HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The major questions doctrine holds that courts should not defer to agency statutory interpretations that concern questions of "vast economic or political significance."

In late June, the Supreme Court issued a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/21pdf/20-1530_n758.pdf">ruling</a>&nbsp;stating that the Environmental Protection Agency cannot put state-level caps on carbon emissions under the 1970 Clean Air Act, calling that a 'major question'.

Roger A. McEowen is the Professor of Agricultural Law and Taxation at Washburn University School of Law in Topeka. McEowen notes that this is a case where the administration at the time tried to make changes without asking Congress.

"What this was, was an attempt by the Obama EPA to basically rewrite and say, we're going to just shift to regulating out of existence coal-fired plants, fossil fuel generated electricity and we're going to regulate them out. They were doing this by regulation, so this would never come up for a vote in Congress and people wouldn't see it. It would just happen."

Now the follow up to the use of the&nbsp;major questions doctrine is, naturally, how do you define what a major question is?

"What the regulatory body is trying to do, when does it impact the entire economy?" McEowen said. "Of course, the Supreme Court doesn't tell us that. They just decide that on a case by case basis. Here they said that changing the manner in which energy is produced is national. That was kind of an easy one for them. There will be harder questions that will come up in the future, because the various administrations and agencies will try to push the envelope."

One area that will be constantly monitored by lawyers is that of the Waters of the U.S. rule, because the regulation of waterways will likely always be a source of contention for as long as humans need clean water to drink and plants and animals need water to survive. The two agencies tasked with figuring out how to interpret WOTUS are the EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers.&nbsp;

"There's a case before the U.S. Supreme Court on this out of Idaho," McEowen said. "That was also argued in October. We will probably see an opinion, I'm thinking February or March on this, to again try to define what a water of the United States is that gives the federal government jurisdiction to regulate it. It's a huge issue for agriculture, because we use a lot of water in agriculture for irrigation purposes, for livestock watering purposes. We don't want to have a puddle in a farm field defined as a wetland that the government can regulate, because that impacts farming activities."

In this particular case, the court appears to be looking to decide what test it should use to apply the WOTUS portion of the Clean Water Act, rather than calling it a major question that needs further clarification from Congress, even though almost every living thing uses water.

However, Congress could clarify future applications of law more generally if they would take up large concepts like air and water as a legislative body on a regular basis, at least once per Presidential Administration, rather than leaving it to courts and agencies to fight, or choose not to, based on who is in the White House.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584977157818.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — The major questions doctrine holds that courts should not defer to agency statutory interpretations that concern questions of "vast economic or political significance."In late June, the Supreme Court issued a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/21pdf/20-1530_n758.pdf">ruling</a>&nbsp;stating that the Environmental Protection Agency cannot put state-level caps on carbon emissions under the 1970 Clean Air Act, calling that a 'major question'.Roger A. McEowen is the Professor of Agricultural Law and Taxation at Washburn University School of Law in Topeka. McEowen notes that this is a case where the administration at the time tried to make changes without asking Congress."What this was, was an attempt by the Obama EPA to basically rewrite and say, we're going to just shift to regulating out of existence coal-fired plants, fossil fuel generated electricity and we're going to regulate them out. They were doing this by regulation, so this would never come up for a vote in Congress and people wouldn't see it. It would just happen."Now the follow up to the use of the&nbsp;major questions doctrine is, naturally, how do you define what a major question is?"What the regulatory body is trying to do, when does it impact the entire economy?" McEowen said. "Of course, the Supreme Court doesn't tell us that. They just decide that on a case by case basis. Here they said that changing the manner in which energy is produced is national. That was kind of an easy one for them. There will be harder questions that will come up in the future, because the various administrations and agencies will try to push the envelope."One area that will be constantly monitored by lawyers is that of the Waters of the U.S. rule, because the regulation of waterways will likely always be a source of contention for as long as humans need clean water to drink and plants and animals need water to survive. The two agencies tasked with figuring out how to interpret WOTUS are the EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers.&nbsp;"There's a case before the U.S. Supreme Court on this out of Idaho," McEowen said. "That was also argued in October. We will probably see an opinion, I'm thinking February or March on this, to again try to define what a water of the United States is that gives the federal government jurisdiction to regulate it. It's a huge issue for agriculture, because we use a lot of water in agriculture for irrigation purposes, for livestock watering purposes. We don't want to have a puddle in a farm field defined as a wetland that the government can regulate, because that impacts farming activities."In this particular case, the court appears to be looking to decide what test it should use to apply the WOTUS portion of the Clean Water Act, rather than calling it a major question that needs further clarification from Congress, even though almost every living thing uses water.However, Congress could clarify future applications of law more generally if they would take up large concepts like air and water as a legislative body on a regular basis, at least once per Presidential Administration, rather than leaving it to courts and agencies to fight, or choose not to, based on who is in the White House.

Washburn Ag Law Prof: EPA questions continue before Supreme Court

ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a home burglary have made an arrest.

On November 3 police officers investigated an unlawful entry that had been made into a vacant residence in the 600 block South 4th Street in Atchison and an identification card was taken, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.

Just after 4:30a.m. Thursday, police arrested 49-year-old Jesse D. Cox of Atchison&nbsp;in the 500 block U.S.73 on a warrant for burglary and theft.

He remains jailed on a $30,000 bond, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1672328006534.png" alt="Cox-photo Atchison County" />
 <figcaption>Cox-photo Atchison County</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a home burglary have made an arrest.On November 3 police officers investigated an unlawful entry that had been made into a vacant residence in the 600 block South 4th Street in Atchison and an identification card was taken, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.Just after 4:30a.m. Thursday, police arrested 49-year-old Jesse D. Cox of Atchison&nbsp;in the 500 block U.S.73 on a warrant for burglary and theft.He remains jailed on a $30,000 bond, according to online jail records.

Kansas man accused of taking ID card during home burglary

HUTCHINSON—&nbsp;A pretrial hearing for a Kansas woman accused of child sex crimes&nbsp; is set for Feb. 15.

On September 30, police reported they learned that 32-year-old Tyann White of Hutchinson had&nbsp;allegedly sexually assaulted two juvenile boys, according to a media release. Police arrested her November 7.. &nbsp;

Later, two more boys were&nbsp;identified as additional victims.&nbsp;

White remains in custody on suspicion of four counts of rape, three counts of aggravated sodomy, three counts of aggravated indecent liberties and indecent solicitation of a child.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1672345755269.png" alt="Tyann White is accused of sexual abuse of four boys. Photo courtesy of Reno County Sheriff." />
 <figcaption>Tyann White is accused of sexual abuse of four boys. Photo courtesy of Reno County Sheriff.</figcaption>
 </figure>By JUDD WEIL&nbsp; Hutch PostHUTCHINSON—&nbsp;A pretrial hearing for a Kansas woman accused of child sex crimes&nbsp; is set for Feb. 15.On September 30, police reported they learned that 32-year-old Tyann White of Hutchinson had&nbsp;allegedly sexually assaulted two juvenile boys, according to a media release. Police arrested her November 7.. &nbsp;Later, two more boys were&nbsp;identified as additional victims.&nbsp;White remains in custody on suspicion of four counts of rape, three counts of aggravated sodomy, three counts of aggravated indecent liberties and indecent solicitation of a child.&nbsp;

Hearing set for Kan. woman accused of child sex crimes 

JACKSON COUNTY— A Kansas City man charged in the October double-murder of Chantell Gipson and Austin Scott is now in custody, according to a statement from Kansas City Police.

Glenn A. Pulluaim II, 28, faces two Murder 1st Degree charges and two Armed Criminal Action charges, according to Jackson County. Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

According to court records, on Oct. 17, Kansas City police&nbsp; were dispatched to the 8700 block of Chestnut Circle to check on the welfare of an individual. 

Inside an apartment, police officers found the body of Chantell Gipson. She had been shot. In another bedroom they found the second victim, Austin Scott, Gipson's cousin. 

Witnesses helped identify Pulluaiam. His DNA profile was founnd&nbsp; on spent shells found at the crime scene.

