SALINE COUNTY —&nbsp; Over a dozen earthquakes including a 4.3 magnitude quake shook central Kansas Wednesday.

The big jolt was reported at 7:45a.m., according to the U.S. Geological Survey and&nbsp; was centered approximately 3 miles southwest of Gypsum and felt across a wide area.

The the other quakes throughout the day measured under 3 magnitude, according to the Kansas Geological Survey. However, the agency did report a 3.4 magnitude quake southwest of Gypsum just before 2:30p.m.&nbsp;

There are no reports of damage or injury.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638972145787.png" alt="Star marks location of Wednesday's 4.3 magnitude quake -USGS image" />
 <figcaption>Star marks location of Wednesday's 4.3 magnitude quake -USGS image</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —&nbsp; Over a dozen earthquakes including a 4.3 magnitude quake shook central Kansas Wednesday.The big jolt was reported at 7:45a.m., according to the U.S. Geological Survey and&nbsp; was centered approximately 3 miles southwest of Gypsum and felt across a wide area.The the other quakes throughout the day measured under 3 magnitude, according to the Kansas Geological Survey. However, the agency did report a 3.4 magnitude quake southwest of Gypsum just before 2:30p.m.&nbsp;There are no reports of damage or injury.

Over a dozen earthquakes reported in Saline County Wednesday

SEDGWICK COUNTY— A Kansas man has been sentenced for a&nbsp;deadly drug deal shooting.

On Monday, Judge Eric Williams sentenced 18-year-old Nathaniel Brandy to 16-years and 5 months in the Kansas Department of Corrections and an additional year in the county jail, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office for second degree murder, robbery and criminal use of a weapon.

&nbsp;In December of 2020, police arrested then 17-year-old Brandy in connection with the shooting happened in the 9300 block of East Funston in Wichita, according to officer Trevor Macy.

Officers found the victim identified as 20-year-old Cooper Kelley with a gunshot wound. EMS transported him to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Investigation determined the shooting was over an illegal drug deal arranged over social media. They say there were several witnesses who were very helpful in the case.

<figure>
 <img src="https://www.ksn.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2021/12/Brandy-Nathaniel-Sedgwick-County-Sheriff.jpg" alt="Brandy-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Brandy-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY— A Kansas man has been sentenced for a&nbsp;deadly drug deal shooting.On Monday, Judge Eric Williams sentenced 18-year-old Nathaniel Brandy to 16-years and 5 months in the Kansas Department of Corrections and an additional year in the county jail, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office for second degree murder, robbery and criminal use of a weapon.&nbsp;In December of 2020, police arrested then 17-year-old Brandy in connection with the shooting happened in the 9300 block of East Funston in Wichita, according to officer Trevor Macy.Officers found the victim identified as 20-year-old Cooper Kelley with a gunshot wound. EMS transported him to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.Investigation determined the shooting was over an illegal drug deal arranged over social media. They say there were several witnesses who were very helpful in the case.

Kan. teen sentenced for killing during social media planned drug deal

GALENA, Mo. (AP) — Three men charged after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boat-accidents-us-news-ap-top-news-storms-north-america-60b99441d63a48428b5dd79bbc37c75a">a tourist boat sank in Missouri during a 2018 storm</a>, killing 17 people, were in court Wednesday for a preliminary hearing to determine if the criminal case against them will proceed.

Kenneth Scott McKee, 54, the captain of the vessel known as a duck boat; Curtis P. Lanham, 39, the general manager at Ride the Ducks in Branson; and Charles V. Baltzell, 79, the operations supervisor who was a manager on duty&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/music-boat-accidents-us-news-ap-top-news-in-state-wire-e9ea37df0760459ba5ace5fff07e8779">the night the boat sank,</a>&nbsp;are each charged with 17 counts of first-degree involuntary manslaughter.

McKee also faces 12 charges counts of first-degree endangering the welfare of a child because 12 children were on the amphibious boat when it capsized on Table Rock Lake near Branson on July 19, 2018. Riders from Missouri, Indiana, Illinois and Arkansas were killed. Fourteen people survived.

Associate Circuit County Judge Alan Mark Blankenship will hear testimony in Stone County Court and determine if the cases will be bound over for trial.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-duck-boat-accident-charges-9be4b42462ab8c878cd35cc7f3bbf809">When charges were filed in July</a>, an affidavit from a Missouri Highway Patrol sergeant accused McKee of taking the duck boat onto the lake despite concern about an approaching storm. Lanham and Baltzell are accused of failing to communicate weather conditions and to stop operations after a severe thunderstorm warning was issued.

The three men each pleaded not guilty in September.

On Tuesday, McKee, of Verona, filed a motion to dismiss his charges, citing a lack of probable cause. He also accused Lanham, of Galena, and Baltzell, of Kirbyville, of not communicating the danger of the oncoming storm and halting the tour, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/state/missouri/article256400501.html">reported</a>.

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt and the Stone County prosecutor filed the state charges after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-a424e3b6697a538067ae9daa5e09eac3">a judge dismissed federal charges</a>, ruling that the federal government did not have jurisdiction because Table Rock Lake is not considered a navigable waterway, which means it doesn’t support commerce.

The tour boats — a popular attraction on Table Rock Lake and Lake Taneycomo — have not been operating in Branson since the sinking.

Ride the Ducks and Ripley Entertainment, a Canadian company that owned the Ride the Ducks attraction in Branson at the time, have settled numerous lawsuits filed by survivors and relatives of those who died.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/7/1563393605763.png" alt="First responders at the scene of the tragedy in 2018- photo courtesy KYTV" />
 <figcaption>First responders at the scene of the tragedy in 2018- photo courtesy KYTV</figcaption>
 </figure>GALENA, Mo. (AP) — Three men charged after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boat-accidents-us-news-ap-top-news-storms-north-america-60b99441d63a48428b5dd79bbc37c75a">a tourist boat sank in Missouri during a 2018 storm</a>, killing 17 people, were in court Wednesday for a preliminary hearing to determine if the criminal case against them will proceed.Kenneth Scott McKee, 54, the captain of the vessel known as a duck boat; Curtis P. Lanham, 39, the general manager at Ride the Ducks in Branson; and Charles V. Baltzell, 79, the operations supervisor who was a manager on duty&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/music-boat-accidents-us-news-ap-top-news-in-state-wire-e9ea37df0760459ba5ace5fff07e8779">the night the boat sank,</a>&nbsp;are each charged with 17 counts of first-degree involuntary manslaughter.McKee also faces 12 charges counts of first-degree endangering the welfare of a child because 12 children were on the amphibious boat when it capsized on Table Rock Lake near Branson on July 19, 2018. Riders from Missouri, Indiana, Illinois and Arkansas were killed. Fourteen people survived.Associate Circuit County Judge Alan Mark Blankenship will hear testimony in Stone County Court and determine if the cases will be bound over for trial.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-duck-boat-accident-charges-9be4b42462ab8c878cd35cc7f3bbf809">When charges were filed in July</a>, an affidavit from a Missouri Highway Patrol sergeant accused McKee of taking the duck boat onto the lake despite concern about an approaching storm. Lanham and Baltzell are accused of failing to communicate weather conditions and to stop operations after a severe thunderstorm warning was issued.The three men each pleaded not guilty in September.On Tuesday, McKee, of Verona, filed a motion to dismiss his charges, citing a lack of probable cause. He also accused Lanham, of Galena, and Baltzell, of Kirbyville, of not communicating the danger of the oncoming storm and halting the tour, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/state/missouri/article256400501.html">reported</a>.Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt and the Stone County prosecutor filed the state charges after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-a424e3b6697a538067ae9daa5e09eac3">a judge dismissed federal charges</a>, ruling that the federal government did not have jurisdiction because Table Rock Lake is not considered a navigable waterway, which means it doesn’t support commerce.The tour boats — a popular attraction on Table Rock Lake and Lake Taneycomo — have not been operating in Branson since the sinking.Ride the Ducks and Ripley Entertainment, a Canadian company that owned the Ride the Ducks attraction in Branson at the time, have settled numerous lawsuits filed by survivors and relatives of those who died.

Preliminary hearing for 3 charged in Branson Duck boat tragedy

BLUE RAPIDS, Kan. (AP) — A civil rights group says a Kansas town has dropped all charges against a man prosecuted for flying a flag outside his home with a profanity against President Joe Biden. 

The American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas said Wednesday it got involved after the city of Blue Rapids charged David Sain in August with promoting obscenity. 

The ACLU says in a news release that Sain has a constitutionally protected right to free speech. Blue Rapids officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Sain says he is grateful that he can express himself without fear of prosecution.

BLUE RAPIDS, Kan. (AP) — A civil rights group says a Kansas town has dropped all charges against a man prosecuted for flying a flag outside his home with a profanity against President Joe Biden. The American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas said Wednesday it got involved after the city of Blue Rapids charged David Sain in August with promoting obscenity. The ACLU says in a news release that Sain has a constitutionally protected right to free speech. Blue Rapids officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Sain says he is grateful that he can express himself without fear of prosecution.

