By CASEY QUINLAN <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/12/13/heres-why-food-prices-remain-stubbornly-high-even-as-inflation-cools/">States Newsroom</a>

Shoppers
 hoping for a little relief at the grocery store for their holiday meals
 will be disappointed by the Consumer Price Index released Tuesday. The 
CPI shows inflation cooling, but food prices — particularly for some 
holiday staples — remain high.

The CPI <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm">increased</a> 0.1% in November, which was lower than some economists <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/12/12/consumer-inflation-expected-to-have-continued-cooling-in-november-but-still-high.html">expected</a>.
 Over the last 12 months, it rose 7.1%. Food went up 0.5% last month 
after an increase of 0.6% in October. The food index climbed 10.6% over 
last year.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“The headline inflation numbers are 
encouraging for the general economy but consumers are not being relieved
 at the grocery store,” said David Ortega, associate professor at the 
department of agricultural food and resource economics at Michigan State
 University. “We’re looking at November being the ninth consecutive 
month of double-digit grocery price inflation. Grocery prices are still 
12% higher than they were a year ago.”

In August, the cost of food shot up 11.4% over last year, which is a level not seen since May 1979, according to Marketwatch’s <a target="_blank" href="https://www.marketwatch.com/story/we-have-yet-to-see-a-peak-in-food-inflation-food-prices-see-highest-increase-since-1979-with-one-item-up-nearly-40-on-last-year-11663097731">analysis</a> of government data.

“The good news is that food price 
increases and grocery price increases peaked in August,” Ortega added, 
“They’re just slowly starting to come down. We’re headed in the right 
direction but consumers are still not feeling relief at the store and 
that’s because inflation captures the rate of price increases over time,
 so just because the inflation rate starts to calm down a bit doesn’t 
mean that things are getting cheaper. They’re just not rising in price 
as quickly.”

Supply chain disruptions, the conflict in Ukraine, climate change, the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/avian-flu-outbreak-wipes-out-5054-mln-us-birds-record-2022-11-24/">deadliest</a>
 bird flu in U.S. history, transportation costs, and increased consumer 
spending on food, are all drivers of higher food prices, Ortega 
explained.&nbsp;

“We have supply chain disruptions and
 they’re starting to ease from the pandemic. But then we have the 
conflict in Ukraine that led to a surge in commodity prices earlier this
 year. Those have come down significantly, but it takes time for that to
 be fully realized at the grocery store.”

Climate change has also affected 
agricultural output, he said, which has meant less food out in the 
market and increased prices. Ortega said that although it’s hard to say 
when food prices will begin to come down, he expects that it could 
happen in the next six months or so. The International Monetary Fund <a target="_blank" href="https://www.imf.org/en/Blogs/Articles/2022/12/09/global-food-prices-to-remain-elevated-amid-war-costly-energy-la-nina">released</a>
 a report in October that said Federal Reserve interest rate increases 
will put “downward pressure on prices through the end of next year.”&nbsp;

Donna McCallister, assistant 
professor at the department of agricultural and applied economics at 
Texas Tech University, said prices always increase this time of year, 
compounding the problem for many Americans this month. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bankrate.com/banking/federal-reserve/inflation-holiday-essentials-rising-most/">According to</a>
 Bankrate’s Nov. 23 analysis of the cost of holiday essentials, six of 
10 of the most inflated prices were for food, including turkey, bakery 
items, eggs, flour and prepared mixes.&nbsp;

Consumers preparing a Christmas ham, 
buying a frozen pie, or making sugar cookies for a party this month will
 find significantly higher prices than last year. Ham is up 7.8% year 
over year, frozen and refrigerated bakery products are up 19.4%, and 
eggs are up 49.1%, the CPI. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/cpi.pdf">shows</a>.

“A lot of that has to do with 
increased cost of production and transportation, but also increased 
demand for these things like butter, where people go out and buy things 
like eggs, butter, and flour for their cooking, so there’s also a demand
 story here as well,” Ortega said.

McCallister suggests cutting down on 
food waste by going to stores more frequently for specific meals, buying
 some items in bulk, or switching from name brand to store brand to save
 money this holiday season.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670968091843.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By CASEY QUINLAN <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/12/13/heres-why-food-prices-remain-stubbornly-high-even-as-inflation-cools/">States Newsroom</a>Shoppers
 hoping for a little relief at the grocery store for their holiday meals
 will be disappointed by the Consumer Price Index released Tuesday. The 
CPI shows inflation cooling, but food prices — particularly for some 
holiday staples — remain high.The CPI <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm">increased</a> 0.1% in November, which was lower than some economists <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/12/12/consumer-inflation-expected-to-have-continued-cooling-in-november-but-still-high.html">expected</a>.
 Over the last 12 months, it rose 7.1%. Food went up 0.5% last month 
after an increase of 0.6% in October. The food index climbed 10.6% over 
last year.&nbsp;&nbsp;“The headline inflation numbers are 
encouraging for the general economy but consumers are not being relieved
 at the grocery store,” said David Ortega, associate professor at the 
department of agricultural food and resource economics at Michigan State
 University. “We’re looking at November being the ninth consecutive 
month of double-digit grocery price inflation. Grocery prices are still 
12% higher than they were a year ago.”In August, the cost of food shot up 11.4% over last year, which is a level not seen since May 1979, according to Marketwatch’s <a target="_blank" href="https://www.marketwatch.com/story/we-have-yet-to-see-a-peak-in-food-inflation-food-prices-see-highest-increase-since-1979-with-one-item-up-nearly-40-on-last-year-11663097731">analysis</a> of government data.“The good news is that food price 
increases and grocery price increases peaked in August,” Ortega added, 
“They’re just slowly starting to come down. We’re headed in the right 
direction but consumers are still not feeling relief at the store and 
that’s because inflation captures the rate of price increases over time,
 so just because the inflation rate starts to calm down a bit doesn’t 
mean that things are getting cheaper. They’re just not rising in price 
as quickly.”Supply chain disruptions, the conflict in Ukraine, climate change, the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/avian-flu-outbreak-wipes-out-5054-mln-us-birds-record-2022-11-24/">deadliest</a>
 bird flu in U.S. history, transportation costs, and increased consumer 
spending on food, are all drivers of higher food prices, Ortega 
explained.&nbsp;“We have supply chain disruptions and
 they’re starting to ease from the pandemic. But then we have the 
conflict in Ukraine that led to a surge in commodity prices earlier this
 year. Those have come down significantly, but it takes time for that to
 be fully realized at the grocery store.”Climate change has also affected 
agricultural output, he said, which has meant less food out in the 
market and increased prices. Ortega said that although it’s hard to say 
when food prices will begin to come down, he expects that it could 
happen in the next six months or so. The International Monetary Fund <a target="_blank" href="https://www.imf.org/en/Blogs/Articles/2022/12/09/global-food-prices-to-remain-elevated-amid-war-costly-energy-la-nina">released</a>
 a report in October that said Federal Reserve interest rate increases 
will put “downward pressure on prices through the end of next year.”&nbsp;Donna McCallister, assistant 
professor at the department of agricultural and applied economics at 
Texas Tech University, said prices always increase this time of year, 
compounding the problem for many Americans this month. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bankrate.com/banking/federal-reserve/inflation-holiday-essentials-rising-most/">According to</a>
 Bankrate’s Nov. 23 analysis of the cost of holiday essentials, six of 
10 of the most inflated prices were for food, including turkey, bakery 
items, eggs, flour and prepared mixes.&nbsp;Consumers preparing a Christmas ham, 
buying a frozen pie, or making sugar cookies for a party this month will
 find significantly higher prices than last year. Ham is up 7.8% year 
over year, frozen and refrigerated bakery products are up 19.4%, and 
eggs are up 49.1%, the CPI. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/cpi.pdf">shows</a>.“A lot of that has to do with 
increased cost of production and transportation, but also increased 
demand for these things like butter, where people go out and buy things 
like eggs, butter, and flour for their cooking, so there’s also a demand
 story here as well,” Ortega said.McCallister suggests cutting down on 
food waste by going to stores more frequently for specific meals, buying
 some items in bulk, or switching from name brand to store brand to save
 money this holiday season.

Why food prices remain stubbornly high even as inflation cools

Genevieve (Jean) Ann Noel was born on May 8, 1936, on Uncle John Kitzke’s&nbsp; Farm southwest of Densmore to John and Josephine (Glennemeier) Noel. 

Jean was the youngest of ten children. She passed away on December 12, 2022, at the Sidney Regional Medical Center in Sidney, Neb., at the age of 86.

When Jean and her sister Marcella started school, they stayed with Grandma Glennemier in Logan the first year. The next year Jean’s parents bought the Logan House Hotel and that was home for several years. Around the year 1947, Jean started taking tickets at the theater.&nbsp; Jean worked there until her mom sold the hotel and bought the grocery store. Jean worked at the store and went back to work at the theater at night selling popcorn.

On May 25, 1953, Jean married Leo Noel at St. John’s Catholic Church in Logan, and they started their married life on Leo’s Uncle Frank's farm northwest of Logan. All their children were born while living on the farm. Thomas Leo, Karen Sue, Catherine Ann, Anna Marie and David Paul.&nbsp;&nbsp; Catherine only lived a few hours.

When David started kindergarten, Jean started working at the creamery until it closed. In October 1968 Jean went to work for Nola McClellan’s dry goods store. She worked there for 10 years. On January 15, 1979, Jean started a new job at the Hansen Trust and Foundation. Jean worked there until her retirement.&nbsp; In June 1986, Leo and Jean bought the Liquor Store from the Jandera’s and ran it for six years. They closed the store and Leo retired.

Visitation will be from 3 to 6 p.m. Dec. 18 at the Logan Funeral Home in Logan.&nbsp; The Rosary will follow at 6 p.m.

Funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. on Monday at St. John’s Catholic Church with burial at the Logan Cemetery following Mass.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Logan Intergenerational Project in honor of Jean.

Jean was a member of the North Star Home Demonstration Unit and the Logan Women’s Club. She was also a member of the St. John’s Ladies Guild and the Ralph DeFors American Legion Auxiliary.

Jean moved to Sidney, Neb., 10 years ago after Leo passed away to be closer to her kids and grandkids. Jean loved being around all the new babies and spoiling them.

Jean is survived by her children Thomas (Linda) Noel Sidney, Neb., Karen (Floyd) Long Kimball, Neb., Anna (Dale) Brophy Commerce City, Colo., and David (Brenda) Noel Sidney, Neb., and&nbsp; 10 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren.&nbsp;

She is preceded in death by both her parents John and Josephine; her husband, Leo; infant daughter Catherine; her brothers, Lawrence, Henry, Raymond, and Joseph; and sisters Louise, Agnes, Angeline, Rosemary and Marcella.

