By TAYLOR JAMISON K-State Research and Extension news writer&nbsp;

MANHATTAN — Kansas 4-H youth development specialist Beth Hinshaw knows how important meaningful family time is during the holidays, and how it may be a challenge to come up with ideas on how to spend that precious time together. &nbsp;

That’s one of the very reasons why the national 4-H program has published a&nbsp;<a href="https://4-h.org/about/4-h-at-home/holidays" target="_blank">holiday activity guide</a>.&nbsp;

“[The Holiday Activity Guide] has great ways to spend quality time with people, and we can learn so much from our family when we see them at the holidays,” Hinshaw said. “And to be able to have these learning experiences with them – that'll make a memory for us as well.”&nbsp;

The holiday guide, she said, contains an array of fun activities, such as making ornaments, family story time, visual art projects, and many food recipes.&nbsp;

“One of the things I think about, in my own experience, is the things I learned in the kitchen, during the holidays from my grandmothers,” Hinshaw said.&nbsp;

Within the Holiday Guide is a “cookie book” - listing more than 20 sweet holiday recipes to make together. One of Hinshaw’s favorites is the no-bake cookies, a recipe from a Kansas 4-H member.&nbsp;

“In the holiday guide, there are several activities that are STEM and math-focused, but as you read through and think about it, they’re fun as well,” Hinshaw said. “That’s one of the things we pride ourselves on in 4-H -- to have those experiential, fun learning activities.”&nbsp;

Food and STEM are both project areas 4-Hers may already be involved in, and the activity guide includes an additional area important during the holidays: service.&nbsp;

“It shares how you might put together a winter coat drive for your community,” Hinshaw said. “Or how you might make fleece scarves by hand for the homeless.”&nbsp;

To begin one of the many fun and educational projects offered by 4-H, go&nbsp;<a href="https://4-h.org/about/4-h-at-home/holidays/" target="_blank">online</a>&nbsp;to find the complete Holiday Activity Guide.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1637791510334.png" alt="The holiday guide contains an array of fun activities, such as making ornaments, family story time, visual art projects, and many food recipes. Photo courtesy KSRE" />
 <figcaption>The holiday guide contains an array of fun activities, such as making ornaments, family story time, visual art projects, and many food recipes. Photo courtesy KSRE</figcaption>
 </figure>By TAYLOR JAMISON K-State Research and Extension news writer&nbsp;MANHATTAN — Kansas 4-H youth development specialist Beth Hinshaw knows how important meaningful family time is during the holidays, and how it may be a challenge to come up with ideas on how to spend that precious time together. &nbsp;That’s one of the very reasons why the national 4-H program has published a&nbsp;<a href="https://4-h.org/about/4-h-at-home/holidays" target="_blank">holiday activity guide</a>.&nbsp;“[The Holiday Activity Guide] has great ways to spend quality time with people, and we can learn so much from our family when we see them at the holidays,” Hinshaw said. “And to be able to have these learning experiences with them – that'll make a memory for us as well.”&nbsp;The holiday guide, she said, contains an array of fun activities, such as making ornaments, family story time, visual art projects, and many food recipes.&nbsp;“One of the things I think about, in my own experience, is the things I learned in the kitchen, during the holidays from my grandmothers,” Hinshaw said.&nbsp;Within the Holiday Guide is a “cookie book” - listing more than 20 sweet holiday recipes to make together. One of Hinshaw’s favorites is the no-bake cookies, a recipe from a Kansas 4-H member.&nbsp;“In the holiday guide, there are several activities that are STEM and math-focused, but as you read through and think about it, they’re fun as well,” Hinshaw said. “That’s one of the things we pride ourselves on in 4-H -- to have those experiential, fun learning activities.”&nbsp;Food and STEM are both project areas 4-Hers may already be involved in, and the activity guide includes an additional area important during the holidays: service.&nbsp;“It shares how you might put together a winter coat drive for your community,” Hinshaw said. “Or how you might make fleece scarves by hand for the homeless.”&nbsp;To begin one of the many fun and educational projects offered by 4-H, go&nbsp;<a href="https://4-h.org/about/4-h-at-home/holidays/" target="_blank">online</a>&nbsp;to find the complete Holiday Activity Guide.&nbsp;

4-H holiday guide: Many fun, educational activities for the season

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Federal regulators have cleared a path to consider Canadian Pacific's $31 billion acquisition of Kansas City Southern railroad. 

The U.S. Surface Transportation Board decided that Canadian Pacific's merger application is complete, dismissing concerns from other railroads. The board also laid out a schedule for its review of the deal that will stretch at least through next July but could be extended. 

Kansas City Southern shareholders will be set to get paid once investors of both railroads vote on the deal next month and Mexican regulators sign off on it. But the STB will have the final say on whether the deal can be completed once it finishes its review.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1637765846459.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Federal regulators have cleared a path to consider Canadian Pacific's $31 billion acquisition of Kansas City Southern railroad. The U.S. Surface Transportation Board decided that Canadian Pacific's merger application is complete, dismissing concerns from other railroads. The board also laid out a schedule for its review of the deal that will stretch at least through next July but could be extended. Kansas City Southern shareholders will be set to get paid once investors of both railroads vote on the deal next month and Mexican regulators sign off on it. But the STB will have the final say on whether the deal can be completed once it finishes its review.

Canadian Pacific's $31B rail deal moves on down the line

<a href="https://littleapplepost.com">Little Apple Post</a>

MANHATTAN, Kan. — For several years, the City of Manhattan has undertaken a&nbsp;number of 
surveys&nbsp;and studies&nbsp;to formulate some modicum of an organized vision for
 the Aggieville District.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In&nbsp;each&nbsp;of those surveys, the condition and utilization of the&nbsp;District’s&nbsp;alleyways&nbsp;has&nbsp;been a top&nbsp;priority for respondents.&nbsp;

Despite the overwhelming demand for&nbsp;improvements, very little action has actually&nbsp;occurred.&nbsp;

During Tuesday’s work session, Manhattan city commissioners discussed&nbsp;the possibility of rather large action.&nbsp;

In&nbsp;May, the City contracted with&nbsp;MSW&nbsp;Consultants&nbsp;of Orlando, Florida&nbsp;to look at the issue and make recommendations.&nbsp;

After its analysis, MSW&nbsp;found&nbsp;two options for the&nbsp;City.&nbsp;&nbsp;

John
 Culbertson, MSW principal consultant, outlined the pros and cons of a 
plan for the City to take&nbsp;over responsibility for waste management in 
the district by establishing&nbsp;an&nbsp;exclusive waste service provision. 
Culbertson also outlined ways to&nbsp;leave the district as non-exclusive but
 develop ordinances and regulations to guide waste management 
requirements within the district.&nbsp;

Culbertson and MSW believe an 
exclusive waste cartage deal would benefit the City, but acknowledged 
the&nbsp;complexity of the initial set up would be daunting.&nbsp;

He told 
commissioners that having non-exclusive cartage is&nbsp;less efficient 
and&nbsp;makes it&nbsp;harder to manage container types and locations.&nbsp;He also 
reminded commissioners about the impacts of multiple&nbsp;heavy trucks on the
 pavement and&nbsp;air quality in the area.&nbsp;&nbsp;

To maintain the 
non-exclusive situation but still improve the&nbsp;District’s&nbsp;sanitation, 
Culbertson said the&nbsp;City&nbsp;could beef up requirements for licensure and 
permitting, nuancing the language to ensure compliance and 
minimum&nbsp;standards, as well as designing a configuration of containers 
and haulers that will safely and effectively serve the Aggieville 
district.&nbsp;

An exclusive agreement would mean the City would take 
over responsibility for waste hauling in the&nbsp;District, likely 
contracting the service out, but&nbsp;forcing businesses within 
the&nbsp;district&nbsp;to pay for the service. Fewer, more centralized containers 
with&nbsp;larger&nbsp;capacity would replace 
the&nbsp;current&nbsp;scattered,&nbsp;arbitrarily&nbsp;placed receptacles.&nbsp;

