MARSHALL COUNTY – The Marshall County Sheriff’s Office reported that 72-year-old Jim Knecht was located tonight in Nebraska. He is now safe.

MARSHALL COUNTY –The Kansas Bureau of Investigation has issued a statewide Silver Alert for a missing 72-year-old Marysville man.

The whereabouts of James “Jim” W. Knecht, 72, are unknown, and the public’s assistance is requested to help locate him, according to a media release from the KBI.

Knecht left his home Tuesday morning, Dec.7, at around 8:30 a.m., and was last seen at approximately 10 a.m. at the C.J. East gas station along Highway 36 in Marysville, Kansas. Knecht is driving a blue 2002 Buick Century with Kansas tag 240NEX. He may be traveling toward Iowa.

Knecht has dementia, and takes medication that he does not have with him.

Knecht is a white male, approximately 6 foot-1, and weighing 280 pounds. He has blue eyes and is bald. He has a red birthmark on his forehead. Knecht was last known wearing a black zip-up jacket and blue jeans.

If you see Jim Knecht, or his vehicle, please call 911 immediately. If you have other information about his whereabouts, please call the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office at 785-562-3141.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638921682746.png" alt="Knecht-photo KBI" />
 <figcaption>Knecht-photo KBI</figcaption>
 </figure>MARSHALL COUNTY – The Marshall County Sheriff’s Office reported that 72-year-old Jim Knecht was located tonight in Nebraska. He is now safe.-----------MARSHALL COUNTY –The Kansas Bureau of Investigation has issued a statewide Silver Alert for a missing 72-year-old Marysville man.The whereabouts of James “Jim” W. Knecht, 72, are unknown, and the public’s assistance is requested to help locate him, according to a media release from the KBI.Knecht left his home Tuesday morning, Dec.7, at around 8:30 a.m., and was last seen at approximately 10 a.m. at the C.J. East gas station along Highway 36 in Marysville, Kansas. Knecht is driving a blue 2002 Buick Century with Kansas tag 240NEX. He may be traveling toward Iowa.Knecht has dementia, and takes medication that he does not have with him.Knecht is a white male, approximately 6 foot-1, and weighing 280 pounds. He has blue eyes and is bald. He has a red birthmark on his forehead. Knecht was last known wearing a black zip-up jacket and blue jeans.If you see Jim Knecht, or his vehicle, please call 911 immediately. If you have other information about his whereabouts, please call the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office at 785-562-3141.

KBI: Silver Alert canceled, missing Kan. man found safe

By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-12-06/one-of-americas-richest-companies-pays-kansas-27-6-million-over-medicaid-misconduct">Kansas News Service</a>

Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt has reached a settlement with 
one of the nation’s wealthiest companies for about $27.6 million over 
alleged misconduct involving the state Medicaid program and prescription
 drugs.

Centene Corp. helps run the state’s privatized Medicaid 
program. Schmidt says secretive practices at the company cost Kansas and
 its taxpayers many millions of dollars.

Schmidt says the $27.6 million settlement is more than twice the amount of damages that his office was able to prove.

“We think that’s a just outcome,” he said in an interview. “It penalizes the company for its misconduct.”

Centene
 faces similar accusations in other states regarding its role as a 
pharmacy middleman hired to help states get good drug prices. It has 
denied wrongdoing.

However, the corporation — No. 24 on the 
Fortune 500 — is cutting massive checks to states over the allegations 
and has earmarked <a href="https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/0001071739/000107173921000148/cnc-20210614.htm" target="_blank">$1 billion</a> for more settlements.

Earlier
 this year, Centene announced settlements with Ohio for $88 million, 
Mississippi for $55 million, Illinois for $56 million and Arkansas for 
$15 million.

Centene and its subsidiary Envolve help run Medicaid 
programs in 30 states. It sent the Kansas News Service a brief statement
 describing the settlement as a “no-fault agreement.”

“We respect 
the deep and critically important relationships we have with our state 
partners,” the statement said. “This no-fault agreement reflects the 
significance we place on addressing their concerns.”

Schmidt said Centene agreed to change its practices.

“Regardless
 of whether there’s an explicit admission (by Centene of wrongdoing),” 
the attorney general said, “ they're paying millions of dollars for 
their past behavior and agreeing that their future behavior will 
change.”

Centene continues to help run the Kansas Medicaid 
program, but it will have to compete to retain that role when the Kansas
 Department for Health and Environment opens an upcoming round of 
bidding.

Schmidt said Centene engaged in a slew of strategies that meant Kansas taxpayers overpaid for prescription drugs.

For
 example, it would charge Kansas one price for a medication, while 
getting a lower price from the manufacturer, he said. Centene could then
 pocket the savings by keeping Kansas in the dark about the true price.

“The
 misconduct was in the nature of finding ways to lower the cost of 
acquiring drugs, but not passing the savings on to the state,” Schmidt 
said. “Now the company will provide detailed pricing for every step of a
 transaction. And that in turn will allow the state to maintain a much 
more effective type of oversight.”

Schmidt wouldn’t disclose the 
exact amount of money that Centene’s strategies, including the secret 
manufacturer discounts, cost the state of Kansas. He said his office and
 Centene remain at odds over the sum.

The settlement covers 2016 
through last month. Schmidt said Centene’s misconduct may have started 
earlier than 2016. If it did, that would fall outside the statute of 
limitations.

His office was prepared to sue Centene, but the corporation settled to keep the matter out of court.

Part
 of the settlement money — 15% — will go to Liston &amp; Deas, a law 
firm that is helping states investigate and pursue settlements from or 
potential lawsuits against Centene.

Centene is one of three main companies that help run the Kansas Medicaid program.

The other two are CVS/Aetna and OptumRx/UnitedHealth.

Among other things, they serve as the pharmacy middlemen, processing drug claims for Kansas.

Those three also helped handle prescription drugs for the Ohio Medicaid program when that state’s auditor <a href="https://ohioauditor.gov/news/pressreleases/details/5042" target="_blank">concluded</a> in 2018 that its middlemen charged $225 million more than they paid to pharmacies for drugs and took that money as profit.

The
 markup on generic drugs alone added nearly a third to the price that 
state paid for those supposedly cost-effective drugs. Ohio effectively 
fired the companies involved and restructured its program to increase 
oversight.

The revelations in Ohio triggered other state auditors 
and attorneys general — including Schmidt — to start scrutinizing their 
states’ Medicaid programs.

Asked whether his office is 
investigating any other companies regarding the Kansas Medicaid program,
 Schmidt said he can’t discuss the status of investigations or their 
targets. But he added:

“We’ve been able to obtain recovery with respect to this first defendant. And … we have other investigations ongoing.”

Kansas privatized Medicaid in 2013 under Gov. Sam Brownback.

But
 the Brownback administration and subsequent Jeff Colyer and Laura Kelly
 administrations have never audited the prescription drug program.

Investigations
 in other states and at the federal level have found that privatized 
state Medicaid programs are especially vulnerable to overpaying for 
medications, because oversight becomes even more difficult.

Concerns about pharmacy middlemen — formally called pharmacy benefit managers — extend beyond Medicaid programs.

Employers also hire middlemen to process drug claims.

Experts say the Kansas State Employee Health Program, which covers about 80,000 public employees, retirees and family members, <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-10-01/kansas-audited-its-80-million-cvs-prescription-plan-but-its-still-shrouded-in-mystery" target="_blank">could be overpaying by millions</a>.

Private
 employers face similar challenges. Secrecy in the nation’s drug supply 
chain makes it hard for them to figure out why medications cost so much,
 and whether drug middlemen hired to keep costs down actually inflate 
the prices.

Americans pay more than twice as much as people in other developed countries for prescription drugs.

Schmidt
 wouldn’t say whether he is probing prices paid by the Kansas state 
employee plan. As for challenges faced by private employers:

“That’s
 conduct that we’re not going to be able to reach directly through our 
enforcement on behalf of the state,” Schmidt said. “There are policy 
discussions that the Legislature may want to undertake.”

Over the 
past few years, states have passed dozens of laws demanding more 
transparency of pharmacy middlemen or regulating them in other ways.

Pharmacy
 middlemen sued one of those states, Arkansas, to block regulation. 
Arkansas fought the matter all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, <a href="https://www.scotusblog.com/case-files/cases/rutledge-v-pharmaceutical-care-management-association/" target="_blank">which ruled in its favor</a>. That’s likely to embolden more states to consider legislation.

