NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The man who killed former NFL player Joe McKnight cannot be tried again on a murder charge, now that his conviction on the lesser charge of manslaughter has been overturned, a Louisiana appeal court ruled Thursday.

Authorities in the New Orleans suburb of Jefferson Parish originally charged Ronald Gasser with second-degree murder in the road rage shooting of McKnight, a standout high school football player in Louisiana who later played in the NFL.

The jury came back with a lesser manslaughter conviction. But that verdict came on a 10-2 vote. It was thrown out, along with Gasser's 30-year prison term, and a new trial was ordered after the Supreme Court ruled non-unanimous verdicts unconstitutional.

Prosecutors wanted another chance at seeking a murder conviction. But state District Judge Ellen Shirer Kovach ruled in February that trying Gasser for murder again would violate his constitutional protection against double jeopardy.

On Thursday, the state 5th Circuit Court of Appeal agreed in a 2-1 panel ruling.

“At the time of defendant’s trial in the present case, a unanimous verdict was not required by Louisiana law in order to acquit a defendant,” Judge Hans Liljeberg wrote in an opinion joined by Judge Robert Chaisson. “Therefore, when the jury returned a ten to two verdict of guilty of manslaughter, it served as a valid acquittal of the second degree murder charge, precluding retrial of defendant for second degree murder based on the principles of double jeopardy.”

Judge Marc Johnson dissented. “To vacate a jury verdict convicting a defendant because it was a non-unanimous jury verdict then uphold the implied acquittal of a defendant resulting from the same non-unanimous jury verdict is rationally irreconcilable,” he wrote.

The Jefferson Parish District Attorney's Office declined comment on Thursday.

“It seemed fairly obvious to us that the Double Jeopardy clause prevented the state from trying Mr. Gasser for murder a second time after his prior acquittal on that charge," Gasser's attorney, Dane Ciolino, wrote in an email Thursday night. "We are glad that both the district judge and appellate court agreed. We hope that the state doesn’t waste any more time and money to appeal this any further.”

McKnight was a high school football hero at Louisiana’s John Curtis Christian School who played three seasons for the New York Jets and one with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Gasser fatally shot McKnight on Dec. 1, 2016, after what authorities described as a rolling a 5-mile traffic dispute and chase over a New Orleans area bridge.

Witnesses at the 2018 trial said McKnight had been weaving in and out of traffic at high speed before the shooting — one prosecutor acknowledged to the jury that he was “driving like a jerk.” But prosecutors argued that Gasser escalated the conflict, following McKnight down an exit that he would not ordinarily have taken.

Gasser's defense team insisted he fired at McKnight in self-defense.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594918451537.png" alt="Deputies at the scene of Gasser's arrest in 2016 photo courtesy WWL-TV" />
 <figcaption>Deputies at the scene of Gasser's arrest in 2016 photo courtesy WWL-TV</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The man who killed former NFL player Joe McKnight cannot be tried again on a murder charge, now that his conviction on the lesser charge of manslaughter has been overturned, a Louisiana appeal court ruled Thursday.Authorities in the New Orleans suburb of Jefferson Parish originally charged Ronald Gasser with second-degree murder in the road rage shooting of McKnight, a standout high school football player in Louisiana who later played in the NFL.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594910560020.png" alt="Gasser-photo Jefferson Parish" />
 <figcaption>Gasser-photo Jefferson Parish</figcaption>
 </figure>The jury came back with a lesser manslaughter conviction. But that verdict came on a 10-2 vote. It was thrown out, along with Gasser's 30-year prison term, and a new trial was ordered after the Supreme Court ruled non-unanimous verdicts unconstitutional.Prosecutors wanted another chance at seeking a murder conviction. But state District Judge Ellen Shirer Kovach ruled in February that trying Gasser for murder again would violate his constitutional protection against double jeopardy.On Thursday, the state 5th Circuit Court of Appeal agreed in a 2-1 panel ruling.“At the time of defendant’s trial in the present case, a unanimous verdict was not required by Louisiana law in order to acquit a defendant,” Judge Hans Liljeberg wrote in an opinion joined by Judge Robert Chaisson. “Therefore, when the jury returned a ten to two verdict of guilty of manslaughter, it served as a valid acquittal of the second degree murder charge, precluding retrial of defendant for second degree murder based on the principles of double jeopardy.”Judge Marc Johnson dissented. “To vacate a jury verdict convicting a defendant because it was a non-unanimous jury verdict then uphold the implied acquittal of a defendant resulting from the same non-unanimous jury verdict is rationally irreconcilable,” he wrote.The Jefferson Parish District Attorney's Office declined comment on Thursday.“It seemed fairly obvious to us that the Double Jeopardy clause prevented the state from trying Mr. Gasser for murder a second time after his prior acquittal on that charge," Gasser's attorney, Dane Ciolino, wrote in an email Thursday night. "We are glad that both the district judge and appellate court agreed. We hope that the state doesn’t waste any more time and money to appeal this any further.”Gasser remains jailed pending trial.McKnight was a high school football hero at Louisiana’s John Curtis Christian School who played three seasons for the New York Jets and one with the Kansas City Chiefs.Gasser fatally shot McKnight on Dec. 1, 2016, after what authorities described as a rolling a 5-mile traffic dispute and chase over a New Orleans area bridge.Witnesses at the 2018 trial said McKnight had been weaving in and out of traffic at high speed before the shooting — one prosecutor acknowledged to the jury that he was “driving like a jerk.” But prosecutors argued that Gasser escalated the conflict, following McKnight down an exit that he would not ordinarily have taken.Gasser's defense team insisted he fired at McKnight in self-defense.

Court: Killer of former KC Chief can't face 2nd murder trial

PLATTSMOUTH, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska man has been charged with four misdemeanor counts of motor vehicle homicide in connection with a crash that killed four people from Kansas earlier this year. 

Ronald Dubas of La Vista was charged in Cass County earlier this month. Dubas posted bail and is out of jail ahead of a Jan. 11 hearing, but court records don't list an attorney representing him. &nbsp;

Prosecutors said the 56-year-old Dubas’ pickup truck crossed the centerline and collided with a 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt on U.S. Highway 75 just south of Union, Nebraska on Jan. 31. 

Four people in the car from Topeka, Kansas died in the crash. A 20-year-old woman who was riding in the front passenger seat survived the wreck.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/6/1559617385052.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>PLATTSMOUTH, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska man has been charged with four misdemeanor counts of motor vehicle homicide in connection with a crash that killed four people from Kansas earlier this year. Ronald Dubas of La Vista was charged in Cass County earlier this month. Dubas posted bail and is out of jail ahead of a Jan. 11 hearing, but court records don't list an attorney representing him. &nbsp;Prosecutors said the 56-year-old Dubas’ pickup truck crossed the centerline and collided with a 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt on U.S. Highway 75 just south of Union, Nebraska on Jan. 31. Four people in the car from Topeka, Kansas died in the crash. A 20-year-old woman who was riding in the front passenger seat survived the wreck.

Nebraska man charged in crash that killed 4 from Kansas

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska congressman and military officials say the cost of rebuilding Offutt Air Force Base is going to be far higher than engineers first thought. 

Republican Rep. Don Bacon told the Omaha World-Herald that he’s been told by Offutt officials to expect the original estimate of nearly $800 to rise to around $1.1 billion. 

Officials at Offutt’s 55th Wing agreed that costs would be higher, but declined to specify an amount. 

Lt. Col Chris Conover says initial estimates were done quickly and with incomplete information about what the reconstruction would need to include. He also blamed the COVID-19 pandemic for pushing up the costs. 

The flood inundated the base in March 2019.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/7/1564082847508.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska congressman and military officials say the cost of rebuilding Offutt Air Force Base is going to be far higher than engineers first thought. Republican Rep. Don Bacon told the Omaha World-Herald that he’s been told by Offutt officials to expect the original estimate of nearly $800 to rise to around $1.1 billion. Officials at Offutt’s 55th Wing agreed that costs would be higher, but declined to specify an amount. Lt. Col Chris Conover says initial estimates were done quickly and with incomplete information about what the reconstruction would need to include. He also blamed the COVID-19 pandemic for pushing up the costs. The flood inundated the base in March 2019.

