WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal officials have revoked the license of a Nevada-based gun manufacturer that was accused of illegally selling guns and went bankrupt but then rebranded itself.

The revocation comes after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-lawsuits-illinois-gun-politics-crime-81aa4e6a13da2ff07d069ed48e5b0a1b">a lawsuit</a>&nbsp;that alleged the Justice Department didn’t conduct proper oversight before issuing the license.

The decision to revoke the license of JA Industries was spelled out in a court filing late Wednesday as part of the lawsuit brought by Kansas City, Missouri; Illinois and gun control advocacy group&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gun-background-checks-blocked-record-high-sales-e0c3105b6632740b8f15858cd930441a">Everytown for Gun Safety</a>.

The lawsuit alleged that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, a law enforcement agency in the Justice Department, awarded the license to JA Industries, renamed from Jimenez Arms, after it violated federal firearms law. The suit also alleged that the company’s guns were contributing to rising&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/police-violence-chicago-united-states-homicide-53931ce4993937b570dd61dbbaa146ce">violent crime rates</a>&nbsp;in Chicago and Kansas City.

Kansas City and Everytown had sued Jimenez Arms and several gun dealers previously, alleging they contributed to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/698de924acda60d9f4f6522cf6eaaae4">surging gun violence</a>&nbsp;in the Kansas City region by ignoring evidence that guns were being sold illegally in the area. Jimenez Arms filed for bankruptcy about a month after the suit was filed.

That suit contended that Jimenez Arms every year made tens of thousands of cheap handguns that turned up at crime scenes in Kansas City and Chicago “at a rate disproportionate to the company’s market share.”

The plaintiffs alleged in their suit against the ATF that the company’s owner, Paul Jimenez, applied for a new license under the name JA Industries and that it took the ATF less than a month to award the license. The suit alleged that company officials had made false statements to the ATF and had unlawfully shipped guns to a firearms trafficker, which should’ve made the company and its officials ineligible for holding a federal firearms license.

A message seeking comment from JA Industries on Thursday was not immediately returned.

Everytown for Gun Safety heralded the decision to revoke the company’s license.

“We can only hope this decision marks the beginning of a new era at ATF, one that is consistent with President Biden’s commitment to holding rogue and reckless members of the gun industry accountable for breaking the law and putting lives in danger,” said John Feinblatt, Everytown’s president.

In a statement, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said it was a “bold action to stop the flow of illegal firearms into Kansas City.”

An ATF spokesperson, Erik Longnecker, declined to comment specifically, citing the ongoing case. But he said the agency “revokes Federal firearms licensees who are found to have committed willful violations of the Gun Control Act and have an adverse impact on public safety.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1648815826151.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal officials have revoked the license of a Nevada-based gun manufacturer that was accused of illegally selling guns and went bankrupt but then rebranded itself.The revocation comes after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-lawsuits-illinois-gun-politics-crime-81aa4e6a13da2ff07d069ed48e5b0a1b">a lawsuit</a>&nbsp;that alleged the Justice Department didn’t conduct proper oversight before issuing the license.The decision to revoke the license of JA Industries was spelled out in a court filing late Wednesday as part of the lawsuit brought by Kansas City, Missouri; Illinois and gun control advocacy group&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gun-background-checks-blocked-record-high-sales-e0c3105b6632740b8f15858cd930441a">Everytown for Gun Safety</a>.The lawsuit alleged that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, a law enforcement agency in the Justice Department, awarded the license to JA Industries, renamed from Jimenez Arms, after it violated federal firearms law. The suit also alleged that the company’s guns were contributing to rising&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/police-violence-chicago-united-states-homicide-53931ce4993937b570dd61dbbaa146ce">violent crime rates</a>&nbsp;in Chicago and Kansas City.Kansas City and Everytown had sued Jimenez Arms and several gun dealers previously, alleging they contributed to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/698de924acda60d9f4f6522cf6eaaae4">surging gun violence</a>&nbsp;in the Kansas City region by ignoring evidence that guns were being sold illegally in the area. Jimenez Arms filed for bankruptcy about a month after the suit was filed.That suit contended that Jimenez Arms every year made tens of thousands of cheap handguns that turned up at crime scenes in Kansas City and Chicago “at a rate disproportionate to the company’s market share.”The plaintiffs alleged in their suit against the ATF that the company’s owner, Paul Jimenez, applied for a new license under the name JA Industries and that it took the ATF less than a month to award the license. The suit alleged that company officials had made false statements to the ATF and had unlawfully shipped guns to a firearms trafficker, which should’ve made the company and its officials ineligible for holding a federal firearms license.A message seeking comment from JA Industries on Thursday was not immediately returned.Everytown for Gun Safety heralded the decision to revoke the company’s license.“We can only hope this decision marks the beginning of a new era at ATF, one that is consistent with President Biden’s commitment to holding rogue and reckless members of the gun industry accountable for breaking the law and putting lives in danger,” said John Feinblatt, Everytown’s president.In a statement, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said it was a “bold action to stop the flow of illegal firearms into Kansas City.”An ATF spokesperson, Erik Longnecker, declined to comment specifically, citing the ongoing case. But he said the agency “revokes Federal firearms licensees who are found to have committed willful violations of the Gun Control Act and have an adverse impact on public safety.”

Gun manufacturer’s license revoked after lawsuit by Kansas City

Authorities make arrest after search in central Kansas

By DAVID CONDOS <a href="https://www.hppr.org/hppr-news/2022-03-31/how-kansas-could-lose-billions-in-land-values-as-its-underground-water-runs-dry">Kansas News Service</a>

HAYS, Kansas — In increasingly dry western Kansas, underground
 water makes everything possible. Irrigation for crops. Stock water for 
cattle. Drinking water for towns.

In all, the Ogallala Aquifer provides <a href="https://www.kgs.ku.edu/Publications/pic18/" target="_blank">70-80%</a> of water used by Kansans each day.

A recent study from Kansas State University says the aquifer under western Kansas increases land values by nearly <a href="https://www.ksre.k-state.edu/news/stories/2022/03/agriculture-value-of-water-in-western-kansas.html" target="_blank">$4 billion</a>.

But those billions are drying up at an accelerating rate.

Aquifer
 water levels across western and central Kansas dropped by more than a 
foot on average this past year. That’s the biggest single-year decrease 
since 2015, according to the Kansas Geological Survey’s <a href="https://news.ku.edu/2022/03/23/groundwater-levels-fall-across-western-and-central-kansas" target="_blank">annual report</a>.

And while the aquifer is losing that foot of water, it’s barely being refilled. In most of western Kansas, <a href="https://www.kgs.ku.edu/HighPlains/HPA_Atlas/Aquifer%20Basics/index.html#Mean_Annual_Potential_Recharge-Natural_Conditions.jpg" target="_blank">less than one inch</a> of water seeps underground to recharge the aquifer each year.

The
 declines were especially dire in southwest Kansas, where average water 
levels fell by 2.17 feet last year. That’s the region’s biggest drop 
since 2013, up from a 1.25-foot decline in 2020 and a 0.8-foot decline 
in 2019.

But those accelerating depletion rates didn’t come as a surprise to 
Brownie Wilson, the survey’s water data manager. Western Kansas is a 
water-challenged place that gets about <a href="https://climate.k-state.edu/basics/" target="_blank">half as much precipitation</a> as eastern Kansas in an average year.

“For some of those folks, it hasn’t rained since May,” Wilson said. “That makes it really challenging.”

Even
 the snowfall from recent blizzards couldn’t make up the precipitation 
deficit. Most of western and central Kansas remains in <a href="https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/Maps/MapArchive.aspx" target="_blank">severe, extreme or exceptional</a> drought.

That
 puts the people trying to raise a crop there in a tough spot. So 
farmers turn to pumping more water from below to irrigate their fields 
and make up for how dry it is on the surface.

Wilson said 80-90% of the water used in the Ogallala aquifer region goes to irrigation. That averages out to about <a href="https://waterdata.usgs.gov/ks/nwis/water_use?format=html_table&amp;rdb_compression=file&amp;wu_area=State+Total&amp;wu_year=2015&amp;wu_category=IT&amp;wu_category_nms=Irrigation%252C%2BTotal" target="_blank">2.5 billion gallons</a> a day, pumped up and sprayed on crops.

Estimates show that if pumping trends continue, <a href="https://www.k-state.edu/media/newsreleases/aug13/groundwater82613.html" target="_blank">more than two-thirds</a> of the water under Kansas will be gone within 40 years. In some parts of western Kansas, the aquifer has already <a href="https://www.kgs.ku.edu/Publications/pic18/" target="_blank">depleted so much</a> that it’s basically unusable for irrigation.

So what does all that disappearing water mean in dollars and cents?

K-State
 agricultural economics professor Nathan Hendricks studied data from 
actual property sale and rental prices — comparing the prices of 
irrigated and nonirrigated land — to calculate the aquifer’s worth to 
western Kansas at $3.8 billion.

And if the decline of the aquifer 
isn’t drastically slowed, Hendricks said, western Kansas land will 
collectively lose $34 million in value each year by 2050.

That means property values will drop as acres that once had irrigation lose access to water.

Hendricks
 said the study isn’t intended to tell landowners what to do. But he 
hopes it can help them make decisions about their water use for the long
 term.

“For them to be able to say, ‘OK, what would be the costs 
of reducing water use today? And what would be the cost of not reducing 
water use in the future?’” Hendricks said. “There’s a trade-off there.”

For both individual farmers and the region as a whole, it’s a complicated question.