Schmidt signed an amicus brief supporting Arkansas’ right to regulate pharmacy benefit managers.

“It
 would make sense for Kansas to have a regulatory statute, similar to 
what's done in Arkansas,” he said. “This is a largely unregulated area 
where there's strong reason to believe … that regulation is advisable.”

Celia
 Llopis-Jepsen reports on consumer health for the Kansas News Service. 
You can follow her on Twitter @celia_LJ or email her at celia@kcur.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638888427613.png" alt="Julie Denesha / KCUR 89.3" />
 <figcaption>Julie Denesha / KCUR 89.3</figcaption>
 </figure>By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-12-06/one-of-americas-richest-companies-pays-kansas-27-6-million-over-medicaid-misconduct">Kansas News Service</a>Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt has reached a settlement with 
one of the nation’s wealthiest companies for about $27.6 million over 
alleged misconduct involving the state Medicaid program and prescription
 drugs.Centene Corp. helps run the state’s privatized Medicaid 
program. Schmidt says secretive practices at the company cost Kansas and
 its taxpayers many millions of dollars.Schmidt says the $27.6 million settlement is more than twice the amount of damages that his office was able to prove.“We think that’s a just outcome,” he said in an interview. “It penalizes the company for its misconduct.”Centene
 faces similar accusations in other states regarding its role as a 
pharmacy middleman hired to help states get good drug prices. It has 
denied wrongdoing.However, the corporation — No. 24 on the 
Fortune 500 — is cutting massive checks to states over the allegations 
and has earmarked <a href="https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/0001071739/000107173921000148/cnc-20210614.htm" target="_blank">$1 billion</a> for more settlements.Earlier
 this year, Centene announced settlements with Ohio for $88 million, 
Mississippi for $55 million, Illinois for $56 million and Arkansas for 
$15 million.Centene and its subsidiary Envolve help run Medicaid 
programs in 30 states. It sent the Kansas News Service a brief statement
 describing the settlement as a “no-fault agreement.”“We respect 
the deep and critically important relationships we have with our state 
partners,” the statement said. “This no-fault agreement reflects the 
significance we place on addressing their concerns.”Schmidt said Centene agreed to change its practices.“Regardless
 of whether there’s an explicit admission (by Centene of wrongdoing),” 
the attorney general said, “ they're paying millions of dollars for 
their past behavior and agreeing that their future behavior will 
change.”Centene continues to help run the Kansas Medicaid 
program, but it will have to compete to retain that role when the Kansas
 Department for Health and Environment opens an upcoming round of 
bidding.<h2>Negotiated settlement</h2>Schmidt said Centene engaged in a slew of strategies that meant Kansas taxpayers overpaid for prescription drugs.For
 example, it would charge Kansas one price for a medication, while 
getting a lower price from the manufacturer, he said. Centene could then
 pocket the savings by keeping Kansas in the dark about the true price.“The
 misconduct was in the nature of finding ways to lower the cost of 
acquiring drugs, but not passing the savings on to the state,” Schmidt 
said. “Now the company will provide detailed pricing for every step of a
 transaction. And that in turn will allow the state to maintain a much 
more effective type of oversight.”Schmidt wouldn’t disclose the 
exact amount of money that Centene’s strategies, including the secret 
manufacturer discounts, cost the state of Kansas. He said his office and
 Centene remain at odds over the sum.The settlement covers 2016 
through last month. Schmidt said Centene’s misconduct may have started 
earlier than 2016. If it did, that would fall outside the statute of 
limitations.His office was prepared to sue Centene, but the corporation settled to keep the matter out of court.Part
 of the settlement money — 15% — will go to Liston &amp; Deas, a law 
firm that is helping states investigate and pursue settlements from or 
potential lawsuits against Centene.<h2>Other investigations</h2>Centene is one of three main companies that help run the Kansas Medicaid program.The other two are CVS/Aetna and OptumRx/UnitedHealth.Among other things, they serve as the pharmacy middlemen, processing drug claims for Kansas.Those three also helped handle prescription drugs for the Ohio Medicaid program when that state’s auditor <a href="https://ohioauditor.gov/news/pressreleases/details/5042" target="_blank">concluded</a> in 2018 that its middlemen charged $225 million more than they paid to pharmacies for drugs and took that money as profit.The
 markup on generic drugs alone added nearly a third to the price that 
state paid for those supposedly cost-effective drugs. Ohio effectively 
fired the companies involved and restructured its program to increase 
oversight.The revelations in Ohio triggered other state auditors 
and attorneys general — including Schmidt — to start scrutinizing their 
states’ Medicaid programs.Asked whether his office is 
investigating any other companies regarding the Kansas Medicaid program,
 Schmidt said he can’t discuss the status of investigations or their 
targets. But he added:“We’ve been able to obtain recovery with respect to this first defendant. And … we have other investigations ongoing.”Kansas privatized Medicaid in 2013 under Gov. Sam Brownback.But
 the Brownback administration and subsequent Jeff Colyer and Laura Kelly
 administrations have never audited the prescription drug program.Investigations
 in other states and at the federal level have found that privatized 
state Medicaid programs are especially vulnerable to overpaying for 
medications, because oversight becomes even more difficult.<h2>Middleman practices</h2>Concerns about pharmacy middlemen — formally called pharmacy benefit managers — extend beyond Medicaid programs.Employers also hire middlemen to process drug claims.Experts say the Kansas State Employee Health Program, which covers about 80,000 public employees, retirees and family members, <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-10-01/kansas-audited-its-80-million-cvs-prescription-plan-but-its-still-shrouded-in-mystery" target="_blank">could be overpaying by millions</a>.Private
 employers face similar challenges. Secrecy in the nation’s drug supply 
chain makes it hard for them to figure out why medications cost so much,
 and whether drug middlemen hired to keep costs down actually inflate 
the prices.Americans pay more than twice as much as people in other developed countries for prescription drugs.Schmidt
 wouldn’t say whether he is probing prices paid by the Kansas state 
employee plan. As for challenges faced by private employers:“That’s
 conduct that we’re not going to be able to reach directly through our 
enforcement on behalf of the state,” Schmidt said. “There are policy 
discussions that the Legislature may want to undertake.”Over the 
past few years, states have passed dozens of laws demanding more 
transparency of pharmacy middlemen or regulating them in other ways.Pharmacy
 middlemen sued one of those states, Arkansas, to block regulation. 
Arkansas fought the matter all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, <a href="https://www.scotusblog.com/case-files/cases/rutledge-v-pharmaceutical-care-management-association/" target="_blank">which ruled in its favor</a>. That’s likely to embolden more states to consider legislation.Schmidt signed an amicus brief supporting Arkansas’ right to regulate pharmacy benefit managers.“It
 would make sense for Kansas to have a regulatory statute, similar to 
what's done in Arkansas,” he said. “This is a largely unregulated area 
where there's strong reason to believe … that regulation is advisable.”Celia
 Llopis-Jepsen reports on consumer health for the Kansas News Service. 
You can follow her on Twitter @celia_LJ or email her at celia@kcur.org.

One of America's richest companies pays Kan. $27M over Medicaid 'misconduct' 

BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. (AP) — A man suspected of firing gunshots into a suburban Kansas City home before a standoff with police was fatally shot by a Jackson County sheriff’s deputy, the Missouri State Highway Patrol said.

The shooting happened Monday night after deputies were called to a rural Blue Springs home, where the occupants reported that a man outside was firing shots into the house. Deputies and a SWAT team arrived and encountered the suspect, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article256391142.html#storylink=cpy" target="_blank">Kansas City Star reported</a>.

Patrol Sgt. Bill Lowe said law enforcement tried to negotiate with the man but that the man rammed his vehicle into a SWAT team armored truck and raised a rifle pointed toward officers.

A Jackson County deputy then fired a single shot that killed the man, later identified as 48-year-old Douglas Halphin of Blue Springs, Lowe said.

No one else was injured, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol is investigating the fatal shooting.

BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. (AP) — A man suspected of firing gunshots into a suburban Kansas City home before a standoff with police was fatally shot by a Jackson County sheriff’s deputy, the Missouri State Highway Patrol said.The shooting happened Monday night after deputies were called to a rural Blue Springs home, where the occupants reported that a man outside was firing shots into the house. Deputies and a SWAT team arrived and encountered the suspect, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article256391142.html#storylink=cpy" target="_blank">Kansas City Star reported</a>.Patrol Sgt. Bill Lowe said law enforcement tried to negotiate with the man but that the man rammed his vehicle into a SWAT team armored truck and raised a rifle pointed toward officers.A Jackson County deputy then fired a single shot that killed the man, later identified as 48-year-old Douglas Halphin of Blue Springs, Lowe said.No one else was injured, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol is investigating the fatal shooting.

