KANSAS CITY– Mark Hunter appeared before United States District Court Judge Stephen R. Clark Tuesday and was sentenced to six months&nbsp;in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release.&nbsp; Hunter previously pleaded guilty for knowingly possessing or receiving one or more firearms that he knew to be stolen, according to the United State's Attorney.

Pursuant to the plea agreement, on September 25, 2020, the Manchester Police Department seized a pistol that had been reported stolen.&nbsp; A passenger of Southwest Airlines, who was traveling through St. Louis Lambert Airport previously reported that the firearm was stolen out of his luggage.

Subsequently, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Transportation Security Administration (TSA) initiated an investigation and identified seven reported thefts of firearms from luggage checked on Southwest Airlines flights that had traveled through Lambert Airport between March 28, 2020 to August 22, 2020.

During the investigation, which included reviews of scheduling records of Southwest Airline baggage employees and the dates of the thefts of the firearms, Hunter, a baggage employee for Southwest Airlines, became the target of the investigation.&nbsp; 

Records indicated that Hunter of St. Louis was working and had access to baggage from which other guns had been reported stolen.&nbsp; Hunter was approached by agents and admitted to the theft of five firearms from checked luggage he handled in his capacity as a Southwest Airlines baggage handler at St. Louis Lambert Airport.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1638322980553.png" alt="Mark Hunter was approached by agents and admitted to the theft of five firearms from checked luggage he handled in his capacity as a Southwest Airlines baggage handler-photo courtesy St. Louis Lambert Airport.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Mark Hunter was approached by agents and admitted to the theft of five firearms from checked luggage he handled in his capacity as a Southwest Airlines baggage handler-photo courtesy St. Louis Lambert Airport.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY– Mark Hunter appeared before United States District Court Judge Stephen R. Clark Tuesday and was sentenced to six months&nbsp;in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release.&nbsp; Hunter previously pleaded guilty for knowingly possessing or receiving one or more firearms that he knew to be stolen, according to the United State's Attorney.Pursuant to the plea agreement, on September 25, 2020, the Manchester Police Department seized a pistol that had been reported stolen.&nbsp; A passenger of Southwest Airlines, who was traveling through St. Louis Lambert Airport previously reported that the firearm was stolen out of his luggage.Subsequently, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Transportation Security Administration (TSA) initiated an investigation and identified seven reported thefts of firearms from luggage checked on Southwest Airlines flights that had traveled through Lambert Airport between March 28, 2020 to August 22, 2020.During the investigation, which included reviews of scheduling records of Southwest Airline baggage employees and the dates of the thefts of the firearms, Hunter, a baggage employee for Southwest Airlines, became the target of the investigation.&nbsp; Records indicated that Hunter of St. Louis was working and had access to baggage from which other guns had been reported stolen.&nbsp; Hunter was approached by agents and admitted to the theft of five firearms from checked luggage he handled in his capacity as a Southwest Airlines baggage handler at St. Louis Lambert Airport.&nbsp;

Airline baggage handler sentenced for stealing guns from bags

WASHINGTON (AP) — Leading up to Wednesday's major abortion case at the Supreme Court, the justices have heard from thousands of people and organizations urging the court to either save or scrap two historic abortion decisions.

But on Wednesday they'll hear from just three lawyers: one representing the state of Mississippi, another representing Mississippi's only abortion clinic and the last representing the Biden administration. For each, it’s a chance to be part of what is likely to be a historic case.

The three are scheduled to appear before the justices for just over an hour's worth of arguments in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, though the arguments will likely go longer. Mississippi is asking the justices to overturn two seminal decisions, Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, decisions that say women have a constitutional right to abortion before a fetus is viable.

Lawyers who argued those historic cases became famous in their own ways. Sarah Weddington was just 26 when in 1971 she argued Roe v. Wade on behalf of Norma Jean McCorvey, who was known by the pseudonym Jane Roe. Weddington went on to a career in government and academia.

Opposing her was Texas attorney Jay Floyd, who became infamous for opening his argument with a failed attempt at humor. “It’s an old joke, but when a man argues against two beautiful ladies like this, they're going to have the last word," he said. When the high court ordered the case re-argued, Floyd was replaced.

Two decades later, when the court heard arguments in the Casey case, Pennsylvania Attorney General Ernest D. Preate Jr. argued in support of his state's abortion law. He later spent time in prison for secretly taking campaign contributions from the operators of illegal gambling machines. The lawyer arguing on behalf of President George H.W. Bush's administration and in support of Pennsylvania, meanwhile, was Ken Starr. It was two years before he was tapped to lead the investigation that led to President Bill Clinton’s impeachment. The third attorney who argued in the case, Kathryn Kolbert, co-founded the Center for Reproductive Rights, which is involved in Wednesday's case.

Here are some things to know about the advocates arguing this week:

Scott G. Stewart will defend a Mississippi law that would ban abortions after 15 weeks. Lower courts declared the law unconstitutional.

Though the case marks the first Supreme Court appearance for Stewart, 39, he will be familiar to some of the justices. A graduate of Princeton and Stanford's law school, he was a law clerk to Justice Clarence Thomas in 2016 when the court dealt abortion opponents a loss, striking down Texas’ widely replicated rules that required doctors who perform abortions to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals and forced clinics to meet hospital-like standards for outpatient surgery.

Thomas dissented from that decision, and Stewart's argument that the justices should overturn Roe and Casey is a position that Thomas himself has taken.

Before becoming Mississippi's solicitor general, Stewart worked for the Department of Justice during the Trump administration. In that role, he defended administration policies including making asylum-seekers wait in Mexico for hearings in U.S. immigration court and preventing a pregnant teen who entered the country illegally from obtaining an abortion while in federal custody.