Charges dropped against Kan. man flying flag with profanity against Biden

Pfizer said Wednesday that a booster dose of its COVID-19 vaccine may offer important protection against the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/how-can-i-protect-myself-from-omicron-variant-c4e5662a36708a594c454b171ab93bd0">new omicron variant</a>&nbsp;even though the initial two doses appear significantly less effective.

Pfizer and its partner BioNTech said that while two doses may not be protective enough to prevent infection, lab tests showed a booster increased by 25-fold people’s levels of virus-fighting antibodies against the omicron variant.

Blood samples taken a month after a booster showed people harbored levels of omicron-neutralizing antibodies that were similar to amounts proven protective against earlier variants after two doses.

Scientists don’t yet know how big a threat the omicron variant really is. Currently&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-health-southern-africa-pandemics-2a445501cff8d0354fabcf493418365e">the extra-contagious delta variant&nbsp;</a>is responsible for most of the COVID-19 cases in the U.S. and other countries.

But the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-health-pandemics-ec296f982f7342c29fa89f96e09db93a">omicron variant</a>, discovered late last month, carries an unusually large number of mutations and scientists are racing to learn how easily it spreads, whether it causes illness that is more serious or milder than other coronavirus types — and how much it might evade the protection of prior vaccinations.

Pfizer’s findings, announced in a press release, are preliminary and haven’t yet undergone scientific review. But they’re the first from a vaccine maker examining whether the booster doses that health authorities are urging people to get may indeed make an important difference.

Scientists have speculated that the high jump in antibodies that comes with a third dose of COVID-19 vaccines might be enough to counter any decrease in effectiveness.

Pfizer and BioNTech already are working to create an omicron-specific vaccine in case it’s needed.

Antibody levels predict how well a vaccine may prevent infection with the coronavirus but they are just one layer of the immune system’s defenses. Pfizer said two doses of the vaccine should still protect against severe disease, because the mutations in omicron don’t appear to hamper one of those other defenses, T cells that fight the virus after infection sets in.

“Although two doses of the vaccine may still offer protection against severe disease caused by the Omicron strain, it’s clear from these preliminary data that protection is maximized with a third dose of our vaccine,” Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said in a statement.

Pfizer’s announcement had an immediate impact on U.S. markets. Futures that had pointed to a lower open reversed course in seconds and swung solidly to the positive with the Dow jumping almost 200 points.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608677701818.png" alt="A worker at Truman Medical Center in Kansas City prepares doses of Pfizer-BioNTech's vaccine against the virus that causes COVID-19 -photo Truman Medical Center" />
 <figcaption>A worker at Truman Medical Center in Kansas City prepares doses of Pfizer-BioNTech's vaccine against the virus that causes COVID-19 -photo Truman Medical Center</figcaption>
 </figure>By LAURAN NEERGAARD, Associated PressPfizer said Wednesday that a booster dose of its COVID-19 vaccine may offer important protection against the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/how-can-i-protect-myself-from-omicron-variant-c4e5662a36708a594c454b171ab93bd0">new omicron variant</a>&nbsp;even though the initial two doses appear significantly less effective.Pfizer and its partner BioNTech said that while two doses may not be protective enough to prevent infection, lab tests showed a booster increased by 25-fold people’s levels of virus-fighting antibodies against the omicron variant.Blood samples taken a month after a booster showed people harbored levels of omicron-neutralizing antibodies that were similar to amounts proven protective against earlier variants after two doses.Scientists don’t yet know how big a threat the omicron variant really is. Currently&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-health-southern-africa-pandemics-2a445501cff8d0354fabcf493418365e">the extra-contagious delta variant&nbsp;</a>is responsible for most of the COVID-19 cases in the U.S. and other countries.But the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-health-pandemics-ec296f982f7342c29fa89f96e09db93a">omicron variant</a>, discovered late last month, carries an unusually large number of mutations and scientists are racing to learn how easily it spreads, whether it causes illness that is more serious or milder than other coronavirus types — and how much it might evade the protection of prior vaccinations.Pfizer’s findings, announced in a press release, are preliminary and haven’t yet undergone scientific review. But they’re the first from a vaccine maker examining whether the booster doses that health authorities are urging people to get may indeed make an important difference.Scientists have speculated that the high jump in antibodies that comes with a third dose of COVID-19 vaccines might be enough to counter any decrease in effectiveness.Pfizer and BioNTech already are working to create an omicron-specific vaccine in case it’s needed.Antibody levels predict how well a vaccine may prevent infection with the coronavirus but they are just one layer of the immune system’s defenses. Pfizer said two doses of the vaccine should still protect against severe disease, because the mutations in omicron don’t appear to hamper one of those other defenses, T cells that fight the virus after infection sets in.“Although two doses of the vaccine may still offer protection against severe disease caused by the Omicron strain, it’s clear from these preliminary data that protection is maximized with a third dose of our vaccine,” Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said in a statement.Pfizer’s announcement had an immediate impact on U.S. markets. Futures that had pointed to a lower open reversed course in seconds and swung solidly to the positive with the Dow jumping almost 200 points.___

Pfizer: COVID booster may offer protection against omicron

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Move over, BIF and BBB. Now there's BBA.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?516606-1/president-biden-delivers-remarks-missouri-infrastructure-law&amp;live">Click here to watch t</a>he President's comments while in Kansas City.

President Joe Biden, trying to rebound from sagging poll numbers, is rebranding his bipartisan infrastructure package as “Building a Better America” as part of a trip Wednesday to Kansas City, Missouri, to promote the deal.

The economy has roared back during Biden's tenure, but high inflation, political polarization and the inability to fully break free of the coronavirus pandemic has hurt his popularity. The new slogan tied to the $1 trillion infrastructure package is an effort to say that the president's bipartisan deal will improve the country in ways well beyond simply repairing its aging roads and bridges.

The new slogan replaces past informal references to BIF, the bipartisan infrastructure framework. And it also hews closely to Biden’s separate “Build Back Better” agenda of tax hikes on the wealthy and an expansion of education, family and environmental programs still pending in the Senate. That broad slogan has made it challenging for people to easily grasp all that’s in the package.

The White House launched a site Wednesday that asks Americans to record videos about how the infrastructure spending will help their communities, part of a search for grassroots support as the administration seeks greater recognition for its achievements ahead of the 2022 midterm elections.

The infrastructure law will fund upgrades and repairs to roads, bridges, and mass transit and water systems nationwide, along with a shift to electrical vehicles to help ease the effects of climate change.

Biden on Wednesday headed to Missouri which has nearly 2,200 bridges and more than 7,570 miles of highway deemed in poor condition. Under the law, Missouri would expect to receive $7 billion for highways and bridges, a nearly 30% increase in federal funding, the White House said.

The Buck O'Neil Bridge in Kansas City is among bridges in the state in need of repair.

Construction on a replacement bridge began in the fall, before Biden signed the infrastructure bill, and is expected to be completed in the fall of 2024, at an estimated cost of close to $220 million borne by the state and the city.

The 65-year-old bridge is a key route connecting downtown Kansas City with northern Kansas City and growing suburbs across the Missouri River, and carries about 50,000 vehicles a day, according to the state Department of Transportation. It opened in 1956 and had required frequent upgrades and repairs in recent years.

The bridge is named for Buck O'Neil, a two-time All-Star first baseman in baseball's Negro Leagues and the first Black coach in the National or American leagues. O'Neil was inducted into baseball's Hall of Fame on Sunday.

