KANSAS CITY (AP) — A man who spent nearly 22 years in prison after six Kansas City firefighters died in an explosion in 1988 has been awarded more than $344,000 in legal fees from a lawsuit he filed against the federal government.

Bryan Sheppard sued the U.S. Justice Department in 2017, seeking records from a federal investigation into the Nov. 29, 1988, explosion at a construction site in south Kansas City, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article257754498.html">reported</a>.

Sheppard, one of five people convicted after the explosion, was 17 when the firefighters died. He was&nbsp;<a href="https://hosted.ap.org/semissourian/article/02482b1ab7327d3aab62faab00a141ce/apnews.com/29b2f3ffd74a4e0a809b181fd7b9f762">released from prison</a>&nbsp;in 2017 after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled it violated the Constitution to impose mandatory sentences of life without parole for juveniles.

Sheppard and the other four defendants have always maintained they were innocent.

He filed a Freedom on Information request for records from a 2011 U.S. Justice Department&nbsp;<a href="https://hosted.ap.org/semissourian/article/02482b1ab7327d3aab62faab00a141ce/c11fc19763484a259f6766ede49fffa0">review of the explosion,</a>&nbsp;which was prompted by an investigation in The Star. The federal investigation found no evidence the defendants were innocent but suggested others might have been involved.

U.S. District Judge Nanette K. Laughrey issued earlier rulings that the Justice Department improperly withheld documents requested by Sheppard.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1643378398426.png" alt="Photo courtesy Free Bryan Sheppard" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Free Bryan Sheppard</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — A man who spent nearly 22 years in prison after six Kansas City firefighters died in an explosion in 1988 has been awarded more than $344,000 in legal fees from a lawsuit he filed against the federal government.Bryan Sheppard sued the U.S. Justice Department in 2017, seeking records from a federal investigation into the Nov. 29, 1988, explosion at a construction site in south Kansas City, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article257754498.html">reported</a>.Sheppard, one of five people convicted after the explosion, was 17 when the firefighters died. He was&nbsp;<a href="https://hosted.ap.org/semissourian/article/02482b1ab7327d3aab62faab00a141ce/apnews.com/29b2f3ffd74a4e0a809b181fd7b9f762">released from prison</a>&nbsp;in 2017 after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled it violated the Constitution to impose mandatory sentences of life without parole for juveniles.Sheppard and the other four defendants have always maintained they were innocent.He filed a Freedom on Information request for records from a 2011 U.S. Justice Department&nbsp;<a href="https://hosted.ap.org/semissourian/article/02482b1ab7327d3aab62faab00a141ce/c11fc19763484a259f6766ede49fffa0">review of the explosion,</a>&nbsp;which was prompted by an investigation in The Star. The federal investigation found no evidence the defendants were innocent but suggested others might have been involved.U.S. District Judge Nanette K. Laughrey issued earlier rulings that the Justice Department improperly withheld documents requested by Sheppard.

Man convicted in deaths of 6 Kansas City firefighters wins lawsuit

KANSAS CITY—U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg will be in Kansas City, Kansas Friday morning to highlight the bipartisan $1 trillion&nbsp; infrastructure law and the associated investment in the region.&nbsp;

Buttigieg will join U.S. Representative Sharice Davids, Kansas City, Kansas mayor Tyrone Garner and other local and state officials and labor leaders at a roundtable discussion of how the law will benefit Kansas, according to a statement from the Department of Transportation.

Buttigieg will then hold a news conference with Rep. Davids, Kansas Department of Transportation Secretary Julie Lorenz, Mayor Garner and others at the Rock Island Bridge.

During his trip, Buttigieg will also visit the Kansas City U.S. Department of Transportation Field office to thank staff for their work.

President Joe Biden signed the&nbsp;infrastructure law November 15, and said it would deliver jobs, clean water, high-speed internet and a clean energy future.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1643238542238.png" alt="Secretary Pete Buttigieg-photo Dept. of Transportation" />
 <figcaption>Secretary Pete Buttigieg-photo Dept. of Transportation</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg will be in Kansas City, Kansas Friday morning to highlight the bipartisan $1 trillion&nbsp; infrastructure law and the associated investment in the region.&nbsp;Buttigieg will join U.S. Representative Sharice Davids, Kansas City, Kansas mayor Tyrone Garner and other local and state officials and labor leaders at a roundtable discussion of how the law will benefit Kansas, according to a statement from the Department of Transportation.Buttigieg will then hold a news conference with Rep. Davids, Kansas Department of Transportation Secretary Julie Lorenz, Mayor Garner and others at the Rock Island Bridge.During his trip, Buttigieg will also visit the Kansas City U.S. Department of Transportation Field office to thank staff for their work.President Joe Biden signed the&nbsp;infrastructure law November 15, and said it would deliver jobs, clean water, high-speed internet and a clean energy future.

Transportation Secretary Buttigieg to meet with Kansas officials

MOSCOW (AP) — The White House says President Joe Biden warned Ukraine’s president Thursday that there is a “distinct possibility” Russia could take military action against Ukraine in February. The Kremlin likewise sounded a grim note, saying it saw “little ground for optimism” in resolving the crisis after the U.S. this week again&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-russia-united-states-moscow-72856781c3b92640d03c5e954488ba90">rejected Russia’s main demands.</a>

Russian officials said dialogue was still possible to end the crisis, but Biden again offered a stark warning amid growing concerns that Russian President Vladimir Putin will give the go-ahead for a further invasion of Ukrainian territory in the not-so-distant future.

The White House said Biden’s comments to Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a phone call amplified concerns that administration officials have been making for some time.

“President Biden said that there is a distinct possibility that the Russians could invade Ukraine in February,” White House National Security Council spokesperson Emily Horne said. “He has said this publicly and we have been warning about this for months. ”

Tensions have soared in recent weeks, as the United States and its NATO allies expressed concern that a buildup of about 100,000 Russian troops near Ukraine signaled that Moscow planned to invade its ex-Soviet neighbor. Russia denies having any such designs — and has laid out a series of demands it says will improve security in Europe.

But as expected, the U.S. and the Western alliance firmly rejected any concessions on Moscow’s main points Wednesday, refusing to permanently ban Ukraine from joining NATO and saying allied deployments of troops and military equipment in Eastern Europe are nonnegotiable.

The U.S. did outline areas in which some of Russia’s concerns might be addressed, possibly offering a path to de-escalation. But, as it has done repeatedly for the past several weeks, Washington also warned Moscow of devastating sanctions if it invades Ukraine. In addition to penalties targeting Russian people and key economic sectors, several senior U.S. officials said Thursday with certainty that Germany would not allow a newly constructed gas pipeline to begin operations in the event of an incursion.

All eyes are now on Putin, who will decide how Russia will respond amid fears that Europe could again be plunged into war.

In the meantime, Biden spoke to his Ukrainian counterpart Zelenskyy on Thursday to reiterate American and allied support, including recent deliveries of U.S. military aid.

Biden warned Zelenskyy that the U.S. believed there was a high degree of likelihood that Russia could invade when the ground freezes and Russian forces could attack Ukrainian territory from north of Kyiv, according to two people familiar with the conversation who were not authorized to comment publicly.

Military experts have said Russia may be waiting for optimal ground conditions to move heavy equipment into Kyiv as part of any invasion. Eight years ago, Russia invaded Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula in late February.

Zelenskyy tweeted that he and Biden also discussed the possibility of additional financial support for Ukraine.

The White House said Biden told Zelenskyy he was “exploring additional macroeconomic support to help Ukraine’s economy” as it comes under pressure as a result of Russia’s military buildup.

Meanwhile, the United States announced that the U.N. Security Council will hold an open meeting Monday on what U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield called Russia’s “threatening behavior.” She said the deployment of more than 100,000 troops along Ukraine’s border and other destabilizing acts pose “a clear threat to international peace and security and the U.N. Charter.”

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters earlier that the response from the U.S. — and a similar one from NATO — left “little ground for optimism.” But he added that “there always are prospects for continuing a dialogue, it’s in the interests of both us and the Americans.”

White House press secretary Jen Psaki was circumspect when asked whether the Biden administration saw a sliver of hope in that the Russians said they would keep communications open even as they said that they lacked optimism..

“We don’t know if the Russians are playing games on diplomacy. We hope not,” Psaki said.

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the U.S. response contained some elements that could lead to “the start of a serious talk on secondary issues,” but emphasized that “the document contains no positive response on the main issue.” Those are Moscow’s demands that NATO not expand and that the alliance refrain from deploying weapons that might threaten Russia.

Lavrov said top officials will submit proposals to Putin. Peskov said the Russian reaction would come soon.

The evasive official comments reflect the fact that it is Putin who will single-handedly determine Russia’s next moves. He has warned of unspecified “military-technical measures” if the West refuses to heed the demands.

Peskov added that Putin and Biden will decide whether they need to have another conversation following two calls last month.

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Kyiv had seen the U.S. response before it was delivered to Russia and had no objections. He tweeted it was “important that the U.S. remains in close contact with Ukraine before and after all contacts with Russia.”

