By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina Post

SALINE COUNTY —A Wichita man was arrested after the wrecker he was in was found against a box truck in a Salina church parking lot.

Just after 6 a.m. Wednesday, a Salina police officer noticed a&nbsp;a 2019 Freightliner wrecker owned by Kidd's Towing Service resting against a box truck in the parking lot of Trinity Lutheran Church at S. Ninth Street and W. Crawford Street, according to Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester.

The officer pulled into the parking lot to investigate and allegedly found the driver of the wrecker, Alberto Garcia, 25, of Wichita, passed out in the driver's seat. It appeared that the wrecker had been westbound, crossed S. Ninth Street, entered the church parking lot and struck the box truck.

The wrecker sustained minor front-end damage and the box truck, a 2015 Ford Econoline E350, sustained minor rear-end damage. Officers arrested Garcia on the requested charges of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and careless driving.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641490472116.jpeg" alt="Garcia photo Saline Co." />
 <figcaption>Garcia photo Saline Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina PostSALINE COUNTY —A Wichita man was arrested after the wrecker he was in was found against a box truck in a Salina church parking lot.Just after 6 a.m. Wednesday, a Salina police officer noticed a&nbsp;a 2019 Freightliner wrecker owned by Kidd's Towing Service resting against a box truck in the parking lot of Trinity Lutheran Church at S. Ninth Street and W. Crawford Street, according to Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester.The officer pulled into the parking lot to investigate and allegedly found the driver of the wrecker, Alberto Garcia, 25, of Wichita, passed out in the driver's seat. It appeared that the wrecker had been westbound, crossed S. Ninth Street, entered the church parking lot and struck the box truck.The wrecker sustained minor front-end damage and the box truck, a 2015 Ford Econoline E350, sustained minor rear-end damage. Officers arrested Garcia on the requested charges of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and careless driving.

Kan. tow truck driver jailed for alleged DUI after parking lot crash

TOPEKA&nbsp;– In an effort to continue supporting Kansans as they manage the impacts of COVID-19 and the multiple variants of the virus, the Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) announced the continuation of the emergency food assistance (SNAP) benefits to current participants, according to a media release from DCF.

The extension will increase the maximum monthly benefit for 63,000 households across the state and deliver an additional $14,591,000 per month to Kansas.

“Our goal at DCF is to protect children and strengthen families,” DCF Secretary Laura Howard said. “The extension of the emergency food assistance benefits will help ensure Kansas families continue to have access to healthy groceries and basic necessities.”

The continuance of the emergency allotment is effective through July 31, 2022, or upon the termination of the federal declaration of a Public Health Emergency, whichever occurs sooner. This is the second instance the emergency food assistance benefit has been extended.

No application is necessary to receive the emergency food assistance funds. The distribution will continue to follow the standard alphabetical schedule.

Those who do not currently receive food assistance, but are interested in applying, are encouraged to visit the DCF website at&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAxMDYuNTEzNDMyNTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vd3d3LmRjZi5rcy5nb3YifQ.zDYd4Fnu1GJ6_UQOm6Kbuuuv-DDyA26e0MCAa0EGFaQ/s/1303160919/br/124266211913-l" target="_blank">www.dcf.ks.gov</a>.

Secretary Howard issued the Declaration of Continuing Benefits due to COVID-19 — under K.S.A. 39-708c, et seq. — which directs the agency to continue taking all necessary actions to address the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic throughout the State of Kansas.

TOPEKA&nbsp;– In an effort to continue supporting Kansans as they manage the impacts of COVID-19 and the multiple variants of the virus, the Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) announced the continuation of the emergency food assistance (SNAP) benefits to current participants, according to a media release from DCF.The extension will increase the maximum monthly benefit for 63,000 households across the state and deliver an additional $14,591,000 per month to Kansas.“Our goal at DCF is to protect children and strengthen families,” DCF Secretary Laura Howard said. “The extension of the emergency food assistance benefits will help ensure Kansas families continue to have access to healthy groceries and basic necessities.”The continuance of the emergency allotment is effective through July 31, 2022, or upon the termination of the federal declaration of a Public Health Emergency, whichever occurs sooner. This is the second instance the emergency food assistance benefit has been extended.No application is necessary to receive the emergency food assistance funds. The distribution will continue to follow the standard alphabetical schedule.Those who do not currently receive food assistance, but are interested in applying, are encouraged to visit the DCF website at&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAxMDYuNTEzNDMyNTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vd3d3LmRjZi5rcy5nb3YifQ.zDYd4Fnu1GJ6_UQOm6Kbuuuv-DDyA26e0MCAa0EGFaQ/s/1303160919/br/124266211913-l" target="_blank">www.dcf.ks.gov</a>.Secretary Howard issued the Declaration of Continuing Benefits due to COVID-19 — under K.S.A. 39-708c, et seq. — which directs the agency to continue taking all necessary actions to address the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic throughout the State of Kansas.

Emergency food assistance benefit extended in Kansas

TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly on Thursday signed a State of Disaster Emergency to alleviate healthcare staffing shortages and facilities’ constraints caused by the surge in COVID-19 cases. Governor Kelly also signed executive orders 22-01 and 22-02 which temporarily suspend certain statutes and regulations for adult care homes and certain health care providers.

<a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Gov-Declaration-1.6.22-Executed.pdf">Click&nbsp;here&nbsp;</a>to read state disaster declaration.

“Just as I did at the start of the pandemic, I am again issuing orders to provide our hospitals and nursing homes with the necessary staffing flexibility to keep the residents, patients, and staff safe,”&nbsp;Governor Kelly said.&nbsp;“This disaster declaration provides a 15-day solution to give our front-line health care workers the support they need as they battle this COVID-19 surge. This action is temporary until the legislature returns, at which I time I will work with them to pass legislation to extend my executive orders through the month of March.”

The 15-day disaster declaration activates the state’s disaster response and recovery portions of the Kansas Response Plan. The declaration also allows for the Governor to suspend certain statutes, orders or rules and regulations that prevent, hinder, or delay in any way necessary action in coping with the disaster.

<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAxMDYuNTEzNzkyNDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2dvdmVybm9yLmthbnNhcy5nb3Yvd3AtY29udGVudC91cGxvYWRzLzIwMjIvMDEvRU8tMjItMDEtTWVkaWNhbC1TZXJ2aWNlcy1FeGVjdXRlZC5wZGYifQ.UXsNb_mLTuZuNwb41g2tZNhvzmKX4zgrt13dvLnNFaY/s/1303160919/br/124297796751-l" target="_blank">E.O. 22-01</a>&nbsp;provides temporary relief from certain restrictions and requirements governing the provision of medical services.

<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAxMDYuNTEzNzkyNDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2dvdmVybm9yLmthbnNhcy5nb3Yvd3AtY29udGVudC91cGxvYWRzLzIwMjIvMDEvRU8tMjItMDItTnVyc2luZy1Ib21lcy1FeGVjdXRlZC5wZGYifQ.rrHRd7YcQmpTmISDth2Hpk_AMnQOlJtZWq5_4FF3vOw/s/1303160919/br/124297796751-l" target="_blank">E.O. 22-02</a>&nbsp;relaxes or suspends licensure, certification, and registration for persons and licensure of adult care homes.

“I urge all Kansans to do their part by getting vaccinated and boosted, which will both help prevent COVID-19 transmissions and more severe cases that require hospitalization, and also help in maintaining our critical infrastructure and economy intact”&nbsp;Governor Kelly said.

