Michael A. “Mike” Schmidt, 59, Catharine, died Friday, November 25, 2022, at HaysMed.

He was born October 19, 1963, in Hays 
the son of Emery R. and Shirley (Pfeifer) Schmidt.&nbsp;&nbsp;In 1982, he 
graduated from Hays High School and was a lifelong wheat farmer and 
cattleman, member of St. Catherine Catholic Church, and was a member of 
the St. Catherine Third Degree Knights of Columbus Council #11687.&nbsp;&nbsp;On 
June 1, 1984, he was united in marriage to Ann L. Nichols in 
Catharine.&nbsp;&nbsp;Mike never new a stranger and loved to spend time visiting 
with friends and family, in addition to numerous interests including 
spending time at the lake, watching the Kansas City Royals and Chiefs, 
and episodes of his favorite TV show, Gunsmoke.&nbsp;&nbsp;He was a phenomenal 
cook and griller, loved his family including his dogs, Bruiser and 
Miles, enjoyed butchering beef and pork for his family, and driving his 
Ranger around the farm with his twin grandsons aboard, checking on 
cattle and visiting his neighbors.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Survivors include his wife Ann, of the 
home, his mother Shirley Schmidt of Catharine, his mother-in-law Carolyn
 Nichols of Hays, a son Michael P. Schmidt of Catharine, two 
daughters:&nbsp;&nbsp;Casey Wendel and husband Nathan of Catharine and Carly 
Schmidt and boyfriend Tyler Boling of Salina, a brother Greg Schmidt and
 wife Pam of Catharine, two sisters:&nbsp;&nbsp;Jackie Jones and husband Tim of 
Hays and Lisa Stouffer and husband Allen of Leavenworth, his 
sister-in-law Courtney Schmeidler of Hays, three grandsons:&nbsp;&nbsp;Tyler, 
Clayton, and Bennett Wendel, and numerous nieces and nephews.&nbsp;&nbsp;

He was preceded in death by his father Emery Schmidt, and his father-in-law William Nichols.

Mass of Christian burial will be at 
10:00 am on Wednesday, November 30, 2022, at St. Catherine Catholic 
Church with Fr. Earl Befort officiating.&nbsp;&nbsp;Burial will follow in the 
church cemetery.&nbsp;&nbsp;Visitation will be from 5:00 pm until 8:00 on Tuesday 
at Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home and from 9:00 am until service time
 on Wednesday at the church.&nbsp;&nbsp;A parish vigil service will be at 6:30 pm 
on Tuesday, followed by a Third Degree Knights of Columbus rosary, all 
at the funeral home.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In lieu of flowers or plants, memorials are 
suggested to Mike’s grandson’s education with checks payable to:&nbsp;&nbsp;Ann 
Schmidt.&nbsp;&nbsp;Condolences and memories of Mike may be shared with the family
 at <a href="http://www.haysmemorial.com">www.haysmemorial.com</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669472914822.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Michael A. “Mike” Schmidt, 59, Catharine, died Friday, November 25, 2022, at HaysMed.He was born October 19, 1963, in Hays 
the son of Emery R. and Shirley (Pfeifer) Schmidt.&nbsp;&nbsp;In 1982, he 
graduated from Hays High School and was a lifelong wheat farmer and 
cattleman, member of St. Catherine Catholic Church, and was a member of 
the St. Catherine Third Degree Knights of Columbus Council #11687.&nbsp;&nbsp;On 
June 1, 1984, he was united in marriage to Ann L. Nichols in 
Catharine.&nbsp;&nbsp;Mike never new a stranger and loved to spend time visiting 
with friends and family, in addition to numerous interests including 
spending time at the lake, watching the Kansas City Royals and Chiefs, 
and episodes of his favorite TV show, Gunsmoke.&nbsp;&nbsp;He was a phenomenal 
cook and griller, loved his family including his dogs, Bruiser and 
Miles, enjoyed butchering beef and pork for his family, and driving his 
Ranger around the farm with his twin grandsons aboard, checking on 
cattle and visiting his neighbors.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Survivors include his wife Ann, of the 
home, his mother Shirley Schmidt of Catharine, his mother-in-law Carolyn
 Nichols of Hays, a son Michael P. Schmidt of Catharine, two 
daughters:&nbsp;&nbsp;Casey Wendel and husband Nathan of Catharine and Carly 
Schmidt and boyfriend Tyler Boling of Salina, a brother Greg Schmidt and
 wife Pam of Catharine, two sisters:&nbsp;&nbsp;Jackie Jones and husband Tim of 
Hays and Lisa Stouffer and husband Allen of Leavenworth, his 
sister-in-law Courtney Schmeidler of Hays, three grandsons:&nbsp;&nbsp;Tyler, 
Clayton, and Bennett Wendel, and numerous nieces and nephews.&nbsp;&nbsp;He was preceded in death by his father Emery Schmidt, and his father-in-law William Nichols.Mass of Christian burial will be at 
10:00 am on Wednesday, November 30, 2022, at St. Catherine Catholic 
Church with Fr. Earl Befort officiating.&nbsp;&nbsp;Burial will follow in the 
church cemetery.&nbsp;&nbsp;Visitation will be from 5:00 pm until 8:00 on Tuesday 
at Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home and from 9:00 am until service time
 on Wednesday at the church.&nbsp;&nbsp;A parish vigil service will be at 6:30 pm 
on Tuesday, followed by a Third Degree Knights of Columbus rosary, all 
at the funeral home.&nbsp;&nbsp;In lieu of flowers or plants, memorials are 
suggested to Mike’s grandson’s education with checks payable to:&nbsp;&nbsp;Ann 
Schmidt.&nbsp;&nbsp;Condolences and memories of Mike may be shared with the family
 at <a href="http://www.haysmemorial.com">www.haysmemorial.com</a>

Michael A. 'Mike' Schmidt

Gilbert E. “Gil” Ferland, 84, Hays, died Thursday, November 24, 2022, at HaysMed.

He was born September 9, 1938, at home 
in Damar, the son of Euclide and Marie (Benoit) Ferland.&nbsp;&nbsp;For 60 years 
Gil worked in the oilfield, starting out driving the water truck for his
 brother when he was 16.&nbsp;&nbsp;He worked on drilling rigs, cable tool for oil
 and gas wells, and was a pumper.&nbsp;&nbsp;He swathed and bailed for local 
farmers and delivered mail to Nebraska at night.&nbsp;&nbsp;On October 18, 1958, he
 was united in marriage to Doris Pfannenstiel in St. Joseph Catholic 
Church in Hays, and they celebrated 64 years of marriage.&nbsp;&nbsp;He was a 
member of St. Joseph Catholic Church, an avid college football and 
basketball fan, and his hobbies included fishing, whittling wood, 
woodworking, and gardening.&nbsp;&nbsp;He was proud of his grandchildren and great
 grandchildren and loved aggravating and playing with them.

Survivors include his wife Doris of the
 home, two sons: Roger Ferland and wife Betty Hanson and Jeff Ferland 
and wife Pheobe, both of Hays, four daughters: Rosilda Harman and 
husband Rick of Hays, Susan Ferland and Richard Byrne of Hernando, FL, 
Alice Meitl of Lebanon, IN, and Karen Crawford of Hays, a brother: Alcid
 Ferland and wife Carolyn of Hays, four sisters: Ruth Rempe of Scott 
City, Jackie Steckline of Ogallah, Loretta Zweifel and husband Keith of 
Lucas, and Betty Ferland of Russell, 12 grandchildren: Garrett Albers, 
Zach Rupp and wife Tesley, Gilbert Rupp and wife Emily, Clint Rocha and 
wife Gina, Marie Holloman and husband Larry, Aaron Crawford and wife 
Taylor, Audrey Dougherty and husband Tyler, Austin Crawford, Jesse 
Hanson, Brent Hanson and wife Stephanie, Jessie McLaren and Thea 
Ferland, 20 great grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, and five siblings: Raymond, Archie, Levi, Julia, and Marcella.

Mass of Christian Burial will be at 
2:00 pm on Thursday, December 1, 2022, at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 
with Fr. Richard Daise officiating.&nbsp;&nbsp;Burial will follow in St. Joseph 
Cemetery.&nbsp;&nbsp;Visitation will be from 5:00 pm until 8:00 on Wednesday and 
from 1:00 pm until 1:45 on Thursday, all at Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral
 Home.&nbsp;&nbsp;A vigil service and rosary will be at 6:30 pm on Wednesday at 
the funeral home.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Memorials are suggested to St. Joseph Church or for 
masses.&nbsp;&nbsp;Condolences and memories of Gilbert may be shared with his 
family at <a href="http://www.haysmemorial.com">www.haysmemorial.com</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669472831069.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Gilbert E. “Gil” Ferland, 84, Hays, died Thursday, November 24, 2022, at HaysMed.He was born September 9, 1938, at home 
in Damar, the son of Euclide and Marie (Benoit) Ferland.&nbsp;&nbsp;For 60 years 
Gil worked in the oilfield, starting out driving the water truck for his
 brother when he was 16.&nbsp;&nbsp;He worked on drilling rigs, cable tool for oil
 and gas wells, and was a pumper.&nbsp;&nbsp;He swathed and bailed for local 
farmers and delivered mail to Nebraska at night.&nbsp;&nbsp;On October 18, 1958, he
 was united in marriage to Doris Pfannenstiel in St. Joseph Catholic 
Church in Hays, and they celebrated 64 years of marriage.&nbsp;&nbsp;He was a 
member of St. Joseph Catholic Church, an avid college football and 
basketball fan, and his hobbies included fishing, whittling wood, 
woodworking, and gardening.&nbsp;&nbsp;He was proud of his grandchildren and great
 grandchildren and loved aggravating and playing with them.Survivors include his wife Doris of the
 home, two sons: Roger Ferland and wife Betty Hanson and Jeff Ferland 
and wife Pheobe, both of Hays, four daughters: Rosilda Harman and 
husband Rick of Hays, Susan Ferland and Richard Byrne of Hernando, FL, 
Alice Meitl of Lebanon, IN, and Karen Crawford of Hays, a brother: Alcid
 Ferland and wife Carolyn of Hays, four sisters: Ruth Rempe of Scott 
City, Jackie Steckline of Ogallah, Loretta Zweifel and husband Keith of 
Lucas, and Betty Ferland of Russell, 12 grandchildren: Garrett Albers, 
Zach Rupp and wife Tesley, Gilbert Rupp and wife Emily, Clint Rocha and 
wife Gina, Marie Holloman and husband Larry, Aaron Crawford and wife 
Taylor, Audrey Dougherty and husband Tyler, Austin Crawford, Jesse 
Hanson, Brent Hanson and wife Stephanie, Jessie McLaren and Thea 
Ferland, 20 great grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.He was preceded in death by his parents, and five siblings: Raymond, Archie, Levi, Julia, and Marcella.Mass of Christian Burial will be at 
2:00 pm on Thursday, December 1, 2022, at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 
with Fr. Richard Daise officiating.&nbsp;&nbsp;Burial will follow in St. Joseph 
Cemetery.&nbsp;&nbsp;Visitation will be from 5:00 pm until 8:00 on Wednesday and 
from 1:00 pm until 1:45 on Thursday, all at Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral
 Home.&nbsp;&nbsp;A vigil service and rosary will be at 6:30 pm on Wednesday at 
the funeral home.&nbsp;&nbsp;Memorials are suggested to St. Joseph Church or for 
masses.&nbsp;&nbsp;Condolences and memories of Gilbert may be shared with his 
family at <a href="http://www.haysmemorial.com">www.haysmemorial.com</a>

Gilbert E. 'Gil' Ferland

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

The Hays Area Children's Center is facing the difficult dilemma of trying to make up a funding gap without pricing its parents out of the market.

