KANSAS CITY (AP) — A police officer shot and killed a 25-year-old man after he pointed a weapon at officers during a confrontation, authorities said.

The shooting occurred Thursday night in Belton, about 22 miles south of Kansas City. The man was identified Friday as William Blakely, of Belton.

Belton police said in a release that officers responding to a call of a disturbance found a man armed with a handgun. When the man refused to drop the weapon, officers used a stun gun on him, police said.

Blakely continued to hold the gun and raised it toward officers, prompting one officer to fire, police said. He later died at a hospital.

No officers were injured. The Missouri State Highway Patrol will investigate the shooting.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A police officer shot and killed a 25-year-old man after he pointed a weapon at officers during a confrontation, authorities said.The shooting occurred Thursday night in Belton, about 22 miles south of Kansas City. The man was identified Friday as William Blakely, of Belton.Belton police said in a release that officers responding to a call of a disturbance found a man armed with a handgun. When the man refused to drop the weapon, officers used a stun gun on him, police said.Blakely continued to hold the gun and raised it toward officers, prompting one officer to fire, police said. He later died at a hospital.No officers were injured. The Missouri State Highway Patrol will investigate the shooting.

Police ID suspect shot, killed by suburban KC officer

By SHERMAN SMITH <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/12/14/kansas-share-of-federal-broadband-cash-in-jeopardy-because-of-grossly-inadequate-map/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Kansas officials worry the state will lose part of its share
 of a $42.5 billion federal investment in broadband expansion because 
the Federal Communications Commission commissioned a “grossly 
inadequate” map of existing services.

The map, released in late November, shows broadband is available 
everywhere in Kansas.&nbsp;The state faces a Jan. 13 deadline to challenge 
the map by encouraging residents to self-report discrepancies with it.

The federal broadband investment is part of the massive 
infrastructure package Congress passed last year. Grant money will be 
allocated to states based on the need for broadband services.

Staff members from the state broadband office explained the challenge
 during a forum Monday at the Kansas Health Institute about broadband 
access and telehealth.

Kimberlyn Jones, digital equity program manager for the state, said 
the FCC map is “somewhat grossly inadequate, and based on the 
information on that mapping, that determines how much the state can 
get.”

Brandon Hutton, the state’s broadband program manager, said hundreds of millions of dollars could be at stake.

Hutton said the FCC map was based on information reported by internet
 service providers who “weren’t completely truthful in that, because 
they wanted to stake out their territory.”

Jones and Hutton presented an example from the FCC map that showed 
broadband service was available at a rural barn behind a house. They 
were certain the barn didn’t have internet service because it is owned 
by an employee at the Kansas Department of Commerce.

Speaking to a room full of health care professionals, they emphasized
 the need for residents to compare their actual service speed and 
provider options against the data presented at <a target="_blank" href="https://broadbandmap.fcc.gov/home">broadbandmap.fcc.gov</a>.

“If you have a rural home and you know that you’re not getting 
internet out there, and you check the map and it says you’re receiving 
Cox Communications, and you know that that’s wrong, you need to 
challenge that,” Hutton said. “That is an example of what an ISP does to
 stake their territory. The more territory they have, the less grant 
money for another competitor to come in.”

After Kansas Reflector asked the governor’s office and Cox for 
comment, Hutton sent an email asking to retract his comments about Cox.

Mandy Wilbert, a spokeswoman for Cox, said the company provided accurate information to the FCC.

“Ensuring that all Kansans have access to services is important to us
 and all providers, and these maps are key in making sure that happens,”
 Wilbert said.

Jade Piros de Carvalho, the state’s broadband director, said Hutton 
was mistaken about ISPs reporting inaccurate information. Jones and 
Hutton delivered the presentation in her place because she was sick.

She blamed the federal vendor, CostQuest, for producing the 
inaccurate maps. The FCC paid the company $50 million, de Carvalho said,
 but the mapping data wasn’t open sourced. As a result, she said, the 
U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and 
Information Administration, which administers the grants, had to pay an 
additional $40 million to access the data.

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly, whose office didn’t respond to inquiries for
 this story, signed a letter with 14 other governors to ask for a 60-day
 extension to challenge the map. However, several other governors who 
signed the letter decided to back out, and the letter was never sent, de
 Carvalho said.

Federal authorities don’t want to hold up the launch of projects that would expand broadband access, de Carvalho said.

“There are competing priorities,” de Carvalho said. “We want to get 
this money out the door as quickly as possible and put it to work for 
people who do not have broadband.”

In November,&nbsp;Republican U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall encouraged Kansans 
to challenge the location-specific information in the map and provide 
corrections.

“Unfortunately, we still have too many Kansans without adequate 
broadband access,” Marshall said. “Much of that can be attributed to the
 outdated and inaccurate broadband maps, which prevent our broadband 
providers from receiving funding for homes and businesses they know are 
not being sufficiently served. I encourage Kansans in all corners of the
 state to check the map and follow the steps to provide updated 
information so that we can continue to close the digital divide.”

Residents can submit a challenge <a target="_blank" href="https://help.bdc.fcc.gov/hc/en-us">through the FCC website</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671049628544.png" alt="Kimberlyn Jones and Brandon Hutton, from the state broadband office, deliver a presentation on broadband access during a forum Monday at the Kansas Health Institute. They said hundreds of millions of dollars in federal grant money is at stake because of a flawed map that shows all of Kansas has access to broadband internet. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Kimberlyn Jones and Brandon Hutton, from the state broadband office, deliver a presentation on broadband access during a forum Monday at the Kansas Health Institute. They said hundreds of millions of dollars in federal grant money is at stake because of a flawed map that shows all of Kansas has access to broadband internet. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By SHERMAN SMITH <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/12/14/kansas-share-of-federal-broadband-cash-in-jeopardy-because-of-grossly-inadequate-map/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Kansas officials worry the state will lose part of its share
 of a $42.5 billion federal investment in broadband expansion because 
the Federal Communications Commission commissioned a “grossly 
inadequate” map of existing services.The map, released in late November, shows broadband is available 
everywhere in Kansas.&nbsp;The state faces a Jan. 13 deadline to challenge 
the map by encouraging residents to self-report discrepancies with it.The federal broadband investment is part of the massive 
infrastructure package Congress passed last year. Grant money will be 
allocated to states based on the need for broadband services.Staff members from the state broadband office explained the challenge
 during a forum Monday at the Kansas Health Institute about broadband 
access and telehealth.Kimberlyn Jones, digital equity program manager for the state, said 
the FCC map is “somewhat grossly inadequate, and based on the 
information on that mapping, that determines how much the state can 
get.”Brandon Hutton, the state’s broadband program manager, said hundreds of millions of dollars could be at stake.Hutton said the FCC map was based on information reported by internet
 service providers who “weren’t completely truthful in that, because 
they wanted to stake out their territory.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671049693115.png" alt="Kimberlyn Jones, digital equity program manager for the state broadband office, points to an image from the FCC map that shows a rural Kansas barn has access to broadband internet. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Kimberlyn Jones, digital equity program manager for the state broadband office, points to an image from the FCC map that shows a rural Kansas barn has access to broadband internet. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>Jones and Hutton presented an example from the FCC map that showed 
broadband service was available at a rural barn behind a house. They 
were certain the barn didn’t have internet service because it is owned 
by an employee at the Kansas Department of Commerce.Speaking to a room full of health care professionals, they emphasized
 the need for residents to compare their actual service speed and 
provider options against the data presented at <a target="_blank" href="https://broadbandmap.fcc.gov/home">broadbandmap.fcc.gov</a>.“If you have a rural home and you know that you’re not getting 
internet out there, and you check the map and it says you’re receiving 
Cox Communications, and you know that that’s wrong, you need to 
challenge that,” Hutton said. “That is an example of what an ISP does to
 stake their territory. The more territory they have, the less grant 
money for another competitor to come in.”After Kansas Reflector asked the governor’s office and Cox for 
comment, Hutton sent an email asking to retract his comments about Cox.Mandy Wilbert, a spokeswoman for Cox, said the company provided accurate information to the FCC.“Ensuring that all Kansans have access to services is important to us
 and all providers, and these maps are key in making sure that happens,”
 Wilbert said.Jade Piros de Carvalho, the state’s broadband director, said Hutton 
was mistaken about ISPs reporting inaccurate information. Jones and 
Hutton delivered the presentation in her place because she was sick.She blamed the federal vendor, CostQuest, for producing the 
inaccurate maps. The FCC paid the company $50 million, de Carvalho said,
 but the mapping data wasn’t open sourced. As a result, she said, the 
U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and 
Information Administration, which administers the grants, had to pay an 
additional $40 million to access the data.Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly, whose office didn’t respond to inquiries for
 this story, signed a letter with 14 other governors to ask for a 60-day
 extension to challenge the map. However, several other governors who 
signed the letter decided to back out, and the letter was never sent, de
 Carvalho said.Federal authorities don’t want to hold up the launch of projects that would expand broadband access, de Carvalho said.“There are competing priorities,” de Carvalho said. “We want to get 
this money out the door as quickly as possible and put it to work for 
people who do not have broadband.”In November,&nbsp;Republican U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall encouraged Kansans 
to challenge the location-specific information in the map and provide 
corrections.“Unfortunately, we still have too many Kansans without adequate 
broadband access,” Marshall said. “Much of that can be attributed to the
 outdated and inaccurate broadband maps, which prevent our broadband 
providers from receiving funding for homes and businesses they know are 
not being sufficiently served. I encourage Kansans in all corners of the
 state to check the map and follow the steps to provide updated 
information so that we can continue to close the digital divide.”Residents can submit a challenge <a target="_blank" href="https://help.bdc.fcc.gov/hc/en-us">through the FCC website</a>.