Arguing against the state of Mississippi is Julie Rikelman of the Center for Reproductive Rights who represents the Jackson Women’s Health Organization, Mississippi's lone abortion clinic. The clinic sued after the state passed its ban on abortions after 15 weeks.

Because of other restrictions the state has put on abortions, the clinic only performs abortions up to 16 weeks. It says about 100 of the abortions it performs every year occur after 15 weeks.

Rikelman, 49, will be arguing before the court for the second time. Last year, before the death of liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and her replacement by conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett, the Harvard law graduate argued and won another abortion case. In that case, the center represented a clinic and doctors asking the court to strike down a Louisiana law regulating abortion clinics. Rikelman has said she made the argument on very little sleep, not because she was nervous but because her hotel's fire alarm was blaring much of the night.

Rikelman immigrated to the United States when she was six. Her family is Jewish and fled Ukraine and to escape discrimination. Rikelman says her background made her “more aware of issues of fairness and discrimination” and helped spark an interest in reproductive rights.

The Biden administration's top Supreme Court lawyer, Elizabeth Prelogar, will argue for the federal government. The administration's position is that Roe and Casey were correctly decided and that overturning them would cause "grave harm."

Prelogar, 41, will be making her eleventh argument before the court. Just weeks ago she argued a different Supreme Court case involving abortion. That case was about a restrictive Texas abortion law that prohibits abortion after cardiac activity is detected in a fetus. That's usually around six weeks and before some women know they are pregnant. Prelogar was arguing that the federal government can mount a federal court challenge to the law. The justices have not yet announced their decision in that case.

Before being confirmed to her current position, Prelogar served on special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation of Russian meddling in the 2016 election. She speaks Russian and lived there as a Fulbright scholar. A graduate of Emory and Harvard law school, she has the rare distinction of having been a law clerk for two Supreme Court justices, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Elena Kagan. She is also a former Miss Idaho.

Prelogar is only the second woman to lead the solicitor general's office on a permanent basis. Kagan led the office during President Barack Obama's administration before becoming a justice.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/7/1563272580805.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Leading up to Wednesday's major abortion case at the Supreme Court, the justices have heard from thousands of people and organizations urging the court to either save or scrap two historic abortion decisions.But on Wednesday they'll hear from just three lawyers: one representing the state of Mississippi, another representing Mississippi's only abortion clinic and the last representing the Biden administration. For each, it’s a chance to be part of what is likely to be a historic case.The three are scheduled to appear before the justices for just over an hour's worth of arguments in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, though the arguments will likely go longer. Mississippi is asking the justices to overturn two seminal decisions, Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, decisions that say women have a constitutional right to abortion before a fetus is viable.Lawyers who argued those historic cases became famous in their own ways. Sarah Weddington was just 26 when in 1971 she argued Roe v. Wade on behalf of Norma Jean McCorvey, who was known by the pseudonym Jane Roe. Weddington went on to a career in government and academia.Opposing her was Texas attorney Jay Floyd, who became infamous for opening his argument with a failed attempt at humor. “It’s an old joke, but when a man argues against two beautiful ladies like this, they're going to have the last word," he said. When the high court ordered the case re-argued, Floyd was replaced.Two decades later, when the court heard arguments in the Casey case, Pennsylvania Attorney General Ernest D. Preate Jr. argued in support of his state's abortion law. He later spent time in prison for secretly taking campaign contributions from the operators of illegal gambling machines. The lawyer arguing on behalf of President George H.W. Bush's administration and in support of Pennsylvania, meanwhile, was Ken Starr. It was two years before he was tapped to lead the investigation that led to President Bill Clinton’s impeachment. The third attorney who argued in the case, Kathryn Kolbert, co-founded the Center for Reproductive Rights, which is involved in Wednesday's case.Here are some things to know about the advocates arguing this week:SCOTT G. STEWARTScott G. Stewart will defend a Mississippi law that would ban abortions after 15 weeks. Lower courts declared the law unconstitutional.Though the case marks the first Supreme Court appearance for Stewart, 39, he will be familiar to some of the justices. A graduate of Princeton and Stanford's law school, he was a law clerk to Justice Clarence Thomas in 2016 when the court dealt abortion opponents a loss, striking down Texas’ widely replicated rules that required doctors who perform abortions to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals and forced clinics to meet hospital-like standards for outpatient surgery.Thomas dissented from that decision, and Stewart's argument that the justices should overturn Roe and Casey is a position that Thomas himself has taken.Before becoming Mississippi's solicitor general, Stewart worked for the Department of Justice during the Trump administration. In that role, he defended administration policies including making asylum-seekers wait in Mexico for hearings in U.S. immigration court and preventing a pregnant teen who entered the country illegally from obtaining an abortion while in federal custody.JULIE RIKELMANArguing against the state of Mississippi is Julie Rikelman of the Center for Reproductive Rights who represents the Jackson Women’s Health Organization, Mississippi's lone abortion clinic. The clinic sued after the state passed its ban on abortions after 15 weeks.Because of other restrictions the state has put on abortions, the clinic only performs abortions up to 16 weeks. It says about 100 of the abortions it performs every year occur after 15 weeks.Rikelman, 49, will be arguing before the court for the second time. Last year, before the death of liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and her replacement by conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett, the Harvard law graduate argued and won another abortion case. In that case, the center represented a clinic and doctors asking the court to strike down a Louisiana law regulating abortion clinics. Rikelman has said she made the argument on very little sleep, not because she was nervous but because her hotel's fire alarm was blaring much of the night.Rikelman immigrated to the United States when she was six. Her family is Jewish and fled Ukraine and to escape discrimination. Rikelman says her background made her “more aware of issues of fairness and discrimination” and helped spark an interest in reproductive rights.ELIZABETH PRELOGARThe Biden administration's top Supreme Court lawyer, Elizabeth Prelogar, will argue for the federal government. The administration's position is that Roe and Casey were correctly decided and that overturning them would cause "grave harm."Prelogar, 41, will be making her eleventh argument before the court. Just weeks ago she argued a different Supreme Court case involving abortion. That case was about a restrictive Texas abortion law that prohibits abortion after cardiac activity is detected in a fetus. That's usually around six weeks and before some women know they are pregnant. Prelogar was arguing that the federal government can mount a federal court challenge to the law. The justices have not yet announced their decision in that case.Before being confirmed to her current position, Prelogar served on special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation of Russian meddling in the 2016 election. She speaks Russian and lived there as a Fulbright scholar. A graduate of Emory and Harvard law school, she has the rare distinction of having been a law clerk for two Supreme Court justices, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Elena Kagan. She is also a former Miss Idaho.Prelogar is only the second woman to lead the solicitor general's office on a permanent basis. Kagan led the office during President Barack Obama's administration before becoming a justice.

