OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — Two large school districts in&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;have canceled classes this week as COVID-19 cases surge among their staff and students.

Olathe Public Schools and Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools canceled classes for Tuesday and Wednesday, according to the district web site. There were no classes Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

The closure includes before- and after-school care programs.

Olathe Superintendent Brent Yeager said the cancellations were unavoidable as more than 800 school employees — about 20% of all Olathe schools’ staff — were out sick heading into this week. Yeager said more than 1,500 students had the virus last week.

Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools reported it had 200 teaching positions unfilled Friday. The virus-driven school staff shortage means there aren't enough teachers to conduct online remote classes, Yeager said.

Three Wichita-area elementary schools — Cessna, Spaight and Linwood — will be closed on Tuesday, also because of staff absences and a lack of replacements, said district spokeswoman Susan Arensman.

Wichita district officials warned parents last week that closures were possible as COVID-19 cases surge. The district said in a report issued Friday that 301 staff members and more than 1,100 students tested positive for COVID-19. The district already had about 4,500 students and nearly 650 staff in quarantine.

The school closures follow the closures of several other Kansas districts last week due to the surging virus. Those districts included Eudora, Desoto, Manhattan-Ogden, Bonner Springs and El Dorado.

KAKE-TV reported some churches in Wichita have returned to requiring members to wear masks during services.

Plymouth Congregational Church's decision to require masks again has received mixed reactions, Senior Minister Don Olsen said.

“There are people who aren’t as happy as other people are to put a mask on,” Olsen said. “But we do believe in the community and being supportive of the community and protecting other people’s health.”

College Hill United Methodist Church is requiring masks, giving out COVID-19 rapid tests and had a vaccination clinic on Saturday, the Rev. Jill Sander-Chali said.

“If there’s something we can do, by and large this congregation says sign me up,” Sander-Chali said.

OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — Two large school districts in&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;have canceled classes this week as COVID-19 cases surge among their staff and students.Olathe Public Schools and Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools canceled classes for Tuesday and Wednesday, according to the district web site. There were no classes Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.The closure includes before- and after-school care programs.Olathe Superintendent Brent Yeager said the cancellations were unavoidable as more than 800 school employees — about 20% of all Olathe schools’ staff — were out sick heading into this week. Yeager said more than 1,500 students had the virus last week.Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools reported it had 200 teaching positions unfilled Friday. The virus-driven school staff shortage means there aren't enough teachers to conduct online remote classes, Yeager said.Three Wichita-area elementary schools — Cessna, Spaight and Linwood — will be closed on Tuesday, also because of staff absences and a lack of replacements, said district spokeswoman Susan Arensman.Wichita district officials warned parents last week that closures were possible as COVID-19 cases surge. The district said in a report issued Friday that 301 staff members and more than 1,100 students tested positive for COVID-19. The district already had about 4,500 students and nearly 650 staff in quarantine.The school closures follow the closures of several other Kansas districts last week due to the surging virus. Those districts included Eudora, Desoto, Manhattan-Ogden, Bonner Springs and El Dorado.KAKE-TV reported some churches in Wichita have returned to requiring members to wear masks during services.Plymouth Congregational Church's decision to require masks again has received mixed reactions, Senior Minister Don Olsen said.“There are people who aren’t as happy as other people are to put a mask on,” Olsen said. “But we do believe in the community and being supportive of the community and protecting other people’s health.”College Hill United Methodist Church is requiring masks, giving out COVID-19 rapid tests and had a vaccination clinic on Saturday, the Rev. Jill Sander-Chali said.“If there’s something we can do, by and large this congregation says sign me up,” Sander-Chali said.

Some Kansas school districts shuttered as COVID surges

TOPEKA—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a burglary and have made an arrest.

Just before 10:30p.m. Friday, police were dispatched to a possible aggravated burglary in progress in the 1400 block of SW Fillmore in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Joe Perry.

The victim reported that unknown suspect had broken into the residence and attacked the resident. with a weapon. The victims were able to subdue the suspect later identified as 28-year-old Robert K. Ball, until police could arrive.

Police booked Ball into the Shawnee County Department of Correction on requested charges of Aggravated Burglary, two counts of Aggravated Assault and two counts of Criminal Damage to property, according to Perry.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642282788321.png" alt="Ball-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Ball-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a burglary and have made an arrest.Just before 10:30p.m. Friday, police were dispatched to a possible aggravated burglary in progress in the 1400 block of SW Fillmore in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Joe Perry.The victim reported that unknown suspect had broken into the residence and attacked the resident. with a weapon. The victims were able to subdue the suspect later identified as 28-year-old Robert K. Ball, until police could arrive.Police booked Ball into the Shawnee County Department of Correction on requested charges of Aggravated Burglary, two counts of Aggravated Assault and two counts of Criminal Damage to property, according to Perry.

Resident holds Kan. home burglary suspect until police arrive

NEOSHO COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for alleged arson.&nbsp;

On Friday police responded to the 1500 block of west 3rd Street in Chanute for a structure fire. 

 Officers spoke to the persons involved and arrested John Wasielewski III, 19, Chanute, on requested charges of aggravated arson, aggravated endangering a child, interference with a law enforcement officer and minor in possession of alcohol. 

 The investigation is still ongoing at this time. Upon completion, reports will be forwarded to Neosho County Attorney’s Office for review and consideration of charges being filed.&nbsp;Wasielewski remained in custody Monday, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642451963004.png" alt="Wasielewski-photo Neosho Co. Jail" />
 <figcaption>Wasielewski-photo Neosho Co. Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>NEOSHO COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for alleged arson.&nbsp;On Friday police responded to the 1500 block of west 3rd Street in Chanute for a structure fire. Officers spoke to the persons involved and arrested John Wasielewski III, 19, Chanute, on requested charges of aggravated arson, aggravated endangering a child, interference with a law enforcement officer and minor in possession of alcohol. The investigation is still ongoing at this time. Upon completion, reports will be forwarded to Neosho County Attorney’s Office for review and consideration of charges being filed.&nbsp;Wasielewski remained in custody Monday, according to online jail records.

Police: Kansas man arrested for alleged aggravated arson

OSAGE COUNTY—A Kansas man died in an accident just before 2:30p.m. Monday in Osage County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a&nbsp; 1989 Chevy pickup driven by Patrick J. Harsch, 51, Lebo, was westbound through a field in the&nbsp;3300 Block of SW Wanamaker Road parallel to the train track. 

The driver turned north out of the field, failed to stop at the crossing and was struck by a westbound BNSF train.

Harsch was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Frontier Forensics. There were no injuries on the train. Harsch was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

OSAGE COUNTY—A Kansas man died in an accident just before 2:30p.m. Monday in Osage County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a&nbsp; 1989 Chevy pickup driven by Patrick J. Harsch, 51, Lebo, was westbound through a field in the&nbsp;3300 Block of SW Wanamaker Road parallel to the train track. The driver turned north out of the field, failed to stop at the crossing and was struck by a westbound BNSF train.Harsch was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Frontier Forensics. There were no injuries on the train. Harsch was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

Kansas man dies after train strikes a pickup

WASHINGTON (AP) —Federal safety officials are directing operators of some Boeing planes to adopt extra procedures when landing on wet or snowy runways near impending 5G service because, they say, interference from the wireless networks could mean that the planes need more room to land.

The Federal Aviation Administration said Friday that interference could delay systems like thrust reversers on Boeing 787s from kicking in, leaving only the brakes to slow the plane.

That “could prevent an aircraft from stopping on the runway,” the FAA said.

Similar orders could be issued in the coming days for other planes. The FAA has asked Boeing and Airbus for information about many models. Boeing said it is working with its suppliers, airlines, telecom companies and regulators “to ensure that every commercial airplane model can safely and confidently operate when 5G is implemented in the United States.”

The order for the Boeing jets comes a day after the FAA began issuing restrictions that airlines and other aircraft operators will face at many airports when AT&amp;T and Verizon launch new, faster 5G wireless service Wednesday.

The agency is still studying whether those wireless networks will interfere with altimeters, which measure an aircraft’s height above the ground. Data from altimeters is used to help pilots land when visibility is poor.

The devices operate on a portion of the radio spectrum that is close to the range used by the new 5G service, called C-Band.

This week’s FAA actions are part of a larger fight between the aviation regulator and the telecom industry. The telecom companies and the Federal Communications Commission say 5G networks do not pose a threat to aviation. The FAA says more study is needed.

The FAA is conducting tests to learn how many commercial planes have altimeters that might be vulnerable to spectrum interference. The agency said this week it expects to estimate the percentage of those planes soon, but didn’t put a date on it.

“Aircraft with untested altimeters or that need retrofitting or replacement will be unable to perform low-visibility landings where 5G is deployed,” the agency said in a statement.

The order regarding Boeing 787s covers 137 planes in the U.S. and 1,010 worldwide. The 787 is a two-aisle plane that is popular on longer routes, including many international flights.

