SHAWNEE COUNTY—Authorities are working to determine the cause of a Tuesday house fire.

Just before 4a.m., crews responded to the house fire at 326 SW Tyler Street in Topeka, according to fire department spokesperson Alan Stahl.

As they arrived, fire crews found the two story house with heavy fire and smoke coming from all sides. Due to fire and structural conditions, firefighters were not able to enter the burning residence and started an exterior fire attack.

Neighbors reported the possibility of two people being inside the residence. The house collapsed, and after the fire was extinguished an excavator from Topeka Public Works was used to dismantle the remaining structure and search for any residents. No one was found within the house. Heat from the fire damaged on adjacent home. There were no injuries reported.

The estimated dollar loss is $12,670 all of which is associated with structural loss.

Any individuals with information about the circumstances of this fire are being asked to contact Crime Stoppers at (785)234-0007 or Toll Free at 1-800-222 TIPS (8477).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639507799202.png" alt="After the fire was extinguished, an excavator from Topeka Public Works was used to dismantle the remaining structure-photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>After the fire was extinguished, an excavator from Topeka Public Works was used to dismantle the remaining structure-photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Authorities are working to determine the cause of a Tuesday house fire.Just before 4a.m., crews responded to the house fire at 326 SW Tyler Street in Topeka, according to fire department spokesperson Alan Stahl.As they arrived, fire crews found the two story house with heavy fire and smoke coming from all sides. Due to fire and structural conditions, firefighters were not able to enter the burning residence and started an exterior fire attack.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639508207932.png" alt="Crews fighting the early morning house fire -photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Crews fighting the early morning house fire -photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>Neighbors reported the possibility of two people being inside the residence. The house collapsed, and after the fire was extinguished an excavator from Topeka Public Works was used to dismantle the remaining structure and search for any residents. No one was found within the house. Heat from the fire damaged on adjacent home. There were no injuries reported.The estimated dollar loss is $12,670 all of which is associated with structural loss.Any individuals with information about the circumstances of this fire are being asked to contact Crime Stoppers at (785)234-0007 or Toll Free at 1-800-222 TIPS (8477).

Cause of Kansas house fire remains under investigation

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Two Kansas City area districts are dropping mask mandates and modifying quarantine rules in response to Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt's threats to file legal action against districts over the regulations.

Kearney and Smithville school boards met in special sessions Monday to discuss&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-st-louis-missouri-jefferson-city-024c1c16926f497e87e3196c13b33a13">a ruling from a Cole County judge last month&nbsp;</a>that school districts and local health agencies do not have the authority under state law to impose health orders.

Schmitt, a Republican who is running for the U.S. Senate, cited that ruling last week when he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-public-health-missouri-jefferson-city-eb9e1eb384e80c2015d15d6ee7ce02e2">sent letters to dozens of districts and local health agencies&nbsp;</a>demanding they stop enforcing COVID-19 mitigation policies. He has also encouraged parents to report any school districts that continue to enforce the restrictions.

The Columbia School Board also voted Monday to drop mask requirements and modify quarantine rules but a district spokeswoman said the vote had nothing to do with Schmitt's letter, The Columbia Missourian&nbsp;<a href="https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/k12_education/cps-drops-mask-mandate-inside-district-buildings-effective-jan-4/article_144052d2-5c41-11ec-a91e-4bb5a9fe2407.html">reported</a>.

The court ruling and Schmitt's letters have caused confusion for school districts. Some have modified their COVID-19 regulations while others have argued Schmitt does not have the authority to enforce his demands because their rules were created by locally elected officials.

The Smithville school district will make masks optional in early January, while Kearney will drop its mask mandate on Dec. 23, officials decided. Masks will still be required on school buses, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/education/article256570766.html">reported</a>.

Quarantine rules will not be eliminated. Students and staff who are showing symptoms of COVID-19 or who test positive still will be excluded from school. Those who are identified as a close contact to someone with COVID-19 will not be excluded from school if they do not symptoms, or are fully vaccinated, or had COVID-19 within the previous three months.

Cole County Circuit Judge Daniel Green ruled last month that health orders issued by local authorities under state health regulations were unconstitutional.

On Monday, Jackson and St. Louis counties filed legal action seeking to overturn Green's ruling. The counties accused Schmitt of creating “chaos” across the state with a “campaign of litigation terror.”

The court order was to go into effect Dec. 22 but Schmitt has said school districts and local health agencies should immediately drop the COVID-19 regulations.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Two Kansas City area districts are dropping mask mandates and modifying quarantine rules in response to Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt's threats to file legal action against districts over the regulations.Kearney and Smithville school boards met in special sessions Monday to discuss&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-st-louis-missouri-jefferson-city-024c1c16926f497e87e3196c13b33a13">a ruling from a Cole County judge last month&nbsp;</a>that school districts and local health agencies do not have the authority under state law to impose health orders.Schmitt, a Republican who is running for the U.S. Senate, cited that ruling last week when he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-public-health-missouri-jefferson-city-eb9e1eb384e80c2015d15d6ee7ce02e2">sent letters to dozens of districts and local health agencies&nbsp;</a>demanding they stop enforcing COVID-19 mitigation policies. He has also encouraged parents to report any school districts that continue to enforce the restrictions.The Columbia School Board also voted Monday to drop mask requirements and modify quarantine rules but a district spokeswoman said the vote had nothing to do with Schmitt's letter, The Columbia Missourian&nbsp;<a href="https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/k12_education/cps-drops-mask-mandate-inside-district-buildings-effective-jan-4/article_144052d2-5c41-11ec-a91e-4bb5a9fe2407.html">reported</a>.The court ruling and Schmitt's letters have caused confusion for school districts. Some have modified their COVID-19 regulations while others have argued Schmitt does not have the authority to enforce his demands because their rules were created by locally elected officials.The Smithville school district will make masks optional in early January, while Kearney will drop its mask mandate on Dec. 23, officials decided. Masks will still be required on school buses, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/education/article256570766.html">reported</a>.Quarantine rules will not be eliminated. Students and staff who are showing symptoms of COVID-19 or who test positive still will be excluded from school. Those who are identified as a close contact to someone with COVID-19 will not be excluded from school if they do not symptoms, or are fully vaccinated, or had COVID-19 within the previous three months.Cole County Circuit Judge Daniel Green ruled last month that health orders issued by local authorities under state health regulations were unconstitutional.On Monday, Jackson and St. Louis counties filed legal action seeking to overturn Green's ruling. The counties accused Schmitt of creating “chaos” across the state with a “campaign of litigation terror.”The court order was to go into effect Dec. 22 but Schmitt has said school districts and local health agencies should immediately drop the COVID-19 regulations.

More KC-area school districts modify COVID rules after AG letter

WASHINGTON (AP) — No U.S. troops involved in the August drone strike that killed innocent Kabul civilians and children will face disciplinary action, U.S. defense officials said Monday.

The Pentagon said that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has approved recommendations for improvements in strike operations from the generals who lead U.S. Central Command and Special Operations Command, based on the findings of an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-kabul-bf24b4a670895ab1cc0b345ee9c90c74">independent Pentagon review released last month</a>. There were no recommendations for discipline made by the generals, said John Kirby, chief Pentagon spokesman.

The review, done by Air Force Lt. Gen. Sami Said and endorsed by Austin in November, found there were breakdowns in communication and in the process of identifying and confirming the target of the bombing, which killed 10 civilians, including seven children. But he concluded that the strike was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pentagon-calls-deadly-kabul-strike-an-error-25e2b83a9a0ae9a95d1aac71fe5f4ca7">a tragic mistake</a>&nbsp;and not caused by misconduct or negligence.

Austin asked Gen. Frank McKenzie, head of Central Command, and Gen. Richard Clarke, head of Special Operations Command, to review Said’s conclusions and come back to him with recommendations. The two commanders agreed with Said’s findings, and they did not recommend any discipline. Kirby said Monday that Austin endorsed their decisions, including the lack of disciplinary actions.

“None of their recommendations dealt specifically with issues of accountability,” Kirby said. “So I do not anticipate there being issues of personal accountability to be had with respect to the August 29th airstrike.”

The Aug. 29 drone strike on a white Toyota Corolla sedan killed Zemerai Ahmadi and nine family members, including seven children. Ahmadi, 37, was a longtime employee of an American humanitarian organization.

“We know that there will be some who don’t like this particular decision, but it wasn’t an outcome that we came to without careful thought and consideration,” said Kirby. He said that if Austin “believed that accountability was warranted and needed, he would certainly support those kinds of efforts.”

The intelligence about the car and its potential threat came just days after an Islamic State suicide bomber killed 13 U.S. troops and 169 Afghans at a Kabul airport gate. The U.S. was working to evacuate thousands of Americans, Afghans and other allies in the wake of the collapse of the country’s government.

Said concluded that U.S. forces genuinely believed that the car they were following was an imminent threat and that they needed to strike it before it got closer to the airport. He concluded that better communication between those making the strike decision and other support personnel might have raised more doubts about the bombing, but in the end may not have prevented it.

He made a number of recommendations, including that more be done to prevent what military officials call “confirmation bias” — the idea that troops making the strike decision were too quick to conclude that what they were seeing aligned with the intelligence and confirmed their conclusion to bomb what turned out to be the wrong car.

