Ora Louise Meyer, 93, passed away September 11, 2021, at Diversicare of Larned.

She was born April 30, 1928, in Larned, the daughter of Francis A. and
 Mary C. Bowman Rolo.&nbsp; A longtime area resident, she was a housewife and
 Nurse Aide for Parkview Manor and St. Joseph Hospital.

She was a member of the St. Bernard’s Catholic Church, Belpre.

On October 7, 1947, she married Dale Francis Meyer in Belpre.&nbsp; He passed away March 9, 2004.

Survivors include: four sons, Dennis Meyer, Amarillo, TX, Edward 
Meyer, Larned, Mark Meyer, Halstead, KS, Kelly Meyer, Larned, KS; six 
daughters, Ann Marie Grizzell, Macksville, KS, Teresa Martin, Larned, 
KS, Rebecca Sack, Rye, CO, Kathy Hogan, Andover, KS, Tracy Deighton, St.
 John, KS, Jeanne Quinn, Theodosia, MO; three brothers, Barry Rolo, 
Lubbock, TX, Arthur Rolo, Plainville, KS, and Larry Rolo, Colorado City,
 TX; 43 grandchildren, 104 great grandchildren, and 9 great-great 
grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; a son, Patrick Meyer; five 
brothers, Allen, Kenneth, Keith, Wilbur and Bryce Rolo; a sister, Mary 
Ann Rolo; two grandsons, Ryan Deighton and Brandon Hammeke and a great 
grandson, Johnathan Hopkins.

A Funeral Mass for family only will be held at St. Bernard’s Catholic
 Church, Belpre, with Father Bernard Felix presiding.&nbsp; Visitation will 
be from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, September 14, 2021, at Beckwith 
Mortuary, Larned, with a public rosary at 7:00 p.m.&nbsp; Burial will be in 
the Belpre Catholic Cemetery, Belpre.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be left at Dominican Sisters of 
Great Bend or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in care of Beckwith 
Mortuary, Box 477 Larned, KS 67550.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631461288380.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Ora Louise Meyer, 93, passed away September 11, 2021, at Diversicare of Larned.She was born April 30, 1928, in Larned, the daughter of Francis A. and
 Mary C. Bowman Rolo.&nbsp; A longtime area resident, she was a housewife and
 Nurse Aide for Parkview Manor and St. Joseph Hospital.She was a member of the St. Bernard’s Catholic Church, Belpre.On October 7, 1947, she married Dale Francis Meyer in Belpre.&nbsp; He passed away March 9, 2004.Survivors include: four sons, Dennis Meyer, Amarillo, TX, Edward 
Meyer, Larned, Mark Meyer, Halstead, KS, Kelly Meyer, Larned, KS; six 
daughters, Ann Marie Grizzell, Macksville, KS, Teresa Martin, Larned, 
KS, Rebecca Sack, Rye, CO, Kathy Hogan, Andover, KS, Tracy Deighton, St.
 John, KS, Jeanne Quinn, Theodosia, MO; three brothers, Barry Rolo, 
Lubbock, TX, Arthur Rolo, Plainville, KS, and Larry Rolo, Colorado City,
 TX; 43 grandchildren, 104 great grandchildren, and 9 great-great 
grandchildren.She was preceded in death by her parents; a son, Patrick Meyer; five 
brothers, Allen, Kenneth, Keith, Wilbur and Bryce Rolo; a sister, Mary 
Ann Rolo; two grandsons, Ryan Deighton and Brandon Hammeke and a great 
grandson, Johnathan Hopkins.A Funeral Mass for family only will be held at St. Bernard’s Catholic
 Church, Belpre, with Father Bernard Felix presiding.&nbsp; Visitation will 
be from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, September 14, 2021, at Beckwith 
Mortuary, Larned, with a public rosary at 7:00 p.m.&nbsp; Burial will be in 
the Belpre Catholic Cemetery, Belpre.In lieu of flowers, memorials may be left at Dominican Sisters of 
Great Bend or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in care of Beckwith 
Mortuary, Box 477 Larned, KS 67550.&nbsp;

Ora Louise Meyer

Cool- and warm-season grasses need year-round care&nbsp;

By EMILY HALSTEAD K-State Research and Extension news writer

MANHATTAN — Keeping a healthy home lawn can be difficult for those who are not well versed in horticulture and lawn care. Kansas State University horticulture specialist Ward Upham shared his tips for maintaining a healthy lawn in Kansas.&nbsp;

“We live in a transition zone where we are too warm to grow cool-season grasses well, while also being too cold to grow warm season grasses well,” Upham said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Some examples are fescue and Kentucky bluegrass which are cool-season grasses; and bermudagrass, zoysia and buffalo grass, which are warm-season grasses.&nbsp;&nbsp;

While buffalograss may not always grow well in Kansas, it is one of the most popular turfgrass species in the state, along with tall fescue Upham said.&nbsp;

“Buffalograss has become more popular in recent years due to its reputation as a low maintenance grass,” Upham said.&nbsp;

Upham gave some tips and things to look out for in home lawns in fall, winter, spring and next summer.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Summertime is very difficult for cool-season grasses because they do not have the heat or moisture stress tolerance that warm season grasses have,” Upham said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

He added that lawn care in Kansas can be tricky, but K-State Research and Extension has many&nbsp;<a href="https://hnr.k-state.edu/extension/publications/lawns-and-turf.html">helpful publications</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="mailto:wupham@ksu.edu">experts</a>&nbsp;to answer questions.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VNDNTaP49_o"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Cool- and warm-season grasses need year-round care&nbsp;</h2>By EMILY HALSTEAD K-State Research and Extension news writerMANHATTAN — Keeping a healthy home lawn can be difficult for those who are not well versed in horticulture and lawn care. Kansas State University horticulture specialist Ward Upham shared his tips for maintaining a healthy lawn in Kansas.&nbsp;“We live in a transition zone where we are too warm to grow cool-season grasses well, while also being too cold to grow warm season grasses well,” Upham said.&nbsp;&nbsp;Some examples are fescue and Kentucky bluegrass which are cool-season grasses; and bermudagrass, zoysia and buffalo grass, which are warm-season grasses.&nbsp;&nbsp;While buffalograss may not always grow well in Kansas, it is one of the most popular turfgrass species in the state, along with tall fescue Upham said.&nbsp;“Buffalograss has become more popular in recent years due to its reputation as a low maintenance grass,” Upham said.&nbsp;Upham gave some tips and things to look out for in home lawns in fall, winter, spring and next summer.&nbsp;&nbsp;Fall&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>Get ready to fertilize in September and early November for cool-season grasses.&nbsp;</li><li>If broadleaf weeds are an issue, spray for them in late October. Treat on a day that is at least 50 degrees Fahrenheit and do not irrigate within 24 hours.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>Winter&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>Winter is the time for dormant overseeding, if there is a need to fill in bare spots that were not overseeded in the fall.&nbsp;</li><li>Dormant overseeding can be effective for cool-season grasses when done in small areas of a lawn from December through February.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>Spring&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>Crabgrass preventer can be applied between April 1 and April 15. If using a product that contains prodiamine, the preventer should be applied two weeks earlier.&nbsp;</li><li>For crabgrass preventers to work, they must be watered in, meaning the product must be washed into the soil either by rain or watering.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>If broadleaf weeds are still an issue in the spring, spot treatment can be helpful.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>Summer&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>June is a good time to aerate warm-season lawns.&nbsp;</li><li>Late July through August is the best time to apply a grub killer if experiencing grub damage.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>“Summertime is very difficult for cool-season grasses because they do not have the heat or moisture stress tolerance that warm season grasses have,” Upham said.&nbsp;&nbsp;He added that lawn care in Kansas can be tricky, but K-State Research and Extension has many&nbsp;<a href="https://hnr.k-state.edu/extension/publications/lawns-and-turf.html">helpful publications</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="mailto:wupham@ksu.edu">experts</a>&nbsp;to answer questions.&nbsp;

🎥 Lawn Calendar: K-State expert shares tips for healthy home lawns 

Wilma Marie DeBeer, formerly of Sharon Springs, Kansas, passed away September 4, 2021.&nbsp;

She was born October 6, 1923, to William and Mattie Schreiber of Lost 
Springs, Kansas.&nbsp; When she was 7 years old, they moved to Sharon 
Springs, Kansas where she made her home until her husband, George, 
passed away.&nbsp; She then moved to Abilene, Kansas until her passing.&nbsp;

She is survived by her daughters, Linda Conlon of Abilene and Barbara
 Cook of Denver, CO; son, Earl (Karen) DeBeer of Salina, KS; grandson, 
Eric Conlon of Abilene; granddaughters, Amy (Bob) Fagnani of Denver, CO 
and Khris (Jared) Reynolds of Columbus, NE; great grandsons, Taylor 
McClure, Dylan McClure and Alex (Ayano) Montgomery; great 
granddaughters, Ashley (Brenden) Montgomery and Kaylen Reyes; and 3 
great great granddaughters and 2 great great grandsons.

She is preceded in death by her husband, George, 1 sister, 3 brothers, 1 nephew, a son-in-law and 2 sister-in-law.&nbsp;

Wilma was very loved and happiest when she was with her family or outside tending her flowers.&nbsp;

Memorials may be left at the service or sent in care of Bateman 
Funeral Home, P.O. Box 278, Goodland, Kansas 67735.&nbsp; Information and 
online condolences www.batemanfuneral.com.

Click <a href="https://www.batemanfuneral.com/obituary/Wilma-DeBeer">HERE</a> for service details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631380530800.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Wilma Marie DeBeer, formerly of Sharon Springs, Kansas, passed away September 4, 2021.&nbsp;She was born October 6, 1923, to William and Mattie Schreiber of Lost 
Springs, Kansas.&nbsp; When she was 7 years old, they moved to Sharon 
Springs, Kansas where she made her home until her husband, George, 
passed away.&nbsp; She then moved to Abilene, Kansas until her passing.&nbsp;She is survived by her daughters, Linda Conlon of Abilene and Barbara
 Cook of Denver, CO; son, Earl (Karen) DeBeer of Salina, KS; grandson, 
Eric Conlon of Abilene; granddaughters, Amy (Bob) Fagnani of Denver, CO 
and Khris (Jared) Reynolds of Columbus, NE; great grandsons, Taylor 
McClure, Dylan McClure and Alex (Ayano) Montgomery; great 
granddaughters, Ashley (Brenden) Montgomery and Kaylen Reyes; and 3 
great great granddaughters and 2 great great grandsons.She is preceded in death by her husband, George, 1 sister, 3 brothers, 1 nephew, a son-in-law and 2 sister-in-law.&nbsp;Wilma was very loved and happiest when she was with her family or outside tending her flowers.&nbsp;Memorials may be left at the service or sent in care of Bateman 
Funeral Home, P.O. Box 278, Goodland, Kansas 67735.&nbsp; Information and 
online condolences www.batemanfuneral.com.Click <a href="https://www.batemanfuneral.com/obituary/Wilma-DeBeer">HERE</a> for service details.

