Two-day summit designed as catalyst for meaningful change

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/04/13/leaders-of-kansas-three-government-branches-coalesce-behind-quest-to-fix-mental-health-crisis/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Kansas Supreme Court 
Chief Justice Marla Luckert looked back Wednesday on her first week as a
 district court judge 30 years ago and her interaction with a man 
already well known to courthouse colleagues.

The man, who she referred to as E.T., wasn’t violent at that time but
 routinely would stop taking medication, became unstable, encounter law 
enforcement officers and return to court. E.T. would be held at the 
jail, placed on drug therapy, regain stability and be released into the 
community. In a few weeks or months, Luckert said, E.T. would start the 
cycle all over again. This treadmill of life didn’t serve his interests 
or those of Topekans.

Luckert told hundreds gathering for a two-day conference on mental 
illness that she recently came upon a handwritten motion filed with the 
Supreme Court. She recognized the unique penmanship. It was in E.T.’s 
hand. Decades after her initial encounter, E.T. had yet to break free 
from the yoke.

“I look back at that and think, we could have done better,” the chief
 justice said. “We needed to do better. Not only for E.T., but for 
thousands of Kansans like him. Our jails and detention centers across 
the country are the largest providers of mental health services. How do 
we break that cycle?”

The 2022 Kansas Mental Health Summit, the first of its kind in 
Kansas, brought together more than&nbsp;600 in-person and online registrants.
 The roster included judges, legislators, attorneys, court services 
officers, community corrections officers and representatives from the 
executive branch, mental&nbsp;and medical&nbsp;health disciplines, law enforcement and first responders.

The gathering also featured brief remarks by Gov. Laura Kelly, Senate President Ty Masterson and House Speaker Ron Ryckman.

Ryckman, an Olathe Republican, said the summit could be a catalyst 
for change. He said the collaboration and consideration of alternatives 
should push boundaries. He offered an example of out-of-the-box thinking
 that, at first, sounded silly. In the Pacific northwest, he said, the 
problem of ice on electric lines plagued consumers for years. Individual
 solutions fell short, Ryckman said, so a meeting was called. No idea 
would be dismissed.

Someone suggested bears be trained to climb poles, perhaps 
incentivized by a pot of honey at the top, so movement of the hefty 
animals would shatter ice dangling from power lines. Another person 
recommended helicopters be used to deposit honey atop the poles. He said
 that eventually led to a plausible solution that involved flying 
helicopters close to the lines so bursts of wind from rotor blades would
 dislodge the ice.

“I don’t think our answers are as easy as ice on powerlines and 
helicopters,” Ryckman said. “I know the answers are in this room and 
online.”

He urged participants to make certain the right hand and left hand of
 the mental health reform movement remained connected as strategies for 
keeping mentally ill people out of jails were considered, developed and 
implemented.

Kelly, a state senator before elected governor in 2018, worked after 
high school at a New York camp for troubled adolescents and after 
college at an Illinois minimum security facility for boys. Following 
graduate school, she accepted a job caring for severely mentally ill 
youth at Rockland Children’s Psychiatric Center in New York.

“Those experiences really did open my eyes,” Kelly said. “They taught
 me that successfully addressing the mental health crisis required a 
collective approach over a long period of time.”

She said Kansas had made progress in recent years, but had much left 
to do in terms of expanding mental health services to Kansans from 
childhood to adulthood and in urban and rural areas of the state. The 
criminal justice system isn’t equipped to provide services that ought to
 come from a comprehensive system designed for people suffering mental 
illness, she said.

“For too long,” the governor said, “those with mental illness were 
stigmatized and considered untreatable. The reality is the opposite. The
 vast majority of those with mental illness are highly treatable. It is 
the compassionate and humane thing to do to provide them with the help 
they need.”

Masterson, the GOP president of the Senate from Andover, said he 
couldn’t recall another time in which the three branches of state 
government worked jointly on a vexing societal challenge.

“That shows you the significance. Kind of that all hands on deck,” he
 told conference attendees. “You see this issue, many of you, live and 
in-person. In living color. Firsthand. First responders. Health care 
workers. The judicial system sees it in the courts.”

Masterson asked those committed to working toward improvements in 
mental health of Kansans not to be limited by provincial ideas or to 
focus only on suggestions tied to spending more tax dollars. He said 
financial investments were part of the answer, he said, but not the end 
all.

“It feels to me like we are making the problem worse on many fronts 
in our society — in this post-modern society where we reject faith a lot
 of times, reject the healthiest versions of family. We have scores of 
fatherless children. We go to social media and … push people towards 
self-satisfaction versus societal interests,” Masterson said.

The idea of a statewide summit emerged when District Court Judge 
Robert Wonnell attended a similar regional meeting three years ago in 
Deadwood, South Dakota. That summit was the work of a national task 
force involving the National Center for State Courts, the Conference of 
Chief Justices, the Conference of State Court Administrators, and the 
State Justice Institute.

“I have to ask myself, what am I doing as a judge, in my court and in
 partnership with other professionals in my community, to make sure that
 our justice system addresses issues as early as possible in the process
 and ultimately reduces recidivism? Enhancing that system not only 
benefits the individual with a mental illness, but ultimately every Kansan,” he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649874931274.png" alt="The 2022 Mental Health Summit brought unity of purpose to Gov. Laura Kelly, Senate President Ty Masterson, House Speaker Ron Ryckman and Kansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Marla Luckert, who pressed for change in the judicial and community response to mental illness. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>The 2022 Mental Health Summit brought unity of purpose to Gov. Laura Kelly, Senate President Ty Masterson, House Speaker Ron Ryckman and Kansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Marla Luckert, who pressed for change in the judicial and community response to mental illness. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Two-day summit designed as catalyst for meaningful change</h2> By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/04/13/leaders-of-kansas-three-government-branches-coalesce-behind-quest-to-fix-mental-health-crisis/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Kansas Supreme Court 
Chief Justice Marla Luckert looked back Wednesday on her first week as a
 district court judge 30 years ago and her interaction with a man 
already well known to courthouse colleagues.The man, who she referred to as E.T., wasn’t violent at that time but
 routinely would stop taking medication, became unstable, encounter law 
enforcement officers and return to court. E.T. would be held at the 
jail, placed on drug therapy, regain stability and be released into the 
community. In a few weeks or months, Luckert said, E.T. would start the 
cycle all over again. This treadmill of life didn’t serve his interests 
or those of Topekans.Luckert told hundreds gathering for a two-day conference on mental 
illness that she recently came upon a handwritten motion filed with the 
Supreme Court. She recognized the unique penmanship. It was in E.T.’s 
hand. Decades after her initial encounter, E.T. had yet to break free 
from the yoke.“I look back at that and think, we could have done better,” the chief
 justice said. “We needed to do better. Not only for E.T., but for 
thousands of Kansans like him. Our jails and detention centers across 
the country are the largest providers of mental health services. How do 
we break that cycle?”The 2022 Kansas Mental Health Summit, the first of its kind in 
Kansas, brought together more than&nbsp;600 in-person and online registrants.
 The roster included judges, legislators, attorneys, court services 
officers, community corrections officers and representatives from the 
executive branch, mental&nbsp;and medical&nbsp;health disciplines, law enforcement and first responders.The gathering also featured brief remarks by Gov. Laura Kelly, Senate President Ty Masterson and House Speaker Ron Ryckman.<h2>Ice on power lines</h2>Ryckman, an Olathe Republican, said the summit could be a catalyst 
for change. He said the collaboration and consideration of alternatives 
should push boundaries. He offered an example of out-of-the-box thinking
 that, at first, sounded silly. In the Pacific northwest, he said, the 
problem of ice on electric lines plagued consumers for years. Individual
 solutions fell short, Ryckman said, so a meeting was called. No idea 
would be dismissed.Someone suggested bears be trained to climb poles, perhaps 
incentivized by a pot of honey at the top, so movement of the hefty 
animals would shatter ice dangling from power lines. Another person 
recommended helicopters be used to deposit honey atop the poles. He said
 that eventually led to a plausible solution that involved flying 
helicopters close to the lines so bursts of wind from rotor blades would
 dislodge the ice.“I don’t think our answers are as easy as ice on powerlines and 
helicopters,” Ryckman said. “I know the answers are in this room and 
online.”He urged participants to make certain the right hand and left hand of
 the mental health reform movement remained connected as strategies for 
keeping mentally ill people out of jails were considered, developed and 
implemented.Kelly, a state senator before elected governor in 2018, worked after 
high school at a New York camp for troubled adolescents and after 
college at an Illinois minimum security facility for boys. Following 
graduate school, she accepted a job caring for severely mentally ill 
youth at Rockland Children’s Psychiatric Center in New York.“Those experiences really did open my eyes,” Kelly said. “They taught
 me that successfully addressing the mental health crisis required a 
collective approach over a long period of time.”She said Kansas had made progress in recent years, but had much left 
to do in terms of expanding mental health services to Kansans from 
childhood to adulthood and in urban and rural areas of the state. The 
criminal justice system isn’t equipped to provide services that ought to
 come from a comprehensive system designed for people suffering mental 
illness, she said.“For too long,” the governor said, “those with mental illness were 
stigmatized and considered untreatable. The reality is the opposite. The
 vast majority of those with mental illness are highly treatable. It is 
the compassionate and humane thing to do to provide them with the help 
they need.”<h2>All-hands-on-deck moment</h2>Masterson, the GOP president of the Senate from Andover, said he 
couldn’t recall another time in which the three branches of state 
government worked jointly on a vexing societal challenge.“That shows you the significance. Kind of that all hands on deck,” he
 told conference attendees. “You see this issue, many of you, live and 
in-person. In living color. Firsthand. First responders. Health care 
workers. The judicial system sees it in the courts.”Masterson asked those committed to working toward improvements in 
mental health of Kansans not to be limited by provincial ideas or to 
focus only on suggestions tied to spending more tax dollars. He said 
financial investments were part of the answer, he said, but not the end 
all.“It feels to me like we are making the problem worse on many fronts 
in our society — in this post-modern society where we reject faith a lot
 of times, reject the healthiest versions of family. We have scores of 
fatherless children. We go to social media and … push people towards 
self-satisfaction versus societal interests,” Masterson said.The idea of a statewide summit emerged when District Court Judge 
Robert Wonnell attended a similar regional meeting three years ago in 
Deadwood, South Dakota. That summit was the work of a national task 
force involving the National Center for State Courts, the Conference of 
Chief Justices, the Conference of State Court Administrators, and the 
State Justice Institute.“I have to ask myself, what am I doing as a judge, in my court and in
 partnership with other professionals in my community, to make sure that
 our justice system addresses issues as early as possible in the process
 and ultimately reduces recidivism? Enhancing that system not only 
benefits the individual with a mental illness, but ultimately every Kansan,” he said.