Pulluaim fled the scene im the victim's vehicle. Police recovered the vehicle and have exhausted all leads in an attempted to find him until Thursday.&nbsp; Police have released no additional details on the arrest.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671103315937.png" alt="Pulluaim-photo KCPD" />
 <figcaption>Pulluaim-photo KCPD</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY— A Kansas City man charged in the October double-murder of Chantell Gipson and Austin Scott is now in custody, according to a statement from Kansas City Police.Glenn A. Pulluaim II, 28, faces two Murder 1st Degree charges and two Armed Criminal Action charges, according to Jackson County. Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.According to court records, on Oct. 17, Kansas City police&nbsp; were dispatched to the 8700 block of Chestnut Circle to check on the welfare of an individual. Inside an apartment, police officers found the body of Chantell Gipson. She had been shot. In another bedroom they found the second victim, Austin Scott, Gipson's cousin. Witnesses helped identify Pulluaiam. His DNA profile was founnd&nbsp; on spent shells found at the crime scene.Pulluaim fled the scene im the victim's vehicle. Police recovered the vehicle and have exhausted all leads in an attempted to find him until Thursday.&nbsp; Police have released no additional details on the arrest.

Police catch man wanted for double-murder in Kansas City

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A pipeline operator put a damaged section in Kansas back into service Thursday, a little more than three weeks after a spill dumped 14,000 bathtubs' worth of crude oil into a rural creek.

Canada-based T.C. Energy announced that it had completed repairs, inspections and testing on its Keystone pipeline in northeast Kansas to allow a “controlled restart" of the section from Steele City, Nebraska, near the Kansas line, to Cushing, in northern Oklahoma. The 2,700-mile (4,345-kilometer) Keystone system carries heavy crude oil extracted from tar sands in western Canada to the Gulf Coast and to central Illinois.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oil-spills-business-texas-canada-kansas-34d8391337583fc242407141d24d66c2">A spill on Dec. 7</a>&nbsp;shut down the Keystone system after dumping 14,000 barrels of crude oil into a creek running through rural pastureland in Washington County, about 150 miles (240 kilometers) northwest of Kansas City. Each barrel is 42 gallons, the size of a household bathtub.

The U.S. Department of Transportation's pipeline safety arm&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-nebraska-kansas-climate-and-environment-f4894d09430ac4a0ca32b65a44a42358">gave TC Energy permission last week</a>&nbsp;to restart the section of pipeline after telling the company that it would have to operate it at lower pressure than before. The company's announcement disclosed that it still is working to determine the cause of the spill.

“We recognize that incidents like this raise questions. We have questions too. We are committed to asking those tough questions, fully investigating and sharing our learnings and actions,” Richard Prior, the company's president for liquids pipelines, said in an online message.

The company reported that as of last week, it had recovered almost 7,700 barrels of the spilled crude oil, or a little more than half. The company and government officials have said drinking water supplies were not affected. No one was evacuated, and most of the Keystone system was back in operation in eight days.

The spill was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oil-spills-business-texas-kansas-us-environmental-protection-agency-eda391fc0924b34a08ff840615a7bc58">the largest onshore in nine years</a>&nbsp;and larger than 22 previous spills on the Keystone system combined, according to U.S. Department of Transportation data.

“We will not rest until we have recovered and remediated the areas affected by this incident," Prior said in his message. "No incident is ever acceptable to us.”

Concerns that spills could pollute waterways spurred opposition to plans by TC Energy to build another crude oil pipeline in the same system, the 1,200-mile (1,900-kilometer) Keystone XL, across Montana, South Dakota and Nebraska. President Joe Biden’s cancelation of a permit for the project led the company to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-joe-biden-keystone-pipeline-canada-environment-and-nature-141eabd7cca6449dfbd2dab8165812f2">pull the plug</a>&nbsp;on the project last year.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670881926358.png" alt="photo courtesy U.S. Environmental Protection Agency" />
 <figcaption>photo courtesy U.S. Environmental Protection Agency</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNA&nbsp;TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A pipeline operator put a damaged section in Kansas back into service Thursday, a little more than three weeks after a spill dumped 14,000 bathtubs' worth of crude oil into a rural creek.Canada-based T.C. Energy announced that it had completed repairs, inspections and testing on its Keystone pipeline in northeast Kansas to allow a “controlled restart" of the section from Steele City, Nebraska, near the Kansas line, to Cushing, in northern Oklahoma. The 2,700-mile (4,345-kilometer) Keystone system carries heavy crude oil extracted from tar sands in western Canada to the Gulf Coast and to central Illinois.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oil-spills-business-texas-canada-kansas-34d8391337583fc242407141d24d66c2">A spill on Dec. 7</a>&nbsp;shut down the Keystone system after dumping 14,000 barrels of crude oil into a creek running through rural pastureland in Washington County, about 150 miles (240 kilometers) northwest of Kansas City. Each barrel is 42 gallons, the size of a household bathtub.The U.S. Department of Transportation's pipeline safety arm&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-nebraska-kansas-climate-and-environment-f4894d09430ac4a0ca32b65a44a42358">gave TC Energy permission last week</a>&nbsp;to restart the section of pipeline after telling the company that it would have to operate it at lower pressure than before. The company's announcement disclosed that it still is working to determine the cause of the spill.“We recognize that incidents like this raise questions. We have questions too. We are committed to asking those tough questions, fully investigating and sharing our learnings and actions,” Richard Prior, the company's president for liquids pipelines, said in an online message.The company reported that as of last week, it had recovered almost 7,700 barrels of the spilled crude oil, or a little more than half. The company and government officials have said drinking water supplies were not affected. No one was evacuated, and most of the Keystone system was back in operation in eight days.The spill was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oil-spills-business-texas-kansas-us-environmental-protection-agency-eda391fc0924b34a08ff840615a7bc58">the largest onshore in nine years</a>&nbsp;and larger than 22 previous spills on the Keystone system combined, according to U.S. Department of Transportation data.“We will not rest until we have recovered and remediated the areas affected by this incident," Prior said in his message. "No incident is ever acceptable to us.”Concerns that spills could pollute waterways spurred opposition to plans by TC Energy to build another crude oil pipeline in the same system, the 1,200-mile (1,900-kilometer) Keystone XL, across Montana, South Dakota and Nebraska. President Joe Biden’s cancelation of a permit for the project led the company to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-joe-biden-keystone-pipeline-canada-environment-and-nature-141eabd7cca6449dfbd2dab8165812f2">pull the plug</a>&nbsp;on the project last year.___

Pipeline section in Kansas with oil spill is back in service

The JCB / Industrial Field Technician is responsible for performing service work ranging from basic maintenance to complex diagnostics on JCB agricultural and construction equipment. Repairs and maintenance will be performed on both customer-owned, and dealer-owned, equipment, both remotely and in the store. He / she is responsible for good customer communication as needed, ensuring a clean and safe work environment, continually develop technical skills with evolving products, including company sponsored training.

Job Responsibilities (ranked in significance):

-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Company Values:&nbsp; Ensures all company values are personally adhered to and promoted.&nbsp; This would include leading by example and participation in employee recognition programs.

-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Service Diagnostics:&nbsp; Performs basic / complex diagnostics on JCB equipment, determining what repairs are needed and/or recommended for future attention / maintenance. This can be for either customer-owned equipment located at the shop or at customer’s site, or dealer-owned equipment (inspections).

-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Service Repairs:&nbsp; Performs repairs on equipment (electrical, hydraulic, mechanical) as assigned by the JCB Service Writer.&nbsp; Accountable for performing quality work and attaining stated goals for efficiency.

-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Service Paperwork:&nbsp;Completes all reports and forms for service operations in a timely and accurate manner.&nbsp; This would include inspection reports, warranty comments, work orders, etc.&nbsp; Uses computers / tablets for data entry as required. Ensure supervisor is aware of any issues / surprises which can impact customer billing or satisfaction.&nbsp; Ensures accurate timekeeping for job costing.

-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Service Training / Development:&nbsp; Participates in all requested job-related training and development, as well as taking an active interest in improving skills with other training programs.

-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Equipment and Tools:&nbsp; Maintains good condition and cleanliness of company vehicles inventory, tools, and equipment, including return of tools to storage areas.

-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Safety:&nbsp; Follows all company and common-sense safety policies, while using all required personal safety equipment.&nbsp; Ensures a safe work environment in his bay; reports any issues in bay or other service work areas to manager for follow up.

-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Teamwork:&nbsp; Works collaboratively with other technicians, parts, and sales personnel.&nbsp; Mentors Service Technician Apprentices and junior Technicians as able.&nbsp; Works afterhours (daily or weekend) as required.

-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Communications:&nbsp; Ensures good communication within location, and with other locations / employees.&nbsp; Communicates appropriately with customers and conveys any operational issues to manager.

-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Technical degree in Agricultural or Construction Mechanics, or High School Diploma or GED with 3-4 years of experience in service operations.

-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Proven knowledge of methods, materials, tools, and techniques used in the repair of Ag / Construction / Outdoor power equipment

-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Outstanding knowledge of mechanical, electrical, and hydraulic systems.