Genevieve (Jean) Ann Noel was born on May 8, 1936, on Uncle John Kitzke’s&nbsp; Farm southwest of Densmore to John and Josephine (Glennemeier) Noel. Jean was the youngest of ten children. She passed away on December 12, 2022, at the Sidney Regional Medical Center in Sidney, Neb., at the age of 86.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670969448324.jpeg" alt="Genevieve (Jean) Ann Noel " />
 <figcaption>Genevieve (Jean) Ann Noel </figcaption>
 </figure>When Jean and her sister Marcella started school, they stayed with Grandma Glennemier in Logan the first year. The next year Jean’s parents bought the Logan House Hotel and that was home for several years. Around the year 1947, Jean started taking tickets at the theater.&nbsp; Jean worked there until her mom sold the hotel and bought the grocery store. Jean worked at the store and went back to work at the theater at night selling popcorn.On May 25, 1953, Jean married Leo Noel at St. John’s Catholic Church in Logan, and they started their married life on Leo’s Uncle Frank's farm northwest of Logan. All their children were born while living on the farm. Thomas Leo, Karen Sue, Catherine Ann, Anna Marie and David Paul.&nbsp;&nbsp; Catherine only lived a few hours.When David started kindergarten, Jean started working at the creamery until it closed. In October 1968 Jean went to work for Nola McClellan’s dry goods store. She worked there for 10 years. On January 15, 1979, Jean started a new job at the Hansen Trust and Foundation. Jean worked there until her retirement.&nbsp; In June 1986, Leo and Jean bought the Liquor Store from the Jandera’s and ran it for six years. They closed the store and Leo retired.Visitation will be from 3 to 6 p.m. Dec. 18 at the Logan Funeral Home in Logan.&nbsp; The Rosary will follow at 6 p.m.Funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. on Monday at St. John’s Catholic Church with burial at the Logan Cemetery following Mass.In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Logan Intergenerational Project in honor of Jean.Jean was a member of the North Star Home Demonstration Unit and the Logan Women’s Club. She was also a member of the St. John’s Ladies Guild and the Ralph DeFors American Legion Auxiliary.Jean moved to Sidney, Neb., 10 years ago after Leo passed away to be closer to her kids and grandkids. Jean loved being around all the new babies and spoiling them.Jean is survived by her children Thomas (Linda) Noel Sidney, Neb., Karen (Floyd) Long Kimball, Neb., Anna (Dale) Brophy Commerce City, Colo., and David (Brenda) Noel Sidney, Neb., and&nbsp; 10 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren.&nbsp;She is preceded in death by both her parents John and Josephine; her husband, Leo; infant daughter Catherine; her brothers, Lawrence, Henry, Raymond, and Joseph; and sisters Louise, Agnes, Angeline, Rosemary and Marcella.

Genevieve 'Jean' Ann Noel

By HANNAH RECHT <a href="https://dailymontanan.com/2022/12/12/paxlovid-has-been-free-now-comes-the-sticker-shock/">Kaiser Health News, courtesy Daily Montanan</a>

Nearly 6 million Americans have taken Paxlovid for free, courtesy of 
the federal government. The Pfizer pill has helped prevent many people 
infected with COVID-19 from <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7148e2.htm">being hospitalized</a> or dying, and it may even <a target="_blank" href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.11.03.22281783v1">reduce the risk</a>
 of developing long COVID. But the government plans to stop footing the 
bill within months, and millions of people who are at the highest risk 
of severe illness and are least able to afford the drug — the uninsured 
and seniors — may have to pay the full price.

And that means fewer people will get the potentially lifesaving treatments, experts said.

“I think the numbers will go way down,” said Jill Rosenthal, director
 of public health policy at the Center for American Progress, a 
left-leaning think tank. A bill for several hundred dollars or more 
would lead many people to decide the medication isn’t worth the price, 
she said.

In response to the unprecedented public health crisis caused by 
COVID, the federal government spent billions of dollars on developing 
new vaccines and treatments, to swift success: Less than a year after 
the pandemic was declared, medical workers got their first vaccines. But
 as many people have refused the shots and stopped wearing masks, the 
virus still rages and mutates. In 2022 alone, 250,000 Americans <a target="_blank" href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#trends_totaldeaths_select_00">have died</a> from COVID, <a target="_blank" href="https://data.cdc.gov/NCHS/Monthly-Provisional-Counts-of-Deaths-by-Select-Cau/9dzk-mvmi/data">more than</a> from strokes or diabetes.

But soon the Department of Health and Human Services will stop 
supplying COVID treatments, and pharmacies will purchase and bill for 
them the same way they do for antibiotic pills or asthma inhalers. 
Paxlovid is expected to hit the private market in mid-2023, according to
 HHS plans shared in an October meeting with state health officials and 
clinicians. Merck’s Lagevrio, a less-effective COVID treatment pill, and
 AstraZeneca’s Evusheld, a preventive therapy for the immunocompromised,
 are on track to be commercialized sooner, sometime in the winter.

The U.S. government has so far purchased <a target="_blank" href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/04/26/fact-sheet-biden-administration-increases-access-to-covid-19-treatments-and-boosts-patient-and-provider-awareness/">20 million courses</a>
 of Paxlovid, priced at about $530 each, a discount for buying in bulk 
that Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla called “really very attractive” to the 
federal government in a July earnings call. The drug will cost far more 
on the private market, although in a statement to KHN, Pfizer declined 
to share the planned price. The government will also stop paying for the
 company’s COVID vaccine next year — those shots will <a target="_blank" href="https://khn.org/news/article/pfizer-covid-cash-marketing-drugs/">quadruple in price</a>, from the discount rate the government pays of $30 to about $120.

Bourla told investors in November that he expects the move will make 
Paxlovid and its COVID vaccine “a multibillion-dollars franchise.”

Nearly <a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2022/11/28/covid-who-is-dying/">9 in 10 people</a> dying from the virus now are 65 or older. Yet federal law restricts Medicare Part D — the prescription drug program that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.kff.org/other/state-indicator/medicare-beneficiaries-enrolled-in-part-d-coverage/?currentTimeframe=0&amp;sortModel=%7B%22colId%22:%22Location%22,%22sort%22:%22asc%22%7D">covers nearly 50 million seniors</a>
 — from covering the COVID treatment pills. The medications are meant 
for those most at risk of serious illness, including seniors.

Paxlovid and the other treatments are currently available under an 
emergency use authorization from the FDA, a fast-track review used in 
extraordinary situations. Although Pfizer <a target="_blank" href="https://www.pfizer.com/news/press-release/press-release-detail/pfizer-announces-submission-new-drug-application-us-fda">applied for full approval</a>
 in June, the process can take anywhere from several months to years. 
And Medicare Part D can’t cover any medications without that full stamp 
of approval.

Paying out-of-pocket would be “a substantial barrier” for seniors on 
Medicare — the very people who would benefit most from the drug, wrote <a target="_blank" href="https://aspe.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1072f5093254224ac902ca395387085c/coverage-considerations-covid-19.pdf">federal health experts</a>.

“From a public health perspective, and even from a health care 
capacity and cost perspective, it would just defy reason to not continue
 to make these drugs readily available,” said Dr. Larry Madoff, medical 
director of Massachusetts’ Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory 
Sciences. He’s hopeful that the federal health agency will find a way to
 set aside unused doses for seniors and people without insurance.

In mid-November, the White House requested that Congress approve an 
additional $2.5 billion for COVID therapeutics and vaccines to make sure
 people can afford the medications when they’re no longer free. But 
there’s little hope it will be approved — the Senate <a target="_blank" href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/senate-votes-to-end-covid-19-emergency-declaration-11668559887">voted that same day to end</a> the public health emergency and denied similar requests in recent months.

Many Americans have already faced hurdles just <a target="_blank" href="https://khn.org/news/article/test-to-treat-biden-covid-failing-patients-pharmacies-cvs/">getting a prescription</a> for COVID treatment. Although the federal government <a target="_blank" href="https://khn.org/news/article/paxlovid-covid-pill-antiviral-access-data/">doesn’t track</a> who’s gotten the drug, a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7143a2.htm">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study</a>
 using data from 30 medical centers found that Black and Hispanic 
patients with COVID were much less likely to receive Paxlovid than white
 patients. (Hispanic people can be of any race or combination of races.)
 And when the government is no longer picking up the tab, experts 
predict that these gaps by race, income, and geography will widen.

People in Northeastern states used the drug far more often than those
 in the rest of the country, according to a Kaiser Health News analysis 
of Paxlovid use in September and October. But it wasn’t because people 
in the region were getting sick from COVID at much higher rates — 
instead, many of those states offered better <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/hus/report.htm">access to health care</a> to begin with and created special programs to get Paxlovid to their residents.

About 10 mostly Democratic states and several large counties in the 
Northeast and elsewhere created free “test-to-treat” programs that allow
 their residents to get an immediate doctor visit and prescription for 
treatment after testing positive for COVID. In Massachusetts, more than 
20,000 residents have used the state’s <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mass.gov/info-details/free-telehealth-for-covid-19-treatment-with-paxlovid">video and phone hotline</a>,
 which is available seven days a week in 13 languages. Massachusetts, 
which has the highest insurance rate in the country and relatively low 
travel times to pharmacies, had the second-highest Paxlovid usage rate 
among states this fall.

States with higher COVID death rates, like Florida and Kentucky, 
where residents must travel farther for health care and are more likely 
to be uninsured, used the drug less often. Without no-cost test-to-treat
 options, <a target="_blank" href="https://khn.org/news/article/test-to-treat-biden-covid-failing-patients-pharmacies-cvs/">residents have struggled</a> to get prescriptions even though the drug itself is still free.

“If you look at access to medications for people who are uninsured, I
 think that there’s no question that will widen those disparities,” 
Rosenthal said.

People who get insurance through their jobs could face high copays at
 the register, too, just as they do for insulin and other expensive or 
brand-name drugs.

Most private insurance companies will end up covering COVID 
therapeutics to some extent, said Sabrina Corlette, a research professor
 at Georgetown University’s Center on Health Insurance Reforms. After 
all, the pills are cheaper than a hospital stay. But for most people who
 get insurance through their jobs, there are “really no rules at all,” 
she said. Some insurers could take months to add the drugs to their 
plans or decide not to pay for them.

And the additional cost means many people will go without the medication.

“We know from lots of research that when people face cost sharing for
 these drugs that they need to take, they will often forgo or cut back,”
 Corlette said.

One group doesn’t need to worry about sticker shock. Medicaid, the 
public insurance program for low-income adults and children, will cover 
the treatments in full until at least early 2024.

HHS officials could set aside any leftover taxpayer-funded medication
 for people who can’t afford to pay the full cost, but they haven’t 
shared any concrete plans to do so. The government purchased 20 million 
courses of Paxlovid and 3 million of Lagevrio. Fewer than a third have 
been used, and usage has fallen in recent months, according to KHN’s 
analysis of the data from HHS.

Sixty percent of the government’s supply of Evusheld is also still available, although the COVID prevention therapy is <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/fda-releases-important-information-about-risk-covid-19-due-certain-variants-not-neutralized-evusheld">less effective</a> against new strains of the virus. The health department in one state, <a target="_blank" href="https://files.constantcontact.com/8088728e101/558b11b0-e00f-47d7-8ec1-645904ec1905.pdf">New Mexico</a>, has recommended against using it.

HHS did not make officials available for an interview or answer written questions about the commercialization plans.

The government created a potential workaround when they moved 
bebtelovimab, another COVID treatment, to the private market this 
summer. It now retails for $2,100 per patient. The agency set aside the 
remaining 60,000 government-purchased doses that hospitals could use to 
treat uninsured patients in a convoluted <a target="_blank" href="https://aspr.hhs.gov/COVID-19/Therapeutics/Products/Bebtelovimab/Pages/default.aspx">dose-replacement process</a>. But it’s hard to tell how well that setup would work for Paxlovid: Bebtelovimab was already much less popular, and the FDA <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/fda-announces-bebtelovimab-not-currently-authorized-any-us-region">halted its use</a> on Nov. 30 because it’s less effective against current strains of the virus.

Federal officials and insurance companies would have good reason to 
make sure patients can continue to afford covid drugs: They’re far 
cheaper than if patients land in the emergency room.

“The medications are so worthwhile,” said Madoff, the Massachusetts 
health official. “They’re not expensive in the grand scheme of health 
care costs.”