Wilma Marie DeBeer

TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly announced on Friday $50 million available for hospitals to either provide premium pay or improve retention of nursing resources and support personnel, approved by the SPARK Executive Committee. This emergency funding will provide immediate support for Kansas hospitals to manage the current COVID-19 surge and address critical shortages in nurse staffing across the state.

Qualified facilities may use the funding for either premium pay as defined in ARPA or for funding a program designed by the facility to improve the retention of nursing resources and support personnel. Premium pay may be distributed by the hospitals to frontline employees in the manner that they believe is most appropriate to ensure retention of critical resources and maintenance of staffed hospital beds.

“Many of our nurses are risking their lives every day to save Kansans from COVID-19 – and the immense strain on our hospitals is causing them to be exhausted and disheartened,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;“They’re taking on extra shifts and caring for more patients than they can handle – and it’s our responsibility to give them the support they need.

“Frontline nurses need this funding to continue battling the COVID-19 surge here at home. I sincerely thank all Kansas frontline nurses and health care workers for all they do to protect our communities from the threat of COVID-19. I encourage all Kansans to do their part and get vaccinated immediately - for our health care workers, for our businesses, and for our families.”

The funding can provide frontline nurses and care workers with premium pay by increasing their hourly wages up to $13 per hour. Hospitals can apply for these State Fiscal Recovery Funds and receive funding based on their number of nursing resources, and will have discretion over how to distribute premium pay.

Additionally, hospitals will be allowed to use the funding for alternative purposes to retain staff if it meets compliance with ARPA guidance. Funding in retention programs must be spent on pay and associated benefits of qualified employees.

By October 31, 2021 and for each month thereafter, all Qualified Facilities receiving funding shall report the following to the Office of Recovery and the SPARK Committee:

Julie Glass, a nurse at Newman Regional Hospital in Emporia,&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.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.tN8DIMcZxCSIQPHd6Mlt9DMbAwS-TgReRzre-4js5x0/s/1303160919/br/112210891436-l" target="_blank">posted to the hospital’s Facebook page</a>&nbsp;last month:&nbsp;“It’s come to a point where you not only pray for your family member to not get COVID, but you pray that they don’t have any other illness or medical emergency either because there’s not enough space or staff for them to receive adequate medical care.”

Governor Kelly believes it is imperative to act now and protect the health and safety of our frontline nurses. This funding will ensure that Kansas hospitals are adequately equipped with experienced staff, rural hospitals can keep their doors open, and nurses can appropriately be compensated for their tireless and courageous work throughout this pandemic.

COVID-19 cases continue to rise across Kansas with a daily average of 1,331 new cases from August 30 to September 7 – levels not seen since January 2021. On September 10, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) reported 4,302 new COVID-19 cases since the last update two days prior. Hospitalizations continue to rise, with 612 hospitalized COVID patients as of September 10. This poses a challenge for hospitals to be able to provide surge support staffing and incentivize nurses to stay at their current pay rates.

More information will be provided to eligible Kansas hospitals in the coming days about how to access and properly allocate this funding to their nurses and frontline care workers.

TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly announced on Friday $50 million available for hospitals to either provide premium pay or improve retention of nursing resources and support personnel, approved by the SPARK Executive Committee. This emergency funding will provide immediate support for Kansas hospitals to manage the current COVID-19 surge and address critical shortages in nurse staffing across the state.Qualified facilities may use the funding for either premium pay as defined in ARPA or for funding a program designed by the facility to improve the retention of nursing resources and support personnel. Premium pay may be distributed by the hospitals to frontline employees in the manner that they believe is most appropriate to ensure retention of critical resources and maintenance of staffed hospital beds.“Many of our nurses are risking their lives every day to save Kansans from COVID-19 – and the immense strain on our hospitals is causing them to be exhausted and disheartened,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;“They’re taking on extra shifts and caring for more patients than they can handle – and it’s our responsibility to give them the support they need.“Frontline nurses need this funding to continue battling the COVID-19 surge here at home. I sincerely thank all Kansas frontline nurses and health care workers for all they do to protect our communities from the threat of COVID-19. I encourage all Kansans to do their part and get vaccinated immediately - for our health care workers, for our businesses, and for our families.”The funding can provide frontline nurses and care workers with premium pay by increasing their hourly wages up to $13 per hour. Hospitals can apply for these State Fiscal Recovery Funds and receive funding based on their number of nursing resources, and will have discretion over how to distribute premium pay.Additionally, hospitals will be allowed to use the funding for alternative purposes to retain staff if it meets compliance with ARPA guidance. Funding in retention programs must be spent on pay and associated benefits of qualified employees.By October 31, 2021 and for each month thereafter, all Qualified Facilities receiving funding shall report the following to the Office of Recovery and the SPARK Committee:<ol>
 <li>The number of nurses on a full-time equivalence basis staffing ICU beds and non-ICU beds as of the most recent pay period ending prior to September 15, 2021, broken out by contract nurses and employees.</li><li>The number of nurses on a full-time equivalence basis staffing ICU beds and non-ICU beds as of the most recent pay period ending prior to or on October 31, 2021, broken out by contract nurses and employees.</li><li>How much of the money received by the Qualified Facility has been earned under the program to date.</li><li>The number of weeks the Qualified Facility has had the program in place.</li><li>The number of frontline clinical employees and nurses who left the employment of the Qualified Facility during the period from June 1, 2021 to August 31, 2021.</li><li>The number of frontline clinical employees and nurses who left the employment of the Qualified Facility during each month from September 1, 2021 to February 28, 2022.</li><li>For any terminations of clinical frontline workers and nurses from September 1, 2021 through February 28, 2022, the number of such terminations and the reason given for all voluntary and involuntary terminations.</li><li>All current Covid-related policies, such as testing policies, quarantine policies, and vaccine policies, and any changes thereto with the date such changes were announced and implemented.</li>
 </ol>Julie Glass, a nurse at Newman Regional Hospital in Emporia,&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTA5MTAuNDU3Nzc3NzEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2djYzAyLnNhZmVsaW5rcy5wcm90ZWN0aW9uLm91dGxvb2suY29tLz91cmw9aHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZ3d3cuZmFjZWJvb2suY29tJTJGTlJIRW1wb3JpYSUyRnBob3RvcyUyRjU5MDAzOTk5MDY2OTgyODMmZGF0YT0wNCU3QzAxJTdDcmF5bmEua2Fyc3QlNDBrcy5nb3YlN0MwYzhmYTE5ZWJlN2U0ZmJlNzUzOTA4ZDk3NGEwZTFkNiU3Q2RjYWU4MTAxYzkyZDQ4MGNiYzQzYzY3NjFjY2NjYzVhJTdDMCU3QzAlN0M2Mzc2NjkwNTY2MTc5NDYzODQlN0NVbmtub3duJTdDVFdGcGJHWnNiM2Q4ZXlKV0lqb2lNQzR3TGpBd01EQWlMQ0pRSWpvaVYybHVNeklpTENKQlRpSTZJazFoYVd3aUxDSlhWQ0k2TW4wJTNEJTdDMTAwMCZzZGF0YT10SlNQS1IxYlFNZGMwV0dEOWRtTDV6Q0slMkJEZEdvd0pOWnh4R0JsMXFjeUUlM0QmcmVzZXJ2ZWQ9MCJ9.tN8DIMcZxCSIQPHd6Mlt9DMbAwS-TgReRzre-4js5x0/s/1303160919/br/112210891436-l" target="_blank">posted to the hospital’s Facebook page</a>&nbsp;last month:&nbsp;“It’s come to a point where you not only pray for your family member to not get COVID, but you pray that they don’t have any other illness or medical emergency either because there’s not enough space or staff for them to receive adequate medical care.”Governor Kelly believes it is imperative to act now and protect the health and safety of our frontline nurses. This funding will ensure that Kansas hospitals are adequately equipped with experienced staff, rural hospitals can keep their doors open, and nurses can appropriately be compensated for their tireless and courageous work throughout this pandemic.COVID-19 cases continue to rise across Kansas with a daily average of 1,331 new cases from August 30 to September 7 – levels not seen since January 2021. On September 10, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) reported 4,302 new COVID-19 cases since the last update two days prior. Hospitalizations continue to rise, with 612 hospitalized COVID patients as of September 10. This poses a challenge for hospitals to be able to provide surge support staffing and incentivize nurses to stay at their current pay rates.More information will be provided to eligible Kansas hospitals in the coming days about how to access and properly allocate this funding to their nurses and frontline care workers.

Kan. pandemic response panel approves extra $50M for nurses

October 6, 1923 ~ September 4, 2021

An obituary is pending with Bateman Funeral Home.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631293652184.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>October 6, 1923 ~ September 4, 2021An obituary is pending with Bateman Funeral Home.Click HERE for service details.