-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Owns mechanic tool set appropriate for the work required.

-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Excellent skills in operating vehicles and equipment used in service shops (diagnostic equipment, forklifts, hydraulic lifts, etc.)

-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Excellent communication and customer relationship skills

-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Expertise with computer systems, including MS office and internet-based applications

-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Ability to work extended hours during the week and on weekends

-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Ability to travel to company meetings and training events as needed

-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Ability to lift 75 pounds as required without assistance

-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Acceptable Motor Vehicle status, with current driver’s license, and ability to operate motor vehicle

Apply Today&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kanequip.com/careers/">https://www.kanequip.com/careers/</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671289496077.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Purpose:The JCB / Industrial Field Technician is responsible for performing service work ranging from basic maintenance to complex diagnostics on JCB agricultural and construction equipment. Repairs and maintenance will be performed on both customer-owned, and dealer-owned, equipment, both remotely and in the store. He / she is responsible for good customer communication as needed, ensuring a clean and safe work environment, continually develop technical skills with evolving products, including company sponsored training.Job Responsibilities (ranked in significance):-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Company Values:&nbsp; Ensures all company values are personally adhered to and promoted.&nbsp; This would include leading by example and participation in employee recognition programs.-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Service Diagnostics:&nbsp; Performs basic / complex diagnostics on JCB equipment, determining what repairs are needed and/or recommended for future attention / maintenance. This can be for either customer-owned equipment located at the shop or at customer’s site, or dealer-owned equipment (inspections).-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Service Repairs:&nbsp; Performs repairs on equipment (electrical, hydraulic, mechanical) as assigned by the JCB Service Writer.&nbsp; Accountable for performing quality work and attaining stated goals for efficiency.-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Service Paperwork:&nbsp;Completes all reports and forms for service operations in a timely and accurate manner.&nbsp; This would include inspection reports, warranty comments, work orders, etc.&nbsp; Uses computers / tablets for data entry as required. Ensure supervisor is aware of any issues / surprises which can impact customer billing or satisfaction.&nbsp; Ensures accurate timekeeping for job costing.-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Service Training / Development:&nbsp; Participates in all requested job-related training and development, as well as taking an active interest in improving skills with other training programs.-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Equipment and Tools:&nbsp; Maintains good condition and cleanliness of company vehicles inventory, tools, and equipment, including return of tools to storage areas.-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Safety:&nbsp; Follows all company and common-sense safety policies, while using all required personal safety equipment.&nbsp; Ensures a safe work environment in his bay; reports any issues in bay or other service work areas to manager for follow up.-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Teamwork:&nbsp; Works collaboratively with other technicians, parts, and sales personnel.&nbsp; Mentors Service Technician Apprentices and junior Technicians as able.&nbsp; Works afterhours (daily or weekend) as required.-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Communications:&nbsp; Ensures good communication within location, and with other locations / employees.&nbsp; Communicates appropriately with customers and conveys any operational issues to manager.Requirements:-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Technical degree in Agricultural or Construction Mechanics, or High School Diploma or GED with 3-4 years of experience in service operations.-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Proven knowledge of methods, materials, tools, and techniques used in the repair of Ag / Construction / Outdoor power equipment-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Outstanding knowledge of mechanical, electrical, and hydraulic systems.-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Owns mechanic tool set appropriate for the work required.-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Excellent skills in operating vehicles and equipment used in service shops (diagnostic equipment, forklifts, hydraulic lifts, etc.)-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Excellent communication and customer relationship skills-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Expertise with computer systems, including MS office and internet-based applications-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Ability to work extended hours during the week and on weekends-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Ability to travel to company meetings and training events as needed-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Ability to lift 75 pounds as required without assistance-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Acceptable Motor Vehicle status, with current driver’s license, and ability to operate motor vehicleApply Today&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kanequip.com/careers/">https://www.kanequip.com/careers/</a>

Jan. 6 panel drops Trump subpoena as it wraps up work

SunSprout Enterprises, a&nbsp;Nebraska company, is recalling alfalfa, sprouts&nbsp;sold in Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa after 15 cases of salmonella were linked to the product.

The company is voluntarily recalling two lots (#4211 and 5211) of raw alfalfa sprouts in 4-ounce clamshells, with best by dates between 12/10/22 and 12/27/22, due to potential contamination with&nbsp;Salmonella, according to a statement from the Food and Drug Administration.

Salmonella&nbsp;is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with&nbsp;Salmonella&nbsp;often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with&nbsp;Salmonella&nbsp;can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.

The company directly distributed 808 pounds of product to five foodservice and grocery customers in Nebraska, Kansas, and Iowa between late November and early December 2022. No other SunSprout lot codes or products are impacted by this voluntary recall.

The raw alfalfa sprouts are packaged in 4-ounce clamshells with best buy dates between 12/10/2022 and 12/27/2022 and lot codes #4211 and 5211. The lot code and best buy date can be found on the front of the package. The alfalfa sprouts are available in the produce section of grocery stores.&nbsp; To date, SunSprout has received no complaints or reports of illness due to this recalled product. This voluntary recall is a result of a preliminary investigation by the State of Nebraska in connection with CDC of an outbreak of illness likely associated with alfalfa sprouts. SunSprout, out of an abundance of caution, is initiating this voluntary recall while it further investigates how this alfalfa product was handled and stored after it left its Nebraska facility.

Customers with product from this lot number in &nbsp;their possession should stop using it and dispose of it immediately. Consumers are also encouraged to follow all safe handling instructions and wash their hands and all preparation surfaces after handling any raw product. If consumers have any questions, they can contact SunSprout by email at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:Admin@sunsprouts.com">Admin@sunsprouts.com</a>&nbsp;anytime, responses will be provided Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m. CST.

This recall is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1672341087626.png" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>SunSprout Enterprises, a&nbsp;Nebraska company, is recalling alfalfa, sprouts&nbsp;sold in Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa after 15 cases of salmonella were linked to the product.The company is voluntarily recalling two lots (#4211 and 5211) of raw alfalfa sprouts in 4-ounce clamshells, with best by dates between 12/10/22 and 12/27/22, due to potential contamination with&nbsp;Salmonella, according to a statement from the Food and Drug Administration.Salmonella&nbsp;is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with&nbsp;Salmonella&nbsp;often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with&nbsp;Salmonella&nbsp;can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.The company directly distributed 808 pounds of product to five foodservice and grocery customers in Nebraska, Kansas, and Iowa between late November and early December 2022. No other SunSprout lot codes or products are impacted by this voluntary recall.The raw alfalfa sprouts are packaged in 4-ounce clamshells with best buy dates between 12/10/2022 and 12/27/2022 and lot codes #4211 and 5211. The lot code and best buy date can be found on the front of the package. The alfalfa sprouts are available in the produce section of grocery stores.&nbsp; To date, SunSprout has received no complaints or reports of illness due to this recalled product. This voluntary recall is a result of a preliminary investigation by the State of Nebraska in connection with CDC of an outbreak of illness likely associated with alfalfa sprouts. SunSprout, out of an abundance of caution, is initiating this voluntary recall while it further investigates how this alfalfa product was handled and stored after it left its Nebraska facility.Customers with product from this lot number in &nbsp;their possession should stop using it and dispose of it immediately. Consumers are also encouraged to follow all safe handling instructions and wash their hands and all preparation surfaces after handling any raw product. If consumers have any questions, they can contact SunSprout by email at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:Admin@sunsprouts.com">Admin@sunsprouts.com</a>&nbsp;anytime, responses will be provided Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m. CST.This recall is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Sprouts sold in Kansas recalled after salmonella outbreak

SAO PAULO (AP) — Pelé, the Brazilian king of soccer who won a record three World Cups and became one of the most commanding sports figures of the last century, died Thursday. He was 82.

The standard-bearer of “the beautiful game” had undergone treatment for colon cancer since 2021. He had been hospitalized for the last month with multiple ailments.

Widely regarded as one of soccer’s greatest players, Pelé spent nearly two decades enchanting fans and dazzling opponents as the game’s most prolific scorer with Brazilian club Santos and the Brazil national team.

His grace, athleticism and mesmerizing moves transfixed players and fans. He orchestrated a fast, fluid style that revolutionized the sport — a samba-like flair that personified his country’s elegance on the field.

He carried Brazil to soccer’s heights and became a global ambassador for his sport in a journey that began on the streets of Sao Paulo state, where he would kick a sock stuffed with newspapers or rags.

In the conversation about soccer’s greatest players, only the late Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are mentioned alongside Pelé.

Different sources, counting different sets of games, list Pelé’s goal totals anywhere between 650 (league matches) and 1,281 (all senior matches, some against low-level competition.)

