By AARON SANDERFORD <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/trump-to-stump-for-herbster-on-april-29-in-greenwood-nebraska/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

OMAHA
 — Nebraska gubernatorial candidate Charles Herbster is getting the 
Nebraska visit he sought for months from former President Donald Trump 
late in a tightening GOP race.

Trump’s
 team announced Tuesday that Trump would appear at an April 29 rally at 
I-80 Speedway in Greenwood, Nebraska, less than two weeks before the May
 10 primary election.

The invitation to the Trump rally lists Herbster as Trump’s special guest speaker.

Herbster
 had been the clear favorite in the Republican governor’s primary for 
months since securing Trump’s endorsement in October. Polling in recent 
months <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/04/18/new-poll-shows-dead-heat-in-nebraskas-gop-governors-race/">shows a tightening three-way race</a> between Herbster, University of Nebraska Regent Jim Pillen and State Sen. Brett Lindstrom.

Gov.
 Pete Ricketts has backed Pillen, and Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert has 
endorsed Lindstrom. Former State Sen. Theresa Thibodeau is also among 
those running.

This
 will be Trump’s first political rally in Nebraska since Oct. 27, 2020, 
when the president said he had rallied more than 29,000 people on the 
private side of Eppley Airfield in Omaha.

Trump
 won Nebraska’s statewide vote in 2020, but he lost an Electoral College
 vote to President Joe Biden in the Omaha-based 2nd Congressional 
District.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1650390541438.png" alt="Thousands of Nebraskans wait for then-President Donald Trump to speak during an Oct. 27, 2020, rally in Omaha. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Thousands of Nebraskans wait for then-President Donald Trump to speak during an Oct. 27, 2020, rally in Omaha. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>By AARON SANDERFORD <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/trump-to-stump-for-herbster-on-april-29-in-greenwood-nebraska/">Nebraska Examiner</a>OMAHA
 — Nebraska gubernatorial candidate Charles Herbster is getting the 
Nebraska visit he sought for months from former President Donald Trump 
late in a tightening GOP race.Trump’s
 team announced Tuesday that Trump would appear at an April 29 rally at 
I-80 Speedway in Greenwood, Nebraska, less than two weeks before the May
 10 primary election.The invitation to the Trump rally lists Herbster as Trump’s special guest speaker.Herbster
 had been the clear favorite in the Republican governor’s primary for 
months since securing Trump’s endorsement in October. Polling in recent 
months <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/04/18/new-poll-shows-dead-heat-in-nebraskas-gop-governors-race/">shows a tightening three-way race</a> between Herbster, University of Nebraska Regent Jim Pillen and State Sen. Brett Lindstrom.Gov.
 Pete Ricketts has backed Pillen, and Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert has 
endorsed Lindstrom. Former State Sen. Theresa Thibodeau is also among 
those running.This
 will be Trump’s first political rally in Nebraska since Oct. 27, 2020, 
when the president said he had rallied more than 29,000 people on the 
private side of Eppley Airfield in Omaha.Trump
 won Nebraska’s statewide vote in 2020, but he lost an Electoral College
 vote to President Joe Biden in the Omaha-based 2nd Congressional 
District.&nbsp;

Trump to stump for Nebraska gubernatorial candidate this month

Arlene Bird, 87, of Quinter, Kansas went to her heavenly home to join Jesus, her Lord and Savior, on Friday, April 15, 2022. Arlene was born on October 9,&nbsp;1934,&nbsp;at home on a farm north of Quinter, Kansas, to Samuel and Gladys Brown Coburn.&nbsp;

She grew up with two brothers, David and Sammie, and had two brothers, Gerald and Edward, who both died in infancy. She had a sister-in-law, Glenva, who was a sister in heart.

Arlene accepted Christ as her Savior at an early age&nbsp;at her mother's knee. She couldn't remember a time when she didn't pray as her mother taught her while she cuddled her. Arlene was baptized at the age of 12 and always felt God's hand on her life, leading her to help others&nbsp;and to&nbsp;pour out her heart, emotions, and gifts for others. In one of her journals&nbsp;from&nbsp;May&nbsp;1987, she wrote "The lilacs smell so sweet! They just permeate the air as one walks past. What I want my life to be to all those around me, a sweet fragrance to God." Arlene's life verse is Romans 8:28, "And we know that in all things God works&nbsp;for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

As a child, Arlene was known as being athletic, the first to be chosen for teams. She loved to read. Her favorite gifts were books, of which&nbsp;Black Beauty&nbsp;was especially memorable because it also addressed her love of horses. She told of riding her horse to school in grade school, one occasion resulting in a broken collarbone.&nbsp;

How Arlene loved animals, especially cats, enjoying many house cats and farm cats. Her favorite hideout was the haystack, and she loved jumping in the wheat in the grainery. Her favorite time of year was the fall, probably because that season held her birthday.&nbsp;

Arlene grew up feeling so cherished and was blessed to be raised near her Uncle Walter and Aunt Emma Ulrich and cousins, Gerald and Joyce. She was also very close to her other Coburn aunts and uncles who visited frequently but lived further away.&nbsp;

In high school, Arlene excelled in all her classes and enjoyed being in Kayettes, Pep Club, and&nbsp;the weekly Bible Study in the basement of the high school. Her favorite teachers taught her a love for poetry and history and to be glad she was a girl. She graduated from Quinter High School in 1952.

Arlene's parents gave her permission to marry Glenn Raymond Bird, at the age of 17, before he was to leave for Korea. They were married on a beautiful day, January 30, 1952, at her parents' home surrounded by family and close friends so her bedridden mother could participate. Arlene and Glenn were very blessed to celebrate 70 years of marriage earlier this year. After Glenn returned from the Korean War, they welcomed four children to their loving home: Glenna Rae, Melony, Scott, and Stacey.

Arlene was a farmer’s wife and a Proverbs 31 woman, establishing a welcoming and happy home, andassisting and supporting Glenn with outdoor lawn and field work and farm errands. She was known for her bountiful flower and vegetable gardens, which she shared with others, used in cooking her delicious meals, and preserved by&nbsp;canning and freezing for future needs. She always took hot meals to the harvest fields and prepared plentiful meals every day for family and farmhands. Her children remember coming home from school to homemade bread, pies, cookies, cakes, and hot glazed donuts all over the kitchen counter. A gifted&nbsp;seamstress, she sewed clothing, quilts, blankets, and more for her children, grandchildren, and friends, in addition to providing sewn items for church bazaars, etc.

Arlene loved music, teaching piano lessons to over 55 children and adults, and enjoyed praising God as a church pianist and musician in the Quinter United Methodist Church and His Place. It was a common sight to see grandchildren sitting beside Grammy as she played piano or organ. During Arlene's&nbsp;last days in the&nbsp;hospital, she enjoyed hearing her daughter-in-law Sheryl play her keyboard and her husband, children, and their spouses singing hymns and praise songs.&nbsp;

A student of God's word, Arlene taught Sunday School and Bible School, and led or participated in many church committees, boards, and retreats. She loved the United Methodist Women (UMW) and organizing the prayer chain. She also loved opening their home for Bible studies over decades. As a prayer warrior, she prayed daily with and for her family, friends, prayer buddies, and pastors. When she learned of any prayer request or need, she did not delay but immediately prayed whether on the telephone or street corner.

She was known as a leader in the community, serving as Republican Party chairwoman and hospital endowment foundation board member, among other positions. She worked to obtain contributions to support various non-profit organizations and was so generous with her time and resources.&nbsp;

The Valhalla Club was very special to Arlene as was spending time with her lifelong friends. In their earlier years, Arlene and Glenn enjoyed square dancing, playing cards, and visiting friends. In their later years, they enjoyed meeting with new and old friends at the Quinter Senior Center.&nbsp;

When those in the community prematurely lost their parents, she became their adopted mother. She made many encouraging phone calls and sent letters and cards tirelessly. The needs of others&nbsp;were always a higher priority than her own. Even through many hospital stays and until the end, her concern was always for the comfort and wellness of&nbsp;others. An inspiration to many, Arlene always had a compliment and encouraging word for everyone.&nbsp;

After Arlene's diagnosis of lupus, heart issues and other ailments, she chose to overcome and turn them into a way to encourage others with similar problems.

Arlene deeply loved and treasured time with her family. She was an active supporter of her children and their activities. Her grandchildren talk of wonderful memories of their time with Grammy–sitting on her lap reading books, enjoying cousin time, exploring Horsethief Canyon, looking for rocks and fossils, playing games, reveling in holiday times, participating in crafts and activities, coloring and hiding Easter eggs, savoring their favorite foods, shopping together, and raiding the "candy drawer."

Arlene has excelled in so many roles — as wife, mother,&nbsp;Grammy, great&nbsp;Grammy, daughter, sister, cousin, confidante, encourager, prayer warrior, teacher, student, gardener, seamstress, volunteer, leader, musician, role model, inspirer, encourager, and friend.&nbsp;She has had a full life of loving and living.&nbsp;

The compassion, generosity, patience, and kindness she extended to all she met were a perfect reflection of her loving spirit and commitment to her faith in Jesus Christ. This is best expressed in her testimony: "Through Jesus, all the dimensions of my life are richer and deeper. I am a better woman, wife, mother, grandmother. Yes, better in all dimensions of my life. Jesus walks with me always and adds LIFE to my life, for He lives. Praise God!"

Arlene is survived and will be lovingly remembered by the love of her life and husband of 70 years, Glenn, daughter Glenna Rae (Norm) Alexander of Leesburg, Florida; daughter Melony (Gary) McClure of Assaria, Kansas; son Scott (Sheryl) Bird of Quinter, Kansas; and&nbsp;daughter Stacey (Scott) Wood of Wichita, Kansas.&nbsp;She also leaves 16 adored grandchildren and 23 precious great grandchildren: Avery (Kim), Abigail, Asher, and Theodore Alexander of Lee’s Summit, Missouri; Alden (Sarah), Isaac, Lillian, Benjamin, and Jonah Alexander of Salina, Kansas; Emily (Nathan), Caleb, Micah, and Levi Watson of Port St. Lucie, Florida; Kesa, Lois Kael, Toben, Eleanor, and Thatcher Easter of Andale, Kansas; Kimber (Chris), Madeleine, and Miles Breeden&nbsp; of Wichita, Kansas; Mark (Lili)&nbsp;McClure of Topeka, Kansas; Max McClure of Podebrady,&nbsp;Czech Republic; Marissa (Jacob) Jones of Springfield, Missouri; Michaela Bird of Raleigh, North Carolina; Stephen Bird of Austin, Texas; Matthew Bird of Kansas City, Kansas; Sarah Bird of Kansas City, Kansas; Valerie (Luis), Isabella, Samuel, Aurora Alicea of Benton, Kansas; Angela (Jonathan), Jacey, Jordyn, and Morgan Lee of Wichita, Kansas; Olivia (Erik), and Blakely Harbutz of Wichita, Kansas; and Aimee (Taylor) Carter of Olathe, Kansas.&nbsp;

Arlene was preceded in death&nbsp;by her parents, Samuel and Gladys (Brown) Coburn; and brothers David, Samuel, Gerald, and Edward; and her sister-in-law Glenva Coburn.