Biden kicked off the infrastructure tour last week at a technical college in Rosemount, Minnesota.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638998187745.png" alt="President Biden, with Kansas congresswoman Sharice Davids and Missouri congressman Emanuel Cleaver, greets Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas during his arrival at KCI on Wednesday-White House Photo" />
 <figcaption>President Biden, with Kansas congresswoman Sharice Davids and Missouri congressman Emanuel Cleaver, greets Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas during his arrival at KCI on Wednesday-White House Photo</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Move over, BIF and BBB. Now there's BBA.<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?516606-1/president-biden-delivers-remarks-missouri-infrastructure-law&amp;live">Click here to watch t</a>he President's comments while in Kansas City.President Joe Biden, trying to rebound from sagging poll numbers, is rebranding his bipartisan infrastructure package as “Building a Better America” as part of a trip Wednesday to Kansas City, Missouri, to promote the deal.The economy has roared back during Biden's tenure, but high inflation, political polarization and the inability to fully break free of the coronavirus pandemic has hurt his popularity. The new slogan tied to the $1 trillion infrastructure package is an effort to say that the president's bipartisan deal will improve the country in ways well beyond simply repairing its aging roads and bridges.The new slogan replaces past informal references to BIF, the bipartisan infrastructure framework. And it also hews closely to Biden’s separate “Build Back Better” agenda of tax hikes on the wealthy and an expansion of education, family and environmental programs still pending in the Senate. That broad slogan has made it challenging for people to easily grasp all that’s in the package.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638998657515.png" alt="President Biden during his visit to Ride KC- The public transit organization in the city." />
 <figcaption>President Biden during his visit to Ride KC- The public transit organization in the city.</figcaption>
 </figure>The White House launched a site Wednesday that asks Americans to record videos about how the infrastructure spending will help their communities, part of a search for grassroots support as the administration seeks greater recognition for its achievements ahead of the 2022 midterm elections.The infrastructure law will fund upgrades and repairs to roads, bridges, and mass transit and water systems nationwide, along with a shift to electrical vehicles to help ease the effects of climate change.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">This Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal will improve transit, rebuild roads, bridges and rails, expand access to clean drinking water, ensure every American has access to high-speed internet, tackle the climate crisis, and invest in communities that have too often been left behind. <a href="https://t.co/InXiYpzwqH">pic.twitter.com/InXiYpzwqH</a>&mdash; RideKC (@RideKCTransit) <a href="https://twitter.com/RideKCTransit/status/1468688853531779077?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Biden on Wednesday headed to Missouri which has nearly 2,200 bridges and more than 7,570 miles of highway deemed in poor condition. Under the law, Missouri would expect to receive $7 billion for highways and bridges, a nearly 30% increase in federal funding, the White House said.The Buck O'Neil Bridge in Kansas City is among bridges in the state in need of repair.Construction on a replacement bridge began in the fall, before Biden signed the infrastructure bill, and is expected to be completed in the fall of 2024, at an estimated cost of close to $220 million borne by the state and the city.The 65-year-old bridge is a key route connecting downtown Kansas City with northern Kansas City and growing suburbs across the Missouri River, and carries about 50,000 vehicles a day, according to the state Department of Transportation. It opened in 1956 and had required frequent upgrades and repairs in recent years.The bridge is named for Buck O'Neil, a two-time All-Star first baseman in baseball's Negro Leagues and the first Black coach in the National or American leagues. O'Neil was inducted into baseball's Hall of Fame on Sunday.Biden kicked off the infrastructure tour last week at a technical college in Rosemount, Minnesota.

🎥 Biden in Kansas City reveals new brand for infrastructure deal 

MOSCOW (AP) — President Joe Biden said Wednesday that he warned Russian President Vladimir Putin that Moscow will face a severe economic pain if it tries to attack Ukraine, but promised prospective talks to address Russia's concerns about NATO's expansion.

Biden said he was “very straightforward” with Putin during their call Tuesday, warning the Russian leader that he will pay a heavy price if he invades Ukraine.

“There were no minced words," Biden said at the White House before departing for Kanzas City. "It was polite, but I made it very clear. If in fact he invades Ukraine, there will be severe consequences, severe consequences. Economic consequences like you’ve never seen. I am absolutely confident he got the message.”

Asked by reporters if he’d ruled out U.S. troops on the ground to stop Russia, Biden said “that’s not on the table," saying that a U.S. obligation to protect NATO allies if they come under attack doesn't extend to Ukraine, which is not in the Atlantic military alliance.

"The idea that the United States is going to unilaterally use force to confront Russia for invading Ukraine is not in the cards right now,” Biden said.

At the same time, he said that the U.S., its allies and Russia could sit down for talks to discuss Moscow's grievances about NATO's expansion.

“We hope by Friday we’re gonna be able to say, announce to you we’re having meetings at a higher level, not just with us, but with at least four of our major NATO allies, and Russia to discuss the future of Russia’s concern relative to NATO writ large and whether or not we could work out any accommodations as it relates to bringing down the temperature along the eastern front (in Ukraine)," Biden said.

Putin, for his part, promised that Moscow will submit its proposals for a security dialogue with the U.S. in a few days. He reaffirmed his denial of planning to attack Ukraine, but said that Moscow can’t remain indifferent to NATO’s possible expansion to its neighbor.

Putin, who entered Tuesday's call with Biden looking for Western guarantees precluding NATO’s expansion to Ukraine, countered Western arguments that Russia has no say in the alliance expansion by arguing that security in Europe can only be mutual.

“Every country certainly has the right to choose the most acceptable way of ensuring its security, but it must be done in a way that doesn't infringe on the interests and undermine security of other countries, in this case Russia," Putin said. “Security must be global and equally cover everyone.”

“We can’t fail to be concerned about the prospect of Ukraine’s accession to NATO, because that will undoubtedly lead to the deployment of military contingents, bases and weapons that would threaten us,” he told reporters after talks in Sochi with visiting Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

He described the two-hour conversation with Biden as “very open, specific and, I would say constructive,” adding that he and Biden have agreed to ask experts to conduct talks on security in Europe.

“Russia will prepare its arguments literally in a few days, within a week, and we will submit it to the American side for consideration,” he said.

“We proceed from the assumption that this time are concerns will be heard,” he said, noting that the West ignored Moscow's complaints in the past about NATO's expansion eastward to incorporate former Soviet allies in Central and Eastern Europe and former Soviet republics in the Baltics.

Asked Wednesday if Russia was going to attack Ukraine, Putin called the question provocative, saying that “Russia is conducting a peaceful foreign policy, but it has the right to ensure its security in the mid- and long-term perspective.”

The leader-to-leader conversation — Biden speaking from the White House Situation Room, Putin from his residence in Sochi — was one of the most important of Biden’s presidency and came at a perilous time.

U.S. intelligence officials have determined that Russia has moved 70,000 troops near the Ukraine border and has made preparations for a possible invasion early next year. Moscow has denied any plans to attack Ukraine, rejecting Western concerns as part of a campaign to smear Russia.

White House officials made clear that Biden is not interested in putting U.S. troops in harm’s way defending Ukraine. But U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan noted that Biden said the U.S. would also “provide additional defensive material to the Ukrainians … and we would fortify our NATO allies on the eastern flank with additional capabilities in response to such an escalation.”

Sullivan said the U.S. believes that Putin hasn’t yet made a final decision to invade. Biden was vice president in 2014 when Russia annexed Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula and backed an insurgency in eastern Ukraine, which has killed more than 14,000 people and is still an active conflict.

Putin's foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov told reporters that Putin countered Biden’s expressions of concern about the Russian troop buildup near Ukraine by snapping: “You Americans are worried about Russian battalions on Russian territory thousands of miles away from the United States, while we are really worried about our security.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Wednesday that “it was positive that the U.S. president spoke to the Russian president,” adding that he would comment in detail on Thursday, after his own phone call with Biden.

With no immediate breakthrough&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-russia-ukraine-vladimir-putin-moscow-1170930d07c3b41d227dbf44b062aa26">on the Ukraine question</a>, the U.S. emphasized a need for diplomacy and de-escalation, while issuing stern threats to Russia about the high costs of a military incursion.

A top U.S. envoy, Victoria Nuland, said a Russian invasion of Ukraine would also jeopardize a controversial pipeline between Russia and Germany known as Nord Stream 2. She told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday that if Russia invaded, “our expectation is that the pipeline will be suspended.”

On another matter, Putin proposed to lift all mutual restrictions on diplomatic missions and help normalize other aspects of bilateral relations, according to the Kremlin. Sullivan said the leaders would direct their staff to continue negotiations on that.

There was at least one area where the two leaders found common ground. Sullivan said Biden and Putin had a “good discussion” on efforts to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear power and called it an area where the two countries could cooperate.

MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Joe Biden agreed to appoint envoys to continue talks on security in Europe in light of escalating tensions over Russia’s massing tens of thousands of troops near its border with Ukraine, but the Kremlin said Wednesday it was unclear when the talks would happen.

Biden and Putin spoke for over two hours during a video call on Tuesday. The conversation seemed to have yielded little progress on Ukraine and the Russian troop buildup apart from the two leaders agreeing to name envoys to keep the discussion going.

“It’s impossible to tell at this point when exactly this would happen, but the presidents meant that it should happen rather promptly,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in response to a question about the next steps for Washington and Moscow after the much-anticipated call between Putin and Biden.

Biden delivered a simple message to during his call with Putin: invade Ukraine again and face painful sanctions that will do resounding harm to your economy. The Russian president had his own blunt take, telling Biden that “the Russian troops are on their own territory, and they don’t threaten anyone,” according to Putin foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Wednesday that he would comment in detail on Thursday, after his own scheduled phone call with Biden. “Overall,...it was positive that the U.S. president spoke to the Russian president,” Zelenskyy said.

With no immediate breakthrough on the Ukraine question, the U.S. emphasized a need for diplomacy and de-escalation, while issuing stern threats to Russia about the high costs of a military incursion.

Biden “told President Putin directly that if Russia further invades Ukraine, the United States and our European allies would respond with strong economic measures,” U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said. He added that Biden said the U.S. would also “provide additional defensive material to the Ukrainians … and we would fortify our NATO allies on the eastern flank with additional capabilities in response to such an escalation.”

White House officials made clear that Biden is not interested in putting U.S. troops in harm’s way defending Ukraine. But Sullivan added that potential efforts to bolster regional allies could lead to additional deployments of U.S. troops to eastern European NATO allies.

Kremlin spokesman Peskov insisted Wednesday that Nord Stream 2 wasn't even mentioned during the call between Putin and Biden.

Ushakov, Putin's foreign policy adviser, dismissed the sanctions threat, telling reporters following the presidents' video call: “Sanctions aren’t something new. They have been in place for a long time and will not have any effect.”

