By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina Post

Police arrested a Kansas man Tuesday after he was allegedly found to be in possession of a a pickup stolen from a Salina business in July.

On Tuesday, an officer spotted the gray Chevrolet pickup at the Seventh Day Adventist Church, 834 N. 11th Street in Salina, according to Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester.

 The pickup had a license plate belonging to a Ford F150. The officer ran the vehicle identification number and learned that the pickup was one reported stolen from Ferco Rental, 264 S. Broadway Boulevard in Salina on July 26. It was valued at $7,500.

Eric Goldberg, 43, of Salina, approached the officer. Goldberg allegedly had the pickup keys hanging out of his jacket pocket. During a search, the officer allegedly located methamphetamine inside the pickup.

Goldberg was arrested on requested charges of Felony possession of stolen property, Possession of drug paraphernalia and Possession of a controlled substance. The pickup was released to Ferco Rental.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635338705192.jpeg" alt="Eric Goldberg has previous convictions for drugs and fleeing from law enforcement, according to the Kan. Dept. of Corrections- photo Saline County" />
 <figcaption>Eric Goldberg has previous convictions for drugs and fleeing from law enforcement, according to the Kan. Dept. of Corrections- photo Saline County</figcaption>
 </figure>By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina PostPolice arrested a Kansas man Tuesday after he was allegedly found to be in possession of a a pickup stolen from a Salina business in July.On Tuesday, an officer spotted the gray Chevrolet pickup at the Seventh Day Adventist Church, 834 N. 11th Street in Salina, according to Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester. The pickup had a license plate belonging to a Ford F150. The officer ran the vehicle identification number and learned that the pickup was one reported stolen from Ferco Rental, 264 S. Broadway Boulevard in Salina on July 26. It was valued at $7,500.Eric Goldberg, 43, of Salina, approached the officer. Goldberg allegedly had the pickup keys hanging out of his jacket pocket. During a search, the officer allegedly located methamphetamine inside the pickup.Goldberg was arrested on requested charges of Felony possession of stolen property, Possession of drug paraphernalia and Possession of a controlled substance. The pickup was released to Ferco Rental.

Police find Kansas felon with pickup reported stolen in July

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. moved a step closer to expanding COVID-19 vaccinations for millions more children as government advisers on Tuesday endorsed kid-size doses of Pfizer’s shots for 5- to 11-year-olds.

A Food and Drug Administration advisory panel voted unanimously, with one abstention, that the vaccine’s benefits in preventing COVID-19 in that age group outweigh any potential risks. That includes questions about a heart-related side effect that’s been very rare in teens and young adults despite their use of a much higher vaccine dose.

While children are far less likely than older people to get severe COVID-19, ultimately many panelists decided it’s important to give parents the choice to protect their youngsters — especially those at high risk of illness or who live in places where other precautions, like masks in schools, aren’t being used.

“This is an age group that deserves and should have the same opportunity to be vaccinated as every other age,” said panel member Dr. Amanda Cohn of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The FDA isn’t bound by the panel’s recommendation and is expected to make its own decision within days. If the FDA concurs, there’s still another step: Next week, the CDC will have to decide whether to recommend the shots and which youngsters should get them.

Full-strength shots made by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech already are recommended for everyone 12 and older but pediatricians and many parents are clamoring for protection for younger children. The extra-contagious delta variant has caused an alarming rise in pediatric infections -- and families are frustrated with school quarantines and having to say no to sleepovers and other rites of childhood to keep the virus at bay.

In the 5- to 11-year-old age group, there have been over 8,300 hospitalizations reported, about a third requiring intensive care, and nearly 100 deaths.

States are getting ready to roll out the shots — just a third of the amount given to teens and adults — that will come in special orange-capped vials to avoid dosage mix-ups. More than 25,000 pediatricians and other primary care providers have signed up so far to offer vaccination, which will also be available at pharmacies and other locations.

But for all that anticipation, there also are people who strongly oppose vaccinating younger children, and both FDA and its advisers were inundated with an email campaign seeking to block the Pfizer shot.

Dr. Jay Portnoy of Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, said despite over 4,000 emails urging him to vote against the vaccine, he was persuaded by the data showing it works. Portnoy said he also was representing “parents I see every day in the clinic who are terrified of sending their children to school. ... They need a voice also.”

Panelists stressed they weren’t supporting vaccine mandates for young children — and the FDA doesn’t make mandate decisions. FDA vaccine chief Dr. Peter Marks also said it would be highly unusual for other groups to mandate something that’s cleared only for emergency use. Several advisers said they wished they could tailor the shots for the highest-risk youngsters, a decision that would fall to the CDC.

Dr. James Hildreth of Meharry Medical College said he ultimately voted in favor of the vaccine “to make sure that the children who really need this vaccine — primarily Black and brown children in our country — get it.”

Pfizer studied 2,268 elementary schoolchildren given two shots three weeks apart of either a placebo or the kid dose. Vaccinated youngsters developed levels of virus-fighting antibodies just as strong as teens and young adults who got the full-strength shots. More important, the vaccine proved nearly 91% effective at preventing symptomatic infection — based on 16 cases of COVID-19 among kids given dummy shots compared to just three who got vaccinated.

The kid dosage also proved safe, with similar or fewer temporary side effects — such as sore arms, fever or achiness — that teens experience. At FDA’s request, Pfizer more recently enrolled another 2,300 youngsters into the study, and preliminary safety data has shown no red flags.

But that study isn’t large enough to detect any extremely rare side effects, such as the heart inflammation that occasionally occurs after the second full-strength dose, mostly in young men and teen boys. The panel spent hours discussing if younger children, given a smaller dose, might face that side effect, too.

Statistical models developed by FDA scientists showed that in most scenarios of the continuing pandemic, the vaccine would prevent far more COVID-19 hospitalizations in this age group than would potentially be caused by that rare heart problem.

FDA’s models suggested the vaccine could prevent 200 to 250 hospitalizations for every 1 million youngsters vaccinated — assuming that virus spread remained high, something that’s hard to predict. FDA scientists also said younger kids likely won’t have as much risk of heart inflammation as teens but if they did, it might cause about 58 hospitalizations per million vaccinations.

“I do think it’s a relatively close call,” said adviser Dr. Eric Rubin of Harvard University. “It’s really going to be a question of what the prevailing conditions are but we’re never going to learn about how safe this vaccine is unless we start giving it.”

Moderna also is studying its vaccine in young children, and Pfizer has additional studies underway in those younger than 5.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. moved a step closer to expanding COVID-19 vaccinations for millions more children as government advisers on Tuesday endorsed kid-size doses of Pfizer’s shots for 5- to 11-year-olds.A Food and Drug Administration advisory panel voted unanimously, with one abstention, that the vaccine’s benefits in preventing COVID-19 in that age group outweigh any potential risks. That includes questions about a heart-related side effect that’s been very rare in teens and young adults despite their use of a much higher vaccine dose.While children are far less likely than older people to get severe COVID-19, ultimately many panelists decided it’s important to give parents the choice to protect their youngsters — especially those at high risk of illness or who live in places where other precautions, like masks in schools, aren’t being used.“This is an age group that deserves and should have the same opportunity to be vaccinated as every other age,” said panel member Dr. Amanda Cohn of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/laaL0_xKmmA?start=24265" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>The FDA isn’t bound by the panel’s recommendation and is expected to make its own decision within days. If the FDA concurs, there’s still another step: Next week, the CDC will have to decide whether to recommend the shots and which youngsters should get them.Full-strength shots made by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech already are recommended for everyone 12 and older but pediatricians and many parents are clamoring for protection for younger children. The extra-contagious delta variant has caused an alarming rise in pediatric infections -- and families are frustrated with school quarantines and having to say no to sleepovers and other rites of childhood to keep the virus at bay.In the 5- to 11-year-old age group, there have been over 8,300 hospitalizations reported, about a third requiring intensive care, and nearly 100 deaths.States are getting ready to roll out the shots — just a third of the amount given to teens and adults — that will come in special orange-capped vials to avoid dosage mix-ups. More than 25,000 pediatricians and other primary care providers have signed up so far to offer vaccination, which will also be available at pharmacies and other locations.But for all that anticipation, there also are people who strongly oppose vaccinating younger children, and both FDA and its advisers were inundated with an email campaign seeking to block the Pfizer shot.Dr. Jay Portnoy of Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, said despite over 4,000 emails urging him to vote against the vaccine, he was persuaded by the data showing it works. Portnoy said he also was representing “parents I see every day in the clinic who are terrified of sending their children to school. ... They need a voice also.”Panelists stressed they weren’t supporting vaccine mandates for young children — and the FDA doesn’t make mandate decisions. FDA vaccine chief Dr. Peter Marks also said it would be highly unusual for other groups to mandate something that’s cleared only for emergency use. Several advisers said they wished they could tailor the shots for the highest-risk youngsters, a decision that would fall to the CDC.Dr. James Hildreth of Meharry Medical College said he ultimately voted in favor of the vaccine “to make sure that the children who really need this vaccine — primarily Black and brown children in our country — get it.”Pfizer studied 2,268 elementary schoolchildren given two shots three weeks apart of either a placebo or the kid dose. Vaccinated youngsters developed levels of virus-fighting antibodies just as strong as teens and young adults who got the full-strength shots. More important, the vaccine proved nearly 91% effective at preventing symptomatic infection — based on 16 cases of COVID-19 among kids given dummy shots compared to just three who got vaccinated.The kid dosage also proved safe, with similar or fewer temporary side effects — such as sore arms, fever or achiness — that teens experience. At FDA’s request, Pfizer more recently enrolled another 2,300 youngsters into the study, and preliminary safety data has shown no red flags.But that study isn’t large enough to detect any extremely rare side effects, such as the heart inflammation that occasionally occurs after the second full-strength dose, mostly in young men and teen boys. The panel spent hours discussing if younger children, given a smaller dose, might face that side effect, too.Statistical models developed by FDA scientists showed that in most scenarios of the continuing pandemic, the vaccine would prevent far more COVID-19 hospitalizations in this age group than would potentially be caused by that rare heart problem.FDA’s models suggested the vaccine could prevent 200 to 250 hospitalizations for every 1 million youngsters vaccinated — assuming that virus spread remained high, something that’s hard to predict. FDA scientists also said younger kids likely won’t have as much risk of heart inflammation as teens but if they did, it might cause about 58 hospitalizations per million vaccinations.“I do think it’s a relatively close call,” said adviser Dr. Eric Rubin of Harvard University. “It’s really going to be a question of what the prevailing conditions are but we’re never going to learn about how safe this vaccine is unless we start giving it.”Moderna also is studying its vaccine in young children, and Pfizer has additional studies underway in those younger than 5.___

🎥 U.S. moves closer to expanding COVID vaccinations for children

BUTLER COUNTY — A Kansas sheriff's deputy died in an accident just before 5p.m. Monday in Butler County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2006 marked law enforcement 2006 Ford Crown Victoria driven by 44-year-old Deputy Stephen Evans&nbsp; was southbound on U.S.77 just north of NW 50th.

