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

HUTCHINSON, Kan. —The Kansas House passed a bill Wednesday that changes a few important policy points when it comes to how cities can choose whether or not to enforce federal immigration law and the usage of local identification cards. The bill was originally introduced at the request of Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt.

"The bill does two things," Schmidt said. "It says that local governments, governing bodies, the political branches of local government may not adopt ordinances that instruct their local police department to not cooperate or communicate with federal authorities, especially on immigration matters. The discretion would still lie, but it would lie with the law enforcement officials, it wouldn't lie with the local politicians. Number two, it says that if a local government, city or county, issues their own government identification card, they can do that and they can use them locally for whatever they want, but those cards may not be used to satisfy the requirements of any state law for identification."

This law was proposed after the Kansas City Kansas and Wyandotte County Unified Government decided to enact local ID policy.

"They made the deliberate decision they are going to issue Kansas City, Kansas ID cards to illegal aliens, to people who are not lawfully in the country, undocumented people, whatever you want to call them," Schmidt said. "You want to make clear that if that card is taken outside of Kansas City and used somewhere else, that people don't look at that and are misled that it's a proof of lawful presence."

The Kansas House passed the bill 84 to 38. The bill now goes to the Kansas Senate.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1583409290272.jpeg" alt="Kansas AG Derek Schmidt" />
 <figcaption>Kansas AG Derek Schmidt</figcaption>
 </figure>NICK GOSNELL <a href="https://hutchpost.com/">Hutch Post</a>HUTCHINSON, Kan. —The Kansas House passed a bill Wednesday that changes a few important policy points when it comes to how cities can choose whether or not to enforce federal immigration law and the usage of local identification cards. The bill was originally introduced at the request of Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt."The bill does two things," Schmidt said. "It says that local governments, governing bodies, the political branches of local government may not adopt ordinances that instruct their local police department to not cooperate or communicate with federal authorities, especially on immigration matters. The discretion would still lie, but it would lie with the law enforcement officials, it wouldn't lie with the local politicians. Number two, it says that if a local government, city or county, issues their own government identification card, they can do that and they can use them locally for whatever they want, but those cards may not be used to satisfy the requirements of any state law for identification."This law was proposed after the Kansas City Kansas and Wyandotte County Unified Government decided to enact local ID policy."They made the deliberate decision they are going to issue Kansas City, Kansas ID cards to illegal aliens, to people who are not lawfully in the country, undocumented people, whatever you want to call them," Schmidt said. "You want to make clear that if that card is taken outside of Kansas City and used somewhere else, that people don't look at that and are misled that it's a proof of lawful presence."The Kansas House passed the bill 84 to 38. The bill now goes to the Kansas Senate.

Schmidt explains so-called 'sanctuary city' bill that passed KS House

LAWRENCE — Average groundwater levels across western and central Kansas fell by more than a foot in 2021, with the greatest declines in the southwest portion of the state, according to preliminary data compiled by the Kansas Geological Survey.

The KGS, based at the University of Kansas, and the Division of Water Resources of the Kansas Department of Agriculture measure about 1,400 wells every year to monitor the health of the High Plains aquifer and other aquifers in western and central Kansas. Those measurements showed an overall average decline of 1.01 feet last year. Most parts of the region saw below-average precipitation for the year, especially during the summer growing season for agricultural crops.

“The key takeaway is that 2021 started off very dry and, outside of the month of May, which is the last month most folks in western Kansas saw any measurable precipitation, dry conditions continued right into the summer and fall months,” said Brownie Wilson, KGS water-data manager.

The 2021 decline followed an overall drop of 0.93 feet in 2020, which was another abnormally dry year. Dry years lead to increased pumping demands, primarily for irrigation, which in turn typically cause greater declines in water levels.

“The entire state is currently in some stage of drought and even with recent snowfalls, I bet it remains that way,” Wilson said.

As of the beginning of February, virtually all of Kansas was under some level of drought conditions, based on maps published by National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Southwest Kansas was experiencing extreme to exceptional drought, with widespread moderate to severe drought across the rest of the western and central Kansas regions covered by the groundwater monitoring program.

The High Plains aquifer is a network of water-bearing rock that extends into eight states. In Kansas, the aquifer comprises three components — the Ogallala aquifer, the Great Bend Prairie aquifer and the Equus Beds. Of these, the Ogallala aquifer underlies most of western Kansas and consists mainly of the Ogallala Formation, a geologic unit that formed from sediment eroded off the uplifting Rocky Mountains.

The southwest Kansas portion of the Ogallala has suffered the greatest losses since groundwater levels started dropping in the 1950s. In the drought years between 2010 and 2014, declines averaged about 3 feet per year. Since 2015, levels fell less than a foot each year until 2020, which saw a decline of 1.2 feet. In 2021, the region saw an average drop of nearly 2.2 feet.

In central Kansas, the Great Bend Prairie aquifer underlies an area encompassing Great Bend, Kinsley, Greensburg and Pratt. Farther east, the Equus Beds extends from just north of Wichita toward McPherson and Hutchinson. This area typically sees more precipitation than the western part of the state. Because the aquifer is relatively close to the land surface and sandy soils are abundant, some of this precipitation recharges — or makes its way into — the aquifer. Since 1996, when the state began administrating the water-level monitoring program, water levels in this area have remained relatively stable.

Most of the wells in the network monitored by the KGS and DWR are within the boundaries of the state’s five Groundwater Management Districts (GMDs), which are organized and governed by area landowners and local water users to address water-resources issues.

In Southwest Kansas GMD 3, average groundwater levels dropped 2.17 feet in 2021, the largest decline in the region since 2013, when groundwater levels fell 2.43 feet. The region experienced drops of 1.25 feet in 2020 and 0.80 feet in 2019.

The region saw below-average precipitation in 2021, with widespread areas receiving 50% to 75% of long-term averages.&nbsp;

“Much of southwest Kansas came out of the winter months with already below-normal precipitation levels and, outside of one month, that trend continued through the growing season and into the fall and winter months of 2022,” Wilson said.

GMD 3 includes all or part of Grant, Haskell, Gray, Finney, Stanton, Ford, Morton, Stevens, Seward, Hamilton, Kearny and Meade counties. Most of the wells monitored in the district are drilled into the Ogallala aquifer, except in a few areas where they draw from the deeper Dakota aquifer.

Dry conditions were also prevalent in the west-central and northwest portions of the state. Western Kansas GMD 1 experienced a groundwater-level drop of 0.51 feet in 2021, after falling 0.59 in 2020 and 0.14 in 2019. Declines there tend to be small but steady. GMD 1 includes portions of Wallace, Greeley, Wichita, Scott and Lane counties, where the majority of wells are drilled into the Ogallala aquifer.

Northwest Kansas GMD 4 experienced a drop of 0.51 feet in groundwater levels, after a decline of 0.70 feet in 2020 and an increase of 0.60 feet in 2019. GMD 4 covers Sherman, Thomas, Sheridan and parts of Cheyenne, Rawlins, Decatur, Graham, Wallace, Logan and Gove counties. Groundwater there is pumped from the Ogallala aquifer and shallow alluvial sources associated with streams.

In contrast to the significant declines observed in western Kansas GMDs, increases and decreases in water levels in Great Bend GMD 5 and Equus Beds GMD 2 in the central part of the state tend to even out over time. Both districts have localized areas of long-term groundwater declines but as a whole have remained relatively stable.

Big Bend GMD 5, centered on the Great Bend Prairie aquifer, experienced a water-level decline of 0.81 feet in 2021, after a decline of 0.69 feet in 2020 and an increase of 1.75 feet in 2019. Precipitation across the region ranged from average to below average in 2021. GMD 5 includes Stafford and Pratt counties and parts of Barton, Pawnee, Edwards, Kiowa, Reno and Rice counties.

Equus Beds GMD 2, a major source of water for Wichita, Hutchinson and surrounding towns, saw the smallest decline of 2021, at 0.13 feet, after experiencing the largest decrease of 2020 at 1.8 feet. Precipitation in the region came in slightly below average for the year. GMD 2 covers portions of Reno, Sedgwick, Harvey and McPherson counties.

The KGS measured 586 wells in western Kansas, and DWR staff from field offices in Stockton, Garden City and Stafford measured 224, 355 and 258 wells, respectively, in western and central Kansas. Most of the wells, spread over 48 counties, are used for irrigation and have been measured for decades with landowners’ permission.

Measurements are taken primarily in January, when water levels are least likely to fluctuate due to seasonal irrigation. The measurement results, available on the KGS Water Well Levels&nbsp;<a href="https://geohydro.kgs.ku.edu/geohydro/wizard/">website</a>, are provisional and subject to revision based on additional analysis.