He
 said sometimes it’s easy to forget that shutting down irrigation from 
the aquifer would gut land values just like depletion would.

“We 
can stop irrigating and stop depleting the aquifer, but then you've lost
 all the value of the aquifer also,” Hendricks said. “The whole value of
 the aquifer is in using it.”

Hendricks said he’s already seeing 
some farmers voluntarily reduce the number of acres they’re irrigating 
in an effort to prolong their section of the aquifer’s life and expects 
that trend to continue.

Wilson with the groundwater survey said he’s seeing farmers’ mindsets start to slowly shift too.

He points to successful voluntary water conservation efforts led by farmers, such as the state’s first <a href="https://www.hppr.org/hppr-news/2021-05-05/farmers-trying-to-save-the-ogallala-aquifer-face-tension-from-peers-but-their-profits-are-improving" target="_blank">Local Enhanced Management Area, or LEMA, in northwest Kansas</a> and a similar program <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/26054416-2887-4e75-bfab-77526fc38982" target="_blank">recently approved</a> in west-central Kansas.

“In
 the next 10, 20, 30 years of our lifetime, the biggest impact we can 
have is to use less water out of that aquifer,” Wilson said. “People are
 realizing they can still be economically viable and use less water.”

But understanding the problem, he said, isn’t the hard part.

“The
 solution to the aquifer is simple: you put more water into it or you 
quit taking so much out,” Wilson said. “But the solutions to get there, 
that's the challenging part. That's where the devil’s in the details.”

And thus far, finding consensus on broader statewide solutions has been difficult.

Recent <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/hb2686_00_0000.pdf" target="_blank">legislation</a>
 proposed in the Kansas House would have created a new cabinet-level 
department overseeing the state’s water issues and forced aquifer 
management districts in western and central Kansas to place stricter 
limits on water usage to curb the depletion rate.

But those sections of the bill were removed during committee discussions, leaving some legislators <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/03/01/shooting-themselves-in-the-foot-committee-guts-kansas-bill-to-protect-water/" target="_blank">frustrated</a> with how the agriculture industry’s influence continues to thwart water conservation measures. It appears <a href="https://kwrconsulting.com/blog/" target="_blank">unlikely</a> that even a slimmed down version of that bill will be passed this year.

But figuring out some way to slow the aquifer’s depletion, Wilson said, isn’t just a critical issue for western Kansas.

While
 the aquifer drying up might impact western Kansas farmers most 
directly, the prosperity or decline of the multibillion-dollar 
agricultural economy that depends on that water will have ripple effects
 across the state.

“The declines in the western side of the state 
aren’t going to suddenly affect water flow in the Kansas River for 
people in Kansas City,” Wilson said. “But the viability of western 
Kansas is going to have an impact on the economy of Kansas, and that’s 
gonna affect everybody.”

David Condos covers western Kansas for High Plains Public Radio and the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter<a href="http://twitter.com/davidcondos" target="_blank"> </a><a href="http://twitter.com/davidcondos" target="_blank">@davidcondos</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648759186330.png" alt="Center pivot irrigation systems like this one in Finney County pump water up from the Ogallala aquifer to spray on crops. This part of southwest Kansas experienced some of the state's worst aquifer declines last year as drought pushed farmers to pump more water from underground. David Condos / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>Center pivot irrigation systems like this one in Finney County pump water up from the Ogallala aquifer to spray on crops. This part of southwest Kansas experienced some of the state's worst aquifer declines last year as drought pushed farmers to pump more water from underground. David Condos / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By DAVID CONDOS <a href="https://www.hppr.org/hppr-news/2022-03-31/how-kansas-could-lose-billions-in-land-values-as-its-underground-water-runs-dry">Kansas News Service</a>HAYS, Kansas — In increasingly dry western Kansas, underground
 water makes everything possible. Irrigation for crops. Stock water for 
cattle. Drinking water for towns.In all, the Ogallala Aquifer provides <a href="https://www.kgs.ku.edu/Publications/pic18/" target="_blank">70-80%</a> of water used by Kansans each day.So how much is all that water worth?A recent study from Kansas State University says the aquifer under western Kansas increases land values by nearly <a href="https://www.ksre.k-state.edu/news/stories/2022/03/agriculture-value-of-water-in-western-kansas.html" target="_blank">$4 billion</a>.But those billions are drying up at an accelerating rate.Aquifer
 water levels across western and central Kansas dropped by more than a 
foot on average this past year. That’s the biggest single-year decrease 
since 2015, according to the Kansas Geological Survey’s <a href="https://news.ku.edu/2022/03/23/groundwater-levels-fall-across-western-and-central-kansas" target="_blank">annual report</a>.And while the aquifer is losing that foot of water, it’s barely being refilled. In most of western Kansas, <a href="https://www.kgs.ku.edu/HighPlains/HPA_Atlas/Aquifer%20Basics/index.html#Mean_Annual_Potential_Recharge-Natural_Conditions.jpg" target="_blank">less than one inch</a> of water seeps underground to recharge the aquifer each year.The
 declines were especially dire in southwest Kansas, where average water 
levels fell by 2.17 feet last year. That’s the region’s biggest drop 
since 2013, up from a 1.25-foot decline in 2020 and a 0.8-foot decline 
in 2019.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648759271731.png" alt="This map shows aquifer water level declines across western and central Kansas based on preliminary results from the annual Kansas Geological Survey assessment taken in early 2022.&nbsp;Kansas Geological Survey" />
 <figcaption>This map shows aquifer water level declines across western and central Kansas based on preliminary results from the annual Kansas Geological Survey assessment taken in early 2022.&nbsp;Kansas Geological Survey</figcaption>
 </figure>But those accelerating depletion rates didn’t come as a surprise to 
Brownie Wilson, the survey’s water data manager. Western Kansas is a 
water-challenged place that gets about <a href="https://climate.k-state.edu/basics/" target="_blank">half as much precipitation</a> as eastern Kansas in an average year.Then the drought hit.“For some of those folks, it hasn’t rained since May,” Wilson said. “That makes it really challenging.”Even
 the snowfall from recent blizzards couldn’t make up the precipitation 
deficit. Most of western and central Kansas remains in <a href="https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/Maps/MapArchive.aspx" target="_blank">severe, extreme or exceptional</a> drought.That
 puts the people trying to raise a crop there in a tough spot. So 
farmers turn to pumping more water from below to irrigate their fields 
and make up for how dry it is on the surface.Wilson said 80-90% of the water used in the Ogallala aquifer region goes to irrigation. That averages out to about <a href="https://waterdata.usgs.gov/ks/nwis/water_use?format=html_table&amp;rdb_compression=file&amp;wu_area=State+Total&amp;wu_year=2015&amp;wu_category=IT&amp;wu_category_nms=Irrigation%252C%2BTotal" target="_blank">2.5 billion gallons</a> a day, pumped up and sprayed on crops.It can’t go on like that forever.Estimates show that if pumping trends continue, <a href="https://www.k-state.edu/media/newsreleases/aug13/groundwater82613.html" target="_blank">more than two-thirds</a> of the water under Kansas will be gone within 40 years. In some parts of western Kansas, the aquifer has already <a href="https://www.kgs.ku.edu/Publications/pic18/" target="_blank">depleted so much</a> that it’s basically unusable for irrigation.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648759327682.png" alt="This map shows the drought conditions covering Kansas as of March 31. National Drought Mitigation Center" />
 <figcaption>This map shows the drought conditions covering Kansas as of March 31. National Drought Mitigation Center</figcaption>
 </figure>The trade-offSo what does all that disappearing water mean in dollars and cents?K-State
 agricultural economics professor Nathan Hendricks studied data from 
actual property sale and rental prices — comparing the prices of 
irrigated and nonirrigated land — to calculate the aquifer’s worth to 
western Kansas at $3.8 billion.And if the decline of the aquifer 
isn’t drastically slowed, Hendricks said, western Kansas land will 
collectively lose $34 million in value each year by 2050.That means property values will drop as acres that once had irrigation lose access to water.Hendricks
 said the study isn’t intended to tell landowners what to do. But he 
hopes it can help them make decisions about their water use for the long
 term.“For them to be able to say, ‘OK, what would be the costs 
of reducing water use today? And what would be the cost of not reducing 
water use in the future?’” Hendricks said. “There’s a trade-off there.”For both individual farmers and the region as a whole, it’s a complicated question.He
 said sometimes it’s easy to forget that shutting down irrigation from 
the aquifer would gut land values just like depletion would.“We 
can stop irrigating and stop depleting the aquifer, but then you've lost
 all the value of the aquifer also,” Hendricks said. “The whole value of
 the aquifer is in using it.”Hendricks said he’s already seeing 
some farmers voluntarily reduce the number of acres they’re irrigating 
in an effort to prolong their section of the aquifer’s life and expects 
that trend to continue.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648759364988.png" alt="An old water well stands next to a center pivot irrigation system in a Morton County field. This southwest corner of Kansas has been experiencing extreme drought since last fall. David Condos / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>An old water well stands next to a center pivot irrigation system in a Morton County field. This southwest corner of Kansas has been experiencing extreme drought since last fall. David Condos / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>‘Devil’s in the details’Wilson with the groundwater survey said he’s seeing farmers’ mindsets start to slowly shift too.He points to successful voluntary water conservation efforts led by farmers, such as the state’s first <a href="https://www.hppr.org/hppr-news/2021-05-05/farmers-trying-to-save-the-ogallala-aquifer-face-tension-from-peers-but-their-profits-are-improving" target="_blank">Local Enhanced Management Area, or LEMA, in northwest Kansas</a> and a similar program <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/26054416-2887-4e75-bfab-77526fc38982" target="_blank">recently approved</a> in west-central Kansas.“In
 the next 10, 20, 30 years of our lifetime, the biggest impact we can 
have is to use less water out of that aquifer,” Wilson said. “People are
 realizing they can still be economically viable and use less water.”But understanding the problem, he said, isn’t the hard part.“The
 solution to the aquifer is simple: you put more water into it or you 
quit taking so much out,” Wilson said. “But the solutions to get there, 
that's the challenging part. That's where the devil’s in the details.”And thus far, finding consensus on broader statewide solutions has been difficult.Recent <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/hb2686_00_0000.pdf" target="_blank">legislation</a>
 proposed in the Kansas House would have created a new cabinet-level 
department overseeing the state’s water issues and forced aquifer 
management districts in western and central Kansas to place stricter 
limits on water usage to curb the depletion rate.But those sections of the bill were removed during committee discussions, leaving some legislators <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/03/01/shooting-themselves-in-the-foot-committee-guts-kansas-bill-to-protect-water/" target="_blank">frustrated</a> with how the agriculture industry’s influence continues to thwart water conservation measures. It appears <a href="https://kwrconsulting.com/blog/" target="_blank">unlikely</a> that even a slimmed down version of that bill will be passed this year.But figuring out some way to slow the aquifer’s depletion, Wilson said, isn’t just a critical issue for western Kansas.While
 the aquifer drying up might impact western Kansas farmers most 
directly, the prosperity or decline of the multibillion-dollar 
agricultural economy that depends on that water will have ripple effects
 across the state.“The declines in the western side of the state 
aren’t going to suddenly affect water flow in the Kansas River for 
people in Kansas City,” Wilson said. “But the viability of western 
Kansas is going to have an impact on the economy of Kansas, and that’s 
gonna affect everybody.”David Condos covers western Kansas for High Plains Public Radio and the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter<a href="http://twitter.com/davidcondos" target="_blank"> </a><a href="http://twitter.com/davidcondos" target="_blank">@davidcondos</a>.