&nbsp;The deputy pulled to the right shoulder and briefly stopped before making a u-turn crossing the southbound lanes. A southbound 2002 Ford F250 driven by&nbsp; Jacob Steven Weaver, 29, Douglas, struck the&nbsp;left side of Crown Victoria.

Evans was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported Carlson Funeral Home in El Dorado. EMS transported Weaver to a Wichita Hospital. Weaver was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

According to the sheriff's office Steve leaves behind his wife, three children, his parents, and the men and women of the Butler County Sheriff’s Office. Funeral arrangements are pending.

BUTLER COUNTY — A Kansas sheriff's deputy died in an accident just before 5p.m. Monday in Butler County.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fpermalink.php%3Fstory_fbid%3D4787411611289129%26id%3D255726507791018&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="703" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2006 marked law enforcement 2006 Ford Crown Victoria driven by 44-year-old Deputy Stephen Evans&nbsp; was southbound on U.S.77 just north of NW 50th.&nbsp;The deputy pulled to the right shoulder and briefly stopped before making a u-turn crossing the southbound lanes. A southbound 2002 Ford F250 driven by&nbsp; Jacob Steven Weaver, 29, Douglas, struck the&nbsp;left side of Crown Victoria.Evans was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported Carlson Funeral Home in El Dorado. EMS transported Weaver to a Wichita Hospital. Weaver was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.According to the sheriff's office Steve leaves behind his wife, three children, his parents, and the men and women of the Butler County Sheriff’s Office. Funeral arrangements are pending.

Kansas sheriff's office IDs deputy who died in 2-vehicle crash

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas woman on drug charges after a traffic stop.

On Just after 7:30a.m. Tuesday, sheriff's deputies conducted a traffic stop on a white 2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer with an expired tag in the 3000 block of NE Quincy Street, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

Throughout the investigation, a K9 Unit assisted and illegal narcotics were located.

The driver and sole occupant of the vehicle 40-year-old Brenda R. Cole&nbsp; of Topeka, was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, driving with an expired tag, no proof of liability insurance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635332224700.png" alt="Cole-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Cole-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas woman on drug charges after a traffic stop.On Just after 7:30a.m. Tuesday, sheriff's deputies conducted a traffic stop on a white 2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer with an expired tag in the 3000 block of NE Quincy Street, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.Throughout the investigation, a K9 Unit assisted and illegal narcotics were located.The driver and sole occupant of the vehicle 40-year-old Brenda R. Cole&nbsp; of Topeka, was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, driving with an expired tag, no proof of liability insurance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Kan. sheriff's K9 helps deputies find drugs during traffic stop

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House is zeroing in on a package of clean energy strategies for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-congress-be4b0609c5928ace08fe04c0bb6d4cbc">President Joe Biden’s big domestic policy bill&nbsp;</a>that officials believe could reach similar greenhouse gas emission reduction goals as an initial proposal that was quashed by opposition from a centrist Democrat.

The Biden administration discussed the proposals Monday at the White House with the leaders of about a dozen environmental and justice groups, according to a senior administration official who requested anonymity to share the plans. A new approach was needed after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/manchin-budget-impasse-56846c16c1f4c7e989556161f05fcf2e">coal-state Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va.</a>, rejected the White House’s earlier clean energy plan.

The emerging proposals would expand grants and loans in the agriculture and industrial sectors to help them shift to clean energy providers with fewer greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming, the official said. There would also be new, refundable home improvement tax credits for tapping solar and other renewable energy sources. The official said momentum was building as the group coalesced around the new ideas.

The new strategies come as the president and Democrats in Congress are struggling to wrap up talks on Biden’s now-scaled-back package of at least $1.75 trillion in social services and climate change investments before he departs later this week for two global summits overseas.

Vice President Kamala Harris visited the afternoon meeting with the leaders of some of the nation’s leading environmental and justice organizations and reiterated the president’s commitment to the goals of the package — even as she acknowledged the sometimes grueling process to achieve consensus in the party.

“The president and I and our administration are unwavering in our commitment to these issues. Absolutely unwavering,” she said. “But you know, there’s an old saying, you don’t want to watch sausage be made and you don’t want to watch a bill being made.”

A cornerstone of Biden’s climate change strategy had been a clean energy plan that would have rewarded power providers that use clean sources and penalized those that don’t.

But that approach had to be scrapped when Manchin objected. With Republicans fully opposed to Biden’s big package, the president needs the support of all Democrats in the 50-50 split Senate, with no votes to spare.

The senior administration official said the administration was not wedded to one clean-energy strategy as a “silver bullet.”

Instead, officials are coalescing around a new package of strategies that could potentially achieve similar emission reduction goals without adding new costs to the overall package.

A plan backed by Democrats offers tax credits and spending to boost renewable power such as wind and solar and sharply increase the number of electric vehicles. Advocates think the plan, plus executive branch action such as a pending Environmental Protection Agency rule to curb methane emissions, and action by states, should be enough to meet or nearly meet Biden’s goal to cut greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030, compared with 2005 levels.

Biden said at a town hall last week that he expects to spend the $150 billion that had been targeted for the clean-energy program on climate programs. Advocates say the money would most likely be used as block grants to states to pursue their own emissions cuts.

It’s unclear if the new proposals would be acceptable to Manchin, whose home state is a leading producer of coal and natural gas. He has preferred an approach that does not favor one industry over the other as coal begins to be phased out for cleaner energy sources.

The new strategies appear to use more incentives to encourage clean energy use rather than penalties for failing to make the transition, which could help win over Manchin. But climate change advocates have argued that penalties are needed to get industries to more quickly turn to cleaner sources as the world races to confront the dire threats of climate change.

A major fight emerged in recent days over a proposal to include a so-called “methane fee” in the budget package. The fee would be imposed on energy companies that leak methane pollution during oil and gas production. Methane, the main component of natural gas, is a leading cause of global warming, especially in the short term.

“My hope is, it’s going to be in,” Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, said of the methane fee.

“We negotiated a methane fee, we tried to do it in a way that Sen. Manchin and his folks would be more receptive of, and we’re still talking about it and continuing to work through it,” Carper told reporters Monday.

Manchin said Tuesday he is talking to Carper and others about the methane fee, but does not want to “punish” energy companies “just for the sake of punishing” them. Some House Democrats from Texas also oppose the methane fee, saying it could cost thousands of jobs in the energy industry and increase energy costs for Americans.

Supporters called the fee a common-sense provision that only kicks in when methane pollution exceeds agreed-upon targets. The fee would give the oil and gas industry a financial incentive to capture methane rather than burn or “flare” excess gas produced at well sites, supporters say.

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., said a methane fee is crucial to meeting Biden’s climate goals as he heads to a climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland next week.

“Letting corporations pollute for free is not a climate solution,” Whitehouse said.

The grants and loans for the agricultural sector would help rural electric cooperatives transition to cleaner energy sources, which could be of interest to Manchin in his rural state.

Similarly, industrial steel, cement and aluminum plants could tap funds to beef up their use of greener sources, the official said. There would also be expanded home improvement tax credits.