The Kansas Geological Survey is a nonregulatory research and service division of KU. KGS researchers study and provide information about the state’s geologic resources and hazards, including groundwater, oil and natural gas, rocks and minerals, and earthquakes.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648045034233.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KU News ServiceLAWRENCE — Average groundwater levels across western and central Kansas fell by more than a foot in 2021, with the greatest declines in the southwest portion of the state, according to preliminary data compiled by the Kansas Geological Survey.The KGS, based at the University of Kansas, and the Division of Water Resources of the Kansas Department of Agriculture measure about 1,400 wells every year to monitor the health of the High Plains aquifer and other aquifers in western and central Kansas. Those measurements showed an overall average decline of 1.01 feet last year. Most parts of the region saw below-average precipitation for the year, especially during the summer growing season for agricultural crops.“The key takeaway is that 2021 started off very dry and, outside of the month of May, which is the last month most folks in western Kansas saw any measurable precipitation, dry conditions continued right into the summer and fall months,” said Brownie Wilson, KGS water-data manager.The 2021 decline followed an overall drop of 0.93 feet in 2020, which was another abnormally dry year. Dry years lead to increased pumping demands, primarily for irrigation, which in turn typically cause greater declines in water levels.“The entire state is currently in some stage of drought and even with recent snowfalls, I bet it remains that way,” Wilson said.As of the beginning of February, virtually all of Kansas was under some level of drought conditions, based on maps published by National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Southwest Kansas was experiencing extreme to exceptional drought, with widespread moderate to severe drought across the rest of the western and central Kansas regions covered by the groundwater monitoring program.The High Plains aquifer is a network of water-bearing rock that extends into eight states. In Kansas, the aquifer comprises three components — the Ogallala aquifer, the Great Bend Prairie aquifer and the Equus Beds. Of these, the Ogallala aquifer underlies most of western Kansas and consists mainly of the Ogallala Formation, a geologic unit that formed from sediment eroded off the uplifting Rocky Mountains.The southwest Kansas portion of the Ogallala has suffered the greatest losses since groundwater levels started dropping in the 1950s. In the drought years between 2010 and 2014, declines averaged about 3 feet per year. Since 2015, levels fell less than a foot each year until 2020, which saw a decline of 1.2 feet. In 2021, the region saw an average drop of nearly 2.2 feet.In central Kansas, the Great Bend Prairie aquifer underlies an area encompassing Great Bend, Kinsley, Greensburg and Pratt. Farther east, the Equus Beds extends from just north of Wichita toward McPherson and Hutchinson. This area typically sees more precipitation than the western part of the state. Because the aquifer is relatively close to the land surface and sandy soils are abundant, some of this precipitation recharges — or makes its way into — the aquifer. Since 1996, when the state began administrating the water-level monitoring program, water levels in this area have remained relatively stable.Most of the wells in the network monitored by the KGS and DWR are within the boundaries of the state’s five Groundwater Management Districts (GMDs), which are organized and governed by area landowners and local water users to address water-resources issues.In Southwest Kansas GMD 3, average groundwater levels dropped 2.17 feet in 2021, the largest decline in the region since 2013, when groundwater levels fell 2.43 feet. The region experienced drops of 1.25 feet in 2020 and 0.80 feet in 2019.The region saw below-average precipitation in 2021, with widespread areas receiving 50% to 75% of long-term averages.&nbsp;“Much of southwest Kansas came out of the winter months with already below-normal precipitation levels and, outside of one month, that trend continued through the growing season and into the fall and winter months of 2022,” Wilson said.GMD 3 includes all or part of Grant, Haskell, Gray, Finney, Stanton, Ford, Morton, Stevens, Seward, Hamilton, Kearny and Meade counties. Most of the wells monitored in the district are drilled into the Ogallala aquifer, except in a few areas where they draw from the deeper Dakota aquifer.Dry conditions were also prevalent in the west-central and northwest portions of the state. Western Kansas GMD 1 experienced a groundwater-level drop of 0.51 feet in 2021, after falling 0.59 in 2020 and 0.14 in 2019. Declines there tend to be small but steady. GMD 1 includes portions of Wallace, Greeley, Wichita, Scott and Lane counties, where the majority of wells are drilled into the Ogallala aquifer.Northwest Kansas GMD 4 experienced a drop of 0.51 feet in groundwater levels, after a decline of 0.70 feet in 2020 and an increase of 0.60 feet in 2019. GMD 4 covers Sherman, Thomas, Sheridan and parts of Cheyenne, Rawlins, Decatur, Graham, Wallace, Logan and Gove counties. Groundwater there is pumped from the Ogallala aquifer and shallow alluvial sources associated with streams.In contrast to the significant declines observed in western Kansas GMDs, increases and decreases in water levels in Great Bend GMD 5 and Equus Beds GMD 2 in the central part of the state tend to even out over time. Both districts have localized areas of long-term groundwater declines but as a whole have remained relatively stable.Big Bend GMD 5, centered on the Great Bend Prairie aquifer, experienced a water-level decline of 0.81 feet in 2021, after a decline of 0.69 feet in 2020 and an increase of 1.75 feet in 2019. Precipitation across the region ranged from average to below average in 2021. GMD 5 includes Stafford and Pratt counties and parts of Barton, Pawnee, Edwards, Kiowa, Reno and Rice counties.Equus Beds GMD 2, a major source of water for Wichita, Hutchinson and surrounding towns, saw the smallest decline of 2021, at 0.13 feet, after experiencing the largest decrease of 2020 at 1.8 feet. Precipitation in the region came in slightly below average for the year. GMD 2 covers portions of Reno, Sedgwick, Harvey and McPherson counties.The KGS measured 586 wells in western Kansas, and DWR staff from field offices in Stockton, Garden City and Stafford measured 224, 355 and 258 wells, respectively, in western and central Kansas. Most of the wells, spread over 48 counties, are used for irrigation and have been measured for decades with landowners’ permission.Measurements are taken primarily in January, when water levels are least likely to fluctuate due to seasonal irrigation. The measurement results, available on the KGS Water Well Levels&nbsp;<a href="https://geohydro.kgs.ku.edu/geohydro/wizard/">website</a>, are provisional and subject to revision based on additional analysis.The Kansas Geological Survey is a nonregulatory research and service division of KU. KGS researchers study and provide information about the state’s geologic resources and hazards, including groundwater, oil and natural gas, rocks and minerals, and earthquakes.

Groundwater levels fall across western and central Kansas

By MATTHEW LEE AP Diplomatic Writer

WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the Biden administration has made a formal determination that Russian troops have committed war crimes in Ukraine. 

Blinken says the assessment was based on a "careful review" of public and intelligence sources since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine last month. America's top diplomat says the United States will share that information with allies, partners and international institutions tasked with investigating allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity. 

Blinken made the announcement Wednesday in a statement released as he was traveling to Brussels with President Joe Biden for an emergency summit of NATO leaders.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648062692938.jpeg" alt="Photo by Max Kukurudziak on Unsplash" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Max Kukurudziak on Unsplash</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATTHEW LEE AP Diplomatic WriterWASHINGTON — Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the Biden administration has made a formal determination that Russian troops have committed war crimes in Ukraine. Blinken says the assessment was based on a "careful review" of public and intelligence sources since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine last month. America's top diplomat says the United States will share that information with allies, partners and international institutions tasked with investigating allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Blinken made the announcement Wednesday in a statement released as he was traveling to Brussels with President Joe Biden for an emergency summit of NATO leaders.

US finds Russian troops have committed war crimes in Ukraine

WASHINGTON — Madeleine Albright, the first female U.S. secretary of state, has died of cancer, her family said Wednesday. She was 84. 

President Bill Clinton chose Albright as America's top diplomat in 1996, and she served in that capacity for the last four years of the Clinton administration. 

At the time, she was the highest-ranking woman in the history of U.S. government. She was not in the line of succession for the presidency, however, because she was a native of Czechoslovakia. 

In 2012, President Barack Obama awarded Albright the Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor, saying her life was an inspiration to all Americans.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648062507079.png" alt="Albright" />
 <figcaption>Albright</figcaption>
 </figure>The Associated PressWASHINGTON — Madeleine Albright, the first female U.S. secretary of state, has died of cancer, her family said Wednesday. She was 84. President Bill Clinton chose Albright as America's top diplomat in 1996, and she served in that capacity for the last four years of the Clinton administration. At the time, she was the highest-ranking woman in the history of U.S. government. She was not in the line of succession for the presidency, however, because she was a native of Czechoslovakia. In 2012, President Barack Obama awarded Albright the Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor, saying her life was an inspiration to all Americans.

Madeleine Albright, 1st female US secretary of state, dies

TOPEKA — The number of confirmed coronavirus cases* (see below) in Kansas increased by 265 to a total of 769,598 the state health department reported Wednesday.

The state reported 48 additional COVID-19 deaths for a total of 8,198 and 87 new hospitalizations since Friday.

<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/2022/3/1648061695063.png" alt="KDHE" />
 <figcaption>KDHE</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA — The number of confirmed coronavirus cases* (see below) in Kansas increased by 265 to a total of 769,598 the state health department reported Wednesday.The state reported 48 additional COVID-19 deaths for a total of 8,198 and 87 new hospitalizations since Friday.<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>.

45 new COVID deaths, 87 hospitalizations in Kan. since Monday

National Puppy Day is on March 23 and consumers can 
expect a nearly constant stream of cute puppy pictures across most 
social media platforms celebrating everyone’s furry best friends. After 
seeing these pictures, some consumers may decide that the time is right 
for a (or another) dog of their own and will begin the process of 
searching for and purchasing a canine companion. However, exercising 
caution when shopping online for the perfect pet is important. &nbsp;The pandemic resulted in a <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/23354-bbb-study-update-puppy-scams-rising-in-2020" target="_blank">rise in the number of people who were tricked into falling for a fraudulent pet purchase</a>.

Pet scams continue to take a heavy toll on consumers across the nation. According to BBB’s&nbsp;<a href="https://bbbfoundation.images.worldnow.com/library/259c7333-0fb3-4bc0-a059-4b116594c473.pdf" target="_blank">2021 Scam Tracker Risk Report</a>,
 pets were the most common type of purchase used to perpetrate online 
purchase scams, and current data shows little indication 2022 will be 
much different.&nbsp;

Even though puppies are the most common type of animal used in a pet 
scam, BBB also receives reports of fraudulent sellers advertising the 
sale of kittens, reptiles and birds that are never received. In most 
cases, consumers do not recognize they are interacting with a scammer 
until they start arranging for the transportation of the animal after 
purchase.