Many of the problems with the&nbsp;District’s&nbsp;alleyways are a matter of simple logistics.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Trash
 containers and service entrances for most businesses are in the 
alleys.&nbsp;Currently, waste cartage for the 100 businesses&nbsp;and more than 80
 trash containers&nbsp;in the Aggieville District&nbsp;is&nbsp;an&nbsp;independent 
decision.&nbsp;That means seven different waste hauling companies send trucks
 into the&nbsp;District&nbsp;multiple times every day, increasing the already 
congested traffic and often blocking alleyways completely.&nbsp;

Other 
issues, however, are a matter of aesthetics and&nbsp;public appeal. 
Major&nbsp;complaints&nbsp;have been lodged regarding&nbsp;how&nbsp;overflowing trash, 
leaky&nbsp;receptacles, and&nbsp;slimy&nbsp;grease spills in the&nbsp;District&nbsp;have a 
massive negative effect on commerce and tourism.&nbsp;

Commissioner 
Linda Morse&nbsp;said that leaving cleanup and adequate&nbsp;maintenance&nbsp;of the 
alleys up to businesses is&nbsp;unreliable.&nbsp;Simple requests don’t do the 
trick, according to Morse, and the&nbsp;City&nbsp;should do more to compel some 
level of compliance.&nbsp;

“I think there’s a role for our ordinances,”
 Morse said.&nbsp;“We&nbsp;can't&nbsp;achieve&nbsp;this&nbsp;by asking.&nbsp;If we’re going to fix up 
alleys we have to insist on these things.”&nbsp;

Mayor&nbsp;Wynn Butler said
 he is against government having a big hand in trash operations. He said
 he can support the commission investigating ordinances, adopting new 
code language, and encouraging businesses to consolidate waste service 
privately,&nbsp;but he is utterly opposed to the&nbsp;City&nbsp;taking any operational 
role.&nbsp;

“I don’t want&nbsp;to see the city get into the trash business,”
 Butler said.&nbsp;“Government gets involved and&nbsp;we’ll do nothing but 
make&nbsp;it&nbsp;worse.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“We’re not getting into the trash business if I have anything to do with it.”&nbsp;

Some
 owners proposed stricter ordinances and enclosures to hide the trash 
containers. Most everyone acknowledged the lack of enforcement would 
make any new system ineffective.&nbsp;

Some business owners objected to
 the plan because of safety concerns. They fear sending employees out to
 throw away trash&nbsp;in a centralized container far away from their 
location in the dark.&nbsp;

“How am I going to send a hundred-pound 
girl out into the dark to a trash can two blocks away?” Dennis Cook of 
the Aggieville Business Association&nbsp;asked.&nbsp;

Cook&nbsp;told 
commissioners that business owners he has spoken with recognize 
that&nbsp;they&nbsp;need to be cleaner better, but he thinks adjusting pickup 
schedules to allow access for regular street sweeper&nbsp;cleanup is a less 
intrusive plan.&nbsp;

Charles,&nbsp;owner of&nbsp;Tanners&nbsp;Bar and&nbsp;Grill,&nbsp;said 
that the logistics of&nbsp;a&nbsp;centralized&nbsp;operation could be impossible during
 uber-busy&nbsp;times&nbsp;like&nbsp;Game Days and graduation.&nbsp;

“We just get 
slammed,” he told commissioners. “Logistically&nbsp;we&nbsp;don’t have the staff 
to run trash two&nbsp;or&nbsp;three&nbsp;blocks&nbsp;away,&nbsp;two&nbsp;or&nbsp;three times a day.”&nbsp;

Jason
 Hilgers, deputy city&nbsp;manager, said the alleys will have&nbsp;be&nbsp;dealt with 
soon. The most recent survey, echoing numerous others, suggested that a 
vast majority of respondents are in favor of transforming the alleys 
into pedestrian and public spaces. The&nbsp;City&nbsp;plans to spend&nbsp;hundreds&nbsp;of 
thousands, if not millions of dollars&nbsp;improving the district, and 
business&nbsp;may&nbsp;have to accept&nbsp;changes.&nbsp;

“I respect the businesses' 
perspectives,” Hilgers said, “but&nbsp;thousands&nbsp;of people walk those alleys 
to access businesses and they are&nbsp;unsightly and unkept. They need our 
attention.”&nbsp;

Commissioner Usha Reddi&nbsp;noted&nbsp;how the&nbsp;City&nbsp;and tax 
dollars support&nbsp;businesses’&nbsp;efforts, and they must sometimes 
make&nbsp;concessions&nbsp;for the good of the community that pays for the 
infrastructure surrounding them.&nbsp;

“Leaving it the way it is&nbsp;is&nbsp;not
 an option for me,” Reddi said.&nbsp;“These businesses need to understand 
that everything around them is public tax dollars.&nbsp;We’re making 
improvements but&nbsp;if&nbsp;things&nbsp;continue like this those&nbsp;improvements&nbsp;won’t 
last long.”&nbsp;