The FAA said that based on information from Boeing, the 787s might not shift properly from flying to landing mode if there is interference, which could delay the activation of systems that help slow the plane.

AT&amp;T and Verizon&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-health-business-federal-aviation-administration-658c00d4d281bf11772b7ce457c3e244">have twice agreed to postpone</a>&nbsp;activating their new networks because of concerns raised by aviation groups and the FAA, most recently after the FAA and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg weighed in on the aviation industry’s side. Buttigieg and FAA Administrator Stephen Dickson warned that flights could be canceled or diverted to avoid potential safety risks.

Under an agreement with the telecom companies, the FAA designated 50 airports that will have buffer zones in which the companies will turn off 5G transmitters or make other changes to limit potential interference through early July.

The 50 include the three major airports in the New York City area — LaGuardia, JFK and Newark Liberty — O’Hare and Midway in Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth International, Bush Intercontinental in Houston, Los Angeles International and San Francisco.

That concession by the telecoms was modeled after an approach used in France, although the FAA said last week that France requires more dramatic reductions in cell-tower reach around airports.

WASHINGTON (AP) —Federal safety officials are directing operators of some Boeing planes to adopt extra procedures when landing on wet or snowy runways near impending 5G service because, they say, interference from the wireless networks could mean that the planes need more room to land.The Federal Aviation Administration said Friday that interference could delay systems like thrust reversers on Boeing 787s from kicking in, leaving only the brakes to slow the plane.That “could prevent an aircraft from stopping on the runway,” the FAA said.Similar orders could be issued in the coming days for other planes. The FAA has asked Boeing and Airbus for information about many models. Boeing said it is working with its suppliers, airlines, telecom companies and regulators “to ensure that every commercial airplane model can safely and confidently operate when 5G is implemented in the United States.”The order for the Boeing jets comes a day after the FAA began issuing restrictions that airlines and other aircraft operators will face at many airports when AT&amp;T and Verizon launch new, faster 5G wireless service Wednesday.The agency is still studying whether those wireless networks will interfere with altimeters, which measure an aircraft’s height above the ground. Data from altimeters is used to help pilots land when visibility is poor.The devices operate on a portion of the radio spectrum that is close to the range used by the new 5G service, called C-Band.This week’s FAA actions are part of a larger fight between the aviation regulator and the telecom industry. The telecom companies and the Federal Communications Commission say 5G networks do not pose a threat to aviation. The FAA says more study is needed.The FAA is conducting tests to learn how many commercial planes have altimeters that might be vulnerable to spectrum interference. The agency said this week it expects to estimate the percentage of those planes soon, but didn’t put a date on it.“Aircraft with untested altimeters or that need retrofitting or replacement will be unable to perform low-visibility landings where 5G is deployed,” the agency said in a statement.The order regarding Boeing 787s covers 137 planes in the U.S. and 1,010 worldwide. The 787 is a two-aisle plane that is popular on longer routes, including many international flights.The FAA said that based on information from Boeing, the 787s might not shift properly from flying to landing mode if there is interference, which could delay the activation of systems that help slow the plane.AT&amp;T and Verizon&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-health-business-federal-aviation-administration-658c00d4d281bf11772b7ce457c3e244">have twice agreed to postpone</a>&nbsp;activating their new networks because of concerns raised by aviation groups and the FAA, most recently after the FAA and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg weighed in on the aviation industry’s side. Buttigieg and FAA Administrator Stephen Dickson warned that flights could be canceled or diverted to avoid potential safety risks.Under an agreement with the telecom companies, the FAA designated 50 airports that will have buffer zones in which the companies will turn off 5G transmitters or make other changes to limit potential interference through early July.The 50 include the three major airports in the New York City area — LaGuardia, JFK and Newark Liberty — O’Hare and Midway in Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth International, Bush Intercontinental in Houston, Los Angeles International and San Francisco.That concession by the telecoms was modeled after an approach used in France, although the FAA said last week that France requires more dramatic reductions in cell-tower reach around airports.

FAA sets rules for some airline landings near 5G service

KANSAS CITY (AP) —Teachers around the U.S. are confronting classrooms where as many as half of students are absent because they have been exposed to COVID-19 or their families kept them at home out of concern about the surging coronavirus.

The widespread absences have only added to the difficulty of keeping students on track in yet another pandemic-disrupted school year. In the nation’s largest district, attendance has been so low that New York City Mayor Eric Adams on Wednesday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-new-york-education-new-york-city-16fbc5ece62f5bdd04041f58135452a7">reversed an earlier pledge</a>&nbsp;to keep children in schools and said he would consider allowing a return to some form of virtual instruction.

“This is really taking a toll on the learning. If you have three kids in your class one day and you’re supposed to have 12, you have to reteach everything two weeks later when those kids come back,” said Tabatha Rosproy, a teacher in Olathe, Kansas, and the 2020 national Teacher of the Year.

Some of the country’s biggest school systems report absentee rates around 20% or slightly more, with some individual schools seeing far higher percentages of missing students.

The schools in Clark County, Nevada, which includes Las Vegas, typically have 90% attendance, but that figure has dropped to 83%. In Seattle, attendance has averaged 81 percent since the return from winter break. Los Angeles public schools marked about 30% of the district’s 600,000-plus students absent on Tuesday, the first day back after the break.

In New York, about 76% of the city’s roughly 1 million public school students were in class Wednesday, with some schools reporting well over half of their students out.

Adnan Bhuiyan, 17, has at times been one of seven or eight students in classes that normally have 30 at the Brooklyn Latin School. He spent much of the first week back from break in free periods, wondering why he was there.

Students given take-home COVID-19 tests have been taking them and testing positive at school, he said, and many are nervous about being exposed.

“Part of me was like, why are we sitting here doing nothing the whole day. Why can’t we just stay home” and learn remotely, he said. “The other part of me knows that the mayor wants to keep the school open for certain reasons, and I can understand that. But the more and more we went through it, I just kept thinking at this point it’s a waste of time for everyone because we’re not learning anything.”

As the highly contagious omicron variant causes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-education-pandemics-cincinnati-6c6be609e8d74d402f714a06beb52dea">teacher shortages</a>, some schools have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-education-detroit-cde614839b15d02a594dab1e690c7d46">shifted temporarily to remote learning</a>. Out of the roughly 100,000 public schools in the U.S., nearly 4,200 were closed to in-person learning by midweek, according to the data-tracking site Burbio.

President Joe Biden has stressed the importance of keeping schools open for in-person learning. The White House on Wednesday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-covid-tests-schools-b03b786fcf9ab777d5b586687a8bf032">announced a monthly supply</a>&nbsp;of 5 million rapid tests and 5 million lab-based PCR tests that schools can use for test-to-stay programs intended to lessen disruptions.

The absences leave teachers wrestling with whether to forge ahead with lessons and how to help students left behind.

Daniel Santos, a history teacher, said about half his students were absent when classes resumed after the winter break. Lately, about a third have been missing from his classes at Houston’s Navarro Middle School, where over 90% of students are Hispanic. Mindful of required standardized tests coming up in the spring, he has been creating video lessons for the missing students to review at home.

“It’s like an avalanche. It just doesn’t stop. Some students return. Then a new set of students are absent,” he said.

The districtwide attendance rate in Houston has been around 90% this week.

Alejandro Diasgranados, a second-grade teacher in Washington, D.C., said his class has gone from perfect attendance most days to half empty some days since winter break. The absences add to pressure to help students who already were behind because of the pandemic, he said.

The challenge then falls to teachers “to almost individually prescribe each student with an academic learning plan,” he said.

The student absences have been cited by some teachers unions in pleas for more flexibility to switch to remote learning when conditions merit.

Kathryn Medendorp, an elementary school teacher at Northside Independent School District in San Antonio, said the social and emotional benefits of staying in school offset some of the academic difficulties caused by missing students and staff. But she favors a clear metric that would signal a return to remote lessons.

Her school in the mask-optional district was missing 21 third-grade students on a single day this week, the equivalent of a class, she said. At the same time, only one student was absent from her own second-grade classroom.