The nonprofit facility, which serves 79 children and 60 families, is operating in the red. The facility has to increase its rates, find alternative sources of revenue or some combination of both.

The current year's average tuition is $646 per month. Considering the center's current finances, it would have to increase tuition by $280 to $926 to bring the facility's budget to a break-even point.

"We are definitely needing to revamp how we run this center," said Jessamyn Staples, board member.

Raising the center's tuition the full $280 would likely price some families out of the child care market, Staples said. She said the board is trying to find alternative revenue sources that will help limit tuition hikes.

Seventy-four employers have employees who depend on the center for child care. HaysMed employees alone accounts for 8 percent of the families at the center.

A study done by the Ellis County Child Care Task Force indicated 151 people would likely re-enter the workforce if they had affordable, adequate child care. 

That same child care survey found Ellis County is in need of 600 child care slots to fill the current need, said Staples, who has also served on the child care task force.

Ellis County has one open child-care spot for every 10 children needing care. Ellis County is better off than many counties in northwest Kansas, which have no openings for infants or toddlers.

Staples, who has a daughter at the center, said if the center would have to sharply increase rates or, worst-case scenario close, more parents would be forced out of the workforce.

"We are cognizant of that. We are so mindful of that," she said of the effect on parents. "If this place doesn't exist as a whole, that's so much more of a disservice to our community versus having it pared down a little bit or making it a little smaller or raising our rates a little more to where we can be sustainable."

Local employers are already struggling to fill vacancies with a 2 percent unemployment rate in Ellis County in October.

Staples said the board has discussed meeting with employers about having pay-to-play options. An employer would pay to reserve a spot for an employee as a benefit that could assist with recruitment and retention.

The board has also discussed reaching out to donors about funding scholarships at the center. The center can receive donations through the Heartland Community Foundation. Click <a href="https://heartlandcommunityfoundation.org/giving/how-to-give/">HERE</a> to donate.

The center is facing many of the pressures that are facing all child care providers — increasing food costs, supply chain issues and a tight labor market.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/63e5a97b-6312-4d82-b0e4-a4122df76646">SEE RELATED STORY: Local providers: Current child care system no longer sustainable</a>

"Our expenses are not going down, they're going up," Staples said.

In addition to inflation, one of the center's affordable food supplies was no longer able to supply the center because of supply chain issues. There were a few months the center had to use Dillons.

The Kansas Infant-Toddler Services (Part C) program, which served young children with disabilities had been housed in the Hays Area Children's Center. Although the services were separate and had separate budgets, the Part C program shared operating expenses.

That program has moved to Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas, which means the child care portion of the center has to cover the full burden of operational expenses.

"Our board is actively looking at new solutions, going to the city, the county commissioners, the foundations and saying 'This is our situation right now. What can you recommend and how can you support us?' " she said.

One new potential revenue source could be a meal program the center could offer to other child care providers in the community. The Hays Area Children's Center has a full-service kitchen and chef. It provides hot breakfasts and lunches plus a snack. 

The center already uses produce from an on-site garden, but Staples said the chef plans to expand the garden this spring in hopes of further cutting food costs.

The center could help other child care providers cut costs through bulk food purchasing, Staples said. The Ellis County Child Care Task Force has already discussed cooperative purchasing as a means of cutting costs for providers in the community.

Staples said the board has considered applying for grant funds for capital purchases that would be required to get the food service program running.

The center is also re-evaluating its enrollment policy. The center guarantees spots so children can age into the appropriate classroom level.

Holding open spots means the center is never at full capacity. This practice is costing the center $100,000 per year. The center has considered charging families a fee to hold spots open at the next level, Staples said.

The center is also struggling with infant care. The state requires one care provider for every three infants. The infant care center has three staff members, which means it can have up to nine infants.

"Infant care is so needed, and it's so expensive," Staples said. "A lot of child care programs don't offer that care because it sinks you."

Staff costs are a significant portion of any child care facility's budget, but Staples said child care direct care workers already receive low wages.

"Our basic pay here is $11 per hour with no benefits. They are basically working here as a ministry," Staples said.

For most providers, infant care has to be subsidized by care for older children where staff ratios are higher. A preschool classroom can have 12 children supervised by a single adult.

To break even in the infant room, the center would have to charge more than $1,000 a month per infant. Staples said $1,200 per child per month for children of all ages is standard for child care in Kansas City.

"We don't want to pass these high prices on to our parents, but we might not have a choice," Staples said.

The center only has reserves to last through the summer. Closure is a possibility if nothing changes, she said.

"That's why we're trying to get this out now. In the next few months, [if we do things] like raising tuition or finding some temporary funding, it can help us get to our sustainability plan," Staples said.

"We also need to be open and transparent with our families and staff, because we want them to trust us. We don't want to send a panic."

The center is also struggling with a staffing shortage. The center will need to fill 17 positions by the end of the year. This includes part-time and full-time positions and the center's coordinator position. There are generally a mix of 25 to 35 part- and full-time total employees.

Some of the slots are open because the positions are filled by Fort Hays State University students who will be graduating in December.

Staples said she and the other members of the board hope they will be able to fill some of the positions when students return in January. The center is working with FHSU to try to establish a work-study program at the center.

However, this may leave the center critically short-staffed over the holidays. Illness has further affected the center's staffing levels.

Staples said the center is trying to find temporary staff, parents, grandparents or volunteers to help in classrooms so classrooms or the entire center can avoid temporary closure during the holidays.

The center has reached out to local high schools about temporary workers. Teens 16 and older can count toward the adult ratio in center classes.

Staples said consistent hours have been one of the center's strengths. The center is only closed for several holidays and a couple of in-service days per year. However, the center had to close earlier this week because of illness among children and staff.

"We know that child care is a market failure," Staples said. "There is a supply-and-demand issue. Even though we have a demand, it's so hard to make these things run. That's everywhere. How we survive is with our community's support."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1664486123034.jpeg" alt="File photo " />
 <figcaption>File photo </figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe Hays Area Children's Center is facing the difficult dilemma of trying to make up a funding gap without pricing its parents out of the market. The nonprofit facility, which serves 79 children and 60 families, is operating in the red. The facility has to increase its rates, find alternative sources of revenue or some combination of both.The current year's average tuition is $646 per month. Considering the center's current finances, it would have to increase tuition by $280 to $926 to bring the facility's budget to a break-even point."We are definitely needing to revamp how we run this center," said Jessamyn Staples, board member.Raising the center's tuition the full $280 would likely price some families out of the child care market, Staples said. She said the board is trying to find alternative revenue sources that will help limit tuition hikes.<h2>Workers dependent on child care</h2>Seventy-four employers have employees who depend on the center for child care. HaysMed employees alone accounts for 8 percent of the families at the center.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1664486094481.jpeg" alt="File photo" />
 <figcaption>File photo</figcaption>
 </figure>A study done by the Ellis County Child Care Task Force indicated 151 people would likely re-enter the workforce if they had affordable, adequate child care. That same child care survey found Ellis County is in need of 600 child care slots to fill the current need, said Staples, who has also served on the child care task force.Ellis County has one open child-care spot for every 10 children needing care. Ellis County is better off than many counties in northwest Kansas, which have no openings for infants or toddlers.Staples, who has a daughter at the center, said if the center would have to sharply increase rates or, worst-case scenario close, more parents would be forced out of the workforce."We are cognizant of that. We are so mindful of that," she said of the effect on parents. "If this place doesn't exist as a whole, that's so much more of a disservice to our community versus having it pared down a little bit or making it a little smaller or raising our rates a little more to where we can be sustainable."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1664486162076.jpeg" alt="File photo" />
 <figcaption>File photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Local employers are already struggling to fill vacancies with a 2 percent unemployment rate in Ellis County in October.Staples said the board has discussed meeting with employers about having pay-to-play options. An employer would pay to reserve a spot for an employee as a benefit that could assist with recruitment and retention.The board has also discussed reaching out to donors about funding scholarships at the center. The center can receive donations through the Heartland Community Foundation. Click <a href="https://heartlandcommunityfoundation.org/giving/how-to-give/">HERE</a> to donate. <h2>Costs increasing for center</h2>The center is facing many of the pressures that are facing all child care providers — increasing food costs, supply chain issues and a tight labor market.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/63e5a97b-6312-4d82-b0e4-a4122df76646">SEE RELATED STORY: Local providers: Current child care system no longer sustainable</a> "Our expenses are not going down, they're going up," Staples said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1664486023988.jpeg" alt="File photo" />
 <figcaption>File photo</figcaption>
 </figure>In addition to inflation, one of the center's affordable food supplies was no longer able to supply the center because of supply chain issues. There were a few months the center had to use Dillons. The Kansas Infant-Toddler Services (Part C) program, which served young children with disabilities had been housed in the Hays Area Children's Center. Although the services were separate and had separate budgets, the Part C program shared operating expenses.That program has moved to Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas, which means the child care portion of the center has to cover the full burden of operational expenses.<h2>Alternative sources of revenue</h2>"Our board is actively looking at new solutions, going to the city, the county commissioners, the foundations and saying 'This is our situation right now. What can you recommend and how can you support us?' " she said. One new potential revenue source could be a meal program the center could offer to other child care providers in the community. The Hays Area Children's Center has a full-service kitchen and chef. It provides hot breakfasts and lunches plus a snack. The center already uses produce from an on-site garden, but Staples said the chef plans to expand the garden this spring in hopes of further cutting food costs. The center could help other child care providers cut costs through bulk food purchasing, Staples said. The Ellis County Child Care Task Force has already discussed cooperative purchasing as a means of cutting costs for providers in the community. Staples said the board has considered applying for grant funds for capital purchases that would be required to get the food service program running. The center is also re-evaluating its enrollment policy. The center guarantees spots so children can age into the appropriate classroom level. Holding open spots means the center is never at full capacity. This practice is costing the center $100,000 per year. The center has considered charging families a fee to hold spots open at the next level, Staples said.<h2>Infant care doesn't pay</h2>The center is also struggling with infant care. The state requires one care provider for every three infants. The infant care center has three staff members, which means it can have up to nine infants."Infant care is so needed, and it's so expensive," Staples said. "A lot of child care programs don't offer that care because it sinks you." Staff costs are a significant portion of any child care facility's budget, but Staples said child care direct care workers already receive low wages."Our basic pay here is $11 per hour with no benefits. They are basically working here as a ministry," Staples said.For most providers, infant care has to be subsidized by care for older children where staff ratios are higher. A preschool classroom can have 12 children supervised by a single adult.To break even in the infant room, the center would have to charge more than $1,000 a month per infant. Staples said $1,200 per child per month for children of all ages is standard for child care in Kansas City. "We don't want to pass these high prices on to our parents, but we might not have a choice," Staples said. The center only has reserves to last through the summer. Closure is a possibility if nothing changes, she said. "That's why we're trying to get this out now. In the next few months, [if we do things] like raising tuition or finding some temporary funding, it can help us get to our sustainability plan," Staples said. "We also need to be open and transparent with our families and staff, because we want them to trust us. We don't want to send a panic." <h2>Staffing shortages</h2>The center is also struggling with a staffing shortage. The center will need to fill 17 positions by the end of the year. This includes part-time and full-time positions and the center's coordinator position. There are generally a mix of 25 to 35 part- and full-time total employees.Some of the slots are open because the positions are filled by Fort Hays State University students who will be graduating in December.Staples said she and the other members of the board hope they will be able to fill some of the positions when students return in January. The center is working with FHSU to try to establish a work-study program at the center. However, this may leave the center critically short-staffed over the holidays. Illness has further affected the center's staffing levels.Staples said the center is trying to find temporary staff, parents, grandparents or volunteers to help in classrooms so classrooms or the entire center can avoid temporary closure during the holidays. The center has reached out to local high schools about temporary workers. Teens 16 and older can count toward the adult ratio in center classes.Staples said consistent hours have been one of the center's strengths. The center is only closed for several holidays and a couple of in-service days per year. However, the center had to close earlier this week because of illness among children and staff. "We know that child care is a market failure," Staples said. "There is a supply-and-demand issue. Even though we have a demand, it's so hard to make these things run. That's everywhere. How we survive is with our community's support."