Wilma Marie (Schreiber) DeBeer

Billie Sue Allen Briscoe Budd Perry, 87, entered heaven on Sunday, 
September 5, 2021 at the Ranch House Nursing Home in Garden City, 
Kansas. Billie Sue was born October 6, 1933 in Flint, Texas to Sammuel 
Allen and Lora McKendrick. She resided in a variety of places which 
include Texas, New Mexico and Kansas. She married Willie E. Briscoe, 
Frank Budd, and her latest husband James G. Perry on August 27, 1971. 
 When Billie moved to Garden City, Kansas she worked as a 
housekeeper at the Hilton Inn and St. Catherine Hospital where she 
retired and later resided in Garden City. Billie was a member of the 
Second Baptist Church in Garden City. 
 Billie was a devoted mother and grandmother who loved spending time
 with her family and friends. In her “younger days,” she loved 
gardening, cooking, reading, dancing, and fishing. As life slowed down,
 she enjoyed telling stories about her youth and watching old westerns. 
 She always loved tending to her plants, flowers, birds, goldfish, and 
dogs. 
 Survivors include her children Brenda Briscoe-Knight of 
Springfield, MO, Kenny and Andrea Briscoe of Garden City, KS, Larry and 
Lorelei Briscoe of Garden City, KS, Billie and Melinda Budd of Dighton, 
KS, Aaron and Debbie Budd-Cooper of Ponchatoula, LA, Kerry Budd of 
Springfield, MO, Lora Budd and Rodney Gray of Springfield, MO, Zinnia 
Budd-Carr of Springfield, MO, Michael and Jamie Perry of Forsyth, MO; a 
step-son Tyrone Perry of Oklahoma City, OK; a daughter-in-law Teresa 
Perry of Oklahoma City, OK; and one adopted son Bobby Jackson of 
Midland, TX. She is also survived by 31 grandchildren; 58 
great-grandchildren; and 4 great great-grandchildren. 
 Billie Sue is preceded in death by her husband James Perry; her 
daughter Barbara Sue Budd; granddaughter Tiana Budd; parents Sammuel 
Allen and Lora McKendrick; step-children Marvin Perry and Linda Perry; 
brothers JW Allen, Sammuel Allen, Richard Allen, and Kenneth McKendrick;
 and sisters Juanita Broughton and Maxine Redman. 
 We have lost the sweetest, most kindhearted and beautiful person we
 have ever known, but Heaven received a perfect angel. We grieve but 
Heaven celebrates. 
 A public and family viewing will be held on September 17, 2021 at 
Garnand Funeral Home in Garden City from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. A 
private family graveside service will be held on September 18, 2021 at 
Valley View Cemetery in Garden City. The family suggests memorials in 
Billie’s name to St. Catherine Hospice in care of the funeral home.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631280500428.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Billie Sue Allen Briscoe Budd Perry, 87, entered heaven on Sunday, 
September 5, 2021 at the Ranch House Nursing Home in Garden City, 
Kansas. Billie Sue was born October 6, 1933 in Flint, Texas to Sammuel 
Allen and Lora McKendrick. She resided in a variety of places which 
include Texas, New Mexico and Kansas. She married Willie E. Briscoe, 
Frank Budd, and her latest husband James G. Perry on August 27, 1971. 
 When Billie moved to Garden City, Kansas she worked as a 
housekeeper at the Hilton Inn and St. Catherine Hospital where she 
retired and later resided in Garden City. Billie was a member of the 
Second Baptist Church in Garden City. 
 Billie was a devoted mother and grandmother who loved spending time
 with her family and friends. In her “younger days,” she loved 
gardening, cooking, reading, dancing, and fishing. As life slowed down,
 she enjoyed telling stories about her youth and watching old westerns. 
 She always loved tending to her plants, flowers, birds, goldfish, and 
dogs. 
 Survivors include her children Brenda Briscoe-Knight of 
Springfield, MO, Kenny and Andrea Briscoe of Garden City, KS, Larry and 
Lorelei Briscoe of Garden City, KS, Billie and Melinda Budd of Dighton, 
KS, Aaron and Debbie Budd-Cooper of Ponchatoula, LA, Kerry Budd of 
Springfield, MO, Lora Budd and Rodney Gray of Springfield, MO, Zinnia 
Budd-Carr of Springfield, MO, Michael and Jamie Perry of Forsyth, MO; a 
step-son Tyrone Perry of Oklahoma City, OK; a daughter-in-law Teresa 
Perry of Oklahoma City, OK; and one adopted son Bobby Jackson of 
Midland, TX. She is also survived by 31 grandchildren; 58 
great-grandchildren; and 4 great great-grandchildren. 
 Billie Sue is preceded in death by her husband James Perry; her 
daughter Barbara Sue Budd; granddaughter Tiana Budd; parents Sammuel 
Allen and Lora McKendrick; step-children Marvin Perry and Linda Perry; 
brothers JW Allen, Sammuel Allen, Richard Allen, and Kenneth McKendrick;
 and sisters Juanita Broughton and Maxine Redman. 
 We have lost the sweetest, most kindhearted and beautiful person we
 have ever known, but Heaven received a perfect angel. We grieve but 
Heaven celebrates. 
 A public and family viewing will be held on September 17, 2021 at 
Garnand Funeral Home in Garden City from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. A 
private family graveside service will be held on September 18, 2021 at 
Valley View Cemetery in Garden City. The family suggests memorials in 
Billie’s name to St. Catherine Hospice in care of the funeral home.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Billie Sue Perry

WASHINGTON (AP) — In his most forceful pandemic actions and words, President Joe Biden on Thursday ordered sweeping new federal vaccine requirements for as many as 100 million Americans in an all-out effort to increase COVID-19 vaccinations and curb the surging delta variant.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?514532-1/president-biden-expresses-frustration-pandemic-politics-mandates-vaccines-federal-workers">Click here to watch</a> a replay of the President's comments

Speaking at the White House, Biden sharply criticized the tens of millions of Americans who are not yet vaccinated, despite months of availability and incentives.

“We’ve been patient. But our patience is wearing thin, and your refusal has cost all of us,” he said, all but biting off his words. The unvaccinated minority “can cause a lot of damage, and they are.”

Republican leaders — and some union chiefs, too — said Biden was going too far in trying to muscle private companies and workers, a certain sign of legal challenges to come.

Gov. Henry McMaster of South Carolina said in a statement that “Biden and the radical Democrats (have) thumbed their noses at the Constitution,” while American Federation of Government Employees National President Everett Kelley insisted that “changes like this should be negotiated with our bargaining units where appropriate.”

On the other hand, there were strong words of praise for Biden’s efforts to get the nation vaccinated from the American Medical Association, the National Association of Manufacturers and the Business Roundtable — though no direct mention of his mandate for private companies.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-health-coronavirus-pandemic-26bace6485d88ad1ae3ef2aea60fbb65">The expansive rules</a>&nbsp;mandate that all employers with more than 100 workers require them to be vaccinated or test for the virus weekly, affecting about 80 million Americans. And the roughly 17 million workers at health facilities that receive federal Medicare or Medicaid also will have to be fully vaccinated.

Biden is also requiring vaccination for employees of the executive branch and contractors who do business with the federal government — with no option to test out. That covers several million more workers.

Biden announced the new requirements in a Thursday afternoon address from the White House as part of a new “action plan” to address the latest rise in coronavirus cases and the stagnating pace of COVID-19 shots.

Just two months ago Biden prematurely declared the nation’s “independence” from the virus. Now, despite more than 208 million Americans having at least one dose of the vaccines, the U.S. is seeing about 300% more new COVID-19 infections a day, about two-and-a-half times more hospitalizations, and nearly twice the number of deaths compared to the same time last year. Some 80 million people remain unvaccinated.

“We are in the tough stretch and it could last for a while,” Biden said.

After months of using promotions to drive the vaccination rate, Biden is taking a much firmer hand, as he blames people who have not yet received shots for the sharp rise in cases killing more than 1,000 people per day and imperiling a fragile economic rebound.

In addition to the vaccination requirements, Biden moved to double federal fines for airline passengers who refuse to wear masks on flights or to maintain face covering requirements on federal property in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.

He announced that the government will work to increase the supply of virus tests, and that the White House has secured concessions from retailers including Walmart, Amazon, and Kroger to sell at-home testing kits at cost beginning this week.

The administration is also sending additional federal support to assist schools in safely operating, including additional funding for testing. And Biden called for large entertainment venues and arenas to require vaccinations or proof of a negative test for entry.

The requirement for large companies to mandate vaccinations or weekly testing for employees will be enacted through a forthcoming rule from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration that carries penalties of $14,000 per violation, an administration official said.

The rule will require that large companies provide paid time off for vaccination.

Meanwhile, the Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services will extend a vaccination requirement issued earlier this summer — for nursing home staff — to other healthcare settings including hospitals, home-health agencies and dialysis centers.

Separately, the Department of Health and Human Services will require vaccinations in Head Start Programs, as well as schools run by the Department of Defense and Bureau of Indian Education, affecting about 300,000 employees.

Biden’s order for executive branch workers and contractors includes exceptions for workers seeking religious or medical exemptions from vaccination, according to press secretary Jen Psaki. Federal workers who don’t comply will be referred to their agencies’ human resources departments for counseling and discipline, to include potential termination.

An AP-NORC poll conducted in August found 55% of Americans in favor of requiring government workers to be fully vaccinated, compared with 21% opposed. Similar majorities also backed vaccine mandates for health care workers, teachers working at K-12 schools and workers who interact with the public, as at restaurants and stores.

Biden has encouraged COVID-19 vaccine requirements in settings like schools, workplaces and university campuses. On Thursday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-education-los-angeles-coronavirus-pandemic-school-boards-3e6d32b5545965d20128953478ee144d">the Los Angeles Board of Education v</a>&nbsp;oted to require all students 12 and older to be fully vaccinated in the the nation’s second-largest school district.

Walmart, the nation’s largest private employer, said in late July it was requiring that all workers at its headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas, as well as its managers who travel within the U.S. be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Oct. 4. But the company had stopped short of requiring shots for its frontline workers.

CVS Health said in late August it would require certain employees who interact with patients to be fully vaccinated by the end of October. That includes nurses, care managers and pharmacists.

In the government, several federal agencies have previously announced vaccine requirements for much of their staffs, particularly those in healthcare roles like the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Pentagon moved last month to require all servicemembers to get vaccinated. Combined, the White House estimates those requirements cover 2.5 million Americans. Thursday’s order is expected to impact nearly 2 million more federal workers and potentially millions of contractors.

Biden’s measures should help, but what’s really needed is a change in mindset for many people, said Dr. Joshua Sharfstein, vice dean at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore.

“There is an aspect to this now that has to do with our country being so divided,” said Sharfstein. “This has become so politicized that people can’t see the value of a vaccination that can save their lives. Our own divisions are preventing us from ending a pandemic.”

More than 177 million Americans are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, but confirmed cases have shot up in recent weeks to an average of about 140,000 per day with on average about 1,000 deaths, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Most of the spread — and the vast majority of severe illness and death — is occurring among those not yet fully vaccinated. So-called breakthrough infections in vaccinated people occur, but tend to be far less dangerous.

Federal officials are moving ahead with plans to begin administering booster shots of the mRNA vaccines to bolster protection against the more transmissible delta variant. Last month Biden announced plans to make them available beginning on Sept. 20, but only the Pfizer vaccine will likely have received regulatory approval for a third dose by that time.

