WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today updated its <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/newsroom/fs-2022-01.pdf">frequently asked questions (FAQs) on 2020 Unemployment Compensation Exclusion (FS-2022-01)</a>&nbsp;PDF.

These FAQs are being issued to provide general information to taxpayers and tax professionals as expeditiously as possible.

More information about <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/general-overview-of-taxpayer-reliance-on-guidance-published-in-the-internal-revenue-bulletin-and-faqs">reliance is available</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today updated its <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/newsroom/fs-2022-01.pdf">frequently asked questions (FAQs) on 2020 Unemployment Compensation Exclusion (FS-2022-01)</a>&nbsp;PDF.This updated FAQ adds a question:<ul>
 <li><a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/2020-unemployment-compensation-exclusion-faqs-topic-g-receiving-a-refund-letter-or-notice#q10">Question 10, Topic G: Receiving a Refund, Letter, or Notice</a></li>
 </ul>These FAQs are being issued to provide general information to taxpayers and tax professionals as expeditiously as possible.More information about <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/general-overview-of-taxpayer-reliance-on-guidance-published-in-the-internal-revenue-bulletin-and-faqs">reliance is available</a>.

IRS: New FAQs for 2020 unemployment refunds, tax return info

NEW YORK (AP) — Oh, how things have changed.

Just a year ago, many Republicans joined Democrats in reacting with horror to the Capitol insurrection, denouncing both the violence perpetrated by the rioters and the role played by former President Donald Trump in stoking the outrage that fueled their actions with lies about a “stolen” election.

But on the anniversary of the attack, top Republicans were far more muted. Some acknowledged the terror of the day but quickly pivoted to bashing Democrats. Many avoided observances planned at the Capitol. And still others didn’t say anything at all.

It’s all part of the political calculus in a party in which the former president remains very much in charge.

The party’s top congressional leaders were missing from Thursday’s commemoration events at the Capitol. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy did not make an appearance or issue a statement. Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell, who delivered one of the sharpest denunciations of Trump after the attack, was in Atlanta for the funeral of former Sen. Johnny Isakson.

Indeed, during a moment of silence held in honor of law enforcement officers, only two Republicans were present in the House chamber: Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, who has become a pariah in her party over her criticism of Trump’s actions, and her father, former Vice President Dick Cheney.

In a statement, McConnell called Jan. 6 “a dark day for Congress and our country” after “the seat of the first branch of our federal government was stormed by criminals who brutalized police officers and used force to try to stop Congress from doing its job.”

But he also criticized Democrats for what he said was their politicization of the attack. “It has been stunning to see some Washington Democrats try to exploit this anniversary to advance partisan policy goals that long predated this event,” he said.

It was a notable shift from the comments he had made last year after the Senate voted against Trump’s impeachment.

“There’s no question — none — that President Trump is practically and morally responsible for provoking the events of the day. No question about it,” he said then, calling it “a disgraceful, disgraceful dereliction of duty.”

Like McConnell, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, a friend and ally of the former president, was clear in his denunciation of Trump immediately following the Jan. 6 attack.

“All I can say is count me out. Enough is enough,” he’d said then.

On Thursday, however, Graham, who remains close to Trump, marked the occasion with a mix of shock and partisan attacks.

“I still cannot believe that a mob was able to take over the United States Capitol during such a pivotal moment — certifying a presidential election. It would have been so easy for terrorists to boot strap onto this protest and wreak even further destruction on the U.S. Capitol,” he wrote.

Still, he pivoted to politics, characterizing the speeches by President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris at the Capitol as an “effort to resurrect a failed presidency more than marking the anniversary of a dark day in American history.”

“Their brazen attempts to use January 6 to support radical election reform and changing the rules of the Senate to accomplish this goal will not succeed,” he wrote.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, considered a potential 2024 presidential candidate, was also quick to pounce. Speaking to reporters in Florida on Thursday morning around the same time Biden was addressing the nation, DeSantis slammed Democrats and the media for making so much hay of the event.

“This is their Christmas, January 6th,” he said. “They are going to take this and milk this for anything they could to try to be able to smear anyone who ever supported Donald Trump​.”

He lashed out at those who have compared the gravity of what happened on Jan. 6 to the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks and said most Florida residents have other issues on their minds.

“I think it’s going to end up being just a politicized Charlie Foxtrot today,” he said, using military slang for a chaotic situation. “I think it’s going to be nauseating, quite frankly.”

Other potential 2024 candidates, meanwhile, stayed conspicuously silent, underscoring the complicated calculus they face in a party in which Trump remains very much in charge, with the support of wide swaths of the primary-voting electorate.

Former Vice President Mike Pence — who fled for his life on Jan. 6 as rioters broke into the Capitol, chanting “Hang Mike Pence!” — did not not release a statement marking the occasion.

Pence has said that he and the former president will likely never “see eye to eye” on the events of Jan. 6 and has defended his role that day in rejecting Trump’s demands that he overturn the election results — something he did not have the power to do. At the same time, he has accused the media of reporting on the attack to “demean” Trump’s supporters and to “distract from the Biden administration’s failed agenda,” as he said on Fox News in October.

Also saying nothing were former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who has been laying the groundwork for a possible 2024 campaign by highlighting the Trump administration’s successes, and former Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, who found herself on the wrong side of the party’s base when she criticized Trump immediately after the insurrection. She has since said that she will not run for the GOP nomination if Trump chooses to move forward with the comeback campaign he’s been teasing.

While Trump canceled the anniversary news conference he’d been planning in Florida for Thursday, several of his most ardent followers scheduled their own counterprogramming.

“We’re ashamed of nothing,” said GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida during an appearance with Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene on a podcast hosted by former Trump strategist Steve Bannon, who has been indicted for defying a subpoena from the House committee investigating the insurrection. “We’re proud of the work that we did on Jan. 6 to make legitimate arguments about election integrity.”

Greene slammed Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, another potential 2024 contender, for having characterized the anniversary as an event marking “a violent terrorist attack on the Capitol” Wednesday.

She accused Cruz of disrespecting “MAGA patriots” and “people that rioted at the Capitol and did breach the Capitol.”

Cruz later appeared on Fox News to walk back his comments, saying his phrasing was “sloppy” and “frankly dumb.”

The GOP’s transformation into the Party of Trump came perhaps most clearly into focus as former Vice President Dick Cheney paid an unexpected visit to the Capitol to support his daughter, who has become one of the most prominent anti-Trump voices.

Asked what he made of Republican leadership’s handling of the anniversary, Cheney, who served under George W. Bush, was glib in his assessment of an institution that has all but been remade in Trump’s image.

“It’s not a leadership that resembles any of the folks I knew when I was here for 10 years, dramatically,” Cheney, also a former congressman, told reporters.

“The importance of January 6th as an historic event cannot be overstated,” he added in a statement. “I am deeply disappointed at the failure of many members of my party to recognize the grave nature of the January 6 attacks and the ongoing threat to our nation.”

Karl Rove, who served as deputy chief of staff in the Bush administration and advised Trump at points during the 2020 campaign, wrote an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/republicans-jan-6-responsibility-anniversary-riot-storm-capitol-trump-protesters-investigation-11641417707" target="_blank">op-ed in the Wall Street Journal</a>&nbsp;addressing those in his own party “who for a year have excused the actions of the rioters who stormed the Capitol, disrupted Congress as it received the Electoral College’s results, and violently attempted to overturn the election.”