Kansas leaders coalesce behind quest to fix mental health crisis

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man was sentenced for repeated, violent attacks on a woman.

District Judge Bruce Brown sentenced Will Johnson, 35 of Wichita, to just over 19-years in prison, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Judge Brown sentenced Johnson on four consolidated cases involving the same victim.

The most serious attack occurred on August 29, 2019. Police were called to Wesley Medical Center and found a 29-year-old woman who had been beaten, strangled and stabbed. Doctors told police she also had a broken jaw and multiple cuts to her body.

Johnson told police the woman was attacked by someone along railroad tracks when she walked to his house. But police found blood throughout his house and two surveillance cameras. The video showed Johnson’s attack of the victim.

In March, Johnson pled guilty to attempted first degree murder, two counts of aggravated kidnapping, eight counts of aggravated battery, aggravated assault, robbery, two counts of aggravated domestic battery, four violations of a protective order and three counts of domestic battery. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649871879211.png" alt="Johnson-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Johnson-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man was sentenced for repeated, violent attacks on a woman.District Judge Bruce Brown sentenced Will Johnson, 35 of Wichita, to just over 19-years in prison, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.Judge Brown sentenced Johnson on four consolidated cases involving the same victim.The most serious attack occurred on August 29, 2019. Police were called to Wesley Medical Center and found a 29-year-old woman who had been beaten, strangled and stabbed. Doctors told police she also had a broken jaw and multiple cuts to her body.Johnson told police the woman was attacked by someone along railroad tracks when she walked to his house. But police found blood throughout his house and two surveillance cameras. The video showed Johnson’s attack of the victim.In March, Johnson pled guilty to attempted first degree murder, two counts of aggravated kidnapping, eight counts of aggravated battery, aggravated assault, robbery, two counts of aggravated domestic battery, four violations of a protective order and three counts of domestic battery.

Kansas man sentenced for repeat, violent attacks on a woman

<a href="https://hosted.ap.org/semissourian/article/36b396b945bfcdbee23e51502a470f7d/charges-refiled-missouri-boat-sinking-killed-17#">By MARGARET STAFFORD</a>, Associated Press

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt's office has refiled involuntary manslaughter charges against three men in connection with the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boat-accidents-us-news-ap-top-news-storms-north-america-60b99441d63a48428b5dd79bbc37c75a">sinking of a tourist boat&nbsp;</a>that killed 17 people in 2018.

The vehicle, known as a duck boat, sank during a storm shortly after it entered Table Rock Lake near Branson on July 19, 2018. Riders from Missouri, Indiana, Illinois and Arkansas were killed. Fourteen people survived.

On April 5, Stone County Judge Alan Blankenship&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/storms-missouri-kansas-arkansas-branson-bc04f7acce185ba2ad9e57aeee4caffd">dismissed first-degree involuntary manslaughter charges</a>&nbsp;against Kenneth Scott McKee, 54, the captain of the boat; Curtis P. Lanham, 39, the general manager at Ride the Ducks in Branson; and Charles V. Baltzell, 79, the operations supervisor who was a manager on duty when the boat sank.

Two days later, Schmitt refiled 17 involuntary manslaughter charges against each of the men. McKee also faces 12 counts of endangering the welfare of a child.

“As I’ve said previously, my Office is committed to fighting for justice on behalf of the 17 people that were tragically killed in 2018 — that’s why we re-filed the charges in this case," Schmitt said in a statement Wednesday.

Prosecutors said the tourist boat went into the lake despite warnings of storms in the area. The boat sank after it was swamped by waves caused by the winds.

Attorneys for the three defendants have argued that the men were not aware of the severity of the storm and did not intentionally put their passengers in danger. When he dismissed the charges, Blankenship said there was no evidence the men knew about the strong winds associated with the storm.

When the criminal&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-duck-boat-accident-charges-9be4b42462ab8c878cd35cc7f3bbf809">charges were filed last year</a>, an affidavit from an investigator said McKee ignored concerns about an approaching storm when he took the boat onto the lake. Lanham and Baltzell were accused of failing to communicate weather conditions and to stop operations after a severe thunderstorm warning was issued.