Cost of rebuilding Offutt will be higher than first thought

SEWARD, Neb. (AP) — Deputies in Seward County made a surprising find after stopping a tractor-trailer — 45 pounds of methamphetamine hidden in a stolen vehicle being hauled by the semi. 

The incident happened Dec. 17 but was announced in a news release Tuesday. 

Deputies stopped the semi that was hauling eight vehicles on Interstate 80 near the Seward exit. 

The news release said deputies unloaded a 2021 Infiniti SUV for further inspection and found five pounds of methamphetamine in the speaker compartment and another 40 pounds in a spare tire. 

The street value of the drugs was estimated at $315,000. 

Further inspection revealed the Infiniti had been stolen in California. An investigation continues.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/10/1571398574177.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>SEWARD, Neb. (AP) — Deputies in Seward County made a surprising find after stopping a tractor-trailer — 45 pounds of methamphetamine hidden in a stolen vehicle being hauled by the semi. The incident happened Dec. 17 but was announced in a news release Tuesday. Deputies stopped the semi that was hauling eight vehicles on Interstate 80 near the Seward exit. The news release said deputies unloaded a 2021 Infiniti SUV for further inspection and found five pounds of methamphetamine in the speaker compartment and another 40 pounds in a spare tire. The street value of the drugs was estimated at $315,000. Further inspection revealed the Infiniti had been stolen in California. An investigation continues.

45 pounds of meth found in stolen car during traffic stop

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. health officials’ decision to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-business-health-rochelle-walensky-d7d609c9c01e200d250df7ca7282c9d6">shorten the recommended COVID-19 isolation</a>&nbsp;and quarantine period from 10 days to five is drawing criticism from some medical experts and could create more confusion and fear among Americans.

To the dismay of some authorities, the new guidelines allow people to leave isolation without getting tested to see if they are still infectious.

The guidance has raised questions about how it was crafted and why it was changed now, in the middle of another wintertime spike in cases, this one driven largely by the highly contagious omicron variant.

Monday’s action by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cut in half the recommended isolation time for Americans who are infected with the coronavirus but have no symptoms. The CDC similarly shortened the amount of time people who have come into close contact with an infected person need to quarantine.

The CDC has been under pressure from the public and the private sector, including Delta Air Lines, to explore ways to shorten the isolation time and reduce the risk of severe staffing shortages amid the omicron surge. Thousands of airline flights have been canceled over the past few days in a mess blamed on omicron.

“Not all of those cases are going to be severe. In fact, many are going to be asymptomatic,” CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said Monday. “We want to make sure there is a mechanism by which we can safely continue to keep society functioning while following the science.”

CDC officials said the guidance is in keeping with growing evidence that people with the virus are most infectious in the first few days.

Louis Mansky, director of the Institute for Molecular Virology at the University of Minnesota, agreed there is a scientific basis to the CDC’s recommendations.

“When somebody gets infected, when are they most likely to transmit the virus to another person?” he said. “It’s usually in the earlier course of the illness, which is typically a day or two before they actually develop symptoms and then a couple of days to three days after that.”

Research, including a study published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine in August, backs that up, though medical experts cautioned that nearly all of the data predates omicron.

But other experts questioned why the CDC guidelines allow people to leave isolation without testing.

“It’s frankly reckless to proceed like this,” said Dr. Eric Topol, founder and director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute. “Using a rapid test or some type of test to validate that the person isn’t infectious is vital.”

“There’s no evidence, no data to support this,” he added.

Mansky said CDC probably didn’t include exit testing in its guidelines for logistical reasons: There is a run on COVID-19 rapid tests amid the spike in cases and the busy holiday travel season. In many places, at-home tests are difficult or impossible to find.

The CDC is “driven by the science, but they also have to be cognizant of the fact of, you know, what are they going to tell the public that they’ll do,” Mansky said. “That would undermine CDC if they had guidance that everybody was ignoring.”

Qamara Edwards, director of business and events for Sojourn Philly, which owns four restaurants in Philadelphia, said about 15% of its employees are out sick with COVID-19, and staffing is tight.

The CDC changes are “great for businesses, they do allow people to return to work sooner than they’ve expected,” Edwards said, though she understands why workers might be resistant and worried about their safety.

In Los Angeles, King Holder, who runs the StretchLab Beverly fitness business, likewise said omicron has caused “caused ample” to his company, and he welcomed the more relaxed guidelines.

“The possibility of five days compared to 10-14 days is huge for our business and allows us to stay afloat,” he said.

But Dana Martin, a 38-year-old Philadelphia teacher and educational consultant, said: “The looser COVID guidelines make me nervous. I’m more hesitant to participate in holiday activities because of the omicron variant and the seemingly more lax protocols.”

Marshall Hatch, senior pastor of New Mount Pilgrim Church on Chicago’s West Side, said he is bracing for some confusion in his congregation. The church has been a strong advocate for testing, vaccinations and booster shots.

Hatch said the CDC’s latest guidance is confusing and “a little incongruous.”

“Either we’re in a surge that we need to take very seriously or are we winding down the pandemic and that’s why we’re shortening the isolation and quarantine times,” he said Tuesday. “They might want to give us a little more information to go with.”

Hatch said some members of the largely Black congregation, particularly senior citizens, are skeptical of information from government.

The CDC move follows global efforts to adjust isolation rules, with policies differing from country to country.

England last week trimmed its self-isolation period for vaccinated people who have tested positive for COVID-19 to seven days in many cases, provided two negative lateral flow tests are taken a day apart.

The French government said Monday that it will soon relax its isolation rules, although by exactly how much isn’t yet clear.

Health Minister Olivier Veran said the rule changes will be aimed at warding off “paralysis” of public and private services. By some estimates, France could be registering more than 250,000 new infections per day by January.

Italy, meanwhile, is considering doing away with a quarantine altogether for those who have had close contact with an infected person as long they have had a booster shot. Projections indicate as many as 2 million Italians could be put in quarantine over the next two weeks as the virus spreads.

The U.S. airline industry applauded the CDC move.

“The decision is the right one based upon science,” said the lobbying group Airlines for America.

But the head of a flight attendants union criticized the change, saying it could lead businesses to pressure sick employees to come back before they are well.