Hays Area Children's Center searching for financial stability in rocky child care industry

TOPEKA — Colonel Herman T. Jones, superintendent of the Kansas Highway Patrol, announced that Technical Trooper Benjamin Kahle has been promoted to lieutenant and will serve Troop D, Zone D in northwest Kansas.

Kahle attended the Kansas Highway Patrol Training Academy and graduated with Class 50 in 2012. 

His initial duty station was Thomas County in Troop D. In October 2015, Kahle was promoted to technical trooper and awarded a pilot’s position within Troop T in Ellis County. While with Troop T, Kahle obtained his private pilot’s license and instrument rating. In February 2020, he transferred to Troop S as a police service dog handler, where he served until his recent promotion.

Kahle received a Top Producer Award for his involvement with a substantial drug interdiction effort in 2014.

Kahle is a native of Kearney, Neb., and graduated from Kearney Catholic High School. 

Prior to his career with the Patrol, he attended Fort Hays State University and worked as a police officer for the Hays Police Department in Hays.

 He said he is thankful for the support his wife, Salena, and his son, Emmett, have given him throughout his career with the patrol.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669127941342.jpeg" alt="Lt. Benjamin Kahle,&nbsp;Kansas Highway Patrol Troop D" />
 <figcaption>Lt. Benjamin Kahle,&nbsp;Kansas Highway Patrol Troop D</figcaption>
 </figure>KHPTOPEKA — Colonel Herman T. Jones, superintendent of the Kansas Highway Patrol, announced that Technical Trooper Benjamin Kahle has been promoted to lieutenant and will serve Troop D, Zone D in northwest Kansas.Kahle attended the Kansas Highway Patrol Training Academy and graduated with Class 50 in 2012. His initial duty station was Thomas County in Troop D. In October 2015, Kahle was promoted to technical trooper and awarded a pilot’s position within Troop T in Ellis County. While with Troop T, Kahle obtained his private pilot’s license and instrument rating. In February 2020, he transferred to Troop S as a police service dog handler, where he served until his recent promotion.Kahle received a Top Producer Award for his involvement with a substantial drug interdiction effort in 2014.Kahle is a native of Kearney, Neb., and graduated from Kearney Catholic High School. Prior to his career with the Patrol, he attended Fort Hays State University and worked as a police officer for the Hays Police Department in Hays. He said he is thankful for the support his wife, Salena, and his son, Emmett, have given him throughout his career with the patrol.

Former Hays PD officer, KHP Lt. Kahle returns to Troop D

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service announced today that the 
IRS Office of Chief Counsel partnered with the American Bar Association 
Tax Section to hold its first centralized National Virtual Settlement 
Event. This four-day event was inspired by the monthlong virtual event 
held in March 2021 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Over the course of four days, an exceptional number of cases were 
settled: a total of 44. There were at least 59 meetings from October 24 
through October 27 that included taxpayers, pro bono attorneys and 
representatives of the IRS Office of Chief Counsel.

In contrast to past Settlement Day events that are generally 
organized locally for taxpayers with a nearby place of trial, this one 
was organized at the national level to support unrepresented taxpayers 
who may not be able to attend a local event.

"This groundbreaking event provided an easier process for taxpayers 
to get their cases settled," said Acting Commissioner Doug O'Donnell. 
"We are proud of the IRS Office of Chief Counsel for being innovative 
and making it more convenient to those who may not be able to attend a 
local event."

The event took place in close coordination between the Tax Section of
 the ABA which was celebrating its annual Pro Bono Week, and local Low 
Income Taxpayer Clinics. More than 75 volunteers from the ABA Tax 
Section, including numerous Low Income Taxpayer Clinics and private pro 
bono attorneys, provided free legal support. IRS Revenue Officers and 
Tax Computations Specialists further supported this event by explaining 
collection options and generating settlement computations.

The National Virtual Settlement event does not replace local or 
in-person Settlement Day events but instead offers taxpayers greater 
access to free legal advice and support for their Tax Court cases.

Settlement Day events are coordinated efforts to resolve cases in the
 United States Tax Court by providing taxpayers not represented by 
counsel the opportunity to receive free tax advice from Low Income 
Taxpayer Clinics, ABA volunteer attorneys and other pro bono 
organizations. Taxpayers can also discuss their Tax Court cases and 
resolve related tax issues with members of the IRS Office of Chief 
Counsel and IRS Collection. By doing so, unrepresented taxpayers are 
often able to amicably settle their tax disputes without a trial.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service announced today that the 
IRS Office of Chief Counsel partnered with the American Bar Association 
Tax Section to hold its first centralized National Virtual Settlement 
Event. This four-day event was inspired by the monthlong virtual event 
held in March 2021 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.Over the course of four days, an exceptional number of cases were 
settled: a total of 44. There were at least 59 meetings from October 24 
through October 27 that included taxpayers, pro bono attorneys and 
representatives of the IRS Office of Chief Counsel.In contrast to past Settlement Day events that are generally 
organized locally for taxpayers with a nearby place of trial, this one 
was organized at the national level to support unrepresented taxpayers 
who may not be able to attend a local event."This groundbreaking event provided an easier process for taxpayers 
to get their cases settled," said Acting Commissioner Doug O'Donnell. 
"We are proud of the IRS Office of Chief Counsel for being innovative 
and making it more convenient to those who may not be able to attend a 
local event."The event took place in close coordination between the Tax Section of
 the ABA which was celebrating its annual Pro Bono Week, and local Low 
Income Taxpayer Clinics. More than 75 volunteers from the ABA Tax 
Section, including numerous Low Income Taxpayer Clinics and private pro 
bono attorneys, provided free legal support. IRS Revenue Officers and 
Tax Computations Specialists further supported this event by explaining 
collection options and generating settlement computations.The National Virtual Settlement event does not replace local or 
in-person Settlement Day events but instead offers taxpayers greater 
access to free legal advice and support for their Tax Court cases.Settlement Day events are coordinated efforts to resolve cases in the
 United States Tax Court by providing taxpayers not represented by 
counsel the opportunity to receive free tax advice from Low Income 
Taxpayer Clinics, ABA volunteer attorneys and other pro bono 
organizations. Taxpayers can also discuss their Tax Court cases and 
resolve related tax issues with members of the IRS Office of Chief 
Counsel and IRS Collection. By doing so, unrepresented taxpayers are 
often able to amicably settle their tax disputes without a trial.

IRS: Virtual Settlement Event will help more in US settle tax claims

Hays artist Dennis Schiel in October finished the last of the Brush the Bricks murals in downtown Hays. 

The last mural is on the north side of the Midland Marketing building, 219 E. Ninth. It depicts a farmer and horse team along with sunflowers, wheat and milo. The co-op helped choose the farm scene, Schiel said.

The mural is 38 feet at its tallest point by 32 feet.&nbsp; The height of the mural was a challenge, Schiel said. He had to use a lift to paint much of the mural.

The intent was that this piece would be a community mural, but Schiel struggled to find volunteers and ended up doing most of the painting on his own.

Schiel worked on the painting in September and October. 

Schiel helped raise $100,000 toward the Brush Bricks mural project, which included six murals: <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/c249f967-7e8d-4a80-897e-25bccb78992e">• The three amigos mural on the S&amp;W building by Schiel</a> <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/274e05fe-f437-4c8a-95f7-2d33bdfb4c44">• The Arc mural on the Arc Thrift Store building by Schiel</a> <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/6bb3bfe4-ed00-43eb-87ed-eee70888ac9a">• The buffalo dance mural on the State Glass Co. building by Matt Miller</a> <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/d8987c98-30c5-4304-8b88-cabf4ef0efb4">• The Hays postcard mural on the side of the Golden Q building by Schiel</a> <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/f3f18a37-8dd4-4b1c-a934-490422d12346">• The dragon mural on the side of the Sake2Me building by Matt Miller</a> • The farmer mural on the side of the Midland Marketing building by Schiel

Schiel said he hopes people will stop in Hays not only to see the murals but also Pete Felten's statues. 

Schiel also hopes a local organization will produce a brochure that will highlight the Hays murals so visitors can tour the mural sites. Schiel also painted three other Hays murals that were not part of Brush the Bricks —&nbsp; a bison mural on the side of the Fox Theatre, a patriotic mural on the side of the Hays VFW and a small mural at the Hays Recreation Center.

How long the murals will last is highly dependent on how much sun and weather they receive. Murals on north walls tend to last longer — some as long as decades, Schiel said. However, he also had a mural that had to be touched up after a year. 

Schiel is planning another large mural on the grain elevator that sits across from the train depot in downtown Ellis. That mural will depict the Ellis High School mascot, the Railroaders. A train will be breaking through a rock wall with athletes from the different EHS sports riding on the train. 

Fundraising is ongoing for this project through the Ellis Foundation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669059521628.jpeg" alt="Hays Artist Dennis Schiel's latest mural graces the north side of the Midland Marketing building, 219 E. Ninth. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post " />
 <figcaption>Hays Artist Dennis Schiel's latest mural graces the north side of the Midland Marketing building, 219 E. Ninth. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post </figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostHays artist Dennis Schiel in October finished the last of the Brush the Bricks murals in downtown Hays. The last mural is on the north side of the Midland Marketing building, 219 E. Ninth. It depicts a farmer and horse team along with sunflowers, wheat and milo. The co-op helped choose the farm scene, Schiel said. The mural is 38 feet at its tallest point by 32 feet.&nbsp; The height of the mural was a challenge, Schiel said. He had to use a lift to paint much of the mural. The intent was that this piece would be a community mural, but Schiel struggled to find volunteers and ended up doing most of the painting on his own.Schiel worked on the painting in September and October. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669059703635.jpeg" alt="Dennis Schiel's painting on the side of the Midland Marketing building is the last of six murals in the downtown Hays Brush the Bricks project. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post " />
 <figcaption>Dennis Schiel's painting on the side of the Midland Marketing building is the last of six murals in the downtown Hays Brush the Bricks project. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post </figcaption>
 </figure>Schiel helped raise $100,000 toward the Brush Bricks mural project, which included six murals: <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/c249f967-7e8d-4a80-897e-25bccb78992e">• The three amigos mural on the S&amp;W building by Schiel</a> <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/274e05fe-f437-4c8a-95f7-2d33bdfb4c44">• The Arc mural on the Arc Thrift Store building by Schiel</a> <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/6bb3bfe4-ed00-43eb-87ed-eee70888ac9a">• The buffalo dance mural on the State Glass Co. building by Matt Miller</a> <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/d8987c98-30c5-4304-8b88-cabf4ef0efb4">• The Hays postcard mural on the side of the Golden Q building by Schiel</a> <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/f3f18a37-8dd4-4b1c-a934-490422d12346">• The dragon mural on the side of the Sake2Me building by Matt Miller</a> • The farmer mural on the side of the Midland Marketing building by SchielSchiel said he hopes people will stop in Hays not only to see the murals but also Pete Felten's statues. Schiel also hopes a local organization will produce a brochure that will highlight the Hays murals so visitors can tour the mural sites. Schiel also painted three other Hays murals that were not part of Brush the Bricks —&nbsp; a bison mural on the side of the Fox Theatre, a patriotic mural on the side of the Hays VFW and a small mural at the Hays Recreation Center.How long the murals will last is highly dependent on how much sun and weather they receive. Murals on north walls tend to last longer — some as long as decades, Schiel said. However, he also had a mural that had to be touched up after a year. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669059738753.jpeg" alt="Hays artist Dennis Schiel said the murals that were painted for the Brush the Bricks project could last for decades, depending on weather exposure. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post " />
 <figcaption>Hays artist Dennis Schiel said the murals that were painted for the Brush the Bricks project could last for decades, depending on weather exposure. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post </figcaption>
 </figure>Schiel is planning another large mural on the grain elevator that sits across from the train depot in downtown Ellis. That mural will depict the Ellis High School mascot, the Railroaders. A train will be breaking through a rock wall with athletes from the different EHS sports riding on the train. Fundraising is ongoing for this project through the Ellis Foundation.

