KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian troops Friday seized the biggest nuclear power plant in Europe after a middle-of-the-night attack that set it on fire and briefly raised worldwide fears of a catastrophe in the most chilling turn yet in Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

Firefighters put out the blaze, and no radiation was released, U.N. and Ukrainian officials said, as Russian forces pressed on with their week-old offensive on multiple fronts and the number of refugees fleeing the country eclipsed 1.2 million.

While the vast Russian armored column threatening Kyiv remained stalled outside the capital, President Vladimir Putin’s military has launched hundreds of missiles and artillery attacks on cities and other sites around the country, and made significant gains on the ground in the south in an apparent bid to cut off Ukraine’s access to the sea.

In the atttack on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in the southeastern city of Enerhodar, the chief of the U.N.’s International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Mariano Grossi, said a Russian “projectile” hit a training center, not any of the six reactors.

The attack triggered global alarm and fear of a catastrophe that could dwarf the world’s worst nuclear disaster, at Ukraine’s Chernobyl in 1986. In an emotional nighttime speech, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he feared an explosion that would be “the end for everyone. The end for Europe. The evacuation of Europe.”

But nuclear officials from Sweden to China said no radiation spikes had been reported, as did Grossi.

Authorities said that Russian troops had taken control of the overall site but that the plant staff continued to run it. Only one reactor was operating, running at 60% of capacity, Grossi said in the aftermath of the attack.

Two people were injured in the fire, Grossi said. Ukraine’s state nuclear plant operator Enerhoatom said three Ukrainian soldiers were killed and two wounded.

In the U.S., Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said the episode “underscores the recklessness with which the Russians have been perpetrating this unprovoked invasion.” At an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council, Ukraine’s U.N. ambassador, Sergiy Kyslytsya, said the fire broke out as a result of Russian shelling of the plant and accused Moscow of committing “an act of nuclear terrorism.”

Without producing evidence, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov claimed that a Ukrainian “sabotage group” had set the fire at Zaporozhizhia.

The crisis at Zaporizhzhia unfolded after Grossi earlier in the week expressed grave concern that the fighting could cause accidental damage to Ukraine’s 15 nuclear reactors at four plants around the country.

Atomic safety experts said a war fought amid nuclear reactors represents an unprecedented and highly dangerous situation.

“These plants are now in a situation that few people ever seriously contemplated when they were originally built,” said Edwin Lyman of the Union of Concerned Scientists in Washington. “No nuclear plant has been designed to withstand a potential threat of a full-scale military attack.”

Dr. Alex Rosen of International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War said the incident was probably the result of military units overestimating the precision of their weapons, given that the prevailing winds would have carried any radioactive fallout straight toward Russia.

“Russia cannot have any interest in contaminating its own territory,” he said. He said the danger comes not just from the reactors but from the risk of enemy fire hitting storage facilities that hold spent fuel rods.

In the wake of the attack, Zelenskyy appealed again to the West to enforce a no-fly zone over his country. But NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg ruled out that possibility, citing the risk of a much wider war in Europe. He said that to enforce a no-fly zone, NATO planes would have to shoot down Russian aircraft.

“We understand the desperation, but we also believe that if we did that, we would end up with something that could end in a full-fledged war in Europe,” Stoltenberg said.

The plant fire was the second time since the invasion began that concerns about a potential nuclear accident arose, following a battle at the heavily contaminated site of the now-decommissioned Chernobyl plant.

Russian forces, meanwhile, pressed their offensive in the southern part of the country. Severing Ukraine’s access to the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov would deal a severe blow to its economy and could worsen an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-photo-gallery-children-c3a83cdaa77b7bfe9c3b2f3ae4d0ad03">already dire humanitarian situation.</a>

A round of talks between Russia and Ukraine yielded a tentative agreement Thursday to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-kyiv-boris-johnson-technology-business-ddbace81e2e09028e0da1ec37619d148">set up safe corridors to evacuate citizens&nbsp;</a>and deliver food and medicine. But the necessary details still had to be worked out.

The U.N. human rights office said 331 civilians had been confirmed killed in the invasion but that the true number is probably much higher.

In Romania, one newly arrived refugee, Anton Kostyuchyk, struggled to hold back tears as he recounted leaving everything behind in Kyiv and sleeping in churches with his wife and three children during their journey out.

“I’m leaving my home, my country. I was born there, and I lived there,” he said. “And what now?”

Appearing on video in a message to antiwar protesters in several European cities, Zelenskyy continued to appeal for help.

“If we fall, you will fall,” he said. “And if we win, and I’m sure we’ll win, this will be the victory of the whole democratic world. This will be the victory of our freedom. This will be the victory of light over darkness, of freedom over slavery.”

Facing worldwide indignation over the invasion, Russia sought to crack down on the flow of information at home.

Putin signed a law making it a crime to intentionally spread what is deemed to be fake news. Russians could get up to 15 years in prison for disseminating information that goes against the official government line on the war.

Russian authorities also blocked all access to Facebook and Twitter and raided the offices of human rights organizations.

Inside Ukraine, frequent shelling could be heard in the center of Kyiv, though more distant than in recent days, with loud thudding every 10 minutes resonating over the rooftops.

Ukrainian presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovich said battles involving airstrikes and artillery continued northwest of Kyiv, and the northeastern cities of Kharkiv and Okhtyrka came under heavy fire.

He said Ukrainian forces were still holding the northern city of Chernihiv and had prevented Russian efforts to take the important southern city of Mykolaiv. Ukrainian artillery also defended Odesa from repeated attempts by Russian ships to fire on the Black Sea port, Arestovic said. Odesa is Ukraine’s biggest port city and home to a large naval base.

The Ukrainian Navy scuttled its flagship at the shipyard where it was undergoing repairs to keep the frigate from being seized by the Russians, authorities said.

Another strategic port, Mariupol, on the Sea of Azov, was “partially under siege,” and Ukrainian forces were pushing back efforts to surround the city, Arestovich said.

“The humanitarian situation is tense,” he said.

Battles have knocked out the city’s electricity, heat and water systems, as well as most phone service, officials said.

Amid the warfare, there were occasional signs of hope.

As explosions sounded on the fringes of Kyiv, Dmytro Shybalov and Anna Panasyk smiled and blushed at the civil registry office where they married Friday. They fell in love in 2015 in Donetsk amid the fighting between pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian forces that was a precursor to the countrywide war.

“It’s 2022 and the situation hasn’t changed,” Shybalov said. “It’s scary to think what will happen when our children will be born.”

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian firefighters on Friday extinguished a blaze at Europe’s biggest nuclear plant that was ignited by a Russian attack and no radiation was released, U.N. and Ukrainian officials said, as Russian forces&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">pressed their campaign&nbsp;</a>to cripple the country despite global condemnation.

The head of the United Nations’ atomic agency said that a Russian “projectile” hit a training center at the Zaporizhzhia plant. Ukrainian officials have said Russian troops took control of the overall site, but the plant’s staff are continuing to ensure its operations. International Atomic Energy Agency Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi sad that Russian forces were at the plant, but the Ukrainians were in control.

Ukraine’s state nuclear plant operator Enerhoatom said that three Ukrainian soldiers were killed and two wounded in the attack. Grossi said two people were injured in the blaze that broke out.

Ukraine’s state nuclear regulator earlier said that no changes in radiation levels have been recorded so far after the plant came under attack. Grossi later said no radioactive material was released.

The attack caused worldwide concern — and evoked memories of the world’s worst nuclear disaster, at Ukraine’s Chernobyl.