And he said the military should have personnel present with a strike team, and their job should be to actively question such conclusions. He also recommended that the military improve its procedures to ensure that children and other innocent civilians are not present before launching a time-sensitive strike.

Officials said McKenzie and Clarke largely agreed with Said’s recommendations.

The U.S. is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-united-states-kabul-lloyd-austin-john-kirby-0548ab75372e975324f55c11f6bc66e4">working to pay financial reparations to the relatives and surviving family members</a>, and potentially get them out of Afghanistan, but nothing has been finalized. Asked why it was taking so long, Kirby said the U.S. wants to make sure that the family is gotten out as safely as possible, and that high level discussions about that are ongoing.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1629894518244.png" alt=" &nbsp;Photo courtesy Rep. Seth Moulton during a summer surprise visit to Kabul" />
 <figcaption> &nbsp;Photo courtesy Rep. Seth Moulton during a summer surprise visit to Kabul</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — No U.S. troops involved in the August drone strike that killed innocent Kabul civilians and children will face disciplinary action, U.S. defense officials said Monday.The Pentagon said that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has approved recommendations for improvements in strike operations from the generals who lead U.S. Central Command and Special Operations Command, based on the findings of an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-kabul-bf24b4a670895ab1cc0b345ee9c90c74">independent Pentagon review released last month</a>. There were no recommendations for discipline made by the generals, said John Kirby, chief Pentagon spokesman.The review, done by Air Force Lt. Gen. Sami Said and endorsed by Austin in November, found there were breakdowns in communication and in the process of identifying and confirming the target of the bombing, which killed 10 civilians, including seven children. But he concluded that the strike was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pentagon-calls-deadly-kabul-strike-an-error-25e2b83a9a0ae9a95d1aac71fe5f4ca7">a tragic mistake</a>&nbsp;and not caused by misconduct or negligence.Austin asked Gen. Frank McKenzie, head of Central Command, and Gen. Richard Clarke, head of Special Operations Command, to review Said’s conclusions and come back to him with recommendations. The two commanders agreed with Said’s findings, and they did not recommend any discipline. Kirby said Monday that Austin endorsed their decisions, including the lack of disciplinary actions.“None of their recommendations dealt specifically with issues of accountability,” Kirby said. “So I do not anticipate there being issues of personal accountability to be had with respect to the August 29th airstrike.”The Aug. 29 drone strike on a white Toyota Corolla sedan killed Zemerai Ahmadi and nine family members, including seven children. Ahmadi, 37, was a longtime employee of an American humanitarian organization.“We know that there will be some who don’t like this particular decision, but it wasn’t an outcome that we came to without careful thought and consideration,” said Kirby. He said that if Austin “believed that accountability was warranted and needed, he would certainly support those kinds of efforts.”The intelligence about the car and its potential threat came just days after an Islamic State suicide bomber killed 13 U.S. troops and 169 Afghans at a Kabul airport gate. The U.S. was working to evacuate thousands of Americans, Afghans and other allies in the wake of the collapse of the country’s government.Said concluded that U.S. forces genuinely believed that the car they were following was an imminent threat and that they needed to strike it before it got closer to the airport. He concluded that better communication between those making the strike decision and other support personnel might have raised more doubts about the bombing, but in the end may not have prevented it.He made a number of recommendations, including that more be done to prevent what military officials call “confirmation bias” — the idea that troops making the strike decision were too quick to conclude that what they were seeing aligned with the intelligence and confirmed their conclusion to bomb what turned out to be the wrong car.And he said the military should have personnel present with a strike team, and their job should be to actively question such conclusions. He also recommended that the military improve its procedures to ensure that children and other innocent civilians are not present before launching a time-sensitive strike.Officials said McKenzie and Clarke largely agreed with Said’s recommendations.The U.S. is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-united-states-kabul-lloyd-austin-john-kirby-0548ab75372e975324f55c11f6bc66e4">working to pay financial reparations to the relatives and surviving family members</a>, and potentially get them out of Afghanistan, but nothing has been finalized. Asked why it was taking so long, Kirby said the U.S. wants to make sure that the family is gotten out as safely as possible, and that high level discussions about that are ongoing.

No troops disciplined for US strike that killed 7 children, no terrorists

KANSAS CITY– A former Kansas City man pleaded guilty in federal court Friday to robbing Arvest Bank, according to the United State's Attorney.

Jamarious K. Braxton, 32, of Memphis, Tennessee, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to one count of bank robbery.

By pleading guilty today, Braxton admitted that he walked into Arvest Bank, 8959 E. 40 Hwy., on Oct. 21, 2017, and handed a teller a demand note. Braxton verbally demanded $4,000 and threatened to shoot the teller in the face. The teller handed Braxton $2,100, and Braxton left the bank.

On Jan. 12, 2018, a report was made to the FBI Public Access Line by a former co-worker of Braxton’s in Kansas City, Mo., and Independence, Mo., who recognized Braxton and identified him as the bank robber. 

Federal agents learned that Braxton had an active arrest warrant for robbery in Memphis. On Jan. 19, 2018, the FBI was contacted by a law enforcement officer in Tennessee who reported that Braxton had been arrested for robbing a bank in Memphis shortly after the Arvest Bank robbery.

Investigators compared Braxton’s DNA and fingerprint with evidence collected after the Arvest Bank robbery.

Braxton pleaded guilty to the Memphis bank robbery and has been sentenced in that case. Under the terms of Friday’s plea agreement, Braxton will be sentenced to five years in federal prison without parole and must pay $2,100 in restitution to Arvest Bank. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639401780882.png" alt="Braxton as seen in security camera images from the bank robbery-photo FBI" />
 <figcaption>Braxton as seen in security camera images from the bank robbery-photo FBI</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY– A former Kansas City man pleaded guilty in federal court Friday to robbing Arvest Bank, according to the United State's Attorney.Jamarious K. Braxton, 32, of Memphis, Tennessee, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to one count of bank robbery.By pleading guilty today, Braxton admitted that he walked into Arvest Bank, 8959 E. 40 Hwy., on Oct. 21, 2017, and handed a teller a demand note. Braxton verbally demanded $4,000 and threatened to shoot the teller in the face. The teller handed Braxton $2,100, and Braxton left the bank.On Jan. 12, 2018, a report was made to the FBI Public Access Line by a former co-worker of Braxton’s in Kansas City, Mo., and Independence, Mo., who recognized Braxton and identified him as the bank robber. Federal agents learned that Braxton had an active arrest warrant for robbery in Memphis. On Jan. 19, 2018, the FBI was contacted by a law enforcement officer in Tennessee who reported that Braxton had been arrested for robbing a bank in Memphis shortly after the Arvest Bank robbery.Investigators compared Braxton’s DNA and fingerprint with evidence collected after the Arvest Bank robbery.Braxton pleaded guilty to the Memphis bank robbery and has been sentenced in that case. Under the terms of Friday’s plea agreement, Braxton will be sentenced to five years in federal prison without parole and must pay $2,100 in restitution to Arvest Bank. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

Man enters plea in 2017 Kansas City bank robbery

By NOAH TABORDA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/12/13/federal-conservation-plan-raises-questions-confusion-among-kansas-stakeholders/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — A lack of specifics on a federal plan to conserve and 
protect lands and waters across the country has led to confusion in 
Kansas among the public, state legislators, wildlife officials and 
advocacy groups.

In January, President Joe Biden issued an executive order on the 
30×30 plan intended to protect 30% of U.S. land and water by 2030. A 
report on the plan issued in May provided few specifics to how the 
project would be accomplished.

<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/05/16/how-a-plan-to-boost-kansas-nebraska-tourism-got-wrapped-up-in-fears-of-a-30x30-land-grab/">Misinformation surrounding the federal effort</a>,
 now conflated with an unrelated plan to establish a National Heritage 
area in north-central Kansas and southern Nebraska, has led some to deem
 it a land grab. Republicans in D.C. have moved to block 30×30 in 
response to those concerns, but the Biden administration has assured 
landowners and legislators it will be a voluntary process.

Agricultural groups in Kansas representing concerned farmers say 
there are potential positives with conservation efforts they already 
employ but remain cautious about the plan described in the report.

“There are still questions and topics that need to be addressed,” 
said Ryan Flickner, senior director of the advocacy division at the 
Kansas Farm Bureau. “For example, how would the federal government 
achieve a nationwide plan without infringing on farmers’ and ranchers’ 
privacy and private property rights? Does the federal government intend 
to subject farmers and ranchers to burdensome reporting requirements 
related to their private property?

“The document doesn’t distinguish between publicly held land and 
private lands. A clear definition needs to be established between the 
two.”

Agricultural and environmental advocates, as well as private 
landowners, joined Flickner to testify last week before a panel of state
 legislators assembled to determine what action, if any, Kansas should 
take. Gov. Laura Kelly’s administration also weighed in on the plan.

The intent of 30×30 has received praise from many&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.campaignfornature.org/news/category/30x30">environmental groups</a>&nbsp;who
 say the action is a necessary step toward reversing environmental 
damage, fighting climate change and maintaining resources people are 
dependent on for quality of life. They also argue it will&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nrdc.org/experts/alison-chase/bidens-historic-action-30x30">ensure more equitable access</a>&nbsp;to nature.