A closing metric “at least would help me feel better about having some sort of handle on this situation,” said Medendorp, who is secretary for the Northside American Federation of Teachers. “Our numbers already have shown some classes are sitting great, it’s not a problem. Other classes, it’s spreading like wildfire so it is a problem there, and we have to stop that spread.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642451635236.png" alt="Photo KCK Public Schools" />
 <figcaption>Photo KCK Public Schools</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) —Teachers around the U.S. are confronting classrooms where as many as half of students are absent because they have been exposed to COVID-19 or their families kept them at home out of concern about the surging coronavirus.The widespread absences have only added to the difficulty of keeping students on track in yet another pandemic-disrupted school year. In the nation’s largest district, attendance has been so low that New York City Mayor Eric Adams on Wednesday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-new-york-education-new-york-city-16fbc5ece62f5bdd04041f58135452a7">reversed an earlier pledge</a>&nbsp;to keep children in schools and said he would consider allowing a return to some form of virtual instruction.“This is really taking a toll on the learning. If you have three kids in your class one day and you’re supposed to have 12, you have to reteach everything two weeks later when those kids come back,” said Tabatha Rosproy, a teacher in Olathe, Kansas, and the 2020 national Teacher of the Year.Some of the country’s biggest school systems report absentee rates around 20% or slightly more, with some individual schools seeing far higher percentages of missing students.The schools in Clark County, Nevada, which includes Las Vegas, typically have 90% attendance, but that figure has dropped to 83%. In Seattle, attendance has averaged 81 percent since the return from winter break. Los Angeles public schools marked about 30% of the district’s 600,000-plus students absent on Tuesday, the first day back after the break.In New York, about 76% of the city’s roughly 1 million public school students were in class Wednesday, with some schools reporting well over half of their students out.Adnan Bhuiyan, 17, has at times been one of seven or eight students in classes that normally have 30 at the Brooklyn Latin School. He spent much of the first week back from break in free periods, wondering why he was there.Students given take-home COVID-19 tests have been taking them and testing positive at school, he said, and many are nervous about being exposed.“Part of me was like, why are we sitting here doing nothing the whole day. Why can’t we just stay home” and learn remotely, he said. “The other part of me knows that the mayor wants to keep the school open for certain reasons, and I can understand that. But the more and more we went through it, I just kept thinking at this point it’s a waste of time for everyone because we’re not learning anything.”As the highly contagious omicron variant causes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-education-pandemics-cincinnati-6c6be609e8d74d402f714a06beb52dea">teacher shortages</a>, some schools have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-education-detroit-cde614839b15d02a594dab1e690c7d46">shifted temporarily to remote learning</a>. Out of the roughly 100,000 public schools in the U.S., nearly 4,200 were closed to in-person learning by midweek, according to the data-tracking site Burbio.President Joe Biden has stressed the importance of keeping schools open for in-person learning. The White House on Wednesday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-covid-tests-schools-b03b786fcf9ab777d5b586687a8bf032">announced a monthly supply</a>&nbsp;of 5 million rapid tests and 5 million lab-based PCR tests that schools can use for test-to-stay programs intended to lessen disruptions.The absences leave teachers wrestling with whether to forge ahead with lessons and how to help students left behind.Daniel Santos, a history teacher, said about half his students were absent when classes resumed after the winter break. Lately, about a third have been missing from his classes at Houston’s Navarro Middle School, where over 90% of students are Hispanic. Mindful of required standardized tests coming up in the spring, he has been creating video lessons for the missing students to review at home.“It’s like an avalanche. It just doesn’t stop. Some students return. Then a new set of students are absent,” he said.The districtwide attendance rate in Houston has been around 90% this week.Alejandro Diasgranados, a second-grade teacher in Washington, D.C., said his class has gone from perfect attendance most days to half empty some days since winter break. The absences add to pressure to help students who already were behind because of the pandemic, he said.The challenge then falls to teachers “to almost individually prescribe each student with an academic learning plan,” he said.The student absences have been cited by some teachers unions in pleas for more flexibility to switch to remote learning when conditions merit.Kathryn Medendorp, an elementary school teacher at Northside Independent School District in San Antonio, said the social and emotional benefits of staying in school offset some of the academic difficulties caused by missing students and staff. But she favors a clear metric that would signal a return to remote lessons.Her school in the mask-optional district was missing 21 third-grade students on a single day this week, the equivalent of a class, she said. At the same time, only one student was absent from her own second-grade classroom.A closing metric “at least would help me feel better about having some sort of handle on this situation,” said Medendorp, who is secretary for the Northside American Federation of Teachers. “Our numbers already have shown some classes are sitting great, it’s not a problem. Other classes, it’s spreading like wildfire so it is a problem there, and we have to stop that spread.”___

Teachers confront half-empty classrooms as virus surges

By KAVAHN MANSOURI and HOLLY EDGELL <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-01-17/got-an-old-flip-phone-5g-technology-continues-to-roll-out-leaving-3g-users-disconnected">Midwest Newsroom</a>

A landmark day in the rollout of the 5G cellular network will take 
place on Jan. 19, giving millions of cell phones throughout the country 
faster speeds and wider coverage. But the coming switch, the latest in 
the advent of 5G, could leave some devices in the dark.

Both 
Verizon and AT&amp;T plan to switch on their C-band networks on 
Wednesday, a change that is expected to further increase the speed and 
availability of the two providers’ networks.

5G stands for “fifth-generation cellular” and is touted as the next big thing for cellular devices. 

“This is the second wave of the 5G era,” Andy Choi, a communication 
manager with Verizon, said. “You’re looking at more than 100 million 
people in 1,700 cities across the country that will have access to 
Version’s Ultra Wideband network.”

While 5G has been available to 
customers of cellular providers like AT&amp;T, Verizon and T-Mobile for 
more than a year, the new C-band networks set to go live Wednesday are 
expected to further improve the speed and availability of the network. 
The improvements will be most noticeable during crowded events like 
concerts or sporting events, Choi said.

As
 5G’s implementation nears completion, deadlines for Americans who are 
still using devices that rely on 3G networks are looming.

Mobile 
carriers like AT&amp;T and Verizon are shutting down their 3G networks 
due to the network relying on old technology and a need for more 
frequency space that is being taken up by old cellular devices. The 
shutdowns begin in February with AT&amp;T and will wrap up by the end of
 the year.

That means older cell phones that use 3G won’t be able 
to receive calls or texts –including to 91 – or use data services, 
according to the FCC.

OATS (Older Adults Technology Services), an 
AARP affiliate that help seniors learn and use technology, is advising 
all Americans that the phase-out of 3G could affect:

“One
 of the things that we've learned over the years is, many seniors tend 
to hang on to their technology devices a little bit too long,” said Tom 
Kamber, OATS founder and executive director. “And after three or four 
years that software and an old device tends to be obsolete and that puts
 you at risk for breakdowns in the device for problems that it does 
everything it's supposed to do.”

Kamber
 says obsolete technology can leave consumers open to security breaches,
 and that now is as good a time as any to ask providers whether devices 
you rely on are using 3G technology.

“We know that for a fact that
 millions of people are relying on outmoded devices and we're sure that 
some people in America are not going to know about this transition and 
they're going to open up their phone or hit their alarm button and it's 
not going to work,” Kamber said.

While the leader wireless providers like Verizon tout 5G as a solution to <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/u/1/d/16EOw21AbREm0ZBkT4Fr2LZkJ7_lr99kPjj5_An2tC9Y/edit" target="_blank">bridging the digital divide</a>, so far that hasn’t proven true, according to Angela Siefer, executive director, of the <a href="https://www.digitalinclusion.org/" target="_blank">National Digital Inclusion Alliance</a>.

“5G
 will not bridge the digital divide,” she said. “Because the digital 
divide is not just an issue of availability of broadband services; it’s 
an issue of affordability, digital literacy and the appropriate 
devices.”

Historically, Siefer said, wireless providers have 
rolled out new services and technology in communities where consumers 
can afford to upgrade, largely leaving rural communities and low-income 
consumers out.

“We know that the lower one's income, the less 
likely one is to have home broadband service,” Siefer said. “The lower 
one's income, the more likely a household is to rely upon a mobile 
phone, as their only source of internet service or other public free 
Wifi solutions.”

Siefer pointed to financial support for consumers
 who may not be able to afford new devices as well as higher cellular 
phone bills. The federal Lifeline program provides a discount on 
wireless and internet service to <a href="https://www.usac.org/lifeline/consumer-eligibility/" target="_blank">consumers who qualify</a>. Siefert said it’s an underutilized benefit.

“Some
 people find out because sometimes the carrier tells them that it's 
there,” Siefer said. “Information often occurs through community-based 
organizations or other social service entities, and that's how a lot of 
word has spread.”

In addition to Lifeline, the federal government funds a <a href="https://www.usac.org/high-cost/program-overview/" target="_blank">program called High Cost</a>
 to the tune of $4.5 billion annually. Its mission is to incentivize 
communication technology companies to expand their networks, “in rural 
areas where the market alone cannot support the substantial cost of 
deploying network infrastructure and providing connectivity.”

“We need all the solutions that are out there to be options for various communities in rural areas,” Siefert said.