The shelling of the plant came as the Russian military advanced on a strategic city on the Dnieper River near where the facility is located, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-kyiv-boris-johnson-technology-business-ddbace81e2e09028e0da1ec37619d148">gained ground&nbsp;</a>in their bid to cut the country off from the sea. That move would deal a severe blow to Ukraine’s economy and could worsen an already&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-wartime-imagery-849debb0f952d442ddd9a7db67706b14">dire humanitarian situation</a>.

With the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-europe-fires-united-nations-4185db27571ff7510721e6f6a497c03f">invasion in its second week</a>, another round of talks between Russia and Ukraine yielded a tentative agreement to set up safe corridors to evacuate citizens and deliver humanitarian aid to the country, overturned by a war that has sent more than 1 million fleeing over the border and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-photo-gallery-children-c3a83cdaa77b7bfe9c3b2f3ae4d0ad03">countless others sheltering underground night after night</a>. A handful cities are without heat and at least one is struggling to get food and water.

Initial reports conflicted over whether one or two fires broke out at the plant in the city of Enerhodar. Nuclear plant spokesman Andriy Tuz told Ukrainian television overnight that shells fell directly on the facility, and set fire to reactor No. 1, which is under renovation and not operating, and to an administrative training building.

On Friday morning, officials only referenced a blaze at the training building when they said that all fires at the plant were out — which Grossi also confirmed. The regional military administration reported unspecified damage to the compartment of reactor No. 1, but said it does not affect the safety of the power unit.

The nuclear regulator said staff are studying the site to check for other damage.

Grossi confirmed Friday that the building hit was a training center and “not part of the reactor.” He said he did not know what hit the plant but called a “projectile” from Russian forces.

He said that only one reactor at the plant is operating, at about 60% capacity.

The confusion&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-science-boris-johnson-business-united-nations-aaf111310ba81ec6616541c1282524cb">itself underscored the dangers&nbsp;</a>of active fighting near a nuclear power plant. It was the second time since the invasion began just over a week ago that concerns about a nuclear accident or a release of radiation materialized, following a battle at Chernobyl.

The regulator noted in a statement on Facebook the importance of maintaining the ability to cool nuclear fuel, saying the loss of such ability could lead to an accident even worse than 1986 Chernobyl disaster or the 2011 Fukushima meltdowns in Japan. It also noted that there is a storage facility for spent nuclear fuel at the site, though there was no sign that facility was hit by shelling.

Leading nuclear authorities were worried but not panicked. The assault led to phone calls between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. President Joe Biden and other world leaders. The U.S. Department of Energy activated its nuclear incident response team as a precaution.

The Zaporizhzhia regional military administration said that measurements taken at 7 a.m. Friday (0500 GMT) showed radiation levels in the region “remain unchanged and do not endanger the lives and health of the population.” Nuclear officials from Sweden to China also said no radiation spikes have been reported.

“The fire at the (nuclear plant) has indeed been extinguished,” Enerhodar Mayor Dmytro Orlov announced on his Telegram channel Friday morning. His office told The Associated Press that the information came from firefighters who were allowed onto the site overnight.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson called for an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council in “coming hours” to raise the issue of Russia’s attack on the plant, according to a statement from his office.

In an emotional speech in the middle of the night, Zelenskyy said he feared an explosion that would be “the end for everyone. The end for Europe. The evacuation of Europe.”

But most experts saw nothing to indicate an impending disaster.

The International Atomic Energy Agency said the fire had not affected essential equipment and that Ukraine’s nuclear regulator reported no change in radiation levels.

“The real threat to Ukrainian lives continues to be the violent invasion and bombing of their country,” the American Nuclear Society said in a statement.

Orlov, the mayor of Enerhodar, said Russian shelling stopped a few hours before dawn, and residents of the city of more than 50,000 who had stayed in shelters overnight could return home. The city awoke with no heat, however, because the shelling damaged the city’s heating supply, he said.

Loud shots and rocket fire were heard late Thursday around the plant. Later, a livestreamed security camera linked from the homepage of the plant showed what appeared to be armored vehicles rolling into the facility’s parking lot and shining spotlights on the building where the camera was mounted.

Then there were what appeared to be muzzle flashes from vehicles, followed by nearly simultaneous explosions in surrounding buildings. Smoke rose into the frame and drifted away.

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s forces have brought their superior firepower to bear over the past few days, launching hundreds of missiles and artillery attacks on cities and other sites around the country and making significant gains in the south.

The Russians announced the capture of the southern city of Kherson, a vital Black Sea port of 280,000, and local Ukrainian officials confirmed the takeover of the government headquarters there, making it the first major city to fall since the invasion began a week ago.

Troops, meanwhile, advanced on Zaporizhzhia, a strategic city near the plant of the same name. A Russian airstrike on Thursday destroyed the power plant in Okhtyrka, leaving the northeastern city without heat or electricity, the head of the region said on Telegram.

“We are trying to figure out how to get people out of the city urgently because in a day the apartment buildings will turn into a cold stone trap without water, light or electricity,” Dmytro Zhyvytskyy said.

Heavy fighting continued on the outskirts of another strategic port, Mariupol, on the Azov Sea. The battles have knocked out the city’s electricity, heat and water systems, as well as most phone service, officials said. Food deliveries to the city were also cut.

Associated Press video from the port city showed the assault lighting up the darkening sky above deserted streets and medical teams treating civilians, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-sports-soccer-europe-international-soccer-b9ee718472ed3e23f8c70124ef4c3318">a 16-year-old boy inside a clinic who could not be saved</a>. The child was playing soccer when he was wounded in the shelling, according to his father, who cradled the boy’s head on the gurney and cried.

Ukraine’s defense minister said Friday that the flagship of its navy has been scuttled at the shipyard where it was undergoing repairs in order to keep it from being seized by Russian forces. Oleksii Reznikov said on Facebook that the commander of the frigate Hetman Sahaidachny decided to flood the ship.

“It is hard to imagine a more difficult decision for a courageous soldier and crew,” Reznikov said.

Overall, the outnumbered, outgunned Ukrainians have put up stiff resistance, staving off the swift victory that Russia appeared to have expected. But Russia’s seizure of the Crimean Peninsula in 2014 gives it a logistical advantage now in the country’s south, with shorter supply lines that smoothed the offensive there, said a senior U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Ukrainian leaders called on the people to defend their homeland by cutting down trees, erecting barricades in the cities and attacking enemy columns from the rear. In recent days, authorities have issued weapons to civilians and taught them how to make Molotov cocktails.

“Total resistance. ... This is our Ukrainian trump card, and this is what we can do best in the world,” Oleksiy Arestovich, an aide to Zelenskyy, said in a video message, recalling guerrilla actions in Nazi-occupied Ukraine during World War II.

At the second round of talks between Ukrainian and Russian delegations Thursday, Putin warned Ukraine that it must quickly accept the Kremlin’s demand for its “demilitarization” and declare itself neutral, renouncing its bid to join NATO.

The two sides said that they tentatively agreed to allow cease-fires in areas designated safe corridors, and that they would seek to work out the necessary details quickly. A Zelenskyy adviser also said a third round of talks will be held early next week.

The Pentagon set up a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-diplomacy-united-states-europe-cold-war-f9267ad236ecf4b4568a6d73337c6823">direct communication link&nbsp;</a>to Russia’s Ministry of Defense earlier this week to avoid the possibility of a miscalculation sparking conflict between Moscow and Washington, according to a U.S. defense official who spoke on condition of anonymity because the link had not been announced.

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian forces pressed their attack on a crucial energy-producing Ukrainian city by shelling Europe’s largest nuclear plant early Friday, sparking a fire and raising fears that radiation could leak from the damaged power station.

The assault on the eastern city of Enerhodar and its Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant came as the invasion entered its second week with Russian forces gaining ground in their bid to cut off the country from the sea. Elsewhere, another round of talks between the two sides yielded a tentative agreement to set up safe corridors inside Ukraine to evacuate citizens and deliver humanitarian aid.

