offices in Kansas</a>. The full report recently released by ECOP is available online at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.aplu.org/CES-EqHealth" target="_blank">www.aplu.org/CES-EqHealth</a>.&nbsp;

By PAT MELGARES K-State Research and Extension News Service&nbsp;MANHATTAN – The nationwide Cooperative Extension System is taking a long view of&nbsp;health&nbsp;in America’s communities.&nbsp;Elaine Johannes, a youth development specialist and associate professor in Kansas State University’s Department of Applied Human Sciences, said many of her colleagues from land-grant universities across the United States and several national&nbsp;health&nbsp;experts recently formed a task force to develop a framework for improving&nbsp;health&nbsp;and achieving&nbsp;health&nbsp;equity.&nbsp;Their report,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.aplu.org/CES-EqHealth" target="_blank">Cooperative Extension’s National Framework for&nbsp;Health&nbsp;Equity and Well Being</a>, is now available to view online. The project was supported by the Extension Committee on Organization and Policy, or ECOP.&nbsp;“One of the things we discovered is that not everything fits every&nbsp;community,” said Johannes, who noted extension has a long history of improving&nbsp;health&nbsp;and well being in communities across the country. “(Differences in communities) make up the&nbsp;health&nbsp;equity piece of the new national approach to extension’s role in&nbsp;health.”&nbsp;Johannes said many associate their&nbsp;community’s&nbsp;health&nbsp;solely on available&nbsp;health&nbsp;care agencies, medical providers, doctors, hospitals, clinics and similar services.&nbsp;“But that comprises only 20% of our overall&nbsp;health,” Johannes said.&nbsp;“There’s a lot more that makes up our well being. Does the&nbsp;community&nbsp;have safe streets for walking? Does the&nbsp;community&nbsp;have water that we can drink? What’s the overall&nbsp;community&nbsp;air quality? And do we have access to grocery stores, and good jobs to&nbsp;&nbsp;make sure our family has access to food? Those are some of the indicators that make up at least half of our overall&nbsp;health&nbsp;and well being.”&nbsp;According to Johannes, the task force’s recommendations focus on three themes: ●Health&nbsp;equity, or a condition that exists when everyone has a fair and just opportunity to be as&nbsp;healthy as possible.●Social determinants of&nbsp;health, or societal factors that influence the&nbsp;health&nbsp;of an individual.●Coalitions and&nbsp;community&nbsp;health&nbsp;assets,&nbsp;or developing partnerships to expand the reach of existing programs.&nbsp;While the nation’s extension service has traditionally supported&nbsp;community&nbsp;health&nbsp;with local programs, Johannes said the task force’s work provides a foundation for Kansas State University and other land-grant universities to strategically fill its role in&nbsp;community&nbsp;health.&nbsp;In Kansas, she added, a “cookie cutter” approach to&nbsp;health&nbsp;likely won’t work. “But those stories that happen in Gove County compared to Crawford County or Riley County may give people an idea that they can try in their own&nbsp;community,” Johannes said.&nbsp;“That type of customization is one of the roles I have, and that my colleagues (and others) in&nbsp;community&nbsp;health&nbsp;have…to look at the capacities in the&nbsp;community&nbsp;and find the gaps. Then, let’s fill the gaps in order for well-being to occur.”&nbsp;More information on&nbsp;community&nbsp;health&nbsp;efforts is available at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksre.k-state.edu/about/statewide-locations.html" target="_blank">local extension offices in Kansas</a>. The full report recently released by ECOP is available online at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.aplu.org/CES-EqHealth" target="_blank">www.aplu.org/CES-EqHealth</a>.&nbsp;

New report aims to guide community health efforts in Kansas

For towns with only a few hundred residents, keeping tap water clean and safe can pose a crippling expense. The predicament is likely to become more common in western Kansas as farm chemicals seep into dwindling water supplies.

&nbsp;By DAVID CONDOS Kansas News Service

HAVILAND —&nbsp;Fifteen years ago, Robert Ellis got a letter he never wanted.

Haviland’s drinking water had failed a state safety test. It had more nitrate than federal limits allow. And as mayor of this small town east of Dodge City, it was his job to help the town figure out what to do.

Building a new water treatment plant would cost millions, so the town started installing water filters one home at a time. That penciled out far cheaper than one central plant.

But state regulators told them no. Those in-home filters wouldn’t cut it.