The duck boats, which operate on land and water, were a longtime popular attraction in the tourist town of Branson. The ride closed down after the tragedy and the boats have not returned to the lake.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/7/1563393605763.png" alt="The night of the fatal Duck Boat tragedy photo courtesy KYTV" />
 <figcaption>The night of the fatal Duck Boat tragedy photo courtesy KYTV</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://hosted.ap.org/semissourian/article/36b396b945bfcdbee23e51502a470f7d/charges-refiled-missouri-boat-sinking-killed-17#">By MARGARET STAFFORD</a>, Associated PressMissouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt's office has refiled involuntary manslaughter charges against three men in connection with the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boat-accidents-us-news-ap-top-news-storms-north-america-60b99441d63a48428b5dd79bbc37c75a">sinking of a tourist boat&nbsp;</a>that killed 17 people in 2018.The vehicle, known as a duck boat, sank during a storm shortly after it entered Table Rock Lake near Branson on July 19, 2018. Riders from Missouri, Indiana, Illinois and Arkansas were killed. Fourteen people survived.On April 5, Stone County Judge Alan Blankenship&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/storms-missouri-kansas-arkansas-branson-bc04f7acce185ba2ad9e57aeee4caffd">dismissed first-degree involuntary manslaughter charges</a>&nbsp;against Kenneth Scott McKee, 54, the captain of the boat; Curtis P. Lanham, 39, the general manager at Ride the Ducks in Branson; and Charles V. Baltzell, 79, the operations supervisor who was a manager on duty when the boat sank.Two days later, Schmitt refiled 17 involuntary manslaughter charges against each of the men. McKee also faces 12 counts of endangering the welfare of a child.“As I’ve said previously, my Office is committed to fighting for justice on behalf of the 17 people that were tragically killed in 2018 — that’s why we re-filed the charges in this case," Schmitt said in a statement Wednesday.Prosecutors said the tourist boat went into the lake despite warnings of storms in the area. The boat sank after it was swamped by waves caused by the winds.Attorneys for the three defendants have argued that the men were not aware of the severity of the storm and did not intentionally put their passengers in danger. When he dismissed the charges, Blankenship said there was no evidence the men knew about the strong winds associated with the storm.When the criminal&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-duck-boat-accident-charges-9be4b42462ab8c878cd35cc7f3bbf809">charges were filed last year</a>, an affidavit from an investigator said McKee ignored concerns about an approaching storm when he took the boat onto the lake. Lanham and Baltzell were accused of failing to communicate weather conditions and to stop operations after a severe thunderstorm warning was issued.The duck boats, which operate on land and water, were a longtime popular attraction in the tourist town of Branson. The ride closed down after the tragedy and the boats have not returned to the lake.

Charges refiled in Branson Duck Boat tragedy that killed 17

WASHINGTON (AP) — In anticipation of a new Russian offensive in eastern Ukraine, President Joe Biden on Wednesday approved an $800 million package of military assistance, including additional helicopters and the first provision of American artillery.

The Ukrainians also will receive armored personnel carriers, armored Humvees, naval drone vessels used in coastal defense, and gear and equipment used to protect soldiers in chemical, biological, nuclear and radiological attacks.

“This new package of assistance will contain many of the highly effective weapons systems we have already provided and new capabilities tailored to the wider assault we expect Russia to launch in eastern Ukraine,” Biden said in a statement.

“The steady supply of weapons the United States and its allies and partners have provided to Ukraine has been critical in sustaining its fight against the Russian invasion,” Biden added. “It has helped ensure that (Russia President Vladimir) Putin failed in his initial war aims to conquer and control Ukraine. We cannot rest now.”

Biden announced the aid after a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. It is the latest in a series of U.S. security assistance packages valued at a combined $2.6 billion that has been committed to Ukraine since Russia invaded on Feb. 24. The weaponry and support material has played an important role in Ukraine’s successful defense thus far.

Biden is under pressure from members of both parties in Congress to expand and accelerate U.S. aid.

Robert Gates, a former CIA director and defense secretary, said Wednesday he believes the administration needs to push hard for weapon donations by NATO members in Eastern Europe, whose arsenals include Soviet-era tanks and other weaponry and equipment that could help Ukraine immediately.

“The United States ought to be acting, 24/7 — how do we mobilize the equipment and how do we get it into Ukraine and into the hands of the Ukrainians,” Gates said in an online forum sponsored by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

“It’s critically important and critically urgent, and we ought to be sort of ransacking the arsenals of those states, and I think they would be cooperative, particularly” if they are given assurances that the Pentagon will provide American replacements for the donated weapons.

The Pentagon said the $800 million package announced by Biden includes weapons and equipment that will require some training for a Ukrainian military not fully accustomed to American military technology. U.S. and allied forces had been present inside Ukraine to provide training for eight years before pulling out in advance of the Russia’s latest invasion.

The new arms package includes 18 of the U.S. Army’s 155mm howitzers and 40,000 artillery rounds, two air surveillance radars, 300 Switchblade “kamikaze” armed drones, and 500 Javelin missiles designed to knock out tanks and other armor. Also included are 10 counter-artillery radars used to track incoming artillery and other projectiles to determine their point of origin for counter attacks.

Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said delivery of the material will be expedited, but he offered no specific timetable.

“This list came directly out of multiple conversations with Ukrainians in the last few days as we began to see the Russians now start to reprioritize the Donbas fight,” he said, referring to Russia’s shift from a failed offensive in Ukraine’s north aimed at Kyiv, the capital, to a force buildup in the country’s eastern Donbas region, where Russian-backed separatists have been fighting since 2014.

Ukrainian military personnel will need training on the radars as well as the howitzers and the Switchblade drones, Kirby said. He said the training may be done by U.S. soldiers in Europe and the arrangements are being worked out.

“These are not highly complex systems,” Kirby said, and so extensive training will not likely be required.

Among the other items in the package are 11 Soviet-era Mi-17 helicopters that the United States had planned to provide to Afghanistan before Biden last year decided to fully withdraw from the country. They are transport helicopters that also can function in an attack role. The Pentagon previously had sent five Mi-17s to Ukraine, Kirby said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649887033507.png" alt="On Wednesday, President Biden&nbsp; poke with President Zelenskyy and shared with him that the Administration is authorizing an additional $800 million in weapons, ammunition, and other security assistance to Ukraine-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>On Wednesday, President Biden&nbsp; poke with President Zelenskyy and shared with him that the Administration is authorizing an additional $800 million in weapons, ammunition, and other security assistance to Ukraine-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — In anticipation of a new Russian offensive in eastern Ukraine, President Joe Biden on Wednesday approved an $800 million package of military assistance, including additional helicopters and the first provision of American artillery.The Ukrainians also will receive armored personnel carriers, armored Humvees, naval drone vessels used in coastal defense, and gear and equipment used to protect soldiers in chemical, biological, nuclear and radiological attacks.“This new package of assistance will contain many of the highly effective weapons systems we have already provided and new capabilities tailored to the wider assault we expect Russia to launch in eastern Ukraine,” Biden said in a statement.“The steady supply of weapons the United States and its allies and partners have provided to Ukraine has been critical in sustaining its fight against the Russian invasion,” Biden added. “It has helped ensure that (Russia President Vladimir) Putin failed in his initial war aims to conquer and control Ukraine. We cannot rest now.”Biden announced the aid after a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. It is the latest in a series of U.S. security assistance packages valued at a combined $2.6 billion that has been committed to Ukraine since Russia invaded on Feb. 24. The weaponry and support material has played an important role in Ukraine’s successful defense thus far.Biden is under pressure from members of both parties in Congress to expand and accelerate U.S. aid.Robert Gates, a former CIA director and defense secretary, said Wednesday he believes the administration needs to push hard for weapon donations by NATO members in Eastern Europe, whose arsenals include Soviet-era tanks and other weaponry and equipment that could help Ukraine immediately.“The United States ought to be acting, 24/7 — how do we mobilize the equipment and how do we get it into Ukraine and into the hands of the Ukrainians,” Gates said in an online forum sponsored by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.“It’s critically important and critically urgent, and we ought to be sort of ransacking the arsenals of those states, and I think they would be cooperative, particularly” if they are given assurances that the Pentagon will provide American replacements for the donated weapons.The Pentagon said the $800 million package announced by Biden includes weapons and equipment that will require some training for a Ukrainian military not fully accustomed to American military technology. U.S. and allied forces had been present inside Ukraine to provide training for eight years before pulling out in advance of the Russia’s latest invasion.The new arms package includes 18 of the U.S. Army’s 155mm howitzers and 40,000 artillery rounds, two air surveillance radars, 300 Switchblade “kamikaze” armed drones, and 500 Javelin missiles designed to knock out tanks and other armor. Also included are 10 counter-artillery radars used to track incoming artillery and other projectiles to determine their point of origin for counter attacks.Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said delivery of the material will be expedited, but he offered no specific timetable.“This list came directly out of multiple conversations with Ukrainians in the last few days as we began to see the Russians now start to reprioritize the Donbas fight,” he said, referring to Russia’s shift from a failed offensive in Ukraine’s north aimed at Kyiv, the capital, to a force buildup in the country’s eastern Donbas region, where Russian-backed separatists have been fighting since 2014.Ukrainian military personnel will need training on the radars as well as the howitzers and the Switchblade drones, Kirby said. He said the training may be done by U.S. soldiers in Europe and the arrangements are being worked out.“These are not highly complex systems,” Kirby said, and so extensive training will not likely be required.Among the other items in the package are 11 Soviet-era Mi-17 helicopters that the United States had planned to provide to Afghanistan before Biden last year decided to fully withdraw from the country. They are transport helicopters that also can function in an attack role. The Pentagon previously had sent five Mi-17s to Ukraine, Kirby said.