How Kansas could lose billions in land values as underground water runs dry

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House has passed a bill capping the monthly cost of insulin at $35 for insured patients, part of an election-year push by Democrats for price curbs on prescription drugs at a time of rising inflation.

Experts say the legislation, which passed 232-193 Thursday, would provide significant relief for privately insured patients with skimpier plans and for Medicare enrollees facing rising out-of-pocket costs for their insulin. Some could save hundreds of dollars annually, and all insured patients would get the benefit of predictable monthly costs for insulin. The bill would not help the uninsured.

But the Affordable Insulin Now Act will serve as a political vehicle to rally Democrats and force Republicans who oppose it into uncomfortable votes ahead of the midterms. For the legislation to pass Congress, 10 Republican senators would have to vote in favor. Democrats acknowledge they don't have an answer for how that's going to happen.

“If 10 Republicans stand between the American people being able to get access to affordable insulin, that's a good question for 10 Republicans to answer,” said Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Mich., a cosponsor of the House bill. “Republicans get diabetes, too. Republicans die from diabetes.”

Public opinion polls have consistently shown support across party lines for congressional action to limit drug costs.

But Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., complained the legislation is only “a small piece of a larger package around government price controls for prescription drugs." Critics say the bill would raise premiums and fails to target pharmaceutical middlemen seen as contributing to high list prices for insulin.

Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said Democrats could have a deal on prescription drugs if they drop their bid to authorize Medicare to negotiate prices. “Do Democrats really want to help seniors, or would they rather have the campaign issue?" Grassley said.

The insulin bill, which would take effect in 2023, represents just one provision of a much broader prescription drug package in President Joe Biden's social and climate legislation.

In addition to a similar $35 cap on insulin, the Biden bill would authorize Medicare to negotiate prices for a range of drugs, including insulin. It would penalize drugmakers who raise prices faster than inflation and overhaul the Medicare prescription drug benefit to limit out-of-pocket costs for enrollees.

Biden's agenda passed the House only to stall in the Senate because Democrats could not reach consensus. Party leaders haven't abandoned hope of getting the legislation moving again, and preserving its drug pricing curbs largely intact.

The idea of a $35 monthly cost cap for insulin actually has a bipartisan pedigree. The Trump administration had created a voluntary option for Medicare enrollees to get insulin for $35, and the Biden administration continued it.

In the Senate, Republican Susan Collins of Maine and Democrat Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire are working on a bipartisan insulin bill. Georgia Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock has introduced legislation similar to the House bill, with the support of Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York.

Stung by criticism that Biden's economic policies spur inflation, Democrats are redoubling efforts to show how they'd help people cope with costs. On Thursday, the Commerce Department reported a key inflation gauge jumped 6.4% in February compared with a year ago, the largest year-over-year rise since January 1982.

But experts say the House bill would not help uninsured people, who face the highest out-of-pocket costs for insulin. Also, people with diabetes often take other medications as well as insulin. That's done to treat the diabetes itself, along with other serious health conditions often associated with the disease. The House legislation would not help with those costs, either. Collins says she's looking for a way to help uninsured people through her bill.

About 37 million Americans have diabetes, and an estimated 6 million to 7 million use insulin to keep their blood sugars under control. It’s an old drug, refined and improved over the years, that has seen relentless price increases.

Steep list prices don't reflect the rates insurance plans negotiate with manufacturers. But those list prices are used to calculate cost-sharing amounts that patients owe. Patients who can’t afford their insulin reduce or skip doses, a strategy born of desperation, which can lead to serious complications and even death.

Economist Sherry Glied of New York University said the market for insulin is a “total disaster” for many patients, particularly those with skimpy insurance plans or no insurance.

“This will make private insurance for people with diabetes a much more attractive proposition,” said Glied.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1648809793114.png" alt="Public opinion polls have consistently shown support across party lines for congressional action to limit drug costs.-photo Rep. James Clyburn" />
 <figcaption>Public opinion polls have consistently shown support across party lines for congressional action to limit drug costs.-photo Rep. James Clyburn</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The House has passed a bill capping the monthly cost of insulin at $35 for insured patients, part of an election-year push by Democrats for price curbs on prescription drugs at a time of rising inflation.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Today, I voted to cap the cost of insulin at $35 a month. I thought of the Prairie Village mom who told me that for 10 straight years, her son’s insulin costs have been going up. Let’s make this the last year that happens.&mdash; Rep. Sharice Davids (@RepDavids) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepDavids/status/1509653027833237507?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 31, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Experts say the legislation, which passed 232-193 Thursday, would provide significant relief for privately insured patients with skimpier plans and for Medicare enrollees facing rising out-of-pocket costs for their insulin. Some could save hundreds of dollars annually, and all insured patients would get the benefit of predictable monthly costs for insulin. The bill would not help the uninsured.But the Affordable Insulin Now Act will serve as a political vehicle to rally Democrats and force Republicans who oppose it into uncomfortable votes ahead of the midterms. For the legislation to pass Congress, 10 Republican senators would have to vote in favor. Democrats acknowledge they don't have an answer for how that's going to happen.“If 10 Republicans stand between the American people being able to get access to affordable insulin, that's a good question for 10 Republicans to answer,” said Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Mich., a cosponsor of the House bill. “Republicans get diabetes, too. Republicans die from diabetes.”Public opinion polls have consistently shown support across party lines for congressional action to limit drug costs.But Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., complained the legislation is only “a small piece of a larger package around government price controls for prescription drugs." Critics say the bill would raise premiums and fails to target pharmaceutical middlemen seen as contributing to high list prices for insulin.Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said Democrats could have a deal on prescription drugs if they drop their bid to authorize Medicare to negotiate prices. “Do Democrats really want to help seniors, or would they rather have the campaign issue?" Grassley said.The insulin bill, which would take effect in 2023, represents just one provision of a much broader prescription drug package in President Joe Biden's social and climate legislation.In addition to a similar $35 cap on insulin, the Biden bill would authorize Medicare to negotiate prices for a range of drugs, including insulin. It would penalize drugmakers who raise prices faster than inflation and overhaul the Medicare prescription drug benefit to limit out-of-pocket costs for enrollees.Biden's agenda passed the House only to stall in the Senate because Democrats could not reach consensus. Party leaders haven't abandoned hope of getting the legislation moving again, and preserving its drug pricing curbs largely intact.The idea of a $35 monthly cost cap for insulin actually has a bipartisan pedigree. The Trump administration had created a voluntary option for Medicare enrollees to get insulin for $35, and the Biden administration continued it.In the Senate, Republican Susan Collins of Maine and Democrat Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire are working on a bipartisan insulin bill. Georgia Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock has introduced legislation similar to the House bill, with the support of Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York.Stung by criticism that Biden's economic policies spur inflation, Democrats are redoubling efforts to show how they'd help people cope with costs. On Thursday, the Commerce Department reported a key inflation gauge jumped 6.4% in February compared with a year ago, the largest year-over-year rise since January 1982.But experts say the House bill would not help uninsured people, who face the highest out-of-pocket costs for insulin. Also, people with diabetes often take other medications as well as insulin. That's done to treat the diabetes itself, along with other serious health conditions often associated with the disease. The House legislation would not help with those costs, either. Collins says she's looking for a way to help uninsured people through her bill.About 37 million Americans have diabetes, and an estimated 6 million to 7 million use insulin to keep their blood sugars under control. It’s an old drug, refined and improved over the years, that has seen relentless price increases.Steep list prices don't reflect the rates insurance plans negotiate with manufacturers. But those list prices are used to calculate cost-sharing amounts that patients owe. Patients who can’t afford their insulin reduce or skip doses, a strategy born of desperation, which can lead to serious complications and even death.Economist Sherry Glied of New York University said the market for insulin is a “total disaster” for many patients, particularly those with skimpy insurance plans or no insurance.“This will make private insurance for people with diabetes a much more attractive proposition,” said Glied.