The town pleaded its case in a series of meetings and hearings that lasted years. To no avail. If Haviland didn’t build a plant, Ellis said, the state would have fined the town thousands of dollars a day.

“There was quite a battle,” he said. “But as usual, the government won.”

So after a decade, Haviland finally agreed to build a nitrate removal plant to get its contaminant levels under the limit.

The price tag?&nbsp;<a href="https://krwa.net/portals/krwa/lifeline/1611/042.pdf" target="_blank">$2.4 million</a>&nbsp;— for a town of just 700 people. It was almost as if every last person in Haviland just got a bill for roughly $3,500.

Today, the water in Haviland is cleaner and safer. The regulators are satisfied. But Ellis said when the town’s residents see the plant, they just think about how much it’s costing them.

“They’ve been drinking out of their garden hose all their lives. … They don’t worry about the nitrates,” Ellis said. “All they look at (is) their water bill.”

Dozens of other small towns across Kansas have found themselves in similar spots in recent years — caught between massive costs and small budgets, between answering to their residents or state regulators, between the way agriculture sustains their economies and the way it&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usgs.gov/special-topics/water-science-school/science/nitrogen-and-water" target="_blank">channels some chemicals</a>, like nitrates, into their water.

A plant to clean up nitrates cost&nbsp;<a href="https://krwa.net/portals/krwa/lifeline/1203/016.pdf" target="_blank">$1.1 million</a>&nbsp;in Everest, a northeast Kansas town of about 270 people.

St. John in central Kansas spent just under&nbsp;<a href="https://www.krwa.net/portals/krwa/lifeline/1403/090.pdf" target="_blank">$3 million</a>&nbsp;on a plant to get rid of nitrates for its 1,200 residents.

In Woodston near Hays, the nitrate removal plant cost&nbsp;<a href="https://krwa.net/portals/krwa/lifeline/1307/104.pdf" target="_blank">$1.15 million</a>&nbsp;— for a town of fewer than 100 people.

And more than 30 other rural towns across Kansas still run over the legal limit for everything from nitrates to arsenic to chemical byproducts of the very treatments used to make the water drinkable.

For towns this small, a multimillion-dollar project weighs heavy. Even years later, Haviland’s current mayor, Aaron Stokes, said it “dominates … the conversations we're having.”

“It's hard to do anything else,” he said, “because we've got this thing looming over us.”

And in addition to the price of construction, the Haviland plant — which requires a $5,000 semi-truck load of salt every few months — takes a lot to maintain.

Water bills in Haviland have just about tripled to cover the costs, including repaying a $1.55 million loan the town got from the state. For homes using 5,000 gallons of water, monthly bills went from less than $15 to $42.

City Council President Kay Unruh said it will still take decades for Haviland to pay it all off.

And the most frustrating part, she said, is the town came up with an alternative — those in-home filters — that could have better fit the town’s financial limitations but felt “backed into a corner” when it came to building the plant.

The state didn’t believe Haviland could maintain all those filters spread throughout the town, which includes a senior living center and a college with fewer than 200 on-campus students, even though Unruh said the in-home reverse osmosis filters would have actually removed more nitrate than the plant does.

She described it as another example of the state or federal government not trusting rural Kansans to decide what’s best for themselves.

“Our hands are tied financially because all of our resources are going to comply with these regulations,” Unruh said. “We feel like we’re being strangled.”

People in western Kansas have enjoyed historically cheap tap water that’s drawn from the underground Ogallala aquifer and treated only with chlorine.

“Very few rural water districts have a treatment plant,” Kansas Rural Water Association consultant Bert Zerr said.

If that water stays within federal safety standards, it’s ready for the faucet. But when it goes over the limit, Zerr said, residents’ water bills shoot up.

“If they’re not doubling, they’re close to it,” he said.

Those small-town treatment plants are becoming more common in farm country where more nitrate from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.epa.gov/nutrientpollution/sources-and-solutions-agriculture" target="_blank">fertilizer runoff</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.epa.gov/nutrient-policy-data/estimated-animal-agriculture-nitrogen-and-phosphorus-manure" target="_blank">cattle feedlot waste</a>&nbsp;makes its way into the ground.

A recent&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.883585" target="_blank">nationwide study</a>&nbsp;from Iowa State University shows the use of nitrogen fertilizer nationwide has increased 34-fold since the 1940s. And agricultural regions from central California and eastern Washington to the Great Plains are home to some of the country’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969720311724#!" target="_blank">most likely places</a>&nbsp;for nitrate violations.