The Midwest Newsroom is an investigative journalism collaboration including&nbsp;KCUR,&nbsp;St. Louis Public Radio,&nbsp;Iowa Public Radio,&nbsp;Nebraska Public Media&nbsp;and&nbsp;NPR.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642433370143.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By KAVAHN MANSOURI and HOLLY EDGELL <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-01-17/got-an-old-flip-phone-5g-technology-continues-to-roll-out-leaving-3g-users-disconnected">Midwest Newsroom</a>A landmark day in the rollout of the 5G cellular network will take 
place on Jan. 19, giving millions of cell phones throughout the country 
faster speeds and wider coverage. But the coming switch, the latest in 
the advent of 5G, could leave some devices in the dark.Both 
Verizon and AT&amp;T plan to switch on their C-band networks on 
Wednesday, a change that is expected to further increase the speed and 
availability of the two providers’ networks.5G stands for “fifth-generation cellular” and is touted as the next big thing for cellular devices. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642433438747.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>“This is the second wave of the 5G era,” Andy Choi, a communication 
manager with Verizon, said. “You’re looking at more than 100 million 
people in 1,700 cities across the country that will have access to 
Version’s Ultra Wideband network.”While 5G has been available to 
customers of cellular providers like AT&amp;T, Verizon and T-Mobile for 
more than a year, the new C-band networks set to go live Wednesday are 
expected to further improve the speed and availability of the network. 
The improvements will be most noticeable during crowded events like 
concerts or sporting events, Choi said.<h2>‘It's not going to work'</h2>As
 5G’s implementation nears completion, deadlines for Americans who are 
still using devices that rely on 3G networks are looming.Mobile 
carriers like AT&amp;T and Verizon are shutting down their 3G networks 
due to the network relying on old technology and a need for more 
frequency space that is being taken up by old cellular devices. The 
shutdowns begin in February with AT&amp;T and will wrap up by the end of
 the year.That means older cell phones that use 3G won’t be able 
to receive calls or texts –including to 91 – or use data services, 
according to the FCC.OATS (Older Adults Technology Services), an 
AARP affiliate that help seniors learn and use technology, is advising 
all Americans that the phase-out of 3G could affect: <ul>
 <li>Mobile phones from 2012 or earlier (including flip phones, pre-2012 smartphones)</li><li>Home security systems</li><li>Smartwatches</li><li>Medical devices and medical alert bracelets</li>
 </ul>“One
 of the things that we've learned over the years is, many seniors tend 
to hang on to their technology devices a little bit too long,” said Tom 
Kamber, OATS founder and executive director. “And after three or four 
years that software and an old device tends to be obsolete and that puts
 you at risk for breakdowns in the device for problems that it does 
everything it's supposed to do.”<ul>
 <li>For help navigating new technology, visit <a href="https://seniorplanet.org/about/our-purpose/" target="_blank">SeniorPlanet.og from AARP</a></li>
 </ul>Kamber
 says obsolete technology can leave consumers open to security breaches,
 and that now is as good a time as any to ask providers whether devices 
you rely on are using 3G technology.“We know that for a fact that
 millions of people are relying on outmoded devices and we're sure that 
some people in America are not going to know about this transition and 
they're going to open up their phone or hit their alarm button and it's 
not going to work,” Kamber said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642433489046.png" alt="The nation's leading wireless providers, like T-Mobile and Spring, will phase-out 3G service by the end of 2022. Peggy Lowe / KCUR 89.3" />
 <figcaption>The nation's leading wireless providers, like T-Mobile and Spring, will phase-out 3G service by the end of 2022. Peggy Lowe / KCUR 89.3</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>5G and the digital divide</h2>While the leader wireless providers like Verizon tout 5G as a solution to <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/u/1/d/16EOw21AbREm0ZBkT4Fr2LZkJ7_lr99kPjj5_An2tC9Y/edit" target="_blank">bridging the digital divide</a>, so far that hasn’t proven true, according to Angela Siefer, executive director, of the <a href="https://www.digitalinclusion.org/" target="_blank">National Digital Inclusion Alliance</a>.“5G
 will not bridge the digital divide,” she said. “Because the digital 
divide is not just an issue of availability of broadband services; it’s 
an issue of affordability, digital literacy and the appropriate 
devices.”Historically, Siefer said, wireless providers have 
rolled out new services and technology in communities where consumers 
can afford to upgrade, largely leaving rural communities and low-income 
consumers out.“We know that the lower one's income, the less 
likely one is to have home broadband service,” Siefer said. “The lower 
one's income, the more likely a household is to rely upon a mobile 
phone, as their only source of internet service or other public free 
Wifi solutions.”Siefer pointed to financial support for consumers
 who may not be able to afford new devices as well as higher cellular 
phone bills. The federal Lifeline program provides a discount on 
wireless and internet service to <a href="https://www.usac.org/lifeline/consumer-eligibility/" target="_blank">consumers who qualify</a>. Siefert said it’s an underutilized benefit.“Some
 people find out because sometimes the carrier tells them that it's 
there,” Siefer said. “Information often occurs through community-based 
organizations or other social service entities, and that's how a lot of 
word has spread.”In addition to Lifeline, the federal government funds a <a href="https://www.usac.org/high-cost/program-overview/" target="_blank">program called High Cost</a>
 to the tune of $4.5 billion annually. Its mission is to incentivize 
communication technology companies to expand their networks, “in rural 
areas where the market alone cannot support the substantial cost of 
deploying network infrastructure and providing connectivity.”“We need all the solutions that are out there to be options for various communities in rural areas,” Siefert said.The Midwest Newsroom is an investigative journalism collaboration including&nbsp;KCUR,&nbsp;St. Louis Public Radio,&nbsp;Iowa Public Radio,&nbsp;Nebraska Public Media&nbsp;and&nbsp;NPR.

Got an old flip phone? 5G rollout is leaving 3G users disconnected

MONTGOMERY COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 9:30a.m. Monday in Montgomery County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2021 Volvo semi driven by Allan Reed Chism, 67, Morrilton, Arkansas, was westbound on U.S. 166 ten miles west of Independence.

The semi left the roadway on the north side,&nbsp; entered the north ditch, continued westbound and crossed over a driveway entrance.

After crossing the driveway, the trailer tipped over, forcing the power unit to tip over onto its right side in the north ditch and the driver was ejected. 

Chism was pronounced dead at at scene and was transported to Frontier Forensics. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 9:30a.m. Monday in Montgomery County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2021 Volvo semi driven by Allan Reed Chism, 67, Morrilton, Arkansas, was westbound on U.S. 166 ten miles west of Independence.The semi left the roadway on the north side,&nbsp; entered the north ditch, continued westbound and crossed over a driveway entrance.After crossing the driveway, the trailer tipped over, forcing the power unit to tip over onto its right side in the north ditch and the driver was ejected. Chism was pronounced dead at at scene and was transported to Frontier Forensics. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

Driver dies after ejected when semi overturns on Kan. highway

By ALLISON KITE <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/01/17/december-2021-was-the-warmest-on-record-in-kansas-and-missouri-by-a-long-shot/">Kansas Reflector</a>

Kansas and Missouri logged their warmest average December temperatures on record last month, according to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/cag/">data released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</a>.

Average temperatures over the last 
half of 2021 were higher than they’ve ever been in either state —&nbsp;and 
across the country. Meanwhile, despite a devastating cold snap that 
forced power outages across the Midwest, February’s average temperature 
didn’t place it in the top five coldest in either state.

The data from the Climate Divisional 
Dataset, which displays climate information from 1895 onward, follows 
research that shows while average temperatures are rising during all 
seasons in the Midwest —&nbsp;winter temperatures are climbing the fastest.&nbsp;

“We’re just not getting as cold as we
 used to, and December kind of took that and pushed it to the extreme,” 
said Chip Redmond, an assistant meteorologist for the Kansas State 
University Weather Data Library and manager of the Mesonet, a network of
 environmental monitoring stations across the state.&nbsp;

Redmond said the one-off warm month 
couldn’t be directly related to climate change because weather is highly
 variable, but it’s notable how high the average temperature rose.

According to NOAA, Kansas Decembers 
are getting 0.3 degrees warmer every decade while annual average 
temperatures are rising by 0.1 degree. There’s almost no trend in summer
 temperatures, said Tony Lupo, an atmospheric science professor at the 
University of Missouri.&nbsp;

The previous record for the warmest 
December in Kansas was set in 1957 and beat out the record before that 
by 0.3 degrees. In Missouri, the previous record was 0.8 degrees ahead 
of the one before it.&nbsp;

But this December shattered both 
records. Average December temperatures jumped 2.6 degrees in Kansas, 
passing 40 degrees for the first time, and 2.2 in Missouri. While daily 
temperatures frequently swing multiple degrees because of weather 
patterns, such a jump in average monthly temperatures is abnormal, 
Redmond said.

Lupo said the warm December and the 
severe cold snap that gripped the Midwest last February canceled each 
other out. Otherwise, 2021 could have been among the hottest years on 
record.

In 36 locations, Kansas broke 
all-time high daily temperature records for December. On Christmas, 
Independence reached 80 degrees.

In Kansas and Missouri, rising 
temperatures can increase the risk of drought, particularly in arid 
western Kansas where groundwater supplies are depleting. Climbing summer
 precipitation can put some areas at risk of severe floods, like those 
that devastated Missouri in 2019.