Kansas is currently experiencing significant increases in COVID-19 cases following the winter holidays and from the new Omicron variant. Medical professionals anticipate that the numbers will worsen throughout the month of January and into early February.&nbsp; Early data indicates that while the Omicron variant causes milder symptoms, it is more transmissible, even amongst vaccinated individuals.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641508454205.png" alt="Gov. Laura Kelly at the Statehouse Thursday after she answered questions on signing the new State of Disaster Emergency-photo courtesy WIBW-TV" />
 <figcaption>Gov. Laura Kelly at the Statehouse Thursday after she answered questions on signing the new State of Disaster Emergency-photo courtesy WIBW-TV</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly on Thursday signed a State of Disaster Emergency to alleviate healthcare staffing shortages and facilities’ constraints caused by the surge in COVID-19 cases. Governor Kelly also signed executive orders 22-01 and 22-02 which temporarily suspend certain statutes and regulations for adult care homes and certain health care providers.<a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Gov-Declaration-1.6.22-Executed.pdf">Click&nbsp;here&nbsp;</a>to read state disaster declaration.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">COVID-19 continues to be a serious threat to the health &amp; safety of Kansans. Today, I issued a 15-day State of Disaster Emergency Declaration and 2 targeted executive orders. The orders are designed to immediately help alleviate the strain felt in our hospitals &amp; nursing homes.&mdash; Governor Laura Kelly (@GovLauraKelly) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovLauraKelly/status/1479223157349302277?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“Just as I did at the start of the pandemic, I am again issuing orders to provide our hospitals and nursing homes with the necessary staffing flexibility to keep the residents, patients, and staff safe,”&nbsp;Governor Kelly said.&nbsp;“This disaster declaration provides a 15-day solution to give our front-line health care workers the support they need as they battle this COVID-19 surge. This action is temporary until the legislature returns, at which I time I will work with them to pass legislation to extend my executive orders through the month of March.”The 15-day disaster declaration activates the state’s disaster response and recovery portions of the Kansas Response Plan. The declaration also allows for the Governor to suspend certain statutes, orders or rules and regulations that prevent, hinder, or delay in any way necessary action in coping with the disaster.<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAxMDYuNTEzNzkyNDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2dvdmVybm9yLmthbnNhcy5nb3Yvd3AtY29udGVudC91cGxvYWRzLzIwMjIvMDEvRU8tMjItMDEtTWVkaWNhbC1TZXJ2aWNlcy1FeGVjdXRlZC5wZGYifQ.UXsNb_mLTuZuNwb41g2tZNhvzmKX4zgrt13dvLnNFaY/s/1303160919/br/124297796751-l" target="_blank">E.O. 22-01</a>&nbsp;provides temporary relief from certain restrictions and requirements governing the provision of medical services.<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAxMDYuNTEzNzkyNDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2dvdmVybm9yLmthbnNhcy5nb3Yvd3AtY29udGVudC91cGxvYWRzLzIwMjIvMDEvRU8tMjItMDItTnVyc2luZy1Ib21lcy1FeGVjdXRlZC5wZGYifQ.rrHRd7YcQmpTmISDth2Hpk_AMnQOlJtZWq5_4FF3vOw/s/1303160919/br/124297796751-l" target="_blank">E.O. 22-02</a>&nbsp;relaxes or suspends licensure, certification, and registration for persons and licensure of adult care homes.“I urge all Kansans to do their part by getting vaccinated and boosted, which will both help prevent COVID-19 transmissions and more severe cases that require hospitalization, and also help in maintaining our critical infrastructure and economy intact”&nbsp;Governor Kelly said.Kansas is currently experiencing significant increases in COVID-19 cases following the winter holidays and from the new Omicron variant. Medical professionals anticipate that the numbers will worsen throughout the month of January and into early February.&nbsp; Early data indicates that while the Omicron variant causes milder symptoms, it is more transmissible, even amongst vaccinated individuals.

Gov. issues disaster emergency to help Kan. medical staff shortages

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden accused Donald Trump and his supporters of holding a “dagger at the throat of democracy” in a forceful speech Thursday marking the anniversary of the deadly breach of the U.S. Capitol. He warned that though it didn’t succeed, the insurrection remains a serious threat to America’s system of government.

(click below to listen to comments from President Biden)

Biden’s criticism was blistering of the defeated president whom he blamed for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-confirm-joe-biden-78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">the attack</a>&nbsp;that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-ap-top-news-coronavirus-pandemic-7153ffc196f746883f57d4d407d38cf0">has fundamentally changed Congress</a>&nbsp;and the nation, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-elections-voting-rights-misinformation-democracy-dab61d6637fb858d84daa33a4f97ec48">raised global concerns about the future of American democracy</a>.

“For the first time in our history, a president not just lost an election, he tried to prevent the peaceful transfer of power as a violent mob breached the Capitol,” Biden said. “You can’t love your country only when you win.”

His voice booming at times, filling the ornate Statuary Hall where rioters had laid siege, the president called on Americans to remember what they saw Jan. 6 with their own eyes: the mob attacking police, breaking windows, a Confederate flag inside the Capitol, gallows erected outside threatening to hang the vice president — all while Trump sat at the White House watching it on TV.

“The former president’s supporters are trying to rewrite history. They want you to see Election Day as the day of insurrection and the riot that took place here on January 6 as a true expression of the will of the people. Can you think of a more twisted way to look at this country, to look at America? I cannot.”

The president’s remarks launched the start of daylong remembrance, drawing a contrast between the truth of what happened and the false narratives that persist about the Capitol assault, including the continued&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-minnesota-presidential-elections-capitol-siege-elections-8d9e92a27a90511bf8f3f7f9540d44c2">refusal by many Republicans to affirm that Biden won</a>&nbsp;the 2020 election.

“We must be absolutely clear about what is true and what is a lie,” he said. “The former president of the United States of America has spread a web of lies about the 2020 election.”

He said: “We are in a battle for the soul of America.”

“I did not seek this fight, brought to this Capitol one year from today. But I will not shrink from it either. I will stand in this breach, I will defend this nation. I will allow no one to place a dagger at the throat of this democracy.”

Republican leaders and lawmakers are largely staying away from the day’s remembrance events, viewing them as overly politicized.

From Florida, Trump dashed off a statement claiming Biden was trying to “further divide America. This political theater is all just a distraction.”

Even among congressional Republicans who condemned the attack in the days afterward, most have stayed loyal to the former president.

“What brazen politicization of January 6 by President Biden,” tweeted Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., a sometimes Trump confidant. Others, including Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, were absent, with a contingent attending the funeral for a former colleague Sen. Johnny Isakson in Georgia.

The division is a stark reminder of the rupture between the two parties, worsening since hundreds of Trump’s supporters violently pushed past police, used their fists and flagpoles to break through the windows of the Capitol and interrupted the certification of Biden’s victory.

Rep. Liz Cheney, chair of the House committee investigating the attack and one of the few GOP lawmakers attending the Capitol ceremonies, warned that “the threat continues.” Trump, she said, “continues to make the same claims that he knows caused violence on January 6.”

“Unfortunately, too many in my own party are embracing the former president, are looking the other way or minimizing the danger,” she told NBC’s “Today.” “That’s how democracies die. We simply cannot let that happen.”

In a bid to inform the public, Democrats investigating the insurrection plan to spend the coming months&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capital-siege-steve-bannon-elections-donald-trump-congress-bab0144274d996171b7160e051b29a75">telling the American people exactly what happened last Jan. 6</a>. But leaders will spend the anniversary appealing to broader patriotic instincts.

Biden and his administration have come under criticism from some in his party for not forcibly explaining to Americans the ways democracy is at risk, or pushing Congress hard enough to pass election and voting rights legislation that is stalled by a filibuster in the Senate.

Barack Obama, the former president, said “nothing is more important” on the anniversary than ensuring the right to vote.

“While the broken windows have been repaired and many of the rioters have been brought to justice, the truth is that our democracy is at greater risk today than it was back then,” Obama said in a statement.

Biden’s address, and that of Vice President Kamala Harris who is leading the administration’s efforts on the voting and elections legislation, appeared as a direct response to critics.

“We must pass voting rights bills,” said Harris, addressing those gathered. “We cannot sit on the sidelines. We must unite in defense of our democracy.”

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, too, is marking the anniversary with a high-minded appeal, telling The Associated Press&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-interview-nancy-pelosi-jan-6-capitol-siege-8daea575e6f2ced931a5abdc4a2a8049">in an interview Wednesday</a>&nbsp;that “democracy won that night,” when Congress returned to the Capitol after the riot and affirmed Biden’s victory.

To honor the anniversary, Pelosi has scheduled a moment of silence in the House, where many members were evacuated and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jan-6-capitol-siege-lawmakers-trauma-04e29724aa6017180259385642c1b990">some were trapped</a>&nbsp;as the rioters tried to break in. She will also deliver private remarks to Hill staff who, as she told AP, stayed to “protect our democracy.”

Later the Democratic leaders will hold a moderated discussion with historians Doris Kearns Goodwin and Jon Meacham; and a session featuring testimonials from members who were there that day. While many lawmakers will be absent due to concerns about COVID-19, several of the events will be livestreamed so they can participate. The Senate also marked the day with a moment of silence and planned speeches.

Biden’s sharp message and the Republicans’ distance from it come as lawmakers are adjusting to the new normal on Capitol Hill — the growing tensions that many worry will result in more violence or, someday, a legitimate election being overturned. Democrats and a handful of Republicans feel a desperate urgency to connect to a public in which some have come to believe Trump’s lies that the election was stolen from him and that the attack wasn’t violent at all.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-riots-donald-trump-only-on-ap-congress-3dc5964a8139ae964f7c5c66798a987d">A new poll</a>&nbsp;from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research showed that 3 in 10 Republicans say the attack was not violent, and about another 3 in 10 say it was somewhat violent. Around two-thirds of Americans described the day as very or extremely violent, including about 9 in 10 Democrats.

As Biden is prepared to direct blame toward the former president, the percentage of Americans who blame Trump for the Jan. 6 riot has grown slightly over the past year, with 57% saying he bears significant responsibility for what took place.

In an AP-NORC poll taken in the days after the attack, 50% said that.