<a href="https://littleapplepost.com">Little Apple Post</a>MANHATTAN, Kan. — For several years, the City of Manhattan has undertaken a&nbsp;number of 
surveys&nbsp;and studies&nbsp;to formulate some modicum of an organized vision for
 the Aggieville District.&nbsp;&nbsp;In&nbsp;each&nbsp;of those surveys, the condition and utilization of the&nbsp;District’s&nbsp;alleyways&nbsp;has&nbsp;been a top&nbsp;priority for respondents.&nbsp;Despite the overwhelming demand for&nbsp;improvements, very little action has actually&nbsp;occurred.&nbsp;During Tuesday’s work session, Manhattan city commissioners discussed&nbsp;the possibility of rather large action.&nbsp;In&nbsp;May, the City contracted with&nbsp;MSW&nbsp;Consultants&nbsp;of Orlando, Florida&nbsp;to look at the issue and make recommendations.&nbsp;After its analysis, MSW&nbsp;found&nbsp;two options for the&nbsp;City.&nbsp;&nbsp;John
 Culbertson, MSW principal consultant, outlined the pros and cons of a 
plan for the City to take&nbsp;over responsibility for waste management in 
the district by establishing&nbsp;an&nbsp;exclusive waste service provision. 
Culbertson also outlined ways to&nbsp;leave the district as non-exclusive but
 develop ordinances and regulations to guide waste management 
requirements within the district.&nbsp;Culbertson and MSW believe an 
exclusive waste cartage deal would benefit the City, but acknowledged 
the&nbsp;complexity of the initial set up would be daunting.&nbsp;He told 
commissioners that having non-exclusive cartage is&nbsp;less efficient 
and&nbsp;makes it&nbsp;harder to manage container types and locations.&nbsp;He also 
reminded commissioners about the impacts of multiple&nbsp;heavy trucks on the
 pavement and&nbsp;air quality in the area.&nbsp;&nbsp;To maintain the 
non-exclusive situation but still improve the&nbsp;District’s&nbsp;sanitation, 
Culbertson said the&nbsp;City&nbsp;could beef up requirements for licensure and 
permitting, nuancing the language to ensure compliance and 
minimum&nbsp;standards, as well as designing a configuration of containers 
and haulers that will safely and effectively serve the Aggieville 
district.&nbsp;An exclusive agreement would mean the City would take 
over responsibility for waste hauling in the&nbsp;District, likely 
contracting the service out, but&nbsp;forcing businesses within 
the&nbsp;district&nbsp;to pay for the service. Fewer, more centralized containers 
with&nbsp;larger&nbsp;capacity would replace 
the&nbsp;current&nbsp;scattered,&nbsp;arbitrarily&nbsp;placed receptacles.&nbsp;Many of the problems with the&nbsp;District’s&nbsp;alleyways are a matter of simple logistics.&nbsp;&nbsp;Trash
 containers and service entrances for most businesses are in the 
alleys.&nbsp;Currently, waste cartage for the 100 businesses&nbsp;and more than 80
 trash containers&nbsp;in the Aggieville District&nbsp;is&nbsp;an&nbsp;independent 
decision.&nbsp;That means seven different waste hauling companies send trucks
 into the&nbsp;District&nbsp;multiple times every day, increasing the already 
congested traffic and often blocking alleyways completely.&nbsp;Other 
issues, however, are a matter of aesthetics and&nbsp;public appeal. 
Major&nbsp;complaints&nbsp;have been lodged regarding&nbsp;how&nbsp;overflowing trash, 
leaky&nbsp;receptacles, and&nbsp;slimy&nbsp;grease spills in the&nbsp;District&nbsp;have a 
massive negative effect on commerce and tourism.&nbsp;Commissioner 
Linda Morse&nbsp;said that leaving cleanup and adequate&nbsp;maintenance&nbsp;of the 
alleys up to businesses is&nbsp;unreliable.&nbsp;Simple requests don’t do the 
trick, according to Morse, and the&nbsp;City&nbsp;should do more to compel some 
level of compliance.&nbsp;“I think there’s a role for our ordinances,”
 Morse said.&nbsp;“We&nbsp;can't&nbsp;achieve&nbsp;this&nbsp;by asking.&nbsp;If we’re going to fix up 
alleys we have to insist on these things.”&nbsp;Mayor&nbsp;Wynn Butler said
 he is against government having a big hand in trash operations. He said
 he can support the commission investigating ordinances, adopting new 
code language, and encouraging businesses to consolidate waste service 
privately,&nbsp;but he is utterly opposed to the&nbsp;City&nbsp;taking any operational 
role.&nbsp;“I don’t want&nbsp;to see the city get into the trash business,”
 Butler said.&nbsp;“Government gets involved and&nbsp;we’ll do nothing but 
make&nbsp;it&nbsp;worse.&nbsp;&nbsp;“We’re not getting into the trash business if I have anything to do with it.”&nbsp;Some
 owners proposed stricter ordinances and enclosures to hide the trash 
containers. Most everyone acknowledged the lack of enforcement would 
make any new system ineffective.&nbsp;Some business owners objected to
 the plan because of safety concerns. They fear sending employees out to
 throw away trash&nbsp;in a centralized container far away from their 
location in the dark.&nbsp;“How am I going to send a hundred-pound 
girl out into the dark to a trash can two blocks away?” Dennis Cook of 
the Aggieville Business Association&nbsp;asked.&nbsp;Cook&nbsp;told 
commissioners that business owners he has spoken with recognize 
that&nbsp;they&nbsp;need to be cleaner better, but he thinks adjusting pickup 
schedules to allow access for regular street sweeper&nbsp;cleanup is a less 
intrusive plan.&nbsp;Charles,&nbsp;owner of&nbsp;Tanners&nbsp;Bar and&nbsp;Grill,&nbsp;said 
that the logistics of&nbsp;a&nbsp;centralized&nbsp;operation could be impossible during
 uber-busy&nbsp;times&nbsp;like&nbsp;Game Days and graduation.&nbsp;“We just get 
slammed,” he told commissioners. “Logistically&nbsp;we&nbsp;don’t have the staff 
to run trash two&nbsp;or&nbsp;three&nbsp;blocks&nbsp;away,&nbsp;two&nbsp;or&nbsp;three times a day.”&nbsp;Jason
 Hilgers, deputy city&nbsp;manager, said the alleys will have&nbsp;be&nbsp;dealt with 
soon. The most recent survey, echoing numerous others, suggested that a 
vast majority of respondents are in favor of transforming the alleys 
into pedestrian and public spaces. The&nbsp;City&nbsp;plans to spend&nbsp;hundreds&nbsp;of 
thousands, if not millions of dollars&nbsp;improving the district, and 
business&nbsp;may&nbsp;have to accept&nbsp;changes.&nbsp;“I respect the businesses' 
perspectives,” Hilgers said, “but&nbsp;thousands&nbsp;of people walk those alleys 
to access businesses and they are&nbsp;unsightly and unkept. They need our 
attention.”&nbsp;Commissioner Usha Reddi&nbsp;noted&nbsp;how the&nbsp;City&nbsp;and tax 
dollars support&nbsp;businesses’&nbsp;efforts, and they must sometimes 
make&nbsp;concessions&nbsp;for the good of the community that pays for the 
infrastructure surrounding them.&nbsp;“Leaving it the way it is&nbsp;is&nbsp;not
 an option for me,” Reddi said.&nbsp;“These businesses need to understand 
that everything around them is public tax dollars.&nbsp;We’re making 
improvements but&nbsp;if&nbsp;things&nbsp;continue like this those&nbsp;improvements&nbsp;won’t 
last long.”&nbsp;Cover image courtesy Pixabay

Manhattan's Aggieville waste debate overflows

By DAVID BAUDER AP Entertainment Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — With a nearly 8-hour documentary series, filmmaker Peter Jackson re-examines the Beatles' ill-fated "Let it Be" recording and film session. He finds some joy, and collaboration, in the 60 hours of film outtakes left behind. 

That's a contrast to the narrative that has set in that the sessions were an unpleasant experience that chronicled the Beatles' breakup. 

It's a film for Beatlemaniacs to revel in, yet also provides an instructive document of the creative experience that any artists can appreciate. In the process, it brings more to life four personalities that have been part of our cultural experience for more than half a century.

By DAVID BAUDER AP Entertainment WriterNEW YORK (AP) — With a nearly 8-hour documentary series, filmmaker Peter Jackson re-examines the Beatles' ill-fated "Let it Be" recording and film session. He finds some joy, and collaboration, in the 60 hours of film outtakes left behind. That's a contrast to the narrative that has set in that the sessions were an unpleasant experience that chronicled the Beatles' breakup. It's a film for Beatlemaniacs to revel in, yet also provides an instructive document of the creative experience that any artists can appreciate. In the process, it brings more to life four personalities that have been part of our cultural experience for more than half a century.Cover photo courtesy Pixabay

'Get Back' series dispels — and confirms — Beatle myths

By
NICK GOSNELL Hutch Post


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
For families living with dementia, the holidays can be challenging and bittersweet. Festivities can agitate, confuse, and overstimulate people with the disease. Juliette Bradley with the Alzheimer's Association notes that some things you do every year may not need to be the same.

"Change tradition," Bradley said. "It's not horribly important that we have the same tradition every year. It's okay. We need to give ourselves permission to do things differently."

Some of those traditions may actually overstimulate someone with dementia.

"We know that lights and cards and visitors and people and discussion, that can be a little bit too much stimulation," Bradley said. "Like I said, give yourself permission to do things a little bit differently."

If you're the person going into the care situation who is visiting, you need to understand that it won't be like you remember it any more.

"Make sure that you are lowering those expectations," Bradley said. "It's going to make it really easier on that caregiver and on the individual who has Alzheimer's disease, if the expectations are lowered."

If you want to help a caregiver, give them specific suggestions for when and how you can help them, but put it as part of your regular routine. Spending time with the person with the disease so that the caregiver can get time to themselves is one of the best gifts you can give. For more information on Alzheimer's and how to help, go to <a href="https://www.alz.org/">alz.org</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589816811323.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>
By
NICK GOSNELL Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
For families living with dementia, the holidays can be challenging and bittersweet. Festivities can agitate, confuse, and overstimulate people with the disease. Juliette Bradley with the Alzheimer's Association notes that some things you do every year may not need to be the same."Change tradition," Bradley said. "It's not horribly important that we have the same tradition every year. It's okay. We need to give ourselves permission to do things differently."Some of those traditions may actually overstimulate someone with dementia."We know that lights and cards and visitors and people and discussion, that can be a little bit too much stimulation," Bradley said. "Like I said, give yourself permission to do things a little bit differently."If you're the person going into the care situation who is visiting, you need to understand that it won't be like you remember it any more."Make sure that you are lowering those expectations," Bradley said. "It's going to make it really easier on that caregiver and on the individual who has Alzheimer's disease, if the expectations are lowered."If you want to help a caregiver, give them specific suggestions for when and how you can help them, but put it as part of your regular routine. Spending time with the person with the disease so that the caregiver can get time to themselves is one of the best gifts you can give. For more information on Alzheimer's and how to help, go to <a href="https://www.alz.org/">alz.org</a>.