Biden wants a deal in hand before he arrives in Scotland for the United Nations climate conference amid hopes to reposition the U.S. as a world leader on the issue.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635245289649.png" alt="President Biden at East End Elementary School in North Plainfield, New Jersey Monday to talk about his Build Back Better Agenda said he wants a deal in hand before he arrives in Scotland for the United Nations climate conference amid hopes to reposition the U.S. as a world leader on the issue. Photo courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>President Biden at East End Elementary School in North Plainfield, New Jersey Monday to talk about his Build Back Better Agenda said he wants a deal in hand before he arrives in Scotland for the United Nations climate conference amid hopes to reposition the U.S. as a world leader on the issue. Photo courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House is zeroing in on a package of clean energy strategies for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-congress-be4b0609c5928ace08fe04c0bb6d4cbc">President Joe Biden’s big domestic policy bill&nbsp;</a>that officials believe could reach similar greenhouse gas emission reduction goals as an initial proposal that was quashed by opposition from a centrist Democrat.The Biden administration discussed the proposals Monday at the White House with the leaders of about a dozen environmental and justice groups, according to a senior administration official who requested anonymity to share the plans. A new approach was needed after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/manchin-budget-impasse-56846c16c1f4c7e989556161f05fcf2e">coal-state Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va.</a>, rejected the White House’s earlier clean energy plan.The emerging proposals would expand grants and loans in the agriculture and industrial sectors to help them shift to clean energy providers with fewer greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming, the official said. There would also be new, refundable home improvement tax credits for tapping solar and other renewable energy sources. The official said momentum was building as the group coalesced around the new ideas.The new strategies come as the president and Democrats in Congress are struggling to wrap up talks on Biden’s now-scaled-back package of at least $1.75 trillion in social services and climate change investments before he departs later this week for two global summits overseas.Vice President Kamala Harris visited the afternoon meeting with the leaders of some of the nation’s leading environmental and justice organizations and reiterated the president’s commitment to the goals of the package — even as she acknowledged the sometimes grueling process to achieve consensus in the party.“The president and I and our administration are unwavering in our commitment to these issues. Absolutely unwavering,” she said. “But you know, there’s an old saying, you don’t want to watch sausage be made and you don’t want to watch a bill being made.”A cornerstone of Biden’s climate change strategy had been a clean energy plan that would have rewarded power providers that use clean sources and penalized those that don’t.But that approach had to be scrapped when Manchin objected. With Republicans fully opposed to Biden’s big package, the president needs the support of all Democrats in the 50-50 split Senate, with no votes to spare.The senior administration official said the administration was not wedded to one clean-energy strategy as a “silver bullet.”Instead, officials are coalescing around a new package of strategies that could potentially achieve similar emission reduction goals without adding new costs to the overall package.A plan backed by Democrats offers tax credits and spending to boost renewable power such as wind and solar and sharply increase the number of electric vehicles. Advocates think the plan, plus executive branch action such as a pending Environmental Protection Agency rule to curb methane emissions, and action by states, should be enough to meet or nearly meet Biden’s goal to cut greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030, compared with 2005 levels.Biden said at a town hall last week that he expects to spend the $150 billion that had been targeted for the clean-energy program on climate programs. Advocates say the money would most likely be used as block grants to states to pursue their own emissions cuts.It’s unclear if the new proposals would be acceptable to Manchin, whose home state is a leading producer of coal and natural gas. He has preferred an approach that does not favor one industry over the other as coal begins to be phased out for cleaner energy sources.The new strategies appear to use more incentives to encourage clean energy use rather than penalties for failing to make the transition, which could help win over Manchin. But climate change advocates have argued that penalties are needed to get industries to more quickly turn to cleaner sources as the world races to confront the dire threats of climate change.A major fight emerged in recent days over a proposal to include a so-called “methane fee” in the budget package. The fee would be imposed on energy companies that leak methane pollution during oil and gas production. Methane, the main component of natural gas, is a leading cause of global warming, especially in the short term.“My hope is, it’s going to be in,” Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, said of the methane fee.“We negotiated a methane fee, we tried to do it in a way that Sen. Manchin and his folks would be more receptive of, and we’re still talking about it and continuing to work through it,” Carper told reporters Monday.Manchin said Tuesday he is talking to Carper and others about the methane fee, but does not want to “punish” energy companies “just for the sake of punishing” them. Some House Democrats from Texas also oppose the methane fee, saying it could cost thousands of jobs in the energy industry and increase energy costs for Americans.Supporters called the fee a common-sense provision that only kicks in when methane pollution exceeds agreed-upon targets. The fee would give the oil and gas industry a financial incentive to capture methane rather than burn or “flare” excess gas produced at well sites, supporters say.Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., said a methane fee is crucial to meeting Biden’s climate goals as he heads to a climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland next week.“Letting corporations pollute for free is not a climate solution,” Whitehouse said.The grants and loans for the agricultural sector would help rural electric cooperatives transition to cleaner energy sources, which could be of interest to Manchin in his rural state.Similarly, industrial steel, cement and aluminum plants could tap funds to beef up their use of greener sources, the official said. There would also be expanded home improvement tax credits.Biden wants a deal in hand before he arrives in Scotland for the United Nations climate conference amid hopes to reposition the U.S. as a world leader on the issue.

New climate change strategies in Biden's $1.75T bill

The coronavirus pandemic left many Americans unemployed — and 
uninsured. To give people a chance to sign up for health care coverage, 
the U.S. federal government has opened <a href="https://www.medicare.gov/plan-compare/#/?lang=en&amp;year=2022" target="_blank">Medicare.gov</a> from October 15, 2021 – December 7, 2021. <a href="https://www.healthcare.gov" target="_blank">Healthcare.gov</a>
 is open from November 1, 2021 to January 15, 2021. Unfortunately, 
scammers often see open enrollments as a chance to trick people out of 
money and personal information.

Anytime the government has an open enrollment, people understandably 
have questions and concerns. Scammers take advantage of this opportunity
 to confuse and mislead victims.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker/" target="_blank">BBB.org/ScamTracker</a>
 gets many reports about scammers claiming to be a government 
representative who can help you navigate your Medicare or Affordable 
Care Act options. Scammers claim to be a “health care benefits advocate”
 or a similar title. These scammers allege they can enroll you in a 
better program than what you currently have. This new plan is cheaper, 
and you can keep all the same services. To get started, all you need to 
do is provide some personal information, such as your Medicare ID 
number. Of course, the call is a scam, and sharing personal information 
will open you up to identity theft.

In another common scam, callers try to frighten – rather than assist -
 victims with their health care plans. In this case, scammers claim that
 your Medicare will be discontinued if you didn't re-enroll. 
Fortunately, this “Medicare advisor” can fix the situation – if you 
share personal information with them.&nbsp;

Watch out for similar scams this fall. <a href="https://www.healthcare.gov" target="_blank">Healthcare.gov</a> does provide <a href="https://www.healthcare.gov/apply-and-enroll/get-help-applying/" target="_blank">legitimate help with figuring out which plan</a>
 is right for you. These people — sometimes called Navigators or 
Assisters — are not allowed to charge for their help. If someone asks 
you for payment, it’s a scam. You will also need to contact them. They 
will not call you out-of-the-blue.&nbsp;

Selecting a health insurance plan can be challenging and complex. Be on the lookout for common red flags.

If you are unsure whether a call or offer is from Medicare, or you 
gave your personal information to someone claiming to be with Medicare, 
call 1-800-MEDICARE to report it. If you suspect fraud when signing up 
for ACA coverage, go to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.healthcare.gov/how-can-i-protect-myself-from-fraud-in-the-health-insurance-marketplace/" target="_blank">HealthCare.gov</a>&nbsp;or call the Health Insurance Marketplace call center at <a href="tel:8003182596" target="_blank">800-318-2596</a>.&nbsp;

For more tips from BBB on avoiding health care scams, check&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/healthcarescam/" target="_blank">BBB.org/HealthCareScam</a>. If you’ve been the victim of a scam, please report it to <a href="https://www.bbb.org/ScamTracker" target="_blank">BBB.org/ScamTracker</a>. By sharing your experience, you can help others avoid falling victim to similar scams.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579883951052.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Better Business BureauThe coronavirus pandemic left many Americans unemployed — and 
uninsured. To give people a chance to sign up for health care coverage, 
the U.S. federal government has opened <a href="https://www.medicare.gov/plan-compare/#/?lang=en&amp;year=2022" target="_blank">Medicare.gov</a> from October 15, 2021 – December 7, 2021. <a href="https://www.healthcare.gov" target="_blank">Healthcare.gov</a>
 is open from November 1, 2021 to January 15, 2021. Unfortunately, 
scammers often see open enrollments as a chance to trick people out of 
money and personal information.<h2>How the Scam Works: &nbsp;</h2>Anytime the government has an open enrollment, people understandably 
have questions and concerns. Scammers take advantage of this opportunity
 to confuse and mislead victims.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker/" target="_blank">BBB.org/ScamTracker</a>
 gets many reports about scammers claiming to be a government 
representative who can help you navigate your Medicare or Affordable 
Care Act options. Scammers claim to be a “health care benefits advocate”
 or a similar title. These scammers allege they can enroll you in a 
better program than what you currently have. This new plan is cheaper, 
and you can keep all the same services. To get started, all you need to 
do is provide some personal information, such as your Medicare ID 
number. Of course, the call is a scam, and sharing personal information 
will open you up to identity theft.In another common scam, callers try to frighten – rather than assist -
 victims with their health care plans. In this case, scammers claim that
 your Medicare will be discontinued if you didn't re-enroll. 
Fortunately, this “Medicare advisor” can fix the situation – if you 
share personal information with them.&nbsp;Watch out for similar scams this fall. <a href="https://www.healthcare.gov" target="_blank">Healthcare.gov</a> does provide <a href="https://www.healthcare.gov/apply-and-enroll/get-help-applying/" target="_blank">legitimate help with figuring out which plan</a>
 is right for you. These people — sometimes called Navigators or 
Assisters — are not allowed to charge for their help. If someone asks 
you for payment, it’s a scam. You will also need to contact them. They 
will not call you out-of-the-blue.&nbsp;<h2>Tips to Avoid Open Enrollment Scams</h2>Selecting a health insurance plan can be challenging and complex. Be on the lookout for common red flags.<ul>
 <li>Be wary of anyone who contacts you unsolicited. 
People representing Medicare or ACA plans don’t contact you by phone, 
email, or in person unless you are already enrolled. Be especially 
cautious of threatening calls that require quick action or immediate 
payment. </li><li>Decline promotional gifts in exchange for personal information.&nbsp;Keep a healthy level of skepticism any time a broker offers you <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/scams/13033-scam-alert-beware-of-the-medicare-back-brace-scam" target="_blank">free gifts</a>,
 health screenings, or other special deals. Never sign up with a broker 
who offers you an expensive “sign-up gift” in exchange for providing 
your Medicare ID number or other personally identifiable information. </li><li>Beware of dishonest brokers who offer “free health screenings.”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/17378-scam-alert-when-a-free-health-screening-is-really-a-health-insurance-scam" target="_blank">Some brokers offer this to weed out people who are less healthy</a>. This is called “cherry picking” and is against the Medicare rules. </li><li>Guard your government-issued numbers. Never offer 
your Medicare ID number, Social Security number, health plan info, or 
banking information to anyone you don’t know. </li><li>Hang up and go to official websites. You can enroll or re-enroll in Medicare at <a href="https://medicare.gov" target="_blank">Medicare.gov</a> or in a marketplace health plan at <a href="https://www.healthcare.gov/" target="_blank">Healthcare.gov</a>. </li>
 </ul><h2>For more information: &nbsp;</h2>If you are unsure whether a call or offer is from Medicare, or you 
gave your personal information to someone claiming to be with Medicare, 
call 1-800-MEDICARE to report it. If you suspect fraud when signing up 
for ACA coverage, go to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.healthcare.gov/how-can-i-protect-myself-from-fraud-in-the-health-insurance-marketplace/" target="_blank">HealthCare.gov</a>&nbsp;or call the Health Insurance Marketplace call center at <a href="tel:8003182596" target="_blank">800-318-2596</a>.&nbsp;For more tips from BBB on avoiding health care scams, check&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/healthcarescam/" target="_blank">BBB.org/HealthCareScam</a>. If you’ve been the victim of a scam, please report it to <a href="https://www.bbb.org/ScamTracker" target="_blank">BBB.org/ScamTracker</a>. By sharing your experience, you can help others avoid falling victim to similar scams.

