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Above image credit: “Kansas City Week in Review” host Nick Haines. (John McGrath | Flatland)

Missouri lawmakers have completed their business for the year. But Kansas lawmakers return to Topeka today for a short final wrap-up session.

They’ll be attempting to override Gov. Laura Kelly’s vetoes on several hot-button issues, including a ban on future mask mandates.

Picking a New Police Chief

What do Kansas City residents want in their next police chief? 

This week, the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce and a coalition of civic and faith-based groups will release their findings after conducting a series of public listening sessions.

That report will be presented Tuesday morning before members of the Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners.

The Kansas City Police Department has been without a permanent leader since Rick Smith stepped down as police chief last month.

Interim Police Chief Joe Mabin says he has no interest in staying in the job. 

The president of the police board says an executive search firm hasn’t been hired yet and it could take commissioners up to a year to find a new chief. 

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Catching Up

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Women’s Soccer Stadium Funding

It was huge news last fall when the ownership group behind Kansas City’s new women’s soccer team announced plans to build one of the first purpose-built stadiums for women’s sports.

It was even more impressive that it would be built on the Kansas City riverfront and be entirely privately financed. 

Now the KC Current ownership group is walking that back.

This week, they will head to City Hall to ask for $6 million in tax incentives to help pay for the stadium.

The team’s ownership group, which includes Brittany Mahomes, says they’re vision has changed and they want to build a bigger facility with more seats. They also contend that construction costs have ballooned since they announced the project last fall. 

The price tag has ballooned from $70 million to $117 million.

The team will make their case before the City Council’s Neighborhood Planning and Development Committee this Wednesday. 

So far, they’re getting a favorable response from members of the council, who say local tax dollars aren’t at stake. They say the team isn’t asking for local tax incentives but state tax credits that require pre-approval from City Hall.

School’s Out for Summer

School is out for summer. At least for many Kansas-side school districts. 

The final school bell rings for most Missouri districts this Friday.

With the Memorial Day holiday this weekend, cities across the metro are scrambling to open their public pools. Some will remain closed or operate with reduced hours due to a chronic lifeguard shortage.

If you’re looking for things to do with your kids or grandkids, Oceans of Fun opens this week. The metro’s largest water park begins its summer season on Saturday.

This week, you can also experience America’s greatest “Monsters, Superheroes and Villains.” It’s the latest exhibit that’s just opened at the National Museum of Toys, the newly rebranded name for the Kansas City Toy and Miniature Museum. 

You can get up close to Wolfman, Wonder Woman, Dracula and Luke Skywalker in this exhibit featuring more than 350 vintage toys, posters, TV commercials and movie trailers.

You can learn about real “superheroes” at the National World War I Museum and Memorial. If you and your family have never made it over there before, this is a good week to do it. 

Admission is half-price this Memorial Day weekend. That deal includes all visits this Friday through Monday. The museum is totally free during that time for veterans and active-duty military personnel.

Celebration at the Station

You can also start your summer with the largest free Memorial Day holiday event in the Midwest. 

For the first time in three years, Celebration at the Station is back.

Pack up a picnic and join the Kansas City Symphony on the expansive lawn south of Union Station for what until COVID-19 had been a big annual tradition.

You can catch the music, live cannons and a huge fireworks display this Sunday evening.

If fighting the crowds and sitting on a blanket or lawn chair isn’t your thing, you can watch live on Kansas City PBS. We’ll be bringing you the whole show live, starting at 8 p.m. 

Nick Haines, tracks the week’s most impactful local news stories on “Kansas City Week in Review,” Friday at 7:30 p.m. on Kansas City PBS.

Your bags are packed, tickets are in hand and you’re ready to go. But will disruption-plagued airlines in South Florida be able to avoid the spate of delays and cancellations that have dogged customers all year?

Analysts and critics aren’t so sure.

“I don’t think they are able to handle the crowds,” said Clint Henderson, managing editor of The Points Guy, a consumer advice guide for airline travelers. “What we’re seeing is a drumbeat of delays and cancellations. It’s already busy out there and it’s expected to get busier in the summer. The airlines, airports, hotels and car rental companies are not staffed for that demand. I do think you’re going to see more meltdowns.”

