By VICKIE MOSS <a href="https://www.iolaregister.com/news/local-news/iolan-dies-after-19-month-battle-with-covid">Iola Register</a>

Kansas man Roger Collins, Iola, has died following a 19-month battle with COVID-19.

Wife Billie announced her husband’s passing in a Facebook post Monday.

“I thought today I would be whooping and hollering about the strides 
we had made,” Billie wrote. “Well, sadly or happily, today was the day 
my plan did not come to pass but a much better, more amazing plan took 
place as God called Roger home.”

Collins tested positive for COVID-19 on July 13, 2020.

By that evening, he experienced trouble breathing and was taken via 
ambulance to the hospital, first to Allen County Regional Hospital, then
 to Kansas City, and finally to a long-term care facility in Dallas as 
his symptoms worsened.

“The last 19 months were tough but they were ours,” Billie wrote. “We
 shared the good, bad and the ugly. My heart is broken for our loss but 
it is soaring knowing Roger is no longer in pain. He can walk and talk …
 and if you know Roger he can talk and talk and talk.”

The Collins family shared their story with regular updates for 
Register readers, most recently about 18 months of hospitalization and 
rehabilitation efforts.&nbsp;

Billie praised her husband’s strength and determination. She said the
 family’s faith helped them through the difficult times, including at 
the end.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644368440755.png" alt="Roger Collins / courtesy the Iola Register" />
 <figcaption>Roger Collins / courtesy the Iola Register</figcaption>
 </figure>By VICKIE MOSS <a href="https://www.iolaregister.com/news/local-news/iolan-dies-after-19-month-battle-with-covid">Iola Register</a>Kansas man Roger Collins, Iola, has died following a 19-month battle with COVID-19.Wife Billie announced her husband’s passing in a Facebook post Monday.“I thought today I would be whooping and hollering about the strides 
we had made,” Billie wrote. “Well, sadly or happily, today was the day 
my plan did not come to pass but a much better, more amazing plan took 
place as God called Roger home.”Collins tested positive for COVID-19 on July 13, 2020.By that evening, he experienced trouble breathing and was taken via 
ambulance to the hospital, first to Allen County Regional Hospital, then
 to Kansas City, and finally to a long-term care facility in Dallas as 
his symptoms worsened.“The last 19 months were tough but they were ours,” Billie wrote. “We
 shared the good, bad and the ugly. My heart is broken for our loss but 
it is soaring knowing Roger is no longer in pain. He can walk and talk …
 and if you know Roger he can talk and talk and talk.”The Collins family shared their story with regular updates for 
Register readers, most recently about 18 months of hospitalization and 
rehabilitation efforts.&nbsp;Billie praised her husband’s strength and determination. She said the
 family’s faith helped them through the difficult times, including at 
the end.Republished with permission

Kansas man dies after 19-month battle with COVID-19

By SHERMAN SMITH <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/02/08/kansas-senator-wins-support-for-off-label-drugs-vaccine-exemptions-for-children/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Sen. Mark Steffen succeeded Tuesday in persuading 
Republicans on a health panel to advance legislation that would clear 
him from punishment by state regulators for prescribing ivermectin to 
COVID-19 patients.

The Hutchinson Republican and anesthesiologist <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/01/26/kansas-senator-under-investigation-after-prescribing-ivermectin-for-covid-19-seeks-legal-cover/">revealed last month</a>
 he was under investigation by the Kansas Board of Healing Arts. He 
proposed legislation that would block the board from taking action 
against doctors who prescribe ivermectin or hydroxychloroquine for 
off-label uses.

Steffen amended and expanded the bill during committee action Tuesday
 to give doctors free range to use any drug for COVID-19 treatment and 
require pharmacists to fill the prescription, while removing protections
 for both doctors and pharmacists from civil liability if patients are 
harmed by the treatment. Lawmakers also added language from another of 
Steffen’s bills that would allow children to opt out of any kind of 
vaccine requirement at day care facilities and schools without being 
questioned.

The GOP-led panel then gutted a House bill that dealt with pharmacy 
regulations, inserted the Steffen bills and advanced it on a voice vote 
to the full Senate.

“We are moving a bill forward that decreases suffering and death,” 
Steffen told reporters after the hearing. “We’re moving a bill forward 
that allows the true standard of care in the early treatment of COVID to
 reign supreme. This notion that doing nothing is the standard of care 
is false, inappropriate and has led to crimes against humanity. The 
bottom line is we took a step forward in helping our Kansas citizens 
today and protecting our children.”

Steffen said he had not heard anything from the Board of Healing Arts
 since announcing Jan. 26 he had been under investigation for more than a
 year.

More than 40 people attended the standing-room-only hearing, in 
addition to journalists and legislative staff members. Many of the 
observers were affiliated with a prominent anti-vaccination group and 
held signs supporting <a target="_blank" href="http://kslegislature.com/li/b2021_22/measures/sb381/">Senate Bill 381</a>.

Sen. Cindy Holscher, D-Overland Park, said the committee provided 
little notice to opponents of Steffen’s bill, then justified moving 
forward because there was little opposition. She presented a stack of 
pages that represented “nearly half” of the complaints about the bill 
she has received in recent days.

“This is a very dangerous bill,” Holscher said. “It was dangerous before. It’s even more dangerous now with what’s been done.”

Sen. Richard Hilderbrand, a Galena Republican who serves as chairman 
of the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee, stopped Holscher from
 making further comments and accused her of misreading the bill.

“The crutch [sic] of the underlying bill was that the Board of 
Healing Arts were investigating doctors for prescribing off-label drugs,
 and the Board of Pharmacy was coming down on some pharmacists for 
filling off-label drugs in this case,” Hilderbrand said. “That is the 
crutch [sic]. There is nothing dubious or life-threatening in these 
bills.”

The two Democrats on the committee, Holscher and Sen. Pat Pettey, of 
Kansas City, and Republican Sen. Kristen O’Shea, of Topeka, objected to 
considering <a target="_blank" href="http://kslegislature.com/li/b2021_22/measures/sb398/">Senate Bill 398</a>, dealing with vaccination requirements, before holding a hearing on the matter.

The bill applies language passed during a special session in 
November, when the Legislature responded to federal vaccine requirements
 for workers, to expand the application of religious exemptions. The 
proposal makes it illegal for a school or day care facility to question 
the sincerity of a child’s religious beliefs.

“This is not just COVID-19 vaccine — it’s all childhood 
vaccinations,” O’Shea said. “And for us to not even have time to fully 
read the bill and be asked to vote on it is bad policy.”

Hilderbrand defended the process of combining two bills and inserting them into <a target="_blank" href="http://kslegislature.com/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2280/">House Bill 2280</a>.

“For those of you listening online that are getting an impression 
that this is something unique in committees, it is not,” Hilderbrand 
said. “This is something done every session. This just happens to be on 
this certain bill. So I don’t want you to be misled that this is 
something unique.”

Sen.
 Mike Thompson, R-Shawnee, said the legislation simply reaffirms 
religious rights already enshrined in the state constitution. He then 
repeated his false claims that vaccines are harmful and that COVID-19 
poses no threat to children.

“It gives parents discretion as to whether or not they want their kid
 to take a vaccine that is actually dangerous, and has been proven to be
 so,” Thompson said. “These kids are not at risk.”

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment’s latest summary of 
Kansas deaths attributed to COVID-19 included four fatalities among 
children 0-9 years of age and three fatalities among youth aged 10 to 
17.

Thompson also said it was important to “get these people these 
medicines and give these doctors the latitude they need, because this is
 the final nail in the coffin.”

Federal regulators and the vast majority of physicians agree there is
 no benefit to treating COVID-19 with ivermectin or hydroxychloroquine, 
and that the drugs could be harmful in some cases.

Pettey said the discussion demonstrated a need to hold a hearing on the religious exemption component.