He described the presidents’ video conference as “candid and businesslike,” adding that they also exchanged occasional jokes.

The two leaders spoke on the 80th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, a defining moment that led to the U.S. entry in World War II. They commiserated about the cost of that conflict to their own families, Ushakov noted. Hours before the high-stakes call, Biden and first lady Jill Biden visited a war memorial in Washington to commemorate the anniversary.

In a brief snippet of the start of their meeting broadcasted by Russian state television, the two leaders offered friendly greetings to each other.

“I welcome you, Mr. President,” Putin said, with a Russian flag behind him and a video monitor showing Biden in front of him.

At the White House, Sullivan called it “a useful meeting,” allowing Biden to lay out in candid terms where America stands.

But as the U.S. and Russian presidents conferred, Ukraine grew only more anxious about the tens of thousands of Russian troops that have been deployed near its border.

Ukrainian officials said Russia had further escalated the crisis by sending tanks and snipers to war-torn eastern Ukraine to “provoke return fire” and lay a pretext for a potential invasion.

U.S. intelligence officials haven't been able to independently verify that accusation, according to an administration official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive matter.

But the official said that the White House has directly raised concerns with the Russians about “resorting to their old playbook” by trying to provoke the Ukrainians.

Putin entered the call looking for guarantees from Biden that an expansion of the NATO military alliance would never include Ukraine, a demand that was a non-starter for the U.S. and its NATO allies.

The Kremlin, in a post-call statement, said NATO had been “making dangerous attempts to expand its presence on the Ukrainian territory and has been expanding its military potential near Russian borders.”

U.S. intelligence officials have determined that Russia has moved 70,000 troops near the Ukraine border and has made preparations for a possible invasion early next year.

Sullivan said the U.S. believes that Putin hasn't yet made a final decision to invade. Biden was vice president in 2014 when Russian troops strode into the Black Sea's Crimean Peninsula and annexed it from Ukraine.

Aides say the Crimea episode — one of the darker moments for then President Barack Obama on the international stage — looms large as Biden looks at the smoldering current crisis.

Biden’s Republican opponents in Washington are framing this moment as a key test of the president’s leadership on the global stage. Biden vowed as a candidate to reassert American leadership after President Donald Trump’s emphasis on an “America First” foreign policy.

“I will look you in the eye and tell you as President Biden looked President Putin in the eye and told him today that things we did not do in 2014, we are prepared to do now,” Sullivan told reporters after the leaders’ video call.

But there was at least one area where the two leaders found common ground during Tuesday’s call.

Sullivan said Biden and Putin had a “good discussion” on efforts to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear power and called it an area where the two countries could cooperate.

In Russia, the talks were seen as acceptable overall, said Pavel Sharikov, senior research fellow at the Institute of Europe, Russian Academy of Sciences.

“The impression of the (call) is satisfactory. It was held in a pragmatic manner. There was an intense dialogue, an exchange of opinions,” Sharikov told The Associated Press.

Biden on Tuesday spoke for the second straight day with leaders of the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Italy to coordinate messaging and potential sanctions. Biden is also expected to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638976547895.png" alt="President Biden held a secure video call with Russian President Putin of Russia to discuss a range of topics in the U.S.-Russia relationship, including concerns about Russian military activities on the border with Ukraine, cyber security and other regional issues.-photo courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>President Biden held a secure video call with Russian President Putin of Russia to discuss a range of topics in the U.S.-Russia relationship, including concerns about Russian military activities on the border with Ukraine, cyber security and other regional issues.-photo courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>MOSCOW (AP) — President Joe Biden said Wednesday that he warned Russian President Vladimir Putin that Moscow will face a severe economic pain if it tries to attack Ukraine, but promised prospective talks to address Russia's concerns about NATO's expansion.Biden said he was “very straightforward” with Putin during their call Tuesday, warning the Russian leader that he will pay a heavy price if he invades Ukraine.“There were no minced words," Biden said at the White House before departing for Kanzas City. "It was polite, but I made it very clear. If in fact he invades Ukraine, there will be severe consequences, severe consequences. Economic consequences like you’ve never seen. I am absolutely confident he got the message.”Asked by reporters if he’d ruled out U.S. troops on the ground to stop Russia, Biden said “that’s not on the table," saying that a U.S. obligation to protect NATO allies if they come under attack doesn't extend to Ukraine, which is not in the Atlantic military alliance."The idea that the United States is going to unilaterally use force to confront Russia for invading Ukraine is not in the cards right now,” Biden said.At the same time, he said that the U.S., its allies and Russia could sit down for talks to discuss Moscow's grievances about NATO's expansion.“We hope by Friday we’re gonna be able to say, announce to you we’re having meetings at a higher level, not just with us, but with at least four of our major NATO allies, and Russia to discuss the future of Russia’s concern relative to NATO writ large and whether or not we could work out any accommodations as it relates to bringing down the temperature along the eastern front (in Ukraine)," Biden said.Putin, for his part, promised that Moscow will submit its proposals for a security dialogue with the U.S. in a few days. He reaffirmed his denial of planning to attack Ukraine, but said that Moscow can’t remain indifferent to NATO’s possible expansion to its neighbor.Putin, who entered Tuesday's call with Biden looking for Western guarantees precluding NATO’s expansion to Ukraine, countered Western arguments that Russia has no say in the alliance expansion by arguing that security in Europe can only be mutual.“Every country certainly has the right to choose the most acceptable way of ensuring its security, but it must be done in a way that doesn't infringe on the interests and undermine security of other countries, in this case Russia," Putin said. “Security must be global and equally cover everyone.”“We can’t fail to be concerned about the prospect of Ukraine’s accession to NATO, because that will undoubtedly lead to the deployment of military contingents, bases and weapons that would threaten us,” he told reporters after talks in Sochi with visiting Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.He described the two-hour conversation with Biden as “very open, specific and, I would say constructive,” adding that he and Biden have agreed to ask experts to conduct talks on security in Europe.“Russia will prepare its arguments literally in a few days, within a week, and we will submit it to the American side for consideration,” he said.“We proceed from the assumption that this time are concerns will be heard,” he said, noting that the West ignored Moscow's complaints in the past about NATO's expansion eastward to incorporate former Soviet allies in Central and Eastern Europe and former Soviet republics in the Baltics.Asked Wednesday if Russia was going to attack Ukraine, Putin called the question provocative, saying that “Russia is conducting a peaceful foreign policy, but it has the right to ensure its security in the mid- and long-term perspective.”The leader-to-leader conversation — Biden speaking from the White House Situation Room, Putin from his residence in Sochi — was one of the most important of Biden’s presidency and came at a perilous time.U.S. intelligence officials have determined that Russia has moved 70,000 troops near the Ukraine border and has made preparations for a possible invasion early next year. Moscow has denied any plans to attack Ukraine, rejecting Western concerns as part of a campaign to smear Russia.White House officials made clear that Biden is not interested in putting U.S. troops in harm’s way defending Ukraine. But U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan noted that Biden said the U.S. would also “provide additional defensive material to the Ukrainians … and we would fortify our NATO allies on the eastern flank with additional capabilities in response to such an escalation.”Sullivan said the U.S. believes that Putin hasn’t yet made a final decision to invade. Biden was vice president in 2014 when Russia annexed Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula and backed an insurgency in eastern Ukraine, which has killed more than 14,000 people and is still an active conflict.Putin's foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov told reporters that Putin countered Biden’s expressions of concern about the Russian troop buildup near Ukraine by snapping: “You Americans are worried about Russian battalions on Russian territory thousands of miles away from the United States, while we are really worried about our security.”Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Wednesday that “it was positive that the U.S. president spoke to the Russian president,” adding that he would comment in detail on Thursday, after his own phone call with Biden.With no immediate breakthrough&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-russia-ukraine-vladimir-putin-moscow-1170930d07c3b41d227dbf44b062aa26">on the Ukraine question</a>, the U.S. emphasized a need for diplomacy and de-escalation, while issuing stern threats to Russia about the high costs of a military incursion.A top U.S. envoy, Victoria Nuland, said a Russian invasion of Ukraine would also jeopardize a controversial pipeline between Russia and Germany known as Nord Stream 2. She told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday that if Russia invaded, “our expectation is that the pipeline will be suspended.”On another matter, Putin proposed to lift all mutual restrictions on diplomatic missions and help normalize other aspects of bilateral relations, according to the Kremlin. Sullivan said the leaders would direct their staff to continue negotiations on that.There was at least one area where the two leaders found common ground. Sullivan said Biden and Putin had a “good discussion” on efforts to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear power and called it an area where the two countries could cooperate.----------MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Joe Biden agreed to appoint envoys to continue talks on security in Europe in light of escalating tensions over Russia’s massing tens of thousands of troops near its border with Ukraine, but the Kremlin said Wednesday it was unclear when the talks would happen.Biden and Putin spoke for over two hours during a video call on Tuesday. The conversation seemed to have yielded little progress on Ukraine and the Russian troop buildup apart from the two leaders agreeing to name envoys to keep the discussion going.“It’s impossible to tell at this point when exactly this would happen, but the presidents meant that it should happen rather promptly,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in response to a question about the next steps for Washington and Moscow after the much-anticipated call between Putin and Biden.Biden delivered a simple message to during his call with Putin: invade Ukraine again and face painful sanctions that will do resounding harm to your economy. The Russian president had his own blunt take, telling Biden that “the Russian troops are on their own territory, and they don’t threaten anyone,” according to Putin foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Wednesday that he would comment in detail on Thursday, after his own scheduled phone call with Biden. “Overall,...it was positive that the U.S. president spoke to the Russian president,” Zelenskyy said.With no immediate breakthrough on the Ukraine question, the U.S. emphasized a need for diplomacy and de-escalation, while issuing stern threats to Russia about the high costs of a military incursion.Biden “told President Putin directly that if Russia further invades Ukraine, the United States and our European allies would respond with strong economic measures,” U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said. He added that Biden said the U.S. would also “provide additional defensive material to the Ukrainians … and we would fortify our NATO allies on the eastern flank with additional capabilities in response to such an escalation.”White House officials made clear that Biden is not interested in putting U.S. troops in harm’s way defending Ukraine. But Sullivan added that potential efforts to bolster regional allies could lead to additional deployments of U.S. troops to eastern European NATO allies.A top U.S. envoy, Victoria Nuland, said a Russian invasion of Ukraine would also jeopardize a controversial pipeline between Russia and Germany known as Nord Stream 2. She told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday that if Russia invaded, “our expectation is that the pipeline will be suspended.”Kremlin spokesman Peskov insisted Wednesday that Nord Stream 2 wasn't even mentioned during the call between Putin and Biden.Ushakov, Putin's foreign policy adviser, dismissed the sanctions threat, telling reporters following the presidents' video call: “Sanctions aren’t something new. They have been in place for a long time and will not have any effect.”He described the presidents’ video conference as “candid and businesslike,” adding that they also exchanged occasional jokes.The two leaders spoke on the 80th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, a defining moment that led to the U.S. entry in World War II. They commiserated about the cost of that conflict to their own families, Ushakov noted. Hours before the high-stakes call, Biden and first lady Jill Biden visited a war memorial in Washington to commemorate the anniversary.In a brief snippet of the start of their meeting broadcasted by Russian state television, the two leaders offered friendly greetings to each other.“I welcome you, Mr. President,” Putin said, with a Russian flag behind him and a video monitor showing Biden in front of him.At the White House, Sullivan called it “a useful meeting,” allowing Biden to lay out in candid terms where America stands.But as the U.S. and Russian presidents conferred, Ukraine grew only more anxious about the tens of thousands of Russian troops that have been deployed near its border.Ukrainian officials said Russia had further escalated the crisis by sending tanks and snipers to war-torn eastern Ukraine to “provoke return fire” and lay a pretext for a potential invasion.U.S. intelligence officials haven't been able to independently verify that accusation, according to an administration official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive matter.But the official said that the White House has directly raised concerns with the Russians about “resorting to their old playbook” by trying to provoke the Ukrainians.Putin entered the call looking for guarantees from Biden that an expansion of the NATO military alliance would never include Ukraine, a demand that was a non-starter for the U.S. and its NATO allies.The Kremlin, in a post-call statement, said NATO had been “making dangerous attempts to expand its presence on the Ukrainian territory and has been expanding its military potential near Russian borders.”On another matter, Putin proposed to lift all mutual restrictions on diplomatic missions and help normalize other aspects of bilateral relations, according to the Kremlin. Sullivan said the leaders would direct their staff to continue negotiations on that.The leader-to-leader conversation — Biden speaking from the White House Situation Room, Putin from his residence in Sochi — was one of the most important of Biden’s presidency and came at a perilous time.U.S. intelligence officials have determined that Russia has moved 70,000 troops near the Ukraine border and has made preparations for a possible invasion early next year.Sullivan said the U.S. believes that Putin hasn't yet made a final decision to invade. Biden was vice president in 2014 when Russian troops strode into the Black Sea's Crimean Peninsula and annexed it from Ukraine.Aides say the Crimea episode — one of the darker moments for then President Barack Obama on the international stage — looms large as Biden looks at the smoldering current crisis.Biden’s Republican opponents in Washington are framing this moment as a key test of the president’s leadership on the global stage. Biden vowed as a candidate to reassert American leadership after President Donald Trump’s emphasis on an “America First” foreign policy.“I will look you in the eye and tell you as President Biden looked President Putin in the eye and told him today that things we did not do in 2014, we are prepared to do now,” Sullivan told reporters after the leaders’ video call.But there was at least one area where the two leaders found common ground during Tuesday’s call.Sullivan said Biden and Putin had a “good discussion” on efforts to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear power and called it an area where the two countries could cooperate.In Russia, the talks were seen as acceptable overall, said Pavel Sharikov, senior research fellow at the Institute of Europe, Russian Academy of Sciences.“The impression of the (call) is satisfactory. It was held in a pragmatic manner. There was an intense dialogue, an exchange of opinions,” Sharikov told The Associated Press.Biden on Tuesday spoke for the second straight day with leaders of the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Italy to coordinate messaging and potential sanctions. Biden is also expected to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday.___