3 lawyers readying arguments in all-or-nothing abortion fight

TOPEKA (AP)—Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt has notified state education officials that some public universities are violating a state law passed last week that loosened requirements for obtaining medical and religious exemptions to COVID-19 vaccinations.

Schmidt wrote a letter last week to Kansas Board of Regents President Blake Flanders, with copies sent to the University of Kansas Chancellor Doug Girod and Kansas State University President Richard Myers.

Schmidt said “at least some” public universities are violating the new law but specifically mentioned the University of Kansas and Kansas State. He said the institutions must “immediately cease and desist” from their requirements. Schmidt’s spokesman said Tuesday that the letter has not been sent to any other institutions.

University of Kansas spokeswoman Erinn Barcomb-Peterson said Tuesday that the university has updated its forms and processes to comply with state law and a federal executive order. Kansas State University did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Flanders said in a statement that state universities will follow all state laws in implementing vaccine requirements.

“The factors impacting the federal contracting requirements have been shifting rapidly, particularly with new statutes added in the special session and moving federal deadlines,” Flanders said. “The Board requires all universities to remain in compliance with all previously existing and new applicable statutes.”

In October, the University of Kansas, Kansas State University and Wichita State University&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-manhattan-kansas-topeka-1e1fb5acbb8b6612bb00d5b7445a92c4">announced plans</a>&nbsp;to require all employees to be vaccinated to comply with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-health-coronavirus-pandemic-26bace6485d88ad1ae3ef2aea60fbb65">executive orders</a>&nbsp;issued by President Joe Biden that require all federal employees and contractors to be vaccinated. The universities also established procedures to allow exemptions for religious or medical reasons.

Schmidt’s letter was sent two days after the Kansas Legislature&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-business-health-religion-822d31ed5cd6cdca053f21f4a9a965d9">passed a law</a>&nbsp;during a special session that requires employers to grant religious exemptions to COVID-19 vaccine mandates for workers who seeks one in writing. The law prohibits employers from investigating the sincerity of the person’s religious beliefs.

Schmidt, a Republican, said procedures initially used by the University of Kansas and Kansas State violate the law. He said the universities had similar forms that require employees to describe the nature of their religious beliefs and to seek third-party documentation to support the sincerity of those beliefs.

“None of this information is necessary except to support an inquiry into the sincerity of the employee’s claim, which is no longer relevant,” Schmidt wrote.

The attorney general also noted that the University of Kansas has a committee to review each exemption request and that Kansas State contracted with a human resources consulting firm to help evaluate the requests and recommend whether they should be approved, which he said also violates the new law.

The attorney general also objected to an “arbitrary” Nov. 15 deadline set by the universities to apply for religious or medical exemptions, earlier than the Jan. 18 deadline set by the federal order.

He said any public university using procedures that violate the new state law should stop immediately and inform employees of the changes.

TOPEKA (AP)—Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt has notified state education officials that some public universities are violating a state law passed last week that loosened requirements for obtaining medical and religious exemptions to COVID-19 vaccinations.Schmidt wrote a letter last week to Kansas Board of Regents President Blake Flanders, with copies sent to the University of Kansas Chancellor Doug Girod and Kansas State University President Richard Myers.Schmidt said “at least some” public universities are violating the new law but specifically mentioned the University of Kansas and Kansas State. He said the institutions must “immediately cease and desist” from their requirements. Schmidt’s spokesman said Tuesday that the letter has not been sent to any other institutions.University of Kansas spokeswoman Erinn Barcomb-Peterson said Tuesday that the university has updated its forms and processes to comply with state law and a federal executive order. Kansas State University did not immediately respond to a request for comment.Flanders said in a statement that state universities will follow all state laws in implementing vaccine requirements.“The factors impacting the federal contracting requirements have been shifting rapidly, particularly with new statutes added in the special session and moving federal deadlines,” Flanders said. “The Board requires all universities to remain in compliance with all previously existing and new applicable statutes.”In October, the University of Kansas, Kansas State University and Wichita State University&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-manhattan-kansas-topeka-1e1fb5acbb8b6612bb00d5b7445a92c4">announced plans</a>&nbsp;to require all employees to be vaccinated to comply with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-health-coronavirus-pandemic-26bace6485d88ad1ae3ef2aea60fbb65">executive orders</a>&nbsp;issued by President Joe Biden that require all federal employees and contractors to be vaccinated. The universities also established procedures to allow exemptions for religious or medical reasons.Schmidt’s letter was sent two days after the Kansas Legislature&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-business-health-religion-822d31ed5cd6cdca053f21f4a9a965d9">passed a law</a>&nbsp;during a special session that requires employers to grant religious exemptions to COVID-19 vaccine mandates for workers who seeks one in writing. The law prohibits employers from investigating the sincerity of the person’s religious beliefs.Schmidt, a Republican, said procedures initially used by the University of Kansas and Kansas State violate the law. He said the universities had similar forms that require employees to describe the nature of their religious beliefs and to seek third-party documentation to support the sincerity of those beliefs.“None of this information is necessary except to support an inquiry into the sincerity of the employee’s claim, which is no longer relevant,” Schmidt wrote.The attorney general also noted that the University of Kansas has a committee to review each exemption request and that Kansas State contracted with a human resources consulting firm to help evaluate the requests and recommend whether they should be approved, which he said also violates the new law.The attorney general also objected to an “arbitrary” Nov. 15 deadline set by the universities to apply for religious or medical exemptions, earlier than the Jan. 18 deadline set by the federal order.He said any public university using procedures that violate the new state law should stop immediately and inform employees of the changes.