If that happens, “we will make clear it is an unsafe work environment, which will cause a much greater disruption than any ‘staffing shortages,’” warned Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA International.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1635890433225.png" alt="CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said Monday, “We want to make sure there is a mechanism by which we can safely continue to keep society functioning while following the science.”" />
 <figcaption>CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said Monday, “We want to make sure there is a mechanism by which we can safely continue to keep society functioning while following the science.”</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. health officials’ decision to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-business-health-rochelle-walensky-d7d609c9c01e200d250df7ca7282c9d6">shorten the recommended COVID-19 isolation</a>&nbsp;and quarantine period from 10 days to five is drawing criticism from some medical experts and could create more confusion and fear among Americans.To the dismay of some authorities, the new guidelines allow people to leave isolation without getting tested to see if they are still infectious.The guidance has raised questions about how it was crafted and why it was changed now, in the middle of another wintertime spike in cases, this one driven largely by the highly contagious omicron variant.Monday’s action by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cut in half the recommended isolation time for Americans who are infected with the coronavirus but have no symptoms. The CDC similarly shortened the amount of time people who have come into close contact with an infected person need to quarantine.The CDC has been under pressure from the public and the private sector, including Delta Air Lines, to explore ways to shorten the isolation time and reduce the risk of severe staffing shortages amid the omicron surge. Thousands of airline flights have been canceled over the past few days in a mess blamed on omicron.“Not all of those cases are going to be severe. In fact, many are going to be asymptomatic,” CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said Monday. “We want to make sure there is a mechanism by which we can safely continue to keep society functioning while following the science.”CDC officials said the guidance is in keeping with growing evidence that people with the virus are most infectious in the first few days.Louis Mansky, director of the Institute for Molecular Virology at the University of Minnesota, agreed there is a scientific basis to the CDC’s recommendations.“When somebody gets infected, when are they most likely to transmit the virus to another person?” he said. “It’s usually in the earlier course of the illness, which is typically a day or two before they actually develop symptoms and then a couple of days to three days after that.”Research, including a study published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine in August, backs that up, though medical experts cautioned that nearly all of the data predates omicron.But other experts questioned why the CDC guidelines allow people to leave isolation without testing.“It’s frankly reckless to proceed like this,” said Dr. Eric Topol, founder and director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute. “Using a rapid test or some type of test to validate that the person isn’t infectious is vital.”“There’s no evidence, no data to support this,” he added.Mansky said CDC probably didn’t include exit testing in its guidelines for logistical reasons: There is a run on COVID-19 rapid tests amid the spike in cases and the busy holiday travel season. In many places, at-home tests are difficult or impossible to find.The CDC is “driven by the science, but they also have to be cognizant of the fact of, you know, what are they going to tell the public that they’ll do,” Mansky said. “That would undermine CDC if they had guidance that everybody was ignoring.”Qamara Edwards, director of business and events for Sojourn Philly, which owns four restaurants in Philadelphia, said about 15% of its employees are out sick with COVID-19, and staffing is tight.The CDC changes are “great for businesses, they do allow people to return to work sooner than they’ve expected,” Edwards said, though she understands why workers might be resistant and worried about their safety.In Los Angeles, King Holder, who runs the StretchLab Beverly fitness business, likewise said omicron has caused “caused ample” to his company, and he welcomed the more relaxed guidelines.“The possibility of five days compared to 10-14 days is huge for our business and allows us to stay afloat,” he said.But Dana Martin, a 38-year-old Philadelphia teacher and educational consultant, said: “The looser COVID guidelines make me nervous. I’m more hesitant to participate in holiday activities because of the omicron variant and the seemingly more lax protocols.”Marshall Hatch, senior pastor of New Mount Pilgrim Church on Chicago’s West Side, said he is bracing for some confusion in his congregation. The church has been a strong advocate for testing, vaccinations and booster shots.Hatch said the CDC’s latest guidance is confusing and “a little incongruous.”“Either we’re in a surge that we need to take very seriously or are we winding down the pandemic and that’s why we’re shortening the isolation and quarantine times,” he said Tuesday. “They might want to give us a little more information to go with.”Hatch said some members of the largely Black congregation, particularly senior citizens, are skeptical of information from government.The CDC move follows global efforts to adjust isolation rules, with policies differing from country to country.England last week trimmed its self-isolation period for vaccinated people who have tested positive for COVID-19 to seven days in many cases, provided two negative lateral flow tests are taken a day apart.The French government said Monday that it will soon relax its isolation rules, although by exactly how much isn’t yet clear.Health Minister Olivier Veran said the rule changes will be aimed at warding off “paralysis” of public and private services. By some estimates, France could be registering more than 250,000 new infections per day by January.Italy, meanwhile, is considering doing away with a quarantine altogether for those who have had close contact with an infected person as long they have had a booster shot. Projections indicate as many as 2 million Italians could be put in quarantine over the next two weeks as the virus spreads.The U.S. airline industry applauded the CDC move.“The decision is the right one based upon science,” said the lobbying group Airlines for America.But the head of a flight attendants union criticized the change, saying it could lead businesses to pressure sick employees to come back before they are well.If that happens, “we will make clear it is an unsafe work environment, which will cause a much greater disruption than any ‘staffing shortages,’” warned Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA International.___

CDC confusion: Move to shorten COVID isolation draws criticism 

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Harry Reid, the former Senate majority leader and Nevada’s longest-serving member of Congress, has died. He was 82. Landra Reid says her husband died peacefully after a four-year battle with pancreatic cancer. 

The combative former boxer-turned-lawyer was widely-acknowledged as one of toughest dealmakers in Congress. Over a 34-year career in Washington, Reid thrived on behind-the-scenes wrangling and kept the Senate controlled by his party through two presidents, a crippling recession and the Republican takeover of the House after the 2010 elections. He retired in 2016 after an accident left him blind in one eye.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640742523815.png" alt="Sen. Harry Reid photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Harry Reid photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>LAS VEGAS (AP) — Harry Reid, the former Senate majority leader and Nevada’s longest-serving member of Congress, has died. He was 82. Landra Reid says her husband died peacefully after a four-year battle with pancreatic cancer. <div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Harry Reid was one of the most amazing individuals I&#39;ve ever met He never forgot where he came from and used those boxing instincts to fearlessly fight those who were hurting the poor &amp; the middle class He’s gone but will walk by the sides of many of us in the Senate every day <a href="https://t.co/8T9PiD7vY4">pic.twitter.com/8T9PiD7vY4</a>&mdash; Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenSchumer/status/1475997288497565699?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 29, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The combative former boxer-turned-lawyer was widely-acknowledged as one of toughest dealmakers in Congress. Over a 34-year career in Washington, Reid thrived on behind-the-scenes wrangling and kept the Senate controlled by his party through two presidents, a crippling recession and the Republican takeover of the House after the 2010 elections. He retired in 2016 after an accident left him blind in one eye.

Harry Reid, former Senate majority leader, dies at 82

By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina Post

SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas burglary suspect after he&nbsp;was found hiding in the utility closet.

Just after 3:30p.m. Monday, 9fficers responded to the report of a burglary in progress in the 200 block of S. Eighth Street in Salina, according to Police Captain Paul Forrester.

 Neighbors had reported that they had seen a small-statured man enter the residence and that they had seen him coming and going from the residence since Thursday. The residence, owned by a 70-year-old Solomon woman, was supposed to be vacant.

During a search of the residence, officers found Nicholas Reimonenq, 29, of Salina, hiding in a small space between the furnace and the wall of a utility closet, Forrester said.

They also located a backpack belonging to Reimonenq, that allegedly had in it items belonging to previous residents. Additionally, an antique glass doorknob allegedly was found in Reimonenq's pocket, Forrester said. The total of the items was $55.

Reimonenq was arrested on requested charges of Burglary, Theft and Interference with a law enforcement officer

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640705279664.jpeg" alt="Reimonenq photo Saline Co." />
 <figcaption>Reimonenq photo Saline Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina PostSALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas burglary suspect after he&nbsp;was found hiding in the utility closet.Just after 3:30p.m. Monday, 9fficers responded to the report of a burglary in progress in the 200 block of S. Eighth Street in Salina, according to Police Captain Paul Forrester. Neighbors had reported that they had seen a small-statured man enter the residence and that they had seen him coming and going from the residence since Thursday. The residence, owned by a 70-year-old Solomon woman, was supposed to be vacant.During a search of the residence, officers found Nicholas Reimonenq, 29, of Salina, hiding in a small space between the furnace and the wall of a utility closet, Forrester said.They also located a backpack belonging to Reimonenq, that allegedly had in it items belonging to previous residents. Additionally, an antique glass doorknob allegedly was found in Reimonenq's pocket, Forrester said. The total of the items was $55.Reimonenq was arrested on requested charges of Burglary, Theft and Interference with a law enforcement officer

Kansas burglary suspect found hiding in utility closet

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden signed the National Defense Authorization Act into law, authorizing $768.2 billion in military spending, including a 2.7% pay raise for service members, for 2022.

The NDAA authorizes a 5% increase in military spending, and is the product of intense negotiations between Democrats and Republicans over issues ranging from reforms of the military justice system to COVID-19 vaccine requirements for soldiers.

“The Act provides vital benefits and enhances access to justice for military personnel and their families, and includes critical authorities to support our country’s national defense,” Biden said Monday in a statement.

The $768.2 billion price tag marks $25 billion more than Biden initially requested from Congress, a prior proposal that was rejected by members of both parties out of concerns it would undermine U.S. efforts to keep pace militarily with China and Russia.

The new bill passed earlier this month with bipartisan support, with Democrats and Republicans touting wins in the final package.

