Good Thursday Morning, thanks for joining me for Up First in the Four States, from KRPS. I’m Fred Fletcher-Fierro. Let’s first take a look at local weather,

Dense patchy fog this morning before 10 throughout the Four States, with cloudy skies, gradually becoming sunny as the morning progresses, highs today in the lower ’80s. Mainly clear tonight, and calm, lows near 60. Sunny and hot tomorrow and Saturday, highs both days in the lower ’90s.

Wichita and Kansas will continue their slow economic recovery from the pandemic in 2022. That’s according to Wichita State economist Jeremy Hill, who addressed the annual Economic Outlook Conference on Thursday.

For the 2nd time in a month, Freeman Health System in Joplin did not hold their COVID-19 press briefing on Wednesday. Freeman Health System in Joplin on Wednesday reported a total of 15 COVID-19 patients including those out of isolation. 1 was on a ventilator, and 5 in the COVID ICU.

Spirit AeroSystems will require employees to be vaccinated against Covid-19 by December 8th.

While the pandemic continues, some residents and researchers have questioned COVID-19 data produced by the Missouri Department of Health. The COVID-19 pandemic has been a strain on nearly every state resource in Missouri, including the Department of Health and Senior Services.

The Springfield-Greene County Health Department says a child died from COVID-19 in August. It’s the first confirmed pediatric death from the illness in Greene County.

Substitute teachers are in short supply, and some Kansas school districts are struggling to keep up. Wichita Superintendent Alicia Thompson said district administrators are being pulled from offices to fill in.

State education leaders say critical race theory isn’t taught in Kansas schools, but it’s still becoming an issue in some local school board races this year.

And now our feature of the day,

If you want to talk to me directly I’m on Twitter @morningsonkrps.

Thanks for joining me for the up first in the Four States podcast. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.