MSHP: Mo. deputy fatally shot man in Blue Springs standoff

TOPEKA – A federal court Tuesday blocked a third vaccination mandate imposed by the Biden administration, according to Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt.

The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia granted a motion by Kansas and other plaintiffs to place a temporary injunction on the administration’s policy that required employers to impose COVID-19 vaccine mandates on their employees as a condition for receiving federal contracts. Schmidt and six other state attorneys general filed the lawsuit October 29, arguing that the mandate exceeded federal authority. The preliminary injunction is in effect nationwide.

The University of Kansas, Wichita State and Kansas State University all&nbsp; halted their implementation of the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for federal government contractors and subcontractors following the injunction.

“Federal courts continue to recognize that these overreaching, one-size-fits all mandates from the Biden administration are unlawful,” Schmidt said. “I continue to encourage Kansans to be vaccinated, but that personal health care decision should be made by each individual and not mandated by the federal government.”

In Tuesday's ruling, the court found that the executive order “goes far beyond addressing administrative and management issues in order to promote efficiency and economy in procurement and contracting, and instead, in application, works as a regulation of public health, which is not clearly authorized under the Procurement Act.”

In other lawsuits Schmidt filed, courts have previously blocked the mandate from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration that applied to private employers with more than 100 employees and the mandate from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services that applied to employees, contractors and volunteers in health care facilities.

In addition, a new state law enacted last month requires all employers, both public and private sector, to accommodate employee requests for relief from COVID-19 vaccine requirements on medical grounds or the ground that the requirement would violate a sincerely held religious belief of the employee and for religious requests forbids employers from “inquiring into the sincerity of the request” by the employee.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632773094040.png" alt="President Biden received his COVID vaccine booster last month-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>President Biden received his COVID vaccine booster last month-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA – A federal court Tuesday blocked a third vaccination mandate imposed by the Biden administration, according to Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt.The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia granted a motion by Kansas and other plaintiffs to place a temporary injunction on the administration’s policy that required employers to impose COVID-19 vaccine mandates on their employees as a condition for receiving federal contracts. Schmidt and six other state attorneys general filed the lawsuit October 29, arguing that the mandate exceeded federal authority. The preliminary injunction is in effect nationwide.The University of Kansas, Wichita State and Kansas State University all&nbsp; halted their implementation of the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for federal government contractors and subcontractors following the injunction.“Federal courts continue to recognize that these overreaching, one-size-fits all mandates from the Biden administration are unlawful,” Schmidt said. “I continue to encourage Kansans to be vaccinated, but that personal health care decision should be made by each individual and not mandated by the federal government.”In Tuesday's ruling, the court found that the executive order “goes far beyond addressing administrative and management issues in order to promote efficiency and economy in procurement and contracting, and instead, in application, works as a regulation of public health, which is not clearly authorized under the Procurement Act.”In other lawsuits Schmidt filed, courts have previously blocked the mandate from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration that applied to private employers with more than 100 employees and the mandate from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services that applied to employees, contractors and volunteers in health care facilities.In addition, a new state law enacted last month requires all employers, both public and private sector, to accommodate employee requests for relief from COVID-19 vaccine requirements on medical grounds or the ground that the requirement would violate a sincerely held religious belief of the employee and for religious requests forbids employers from “inquiring into the sincerity of the request” by the employee.

Kan. AG on federal court blocking 3rd Biden vaccine mandate

LEBANON, Mo. (AP) — One soldier was shot and killed and two others were charged with second-degree murder after they allegedly robbed two homes shortly after one of the suspects was married, Missouri authorities said.

Ethan Williams, 23, died of a gunshot wound in Lebanon Friday night, Lebanon police said.

Blake R. Paulson and Zackary Gillis were charged with second-degree murder, burglary and stealing and were being held Monday on no bond in the LaClede County jail. The three men were stationed at Fort Leonard Wood.

A probable cause statement said shortly after Paulson was marred Friday, the three men decided to rob two homes, KOLR-TV&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ozarksfirst.com/local-news/local-news-local-news/fort-leonard-wood-soldier-part-of-murder-investigation-hours-after-wedding/" target="_blank">reported</a>.

The men, who were armed, allegedly broke into a trailer where no one was home and reportedly took a gaming console. They went to a second home, where they took marijuana and money, according to the statement.

A 16-year-old boy at the home shot at the suspects and Williams was hit. The juvenile was being held Monday at a juvenile center are charges not related to the shooting, police said.

Gillis and Paulson then left Williams body front of Williams’ home, KOLR reported.

Paulson and Gillis later turned themselves in to their sergeant at the base.

Online court records do not name attorneys for either suspect.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638890280265.png" alt="Gillis photo Lebanon Police" />
 <figcaption>Gillis photo Lebanon Police</figcaption>
 </figure>LEBANON, Mo. (AP) — One soldier was shot and killed and two others were charged with second-degree murder after they allegedly robbed two homes shortly after one of the suspects was married, Missouri authorities said.Ethan Williams, 23, died of a gunshot wound in Lebanon Friday night, Lebanon police said.Blake R. Paulson and Zackary Gillis were charged with second-degree murder, burglary and stealing and were being held Monday on no bond in the LaClede County jail. The three men were stationed at Fort Leonard Wood.A probable cause statement said shortly after Paulson was marred Friday, the three men decided to rob two homes, KOLR-TV&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ozarksfirst.com/local-news/local-news-local-news/fort-leonard-wood-soldier-part-of-murder-investigation-hours-after-wedding/" target="_blank">reported</a>.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638890216818.png" alt="Paulson-photo Lebanon Police" />
 <figcaption>Paulson-photo Lebanon Police</figcaption>
 </figure>The men, who were armed, allegedly broke into a trailer where no one was home and reportedly took a gaming console. They went to a second home, where they took marijuana and money, according to the statement.A 16-year-old boy at the home shot at the suspects and Williams was hit. The juvenile was being held Monday at a juvenile center are charges not related to the shooting, police said.Gillis and Paulson then left Williams body front of Williams’ home, KOLR reported.Paulson and Gillis later turned themselves in to their sergeant at the base.Online court records do not name attorneys for either suspect.

Mo. soldier part of murder investigation hours after wedding

LAWRENCE —On Tuesday, a federal judge in Georgia issued an injunction halting implementation of the federal COVID-19 vaccine mandate for federal government contractors and subcontractors.

As a result, the University of Kansas will pause its employee vaccine mandate process, effective immediately, <a href="https://chancellor.ku.edu/news/2021/dec7">according to a statement</a> from&nbsp;Chancellor Doug Girod. "The Employees do not need to take any further action related to this mandate at this time."

The Chancellor note said, "We want to thank all of you who helped KU work toward fulfilling the mandate up to this point. As of today, approximately 83 percent of Lawrence and Edwards campus employees have uploaded documentation confirming they are fully vaccinated. We believe the actual vaccination rate among our employees to be even higher than that."

"In the meantime, please continue to take steps to protect your health and the health of those around you. If you have not yet been fully vaccinated, we encourage you to do so. If you are eligible for a booster, we encourage you to seek out that opportunity. Vaccines are available at no charge at pharmacies and health clinics across the region. Employees may also explore options near them at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.vaccines.gov/" target="_blank">vaccines.gov</a>.

Thank you for everything you are doing to help KU fulfill its mission while prioritizing health and safety."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1583199779683.png" alt="Chancellor Doug Girod-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Chancellor Doug Girod-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE —On Tuesday, a federal judge in Georgia issued an injunction halting implementation of the federal COVID-19 vaccine mandate for federal government contractors and subcontractors.As a result, the University of Kansas will pause its employee vaccine mandate process, effective immediately, <a href="https://chancellor.ku.edu/news/2021/dec7">according to a statement</a> from&nbsp;Chancellor Doug Girod. "The Employees do not need to take any further action related to this mandate at this time."The Chancellor note said, "We want to thank all of you who helped KU work toward fulfilling the mandate up to this point. As of today, approximately 83 percent of Lawrence and Edwards campus employees have uploaded documentation confirming they are fully vaccinated. We believe the actual vaccination rate among our employees to be even higher than that.""In the meantime, please continue to take steps to protect your health and the health of those around you. If you have not yet been fully vaccinated, we encourage you to do so. If you are eligible for a booster, we encourage you to seek out that opportunity. Vaccines are available at no charge at pharmacies and health clinics across the region. Employees may also explore options near them at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.vaccines.gov/" target="_blank">vaccines.gov</a>.Thank you for everything you are doing to help KU fulfill its mission while prioritizing health and safety."