“There can be no soft-pedaling what happened and no absolution for those who planned, encouraged and aided the attempt to overthrow our democracy. Love of country demands nothing less. That’s true patriotism,” he wrote.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641554009997.png" alt="Congressional leaders and lawmakers marked the one year anniversary of the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol with a vigil on the steps of the Capitol-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Congressional leaders and lawmakers marked the one year anniversary of the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol with a vigil on the steps of the Capitol-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Oh, how things have changed.Just a year ago, many Republicans joined Democrats in reacting with horror to the Capitol insurrection, denouncing both the violence perpetrated by the rioters and the role played by former President Donald Trump in stoking the outrage that fueled their actions with lies about a “stolen” election.But on the anniversary of the attack, top Republicans were far more muted. Some acknowledged the terror of the day but quickly pivoted to bashing Democrats. Many avoided observances planned at the Capitol. And still others didn’t say anything at all.It’s all part of the political calculus in a party in which the former president remains very much in charge.MISSING IN ACTIONThe party’s top congressional leaders were missing from Thursday’s commemoration events at the Capitol. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy did not make an appearance or issue a statement. Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell, who delivered one of the sharpest denunciations of Trump after the attack, was in Atlanta for the funeral of former Sen. Johnny Isakson.Indeed, during a moment of silence held in honor of law enforcement officers, only two Republicans were present in the House chamber: Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, who has become a pariah in her party over her criticism of Trump’s actions, and her father, former Vice President Dick Cheney.In a statement, McConnell called Jan. 6 “a dark day for Congress and our country” after “the seat of the first branch of our federal government was stormed by criminals who brutalized police officers and used force to try to stop Congress from doing its job.”But he also criticized Democrats for what he said was their politicization of the attack. “It has been stunning to see some Washington Democrats try to exploit this anniversary to advance partisan policy goals that long predated this event,” he said.It was a notable shift from the comments he had made last year after the Senate voted against Trump’s impeachment.“There’s no question — none — that President Trump is practically and morally responsible for provoking the events of the day. No question about it,” he said then, calling it “a disgraceful, disgraceful dereliction of duty.”THEN AND NOWLike McConnell, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, a friend and ally of the former president, was clear in his denunciation of Trump immediately following the Jan. 6 attack.“All I can say is count me out. Enough is enough,” he’d said then.On Thursday, however, Graham, who remains close to Trump, marked the occasion with a mix of shock and partisan attacks.“I still cannot believe that a mob was able to take over the United States Capitol during such a pivotal moment — certifying a presidential election. It would have been so easy for terrorists to boot strap onto this protest and wreak even further destruction on the U.S. Capitol,” he wrote.Still, he pivoted to politics, characterizing the speeches by President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris at the Capitol as an “effort to resurrect a failed presidency more than marking the anniversary of a dark day in American history.”“Their brazen attempts to use January 6 to support radical election reform and changing the rules of the Senate to accomplish this goal will not succeed,” he wrote.POLITICS FIRSTFlorida Gov. Ron DeSantis, considered a potential 2024 presidential candidate, was also quick to pounce. Speaking to reporters in Florida on Thursday morning around the same time Biden was addressing the nation, DeSantis slammed Democrats and the media for making so much hay of the event.“This is their Christmas, January 6th,” he said. “They are going to take this and milk this for anything they could to try to be able to smear anyone who ever supported Donald Trump​.”He lashed out at those who have compared the gravity of what happened on Jan. 6 to the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks and said most Florida residents have other issues on their minds.“I think it’s going to end up being just a politicized Charlie Foxtrot today,” he said, using military slang for a chaotic situation. “I think it’s going to be nauseating, quite frankly.”NO COMMENTOther potential 2024 candidates, meanwhile, stayed conspicuously silent, underscoring the complicated calculus they face in a party in which Trump remains very much in charge, with the support of wide swaths of the primary-voting electorate.Former Vice President Mike Pence — who fled for his life on Jan. 6 as rioters broke into the Capitol, chanting “Hang Mike Pence!” — did not not release a statement marking the occasion.Pence has said that he and the former president will likely never “see eye to eye” on the events of Jan. 6 and has defended his role that day in rejecting Trump’s demands that he overturn the election results — something he did not have the power to do. At the same time, he has accused the media of reporting on the attack to “demean” Trump’s supporters and to “distract from the Biden administration’s failed agenda,” as he said on Fox News in October.Also saying nothing were former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who has been laying the groundwork for a possible 2024 campaign by highlighting the Trump administration’s successes, and former Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, who found herself on the wrong side of the party’s base when she criticized Trump immediately after the insurrection. She has since said that she will not run for the GOP nomination if Trump chooses to move forward with the comeback campaign he’s been teasing.COUNTERPROGRAMMINGWhile Trump canceled the anniversary news conference he’d been planning in Florida for Thursday, several of his most ardent followers scheduled their own counterprogramming.“We’re ashamed of nothing,” said GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida during an appearance with Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene on a podcast hosted by former Trump strategist Steve Bannon, who has been indicted for defying a subpoena from the House committee investigating the insurrection. “We’re proud of the work that we did on Jan. 6 to make legitimate arguments about election integrity.”Greene slammed Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, another potential 2024 contender, for having characterized the anniversary as an event marking “a violent terrorist attack on the Capitol” Wednesday.She accused Cruz of disrespecting “MAGA patriots” and “people that rioted at the Capitol and did breach the Capitol.”“Shame on Ted Cruz,” she said.Cruz later appeared on Fox News to walk back his comments, saying his phrasing was “sloppy” and “frankly dumb.”THE OLD GUARDThe GOP’s transformation into the Party of Trump came perhaps most clearly into focus as former Vice President Dick Cheney paid an unexpected visit to the Capitol to support his daughter, who has become one of the most prominent anti-Trump voices.Asked what he made of Republican leadership’s handling of the anniversary, Cheney, who served under George W. Bush, was glib in his assessment of an institution that has all but been remade in Trump’s image.“It’s not a leadership that resembles any of the folks I knew when I was here for 10 years, dramatically,” Cheney, also a former congressman, told reporters.“The importance of January 6th as an historic event cannot be overstated,” he added in a statement. “I am deeply disappointed at the failure of many members of my party to recognize the grave nature of the January 6 attacks and the ongoing threat to our nation.”Karl Rove, who served as deputy chief of staff in the Bush administration and advised Trump at points during the 2020 campaign, wrote an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/republicans-jan-6-responsibility-anniversary-riot-storm-capitol-trump-protesters-investigation-11641417707" target="_blank">op-ed in the Wall Street Journal</a>&nbsp;addressing those in his own party “who for a year have excused the actions of the rioters who stormed the Capitol, disrupted Congress as it received the Electoral College’s results, and violently attempted to overturn the election.”“There can be no soft-pedaling what happened and no absolution for those who planned, encouraged and aided the attempt to overthrow our democracy. Love of country demands nothing less. That’s true patriotism,” he wrote.

Republican lawmakers mark Jan. 6 with silence, deflection

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Gov. Laura Kelly on Thursday eased or suspended Kansas licensing rules for medical personnel and nursing home workers in hopes of making it easier for them to attack&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-health-infectious-diseases-kansas-city-989fb124d926e2253ffca07ad499bd70">staffing shortages</a>&nbsp;during a surge of new COVID-19 cases.

Kelly issued two executive orders. One allows hospital staff to perform a broader range of duties. The other makes licensing of nursing home workers more flexible so homes can hire people whose licenses have lapsed and fill less-skilled jobs with workers who have relatively little or no previous training.

Her actions come as hospital officials say patients are dying in emergency rooms of small hospitals, larger hospitals struggle with soaring staff absences and ambulances are scrambling to find hospitals with room for their patients.

“Basically everybody’s drowning,” said Dr. Ryan Jacobsen, medical director for Johnson County EMS.

The governor declared an emergency for the next 15 days because of the stress faced by hospitals nursing homes, a move that allowed her to ease licensing requirements. The declaration also suspends rules and regulations if “strict compliance” would hinder efforts to address their problems.

“We’re creating flexibility to allow routine care to be provided by alternative staff so that the more complex and serious cases can be handled by clinical staff,” Kelly said during a Statehouse news conference.

As an example, Kelly said physician assistants and some nurses to order the collection of throat swabs for COVID-19 testing, freeing up doctors who would normally have to do it.

Kansas set a record for the seven-day average for new reported confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases, 4,311 cases per day for the seven days ending Wednesday, according to state health department data. Until this week, the previous high was 2,767 cases per day for the seven days ending Nov. 18, 2020.

The high COVID-19 spread prompted Wyandotte County to delay a manslaughter trial that had been scheduled to start there next week for a rural Kansas undersheriff&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/48f367e57fc14cb39febf89f3d501feb">accused of fatally shooting</a>&nbsp;an unarmed man with a beanbag round. Virgil Brewer was the undersheriff in Barber County at the time of the deadly encounter with Steven Myers on Oct. 6, 2017, outside a shed in Sun City County. No new trial date was immediately set.

In neighboring Johnson County, Jacobsen said ambulances frequently change direction as they are transporting patients because the hospital where they were headed was full, sometimes confusing family members who are following behind them.

“They call the next hospital, three and four hospitals, while they’re driving down the highway or road with the patient in the back, listening to the conversation on the radio where they’re saying, ‘Don’t bring them, don’t bring them, don’t bring them,’” he said.

The state’s emergency management laws limit Kelly’s latest declaration to 15 days unless lawmakers extend it, and the Democratic governor said she wants to keep it in place through March. The Republican-controlled Legislature opens its regular annual session Monday.

House Speaker Ron Ryckman Jr., an Olathe Republican, said Kelly’s actions provide “temporary and necessary relief and flexibility.” Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican, questioned the need for an emergency declaration because lawmakers reconvene Monday but called Kelly’s actions “helpful.”

The GOP leaders said lawmakers will oppose measures that go beyond easing regulations.

Kelly said she plans no “sweeping mandates or closures.” But legislators rewrote the state’s emergency management laws in 2020 and 2021 to curb the governor’s power so that Kelly no longer can close schools or businesses or restrict public gatherings again, as she did earlier in the pandemic.

Kansas previously was under a state of emergency from March 2020 until June 2021.

As for the latest declaration, Kelly said: “Extending it to the end of March will get us through this surge.”

Kelly also said there’s cause for optimism: While Kansas has seen a record number of new cases, it has not seen a similarly large spike in hospitalizations or deaths.

Still, warnings from Kansas hospitals have become increasingly dire.

Jacobsen said that when half the hospitals in the Kansas City area divert patients because of high volumes, ambulances just take patients to the full hospitals anyway because there isn’t a choice.

He said the system has been hitting that point nearly every day, adding that even hospitals that aren’t diverting patients are warning that they don’t have beds or that their CT scanners aren’t available.

“It’s exhausting and it’s leading to burnout and it’s a mess,” he said.

The University of Kansas Hospital in Kansas City, Kansas, is treating 133 COVID-19 patients, has 750 employees out because of COVID-19 and had to cancel half of its scheduled operations Wednesday.