“We are talking about vaccinations of our children, and we’re talking
 about the safety of all, and we’re not talking about religion,” Pettey 
said. “So I think it’s important that we keep it in the right context.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644349412329.png" alt="Sen. Mark Steffen, R-Hutchinson, says the Senate panel’s decision to advance legislation dealing with off-label drug use and vaccine exemptions is “a step forward” in helping citizens and protecting children.(Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Mark Steffen, R-Hutchinson, says the Senate panel’s decision to advance legislation dealing with off-label drug use and vaccine exemptions is “a step forward” in helping citizens and protecting children.(Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By SHERMAN SMITH <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/02/08/kansas-senator-wins-support-for-off-label-drugs-vaccine-exemptions-for-children/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Sen. Mark Steffen succeeded Tuesday in persuading 
Republicans on a health panel to advance legislation that would clear 
him from punishment by state regulators for prescribing ivermectin to 
COVID-19 patients.The Hutchinson Republican and anesthesiologist <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/01/26/kansas-senator-under-investigation-after-prescribing-ivermectin-for-covid-19-seeks-legal-cover/">revealed last month</a>
 he was under investigation by the Kansas Board of Healing Arts. He 
proposed legislation that would block the board from taking action 
against doctors who prescribe ivermectin or hydroxychloroquine for 
off-label uses.Steffen amended and expanded the bill during committee action Tuesday
 to give doctors free range to use any drug for COVID-19 treatment and 
require pharmacists to fill the prescription, while removing protections
 for both doctors and pharmacists from civil liability if patients are 
harmed by the treatment. Lawmakers also added language from another of 
Steffen’s bills that would allow children to opt out of any kind of 
vaccine requirement at day care facilities and schools without being 
questioned.The GOP-led panel then gutted a House bill that dealt with pharmacy 
regulations, inserted the Steffen bills and advanced it on a voice vote 
to the full Senate.“We are moving a bill forward that decreases suffering and death,” 
Steffen told reporters after the hearing. “We’re moving a bill forward 
that allows the true standard of care in the early treatment of COVID to
 reign supreme. This notion that doing nothing is the standard of care 
is false, inappropriate and has led to crimes against humanity. The 
bottom line is we took a step forward in helping our Kansas citizens 
today and protecting our children.”Steffen said he had not heard anything from the Board of Healing Arts
 since announcing Jan. 26 he had been under investigation for more than a
 year.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644349463659.png" alt="Sen. Cindy Holscher, D-Overland Park, says the legislation advanced during a Tuesday hearing of the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee is dangerous. The stack of papers, she says, represents “nearly half” of complaints she has received about the off-label drug use bill. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Cindy Holscher, D-Overland Park, says the legislation advanced during a Tuesday hearing of the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee is dangerous. The stack of papers, she says, represents “nearly half” of complaints she has received about the off-label drug use bill. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>More than 40 people attended the standing-room-only hearing, in 
addition to journalists and legislative staff members. Many of the 
observers were affiliated with a prominent anti-vaccination group and 
held signs supporting <a target="_blank" href="http://kslegislature.com/li/b2021_22/measures/sb381/">Senate Bill 381</a>.Sen. Cindy Holscher, D-Overland Park, said the committee provided 
little notice to opponents of Steffen’s bill, then justified moving 
forward because there was little opposition. She presented a stack of 
pages that represented “nearly half” of the complaints about the bill 
she has received in recent days.“This is a very dangerous bill,” Holscher said. “It was dangerous before. It’s even more dangerous now with what’s been done.”Sen. Richard Hilderbrand, a Galena Republican who serves as chairman 
of the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee, stopped Holscher from
 making further comments and accused her of misreading the bill.“The crutch [sic] of the underlying bill was that the Board of 
Healing Arts were investigating doctors for prescribing off-label drugs,
 and the Board of Pharmacy was coming down on some pharmacists for 
filling off-label drugs in this case,” Hilderbrand said. “That is the 
crutch [sic]. There is nothing dubious or life-threatening in these 
bills.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644349503808.png" alt="Loretta Touslee, of Baldwin City, shows her support for legislation allowing off-label drug use during a hearing Tuesday at the Statehouse in Topeka. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Loretta Touslee, of Baldwin City, shows her support for legislation allowing off-label drug use during a hearing Tuesday at the Statehouse in Topeka. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>The two Democrats on the committee, Holscher and Sen. Pat Pettey, of 
Kansas City, and Republican Sen. Kristen O’Shea, of Topeka, objected to 
considering <a target="_blank" href="http://kslegislature.com/li/b2021_22/measures/sb398/">Senate Bill 398</a>, dealing with vaccination requirements, before holding a hearing on the matter.The bill applies language passed during a special session in 
November, when the Legislature responded to federal vaccine requirements
 for workers, to expand the application of religious exemptions. The 
proposal makes it illegal for a school or day care facility to question 
the sincerity of a child’s religious beliefs.“This is not just COVID-19 vaccine — it’s all childhood 
vaccinations,” O’Shea said. “And for us to not even have time to fully 
read the bill and be asked to vote on it is bad policy.”Hilderbrand defended the process of combining two bills and inserting them into <a target="_blank" href="http://kslegislature.com/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2280/">House Bill 2280</a>.“For those of you listening online that are getting an impression 
that this is something unique in committees, it is not,” Hilderbrand 
said. “This is something done every session. This just happens to be on 
this certain bill. So I don’t want you to be misled that this is 
something unique.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644349536565.png" alt="Sen. Pat Pettey, left, confers with Sen. Kristen O’Shea during Tuesday’s hearing about an off-label drug use bill. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Pat Pettey, left, confers with Sen. Kristen O’Shea during Tuesday’s hearing about an off-label drug use bill. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>Sen.
 Mike Thompson, R-Shawnee, said the legislation simply reaffirms 
religious rights already enshrined in the state constitution. He then 
repeated his false claims that vaccines are harmful and that COVID-19 
poses no threat to children.“It gives parents discretion as to whether or not they want their kid
 to take a vaccine that is actually dangerous, and has been proven to be
 so,” Thompson said. “These kids are not at risk.”The Kansas Department of Health and Environment’s latest summary of 
Kansas deaths attributed to COVID-19 included four fatalities among 
children 0-9 years of age and three fatalities among youth aged 10 to 
17.Thompson also said it was important to “get these people these 
medicines and give these doctors the latitude they need, because this is
 the final nail in the coffin.”Federal regulators and the vast majority of physicians agree there is
 no benefit to treating COVID-19 with ivermectin or hydroxychloroquine, 
and that the drugs could be harmful in some cases.Pettey said the discussion demonstrated a need to hold a hearing on the religious exemption component.“We are talking about vaccinations of our children, and we’re talking
 about the safety of all, and we’re not talking about religion,” Pettey 
said. “So I think it’s important that we keep it in the right context.”

Kan. senator wins support for off-label drug use, vaccine exemptions for children

By ALLISON KITE <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/02/08/kansas-regulators-approve-natural-gas-utilitys-plan-to-recoup-366-million-from-customers/">Kansas Reflector</a>

Customers of Kansas’ <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/07/30/customers-of-kansas-largest-natural-gas-utility-could-pay-cold-snap-costs-for-10-years/">largest natural gas utility will see their bills go up</a> in the wake of <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/02/18/feds-ramp-up-emergency-help-for-kansas-other-states-hit-by-extreme-weather/">last winter’s deep freeze</a> — but it’s still unclear by how much and for how long.&nbsp;

Kansas regulators on Tuesday approved
 an agreement with the Kansas Gas Service to recoup $366 million in 
excess natural gas costs, incurred to keep residents’ heat on when 
temperatures last February plunged below freezing for days on end and 
natural gas prices rose by 200 times almost overnight.

During the freeze, which resulted in 
deaths and dayslong outages in Texas, the Kansas Corporation Commission 
ordered utilities to do everything they could to keep providing gas and 
electric service and defer the costs.

“A lesser response could have 
resulted in catastrophic property damage and serious public safety 
implications, including potential loss of life,” the commission said in a
 news release. “When extraordinary costs are unavoidable and necessary 
to benefit the public, it is in the public interest to allow recovery of
 such costs.”

The agreement represented a 
settlement in which KGS agreed to trim some of its carrying costs on the
 sum from the storm. It brought the total Kansans will pay down from 
$390 million.

But KGS customers won’t know how much
 more they’ll pay —&nbsp;or for how long —&nbsp;until the gas utility files for 
securitization and issues bonds to be repaid over five to 10 years. The 
KCC estimated monthly bills would rise, on average, between $5 and $7.

A separate settlement between KGS’ 
large customers, like school districts and manufacturers, is still to 
come and could reduce the burden on residential customers by as much as 
$50 million, said David Nickel, executive director of the Citizens’ 
Utility Ratepayer Board, which advocates for residential and small 
business customers of Kansas utilities.&nbsp;

Nickel said CURB supported moving 
quickly to reach a deal for customers to repay the funds with the hopes 
of getting low interest rates. He acknowledged “it seems like a lot of 
money, and it is,” and said the board was concerned about potential 
manipulation or price-gouging in the natural gas market.

If ongoing investigations by Kansas 
Attorney General Derek Schmidt or federal regulators reveal 
manipulation, the settlement says any recouped funds need to go back to 
ratepayers, something Nickel emphasized is important to CURB.

Nickel said the negotiations also 
yielded a promise from KGS to develop a payment plan program for 
low-income customers by the end of this year.

Nickel said it’s significant that Kansans didn’t lose heat en masse or suffer deaths because of outages

“I can assure you that I would pay 
more than $600 over a period of 10 years to keep people that I know and I
 love safe and alive,” he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644349269179.png" alt="The Calista Compressor Station serves the Kansas Gas Service’s network in Kansas. The utility received approval from the Kansas Corporation Commission to recoup $366 million from customers. (Kansas Gas Service, courtesy Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>The Calista Compressor Station serves the Kansas Gas Service’s network in Kansas. The utility received approval from the Kansas Corporation Commission to recoup $366 million from customers. (Kansas Gas Service, courtesy Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By ALLISON KITE <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/02/08/kansas-regulators-approve-natural-gas-utilitys-plan-to-recoup-366-million-from-customers/">Kansas Reflector</a>Customers of Kansas’ <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/07/30/customers-of-kansas-largest-natural-gas-utility-could-pay-cold-snap-costs-for-10-years/">largest natural gas utility will see their bills go up</a> in the wake of <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/02/18/feds-ramp-up-emergency-help-for-kansas-other-states-hit-by-extreme-weather/">last winter’s deep freeze</a> — but it’s still unclear by how much and for how long.&nbsp;Kansas regulators on Tuesday approved
 an agreement with the Kansas Gas Service to recoup $366 million in 
excess natural gas costs, incurred to keep residents’ heat on when 
temperatures last February plunged below freezing for days on end and 
natural gas prices rose by 200 times almost overnight.During the freeze, which resulted in 
deaths and dayslong outages in Texas, the Kansas Corporation Commission 
ordered utilities to do everything they could to keep providing gas and 
electric service and defer the costs.“A lesser response could have 
resulted in catastrophic property damage and serious public safety 
implications, including potential loss of life,” the commission said in a
 news release. “When extraordinary costs are unavoidable and necessary 
to benefit the public, it is in the public interest to allow recovery of
 such costs.”The agreement represented a 
settlement in which KGS agreed to trim some of its carrying costs on the
 sum from the storm. It brought the total Kansans will pay down from 
$390 million.But KGS customers won’t know how much
 more they’ll pay —&nbsp;or for how long —&nbsp;until the gas utility files for 
securitization and issues bonds to be repaid over five to 10 years. The 
KCC estimated monthly bills would rise, on average, between $5 and $7.A separate settlement between KGS’ 
large customers, like school districts and manufacturers, is still to 
come and could reduce the burden on residential customers by as much as 
$50 million, said David Nickel, executive director of the Citizens’ 
Utility Ratepayer Board, which advocates for residential and small 
business customers of Kansas utilities.&nbsp;Nickel said CURB supported moving 
quickly to reach a deal for customers to repay the funds with the hopes 
of getting low interest rates. He acknowledged “it seems like a lot of 
money, and it is,” and said the board was concerned about potential 
manipulation or price-gouging in the natural gas market.If ongoing investigations by Kansas 
Attorney General Derek Schmidt or federal regulators reveal 
manipulation, the settlement says any recouped funds need to go back to 
ratepayers, something Nickel emphasized is important to CURB.Nickel said the negotiations also 
yielded a promise from KGS to develop a payment plan program for 
low-income customers by the end of this year.Nickel said it’s significant that Kansans didn’t lose heat en masse or suffer deaths because of outages“I can assure you that I would pay 
more than $600 over a period of 10 years to keep people that I know and I
 love safe and alive,” he said.