Kremlin, White House differ on result of Putin-Biden call

BARTON COUNTY — A Kansas teen died in an accident just before 4:30p.m. Tuesday in Barton County.

According to Barton County Sheriff Brian Bellendir, a 2013 Chevy Malibu driven by 15-year-old Murphy Woodmansee of Great Bend&nbsp;was southbound on U.S. 281 near the 4-H building between Hoisington and Great Bend.

The vehicle crossed the center line and struck a 2021 Kenworth semi loaded with sand and driven by Sean Guesnier, a, 62, Great Bend

Woodmancy, a student at Hoisington High School, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Bellendir.&nbsp;Guesnier sustained minor injuries in the collision.

U.S. 281 was closed until approximately 8 p.m. while debris was removed from the highway with heavy equipment.

The accident remains under investigation, according to Bellendir.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638995134517.jpeg" alt="Murphy Woodmansee courtesy photo&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Murphy Woodmansee courtesy photo&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY — A Kansas teen died in an accident just before 4:30p.m. Tuesday in Barton County.According to Barton County Sheriff Brian Bellendir, a 2013 Chevy Malibu driven by 15-year-old Murphy Woodmansee of Great Bend&nbsp;was southbound on U.S. 281 near the 4-H building between Hoisington and Great Bend.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638994837212.jpeg" alt="Photo Barton Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo Barton Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>The vehicle crossed the center line and struck a 2021 Kenworth semi loaded with sand and driven by Sean Guesnier, a, 62, Great BendWoodmancy, a student at Hoisington High School, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Bellendir.&nbsp;Guesnier sustained minor injuries in the collision.U.S. 281 was closed until approximately 8 p.m. while debris was removed from the highway with heavy equipment.The accident remains under investigation, according to Bellendir.

Sheriff: Kansas teen dies after crash with a semi

115 Kansas hospitals used Motient program during COVID surge

By SHERMAN SMITH <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/12/08/kansas-extends-deal-for-patient-transfer-system-used-by-115-hospitals-during-covid-19-surges/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The Kansas Department of
 Health and Environment has extended an agreement with Motient for use 
of a patient transfer system used by 115 hospitals statewide.

Known as Mission Control, <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/09/10/inside-mission-control-hospital-capacity-in-kansas-at-its-worst-with-latest-covid-19-surge/">the program helps overwhelmed hospitals find available bed space for acute care patients</a>. The software also provides a real-time view of surging cases of COVID-19 that require hospitalization.

Motient announced that KDHE would continue to pay for the service. 
The agency didn’t immediately respond to a request for the cost and 
length of the deal.

Under the agreement, hospitals and correctional facilities in Kansas can use the software for free, the company said.

“Motient’s assistance has been invaluable during the pandemic, and 
its 24/7 communications team has helped our communities weather the 
hospital capacity crisis,” said Ashley Goss, deputy KDHE secretary, in a
 statement released by Motient. “We’re excited to continue to provide 
free patient movement services not only for our state’s hospitals but 
also for our correctional facilities, which face unique challenges. 
Aggregated statewide metrics will continue to play an important role in 
supporting the health of Kansans through the pandemic and beyond.”

KDHE previously awarded a one-year, $1.3 million grant to the company
 in November 2020. Hospitals in Kansas used Mission Control to transfer 
more than 5,000 patients in 12 months.

Mission Control provides information on available bed space, patient 
conditions, and available transportation among medical care providers, 
including those beyond state lines. The program is designed to take less
 than a minute for someone to enter all of the information needed to 
move a patient from one hospital to another.

Rural hospitals with little acute care resources and hospitals with 
nursing shortages relied on the software during surges of COVID-19 cases
 last winter and when the delta variant stressed networks in August and 
September.