Kan. AG: Universities in Kan. violating state's new COVID law

WASHINGTON (AP) —A panel of U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://abcnews.go.com/alerts/Obamacare" target="_blank">health</a>&nbsp;advisers on Tuesday narrowly backed a closely watched COVID-19 pill from Merck, setting the stage for a likely authorization of the first drug that Americans could take at home to treat the coronavirus.

A Food and Drug Administration panel voted 13-10 that the drug’s benefits outweigh its risks, including potential birth defects if used during pregnancy.

The recommendation came after hours of debate about the drug’s modest benefits and potential safety issues. Experts backing the treatment stressed that it should not be used by anyone who is pregnant and called on FDA to recommend extra precautions before the drug is prescribed, including pregnancy tests for women of child-bearing age.

The vote specifically backed the drug for adults with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 who face the greatest risks, including older people and those with conditions like obesity and asthma. Most experts also said the drug shouldn't be used in vaccinated patients, who weren't part of the study and haven't been shown to benefit.

The FDA isn’t bound by the panel’s recommendation and is expected to make its own decision before year’s end. The pill is already authorized in the U.K.

The drug, molnupiravir, could provide a much-needed weapon against the virus as colder weather pushes case counts higher and U.S. officials brace for the arrival of the new omicron variant.

Merck hasn’t specifically tested its drug against the new variant but said it should have some potency based on its effectiveness against other strains of coronavirus.

But that uncertainty frustrated many panelists as they grappled with whether to back the treatment for millions of Americans.

“With no data saying it works with new variants I really think we need to be careful about saying that this is the way to go,” said Dr. David Hardy of Charles Drew University School of Medicine and Science, who ultimately voted to back the drug.

The panel’s narrow-but-positive recommendation came despite new data from Merck that paint a less compelling picture of the drug’s effectiveness than just a few weeks earlier.

Last week, Merck said final study results showed molnupiravir reduced hospitalization and death by 30% among adults infected with the coronavirus, when compared with adults taking a placebo. That effect was significantly less than the 50% reduction it first announced based on incomplete results.

That smaller-than-expected benefit amplified experts' concerns about the drug's toxicity for fetuses.

FDA scientists told the panelists earlier Tuesday that company studies in rats showed the drug caused toxicity and birth defects when given at very high doses. Taken together, FDA staffers concluded the data “suggest that molnupiravir may cause fetal harm when administered to pregnant individuals.”

FDA is weighing a blanket restriction against any use in pregnant women or allowing it in rare cases. Some panelists said the option should be left open for pregnant mothers who have high-risk COVID-19 and may have few other treatment options.

Dr. Janet Cragan, who backed the drug, said that even with tight restrictions some pregnant women would inevitably take the drug.

“I don’t think you can ethically tell a woman with COVID-19 that she can’t have the drug if she’s decided that’s what she needs,” a panel member and staffer with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “I think the final decision has to come down to the individual woman and her provider.”

Merck's drug uses a novel approach to fight COVID-19: It inserts tiny errors into the coronavirus’ genetic code to stop it from reproducing. That genetic effect has raised concerns that the drug could spur more virulent strains of the virus. But FDA regulators said Tuesday that risk is theoretical and seems unlikely.

While Merck and its partner Ridgeback Biotherapeutics were the first to submit their COVID-19 pill to the FDA, rival drugmaker Pfizer is close behind with its own pill under review.

Pfizer’s drug is part of a decades-old family of antiviral pills known as protease inhibitors, a standard treatment for HIV and hepatitis C. They work differently than Merck’s pill and haven’t been linked to the kind of mutation concerns raised with Merck’s drug.

Pfizer said this week that its drug shouldn’t be affected by the omicron variant’s mutations.

The U.S. government has agreed to purchase 10 million treatment courses of Pfizer’s drug, if it’s authorized. That’s more than three times the government’s purchase agreement with Merck for 3.1 million courses of molnupiravir.