The celebration of life will be held at 10:30 AM on Saturday, April 23, at the Quinter United Methodist&nbsp;Church, 218 W 4th St. Burial will follow at Baker Township Cemetery, Quinter, Kansas.&nbsp;

Visitation will be 5-7 PM on Friday, April 22, at Schmitt Funeral Home, 901 S. Main St., Quinter, Kansas.

Memorial contributions are suggested to Quinter United Methodist Church or Quinter Volunteer Ambulance Service. Donations may be sent to Schmitt Funeral Home, 336 North 12th, WaKeeney, KS 67672.

Condolences may be left for the family by visiting&nbsp;www.schmittfuneral.com

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1650300801612.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Arlene Bird, 87, of Quinter, Kansas went to her heavenly home to join Jesus, her Lord and Savior, on Friday, April 15, 2022. Arlene was born on October 9,&nbsp;1934,&nbsp;at home on a farm north of Quinter, Kansas, to Samuel and Gladys Brown Coburn.&nbsp;She grew up with two brothers, David and Sammie, and had two brothers, Gerald and Edward, who both died in infancy. She had a sister-in-law, Glenva, who was a sister in heart.Arlene accepted Christ as her Savior at an early age&nbsp;at her mother's knee. She couldn't remember a time when she didn't pray as her mother taught her while she cuddled her. Arlene was baptized at the age of 12 and always felt God's hand on her life, leading her to help others&nbsp;and to&nbsp;pour out her heart, emotions, and gifts for others. In one of her journals&nbsp;from&nbsp;May&nbsp;1987, she wrote "The lilacs smell so sweet! They just permeate the air as one walks past. What I want my life to be to all those around me, a sweet fragrance to God." Arlene's life verse is Romans 8:28, "And we know that in all things God works&nbsp;for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."As a child, Arlene was known as being athletic, the first to be chosen for teams. She loved to read. Her favorite gifts were books, of which&nbsp;Black Beauty&nbsp;was especially memorable because it also addressed her love of horses. She told of riding her horse to school in grade school, one occasion resulting in a broken collarbone.&nbsp;How Arlene loved animals, especially cats, enjoying many house cats and farm cats. Her favorite hideout was the haystack, and she loved jumping in the wheat in the grainery. Her favorite time of year was the fall, probably because that season held her birthday.&nbsp;Arlene grew up feeling so cherished and was blessed to be raised near her Uncle Walter and Aunt Emma Ulrich and cousins, Gerald and Joyce. She was also very close to her other Coburn aunts and uncles who visited frequently but lived further away.&nbsp;In high school, Arlene excelled in all her classes and enjoyed being in Kayettes, Pep Club, and&nbsp;the weekly Bible Study in the basement of the high school. Her favorite teachers taught her a love for poetry and history and to be glad she was a girl. She graduated from Quinter High School in 1952.Arlene's parents gave her permission to marry Glenn Raymond Bird, at the age of 17, before he was to leave for Korea. They were married on a beautiful day, January 30, 1952, at her parents' home surrounded by family and close friends so her bedridden mother could participate. Arlene and Glenn were very blessed to celebrate 70 years of marriage earlier this year. After Glenn returned from the Korean War, they welcomed four children to their loving home: Glenna Rae, Melony, Scott, and Stacey.Arlene was a farmer’s wife and a Proverbs 31 woman, establishing a welcoming and happy home, andassisting and supporting Glenn with outdoor lawn and field work and farm errands. She was known for her bountiful flower and vegetable gardens, which she shared with others, used in cooking her delicious meals, and preserved by&nbsp;canning and freezing for future needs. She always took hot meals to the harvest fields and prepared plentiful meals every day for family and farmhands. Her children remember coming home from school to homemade bread, pies, cookies, cakes, and hot glazed donuts all over the kitchen counter. A gifted&nbsp;seamstress, she sewed clothing, quilts, blankets, and more for her children, grandchildren, and friends, in addition to providing sewn items for church bazaars, etc.Arlene loved music, teaching piano lessons to over 55 children and adults, and enjoyed praising God as a church pianist and musician in the Quinter United Methodist Church and His Place. It was a common sight to see grandchildren sitting beside Grammy as she played piano or organ. During Arlene's&nbsp;last days in the&nbsp;hospital, she enjoyed hearing her daughter-in-law Sheryl play her keyboard and her husband, children, and their spouses singing hymns and praise songs.&nbsp;A student of God's word, Arlene taught Sunday School and Bible School, and led or participated in many church committees, boards, and retreats. She loved the United Methodist Women (UMW) and organizing the prayer chain. She also loved opening their home for Bible studies over decades. As a prayer warrior, she prayed daily with and for her family, friends, prayer buddies, and pastors. When she learned of any prayer request or need, she did not delay but immediately prayed whether on the telephone or street corner.She was known as a leader in the community, serving as Republican Party chairwoman and hospital endowment foundation board member, among other positions. She worked to obtain contributions to support various non-profit organizations and was so generous with her time and resources.&nbsp;The Valhalla Club was very special to Arlene as was spending time with her lifelong friends. In their earlier years, Arlene and Glenn enjoyed square dancing, playing cards, and visiting friends. In their later years, they enjoyed meeting with new and old friends at the Quinter Senior Center.&nbsp;When those in the community prematurely lost their parents, she became their adopted mother. She made many encouraging phone calls and sent letters and cards tirelessly. The needs of others&nbsp;were always a higher priority than her own. Even through many hospital stays and until the end, her concern was always for the comfort and wellness of&nbsp;others. An inspiration to many, Arlene always had a compliment and encouraging word for everyone.&nbsp;After Arlene's diagnosis of lupus, heart issues and other ailments, she chose to overcome and turn them into a way to encourage others with similar problems.Arlene deeply loved and treasured time with her family. She was an active supporter of her children and their activities. Her grandchildren talk of wonderful memories of their time with Grammy–sitting on her lap reading books, enjoying cousin time, exploring Horsethief Canyon, looking for rocks and fossils, playing games, reveling in holiday times, participating in crafts and activities, coloring and hiding Easter eggs, savoring their favorite foods, shopping together, and raiding the "candy drawer."Arlene has excelled in so many roles — as wife, mother,&nbsp;Grammy, great&nbsp;Grammy, daughter, sister, cousin, confidante, encourager, prayer warrior, teacher, student, gardener, seamstress, volunteer, leader, musician, role model, inspirer, encourager, and friend.&nbsp;She has had a full life of loving and living.&nbsp;The compassion, generosity, patience, and kindness she extended to all she met were a perfect reflection of her loving spirit and commitment to her faith in Jesus Christ. This is best expressed in her testimony: "Through Jesus, all the dimensions of my life are richer and deeper. I am a better woman, wife, mother, grandmother. Yes, better in all dimensions of my life. Jesus walks with me always and adds LIFE to my life, for He lives. Praise God!"Arlene is survived and will be lovingly remembered by the love of her life and husband of 70 years, Glenn, daughter Glenna Rae (Norm) Alexander of Leesburg, Florida; daughter Melony (Gary) McClure of Assaria, Kansas; son Scott (Sheryl) Bird of Quinter, Kansas; and&nbsp;daughter Stacey (Scott) Wood of Wichita, Kansas.&nbsp;She also leaves 16 adored grandchildren and 23 precious great grandchildren: Avery (Kim), Abigail, Asher, and Theodore Alexander of Lee’s Summit, Missouri; Alden (Sarah), Isaac, Lillian, Benjamin, and Jonah Alexander of Salina, Kansas; Emily (Nathan), Caleb, Micah, and Levi Watson of Port St. Lucie, Florida; Kesa, Lois Kael, Toben, Eleanor, and Thatcher Easter of Andale, Kansas; Kimber (Chris), Madeleine, and Miles Breeden&nbsp; of Wichita, Kansas; Mark (Lili)&nbsp;McClure of Topeka, Kansas; Max McClure of Podebrady,&nbsp;Czech Republic; Marissa (Jacob) Jones of Springfield, Missouri; Michaela Bird of Raleigh, North Carolina; Stephen Bird of Austin, Texas; Matthew Bird of Kansas City, Kansas; Sarah Bird of Kansas City, Kansas; Valerie (Luis), Isabella, Samuel, Aurora Alicea of Benton, Kansas; Angela (Jonathan), Jacey, Jordyn, and Morgan Lee of Wichita, Kansas; Olivia (Erik), and Blakely Harbutz of Wichita, Kansas; and Aimee (Taylor) Carter of Olathe, Kansas.&nbsp;Arlene was preceded in death&nbsp;by her parents, Samuel and Gladys (Brown) Coburn; and brothers David, Samuel, Gerald, and Edward; and her sister-in-law Glenva Coburn.The celebration of life will be held at 10:30 AM on Saturday, April 23, at the Quinter United Methodist&nbsp;Church, 218 W 4th St. Burial will follow at Baker Township Cemetery, Quinter, Kansas.&nbsp;Visitation will be 5-7 PM on Friday, April 22, at Schmitt Funeral Home, 901 S. Main St., Quinter, Kansas.Memorial contributions are suggested to Quinter United Methodist Church or Quinter Volunteer Ambulance Service. Donations may be sent to Schmitt Funeral Home, 336 North 12th, WaKeeney, KS 67672.Condolences may be left for the family by visiting&nbsp;www.schmittfuneral.com

Arlene Bird

NEW YORK (AP) — 2021 was the deadliest year in U.S. history, and new data and research are offering more insights into how it got that bad.

The main reason for the increase in deaths? COVID-19, said Robert Anderson, who oversees the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s work on death statistics.

The agency this month quietly updated its provisional death tally. It showed there were 3.465 million deaths last year, or about 80,000 more than 2020′s record-setting total.

