&nbsp;Construction upgrades for the Manhattan&nbsp;levee&nbsp;will begin in the coming days of January 2022. The project, administered by the The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), will enhance the reliability and structural integrity of the Manhattan&nbsp;Levee&nbsp;system. USACE selected ESI Contracting to manage the project. According to a new release by the City of Manhattan the total construction cost of the base project is $19.1 million. The&nbsp; federal government is paying 65 percent and the city is paying 35 percent of&nbsp; the cost. &nbsp;An additional $10.5 million in related&nbsp;levee&nbsp;betterments and essential maintenance costs are also included in the contract and will be&nbsp;fully-funded by the City. &nbsp;“The project will increase the reliability of the&nbsp;levee&nbsp;system to protect our only water and wastewater treatment plant facilities. These facilities not only service the City of Manhattan but many other customers in Riley and Pottawatomie Counties,” said Rob&nbsp;Ott, Public Works Director for the City of Manhattan.&nbsp; The Manhattan&nbsp;levee&nbsp;system provides fortification to protect 1,600 acres of land, approximately 7,600 residents, and a total economic impact estimated at $1.2 billion. This project includes raises the&nbsp;levee&nbsp;along the Big Blue River from the intersection of Casement Road and Hayes Drive, south to the confluence of the Kansas River and Big Blue River, and wrapping around upstream to just west of the Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) facility. The project also includes new relief wells and earthen berms to protect the&nbsp;levee&nbsp;against undermining, and strengthening of many of the gate structures that control water flows out of the City.&nbsp; Construction for the entire project is estimated to last just over 30 months and be completed by mid to late 2024. Access to Linear Trail will be closed for most of the construction period, with specific closures to be announced as they are required. &nbsp;The Linear Trail system will be restored and reopened at the completion of the project.&nbsp;

Construction of Manhattan levee upgrades are scheduled to begin this month

K-State News &amp; Communication Services

MANHATTAN — Design assistance provided by the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.k-state.edu/tdi" target="_blank">Technology Development Institute</a>&nbsp;at the Kansas State University&nbsp;<a href="https://engg.k-state.edu/" target="_blank">Carl R. Ice College of Engineering</a>&nbsp;has led to the design and production of a new product to reduce litter and improve the environment during outdoor recreational activities. Nauti Trash began as an idea from a group of boating enthusiasts who often found litter and other debris left in and around waterways as a result of recreational activities. This was not due to intentional littering but a result of not having a convenient way to secure the trash while being on the water. In an effort to solve this problem and provide people with a product to help promote keeping waterways clean, the team began to brainstorm ideas of how the product should function and its critical aspects. Once team members had developed a concept for the product, they contacted staff at the Technology Development Insitute to design, prototype and test the product. The institute developed an initial design and then assisted in filing a patent application on the product idea. The institute also worked with the team on creation of a brand name, logo, website acquisition and sourced a manufacturer capable of producing the product in large volume. The result of the development effort is the patent-pending Nauti Trash floating trash can. The product has a foam base that allows the device to float on the water and a spring-loaded fabric basket that can be compressed flat while stored and then expanded when in use. The basket accepts a tall kitchen trash can liner and can be used for numerous water-related activities such as pools, canoeing, boating, etc., to secure trash while on the water. The trash can also has a strap that allows the device to be connected to a boat, canoe or dock so that it can be held in place while in use. "It has been a great experience working with the Nauti Trash team on the development of this revolutionary new product," said Bret Lanz, Technology Development Institute commercialization director. "This product meets a need in the marketplace that up to this point has not had an effective solution. Nauti Trash is a perfect example of a team of friends who identify a problem and then develop a solution to meet the need. TDI was able to provide them the engineering and manufacturing support needed to bring the product to reality." The project was funded through the Economic Development Administration EDA CARES Act recovery program. The female-owned company, based in Manhattan, plans to launch the product this spring and is working to develop a distributor network as well as sell the product online. More information on the product can be found at the company's website, nautitrash.com.

Technology Development Institute assists in development of new litter control product for recreational market

The following is a summary of arrests, citations by the Riley County Police Department. Those arrested are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

ALYSSA KAY SMITH, 25, Manhattan,&nbsp;Driving under the influence of drugs/alcohol; 1st conv; blood/breath .08 or &gt;; Bond $750

SARAH LUCILLE WAY, 34, Manhattan,&nbsp;Uniform Criminal Extradition Act; Arrest prior to requisition; Bond $1500

TIMOTHY EARL PATRICK, 33, Manhattan, Probation Violation; Bond $1213.00

JAMIE NICKOLE BERGES, 31, St. George, Failure to Appear; Bond $20,000

JAZIYA GALE DESTINA, 17, Manhattan, Failure to Appear; Juvenile

MANDY LOU HORAN, 40, Manhattan, Failure to Appear; Bond $100

MARIA DELORES HELEN BRYAN, 26, Manhattan,&nbsp;Domestic battery; Knowing or reckless bodily harm to family/person in dating relationship; Bond $2000