Kan. rep. supports House passage of $35-a-month insulin cap

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating the alleged murder of a baby have identified the victim as 6-month-old&nbsp;&nbsp;Brielle Jones of Topeka.

Just after 4:30 a.m. Wednesday, police were dispatched to the 1400 block of SW Byron on a report of an assault, according to Lt. Manuel Munoz.

&nbsp;Officers located the infant suffering from life threatening injuries and also found the child's mother suffering from non-life threating injuries. Both were transported to a local hospital where the baby later died, according to Munoz.

Officers and Detectives transported several individuals to the Law Enforcement Center for further questioning.&nbsp; As a result of the investigation, police transported 21-year-old&nbsp; Trayvonne Damont Jones, of Topeka to Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Murder in the First Degree, Abuse of a Child, Aggravated Child Endangerment, Aggravated Battery. Both the victims and suspect are known to each other, according to Munoz.&nbsp; Police released no additional details on the relationship.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648722249337.png" alt="Jones-photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Jones-photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating the alleged murder of a baby have identified the victim as 6-month-old&nbsp;&nbsp;Brielle Jones of Topeka.Just after 4:30 a.m. Wednesday, police were dispatched to the 1400 block of SW Byron on a report of an assault, according to Lt. Manuel Munoz.&nbsp;Officers located the infant suffering from life threatening injuries and also found the child's mother suffering from non-life threating injuries. Both were transported to a local hospital where the baby later died, according to Munoz.The mother was treated and released.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648762418965.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>Officers and Detectives transported several individuals to the Law Enforcement Center for further questioning.&nbsp; As a result of the investigation, police transported 21-year-old&nbsp; Trayvonne Damont Jones, of Topeka to Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Murder in the First Degree, Abuse of a Child, Aggravated Child Endangerment, Aggravated Battery. Both the victims and suspect are known to each other, according to Munoz.&nbsp; Police released no additional details on the relationship.

Murder investigation: Police ID 6-month-old Kan. girl who died

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. airport security procedures will become more gender-neutral, with changes to scanners used for screening and the use of an “X” for travelers going through Precheck who do not identify as male or female, the Biden administration said Thursday.

Transportation Security Administration officers will also receive new instructions on screening intended to make procedures less invasive, the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement.

They are among a series of travel-security measures announced by the department in conjunction with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-travel-lifestyle-ac02c7bc5646f451d8cc49b05a22be80">Transgender Day of Visibility</a>. President Joe Biden marked the day by advocating against what his administration terms “dangerous anti-transgender legislative attacks” that have passed in statehouses across the country.

“DHS is committed to protecting the traveling public while ensuring that everyone, regardless of gender identity, is treated with respect,” Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in the statement.

The use of the “X” pronoun in the TSA Precheck advanced security program will begin April 11 and is intended to keep pace with identity documents that already include that option, DHS said. A new “X” gender marker on U.S. passport applications also begins April 11.

Later this year, TSA will begin using scanners with new technology that will replace gender-based systems and are intended to “advance civil rights and improve the customer experience.”

The TSA will work with airlines to promote the acceptance of the “X” gender marker and will also update the guidance for airport security screening officers to remove gender considerations when validating documents, DHS said.

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. airport security procedures will become more gender-neutral, with changes to scanners used for screening and the use of an “X” for travelers going through Precheck who do not identify as male or female, the Biden administration said Thursday.Transportation Security Administration officers will also receive new instructions on screening intended to make procedures less invasive, the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">To transgender Americans of all ages, I want you to know that you are so brave. You belong. I have your back. <a href="https://t.co/mD4F0m3rU1">pic.twitter.com/mD4F0m3rU1</a>&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1509532210495254528?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 31, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>They are among a series of travel-security measures announced by the department in conjunction with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-travel-lifestyle-ac02c7bc5646f451d8cc49b05a22be80">Transgender Day of Visibility</a>. President Joe Biden marked the day by advocating against what his administration terms “dangerous anti-transgender legislative attacks” that have passed in statehouses across the country.“DHS is committed to protecting the traveling public while ensuring that everyone, regardless of gender identity, is treated with respect,” Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in the statement.The use of the “X” pronoun in the TSA Precheck advanced security program will begin April 11 and is intended to keep pace with identity documents that already include that option, DHS said. A new “X” gender marker on U.S. passport applications also begins April 11.Later this year, TSA will begin using scanners with new technology that will replace gender-based systems and are intended to “advance civil rights and improve the customer experience.”The TSA will work with airlines to promote the acceptance of the “X” gender marker and will also update the guidance for airport security screening officers to remove gender considerations when validating documents, DHS said.

🎥 USA to issue gender-neutral 'X' passports

ROELAND PARK&nbsp;–&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly&nbsp;led a roundtable discussion with Kansas grocers at a&nbsp;Price Chopper in Roeland Park&nbsp;today&nbsp;to discuss&nbsp;her “Axe the Food Tax” plan. The plan will&nbsp;eliminate the 6.5% state sales tax on groceries and will save an average family nearly $500 a year.&nbsp;

“Kansans have been paying more for groceries than people in almost every other state,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said. “With pandemic-induced inflation affecting families and their pocketbooks, it's more important than ever we provide immediate financial relief for Kansans by eliminating the food tax."&nbsp;

Kelly was joined by Kansas grocery store leaders:&nbsp;

Kansas&nbsp;has the second highest&nbsp;sales tax rate on groceries and is&nbsp;one of only seven states in the nation to fully tax groceries.&nbsp;The passage of Governor Kelly’s “Axe the Food Tax” plan keep business in Kansas while at the same time saving every shopper money.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1648810448010.png" alt="Gov. Kelly was joined by Kansas grocery store leaders Jon McCormick, President and CEO of the Retail Grocers Association of Missouri and Kansas,&nbsp; Rich Risewick, President of Jamboree Foods of Norton and Mike&nbsp;Beal, CFO of Ball’s Food Stores Inc. " />
 <figcaption>Gov. Kelly was joined by Kansas grocery store leaders Jon McCormick, President and CEO of the Retail Grocers Association of Missouri and Kansas,&nbsp; Rich Risewick, President of Jamboree Foods of Norton and Mike&nbsp;Beal, CFO of Ball’s Food Stores Inc. </figcaption>
 </figure>ROELAND PARK&nbsp;–&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly&nbsp;led a roundtable discussion with Kansas grocers at a&nbsp;Price Chopper in Roeland Park&nbsp;today&nbsp;to discuss&nbsp;her “Axe the Food Tax” plan. The plan will&nbsp;eliminate the 6.5% state sales tax on groceries and will save an average family nearly $500 a year.&nbsp;“Kansans have been paying more for groceries than people in almost every other state,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said. “With pandemic-induced inflation affecting families and their pocketbooks, it's more important than ever we provide immediate financial relief for Kansans by eliminating the food tax."&nbsp;Kelly was joined by Kansas grocery store leaders:&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>Jon McCormick,&nbsp;President and CEO of the Retail Grocers Association of Missouri and Kansas&nbsp;</li><li>Rich&nbsp;Risewick, President of Jamboree Foods of Norton&nbsp;</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>Mike Beal, CFO of Ball’s Food Stores Inc.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>Kansas&nbsp;has the second highest&nbsp;sales tax rate on groceries and is&nbsp;one of only seven states in the nation to fully tax groceries.&nbsp;The passage of Governor Kelly’s “Axe the Food Tax” plan keep business in Kansas while at the same time saving every shopper money.&nbsp;

Kan. gov. met with grocers on plan to eliminate the state sales tax on food

By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina Post

After a multi-month investigation, police arrested a Kansas man&nbsp; Monday in connection with the alleged rape of a 14-year-old girl.

In January, it was alleged that Raymond L. Isom, 41, of Salina, sexually assaulted a 14-year-old girl, according to Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester.

Upon completion of the investigation, the Salina Police Department sought an arrest warrant for Isom on a requested charge of rape. Police arrested him at a residence in the 100 block of W. Republic Avenue in Salina. 

Isom was booked into the Saline County Jail Monday afternoon, according to the jail booking report. He has previous convictions for theft, aggravated battery, criminal damage to property and drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648564287119.png" alt="&nbsp;Isom has previous convictions for theft, aggravated battery, criminal damage to property and drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections&nbsp;-Photo Saline County Sheriff's Office" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Isom has previous convictions for theft, aggravated battery, criminal damage to property and drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections&nbsp;-Photo Saline County Sheriff's Office</figcaption>
 </figure>By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina PostAfter a multi-month investigation, police arrested a Kansas man&nbsp; Monday in connection with the alleged rape of a 14-year-old girl.In January, it was alleged that Raymond L. Isom, 41, of Salina, sexually assaulted a 14-year-old girl, according to Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester.Upon completion of the investigation, the Salina Police Department sought an arrest warrant for Isom on a requested charge of rape. Police arrested him at a residence in the 100 block of W. Republic Avenue in Salina. Isom was booked into the Saline County Jail Monday afternoon, according to the jail booking report. He has previous convictions for theft, aggravated battery, criminal damage to property and drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections

Police: 41-year-old Kan. felon accused of sex with 14-year-old

EL PASO, Texas&nbsp;– Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect wanted for murder in Kansas.