Early last year, some experts were optimistic that 2021 would not be as bad as the first year of the pandemic — partly because effective COVID-19 vaccines had finally become available.

“We were wrong, unfortunately,” said Noreen Goldman, a Princeton University researcher.

COVID-19 deaths rose in 2021 — to more than 415,000, up from 351,000 the year before — as new coronavirus variants emerged and an unexpectedly large numbers of Americans refused to get vaccinated or were hesitant to wear masks, experts said.

The coronavirus is not solely to blame. Preliminary CDC data also shows the crude death rate for cancer rose slightly, and rates continued to increase for diabetes, chronic liver disease and stroke.

Drug overdose deaths also continued to rise. The CDC does not yet have a tally for 2021 overdose deaths, because it can take weeks of lab work and investigation to identify them. But provisional data through October suggests the nation is on track to see at least 105,000 overdose deaths in 2021 — up from 93,000 the year before.

New research showed a particularly large jump in overdose deaths among 14- to 18-year-olds.

Adolescent overdose death counts were fairly constant for most of the last decade, at around 500 a year, according to the paper published by the Journal of the American Medical Association. They almost doubled in 2020, to 954, and the researchers estimated that the total hit nearly 1,150 last year.

Joseph Friedman, a UCLA researcher who was the paper’s lead author, called the spike “unprecedented.”

Those teen overdose deaths were only around 1% of the U.S. total. But adolescents experienced a greater relative increase than the overall population, even though surveys suggest drug use among teens is down.

Experts attributed the spike to fentanyl, a highly lethal drug that has been cut into heroin for several years. More recently it’s also been pressed into counterfeit pills resembling prescription drugs that teens sometimes abuse.

The total number of U.S. deaths often increases year to year as the U.S. population grows. But 2020 and 2021 saw extraordinary jumps in death numbers and rates, due largely to the pandemic.

Those national death trends affect life expectancy — an estimate of the average number of years a baby born in a given year might expect to live.

With rare exceptions, U.S. life expectancy has reliably inched up year after year. But the CDC’s life expectancy estimate for 2020 was about 77 years — more than a year and a half lower than what it was in 2019.

The CDC has not yet reported its calculation for 2021. But Goldman and some other researchers have been making their own estimates, presented in papers that have not yet been published in peer-reviewed journals.

Those researchers think U.S. life expectancy dropped another five or six months in 2021 — putting it back to where it was 20 years ago.

A loss of more than two years of life expectancy over the last two years “is mammoth,” Goldman said.

One study looked at death data in the U.S. and 19 other high-income countries. The U.S. fared the worst.

“What happened in the U.S. is less about the variants than the levels of resistance to vaccination and the public’s rejection of practices, such as masking and mandates, to reduce viral transmission,” one of the study’s authors, Dr. Steven Woolf of Virginia Commonwealth University, said in a statement.

Some experts are skeptical that life expectancy will quickly bounce back. They worry about long-term complications of COVID-19 that may hasten the deaths of people with chronic health problems.

Preliminary — and incomplete — CDC data suggest there were at least 805,000 U.S. deaths in about the first three months of this year. That’s well below the same period last year, but higher than the comparable period in 2020.

“We may end up with a ‘new normal’ that’s a little higher than it was before,” Anderson said.

NEW YORK (AP) — 2021 was the deadliest year in U.S. history, and new data and research are offering more insights into how it got that bad.The main reason for the increase in deaths? COVID-19, said Robert Anderson, who oversees the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s work on death statistics.The agency this month quietly updated its provisional death tally. It showed there were 3.465 million deaths last year, or about 80,000 more than 2020′s record-setting total.Early last year, some experts were optimistic that 2021 would not be as bad as the first year of the pandemic — partly because effective COVID-19 vaccines had finally become available.“We were wrong, unfortunately,” said Noreen Goldman, a Princeton University researcher.COVID-19 deaths rose in 2021 — to more than 415,000, up from 351,000 the year before — as new coronavirus variants emerged and an unexpectedly large numbers of Americans refused to get vaccinated or were hesitant to wear masks, experts said.The coronavirus is not solely to blame. Preliminary CDC data also shows the crude death rate for cancer rose slightly, and rates continued to increase for diabetes, chronic liver disease and stroke.Drug overdose deaths also continued to rise. The CDC does not yet have a tally for 2021 overdose deaths, because it can take weeks of lab work and investigation to identify them. But provisional data through October suggests the nation is on track to see at least 105,000 overdose deaths in 2021 — up from 93,000 the year before.New research showed a particularly large jump in overdose deaths among 14- to 18-year-olds.Adolescent overdose death counts were fairly constant for most of the last decade, at around 500 a year, according to the paper published by the Journal of the American Medical Association. They almost doubled in 2020, to 954, and the researchers estimated that the total hit nearly 1,150 last year.Joseph Friedman, a UCLA researcher who was the paper’s lead author, called the spike “unprecedented.”Those teen overdose deaths were only around 1% of the U.S. total. But adolescents experienced a greater relative increase than the overall population, even though surveys suggest drug use among teens is down.Experts attributed the spike to fentanyl, a highly lethal drug that has been cut into heroin for several years. More recently it’s also been pressed into counterfeit pills resembling prescription drugs that teens sometimes abuse.The total number of U.S. deaths often increases year to year as the U.S. population grows. But 2020 and 2021 saw extraordinary jumps in death numbers and rates, due largely to the pandemic.Those national death trends affect life expectancy — an estimate of the average number of years a baby born in a given year might expect to live.With rare exceptions, U.S. life expectancy has reliably inched up year after year. But the CDC’s life expectancy estimate for 2020 was about 77 years — more than a year and a half lower than what it was in 2019.The CDC has not yet reported its calculation for 2021. But Goldman and some other researchers have been making their own estimates, presented in papers that have not yet been published in peer-reviewed journals.Those researchers think U.S. life expectancy dropped another five or six months in 2021 — putting it back to where it was 20 years ago.A loss of more than two years of life expectancy over the last two years “is mammoth,” Goldman said.One study looked at death data in the U.S. and 19 other high-income countries. The U.S. fared the worst.“What happened in the U.S. is less about the variants than the levels of resistance to vaccination and the public’s rejection of practices, such as masking and mandates, to reduce viral transmission,” one of the study’s authors, Dr. Steven Woolf of Virginia Commonwealth University, said in a statement.Some experts are skeptical that life expectancy will quickly bounce back. They worry about long-term complications of COVID-19 that may hasten the deaths of people with chronic health problems.Preliminary — and incomplete — CDC data suggest there were at least 805,000 U.S. deaths in about the first three months of this year. That’s well below the same period last year, but higher than the comparable period in 2020.“We may end up with a ‘new normal’ that’s a little higher than it was before,” Anderson said.___

COVID, overdoses: 2021 was the deadliest year in U.S. history

Katherine M. Sinclair Hayes, 103, passed away Friday, April 15, 2022, at Ascension Living Via Christi Village, Wichita, KS.

She was born April 12, 1919, the fourth of eight children, to John 
Alexander and Katherine Louise Deatz Sinclair in western Hodgeman County
 Kansas.

Early education was at the Laurel School; she graduated Jetmore High 
School in 1938.&nbsp; She and Will “Bill” Dawson Hayes were married September
 21, 1941 in Dodge City. He passed away October 29, 1992.

Katherine was keenly interested in genealogy and travel centered on 
researching family history.&nbsp; She was a caregiver to others in times of 
need as well as a gardener and quilter, piecing and hand quilting a 
blanket for each of her children, grandchildren and great 
grandchildren.&nbsp; Harvests from her gardens were shared with many.

Katherine was a member of the United Methodist Church, Hodgeman 
County Genealogy Society, belonged to the Four Square Homemaker’s Home 
Demonstration Club, and was a past Worthy Matron in the Order of Eastern
 Star, all of Jetmore.

Survivors include: two sons, Mike (Marceile) Hayes, Derby, KS and 
Brit (Lisa) Hayes, Jetmore, KS; two daughters, Joan Fox, Wichita, KS and
 Crystal (Gary) Hinman, Eudora, KS.&nbsp; seven grandchildren, Michelle 
Johnston, Brad Hayes, Jerad Hayes, Sarah Hinman, Wes Hinman, Kasey 
Buffo, &nbsp;Josie Hayes and twelve great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, parents, siblings (Frances,
 Audrey, Jack, Paul, Doris, &nbsp;Don and Loren Sinclair) and one grandchild 
(Todd Carlton).

Funeral service will be 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, April 19, 2022 at United 
Methodist Church, Jetmore, with Rev. Peter Mtuamwari presiding.&nbsp; 
Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday at Beckwith Funeral 
Home, Jetmore.&nbsp; Burial will be in the Fairmount Cemetery, Jetmore.

The family would like to recognize Erin and Shakeyla of Traditions 
Hospice for their compassionate care and the help they gave us during 
this time.

In Lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Hodgeman County Long 
Term Care Center, Jetmore Library, Haun Museum or Jetmore United 
Methodist Church in care of Beckwith Funeral Home, Box 663 Jetmore, KS 
67854.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1650157472544.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Katherine M. Sinclair Hayes, 103, passed away Friday, April 15, 2022, at Ascension Living Via Christi Village, Wichita, KS.She was born April 12, 1919, the fourth of eight children, to John 
Alexander and Katherine Louise Deatz Sinclair in western Hodgeman County
 Kansas.Early education was at the Laurel School; she graduated Jetmore High 
School in 1938.&nbsp; She and Will “Bill” Dawson Hayes were married September
 21, 1941 in Dodge City. He passed away October 29, 1992.Katherine was keenly interested in genealogy and travel centered on 
researching family history.&nbsp; She was a caregiver to others in times of 
need as well as a gardener and quilter, piecing and hand quilting a 
blanket for each of her children, grandchildren and great 
grandchildren.&nbsp; Harvests from her gardens were shared with many.Katherine was a member of the United Methodist Church, Hodgeman 
County Genealogy Society, belonged to the Four Square Homemaker’s Home 
Demonstration Club, and was a past Worthy Matron in the Order of Eastern
 Star, all of Jetmore.Survivors include: two sons, Mike (Marceile) Hayes, Derby, KS and 
Brit (Lisa) Hayes, Jetmore, KS; two daughters, Joan Fox, Wichita, KS and
 Crystal (Gary) Hinman, Eudora, KS.&nbsp; seven grandchildren, Michelle 
Johnston, Brad Hayes, Jerad Hayes, Sarah Hinman, Wes Hinman, Kasey 
Buffo, &nbsp;Josie Hayes and twelve great grandchildren.She was preceded in death by her husband, parents, siblings (Frances,
 Audrey, Jack, Paul, Doris, &nbsp;Don and Loren Sinclair) and one grandchild 
(Todd Carlton).Funeral service will be 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, April 19, 2022 at United 
Methodist Church, Jetmore, with Rev. Peter Mtuamwari presiding.&nbsp; 
Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday at Beckwith Funeral 
Home, Jetmore.&nbsp; Burial will be in the Fairmount Cemetery, Jetmore.The family would like to recognize Erin and Shakeyla of Traditions 
Hospice for their compassionate care and the help they gave us during 
this time.In Lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Hodgeman County Long 
Term Care Center, Jetmore Library, Haun Museum or Jetmore United 
Methodist Church in care of Beckwith Funeral Home, Box 663 Jetmore, KS 
67854.&nbsp;

Katherine M. Sinclair Hayes

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

Creek Side Resort in Hays will begin showing outdoor movies beginning this weekend. 