Embrace changing holidays when dealing with Alzheimer's

By SHAWNA BETHELL <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/11/24/despite-addictive-news-of-gloom-and-doom-hope-flourishes-around-us/">For the Kansas Reflector</a>

I talked to a friend of mine 
recently. She has always been one of those people who began work around 8
 a.m. and could easily be found editing her final report a good 12 hours
 later, taking a break only to go on an arduous hike to reach her daily 
exercise goals. But now, she said, she’s often ready to go back to bed 
by noon, too tired or indifferent to work or even go on the gentlest 
stroll.

I understand. I often find myself 
ready to hide under the covers by noon and I’m beginning to think it is 
not allergies or illness or even a less-than-quality night’s sleep. It 
is simply world fatigue: too much doom, darkness, drama. Too much news, 
too much social media, too much bickering just to bicker. The world is 
burning and I — who have been an activist all my life — just want to pop
 in a movie and let the flames rise.

But I am beginning to wonder how much
 of the doom is cultivated by major media outlets angling for our 
attention. And as a writer, it pains me to say this.

I do believe our climate is changing.
 I believe we are facing a dangerous pandemic. I don’t dispute these 
events. However it is also <a target="_blank" href="https://www.pnas.org/content/116/38/18888">well documented</a> that humans are geared to fixate on the negative. It is theorized that early in our evolution, we had to focus our awareness on danger — the negative aspects of life — because it was necessary for survival. Media outlets can prey on this tendency.

The problem is that a fear-based existence also creates <a target="_blank" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apathy">apathy</a>,
 a numbness that eventually prevents us from engaging. I am afraid that 
for the past few years we have been in such a permanent “high alert” 
status, that we have tuned out, out of self-preservation.

A journalist friend <a target="_blank" href="https://www.landdesk.org/p/news-roundup-are-we-doomed">wrote in his newsletter</a>
 over the summer that after researching his work and flying across two 
continents shrouded by smoke, his optimism is finally eroding. I have 
felt the same myself, until recently.

It’s not that I’ve become a Pollyanna
 or that I have my head in the sand. Often, even, I have been called a 
pessimist, though I prefer to think of myself as a realist. I still 
believe that humans will not act for change until they find themselves 
face to face with whatever dread thing is happening. For example, we are
 appalled at images of sea animals dying from masses of plastic in their
 stomachs; however, unless we were on the beach with the suffering 
beast, most of us will continue to buy plastic trinkets.

But my fear is that we are reaching a
 point when even the people who do care and who do act are becoming 
unable to do so. I fear, in our fear-based, media-fed apathy, that we 
will not dredge up the fortitude to make plausible change happen. I am 
afraid we will only ask ourselves, “What’s the point?”

Last night I watched a nature show, 
which I rarely do anymore, and I braced myself. Understanding the issues
 of climate and extinction, I dreaded the feeling of despair I knew 
would come when the show ended and they gave me the dire warning about 
what we are losing. But the warning didn’t come. Instead, the narrator 
explained in a single sentence the richness we still had and the 
opportunities to protect it. It left me hopeful, enamored with our 
natural world and re-invested in its protection. The television 
producers had used a different mental tactic, and it hit its mark.

As a writer and activist, I 
understand the anger and the urge to shock people into action. But I 
have also come to believe it doesn’t work; people revolt against feeling
 guilty.

Of course we need to be informed as 
to the hard realities that exist, because they are real, and we must 
rely on quality journalism for that information. We also need to 
understand that quietly and without fanfare, people across the world are
 doing amazing things. Instead of scrolling for doom, we must acquaint 
ourselves with solutions and share them.

It is true that our world will never 
again look the way it did when any of us were born. Change is happening 
rapidly. But it is possible to work within the parameters we have and 
move forward. That, too, is already happening. It is OK to hope. Let it 
be as contagious as our fear.

Shawna Bethell is a freelance essayist/journalist covering the people and places of Kansas, Nebraska and Missouri. Before returning home, she wrote for several publications in the southwestern United States.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1637788474327.png" alt="A blue jay perched on a bare branch can serve as a symbol of hope during this Thanksgiving season, when so much seems awry in our country and the world. (Shawna Bethell / Courtesy Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>A blue jay perched on a bare branch can serve as a symbol of hope during this Thanksgiving season, when so much seems awry in our country and the world. (Shawna Bethell / Courtesy Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By SHAWNA BETHELL <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/11/24/despite-addictive-news-of-gloom-and-doom-hope-flourishes-around-us/">For the Kansas Reflector</a>I talked to a friend of mine 
recently. She has always been one of those people who began work around 8
 a.m. and could easily be found editing her final report a good 12 hours
 later, taking a break only to go on an arduous hike to reach her daily 
exercise goals. But now, she said, she’s often ready to go back to bed 
by noon, too tired or indifferent to work or even go on the gentlest 
stroll.I understand. I often find myself 
ready to hide under the covers by noon and I’m beginning to think it is 
not allergies or illness or even a less-than-quality night’s sleep. It 
is simply world fatigue: too much doom, darkness, drama. Too much news, 
too much social media, too much bickering just to bicker. The world is 
burning and I — who have been an activist all my life — just want to pop
 in a movie and let the flames rise.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>But I am beginning to wonder how much
 of the doom is cultivated by major media outlets angling for our 
attention. And as a writer, it pains me to say this.I do believe our climate is changing.
 I believe we are facing a dangerous pandemic. I don’t dispute these 
events. However it is also <a target="_blank" href="https://www.pnas.org/content/116/38/18888">well documented</a> that humans are geared to fixate on the negative. It is theorized that early in our evolution, we had to focus our awareness on danger — the negative aspects of life — because it was necessary for survival. Media outlets can prey on this tendency.The problem is that a fear-based existence also creates <a target="_blank" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apathy">apathy</a>,
 a numbness that eventually prevents us from engaging. I am afraid that 
for the past few years we have been in such a permanent “high alert” 
status, that we have tuned out, out of self-preservation.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1637788535393.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>A journalist friend <a target="_blank" href="https://www.landdesk.org/p/news-roundup-are-we-doomed">wrote in his newsletter</a>
 over the summer that after researching his work and flying across two 
continents shrouded by smoke, his optimism is finally eroding. I have 
felt the same myself, until recently.It’s not that I’ve become a Pollyanna
 or that I have my head in the sand. Often, even, I have been called a 
pessimist, though I prefer to think of myself as a realist. I still 
believe that humans will not act for change until they find themselves 
face to face with whatever dread thing is happening. For example, we are
 appalled at images of sea animals dying from masses of plastic in their
 stomachs; however, unless we were on the beach with the suffering 
beast, most of us will continue to buy plastic trinkets.But my fear is that we are reaching a
 point when even the people who do care and who do act are becoming 
unable to do so. I fear, in our fear-based, media-fed apathy, that we 
will not dredge up the fortitude to make plausible change happen. I am 
afraid we will only ask ourselves, “What’s the point?”Last night I watched a nature show, 
which I rarely do anymore, and I braced myself. Understanding the issues
 of climate and extinction, I dreaded the feeling of despair I knew 
would come when the show ended and they gave me the dire warning about 
what we are losing. But the warning didn’t come. Instead, the narrator 
explained in a single sentence the richness we still had and the 
opportunities to protect it. It left me hopeful, enamored with our 
natural world and re-invested in its protection. The television 
producers had used a different mental tactic, and it hit its mark.As a writer and activist, I 
understand the anger and the urge to shock people into action. But I 
have also come to believe it doesn’t work; people revolt against feeling
 guilty.Of course we need to be informed as 
to the hard realities that exist, because they are real, and we must 
rely on quality journalism for that information. We also need to 
understand that quietly and without fanfare, people across the world are
 doing amazing things. Instead of scrolling for doom, we must acquaint 
ourselves with solutions and share them.It is true that our world will never 
again look the way it did when any of us were born. Change is happening 
rapidly. But it is possible to work within the parameters we have and 
move forward. That, too, is already happening. It is OK to hope. Let it 
be as contagious as our fear.Shawna Bethell is a freelance essayist/journalist covering the people and places of Kansas, Nebraska and Missouri. Before returning home, she wrote for several publications in the southwestern United States.