Trump’s claims of widespread election fraud were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-courts-election-results-e1297d874f45d2b14bc99c403abd0457">rejected by the courts</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/barr-no-widespread-election-fraud-b1f1488796c9a98c4b1a9061a6c7f49d">refuted by his own Justice Department</a>.

An&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voter-fraud-election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-7fcb6f134e528fee8237c7601db3328f">investigation by the AP</a>&nbsp;found fewer than 475 cases of voter fraud among 25.5 million ballots cast in the six battleground states disputed by Trump, a minuscule number in percentage terms.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641478216460.png" alt="President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris entered Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol to mark the one year anniversary of the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol by supporters loyal to then-President Donald Trump.-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris entered Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol to mark the one year anniversary of the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol by supporters loyal to then-President Donald Trump.-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden accused Donald Trump and his supporters of holding a “dagger at the throat of democracy” in a forceful speech Thursday marking the anniversary of the deadly breach of the U.S. Capitol. He warned that though it didn’t succeed, the insurrection remains a serious threat to America’s system of government.(click below to listen to comments from President Biden)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F1330427914069423%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=590" 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>Biden’s criticism was blistering of the defeated president whom he blamed for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-confirm-joe-biden-78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">the attack</a>&nbsp;that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-ap-top-news-coronavirus-pandemic-7153ffc196f746883f57d4d407d38cf0">has fundamentally changed Congress</a>&nbsp;and the nation, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-elections-voting-rights-misinformation-democracy-dab61d6637fb858d84daa33a4f97ec48">raised global concerns about the future of American democracy</a>.“For the first time in our history, a president not just lost an election, he tried to prevent the peaceful transfer of power as a violent mob breached the Capitol,” Biden said. “You can’t love your country only when you win.”His voice booming at times, filling the ornate Statuary Hall where rioters had laid siege, the president called on Americans to remember what they saw Jan. 6 with their own eyes: the mob attacking police, breaking windows, a Confederate flag inside the Capitol, gallows erected outside threatening to hang the vice president — all while Trump sat at the White House watching it on TV.“The former president’s supporters are trying to rewrite history. They want you to see Election Day as the day of insurrection and the riot that took place here on January 6 as a true expression of the will of the people. Can you think of a more twisted way to look at this country, to look at America? I cannot.”The president’s remarks launched the start of daylong remembrance, drawing a contrast between the truth of what happened and the false narratives that persist about the Capitol assault, including the continued&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-minnesota-presidential-elections-capitol-siege-elections-8d9e92a27a90511bf8f3f7f9540d44c2">refusal by many Republicans to affirm that Biden won</a>&nbsp;the 2020 election.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641479098818.png" alt="“We must be absolutely clear about what is true and what is a lie. Here’s the truth,” he said. “The former president of the United States of America has spread a web of lies about the 2020 election.”-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>“We must be absolutely clear about what is true and what is a lie. Here’s the truth,” he said. “The former president of the United States of America has spread a web of lies about the 2020 election.”-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>“We must be absolutely clear about what is true and what is a lie,” he said. “The former president of the United States of America has spread a web of lies about the 2020 election.”He said: “We are in a battle for the soul of America.”“I did not seek this fight, brought to this Capitol one year from today. But I will not shrink from it either. I will stand in this breach, I will defend this nation. I will allow no one to place a dagger at the throat of this democracy.”Republican leaders and lawmakers are largely staying away from the day’s remembrance events, viewing them as overly politicized.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641485411291.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>From Florida, Trump dashed off a statement claiming Biden was trying to “further divide America. This political theater is all just a distraction.”Even among congressional Republicans who condemned the attack in the days afterward, most have stayed loyal to the former president.“What brazen politicization of January 6 by President Biden,” tweeted Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., a sometimes Trump confidant. Others, including Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, were absent, with a contingent attending the funeral for a former colleague Sen. Johnny Isakson in Georgia.The division is a stark reminder of the rupture between the two parties, worsening since hundreds of Trump’s supporters violently pushed past police, used their fists and flagpoles to break through the windows of the Capitol and interrupted the certification of Biden’s victory.Rep. Liz Cheney, chair of the House committee investigating the attack and one of the few GOP lawmakers attending the Capitol ceremonies, warned that “the threat continues.” Trump, she said, “continues to make the same claims that he knows caused violence on January 6.”“Unfortunately, too many in my own party are embracing the former president, are looking the other way or minimizing the danger,” she told NBC’s “Today.” “That’s how democracies die. We simply cannot let that happen.”In a bid to inform the public, Democrats investigating the insurrection plan to spend the coming months&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capital-siege-steve-bannon-elections-donald-trump-congress-bab0144274d996171b7160e051b29a75">telling the American people exactly what happened last Jan. 6</a>. But leaders will spend the anniversary appealing to broader patriotic instincts.Biden and his administration have come under criticism from some in his party for not forcibly explaining to Americans the ways democracy is at risk, or pushing Congress hard enough to pass election and voting rights legislation that is stalled by a filibuster in the Senate.Barack Obama, the former president, said “nothing is more important” on the anniversary than ensuring the right to vote.“While the broken windows have been repaired and many of the rioters have been brought to justice, the truth is that our democracy is at greater risk today than it was back then,” Obama said in a statement.Biden’s address, and that of Vice President Kamala Harris who is leading the administration’s efforts on the voting and elections legislation, appeared as a direct response to critics.“We must pass voting rights bills,” said Harris, addressing those gathered. “We cannot sit on the sidelines. We must unite in defense of our democracy.”House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, too, is marking the anniversary with a high-minded appeal, telling The Associated Press&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-interview-nancy-pelosi-jan-6-capitol-siege-8daea575e6f2ced931a5abdc4a2a8049">in an interview Wednesday</a>&nbsp;that “democracy won that night,” when Congress returned to the Capitol after the riot and affirmed Biden’s victory.To honor the anniversary, Pelosi has scheduled a moment of silence in the House, where many members were evacuated and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jan-6-capitol-siege-lawmakers-trauma-04e29724aa6017180259385642c1b990">some were trapped</a>&nbsp;as the rioters tried to break in. She will also deliver private remarks to Hill staff who, as she told AP, stayed to “protect our democracy.”Later the Democratic leaders will hold a moderated discussion with historians Doris Kearns Goodwin and Jon Meacham; and a session featuring testimonials from members who were there that day. While many lawmakers will be absent due to concerns about COVID-19, several of the events will be livestreamed so they can participate. The Senate also marked the day with a moment of silence and planned speeches.Biden’s sharp message and the Republicans’ distance from it come as lawmakers are adjusting to the new normal on Capitol Hill — the growing tensions that many worry will result in more violence or, someday, a legitimate election being overturned. Democrats and a handful of Republicans feel a desperate urgency to connect to a public in which some have come to believe Trump’s lies that the election was stolen from him and that the attack wasn’t violent at all.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-riots-donald-trump-only-on-ap-congress-3dc5964a8139ae964f7c5c66798a987d">A new poll</a>&nbsp;from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research showed that 3 in 10 Republicans say the attack was not violent, and about another 3 in 10 say it was somewhat violent. Around two-thirds of Americans described the day as very or extremely violent, including about 9 in 10 Democrats.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641479071719.png" alt="“Here is the God’s truth about Jan. 6, 2021,” Biden said. ”They were looking to subvert the Constitution.”-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>“Here is the God’s truth about Jan. 6, 2021,” Biden said. ”They were looking to subvert the Constitution.”-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>As Biden is prepared to direct blame toward the former president, the percentage of Americans who blame Trump for the Jan. 6 riot has grown slightly over the past year, with 57% saying he bears significant responsibility for what took place.In an AP-NORC poll taken in the days after the attack, 50% said that.Trump’s claims of widespread election fraud were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-courts-election-results-e1297d874f45d2b14bc99c403abd0457">rejected by the courts</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/barr-no-widespread-election-fraud-b1f1488796c9a98c4b1a9061a6c7f49d">refuted by his own Justice Department</a>.An&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voter-fraud-election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-7fcb6f134e528fee8237c7601db3328f">investigation by the AP</a>&nbsp;found fewer than 475 cases of voter fraud among 25.5 million ballots cast in the six battleground states disputed by Trump, a minuscule number in percentage terms.___

🎥 Biden condemns Trump on anniversary of Capitol riots

JACKSON COUNTY—Two men escaped a burning vehicle following a&nbsp; rollover accident on Kansas Highway 16&nbsp;near 198th Road west of Denison on Thursday.&nbsp;

Just after 8:30a.m.,&nbsp; deputies responded to the report of an injury accident with two people entrapped and on fire west of Denison, according to Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse,&nbsp;

First responders including the Holton Fire Department, Jackson County EMS and Jackson County deputies found the pickup truck was fully engulfed with flames. 

Both men had been trapped in the vehicle when a passerby stopped and helped remove the windshield, rescuing both men. 