'Grossly inadequate’ map could jeopardize Kan. broadband funds

BERLIN (AP) — A huge aquarium in Berlin burst, spilling debris, water and hundreds of tropical fish out of the AquaDom tourist attraction in the heart of the German capital early Friday.

Police said parts of the building, which also contains a hotel, cafes and a chocolate store, were damaged as 1 million liters (264,000 gallons) of water poured from the aquarium shortly before 6 a.m. (0500 GMT). Berlin's fire service said two people were slightly injured.

The company that owns the AquaDom, Union Investment Real Estate, said in a statement Friday afternoon that the reasons for the incident were “still unclear.”

Mayor Franziska Giffey said the tank had unleashed a “veritable tsunami” of water but the early morning timing had prevented far more injuries.

“Despite all the destruction, we were still very lucky,” she said. “We would have had terrible human damage” had the aquarium burst even an hour later, once more people were awake and in the hotel and the surrounding area, she said.

The website of the AquaDom described it as the biggest cylindrical tank in the world at 25 meters tall (82 feet tall), although Union Investment Real Estate clarified Friday that the tank portion of the attraction had a height of 14 meters (46 feet).

There was speculation freezing temperatures that got down to minus 10 degrees Celsius (14 degrees Fahrenheit) overnight caused a crack in the acrylic glass tank, which then exploded under the weight of the water. Police said they found no evidence of a malicious act.

Nearly all of the 1,500 fish that were inside at the time of the rupture died, the Berlin Mitte district government confirmed via Twitter, adding “a few fish at the bottom of the tank” could still be saved. Among the 80 types of fish it housed were blue tang and clownfish, two colorful species known from the popular animated movie “Finding Nemo.”

Veterinarians, fire service officers and other officials spent the afternoon working to rescue 400 to 500 smaller fish from a separate set of aquariums housed under the hotel lobby. Without electricity, their tanks were not receiving the necessary oxygen for them to survive, officials said. They were evacuated to other tanks in the neighboring Sea Life aquarium that were unaffected.

“It's a great tragedy that for 1,500 fish there was no chance of survival,” said Almut Neumann, a city official in charge of environmental issues for Berlin's Mitte district. “The focus in the afternoon was clearly on saving the fish in the remaining tanks.”

Various organizations, including the Berlin Zoo, offered to take in the surviving fish.

Aquarium operator Sea Life said it was saddened by the incident and trying to get more information from the owners of the AquaDom. It said what happened with the AquaDom was “unique and unprecedented” and that Sea Life's exhibits were not in danger of similar damage.

Sea Life Berlin is located in the same building and visitors can tour it and the AquaDom on a single ticket.

About 300 guests and employees had to be evacuated from the hotel surrounding the aquarium, police said.

Sandra Weeser, a German lawmaker who was staying in the hotel, said she was woken up by a large bang and thought there might have been an earthquake.

“There are shards (of glass) everywhere. The furniture, everything has been flooded with water," she said. "It looks a bit like a war zone.”

Police said a Lindt chocolate store and several restaurants in the same building complex, as well as an underground parking garage next to the hotel, sustained damage. A fire service spokesman said building safety experts were assessing the extent to which the hotel had sustained structural damage.

Hours after the incident, trucks began clearing away the debris that had spilled out onto the street in front of the hotel. Brightly colored Lindt chocolate wrappers were scattered in front of the building where the chocolate shop was damaged. A small crowd of tourists and onlookers snapped photos from behind the police line across the street.

Animal rights group PETA tweeted Friday that the aquarium became a “death trap” for the fish housed in it. “This man-made tragedy shows that aquariums are not a safe place for fish and other marine life," the group wrote.

The aquarium, which was last modernized in 2020, is a major tourist magnet in Berlin. The 10-minute elevator ride through the tropical tank was one of the highlights of the attraction.

Iva Yudinski, a tourist from Israel who was staying at the hotel, said she was shocked by the incident

“Just yesterday we watched it and we were so amazed (by) its beauty," she said. "Suddenly it’s all gone. Everything is a mess, a total mess.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671220116399.png" alt="Mayor Franziska Giffey said the tank had unleashed a “veritable tsunami” of water but the early morning timing had prevented far more injuries.Associated Press" />
 <figcaption>Mayor Franziska Giffey said the tank had unleashed a “veritable tsunami” of water but the early morning timing had prevented far more injuries.Associated Press</figcaption>
 </figure>BERLIN (AP) — A huge aquarium in Berlin burst, spilling debris, water and hundreds of tropical fish out of the AquaDom tourist attraction in the heart of the German capital early Friday.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fsealifeberlin1%2Fphotos%2Fa.2144091485815577%2F2157834637774595%2F%3Ftype%3D3&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="333" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>Police said parts of the building, which also contains a hotel, cafes and a chocolate store, were damaged as 1 million liters (264,000 gallons) of water poured from the aquarium shortly before 6 a.m. (0500 GMT). Berlin's fire service said two people were slightly injured.The company that owns the AquaDom, Union Investment Real Estate, said in a statement Friday afternoon that the reasons for the incident were “still unclear.”Mayor Franziska Giffey said the tank had unleashed a “veritable tsunami” of water but the early morning timing had prevented far more injuries.“Despite all the destruction, we were still very lucky,” she said. “We would have had terrible human damage” had the aquarium burst even an hour later, once more people were awake and in the hotel and the surrounding area, she said.The website of the AquaDom described it as the biggest cylindrical tank in the world at 25 meters tall (82 feet tall), although Union Investment Real Estate clarified Friday that the tank portion of the attraction had a height of 14 meters (46 feet).There was speculation freezing temperatures that got down to minus 10 degrees Celsius (14 degrees Fahrenheit) overnight caused a crack in the acrylic glass tank, which then exploded under the weight of the water. Police said they found no evidence of a malicious act.Nearly all of the 1,500 fish that were inside at the time of the rupture died, the Berlin Mitte district government confirmed via Twitter, adding “a few fish at the bottom of the tank” could still be saved. Among the 80 types of fish it housed were blue tang and clownfish, two colorful species known from the popular animated movie “Finding Nemo.”Veterinarians, fire service officers and other officials spent the afternoon working to rescue 400 to 500 smaller fish from a separate set of aquariums housed under the hotel lobby. Without electricity, their tanks were not receiving the necessary oxygen for them to survive, officials said. They were evacuated to other tanks in the neighboring Sea Life aquarium that were unaffected.“It's a great tragedy that for 1,500 fish there was no chance of survival,” said Almut Neumann, a city official in charge of environmental issues for Berlin's Mitte district. “The focus in the afternoon was clearly on saving the fish in the remaining tanks.”Various organizations, including the Berlin Zoo, offered to take in the surviving fish.Aquarium operator Sea Life said it was saddened by the incident and trying to get more information from the owners of the AquaDom. It said what happened with the AquaDom was “unique and unprecedented” and that Sea Life's exhibits were not in danger of similar damage.Sea Life Berlin is located in the same building and visitors can tour it and the AquaDom on a single ticket.About 300 guests and employees had to be evacuated from the hotel surrounding the aquarium, police said.Sandra Weeser, a German lawmaker who was staying in the hotel, said she was woken up by a large bang and thought there might have been an earthquake.“There are shards (of glass) everywhere. The furniture, everything has been flooded with water," she said. "It looks a bit like a war zone.”Police said a Lindt chocolate store and several restaurants in the same building complex, as well as an underground parking garage next to the hotel, sustained damage. A fire service spokesman said building safety experts were assessing the extent to which the hotel had sustained structural damage.Hours after the incident, trucks began clearing away the debris that had spilled out onto the street in front of the hotel. Brightly colored Lindt chocolate wrappers were scattered in front of the building where the chocolate shop was damaged. A small crowd of tourists and onlookers snapped photos from behind the police line across the street.Animal rights group PETA tweeted Friday that the aquarium became a “death trap” for the fish housed in it. “This man-made tragedy shows that aquariums are not a safe place for fish and other marine life," the group wrote.The aquarium, which was last modernized in 2020, is a major tourist magnet in Berlin. The 10-minute elevator ride through the tropical tank was one of the highlights of the attraction.Iva Yudinski, a tourist from Israel who was staying at the hotel, said she was shocked by the incident“Just yesterday we watched it and we were so amazed (by) its beauty," she said. "Suddenly it’s all gone. Everything is a mess, a total mess.”

