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Monday, November 29, 2021
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Wary world shuts doors over variant BRUSSELS (AP) — Nations around the world sought Monday to keep the new omicron variant at bay with travel bans and further restrictions, even as it remains unclear what it means for the COVID-19 pandemic. Japan announced it would suspend entry of all foreign visitors, while new cases of the variant identified days ago by researchers in South Africa appeared as far apart as Hong Kong, Australia and Portugal. Portuguese authorities were investigating whether some of the infections there could be among the first reported cases of local transmission of the variant outside of southern Africa. The stream of new cases showed the near im-
Humboldt celebrated Christmas with a downtown event Friday that included bicyling around the square, an open fire to make s’mores, and visits with Santa. Above, Becky Stanley gives a ride to a group of children. At right, Weston Johnson, from left, Calli Summer, Waylon Johnson and Ruger Kovacic pose for a picture. Below, Mrs. Claus and Santa take a picture with Brilynn Hoch and Boston Hoch, from Russell, who were visiting grandmother Laurie Hicks. Bottom right shows some of the decorations. REGISTER/VICKIE MOSS
See VIRUS | Page A4
Student test scores dropped in pandemic By SUZANNE PEREZ Kansas News Service
WICHITA, Kansas — It turns out a year of shutdowns and quarantines generated lousy test scores for schoolchildren across Kansas. More than 30% of students fell behind their grade level in math and language arts in the 2020-21 school year. That marked a sharp decline that lines up with the COVID-19 shutdown of in-person school in the spring of 2020 and launched the following school year into an ad hoc combination of online teaching and stop-and-start opening of school buildings. Before the pandemic, 28% of students were below grade level in math. After the pandemic, that number shot to about 34%. In language arts, the falling-behind number went from 27% to just over 30%. The picture for high-schoolers is more grim: Forty-seven percent scored below grade level in math, up from 41% two years ago. About 35% scored below grade level in English language arts. The scores offer one metric in understanding the potential learning loss caused by the pandemic. Gov. Laura Kelly ordered
State assessment test scores offer one metric in understanding the potential learning loss caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. KANSAS NEWS SERVICE/SUZANNE PEREZ
schools closed in March 2020, and schools have since been disrupted by switches to remote or hybrid learning plans, COVID outbreaks, quarantines and staff shortages. Kansas Education Commissioner Randy Watson said comparisons with previous years are complicated. Tests weren’t administered in 2020 because of school closures, and not all students took them this past spring. But he said Kansas isn’t alone. “Every data point we have
is down,” Watson said, “and so is everyone else’s across the country.” Results from the state tests are searchable by district and individual schools on the Kansas Department of Education website, at http://ksreportcard.ksde.org/. Statewide, results from the 2021 test scores showed declines in most areas. Only 28% of Kansas students were considered on track for college or career in math, and about 35% in language arts — a drop of four percentage See TESTS | Page A4
Food, gas prices pinch families as inflation surges globally BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — From appliance stores in the United States to food markets in Hungary and gas stations in Poland, rising consumer prices fueled by high energy costs and supply chain disruptions are putting a pinch on households and businesses worldwide. Rising inflation is leading to price increases for food, gas and other products and pushing many people to choose between digging deeper into their pockets or tightening their belts. In developing economies, it’s especially dire. “We’ve noticed that we’re consuming less,” Gabor Pardi, a shopper at an openair food market in Hungary’s capital, Budapest, said after buying a sack of fresh vegetables recently. “We try to shop for the cheapest and most economical things, even if they don’t look as good.” Nearly two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, the economic impact of the crisis is still being felt even after countries raced out of debilitating lockdowns and consumer demand rebound-
ed. Now, another surge of infections and a new coronavirus variant, omicron, are leading countries to tighten their borders and impose other restrictions, threatening the global economic recovery. The reverberations are hitting central and Eastern Europe especially hard, where countries have some of the highest inflation rates in the 27-nation European Union and people are struggling to buy food or fill their fuel tanks. A butcher at the Budapest food market, Ildiko Vardos Serfozo, said she’s seen a drop in business as customers head to multinational grocery chains that can offer discounts by buying in large wholesale quantities. “Buyers are price sensitive and therefore often leave us behind, even if our products are high quality. Money talks,” she said. “We notice that inflation is not good for us. ... I’m just glad my kids don’t want to continue this family business, I don’t see much future in it.” In nearby Poland, Barbara Grotowska, a 71-year-old See PRICES | Page A4
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