Democrats applauded provisions in the bill overhauling how the military justice system handles sexual assault and other related crimes, effectively taking prosecutorial jurisdiction over such crimes out of the hands of military commanders.

Republicans, meanwhile, touted success in blocking an effort to add women to the draft, as well as the inclusion of a provision that bars dishonorable discharges for service members who refuse the COVID-19 vaccine.

The bill includes $7.1 billion for the Pacific Deterrence Initiative and a statement of congressional support for the defense of Taiwan, measures intended to counteract China’s influence in the region.

It also includes $300 million for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, a show of support in the face of Russian aggression, as well as $4 billion for the European Defense Initiative.

In his statement, the president also outlined a number of provisions his administration opposes over what he characterized as “constitutional concerns or questions of construction.”

Those planks include provisions that restrict the use of funds to transfer or release individuals detained at the Guantanamo Bay detention center, which the Biden administration is moving to close. Biden’s statement said the provisions “unduly impair” the executive branch’s ability to decide when and where to prosecute detainees and where to send them when they’re released, and could constrain U.S. negotiations with foreign countries over the transfer of detainees in a way that could undermine national security.

The law also has provisions barring goods produced by forced Uyghur labor in China from entering the U.S., and it begins to lay out plans for the new Global War on Terror Memorial, which would be the latest addition to the National Mall.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640700282700.png" alt="The new bill passed earlier this month with bipartisan support, with Democrats and Republicans touting wins in the final package-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>The new bill passed earlier this month with bipartisan support, with Democrats and Republicans touting wins in the final package-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden signed the National Defense Authorization Act into law, authorizing $768.2 billion in military spending, including a 2.7% pay raise for service members, for 2022.The NDAA authorizes a 5% increase in military spending, and is the product of intense negotiations between Democrats and Republicans over issues ranging from reforms of the military justice system to COVID-19 vaccine requirements for soldiers.“The Act provides vital benefits and enhances access to justice for military personnel and their families, and includes critical authorities to support our country’s national defense,” Biden said Monday in a statement.The $768.2 billion price tag marks $25 billion more than Biden initially requested from Congress, a prior proposal that was rejected by members of both parties out of concerns it would undermine U.S. efforts to keep pace militarily with China and Russia.The new bill passed earlier this month with bipartisan support, with Democrats and Republicans touting wins in the final package.Democrats applauded provisions in the bill overhauling how the military justice system handles sexual assault and other related crimes, effectively taking prosecutorial jurisdiction over such crimes out of the hands of military commanders.Republicans, meanwhile, touted success in blocking an effort to add women to the draft, as well as the inclusion of a provision that bars dishonorable discharges for service members who refuse the COVID-19 vaccine.The bill includes $7.1 billion for the Pacific Deterrence Initiative and a statement of congressional support for the defense of Taiwan, measures intended to counteract China’s influence in the region.It also includes $300 million for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, a show of support in the face of Russian aggression, as well as $4 billion for the European Defense Initiative.In his statement, the president also outlined a number of provisions his administration opposes over what he characterized as “constitutional concerns or questions of construction.”Those planks include provisions that restrict the use of funds to transfer or release individuals detained at the Guantanamo Bay detention center, which the Biden administration is moving to close. Biden’s statement said the provisions “unduly impair” the executive branch’s ability to decide when and where to prosecute detainees and where to send them when they’re released, and could constrain U.S. negotiations with foreign countries over the transfer of detainees in a way that could undermine national security.The law also has provisions barring goods produced by forced Uyghur labor in China from entering the U.S., and it begins to lay out plans for the new Global War on Terror Memorial, which would be the latest addition to the National Mall.

Pay raise for service members: Biden signs $768B defense bill 

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The Omaha man who stabbed himself in the throat and was shot by police after allegedly charging at his mother and officers with a knife is now in fair condition. 

Police said Monday that 37-year-old Justin Michalak will be booked on several assault charges as soon as he is released from the hospital. 

Meanwhile, his 66-year-old mother was treated and released from a cut on the hand she suffered in the incident on Thursday. 

The officer who shot Michalak will be on paid administrative leave during the investigation.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The Omaha man who stabbed himself in the throat and was shot by police after allegedly charging at his mother and officers with a knife is now in fair condition. Police said Monday that 37-year-old Justin Michalak will be booked on several assault charges as soon as he is released from the hospital. Meanwhile, his 66-year-old mother was treated and released from a cut on the hand she suffered in the incident on Thursday. The officer who shot Michalak will be on paid administrative leave during the investigation.

Man shot by police in Omaha now in fair condition

COLUMBUS –&nbsp; A Kansas man has been sentenced to life in prison for the murders of two individuals in 2020, according to Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt.

Mark Hopkins II, 30, of Columbus was sentenced by Senior Judge Robert Fleming in Cherokee County District Court. Hopkins was sentenced to life in a Kansas Department of Corrections facility without the possibility of parole for 50 years. Hopkins last month pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree premeditated murder.

The crime occurred in June 2020, resulting in the deaths of Blaze Swank and Kylan Shook in Cherokee County. The case was investigated by the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.

Related charges against another defendant remain pending. Charges are merely accusations; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

CHEROKEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are searching for two suspects who escaped from the Cherokee County Jail and are now offering a $5000 reward for information leading to their capture, according to the Cherokee County Sheriff.

Just after 11p.m. Monday 30-year-old double murder suspect Mark Gerald Hopkins II and 34-year-old drug suspect Michael Wayne Martsolf escaped from the Cherokee County Jail in Columbus, Kansas, according to Sheriff David Grove.

The suspects may be driving a 2008 White Honda Accord with a Missouri tag LG2XOF.&nbsp; Both suspects have extensive tattoos throughout their bodies.&nbsp; Both should be considered armed and dangerous. If you see them, call 911.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1622299174237.png" alt="Authorities captured Hopkins in Oklahoma -Photo Cherokee Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Authorities captured Hopkins in Oklahoma -Photo Cherokee Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>COLUMBUS –&nbsp; A Kansas man has been sentenced to life in prison for the murders of two individuals in 2020, according to Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1621960469451.png" alt="Hopkins-photo Cherokee Co." />
 <figcaption>Hopkins-photo Cherokee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Mark Hopkins II, 30, of Columbus was sentenced by Senior Judge Robert Fleming in Cherokee County District Court. Hopkins was sentenced to life in a Kansas Department of Corrections facility without the possibility of parole for 50 years. Hopkins last month pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree premeditated murder. The crime occurred in June 2020, resulting in the deaths of Blaze Swank and Kylan Shook in Cherokee County. The case was investigated by the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. Related charges against another defendant remain pending. Charges are merely accusations; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. ------------<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1622043301789.png" alt="Hopkins photo Cherokee Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Hopkins photo Cherokee Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>CHEROKEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are searching for two suspects who escaped from the Cherokee County Jail and are now offering a $5000 reward for information leading to their capture, according to the Cherokee County Sheriff.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1621960532851.png" alt="Michael Martsolf photo Cherokee Co." />
 <figcaption>Michael Martsolf photo Cherokee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Just after 11p.m. Monday 30-year-old double murder suspect Mark Gerald Hopkins II and 34-year-old drug suspect Michael Wayne Martsolf escaped from the Cherokee County Jail in Columbus, Kansas, according to Sheriff David Grove.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1621960469451.png" alt="Hopkins booking photo Cherokee County" />
 <figcaption>Hopkins booking photo Cherokee County</figcaption>
 </figure>The suspects may be driving a 2008 White Honda Accord with a Missouri tag LG2XOF.&nbsp; Both suspects have extensive tattoos throughout their bodies.&nbsp; Both should be considered armed and dangerous. If you see them, call 911.

Man who escaped Kan. jail sentenced  for double murder

By&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hppr.org/people/david-condos">David Condos</a>, <a href="https://www.hppr.org/hppr-news/2021-12-22/kansas-ranchers-face-a-long-road-to-recovery-after-devastating-wildfires">Kansas News Service</a>

Extreme winds and drought fueled widespread grass fires across western and central Kansas earlier this month. Now, the ranchers, farmers and communities who lost so much begin to pick up the pieces.