And warm weather and dried out 
vegetation raises the risk of wildfires and dust storms in Kansas. The 
all-time high average temperature in December coincided with <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/12/20/ball-of-rolling-fire-and-smoke-wildfires-rip-through-north-central-kansas/">devastating wildfires</a> that blew across central Kansas, <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/kelly-surveys-portion-of-property-in-kansas-torched-by-december-wildfires/">burning 165,000 acres</a>.

Those wildfires were difficult to 
contain because they blew in during a wind storm that saw speeds as high
 as 100 mph. With the drought in western Kansas, Redmond said those 
winds can also fuel dust storms.

“Even today, this afternoon, we’re going to move a lot of dust in western Kansas,” Redmond said.

Lupo said warm winters mean less snow cover, which helps replenish soil moisture before farmers plant crops.

NOAA also tracks the number of 
weather disasters that exceed $1 billion in losses. Last year was the 
third costliest year and had the second-highest number of billion-dollar
 events since the agency started keeping track in 1980.

In Missouri, severe storms and flooding are the leading causes of billion-dollar events. In Kansas, it’s storms and drought.

“There’s a lot of people who seem to 
think climate change has not affected them, therefore they don’t really 
notice it,” said Donald Wuebbles, an atmospheric sciences professor at 
the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. “But in fact, it’s 
affecting it through your pocketbook. You just don’t realize that your 
tax money is going into having to pay for all these disasters.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642433647862.png" alt="A partially melted tire hangs on a tree near Paradise, Kansas. The surrounding land was scorched by a wildfire in December 2021. (Allison Kite/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>A partially melted tire hangs on a tree near Paradise, Kansas. The surrounding land was scorched by a wildfire in December 2021. (Allison Kite/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By ALLISON KITE <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/01/17/december-2021-was-the-warmest-on-record-in-kansas-and-missouri-by-a-long-shot/">Kansas Reflector</a>Kansas and Missouri logged their warmest average December temperatures on record last month, according to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/cag/">data released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</a>.Average temperatures over the last 
half of 2021 were higher than they’ve ever been in either state —&nbsp;and 
across the country. Meanwhile, despite a devastating cold snap that 
forced power outages across the Midwest, February’s average temperature 
didn’t place it in the top five coldest in either state.The data from the Climate Divisional 
Dataset, which displays climate information from 1895 onward, follows 
research that shows while average temperatures are rising during all 
seasons in the Midwest —&nbsp;winter temperatures are climbing the fastest.&nbsp;“We’re just not getting as cold as we
 used to, and December kind of took that and pushed it to the extreme,” 
said Chip Redmond, an assistant meteorologist for the Kansas State 
University Weather Data Library and manager of the Mesonet, a network of
 environmental monitoring stations across the state.&nbsp;Redmond said the one-off warm month 
couldn’t be directly related to climate change because weather is highly
 variable, but it’s notable how high the average temperature rose.According to NOAA, Kansas Decembers 
are getting 0.3 degrees warmer every decade while annual average 
temperatures are rising by 0.1 degree. There’s almost no trend in summer
 temperatures, said Tony Lupo, an atmospheric science professor at the 
University of Missouri.&nbsp;The previous record for the warmest 
December in Kansas was set in 1957 and beat out the record before that 
by 0.3 degrees. In Missouri, the previous record was 0.8 degrees ahead 
of the one before it.&nbsp;But this December shattered both 
records. Average December temperatures jumped 2.6 degrees in Kansas, 
passing 40 degrees for the first time, and 2.2 in Missouri. While daily 
temperatures frequently swing multiple degrees because of weather 
patterns, such a jump in average monthly temperatures is abnormal, 
Redmond said.Lupo said the warm December and the 
severe cold snap that gripped the Midwest last February canceled each 
other out. Otherwise, 2021 could have been among the hottest years on 
record.In 36 locations, Kansas broke 
all-time high daily temperature records for December. On Christmas, 
Independence reached 80 degrees.In Kansas and Missouri, rising 
temperatures can increase the risk of drought, particularly in arid 
western Kansas where groundwater supplies are depleting. Climbing summer
 precipitation can put some areas at risk of severe floods, like those 
that devastated Missouri in 2019.And warm weather and dried out 
vegetation raises the risk of wildfires and dust storms in Kansas. The 
all-time high average temperature in December coincided with <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/12/20/ball-of-rolling-fire-and-smoke-wildfires-rip-through-north-central-kansas/">devastating wildfires</a> that blew across central Kansas, <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/kelly-surveys-portion-of-property-in-kansas-torched-by-december-wildfires/">burning 165,000 acres</a>.Those wildfires were difficult to 
contain because they blew in during a wind storm that saw speeds as high
 as 100 mph. With the drought in western Kansas, Redmond said those 
winds can also fuel dust storms.“Even today, this afternoon, we’re going to move a lot of dust in western Kansas,” Redmond said.Lupo said warm winters mean less snow cover, which helps replenish soil moisture before farmers plant crops.NOAA also tracks the number of 
weather disasters that exceed $1 billion in losses. Last year was the 
third costliest year and had the second-highest number of billion-dollar
 events since the agency started keeping track in 1980.In Missouri, severe storms and flooding are the leading causes of billion-dollar events. In Kansas, it’s storms and drought.“There’s a lot of people who seem to 
think climate change has not affected them, therefore they don’t really 
notice it,” said Donald Wuebbles, an atmospheric sciences professor at 
the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. “But in fact, it’s 
affecting it through your pocketbook. You just don’t realize that your 
tax money is going into having to pay for all these disasters.”

December 2021 the warmest on record in Kan., Mo. — by a long shot

Our son is 13, and he has been doing some part-time work for a friend of the family. He makes $40 to $60 a week, and he would like to begin investing the majority of what he earns. Do you have a suggestion for a good place he could put his money?

Well, here’s the thing. At this point in his life, the goal of this&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/retirement/daves-investing-philosophy">investment</a>&nbsp;isn’t wealth. Number one, it’s not a lot of money. Number two, well, it’s not a lot of money. The goal is to create knowledge, reward his interest in the subject and teach him how to handle his finances when he’s an adult.

I’ve got no problem with you helping him open checking or savings accounts at a local bank or credit union. There are lots of good lessons to be learned in reconciling a bank statement, and the value of spending, saving and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/budgeting/give-a-little-until-you-can-give-a-lot">giving</a>. Then, you could get with a good financial pro, one with the heart of a teacher, and let him open a mutual fund for $50 a month with you as the custodian. He could learn about compound interest, how to calculate the value of his shares and other things, and all that would be a good learning exercise, too.&nbsp;

We did these things with our kids. But keep in mind that over the course of a year—and when you’re 13, that’s an eternity—there’s not going to be a lot of action on the investing side of things. It could be kind of boring for him at times. But he’s better off to learn now that good things don’t always come with flashing lights and whistles.

When it comes to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/retirement/how-to-build-wealth">wealth building</a>, things aren’t sexy. Slow and steady wins the race!&nbsp;

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635524005597.png" alt="Dave Ramsey" />
 <figcaption>Dave Ramsey</figcaption>
 </figure>Dear Dave,Our son is 13, and he has been doing some part-time work for a friend of the family. He makes $40 to $60 a week, and he would like to begin investing the majority of what he earns. Do you have a suggestion for a good place he could put his money?LindsayDear Lindsay,Well, here’s the thing. At this point in his life, the goal of this&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/retirement/daves-investing-philosophy">investment</a>&nbsp;isn’t wealth. Number one, it’s not a lot of money. Number two, well, it’s not a lot of money. The goal is to create knowledge, reward his interest in the subject and teach him how to handle his finances when he’s an adult.I’ve got no problem with you helping him open checking or savings accounts at a local bank or credit union. There are lots of good lessons to be learned in reconciling a bank statement, and the value of spending, saving and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/budgeting/give-a-little-until-you-can-give-a-lot">giving</a>. Then, you could get with a good financial pro, one with the heart of a teacher, and let him open a mutual fund for $50 a month with you as the custodian. He could learn about compound interest, how to calculate the value of his shares and other things, and all that would be a good learning exercise, too.&nbsp;We did these things with our kids. But keep in mind that over the course of a year—and when you’re 13, that’s an eternity—there’s not going to be a lot of action on the investing side of things. It could be kind of boring for him at times. But he’s better off to learn now that good things don’t always come with flashing lights and whistles.When it comes to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/retirement/how-to-build-wealth">wealth building</a>, things aren’t sexy. Slow and steady wins the race!&nbsp;— Dave*&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/">Dave Ramsey&nbsp;</a>is a seven-time #1 national best-selling author, personal finance expert, and host of&nbsp;The Ramsey Show, heard by more than 18 million listeners each week. He&nbsp;has appeared on Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, Today Show, Fox News, CNN, Fox Business, and many more. Since 1992, Dave has helped people regain control of their money, build wealth and enhance their lives. He also serves as CEO for Ramsey Solutions.