The outdoor films will be shown on weekends through October. They are a campground amenity. Anyone who has rented a tent or RV spot or cabin will have walk-in access to the outdoor theater.

"That's just one more addition of an amenity that we can offer to not only the community but also to our travelers off of I-70," Kac'Rae&nbsp; Patterson, resort general manager, said.

The resort is at 3301 U.S. 183 bypass, near the 157 exit of Interstate 70.

Concessions also will be offered. Movies will start approximately at dusk.

The movies will be family-oriented and will include theme nights, Patterson said. For example, the resort is planning a princess night and will encourage girls to dress as their favorite princesses and a superhero night.

The resort will typically be showing the movies two weekends in a row.

The movie area has a couple of picnic tables, but moviegoers will be encouraged to bring their own seating.

The resort will have cardboard cars for the kids to sit in and pose for pictures with.

Watch <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CreekSideHays">Creek Side's Facebook page</a> for more information on scheduled movies.

A tent site costs $15 per night. You aren't required to set up a tent if you just want to use the facilities for the evening and don't plan to spend the night, Patterson said.

RV sites cost $39 per night. Cabins cost $100 per night, depending on the weekend.

The resort has three finished cabins but is in the process of building eight more. It has 69 RV sites and 33 tent sites. Most of the RV sites have water, sewer and electrical hookups.

The resort also just opened a new clubhouse, which includes showers, laundry facilities and a fitness center.

Creek Side first opened in 2019 and has seen its business steadily grow, Patterson said.

"We've just been busier and busier," she said. "We just added additional sites."

Other amenities at the resort include a playground, dog park, gazebo, duck pond, community fire pits, propane station and horse stalls.

Sites can be booked through the <a href="https://www.creeksidehays.com/">Creek Side Resort website</a> or by calling 785-259-0927.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649880737357.jpeg" alt="Creek Side Resort will begin showing outdoor movies as an amenity of the campground beginning this weekend. Photo by Cristina Janney / Hays Post " />
 <figcaption>Creek Side Resort will begin showing outdoor movies as an amenity of the campground beginning this weekend. Photo by Cristina Janney / Hays Post </figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostCreek Side Resort in Hays will begin showing outdoor movies beginning this weekend. The outdoor films will be shown on weekends through October. They are a campground amenity. Anyone who has rented a tent or RV spot or cabin will have walk-in access to the outdoor theater."That's just one more addition of an amenity that we can offer to not only the community but also to our travelers off of I-70," Kac'Rae&nbsp; Patterson, resort general manager, said.The resort is at 3301 U.S. 183 bypass, near the 157 exit of Interstate 70. Concessions also will be offered. Movies will start approximately at dusk. The movies will be family-oriented and will include theme nights, Patterson said. For example, the resort is planning a princess night and will encourage girls to dress as their favorite princesses and a superhero night.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649880890977.jpeg" alt="Inside Creek Side Resort's new clubhouse. Photo by Cristina Janney / Hays Post " />
 <figcaption>Inside Creek Side Resort's new clubhouse. Photo by Cristina Janney / Hays Post </figcaption>
 </figure>The resort will typically be showing the movies two weekends in a row.The movie area has a couple of picnic tables, but moviegoers will be encouraged to bring their own seating. The resort will have cardboard cars for the kids to sit in and pose for pictures with. Watch <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CreekSideHays">Creek Side's Facebook page</a> for more information on scheduled movies. A tent site costs $15 per night. You aren't required to set up a tent if you just want to use the facilities for the evening and don't plan to spend the night, Patterson said. RV sites cost $39 per night. Cabins cost $100 per night, depending on the weekend.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649881033608.jpeg" alt="Creek Side Resort's fitness center inside its new clubhouse. Photo by Cristina Janney / Hays Post " />
 <figcaption>Creek Side Resort's fitness center inside its new clubhouse. Photo by Cristina Janney / Hays Post </figcaption>
 </figure>The resort has three finished cabins but is in the process of building eight more. It has 69 RV sites and 33 tent sites. Most of the RV sites have water, sewer and electrical hookups. The resort also just opened a new clubhouse, which includes showers, laundry facilities and a fitness center.Creek Side first opened in 2019 and has seen its business steadily grow, Patterson said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649881222247.jpeg" alt="Inside one of Creek Side Resort's three cabins. The resort is in the process of building eight more cabins. Courtesy photo " />
 <figcaption>Inside one of Creek Side Resort's three cabins. The resort is in the process of building eight more cabins. Courtesy photo </figcaption>
 </figure>"We've just been busier and busier," she said. "We just added additional sites."Other amenities at the resort include a playground, dog park, gazebo, duck pond, community fire pits, propane station and horse stalls. Sites can be booked through the <a href="https://www.creeksidehays.com/">Creek Side Resort website</a> or by calling 785-259-0927.

Creek Side Resort to offer outdoor movies, opens clubhouse

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas murder suspect captured by the U.S. Border Patrol <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=158988">is in jail in</a> Kansas.

On Thursday afternoon, police booked 32-year-old Patricio Gomez into the Sedgwick County Jail on <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=158988">requested charges</a> of first-degree murder, criminal possession of a firearm and a drug charges.

On March 28, U.S. Border Patrol Agents&nbsp;in the El Paso&nbsp;Sector&nbsp;arrested Gomez who was wanted for&nbsp;murder in Wichita.

The El Paso Station&nbsp;Border Patrol Agent encountered a Gomez walking along&nbsp;the south side of the Border Barrier&nbsp;near Fonseca Drive&nbsp;and Cesar E. Chavez/Border Highway, according to a media release from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

When agents questioned the Gomez as to his citizenship, he stated that he was a U.S.&nbsp;citizen and that he had&nbsp;just&nbsp;entered the United States&nbsp;from Mexico, illegally,&nbsp;by attempting to drive his truck across the Rio Grande.&nbsp;

&nbsp;Gomez, was taken into custody, for the illegal entry,&nbsp;and transported to a Border Patrol station for further investigation.&nbsp;Record checks revealed that he had an extensive criminal history&nbsp;and an&nbsp;active&nbsp;warrant&nbsp;out of&nbsp;Wichita for&nbsp;murder.

Gomez was&nbsp;remanded to the&nbsp;custody of the&nbsp;El Paso County Sheriff’s&nbsp;Office until his extradition to Wichita.&nbsp;&nbsp;

On October 1, Wichita police issued an alert in an attempt to locate Gomez.

Just before 6:30p.m. Sept. 30, 2021. officers responded to a shooting call at a hotel in the 9400 block of East Corporate Hills.&nbsp; Upon arrival, officers located 42-year-old Michael Martinez who had been shot.&nbsp; He was pronounced deceased on the scene.

The investigation revealed&nbsp;Patricio&nbsp;along with a woman arrived at the hotel regarding an illegal drug transaction.&nbsp; During the transaction, a disturbance ensued and&nbsp;Gomez&nbsp;fired multiple shots at Martinez, striking him.&nbsp;&nbsp;Gomez&nbsp;and the woman fled the scene in a black Cadillac Escalade.

Police located the Cadillac outside of a hotel in Park City.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1650038792432.png" alt="Gomez-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Gomez-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas murder suspect captured by the U.S. Border Patrol <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=158988">is in jail in</a> Kansas.On Thursday afternoon, police booked 32-year-old Patricio Gomez into the Sedgwick County Jail on <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=158988">requested charges</a> of first-degree murder, criminal possession of a firearm and a drug charges.On March 28, U.S. Border Patrol Agents&nbsp;in the El Paso&nbsp;Sector&nbsp;arrested Gomez who was wanted for&nbsp;murder in Wichita.The El Paso Station&nbsp;Border Patrol Agent encountered a Gomez walking along&nbsp;the south side of the Border Barrier&nbsp;near Fonseca Drive&nbsp;and Cesar E. Chavez/Border Highway, according to a media release from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.When agents questioned the Gomez as to his citizenship, he stated that he was a U.S.&nbsp;citizen and that he had&nbsp;just&nbsp;entered the United States&nbsp;from Mexico, illegally,&nbsp;by attempting to drive his truck across the Rio Grande.&nbsp;&nbsp;Gomez, was taken into custody, for the illegal entry,&nbsp;and transported to a Border Patrol station for further investigation.&nbsp;Record checks revealed that he had an extensive criminal history&nbsp;and an&nbsp;active&nbsp;warrant&nbsp;out of&nbsp;Wichita for&nbsp;murder.Gomez was&nbsp;remanded to the&nbsp;custody of the&nbsp;El Paso County Sheriff’s&nbsp;Office until his extradition to Wichita.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1633117408445.png" alt="Gomez-photo Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Gomez-photo Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>On October 1, Wichita police issued an alert in an attempt to locate Gomez.Just before 6:30p.m. Sept. 30, 2021. officers responded to a shooting call at a hotel in the 9400 block of East Corporate Hills.&nbsp; Upon arrival, officers located 42-year-old Michael Martinez who had been shot.&nbsp; He was pronounced deceased on the scene.The investigation revealed&nbsp;Patricio&nbsp;along with a woman arrived at the hotel regarding an illegal drug transaction.&nbsp; During the transaction, a disturbance ensued and&nbsp;Gomez&nbsp;fired multiple shots at Martinez, striking him.&nbsp;&nbsp;Gomez&nbsp;and the woman fled the scene in a black Cadillac Escalade.Police located the Cadillac outside of a hotel in Park City.&nbsp;

Murder suspect captured at U.S. border extradited to Kansas 

Wayne Everette Johnston, age 70, of Ellis, Kansas, passed away Wednesday, April 13, 2022, in Ellis. He was born July 17, 1951, in Goodland, Kansas to Howard and Betty (Winters) Johnston.&nbsp; On October 14, 1972, he married Marilyn Louise Boschowitzki at St. John Lutheran Church.