World's largest cylindrical tank aquarium with 1500 fish explodes 

By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/12/15/kansas-medical-marijuana-committee-holds-final-meeting-prepares-for-january-legalization-push/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA
 — Medical marijuana may have a future in Kansas after all, though 
lawmakers are still uncertain whether any medical marijuana legislation 
will garner support in the Senate, or wither away like previous medical 
marijuana bills.&nbsp;

After months of bipartisan 
information-gathering on the structure, taxation, and other processes 
that would be part of legalizing medical marijuana across the state, 
lawmakers from the 2022 Special Committee on Medical Marijuana said they
 had all the information needed to make another attempt at a medical 
marijuana bill.&nbsp;

During the committee’s last meeting Thursday, Sen. Rob Olson, R-Olathe, committee chair, said he was confident that new legislation would cover all necessary ground.&nbsp;

“We’ll be able to have a bill out of 
all the stuff, all the testimonies come through here, that will be as 
good as any bill in the country. And if this issue passes, I believe 
it’ll be a bill that most Kansans can be proud of,” Olson said.&nbsp;

Olson had previously announced his plan to <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/12/11/lawmakers-plan-to-introduce-medical-marijuana-legislation-at-start-of-session/">introduce legislation on the issue</a>.&nbsp;

Rep. John Eplee, R-Atchison, 
questioned Olson on support for medical marijuana legislation in the 
Senate, referencing last year’s failed attempt.&nbsp;

“Do you think that with your input 
and oversight of the information we received during this interim, that 
we’ll at least have some pathway forward in the east chamber this year?”
 Eplee said. “Because that was a little bit of a disappointment, because
 we worked pretty hard in the House on trying to get this bill to you.”

The Kansas House approved medical marijuana legalization in 2021, but <a target="_blank" href="http://kslegislature.com/li/b2021_22/measures/sb560/">Senate Bill 560</a>,
 which would have allowed for the cultivation, distribution, processing,
 dispensing and purchase of marijuana and paraphernalia, died in 
committee during the last days of the legislative session.

Senate President Ty Masterson said 
his reasoning was that budget and school funding issues&nbsp; were a higher 
priority to him than the legalization of medical marijuana. Olson said 
he was unsure where Senate leadership stood, but he would follow their 
lead if they chose to reject his legislation.&nbsp;

“I
 can’t throw my leadership under the bus,” Olson said. “I mean, it’s 
their choice at the end of the day. And, you know, if they don’t want me
 to do it, I’ll follow their orders.”

Kansas is one of the three states 
left with no form of marijuana — whether medical or recreational — 
legalized. The other two states are Idaho and Nebraska.&nbsp;

Missouri voted to legalize 
recreational marijuana in November, and it is projected to have 
recreational marijuana available to purchase as early as February. Gov. 
Laura Kelly has supported the legalization of medical marijuana 
consistently, saying she wanted it to be a priority during the upcoming 
legislative session.&nbsp;

In a list of her second-term 
objectives, which she released after winning reelection in November, 
Kelly listed the legalization as one of her top five priorities. The 
others include tax relief, expanding Medicaid, protecting first 
responders and investing in mental health resources.&nbsp;

Other government officials, such as Kansas sheriffs and police officers, <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/10/20/medical-marijuana-advocates-press-legislators-to-change-law-over-objections-by-kansas-police/">have spoken against legalization</a>,&nbsp;
 saying they would never be supportive, or even neutral toward medical 
marijuana in earlier testimony submitted to the committee.

Olson said he was confident that his new iteration of legislation would be met with approval, telling other committee members who had worked on the 2021 medical marijuana legislation that it would be a better version.

“I think it’s going to be a great 
product,” Olson said. “ I think it’s going to be much better than it was
 before — not saying yours was bad. I think we’re going to have almost 
every hole plugged.” 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671141875117.png" alt="Sen. Rob Olson, shown earlier this month, voiced optimism over a medical marijuana bill. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Rob Olson, shown earlier this month, voiced optimism over a medical marijuana bill. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/12/15/kansas-medical-marijuana-committee-holds-final-meeting-prepares-for-january-legalization-push/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA
 — Medical marijuana may have a future in Kansas after all, though 
lawmakers are still uncertain whether any medical marijuana legislation 
will garner support in the Senate, or wither away like previous medical 
marijuana bills.&nbsp;After months of bipartisan 
information-gathering on the structure, taxation, and other processes 
that would be part of legalizing medical marijuana across the state, 
lawmakers from the 2022 Special Committee on Medical Marijuana said they
 had all the information needed to make another attempt at a medical 
marijuana bill.&nbsp;During the committee’s last meeting Thursday, Sen. Rob Olson, R-Olathe, committee chair, said he was confident that new legislation would cover all necessary ground.&nbsp;“We’ll be able to have a bill out of 
all the stuff, all the testimonies come through here, that will be as 
good as any bill in the country. And if this issue passes, I believe 
it’ll be a bill that most Kansans can be proud of,” Olson said.&nbsp;Olson had previously announced his plan to <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/12/11/lawmakers-plan-to-introduce-medical-marijuana-legislation-at-start-of-session/">introduce legislation on the issue</a>.&nbsp;Rep. John Eplee, R-Atchison, 
questioned Olson on support for medical marijuana legislation in the 
Senate, referencing last year’s failed attempt.&nbsp;“Do you think that with your input 
and oversight of the information we received during this interim, that 
we’ll at least have some pathway forward in the east chamber this year?”
 Eplee said. “Because that was a little bit of a disappointment, because
 we worked pretty hard in the House on trying to get this bill to you.”The Kansas House approved medical marijuana legalization in 2021, but <a target="_blank" href="http://kslegislature.com/li/b2021_22/measures/sb560/">Senate Bill 560</a>,
 which would have allowed for the cultivation, distribution, processing,
 dispensing and purchase of marijuana and paraphernalia, died in 
committee during the last days of the legislative session.Senate President Ty Masterson said 
his reasoning was that budget and school funding issues&nbsp; were a higher 
priority to him than the legalization of medical marijuana. Olson said 
he was unsure where Senate leadership stood, but he would follow their 
lead if they chose to reject his legislation.&nbsp;“I
 can’t throw my leadership under the bus,” Olson said. “I mean, it’s 
their choice at the end of the day. And, you know, if they don’t want me
 to do it, I’ll follow their orders.”Kansas is one of the three states 
left with no form of marijuana — whether medical or recreational — 
legalized. The other two states are Idaho and Nebraska.&nbsp;Missouri voted to legalize 
recreational marijuana in November, and it is projected to have 
recreational marijuana available to purchase as early as February. Gov. 
Laura Kelly has supported the legalization of medical marijuana 
consistently, saying she wanted it to be a priority during the upcoming 
legislative session.&nbsp;In a list of her second-term 
objectives, which she released after winning reelection in November, 
Kelly listed the legalization as one of her top five priorities. The 
others include tax relief, expanding Medicaid, protecting first 
responders and investing in mental health resources.&nbsp;Other government officials, such as Kansas sheriffs and police officers, <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/10/20/medical-marijuana-advocates-press-legislators-to-change-law-over-objections-by-kansas-police/">have spoken against legalization</a>,&nbsp;
 saying they would never be supportive, or even neutral toward medical 
marijuana in earlier testimony submitted to the committee.Olson said he was confident that his new iteration of legislation would be met with approval, telling other committee members who had worked on the 2021 medical marijuana legislation that it would be a better version.“I think it’s going to be a great 
product,” Olson said. “ I think it’s going to be much better than it was
 before — not saying yours was bad. I think we’re going to have almost 
every hole plugged.”