DAVE SAYS: Where should he park the money?

By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina Post

A 40-year-old man wanted on requested charges including murder in the first degree and aggravated kidnapping was booked back into the Saline County Jail Sunday, according to jail records.

 Brandon Lee St. Clair was booked into the jail just before 10p.m. Sunday, nearly two weeks after the Saline County Sheriff's Office asked for the public's help in locating St. Clair.

On Jan. 4, the Saline County Sheriff asked for assistance in locating St Clair. who had a Saline County District Court, felony Bond Supervision Violation warrant with original charges of: Murder in the 1st degree, Aggravated Kidnapping, Robbery, Aggravated Burglary and Conspiracy to Commit Kidnapping. St Clair also has a misdemeanor Saline County District Court fail to appear warrant.

St. Clair was convicted in 2018 on multiple counts, including felony murder and aggravated kidnapping, in the death of Brandon Shelby. St. Clair was one of four men bound over for trial in the case.

Shelby's body was discovered in the 2200 block of E. North Street, east of the Smoky Hill River bridge, on June 6, 2017. Shelby had been struck on the back of the head multiple times and had been stabbed in the neck five times, an autopsy revealed.

The district court had allowed St. Clair to be released from jail on an appeal bond on Aug. 19, 2021. However, St. Clair later failed to show up for a court date, Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan said on Jan. 7.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642433469412.png" alt="St. Clair-photo Saline County" />
 <figcaption>St. Clair-photo Saline County</figcaption>
 </figure>By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina PostA 40-year-old man wanted on requested charges including murder in the first degree and aggravated kidnapping was booked back into the Saline County Jail Sunday, according to jail records. Brandon Lee St. Clair was booked into the jail just before 10p.m. Sunday, nearly two weeks after the Saline County Sheriff's Office asked for the public's help in locating St. Clair.On Jan. 4, the Saline County Sheriff asked for assistance in locating St Clair. who had a Saline County District Court, felony Bond Supervision Violation warrant with original charges of: Murder in the 1st degree, Aggravated Kidnapping, Robbery, Aggravated Burglary and Conspiracy to Commit Kidnapping. St Clair also has a misdemeanor Saline County District Court fail to appear warrant.St. Clair was convicted in 2018 on multiple counts, including felony murder and aggravated kidnapping, in the death of Brandon Shelby. St. Clair was one of four men bound over for trial in the case.Shelby's body was discovered in the 2200 block of E. North Street, east of the Smoky Hill River bridge, on June 6, 2017. Shelby had been struck on the back of the head multiple times and had been stabbed in the neck five times, an autopsy revealed.The district court had allowed St. Clair to be released from jail on an appeal bond on Aug. 19, 2021. However, St. Clair later failed to show up for a court date, Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan said on Jan. 7.

Wanted Kan. murder suspect who skipped court is in custody

By BARB KALBACH <a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2022/01/15/hold-biden-administration-to-its-promises-for-fairer-ag-markets/">Iowa Capital Dispatch</a>

Family farmers like me have been 
calling for years for aggressive federal action to break up monopolies 
and make markets more fair.

We know what happens when a handful of companies control livestock 
and meatpacking markets: farmers earn a shrinking share of the food 
dollar, farm income declines, and meatpackers earn huge profits. 
Meatpacking corporations then use those profits to gain more control 
over livestock production, either through direct ownership or through 
subcontractors, in a never-ending cycle of corporate concentration and 
consolidation.

Recently, I was pleasantly surprised to see President Biden announce a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/01/03/fact-sheet-the-biden-harris-action-plan-for-a-fairer-more-competitive-and-more-resilient-meat-and-poultry-supply-chain/">new initiative</a>
 to address this problem, one of the biggest facing rural America today.
 The “Administration’s Action Plan for a Fairer, More Competitive, and 
More Resilient Meat and Poultry Supply Chain” includes commitments to 
strengthen antitrust enforcement, provide more resources for legal 
actions when meatpackers break the law, and financial resources for new 
independent meat processing capacity.

If these policies are implemented effectively, the outcome would be 
increased competition in the marketplace for farmers and protections for
 consumers from soaring meat prices.

The statistics that back up this experience nationally are both 
confirming and alarming. According to the White House, four corporations
 control 85% of the beef market, four packers control around 70% of pork
 processing, and four firms control 54% of the poultry market. The 
farmers’ share of the consumer dollar for cattle producers has declined 
from 60 cents of every dollar 50 years ago to about 39 cents today. 
During the same time period, hog farmers’ share has declined from 
between 40 and 60 cents down to about 19 cents.

On my family’s farm in Adair County, we have directly experienced 
that change in livestock industry structure. When my husband and I got 
married nearly 50 years ago, we raised cattle and hogs, as well as hay 
and pasture and oats. Today, we no longer produce livestock since it has
 become unprofitable, and we focus on corn and soybeans. This story is 
the same for hundreds of farm families here in Adair County, and for 
thousands of former livestock farmers throughout Iowa.

Rather than the diversified, more decentralized livestock production 
and processing system of the past, multinational corporate power is on 
full display here in Iowa. JBS, Smithfield, Tyson, Cargill, Marfrig 
(National Beef), and others operate both giant meat processing plants 
and livestock production factories in many parts of our state. It’s no 
surprise that concentrated production controlled by meatpacking 
corporations has also resulted in concentrated pollution to air and 
water from livestock and poultry manure.

In addition to squeezing family farmers to drive down their operating
 costs, corporate meatpackers are also currently ripping off consumers, 
attempting to blame “rising costs and inflation” for rising meat prices.
 The same White House report, however, states that the latest corporate 
profit reports document a 120% increase in gross profits and a 500% 
increase in net income by meatpacking corporations since before the 
COVID-19 pandemic.

I agree with President Biden’s analysis of the situation: “We’ve seen
 too many industries become dominated by a handful of large companies 
that control most of the business and most of the opportunities — 
raising prices and decreasing options for American families, while also 
squeezing out small businesses and entrepreneurs… When dominant 
middlemen control so much of the supply chain, they can increase their 
own profits at the expense of both farmers — who make less — and 
consumers, who pay more.”

I also agree that this initiative addresses some key needs, including
 a commitment to issue new, stronger rules under the Packers and 
Stockyards Act, investing millions in federal funding for new 
independent meat processing operations in small towns, and instituting 
additional transparency in livestock markets.

President Biden’s recent focus on corporate power in the livestock 
and meatpacking industry is one of those moments when a large group of 
organized people can make meaningful change. The truth is, we have a lot
 of work to do. We have to hold the president, Secretary of Agriculture 
Tom Vilsack and Attorney General Merrick Garland accountable for their 
promises.

We also need to push them to address factory farm pollution, as well 
as better pay and protections for meatpacking workers. We need to make 
sure that the meat processing funding truly goes to local, independent 
operations instead of becoming yet another corporate agribusiness slush 
fund.

What’s needed now is a strong push from farmers, consumer advocates, 
people concerned about corporate influence over our democracy, and 
citizens who want a more fair economy to pull together and make sure 
that the White House rhetoric is matched with administrative and 
congressional action.

The time is now for us to weigh in together and demand a government 
and an economy that works for people instead of multinational 
corporations. Let’s get to work!