In February, one consumer submitted a report to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker" target="_blank">BBB Scam Tracker&nbsp;</a>that
 they lost $1,000 when attempting to buy a miniature Schnauzer online. 
After paying an initial $400 to the seller, they referred the buyer to a
 shipping company to deliver the pet.&nbsp;

“[The shipping company] said I needed to send an additional $600 for 
issuing a sedative and reserving a special crate,” the consumer 
reported. “After that, [they said] I needed to pay an additional $800 
for insurance. Fortunately, I had maxed out my Zelle limit.”

The consumer realized it was a scam once the shipping company stated 
they accepted gift cards as a form of payment after Zelle was no longer 
an option.

“I’m now out $1,000, and there’s nothing I can do about it because it was debit,” the report concluded.

Even though it is hard to resist an adorable face and a decent deal, there are a few ways to avoid being put in the doghouse:

Picking the perfect pet for your family is exciting, so celebrate National Puppy Day the right way – without scammers. Consider <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/scams/18240-scam-alert-adopting-a-rescue-dog-watch-out-for-phony-fees" target="_blank">adopting a pet from a rescue shelter, being careful to avoid scams</a>.

In addition to the risks associated with purchasing a puppy online, 
many charitable givers may consider donating to causes that support dogs
 this National Puppy Day. While BBB encourages charitable giving, it is 
vital to remain aware of scammers who create fraudulent charities and 
crowdfunding initiatives disguised as a worthy cause.&nbsp;

It is always a good practice to spend the time to research a charity or foundation, through a site like <a href="https://www.give.org" target="_blank">Give.org</a>,
 before committing any funds to their stated cause or mission. It takes 
some investigatory work on the part of the donor to make sure their 
money is going to a worthy organization.&nbsp;

If considering a donation to a crowdfunding initiative, BBB 
recommends donating only to those you personally know or can 
independently verify as legitimate.&nbsp;&nbsp;

If you think you have been scammed or have found a suspicious website,&nbsp;report it to:

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648053843020.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>Better Business BureauNational Puppy Day is on March 23 and consumers can 
expect a nearly constant stream of cute puppy pictures across most 
social media platforms celebrating everyone’s furry best friends. After 
seeing these pictures, some consumers may decide that the time is right 
for a (or another) dog of their own and will begin the process of 
searching for and purchasing a canine companion. However, exercising 
caution when shopping online for the perfect pet is important. &nbsp;The pandemic resulted in a <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/23354-bbb-study-update-puppy-scams-rising-in-2020" target="_blank">rise in the number of people who were tricked into falling for a fraudulent pet purchase</a>.Pet scams continue to take a heavy toll on consumers across the nation. According to BBB’s&nbsp;<a href="https://bbbfoundation.images.worldnow.com/library/259c7333-0fb3-4bc0-a059-4b116594c473.pdf" target="_blank">2021 Scam Tracker Risk Report</a>,
 pets were the most common type of purchase used to perpetrate online 
purchase scams, and current data shows little indication 2022 will be 
much different.&nbsp;Even though puppies are the most common type of animal used in a pet 
scam, BBB also receives reports of fraudulent sellers advertising the 
sale of kittens, reptiles and birds that are never received. In most 
cases, consumers do not recognize they are interacting with a scammer 
until they start arranging for the transportation of the animal after 
purchase.In February, one consumer submitted a report to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker" target="_blank">BBB Scam Tracker&nbsp;</a>that
 they lost $1,000 when attempting to buy a miniature Schnauzer online. 
After paying an initial $400 to the seller, they referred the buyer to a
 shipping company to deliver the pet.&nbsp;“[The shipping company] said I needed to send an additional $600 for 
issuing a sedative and reserving a special crate,” the consumer 
reported. “After that, [they said] I needed to pay an additional $800 
for insurance. Fortunately, I had maxed out my Zelle limit.”The consumer realized it was a scam once the shipping company stated 
they accepted gift cards as a form of payment after Zelle was no longer 
an option.“I’m now out $1,000, and there’s nothing I can do about it because it was debit,” the report concluded.Even though it is hard to resist an adorable face and a decent deal, there are a few ways to avoid being put in the doghouse:<ul>
 <li>Visit the seller – responsible breeders and 
reputable rescues are more than happy to offer you a tour and let you 
see the available puppies in person.</li><li>Check references – read online reviews and talk to 
other people who have purchased pets from the place you are considering 
making sure the seller is trustworthy.</li><li>Look for website warning signs – fake puppy sale 
sites look legitimate because they steal content from other websites. An
 easy way to spot a duplicate site: copy a line of text from the website
 and paste it into a search engine.</li><li>Select on site – rather than relying on pictures to
 pick your perfect pet and waiting for a breeder to send them to you, 
visit the site and make your choice in person.</li><li>Use a credit card – this offers additional 
protection if you do make an online purchase. Asking a customer to pay 
by wire transfer or prepaid card is illegal, and any breeder that 
pressures you to do so is most likely a scam.</li>
 </ul>Picking the perfect pet for your family is exciting, so celebrate National Puppy Day the right way – without scammers. Consider <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/scams/18240-scam-alert-adopting-a-rescue-dog-watch-out-for-phony-fees" target="_blank">adopting a pet from a rescue shelter, being careful to avoid scams</a>.In addition to the risks associated with purchasing a puppy online, 
many charitable givers may consider donating to causes that support dogs
 this National Puppy Day. While BBB encourages charitable giving, it is 
vital to remain aware of scammers who create fraudulent charities and 
crowdfunding initiatives disguised as a worthy cause.&nbsp;It is always a good practice to spend the time to research a charity or foundation, through a site like <a href="https://www.give.org" target="_blank">Give.org</a>,
 before committing any funds to their stated cause or mission. It takes 
some investigatory work on the part of the donor to make sure their 
money is going to a worthy organization.&nbsp;If considering a donation to a crowdfunding initiative, BBB 
recommends donating only to those you personally know or can 
independently verify as legitimate.&nbsp;&nbsp;If you think you have been scammed or have found a suspicious website,&nbsp;report it to:<ul>
 <li><a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker" target="_blank">BBB Scam Tracker</a> - report scams and search our database for possible scams.</li><li><a href="https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/" target="_blank">Federal Trade Commission</a>&nbsp;(FTC)&nbsp;</li><li>In Canada,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/report-signalez-eng.htm" target="_blank">contact the&nbsp;Canadian Antifraud Centre</a></li><li><a href="https://petscams.com/report-pet-scam-websites/" target="_blank">Petscams.com</a> - tracks complaints, catalogs puppy scammers and endeavors to get fraudulent pet sales websites taken down.</li>
 </ul>

It's National Puppy Day! But watch out for these scams

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a murder and have made an arrest.

Just after 1p.m. February 10,&nbsp;deputies were sent to check the welfare of a man in the 200 block of east 86th Street South in Haysville after a property owner noticed him lying next to their home, according to Sedgwick County Sheriff's Lt. Benjamin Blick.

When deputies arrived to check on the man later&nbsp;identified as Vennie Kongvongsay, 23 of Wichita, they discovered he was deceased and had suffered a gunshot wound.&nbsp;

On March 22, 2022, deputies arrested Jim Sanchez, 27 of Wichita and Justinlee Welch, 25 of Wichita of requested charges of First Degree Murder, Aggravated Robbery and Kidnapping in connection with the death of Kongvongsay.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648042514446.png" alt="Sanchez-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Sanchez-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a murder and have made an arrest.Just after 1p.m. February 10,&nbsp;deputies were sent to check the welfare of a man in the 200 block of east 86th Street South in Haysville after a property owner noticed him lying next to their home, according to Sedgwick County Sheriff's Lt. Benjamin Blick.When deputies arrived to check on the man later&nbsp;identified as Vennie Kongvongsay, 23 of Wichita, they discovered he was deceased and had suffered a gunshot wound.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648042287561.png" alt="Welch-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Welch-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>On March 22, 2022, deputies arrested Jim Sanchez, 27 of Wichita and Justinlee Welch, 25 of Wichita of requested charges of First Degree Murder, Aggravated Robbery and Kidnapping in connection with the death of Kongvongsay.

Sheriff: 2 arrested for kidnapping, murder of Kansas man

By PRAKASH NAGARKATTI and MITZI&nbsp;NAGARKATTI <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-is-the-new-covid-19-variant-ba-2-and-will-it-cause-another-wave-of-infections-in-the-us-179619">The Conversation</a>

A new omicron subvariant of the virus that causes COVID-19, BA.2, is
 quickly becoming the predominant source of infections amid rising cases
 around the world. Immunologists Prakash Nagarkatti and Mitzi Nagarkatti
 of the University of South Carolina explain what makes it different 
from previous variants, whether there will be another surge in the U.S. 
and how best to protect yourself.

What is BA.2, and how is it related to omicron?

BA.2 is the latest <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-022-04411-y" target="_blank">subvariant of omicron</a>,
 the dominant strain of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19. While
 the origin of BA.2 is still unclear, it has quickly become the dominant
 strain in many countries, including <a href="https://doi.org/10.1126/science.ada1615" target="_blank">India, Denmark and South Africa</a>. It is <a href="https://www.who.int/news/item/08-03-2022-interim-statement-on-covid-19-vaccines-in-the-context-of-the-circulation-of-the-omicron-sars-cov-2-variant-from-the-who-technical-advisory-group-on-covid-19-vaccine-composition-(tag-co-vac)-08-march-2022" target="_blank">continuing to spread</a> in Europe, Asia and many parts of the world.