KU will pause vaccine mandate following federal injunction 

WASHINGTON (AP) – Face to face for two hours, President Joe Biden and Russia’s Vladimir Putin squared off in a secure video call Tuesday as the U.S. president tried to put Moscow on notice that a Russian invasion of Ukraine would bring enormous harm to the Russian economy.

The highly anticipated call between the two leaders came amid growing worries by the U.S. and western allies of a Russian invasion of neighboring Ukraine. Putin came into the meeting seeking guarantees from Biden that the NATO military alliance will never expand to include Ukraine, which has long sought membership. The Americans and their NATO allies said in advance that Putin’s request was a non-starter.

As the U.S. and Russian presidents conferred, Ukrainian officials grew only more anxious about the tens of thousands of Russia troops that have been deployed near their border.

Just hours before the start of the Biden-Putin video call, Ukrainian officials charged Russia had further escalated the smoldering crisis by sending tanks and snipers to war-torn eastern Ukraine to “provoke return fire” and lay a pretext for the potential invasion.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov refused to comment on the allegations, redirecting questions to Russia’s Defense Ministry, which hasn’t made any immediate comment.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is ready to warn Vladimir Putin during a video call Tuesday that Russia will face economy-jarring sanctions if it invades neighboring Ukraine as the U.S. president seeks a diplomatic solution to deal with the tens of thousands of Russian troops massed near the Ukraine border.

Biden aims to make clear that his administration stands ready to take actions against the Kremlin that would exact “a very real cost” on the Russian economy, according to White House officials. Putin, for his part, is expected to demand guarantees from Biden that the NATO military alliance will never expand to include Ukraine, which has long sought membership. That’s a non-starter for the Americans and their NATO allies.

“We’ve consulted significantly with our allies and believe we have a path forward that would impose significant and severe harm on the Russian economy,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Monday in previewing the meeting. “You can call that a threat. You can call that a fact. You can call that preparation. You can call it whatever you want to call it.”

The leader-to-leader conversation — Biden speaking from the Situation Room, Putin from Moscow — is expected to be one of the toughest of Biden’s presidency and comes at a perilous time. U.S. intelligence officials have determined that Russia has massed 70,000 troops near the Ukraine border and has made preparations for a possible invasion early next year.

The U.S. has not determined whether Putin has made a final decision to invade. Still, Biden intends to make clear to the Russian leader that there will be a “very real cost” should Russia proceed with military action, according to a senior administration official who briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity.

Biden was vice president in 2014 when Russian troops marched into the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea and annexed the territory from Ukraine. Aides say the Crimea episode — one of the darker moments for former President Barack Obama on the international stage — looms large as Biden looks at the current smoldering crisis.

The eastward expansion of NATO has from the start been a bone of contention not just with Moscow but also in Washington. In 1996, when President Bill Clinton’s national security team debated the timing of membership invitations to former Soviet allies Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic, Defense Secretary William Perry urged delay in order to keep Russian relations on track. Perry wrote in his memoir that when he lost the internal debate he considered resigning.

Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic were formally invited in 1997 and joined in 1999. They were followed in 2004 by Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and the former Soviet states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Since then, Albania, Croatia, Montenegro and North Macedonia have joined, bringing NATO’s total to 30 nations.

A key principle of the NATO alliance is that membership is open to any qualifying country. And no outsider has membership veto power. While there’s little prospect that Ukraine would be invited into the alliance anytime soon, the U.S. and its allies won’t rule it out.

In Washington, Republicans are framing this moment as a key test of Biden’s leadership on the global stage.

Biden vowed as a candidate to reassert American leadership after President Donald Trump’s emphasis on an “America first” foreign policy. But Biden has faced fierce criticism from Republicans who say he’s been ineffective in slowing Iran’s march toward becoming a nuclear power and that the Biden administration has done too little to counter autocratic leaders like China’s Xi Jinping, Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Putin.

“Fellow authoritarians in Beijing and Tehran will be watching how the free world responds,” said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. “And President Biden has an opportunity to set the tone when he speaks with Putin.”

Trump, who showed unusual deference to Putin during his presidency, said in a Newsmax interview on Monday that the Biden-Putin conversation would not be a “fair match,” describing it as tantamount to the six-time Super Bowl champion New England Patriots facing a high school football team.

Ahead of the Putin call, Biden on Monday spoke with leaders of the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Italy to coordinate messaging and potential sanctions.

The White House said in a statement that the leaders called on Russia to “de-escalate tensions” and agreed that diplomacy “is the only way forward to resolve the conflict.”

Ahead of the Biden-Putin faceoff, Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Zelenskyy wrote on Twitter that he and Blinken “agreed to continue joint &amp; concerted action” and expressed his gratitude for the U.S. and allies providing “continued support of our sovereignty &amp; territorial integrity.” Biden himself is expected to speak with Zelenskyy later this week.

State Department spokesman Ned Price said that Blinken “reiterated the United States’ unwavering support for Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity in the face of Russian aggression.”

The Kremlin has made clear that Putin planned to seek binding guarantees from Biden precluding NATO’s expansion to Ukraine. Biden and aides have indicated no such guarantee is likely, with the president himself saying he “won’t accept anyone’s red line.”

Psaki stressed “NATO member countries decide who is a member of NATO, not Russia. And that is how the process has always been and how it will proceed.”

Still, Putin sees this as a moment to readjust the power dynamic of the U.S.-Russia relationship.

“It is about fundamental principles established 30 years ago for the relations between Russia and the West,” said Fyodor Lukyanov, a leading Moscow-based foreign policy expert. “Russia demands to revise these principles, the West says there’s no grounds for that. So, it’s impossible to come to an agreement just like that.”

Beyond Ukraine, there are plenty of other thorny issues on the table as well, including cyberattacks and human rights. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said U.S.-Russian relations are overall in “a rather dire state.”