Medicare, ACA scams abound during special enrollment period

The
 Federal Trade Commission is putting more than 1,100 businesses that 
pitch money-making ventures on notice that if they deceive or mislead 
consumers about potential earnings, the FTC won’t hesitate to use its 
authority to target them with large civil penalties.

As the 
pandemic has left many people in dire financial straits, money-making 
pitches have proliferated and gained special attention. From multi-level
 marketing companies offering the dream of owning a business, to 
investment “coaches” with promises of secrets on how to beat the odds, 
to ubiquitous “gigs” that pitch a steady second income, Americans are 
bombarded by offers that often prove to be less than advertised.

As
 a result, the FTC is deploying its Penalty Offense Authority to remind 
businesses of the law and deter them from breaking it. By sending a <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/attachments/penalty-offenses-concerning-money-making-opportunities/cover-letter-mmo.pdf">Notice of Penalty Offenses</a>&nbsp;to
 more than 1,100 companies, the agency is placing them on notice they 
could incur significant civil penalties—up to $43,792 per violation—if 
they or their representatives make claims about money-making 
opportunities that run counter to prior FTC administrative cases.

“Preying
 on consumers and workers with bogus promises of big earnings should 
never be profitable,” said Samuel Levine, Director of the FTC’s Bureau 
of Consumer Protection. “Today’s announcement helps ensure that 
companies that cheat struggling Americans will pay a heavy price.”

The
 Notice of Penalty Offenses allows the agency to seek civil penalties 
against a company that engages in conduct that it knows is unlawful, and
 that has been found unlawful in a previous FTC administrative order, 
other than a consent order.

The Notice sent to the companies 
outlines a number of practices that the FTC determined to be unfair or 
deceptive in prior administrative cases. Broadly, the cases found that 
it was unlawful to make false, misleading, or deceptive representations 
concerning the profits or earnings that may be anticipated by a 
participant in a money-making opportunity. This includes, for example, 
representations that participants will make a profit, or that 
represented profits are typical. The Notice also describes other 
practices that the FTC has determined to be unfair or deceptive, such as
 falsely telling consumers they do not need experience to earn income or
 that they must act immediately to participate. 

Companies receiving the Notice also received a copy of the recently issued <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2021/10/ftc-puts-hundreds-businesses-notice-about-fake-reviews-other">Notice of Penalty Offenses concerning endorsements and testimonials</a>,
 as companies frequently use testimonials to advertise money-making 
opportunities. Together, the notices make clear that it is illegal to 
use testimonials to mislead consumers about the rewards of participating
 in a money-making opportunity.

The notices are being sent to a 
broad array of businesses that cover a wide range of money-making 
opportunities, including multi-level marketing, “gig” employers, 
investment and business coaching, franchises, business opportunities, 
and others. A recipient’s presence on this list does not in any way suggest that it has engaged in deceptive or unfair conduct. A full list of the businesses <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/attachments/penalty-offenses-concerning-money-making-opportunities/list-recipients-mmo_notice_0.pdf">receiving the Notice</a>&nbsp;from the FTC is available on the FTC’s website.

The Commission vote to authorize the Notice and its distribution was 5-0.

The Federal Trade Commission works to promote competition and to <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/about-ftc/bureaus-offices/bureau-consumer-protection">protect and educate consumers</a>. You can <a href="https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/">learn more about consumer topics</a> and file a <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/complaint">consumer complaint online</a> or by calling 1-877-FTC-HELP (382-4357).&nbsp;For the latest news and resources, <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/social-media">follow the FTC on social media</a>, <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/stay-connected">subscribe to press releases</a> and read our <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/blogs">blogs</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619632629588.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FTCThe
 Federal Trade Commission is putting more than 1,100 businesses that 
pitch money-making ventures on notice that if they deceive or mislead 
consumers about potential earnings, the FTC won’t hesitate to use its 
authority to target them with large civil penalties.As the 
pandemic has left many people in dire financial straits, money-making 
pitches have proliferated and gained special attention. From multi-level
 marketing companies offering the dream of owning a business, to 
investment “coaches” with promises of secrets on how to beat the odds, 
to ubiquitous “gigs” that pitch a steady second income, Americans are 
bombarded by offers that often prove to be less than advertised.As
 a result, the FTC is deploying its Penalty Offense Authority to remind 
businesses of the law and deter them from breaking it. By sending a <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/attachments/penalty-offenses-concerning-money-making-opportunities/cover-letter-mmo.pdf">Notice of Penalty Offenses</a>&nbsp;to
 more than 1,100 companies, the agency is placing them on notice they 
could incur significant civil penalties—up to $43,792 per violation—if 
they or their representatives make claims about money-making 
opportunities that run counter to prior FTC administrative cases.“Preying
 on consumers and workers with bogus promises of big earnings should 
never be profitable,” said Samuel Levine, Director of the FTC’s Bureau 
of Consumer Protection. “Today’s announcement helps ensure that 
companies that cheat struggling Americans will pay a heavy price.”The
 Notice of Penalty Offenses allows the agency to seek civil penalties 
against a company that engages in conduct that it knows is unlawful, and
 that has been found unlawful in a previous FTC administrative order, 
other than a consent order.The Notice sent to the companies 
outlines a number of practices that the FTC determined to be unfair or 
deceptive in prior administrative cases. Broadly, the cases found that 
it was unlawful to make false, misleading, or deceptive representations 
concerning the profits or earnings that may be anticipated by a 
participant in a money-making opportunity. This includes, for example, 
representations that participants will make a profit, or that 
represented profits are typical. The Notice also describes other 
practices that the FTC has determined to be unfair or deceptive, such as
 falsely telling consumers they do not need experience to earn income or
 that they must act immediately to participate. Companies receiving the Notice also received a copy of the recently issued <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2021/10/ftc-puts-hundreds-businesses-notice-about-fake-reviews-other">Notice of Penalty Offenses concerning endorsements and testimonials</a>,
 as companies frequently use testimonials to advertise money-making 
opportunities. Together, the notices make clear that it is illegal to 
use testimonials to mislead consumers about the rewards of participating
 in a money-making opportunity.The notices are being sent to a 
broad array of businesses that cover a wide range of money-making 
opportunities, including multi-level marketing, “gig” employers, 
investment and business coaching, franchises, business opportunities, 
and others. A recipient’s presence on this list does not in any way suggest that it has engaged in deceptive or unfair conduct. A full list of the businesses <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/attachments/penalty-offenses-concerning-money-making-opportunities/list-recipients-mmo_notice_0.pdf">receiving the Notice</a>&nbsp;from the FTC is available on the FTC’s website. The Commission vote to authorize the Notice and its distribution was 5-0.The Federal Trade Commission works to promote competition and to <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/about-ftc/bureaus-offices/bureau-consumer-protection">protect and educate consumers</a>. You can <a href="https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/">learn more about consumer topics</a> and file a <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/complaint">consumer complaint online</a> or by calling 1-877-FTC-HELP (382-4357).&nbsp;For the latest news and resources, <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/social-media">follow the FTC on social media</a>, <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/stay-connected">subscribe to press releases</a> and read our <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/blogs">blogs</a>.

FTC: Pitching a deceptive money-making scheme? Feds will target you

LYON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect in connection with multiple crimes including bank robbery.

Just before 8:30a.m. Monday, a Lyon County resident called in a theft of fuel from Road 110 and South Highway 99, according to&nbsp;Detective Sergeant Jacob Welsh.

The suspect’s vehicle was described as a White Dodge truck with an Oklahoma license plate. Deputies located the truck northbound in the 700 block of South Weaver Street.

 Deputies initiated a traffic stop however the suspect fled eastbound on Logan Avenue into the county and ultimately came back into Emporia on East Logan Avenue.

 The suspect drove northbound on Commercial Street and failed to navigate a turn eastbound&nbsp;on Norton Street. The suspect’s vehicle struck an Evergy power pole.

The suspect later identified as 43-year-old Jerry Brown of Bixby, Oklahoma, exited his vehicle and continued fleeing on foot and was shortly captured in the area of 302 S. Commercial Street.

Deputies arrested Brown for the theft of fuel, and additional requested charges that include criminal damage, felony flee and elude, leaving the scene of an accident and several other traffic related charges.&nbsp;

During the investigation, it was discovered that Brown was involved in a felony flee and elude around 3:30a.m. Monday in Nowata, OK. It was also discovered that Brown is pending trial for two bank robberies out of Oklahoma.