OPINION: Despite news of gloom and doom, hope flourishes 

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Milton Andrew Munson’s obituary recalled his life as an Air Force veteran, a pharmacist, husband and father, and as a Nebraska football fan. 

That was evident in one line in the obit, which reads: “In lieu of flowers, please place an irresponsibly large wager on Nebraska beating Iowa.” 

The Lincoln Journal Star reports that the obit, written by Munson’s sons, ran Nov. 18 in the Hastings Tribune.

 It caught fire on social media and captured the attention of two radio hosts. Soon, more than $5,000 had been contributed for the big bet. Some of the money will go to Big Brothers/Big Sisters. 

Huskers are a point-and-a-half underdog in Friday night's game.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Milton Andrew Munson’s obituary recalled his life as an Air Force veteran, a pharmacist, husband and father, and as a Nebraska football fan. That was evident in one line in the obit, which reads: “In lieu of flowers, please place an irresponsibly large wager on Nebraska beating Iowa.” The Lincoln Journal Star reports that the obit, written by Munson’s sons, ran Nov. 18 in the Hastings Tribune. It caught fire on social media and captured the attention of two radio hosts. Soon, more than $5,000 had been contributed for the big bet. Some of the money will go to Big Brothers/Big Sisters. Huskers are a point-and-a-half underdog in Friday night's game.

Man's obit urges betting a bunch on the Huskers

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in Nebraska increased last week to their highest levels since January. 

The Omaha World-Herald reports that data from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows the state recorded 6,461 COVID-19 cases last week, up from 6,137 the previous week. 

That marked the fourth-straight week of increases. 

Hospital capacity remains strained across the state with 513 people being treated for the virus on Monday. 

Nebraska also reported 60 more deaths, up from 47 the previous week. 

The latest virus numbers prompted public health officials to renew their calls for people to get vaccinated.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in Nebraska increased last week to their highest levels since January. The Omaha World-Herald reports that data from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows the state recorded 6,461 COVID-19 cases last week, up from 6,137 the previous week. That marked the fourth-straight week of increases. Hospital capacity remains strained across the state with 513 people being treated for the virus on Monday. Nebraska also reported 60 more deaths, up from 47 the previous week. The latest virus numbers prompted public health officials to renew their calls for people to get vaccinated.

Neb. COVID levels highest since Jan.

By RUSS BYNUM Associated Press

BRUNSWICK, Ga. (AP) — All three men charged in the death of Ahmaud Arbery were convicted of murder Wednesday. 

The jury reached its decision after more than 10 hours of deliberations following a trial in which prosecutors argued that the defendants provoked a confrontation with Arbery and defense attorneys said their clients were acting in self-defense. 

Father and son Greg and Travis McMichael grabbed guns and jumped in a pickup truck to pursue the 25-year-old Black man after seeing him running in their neighborhood outside the Georgia port city of Brunswick in February 2020. 

Their neighbor William "Roddie" Bryan joined the pursuit in his own pickup and recorded cellphone video of Travis McMichael fatally shooting Arbery.

By RUSS BYNUM Associated PressBRUNSWICK, Ga. (AP) — All three men charged in the death of Ahmaud Arbery were convicted of murder Wednesday. The jury reached its decision after more than 10 hours of deliberations following a trial in which prosecutors argued that the defendants provoked a confrontation with Arbery and defense attorneys said their clients were acting in self-defense. Father and son Greg and Travis McMichael grabbed guns and jumped in a pickup truck to pursue the 25-year-old Black man after seeing him running in their neighborhood outside the Georgia port city of Brunswick in February 2020. Their neighbor William "Roddie" Bryan joined the pursuit in his own pickup and recorded cellphone video of Travis McMichael fatally shooting Arbery.Cover image courtesy Pixabay

All three defendants found guilty of Arbery murder

WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits plummeted last week to the lowest level in more than half a century, another sign that the U.S. job market is rebounding rapidly from last year's coronavirus recession. 

Jobless claims dropped by 71,000 to 199,000, the lowest since mid-November 1969. 

The drop was much bigger than economists expected. 

The four-week average of claims, which smooths out weekly ups and downs, also dropped — by 21,000 to just over 252,000, the lowest since mid-March 2020 when the pandemic slammed the economy. 

Seasonal adjustments around the Thanksgiving holiday contributed significantly to the bigger-than-expected drop.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits plummeted last week to the lowest level in more than half a century, another sign that the U.S. job market is rebounding rapidly from last year's coronavirus recession. Jobless claims dropped by 71,000 to 199,000, the lowest since mid-November 1969. The drop was much bigger than economists expected. The four-week average of claims, which smooths out weekly ups and downs, also dropped — by 21,000 to just over 252,000, the lowest since mid-March 2020 when the pandemic slammed the economy. Seasonal adjustments around the Thanksgiving holiday contributed significantly to the bigger-than-expected drop.

US jobless claims hit 52-year low after seasonal adjustments

By MATT PIKE <a href="https://stjosephpost.com">St. Joseph Post</a>

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — Thanksgiving is drawing near and food safety is top of mind, not only for people preparing the meal, but also their pets.

Veterinarian
 Melanie Barnes with Friends of the Animal Shelter says that as you work
 to prepare your meal this holiday, as your pets wander around the 
kitchen, you should be sure to keep their safety in mind.

"Thanksgiving
 is coming up, and if your pets are around in the kitchen like mine are 
and yours are, just make sure we're keeping their health and safety top 
of mind," Barnes tells host Barry Birr on the KFEQ Hotline.

Barnes says that salmonella can drastically affect your pets’ health.

"Making
 sure you're using good hand hygiene and washing your hands before 
turning around and petting your pet or giving love to your pet, or even 
giving them a treat," Barnes says.

Barnes adds one other big concern for pets along with salmonella is E coli.

Barnes
 says that Thanksgiving is filled with those fatty rich foods, like 
turkey and gravy, and while they aren't truly toxic to pets, they still 
could have negative effects. 

"Just the rich fatty foods, pets 
don't break down fatty acids like we do, both cats and dogs and other 
pets," Barnes explains.  "So that can yield to a lot of GI diseases, 
upset tummies, things like pancreatitis, which is inflammation of your 
pancreas," Barnes says.

Inflammation of the pancreas could not 
only be painful for the pet and cost you lots of money in treatment, in 
some cases it could also be deadly.

Some foods around your home may not be good for your pets, and others can be very toxic for them.  

Barnes
 says to be sure to do your own research to know what foods your animals
 can and cannot have, because you might be surprised by what foods that 
aren’t appropriate for pets.

"There are numerous ones that you 
think are not toxic to us, but grapes and raisins are probably one of 
the top ones that are probably in the house, especially if you have kids
 because kids love grapes mind you, and they're very easy to roll off of
 the plate, onto the floor," Barnes says.

Barnes also says as more
 people try to eat healthy and turn to sugar-free foods, but those foods
 are not safe for pets, because they contain Xylitol which is toxic to 
pets.