On a visit to Denmark, Kuleba emphasized his country’s need to strengthen its defenses.

“This crisis is a moment of truth, and this is why we speak about weapons,” he said. “This is why we speak about economic sanctions. This is why we speak about the consolidated position of all of us, so that President Putin sees that there are no weak links in our defensive chain.”

Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said during a parliamentary debate on Ukraine that her government is closely coordinating its policy with allies, considering a range of options that could include the new Nord Stream 2 Russian gas pipeline to Germany.

While the diplomacy sputters on, so too do maneuvers that have escalated tensions. Russia has launched a series of military drills involving motorized infantry and artillery units in southwestern Russia, warplanes in Kaliningrad on the Baltic Sea, dozens of warships in the Black Sea and the Arctic, and Russian fighter jets and paratroopers in Belarus.

NATO said it was bolstering its deterrence in the Baltic Sea region, and the U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-tensions-live-updates-1c3eee4895926233aa85ad52ef09d102">ordered 8,500 troops on higher alert</a>&nbsp;for potential deployment to Europe.

As war fears mounted, thousands of Ukrainians expressed their resolve to stand up to the Russian pressure under the hashtag #UkrainiansWillResist on Twitter and Facebook.

“No one will force Ukrainians to accept the Kremlin ultimatum,” wrote Andrii Levus, who initiated the campaign.

Ukraine’s Interior Ministry has organized training on acting in emergency situations, with an emphasis on dealing with explosives.

Beyond concerns about a possible Russian offensive in Ukraine, there also has been speculation that Moscow’s response&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-russia-caribbean-moscow-4c5c1a7ee35198415532f6ca12cd40e3">could include military deployments to the Western Hemisphere.</a>

While a senior Russian diplomat recently refused to rule out such deployments to Cuba and Venezuela, a top Putin associate expressed skepticism Thursday at that prospect.

“Cuba and Venezuela are aiming to come out of isolation and restore normal relations with the U.S. to a certain extent, so there can’t be any talk about setting up a base there as happened during the Soviet times,” Dmitry Medvedev, a deputy head of Russia’s Security Council, told Russian media.

While he charged that the West is using Ukraine as a way to contain Russia, he somberly acknowledged that a Russia-NATO conflict “would be the most dramatic and simply catastrophic scenario, and I hope it will never happen.”

While concerns about a possible Russian attack linger, a separatist conflict simmers in Ukraine. Following the 2014 ouster of a Kremlin-friendly president in Kyiv, Moscow annexed Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula and backed an insurgency in the country’s eastern industrial heartland. Fighting between Ukrainian forces and Russia-backed rebels has killed over 14,000 people, and efforts to reach a settlement have stalled.

Since the conflict began, Russia has been accused of sending troops and weapons to the separatists, something it has denied. On Thursday, Peskov wouldn’t comment on a proposal from the Kremlin’s main political party, United Russia, which suggested that Moscow respond to the delivery of Western weapons to Ukraine by sending arms to the rebels. He added that Putin is aware of the proposal but had no immediate reaction.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1643137294013.png" alt="President Biden spoke to his Ukrainian counterpart Zelenskyy on Thursday to reiterate American and allied support, including recent deliveries of U.S. military aid-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>President Biden spoke to his Ukrainian counterpart Zelenskyy on Thursday to reiterate American and allied support, including recent deliveries of U.S. military aid-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>MOSCOW (AP) — The White House says President Joe Biden warned Ukraine’s president Thursday that there is a “distinct possibility” Russia could take military action against Ukraine in February. The Kremlin likewise sounded a grim note, saying it saw “little ground for optimism” in resolving the crisis after the U.S. this week again&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-russia-united-states-moscow-72856781c3b92640d03c5e954488ba90">rejected Russia’s main demands.</a>Russian officials said dialogue was still possible to end the crisis, but Biden again offered a stark warning amid growing concerns that Russian President Vladimir Putin will give the go-ahead for a further invasion of Ukrainian territory in the not-so-distant future.The White House said Biden’s comments to Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a phone call amplified concerns that administration officials have been making for some time.“President Biden said that there is a distinct possibility that the Russians could invade Ukraine in February,” White House National Security Council spokesperson Emily Horne said. “He has said this publicly and we have been warning about this for months. ”Tensions have soared in recent weeks, as the United States and its NATO allies expressed concern that a buildup of about 100,000 Russian troops near Ukraine signaled that Moscow planned to invade its ex-Soviet neighbor. Russia denies having any such designs — and has laid out a series of demands it says will improve security in Europe.But as expected, the U.S. and the Western alliance firmly rejected any concessions on Moscow’s main points Wednesday, refusing to permanently ban Ukraine from joining NATO and saying allied deployments of troops and military equipment in Eastern Europe are nonnegotiable.The U.S. did outline areas in which some of Russia’s concerns might be addressed, possibly offering a path to de-escalation. But, as it has done repeatedly for the past several weeks, Washington also warned Moscow of devastating sanctions if it invades Ukraine. In addition to penalties targeting Russian people and key economic sectors, several senior U.S. officials said Thursday with certainty that Germany would not allow a newly constructed gas pipeline to begin operations in the event of an incursion.All eyes are now on Putin, who will decide how Russia will respond amid fears that Europe could again be plunged into war.In the meantime, Biden spoke to his Ukrainian counterpart Zelenskyy on Thursday to reiterate American and allied support, including recent deliveries of U.S. military aid.Biden warned Zelenskyy that the U.S. believed there was a high degree of likelihood that Russia could invade when the ground freezes and Russian forces could attack Ukrainian territory from north of Kyiv, according to two people familiar with the conversation who were not authorized to comment publicly.Military experts have said Russia may be waiting for optimal ground conditions to move heavy equipment into Kyiv as part of any invasion. Eight years ago, Russia invaded Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula in late February.Zelenskyy tweeted that he and Biden also discussed the possibility of additional financial support for Ukraine.The White House said Biden told Zelenskyy he was “exploring additional macroeconomic support to help Ukraine’s economy” as it comes under pressure as a result of Russia’s military buildup.Meanwhile, the United States announced that the U.N. Security Council will hold an open meeting Monday on what U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield called Russia’s “threatening behavior.” She said the deployment of more than 100,000 troops along Ukraine’s border and other destabilizing acts pose “a clear threat to international peace and security and the U.N. Charter.”Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters earlier that the response from the U.S. — and a similar one from NATO — left “little ground for optimism.” But he added that “there always are prospects for continuing a dialogue, it’s in the interests of both us and the Americans.”White House press secretary Jen Psaki was circumspect when asked whether the Biden administration saw a sliver of hope in that the Russians said they would keep communications open even as they said that they lacked optimism..“We don’t know if the Russians are playing games on diplomacy. We hope not,” Psaki said.Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the U.S. response contained some elements that could lead to “the start of a serious talk on secondary issues,” but emphasized that “the document contains no positive response on the main issue.” Those are Moscow’s demands that NATO not expand and that the alliance refrain from deploying weapons that might threaten Russia.Lavrov said top officials will submit proposals to Putin. Peskov said the Russian reaction would come soon.The evasive official comments reflect the fact that it is Putin who will single-handedly determine Russia’s next moves. He has warned of unspecified “military-technical measures” if the West refuses to heed the demands.Peskov added that Putin and Biden will decide whether they need to have another conversation following two calls last month.Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Kyiv had seen the U.S. response before it was delivered to Russia and had no objections. He tweeted it was “important that the U.S. remains in close contact with Ukraine before and after all contacts with Russia.”On a visit to Denmark, Kuleba emphasized his country’s need to strengthen its defenses.“This crisis is a moment of truth, and this is why we speak about weapons,” he said. “This is why we speak about economic sanctions. This is why we speak about the consolidated position of all of us, so that President Putin sees that there are no weak links in our defensive chain.”Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said during a parliamentary debate on Ukraine that her government is closely coordinating its policy with allies, considering a range of options that could include the new Nord Stream 2 Russian gas pipeline to Germany.While the diplomacy sputters on, so too do maneuvers that have escalated tensions. Russia has launched a series of military drills involving motorized infantry and artillery units in southwestern Russia, warplanes in Kaliningrad on the Baltic Sea, dozens of warships in the Black Sea and the Arctic, and Russian fighter jets and paratroopers in Belarus.NATO said it was bolstering its deterrence in the Baltic Sea region, and the U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-tensions-live-updates-1c3eee4895926233aa85ad52ef09d102">ordered 8,500 troops on higher alert</a>&nbsp;for potential deployment to Europe.As war fears mounted, thousands of Ukrainians expressed their resolve to stand up to the Russian pressure under the hashtag #UkrainiansWillResist on Twitter and Facebook.“No one will force Ukrainians to accept the Kremlin ultimatum,” wrote Andrii Levus, who initiated the campaign.Ukraine’s Interior Ministry has organized training on acting in emergency situations, with an emphasis on dealing with explosives.Beyond concerns about a possible Russian offensive in Ukraine, there also has been speculation that Moscow’s response&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-russia-caribbean-moscow-4c5c1a7ee35198415532f6ca12cd40e3">could include military deployments to the Western Hemisphere.</a>While a senior Russian diplomat recently refused to rule out such deployments to Cuba and Venezuela, a top Putin associate expressed skepticism Thursday at that prospect.“Cuba and Venezuela are aiming to come out of isolation and restore normal relations with the U.S. to a certain extent, so there can’t be any talk about setting up a base there as happened during the Soviet times,” Dmitry Medvedev, a deputy head of Russia’s Security Council, told Russian media.While he charged that the West is using Ukraine as a way to contain Russia, he somberly acknowledged that a Russia-NATO conflict “would be the most dramatic and simply catastrophic scenario, and I hope it will never happen.”While concerns about a possible Russian attack linger, a separatist conflict simmers in Ukraine. Following the 2014 ouster of a Kremlin-friendly president in Kyiv, Moscow annexed Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula and backed an insurgency in the country’s eastern industrial heartland. Fighting between Ukrainian forces and Russia-backed rebels has killed over 14,000 people, and efforts to reach a settlement have stalled.Since the conflict began, Russia has been accused of sending troops and weapons to the separatists, something it has denied. On Thursday, Peskov wouldn’t comment on a proposal from the Kremlin’s main political party, United Russia, which suggested that Moscow respond to the delivery of Western weapons to Ukraine by sending arms to the rebels. He added that Putin is aware of the proposal but had no immediate reaction.___