Nuclear plant spokesman Andriy Tuz told Ukrainian television that shells were falling directly on the facility and had set fire to one of its six reactors. That reactor is under renovation and not operating, but there is nuclear fuel inside, he said.

Firefighters cannot get near the flames because they are being shot at, he said, and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted a plea to the Russians to stop the assault and allow fire teams inside.

“We demand that they stop the heavy weapons fire,” Tuz said in a video statement. “There is a real threat of nuclear danger in the biggest atomic energy station in Europe.”

The attack renewed fears that the invasion could result in damage to one of Ukraine’s 15 nuclear reactors and trigger another emergency like the 1986 Chernobyl accident, the world’s worst nuclear disaster, which happened about 110 kilometers (65 miles) north of the capital.

The American Nuclear Society condemned the attack but said the latest radiation levels remained within natural background levels.

“The real threat to Ukrainian lives continues to be the violent invasion and bombing of their country,” the group said in a statement from President Steven Nesbit and Executive Director and CEO Craig Piercy.

The plant’s reactor is a different type than the one used at Chernobyl, and there should be little risk if the containment vessel is not damaged and outside power can be restored, said Jon B. Wolfsthal, a former senior director for arms control and nonproliferation at the National Security Council and former special adviser to then-Vice President Joe Biden.

“Everyone needs to take a step back and not jump to conclusions,” Wolfsthal, now a senior adviser at Global Zero, said on Twitter.

The International Atomic Energy Agency said it was in contact with authorities in Ukraine. The agency’s director general, Mariano Grossi, urged military forces to refrain from violence near the plant.

The mayor of Enerhodar said earlier that Ukrainian forces were battling Russian troops on the city’s outskirts. Video showed flames and black smoke rising above the city of more than 50,000, with people streaming past wrecked cars, just a day after the U.N. atomic watchdog agency expressed grave concern that the fighting could cause accidental damage to Ukraine’s 15 nuclear reactors.

The Ukrainian state atomic energy company reported that a Russian military column was heading toward the nuclear plant. Loud shots and rocket fire were heard late Thursday.

“Many young men in athletic clothes and armed with Kalashnikovs have come into the city. They are breaking down doors and trying to get into the apartments of local residents,” the statement from Energoatom said.

Later, a live streamed security camera linked from the homepage of the Zaporizhzhia plant showed what appeared to be armored vehicles rolling into the facility’s parking lot and shining spotlights on the building where the camera was mounted.

There were then what appeared to be bright muzzle flashes from vehicles, followed by nearly simultaneous explosions in the surrounding buildings. Smoke then rose into the frame and drifted away.

While the huge Russian armored column threatening Kyiv appeared bogged down outside the capital, Vladimir Putin’s forces have brought their superior firepower to bear over the past few days, launching hundreds of missiles and artillery attacks on cities and other sites around the country and making significant gains in the south.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal called on the West to close the skies over the country’s nuclear plants as fighting intensified. “It is a question of the security of the whole world!” he said in a statement.

The U.S. and NATO allies have ruled out creating a no-fly zone since the move would pit Russian and Western military forces against each other.

Update: Russians take control of Ukraine nuclear plant

By SCOTT CARLSON <a href="https://northplattepost.com/">North Platte Post</a>

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. — The Midwest Freedom Convoy, part of the American Freedom Convoy to Washington, D.C., made its way through North Platte on Friday as it continued across Nebraska after arriving in Big Springs on Thursday. 

The group is rallying for the end of medical mandates and other things they see as government overreach. Residents covered at least four bridges that cross Interstate 80 just in the North Platte area.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/c93bd9fb-22a3-4cf1-b043-633cf832524a">On Thursday and Friday, another convoy rolled east through Kansas.</a>

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 </figure>By SCOTT CARLSON <a href="https://northplattepost.com/">North Platte Post</a>NORTH PLATTE, Neb. — The Midwest Freedom Convoy, part of the American Freedom Convoy to Washington, D.C., made its way through North Platte on Friday as it continued across Nebraska after arriving in Big Springs on Thursday. The group is rallying for the end of medical mandates and other things they see as government overreach. Residents covered at least four bridges that cross Interstate 80 just in the North Platte area.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/c93bd9fb-22a3-4cf1-b043-633cf832524a">On Thursday and Friday, another convoy rolled east through Kansas.</a><div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fnorthplattepost%2Fvideos%2F1006451723628563%2F&show_text=true&width=560&t=0" width="560" height="429" 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><figure>
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🎥 'Midwest Freedom Convoy' rolls through Nebraska to D.C.

By NOAH TABORDA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/03/03/senate-gives-preliminary-approval-to-year-round-fireworks-sales-despite-wildfire-concerns/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Kansas senators are 
giving preliminary backing Thursday on a measure to allow certain 
retailers to sell firework year-round.

Under current Kansas law, firework vendors may sell from June 27 to July 5. Under&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb378/">Senate Bill 378</a>, seasonal retailers can sell from June 15 to July 6, and annual retailers may sell from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31.

Missouri allows fireworks sales 
for seasonal retailers from June 20 to July 10 and from Dec. 20 to Jan. 
2. Missouri allows annual retailers to sell fireworks year-round.

The bill would not change the 
period during which Kansans may shoot fireworks, but supporters of the 
measure say this bill will make the state more competitive, which could 
prove critical for some businesses.

“We’re hoping especially that it 
would help those bordering counties to other states be a little bit more
 competitive if our fireworks seasons for selling is a larger period of 
time,” said Sen. Kristen O’Shea, a Topeka Republican.

The Senate gave preliminary approval but must still take a final vote.

Some local mom and pop stores have
 expressed business concerns, while farmers, ranchers and communities 
who fell victim to recent wildfires have fears more fireworks will 
inevitably lead to more fires.

Sen. Carolyn McGinn, a Sedgwick 
Republican, spoke as a representative of a rural county and a farmer in 
opposition to the bill. She said it seemed unlikely that extending the 
sales season would not result in fireworks being shot off more often.

And if more fireworks are being shot off that opens the door to a whole host of problems for farmers, she said.

“We were always concerned and 
nervous about the fact that once the Fourth of July began that our wheat
 crop could burn up,” McGinn said. “The other concern has to do with 
livestock. Many of us have cattle, we have sheep, and when all the 
mortar shells start going off in your area, it makes it very difficult 
to keep your livestock calm.”

An amendment tacked on during the 
Senate debate requires counties to opt-in, rather than having to 
opt-out, of the extended period. McGinn said her amendment would ensure 
counties with communities that may not be keen on this would not have to
 deal with opting out.

Counties also can establish a firework season different from the dates in the statute.

Sen. Elaine Bowers, a Concordia 
Republican, represents several of the counties hit by the December 
wildfires and echoed concerns fireworks could lead to more wildfires in 
drier months.