Both the White House and the Kremlin sought in advance to lower expectations for the call. Both sides said they didn’t expect any breakthroughs on Ukraine or the other issues up for discussion, but that just the conversation itself will be progress.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638896999497.png" alt="The highly anticipated call between the two leaders came amid growing worries by the U.S. and western allies of a Russian invasion of neighboring Ukraine.-photo courtesy CSPAN&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>The highly anticipated call between the two leaders came amid growing worries by the U.S. and western allies of a Russian invasion of neighboring Ukraine.-photo courtesy CSPAN&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) – Face to face for two hours, President Joe Biden and Russia’s Vladimir Putin squared off in a secure video call Tuesday as the U.S. president tried to put Moscow on notice that a Russian invasion of Ukraine would bring enormous harm to the Russian economy.The highly anticipated call between the two leaders came amid growing worries by the U.S. and western allies of a Russian invasion of neighboring Ukraine. Putin came into the meeting seeking guarantees from Biden that the NATO military alliance will never expand to include Ukraine, which has long sought membership. The Americans and their NATO allies said in advance that Putin’s request was a non-starter.As the U.S. and Russian presidents conferred, Ukrainian officials grew only more anxious about the tens of thousands of Russia troops that have been deployed near their border.Just hours before the start of the Biden-Putin video call, Ukrainian officials charged Russia had further escalated the smoldering crisis by sending tanks and snipers to war-torn eastern Ukraine to “provoke return fire” and lay a pretext for the potential invasion. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov refused to comment on the allegations, redirecting questions to Russia’s Defense Ministry, which hasn’t made any immediate comment.----------<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623857775069.png" alt="President Biden and Putin met face-to-face in June-photo White House" />
 <figcaption>President Biden and Putin met face-to-face in June-photo White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is ready to warn Vladimir Putin during a video call Tuesday that Russia will face economy-jarring sanctions if it invades neighboring Ukraine as the U.S. president seeks a diplomatic solution to deal with the tens of thousands of Russian troops massed near the Ukraine border.Biden aims to make clear that his administration stands ready to take actions against the Kremlin that would exact “a very real cost” on the Russian economy, according to White House officials. Putin, for his part, is expected to demand guarantees from Biden that the NATO military alliance will never expand to include Ukraine, which has long sought membership. That’s a non-starter for the Americans and their NATO allies.“We’ve consulted significantly with our allies and believe we have a path forward that would impose significant and severe harm on the Russian economy,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Monday in previewing the meeting. “You can call that a threat. You can call that a fact. You can call that preparation. You can call it whatever you want to call it.”The leader-to-leader conversation — Biden speaking from the Situation Room, Putin from Moscow — is expected to be one of the toughest of Biden’s presidency and comes at a perilous time. U.S. intelligence officials have determined that Russia has massed 70,000 troops near the Ukraine border and has made preparations for a possible invasion early next year.The U.S. has not determined whether Putin has made a final decision to invade. Still, Biden intends to make clear to the Russian leader that there will be a “very real cost” should Russia proceed with military action, according to a senior administration official who briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity.Biden was vice president in 2014 when Russian troops marched into the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea and annexed the territory from Ukraine. Aides say the Crimea episode — one of the darker moments for former President Barack Obama on the international stage — looms large as Biden looks at the current smoldering crisis.The eastward expansion of NATO has from the start been a bone of contention not just with Moscow but also in Washington. In 1996, when President Bill Clinton’s national security team debated the timing of membership invitations to former Soviet allies Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic, Defense Secretary William Perry urged delay in order to keep Russian relations on track. Perry wrote in his memoir that when he lost the internal debate he considered resigning.Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic were formally invited in 1997 and joined in 1999. They were followed in 2004 by Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and the former Soviet states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Since then, Albania, Croatia, Montenegro and North Macedonia have joined, bringing NATO’s total to 30 nations.A key principle of the NATO alliance is that membership is open to any qualifying country. And no outsider has membership veto power. While there’s little prospect that Ukraine would be invited into the alliance anytime soon, the U.S. and its allies won’t rule it out.In Washington, Republicans are framing this moment as a key test of Biden’s leadership on the global stage.Biden vowed as a candidate to reassert American leadership after President Donald Trump’s emphasis on an “America first” foreign policy. But Biden has faced fierce criticism from Republicans who say he’s been ineffective in slowing Iran’s march toward becoming a nuclear power and that the Biden administration has done too little to counter autocratic leaders like China’s Xi Jinping, Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Putin.“Fellow authoritarians in Beijing and Tehran will be watching how the free world responds,” said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. “And President Biden has an opportunity to set the tone when he speaks with Putin.”Trump, who showed unusual deference to Putin during his presidency, said in a Newsmax interview on Monday that the Biden-Putin conversation would not be a “fair match,” describing it as tantamount to the six-time Super Bowl champion New England Patriots facing a high school football team.Ahead of the Putin call, Biden on Monday spoke with leaders of the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Italy to coordinate messaging and potential sanctions.The White House said in a statement that the leaders called on Russia to “de-escalate tensions” and agreed that diplomacy “is the only way forward to resolve the conflict.”Ahead of the Biden-Putin faceoff, Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.Zelenskyy wrote on Twitter that he and Blinken “agreed to continue joint &amp; concerted action” and expressed his gratitude for the U.S. and allies providing “continued support of our sovereignty &amp; territorial integrity.” Biden himself is expected to speak with Zelenskyy later this week.State Department spokesman Ned Price said that Blinken “reiterated the United States’ unwavering support for Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity in the face of Russian aggression.”The Kremlin has made clear that Putin planned to seek binding guarantees from Biden precluding NATO’s expansion to Ukraine. Biden and aides have indicated no such guarantee is likely, with the president himself saying he “won’t accept anyone’s red line.”Psaki stressed “NATO member countries decide who is a member of NATO, not Russia. And that is how the process has always been and how it will proceed.”Still, Putin sees this as a moment to readjust the power dynamic of the U.S.-Russia relationship.“It is about fundamental principles established 30 years ago for the relations between Russia and the West,” said Fyodor Lukyanov, a leading Moscow-based foreign policy expert. “Russia demands to revise these principles, the West says there’s no grounds for that. So, it’s impossible to come to an agreement just like that.”Beyond Ukraine, there are plenty of other thorny issues on the table as well, including cyberattacks and human rights. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said U.S.-Russian relations are overall in “a rather dire state.”Both the White House and the Kremlin sought in advance to lower expectations for the call. Both sides said they didn’t expect any breakthroughs on Ukraine or the other issues up for discussion, but that just the conversation itself will be progress.

President Biden-Putin square off in high stakes video call

NEW YORK (AP) —Amazon Web Services suffered a major outage Tuesday, the company said, limiting service at many key and popular sites.

The company provides cloud computing services to many governments, universities and companies, including The Associated Press.

<a href="https://status.aws.amazon.com/" target="_blank">Amazon said in a post</a>&nbsp;an hour after the outage began that it had identified the root cause and was “actively working towards recovery.” It did not disclose more about the cause.

The outage also affected Amazon’s ability to provide updates, it said.

The outage began midmorning on the U.S. East Coast, said Doug Madory, director of internet analysis at Kentik Inc, a network intelligence firm... “AWS is the biggest cloud provider and us-east-1 is their biggest data center, so any disruption there has big impacts to many popular websites and other internet services,” he said.

Madory said he did not believe the outage was anything nefarious. He said a recent cluster of outages at providers that host major websites reflects how the networking industry has evolved. “More and more these outages end up being the product of automation and centralization of administration,” he said. “This ends up leading to outages that are hard to completely avoid due to operational complexity, but are very impactful when they happen.”

Kentik was seeing a 26% drop in traffic to Netflix, among major web-based services affected by the outage, Madory said. According to Down Detector, a clearinghouse for user reports on outages, Delta and Southwest have been affected, but not American, United, Alaska or JetBlue.

People trying to use Instacart, Venmo, Kindle, Roku, and Disney+ have reported issues. The McDonald’s app is also down.

NEW YORK (AP) —Amazon Web Services suffered a major outage Tuesday, the company said, limiting service at many key and popular sites.The company provides cloud computing services to many governments, universities and companies, including The Associated Press.<a href="https://status.aws.amazon.com/" target="_blank">Amazon said in a post</a>&nbsp;an hour after the outage began that it had identified the root cause and was “actively working towards recovery.” It did not disclose more about the cause.The outage also affected Amazon’s ability to provide updates, it said.The outage began midmorning on the U.S. East Coast, said Doug Madory, director of internet analysis at Kentik Inc, a network intelligence firm... “AWS is the biggest cloud provider and us-east-1 is their biggest data center, so any disruption there has big impacts to many popular websites and other internet services,” he said.Madory said he did not believe the outage was anything nefarious. He said a recent cluster of outages at providers that host major websites reflects how the networking industry has evolved. “More and more these outages end up being the product of automation and centralization of administration,” he said. “This ends up leading to outages that are hard to completely avoid due to operational complexity, but are very impactful when they happen.”Kentik was seeing a 26% drop in traffic to Netflix, among major web-based services affected by the outage, Madory said. According to Down Detector, a clearinghouse for user reports on outages, Delta and Southwest have been affected, but not American, United, Alaska or JetBlue.People trying to use Instacart, Venmo, Kindle, Roku, and Disney+ have reported issues. The McDonald’s app is also down.

Major online outage hits Amazon Web Services; many sites affected

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Police have identified a person killed in a shooting at a party in Kansas City, Kansas, last week as a 16-year-old high school student. 

Police say Hugo Hernandez-Vasquez died at a hospital following the Friday night shooting in the city's Shawnee Heights neighborhood that also injured several others. 

Police say an 18-year-old woman at the party, Ximena Acevas-Vargas, later died of traumatic injuries that were not associated with the shooting, but did not give more details about how she died. Police continue to investigate both deaths, and no arrests have been reported.

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Police have identified a person killed in a shooting at a party in Kansas City, Kansas, last week as a 16-year-old high school student. Police say Hugo Hernandez-Vasquez died at a hospital following the Friday night shooting in the city's Shawnee Heights neighborhood that also injured several others. Police say an 18-year-old woman at the party, Ximena Acevas-Vargas, later died of traumatic injuries that were not associated with the shooting, but did not give more details about how she died. Police continue to investigate both deaths, and no arrests have been reported.