Biden approves $800M in new military assistance for Ukraine

WASHINGTON&nbsp;—&nbsp;The Internal Revenue Service today urged any taxpayer, now finishing up their 2021 tax return, to use the IRS <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/tax-withholding-estimator">Tax Withholding Estimator</a> to make sure they're having the right amount of tax taken out of their pay during 2022.

This <a href="https://www.irs.gov/help/tools">online tool</a>
 offers workers, self-employed individuals and retirees who have wage 
income a user-friendly resource for effectively tailoring the amount of 
income tax withheld from wages.

2021 refund too big? Too small? Surprise tax bill? If any of these 
apply, the Tax Withholding Estimator can help anyone make sure it 
doesn't happen again by having the right amount of taxes taken out for 
2022.

For employees, withholding is the amount of federal income tax taken 
out of their paycheck. Taxpayers can use the results from the Tax 
Withholding Estimator to determine if they should complete a new <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-w-4">Form W-4</a> and submit it to their employer. For example, checking withholding can:

The IRS recommends checking withholding at least once a year. For 
anyone who has just finished filling out their 2021 return, now is a 
particularly good time to do it. It's also a good idea to use this tool 
right after a major life change, such as marriage, divorce, home 
purchase or the birth or adoption of a child.

The Tax Withholding Estimator's results are only as accurate as the 
information entered. To help prepare, the IRS recommends that taxpayers 
gather:

While the Tax Withholding Estimator works for most taxpayers, 
people with more complex tax situations should instead use the 
instructions in <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-publication-505">Publication 505, Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax</a>.
 This includes taxpayers who owe alternative minimum tax or certain 
other taxes, and people with long-term capital gains or qualified 
dividends.

The IRS urges anyone still working on their 2021 return to make sure 
they have all their year-end statements in hand before filing. Besides 
all W-2s and 1099s, this includes two new letters issued by the IRS.

People who received advance payments of the Child Tax Credit will 
need to reconcile, or compare, the total received in advance with the 
amount they're eligible to claim. <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/understanding-your-letter-6419">Letter 6419</a> shows their total advance Child Tax Credit payments to help taxpayers reconcile and receive the full amount of the <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">2021 Child Tax Credit</a>.

While most eligible people already received their stimulus payments, 
people who are missing a third stimulus payment or got less than the 
full amount may be eligible to claim a <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit">Recovery Rebate Credit</a> on their 2021 federal tax return. <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/understanding-your-letter-6475">Letter 6475</a> shows their total third round of Economic Impact Payments.

Alternatively, anyone can securely sign in to their <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/your-online-account">Online Account</a> to access information on their advance Child Tax Credit payments and Economic Impact Payments.

Taxpayers should also <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/e-file-options">e-file</a> and choose <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> to avoid processing delays and help with faster delivery of their refund.

For most Americans, the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/help/ita/what-is-the-due-date-of-my-federal-tax-return-or-am-i-eligible-to-request-an-extension">tax-filing deadline</a>
 is April 18, 2022. For residents of Maine and Massachusetts, the 
deadline is April 19, 2022. Americans who live and work abroad have 
until June 15, 2022. Those who need more time to file can get an <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/extension-of-time-to-file-your-tax-return">automatic extension</a> to file until Oct. 17, 2022. These extensions don't change the April 18 payment deadline. It is not an extension to <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments">pay</a>. More information is available at IRS.gov.

Then, after they file, taxpayers can use the Tax Withholding Estimator to help them update their withholding for 2022.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON&nbsp;—&nbsp;The Internal Revenue Service today urged any taxpayer, now finishing up their 2021 tax return, to use the IRS <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/tax-withholding-estimator">Tax Withholding Estimator</a> to make sure they're having the right amount of tax taken out of their pay during 2022.This <a href="https://www.irs.gov/help/tools">online tool</a>
 offers workers, self-employed individuals and retirees who have wage 
income a user-friendly resource for effectively tailoring the amount of 
income tax withheld from wages.2021 refund too big? Too small? Surprise tax bill? If any of these 
apply, the Tax Withholding Estimator can help anyone make sure it 
doesn't happen again by having the right amount of taxes taken out for 
2022.<h2>Benefits of using the Estimator</h2>For employees, withholding is the amount of federal income tax taken 
out of their paycheck. Taxpayers can use the results from the Tax 
Withholding Estimator to determine if they should complete a new <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-w-4">Form W-4</a> and submit it to their employer. For example, checking withholding can:<ul>
 <li>Ensure the right amount of tax is withheld and prevent an unexpected tax bill or penalty at tax time and</li><li>Determine whether to have less tax withheld up front, thereby boosting take-home pay and reducing any refund at tax time.</li>
 </ul><h2>When should taxpayers use this tool?</h2>The IRS recommends checking withholding at least once a year. For 
anyone who has just finished filling out their 2021 return, now is a 
particularly good time to do it. It's also a good idea to use this tool 
right after a major life change, such as marriage, divorce, home 
purchase or the birth or adoption of a child.<h2>What records are needed?</h2>The Tax Withholding Estimator's results are only as accurate as the 
information entered. To help prepare, the IRS recommends that taxpayers 
gather:<ul>
 <li>Their most recent pay statements and if married, for their spouse,</li><li>Information for other sources of income and</li><li>Their most recent income tax return, 2021, if possible.</li>
 </ul>While the Tax Withholding Estimator works for most taxpayers, 
people with more complex tax situations should instead use the 
instructions in <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-publication-505">Publication 505, Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax</a>.
 This includes taxpayers who owe alternative minimum tax or certain 
other taxes, and people with long-term capital gains or qualified 
dividends.<h2>Still working on a 2021 return?</h2>The IRS urges anyone still working on their 2021 return to make sure 
they have all their year-end statements in hand before filing. Besides 
all W-2s and 1099s, this includes two new letters issued by the IRS.People who received advance payments of the Child Tax Credit will 
need to reconcile, or compare, the total received in advance with the 
amount they're eligible to claim. <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/understanding-your-letter-6419">Letter 6419</a> shows their total advance Child Tax Credit payments to help taxpayers reconcile and receive the full amount of the <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">2021 Child Tax Credit</a>.While most eligible people already received their stimulus payments, 
people who are missing a third stimulus payment or got less than the 
full amount may be eligible to claim a <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit">Recovery Rebate Credit</a> on their 2021 federal tax return. <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/understanding-your-letter-6475">Letter 6475</a> shows their total third round of Economic Impact Payments.Alternatively, anyone can securely sign in to their <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/your-online-account">Online Account</a> to access information on their advance Child Tax Credit payments and Economic Impact Payments.Taxpayers should also <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/e-file-options">e-file</a> and choose <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> to avoid processing delays and help with faster delivery of their refund.For most Americans, the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/help/ita/what-is-the-due-date-of-my-federal-tax-return-or-am-i-eligible-to-request-an-extension">tax-filing deadline</a>
 is April 18, 2022. For residents of Maine and Massachusetts, the 
deadline is April 19, 2022. Americans who live and work abroad have 
until June 15, 2022. Those who need more time to file can get an <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/extension-of-time-to-file-your-tax-return">automatic extension</a> to file until Oct. 17, 2022. These extensions don't change the April 18 payment deadline. It is not an extension to <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments">pay</a>. More information is available at IRS.gov.Then, after they file, taxpayers can use the Tax Withholding Estimator to help them update their withholding for 2022.<h2>Additional information</h2><ul>
 <li><a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/tax-withholding-estimator-faqs">Tax Withholding Estimator FAQs</a></li><li><a href="https://www.irs.gov/paycheck-checkup">Paycheck Checkup</a></li>
 </ul>

IRS calculator helps ensure 2022 tax withholding correct

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A shooting at a house party early Wednesday in Kansas City left one person dead and two others injured, police said, capping a violent 24 hours in the city that saw four people killed in separate incidents.