Labor unions representing airline workers assert the nation’s carriers are still falling short of seamlessly serving a public eager to return to the skies after being cooped up by the COVID-19 pandemic. In Florida, the problem has been particularly acute during major holiday weekends, as airlines have canceled or delayed thousands of flights due to tumultuous weather.

Last Wednesday, the head of the Air Line Pilots Association, which represents 64,000 cockpit crew members in the U.S. and Canada, ripped the airlines for accepting billions in federal government aid to keep their networks aloft, only to fall short when consumer demand rebounded from the pandemic.

“Over the last three years, the U.S. government, American taxpayers, airline labor, and company managements have risen to the challenge of the pandemic,” Joe Depete, ALPA president, told a meeting of the union’s executive board in Washington. “But … after securing federal aid on a scale no other industry received, some airlines’ failure to plan for recovery threatens to cost our industry the comeback.”

Industry observers say the problems in Florida go beyond staffing and heavy consumer demand. Air traffic control shortages and more frequent storms in the region have exacerbated the issue. The Federal Aviation Administration also pointed to a new source of disruptions: an increase in commercial space launches from Cape Canaveral on Florida’s East Coast.

In advance of the Memorial Day weekend, the South Florida Sun Sentinel asked several major carriers serving the tri-county area — American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue Airways, Spirit Airlines and Southwest Airlines — to project how prepared they are to help passengers cope with potential disruptions.

Generally speaking, airlines such as Southwest and Spirit have dialed back on the number of flights they intend to offer as they continue the process of replenishing their rosters of pilots, flight attendants and other workers who were furloughed or ushered into early retirements during the pandemic.

American has said it is hiring more than 600 home-based employees in the South Florida area to handle reservations. The airline has 200 in training, with a goal to hire more than 400 in the next couple of months, pushing the total to nearly 800. More than 1,500 were hired at Miami last year.

As for the forthcoming weekend traffic, an American spokeswoman from Miami said the airline expects to average more than 5,700 departures system-wide between May 26 and 30.

“For comparison, we operated 5,179 flights on Memorial Day (Monday of the holiday weekend) last year, and 6,381 in 2019,” said the spokeswoman, Laura Masivdal.

In an email, Southwest said that in a bid to buttress reliability during the spring and summer, the airline increased its system headcount by approximately 3,300 in first quarter of this year after factoring in previous employee departures. The airline said it plans to hire approximately 10,000 employees in 2022.

“Southwest also previously adjusted its published flight schedules for June through August 2022 to provide additional buffer to the operation this summer,” said the airline, which is one of the predominant carriers at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.

The other three carriers did not respond before the close of business Friday.

Earlier this month, representatives of several carriers, including South Florida-based Spirit, met for two days with the Federal Aviation Administration to discuss the cancellation and disruption problems in Florida.

After it concluded, the FAA said it would “immediately” increase staff at its pivotal Jacksonville air traffic control center to cope with growing numbers of flights to and from Florida.

“The agency will … work with stakeholders to develop a playbook to keep aircraft moving safely when weather, space launches or other events constrain capacity,” the FAA said in a statement. “The FAA will increase the ability for airlines to keep aircraft moving during these events by using alternate routes and altitudes when possible.”

The agency stopped short of capping flights in and out of Florida, and more meetings are planned with the airlines as the summer unfolds, the FAA said.

The FAA did not respond when asked this week if they’d made those staffing changes.

Government figures show that most of Florida’s major airports have rebounded from steep service reductions caused by COVID-19, with flights increasing by more than 100% at Miami, West Palm Beach and Tampa. Fort Lauderdale is reportedly at 90%.

Southwest said it “appreciates the FAA’s focus on the air traffic challenges affecting Florida airspace and the ongoing support of airlines working to serve air travelers in the region.”

But that may be of little solace for stranded airline passengers who are again prevented from reaching their destinations on time.

Henderson of The Points Guy believes the airlines’ performance this coming Memorial Day will be a good indicator of what’s to come for the summer.

“We’ll get a good sense as to how the airlines are handling the crowds,” he said. “Fasten your seatbelts. It’s going to be an interesting summer.”

If passengers are faced with a long delay or cancellation, Henderson and his colleagues at The Points Guy recommend that passengers respond quickly, research their your options and make a decision for alternate travel.