Kan. medical marijuana committee prepares for legalization push

By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina Post

SALINE COUNTY —A Kansas man who got caught up in a utility phone scam earlier this week is out nearly $1,500.

On Wednesday, the 49-year-old Saline County man reported he received a call from someone claiming to be with Evergy. The recorded call claimed that Evergy was on the way to disconnect service at a property the man owns in Falun as it was 60 days past due, according to Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan.

The man was directed to stay on the line to talk with an Evergy representative. The man did so, as his son lives at the property and the man thought that, perhaps, his son had not paid the bill.

A person claiming to be an Evergy representative got on the call and told the man to download the Zelle app to make the $498.72 payment. Soldan said the man did so but was told the payment did not go through.

The man was then told to download the Venmo app to make the payment. He did so and tried it twice, as the first time supposedly didn't work.

In reality, the man paid the scammers $498.72 three times, Soldan said.

According to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.evergy.com/community/safety/utility-scams">Evergy website</a>, "calls from Evergy requesting payment are never made the same day as the disconnection."

Additionally, Kansas' Cold Weather Rule is in effect. The Cold Weather Rule, designed to help Kansans who are behind on their utility payments avoid disconnection during the winter months, is in effect through March 31.

By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina PostSALINE COUNTY —A Kansas man who got caught up in a utility phone scam earlier this week is out nearly $1,500.On Wednesday, the 49-year-old Saline County man reported he received a call from someone claiming to be with Evergy. The recorded call claimed that Evergy was on the way to disconnect service at a property the man owns in Falun as it was 60 days past due, according to Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan.The man was directed to stay on the line to talk with an Evergy representative. The man did so, as his son lives at the property and the man thought that, perhaps, his son had not paid the bill.A person claiming to be an Evergy representative got on the call and told the man to download the Zelle app to make the $498.72 payment. Soldan said the man did so but was told the payment did not go through.The man was then told to download the Venmo app to make the payment. He did so and tried it twice, as the first time supposedly didn't work.In reality, the man paid the scammers $498.72 three times, Soldan said.According to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.evergy.com/community/safety/utility-scams">Evergy website</a>, "calls from Evergy requesting payment are never made the same day as the disconnection."Additionally, Kansas' Cold Weather Rule is in effect. The Cold Weather Rule, designed to help Kansans who are behind on their utility payments avoid disconnection during the winter months, is in effect through March 31.

Sheriff: Kansas man lost nearly $1,500 in utility phone scam

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The U.S. House of Representatives passed the sixth short-term continuing resolution on the national budget this week, but Tracey Mann voted against it, to make a point.

"The government funding expires here today," Mann said. "On Wednesday night, there was legislation that would just kick the can down the field for a week. I voted against it out of principle. It's way past time for Congress to do its job, formalize a budget, do appropriations through regular order. That's why I opposed this week long Continuing Resolution. It's just no way to run the government."

The power of the purse is an important check on the federal bureaucracy.

"It's a key function of the legislative branch in our Constitution," Mann said. "What's going to happen is, with them extending government funding by a week. Now it expires Dec. 23, right before Christmas, which means next week, we'll fly back to D.C. and they will try to ram through a big multi-trillion dollar spending package. They have these deadlines and then they force pressure. Right now, Democrats in the House are working with Democrats in the Senate and the Biden Administration to try to jam something through. It's just going to cause more debt."

The one-week process doesn't allow for any of that oversight function to actually happen. Mann said not all CRs are created equal.

"If the process is underway and if it just isn't done yet, or if the spending levels are an appropriate amount to just extending, that's one thing. I'm not going to say that I'll never vote for a Continuing Resolution, but in this instance, to just extend by a week only to provide more pressure as we come into the holidays to jam through a larger spending package, is just not something that I could support."

Mann has voted against all six short-term budget resolutions brought to the House Floor in the 117th Congress.

NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — The U.S. House of Representatives passed the sixth short-term continuing resolution on the national budget this week, but Tracey Mann voted against it, to make a point."The government funding expires here today," Mann said. "On Wednesday night, there was legislation that would just kick the can down the field for a week. I voted against it out of principle. It's way past time for Congress to do its job, formalize a budget, do appropriations through regular order. That's why I opposed this week long Continuing Resolution. It's just no way to run the government."The power of the purse is an important check on the federal bureaucracy."It's a key function of the legislative branch in our Constitution," Mann said. "What's going to happen is, with them extending government funding by a week. Now it expires Dec. 23, right before Christmas, which means next week, we'll fly back to D.C. and they will try to ram through a big multi-trillion dollar spending package. They have these deadlines and then they force pressure. Right now, Democrats in the House are working with Democrats in the Senate and the Biden Administration to try to jam something through. It's just going to cause more debt."The one-week process doesn't allow for any of that oversight function to actually happen. Mann said not all CRs are created equal."If the process is underway and if it just isn't done yet, or if the spending levels are an appropriate amount to just extending, that's one thing. I'm not going to say that I'll never vote for a Continuing Resolution, but in this instance, to just extend by a week only to provide more pressure as we come into the holidays to jam through a larger spending package, is just not something that I could support."Mann has voted against all six short-term budget resolutions brought to the House Floor in the 117th Congress.

Kan. congressman's vote on CR consistent in 117th Congress

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating after an officer was shot early Friday near Kansas City International Airport.

Just before 5a.m., Kansas City police responded to report of suspicious vehicle in the long-term parking area at the airport, according to Sgt. Jacob Becchinna.

The officer identified a vehicle that matched the vehicle's description and attempted to stop the vehicle for further investigation. The driver fled and the officer pursued the vehicle to North Bern Street and Northwest Cookingham near the airport entrance where both vehicles were involved in a crash. The officer suffered minor injuries, according to Becchinna.

Additional officers responded to assist with the man and woman inside the suspect vehicle. Officers took them into custody and they were placed into airport police vehicles.

During the course of placing the subjects inside the police cars a struggle ensued between one of the subjects and one of the backup officers. During the course of that struggle the officer was shot one time and received non-life threatening injuries. The officer was transported to the hospital for treatment of the injuries.

Both suspects are in police custody. They were not injured. Police continue to process the scene for evidence.

Bern St. remained shut down Friday morning for investigation, but Cookingham remained open throughout and there was no disruption to traffic into the terminals, or any other main airport operations.

Names of the injured officers and suspects have not been released.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671201857026.png" alt="Police on the scene of the incident at KCI-photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the incident at KCI-photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating after an officer was shot early Friday near Kansas City International Airport.Just before 5a.m., Kansas City police responded to report of suspicious vehicle in the long-term parking area at the airport, according to Sgt. Jacob Becchinna.The officer identified a vehicle that matched the vehicle's description and attempted to stop the vehicle for further investigation. The driver fled and the officer pursued the vehicle to North Bern Street and Northwest Cookingham near the airport entrance where both vehicles were involved in a crash. The officer suffered minor injuries, according to Becchinna.Additional officers responded to assist with the man and woman inside the suspect vehicle. Officers took them into custody and they were placed into airport police vehicles.During the course of placing the subjects inside the police cars a struggle ensued between one of the subjects and one of the backup officers. During the course of that struggle the officer was shot one time and received non-life threatening injuries. The officer was transported to the hospital for treatment of the injuries.Both suspects are in police custody. They were not injured. Police continue to process the scene for evidence.Bern St. remained shut down Friday morning for investigation, but Cookingham remained open throughout and there was no disruption to traffic into the terminals, or any other main airport operations.Names of the injured officers and suspects have not been released.

Kansas City airport police officer injured in shooting

KANSAS CITY (AP) —Starbucks workers around the U.S. are planning a three-day strike starting Friday as part of their effort to unionize the coffee chain’s stores.

More than 1,000 baristas at 100 stores are planning to walk out, according to Starbucks Workers United, the labor group organizing the effort. The strike will be the longest in the year-old unionization campaign.

The walkout include the Starbucks store at&nbsp;10201 West 75th Street in Overland Park, Kansas and&nbsp;E. 39th and Arrowhead in the Kansas City suburb of Independence, Missouri, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://sbworkersunited.org/red-cup-map">the union&nbsp;</a>website.