Officials are aiming to administer the booster shots about eight months after the second dose of the two-dose vaccines.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631238505467.png" alt="<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-health-coronavirus-pandemic-26bace6485d88ad1ae3ef2aea60fbb65">The expansive rules</a>&nbsp;mandate that all employers with more than 100 workers require them to be vaccinated or test for the virus weekly, affecting about 80 million Americans. And the roughly 17 million workers at health facilities that receive federal Medicare or Medicaid also will have to be fully vaccinated-photo courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption><a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-health-coronavirus-pandemic-26bace6485d88ad1ae3ef2aea60fbb65">The expansive rules</a>&nbsp;mandate that all employers with more than 100 workers require them to be vaccinated or test for the virus weekly, affecting about 80 million Americans. And the roughly 17 million workers at health facilities that receive federal Medicare or Medicaid also will have to be fully vaccinated-photo courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — In his most forceful pandemic actions and words, President Joe Biden on Thursday ordered sweeping new federal vaccine requirements for as many as 100 million Americans in an all-out effort to increase COVID-19 vaccinations and curb the surging delta variant.<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?514532-1/president-biden-expresses-frustration-pandemic-politics-mandates-vaccines-federal-workers">Click here to watch</a> a replay of the President's commentsSpeaking at the White House, Biden sharply criticized the tens of millions of Americans who are not yet vaccinated, despite months of availability and incentives.“We’ve been patient. But our patience is wearing thin, and your refusal has cost all of us,” he said, all but biting off his words. The unvaccinated minority “can cause a lot of damage, and they are.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I strongly oppose the Biden administration’s extreme government overreach in requiring vaccinations and urge them to focus on solutions that will empower patients to make educated decisions of their own choosing.&mdash; Senator Jerry Moran (@JerryMoran) <a href="https://twitter.com/JerryMoran/status/1436148803367804929?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>’ vaccination decree is an all-out assault on private business, our civil liberties, and our entire constitutional system of limited government. This will likely get struck down in the courts - but is a terrifying glimpse of the new Marxist Dem Party.&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1436083413509869569?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 9, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Republican leaders — and some union chiefs, too — said Biden was going too far in trying to muscle private companies and workers, a certain sign of legal challenges to come.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">This is dangerous. A president who abandoned hundreds of American civilians to the enemy and has lost the confidence of the public starts threatening executive power grabs <a href="https://t.co/XoK8joEIef">https://t.co/XoK8joEIef</a>&mdash; Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) <a href="https://twitter.com/HawleyMO/status/1436097986522660867?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 9, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Gov. Henry McMaster of South Carolina said in a statement that “Biden and the radical Democrats (have) thumbed their noses at the Constitution,” while American Federation of Government Employees National President Everett Kelley insisted that “changes like this should be negotiated with our bargaining units where appropriate.”On the other hand, there were strong words of praise for Biden’s efforts to get the nation vaccinated from the American Medical Association, the National Association of Manufacturers and the Business Roundtable — though no direct mention of his mandate for private companies.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-health-coronavirus-pandemic-26bace6485d88ad1ae3ef2aea60fbb65">The expansive rules</a>&nbsp;mandate that all employers with more than 100 workers require them to be vaccinated or test for the virus weekly, affecting about 80 million Americans. And the roughly 17 million workers at health facilities that receive federal Medicare or Medicaid also will have to be fully vaccinated.Biden is also requiring vaccination for employees of the executive branch and contractors who do business with the federal government — with no option to test out. That covers several million more workers.Biden announced the new requirements in a Thursday afternoon address from the White House as part of a new “action plan” to address the latest rise in coronavirus cases and the stagnating pace of COVID-19 shots.Just two months ago Biden prematurely declared the nation’s “independence” from the virus. Now, despite more than 208 million Americans having at least one dose of the vaccines, the U.S. is seeing about 300% more new COVID-19 infections a day, about two-and-a-half times more hospitalizations, and nearly twice the number of deaths compared to the same time last year. Some 80 million people remain unvaccinated.“We are in the tough stretch and it could last for a while,” Biden said.After months of using promotions to drive the vaccination rate, Biden is taking a much firmer hand, as he blames people who have not yet received shots for the sharp rise in cases killing more than 1,000 people per day and imperiling a fragile economic rebound.In addition to the vaccination requirements, Biden moved to double federal fines for airline passengers who refuse to wear masks on flights or to maintain face covering requirements on federal property in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.He announced that the government will work to increase the supply of virus tests, and that the White House has secured concessions from retailers including Walmart, Amazon, and Kroger to sell at-home testing kits at cost beginning this week.The administration is also sending additional federal support to assist schools in safely operating, including additional funding for testing. And Biden called for large entertainment venues and arenas to require vaccinations or proof of a negative test for entry.The requirement for large companies to mandate vaccinations or weekly testing for employees will be enacted through a forthcoming rule from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration that carries penalties of $14,000 per violation, an administration official said.The rule will require that large companies provide paid time off for vaccination.Meanwhile, the Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services will extend a vaccination requirement issued earlier this summer — for nursing home staff — to other healthcare settings including hospitals, home-health agencies and dialysis centers.Separately, the Department of Health and Human Services will require vaccinations in Head Start Programs, as well as schools run by the Department of Defense and Bureau of Indian Education, affecting about 300,000 employees.Biden’s order for executive branch workers and contractors includes exceptions for workers seeking religious or medical exemptions from vaccination, according to press secretary Jen Psaki. Federal workers who don’t comply will be referred to their agencies’ human resources departments for counseling and discipline, to include potential termination.An AP-NORC poll conducted in August found 55% of Americans in favor of requiring government workers to be fully vaccinated, compared with 21% opposed. Similar majorities also backed vaccine mandates for health care workers, teachers working at K-12 schools and workers who interact with the public, as at restaurants and stores.Biden has encouraged COVID-19 vaccine requirements in settings like schools, workplaces and university campuses. On Thursday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-education-los-angeles-coronavirus-pandemic-school-boards-3e6d32b5545965d20128953478ee144d">the Los Angeles Board of Education v</a>&nbsp;oted to require all students 12 and older to be fully vaccinated in the the nation’s second-largest school district.Walmart, the nation’s largest private employer, said in late July it was requiring that all workers at its headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas, as well as its managers who travel within the U.S. be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Oct. 4. But the company had stopped short of requiring shots for its frontline workers.CVS Health said in late August it would require certain employees who interact with patients to be fully vaccinated by the end of October. That includes nurses, care managers and pharmacists.In the government, several federal agencies have previously announced vaccine requirements for much of their staffs, particularly those in healthcare roles like the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Pentagon moved last month to require all servicemembers to get vaccinated. Combined, the White House estimates those requirements cover 2.5 million Americans. Thursday’s order is expected to impact nearly 2 million more federal workers and potentially millions of contractors.Biden’s measures should help, but what’s really needed is a change in mindset for many people, said Dr. Joshua Sharfstein, vice dean at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore.“There is an aspect to this now that has to do with our country being so divided,” said Sharfstein. “This has become so politicized that people can’t see the value of a vaccination that can save their lives. Our own divisions are preventing us from ending a pandemic.”More than 177 million Americans are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, but confirmed cases have shot up in recent weeks to an average of about 140,000 per day with on average about 1,000 deaths, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Most of the spread — and the vast majority of severe illness and death — is occurring among those not yet fully vaccinated. So-called breakthrough infections in vaccinated people occur, but tend to be far less dangerous.Federal officials are moving ahead with plans to begin administering booster shots of the mRNA vaccines to bolster protection against the more transmissible delta variant. Last month Biden announced plans to make them available beginning on Sept. 20, but only the Pfizer vaccine will likely have received regulatory approval for a third dose by that time.Officials are aiming to administer the booster shots about eight months after the second dose of the two-dose vaccines.

Kan. Senators: Biden's new vaccine mandate goes too far

Martha E. Berry, age 87, passed away on Wednesday, September 8, 2021 
at the Scott County Hospital in Scott City, Kansas.&nbsp; She was born on 
December 10, 1933 in Scott City, the daughter of Elisha Marion and Nerva
 Ellen Garoutte Dean.&nbsp; A lifetime resident of Scott City, Kansas, her 
first job was a telephone switchboard operator, she was the owner and 
operator of Berry’s Lawnmower repair, she worked with her husband’s seed
 company, Sam Berry &amp; Associates.

She was a member of the Baptist faith, a 4-H leader, and was on the Zoning &amp; Planning Committee.

On October 16, 1953, she married Samuel G. Berry in Scott City, 
Kansas.&nbsp; He passed away on September 16, 2012, in Scott City, Kansas.

Survivors include her Two Sons - Harold &amp; Shannon Berry of Scott 
City, Kansas, Albert E. Berry of Scott City, Kansas, Three Daughters - 
Patricia &amp; Larry Snow of Pence, Kansas, Sondra Berry of Scott City, 
Kansas, Barbra Berry &amp; Tom Gibson of Scott City, Kansas, Twelve 
Grandchildren, Seventeen Great Grandchildren, Eight Great Great 
Grandchildren, and special Great Nephew Troy Ohnick.

She was preceded in death by her Husband, and One Granddaughter, One Grandson, One Great Grandson, Two Brothers, and One Sister.

Graveside Services will be held at the Scott County Cemetery in Scott
 City, Kansas at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, September 14, 2021, with Steve 
Payne, presiding.

Memorials in lieu of flowers may be written to the Martha Berry 
Memorial Fund in care of Price &amp; Sons Funeral Home, PO Box 553, 
Scott City, Kansas, 67871.

Interment will be in the Scott County Cemetery in Scott City, Kansas.

Visitation will be from 11:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. Monday at Price 
&amp; Sons Funeral Home, 401 S. Washington St., Scott City, Kansas, 
67871.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631223372872.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Martha E. Berry, age 87, passed away on Wednesday, September 8, 2021 
at the Scott County Hospital in Scott City, Kansas.&nbsp; She was born on 
December 10, 1933 in Scott City, the daughter of Elisha Marion and Nerva
 Ellen Garoutte Dean.&nbsp; A lifetime resident of Scott City, Kansas, her 
first job was a telephone switchboard operator, she was the owner and 
operator of Berry’s Lawnmower repair, she worked with her husband’s seed
 company, Sam Berry &amp; Associates.She was a member of the Baptist faith, a 4-H leader, and was on the Zoning &amp; Planning Committee.On October 16, 1953, she married Samuel G. Berry in Scott City, 
Kansas.&nbsp; He passed away on September 16, 2012, in Scott City, Kansas.Survivors include her Two Sons - Harold &amp; Shannon Berry of Scott 
City, Kansas, Albert E. Berry of Scott City, Kansas, Three Daughters - 
Patricia &amp; Larry Snow of Pence, Kansas, Sondra Berry of Scott City, 
Kansas, Barbra Berry &amp; Tom Gibson of Scott City, Kansas, Twelve 
Grandchildren, Seventeen Great Grandchildren, Eight Great Great 
Grandchildren, and special Great Nephew Troy Ohnick.She was preceded in death by her Husband, and One Granddaughter, One Grandson, One Great Grandson, Two Brothers, and One Sister.Graveside Services will be held at the Scott County Cemetery in Scott
 City, Kansas at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, September 14, 2021, with Steve 
Payne, presiding.Memorials in lieu of flowers may be written to the Martha Berry 
Memorial Fund in care of Price &amp; Sons Funeral Home, PO Box 553, 
Scott City, Kansas, 67871.Interment will be in the Scott County Cemetery in Scott City, Kansas.Visitation will be from 11:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. Monday at Price 
&amp; Sons Funeral Home, 401 S. Washington St., Scott City, Kansas, 
67871.

Martha E. Berry

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?514532-1/president-biden-outlines-plan-combat-delta-variant">Click here to watch</a>&nbsp;a replay of the President's comments&nbsp;

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has announced sweeping new federal vaccine requirements affecting as many as 100 million Americans in an all-out effort to increase COVID-19 vaccinations and curb the surging delta variant. 

The government's expansive new rules, announced Thursday, mandate that all employers with more than 100 workers require them to be vaccinated or test for the virus weekly, affecting about 80 million Americans. 

Biden is also signing an executive order requiring vaccination for all employees of the executive branch and contractors who do business with the federal government. No testing opt-out is expected to be included for the executive branch requirement.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is announcing sweeping new federal vaccine requirements affecting as many as 100 million Americans in an all-out effort to increase COVID-19 vaccinations and curb the surging delta variant that is killing thousands each week and jeopardizing the nation’s economic recovery.