The omicron variant, officially known as B.1.1.529, of SARS-CoV-2 has <a href="https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/weekly-epidemiological-update-on-covid-19---1-february-2022" target="_blank">three main subvariants</a> in its <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/variants/variant-classifications.html" target="_blank">lineage</a>: BA.1, BA.2 and BA.3. The earliest omicron subvariant to be detected, BA.1, was first reported in <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/science/science-briefs/scientific-brief-omicron-variant.html" target="_blank">November 2021 in South Africa</a>. While scientists believe that all the subvariants may have <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-022-00215-2" target="_blank">emerged around the same time</a>, BA.1 was <a href="https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/weekly-epidemiological-update-on-covid-19---1-february-2022" target="_blank">predominantly responsible</a> for the winter surge of infections in the Northern Hemisphere in 2021.

The first omicron subvariant, BA.1, is unique in the number of 
alterations it has compared to the original version of the virus – it 
has <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-022-04411-y" target="_blank">over 30 mutations</a> in the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41401-020-0485-4" target="_blank">spike protein</a>
 that helps it enter cells. Spike protein mutations are of high concern 
to scientists and public health officials because they affect how 
infectious a particular variant is and whether it is able to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-021-04385-3" target="_blank">escape the protective antibodies</a> that the body produces after vaccination or a prior COVID-19 infection.

BA.2 has <a href="https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMc2201849" target="_blank">eight unique mutations</a> not found in BA.1, and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-022-04594-4" target="_blank">lacks 13 mutations</a> that BA.1 does have. BA.2 does, however, share <a href="https://covariants.org/shared-mutations" target="_blank">around 30 mutations</a> with BA.1. Because of its relative genetic similarity, it is considered a <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/variants/variant-classifications.html" target="_blank">subvariant</a> of omicron as opposed to a completely new variant.

Why is it called a ‘stealth’ variant?

Some scientists have called BA.2 a <a href="https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/public-health/what-ba2-or-stealth-omicron-subvariant" target="_blank">“stealth” variant</a> because, unlike the BA.1 variant, it <a href="https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n3133" target="_blank">lacks a particular genetic signature</a> that distinguishes it from the delta variant.

While standard <a href="https://www.genome.gov/about-genomics/fact-sheets/Understanding-COVID-19-PCR-Testing" target="_blank">PCR tests</a> are still able to detect the BA.2 variant, they might not be able to tell it apart from the delta variant.

Is it more infectious and lethal than other variants?

BA.2 is considered to be <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-022-00471-2" target="_blank">more transmissible</a> but not more <a href="https://doi.org/10.1126/science.ada1615" target="_blank">virulant</a> than BA.1. This means that while BA.2 can spread faster than BA.1, it might not make people sicker.

It is worth noting that while BA.1 has <a href="https://www.who.int/news/item/22-02-2022-statement-on-omicron-sublineage-ba.2" target="_blank">dominated case numbers around the world</a>, it causes <a href="https://www.who.int/news/item/22-02-2022-statement-on-omicron-sublineage-ba.2" target="_blank">less severe disease</a> compared to the delta variant. Recent studies from the <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1060337/Technical-Briefing-38-11March2022.pdf" target="_blank">U.K.</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2022.27.10.2200181" target="_blank">Denmark</a> suggest that BA.2 may pose a similar risk of hospitalization as BA.1.

Does previous infection with BA.1 provide protection against BA.2?

Yes! A <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-022-00558-w" target="_blank">recent study</a> suggested that people previously infected with the original BA.1 subvariant have robust protection against BA.2.

Because BA.1 caused widespread infections across the world, it is 
likely that a significant percentage of the population has protective 
immunity against BA.2. This is why some scientists predict that BA.2 
will be <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-022-00471-2" target="_blank">less likely to cause another major wave</a>

However, while the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMc2200133" target="_blank">natural immunity</a>
 gained after COVID-19 infection may provide strong protection against 
reinfection from earlier variants, it weakens against omicron.

A <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-022-00775-3" target="_blank">recent preliminary study</a>
 that has not yet been peer reviewed of over 1 million individuals in 
Qatar suggests that two doses of either the Pfizer–BioNTech or Moderna 
COVID-19 vaccines protect against symptomatic infection from BA.1 and 
BA.2 for several months before waning to around 10%. A booster shot, 
however, was able to elevate protection again close to original levels.

Importantly, both vaccines were 70% to 80% effective at preventing 
hospitalization or death, and this effectiveness increased to over 90% 
after a booster dose.

How worried does the U.S. need to be about BA.2?

The rise in BA.2 in certain parts of the world is most likely due to a <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2022/03/19/1087682826/omicron-variant-ba2-surge" target="_blank">combination</a> of its higher transmissibility, people’s waning immunity and relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions.

CDC data suggests that BA.2 cases are rising steadily, making up <a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#variant-proportions" target="_blank">23% of all cases</a> in the U.S. as of early March. <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2022/03/19/1087682826/omicron-variant-ba2-surge" target="_blank">Scientists are still debating</a> whether BA.2 will cause another surge in the U.S.

[Climate change, AI, vaccines, black holes and much more.<a href="https://memberservices.theconversation.com/newsletters/?nl=science&amp;source=inline-science-various" target="_blank">Get The Conversation’s best science and health coverage</a>.]

Though there may be an uptick of BA.2 infections in the coming months, <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-long-does-protective-immunity-against-covid-19-last-after-infection-or-vaccination-two-immunologists-explain-177309" target="_blank">protective immunity</a>
 from vaccination or previous infection provides defense against severe 
disease. This may make it less likely that BA.2 will cause a significant
 increase in hospitalization and deaths. The U.S., however, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/02/01/science/covid-deaths-united-states.html" target="_blank">lags behind other countries</a> when it comes to vaccination, and falls even further behind on boosters.

Whether there will be another devastating surge depends on how many 
people are vaccinated or have been previously infected with BA.1. It’s <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/vaccine-benefits.html" target="_blank">safer to generate immunity</a> from a vaccine, however, than from getting an infection. Getting vaccinated and boosted and <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html" target="_blank">taking precautions</a> like wearing an N95 mask and social distancing are the best ways to protect yourself from BA.2 and other variants.

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/prakash-nagarkatti-1032253" target="_blank">Prakash Nagarkatti</a> is a Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/mitzi-nagarkatti-1044072" target="_blank">Mitzi Nagarkatti</a> is a Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology — both at the <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-carolina-1755" target="_blank">University of South Carolina</a>.