KYRA DAWN MOLDEN, 19, St. George, Failure to Appear; Bond $750

CONNOR ALCOTT BARNES, 21, Hiawatha, Failure to Appear; Brown Co. Sheriff

SAMUEL CREIGHTON HARRIS, 34, Manhattan, Failure to Appear; Bond $20,000

CHRISTOPHER LEE STEVENS, 53, Manhattan, Probation Violation; Bond $5000

JAKE ERIC FECHNER, 44, Alta Vista, Failure to appear; held without bond

MANDY ALTIA TORRES, 41,&nbsp; no address; Theft of property or services; Value less than $1,500; All Other Larceny; Bond $750

MARCUS QUINTIN HALL II, 19, Fort Leonardwood Mo.,&nbsp;Rape; Offender is 18 or older and victim is &lt; 14 YOA, Aggravated indecent liberties w child; Offender =&gt;18 fondle child &lt;14, Aggravated criminal sodomy; Offender 18 or older and child &lt;14; Bond $150,000

BENSON JOE NEAL JACKSON, 28, Manhattan, Aggravated battery; Knowingly use weapon cause grt body harm/disfigure/death and Aggravated burglary; Dwelling for felony, theft, sex; Bond $5000

Riley County Arrest report Jan. 20-21

FORT RILEY, Kan. (WIBW) -&nbsp;<a href="https://irwin.tricare.mil/" target="_blank">Irwin Army Community Hospital</a>&nbsp;hosted a walk-in COVID-19 clinic for children ages 5 to 11 on Thursday afternoon.

A temporary vaccination clinic was set up at the Riley Community Center on Fort Riley, welcoming families to wait indoors for children to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

Children and parents were waiting in line before the clinic opened, ready to receive a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

“I was excited, and I just couldn’t wait.” Magdalynn Doan says.

Family groups made their way through the clinic from check-in, to vaccination, ending their visit by picking out a treat.

“With case rates being super high right now, in the community, as well as everywhere else, we want to ensure that we provide to our most vulnerable population which is our children.” Irwin Army Community Hospital Director of Public Health, Maj. Brando Jobity says.

Children receive COVID-19 vaccines

2022 virtual programming from the Eisenhower Presidential Library kicks off the first monthly Lunch &amp; Learn on Thursday, January 27 at noon central time. This year's theme is titled "Dwight D. Eisenhower: The Making of a Leader." Mary Jean Eisenhower will help you get to know her great-grandmother Ida. Ida Eisenhower was a woman known for her strength and resilience. These character traits were passed down to each of her boys. She was a woman of strong moral fortitude with a gentle hand in teaching her children life-long lessons of character.

Mary Jean will share family stories and experiences she uncovered while researching her great-grandmother's life. JOIN ONLINE!&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001wf2DHVJdDSJ1G7ljZoEvyzcOAwsRCGgiudUv-TgOGUD-jACQKRwc9UfNX7h2nDrc5gfUofiFjT4I5BO3ucfbihs9e0upiqg_ylQBYX8AYlZr82SV0pI8pY1avh7Vf3YPDfV9FLFfuGTZT1uUijzyFsUAmZLMkuDSvQeBFu7VoLGIhcAQppX5ZsKk8BOvLN5Wj_BYWiTTWozxqo3o_kJzFCAFUubmPQhH&amp;c=UIlyz4oOtVYZ0CibLI2iSfM0ratpqSDYoTtmn7r31zl5vhyc8mMELA==&amp;ch=bu9f9zXF-uIm8h6I3HH1TDmKJmwSMsAY6rDxnrb0Pd9fhfB5MZXs4w==" target="_blank">Register in advance</a>&nbsp;and join via Zoom. Registration details are available at eisenhowerlibrary.gov.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Lunch and Learn is scheduled at the Eisenhower Presidential Library

Click&nbsp;<a href="https://littleapplepost.com/category/obituaries">HERE</a>&nbsp;to view the most recent obituaries and service times from our funeral home partners.

Little Apple Post is honored to publish full obituaries and photos at no cost to families.

Recent obituaries and service times

Planning is under way for Freedom Fest JC, the Fourth of July celebration in Junction City. This celebration is being held along with Sundown Salute this year.&nbsp; City Commissioner Nate Butler provided an update this week saying they are working on entertainment. "Our Sunday night Christian concert is now scheduled." Organizers are in&nbsp; the process of getting contracts for that event. "We're working on Friday, Saturday and Monday now."

Butler noted that other different events during the day. The celebration is scheduled July 1-4.

Sundown Salute will also be held this year from June 30th through July 4th. There was a Kickoff Party fundraiser for that celebration last Saturday at the Milford Lake Conference Center at Acorns Resort.

Freedom Fest JC planning has begun

MANHATTAN— A Missouri man has been arrested in connection to a rape reported to have occurred in Manhattan in July 2021, according to a media release from the Riley County Police Department.

On November 1, 2021, officers filed a report for rape, aggravated indecent liberties with a child and aggravated criminal sodomy, listing a now 14-year-old female as the victim and a 19-year-old male as the suspect. 

Marcus Quintin Hall II, 19, of Ft. Leonard Wood, Mo. was arrested on a warrant Wednesday afternoon after being extradited from the Pulaski County Mo. Jail on requested charges of rape, aggravated criminal sodomy and aggravated indecent liberties with a child.