Wayne was a long-time roofing contractor with the family business, Johnston Roofing starting in McCracken, Kansas then to Pueblo, Colorado and ending up in Ellis. Wayne also became a farmer having taken over the family farm in rural Ellis. Wayne enjoyed fishing, Classic Hot Rods, traveling with Marilyn, and time with his granddaughter, Meredith. Wayne was an avid animal lover especially his two favorite dogs, Buddy, and Bandit.&nbsp; Wayne as his family and friends knew enjoyed a good debate, bargaining and dickering.&nbsp;

Wayne is survived by his wife, Marilyn of Ellis; a son, Lyle Johnston of Ellis; a daughter, Tina Douglas and husband John of Ellis; a brother, Don Johnston of Derby, Kansas; three sisters, Donetta McCullugh of Fairbanks, Alaska, Hope Myers of Hillsboro, Oregon and Marie Adams; and three grandchildren, Meredith Johnston of Ellis, Brody Douglas of Hampton, Virginia and Sheila Douglas of Augusta, Kansas.

Wayne was preceded in death by his parents; a half-brother, Stanley Drumwright and a sister, Ruth Jackson.

Funeral services will be&nbsp;11:00 AM Monday, April 18, 2022, at Keithley Funeral Chapel 400 E. 17th&nbsp;Ellis, Kansas.&nbsp;&nbsp;Burial will follow in Mt. Hope Cemetery.

Visitation will be Sunday from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM and Monday 10:00 AM until service time all at the funeral chapel.

A prayer service will be 6:00 PM Sunday at the funeral chapel.

Memorial contributions are suggested to be used according to the wishes of the family.

Condolences may be left by guest book at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com/">www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com</a>&nbsp;or emailed to<a href="mailto:keithleyfuneralhomes@gmail.com">keithleyfuneralhomes@gmail.com</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1650054324834.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Wayne Everette Johnston, age 70, of Ellis, Kansas, passed away Wednesday, April 13, 2022, in Ellis. He was born July 17, 1951, in Goodland, Kansas to Howard and Betty (Winters) Johnston.&nbsp; On October 14, 1972, he married Marilyn Louise Boschowitzki at St. John Lutheran Church.Wayne was a long-time roofing contractor with the family business, Johnston Roofing starting in McCracken, Kansas then to Pueblo, Colorado and ending up in Ellis. Wayne also became a farmer having taken over the family farm in rural Ellis. Wayne enjoyed fishing, Classic Hot Rods, traveling with Marilyn, and time with his granddaughter, Meredith. Wayne was an avid animal lover especially his two favorite dogs, Buddy, and Bandit.&nbsp; Wayne as his family and friends knew enjoyed a good debate, bargaining and dickering.&nbsp;Wayne is survived by his wife, Marilyn of Ellis; a son, Lyle Johnston of Ellis; a daughter, Tina Douglas and husband John of Ellis; a brother, Don Johnston of Derby, Kansas; three sisters, Donetta McCullugh of Fairbanks, Alaska, Hope Myers of Hillsboro, Oregon and Marie Adams; and three grandchildren, Meredith Johnston of Ellis, Brody Douglas of Hampton, Virginia and Sheila Douglas of Augusta, Kansas.Wayne was preceded in death by his parents; a half-brother, Stanley Drumwright and a sister, Ruth Jackson.Funeral services will be&nbsp;11:00 AM Monday, April 18, 2022, at Keithley Funeral Chapel 400 E. 17th&nbsp;Ellis, Kansas.&nbsp;&nbsp;Burial will follow in Mt. Hope Cemetery.Visitation will be Sunday from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM and Monday 10:00 AM until service time all at the funeral chapel.A prayer service will be 6:00 PM Sunday at the funeral chapel.Memorial contributions are suggested to be used according to the wishes of the family.Condolences may be left by guest book at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com/">www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com</a>&nbsp;or emailed to<a href="mailto:keithleyfuneralhomes@gmail.com">keithleyfuneralhomes@gmail.com</a>

Wayne Everette Johnston

Dalton Michael Ellis, 25, of Colby, died Tuesday, April 12, 2022, at 
Swedish Medical Center, Englewood, CO. He was born October 23, 1996, in 
Colby, KS, to Gregory Ellis and Tonya Yonkey. 
Growing up, Dalton loved to help on the family farm and work with the 
cows, pigs, horses and llama. He enjoyed shooting sports and 
participated in 4-H and FFA. During the summers he worked in St. 
Francis, doing plumbing. Dalton graduated from Colby High School in 2015
 and from Northwest Kansas Technical College, in Goodland, in 2017. He 
then worked at Hoxie Implement for two years, then transferred to his 
current job, at Oakley Ag, in 2019. 
Dalton was a happy-go-lucky guy, who would do anything for you. He had a
 great sense of humor and loved going out to eat with friends. Dalton 
lived to spend time with his family and friends. 
He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Royce and Claudia Yonkey and Larry and Donna Ellis. 
He is survived by his parents; brother Paden Ellis; and numerous aunts, uncles, and friends. 
Visitation is 5-7:00 p.m. Tuesday, April 19, 2022, at Baalmann Mortuary,
 Colby. Funeral Service is 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, April 20, 2022, at the 
Colby United Methodist Church, with burial in Beulah Cemetery, Colby.


Memorials may be made to the Midwest Transplant Network or American 
Cancer Society and sent in care of Baalmann Mortuary, PO Box 391, Colby,
 KS 67701. For information or condolences visit www.baalmannmortuary.com&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1650030060728.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Dalton Michael Ellis, 25, of Colby, died Tuesday, April 12, 2022, at 
Swedish Medical Center, Englewood, CO. He was born October 23, 1996, in 
Colby, KS, to Gregory Ellis and Tonya Yonkey. 
Growing up, Dalton loved to help on the family farm and work with the 
cows, pigs, horses and llama. He enjoyed shooting sports and 
participated in 4-H and FFA. During the summers he worked in St. 
Francis, doing plumbing. Dalton graduated from Colby High School in 2015
 and from Northwest Kansas Technical College, in Goodland, in 2017. He 
then worked at Hoxie Implement for two years, then transferred to his 
current job, at Oakley Ag, in 2019. 
Dalton was a happy-go-lucky guy, who would do anything for you. He had a
 great sense of humor and loved going out to eat with friends. Dalton 
lived to spend time with his family and friends. 
He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Royce and Claudia Yonkey and Larry and Donna Ellis. 
He is survived by his parents; brother Paden Ellis; and numerous aunts, uncles, and friends. 
Visitation is 5-7:00 p.m. Tuesday, April 19, 2022, at Baalmann Mortuary,
 Colby. Funeral Service is 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, April 20, 2022, at the 
Colby United Methodist Church, with burial in Beulah Cemetery, Colby. 
Memorials may be made to the Midwest Transplant Network or American 
Cancer Society and sent in care of Baalmann Mortuary, PO Box 391, Colby,
 KS 67701. For information or condolences visit www.baalmannmortuary.com&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Dalton Michael Ellis

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service is reminding taxpayers the 
deadline to file and pay tax owed for most individual income tax returns
 is Monday, April 18. The agency wants last-minute filers to know tax 
help is available to file a tax return, request an extension or make a 
payment, 24 hours a day on IRS.gov.

The IRS encourages taxpayers to file electronically because tax 
software does the calculations, flags common errors and reduces tax 
return errors by prompting taxpayers for missing information. The fastest way to receive a refund is to file electronically and use <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds/get-your-refund-faster-tell-irs-to-direct-deposit-your-refund-to-one-two-or-three-accounts">direct deposit</a>.

<a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">IRS Free File</a>
 is available to any person or family with an adjusted gross income 
(AGI) of $73,000 or less in 2021. Leading tax software providers make 
their online products available for free. Taxpayers can use IRS Free 
File to claim the remaining amount of their Child Tax Credit, the Earned
 Income Tax Credit and other important credits. IRS <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-fillable-forms/free-file-fillable-forms-is-closed">Free File Fillable Forms</a> is available to anyone who is comfortable preparing their own tax return - so there is a free option for everyone.

<a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/your-online-account">Online Account</a>
 provides information to help file an accurate return, including Advance
 Child Tax Credit and Economic Impact Payment amounts, Adjusted Gross 
Income amounts from last year's tax return, estimated tax payment 
amounts and refunds applied as a credit.

The IRS estimates 15 million taxpayers will request an extension of 
time to file and the easiest way to request an extension to file is 
using IRS <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">Free File</a>. In a matter of minutes, anyone can request an extension until October 17, using <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-4868">Form 4868, Application for Automatic Extension of Time to File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return</a>.
 An extension of time to file is not an extension of time to pay, 
however, and taxpayers must estimate their tax liability on this form 
and pay any amount due by the April 18 filing deadline to avoid 
penalties and interest.

Taxpayers can also request more time by paying all or part of their 
estimated income tax due and indicate that the payment is for an 
extension. They can do this using <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/direct-pay">Direct Pay</a>, the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/eftps-the-electronic-federal-tax-payment-system">Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS)</a>, or a <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/pay-taxes-by-credit-or-debit-card">debit, credit card or digital wallet</a>. This way they don't have to file a separate extension form and will receive a confirmation number for their records.

IRS Form 4868 can also be downloaded from <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-instructions">Forms, Instructions &amp; Publications</a>, completed and addressed to the correct IRS office, and must be postmarked by the filing deadline.

The IRS automatically provides filing and penalty relief to any 
taxpayer with an IRS address of record located in areas covered by 
Federal Emergency Management Agency disaster declarations. Deadlines to 
file tax returns and make tax payments are extended for affected 
taxpayers in certain areas of <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/around-the-nation-arkansas">Arkansas</a>, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/around-the-nation-colorado">Colorado</a>, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/around-the-nation-kentucky">Kentucky</a> and <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/around-the-nation-tennessee">Tennessee</a> until May 16, 2022, and for <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-announces-tax-relief-for-puerto-rico-severe-storms-flooding-and-landslides">Puerto Rico</a> until June 15, 2022. For details on all available relief, visit the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/around-the-nation">Around the Nation</a> page on IRS.gov.