 One man was transported by EMS to Holton Community Hospital and with what appeared to be non-life-threatening injuries, according to Morse. The other man was treated on scene and refused further treatment.

The sheriff did not release the names of the victims or additional details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641489839235.png" alt="Both men had been trapped in the vehicle when a passerby stopped and helped remove the windshield, rescuing both men-photo Jackson Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Both men had been trapped in the vehicle when a passerby stopped and helped remove the windshield, rescuing both men-photo Jackson Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY—Two men escaped a burning vehicle following a&nbsp; rollover accident on Kansas Highway 16&nbsp;near 198th Road west of Denison on Thursday.&nbsp;Just after 8:30a.m.,&nbsp; deputies responded to the report of an injury accident with two people entrapped and on fire west of Denison, according to Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse,&nbsp;First responders including the Holton Fire Department, Jackson County EMS and Jackson County deputies found the pickup truck was fully engulfed with flames. Both men had been trapped in the vehicle when a passerby stopped and helped remove the windshield, rescuing both men. One man was transported by EMS to Holton Community Hospital and with what appeared to be non-life-threatening injuries, according to Morse. The other man was treated on scene and refused further treatment.The sheriff did not release the names of the victims or additional details.

2 rescued from burning truck after rollover crash on Kan. highway

SHAWNEE COUNTY– Law enforcement authorities are investigating&nbsp;a domestic disturbance and have a suspect in custody on requested federal charges.

Just before 6 a.m. Tuesday, the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center received multiple 911 calls about a domestic disturbance in the 100 block of SE Croco Road in Topeka, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.&nbsp;

 A 21-year-old man later identified as 21-year-old Dylan R. Wymore of Topeka was allegedly under the influence and threatening to kill family members, burn the house down and kill any law enforcement officers who responded. 

Deputies arrived on scene, spoke with witnesses and took Wymore into custody.

He was booked into the Shawnee County Department on multiple requested counts of battery on a law enforcement officer, assault of a law enforcement officer, endangering a child, aggravated criminal threat, domestic battery, battery, criminal damage and interference with law enforcement, according to Christian.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641397242911.png" alt="Wymore-photo Shawnee&nbsp; Co." />
 <figcaption>Wymore-photo Shawnee&nbsp; Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY– Law enforcement authorities are investigating&nbsp;a domestic disturbance and have a suspect in custody on requested federal charges.Just before 6 a.m. Tuesday, the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center received multiple 911 calls about a domestic disturbance in the 100 block of SE Croco Road in Topeka, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.&nbsp; A 21-year-old man later identified as 21-year-old Dylan R. Wymore of Topeka was allegedly under the influence and threatening to kill family members, burn the house down and kill any law enforcement officers who responded. Deputies arrived on scene, spoke with witnesses and took Wymore into custody.He was booked into the Shawnee County Department on multiple requested counts of battery on a law enforcement officer, assault of a law enforcement officer, endangering a child, aggravated criminal threat, domestic battery, battery, criminal damage and interference with law enforcement, according to Christian.

Sheriff: Kan. man jailed after he threatened family, deputies

RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating an accidental shooting in Manhattan.

Just after 11:45p.m. Wednesday, police responded to the report of a medical call in the 300 block of N. 5th Street in Manhattan, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.

First responders found a 29-year-old man at the residence suffering from a gunshot wound to the hand. 

It was determined he accidentally shot his gun while cleaning it in his home. He was transported to Via Christi for treatment of his hand injury.

Police released no additional details early Thursday.

RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating an accidental shooting in Manhattan.Just after 11:45p.m. Wednesday, police responded to the report of a medical call in the 300 block of N. 5th Street in Manhattan, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.First responders found a 29-year-old man at the residence suffering from a gunshot wound to the hand. It was determined he accidentally shot his gun while cleaning it in his home. He was transported to Via Christi for treatment of his hand injury.Police released no additional details early Thursday.

Kan. man hospitalized after he shot himself while cleaning a gun

WASHINGTON (AP) — Attorney General Merrick Garland on Wednesday vowed to hold accountable anyone who was responsible for last year’s insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, whether they were physically there or not.

<a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/speech/attorney-general-merrick-b-garland-delivers-remarks-first-anniversary-attack-capitol">In a speech to Justice </a>Department employees, Garland said prosecutors remained “committed to holding all January 6th perpetrators, at any level, accountable under law.”

His remarks come just shy of the one-year anniversary of the attack on the Capitol and as the Justice Department has faced increased pressure from some Democrats to focus more on actions that may have inspired the thousands of pro-Trump rioters to storm the building.

“We will follow the facts wherever they lead,” Garland said in his speech. “The actions we have taken thus far will not be our last.”

The investigation into the attack on the Capitol is the largest in the Justice Department’s history. So far, more than 700 people have been arrested and 350 others are still being sought by the FBI, including 250 of whom are accused of assaulting police officers.

Garland also detailed the serious assaults on law enforcement officers, describing in detail how officers were beaten and shocked with stun guns. During January’s riot, one officer was beaten and shocked with a stun gun repeatedly until he had a heart attack; another was foaming at the mouth and screaming for help as rioters crushed him between two doors and bashed him in the head with his own weapon.

“Those involved must be held accountable, and there is no higher priority for us at the Department of Justice,” Garland said.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Attorney General Merrick Garland on Wednesday vowed to hold accountable anyone who was responsible for last year’s insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, whether they were physically there or not.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FDOJ%2Fvideos%2F306414498092634%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=63" 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><a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/speech/attorney-general-merrick-b-garland-delivers-remarks-first-anniversary-attack-capitol">In a speech to Justice </a>Department employees, Garland said prosecutors remained “committed to holding all January 6th perpetrators, at any level, accountable under law.”His remarks come just shy of the one-year anniversary of the attack on the Capitol and as the Justice Department has faced increased pressure from some Democrats to focus more on actions that may have inspired the thousands of pro-Trump rioters to storm the building.“We will follow the facts wherever they lead,” Garland said in his speech. “The actions we have taken thus far will not be our last.”The investigation into the attack on the Capitol is the largest in the Justice Department’s history. So far, more than 700 people have been arrested and 350 others are still being sought by the FBI, including 250 of whom are accused of assaulting police officers.Garland also detailed the serious assaults on law enforcement officers, describing in detail how officers were beaten and shocked with stun guns. During January’s riot, one officer was beaten and shocked with a stun gun repeatedly until he had a heart attack; another was foaming at the mouth and screaming for help as rioters crushed him between two doors and bashed him in the head with his own weapon.“Those involved must be held accountable, and there is no higher priority for us at the Department of Justice,” Garland said.

🎥 AG: All Jan. 6 perpetrators at any level will be held accountable 

By LAURAN NEERGAARD and MIKE STOBBE, Associated Press

The U.S. is urging that everyone 12 and older get a COVID-19 booster as soon as they're eligible, to help fight back the hugely contagious omicron mutant that's ripping through the country.

Boosters already were encouraged for all Americans 16 and older, but Wednesday the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention endorsed an extra Pfizer shot for younger teens — those 12 to 15 — and strengthened its recommendation that 16- and 17-year-olds get it, too.

“It is critical that we protect our children and teens from COVID-19 infection and the complications of severe disease," Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the CDC’s director, said in a statement Wednesday night.

"This booster dose will provide optimized protection against COVID-19 and the Omicron variant. I encourage all parents to keep their children up to date with CDC’s COVID-19 vaccine recommendations,” she said.

Vaccines still offer strong protection against serious illness from any type of COVID-19, including omicron — what experts say is their most important benefit. But the newest mutant can slip past a layer of the vaccines' protection to cause milder infections. Studies show a booster dose at least temporarily revs up virus-fighting antibodies to levels that offer the best chance at avoiding symptomatic infection, even from omicron.

Earlier Wednesday, the CDC's independent scientific advisers wrestled with whether a booster should be an option for younger teens, who tend not to get as sick from COVID-19 as adults, or more strongly recommended.

Giving teens a booster for a temporary jump in protection against infections is like playing whack-a-mole, cautioned CDC adviser Dr. Sarah Long of Drexel University. But she said the extra shot was worth it to help push back the omicron mutant and shield kids from the missed school and other problems that come with even a very mild case of COVID-19.

More important, if a child with a mild infection spreads it to a more vulnerable parent or grandparent who then dies, the impact “is absolutely crushing,” said panelist Dr. Camille Kotton of Massachusetts General Hospital.

“Let’s whack this one down,” agreed Dr. Jamie Loehr of Cayuga Family Medicine in Ithaca, New York.

The vaccine made by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech is the only option for American children of any age. The CDC says about 13.5 million children ages 12 to 17 — slightly more than half of that age group — have received two Pfizer shots. Boosters were opened to the 16- and 17-year-olds last month.

Wednesday's decision means about 5 million of the younger teens who had their last shot in the spring are eligible for a booster right away. New U.S. guidelines say anyone who received two Pfizer vaccinations and is eligible for a booster can get it five months after their last shot, rather than the six months previously recommended.