Hall is confined in the Riley County Jail on a total bond of $150,000.00.

RCPD: Missouri man accused of child sex crimes in Manhattan

RANDOLPH, Kan. (WIBW) - Northern Riley County residents gathered in Randolph this evening to discuss the need for fully staffed ambulance service to be more accessible to the more rural area of the county.

No ambulances have been stationed in northern Riley County since 2018. Before that, decommissioned ambulances from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/RileyCountyEms" target="_blank">Riley County EMS</a>&nbsp;were available for volunteer first responders to use on-scene.

“The only ambulances that are in Riley County, are in Manhattan, well there’s one at the county shops which is just outside of Manhattan. That there’s been discussion a long time, and we’re trying to push it now, and I’m glad to see there’s a lot of other people interested in it to.” Riley County Commissioner District #2, Greg McKinley (R) says.

Residents are asking County Commissioners for a special meeting to address concerns about the current EMS response.

“I anticipate us filling that room, and I think it’s’ going to be a really good sign to show the commissioners you know just how important this is.” community meeting organizer, Kevin Bellamy says.

Residents hope Commissioners will consider adding a fully staffed ambulance station in the northern portion of the county, while plans are made to build a new EMS headquarters facility.

According to McKinley, Riley County has received $14 million dollars in COVID relief money to be used to towards infrastructure, such as new EMS facilities.

Residents discuss need for fully staffed ambulance service in northern Riley Co.

Overland Park, Kan. – Jan. 19, 2022 – Kansas Gas Service is partnering with Kansas agencies to assist customers with completing Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) applications. LIEAP, which is administered through the Kansas Department of Children and

Families, helps low-income households pay a portion of their home energy costs through an annual benefit.

“We want to do what we can to help customers get connected to available financial resources as winter months can be a difficult time for some paying their utility bills,” said Abbey Frye,

Kansas Gas Service representatives will be available at several community events to help fill out and submit required forms and answer customers’ questions about their natural gas accounts.

The income eligibility limit for the 2022 LIEAP program is 150% of the federal poverty income. Individuals with a gross monthly income of up to $1,610 are eligible to apply. The application period for LIEAP funds ends March 31.

On Feb. 15 this will be the location for one of the community events. Shepherd's Crossing Manhattan 621 Humboldt St, Manhattan, KS 66502 (9 a.m. to 3 p.m.)

Low Income Energy Assistance Program can help you pay your utility bills.

Riley County health officials reported Wednesday that two additional Riley County residents have died after testing positive for COVID-19. A 68 year-old unvaccinated man tested positive January 7 and died on January 15 at Ascension Via Christi Hospital in Manhattan. A 98 year-old unvaccinated woman tested positive January 10 and died on January 14 at the hospital. Their passing brings the total number of deaths in the county to 70. Riley County has identified 636 new COVID cases and 595 additional recoveries since the last report on January 12. There are currently 1,056 active cases in Riley County. The percent of positive test results rose slightly from 20.19% to 22.52% for the last two-week period. The 1,653 new cases identified since January 1 represent 15% of all the cases in Riley County since the start of the pandemic. “We have not yet seen the peak of the Omicron surge, but we hope that will happen in the next week or two,” said Local Health Officer Julie Gibbs.&nbsp; Ascension Via Christi Hospital is currently caring for 19 COVID-positive patients. Five patients, four of whom are unvaccinated, are in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and four of the patients are on ventilators. Of the 14 additional patients on the medical floor, 8 are unvaccinated.&nbsp; The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) drive-through testing site at Manhattan Town Center closed at noon Wednesday and will be closed Thursday, January 20 due to the extreme cold. The test site will move indoors to Pottorf Hall, located at 1710 Avery Avenue in CiCo Park, on Friday, January 21, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.so testing can continue during the winter weather. No appointments are necessary. Please follow signs and instructions at the testing site to ensure safety. Be advised, results from the KDHE testing site are taking at least seven days to process due to the high volume of testing.&nbsp; “Whether you are able to access testing or not, please stay home if you are sick,” said Gibbs. “Thankfully, most people who get Omicron have mild cases and feel better after several days. Anytime you are sick you should rest, drink plenty of fluids, and stay away from others as much as possible.” Free COVID-19 home testing kits are now available from the federal government and will be shipped to US residents upon request. No credit card or ID is needed to request the tests. Please note, an address can be used only once and each address can receive four test kits. Register for the four free test kits with the USPS online at https://special.usps.com/testkits. Yesterday, KDHE announced that state staff will end contact tracing efforts in February and authorized all Kansas school districts to end contact tracing procedures immediately, for at least 30 days. The volume of COVID-19 cases is more than staff can process. &nbsp;Several school districts across the state, including USD 383, announced closures last week due to the number of staff who are out sick.&nbsp; “Contact tracing is not feasible at this time due to the high number of new cases,” said Gibbs. “Like many other counties in Kansas, Riley County has officially adopted the updated KDHE guidelines and recommendations to end contact tracing at schools. As the COVID response evolves, we will continue to do everything we can to provide service, support, and guidance to the community.” &nbsp;