Special rules may apply for some military personnel <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/extension-of-deadlines-combat-zone-service">serving in a combat zone or a qualified hazardous duty area</a>.
 This also applies to individuals serving in the combat zone in support 
of the U.S. Armed Forces. A complete list of designated combat zone 
localities can be found in <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-publication-3">Publication 3, Armed Forces' Tax Guide</a>, available on IRS.gov. U.S. citizens and resident aliens <a href="https://www.irs.gov/publications/p54">living outside the United States</a> have until June 15, 2022, to file their 2021 tax returns and pay any tax due.

The IRS estimates 1.5 million taxpayers did not file a 2018 tax 
return to claim tax refunds worth more than $1.5 billion. The three-year
 window of opportunity to claim a 2018 tax refund closes April 18, 2022,
 for most taxpayers. If they do not file a 2018 tax return by April 18, 
2022, the money becomes the property of the U.S. Treasury. The law 
requires taxpayers to properly address, mail and ensure the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/prior-year">2018 tax return</a> is postmarked by that date.

April 18 is also the deadline to make 2021 contributions to 
Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs). Contributions can be made to a
 <a href="https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/traditional-iras">traditional</a> or <a href="https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/roth-iras">Roth</a>
 IRA until the filing due date, April 18, but must be designated for 
2021 to the financial institution. For more information, see <a href="https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/retirement-plans-faqs-regarding-iras">Retirement Plans FAQs Regarding IRAs</a> or <a href="https://www.irs.gov/publications/p590a">Publication 590-A, Contributions to Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs)</a>.

Employment taxes are due April 18 for household employees including 
housekeepers, maids, babysitters, gardeners and others who work in or 
around a private residence as an employee if they were paid $2,300. For 
more information, see <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-publication-926">Publication 926, Household Employer's Tax Guide</a>.

The deadline to submit 2021 tax returns or an extension to file and 
pay tax owed this year falls on April 18, instead of April 15, because 
of the Emancipation Day holiday in the District of Columbia. Taxpayers 
in Maine or Massachusetts have until April 19, 2022, to file their 
returns due to the Patriots' Day holiday in those states.

The first quarter <a href="https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/estimated-taxes">estimated tax payment</a> for 2022 is also due on April 18. Taxpayers are encouraged to <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/tax-withholding-estimator">check their withholding for 2022</a>
 after they've filed their 2021 tax return. It can protect against 
having too little tax withheld and facing an unexpected tax bill or 
penalty at tax time next year. It can also help taxpayers adjust their 
tax withheld up front, so taxpayers receive a bigger paycheck and 
smaller refund at tax time.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service is reminding taxpayers the 
deadline to file and pay tax owed for most individual income tax returns
 is Monday, April 18. The agency wants last-minute filers to know tax 
help is available to file a tax return, request an extension or make a 
payment, 24 hours a day on IRS.gov.The IRS encourages taxpayers to file electronically because tax 
software does the calculations, flags common errors and reduces tax 
return errors by prompting taxpayers for missing information. The fastest way to receive a refund is to file electronically and use <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds/get-your-refund-faster-tell-irs-to-direct-deposit-your-refund-to-one-two-or-three-accounts">direct deposit</a>.<a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">IRS Free File</a>
 is available to any person or family with an adjusted gross income 
(AGI) of $73,000 or less in 2021. Leading tax software providers make 
their online products available for free. Taxpayers can use IRS Free 
File to claim the remaining amount of their Child Tax Credit, the Earned
 Income Tax Credit and other important credits. IRS <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-fillable-forms/free-file-fillable-forms-is-closed">Free File Fillable Forms</a> is available to anyone who is comfortable preparing their own tax return - so there is a free option for everyone.<a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/your-online-account">Online Account</a>
 provides information to help file an accurate return, including Advance
 Child Tax Credit and Economic Impact Payment amounts, Adjusted Gross 
Income amounts from last year's tax return, estimated tax payment 
amounts and refunds applied as a credit.<h2>Get a 6-month extension to file</h2>The IRS estimates 15 million taxpayers will request an extension of 
time to file and the easiest way to request an extension to file is 
using IRS <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">Free File</a>. In a matter of minutes, anyone can request an extension until October 17, using <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-4868">Form 4868, Application for Automatic Extension of Time to File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return</a>.
 An extension of time to file is not an extension of time to pay, 
however, and taxpayers must estimate their tax liability on this form 
and pay any amount due by the April 18 filing deadline to avoid 
penalties and interest.Taxpayers can also request more time by paying all or part of their 
estimated income tax due and indicate that the payment is for an 
extension. They can do this using <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/direct-pay">Direct Pay</a>, the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/eftps-the-electronic-federal-tax-payment-system">Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS)</a>, or a <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/pay-taxes-by-credit-or-debit-card">debit, credit card or digital wallet</a>. This way they don't have to file a separate extension form and will receive a confirmation number for their records.IRS Form 4868 can also be downloaded from <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-instructions">Forms, Instructions &amp; Publications</a>, completed and addressed to the correct IRS office, and must be postmarked by the filing deadline.<h2>Who automatically has more time to file?</h2>The IRS automatically provides filing and penalty relief to any 
taxpayer with an IRS address of record located in areas covered by 
Federal Emergency Management Agency disaster declarations. Deadlines to 
file tax returns and make tax payments are extended for affected 
taxpayers in certain areas of <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/around-the-nation-arkansas">Arkansas</a>, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/around-the-nation-colorado">Colorado</a>, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/around-the-nation-kentucky">Kentucky</a> and <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/around-the-nation-tennessee">Tennessee</a> until May 16, 2022, and for <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-announces-tax-relief-for-puerto-rico-severe-storms-flooding-and-landslides">Puerto Rico</a> until June 15, 2022. For details on all available relief, visit the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/around-the-nation">Around the Nation</a> page on IRS.gov.Special rules may apply for some military personnel <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/extension-of-deadlines-combat-zone-service">serving in a combat zone or a qualified hazardous duty area</a>.
 This also applies to individuals serving in the combat zone in support 
of the U.S. Armed Forces. A complete list of designated combat zone 
localities can be found in <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-publication-3">Publication 3, Armed Forces' Tax Guide</a>, available on IRS.gov. U.S. citizens and resident aliens <a href="https://www.irs.gov/publications/p54">living outside the United States</a> have until June 15, 2022, to file their 2021 tax returns and pay any tax due.<h2>$1.5 billion in unclaimed 2018 refunds</h2>The IRS estimates 1.5 million taxpayers did not file a 2018 tax 
return to claim tax refunds worth more than $1.5 billion. The three-year
 window of opportunity to claim a 2018 tax refund closes April 18, 2022,
 for most taxpayers. If they do not file a 2018 tax return by April 18, 
2022, the money becomes the property of the U.S. Treasury. The law 
requires taxpayers to properly address, mail and ensure the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/prior-year">2018 tax return</a> is postmarked by that date.<h2>Other April 18 deadlines</h2>April 18 is also the deadline to make 2021 contributions to 
Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs). Contributions can be made to a
 <a href="https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/traditional-iras">traditional</a> or <a href="https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/roth-iras">Roth</a>
 IRA until the filing due date, April 18, but must be designated for 
2021 to the financial institution. For more information, see <a href="https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/retirement-plans-faqs-regarding-iras">Retirement Plans FAQs Regarding IRAs</a> or <a href="https://www.irs.gov/publications/p590a">Publication 590-A, Contributions to Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs)</a>.Employment taxes are due April 18 for household employees including 
housekeepers, maids, babysitters, gardeners and others who work in or 
around a private residence as an employee if they were paid $2,300. For 
more information, see <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-publication-926">Publication 926, Household Employer's Tax Guide</a>.The deadline to submit 2021 tax returns or an extension to file and 
pay tax owed this year falls on April 18, instead of April 15, because 
of the Emancipation Day holiday in the District of Columbia. Taxpayers 
in Maine or Massachusetts have until April 19, 2022, to file their 
returns due to the Patriots' Day holiday in those states.The first quarter <a href="https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/estimated-taxes">estimated tax payment</a> for 2022 is also due on April 18. Taxpayers are encouraged to <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/tax-withholding-estimator">check their withholding for 2022</a>
 after they've filed their 2021 tax return. It can protect against 
having too little tax withheld and facing an unexpected tax bill or 
penalty at tax time next year. It can also help taxpayers adjust their 
tax withheld up front, so taxpayers receive a bigger paycheck and 
smaller refund at tax time.

IRS offers deadline reminders for last-minute tax filers

WICHITA (AP) — A 27-year-old woman has been sentenced to life in prison after a May 2019 crash during a police chase killed two people and injured well-known Wichita musician Jenny Wood. 

Mia Collins pleaded guilty in October to two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of 70-year-old Maria Wood and her 12-year-old granddaughter, Rosemary McElroy, who were Jenny Wood's mother and niece.

They were in a car that collided with one driven by Collins, who was fleeing from police.

 The driver of another car, Alfred Angel, also was seriously injured. 

During sentencing on Thursday, Wood said police shared blame for initiating a chase through downtown Wichita that reached 75 mph.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597421975250.png" alt="First responders on the scene of the fatal 2019 crash -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>First responders on the scene of the fatal 2019 crash -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA (AP) — A 27-year-old woman has been sentenced to life in prison after a May 2019 crash during a police chase killed two people and injured well-known Wichita musician Jenny Wood. Mia Collins pleaded guilty in October to two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of 70-year-old Maria Wood and her 12-year-old granddaughter, Rosemary McElroy, who were Jenny Wood's mother and niece.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597432907464.png" alt="Collins-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Collins-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>They were in a car that collided with one driven by Collins, who was fleeing from police. The driver of another car, Alfred Angel, also was seriously injured. During sentencing on Thursday, Wood said police shared blame for initiating a chase through downtown Wichita that reached 75 mph.

Woman sentenced in fatal crash during Wichita police chase

Bernard G. “Bernie” Rupp, 64, Hays, died Sunday, April 10, 2022, at McPherson Health and Rehab.

He was born June 8, 1957, in Hays, the 
son of Charles M. and Viola F. “Ollie” (Dinkel) Rupp.&nbsp; For over 45 years
 he was an over-the-road truck driver.&nbsp; On October 25, 1975, he was 
united in marriage to Sharon Braun in Victoria.&nbsp; Bernie was hardworking,
 cared for his family, and had a genuine love and concern for everyone 
in his life.&nbsp; He lived every day with gratitude and loved spending time 
with his grandchildren.