On March 28, U.S. Border Patrol Agents&nbsp;in the El Paso&nbsp;Sector&nbsp;arrested a U.S.&nbsp;citizen wanted for&nbsp;murder in Wichita.

The El Paso Station&nbsp;Border Patrol Agent encountered an individual walking along&nbsp;the south side of the Border Barrier&nbsp;near Fonseca Drive&nbsp;and Cesar E. Chavez/Border Highway, according to a media release from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

When agents questioned the individual as to his citizenship, the man stated that he was a U.S.&nbsp;citizen and that he had&nbsp;just&nbsp;entered the United States&nbsp;from Mexico, illegally,&nbsp;by attempting to drive his truck across the Rio Grande.&nbsp;

The individual, later identified as 25-year-old Patricio Gomez, was taken into custody, for the illegal entry,&nbsp;and transported to the station for further investigation.&nbsp;Record checks revealed that he had an extensive criminal history&nbsp;and an&nbsp;active&nbsp;warrant&nbsp;out of&nbsp;Wichita,&nbsp;Kansas,&nbsp;for&nbsp;murder.

Gomez was&nbsp;remanded to the&nbsp;custody of the&nbsp;El Paso County Sheriff’s&nbsp;Office&nbsp;waiting&nbsp;to be extradited to Wichita.&nbsp;&nbsp;

On October 1, Wichita police issued an alert in an attempt to locate Gomez.

Just before 6:30p.m. Sept. 30, 2021. officers responded to a shooting call at a hotel in the 9400 block of East Corporate Hills.&nbsp; Upon arrival, officers located 42-year-old Michael Martinez who had been shot.&nbsp; He was pronounced deceased on the scene.

The investigation revealed&nbsp;Patricio&nbsp;along with a woman arrived at the hotel regarding an illegal drug transaction.&nbsp; During the transaction, a disturbance ensued and&nbsp;Gomez&nbsp;fired multiple shots at Martinez, striking him.&nbsp;&nbsp;Gomez&nbsp;and the woman fled the scene in a black Cadillac Escalade.

Police located the Cadillac outside of a hotel in Park City.&nbsp; 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648742338695.png" alt="Gomez from a Sept. 2021 arrest in Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Gomez from a Sept. 2021 arrest in Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>EL PASO, Texas&nbsp;– Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect wanted for murder in Kansas.On March 28, U.S. Border Patrol Agents&nbsp;in the El Paso&nbsp;Sector&nbsp;arrested a U.S.&nbsp;citizen wanted for&nbsp;murder in Wichita.The El Paso Station&nbsp;Border Patrol Agent encountered an individual walking along&nbsp;the south side of the Border Barrier&nbsp;near Fonseca Drive&nbsp;and Cesar E. Chavez/Border Highway, according to a media release from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.When agents questioned the individual as to his citizenship, the man stated that he was a U.S.&nbsp;citizen and that he had&nbsp;just&nbsp;entered the United States&nbsp;from Mexico, illegally,&nbsp;by attempting to drive his truck across the Rio Grande.&nbsp;The individual, later identified as 25-year-old Patricio Gomez, was taken into custody, for the illegal entry,&nbsp;and transported to the station for further investigation.&nbsp;Record checks revealed that he had an extensive criminal history&nbsp;and an&nbsp;active&nbsp;warrant&nbsp;out of&nbsp;Wichita,&nbsp;Kansas,&nbsp;for&nbsp;murder.Gomez was&nbsp;remanded to the&nbsp;custody of the&nbsp;El Paso County Sheriff’s&nbsp;Office&nbsp;waiting&nbsp;to be extradited to Wichita.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1633117408445.png" alt="Gomez-photo Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Gomez-photo Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>On October 1, Wichita police issued an alert in an attempt to locate Gomez.Just before 6:30p.m. Sept. 30, 2021. officers responded to a shooting call at a hotel in the 9400 block of East Corporate Hills.&nbsp; Upon arrival, officers located 42-year-old Michael Martinez who had been shot.&nbsp; He was pronounced deceased on the scene.The investigation revealed&nbsp;Patricio&nbsp;along with a woman arrived at the hotel regarding an illegal drug transaction.&nbsp; During the transaction, a disturbance ensued and&nbsp;Gomez&nbsp;fired multiple shots at Martinez, striking him.&nbsp;&nbsp;Gomez&nbsp;and the woman fled the scene in a black Cadillac Escalade.Police located the Cadillac outside of a hotel in Park City.&nbsp;

Wanted Kan. murder suspect captured by U.S. Border agents

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Thursday ordered the release of 1 million barrels of oil per day from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-business-prices-ae5200310e3d3c0390d9e1cbb3c5a964">the nation’s strategic petroleum reserve</a>&nbsp;for six months, a bid to control energy prices that have spiked after the United States and allies imposed steep sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.

The president said it was not known how much gasoline prices could decline as a result of his move, but he suggested it might be “anything from 10 cents to 35 cents a gallon.” Gas is averaging about $4.23 a gallon, compared with $2.87 a year ago, according to AAA.

“The bottom line is if we want lower gas prices we need to have more oil supply right now,” Biden said. “This is a moment of consequence and peril for the world, and pain at the pump for American families.”

(click below to listen to Pres. Biden's statement to producers)

The president also wants Congress to impose financial penalties on oil and gas companies that lease public lands but are not producing. He said he will invoke the Defense Production Act to encourage the mining of critical minerals for batteries in electric vehicles, part of a broader push to shift toward cleaner energy sources and reduce the use of fossil fuels.

The actions show that oil remains a vulnerability for the U.S. Higher prices have hurt Biden’s approval domestically and added billions of oil-export dollars to the Russian government as it wages war on Ukraine.

Tapping the stockpile would create pressures that could reduce oil prices, though Biden has twice ordered releases from the reserves without causing a meaningful shift in oil markets. Biden said Thursday he expects gasoline prices could drop “fairly significantly.”

Part of Biden’s concern is that high prices have not so far coaxed a meaningful jump in oil production. The planned release is a way to increase supplies as a bridge until&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-biden-covid-health-business-da75f38d60c1e820b5147fa9e25feca2">oil companies ramp up their own production,</a>&nbsp;with administration officials estimating that domestic production will grow by 1 million barrels daily this year and an additional 700,000 barrels daily in 2023.

The markets reacted quickly with crude oil prices dropping about 4% in Thursday trading to under $104 a barrel. Still, oil is up from roughly $60 a year ago, with supplies failing to keep up with demand as the world economy has begun to rebound from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">the coronavirus pandemic</a>. That inflationary problem was compounded by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, which created new uncertainties about oil and natural gas supplies and led to retaliatory sanctions from the U.S. and its allies.

Stewart Glickman, an oil analyst for CFRA Research, said the release would bring short-term relief on prices and would be akin to “taking some Advil for a headache.” But markets would ultimately look to see whether, after the releases stop, the underlying problems that led to Biden’s decisions remain.

“The root cause of the headache is probably still going to be there after the medicine wears off,” Glickman said.

Biden has been in talks with allies and partners to join in additional releases of oil, such that the world market will get more than the 180 million barrels total being pledged by the U.S.

Americans on average use about 21 million barrels of oil daily, with about 40% of that devoted to gasoline, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. That total accounts for about one-fifth of total global consumption of oil.

Domestic oil production is equal to more than half of U.S. usage, but high prices have not led companies to return to their pre-pandemic levels of output. The U.S. is producing on average 11.7 million barrels daily, down from 13 million barrels in early 2020.

Republican lawmakers have said the problem results from the administration being hostile to oil permits and the construction of new pipelines such as the Keystone XL. Democrats say the country needs to move to renewable energy such as wind and solar that could reduce the dependence on fossil fuels and Putin’s leverage.

Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., blasted Biden’s action to tap the reserve without first taking steps to increase American energy production, calling it “a Band-Aid on a bullet wound.″

Daines called Biden’s actions “desperate moves″ that avoid what he called the real solution: ”investing in American energy production,″ and getting “oil and gas leases going again.”

The administration says increasing oil output is a gradual process and the release would provide time to ramp up production. It also wants to incentivize greater production by putting fees on unused leases on government lands, something that would require congressional approval.

Oil producers have been more focused on meeting the needs of investors than consumers, according to a survey released last week by the Dallas Federal Reserve. About 59% of the executives surveyed said investor pressure to preserve “capital discipline” amid high prices was the reason they weren’t pumping more, while fewer than 10% blamed government regulation.

In his remarks Thursday, Biden tried to shame oil companies that he said are focused on profits instead of putting out more barrels, saying that adding to the oil supply was a patriotic obligation.

“This is not the time to sit on record profits: It’s time to step up for the good of your country,” the president said.

The steady release from the reserves would be a meaningful sum and come near to closing the domestic production gap relative to February 2020, before the coronavirus caused a steep decline in oil output.

Still, the politics of oil are complicated with industry advocates and environmentalists both criticizing the planned release. Groups such as the American Petroleum Institute want to make drilling easier, while environmental organizations say energy companies should be forced to pay a special tax on windfall profits instead.

The administration in November announced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-oil-strategic-reserve-gas-prices-a7e0802b299cd627c7ffdeeb0e50bd2c">the release of 50 million barrels</a>&nbsp;from the strategic reserve in coordination with other countries. And after the Russia-Ukraine war began, the U.S. and 30 other countries agreed to an additional release of 60 million barrels from reserves, with half of the total coming from the U.S.