Both drugs require patients to take multiple pills, twice a day for five days.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1633958564035.png" alt="photo courtesy Merck" />
 <figcaption>photo courtesy Merck</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —A panel of U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://abcnews.go.com/alerts/Obamacare" target="_blank">health</a>&nbsp;advisers on Tuesday narrowly backed a closely watched COVID-19 pill from Merck, setting the stage for a likely authorization of the first drug that Americans could take at home to treat the coronavirus.A Food and Drug Administration panel voted 13-10 that the drug’s benefits outweigh its risks, including potential birth defects if used during pregnancy.The recommendation came after hours of debate about the drug’s modest benefits and potential safety issues. Experts backing the treatment stressed that it should not be used by anyone who is pregnant and called on FDA to recommend extra precautions before the drug is prescribed, including pregnancy tests for women of child-bearing age.The vote specifically backed the drug for adults with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 who face the greatest risks, including older people and those with conditions like obesity and asthma. Most experts also said the drug shouldn't be used in vaccinated patients, who weren't part of the study and haven't been shown to benefit.The FDA isn’t bound by the panel’s recommendation and is expected to make its own decision before year’s end. The pill is already authorized in the U.K.The drug, molnupiravir, could provide a much-needed weapon against the virus as colder weather pushes case counts higher and U.S. officials brace for the arrival of the new omicron variant.Merck hasn’t specifically tested its drug against the new variant but said it should have some potency based on its effectiveness against other strains of coronavirus.But that uncertainty frustrated many panelists as they grappled with whether to back the treatment for millions of Americans.“With no data saying it works with new variants I really think we need to be careful about saying that this is the way to go,” said Dr. David Hardy of Charles Drew University School of Medicine and Science, who ultimately voted to back the drug.The panel’s narrow-but-positive recommendation came despite new data from Merck that paint a less compelling picture of the drug’s effectiveness than just a few weeks earlier.Last week, Merck said final study results showed molnupiravir reduced hospitalization and death by 30% among adults infected with the coronavirus, when compared with adults taking a placebo. That effect was significantly less than the 50% reduction it first announced based on incomplete results.That smaller-than-expected benefit amplified experts' concerns about the drug's toxicity for fetuses.FDA scientists told the panelists earlier Tuesday that company studies in rats showed the drug caused toxicity and birth defects when given at very high doses. Taken together, FDA staffers concluded the data “suggest that molnupiravir may cause fetal harm when administered to pregnant individuals.”FDA is weighing a blanket restriction against any use in pregnant women or allowing it in rare cases. Some panelists said the option should be left open for pregnant mothers who have high-risk COVID-19 and may have few other treatment options.Dr. Janet Cragan, who backed the drug, said that even with tight restrictions some pregnant women would inevitably take the drug.“I don’t think you can ethically tell a woman with COVID-19 that she can’t have the drug if she’s decided that’s what she needs,” a panel member and staffer with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “I think the final decision has to come down to the individual woman and her provider.”Merck's drug uses a novel approach to fight COVID-19: It inserts tiny errors into the coronavirus’ genetic code to stop it from reproducing. That genetic effect has raised concerns that the drug could spur more virulent strains of the virus. But FDA regulators said Tuesday that risk is theoretical and seems unlikely.While Merck and its partner Ridgeback Biotherapeutics were the first to submit their COVID-19 pill to the FDA, rival drugmaker Pfizer is close behind with its own pill under review.Pfizer’s drug is part of a decades-old family of antiviral pills known as protease inhibitors, a standard treatment for HIV and hepatitis C. They work differently than Merck’s pill and haven’t been linked to the kind of mutation concerns raised with Merck’s drug.Pfizer said this week that its drug shouldn’t be affected by the omicron variant’s mutations.The U.S. government has agreed to purchase 10 million treatment courses of Pfizer’s drug, if it’s authorized. That’s more than three times the government’s purchase agreement with Merck for 3.1 million courses of molnupiravir.Both drugs require patients to take multiple pills, twice a day for five days.———

FDA narrowly backs first-of-a-kind COVID pill from Merck

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a reported accidental shooting say that&nbsp; 13-year-old Waylon Treat of Wichita who was critically injured&nbsp; has died, according to officer Trevor Macy.

Just after 6:00 p.m., Monday, police were dispatched to a shooting at a home in the 4300 block of S.Bernita in Wichita, according to Macy. 

At the home, first responders located the boy with a single gunshot wound to the head. EMS transported him to an area hospital in critical condition and he was later pronounced deceased.

Investigators learned that a 16-year-old brother had brought a handgun home, and both he and the 13-year-old were handling the firearm inside the home.&nbsp; At some point in the handling of the firearm, the gun went off – striking Waylon and causing the fatal injury.

Adults were home at the time of the shooting but were unaware of the gun, according to Macy. This tragic incident was reported to be an accident, but police are still investigating the circumstances, according to Macy. Once the investigation has concluded, it will be presented to the District Attorney's office.

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a reported accidental shooting say that&nbsp; 13-year-old Waylon Treat of Wichita who was critically injured&nbsp; has died, according to officer Trevor Macy.Just after 6:00 p.m., Monday, police were dispatched to a shooting at a home in the 4300 block of S.Bernita in Wichita, according to Macy. At the home, first responders located the boy with a single gunshot wound to the head. EMS transported him to an area hospital in critical condition and he was later pronounced deceased.Investigators learned that a 16-year-old brother had brought a handgun home, and both he and the 13-year-old were handling the firearm inside the home.&nbsp; At some point in the handling of the firearm, the gun went off – striking Waylon and causing the fatal injury.Adults were home at the time of the shooting but were unaware of the gun, according to Macy. This tragic incident was reported to be an accident, but police are still investigating the circumstances, according to Macy. Once the investigation has concluded, it will be presented to the District Attorney's office.

Police: Kan. boy injured in accidental shooting has died

Kansas’ work force participation rate surpasses pre-pandemic level

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/11/30/gop-members-on-tax-panel-wary-of-statistics-on-economic-recovery-from-covid-19/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The labor force 
participation rate in Kansas fully recovered from the rapid descent at 
outset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the number of people receiving 
unemployment benefits fell to the lowest level since the global health 
crisis began, state officials said.

The percentage of the Kansas population either working or actively 
looking for work stood at 67.2% in January 2020, slumped to 66.5% by 
June 2020 and climbed to 67.5% in September.

Edward Penner, senior economist with the Kansas Legislative Research 
Department, outlined the figures and a series of other economic 
indicators Monday for a joint House and Senate committee examining 
opportunities to adjust state tax policy.