The player who would be dubbed “The King” was introduced to the world at 17 at the 1958 World Cup in Sweden, the youngest player ever at the tournament. He was carried off the field on teammates’ shoulders after scoring two goals in Brazil’s 5-2 victory over the host country in the final.

Injury limited him to just two games when Brazil retained the world title in 1962, but Pelé was the emblem of his country’s World Cup triumph of 1970 in Mexico. He scored in the final and set up Carlos Alberto with a nonchalant pass for the last goal in a 4-1 victory over Italy.

The image of Pelé in a bright, yellow Brazil jersey, with the No. 10 stamped on the back, remains alive with soccer fans everywhere. As does his trademark goal celebration -- a leap with a right fist thrust high above his head.

Pelé’s fame was such that in 1967 factions of a civil war in Nigeria agreed to a brief cease-fire so he could play an exhibition match in the country. He was knighted by Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II in 1997. When he visited Washington to help popularize the game in North America, it was the U.S. president who stuck out his hand first.

“My name is Ronald Reagan, I’m the president of the United States of America,” the host said to his visitor. “But you don’t need to introduce yourself because everyone knows who Pelé is.”

Pelé was Brazil’s first modern Black national hero but rarely spoke about racism in a country where the rich and powerful tend to hail from the white minority.

Opposing fans taunted Pelé with monkey chants at home and all over the world.

“He said that he would never play if he had to stop every time he heard those chants,” said Angelica Basthi, one of Pelé’s biographers. “He is key for Black people’s pride in Brazil, but never wanted to be a flagbearer.”

Pelé’s life after soccer took many forms. He was a politician -- Brazil’s Extraordinary Minister for Sport -- a wealthy businessman, and an ambassador for UNESCO and the United Nations.

He had roles in movies, soap operas and even composed songs and recorded CDs of popular Brazilian music.

As his health deteriorated, his travels and appearances became less frequent. He was often seen in a wheelchair during his final years and did not attend a ceremony to unveil a statue of him representing Brazil’s 1970 World Cup team. Pelé spent his 80th birthday isolated with a few family members at a beach home.

Born Edson Arantes do Nascimento, in the small city of Tres Coracoes in the interior of Minas Gerais state on Oct. 23, 1940, Pelé grew up shining shoes to buy his modest soccer gear.

Pelé’s talent drew attention when he was 11, and a local professional player brought him to Santos’ youth squads. It didn’t take long for him to make it to the senior squad.

Despite his youth and 5-foot-8 frame, he scored against grown men with the same ease he displayed against friends back home. He debuted with the Brazilian club at 16 in 1956, and the club quickly gained worldwide recognition.

The name Pelé came from him&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2006/may/13/sport.comment9">mispronouncing the name of a player called Bilé</a>.

He went to the 1958 World Cup as a reserve but became a key player for his country’s championship team. His first goal, in which he flicked the ball over the head of a defender and raced around him to volley it home, was voted as one of the best in World Cup history.

The 1966 World Cup in England -- won by the hosts -- was a bitter one for Pelé, by then already considered the world’s top player. Brazil was knocked out in the group stage and Pelé, angry at the rough treatment, swore it was his last World Cup.

He changed his mind and was rejuvenated in the 1970 World Cup. In a game against England, he struck a header for a certain score, but the great goalkeeper Gordon Banks flipped the ball over the bar in an astonishing move. Pelé likened the save — one of the best in World Cup history — to a “salmon climbing up a waterfall.” Later, he scored the opening goal in the final against Italy, his last World Cup match.

In all, Pelé played 114 matches with Brazil, scoring a record 95 goals, including 77 in official matches.

His run with Santos stretched over three decades until he went into semi-retirement after the 1972 season. Wealthy European clubs tried to sign him, but the Brazilian government intervened to keep him from being sold, declaring him a national treasure.

On the field, Pelé’s energy, vision and imagination drove a gifted Brazilian national team with a fast, fluid style of play that exemplified “O Jogo Bonito” -- Portuguese for “The Beautiful Game.” His 1977 autobiography, “My Life and the Beautiful Game,” made the phrase part of soccer’s lexicon.

In 1975, he joined the New York Cosmos of the North American Soccer League. Although 34 and past his prime, Pelé gave soccer a higher profile in North America. He led the Cosmos to the 1977 league title and scored 64 goals in three seasons.

Pelé ended his career on Oct. 1, 1977, in an exhibition between the Cosmos and Santos before a crowd in New Jersey of some 77,000. He played half the game with each club. Among the dignitaries on hand was perhaps the only other athlete whose renown spanned the globe — Muhammad Ali.

Pelé would endure difficult times in his personal life, especially when his son Edinho was arrested on drug-related charges. Pelé had two daughters out of wedlock and five children from his first two marriages, to Rosemeri dos Reis Cholbi and Assiria Seixas Lemos. He later married businesswoman Marcia Cibele Aoki.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1672340523769.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>SAO PAULO (AP) — Pelé, the Brazilian king of soccer who won a record three World Cups and became one of the most commanding sports figures of the last century, died Thursday. He was 82.The standard-bearer of “the beautiful game” had undergone treatment for colon cancer since 2021. He had been hospitalized for the last month with multiple ailments.His agent Joe Fraga confirmed his death.Widely regarded as one of soccer’s greatest players, Pelé spent nearly two decades enchanting fans and dazzling opponents as the game’s most prolific scorer with Brazilian club Santos and the Brazil national team.His grace, athleticism and mesmerizing moves transfixed players and fans. He orchestrated a fast, fluid style that revolutionized the sport — a samba-like flair that personified his country’s elegance on the field.He carried Brazil to soccer’s heights and became a global ambassador for his sport in a journey that began on the streets of Sao Paulo state, where he would kick a sock stuffed with newspapers or rags.In the conversation about soccer’s greatest players, only the late Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are mentioned alongside Pelé.Different sources, counting different sets of games, list Pelé’s goal totals anywhere between 650 (league matches) and 1,281 (all senior matches, some against low-level competition.)The player who would be dubbed “The King” was introduced to the world at 17 at the 1958 World Cup in Sweden, the youngest player ever at the tournament. He was carried off the field on teammates’ shoulders after scoring two goals in Brazil’s 5-2 victory over the host country in the final.Injury limited him to just two games when Brazil retained the world title in 1962, but Pelé was the emblem of his country’s World Cup triumph of 1970 in Mexico. He scored in the final and set up Carlos Alberto with a nonchalant pass for the last goal in a 4-1 victory over Italy.The image of Pelé in a bright, yellow Brazil jersey, with the No. 10 stamped on the back, remains alive with soccer fans everywhere. As does his trademark goal celebration -- a leap with a right fist thrust high above his head.Pelé’s fame was such that in 1967 factions of a civil war in Nigeria agreed to a brief cease-fire so he could play an exhibition match in the country. He was knighted by Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II in 1997. When he visited Washington to help popularize the game in North America, it was the U.S. president who stuck out his hand first.“My name is Ronald Reagan, I’m the president of the United States of America,” the host said to his visitor. “But you don’t need to introduce yourself because everyone knows who Pelé is.”Pelé was Brazil’s first modern Black national hero but rarely spoke about racism in a country where the rich and powerful tend to hail from the white minority.Opposing fans taunted Pelé with monkey chants at home and all over the world.“He said that he would never play if he had to stop every time he heard those chants,” said Angelica Basthi, one of Pelé’s biographers. “He is key for Black people’s pride in Brazil, but never wanted to be a flagbearer.”Pelé’s life after soccer took many forms. He was a politician -- Brazil’s Extraordinary Minister for Sport -- a wealthy businessman, and an ambassador for UNESCO and the United Nations.He had roles in movies, soap operas and even composed songs and recorded CDs of popular Brazilian music.As his health deteriorated, his travels and appearances became less frequent. He was often seen in a wheelchair during his final years and did not attend a ceremony to unveil a statue of him representing Brazil’s 1970 World Cup team. Pelé spent his 80th birthday isolated with a few family members at a beach home.Born Edson Arantes do Nascimento, in the small city of Tres Coracoes in the interior of Minas Gerais state on Oct. 23, 1940, Pelé grew up shining shoes to buy his modest soccer gear.Pelé’s talent drew attention when he was 11, and a local professional player brought him to Santos’ youth squads. It didn’t take long for him to make it to the senior squad.Despite his youth and 5-foot-8 frame, he scored against grown men with the same ease he displayed against friends back home. He debuted with the Brazilian club at 16 in 1956, and the club quickly gained worldwide recognition.The name Pelé came from him&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2006/may/13/sport.comment9">mispronouncing the name of a player called Bilé</a>.He went to the 1958 World Cup as a reserve but became a key player for his country’s championship team. His first goal, in which he flicked the ball over the head of a defender and raced around him to volley it home, was voted as one of the best in World Cup history.The 1966 World Cup in England -- won by the hosts -- was a bitter one for Pelé, by then already considered the world’s top player. Brazil was knocked out in the group stage and Pelé, angry at the rough treatment, swore it was his last World Cup.He changed his mind and was rejuvenated in the 1970 World Cup. In a game against England, he struck a header for a certain score, but the great goalkeeper Gordon Banks flipped the ball over the bar in an astonishing move. Pelé likened the save — one of the best in World Cup history — to a “salmon climbing up a waterfall.” Later, he scored the opening goal in the final against Italy, his last World Cup match.In all, Pelé played 114 matches with Brazil, scoring a record 95 goals, including 77 in official matches.His run with Santos stretched over three decades until he went into semi-retirement after the 1972 season. Wealthy European clubs tried to sign him, but the Brazilian government intervened to keep him from being sold, declaring him a national treasure.On the field, Pelé’s energy, vision and imagination drove a gifted Brazilian national team with a fast, fluid style of play that exemplified “O Jogo Bonito” -- Portuguese for “The Beautiful Game.” His 1977 autobiography, “My Life and the Beautiful Game,” made the phrase part of soccer’s lexicon.In 1975, he joined the New York Cosmos of the North American Soccer League. Although 34 and past his prime, Pelé gave soccer a higher profile in North America. He led the Cosmos to the 1977 league title and scored 64 goals in three seasons.Pelé ended his career on Oct. 1, 1977, in an exhibition between the Cosmos and Santos before a crowd in New Jersey of some 77,000. He played half the game with each club. Among the dignitaries on hand was perhaps the only other athlete whose renown spanned the globe — Muhammad Ali.Pelé would endure difficult times in his personal life, especially when his son Edinho was arrested on drug-related charges. Pelé had two daughters out of wedlock and five children from his first two marriages, to Rosemeri dos Reis Cholbi and Assiria Seixas Lemos. He later married businesswoman Marcia Cibele Aoki.