Biden warns Ukraine: Russian invasion “distinct possibility” 

Consumers
 in 2021 reported losing about $770 million to fraud initiated on social
 media—about one fourth of all reported fraud losses for the year and an
 18-fold increase from 2017, according to the Federal Trade Commission’s
 <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/blogs/data-spotlight/2022/01/social-media-gold-mine-scammers-2021">latest Consumer Protection Data Spotlight</a>.

Of
 those who reported losing money to fraud in 2021, more than 95,000 
indicated that they were first contacted on social media—more than twice
 the 2020 number. Investment scams topped the list of total reported 
dollar losses, followed by romance scams. The largest number of reports 
came from people who lost money to online shopping scams. Most of the 
reports about online shopping scams involved someone who ordered a 
product they saw marketed on social media that never arrived. Consumers 
who listed the social media platform where the undelivered products were
 marketed most often named Facebook or Instagram.

To learn more about how to spot, avoid, and report scams—and how to recover money if you have paid a scammer—visit <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/scams">ftc.gov/scams</a>. If you spot a scam, report it to the FTC at <a href="http://www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/">ReportFraud.ftc.gov</a>.

The Federal Trade Commission works to <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/about-ftc/bureaus-offices/bureau-competition">promote competition</a>, <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/about-ftc/bureaus-offices/bureau-consumer-protection">stop deceptive and unfair business practices and scams</a>, and <a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/">educate consumers</a>. Report fraud, scams, or bad business practices at <a href="https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/">ReportFraud.ftc.gov</a>. Get consumer advice at <a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/">consumer.ftc.gov</a>. Also, <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/social-media">follow the FTC on social media</a>, <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/stay-connected">subscribe to press releases</a>, and read the FTC’s <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/blogs">blogs</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619632629588.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FTCConsumers
 in 2021 reported losing about $770 million to fraud initiated on social
 media—about one fourth of all reported fraud losses for the year and an
 18-fold increase from 2017, according to the Federal Trade Commission’s
 <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/blogs/data-spotlight/2022/01/social-media-gold-mine-scammers-2021">latest Consumer Protection Data Spotlight</a>. Of
 those who reported losing money to fraud in 2021, more than 95,000 
indicated that they were first contacted on social media—more than twice
 the 2020 number. Investment scams topped the list of total reported 
dollar losses, followed by romance scams. The largest number of reports 
came from people who lost money to online shopping scams. Most of the 
reports about online shopping scams involved someone who ordered a 
product they saw marketed on social media that never arrived. Consumers 
who listed the social media platform where the undelivered products were
 marketed most often named Facebook or Instagram.To learn more about how to spot, avoid, and report scams—and how to recover money if you have paid a scammer—visit <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/scams">ftc.gov/scams</a>. If you spot a scam, report it to the FTC at <a href="http://www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/">ReportFraud.ftc.gov</a>.The Federal Trade Commission works to <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/about-ftc/bureaus-offices/bureau-competition">promote competition</a>, <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/about-ftc/bureaus-offices/bureau-consumer-protection">stop deceptive and unfair business practices and scams</a>, and <a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/">educate consumers</a>. Report fraud, scams, or bad business practices at <a href="https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/">ReportFraud.ftc.gov</a>. Get consumer advice at <a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/">consumer.ftc.gov</a>. Also, <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/social-media">follow the FTC on social media</a>, <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/stay-connected">subscribe to press releases</a>, and read the FTC’s <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/blogs">blogs</a>.

FTC: Huge surge in consumers losing money in social media scams

SHAWNEE COUNTY – Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay, Shawnee County Sheriff Brian Hill and Topeka Police Chief Bryan Wheeles announce the execution of multiple search warrants at local massage and spa businesses within Shawnee County, according to a media release.

On Wednesday, several multi-agency criminal investigations, one that began over a year ago, resulted in the execution of search warrants at six separate locations within Shawnee County. 

During the execution of these search warrants, several suspects were taken into custody and numerous victims were identified including 43-year-old&nbsp; Xue Bai and 44-year-old Hong Gao who are being held on requested charges of Promoting Prostitution; Maintaining House Prostition, according to online jail records. 

Chengzhu Lu, 44, is being held on a requested charge of Promoting Prostitution; Soliciting A Patron For Prostitution, according to online jail records. Authorities are working to confirm the identity of all three suspects.

Members of the Kaw Valley Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force (KVHTTF) executed search warrants at the following businesses in the Topeka area:

 Oriental Health Spa - 2611 SW 21st Street

 Healing Massage - 4209 SW 21st Street

 Rising Sun Asian Massage Spa - 5123 SW 29th Street

 Healing Star Massage - 5501 SW 29th Street

Anyone with additional information regarding these locations or investigations is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Human Trafficking Hotline (785-251-4TIP) or any of the following individuals:

District Attorney’s Human Trafficking Investigator Bradley Barrett (785-251-2242) Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office Detective Ryan Myers (785-251-2262) Topeka Police Department’s Sergeant Eubanks (785-861-9705)

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1643295134112.png" alt="Hong&nbsp;Gao-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Hong&nbsp;Gao-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY – Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay, Shawnee County Sheriff Brian Hill and Topeka Police Chief Bryan Wheeles announce the execution of multiple search warrants at local massage and spa businesses within Shawnee County, according to a media release.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1643295010414.png" alt="Chengzhu Lu -photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Chengzhu Lu -photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>On Wednesday, several multi-agency criminal investigations, one that began over a year ago, resulted in the execution of search warrants at six separate locations within Shawnee County. During the execution of these search warrants, several suspects were taken into custody and numerous victims were identified including 43-year-old&nbsp; Xue Bai and 44-year-old Hong Gao who are being held on requested charges of Promoting Prostitution; Maintaining House Prostition, according to online jail records. Chengzhu Lu, 44, is being held on a requested charge of Promoting Prostitution; Soliciting A Patron For Prostitution, according to online jail records. Authorities are working to confirm the identity of all three suspects.Members of the Kaw Valley Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force (KVHTTF) executed search warrants at the following businesses in the Topeka area:<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1643295085344.png" alt="Xue Bai" />
 <figcaption>Xue Bai</figcaption>
 </figure> Oriental Health Spa - 2611 SW 21st Street Healing Massage - 4209 SW 21st Street Moon Spa - 3124 SW 29th Street Rising Sun Asian Massage Spa - 5123 SW 29th Street Healing Star Massage - 5501 SW 29th Street Rainbow Massage - 5219 SW 7th StreetAnyone with additional information regarding these locations or investigations is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Human Trafficking Hotline (785-251-4TIP) or any of the following individuals:District Attorney’s Human Trafficking Investigator Bradley Barrett (785-251-2242) Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office Detective Ryan Myers (785-251-2262) Topeka Police Department’s Sergeant Eubanks (785-861-9705)

Kan. task force makes arrests in massage parlor investigation

TOPEKA&nbsp; – The Kansas attorney general’s office has resolved a lawsuit filed under the state’s mistaken-conviction statute, according to Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt.

Shawnee County District Court Judge Teresa Watson issued a ruling last week in a lawsuit brought by Francis R. Everett, 64, who was convicted in Smith County on charges of manufacturing methamphetamines in November 2007. 

Everett was released when his conviction was reversed on appeal because the trial court erred in admitting evidence of a prior conviction, not because of actual innocence, Watson wrote. Everett was not retried on the charges, but is currently in prison on other charges including a heroin distribution conviction, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Following a one-day trial on January 6 to hear Everett’s claim, Watson ruled that Everett failed to satisfy all of the requirements established in K.S.A. 60-5004 that the claimant shall prove, among other criteria, that he did not commit the crimes and was not an accessory to the acts that were the basis for the original conviction. Everett appeared at the trial by videoconference.