“At this point,” Penner said, “all of those people are back in the 
labor force and then some. This has been one of those stories where 
Kansas has been different from the nation. Kansas workers have kind of 
come back into the labor force and returned to their jobs at a rate that
 exceeds that of what national workers have done.”

The number of individuals receiving unemployment insurance benefits 
in Kansas stood at 10,320 in October, the lowest number since the 
COVID-19 pandemic began.

At the same time, state tax revenue surpassed estimates by $750 
million in the fiscal year that ended in June. The updated revenue 
estimate for the current fiscal year was increased by $1.3 billion, 
which prompted Gov. Laura Kelly and a bipartisan contingent of 
legislators to promote the possibility of slashing the state’s 6.5% 
sales tax on food.

Sen. Mark Steffen, a Republican from Hutchinson, said he was curious 
whether there was sharp improvement in work force participation after 
enhanced federal unemployment benefits expired in early September. Many 
GOP lawmakers pressured Kelly to cut off that congressional aid before 
the scheduled conclusion of federal programs, arguing the extra 
assistance was incentive for people to delay a return to their jobs. She
 declined to order cuts to jobless aid.

Penner said much of the labor force came back into the fold in the 
initial five months of the pandemic. Demise of supplemental unemployment
 payments didn’t substantially improve participation in the Kansas work 
force, he said.

Rep. Adam Smith, the Weskan Republican and chairman of the House 
Taxation Committee, said he was convinced businesses were still 
suffering labor shortages in northwest Kansas. He urged legislative 
staff to craft an estimate of unfilled jobs statewide in Kansas.

“I still see a lot of businesses that are hiring,” he said.

From February to April 2020, Kansas lost 158,000 non-farm jobs as the
 economy unraveled amid spread of the virus. The latest statistics 
indicated 73.5% of that job crater had been filled by September. The 
remaining gap might be linked to people who retired early or workers 
uneasy about accepting a job with a shortage of child care providers and
 uncertainty about influence of COVID-19 on schools, Penner said.

Sen. Tom Holland, a Baldwin City Democrat, said he had heartburn 
about the manner in which businesses responded to economic disruption 
associated with the pandemic. He said it appeared some employers focused
 on dropping older personnel at the upper end of the pay scale.

“My fear is that you had companies that laid off their more senior 
work force,” Holland said. “Basically, they’re dumping those jobs.”

Rep. Francis Awerkamp, R-St. Marys, said legislative staff ought to 
balance statistical presentations to the Legislature by including an 
assessment of financial harm caused by government pandemic directives.

“Can we also add an estimate on the economic impact of all the 
shutdowns, the lockdowns and the mandates from the government?” he said.

According to the state’s economic forecasters, the Kansas 
unemployment rate could complete this year at 3.9% before falling to 
3.5% in 2022 and 3.4% in 2023. The national unemployment rate is 
expected to be around 5.5% for 2021, 3.8% in 2022 and 3.5% in 2023.

Sen. Caryn Tyson, a Parker Republican who chairs the Senate’s regular
 tax committee, said it was important for people to be cautious when 
weighing unemployment statistics. She said that while working on a 
master’s degree in engineering management at the University of Kansas it
 became evident to her labor estimates lacked precision.

“The way they gather the numbers, the data for those unemployment 
numbers, is speculative and not always accurate,” said Tyson, a GOP 
candidate for state treasurer.

Work on tax, budget and coronavirus issues in the 2022 legislative 
session could take on an especially partisan tone given desire of 
Republicans and Democrats to influence Kelly’s re-election campaign for 
governor in November 2022.

Tyson said she would have preferred to move ahead with significant 
tax reform during the 2021 legislative session, but was sidelined by 
House and Senate leaders who objected to timing of her goal.

The two days of hearings scheduled for the interim House-Senate tax 
committee is designed to prepare members of both chambers for 
comprehensive adjustment of state tax law in the upcoming session, she 
said.