Soccer legend Pelé, winner of 3 World Cups, has died

RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a case of alleged financial crime in Manhattan.

Just before 10a.m. Wednesday, officers filed a report for forgery in the 700 block of Poyntz Ave. Manhattan, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.

USD 383 -Manhattan-Odgen schools reported a $10,832 check they wrote to Thermal Comfort Air, Inc. was altered by a 25-year-old woman who attempted to cash it at Landmark National Bank in Manhattan.

Police released no additional details early Thursday.

RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a case of alleged financial crime in Manhattan.Just before 10a.m. Wednesday, officers filed a report for forgery in the 700 block of Poyntz Ave. Manhattan, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.USD 383 -Manhattan-Odgen schools reported a $10,832 check they wrote to Thermal Comfort Air, Inc. was altered by a 25-year-old woman who attempted to cash it at Landmark National Bank in Manhattan.Police released no additional details early Thursday.

Woman allegedly forged $10K check written by Kan. school district

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The half-mile oval at the Kansas State Fairgrounds is going away.

"2023 will be the last year for the race track," State Fair General Manager Bryan Schulz said Thursday. "This will be the last Hutch Nationals this summer. What we're going to do is, we're going to be looking at a brand new staging area and grandstand seating area and also doing a dirt event area. Those are some master plan things that we're looking at and then recouping some of that land where the track was."

The capacity of the grandstand won't go up significantly.

"The grandstand seating itself will stay the exact same size, but it will be like, that front area will become more of a VIP area," Schulz said. "Right in front of the stage, there would be a standing room only. We would be able to increase the number of people that could attend events."

"We'll be able to do some other dirt events, like I said, monster truck shows, demolition derbies, truck pulls, tractor pulls, those kinds of things," Schulz said. "The plan would be to create a smaller dirt venue up on the north side of the grandstand area that would allow for that."

This move was approved by the Kansas State Fair board at their November meeting.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632137556905.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — The half-mile oval at the Kansas State Fairgrounds is going away."2023 will be the last year for the race track," State Fair General Manager Bryan Schulz said Thursday. "This will be the last Hutch Nationals this summer. What we're going to do is, we're going to be looking at a brand new staging area and grandstand seating area and also doing a dirt event area. Those are some master plan things that we're looking at and then recouping some of that land where the track was."The capacity of the grandstand won't go up significantly."The grandstand seating itself will stay the exact same size, but it will be like, that front area will become more of a VIP area," Schulz said. "Right in front of the stage, there would be a standing room only. We would be able to increase the number of people that could attend events."It won't be a racing venue any longer."We'll be able to do some other dirt events, like I said, monster truck shows, demolition derbies, truck pulls, tractor pulls, those kinds of things," Schulz said. "The plan would be to create a smaller dirt venue up on the north side of the grandstand area that would allow for that."This move was approved by the Kansas State Fair board at their November meeting.

State Fair GM: 2023 'last year' for Hutch Nationals

FINNEY COUNTY —Lee Richardson Zoo received a late Christmas present and is happy to announce the arrival of a reticulated giraffe calf. 

 Born at 11:15 a.m. Dec. 26, this is the third calf for mom, Cleo, age 9, and dad, Juani, age 13, according to a media release from the zoo.

 Zoo staff performed a well-baby check on Tuesday after giving mom and baby some time to bond.  Mom and baby are doing fine. 

 Zoo staff had been monitoring Cleo closely for the last week.  Keepers found Cleo in the early stages of giving birth during a morning check. 

 The male calf weighed 185 pounds and was nursing within the next few hours after birth.The birth is the result of a breeding recommendation from the Giraffe Species Survival Plan Program which coordinates population management for the species within member institutions of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and works to enhance conservation of the species in the wild.  In the wild, giraffe populations have decreased by 40% over the last thirty years due to poaching and habitat destruction.

 Together AZA members and their partners are working to help save giraffes through education, scientific research, field work, public awareness and action.The calf was born in the indoor quarters.  Mom and calf will remain inside for a few days for some bonding time and then outside access will be based on outdoor temperatures. 

Public viewing inside the giraffe barn may be limited to allow mom and calf privacy. Juani will remain separated from the mother and baby until the newborn is a bit older and steadier on its feet. Public will have a chance to help select the calf’s name next week.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1672265307126.png" alt="Photos courtesy Lee Richardson Zoo" />
 <figcaption>Photos courtesy Lee Richardson Zoo</figcaption>
 </figure>FINNEY COUNTY —Lee Richardson Zoo received a late Christmas present and is happy to announce the arrival of a reticulated giraffe calf. Born at 11:15 a.m. Dec. 26, this is the third calf for mom, Cleo, age 9, and dad, Juani, age 13, according to a media release from the zoo. Zoo staff performed a well-baby check on Tuesday after giving mom and baby some time to bond. Mom and baby are doing fine. Zoo staff had been monitoring Cleo closely for the last week. Keepers found Cleo in the early stages of giving birth during a morning check. The male calf weighed 185 pounds and was nursing within the next few hours after birth.The birth is the result of a breeding recommendation from the Giraffe Species Survival Plan Program which coordinates population management for the species within member institutions of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and works to enhance conservation of the species in the wild. In the wild, giraffe populations have decreased by 40% over the last thirty years due to poaching and habitat destruction.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1672263522629.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure> Together AZA members and their partners are working to help save giraffes through education, scientific research, field work, public awareness and action.The calf was born in the indoor quarters. Mom and calf will remain inside for a few days for some bonding time and then outside access will be based on outdoor temperatures. Public viewing inside the giraffe barn may be limited to allow mom and calf privacy. Juani will remain separated from the mother and baby until the newborn is a bit older and steadier on its feet. Public will have a chance to help select the calf’s name next week.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Late Christmas present arrives at Kansas zoo

DALLAS (AP) — Travelers who counted on Southwest Airlines to get them home suffered another wave of canceled flights Thursday, and pressure grows on the federal government to help customers get reimbursed for unexpected expenses they incurred because of the airline’s meltdown.

Exhausted Southwest travelers tried finding seats on other airlines or renting cars to get to their destination, but many remained stranded. The airline’s CEO said it could be next week before the flight schedule returns to normal.

Southwest Airlines has opened a self-service tool to help travelers impacted by their travel disruptions.