Detectives are working with Oklahoma authorities to determine if any other crimes have been committed, according to Welsh

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635192951054.png" alt="Brown photo Lyon County" />
 <figcaption>Brown photo Lyon County</figcaption>
 </figure>LYON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect in connection with multiple crimes including bank robbery.Just before 8:30a.m. Monday, a Lyon County resident called in a theft of fuel from Road 110 and South Highway 99, according to&nbsp;Detective Sergeant Jacob Welsh.The suspect’s vehicle was described as a White Dodge truck with an Oklahoma license plate. Deputies located the truck northbound in the 700 block of South Weaver Street. Deputies initiated a traffic stop however the suspect fled eastbound on Logan Avenue into the county and ultimately came back into Emporia on East Logan Avenue. The suspect drove northbound on Commercial Street and failed to navigate a turn eastbound&nbsp;on Norton Street. The suspect’s vehicle struck an Evergy power pole.The suspect later identified as 43-year-old Jerry Brown of Bixby, Oklahoma, exited his vehicle and continued fleeing on foot and was shortly captured in the area of 302 S. Commercial Street.Deputies arrested Brown for the theft of fuel, and additional requested charges that include criminal damage, felony flee and elude, leaving the scene of an accident and several other traffic related charges.&nbsp;During the investigation, it was discovered that Brown was involved in a felony flee and elude around 3:30a.m. Monday in Nowata, OK. It was also discovered that Brown is pending trial for two bank robberies out of Oklahoma.Detectives are working with Oklahoma authorities to determine if any other crimes have been committed, according to Welsh

Man wanted for bank robberies captured after Kan. fuel theft

PAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on multiple charges after an early morning traffic stop.

Just after 2:30a.m. Tuesday, a sheriff's deputy was on active patrol in the city of Pawnee Rock. The deputy observed a 2001 Buick Century commit an alleged traffic infraction and attempted to stop the vehicle, at which point the driver attempted to flee from the deputy proceeding west on U.S. 56 into the city of Larned, according to Sheriff Brian Bellendir.

The occupants stopped, abandoned the vehicle and attempting to flee on foot. Both suspects were taken into custody a short distance from the vehicle.

After a registration check, it was discovered the vehicle was stolen from Colby. A firearm and illicit drugs were discovered inside the vehicle. The driver also had outstanding warrants from Barton County, Pawnee County and the city of Great Bend.

Arrested at the scene was Aaron Taylor, 33, Great Bend. Taylor on requested charges of&nbsp; attempt to flee and elude, possession of stolen property, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of drug paraphernalia, criminal use of a weapon, no drivers license as well as three outstanding warrants. Taylor is being held without bond due to one of the warrants, his other bonds total over $30,000.

The second subject arrested was Sabrina Foster, 24, Colby. She is being held on requested charges of&nbsp; possession of stolen property and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and possession of drug paraphernalia. Foster is being held in lieu of a $20,000 bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635275216893.jpeg" alt="Taylor-photo Barton Co." />
 <figcaption>Taylor-photo Barton Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>PAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on multiple charges after an early morning traffic stop.Just after 2:30a.m. Tuesday, a sheriff's deputy was on active patrol in the city of Pawnee Rock. The deputy observed a 2001 Buick Century commit an alleged traffic infraction and attempted to stop the vehicle, at which point the driver attempted to flee from the deputy proceeding west on U.S. 56 into the city of Larned, according to Sheriff Brian Bellendir.The occupants stopped, abandoned the vehicle and attempting to flee on foot. Both suspects were taken into custody a short distance from the vehicle.After a registration check, it was discovered the vehicle was stolen from Colby. A firearm and illicit drugs were discovered inside the vehicle. The driver also had outstanding warrants from Barton County, Pawnee County and the city of Great Bend.Arrested at the scene was Aaron Taylor, 33, Great Bend. Taylor on requested charges of&nbsp; attempt to flee and elude, possession of stolen property, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of drug paraphernalia, criminal use of a weapon, no drivers license as well as three outstanding warrants. Taylor is being held without bond due to one of the warrants, his other bonds total over $30,000.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635275241787.jpeg" alt="Foster-photo Barton County" />
 <figcaption>Foster-photo Barton County</figcaption>
 </figure>The second subject arrested was Sabrina Foster, 24, Colby. She is being held on requested charges of&nbsp; possession of stolen property and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and possession of drug paraphernalia. Foster is being held in lieu of a $20,000 bond.

Sheriff: Kansas couple jailed after chase in stolen vehicle

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas’ top court wrestled Tuesday with deciding whether the state constitution allows people to keep getting quick judicial decisions in lawsuits against COVID-19 restrictions such as mask mandates.

The state Supreme Court heard arguments from attorneys on&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/summary_sb_40_2021" target="_blank">a law</a>&nbsp;that requires district courts to rule within 10 days when someone sues over a county restriction. Three of the seven justices expressed skepticism during&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzR-WyoZfug" target="_blank">a Zoom hearing</a>&nbsp;that the law is constitutional.

But the court is considering an appeal in a case involving a lawsuit against a mask mandate imposed last year by a school district in Johnson County, the state’s most populous county. And school districts aren’t covered by the law that applies to counties — and a separate one mandating the same expedited legal process in lawsuits against school districts expired in June.

Kansas courts generally don’t rule when there’s not a live case involving parties needing a legal question resolved. Nevertheless, in July, a Johnson County judge handling the lawsuit against the school district&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-government-and-politics-coronavirus-pandemic-kansas-2817bd3686e752155c9667d5013c809a">struck down</a>&nbsp;the law applying to county restrictions. He concluded that it denied counties their right to due legal process and interfered with the courts’ power to handle their own business.

Supreme Court justices first must decide whether the case should have been dead before it reached them, then whether the law applying to county COVID-19 restrictions violates the Kansas Constitution. If it says yes to the first question, district courts still will have to rule quickly on lawsuits against counties.

“Do we look at it as an abuse of discretion that the (district) court made this pivot?” Justice Dan Biles asked during the hearing.

The Supreme Court did not say when it would issue a decision.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-coronavirus-pandemic-kansas-94e3fab54b7b90da37bd62b5280efeee">It declined&nbsp;</a>in August to put the law applying to counties on hold temporarily while considering the case involving the school district.

Both the law applying to counties and the earlier law applying to school districts arose from the Republican-controlled Legislature’s opposition to Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s response to the coronavirus pandemic and later, local restrictions. Lawmakers rewrote the state’s emergency management laws several times.

Attorney General Derek Schmidt, a Republican running for governor, has argued that Johnson County District Judge David Hauber never should have ruled on the constitutionality of the law applying to counties. The case before him — and now before the Supreme Court — involved parents upset with a mask mandate imposed last year by the Shawnee Mission school district in the Kansas City area.

“Courts do not decide moot issues, particularly moot constitutional issues,” Brant Laue, the state’s solicitor general, told the court.

But Greg Goheen, an attorney for the Shawnee Mission school district, argued that the lower-court judge didn’t abuse his authority because counties can impose mask mandates that apply to schools. Counties still face a “very unworkable” deadline for settling legal challenges to COVID-19 restrictions, he said.

“And I think the (lower) court has the ability to raise that issue,” Goheen said.

The law says that if a judge doesn’t rule on a lawsuit over county restrictions within 10 days, the people challenging them prevail automatically. Chief Justice Marla Luckert suggested the provision is a “pretty heavy enforcement measure.”

Luckert added, “Isn’t there some right to have a day in court?”

But Laue argued that the Legislature has “a great deal of authority” in dictating how the state manages emergencies like the coronavirus pandemic.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635270134976.png" alt="court" />
 <figcaption>court</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNATOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas’ top court wrestled Tuesday with deciding whether the state constitution allows people to keep getting quick judicial decisions in lawsuits against COVID-19 restrictions such as mask mandates.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YzR-WyoZfug?start=9" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>The state Supreme Court heard arguments from attorneys on&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/summary_sb_40_2021" target="_blank">a law</a>&nbsp;that requires district courts to rule within 10 days when someone sues over a county restriction. Three of the seven justices expressed skepticism during&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzR-WyoZfug" target="_blank">a Zoom hearing</a>&nbsp;that the law is constitutional.But the court is considering an appeal in a case involving a lawsuit against a mask mandate imposed last year by a school district in Johnson County, the state’s most populous county. And school districts aren’t covered by the law that applies to counties — and a separate one mandating the same expedited legal process in lawsuits against school districts expired in June.Kansas courts generally don’t rule when there’s not a live case involving parties needing a legal question resolved. Nevertheless, in July, a Johnson County judge handling the lawsuit against the school district&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-government-and-politics-coronavirus-pandemic-kansas-2817bd3686e752155c9667d5013c809a">struck down</a>&nbsp;the law applying to county restrictions. He concluded that it denied counties their right to due legal process and interfered with the courts’ power to handle their own business.Supreme Court justices first must decide whether the case should have been dead before it reached them, then whether the law applying to county COVID-19 restrictions violates the Kansas Constitution. If it says yes to the first question, district courts still will have to rule quickly on lawsuits against counties.“Do we look at it as an abuse of discretion that the (district) court made this pivot?” Justice Dan Biles asked during the hearing.The Supreme Court did not say when it would issue a decision.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-coronavirus-pandemic-kansas-94e3fab54b7b90da37bd62b5280efeee">It declined&nbsp;</a>in August to put the law applying to counties on hold temporarily while considering the case involving the school district.Both the law applying to counties and the earlier law applying to school districts arose from the Republican-controlled Legislature’s opposition to Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s response to the coronavirus pandemic and later, local restrictions. Lawmakers rewrote the state’s emergency management laws several times.Attorney General Derek Schmidt, a Republican running for governor, has argued that Johnson County District Judge David Hauber never should have ruled on the constitutionality of the law applying to counties. The case before him — and now before the Supreme Court — involved parents upset with a mask mandate imposed last year by the Shawnee Mission school district in the Kansas City area.“Courts do not decide moot issues, particularly moot constitutional issues,” Brant Laue, the state’s solicitor general, told the court.But Greg Goheen, an attorney for the Shawnee Mission school district, argued that the lower-court judge didn’t abuse his authority because counties can impose mask mandates that apply to schools. Counties still face a “very unworkable” deadline for settling legal challenges to COVID-19 restrictions, he said.“And I think the (lower) court has the ability to raise that issue,” Goheen said.The law says that if a judge doesn’t rule on a lawsuit over county restrictions within 10 days, the people challenging them prevail automatically. Chief Justice Marla Luckert suggested the provision is a “pretty heavy enforcement measure.”Luckert added, “Isn’t there some right to have a day in court?”But Laue argued that the Legislature has “a great deal of authority” in dictating how the state manages emergencies like the coronavirus pandemic.___

🎥 Kansas court wonders: Is it too late to rule on COVID law?