Some mom and pop stores in Sen. 
Tom Holland’s district were concerned about the impact to their business
 of allowing brick and mortar stores to sell fireworks year-round, the 
Baldwin City Democrat said.&nbsp;

“I think they have a justifiable 
concern about going to basically the brick and mortar selling fireworks 
year-round,” Holland said. “At least in my Senate district, I have a lot
 of different little groups that sell fireworks during the official 
Fourth of July period. I just wonder what will happen to those 
entities.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646407624916.png" alt="Sen. Kristen O’Shea touted a bill to make firework sales legal year round for annual retailers as an opportunity to bring Kansas border communities in line with bordering states with more lenient firework laws. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Kristen O’Shea touted a bill to make firework sales legal year round for annual retailers as an opportunity to bring Kansas border communities in line with bordering states with more lenient firework laws. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By NOAH TABORDA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/03/03/senate-gives-preliminary-approval-to-year-round-fireworks-sales-despite-wildfire-concerns/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Kansas senators are 
giving preliminary backing Thursday on a measure to allow certain 
retailers to sell firework year-round.Under current Kansas law, firework vendors may sell from June 27 to July 5. Under&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb378/">Senate Bill 378</a>, seasonal retailers can sell from June 15 to July 6, and annual retailers may sell from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31.Missouri allows fireworks sales 
for seasonal retailers from June 20 to July 10 and from Dec. 20 to Jan. 
2. Missouri allows annual retailers to sell fireworks year-round.The bill would not change the 
period during which Kansans may shoot fireworks, but supporters of the 
measure say this bill will make the state more competitive, which could 
prove critical for some businesses.“We’re hoping especially that it 
would help those bordering counties to other states be a little bit more
 competitive if our fireworks seasons for selling is a larger period of 
time,” said Sen. Kristen O’Shea, a Topeka Republican.The Senate gave preliminary approval but must still take a final vote.Some local mom and pop stores have
 expressed business concerns, while farmers, ranchers and communities 
who fell victim to recent wildfires have fears more fireworks will 
inevitably lead to more fires.Sen. Carolyn McGinn, a Sedgwick 
Republican, spoke as a representative of a rural county and a farmer in 
opposition to the bill. She said it seemed unlikely that extending the 
sales season would not result in fireworks being shot off more often.And if more fireworks are being shot off that opens the door to a whole host of problems for farmers, she said.“We were always concerned and 
nervous about the fact that once the Fourth of July began that our wheat
 crop could burn up,” McGinn said. “The other concern has to do with 
livestock. Many of us have cattle, we have sheep, and when all the 
mortar shells start going off in your area, it makes it very difficult 
to keep your livestock calm.”An amendment tacked on during the 
Senate debate requires counties to opt-in, rather than having to 
opt-out, of the extended period. McGinn said her amendment would ensure 
counties with communities that may not be keen on this would not have to
 deal with opting out.Counties also can establish a firework season different from the dates in the statute.Sen. Elaine Bowers, a Concordia 
Republican, represents several of the counties hit by the December 
wildfires and echoed concerns fireworks could lead to more wildfires in 
drier months.Some mom and pop stores in Sen. 
Tom Holland’s district were concerned about the impact to their business
 of allowing brick and mortar stores to sell fireworks year-round, the 
Baldwin City Democrat said.&nbsp;“I think they have a justifiable 
concern about going to basically the brick and mortar selling fireworks 
year-round,” Holland said. “At least in my Senate district, I have a lot
 of different little groups that sell fireworks during the official 
Fourth of July period. I just wonder what will happen to those 
entities.”

Kan. Senate gives preliminary OK to year-round fireworks sales

By MARGARET MELLOTT <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/03/02/plant-based-meat-label-debate-results-in-house-bill-aiming-for-stricter-requirements/">Kansas Reflector</a>

While there are strict regulations on meat labeling, plant-based 
imitation products have none. The Kansas Livestock Association wants to 
change that.

<a target="_blank" href="http://kslegislature.com/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2530/">House Bill 2530</a>
 would add new definitions to the prohibition on misbranded foods in the
 Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. This bill was brought before the Committee
 on Agriculture on Feb. 15. Any meatless food product that contains a 
“meat term” would be considered misbranded under the legislation, unless
 it the label uses the word “imitation.”

Proponents of the bill believe that companies like Impossible Foods 
and Beyond Meat are purposely trying to mislead consumers, said Aaron 
Popelka, vice president of legal and government affairs with the Kansas 
Livestock Association.

“When you look at some of the labels that they put on these things 
are very deceptive,” Popelka said. “Part of it is that they’re trying to
 sell it, but part of it is they’re trying to sell at the expense and 
confusion of consumers.”

Eric Stafford, vice president of government affairs with the Kansas 
Chamber, said companies selling plant-based products are concerned with 
the environmental impact passing this bill would have.

“This bill would put restrictions in place that would require our 
members to print labels specific to the state of Kansas,” Stafford said,
 representing bill opponents.

Kansas is not the first state to address labeling requirements for “imitation meats.”

“There are states, I think 15 or so states, that have passed some 
form of labeling requirement, that our folks took the best practices of 
those states and presented it in the fall to the proponents of the bill.
 And (they were) basically told, ‘No, we can’t do it,’ ” Stafford said.

In their fall proposal, the bill’s opponents used the term 
“plant-based,” which caused their proposal to be rejected. The use of 
the term “plant-based” creates consumer confusion, Popelka said.

During the hearing, Rep. Kent Thompson, R-Iola, asked Stafford why 
the opponents were so adamant about the use of the term “plant-based.”

“So I’m totally clear on this — you’re telling me they still like 
that level of deception, they can’t come out on their labeling and say, 
‘This is not meat,’ ” Thompson said.

In response, Stafford said further discussion about the fall proposal was a “nonstarter” between the proponents and opponents.

Under the already existing Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, the 
consequences of violating its provisions include a fee of up to $1,000 
per day.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646254071156.png" alt="While holding up an image of a Beyond Meat label, Aaron Popelka, vice president of legal and government affairs with the Kansas Livestock Association, testifies in support of House Bill 2530 during a legislative hearing for the House Agriculture Committee on Feb. 15. The bill would require specific language use on labels for “imitation meats,” like Beyond Meat and Impossible Burgers. (Kansas Reflector screen capture from Kansas Legislature YouTube channel)" />
 <figcaption>While holding up an image of a Beyond Meat label, Aaron Popelka, vice president of legal and government affairs with the Kansas Livestock Association, testifies in support of House Bill 2530 during a legislative hearing for the House Agriculture Committee on Feb. 15. The bill would require specific language use on labels for “imitation meats,” like Beyond Meat and Impossible Burgers. (Kansas Reflector screen capture from Kansas Legislature YouTube channel)</figcaption>
 </figure>By MARGARET MELLOTT <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/03/02/plant-based-meat-label-debate-results-in-house-bill-aiming-for-stricter-requirements/">Kansas Reflector</a>While there are strict regulations on meat labeling, plant-based 
imitation products have none. The Kansas Livestock Association wants to 
change that.<a target="_blank" href="http://kslegislature.com/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2530/">House Bill 2530</a>
 would add new definitions to the prohibition on misbranded foods in the
 Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. This bill was brought before the Committee
 on Agriculture on Feb. 15. Any meatless food product that contains a 
“meat term” would be considered misbranded under the legislation, unless
 it the label uses the word “imitation.”Proponents of the bill believe that companies like Impossible Foods 
and Beyond Meat are purposely trying to mislead consumers, said Aaron 
Popelka, vice president of legal and government affairs with the Kansas 
Livestock Association.“When you look at some of the labels that they put on these things 
are very deceptive,” Popelka said. “Part of it is that they’re trying to
 sell it, but part of it is they’re trying to sell at the expense and 
confusion of consumers.”Eric Stafford, vice president of government affairs with the Kansas 
Chamber, said companies selling plant-based products are concerned with 
the environmental impact passing this bill would have.“This bill would put restrictions in place that would require our 
members to print labels specific to the state of Kansas,” Stafford said,
 representing bill opponents.Kansas is not the first state to address labeling requirements for “imitation meats.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646254153950.png" alt="Eric Stafford, vice president of government affairs with the Kansas Chamber, testifies against House Bill 2530. “I think the big hang-up is in the words ‘plant-based.’ (The proponents) feel that that’s misleading,” Stafford said. (Kansas Reflector screen capture from Kansas Legislature YouTube channel)" />
 <figcaption>Eric Stafford, vice president of government affairs with the Kansas Chamber, testifies against House Bill 2530. “I think the big hang-up is in the words ‘plant-based.’ (The proponents) feel that that’s misleading,” Stafford said. (Kansas Reflector screen capture from Kansas Legislature YouTube channel)</figcaption>
 </figure>“There are states, I think 15 or so states, that have passed some 
form of labeling requirement, that our folks took the best practices of 
those states and presented it in the fall to the proponents of the bill.
 And (they were) basically told, ‘No, we can’t do it,’ ” Stafford said.In their fall proposal, the bill’s opponents used the term 
“plant-based,” which caused their proposal to be rejected. The use of 
the term “plant-based” creates consumer confusion, Popelka said.During the hearing, Rep. Kent Thompson, R-Iola, asked Stafford why 
the opponents were so adamant about the use of the term “plant-based.”“So I’m totally clear on this — you’re telling me they still like 
that level of deception, they can’t come out on their labeling and say, 
‘This is not meat,’ ” Thompson said.In response, Stafford said further discussion about the fall proposal was a “nonstarter” between the proponents and opponents.Under the already existing Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, the 
consequences of violating its provisions include a fee of up to $1,000 
per day.