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.khn.org/about-us">KHN</a> 
(Kaiser Health News) is a national newsroom that produces in-depth 
journalism about health issues. Together with Policy Analysis and 
Polling, KHN is one of the three major operating programs at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.kff.org/about-us">KFF</a> (Kaiser Family Foundation). KFF is an endowed nonprofit organization providing information on health issues to the nation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670875530434.png" alt="CDC image" />
 <figcaption>CDC image</figcaption>
 </figure>By HANNAH RECHT <a href="https://dailymontanan.com/2022/12/12/paxlovid-has-been-free-now-comes-the-sticker-shock/">Kaiser Health News, courtesy Daily Montanan</a>Nearly 6 million Americans have taken Paxlovid for free, courtesy of 
the federal government. The Pfizer pill has helped prevent many people 
infected with COVID-19 from <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7148e2.htm">being hospitalized</a> or dying, and it may even <a target="_blank" href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.11.03.22281783v1">reduce the risk</a>
 of developing long COVID. But the government plans to stop footing the 
bill within months, and millions of people who are at the highest risk 
of severe illness and are least able to afford the drug — the uninsured 
and seniors — may have to pay the full price.And that means fewer people will get the potentially lifesaving treatments, experts said.“I think the numbers will go way down,” said Jill Rosenthal, director
 of public health policy at the Center for American Progress, a 
left-leaning think tank. A bill for several hundred dollars or more 
would lead many people to decide the medication isn’t worth the price, 
she said.In response to the unprecedented public health crisis caused by 
COVID, the federal government spent billions of dollars on developing 
new vaccines and treatments, to swift success: Less than a year after 
the pandemic was declared, medical workers got their first vaccines. But
 as many people have refused the shots and stopped wearing masks, the 
virus still rages and mutates. In 2022 alone, 250,000 Americans <a target="_blank" href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#trends_totaldeaths_select_00">have died</a> from COVID, <a target="_blank" href="https://data.cdc.gov/NCHS/Monthly-Provisional-Counts-of-Deaths-by-Select-Cau/9dzk-mvmi/data">more than</a> from strokes or diabetes.But soon the Department of Health and Human Services will stop 
supplying COVID treatments, and pharmacies will purchase and bill for 
them the same way they do for antibiotic pills or asthma inhalers. 
Paxlovid is expected to hit the private market in mid-2023, according to
 HHS plans shared in an October meeting with state health officials and 
clinicians. Merck’s Lagevrio, a less-effective COVID treatment pill, and
 AstraZeneca’s Evusheld, a preventive therapy for the immunocompromised,
 are on track to be commercialized sooner, sometime in the winter.The U.S. government has so far purchased <a target="_blank" href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/04/26/fact-sheet-biden-administration-increases-access-to-covid-19-treatments-and-boosts-patient-and-provider-awareness/">20 million courses</a>
 of Paxlovid, priced at about $530 each, a discount for buying in bulk 
that Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla called “really very attractive” to the 
federal government in a July earnings call. The drug will cost far more 
on the private market, although in a statement to KHN, Pfizer declined 
to share the planned price. The government will also stop paying for the
 company’s COVID vaccine next year — those shots will <a target="_blank" href="https://khn.org/news/article/pfizer-covid-cash-marketing-drugs/">quadruple in price</a>, from the discount rate the government pays of $30 to about $120.Bourla told investors in November that he expects the move will make 
Paxlovid and its COVID vaccine “a multibillion-dollars franchise.”Nearly <a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2022/11/28/covid-who-is-dying/">9 in 10 people</a> dying from the virus now are 65 or older. Yet federal law restricts Medicare Part D — the prescription drug program that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.kff.org/other/state-indicator/medicare-beneficiaries-enrolled-in-part-d-coverage/?currentTimeframe=0&amp;sortModel=%7B%22colId%22:%22Location%22,%22sort%22:%22asc%22%7D">covers nearly 50 million seniors</a>
 — from covering the COVID treatment pills. The medications are meant 
for those most at risk of serious illness, including seniors.Paxlovid and the other treatments are currently available under an 
emergency use authorization from the FDA, a fast-track review used in 
extraordinary situations. Although Pfizer <a target="_blank" href="https://www.pfizer.com/news/press-release/press-release-detail/pfizer-announces-submission-new-drug-application-us-fda">applied for full approval</a>
 in June, the process can take anywhere from several months to years. 
And Medicare Part D can’t cover any medications without that full stamp 
of approval.Paying out-of-pocket would be “a substantial barrier” for seniors on 
Medicare — the very people who would benefit most from the drug, wrote <a target="_blank" href="https://aspe.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1072f5093254224ac902ca395387085c/coverage-considerations-covid-19.pdf">federal health experts</a>.“From a public health perspective, and even from a health care 
capacity and cost perspective, it would just defy reason to not continue
 to make these drugs readily available,” said Dr. Larry Madoff, medical 
director of Massachusetts’ Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory 
Sciences. He’s hopeful that the federal health agency will find a way to
 set aside unused doses for seniors and people without insurance.In mid-November, the White House requested that Congress approve an 
additional $2.5 billion for COVID therapeutics and vaccines to make sure
 people can afford the medications when they’re no longer free. But 
there’s little hope it will be approved — the Senate <a target="_blank" href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/senate-votes-to-end-covid-19-emergency-declaration-11668559887">voted that same day to end</a> the public health emergency and denied similar requests in recent months.Many Americans have already faced hurdles just <a target="_blank" href="https://khn.org/news/article/test-to-treat-biden-covid-failing-patients-pharmacies-cvs/">getting a prescription</a> for COVID treatment. Although the federal government <a target="_blank" href="https://khn.org/news/article/paxlovid-covid-pill-antiviral-access-data/">doesn’t track</a> who’s gotten the drug, a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7143a2.htm">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study</a>
 using data from 30 medical centers found that Black and Hispanic 
patients with COVID were much less likely to receive Paxlovid than white
 patients. (Hispanic people can be of any race or combination of races.)
 And when the government is no longer picking up the tab, experts 
predict that these gaps by race, income, and geography will widen.People in Northeastern states used the drug far more often than those
 in the rest of the country, according to a Kaiser Health News analysis 
of Paxlovid use in September and October. But it wasn’t because people 
in the region were getting sick from COVID at much higher rates — 
instead, many of those states offered better <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/hus/report.htm">access to health care</a> to begin with and created special programs to get Paxlovid to their residents.About 10 mostly Democratic states and several large counties in the 
Northeast and elsewhere created free “test-to-treat” programs that allow
 their residents to get an immediate doctor visit and prescription for 
treatment after testing positive for COVID. In Massachusetts, more than 
20,000 residents have used the state’s <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mass.gov/info-details/free-telehealth-for-covid-19-treatment-with-paxlovid">video and phone hotline</a>,
 which is available seven days a week in 13 languages. Massachusetts, 
which has the highest insurance rate in the country and relatively low 
travel times to pharmacies, had the second-highest Paxlovid usage rate 
among states this fall.States with higher COVID death rates, like Florida and Kentucky, 
where residents must travel farther for health care and are more likely 
to be uninsured, used the drug less often. Without no-cost test-to-treat
 options, <a target="_blank" href="https://khn.org/news/article/test-to-treat-biden-covid-failing-patients-pharmacies-cvs/">residents have struggled</a> to get prescriptions even though the drug itself is still free.“If you look at access to medications for people who are uninsured, I
 think that there’s no question that will widen those disparities,” 
Rosenthal said.People who get insurance through their jobs could face high copays at
 the register, too, just as they do for insulin and other expensive or 
brand-name drugs.Most private insurance companies will end up covering COVID 
therapeutics to some extent, said Sabrina Corlette, a research professor
 at Georgetown University’s Center on Health Insurance Reforms. After 
all, the pills are cheaper than a hospital stay. But for most people who
 get insurance through their jobs, there are “really no rules at all,” 
she said. Some insurers could take months to add the drugs to their 
plans or decide not to pay for them.And the additional cost means many people will go without the medication.“We know from lots of research that when people face cost sharing for
 these drugs that they need to take, they will often forgo or cut back,”
 Corlette said.One group doesn’t need to worry about sticker shock. Medicaid, the 
public insurance program for low-income adults and children, will cover 
the treatments in full until at least early 2024.HHS officials could set aside any leftover taxpayer-funded medication
 for people who can’t afford to pay the full cost, but they haven’t 
shared any concrete plans to do so. The government purchased 20 million 
courses of Paxlovid and 3 million of Lagevrio. Fewer than a third have 
been used, and usage has fallen in recent months, according to KHN’s 
analysis of the data from HHS.Sixty percent of the government’s supply of Evusheld is also still available, although the COVID prevention therapy is <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/fda-releases-important-information-about-risk-covid-19-due-certain-variants-not-neutralized-evusheld">less effective</a> against new strains of the virus. The health department in one state, <a target="_blank" href="https://files.constantcontact.com/8088728e101/558b11b0-e00f-47d7-8ec1-645904ec1905.pdf">New Mexico</a>, has recommended against using it.HHS did not make officials available for an interview or answer written questions about the commercialization plans.The government created a potential workaround when they moved 
bebtelovimab, another COVID treatment, to the private market this 
summer. It now retails for $2,100 per patient. The agency set aside the 
remaining 60,000 government-purchased doses that hospitals could use to 
treat uninsured patients in a convoluted <a target="_blank" href="https://aspr.hhs.gov/COVID-19/Therapeutics/Products/Bebtelovimab/Pages/default.aspx">dose-replacement process</a>. But it’s hard to tell how well that setup would work for Paxlovid: Bebtelovimab was already much less popular, and the FDA <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/fda-announces-bebtelovimab-not-currently-authorized-any-us-region">halted its use</a> on Nov. 30 because it’s less effective against current strains of the virus.Federal officials and insurance companies would have good reason to 
make sure patients can continue to afford covid drugs: They’re far 
cheaper than if patients land in the emergency room.“The medications are so worthwhile,” said Madoff, the Massachusetts 
health official. “They’re not expensive in the grand scheme of health 
care costs.”<a target="_blank" href="https://www.khn.org/about-us">KHN</a> 
(Kaiser Health News) is a national newsroom that produces in-depth 
journalism about health issues. Together with Policy Analysis and 
Polling, KHN is one of the three major operating programs at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.kff.org/about-us">KFF</a> (Kaiser Family Foundation). KFF is an endowed nonprofit organization providing information on health issues to the nation.

COVID treatment Paxlovid has been free; now comes the sticker shock

Genevieve (Jean) Ann Noel was born on May 8, 1936, on Uncle John 
Kitzke’s&nbsp; Farm southwest of Densmore, Kansas, to John&nbsp; and Josephine 
(Glennemeier) Noel.&nbsp; Jean was the youngest of ten children. She passed 
away on December 12, 2022, at the Sidney Regional Medical Center in 
Sidney, NE at the age of 86.

When Jean and her sister Marcella started school, they stayed with 
Grandma Glennemier in Logan the first year. The next year Jean’s parents
 bought the Logan House Hotel and that was home for several years.&nbsp; 
Around the year 1947, Jean started taking tickets at the Theatre.&nbsp; Jean 
worked there till her mom sold the Hotel and bought the grocery store. 
Jean worked at the store and went back to work at the Theater at night 
selling popcorn.

On May 25, 1953, Jean married Leo Noel at St. John’s Catholic Church 
in Logan, Kansas,&nbsp; they started their married life on Leo’s Uncle Franks
 farm Northwest of Logan.&nbsp;&nbsp; All their children were born while living on
 the farm.&nbsp; Thomas Leo, Karen Sue, Catherine Ann, Anna Marie and David 
Paul.&nbsp;&nbsp; Catherine only lived a few hours.

When David started Kindergarten Jean started working at the Creamery 
till it closed. In October 1968, Jean went to work for Nola McClellan’s 
dry Goods Store.&nbsp; She worked there for ten years.&nbsp; January 15, 1979. 
Jean started a new job at the Hansen Trust and Foundation.&nbsp; Jean worked 
there till her retirement.&nbsp; In June of 1986 Leo and Jean bought the 
Liquor Store from the Jandera’s and ran it for six years.&nbsp; They closed 
the store and Leo retired.

Visitation will be on December 18 from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the 
Logan Funeral home in Logan, Kansas.&nbsp; Followed&nbsp; by Rosary at 6:00 p.m.

Funeral Mass will be at St. John’s Catholic Church at 10:00 a.m. on 
Monday December 19 with burial at the Logan Cemetery following mass.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Logan Intergenerational Project&nbsp; in honor of Jean.