By PRAKASH NAGARKATTI and MITZI&nbsp;NAGARKATTI <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-is-the-new-covid-19-variant-ba-2-and-will-it-cause-another-wave-of-infections-in-the-us-179619">The Conversation</a>A new omicron subvariant of the virus that causes COVID-19, BA.2, is
 quickly becoming the predominant source of infections amid rising cases
 around the world. Immunologists Prakash Nagarkatti and Mitzi Nagarkatti
 of the University of South Carolina explain what makes it different 
from previous variants, whether there will be another surge in the U.S. 
and how best to protect yourself.What is BA.2, and how is it related to omicron?BA.2 is the latest <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-022-04411-y" target="_blank">subvariant of omicron</a>,
 the dominant strain of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19. While
 the origin of BA.2 is still unclear, it has quickly become the dominant
 strain in many countries, including <a href="https://doi.org/10.1126/science.ada1615" target="_blank">India, Denmark and South Africa</a>. It is <a href="https://www.who.int/news/item/08-03-2022-interim-statement-on-covid-19-vaccines-in-the-context-of-the-circulation-of-the-omicron-sars-cov-2-variant-from-the-who-technical-advisory-group-on-covid-19-vaccine-composition-(tag-co-vac)-08-march-2022" target="_blank">continuing to spread</a> in Europe, Asia and many parts of the world.The omicron variant, officially known as B.1.1.529, of SARS-CoV-2 has <a href="https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/weekly-epidemiological-update-on-covid-19---1-february-2022" target="_blank">three main subvariants</a> in its <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/variants/variant-classifications.html" target="_blank">lineage</a>: BA.1, BA.2 and BA.3. The earliest omicron subvariant to be detected, BA.1, was first reported in <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/science/science-briefs/scientific-brief-omicron-variant.html" target="_blank">November 2021 in South Africa</a>. While scientists believe that all the subvariants may have <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-022-00215-2" target="_blank">emerged around the same time</a>, BA.1 was <a href="https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/weekly-epidemiological-update-on-covid-19---1-february-2022" target="_blank">predominantly responsible</a> for the winter surge of infections in the Northern Hemisphere in 2021.The first omicron subvariant, BA.1, is unique in the number of 
alterations it has compared to the original version of the virus – it 
has <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-022-04411-y" target="_blank">over 30 mutations</a> in the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41401-020-0485-4" target="_blank">spike protein</a>
 that helps it enter cells. Spike protein mutations are of high concern 
to scientists and public health officials because they affect how 
infectious a particular variant is and whether it is able to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-021-04385-3" target="_blank">escape the protective antibodies</a> that the body produces after vaccination or a prior COVID-19 infection.BA.2 has <a href="https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMc2201849" target="_blank">eight unique mutations</a> not found in BA.1, and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-022-04594-4" target="_blank">lacks 13 mutations</a> that BA.1 does have. BA.2 does, however, share <a href="https://covariants.org/shared-mutations" target="_blank">around 30 mutations</a> with BA.1. Because of its relative genetic similarity, it is considered a <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/variants/variant-classifications.html" target="_blank">subvariant</a> of omicron as opposed to a completely new variant.Why is it called a ‘stealth’ variant?Some scientists have called BA.2 a <a href="https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/public-health/what-ba2-or-stealth-omicron-subvariant" target="_blank">“stealth” variant</a> because, unlike the BA.1 variant, it <a href="https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n3133" target="_blank">lacks a particular genetic signature</a> that distinguishes it from the delta variant.While standard <a href="https://www.genome.gov/about-genomics/fact-sheets/Understanding-COVID-19-PCR-Testing" target="_blank">PCR tests</a> are still able to detect the BA.2 variant, they might not be able to tell it apart from the delta variant.Is it more infectious and lethal than other variants?BA.2 is considered to be <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-022-00471-2" target="_blank">more transmissible</a> but not more <a href="https://doi.org/10.1126/science.ada1615" target="_blank">virulant</a> than BA.1. This means that while BA.2 can spread faster than BA.1, it might not make people sicker.It is worth noting that while BA.1 has <a href="https://www.who.int/news/item/22-02-2022-statement-on-omicron-sublineage-ba.2" target="_blank">dominated case numbers around the world</a>, it causes <a href="https://www.who.int/news/item/22-02-2022-statement-on-omicron-sublineage-ba.2" target="_blank">less severe disease</a> compared to the delta variant. Recent studies from the <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1060337/Technical-Briefing-38-11March2022.pdf" target="_blank">U.K.</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2022.27.10.2200181" target="_blank">Denmark</a> suggest that BA.2 may pose a similar risk of hospitalization as BA.1.Does previous infection with BA.1 provide protection against BA.2?Yes! A <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-022-00558-w" target="_blank">recent study</a> suggested that people previously infected with the original BA.1 subvariant have robust protection against BA.2.Because BA.1 caused widespread infections across the world, it is 
likely that a significant percentage of the population has protective 
immunity against BA.2. This is why some scientists predict that BA.2 
will be <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-022-00471-2" target="_blank">less likely to cause another major wave</a>However, while the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMc2200133" target="_blank">natural immunity</a>
 gained after COVID-19 infection may provide strong protection against 
reinfection from earlier variants, it weakens against omicron.How effective are vaccines against BA.2?A <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-022-00775-3" target="_blank">recent preliminary study</a>
 that has not yet been peer reviewed of over 1 million individuals in 
Qatar suggests that two doses of either the Pfizer–BioNTech or Moderna 
COVID-19 vaccines protect against symptomatic infection from BA.1 and 
BA.2 for several months before waning to around 10%. A booster shot, 
however, was able to elevate protection again close to original levels.Importantly, both vaccines were 70% to 80% effective at preventing 
hospitalization or death, and this effectiveness increased to over 90% 
after a booster dose.How worried does the U.S. need to be about BA.2?The rise in BA.2 in certain parts of the world is most likely due to a <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2022/03/19/1087682826/omicron-variant-ba2-surge" target="_blank">combination</a> of its higher transmissibility, people’s waning immunity and relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions.CDC data suggests that BA.2 cases are rising steadily, making up <a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#variant-proportions" target="_blank">23% of all cases</a> in the U.S. as of early March. <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2022/03/19/1087682826/omicron-variant-ba2-surge" target="_blank">Scientists are still debating</a> whether BA.2 will cause another surge in the U.S.
[Climate change, AI, vaccines, black holes and much more.<a href="https://memberservices.theconversation.com/newsletters/?nl=science&amp;source=inline-science-various" target="_blank">Get The Conversation’s best science and health coverage</a>.]
Though there may be an uptick of BA.2 infections in the coming months, <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-long-does-protective-immunity-against-covid-19-last-after-infection-or-vaccination-two-immunologists-explain-177309" target="_blank">protective immunity</a>
 from vaccination or previous infection provides defense against severe 
disease. This may make it less likely that BA.2 will cause a significant
 increase in hospitalization and deaths. The U.S., however, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/02/01/science/covid-deaths-united-states.html" target="_blank">lags behind other countries</a> when it comes to vaccination, and falls even further behind on boosters.Whether there will be another devastating surge depends on how many 
people are vaccinated or have been previously infected with BA.1. It’s <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/vaccine-benefits.html" target="_blank">safer to generate immunity</a> from a vaccine, however, than from getting an infection. Getting vaccinated and boosted and <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html" target="_blank">taking precautions</a> like wearing an N95 mask and social distancing are the best ways to protect yourself from BA.2 and other variants.<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/prakash-nagarkatti-1032253" target="_blank">Prakash Nagarkatti</a> is a Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/mitzi-nagarkatti-1044072" target="_blank">Mitzi Nagarkatti</a> is a Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology — both at the <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-carolina-1755" target="_blank">University of South Carolina</a>.

COMMENTARY: A closer look at new COVID subvariant BA.2

WASHINGTON (AP) —Vice President Kamala Harris will announce an action plan to stop racial discrimination in the appraisal of home values, according to senior Biden administration officials.

The plan contains 21 steps to improve oversight and accountability, including a legislative proposal to modernize the governance structure of the appraisal industry. Appraisers help to determine the value of a home so that buyers can receive a mortgage.

The Biden administration officials insisted on anonymity to discuss the administration’s action plan ahead of Wednesday’s announcement.

Multiple reports, including a September&nbsp;<a href="https://www.freddiemac.com/research/insight/20210920-home-appraisals" target="_blank">analysis by mortgage buyer Freddie Mac</a>, show that appraisers are more likely to undervalue homes in Black and Hispanic neighborhoods. This form of discrimination widens the racial wealth gap and makes it harder for many Americans from disadvantaged backgrounds to move up the economic ladder.

One&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/race-and-ethnicity-0884c92233ccdb05199efc15f7655c7a">Black homeowner in Indianapolis</a>&nbsp;found the appraised value of her home went from $125,000 to $259,000 after she declined to state her race in her application and removed all family photos and African American art in the home.

As part of the action plan, the government will expand the complaint hotline for the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. There also will be appraisal bias training in homebuyer education classes and efforts to ensure that the computer systems used to value homes do not perpetuate racial biases.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624025620777.png" alt="photo by David Condos / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>photo by David Condos / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —Vice President Kamala Harris will announce an action plan to stop racial discrimination in the appraisal of home values, according to senior Biden administration officials.The plan contains 21 steps to improve oversight and accountability, including a legislative proposal to modernize the governance structure of the appraisal industry. Appraisers help to determine the value of a home so that buyers can receive a mortgage.The Biden administration officials insisted on anonymity to discuss the administration’s action plan ahead of Wednesday’s announcement.Multiple reports, including a September&nbsp;<a href="https://www.freddiemac.com/research/insight/20210920-home-appraisals" target="_blank">analysis by mortgage buyer Freddie Mac</a>, show that appraisers are more likely to undervalue homes in Black and Hispanic neighborhoods. This form of discrimination widens the racial wealth gap and makes it harder for many Americans from disadvantaged backgrounds to move up the economic ladder.One&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/race-and-ethnicity-0884c92233ccdb05199efc15f7655c7a">Black homeowner in Indianapolis</a>&nbsp;found the appraised value of her home went from $125,000 to $259,000 after she declined to state her race in her application and removed all family photos and African American art in the home.As part of the action plan, the government will expand the complaint hotline for the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. There also will be appraisal bias training in homebuyer education classes and efforts to ensure that the computer systems used to value homes do not perpetuate racial biases.

Biden administration to release plan to stop bias in home appraisals

KANSAS CITY (AP) — The University of Missouri-Kansas City has agreed to pay a former professor $625,000 to settle a lawsuit he filed after he said he was fired for blowing the whistle on a scandal involving UMKC's business school rankings .

The payment will settle a lawsuit against the school brought by former UMKC professor Richard Arend, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/education/article259616504.html#storylink=cpy">Kansas City Star reported&nbsp;</a>Tuesday. The university also issued a statement with Arend giving him credit for bringing to light that the business school knowingly submitted false data to the Princeton Review, which then ranked UMKC higher than it deserved.

The scandal was first reported by the Star in 2014, with the help of Arend serving as a whistleblower. Arend was fired from UMKC in 2016 for misconduct, which Arend said amounted to retaliation for exposing the false rankings.

In 2015, auditors found that officials with the Henry W. Bloch School of Management&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-kansas-city-business-schools-missouri-university-of-missouri-6f7e9571bbde415f8027485c98578f46">used false data when applying for rankings</a>. Days later, the Princeton Review stripped the school’s Top 25 our rankings issued in 2011, 2012 and 2013.

As part of their settlement, UMKC and Arend agreed to make no comments beyond their joint statement. Arend is now a professor at the University of Southern Maine.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — The University of Missouri-Kansas City has agreed to pay a former professor $625,000 to settle a lawsuit he filed after he said he was fired for blowing the whistle on a scandal involving UMKC's business school rankings .The payment will settle a lawsuit against the school brought by former UMKC professor Richard Arend, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/education/article259616504.html#storylink=cpy">Kansas City Star reported&nbsp;</a>Tuesday. The university also issued a statement with Arend giving him credit for bringing to light that the business school knowingly submitted false data to the Princeton Review, which then ranked UMKC higher than it deserved.The scandal was first reported by the Star in 2014, with the help of Arend serving as a whistleblower. Arend was fired from UMKC in 2016 for misconduct, which Arend said amounted to retaliation for exposing the false rankings.In 2015, auditors found that officials with the Henry W. Bloch School of Management&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-kansas-city-business-schools-missouri-university-of-missouri-6f7e9571bbde415f8027485c98578f46">used false data when applying for rankings</a>. Days later, the Princeton Review stripped the school’s Top 25 our rankings issued in 2011, 2012 and 2013.As part of their settlement, UMKC and Arend agreed to make no comments beyond their joint statement. Arend is now a professor at the University of Southern Maine.

UMKC to pay ex-professor fired amid business school scandal

WASHINGTON (AP) —Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine works in babies, toddlers and preschoolers the company announced Wednesday -- and if regulators agree it could mean a chance to finally start vaccinating the littlest kids by summer.

Moderna said in the coming weeks it would ask regulators in the U.S. and Europe to authorize two small-dose shots for youngsters under 6. The company also is seeking to have larger-dose shots cleared for older children and teens in the U.S.

The nation’s 18 million children under 5 are the only age group not yet eligible for vaccination. Competitor Pfizer currently offers kid-sized doses for school-age children and full-strength shots for those 12 and older.