‘Plant-based meat’ label debate results in bill pushing stricter requirements

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Conservative Republicans' frustrations over how&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;handled the coronavirus pandemic are complicating Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly's efforts to keep her top public health administrator in place.

The state Senate health committee made no recommendation Thursday on whether Janet Stanek should be confirmed as head of the state Department of Health and Environment. The full, GOP-controlled Senate still will vote on her appointment, but the committee's move signals that some conservatives are opposing her confirmation to show their displeasure with Kelly's administration.

"I don't want to let that go,” said Sen. Mike Thompson, a conservative Shawnee Republican.

It wasn't yet clear how much trouble Stanek's confirmation faces in the full Senate. She would have to step down if the Senate rejected her appointment.

Republican lawmakers criticized Kelly persistently over restrictions she imposed to check COVID-19's spread, particularly early in the pandemic, and reduced the governor's power. Former health department leader Dr. Lee Norman resigned in November and has suggested he was a victim of pandemic politics.

Stanek declined comment, but Democratic Sen. Pat Pettey, of Kansas City, said the committee did a “disservice to our Kansans" by not recommending her confirmation.

Stanek is a former senior vice president and chief operating officer for Topeka-based Stormont Vail Health.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Conservative Republicans' frustrations over how&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;handled the coronavirus pandemic are complicating Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly's efforts to keep her top public health administrator in place.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-ccJIeybmkE?start=3187" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>The state Senate health committee made no recommendation Thursday on whether Janet Stanek should be confirmed as head of the state Department of Health and Environment. The full, GOP-controlled Senate still will vote on her appointment, but the committee's move signals that some conservatives are opposing her confirmation to show their displeasure with Kelly's administration."I don't want to let that go,” said Sen. Mike Thompson, a conservative Shawnee Republican.It wasn't yet clear how much trouble Stanek's confirmation faces in the full Senate. She would have to step down if the Senate rejected her appointment.Republican lawmakers criticized Kelly persistently over restrictions she imposed to check COVID-19's spread, particularly early in the pandemic, and reduced the governor's power. Former health department leader Dr. Lee Norman resigned in November and has suggested he was a victim of pandemic politics.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1638203429600.png" alt="Janet Stanek courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Janet Stanek courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Stanek declined comment, but Democratic Sen. Pat Pettey, of Kansas City, said the committee did a “disservice to our Kansans" by not recommending her confirmation.Stanek is a former senior vice president and chief operating officer for Topeka-based Stormont Vail Health.

🎥 Vote on Kansas health chief allows GOP to air COVID beefs

The Midwest Freedom Convoy including members of a convoy of <a href="https://coloradofreedomcon.wixsite.com/colorado-freedom-con?fbclid=IwAR2BChgoHX7TKsyD9RTjToltEOVHv7J-VUxKPAAX3y2G7RIaODsj-E_qrT8">truckers from Colorado c</a>ontinues their journey through Kansas Friday.&nbsp; They are traveling to Washington DC. in protest of COVID-19 restrictions.

The<a href="https://coloradofreedomcon.wixsite.com/colorado-freedom-con?fbclid=IwAR2BChgoHX7TKsyD9RTjToltEOVHv7J-VUxKPAAX3y2G7RIaODsj-E_qrT8"> Colorado convoy</a> left from a truck stop in Aurora on Thursday afternoon and spent the night in central Kansas. They will continue east on Interstate 70 through Topeka, Kansas City and into Missouri Friday.

The convoy is a spinoff from a protest in Canada started by truckers upset at vaccine requirements to cross the Canadian border.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646392232126.png" alt="Photo courtesy Sherman County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Sherman County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>The Midwest Freedom Convoy including members of a convoy of <a href="https://coloradofreedomcon.wixsite.com/colorado-freedom-con?fbclid=IwAR2BChgoHX7TKsyD9RTjToltEOVHv7J-VUxKPAAX3y2G7RIaODsj-E_qrT8">truckers from Colorado c</a>ontinues their journey through Kansas Friday.&nbsp; They are traveling to Washington DC. in protest of COVID-19 restrictions.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646392270005.png" alt="Onlookers cheered from overpasses as a string of trucks traveled through Sherman County on Interstate 70.-photo Sherman County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Onlookers cheered from overpasses as a string of trucks traveled through Sherman County on Interstate 70.-photo Sherman County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>The<a href="https://coloradofreedomcon.wixsite.com/colorado-freedom-con?fbclid=IwAR2BChgoHX7TKsyD9RTjToltEOVHv7J-VUxKPAAX3y2G7RIaODsj-E_qrT8"> Colorado convoy</a> left from a truck stop in Aurora on Thursday afternoon and spent the night in central Kansas. They will continue east on Interstate 70 through Topeka, Kansas City and into Missouri Friday. The convoy is a spinoff from a protest in Canada started by truckers upset at vaccine requirements to cross the Canadian border.

'Freedom Convoy' travels through Kansas to protest in Washington

WASHINGTON (AP) –The Biden administration is seeking another $10 billion to help protect Ukraine against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-united-nations-general-assembly-volodymyr-zelenskyy-kyiv-moscow-a3092d8e476949ed7c55607a645a9154">the Russian invasion</a>&nbsp;and an additional $22.5 billion to cover coronavirus pandemic-related expenses, two major additions to budget talks already underway.

The acting director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, Shalanda Young, laid out the need for the supplemental funding in a Thursday blog post. The requests would be additions to a planned budget agreement that Congress is trying to finish before a March 11 deadline.

Young said in the blog post that the money was urgently needed. The $10 billion to Ukraine would be a rapid escalation of the $1.4 billion provided by the United States since 2021, a reflection of the crisis caused by the Russian offensive that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-russia-moscow-kyiv-626a8c5ec22217bacb24ece60fac4fe1">began last month</a>. Young said the money would cover “additional humanitarian, security, and economic assistance in Ukraine and the neighboring region in the coming days and weeks.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-europe-humanitarian-assistance-congress-253f16e7102c7b70190d21197da20777">Last week</a>, Biden administration officials told congressional aides that their requests would include $3.5 billion for the Pentagon and $2.9 billion for humanitarian aid as Russia’s invasion has caused more than&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-vladimir-putin-volodymyr-zelenskyy-joe-biden-kyiv-1b396834ff3e753f8953d86c8db85383">a million Ukrainian refugees</a>&nbsp;to flee their country.

The $22.5 billion tied to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">the coronavirus</a>&nbsp;would pay for testing, treatments and vaccines as well as investments in research and efforts to increase vaccinations worldwide. There had been expectations that the request was going to be for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-business-jen-psaki-xavier-becerra-baf4c25ee59c851551dcae75e08cae25">as much as $30 billion</a>, which comes after lawmakers and the Biden and Trump administrations committed a combined $5.8 trillion over multiple years on the pandemic, according to the nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.