The Kansas contingent of lawmakers in D.C. has largely stood in opposition to the plan In May, U.S. Sen. Roger&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.marshall.senate.gov/press-releases/senators-marshall-and-cramer-introduce-30-x-30-termination-act/">Marshall introduced the 30×30 Termination Act</a>, stating the federal government should instead trust farmers and ranchers with making decisions regarding their land.

U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran has backed these efforts to nullify the conservation plan.

Brad Loveless, secretary of the Kansas Department of Wildlife and 
Parks, suggested U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service should work with state 
agencies to foster voluntary and incentivized efforts alongside private 
landowners rather than the 30% threshold.

“Private landowners and working lands play a critical role in fish, 
wildlife and habitat conservation, particularly in a state like Kansas,”
 Loveless said. “Unless you put money in these landowners’ pockets — 
they are trying to make a living and scrape by — and unless you can 
incentivize this, you won’t be successful. The simple point: Put your 
money where your mouth is.”

Loveless said the proposal does present positives if it is used to 
further conservation efforts KDWP already is engaging in. For example, 
with additional funds, the state could hire workers to speak with 
farmers and ranchers about how conservation can also benefit their crop 
yields.

Still, like many aspects of the plan, what funding would be available to the state is unclear.

That uncertainty and lack of clarity have led people to group the 
separate effort to establish the national heritage area on the 
Kansas-Nebraska border with the 30×30 debate. The effort to create this 
heritage area originated in 2016 by the Willa Cather Foundation and the 
University of Nebraska-Lincoln with the intent of boosting tourism and 
economic development.

The designation provides branding to highlight the historic sites in 
the area and up to $1 million per year in federal matching funds.

With the announcement of the 30×30 plan, Kansas residents began to 
raise concerns the heritage area could potentially lead to the seizure 
of land. Beth Salmans, a Marysville resident, said the NHA would simply 
double up on regulations already in farm programs.

“There is no one better at taking care of the land entrusted to them 
than the generational farmer or rancher,” Salmans said. “They improve 
the land to be able to pass it along to their children and grandchildren
 in better condition than when they received it.”

Kent Glasscock, a former Republican speaker of the Kansas House and a
 previous member of the Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage area board,
 said people were caught up in the confusion surrounding 30×03. He said 
the NHAs do not infringe upon pirate lands, and he would not have been 
involved in the efforts had they done so.

He noted that the last five heritage areas were enacted by President 
Donald Trump and several others by Republican presidents like Ronald 
Reagan and George W. Bush — none of whom he would describe as land 
grabbers.

“Those who established Freedom’s Frontier Heritage Area wrote the law
 to specifically give landowners a choice: They can be involved or not,”
 Glasscock said. “No landowner can be forced to join — and any landowner
 who chooses to join can get out at any time.”

Rep. Ken Rahjes, a Republican from Agra who serves as chairman of the
 House Agriculture Committee, said legislators would take up the issue 
when they return to the Statehouse in January. He said conservation 
remained important, but the method remains up in the air.

“I think it would behoove us all to continue those conversations with
 our constituents and with those that do have questions,” Rahjes said. 
“If we don’t have the answer, we go find somebody who does. Find the 
facts, because that is how we will make the right decision for all 
Kansans, whether you live in the country or in the city, or in Johnson 
County or Johnson City.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639418956294.png" alt="Ryan Flickner, senior director of the advocacy division at the Kansas Farm Bureau, said land owners are still uneasy with the lack of clarity in the federal 30×30 plan. There are positives with ongoing conservation efforts, but questions remain unanswered, he said. (Screen capture by Kansas Reflector of the Kansas Legislature on YouTube)" />
 <figcaption>Ryan Flickner, senior director of the advocacy division at the Kansas Farm Bureau, said land owners are still uneasy with the lack of clarity in the federal 30×30 plan. There are positives with ongoing conservation efforts, but questions remain unanswered, he said. (Screen capture by Kansas Reflector of the Kansas Legislature on YouTube)</figcaption>
 </figure>By NOAH TABORDA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/12/13/federal-conservation-plan-raises-questions-confusion-among-kansas-stakeholders/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — A lack of specifics on a federal plan to conserve and 
protect lands and waters across the country has led to confusion in 
Kansas among the public, state legislators, wildlife officials and 
advocacy groups.In January, President Joe Biden issued an executive order on the 
30×30 plan intended to protect 30% of U.S. land and water by 2030. A 
report on the plan issued in May provided few specifics to how the 
project would be accomplished.<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/05/16/how-a-plan-to-boost-kansas-nebraska-tourism-got-wrapped-up-in-fears-of-a-30x30-land-grab/">Misinformation surrounding the federal effort</a>,
 now conflated with an unrelated plan to establish a National Heritage 
area in north-central Kansas and southern Nebraska, has led some to deem
 it a land grab. Republicans in D.C. have moved to block 30×30 in 
response to those concerns, but the Biden administration has assured 
landowners and legislators it will be a voluntary process.Agricultural groups in Kansas representing concerned farmers say 
there are potential positives with conservation efforts they already 
employ but remain cautious about the plan described in the report.“There are still questions and topics that need to be addressed,” 
said Ryan Flickner, senior director of the advocacy division at the 
Kansas Farm Bureau. “For example, how would the federal government 
achieve a nationwide plan without infringing on farmers’ and ranchers’ 
privacy and private property rights? Does the federal government intend 
to subject farmers and ranchers to burdensome reporting requirements 
related to their private property?“The document doesn’t distinguish between publicly held land and 
private lands. A clear definition needs to be established between the 
two.”Agricultural and environmental advocates, as well as private 
landowners, joined Flickner to testify last week before a panel of state
 legislators assembled to determine what action, if any, Kansas should 
take. Gov. Laura Kelly’s administration also weighed in on the plan.The intent of 30×30 has received praise from many&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.campaignfornature.org/news/category/30x30">environmental groups</a>&nbsp;who
 say the action is a necessary step toward reversing environmental 
damage, fighting climate change and maintaining resources people are 
dependent on for quality of life. They also argue it will&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nrdc.org/experts/alison-chase/bidens-historic-action-30x30">ensure more equitable access</a>&nbsp;to nature.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639419021470.png" alt="Wildlife and parks secretary Brad Loveless said the focus should be on working with landowners through voluntary and incentivized efforts alongside private landowners rather than the 30% threshold. (Screen capture by Kansas Reflector of the Kansas Legislature on YouTube)" />
 <figcaption>Wildlife and parks secretary Brad Loveless said the focus should be on working with landowners through voluntary and incentivized efforts alongside private landowners rather than the 30% threshold. (Screen capture by Kansas Reflector of the Kansas Legislature on YouTube)</figcaption>
 </figure>The Kansas contingent of lawmakers in D.C. has largely stood in opposition to the plan In May, U.S. Sen. Roger&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.marshall.senate.gov/press-releases/senators-marshall-and-cramer-introduce-30-x-30-termination-act/">Marshall introduced the 30×30 Termination Act</a>, stating the federal government should instead trust farmers and ranchers with making decisions regarding their land.U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran has backed these efforts to nullify the conservation plan.Brad Loveless, secretary of the Kansas Department of Wildlife and 
Parks, suggested U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service should work with state 
agencies to foster voluntary and incentivized efforts alongside private 
landowners rather than the 30% threshold.“Private landowners and working lands play a critical role in fish, 
wildlife and habitat conservation, particularly in a state like Kansas,”
 Loveless said. “Unless you put money in these landowners’ pockets — 
they are trying to make a living and scrape by — and unless you can 
incentivize this, you won’t be successful. The simple point: Put your 
money where your mouth is.”Loveless said the proposal does present positives if it is used to 
further conservation efforts KDWP already is engaging in. For example, 
with additional funds, the state could hire workers to speak with 
farmers and ranchers about how conservation can also benefit their crop 
yields.Still, like many aspects of the plan, what funding would be available to the state is unclear.That uncertainty and lack of clarity have led people to group the 
separate effort to establish the national heritage area on the 
Kansas-Nebraska border with the 30×30 debate. The effort to create this 
heritage area originated in 2016 by the Willa Cather Foundation and the 
University of Nebraska-Lincoln with the intent of boosting tourism and 
economic development.The designation provides branding to highlight the historic sites in 
the area and up to $1 million per year in federal matching funds.With the announcement of the 30×30 plan, Kansas residents began to 
raise concerns the heritage area could potentially lead to the seizure 
of land. Beth Salmans, a Marysville resident, said the NHA would simply 
double up on regulations already in farm programs.“There is no one better at taking care of the land entrusted to them 
than the generational farmer or rancher,” Salmans said. “They improve 
the land to be able to pass it along to their children and grandchildren
 in better condition than when they received it.”Kent Glasscock, a former Republican speaker of the Kansas House and a
 previous member of the Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage area board,
 said people were caught up in the confusion surrounding 30×03. He said 
the NHAs do not infringe upon pirate lands, and he would not have been 
involved in the efforts had they done so.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639419055345.png" alt="Rep. Ken Rahjes, left, chairman of the Special Committee on the 30×30 Federal Initiative, says conservation talks will resume when the new session starts in January. (Screen capture by Kansas Reflector of the Kansas Legislature on YouTube)" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Ken Rahjes, left, chairman of the Special Committee on the 30×30 Federal Initiative, says conservation talks will resume when the new session starts in January. (Screen capture by Kansas Reflector of the Kansas Legislature on YouTube)</figcaption>
 </figure>He noted that the last five heritage areas were enacted by President 
Donald Trump and several others by Republican presidents like Ronald 
Reagan and George W. Bush — none of whom he would describe as land 
grabbers.“Those who established Freedom’s Frontier Heritage Area wrote the law
 to specifically give landowners a choice: They can be involved or not,”
 Glasscock said. “No landowner can be forced to join — and any landowner
 who chooses to join can get out at any time.”Rep. Ken Rahjes, a Republican from Agra who serves as chairman of the
 House Agriculture Committee, said legislators would take up the issue 
when they return to the Statehouse in January. He said conservation 
remained important, but the method remains up in the air.“I think it would behoove us all to continue those conversations with
 our constituents and with those that do have questions,” Rahjes said. 
“If we don’t have the answer, we go find somebody who does. Find the 
facts, because that is how we will make the right decision for all 
Kansans, whether you live in the country or in the city, or in Johnson 
County or Johnson City.”