But one committee member, Dr. Helen Keipp Talbot of Vanderbilt University, worried that such a strong recommendation for teen boosters would distract from getting shots into the arms of kids who have not been vaccinated at all.

The advisers saw U.S. data making clear that symptomatic COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are between seven and 11 times higher in unvaccinated adolescents than vaccinated ones.

While children do tend to suffer less serious illness from COVID-19 than adults, child hospitalizations are rising during the omicron wave -- the vast majority of them unvaccinated.

During the public comment part of Wednesday's meeting, Dr. Julie Boom of Texas Children's Hospital said a booster recommendation for younger teens “cannot come soon enough.”

The chief safety question for adolescents is a rare side effect called myocarditis, a type of heart inflammation seen mostly in younger men and teen boys who get either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines. The vast majority of cases are mild — far milder than the heart inflammation COVID-19 can cause — and they seem to peak in older teens, those 16 and 17.

The FDA decided a booster dose was as safe for the younger teens as the older ones based largely on data from 6,300 12- to 15-year-olds in Israel who got a Pfizer booster five months after their second dose. Israeli officials said Wednesday that they've seen two cases of mild myocarditis in this age group after giving more boosters, 40,000.

Earlier this week, FDA vaccine chief Dr. Peter Marks said the side effect occurs in about 1 in 10,000 men and boys ages 16 to 30 after their second shot. But he said a third dose appears less risky, by about a third, probably because more time has passed before the booster than between the first two shots.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641436737958.png" alt="“It is critical that we protect our children and teens from COVID-19 infection and the complications of severe disease," Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the CDC’s director, said in a statement Wednesday night.-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>“It is critical that we protect our children and teens from COVID-19 infection and the complications of severe disease," Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the CDC’s director, said in a statement Wednesday night.-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By LAURAN NEERGAARD and MIKE STOBBE, Associated PressThe U.S. is urging that everyone 12 and older get a COVID-19 booster as soon as they're eligible, to help fight back the hugely contagious omicron mutant that's ripping through the country.Boosters already were encouraged for all Americans 16 and older, but Wednesday the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention endorsed an extra Pfizer shot for younger teens — those 12 to 15 — and strengthened its recommendation that 16- and 17-year-olds get it, too.“It is critical that we protect our children and teens from COVID-19 infection and the complications of severe disease," Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the CDC’s director, said in a statement Wednesday night."This booster dose will provide optimized protection against COVID-19 and the Omicron variant. I encourage all parents to keep their children up to date with CDC’s COVID-19 vaccine recommendations,” she said.Vaccines still offer strong protection against serious illness from any type of COVID-19, including omicron — what experts say is their most important benefit. But the newest mutant can slip past a layer of the vaccines' protection to cause milder infections. Studies show a booster dose at least temporarily revs up virus-fighting antibodies to levels that offer the best chance at avoiding symptomatic infection, even from omicron.Earlier Wednesday, the CDC's independent scientific advisers wrestled with whether a booster should be an option for younger teens, who tend not to get as sick from COVID-19 as adults, or more strongly recommended.Giving teens a booster for a temporary jump in protection against infections is like playing whack-a-mole, cautioned CDC adviser Dr. Sarah Long of Drexel University. But she said the extra shot was worth it to help push back the omicron mutant and shield kids from the missed school and other problems that come with even a very mild case of COVID-19.More important, if a child with a mild infection spreads it to a more vulnerable parent or grandparent who then dies, the impact “is absolutely crushing,” said panelist Dr. Camille Kotton of Massachusetts General Hospital.“Let’s whack this one down,” agreed Dr. Jamie Loehr of Cayuga Family Medicine in Ithaca, New York.The vaccine made by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech is the only option for American children of any age. The CDC says about 13.5 million children ages 12 to 17 — slightly more than half of that age group — have received two Pfizer shots. Boosters were opened to the 16- and 17-year-olds last month.Wednesday's decision means about 5 million of the younger teens who had their last shot in the spring are eligible for a booster right away. New U.S. guidelines say anyone who received two Pfizer vaccinations and is eligible for a booster can get it five months after their last shot, rather than the six months previously recommended.But one committee member, Dr. Helen Keipp Talbot of Vanderbilt University, worried that such a strong recommendation for teen boosters would distract from getting shots into the arms of kids who have not been vaccinated at all.The advisers saw U.S. data making clear that symptomatic COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are between seven and 11 times higher in unvaccinated adolescents than vaccinated ones.While children do tend to suffer less serious illness from COVID-19 than adults, child hospitalizations are rising during the omicron wave -- the vast majority of them unvaccinated.During the public comment part of Wednesday's meeting, Dr. Julie Boom of Texas Children's Hospital said a booster recommendation for younger teens “cannot come soon enough.”The chief safety question for adolescents is a rare side effect called myocarditis, a type of heart inflammation seen mostly in younger men and teen boys who get either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines. The vast majority of cases are mild — far milder than the heart inflammation COVID-19 can cause — and they seem to peak in older teens, those 16 and 17.The FDA decided a booster dose was as safe for the younger teens as the older ones based largely on data from 6,300 12- to 15-year-olds in Israel who got a Pfizer booster five months after their second dose. Israeli officials said Wednesday that they've seen two cases of mild myocarditis in this age group after giving more boosters, 40,000.Earlier this week, FDA vaccine chief Dr. Peter Marks said the side effect occurs in about 1 in 10,000 men and boys ages 16 to 30 after their second shot. But he said a third dose appears less risky, by about a third, probably because more time has passed before the booster than between the first two shots.

CDC now urges COVID boosters starting at age 12 to fight omicron

The
 Federal Trade Commission has adjusted the maximum civil penalty dollar 
amounts for violations of 16 provisions of law the agency enforces, as 
required by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act 
Improvements Act of 2015.

The Act directs agencies to implement 
annual inflation adjustments based on a prescribed formula. The new 
maximum civil penalty amounts will take effect once they are published 
in the Federal Register. 

The maximum civil penalty amount has 
increased from $43,792 to $46,517 for violations of Sections 5(l), 
5(m)(1)(A), and 5(m)(1)(B) of the FTC Act, 7A(g)(l) of the Clayton Act 
and Section 525(b) of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act. It has 
increased from $576 to $612 for violations of Section 10 of the FTC Act.
 The maximum civil penalty amount has increased from $1,246,249 to 
$1,323,791 for violations of Section 814(a) of the Energy Independence 
and Security Act of 2007. The maximum civil penalty amounts for other 
law violations within the agency’s jurisdiction are listed in the <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/policy/federal-register-notices/adjustments-civil-penalty-amounts">Federal Register notice</a>.

The Commission voted 4-0 to publish the Federal Register notice amending Commission Rule 1.98.

The Federal Trade Commission works to <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/about-ftc/bureaus-offices/bureau-competition">promote competition</a>, and <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/about-ftc/bureaus-offices/bureau-consumer-protection">protect and educate consumers</a>. You can&nbsp;<a href="https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/">learn more about consumer topics</a>&nbsp;and file a <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/complaint">consumer complaint online</a> or by calling 1-877-FTC-HELP (382-4357). For the latest news and resources, <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 our <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>FTCThe
 Federal Trade Commission has adjusted the maximum civil penalty dollar 
amounts for violations of 16 provisions of law the agency enforces, as 
required by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act 
Improvements Act of 2015.The Act directs agencies to implement 
annual inflation adjustments based on a prescribed formula. The new 
maximum civil penalty amounts will take effect once they are published 
in the Federal Register. The maximum civil penalty amount has 
increased from $43,792 to $46,517 for violations of Sections 5(l), 
5(m)(1)(A), and 5(m)(1)(B) of the FTC Act, 7A(g)(l) of the Clayton Act 
and Section 525(b) of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act. It has 
increased from $576 to $612 for violations of Section 10 of the FTC Act.
 The maximum civil penalty amount has increased from $1,246,249 to 
$1,323,791 for violations of Section 814(a) of the Energy Independence 
and Security Act of 2007. The maximum civil penalty amounts for other 
law violations within the agency’s jurisdiction are listed in the <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/policy/federal-register-notices/adjustments-civil-penalty-amounts">Federal Register notice</a>.The Commission voted 4-0 to publish the Federal Register notice amending Commission Rule 1.98.The Federal Trade Commission works to <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/about-ftc/bureaus-offices/bureau-competition">promote competition</a>, and <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/about-ftc/bureaus-offices/bureau-consumer-protection">protect and educate consumers</a>. You can&nbsp;<a href="https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/">learn more about consumer topics</a>&nbsp;and file a <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/complaint">consumer complaint online</a> or by calling 1-877-FTC-HELP (382-4357). For the latest news and resources, <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 our <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/blogs">blogs</a>.Cover image courtesy Pixabay

 FTC announces increases to maximum penalty amounts

KANSAS CITY, Mo . (AP) — The parents of one of three people killed in a crash with a Kansas City firetruck are suing the city, the fire department and the firetruck's driver.