Midland Marketing mural last in Hays Brush the Bricks series

GREAT BEND — On Oct. 3, deputies with the Barton County Sheriff’s Office responded
 to a reported theft in the 2300 block of Railroad Avenue just south the
 city of Great Bend. 

The person reporting the theft advised law 
enforcement that a 2018 Jayco Jayflight bumper-pull camper had been 
stolen sometime the night before. The estimated value of the camper was 
$20,500.

On Nov. 22, detectives obtained a search warrant to 
retrieve the camper. Detectives went to a location in Hutchinson where 
they located the camper and it was seized. Deputies transported it back 
to Barton County. 

This investigation is continuing, and 
additional search warrants and arrest warrants are expected in the near 
future. The Barton County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Reno 
County Sheriff’s Office.

Great Bend PostGREAT BEND — On Oct. 3, deputies with the Barton County Sheriff’s Office responded
 to a reported theft in the 2300 block of Railroad Avenue just south the
 city of Great Bend. The person reporting the theft advised law 
enforcement that a 2018 Jayco Jayflight bumper-pull camper had been 
stolen sometime the night before. The estimated value of the camper was 
$20,500.On Nov. 22, detectives obtained a search warrant to 
retrieve the camper. Detectives went to a location in Hutchinson where 
they located the camper and it was seized. Deputies transported it back 
to Barton County. This investigation is continuing, and 
additional search warrants and arrest warrants are expected in the near 
future. The Barton County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Reno 
County Sheriff’s Office.

Kansas police recover camper missing since early October

Mike (Cecil) Peters, 73, passed from this world on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022, at Olathe Medical Center, Olathe, KS. Mike
 was born Oct. 11, 1949, in La Crosse, KS to Robert and Munica 
(Reynolds) Peters. In 1967, he graduated from McCracken High School. 
On October 19, 1968, he was united in marriage to Diana Lynn Schaffer in 
Liebenthal, KS. They celebrated 53 years of marriage last month. Mike
 began his career at Carey Salt in Hutchinson, KS where he worked for 
three years. He spent the next 35 years working for United Parcel 
Service (UPS) in Hays, KS. You would never see Mike without a 
smile on his face; he didn’t know a stranger. He had a contagious laugh 
that brought joy to everyone he would meet. Mike was a fun-loving, 
hardworking, and selfless man, with a heart bigger than any other. His 
love for life, perseverance, and strength will live on in all who knew 
him. Mike enjoyed playing golf, going to the casinos, and watching his 
grandkids’ sporting events. Most of all, he loved his family. Survivors
 include his wife Diana of Olathe, KS., three daughters: Mellissa 
Shepherd, Michelle Mussat, and Marla Andregg, all of Overland Park, KS: 
his brother, Dennis Peters of Plano, TX; three grandsons: Stephen Mussat
 of Kips Bay, NY, Travis Shepherd of Tonganoxie, KS., and Brayden 
Metcalf of Overland Park, KS.; three granddaughters: Mykah Andregg of 
Los Angeles, CA, Brianna Mussat of Overland Park, KS and Addyson 
Shepherd of Tonganoxie, KS, in addition to numerous nieces and nephews. Mike
 was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Bobby and 
Russell Peters, and his granddaughter, Madison Shea Andregg. Visitation,
 followed by the rosary and Mass, will be at 10 a.m., Wednesday, Nov. 
23, 2022, at Prince of Peace Catholic Church, 16000 W. 143rd St. Olathe,
 KS with Fr. Greg officiating. In lieu of flowers, memorial 
contributions may be made to the National Pancreatic Cancer Foundation 
or the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669394023231.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Mike (Cecil) Peters, 73, passed from this world on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022, at Olathe Medical Center, Olathe, KS. Mike
 was born Oct. 11, 1949, in La Crosse, KS to Robert and Munica 
(Reynolds) Peters. In 1967, he graduated from McCracken High School. 
On October 19, 1968, he was united in marriage to Diana Lynn Schaffer in 
Liebenthal, KS. They celebrated 53 years of marriage last month. Mike
 began his career at Carey Salt in Hutchinson, KS where he worked for 
three years. He spent the next 35 years working for United Parcel 
Service (UPS) in Hays, KS. You would never see Mike without a 
smile on his face; he didn’t know a stranger. He had a contagious laugh 
that brought joy to everyone he would meet. Mike was a fun-loving, 
hardworking, and selfless man, with a heart bigger than any other. His 
love for life, perseverance, and strength will live on in all who knew 
him. Mike enjoyed playing golf, going to the casinos, and watching his 
grandkids’ sporting events. Most of all, he loved his family. Survivors
 include his wife Diana of Olathe, KS., three daughters: Mellissa 
Shepherd, Michelle Mussat, and Marla Andregg, all of Overland Park, KS: 
his brother, Dennis Peters of Plano, TX; three grandsons: Stephen Mussat
 of Kips Bay, NY, Travis Shepherd of Tonganoxie, KS., and Brayden 
Metcalf of Overland Park, KS.; three granddaughters: Mykah Andregg of 
Los Angeles, CA, Brianna Mussat of Overland Park, KS and Addyson 
Shepherd of Tonganoxie, KS, in addition to numerous nieces and nephews. Mike
 was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Bobby and 
Russell Peters, and his granddaughter, Madison Shea Andregg. Visitation,
 followed by the rosary and Mass, will be at 10 a.m., Wednesday, Nov. 
23, 2022, at Prince of Peace Catholic Church, 16000 W. 143rd St. Olathe,
 KS with Fr. Greg officiating. In lieu of flowers, memorial 
contributions may be made to the National Pancreatic Cancer Foundation 
or the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network.

Mike (Cecil) Peters

By DAVID MEDNICOFF <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-world-cup-puts-the-spotlight-on-qatar-but-also-brings-attention-to-its-human-rights-record-and-politics-4-things-to-know-194970">The Conversation</a>

With the start of the World Cup on Nov. 20, 2022, soccer teams <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Qatar">from 32 countries</a> and <a href="https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sport/football/world-cup-2022-fans/">tens of thousands of fans</a>
 have converged on Qatar, a tiny Arab country on a peninsula in the 
Persian Gulf. But search “Qatar 2022” online, and the first nonsport 
results are about <a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/11/14/qatar-rights-abuses-stain-fifa-world-cup">the country’s human rights issues</a>.

Like its fellow oil-rich Arab countries, Qatar has enjoyed immense 
wealth that nurtured grand ambitions of economic growth among rulers and
 citizens alike. Qatar and its neighbors, including Bahrain and the 
United Arab Emirates, have brought <a href="https://www.ilo.org/beirut/areasofwork/labour-migration/lang--en/index.htm">in millions</a> of workers from other countries to support their fast-growing cities and businesses over the <a href="https://www.macrotrends.net/countries/QAT/qatar/immigration-statistics">past few decades</a>.

In particular, about <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-60867042">30,000 workers</a>
 came from Bangladesh, India and Nepal to construct the World Cup 
stadiums. At least 37 died, according to official Qatari counts, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/16/sports/soccer/world-cup-migrant-workers.html">while building</a> the US$220 billion infrastructure for the games.

I am <a href="https://www.umass.edu/jne/member/david-mednicoff">a political scientist and legal scholar of the Middle East</a> who has lived and <a href="https://www.newswise.com/articles/middle-east-expert-mednicoff-named-lead-investigator-for-1-million-research-study?channel=">worked</a>
 in Qatar. Given the sudden media focus on the country, I think it 
helpful for both World Cup fans and people who don’t know a soccer ball 
from a hockey puck to understand four aspects of Qatar’s politics that 
relate to its human rights challenges.

A sparsely populated country in a desert, Qatar gained independence from Great Britain in 1971. With its large <a href="https://www.worldometers.info/gas/qatar-natural-gas/">oil and natural gas</a> reserves, Qatar has the <a href="https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.PCAP.CD?locations=QA">highest income per citizen</a> in the world.

Qatar’s ruler is <a href="https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2019/01/tamim-the-glorious-portrait-goes-viral.html">popular</a> among <a href="https://bti-project.org/en/reports/country-report/QAT">citizens</a>. <a href="https://www.diwan.gov.qa/hh-the-amir?sc_lang=en#data---">Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani</a>
 is part a family dynasty that has run the area’s politics since the 
1800s, even under Ottoman and British control. This makes Qatar one of 
eight Arab countries governed by hereditary kings.

Hereditary ruling monarchies <a href="https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781315203195-10/contemporary-kingship-muslim-arab-societies-comparative-context-david-mednicoff">may seem archaic</a> to people living in societies with elected leaders. Yet these systems <a href="https://theconversation.com/middle-eastern-monarchies-how-do-arab-ruling-families-hold-on-to-power-159952">have held onto power, outlasting the Arab uprisings of 2011</a>. The lack of democracy in Arab countries is also part of a broader trend, as <a href="https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/2022/global-expansion-authoritarian-rule">autocratic governments are generally on the rise globally</a>.

2. Yes – workers’ rights have been a problem 

Doha, the capital of Qatar, has become a major <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/">media</a>, <a href="https://www.qf.org.qa/education/education-city">educational</a>, <a href="https://raiagroup.org/qatars-tamim-is-leading-diplomacy-in-the-middle-east">diplomatic</a>
 and recreational hub over the past few decades. Its breakneck 
development also required workers from all over the world. As a result, 
foreign workers make up <a href="https://www.onlineqatar.com/visiting/tourist-information/qatar-population-and-expat-nationalities">about 85% of the country’s total population</a>, but they <a href="https://www.state.gov/reports/2021-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/qatar">do not have the same rights</a> as Qatari citizens. Qatari natives have been reluctant to share their <a href="https://qatarofw.com/qatar-social-security/">extraordinary social welfare benefits</a>,
 like free medical care, with millions of workers from abroad. This 
makes for a system that gives many more rights to Qatari nationals than 
the millions of others who live there.

Unusual, rapid growth like Qatar’s is a magnet for foreign contract 
workers worldwide. I enjoyed my opportunity to work there myself as a 
visiting professor and Fulbright scholar 15 years ago. Yet less 
privileged foreign workers can fare badly.