This is the second major strike in a month by Starbucks’ U.S. workers. On Nov. 17, workers at 110 Starbucks stores held&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/starbucks-strike-walkout-red-cup-day-386896c728bc4a66d1aa51aa002fb1ba">a one-day walkout</a>. That effort coincided with Starbucks’ annual Red Cup Day, when the company gives reusable cups to customers who order a holiday drink.

More than 264 of Starbucks’ 9,000 company-run U.S. stores have voted to unionize since late last year.

Starbucks opposes the unionization effort, saying the company functions better when it works directly with employees. But the company said last month that it respects employees’ lawful right to protest.

Tori Tambellini, a former Starbucks shift supervisor and union organizer who was fired in July, said she will be picketing in Pittsburgh this weekend. Tambellini said workers are protesting understaffed stores, poor management and what she calls Starbucks’ “scorched earth method of union busting,” including closing stores that have unionized.

Workers United noted that Starbucks recently closed the first store to unionize in Seattle, the company’s hometown. Starbucks has said the store was closed for safety reasons.

Starbucks and the union have begun contract talks in about 50 stores but no agreements have been reached.

The process has been contentious. According to the National Labor Relations Board, Workers United has filed at least 446 unfair labor practice charges against Starbucks since late last year, including that the company fired labor organizers and refused to bargain. The company, meanwhile, has filed 47 charges against the union, among them allegations that it defied bargaining rules when it recorded sessions and posted the recordings online.

So far, the labor disputes haven’t appeared to dent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-china-north-america-4be953bd7bb9c2151f2251f6abc789a1">Starbucks’ sales</a>. Starbucks said in November that its revenue rose 3% to a record $8.41 billion in the July-September period.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668703000777.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) —Starbucks workers around the U.S. are planning a three-day strike starting Friday as part of their effort to unionize the coffee chain’s stores.More than 1,000 baristas at 100 stores are planning to walk out, according to Starbucks Workers United, the labor group organizing the effort. The strike will be the longest in the year-old unionization campaign.The walkout include the Starbucks store at&nbsp;10201 West 75th Street in Overland Park, Kansas and&nbsp;E. 39th and Arrowhead in the Kansas City suburb of Independence, Missouri, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://sbworkersunited.org/red-cup-map">the union&nbsp;</a>website.This is the second major strike in a month by Starbucks’ U.S. workers. On Nov. 17, workers at 110 Starbucks stores held&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/starbucks-strike-walkout-red-cup-day-386896c728bc4a66d1aa51aa002fb1ba">a one-day walkout</a>. That effort coincided with Starbucks’ annual Red Cup Day, when the company gives reusable cups to customers who order a holiday drink.More than 264 of Starbucks’ 9,000 company-run U.S. stores have voted to unionize since late last year.Starbucks opposes the unionization effort, saying the company functions better when it works directly with employees. But the company said last month that it respects employees’ lawful right to protest.Tori Tambellini, a former Starbucks shift supervisor and union organizer who was fired in July, said she will be picketing in Pittsburgh this weekend. Tambellini said workers are protesting understaffed stores, poor management and what she calls Starbucks’ “scorched earth method of union busting,” including closing stores that have unionized.Workers United noted that Starbucks recently closed the first store to unionize in Seattle, the company’s hometown. Starbucks has said the store was closed for safety reasons.Starbucks and the union have begun contract talks in about 50 stores but no agreements have been reached.The process has been contentious. According to the National Labor Relations Board, Workers United has filed at least 446 unfair labor practice charges against Starbucks since late last year, including that the company fired labor organizers and refused to bargain. The company, meanwhile, has filed 47 charges against the union, among them allegations that it defied bargaining rules when it recorded sessions and posted the recordings online.So far, the labor disputes haven’t appeared to dent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-china-north-america-4be953bd7bb9c2151f2251f6abc789a1">Starbucks’ sales</a>. Starbucks said in November that its revenue rose 3% to a record $8.41 billion in the July-September period.

Starbucks 3-day walkout includes stores in Kansas and Missouri

AMARILLO, Texas (AP) — A federal judge on Thursday temporarily blocked the Biden administration from ending a Trump-era policy requiring asylum-seekers to wait in Mexico for hearings in U.S. immigration court.

U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk in Texas stayed the termination until legal challenges by Texas and Missouri are settled but didn't order the policy reinstated. The impact on the program wasn't immediately clear.

“It’s a common sense policy to prevent people from entering our country illegally,” Texas Gov. Greg Abbott tweeted after the ruling. “Texas wins again, for now.”

The&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.txnd.346680/gov.uscourts.txnd.346680.178.0.pdf">ruling</a>&nbsp;could prove to be a temporary setback for the Biden administration, which may appeal.

An email requesting comment from the Department of Homeland Security wasn't immediately returned.

Under President Donald Trump, about 70,000 asylum-seekers were forced to wait in Mexico for U.S. hearings under the policy introduced in January 2019. President Joe Biden — who said it “goes against everything we stand for as a nation of immigrants” — suspended the policy on his first day in office.

That sparked a long and tortured legal and administrative path.

Kacsmaryk, a Trump appointee in Amarillo, ordered that the policy be reinstated in 2021. The Biden administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-joe-biden-mexico-texas-missouri-1eb0b6dd1d0676e33702aec7f07e75ac">complied</a>&nbsp;with the order after agreeing to changes and additions demanded by Mexico. But it didn't enforce the policy widely and only a few thousand people were sent back to wait in Mexico.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 in June that Biden had the ability to end what technically are known as Migrant Protection Protocols. But it threw back to Kacsmaryk one main issue: determining whether the administration’s action was “arbitrary and capricious” and thus violated federal law for crafting regulations.

In his 35-page ruling, the judge said it was likely an October 2021 memo that was the administration's latest effort to nail down termination of the policy did indeed appear to violate the law.

Among other things, the administration failed to consider the benefits of the policy, including reducing illegal immigration and “unmeritorious asylum claims,” the ruling said.

Trump made the policy a centerpiece of border enforcement, which critics said was inhumane for exposing migrants to extreme violence in Mexico and making access to attorneys far more difficult.

Kacsmaryk said the Biden administration memo mentioned conditions that migrants might face while in Mexico but not the hardships they face “when making the dangerous journey to the southern border” in the first place.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632317716965.png" alt="The&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.txnd.346680/gov.uscourts.txnd.346680.178.0.pdf">ruling</a>&nbsp;could prove to be a temporary setback for the Biden administration, which may appeal.-photo Rep. Tony Gonzales" />
 <figcaption>The&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.txnd.346680/gov.uscourts.txnd.346680.178.0.pdf">ruling</a>&nbsp;could prove to be a temporary setback for the Biden administration, which may appeal.-photo Rep. Tony Gonzales</figcaption>
 </figure>AMARILLO, Texas (AP) — A federal judge on Thursday temporarily blocked the Biden administration from ending a Trump-era policy requiring asylum-seekers to wait in Mexico for hearings in U.S. immigration court.U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk in Texas stayed the termination until legal challenges by Texas and Missouri are settled but didn't order the policy reinstated. The impact on the program wasn't immediately clear.“It’s a common sense policy to prevent people from entering our country illegally,” Texas Gov. Greg Abbott tweeted after the ruling. “Texas wins again, for now.”The&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.txnd.346680/gov.uscourts.txnd.346680.178.0.pdf">ruling</a>&nbsp;could prove to be a temporary setback for the Biden administration, which may appeal.An email requesting comment from the Department of Homeland Security wasn't immediately returned.Under President Donald Trump, about 70,000 asylum-seekers were forced to wait in Mexico for U.S. hearings under the policy introduced in January 2019. President Joe Biden — who said it “goes against everything we stand for as a nation of immigrants” — suspended the policy on his first day in office.That sparked a long and tortured legal and administrative path.Kacsmaryk, a Trump appointee in Amarillo, ordered that the policy be reinstated in 2021. The Biden administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-joe-biden-mexico-texas-missouri-1eb0b6dd1d0676e33702aec7f07e75ac">complied</a>&nbsp;with the order after agreeing to changes and additions demanded by Mexico. But it didn't enforce the policy widely and only a few thousand people were sent back to wait in Mexico.The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 in June that Biden had the ability to end what technically are known as Migrant Protection Protocols. But it threw back to Kacsmaryk one main issue: determining whether the administration’s action was “arbitrary and capricious” and thus violated federal law for crafting regulations.In his 35-page ruling, the judge said it was likely an October 2021 memo that was the administration's latest effort to nail down termination of the policy did indeed appear to violate the law.Among other things, the administration failed to consider the benefits of the policy, including reducing illegal immigration and “unmeritorious asylum claims,” the ruling said.Trump made the policy a centerpiece of border enforcement, which critics said was inhumane for exposing migrants to extreme violence in Mexico and making access to attorneys far more difficult.Kacsmaryk said the Biden administration memo mentioned conditions that migrants might face while in Mexico but not the hardships they face “when making the dangerous journey to the southern border” in the first place.