“Those are people who need surgeries,” said Dr. Steve Stites, the chief medical officer. “It’s not like these are electives cases that just somebody wants to come get, you know, a tummy tuck done.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641508454205.png" alt="Gov. Laura Kelly at the Statehouse Thursday after she answered questions on signing the new State of Disaster Emergency-photo courtesy WIBW-TV" />
 <figcaption>Gov. Laura Kelly at the Statehouse Thursday after she answered questions on signing the new State of Disaster Emergency-photo courtesy WIBW-TV</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNA and HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTHTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Gov. Laura Kelly on Thursday eased or suspended Kansas licensing rules for medical personnel and nursing home workers in hopes of making it easier for them to attack&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-health-infectious-diseases-kansas-city-989fb124d926e2253ffca07ad499bd70">staffing shortages</a>&nbsp;during a surge of new COVID-19 cases.Kelly issued two executive orders. One allows hospital staff to perform a broader range of duties. The other makes licensing of nursing home workers more flexible so homes can hire people whose licenses have lapsed and fill less-skilled jobs with workers who have relatively little or no previous training.Her actions come as hospital officials say patients are dying in emergency rooms of small hospitals, larger hospitals struggle with soaring staff absences and ambulances are scrambling to find hospitals with room for their patients.“Basically everybody’s drowning,” said Dr. Ryan Jacobsen, medical director for Johnson County EMS.The governor declared an emergency for the next 15 days because of the stress faced by hospitals nursing homes, a move that allowed her to ease licensing requirements. The declaration also suspends rules and regulations if “strict compliance” would hinder efforts to address their problems.“We’re creating flexibility to allow routine care to be provided by alternative staff so that the more complex and serious cases can be handled by clinical staff,” Kelly said during a Statehouse news conference.As an example, Kelly said physician assistants and some nurses to order the collection of throat swabs for COVID-19 testing, freeing up doctors who would normally have to do it.Kansas set a record for the seven-day average for new reported confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases, 4,311 cases per day for the seven days ending Wednesday, according to state health department data. Until this week, the previous high was 2,767 cases per day for the seven days ending Nov. 18, 2020.The high COVID-19 spread prompted Wyandotte County to delay a manslaughter trial that had been scheduled to start there next week for a rural Kansas undersheriff&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/48f367e57fc14cb39febf89f3d501feb">accused of fatally shooting</a>&nbsp;an unarmed man with a beanbag round. Virgil Brewer was the undersheriff in Barber County at the time of the deadly encounter with Steven Myers on Oct. 6, 2017, outside a shed in Sun City County. No new trial date was immediately set.In neighboring Johnson County, Jacobsen said ambulances frequently change direction as they are transporting patients because the hospital where they were headed was full, sometimes confusing family members who are following behind them.“They call the next hospital, three and four hospitals, while they’re driving down the highway or road with the patient in the back, listening to the conversation on the radio where they’re saying, ‘Don’t bring them, don’t bring them, don’t bring them,’” he said.The state’s emergency management laws limit Kelly’s latest declaration to 15 days unless lawmakers extend it, and the Democratic governor said she wants to keep it in place through March. The Republican-controlled Legislature opens its regular annual session Monday.House Speaker Ron Ryckman Jr., an Olathe Republican, said Kelly’s actions provide “temporary and necessary relief and flexibility.” Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican, questioned the need for an emergency declaration because lawmakers reconvene Monday but called Kelly’s actions “helpful.”The GOP leaders said lawmakers will oppose measures that go beyond easing regulations.Kelly said she plans no “sweeping mandates or closures.” But legislators rewrote the state’s emergency management laws in 2020 and 2021 to curb the governor’s power so that Kelly no longer can close schools or businesses or restrict public gatherings again, as she did earlier in the pandemic.Kansas previously was under a state of emergency from March 2020 until June 2021.As for the latest declaration, Kelly said: “Extending it to the end of March will get us through this surge.”Kelly also said there’s cause for optimism: While Kansas has seen a record number of new cases, it has not seen a similarly large spike in hospitalizations or deaths.Still, warnings from Kansas hospitals have become increasingly dire.Jacobsen said that when half the hospitals in the Kansas City area divert patients because of high volumes, ambulances just take patients to the full hospitals anyway because there isn’t a choice.He said the system has been hitting that point nearly every day, adding that even hospitals that aren’t diverting patients are warning that they don’t have beds or that their CT scanners aren’t available.“It’s exhausting and it’s leading to burnout and it’s a mess,” he said.The University of Kansas Hospital in Kansas City, Kansas, is treating 133 COVID-19 patients, has 750 employees out because of COVID-19 and had to cancel half of its scheduled operations Wednesday.“Those are people who need surgeries,” said Dr. Steve Stites, the chief medical officer. “It’s not like these are electives cases that just somebody wants to come get, you know, a tummy tuck done.”___

Kansas governor moves to help facilities hit by COVID surge

Flights are continuing to be canceled as airlines struggle with 
pandemic-related staffing woes. Thousands of flights have been affected,
 and there is no end in sight to the disruptions. As airlines continue 
to try to accommodate stranded passengers, the Better Business Bureau®&nbsp;(BBB®) provides guidance to travelers who may be seeking compensation and refunds for cancellations.

When a consumer is flying domestically in the United States, rules regarding <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/27/business/flights-canceled-omicron-covid/index.html">flight delays and cancellations are overseen by the US Department of Transportation</a>. In Canada, complaints about flight delays are handled by the <a href="https://www.otc-cta.gc.ca/eng/contact-us" target="_blank">Canadian Transportation Agency</a>.&nbsp;
 In general, there are no U.S. federal laws requiring airlines to 
provide passengers with compensation for a delayed flight. In Canada, 
see the <a href="https://otc-cta.gc.ca/eng/publication/flight-delays-and-cancellations-a-guide" target="_blank">flights and delays cancellations guide</a>.
 Airlines may have their own policies and may provide better benefits if
 a flight was canceled or significantly delayed within the airline’s 
scope of control. Consumers may have additional benefits if they 
purchased the flight with a credit card that offers additional travel 
protections. Check the cardholder agreement and with the airline. Consumers should keep receipts
 for extra purchases, like a hotel room, so they can submit them to 
their airline or credit card company for reimbursement later. Typically,
 nearly all domestic airlines will try to accommodate passengers on the 
next available flight, and sometimes on a different carrier.

When flights are canceled by the airline, consumers are always entitled to a full refund.
 This includes a refund of any bag fees or extras, such as additional 
legroom, for a seat. If the airline offers a voucher in lieu of a 
refund, ask about expiration and blackout dates. 
Airlines may also have additional restrictions on the use of vouchers. 
Consumers are not obligated to accept vouchers and may insist on a full 
refund instead. If the trip was canceled by the consumer, however, they may not be entitled to a full refund.

BBB is asking consumers to keep the following tips in mind when handling travel disruptions:

As the Omicron variant spreads, be wary of coronavirus cons. Read <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/22395-bbb-scam-alert-want-a-covid-test-theres-a-scam-for-that">BBB's alert about COVID-19 testing scams</a>.

Read <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/23352-bbb-tip-travel-safely-on-your-vacation" target="_blank">BBB's tips to travel safely on your vacation</a>.

For the latest information, BBB recommends consumers visit <a href="https://www.bbb.org/us/news">BBB.org</a>.

<a href="https://www.bbb.org/local-bbb/bbb-serving-greater-cleveland" target="_blank">BBB of Greater Cleveland</a> contributed to this article.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641576252441.jpg" alt="Image courtesy Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>BBBFlights are continuing to be canceled as airlines struggle with 
pandemic-related staffing woes. Thousands of flights have been affected,
 and there is no end in sight to the disruptions. As airlines continue 
to try to accommodate stranded passengers, the Better Business Bureau®&nbsp;(BBB®) provides guidance to travelers who may be seeking compensation and refunds for cancellations.When a consumer is flying domestically in the United States, rules regarding <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/27/business/flights-canceled-omicron-covid/index.html">flight delays and cancellations are overseen by the US Department of Transportation</a>. In Canada, complaints about flight delays are handled by the <a href="https://www.otc-cta.gc.ca/eng/contact-us" target="_blank">Canadian Transportation Agency</a>.&nbsp;
 In general, there are no U.S. federal laws requiring airlines to 
provide passengers with compensation for a delayed flight. In Canada, 
see the <a href="https://otc-cta.gc.ca/eng/publication/flight-delays-and-cancellations-a-guide" target="_blank">flights and delays cancellations guide</a>.
 Airlines may have their own policies and may provide better benefits if
 a flight was canceled or significantly delayed within the airline’s 
scope of control. Consumers may have additional benefits if they 
purchased the flight with a credit card that offers additional travel 
protections. Check the cardholder agreement and with the airline. Consumers should keep receipts
 for extra purchases, like a hotel room, so they can submit them to 
their airline or credit card company for reimbursement later. Typically,
 nearly all domestic airlines will try to accommodate passengers on the 
next available flight, and sometimes on a different carrier.When flights are canceled by the airline, consumers are always entitled to a full refund.
 This includes a refund of any bag fees or extras, such as additional 
legroom, for a seat. If the airline offers a voucher in lieu of a 
refund, ask about expiration and blackout dates. 
Airlines may also have additional restrictions on the use of vouchers. 
Consumers are not obligated to accept vouchers and may insist on a full 
refund instead. If the trip was canceled by the consumer, however, they may not be entitled to a full refund.BBB is asking consumers to keep the following tips in mind when handling travel disruptions:<ul>
 <li>Check delays - Travelers can check their latest 
flight information on their carrier’s website or via the airline’s 
telephone reservation system. Many times, delays don’t occur until the 
day of the flight and the airline must update its flight information 
within 30 minutes of receiving a notice of a status change.&nbsp;</li><li>Check carrier and credit card terms - While federal
 regulations don’t require airlines to reimburse expenses such as rooms 
or food in the event a flight is canceled or severely delayed, the 
carrier and credit card companies may have different policies. Purchase 
tickets with a credit card that offers trip protection or travelers 
insurance and check individual airline policies.</li><li>Keep documentation - Keep receipts and records for 
expenses incurred as a result of a significantly delayed or canceled 
flight. These may be needed later to recover expenses.</li><li>Check the carrier's website - Most airlines allow 
consumers to initiate refunds directly on the carrier’s website. Using a
 website may help a consumer obtain a refund or rebook a trip much 
faster than waiting for a consumer service agent in person or on the 
phone.</li><li>Rules are different for foreign flights - Flights 
that were canceled while in another country will be affected by the laws
 of that nation. Check with the local country’s department of 
transportation while traveling internationally.</li>
 </ul>As the Omicron variant spreads, be wary of coronavirus cons. Read <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/22395-bbb-scam-alert-want-a-covid-test-theres-a-scam-for-that">BBB's alert about COVID-19 testing scams</a>.Read <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/23352-bbb-tip-travel-safely-on-your-vacation" target="_blank">BBB's tips to travel safely on your vacation</a>.For the latest information, BBB recommends consumers visit <a href="https://www.bbb.org/us/news">BBB.org</a>.<a href="https://www.bbb.org/local-bbb/bbb-serving-greater-cleveland" target="_blank">BBB of Greater Cleveland</a> contributed to this article.