Officers who were in the Ivanhoe Northeast neighborhood around 3:15 a.m. Wednesday to investigate a car crash heard several gunshots coming from a home nearby, police said in a news release.

The officers found three victims at the home. One person was pronounced dead at the scene, and another person was taken to a hospital in critical condition. A third person suffered minor injuries and declined medical treatment. Police did not release the names of those killed and hurt and were seeking suspects, as well as potential witnesses who fled the scene to protect their own safety.

The death marked the fourth homicide in Kansas City in a 24-hour period, including the stabbing death Tuesday of a middle school student at his school. Police were also investigating the separate shooting deaths of a woman outside an apartment complex and a man inside a vehicle in a store parking lot.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649868769831.png" alt="Officers who were in the Ivanhoe Northeast neighborhood around 3:15 a.m. Wednesday to investigate a car crash heard several gunshots coming from a home nearby-photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Officers who were in the Ivanhoe Northeast neighborhood around 3:15 a.m. Wednesday to investigate a car crash heard several gunshots coming from a home nearby-photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — A shooting at a house party early Wednesday in Kansas City left one person dead and two others injured, police said, capping a violent 24 hours in the city that saw four people killed in separate incidents.Officers who were in the Ivanhoe Northeast neighborhood around 3:15 a.m. Wednesday to investigate a car crash heard several gunshots coming from a home nearby, police said in a news release.The officers found three victims at the home. One person was pronounced dead at the scene, and another person was taken to a hospital in critical condition. A third person suffered minor injuries and declined medical treatment. Police did not release the names of those killed and hurt and were seeking suspects, as well as potential witnesses who fled the scene to protect their own safety.The death marked the fourth homicide in Kansas City in a 24-hour period, including the stabbing death Tuesday of a middle school student at his school. Police were also investigating the separate shooting deaths of a woman outside an apartment complex and a man inside a vehicle in a store parking lot.

Police: 4 killed in Kansas City in violent 24-hours

By NOAH TABORDA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/sandhill-plum-officially-named-kansas-state-fruit/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The Sandhill plum is the official state fruit of Kansas after Gov. Laura Kelly signed a bill Tuesday.

The effort was the product of a multi-school effort to learn about 
the political process and pick a state fruit. More than 400 fourth- and 
fifth-grade students from 24 different schools participated by writing 
essays and sending letters to state representatives and voting on which 
fruit to designate.

The Sandhill plum is native to Kansas, and students described it as versatile and resilient.

“I am proud of the efforts put forth by the students from Sabetha 
Elementary School and beyond,” Kelly said. “Hundreds of bills are 
introduced each legislative session, but not all of them make it to this
 point. It’s a shining example of what hard work and determination can 
truly accomplish at any age.”

<a target="_blank" href="http://kslegislature.com/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2644/">The measure</a>
 passed the Senate without opposition and passed the House 108 to 5, 
with some representatives lightheartedly opposing the measure in favor 
of proposals by schools in their districts. Other fruits in contention 
were the red mulberry, the gooseberry and the American Persimmon.

Ten students testified virtually in March on behalf of the Sandhill 
plum in front of the House Federal and State Affairs Committee. The 
students from Sabetha Elementary School who started the process were in 
attendance to witness the bill become law.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649864062606.png" alt="Gov. Laura Kelly signed Tuesday a bill designating the native Sandhill plum is the official state fruit of Kansas. (Submitted/ courtesy Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Gov. Laura Kelly signed Tuesday a bill designating the native Sandhill plum is the official state fruit of Kansas. (Submitted/ courtesy Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By NOAH TABORDA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/sandhill-plum-officially-named-kansas-state-fruit/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The Sandhill plum is the official state fruit of Kansas after Gov. Laura Kelly signed a bill Tuesday.The effort was the product of a multi-school effort to learn about 
the political process and pick a state fruit. More than 400 fourth- and 
fifth-grade students from 24 different schools participated by writing 
essays and sending letters to state representatives and voting on which 
fruit to designate.The Sandhill plum is native to Kansas, and students described it as versatile and resilient.“I am proud of the efforts put forth by the students from Sabetha 
Elementary School and beyond,” Kelly said. “Hundreds of bills are 
introduced each legislative session, but not all of them make it to this
 point. It’s a shining example of what hard work and determination can 
truly accomplish at any age.”<a target="_blank" href="http://kslegislature.com/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2644/">The measure</a>
 passed the Senate without opposition and passed the House 108 to 5, 
with some representatives lightheartedly opposing the measure in favor 
of proposals by schools in their districts. Other fruits in contention 
were the red mulberry, the gooseberry and the American Persimmon.Ten students testified virtually in March on behalf of the Sandhill 
plum in front of the House Federal and State Affairs Committee. The 
students from Sabetha Elementary School who started the process were in 
attendance to witness the bill become law.

Sandhill plum officially named Kansas state fruit

By BLAISE MESA <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-04-12/finding-child-care-in-kansas-was-a-challenge-before-the-pandemic-now-its-even-harder">Kansas News Service</a>

TOPEKA — Finding child care in Kansas has become so hard that some Kansas parents now plan pregnancies around open child care slots.

“They
 are actually trying to time their pregnancies,” said Reva Wywadis, 
executive director of Child Care Aware of Eastern Kansas. “We used to 
talk about a child care shortage, and now we're talking about a child 
care crisis.”

Her organization estimates that roughly 153,000 
children in Kansas need child care. Yet only 74,000 spots are available 
statewide. Kansas lost about 800 family care homes between 2018 and 
2022. The number of child care centers, which often have the largest 
capacity, and group child care homes remains steady. But staffing 
shortages limit their overall effectiveness.

“They were all impacted significantly,” Wywadis said.

She
 said the last few years pushed child care professionals toward 
retirement or to different jobs. The availability of better paying jobs 
and the stress of the work could have led to more people quitting, 
Wywadis said. The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2021 estimated 
the average pay of child care workers in Kansas was $23,440 — one of the
 lowest in the country.

As child care options shrink, parents are 
considering quitting their jobs to care for children or using their paid
 time off to pick them up after school. Others drive miles out of their 
way to find an available spot. Rural areas with fewer facilities, 
parents with non-traditional work hours and foster parents all have 
unique needs that are not being met by the shortage.

Joni Hiatt, 
Kansas director of family programs for Foster Adopt Connect, said foster
 families take children at a moment's notice and struggle to find 
available child care. She said some families are opting not to take in 
foster children because they lack adequate child care.

A survey of
 90 parents by the Kansas Caregivers Support Network found that only 30%
 of foster parents found child care facilities that accept the Kansas 
Department for Children and Families rate for assistance, meaning they 
will pay out of pocket for the costs. Another 34% of parents only 
sometimes found facilities accepting that payment.

Hiatt said some parents are calling 10 facilities before finding a spot while others are told to wait a year for infant care.

Children
 under the age of 6 might need child care, unless they start preschool. 
Hiatt said that is an important time for children to socialize and spend
 time with peers.

Wywadis said if parents lack child care, they 
can’t reenter the workforce. And if they can’t work, local businesses 
struggle to fill jobs.

Wywadis and Child Care Aware are working 
with communities to get business to pool their resources and pursue 
child care grants. But, she said, there isn’t one simple fix.

“The solution is going to look very different in different communities,” she said.

“The
 more we can come together and work collaboratively and collectively to 
try to address the need, the better off we will all be as a society.”