“We can move forward quickly,” she told other members of the panel. 
“That is the objective of the two-day meeting. To help arm you and get 
us ready for the 2022 session.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1638302239975.png" alt="Parker Sen. Caryn Tyson, Republican candidate for state treasurer, led a special committee Monday on the first of two days of hearings about economic ramifications of COVID-19 and options for tax reform during the 2022 legislative session. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Parker Sen. Caryn Tyson, Republican candidate for state treasurer, led a special committee Monday on the first of two days of hearings about economic ramifications of COVID-19 and options for tax reform during the 2022 legislative session. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Kansas’ work force participation rate surpasses pre-pandemic level</h2>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/11/30/gop-members-on-tax-panel-wary-of-statistics-on-economic-recovery-from-covid-19/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The labor force 
participation rate in Kansas fully recovered from the rapid descent at 
outset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the number of people receiving 
unemployment benefits fell to the lowest level since the global health 
crisis began, state officials said.The percentage of the Kansas population either working or actively 
looking for work stood at 67.2% in January 2020, slumped to 66.5% by 
June 2020 and climbed to 67.5% in September.Edward Penner, senior economist with the Kansas Legislative Research 
Department, outlined the figures and a series of other economic 
indicators Monday for a joint House and Senate committee examining 
opportunities to adjust state tax policy.“At this point,” Penner said, “all of those people are back in the 
labor force and then some. This has been one of those stories where 
Kansas has been different from the nation. Kansas workers have kind of 
come back into the labor force and returned to their jobs at a rate that
 exceeds that of what national workers have done.”The number of individuals receiving unemployment insurance benefits 
in Kansas stood at 10,320 in October, the lowest number since the 
COVID-19 pandemic began.At the same time, state tax revenue surpassed estimates by $750 
million in the fiscal year that ended in June. The updated revenue 
estimate for the current fiscal year was increased by $1.3 billion, 
which prompted Gov. Laura Kelly and a bipartisan contingent of 
legislators to promote the possibility of slashing the state’s 6.5% 
sales tax on food.<h2>GOP statistical pushback</h2>Sen. Mark Steffen, a Republican from Hutchinson, said he was curious 
whether there was sharp improvement in work force participation after 
enhanced federal unemployment benefits expired in early September. Many 
GOP lawmakers pressured Kelly to cut off that congressional aid before 
the scheduled conclusion of federal programs, arguing the extra 
assistance was incentive for people to delay a return to their jobs. She
 declined to order cuts to jobless aid.Penner said much of the labor force came back into the fold in the 
initial five months of the pandemic. Demise of supplemental unemployment
 payments didn’t substantially improve participation in the Kansas work 
force, he said.Rep. Adam Smith, the Weskan Republican and chairman of the House 
Taxation Committee, said he was convinced businesses were still 
suffering labor shortages in northwest Kansas. He urged legislative 
staff to craft an estimate of unfilled jobs statewide in Kansas.“I still see a lot of businesses that are hiring,” he said.From February to April 2020, Kansas lost 158,000 non-farm jobs as the
 economy unraveled amid spread of the virus. The latest statistics 
indicated 73.5% of that job crater had been filled by September. The 
remaining gap might be linked to people who retired early or workers 
uneasy about accepting a job with a shortage of child care providers and
 uncertainty about influence of COVID-19 on schools, Penner said.Sen. Tom Holland, a Baldwin City Democrat, said he had heartburn 
about the manner in which businesses responded to economic disruption 
associated with the pandemic. He said it appeared some employers focused
 on dropping older personnel at the upper end of the pay scale.“My fear is that you had companies that laid off their more senior 
work force,” Holland said. “Basically, they’re dumping those jobs.”Rep. Francis Awerkamp, R-St. Marys, said legislative staff ought to 
balance statistical presentations to the Legislature by including an 
assessment of financial harm caused by government pandemic directives.“Can we also add an estimate on the economic impact of all the 
shutdowns, the lockdowns and the mandates from the government?” he said.<h2>Prep for 2022 session</h2>According to the state’s economic forecasters, the Kansas 
unemployment rate could complete this year at 3.9% before falling to 
3.5% in 2022 and 3.4% in 2023. The national unemployment rate is 
expected to be around 5.5% for 2021, 3.8% in 2022 and 3.5% in 2023.Sen. Caryn Tyson, a Parker Republican who chairs the Senate’s regular
 tax committee, said it was important for people to be cautious when 
weighing unemployment statistics. She said that while working on a 
master’s degree in engineering management at the University of Kansas it
 became evident to her labor estimates lacked precision.“The way they gather the numbers, the data for those unemployment 
numbers, is speculative and not always accurate,” said Tyson, a GOP 
candidate for state treasurer.Work on tax, budget and coronavirus issues in the 2022 legislative 
session could take on an especially partisan tone given desire of 
Republicans and Democrats to influence Kelly’s re-election campaign for 
governor in November 2022.Tyson said she would have preferred to move ahead with significant 
tax reform during the 2021 legislative session, but was sidelined by 
House and Senate leaders who objected to timing of her goal.The two days of hearings scheduled for the interim House-Senate tax 
committee is designed to prepare members of both chambers for 
comprehensive adjustment of state tax law in the upcoming session, she 
said.“We can move forward quickly,” she told other members of the panel. 
“That is the objective of the two-day meeting. To help arm you and get 
us ready for the 2022 session.”

Kan. tax panel wary of statistics on economic recovery from COVID

DOUGLAS COUNTY—The Kansas Highway Patrol investigating the weekend arrest of Kansas Representative Aaron Coleman issued a statement on the incident Tuesday.

According to the KHP,&nbsp; just after 1a.m. on Saturday, a State Trooper attempted to stop a speeding motorist on the Kansas Turnpike near the U.S. 59 South Lawrence exit in Douglas County.

The driver failed to yield and proceeded to take the exit before pulling into a parking lot near Plaza 202. During the traffic stop, the Trooper observed signs of possible impairment, according to the release. The agency did not indicate the signs of impairment or if they used a sobriety test on the driver identified as 21-year-old Aaron Coleman of Kansas City, Kansas.&nbsp;

A DUI investigation led the Trooper to take Coleman into custody for DUI. Coleman was released to the Douglas County Jail on requested charges of DUI, speed and failure to yield to an emergency vehicle. Authorities will present the case to the Douglas County Attorney.

At the time of the arrest, Coleman was already out on bond from an Oct. 30 domestic battery arrest. In that case, he allegedly pushed, hit and spit on his 18-year-old brother in a fight that erupted because the brother was going to get baptized, according to court documents.

The Kansas City, Kansas, Democrat has been embroiled in controversy since before he took office after being elected in 2020 and has acknowledged past abuses against girls and young women. A legislative committee reprimanded Coleman in writing in February over those abuses.

Last month, Coleman also was banned from the Kansas Department of Labor’s offices over allegations of disruptive behavior. Coleman said he was trying to help constituents.

On Monday, six freshman Democratic House members filed a formal complaint with House leadership alleging that Coleman had failed to comply with terms outlined in the February warning, The Kansas City Star reported. The complaint triggers the appointment of a House committee to investigate. That panel can recommend disciplinary action, including censure or expulsion from the Legislature. Both would require a two-thirds vote of the House.

Both Kansas House Speaker Ron Ryckman, a Republican, and Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly have joined the chorus of those calling for Coleman to resign. If he refuses to resign, Kelly said, the Legislature should remove his from office, saying his latest arrest “is further evidence that he is not fit to serve in the Kansas House of Representatives.”