Riley County COVID-19 Statistics for January 19, 2022

2 Deaths and 636 New COVID Cases in Riley County

College Heights Christian, Mo. 44, Baxter Springs 39

Uniontown Kenny Holt Memorial Tournament=

Thursday night girls high school basketball results

Heartland, Mo. 42, Christ Preparatory Academy 33

Topeka Heritage Christian 80, Shawnee Mission Christian 52

Berean Academy 40, Hutchinson Central Christian 29

Wichita Heights 61, Goddard-Eisenhower 22

Lawrence Free State 73, Wichita Bishop Carroll 34

Pittsburg Colgan 57, Thomas Jefferson, Mo. 36

Thursday night boys basketball results

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Willie Gay was charged with misdemeanor criminal damage to property after he broke a vacuum and other items during an argument, putting his status for Sunday's divisional round playoff game against the Buffalo Bills in question

Gay pleaded not guilty Thursday and was expected to be released from jail later in the day.

Police in the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park, Kansas, said the 23-year-old Gay was arrested Wednesday night. The total of damaged property amounted to $225, police said.

No drugs, alcohol or weapons were involved and no one was injured, police said.

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Willie Gay has been charged with misdemeanor criminal damage to property after he broke a vacuum and other items during an argument, authorities said.

Gay, 23, was arrested Wednesday night in Overland Park, Kansas, and had a court date scheduled for Thursday afternoon.

Overland Park police said in an offense report that Gay damaged a vacuum and other property, causing total property damage of $225, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/sports/nfl/kansas-city-chiefs/article257529423.html">reported</a>.

Gay's agents, Maxx Lepsettler and Ryan Rubin, said in a statement that Gay was visiting his son when he got into an argument with the child's mother, who called police.

The agents said Gay would likely pay a fine and replace the vacuum and “all should be resolved today with no further issues.”

The Chiefs, who play the Buffalo Bills in the playoffs on Sunday, said they were aware of the incident but did not plan to make further comment.

Gay, in his second season with the Chiefs, has played in 12 games this season, totaling 48 tackles and two interceptions.

Chiefs linebacker enters plea for misdemeanor criminal damage

Gene Wilson, who became the first black player to receive a basketball scholarship at Kansas State in 1950 as well as one of the first to break the color barrier in the Big Seven Conference in 1951-52, will be honored for his trailblazing accomplishments at Saturday’s Dillons Sunflower Showdown.

During his two stints at K-State from 1950-52 and 1954-56, Wilson, along with Kansas’&nbsp;LaVannes Squires, became the first black basketball players in the Big Seven Conference (forerunner of the Big Eight and Big 12). A two-sport athlete for the Wildcats, Wilson was also one of five to break the color barrier in track and field.

Squires became the first African-American to play basketball at Kansas in 1951-52 and was a member of the school’s 1952 National Championship team.

The men’s basketball team will wear shooting shirt with Wilson’s name and number (3) during pregame warmups, while both teams will wear patches on their respective uniforms that will include both Wilson’s No. 3 and Squires’ No. 6 numbers in the shape of the state of Kansas.

Both men will be honored for their historical accomplishments posthumously, as Wilson passed away at the age of 89 in the summer of 2020, while Squires passed in February 2021.

Saturday’s recognition is part of school’s annual Diversity and Inclusion Game and will include a video as well as slates on the Jumbotron during the game.

K-State to Honor Trailblazer Gene Wilson on Saturday

Manhattan fell to the Maize Eagles 62-40 in first round of the Tournament of Champions in Dodge City Thursday. Jack Wilson scored 14 points for&nbsp; the Indians while Cole Coonrod had nine.

Four players scored in double figures for Maize with Mason Belcher leading the way with 13 points.

Maize led 14-10 after one quarter and 35-19 at halftime. Maize shot 47.6% from the field going 16 of 23 while Manhattan shot 29.3% hitting 12 of 4 shots.

Manhattan falls to Maize in TOC

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Mark Smith scored 22 points, Nijel Pack made a go-ahead layup with 1:13 left, and Kansas State held No. 23 Texas scoreless for the final 3 1/2 minutes to rally for a 66-65 win. Marcus Carr scored 19 of his season-best 25 points in the second half for Texas but missed a jumper with 2 seconds left, one of Texas’ two chances to take the lead in the final minute. Courtney Ramey also misfired on a potential go-ahead jumper as Texas missed its last four shots from the field. Pack finished with 16 points and Mike McGuirl added 13 for Kansas State.

Wildcats defeat Texas

Christ Preparatory Academy 60, Independence Home School 33

Kapaun Mount Carmel 78, Wichita Northwest 46

Wichita Bishop Carroll 61, Wichita North 39

Junction City 90, Central (St. Joseph), Mo. 47

Hutchinson Central Christian 55, Goessel 45

Sylvan-Lucas 55, St. John's Beloit-Tipton 47

College Heights Christian, Mo. 59, Baxter Springs 44

Tuesday night boys high school basketball results

Kapaun Mount Carmel 53, Wichita Northwest 33

Wichita Bishop Carroll 52, Wichita North 13

Tuesday night girls high basketball scores

KANSAS STATE (9-7, 1-4 Big 12) at 23/22 TEXAS (13-4, 3-2 Big 12)

Tuesday, January 18, 2022 at&nbsp; 7:32 p.m. CT at Erwin Center (16,540) in Austin, Texas

Kansas State: Bruce Weber [Wisconsin-Milwaukee ‘78]

Texas: Head Coach: Chris Beard [Texas ‘95]

Big 12 era: Texas leads 21-17 [20-16 in regular season]

Last Meeting: L, 57-70 [1/4/22 in Manhattan, Kan.]