A witness at both Everett’s hearing and his 2007 trial testified that she was present with Everett in the making of methamphetamines and subsequent use during a three-month period from March to May 2006. The witness gave a detailed account of how she and Everett drove across state lines to acquire the necessary components to make the illegal drugs and subsequently use them in a secluded area.

Watson said in her ruling that Everett severely undercut his credibility as a witness in his claim against the state, admitting under oath that he “probably did” use methamphetamines during the time in question, despite earlier testimony to the contrary. A copy of Watson’s ruling is available at&nbsp;<a href="https://bit.ly/3FOoDHX">https://bit.ly/3FOoDHX</a>.

From December 2018 through the present, 14 individuals have filed lawsuits against the State of Kansas under authority of K.S.A. 60-5004, the mistaken-conviction statute. Of those, six have now reached judgment and payment has been made or is in process. In a seventh case, the district court ruled against the claimant, and the Kansas Supreme Court affirmed that no payment was owed. The eighth case (Everett) was rejected at the district court level. Five other cases remain in litigation in district courts.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1643203531444.png" alt="Everett remains in the Hutchinson Correctional Facility for a heroin distribution conviction, according to the Kan. Dept. of Corrections -photo KDOC" />
 <figcaption>Everett remains in the Hutchinson Correctional Facility for a heroin distribution conviction, according to the Kan. Dept. of Corrections -photo KDOC</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA&nbsp; – The Kansas attorney general’s office has resolved a lawsuit filed under the state’s mistaken-conviction statute, according to Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt.Shawnee County District Court Judge Teresa Watson issued a ruling last week in a lawsuit brought by Francis R. Everett, 64, who was convicted in Smith County on charges of manufacturing methamphetamines in November 2007. Everett was released when his conviction was reversed on appeal because the trial court erred in admitting evidence of a prior conviction, not because of actual innocence, Watson wrote. Everett was not retried on the charges, but is currently in prison on other charges including a heroin distribution conviction, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.Following a one-day trial on January 6 to hear Everett’s claim, Watson ruled that Everett failed to satisfy all of the requirements established in K.S.A. 60-5004 that the claimant shall prove, among other criteria, that he did not commit the crimes and was not an accessory to the acts that were the basis for the original conviction. Everett appeared at the trial by videoconference.A witness at both Everett’s hearing and his 2007 trial testified that she was present with Everett in the making of methamphetamines and subsequent use during a three-month period from March to May 2006. The witness gave a detailed account of how she and Everett drove across state lines to acquire the necessary components to make the illegal drugs and subsequently use them in a secluded area.Watson said in her ruling that Everett severely undercut his credibility as a witness in his claim against the state, admitting under oath that he “probably did” use methamphetamines during the time in question, despite earlier testimony to the contrary. A copy of Watson’s ruling is available at&nbsp;<a href="https://bit.ly/3FOoDHX">https://bit.ly/3FOoDHX</a>.From December 2018 through the present, 14 individuals have filed lawsuits against the State of Kansas under authority of K.S.A. 60-5004, the mistaken-conviction statute. Of those, six have now reached judgment and payment has been made or is in process. In a seventh case, the district court ruled against the claimant, and the Kansas Supreme Court affirmed that no payment was owed. The eighth case (Everett) was rejected at the district court level. Five other cases remain in litigation in district courts.&nbsp;

Kansas man's meth conviction overturned on court error

By TOM SHINE <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/religion/2022-01-26/new-investigation-into-death-of-father-kapaun-could-quicken-path-to-sainthood">Kansas News Service</a>

The Wichita Catholic Diocese 
is once again trying to prove that Father Emil Kapaun, the Army chaplain
 who died during the Korean War, was a martyr.

If successful, the move would hasten Kapaun’s path to sainthood in the Catholic Church.

The
 Vatican previously rejected a request that Kapaun be declared a martyr 
in 2015. But the diocese said new evidence, discovered when Kapaun’s 
remains were identified last spring by the Department of Defense, could 
sway that decision.

“Some of the information was from the 
Department of Defense,” said Father John Hotze, who has investigated 
Kapaun’s cause for sainthood for more than 20 years. “And now we know 
that the Department of Defense had it and before we just did not have 
that evidence ... 

“It's just one of those things of being in the 
right place at the right time and them not knowing that we needed it and
 we not knowing that they had it. So things are just falling into 
place.”

Kapaun is from Pilsen, a small town in Marion County. He died in a North Korean prisoner of war camp in 1951 at the age of 35.

He
 was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions on the battlefield. Days
 later, when American forces pulled back after being attacked by Chinese
 troops, Kapaun stayed behind to care for the wounded soldiers, even 
though he knew he would be taken prisoner.

In the POW camp, he 
stole food to help feed his fellow prisoners. He tended to the sick and 
washed the clothes of prisoners too weak to do so. He also held 
religious services, which were forbidden by the guards, and was punished
 for doing so.

During a brutally cold winter, nearly half the 
prisoners died, including Kapaun. Hotze said that’s why the Vatican 
rejected an earlier request for martyrdom, saying there wasn’t enough 
proof that Kapaun died for his faith.

“You can kind of understand 
where they're coming from,” Hotze said of Vatican officials. “I mean, 
they were saying that they're … in the POW camp and that really the 
North Koreans and Chinese wanted them all dead.

“What we are trying to do is say that they wanted ... to hurry along Father Kapaun's death because he was a Catholic priest.

“So we think that we do have enough evidence so that they might … change their opinion on that.”

Kapaun’s
 fellow prisoners have adamantly maintained that Kapaun was killed 
because of his faith, which helped them survive brutal treatment from 
their captors. They have said that Kapaun, in failing health, was taken 
by guards to a place the prisoners called the “death house,” where he 
died days later.

The prisoners have said it was a deliberate effort to isolate and kill Kapaun, the camp’s leader.

The
 Congregation for the Causes of Saints has given the Wichita diocese 
permission to present a new case that Kapaun should be declared a 
martyr. The group, composed of cardinals, is in charge of the sainthood 
process and passes along its recommendations to the pope.

A recent
 example of martyrdom was Archbishop Oscar Romero of El Salvador. He was
 killed in his church in 1980 by a right-wing militia after criticizing 
the country’s military dictatorship.

He was declared a martyr by Pope Francis in 2015 and three years later was named a saint.

In 1993, Pope John Paul II declared Kapaun a “Servant of God,” the first step toward sainthood.

The Wichita Diocese has been waiting on the Congregation for the Causes of Saints to declare him venerable, the next step.

If
 Kapaun is declared a martyr, he would skip that stage and become 
beatified. That would leave him a step short of being canonized a saint.

Kapaun’s
 remains were identified last spring after lying in an unmarked grave 
for nearly 70 years at a war cemetery in Honolulu. He is now interred in
 a crypt inside the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in downtown 
Wichita.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1643294199428.png" alt="Catholic Diocese of Wichita" />
 <figcaption>Catholic Diocese of Wichita</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOM SHINE <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/religion/2022-01-26/new-investigation-into-death-of-father-kapaun-could-quicken-path-to-sainthood">Kansas News Service</a>The Wichita Catholic Diocese 
is once again trying to prove that Father Emil Kapaun, the Army chaplain
 who died during the Korean War, was a martyr.If successful, the move would hasten Kapaun’s path to sainthood in the Catholic Church.The
 Vatican previously rejected a request that Kapaun be declared a martyr 
in 2015. But the diocese said new evidence, discovered when Kapaun’s 
remains were identified last spring by the Department of Defense, could 
sway that decision.“Some of the information was from the 
Department of Defense,” said Father John Hotze, who has investigated 
Kapaun’s cause for sainthood for more than 20 years. “And now we know 
that the Department of Defense had it and before we just did not have 
that evidence ... “It's just one of those things of being in the 
right place at the right time and them not knowing that we needed it and
 we not knowing that they had it. So things are just falling into 
place.”Kapaun is from Pilsen, a small town in Marion County. He died in a North Korean prisoner of war camp in 1951 at the age of 35.He
 was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions on the battlefield. Days
 later, when American forces pulled back after being attacked by Chinese
 troops, Kapaun stayed behind to care for the wounded soldiers, even 
though he knew he would be taken prisoner.In the POW camp, he 
stole food to help feed his fellow prisoners. He tended to the sick and 
washed the clothes of prisoners too weak to do so. He also held 
religious services, which were forbidden by the guards, and was punished
 for doing so.During a brutally cold winter, nearly half the 
prisoners died, including Kapaun. Hotze said that’s why the Vatican 
rejected an earlier request for martyrdom, saying there wasn’t enough 
proof that Kapaun died for his faith.“You can kind of understand 
where they're coming from,” Hotze said of Vatican officials. “I mean, 
they were saying that they're … in the POW camp and that really the 
North Koreans and Chinese wanted them all dead.“What we are trying to do is say that they wanted ... to hurry along Father Kapaun's death because he was a Catholic priest.“So we think that we do have enough evidence so that they might … change their opinion on that.”Kapaun’s
 fellow prisoners have adamantly maintained that Kapaun was killed 
because of his faith, which helped them survive brutal treatment from 
their captors. They have said that Kapaun, in failing health, was taken 
by guards to a place the prisoners called the “death house,” where he 
died days later.The prisoners have said it was a deliberate effort to isolate and kill Kapaun, the camp’s leader.The
 Congregation for the Causes of Saints has given the Wichita diocese 
permission to present a new case that Kapaun should be declared a 
martyr. The group, composed of cardinals, is in charge of the sainthood 
process and passes along its recommendations to the pope.A recent
 example of martyrdom was Archbishop Oscar Romero of El Salvador. He was
 killed in his church in 1980 by a right-wing militia after criticizing 
the country’s military dictatorship.He was declared a martyr by Pope Francis in 2015 and three years later was named a saint.In 1993, Pope John Paul II declared Kapaun a “Servant of God,” the first step toward sainthood.The Wichita Diocese has been waiting on the Congregation for the Causes of Saints to declare him venerable, the next step.If
 Kapaun is declared a martyr, he would skip that stage and become 
beatified. That would leave him a step short of being canonized a saint.Kapaun’s
 remains were identified last spring after lying in an unmarked grave 
for nearly 70 years at a war cemetery in Honolulu. He is now interred in
 a crypt inside the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in downtown 
Wichita.