Feds' conservation plan raises questions, confusion in Kansas

MAYFIELD, Ky. (AP) — Workers, volunteers and members of the National Guard fanned out in areas of Kentucky slammed by a series of tornadoes to begin the long process of recovery, including replacing thousands of damaged utility poles, delivering bottles of drinking water and continuing to search for the dead.

The tornado outbreak Friday that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tornadoes-kentucky-illinois-arkansas-tennessee-missouri-e1ae21e0b7521c28411f8c360b756700">killed at least 88 people</a>&nbsp;in five states — 74 of them in Kentucky — cut a path of devastation that stretched from Arkansas, where a nursing home was destroyed, to Illinois, where an Amazon distribution center was heavily damaged.

In Kentucky, Gov. Andy Beshear said the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tornadoes-tennessee-illinois-kentucky-missouri-8ed8a33cf1e63e050f7733b1c5e41485">death toll could grow</a>&nbsp;as authorities continued to work around debris that slowed recovery efforts. Nearly 450 National Guard members have been mobilized in the state, and 95 of them are searching for those presumed dead.

“With this amount of damage and rubble, it may be a week or even more before we have a final count on the number of lost lives,” the governor said.

Kentucky authorities said the sheer level of destruction was hindering their ability to tally the damage. Still, efforts turned to repairing the power grid,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/a1cd794334ef3009f180bf049eb21e39">sheltering those whose homes were destroyed</a>&nbsp;and delivering supplies.

Across the state, about 26,000 homes and businesses were without electricity, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://poweroutage.us/area/state/kentucky" target="_blank">poweroutage.us</a>, including nearly all of those in Mayfield. More than 10,000 homes and businesses had no water as of Monday, and another 17,000 are under boil-water advisories, Kentucky Emergency Management Director Michael Dossett told reporters.

A fund set up by the state collected $6 million in donations, according to the governor. Kentucky First Lady Britainy Beshear launched a Christmas toy drive for children affected by the storm. She is asking for unwrapped toys, books, and gift cards of $25 that will be distributed to families in need.

State and local officials said it could take years for some of the hardest-hit areas to fully recover.

“This again is not going to be a week or a month operation, folks. This will go on for years to come. This is a massive event,” Dossett said.

Five twisters hit Kentucky in all, including one with an extraordinarily long path of about 200 miles, authorities said.

In addition to the deaths in Kentucky, the tornadoes also killed at least six people in Illinois, where the Amazon distribution center in Edwardsville was hit; four in Tennessee; two in Arkansas, where the nursing home was destroyed and the governor said workers shielded residents with their own bodies; and two in Missouri.

The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced Monday that it has opened an investigation into the collapse of the Amazon warehouse in Illinois.

Mayfield, home to 10,000, suffered some of the worst damage. Debris from destroyed buildings and shredded trees covered the ground in the city. Twisted sheet metal, downed power lines and wrecked vehicles lined the streets. Windows were blown out and roofs torn off the buildings that were still standing.

Not far from Mayfield, a church serving as a shelter in Wingo said it expected to host more than 100 people Monday night.

Glynda Glover, 82, said she had no idea how long she would stay at the Wingo shelter: Her apartment is uninhabitable since the wind blew out the windows and covered her bed in glass and asphalt.

“I’ll stay here until we get back to whatever normal is,” she said, “and I don’t know what normal is anymore.”

On the outskirts of Dawson Springs, another town devastated by the storms, homes were reduced to rubble and trees toppled, littering the landscape for a span of at least a mile. Jack Whitfield Jr., the Hopkins County judge-executive, estimated that more than 60% of the town, including hundreds of homes, was “beyond repair.”

“A full recovering is going to take years,” he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639486133435.png" alt="“With this amount of damage and rubble, it may be a week or even more before we have a final count on the number of lost lives,” the Governor of Kentucky said.-photo American Red Cross" />
 <figcaption>“With this amount of damage and rubble, it may be a week or even more before we have a final count on the number of lost lives,” the Governor of Kentucky said.-photo American Red Cross</figcaption>
 </figure>MAYFIELD, Ky. (AP) — Workers, volunteers and members of the National Guard fanned out in areas of Kentucky slammed by a series of tornadoes to begin the long process of recovery, including replacing thousands of damaged utility poles, delivering bottles of drinking water and continuing to search for the dead.The tornado outbreak Friday that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tornadoes-kentucky-illinois-arkansas-tennessee-missouri-e1ae21e0b7521c28411f8c360b756700">killed at least 88 people</a>&nbsp;in five states — 74 of them in Kentucky — cut a path of devastation that stretched from Arkansas, where a nursing home was destroyed, to Illinois, where an Amazon distribution center was heavily damaged.In Kentucky, Gov. Andy Beshear said the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tornadoes-tennessee-illinois-kentucky-missouri-8ed8a33cf1e63e050f7733b1c5e41485">death toll could grow</a>&nbsp;as authorities continued to work around debris that slowed recovery efforts. Nearly 450 National Guard members have been mobilized in the state, and 95 of them are searching for those presumed dead.“With this amount of damage and rubble, it may be a week or even more before we have a final count on the number of lost lives,” the governor said.Kentucky authorities said the sheer level of destruction was hindering their ability to tally the damage. Still, efforts turned to repairing the power grid,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/a1cd794334ef3009f180bf049eb21e39">sheltering those whose homes were destroyed</a>&nbsp;and delivering supplies.Across the state, about 26,000 homes and businesses were without electricity, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://poweroutage.us/area/state/kentucky" target="_blank">poweroutage.us</a>, including nearly all of those in Mayfield. More than 10,000 homes and businesses had no water as of Monday, and another 17,000 are under boil-water advisories, Kentucky Emergency Management Director Michael Dossett told reporters.A fund set up by the state collected $6 million in donations, according to the governor. Kentucky First Lady Britainy Beshear launched a Christmas toy drive for children affected by the storm. She is asking for unwrapped toys, books, and gift cards of $25 that will be distributed to families in need.State and local officials said it could take years for some of the hardest-hit areas to fully recover.“This again is not going to be a week or a month operation, folks. This will go on for years to come. This is a massive event,” Dossett said.Five twisters hit Kentucky in all, including one with an extraordinarily long path of about 200 miles, authorities said.In addition to the deaths in Kentucky, the tornadoes also killed at least six people in Illinois, where the Amazon distribution center in Edwardsville was hit; four in Tennessee; two in Arkansas, where the nursing home was destroyed and the governor said workers shielded residents with their own bodies; and two in Missouri.The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced Monday that it has opened an investigation into the collapse of the Amazon warehouse in Illinois.Mayfield, home to 10,000, suffered some of the worst damage. Debris from destroyed buildings and shredded trees covered the ground in the city. Twisted sheet metal, downed power lines and wrecked vehicles lined the streets. Windows were blown out and roofs torn off the buildings that were still standing.Not far from Mayfield, a church serving as a shelter in Wingo said it expected to host more than 100 people Monday night.Glynda Glover, 82, said she had no idea how long she would stay at the Wingo shelter: Her apartment is uninhabitable since the wind blew out the windows and covered her bed in glass and asphalt.“I’ll stay here until we get back to whatever normal is,” she said, “and I don’t know what normal is anymore.”On the outskirts of Dawson Springs, another town devastated by the storms, homes were reduced to rubble and trees toppled, littering the landscape for a span of at least a mile. Jack Whitfield Jr., the Hopkins County judge-executive, estimated that more than 60% of the town, including hundreds of homes, was “beyond repair.”“A full recovering is going to take years,” he said.

Search for missing continues in tornado-slammed parts of 5 states

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service joined today with several 
leading nonprofit groups to highlight a special tax provision that 
allows more people to deduct donations to qualifying charities on their 
2021 federal income tax return.

The Independent Sector and National Council of Nonprofits joined with
 the IRS to highlight this pandemic-related provision where married 
couples filing jointly can deduct up to $600 in cash donations and 
individual taxpayers can deduct up to $300 in donations.