Survivors include his mother Ollie Rupp
 of Hays, a son: BJ Rupp and wife Dena of Hays, a daughter: Danielle 
Bornholdt and husband John of Hutchinson, a brother: Vernon Rupp and 
wife Mellisa of Kansas City, MO, and three grandchildren: Laine Werth, 
Kinley Rupp, and Madisyn Rupp.

He was preceded in death by his father Charles and his sister Deborah Ann Marie “Debbie” Rupp.

Bernie’s family will receive friends 
from 10:00 until 11:00 am on Thursday, April 21, 2022, at Hays Memorial 
Chapel Funeral Home. &nbsp;A rosary will be at 10:45 am, and private family 
inurnment will follow in St. Joseph Cemetery.&nbsp; 

Memorials in Bernie’s 
memory may be made payable to the Gene and Barbara Burnett Burn Center 
at the University of Kansas Hospital.&nbsp; Condolences and memories of 
Bernie may be shared with the family at www.haysmemorial.com

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649941203862.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Bernard G. “Bernie” Rupp, 64, Hays, died Sunday, April 10, 2022, at McPherson Health and Rehab.He was born June 8, 1957, in Hays, the 
son of Charles M. and Viola F. “Ollie” (Dinkel) Rupp.&nbsp; For over 45 years
 he was an over-the-road truck driver.&nbsp; On October 25, 1975, he was 
united in marriage to Sharon Braun in Victoria.&nbsp; Bernie was hardworking,
 cared for his family, and had a genuine love and concern for everyone 
in his life.&nbsp; He lived every day with gratitude and loved spending time 
with his grandchildren.Survivors include his mother Ollie Rupp
 of Hays, a son: BJ Rupp and wife Dena of Hays, a daughter: Danielle 
Bornholdt and husband John of Hutchinson, a brother: Vernon Rupp and 
wife Mellisa of Kansas City, MO, and three grandchildren: Laine Werth, 
Kinley Rupp, and Madisyn Rupp.He was preceded in death by his father Charles and his sister Deborah Ann Marie “Debbie” Rupp.Bernie’s family will receive friends 
from 10:00 until 11:00 am on Thursday, April 21, 2022, at Hays Memorial 
Chapel Funeral Home. &nbsp;A rosary will be at 10:45 am, and private family 
inurnment will follow in St. Joseph Cemetery.&nbsp; Memorials in Bernie’s 
memory may be made payable to the Gene and Barbara Burnett Burn Center 
at the University of Kansas Hospital.&nbsp; Condolences and memories of 
Bernie may be shared with the family at www.haysmemorial.com

Bernard G. 'Bernie' Rupp

Benjamin Clement Griffin, 86, of LaFayette, Georgia, (formerly of Russell, Kansas) passed away Sunday, April 10, 2022.

Benjamin was born on December 16, 1935, in Bunker Hill, Kansas, the 
son of Roland and Mary (Bostick) Griffin.&nbsp; After high school, he served 
his country by joining the United States Army and fought in the Korean 
War.&nbsp; He met, fell in love and was united in marriage to Carol Jean 
Stoppel on October 24, 1964, and from this union they were blessed with 2
 daughters Teresa and Darlene.&nbsp; Carol preceded him in death on July 16, 
1998.&nbsp; He found love a second time and was united in marriage to Barbara
 Baglin on September 6, 2003.&nbsp; He worked in the oil field industry all 
over Kansas and also worked as a truck driver in the 1980’s and retired 
in 1992, after suffering a stroke.

He was preceded in death by his first wife, Carol Jean Stoppel 
Griffin; daughter, Darlene Marie Henry; and parents, Roland Griffin and 
Mary Bostick Griffin.

Surviving family include his wife, Barbara B. Griffin; daughter, 
Teresa (Eddie) Hegwood; 11 grandchildren; 17 great grandchildren; 
brother, Stanley Griffin; and several nieces and nephews.

A Graveside services to celebrate Benjamin’s life will be held at 
11:30 a.m. on Friday, April 15, 2022, at the Bunker Hill Cemetery in 
Bunker Hill, Kansas.&nbsp; Family will greet guests and viewing will be held 
from 10 A.M. to 11 A.M. at the Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary in 
Russell, Kansas.&nbsp; 

Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell, Kansas, is 
in charge of the funeral service arrangements.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649863230569.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Benjamin Clement Griffin, 86, of LaFayette, Georgia, (formerly of Russell, Kansas) passed away Sunday, April 10, 2022.Benjamin was born on December 16, 1935, in Bunker Hill, Kansas, the 
son of Roland and Mary (Bostick) Griffin.&nbsp; After high school, he served 
his country by joining the United States Army and fought in the Korean 
War.&nbsp; He met, fell in love and was united in marriage to Carol Jean 
Stoppel on October 24, 1964, and from this union they were blessed with 2
 daughters Teresa and Darlene.&nbsp; Carol preceded him in death on July 16, 
1998.&nbsp; He found love a second time and was united in marriage to Barbara
 Baglin on September 6, 2003.&nbsp; He worked in the oil field industry all 
over Kansas and also worked as a truck driver in the 1980’s and retired 
in 1992, after suffering a stroke.He was preceded in death by his first wife, Carol Jean Stoppel 
Griffin; daughter, Darlene Marie Henry; and parents, Roland Griffin and 
Mary Bostick Griffin.Surviving family include his wife, Barbara B. Griffin; daughter, 
Teresa (Eddie) Hegwood; 11 grandchildren; 17 great grandchildren; 
brother, Stanley Griffin; and several nieces and nephews.A Graveside services to celebrate Benjamin’s life will be held at 
11:30 a.m. on Friday, April 15, 2022, at the Bunker Hill Cemetery in 
Bunker Hill, Kansas.&nbsp; Family will greet guests and viewing will be held 
from 10 A.M. to 11 A.M. at the Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary in 
Russell, Kansas.&nbsp; Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell, Kansas, is 
in charge of the funeral service arrangements.

Benjamin C. Griffin

BARTON COUNTY —On Monday, 48-year-old Dustin Sullivan appeared in Barton County District Court for Sentencing.&nbsp;

In October, a jury convicted Sullivan of distribution of methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine and no drug tax stamp. These two cases were consolidated for trial purposes.

In both cases, Sullivan filed motions asking the court for probation. After hearing the arguments of defense counsel, Don Anderson, and Barton County Attorney, Levi Morris, District Court Judge Carey Hipp denied the request for probation.

Sullivan was sentenced to 117 months in the Kansas Department of Corrections in the first case, 65 months in KDOC custody for the second case, plus five months for the no tax stamp conviction.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1634315188639.png" alt="Sullivan-photo Barton Co." />
 <figcaption>Sullivan-photo Barton Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY —On Monday, 48-year-old Dustin Sullivan appeared in Barton County District Court for Sentencing.&nbsp;In October, a jury convicted Sullivan of distribution of methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine and no drug tax stamp. These two cases were consolidated for trial purposes.In both cases, Sullivan filed motions asking the court for probation. After hearing the arguments of defense counsel, Don Anderson, and Barton County Attorney, Levi Morris, District Court Judge Carey Hipp denied the request for probation.Sullivan was sentenced to 117 months in the Kansas Department of Corrections in the first case, 65 months in KDOC custody for the second case, plus five months for the no tax stamp conviction.---

48-year-old sentenced for drug distribution in central Kansas

WASHINGTON (AP) — Another month, another four-decade high for inflation.

For the 12 months that ended in March, consumer prices rocketed 8.5%. That was the fastest year-over-year jump since 1981, far surpassing February’s mark of 7.9%, itself a 40-year high.

Even if you toss out food and energy prices — which are notoriously volatile and have driven much of the price spike — so-called core inflation jumped 6.5% in the past 12 months. That was also the sharpest such jump in four decades.

Consumers have felt the squeeze in everyday routines. Gasoline is up an average of 48% in the past year. Airline tickets are up 24%, men’s suits nearly 15%, bacon 18%.

The Federal Reserve never anticipated inflation this severe or persistent. Back in December 2020, the Fed’s policymakers had forecast that consumer inflation would stay below their 2% annual target and end 2021 at around 1.8%.

Yet after having been merely an afterthought for decades, high inflation reasserted itself last year with brutal speed. In February 2021, the government’s consumer price index was running just 1.7% above its level a year earlier. From there, the year-over-year increases accelerated — 2.6% in March, 4.2% in April, 5% in May, 5.4% in June.

By October, the figure was 6.2%, by November 6.8%, by December 7%.

For months, Fed Chair Jerome Powell and some others characterized higher consumer prices as merely “transitory” — the result, mainly, of shipping delays and temporary shortages of supplies and workers as the economy rebounded from the pandemic recession much faster than anyone had anticipated. Now, most economists expect inflation to remain elevated well into next year, with demand outstripping supplies in numerous areas of the economy.

So the Fed has radically changed course. Last month, it raised its benchmark short-term rate by a quarter-point and is expected to keep raising it, probably aggressively, well into 2023. In doing so, the Fed is moving decisively away from the ultra-low rates that helped revive the economy from the recession but also helped fuel surging consumer prices.

The Fed is making a high-risk bet that it can slow the economy enough to rein in inflation without weakening it so much as to trigger a recession. The overall economy is healthy, with a robust job market and extremely low unemployment. But many economists say they worry that the Fed’s steady credit tightening will cause an economic downturn.

Good news — mostly. When the pandemic paralyzed the economy in the spring of 2020 and lockdowns kicked in, businesses closed or cut hours and consumers stayed home as a health precaution, employers slashed a breathtaking 22 million jobs. Economic output plunged at a record-shattering 31% annual rate in 2020′s April-June quarter.

Everyone braced for more misery. Companies cut investment and postponed restocking. A brutal recession ensued.

But instead of sinking into a prolonged downturn, the economy staged an unexpectedly rousing recovery, fueled by vast infusions of government aid and emergency intervention by the Fed, which slashed rates, among other things. By spring of last year, the rollout of vaccines had emboldened consumers to return to restaurants, bars, shops, airports and entertainment venues.

Suddenly, businesses had to scramble to meet demand. They couldn’t hire fast enough to fill job openings or buy enough supplies to meet customer orders. As business roared back, ports and freight yards couldn’t handle the traffic. Global supply chains seized up.

With demand up and supplies down, costs jumped. And companies found that they could pass along those higher costs in the form of higher prices to consumers, many of whom had managed to pile up savings during the pandemic.