Kan. regulators approve natural gas utility’s plan to recoup $366M from customers

By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina Post

In August of 2020, Great Plains Manufacturing, Inc., announced a $53 million expansion project that would give the company another location, this time on the south side of Salina. It also would provide needed jobs in the Salina area.

The company's Construction Equipment facility in what was then the Signify/Philips Lighting plant on South Ninth Street is now operational and Great Plains is in need of workers.

"Our CE facility is now up and running, and we’re excited to bring more jobs to the Salina area. We’re looking for about 75 new hires to start operations in 2022. We estimate hiring an additional 200 team members in 2023 to support the future growth of our Construction Equipment Division within Great Plains," said Chris Montgomery, manager of operations for CE Production.

The company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Kubota North America Corporation, also is seeking qualified applicants to support recent company growth in its Great Plains Ag and Land Pride division.

Great Plains is hiring employees in welding, assembly, fabrication, paint, and forklift operators, the company noted in a news release issued this morning. The job fair will be at the new Construction Equipment facility, 3861 S. Ninth Street, and is scheduled for 3-6 p.m. Friday and 9-11:30 p.m. Saturday. Participants are asked to follow the signage upon arriving at the facility.

Job seekers can apply online at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.workforgpm.com/">www.WorkForGPM.com</a>&nbsp;or apply in person during the job fair events.

Human resources personnel from Great Plains will be on hand to accept applications and conduct on-site interviews. According to information from the company, sign-on bonuses are available. Positions may be filled on-site.

"Applicants are encouraged to follow social distancing and COVID-19 protocols, such as wearing masks, during the event," the company noted.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1629062606605.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina PostIn August of 2020, Great Plains Manufacturing, Inc., announced a $53 million expansion project that would give the company another location, this time on the south side of Salina. It also would provide needed jobs in the Salina area.The company's Construction Equipment facility in what was then the Signify/Philips Lighting plant on South Ninth Street is now operational and Great Plains is in need of workers."Our CE facility is now up and running, and we’re excited to bring more jobs to the Salina area. We’re looking for about 75 new hires to start operations in 2022. We estimate hiring an additional 200 team members in 2023 to support the future growth of our Construction Equipment Division within Great Plains," said Chris Montgomery, manager of operations for CE Production.The company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Kubota North America Corporation, also is seeking qualified applicants to support recent company growth in its Great Plains Ag and Land Pride division.Great Plains is hiring employees in welding, assembly, fabrication, paint, and forklift operators, the company noted in a news release issued this morning. The job fair will be at the new Construction Equipment facility, 3861 S. Ninth Street, and is scheduled for 3-6 p.m. Friday and 9-11:30 p.m. Saturday. Participants are asked to follow the signage upon arriving at the facility.Job seekers can apply online at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.workforgpm.com/">www.WorkForGPM.com</a>&nbsp;or apply in person during the job fair events.Human resources personnel from Great Plains will be on hand to accept applications and conduct on-site interviews. According to information from the company, sign-on bonuses are available. Positions may be filled on-site."Applicants are encouraged to follow social distancing and COVID-19 protocols, such as wearing masks, during the event," the company noted.

Great Plains Manufacturing brings jobs to central Kansas

NEW YORK (AP) — A year after winning a major court battle against the opening of so-called safe injection sites -- safe havens for people to use heroin and other narcotics with protections against fatal overdoses — the Justice Department is signaling it might be open to allowing them.

In response to questions from The Associated Press, the Justice Department said it is “evaluating” such facilities and talking to regulators about “appropriate guardrails.”

The position is a drastic change from its stance in the Trump administration, when prosecutors&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/appellate-court-agrees-government-supervised-injection-sites-are-illegal-under-federal-law" target="_blank">fought vigorously against a plan to open a safe consumption site in Philadelphia</a>. The Justice Department&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-public-health-philadelphia-coronavirus-pandemic-247fdc735c337cbb4b7ae0305da834f8">won a lawsuit last year,&nbsp;</a>when a federal appeals court in Pennsylvania ruled that opening such a facility would violate a 1980s-era drug law, aimed at “crackhouses,” which bans operating a place for taking illegal drugs. The Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-pennsylvania-philadelphia-health-50da593c6e553da73a960fbc1a99c9b0">declined in October to take the case</a>.

About six weeks later, the first officially authorized safe injection sites&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-new-york-new-york-city-1f61d20529965ded7fef3fcee5f39d1e">opened in New York City in November</a>. The two facilities — which the city calls “overdose prevention centers” — provide a monitored place for drug users to partake, with staffers and supplies on hand to reverse overdoses. New York City is in a different appeals court jurisdiction that has not ruled on the centers.

Such sites exist in Canada, Australia and Europe and have been discussed for years in New York and some other U.S. cities and states. A few unofficial facilities have operated for some time.

Advocates have hailed them as a way to curb the scourge of overdose deaths. Drawing from the latest available death certificate data, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/overdodse-deaths-fentanayl-health-f34b022d75a1eb9776e27903ab40670f">estimated that more than 100,000 Americans</a>&nbsp;died of drug overdoses from May 2020 to April 2021.

Critics, however, argue that safe injection sites encourage illegal drug use and burden neighborhoods.

For months after President Joe Biden took office last year, the Justice Department — under Attorney General Merrick Garland — had refused to take a public stance on safe consumption sites. Officials now say they are weighing their use.

“Although we cannot comment on pending litigation, the Department is evaluating supervised consumption sites, including discussions with state and local regulators about appropriate guardrails for such sites, as part of an overall approach to harm reduction and public safety,” the agency said in a statement Friday to the AP.

The New York City sites so far have intervened in more than 125 overdoses among more than 640 users, many of whom have made multiple visits, according to OnPoint NYC, the organization running them.

Executive Director Sam Rivera said he was excited and relieved by the Justice Department’s statement. The group is eager to tell the agency about its work, he said.

“I believe they’re going to land in the right place here and we’ll be able to, together, really expand on this health initiative that’s saving lives every day,” he said.

Former Mayor Bill de Blasio, a Democrat whose administration allowed the centers to open, said the city’s attorneys believed that the federal statute is “aimed at drug trafficking, not at medical facilities,” as he characterized the consumption sites.

But U.S. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, a New York City Republican, has urged Garland to work to shut them down, citing the appeals court ruling against the Philadelphia proposal last year. She told Garland in November that it is “imperative that you enforce this legal precedent,” and she wasn’t pleased to hear about the new Justice Department statement.

“Instead of stopping the deadly drugs streaming over our border, putting drug dealers behind bars and helping people receive the long-term treatment they need to overcome addiction, Democrat leadership is enabling illegal drug use,” Malliotakis said in a statement.

The Philadelphia project, called Safehouse, is still fighting for court approval to open. Safehouse lawyers Ronda Goldfein and Ilana Eisenstein said they hoped the Justice Department’s new statement “signals the prospect of a positive resolution, not just for Philadelphia but for any place in America that seeks to provide overdose prevention services.”

Some other arms of the federal government also have signaled some willingness at least to explore safe injection facilities, if not yet embrace them. Asked about the New York sites, White House drug czar Dr. Rahul Gupta told CNN in December he was “interested in looking at the science and data behind all of the emerging harm reduction practices.”

Later that month, the National Institutes of Health issued a call for harm reduction research that mentioned safe consumption sites, among other approaches.