In Qatar and its oil-rich peers, control by a minority of citizens over millions of workers with fewer rights leads to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2020/jul/15/migrant-workers-in-qatar-face-structural-racism-says-un-report">discrimination and abuse</a>. Human rights groups, journalists and <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/migrant-workers-recount-abuse-while-building-stadiums-for-world-cup-in-qatar">migrant workers</a> themselves have <a href="https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/campaigns/2019/02/reality-check-migrant-workers-rights-with-two-years-to-qatar-2022-world-cup/">sought to change harmful workplace practices</a>, such as withholding wages and forbidding unions.

Qatar’s summer heat, <a href="https://www.weather-atlas.com/en/qatar/doha-climate">averaging 106 degrees Fahrenheit</a>
 (41 degrees Celsius), can make working conditions especially dangerous 
for outside construction workers. Since it is hard to know whether the 
alleged worker deaths are due specifically to bad working conditions, 
work-related issues, or something else, exact mortality numbers have <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/fact-check-how-many-people-have-died-for-the-qatar-world-cup/a-63763713">been disputed and may be prone to exaggeration</a>. Yet no one doubts that <a href="https://pulitzercenter.org/stories/thousands-migrant-workers-died-qatars-extreme-heat-world-cup-forced-reckoning">conditions have been terrible</a> for many of Qatar’s most vulnerable workers.

Other rights issues in Qatar have also <a href="https://news.northeastern.edu/2022/11/19/world-cup-lgbtq-fans-athletes-safety/">attracted global attention</a>. The conservative form of Islam that is part of Qatar’s identity allows little tolerance for LGBTQ rights. <a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/10/24/qatar-security-forces-arrest-abuse-lgbt-people">Human rights groups have documented</a> detentions and other routine discrimination against LGBTQ people.

While workers’ rights have received appropriate Western media attention, Qatar’s direct efforts to <a href="https://theathletic.com/3836101/2022/11/17/how-ngos-responded-to-world-cup/">respond to local and international activism</a> are less known. Qatar <a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/09/24/qatar-significant-labor-and-kafala-reforms">enacted the most significant labor rights reforms in the Arab world</a> in 2021.

<a href="https://www.ilo.org/beirut/countries/qatar/WCMS_859880/lang--en/index.htm">Working with the International Labor Organization</a>,
 a United Nations agency that promotes fair and decent work worldwide, 
Qatar instituted a minimum wage of $275 per month, along with allowances
 for food and lodging. It also prohibited outdoor work during the peak 
of summer heat and eliminated many of the laws that gave employers 
control over their workers’ basic freedoms to leave their job or the 
country.

Because the reforms are recent, it is hard to know whether they represent <a href="https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2021/country-chapters/qatar">important steps forward</a> or <a href="https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2022/10/qatar-labour-reform-unfinished-and-compensation-still-owed-as-world-cup-looms/">incremental steps that will change little</a>.

In any case, legislation in and of itself cannot remedy a complicated
 challenge involving a wide range of companies and other organizations 
that Qatar’s government does not control. Whether Qatar can and will 
enforce the new regulations consistently is one concern. 

Most foreign migrants arrive in Qatar through foreign-based recruitment companies, which charge them to secure jobs. So even if <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/11/1/qatar-made-progress-in-labour-reforms-ilo">Qatar tries to curb labor abuses</a>, <a href="https://www.ilo.org/infostories/en-GB/Stories/Country-Focus/world-cup-qatar#domestic">recruitment companies</a>
 based in migrants’ countries of origin would still profit by charging 
workers expensive placement fees, for example. Such recruiters often 
work with <a href="https://www.business-humanrights.org/de/von-uns/briefings/wake-up-call-exploitative-recruitment-risk-to-migrant-workers-in-qatars-world-cup-hotels/">multinational companies within Qatar</a> to <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelposner/2022/10/28/world-cup-abuses-led-qatar-to-change-labor-laws-but-more-protection-is-needed/?sh=6cb0b28c2062">blunt the force</a> of the kingdom’s recent reforms.

4. And Western critiques may conceal other agendas 

<a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/11/15/qatari-minister-slams-western-media-coverage-of-world-cup-record">Qatari officials have suggested</a>
 that international attention to foreign workers’ conditions is part of a
 broader pattern of Westerners belittling Arabs and Muslims. <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/qatar-world-cup-team-depicted-terrorists-cartoon-sparks-outrage-1758928">One blatant example</a>
 is an October issue of the French right-wing satirical magazine “Le 
Canard enchaîné,” which depicted Qatari soccer players as terrorists.

Calls in some parts of Europe for <a href="https://www.axios.com/2022/11/17/qatar-world-cup-broadcasting-boycotts-france">a widespread World Cup boycott</a> add fuel to this and <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2022/11/17/in-defence-of-qatars-hosting-of-the-world-cup">other arguments</a> that the European and American impression of Qatar is <a href="https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20221119-fifa-president-blasts-hypocrisy-of-western-critics-of-world-cup-host-qatar">hypocritical</a> and possibly <a href="https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20221010-qatar-says-french-objections-to-fifa-world-cup-stem-from-islamophobia/">Islamophobic</a>.
 Though hardly a neutral observer, Gianni Infantino, the president of 
FIFA, which carries out the World Cup, reflected many Gulf Arabs’ views 
when he argued that <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/11/19/fifa-chief-accuses-critics-of-qatar-of-hypocrisy-ahead-of-world-cup.html">Europe’s history of exploiting Middle Easterners and others</a> gives it little moral high ground on issues of non-Western rights.

Because no Middle Eastern or Muslim-majority country had hosted the World Cup before 2022, Qatar’s achievement is <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/18/opinion/qatar-world-cup-arab-football.html">significant</a>. The Economist <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2022/11/17/in-defence-of-qatars-hosting-of-the-world-cup">argues that</a>
 Qatar’s responsiveness to pressures to improve its human rights climate
 may make it a more appropriate host for a global sporting event than 
other countries with poor human rights records, such as China or Russia.

Yet genuine global concern about rights in countries like Qatar and 
mistrust between the Middle East and the West will persist. Can new 
global awareness of Qatar lead to more nuanced understanding of both 
cross-cultural similarities and differences between Arab Islamic 
countries and the rest of the world? For the moment, this is as hard to 
know as which country will win the World Cup.

David Mednicoff, Chair, Department of Judaic and Near Eastern Studies, and 
Associate Professor of Middle Eastern Studies and Public Policy, UMass 
Amherst