Some ideas:

• In advance, learn what flights are available aboard other airlines along the route you intend to travel. “You should know before you go what carriers are operating on that route,” Henderson said. You can track and check the status of flights through the online FlightAware or Flight Radar 24 tracking sites, which would give you a leg up on other passengers.
• On your phone, download the airlines’ apps for a quick reference tool. If a flight gets canceled, you may be able to rebook yourself on the app.
• Check with your airline’s gate agent for revised flight times. Don’t rely solely on electronic boards in the terminal, as they’re not always up to date.
• If your flight gets canceled you can go to the re-ticketing line. While doing that, go on the app to see if they have a rebooking option and message the airline about your situation on Twitter.
• Airport lounges: If you’re a member of an airline club with access to a lounge operated by your airline, pay it a visit. There will likely be an airline agent there to help with re-bookings and updated alternate flight information.
• Canceled with no flight options? Check for airport hotels if you’re not looking to return home right away. Better to wake up rested and refreshed to take on the next day. Whether an airline pays for the overnight depends on a variety of situations. If the airline is a major carrier and the delay or cancellation is their fault, such a crew shortage, the carrier will foot the bill. But Henderson says if the delay is caused by an act of God, such as the weather, “it’s hard to say in black and white that yes, you will get a refund or that insurance will cover you,” Henderson said. If you’re on a discount carrier or regional airline, or if you book the lowest fare class ticket in economy, the airline won’t pay.
• Reimbursements: Certain credit cards offered by Chase and American Express (which charge significant annual fees) do have trip delay coverage. That means the travel insurance will pay for the cost of hotel lodging, ground transportation and meals. You’ll likely have to pay for additional expenses upfront, but can get a reimbursement later.
• Refunds: Don’t settle for a voucher from an airline for future travel. Under federal rules, you are entitled to cash.

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WBKO) – This Saturday will be two weeks since Epicenter, a horse born and bred in Vette city ran in the Kentucky Derby and got runner-up.

Fast forward to now and Epicenter is prepping to run in the Preakness Stakes.

The Harris family who bred Epicenter spoke on experiencing the Derby.

“He ran a very good race, we were proud of him, very proud of him. But it was, it was fun, you know, the town kind of adopted him and everybody was pulling for him. And, you know, everybody we met, you know, everybody was talking about Epicenter, and that was that made it even more exciting. We’re proud of the horse, proud of the horse,” says Mike Harris, co-owner of Westwind Farm.

The current owner of Epicenter, Ron Winchell of Winchell Thoroughbreds reflected on his experience at the Derby, a prize his family has yet to win.

“So we’re really confident that yeah, he showed up, he was running and of course, you know, at the end there it was, it was heartbreaking to like, get run down at the wire. Usually in the Derby, you don’t see that, you know, the last 16 Horses don’t change position. But this was an entirely different run Derby this year, so it’s heartbreaking, is where I’m going with that,” says Winchell.

And although he describes his derby loss with heartbreak, he is optimistic about Saturday.

“You can’t fill that void, the derby void, but the Preakness is certainly you know, another race is highly coveted. You know, between myself and my family they’ve never run one a triple crown race. You love and hate to be the favorite, it’s good, because everybody is validating where you feel like your ability is and then the second part is you pretty much have a target on your back,” adds Winchell.

“The confidence level is, you know, great. But with any big race, you just hope you show up and run,” he adds.

Also saying he is grateful for the support he’s received.

“I’m always excited when we create new racing fans, I feel like, you know, the legacy of this horse coming from Bowling Green originally really helps kind of enforce that and maybe, and maybe hopefully brings some people into racing,” Winchell says.

If you’d like to watch the Preakness Stakes and bet on it, you can do so on Saturday at the Mint Gaming Hall in Bowling Green.

Copyright 2022 WBKO. All rights reserved.

Two-time Academy Award-nominated producer Alexander Rodnyansky (“Leviathan,” “Loveless”) is developing a new series that charts the rise of Vladimir Putin in what the producer describes as “the actual, horrifying story of how the man who changed the world got the power to do so.”

Produced by Rodnyansky’s L.A.-based production shingle AR Content, “All the Kremlin’s Men” is based on the bestseller by acclaimed reporter Mikhail Zygar, the former editor-in-chief of Russian independent station TV Rain, which was banned and disbanded in the first week of the war in Ukraine. The book is based on an extraordinary series of interviews with Putin’s inner circle.