BBB Tip: Flight canceled? Tips for handling travel delays

WICHITA – A Kansas man has been sentenced to consecutive life terms for sexually assaulting an underage girl.

According to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office, District Judge Jeffrey Syrios sentenced 40-year-old Jeremiah Orange of Wichita, to four consecutive life sentences, each with parole eligibility after 25 years.

In November, a jury found Orange guilty of two counts of rape and two counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child. The assaults took place in Wichita during the summer of 2016 when the girl and her mother were staying with Orange.

During sentencing Wednesday, Judge Syrios said his reasoning for the consecutive life sentences is that, “Each charge represents separate distinct acts and separate and distinct traumas inflicted on this child while the defendant was in a caretaking role for the child.” 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641490891716.png" alt="Orange-photo KBI offender Registry" />
 <figcaption>Orange-photo KBI offender Registry</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA – A Kansas man has been sentenced to consecutive life terms for sexually assaulting an underage girl.According to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office, District Judge Jeffrey Syrios sentenced 40-year-old Jeremiah Orange of Wichita, to four consecutive life sentences, each with parole eligibility after 25 years.In November, a jury found Orange guilty of two counts of rape and two counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child. The assaults took place in Wichita during the summer of 2016 when the girl and her mother were staying with Orange.During sentencing Wednesday, Judge Syrios said his reasoning for the consecutive life sentences is that, “Each charge represents separate distinct acts and separate and distinct traumas inflicted on this child while the defendant was in a caretaking role for the child.”

4 consecutive life sentences for sex assault of Kan. girl

GARDNER, Kan. (AP) — An outgoing suburban Kansas City, Kansas, school superintendent has secured a $425,000 severance package just days before newly-elected conservative school board members who campaigned on ousting her take office. 

The Gardner Edgerton School District board last month approved the severance package covering the remaining 18 months of Superintendent Pam Stranathan's contract. 

Stranathan's resignation takes effect Sunday. On Monday, new members take office, giving the board a 4-3 conservative majority. That conservative majority was elected on its opposition to Stranathan’s policy of remote learning and mask requirements in the face of a global pandemic.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641509680814.png" alt="Pam Stranathan-photo courtesy Gardner Edgerton School District" />
 <figcaption>Pam Stranathan-photo courtesy Gardner Edgerton School District</figcaption>
 </figure>GARDNER, Kan. (AP) — An outgoing suburban Kansas City, Kansas, school superintendent has secured a $425,000 severance package just days before newly-elected conservative school board members who campaigned on ousting her take office. The Gardner Edgerton School District board last month approved the severance package covering the remaining 18 months of Superintendent Pam Stranathan's contract. Stranathan's resignation takes effect Sunday. On Monday, new members take office, giving the board a 4-3 conservative majority. That conservative majority was elected on its opposition to Stranathan’s policy of remote learning and mask requirements in the face of a global pandemic.

Mask battle: Kan. school board OKs $425K for outgoing superintendent

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A man has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and other charges in the 2019 killing of a woman whose body was found in a natural gas-filled Topeka home. 

Jeremy Lardner pleaded guilty Wednesday to the murder charge, as well as aggravated robbery and kidnapping in the death of 36-year-old Brandi Prchal. 

Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay says as part of a plea agreement, Lardner's defense team agreed to a sentence of nearly 49 years on all the counts when Lardner is sentenced on Jan. 27. Lardner remains in custody on $1 million bond. On Nov. 1, 2019, police and paramedics found Prchal's bludgeoned body and Lardner unconscious in a Topeka home filled with natural gas.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573057629606.png" alt="Lardner photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Lardner photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A man has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and other charges in the 2019 killing of a woman whose body was found in a natural gas-filled Topeka home. Jeremy Lardner pleaded guilty Wednesday to the murder charge, as well as aggravated robbery and kidnapping in the death of 36-year-old Brandi Prchal. Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay says as part of a plea agreement, Lardner's defense team agreed to a sentence of nearly 49 years on all the counts when Lardner is sentenced on Jan. 27. Lardner remains in custody on $1 million bond. On Nov. 1, 2019, police and paramedics found Prchal's bludgeoned body and Lardner unconscious in a Topeka home filled with natural gas.

Man guilty in death of Kan. woman found in gas-filled home

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments Jan. 7 on whether the Biden administration can order workers at private companies and health care employees to be vaccinated for COVID-19. Until the court rules, millions of workers face a patchwork of requirements depending on where they live.

Under a rule published by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration on Nov. 5, businesses with 100 or more workers must require employees to be vaccinated or, if they are not, to be tested weekly and wear masks while working. There are exceptions for those who work alone or mostly outdoors.

The same day, the Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services published a rule requiring a wide range of health care providers who receive federal Medicare or Medicaid funding to get the first vaccine dose this month and to be fully vaccinated by Jan. 4.

That rule was projected to affect more than 17 million workers in about 76,000 health care facilities as well as home health care providers.

The court is intervening because the rules spawned multiple court challenges from more than two dozen Republican-led states, some conservative and business groups, and some individual businesses that opposed the vaccination mandates. Those challenges produced rulings among several federal district and circuit courts that contradicted one another.

A three-judge panel of the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati ruled 2-1 this month that the vaccine-or-test requirement for workers at companies with 100 or more employees could take effect. Multiple legal challenges to the OSHA rule originally were filed in various U.S. appeals courts.

The cases subsequently were consolidated with the 6th Circuit in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-us-supreme-court-business-health-62a918becbcd80a77fbc12ca56dd14ad">a random drawing</a>&nbsp;using ping-pong balls, a process employed when challenges to certain federal agency actions are filed in multiple courts. The requirement could affect some 84 million U.S. workers.

In the health care employee case, a decision by the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals kept a preliminary injunction in place for 14 states, altering an earlier ruling by a federal district judge, who applied the order nationwide. A separate preliminary injunction on appeal before the St. Louis-based 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals applied to 10 additional states. That means the vaccine requirement for Medicare and Medicaid providers is blocked by courts in about half states but not in the other half.

DOES THE SUPREME COURT HEARING PUT THE MANDATES ON HOLD?

No, the court hearing is unlikely to put the mandates on hold, unless the court moves extremely fast and reverses the 6th Circuit ruling while expanding the preliminary injunctions of the 5th and 8th circuits to include all the states.

OSHA has said the vaccination mandate will go into effect Jan. 10. The testing requirement deadline is Feb. 9. The agency said in a statement that it would not issue citations before the listed dates “so long as an employer is exercising reasonable, good faith efforts to come into compliance with the standard.” Employers who fail to comply with the emergency, temporary standard may be subject to penalties, up to $13,653 per violation for serious violations.

As for the Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services, its guidance says non-compliance among hospitals and “certain other acute and continuing care providers” can lead to termination from the Medicare and Medicaid programs as a final measure. That, however, would occur only after providing a facility an opportunity to make corrections and come into compliance.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments Jan. 7 on whether the Biden administration can order workers at private companies and health care employees to be vaccinated for COVID-19. Until the court rules, millions of workers face a patchwork of requirements depending on where they live.HOW DID WE GET TO THIS POINT?Under a rule published by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration on Nov. 5, businesses with 100 or more workers must require employees to be vaccinated or, if they are not, to be tested weekly and wear masks while working. There are exceptions for those who work alone or mostly outdoors.The same day, the Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services published a rule requiring a wide range of health care providers who receive federal Medicare or Medicaid funding to get the first vaccine dose this month and to be fully vaccinated by Jan. 4.That rule was projected to affect more than 17 million workers in about 76,000 health care facilities as well as home health care providers.___WHY IS THE SUPREME COURT STEPPING IN?The court is intervening because the rules spawned multiple court challenges from more than two dozen Republican-led states, some conservative and business groups, and some individual businesses that opposed the vaccination mandates. Those challenges produced rulings among several federal district and circuit courts that contradicted one another.A three-judge panel of the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati ruled 2-1 this month that the vaccine-or-test requirement for workers at companies with 100 or more employees could take effect. Multiple legal challenges to the OSHA rule originally were filed in various U.S. appeals courts.The cases subsequently were consolidated with the 6th Circuit in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-us-supreme-court-business-health-62a918becbcd80a77fbc12ca56dd14ad">a random drawing</a>&nbsp;using ping-pong balls, a process employed when challenges to certain federal agency actions are filed in multiple courts. The requirement could affect some 84 million U.S. workers.In the health care employee case, a decision by the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals kept a preliminary injunction in place for 14 states, altering an earlier ruling by a federal district judge, who applied the order nationwide. A separate preliminary injunction on appeal before the St. Louis-based 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals applied to 10 additional states. That means the vaccine requirement for Medicare and Medicaid providers is blocked by courts in about half states but not in the other half.___DOES THE SUPREME COURT HEARING PUT THE MANDATES ON HOLD?No, the court hearing is unlikely to put the mandates on hold, unless the court moves extremely fast and reverses the 6th Circuit ruling while expanding the preliminary injunctions of the 5th and 8th circuits to include all the states.___WHAT’S NEXT?OSHA has said the vaccination mandate will go into effect Jan. 10. The testing requirement deadline is Feb. 9. The agency said in a statement that it would not issue citations before the listed dates “so long as an employer is exercising reasonable, good faith efforts to come into compliance with the standard.” Employers who fail to comply with the emergency, temporary standard may be subject to penalties, up to $13,653 per violation for serious violations.As for the Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services, its guidance says non-compliance among hospitals and “certain other acute and continuing care providers” can lead to termination from the Medicare and Medicaid programs as a final measure. That, however, would occur only after providing a facility an opportunity to make corrections and come into compliance.