According to the Department of Energy, which manages it, more than 568 million barrels of oil were held in the reserve as of March 25. After the release, the government would begin to replenish the reserve once prices have sufficiently fallen.

News of the administration’s planning was first reported by Bloomberg.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648749907890.png" alt="The president also wants Congress to impose financial penalties on oil and gas companies that lease public lands but are not producing-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>The president also wants Congress to impose financial penalties on oil and gas companies that lease public lands but are not producing-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Thursday ordered the release of 1 million barrels of oil per day from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-business-prices-ae5200310e3d3c0390d9e1cbb3c5a964">the nation’s strategic petroleum reserve</a>&nbsp;for six months, a bid to control energy prices that have spiked after the United States and allies imposed steep sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F300434728721015%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=36" 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>The president said it was not known how much gasoline prices could decline as a result of his move, but he suggested it might be “anything from 10 cents to 35 cents a gallon.” Gas is averaging about $4.23 a gallon, compared with $2.87 a year ago, according to AAA.“The bottom line is if we want lower gas prices we need to have more oil supply right now,” Biden said. “This is a moment of consequence and peril for the world, and pain at the pump for American families.”(click below to listen to Pres. Biden's statement to producers)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F300434728721015%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=246" 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>The president also wants Congress to impose financial penalties on oil and gas companies that lease public lands but are not producing. He said he will invoke the Defense Production Act to encourage the mining of critical minerals for batteries in electric vehicles, part of a broader push to shift toward cleaner energy sources and reduce the use of fossil fuels.The actions show that oil remains a vulnerability for the U.S. Higher prices have hurt Biden’s approval domestically and added billions of oil-export dollars to the Russian government as it wages war on Ukraine.Tapping the stockpile would create pressures that could reduce oil prices, though Biden has twice ordered releases from the reserves without causing a meaningful shift in oil markets. Biden said Thursday he expects gasoline prices could drop “fairly significantly.”Part of Biden’s concern is that high prices have not so far coaxed a meaningful jump in oil production. The planned release is a way to increase supplies as a bridge until&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-biden-covid-health-business-da75f38d60c1e820b5147fa9e25feca2">oil companies ramp up their own production,</a>&nbsp;with administration officials estimating that domestic production will grow by 1 million barrels daily this year and an additional 700,000 barrels daily in 2023.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648751491285.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The markets reacted quickly with crude oil prices dropping about 4% in Thursday trading to under $104 a barrel. Still, oil is up from roughly $60 a year ago, with supplies failing to keep up with demand as the world economy has begun to rebound from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">the coronavirus pandemic</a>. That inflationary problem was compounded by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, which created new uncertainties about oil and natural gas supplies and led to retaliatory sanctions from the U.S. and its allies.Stewart Glickman, an oil analyst for CFRA Research, said the release would bring short-term relief on prices and would be akin to “taking some Advil for a headache.” But markets would ultimately look to see whether, after the releases stop, the underlying problems that led to Biden’s decisions remain.“The root cause of the headache is probably still going to be there after the medicine wears off,” Glickman said.Biden has been in talks with allies and partners to join in additional releases of oil, such that the world market will get more than the 180 million barrels total being pledged by the U.S.Americans on average use about 21 million barrels of oil daily, with about 40% of that devoted to gasoline, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. That total accounts for about one-fifth of total global consumption of oil.Domestic oil production is equal to more than half of U.S. usage, but high prices have not led companies to return to their pre-pandemic levels of output. The U.S. is producing on average 11.7 million barrels daily, down from 13 million barrels in early 2020.Republican lawmakers have said the problem results from the administration being hostile to oil permits and the construction of new pipelines such as the Keystone XL. Democrats say the country needs to move to renewable energy such as wind and solar that could reduce the dependence on fossil fuels and Putin’s leverage.Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., blasted Biden’s action to tap the reserve without first taking steps to increase American energy production, calling it “a Band-Aid on a bullet wound.″Daines called Biden’s actions “desperate moves″ that avoid what he called the real solution: ”investing in American energy production,″ and getting “oil and gas leases going again.”The administration says increasing oil output is a gradual process and the release would provide time to ramp up production. It also wants to incentivize greater production by putting fees on unused leases on government lands, something that would require congressional approval.Oil producers have been more focused on meeting the needs of investors than consumers, according to a survey released last week by the Dallas Federal Reserve. About 59% of the executives surveyed said investor pressure to preserve “capital discipline” amid high prices was the reason they weren’t pumping more, while fewer than 10% blamed government regulation.In his remarks Thursday, Biden tried to shame oil companies that he said are focused on profits instead of putting out more barrels, saying that adding to the oil supply was a patriotic obligation.“This is not the time to sit on record profits: It’s time to step up for the good of your country,” the president said.The steady release from the reserves would be a meaningful sum and come near to closing the domestic production gap relative to February 2020, before the coronavirus caused a steep decline in oil output.Still, the politics of oil are complicated with industry advocates and environmentalists both criticizing the planned release. Groups such as the American Petroleum Institute want to make drilling easier, while environmental organizations say energy companies should be forced to pay a special tax on windfall profits instead.The administration in November announced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-oil-strategic-reserve-gas-prices-a7e0802b299cd627c7ffdeeb0e50bd2c">the release of 50 million barrels</a>&nbsp;from the strategic reserve in coordination with other countries. And after the Russia-Ukraine war began, the U.S. and 30 other countries agreed to an additional release of 60 million barrels from reserves, with half of the total coming from the U.S.According to the Department of Energy, which manages it, more than 568 million barrels of oil were held in the reserve as of March 25. After the release, the government would begin to replenish the reserve once prices have sufficiently fallen.News of the administration’s planning was first reported by Bloomberg.___

🎥Biden threatens some oil, gas producers in plan to lower gas prices

STAFFORD COUNTY—A Kansas man died in an accident just before 7:30a.m. Thursday in Stafford County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2014 GMC Sierra driven by Itzel&nbsp;Guillen, 19, St. John, was&nbsp;northbound on U.S. 281 three miles north of St. John. A 2012 Chevy Silverado driven by Claudio&nbsp;Sanchez Molina, 52, Great Bend, was southbound. 

Guillen lost control of the GMC on the icy bridge. The pickup traveled left of center. Both vehicles collided on the bridge causing the Chevy to strike the cement railing on the west side of the highway. 

Sanchez Molina was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Minnis Chapel.

EMS transported Guillen and one passenger in the Chevy 41-year-old Jose S.&nbsp;Garcia-Hernandez of Great Bend to the hospital in Great Bend. EMS transported a second passenger in the Chevy Carlos P. Castro, 25, Great Bend, to Wesley Medical Center. The occupants in the Chevy were not wearing seat belts, according to the KHP.

STAFFORD COUNTY—A Kansas man died in an accident just before 7:30a.m. Thursday in Stafford County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2014 GMC Sierra driven by Itzel&nbsp;Guillen, 19, St. John, was&nbsp;northbound on U.S. 281 three miles north of St. John. A 2012 Chevy Silverado driven by Claudio&nbsp;Sanchez Molina, 52, Great Bend, was southbound. Guillen lost control of the GMC on the icy bridge. The pickup traveled left of center. Both vehicles collided on the bridge causing the Chevy to strike the cement railing on the west side of the highway. Sanchez Molina was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Minnis Chapel.EMS transported Guillen and one passenger in the Chevy 41-year-old Jose S.&nbsp;Garcia-Hernandez of Great Bend to the hospital in Great Bend. EMS transported a second passenger in the Chevy Carlos P. Castro, 25, Great Bend, to Wesley Medical Center. The occupants in the Chevy were not wearing seat belts, according to the KHP.

Kansas man dead, 3 injured after pickups collide on icy bridge

TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) on Thursday announced their continued efforts to shift to the next chapter of the COVID-19 response, pivoting from emergency pandemic response to endemic normalcy. 

On April 1, KDHE will make changes to continue the transition from emergency response to our ‘new normal,’ which includes life with COVID-19—similar to how we deal with other recurring diseases like the flu. Using the lessons learned over the past two years, KDHE will continue to ensure the State is prepared for potential surges or other needs that might arise in the future.

"Kansas is continuing the transition to a new phase of understanding and living with COVID-19,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;“We know the pandemic is not over, however we now have the tools and knowledge obtained over the past two years to prevent or reduce the spread of the virus. We are normalizing our COVID-19 response and incorporating these lessons into our larger efforts at improving health outcomes for all Kansans, which includes work on multiple diseases and an awareness of differing risk factors.”

This decision comes as current COVID-19 metrics are moving in the right direction. Over the last two years, KDHE has made significant progress in keeping Kansas communities safe with the help of partners throughout the State: over 7 million tests have been given, over 4 million vaccines have been administered, and over 78% of eligible Kansans have received at least one dose of a COVID vaccine.

“In our new normal, we will continue to ensure that Kansans have equitable access to life-saving vaccines, tests, and treatments. This shift does not mean that COVID is over, but rather we are working to manage the disease in a way that allows us to maintain a more normal life that is once again filled with friends, families and other loved ones,”&nbsp;said KDHE Secretary Janet Stanek.

Working with Local Health Departments (LHDs) and stakeholders, KDHE’s endemic plan addresses six key areas that are designed to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all Kansans:

Across each of the above areas, KDHE will remain prepared to ramp up capacity to quickly respond to a surge and keep Kansans safe should the need arise.

TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) on Thursday announced their continued efforts to shift to the next chapter of the COVID-19 response, pivoting from emergency pandemic response to endemic normalcy. On April 1, KDHE will make changes to continue the transition from emergency response to our ‘new normal,’ which includes life with COVID-19—similar to how we deal with other recurring diseases like the flu. Using the lessons learned over the past two years, KDHE will continue to ensure the State is prepared for potential surges or other needs that might arise in the future."Kansas is continuing the transition to a new phase of understanding and living with COVID-19,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;“We know the pandemic is not over, however we now have the tools and knowledge obtained over the past two years to prevent or reduce the spread of the virus. We are normalizing our COVID-19 response and incorporating these lessons into our larger efforts at improving health outcomes for all Kansans, which includes work on multiple diseases and an awareness of differing risk factors.”This decision comes as current COVID-19 metrics are moving in the right direction. Over the last two years, KDHE has made significant progress in keeping Kansas communities safe with the help of partners throughout the State: over 7 million tests have been given, over 4 million vaccines have been administered, and over 78% of eligible Kansans have received at least one dose of a COVID vaccine.“In our new normal, we will continue to ensure that Kansans have equitable access to life-saving vaccines, tests, and treatments. This shift does not mean that COVID is over, but rather we are working to manage the disease in a way that allows us to maintain a more normal life that is once again filled with friends, families and other loved ones,”&nbsp;said KDHE Secretary Janet Stanek.Working with Local Health Departments (LHDs) and stakeholders, KDHE’s endemic plan addresses six key areas that are designed to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all Kansans:<ul>
 <li>Intervention:&nbsp;KDHE will continue to provide comprehensive guidance, while continuing to offer additional assistance to underserved and/or vulnerable populations.</li><li>Vaccination:&nbsp;KDHE will focus on making sure vulnerable populations have access to the COVID-19 vaccine while existing vaccine providers, including health care providers, pharmacists, hospitals, and LHDs, will continue to serve the broader population.</li><li>Treatment:&nbsp;KDHE will continue to ensure Kansans will be able to receive COVID-19 treatment across the State, as treatment distribution shifts away from public health entities and back to local health care providers.</li><li>Testing:&nbsp;KDHE will continue to support access to free testing across the state through community testing sites, LHDs, and K-12 schools as long as federal funding is available. In addition, the federal government provides direct testing support to Federally Qualified Health Centers and pharmacies around the state. To find a free testing location near you, go to&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAzMzEuNTU3NDY5ODEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5jb3JvbmF2aXJ1cy5rZGhla3MuZ292LzI4MC9DT1ZJRC0xOS1UZXN0aW5nIn0.GfHL9b4jMqHPXXa-raViSl3-9DLuVjAXv4mI1BPx2bo/s/1303160919/br/128948992477-l" target="_blank">knowbeforeyougoKS.com</a>. KDHE testing support for Long Term Care Facilities will be phased out&nbsp;on May 15, 2022,&nbsp;and testing support for employers&nbsp;ends on June 30, 2022.&nbsp;</li><li>Monitoring:&nbsp;KDHE will continue to monitor data as reported by organizations and facilities across the state to understand the status of COVID-19 and proactively identify at-risk groups. Public reporting will be reduced to once a week.</li><li>Communications:&nbsp;KDHE will continue to provide essential and accessible COVID information to keep Kansans safe and aware of any subsequent changes to COVID-19 response efforts.</li>
 </ul>Across each of the above areas, KDHE will remain prepared to ramp up capacity to quickly respond to a surge and keep Kansans safe should the need arise.

Gov.: Pandemic not over; Kan. moves to endemic phase of COVID response

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) —&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;lawmakers have given final approval to a redistricting measure that's likely to preserve Republican supermajorities in the Legislature while possibly moving the state school board to the right.

The state Senate on Wednesday night approved, 29-11, a single bill containing plans for its members, the House and the State Board of Education, shortly after the House approved it, 83-40. The measure goes next to Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, and Republican leaders appear to have the two-thirds majorities in both chambers to override a veto.

Top Republicans largely drew the new political boundaries, but the lines had bipartisan support in both chambers. Some Democratic senators liked their new districts, and most House members were pleased with theirs.

The new State Board of Education map drew an unusual amount of attention this year. The board had a rival plan likely to retain its current centrist majority, while Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican, hopes to elect more conservatives.

Kelly hasn't weighed in publicly on the state school board map, but she said in an interview earlier this week that the House and Senate maps seemed “as fair to the incumbents as the numbers would allow.”

“I actually think they did a pretty good job on that,” she said.

The Kansas Constitution requires the Legislature to redraw districts once every decade to make them as equal in population as possible after population shifts. Southeast, central and parts of western Kansas lost population over the last 10 years, while the Wichita area and northeast Kansas saw gains.

If Kelly signs the measure, the Kansas Supreme Court automatically will review the maps.

Republicans expect the new maps to allow them to keep roughly the same majorities of 29-11 in the Senate and 86-39 in the House.

While the State Board of Education has a 6-4 Republican majority, it's controlled by Democrats and GOP moderates.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican legislators in Kansas are pushing a redistricting plan that the state Senate’s top GOP leader hopes will move the state school board to the right and give conservatives more say over what’s taught in public schools.

The Senate on Tuesday approved&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegresearch.org/KLRD-web/Publications/Redistricting/2022-Plans/Board-of-Education/Apple-7-Packet.pdf" target="_blank">a bill&nbsp;</a>that would redraw the districts for the 10-member elected State Board of Education so that districts are as equal in population as possible after a decade of shifts across Kansas. The&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/vote_view/je_20220329165047_314472/" target="_blank">31-8 vote</a>&nbsp;sent the measure to the House, and lawmakers expect to give final approval to new lines for board districts and for their own districts before the Republican-controlled Legislature begins its annual spring break Saturday.

Republicans hold a 6-4 majority on the state school board, but it has become far less conservative than the Legislature. The board sets curriculum guidelines for public schools, and from 1999 until 2007, Kansas endured international ridicule over&nbsp;<a href="https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/389385" target="_blank">debates about teaching evolution</a>&nbsp;in its public schools as the board adopted five sets of science standards in eight years and its majority seesawed between conservatives and a Democratic-moderate GOP coalition.

Senate President Ty Masterson, a conservative Andover Republican and the redistricting plan’s architect, said he’s hoping for “more vibrant conversation” among board members about education policy “instead of one monolithic vision.”

“It would be good if there were more conservatives on the board,” Masterson said during an interview. “You have these offices that need more attention because we need more discussion on that, so the result is the State Board of Education doesn’t reflect Kansas.”

Conservative lawmakers are frustrated that the board hasn’t moved on its own&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/education-race-and-ethnicity-racial-injustice-kansas-topeka-d9684fdec9ad74c621d7a51977c58f7d">to limit what can be taught about race</a>&nbsp;and the role of racism in U.S. history or to make it easier to remove materials from classrooms and libraries.

“Their responses to parents’ concerns have not been as robust as I would probably have hoped,” said Rep. Kristey Williams, a conservative Augusta Republican and chair of a House committee on education spending. “Kansans are generally to the right of many of our board members.”

Redrawing state board districts traditionally has been an afterthought for lawmakers, with plans attached to state House and Senate maps just before they clear the Legislature. Each board district is four state Senate districts, so top House Republicans plan to defer to GOP senators’ wishes.

Board members have&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegresearch.org/KLRD-web/Publications/Redistricting/2022-Plans/Board-of-Education/Little-Jerusalem-Badlands_Packet.pdf" target="_blank">their own map,</a>&nbsp;one more likely to preserve the political status quo. That proposal avoided putting two incumbents in any district.

Board member Ann Mah, a Topeka Democrat, said the board’s plan would ensure that it continues to “stand up” to the Legislature.

As for Masterson, Mah said, “If he could mess it up and have a weak board that the Legislature could control, that would be, you know, right up his alley.”

GOP lawmakers’ plan would pair Republican board members Ben Jones, of Sterling, and Deena Horst, of Salina, in a central Kansas district. In the Kansas City area, Democratic board members Janet Waugh, of Kansas City, and Melanie Haas, of Overland Park, would share a district.

The measure also would carve up the Kansas City, Kansas, area among three board districts, while the board’s plan would split it between two. The area is in a single district now, represented by Waugh.