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669227517151.jpeg" alt="Young girls and a woman watch a fireworks display as part of the World Cup soccer tournament FIFA fan festival in Doha, Qatar, Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)" />
 <figcaption>Young girls and a woman watch a fireworks display as part of the World Cup soccer tournament FIFA fan festival in Doha, Qatar, Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)</figcaption>
 </figure>By DAVID MEDNICOFF <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-world-cup-puts-the-spotlight-on-qatar-but-also-brings-attention-to-its-human-rights-record-and-politics-4-things-to-know-194970">The Conversation</a>With the start of the World Cup on Nov. 20, 2022, soccer teams <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Qatar">from 32 countries</a> and <a href="https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sport/football/world-cup-2022-fans/">tens of thousands of fans</a>
 have converged on Qatar, a tiny Arab country on a peninsula in the 
Persian Gulf. But search “Qatar 2022” online, and the first nonsport 
results are about <a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/11/14/qatar-rights-abuses-stain-fifa-world-cup">the country’s human rights issues</a>.Like its fellow oil-rich Arab countries, Qatar has enjoyed immense 
wealth that nurtured grand ambitions of economic growth among rulers and
 citizens alike. Qatar and its neighbors, including Bahrain and the 
United Arab Emirates, have brought <a href="https://www.ilo.org/beirut/areasofwork/labour-migration/lang--en/index.htm">in millions</a> of workers from other countries to support their fast-growing cities and businesses over the <a href="https://www.macrotrends.net/countries/QAT/qatar/immigration-statistics">past few decades</a>.In particular, about <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-60867042">30,000 workers</a>
 came from Bangladesh, India and Nepal to construct the World Cup 
stadiums. At least 37 died, according to official Qatari counts, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/16/sports/soccer/world-cup-migrant-workers.html">while building</a> the US$220 billion infrastructure for the games. I am <a href="https://www.umass.edu/jne/member/david-mednicoff">a political scientist and legal scholar of the Middle East</a> who has lived and <a href="https://www.newswise.com/articles/middle-east-expert-mednicoff-named-lead-investigator-for-1-million-research-study?channel=">worked</a>
 in Qatar. Given the sudden media focus on the country, I think it 
helpful for both World Cup fans and people who don’t know a soccer ball 
from a hockey puck to understand four aspects of Qatar’s politics that 
relate to its human rights challenges.<h2>1. Qatar is ruled by a popular king</h2>A sparsely populated country in a desert, Qatar gained independence from Great Britain in 1971. With its large <a href="https://www.worldometers.info/gas/qatar-natural-gas/">oil and natural gas</a> reserves, Qatar has the <a href="https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.PCAP.CD?locations=QA">highest income per citizen</a> in the world. Qatar’s ruler is <a href="https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2019/01/tamim-the-glorious-portrait-goes-viral.html">popular</a> among <a href="https://bti-project.org/en/reports/country-report/QAT">citizens</a>. <a href="https://www.diwan.gov.qa/hh-the-amir?sc_lang=en#data---">Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani</a>
 is part a family dynasty that has run the area’s politics since the 
1800s, even under Ottoman and British control. This makes Qatar one of 
eight Arab countries governed by hereditary kings.Hereditary ruling monarchies <a href="https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781315203195-10/contemporary-kingship-muslim-arab-societies-comparative-context-david-mednicoff">may seem archaic</a> to people living in societies with elected leaders. Yet these systems <a href="https://theconversation.com/middle-eastern-monarchies-how-do-arab-ruling-families-hold-on-to-power-159952">have held onto power, outlasting the Arab uprisings of 2011</a>. The lack of democracy in Arab countries is also part of a broader trend, as <a href="https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/2022/global-expansion-authoritarian-rule">autocratic governments are generally on the rise globally</a>. <h2>2. Yes – workers’ rights have been a problem </h2>Doha, the capital of Qatar, has become a major <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/">media</a>, <a href="https://www.qf.org.qa/education/education-city">educational</a>, <a href="https://raiagroup.org/qatars-tamim-is-leading-diplomacy-in-the-middle-east">diplomatic</a>
 and recreational hub over the past few decades. Its breakneck 
development also required workers from all over the world. As a result, 
foreign workers make up <a href="https://www.onlineqatar.com/visiting/tourist-information/qatar-population-and-expat-nationalities">about 85% of the country’s total population</a>, but they <a href="https://www.state.gov/reports/2021-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/qatar">do not have the same rights</a> as Qatari citizens. Qatari natives have been reluctant to share their <a href="https://qatarofw.com/qatar-social-security/">extraordinary social welfare benefits</a>,
 like free medical care, with millions of workers from abroad. This 
makes for a system that gives many more rights to Qatari nationals than 
the millions of others who live there.Unusual, rapid growth like Qatar’s is a magnet for foreign contract 
workers worldwide. I enjoyed my opportunity to work there myself as a 
visiting professor and Fulbright scholar 15 years ago. Yet less 
privileged foreign workers can fare badly.In Qatar and its oil-rich peers, control by a minority of citizens over millions of workers with fewer rights leads to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2020/jul/15/migrant-workers-in-qatar-face-structural-racism-says-un-report">discrimination and abuse</a>. Human rights groups, journalists and <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/migrant-workers-recount-abuse-while-building-stadiums-for-world-cup-in-qatar">migrant workers</a> themselves have <a href="https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/campaigns/2019/02/reality-check-migrant-workers-rights-with-two-years-to-qatar-2022-world-cup/">sought to change harmful workplace practices</a>, such as withholding wages and forbidding unions. Qatar’s summer heat, <a href="https://www.weather-atlas.com/en/qatar/doha-climate">averaging 106 degrees Fahrenheit</a>
 (41 degrees Celsius), can make working conditions especially dangerous 
for outside construction workers. Since it is hard to know whether the 
alleged worker deaths are due specifically to bad working conditions, 
work-related issues, or something else, exact mortality numbers have <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/fact-check-how-many-people-have-died-for-the-qatar-world-cup/a-63763713">been disputed and may be prone to exaggeration</a>. Yet no one doubts that <a href="https://pulitzercenter.org/stories/thousands-migrant-workers-died-qatars-extreme-heat-world-cup-forced-reckoning">conditions have been terrible</a> for many of Qatar’s most vulnerable workers.Other rights issues in Qatar have also <a href="https://news.northeastern.edu/2022/11/19/world-cup-lgbtq-fans-athletes-safety/">attracted global attention</a>. The conservative form of Islam that is part of Qatar’s identity allows little tolerance for LGBTQ rights. <a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/10/24/qatar-security-forces-arrest-abuse-lgbt-people">Human rights groups have documented</a> detentions and other routine discrimination against LGBTQ people.<h2>3. Yet Qatar has made major reforms</h2>While workers’ rights have received appropriate Western media attention, Qatar’s direct efforts to <a href="https://theathletic.com/3836101/2022/11/17/how-ngos-responded-to-world-cup/">respond to local and international activism</a> are less known. Qatar <a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/09/24/qatar-significant-labor-and-kafala-reforms">enacted the most significant labor rights reforms in the Arab world</a> in 2021. <a href="https://www.ilo.org/beirut/countries/qatar/WCMS_859880/lang--en/index.htm">Working with the International Labor Organization</a>,
 a United Nations agency that promotes fair and decent work worldwide, 
Qatar instituted a minimum wage of $275 per month, along with allowances
 for food and lodging. It also prohibited outdoor work during the peak 
of summer heat and eliminated many of the laws that gave employers 
control over their workers’ basic freedoms to leave their job or the 
country.Because the reforms are recent, it is hard to know whether they represent <a href="https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2021/country-chapters/qatar">important steps forward</a> or <a href="https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2022/10/qatar-labour-reform-unfinished-and-compensation-still-owed-as-world-cup-looms/">incremental steps that will change little</a>. In any case, legislation in and of itself cannot remedy a complicated
 challenge involving a wide range of companies and other organizations 
that Qatar’s government does not control. Whether Qatar can and will 
enforce the new regulations consistently is one concern. Most foreign migrants arrive in Qatar through foreign-based recruitment companies, which charge them to secure jobs. So even if <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/11/1/qatar-made-progress-in-labour-reforms-ilo">Qatar tries to curb labor abuses</a>, <a href="https://www.ilo.org/infostories/en-GB/Stories/Country-Focus/world-cup-qatar#domestic">recruitment companies</a>
 based in migrants’ countries of origin would still profit by charging 
workers expensive placement fees, for example. Such recruiters often 
work with <a href="https://www.business-humanrights.org/de/von-uns/briefings/wake-up-call-exploitative-recruitment-risk-to-migrant-workers-in-qatars-world-cup-hotels/">multinational companies within Qatar</a> to <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelposner/2022/10/28/world-cup-abuses-led-qatar-to-change-labor-laws-but-more-protection-is-needed/?sh=6cb0b28c2062">blunt the force</a> of the kingdom’s recent reforms. <h2>4. And Western critiques may conceal other agendas </h2><a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/11/15/qatari-minister-slams-western-media-coverage-of-world-cup-record">Qatari officials have suggested</a>
 that international attention to foreign workers’ conditions is part of a
 broader pattern of Westerners belittling Arabs and Muslims. <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/qatar-world-cup-team-depicted-terrorists-cartoon-sparks-outrage-1758928">One blatant example</a>
 is an October issue of the French right-wing satirical magazine “Le 
Canard enchaîné,” which depicted Qatari soccer players as terrorists.Calls in some parts of Europe for <a href="https://www.axios.com/2022/11/17/qatar-world-cup-broadcasting-boycotts-france">a widespread World Cup boycott</a> add fuel to this and <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2022/11/17/in-defence-of-qatars-hosting-of-the-world-cup">other arguments</a> that the European and American impression of Qatar is <a href="https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20221119-fifa-president-blasts-hypocrisy-of-western-critics-of-world-cup-host-qatar">hypocritical</a> and possibly <a href="https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20221010-qatar-says-french-objections-to-fifa-world-cup-stem-from-islamophobia/">Islamophobic</a>.
 Though hardly a neutral observer, Gianni Infantino, the president of 
FIFA, which carries out the World Cup, reflected many Gulf Arabs’ views 
when he argued that <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/11/19/fifa-chief-accuses-critics-of-qatar-of-hypocrisy-ahead-of-world-cup.html">Europe’s history of exploiting Middle Easterners and others</a> gives it little moral high ground on issues of non-Western rights. Because no Middle Eastern or Muslim-majority country had hosted the World Cup before 2022, Qatar’s achievement is <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/18/opinion/qatar-world-cup-arab-football.html">significant</a>. The Economist <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2022/11/17/in-defence-of-qatars-hosting-of-the-world-cup">argues that</a>
 Qatar’s responsiveness to pressures to improve its human rights climate
 may make it a more appropriate host for a global sporting event than 
other countries with poor human rights records, such as China or Russia.
 Yet genuine global concern about rights in countries like Qatar and 
mistrust between the Middle East and the West will persist. Can new 
global awareness of Qatar lead to more nuanced understanding of both 
cross-cultural similarities and differences between Arab Islamic 
countries and the rest of the world? For the moment, this is as hard to 
know as which country will win the World Cup.David Mednicoff, Chair, Department of Judaic and Near Eastern Studies, and 
Associate Professor of Middle Eastern Studies and Public Policy, UMass 
Amherst<div><iframe src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/194970/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade"></iframe></div>

World Cup puts spotlight on Qatar — and its human rights record 

By BLAISE MESA <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-11-22/the-cost-of-talking-to-family-from-prison-strains-ties-that-help-inmates-thrive-after-release">Kansas News Service</a>

TOPEKA — Trish Gaston spends $50 a week talking to her two sons at the Lansing Correctional Facility.

Gaston has tried cutting back to save some money, but she said “I need to hear their voice every day.”

“That’s their only contact to the outside world and to feel somewhat normal,” she said.

Even convicted felons, Gaston said, deserve to talk to their family.

That
 desire for connection with friends and family grows more urgent around 
the holidays. The buzz of Christmas gatherings or Thanksgiving feasts 
feels emptier without every loved one around, but inmates and their 
families make do with phone calls or messages.

Families of 
prisoners in Kansas say the phone calls, emails or even postcards that 
keep inmates in touch with loved ones come with unreasonable hassle and 
cost — barriers that could leave them isolated and less likely blend 
into a law-abiding world when they finally get paroled.

The people
 who run Kansas prisons argue they do what they can to balance the need 
of inmates to communicate with the outside against ways those contacts 
can channel the smuggling of drugs into prison or accommodate schemes 
that could put people in danger inside and outside prison.

So 
they’ve devised ways that give wardens more control of how prisoners can
 communicate with the outside — ways that leave inmates and their 
families increasingly frustrated.

That holiday card the family 
sent? It might get caught up in the mailroom for weeks. And the prisoner
 might only get a photocopy because prison officials worry about drugs 
that might get soaked into the paperboard.

Electronic messages can
 get delayed, and sometimes denied, with explanations that families say 
can feel contrived — or without any explanation.

From
 July 2016 to July 2021, 5,238 inmates got released from Kansas prisons 
on indigent status. That means someone had less than $12 in their inmate
 bank account.

At 25 cents a message, around $10 per video call 
and 14 cents a minute for a phone call, parents and inmates say people 
who make a few dozen dollars a month can’t afford to talk. Phone calls 
also come with hefty fees. Adding $20 of phone time buys just under two 
hours of phone time.

Abigail Reed, an inmate at the Topeka 
Correctional Facility, is not able to work any kind of job because she 
is seven months pregnant. She would feel better if she could talk more 
with her mother, but medical bills make it hard for her mother to add 
money to talk.

Her mother will take her child once it’s born, but 
Reed worries she won’t be able to keep in touch with her mother because 
of cost.

“I would feel better if I could see (and) talk to her more regularly,” she said. “She does what she can for me.”

Inmates
 with financial backing, either from their prison jobs or from their 
families, may not struggle to pay. But those with tight budgets say the 
costs run too high.

The Kansas Department of Corrections says it 
does provide low-income inmates up to four free letters a month so they 
can keep in touch with the outside.

The department does have to 
balance safety with open communication. A message is delayed because it 
needs to be reviewed before being approved, and mail might move slow 
because it was flagged as a safety concern.

In September 2021, the
 Ellsworth Correctional Facility began a pilot program that photocopied 
mail because officials there said drugs were getting into the prison 
through the postal system. Corrections Secretary Jeff Zmuda said in a 
letter to inmates and families that mailed drugs led to two deaths in 
the prison system.

“This threatens not only the lives of these 
residents, but the health and safety of other residents and staff who 
come into contact with the substance or with second-hand exposures,” he 
said.

California and Connecticut have made calls from prison free, and more sweeping changes could be coming.

The
 Federal Communications Commission has looked into lowering rates 
before, but courts said they lack authority to do so and can only lower 
rates of phone calls between states. A bill in the U.S. Senate would 
give the agency power to adjust rates for in-state calls and video 
visits.

“This is a complicated problem, but it is one we have got to solve,” FCC Chairperson Jessica Rosenworcel <a href="https://www.npr.org/2022/10/23/1130782415/incarcerated-people-pay-about-5-dollars-for-a-30-minute-phone-call-a-new-bill-wa" target="_blank">told NPR in late October</a>.
 “You and I make a phone call — if we don't like a provider, we just 
choose someone else. A jail or prison develops an exclusive contract 
with one provider.”

Rosenworcel said that 2.7 million U.S. 
children have parents in jail or prison and that constant communication 
with loved ones can reduce recidivism.

Gaston, the mother with 
children in Lansing, knows keeping in touch with her children will only 
help them in the long run, but she said the prison doesn’t make it easy.

It may not seem like much, but she said holiday cards and regular phone calls let someone know they are loved.

“It’s
 got to lift your spirits somewhat, they have very little in there to 
lift their spirits,” she said. “Something simple like that does make a 
difference.”