If your flight has been significantly delayed or canceled, <a href="https://www.southwest.com/traveldisruption/?clk=CALLVOLUME_HPHERO_221227&amp;fbclid=IwAR0SKcCpcT6GdozvyXMNGoSsL0whMtEGvrkElL-G4dZYjrwheCbUTZuAbuI">click here </a>to request a refund and other services you are entitled to.

Adontis Barber, a 34-year-old jazz pianist from Kansas City had camped out in the city’s airport since his Southwest flight was canceled Saturday, hoping to reach a New Year's gig in Washington, D.C.

He left his airport vigil Wednesday. “I give up,” he said. “I’m starting to feel homeless.”

By early afternoon on the East Coast, about 90% of all canceled flights Wednesday in the U.S. were on Southwest, according to the FlightAware tracking service.

Other airlines recovered from ferocious winter storms that hit large swaths of the country over the weekend, but not Southwest, which scrubbed 2,500 flights Wednesday and 2,300 more on Thursday.

The Dallas airline was undone by a combination of factors including an antiquated crew-scheduling system and a network design that allows cancellations in one region to cascade throughout the country rapidly. Those weaknesses are not new — they helped cause a similar failure by Southwest in October 2021.

The U.S. Transportation Department is now investigating what happened at Southwest, which carries more passengers within the United States than any other airline. A Senate committee promises to investigate too.

In a video that Southwest posted late Tuesday, CEO Robert Jordan said Southwest would operate a reduced schedule for several days but hoped to be “back on track before next week.”

“We have some real work to do in making this right,” said Jordan, a 34-year Southwest veteran who became CEO in February. “For now, I want you to know that we are committed to that.”

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who has criticized airlines for previous disruptions, said that “meltdown” was the only word he could think of to describe this week’s events at Southwest. He noted that while cancellations across the rest of the industry declined to about 4% of scheduled flights, they remained above 60% at Southwest.

From the high rate of cancellations to customers’ inability to reach Southwest on the phone, the airline’s performance has been unacceptable, Buttigieg said. He vowed to hold the airline accountable and push it to reimburse travelers.

“They need to make sure that those stranded passengers get to where they need to go and that they are provided adequate compensation,” including for missed flights, hotels and meals, he said Wednesday on ABC’s “Good Morning America.”

Robert Mann, an aviation consultant and former airline executive, said the Transportation Department could force Southwest to pay refunds for all flights that were canceled for reasons within the airline’s control, such as lack of crews. He estimated that could total 6,000 cancellations affecting 1 million customers and adding up to $300 million.

Since Southwest plans to pay $428 million in shareholder dividends next month, “the numbers are not life-threatening, although brand damage has been done,” Mann said.

Some consumer advocates are skeptical the government will punish Southwest.

William McGee, a travel expert at the American Economic Liberties Project, noted that the Transportation Department fined Frontier Airlines and several foreign carriers for slow refunds early in the pandemic but didn't touch the four biggest U.S. airlines.

“What Pete Buttigieg should do and what he will do are probably two different things,” McGee said. His group wants a change in federal law that would make it easier for states and private parties to sue airlines for harming consumers.

On its website, Southwest told customers affected by canceled or delayed flights between Dec. 24 and Jan. 2 to submit receipts. The airline said, "We will honor reasonable requests for reimbursement for meals, hotel, and alternate transportation.”

Navy physician Lt. Cmdr. Manoj Mathew said after spending hours on hold over two days Southwest reimbursed him for the first leg of his family's trip from Washington to Houston — they drove through terrible weather after the Dec. 23 flight was canceled. Now he is worried whether Southwest will operate the return flight Sunday.

“I’m trying to reach other airlines,” he said. “There are no flights, plus it’s very expensive for us.”

Delta Air Lines said it was capping last-minute fares in Southwest markets through the weekend, and American Airlines said it too was limiting fares in “select” cities. Neither provided figures.

Leaders of Southwest labor unions have warned for years that the airline’s crew-scheduling system, which dates to the 1990s, was not keeping up as the route map grew more complicated.

“The fact is this is not the same airline that (Southwest co-founder) Herb Kelleher built where planes went point-to-point,” Randy Barnes, president of the union that represents Southwest ground workers, said Wednesday. “If airline managers had planned better, the meltdown we’ve witnessed in recent days could have been lessened or averted.”

The other large U.S. airlines use “hub and spoke” networks in which flights radiate out from a few major or hub airports. That helps limit the reach of disruptions caused by bad weather in part of the country.

Southwest, however, has a “point-to-point” network in which planes crisscross the country during the day. This can increase the utilization and efficiency of each plane, but problems in one place can ripple across the country and leave crews trapped out of position. (Crews can be stranded at hub-and-spoke airlines too.)

Those issues don't explain all the complaints that stranded travelers made about Southwest, including no ability to reach the airline on the phone and a lack of help with hotels and meals.

Teal Williams, a 48-year-old active-duty Army reservist from Utah, was stuck at the Denver airport with her husband and two teenage kids on Christmas Day after their flight to Des Moines, Iowa, was canceled. She said Southwest employees had no information about flights and didn’t offer food vouchers while elderly passengers sat in wheelchairs for hours and mothers ran out of formula for their infants.

“It was just imploding, and no one could tell you anything,” Williams said. The airline employees “were desperately trying to help, but you could tell they were just as clueless as everybody else... it was scary.”