Supreme Court set to wade into COVID-19 vaccine mandates 

By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina Post

SALINE COUNTY —A Wichita man was arrested after the wrecker he was in was found against a box truck in a Salina church parking lot.

Just after 6 a.m. Wednesday, a Salina police officer noticed a&nbsp;a 2019 Freightliner wrecker owned by Kidd's Towing Service resting against a box truck in the parking lot of Trinity Lutheran Church at S. Ninth Street and W. Crawford Street, according to Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester.

The officer pulled into the parking lot to investigate and allegedly found the driver of the wrecker, Alberto Garcia, 25, of Wichita, passed out in the driver's seat. It appeared that the wrecker had been westbound, crossed S. Ninth Street, entered the church parking lot and struck the box truck.

The wrecker sustained minor front-end damage and the box truck, a 2015 Ford Econoline E350, sustained minor rear-end damage. Officers arrested Garcia on the requested charges of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and careless driving.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641490472116.jpeg" alt="Garcia photo Saline Co." />
 <figcaption>Garcia photo Saline Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina PostSALINE COUNTY —A Wichita man was arrested after the wrecker he was in was found against a box truck in a Salina church parking lot.Just after 6 a.m. Wednesday, a Salina police officer noticed a&nbsp;a 2019 Freightliner wrecker owned by Kidd's Towing Service resting against a box truck in the parking lot of Trinity Lutheran Church at S. Ninth Street and W. Crawford Street, according to Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester.The officer pulled into the parking lot to investigate and allegedly found the driver of the wrecker, Alberto Garcia, 25, of Wichita, passed out in the driver's seat. It appeared that the wrecker had been westbound, crossed S. Ninth Street, entered the church parking lot and struck the box truck.The wrecker sustained minor front-end damage and the box truck, a 2015 Ford Econoline E350, sustained minor rear-end damage. Officers arrested Garcia on the requested charges of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and careless driving.

Kan. tow truck driver jailed for alleged DUI after parking lot crash

TOPEKA&nbsp;– In an effort to continue supporting Kansans as they manage the impacts of COVID-19 and the multiple variants of the virus, the Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) announced the continuation of the emergency food assistance (SNAP) benefits to current participants, according to a media release from DCF.

The extension will increase the maximum monthly benefit for 63,000 households across the state and deliver an additional $14,591,000 per month to Kansas.

“Our goal at DCF is to protect children and strengthen families,” DCF Secretary Laura Howard said. “The extension of the emergency food assistance benefits will help ensure Kansas families continue to have access to healthy groceries and basic necessities.”

The continuance of the emergency allotment is effective through July 31, 2022, or upon the termination of the federal declaration of a Public Health Emergency, whichever occurs sooner. This is the second instance the emergency food assistance benefit has been extended.

No application is necessary to receive the emergency food assistance funds. The distribution will continue to follow the standard alphabetical schedule.

Those who do not currently receive food assistance, but are interested in applying, are encouraged to visit the DCF website at&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAxMDYuNTEzNDMyNTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vd3d3LmRjZi5rcy5nb3YifQ.zDYd4Fnu1GJ6_UQOm6Kbuuuv-DDyA26e0MCAa0EGFaQ/s/1303160919/br/124266211913-l" target="_blank">www.dcf.ks.gov</a>.

Secretary Howard issued the Declaration of Continuing Benefits due to COVID-19 — under K.S.A. 39-708c, et seq. — which directs the agency to continue taking all necessary actions to address the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic throughout the State of Kansas.

TOPEKA&nbsp;– In an effort to continue supporting Kansans as they manage the impacts of COVID-19 and the multiple variants of the virus, the Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) announced the continuation of the emergency food assistance (SNAP) benefits to current participants, according to a media release from DCF.The extension will increase the maximum monthly benefit for 63,000 households across the state and deliver an additional $14,591,000 per month to Kansas.“Our goal at DCF is to protect children and strengthen families,” DCF Secretary Laura Howard said. “The extension of the emergency food assistance benefits will help ensure Kansas families continue to have access to healthy groceries and basic necessities.”The continuance of the emergency allotment is effective through July 31, 2022, or upon the termination of the federal declaration of a Public Health Emergency, whichever occurs sooner. This is the second instance the emergency food assistance benefit has been extended.No application is necessary to receive the emergency food assistance funds. The distribution will continue to follow the standard alphabetical schedule.Those who do not currently receive food assistance, but are interested in applying, are encouraged to visit the DCF website at&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAxMDYuNTEzNDMyNTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vd3d3LmRjZi5rcy5nb3YifQ.zDYd4Fnu1GJ6_UQOm6Kbuuuv-DDyA26e0MCAa0EGFaQ/s/1303160919/br/124266211913-l" target="_blank">www.dcf.ks.gov</a>.Secretary Howard issued the Declaration of Continuing Benefits due to COVID-19 — under K.S.A. 39-708c, et seq. — which directs the agency to continue taking all necessary actions to address the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic throughout the State of Kansas.

Emergency food assistance benefit extended in Kansas

TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly on Thursday signed a State of Disaster Emergency to alleviate healthcare staffing shortages and facilities’ constraints caused by the surge in COVID-19 cases. Governor Kelly also signed executive orders 22-01 and 22-02 which temporarily suspend certain statutes and regulations for adult care homes and certain health care providers.

<a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Gov-Declaration-1.6.22-Executed.pdf">Click&nbsp;here&nbsp;</a>to read state disaster declaration.

“Just as I did at the start of the pandemic, I am again issuing orders to provide our hospitals and nursing homes with the necessary staffing flexibility to keep the residents, patients, and staff safe,”&nbsp;Governor Kelly said.&nbsp;“This disaster declaration provides a 15-day solution to give our front-line health care workers the support they need as they battle this COVID-19 surge. This action is temporary until the legislature returns, at which I time I will work with them to pass legislation to extend my executive orders through the month of March.”

The 15-day disaster declaration activates the state’s disaster response and recovery portions of the Kansas Response Plan. The declaration also allows for the Governor to suspend certain statutes, orders or rules and regulations that prevent, hinder, or delay in any way necessary action in coping with the disaster.

<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAxMDYuNTEzNzkyNDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2dvdmVybm9yLmthbnNhcy5nb3Yvd3AtY29udGVudC91cGxvYWRzLzIwMjIvMDEvRU8tMjItMDEtTWVkaWNhbC1TZXJ2aWNlcy1FeGVjdXRlZC5wZGYifQ.UXsNb_mLTuZuNwb41g2tZNhvzmKX4zgrt13dvLnNFaY/s/1303160919/br/124297796751-l" target="_blank">E.O. 22-01</a>&nbsp;provides temporary relief from certain restrictions and requirements governing the provision of medical services.

<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAxMDYuNTEzNzkyNDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2dvdmVybm9yLmthbnNhcy5nb3Yvd3AtY29udGVudC91cGxvYWRzLzIwMjIvMDEvRU8tMjItMDItTnVyc2luZy1Ib21lcy1FeGVjdXRlZC5wZGYifQ.rrHRd7YcQmpTmISDth2Hpk_AMnQOlJtZWq5_4FF3vOw/s/1303160919/br/124297796751-l" target="_blank">E.O. 22-02</a>&nbsp;relaxes or suspends licensure, certification, and registration for persons and licensure of adult care homes.

“I urge all Kansans to do their part by getting vaccinated and boosted, which will both help prevent COVID-19 transmissions and more severe cases that require hospitalization, and also help in maintaining our critical infrastructure and economy intact”&nbsp;Governor Kelly said.