US judge blocks Biden bid to end 'Remain in Mexico' policy

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

Tony Chrisler and his wife, Melissa, lost everything in the Four County Fire — their house, their barn, about 90 head of cattle, vehicles.

"I walked away with the shirt on my back," Tony Chrisler said.

A third-generation farmer, 52-year-old Chrisler gave up ranching, took a job working for Russell County Road and Bridge and moved into town.

The Dec. 15, 2021, fire came upon their property so quickly nothing could be saved, he said. His adult son and wife tried to move cattle when they smelled smoke, but the fire was moving too fast. Heavy smoke killed the motor on the brand-new four-wheeler his son was riding, and he had to abandon it in a ditch and make a run for it. 

"It could have been a loss," he said of his son. "We're glad everyone is still alive."

Tony and Melissa still hope to rebuild their home, which was 7 miles south of Natoma on the Ellis and Russell county line, but inflation means the insurance won't cover the cost of replacing what they had, Chrisler said.

Although the family still has several dozen head of cattle, Chrisler said he doesn't feel he can give up the security of the county job, which offers health insurance. He said he will likely never be able to go back to farming and ranching full-time.

"Farming is tough anyway," he said, "and then you take everything away that you built for 30 years. You've got to go do something."

Although some ranchers received aid for fencing and rebuilding destroyed structures, the long-term economic effects of the fire for both families and the communities is likely to be prolonged, said Clinton Laflin, livestock production Extension agent for the Midway Extension District and a Russell County rancher.

As a producer, Laflin said he is still being affected daily by last year's fire.

“I went through the fire myself, and it doesn’t seem like it's been a year ago,” he said, “because everything we’ve done in the last year has had some impact from the fire, whether that be feed, moving cattle, record keeping, costs. It’s affected everything we’ve done.”

Dr. Lauren Mack, a Plainville veterinarian, works daily with ranchers who were affected by the fires.

Although ranchers have been able to receive assistance from the government and through private donations, not all costs have been covered, she said.

Fencing costs have been high, and there has been challenges for some to access help through the various recovery programs. Inflation has also made it difficult for ranchers to afford to replace fences, buy feed, rebuild structures and replace other items destroyed in the fire, she said.

Area ranchers have not been able to re-establish their herds to pre-fire levels, she said.

“A lot of the funding that comes through that is supposed to support them didn’t necessarily cover things the way it needed to, especially with inflation," she said. “It’s not just the people who lost cattle. A lot of people lost feed, and we haven’t been able to recover that.”

“I know a couple of people have had to get jobs in town and really adjust how their families function,” Mack said.

Stacy Campbell, K-State Extension agriculture and natural resources agent in Hays, said he also is seeing the financial effects of the fire in Ellis County.

“It’s very devastating for some. Even those who are able to stay in business, I would say there will be at least a minimum of a five- if not 10-year economic impact to get back to where they were,” he said.

Losses in the ag sector have far-reaching effects on all the surrounding communities and their economies, Campbell said.

“Any type of disaster like that is going to trickle down into the town. If those guys are affected, they might not be coming to town to buy as many goods or services for their family," he said.

Rancher Randy Marintzer had a section — one square mile of pasture — burned in the Four County Fire.

He's looking at his pasture, which was unable to be grazed this season and wonders what the future will hold. Despite Hays receiving a half inch of rain this week, the area is still 6 inches below average precipitation for the year.

“If it doesn’t rain or snow, it’s going to look pretty tough,” he said. ... "We are just going to have to pray and believe we are going to get some rain."

The threat of fire is still a concern for many in the Four County area.

 Prairie grasses can dry and be ready to burn within an hour of being wet, said Chip Redmond, assistant meteorologist-KSU Weather Data Library/Mesonet manager. 

The Four County Fire burned 164,000 acres in Ellis, Russell, Rooks and Osborne counties. Redmond said many variables go into the fire forecast for this fire season. The season runs from the first frost to the last frost— the time when vegetation is dormant and dry.

The Four County area had several wet years going into last winter. This meant the vegetation was thicker than normal. This year, dry conditions resulted in less growth.

"To the west of Hays, there were areas that never got green this summer," Redmond said. "We still have all the dormant grass from last year, which I don’t think is a whole lot because it's been grazed now or mowed to reduce that vegetation amount.

"It doesn’t totally lessen [the fire risk], but it gives us confidence that maybe we won’t have as aggressive fire behavior as we did last year," he said.

Weather conditions can change rapidly, and Redmond said residents should expect multiple storms in the coming months that will be accompanied by high winds.

The system that caused the 100 mph plus winds on Dec. 15, 2021, was a rare occurrence, called a sting jet, which involves stratospheric air coming to the surface. Redmond said sting jets have only been recorded over land in Kansas a few times.

“The likelihood of a high-impact day like that is very, very low,” he said of the extreme winds.

Although grasses will be less dense because of the drought, trees will show more stress, Redmond said. They will smolder and burn more efficiently and longer. Cedar trees burn quickly, especially in dry conditions, and Redmond encouraged residents to avoid planting them near structures.

Darin Myers, Ellis County Fire Department chief, the area that did not burn last year still has plenty of fuel, which is continuing to keep local fire crews on alert. 

“There is still a lot of the county left that didn’t burn very thankfully," Myers said. "When you look at the drought, we still have that fuel that is out there. What didn’t burn is dry. It’s all out there and available to still burn — cropland to regular pastures or CRP.”

After any major fire incident, the Ellis County Fire Department does a review. Myers identified several areas for improvement in fighting future wildfires.

“You think of places you can fix things if you have money, but that is not always the case,” Myers said. “Some things you can’t fix no matter how much money you throw at it."

The Four County Fire burned a significant portion of the Saline River Valley in northern Ellis and Russell counties. That area is largely unbroken prairie with few county roads. This allowed the fire to spread largely unabated. It also meant getting to the fire was difficult.

In addition, no communication towers were available to firefighters in that area. In the days fire crews were actively fighting the blaze, fire teams were constantly losing contact with each other, Myers said. 

“Until they got up on a hill, they won’t have any radio communications,” Myers said.

The county identified three areas for improvement. The Ellis County Commission immediately purchased more portable radios.

The Ellis County Commission on Tuesday approved a project to mount emergency communication equipment on an existing Midwest Energy tower in the Saline River Valley. That project will cost about $1 million and is being funded with American Rescue Plan Act funds.

However, Myers said it will still be another six to eight months before that equipment is installed, not in time for the current fire season.

The county also upgraded its computer-aided dispatch system. All fire trucks now have mobile data terminals. A CrewForce app allows fire crews and law enforcement to see where fire units have been deployed, road and bridge closures, and water sources.

Another major fire burned about 14,000 acres of grassland in the southwest portion of Ellis County on Oct. 23. That fire was also in a river valley, which made reaching the fire difficult. However, the addition of CrewForce helped the crews better direct resources, Myers said.

Area farmers were essential resources in fighting that fire. They hooked up discs and manned graders to build fire breaks along the flanks of the fire, which allowed the fire crew to fight the active front of the fire. 

Even a year later, Ellis County still doesn't have a complete picture of the full financial loss as a result of the Four County Fire and is still seeking aid in the recovery.

Myers estimated Ellis County Fire had several thousand man-hours dedicated to fighting the fire over the three days of the incident.

The incident started as a wind event, but many expenses that were incurred by the fire department were because of fire. FEMA funds will cover wind damage, but not fire. 

Officials are still working with the Kansas Division of Emergency Management, FEMA, Kansas legislators and the Kansas Congressional delegation to find further relief, Myers said.

“Here we are a year later and we still don’t have the answer,” he said.