Jean was a member of the North Star Home Demonstration Unit and the 
Logan Women’s Club.&nbsp; She was also a member of the St. John’s Ladies 
Guild and the Ralph DeFors American Legion&nbsp; Auxiliary.

Jean moved to Sidney ten years ago after Leo passed away to be closer
 to her Kids and Grandkids.&nbsp; Jean loved being around all the new babies 
and spoiling them.

Jean is survived by&nbsp; her children Thomas (Linda) Noel Sidney, NE, 
Karen (Floyd) Long Kimball, NE, Anna (Dale) Brophy Commerce City. CO and
 David (Brenda) Noel Sidney, NE. and&nbsp; 10 Grandchildren and 24 Great 
Grandchildren.&nbsp;

She is preceded in death by both her parents John and Josephine, her 
husband Leo, infant daughter Catherine, her&nbsp; brothers,&nbsp; Lawrence, Henry,
 Raymond, Joseph and sisters L

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670975961575.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Genevieve (Jean) Ann Noel was born on May 8, 1936, on Uncle John 
Kitzke’s&nbsp; Farm southwest of Densmore, Kansas, to John&nbsp; and Josephine 
(Glennemeier) Noel.&nbsp; Jean was the youngest of ten children. She passed 
away on December 12, 2022, at the Sidney Regional Medical Center in 
Sidney, NE at the age of 86.When Jean and her sister Marcella started school, they stayed with 
Grandma Glennemier in Logan the first year. The next year Jean’s parents
 bought the Logan House Hotel and that was home for several years.&nbsp; 
Around the year 1947, Jean started taking tickets at the Theatre.&nbsp; Jean 
worked there till her mom sold the Hotel and bought the grocery store. 
Jean worked at the store and went back to work at the Theater at night 
selling popcorn.On May 25, 1953, Jean married Leo Noel at St. John’s Catholic Church 
in Logan, Kansas,&nbsp; they started their married life on Leo’s Uncle Franks
 farm Northwest of Logan.&nbsp;&nbsp; All their children were born while living on
 the farm.&nbsp; Thomas Leo, Karen Sue, Catherine Ann, Anna Marie and David 
Paul.&nbsp;&nbsp; Catherine only lived a few hours.When David started Kindergarten Jean started working at the Creamery 
till it closed. In October 1968, Jean went to work for Nola McClellan’s 
dry Goods Store.&nbsp; She worked there for ten years.&nbsp; January 15, 1979. 
Jean started a new job at the Hansen Trust and Foundation.&nbsp; Jean worked 
there till her retirement.&nbsp; In June of 1986 Leo and Jean bought the 
Liquor Store from the Jandera’s and ran it for six years.&nbsp; They closed 
the store and Leo retired.Visitation will be on December 18 from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the 
Logan Funeral home in Logan, Kansas.&nbsp; Followed&nbsp; by Rosary at 6:00 p.m.Funeral Mass will be at St. John’s Catholic Church at 10:00 a.m. on 
Monday December 19 with burial at the Logan Cemetery following mass.In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Logan Intergenerational Project&nbsp; in honor of Jean.Jean was a member of the North Star Home Demonstration Unit and the 
Logan Women’s Club.&nbsp; She was also a member of the St. John’s Ladies 
Guild and the Ralph DeFors American Legion&nbsp; Auxiliary.Jean moved to Sidney ten years ago after Leo passed away to be closer
 to her Kids and Grandkids.&nbsp; Jean loved being around all the new babies 
and spoiling them.Jean is survived by&nbsp; her children Thomas (Linda) Noel Sidney, NE, 
Karen (Floyd) Long Kimball, NE, Anna (Dale) Brophy Commerce City. CO and
 David (Brenda) Noel Sidney, NE. and&nbsp; 10 Grandchildren and 24 Great 
Grandchildren.&nbsp;She is preceded in death by both her parents John and Josephine, her 
husband Leo, infant daughter Catherine, her&nbsp; brothers,&nbsp; Lawrence, Henry,
 Raymond, Joseph and sisters L

Genevieve (Jean) Ann Noel

Operators of the Keystone Pipeline continue cleanup and recovery efforts after a huge oil spill along Mill Creek in Washington County. TC Energy says they have contained an estimated 14,000 barrels spilled from the pipeline Wednesday. No cause for the spill has been announced, nor has the company announced any plans to restart the pipeline, which was shut down on Wednesday. 

The company said Sunday the oil remained contained, with 250 people working on recovery and repairs over the weekend with vacuum trucks, booms and berms. The spill is upstream from the Tuttle Creek Reservoir and Kansas River, the drinking water source for over 800,000 Kansans. 

A Kansas River conservation group called Friends of the Kaw said Friday that no public water systems had then been impacted by the spill. TC Energy announced that continuous air quality monitoring has been deployed and said there's no indication of adverse health or public concerns. Crude oil prices have dropped about ten dollars since the first of the month, but recovered some of that on Monday. The near-month Nymex contract for light sweet crude on Friday settled a few pennies above seventy-one dollars a barrel after nearly dropping below seventy dollars earlier in the day. Lunchtime prices Monday were up more than three percent, topping $73 a barrel. Kansas Common crude at CHS in McPherson starts the week at $61.25 per barrel after dropping half a dollar on Friday. That's down more than ten dollars from the first of the month. Regular gasoline prices dropped another 14 cents last week to a national average of $3.32 per gallon by Thursday. The auto club Triple-A says average prices were below $3 in 12 states, including Kansas at $2.96 per gallon. Diesel pump prices average $5 per gallon coast-to-coast, and $4.43 per gallon in Kansas. The Energy Information Administration reports US diesel inventories increased by 6.2 million barrels last week, but remain about three percent below the five-year average for this time of year. Deliveries were off nearly ten percent from a year earlier.&nbsp; Kansas regulators last week OK'd 34 new drilling permits, with 16 in eastern Kansas and 18 west of Wichita including one in Ellis County and one in Stafford County. The 261 active operators in Kansas have, so far this year, spudded 1,506 new wells, up 455 wells from last year. Total footage drilled grew 33% year over year to 4.2 million feet. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports 46 newly completed wells for the week through December 8th, with one in Barton County, two in Ellis County, two in Russell county and one in Stafford County. The Rig Count in Kansas was unchanged last week at 21 rigs east of Wichita and 28 in Western Kansas. Operators were about to spud a new well in Ellis County. Drilling was underway on a new well in Stafford County. The Rotary Rig Count from Baker Hughes drops to 780 active rigs, down two oil rigs and two seeking natural gas. The count in New Mexico was up two, Oklahoma was down two and Texas was down one. The Energy Information Administration's tally shows a fourth consecutive weekly drop in US inventories. Stockpiles as of December 2nd were down more than five million barrels from a week earlier to 413.9 million barrels. Crude inventories are currently about nine percent below the five-year average for this time of year. EIA said weekly crude imports averaged six million barrels per day, down 24,000 barrels per day from a week earlier and more than four percent lower than a year ago. The government reported a slight&nbsp;increase&nbsp;in US crude-oil production last week. EIA reported output of 12,150,000 barrels per day,&nbsp;up&nbsp;about 6,000 barrels per day from the week before and 610,000 barrels per day higher than a year ago.

Corrected 1:15 p.m. Dec. 14 to clarify production increase. Oil-by-rail traffic in the US rebounded last week, after dropping during the Thanksgiving lull the week before. Operators originated 10,595 tanker carloads, a little over one percent higher than the same week last year, and an increase of of nearly 2,000 carloads week over week. Canadian traffic increased 288 carloads for the week and 4.1% over a year ago. The OPEC-Plus crude exporters on Sunday decided not to add further cuts to world supplies, despite drooping oil prices. The group announced dramatic output cuts at their last meeting in October. They now say those cuts were vindicated by current prices.

By JOHN P. TRETBAROperators of the Keystone Pipeline continue cleanup and recovery efforts after a huge oil spill along Mill Creek in Washington County. TC Energy says they have contained an estimated 14,000 barrels spilled from the pipeline Wednesday. No cause for the spill has been announced, nor has the company announced any plans to restart the pipeline, which was shut down on Wednesday. The company said Sunday the oil remained contained, with 250 people working on recovery and repairs over the weekend with vacuum trucks, booms and berms. The spill is upstream from the Tuttle Creek Reservoir and Kansas River, the drinking water source for over 800,000 Kansans. A Kansas River conservation group called Friends of the Kaw said Friday that no public water systems had then been impacted by the spill. TC Energy announced that continuous air quality monitoring has been deployed and said there's no indication of adverse health or public concerns. Crude oil prices have dropped about ten dollars since the first of the month, but recovered some of that on Monday. The near-month Nymex contract for light sweet crude on Friday settled a few pennies above seventy-one dollars a barrel after nearly dropping below seventy dollars earlier in the day. Lunchtime prices Monday were up more than three percent, topping $73 a barrel. Kansas Common crude at CHS in McPherson starts the week at $61.25 per barrel after dropping half a dollar on Friday. That's down more than ten dollars from the first of the month. Regular gasoline prices dropped another 14 cents last week to a national average of $3.32 per gallon by Thursday. The auto club Triple-A says average prices were below $3 in 12 states, including Kansas at $2.96 per gallon. Diesel pump prices average $5 per gallon coast-to-coast, and $4.43 per gallon in Kansas. The Energy Information Administration reports US diesel inventories increased by 6.2 million barrels last week, but remain about three percent below the five-year average for this time of year. Deliveries were off nearly ten percent from a year earlier.&nbsp; Kansas regulators last week OK'd 34 new drilling permits, with 16 in eastern Kansas and 18 west of Wichita including one in Ellis County and one in Stafford County. The 261 active operators in Kansas have, so far this year, spudded 1,506 new wells, up 455 wells from last year. Total footage drilled grew 33% year over year to 4.2 million feet. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports 46 newly completed wells for the week through December 8th, with one in Barton County, two in Ellis County, two in Russell county and one in Stafford County. The Rig Count in Kansas was unchanged last week at 21 rigs east of Wichita and 28 in Western Kansas. Operators were about to spud a new well in Ellis County. Drilling was underway on a new well in Stafford County. The Rotary Rig Count from Baker Hughes drops to 780 active rigs, down two oil rigs and two seeking natural gas. The count in New Mexico was up two, Oklahoma was down two and Texas was down one. The Energy Information Administration's tally shows a fourth consecutive weekly drop in US inventories. Stockpiles as of December 2nd were down more than five million barrels from a week earlier to 413.9 million barrels. Crude inventories are currently about nine percent below the five-year average for this time of year. EIA said weekly crude imports averaged six million barrels per day, down 24,000 barrels per day from a week earlier and more than four percent lower than a year ago. The government reported a slight&nbsp;increase&nbsp;in US crude-oil production last week. EIA reported output of 12,150,000 barrels per day,&nbsp;up&nbsp;about 6,000 barrels per day from the week before and 610,000 barrels per day higher than a year ago.Corrected 1:15 p.m. Dec. 14 to clarify production increase. Oil-by-rail traffic in the US rebounded last week, after dropping during the Thanksgiving lull the week before. Operators originated 10,595 tanker carloads, a little over one percent higher than the same week last year, and an increase of of nearly 2,000 carloads week over week. Canadian traffic increased 288 carloads for the week and 4.1% over a year ago. The OPEC-Plus crude exporters on Sunday decided not to add further cuts to world supplies, despite drooping oil prices. The group announced dramatic output cuts at their last meeting in October. They now say those cuts were vindicated by current prices.

News From the Oil Patch: Spill recovery and price fluctuations

Karen Otte, 85, passed away December 11, 2022, at Harry Hynes Hospice, Wichita, Kansas.

She was born February 3, 1937, in Ellsworth, Kansas, the daughter of Benton Ezra and Margaret I. Remley Rice.