Michael Elwood, 25, was one of three people who died in the Dec. 15 crash in the Westport entertainment district.

The truck, with lights and sirens on, collided with a Honda SRV and the vehicles then hit a pedestrian before slamming into a building, police said.

Elwood’s parents, Russell and Barbara Elwood, submitted the wrongful death lawsuit for filing Wednesday. Jennifer San Nicolas, 41, and Elwood, who were in the Honda, were killed, as was the pedestrian, Tami Knight, 41. All were from Kansas City.

The building the pumper struck houses office spaces but it was unoccupied at the time. No firefighters were injured.

In their lawsuit, Elwood’s parents contend the firetruck's driver was negligent, not properly trained and too inexperienced to safely operate the truck. A spokesman for the fire department said he could not comment on the pending litigation.

Kansas City police have not yet released its findings from the crash investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639665850854.png" alt="The crash happened just before 10:30 p.m. Dec. 15, as the firetruck headed to an emergency call with its lights and siren on-photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>The crash happened just before 10:30 p.m. Dec. 15, as the firetruck headed to an emergency call with its lights and siren on-photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo . (AP) — The parents of one of three people killed in a crash with a Kansas City firetruck are suing the city, the fire department and the firetruck's driver.Michael Elwood, 25, was one of three people who died in the Dec. 15 crash in the Westport entertainment district.The truck, with lights and sirens on, collided with a Honda SRV and the vehicles then hit a pedestrian before slamming into a building, police said.Elwood’s parents, Russell and Barbara Elwood, submitted the wrongful death lawsuit for filing Wednesday. Jennifer San Nicolas, 41, and Elwood, who were in the Honda, were killed, as was the pedestrian, Tami Knight, 41. All were from Kansas City.The building the pumper struck houses office spaces but it was unoccupied at the time. No firefighters were injured.In their lawsuit, Elwood’s parents contend the firetruck's driver was negligent, not properly trained and too inexperienced to safely operate the truck. A spokesman for the fire department said he could not comment on the pending litigation.Kansas City police have not yet released its findings from the crash investigation.

Parents sue Kansas City Fire Department after fatal crash

KAY COUNTY, OK. —Two from&nbsp; Kansas died in an accident just after 4:30a.m. Tuesday in Kay County Oklahoma.

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol reported a 2016 Nissan Sentra driven by Xavier Mitchell, 22, of Salina, was northbound on interstate 35 just south of Tonkawa. The Nissan traveled off the right side of the road into a barrier wall.

After impact, the car struck a 2021 Chevy Silverado driven by a 57-year-old man from Oklahoma City, a Ford van driven by a 35-year-old woman from Spencer, Oklahoma, and a Kenworth semi driven by a 55-year-old man from Oklahoma City.&nbsp;

Mitchell and a passenger in the Sentra identified as 21-year-old Kyra Ray of Salina, were pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp;

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol did not report seat belt usage information.&nbsp; The crash remains under investigation.

KAY COUNTY, OK. —Two from&nbsp; Kansas died in an accident just after 4:30a.m. Tuesday in Kay County Oklahoma.The Oklahoma Highway Patrol reported a 2016 Nissan Sentra driven by Xavier Mitchell, 22, of Salina, was northbound on interstate 35 just south of Tonkawa. The Nissan traveled off the right side of the road into a barrier wall.After impact, the car struck a 2021 Chevy Silverado driven by a 57-year-old man from Oklahoma City, a Ford van driven by a 35-year-old woman from Spencer, Oklahoma, and a Kenworth semi driven by a 55-year-old man from Oklahoma City.&nbsp;Mitchell and a passenger in the Sentra identified as 21-year-old Kyra Ray of Salina, were pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp;The Oklahoma Highway Patrol did not report seat belt usage information.&nbsp; The crash remains under investigation.

2 from Kansas die after 4-vehicle crash in Oklahoma

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a series of burglaries and have two juvenile suspects in custody.

Just after 2:00 a.m. Tuesday, police responded to the 4000 block of SW 28th Street in Topeka on a report of a shots fired call, according to Lt. Manuel Munoz.

Upon their arrival, it was discovered that a victim saw someone prowling around his property. The victim went outside to investigate and was confronted by two suspects, one of which fired a firearm at him. Officers were able to locate two individuals in the area and attempted to stop them. Both fled and attempted to break into an occupied residence in the area, but were unsuccessful.

 Both suspects then fled again across the Shunga Creek and were taken into custody on the other side by the officers. Both suspects are juveniles and were taken to a local hospital for exposure, treated and released. The victim was not injured in this incident. 

During the investigation, officers located several cars in the area had been burglarized. In one of those burglaries, one of the suspects stole a firearm that was left in the vehicle. Officers believe that was the firearm that was used to assault the initial victim. The firearm was later located after an extensive search.

Police booked both boys into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges that include Aggravated Assault, Aggravated Burglary, Burglary, Theft and Possession of Stolen Property, according to Munoz.

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a series of burglaries and have two juvenile suspects in custody.Just after 2:00 a.m. Tuesday, police responded to the 4000 block of SW 28th Street in Topeka on a report of a shots fired call, according to Lt. Manuel Munoz.Upon their arrival, it was discovered that a victim saw someone prowling around his property. The victim went outside to investigate and was confronted by two suspects, one of which fired a firearm at him. Officers were able to locate two individuals in the area and attempted to stop them. Both fled and attempted to break into an occupied residence in the area, but were unsuccessful. Both suspects then fled again across the Shunga Creek and were taken into custody on the other side by the officers. Both suspects are juveniles and were taken to a local hospital for exposure, treated and released. The victim was not injured in this incident. During the investigation, officers located several cars in the area had been burglarized. In one of those burglaries, one of the suspects stole a firearm that was left in the vehicle. Officers believe that was the firearm that was used to assault the initial victim. The firearm was later located after an extensive search.Police booked both boys into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges that include Aggravated Assault, Aggravated Burglary, Burglary, Theft and Possession of Stolen Property, according to Munoz.

Police: Juvenile burglary suspect fired gun at homeowner 

PAWNEE COUNTY — Formal charges were filed Wednesday afternoon against Emilia Melinda Brown, 38 of Ulysses, in connection with the Monday night escape of Isaac Nathaniel Watts, 43 of Ulysses, from the Crisis Stabilization Unit on the Campus of Larned State Hospital, according to Pawnee County Attorney Doug McNett.

Just after 11a.m. Tuesday, the Garden City Police Department arrested Watts and Brown at the Hampton Inn,&nbsp;2505 Crestway Drive in Garden City.

Brown is charged with Aiding Escape, a severity level 7 nonperson felony. Bond has been set at $15,000 cash or surety. She remains in the custody of Finney County Detention Center. Arrangements are being made to by the Pawnee County Sheriff’s Office to transport her to the Pawnee County Jail.

The Complaint alleges she provided transportation for Watts from the Larned State Hospital campus. At the time of the escape, Watts was subject to a hold by the Grant County Sheriff for felony charges that included Attempted Second Degree Murder and Aggravated Kidnapping.

Watts will be formally charged with Aggravated Escape from Custody once the law enforcement investigation is completed. The investigation is being handled by the Pawnee County Sheriff’s Office, according to McNett.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641423652635.png" alt="Watts-photo Finney Co." />
 <figcaption>Watts-photo Finney Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>PAWNEE COUNTY — Formal charges were filed Wednesday afternoon against Emilia Melinda Brown, 38 of Ulysses, in connection with the Monday night escape of Isaac Nathaniel Watts, 43 of Ulysses, from the Crisis Stabilization Unit on the Campus of Larned State Hospital, according to Pawnee County Attorney Doug McNett.Just after 11a.m. Tuesday, the Garden City Police Department arrested Watts and Brown at the Hampton Inn,&nbsp;2505 Crestway Drive in Garden City.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641423485802.png" alt="Brown-photo Finney Co." />
 <figcaption>Brown-photo Finney Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Brown is charged with Aiding Escape, a severity level 7 nonperson felony. Bond has been set at $15,000 cash or surety. She remains in the custody of Finney County Detention Center. Arrangements are being made to by the Pawnee County Sheriff’s Office to transport her to the Pawnee County Jail.The Complaint alleges she provided transportation for Watts from the Larned State Hospital campus. At the time of the escape, Watts was subject to a hold by the Grant County Sheriff for felony charges that included Attempted Second Degree Murder and Aggravated Kidnapping.Watts will be formally charged with Aggravated Escape from Custody once the law enforcement investigation is completed. The investigation is being handled by the Pawnee County Sheriff’s Office, according to McNett.

Female accomplice charged in escape from Larned State Hospital 

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay plans to ask the Kansas Supreme Court to review a ruling that overturned the conviction of a former prison dentist. 