Blaise
 Mesa reports on criminal justice and social services for the Kansas 
News Service in Topeka. You can follow him on Twitter @Blaise_Mesa or 
email him at blaise@kcur.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649862366836.png" alt="Child Care Aware of Eastern Kansas estimates there are 74,000 childcare slots in Kansas to care for the 153,000 children who might need care. Blaise Mesa / Kansas News Service " />
 <figcaption>Child Care Aware of Eastern Kansas estimates there are 74,000 childcare slots in Kansas to care for the 153,000 children who might need care. Blaise Mesa / Kansas News Service </figcaption>
 </figure>By BLAISE MESA <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-04-12/finding-child-care-in-kansas-was-a-challenge-before-the-pandemic-now-its-even-harder">Kansas News Service</a>TOPEKA — Finding child care in Kansas has become so hard that some Kansas parents now plan pregnancies around open child care slots.“They
 are actually trying to time their pregnancies,” said Reva Wywadis, 
executive director of Child Care Aware of Eastern Kansas. “We used to 
talk about a child care shortage, and now we're talking about a child 
care crisis.”Her organization estimates that roughly 153,000 
children in Kansas need child care. Yet only 74,000 spots are available 
statewide. Kansas lost about 800 family care homes between 2018 and 
2022. The number of child care centers, which often have the largest 
capacity, and group child care homes remains steady. But staffing 
shortages limit their overall effectiveness.“They were all impacted significantly,” Wywadis said.She
 said the last few years pushed child care professionals toward 
retirement or to different jobs. The availability of better paying jobs 
and the stress of the work could have led to more people quitting, 
Wywadis said. The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2021 estimated 
the average pay of child care workers in Kansas was $23,440 — one of the
 lowest in the country.As child care options shrink, parents are 
considering quitting their jobs to care for children or using their paid
 time off to pick them up after school. Others drive miles out of their 
way to find an available spot. Rural areas with fewer facilities, 
parents with non-traditional work hours and foster parents all have 
unique needs that are not being met by the shortage.Joni Hiatt, 
Kansas director of family programs for Foster Adopt Connect, said foster
 families take children at a moment's notice and struggle to find 
available child care. She said some families are opting not to take in 
foster children because they lack adequate child care.A survey of
 90 parents by the Kansas Caregivers Support Network found that only 30%
 of foster parents found child care facilities that accept the Kansas 
Department for Children and Families rate for assistance, meaning they 
will pay out of pocket for the costs. Another 34% of parents only 
sometimes found facilities accepting that payment.Hiatt said some parents are calling 10 facilities before finding a spot while others are told to wait a year for infant care.Children
 under the age of 6 might need child care, unless they start preschool. 
Hiatt said that is an important time for children to socialize and spend
 time with peers.Wywadis said if parents lack child care, they 
can’t reenter the workforce. And if they can’t work, local businesses 
struggle to fill jobs.Wywadis and Child Care Aware are working 
with communities to get business to pool their resources and pursue 
child care grants. But, she said, there isn’t one simple fix.“The solution is going to look very different in different communities,” she said.“The
 more we can come together and work collaboratively and collectively to 
try to address the need, the better off we will all be as a society.”Blaise
 Mesa reports on criminal justice and social services for the Kansas 
News Service in Topeka. You can follow him on Twitter @Blaise_Mesa or 
email him at blaise@kcur.org.

Finding child care in Kansas even more difficult after pandemic

HUTCHINSON —&nbsp;Kansas First District Congressman Tracey Mann was in Hutchinson on Wednesday morning at the Cosmosphere as part of his annual town hall 
tour of the Big First.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/dc00fad7-d945-463f-aeb0-95bbd9ee27cb">Mann will be in several area Kansas counties Thursday.</a>&nbsp;

"There are a lot of people concerned about 
the southern border," Mann said. "I share those concerns. A lot of 
people are concerned with the spending. I share those concerns. That's 
why we've been voting against it. I don't know that there were any 
surprises, but it's good to listen to folks and hear what's top of mind 
for people in Reno County and all over the district."

With the new
 inflation numbers released yesterday, Rep. Mann is hoping that American
 agriculture can help solve at least some of the nation's energy issues 
in the short and long term.

"I'd like to think that it's going to 
impact the future Farm Bill by increasing our domestic liquid fuel 
production, which is both oil and gas, but it's also ethanol," Mann 
said. "The answer is below our feet and growing in our fields, to ramp 
up domestic liquid fuel production, drive down costs, stop relying on 
other countries, to me it's a no brainer."

Mann supports the idea 
of expanding the usage of E15 beyond the waiver for this summer 
announced by the Biden administration in Iowa on Tuesday.

"I'd 
like to see that made permanent," Mann said. "We've introduced 
legislation as such and I was pleased to see that yesterday."

E15 
is safe for most cars manufactured in 2001 or later, but check your 
car's owner's manual for specific details. Mann is in the midst of 40 
town halls in the two-week Congresssional break.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649866469521.jpeg" alt="Tracey Mann speaks at the Reno County Town Hall&nbsp; / Photo by Nick Gosnell" />
 <figcaption>Tracey Mann speaks at the Reno County Town Hall&nbsp; / Photo by Nick Gosnell</figcaption>
 </figure>NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON —&nbsp;Kansas First District Congressman Tracey Mann was in Hutchinson on Wednesday morning at the Cosmosphere as part of his annual town hall 
tour of the Big First.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/dc00fad7-d945-463f-aeb0-95bbd9ee27cb">Mann will be in several area Kansas counties Thursday.</a>&nbsp;"There are a lot of people concerned about 
the southern border," Mann said. "I share those concerns. A lot of 
people are concerned with the spending. I share those concerns. That's 
why we've been voting against it. I don't know that there were any 
surprises, but it's good to listen to folks and hear what's top of mind 
for people in Reno County and all over the district."With the new
 inflation numbers released yesterday, Rep. Mann is hoping that American
 agriculture can help solve at least some of the nation's energy issues 
in the short and long term."I'd like to think that it's going to 
impact the future Farm Bill by increasing our domestic liquid fuel 
production, which is both oil and gas, but it's also ethanol," Mann 
said. "The answer is below our feet and growing in our fields, to ramp 
up domestic liquid fuel production, drive down costs, stop relying on 
other countries, to me it's a no brainer."Mann supports the idea 
of expanding the usage of E15 beyond the waiver for this summer 
announced by the Biden administration in Iowa on Tuesday."I'd 
like to see that made permanent," Mann said. "We've introduced 
legislation as such and I was pleased to see that yesterday."E15 
is safe for most cars manufactured in 2001 or later, but check your 
car's owner's manual for specific details. Mann is in the midst of 40 
town halls in the two-week Congresssional break.

Mann: No surprises at town hall; inflation can be eased by agriculture

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly has vetoed a bill that would prevent cities and counties from banning, limiting or even taxing plastic bags, straws and food containers.

Kelly rejected the measure Monday after previously telling reports that she was a “major local-control advocate.”

The Senate approved the measure first in February, but its initial version did not explicitly cover plastic straws. The House made sure it did before passing the measure.

The measure was backed by groups representing small business owners, restaurant operators and plastic bag manufacturers. Business owners argued that complying with a patchwork of local rules would increase their costs.

Environmentalists see plastic trash as a serious problem worldwide and argued for allowing cities and counties to set their own policies..

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly has vetoed a bill that would prevent cities and counties from banning, limiting or even taxing plastic bags, straws and food containers.Kelly rejected the measure Monday after previously telling reports that she was a “major local-control advocate.”The Senate approved the measure first in February, but its initial version did not explicitly cover plastic straws. The House made sure it did before passing the measure.The measure was backed by groups representing small business owners, restaurant operators and plastic bag manufacturers. Business owners argued that complying with a patchwork of local rules would increase their costs.Environmentalists see plastic trash as a serious problem worldwide and argued for allowing cities and counties to set their own policies..

Kan. governor vetoes local bans on plastic bags, straws

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

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

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

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

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

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

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration will extend for two weeks the nationwide mask requirement for public transit as it monitors an uptick in COVID-19 cases, according to a person familiar with the matter.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was set to extend the order, which was to expire on April 18, by two weeks to monitor for any observable increase in severe virus outcomes as cases rise in parts of the country. The move was being made out of abundance of caution, the person said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to preview the CDC’s action.

When the Transportation Security Administration, which enforces the rule for planes, buses, trains and transit hubs, extended the requirement last month, it said the CDC had been hoping to roll out a more flexible masking strategy that would have replaced the nationwide requirement.

The mask mandate is the most visible vestige of government restrictions to control the pandemic, and possibly the most controversial. A surge of abusive and sometimes violent incidents on airplanes has been attributed mostly to disputes over mask-wearing.