PARADISE, Kansas&nbsp;— This time of year, rancher Rich Koester is normally busy caring for newborn calves or feeding his herd to get them ready for winter.

As he walked up to the edge of a freshly dug pit roughly the size of a backyard swimming pool, the charred stubble of prairie grass crunched beneath his feet.

Days after the wildfire that torched his pasture went out, the smell of smoke still hung in the air.

“It was burning so fast that it just went over the top of everything. … A lot of the cattle didn’t have a chance,” he said, fighting back tears. “I don’t know how any of mine survived.”

To his right, a construction excavator just finished lowering one more dead cow onto a pile of about 20 carcasses in this mass grave.

Koester said the fire killed more than a third of his 200-head herd and engulfed every bit of his roughly 800-acre pasture.

“As far as you can see around here, it’s burnt,” he said. “It took all of it.”

The unrelenting wind storm that tore across Kansas on Dec. 15 sparked widespread, devastating wildfires fueled by dry grass and up to 100 mph gusts. For ranchers like Koester, the days and nights since the storm have been long and filled with difficult choices. And this is just the start of a much longer road to recovery.

The land Koester has ranched in Russell County for three decades sat squarely in the path of a fire that tore through well over 100,000 acres following the storm.

Still, he considers himself luckier than most around here. The fire only burned his land and cattle. He said some of his neighbors lost a lot more — homes, barns, vehicles.

“So you can see how much it’s affected a lot of people, not just me,” he said. “I’m just a little drop in the bucket.”

Along the dirt roads near Koester’s ranch, other fields and rolling grassland hills have been charred black. Some that aren’t black are tan — the color of the wind-blown soot now covering them in rippled dunes that resemble a desert.

Ash gray tree stumps and scorched yucca stems poke out from mounds of dust. Half-burned wooden fence posts hang from barbed wire.

The blaze that covered this area has been dubbed the Four County Fire because it burned parts of Russell, Ellis, Osborne and Rooks Counties.

This Four County Fire alone incinerated more than 190 square miles. That’s an area larger than all of Wyandotte County (156 square miles) or the city of Wichita (166.5 square miles).

Courtesy Of Kansas Forest Service/This map from the Kansas Forest Service shows the locations of the 16 wildfires that burned parts of western and central Kansas on Dec. 15.

But it wasn’t the only wildfire that the wind storm sparked. In all, the Kansas Forest Service recorded 16 wildfires in western and central Kansas that day, singeing more than 160,000 acres across 13 counties.

Shawna Hartman, a Kansas Forest Service spokeswoman, said the destruction was so extensive that local fire suppression teams — which often travel to assist neighboring counties — were stretched thin.

“That storm was such a widespread storm that every county had something going on,” she said. “Or if they didn't, the storm was still on its way.”

And the extreme wind made it too dangerous for state firefighters and water-toting aircraft to arrive on the scene until the next day.

Hartman said the state’s usual wildfire season hits in the spring. But the abnormally dry conditions in western and central Kansas this fall — Kansas State University’s research center in Hays has recorded&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/WKREC/status/1473664784054763528" target="_blank">no rainfall</a>&nbsp;in the area since November 3rd — left the region ripe for an earlier fire of this magnitude.

“It was definitely a perfect storm,” she said. “These fires ran for 20-plus miles in an afternoon. … It's very, very reminiscent of what you would see in California.”

The Kansas Forest Service knows all too well what those California fires look and feel like.

Its fire suppression team is often dispatched to fight wildfires all over the country. And its experience in the West prepared it for the fast-moving fires in Kansas.

But Hartman said that seeing these types of fires so close to home hit firefighters in a way those far-off fires did not.

“When it's at home, when it's your neighbors and your friends and your family,” she said, “it hits really hard emotionally on everybody.”

Even in the face of such widespread destruction, communities all over western and central Kansas quickly sprang into action to help those who were in the fire’s path.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/RussellEMS/posts/1713347578861684" target="_blank">4-H building</a>&nbsp;in Russell was set up to collect donations, everything from barbed wire and hay bales to winter clothing and phone chargers.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwch.com/2021/12/17/ways-help-kansas-wildfire-victims/?fbclid=IwAR0Uuk68OQLGgLiF_sPoHD2WXd8f1RB5MwgbEmVBlXIL5bALk-Yhjuej2mA" target="_blank">GoFundMe pages</a>&nbsp;for Kansans who lost their farms, ranches and homes drew tens of thousands of dollars in donations from across the country.

In the days following the fire at Koester’s ranch, he said people showed up with horses and four-wheelers to help round up his remaining live cattle, many of which escaped to neighboring land after the fences burned. Trucks arrived with hay to feed them because their grazing grass went up in smoke.

On the day Koester buried some of his cattle, volunteers brought in Jeeps and ATVs from two counties away to help him gather carcasses from across his land.

Matt McCune, a farmer and sales agronomist in Rooks County, said similar community initiatives have been popping up across the region. He has been one of the many people helping to organize local recovery efforts on&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/ksufearless" target="_blank">social media</a>&nbsp;and get supplies distributed to people who need them.

He said ranchers in the area have collectively seen thousands of cattle die the same way Koester’s did. Many people lost everything they had — homes, trucks, tractors, sheds — so it can be difficult for them to even know where to start.

“Most people haven't wrapped their heads around what they need,” McCune said. “(Ranching is) all they put their heart and soul into, and a lot of these guys were completely wiped out and have nothing left.”

He said most ranchers’ immediate needs include getting financial help to pay insurance deductibles and getting the materials and labor they need to rebuild their fences. But with so much demand for fence posts and wire in such a remote area, he said it’s nearly impossible to find the supplies to get started.

And the long-term recovery — rebuilding their businesses and herds — hasn’t even begun. So he’s concerned this region’s critical needs will fall off the national radar long before they’re met.

“Usually, a couple weeks from now, these events drop off of people's minds,” he said. “But this could take forever to get this stuff back built back up. … We’re probably talking two, three years.”

David Condos/Kansas News ServiceRancher Rich Koester looks over his roughly 800-acre pasture that was burned in the Four County Fire.

As the sun dipped down at his pasture in Russell County, Rich Koester watched a bulldozer push the last pile of soil onto his cattle's burial site. It immediately blends in with the dust-covered ground that surrounds it.

He paused for a moment to look down at the patch of dirt that now covers many of the animals he’s cared for since they were born. Then, he climbed onto his four-wheeler with his dog, Gibbs, and got back to work.

“We pick up everything in pieces,” he said, “and try to put everything back together that we can and go on.”

His biggest concern in the coming days will be deciding which of his remaining cattle need medicine for their burns and which ones should be put down.

But first, he stopped to check in on his neighbor, who also lost his pasture to the fire, to ask if there was anything he could do to lend him a hand.

“You help them, they'll help you, and you just pass it on,” Koester said. “That’s the way it is out here.”

If you've been affected by Kansas wildfires or if you're looking for ways to help those who were affected, the Kansas Department of Agriculture has set up a&nbsp;<a href="https://agriculture.ks.gov/news-events/kansas-wildfire-recovery-resources-december-2021" target="_blank">recovery resources hub</a>.

David Condos covers western Kansas for High Plains Public Radio and the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter<a href="http://twitter.com/davidcondos" target="_blank">&nbsp;@davidcondos</a>.