“We started using the platform to find beds, and now we use it for 
more than 90% of our transfer patients,” said Alana Longwell, chief 
medical officer at the 25-bed Newman Regional Hospital in Emporia, in a 
statement provided by Motient. “The platform lets us slice and dice our 
data around time-critical diagnoses to help us increase efficiency and 
improve our transport processes.”

As of Monday, KDHE had reported 6,743 deaths since the start of the 
pandemic, including 57 deaths added to the total from Dec. 1-6.

The agency also has reported more than 12,000 new cases since the 
start of the month, for a seven-day average of 1,785 cases per day — the
 highest mark since Jan. 17. During the delta surge, new cases peaked at
 an average of 1,654 in early September.

KDHE is expected to update numbers of cases, deaths, hospitalizations and outbreak locations by Wednesday afternoon.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638982028953.png" alt="This sample data with fictitious names provides a view of what hospital staff might see when they look inside Mission Control. (Submitted)" />
 <figcaption>This sample data with fictitious names provides a view of what hospital staff might see when they look inside Mission Control. (Submitted)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>115 Kansas hospitals used Motient program during COVID surge</h2>By SHERMAN SMITH <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/12/08/kansas-extends-deal-for-patient-transfer-system-used-by-115-hospitals-during-covid-19-surges/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The Kansas Department of
 Health and Environment has extended an agreement with Motient for use 
of a patient transfer system used by 115 hospitals statewide.Known as Mission Control, <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/09/10/inside-mission-control-hospital-capacity-in-kansas-at-its-worst-with-latest-covid-19-surge/">the program helps overwhelmed hospitals find available bed space for acute care patients</a>. The software also provides a real-time view of surging cases of COVID-19 that require hospitalization.Motient announced that KDHE would continue to pay for the service. 
The agency didn’t immediately respond to a request for the cost and 
length of the deal.Under the agreement, hospitals and correctional facilities in Kansas can use the software for free, the company said.“Motient’s assistance has been invaluable during the pandemic, and 
its 24/7 communications team has helped our communities weather the 
hospital capacity crisis,” said Ashley Goss, deputy KDHE secretary, in a
 statement released by Motient. “We’re excited to continue to provide 
free patient movement services not only for our state’s hospitals but 
also for our correctional facilities, which face unique challenges. 
Aggregated statewide metrics will continue to play an important role in 
supporting the health of Kansans through the pandemic and beyond.”KDHE previously awarded a one-year, $1.3 million grant to the company
 in November 2020. Hospitals in Kansas used Mission Control to transfer 
more than 5,000 patients in 12 months.Mission Control provides information on available bed space, patient 
conditions, and available transportation among medical care providers, 
including those beyond state lines. The program is designed to take less
 than a minute for someone to enter all of the information needed to 
move a patient from one hospital to another.Rural hospitals with little acute care resources and hospitals with 
nursing shortages relied on the software during surges of COVID-19 cases
 last winter and when the delta variant stressed networks in August and 
September.“We started using the platform to find beds, and now we use it for 
more than 90% of our transfer patients,” said Alana Longwell, chief 
medical officer at the 25-bed Newman Regional Hospital in Emporia, in a 
statement provided by Motient. “The platform lets us slice and dice our 
data around time-critical diagnoses to help us increase efficiency and 
improve our transport processes.”As of Monday, KDHE had reported 6,743 deaths since the start of the 
pandemic, including 57 deaths added to the total from Dec. 1-6.The agency also has reported more than 12,000 new cases since the 
start of the month, for a seven-day average of 1,785 cases per day — the
 highest mark since Jan. 17. During the delta surge, new cases peaked at
 an average of 1,654 in early September.KDHE is expected to update numbers of cases, deaths, hospitalizations and outbreak locations by Wednesday afternoon.

Kan. extends deal for 'Mission Control' system for patient transfers

On Wednesday morning, a group of current and former Kansas lawmakers honored Bob Dole at the WWII memorial. The service ended just before 8a.m.

 Click below to watch a replay of their comments.

&nbsp;The current Kansas congressional delegation participated as well as Former Senator Pat Roberts, and Former Congressman Kevin Yoder. Vice Chief of Staff of the Army, General Joseph Martin conducted the official wreath laying.

General Martin served as commanding general of 1st Infantry Division from September 2016 to May 2018, where he deployed and commanded the Combined Joint Force Land Component Command in Operation Inherent Resolve.

Bob Dole will be honored Friday in a private memorial service attended by President Joe Biden as well as a public service at the World War II Memorial in Washington before the casket of the former presidential candidate and decorated soldier travels to&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;for events in his hometown and the state capital.

Dole’s casket will lie in state Thursday at the U.S. Capitol. Biden will join former presidents, current and former leaders in Congress, friends and the Dole family for the private service Friday morning at Washington National Cathedral, according to the Dole Institute of Politics.

A public viewing of Dole’s casket and a memorial service are set for Saturday morning at the St. Mary Queen of Angels Catholic Church in Russell.

A private ceremony will follow at Saturday afternoon at the Statehouse in Topeka, with remarks by Kelly and the state’s two U.S. senators, Roger Marshall and Jerry Moran.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638989154958.png" alt="Official U.S. Senate photo by Renee Bouchard-Courtesy Senator Marshall" />
 <figcaption>Official U.S. Senate photo by Renee Bouchard-Courtesy Senator Marshall</figcaption>
 </figure>On Wednesday morning, a group of current and former Kansas lawmakers honored Bob Dole at the WWII memorial. The service ended just before 8a.m. Click below to watch a replay of their comments.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Join us live at the WWII Memorial as we honor the life of late U.S. Senator Bob Dole.<a href="https://t.co/jpljxVzqtY">https://t.co/jpljxVzqtY</a>&mdash; Senate Republicans (@SenateGOP) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenateGOP/status/1468569515457929227?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>&nbsp;The current Kansas congressional delegation participated as well as Former Senator Pat Roberts, and Former Congressman Kevin Yoder. Vice Chief of Staff of the Army, General Joseph Martin conducted the official wreath laying.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638970630563.png" alt="Former U.S. Senator Pat Roberts addressed those in attendance" />
 <figcaption>Former U.S. Senator Pat Roberts addressed those in attendance</figcaption>
 </figure>General Martin served as commanding general of 1st Infantry Division from September 2016 to May 2018, where he deployed and commanded the Combined Joint Force Land Component Command in Operation Inherent Resolve.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638989294841.png" alt="Official U.S. Senate photo by Renee Bouchard courtesy Senator Marshall" />
 <figcaption>Official U.S. Senate photo by Renee Bouchard courtesy Senator Marshall</figcaption>
 </figure>Bob Dole will be honored Friday in a private memorial service attended by President Joe Biden as well as a public service at the World War II Memorial in Washington before the casket of the former presidential candidate and decorated soldier travels to&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;for events in his hometown and the state capital.Dole’s casket will lie in state Thursday at the U.S. Capitol. Biden will join former presidents, current and former leaders in Congress, friends and the Dole family for the private service Friday morning at Washington National Cathedral, according to the Dole Institute of Politics.A public viewing of Dole’s casket and a memorial service are set for Saturday morning at the St. Mary Queen of Angels Catholic Church in Russell.A private ceremony will follow at Saturday afternoon at the Statehouse in Topeka, with remarks by Kelly and the state’s two U.S. senators, Roger Marshall and Jerry Moran.

🎥 Members of the Kan. delegation honor Dole at WWII Memorial 

TOPEKA, Kan. — The number of confirmed coronavirus cases* (see below) in Kansas increased by 4,443&nbsp; to a total of 482,232, the state health department reported Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp;

The state reported 25 additional COVID-19 deaths for a total of 6,768.

<a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data">Click here for Data</a> about the COVID-19 vaccine.

<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional virus numbers from the KDHE.

As of August 1, 2021, in accordance with an&nbsp;<a href="https://ndc.services.cdc.gov/conditions/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/" target="_blank">updated CDC/CSTE surveillance case definition</a>, a confirmed case is defined as a person who tested positive by molecular detection (e.g., PCR, NAA) or identification of SARS-CoV-2 through genetic sequencing. A probable case is defined as a person with: a) presumptive lab evidence (antigen) or b) no lab testing but meeting clinical case criteria and is epi-linked. A person will be counted as a new surveillance case (e.g. reinfection) if they test positive for SARS-CoV-2 by a diagnostic test (i.e., molecular, antigen) and it has been greater than 90 days since the previous positive diagnostic test. In addition, a person with sequencing results identifying different SARS-CoV-2 lineages regardless of the time since the previous specimen sequenced will be counted as a new surveillance case.&nbsp;

Cases occurring between&nbsp;September 1, 2020&nbsp;and July 29, 2021 were classified by&nbsp;<a href="https://ndc.services.cdc.gov/conditions/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/" target="_blank">previous CDC/CSTE case definition,&nbsp;</a>and cases prior to September 1, 2020 were classified by the&nbsp;<a href="https://ndc.services.cdc.gov/case-definitions/coronavirus-disease-2019-2020/" target="_blank">original case definition</a>.