K-STATE HITS THE ROAD TO PLAY 23/22 TEXAS TUESDAY

K-State travels to Texas

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is likely headed into retirement after a 42-21 loss to the Chiefs in the wild-card round of the playoffs on Sunday night. It was the fourth straight loss in the playoffs for the Steelers, whose last win came in the divisional round in Kansas City almost five years ago to the day. It was a particularly brutal loss for their six-time Pro Bowl quarterback, who failed to even get his offense past midfield until midway through the third quarter. By that point, the Chiefs had built a 35-7 lead and were well on their way to victory.

Chiefs advance in NFL playoffs

By HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH, Associated Press

MISSION, Kan. (AP) — The&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;Supreme Court upheld the death sentences Friday of two brothers who were sentenced in 2002 for four killings known as “the Wichita massacre.”

Jonathan and Reginald Carr argued that a ruling declaring that the state constitution protects access to abortion opened the door to a new legal attack on the death penalty. But the majority disagreed, finding that the brothers received fair trials and affirming their death sentences. One opinion was 160 pages; the other 60 pages.

Prosecutors said the brothers broke into a home in December 2000 and forced the three men and two women there to have sex with one another and later to withdraw money from ATMs. The women were raped repeatedly before all five were taken to a soccer field and shot. Four victims died: Aaron Sander, 29; Brad Heyka, 27; Jason Befort, 26; and Heather Muller, 25. One of the women survived to testify against the Carr brothers. Other crimes over six days left a fifth person dead.

Each of the brothers accused the other of carrying out the crimes.

The Kansas court upheld their convictions in 2014 but overturned their death sentences, concluding that not having separate hearings violated the U.S. Constitution. The U.S. Supreme Court reversed that decision in 2016, returning the case to the Kansas court.

In their latest appeal, the brothers raised questions about the fact that their cases weren't conducted separately when jurors were considering whether the death penalty was warranted. Other issues they raised included the instructions that were given to jurors and how closing arguments were conducted.

Chief Justice Marla Luckert wrote in both opinions that the trial was “riddled by error” and that she was convinced that the threshold had been reached for vacating the brothers’ sentences.

Justice Caleb Stegall affirmed the majority's decision but wrote that he did so with “deep doubts and reluctance." Stegall was the lone dissenter in the 2019 ruling protecting abortion rights and said the opinions in the Carr brothers' cases add “clarity and dreadful effect to the egregious consequences" of that case.

Kansas’ last legal executions were in 1965, by hanging, and the state enacted its current death penalty law in 1994.

Republican Attorney General Derek Schmidt described the decision as “an important milestone,” saying it signaled that the brothers are running out of appeal options.

“Although the wheels of justice may turn slowly they do ultimately propel us all forward,” he said, adding that he also also was encouraged that the opinions in the brothers’ cases “limited the effect” of the ruling in the abortion case.

Death sentences upheld in case dubbed 'the Wichita massacre'

WASHINGTON (AP) — A U.S. judge in Texas issued a nationwide injunction on Friday barring the federal government from enforcing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-health-lawsuits-1054028d7cbf0ef46f7ddadbdc4ae167">President Joe Biden’s requirement</a>&nbsp;that federal workers without qualifying medical or religious exemptions be vaccinated for COVID-19.

Judge Jeffrey Brown, who was appointed to the District Court for the Southern District of Texas by then-President Donald Trump, ruled that opponents of Biden’s vaccination mandate for federal employees were likely to succeed at trial and blocked the government from enforcing the requirement.

Biden announced in September that more than 3.5 million federal workers were required to undergo vaccination, with no option to get regularly tested instead, unless they secured approved medical or religious exemptions. The requirement kicked in in November, when the White House said more than 95% of federal workers were in compliance with the Biden mandate either by being vaccinated or by having requested an exemption — and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-lifestyle-health-business-travel-99b820492135ceeaf23e51b834d6ab79">92% were vaccinated</a>.

Those out of compliance with the policy were referred to counseling and could be terminated under an executive order signed by Biden.

Brown wrote that at issue was whether the president “can, with the stroke of a pen and without the input of Congress, require millions of federal employees to undergo a medical procedure as a condition of their employment.” He added, “That, under the current state of the law as just recently expressed by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-vaccine-mandate-eb5899ae1fe5b62b6f4d51f54a3cd375">the Supreme Court</a>, is a bridge too far.”

The suit was brought by the group Feds for Medical Freedom.