Under the temporary law, taxpayers don't need to itemize deductions 
on their tax returns to take advantage of this, which creates 
tax-favorable donation options not normally available to about 90 
percent of tax filers. Ordinarily, people who choose to take the 
standard deduction cannot claim a deduction for their charitable 
contributions. But this special provision permits them to claim a 
limited deduction on their 2021 federal income tax returns for cash 
contributions made to qualifying charitable organizations by year's end,
 December 31, 2021.

At a time when many charitable groups are struggling during the 
pandemic, the IRS highlights the new provision and urges people to make 
sure they donate to a qualifying charity. The special <a href="https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/tax-exempt-organization-search">Tax Exempt Organization Search</a> tool on IRS.gov can help people make sure they donate to a qualified charity.

"The pandemic has created unique challenges for tax-exempt 
organizations, and we want to make sure people don't overlook this 
special tax deduction that's available this year," said Sunita Lough, 
IRS Commissioner of the Tax Exempt and Government Entities division. 
"Donations to qualifying charities can reduce people's tax bill when 
they file in 2022."

Leaders from the National Council of Nonprofits and the Independent 
Sector, two prominent organizations representing the nation's charitable
 groups, highlighted that the special tax provision can provide 
additional assistance to organizations hit hard by the pandemic. Some 
groups have seen reduced charitable donations and others have seen 
increased demand for their services during this unprecedented period.

"At a time when nonprofits continue to see immense demand for 
services, are facing significant challenges hiring and retaining staff 
to deliver those services--every donation counts," said David L. 
Thompson, Vice President of Public Policy at National Council of 
Nonprofits. "We're thankful that the universal (or non-itemizer) 
deduction is available through the end of the year to encourage every 
taxpayer give a little bit more to the missions they care about."

"Over the past two years, charities have helped America confront 
generational health, economic and social crises. They have answered the 
call to serve their communities despite facing lost revenue, disrupted 
operations and dramatically increased need," said Daniel J. Cardinali, 
president and CEO of Independent Sector. "Congress has sent a powerful 
message that everyone – not just those who itemize on their taxes – has a
 role to play in helping meet this moment, and we know people in America
 will respond in kind. We hope charitable contributions and deductions 
will increase in the coming years."

Included in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security 
(CARES) Act, enacted in March 2020, a more limited version of this 
temporary tax benefit originally only applied to tax-year 2020. The 
Taxpayer Certainty and Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2020, enacted last 
December, generally extended it through the end of 2021.

Nearly nine in 10 taxpayers now take the standard deduction and could
 potentially qualify. Under this provision, tax year 2021 individual tax
 filers, including married individuals filing separate returns, can 
claim a deduction of up to $300 for cash contributions made to 
qualifying charities during 2021. The maximum deduction is increased to 
$600 for married individuals filing joint returns.

Cash contributions include those made by check, credit card or debit 
card as well as amounts incurred by an individual for unreimbursed 
out-of-pocket expenses in connection with their volunteer services to a 
qualifying charitable organization. Cash contributions don't include the
 value of volunteer services, securities, household items or other 
property.

The IRS reminds taxpayers that to receive a deduction, they must 
donate to a qualified charity. To check the status of a charity, they 
can use the IRS <a href="https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/tax-exempt-organization-search">Tax Exempt Organization Search</a> tool.

Cash contributions to most charitable organizations qualify for a 
deduction. But contributions made either to supporting organizations or 
to establish or maintain a donor advised fund do not. Contributions 
carried forward from prior years do not qualify, nor do contributions to
 most private foundations and most cash contributions to charitable 
remainder trusts.

In general, a donor-advised fund is a fund or account maintained by a
 charity in which a donor can, because of their donor status, advise the
 fund on how to distribute or invest amounts contributed by the donor 
and held in the fund. A supporting organization is a charity that 
carries out its exempt purposes by supporting other exempt 
organizations, usually other public charities.

The IRS encourages all donors to be wary of scams masked as 
charitable solicitations. Criminals create fake charities to take 
advantage of the public's generosity. Fake charities once again made the
 IRS's <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-dirty-dozen-list-warns-people-to-watch-out-for-tax-related-scams-involving-fake-charities-ghost-preparers-and-other-schemes">Dirty Dozen</a>&nbsp;list of tax scams for 2021. In October, the IRS also <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-joins-international-organizations-in-fighting-charity-fraud-during-special-awareness-week">joined international organizations</a> and other regulators in highlighting the fight against charity fraud.

Special recordkeeping rules apply to any taxpayer claiming a 
charitable contribution deduction. Usually, this includes obtaining an 
acknowledgment letter from the charity before filing a return and 
retaining a cancelled check or credit card receipt for contributions of 
cash.

For details on the recordkeeping rules for substantiating gifts to charity, see <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-publication-526">Publication 526, Charitable Contributions</a>, available on IRS.gov.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service joined today with several 
leading nonprofit groups to highlight a special tax provision that 
allows more people to deduct donations to qualifying charities on their 
2021 federal income tax return.The Independent Sector and National Council of Nonprofits joined with
 the IRS to highlight this pandemic-related provision where married 
couples filing jointly can deduct up to $600 in cash donations and 
individual taxpayers can deduct up to $300 in donations.Under the temporary law, taxpayers don't need to itemize deductions 
on their tax returns to take advantage of this, which creates 
tax-favorable donation options not normally available to about 90 
percent of tax filers. Ordinarily, people who choose to take the 
standard deduction cannot claim a deduction for their charitable 
contributions. But this special provision permits them to claim a 
limited deduction on their 2021 federal income tax returns for cash 
contributions made to qualifying charitable organizations by year's end,
 December 31, 2021.At a time when many charitable groups are struggling during the 
pandemic, the IRS highlights the new provision and urges people to make 
sure they donate to a qualifying charity. The special <a href="https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/tax-exempt-organization-search">Tax Exempt Organization Search</a> tool on IRS.gov can help people make sure they donate to a qualified charity."The pandemic has created unique challenges for tax-exempt 
organizations, and we want to make sure people don't overlook this 
special tax deduction that's available this year," said Sunita Lough, 
IRS Commissioner of the Tax Exempt and Government Entities division. 
"Donations to qualifying charities can reduce people's tax bill when 
they file in 2022."Leaders from the National Council of Nonprofits and the Independent 
Sector, two prominent organizations representing the nation's charitable
 groups, highlighted that the special tax provision can provide 
additional assistance to organizations hit hard by the pandemic. Some 
groups have seen reduced charitable donations and others have seen 
increased demand for their services during this unprecedented period."At a time when nonprofits continue to see immense demand for 
services, are facing significant challenges hiring and retaining staff 
to deliver those services--every donation counts," said David L. 
Thompson, Vice President of Public Policy at National Council of 
Nonprofits. "We're thankful that the universal (or non-itemizer) 
deduction is available through the end of the year to encourage every 
taxpayer give a little bit more to the missions they care about.""Over the past two years, charities have helped America confront 
generational health, economic and social crises. They have answered the 
call to serve their communities despite facing lost revenue, disrupted 
operations and dramatically increased need," said Daniel J. Cardinali, 
president and CEO of Independent Sector. "Congress has sent a powerful 
message that everyone – not just those who itemize on their taxes – has a
 role to play in helping meet this moment, and we know people in America
 will respond in kind. We hope charitable contributions and deductions 
will increase in the coming years."Included in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security 
(CARES) Act, enacted in March 2020, a more limited version of this 
temporary tax benefit originally only applied to tax-year 2020. The 
Taxpayer Certainty and Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2020, enacted last 
December, generally extended it through the end of 2021.Nearly nine in 10 taxpayers now take the standard deduction and could
 potentially qualify. Under this provision, tax year 2021 individual tax
 filers, including married individuals filing separate returns, can 
claim a deduction of up to $300 for cash contributions made to 
qualifying charities during 2021. The maximum deduction is increased to 
$600 for married individuals filing joint returns.Cash contributions include those made by check, credit card or debit 
card as well as amounts incurred by an individual for unreimbursed 
out-of-pocket expenses in connection with their volunteer services to a 
qualifying charitable organization. Cash contributions don't include the
 value of volunteer services, securities, household items or other 
property.The IRS reminds taxpayers that to receive a deduction, they must 
donate to a qualified charity. To check the status of a charity, they 
can use the IRS <a href="https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/tax-exempt-organization-search">Tax Exempt Organization Search</a> tool.Cash contributions to most charitable organizations qualify for a 
deduction. But contributions made either to supporting organizations or 
to establish or maintain a donor advised fund do not. Contributions 
carried forward from prior years do not qualify, nor do contributions to
 most private foundations and most cash contributions to charitable 
remainder trusts.In general, a donor-advised fund is a fund or account maintained by a
 charity in which a donor can, because of their donor status, advise the
 fund on how to distribute or invest amounts contributed by the donor 
and held in the fund. A supporting organization is a charity that 
carries out its exempt purposes by supporting other exempt 
organizations, usually other public charities.The IRS encourages all donors to be wary of scams masked as 
charitable solicitations. Criminals create fake charities to take 
advantage of the public's generosity. Fake charities once again made the
 IRS's <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-dirty-dozen-list-warns-people-to-watch-out-for-tax-related-scams-involving-fake-charities-ghost-preparers-and-other-schemes">Dirty Dozen</a>&nbsp;list of tax scams for 2021. In October, the IRS also <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-joins-international-organizations-in-fighting-charity-fraud-during-special-awareness-week">joined international organizations</a> and other regulators in highlighting the fight against charity fraud.<h2>Keep good records</h2>Special recordkeeping rules apply to any taxpayer claiming a 
charitable contribution deduction. Usually, this includes obtaining an 
acknowledgment letter from the charity before filing a return and 
retaining a cancelled check or credit card receipt for contributions of 
cash.For details on the recordkeeping rules for substantiating gifts to charity, see <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-publication-526">Publication 526, Charitable Contributions</a>, available on IRS.gov.