Closer to home, a Kansas State University&nbsp;<a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10040-019-02083-z#Sec15" target="_blank">study</a>&nbsp;that tested water wells in rural central Kansas between the 1970s and 2016 found that nitrate levels increased in 95% of those wells.

David Cwiertny, who directs the&nbsp;<a href="https://cheec.uiowa.edu/" target="_blank">Center for Health Effects of Environmental Contamination</a>&nbsp;at the University of Iowa, said nitrate levels will likely continue rising until those regions do more to keep the chemical from getting into water supplies in the first place.

“We can’t be surprised that we have increasing levels of nitrate in our water,” Cwiertny said. “We know that we’re putting down increasing amounts of nitrogen on the land.”

So just how dangerous are these chemicals in the water? It’s complicated.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648574773511.jpeg" alt="Former Haviland mayor Robert Ellis stands between pipes inside the small town's multimillion-dollar water treatment plant. Photos by David Condos/Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>Former Haviland mayor Robert Ellis stands between pipes inside the small town's multimillion-dollar water treatment plant. Photos by David Condos/Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>For towns with only a few hundred residents, keeping tap water clean and safe can pose a crippling expense. The predicament is likely to become more common in western Kansas as farm chemicals seep into dwindling water supplies.</h2>&nbsp;By DAVID CONDOS Kansas News ServiceHAVILAND —&nbsp;Fifteen years ago, Robert Ellis got a letter he never wanted.Haviland’s drinking water had failed a state safety test. It had more nitrate than federal limits allow. And as mayor of this small town east of Dodge City, it was his job to help the town figure out what to do.Building a new water treatment plant would cost millions, so the town started installing water filters one home at a time. That penciled out far cheaper than one central plant.But state regulators told them no. Those in-home filters wouldn’t cut it.The town pleaded its case in a series of meetings and hearings that lasted years. To no avail. If Haviland didn’t build a plant, Ellis said, the state would have fined the town thousands of dollars a day.“There was quite a battle,” he said. “But as usual, the government won.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648575135016.jpeg" alt="The small town of Haviland sits east of Dodge City on US 54. The town's multimillion-dollar nitrate removal plant is the tan warehouse to the right of the water tower." />
 <figcaption>The small town of Haviland sits east of Dodge City on US 54. The town's multimillion-dollar nitrate removal plant is the tan warehouse to the right of the water tower.</figcaption>
 </figure>So after a decade, Haviland finally agreed to build a nitrate removal plant to get its contaminant levels under the limit.The price tag?&nbsp;<a href="https://krwa.net/portals/krwa/lifeline/1611/042.pdf" target="_blank">$2.4 million</a>&nbsp;— for a town of just 700 people. It was almost as if every last person in Haviland just got a bill for roughly $3,500.Today, the water in Haviland is cleaner and safer. The regulators are satisfied. But Ellis said when the town’s residents see the plant, they just think about how much it’s costing them.“They’ve been drinking out of their garden hose all their lives. … They don’t worry about the nitrates,” Ellis said. “All they look at (is) their water bill.”Dozens of other small towns across Kansas have found themselves in similar spots in recent years — caught between massive costs and small budgets, between answering to their residents or state regulators, between the way agriculture sustains their economies and the way it&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usgs.gov/special-topics/water-science-school/science/nitrogen-and-water" target="_blank">channels some chemicals</a>, like nitrates, into their water.A plant to clean up nitrates cost&nbsp;<a href="https://krwa.net/portals/krwa/lifeline/1203/016.pdf" target="_blank">$1.1 million</a>&nbsp;in Everest, a northeast Kansas town of about 270 people.St. John in central Kansas spent just under&nbsp;<a href="https://www.krwa.net/portals/krwa/lifeline/1403/090.pdf" target="_blank">$3 million</a>&nbsp;on a plant to get rid of nitrates for its 1,200 residents.In Woodston near Hays, the nitrate removal plant cost&nbsp;<a href="https://krwa.net/portals/krwa/lifeline/1307/104.pdf" target="_blank">$1.15 million</a>&nbsp;— for a town of fewer than 100 people.And more than 30 other rural towns across Kansas still run over the legal limit for everything from nitrates to arsenic to chemical byproducts of the very treatments used to make the water drinkable.For towns this small, a multimillion-dollar project weighs heavy. Even years later, Haviland’s current mayor, Aaron Stokes, said it “dominates … the conversations we're having.”“It's hard to do anything else,” he said, “because we've got this thing looming over us.”And in addition to the price of construction, the Haviland plant — which requires a $5,000 semi-truck load of salt every few months — takes a lot to maintain.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648575479988.jpeg" alt="Haviland town leaders, from left,&nbsp; Kay Unruh, Ellis, and Aaron Stokes stand in front of city hall." />