Another judge blocks Biden federal worker vaccine mandate

By JONEL ALECCIA <a href="https://khn.org/news/article/states-use-monoclonal-antibody-covid-treatment-ineffective-against-omicron/">Kaiser Health News</a>

As the omicron variant completes its sweep across the U.S., states with 
scarce supplies of monoclonal antibody therapies continue to use two 
treatments that federal health officials warn no longer work against the
 highly contagious version of the virus that causes covid-19. The 
antibody treatment now <a href="https://opendata.ncats.nih.gov/variant/activity">most recommended</a> is sotrovimab from GlaxoSmithKline and Vir Biotechnology, and it’s in short supply.

Use of the newly ineffective treatments produced by Regeneron 
Pharmaceuticals and Eli Lilly and Co. is highest in a dozen states. They
 include several Southern states with some of the nation’s lowest 
vaccination rates, but also California, which ranks in the nation’s top 
20 for fully vaccinated residents, a KHN analysis of federal data shows.
 Many hospitals and clinics are still infusing the costly treatments — 
often charging hundreds of dollars a session — that public health 
officials now say are almost certainly useless.

That’s because of the near-total dominance of omicron, which accounted for <a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#nowcasting">99.5% of new covid infections</a> in the U.S. during the week that ended Jan. 15, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

That point was underscored this week by updated <a href="https://www.covid19treatmentguidelines.nih.gov/therapies/statement-on-therapies-for-high-risk-nonhospitalized-patients/?utm_campaign=highlights">guidelines</a> from the National Institutes of Health that now recommend sotrovimab as the primary monoclonal treatment for the disease.

Unless providers are certain they are still treating patients 
infected with the delta variant, they shouldn’t use the others, said Dr.
 Mark McClellan, director of the Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy,
 who is also a former commissioner of the FDA and former administrator 
of CMS. And the delta variant is <a href="https://tracker.rosalind.bio/dashboard?number-of-days=30&amp;graph-display=count">increasingly rare</a>, accounting for 3% of cases in Louisiana, 7% in California, and 10% in Ohio, as examples.

“There’s not a medical justification based on the evidence on the Regeneron and Lilly products,” McClellan said.

Determining which patients are infected with the delta vs. omicron 
variant is complicated, said Dr. Christian Ramers, chief of population 
health and an infectious disease specialist at Family Health Centers of 
San Diego.

His clinic is one of the few sites in the nation using laboratory 
screening of positive PCR covid tests that can tell whether patients are
 infected with delta vs. omicron — and then treating them accordingly. 
“Otherwise, you’re giving this false sense of security to a patient that
 they’re getting treatment,” Ramers said. “I don’t think it is ethical, 
and it goes against the principle of doing no harm.”

Overall, U.S. hospitals used about 72,000 doses of the Regeneron and 
Lilly monoclonal antibody therapies from Jan. 5 through Jan. 18, 
according to the <a href="https://healthdata.gov/Hospital/COVID-19-Reported-Patient-Impact-and-Hospital-Capa/g62h-syeh">latest figures</a>
 from the Department of Health and Human Services. Data regarding 
hospital-level use of sotrovimab, which became available more recently 
than the other products, is not yet available on the HHS site.

By comparison, hospitals used about 153,000 courses of the Regeneron 
and Lilly treatments from Dec. 22 through Jan. 4. They used about 
169,000 courses from Aug. 26 through Sept. 8, near the height of the 
delta surge.

On Jan. 19, hospitals still had about 295,000 doses of the Regeneron and Lilly treatments on hand.

Nationwide, the federal government is distributing <a href="https://www.phe.gov/emergency/events/COVID19/therapeutics/distribution/Pages/data-tables.aspx">more than 50,000 courses</a>
 of sotrovimab per week, though it remains in short supply. The Biden 
administration has agreed to buy about 1 million doses, including about 
600,000 promised by March, <a href="https://www.gsk.com/en-gb/media/press-releases/gsk-and-vir-biotechnology-announce-united-states-government-agreement-to-purchase-additional-supply-of-sotrovimab/">GSK officials said.</a>

Respectively, Michigan, Florida, Indiana, Missouri, Louisiana, 
California, Oklahoma, Kansas, Georgia, Ohio, New York, and Mississippi 
used the most courses of the Regeneron and Lilly treatments from Jan. 5 
through Jan. 18, KHN’s analysis showed.

In Florida, which used more than 5,200 courses of the outdated 
treatments during that two-week period, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis has
 said he is not convinced that the Regeneron and Lilly products don’t 
work against omicron. In Florida, omicron accounted for <a href="https://tracker.rosalind.bio/dashboard?number-of-days=30&amp;graph-display=count">97% of cases</a> as of Jan. 20; delta accounted for 3%.

“We have had practitioners give both of those to people with omicron 
who said the symptoms got resolved,” he said in a Jan. 5 speech provided
 by his spokesperson, Christina Pushaw.

Federal health officials managing allocation of the monoclonal 
antibody therapies paused shipments of the Regeneron and Lilly 
treatments on Dec. 23, after laboratory tests showed they were less 
effective against the surging omicron variant than the delta variant. 
But the Biden administration <a href="https://www.phe.gov/emergency/events/COVID19/investigation-MCM/Bamlanivimab-etesevimab/Pages/bamlanivimab-etesevimab-regen-cov-ordering-update.aspx">resumed shipments on Dec. 31</a>,
 after complaints from DeSantis and some doctors that those therapies 
could still help people in places where the delta variant persisted.