NEW YORK (AP) — A year after winning a major court battle against the opening of so-called safe injection sites -- safe havens for people to use heroin and other narcotics with protections against fatal overdoses — the Justice Department is signaling it might be open to allowing them.In response to questions from The Associated Press, the Justice Department said it is “evaluating” such facilities and talking to regulators about “appropriate guardrails.”The position is a drastic change from its stance in the Trump administration, when prosecutors&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/appellate-court-agrees-government-supervised-injection-sites-are-illegal-under-federal-law" target="_blank">fought vigorously against a plan to open a safe consumption site in Philadelphia</a>. The Justice Department&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-public-health-philadelphia-coronavirus-pandemic-247fdc735c337cbb4b7ae0305da834f8">won a lawsuit last year,&nbsp;</a>when a federal appeals court in Pennsylvania ruled that opening such a facility would violate a 1980s-era drug law, aimed at “crackhouses,” which bans operating a place for taking illegal drugs. The Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-pennsylvania-philadelphia-health-50da593c6e553da73a960fbc1a99c9b0">declined in October to take the case</a>.About six weeks later, the first officially authorized safe injection sites&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-new-york-new-york-city-1f61d20529965ded7fef3fcee5f39d1e">opened in New York City in November</a>. The two facilities — which the city calls “overdose prevention centers” — provide a monitored place for drug users to partake, with staffers and supplies on hand to reverse overdoses. New York City is in a different appeals court jurisdiction that has not ruled on the centers.Such sites exist in Canada, Australia and Europe and have been discussed for years in New York and some other U.S. cities and states. A few unofficial facilities have operated for some time.Advocates have hailed them as a way to curb the scourge of overdose deaths. Drawing from the latest available death certificate data, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/overdodse-deaths-fentanayl-health-f34b022d75a1eb9776e27903ab40670f">estimated that more than 100,000 Americans</a>&nbsp;died of drug overdoses from May 2020 to April 2021.Critics, however, argue that safe injection sites encourage illegal drug use and burden neighborhoods.For months after President Joe Biden took office last year, the Justice Department — under Attorney General Merrick Garland — had refused to take a public stance on safe consumption sites. Officials now say they are weighing their use.“Although we cannot comment on pending litigation, the Department is evaluating supervised consumption sites, including discussions with state and local regulators about appropriate guardrails for such sites, as part of an overall approach to harm reduction and public safety,” the agency said in a statement Friday to the AP.The New York City sites so far have intervened in more than 125 overdoses among more than 640 users, many of whom have made multiple visits, according to OnPoint NYC, the organization running them.Executive Director Sam Rivera said he was excited and relieved by the Justice Department’s statement. The group is eager to tell the agency about its work, he said.“I believe they’re going to land in the right place here and we’ll be able to, together, really expand on this health initiative that’s saving lives every day,” he said.Former Mayor Bill de Blasio, a Democrat whose administration allowed the centers to open, said the city’s attorneys believed that the federal statute is “aimed at drug trafficking, not at medical facilities,” as he characterized the consumption sites.But U.S. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, a New York City Republican, has urged Garland to work to shut them down, citing the appeals court ruling against the Philadelphia proposal last year. She told Garland in November that it is “imperative that you enforce this legal precedent,” and she wasn’t pleased to hear about the new Justice Department statement.“Instead of stopping the deadly drugs streaming over our border, putting drug dealers behind bars and helping people receive the long-term treatment they need to overcome addiction, Democrat leadership is enabling illegal drug use,” Malliotakis said in a statement.The Philadelphia project, called Safehouse, is still fighting for court approval to open. Safehouse lawyers Ronda Goldfein and Ilana Eisenstein said they hoped the Justice Department’s new statement “signals the prospect of a positive resolution, not just for Philadelphia but for any place in America that seeks to provide overdose prevention services.”Some other arms of the federal government also have signaled some willingness at least to explore safe injection facilities, if not yet embrace them. Asked about the New York sites, White House drug czar Dr. Rahul Gupta told CNN in December he was “interested in looking at the science and data behind all of the emerging harm reduction practices.”Later that month, the National Institutes of Health issued a call for harm reduction research that mentioned safe consumption sites, among other approaches.

Biden's Justice Dept. may allow safe havens for taking drugs

ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect after an alleged altercation with police.

Just after 10p.m Sunday, police&nbsp;responded to the area of River Road and Commercial Street in Atchison to check on a suspicious person, according to police chief Mike Wilson.

At the scene, officers located 44-year-old Jason Seager who was wanted on District Court warrants for failure to appear in court. He threatened officers with a big stick and then fled on foot, according to Wilson.

Officers later apprehended him near 4th and Commercial and subsequently found to be in possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.

Seager is being held on requested charges of aggravated assault on a police officer, possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia, and interference with law enforcement.

In July, police arrested Seager after he threatened a man with a baseball bat&nbsp;outside an apartment complex in the 300 block Santa Fe in Atchison.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644247927502.png" alt="Seager-photo Atchison Co." />
 <figcaption>Seager-photo Atchison Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect after an alleged altercation with police.Just after 10p.m Sunday, police&nbsp;responded to the area of River Road and Commercial Street in Atchison to check on a suspicious person, according to police chief Mike Wilson.At the scene, officers located 44-year-old Jason Seager who was wanted on District Court warrants for failure to appear in court. He threatened officers with a big stick and then fled on foot, according to Wilson.Officers later apprehended him near 4th and Commercial and subsequently found to be in possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.Seager is being held on requested charges of aggravated assault on a police officer, possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia, and interference with law enforcement.In July, police arrested Seager after he threatened a man with a baseball bat&nbsp;outside an apartment complex in the 300 block Santa Fe in Atchison.

Police Chief: Kan. man threatened officers with large stick

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a suspicious death have identified the victim as&nbsp;47-year-old Angela Degraffenreid of Wichita, according to Officer Trevor Macy.

Shortly after 1:00 p.m. on the February 2, police responded to a check welfare call in the 600 block of N West Street. On arrival, they located an unknown later identified as Degraffenreid.

The investigation into her exact cause of death is ongoing. Foul play is not suspected, according to Macy.

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a suspicious death have identified the victim as&nbsp;47-year-old Angela Degraffenreid of Wichita, according to Officer Trevor Macy.Shortly after 1:00 p.m. on the February 2, police responded to a check welfare call in the 600 block of N West Street. On arrival, they located an unknown later identified as Degraffenreid.The investigation into her exact cause of death is ongoing. Foul play is not suspected, according to Macy.

Police ID Kansas woman found dead behind a business

By JARED STRONG <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/02/07/usda-pledges-1b-for-climate-smart-ag-products/">Iowa Capital Dispatch</a>

The U.S.
 Department of Agriculture plans to spend up to $1 billion to foster the
 creation of climate-friendly agricultural and forestry products by 
offering grants to facilitate their production and the markets to sell 
them.

The goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions or sequester carbon in those industries.

“Agriculture is such an exciting but 
challenging, critical but dynamic space. It’s easy to make the case to 
young people to get engaged in this,” U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom 
Vilsack said Monday in announcing the program at Missouri’s Lincoln 
University, a historically Black university with a robust agricultural 
program. “It’s at the heart of our fight against climate change.”

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 
estimates that about 10% of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions — 
which are key drivers of a warming climate — come from agriculture, 
especially livestock production. Cattle are agriculture’s primary 
emitters of methane, a potent greenhouse gas.

The USDA’s new Partnerships for 
Climate-Smart Commodities program will provide up to $100 million for 
individual pilot projects to plan and implement emission-reducing 
practices, create new markets to sell the products that result from 
those practices and quantify the effectiveness of the practices.

Measuring livestock emissions has long been a
 tricky proposition for federal regulators. An example: The U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency suspended its enforcement of the Clean 
Air Act as it might pertain to animal confinements about 16 years ago as
 it seeks to develop a reliable way to measure the buildings’ emissions.

Beef production is potentially a bigger 
quandary because the animals are often raised in open-air lots. However,
 researchers have been able to estimate the average annual methane 
production from cows and how much it can be reduced with <a href="https://www.unh.edu/unhtoday/2020/01/unh-scientists-expand-seaweed-research-benefit-regions-dairy-farmers" target="_blank">specialized diets</a>.

The <a href="https://www.usda.gov/climate-solutions/climate-smart-commodities" target="_blank">new USDA grant program</a>
 is open to a wide variety of entities: businesses, nonprofit 
organizations, governments, Native American tribal governments and 
organizations, and colleges and universities.

The department has set an April 8 deadline 
for proposals that range from $5 million to $100 million and a May 27 
deadline for those that would cost less than $5 million, according to 
the department’s <a href="https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/climate-smart-nfo-usda-nrcs-comm-22-nofo0001139-02062022-web-final.pdf" target="_blank">public Notice</a><a href="https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/climate-smart-nfo-usda-nrcs-comm-22-nofo0001139-02062022-web-final.pdf" target="_blank"> of Funding Opportunity.</a>
 Small and “historically underserved” agricultural producers and 
“minority-serving institutions” will get priority, the notice says.

“This might look, for example, like a group 
of small farmers working with a nonprofit to implement and quantify 
climate-smart practices in partnership with a retailer,” Vilsack said. 
“Or it could be a network of commodity organizations recruiting 
specialty crop farmers to quantify reduced emissions and market the 
resulting products. It may be a farmer-partner organization working with
 universities to test innovative approaches to monitor and verify 
climate benefits to aid in marketing. It could be all of that or any of 
it, along with a lot of other ideas and concepts.”

Vilsack did not say whether the products 
would bear a “climate smart” label that is subject to USDA 
certification, similar to organic foods.

This article first appeared in the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com">Iowa Capital Dispatch</a>, a sister site of the Nebraska Examiner in the States Newsroom&nbsp;network.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644333577889.png" alt="U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced a $1 billion grant program to boost agricultural and forestry products that are made with reduced greenhouse gas emissions. (Screenshot from USDA video)" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced a $1 billion grant program to boost agricultural and forestry products that are made with reduced greenhouse gas emissions. (Screenshot from USDA video)</figcaption>
 </figure>By JARED STRONG <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/02/07/usda-pledges-1b-for-climate-smart-ag-products/">Iowa Capital Dispatch</a>The U.S.
 Department of Agriculture plans to spend up to $1 billion to foster the
 creation of climate-friendly agricultural and forestry products by 
offering grants to facilitate their production and the markets to sell 
them.The goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions or sequester carbon in those industries.“Agriculture is such an exciting but 
challenging, critical but dynamic space. It’s easy to make the case to 
young people to get engaged in this,” U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom 
Vilsack said Monday in announcing the program at Missouri’s Lincoln 
University, a historically Black university with a robust agricultural 
program. “It’s at the heart of our fight against climate change.”The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 
estimates that about 10% of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions — 
which are key drivers of a warming climate — come from agriculture, 
especially livestock production. Cattle are agriculture’s primary 
emitters of methane, a potent greenhouse gas.The USDA’s new Partnerships for 
Climate-Smart Commodities program will provide up to $100 million for 
individual pilot projects to plan and implement emission-reducing 
practices, create new markets to sell the products that result from 
those practices and quantify the effectiveness of the practices.Measuring livestock emissions has long been a
 tricky proposition for federal regulators. An example: The U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency suspended its enforcement of the Clean 
Air Act as it might pertain to animal confinements about 16 years ago as
 it seeks to develop a reliable way to measure the buildings’ emissions.Beef production is potentially a bigger 
quandary because the animals are often raised in open-air lots. However,
 researchers have been able to estimate the average annual methane 
production from cows and how much it can be reduced with <a href="https://www.unh.edu/unhtoday/2020/01/unh-scientists-expand-seaweed-research-benefit-regions-dairy-farmers" target="_blank">specialized diets</a>.The <a href="https://www.usda.gov/climate-solutions/climate-smart-commodities" target="_blank">new USDA grant program</a>
 is open to a wide variety of entities: businesses, nonprofit 
organizations, governments, Native American tribal governments and 
organizations, and colleges and universities.The department has set an April 8 deadline 
for proposals that range from $5 million to $100 million and a May 27 
deadline for those that would cost less than $5 million, according to 
the department’s <a href="https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/climate-smart-nfo-usda-nrcs-comm-22-nofo0001139-02062022-web-final.pdf" target="_blank">public Notice</a><a href="https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/climate-smart-nfo-usda-nrcs-comm-22-nofo0001139-02062022-web-final.pdf" target="_blank"> of Funding Opportunity.</a>
 Small and “historically underserved” agricultural producers and 
“minority-serving institutions” will get priority, the notice says.“This might look, for example, like a group 
of small farmers working with a nonprofit to implement and quantify 
climate-smart practices in partnership with a retailer,” Vilsack said. 
“Or it could be a network of commodity organizations recruiting 
specialty crop farmers to quantify reduced emissions and market the 
resulting products. It may be a farmer-partner organization working with
 universities to test innovative approaches to monitor and verify 
climate benefits to aid in marketing. It could be all of that or any of 
it, along with a lot of other ideas and concepts.”Vilsack did not say whether the products 
would bear a “climate smart” label that is subject to USDA 
certification, similar to organic foods.This article first appeared in the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com">Iowa Capital Dispatch</a>, a sister site of the Nebraska Examiner in the States Newsroom&nbsp;network.