BARTON COUNTY —A jury found a Kansas man guilty of cruelty to animals and criminal trespass on Tuesday. In November, 33-year-old Christopher Delauder went on his neighbor’s property in the small Barton County community of Susank and killed their Dalmatian dog, according to a law enforcement report.

At the time, Delauder had no explanation as to what prompted him to kill the dog. The dog was in a kennel when Delauder entered the kennel and stabbed it at least eight times. Following the presentation of evidence, the jury deliberated for approximately half an hour before returning the verdict. Animal cruelty is a felony which can carry a sentence of up to one year in jail. Criminal trespass is a misdemeanor that can carry an additional six months in jail. Sentencing is set for Jan. 14. &nbsp; &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635278776541.jpeg" alt="Delauder -photo Barton Co." />
 <figcaption>Delauder -photo Barton Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY —A jury found a Kansas man guilty of cruelty to animals and criminal trespass on Tuesday. In November, 33-year-old Christopher Delauder went on his neighbor’s property in the small Barton County community of Susank and killed their Dalmatian dog, according to a law enforcement report.At the time, Delauder had no explanation as to what prompted him to kill the dog. The dog was in a kennel when Delauder entered the kennel and stabbed it at least eight times. Following the presentation of evidence, the jury deliberated for approximately half an hour before returning the verdict. Animal cruelty is a felony which can carry a sentence of up to one year in jail. Criminal trespass is a misdemeanor that can carry an additional six months in jail. Sentencing is set for Jan. 14. &nbsp; &nbsp;

Jury: Kansas man guilty of stabbing, killing neighbor's dog 

FORD COUNTY—A recent incident involving Carbon Monoxide occurred in Dodge City and left 5 people fighting for their lives, according to a report from the Dodge City Fire Department.

Early Monday, fire crews, police and EMS responded to an address in Dodge City where they found several people unconscious and barely breathing. 

 Police officers rescued several that were close to the door while fire personnel using their self-contained breathing apparatus found others in bedrooms.  It appears the source of the Carbon Monoxide was from a vehicle running in the garage.  

The Dodge City Fire Department reminded the public that a running vehicle inside of a garage can and will produce high amounts of Carbon Monoxide that will make its way into the house. 

They offered some ways to prevent this from happening by avoiding certain activities can help prevent build-up of carbon monoxide.

Don't run your car in an enclosed space, even if it is a garage with the garage door open. Pull the car out or shut the car off.

Don't use a charcoal or gas-powered grill inside your house or inside a tent. Use it outside or under a shelter with plenty of room for cross-ventilation such as natural wind and fresh air.

Have your heating equipment checked regularly by professionals, according to the manufacturer's instructions.

An undersized exhaust vent in a water heater or furnace can interfere with the removal of carbon monoxide, causing a backflow into your home. If you replace a furnace or gas-powered device, ensure the exhaust system is up to current code standards.

Just like there are smoke detectors, there are also carbon monoxide detectors. They look similar to smoke detectors. You may be able to purchase a combination smoke and carbon monoxide detector. Some may plug into the electrical outlet, while some may operate on batteries alone. It is recommended to have some of both in your home. Have one installed near your sleeping area. Have additional ones installed on each level of your home.

The Dodge City Fire Department as well as Developmental Services will install Smoke and Carbon Monoxide detectors free of charge.

What to do if you think you have a Carbon Monoxide exposure:

You and all persons in your home should leave immediately. Go outside and breathe some fresh air. Call 911 and request the fire department. If anyone is nauseated, dizzy, unusually sleepy or unconscious, tell them you need an ambulance as well.

Stay outside until the fire department arrives. Do not go back inside the house, whether you begin to feel better or not.

FORD COUNTY—A recent incident involving Carbon Monoxide occurred in Dodge City and left 5 people fighting for their lives, according to a report from the Dodge City Fire Department.Early Monday, fire crews, police and EMS responded to an address in Dodge City where they found several people unconscious and barely breathing. Police officers rescued several that were close to the door while fire personnel using their self-contained breathing apparatus found others in bedrooms. It appears the source of the Carbon Monoxide was from a vehicle running in the garage. The Dodge City Fire Department reminded the public that a running vehicle inside of a garage can and will produce high amounts of Carbon Monoxide that will make its way into the house. They offered some ways to prevent this from happening by avoiding certain activities can help prevent build-up of carbon monoxide.Don't run your car in an enclosed space, even if it is a garage with the garage door open. Pull the car out or shut the car off.Don't use a charcoal or gas-powered grill inside your house or inside a tent. Use it outside or under a shelter with plenty of room for cross-ventilation such as natural wind and fresh air.Have your heating equipment checked regularly by professionals, according to the manufacturer's instructions.An undersized exhaust vent in a water heater or furnace can interfere with the removal of carbon monoxide, causing a backflow into your home. If you replace a furnace or gas-powered device, ensure the exhaust system is up to current code standards.Just like there are smoke detectors, there are also carbon monoxide detectors. They look similar to smoke detectors. You may be able to purchase a combination smoke and carbon monoxide detector. Some may plug into the electrical outlet, while some may operate on batteries alone. It is recommended to have some of both in your home. Have one installed near your sleeping area. Have additional ones installed on each level of your home.The Dodge City Fire Department as well as Developmental Services will install Smoke and Carbon Monoxide detectors free of charge.What to do if you think you have a Carbon Monoxide exposure:You and all persons in your home should leave immediately. Go outside and breathe some fresh air. Call 911 and request the fire department. If anyone is nauseated, dizzy, unusually sleepy or unconscious, tell them you need an ambulance as well.Stay outside until the fire department arrives. Do not go back inside the house, whether you begin to feel better or not.

Carbon monoxide poisoning: 5 critically injured in SW Kansas

MITCHELL COUNTY –&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and the Mitchell County Sheriff’s Office are investigating after a suspect was found dead Monday following a standoff at a residence near Glen Elder, according to a media release from the agency.

On Saturday, Oct. 23, at approximately noon, the Mitchell County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call from a 78-year-old man who reported that he was forcibly taken at gunpoint and held for around 26 hours by his 59-year-old acquaintance, John Roudybush, of Glen Elder.

&nbsp;An arrest warrant for Roudybush for aggravated kidnapping was obtained, and a search warrant for Roudybush’s residence was secured.

At approximately 9 p.m. Sunday, the KBI’s High Risk Warrant Team attempted to execute the warrants at 2446 190 Road in rural Glen Elder. Roudybush refused to come out of the house and a standoff began. During the standoff, negotiators attempted to communicate with Roudybush for many hours.

Two shots were heard inside the house at approximately 4:30 a.m. Monday morning. Then at approximately 7:30 a.m. on Monday, control of the scene was transferred to the Kansas Highway Patrol’s Special Response Team, due to the length of time it was requiring to resolve the incident.

At approximately 8:30 a.m., KHP reported hearing a gunshot inside the residence. They later breached an external wall of the house and were able to locate Roudybush deceased in an upstairs room at around 12:45 p.m. on Monday. He died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. No shots were fired by any law enforcement officer during this incident. An autopsy will be performed.

The KBI and the Mitchell County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the death of Roudybush, as well as the aggravated kidnapping case. There is no indication that any other subjects were involved in the kidnapping incident.

MITCHELL COUNTY –&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and the Mitchell County Sheriff’s Office are investigating after a suspect was found dead Monday following a standoff at a residence near Glen Elder, according to a media release from the agency.On Saturday, Oct. 23, at approximately noon, the Mitchell County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call from a 78-year-old man who reported that he was forcibly taken at gunpoint and held for around 26 hours by his 59-year-old acquaintance, John Roudybush, of Glen Elder.&nbsp;An arrest warrant for Roudybush for aggravated kidnapping was obtained, and a search warrant for Roudybush’s residence was secured.At approximately 9 p.m. Sunday, the KBI’s High Risk Warrant Team attempted to execute the warrants at 2446 190 Road in rural Glen Elder. Roudybush refused to come out of the house and a standoff began. During the standoff, negotiators attempted to communicate with Roudybush for many hours.Two shots were heard inside the house at approximately 4:30 a.m. Monday morning. Then at approximately 7:30 a.m. on Monday, control of the scene was transferred to the Kansas Highway Patrol’s Special Response Team, due to the length of time it was requiring to resolve the incident.At approximately 8:30 a.m., KHP reported hearing a gunshot inside the residence. They later breached an external wall of the house and were able to locate Roudybush deceased in an upstairs room at around 12:45 p.m. on Monday. He died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. No shots were fired by any law enforcement officer during this incident. An autopsy will be performed.The KBI and the Mitchell County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the death of Roudybush, as well as the aggravated kidnapping case. There is no indication that any other subjects were involved in the kidnapping incident.