By MATT PIKE <a href="https://stjosephpost.com">St. Joseph Post</a>ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — Thanksgiving is drawing near and food safety is top of mind, not only for people preparing the meal, but also their pets.Veterinarian
 Melanie Barnes with Friends of the Animal Shelter says that as you work
 to prepare your meal this holiday, as your pets wander around the 
kitchen, you should be sure to keep their safety in mind."Thanksgiving
 is coming up, and if your pets are around in the kitchen like mine are 
and yours are, just make sure we're keeping their health and safety top 
of mind," Barnes tells host Barry Birr on the KFEQ Hotline.Barnes says that salmonella can drastically affect your pets’ health."Making
 sure you're using good hand hygiene and washing your hands before 
turning around and petting your pet or giving love to your pet, or even 
giving them a treat," Barnes says.Barnes adds one other big concern for pets along with salmonella is E coli.Barnes
 says that Thanksgiving is filled with those fatty rich foods, like 
turkey and gravy, and while they aren't truly toxic to pets, they still 
could have negative effects. "Just the rich fatty foods, pets 
don't break down fatty acids like we do, both cats and dogs and other 
pets," Barnes explains. "So that can yield to a lot of GI diseases, 
upset tummies, things like pancreatitis, which is inflammation of your 
pancreas," Barnes says.Inflammation of the pancreas could not 
only be painful for the pet and cost you lots of money in treatment, in 
some cases it could also be deadly.Some foods around your home may not be good for your pets, and others can be very toxic for them. Barnes
 says to be sure to do your own research to know what foods your animals
 can and cannot have, because you might be surprised by what foods that 
aren’t appropriate for pets."There are numerous ones that you 
think are not toxic to us, but grapes and raisins are probably one of 
the top ones that are probably in the house, especially if you have kids
 because kids love grapes mind you, and they're very easy to roll off of
 the plate, onto the floor," Barnes says.Barnes also says as more
 people try to eat healthy and turn to sugar-free foods, but those foods
 are not safe for pets, because they contain Xylitol which is toxic to 
pets.Cover photo courtesy Pixabay

Think about your pets as you prepare this year's Thanksgiving feast

<a href="https://hutchpost.com">Hutch Post</a>

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — That Thanksgiving meal is costing a lot more this 
year than last and it's not just the turkey that will cost more.

Thanks
 to inflation, nearly every ingredient in your holiday meal is more 
expensive, according to the American Farm Bureau's annual Thanksgiving 
dinner cost survey.

The average cost of this year’s classic 
Thanksgiving feast for 10 is more than $5 per person at $53.31. It's the
 most the Thanksgiving meal has cost in the survey's 36 years and is up 
14% from the $46.90 in 2020.&nbsp;

Last year's meal was the cheapest in
 more than a decade as families skipped large gatherings and opted for 
smaller meals amid the <a href="https://usatoday.com/news/coronavirus">pandemic</a>. But the price tag is also up 9% from a more normal-sized holiday meal in 2019.&nbsp;

<a href="https://hutchpost.com">Hutch Post</a>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — That Thanksgiving meal is costing a lot more this 
year than last and it's not just the turkey that will cost more.Thanks
 to inflation, nearly every ingredient in your holiday meal is more 
expensive, according to the American Farm Bureau's annual Thanksgiving 
dinner cost survey.The average cost of this year’s classic 
Thanksgiving feast for 10 is more than $5 per person at $53.31. It's the
 most the Thanksgiving meal has cost in the survey's 36 years and is up 
14% from the $46.90 in 2020.&nbsp;Last year's meal was the cheapest in
 more than a decade as families skipped large gatherings and opted for 
smaller meals amid the <a href="https://usatoday.com/news/coronavirus">pandemic</a>. But the price tag is also up 9% from a more normal-sized holiday meal in 2019.&nbsp;

Thanksgiving dinner cost jumps 14%

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska judge has sentenced a Lincoln man to as long as 60 years in prison for manslaughter. 

The Lincoln Journal Star reports Lancaster County District Judge Jodi Nelson on Tuesday sentenced 31-year-old Ryan Long to 49 to 60 years in prison. He could be eligible for parole after 27 years. 

A jury last month found Long guilty of manslaughter for fatally shooting Michael Whitemagpie in May 2020. Long was tried on a charge of first-degree murder, but the jury found that Long killed Whitemagpie without malice during a sudden quarrel.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1637764439288.png" alt="Long" />
 <figcaption>Long</figcaption>
 </figure>LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska judge has sentenced a Lincoln man to as long as 60 years in prison for manslaughter. The Lincoln Journal Star reports Lancaster County District Judge Jodi Nelson on Tuesday sentenced 31-year-old Ryan Long to 49 to 60 years in prison. He could be eligible for parole after 27 years. A jury last month found Long guilty of manslaughter for fatally shooting Michael Whitemagpie in May 2020. Long was tried on a charge of first-degree murder, but the jury found that Long killed Whitemagpie without malice during a sudden quarrel.

Nebraska man sentenced to up to 60 years for fatal shooting

BRUNSWICK, Ga. (AP) — The jury is deliberating for a second day Wednesday&nbsp; in the trial of three white man charged with the killing of Ahmaud Arbery in coastal Georgia.&nbsp;

It spent about six hours deliberating Tuesday before adjourning without a verdict. Jurors are weighing murder charges against father and son Greg and Travis McMichael and their neighbor William "Roddie" Bryan. 

The McMichaels said they suspected Arbery was a burglar when they chased him past their home in February 2020. Bryan joined the chase and recorded cellphone video of Travis McMichael killing Arbery with a shotgun. Travis McMichael testified he fired in self defense.

By RUSS BYNUM Associated PressBRUNSWICK, Ga. (AP) — The jury is deliberating for a second day Wednesday&nbsp; in the trial of three white man charged with the killing of Ahmaud Arbery in coastal Georgia.&nbsp;It spent about six hours deliberating Tuesday before adjourning without a verdict. Jurors are weighing murder charges against father and son Greg and Travis McMichael and their neighbor William "Roddie" Bryan. The McMichaels said they suspected Arbery was a burglar when they chased him past their home in February 2020. Bryan joined the chase and recorded cellphone video of Travis McMichael killing Arbery with a shotgun. Travis McMichael testified he fired in self defense.

Jury deliberations in Arbery death continue a 2nd day

By JOHN ANTCZAK Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — NASA has launched a spacecraft on a mission to smash into an asteroid and test whether it would be possible to knock a speeding space rock off course if one were to threaten Earth. 

The spacecraft is called DART, for Double Asteroid Redirection Test. It lifted off from California's Vandenberg Space Force Base. If all goes well, in September 2022 it will slam head-on into Dimorphos, an asteroid 525 feet across, at 15,000 mph. 

The asteroid is no danger to Earth, just a good target for testing out the potentially planet-saving technology.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1637763623579.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN ANTCZAK Associated PressLOS ANGELES (AP) — NASA has launched a spacecraft on a mission to smash into an asteroid and test whether it would be possible to knock a speeding space rock off course if one were to threaten Earth. The spacecraft is called DART, for Double Asteroid Redirection Test. It lifted off from California's Vandenberg Space Force Base. If all goes well, in September 2022 it will slam head-on into Dimorphos, an asteroid 525 feet across, at 15,000 mph. The asteroid is no danger to Earth, just a good target for testing out the potentially planet-saving technology.

NASA launches spacecraft to test asteroid defense concept

IRS online portal now available in Spanish

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service this week launched a new 
Spanish-language version of the Child Tax Credit Update Portal (CTC-UP).
 This tool is designed to help families quickly and easily make changes 
to the monthly Child Tax Credit payments they are receiving from the 
IRS.

Families who are already receiving monthly payments use the CTC-UP to
 update their accounts. Now, all the features that have only been 
available in English are also available in Spanish. Updates made by 
11:59 pm Eastern Time on Nov. 29 will be reflected in the last monthly 
payment for 2021, scheduled for Dec. 15.