Regeneron itself has said its antibody treatments are ineffective 
against the omicron variant. It contains more than 30 mutations in the 
virus’s spike protein, which makes the variant better at dodging the 
monoclonal antibody treatments.

“It’s really not justified at this point unless there’s some other 
underlying secondary gain, political pressure, or perhaps the providers 
are truly not in touch with the reality of the variant proportions,” 
Ramers said.

Earlier this month, HHS officials indicated that shipments of the 
three monoclonal antibody treatments would continue through Jan. 31, 
despite the growing proportion of omicron cases. A department 
spokesperson on background said the agency would continue to assess “any
 impacts to covid-19’s therapeutic allocations.”

Monoclonal antibody treatments are lab-based molecules that mimic the
 body’s immune response to infection. They are most often given through 
IV infusion, though some can be delivered with an injection. The federal
 government has agreed to purchase millions of doses of the Regeneron 
and Lilly products at a cost of about $2,100 per dose. The medicines are
 free to consumers, though hospitals and clinics do charge fees for 
administering the drugs and monitoring patients during the process.

Other treatments expected to be effective against omicron in 
high-risk, non-hospitalized patients include AstraZeneca’s Evusheld, a 
long-acting injectable monoclonal antibody for immunocompromised people,
 and a three-day infusion of Gilead Sciences’ remdesivir, which is 
approved by the FDA. New oral antiviral pills also are expected to be 
effective, although they, too, remain in short supply.

Providers in several states that have continued to use the Regeneron 
and Lilly products have offered varied reasons. Some said they believed 
delta infections continued to circulate locally; others said they felt 
desperate to try something.

Officials in Michigan, which used more than 5,800 doses of the 
Regeneron and Lilly products during the most recent two weeks, and 
California, which used more than 3,400, have allowed health care 
providers to use their clinical judgment about which treatment to 
prescribe.

But in Mississippi, where omicron is rampant and fewer than half of 
residents have been fully vaccinated, state health officer Dr. Thomas 
Dobbs called for an end to the use of the treatments.

“We will be recommending that clinicians and physicians do not use 
these products right now based on the distribution of omicron vs. 
delta,” he said during a recent <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UO0N6_y9FTM">press conference.</a>

At Ramers’ clinic in San Diego, care providers have been dispensing 
scarce doses of the monoclonal antibody treatments only when they’re 
confident they’ll help. That has meant sending batches of positive PCR 
tests to a laboratory in nearby Irvine, where they are screened to see 
whether one of three target genes is not detected, a known marker for an
 omicron infection.

Patients infected with the delta variant were able to be treated with
 REGEN-COV, the Regeneron product, preserving sotrovimab for the growing
 number of omicron cases, said Pauline Lucatero, the clinic’s director 
of nursing.

“Looking into my patients’ eyes and seeing fear, just fear, all I 
could tell them is we believe this treatment works and we’re going to do
 everything we can to save as many people as we can,” she said.

Phillip Reese, an assistant professor of journalism at California State University-Sacramento, contributed to this report.

Patient, beware: States still pushing ineffective COVID antibody treatments

TOPEKA&nbsp;– On Friday, Governor Laura Kelly signed&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAxMjEuNTIxNzQzMDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vd3d3LmtzbGVnaXNsYXR1cmUub3JnL2xpL2IyMDIxXzIyL21lYXN1cmVzL2hiMjQ3Ny8ifQ.vtF3sxjEqfjWcBK_Gpol-AtRSFpBST_cc0jX36ai2ys/s/1303160919/br/125462136256-l" target="_blank">House Bill&nbsp;2477</a>,&nbsp;which extends provisions in&nbsp;Executive Orders&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAxMjEuNTIxNzQzMDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2dvdmVybm9yLmthbnNhcy5nb3Yvd3AtY29udGVudC91cGxvYWRzLzIwMjIvMDEvRU8tMjItMDEtTWVkaWNhbC1TZXJ2aWNlcy1FeGVjdXRlZC5wZGYifQ.2GiyxJxn3HHB0g4ttvh63pBQqnwg5RoJioZlTwiJhFE/s/1303160919/br/125462136256-l" target="_blank">22-01</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDMsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAxMjEuNTIxNzQzMDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2dvdmVybm9yLmthbnNhcy5nb3Yvd3AtY29udGVudC91cGxvYWRzLzIwMjIvMDEvRU8tMjItMDItTnVyc2luZy1Ib21lcy1FeGVjdXRlZC5wZGYifQ.ggndI8JhB5zF4wIWvMSfvi1obznber4KOLNP2wWqinA/s/1303160919/br/125462136256-l" target="_blank">22-02</a>&nbsp;until January&nbsp;20,&nbsp;2023.&nbsp;HB 2477&nbsp;allows staffing flexibility at health care&nbsp;and long-term care&nbsp;facilities throughout the state&nbsp;to address staffing shortages&nbsp;that&nbsp;continue to&nbsp;strain the health care system.&nbsp;