Blaise Mesa reports on criminal justice and social services for the 
Kansas News Service in Topeka. You can follow him on Twitter 
@Blaise_Mesa or email him at blaise@kcur.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669147177266.png" alt="Phone calls cost 14 cents a minute while in prison. Blaise Mesa / Kansas News Service " />
 <figcaption>Phone calls cost 14 cents a minute while in prison. Blaise Mesa / Kansas News Service </figcaption>
 </figure>By BLAISE MESA <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-11-22/the-cost-of-talking-to-family-from-prison-strains-ties-that-help-inmates-thrive-after-release">Kansas News Service</a>TOPEKA — Trish Gaston spends $50 a week talking to her two sons at the Lansing Correctional Facility.Gaston has tried cutting back to save some money, but she said “I need to hear their voice every day.”“That’s their only contact to the outside world and to feel somewhat normal,” she said.Even convicted felons, Gaston said, deserve to talk to their family.That
 desire for connection with friends and family grows more urgent around 
the holidays. The buzz of Christmas gatherings or Thanksgiving feasts 
feels emptier without every loved one around, but inmates and their 
families make do with phone calls or messages.Families of 
prisoners in Kansas say the phone calls, emails or even postcards that 
keep inmates in touch with loved ones come with unreasonable hassle and 
cost — barriers that could leave them isolated and less likely blend 
into a law-abiding world when they finally get paroled.The people
 who run Kansas prisons argue they do what they can to balance the need 
of inmates to communicate with the outside against ways those contacts 
can channel the smuggling of drugs into prison or accommodate schemes 
that could put people in danger inside and outside prison.So 
they’ve devised ways that give wardens more control of how prisoners can
 communicate with the outside — ways that leave inmates and their 
families increasingly frustrated.That holiday card the family 
sent? It might get caught up in the mailroom for weeks. And the prisoner
 might only get a photocopy because prison officials worry about drugs 
that might get soaked into the paperboard.Electronic messages can
 get delayed, and sometimes denied, with explanations that families say 
can feel contrived — or without any explanation.Then comes the cost.From
 July 2016 to July 2021, 5,238 inmates got released from Kansas prisons 
on indigent status. That means someone had less than $12 in their inmate
 bank account.At 25 cents a message, around $10 per video call 
and 14 cents a minute for a phone call, parents and inmates say people 
who make a few dozen dollars a month can’t afford to talk. Phone calls 
also come with hefty fees. Adding $20 of phone time buys just under two 
hours of phone time.Abigail Reed, an inmate at the Topeka 
Correctional Facility, is not able to work any kind of job because she 
is seven months pregnant. She would feel better if she could talk more 
with her mother, but medical bills make it hard for her mother to add 
money to talk.Her mother will take her child once it’s born, but 
Reed worries she won’t be able to keep in touch with her mother because 
of cost.“I would feel better if I could see (and) talk to her more regularly,” she said. “She does what she can for me.”Inmates
 with financial backing, either from their prison jobs or from their 
families, may not struggle to pay. But those with tight budgets say the 
costs run too high.The Kansas Department of Corrections says it 
does provide low-income inmates up to four free letters a month so they 
can keep in touch with the outside.The department does have to 
balance safety with open communication. A message is delayed because it 
needs to be reviewed before being approved, and mail might move slow 
because it was flagged as a safety concern.In September 2021, the
 Ellsworth Correctional Facility began a pilot program that photocopied 
mail because officials there said drugs were getting into the prison 
through the postal system. Corrections Secretary Jeff Zmuda said in a 
letter to inmates and families that mailed drugs led to two deaths in 
the prison system.“This threatens not only the lives of these 
residents, but the health and safety of other residents and staff who 
come into contact with the substance or with second-hand exposures,” he 
said.California and Connecticut have made calls from prison free, and more sweeping changes could be coming.The
 Federal Communications Commission has looked into lowering rates 
before, but courts said they lack authority to do so and can only lower 
rates of phone calls between states. A bill in the U.S. Senate would 
give the agency power to adjust rates for in-state calls and video 
visits.“This is a complicated problem, but it is one we have got to solve,” FCC Chairperson Jessica Rosenworcel <a href="https://www.npr.org/2022/10/23/1130782415/incarcerated-people-pay-about-5-dollars-for-a-30-minute-phone-call-a-new-bill-wa" target="_blank">told NPR in late October</a>.
 “You and I make a phone call — if we don't like a provider, we just 
choose someone else. A jail or prison develops an exclusive contract 
with one provider.”Rosenworcel said that 2.7 million U.S. 
children have parents in jail or prison and that constant communication 
with loved ones can reduce recidivism.Gaston, the mother with 
children in Lansing, knows keeping in touch with her children will only 
help them in the long run, but she said the prison doesn’t make it easy.It may not seem like much, but she said holiday cards and regular phone calls let someone know they are loved.“It’s
 got to lift your spirits somewhat, they have very little in there to 
lift their spirits,” she said. “Something simple like that does make a 
difference.”Blaise Mesa reports on criminal justice and social services for the 
Kansas News Service in Topeka. You can follow him on Twitter 
@Blaise_Mesa or email him at blaise@kcur.org.

Cost of talking to family from prison strains inmates' ties

WASHINGTON
 (AP) — Most Federal Reserve officials at their last meeting favored 
reducing the size of their interest rate hikes “soon’’— just before <a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-business-jerome-powell-government-and-politics-875599570f2b3bfc132963010a404f09">raising their benchmark rate by a substantial three-quarters of a point</a> for a fourth straight time.

The
 central bank's policymakers saw “very few signs that inflation 
pressures were abating." Still, a “substantial majority" of the 
officials felt that smaller rate hikes “would likely soon be 
appropriate," according to <a href="https://www.federalreserve.gov/monetarypolicy/fomcminutes20221102.htm">the minutes of their Nov. 1-2 meeting</a> released Wednesday.

The
 Fed is widely expected to raise its key short-term rate, which affects 
many consumer and business loans, by a half-point when it next meets in 
mid-December.

“Slowing the pace would give the (Fed) the ability 
to assess the economic landscape and see where they’re at, ‘’ Jennifer 
Lee, senior economist at BMO Capital Markets, wrote in a research 
report. “Short of some wild inflation report before the next meeting, (a
 half percentage point hike) sounds very reasonable in December. But the
 Fed is clearly not finished yet.’'

Rising wages, the result of <a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-business-economy-prices-government-and-politics-42dbebe9d9e3f94a0f51e5b693931e16">a strong job market</a>,
 combined with weak productivity growth, were “inconsistent" with the 
Fed’s ability to meet its 2% target for annual inflation, the 
policymakers concluded, according to the minutes.

At that meeting,
 the Fed officials also expressed uncertainty about how long it might 
take for their rate hikes to slow the economy enough to tame inflation. 
Chair Jerome Powell stressed at a news conference after the meeting that
 the Fed wasn’t even close to declaring victory in its fight to curb 
high inflation.

Still, some of the policymakers expressed hope 
that falling commodity prices and the unsnarling of supply chain 
bottlenecks “should contribute to lower inflation in the medium term.’’ 
Indeed, the government reported earlier this month that price increases 
moderated in October in a sign that the inflation pressures might be 
starting to ease. <a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-united-states-economy-business-consumer-prices-039d829b874be6237041e5f0ab032ad1">Consumer inflation reached 7.7% from a year earlier</a>
 and 0.4% from September. The year-over-year increase, though painfully 
high by any standard, was the smallest rise since January.

Wednesday’s
 minutes revealed that Fed officials thought that ongoing rate increases
 would be “essential’’ to keep Americans from expecting inflation to 
continue indefinitely. When people expect further high inflation, they 
act in ways that can make those expectations self-fulfilling — by, for 
example, demanding higher wages and spending vigorously before prices 
can further accelerate.

The Fed officials noted that <a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-2a0f9402d03450bd97e4fdc310549afd">most employers were resisting layoffs</a> even as the economy slowed, apparently “keen″ to hold onto workers after a year and a half of severe labor shortages. The U.S. <a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-business-economy-prices-government-and-politics-42dbebe9d9e3f94a0f51e5b693931e16">unemployment rate is 3.7%</a>, just above a half-century low.

WASHINGTON
 (AP) — Most Federal Reserve officials at their last meeting favored 
reducing the size of their interest rate hikes “soon’’— just before <a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-business-jerome-powell-government-and-politics-875599570f2b3bfc132963010a404f09">raising their benchmark rate by a substantial three-quarters of a point</a> for a fourth straight time.The
 central bank's policymakers saw “very few signs that inflation 
pressures were abating." Still, a “substantial majority" of the 
officials felt that smaller rate hikes “would likely soon be 
appropriate," according to <a href="https://www.federalreserve.gov/monetarypolicy/fomcminutes20221102.htm">the minutes of their Nov. 1-2 meeting</a> released Wednesday.The
 Fed is widely expected to raise its key short-term rate, which affects 
many consumer and business loans, by a half-point when it next meets in 
mid-December.“Slowing the pace would give the (Fed) the ability 
to assess the economic landscape and see where they’re at, ‘’ Jennifer 
Lee, senior economist at BMO Capital Markets, wrote in a research 
report. “Short of some wild inflation report before the next meeting, (a
 half percentage point hike) sounds very reasonable in December. But the
 Fed is clearly not finished yet.’'Rising wages, the result of <a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-business-economy-prices-government-and-politics-42dbebe9d9e3f94a0f51e5b693931e16">a strong job market</a>,
 combined with weak productivity growth, were “inconsistent" with the 
Fed’s ability to meet its 2% target for annual inflation, the 
policymakers concluded, according to the minutes.At that meeting,
 the Fed officials also expressed uncertainty about how long it might 
take for their rate hikes to slow the economy enough to tame inflation. 
Chair Jerome Powell stressed at a news conference after the meeting that
 the Fed wasn’t even close to declaring victory in its fight to curb 
high inflation.Still, some of the policymakers expressed hope 
that falling commodity prices and the unsnarling of supply chain 
bottlenecks “should contribute to lower inflation in the medium term.’’ 
Indeed, the government reported earlier this month that price increases 
moderated in October in a sign that the inflation pressures might be 
starting to ease. <a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-united-states-economy-business-consumer-prices-039d829b874be6237041e5f0ab032ad1">Consumer inflation reached 7.7% from a year earlier</a>
 and 0.4% from September. The year-over-year increase, though painfully 
high by any standard, was the smallest rise since January.Wednesday’s
 minutes revealed that Fed officials thought that ongoing rate increases
 would be “essential’’ to keep Americans from expecting inflation to 
continue indefinitely. When people expect further high inflation, they 
act in ways that can make those expectations self-fulfilling — by, for 
example, demanding higher wages and spending vigorously before prices 
can further accelerate.The Fed officials noted that <a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-2a0f9402d03450bd97e4fdc310549afd">most employers were resisting layoffs</a> even as the economy slowed, apparently “keen″ to hold onto workers after a year and a half of severe labor shortages. The U.S. <a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-business-economy-prices-government-and-politics-42dbebe9d9e3f94a0f51e5b693931e16">unemployment rate is 3.7%</a>, just above a half-century low.

Most Fed officials at last meeting backed slower rate hikes

WASHINGTON —The U.S. Department of Education announced on Tuesday an extension of the pause on student loan repayment, interest, and collections, according to a media release from the agency.

 The extension will alleviate uncertainty for borrowers as the Biden-Harris Administration asks the Supreme Court to review the lower-court orders that are preventing the Department from providing debt relief for tens of millions of Americans.

Payments will resume 60 days after the Department is permitted to implement the program or the litigation is resolved, which will give the Supreme Court an opportunity to resolve the case during its current Term. If the program has not been implemented and the litigation has not been resolved by June 30, 2023 – payments will resume 60 days after that.