The Kansas News Service is a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains Public Radio focused on health, the social determinants of health and their connection to public policy.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640356776322.png" alt="Russell County rancher Rich Koester sits on his four-wheeler with his dog, Gibbs. Koester estimates that all of his roughly 800-acre pasture burned in the Four County Fire.-David Condos/Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>Russell County rancher Rich Koester sits on his four-wheeler with his dog, Gibbs. Koester estimates that all of his roughly 800-acre pasture burned in the Four County Fire.-David Condos/Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hppr.org/people/david-condos">David Condos</a>, <a href="https://www.hppr.org/hppr-news/2021-12-22/kansas-ranchers-face-a-long-road-to-recovery-after-devastating-wildfires">Kansas News Service</a><h2>Extreme winds and drought fueled widespread grass fires across western and central Kansas earlier this month. Now, the ranchers, farmers and communities who lost so much begin to pick up the pieces.</h2>PARADISE, Kansas&nbsp;— This time of year, rancher Rich Koester is normally busy caring for newborn calves or feeding his herd to get them ready for winter.Instead, he’s busy burying livestock.As he walked up to the edge of a freshly dug pit roughly the size of a backyard swimming pool, the charred stubble of prairie grass crunched beneath his feet.Days after the wildfire that torched his pasture went out, the smell of smoke still hung in the air.“It was burning so fast that it just went over the top of everything. … A lot of the cattle didn’t have a chance,” he said, fighting back tears. “I don’t know how any of mine survived.”<figure>
 <img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/fa3ca8b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4541x3070+0+0/resize/880x595!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ffc%2Fd4%2Fe58bbdc84a40b2d420a963f3d22e%2Fimg-2291-2.JPG" alt="An excavator lowers cattle carcasses into a burial pit on Koester's ranch. He estimates he lost more than a third of his herd to the fire.-David Condos/Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>An excavator lowers cattle carcasses into a burial pit on Koester's ranch. He estimates he lost more than a third of his herd to the fire.-David Condos/Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>To his right, a construction excavator just finished lowering one more dead cow onto a pile of about 20 carcasses in this mass grave.Koester said the fire killed more than a third of his 200-head herd and engulfed every bit of his roughly 800-acre pasture.“As far as you can see around here, it’s burnt,” he said. “It took all of it.”The unrelenting wind storm that tore across Kansas on Dec. 15 sparked widespread, devastating wildfires fueled by dry grass and up to 100 mph gusts. For ranchers like Koester, the days and nights since the storm have been long and filled with difficult choices. And this is just the start of a much longer road to recovery.The land Koester has ranched in Russell County for three decades sat squarely in the path of a fire that tore through well over 100,000 acres following the storm.Still, he considers himself luckier than most around here. The fire only burned his land and cattle. He said some of his neighbors lost a lot more — homes, barns, vehicles.“So you can see how much it’s affected a lot of people, not just me,” he said. “I’m just a little drop in the bucket.”<figure>
 <img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e803216/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4032x3024+0+0/resize/880x660!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fff%2F79%2Fff7595b64f6781791715f0eedc66%2Fimg-0497.jpg" alt="A half-burned wooden fence post hangs on barbed wire near Koester's ranch in Russell County. The wind covered the burned grass in this area with a layer of tan soot and dust.-David Condos/Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>A half-burned wooden fence post hangs on barbed wire near Koester's ranch in Russell County. The wind covered the burned grass in this area with a layer of tan soot and dust.-David Condos/Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>Dust, soot and ashAlong the dirt roads near Koester’s ranch, other fields and rolling grassland hills have been charred black. Some that aren’t black are tan — the color of the wind-blown soot now covering them in rippled dunes that resemble a desert.Ash gray tree stumps and scorched yucca stems poke out from mounds of dust. Half-burned wooden fence posts hang from barbed wire.The blaze that covered this area has been dubbed the Four County Fire because it burned parts of Russell, Ellis, Osborne and Rooks Counties.This Four County Fire alone incinerated more than 190 square miles. That’s an area larger than all of Wyandotte County (156 square miles) or the city of Wichita (166.5 square miles).<figure>
 <img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/d1254ea/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1650x1275+0+0/resize/880x680!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Faa%2Fbb%2Fe78ce977401d95d529d29a1d1efa%2Fdecember-15th-final-perimeters-detail.jpg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Courtesy Of Kansas Forest Service/This map from the Kansas Forest Service shows the locations of the 16 wildfires that burned parts of western and central Kansas on Dec. 15.But it wasn’t the only wildfire that the wind storm sparked. In all, the Kansas Forest Service recorded 16 wildfires in western and central Kansas that day, singeing more than 160,000 acres across 13 counties.Shawna Hartman, a Kansas Forest Service spokeswoman, said the destruction was so extensive that local fire suppression teams — which often travel to assist neighboring counties — were stretched thin.“That storm was such a widespread storm that every county had something going on,” she said. “Or if they didn't, the storm was still on its way.”And the extreme wind made it too dangerous for state firefighters and water-toting aircraft to arrive on the scene until the next day.<figure>
 <img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ef9a851/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1280x960+0+0/resize/880x660!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fdd%2F06%2F46e5f9164af090e5766250c46fce%2F269838735-281227920701012-5213831715304699091-n.jpg" alt="Kansas Forest Service personnel work to control the Four County Fire- Chris Hanson/Kansas Forest Service" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Forest Service personnel work to control the Four County Fire- Chris Hanson/Kansas Forest Service</figcaption>
 </figure>Hartman said the state’s usual wildfire season hits in the spring. But the abnormally dry conditions in western and central Kansas this fall — Kansas State University’s research center in Hays has recorded&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/WKREC/status/1473664784054763528" target="_blank">no rainfall</a>&nbsp;in the area since November 3rd — left the region ripe for an earlier fire of this magnitude.“It was definitely a perfect storm,” she said. “These fires ran for 20-plus miles in an afternoon. … It's very, very reminiscent of what you would see in California.”The Kansas Forest Service knows all too well what those California fires look and feel like.Its fire suppression team is often dispatched to fight wildfires all over the country. And its experience in the West prepared it for the fast-moving fires in Kansas.But Hartman said that seeing these types of fires so close to home hit firefighters in a way those far-off fires did not.“When it's at home, when it's your neighbors and your friends and your family,” she said, “it hits really hard emotionally on everybody.”<figure>
 <img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/14408f3/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5184x3456+0+0/resize/880x587!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fa3%2F4d%2Fc8b6e327417885fa1d404346cd0a%2Fimg-2371.JPG" alt="Burned tree stumps stick out of an ash-covered piece of pasture near Koester's ranch in Russell County.-David Condos/Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>Burned tree stumps stick out of an ash-covered piece of pasture near Koester's ranch in Russell County.-David Condos/Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>Long road backEven in the face of such widespread destruction, communities all over western and central Kansas quickly sprang into action to help those who were in the fire’s path.The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/RussellEMS/posts/1713347578861684" target="_blank">4-H building</a>&nbsp;in Russell was set up to collect donations, everything from barbed wire and hay bales to winter clothing and phone chargers.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwch.com/2021/12/17/ways-help-kansas-wildfire-victims/?fbclid=IwAR0Uuk68OQLGgLiF_sPoHD2WXd8f1RB5MwgbEmVBlXIL5bALk-Yhjuej2mA" target="_blank">GoFundMe pages</a>&nbsp;for Kansans who lost their farms, ranches and homes drew tens of thousands of dollars in donations from across the country.In the days following the fire at Koester’s ranch, he said people showed up with horses and four-wheelers to help round up his remaining live cattle, many of which escaped to neighboring land after the fences burned. Trucks arrived with hay to feed them because their grazing grass went up in smoke.On the day Koester buried some of his cattle, volunteers brought in Jeeps and ATVs from two counties away to help him gather carcasses from across his land.<figure>
 <img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/cc99ca4/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5006x3012+0+0/resize/880x529!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F2c%2Fb7%2Fbc15789f4f60a8395a82ea2ddfed%2Fimg-2285-2.JPG" alt="One of Koester's dead cows lies in front of the burial pit.-David Condos/Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>One of Koester's dead cows lies in front of the burial pit.-David Condos/Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>Matt McCune, a farmer and sales agronomist in Rooks County, said similar community initiatives have been popping up across the region. He has been one of the many people helping to organize local recovery efforts on&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/ksufearless" target="_blank">social media</a>&nbsp;and get supplies distributed to people who need them.He said ranchers in the area have collectively seen thousands of cattle die the same way Koester’s did. Many people lost everything they had — homes, trucks, tractors, sheds — so it can be difficult for them to even know where to start.“Most people haven't wrapped their heads around what they need,” McCune said. “(Ranching is) all they put their heart and soul into, and a lot of these guys were completely wiped out and have nothing left.”He said most ranchers’ immediate needs include getting financial help to pay insurance deductibles and getting the materials and labor they need to rebuild their fences. But with so much demand for fence posts and wire in such a remote area, he said it’s nearly impossible to find the supplies to get started.And the long-term recovery — rebuilding their businesses and herds — hasn’t even begun. So he’s concerned this region’s critical needs will fall off the national radar long before they’re met.“Usually, a couple weeks from now, these events drop off of people's minds,” he said. “But this could take forever to get this stuff back built back up. … We’re probably talking two, three years.”<figure>
 <img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/d6265de/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4767x3376+0+0/resize/880x623!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F8f%2F29%2Fb554fc8c4680be5bd0ffbe45126d%2Fimg-2322-2.JPG" alt="Rancher Rich Koester looks over his roughly 800-acre pasture that was burned in the Four County Fire.-David Condos/Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>Rancher Rich Koester looks over his roughly 800-acre pasture that was burned in the Four County Fire.-David Condos/Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>David Condos/Kansas News ServiceRancher Rich Koester looks over his roughly 800-acre pasture that was burned in the Four County Fire.As the sun dipped down at his pasture in Russell County, Rich Koester watched a bulldozer push the last pile of soil onto his cattle's burial site. It immediately blends in with the dust-covered ground that surrounds it.He paused for a moment to look down at the patch of dirt that now covers many of the animals he’s cared for since they were born. Then, he climbed onto his four-wheeler with his dog, Gibbs, and got back to work.“We pick up everything in pieces,” he said, “and try to put everything back together that we can and go on.”His biggest concern in the coming days will be deciding which of his remaining cattle need medicine for their burns and which ones should be put down.But first, he stopped to check in on his neighbor, who also lost his pasture to the fire, to ask if there was anything he could do to lend him a hand.“You help them, they'll help you, and you just pass it on,” Koester said. “That’s the way it is out here.”<figure>
 <img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/0568e4a/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5184x3329+0+0/resize/880x565!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F15%2F0a%2Fbb206671458e8e4c3e1b061ca47a%2Fimg-2395.JPG" alt="Piles of dust and soot resembling desert sand dunes line the edge of a pasture in Russell County, with burned trees dotting the background.-David Condos/Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>Piles of dust and soot resembling desert sand dunes line the edge of a pasture in Russell County, with burned trees dotting the background.-David Condos/Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>If you've been affected by Kansas wildfires or if you're looking for ways to help those who were affected, the Kansas Department of Agriculture has set up a&nbsp;<a href="https://agriculture.ks.gov/news-events/kansas-wildfire-recovery-resources-december-2021" target="_blank">recovery resources hub</a>.David Condos covers western Kansas for High Plains Public Radio and the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter<a href="http://twitter.com/davidcondos" target="_blank">&nbsp;@davidcondos</a>.The Kansas News Service is a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains Public Radio focused on health, the social determinants of health and their connection to public policy.&nbsp;