The requested Ukraine assistance seems sure to win broad bipartisan support in Congress, and the proposed additional COVID-19 spending has won strong support from Democrats.

“To keep schools open, to keep life as normal as it can be, we need additional COVID investments now, not after a possible new variant arrives,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Wednesday. He said COVID-19 money already provided by Congress “has been spent.”

But Republicans have balked at the request for added COVID-19 funds. In a letter to Biden, Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, and 35 other GOP senators complained Tuesday that there’s no detailed accounting of whether and how the earlier funds were spent, saying, “It is not yet clear why additional funding is needed.”

White House COVID-19 coordinator Jeff Zients said on a call with reporters on Wednesday that the plan to address the pandemic is “robust and comprehensive,” which is why it requires additional funding for immediate and longer-term priorities.

The federal government spent $6.8 trillion last fiscal year, due in large part to the emergency measures tied to the coronavirus that included President Joe Biden’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-vote-coronavirus-relief-package-33f4902ca9a2aed4e76274af6bb2ea5c">$1.9 trillion relief package</a>. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal budget was about $4.4 trillion, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

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 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) –The Biden administration is seeking another $10 billion to help protect Ukraine against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-united-nations-general-assembly-volodymyr-zelenskyy-kyiv-moscow-a3092d8e476949ed7c55607a645a9154">the Russian invasion</a>&nbsp;and an additional $22.5 billion to cover coronavirus pandemic-related expenses, two major additions to budget talks already underway.The acting director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, Shalanda Young, laid out the need for the supplemental funding in a Thursday blog post. The requests would be additions to a planned budget agreement that Congress is trying to finish before a March 11 deadline.Young said in the blog post that the money was urgently needed. The $10 billion to Ukraine would be a rapid escalation of the $1.4 billion provided by the United States since 2021, a reflection of the crisis caused by the Russian offensive that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-russia-moscow-kyiv-626a8c5ec22217bacb24ece60fac4fe1">began last month</a>. Young said the money would cover “additional humanitarian, security, and economic assistance in Ukraine and the neighboring region in the coming days and weeks.”<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-europe-humanitarian-assistance-congress-253f16e7102c7b70190d21197da20777">Last week</a>, Biden administration officials told congressional aides that their requests would include $3.5 billion for the Pentagon and $2.9 billion for humanitarian aid as Russia’s invasion has caused more than&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-vladimir-putin-volodymyr-zelenskyy-joe-biden-kyiv-1b396834ff3e753f8953d86c8db85383">a million Ukrainian refugees</a>&nbsp;to flee their country.The $22.5 billion tied to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">the coronavirus</a>&nbsp;would pay for testing, treatments and vaccines as well as investments in research and efforts to increase vaccinations worldwide. There had been expectations that the request was going to be for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-business-jen-psaki-xavier-becerra-baf4c25ee59c851551dcae75e08cae25">as much as $30 billion</a>, which comes after lawmakers and the Biden and Trump administrations committed a combined $5.8 trillion over multiple years on the pandemic, according to the nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.The requested Ukraine assistance seems sure to win broad bipartisan support in Congress, and the proposed additional COVID-19 spending has won strong support from Democrats.“To keep schools open, to keep life as normal as it can be, we need additional COVID investments now, not after a possible new variant arrives,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Wednesday. He said COVID-19 money already provided by Congress “has been spent.”But Republicans have balked at the request for added COVID-19 funds. In a letter to Biden, Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, and 35 other GOP senators complained Tuesday that there’s no detailed accounting of whether and how the earlier funds were spent, saying, “It is not yet clear why additional funding is needed.”White House COVID-19 coordinator Jeff Zients said on a call with reporters on Wednesday that the plan to address the pandemic is “robust and comprehensive,” which is why it requires additional funding for immediate and longer-term priorities.The federal government spent $6.8 trillion last fiscal year, due in large part to the emergency measures tied to the coronavirus that included President Joe Biden’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-vote-coronavirus-relief-package-33f4902ca9a2aed4e76274af6bb2ea5c">$1.9 trillion relief package</a>. 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Biden seeks another $22.5B for COVID expenses, $10B for aid to Ukraine

With all the uncertainties that come with a pandemic, more people are purchasing ticket insurance for concerts, festivals, and sports events than ever before. In fact,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/money/giggoers-should-check-terms-of-ticket-insurance-carefully-says-which-b1877461.html" target="_blank">one study</a>&nbsp;done in the United Kingdom reported that around three in 10 people would now be more likely to pay for ticket insurance, thanks to mass cancelations of big events that took place early on in the pandemic.

But is ticket insurance really worth the cost? BBB recommends the following tips if you’re considering making the purchase.

To stay safe while purchasing event tickets, be sure to read BBB's tips for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/tips/13986-bbb-tip-buying-tickets-for-the-super-bowl-or-other-events" target="_blank">buying tickets</a>&nbsp;to an event and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/20661-big-festivals-and-seasonal-events-fabulous-fizzled-or-fake" target="_blank">BBB Scam Alert about fake events and phony tickets</a>. For general information on avoiding scams, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/scams/8767-bbb-tips-10-steps-to-avoid-scams" target="_blank">BBB.org/AvoidScams</a>.

Report scams and dishonest businesses to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/ScamTracker" target="_blank">BBB.org/ScamTracker</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579883951052.jpeg" alt="BBB Logo" />
 <figcaption>BBB Logo</figcaption>
 </figure>BBBWith all the uncertainties that come with a pandemic, more people are purchasing ticket insurance for concerts, festivals, and sports events than ever before. In fact,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/money/giggoers-should-check-terms-of-ticket-insurance-carefully-says-which-b1877461.html" target="_blank">one study</a>&nbsp;done in the United Kingdom reported that around three in 10 people would now be more likely to pay for ticket insurance, thanks to mass cancelations of big events that took place early on in the pandemic.But is ticket insurance really worth the cost? BBB recommends the following tips if you’re considering making the purchase.<h2>Is Ticket Insurance Worth It?</h2><ol>
 <li>Read the fine print before you buy. Always take the time to read the specifics about&nbsp;<a href="https://www.latimes.com/business/la-xpm-2013-may-27-la-fi-lazarus-20130528-story.html" target="_blank">what a ticket insurance covers</a>&nbsp;and what it doesn’t. Different insurances offer widely varied policies. For example, some ticket insurances cover illness, but not pandemic related illness. Others offer a refund if you test positive for COVID-19, but not if you were simply exposed to the virus and need to self-isolate. Others cover car breakdowns but not stolen tickets. Take into consideration the scenarios you may personally face to decide whether it’s worth buying the insurance. </li><li>Contact the ticket seller. If you are mainly concerned with an event being postponed or canceled, ask the ticket seller how they handle those situations. In most cases, the primary ticket vendor will offer you a refund if an event is canceled or postponed because of the pandemic. </li><li>Weigh the pros and cons of tickets to postponed events. Be sure you want to keep tickets to a postponed event if you are offered that option. Usually, once you agree to keep the tickets, you probably won’t get to change your mind later. </li><li>If you are traveling for the event, check your travel insurance. Your&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/18108-is-travel-insurance-right-for-you" target="_blank">travel insurance</a>&nbsp;may allow you to make a claim for a refund if you test positive for COVID-19, which may mean you won’t need ticket insurance from a third party company. </li><li>Always research the insurance company. Before making a purchase from a third-party company, even if they are featured on a trusted ticket vendor’s website, do some research. Look up the company on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/search">BBB.org</a>&nbsp;and read the business rating and customer reviews, keeping a close eye out for customer complaints. </li><li>Watch out for ticket insurance scams. Don’t fall for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/16758-bbb-tip-phishing-scams" target="_blank">phishing emails</a>&nbsp;that promise you too good to be true deals on cheap ticket insurance, even if they appear legitimate. In addition, make sure you aren’t on a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/22144-proceed-with-caution-bbb-tips-to-spot-fake-websites-and-scam-emails" target="_blank">fake website</a>&nbsp;if you do choose to purchase ticket insurance for an upcoming event.</li>
 </ol><h2>For More Information</h2>To stay safe while purchasing event tickets, be sure to read BBB's tips for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/tips/13986-bbb-tip-buying-tickets-for-the-super-bowl-or-other-events" target="_blank">buying tickets</a>&nbsp;to an event and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/20661-big-festivals-and-seasonal-events-fabulous-fizzled-or-fake" target="_blank">BBB Scam Alert about fake events and phony tickets</a>. For general information on avoiding scams, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/scams/8767-bbb-tips-10-steps-to-avoid-scams" target="_blank">BBB.org/AvoidScams</a>.Report scams and dishonest businesses to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/ScamTracker" target="_blank">BBB.org/ScamTracker</a>.Cover image courtesy Pixabay

Should you purchase ticket insurance for your next event?