The series will tell the story of how an unassuming ex-KGB officer became one of the most feared politicians in the world, drawing back the curtain on what goes on behind the Kremlin’s walls and revealing how Putin and his inner circle operate. It offers a timely look at the events that shaped the Russian president on his ascent to power, foreshadowing Russia’s Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine.

“In a situation when the fate of Europe and the New World Order is decided in real time on the battlefield of Ukraine, the war that shook the foundations of modern society was launched by one man: Putin,” said Rodnyansky.

Describing the series as a Russian “House of Cards,” he added: “The show will chart not just the machinations of the various players. At its core, the story will trace the evolution of Putin’s mind.”

Even as he clamped down on domestic media, the former KGB operative in East Germany did initially try to woo the West, said the producer. But after the Iraq War, and particularly the so-called color revolutions in Georgia and Ukraine, Putin felt betrayed. “The war that he wages in Ukraine is the direct result of this feeling,” said Rodnyansky. “‘All the Kremlin’s Men’ will show to the international audience how step by step, Putin’s mind dissolved into conspiracy theories, and how people around him exploited his deep fears and mistrust of Western values, which he always saw as cynical lies.”

Last year AR Content signed a first-look deal with Apple to develop and produce high-end multicultural and multi-lingual television series for Apple TV Plus. Also on the company’s slate is the Soviet-era period drama “Red Rainbow,” which won the Series Mania Forum Best Project Award last August and is written by Matt Jones and directed by Emmy-winning director Andrij Parekh. Other series in development include “Debriefing the President,” an adaptation of former CIA analyst John Nixon’s firsthand account of the interrogation of Saddam Hussein, directed by Ziad Doueiri, and “Khan,” an epic action series about Genghis Khan and the Mongolian Empire, led by showrunner Chris Collins (“Sons of Anarchy”). Fox Entertainment acquired the series’ North American rights.

Feature films on the company’s slate include “What Happens,” the first English-language film from Andrey Zvyagintsev, who partnered with Rodnyansky on the Oscar-nominated dramas “Leviathan” and “Loveless”; and “Monica,” the third feature from Kantemir Balagov, whose Rodnyansky-produced “Beanpole” won the best director prize in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard in 2019.

By JOYANNA LOVE | Managing Editor

As summer draws closer in Alabama, air conditioning is a major thought as everyone tries to stay cool.

LeCroy Career Technical Center is training the next generation of professionals to service these essential systems through its HVACR program.

“Most of them, if they want a job, can find one now because everyone is hunting for employees,” instructor Jimmy Chastain said.

He said he knew of five regional companies that were currently hiring in the industry.

Many times, any additional training needed can be done on-the-job.

Students do have the opportunity to complete an internship with a local company while in the LCTC program.

High school students start the two-year program in their junior year.

The first six weeks of the program focuses on safety.

“Everything is flammable around you,” Chastain said. “You have to know where your torch is at all times.”

The copper being worked on also heats up to scorching temperatures. The refrigerant used in air conditioners can also be dangerous.

This is demonstrated for students by using liquid nitrogen to freeze watermelons or grapes to show how it would damage one’s skin.

Students are also taught how to avoid getting electrocuted.

“When you take the panel off, you got to think about what you are doing before you do it,” Chastain, who has taught the course for 13 years, said.

Wearing the right protective gear is also emphasized.

“You have to take your time when you’re doing it, too,” Elijah, a junior in the program, said. “Otherwise, you will screw up.”

After safety comes learning how to braze, which is how the copper components are welded together.

“The first thing we start with is teaching them how to braze because that is what they are all interested in,” Chastain said.

While students are learning about how the copper is connected, they are also introduced to how the unit should perform and how an air conditioner works through their textbook study.

Some students become interested in the industry because of family members working in the profession.

“My uncle does HVAC, and I really liked what he did, so I just decided to give it a shot,” Elijah said.

James, a junior in the program, said he became interested in HVAC while helping his aunt’s grandfather while he worked.

“How to braze properly” is the biggest thing he has learned so far.

“Brazing is one of the first things we learn, and it is fun to do,” James said.