Kansas is currently experiencing significant increases in COVID-19 cases following the winter holidays and from the new Omicron variant. Medical professionals anticipate that the numbers will worsen throughout the month of January and into early February.&nbsp; Early data indicates that while the Omicron variant causes milder symptoms, it is more transmissible, even amongst vaccinated individuals.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641508454205.png" alt="Gov. Laura Kelly at the Statehouse Thursday after she answered questions on signing the new State of Disaster Emergency-photo courtesy WIBW-TV" />
 <figcaption>Gov. Laura Kelly at the Statehouse Thursday after she answered questions on signing the new State of Disaster Emergency-photo courtesy WIBW-TV</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly on Thursday signed a State of Disaster Emergency to alleviate healthcare staffing shortages and facilities’ constraints caused by the surge in COVID-19 cases. Governor Kelly also signed executive orders 22-01 and 22-02 which temporarily suspend certain statutes and regulations for adult care homes and certain health care providers.<a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Gov-Declaration-1.6.22-Executed.pdf">Click&nbsp;here&nbsp;</a>to read state disaster declaration.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">COVID-19 continues to be a serious threat to the health &amp; safety of Kansans. Today, I issued a 15-day State of Disaster Emergency Declaration and 2 targeted executive orders. The orders are designed to immediately help alleviate the strain felt in our hospitals &amp; nursing homes.&mdash; Governor Laura Kelly (@GovLauraKelly) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovLauraKelly/status/1479223157349302277?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“Just as I did at the start of the pandemic, I am again issuing orders to provide our hospitals and nursing homes with the necessary staffing flexibility to keep the residents, patients, and staff safe,”&nbsp;Governor Kelly said.&nbsp;“This disaster declaration provides a 15-day solution to give our front-line health care workers the support they need as they battle this COVID-19 surge. This action is temporary until the legislature returns, at which I time I will work with them to pass legislation to extend my executive orders through the month of March.”The 15-day disaster declaration activates the state’s disaster response and recovery portions of the Kansas Response Plan. The declaration also allows for the Governor to suspend certain statutes, orders or rules and regulations that prevent, hinder, or delay in any way necessary action in coping with the disaster.<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAxMDYuNTEzNzkyNDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2dvdmVybm9yLmthbnNhcy5nb3Yvd3AtY29udGVudC91cGxvYWRzLzIwMjIvMDEvRU8tMjItMDEtTWVkaWNhbC1TZXJ2aWNlcy1FeGVjdXRlZC5wZGYifQ.UXsNb_mLTuZuNwb41g2tZNhvzmKX4zgrt13dvLnNFaY/s/1303160919/br/124297796751-l" target="_blank">E.O. 22-01</a>&nbsp;provides temporary relief from certain restrictions and requirements governing the provision of medical services.<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAxMDYuNTEzNzkyNDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2dvdmVybm9yLmthbnNhcy5nb3Yvd3AtY29udGVudC91cGxvYWRzLzIwMjIvMDEvRU8tMjItMDItTnVyc2luZy1Ib21lcy1FeGVjdXRlZC5wZGYifQ.rrHRd7YcQmpTmISDth2Hpk_AMnQOlJtZWq5_4FF3vOw/s/1303160919/br/124297796751-l" target="_blank">E.O. 22-02</a>&nbsp;relaxes or suspends licensure, certification, and registration for persons and licensure of adult care homes.“I urge all Kansans to do their part by getting vaccinated and boosted, which will both help prevent COVID-19 transmissions and more severe cases that require hospitalization, and also help in maintaining our critical infrastructure and economy intact”&nbsp;Governor Kelly said.Kansas is currently experiencing significant increases in COVID-19 cases following the winter holidays and from the new Omicron variant. Medical professionals anticipate that the numbers will worsen throughout the month of January and into early February.&nbsp; Early data indicates that while the Omicron variant causes milder symptoms, it is more transmissible, even amongst vaccinated individuals.

Gov. issues disaster emergency to help Kan. medical staff shortages

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden accused Donald Trump and his supporters of holding a “dagger at the throat of democracy” in a forceful speech Thursday marking the anniversary of the deadly breach of the U.S. Capitol. He warned that though it didn’t succeed, the insurrection remains a serious threat to America’s system of government.

(click below to listen to comments from President Biden)

Biden’s criticism was blistering of the defeated president whom he blamed for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-confirm-joe-biden-78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">the attack</a>&nbsp;that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-ap-top-news-coronavirus-pandemic-7153ffc196f746883f57d4d407d38cf0">has fundamentally changed Congress</a>&nbsp;and the nation, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-elections-voting-rights-misinformation-democracy-dab61d6637fb858d84daa33a4f97ec48">raised global concerns about the future of American democracy</a>.

“For the first time in our history, a president not just lost an election, he tried to prevent the peaceful transfer of power as a violent mob breached the Capitol,” Biden said. “You can’t love your country only when you win.”

His voice booming at times, filling the ornate Statuary Hall where rioters had laid siege, the president called on Americans to remember what they saw Jan. 6 with their own eyes: the mob attacking police, breaking windows, a Confederate flag inside the Capitol, gallows erected outside threatening to hang the vice president — all while Trump sat at the White House watching it on TV.

“The former president’s supporters are trying to rewrite history. They want you to see Election Day as the day of insurrection and the riot that took place here on January 6 as a true expression of the will of the people. Can you think of a more twisted way to look at this country, to look at America? I cannot.”

The president’s remarks launched the start of daylong remembrance, drawing a contrast between the truth of what happened and the false narratives that persist about the Capitol assault, including the continued&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-minnesota-presidential-elections-capitol-siege-elections-8d9e92a27a90511bf8f3f7f9540d44c2">refusal by many Republicans to affirm that Biden won</a>&nbsp;the 2020 election.

“We must be absolutely clear about what is true and what is a lie,” he said. “The former president of the United States of America has spread a web of lies about the 2020 election.”

He said: “We are in a battle for the soul of America.”

“I did not seek this fight, brought to this Capitol one year from today. But I will not shrink from it either. I will stand in this breach, I will defend this nation. I will allow no one to place a dagger at the throat of this democracy.”

Republican leaders and lawmakers are largely staying away from the day’s remembrance events, viewing them as overly politicized.

From Florida, Trump dashed off a statement claiming Biden was trying to “further divide America. This political theater is all just a distraction.”

Even among congressional Republicans who condemned the attack in the days afterward, most have stayed loyal to the former president.

“What brazen politicization of January 6 by President Biden,” tweeted Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., a sometimes Trump confidant. Others, including Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, were absent, with a contingent attending the funeral for a former colleague Sen. Johnny Isakson in Georgia.

The division is a stark reminder of the rupture between the two parties, worsening since hundreds of Trump’s supporters violently pushed past police, used their fists and flagpoles to break through the windows of the Capitol and interrupted the certification of Biden’s victory.

Rep. Liz Cheney, chair of the House committee investigating the attack and one of the few GOP lawmakers attending the Capitol ceremonies, warned that “the threat continues.” Trump, she said, “continues to make the same claims that he knows caused violence on January 6.”

“Unfortunately, too many in my own party are embracing the former president, are looking the other way or minimizing the danger,” she told NBC’s “Today.” “That’s how democracies die. We simply cannot let that happen.”

In a bid to inform the public, Democrats investigating the insurrection plan to spend the coming months&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capital-siege-steve-bannon-elections-donald-trump-congress-bab0144274d996171b7160e051b29a75">telling the American people exactly what happened last Jan. 6</a>. But leaders will spend the anniversary appealing to broader patriotic instincts.

Biden and his administration have come under criticism from some in his party for not forcibly explaining to Americans the ways democracy is at risk, or pushing Congress hard enough to pass election and voting rights legislation that is stalled by a filibuster in the Senate.

Barack Obama, the former president, said “nothing is more important” on the anniversary than ensuring the right to vote.

“While the broken windows have been repaired and many of the rioters have been brought to justice, the truth is that our democracy is at greater risk today than it was back then,” Obama said in a statement.

Biden’s address, and that of Vice President Kamala Harris who is leading the administration’s efforts on the voting and elections legislation, appeared as a direct response to critics.

“We must pass voting rights bills,” said Harris, addressing those gathered. “We cannot sit on the sidelines. We must unite in defense of our democracy.”

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, too, is marking the anniversary with a high-minded appeal, telling The Associated Press&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-interview-nancy-pelosi-jan-6-capitol-siege-8daea575e6f2ced931a5abdc4a2a8049">in an interview Wednesday</a>&nbsp;that “democracy won that night,” when Congress returned to the Capitol after the riot and affirmed Biden’s victory.

To honor the anniversary, Pelosi has scheduled a moment of silence in the House, where many members were evacuated and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jan-6-capitol-siege-lawmakers-trauma-04e29724aa6017180259385642c1b990">some were trapped</a>&nbsp;as the rioters tried to break in. She will also deliver private remarks to Hill staff who, as she told AP, stayed to “protect our democracy.”

Later the Democratic leaders will hold a moderated discussion with historians Doris Kearns Goodwin and Jon Meacham; and a session featuring testimonials from members who were there that day. While many lawmakers will be absent due to concerns about COVID-19, several of the events will be livestreamed so they can participate. The Senate also marked the day with a moment of silence and planned speeches.

Biden’s sharp message and the Republicans’ distance from it come as lawmakers are adjusting to the new normal on Capitol Hill — the growing tensions that many worry will result in more violence or, someday, a legitimate election being overturned. Democrats and a handful of Republicans feel a desperate urgency to connect to a public in which some have come to believe Trump’s lies that the election was stolen from him and that the attack wasn’t violent at all.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-riots-donald-trump-only-on-ap-congress-3dc5964a8139ae964f7c5c66798a987d">A new poll</a>&nbsp;from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research showed that 3 in 10 Republicans say the attack was not violent, and about another 3 in 10 say it was somewhat violent. Around two-thirds of Americans described the day as very or extremely violent, including about 9 in 10 Democrats.

As Biden is prepared to direct blame toward the former president, the percentage of Americans who blame Trump for the Jan. 6 riot has grown slightly over the past year, with 57% saying he bears significant responsibility for what took place.

In an AP-NORC poll taken in the days after the attack, 50% said that.

Trump’s claims of widespread election fraud were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-courts-election-results-e1297d874f45d2b14bc99c403abd0457">rejected by the courts</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/barr-no-widespread-election-fraud-b1f1488796c9a98c4b1a9061a6c7f49d">refuted by his own Justice Department</a>.