A lifetime Larned resident, she was a farmwife and member of the 
First Presbyterian Church, Larned. She was a member of the Red Hat 
Ladies, Gem Gals, Pawnee County 4-H, Santa Fe Trail Center, Wet Dry 
Routes Chapter and past 4-H cooking leader. She loved taking mystery 
trips with the Heritage Tours, square dancing in her younger days, 
playing cards and dominoes with her friends and family, and was an avid 
reader. In her lifetime she served in many capacities at the church, 
volunteered at the Food Pantry and helped with the monthly birthday 
parties at Diversicare.

On September 16, 1956, she married Dale Otte in Great Bend, Kansas; he passed away on October 17, 2014.

Survivors include: two daughters, Lori (Rick) Blakesley, Hutchinson, 
Kim (Steve) Gevara, Larned; sister-in-law Lois Schimmels, Clinton, 
Oklahoma; seven grandchildren, Elizabeth (Matt) Fisher, Matthew (Janae) 
Finger, Jacob (Kat) Finger, Audree (Adrian) Senestraro, Emile (Dylan) 
Frantz, Tanner (Claire) Blakesley, and Bryce (Madison) Gevara; Thirteen 
great grandchildren, Jenna Fisher, Sarah Fisher, Grace Fisher, Emmet 
Fisher, Caden Finger, Jayce Finger, Kaysen Finger, Isabel Finger, 
Maddison Senestraro, Maia Senestraro, Maddex Frantz, Brynley Frantz and 
Avery Blakesley; and her beloved cat, Sophie.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Husband, daughter Jennifer Finger and sister Judy A. Kirby.

Memorial service will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday, December 15, 2022, at 
the First Presbyterian Church, Larned, with Pastor Dennis Scheibmeier 
presiding. Visitation will be 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, December 14, 
2022, at Beckwith Mortuary with family present from 4 to 6 p.m.

Memorials may be given to Pawnee County 4-H Foundation, First 
Presbyterian Church or Welcome Inn Senior Center in care of Beckwith 
Mortuary, PO Box 477, Larned, Kansas 67550. Personal condolences may be 
left at www.beckwithmortuary.com.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670879855612.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Karen Otte, 85, passed away December 11, 2022, at Harry Hynes Hospice, Wichita, Kansas.She was born February 3, 1937, in Ellsworth, Kansas, the daughter of Benton Ezra and Margaret I. Remley Rice.A lifetime Larned resident, she was a farmwife and member of the 
First Presbyterian Church, Larned. She was a member of the Red Hat 
Ladies, Gem Gals, Pawnee County 4-H, Santa Fe Trail Center, Wet Dry 
Routes Chapter and past 4-H cooking leader. She loved taking mystery 
trips with the Heritage Tours, square dancing in her younger days, 
playing cards and dominoes with her friends and family, and was an avid 
reader. In her lifetime she served in many capacities at the church, 
volunteered at the Food Pantry and helped with the monthly birthday 
parties at Diversicare.On September 16, 1956, she married Dale Otte in Great Bend, Kansas; he passed away on October 17, 2014.Survivors include: two daughters, Lori (Rick) Blakesley, Hutchinson, 
Kim (Steve) Gevara, Larned; sister-in-law Lois Schimmels, Clinton, 
Oklahoma; seven grandchildren, Elizabeth (Matt) Fisher, Matthew (Janae) 
Finger, Jacob (Kat) Finger, Audree (Adrian) Senestraro, Emile (Dylan) 
Frantz, Tanner (Claire) Blakesley, and Bryce (Madison) Gevara; Thirteen 
great grandchildren, Jenna Fisher, Sarah Fisher, Grace Fisher, Emmet 
Fisher, Caden Finger, Jayce Finger, Kaysen Finger, Isabel Finger, 
Maddison Senestraro, Maia Senestraro, Maddex Frantz, Brynley Frantz and 
Avery Blakesley; and her beloved cat, Sophie.She was preceded in death by her parents, Husband, daughter Jennifer Finger and sister Judy A. Kirby.Memorial service will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday, December 15, 2022, at 
the First Presbyterian Church, Larned, with Pastor Dennis Scheibmeier 
presiding. Visitation will be 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, December 14, 
2022, at Beckwith Mortuary with family present from 4 to 6 p.m.Memorials may be given to Pawnee County 4-H Foundation, First 
Presbyterian Church or Welcome Inn Senior Center in care of Beckwith 
Mortuary, PO Box 477, Larned, Kansas 67550. Personal condolences may be 
left at www.beckwithmortuary.com.

Karen Fern Otte

Lindsey is youngest finisher in Salina marathon

By DIANE GASPER-O’BRIEN Special to Hays Post

As adults, we can all probably reflect on a time when we can point to one person who made a huge difference in our lives.

For Cameron Lindsey, that just might be a guy in a lime green shirt who seemed to appear out of nowhere at a most difficult time in a road race.

That guy was Scott Binkley, a pacer for last month’s Crossroads Marathon in Salina, who stayed by Cameron’s side from about the 20-mile mark to the finish line. Binkley’s encouragement and support helped Cameron record a time of 4 hours, 25.34 minutes as the youngest finisher.

Cameron admits it would have been difficult to finish the race had it not been for Binkley, especially considering he had only trained for the grueling 26.2-mile run for about six weeks. Oh yeah, Cameron was 17 years old at the time.

“The age group when people start running marathons is usually those in their late 20s, 30s, 40s,” said Binkley, a former high school cross country runner himself who ran his first marathon in his mid 40s. “For a 17-year-old to decide to do this, on his own, is pretty impressive.”

Binkley insists this story is not about him, but rather about Cameron Lindsey. But somehow, the two became forever linked together on a pleasant November Saturday in Salina.

The guy in the lime green shirt carrying the 4:20 flag no doubt will stick out in Cameron’s mind for a long, long time.

The decision that Cameron made to run the marathon seemed simple enough in October when he ran across an online notice about a marathon in Salina.

Hmm, he thought, “this sounds interesting. It will be between cross country and basketball seasons. It’s perfect timing.”

A marathon is more than eight times farther than the high school cross country races of 5,000 meters (or 3.1 miles) for which Cameron is accustomed to running. And this particular marathon featured 800 runners.

But keep in mind, this young man had yet to celebrate his 18th birthday, an age when anything – and I mean anything – seems possible to accomplish.

A cross country runner for his high school team in Plainville, Cameron decided to start running extra mileage on his own to build up his endurance.

Coincidentally, that extra work ended up helping him eclipse his personal-best time by nearly 40 seconds at the Class 2A regional cross country meet in Great Bend, qualifying him for state for the first time in his career.&nbsp;

“He told me the Monday after regionals that he had signed up for a marathon,” said Travis Dixon, the cross country coach at Plainville. “I was definitely surprised, but pleased that he was working out extra on his own. Any extra work is obviously going to help with your endurance.”

Cameron’s PR regional time of 18 minutes, 48 seconds would have placed him in the top 10 at state, but he said he found the going difficult on the tough, hilly course at Wamego Country Club. He was disappointed with his performance at the season finale, but he soon began looking ahead to his next venture.

Cameron’s parents, Lee and Shannon Lindsey, drove the Crossroads Marathon course with their son the night before and chose points where they could meet up with him to give him water and snacks – and encouragement.&nbsp;

Binkley said he came upon Cameron at about the 21-mile mark.

“He was struggling, and he was talking to his mom,” Binkley said. “It was neat to see his parents leap-frogging the course to catch him at several points.”

Binkley, carrying the 4-hour, 20-minute pacer flag, decided right then and there that he was going to help this kid finish the race.

“It gets difficult when you get in those upper distances like 18, 20 miles and beyond. Things start going to your head, and you are asking ‘Why did I do this?’ ” Binkley said. “I just try to encourage the runners and distract them from thinking too much.”

Cameron’s legs were cramping when he saw Binkley. He said “they just weren’t cooperating.”

So Binkley talked Cameron into doing a “run/walk,” where they alternated running for 2.5 minutes, then walking for 30 seconds.

“That helps take their mind off just running,” said Binkley, who continued to carry on a conversation with Cameron. “I talked to him about his high school football team and his age. I told him how amazing it was that someone his age was going to finish a marathon.

“He told me he had built up to 11 miles while training for the marathon, and I thought, ‘Whoa!’ He had already run almost twice that far. I told him we were going to do this and finish this race.”

Cameron and Binkley ultimately finished the race together. Cameron said it took him a few days to recuperate afterward but that he felt fine by his 18th birthday on Dec. 1.

Now, he is already checking out half-marathons, thinking that might be a more favorable distance.

Cameron is now living the life of a busy high school senior.

He is a starter for his high school basketball team. He plays the piano and is involved in band and yearbook. He is especially looking forward to track season. And he is thinking about his future, checking out colleges, with nearby Fort Hays State University at the top of his list.

Both Coach Dixon and Cameron think he has a promising senior track season ahead of him. His goal is to qualify for state and try to win a medal to hang beside his favorite medal of all time.

“That medal is the most special one I’ve every gotten,” Cameron said of the Crossroads medallion. “It’s hard to describe that feeling of when you cross the finish line after 4.5 hours of running.

“Being able to finish the marathon, even though it was difficult, will definitely motivate me in a lot of things now. It gave me a good deal of confidence that I can accomplish something on my own.”

Binkley said he is still amazed at what he witnessed that day but was glad he could be what he calls a small part of Cameron’s feat.

“I told him, ‘I didn’t do it, you did. I was just there helping keep your mind off of it,’ ” Binkley said. “The two most rewarding things out of being a pacer is to help first-timers and help people get to their PRs.”