“Callous efforts to block student debt relief in the courts have caused tremendous financial uncertainty for millions of borrowers who cannot set their family budgets or even plan for the holidays without a clear picture of their student debt obligations, and it’s just plain wrong,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “I want borrowers to know that the Biden-Harris Administration has their backs and we’re as committed as ever to fighting to deliver essential student debt relief to tens of millions of Americans. We’re extending the payment pause because it would be deeply unfair to ask borrowers to pay a debt that they wouldn’t have to pay, were it not for the baseless lawsuits brought by Republican officials and special interests.”&nbsp;

On August 24, President Biden and Secretary Cardona announced plans to provide targeted student debt relief to borrowers with loans held by the Department of Education. Borrowers with annual income during the pandemic of under $125,000 (for individuals) or under $250,000 (for married couples or heads of households) who received a Pell Grant in college would be eligible for up to $20,000 in debt cancellation. Targeted student debt relief addresses the financial harms of the pandemic, provides borrowers with smooth transition back to repayment and helps borrowers at highest risk of delinquencies or default once payments resume.&nbsp;&nbsp;

To date, over 26 million people have provided the Department with the necessary information to be considered for debt relief, and 16 million borrowers have been approved. But court orders are blocking the Department from discharging student loan debt and accepting additional applications.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Last week, the Department of Justice requested that the Supreme Court lift the lower court’s injunction against the program and suggested that if the Court does not do so, it could take up the student debt relief case, to provide borrowers the clarity and relief they are depending on.

Borrowers can use the additional time to ensure their contact information is up to date with their loan servicers and consider enrolling in electronic debit and income-driven repayment plans to support a smooth transition to repayment. More information can be found at StudentAid.gov.&nbsp;

In addition to providing relief specifically targeted to alleviating the continuing economic effects of the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, the Biden-Harris Administration has also taken other steps to support students and borrowers, make higher education more affordable, and improve student loan servicing, including providing nearly $48 billion in targeted loan relief to over 1.8 million borrowers. Actions within that include:&nbsp;

WASHINGTON —The U.S. Department of Education announced on Tuesday an extension of the pause on student loan repayment, interest, and collections, according to a media release from the agency.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I&#39;m confident that our student debt relief plan is legal. But it’s on hold because Republican officials want to block it. That&#39;s why <a href="https://twitter.com/SecCardona?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecCardona</a> is extending the payment pause to no later than June 30, 2023, giving the Supreme Court time to hear the case in its current term. <a href="https://t.co/873CurlHFZ">pic.twitter.com/873CurlHFZ</a>&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1595150070285885440?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 22, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div> The extension will alleviate uncertainty for borrowers as the Biden-Harris Administration asks the Supreme Court to review the lower-court orders that are preventing the Department from providing debt relief for tens of millions of Americans.Payments will resume 60 days after the Department is permitted to implement the program or the litigation is resolved, which will give the Supreme Court an opportunity to resolve the case during its current Term. If the program has not been implemented and the litigation has not been resolved by June 30, 2023 – payments will resume 60 days after that. “Callous efforts to block student debt relief in the courts have caused tremendous financial uncertainty for millions of borrowers who cannot set their family budgets or even plan for the holidays without a clear picture of their student debt obligations, and it’s just plain wrong,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “I want borrowers to know that the Biden-Harris Administration has their backs and we’re as committed as ever to fighting to deliver essential student debt relief to tens of millions of Americans. We’re extending the payment pause because it would be deeply unfair to ask borrowers to pay a debt that they wouldn’t have to pay, were it not for the baseless lawsuits brought by Republican officials and special interests.”&nbsp;On August 24, President Biden and Secretary Cardona announced plans to provide targeted student debt relief to borrowers with loans held by the Department of Education. Borrowers with annual income during the pandemic of under $125,000 (for individuals) or under $250,000 (for married couples or heads of households) who received a Pell Grant in college would be eligible for up to $20,000 in debt cancellation. Targeted student debt relief addresses the financial harms of the pandemic, provides borrowers with smooth transition back to repayment and helps borrowers at highest risk of delinquencies or default once payments resume.&nbsp;&nbsp;To date, over 26 million people have provided the Department with the necessary information to be considered for debt relief, and 16 million borrowers have been approved. But court orders are blocking the Department from discharging student loan debt and accepting additional applications.&nbsp;&nbsp;Last week, the Department of Justice requested that the Supreme Court lift the lower court’s injunction against the program and suggested that if the Court does not do so, it could take up the student debt relief case, to provide borrowers the clarity and relief they are depending on.Borrowers can use the additional time to ensure their contact information is up to date with their loan servicers and consider enrolling in electronic debit and income-driven repayment plans to support a smooth transition to repayment. More information can be found at StudentAid.gov.&nbsp;In addition to providing relief specifically targeted to alleviating the continuing economic effects of the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, the Biden-Harris Administration has also taken other steps to support students and borrowers, make higher education more affordable, and improve student loan servicing, including providing nearly $48 billion in targeted loan relief to over 1.8 million borrowers. Actions within that include:&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>Revamping the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program in October, which has provided $24 billion in loan relief to 360,000 borrowers. The Department’s Limited PSLF Waiver helped eligible borrower count all prior payments made by student borrowers toward PSLF, regardless of the loan program.</li><li>Giving borrowers with Direct Loans or Department-managed Federal Family Education Loans (FFEL) more credit toward forgiveness. The Department’s one-time account adjustment counts for all months spent in repayment, including payments prior to consolidation and regardless of whether they made partial or late payments or are on a repayment plan toward income-driven repayment (IDR) and PSLF forgiveness.</li><li>Establishing a fair and accessible bankruptcy discharge process to help struggling borrowers discharge their student loans.</li><li>Providing $9.1 billion in relief for 425,000 borrowers who have a total and permanent disability.</li><li>Approving $14.5 billion in borrower defense claims to nearly 1.1 million borrowers, including extending full relief to approved claims and approving new types of claims.&nbsp;</li><li>Providing $1.26 billion in closed school discharges to 107,000 borrowers who attended the now-defunct ITT Technical Institute.</li><li>Restoring eligibility for financial student aid to almost 7.5 million borrowers to help them complete their credential or degree.</li>
 </ul>

🎥Biden extends pause on federal student loan repayments 

By MARK SHERMAN Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Tuesday cleared the way for the imminent handover of <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">former President Donald Trump's</a> tax returns to a congressional committee after a three-year legal fight.

The
 court, without comment, rejected Trump's plea for an order that would 
have prevented the Treasury Department from giving six years of tax 
returns for Trump and some of his businesses to the 
Democratic-controlled House Ways and Means Committee.

It was Trump's second loss at the Supreme Court in as many months, and third this year. In October, the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-mar-a-lago-government-and-politics-14a7106b99130bb6e3ffaafc845e268f">court refused to step into the legal fight surrounding the FBI search of Trump's Florida estate</a> that turned up classified documents.

In
 January, the court refused to stop the National Archives from turning 
over documents to the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 
insurrection at the Capitol. Justice Clarence Thomas was the only vote 
in Trump's favor.

In the dispute over his tax returns, the 
Treasury Department had refused to provide the records during Trump's 
presidency. But the Biden administration said federal law is clear that 
the committee has the right to examine any taxpayer's return, including 
the president's.

Lower courts agreed that the committee has broad 
authority to obtain tax returns and rejected Trump’s claims that it was 
overstepping and only wanted the documents so they could be made public.

Chief
 Justice John Roberts imposed a temporary freeze on Nov. 1 to allow the 
court to weigh the legal issues raised by Trump's lawyers and the 
counter arguments of the administration and the House of 
Representatives.

Just over three weeks later, the court lifted Roberts' order with no noted dissents.

The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The
 House contended an order preventing the IRS from providing the tax 
returns would leave lawmakers “little or no time to complete their 
legislative work during this Congress, which is quickly approaching its 
end.”

Had Trump persuaded the nation’s highest court to intervene,
 he could have run out the clock on the committee, with Republicans 
ready to take control of the House in January. They almost certainly 
would have dropped the records request if the issue had not been 
resolved by then.

The House Ways and Means panel and its chairman,
 Democrat Richard Neal of Massachusetts, first requested Trump’s tax 
returns in 2019 as part of an investigation into the Internal Revenue 
Service’s audit program and tax law compliance by the former president. A
 federal law says the Internal Revenue Service “shall furnish” the 
returns of any taxpayer to a handful of top lawmakers.

The Justice
 Department under the Trump administration had defended a decision by 
then-Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to withhold the tax returns from 
Congress. Mnuchin argued that he could withhold the documents because he
 concluded they were being sought by Democrats for partisan reasons. A 
lawsuit ensued.

After President Joe Biden took office, the 
committee renewed the request, seeking Trump’s tax returns and 
additional information from 2015-2020. The White House took the position
 that the request was a valid one and that the Treasury Department had 
no choice but to comply. Trump then attempted to halt the handover in 
court.

Then-Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. obtained 
copies of Trump’s personal and business tax records as part of a 
criminal investigation. That case, too, went to the Supreme Court, which
 rejected Trump’s argument that he had broad immunity as president.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668907251214.jpeg" alt="Former President Donald Trump speaks at Mar-a-Lago on Nov. 18 in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)" />
 <figcaption>Former President Donald Trump speaks at Mar-a-Lago on Nov. 18 in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)</figcaption>
 </figure>By MARK SHERMAN Associated PressWASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Tuesday cleared the way for the imminent handover of <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">former President Donald Trump's</a> tax returns to a congressional committee after a three-year legal fight.The
 court, without comment, rejected Trump's plea for an order that would 
have prevented the Treasury Department from giving six years of tax 
returns for Trump and some of his businesses to the 
Democratic-controlled House Ways and Means Committee.It was Trump's second loss at the Supreme Court in as many months, and third this year. In October, the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-mar-a-lago-government-and-politics-14a7106b99130bb6e3ffaafc845e268f">court refused to step into the legal fight surrounding the FBI search of Trump's Florida estate</a> that turned up classified documents.In
 January, the court refused to stop the National Archives from turning 
over documents to the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 
insurrection at the Capitol. Justice Clarence Thomas was the only vote 
in Trump's favor.In the dispute over his tax returns, the 
Treasury Department had refused to provide the records during Trump's 
presidency. But the Biden administration said federal law is clear that 
the committee has the right to examine any taxpayer's return, including 
the president's.Lower courts agreed that the committee has broad 
authority to obtain tax returns and rejected Trump’s claims that it was 
overstepping and only wanted the documents so they could be made public.Chief
 Justice John Roberts imposed a temporary freeze on Nov. 1 to allow the 
court to weigh the legal issues raised by Trump's lawyers and the 
counter arguments of the administration and the House of 
Representatives.Just over three weeks later, the court lifted Roberts' order with no noted dissents.The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.The
 House contended an order preventing the IRS from providing the tax 
returns would leave lawmakers “little or no time to complete their 
legislative work during this Congress, which is quickly approaching its 
end.”Had Trump persuaded the nation’s highest court to intervene,
 he could have run out the clock on the committee, with Republicans 
ready to take control of the House in January. They almost certainly 
would have dropped the records request if the issue had not been 
resolved by then.The House Ways and Means panel and its chairman,
 Democrat Richard Neal of Massachusetts, first requested Trump’s tax 
returns in 2019 as part of an investigation into the Internal Revenue 
Service’s audit program and tax law compliance by the former president. A
 federal law says the Internal Revenue Service “shall furnish” the 
returns of any taxpayer to a handful of top lawmakers.The Justice
 Department under the Trump administration had defended a decision by 
then-Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to withhold the tax returns from 
Congress. Mnuchin argued that he could withhold the documents because he
 concluded they were being sought by Democrats for partisan reasons. A 
lawsuit ensued.After President Joe Biden took office, the 
committee renewed the request, seeking Trump’s tax returns and 
additional information from 2015-2020. The White House took the position
 that the request was a valid one and that the Treasury Department had 
no choice but to comply. Trump then attempted to halt the handover in 
court.Then-Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. obtained 
copies of Trump’s personal and business tax records as part of a 
criminal investigation. That case, too, went to the Supreme Court, which
 rejected Trump’s argument that he had broad immunity as president.