Special tax benefit will allow for additional tax-deductible gifts

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on drug charges after a drug bust at Kansas home.

On Monday, members of the Topeka Police Department Narcotics Unit and the Shawnee County Drug Task Force served a search warrant in the 400 BLK SE 34th related to an ongoing investigation, according to Police Lt. Jerry Monasmith.

 While conducting the search warrant, officers located methamphetamine, marijuana, drug paraphernalia, stolen property and a firearm.

As a result, police arrested Matthew Hoag, 30 and Alexandra Dwyer, 23, both of Topeka. They were transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections. Hoag is being held on requested charges that include Possession of methamphetamine with the intent of distribution, Criminal possession of a weapon by a felon, Aggravated endangering a child, Possession of marijuana and Possession of drug paraphernalia with intent of distribution. 

Dwyer is jailed on requested charges of&nbsp;Possession of methamphetamine with the intent of distribution, Aggravated endangering a child, Possession of marijuana, Possession of drug paraphernalia with intent of distribution and Possession of stolen property, according to Monasmith.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639481121646.png" alt="Hoag-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Hoag-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on drug charges after a drug bust at Kansas home.On Monday, members of the Topeka Police Department Narcotics Unit and the Shawnee County Drug Task Force served a search warrant in the 400 BLK SE 34th related to an ongoing investigation, according to Police Lt. Jerry Monasmith. While conducting the search warrant, officers located methamphetamine, marijuana, drug paraphernalia, stolen property and a firearm.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639481192046.png" alt="Dwyer-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Dwyer-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>As a result, police arrested Matthew Hoag, 30 and Alexandra Dwyer, 23, both of Topeka. They were transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections. Hoag is being held on requested charges that include Possession of methamphetamine with the intent of distribution, Criminal possession of a weapon by a felon, Aggravated endangering a child, Possession of marijuana and Possession of drug paraphernalia with intent of distribution. Dwyer is jailed on requested charges of&nbsp;Possession of methamphetamine with the intent of distribution, Aggravated endangering a child, Possession of marijuana, Possession of drug paraphernalia with intent of distribution and Possession of stolen property, according to Monasmith.

2 jailed after drug task force investigation at Kansas home

DOVER, Del. (AP) — Attorneys in the Boy Scouts of America bankruptcy case have reached a tentative settlement under which one of the organization’s largest insurers would contribute $800 million into a fund for victims of child sexual abuse.

The agreement announced Monday calls for Century Indemnity Co. and affiliated companies to contribute $800 million into the fund in return for being released from further liability for abuse claims. The payment would bring the amount of money in the proposed trust to more than $2.6 billion, which would be the largest sexual abuse settlement in U.S. history.

The settlement comes as more than 82,000 sexual abuse claimants face a Dec. 28 deadline to vote on a previously announced Boy Scouts reorganization plan.

That plan called for the Boys Scouts and its roughly 250 local councils to contribute up to $820 million in cash and property into a fund for victims. They also would assign certain insurance rights to the fund. In return, the local councils and national organization would be released from further liability for sexual abuse claims.

DOVER, Del. (AP) — Attorneys in the Boy Scouts of America bankruptcy case have reached a tentative settlement under which one of the organization’s largest insurers would contribute $800 million into a fund for victims of child sexual abuse.The agreement announced Monday calls for Century Indemnity Co. and affiliated companies to contribute $800 million into the fund in return for being released from further liability for abuse claims. The payment would bring the amount of money in the proposed trust to more than $2.6 billion, which would be the largest sexual abuse settlement in U.S. history.The settlement comes as more than 82,000 sexual abuse claimants face a Dec. 28 deadline to vote on a previously announced Boy Scouts reorganization plan.That plan called for the Boys Scouts and its roughly 250 local councils to contribute up to $820 million in cash and property into a fund for victims. They also would assign certain insurance rights to the fund. In return, the local councils and national organization would be released from further liability for sexual abuse claims.

Boy Scouts secure $800M from insurer for sex abuse settlements

Doctors 'running out of gas' in fight against misinformation

Editor's note:&nbsp;Hays Post contacted several Ellis County students to learn what they have heard about the COVID-19 vaccine amongst peers and on social media. The quotes below are the responses, without attribution.&nbsp;

Despite last month's decision to <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html">authorize COVID-19 vaccinations for everyone age 5 and older</a>, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment reported last week the overall vaccination rate in Ellis County for those age 12 and older remains just over 50 percent — well below the statewide average of 65 percent.

<a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(21)00424-7/fulltext">A September study from England published by Lancet</a> showed about half of teens age 12 and older were either hesitant or would opt out of the vaccine altogether.

Dr. Heather Harris, chief medical officer at HaysMed, and Dr. Michelle Pope, pediatrician at <a href="https://www.haysmed.com/pediatrics/">Hays Pediatric Center</a>, said teen hesitancy is a conversation they have on a regular basis with patients and parents.

"Often, whatever the parents have decided for themselves, obviously there will be a similar decision for the kids," Pope said. 

She said the most common concern is that the vaccine was "so rushed."

"It's not really true. Parts of the process have been in place for over a decade," Pope said, noting development of the MRNA science used for the COVID vaccine began when SARS and MERS threatened to become a significant health issue. "The technology is definitely not new. It just feels new ... because SARS and MERS never became a pandemic."

Harris said she believes part of the hesitancy stems from a more base instinct.

"At the end of the day, kids don't like shots," she said. "But that just has to be 'time to be a parent.' You know they're going to be fine. There's just more fear than there is harm."

Both Harris and Pope offered the reassurance that the vaccine has been proven overwhelmingly safe – despite misinformation many children are faced with on social media.

"Kids get multiple vaccines over their life, and for the majority, there's very little concern about it," Harris said. "The scientific community has provided us with safe and effective vaccines, and there's no concern that this is any different.

"(The COVID vaccine's safety) has been politicized, but we all know it's just not true. Over a billion people have been vaccinated with very little to no harm."

<a href="https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22378331">RELATED: Click here for information on testing and vaccinations from the Ellis County Health Department.</a>

A recurring bit of misinformation both Harris and Pope have heard is in regard to fertility in teen girls, although Pope noted there are studies actually showing heightened risk for unvaccinated men diagnosed with natural COVID to develop sterility. With the vaccine, however, Pope added that has not been shown to be a risk.

"They're spreading rumors amongst each other, and they don't have the right information to understand the misinformation," Harris said.

Pope said the data shows children and adults have the same occurrence of mild reaction to the vaccine as adults — about 50 percent. She noted the vast majority of those reactions — site tenderness, fatigue and aches — happen within 12 to 24 hours of the shot, are short-lived and treatable with over-the-counter pain reliever.

She noted that children who contract natural COVID, however, have an increased risk of long-term  effects, including "pins and needles" nerve inflammation, joint aches, extreme fatigue and headaches.

Pope acknowledged there have been cases of myocarditis — inflamation of the heart muscle — in teens following the vaccine, but noted natural COVID causes the same condition and can create permanent, long-term damage to the heart.

Vaccine-related myocarditis is "very, very rare," she said.

Clinical trials have shown no occurrence of myocarditis in children age 5 to 11, according to <a href="https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/public-health/covid-19-vaccine-kids-how-we-know-it-s-safe">reports from the American Medical Association published in mid-November. </a>

Harris again noted that the delta variant of COVID is affecting the younger population more seriously than the original strain, with the average COVID inpatient age now about 60 years old. Hospital stays have become longer and the outcomes have become more treacherous for otherwise healthy people.

"A great majority of those being hospitalized are unvaccinated. They're quite sick, have long hospitalizations, a long recovery and we're starting to see more deaths occur .. in relatively young people," she said. "The 50- to 60-year-old group has been pretty stubborn about getting the vaccine, and they're the ones being hospitalized."

While the majority of inpatients at HaysMed had been from outside the county in recent weeks, as of Tuesday, about half of the 20-plus COVID inpatients were Ellis County residents. There have been some breakthrough cases of COVID in vaccinated patients, but Harris said most of those individuals were already immunocompromised or elderly.

Hospitalization of COVID patients —&nbsp;the vast majority unvaccinated — continues to take its toll on the staff at HaysMed, which, like most health care institutions across the state and nation, is fighting staffing issues. HaysMed also has been intermittently closed to out-of-county transfers over recent months with the influx of COVID inpatients.