The Kansas Court of Appeals last month overturned the conviction of Tomas Co for having unlawful sexual relations with a female inmate at Topeka Correctional Facility. 

The court said Co's touching of the inmate was inappropriate but did not meet the legal definition of being lewd, which was required for a conviction of the charge he faces. Kagay says if the Supreme Court does not overturn the lower court's ruling, he will seek a legislative change to the related law cited by the appeals court.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A former dentist at a state prison for women acted inappropriately when he repeatedly touched a female inmate but his actions did not meet the legal definition of lewd, according to the Kansas Appeals Court.

The three-judge panel of the court last week overturned&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/9008c8518ea2308a4e927e3550180a59" target="_blank">the January 2020 conviction</a>&nbsp;of Tomas Co for having sexual relations with the inmate.

The court said that while Co touching the woman’s hand and her clothed leg above the knee was inappropriate and unwarranted, it was not “lewd,” which was required for conviction on the charge he faced.

Co supervised the dental clinic at the Topeka Correctional Facility, where female inmates made dental products such as dentures.

Prosecutors alleged that Co molested six inmates at the prison between 2011 and 2018 but he was found guilty on only one count. The conviction involved a woman whose complaints in January 2017 prompted an internal investigation that concluded Co should be fired.

He was sentenced in March 2020 to 32 months in prison but had remained free during his appeal.

Chris Joseph, one of Co’s attorneys, said Monday the behavior for which Co was convicted involved touching the inmate’s hands and knee while while helping her mold dentures.

TOPEKA, KAN. (AP) — A&nbsp;former Kansas&nbsp;prison dental instructor convicted of molesting a female inmate has been sentenced to 32 months in prison.

&nbsp;Shawnee County District Judge Cheryl Rios on Friday agreed to release Thomas Co on $50,000 bond pending appeal. He will have to register as a sex offender for 25 years.

Prosecutors had alleged that Co molested six inmates at the Topeka Correctional Facility between 2011 and 2018 but he was found guilty on only one count. The conviction involved a woman whose complaints in January 2017 prompted an internal investigation that concluded Co should be fired.

An investigation by the Capital-Journal revealed at least nine women in the dental lab complained for five years about sexual harassment and unwanted physical contact from Co.

Co’s daughter, Christine Co, attended the court hearing and said the accusations were false and the family would fight to clear her father's name.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1580496155136.png" alt="Tomas Co. photo Oklahoma Co. Jail" />
 <figcaption>Tomas Co. photo Oklahoma Co. Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay plans to ask the Kansas Supreme Court to review a ruling that overturned the conviction of a former prison dentist. The Kansas Court of Appeals last month overturned the conviction of Tomas Co for having unlawful sexual relations with a female inmate at Topeka Correctional Facility. The court said Co's touching of the inmate was inappropriate but did not meet the legal definition of being lewd, which was required for a conviction of the charge he faces. Kagay says if the Supreme Court does not overturn the lower court's ruling, he will seek a legislative change to the related law cited by the appeals court.-------TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A former dentist at a state prison for women acted inappropriately when he repeatedly touched a female inmate but his actions did not meet the legal definition of lewd, according to the Kansas Appeals Court.The three-judge panel of the court last week overturned&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/9008c8518ea2308a4e927e3550180a59" target="_blank">the January 2020 conviction</a>&nbsp;of Tomas Co for having sexual relations with the inmate.The court said that while Co touching the woman’s hand and her clothed leg above the knee was inappropriate and unwarranted, it was not “lewd,” which was required for conviction on the charge he faced.Co supervised the dental clinic at the Topeka Correctional Facility, where female inmates made dental products such as dentures.Prosecutors alleged that Co molested six inmates at the prison between 2011 and 2018 but he was found guilty on only one count. The conviction involved a woman whose complaints in January 2017 prompted an internal investigation that concluded Co should be fired.He was sentenced in March 2020 to 32 months in prison but had remained free during his appeal.Chris Joseph, one of Co’s attorneys, said Monday the behavior for which Co was convicted involved touching the inmate’s hands and knee while while helping her mold dentures.----------TOPEKA, KAN. (AP) — A&nbsp;former Kansas&nbsp;prison dental instructor convicted of molesting a female inmate has been sentenced to 32 months in prison.&nbsp;Shawnee County District Judge Cheryl Rios on Friday agreed to release Thomas Co on $50,000 bond pending appeal. He will have to register as a sex offender for 25 years.Prosecutors had alleged that Co molested six inmates at the Topeka Correctional Facility between 2011 and 2018 but he was found guilty on only one count. The conviction involved a woman whose complaints in January 2017 prompted an internal investigation that concluded Co should be fired.An investigation by the Capital-Journal revealed at least nine women in the dental lab complained for five years about sexual harassment and unwanted physical contact from Co.Co’s daughter, Christine Co, attended the court hearing and said the accusations were false and the family would fight to clear her father's name.

Kan. high court may decide if prison dentist's touching was lewd

Kan., Mo. hospitals may soon have to institute crisis standards

By SUZANNE PEREZ <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/2022-01-05/kansas-doctors-plead-for-you-to-take-covid-precautions-as-people-die-waiting-for-care-at-hospitals">Kansas News Service</a>

WICHITA&nbsp;— Health care officials across Kansas and 
Missouri issued a dire warning Wednesday that COVID-19 has reached new 
and alarming crisis levels throughout the region.

Hospitals 
struggling to care for sick coronavirus patients — the vast majority of 
them unvaccinated — find themselves short on staff after record numbers 
of health care workers are testing positive for the virus.

More 
people are dying in emergency rooms while waiting for care, doctors 
said. Non-critical surgeries and other procedures are being postponed. 
And more sick patients, including increasing numbers of children, wait 
hours or even days for hospital beds.

“This is, hands down, the 
toughest surge the medical community has had to face since the pandemic 
began in 2020,” said Dr. Steven Sites, chief medical officer at the 
University of Kansas Health System in Kansas City. “We are in crisis, 
and … it’s shocking to me that people want to declare victory when we’re
 at this point.”

In an online news conference, more than a dozen 
chief medical officers and infectious disease specialists urged people 
to get vaccinated and boosted. They pleaded for schools and communities 
to reinstate mask mandates and warned against large indoor gatherings.

Kimberly
 Megow, chief medical officer of HCA Midwest Health, said hospitals may 
soon have to institute crisis standards designed for catastrophic public
 health events.

“It is basically what the military does during 
wartime, which is deciding who gets care and who does not, who gets a 
chance at living and who is left to die,” she said. “That is really 
dire.”

Lisa Hays, chief medical officer for AdventHealth Kansas 
City, reported 48 active COVID-19 patients Wednesday. In November, that 
number was 12.

Sam Antonios of Ascension Via Christi said 
hospitals in that network had 140 COVID-19 patients Wednesday; 40 of 
those were in intensive care, 20 on ventilators. Four hospitalized COVID
 patients were children.

Similar numbers were repeated by administrators in urban and rural settings throughout the region.

Meanwhile,
 record numbers of health care workers are out sick, leaving hospitals 
scrambling to cover patients with COVID-19 and other ailments.

Several
 officials said a new state of emergency declaration would help. 
Staffing remains the primary issue, but Kansas can’t request assistance 
from the federal government for nurses or other skilled medical 
personnel without a state of emergency in place.

But that could 
prove difficult. The Kansas Legislature passed a bill in May 2020 that 
requires Gov. Laura Kelly to get legislative approval for emergency 
measures.

Dr. Jennifer Watts of Children’s Mercy Hospital in 
Kansas City urged schools to require masks, which are proven to curb the
 spread of the virus. She also voiced frustration at what she sees as a 
growing lack of trust in medical data.

“We were heroes last year, 
and people asked us for our opinions and asked us for our advice. And 
people listened to the medical experts,” Watts said. “We have come an 
entire 180 (degrees) now, and we are reacting to this. … So yeah, we are
 devastated that kids are not wearing masks in school.”

Jennifer 
Schrimsher, an infectious disease specialist at Lawrence Memorial 
Hospital, criticized a recent decision by the University of Kansas to <a href="https://www.kansan.com/sports/required-to-recommended-masks-in-allen-fieldhouse-are-now-optional/article_db23c842-6a7f-11ec-92e5-5f2e40ea479c.html" target="_blank">no longer require masks inside Allen Fieldhouse</a>.

“If
 you’ve got a ticket to the game right now, I’m going to ask you to 
watch it on television,” she said. “If you must go, please wear a mask. 
It's very simple: They work, they’re safe. And it’s frustrating.”

Kevin
 Dishman, chief medical officer of Stormont Vail Health in Topeka, said 
vaccinations are crucial, as well as masking and social distancing.

“People
 that have waved the flag of personal choice are extending this 
pandemic,” he said. “We must do everything we can to protect ourselves 
and protect each other. That is how we get through this pandemic.”

