Walton kids decorate town tree
On Dec. 3 students at the 21st Century Walton Rural Center took a little walk from school to downtown, honoring a tradition that is decades old.
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Parade signals Christmas season
2021 Newton Lions Parade of Lights was Dec. 2, one of the big signals in Newton that the Christmas Season has arrived.
Regulators worry investor’s influence at Evergy could raise electric rates
WICHITA — Regulators on the state and federal level see trouble for ratepayers in the growing relationship between the state’s largest electric utility and one of its investors. The concern stems from how much influence Elliott Management has at Evergy and whether it’s using that clout to spur a massive change in spending that will cost customers money.
RELIGION BRIEFS
Russian coronavirus-denying monk given prison sentence MOSCOW – A rebel Russian monk who castigated the Kremlin and denied that the coronavirus existed was convicted Tuesday on accusations of encouraging suicides and given a 3 1/2-year prison sentence. The monk, Father Sergiy, was arrested in December 2020 on charges of inciting suicidal actions through sermons in which he urged believers to “die for Russia,” breaching the freedom of conscience and making arbitrary moves.
Justices’ assurances on abortion now in doubt
WASHINGTON – During his Senate confirmation hearing as a Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh convinced Sen. Susan Collins that he thought a woman’s right to an abortion was “settled law,” calling the court cases affirming it “precedent on precedent” that could not be casually overturned.
210,000 US jobs added in November
WASHINGTON – America’s employers slowed the pace of their hiring in November, adding 210,000 jobs, the lowest monthly gain in nearly a year. But Friday’s report from the Labor Department also showed that the nation’s unemployment rate tumbled from 4.6% to 4.2%, evidence that many more people reported that they had a job.
Putin to seek guarantees on Ukraine
MOSCOW – The Kremlin said Friday that President Vladimir Putin will seek binding guarantees precluding NATO’s expansion to Ukraine during a planned call with U.S. President Joe Biden, while the Ukrainian defense minister warned that Russia could invade his country next month.
France, UAE reach massive weapons deal
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – France announced multibillion-euro deals Friday to sell fighter planes and combat helicopters to the United Arab Emirates, aiming to boost military cooperation with its top ally in the Persian Gulf amid their shared concerns about Iran.
NATION & WORLD WATCH
Biden says he caught a cold from grandson, doesn’t have COVID-19 WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden has at least one thing in common with thousands of parents and grandparents this winter: He picked up a cold from his young grandson. The president has had an unusually low, scratchy voice and an occasional cough all week, prompting questions from the press about his health on Friday.
IN BRIEF
Section of Windward Drive to close next week Traffic patterns are about to change on Windward Drive — not only due to a temporary closure for construction but long term as a project to change the intersection of Windward and K-15 nears completion. Windward Drive will be closed west of Prairie Fire on Wednesday and Thursday of next week while crews replace cracked paving panels.