Barb Kalbach is a fourth-generation family farmer registered nurse, and board member of Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642441681557.png" alt="Workers in a pork processing plant, 2016. (Photo by USGAO/Wikipedia/Via News From the States)" />
 <figcaption>Workers in a pork processing plant, 2016. (Photo by USGAO/Wikipedia/Via News From the States)</figcaption>
 </figure>By BARB KALBACH <a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2022/01/15/hold-biden-administration-to-its-promises-for-fairer-ag-markets/">Iowa Capital Dispatch</a>Family farmers like me have been 
calling for years for aggressive federal action to break up monopolies 
and make markets more fair.We know what happens when a handful of companies control livestock 
and meatpacking markets: farmers earn a shrinking share of the food 
dollar, farm income declines, and meatpackers earn huge profits. 
Meatpacking corporations then use those profits to gain more control 
over livestock production, either through direct ownership or through 
subcontractors, in a never-ending cycle of corporate concentration and 
consolidation.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Recently, I was pleasantly surprised to see President Biden announce a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/01/03/fact-sheet-the-biden-harris-action-plan-for-a-fairer-more-competitive-and-more-resilient-meat-and-poultry-supply-chain/">new initiative</a>
 to address this problem, one of the biggest facing rural America today.
 The “Administration’s Action Plan for a Fairer, More Competitive, and 
More Resilient Meat and Poultry Supply Chain” includes commitments to 
strengthen antitrust enforcement, provide more resources for legal 
actions when meatpackers break the law, and financial resources for new 
independent meat processing capacity.If these policies are implemented effectively, the outcome would be 
increased competition in the marketplace for farmers and protections for
 consumers from soaring meat prices.The statistics that back up this experience nationally are both 
confirming and alarming. According to the White House, four corporations
 control 85% of the beef market, four packers control around 70% of pork
 processing, and four firms control 54% of the poultry market. The 
farmers’ share of the consumer dollar for cattle producers has declined 
from 60 cents of every dollar 50 years ago to about 39 cents today. 
During the same time period, hog farmers’ share has declined from 
between 40 and 60 cents down to about 19 cents.On my family’s farm in Adair County, we have directly experienced 
that change in livestock industry structure. When my husband and I got 
married nearly 50 years ago, we raised cattle and hogs, as well as hay 
and pasture and oats. Today, we no longer produce livestock since it has
 become unprofitable, and we focus on corn and soybeans. This story is 
the same for hundreds of farm families here in Adair County, and for 
thousands of former livestock farmers throughout Iowa.Rather than the diversified, more decentralized livestock production 
and processing system of the past, multinational corporate power is on 
full display here in Iowa. JBS, Smithfield, Tyson, Cargill, Marfrig 
(National Beef), and others operate both giant meat processing plants 
and livestock production factories in many parts of our state. It’s no 
surprise that concentrated production controlled by meatpacking 
corporations has also resulted in concentrated pollution to air and 
water from livestock and poultry manure.In addition to squeezing family farmers to drive down their operating
 costs, corporate meatpackers are also currently ripping off consumers, 
attempting to blame “rising costs and inflation” for rising meat prices.
 The same White House report, however, states that the latest corporate 
profit reports document a 120% increase in gross profits and a 500% 
increase in net income by meatpacking corporations since before the 
COVID-19 pandemic.I agree with President Biden’s analysis of the situation: “We’ve seen
 too many industries become dominated by a handful of large companies 
that control most of the business and most of the opportunities — 
raising prices and decreasing options for American families, while also 
squeezing out small businesses and entrepreneurs… When dominant 
middlemen control so much of the supply chain, they can increase their 
own profits at the expense of both farmers — who make less — and 
consumers, who pay more.”I also agree that this initiative addresses some key needs, including
 a commitment to issue new, stronger rules under the Packers and 
Stockyards Act, investing millions in federal funding for new 
independent meat processing operations in small towns, and instituting 
additional transparency in livestock markets.President Biden’s recent focus on corporate power in the livestock 
and meatpacking industry is one of those moments when a large group of 
organized people can make meaningful change. The truth is, we have a lot
 of work to do. We have to hold the president, Secretary of Agriculture 
Tom Vilsack and Attorney General Merrick Garland accountable for their 
promises.We also need to push them to address factory farm pollution, as well 
as better pay and protections for meatpacking workers. We need to make 
sure that the meat processing funding truly goes to local, independent 
operations instead of becoming yet another corporate agribusiness slush 
fund.What’s needed now is a strong push from farmers, consumer advocates, 
people concerned about corporate influence over our democracy, and 
citizens who want a more fair economy to pull together and make sure 
that the White House rhetoric is matched with administrative and 
congressional action.The time is now for us to weigh in together and demand a government 
and an economy that works for people instead of multinational 
corporations. Let’s get to work!Barb Kalbach is a fourth-generation family farmer registered nurse, and board member of Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement.

OPINION: Hold Biden administration to promises for fairer ag markets 

TOPEKA (AP) — As the omicron variant rages and fills up hospital beds around the country, Republican governors are highlighting their opposition to restrictions that have marked the COVID-19 pandemic even as they seek to move past it and set their agendas for the year.

The state of the state addresses governors are delivering to kick off their states’ legislative sessions are occurring as COVID-19 hospitalizations surge to their highest levels since the pandemic began in 2020 and soaring infections are disrupting seemingly all aspects of life, from schools to air travel.

Republican governors are using the speeches to rail against the Biden administration’s response, and to tout their opposition to mandates and lockdowns they argue didn’t work to stem the virus.

“These unprecedented policies have been as ineffective as they have been destructive,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-business-health-florida-588121c0f60b628ebf51c4dad9125e5c">Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis</a>, who is eyeing a possible 2024 run for president, said as he took a dig at Dr. Anthony Fauci, the government’s top infectious disease expert. “They are grounded more in blind adherence to Faucian declarations than they are in the constitutional traditions.”

Another potential 2024 GOP presidential hopeful,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-abortion-health-education-south-dakota-9c067fff90cf64efebb64392be470b68">South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem</a>, vowed to push for legislation that she said would protect medical or religious exemptions from vaccine requirements. The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-vaccine-mandate-eb5899ae1fe5b62b6f4d51f54a3cd375">blocked&nbsp;</a>the Biden administration’s rule requiring workers at large businesses to vaccinate or get tested, but kept in place a similar requirement for most health care workers.

“Unvaccinated Americans are still Americans,” Noem said.

In Arizona,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/education-arizona-doug-ducey-border-security-e76cebb6e3b22597a04c94f1fc98c17e">Republican Gov. Doug Ducey</a>&nbsp;complained about “COVID-era posturing and politics of some school board bureaucrats.”

“There’s been too much attention put on masks and not nearly enough placed on math,” Ducey said.

The GOP broadsides against virus restrictions come as governors from both parties have shown&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-pandemics-covid-19-pandemic-south-carolina-60f162f571b33506ce36af1436649445">little appetite</a>&nbsp;for widespread public orders, school closures or business shutdowns. But Democratic governors are highlighting the omicron threat as they seek an infusion of state funds to address the spike in cases.

In California,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-business-gavin-newsom-personal-taxes-dc3aec11f0a693e508c2c0864d722af7">Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom</a>&nbsp;has asked the Legislature for $2.7 billion to expand testing and boost hospital staffing as the state copes with a surge of new patients. Things are so urgent, Newsom said, that he wants lawmakers to give him permission to spend $1.4 billion of that money immediately instead of waiting until the new budget year starts July 1.

“Where are we? Where are we going? And when is this thing behind us now? No one can answer the latter part of that,” Newsom said. “We’re all humbled by this pandemic.”

Another Democrat,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/climate-coronavirus-pandemic-business-health-new-york-ed2181f71ec726ffb2da7f29105e8600">New York Gov. Kathy Hochul</a>, has proposed a $10 billion plan to boost the state’s health care workforce by 20% over the next five years, after the sector suffered high burnout rates during the pandemic.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-health-new-jersey-public-health-51a783e8ab9d5eda666490dfae76fb3d">New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy</a>, a Democrat who won reelection last year, announced he was reinstating a public health emergency he had declared because of the pandemic. Murphy said the order was mostly to continue a mask mandate in schools and daycares. It also preserves a test or vaccination requirement for state workers and health care employees.

“We are all in this together. And we must keep moving forward together,” Murphy said. “But try as it may to knock us back and further divide us, one thing is certain. Omicron has not knocked us down.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-health-education-kansas-55e0f447c769109544b641723cf9e6a6">Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly</a>&nbsp;asked the majority-Republican Legislature in Kansas to keep in place through March orders she has issued that ease state licensing requirements for medical personnel and nursing home workers. She also asked for a freeze on on college tuition, arguing it would help students hurt by the pandemic.

“In every corner of our state, ordinary people continue to do extraordinary things,” Kelly said. “The Kansas spirit of neighbor helping neighbor has never been stronger.”

Even as they rail against vaccine requirements, some Republican governors are still urging holdouts in their state to get vaccinated.

“If you haven’t been vaccinated, I encourage, I plead, I beg of you to speak with your doctor and do so,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-indiana-legislature-812eac904240e223eb184a0da604077e">Indiana’s Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb said</a>. “I say this, even if you’ve disagreed with every position I’ve taken. I want us both to be around to continue those disagreements.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-health-west-virginia-charleston-4a1f5f20b132ca81ec5e24992d69fd9c">West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice</a>&nbsp;canceled his planned appearance before lawmakers to deliver his state of the state speech after testing positive for COVID-19. But the Republican governor still delivered a written speech read by a clerk.

While highlighting his opposition to vaccine requirements, Justice hailed the state’s incentive program that included prizes throughout 2021 to residents who got vaccinated. Justice earlier this month asked the federal government to allow West Virginia to begin offering a fourth dose of the vaccine to certain at-risk residents four months after their first booster shot.