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/2022/1/1641405474520.png" alt="Medical officers and infectious disease experts from across Kansas and Missouri urged people to get vaccinated and boosted, wear masks and avoid large indoor gatherings. Screenshot / University of Kansas Health System" />
 <figcaption>Medical officers and infectious disease experts from across Kansas and Missouri urged people to get vaccinated and boosted, wear masks and avoid large indoor gatherings. Screenshot / University of Kansas Health System</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Kan., Mo. hospitals may soon have to institute crisis standards</h2>By SUZANNE PEREZ <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/2022-01-05/kansas-doctors-plead-for-you-to-take-covid-precautions-as-people-die-waiting-for-care-at-hospitals">Kansas News Service</a>WICHITA&nbsp;— Health care officials across Kansas and 
Missouri issued a dire warning Wednesday that COVID-19 has reached new 
and alarming crisis levels throughout the region.Hospitals 
struggling to care for sick coronavirus patients — the vast majority of 
them unvaccinated — find themselves short on staff after record numbers 
of health care workers are testing positive for the virus.More 
people are dying in emergency rooms while waiting for care, doctors 
said. Non-critical surgeries and other procedures are being postponed. 
And more sick patients, including increasing numbers of children, wait 
hours or even days for hospital beds.“This is, hands down, the 
toughest surge the medical community has had to face since the pandemic 
began in 2020,” said Dr. Steven Sites, chief medical officer at the 
University of Kansas Health System in Kansas City. “We are in crisis, 
and … it’s shocking to me that people want to declare victory when we’re
 at this point.”<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4cZ0FOKctmI"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>In an online news conference, more than a dozen 
chief medical officers and infectious disease specialists urged people 
to get vaccinated and boosted. They pleaded for schools and communities 
to reinstate mask mandates and warned against large indoor gatherings.Kimberly
 Megow, chief medical officer of HCA Midwest Health, said hospitals may 
soon have to institute crisis standards designed for catastrophic public
 health events.“It is basically what the military does during 
wartime, which is deciding who gets care and who does not, who gets a 
chance at living and who is left to die,” she said. “That is really 
dire.”Lisa Hays, chief medical officer for AdventHealth Kansas 
City, reported 48 active COVID-19 patients Wednesday. In November, that 
number was 12.Sam Antonios of Ascension Via Christi said 
hospitals in that network had 140 COVID-19 patients Wednesday; 40 of 
those were in intensive care, 20 on ventilators. Four hospitalized COVID
 patients were children.Similar numbers were repeated by administrators in urban and rural settings throughout the region.Meanwhile,
 record numbers of health care workers are out sick, leaving hospitals 
scrambling to cover patients with COVID-19 and other ailments.Several
 officials said a new state of emergency declaration would help. 
Staffing remains the primary issue, but Kansas can’t request assistance 
from the federal government for nurses or other skilled medical 
personnel without a state of emergency in place.But that could 
prove difficult. The Kansas Legislature passed a bill in May 2020 that 
requires Gov. Laura Kelly to get legislative approval for emergency 
measures.Dr. Jennifer Watts of Children’s Mercy Hospital in 
Kansas City urged schools to require masks, which are proven to curb the
 spread of the virus. She also voiced frustration at what she sees as a 
growing lack of trust in medical data.“We were heroes last year, 
and people asked us for our opinions and asked us for our advice. And 
people listened to the medical experts,” Watts said. “We have come an 
entire 180 (degrees) now, and we are reacting to this. … So yeah, we are
 devastated that kids are not wearing masks in school.”Jennifer 
Schrimsher, an infectious disease specialist at Lawrence Memorial 
Hospital, criticized a recent decision by the University of Kansas to <a href="https://www.kansan.com/sports/required-to-recommended-masks-in-allen-fieldhouse-are-now-optional/article_db23c842-6a7f-11ec-92e5-5f2e40ea479c.html" target="_blank">no longer require masks inside Allen Fieldhouse</a>.“If
 you’ve got a ticket to the game right now, I’m going to ask you to 
watch it on television,” she said. “If you must go, please wear a mask. 
It's very simple: They work, they’re safe. And it’s frustrating.”Kevin
 Dishman, chief medical officer of Stormont Vail Health in Topeka, said 
vaccinations are crucial, as well as masking and social distancing.“People
 that have waved the flag of personal choice are extending this 
pandemic,” he said. “We must do everything we can to protect ourselves 
and protect each other. That is how we get through this pandemic.”Suzanne Perez reports on education for KMUW in Wichita and the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter @SuzPerezICT.

🎥 Doctors plead for COVID precautions to alleviate hospital crisis

TOPEKA — The Kansas Lottery today announced the winning number in the 2021 Holiday Millionaire Raffle.

The $1 million winning Raffle ticket was sold in the south-central region of Kansas. The $1 million winning Raffle number is&nbsp;132946!

Besides the $1 million top prize, there are more than 5,600 other winners, including one $100,000 winner, one $25,000 winner, and two $10,000 winners! Below are the prizes and number of winners that were drawn.

The $100,000 winning number is&nbsp;044418; the $25,000 winning number is&nbsp;055370; and the $10,000 winning numbers are&nbsp;133382&nbsp;and&nbsp;025745!

For a complete list of winning Raffle numbers, visit our website at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslottery.com/games/raffle" target="_blank">www.kslottery.com/games/raffle</a>. Raffle tickets may also be checked at any Kansas Lottery retail location, on the PlayOn app using the Ticket Checker function, or by calling 785-296-5700.

Players must present their original tickets to claim a Raffle prize. Players with $50 and $100 winning tickets can claim their prizes at most Kansas Lottery retail locations. All other prizes must be claimed at the Kansas Lottery in Topeka, either in person or by mail. Players have 365 days from the date of the Raffle drawing to claim their winning tickets.

The Kansas Lottery is now taking appointments for in-person claims. If you would like to claim a prize of $600 or higher in person, please contact&nbsp;<a href="mailto:claims.appointment@kslottery.net" target="_blank">claims.appointment@kslottery.net</a>&nbsp;with your name, phone number, prize amount, and preferred day and time. To see more information about the requirements of claiming a prize in person, please click&nbsp;<a href="https://kslottery.com/news-releases/kansas-lottery-moves-to-in-person-claims-by-appointment-only/" target="_blank">here</a>.

Kansas LotteryTOPEKA — The Kansas Lottery today announced the winning number in the 2021 Holiday Millionaire Raffle.The $1 million winning Raffle ticket was sold in the south-central region of Kansas. The $1 million winning Raffle number is&nbsp;132946!Besides the $1 million top prize, there are more than 5,600 other winners, including one $100,000 winner, one $25,000 winner, and two $10,000 winners! Below are the prizes and number of winners that were drawn.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641416506474.png" alt="Kansas Lottery&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Lottery&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>The $100,000 winning number is&nbsp;044418; the $25,000 winning number is&nbsp;055370; and the $10,000 winning numbers are&nbsp;133382&nbsp;and&nbsp;025745!For a complete list of winning Raffle numbers, visit our website at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslottery.com/games/raffle" target="_blank">www.kslottery.com/games/raffle</a>. Raffle tickets may also be checked at any Kansas Lottery retail location, on the PlayOn app using the Ticket Checker function, or by calling 785-296-5700.Players must present their original tickets to claim a Raffle prize. Players with $50 and $100 winning tickets can claim their prizes at most Kansas Lottery retail locations. All other prizes must be claimed at the Kansas Lottery in Topeka, either in person or by mail. Players have 365 days from the date of the Raffle drawing to claim their winning tickets.The Kansas Lottery is now taking appointments for in-person claims. If you would like to claim a prize of $600 or higher in person, please contact&nbsp;<a href="mailto:claims.appointment@kslottery.net" target="_blank">claims.appointment@kslottery.net</a>&nbsp;with your name, phone number, prize amount, and preferred day and time. To see more information about the requirements of claiming a prize in person, please click&nbsp;<a href="https://kslottery.com/news-releases/kansas-lottery-moves-to-in-person-claims-by-appointment-only/" target="_blank">here</a>.

Kansas Lottery announces winning numbers in Holiday Millionaire Raffle

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The University of Kansas has suspended two fraternities for five years following an investigation that accused the clubs of fostering a culture of hazing. 

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The University of Kansas has suspended two fraternities for five years following an investigation that accused the clubs of fostering a culture of hazing. The university on Tuesday informed Phi Gamma Delta and Phi Delta Theta in a letter that they will be removed from KU’s campus until the spring of 2027. The letter says investigations by national fraternity leadership and reviewed by a university panel found the fraternities engaged in a pattern of hazing, including action that hurt students. One instance attributed to Phi Gamma Delta says a pledge suffered a concussion after being thrown against a locker. Phi Delta Theta was also accused of causing harm to pledges through forced workouts and other actions.