Police ID 16-year-old who died in Kansas City shooting

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden on Tuesday marked&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hawaii-bombings-world-war-ii-cdb9ed8ee50b4de739f6d10b35234c3d">the 80th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor</a>&nbsp;with a somber visit to the World War II Memorial in the nation’s capital.

The Dec. 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor and other locations in Hawaii killed 2,403 service members and civilians and was a defining moment that led to U.S. entry into World War II.

Joe Biden touched a wreath and saluted. The wreath contained a wild sunflower, the state flower of Kansas, in honor of former Sen. Bob Dole, a war veteran who was a driving force in getting the memorial built on the National Mall and who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bob-dole-sports-mens-college-basketball-college-basketball-kansas-9b5a99a4d2689bf51a534b581f897d21">died Sunday at age 98</a>.

The first lady laid a bouquet of flowers at the base of the memorial below the New Jersey pillar and softly touched a wall, where she and the president spent a moment. The bouquet was in honor of her father, Donald Jacobs, who served as a U.S. Navy signalman in the war, the White House said.

The Bidens then paused at the Pacific arch on the southern side of the memorial plaza for one last moment of reflection before departing.

Joe Biden, in a White House proclamation issued last week to recognize National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, gave “thanks to the Greatest Generation, who guided our Nation through some of our darkest moments and laid the foundations of an international system that has transformed former adversaries into allies.”

Biden made the Tuesday morning visit just hours before he was to hold a highly anticipated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-sports-business-jen-psaki-vladimir-putin-3c17d207917eb90adeac03d5ccb31268">video conference call with Russian President Vladimir Putin</a>. Biden is expected to use the call to express concern about Russia’s troop buildup near its borders with neighboring Ukraine and to make clear to Putin that an invasion would lead to economy-jarring sanctions against Russia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638886019318.png" alt="According to the White House, the wreath included a sunflower, the state flower of Kansas, in honor of Senator Bob Dole-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>According to the White House, the wreath included a sunflower, the state flower of Kansas, in honor of Senator Bob Dole-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden on Tuesday marked&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hawaii-bombings-world-war-ii-cdb9ed8ee50b4de739f6d10b35234c3d">the 80th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor</a>&nbsp;with a somber visit to the World War II Memorial in the nation’s capital.The Dec. 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor and other locations in Hawaii killed 2,403 service members and civilians and was a defining moment that led to U.S. entry into World War II.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638892102158.png" alt="Photo courtesy Elizabeth Dole Foundation" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Elizabeth Dole Foundation</figcaption>
 </figure>Joe Biden touched a wreath and saluted. The wreath contained a wild sunflower, the state flower of Kansas, in honor of former Sen. Bob Dole, a war veteran who was a driving force in getting the memorial built on the National Mall and who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bob-dole-sports-mens-college-basketball-college-basketball-kansas-9b5a99a4d2689bf51a534b581f897d21">died Sunday at age 98</a>.The first lady laid a bouquet of flowers at the base of the memorial below the New Jersey pillar and softly touched a wall, where she and the president spent a moment. The bouquet was in honor of her father, Donald Jacobs, who served as a U.S. Navy signalman in the war, the White House said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638885934257.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Bidens then paused at the Pacific arch on the southern side of the memorial plaza for one last moment of reflection before departing.Joe Biden, in a White House proclamation issued last week to recognize National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, gave “thanks to the Greatest Generation, who guided our Nation through some of our darkest moments and laid the foundations of an international system that has transformed former adversaries into allies.”Biden made the Tuesday morning visit just hours before he was to hold a highly anticipated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-sports-business-jen-psaki-vladimir-putin-3c17d207917eb90adeac03d5ccb31268">video conference call with Russian President Vladimir Putin</a>. Biden is expected to use the call to express concern about Russia’s troop buildup near its borders with neighboring Ukraine and to make clear to Putin that an invasion would lead to economy-jarring sanctions against Russia.

Sunflower in wreath honors Dole as Biden visits WWII Memorial

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today encouraged taxpayers 
to take important actions this month to help them file their federal tax
 returns in 2022, including special steps related to Economic Impact 
Payments and advance Child Tax Credit payments.

This is the second in a series of reminders to help taxpayers get ready for the upcoming tax filing season. A <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/steps-to-take-now-to-get-a-jump-on-next-years-taxes">special page</a>, updated and available on IRS.gov, outlines steps taxpayers can take now to make tax filing easier in 2022.

Here are some key items for taxpayers to consider before they file next year.

Check on advance Child Tax Credit payments

Families who received advance payments will need to compare the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-payments-in-2021">advance Child Tax Credit payments</a> that they received in 2021 with the amount of the Child Tax Credit that they can properly claim on their 2021 tax return.

Taxpayers who received less than the amount for which they're 
eligible will claim a credit for the remaining amount of Child Tax 
Credit on their 2021 tax return. Taxpayers who received more than the 
amount for which they're eligible may need to repay some or all of the 
excess payment when they file.

In January 2022, the IRS will send Letter 6419 with the total amount 
of advance Child Tax Credit payments taxpayers received in 2021. People 
should keep this and any other IRS letters about advance Child Tax 
Credit payments with their tax records.

See <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/2021-child-tax-credit-and-advance-child-tax-credit-payments-topic-h-reconciling-your-advance-child-tax-credit-payments-on-your-2021-tax-return">Reconciling Your Advance Child Tax Credit Payments on Your 2021 Tax Return</a> for more information.

Eligible families who did not get monthly advance payments in 2021 
can still get a lump-sum payment by claiming the Child Tax Credit when 
they file a 2021 federal income tax return next year. This includes 
families who don't normally need to file a return.

Economic Impact Payments and claiming the Recovery Rebate Credit

Individuals who didn't qualify for the third <a href="https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/economic-impact-payment-information-center">Economic Impact Payment</a> or did not receive the full amount may be eligible for the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit">Recovery Rebate Credit&nbsp;</a>based
 on their 2021 tax information. They'll need to file a 2021 tax return, 
even if they don't usually file, to claim the credit.

Individuals will also need the amount of their third Economic Impact 
Payment and any Plus-Up Payments received to calculate their correct 
2021 Recovery Rebate Credit amount when they file their tax return. 
Ensuring they use the correct payment amounts will help them avoid a 
processing delay that may slow their refund.

In early 2022, the IRS will send Letter 6475 that contains the total amount of the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/third-economic-impact-payment">third Economic Impact Payment and any Plus-Up Payments</a>
 received. People should keep this and any other IRS letters about their
 stimulus payments with other tax records. Individuals can also log in 
to their <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/your-online-account">IRS.gov Online Account</a> to securely access their Economic Impact Payment amounts.

See <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit">IRS.gov/rrc</a>&nbsp;for more information.

Taxpayers who don't itemize deductions may qualify to take a 
charitable deduction of up to $600 for married taxpayers filing joint 
returns and up to $300 for all other filers for cash contributions made 
in 2021 to <a href="https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/tax-exempt-organization-search">qualifying organizations</a>. For more information, read <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-publication-526">Publication 526, Charitable Contributions</a>.

Get banked to get ready to direct deposit

<a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds/get-your-refund-faster-tell-irs-to-direct-deposit-your-refund-to-one-two-or-three-accounts">Direct deposit</a>&nbsp;gives taxpayers access to their refund faster than a paper check.&nbsp;Those without a bank account can learn how to open an account at an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fdic.gov/getbanked/">FDIC-insured bank</a>&nbsp;or through the National&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mycreditunion.gov/about-credit-unions/credit-union-locator">Credit Union Locator Tool</a>. Veterans should see the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benefits.va.gov/benefits/banking.asp">Veterans Benefits Banking Program</a>&nbsp;for access to financial services at participating banks.