TOPEKA, Kan. — The number of confirmed coronavirus cases* (see below) in Kansas increased by 4,443&nbsp; to a total of 482,232, the state health department reported Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp;The state reported 25 additional COVID-19 deaths for a total of 6,768.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638987627388.png" alt="Wednesday December 8, 2021 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Wednesday December 8, 2021 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data">Click here for Data</a> about the COVID-19 vaccine.<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional virus numbers from the KDHE.As of August 1, 2021, in accordance with an&nbsp;<a href="https://ndc.services.cdc.gov/conditions/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/" target="_blank">updated CDC/CSTE surveillance case definition</a>, a confirmed case is defined as a person who tested positive by molecular detection (e.g., PCR, NAA) or identification of SARS-CoV-2 through genetic sequencing. A probable case is defined as a person with: a) presumptive lab evidence (antigen) or b) no lab testing but meeting clinical case criteria and is epi-linked. A person will be counted as a new surveillance case (e.g. reinfection) if they test positive for SARS-CoV-2 by a diagnostic test (i.e., molecular, antigen) and it has been greater than 90 days since the previous positive diagnostic test. In addition, a person with sequencing results identifying different SARS-CoV-2 lineages regardless of the time since the previous specimen sequenced will be counted as a new surveillance case.&nbsp;Cases occurring between&nbsp;September 1, 2020&nbsp;and July 29, 2021 were classified by&nbsp;<a href="https://ndc.services.cdc.gov/conditions/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/" target="_blank">previous CDC/CSTE case definition,&nbsp;</a>and cases prior to September 1, 2020 were classified by the&nbsp;<a href="https://ndc.services.cdc.gov/case-definitions/coronavirus-disease-2019-2020/" target="_blank">original case definition</a>.

KDHE: 4,400 new cases, 25 more COVID deaths

WASHINGTON —Two Kansas City area Democrat representatives will join President Biden on Air Force One for Wednesday's trip to Kansas City.

Kansas 3rd District congresswoman Sharice Davids and Missouri 5th District congressman Emanuel Cleaver posed on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews before boarding Air First One. 

Davids also participated in a Wednesday morning tribute to Bob Dole along with GOP members of the Kansas congressional delegation at the World War II Memorial in Washington.

President Biden will promote his new infrastructure bill on the trip.

He will visit the Kansas City area transportation authority, according to a statement from the White House. He will deliver remarks on how the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law delivers for area residents by rebuilding roads and bridges, upgrading public transit, replacing water infrastructure and creating good paying jobs.

It is Biden's first visit to the Kansas City area as president. He was last in Kansas City in March 2020 while campaigning for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-congress-infrastructure-bill-signing-b5b8cca843133de060778f049861b144">signed the $1 trillion infrastructure</a>&nbsp;bill on Nov. 15. It contains money for roads, bridges, broadband, water systems and a shift to electrical vehicles.

WASHINGTON —Two Kansas City area Democrat representatives will join President Biden on Air Force One for Wednesday's trip to Kansas City.Kansas 3rd District congresswoman Sharice Davids and Missouri 5th District congressman Emanuel Cleaver posed on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews before boarding Air First One. Davids also participated in a Wednesday morning tribute to Bob Dole along with GOP members of the Kansas congressional delegation at the World War II Memorial in Washington.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">DC ➡️ KC via Air Force One! Looking forward to showing <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> how the bipartisan infrastructure law will impact the Kansas City region (spoiler alert: it&#39;ll mean safer systems, stronger supply chains, more good jobs, and a whole lot of long-term economic growth!) ✈️ <a href="https://t.co/094ZKcKrwx">pic.twitter.com/094ZKcKrwx</a>&mdash; Rep. Sharice Davids (@RepDavids) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepDavids/status/1468617785853059082?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>President Biden will promote his new infrastructure bill on the trip.He will visit the Kansas City area transportation authority, according to a statement from the White House. He will deliver remarks on how the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law delivers for area residents by rebuilding roads and bridges, upgrading public transit, replacing water infrastructure and creating good paying jobs.It is Biden's first visit to the Kansas City area as president. He was last in Kansas City in March 2020 while campaigning for the Democratic presidential nomination.Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-congress-infrastructure-bill-signing-b5b8cca843133de060778f049861b144">signed the $1 trillion infrastructure</a>&nbsp;bill on Nov. 15. It contains money for roads, bridges, broadband, water systems and a shift to electrical vehicles.

Kan. congresswoman joins Pres. Biden on Air Force One trip 

KANSAS CITY — Two people were killed in a house fire outside of Kansas City.&nbsp;

Just before 7:30 a.m. Tuesday fire crews responded to report of the fire south of the unincorporated community of Gower, according to the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office.

Arriving fire crews found two people dead inside the burning home, along with several small pets that also died in the fire.

Authorities have not released the names of those killed. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Gower is about 35 miles north of Kansas City.

KANSAS CITY — Two people were killed in a house fire outside of Kansas City.&nbsp;Just before 7:30 a.m. Tuesday fire crews responded to report of the fire south of the unincorporated community of Gower, according to the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office.Arriving fire crews found two people dead inside the burning home, along with several small pets that also died in the fire.Authorities have not released the names of those killed. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.Gower is about 35 miles north of Kansas City.

Sheriff: 2 killed in house fire north of Kansas City

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today reminded retirement 
plan participants and individual retirement account owners that 
payments, called <a href="https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/plan-participant-employee/retirement-topics-required-minimum-distributions-rmds">required minimum distributions</a>, must usually be taken by December 31.

Required minimum distributions (RMDs) generally are minimum amounts 
that retirement plan account owners must withdraw annually starting with
 the year they reach 72 or, if later, the year they retire. However, if 
the retirement plan account is an IRA or the account owner is a 5% owner
 of the business sponsoring the retirement plan, the RMDs must begin 
once the account holder is age 72, even if they're still working. RMD 
amounts not timely withdrawn from accounts may be subject to penalties.

Individuals who reached 70 ½ in 2019, (70th birthday was June 30, 2019 or earlier) did not have an RMD due for 2020, but will have to take one by December 31, 2021.

Individuals who reach 72 in 2021 (and their 70th birthday was July 1, 2019 or later) have their first RMD due by April 1, 2022.

The required distribution rules apply to:

<a href="https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/roth-iras">Roth IRAs</a> do not require distributions while the original owner is alive.

An IRA trustee, or plan administrator, must report the amount of the 
RMD to the IRA owner. An IRA owner, or trustee, must calculate the RMD 
separately for each IRA owned. However, they can choose to withdraw the 
total amount from one or more of the IRAs. In contrast, RMDs required 
from workplace retirement plans must be taken separately from each plan.
 Not taking a required distribution, or not withdrawing enough, could 
mean a 50% excise tax on the amount not distributed.

The RMD is based on the taxpayer's life expectancy and their account balance. Often, a trustee will use <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-5498">Form 5498, IRA Contribution Information</a>,
 to report the RMD to the recipient. For most taxpayers, life expectancy
 used to calculate the RMD is based on Uniform Lifetime Table III in <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-publication-590-b">Publication 590-B, Distributions from IRAs</a>. Individuals can use <a href="https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/plan-participant-employee/required-minimum-distribution-worksheets">online worksheets</a> on IRS.gov to figure the RMD.

An IRA owner or beneficiary who received an RMD in 2020 had the 
option of returning it to their account or other qualified plan to avoid
 paying taxes on that distribution. A 2020 RMD that qualified as a 
coronavirus-related distribution may be repaid over a 3-year period or 
have the taxes due on the distribution spread over three years. A 2020 
withdrawal from an inherited IRA could not be repaid to the inherited 
IRA but may be spread over three years for income inclusion.