New investigation into death of Kan. priest could quicken path to sainthood

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A couple from Missouri apologized for participating in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol and said they got caught up in the crowd excitement after former President Donald Trump urged people to march to the Capitol.

They were sentenced Thursday for a misdemeanor charge of parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building.

Zachary Wilson was sentenced to 45 days of home detention and Kelsey Wilson to 30 days, along with 60 hours of community service. They also must each pay $500 in restitution for damage to the Capitol, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/state/missouri/article257763628.html#storylink=cpy">reported</a>.

“I know what I did on January sixth was wrong,” Kelsey Wilson said before sentencing. “We got caught up in everything that had been happening over the last year and we got swept up in the crowd. And I’m deeply and truly sorry and embarrassed for my actions that day.”

Prosecutors said the Wilsons illegally entered the Capitol, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office.

The Wilsons attorneys noted the couple did not destroy any property or commit any violence and were in the Capitol for less than 20 minutes.

The Wilsons are the third and fourth Missourians to be sentenced of the 18 who have been charged in the Capitol riot.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1643319081212.png" alt="Wilson-photo Greene Co." />
 <figcaption>Wilson-photo Greene Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — A couple from Missouri apologized for participating in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol and said they got caught up in the crowd excitement after former President Donald Trump urged people to march to the Capitol.They were sentenced Thursday for a misdemeanor charge of parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building.Zachary Wilson was sentenced to 45 days of home detention and Kelsey Wilson to 30 days, along with 60 hours of community service. They also must each pay $500 in restitution for damage to the Capitol, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/state/missouri/article257763628.html#storylink=cpy">reported</a>.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1629580233096.png" alt="Kelsey Wilson, a school teacher from Springfield.-photo U .S. Attorney" />
 <figcaption>Kelsey Wilson, a school teacher from Springfield.-photo U .S. Attorney</figcaption>
 </figure>“I know what I did on January sixth was wrong,” Kelsey Wilson said before sentencing. “We got caught up in everything that had been happening over the last year and we got swept up in the crowd. And I’m deeply and truly sorry and embarrassed for my actions that day.”Prosecutors said the Wilsons illegally entered the Capitol, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office.The Wilsons attorneys noted the couple did not destroy any property or commit any violence and were in the Capitol for less than 20 minutes.The Wilsons are the third and fourth Missourians to be sentenced of the 18 who have been charged in the Capitol riot.

Ex-teacher, husband sentenced for participating in Capitol riot

WASHINGTON —Bob Dole will be laid to rest in a private ceremony at <a href="https://www.arlingtoncemetery.mil/#/">Arlington National Cemetery </a>on Wednesday, Feb. 2, according to a statement from the Elizabeth Dole Foundation.

Dole, who died December 5 at age 98, was wounded during World War II, served nearly 36 years in Congress and was GOP Senate leader for more than a decade. In February 2021, he announced he’d been diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer.

Dole lay in state at the U.S. Capitol, as the President Biden and others gathered&nbsp; to pay tribute to an “American giant” who served the country in war and in politics.

He was honored December 10, during&nbsp;a service at Washington National Cathedral&nbsp;as a senator who could practice bare-knuckle partisan politics without losing civility and as a patriot whose grit overcame serious wounds from combat in World War II in Italy in 1945.&nbsp;

Another tribute for Dole followed at the World War II Memorial in Washington — a monument to Dole’s generation that he worked to get built. Among the speakers was actor Tom Hanks.

Dole's casket was then flown to Salina and transported west to his boyhood hometown of Russell for a service at St. Mary Queen of Angels Catholic Church.&nbsp; 

Then a final service was held in the state capital of Topeka, where Dole briefly served in the Kansas House in the 1950s. The list of speakers was bipartisan, including Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly and Kansas’ two Republican U.S. senators, Roger Marshall and Jerry Moran.

-The Associated Press contributed to this report

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639062694304.png" alt="Service for Senator Dole at the U.S. Capitol -photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Service for Senator Dole at the U.S. Capitol -photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON —Bob Dole will be laid to rest in a private ceremony at <a href="https://www.arlingtoncemetery.mil/#/">Arlington National Cemetery </a>on Wednesday, Feb. 2, according to a statement from the Elizabeth Dole Foundation.Dole, who died December 5 at age 98, was wounded during World War II, served nearly 36 years in Congress and was GOP Senate leader for more than a decade. In February 2021, he announced he’d been diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer.Dole lay in state at the U.S. Capitol, as the President Biden and others gathered&nbsp; to pay tribute to an “American giant” who served the country in war and in politics.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639259156725.jpeg" alt="Service for Dole at St. Mary Queen of Angels Catholic Church in Russell &nbsp;- photo by James Bell" />
 <figcaption>Service for Dole at St. Mary Queen of Angels Catholic Church in Russell &nbsp;- photo by James Bell</figcaption>
 </figure>He was honored December 10, during&nbsp;a service at Washington National Cathedral&nbsp;as a senator who could practice bare-knuckle partisan politics without losing civility and as a patriot whose grit overcame serious wounds from combat in World War II in Italy in 1945.&nbsp;Another tribute for Dole followed at the World War II Memorial in Washington — a monument to Dole’s generation that he worked to get built. Among the speakers was actor Tom Hanks.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639191714517.jpeg" alt="Dole's casket arriving at the airport in Salina photo by Leslie Eikleberry&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Dole's casket arriving at the airport in Salina photo by Leslie Eikleberry&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Dole's casket was then flown to Salina and transported west to his boyhood hometown of Russell for a service at St. Mary Queen of Angels Catholic Church.&nbsp; Then a final service was held in the state capital of Topeka, where Dole briefly served in the Kansas House in the 1950s. The list of speakers was bipartisan, including Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly and Kansas’ two Republican U.S. senators, Roger Marshall and Jerry Moran.-The Associated Press contributed to this report

Bob Dole burial service next week at Arlington National Cemetery 

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The city of Wichita has announced that Deputy Chief Lemuel Moore has been named the police department’s interim police chief starting in March.

Moore is a 30-year veteran of the department, having begun his career as a beat officer before becoming the department’s DARE and school liaison officer and moving up the ranks to chief deputy.

Moore will step in to fill the vacancy left by Chief Gordon Ramsay, who announced in December that he would resign effective March 1 to move tack to&nbsp;Minnesota.

City officials have said a search process will be conducted to select a permanent chief.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1643302894881.png" alt="Deputy Chief Lemuel Moore-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Deputy Chief Lemuel Moore-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The city of Wichita has announced that Deputy Chief Lemuel Moore has been named the police department’s interim police chief starting in March.Moore is a 30-year veteran of the department, having begun his career as a beat officer before becoming the department’s DARE and school liaison officer and moving up the ranks to chief deputy.Moore will step in to fill the vacancy left by Chief Gordon Ramsay, who announced in December that he would resign effective March 1 to move tack to&nbsp;Minnesota.City officials have said a search process will be conducted to select a permanent chief.

Deputy chief named as interim police chief in Wichita

By SUZANNE PEREZ <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/2022-01-26/a-bill-would-let-kansas-schools-shift-to-online-learning-but-it-may-not-get-far">Kansas News Service</a>

WICHITA — As a growing number of Kansas schools cancel
 classes because of COVID outbreaks or staff shortages, one lawmaker 
wants to let districts avoid shutdowns by using online learning.

Rep.
 Jarrod Ousley, a Democrat from Merriam, introduced a bill this week 
that would eliminate a 40-hour-per-year limit on remote learning.