Links to online tools, publications and other helpful resources are available at <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/steps-to-take-now-to-get-a-jump-on-next-years-taxes">IRS.gov/getready</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today encouraged taxpayers 
to take important actions this month to help them file their federal tax
 returns in 2022, including special steps related to Economic Impact 
Payments and advance Child Tax Credit payments.This is the second in a series of reminders to help taxpayers get ready for the upcoming tax filing season. A <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/steps-to-take-now-to-get-a-jump-on-next-years-taxes">special page</a>, updated and available on IRS.gov, outlines steps taxpayers can take now to make tax filing easier in 2022.Here are some key items for taxpayers to consider before they file next year.<h2>Check on advance Child Tax Credit payments</h2>Families who received advance payments will need to compare the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-payments-in-2021">advance Child Tax Credit payments</a> that they received in 2021 with the amount of the Child Tax Credit that they can properly claim on their 2021 tax return.Taxpayers who received less than the amount for which they're 
eligible will claim a credit for the remaining amount of Child Tax 
Credit on their 2021 tax return. Taxpayers who received more than the 
amount for which they're eligible may need to repay some or all of the 
excess payment when they file.In January 2022, the IRS will send Letter 6419 with the total amount 
of advance Child Tax Credit payments taxpayers received in 2021. People 
should keep this and any other IRS letters about advance Child Tax 
Credit payments with their tax records.See <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/2021-child-tax-credit-and-advance-child-tax-credit-payments-topic-h-reconciling-your-advance-child-tax-credit-payments-on-your-2021-tax-return">Reconciling Your Advance Child Tax Credit Payments on Your 2021 Tax Return</a> for more information.Eligible families who did not get monthly advance payments in 2021 
can still get a lump-sum payment by claiming the Child Tax Credit when 
they file a 2021 federal income tax return next year. This includes 
families who don't normally need to file a return.<h2>Economic Impact Payments and claiming the Recovery Rebate Credit</h2>Individuals who didn't qualify for the third <a href="https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/economic-impact-payment-information-center">Economic Impact Payment</a> or did not receive the full amount may be eligible for the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit">Recovery Rebate Credit&nbsp;</a>based
 on their 2021 tax information. They'll need to file a 2021 tax return, 
even if they don't usually file, to claim the credit.Individuals will also need the amount of their third Economic Impact 
Payment and any Plus-Up Payments received to calculate their correct 
2021 Recovery Rebate Credit amount when they file their tax return. 
Ensuring they use the correct payment amounts will help them avoid a 
processing delay that may slow their refund.In early 2022, the IRS will send Letter 6475 that contains the total amount of the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/third-economic-impact-payment">third Economic Impact Payment and any Plus-Up Payments</a>
 received. People should keep this and any other IRS letters about their
 stimulus payments with other tax records. Individuals can also log in 
to their <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/your-online-account">IRS.gov Online Account</a> to securely access their Economic Impact Payment amounts.See <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit">IRS.gov/rrc</a>&nbsp;for more information.<h2>Charitable deduction changes</h2>Taxpayers who don't itemize deductions may qualify to take a 
charitable deduction of up to $600 for married taxpayers filing joint 
returns and up to $300 for all other filers for cash contributions made 
in 2021 to <a href="https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/tax-exempt-organization-search">qualifying organizations</a>. For more information, read <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-publication-526">Publication 526, Charitable Contributions</a>.<h2>Get banked to get ready to direct deposit</h2><a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds/get-your-refund-faster-tell-irs-to-direct-deposit-your-refund-to-one-two-or-three-accounts">Direct deposit</a>&nbsp;gives taxpayers access to their refund faster than a paper check.&nbsp;Those without a bank account can learn how to open an account at an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fdic.gov/getbanked/">FDIC-insured bank</a>&nbsp;or through the National&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mycreditunion.gov/about-credit-unions/credit-union-locator">Credit Union Locator Tool</a>. Veterans should see the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benefits.va.gov/benefits/banking.asp">Veterans Benefits Banking Program</a>&nbsp;for access to financial services at participating banks.Links to online tools, publications and other helpful resources are available at <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/steps-to-take-now-to-get-a-jump-on-next-years-taxes">IRS.gov/getready</a>.

Get ready for taxes: What's new, what to consider when filing in 2022

NEMAHA COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man on child sex allegations.

On Dec. 3, police in Sabetha arrested 37-year-old&nbsp;Eric Puckett of Sabetha on requested charges of Aggravated Indecent Liberties With A Child, according to Nemaha County sheriff's booking report.

 Puckett remains in custody on a $100,000 bond, according to the county attorney's office. The crimes involving a child under the age of 14 allegedly occurred last month.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638827571192.png" alt="Puckett-photo Nemaha Co. Jail" />
 <figcaption>Puckett-photo Nemaha Co. Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>NEMAHA COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man on child sex allegations.On Dec. 3, police in Sabetha arrested 37-year-old&nbsp;Eric Puckett of Sabetha on requested charges of Aggravated Indecent Liberties With A Child, according to Nemaha County sheriff's booking report. Puckett remains in custody on a $100,000 bond, according to the county attorney's office. The crimes involving a child under the age of 14 allegedly occurred last month.

Kansas man jailed for alleged child sex crimes

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — South African scientists are warning that reinfections among people who’ve already battled COVID-19 appear to be more likely with the new omicron variant than with earlier coronavirus mutants.

A research group has been tracking reinfections in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-travel-lifestyle-africa-effeeeab68b3cfe2b232f81d128bf9d4">South Africa</a>&nbsp;and reported a jump with the arrival of omicron that they hadn’t seen when two previous variants, including the extra-contagious delta variant, moved through the country.

The findings are preliminary and haven’t yet undergone scientific review. Nor did the researchers say what portion of the reinfections were confirmed as omicron cases — or whether they caused serious illness.

But the timing of the reinfection spike suggests that omicron “demonstrates substantial population-level evidence for evasion of immunity from prior infection,” they wrote.

“Previous infection used to protect against delta, and now with omicro,n it doesn’t seem to be the case,” one of the researchers, Anne von Gottberg of the University of Witwatersrand, said at a World Health Organization briefing on Thursday.

The study also did not examine the protection offered by vaccination. Coronavirus vaccines trigger different layers of immune response, some to fend off infection and others to prevent severe disease if someone does become infected.

“We believe that vaccines will still, however, protect against severe disease,” von Gottberg said.

Dr. Michael Ryan, the head of emergencies at WHO, said reinfection turns up in the nose but it doesn’t necessarily translate into severe disease, while&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-philippines-manila-world-health-organization-77142314f66839f0aa15d47c8d0850a8">vaccines have generally</a>&nbsp;shown to help protect the rest of the body.

“The data we’re really looking to see is going to be around severity of infection and whether or not the vaccines continue to protect against severe disease, hospitalization and death,” Ryan said. “And right now, there’s no reason to suppose that they won’t. We just haven’t got the details yet.”

The newest variant was discovered just over a week ago by scientists in South Africa and Botswana, and it’s now been found in multiple countries. Much remains&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-health-pandemics-ec296f982f7342c29fa89f96e09db93a">unknown about the new variant</a>, including whether it is more contagious, as some health authorities suspect, whether it makes people more seriously ill, and whether it can thwart the vaccine.

But learning how much protection is provided by prior infection is important, especially in parts of the world where much of the population remains to be vaccinated.

The study suggests “omicron will be able to overcome natural and probably vaccine-induced immunity to a significant degree,” Paul Hunter, a professor of medicine at the University of East Anglia, said in a written response to the findings. Just how much “is still unclear though it is doubtful that this will represent complete escape.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1638148803210.png" alt="3D structure of spike with amino acid changes in Omicron -photo courtesy GISAID" />
 <figcaption>3D structure of spike with amino acid changes in Omicron -photo courtesy GISAID</figcaption>
 </figure>THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — South African scientists are warning that reinfections among people who’ve already battled COVID-19 appear to be more likely with the new omicron variant than with earlier coronavirus mutants.A research group has been tracking reinfections in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-travel-lifestyle-africa-effeeeab68b3cfe2b232f81d128bf9d4">South Africa</a>&nbsp;and reported a jump with the arrival of omicron that they hadn’t seen when two previous variants, including the extra-contagious delta variant, moved through the country.The findings are preliminary and haven’t yet undergone scientific review. Nor did the researchers say what portion of the reinfections were confirmed as omicron cases — or whether they caused serious illness.But the timing of the reinfection spike suggests that omicron “demonstrates substantial population-level evidence for evasion of immunity from prior infection,” they wrote.“Previous infection used to protect against delta, and now with omicro,n it doesn’t seem to be the case,” one of the researchers, Anne von Gottberg of the University of Witwatersrand, said at a World Health Organization briefing on Thursday.The study also did not examine the protection offered by vaccination. Coronavirus vaccines trigger different layers of immune response, some to fend off infection and others to prevent severe disease if someone does become infected.“We believe that vaccines will still, however, protect against severe disease,” von Gottberg said.Dr. Michael Ryan, the head of emergencies at WHO, said reinfection turns up in the nose but it doesn’t necessarily translate into severe disease, while&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-philippines-manila-world-health-organization-77142314f66839f0aa15d47c8d0850a8">vaccines have generally</a>&nbsp;shown to help protect the rest of the body.“The data we’re really looking to see is going to be around severity of infection and whether or not the vaccines continue to protect against severe disease, hospitalization and death,” Ryan said. “And right now, there’s no reason to suppose that they won’t. We just haven’t got the details yet.”The newest variant was discovered just over a week ago by scientists in South Africa and Botswana, and it’s now been found in multiple countries. Much remains&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-health-pandemics-ec296f982f7342c29fa89f96e09db93a">unknown about the new variant</a>, including whether it is more contagious, as some health authorities suspect, whether it makes people more seriously ill, and whether it can thwart the vaccine.But learning how much protection is provided by prior infection is important, especially in parts of the world where much of the population remains to be vaccinated.The study suggests “omicron will be able to overcome natural and probably vaccine-induced immunity to a significant degree,” Paul Hunter, a professor of medicine at the University of East Anglia, said in a written response to the findings. Just how much “is still unclear though it is doubtful that this will represent complete escape.”