Kansas ranchers face a long road to recovery after devastating wildfires

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. health officials on Monday cut isolation restrictions for Americans who catch the coronavirus from 10 to five days, and similarly shortened the time that close contacts need to quarantine.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials said the guidance is in keeping with growing evidence that people with the coronavirus are most infectious in the two days before and three days after symptoms develop.

The decision also was driven by a recent surge in COVID-19 cases, propelled by the omicron variant.

Early research suggests omicron may cause milder illnesses than earlier versions of the coronavirus. But the sheer number of people becoming infected — and therefore having to isolate or quarantine — threatens to crush the ability of hospitals, airlines and other businesses to stay open, experts say.

CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said the country is about to see a lot of omicron cases.

“Not all of those cases are going to be severe. In fact many are going to be asymptomatic,” she told The Associated Press on Monday. “We want to make sure there is a mechanism by which we can safely continue to keep society functioning while following the science.”

Last week, the agency loosened rules that previously called on health care workers to stay out of work for 10 days if they test positive. The new recommendations said workers could go back to work after seven days if they test negative and don’t have symptoms. And the agency said isolation time could be cut to five days, or even fewer, if there are severe staffing shortages.

Now, the CDC is changing the isolation and quarantine guidance for the general public to be even less stringent.

The guidance is not a mandate; it’s a recommendation to employers and state and local officials. Last week, New York state said it would expand on the CDC’s guidance for health-care workers to include employees who have other critical jobs that are facing a severe staffing shortage.

It’s possible other states will seek to shorten their isolation and quarantine policies, and CDC is trying to get out ahead of the shift. “It would be helpful to have uniform CDC guidance” that others could draw from, rather than a mishmash of policies, Walensky said.

The CDC’s guidance on isolation and quarantine has seemed confusing to the public, and the new recommendations are “happening at a time when more people are testing positive for the first time and looking for guidance,” said Lindsay Wiley, an American University public health law expert.

Nevertheless, the guidance continues to be complex.

The isolation rules are for people who are infected. They are the same for people who are unvaccinated, partly vaccinated, fully vaccinated or boosted.

—The clock starts the day you test positive.

—An infected person should go into isolations for five days, instead of the previously recommended 10.

—At the end of five days, if you have no symptoms, you can return to normal activities but must wear a mask everywhere — even at home around others — for at least five more days.

—If you still have symptoms after isolating for five days, stay home until you feel better and then start your five days of wearing a mask at all times.

The quarantine rules are for people who were in close contact with an infected person but not infected themselves.

For quarantine, the clock starts the day someone is alerted to they may have been exposed to the virus.

Previously, the CDC said people who were not fully vaccinated and who came in close contact with an infected person should stay home for at least 10 days.

Now the agency is saying only people who got booster shots can skip quarantine if they wear masks in all settings for at least 10 days.

That’s a change. Previously, people who were fully vaccinated — which the CDC has defined as having two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or one dose of the Johnson &amp; Johnson vaccine — could be exempt from quarantine.

Now, people who got their initial shots but not boosters are in the same situation as those who are partly vaccinated or are not vaccinated at all: They can stop quarantine after five days if they wear masks in all settings for five days afterward.

Suspending both isolation and quarantine after five days is not without risk.

A lot of people get tested when they first feel symptoms, but many Americans get tested for others reasons, like to see if they can visit family or for work. That means a positive test result may not reveal exactly when a person was infected or give a clear picture of when they are most contagious, experts say.

When people get infected, the risk of spread drops substantially after five days, but it does not disappear for everyone, said Dr. Aaron Glatt, a New York physician who is a spokesman for the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

“If you decrease it to five days, you’re still going to small but significant number of people who are contagious,” he said.