Electronics practice starts on a training device that the program built.

Installing the wiring for a unit was a part of the juniors’ final project for the year. Elijah said wiring was one of his favorite parts of the course thus far.

Chastain said the more students do the different components, the more they will understand how it is all connected.

The moment when the material clicks for a student in the practical application is the best part for him.

“When … they make the link between what I have been telling them and what they are doing, and they figure out this is why he has been telling me this, and they are able to apply it without me standing over the top of them, and … they say, ‘I understand this,’ is what I like to see,” Chastain said.

Skills learned have also been used to build or fix other machinery, including a soda machine and a rolled ice cream machine.

Students also gain leadership experience as the seniors in the class help teach the juniors.

“I try to get my seniors to teach because if you can teach it, you understand it,” Chastain said.

Students complete the qualifications for the OSHA 10 and certification and the EPA 608 refrigeration certification federally required to be able to work with refrigerate. Most students will take the certification test their senior year, although some do take the tests as juniors, Chastain said.

“The two-year HVACR program is aligned with the most current NCCER (National Center for Construction Education & Research) modules relevant for this geographic area and industry needs (and) trends,” LCTC assistant principal Alfredia Shavers said.

These include NCCER certifications related to electricity, oil heat, gas heat, air conditioning and commercial air conditioning.

James plans to have a career in HVAC, potentially owning his own business one day. Chastain said several of his students go into industrial maintenance jobs. Chastain said three former students went to work at the Mercedes plant because their ability to be able to work on air conditioning helped them stand out to the employer.

In two weeks, new restrictions on outdoor watering will begin, but EcoTech Services Inc. is already seeing an increase in business.
Malcolm McLaren, the president of the Azusa water system company, said that the boost has come from homeowners taking a more active approach to how they manage their yards and gardens.

McLaren said that the next big thing to come will be homeowners changing their plant material to ones that can take the new one-day-a-week watering schedule.
“We haven’t seen a lot of changes yet,” McLaren said. “Some homeowners are being proactive and are doing turf removal projects to change their landscape and know this is coming.”

But once the summer months come and temperatures reach into the 90s for days in a row, cities are going to start seeing a massive die off of plants as residents are forced into the one-day watering routine.
“Cities that don’t supply their own water need to be ready to figure out how they are going to support their community when they start seeing lawns go brown and plants begin to die off,” he added.

For when it comes to irrigation, ignorance is not bliss.
“You cannot just rely on your gardener to be the sole person in charge of watering,” McLaren said. “You as the homeowner need to pay attention as well.”
As do business owners, particularly those with a lot of landscaping.

Sarah Wiltfong, director of advocacy and policy for the Los Angeles County Business Federation, or BizFed, said businesses such as restaurants and car washes should not be impacted by the new standards.
“It is my understanding that this is mostly affecting landscaping,” Wiltfong said.

“Anecdotally, I don’t think I’ve heard of any restrictions specific to carwashes or breweries,” added a spokesperson for the Metropolitan Water District, or MWD.
The MWD, which acts as a wholesaler that sells to water departments and companies, is asking its member water agencies to either go to a one-day a week watering schedule or go on a “water budget” – a setting of volumetric limits on the amount of water used. The new requirements start June 1.

A MWD spokesperson said that the agencies that don’t enforce the one-day-a-week watering restrictions or those that exceed their volumetric limits would face financial penalties from the district.
“It is not a per-person use,” the spokesperson said about the volumetric limits. “It is a total amount for the member agency, and they determine what they need to do to not purchase more water than that from Metropolitan.”

Overwatering issue

Businesses have a lot of questions about the MWD restrictions, particularly those in the landscaping industry who are hearing from their customers.
Desiree Heimann, vice president of marketing at Armstrong Garden Centers in Glendora, said that businesses see the new restrictions as an opportunity for locals to water more wisely.

“What we find is that most people overwater their gardens and using some really good watering practices will actually reduce their water consumption while being able to maintain a healthy and beautiful garden,” Heimann said.
Armstrong recommends that customers water between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. to make sure there is no evaporation, and to ensure that the water really penetrates the roots of the plants, Heimann added.
Gothic Landscape Inc. in Santa Clarita also is taking more than a few questions from its customers that include developers, facilities managers, homeowner association managers and university officials.