“Having
 the option for school districts to go remote versus close the building 
seems like a viable option,” Ousley said. “A good tool in the toolbox 
that we took away from them last year.”

He said he thinks his bill
 would have bipartisan support on the floor of the Legislature, but it’s
 unlikely to get past a heavily conservative <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/committees/ctte_h_k12_education_budget_1/" target="_blank">K-12 budget committee</a>.

“I personally don’t think it will ever see the light of day,” he said.

Last spring, Kansas lawmakers passed a new law restricting remote learning to no more than 40 hours for an individual student. <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2134/" target="_blank">The measure</a> was a message to districts: Kids should be in school, in person.

The law allows districts to offer full-time online options, such as Wichita’s <a href="https://www.usd259.org/domain/5079" target="_blank">Education Imagine Academy</a>. But students enrolled in traditional in-person schools cannot go fully remote.

If a student goes over the 40-hour limit, the district could lose up to two-thirds of state funding for that student.

Ousley says last year’s Legislature didn’t anticipate a lingering pandemic that would prompt <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/education/2021-10-18/kansas-schools-were-already-struggling-to-find-substitute-teachers-then-covid-hit" target="_blank">widespread teacher shortages</a> and school closures. He says districts should be allowed to use technology to keep kids learning.

“We’ve
 got school districts closing buildings. We’ve got school districts on 
the verge of closing buildings,” he said. School districts “know the 
infection rates in their buildings better than the Legislature is going 
to know.”

Rep. Kristey Williams, a Republican from Augusta who 
chairs the K-12 budget committee, said during a recent meeting that 
schools have more flexibility than they did before the pandemic.

“They
 have the option of 40 hours of remote schooling that they can use, 
which is approximately six days, that they wouldn’t have had 
pre-pandemic,” Williams said. “If a school district does need to close 
because of (a) teacher shortage, then they have the option of doing that
 temporarily and then making those … hours up.”

Wichita, the state’s largest district, recorded <a href="https://www.usd259.org/cms/lib/KS01906405/Centricity/Domain/5644/Staff%20quarantine%201-20.pdf" target="_blank">record-high absences</a> this month, with more than 900 employees in quarantine. The district closed a handful of elementary schools for several days.

More
 than a dozen other Kansas districts have closed individual schools or 
shut down completely during the recent surge in COVID-19 infections. 
They include Manhattan-Ogden, De Soto, El Dorado, Bonner Springs, Fort 
Scott and Pittsburg.

Last fall, the Wellington district south of Wichita <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/2021-08-27/wellington-school-district-cancels-all-classes-and-activities-due-to-covid-19-outbreaks" target="_blank">abruptly closed all schools</a> and sent students home without a remote-learning option. The district later <a href="https://4.files.edl.io/850e/09/02/21/010536-42db9cb2-13c6-439c-aaa0-e1664b04f118.pdf" target="_blank">added 10 minutes to the end of each school day</a> to comply with state guidelines for the minimum number of instructional hours.

Wichita school board member Kathy Bond <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/2021-11-02/three-of-four-conservative-challengers-win-seats-on-wichita-school-board" target="_blank">campaigned against wholesale school closures</a> last fall. But amid this month’s surge in COVID cases and quarantines, she said she’d support lifting the 40-hour limit.

“There
 needs to be an option online for these kids to be able to go ahead and 
even pick up homework or do something that can keep them caught up with 
their academics,” Bond said.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1643294027699.png" alt="More than a dozen Kansas districts have closed individual schools or shut down completely during the recent surge in COVID-19 infections. Suzanne Perez / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>More than a dozen Kansas districts have closed individual schools or shut down completely during the recent surge in COVID-19 infections. Suzanne Perez / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By SUZANNE PEREZ <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/2022-01-26/a-bill-would-let-kansas-schools-shift-to-online-learning-but-it-may-not-get-far">Kansas News Service</a>WICHITA — As a growing number of Kansas schools cancel
 classes because of COVID outbreaks or staff shortages, one lawmaker 
wants to let districts avoid shutdowns by using online learning.Rep.
 Jarrod Ousley, a Democrat from Merriam, introduced a bill this week 
that would eliminate a 40-hour-per-year limit on remote learning.“Having
 the option for school districts to go remote versus close the building 
seems like a viable option,” Ousley said. “A good tool in the toolbox 
that we took away from them last year.”He said he thinks his bill
 would have bipartisan support on the floor of the Legislature, but it’s
 unlikely to get past a heavily conservative <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/committees/ctte_h_k12_education_budget_1/" target="_blank">K-12 budget committee</a>.“I personally don’t think it will ever see the light of day,” he said.Last spring, Kansas lawmakers passed a new law restricting remote learning to no more than 40 hours for an individual student. <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2134/" target="_blank">The measure</a> was a message to districts: Kids should be in school, in person.The law allows districts to offer full-time online options, such as Wichita’s <a href="https://www.usd259.org/domain/5079" target="_blank">Education Imagine Academy</a>. But students enrolled in traditional in-person schools cannot go fully remote.If a student goes over the 40-hour limit, the district could lose up to two-thirds of state funding for that student.Ousley says last year’s Legislature didn’t anticipate a lingering pandemic that would prompt <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/education/2021-10-18/kansas-schools-were-already-struggling-to-find-substitute-teachers-then-covid-hit" target="_blank">widespread teacher shortages</a> and school closures. He says districts should be allowed to use technology to keep kids learning.“We’ve
 got school districts closing buildings. We’ve got school districts on 
the verge of closing buildings,” he said. School districts “know the 
infection rates in their buildings better than the Legislature is going 
to know.”Rep. Kristey Williams, a Republican from Augusta who 
chairs the K-12 budget committee, said during a recent meeting that 
schools have more flexibility than they did before the pandemic.“They
 have the option of 40 hours of remote schooling that they can use, 
which is approximately six days, that they wouldn’t have had 
pre-pandemic,” Williams said. “If a school district does need to close 
because of (a) teacher shortage, then they have the option of doing that
 temporarily and then making those … hours up.”Wichita, the state’s largest district, recorded <a href="https://www.usd259.org/cms/lib/KS01906405/Centricity/Domain/5644/Staff%20quarantine%201-20.pdf" target="_blank">record-high absences</a> this month, with more than 900 employees in quarantine. The district closed a handful of elementary schools for several days.More
 than a dozen other Kansas districts have closed individual schools or 
shut down completely during the recent surge in COVID-19 infections. 
They include Manhattan-Ogden, De Soto, El Dorado, Bonner Springs, Fort 
Scott and Pittsburg.Last fall, the Wellington district south of Wichita <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/2021-08-27/wellington-school-district-cancels-all-classes-and-activities-due-to-covid-19-outbreaks" target="_blank">abruptly closed all schools</a> and sent students home without a remote-learning option. The district later <a href="https://4.files.edl.io/850e/09/02/21/010536-42db9cb2-13c6-439c-aaa0-e1664b04f118.pdf" target="_blank">added 10 minutes to the end of each school day</a> to comply with state guidelines for the minimum number of instructional hours.Wichita school board member Kathy Bond <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/2021-11-02/three-of-four-conservative-challengers-win-seats-on-wichita-school-board" target="_blank">campaigned against wholesale school closures</a> last fall. But amid this month’s surge in COVID cases and quarantines, she said she’d support lifting the 40-hour limit.“There
 needs to be an option online for these kids to be able to go ahead and 
even pick up homework or do something that can keep them caught up with 
their academics,” Bond said.Suzanne Perez reports on education for KMUW in Wichita and the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter @SuzPerezICT.

Bill would let Kan. schools shift to online learning, but it may not get far 

By COLE REIF <a href="https://greatbendpost.com">Great Bend Post</a>

GREAT BEND — When Curtis Rose graduated college in 2011, he never thought the video
gaming industry would expand into the college scene. He spent seven years
working as Barton Community College’s multimedia and instructional designer. When
the college in Great Bend started tossing around the idea of adding eSports,
Rose knew he wanted to be involved. 