Under the American Rescue Plan, most eligible families began 
receiving monthly payments starting in July. For these families, 
each&nbsp;payment is up to $300 per month for each child under age 6 and up 
to $250 per month for each child ages 6 through 17. Payments are based 
on returns filed for 2019 or 2020, including those who registered online
 with the IRS. 
&nbsp; 
Available only on IRS.gov, CTC-UP allows families to verify their eligibility for the payments and then, if they choose to:

Be sure to make any changes by 11:59 pm ET on Nov. 29. To access the portal, visit <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-payments-in-2021">IRS.gov/childtaxcredit2021</a>.

Families are typically receiving half of their total CTC in advance 
monthly payments during 2021. They can claim the rest of the credit when
 they file their 2021 federal income tax return next year. To help them 
do that, early in 2022, families will receive Letter 6419 documenting 
any advance payments issued to them during 2021 and the number of 
qualifying children used to calculate the advance payments.

Non-filers can get lump-sum next year; community partners can help

The IRS encourages partners and community groups to share information and use available <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-payments-in-2021">online tools</a>
 to help non-filers, low-income families and other underserved groups 
learn about the expanded Child Tax Credit. While it’s now too late to 
sign up for advance payments of the CTC during 2021, it’s not too late 
for eligible families to get the full benefit of the credit.

To do that, any eligible family who missed out on this year’s monthly
 payments can still get a lump-sum payment by filing a 2021 federal 
income tax return next year. This includes families who don’t normally 
need to file a return with the IRS.

Links to online tools, answers to frequently asked questions and other helpful resources are available on the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-payments-in-2021">IRS’ special advance CTC 2021 page</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><h2>IRS online portal now available in Spanish</h2>IRSWASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service this week launched a new 
Spanish-language version of the Child Tax Credit Update Portal (CTC-UP).
 This tool is designed to help families quickly and easily make changes 
to the monthly Child Tax Credit payments they are receiving from the 
IRS.Families who are already receiving monthly payments use the CTC-UP to
 update their accounts. Now, all the features that have only been 
available in English are also available in Spanish. Updates made by 
11:59 pm Eastern Time on Nov. 29 will be reflected in the last monthly 
payment for 2021, scheduled for Dec. 15.Under the American Rescue Plan, most eligible families began 
receiving monthly payments starting in July. For these families, 
each&nbsp;payment is up to $300 per month for each child under age 6 and up 
to $250 per month for each child ages 6 through 17. Payments are based 
on returns filed for 2019 or 2020, including those who registered online
 with the IRS. 
&nbsp; 
Available only on IRS.gov, CTC-UP allows families to verify their eligibility for the payments and then, if they choose to:<ul>
 <li>Switch from receiving a paper check to direct deposit;</li><li>Change the account where their payment is direct deposited;</li><li>Update their mailing address;</li><li>Stop monthly payments and</li><li>Reflect significant changes in their income that could potentially raise or lower their monthly payments.</li>
 </ul>Be sure to make any changes by 11:59 pm ET on Nov. 29. To access the portal, visit <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-payments-in-2021">IRS.gov/childtaxcredit2021</a>.Families are typically receiving half of their total CTC in advance 
monthly payments during 2021. They can claim the rest of the credit when
 they file their 2021 federal income tax return next year. To help them 
do that, early in 2022, families will receive Letter 6419 documenting 
any advance payments issued to them during 2021 and the number of 
qualifying children used to calculate the advance payments.<h2>Non-filers can get lump-sum next year; community partners can help</h2>The IRS encourages partners and community groups to share information and use available <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-payments-in-2021">online tools</a>
 to help non-filers, low-income families and other underserved groups 
learn about the expanded Child Tax Credit. While it’s now too late to 
sign up for advance payments of the CTC during 2021, it’s not too late 
for eligible families to get the full benefit of the credit.To do that, any eligible family who missed out on this year’s monthly
 payments can still get a lump-sum payment by filing a 2021 federal 
income tax return next year. This includes families who don’t normally 
need to file a return with the IRS.Links to online tools, answers to frequently asked questions and other helpful resources are available on the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-payments-in-2021">IRS’ special advance CTC 2021 page</a>.

Deadline looms for changes to Child Tax Credit payments

CLEVELAND (AP) — CVS, Walgreens and Walmart pharmacies recklessly distributed massive amounts of pain pills in two Ohio counties, a federal jury said Tuesday in a verdict that could set the tone for U.S. city and county governments that want to hold pharmacies accountable for their roles in the opioid crisis.

Lake and Trumbull counties blamed the three chain pharmacies for not stopping the flood of pills that caused hundreds of overdose deaths and cost each of the two counties about $1 billion, their attorney said.

How much the pharmacies must pay in damages will be decided in the spring by a federal judge.

It was the first time pharmacy companies had completed a trial to defend themselves in a drug crisis that has killed a half-million Americans over the past two decades.

The counties were able to convince the jury that the pharmacies played an outsized role in creating a public nuisance in the way they dispensed pain medication into their communities.

“The law requires pharmacies to be diligent in dealing drugs. This case should be a wake-up call that failure will not be accepted,” said Mark Lanier, an attorney for the counties.

“The jury sounded a bell that should be heard through all pharmacies in America,” Lanier said.

Attorneys for the three pharmacy chains maintained they had policies to stem the flow of pills when their pharmacists had any concerns and would notify authorities about suspicious orders from doctors. They also said it was the doctors who controlled how many pills were being prescribed for legitimate medical needs.

Spokespeople for CVSHealth and Walgreen Co. said the companies disagree with the verdict and will appeal.

“As plaintiffs’ own experts testified, many factors have contributed to the opioid abuse issue, and solving this problem will require involvement from all stakeholders in our health care system and all members of our community,” CVS spokesperson Mike DeAngelis said in a statement.

Walgreen spokesperson Fraser Engerman said the company believes the court erred “in allowing the case to go before a jury on a flawed legal theory that is inconsistent with Ohio law.”

“As we have said throughout this process, we never manufactured or marketed opioids nor did we distribute them to the ‘pill mills’ and internet pharmacies that fueled this crisis,” Engerman said in a statement. “The plaintiffs’ attempt to resolve the opioid crisis with an unprecedented expansion of public nuisance law is misguided and unsustainable.”

Two other chains — Rite Aid and Giant Eagle —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-health-ohio-lawsuits-cleveland-21762b10e14a24bf0c67a4da04bdf606">already had settled lawsuits</a>&nbsp;with the two Ohio counties.

Lanier said during the trial that the pharmacies were attempting to blame everyone but themselves.

The opioid crisis has overwhelmed courts, social services agencies and law enforcement in Ohio’s blue-collar corner east of Cleveland, leaving behind heartbroken families and babies born to addicted mothers, Lanier told jurors.

Roughly 80 million prescription painkillers were dispensed in Trumbull County alone between 2012 and 2016 — equivalent to 400 for every resident.

In Lake County, some 61 million pills were distributed during that period.

The rise in physicians prescribing pain medications such as oxycodone and hydrocodone came at a time when medical groups began recognizing that patients have the right to be treated for pain, Kaspar Stoffelmayr, an attorney for Walgreens, said at the opening of the trial.

The problem, he said, was that “pharmaceutical manufacturers tricked doctors into writing way too many pills.”

The counties said pharmacies should be the last line of defense to prevent the pills from getting into the wrong hands.

They didn’t hire enough pharmacists and technicians or train them to stop that from happening and failed to implement systems that could flag suspicious orders, Lanier said.

The trial before U.S. District Judge Dan Polster in Cleveland was part of a broader constellation of federal opioid lawsuits — about 3,000 in all — that have been consolidated under the judge’s supervision. Other cases are moving ahead in state courts.

Kevin Roy, chief public policy officer at Shatterproof, an organization that advocates for solutions to addiction, said the verdict could lead pharmacies to follow the path of major distribution companies and some drugmakers that have reached nationwide settlements of opioid cases worth billions.