Nada Duna, chief operating officer at the landscape company, said that in Southern California there is a lot of concern over fire hazards as well as questions about how the watering restrictions will impact construction.
“Will there be requirements to do less installation of plants or limit the amount of construction? Duna asked. “We do not know the answers to those right now.”

But one thing that its clients can expect is a rise in the water rates, she said.
“People should expect water costs to go up, even if they use less water,” Duna noted.
Craig Kessler, director of public affairs for the Southern California Golf Association, a Studio City advocacy group for golf courses, said that that its members are not in a panic mode over the new regulations.

The good news is that the golf industry started a quarter of a century ago to reduce its water footprint, Kessler said.
“The bad news is we have to do it faster and better in order to remain a viable industry in California,” he added.
As a large landscape area – defined in state and local laws as parks, sports fields, cemeteries and golf courses – the courses can avail themselves of a program under the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power that allows them to keep 100 percent control over their irrigation practices, Kessler continued.

“In other words, they can irrigate three days in a row or different days or different times,” he said. “However, they must do so at a percentage savings from a budget that is assigned them by the Department of Water and Power based on a maximum allowable water allocation formula that is embedded in California code.”

The golf industry has invested in expensive irrigation equipment while at the same time has moved to planting one-season grasses and removed a lot of turf and has plans to remove more turf, Kessler continued.
“(It has) done anything and everything to reduce the water footprint,” he added.

Restriction details

The city’s DWP announced May 10 that it would go with the water budget option and would allow watering twice a week.
“In selecting the option offered by MWD to go on a water budget, we believe we can manage our system to meet the limitations in water delivery by MWD by going to two-days-a-week watering, while giving customers recognition for the significant conservation efforts they have already made for over a decade,” LADWP General Manager and Chief Engineer Martin Adams said in a statement.

The restrictions, unanimously adopted by the MWD’s board during a special meeting on April 26, apply to dozens of cities and communities in Los Angeles, Ventura and San Bernardino counties, according to a release from the district.
The new limits apply only to areas served by agencies that get most of their water from the State Water Project in Northern California. “With deliveries from the State Water Project severely reduced over the last three years because of drought, these communities face water shortages this year,” the district’s release said.

The Los Angeles City Council still needs to approve the DWP’s move into phase 3 of its water restrictions, which would start on June 1.
For all DWP customers with street addresses ending in odd numbers, watering will be limited to Mondays and Fridays. For all customers with addresses ending in even numbers, watering will be limited to Thursdays and Sundays, according to a release from the office of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti.

The changes come on top of existing watering restrictions, which stipulate that customers watering with sprinklers are limited to eight minutes per use; watering with sprinklers using water conserving nozzles is limited to 15 minutes; and watering between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. is prohibited, regardless of the watering day, the mayor’s release said.
BizFed understands the reasons behind the new restrictions yet supports the acceleration of other water projects, Wiltfong said.

The organization is highly supportive of the Cadiz Inc. water project in the planning stages for 15 years that would use water beneath the Mojave Desert; of the Huntington Beach Seawater Desalination Plant being built by Poseidon Water in Carlsbad; and the MWD’s recycled water program, she said.

“We are trying to find new innovative ways to bring water into the area so that we are not so dependent on the State Water Project,” Wiltfong added. “So that when issues like this come up, we are not nearly as impacted, and our businesses are not nearly as impacted as they are going to be currently.”

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – Five people in Berea were taken to the hospital on Wednesday after mixing swimming pool chemicals in their home, which caused a reaction.

Now, we want to show you what you should or should not do before you chemically prep your own pool this season.

“I’d say a general rule of thumb, make sure you add chemicals to water, not adding water to chemicals and not try to mix anything,” said Burt Christensen, the co-owner of Suntime Pools.

Chlorine is a popular pool chemical that can be dangerous if not handled properly.

“Chlorine can be very flammable. It’s a product every pool is using right now,” Christensen said.

Christensen said always prepare swimming pool chemicals outside. If anything goes wrong, at least you’re out in the open.

“pH reducers, a lot of times muriatic acids, something that’s commonly used, these can be really effective products,” Christensen said. “They can also be very aggressive and potentially harmful products as well.”