 <figcaption>Haviland town leaders, from left,&nbsp; Kay Unruh, Ellis, and Aaron Stokes stand in front of city hall.</figcaption>
 </figure>Water bills in Haviland have just about tripled to cover the costs, including repaying a $1.55 million loan the town got from the state. For homes using 5,000 gallons of water, monthly bills went from less than $15 to $42.City Council President Kay Unruh said it will still take decades for Haviland to pay it all off.And the most frustrating part, she said, is the town came up with an alternative — those in-home filters — that could have better fit the town’s financial limitations but felt “backed into a corner” when it came to building the plant.The state didn’t believe Haviland could maintain all those filters spread throughout the town, which includes a senior living center and a college with fewer than 200 on-campus students, even though Unruh said the in-home reverse osmosis filters would have actually removed more nitrate than the plant does.She described it as another example of the state or federal government not trusting rural Kansans to decide what’s best for themselves.“Our hands are tied financially because all of our resources are going to comply with these regulations,” Unruh said. “We feel like we’re being strangled.”Something in the waterPeople in western Kansas have enjoyed historically cheap tap water that’s drawn from the underground Ogallala aquifer and treated only with chlorine.“Very few rural water districts have a treatment plant,” Kansas Rural Water Association consultant Bert Zerr said.If that water stays within federal safety standards, it’s ready for the faucet. But when it goes over the limit, Zerr said, residents’ water bills shoot up.“If they’re not doubling, they’re close to it,” he said.Those small-town treatment plants are becoming more common in farm country where more nitrate from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.epa.gov/nutrientpollution/sources-and-solutions-agriculture" target="_blank">fertilizer runoff</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.epa.gov/nutrient-policy-data/estimated-animal-agriculture-nitrogen-and-phosphorus-manure" target="_blank">cattle feedlot waste</a>&nbsp;makes its way into the ground.A recent&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.883585" target="_blank">nationwide study</a>&nbsp;from Iowa State University shows the use of nitrogen fertilizer nationwide has increased 34-fold since the 1940s. And agricultural regions from central California and eastern Washington to the Great Plains are home to some of the country’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969720311724#!" target="_blank">most likely places</a>&nbsp;for nitrate violations.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648575713667.jpeg" alt="Two maps from the United States Geological Survey show predicted nitrate concentrations in shallow groundwater, left, and deeper groundwater that's commonly used for drinking water, right. Agricultural regions like the High Plains have some of the most widespread predicted concentrations." />
 <figcaption>Two maps from the United States Geological Survey show predicted nitrate concentrations in shallow groundwater, left, and deeper groundwater that's commonly used for drinking water, right. Agricultural regions like the High Plains have some of the most widespread predicted concentrations.</figcaption>
 </figure>Closer to home, a Kansas State University&nbsp;<a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10040-019-02083-z#Sec15" target="_blank">study</a>&nbsp;that tested water wells in rural central Kansas between the 1970s and 2016 found that nitrate levels increased in 95% of those wells.David Cwiertny, who directs the&nbsp;<a href="https://cheec.uiowa.edu/" target="_blank">Center for Health Effects of Environmental Contamination</a>&nbsp;at the University of Iowa, said nitrate levels will likely continue rising until those regions do more to keep the chemical from getting into water supplies in the first place.“We can’t be surprised that we have increasing levels of nitrate in our water,” Cwiertny said. “We know that we’re putting down increasing amounts of nitrogen on the land.”So just how dangerous are these chemicals in the water? It’s complicated.To start, the federal standards for drinking water were set more than two decades ago to guard against severe health consequences — effects that someone would experience shortly after drinking a chemical.But Cwiertny said even the safety regulations crippling the budgets of so many small towns are likely too loose.Recent research suggests drinking water with nitrate for years could cause other serious health issues — things like&nbsp;<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31577632/#affiliation-1" target="_blank">bladder cancer</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://vitalrecord.tamhsc.edu/brender-study-nitrate-intake-associated-with-birth-defects/" target="_blank">birth defects</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2021/05/too-much-nitrate-in-drinking-water-linked-to-preterm-birth.html" target="_blank">preterm delivery</a>&nbsp;— even at concentrations below the legal limits.“We know so much more about what chemicals are out there and what the chemicals we know about can do to us,” Cwiertny said. “Our regulations need updating.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648575838437.jpeg" alt="A pipe at Haviland's treatment plant carries water out of the large nitrate removal vessels shown to the right." />