“We will continue to be the light in the dark, until this pandemic is behind us once and for all,” Justice said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642072722391.png" alt="Governor Laura Kelly delivers the 2022 State of the State address -courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Governor Laura Kelly delivers the 2022 State of the State address -courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA (AP) — As the omicron variant rages and fills up hospital beds around the country, Republican governors are highlighting their opposition to restrictions that have marked the COVID-19 pandemic even as they seek to move past it and set their agendas for the year.The state of the state addresses governors are delivering to kick off their states’ legislative sessions are occurring as COVID-19 hospitalizations surge to their highest levels since the pandemic began in 2020 and soaring infections are disrupting seemingly all aspects of life, from schools to air travel.Republican governors are using the speeches to rail against the Biden administration’s response, and to tout their opposition to mandates and lockdowns they argue didn’t work to stem the virus.“These unprecedented policies have been as ineffective as they have been destructive,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-business-health-florida-588121c0f60b628ebf51c4dad9125e5c">Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis</a>, who is eyeing a possible 2024 run for president, said as he took a dig at Dr. Anthony Fauci, the government’s top infectious disease expert. “They are grounded more in blind adherence to Faucian declarations than they are in the constitutional traditions.”Another potential 2024 GOP presidential hopeful,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-abortion-health-education-south-dakota-9c067fff90cf64efebb64392be470b68">South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem</a>, vowed to push for legislation that she said would protect medical or religious exemptions from vaccine requirements. The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-vaccine-mandate-eb5899ae1fe5b62b6f4d51f54a3cd375">blocked&nbsp;</a>the Biden administration’s rule requiring workers at large businesses to vaccinate or get tested, but kept in place a similar requirement for most health care workers.“Unvaccinated Americans are still Americans,” Noem said.In Arizona,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/education-arizona-doug-ducey-border-security-e76cebb6e3b22597a04c94f1fc98c17e">Republican Gov. Doug Ducey</a>&nbsp;complained about “COVID-era posturing and politics of some school board bureaucrats.”“There’s been too much attention put on masks and not nearly enough placed on math,” Ducey said.The GOP broadsides against virus restrictions come as governors from both parties have shown&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-pandemics-covid-19-pandemic-south-carolina-60f162f571b33506ce36af1436649445">little appetite</a>&nbsp;for widespread public orders, school closures or business shutdowns. But Democratic governors are highlighting the omicron threat as they seek an infusion of state funds to address the spike in cases.In California,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-business-gavin-newsom-personal-taxes-dc3aec11f0a693e508c2c0864d722af7">Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom</a>&nbsp;has asked the Legislature for $2.7 billion to expand testing and boost hospital staffing as the state copes with a surge of new patients. Things are so urgent, Newsom said, that he wants lawmakers to give him permission to spend $1.4 billion of that money immediately instead of waiting until the new budget year starts July 1.“Where are we? Where are we going? And when is this thing behind us now? No one can answer the latter part of that,” Newsom said. “We’re all humbled by this pandemic.”Another Democrat,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/climate-coronavirus-pandemic-business-health-new-york-ed2181f71ec726ffb2da7f29105e8600">New York Gov. Kathy Hochul</a>, has proposed a $10 billion plan to boost the state’s health care workforce by 20% over the next five years, after the sector suffered high burnout rates during the pandemic.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-health-new-jersey-public-health-51a783e8ab9d5eda666490dfae76fb3d">New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy</a>, a Democrat who won reelection last year, announced he was reinstating a public health emergency he had declared because of the pandemic. Murphy said the order was mostly to continue a mask mandate in schools and daycares. It also preserves a test or vaccination requirement for state workers and health care employees.“We are all in this together. And we must keep moving forward together,” Murphy said. “But try as it may to knock us back and further divide us, one thing is certain. Omicron has not knocked us down.”<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-health-education-kansas-55e0f447c769109544b641723cf9e6a6">Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly</a>&nbsp;asked the majority-Republican Legislature in Kansas to keep in place through March orders she has issued that ease state licensing requirements for medical personnel and nursing home workers. She also asked for a freeze on on college tuition, arguing it would help students hurt by the pandemic.“In every corner of our state, ordinary people continue to do extraordinary things,” Kelly said. “The Kansas spirit of neighbor helping neighbor has never been stronger.”Even as they rail against vaccine requirements, some Republican governors are still urging holdouts in their state to get vaccinated.“If you haven’t been vaccinated, I encourage, I plead, I beg of you to speak with your doctor and do so,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-indiana-legislature-812eac904240e223eb184a0da604077e">Indiana’s Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb said</a>. “I say this, even if you’ve disagreed with every position I’ve taken. I want us both to be around to continue those disagreements.”<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-health-west-virginia-charleston-4a1f5f20b132ca81ec5e24992d69fd9c">West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice</a>&nbsp;canceled his planned appearance before lawmakers to deliver his state of the state speech after testing positive for COVID-19. But the Republican governor still delivered a written speech read by a clerk.While highlighting his opposition to vaccine requirements, Justice hailed the state’s incentive program that included prizes throughout 2021 to residents who got vaccinated. Justice earlier this month asked the federal government to allow West Virginia to begin offering a fourth dose of the vaccine to certain at-risk residents four months after their first booster shot.“We will continue to be the light in the dark, until this pandemic is behind us once and for all,” Justice said.___

GOP governors slam COVID limits while setting policy agendas

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Kansas City police have identified a man found shot to death inside a vehicle over the weekend.

Maurice Bell, 45, was found Saturday night unresponsive inside a vehicle sitting in the front yard of a home, police said in a news release. Bell died at the scene.

Kansas City police spokesman Sgt. Jake Becchina said investigators believe Bell was shot while he was inside the vehicle before it rolled to a stop in the yard.

No arrests had been announced by Monday morning in the shooting.

The Kansas City Star reported that Bell's death marked the city's third homicide for 2022.

KANSAS CITY(AP) — Kansas City police are investigating the death of a man who was found shot inside a vehicle.

Kansas City police spokesman Sgt. Jake Becchina said gunshots were reported just before 9:30 p.m. Saturday in the 1800 block of East 78th Street, which is near Hickman Mills Drive.

When officers arrived they found a vehicle sitting in the front yard of a home. They found an unresponsive man who had been shot inside the vehicle. He died at the scene.

The victim was not immediately identified.

Becchina said investigators believe the man was shot while inside the vehicle before it rolled to a stop in the yard.

The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article257379522.html">reports&nbsp;</a>that this is the city's third homicide of 2022.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Kansas City police have identified a man found shot to death inside a vehicle over the weekend.Maurice Bell, 45, was found Saturday night unresponsive inside a vehicle sitting in the front yard of a home, police said in a news release. Bell died at the scene.Kansas City police spokesman Sgt. Jake Becchina said investigators believe Bell was shot while he was inside the vehicle before it rolled to a stop in the yard.No arrests had been announced by Monday morning in the shooting.The Kansas City Star reported that Bell's death marked the city's third homicide for 2022.---------------KANSAS CITY(AP) — Kansas City police are investigating the death of a man who was found shot inside a vehicle.Kansas City police spokesman Sgt. Jake Becchina said gunshots were reported just before 9:30 p.m. Saturday in the 1800 block of East 78th Street, which is near Hickman Mills Drive.When officers arrived they found a vehicle sitting in the front yard of a home. They found an unresponsive man who had been shot inside the vehicle. He died at the scene.The victim was not immediately identified.Becchina said investigators believe the man was shot while inside the vehicle before it rolled to a stop in the yard.The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article257379522.html">reports&nbsp;</a>that this is the city's third homicide of 2022.

KC police ID city's third homicide victim of 2022

BEIJING (AP) — Only “selected” spectators will be permitted at next month's Beijing Olympics because of the coronavirus pandemic, organizers said Monday.

Beijing had already announced that no fans from outside the country would be permitted at the events, and had not offered tickets to the general public.

Monday’s announcement posted on the organizing committee’s website confirmed expectations that the Winter Games would have few onlookers at the venues, under even more strict conditions than imposed during last year’s Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

China has largely avoided major virus outbreaks with a regimen of lockdowns, mass testing for COVID-19 and travel restrictions, although it continues to fight surges in several cities, including the port of Tianjin, about an hour from Beijing. The capital itself confirmed over the weekend that a 26-year-old woman had contracted the omicron variant of the virus and has tested more than 13,000 people in search of cases of cross transmission.

BEIJING (AP) — Only “selected” spectators will be permitted at next month's Beijing Olympics because of the coronavirus pandemic, organizers said Monday.Beijing had already announced that no fans from outside the country would be permitted at the events, and had not offered tickets to the general public.Monday’s announcement posted on the organizing committee’s website confirmed expectations that the Winter Games would have few onlookers at the venues, under even more strict conditions than imposed during last year’s Summer Olympics in Tokyo.China has largely avoided major virus outbreaks with a regimen of lockdowns, mass testing for COVID-19 and travel restrictions, although it continues to fight surges in several cities, including the port of Tianjin, about an hour from Beijing. The capital itself confirmed over the weekend that a 26-year-old woman had contracted the omicron variant of the virus and has tested more than 13,000 people in search of cases of cross transmission.In its statement, the organizing committee said its measures were intended to “create a pleasant environment for the holding of the Games."“Given the difficult and complicated work of controlling the epidemic, and to protect the health and safety of those involved with the Games, the original plan of offering tickets to the general public has been altered toward spectators from selected groups," the statement said.