“Carving it up with what appears to be a more partisan divide is a little unsettling,” said Democratic state Sen. David Haley, of Kansas City, adding that minority communities could lack “a clear voice” in board debates.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648723358554.png" alt="State board of education district map" />
 <figcaption>State board of education district map</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNATOPEKA, Kan. (AP) —&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;lawmakers have given final approval to a redistricting measure that's likely to preserve Republican supermajorities in the Legislature while possibly moving the state school board to the right.The state Senate on Wednesday night approved, 29-11, a single bill containing plans for its members, the House and the State Board of Education, shortly after the House approved it, 83-40. The measure goes next to Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, and Republican leaders appear to have the two-thirds majorities in both chambers to override a veto.Top Republicans largely drew the new political boundaries, but the lines had bipartisan support in both chambers. Some Democratic senators liked their new districts, and most House members were pleased with theirs.The new State Board of Education map drew an unusual amount of attention this year. The board had a rival plan likely to retain its current centrist majority, while Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican, hopes to elect more conservatives.Kelly hasn't weighed in publicly on the state school board map, but she said in an interview earlier this week that the House and Senate maps seemed “as fair to the incumbents as the numbers would allow.”“I actually think they did a pretty good job on that,” she said.The Kansas Constitution requires the Legislature to redraw districts once every decade to make them as equal in population as possible after population shifts. Southeast, central and parts of western Kansas lost population over the last 10 years, while the Wichita area and northeast Kansas saw gains.If Kelly signs the measure, the Kansas Supreme Court automatically will review the maps.Republicans expect the new maps to allow them to keep roughly the same majorities of 29-11 in the Senate and 86-39 in the House.While the State Board of Education has a 6-4 Republican majority, it's controlled by Democrats and GOP moderates.---------TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican legislators in Kansas are pushing a redistricting plan that the state Senate’s top GOP leader hopes will move the state school board to the right and give conservatives more say over what’s taught in public schools.The Senate on Tuesday approved&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegresearch.org/KLRD-web/Publications/Redistricting/2022-Plans/Board-of-Education/Apple-7-Packet.pdf" target="_blank">a bill&nbsp;</a>that would redraw the districts for the 10-member elected State Board of Education so that districts are as equal in population as possible after a decade of shifts across Kansas. The&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/vote_view/je_20220329165047_314472/" target="_blank">31-8 vote</a>&nbsp;sent the measure to the House, and lawmakers expect to give final approval to new lines for board districts and for their own districts before the Republican-controlled Legislature begins its annual spring break Saturday.Republicans hold a 6-4 majority on the state school board, but it has become far less conservative than the Legislature. The board sets curriculum guidelines for public schools, and from 1999 until 2007, Kansas endured international ridicule over&nbsp;<a href="https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/389385" target="_blank">debates about teaching evolution</a>&nbsp;in its public schools as the board adopted five sets of science standards in eight years and its majority seesawed between conservatives and a Democratic-moderate GOP coalition.Senate President Ty Masterson, a conservative Andover Republican and the redistricting plan’s architect, said he’s hoping for “more vibrant conversation” among board members about education policy “instead of one monolithic vision.”“It would be good if there were more conservatives on the board,” Masterson said during an interview. “You have these offices that need more attention because we need more discussion on that, so the result is the State Board of Education doesn’t reflect Kansas.”Conservative lawmakers are frustrated that the board hasn’t moved on its own&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/education-race-and-ethnicity-racial-injustice-kansas-topeka-d9684fdec9ad74c621d7a51977c58f7d">to limit what can be taught about race</a>&nbsp;and the role of racism in U.S. history or to make it easier to remove materials from classrooms and libraries.“Their responses to parents’ concerns have not been as robust as I would probably have hoped,” said Rep. Kristey Williams, a conservative Augusta Republican and chair of a House committee on education spending. “Kansans are generally to the right of many of our board members.”Redrawing state board districts traditionally has been an afterthought for lawmakers, with plans attached to state House and Senate maps just before they clear the Legislature. Each board district is four state Senate districts, so top House Republicans plan to defer to GOP senators’ wishes.Board members have&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegresearch.org/KLRD-web/Publications/Redistricting/2022-Plans/Board-of-Education/Little-Jerusalem-Badlands_Packet.pdf" target="_blank">their own map,</a>&nbsp;one more likely to preserve the political status quo. That proposal avoided putting two incumbents in any district.Board member Ann Mah, a Topeka Democrat, said the board’s plan would ensure that it continues to “stand up” to the Legislature.As for Masterson, Mah said, “If he could mess it up and have a weak board that the Legislature could control, that would be, you know, right up his alley.”GOP lawmakers’ plan would pair Republican board members Ben Jones, of Sterling, and Deena Horst, of Salina, in a central Kansas district. In the Kansas City area, Democratic board members Janet Waugh, of Kansas City, and Melanie Haas, of Overland Park, would share a district.The measure also would carve up the Kansas City, Kansas, area among three board districts, while the board’s plan would split it between two. The area is in a single district now, represented by Waugh.“Carving it up with what appears to be a more partisan divide is a little unsettling,” said Democratic state Sen. David Haley, of Kansas City, adding that minority communities could lack “a clear voice” in board debates.___

Kansas lawmakers approve their new districts, ed board map

SALINE COUNTY —A Kansas woman died in an accident just before 8a.m. Thursday in Saline County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2000 Toyota 4-Runner driven by Ellaina M.&nbsp;Brightbill, 42, Salina, was eastbound on Interstate 70 near the N. Ninth Street exit.

She lost control of the vehicle due to the icy roadway.

The SUV veered into the median and struck a guardrail on the westbound side, crossed the westbound lanes, rolled and came to rest on the north side of Interstate 70 off the roadway.

EMS transported Brightbill to Salina Regional Health Center where she was pronounced dead. She was properly restrained, according to the KHP.

SALINE COUNTY —A Kansas woman died in an accident just before 8a.m. Thursday in Saline County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2000 Toyota 4-Runner driven by Ellaina M.&nbsp;Brightbill, 42, Salina, was eastbound on Interstate 70 near the N. Ninth Street exit.She lost control of the vehicle due to the icy roadway.The SUV veered into the median and struck a guardrail on the westbound side, crossed the westbound lanes, rolled and came to rest on the north side of Interstate 70 off the roadway.EMS transported Brightbill to Salina Regional Health Center where she was pronounced dead. She was properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Kansas woman dies after SUV rolls on icy Interstate 70 

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican lawmakers on Wednesday passed a measure to overturn three communities' policies that could help immigrants stay in&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;illegally, highlighting an issue the GOP is likely to push in the governor's race.

The bill is a response to an ordinance enacted last month by Wyandotte County, a Democratic stronghold. The ordinance provides local identification cards for immigrants and other residents and declares that the county won't help the federal government enforce immigration laws absent a threat to public safety. Lawrence and Roeland Park in northeast Kansas also have such immigration enforcement policies.

Attorney General Derek Schmidt, the presumed Republican nominee for governor, decried Wyandotte County's “sanctuary" policy and urged lawmakers to intervene. Their bill would nullify existing ordinances and bar future ones restricting cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. The bill also would say a local ID isn't valid for voting.

The Senate approved the measure Wednesday, 29-10, after the House passed it last week, 84-38. It goes next to Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly. Republicans have criticized her for weeks for not taking a public stand against Wyandotte County's policy.

Schmidt called the measure “commonsense legislation" that prevents “a patchwork of local rules.” He also suggested local ID cards “lack basic anti-fraud protections.”

State Sen. Richard Hilderbrand, a Baxter Springs Republican, said when local officials promote violating federal law, "There is no place for local control there.”

Supporters had the two-thirds majorities necessary in both chambers to override a potential veto.

While Kelly hasn't taken a formal position on the bill, she told reporters last week, “I have been a staunch supporter, whenever possible, of allowing local units of government to make decisions that they feel are the best interest of their community.”

Meanwhile, critics of the bill questioned whether it violates a provision of the Kansas Constitution that says cities are “empowered to determine their local affairs.”

They also said Wyandotte County's ordinance makes sense for one of the most racially and ethnically diverse counties in Kansas. According to the 2020 census, non-Hispanic white residents make up 37% of its population, while Hispanic residents are 33%.

Finally, critics suggested that Schmidt was engaging in political theater in pushing for a bill after Wyandotte County enacted its policy, rather than doing it earlier, when Lawrence or Roeland Park did.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1633457915278.png" alt="State Sen. Richard Hilderbrand, a Baxter Springs Republican, said when local officials promote violating federal law, "There is no place for local control there.” photo by Sherman Smith" />
 <figcaption>State Sen. Richard Hilderbrand, a Baxter Springs Republican, said when local officials promote violating federal law, "There is no place for local control there.” photo by Sherman Smith</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNA, AP Political WriterTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican lawmakers on Wednesday passed a measure to overturn three communities' policies that could help immigrants stay in&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;illegally, highlighting an issue the GOP is likely to push in the governor's race.The bill is a response to an ordinance enacted last month by Wyandotte County, a Democratic stronghold. The ordinance provides local identification cards for immigrants and other residents and declares that the county won't help the federal government enforce immigration laws absent a threat to public safety. Lawrence and Roeland Park in northeast Kansas also have such immigration enforcement policies.Attorney General Derek Schmidt, the presumed Republican nominee for governor, decried Wyandotte County's “sanctuary" policy and urged lawmakers to intervene. Their bill would nullify existing ordinances and bar future ones restricting cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. The bill also would say a local ID isn't valid for voting.The Senate approved the measure Wednesday, 29-10, after the House passed it last week, 84-38. It goes next to Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly. Republicans have criticized her for weeks for not taking a public stand against Wyandotte County's policy.Schmidt called the measure “commonsense legislation" that prevents “a patchwork of local rules.” He also suggested local ID cards “lack basic anti-fraud protections.”State Sen. Richard Hilderbrand, a Baxter Springs Republican, said when local officials promote violating federal law, "There is no place for local control there.”Supporters had the two-thirds majorities necessary in both chambers to override a potential veto.While Kelly hasn't taken a formal position on the bill, she told reporters last week, “I have been a staunch supporter, whenever possible, of allowing local units of government to make decisions that they feel are the best interest of their community.”Meanwhile, critics of the bill questioned whether it violates a provision of the Kansas Constitution that says cities are “empowered to determine their local affairs.”They also said Wyandotte County's ordinance makes sense for one of the most racially and ethnically diverse counties in Kansas. According to the 2020 census, non-Hispanic white residents make up 37% of its population, while Hispanic residents are 33%.Finally, critics suggested that Schmidt was engaging in political theater in pushing for a bill after Wyandotte County enacted its policy, rather than doing it earlier, when Lawrence or Roeland Park did.“Why do we have a target on our back for the attorney general?” asked state Rep. Louis Ruiz, a Kansas City Democrat.