IRS online tools and publications can help

Taxpayers can find <a href="https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/retirement-plans-faqs-regarding-required-minimum-distributions">frequently asked questions</a>, forms and instructions and easy-to-use tools at IRS.gov.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today reminded retirement 
plan participants and individual retirement account owners that 
payments, called <a href="https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/plan-participant-employee/retirement-topics-required-minimum-distributions-rmds">required minimum distributions</a>, must usually be taken by December 31.Required minimum distributions (RMDs) generally are minimum amounts 
that retirement plan account owners must withdraw annually starting with
 the year they reach 72 or, if later, the year they retire. However, if 
the retirement plan account is an IRA or the account owner is a 5% owner
 of the business sponsoring the retirement plan, the RMDs must begin 
once the account holder is age 72, even if they're still working. RMD 
amounts not timely withdrawn from accounts may be subject to penalties.Individuals who reached 70 ½ in 2019, (70th birthday was June 30, 2019 or earlier) did not have an RMD due for 2020, but will have to take one by December 31, 2021.Individuals who reach 72 in 2021 (and their 70th birthday was July 1, 2019 or later) have their first RMD due by April 1, 2022.The required distribution rules apply to:<ul>
 <li>Owners of traditional Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs)</li><li>Owners of traditional Simplified Employee Pension (SEP) IRAs</li><li>Owners of Savings Incentive Match Plans for Employees (SIMPLE) IRAs</li><li>Participants in various workplace retirement plans, including 401(k), Roth 401(k), 403(b) and 457(b) plans</li>
 </ul><a href="https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/roth-iras">Roth IRAs</a> do not require distributions while the original owner is alive.An IRA trustee, or plan administrator, must report the amount of the 
RMD to the IRA owner. An IRA owner, or trustee, must calculate the RMD 
separately for each IRA owned. However, they can choose to withdraw the 
total amount from one or more of the IRAs. In contrast, RMDs required 
from workplace retirement plans must be taken separately from each plan.
 Not taking a required distribution, or not withdrawing enough, could 
mean a 50% excise tax on the amount not distributed.The RMD is based on the taxpayer's life expectancy and their account balance. Often, a trustee will use <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-5498">Form 5498, IRA Contribution Information</a>,
 to report the RMD to the recipient. For most taxpayers, life expectancy
 used to calculate the RMD is based on Uniform Lifetime Table III in <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-publication-590-b">Publication 590-B, Distributions from IRAs</a>. Individuals can use <a href="https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/plan-participant-employee/required-minimum-distribution-worksheets">online worksheets</a> on IRS.gov to figure the RMD.<h2>2020 RMDs</h2>An IRA owner or beneficiary who received an RMD in 2020 had the 
option of returning it to their account or other qualified plan to avoid
 paying taxes on that distribution. A 2020 RMD that qualified as a 
coronavirus-related distribution may be repaid over a 3-year period or 
have the taxes due on the distribution spread over three years. A 2020 
withdrawal from an inherited IRA could not be repaid to the inherited 
IRA but may be spread over three years for income inclusion.<h2>IRS online tools and publications can help</h2>Taxpayers can find <a href="https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/retirement-plans-faqs-regarding-required-minimum-distributions">frequently asked questions</a>, forms and instructions and easy-to-use tools at IRS.gov.<ul>
 <li><a href="https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/retirement-plans-faqs-regarding-required-minimum-distributions">FAQs regarding Required Minimum Distributions</a></li><li><a href="https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/individual-retirement-arrangements-iras">Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs)</a></li><li><a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/coronavirus-relief-for-retirement-plans-and-iras">Coronavirus Relief for Retirement Plans and IRAs</a></li>
 </ul>

TAX TIME: Most retirees must take required minimum distributions by Dec. 31

By NOAH TABORDA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/12/07/kansas-long-term-care-residents-air-concerns-over-inadequate-living-conditions-staffing-response/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — At an Overland Park nursing home, Rita Headley has witnessed
 many elderly Kansans without access to reliable care and unable to live
 with dignity.

Headley, who worked for 30 years at a nursing home in Fort Scott in a
 variety of roles, said she knows the treatment residents should 
receive, and the Overland Park Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing has
 not provided that. In many cases, this was because of a staffing 
shortage that sees only one or two aides each shift on her floor, 
Headley said.

Often, food served is cold and staff unavailable to help heat it for 
her. Headley said sometimes she has gone months without having her hair 
washed and has even had to cut back on liquid intake so she would not 
have to rely on staff to go to the bathroom as often.

“Besides being short staffed, they are often low on supplies, and 
have poor communication between staff and administration,” Headley said.
 “They operate using agency nursing staff who do not know other staff or
 residents. I have had bad experiences with them being too rough and 
argumentative.”

Headley and several other long-term care facility residents and 
family members were represented Tuesday before the Kansas Senior Care 
Task Force by Camille Russell, the Kansas ombudsman for those in these 
facilities. Russell and other private citizens appearing in person 
expressed concerns with conditions described in some of these 
facilities.

Another resident Russell represented — Cerena Mitchell of Lakepoint 
Wichita — provided a list of instances in which she received inadequate 
treatment. Most concerning to her were several unreported falls and 
vermin in her dwelling.

In the first few instances where she fell and used a call light 
system to signal for help, it took between 45 minutes and an hour and 45
 minutes for staff to respond. In a more serious case, where Mitchell 
broke in her left foot, the facility said she did not pay enough money 
to have ice delivered to the room and that the price for delivery of 
room trays would be raised to $7.

“I hobbled with my walker down about once a day,” Mitchell said. 
“When I entered this facility they had a waiting list of people wanting 
to rent the one-bedroom apartments in this hall, and now most are 
empty.”

Mitchell also noted issues with heating during the winter, cold food, roaches, and general issues with cleanliness.

Not every facility or every resident who agreed to share their 
experiences with Russell had negative things to say, but the majority 
expressed discomfort or dismay with the facilities. She put the issues 
she had heard as the ombudsman into perspective for legislators on the 
task force by explaining how easily it could be their loved ones 
suffering or even one day themselves in these situations.

Diagnosed with cancer the same week she took over as ombudsman, 
Russell was told shortly after that a blood pressure issue could result 
in a stroke. Her thoughts immediately turned to the long-term care 
residents who may not have the necessary support to deal with these 
issues.

“My mind immediately flashed to that person who has a stroke in a 
nursing home,” Russell said. “It could be any of us, and I was afraid 
and I am rarely afraid. There are good people working in nursing homes. 
There are good people owning and running nursing homes. But we can do 
better.”

Rep. Jarrod Ousley, a Merriam Democrat, pondered how COVID-19 has 
exacerbated the situation and where and what the state could do to 
rectify some of these shortcomings.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638910298664.png" alt="Camille Russell, the Kansas long-term care ombudsman, described a series of common issues like staffing issues, cold food and long response times at nursing homes across the state. While not every experience is bad, she said there is a lot of room for growth that residents see. (Noah Taborda/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Camille Russell, the Kansas long-term care ombudsman, described a series of common issues like staffing issues, cold food and long response times at nursing homes across the state. While not every experience is bad, she said there is a lot of room for growth that residents see. (Noah Taborda/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By NOAH TABORDA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/12/07/kansas-long-term-care-residents-air-concerns-over-inadequate-living-conditions-staffing-response/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — At an Overland Park nursing home, Rita Headley has witnessed
 many elderly Kansans without access to reliable care and unable to live
 with dignity.Headley, who worked for 30 years at a nursing home in Fort Scott in a
 variety of roles, said she knows the treatment residents should 
receive, and the Overland Park Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing has
 not provided that. In many cases, this was because of a staffing 
shortage that sees only one or two aides each shift on her floor, 
Headley said.Often, food served is cold and staff unavailable to help heat it for 
her. Headley said sometimes she has gone months without having her hair 
washed and has even had to cut back on liquid intake so she would not 
have to rely on staff to go to the bathroom as often.“Besides being short staffed, they are often low on supplies, and 
have poor communication between staff and administration,” Headley said.
 “They operate using agency nursing staff who do not know other staff or
 residents. I have had bad experiences with them being too rough and 
argumentative.”Headley and several other long-term care facility residents and 
family members were represented Tuesday before the Kansas Senior Care 
Task Force by Camille Russell, the Kansas ombudsman for those in these 
facilities. Russell and other private citizens appearing in person 
expressed concerns with conditions described in some of these 
facilities.Another resident Russell represented — Cerena Mitchell of Lakepoint 
Wichita — provided a list of instances in which she received inadequate 
treatment. Most concerning to her were several unreported falls and 
vermin in her dwelling.In the first few instances where she fell and used a call light 
system to signal for help, it took between 45 minutes and an hour and 45
 minutes for staff to respond. In a more serious case, where Mitchell 
broke in her left foot, the facility said she did not pay enough money 
to have ice delivered to the room and that the price for delivery of 
room trays would be raised to $7.“I hobbled with my walker down about once a day,” Mitchell said. 
“When I entered this facility they had a waiting list of people wanting 
to rent the one-bedroom apartments in this hall, and now most are 
empty.”Mitchell also noted issues with heating during the winter, cold food, roaches, and general issues with cleanliness.Not every facility or every resident who agreed to share their 
experiences with Russell had negative things to say, but the majority 
expressed discomfort or dismay with the facilities. She put the issues 
she had heard as the ombudsman into perspective for legislators on the 
task force by explaining how easily it could be their loved ones 
suffering or even one day themselves in these situations.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638910372173.jpeg" alt="Rep. Jarrod Ousley noted the impact of COVID-19 on the conditions at long-term care facilities as he questioned how the state could help residents and facilities move forward. (Noah Taborda/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Jarrod Ousley noted the impact of COVID-19 on the conditions at long-term care facilities as he questioned how the state could help residents and facilities move forward. (Noah Taborda/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>Diagnosed with cancer the same week she took over as ombudsman, 
Russell was told shortly after that a blood pressure issue could result 
in a stroke. Her thoughts immediately turned to the long-term care 
residents who may not have the necessary support to deal with these 
issues.“My mind immediately flashed to that person who has a stroke in a 
nursing home,” Russell said. “It could be any of us, and I was afraid 
and I am rarely afraid. There are good people working in nursing homes. 
There are good people owning and running nursing homes. But we can do 
better.”Rep. Jarrod Ousley, a Merriam Democrat, pondered how COVID-19 has 
exacerbated the situation and where and what the state could do to 
rectify some of these shortcomings.“This doesn’t seem to be isolated in any one home or in a region of 
the state,” Ousley said. “This seems to be spread across wide areas. … 
Where do we go from here?”