An&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voter-fraud-election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-7fcb6f134e528fee8237c7601db3328f">investigation by the AP</a>&nbsp;found fewer than 475 cases of voter fraud among 25.5 million ballots cast in the six battleground states disputed by Trump, a minuscule number in percentage terms.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641478216460.png" alt="President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris entered Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol to mark the one year anniversary of the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol by supporters loyal to then-President Donald Trump.-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris entered Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol to mark the one year anniversary of the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol by supporters loyal to then-President Donald Trump.-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden accused Donald Trump and his supporters of holding a “dagger at the throat of democracy” in a forceful speech Thursday marking the anniversary of the deadly breach of the U.S. Capitol. He warned that though it didn’t succeed, the insurrection remains a serious threat to America’s system of government.(click below to listen to comments from President Biden)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F1330427914069423%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=590" 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>Biden’s criticism was blistering of the defeated president whom he blamed for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-confirm-joe-biden-78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">the attack</a>&nbsp;that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-ap-top-news-coronavirus-pandemic-7153ffc196f746883f57d4d407d38cf0">has fundamentally changed Congress</a>&nbsp;and the nation, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-elections-voting-rights-misinformation-democracy-dab61d6637fb858d84daa33a4f97ec48">raised global concerns about the future of American democracy</a>.“For the first time in our history, a president not just lost an election, he tried to prevent the peaceful transfer of power as a violent mob breached the Capitol,” Biden said. “You can’t love your country only when you win.”His voice booming at times, filling the ornate Statuary Hall where rioters had laid siege, the president called on Americans to remember what they saw Jan. 6 with their own eyes: the mob attacking police, breaking windows, a Confederate flag inside the Capitol, gallows erected outside threatening to hang the vice president — all while Trump sat at the White House watching it on TV.“The former president’s supporters are trying to rewrite history. They want you to see Election Day as the day of insurrection and the riot that took place here on January 6 as a true expression of the will of the people. Can you think of a more twisted way to look at this country, to look at America? I cannot.”The president’s remarks launched the start of daylong remembrance, drawing a contrast between the truth of what happened and the false narratives that persist about the Capitol assault, including the continued&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-minnesota-presidential-elections-capitol-siege-elections-8d9e92a27a90511bf8f3f7f9540d44c2">refusal by many Republicans to affirm that Biden won</a>&nbsp;the 2020 election.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641479098818.png" alt="“We must be absolutely clear about what is true and what is a lie. Here’s the truth,” he said. “The former president of the United States of America has spread a web of lies about the 2020 election.”-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>“We must be absolutely clear about what is true and what is a lie. Here’s the truth,” he said. “The former president of the United States of America has spread a web of lies about the 2020 election.”-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>“We must be absolutely clear about what is true and what is a lie,” he said. “The former president of the United States of America has spread a web of lies about the 2020 election.”He said: “We are in a battle for the soul of America.”“I did not seek this fight, brought to this Capitol one year from today. But I will not shrink from it either. I will stand in this breach, I will defend this nation. I will allow no one to place a dagger at the throat of this democracy.”Republican leaders and lawmakers are largely staying away from the day’s remembrance events, viewing them as overly politicized.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641485411291.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>From Florida, Trump dashed off a statement claiming Biden was trying to “further divide America. This political theater is all just a distraction.”Even among congressional Republicans who condemned the attack in the days afterward, most have stayed loyal to the former president.“What brazen politicization of January 6 by President Biden,” tweeted Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., a sometimes Trump confidant. Others, including Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, were absent, with a contingent attending the funeral for a former colleague Sen. Johnny Isakson in Georgia.The division is a stark reminder of the rupture between the two parties, worsening since hundreds of Trump’s supporters violently pushed past police, used their fists and flagpoles to break through the windows of the Capitol and interrupted the certification of Biden’s victory.Rep. Liz Cheney, chair of the House committee investigating the attack and one of the few GOP lawmakers attending the Capitol ceremonies, warned that “the threat continues.” Trump, she said, “continues to make the same claims that he knows caused violence on January 6.”“Unfortunately, too many in my own party are embracing the former president, are looking the other way or minimizing the danger,” she told NBC’s “Today.” “That’s how democracies die. We simply cannot let that happen.”In a bid to inform the public, Democrats investigating the insurrection plan to spend the coming months&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capital-siege-steve-bannon-elections-donald-trump-congress-bab0144274d996171b7160e051b29a75">telling the American people exactly what happened last Jan. 6</a>. But leaders will spend the anniversary appealing to broader patriotic instincts.Biden and his administration have come under criticism from some in his party for not forcibly explaining to Americans the ways democracy is at risk, or pushing Congress hard enough to pass election and voting rights legislation that is stalled by a filibuster in the Senate.Barack Obama, the former president, said “nothing is more important” on the anniversary than ensuring the right to vote.“While the broken windows have been repaired and many of the rioters have been brought to justice, the truth is that our democracy is at greater risk today than it was back then,” Obama said in a statement.Biden’s address, and that of Vice President Kamala Harris who is leading the administration’s efforts on the voting and elections legislation, appeared as a direct response to critics.“We must pass voting rights bills,” said Harris, addressing those gathered. “We cannot sit on the sidelines. We must unite in defense of our democracy.”House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, too, is marking the anniversary with a high-minded appeal, telling The Associated Press&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-interview-nancy-pelosi-jan-6-capitol-siege-8daea575e6f2ced931a5abdc4a2a8049">in an interview Wednesday</a>&nbsp;that “democracy won that night,” when Congress returned to the Capitol after the riot and affirmed Biden’s victory.To honor the anniversary, Pelosi has scheduled a moment of silence in the House, where many members were evacuated and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jan-6-capitol-siege-lawmakers-trauma-04e29724aa6017180259385642c1b990">some were trapped</a>&nbsp;as the rioters tried to break in. She will also deliver private remarks to Hill staff who, as she told AP, stayed to “protect our democracy.”Later the Democratic leaders will hold a moderated discussion with historians Doris Kearns Goodwin and Jon Meacham; and a session featuring testimonials from members who were there that day. While many lawmakers will be absent due to concerns about COVID-19, several of the events will be livestreamed so they can participate. The Senate also marked the day with a moment of silence and planned speeches.Biden’s sharp message and the Republicans’ distance from it come as lawmakers are adjusting to the new normal on Capitol Hill — the growing tensions that many worry will result in more violence or, someday, a legitimate election being overturned. Democrats and a handful of Republicans feel a desperate urgency to connect to a public in which some have come to believe Trump’s lies that the election was stolen from him and that the attack wasn’t violent at all.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-riots-donald-trump-only-on-ap-congress-3dc5964a8139ae964f7c5c66798a987d">A new poll</a>&nbsp;from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research showed that 3 in 10 Republicans say the attack was not violent, and about another 3 in 10 say it was somewhat violent. Around two-thirds of Americans described the day as very or extremely violent, including about 9 in 10 Democrats.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641479071719.png" alt="“Here is the God’s truth about Jan. 6, 2021,” Biden said. ”They were looking to subvert the Constitution.”-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>“Here is the God’s truth about Jan. 6, 2021,” Biden said. ”They were looking to subvert the Constitution.”-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>As Biden is prepared to direct blame toward the former president, the percentage of Americans who blame Trump for the Jan. 6 riot has grown slightly over the past year, with 57% saying he bears significant responsibility for what took place.In an AP-NORC poll taken in the days after the attack, 50% said that.Trump’s claims of widespread election fraud were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-courts-election-results-e1297d874f45d2b14bc99c403abd0457">rejected by the courts</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/barr-no-widespread-election-fraud-b1f1488796c9a98c4b1a9061a6c7f49d">refuted by his own Justice Department</a>.An&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voter-fraud-election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-7fcb6f134e528fee8237c7601db3328f">investigation by the AP</a>&nbsp;found fewer than 475 cases of voter fraud among 25.5 million ballots cast in the six battleground states disputed by Trump, a minuscule number in percentage terms.___

🎥 Biden condemns Trump on anniversary of Capitol riots

JACKSON COUNTY—Two men escaped a burning vehicle following a&nbsp; rollover accident on Kansas Highway 16&nbsp;near 198th Road west of Denison on Thursday.&nbsp;

Just after 8:30a.m.,&nbsp; deputies responded to the report of an injury accident with two people entrapped and on fire west of Denison, according to Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse,&nbsp;

First responders including the Holton Fire Department, Jackson County EMS and Jackson County deputies found the pickup truck was fully engulfed with flames. 

Both men had been trapped in the vehicle when a passerby stopped and helped remove the windshield, rescuing both men. 

 One man was transported by EMS to Holton Community Hospital and with what appeared to be non-life-threatening injuries, according to Morse. The other man was treated on scene and refused further treatment.

The sheriff did not release the names of the victims or additional details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641489839235.png" alt="Both men had been trapped in the vehicle when a passerby stopped and helped remove the windshield, rescuing both men-photo Jackson Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Both men had been trapped in the vehicle when a passerby stopped and helped remove the windshield, rescuing both men-photo Jackson Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY—Two men escaped a burning vehicle following a&nbsp; rollover accident on Kansas Highway 16&nbsp;near 198th Road west of Denison on Thursday.&nbsp;Just after 8:30a.m.,&nbsp; deputies responded to the report of an injury accident with two people entrapped and on fire west of Denison, according to Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse,&nbsp;First responders including the Holton Fire Department, Jackson County EMS and Jackson County deputies found the pickup truck was fully engulfed with flames. Both men had been trapped in the vehicle when a passerby stopped and helped remove the windshield, rescuing both men. One man was transported by EMS to Holton Community Hospital and with what appeared to be non-life-threatening injuries, according to Morse. The other man was treated on scene and refused further treatment.The sheriff did not release the names of the victims or additional details.

2 rescued from burning truck after rollover crash on Kan. highway

SHAWNEE COUNTY– Law enforcement authorities are investigating&nbsp;a domestic disturbance and have a suspect in custody on requested federal charges.

Just before 6 a.m. Tuesday, the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center received multiple 911 calls about a domestic disturbance in the 100 block of SE Croco Road in Topeka, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.&nbsp;

 A 21-year-old man later identified as 21-year-old Dylan R. Wymore of Topeka was allegedly under the influence and threatening to kill family members, burn the house down and kill any law enforcement officers who responded. 

Deputies arrived on scene, spoke with witnesses and took Wymore into custody.