KBI: Suspect found dead following standoff near Glen Elder

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. health advisers have endorsed kid-size doses of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine for younger children. The vote Tuesday by the Food and Drug Administration panel moves the U.S. closer to vaccinating children ages 5 to 11. 

The FDA isn’t bound by the panel’s recommendation and is expected to make its own decision within days. If regulators agree, shots could begin as early as late next week. Young kids would get a third of the dose given to teens and adults. A study found kid-size vaccinations are nearly 91% effective at preventing infections that cause symptoms. Moderna also is studying its vaccine for young children.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Kid-size doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine may be getting closer as government advisers on Tuesday began deliberating whether there’s enough evidence that the shots are safe and effective for 5- to 11-year-olds.

A study of elementary schoolchildren found the Pfizer shots are nearly 91% effective at preventing symptomatic infection -- even though the youngsters received just a third of the dose given to teens and adults.

In a preliminary analysis last week, Food and Drug Administration reviewers said that protection would “clearly outweigh” the risk of a very rare side effect in almost all scenarios of the pandemic. Now FDA’s advisers are combing through that data to see if they agree.

If the FDA authorizes the kid-size doses, there’s still another step: Next week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will have to decide whether to recommend the shots and which youngsters should get them.

While children are at lower risk of severe COVID-19 than older people, 5- to 11-year-olds still have faced substantial illness -- including over 8,300 hospitalizations, about a third requiring intensive care, and nearly 100 deaths, FDA vaccine chief Dr. Peter Marks told the advisory panel.

Also, "infections have caused many school closures and disrupted the education and socialization of children,” he said.

“I want to acknowledge the fact that there are strong feelings” among the public for and against child vaccinations, Marks added, noting that the discussion would be on scientific data "not about vaccine mandates, which are left to other entities outside of FDA.”

States are getting ready to roll out shots for little arms -- in special orange-capped vials to distinguish them from adult vaccine -- as soon as the government gives the OK. More than 25,000 pediatricians and other primary care providers have signed up so far to offer vaccination.

Pfizer’s study tracked 2,268 children ages 5 to 11 who got two shots three weeks apart of either a placebo or the kid dose. Vaccinated youngsters developed levels of virus-fighting antibodies just as strong as teens and young adults who got the full-strength shots.

And so far, 16 kids given dummy shots developed symptomatic COVID-19 compared to three vaccinated youngsters, meaning the vaccine was nearly 91% effective. Most of the study data was collected in the U.S. during August and September as the delta variant surged.

The study isn’t large enough to detect any extremely rare side effects, such as the heart inflammation that occasionally occurs after the second dose, mostly in young men and teen boys.

The FDA's panel of independent experts will weigh whether Pfizer's shot is likely to prevent more COVID-19 hospitalizations in young kids than might be caused by that rare side effect.

The FDA analysis calculated that in most scenarios of the continuing pandemic, the vaccine would prevent roughly 200 to 250 COVID-19 hospitalizations for every 1 million youngsters vaccinated, with about 58 hospitalizations for the heart inflammation. The side effect risk is based on levels in teens, and Pfizer expects it to be far lower in youngsters getting the kid-size dose.

Moderna also is studying its vaccine in young children.

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. health advisers have endorsed kid-size doses of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine for younger children. The vote Tuesday by the Food and Drug Administration panel moves the U.S. closer to vaccinating children ages 5 to 11. <div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/laaL0_xKmmA" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>The FDA isn’t bound by the panel’s recommendation and is expected to make its own decision within days. If regulators agree, shots could begin as early as late next week. Young kids would get a third of the dose given to teens and adults. A study found kid-size vaccinations are nearly 91% effective at preventing infections that cause symptoms. Moderna also is studying its vaccine for young children.---------WASHINGTON (AP) — Kid-size doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine may be getting closer as government advisers on Tuesday began deliberating whether there’s enough evidence that the shots are safe and effective for 5- to 11-year-olds.A study of elementary schoolchildren found the Pfizer shots are nearly 91% effective at preventing symptomatic infection -- even though the youngsters received just a third of the dose given to teens and adults.In a preliminary analysis last week, Food and Drug Administration reviewers said that protection would “clearly outweigh” the risk of a very rare side effect in almost all scenarios of the pandemic. Now FDA’s advisers are combing through that data to see if they agree.If the FDA authorizes the kid-size doses, there’s still another step: Next week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will have to decide whether to recommend the shots and which youngsters should get them.While children are at lower risk of severe COVID-19 than older people, 5- to 11-year-olds still have faced substantial illness -- including over 8,300 hospitalizations, about a third requiring intensive care, and nearly 100 deaths, FDA vaccine chief Dr. Peter Marks told the advisory panel.Also, "infections have caused many school closures and disrupted the education and socialization of children,” he said.“I want to acknowledge the fact that there are strong feelings” among the public for and against child vaccinations, Marks added, noting that the discussion would be on scientific data "not about vaccine mandates, which are left to other entities outside of FDA.”Full-strength shots made by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech already are recommended for everyone 12 and older but pediatricians and many parents are clamoring for protection for younger children. The extra-contagious delta variant has caused an alarming rise in pediatric infections -- and families are frustrated with school quarantines and having to say no to sleepovers and other rites of childhood to keep the virus at bay.States are getting ready to roll out shots for little arms -- in special orange-capped vials to distinguish them from adult vaccine -- as soon as the government gives the OK. More than 25,000 pediatricians and other primary care providers have signed up so far to offer vaccination.Pfizer’s study tracked 2,268 children ages 5 to 11 who got two shots three weeks apart of either a placebo or the kid dose. Vaccinated youngsters developed levels of virus-fighting antibodies just as strong as teens and young adults who got the full-strength shots.And so far, 16 kids given dummy shots developed symptomatic COVID-19 compared to three vaccinated youngsters, meaning the vaccine was nearly 91% effective. Most of the study data was collected in the U.S. during August and September as the delta variant surged.The kid dosage also proved safe, with similar or fewer temporary side effects — such as sore arms, fever or achiness — that teens experience. At FDA’s request, Pfizer more recently enrolled another 2,300 youngsters into the study, and preliminary safety data has shown no red flags.The study isn’t large enough to detect any extremely rare side effects, such as the heart inflammation that occasionally occurs after the second dose, mostly in young men and teen boys.The FDA's panel of independent experts will weigh whether Pfizer's shot is likely to prevent more COVID-19 hospitalizations in young kids than might be caused by that rare side effect.The FDA analysis calculated that in most scenarios of the continuing pandemic, the vaccine would prevent roughly 200 to 250 COVID-19 hospitalizations for every 1 million youngsters vaccinated, with about 58 hospitalizations for the heart inflammation. The side effect risk is based on levels in teens, and Pfizer expects it to be far lower in youngsters getting the kid-size dose.Moderna also is studying its vaccine in young children.

 🎥 FDA advisers back Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for young kids

By BRIAN GRIMMETT <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/2021-10-25/a-changing-climate-will-cost-kansas-farmers-millions-in-future-harvests">Kansas News Service</a>

WICHITA — Increased heat and drought driven by climate
 change could cost Kansas corn and soy growers tens of millions of 
dollars a year in yield losses by the end of the century.

A new study from Columbia University <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43016-021-00341-6.epdf?sharing_token=0MFzgyezlY2l2RVSPFYl8tRgN0jAjWel9jnR3ZoTv0Nxppe7iyc5DE0aCBOZw3qYUSDEWDpVcYa-n-8smVqkj3kf-crK8k6SmirhXLpDvkmt1B7mP6eD4MbBgdWjTvelU5Fw-Cbc5rBGSn98iallrM3j5e3dbSRopylaq_wiQxsi3p2o2XOrOW0oW2QSEDmZS2kY4Z-go4NODZbp1PKgT8iUll48X9xg_nJeT8FmsbYLB1CYHeIg9jwF-uxzbMq3&amp;tracking_referrer=medialibrary.climatecentral.org" target="_blank">concluded that corn and soybean yields in Kansas will drop by as much as 20% to 30%</a>.
 But Kansas corn growers hope that better technology and research into 
drought-resistant varieties will offset potentially disastrous results.

The
 study looked beyond just the impacts of increasing temperatures, which 
is fairly well documented, and found where those higher temperatures 
also led to drier conditions.

“This is kind of a new risk we’ve 
uncovered,” said Corey Lesk, the lead author of the paper. “And it kind 
of adds up on top of the impact of warming itself.”

When analyzed 
together, the link between hot and dry conditions could cut corn and 
soybean yields by 5% worldwide compared to looking at the impacts of 
temperature increases alone.

In Kansas, where the coupling of 
higher temperatures and worse drought is expected to increase, the 
impact on corn and soybean harvests will be double what was previously 
expected.

Lesk and a team of researchers looked at historical 
records of crop yield and temperatures. They then made a separate map to
 look at moisture conditions over the same time period. The scientists 
found that places that were both hot and dry appear doomed to lose more 
of their ability to grow crops.

They then used climate models to project their findings into the future.

“The
 worst impact of warmer temperatures on those crop yields occurred in 
places where those couplings were the strongest,” Lesk said.

Corn 
is a $5 billion industry for Kansas. Decreased yields of that magnitude 
would cost some parts of the state as much as $40 million a year.

Greg Krissek, the CEO of <a href="https://kscorn.com/overview/" target="_blank">Kansas Corn</a> which represents corn growers and promotes the industry, said it’s already adapting to the changing climate and plans to use technology to limit future damage.

“We’ve
 got technology in the corn plant that is much more drought tolerant 
today than it certainly was 15 or 20 years ago,” he said.

He said 
whether it’s a better corn variety or irrigation upgrades that improve 
efficiency, technological advancements will prevent Kansas corn growers 
from experiencing the worst-case climate scenarios.

It’s helped so much already that in the past 15 years non-irrigated acres of corn in Kansas have increased more than irrigated.