Binkley did both for Cameron Lindsey — and a whole lot more.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660754177628.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670685701860.jpeg" alt="Rooks County teenager Cameron Lindsey, left, stands with his mom, Shannon, after he recorded a time of 4:25.34 in the Crossroads Marathon in Salina as the youngest finisher. Submitted photo." />
 <figcaption>Rooks County teenager Cameron Lindsey, left, stands with his mom, Shannon, after he recorded a time of 4:25.34 in the Crossroads Marathon in Salina as the youngest finisher. Submitted photo.</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Lindsey is youngest finisher in Salina marathon</h2>By DIANE GASPER-O’BRIEN Special to Hays PostAs adults, we can all probably reflect on a time when we can point to one person who made a huge difference in our lives.For Cameron Lindsey, that just might be a guy in a lime green shirt who seemed to appear out of nowhere at a most difficult time in a road race.That guy was Scott Binkley, a pacer for last month’s Crossroads Marathon in Salina, who stayed by Cameron’s side from about the 20-mile mark to the finish line. Binkley’s encouragement and support helped Cameron record a time of 4 hours, 25.34 minutes as the youngest finisher.Cameron admits it would have been difficult to finish the race had it not been for Binkley, especially considering he had only trained for the grueling 26.2-mile run for about six weeks. Oh yeah, Cameron was 17 years old at the time.“The age group when people start running marathons is usually those in their late 20s, 30s, 40s,” said Binkley, a former high school cross country runner himself who ran his first marathon in his mid 40s. “For a 17-year-old to decide to do this, on his own, is pretty impressive.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670685836181.jpeg" alt="Cameron Lindsey, left, runs alongside pacer Scott Binkley during last third of the marathon. Photo by Scott Green." />
 <figcaption>Cameron Lindsey, left, runs alongside pacer Scott Binkley during last third of the marathon. Photo by Scott Green.</figcaption>
 </figure>Binkley insists this story is not about him, but rather about Cameron Lindsey. But somehow, the two became forever linked together on a pleasant November Saturday in Salina.The guy in the lime green shirt carrying the 4:20 flag no doubt will stick out in Cameron’s mind for a long, long time.The decision that Cameron made to run the marathon seemed simple enough in October when he ran across an online notice about a marathon in Salina.Hmm, he thought, “this sounds interesting. It will be between cross country and basketball seasons. It’s perfect timing.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670685870329.jpeg" alt="Pacer Scott Binkley, left, talks with Cameron Lindsey as they near the finish line of the marathon. Photo by Scott Green." />
 <figcaption>Pacer Scott Binkley, left, talks with Cameron Lindsey as they near the finish line of the marathon. Photo by Scott Green.</figcaption>
 </figure>A marathon is more than eight times farther than the high school cross country races of 5,000 meters (or 3.1 miles) for which Cameron is accustomed to running. And this particular marathon featured 800 runners.But keep in mind, this young man had yet to celebrate his 18th birthday, an age when anything – and I mean anything – seems possible to accomplish.A cross country runner for his high school team in Plainville, Cameron decided to start running extra mileage on his own to build up his endurance.Coincidentally, that extra work ended up helping him eclipse his personal-best time by nearly 40 seconds at the Class 2A regional cross country meet in Great Bend, qualifying him for state for the first time in his career.&nbsp;“He told me the Monday after regionals that he had signed up for a marathon,” said Travis Dixon, the cross country coach at Plainville. “I was definitely surprised, but pleased that he was working out extra on his own. Any extra work is obviously going to help with your endurance.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670685902479.jpeg" alt="Cameron Lindsey, middle, got plenty of encouragement and support from his parents Shannon and Lee Lindsey. Submitted photo." />
 <figcaption>Cameron Lindsey, middle, got plenty of encouragement and support from his parents Shannon and Lee Lindsey. Submitted photo.</figcaption>
 </figure>Cameron’s PR regional time of 18 minutes, 48 seconds would have placed him in the top 10 at state, but he said he found the going difficult on the tough, hilly course at Wamego Country Club. He was disappointed with his performance at the season finale, but he soon began looking ahead to his next venture.Cameron’s parents, Lee and Shannon Lindsey, drove the Crossroads Marathon course with their son the night before and chose points where they could meet up with him to give him water and snacks – and encouragement.&nbsp;Binkley said he came upon Cameron at about the 21-mile mark.“He was struggling, and he was talking to his mom,” Binkley said. “It was neat to see his parents leap-frogging the course to catch him at several points.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670685935031.jpeg" alt="The medal that Cameron Lindsey won for finishing the race. Submitted photo." />
 <figcaption>The medal that Cameron Lindsey won for finishing the race. Submitted photo.</figcaption>
 </figure>Binkley, carrying the 4-hour, 20-minute pacer flag, decided right then and there that he was going to help this kid finish the race.“It gets difficult when you get in those upper distances like 18, 20 miles and beyond. Things start going to your head, and you are asking ‘Why did I do this?’ ” Binkley said. “I just try to encourage the runners and distract them from thinking too much.”Cameron’s legs were cramping when he saw Binkley. He said “they just weren’t cooperating.”So Binkley talked Cameron into doing a “run/walk,” where they alternated running for 2.5 minutes, then walking for 30 seconds.“That helps take their mind off just running,” said Binkley, who continued to carry on a conversation with Cameron. “I talked to him about his high school football team and his age. I told him how amazing it was that someone his age was going to finish a marathon.“He told me he had built up to 11 miles while training for the marathon, and I thought, ‘Whoa!’ He had already run almost twice that far. I told him we were going to do this and finish this race.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670685965315.jpeg" alt="Cameron Lindsey keeps stride during the marathon race. Submitted photo." />
 <figcaption>Cameron Lindsey keeps stride during the marathon race. Submitted photo.</figcaption>
 </figure>Cameron and Binkley ultimately finished the race together. Cameron said it took him a few days to recuperate afterward but that he felt fine by his 18th birthday on Dec. 1.Now, he is already checking out half-marathons, thinking that might be a more favorable distance.But those races will have to wait.Cameron is now living the life of a busy high school senior.He is a starter for his high school basketball team. He plays the piano and is involved in band and yearbook. He is especially looking forward to track season. And he is thinking about his future, checking out colleges, with nearby Fort Hays State University at the top of his list.Both Coach Dixon and Cameron think he has a promising senior track season ahead of him. His goal is to qualify for state and try to win a medal to hang beside his favorite medal of all time.“That medal is the most special one I’ve every gotten,” Cameron said of the Crossroads medallion. “It’s hard to describe that feeling of when you cross the finish line after 4.5 hours of running.“Being able to finish the marathon, even though it was difficult, will definitely motivate me in a lot of things now. It gave me a good deal of confidence that I can accomplish something on my own.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670686004480.jpeg" alt="Cameron Lindsey enjoyed a successful cross country season for Plainville High School this fall before running the marathon. Submitted photo." />
 <figcaption>Cameron Lindsey enjoyed a successful cross country season for Plainville High School this fall before running the marathon. Submitted photo.</figcaption>
 </figure>Binkley said he is still amazed at what he witnessed that day but was glad he could be what he calls a small part of Cameron’s feat.“I told him, ‘I didn’t do it, you did. I was just there helping keep your mind off of it,’ ” Binkley said. “The two most rewarding things out of being a pacer is to help first-timers and help people get to their PRs.”Binkley did both for Cameron Lindsey — and a whole lot more.

NWester: Plainville teenager not alone in going extra mile(s)

Bradley Roughton, 27, died December 7, 2022.&nbsp; He was born in Salina on October 2, 1995, to Kristina Reasner and Brent Moses.

Bradley grew up in Concordia, KS with his grandparents Mary and 
Richard Roughton. Later moving to Hays, KS where he met the love of his
 life Alicia Johnson. They moved to Fort Collins where they had many 
happy years together. Bradley loved exercising, hiking and all 
animals.&nbsp; He touched many lives and was loved by everyone.

He is survived by his partner, Alicia; mother and stepfather, 
Kristina and David Reasner; grandparents, Mary and Richard Roughton; two
 sisters, Ashley Luther and Chelise Rich; aunts, Kathy (Shane) Bartlett 
and Karen (J.R.) Parks; and two cousins, Jeremy (Kaytie) Roughton and 
Jay (Trish) Bartlett.

Bradley was preceded by his brother, Brandon Moses.

Visitation will be 5-8 p.m. with family present from 5-7 p.m. on 
Wednesday, December 14, 2022, at Ryan Mortuary.&nbsp; A funeral service will 
be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, December 15th, at Ryan Mortuary. Burial will
 be private at Gypsum Hill Cemetery, Salina.&nbsp;

Memorials may be made to the family for expenses.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670853288361.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Bradley Roughton, 27, died December 7, 2022.&nbsp; He was born in Salina on October 2, 1995, to Kristina Reasner and Brent Moses.Bradley grew up in Concordia, KS with his grandparents Mary and 
Richard Roughton. Later moving to Hays, KS where he met the love of his
 life Alicia Johnson. They moved to Fort Collins where they had many 
happy years together. Bradley loved exercising, hiking and all 
animals.&nbsp; He touched many lives and was loved by everyone.He is survived by his partner, Alicia; mother and stepfather, 
Kristina and David Reasner; grandparents, Mary and Richard Roughton; two
 sisters, Ashley Luther and Chelise Rich; aunts, Kathy (Shane) Bartlett 
and Karen (J.R.) Parks; and two cousins, Jeremy (Kaytie) Roughton and 
Jay (Trish) Bartlett.Bradley was preceded by his brother, Brandon Moses.Visitation will be 5-8 p.m. with family present from 5-7 p.m. on 
Wednesday, December 14, 2022, at Ryan Mortuary.&nbsp; A funeral service will 
be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, December 15th, at Ryan Mortuary. Burial will
 be private at Gypsum Hill Cemetery, Salina.&nbsp;Memorials may be made to the family for expenses.

Bradley Roughton

GREAT BEND, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas man has been charged in the 1980 shooting death of a 23-year-old neighbor after investigators who reexamined her death turned up new evidence, authorities said.

Kansas Bureau of Investigation officers arrested 68-year-old Steven Hanks, of Burden, on Thursday on a charge of second-degree murder in the death of Mary Robin Walter, who was a wife, mother and nursing school student when she was killed, Barton County Sheriff Brian Bellendir said at a news conference Friday. He is jailed on $500,000 bond and doesn’t have an attorney, according to court records.

Bellendir said Detective Sgt. Adam Hales decided in April to reopen the investigation into the Jan. 24, 1980, killing, which happened at a trailer park near the airport in Great Bend, a city of about 15,000 residents in central Kansas.

“After taking a fresh look at the case, it became evident that some of the information had been initially overlooked and some had been added at a later date,” the sheriff said. “This was unknown to the original investigators.”

Bellendir directed two additional officers to join the investigation. In October, new evidence was discovered, though authorities declined to disclose it.

Bellendir said Hanks was investigated as a suspect immediately after the shooting, “but the case went cold." He didn't disclose a possible motive for the killing.

Hanks spent time in prison for another crime. He was arrested in 1981 and charged with rape, battery, robbery and burglary. He was sentenced in 1983 and discharged in 1993, according to online records from the Kansas Department of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670608379475.png" alt="Mary Robin Walter, who was a wife, mother and nursing school student when she was killed." />
 <figcaption>Mary Robin Walter, who was a wife, mother and nursing school student when she was killed.</figcaption>
 </figure>GREAT BEND, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas man has been charged in the 1980 shooting death of a 23-year-old neighbor after investigators who reexamined her death turned up new evidence, authorities said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670728765150.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas Bureau of Investigation officers arrested 68-year-old Steven Hanks, of Burden, on Thursday on a charge of second-degree murder in the death of Mary Robin Walter, who was a wife, mother and nursing school student when she was killed, Barton County Sheriff Brian Bellendir said at a news conference Friday. He is jailed on $500,000 bond and doesn’t have an attorney, according to court records.Bellendir said Detective Sgt. Adam Hales decided in April to reopen the investigation into the Jan. 24, 1980, killing, which happened at a trailer park near the airport in Great Bend, a city of about 15,000 residents in central Kansas.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670609613326.jpeg" alt="Hanks-photo Barton Co." />
 <figcaption>Hanks-photo Barton Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>“After taking a fresh look at the case, it became evident that some of the information had been initially overlooked and some had been added at a later date,” the sheriff said. “This was unknown to the original investigators.”Bellendir directed two additional officers to join the investigation. In October, new evidence was discovered, though authorities declined to disclose it.Bellendir said Hanks was investigated as a suspect immediately after the shooting, “but the case went cold." He didn't disclose a possible motive for the killing.Hanks spent time in prison for another crime. He was arrested in 1981 and charged with rape, battery, robbery and burglary. He was sentenced in 1983 and discharged in 1993, according to online records from the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Read the criminal complaint filed in 1980 killing of Kan. nursing student

Gary I. Cheney was born on July 9, 1943, to Carl and Grace Cheney in 
Colby, Kansas, at the height of wheat harvest.  He grew up on the family
 farm, the “Old Sears” place, always helping his father and mother with 
chores (milking cows or tending chickens), watching over his baby 
brother, C. Duane, or chasing his dog, Beans, up to the neighbors 
--getting switched by Mom most of the way home.  Beans was too fast for 
her!

He went to school in Rexford and graduated in 1961, with many friends and cousins.

Gary always had a quick, almost shy, smile for everyone and always remembered them, no matter how long since he’d seen them.

In
 October 1962, he, and a high school friend, enlisted in the Air Force 
at the recruiting site in Colby, Kansas.  He soon found himself on a bus
 to Kansas City, where he boarded a train for San Antonio, Texas.  He 
and his friend parted company there until the end of his 4-year term and
 he returned home to the family farm, with a wife and baby girl, Carin. 