Critics have seized on the fact that states have rolled back rules requiring masks in restaurants, stores and other indoor settings, and yet COVID-19 cases have fallen sharply since the omicron variant peaked in mid-January.

There has been a slight increase in cases in recent weeks, driven by an even more contagious subvariant of the omicron strain, with daily confirmed cases nationwide rising from about 25,000 per day to more than 30,000. Those figures are an undercount since many people now test positive on at-home tests that are not reported to public health agencies.

Severe illnesses and deaths tend to lag infections by several weeks. The CDC is awaiting indications of whether the increase in cases correlates to a rise in adverse outcomes before announcing a less restrictive mask policy for travel.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640348737573.png" alt="Photo courtesy Wichita Eisenhower National Airport" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Wichita Eisenhower National Airport</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration will extend for two weeks the nationwide mask requirement for public transit as it monitors an uptick in COVID-19 cases, according to a person familiar with the matter.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was set to extend the order, which was to expire on April 18, by two weeks to monitor for any observable increase in severe virus outcomes as cases rise in parts of the country. The move was being made out of abundance of caution, the person said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to preview the CDC’s action.When the Transportation Security Administration, which enforces the rule for planes, buses, trains and transit hubs, extended the requirement last month, it said the CDC had been hoping to roll out a more flexible masking strategy that would have replaced the nationwide requirement.The mask mandate is the most visible vestige of government restrictions to control the pandemic, and possibly the most controversial. A surge of abusive and sometimes violent incidents on airplanes has been attributed mostly to disputes over mask-wearing.Critics have seized on the fact that states have rolled back rules requiring masks in restaurants, stores and other indoor settings, and yet COVID-19 cases have fallen sharply since the omicron variant peaked in mid-January.There has been a slight increase in cases in recent weeks, driven by an even more contagious subvariant of the omicron strain, with daily confirmed cases nationwide rising from about 25,000 per day to more than 30,000. Those figures are an undercount since many people now test positive on at-home tests that are not reported to public health agencies.Severe illnesses and deaths tend to lag infections by several weeks. The CDC is awaiting indications of whether the increase in cases correlates to a rise in adverse outcomes before announcing a less restrictive mask policy for travel.

CDC to extend travel mask mandate due to COVID case uptick

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

HOW ARE HIGHER PRICES AFFECTING CONSUMERS?

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

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

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

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

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

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A 65-year-old Kansas man whose first-degree murder conviction was reversed last year has been resentenced after he pleaded guilty to a lesser crime. 

Casimoro Nunez was sentenced to life in prison when he was convicted in 2019 for the killing of Antonio Guzman in 2016. 

Nunez claimed he shot Guzman in self defense. The Kansas Supreme Court tossed out that conviction last year and sent it back to Sedgwick County. 

Nunez pleaded guilty in January to second-degree reckless murder. He was resentenced last month to a total of 13 years for that crime and for possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649709860613.png" alt="Casimoro Nunez- photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Casimoro Nunez- photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A 65-year-old Kansas man whose first-degree murder conviction was reversed last year has been resentenced after he pleaded guilty to a lesser crime. Casimoro Nunez was sentenced to life in prison when he was convicted in 2019 for the killing of Antonio Guzman in 2016. Nunez claimed he shot Guzman in self defense. The Kansas Supreme Court tossed out that conviction last year and sent it back to Sedgwick County. Nunez pleaded guilty in January to second-degree reckless murder. He was resentenced last month to a total of 13 years for that crime and for possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.

Man whose Kan. murder conviction was reversed is resentenced

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas judge has dismissed a legal challenge by voting rights advocates to two provisions of a state election law enacted last year.

Four voting rights groups, including the League of Women Voters of Kansas, argued in a lawsuit filed in June that the law will make it more difficult for several groups, including the disabled, senior citizens and minorities to vote.

Shawnee County District Judge Teresa Watson on Monday dismissed the groups’ challenges to a provision that restricts people from delivering ballots for other voters, and another provision that requires election officials to match the signature on an advanced ballot to the one on record.

In her ruling, Watson said any restrictions on voting access were outweighed by the state’s interest in preventing voter fraud, The Topeka Capitol-Journal&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/state/2022/04/12/controversial-2021-mail-voting-law-partially-upheld-kansas-judge-legislature-rights-ballot/7284041001/" target="_blank">reported</a>.

The voting rights groups are currently appealing an earlier decision by Watson that allowed the state to enforce the law.

In a statement on Tuesday, Attorney General Derek Schmidt praised Watson’s ruling and said his office will continue to defend the voting rights law as long as necessary to ensure the state’s voting procedures are safe.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas judge has dismissed a legal challenge by voting rights advocates to two provisions of a state election law enacted last year.Four voting rights groups, including the League of Women Voters of Kansas, argued in a lawsuit filed in June that the law will make it more difficult for several groups, including the disabled, senior citizens and minorities to vote.Shawnee County District Judge Teresa Watson on Monday dismissed the groups’ challenges to a provision that restricts people from delivering ballots for other voters, and another provision that requires election officials to match the signature on an advanced ballot to the one on record.In her ruling, Watson said any restrictions on voting access were outweighed by the state’s interest in preventing voter fraud, The Topeka Capitol-Journal&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/state/2022/04/12/controversial-2021-mail-voting-law-partially-upheld-kansas-judge-legislature-rights-ballot/7284041001/" target="_blank">reported</a>.The voting rights groups are currently appealing an earlier decision by Watson that allowed the state to enforce the law.In a statement on Tuesday, Attorney General Derek Schmidt praised Watson’s ruling and said his office will continue to defend the voting rights law as long as necessary to ensure the state’s voting procedures are safe.

Kansas judge dismisses parts of lawsuit against election law

KANSAS CITY — A student stabbed at a Kansas City Middle School has died, according to the school district Superintendent Dr. Mark Bedell.

The stabbing occurred in a restroom at Northeast Middle School, which teaches seventh and eighth grade students, police spokeswoman Donna Drake said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The two male students had some type of confrontation but a motive for the stabbing was still being investigated, Drake said.

The school was placed on lockdown and closed for the rest of the day.

The injured student was taken to Children's Mercy Hospital where he died. Police have not released the student's name as the investigation continues.

KANSAS CITY(AP) — One middle school student suffered life-threatening injuries and another was detained after a stabbing at a Kansas City middle school on Tuesday, Kansas City police said.

The stabbing occurred in a restroom at Northeast Middle School, which teaches seventh and eighth grade students, police spokeswoman Donna Drake said.

There was no continuing threat to the public, she said.

The school was placed on lockdown and planned to close for the rest of the day.

The injured student was taken to Children's Mercy Hospital. His condition was not immediately available.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649783049453.png" alt="Police on the scene at the school Tuesday -photo by Greg Payne courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene at the school Tuesday -photo by Greg Payne courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY — A student stabbed at a Kansas City Middle School has died, according to the school district Superintendent Dr. Mark Bedell.The stabbing occurred in a restroom at Northeast Middle School, which teaches seventh and eighth grade students, police spokeswoman Donna Drake said.&nbsp;&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Dr. Bedell&#39;s statement on the passing of our NEMS scholar earlier this evening. We will have counselors at NEMS tomorrow to help our students &amp; staff process this loss. Our hearts are broken. <a href="https://t.co/d3zMdHvGBl">pic.twitter.com/d3zMdHvGBl</a>&mdash; KCPS (@kcpublicschools) <a href="https://twitter.com/kcpublicschools/status/1514081182035714048?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 13, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The two male students had some type of confrontation but a motive for the stabbing was still being investigated, Drake said.The school was placed on lockdown and closed for the rest of the day.The injured student was taken to Children's Mercy Hospital where he died. Police have not released the student's name as the investigation continues.-------KANSAS CITY(AP) — One middle school student suffered life-threatening injuries and another was detained after a stabbing at a Kansas City middle school on Tuesday, Kansas City police said.The stabbing occurred in a restroom at Northeast Middle School, which teaches seventh and eighth grade students, police spokeswoman Donna Drake said.There was no continuing threat to the public, she said.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Our schools should always be safe environments for our young people to learn. I am horrified to learn of a stabbing at a Kansas City middle school just after the beginning of the school day. We are in touch with our school district partners and authorities.&mdash; Mayor Q (@QuintonLucasKC) <a href="https://twitter.com/QuintonLucasKC/status/1513921587694776329?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 12, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The two male students had some type of confrontation but a motive for the stabbing was still being investigated, Drake said.The school was placed on lockdown and planned to close for the rest of the day.The injured student was taken to Children's Mercy Hospital. His condition was not immediately available.