Unable to find plane, train or bus seats, Williams and her family felt lucky to score a rental car. They drove 12 hours to Iowa.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1672320886223.png" alt="The U.S. Transportation Department is now investigating what happened at Southwest, which carries more passengers within the United States than any other airline.-photo courtesy KMBC" />
 <figcaption>The U.S. Transportation Department is now investigating what happened at Southwest, which carries more passengers within the United States than any other airline.-photo courtesy KMBC</figcaption>
 </figure>DALLAS (AP) — Travelers who counted on Southwest Airlines to get them home suffered another wave of canceled flights Thursday, and pressure grows on the federal government to help customers get reimbursed for unexpected expenses they incurred because of the airline’s meltdown.Exhausted Southwest travelers tried finding seats on other airlines or renting cars to get to their destination, but many remained stranded. The airline’s CEO said it could be next week before the flight schedule returns to normal.Southwest Airlines has opened a self-service tool to help travelers impacted by their travel disruptions.If your flight has been significantly delayed or canceled, <a href="https://www.southwest.com/traveldisruption/?clk=CALLVOLUME_HPHERO_221227&amp;fbclid=IwAR0SKcCpcT6GdozvyXMNGoSsL0whMtEGvrkElL-G4dZYjrwheCbUTZuAbuI">click here </a>to request a refund and other services you are entitled to.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We’ve let our Customers and Employees down, and we pledge to do everything we can to make it right. If you still need assistance rearranging your travel, getting a refund, or tracking down your luggage, please visit <a href="https://t.co/II3YgdPy7J">https://t.co/II3YgdPy7J</a>. <a href="https://t.co/64Fdt8jJPn">pic.twitter.com/64Fdt8jJPn</a>&mdash; Southwest Airlines (@SouthwestAir) <a href="https://twitter.com/SouthwestAir/status/1608303039181647873?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 29, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Adontis Barber, a 34-year-old jazz pianist from Kansas City had camped out in the city’s airport since his Southwest flight was canceled Saturday, hoping to reach a New Year's gig in Washington, D.C.He left his airport vigil Wednesday. “I give up,” he said. “I’m starting to feel homeless.”By early afternoon on the East Coast, about 90% of all canceled flights Wednesday in the U.S. were on Southwest, according to the FlightAware tracking service.Other airlines recovered from ferocious winter storms that hit large swaths of the country over the weekend, but not Southwest, which scrubbed 2,500 flights Wednesday and 2,300 more on Thursday.The Dallas airline was undone by a combination of factors including an antiquated crew-scheduling system and a network design that allows cancellations in one region to cascade throughout the country rapidly. Those weaknesses are not new — they helped cause a similar failure by Southwest in October 2021.The U.S. Transportation Department is now investigating what happened at Southwest, which carries more passengers within the United States than any other airline. A Senate committee promises to investigate too.In a video that Southwest posted late Tuesday, CEO Robert Jordan said Southwest would operate a reduced schedule for several days but hoped to be “back on track before next week.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">On the heels of wide-scale disruptions, we&#39;re working diligently to Safely recover our operation &amp; accommodate displaced Customers &amp; Crews. We know this is unacceptable &amp; sincerely apologize. If your travel was impacted, explore self-service options here: <a href="https://t.co/B6L8HR9Yqc">https://t.co/B6L8HR9Yqc</a> <a href="https://t.co/mLWndYMned">pic.twitter.com/mLWndYMned</a>&mdash; Southwest Airlines (@SouthwestAir) <a href="https://twitter.com/SouthwestAir/status/1607905087074013185?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 28, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“We have some real work to do in making this right,” said Jordan, a 34-year Southwest veteran who became CEO in February. “For now, I want you to know that we are committed to that.”Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who has criticized airlines for previous disruptions, said that “meltdown” was the only word he could think of to describe this week’s events at Southwest. He noted that while cancellations across the rest of the industry declined to about 4% of scheduled flights, they remained above 60% at Southwest.From the high rate of cancellations to customers’ inability to reach Southwest on the phone, the airline’s performance has been unacceptable, Buttigieg said. He vowed to hold the airline accountable and push it to reimburse travelers.“They need to make sure that those stranded passengers get to where they need to go and that they are provided adequate compensation,” including for missed flights, hotels and meals, he said Wednesday on ABC’s “Good Morning America.”Robert Mann, an aviation consultant and former airline executive, said the Transportation Department could force Southwest to pay refunds for all flights that were canceled for reasons within the airline’s control, such as lack of crews. He estimated that could total 6,000 cancellations affecting 1 million customers and adding up to $300 million.Since Southwest plans to pay $428 million in shareholder dividends next month, “the numbers are not life-threatening, although brand damage has been done,” Mann said.Some consumer advocates are skeptical the government will punish Southwest.William McGee, a travel expert at the American Economic Liberties Project, noted that the Transportation Department fined Frontier Airlines and several foreign carriers for slow refunds early in the pandemic but didn't touch the four biggest U.S. airlines.“What Pete Buttigieg should do and what he will do are probably two different things,” McGee said. His group wants a change in federal law that would make it easier for states and private parties to sue airlines for harming consumers.On its website, Southwest told customers affected by canceled or delayed flights between Dec. 24 and Jan. 2 to submit receipts. The airline said, "We will honor reasonable requests for reimbursement for meals, hotel, and alternate transportation.”Navy physician Lt. Cmdr. Manoj Mathew said after spending hours on hold over two days Southwest reimbursed him for the first leg of his family's trip from Washington to Houston — they drove through terrible weather after the Dec. 23 flight was canceled. Now he is worried whether Southwest will operate the return flight Sunday.“I’m trying to reach other airlines,” he said. “There are no flights, plus it’s very expensive for us.”Delta Air Lines said it was capping last-minute fares in Southwest markets through the weekend, and American Airlines said it too was limiting fares in “select” cities. Neither provided figures.Leaders of Southwest labor unions have warned for years that the airline’s crew-scheduling system, which dates to the 1990s, was not keeping up as the route map grew more complicated.“The fact is this is not the same airline that (Southwest co-founder) Herb Kelleher built where planes went point-to-point,” Randy Barnes, president of the union that represents Southwest ground workers, said Wednesday. “If airline managers had planned better, the meltdown we’ve witnessed in recent days could have been lessened or averted.”The other large U.S. airlines use “hub and spoke” networks in which flights radiate out from a few major or hub airports. That helps limit the reach of disruptions caused by bad weather in part of the country.Southwest, however, has a “point-to-point” network in which planes crisscross the country during the day. This can increase the utilization and efficiency of each plane, but problems in one place can ripple across the country and leave crews trapped out of position. (Crews can be stranded at hub-and-spoke airlines too.)Those issues don't explain all the complaints that stranded travelers made about Southwest, including no ability to reach the airline on the phone and a lack of help with hotels and meals.Teal Williams, a 48-year-old active-duty Army reservist from Utah, was stuck at the Denver airport with her husband and two teenage kids on Christmas Day after their flight to Des Moines, Iowa, was canceled. She said Southwest employees had no information about flights and didn’t offer food vouchers while elderly passengers sat in wheelchairs for hours and mothers ran out of formula for their infants.“It was just imploding, and no one could tell you anything,” Williams said. The airline employees “were desperately trying to help, but you could tell they were just as clueless as everybody else... it was scary.”Unable to find plane, train or bus seats, Williams and her family felt lucky to score a rental car. They drove 12 hours to Iowa.

🎥 Airline offers self-service tool as travel nightmare continues

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a shooting that fatally injured a man and woman and critically injured two other men all from Wichita have arrested&nbsp;<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=90813">39-year-old Kenneth Jackson</a> of Wichita.

Just before 10p.m. Friday, police were dispatched to a shooting in the 900 block of South Mission in Wichita, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo

At the scene, police located two victims,&nbsp;a 22-year-0ld man and a 42-year-old man, with multiple gunshot wounds. EMS transported them to an area hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. The victims underwent surgery and on Saturday afternoon, police reported they were reported in stable condition.

During the initial contact, officers learned that two additional victims were inside an apartment near where the two men had been shot. Officers entered the apartment and located a man and woman later identified as&nbsp;39-year-old Jose Alvarez and 22-year-old Neosha Allen unconscious and not breathing. They were pronounced deceased on the scene.

Due to the lack of cooperation from some of the victims and witnesses, investigators were not initially able to fully determine the circumstances leading up to the shooting.&nbsp;

<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=90813">Jackson is being held </a>on requested charges of first-degree murder and one count of aggravated battery, according to Rebelledo.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671918579268.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a shooting that fatally injured a man and woman and critically injured two other men all from Wichita have arrested&nbsp;<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=90813">39-year-old Kenneth Jackson</a> of Wichita.Just before 10p.m. Friday, police were dispatched to a shooting in the 900 block of South Mission in Wichita, according to Officer Juan RebolledoAt the scene, police located two victims,&nbsp;a 22-year-0ld man and a 42-year-old man, with multiple gunshot wounds. EMS transported them to an area hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. The victims underwent surgery and on Saturday afternoon, police reported they were reported in stable condition.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1672319423009.png" alt="In June, police arrested Jackson on requested charges for flee or attempt to elude, driving without a valid license, reckless driving and for drugs, according to Sedgwick Co. booking records." />
 <figcaption>In June, police arrested Jackson on requested charges for flee or attempt to elude, driving without a valid license, reckless driving and for drugs, according to Sedgwick Co. booking records.</figcaption>
 </figure>During the initial contact, officers learned that two additional victims were inside an apartment near where the two men had been shot. Officers entered the apartment and located a man and woman later identified as&nbsp;39-year-old Jose Alvarez and 22-year-old Neosha Allen unconscious and not breathing. They were pronounced deceased on the scene.Due to the lack of cooperation from some of the victims and witnesses, investigators were not initially able to fully determine the circumstances leading up to the shooting.&nbsp;<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=90813">Jackson is being held </a>on requested charges of first-degree murder and one count of aggravated battery, according to Rebelledo.&nbsp;

Police capture suspect in Kansas double-murder 

WASHINGTON (AP) —The U.S. announced new COVID-19 testing requirements Wednesday for all travelers from China, joining other nations imposing restrictions because of a surge of infections.

The increase in cases across China follows the rollback of the nation's strict anti-virus controls. China's “zero COVID” policies had kept the country's infection rate low but fueled public frustration and crushed economic growth.

The new U.S. requirements, which start Jan. 5, apply to travelers regardless of their nationality and vaccination status.

In a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2022/p1228-COVID-china.html">statement explaining the testing</a>, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cited the surge in infections and what it said was a lack of adequate and transparent information from China, including genomic sequencing on the viral strains circulating in the country.

“These data are critical to monitor the case surge effectively and decrease the chance for entry of a novel variant of concern,” the CDC said.

Some scientists are worried&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-china-covid-306b688d84e31a9462f82d0ead1f4584">the COVID-19 surge in China could unleash a new coronavirus variant</a>&nbsp;on the world that may or may not be similar to the ones circulating now. That’s because every infection is another chance for the virus to mutate.

“What we want to avoid is having a variant enter into the U.S. and spread like we saw with delta or omicron,” said Matthew Binnicker, director of clinical virology at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

But the CDC's action may be less about stopping a new variant from crossing U.S. borders and more about increasing pressure on China to share more information, said Dr. David Dowdy, an infectious disease epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, adding he hopes the restrictions "aren’t kept in place longer than they need to be.”

“I don’t think it’s going to have a major impact in slowing the spread of COVID-19,” Dowdy said. “We have a whole lot of transmission of COVID-19 here within our borders already.”

Dr. Stuart Campbell Ray, an infectious disease expert at Johns Hopkins University, agreed China isn't sharing enough genomic sequencing information. But he also said the U.S. has become a little complacent about sequencing and needs to redouble its own efforts. The CDC also announced the expansion of an early warning program that tests volunteers at select airports for new and rare variants of the coronavirus. That program will expand to airports in Seattle and Los Angeles.