USDA pledges $1B for ‘climate smart’ ag products

ROME (AP) — Retired Pope Benedict XVI asked forgiveness Tuesday for any “grievous faults” in his handling of clergy sex abuse cases, but denied any personal or specific wrongdoing after an independent report criticized his actions in four cases while he was archbishop of Munich, Germany.

“I have had great responsibilities in the Catholic Church. All the greater is my pain for the abuses and the errors that occurred in those different places during the time of my mandate,” the retired pope said.

But Benedict’s lack of a personal apology or any admission of guilt was likely to rile survivors and further complicate efforts by German bishops re-establish credibility with the faithful. Demands for accountability have only increased as the church has come to terms with decades of sexual abuse by priests and cover-up by their bishops.

Benedict, 94, was responding to a Jan. 20 report from a German law firm that had been commissioned by the German Catholic Church to look into how cases of sexual abuse were handled in the Munich archdiocese between 1945 and 2019. Benedict, the former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, headed the archdiocese from 1977 to 1982.

The report&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-pope-benedict-xvi-reinhard-marx-germany-europe-c75f721f469f969d05348703c093e53d">faulted Benedict’s handling of four cases</a>&nbsp;during his time as archbishop, accusing him of misconduct for having failed to restrict the ministry of the priests in the cases even after they had been convicted criminally. The report also faulted his predecessors and successors, estimating there had been at least 497 abuse victims over the decades and at least 235 suspected perpetrators.

The Vatican on Tuesday released a letter that Benedict wrote to respond to the allegations, alongside a more technical reply from his lawyers who had provided an initial 82-page response to the law firm about his nearly five-year tenure in Munich.

The conclusion of Benedict’s lawyers was resolute: “As an archbishop, Cardinal Ratzinger was not involved in any cover-up of acts of abuse,” they wrote. They criticized the report’s authors for misinterpreting their submission, and asserted that they provided no evidence that Benedict was aware of the criminal history of any of the four priests in question.

Benedict’s response was far more nuanced and spiritual, though he went on at length to thank his legal team before even addressing the allegations or the victims of abuse.

In the letter, Benedict issued what he called a “confession,” recalling that daily Mass begins with believers confessing their sins and asking forgiveness for their faults and even their “grievous faults.” Benedict noted that in his meetings with abuse victims while he was pope, “I have seen at first hand the effects of a most grievous fault.

“And I have come to understand that we ourselves are drawn into this grievous fault whenever we neglect it or fail to confront it with the necessary decisiveness and responsibility, as too often happened and continues to happen,” he wrote. “As in those meetings, once again I can only express to all the victims of sexual abuse my profound shame, my deep sorrow and my heartfelt request for forgiveness.”

The law firm report identified four cases in which Ratzinger was accused of misconduct in failing to act against abusers.

Two cases involved priests who offended while Ratzinger was archbishop and were punished by the German legal system but were kept in pastoral ministry without any limits on their ministry. A third case involved a cleric who was convicted by a court outside Germany but was put into service in Munich. The fourth case involved a convicted pedophile priest who was allowed to transfer to Munich in 1980, and was later put into ministry. In 1986, that priest received a suspended sentence for molesting a boy.

Benedict’s team had earlier&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-religion-germany-munich-pope-benedict-xvi-fb76c2f33bdb2ea08a0dcfb75f785dbf">clarified an initial “error”&nbsp;</a>in their submission to the law firm that had insisted Ratzinger was not present at the 1980 meeting in which the priest’s transfer to Munich was discussed. Ratzinger was there, but his return to ministry was not discussed, they said.

Benedict said he was deeply hurt that the “oversight” about his presence at the meeting had been used to “cast doubt on my truthfulness, and even to label me a liar.” But he said he had been heartened by the letters and gestures of support he had received, including from his successor.

“I am particularly grateful for the confidence, support and prayer that Pope Francis personally expressed to me,” he said.

The Vatican had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-religion-crime-germany-sexual-abuse-by-clergy-a7926c80e9af1a6c7688e3529231de82">already strongly defended Benedict’s record</a>&nbsp;in the aftermath of the law firm report, recalling that Benedict was the first pope to meet with victims of abuse, that he had issued strong norms to punish priests who raped children and had directed the church to pursue a path of humility in seeking forgiveness for the crimes of its clerics.

The Vatican’s defense, however, focused primarily on Benedict’s tenure as head of the Holy See’s doctrine office, from 1982 until he was elected pope in 2005.

Benedict reflected on his legacy at the end of his letter, noting that he is at the end of his life and will soon be judged by God.

“Quite soon, I shall find myself before the final judge of my life,” he wrote. “Even though, as I look back on my long life, I can have great reason for fear and trembling, I am nonetheless of good cheer. For I trust firmly that the Lord is not only the just judge, but also the friend and brother who himself has already suffered for my shortcomings.”

The head of the German bishops conference, Limburg Bishop Georg Baetzing, had previously said that Benedict needed to respond to the report by distancing himself from his lawyers and advisers.

“He must talk, and he must override his advisers and essentially say the simple sentence: ’I incurred guilt, I made mistakes and I apologize to those affected,” Baetzing said. ”It won’t work any other way.”

Baetzing didn’t immediately comment Tuesday on Benedict’s response.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644330098529.png" alt="Pope Benedict on a 2008 trip to the United State-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Pope Benedict on a 2008 trip to the United State-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>ROME (AP) — Retired Pope Benedict XVI asked forgiveness Tuesday for any “grievous faults” in his handling of clergy sex abuse cases, but denied any personal or specific wrongdoing after an independent report criticized his actions in four cases while he was archbishop of Munich, Germany.“I have had great responsibilities in the Catholic Church. All the greater is my pain for the abuses and the errors that occurred in those different places during the time of my mandate,” the retired pope said.But Benedict’s lack of a personal apology or any admission of guilt was likely to rile survivors and further complicate efforts by German bishops re-establish credibility with the faithful. Demands for accountability have only increased as the church has come to terms with decades of sexual abuse by priests and cover-up by their bishops.Benedict, 94, was responding to a Jan. 20 report from a German law firm that had been commissioned by the German Catholic Church to look into how cases of sexual abuse were handled in the Munich archdiocese between 1945 and 2019. Benedict, the former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, headed the archdiocese from 1977 to 1982.The report&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-pope-benedict-xvi-reinhard-marx-germany-europe-c75f721f469f969d05348703c093e53d">faulted Benedict’s handling of four cases</a>&nbsp;during his time as archbishop, accusing him of misconduct for having failed to restrict the ministry of the priests in the cases even after they had been convicted criminally. The report also faulted his predecessors and successors, estimating there had been at least 497 abuse victims over the decades and at least 235 suspected perpetrators.The Vatican on Tuesday released a letter that Benedict wrote to respond to the allegations, alongside a more technical reply from his lawyers who had provided an initial 82-page response to the law firm about his nearly five-year tenure in Munich.The conclusion of Benedict’s lawyers was resolute: “As an archbishop, Cardinal Ratzinger was not involved in any cover-up of acts of abuse,” they wrote. They criticized the report’s authors for misinterpreting their submission, and asserted that they provided no evidence that Benedict was aware of the criminal history of any of the four priests in question.Benedict’s response was far more nuanced and spiritual, though he went on at length to thank his legal team before even addressing the allegations or the victims of abuse.In the letter, Benedict issued what he called a “confession,” recalling that daily Mass begins with believers confessing their sins and asking forgiveness for their faults and even their “grievous faults.” Benedict noted that in his meetings with abuse victims while he was pope, “I have seen at first hand the effects of a most grievous fault.“And I have come to understand that we ourselves are drawn into this grievous fault whenever we neglect it or fail to confront it with the necessary decisiveness and responsibility, as too often happened and continues to happen,” he wrote. “As in those meetings, once again I can only express to all the victims of sexual abuse my profound shame, my deep sorrow and my heartfelt request for forgiveness.”The law firm report identified four cases in which Ratzinger was accused of misconduct in failing to act against abusers.Two cases involved priests who offended while Ratzinger was archbishop and were punished by the German legal system but were kept in pastoral ministry without any limits on their ministry. A third case involved a cleric who was convicted by a court outside Germany but was put into service in Munich. The fourth case involved a convicted pedophile priest who was allowed to transfer to Munich in 1980, and was later put into ministry. In 1986, that priest received a suspended sentence for molesting a boy.Benedict’s team had earlier&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-religion-germany-munich-pope-benedict-xvi-fb76c2f33bdb2ea08a0dcfb75f785dbf">clarified an initial “error”&nbsp;</a>in their submission to the law firm that had insisted Ratzinger was not present at the 1980 meeting in which the priest’s transfer to Munich was discussed. Ratzinger was there, but his return to ministry was not discussed, they said.Benedict said he was deeply hurt that the “oversight” about his presence at the meeting had been used to “cast doubt on my truthfulness, and even to label me a liar.” But he said he had been heartened by the letters and gestures of support he had received, including from his successor.“I am particularly grateful for the confidence, support and prayer that Pope Francis personally expressed to me,” he said.The Vatican had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-religion-crime-germany-sexual-abuse-by-clergy-a7926c80e9af1a6c7688e3529231de82">already strongly defended Benedict’s record</a>&nbsp;in the aftermath of the law firm report, recalling that Benedict was the first pope to meet with victims of abuse, that he had issued strong norms to punish priests who raped children and had directed the church to pursue a path of humility in seeking forgiveness for the crimes of its clerics.The Vatican’s defense, however, focused primarily on Benedict’s tenure as head of the Holy See’s doctrine office, from 1982 until he was elected pope in 2005.Benedict reflected on his legacy at the end of his letter, noting that he is at the end of his life and will soon be judged by God.“Quite soon, I shall find myself before the final judge of my life,” he wrote. “Even though, as I look back on my long life, I can have great reason for fear and trembling, I am nonetheless of good cheer. For I trust firmly that the Lord is not only the just judge, but also the friend and brother who himself has already suffered for my shortcomings.”The head of the German bishops conference, Limburg Bishop Georg Baetzing, had previously said that Benedict needed to respond to the report by distancing himself from his lawyers and advisers.“He must talk, and he must override his advisers and essentially say the simple sentence: ’I incurred guilt, I made mistakes and I apologize to those affected,” Baetzing said. ”It won’t work any other way.”Baetzing didn’t immediately comment Tuesday on Benedict’s response.