Student stabbed at Kansas City middle school has died

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden announced Tuesday his administration will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-business-iowa-campaigns-elections-227e09a39aed1680e1f4813334aeae64">suspend a federal rule that bars higher levels of ethanol in gasoline</a>&nbsp;during the summer. The move, which Biden announced during a visit to Iowa, is intended to tamp down prices at the pump that have spiked during Russia’s war with Ukraine. Iowa is a key producer of the corn-based fuel additive.

&nbsp;U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D., member of the Senate Agriculture Committee said of the President's decision.

“As a long-time advocate of year-round E-15, today's announcement is certainly welcome news and will be beneficial for farmers, ethanol producers, and rural communities throughout Kansas this summer. However, this is nothing more than another Band-Aid trying to cover up the crisis of record high gas prices that the Biden Administration’s policies have created,”&nbsp;said Senator Marshall. “Instead of another temporary fix, Joe Biden needs to take concrete steps to unleash more American energy to keep gas prices down, including allowing for the sale of year-round E-15 into the future."

A look at how that the decision to authorize year-round use of so-called E15 will impact gas supplies, prices and the environment.

Most gasoline sold in the U.S. is blended with 10% ethanol. At Biden’s direction, the Environmental Protection Agency will issue an emergency waiver to allow widespread sale of 15% ethanol blend that is usually prohibited between June 1 and Sept. 15 because of concerns that it adds to smog in high temperatures.

Senior Biden administration officials said the move will save drivers an average of 10 cents per gallon at 2,300 gas stations that sell E15, as the high-blend ethanol is known. Those stations are mostly in the Midwest and the South, including Texas, according to industry groups.

Lawmakers from both parties and ethanol advocates have urged Biden and the EPA to allow year-round sales of E15, calling it a cheaper and readily available domestic alternative to traditional gasoline. The U.S. has banned imports of Russian crude oil since the country’s late February invasion of Ukraine, disrupting global markets and raising prices.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden announced Tuesday his administration will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-business-iowa-campaigns-elections-227e09a39aed1680e1f4813334aeae64">suspend a federal rule that bars higher levels of ethanol in gasoline</a>&nbsp;during the summer. The move, which Biden announced during a visit to Iowa, is intended to tamp down prices at the pump that have spiked during Russia’s war with Ukraine. Iowa is a key producer of the corn-based fuel additive.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F1167545594072179%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=491" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>&nbsp;U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D., member of the Senate Agriculture Committee said of the President's decision.“As a long-time advocate of year-round E-15, today's announcement is certainly welcome news and will be beneficial for farmers, ethanol producers, and rural communities throughout Kansas this summer. However, this is nothing more than another Band-Aid trying to cover up the crisis of record high gas prices that the Biden Administration’s policies have created,”&nbsp;said Senator Marshall. “Instead of another temporary fix, Joe Biden needs to take concrete steps to unleash more American energy to keep gas prices down, including allowing for the sale of year-round E-15 into the future."A look at how that the decision to authorize year-round use of so-called E15 will impact gas supplies, prices and the environment.WHAT ACTION IS BIDEN TAKING?Most gasoline sold in the U.S. is blended with 10% ethanol. At Biden’s direction, the Environmental Protection Agency will issue an emergency waiver to allow widespread sale of 15% ethanol blend that is usually prohibited between June 1 and Sept. 15 because of concerns that it adds to smog in high temperatures.Senior Biden administration officials said the move will save drivers an average of 10 cents per gallon at 2,300 gas stations that sell E15, as the high-blend ethanol is known. Those stations are mostly in the Midwest and the South, including Texas, according to industry groups.WHY IS BIDEN DOING THIS?Lawmakers from both parties and ethanol advocates have urged Biden and the EPA to allow year-round sales of E15, calling it a cheaper and readily available domestic alternative to traditional gasoline. The U.S. has banned imports of Russian crude oil since the country’s late February invasion of Ukraine, disrupting global markets and raising prices.“Homegrown Iowa biofuels provide a quick and clean solution for lowering prices at the pump, and bolstering production would help us become energy independent once again,″ said Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, a longtime ethanol proponent. Grassley and 15 other senators sent Biden a letter last month urging him to allow year-round E15 sales.Ethanol groups called Biden’s action a major win for American drivers and U.S. energy security. “It means cleaner options at the pump and a stronger rural economy,” said Emily Skor, CEO of Growth Energy, a biofuel trade group.HOW WILL THIS AFFECT THE ENVIRONMENT?Biden administration official say the short-term move will have little effect on the environment and that EPA will work with states to “ensure there are no significant air quality impacts through the summer driving season.″Environmentalists questioned that, saying ethanol production contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and soil erosion and raises prices for corn and other crops.“The ethanol lobby will be happy and kids with asthma will be sicker,″ said Dan Becker of the Center for Biological Diversity, an environmental group. “However well-meaning (Biden’s action) might be, kids and the elderly shouldn’t pay the price with their health for slight gas savings.″A recent&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.2101084119" target="_blank">report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of the Sciences&nbsp;</a>revealed that the federal ethanol mandate inflated corn prices by 30% from 2008 to 2016, made corn-based ethanol more carbon intensive than gasoline and increased annual fertilizer use by up to 8%, polluting waterways.HAS EPA DONE THIS BEFORE?The EPA has lifted seasonal restrictions on E15 in the past, including after Hurricane Harvey in 2017. The Trump administration allowed for year-round E15 sales starting in 2019, but a federal appeals court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/courts-business-c64fc205ffe03a4848e2a55c5e4d16b4">struck down the policy change in July 2021,</a>&nbsp;saying the EPA overstepped its authority.The decision dealt a significant blow to the ethanol industry and corn farmers who had anticipated increased ethanol demand through year-round sales of the higher blend.HOW IS THIS DIFFERENT FROM TRUMP’S ACTION?Senior Biden administration officials said they expected the EPA waiver to survive a likely court challenge, saying that unlike the open-ended Trump rule, the action is limited to this summer and is prompted by a supply disruption caused by the war in Europe.Greater use of E15 should “help alleviate some of the pain that we’ve seen since Russia launched this war against Ukraine,” EPA Administrator Michael Regan told a Senate committee last week.But critics said the only emergency is Biden’s dropping poll numbers.Emergency fuel waivers are reserved for acute supply disruptions, such as those resulting from a hurricane, said Chet Thompson, president &amp; CEO of the American Fuel &amp; Petrochemical Manufacturers, which represents petroleum refiners.“An additional three months of E15 sales won’t do anything to address high crude oil prices, and 98% of retail (gas) stations can’t even sell the fuel,″ Thompson said. “This is politics, not a real solution for drivers.”WILL E15 HURT MY CAR’S ENGINE?E15, often sold at the pump as Unleaded 88, for its octane rating, can safely be used in all cars, trucks and SUVs from 2001 on. Those model years represent more than 90% of vehicles on U.S. roads. The ethanol industry says the fuel is one of the most tested in history and has no effect on vehicle drivability. More than 20 billion miles have been driven in cars and trucks using Unleaded 88, a number continues to grow.WHAT IS THE PRICE OF E15 GAS?E15, or Unleaded 88, typically sells for 10 cents a gallon less than E10, the standard formulation for U.S. cars. The price difference between Unleaded 88 and conventional gasoline without ethanol is around 40 cents.WILL I GET BETTER MILEAGE WITH E15?There is no noticeable difference between the mileage achieved when using E15 and mileage when operating on E10.CAN I USE E15 IN MY LAWNMOWER OR OTHER SMALL-ENGINE EQUIPMENT?E15 has not been approved by EPA for use in non-automotive engines such as boats, motorcycles, lawn mowers and other small engines. E10, the standard ethanol formulation, is approved for small engines.