Two years into the program and Barton
eSports has claimed two national championships. Rose said he looks for gamers
in a similar fashion as other coaches. 
"You want someone that is coachable and that listens," said Rose. "Just 
playing video games a lot can make you a good player, but it doesn't 
make you a good teammate. It's a team-based game...so you have to be a 
good teammate as well." 
Just under 30 eSports players were part of the Barton program this past
semester. Just like any other sport, there are scholarship opportunities for
the students depending on their skill level and commitment. 
"Sometimes I'll find someone who wasn't necessarily thinking about 
college, but plays a lot of video games," said Rose. "Sometimes they 
will reach out to me. Then, it's just a discussion to make sure they are
 the right fit and that they know what they are getting themselves into.
 It's not just playing video games. You're a student first and play the 
games second." 
When recruiting, Rose said he looks at the players’ recorded highlights and
also compares statistics to see where they rank across the country.&nbsp; &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1643308589910.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By COLE REIF <a href="https://greatbendpost.com">Great Bend Post</a>GREAT BEND — When Curtis Rose graduated college in 2011, he never thought the video
gaming industry would expand into the college scene. He spent seven years
working as Barton Community College’s multimedia and instructional designer. When
the college in Great Bend started tossing around the idea of adding eSports,
Rose knew he wanted to be involved. Two years into the program and Barton
eSports has claimed two national championships. Rose said he looks for gamers
in a similar fashion as other coaches. 
"You want someone that is coachable and that listens," said Rose. "Just 
playing video games a lot can make you a good player, but it doesn't 
make you a good teammate. It's a team-based game...so you have to be a 
good teammate as well." 
Just under 30 eSports players were part of the Barton program this past
semester. Just like any other sport, there are scholarship opportunities for
the students depending on their skill level and commitment. 
"Sometimes I'll find someone who wasn't necessarily thinking about 
college, but plays a lot of video games," said Rose. "Sometimes they 
will reach out to me. Then, it's just a discussion to make sure they are
 the right fit and that they know what they are getting themselves into.
 It's not just playing video games. You're a student first and play the 
games second." 
When recruiting, Rose said he looks at the players’ recorded highlights and
also compares statistics to see where they rank across the country.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Barton eSports: Come be a student first, play video games second

WASHINGTON (AP) — Justice Stephen Breyer is making it official, telling President Joe Biden in a letter that he will step down from the court later this year.

The Supreme Court released Breyer’s retirement letter Thursday, ahead of the 83-year-old justice’s appearance with the president at the White House. 

During a White House ceremony, Biden reiterated his pledge to nominate the first Black woman to the U.S. Supreme Court, saying it was “long overdue,” as he praised retiring Justice Stephen Breyer as a model public servant. 

Breyer joined Biden at the White House Thursday, a day after news broke of the 83-year-old’s upcoming retirement. “It’s long overdue, in my view,” Biden said of the nominee. He promised to have a choice by the end of February.

The president is considering at least three judges for the expected vacancy on the Supreme Court as he prepares to quickly deliver on his campaign pledge to nominate the first Black woman to the nation’s highest court.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1643305191667.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Justice Stephen Breyer is making it official, telling President Joe Biden in a letter that he will step down from the court later this year.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F460338765647933%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=445" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>The Supreme Court released Breyer’s retirement letter Thursday, ahead of the 83-year-old justice’s appearance with the president at the White House. During a White House ceremony, Biden reiterated his pledge to nominate the first Black woman to the U.S. Supreme Court, saying it was “long overdue,” as he praised retiring Justice Stephen Breyer as a model public servant. Breyer joined Biden at the White House Thursday, a day after news broke of the 83-year-old’s upcoming retirement. “It’s long overdue, in my view,” Biden said of the nominee. He promised to have a choice by the end of February.The president is considering at least three judges for the expected vacancy on the Supreme Court as he prepares to quickly deliver on his campaign pledge to nominate the first Black woman to the nation’s highest court.

🎥 Biden to name new Supreme Court Justice by end of February

GEARY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a double homicide in Junction City have identified the victims as Blake McCoy, 26, Junction City and Jeremy John Brown, 42, a resident of Pottawatomie County, according to Junction City Police.

Just after 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, the Junction City Police Department was dispatched to the 600 block of West Vine Street for a man with an suspected gunshot wound, according to a media release. Upon arrival, officers located McCoy and Brown with gunshot wounds. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.

Police said that their preliminary investigation suggests that these men&nbsp; knew each other and there is no ongoing threat to the community.&nbsp;

GEARY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a double homicide in Junction City.

Just after 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, the Junction City Police Department was dispatched to the 600 block of West Vine Street for a man with an suspected gunshot wound, according to a media release. Upon arrival, officers located two white men, a 26-year-old from Junction City and a 42-year-old resident of Pottawatomie County with gunshot wounds. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1643302055217.png" alt="Police located the victims in the 600 Block of West Vine Street- photo by Beck Goff courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Police located the victims in the 600 Block of West Vine Street- photo by Beck Goff courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>GEARY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a double homicide in Junction City have identified the victims as Blake McCoy, 26, Junction City and Jeremy John Brown, 42, a resident of Pottawatomie County, according to Junction City Police.Just after 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, the Junction City Police Department was dispatched to the 600 block of West Vine Street for a man with an suspected gunshot wound, according to a media release. Upon arrival, officers located McCoy and Brown with gunshot wounds. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.Police said that their preliminary investigation suggests that these men&nbsp; knew each other and there is no ongoing threat to the community.&nbsp;----GEARY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a double homicide in Junction City.Just after 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, the Junction City Police Department was dispatched to the 600 block of West Vine Street for a man with an suspected gunshot wound, according to a media release. Upon arrival, officers located two white men, a 26-year-old from Junction City and a 42-year-old resident of Pottawatomie County with gunshot wounds. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.Police said that their preliminary investigation suggests that these men&nbsp; knew each other and there is no ongoing threat to the community.&nbsp;

Police ID victims in Junction City double homicide 

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A white Kansas City police detective who was convicted in the shooting death of a Black man is no longer with the police department, a spokeswoman said Wednesday.

Eric DeValkenaere's last day with the department was Monday, police Capt. Leslie Foreman said. She said state law prevents her from saying whether DeValkenaere was fired, resigned or retired, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article257741098.html">reported</a>.

He had been suspended without pay after he was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-police-shootings-race-and-ethnicity-kansas-city-933d3aba9b37c83145fba5818d557c02">convicted in November</a>&nbsp;of second-degree involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action in the Dec. 3, 2019, shooting of 26-year-old Cameron Lamb.

DeValkenaere has been free on a $30,000 bond since he was charged, throughout his trial and post-conviction.

During a video court hearing on Wednesday, DeValkenaere's defense attorney, Molly Hastings, asked Jackson County Circuit Court Presiding Judge Dale Youngs to consider allowing him to remain free on bond while his conviction is appealed, citing concern for his safety in jail because he was a police detective.

Youngs, who convicted DeValkenaere after a bench trial, said granting such a request would be unprecedented in his 13 years on the bench, KSHB-TV&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kshb.com/news/crime/eric-devalkenaeres-attorneys-float-idea-of-bond-during-appeal-of-double-felony-conviction">reported</a>.

“Other than Mr. DeValkenaere’s status as a police officer, I’m not exactly sure what other unique circumstances would compel me to treat him differently than I might treat somebody else in his situation given the charges,” Youngs said.

DeValkenaere is scheduled to be sentenced March 4. He faces up to four years on the manslaughter conviction and at least three years for the armed criminal action charge.

DeValkenaere testified during his trial that he fired after Lamb pointed a gun at another detective, Troy Schwalm.

Youngs found that the officers had no probable cause to believe that any crime had been committed, had no warrant for Lamb’s arrest and had no search warrant or consent to be on the property.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592994941014.png" alt="Eric DeValkenaere-photo KCPD" />
 <figcaption>Eric DeValkenaere-photo KCPD</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — A white Kansas City police detective who was convicted in the shooting death of a Black man is no longer with the police department, a spokeswoman said Wednesday.Eric DeValkenaere's last day with the department was Monday, police Capt. Leslie Foreman said. She said state law prevents her from saying whether DeValkenaere was fired, resigned or retired, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article257741098.html">reported</a>.He had been suspended without pay after he was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-police-shootings-race-and-ethnicity-kansas-city-933d3aba9b37c83145fba5818d557c02">convicted in November</a>&nbsp;of second-degree involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action in the Dec. 3, 2019, shooting of 26-year-old Cameron Lamb.DeValkenaere has been free on a $30,000 bond since he was charged, throughout his trial and post-conviction.During a video court hearing on Wednesday, DeValkenaere's defense attorney, Molly Hastings, asked Jackson County Circuit Court Presiding Judge Dale Youngs to consider allowing him to remain free on bond while his conviction is appealed, citing concern for his safety in jail because he was a police detective.Youngs, who convicted DeValkenaere after a bench trial, said granting such a request would be unprecedented in his 13 years on the bench, KSHB-TV&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kshb.com/news/crime/eric-devalkenaeres-attorneys-float-idea-of-bond-during-appeal-of-double-felony-conviction">reported</a>.“Other than Mr. DeValkenaere’s status as a police officer, I’m not exactly sure what other unique circumstances would compel me to treat him differently than I might treat somebody else in his situation given the charges,” Youngs said.DeValkenaere is scheduled to be sentenced March 4. He faces up to four years on the manslaughter conviction and at least three years for the armed criminal action charge.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619745438017.png" alt="Police on the scene of the Dec. 2019 shooting investigation -photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the Dec. 2019 shooting investigation -photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>DeValkenaere testified during his trial that he fired after Lamb pointed a gun at another detective, Troy Schwalm.Youngs found that the officers had no probable cause to believe that any crime had been committed, had no warrant for Lamb’s arrest and had no search warrant or consent to be on the property.

Kansas City detective convicted in killing leaves department

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Authorities are investigating the death of an inmate at the Sedgwick County Jail.

On Tuesday, 34-year-old Pierre Collins of Wichita was found unresponsive in his cell, according to Sherif's Lt. Benjamin Blick.