So far, no pharmacy has reached a nationwide settlement.

“It’s a signal that the public, at least in select places, feels that there’s been exposure and needs to be remedied,” Roy said.

Roy noted that courts have not been consistent on whether public nuisance law applies to such cases. “There’s been a variety of different decisions lately that should give us reason to be cautious about what this really means in the grand scheme,” he said.

It was one of five trials so far this year in the U.S. to test claims brought by governments against parts of the drug industry over the toll of prescription painkillers.

Trials against drugmakers in New York and distribution companies in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-seattle-california-bob-ferguson-opioids-fceeba90ed62557712f5d389d6f29bbc">Washington state</a>&nbsp;are underway now. A trial of claims against distribution companies in West Virginia has wrapped up, but the judge has not yet given a verdict.

Earlier in November, a California judge ruled in favor of top drug manufacturers in a lawsuit with three counties and the city of Oakland. The judge said the governments hadn’t proven that the pharmaceutical companies used deceptive marketing to increase unnecessary opioid prescriptions and create a public nuisance.

Also in November, Oklahoma’s supreme court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-oklahoma-opioids-statutes-health-555d0e67459962416b251c8f15edd326">overturned a 2019 judgment</a>&nbsp;for $465 million in a suit brought by the state against drugmaker Johnson &amp; Johnson.

Other lawsuits have resulted in big settlements or proposed settlements before trials were completed.

The jury’s decision in Cleveland had little effect on the stock of CVS, Walgreens and Walmart. Shares of all three companies rose Tuesday. Shares of CVS and Walgreens are up by 36% and 19% this year, respectively.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1580161711151.png" alt="" />
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 </figure>CLEVELAND (AP) — CVS, Walgreens and Walmart pharmacies recklessly distributed massive amounts of pain pills in two Ohio counties, a federal jury said Tuesday in a verdict that could set the tone for U.S. city and county governments that want to hold pharmacies accountable for their roles in the opioid crisis.Lake and Trumbull counties blamed the three chain pharmacies for not stopping the flood of pills that caused hundreds of overdose deaths and cost each of the two counties about $1 billion, their attorney said.How much the pharmacies must pay in damages will be decided in the spring by a federal judge.It was the first time pharmacy companies had completed a trial to defend themselves in a drug crisis that has killed a half-million Americans over the past two decades.The counties were able to convince the jury that the pharmacies played an outsized role in creating a public nuisance in the way they dispensed pain medication into their communities.“The law requires pharmacies to be diligent in dealing drugs. This case should be a wake-up call that failure will not be accepted,” said Mark Lanier, an attorney for the counties.“The jury sounded a bell that should be heard through all pharmacies in America,” Lanier said.Attorneys for the three pharmacy chains maintained they had policies to stem the flow of pills when their pharmacists had any concerns and would notify authorities about suspicious orders from doctors. They also said it was the doctors who controlled how many pills were being prescribed for legitimate medical needs.Spokespeople for CVSHealth and Walgreen Co. said the companies disagree with the verdict and will appeal.“As plaintiffs’ own experts testified, many factors have contributed to the opioid abuse issue, and solving this problem will require involvement from all stakeholders in our health care system and all members of our community,” CVS spokesperson Mike DeAngelis said in a statement.Walgreen spokesperson Fraser Engerman said the company believes the court erred “in allowing the case to go before a jury on a flawed legal theory that is inconsistent with Ohio law.”“As we have said throughout this process, we never manufactured or marketed opioids nor did we distribute them to the ‘pill mills’ and internet pharmacies that fueled this crisis,” Engerman said in a statement. “The plaintiffs’ attempt to resolve the opioid crisis with an unprecedented expansion of public nuisance law is misguided and unsustainable.”Two other chains — Rite Aid and Giant Eagle —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-health-ohio-lawsuits-cleveland-21762b10e14a24bf0c67a4da04bdf606">already had settled lawsuits</a>&nbsp;with the two Ohio counties.Lanier said during the trial that the pharmacies were attempting to blame everyone but themselves.The opioid crisis has overwhelmed courts, social services agencies and law enforcement in Ohio’s blue-collar corner east of Cleveland, leaving behind heartbroken families and babies born to addicted mothers, Lanier told jurors.Roughly 80 million prescription painkillers were dispensed in Trumbull County alone between 2012 and 2016 — equivalent to 400 for every resident.In Lake County, some 61 million pills were distributed during that period.The rise in physicians prescribing pain medications such as oxycodone and hydrocodone came at a time when medical groups began recognizing that patients have the right to be treated for pain, Kaspar Stoffelmayr, an attorney for Walgreens, said at the opening of the trial.The problem, he said, was that “pharmaceutical manufacturers tricked doctors into writing way too many pills.”The counties said pharmacies should be the last line of defense to prevent the pills from getting into the wrong hands.They didn’t hire enough pharmacists and technicians or train them to stop that from happening and failed to implement systems that could flag suspicious orders, Lanier said.The trial before U.S. District Judge Dan Polster in Cleveland was part of a broader constellation of federal opioid lawsuits — about 3,000 in all — that have been consolidated under the judge’s supervision. Other cases are moving ahead in state courts.Kevin Roy, chief public policy officer at Shatterproof, an organization that advocates for solutions to addiction, said the verdict could lead pharmacies to follow the path of major distribution companies and some drugmakers that have reached nationwide settlements of opioid cases worth billions.So far, no pharmacy has reached a nationwide settlement.“It’s a signal that the public, at least in select places, feels that there’s been exposure and needs to be remedied,” Roy said.Roy noted that courts have not been consistent on whether public nuisance law applies to such cases. “There’s been a variety of different decisions lately that should give us reason to be cautious about what this really means in the grand scheme,” he said.It was one of five trials so far this year in the U.S. to test claims brought by governments against parts of the drug industry over the toll of prescription painkillers.Trials against drugmakers in New York and distribution companies in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-seattle-california-bob-ferguson-opioids-fceeba90ed62557712f5d389d6f29bbc">Washington state</a>&nbsp;are underway now. A trial of claims against distribution companies in West Virginia has wrapped up, but the judge has not yet given a verdict.Earlier in November, a California judge ruled in favor of top drug manufacturers in a lawsuit with three counties and the city of Oakland. The judge said the governments hadn’t proven that the pharmaceutical companies used deceptive marketing to increase unnecessary opioid prescriptions and create a public nuisance.Also in November, Oklahoma’s supreme court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-oklahoma-opioids-statutes-health-555d0e67459962416b251c8f15edd326">overturned a 2019 judgment</a>&nbsp;for $465 million in a suit brought by the state against drugmaker Johnson &amp; Johnson.Other lawsuits have resulted in big settlements or proposed settlements before trials were completed.The jury’s decision in Cleveland had little effect on the stock of CVS, Walgreens and Walmart. Shares of all three companies rose Tuesday. Shares of CVS and Walgreens are up by 36% and 19% this year, respectively.

Jury holds pharmacies responsible for role in opioid crisis

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — One person is dead and two others are seriously injured after a pre-dawn crash in Omaha. 

The two-vehicle accident happened just before 3:30 a.m. Tuesday at 120th and Blondo streets.

 Police found newspapers scattered at the site and believe one of the vehicles was delivering the newspapers.

 Police say a northbound Buick LeSabre was struck by a westbound Toyota Camry. 

A passenger in the Buick, 37-year-old Jamie Novak of Prague, was pronounced dead at the scene. 

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — One person is dead and two others are seriously injured after a pre-dawn crash in Omaha. The two-vehicle accident happened just before 3:30 a.m. Tuesday at 120th and Blondo streets. Police found newspapers scattered at the site and believe one of the vehicles was delivering the newspapers. Police say a northbound Buick LeSabre was struck by a westbound Toyota Camry. A passenger in the Buick, 37-year-old Jamie Novak of Prague, was pronounced dead at the scene. The accident prompted a five-hour shutdown of the intersection.