“I’m hoping that is a once-in-a-career situation, but we’re in the same predicament we were a year ago," Myers said. "If we have another day like that, it can happen just as quickly. We’re just as dry if not dryer than last year.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671039304357.png" alt="Firefighters on the fire line of the Four County Fire in December 2021. Photo courtesy Kansas Forest Service" />
 <figcaption>Firefighters on the fire line of the Four County Fire in December 2021. Photo courtesy Kansas Forest Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostTony Chrisler and his wife, Melissa, lost everything in the Four County Fire — their house, their barn, about 90 head of cattle, vehicles."I walked away with the shirt on my back," Tony Chrisler said. A third-generation farmer, 52-year-old Chrisler gave up ranching, took a job working for Russell County Road and Bridge and moved into town.The Dec. 15, 2021, fire came upon their property so quickly nothing could be saved, he said. His adult son and wife tried to move cattle when they smelled smoke, but the fire was moving too fast. Heavy smoke killed the motor on the brand-new four-wheeler his son was riding, and he had to abandon it in a ditch and make a run for it. "It could have been a loss," he said of his son. "We're glad everyone is still alive." Tony and Melissa still hope to rebuild their home, which was 7 miles south of Natoma on the Ellis and Russell county line, but inflation means the insurance won't cover the cost of replacing what they had, Chrisler said. Although the family still has several dozen head of cattle, Chrisler said he doesn't feel he can give up the security of the county job, which offers health insurance. He said he will likely never be able to go back to farming and ranching full-time. "Farming is tough anyway," he said, "and then you take everything away that you built for 30 years. You've got to go do something."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671049929331.png" alt="A burned tractor shows the intensity of the heat from the Dec. 15 wildfire from a farm in Russell County. High Plains Journal photo by Payton Stoppel" />
 <figcaption>A burned tractor shows the intensity of the heat from the Dec. 15 wildfire from a farm in Russell County. High Plains Journal photo by Payton Stoppel</figcaption>
 </figure>Although some ranchers received aid for fencing and rebuilding destroyed structures, the long-term economic effects of the fire for both families and the communities is likely to be prolonged, said Clinton Laflin, livestock production Extension agent for the Midway Extension District and a Russell County rancher.As a producer, Laflin said he is still being affected daily by last year's fire.“I went through the fire myself, and it doesn’t seem like it's been a year ago,” he said, “because everything we’ve done in the last year has had some impact from the fire, whether that be feed, moving cattle, record keeping, costs. It’s affected everything we’ve done.”Dr. Lauren Mack, a Plainville veterinarian, works daily with ranchers who were affected by the fires.Although ranchers have been able to receive assistance from the government and through private donations, not all costs have been covered, she said.Fencing costs have been high, and there has been challenges for some to access help through the various recovery programs. Inflation has also made it difficult for ranchers to afford to replace fences, buy feed, rebuild structures and replace other items destroyed in the fire, she said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671050018504.jpeg" alt="A semi-truck that was blown over off of Kansas Highway 18 near Paradise during the Dec. 15, 2021, wind storm was caught in a wildfire. Photo by Cristina Janney / Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>A semi-truck that was blown over off of Kansas Highway 18 near Paradise during the Dec. 15, 2021, wind storm was caught in a wildfire. Photo by Cristina Janney / Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Area ranchers have not been able to re-establish their herds to pre-fire levels, she said.“A lot of the funding that comes through that is supposed to support them didn’t necessarily cover things the way it needed to, especially with inflation," she said. “It’s not just the people who lost cattle. A lot of people lost feed, and we haven’t been able to recover that.”“I know a couple of people have had to get jobs in town and really adjust how their families function,” Mack said.Stacy Campbell, K-State Extension agriculture and natural resources agent in Hays, said he also is seeing the financial effects of the fire in Ellis County.“It’s very devastating for some. Even those who are able to stay in business, I would say there will be at least a minimum of a five- if not 10-year economic impact to get back to where they were,” he said.Losses in the ag sector have far-reaching effects on all the surrounding communities and their economies, Campbell said.“Any type of disaster like that is going to trickle down into the town. If those guys are affected, they might not be coming to town to buy as many goods or services for their family," he said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671050124057.jpeg" alt="The burned out shells of vehicles at a home in Paradise.&nbsp;Photo by Cristina Janney / Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>The burned out shells of vehicles at a home in Paradise.&nbsp;Photo by Cristina Janney / Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Praying for rain</h2>Rancher Randy Marintzer had a section — one square mile of pasture — burned in the Four County Fire. He's looking at his pasture, which was unable to be grazed this season and wonders what the future will hold. Despite Hays receiving a half inch of rain this week, the area is still 6 inches below average precipitation for the year.“If it doesn’t rain or snow, it’s going to look pretty tough,” he said. ... "We are just going to have to pray and believe we are going to get some rain."The threat of fire is still a concern for many in the Four County area. Prairie grasses can dry and be ready to burn within an hour of being wet, said Chip Redmond, assistant meteorologist-KSU Weather Data Library/Mesonet manager. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639687509045.jpeg" alt="Burned home near Paradise after the Four County Fire on Dec. 15, 2021. Photo by Cristina Janney / Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Burned home near Paradise after the Four County Fire on Dec. 15, 2021. Photo by Cristina Janney / Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>The Four County Fire burned 164,000 acres in Ellis, Russell, Rooks and Osborne counties. Redmond said many variables go into the fire forecast for this fire season. The season runs from the first frost to the last frost— the time when vegetation is dormant and dry. The Four County area had several wet years going into last winter. This meant the vegetation was thicker than normal. This year, dry conditions resulted in less growth."To the west of Hays, there were areas that never got green this summer," Redmond said. "We still have all the dormant grass from last year, which I don’t think is a whole lot because it's been grazed now or mowed to reduce that vegetation amount."It doesn’t totally lessen [the fire risk], but it gives us confidence that maybe we won’t have as aggressive fire behavior as we did last year," he said.<h2>Sting jet</h2>Weather conditions can change rapidly, and Redmond said residents should expect multiple storms in the coming months that will be accompanied by high winds.The system that caused the 100 mph plus winds on Dec. 15, 2021, was a rare occurrence, called a sting jet, which involves stratospheric air coming to the surface. Redmond said sting jets have only been recorded over land in Kansas a few times.“The likelihood of a high-impact day like that is very, very low,” he said of the extreme winds.Although grasses will be less dense because of the drought, trees will show more stress, Redmond said. They will smolder and burn more efficiently and longer. Cedar trees burn quickly, especially in dry conditions, and Redmond encouraged residents to avoid planting them near structures. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671039592280.jpeg" alt="The Four County Fire as captured from fire vehicles. Photo courtesy of Ellis County Fire " />
 <figcaption>The Four County Fire as captured from fire vehicles. Photo courtesy of Ellis County Fire </figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Improving fire response</h2>Darin Myers, Ellis County Fire Department chief, the area that did not burn last year still has plenty of fuel, which is continuing to keep local fire crews on alert. “There is still a lot of the county left that didn’t burn very thankfully," Myers said. "When you look at the drought, we still have that fuel that is out there. What didn’t burn is dry. It’s all out there and available to still burn — cropland to regular pastures or CRP.”After any major fire incident, the Ellis County Fire Department does a review. Myers identified several areas for improvement in fighting future wildfires.“You think of places you can fix things if you have money, but that is not always the case,” Myers said. “Some things you can’t fix no matter how much money you throw at it."The Four County Fire burned a significant portion of the Saline River Valley in northern Ellis and Russell counties. That area is largely unbroken prairie with few county roads. This allowed the fire to spread largely unabated. It also meant getting to the fire was difficult.In addition, no communication towers were available to firefighters in that area. In the days fire crews were actively fighting the blaze, fire teams were constantly losing contact with each other, Myers said. “Until they got up on a hill, they won’t have any radio communications,” Myers said.The county identified three areas for improvement. The Ellis County Commission immediately purchased more portable radios.The Ellis County Commission on Tuesday approved a project to mount emergency communication equipment on an existing Midwest Energy tower in the Saline River Valley. That project will cost about $1 million and is being funded with American Rescue Plan Act funds.However, Myers said it will still be another six to eight months before that equipment is installed, not in time for the current fire season.The county also upgraded its computer-aided dispatch system. All fire trucks now have mobile data terminals. A CrewForce app allows fire crews and law enforcement to see where fire units have been deployed, road and bridge closures, and water sources.Another major fire burned about 14,000 acres of grassland in the southwest portion of Ellis County on Oct. 23. That fire was also in a river valley, which made reaching the fire difficult. However, the addition of CrewForce helped the crews better direct resources, Myers said.Area farmers were essential resources in fighting that fire. They hooked up discs and manned graders to build fire breaks along the flanks of the fire, which allowed the fire crew to fight the active front of the fire. <h2>Still no recovery money</h2>Even a year later, Ellis County still doesn't have a complete picture of the full financial loss as a result of the Four County Fire and is still seeking aid in the recovery.Myers estimated Ellis County Fire had several thousand man-hours dedicated to fighting the fire over the three days of the incident.The incident started as a wind event, but many expenses that were incurred by the fire department were because of fire. FEMA funds will cover wind damage, but not fire. Officials are still working with the Kansas Division of Emergency Management, FEMA, Kansas legislators and the Kansas Congressional delegation to find further relief, Myers said.“Here we are a year later and we still don’t have the answer,” he said.“I’m hoping that is a once-in-a-career situation, but we’re in the same predicament we were a year ago," Myers said. "If we have another day like that, it can happen just as quickly. We’re just as dry if not dryer than last year.”