 The three of them rented a little house in Rexford, where he took a job
 at the local Co-op.  Gary wanted to farm, but there weren’t any places 
at the time, so he applied for a VA benefit under the GI bill and 
enrolled at the new Colby College in a new program through K-State for 
Meat Inspecting.  He earned an associate’s degree and went to work as a 
meat inspector for local locker plants and preparing to move to the “Old
 Woerpel” place north of Rexford.  Gary inspected during the day and 
farmed on the evenings and weekends, where he grew wheat, milo, and feed
 for his small cow herd.  At this time, his wife (a city girl) decided 
she knew how they could expand the herd and Gary listened to her, 
laughing at the idea!  But when they increased the calf crop by almost 
double, they worked at it together.  By then Gary had a son, Matt, whom 
his daughter Carin would watch while helping when she could.  The years 
passed quickly and happily until 1981, when his dad, Carl passed away, 
leaving his mother, Grace alone.  Gary was driving a school bus by then,
 his kids first on and last off, but they didn’t mind because they 
usually stopped at Grandma’s for a cookie.

Life went by all too 
fast for Gary and Kay and as always happens when it gets to the end of 
their lives; illness comes knocking and won’t go away.  Gary fought 
courageously to the end, and we all pray that when God reached out His 
Hand, Gary took it the way he lived his life…. with every piece of 
willpower, he could master and said, “I’m ready, take me home”!  Gary 
will be missed by all who knew him.

He is survived by his wife of 
the home Kay, Carin and spouse Aaron Derbonne of Wright, WY; Matt and 
spouse Lyn, granddaughters Amanda Kay and his little Sassy Lassie Amie 
Lynne; brother Duane, spouse Jo; first sister-in-law Marge, nieces Jenny
 Beemer and Shanna Carl; many cousins and friends.

He was always smiling and will be missed dearly by many!

Click <a href="https://www.paulsfh.com/obituaries/Gary-Irvine-Cheney?obId=26606680#/celebrationWall">HERE</a> for service details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670685381103.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Gary I. Cheney was born on July 9, 1943, to Carl and Grace Cheney in 
Colby, Kansas, at the height of wheat harvest. He grew up on the family
 farm, the “Old Sears” place, always helping his father and mother with 
chores (milking cows or tending chickens), watching over his baby 
brother, C. Duane, or chasing his dog, Beans, up to the neighbors 
--getting switched by Mom most of the way home. Beans was too fast for 
her!He went to school in Rexford and graduated in 1961, with many friends and cousins.Gary always had a quick, almost shy, smile for everyone and always remembered them, no matter how long since he’d seen them.In
 October 1962, he, and a high school friend, enlisted in the Air Force 
at the recruiting site in Colby, Kansas. He soon found himself on a bus
 to Kansas City, where he boarded a train for San Antonio, Texas. He 
and his friend parted company there until the end of his 4-year term and
 he returned home to the family farm, with a wife and baby girl, Carin. 
 The three of them rented a little house in Rexford, where he took a job
 at the local Co-op. Gary wanted to farm, but there weren’t any places 
at the time, so he applied for a VA benefit under the GI bill and 
enrolled at the new Colby College in a new program through K-State for 
Meat Inspecting. He earned an associate’s degree and went to work as a 
meat inspector for local locker plants and preparing to move to the “Old
 Woerpel” place north of Rexford. Gary inspected during the day and 
farmed on the evenings and weekends, where he grew wheat, milo, and feed
 for his small cow herd. At this time, his wife (a city girl) decided 
she knew how they could expand the herd and Gary listened to her, 
laughing at the idea! But when they increased the calf crop by almost 
double, they worked at it together. By then Gary had a son, Matt, whom 
his daughter Carin would watch while helping when she could. The years 
passed quickly and happily until 1981, when his dad, Carl passed away, 
leaving his mother, Grace alone. Gary was driving a school bus by then,
 his kids first on and last off, but they didn’t mind because they 
usually stopped at Grandma’s for a cookie.Life went by all too 
fast for Gary and Kay and as always happens when it gets to the end of 
their lives; illness comes knocking and won’t go away. Gary fought 
courageously to the end, and we all pray that when God reached out His 
Hand, Gary took it the way he lived his life…. with every piece of 
willpower, he could master and said, “I’m ready, take me home”! Gary 
will be missed by all who knew him.He is survived by his wife of 
the home Kay, Carin and spouse Aaron Derbonne of Wright, WY; Matt and 
spouse Lyn, granddaughters Amanda Kay and his little Sassy Lassie Amie 
Lynne; brother Duane, spouse Jo; first sister-in-law Marge, nieces Jenny
 Beemer and Shanna Carl; many cousins and friends.He was always smiling and will be missed dearly by many!Click <a href="https://www.paulsfh.com/obituaries/Gary-Irvine-Cheney?obId=26606680#/celebrationWall">HERE</a> for service details.

Gary I. Cheney 

COLBY — Colby Community College received a $10,000 gift from the Thomas County Foundation to be used for the agricultural center on campus. Foundation Director Jada Tubbs made the presentation Wednesday night at halftime of the Trojans men's basketball game.

"On behalf of TCCF, I would like to express our excitement for the new Agricultural Center," Tubbs said. "Our board agrees this is a worthwhile&nbsp;cause to fund and looks forward to its completion."

Construction began in October on the 12,400-square-foot facility and is expected to open in time for the fall 2023 semester. 

Details are available at<a href="https://www.colbycc.edu/ag-future" target="_blank">www.colbycc.edu/ag-future.</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670360917911.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>CCCCOLBY — Colby Community College received a $10,000 gift from the Thomas County Foundation to be used for the agricultural center on campus. Foundation Director Jada Tubbs made the presentation Wednesday night at halftime of the Trojans men's basketball game."On behalf of TCCF, I would like to express our excitement for the new Agricultural Center," Tubbs said. "Our board agrees this is a worthwhile&nbsp;cause to fund and looks forward to its completion."Construction began in October on the 12,400-square-foot facility and is expected to open in time for the fall 2023 semester. Details are available at<a href="https://www.colbycc.edu/ag-future" target="_blank">www.colbycc.edu/ag-future.</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Thomas County Foundation helps new Colby CC ag facility

Georgia Myra (Manche) (Bray) Slonaker, 80, of Nickerson, died 
December 3, 2022, at her home. She was born October 4, 1942, in 
Hutchinson, to R.C. and Ava L. (Britton) Pitchford.

Myra was a devoted mother who enjoyed time spent with her family. She
 also enjoyed sewing, crafting, painting, cooking, and floral arranging — at one time owning her own floral shop.

Myra is survived by: her children, Ava Manche of Colorado, Sandy 
Bowlby and husband Jerry of Burrton, Kenny Manche and wife Pamela of 
Hutchinson, Shelly Stephens and husband David of Arkansas, Sonny Bray of
 Hutchinson, Mark Bray and wife Sarah of Hoisington; 15 grandchildren; 
17 great-grandchildren; brothers, Dale Pitchford of Hutchinson, Mandean 
Pitchford and wife Barbara of South Hutchinson, RC Pitchford, Jimmy 
Pitchford; and many extended family members.

She was preceded in death by: her parents; son, Terry Manche Jr.; 
daughter, Kim Clark; sisters, Betty Obee, Carol Prebble Faye Reed; and 
brother, Don Paige.

Cremation has taken place. Memorial service will be 10 a.m. Wednesday, December 14, 2022, at First Christian Church, 15 E. 5th Ave., Hutchinson, with Pastor Bob Phipps officiating.

Memorials may be made to Myra Slonaker Memorial Fund, in care of Elliott Mortuary, 1219 N. Main, Hutchinson, KS 67501.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670622994344.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Georgia Myra (Manche) (Bray) Slonaker, 80, of Nickerson, died 
December 3, 2022, at her home. She was born October 4, 1942, in 
Hutchinson, to R.C. and Ava L. (Britton) Pitchford.Myra was a devoted mother who enjoyed time spent with her family. She
 also enjoyed sewing, crafting, painting, cooking, and floral arranging — at one time owning her own floral shop.Myra is survived by: her children, Ava Manche of Colorado, Sandy 
Bowlby and husband Jerry of Burrton, Kenny Manche and wife Pamela of 
Hutchinson, Shelly Stephens and husband David of Arkansas, Sonny Bray of
 Hutchinson, Mark Bray and wife Sarah of Hoisington; 15 grandchildren; 
17 great-grandchildren; brothers, Dale Pitchford of Hutchinson, Mandean 
Pitchford and wife Barbara of South Hutchinson, RC Pitchford, Jimmy 
Pitchford; and many extended family members.She was preceded in death by: her parents; son, Terry Manche Jr.; 
daughter, Kim Clark; sisters, Betty Obee, Carol Prebble Faye Reed; and 
brother, Don Paige.Cremation has taken place. Memorial service will be 10 a.m. Wednesday, December 14, 2022, at First Christian Church, 15 E. 5th Ave., Hutchinson, with Pastor Bob Phipps officiating.Memorials may be made to Myra Slonaker Memorial Fund, in care of Elliott Mortuary, 1219 N. Main, Hutchinson, KS 67501.

Georgia Myra Slonaker

By MIKE COURSON Great Bend Post

GREAT BEND — There is no 
statute of limitations in homicide cases. That's how, on Thursday, 
68-year-old Steven L. Hanks was arrested on second-degree murder charges
 from the death of Mary Robin Walter, stemming back nearly 43 years. 
Friday morning, Barton County Sheriff Brian Bellendir, Barton County 
Attorney Levi Morris, and various other law enforcement officers held a 
press conference at the Barton County Courthouse to discuss the case. 

"At
 42 years and 10 months, we believe this is the oldest homicide arrest 
in the state of Kansas," Bellendir said. "It may be one of the oldest 
homicide arrests in the United States. This also clears the last known 
homicide in a non-incorporated area under the jurisdiction of the Barton
 County Sheriff's Office."

Just before 7 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 24, 1980, deputies responded to a
 possible homicide call in the Nelson Trailer Park, lot nine, near what 
is now Southwest 40th Avenue and Anchorway. 

"Upon arrival, 
deputies and investigators located the body of a female victim who had 
been shot multiple times," said Bellendir. "The victim was identified as
 Mary Robin Walter, who lived at the residence. Walter was 23 years of 
age at the time, married with one child. She was a nursing student at 
Barton County Community College."

Bellendir said an extensive 
investigation was conducted at the time, and Hanks was developed as a 
person of interest in the case. However, law enforcement lacked the 
evidence needed to submit the case for prosecution.

In April 2022, Det. Sgt. Adam Hales was recovering from COVID-19 when
 he re-opened the case. "After taking a fresh look at the case, it 
became evident that some of the information had been initially 
overlooked, and some had been added at a later date," Bellendir said. 
"This was unknown to the original investigators."

Bellendir 
assigned additional detectives Alex Lomas and Bryan Volkel, as well as 
Patrol Sgt. Travis Doze to the case. Lt. David Paden supervised the 
operation as the deputies had time. The officers tracked down numerous 
individuals who had been involved in the case in the 1980s, reaching as 
far as the Pacific Northwest.

"In October of this year, new 
evidence was obtained that allowed the sheriff's office to submit the 
case to the Barton County Attorney, Mr. Levi Morris, for review," 
Bellendir said. "After approximately four weeks of review, Mr. Morris 
obtained an arrest for murder in the second degree, and the arrest of 
Steven L. Hanks, age 68, of Burden. Hanks was a neighbor to the victim 
at the time of the homicide."

Hanks was arrested by Kansas Bureau 
of Investigation agents Thursday evening in Oxford and turned over to 
the Barton County Sheriff's Office for transportation back to Great 
Bend. He is currently being held in lieu of a $500,000 bond. 

Morris
 said Hanks could make his first appearance in front of a district court
 judge as early as Friday afternoon or sometime Monday. The next step 
will be a preliminary hearing for the second-degree murder charge.

"The
 facts that we know, and believe they are, and believe we can prove in 
court fit that charge rather than any charges higher or lower," Morris 
said. "That can change either to be higher or lower at the preliminary 
hearing or at any time close to trial."