Retired Pope apologizes for sex abuse scandal, denies responsibility

KANSAS CITY— Vice President Kamala Harris will make a virtual stop in Kansas City Tuesday.

According to a social media statement from Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, he will discuss how Kansas City government is helping thousands of Kansas City families access federal support through the Child Tax Credit in a virtual meeting with the Vice President.

The event is part of the Biden administration's outreach campaign to get millions of families to file their taxes so they can receive the second half of payments from the expanded child tax credit. 

Vice President Kamala Harris, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and White House senior adviser Gene Sperling are hosting the virtual event to encourage people to send their tax forms to the IRS. Administration officials estimate $193 billion would go to 58 million eligible households that file taxes. 

This means families would receive credits on their taxes or refunds averaging $3,330 from this provision.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644333822620.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY— Vice President Kamala Harris will make a virtual stop in Kansas City Tuesday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Millions have used their monthly Child Tax Credit check to pay down debt, to cover expenses and put food on the table. For today&#39;s Day of Action, I want to encourage Americans to sign up for the Expanded Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit. <a href="https://t.co/h3toRe8Ccq">https://t.co/h3toRe8Ccq</a>&mdash; Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) <a href="https://twitter.com/VP/status/1491061112795770883?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 8, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>According to a social media statement from Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, he will discuss how Kansas City government is helping thousands of Kansas City families access federal support through the Child Tax Credit in a virtual meeting with the Vice President.The event is part of the Biden administration's outreach campaign to get millions of families to file their taxes so they can receive the second half of payments from the expanded child tax credit. Vice President Kamala Harris, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and White House senior adviser Gene Sperling are hosting the virtual event to encourage people to send their tax forms to the IRS. Administration officials estimate $193 billion would go to 58 million eligible households that file taxes. This means families would receive credits on their taxes or refunds averaging $3,330 from this provision.

🎥KC Mayor joins VP Harris for virtual event on Child Tax Credits

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal officer-involved shooting have identified the suspect who died as 38-year-old&nbsp;Jason D. Ickler, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

Just before 7:30 a.m. Sunday, uniformed deputies of the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office went to a hotel in the 1200 block of SW Wanamaker Road in Topeka in an attempt to locate and arrest a Ickler on charges of felony fleeing or attempting to elude police, interference with law enforcement and reckless driving in connection with an incident that occurred in Topeka on&nbsp; February 4.

When deputies located Ickler's hotel room, he jumped from a window and entered a vehicle in the hotel parking lot. A deputy then located Ickler in the driver’s seat of a running vehicle. When the deputy approached the vehicle, the suspect engaged the vehicle and accelerated towards the deputy. The deputy then discharged his duty weapon while trying to avoid being struck by the vehicle. Ickler was pronounced deceased at the scene by emergency medical personnel. 

Officers seized suspected methamphetamine and unlawful drug paraphernalia from the scene.&nbsp;Investigators have confirmed that Ickler was also being sought on multiple outstanding warrants including Barton County, Kansas&nbsp; warrants for crimes of possession of stolen property, burglary, possession of narcotic drug, interference with law enforcement and fleeing or attempting to elude police, Johnson County, Kansas warrants for crimes of identity theft, forgery, tampering with electronic monitoring equipment and fleeing or attempting to elude police and Sedgwick County, Kansas warrants for crimes of possession of narcotic drug, fleeing or attempting to elude police and driving while being a habitual violator.

Ickler had previous convictions for theft, obstruction, flee or attempt to elude law enforcement and drugs, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections

The Northeast Kansas Sheriff’s Officer-Involved Critical Incident Investigation Team is investigating the officer shooting. Once the investigation is completed, the findings will then be forwarded to the Shawnee County District Attorney’s Office for review

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal officer-involved shooting.

The incident occurred just before 8 a.m. Sunday, as deputies were in the 1200 block of SW Wanamaker Road in Topeka attempting to make a felony arrest of a suspect involved in a vehicle pursuit that occurred in Shawnee County on Friday, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.&nbsp; 

One male subject was pronounced deceased at the scene.

The Northeast Kansas Sheriffs’ Officer-Involved Critical Incident Response Team is in charge of the investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644273967421.png" alt="Ickler had previous convictions for theft, obstruction, flee or attempt to elude law enforcement and drugs, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections- photo Johnson Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Ickler had previous convictions for theft, obstruction, flee or attempt to elude law enforcement and drugs, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections- photo Johnson Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal officer-involved shooting have identified the suspect who died as 38-year-old&nbsp;Jason D. Ickler, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644160820448.png" alt="Law enforcement on the scene of Sunday's fatal officer-involved shooting-photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Law enforcement on the scene of Sunday's fatal officer-involved shooting-photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>Just before 7:30 a.m. Sunday, uniformed deputies of the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office went to a hotel in the 1200 block of SW Wanamaker Road in Topeka in an attempt to locate and arrest a Ickler on charges of felony fleeing or attempting to elude police, interference with law enforcement and reckless driving in connection with an incident that occurred in Topeka on&nbsp; February 4.When deputies located Ickler's hotel room, he jumped from a window and entered a vehicle in the hotel parking lot. A deputy then located Ickler in the driver’s seat of a running vehicle. When the deputy approached the vehicle, the suspect engaged the vehicle and accelerated towards the deputy. The deputy then discharged his duty weapon while trying to avoid being struck by the vehicle. Ickler was pronounced deceased at the scene by emergency medical personnel. Officers seized suspected methamphetamine and unlawful drug paraphernalia from the scene.&nbsp;Investigators have confirmed that Ickler was also being sought on multiple outstanding warrants including Barton County, Kansas&nbsp; warrants for crimes of possession of stolen property, burglary, possession of narcotic drug, interference with law enforcement and fleeing or attempting to elude police, Johnson County, Kansas warrants for crimes of identity theft, forgery, tampering with electronic monitoring equipment and fleeing or attempting to elude police and Sedgwick County, Kansas warrants for crimes of possession of narcotic drug, fleeing or attempting to elude police and driving while being a habitual violator.Ickler had previous convictions for theft, obstruction, flee or attempt to elude law enforcement and drugs, according to the Kansas Dept. of CorrectionsThe Northeast Kansas Sheriff’s Officer-Involved Critical Incident Investigation Team is investigating the officer shooting. Once the investigation is completed, the findings will then be forwarded to the Shawnee County District Attorney’s Office for review-----SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal officer-involved shooting.The incident occurred just before 8 a.m. Sunday, as deputies were in the 1200 block of SW Wanamaker Road in Topeka attempting to make a felony arrest of a suspect involved in a vehicle pursuit that occurred in Shawnee County on Friday, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.&nbsp; One male subject was pronounced deceased at the scene.The Northeast Kansas Sheriffs’ Officer-Involved Critical Incident Response Team is in charge of the investigation.

Kan. felon jumped from hotel window before fatal officer shooting

SEDGWICK COUNTY — A mask mandate will continue in the state's largest school district.&nbsp;

By a vote of 4-3, the USD 259-Wichita Public School district board voted Monday night against a proposal to immediately remove the district's mask mandate and make masks optional.

During the January 11 meeting, board president Stan Reeser suspended the meeting after several new board members and others in attendance refused to follow the district’s mask requirement.

In August, the board unanimously approved a mask mandate for all district buildings. It went into effect August 30.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644320037112.png" alt="A large crowd at Monday's USD 259 board meeting -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>A large crowd at Monday's USD 259 board meeting -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — A mask mandate will continue in the state's largest school district.&nbsp;By a vote of 4-3, the USD 259-Wichita Public School district board voted Monday night against a proposal to immediately remove the district's mask mandate and make masks optional.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644319483078.png" alt="USD 259 Superintendent Alicia Thompson during Monday's board meeting" />
 <figcaption>USD 259 Superintendent Alicia Thompson during Monday's board meeting</figcaption>
 </figure>During the January 11 meeting, board president Stan Reeser suspended the meeting after several new board members and others in attendance refused to follow the district’s mask requirement.In August, the board unanimously approved a mask mandate for all district buildings. It went into effect August 30.