The expansive rules mandate that all employers with more than 100 workers require them to be vaccinated or test for the virus weekly, affecting about 80 million Americans. And the roughly 17 million workers at health facilities that receive federal Medicare or Medicaid also will have to be fully vaccinated.

Biden is also signing an executive order to require vaccination for employees of the executive branch and contractors who do business with the federal government — with no option to test out. That covers several million more workers.

Biden was to announce the new requirements in a Thursday afternoon address from the White House as part of a new “action plan” to address the latest rise in coronavirus cases and the stagnating pace of COVID-19 shots that has raised doubts among the public over his handling of the pandemic.

Just two months ago Biden prematurely declared the nation’s “independence” from the virus. Now, despite more than 208 million Americans having at least one dose of the vaccines, the U.S. is seeing about 300% more new COVID-19 infections a day, about two-and-a-half times more hospitalizations, and nearly twice the number of deaths compared to the same time last year.

Biden’s plans were previewed Thursday afternoon by White House press secretary Jen Psaki and other senior administration officials ahead of the speech.

After months of using promotions to drive the vaccination rate, Biden is taking a much firmer hand, as his aides blame people who have not yet received shots for the sharp rise in cases that is killing more than 1,000 people per day and imperiling a fragile economic rebound.

Psaki said Biden’s “overarching objective here is to reduce the number of unvaccinated Americans,” noting about 80 million adults remain unvaccinated.

An AP-NORC poll conducted in August found that 54% of Americans approved of Biden’s stewardship of the public health crisis, down from 66% the month before, driven by a drop in support from Republicans and political independents.

In addition to the vaccination requirements, Biden is moving to double federal fines for airline passengers who refuse to wear masks on flights or to maintain face covering requirements on federal property in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.

Biden was also to announce that the federal government will work to increase the supply of virus tests, and that the White House has secured concessions from retailers including Walmart, Amazon, and Kroger to sell at-home testing kits at cost beginning this week.

The administration is also to send additional federal support to assist schools in safely operating, including additional funding for testing. And Biden will call for large entertainment venues and arenas to require vaccinations or proof of a negative test for entry.

The requirement for large companies to mandate vaccinations or weekly testing for employees will be enacted through a forthcoming rule from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration that carries penalties of $14,000 per violation, an administration official said. The White House did not immediately say when it would take effect, but said workers would have sufficient time to get vaccinated.

The rule would also require that large companies provide paid time off for vaccination.

Biden’s order for executive branch workers and contractors includes exceptions for workers seeking religious or medical exemptions from vaccination, according to Psaki. Federal workers and contractors will have 75 days to get fully vaccinated. Workers who don’t comply will be referred to their agencies’ human resources departments for counseling and discipline, to include potential termination.

“We would like to be a model” to other organizations and business around country, Psaki said of the federal workforce. The AP-NORC poll found 55% of Americans in favor of requiring government workers to be fully vaccinated, compared with 21% opposed.

Biden has encouraged COVID-19 vaccine requirements in settings like schools, workplaces and university campuses, and the White House hopes the strengthened federal mandate will inspire more businesses to follow suit. On Thursday, the Los Angeles Board of Education was expected to vote on requiring all students 12 and older to be fully vaccinated in the the nation’s second-largest school district.

The Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Health and Human Services, the Indian Health Service, and the National Institutes of Health have previously announced vaccine requirements for much of their staffs, and the Pentagon moved last month to require all servicemembers to get vaccinated. Combined, the White House estimates those requirements cover 2.5 million Americans. Thursday’s order is expected to impact nearly 2 million more federal workers and potentially millions of contractors.

More than 177 million are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, but confirmed cases of the virus have shot up in recent weeks to an average of about 140,000 per day with on average about 1,000 Americans dying from the virus daily, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Most of the spread — and the vast majority of severe illness and death — is occurring among those not yet fully vaccinated against the virus. So-called breakthrough infections in vaccinated people occur, but tend to be far less dangerous.

“We cannot accept this to be the new normal,” said Dr. Leana Wen, a former Baltimore health commissioner who comments regularly on the pandemic.. If the pandemic continues unabated, it will mean 500,000 deaths a year. “Surely no one wants that.”

Wen has been urging the White House to take a stronger line on vaccine requirements, including the use of so-called vaccine “passports” for travel and workplace mandates that leave little wiggle room.

“I want to see the full power of the federal government here, and not more half measures,” she said. “I want to see a hard reset from the Biden administration, not more nibbling around the edges.”

Federal officials are moving ahead with plans to begin administering booster shots of the mRNA vaccines to bolster protection against the more transmissible delta variant of the virus. Last month Biden announced plans to make them available beginning on Sept. 20, but only the Pfizer vaccine will likely have received regulatory approval for a third dose by that time. Federal regulators are seeking additional data from Moderna that will likely delay its booster approval until October.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631222423974.png" alt="The expansive rules mandate that all employers with more than 100 workers require them to be vaccinated or test for the virus weekly, affecting about 80 million Americans." />
 <figcaption>The expansive rules mandate that all employers with more than 100 workers require them to be vaccinated or test for the virus weekly, affecting about 80 million Americans.</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?514532-1/president-biden-outlines-plan-combat-delta-variant">Click here to watch</a>&nbsp;a replay of the President's comments&nbsp;WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has announced sweeping new federal vaccine requirements affecting as many as 100 million Americans in an all-out effort to increase COVID-19 vaccinations and curb the surging delta variant. The government's expansive new rules, announced Thursday, mandate that all employers with more than 100 workers require them to be vaccinated or test for the virus weekly, affecting about 80 million Americans. Biden is also signing an executive order requiring vaccination for all employees of the executive branch and contractors who do business with the federal government. No testing opt-out is expected to be included for the executive branch requirement.WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is announcing sweeping new federal vaccine requirements affecting as many as 100 million Americans in an all-out effort to increase COVID-19 vaccinations and curb the surging delta variant that is killing thousands each week and jeopardizing the nation’s economic recovery.The expansive rules mandate that all employers with more than 100 workers require them to be vaccinated or test for the virus weekly, affecting about 80 million Americans. And the roughly 17 million workers at health facilities that receive federal Medicare or Medicaid also will have to be fully vaccinated.Biden is also signing an executive order to require vaccination for employees of the executive branch and contractors who do business with the federal government — with no option to test out. That covers several million more workers.Biden was to announce the new requirements in a Thursday afternoon address from the White House as part of a new “action plan” to address the latest rise in coronavirus cases and the stagnating pace of COVID-19 shots that has raised doubts among the public over his handling of the pandemic.Just two months ago Biden prematurely declared the nation’s “independence” from the virus. Now, despite more than 208 million Americans having at least one dose of the vaccines, the U.S. is seeing about 300% more new COVID-19 infections a day, about two-and-a-half times more hospitalizations, and nearly twice the number of deaths compared to the same time last year.Biden’s plans were previewed Thursday afternoon by White House press secretary Jen Psaki and other senior administration officials ahead of the speech.After months of using promotions to drive the vaccination rate, Biden is taking a much firmer hand, as his aides blame people who have not yet received shots for the sharp rise in cases that is killing more than 1,000 people per day and imperiling a fragile economic rebound.Psaki said Biden’s “overarching objective here is to reduce the number of unvaccinated Americans,” noting about 80 million adults remain unvaccinated.An AP-NORC poll conducted in August found that 54% of Americans approved of Biden’s stewardship of the public health crisis, down from 66% the month before, driven by a drop in support from Republicans and political independents.In addition to the vaccination requirements, Biden is moving to double federal fines for airline passengers who refuse to wear masks on flights or to maintain face covering requirements on federal property in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.Biden was also to announce that the federal government will work to increase the supply of virus tests, and that the White House has secured concessions from retailers including Walmart, Amazon, and Kroger to sell at-home testing kits at cost beginning this week.The administration is also to send additional federal support to assist schools in safely operating, including additional funding for testing. And Biden will call for large entertainment venues and arenas to require vaccinations or proof of a negative test for entry.The requirement for large companies to mandate vaccinations or weekly testing for employees will be enacted through a forthcoming rule from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration that carries penalties of $14,000 per violation, an administration official said. The White House did not immediately say when it would take effect, but said workers would have sufficient time to get vaccinated.The rule would also require that large companies provide paid time off for vaccination.Meanwhile, the Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services will extend a vaccination requirement issued earlier this summer — for nursing home staff — to other healthcare settings including hospitals, home-health agencies and dialysis centers.Separately, the Department of Health and Human Services will require vaccinations in Head Start Programs, as well as schools run by the Department of Defense and Bureau of Indian Education, affecting about 300,000 employees.Biden’s order for executive branch workers and contractors includes exceptions for workers seeking religious or medical exemptions from vaccination, according to Psaki. Federal workers and contractors will have 75 days to get fully vaccinated. Workers who don’t comply will be referred to their agencies’ human resources departments for counseling and discipline, to include potential termination.“We would like to be a model” to other organizations and business around country, Psaki said of the federal workforce. The AP-NORC poll found 55% of Americans in favor of requiring government workers to be fully vaccinated, compared with 21% opposed.Biden has encouraged COVID-19 vaccine requirements in settings like schools, workplaces and university campuses, and the White House hopes the strengthened federal mandate will inspire more businesses to follow suit. On Thursday, the Los Angeles Board of Education was expected to vote on requiring all students 12 and older to be fully vaccinated in the the nation’s second-largest school district.The Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Health and Human Services, the Indian Health Service, and the National Institutes of Health have previously announced vaccine requirements for much of their staffs, and the Pentagon moved last month to require all servicemembers to get vaccinated. Combined, the White House estimates those requirements cover 2.5 million Americans. Thursday’s order is expected to impact nearly 2 million more federal workers and potentially millions of contractors.More than 177 million are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, but confirmed cases of the virus have shot up in recent weeks to an average of about 140,000 per day with on average about 1,000 Americans dying from the virus daily, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Most of the spread — and the vast majority of severe illness and death — is occurring among those not yet fully vaccinated against the virus. So-called breakthrough infections in vaccinated people occur, but tend to be far less dangerous.“We cannot accept this to be the new normal,” said Dr. Leana Wen, a former Baltimore health commissioner who comments regularly on the pandemic.. If the pandemic continues unabated, it will mean 500,000 deaths a year. “Surely no one wants that.”Wen has been urging the White House to take a stronger line on vaccine requirements, including the use of so-called vaccine “passports” for travel and workplace mandates that leave little wiggle room.“I want to see the full power of the federal government here, and not more half measures,” she said. “I want to see a hard reset from the Biden administration, not more nibbling around the edges.”Federal officials are moving ahead with plans to begin administering booster shots of the mRNA vaccines to bolster protection against the more transmissible delta variant of the virus. Last month Biden announced plans to make them available beginning on Sept. 20, but only the Pfizer vaccine will likely have received regulatory approval for a third dose by that time. Federal regulators are seeking additional data from Moderna that will likely delay its booster approval until October.Officials are aiming to administer the booster shots about eight months after the second dose of the two-dose vaccines.