But parents have anxiously awaited protection for younger tots, disappointed by setbacks and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-business-health-coronavirus-vaccine-c283d0644db46578f18b0b1aa1bfb9a0">confusion&nbsp;</a>over which shots might work and when. Pfizer is testing even smaller doses for children under 5 but had to add a third shot to its study when two didn’t prove strong enough. Those results are expected by early April.

Vaccinating the littlest “has been somewhat of a moving target over the last couple of months,” Dr. Bill Muller of Northwestern University, an investigator in Moderna’s pediatric studies, said in an interview before the company released its findings. “There’s still, I think, a lingering urgency to try to get that done as soon as possible.”

The younger the child, the smaller the dose being tested. Moderna said a quarter of the dose it uses for adults worked well for youngsters under age 6.

Moderna enrolled about 6,900 tots in a study of the 25-microgram doses. Early data showed after two shots, youngsters developed virus-fighting antibody levels just as strong as young adults getting regular-strength shots, the company said in a press release.

Moderna said the small doses were safe, and the main side effects were mild fevers like those associated with other commonly used pediatric vaccines.

Once Moderna submits the data to the FDA, regulators will debate whether to authorize emergency use of the small doses for tots. If so, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention then will decide whether to recommend them.

While COVID-19 generally isn’t as dangerous to youngsters as to adults, some do become severely ill. The CDC says about 400 children younger than 5 have died from COVID-19 since the pandemic’s start. The omicron variant hit children especially hard, with those under 5 hospitalized at higher rates than at the peak of the previous delta surge, the CDC found.

COVID-19 vaccines in general don’t prevent infection with the omicron mutant as well as they fended off earlier variants -- but they do still offer strong protection against severe illness.

Moderna reported that same trend in the trial of children under 6, conducted during the omicron surge. While there were no severe illnesses, the vaccine proved just under 44% effective at preventing any infection in babies up to age 2, and nearly 38% effective in the preschoolers.

Moderna said also said Wednesday it will ask the Food and Drug Administration to clear larger doses for older children.

While other countries already have allowed Moderna’s shots to be used in children as young as 6, the U.S. has limited its vaccine to adults. A Moderna request to expand its shots to 12- to 17-year-olds has been stalled for months.

The company said Wednesday that, armed with additional evidence, it is updating its FDA application for teen shots and requesting a green light for 6- to 11-year-olds, too.

Moderna says its original adult dose -- two 100-microgram shots -- is safe and effective in 12- to 17-year-olds. For elementary-age kids, it’s using half the adult dose.

But the FDA never ruled on Moderna’s application for teen shots because of concern about a very rare side effect. Heart inflammation sometimes occurs in teens and young adults, mostly males, after receiving either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines. Moderna is getting extra scrutiny because its shots are a far higher dose than Pfizer’s.

The risk also seems linked to puberty, and regulators in Canada, Europe and elsewhere recently expanded Moderna vaccinations to kids as young as 6.

“That concern has not been seen in the younger children,” said Northwestern’s Muller.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1634902668202.jpeg" alt="The nation’s 18 million children under 5 are the only age group not yet eligible for vaccination.-photo courtesy Moderna&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>The nation’s 18 million children under 5 are the only age group not yet eligible for vaccination.-photo courtesy Moderna&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine works in babies, toddlers and preschoolers the company announced Wednesday -- and if regulators agree it could mean a chance to finally start vaccinating the littlest kids by summer.Moderna said in the coming weeks it would ask regulators in the U.S. and Europe to authorize two small-dose shots for youngsters under 6. The company also is seeking to have larger-dose shots cleared for older children and teens in the U.S.The nation’s 18 million children under 5 are the only age group not yet eligible for vaccination. Competitor Pfizer currently offers kid-sized doses for school-age children and full-strength shots for those 12 and older.But parents have anxiously awaited protection for younger tots, disappointed by setbacks and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-business-health-coronavirus-vaccine-c283d0644db46578f18b0b1aa1bfb9a0">confusion&nbsp;</a>over which shots might work and when. Pfizer is testing even smaller doses for children under 5 but had to add a third shot to its study when two didn’t prove strong enough. Those results are expected by early April.Vaccinating the littlest “has been somewhat of a moving target over the last couple of months,” Dr. Bill Muller of Northwestern University, an investigator in Moderna’s pediatric studies, said in an interview before the company released its findings. “There’s still, I think, a lingering urgency to try to get that done as soon as possible.”The younger the child, the smaller the dose being tested. Moderna said a quarter of the dose it uses for adults worked well for youngsters under age 6.Moderna enrolled about 6,900 tots in a study of the 25-microgram doses. Early data showed after two shots, youngsters developed virus-fighting antibody levels just as strong as young adults getting regular-strength shots, the company said in a press release.Moderna said the small doses were safe, and the main side effects were mild fevers like those associated with other commonly used pediatric vaccines.Once Moderna submits the data to the FDA, regulators will debate whether to authorize emergency use of the small doses for tots. If so, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention then will decide whether to recommend them.While COVID-19 generally isn’t as dangerous to youngsters as to adults, some do become severely ill. The CDC says about 400 children younger than 5 have died from COVID-19 since the pandemic’s start. The omicron variant hit children especially hard, with those under 5 hospitalized at higher rates than at the peak of the previous delta surge, the CDC found.COVID-19 vaccines in general don’t prevent infection with the omicron mutant as well as they fended off earlier variants -- but they do still offer strong protection against severe illness.Moderna reported that same trend in the trial of children under 6, conducted during the omicron surge. While there were no severe illnesses, the vaccine proved just under 44% effective at preventing any infection in babies up to age 2, and nearly 38% effective in the preschoolers.Moderna said also said Wednesday it will ask the Food and Drug Administration to clear larger doses for older children.While other countries already have allowed Moderna’s shots to be used in children as young as 6, the U.S. has limited its vaccine to adults. A Moderna request to expand its shots to 12- to 17-year-olds has been stalled for months.The company said Wednesday that, armed with additional evidence, it is updating its FDA application for teen shots and requesting a green light for 6- to 11-year-olds, too.Moderna says its original adult dose -- two 100-microgram shots -- is safe and effective in 12- to 17-year-olds. For elementary-age kids, it’s using half the adult dose.But the FDA never ruled on Moderna’s application for teen shots because of concern about a very rare side effect. Heart inflammation sometimes occurs in teens and young adults, mostly males, after receiving either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines. Moderna is getting extra scrutiny because its shots are a far higher dose than Pfizer’s.The risk also seems linked to puberty, and regulators in Canada, Europe and elsewhere recently expanded Moderna vaccinations to kids as young as 6.“That concern has not been seen in the younger children,” said Northwestern’s Muller.___

Moderna says its low-dose COVID shot works in babies, toddlers

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A detention hearing for a 16-year-old arrested in connection with the fatal shooting at Towne East Square&nbsp; was held Tuesday.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Judge Patrick Walters ruled&nbsp;the 16-year-old&nbsp; accused in the killing of 14-year-old Trenjvious Hutton of Wichita will remain in custody in the Juvenile Detention Facility until his initial appearance on April 18, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. David Miller was appointed as his attorney. 

Just after 5:30 p.m. on Friday, officers responded to a shooting at Towne East Mall, 7700 E Kellogg Drive in Wichita.

 Upon arrival, officers entered the mall and located 14-year-old Trenjvious Hutton inside who had been shot. He was pronounced deceased on scene.

The investigation revealed, Hutton was involved in a physical altercation with several individuals known to him stemming from an ongoing dispute. During the altercation a 16-year-old suspect pulled out a handgun and fired multiple shots, striking Hutton. The suspect then fled on foot.

Witnesses provided officers with a description of the suspect which allowed arriving officers to quickly locate him in the area and make an arrest, according to Ditch.

 A 17-year-old boy with the suspect was detained, questioned, and released. Additionally, officers also recovered two handguns during the investigation.

The 16-year-old shooting suspect is being held on a requested charge of 2nd-degree murder, according to Ditch.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647654687490.png" alt="Police were dispatched to what was originally believed to be an active shooter at the mall -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police were dispatched to what was originally believed to be an active shooter at the mall -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A detention hearing for a 16-year-old arrested in connection with the fatal shooting at Towne East Square&nbsp; was held Tuesday.&nbsp;&nbsp;Judge Patrick Walters ruled&nbsp;the 16-year-old&nbsp; accused in the killing of 14-year-old Trenjvious Hutton of Wichita will remain in custody in the Juvenile Detention Facility until his initial appearance on April 18, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. David Miller was appointed as his attorney. Just after 5:30 p.m. on Friday, officers responded to a shooting at Towne East Mall, 7700 E Kellogg Drive in Wichita. Upon arrival, officers entered the mall and located 14-year-old Trenjvious Hutton inside who had been shot. He was pronounced deceased on scene.The investigation revealed, Hutton was involved in a physical altercation with several individuals known to him stemming from an ongoing dispute. During the altercation a 16-year-old suspect pulled out a handgun and fired multiple shots, striking Hutton. The suspect then fled on foot.Witnesses provided officers with a description of the suspect which allowed arriving officers to quickly locate him in the area and make an arrest, according to Ditch. A 17-year-old boy with the suspect was detained, questioned, and released. Additionally, officers also recovered two handguns during the investigation.The 16-year-old shooting suspect is being held on a requested charge of 2nd-degree murder, according to Ditch.

Judge makes ruling on 16-year-old in Kansas mall killing 

With coronavirus cases rising in parts of Europe and Asia, scientists worry that an extra-contagious version of the omicron variant may soon push cases up in the United States too.