That’s why wearing masks is a critical part of the CDC guidance, Walensky said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640658435054.png" alt="CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said the country is about to see a lot of omicron cases.-Photo from her Senate testimony in November -courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said the country is about to see a lot of omicron cases.-Photo from her Senate testimony in November -courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. health officials on Monday cut isolation restrictions for Americans who catch the coronavirus from 10 to five days, and similarly shortened the time that close contacts need to quarantine.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials said the guidance is in keeping with growing evidence that people with the coronavirus are most infectious in the two days before and three days after symptoms develop.The decision also was driven by a recent surge in COVID-19 cases, propelled by the omicron variant.Early research suggests omicron may cause milder illnesses than earlier versions of the coronavirus. But the sheer number of people becoming infected — and therefore having to isolate or quarantine — threatens to crush the ability of hospitals, airlines and other businesses to stay open, experts say.CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said the country is about to see a lot of omicron cases.“Not all of those cases are going to be severe. In fact many are going to be asymptomatic,” she told The Associated Press on Monday. “We want to make sure there is a mechanism by which we can safely continue to keep society functioning while following the science.”Last week, the agency loosened rules that previously called on health care workers to stay out of work for 10 days if they test positive. The new recommendations said workers could go back to work after seven days if they test negative and don’t have symptoms. And the agency said isolation time could be cut to five days, or even fewer, if there are severe staffing shortages.Now, the CDC is changing the isolation and quarantine guidance for the general public to be even less stringent.The guidance is not a mandate; it’s a recommendation to employers and state and local officials. Last week, New York state said it would expand on the CDC’s guidance for health-care workers to include employees who have other critical jobs that are facing a severe staffing shortage.It’s possible other states will seek to shorten their isolation and quarantine policies, and CDC is trying to get out ahead of the shift. “It would be helpful to have uniform CDC guidance” that others could draw from, rather than a mishmash of policies, Walensky said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1635890433225.png" alt="Walensky and the CDC now says only people who got booster shots can skip quarantine if they wear masks in all settings for at least 10 days- White House photo" />
 <figcaption>Walensky and the CDC now says only people who got booster shots can skip quarantine if they wear masks in all settings for at least 10 days- White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>The CDC’s guidance on isolation and quarantine has seemed confusing to the public, and the new recommendations are “happening at a time when more people are testing positive for the first time and looking for guidance,” said Lindsay Wiley, an American University public health law expert.Nevertheless, the guidance continues to be complex.ISOLATIONThe isolation rules are for people who are infected. They are the same for people who are unvaccinated, partly vaccinated, fully vaccinated or boosted.They say:—The clock starts the day you test positive.—An infected person should go into isolations for five days, instead of the previously recommended 10.—At the end of five days, if you have no symptoms, you can return to normal activities but must wear a mask everywhere — even at home around others — for at least five more days.—If you still have symptoms after isolating for five days, stay home until you feel better and then start your five days of wearing a mask at all times.QUARANTINEThe quarantine rules are for people who were in close contact with an infected person but not infected themselves.For quarantine, the clock starts the day someone is alerted to they may have been exposed to the virus.Previously, the CDC said people who were not fully vaccinated and who came in close contact with an infected person should stay home for at least 10 days.Now the agency is saying only people who got booster shots can skip quarantine if they wear masks in all settings for at least 10 days.That’s a change. Previously, people who were fully vaccinated — which the CDC has defined as having two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or one dose of the Johnson &amp; Johnson vaccine — could be exempt from quarantine.Now, people who got their initial shots but not boosters are in the same situation as those who are partly vaccinated or are not vaccinated at all: They can stop quarantine after five days if they wear masks in all settings for five days afterward.FIVE DAYSSuspending both isolation and quarantine after five days is not without risk.A lot of people get tested when they first feel symptoms, but many Americans get tested for others reasons, like to see if they can visit family or for work. That means a positive test result may not reveal exactly when a person was infected or give a clear picture of when they are most contagious, experts say.When people get infected, the risk of spread drops substantially after five days, but it does not disappear for everyone, said Dr. Aaron Glatt, a New York physician who is a spokesman for the Infectious Diseases Society of America.“If you decrease it to five days, you’re still going to small but significant number of people who are contagious,” he said.That’s why wearing masks is a critical part of the CDC guidance, Walensky said.

CDC: More mask wearing required after shorter COVID isolation 

WASHINGTON — The Federal Communications Commission has announced it is committing $602,985,895.13 in its latest wave of Emergency Connectivity Fund program support, which will connect over 1.4 million students in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia.  These additional commitments bring the current total commitments to over $3.8 billion, supporting students, school staff, and library patrons in all 50 states, Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia.  The funding can be used to support off-campus learning, such as nightly homework and virtual learning, as schools and libraries continue to respond to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

“As students and educators around the country enjoy time with their families before tackling the second half of the school year, the FCC continues to provide support to ensure they have the connectivity they need when they return,” said FCC Chairwoman Rosenworcel.  “Today’s announcement will help an additional million children get the internet access and technology needed for success in today’s virtual and hybrid classrooms.”

Today’s announcement marks the sixth wave of commitments and includes over $367 million in commitments from Window 1 applications and nearly $236 million in commitments from Window 2 applications. This round of commitments will support 1,651 schools, 85 libraries, and 14 consortia, which are approved to receive nearly 1.2 million connected devices and over 790,000 broadband connections.  Total commitments to date are supporting over 9,000 schools, 760 libraries, and 100 consortia for nearly 8.3 million connected devices and over 4.4 million broadband connections.  

More details about which schools and libraries have received funding commitments can be found at https://www.fcc.gov/ecf-current-funding-commitments.  

Detailed information on the status of Emergency Connectivity Fund applications is available in the Open Data Portal, including applicant details, requested funds, individual product or service details, funding commitment, and funding disbursement information.  Additional information on the Emergency Connectivity Fund program is available at: https://www.emergencyconnectivityfund.org.  The program is administered by the Universal Service Administrative Company, with oversight from and under rules unanimously adopted by the Federal Communications Commission.

FCCWASHINGTON — The Federal Communications Commission has announced it is committing $602,985,895.13 in its latest wave of Emergency Connectivity Fund program support, which will connect over 1.4 million students in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia. These additional commitments bring the current total commitments to over $3.8 billion, supporting students, school staff, and library patrons in all 50 states, Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia. The funding can be used to support off-campus learning, such as nightly homework and virtual learning, as schools and libraries continue to respond to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.“As students and educators around the country enjoy time with their families before tackling the second half of the school year, the FCC continues to provide support to ensure they have the connectivity they need when they return,” said FCC Chairwoman Rosenworcel. “Today’s announcement will help an additional million children get the internet access and technology needed for success in today’s virtual and hybrid classrooms.”Today’s announcement marks the sixth wave of commitments and includes over $367 million in commitments from Window 1 applications and nearly $236 million in commitments from Window 2 applications. This round of commitments will support 1,651 schools, 85 libraries, and 14 consortia, which are approved to receive nearly 1.2 million connected devices and over 790,000 broadband connections. Total commitments to date are supporting over 9,000 schools, 760 libraries, and 100 consortia for nearly 8.3 million connected devices and over 4.4 million broadband connections. More details about which schools and libraries have received funding commitments can be found at https://www.fcc.gov/ecf-current-funding-commitments. Detailed information on the status of Emergency Connectivity Fund applications is available in the Open Data Portal, including applicant details, requested funds, individual product or service details, funding commitment, and funding disbursement information. Additional information on the Emergency Connectivity Fund program is available at: https://www.emergencyconnectivityfund.org. The program is administered by the Universal Service Administrative Company, with oversight from and under rules unanimously adopted by the Federal Communications Commission.

Additional $603M dedicated to broadband services for students

LINCOLN, Neb.-Zaena and Brian Cusick of Fremont won $100,000 playing the Mega Crossword Scratch game from the Nebraska Lottery.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640650589531.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>News Release Nebraska LotteryLINCOLN, Neb.-Zaena and Brian Cusick of Fremont won $100,000 playing the Mega Crossword Scratch game from the Nebraska Lottery.The winning ticket was purchased at Baker’s Fuel Center 323 at 1615 N Bell St. in Fremont.The Cusicks said they received their winning $10 Scratch ticket as a stocking stuffer from Brian’s mom.Before scratching off the winner, Brian jokingly told the family that it was going to be a big one.The Cusicks aren’t regular Scratch players, and said they only play when they receive a ticket as a gift, so they were a little confused about the rules at first. Brian thought the ticket had only won $60 and when Zaena’s mom scanned the ticket in the Nebraska Lottery app, it just told them that it was a winner and they needed to take it to the lottery.Unsure about what the actual prize was, the Cusicks took their ticket to the local Hy-Vee Food Store to have it checked.“He scanned it while I was getting some food,” Zaena said. “He waved me over to tell me and I started crying right in Hy-Vee.”The Cusicks are planning to use their winnings to pay off some bills and take their kids on a nice vacation.“We’re going to be debt free,” Zaena said.A $10 Scratch game, Mega Crossword offers players a chance to win prizes from a free $10 ticket to $100,000. The chances of winning $100,000 are one in 171,000, while the odds of winning any prize are one in 3.00.The mission of the Nebraska Lottery is to generate proceeds for good causes while providing quality entertainment options to Nebraskans. Over $843 million has been raised for the Nebraska Lottery’s beneficiary funds since the Lottery began in 1993. All 93 counties in Nebraska have benefited from projects funded with these Nebraska Lottery proceeds.