“Kansas
 is very well placed to weather something like what this study might 
project because we’re already used to doing that,” Krissek said.

The
 paper also suggests the adoption of more sustainable agriculture 
practices, such as planting cover crops and no-till farming.

But 
ultimately, it suggests treating the problem, and not just the symptoms.
 That means attacking the primary cause of climate change by reducing 
the amount of greenhouse gasses we emit.

“If we’re worried about 
the impact of climate change on our crops and we really think that’s a 
problem, it’s got to translate to real climate policy that actually does
 something to reduce emissions,” Leak, the researcher said.

But 
whatever strategies farmers ultimately adopt, they’ll have to keep the 
progress going if they want to continue to overcome the expected 
changes.

“We need to make sure that we are taking the lead on 
recognizing that these are potential challenges we will be facing in the
 future,” said <a href="https://www.agronomy.k-state.edu/people/faculty/ciampitti-ignacio/" target="_blank">Ignacio Ciampitti</a>, professor of farming systems at Kansas State University.

He said research like the paper from Columbia, which he was not a part of, is another reminder of what’s at stake.

“We need to continue working on this,” Ciampitti said. “We cannot relax.”

Brian
 Grimmett reports on the environment, energy and natural resources for 
KMUW in Wichita and the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on 
Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/briangrimmett?lang=en" target="_blank">@briangrimmett</a> or email him at grimmett@kmuw.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635187475627.png" alt="A center pivot irrigates corn field in Kansas. Chris Neal / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>A center pivot irrigates corn field in Kansas. Chris Neal / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRIAN GRIMMETT <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/2021-10-25/a-changing-climate-will-cost-kansas-farmers-millions-in-future-harvests">Kansas News Service</a>WICHITA — Increased heat and drought driven by climate
 change could cost Kansas corn and soy growers tens of millions of 
dollars a year in yield losses by the end of the century.A new study from Columbia University <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43016-021-00341-6.epdf?sharing_token=0MFzgyezlY2l2RVSPFYl8tRgN0jAjWel9jnR3ZoTv0Nxppe7iyc5DE0aCBOZw3qYUSDEWDpVcYa-n-8smVqkj3kf-crK8k6SmirhXLpDvkmt1B7mP6eD4MbBgdWjTvelU5Fw-Cbc5rBGSn98iallrM3j5e3dbSRopylaq_wiQxsi3p2o2XOrOW0oW2QSEDmZS2kY4Z-go4NODZbp1PKgT8iUll48X9xg_nJeT8FmsbYLB1CYHeIg9jwF-uxzbMq3&amp;tracking_referrer=medialibrary.climatecentral.org" target="_blank">concluded that corn and soybean yields in Kansas will drop by as much as 20% to 30%</a>.
 But Kansas corn growers hope that better technology and research into 
drought-resistant varieties will offset potentially disastrous results.The
 study looked beyond just the impacts of increasing temperatures, which 
is fairly well documented, and found where those higher temperatures 
also led to drier conditions.“This is kind of a new risk we’ve 
uncovered,” said Corey Lesk, the lead author of the paper. “And it kind 
of adds up on top of the impact of warming itself.”When analyzed 
together, the link between hot and dry conditions could cut corn and 
soybean yields by 5% worldwide compared to looking at the impacts of 
temperature increases alone.In Kansas, where the coupling of 
higher temperatures and worse drought is expected to increase, the 
impact on corn and soybean harvests will be double what was previously 
expected.Lesk and a team of researchers looked at historical 
records of crop yield and temperatures. They then made a separate map to
 look at moisture conditions over the same time period. The scientists 
found that places that were both hot and dry appear doomed to lose more 
of their ability to grow crops.They then used climate models to project their findings into the future.“The
 worst impact of warmer temperatures on those crop yields occurred in 
places where those couplings were the strongest,” Lesk said.Corn 
is a $5 billion industry for Kansas. Decreased yields of that magnitude 
would cost some parts of the state as much as $40 million a year.Greg Krissek, the CEO of <a href="https://kscorn.com/overview/" target="_blank">Kansas Corn</a> which represents corn growers and promotes the industry, said it’s already adapting to the changing climate and plans to use technology to limit future damage.“We’ve
 got technology in the corn plant that is much more drought tolerant 
today than it certainly was 15 or 20 years ago,” he said.He said 
whether it’s a better corn variety or irrigation upgrades that improve 
efficiency, technological advancements will prevent Kansas corn growers 
from experiencing the worst-case climate scenarios.It’s helped so much already that in the past 15 years non-irrigated acres of corn in Kansas have increased more than irrigated.“Kansas
 is very well placed to weather something like what this study might 
project because we’re already used to doing that,” Krissek said.The
 paper also suggests the adoption of more sustainable agriculture 
practices, such as planting cover crops and no-till farming.But 
ultimately, it suggests treating the problem, and not just the symptoms.
 That means attacking the primary cause of climate change by reducing 
the amount of greenhouse gasses we emit.“If we’re worried about 
the impact of climate change on our crops and we really think that’s a 
problem, it’s got to translate to real climate policy that actually does
 something to reduce emissions,” Leak, the researcher said.But 
whatever strategies farmers ultimately adopt, they’ll have to keep the 
progress going if they want to continue to overcome the expected 
changes.“We need to make sure that we are taking the lead on 
recognizing that these are potential challenges we will be facing in the
 future,” said <a href="https://www.agronomy.k-state.edu/people/faculty/ciampitti-ignacio/" target="_blank">Ignacio Ciampitti</a>, professor of farming systems at Kansas State University.He said research like the paper from Columbia, which he was not a part of, is another reminder of what’s at stake.“We need to continue working on this,” Ciampitti said. “We cannot relax.”Brian
 Grimmett reports on the environment, energy and natural resources for 
KMUW in Wichita and the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on 
Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/briangrimmett?lang=en" target="_blank">@briangrimmett</a> or email him at grimmett@kmuw.org.

Changing climate will cost Kan. farmers millions in future harvests

Amount spent on cigarette advertising increased from $7.62B in 2019 to $7.84B in 2020

The
 number of cigarettes that the largest cigarette companies in the United
 States sold to wholesalers and retailers nationwide increased from 
202.9 billion in 2019 to 203.7 billion in 2020, according to the most 
recent Federal Trade Commission <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/reports/federal-trade-commission-cigarette-report-2020-smokeless-tobacco-report-2020/p114508fy20cigarettereport.pdf">Cigarette Report</a>. This represents the first time annual cigarette sales have increased in 20 years.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619632629588.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Amount spent on cigarette advertising increased from $7.62B in 2019 to $7.84B in 2020</h2>FTCThe
 number of cigarettes that the largest cigarette companies in the United
 States sold to wholesalers and retailers nationwide increased from 
202.9 billion in 2019 to 203.7 billion in 2020, according to the most 
recent Federal Trade Commission <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/reports/federal-trade-commission-cigarette-report-2020-smokeless-tobacco-report-2020/p114508fy20cigarettereport.pdf">Cigarette Report</a>. This represents the first time annual cigarette sales have increased in 20 years.According to the <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/reports/federal-trade-commission-cigarette-report-2020-smokeless-tobacco-report-2020/p114508fy20smokelesstobacco.pdf">2020 Smokeless Tobacco Report</a>,
 smokeless tobacco sales increased from 126.0 million pounds in 2019 to 
126.9 million pounds in 2020. The revenue from those sales rose from 
$4.53 billion in 2019 to $4.82 billion in 2020. For the first time, the 
Commission is reporting sales of nicotine lozenges or nicotine pouches 
not containing tobacco. In 2020, the companies sold 140.7 million units 
of such products in the United States, for $420.5 million.The 
amount spent on cigarette advertising and promotion increased from $7.62
 billion in 2019 to $7.84 billion in 2020. Price discounts paid to 
cigarette retailers ($6.07 billion) and wholesalers ($876 million) were 
the two largest expenditure categories in 2020. Combined spending on 
price discounts accounted for 88.5 percent of industry spending.Spending
 on advertising and promotion by the major manufacturers of smokeless 
tobacco products in the U.S. decreased from $576.1 million in 2019 to 
$567.3 million in 2020. As with cigarettes, price discounts made up the 
two largest spending categories, with $296.6 million paid to retailers 
and $83.5 million paid to wholesalers. Combined spending on price 
discounts totaled $380.1 million – or 67.4 percent of all spending in 
2020, up from the $376.0 million spent in 2019.For the first 
time, the 2020 data include information on the flavors of the companies’
 smokeless tobacco products. Menthol flavored smokeless tobacco products
 comprised more than half of all sales revenues (54.5 percent); tobacco 
flavored products (that is, no added flavor) comprised 43.4 percent; and
 fruit flavored smokeless tobacco products comprised 2.5 percent.The
 Commission has issued the Cigarette Report periodically since 1967 and 
the Smokeless Tobacco Report periodically since 1987. Given the 
concerning trends highlighted in this report, including the first 
increase in cigarette sales in two decades, the Commission will continue
 to expand its approach in reporting shifts in the tobacco industry. The
 FTC also will use the newly captured data regarding smokeless tobacco 
products to align the Commission’s enforcement efforts with the emergent
 realities in the tobacco industry.The Commission vote to issue 
the reports was 5-0. (The staff contact is Michael Ostheimer, Bureau of 
Consumer Protection, 202-326-2699.)The Federal Trade Commission works to promote competition and to <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/about-ftc/bureaus-offices/bureau-consumer-protection">protect and educate consumers</a>. You can <a href="https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/">learn more about consumer topics</a> and file a <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/complaint">consumer complaint online</a> or by calling 1-877-FTC-HELP (382-4357).&nbsp;For the latest news and resources, <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/social-media">follow the FTC on social media</a>, <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/stay-connected">subscribe to press releases</a> and read our <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/blogs">blogs</a>.Cover photo courtesy Pixabay