Under the new U.S. rules, travelers to the U.S. from China, Hong Kong and Macau, will be required to take a COVID-19 test no more than two days before travel and provide a negative test before boarding their flight. The testing applies to anyone 2 years and older, including U.S. citizens.

WASHINGTON (AP) —The U.S. announced new COVID-19 testing requirements Wednesday for all travelers from China, joining other nations imposing restrictions because of a surge of infections.The increase in cases across China follows the rollback of the nation's strict anti-virus controls. China's “zero COVID” policies had kept the country's infection rate low but fueled public frustration and crushed economic growth.The new U.S. requirements, which start Jan. 5, apply to travelers regardless of their nationality and vaccination status.In a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2022/p1228-COVID-china.html">statement explaining the testing</a>, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cited the surge in infections and what it said was a lack of adequate and transparent information from China, including genomic sequencing on the viral strains circulating in the country.“These data are critical to monitor the case surge effectively and decrease the chance for entry of a novel variant of concern,” the CDC said.Some scientists are worried&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-china-covid-306b688d84e31a9462f82d0ead1f4584">the COVID-19 surge in China could unleash a new coronavirus variant</a>&nbsp;on the world that may or may not be similar to the ones circulating now. That’s because every infection is another chance for the virus to mutate.“What we want to avoid is having a variant enter into the U.S. and spread like we saw with delta or omicron,” said Matthew Binnicker, director of clinical virology at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.But the CDC's action may be less about stopping a new variant from crossing U.S. borders and more about increasing pressure on China to share more information, said Dr. David Dowdy, an infectious disease epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, adding he hopes the restrictions "aren’t kept in place longer than they need to be.”“I don’t think it’s going to have a major impact in slowing the spread of COVID-19,” Dowdy said. “We have a whole lot of transmission of COVID-19 here within our borders already.”Dr. Stuart Campbell Ray, an infectious disease expert at Johns Hopkins University, agreed China isn't sharing enough genomic sequencing information. But he also said the U.S. has become a little complacent about sequencing and needs to redouble its own efforts. The CDC also announced the expansion of an early warning program that tests volunteers at select airports for new and rare variants of the coronavirus. That program will expand to airports in Seattle and Los Angeles.Under the new U.S. rules, travelers to the U.S. from China, Hong Kong and Macau, will be required to take a COVID-19 test no more than two days before travel and provide a negative test before boarding their flight. The testing applies to anyone 2 years and older, including U.S. citizens.It will apply to people traveling from China via a third country and to people connecting through the U.S. as they go on to other destinations. Anyone testing positive more than 10 days before the flight can provide documentation showing they’ve recovered from COVID-19 instead of a negative test result.It will be up to the airlines to confirm negative tests and documentation of recovery before passengers board.Other countries have taken similar steps in an effort to keep infections from spreading beyond China's borders. Japan will require a negative COVID-19 test upon arrival for travelers from China, and Malaysia announced new tracking and surveillance measures. India, Italy, South Korea and Taiwan are requiring virus tests for visitors from China.Lunar New Year, which begins Jan. 22, is usually China's busiest travel season, and China announced Tuesday it will resume issuing passports for tourism for the first time since the start of the pandemic in 2020.“We look forward to welcoming Chinese travelers back to the United States,” U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Geoff Freeman said in a statement. He called the U.S. approach to testing inbound travelers “reasonable and appreciated.”The U.S. action is a return to testing requirements for some international travelers. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-health-travel-government-and-politics-air-af509c58df1c931caac6ecf957ea1aed">Biden administration lifted the last of such mandates in June</a>. At that time, the CDC continued to recommend that people boarding flights to the U.S. get tested close to departure time and not travel if they are sick.“We’ve done this before. We can do it again,” Dowdy said.Early in the pandemic,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-nations-donald-trump-us-news-ap-top-news-virus-outbreak-9e22f8aabe2f454593b9f9b4c67eb31f">the U.S. barred entry to foreigners traveling from China,</a>&nbsp;weeks after the virus first emerged there three years ago, and dozens of other countries were added to the list. The country started lifting travel bans late last year, but required travelers to the U.S. to be vaccinated and tested.&nbsp;------------BEIJING (AP) — China says it will resume issuing passports for tourism in another big step away from anti-virus controls that isolated the country for almost three years, setting up a potential flood of Chinese going abroad for next month’s Lunar New Year holiday.The announcement Tuesday adds to abrupt changes that are rolling back some of the world’s strictest anti-virus controls as President Xi Jinping's government&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/floods-health-business-beijing-covid-f0253b7a9a888a56835cb9bb09364b2d">tries to reverse an economic slump.</a>&nbsp;Rules that confined millions of people to their homes kept China’s infection rate low but fueled public frustration and crushed economic growth.The latest decision could send free-spending Chinese tourists to revenue-starved destinations in Asia and Europe for Lunar New Year, which begins Jan. 22 and usually is the country's busiest travel season. But it also presents a danger they might spread COVID-19 as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-china-beijing-covid-d0718b53ded7fb1a70c2db8e564ed072">infections surge in China.</a>Travel services companies Trip.com and Qunar said international ticket bookings and searches for visa information on their websites rose five to eight times after Tuesday's announcement. Top destinations included Japan, Thailand, South Korea, the United States, Britain and Australia.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-business-china-japan-covid-0935f496eea6a5be28ae0fc5f8a44ea7">Japan, India, South Korea and Taiwan</a>&nbsp;have responded to the Chinese wave of infections by requiring virus tests for visitors from China.China stopped issuing visas to foreigners and passports to its own people at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020.The National Immigration Administration of China said it will start taking applications Jan. 8 for passports for tourists to go abroad.The agency said it will take applications to extend, renew or reissue visas but gave no indication when they might be issued to first-time applicants.China will “gradually resume” admitting foreign visitors, the agency said. It gave no indication when tourist travel from abroad might resume.The changes will “create better conditions for orderly cross-border travel" and "bring more benefits to global economic development,” said a Foreign Ministry spokesman, Wang Wenbin.China will “work with all countries” to “restore safety and stability to global industrial and supply chains and promote world economic recovery,” Wang said.Health experts and economists expect the ruling Communist Party to keep limits on travel into China until at least mid-2023 while it carries out a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-china-beijing-covid-0ad4ad8851cb1cea47a67abd16024c15">campaign to vaccinate millions of elderly people.</a>&nbsp;Experts say that is necessary to prevent a public health crisis.During the pandemic, Chinese with family emergencies or work travel deemed important could obtain passports, but some students and businesspeople with visas to go to foreign countries were blocked by border guards from leaving. The handful of foreign businesspeople and others who were allowed into China were quarantined for up to one week.Before the pandemic, China was the biggest source of foreign tourists for most of its Asian neighbors and an important market for Europe and the United States.The government has dropped or eased most quarantine, testing and other restrictions within China, joining the United States, Japan and other governments in trying to live with the virus instead of stamping out transmission.Japan and India have begun requiring virus tests for travelers from China. South Korea tests all visitors with elevated temperatures. South Korea says anyone who tests positive will be quarantined at home or in a hotel for a week.South Korean officials said possible additional measures for arrivals from China will be announced Friday.U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity to relate internal discussions, said Washington is considering taking similar steps.Taiwan on Wednesday announced visitors from China will be tested starting Jan. 1.Hong Kong authorities said Wednesday they would scrap some of the city's COVID-19 restrictions, including PCR tests for all inbound travelers and vaccination requirements to enter certain venues. The easing comes as the southern city prepares for a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-health-china-beijing-xi-jinping-ec64078ae99587e02ff5e91c5f0cf490">reopening of borders with mainland China next month.</a>On Monday, the Chinese government said it would remove&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-business-china-covid-ce7061b5d5c1782eefc1f05c79ddd835">quarantine requirements for travelers arriving from abroad,</a>&nbsp;also effective Jan. 8. Foreign companies welcomed the change as an important step to revive slumping business activity.Business groups have warned global companies were shifting investment away from China because foreign executives were blocked from visiting.The American Chamber of Commerce in China says more than 70% of companies that responded to a poll this month expect the impact of the latest wave of outbreaks to last no more than three months, ending in early 2023.The government has stopped reporting nationwide case numbers but announcements by some cities indicate at least tens and possibly hundreds of millions of people might have been infected since the surge began in early October.Experts have forecast 1 million to 2 million deaths in China through the end of 2023.Also Monday, the government downgraded the official seriousness of COVID-19 and removed it from a list of illnesses that require quarantine. It said authorities would stop tracking close contacts and designating areas as being at high or low risk of infection.___