🎥 Pres. Biden issues new vaccine rules for 100M Americans

Tony Alan Wolters, 55, of Osborne, KS passed away on Sunday, 
September 5, 2021 at the Colby Medical Center of Colby, KS. &nbsp;He was born
 on October 5, 1965 in Smith Center, KS to John L. &amp; Arlene B. 
(Pletcher) Wolters of Portis, KS.

Tony grew up in&nbsp;Portis, KS. &nbsp;He graduated from Osborne High School in
 1984. &nbsp;Tony attended Fort Hays State College, and graduated from Beloit
 Vo-Tech.&nbsp;Tony has lived his whole life in the Portis/Osborne area.

Tony met and married Anita Seller in August of 1985 &amp;&nbsp;to this 
union 2 children were born. &nbsp;Tony enjoyed watching his children grow and
 attending their different sport events through school.

Tony has worked as a farmer/rancher all his working life.&nbsp; He was a 
faithful member of the Grace Brethren Church of Portis, KS all his life.
 &nbsp;Tony didn't know a stranger. &nbsp;He also was quite a shooting enthusiast 
&amp; participated in many local area shooting competitions. &nbsp;Cycling 
was another favorite activity Tony loved to do.

Tony was preceded in death by his father, John in 1989 and a brother, Christopher in 2008.

Tony is survived by his mother, Arlene of Portis, KS; wife, Anita of 
Osborne, KS; son: Miles (Jessica) of Salina, KS; daughter: Jeni (Josh) 
Farrell of Derby, KS; sister: Shari (Nate) Brown&nbsp;of Osborne, KS; 
brother: Curt (Joni) of Portis, KS; along with a host of other family 
and friends.

Click <a href="https://www.clarkgashawfh.com/obituary/Tony-Wolters">HERE</a> for service details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631217473104.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Tony Alan Wolters, 55, of Osborne, KS passed away on Sunday, 
September 5, 2021 at the Colby Medical Center of Colby, KS. &nbsp;He was born
 on October 5, 1965 in Smith Center, KS to John L. &amp; Arlene B. 
(Pletcher) Wolters of Portis, KS.Tony grew up in&nbsp;Portis, KS. &nbsp;He graduated from Osborne High School in
 1984. &nbsp;Tony attended Fort Hays State College, and graduated from Beloit
 Vo-Tech.&nbsp;Tony has lived his whole life in the Portis/Osborne area.Tony met and married Anita Seller in August of 1985 &amp;&nbsp;to this 
union 2 children were born. &nbsp;Tony enjoyed watching his children grow and
 attending their different sport events through school.Tony has worked as a farmer/rancher all his working life.&nbsp; He was a 
faithful member of the Grace Brethren Church of Portis, KS all his life.
 &nbsp;Tony didn't know a stranger. &nbsp;He also was quite a shooting enthusiast 
&amp; participated in many local area shooting competitions. &nbsp;Cycling 
was another favorite activity Tony loved to do.Tony was preceded in death by his father, John in 1989 and a brother, Christopher in 2008.Tony is survived by his mother, Arlene of Portis, KS; wife, Anita of 
Osborne, KS; son: Miles (Jessica) of Salina, KS; daughter: Jeni (Josh) 
Farrell of Derby, KS; sister: Shari (Nate) Brown&nbsp;of Osborne, KS; 
brother: Curt (Joni) of Portis, KS; along with a host of other family 
and friends.Click <a href="https://www.clarkgashawfh.com/obituary/Tony-Wolters">HERE</a> for service details.

Tony Alan Wolters

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Thursday is toughening COVID-19 vaccine requirements for federal workers and contractors with no option of being regularly tested to opt out.

The plan aims to boost vaccinations and curb the surging delta variant that is killing thousands each week and jeopardizing the nation’s economic recovery.

Just weeks after he mandated federal workers get a shot or face rigorous testing and masking protocols, Biden has signed an new executive order to require vaccination for employees of the executive branch and contractors that do business with the federal government, according to a person familiar with the matter.

The step comes ahead of the president’s speech Thursday afternoon outlining a six-pronged plan to address the latest rise in coronavirus cases and the stagnating pace of COVID-19 shots.

It wasn’t immediately clear if Biden’s order includes exceptions for workers or contractors seeking religious or medical exemptions from vaccination. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss Biden’s plans before they were publicly released.

Biden is also expected to outline plans to increase virus testing in schools, in an effort to keep them open safely, amid other measures to show that his administration working to tackle the alarming rise in COVID-19 cases, which Biden has blamed for last month’s weaker-than-expected jobs report. He’s warned could further imperil the nation’s economy as some pandemic safety net protections are expiring.

Biden has encouraged COVID-19 vaccine requirements in settings likes schools, workplaces and university campuses, and the White House hopes the strengthened federal mandate will inspire more businesses to follow suit.

More than 208 million Americans have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 177 million are fully vaccinated, but confirmed cases of the virus have shot up in recent weeks to an average of about 140,000 per day with on average about 1,000 Americans dying from the virus daily, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Thursday is toughening COVID-19 vaccine requirements for federal workers and contractors with no option of being regularly tested to opt out.The plan aims to boost vaccinations and curb the surging delta variant that is killing thousands each week and jeopardizing the nation’s economic recovery.Just weeks after he mandated federal workers get a shot or face rigorous testing and masking protocols, Biden has signed an new executive order to require vaccination for employees of the executive branch and contractors that do business with the federal government, according to a person familiar with the matter.The step comes ahead of the president’s speech Thursday afternoon outlining a six-pronged plan to address the latest rise in coronavirus cases and the stagnating pace of COVID-19 shots.It wasn’t immediately clear if Biden’s order includes exceptions for workers or contractors seeking religious or medical exemptions from vaccination. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss Biden’s plans before they were publicly released.Biden is also expected to outline plans to increase virus testing in schools, in an effort to keep them open safely, amid other measures to show that his administration working to tackle the alarming rise in COVID-19 cases, which Biden has blamed for last month’s weaker-than-expected jobs report. He’s warned could further imperil the nation’s economy as some pandemic safety net protections are expiring.Biden has encouraged COVID-19 vaccine requirements in settings likes schools, workplaces and university campuses, and the White House hopes the strengthened federal mandate will inspire more businesses to follow suit.More than 208 million Americans have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 177 million are fully vaccinated, but confirmed cases of the virus have shot up in recent weeks to an average of about 140,000 per day with on average about 1,000 Americans dying from the virus daily, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Most of the spread — and the vast majority of severe illness and death — is occurring among those not yet fully vaccinated against the virus. So-called breakthrough infections in vaccinated people occur, but tend to be far less dangerous.Federal officials are moving ahead with plans to begin administering booster shots of the mRNA vaccines to bolster protection against the more transmissible delta variant of the virus. Last month Biden announced plans to make them available beginning on Sept. 20, but only the Pfizer vaccine will likely have received regulatory approval for a third dose by that time. Federal regulators are seeking additional data from Moderna that will likely delay its booster approval until October.Officials are aiming to administer the booster shots about eight months after the second dose of the two-dose vaccines.

Biden to mandate vaccine for all federal workers; no test option

Many young, smooth, thin-barked trees such as honeylocusts, fruit trees, ashes, oaks, maples, lindens, and willows are susceptible to sunscald and bark cracks. 

Sunscald normally develops on the south or southwest side of the tree during late winter. Sunny, warm winter days may heat the bark to relatively high temperatures. Research done in Georgia has shown that the southwest side of the trunk of a peach tree can be 40 degrees warmer than shaded bark. This warming action can cause a loss of cold hardiness of the bark tissue resulting in cells becoming active. These cells then become susceptible to lethal freezing when the temperature drops at night. The damaged bark tissue becomes sunken and discolored in late spring. &nbsp;Damaged bark will eventually crack and slough off. &nbsp;

Trees often recover but need special care — especially watering during dry weather.​If you have seen this type of damage in previous years or fear you have susceptible trees, preventative measures are called for. &nbsp;Applying a light-colored tree wrap from the ground to the start of the first branches can protect young and/or recently planted trees. This should be done in October to November and removed the following March. Failure to remove the tree wrap in the spring can prove detrimental to the tree. Lauren Fick is the Horticulture Extension Agent for the Cottonwood Extension District. If you have questions, she can be contacted by e-mail at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:lfick@k-state.edu">lfick@k-state.edu</a>&nbsp;or by phone at 785-628-9430 or 620-793-1910.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1580750915301.jpeg" alt="Lauren Fick is the Horticulture Extension Agent for the Cottonwood Extension District.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Lauren Fick is the Horticulture Extension Agent for the Cottonwood Extension District.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Many young, smooth, thin-barked trees such as honeylocusts, fruit trees, ashes, oaks, maples, lindens, and willows are susceptible to sunscald and bark cracks. Sunscald normally develops on the south or southwest side of the tree during late winter. Sunny, warm winter days may heat the bark to relatively high temperatures. Research done in Georgia has shown that the southwest side of the trunk of a peach tree can be 40 degrees warmer than shaded bark. This warming action can cause a loss of cold hardiness of the bark tissue resulting in cells becoming active. These cells then become susceptible to lethal freezing when the temperature drops at night. The damaged bark tissue becomes sunken and discolored in late spring. &nbsp;Damaged bark will eventually crack and slough off. &nbsp;Trees often recover but need special care — especially watering during dry weather.​If you have seen this type of damage in previous years or fear you have susceptible trees, preventative measures are called for. &nbsp;Applying a light-colored tree wrap from the ground to the start of the first branches can protect young and/or recently planted trees. This should be done in October to November and removed the following March. Failure to remove the tree wrap in the spring can prove detrimental to the tree. Lauren Fick is the Horticulture Extension Agent for the Cottonwood Extension District. If you have questions, she can be contacted by e-mail at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:lfick@k-state.edu">lfick@k-state.edu</a>&nbsp;or by phone at 785-628-9430 or 620-793-1910.&nbsp;

FICK: Preventing sunscald on thin-barked trees

WASHINGTON — Victims of Hurricane Ida in parts of New York and New 
Jersey now have until January 3, 2022, to file various individual and 
business tax returns and make tax payments, the Internal Revenue Service
 announced today. This is comparable to relief provided last week to Ida
 victims in <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-tax-relief-now-available-to-victims-of-hurricane-ida-oct-15-deadline-other-dates-extended-to-jan-3">Louisiana</a>.

The IRS is offering relief to any area designated by the <a href="https://www.fema.gov/">Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;as
 qualifying for individual or public assistance. In New York, this 
currently includes Bronx, Kings, New York, Queens, Richmond and 
Westchester counties, and in New Jersey, it includes Bergen, Gloucester,
 Hunterdon, Middlesex, Passaic and Somerset counties. Taxpayers in 
Ida-impacted localities subsequently designated by FEMA in other parts 
of these states will automatically receive the same filing and payment 
relief. The current list of eligible localities is always available on 
the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/tax-relief-in-disaster-situations">disaster relief</a> page on IRS.gov.