Study: Past COVID infection may not fend off omicron

WASHINGTON&nbsp;– U.S. Senator Jerry Moran on Monday spoke on the U.S. Senate Floor to pay tribute to the life and legacy of Senator Bob Dole.

“I am honored to hold Sen. Dole’s seat representing Kansas in the U.S. Senate, and every time I open my desk and see his name carved into this drawer, I am reminded of the boy from Russell, Kansas, who dedicated his life to our country,”&nbsp;said Sen. Moran.&nbsp;“Sen. Dole was the embodiment of the American spirit and the greatest of our Greatest Generation. To the people of Russell and to the people across Kansas, thank you for the manner in which you have treated and respected a man worthy of our respect.”

The body of the late Senator will lie in state in the U.S. Capitol on Thursday as congressional leaders honor the former Republican presidential candidate and World War II veteran. He served in Congress for 36 years. Dole died Sunday at the age of 98.&nbsp;

WASHINGTON&nbsp;– U.S. Senator Jerry Moran on Monday spoke on the U.S. Senate Floor to pay tribute to the life and legacy of Senator Bob Dole.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/D5I2Hzo4Wno?start=2" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>“I am honored to hold Sen. Dole’s seat representing Kansas in the U.S. Senate, and every time I open my desk and see his name carved into this drawer, I am reminded of the boy from Russell, Kansas, who dedicated his life to our country,”&nbsp;said Sen. Moran.&nbsp;“Sen. Dole was the embodiment of the American spirit and the greatest of our Greatest Generation. To the people of Russell and to the people across Kansas, thank you for the manner in which you have treated and respected a man worthy of our respect.”The body of the late Senator will lie in state in the U.S. Capitol on Thursday as congressional leaders honor the former Republican presidential candidate and World War II veteran. He served in Congress for 36 years. Dole died Sunday at the age of 98.&nbsp;

🎥 Moran pays tribute to Bob Dole on the U.S. Senate floor

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri woman shot and killed her husband at his snake breeding business because she was the beneficiary of his $1 million life insurance policy, which would have helped her financially struggling spa business, a prosecutor said Monday.

Lynlee Renick is on trial for first-degree murder&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jefferson-city-crime-shootings-snakes-arrests-7f6562e7f4602f5e0d17228051ee7383">in the June 8, 2017 death</a>&nbsp;of her husband, Ben Renick. Prosecutors and the defense gave their opening statements on Monday.

She initially told police that her husband was crushed to death by one of his snakes at his breeding and sales business in New Florence, according to authorities.

After shell casings were found at the scene, investigators believed an intruder killed Ben Renick. His wife was not charged until January 2020 after an ex-boyfriend reported to authorities that she had killed her husband.

Defense attorney Tim Hesemann argued Monday that another of Lynlee's Renick's ex-boyfriends, Michael Humphrey, was responsible for Ben Renick's death. He acknowledged Lynlee Renick was with Humphrey on the night of the killing but said she was not present when her husband was shot, KMIZ-TV&nbsp;<a href="https://abc17news.com/news/crime/2021/12/06/defense-pins-blame-on-ex-in-murder-of-montgomery-county-snake-breeder/">reported</a>.

Hesemann said on June 8, 2017, Lynlee Renick and Humphrey went to the snake farm to talk to Ben Renick about divorcing his wife. He said Lynlee Renick heard several shots as she was taking out the trash, KOMU&nbsp;<a href="https://www.komu.com/news/midmissourinews/trial-for-lynlee-renick-accused-of-killing-reptile-breeder-husband-begins/article_ca4485b8-56a0-11ec-b529-ab8c4846ec56.html">reported</a>.

Humphrey was convicted of first-degree murder in October. In a deal with prosecutors, the sentence will be reduced after he testifies against Lynlee Renick. He also led investigators to the weapon used in the killing.

Prosecutor Kelly King said in her opening statement that Lynlee Renick and Ashley Shaw, an employee at her spa, enlisted Humphrey to help with the killing.

King said Lynlee Renick didn’t want to divorce her husband because she thought he would take the couple's children and because she was the sole beneficiary of his $1 million life insurance policy.

At the time he was killed, Ben Renick was in the process of selling his snake breeding business for an estimated $1.2 million.

Shaw testified Monday that she was aware of problems in the Renicks' marriage and that the spa was in financial trouble. She said Lynlee Renick said divorce was not an option and asked her to help murder her husband.

Shaw said she provided Percocet that Lynlee Renick put in a milkshake and gave to her husband in a first attempt to kill him. After that failed, the two women enlisted Humphrey to help with the killing, she said.

Shaw reached a deal with prosecutors and was not charged in the murder.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638875633200.png" alt="Lynlee Renick-photo Montgomery Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Lynlee Renick-photo Montgomery Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri woman shot and killed her husband at his snake breeding business because she was the beneficiary of his $1 million life insurance policy, which would have helped her financially struggling spa business, a prosecutor said Monday.Lynlee Renick is on trial for first-degree murder&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jefferson-city-crime-shootings-snakes-arrests-7f6562e7f4602f5e0d17228051ee7383">in the June 8, 2017 death</a>&nbsp;of her husband, Ben Renick. Prosecutors and the defense gave their opening statements on Monday.She initially told police that her husband was crushed to death by one of his snakes at his breeding and sales business in New Florence, according to authorities.After shell casings were found at the scene, investigators believed an intruder killed Ben Renick. His wife was not charged until January 2020 after an ex-boyfriend reported to authorities that she had killed her husband.Defense attorney Tim Hesemann argued Monday that another of Lynlee's Renick's ex-boyfriends, Michael Humphrey, was responsible for Ben Renick's death. He acknowledged Lynlee Renick was with Humphrey on the night of the killing but said she was not present when her husband was shot, KMIZ-TV&nbsp;<a href="https://abc17news.com/news/crime/2021/12/06/defense-pins-blame-on-ex-in-murder-of-montgomery-county-snake-breeder/">reported</a>.Hesemann said on June 8, 2017, Lynlee Renick and Humphrey went to the snake farm to talk to Ben Renick about divorcing his wife. He said Lynlee Renick heard several shots as she was taking out the trash, KOMU&nbsp;<a href="https://www.komu.com/news/midmissourinews/trial-for-lynlee-renick-accused-of-killing-reptile-breeder-husband-begins/article_ca4485b8-56a0-11ec-b529-ab8c4846ec56.html">reported</a>.Humphrey was convicted of first-degree murder in October. In a deal with prosecutors, the sentence will be reduced after he testifies against Lynlee Renick. He also led investigators to the weapon used in the killing.Prosecutor Kelly King said in her opening statement that Lynlee Renick and Ashley Shaw, an employee at her spa, enlisted Humphrey to help with the killing.King said Lynlee Renick didn’t want to divorce her husband because she thought he would take the couple's children and because she was the sole beneficiary of his $1 million life insurance policy.At the time he was killed, Ben Renick was in the process of selling his snake breeding business for an estimated $1.2 million.Shaw testified Monday that she was aware of problems in the Renicks' marriage and that the spa was in financial trouble. She said Lynlee Renick said divorce was not an option and asked her to help murder her husband.Shaw said she provided Percocet that Lynlee Renick put in a milkshake and gave to her husband in a first attempt to kill him. After that failed, the two women enlisted Humphrey to help with the killing, she said.Shaw reached a deal with prosecutors and was not charged in the murder.