Mask mandate will continue in state's largest school district 

WASHINGTON&nbsp;—&nbsp;The Internal Revenue Service today urged Americans to 
file a 2021 federal income tax return so they can take advantage of key 
tax benefits included in the American Rescue Plan and other recent 
legislation.

Often, individuals and families <a href="https://www.irs.gov/help/ita/does-my-childdependent-qualify-for-the-child-tax-credit-or-the-credit-for-other-dependents">can get these expanded tax benefits</a>,
 even if they have little or no income from a job, business or other 
source. This means that many people who don't normally need to file a 
return should consider doing so this year. Because claiming these 
benefits could result in tax refunds for many people, individuals should
 <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/e-file-options">file an accurate return electronically</a> and choose <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds/get-your-refund-faster-tell-irs-to-direct-deposit-your-refund-to-one-two-or-three-accounts">direct deposit</a> to avoid processing delays and speed delivery of their refund.

A new fact sheet, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-expanded-credits-for-families-highlight-tax-changes-for-2021-many-people-who-dont-normally-file-should-file-this-year">FS-2022-10</a>,
 available now on IRS.gov, describes many of these expanded tax 
benefits. But the IRS emphasized that these benefits are only available 
to people who file a 2021 federal income tax return. Benefits include:

The IRS reminds early filers that by law, the agency cannot issue 
EITC refunds before mid-February. The same rule applies to refunds that 
include the Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC). This year, the ACTC is 
typically claimed by Americans abroad who did not have a main home in 
the United States for more than half of 2021. Normally, the mid-February
 restriction does not apply to the Refundable Child Tax Credit (RCTC) 
claimed by people who had a main home in the U.S., unless they also 
claim the EITC.

The IRS urges everyone to make sure they have all their year-end 
statements in hand before filing their 2021 return. Besides all W-2s and
 1099s, this includes two statements issued by the IRS -- <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/understanding-your-letter-6419">Letter 6419</a>, showing their total advance Child Tax Credit payments, and <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/understanding-your-letter-6475">Letter 6475</a>, showing their total EIP3 payments. Individuals can also use IRS <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/your-online-account">Online Account</a>
 to see the total amounts of their third round of Economic Impact 
Payments or advance Child Tax Credit payments. Married spouses who 
received joint payments will each need to sign into their own account to
 retrieve their separate amounts.

For most Americans, the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/help/ita/what-is-the-due-date-of-my-federal-tax-return-or-am-i-eligible-to-request-an-extension">tax-filing deadline</a>
 is April 18, 2022. For residents of Maine and Massachusetts, the 
deadline is April 19, 2022. For Americans who live and work abroad, it's
 June 15, 2022. Anyone who needs more time to file can get an <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/extension-of-time-to-file-your-tax-return">automatic extension</a> until Oct. 17, 2022.

Taxpayers can find answers to questions, forms and instructions and 
easy-to-use tools online at IRS.gov. They can use these resources to get
 help when it's needed at home, at work or on the go.

This news release is part of a series called the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/tax-time-guide">Tax Time Guide</a>, a resource to help taxpayers file an accurate tax return. Additional help is available in <a href="https://www.irs.gov/publications/p17">Publication 17, Your Federal Income Tax</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON&nbsp;—&nbsp;The Internal Revenue Service today urged Americans to 
file a 2021 federal income tax return so they can take advantage of key 
tax benefits included in the American Rescue Plan and other recent 
legislation.Often, individuals and families <a href="https://www.irs.gov/help/ita/does-my-childdependent-qualify-for-the-child-tax-credit-or-the-credit-for-other-dependents">can get these expanded tax benefits</a>,
 even if they have little or no income from a job, business or other 
source. This means that many people who don't normally need to file a 
return should consider doing so this year. Because claiming these 
benefits could result in tax refunds for many people, individuals should
 <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/e-file-options">file an accurate return electronically</a> and choose <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds/get-your-refund-faster-tell-irs-to-direct-deposit-your-refund-to-one-two-or-three-accounts">direct deposit</a> to avoid processing delays and speed delivery of their refund.<h2>Expanded tax benefits</h2>A new fact sheet, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-expanded-credits-for-families-highlight-tax-changes-for-2021-many-people-who-dont-normally-file-should-file-this-year">FS-2022-10</a>,
 available now on IRS.gov, describes many of these expanded tax 
benefits. But the IRS emphasized that these benefits are only available 
to people who file a 2021 federal income tax return. Benefits include:<ul>
 <li>An expanded <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/2021-child-tax-credit-and-advance-child-tax-credit-payments-frequently-asked-questions">Child Tax Credit</a>: Families can claim this credit, even if they received monthly advance payments during the last half of 2021.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>An increased <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/individuals/child-and-dependent-care-credit-information">Child and Dependent Care Credit</a>:
 Families who pay for daycare so they can work or look for work can get a
 tax credit worth up to $4,000 for one qualifying person and $8,000 for 
two or more qualifying persons.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>A more generous <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/individuals/earned-income-tax-credit-eitc">Earned Income Tax Credit</a>:
 The American Rescue Plan boosted the EITC for childless workers. There 
are also changes that can help low- and moderate-income families with 
children.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>The <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit">Recovery Rebate Credit</a>:
 Those who missed out on last year's third-round of Economic Impact 
Payments (EIP3), also known as stimulus payments, may be eligible to 
claim the RRC. This credit can also help eligible people whose EIP3 was 
less than the full amount, including those who welcomed a child in 2021.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li><a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/expanded-tax-benefits-help-individuals-and-businesses-give-to-charity-during-2021-deductions-up-to-600-available-for-cash-donations-by-non-itemizers">A deduction for gifts to charity</a>:
 The majority of taxpayers who take the standard deduction can deduct 
eligible cash contributions they made during 2021. Married couples 
filing jointly can deduct up to $600 in cash donations and individual 
taxpayers can deduct up to $300 in donations. In addition, itemizers who
 make large cash donations often qualify to deduct the full amount in 
2021.</li>
 </ul>See the fact sheet for more information.The IRS reminds early filers that by law, the agency cannot issue 
EITC refunds before mid-February. The same rule applies to refunds that 
include the Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC). This year, the ACTC is 
typically claimed by Americans abroad who did not have a main home in 
the United States for more than half of 2021. Normally, the mid-February
 restriction does not apply to the Refundable Child Tax Credit (RCTC) 
claimed by people who had a main home in the U.S., unless they also 
claim the EITC.<h2>Helpful reminders</h2>The IRS urges everyone to make sure they have all their year-end 
statements in hand before filing their 2021 return. Besides all W-2s and
 1099s, this includes two statements issued by the IRS -- <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/understanding-your-letter-6419">Letter 6419</a>, showing their total advance Child Tax Credit payments, and <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/understanding-your-letter-6475">Letter 6475</a>, showing their total EIP3 payments. Individuals can also use IRS <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/your-online-account">Online Account</a>
 to see the total amounts of their third round of Economic Impact 
Payments or advance Child Tax Credit payments. Married spouses who 
received joint payments will each need to sign into their own account to
 retrieve their separate amounts.For most Americans, the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/help/ita/what-is-the-due-date-of-my-federal-tax-return-or-am-i-eligible-to-request-an-extension">tax-filing deadline</a>
 is April 18, 2022. For residents of Maine and Massachusetts, the 
deadline is April 19, 2022. For Americans who live and work abroad, it's
 June 15, 2022. Anyone who needs more time to file can get an <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/extension-of-time-to-file-your-tax-return">automatic extension</a> until Oct. 17, 2022.Taxpayers can find answers to questions, forms and instructions and 
easy-to-use tools online at IRS.gov. They can use these resources to get
 help when it's needed at home, at work or on the go.This news release is part of a series called the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/tax-time-guide">Tax Time Guide</a>, a resource to help taxpayers file an accurate tax return. Additional help is available in <a href="https://www.irs.gov/publications/p17">Publication 17, Your Federal Income Tax</a>.

American Rescue Plan changes can boost refunds for many families

WASHINGTON (AP) — In a flurry of diplomacy across two continents, President Joe Biden met with Germany’s new leader Monday and vowed the crucial Nord Stream 2 Russia-to-Germany&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-europe-russia-germany-82a7ebf6617dfc86b09f4d1b69209d5b">gas pipeline will be blocked</a>&nbsp;if Russia further invades Ukraine. Russia’s Vladimir Putin retorted that the U.S. and its allies are the only ones talking invasion.

Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron met for more than five hours in Moscow at the same time Biden and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke at the White House&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-joe-biden-business-emmanuel-macron-moscow-9c7b3133b0db8c537ebd667f62a2adef">in efforts to defuse the crisis</a>&nbsp;before armed conflict breaks out. Russia has massed thousands of troops at the Ukraine border, adding military might almost daily.

The White House has expressed increasing alarm about the prospects of war, and Biden has been looking to solidify support among European allies for economy-jarring sanctions against Russia if it attacks.

“If Russia invades, that means tanks and troops crossing the border of Ukraine again, then there will be no longer a Nord Stream 2,” Biden said. “We will bring an end to it.”

That would hurt Russia economically but also cause supply problems for Germany. Construction of the pipeline has been completed, but it is not yet operating.

“We are jointly ready, and all of NATO is ready,” Biden said, referring to the powerful Western alliance, though Ukraine is not a member.

While Biden reiterated with certitude that the pipeline would not move forward, Scholz stressed the need to keep some ambiguity about sanctions in order to press Russia to de-escalate the crisis.

“It’s necessary for Russia to understand that a lot more could happen than they’ve perhaps calculated with themselves,.” Scholz said.