 <figcaption>A pipe at Haviland's treatment plant carries water out of the large nitrate removal vessels shown to the right.</figcaption>
 </figure>The inevitableClimate change threatens to make things worse.As drought becomes more common, farmers pump more water from the aquifer to irrigate crops. And as underground water levels&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hppr.org/hppr-news/2021-05-05/farmers-trying-to-save-the-ogallala-aquifer-face-tension-from-peers-but-their-profits-are-improving" target="_blank">dwindle</a>, the chemicals in that water become more concentrated.“It's been taken for granted that our water, groundwater especially … you can just take it right out of the tap and not have to be concerned about the quality,” Kansas Farm Bureau public policy director Kent Askren said. “That was probably never the case, but it certainly is not the case today.”And what about the people adding fertilizer to the ground?Askren said that while Kansas farmers may not use less fertilizer than they did decades ago, they do have the ability to use it more efficiently thanks to new technology.Historically high fertilizer prices mean farmers have plenty of reasons to do just that.“Sometimes the picture is painted that agriculture is just willy nilly out there, throwing this stuff out,” he said. “This is one of their most expensive inputs. … They don't want to waste an ounce of it.”But even if every farmer stopped fertilizing tomorrow, it could take&nbsp;<a href="https://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/dwq/chemicals/nitratenitrite2ndadd.pdf" target="_blank">decades</a>&nbsp;for the nitrates already in Kansas groundwater to dissipate.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648575955927.jpeg" alt="Utilities director Rod Huffman stands next to the water well in Oakley that has too much nitrate." />
 <figcaption>Utilities director Rod Huffman stands next to the water well in Oakley that has too much nitrate.</figcaption>
 </figure>And for western Kansas towns that have yet to see chemicals increase in their water, it’s likely just a matter of time before they do.“I would not be surprised,” Oakley utilities director Rod Huffman said, “especially in the farming community areas, where the stuff that causes it the worst is.”Three years ago, Huffman received his own dreaded letter from the state. One of Oakley’s water wells had too much nitrate.So the northwest Kansas town of about 2,000 people had to start giving out bottled water to residents and posting notices around town warning of the potential danger each time it turns on that well.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648576084085.jpeg" alt="Each time Oakley turns on its well that is over the limit for nitrate, the town receives a new warning notice from the state to post in local restaurants and businesses." />
 <figcaption>Each time Oakley turns on its well that is over the limit for nitrate, the town receives a new warning notice from the state to post in local restaurants and businesses.</figcaption>
 </figure>The town plans to build a filtration plant, but even if all goes well, that likely won’t be up and running for two years.And it has already doubled water rates to prepare for the cost. Huffman said monthly water bills in Oakley are now between $70 and $80. That’s higher than the average bill in much larger cities, such as Wichita (<a href="https://www.kansas.com/news/politics-government/article247534770.html" target="_blank">$52</a>) and Lawrence (<a href="https://www2.ljworld.com/weblogs/town_talk/2020/sep/24/report-shows-average-utility-bill-in-lawrence-is-higher-than-in-most-u-s-metro-areas/" target="_blank">$58</a>).Oakley could try to push back against the regulations or try to find a temporary solution — like drilling a new well in a spot where nitrate concentrations are lower — that could buy some time.But Huffman said that as nitrate levels rise regionally, it’s going to keep getting harder to find wells that are under the limit. And if the town doesn’t bite the bullet now, he’s worried it’ll only cost millions more to build a treatment plant in the future.“It’s not gonna be cheap, but it’s cheaper than not doing nothing at all,” Huffman said. “It’s just not gonna get any better.”The above story is republished with permission from <a href="https://ksnewsservice.org/">Kansas News Service</a>.David Condos covers western Kansas for High Plains Public Radio and the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter&nbsp;<a href="http://twitter.com/davidcondos" target="_blank">@davidcondos</a>.The Kansas News Service is a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains Public Radio focused on health, the social determinants of health and their connection to public policy.&nbsp;