He said make sure you read and understand the directions.

“When in doubt, contacting a pool professional that’s familiar with those chemicals and ask for advice,” Christensen said.

Christensen said some pool chemicals can be mixed, but to be careful, and when it doubt, ask a professional.

Copyright 2022 WKYT. All rights reserved.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is preparing for a “prolonged conflict” in Ukraine, and could resort to drastic measures if the fighting doesn’t go his way, according to Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines.

During a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing Tuesday, Haines said Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has sent a shock through the geopolitical order, “with implications for the future that we are only beginning to understand, but are sure to be consequential.”

Though Putin has focused his forces on Donbas after failing in the north, the U.S. does not believe he will be content with the eastern part of the country, Haines said.

“The next month or two of fighting will be significant as the Russians attempt to reinvigorate their efforts. But even if they are successful, we are not confident that the fight in the Donbas will effectively end the war,” she said. “We assess President Putin is preparing for prolonged conflict in Ukraine during which he still intends to achieve goals beyond the Donbas.”

But for now Putin’s goal is to take control of the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts in Donbas and encircle Ukrainian forces from the north and south “in order to crush the most capable and well-equipped Ukrainian forces who are fighting to hold the line in the East,” Haines said.

Putin would also like to “consolidate control of the land bridge Russia has established from Crimea to the Donbas, occupy Kherson, and control the water source for Crimea,” she said.

The U.S. also sees signs his military wants to extend that land bridge to Transnistria, in Moldova, according to Haines.

Haines said Russia might be capable of achieving “most” of those goals in the coming months, but would need to mobilize more troops to achieve the last:

“We believe that they will not be able to extend control over a land bridge that stretches to Transnistria and includes Odessa without launching some form of mobilization. And it is increasingly unlikely that they will be able to establish control over both oblasts and the buffer zone they desire in the coming weeks,” Haines said.

But Putin is “probably counting on U.S. and EU resolve to weaken as food shortages, inflation, energy prices get worse,” she added.

Economic forces are at work in Russia as well, with sanctions from the West having a “pretty significant” impact on Russia, according to Haines.

“Among the indicators that one might look at are, for example, the fact that … we predict approximately 20% inflation in Russia, that we expect that their GDP will fall about 10%, possibly even more, over the course of the year,” she said.

The fighting itself has also worn on Russia’s capabilities.

“Our view is that the ground combat forces have been degraded considerably. It’s going to take them years … to rebuild that,” she said.

But degraded conventual forces could drive Putin to other means of exerting force.

“That may end up meaning that they have greater reliance in effect on asymmetric tools during this period,” Haines said. “So they may rely more on things like cyber, nuclear, precision, etc. And that’s obviously a shift in the way in which they are exercising their efforts for influence.”

The discrepancy between Putin’s high aspirations and his degraded conventional capability could lead to “a more unpredictable and potentially escalatory trajectory,” and “a period of more ad-hoc decision making in Russia” in the next few months, Haines said.

This could also manifest itself domestically.

“The current trend increases the likelihood that President Putin will turn to more drastic means, including imposing martial law, reorienting industrial production, or potentially escalatory military actions to free up the resources needed to achieve his objectives as the conflict drags on, or if he perceives Russia is losing in Ukraine,” she said.

What could happen next?

“The most likely flashpoints for escalation in the coming weeks are around increasing Russian attempts to interdict Western security assistance, retaliation for Western economic sanctions or threats to the regime at home. We believe that Moscow continues to use nuclear rhetoric to deter the United States and the West from increasing lethal aid to Ukraine and to respond to public comments of the U.S. and NATO allies that suggest expanded Western goals in the conflict,” she said.

The next step for Putin could be to launch major nuclear drills to command respect from the U.S.

“If Putin perceives that the United States is ignoring his threats, he may try to signal to Washington the heightened danger of its support to Ukraine by authorizing another large nuclear exercise involving a major dispersal of mobile intercontinental missiles, heavy bombers, strategic submarines,” Haines said.

But so far U.S. officials have said they do not believe Russia is preparing to actually use nuclear weapons in Ukraine or elsewhere.

“We otherwise continue to believe that President Putin would probably only authorize the use of nuclear weapons if he perceived an existential threat to the Russian state or regime,” Haines said.