“During this difficult time, the IRS stands ready to help victims of 
Hurricane Ida,” said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. “We want people 
affected by this devastating hurricane focused on their safety and 
recovery for themselves and their families. To provide assistance now 
and in the weeks ahead, we have a variety of different types of relief 
available to help people and businesses affected by this disaster.”

The tax relief postpones various tax filing and payment deadlines 
that occurred starting on September&nbsp;1, 2021. As a result, affected 
individuals and businesses will have until January 3, 2022, to file 
returns and pay any taxes that were originally due during this period. 
This means individuals who had a valid extension to file their 2020 
return due to run out on October 15, 2021, will now have until 
January&nbsp;3, 2022, to file. The IRS noted, however, that because tax 
payments related to these 2020 returns were due on May 17, 2021, those 
payments are not eligible for this relief.

The January 3, 2022 deadline also applies to quarterly estimated 
income tax payments due on September 15, 2021, and the quarterly payroll
 and excise tax returns normally due on November&nbsp;1, 2021. It also 
applies to tax-exempt organizations, operating on a calendar-year basis,
 that had a valid extension due to run out on November&nbsp;15, 2021. 
Businesses with an original or extended due date also have the 
additional time including, among others, calendar-year partnerships and S
 corporations whose 2020 extensions run out on September&nbsp;15, 2021 and 
calendar-year corporations whose 2020 extensions run out on October&nbsp;15, 
2021.

In addition, penalties on payroll and excise tax deposits due on or 
after September 1 and before September&nbsp;16, will be abated as long as the
 deposits are made by September 16, 2021.

The <a href="https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/disaster-assistance-and-emergency-relief-for-individuals-and-businesses">IRS disaster relief</a> page has details on other returns, payments and tax-related actions qualifying for the additional time.

The IRS automatically provides filing and penalty relief to any 
taxpayer with an IRS address of record located in the disaster area. 
Therefore, taxpayers do not need to contact the agency to get this 
relief. However, if an affected taxpayer receives a late filing or late 
payment penalty notice from the IRS that has an original or extended 
filing, payment or deposit due date falling within the postponement 
period, the taxpayer should call the number on the notice to have the 
penalty abated.

In addition, the IRS will work with any taxpayer who lives outside 
the disaster area but whose records necessary to meet a deadline 
occurring during the postponement period are located in the affected 
area. Taxpayers qualifying for relief who live outside the disaster area
 need to contact the IRS at <a href="tel:866-562-5227">866-562-5227</a>.
 This also includes workers assisting the relief activities who are 
affiliated with a recognized government or philanthropic organization.

Individuals and businesses in a federally declared disaster area who 
suffered uninsured or unreimbursed disaster-related losses can choose to
 claim them on either the return for the year the loss occurred (in this
 instance, the 2021 return normally filed next year), or the return for 
the prior year (2020). Be sure to write the FEMA declaration number – 4614 for New Jersey or 4615 for New York or &nbsp;− on any return claiming a loss. See <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-publication-547">Publication 547</a> for details.

The tax relief is part of a coordinated federal response to the 
damage caused by Hurricane Ida and is based on local damage assessments 
by FEMA. For information on disaster recovery, visit <a href="http://www.disasterassistance.gov/daip_en.portal">DisasterAssistance.gov</a>.

IRSWASHINGTON — Victims of Hurricane Ida in parts of New York and New 
Jersey now have until January 3, 2022, to file various individual and 
business tax returns and make tax payments, the Internal Revenue Service
 announced today. This is comparable to relief provided last week to Ida
 victims in <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-tax-relief-now-available-to-victims-of-hurricane-ida-oct-15-deadline-other-dates-extended-to-jan-3">Louisiana</a>.The IRS is offering relief to any area designated by the <a href="https://www.fema.gov/">Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;as
 qualifying for individual or public assistance. In New York, this 
currently includes Bronx, Kings, New York, Queens, Richmond and 
Westchester counties, and in New Jersey, it includes Bergen, Gloucester,
 Hunterdon, Middlesex, Passaic and Somerset counties. Taxpayers in 
Ida-impacted localities subsequently designated by FEMA in other parts 
of these states will automatically receive the same filing and payment 
relief. The current list of eligible localities is always available on 
the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/tax-relief-in-disaster-situations">disaster relief</a> page on IRS.gov.“During this difficult time, the IRS stands ready to help victims of 
Hurricane Ida,” said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. “We want people 
affected by this devastating hurricane focused on their safety and 
recovery for themselves and their families. To provide assistance now 
and in the weeks ahead, we have a variety of different types of relief 
available to help people and businesses affected by this disaster.”The tax relief postpones various tax filing and payment deadlines 
that occurred starting on September&nbsp;1, 2021. As a result, affected 
individuals and businesses will have until January 3, 2022, to file 
returns and pay any taxes that were originally due during this period. 
This means individuals who had a valid extension to file their 2020 
return due to run out on October 15, 2021, will now have until 
January&nbsp;3, 2022, to file. The IRS noted, however, that because tax 
payments related to these 2020 returns were due on May 17, 2021, those 
payments are not eligible for this relief.The January 3, 2022 deadline also applies to quarterly estimated 
income tax payments due on September 15, 2021, and the quarterly payroll
 and excise tax returns normally due on November&nbsp;1, 2021. It also 
applies to tax-exempt organizations, operating on a calendar-year basis,
 that had a valid extension due to run out on November&nbsp;15, 2021. 
Businesses with an original or extended due date also have the 
additional time including, among others, calendar-year partnerships and S
 corporations whose 2020 extensions run out on September&nbsp;15, 2021 and 
calendar-year corporations whose 2020 extensions run out on October&nbsp;15, 
2021.In addition, penalties on payroll and excise tax deposits due on or 
after September 1 and before September&nbsp;16, will be abated as long as the
 deposits are made by September 16, 2021.The <a href="https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/disaster-assistance-and-emergency-relief-for-individuals-and-businesses">IRS disaster relief</a> page has details on other returns, payments and tax-related actions qualifying for the additional time.The IRS automatically provides filing and penalty relief to any 
taxpayer with an IRS address of record located in the disaster area. 
Therefore, taxpayers do not need to contact the agency to get this 
relief. However, if an affected taxpayer receives a late filing or late 
payment penalty notice from the IRS that has an original or extended 
filing, payment or deposit due date falling within the postponement 
period, the taxpayer should call the number on the notice to have the 
penalty abated.In addition, the IRS will work with any taxpayer who lives outside 
the disaster area but whose records necessary to meet a deadline 
occurring during the postponement period are located in the affected 
area. Taxpayers qualifying for relief who live outside the disaster area
 need to contact the IRS at <a href="tel:866-562-5227">866-562-5227</a>.
 This also includes workers assisting the relief activities who are 
affiliated with a recognized government or philanthropic organization.Individuals and businesses in a federally declared disaster area who 
suffered uninsured or unreimbursed disaster-related losses can choose to
 claim them on either the return for the year the loss occurred (in this
 instance, the 2021 return normally filed next year), or the return for 
the prior year (2020). Be sure to write the FEMA declaration number – 4614 for New Jersey or 4615 for New York or &nbsp;− on any return claiming a loss. See <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-publication-547">Publication 547</a> for details.The tax relief is part of a coordinated federal response to the 
damage caused by Hurricane Ida and is based on local damage assessments 
by FEMA. For information on disaster recovery, visit <a href="http://www.disasterassistance.gov/daip_en.portal">DisasterAssistance.gov</a>.

IRS: Tax relief available to Ida victims in New York, New Jersey

WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas man was sentenced 300 months in prison after pleading guilty to one count of Production of Child Pornography, according to the United State's Attorney's office.

Between August 2020 and October 2020, Frederick Martin, 26, of Sedgwick used his cell phone to communicate with a minor female via Snapchat and iMessage. He persuaded the teenage victim to record and send him sexually explicit images of herself. 

Martin also sent the victim photos of himself engaged in sexual acts. During later interrogations with law enforcement, Martin admitted he became aware of the victim’s age while they were trading nude photos.

At the time of these criminal acts, Martin was on parole for previous convictions in the state of Massachusetts on multiple counts of Rape of A Child and Possession of Child Pornography.

The Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Kansas City investigated the case.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1607552320735.png" alt="Martin is being held in Butler Co." />
 <figcaption>Martin is being held in Butler Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas man was sentenced 300 months in prison after pleading guilty to one count of Production of Child Pornography, according to the United State's Attorney's office.Between August 2020 and October 2020, Frederick Martin, 26, of Sedgwick used his cell phone to communicate with a minor female via Snapchat and iMessage. He persuaded the teenage victim to record and send him sexually explicit images of herself. Martin also sent the victim photos of himself engaged in sexual acts. During later interrogations with law enforcement, Martin admitted he became aware of the victim’s age while they were trading nude photos.At the time of these criminal acts, Martin was on parole for previous convictions in the state of Massachusetts on multiple counts of Rape of A Child and Possession of Child Pornography.The Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Kansas City investigated the case.

Sex offender used Snapchat to make child porn in Kansas

TOPEKA - State Treasurer Lynn Rogers has announced an essay contest for all Kansas students in grades 5-12 for a chance to win a $529 investment into a Learning Quest 529 savings account. The contest coincides with College Savings Month, which runs the entire month of September.

“With the cost of higher education increasing over the last decade, Kansas families need all the help they can get to reduce that financial burden so their children and grandchildren have opportunities to achieve their dreams,” said State Treasurer Lynn Rogers. &nbsp;“Learning Quest 529 savings accounts are a great tool to help students save for whatever path they want to pursue after high school, and the purpose of this essay contest is to get students thinking about saving for their future.”

To be eligible for the contest, students must have their parent or guardian&nbsp;<a href="https://forms.gle/mYyXQEYVf7uq5U2YA" target="_blank">submit a form</a>&nbsp;to the Kansas State Treasurer’s Office and include their student’s response to two questions: 1) What do you think the Kansas State Treasurer does? and, 2) If you had $1 million, what would you do with it?

Responses to both questions are required. However, the responses to the second question will be judged by a panel of teachers from around the state who have volunteered their time.

Submissions will be accepted through close of business on October 8, 2021.

Essays will be grouped by grade levels of 5/6, 7/8, 9/10, and 11/12. One winner from each grade level grouping in each Congressional District will be named for a total of 16 winners. Winners will be announced in early November. Taxpayer dollars are not being used for this promotion.

Learning Quest 529 Savings Plans allow any U.S. citizen or resident to open an account or be beneficiary, and there are no age or income limitations. The funds can be used for two-year, four-year, and technical school programs as well as registered apprenticeship programs. They can also be used for graduate school programs and to pay student loans. The funds do not have to be used exclusively in Kansas.