3rd generation Kan. rancher gives up ag; financial effects of fire may last years

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting and have made an arrest.

Just before 8:30p.m.&nbsp;&nbsp;Wednesday,&nbsp; police responded to the 4300 block of SW 15th Street in Topeka after reports of gunshots, according to Lt. Donna Eubanks.

Moments later, police received the report of a shooting in the 4400 block of SW 34th Street where officers found a woman with a non-life threatening gunshot wound. She was transported to a local hospital.&nbsp;

As a result of the investigation, police arrested 20-year-old Alize Joy Lay of Topeka on a requested charge of Aggravated Assault. She posted bond and is no longer in custody, according to online booking records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671191474474.png" alt="Lay-photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Lay-photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting and have made an arrest.Just before 8:30p.m.&nbsp;&nbsp;Wednesday,&nbsp; police responded to the 4300 block of SW 15th Street in Topeka after reports of gunshots, according to Lt. Donna Eubanks.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671112083003.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>Moments later, police received the report of a shooting in the 4400 block of SW 34th Street where officers found a woman with a non-life threatening gunshot wound. She was transported to a local hospital.&nbsp;As a result of the investigation, police arrested 20-year-old Alize Joy Lay of Topeka on a requested charge of Aggravated Assault. She posted bond and is no longer in custody, according to online booking records.

Kan. woman accused of shooting that sent woman to the hospital

WASHINGTON (AP) — A bill to rescind the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for members of the U.S. military and provide nearly $858 billion for national defense passed the Senate on Thursday and now goes to President Joe Biden to be signed into law.

The bill provides for about $45 billion more for defense programs than Biden requested and roughly 10% more than last year’s bill as lawmakers look to account for inflation and boost the nation’s military competitiveness with China and Russia. It includes a 4.6% pay raise for servicemembers and the Defense Department’s civilian workforce.

The Senate passed the defense policy bill by a vote of 83-11. The measure also received broad bipartisan support in the House last week.

To win GOP support for the 4,408-page bill, Democrats agreed to Republican demands to scrap the requirement for service members to get a COVID-19 vaccination. The bill directs Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to rescind his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-health-coronavirus-pandemic-coronavirus-vaccine-4cf7451267919302de4a7b591508e80c">August 2021 memorandum</a>&nbsp;imposing the mandate.

Before approving the measure, the Senate voted down a couple of efforts to amend it, including a proposal from Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., to speed the permitting process for energy projects. The effort had drawn fierce opposition from some environmental advocacy groups who worried it would accelerate fossil fuel projects such as gas pipelines and limit the public’s input on such projects.

Manchin, who chairs the Senate Energy Committee, secured a commitment from Biden and Democratic leaders last summer to support the permitting package in return&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-manchin-budget-agreement-7b0ee6e3e0b70357288fd69f44473b9b">for his support</a>&nbsp;of a landmark law to curb climate change.

Machin’s legislation sets deadlines for completion of National Environmental Policy Act reviews for major energy and natural resource projects. It would require courts to consider litigation involving energy project permits on an expedited basis. It also directs federal agencies to permit the completion of a natural gas pipeline in his home state and Virginia “without further administrative or judicial delay or impediment.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1629972789785.png" alt="The Senate passed the defense policy bill by a vote of 83-11. The measure also received broad bipartisan support in the House last week. photo courtesy U.S. Dept. of Defense" />
 <figcaption>The Senate passed the defense policy bill by a vote of 83-11. The measure also received broad bipartisan support in the House last week. photo courtesy U.S. Dept. of Defense</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A bill to rescind the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for members of the U.S. military and provide nearly $858 billion for national defense passed the Senate on Thursday and now goes to President Joe Biden to be signed into law.The bill provides for about $45 billion more for defense programs than Biden requested and roughly 10% more than last year’s bill as lawmakers look to account for inflation and boost the nation’s military competitiveness with China and Russia. It includes a 4.6% pay raise for servicemembers and the Defense Department’s civilian workforce.The Senate passed the defense policy bill by a vote of 83-11. The measure also received broad bipartisan support in the House last week.To win GOP support for the 4,408-page bill, Democrats agreed to Republican demands to scrap the requirement for service members to get a COVID-19 vaccination. The bill directs Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to rescind his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-health-coronavirus-pandemic-coronavirus-vaccine-4cf7451267919302de4a7b591508e80c">August 2021 memorandum</a>&nbsp;imposing the mandate.Before approving the measure, the Senate voted down a couple of efforts to amend it, including a proposal from Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., to speed the permitting process for energy projects. The effort had drawn fierce opposition from some environmental advocacy groups who worried it would accelerate fossil fuel projects such as gas pipelines and limit the public’s input on such projects.Manchin, who chairs the Senate Energy Committee, secured a commitment from Biden and Democratic leaders last summer to support the permitting package in return&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-manchin-budget-agreement-7b0ee6e3e0b70357288fd69f44473b9b">for his support</a>&nbsp;of a landmark law to curb climate change.Machin’s legislation sets deadlines for completion of National Environmental Policy Act reviews for major energy and natural resource projects. It would require courts to consider litigation involving energy project permits on an expedited basis. It also directs federal agencies to permit the completion of a natural gas pipeline in his home state and Virginia “without further administrative or judicial delay or impediment.”“We’re on the verge of doing something unbelievable, but let me tell you, most of it will be for naught. Because without permitting reform, the United States of America is more litigious than any nation on earth,” Manchin told colleagues.Biden voiced his support for Manchin’s legislation a few hours before Thursday’s vote. He said far too many projects face delays and described Manchin’s amendment “as a way to cut Americans’ energy bills, promote U.S. energy security, and boost our ability to get energy projects built and connected to the grid.“Not only did some environmental advocacy groups bash Manchin’s proposal, but so did many Republicans. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said it didn’t go far enough, calling it “reform in name only.”The amendment fell short of the 60 votes needed for passage, 47-47.An amendment from Sens. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., and Ted Cruz, R-Texas, also went down to defeat. It would have allowed for the reinstatement of those service members discharged for failing to obey an order to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and compensate them for any pay and benefits lost as a result of the separation.“People serving our military are the finest among us. Over 8,000 were terminated because they refused to get this experimental vaccine, and so I’m urging all of my colleagues to support Senator Cruz’s and my amendment,” Johnson said.But opponents worried about the precedent of rewarding members of the military who disobeyed an order. Rhode Island Sen. Jack Reed, the Democratic chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said orders are not suggestions, they are commands.“What message do we send if we pass this bill? It is a very dangerous one,” Reed said. “What we’re telling soldiers is, ‘if you disagree, don’t follow the order, and then just lobby Congress, and they’ll come along and they’ll restore your rank, or restore your benefits, or restore everything.’”The amendment failed, with 40 senators supporting it and 54 opposing it.The defense bill sets policy and provides a roadmap for future investments. Lawmakers will have to follow up with spending bills to bring many provisions to reality. It’s one of the final bills Congress is expected to approve before adjourning, so lawmakers were eager to attach their top priorities to it.The directive to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-lloyd-austin-united-states-government-and-politics-ef76a0da58520cacbbfce003d66ed183">rescind the</a>&nbsp;vaccine mandate for service members proved to be among the most controversial provisions, but Democrats agreed to it to allow the bill to advance.As of early this month, about 99% of the active-duty troops in the Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps had been vaccinated, and 98% of the Army. Service members who are not vaccinated are not allowed to deploy, particularly sailors or Marines on ships. There may be a few exceptions to that, based on religious or other exemptions and the duties of the service member.The vaccination numbers for the Guard and Reserve are lower, but generally all are more than 90%.____