WASHINGTON&nbsp;—&nbsp;As
 part of a longer-term effort to improve taxpayer service, the IRS has 
officially established the first-ever Taxpayer Experience Office and 
will soon begin taking additional steps to expand the effort.

"As the IRS continues taking immediate steps this filing season 
including adding more employees to address the significant challenges 
facing a resource-constrained IRS, it's critical that we work going 
forward to equip the IRS to be a 21st century resource for Americans," 
said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. "The formal establishment of this 
office will help unify and expand efforts across the IRS to improve 
service to taxpayers."

The Taxpayer Experience Office will focus on all aspects of taxpayer 
transactions with the IRS across the service, compliance and other 
program areas, working in conjunction with all IRS business units and 
coordinating closely with the Taxpayer Advocate Service. The office is 
part of the effort envisioned in the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p5426.pdf">Taxpayer First Act Report to Congress</a>&nbsp;PDF last year. This included input and feedback from taxpayers, tax professionals and the tax community that helped develop the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/taxpayer-first-act-taxpayer-experience">Taxpayer Experience Strategy</a>.
 The Report to Congress identified over a hundred different programs and
 tools that would help taxpayers, including a 360-degree view of 
taxpayer accounts, expanded e-File and payment options, digital 
signatures, secure two-way messaging and online accounts for businesses 
and tax professionals.

To help drive the IRS strategic direction for improving the taxpayer 
experience, the Taxpayer Experience Office has identified key activities
 the IRS is focusing on over the next five years, including those 
commitments outlined in the President's&nbsp;Executive Order on Transforming 
Federal Customer Experience and Service Delivery to Rebuild Trust in 
Government.

"The IRS is committed to customer experiences that meet taxpayers 
where they are, in the moments that matter most in people's lives and in
 a way that delivers the service that the public expects and deserves," 
said Chief Taxpayer Experience Officer Ken Corbin, who also serves as 
the commissioner of the Wage and Investment division, which oversees the
 current filing season and other activities.

The Taxpayer Experience Office will identify changing taxpayer 
expectations and industry trends, focus on customer service best 
practices, and promote a consistent voice and experience across all 
taxpayer segments by developing agency-wide taxpayer experience 
guidelines and expectations. The office will be adding staff in the 
coming months to help support the effort.

"Whether checking the status of a tax return, meeting with a revenue 
agent for an audit, or receiving a tax credit to their bank account, 
improving service delivery and customer experience are fundamental 
priorities for us," Corbin said. "We're committed to designing and 
delivering services that better connect with our diverse taxpayer base."

Some of the areas of improvement in the near-term include expanding 
customer callback, expanded payment options, secure two-way messaging 
and more services for multilingual customers. These activities build on 
recent improvements such as digital tools to support Economic Impact 
Payments and the Advance Child Tax Credit, online chat and online tax 
professional account.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON&nbsp;—&nbsp;As
 part of a longer-term effort to improve taxpayer service, the IRS has 
officially established the first-ever Taxpayer Experience Office and 
will soon begin taking additional steps to expand the effort."As the IRS continues taking immediate steps this filing season 
including adding more employees to address the significant challenges 
facing a resource-constrained IRS, it's critical that we work going 
forward to equip the IRS to be a 21st century resource for Americans," 
said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. "The formal establishment of this 
office will help unify and expand efforts across the IRS to improve 
service to taxpayers."The Taxpayer Experience Office will focus on all aspects of taxpayer 
transactions with the IRS across the service, compliance and other 
program areas, working in conjunction with all IRS business units and 
coordinating closely with the Taxpayer Advocate Service. The office is 
part of the effort envisioned in the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p5426.pdf">Taxpayer First Act Report to Congress</a>&nbsp;PDF last year. This included input and feedback from taxpayers, tax professionals and the tax community that helped develop the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/taxpayer-first-act-taxpayer-experience">Taxpayer Experience Strategy</a>.
 The Report to Congress identified over a hundred different programs and
 tools that would help taxpayers, including a 360-degree view of 
taxpayer accounts, expanded e-File and payment options, digital 
signatures, secure two-way messaging and online accounts for businesses 
and tax professionals.To help drive the IRS strategic direction for improving the taxpayer 
experience, the Taxpayer Experience Office has identified key activities
 the IRS is focusing on over the next five years, including those 
commitments outlined in the President's&nbsp;Executive Order on Transforming 
Federal Customer Experience and Service Delivery to Rebuild Trust in 
Government."The IRS is committed to customer experiences that meet taxpayers 
where they are, in the moments that matter most in people's lives and in
 a way that delivers the service that the public expects and deserves," 
said Chief Taxpayer Experience Officer Ken Corbin, who also serves as 
the commissioner of the Wage and Investment division, which oversees the
 current filing season and other activities.The Taxpayer Experience Office will identify changing taxpayer 
expectations and industry trends, focus on customer service best 
practices, and promote a consistent voice and experience across all 
taxpayer segments by developing agency-wide taxpayer experience 
guidelines and expectations. The office will be adding staff in the 
coming months to help support the effort."Whether checking the status of a tax return, meeting with a revenue 
agent for an audit, or receiving a tax credit to their bank account, 
improving service delivery and customer experience are fundamental 
priorities for us," Corbin said. "We're committed to designing and 
delivering services that better connect with our diverse taxpayer base."Some of the areas of improvement in the near-term include expanding 
customer callback, expanded payment options, secure two-way messaging 
and more services for multilingual customers. These activities build on 
recent improvements such as digital tools to support Economic Impact 
Payments and the Advance Child Tax Credit, online chat and online tax 
professional account.

IRS Taxpayer Experience Office established to improve service

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed into law Thursday a bill that prohibits transgender females from participating in girls high school sports and women’s college athletics, rejecting opponents’ argument that she would harm vulnerable children to solve a nonexistent problem.

Reynolds signed the bill at a ceremony in the Capitol just a day after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-discrimination-iowa-legislature-kim-reynolds-4c85ed6ce142bd82f2f099aa535b945d">lawmakers sent it</a>&nbsp;to her desk. It passed the House and Senate with only Republican support.

The Republican governor called the signing a celebration of victory for girls sports.

“No amount of talent, training or effort can make up for the natural physical advantages males have over females. It’s simply a reality of human biology,” Reynolds said. “Forcing females to compete against males is the opposite of inclusivity and it’s absolutely unfair.”

Carlisle High School Senior Ainsley Erzen, who set the state 800-meter track record and has appeared at committee meetings to support the bill, said the law will protect female athletes.

“Iowa girls today and every generation to come will be able to pursue the things they love to the best of their abilities,” Erzen said. “Whether that’s chasing titles, records, scholarships or earning a starting position on a team. No girl will be sidelined in their own sport.”