 Detention staff, along with detention facility medical staff, immediately started chest compressions.

Sedgwick County Emergency Medical Services and the Wichita Fire Department arrived on scene and took over life saving measures. At approximately 10:25 P.M., Collins was declared deceased by Sedgwick County Emergency Medical Services.

In accordance with state statute, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation was contacted. In addition, the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office Investigations Division was also contacted.&nbsp;

Collins had been in the custody of the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office since May 01, 2019, for; one count of aggravated kidnapping, two counts of aggravated domestic battery and two counts of domestic battery, according to Blick. Had had three previous convictions for domestic battery, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections. This is the second in-custody death of 2022 at the Sedgwick County Jail.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1643230575094.png" alt="Collins had a previous conviction for domestic battery- photo Kansas Dept. of Corrections" />
 <figcaption>Collins had a previous conviction for domestic battery- photo Kansas Dept. of Corrections</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Authorities are investigating the death of an inmate at the Sedgwick County Jail.On Tuesday, 34-year-old Pierre Collins of Wichita was found unresponsive in his cell, according to Sherif's Lt. Benjamin Blick. Detention staff, along with detention facility medical staff, immediately started chest compressions.Sedgwick County Emergency Medical Services and the Wichita Fire Department arrived on scene and took over life saving measures. At approximately 10:25 P.M., Collins was declared deceased by Sedgwick County Emergency Medical Services.In accordance with state statute, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation was contacted. In addition, the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office Investigations Division was also contacted.&nbsp;Collins had been in the custody of the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office since May 01, 2019, for; one count of aggravated kidnapping, two counts of aggravated domestic battery and two counts of domestic battery, according to Blick. Had had three previous convictions for domestic battery, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections. This is the second in-custody death of 2022 at the Sedgwick County Jail.

Death of Kan. inmate with a history of domestic battery under investigaton

By KEN CARPENTER <a href="https://greatbendpost.com">Great Bend Post</a>

GREAT BEND — The Great 
Bend School District is starting to get applications from people who 
qualify to be substitute teachers under an emergency declaration issued 
by the Kansas Board of Education on Jan. 12. The declaration, which 
lasts until June 1 of this year, waives the requirement that substitutes
 must have at least 60 semester credit hours from a regionally 
accredited college or university. 

John Popp, the district's 
assistant superintendent, told members of the USD 428 Board of Education
 at their meeting on Tuesday that he is already working with four people
 who fall under the new guidelines. 

"We're going to keep them 
purely at the elementary level," Popp said. "We're going to make sure 
that they have some support because all of them will be younger than the
 TA's that they're working with. We're going to make sure that they're 
set up to succeed, but all of them have some type of background or 
history in working with kids."

The statewide declaration was 
motivated by a shortage of substitute teachers caused by the COVID-19 
pandemic. Popp said it may help  reduce the teacher shortage in the 
future.

"I think all of them have expressed interest in becoming 
teachers at some point, and so this is a great way to bring them in and 
get them started in our district."

The emergency declaration 
requires substitute teachers to be at least 18 years old, have a high 
school diploma, be fingerprinted, pass a background check and submit a 
completed application to the Kansas Department of Education.

By KEN CARPENTER <a href="https://greatbendpost.com">Great Bend Post</a>GREAT BEND — The Great 
Bend School District is starting to get applications from people who 
qualify to be substitute teachers under an emergency declaration issued 
by the Kansas Board of Education on Jan. 12. The declaration, which 
lasts until June 1 of this year, waives the requirement that substitutes
 must have at least 60 semester credit hours from a regionally 
accredited college or university. John Popp, the district's 
assistant superintendent, told members of the USD 428 Board of Education
 at their meeting on Tuesday that he is already working with four people
 who fall under the new guidelines. "We're going to keep them 
purely at the elementary level," Popp said. "We're going to make sure 
that they have some support because all of them will be younger than the
 TA's that they're working with. We're going to make sure that they're 
set up to succeed, but all of them have some type of background or 
history in working with kids."The statewide declaration was 
motivated by a shortage of substitute teachers caused by the COVID-19 
pandemic. Popp said it may help reduce the teacher shortage in the 
future."I think all of them have expressed interest in becoming 
teachers at some point, and so this is a great way to bring them in and 
get them started in our district."The emergency declaration 
requires substitute teachers to be at least 18 years old, have a high 
school diploma, be fingerprinted, pass a background check and submit a 
completed application to the Kansas Department of Education.

State declaration draws new substitute teachers to Great Bend

By SARA WILSON <a href="https://coloradonewsline.com/2022/01/27/massive-energy-cryptocurrency-mining-discussed/">States Newsroom</a>

As energy-intensive bitcoin mining operations boom across the United 
States, some members of Congress are considering how to make 
cryptocurrency generation greener.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1643295035931.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By SARA WILSON <a href="https://coloradonewsline.com/2022/01/27/massive-energy-cryptocurrency-mining-discussed/">States Newsroom</a>As energy-intensive bitcoin mining operations boom across the United 
States, some members of Congress are considering how to make 
cryptocurrency generation greener.It was the central question of a Jan. 20 congressional hearing from 
the House Energy and Commerce Oversight and Investigations panel.“Cryptocurrency presence in everyday life will likely continue to 
expand. As the industry moves forward, it’s crucial for cryptocurrency 
networks to identify ways to reduce the need for constant high volume 
energy use and minimize effects on the environment,” Rep. Diana DeGette,
 the Colorado Democrat who chairs the panel, said during her opening 
remarks.Decentralized currencies reliant on blockchain technology like 
Bitcoin and Ethereum have increased in popularity and usage over the 
last few years, as have efforts to mine them.“Unfortunately, bitcoin mining consumes a massive amount of 
electricity. Some credible estimates place this consumption today at 
roughly half a percent of the world’s total electricity supply, more 
than the entire nation of Argentina,” Cornell University professor and 
blockchain expert Ari Jules said during his testimony.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.investopedia.com/tech/how-does-bitcoin-mining-work/">Mining</a>
 is a form of “minting” new bitcoins and verifying transactions. One 
reason it consumes so much energy is because of the “proof of work” 
concept that Bitcoin is built on. Bitcoin miners use specialized 
computers to crack complex puzzles and are rewarded with the currency, 
but the computing power burns through a lot of energy. Other currencies,
 such as Ethereum, use a less intensive “proof of stake” process, but 
Bitcoin is unlikely to transition.The United States saw a rise in mining operations when China banned 
the practice last year. The growing industry presents a unique policy 
question as the Biden administration pushes for its climate change 
goals, green energy projects and people debate whether Bitcoin holds any
 value at all.<h2>Energy that would otherwise go to waste</h2>That question of value is important, said Wililam Foxley, the 
multimedia manager at Compass Mining, which had a partner mining site in
 Colorado Springs until last year. If people, namely people in power, 
don’t see the value in cryptocurrency, then they won’t see the value in 
its mining.“On the flip side, there’s a large component of people saying Bitcoin
 has value for multiple reasons, whether that’s financial freedom from 
the government or for cross-border payments or just as a tech 
innovation. If those things hold true, then bitcoin mining has value and
 the question becomes whether that energy usage is worth it?” he said in
 an interview with Colorado Newsline.“The step that we saw in Congress that was really interesting was not
 only is the energy use worth it, but what type of energy should be 
used? And even if renewable energy is worth it,” he said.DeGette said during the hearing that while some mining operations 
have been set up near renewable energy sources, others rely on fossil 
fuels, even repurposing old coal fired plants to generate power.“Given our current climate objectives, examples like this are deeply 
concerning. Our focus now needs to be reducing carbon emissions overall,
 and increasing the share of green energy on the grid,” DeGette said. 
“The unique energy demands of the crypto mining industry do present 
potential benefits, although how these benefits will play out in 
practice remains to be seen.”Hearing witnesses argued that cryptocurrency mining could bolster and
 even encourage renewable energy expansion by providing a place for 
curtailed, or wasted, energy to go.“Energy developers are beginning to view data centers as a path to 
additionality. In other words, our data centers are the catalyst for 
building a clean power plant that would otherwise not get built,” said 
John Belizaire, the founder and CEO of Soluna Computing, which builds 
data centers and buys excess renewable energy to power them.The concept of using curtailed energy is not revolutionary in the 
cryptocurrency mining space. Some miners get power off grid with flared 
or stranded natural gas assets, meaning they use excess natural gas that
 would otherwise get wasted.“That natural gas would get burnt no matter what … if you burn it 
through an engine and do something productive with it like creating an 
asset like Bitcoin, you essentially monetize what was a net-negative for
 the environment with something that 10 years ago didn’t exist,” Foxley 
said.It is a concept that Colorado-based Crusoe Energy uses. The company 
“repurposes otherwise wasted energy to fuel the growing demand for 
computational power in the expanding digital economy,” according to its 
website.The congressional hearing on cryptocurrency mining and its 
environmental impacts did not end with concrete action items, but 
DeGette said it would be “an increasing issue” for the panel.