"We're in need of nurses, all levels of hospital functions," Harris said. "We're short-staffed in multiple departments. ... If we were only left with those vaccinated, we would just have a handful of COVID patients."

Pope said that while staffing levels at the pediatric center are not a concern, the number of COVID patients occupying beds is an issue when a child must be admitted for any condition. With a more vigorous flu season expected and the annual uptick of RSV expected over the next three months, this means the potential for more pediatric transfers out of HaysMed. She said it's common in a normal year for pediatric patients to be admitted for influenza or RSV. 

"We rely upon the same nurses, who are in short supply," she said. "The COVID patients are taking up resources for RSV patients," noting children have been transferred to Kansas Mercy Hospital or Wichita due to space and staff concerns.

Pope said she encounters three main mindsets after asking her patients' parents if they have been vaccinated.

"It's an interesting conversation," she said. "The response is 'yes' or a quiet 'no' or a very robust 'no.' 

"When I ask 'Then what are your concerns?' ... 25 to 50 percent of them don't want to talk about it. There's no conversation to be had.  I restate the science, tell them I have no concerns and tell them I've put my money where my mouth is ..."

Of the "hard no" parents, she added, "I don't think I've had much success. The 'soft nos,' I've convinced some of the parents to get the vaccine, which is probably the first step to getting the kids vaccinated."

Harris said the vaccine discussion is a frustration for herself and the hospital staff.

"It's frustrating and sad to know so many people don't have to get so sick," she said. "I see it on a regular occurence with unvaccinated patients I've counseled. ... They don't get vaccinated, and they pass away or have weeks and months of getting better.

"We keep trying to encourage people every day the best we can, but we kind of start running out of gas."

Pope said the staff of the pediatric center is "really exhausted" after nearly two years of battling COVID. She noted that many times the pediatric staff is the parents' first real conversation with a health professional, as parents with children often spend more time in a doctor's office with their kids than with their primary care physician.

 Pope added that the pediatric staff has been providing vaccinations before the clinic opens, meaning staffers  have been working early since May or June. 

The risk, Harris said, isn't the vaccine or necessarily that teens will become extremely ill —&nbsp;although she said there has been a steady increase in youth hospitalizations since the delta variant arrived in Kansas.

A larger concern is that teens and college students are "highly effective at spreading illness."

"There are multiple examples where we've seen teenagers, inadvertently, who have been sick with COVID and then have spread it to elderly grandparents —&nbsp;and the grandparents have passed away," she said. "You have to protect the people around you."

Teens are also developing socially and educationally, and COVID can be a major life disruption.

"(The vaccine) is protecting them from missing school, missing activities," she said. "And if you can keep your kiddo from not feeling terrible for 10 to 14 days, that doesn't seem like such a terrible idea."

Both Harris and Pope said there is a time when parents have to parent when to comes to the vaccine.

"More kids have died from COVID than influenza in any year," Pope said. "It's mild for most kids, but still significant. ... You just never know if that's going to be your kid or not.

"Teenagers should be part of the conversation because we're teaching them to be adults, right?" she added. "You're either going to get COVID or get the vaccine. We can't make COVID go away. But we can control it."

She noted "natural immunity" for those who have previously contracted COVID is not nearly as effective as the vaccine. When the body attacks a natural virus, it creates a wide variety of proteins to ward off a wide variety of potential causes. With the vaccine, those proteins are aimed directly at COVID.

"If you get the vaccine after you had had COVID, you boost that spike protein that has the most benefit," Pope said, adding "coronavirus has always been here. We just didn't have one that made people this sick."

Harris reiterated that the vaccines are safe and effective. 

"At some point, it's just time to be the parent and help them make good decisions and have an environment of wellness," she said.

With the Ellis County case rate curve ominously similar to the fall and winter of 2020, Harris said the trend could continue. 

"December matches the wave from last year," she said. "This is the time of the year when the peak of COVID occurs — 10 to 14 days after the holidays. People are back indoors, gathering in groups, mixing and matching their social circles, traveling."

Interim Ellis County Health Department Director Kim Reel offered the following statement.

"CDC recommends getting the COVID vaccine," she said. "We encourage everyone to reach out to their primary care physician to discuss further."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639254519987.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Doctors 'running out of gas' in fight against misinformation</h2>Editor's note:&nbsp;Hays Post contacted several Ellis County students to learn what they have heard about the COVID-19 vaccine amongst peers and on social media. The quotes below are the responses, without attribution.&nbsp;Hays PostDespite last month's decision to <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html">authorize COVID-19 vaccinations for everyone age 5 and older</a>, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment reported last week the overall vaccination rate in Ellis County for those age 12 and older remains just over 50 percent — well below the statewide average of 65 percent.<a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(21)00424-7/fulltext">A September study from England published by Lancet</a> showed about half of teens age 12 and older were either hesitant or would opt out of the vaccine altogether.Dr. Heather Harris, chief medical officer at HaysMed, and Dr. Michelle Pope, pediatrician at <a href="https://www.haysmed.com/pediatrics/">Hays Pediatric Center</a>, said teen hesitancy is a conversation they have on a regular basis with patients and parents."Often, whatever the parents have decided for themselves, obviously there will be a similar decision for the kids," Pope said. She said the most common concern is that the vaccine was "so rushed.""It's not really true. Parts of the process have been in place for over a decade," Pope said, noting development of the MRNA science used for the COVID vaccine began when SARS and MERS threatened to become a significant health issue. "The technology is definitely not new. It just feels new ... because SARS and MERS never became a pandemic."Harris said she believes part of the hesitancy stems from a more base instinct."At the end of the day, kids don't like shots," she said. "But that just has to be 'time to be a parent.' You know they're going to be fine. There's just more fear than there is harm."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639254081806.png" alt="Dr. Heather Harris" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Heather Harris</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Fighting misinformation</h2>Both Harris and Pope offered the reassurance that the vaccine has been proven overwhelmingly safe – despite misinformation many children are faced with on social media."Kids get multiple vaccines over their life, and for the majority, there's very little concern about it," Harris said. "The scientific community has provided us with safe and effective vaccines, and there's no concern that this is any different."(The COVID vaccine's safety) has been politicized, but we all know it's just not true. Over a billion people have been vaccinated with very little to no harm."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639332626178.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22378331">RELATED: Click here for information on testing and vaccinations from the Ellis County Health Department.</a>A recurring bit of misinformation both Harris and Pope have heard is in regard to fertility in teen girls, although Pope noted there are studies actually showing heightened risk for unvaccinated men diagnosed with natural COVID to develop sterility. With the vaccine, however, Pope added that has not been shown to be a risk."They're spreading rumors amongst each other, and they don't have the right information to understand the misinformation," Harris said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639332537755.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Pope said the data shows children and adults have the same occurrence of mild reaction to the vaccine as adults — about 50 percent. She noted the vast majority of those reactions — site tenderness, fatigue and aches — happen within 12 to 24 hours of the shot, are short-lived and treatable with over-the-counter pain reliever.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639266087636.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>She noted that children who contract natural COVID, however, have an increased risk of long-term effects, including "pins and needles" nerve inflammation, joint aches, extreme fatigue and headaches.Pope acknowledged there have been cases of myocarditis — inflamation of the heart muscle — in teens following the vaccine, but noted natural COVID causes the same condition and can create permanent, long-term damage to the heart.Vaccine-related myocarditis is "very, very rare," she said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639251587003.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Clinical trials have shown no occurrence of myocarditis in children age 5 to 11, according to <a href="https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/public-health/covid-19-vaccine-kids-how-we-know-it-s-safe">reports from the American Medical Association published in mid-November. </a><h2>Beds and bodies</h2>Harris again noted that the delta variant of COVID is affecting the younger population more seriously than the original strain, with the average COVID inpatient age now about 60 years old. Hospital stays have become longer and the outcomes have become more treacherous for otherwise healthy people."A great majority of those being hospitalized are unvaccinated. They're quite sick, have long hospitalizations, a long recovery and we're starting to see more deaths occur .. in relatively young people," she said. "The 50- to 60-year-old group has been pretty stubborn about getting the vaccine, and they're the ones being hospitalized."While the majority of inpatients at HaysMed had been from outside the county in recent weeks, as of Tuesday, about half of the 20-plus COVID inpatients were Ellis County residents. There have been some breakthrough cases of COVID in vaccinated patients, but Harris said most of those individuals were already immunocompromised or elderly.Hospitalization of COVID patients —&nbsp;the vast majority unvaccinated — continues to take its toll on the staff at HaysMed, which, like most health care institutions across the state and nation, is fighting staffing issues. HaysMed also has been intermittently closed to out-of-county transfers over recent months with the influx of COVID inpatients."We're in need of nurses, all levels of hospital functions," Harris said. "We're short-staffed in multiple departments. ... If we were only left with those vaccinated, we would just have a handful of COVID patients."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639254169095.png" alt="Dr. Michelle Pope" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Michelle Pope</figcaption>
 </figure>Pope said that while staffing levels at the pediatric center are not a concern, the number of COVID patients occupying beds is an issue when a child must be admitted for any condition. With a more vigorous flu season expected and the annual uptick of RSV expected over the next three months, this means the potential for more pediatric transfers out of HaysMed. She said it's common in a normal year for pediatric patients to be admitted for influenza or RSV. "We rely upon the same nurses, who are in short supply," she said. "The COVID patients are taking up resources for RSV patients," noting children have been transferred to Kansas Mercy Hospital or Wichita due to space and staff concerns.<h2>'An interesting conversation'</h2>Pope said she encounters three main mindsets after asking her patients' parents if they have been vaccinated."It's an interesting conversation," she said. "The response is 'yes' or a quiet 'no' or a very robust 'no.' "When I ask 'Then what are your concerns?' ... 25 to 50 percent of them don't want to talk about it. There's no conversation to be had. I restate the science, tell them I have no concerns and tell them I've put my money where my mouth is ..."Of the "hard no" parents, she added, "I don't think I've had much success. The 'soft nos,' I've convinced some of the parents to get the vaccine, which is probably the first step to getting the kids vaccinated."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639334167087.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Harris said the vaccine discussion is a frustration for herself and the hospital staff."It's frustrating and sad to know so many people don't have to get so sick," she said. "I see it on a regular occurence with unvaccinated patients I've counseled. ... They don't get vaccinated, and they pass away or have weeks and months of getting better."We keep trying to encourage people every day the best we can, but we kind of start running out of gas."Pope said the staff of the pediatric center is "really exhausted" after nearly two years of battling COVID. She noted that many times the pediatric staff is the parents' first real conversation with a health professional, as parents with children often spend more time in a doctor's office with their kids than with their primary care physician. Pope added that the pediatric staff has been providing vaccinations before the clinic opens, meaning staffers have been working early since May or June. <h2>The risk</h2>The risk, Harris said, isn't the vaccine or necessarily that teens will become extremely ill —&nbsp;although she said there has been a steady increase in youth hospitalizations since the delta variant arrived in Kansas.A larger concern is that teens and college students are "highly effective at spreading illness.""There are multiple examples where we've seen teenagers, inadvertently, who have been sick with COVID and then have spread it to elderly grandparents —&nbsp;and the grandparents have passed away," she said. "You have to protect the people around you."Teens are also developing socially and educationally, and COVID can be a major life disruption."(The vaccine) is protecting them from missing school, missing activities," she said. "And if you can keep your kiddo from not feeling terrible for 10 to 14 days, that doesn't seem like such a terrible idea."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639333645643.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><h2>The decision</h2>Both Harris and Pope said there is a time when parents have to parent when to comes to the vaccine."More kids have died from COVID than influenza in any year," Pope said. "It's mild for most kids, but still significant. ... You just never know if that's going to be your kid or not."Teenagers should be part of the conversation because we're teaching them to be adults, right?" she added. "You're either going to get COVID or get the vaccine. We can't make COVID go away. But we can control it."She noted "natural immunity" for those who have previously contracted COVID is not nearly as effective as the vaccine. When the body attacks a natural virus, it creates a wide variety of proteins to ward off a wide variety of potential causes. With the vaccine, those proteins are aimed directly at COVID."If you get the vaccine after you had had COVID, you boost that spike protein that has the most benefit," Pope said, adding "coronavirus has always been here. We just didn't have one that made people this sick."Harris reiterated that the vaccines are safe and effective. "At some point, it's just time to be the parent and help them make good decisions and have an environment of wellness," she said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639265178870.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>With the Ellis County case rate curve ominously similar to the fall and winter of 2020, Harris said the trend could continue. "December matches the wave from last year," she said. "This is the time of the year when the peak of COVID occurs — 10 to 14 days after the holidays. People are back indoors, gathering in groups, mixing and matching their social circles, traveling."Interim Ellis County Health Department Director Kim Reel offered the following statement."CDC recommends getting the COVID vaccine," she said. "We encourage everyone to reach out to their primary care physician to discuss further."