The buildup of over 100,000 Russian troops near Ukraine has fueled Western worries of a possible offensive. White House national security adviser&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/4f766b3b07014bddb9006d44a9f240b8">Jake Sullivan warned Sunday</a>&nbsp;that Russia could invade Ukraine “any day,” triggering a conflict that would come at an “enormous human cost.”

At the same time, Biden and NATO allies have made clear there are no plans for sending in troops to fight Russia on Ukraine’s behalf.

Macron and Putin, during their lengthy meeting — with a dinner that featured the choice of sturgeon or reindeer — registered their disagreements but also emphasized a need for more talks.

Putin noted that the U.S. and NATO have ignored Moscow’s demands that the alliance guarantee it will keep Ukraine and other ex-Soviet nations out, refrain from placing weapons in Ukraine and roll back alliance forces from Eastern Europe.

“We are categorically against any further NATO’s expansion eastward because it poses a threat to us,” Putin said. “It’s not us who’s advancing to NATO, it’s NATO coming to us and so it’s illogical to talk about Russia’s aggressive behavior.”

He scoffed at Western descriptions of NATO as a defensive alliance, saying sarcastically that “people of Iraq, Libya and Afghanistan have learned it from their own experience.” And he threatened a wider war if Ukraine should join the alliance and perhaps try to win back Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014.

“European countries will automatically be drawn into a military conflict with Russia,” Putin said. “You will be drawn into that conflict beyond your will. There will be no winners.”

Macron described the talks as “substantial, deep” with a focus on conditions that could help de-escalation.

“We tried to build converging elements,” he said. “The upcoming days will be crucial and deep discussions together will be needed.”

Putin signaled his readiness to continue negotiations and denied anew that Russia has any intention of invading Ukraine.

In the meantime, Biden warned “it would be wise” for Americans other than essential diplomats to leave Ukraine.

On a positive note, Putin said without elaboration that some of Macron’s proposals could serve as a basis for a settlement of the conflict in eastern Ukraine, adding that they agreed to have a call after Macron’s visit to Kyiv Tuesday.

Likewise, Biden said when asked if there remained an “offramp” for Russia in the standoff, “The answer is yes.”

Before meeting Biden, Scholz told German media that “there will be a very high price if Ukraine is attacked militarily. And we are preparing for this very precisely and have been talking about the details for a long time.” Scholz will travel to Kyiv and Moscow Feb. 14-15.

German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht said her country would add up to 350 troops within a few days to about 500 already a part of a NATO battlegroup in Lithuania. “With this, we are strengthening our contribution to forces on NATO’s eastern flank and sending a very clear signal of unity to our allies,” she said.

Biden already has deployed additional U.S. troops to Poland, Romania and Germany, and a few dozen elite U.S. troops and equipment landed Sunday in southeastern Poland near the border with Ukraine, with hundreds more infantry troops of the 82nd Airborne Division set to arrive.

Britain said the U.K. was sending 350 troops to Poland to bolster NATO forces, joining 100 Royal Engineers already there.

At a news conference in Washington, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell defended the increasingly dire Western warnings that a Russian invasion may be imminent.

“This is not alarmism. This is simply the facts,” Blinken said. “And the facts are that we’ve seen over the last few months a massive amassing of Russian forces on Ukraine’s borders.”

Borrell noted that “140,000 troops massed on the border is not to go to have tea.”

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance is weighing a more permanent military presence in southeast Europe in response to Russia’s “massive military deployment” near Ukraine.

“We are considering more longer-term adjustments to our posture, our presence in the eastern part of the alliance,” Stoltenberg said after talks in Brussels with Polish President Andrzej Duda. “If Russia really wants less NATO close to the borders, they get the opposite.”

Stoltenberg gave no details and said no final decision has been made, but the move could mirror NATO’s long-term military presence in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, where about 5,000 troops are stationed. It would see a similar force based in Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and Slovakia.

WASHINGTON (AP) — In a flurry of diplomacy across two continents, President Joe Biden met with Germany’s new leader Monday and vowed the crucial Nord Stream 2 Russia-to-Germany&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-europe-russia-germany-82a7ebf6617dfc86b09f4d1b69209d5b">gas pipeline will be blocked</a>&nbsp;if Russia further invades Ukraine. Russia’s Vladimir Putin retorted that the U.S. and its allies are the only ones talking invasion.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F1058370344802252%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=742" 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>Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron met for more than five hours in Moscow at the same time Biden and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke at the White House&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-joe-biden-business-emmanuel-macron-moscow-9c7b3133b0db8c537ebd667f62a2adef">in efforts to defuse the crisis</a>&nbsp;before armed conflict breaks out. Russia has massed thousands of troops at the Ukraine border, adding military might almost daily.The White House has expressed increasing alarm about the prospects of war, and Biden has been looking to solidify support among European allies for economy-jarring sanctions against Russia if it attacks.“If Russia invades, that means tanks and troops crossing the border of Ukraine again, then there will be no longer a Nord Stream 2,” Biden said. “We will bring an end to it.”That would hurt Russia economically but also cause supply problems for Germany. Construction of the pipeline has been completed, but it is not yet operating.“We are jointly ready, and all of NATO is ready,” Biden said, referring to the powerful Western alliance, though Ukraine is not a member.While Biden reiterated with certitude that the pipeline would not move forward, Scholz stressed the need to keep some ambiguity about sanctions in order to press Russia to de-escalate the crisis.“It’s necessary for Russia to understand that a lot more could happen than they’ve perhaps calculated with themselves,.” Scholz said.The buildup of over 100,000 Russian troops near Ukraine has fueled Western worries of a possible offensive. White House national security adviser&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/4f766b3b07014bddb9006d44a9f240b8">Jake Sullivan warned Sunday</a>&nbsp;that Russia could invade Ukraine “any day,” triggering a conflict that would come at an “enormous human cost.”At the same time, Biden and NATO allies have made clear there are no plans for sending in troops to fight Russia on Ukraine’s behalf.Macron and Putin, during their lengthy meeting — with a dinner that featured the choice of sturgeon or reindeer — registered their disagreements but also emphasized a need for more talks.Putin noted that the U.S. and NATO have ignored Moscow’s demands that the alliance guarantee it will keep Ukraine and other ex-Soviet nations out, refrain from placing weapons in Ukraine and roll back alliance forces from Eastern Europe.“We are categorically against any further NATO’s expansion eastward because it poses a threat to us,” Putin said. “It’s not us who’s advancing to NATO, it’s NATO coming to us and so it’s illogical to talk about Russia’s aggressive behavior.”He scoffed at Western descriptions of NATO as a defensive alliance, saying sarcastically that “people of Iraq, Libya and Afghanistan have learned it from their own experience.” And he threatened a wider war if Ukraine should join the alliance and perhaps try to win back Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014.“European countries will automatically be drawn into a military conflict with Russia,” Putin said. “You will be drawn into that conflict beyond your will. There will be no winners.”Macron described the talks as “substantial, deep” with a focus on conditions that could help de-escalation.“We tried to build converging elements,” he said. “The upcoming days will be crucial and deep discussions together will be needed.”Putin signaled his readiness to continue negotiations and denied anew that Russia has any intention of invading Ukraine.In the meantime, Biden warned “it would be wise” for Americans other than essential diplomats to leave Ukraine.On a positive note, Putin said without elaboration that some of Macron’s proposals could serve as a basis for a settlement of the conflict in eastern Ukraine, adding that they agreed to have a call after Macron’s visit to Kyiv Tuesday.Likewise, Biden said when asked if there remained an “offramp” for Russia in the standoff, “The answer is yes.”Before meeting Biden, Scholz told German media that “there will be a very high price if Ukraine is attacked militarily. And we are preparing for this very precisely and have been talking about the details for a long time.” Scholz will travel to Kyiv and Moscow Feb. 14-15.German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht said her country would add up to 350 troops within a few days to about 500 already a part of a NATO battlegroup in Lithuania. “With this, we are strengthening our contribution to forces on NATO’s eastern flank and sending a very clear signal of unity to our allies,” she said.Biden already has deployed additional U.S. troops to Poland, Romania and Germany, and a few dozen elite U.S. troops and equipment landed Sunday in southeastern Poland near the border with Ukraine, with hundreds more infantry troops of the 82nd Airborne Division set to arrive.Britain said the U.K. was sending 350 troops to Poland to bolster NATO forces, joining 100 Royal Engineers already there.At a news conference in Washington, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell defended the increasingly dire Western warnings that a Russian invasion may be imminent.“This is not alarmism. This is simply the facts,” Blinken said. “And the facts are that we’ve seen over the last few months a massive amassing of Russian forces on Ukraine’s borders.”Borrell noted that “140,000 troops massed on the border is not to go to have tea.”NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance is weighing a more permanent military presence in southeast Europe in response to Russia’s “massive military deployment” near Ukraine.“We are considering more longer-term adjustments to our posture, our presence in the eastern part of the alliance,” Stoltenberg said after talks in Brussels with Polish President Andrzej Duda. “If Russia really wants less NATO close to the borders, they get the opposite.”Stoltenberg gave no details and said no final decision has been made, but the move could mirror NATO’s long-term military presence in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, where about 5,000 troops are stationed. It would see a similar force based in Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and Slovakia.The aim would be only to bolster the defenses of NATO allies in the region. The troops would not cross into Ukraine should Russia invade.Biden and Scholz also discussed contingency plans for providing gas supplies to Europe should Russia cut off supply. Europe is already dealing with liquefied natural gas supplies being sapped by a cold winter last year, a summer with little renewable energy generation and Russia delivering less than usual.Biden asserted the U.S. and other countries could make up a “significant portion” of supplies lost should Russia move to cut off Europe.But energy experts say replacing Russian gas would be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-europe-russia-germany-82a7ebf6617dfc86b09f4d1b69209d5b">complicated and can’t be done overnight.</a>&nbsp;Export terminals cost billions of dollars to build and are working at capacity in the U.S.