Critics blamed, in part, President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package, with its $1,400 checks to most households, for overheating an economy that was already sizzling on its own. Many others argued that the Fed kept rates near zero far too long, lending fuel to runaway spending and inflated prices in stocks, homes and other assets.

Elevated consumer price inflation could endure as long as companies struggle to keep up with consumers’ demand for goods and services. A recovering job market — employers added a record 6.7 million jobs last year and are adding 560,000 a month so far this year — means that Americans as a whole can continue to splurge on everything from lawn furniture to electronics.

Many economists foresee inflation staying well above the Fed’s 2% annual target this year. But relief from higher prices might be coming. Jammed-up supply chains are beginning to show some signs of improvement, at least in some industries. The Fed’s pivot away from easy-money policies toward an anti-inflationary policy could eventually reduce consumer demand. There will be no repeat of last year’s COVID relief checks from Washington. Inflation itself is eroding purchasing power and might force some consumers to shave spending.

At the same time, new COVID variants could cloud the outlook — either by causing outbreaks that force factories and ports to close and disrupt supply chains even more or by keeping people home and reducing demand for goods.

HOW ARE HIGHER PRICES AFFECTING CONSUMERS?

The strong job market is boosting workers’ pay, though not enough to offset higher prices. The Labor Department says that after accounting for higher consumer prices, hourly earnings for private-sector employees fell 2.7% last month from a year earlier, the 12th straight such drop.

There are exceptions: After-inflation wages rose 8% for hotel workers and 4% for restaurant and bar employees in March from a year earlier.

Partisan politics, in the meantime, is influencing the way Americans view the inflation threat. With a Democrat in the White House, Republicans are far more likely than Democrats to say that inflation is having a negative effect on their personal finances, according to surveys of consumer sentiment conducted by the University of Michigan.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579201323708.jpeg" alt="The cost of good and services saw the sharpest such jump in four decades.. Photo by Nomin Ujiyediin / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>The cost of good and services saw the sharpest such jump in four decades.. Photo by Nomin Ujiyediin / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Another month, another four-decade high for inflation.For the 12 months that ended in March, consumer prices rocketed 8.5%. That was the fastest year-over-year jump since 1981, far surpassing February’s mark of 7.9%, itself a 40-year high.Even if you toss out food and energy prices — which are notoriously volatile and have driven much of the price spike — so-called core inflation jumped 6.5% in the past 12 months. That was also the sharpest such jump in four decades.Consumers have felt the squeeze in everyday routines. Gasoline is up an average of 48% in the past year. Airline tickets are up 24%, men’s suits nearly 15%, bacon 18%.The Federal Reserve never anticipated inflation this severe or persistent. Back in December 2020, the Fed’s policymakers had forecast that consumer inflation would stay below their 2% annual target and end 2021 at around 1.8%.Yet after having been merely an afterthought for decades, high inflation reasserted itself last year with brutal speed. In February 2021, the government’s consumer price index was running just 1.7% above its level a year earlier. From there, the year-over-year increases accelerated — 2.6% in March, 4.2% in April, 5% in May, 5.4% in June.By October, the figure was 6.2%, by November 6.8%, by December 7%.For months, Fed Chair Jerome Powell and some others characterized higher consumer prices as merely “transitory” — the result, mainly, of shipping delays and temporary shortages of supplies and workers as the economy rebounded from the pandemic recession much faster than anyone had anticipated. Now, most economists expect inflation to remain elevated well into next year, with demand outstripping supplies in numerous areas of the economy.So the Fed has radically changed course. Last month, it raised its benchmark short-term rate by a quarter-point and is expected to keep raising it, probably aggressively, well into 2023. In doing so, the Fed is moving decisively away from the ultra-low rates that helped revive the economy from the recession but also helped fuel surging consumer prices.The Fed is making a high-risk bet that it can slow the economy enough to rein in inflation without weakening it so much as to trigger a recession. The overall economy is healthy, with a robust job market and extremely low unemployment. But many economists say they worry that the Fed’s steady credit tightening will cause an economic downturn.____WHAT’S CAUSED THE SPIKE IN INFLATION?Good news — mostly. When the pandemic paralyzed the economy in the spring of 2020 and lockdowns kicked in, businesses closed or cut hours and consumers stayed home as a health precaution, employers slashed a breathtaking 22 million jobs. Economic output plunged at a record-shattering 31% annual rate in 2020′s April-June quarter.Everyone braced for more misery. Companies cut investment and postponed restocking. A brutal recession ensued.But instead of sinking into a prolonged downturn, the economy staged an unexpectedly rousing recovery, fueled by vast infusions of government aid and emergency intervention by the Fed, which slashed rates, among other things. By spring of last year, the rollout of vaccines had emboldened consumers to return to restaurants, bars, shops, airports and entertainment venues.Suddenly, businesses had to scramble to meet demand. They couldn’t hire fast enough to fill job openings or buy enough supplies to meet customer orders. As business roared back, ports and freight yards couldn’t handle the traffic. Global supply chains seized up.With demand up and supplies down, costs jumped. And companies found that they could pass along those higher costs in the form of higher prices to consumers, many of whom had managed to pile up savings during the pandemic.Critics blamed, in part, President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package, with its $1,400 checks to most households, for overheating an economy that was already sizzling on its own. Many others argued that the Fed kept rates near zero far too long, lending fuel to runaway spending and inflated prices in stocks, homes and other assets.____HOW LONG WILL IT LAST?Elevated consumer price inflation could endure as long as companies struggle to keep up with consumers’ demand for goods and services. A recovering job market — employers added a record 6.7 million jobs last year and are adding 560,000 a month so far this year — means that Americans as a whole can continue to splurge on everything from lawn furniture to electronics.Many economists foresee inflation staying well above the Fed’s 2% annual target this year. But relief from higher prices might be coming. Jammed-up supply chains are beginning to show some signs of improvement, at least in some industries. The Fed’s pivot away from easy-money policies toward an anti-inflationary policy could eventually reduce consumer demand. There will be no repeat of last year’s COVID relief checks from Washington. Inflation itself is eroding purchasing power and might force some consumers to shave spending.At the same time, new COVID variants could cloud the outlook — either by causing outbreaks that force factories and ports to close and disrupt supply chains even more or by keeping people home and reducing demand for goods.___HOW ARE HIGHER PRICES AFFECTING CONSUMERS?The strong job market is boosting workers’ pay, though not enough to offset higher prices. The Labor Department says that after accounting for higher consumer prices, hourly earnings for private-sector employees fell 2.7% last month from a year earlier, the 12th straight such drop.There are exceptions: After-inflation wages rose 8% for hotel workers and 4% for restaurant and bar employees in March from a year earlier.Partisan politics, in the meantime, is influencing the way Americans view the inflation threat. With a Democrat in the White House, Republicans are far more likely than Democrats to say that inflation is having a negative effect on their personal finances, according to surveys of consumer sentiment conducted by the University of Michigan.

Why US inflation is so high, and when it may ease

Mariella R. (Tobias) Leclerc Sawin, 93, of Sterling, Kansas, passed away March 31, 2022, at the Sterling Village, Sterling. She was born December 20, 1928, on a farm near Lyons, Kansas, the daughter of Edward A. and Pearl Brothers Tobias. Mariella has resided in Sterling since 2017, formerly of Lyons. 

She attended Union Two rural grade school, graduating from Lyons High School with the class of 1946, and later attended Sterling College. Mariella worked with young people in 4-H, in the schools and with various civic groups, including the very earliest tourism committee in Lyons. Mariella was a member of the First United Methodist Church, Lyons, where she taught children’s Sunday school classes for twelve years, was a youth group leader, sang in the church choir and was the first office secretary. 

On October 15, 1948, Mariella was united in marriage with Albert “Tod” Leclerc in Lyons, Kansas. He preceded her in death on August 26, 1989. On March 12, 1992, Mariella was united in marriage with Dean M. Sawin in Lyons. He preceded her in death on July 22, 2005. 

She is also preceded in death by her parents; five brothers, Cecil Tobias, Raymond Tobias, Robert Tobias, James Tobias, and baby Arthur Tobias; and sister, Helen Long and daughter, Jamie Leclerc. 

Mariella is survived by her son, Steven Leclerc of Hays, KS; two daughters, Connie Leclerc of Lafayette, CO, and Diane Leclerc Tehan of Xenia, OH; twelve grandchildren; and numerous great-grandchildren. 

A visitation will be from 5:00 until 7:00 P.M., Friday, April 22, 2022, at Birzer Funeral Home, Lyons, with family present. 

Memorials may be given to Lyons Christmas Bell and Star Fund or the E.A. Tobias Family Fellowship (scholarships for Lyons High School students) in care of Birzer Funeral Home, Lyons.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649859152718.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Mariella R. (Tobias) Leclerc Sawin, 93, of Sterling, Kansas, passed away March 31, 2022, at the Sterling Village, Sterling. She was born December 20, 1928, on a farm near Lyons, Kansas, the daughter of Edward A. and Pearl Brothers Tobias. Mariella has resided in Sterling since 2017, formerly of Lyons. She attended Union Two rural grade school, graduating from Lyons High School with the class of 1946, and later attended Sterling College. Mariella worked with young people in 4-H, in the schools and with various civic groups, including the very earliest tourism committee in Lyons. Mariella was a member of the First United Methodist Church, Lyons, where she taught children’s Sunday school classes for twelve years, was a youth group leader, sang in the church choir and was the first office secretary. On October 15, 1948, Mariella was united in marriage with Albert “Tod” Leclerc in Lyons, Kansas. He preceded her in death on August 26, 1989. On March 12, 1992, Mariella was united in marriage with Dean M. Sawin in Lyons. He preceded her in death on July 22, 2005. She is also preceded in death by her parents; five brothers, Cecil Tobias, Raymond Tobias, Robert Tobias, James Tobias, and baby Arthur Tobias; and sister, Helen Long and daughter, Jamie Leclerc. Mariella is survived by her son, Steven Leclerc of Hays, KS; two daughters, Connie Leclerc of Lafayette, CO, and Diane Leclerc Tehan of Xenia, OH; twelve grandchildren; and numerous great-grandchildren. A visitation will be from 5:00 until 7:00 P.M., Friday, April 22, 2022, at Birzer Funeral Home, Lyons, with family present. Memorials may be given to Lyons Christmas Bell and Star Fund or the E.A. Tobias Family Fellowship (scholarships for Lyons High School students) in care of Birzer Funeral Home, Lyons.&nbsp;