Kan. docs: Battling teen, parental hesitancy to vaccine a challenge

FORD COUNTY—Two people died in an accident just before 5a.m. Monday in Ford County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2022 Peterbilt semi driven by Tamechical Lasha Morrison, 38, Mineral Wells, Texas, was northbound on Ford County Road 117 approaching the intersection of US Highway 50.

The driver failed to yield to right-of-way traffic, entered the intersection and collided with the passenger side of an eastbound 2020 Freightliner semi driven by Michael Alan Hansen, 39,&nbsp; Mohave Valley, Arizona.

After the impact both vehicles traveled off the road into the ditch at the northeast corner of the intersection and caught fire, according to the Ford County Sheriff's office.

Hansen and a passenger in the Peterbilt identified as Julius Reed Cooper, 38, Mineral Wells, Texas, were pronounced dead at the scene and transported Ziegler Funeral Home. EMS transported Morrison to Wesley Medial Center.

The collision&nbsp; involved two semi trucks at U.S. 50 and U.S. 283 east of Dodge City, according to the Ford County Sheriff's office.

&nbsp;Both vehicles caught fire. The Kansas Highway Patrol has not released the victims' names.

Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

FORD COUNTY—Two people died in an accident just before 5a.m. Monday in Ford County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2022 Peterbilt semi driven by Tamechical Lasha Morrison, 38, Mineral Wells, Texas, was northbound on Ford County Road 117 approaching the intersection of US Highway 50.The driver failed to yield to right-of-way traffic, entered the intersection and collided with the passenger side of an eastbound 2020 Freightliner semi driven by Michael Alan Hansen, 39,&nbsp; Mohave Valley, Arizona.After the impact both vehicles traveled off the road into the ditch at the northeast corner of the intersection and caught fire, according to the Ford County Sheriff's office.Hansen and a passenger in the Peterbilt identified as Julius Reed Cooper, 38, Mineral Wells, Texas, were pronounced dead at the scene and transported Ziegler Funeral Home. EMS transported Morrison to Wesley Medial Center.---------FORD COUNTY—Two people died in an accident just before 5a.m. Monday in Ford County.The collision&nbsp; involved two semi trucks at U.S. 50 and U.S. 283 east of Dodge City, according to the Ford County Sheriff's office.&nbsp;Both vehicles caught fire. The Kansas Highway Patrol has not released the victims' names.Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

KHP IDs 2 who died after SW Kansas semi crash, fire

The NFL is requiring players, coaches and other team personnel to receive a COVID-19 booster by Dec. 27.

In a memo sent to teams on Monday and obtained by The Associated Press, the league said: “Given the increased prevalence of the virus in our communities, our experts have recommended that we implement the CDC’s recommendation.”

The league’s requirement extends to all Tier 1 and Tier 2 individuals who have previously received the vaccine. The CDC recommends an individual who received a second Pfizer or Moderna shot to complete the primary vaccine series more than six months earlier should receive a booster shot. An individual that received the Johnson and Johnson shot more than two months earlier should receive a booster shot.

The following do not have to meet the requirement:

—An individual who is not eligible for a booster pursuant to the CDC definition.

—An individual who is in the 90-day test holiday after a confirmed positive COVID-19 test

—An individual who received monoclonal antibodies within the immediately preceding 90

—An individual whose “S” antibody level on an antibody test administered via BRL (BioReference Lab) at the club facility is 2500 or greater.

The league says any individual who is not currently subject to the requirement for boosters will be required to obtain the booster within 14 days of becoming eligible.

Teams were asked to provide booster shots to all eligible tiered staff as soon as possible, and to consider making booster shots available for player and staff families and cohabitants.

A season-high total of 36 players were placed on the COVID-19/reserve list Monday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593142110654.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By ROB MAADDI, AP Pro Football WriterThe NFL is requiring players, coaches and other team personnel to receive a COVID-19 booster by Dec. 27.In a memo sent to teams on Monday and obtained by The Associated Press, the league said: “Given the increased prevalence of the virus in our communities, our experts have recommended that we implement the CDC’s recommendation.”The league’s requirement extends to all Tier 1 and Tier 2 individuals who have previously received the vaccine. The CDC recommends an individual who received a second Pfizer or Moderna shot to complete the primary vaccine series more than six months earlier should receive a booster shot. An individual that received the Johnson and Johnson shot more than two months earlier should receive a booster shot.The following do not have to meet the requirement:—An individual who is not eligible for a booster pursuant to the CDC definition.—An individual who is in the 90-day test holiday after a confirmed positive COVID-19 testunder the league protocols.—An individual who received monoclonal antibodies within the immediately preceding 90days.—An individual whose “S” antibody level on an antibody test administered via BRL (BioReference Lab) at the club facility is 2500 or greater.The league says any individual who is not currently subject to the requirement for boosters will be required to obtain the booster within 14 days of becoming eligible.Teams were asked to provide booster shots to all eligible tiered staff as soon as possible, and to consider making booster shots available for player and staff families and cohabitants.A season-high total of 36 players were placed on the COVID-19/reserve list Monday.___

NFL sets deadline for COVID-19 booster shots 

ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a weekend theft and have made an arrest.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639404900212.png" alt="Coots-photo Atchison County" />
 <figcaption>Coots-photo Atchison County</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a weekend theft and have made an arrest.On Sunday, officers arrested 52-year-old Dennis R. Coots, Atchison, for theft and criminal trespass at Holiday Inn Express, 401 Main in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.He was also jailed for criminal trespass in the 200 block North 9th in Atchison, according to Wilson.&nbsp; Coots remains in custody.