Experts are also keeping their eyes on another mutant: a rare delta-omicron hybrid that they say doesn’t pose much of a threat right now but shows how wily the coronavirus can be.

The U.S. will likely see an uptick in cases caused by the omicron descendant BA.2 starting in the next few weeks, according to Dr. Eric Topol, head of Scripps Research Translational Institute.

“It’s inevitable we will see a BA.2 wave here,” he said.

One reason? After about two months of falling COVID-19 cases, pandemic restrictions have been lifted across the U.S. Many people are taking off their masks and returning to indoor spaces like restaurants and theaters.

And the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows&nbsp;<a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#variant-proportions" target="_blank">the share caused by BA.2 is up significantly.</a>&nbsp;The CDC reported Tuesday that the variant accounted for about 35% of new infections last week. In the Northeast, it was about half.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the U.S. government’s top infectious disease expert, told ABC’s “This Week” over the weekend that he also thinks the U.S. will likely face an “uptick” similar to what’s happening in Europe, particularly the United Kingdom, where BA.2 is the dominant strain. He said he doesn’t think it will be a “surge.”

The U.K. has “had the same situation as we’ve had now,” Fauci said. “They have BA.2. They have a relaxation of some restrictions such as indoor masking and there’s a waning of immunity” from vaccines and past infections.

Keri Althoff, a researcher at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, cautioned that CDC case counts underestimate the true numbers because some people are no longer getting tested and others are testing at home and not reporting the results. Also, she said, not every specimen is genetically sequenced to determine the variant.

It’s clear, she said, “BA.2 is coming onto the scene.”

One reason the variant has gained ground, scientists say,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-health-world-health-organization-public-health-7e4cd2f5f6cd2ec87393b3cc9ce41c9c">is that it’s about 30% more contagious than the original omicron</a>. In rare cases, research shows it can sicken people even if they’ve already had an omicron infection — although it doesn’t seem to cause more severe disease.

Vaccines appear just as effective against both types of omicron, but breakthrough infections are possible. And experts point out that vaccination rates are lower in the U.S. than the U.K. About 74% of those 12 and older are fully vaccinated in the U.S, compared with 86% in the U.K.

”We need to emphasize that we’re not protected in this country compared to peer countries,” Topol said.

Still, not all experts are equally concerned about a BA.2-related rise in U.S. cases. Dr. James Musser, head of genomic medicine and infectious diseases at Houston Methodist, said the variant has so far only caused about 1% to 3% of cases in his medical system. Cases there have usually tracked closely with what’s happening in the U.K.

He called BA.2 “something we’re keeping an eye on,” but said, “I’m not losing sleep” over it.

That’s how many scientists view the other variant that some in the public are calling “deltacron,” a hybrid containing genetic information from both delta and omicron.

Earlier this month, Maria Van Kerkhove of the World Health Organization said the hybrid has been detected at “very low levels” in France, the Netherlands and Denmark. And two recent studies, which have not yet been peer-reviewed, point to a tiny number of cases in the U.S.

Much remains unknown about the hybrid. There’s no evidence it causes more severe disease, and it doesn’t look like it’s infecting many people. CDC researchers identified 9 samples, seven from the mid-Atlantic region in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.03.19.484981v1.full.pdf+html" target="_blank">study released Monday</a>&nbsp;that hasn’t yet been peer-reviewed. Topol, who was not involved in the research, said there’s no evidence it has the potential to spread.

It’s common for coronaviruses to shuffle gene segments, said Dr. Stuart Campbell Ray, an infectious disease expert at Johns Hopkins University. With two variants circulating at the same time, people may get double infections, and a “progeny virus” could emerge.

Given the virus’&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-health-pandemics-dc99bc9f769dd6d7cb669e3d185c6261">ability to spawn new mutants</a>&nbsp;— and the rise of BA.2 — experts say people should get vaccinated if they’re not and keep their masks handy.

“Keep your guard up,” Topol said. “This is not over.”

By LAURA UNGAR, Associated PressWith coronavirus cases rising in parts of Europe and Asia, scientists worry that an extra-contagious version of the omicron variant may soon push cases up in the United States too.Experts are also keeping their eyes on another mutant: a rare delta-omicron hybrid that they say doesn’t pose much of a threat right now but shows how wily the coronavirus can be.The U.S. will likely see an uptick in cases caused by the omicron descendant BA.2 starting in the next few weeks, according to Dr. Eric Topol, head of Scripps Research Translational Institute.“It’s inevitable we will see a BA.2 wave here,” he said.One reason? After about two months of falling COVID-19 cases, pandemic restrictions have been lifted across the U.S. Many people are taking off their masks and returning to indoor spaces like restaurants and theaters.And the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows&nbsp;<a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#variant-proportions" target="_blank">the share caused by BA.2 is up significantly.</a>&nbsp;The CDC reported Tuesday that the variant accounted for about 35% of new infections last week. In the Northeast, it was about half.Dr. Anthony Fauci, the U.S. government’s top infectious disease expert, told ABC’s “This Week” over the weekend that he also thinks the U.S. will likely face an “uptick” similar to what’s happening in Europe, particularly the United Kingdom, where BA.2 is the dominant strain. He said he doesn’t think it will be a “surge.”The U.K. has “had the same situation as we’ve had now,” Fauci said. “They have BA.2. They have a relaxation of some restrictions such as indoor masking and there’s a waning of immunity” from vaccines and past infections.Keri Althoff, a researcher at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, cautioned that CDC case counts underestimate the true numbers because some people are no longer getting tested and others are testing at home and not reporting the results. Also, she said, not every specimen is genetically sequenced to determine the variant.It’s clear, she said, “BA.2 is coming onto the scene.”One reason the variant has gained ground, scientists say,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-health-world-health-organization-public-health-7e4cd2f5f6cd2ec87393b3cc9ce41c9c">is that it’s about 30% more contagious than the original omicron</a>. In rare cases, research shows it can sicken people even if they’ve already had an omicron infection — although it doesn’t seem to cause more severe disease.Vaccines appear just as effective against both types of omicron, but breakthrough infections are possible. And experts point out that vaccination rates are lower in the U.S. than the U.K. About 74% of those 12 and older are fully vaccinated in the U.S, compared with 86% in the U.K.”We need to emphasize that we’re not protected in this country compared to peer countries,” Topol said.Still, not all experts are equally concerned about a BA.2-related rise in U.S. cases. Dr. James Musser, head of genomic medicine and infectious diseases at Houston Methodist, said the variant has so far only caused about 1% to 3% of cases in his medical system. Cases there have usually tracked closely with what’s happening in the U.K.He called BA.2 “something we’re keeping an eye on,” but said, “I’m not losing sleep” over it.That’s how many scientists view the other variant that some in the public are calling “deltacron,” a hybrid containing genetic information from both delta and omicron.Earlier this month, Maria Van Kerkhove of the World Health Organization said the hybrid has been detected at “very low levels” in France, the Netherlands and Denmark. And two recent studies, which have not yet been peer-reviewed, point to a tiny number of cases in the U.S.Much remains unknown about the hybrid. There’s no evidence it causes more severe disease, and it doesn’t look like it’s infecting many people. CDC researchers identified 9 samples, seven from the mid-Atlantic region in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.03.19.484981v1.full.pdf+html" target="_blank">study released Monday</a>&nbsp;that hasn’t yet been peer-reviewed. Topol, who was not involved in the research, said there’s no evidence it has the potential to spread.It’s common for coronaviruses to shuffle gene segments, said Dr. Stuart Campbell Ray, an infectious disease expert at Johns Hopkins University. With two variants circulating at the same time, people may get double infections, and a “progeny virus” could emerge.Given the virus’&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-health-pandemics-dc99bc9f769dd6d7cb669e3d185c6261">ability to spawn new mutants</a>&nbsp;— and the rise of BA.2 — experts say people should get vaccinated if they’re not and keep their masks handy.“Keep your guard up,” Topol said. “This is not over.”___

Scientists worry virus variant may push up COVID cases in US

WASHINGTON — The FCC Enforcement Bureau today warned three more voice service providers that are apparently transmitting illegal robocalls on their networks that they have 48 hours to stop facilitating this traffic or face all their traffic being blocked by other providers.  The investigation into one of the providers, thinQ, was bolstered by findings from the Office of North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein.

FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has made clear to such network participants that they must meet their obligations to protect consumers from scams or lose access to other networks.  The FCC has carefully constructed the tools necessary to take swift and impactful action against bad actors – this means not only possible fines when violations occur, but also business consequences for those removed from the Robocall Mitigation Database.  

“There are far too many phone companies that count illegal robocallers among their clients, and that’s bad business,” said Chairwoman Rosenworcel.  “It is illegal to allow these junk calls to flood consumers’ phones, and there are consequences for phone companies that do not take immediate action to stop participating in these schemes.”

Today’s letters to thinQ Technologies, Airespring, and Hello Hello Miami mean that more than a dozen voice service providers have now received cease-and-desist letters.  To date, all recipients have quickly responded and committed to take actions to stop the flow of robocalls on their networks.  That said, the FCC and its partners remain vigilant in monitoring these – and all – providers’ efforts to ensure unyielding compliance with consumer protection requirements going forward.

FCC investigations found that thinQ, Airespring, and Hello Hello Miami were apparently facilitating illegal robocall traffic on their networks.  These investigations relied in part on information collected by the Traceback Consortium which, having been made aware of suspicious activity, traced the illegal robocall traffic to these providers.  In addition, in the case of thinQ, the North Carolina Department of Justice identified that company as a source of illegal robocall traffic. 