Bellendir was pleased to bring a level of closure to the case after 
42 years.&nbsp;

"Homicides are never closed," he said. "As long as you have a 
homicide case, it remains open until you get it closed one way or the 
other. This has case has been open ever since I've been a law 
enforcement officer. 

"I started with the sheriff's office in 
1982. This has been an irritation for the sheriff's office that we've 
never been able to close this case. A lot of investigators have tried to
 close this case, and we were unable, at that time, to get the 
information we needed."

Bellendir thanked the many agencies that 
assisted in the investigation, including the KBI, Great Bend Police 
Department, Oxford Police Department, Cowley County Sheriff's Office, 
Winfield Police, Burden Police Department, and Everett Police Department
 in Washington state. He also gave high praise to his own detectives.

"The
 credit in this case goes to my detective division, who were in the 
trenches doing the nuts and bolts work," he said. "These are long, 
complicated investigations, and tedious. The credit really goes to my 
people.

"This is such a complicated case with so many moving 
pieces," he continued. "The credit goes all the way back to the early 
1980s to the first cops that responded to the scene. The KBI has 
assisted us greatly in the case. Chief Haulmark is fairly new to the 
community, but he was personally out digging around in boxes trying to 
find records we needed from the 1980s. This was a joint effort."

Bellendir
 said Walter does still have family living in Kansas. At the time of her
 death, Mary was married to Doug Walter, who died in 2021, without 
closure in the case.   

"On the anniversary of her death, that was
 the day he would go in the basement," said one of Doug's stepdaughters,
 who was present at Friday's press conference. "All the lights would be 
off, and he didn't want anyone to bother him." 

Two stepdaughters 
moved in with Doug after he remarried, even though some considered him 
to be a suspect. Many originally thought Hanks committed the crime.

"I
 feel like a lot of people thought he did it," said the stepdaughter. 
"It was no big deal. We didn't think anything of it until now that we're
 older and we look back, and people always say they thought Doug did it.
 It's nice to have proof that he didn't."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670617705007.jpeg" alt="Barton County Sheriff Brian Bellendir at Friday's press conference on the arrest of Steven Hanks, who has been charged with the 1980 murder of Mary Robin Walter." />
 <figcaption>Barton County Sheriff Brian Bellendir at Friday's press conference on the arrest of Steven Hanks, who has been charged with the 1980 murder of Mary Robin Walter.</figcaption>
 </figure>By MIKE COURSON Great Bend PostGREAT BEND — There is no 
statute of limitations in homicide cases. That's how, on Thursday, 
68-year-old Steven L. Hanks was arrested on second-degree murder charges
 from the death of Mary Robin Walter, stemming back nearly 43 years. 
Friday morning, Barton County Sheriff Brian Bellendir, Barton County 
Attorney Levi Morris, and various other law enforcement officers held a 
press conference at the Barton County Courthouse to discuss the case. "At
 42 years and 10 months, we believe this is the oldest homicide arrest 
in the state of Kansas," Bellendir said. "It may be one of the oldest 
homicide arrests in the United States. This also clears the last known 
homicide in a non-incorporated area under the jurisdiction of the Barton
 County Sheriff's Office."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670608379475.png" alt="Mary Robin Walter" />
 <figcaption>Mary Robin Walter</figcaption>
 </figure>Just before 7 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 24, 1980, deputies responded to a
 possible homicide call in the Nelson Trailer Park, lot nine, near what 
is now Southwest 40th Avenue and Anchorway. "Upon arrival, 
deputies and investigators located the body of a female victim who had 
been shot multiple times," said Bellendir. "The victim was identified as
 Mary Robin Walter, who lived at the residence. Walter was 23 years of 
age at the time, married with one child. She was a nursing student at 
Barton County Community College."Bellendir said an extensive 
investigation was conducted at the time, and Hanks was developed as a 
person of interest in the case. However, law enforcement lacked the 
evidence needed to submit the case for prosecution.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670609613326.jpeg" alt="Steven Hanks" />
 <figcaption>Steven Hanks</figcaption>
 </figure>In April 2022, Det. Sgt. Adam Hales was recovering from COVID-19 when
 he re-opened the case. "After taking a fresh look at the case, it 
became evident that some of the information had been initially 
overlooked, and some had been added at a later date," Bellendir said. 
"This was unknown to the original investigators."Bellendir 
assigned additional detectives Alex Lomas and Bryan Volkel, as well as 
Patrol Sgt. Travis Doze to the case. Lt. David Paden supervised the 
operation as the deputies had time. The officers tracked down numerous 
individuals who had been involved in the case in the 1980s, reaching as 
far as the Pacific Northwest."In October of this year, new 
evidence was obtained that allowed the sheriff's office to submit the 
case to the Barton County Attorney, Mr. Levi Morris, for review," 
Bellendir said. "After approximately four weeks of review, Mr. Morris 
obtained an arrest for murder in the second degree, and the arrest of 
Steven L. Hanks, age 68, of Burden. Hanks was a neighbor to the victim 
at the time of the homicide."Hanks was arrested by Kansas Bureau 
of Investigation agents Thursday evening in Oxford and turned over to 
the Barton County Sheriff's Office for transportation back to Great 
Bend. He is currently being held in lieu of a $500,000 bond. Morris
 said Hanks could make his first appearance in front of a district court
 judge as early as Friday afternoon or sometime Monday. The next step 
will be a preliminary hearing for the second-degree murder charge."The
 facts that we know, and believe they are, and believe we can prove in 
court fit that charge rather than any charges higher or lower," Morris 
said. "That can change either to be higher or lower at the preliminary 
hearing or at any time close to trial."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670617825772.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Bellendir was pleased to bring a level of closure to the case after 
42 years.&nbsp;"Homicides are never closed," he said. "As long as you have a 
homicide case, it remains open until you get it closed one way or the 
other. This has case has been open ever since I've been a law 
enforcement officer. "I started with the sheriff's office in 
1982. This has been an irritation for the sheriff's office that we've 
never been able to close this case. A lot of investigators have tried to
 close this case, and we were unable, at that time, to get the 
information we needed."Bellendir thanked the many agencies that 
assisted in the investigation, including the KBI, Great Bend Police 
Department, Oxford Police Department, Cowley County Sheriff's Office, 
Winfield Police, Burden Police Department, and Everett Police Department
 in Washington state. He also gave high praise to his own detectives."The
 credit in this case goes to my detective division, who were in the 
trenches doing the nuts and bolts work," he said. "These are long, 
complicated investigations, and tedious. The credit really goes to my 
people."This is such a complicated case with so many moving 
pieces," he continued. "The credit goes all the way back to the early 
1980s to the first cops that responded to the scene. The KBI has 
assisted us greatly in the case. Chief Haulmark is fairly new to the 
community, but he was personally out digging around in boxes trying to 
find records we needed from the 1980s. This was a joint effort."Bellendir
 said Walter does still have family living in Kansas. At the time of her
 death, Mary was married to Doug Walter, who died in 2021, without 
closure in the case. "On the anniversary of her death, that was
 the day he would go in the basement," said one of Doug's stepdaughters,
 who was present at Friday's press conference. "All the lights would be 
off, and he didn't want anyone to bother him." Two stepdaughters 
moved in with Doug after he remarried, even though some considered him 
to be a suspect. Many originally thought Hanks committed the crime."I
 feel like a lot of people thought he did it," said the stepdaughter. 
"It was no big deal. We didn't think anything of it until now that we're
 older and we look back, and people always say they thought Doug did it.
 It's nice to have proof that he didn't."

Barton Co. sheriff: Hanks arrest for 1980 murder is historic

BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities arrested a suspect in the 1980 homicide of 23-year-old Mary Robin Walter, according to Barton County Sheriff Brian Bellendir.

The suspect, Steven L. Hanks, 68, Burden, Kansas, is being held on a $500,000 bond and is expect to make his first court appearance Friday.&nbsp; Authorities&nbsp; arrested him Thursday at Oxford in Sumner County.  Hanks has previous convictions in 1983 for rape, aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary and aggravated battery, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.

Just before 7p.m. January 24, 1980, the Barton Co. Sheriff’s Office received a call from an individual reporting a homicide at the Nelson Trailer Park, RR1 Lot 9, according to Bellendir.&nbsp;

The location of the incident was at that time was near the intersection of SW. 40th Ave. and Anchor Way adjacent to the Great Bend Municipal Airport complex. The trailer park no longer exists.

&nbsp;This was about 10 years before there was a 911 system or locator addresses in Barton County.&nbsp;

Deputies and investigators located the body of&nbsp; Mary Robin Walter who had been shot multiple times. She was married with one child and a nursing student at Barton County Community College.

Hanks was a person of interest in the case, according to Belendir.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670608379475.png" alt="Mary Robin Walter-photo courtesy Barton Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Mary Robin Walter-photo courtesy Barton Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities arrested a suspect in the 1980 homicide of 23-year-old Mary Robin Walter, according to Barton County Sheriff Brian Bellendir.The suspect, Steven L. Hanks, 68, Burden, Kansas, is being held on a $500,000 bond and is expect to make his first court appearance Friday.&nbsp; Authorities&nbsp; arrested him Thursday at Oxford in Sumner County. Hanks has previous convictions in 1983 for rape, aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary and aggravated battery, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670609613326.jpeg" alt="Hanks-photo Barton Co." />
 <figcaption>Hanks-photo Barton Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Just before 7p.m. January 24, 1980, the Barton Co. Sheriff’s Office received a call from an individual reporting a homicide at the Nelson Trailer Park, RR1 Lot 9, according to Bellendir.&nbsp;The location of the incident was at that time was near the intersection of SW. 40th Ave. and Anchor Way adjacent to the Great Bend Municipal Airport complex. The trailer park no longer exists.&nbsp;This was about 10 years before there was a 911 system or locator addresses in Barton County.&nbsp;Deputies and investigators located the body of&nbsp; Mary Robin Walter who had been shot multiple times. She was married with one child and a nursing student at Barton County Community College.Hanks was a person of interest in the case, according to Belendir.Over the years, numerous detectives have looked at the case and were not able to obtain information that would assist in prosecution.In April 2022, while recovering from Covid, Detective Sgt. Adam Hales of the Barton County Sheriff’s Office reopened the Mary Robin Walter homicide case. After taking a fresh look at the case, it became evident that some information had been initially overlooked and some had been added at a later date. This was unknown to the original investigators. After reviewing the case with Sgt. Hales, Bellendir directed that the other two detectives, Detective Alex Lomas, Detective Bryan Volkel as well as patrol Sgt. Travis Doze be assigned to the case as time allowed. Lieutenant David Paden supervised the operation. The Sheriff’s office tracked down numerous individuals that had been involved in the case in the 1980s and many interviews were conducted as far away as the Pacific Northwest. Several meetings were held with the KBI who assisted with this investigation.In October of this year, new evidence was obtained that allowed the Sheriff’s Office to submit the case to Barton County Attorney Levi Morris for review. After approximately four weeks of review, Morris obtained an arrest warrant for murder in the 2nd degree for Hanks arrest.&nbsp; He was a neighbor to the victim at the time.At 42-years and 10 months, Bellendir believes this is the oldest homicide arrest in the State of Kansas, it may be one the oldest homicides cleared by arrest in the United States. This also clears the last known homicide in a non-incorporated area under the jurisdiction of the Barton County Sheriff’s Office.----------BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities have arrested a&nbsp;suspect in&nbsp;the 1980 homicide of&nbsp;Mary Robin Walter, according to Barton County Sheriff Brian Bellendir. The suspect, Steven L. Hanks, age 68, Burden, Kansas, is being transported to Barton County at this time.&nbsp;Hanks was arrested at Oxford in Sumner County.&nbsp; Hanks has previous convictions in 1983 for rape, aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary and aggravated battery&nbsp; The Barton County Sheriff’s Office, Barton County Attorney’s Office and the Kansas Bureau of&nbsp;Investigation will release more information on the case Friday morning.&nbsp;