He was booked into the Shawnee County Department on multiple requested counts of battery on a law enforcement officer, assault of a law enforcement officer, endangering a child, aggravated criminal threat, domestic battery, battery, criminal damage and interference with law enforcement, according to Christian.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641397242911.png" alt="Wymore-photo Shawnee&nbsp; Co." />
 <figcaption>Wymore-photo Shawnee&nbsp; Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY– Law enforcement authorities are investigating&nbsp;a domestic disturbance and have a suspect in custody on requested federal charges.Just before 6 a.m. Tuesday, the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center received multiple 911 calls about a domestic disturbance in the 100 block of SE Croco Road in Topeka, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.&nbsp; A 21-year-old man later identified as 21-year-old Dylan R. Wymore of Topeka was allegedly under the influence and threatening to kill family members, burn the house down and kill any law enforcement officers who responded. Deputies arrived on scene, spoke with witnesses and took Wymore into custody.He was booked into the Shawnee County Department on multiple requested counts of battery on a law enforcement officer, assault of a law enforcement officer, endangering a child, aggravated criminal threat, domestic battery, battery, criminal damage and interference with law enforcement, according to Christian.

Sheriff: Kan. man jailed after he threatened family, deputies

TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly directed the Kansas Department of Revenue and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to waive fees for birth certificates, marriage certificates, and vehicle registration. These directives will provide much needed relief for Kansans who experienced loss of crops, cattle, and their homes due to the wildfires from December 15, 2021 in Ellis, Gove, Graham, Lane, Logan, Ness, Osborne, Rooks, Rush, Russell, Trego, and Wichita counties.

<a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/20220104135529026.pdf">Click here to see the</a> KDOR directive

“When I met with the farmers and ranchers who were impacted by the devastating wildfires, they shared with me the financial burden they’re up against to rebuild their livelihoods,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;“Waiving these fees is a commonsense and necessary action this administration can take to help these Kansans recover from the wildfires.”

The aid from the Division of Vehicles is available until February 28, 2022.

In addition, Secretary of Revenue Mark Burghart has waived fees that are typically applied to requests for tax documents from previous years for Kansans affected by the storms. Those requests can be made to Sarah Fulton, Kansas Department of Revenue’s records custodian, by email at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:Sarah.Fulton1@ks.gov" target="_blank">Sarah.Fulton1@ks.gov</a>.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment’s Office of Vital Statistics will:

Affected Kansans should contact the Office of Vital Statistics at 785-296-1400.

The aid from the Office of Vital Statistics is available until February 28, 2022.

Please find the KDHE directive&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.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._8Mf0bd7Pg7kemAk0YP_GsnhDRSM1l8IGtyITJSgadM/s/1303160919/br/124256982902-l" target="_blank">here</a>.

Additional information about recovery resources for farmers and ranchers, including mental health resources, can be found on the&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flnks.gd%2Fl%2FeyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTEyMjEuNTA2NDMxMTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2FncmljdWx0dXJlLmtzLmdvdi9uZXdzLWV2ZW50cy9rYW5zYXMtd2lsZGZpcmUtcmVjb3ZlcnktcmVzb3VyY2VzLWRlY2VtYmVyLTIwMjE_dXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fc291cmNlPWdvdmRlbGl2ZXJ5In0.cGoV0mxiXOQYJ5kEWNnII3wlffJyIJu8ECsdV_yvgMo%2Fs%2F1305913645%2Fbr%2F123509803803-l&amp;data=04%7C01%7CLauren.Fitzgerald%40ks.gov%7Cd119fd917450468cecd508d9d0a56068%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637770230975735264%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&amp;sdata=K0mhpCtdO3RTNO7l6fdSVth27xOV6o6lmRRvmbqRrnI%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">Kansas Department of Agriculture website</a>.

The Kansas Forest Service estimated that nearly 165,000 acres were impacted by wildfire on December 15.

On December 9, 2021, Governor Kelly declared a State of Disaster Emergency due to the elevated dangers of wildfires. On December 16, 2021, Governor Kelly directed the Kansas National Guard and Kansas Forest Service to deploy aerial assets to the affected areas to assist with fire suppression efforts in multiple counties with active wildfires.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640825399567.png" alt="On Dec. 29, Gov. Laura Kelly met with&nbsp;Kansans impacted by the wildfires to discuss how best we can support their recovery. " />
 <figcaption>On Dec. 29, Gov. Laura Kelly met with&nbsp;Kansans impacted by the wildfires to discuss how best we can support their recovery. </figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly directed the Kansas Department of Revenue and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to waive fees for birth certificates, marriage certificates, and vehicle registration. These directives will provide much needed relief for Kansans who experienced loss of crops, cattle, and their homes due to the wildfires from December 15, 2021 in Ellis, Gove, Graham, Lane, Logan, Ness, Osborne, Rooks, Rush, Russell, Trego, and Wichita counties.<a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/20220104135529026.pdf">Click here to see the</a> KDOR directive“When I met with the farmers and ranchers who were impacted by the devastating wildfires, they shared with me the financial burden they’re up against to rebuild their livelihoods,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;“Waiving these fees is a commonsense and necessary action this administration can take to help these Kansans recover from the wildfires.”The Division of Vehicles will:<ul>
 <li>Waive penalties associated with late vehicle registrations;</li><li>Waive any fees associated with the reprint or replacement of vehicle registration documentation, printed vehicle certificate of titles, driver’s licenses, and/or identification cards;</li><li>Issue a temporary driver's license to an applicant who cannot provide valid documentary evidence so long as the applicant provides compelling evidence proving current lawful presence. Any temporary license issued pursuant to this declaration shall be valid for one year.</li>
 </ul>The aid from the Division of Vehicles is available until February 28, 2022.In addition, Secretary of Revenue Mark Burghart has waived fees that are typically applied to requests for tax documents from previous years for Kansans affected by the storms. Those requests can be made to Sarah Fulton, Kansas Department of Revenue’s records custodian, by email at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:Sarah.Fulton1@ks.gov" target="_blank">Sarah.Fulton1@ks.gov</a>.The Kansas Department of Health and Environment’s Office of Vital Statistics will:<ul>
 <li>Waive fees for one-time replacement of Kansas birth certificates&nbsp;</li><li>Waive fees for one-time replacement of Kansas marriage certificates</li>
 </ul>Affected Kansans should contact the Office of Vital Statistics at 785-296-1400.The aid from the Office of Vital Statistics is available until February 28, 2022.Please find the KDHE directive&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.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._8Mf0bd7Pg7kemAk0YP_GsnhDRSM1l8IGtyITJSgadM/s/1303160919/br/124256982902-l" target="_blank">here</a>.Additional information about recovery resources for farmers and ranchers, including mental health resources, can be found on the&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flnks.gd%2Fl%2FeyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTEyMjEuNTA2NDMxMTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2FncmljdWx0dXJlLmtzLmdvdi9uZXdzLWV2ZW50cy9rYW5zYXMtd2lsZGZpcmUtcmVjb3ZlcnktcmVzb3VyY2VzLWRlY2VtYmVyLTIwMjE_dXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fc291cmNlPWdvdmRlbGl2ZXJ5In0.cGoV0mxiXOQYJ5kEWNnII3wlffJyIJu8ECsdV_yvgMo%2Fs%2F1305913645%2Fbr%2F123509803803-l&amp;data=04%7C01%7CLauren.Fitzgerald%40ks.gov%7Cd119fd917450468cecd508d9d0a56068%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637770230975735264%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&amp;sdata=K0mhpCtdO3RTNO7l6fdSVth27xOV6o6lmRRvmbqRrnI%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">Kansas Department of Agriculture website</a>.The Kansas Forest Service estimated that nearly 165,000 acres were impacted by wildfire on December 15.On December 9, 2021, Governor Kelly declared a State of Disaster Emergency due to the elevated dangers of wildfires. On December 16, 2021, Governor Kelly directed the Kansas National Guard and Kansas Forest Service to deploy aerial assets to the affected areas to assist with fire suppression efforts in multiple counties with active wildfires.

Kan. agencies to waive fees for farmers, ranchers affected by wildfires

WASHINGTON (AP) — Attorney General Merrick Garland on Wednesday vowed to hold accountable anyone who was responsible for last year’s insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, whether they were physically there or not.

<a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/speech/attorney-general-merrick-b-garland-delivers-remarks-first-anniversary-attack-capitol">In a speech to Justice </a>Department employees, Garland said prosecutors remained “committed to holding all January 6th perpetrators, at any level, accountable under law.”

His remarks come just shy of the one-year anniversary of the attack on the Capitol and as the Justice Department has faced increased pressure from some Democrats to focus more on actions that may have inspired the thousands of pro-Trump rioters to storm the building.

“We will follow the facts wherever they lead,” Garland said in his speech. “The actions we have taken thus far will not be our last.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — Attorney General Merrick Garland on Wednesday vowed to hold accountable anyone who was responsible for last year’s insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, whether they were physically there or not.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FDOJ%2Fvideos%2F306414498092634%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=63" 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><a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/speech/attorney-general-merrick-b-garland-delivers-remarks-first-anniversary-attack-capitol">In a speech to Justice </a>Department employees, Garland said prosecutors remained “committed to holding all January 6th perpetrators, at any level, accountable under law.”His remarks come just shy of the one-year anniversary of the attack on the Capitol and as the Justice Department has faced increased pressure from some Democrats to focus more on actions that may have inspired the thousands of pro-Trump rioters to storm the building.“We will follow the facts wherever they lead,” Garland said in his speech. “The actions we have taken thus far will not be our last.”The investigation into the attack on the Capitol is the largest in the Justice Department’s history. So far, more than 700 people have been arrested and 350 others are still being sought by the FBI, including 250 of whom are accused of assaulting police officers.Garland also detailed the serious assaults on law enforcement officers, describing in detail how officers were beaten and shocked with stun guns. During January’s riot, one officer was beaten and shocked with a stun gun repeatedly until he had a heart attack; another was foaming at the mouth and screaming for help as rioters crushed him between two doors and bashed him in the head with his own weapon.“Those involved must be held accountable, and there is no higher priority for us at the Department of Justice,” Garland said.