When a reporter asked Reynolds to give an example of a girl outperformed by a transgender athlete, the governor didn’t offer a specific case but maintained the restrictions were needed.

Republican leaders made the bill effective immediately, so any transgender students playing sports may be required to immediately stop. It wasn’t clear how many students it would affect, but it’s believed to be no more than a handful in Iowa.

“Because the legislation would go into effect as soon as the governor signs it, she is showing once again that she’s more interested in scoring political points than caring about the impact of legislation on some of the most marginalized kids in our society,” said Senate Democratic Leader Zach Wahls.

The bill requires students participating in interscholastic sports sponsored or sanctioned by an accredited nonpublic school or a public school district to play only with others that match the gender listed on their birth certificate. It also has provisions to allow civil lawsuits to uphold the intent of the law. The bill applies to sports from primary school grades into state universities and colleges.

Lobbyists for school boards, school administrators and teachers said the bill puts educators and administrators in an untenable position of choosing whether to follow the new state law or federal law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender in sports activities.

Des Moines Public Schools spokesman Phil Roeder said it’s not immediately clear how schools are expected to implement the law. The district’s lobbyist opposed the bill because it believes the legislation discriminates against transgender girls and women and the district is concerned it conflicts with federal anti-discrimination laws.

“Our school district welcomes and supports LGBTQ students, and providing them with the opportunities they deserve,” he said.

Iowa Department of Education spokeswoman Heather Doe confirmed that the agency has not given schools guidance but acknowledged the bill went into effect immediately.

Mark Stringer, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa, denounced the law, saying it “violates the civil rights of transgender girls and women” in Iowa.

“Today the state of Iowa bought into unsupported myths about transgender girls and women participating in sports — myths fueled by ignorance and fear,” Stringer said.

Iowa will join 10 other GOP-run states with such laws. Some have faced court challenges alleging violations of constitutional rights and federal nondiscrimination laws.

The nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency told lawmakers the state could lose federal funds if authorities find it is violating federal civil rights laws. The agency also said the bill may conflict with participation rules of university, college and junior college athletic organizations, risking loss of eligibility and media rights or competition hosting revenues. The bill also may cost the state litigation expenses.

Becky Smith, executive director of Iowa Safe Schools, an LGBTQ advocacy group, held a transgender flag behind lawmakers and girls from several schools who were with Reynolds as she spoke and signed the bill. Smith said the law will “open up a giant landslide of lawsuits against different school districts across the state when transgender students remember they have a federal right to protection under the law.”

South Dakota Gov. Krisi Noem&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-kristi-noem-legislature-gender-identity-south-dakota-25ff0b7817bc819505114fb54e242961">signed a similar ban</a>&nbsp;into law in February.

Other states with similar laws include Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Mississippi, Montana, Tennessee and Texas, all passed last year. Enforcement of a 2020 Idaho law is on hold after a federal judge ruled it is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/idaho-courts-sports-government-and-politics-b9a255e002ef1b7da5366f7dea6be091">likely to be found unconstitutional.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646394314068.png" alt="Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signs a bill that prohibits transgender girls from participating in women's sports at the Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines, Iowa, Thursday, March 3-photo courtesy office of Iowa governor" />
 <figcaption>Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signs a bill that prohibits transgender girls from participating in women's sports at the Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines, Iowa, Thursday, March 3-photo courtesy office of Iowa governor</figcaption>
 </figure>DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed into law Thursday a bill that prohibits transgender females from participating in girls high school sports and women’s college athletics, rejecting opponents’ argument that she would harm vulnerable children to solve a nonexistent problem.Reynolds signed the bill at a ceremony in the Capitol just a day after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-discrimination-iowa-legislature-kim-reynolds-4c85ed6ce142bd82f2f099aa535b945d">lawmakers sent it</a>&nbsp;to her desk. It passed the House and Senate with only Republican support.The Republican governor called the signing a celebration of victory for girls sports.“No amount of talent, training or effort can make up for the natural physical advantages males have over females. It’s simply a reality of human biology,” Reynolds said. “Forcing females to compete against males is the opposite of inclusivity and it’s absolutely unfair.”Carlisle High School Senior Ainsley Erzen, who set the state 800-meter track record and has appeared at committee meetings to support the bill, said the law will protect female athletes.“Iowa girls today and every generation to come will be able to pursue the things they love to the best of their abilities,” Erzen said. “Whether that’s chasing titles, records, scholarships or earning a starting position on a team. No girl will be sidelined in their own sport.”When a reporter asked Reynolds to give an example of a girl outperformed by a transgender athlete, the governor didn’t offer a specific case but maintained the restrictions were needed.Republican leaders made the bill effective immediately, so any transgender students playing sports may be required to immediately stop. It wasn’t clear how many students it would affect, but it’s believed to be no more than a handful in Iowa.“Because the legislation would go into effect as soon as the governor signs it, she is showing once again that she’s more interested in scoring political points than caring about the impact of legislation on some of the most marginalized kids in our society,” said Senate Democratic Leader Zach Wahls.The bill requires students participating in interscholastic sports sponsored or sanctioned by an accredited nonpublic school or a public school district to play only with others that match the gender listed on their birth certificate. It also has provisions to allow civil lawsuits to uphold the intent of the law. The bill applies to sports from primary school grades into state universities and colleges.Lobbyists for school boards, school administrators and teachers said the bill puts educators and administrators in an untenable position of choosing whether to follow the new state law or federal law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender in sports activities.Des Moines Public Schools spokesman Phil Roeder said it’s not immediately clear how schools are expected to implement the law. The district’s lobbyist opposed the bill because it believes the legislation discriminates against transgender girls and women and the district is concerned it conflicts with federal anti-discrimination laws.“Our school district welcomes and supports LGBTQ students, and providing them with the opportunities they deserve,” he said.Iowa Department of Education spokeswoman Heather Doe confirmed that the agency has not given schools guidance but acknowledged the bill went into effect immediately.Mark Stringer, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa, denounced the law, saying it “violates the civil rights of transgender girls and women” in Iowa.“Today the state of Iowa bought into unsupported myths about transgender girls and women participating in sports — myths fueled by ignorance and fear,” Stringer said.Iowa will join 10 other GOP-run states with such laws. Some have faced court challenges alleging violations of constitutional rights and federal nondiscrimination laws.The nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency told lawmakers the state could lose federal funds if authorities find it is violating federal civil rights laws. The agency also said the bill may conflict with participation rules of university, college and junior college athletic organizations, risking loss of eligibility and media rights or competition hosting revenues. The bill also may cost the state litigation expenses.Becky Smith, executive director of Iowa Safe Schools, an LGBTQ advocacy group, held a transgender flag behind lawmakers and girls from several schools who were with Reynolds as she spoke and signed the bill. Smith said the law will “open up a giant landslide of lawsuits against different school districts across the state when transgender students remember they have a federal right to protection under the law.”South Dakota Gov. Krisi Noem&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-kristi-noem-legislature-gender-identity-south-dakota-25ff0b7817bc819505114fb54e242961">signed a similar ban</a>&nbsp;into law in February.Other states with similar laws include Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Mississippi, Montana, Tennessee and Texas, all passed last year. Enforcement of a 2020 Idaho law is on hold after a federal judge ruled it is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/idaho-courts-sports-government-and-politics-b9a255e002ef1b7da5366f7dea6be091">likely to be found unconstitutional.</a>A judge in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-sports-west-virginia-laws-sports-education-a3e8852ced2bf0c3bd8ce546bfe70d2b">West Virginia</a>&nbsp;last July issued an order allowing an 11-year-old transgender girl to participate in girls cross country, saying the state’s law passed last year would have violated her constitutional rights and a federal law that guarantees equal treatment of men and women in education and sports programs.