 Chairwoman Rosenworcel added: “I want to thank Attorney General Stein and his team for their continued focus on protecting North Carolinians from robocall scams.  Ours is a model partnership for combating robocalls.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584977952684.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FCCWASHINGTON — The FCC Enforcement Bureau today warned three more voice service providers that are apparently transmitting illegal robocalls on their networks that they have 48 hours to stop facilitating this traffic or face all their traffic being blocked by other providers. The investigation into one of the providers, thinQ, was bolstered by findings from the Office of North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein.FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has made clear to such network participants that they must meet their obligations to protect consumers from scams or lose access to other networks. The FCC has carefully constructed the tools necessary to take swift and impactful action against bad actors – this means not only possible fines when violations occur, but also business consequences for those removed from the Robocall Mitigation Database. “There are far too many phone companies that count illegal robocallers among their clients, and that’s bad business,” said Chairwoman Rosenworcel. “It is illegal to allow these junk calls to flood consumers’ phones, and there are consequences for phone companies that do not take immediate action to stop participating in these schemes.”Today’s letters to thinQ Technologies, Airespring, and Hello Hello Miami mean that more than a dozen voice service providers have now received cease-and-desist letters. To date, all recipients have quickly responded and committed to take actions to stop the flow of robocalls on their networks. That said, the FCC and its partners remain vigilant in monitoring these – and all – providers’ efforts to ensure unyielding compliance with consumer protection requirements going forward.FCC investigations found that thinQ, Airespring, and Hello Hello Miami were apparently facilitating illegal robocall traffic on their networks. These investigations relied in part on information collected by the Traceback Consortium which, having been made aware of suspicious activity, traced the illegal robocall traffic to these providers. In addition, in the case of thinQ, the North Carolina Department of Justice identified that company as a source of illegal robocall traffic. Chairwoman Rosenworcel added: “I want to thank Attorney General Stein and his team for their continued focus on protecting North Carolinians from robocall scams. Ours is a model partnership for combating robocalls.”

FTC to robocallers: Remove illegal traffic or be disconnected

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today revised its 
frequently asked questions (FAQs) on 2020 unemployment compensation 
exclusion.

This Fact Sheet (<a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/taxpros/fs-2022-21.pdf">FS-2022-21</a>&nbsp;PDF)&nbsp;updates the 2020 unemployment compensation exclusion frequently-asked-questions (FAQs). These updates are:

These FAQs are being issued to provide general information to taxpayers and tax professionals as expeditiously as possible.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today revised its 
frequently asked questions (FAQs) on 2020 unemployment compensation 
exclusion.This Fact Sheet (<a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/taxpros/fs-2022-21.pdf">FS-2022-21</a>&nbsp;PDF)&nbsp;updates the 2020 unemployment compensation exclusion frequently-asked-questions (FAQs). These updates are:<ul>
 <li>Question 6, Topic A: Eligibility (NEW)</li><li>Questions 1, 2, 4, Topic D: Amended Return (Form 1040-X)</li><li>Question 2, Topic E: Impact to Income, Credits, and Deductions</li><li>Question 1, 8, 9, Topic G: Receiving a Refund, Letter, or Notice</li><li>Question 1, Topic I: Post Unemployment Compensation Exclusion Adjustment</li><li>Question 1, Topic J: Economic Impact Payment</li>
 </ul>These FAQs are being issued to provide general information to taxpayers and tax professionals as expeditiously as possible.

IRS updates FAQs on 2020 unemployment compensation exclusion

KANSAS CITY —A 29-year-old Kansas City man has been charged in the fatal shooting on March 14, outside a gas station in the 8100 block of Bannister Road in Kansas City, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

Camoi Hendricks, 29,&nbsp; faces charges of Murder 2nd Degree, and Armed Criminal Action.

According to court records, Kansas City police were dispatched on March 14, to the 8100 block of Bannister Road on a reported shooting. Officers found a Lexus parked at the gas pump. What appeared to be a bullet hole was in the driver's side window. 

A man was slumped over in the driver's seat. He was pronounced deceased later at the hospital. The victim was identified as 34-year-old Kirk Whittaker. 

Surveillance video showed the suspect entering the store. It also showed him leaving the store and entering the victim's vehicle on the passenger side. The suspect remains in the vehicle for several minutes, then exits and walks over to his vehicle, walks back to the victim's vehicle and leans on the victim's vehicle. He is then seen leaving the station at a high rate of speed. The victim is found shortly later suffering from gunshot wounds..

Hendricks is being held on a $500,000 bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647896887892.png" alt="Hendricks photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Hendricks photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A 29-year-old Kansas City man has been charged in the fatal shooting on March 14, outside a gas station in the 8100 block of Bannister Road in Kansas City, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.Camoi Hendricks, 29,&nbsp; faces charges of Murder 2nd Degree, and Armed Criminal Action.According to court records, Kansas City police were dispatched on March 14, to the 8100 block of Bannister Road on a reported shooting. Officers found a Lexus parked at the gas pump. What appeared to be a bullet hole was in the driver's side window. A man was slumped over in the driver's seat. He was pronounced deceased later at the hospital. The victim was identified as 34-year-old Kirk Whittaker. Surveillance video showed the suspect entering the store. It also showed him leaving the store and entering the victim's vehicle on the passenger side. The suspect remains in the vehicle for several minutes, then exits and walks over to his vehicle, walks back to the victim's vehicle and leans on the victim's vehicle. He is then seen leaving the station at a high rate of speed. The victim is found shortly later suffering from gunshot wounds..Hendricks is being held on a $500,000 bond.

Man charged in Kansas City gas station killing

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Federal prosecutors told jurors that a Kansas researcher illegally kept his work with a Chinese university secret, while the defense contends contends he was merely “moonlighting.” 

The conflicting portrayals came during opening statements Tuesday in the trial of Feng “Franklin” Tao in U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Kansas, on charges of wire and program fraud.

He is accused of not disclosing on conflict-of-interest forms the work he was allegedly doing for China while employed at the University of Kansas — something federal prosecutors have portrayed as a scheme to defraud the university, the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/8/1566425403152.png" alt="Feng Tao photo courtesy KU" />
 <figcaption>Feng Tao photo courtesy KU</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Federal prosecutors told jurors that a Kansas researcher illegally kept his work with a Chinese university secret, while the defense contends contends he was merely “moonlighting.” The conflicting portrayals came during opening statements Tuesday in the trial of Feng “Franklin” Tao in U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Kansas, on charges of wire and program fraud.He is accused of not disclosing on conflict-of-interest forms the work he was allegedly doing for China while employed at the University of Kansas — something federal prosecutors have portrayed as a scheme to defraud the university, the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation

KU researcher accused of secret China work goes to trial

KANSAS CITY— A California man was charged in federal court Friday with smuggling more than four kilograms of counterfeit pills that contain fentanyl aboard a bus traveling through Kansas City, Missouri, from Los Angeles, Calif.

Matthew John Gomez, 27, was charged with one count of possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute in a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the federal criminal complaint, members of the Missouri Western Interdiction Task Force (MoWIN) watched Gomez at a local bus terminal on Wednesday, March 16, as he got off a bus traveling through Kansas City from Los Angeles. Gomez was wearing a backpack and carrying a large duffel bag. He walked out the front doors of the bus terminal and paced back and forth on the sidewalk while making a call on his cell phone. A police detective contacted Gomez, who said he was traveling to Minneapolis, Minnesota.

The detective asked Gomez if he would consent to a search of his luggage. Gomez placed his duffel bag on the ground and was in the process of removing his backpack when he quickly stepped away from the detective in an attempt to flee. A struggle ensued, and Gomez was eventually placed under arrest and escorted into the terminal.

A police dog alerted to the presence of drugs in Gomez’s duffel bag and backpack. Officers searched Gomez’s backpack and found three large, heat-sealed packages that contained numerous blue M30 pills. Although blue M30 pills typically contain 30 milligrams of oxycodone hydrochloride, law enforcement officers are aware that such pills are commonly counterfeit pills that are made with fentanyl. The gross weight of the pills was 4,127 grams, which is approximately 9.1 pounds. A forensic specialist with the Kansas City Police Crime Laboratory confirmed that the recovered pills contain fentanyl.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647479097154.png" alt="Photo KCPD" />
 <figcaption>Photo KCPD</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY— A California man was charged in federal court Friday with smuggling more than four kilograms of counterfeit pills that contain fentanyl aboard a bus traveling through Kansas City, Missouri, from Los Angeles, Calif.Matthew John Gomez, 27, was charged with one count of possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute in a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo.According to an affidavit filed in support of the federal criminal complaint, members of the Missouri Western Interdiction Task Force (MoWIN) watched Gomez at a local bus terminal on Wednesday, March 16, as he got off a bus traveling through Kansas City from Los Angeles. Gomez was wearing a backpack and carrying a large duffel bag. He walked out the front doors of the bus terminal and paced back and forth on the sidewalk while making a call on his cell phone. A police detective contacted Gomez, who said he was traveling to Minneapolis, Minnesota.The detective asked Gomez if he would consent to a search of his luggage. Gomez placed his duffel bag on the ground and was in the process of removing his backpack when he quickly stepped away from the detective in an attempt to flee. A struggle ensued, and Gomez was eventually placed under arrest and escorted into the terminal.A police dog alerted to the presence of drugs in Gomez’s duffel bag and backpack. Officers searched Gomez’s backpack and found three large, heat-sealed packages that contained numerous blue M30 pills. Although blue M30 pills typically contain 30 milligrams of oxycodone hydrochloride, law enforcement officers are aware that such pills are commonly counterfeit pills that are made with fentanyl. The gross weight of the pills was 4,127 grams, which is approximately 9.1 pounds. A forensic specialist with the Kansas City Police Crime Laboratory confirmed that the recovered pills contain fentanyl.Gomez told investigators he was paid $500 before leaving Los Angeles and was to be paid an additional $2,000 when he returned.