“This&nbsp;legislation&nbsp;will mitigate the shortage of health care providers while we deal with the Omicron surge,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;“I&nbsp;want&nbsp;to thank the&nbsp;Legislature for&nbsp;their&nbsp;bipartisan support and&nbsp;swift action to get this bill to my desk.&nbsp;Our front-line health care workers have been overwhelmed by the highly contagious Omicron variant,&nbsp;and they need our support now.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

“This legislation&nbsp;will not alleviate all the problems hospitals are facing. Ultimately, what will alleviate the strain on our front-line medical workers is getting yourself and your children vaccinated and boosted.&nbsp;Vaccines are safe, they’re free and effective, and they are the easiest way to protect yourself and your loved ones,”&nbsp;Governor Kelly said.&nbsp;

TOPEKA — On Friday afternoon, Governor Laura Kelly will deliver brief remarks and take action on House Bill 2477.&nbsp; This bill enacts into law two Executive Orders that provide staffing flexibility to address staffing shortages in health care and long term care facilities due to the surge in COVID-19 cases.

Kelly originally issued the two executive orders January 6.&nbsp; One allows hospital staff to perform a broader range of duties. The other makes licensing of nursing home workers more flexible so homes can hire people whose licenses have lapsed and fill less-skilled jobs with workers who have relatively little or no previous training.

The declaration also suspended rules and regulations if “strict compliance” would hinder efforts to address their problems.

“We’re creating flexibility to allow routine care to be provided by alternative staff so that the more complex and serious cases can be handled by clinical staff,” Kelly said during Jan. 6, Statehouse news conference.

The state’s emergency management laws limited the declaration to 15 days and were set to expire. Lawmakers voted to extended it.&nbsp;The Senate approved the bill 36-2, and the House approved minor changes in the the Senate version 96-4, sending the bill to Gov. Kelly. Kelly said she wants to keep it in place through March.&nbsp;

- The Associated Press contributed to this report

Gov. signs bill to provide relief for Kansas health care workers

By SUZANNE PEREZ <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/2022-01-18/new-wichita-school-board-members-mask-up-but-want-district-to-reconsider-covid-protocols">Kansas News Service</a>

WICHITA&nbsp;— Three Wichita school board members who <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/2022-01-11/im-not-sick-debate-over-mask-mandates-resurfaces-at-wichita-board-of-education-meeting" target="_blank">refused to wear face masks at a meeting last week</a>
 wore masks to a rescheduled meeting Tuesday but said they want the 
district to reconsider its mask mandate and other COVID-19 protocols.

Diane Albert, one of three conservative board members <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/2021-11-02/three-of-four-conservative-challengers-win-seats-on-wichita-school-board" target="_blank">elected in November</a>, said she wore a mask Tuesday because she was told she would not be allowed to participate otherwise.

She said her stance isn’t political, but that wearing a mask causes her health problems.

“I have a headache. I have a hard time breathing with it on. I have difficulty concentrating,” Albert said after the meeting.

“For some of us, it has an adverse reaction to our health. And we’re 
here to talk about health and safety, so how come my health and safety 
is not being taken into consideration by being forced to wear a mask 
when I’m 20 feet from the person next to me?”

Albert requested that the board review its COVID-19 protocols, including the mask mandate, at its next meeting in February.

Two
 other new board members, Kathy Bond and Hazel Stabler, asked whether 
schools have biohazard disposal receptacles for used masks. Bond 
suggested that students be required to throw their masks away before 
lunch and get new ones after lunch.

Stan Reeser, who was 
re-elected as board president Tuesday, said he’s willing to review the 
district’s COVID policies, but a recent surge in cases makes masks 
necessary.

Three Wichita elementary schools were closed Tuesday 
because of COVID-related staffing shortages. More than 300 staff members
 and more than 1,100 Wichita students <a href="https://www.usd259.org/covidreport" target="_blank">tested positive for COVID last week</a>, and nearly one in 10 students was in quarantine as of Friday.

“We
 may have to end up having a special meeting to discuss what COVID is 
doing to our schools even before February,” Reeser said. “So stay close 
to your phone.”

Board member Ernestine Krehbiel attended Tuesday’s
 meeting by teleconference because she had tested positive for COVID, 
she said.

Several members of the public criticized the new board members for not following the district’s mask mandate last week.

Susan
 Osborn, a retired professor, said she was “appalled” by the new board 
members’ actions and inspired to speak out in favor of the mandate.

“If
 you disagree with the current policy, why not work to change it rather 
than demonstrate that you are above the law and not concerned about 
spreading the virus to others?” Osborn said.

Two Wichita students 
voiced support for the mask policy, including 15-year-old Pandora 
Freeman, a freshman at Wichita East High School.

“I am simply 
telling you that your actions are hypocritical. You can’t expect 
students to follow rules if you constantly break them,” she said. “If 
you want change, use the rules to make change. You are not above them.”

Suzanne Perez reports on education for KMUW in Wichita and the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter @SuzPerezICT.

New Wichita school board members want COVID protocols reconsidered

TOPEKA — The number of confirmed coronavirus cases* (see below) in Kansas increased by 20,806 to a total of 681,405 the state health department reported Friday afternoon.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The state reported 29 additional COVID-19 deaths for a total of 7,319.

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

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