To learn more about Learning Quest 529 Savings Plans, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.learningquest.com/home.html">https://www.learningquest.com/home.html</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631137794945.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>News releaseTOPEKA - State Treasurer Lynn Rogers has announced an essay contest for all Kansas students in grades 5-12 for a chance to win a $529 investment into a Learning Quest 529 savings account. The contest coincides with College Savings Month, which runs the entire month of September.“With the cost of higher education increasing over the last decade, Kansas families need all the help they can get to reduce that financial burden so their children and grandchildren have opportunities to achieve their dreams,” said State Treasurer Lynn Rogers. &nbsp;“Learning Quest 529 savings accounts are a great tool to help students save for whatever path they want to pursue after high school, and the purpose of this essay contest is to get students thinking about saving for their future.”To be eligible for the contest, students must have their parent or guardian&nbsp;<a href="https://forms.gle/mYyXQEYVf7uq5U2YA" target="_blank">submit a form</a>&nbsp;to the Kansas State Treasurer’s Office and include their student’s response to two questions: 1) What do you think the Kansas State Treasurer does? and, 2) If you had $1 million, what would you do with it?Responses to both questions are required. However, the responses to the second question will be judged by a panel of teachers from around the state who have volunteered their time.Submissions will be accepted through close of business on October 8, 2021.Essays will be grouped by grade levels of 5/6, 7/8, 9/10, and 11/12. One winner from each grade level grouping in each Congressional District will be named for a total of 16 winners. Winners will be announced in early November. Taxpayer dollars are not being used for this promotion.Learning Quest 529 Savings Plans allow any U.S. citizen or resident to open an account or be beneficiary, and there are no age or income limitations. The funds can be used for two-year, four-year, and technical school programs as well as registered apprenticeship programs. They can also be used for graduate school programs and to pay student loans. The funds do not have to be used exclusively in Kansas.To learn more about Learning Quest 529 Savings Plans, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.learningquest.com/home.html">https://www.learningquest.com/home.html</a>.

Kansas students essay contest announced for College Savings Month; win $529

Kelli Lee Kaler, 42, died September 5, 2021, at her home in Hoisington.&nbsp; She was born October 27, 1978, in Bountiful, Utah.

She is survived by; a daughter, Courtney Kaler of Hays; a son, Cody 
Kaler of Hays; her mother, Dixie Wilson and step father Mike Wilson of 
Hoisington; father, Lynn Rigby of Layton, Utah; twin sister, Kerri 
Maxwell and husband Brandon of Hoisington, and sisters, Amanda Rigby of 
Hoisington, Misty Foley of Newton, and Amy Wigren of Great Bend.

Cremation has taken place and a private family service will be held at a later date.

Memorials may be made to the Kelli Kaler Memorial Fund in care of 
Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home, PO Box 146, Hoisington, KS 67544.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631117978944.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Kelli Lee Kaler, 42, died September 5, 2021, at her home in Hoisington.&nbsp; She was born October 27, 1978, in Bountiful, Utah.She is survived by; a daughter, Courtney Kaler of Hays; a son, Cody 
Kaler of Hays; her mother, Dixie Wilson and step father Mike Wilson of 
Hoisington; father, Lynn Rigby of Layton, Utah; twin sister, Kerri 
Maxwell and husband Brandon of Hoisington, and sisters, Amanda Rigby of 
Hoisington, Misty Foley of Newton, and Amy Wigren of Great Bend.Cremation has taken place and a private family service will be held at a later date.Memorials may be made to the Kelli Kaler Memorial Fund in care of 
Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home, PO Box 146, Hoisington, KS 67544.

Kelli Lee Kaler

Herbert A. Stevens, age 92, passed away on Tuesday, October 13, 2020,
 at the Scott County Hospital in Scott City, Kansas.&nbsp; He was born on 
September 11, 1928, in Geuda Springs, Kansas, the son of Lawrence 
Metallis and Emma Beulah Iseminger Stevens.&nbsp; A resident of Scott City, 
Kansas since early childhood moving from Geuda Springs, Kansas.&nbsp; Herbert
 was a farmer and rancher.

Herb was a member of the Class of 1946 at Scott Community High 
School.&nbsp; On February 25, 1951, he married Margie B. Harkness in Scott 
City, Kansas.

Herb was well known for always wearing a suit and tie to the senior 
citizen dances in the local area and was a member of the Eagle’s Lodge 
of Garden City, Kansas, and the Sunflower Polka Club of Hays, Kansas. He
 loved to ride his red three-wheel motorcycle around town, and he was a 
loyal fan of the New York Yankees.

Survivors include his Two Sons - Rick Stevens of Scott City, Kansas, 
Stacy Stevens of Colorado Springs, Colorado, One Daughter - Colette 
&amp; Steve Robinson of Vienna, Virginia, Five Nephews - Chad &amp; Mara
 Stevens of St. Johns, Florida, Corbin &amp; Heidi Stevens of Scott 
City, Kansas, Curtis &amp; Theresa Stevens of Salina, Kansas, Sean 
Stevens of Atwood, Kansas, Seth Stevens of Colorado Springs, Colorado, 
Two Nieces - Crista Stevens-Kirchhoff of Smith Center, Kansas and 
Stefanie Stevens of Kansas City, Missouri.

He was preceded in death by his parents, four sisters, one brother, 
one son - Mark Stevens, one daughter - Melody Stevens, one grandson - 
Brannon Chayston Stevens, and his dance partner - Mary Ruth Houdyshell.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, 
September 11, 2021, at Price &amp; Sons Funeral Home in Scott City, 
Kansas with Steve Payne presiding.

Memorials May be made&nbsp;to the Scott County VIP Center in care of Price &amp; Sons Funeral Homes.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631105758631.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Herbert A. Stevens, age 92, passed away on Tuesday, October 13, 2020,
 at the Scott County Hospital in Scott City, Kansas.&nbsp; He was born on 
September 11, 1928, in Geuda Springs, Kansas, the son of Lawrence 
Metallis and Emma Beulah Iseminger Stevens.&nbsp; A resident of Scott City, 
Kansas since early childhood moving from Geuda Springs, Kansas.&nbsp; Herbert
 was a farmer and rancher.Herb was a member of the Class of 1946 at Scott Community High 
School.&nbsp; On February 25, 1951, he married Margie B. Harkness in Scott 
City, Kansas.Herb was well known for always wearing a suit and tie to the senior 
citizen dances in the local area and was a member of the Eagle’s Lodge 
of Garden City, Kansas, and the Sunflower Polka Club of Hays, Kansas. He
 loved to ride his red three-wheel motorcycle around town, and he was a 
loyal fan of the New York Yankees.Survivors include his Two Sons - Rick Stevens of Scott City, Kansas, 
Stacy Stevens of Colorado Springs, Colorado, One Daughter - Colette 
&amp; Steve Robinson of Vienna, Virginia, Five Nephews - Chad &amp; Mara
 Stevens of St. Johns, Florida, Corbin &amp; Heidi Stevens of Scott 
City, Kansas, Curtis &amp; Theresa Stevens of Salina, Kansas, Sean 
Stevens of Atwood, Kansas, Seth Stevens of Colorado Springs, Colorado, 
Two Nieces - Crista Stevens-Kirchhoff of Smith Center, Kansas and 
Stefanie Stevens of Kansas City, Missouri.He was preceded in death by his parents, four sisters, one brother, 
one son - Mark Stevens, one daughter - Melody Stevens, one grandson - 
Brannon Chayston Stevens, and his dance partner - Mary Ruth Houdyshell.A Celebration of Life will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, 
September 11, 2021, at Price &amp; Sons Funeral Home in Scott City, 
Kansas with Steve Payne presiding.Memorials May be made&nbsp;to the Scott County VIP Center in care of Price &amp; Sons Funeral Homes.There will be no calling times.

Herbert A. Stevens

William “Bubba” Moore, 28, passed away September 5, 2021, in Junction
 City, Missouri. He was born on October 23, 1992, to Gene &amp; 
Christina (Bierbrodt) Moore.

Coming from Coffeyville in 2009, Bubba was a Great Bend resident. He 
was a mechanic and truck driver for Innovative Livestock Services and 
Crawford Express for several years. He enjoyed fishing, camping, hunting
 and horses. Bubba was a very generous man and was always there to lend a
 helping hand to anyone in need.

Survivors include, his father, Gene Moore of Galesburg; his mother 
and stepfather, Christina and Robert Crites of Great Bend; his fiancé, 
Kimber Haley of the home; his children, Emmalee Womack, Bentley Cook, 
Layla Cook, and Kalesie Moore all of the home; his grandparents, Jerry 
and Helen Bierbrodt of Angola and Diana Showalter of Galesburg; a 
sister, Amanda Moore; his stepsiblings, Jason Crites and fiancé Rose, 
and Jonathan Crites all of Great Bend, and Aaron Crites and wife Sam of 
Texas; two half sisters, Laiton Moore and husband Cody and Keonna Moore 
all of St. Paul; two uncles and three aunts; two nieces and one nephew; 
and six cousins. He was preceded in death by his grandfather, Larry 
Showalter.

Visitation will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Friday, 
September 10, 2021 at Bryant Funeral Home, with family to receive 
friends from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Funeral service will be held at 
11:00 a.m., Saturday, September 11, 2021, at Bryant Funeral Home with 
Pastor Tim Patrick presiding. 

Memorials have been designated to the 
William Moore Memorial Fund, in care of Bryant Funeral Home.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631052422543.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>William “Bubba” Moore, 28, passed away September 5, 2021, in Junction
 City, Missouri. He was born on October 23, 1992, to Gene &amp; 
Christina (Bierbrodt) Moore.Coming from Coffeyville in 2009, Bubba was a Great Bend resident. He 
was a mechanic and truck driver for Innovative Livestock Services and 
Crawford Express for several years. He enjoyed fishing, camping, hunting
 and horses. Bubba was a very generous man and was always there to lend a
 helping hand to anyone in need.Survivors include, his father, Gene Moore of Galesburg; his mother 
and stepfather, Christina and Robert Crites of Great Bend; his fiancé, 
Kimber Haley of the home; his children, Emmalee Womack, Bentley Cook, 
Layla Cook, and Kalesie Moore all of the home; his grandparents, Jerry 
and Helen Bierbrodt of Angola and Diana Showalter of Galesburg; a 
sister, Amanda Moore; his stepsiblings, Jason Crites and fiancé Rose, 
and Jonathan Crites all of Great Bend, and Aaron Crites and wife Sam of 
Texas; two half sisters, Laiton Moore and husband Cody and Keonna Moore 
all of St. Paul; two uncles and three aunts; two nieces and one nephew; 
and six cousins. He was preceded in death by his grandfather, Larry 
Showalter.Visitation will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Friday, 
September 10, 2021 at Bryant Funeral Home, with family to receive 
friends from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Funeral service will be held at 
11:00 a.m., Saturday, September 11, 2021, at Bryant Funeral Home with 
Pastor Tim Patrick presiding. Memorials have been designated to the 
William Moore Memorial Fund, in care of Bryant Funeral Home.