-The Associated Press contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1635804497310.png" alt="Rep. Aaron Coleman following his domestic battery arrest in Johnson County Oct. 30.&nbsp; He represents the 37th District in the Kansas House of Representatives" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Aaron Coleman following his domestic battery arrest in Johnson County Oct. 30.&nbsp; He represents the 37th District in the Kansas House of Representatives</figcaption>
 </figure>DOUGLAS COUNTY—The Kansas Highway Patrol investigating the weekend arrest of Kansas Representative Aaron Coleman issued a statement on the incident Tuesday.According to the KHP,&nbsp; just after 1a.m. on Saturday, a State Trooper attempted to stop a speeding motorist on the Kansas Turnpike near the U.S. 59 South Lawrence exit in Douglas County.The driver failed to yield and proceeded to take the exit before pulling into a parking lot near Plaza 202. During the traffic stop, the Trooper observed signs of possible impairment, according to the release. The agency did not indicate the signs of impairment or if they used a sobriety test on the driver identified as 21-year-old Aaron Coleman of Kansas City, Kansas.&nbsp;A DUI investigation led the Trooper to take Coleman into custody for DUI. Coleman was released to the Douglas County Jail on requested charges of DUI, speed and failure to yield to an emergency vehicle. Authorities will present the case to the Douglas County Attorney.At the time of the arrest, Coleman was already out on bond from an Oct. 30 domestic battery arrest. In that case, he allegedly pushed, hit and spit on his 18-year-old brother in a fight that erupted because the brother was going to get baptized, according to court documents.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Vic Miller. DUI while In office?... Very intrigued Does <a href="https://twitter.com/RepTomSawyer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepTomSawyer</a> or <a href="https://twitter.com/KSHouseDems?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KSHouseDems</a> have any remarks on my motion to expel? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ksleg?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ksleg</a> <a href="https://t.co/2uEL6JGKPq">https://t.co/2uEL6JGKPq</a>&mdash; Rep. Aaron Coleman 🌹✡️ (@Aaron4KS37) <a href="https://twitter.com/Aaron4KS37/status/1464400540209664000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 27, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The Kansas City, Kansas, Democrat has been embroiled in controversy since before he took office after being elected in 2020 and has acknowledged past abuses against girls and young women. A legislative committee reprimanded Coleman in writing in February over those abuses.Last month, Coleman also was banned from the Kansas Department of Labor’s offices over allegations of disruptive behavior. Coleman said he was trying to help constituents.On Monday, six freshman Democratic House members filed a formal complaint with House leadership alleging that Coleman had failed to comply with terms outlined in the February warning, The Kansas City Star reported. The complaint triggers the appointment of a House committee to investigate. That panel can recommend disciplinary action, including censure or expulsion from the Legislature. Both would require a two-thirds vote of the House.Both Kansas House Speaker Ron Ryckman, a Republican, and Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly have joined the chorus of those calling for Coleman to resign. If he refuses to resign, Kelly said, the Legislature should remove his from office, saying his latest arrest “is further evidence that he is not fit to serve in the Kansas House of Representatives.”-The Associated Press contributed to this report.

KHP releases details of State Rep. Coleman's DUI arrest

BRUSSELS (AP) — Economic powerhouses Japan and France reported their first cases of the omicron variant Tuesday, while new findings indicated the mutant coronavirus had already slipped into Europe close to a week before South Africa sounded the alarm.

The Netherlands’ RIVM health institute disclosed that patient samples dating from Nov. 19 and 23 were found to contain the variant. It was last Wednesday, Nov. 24, that South African authorities reported the existence of the highly mutated virus to the World Health Organization.

That indicates omicron had a bigger head start in the Netherlands than previously believed.

Together with the cases in Japan and France, the finding illustrated the difficulty in containing the virus in an age of jet travel and economic globalization. And it left the world once again whipsawed between hopes of returning to normal and fears that the worst is yet to come.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned in Latvia that “as long as the virus is replicating somewhere, it could be mutating,” which could mean it “can defeat the existing vaccines or induce greater illness or be more transmissible.”

Much remains unknown about the new variant, including just how contagious it is, whether it makes people more seriously ill, and whether it can thwart the vaccine.

But a WHO official said that given the growing number of omicron cases in South Africa and neighboring Botswana, parts of southern Africa could soon be witnessing a steep rise in infections.

“There is a possibility that really we’re going to be seeing a serious doubling or tripling of the cases as we move along or as the week unfolds,” said Dr. Nicksy Gumede-Moeletsi, a WHO regional virologist.

After a period of low transmission in South Africa, new cases began to increase rapidly in mid-November. The country is now seeing nearly 3,000 confirmed new infections per day.

It is unclear exactly where or when the variant first emerged, and Tuesday’s Dutch announcement further muddies the timeline.

Previously, the Netherlands said it found the variant among passengers who came from South Africa on Friday — the same day the country and other European Union members began imposing flight bans and other restrictions on southern Africa. But the newly identified cases predate that.

Belgium reported a case involving a traveler who returned to the country from Egypt on Nov. 11 but did not become sick with mild symptoms until Nov. 22.

Japan announced a ban on all foreign visitors starting Tuesday — the same day the country confirmed its first omicron case, in a Namibian diplomat who had recently arrived from his country.

France likewise recorded its first case, in the island territory of Reunion in the Indian Ocean. The patient was identified as a man who had returned to Reunion from South Africa and Mozambique on Nov. 20 — before WHO learned of the variant.

Many health officials tried to calm fears, insisting that vaccines remain the best defense and that the world must redouble its efforts to get the shots to every part of the globe.

Emer Cooke, chief of the European Medicines Agency, said that the 27-nation EU is well prepared for the variant and that the vaccine could be adapted for use against omicron within three or four months if necessary.

England reacted to the emerging threat by making face coverings mandatory again on public transportation and in stores, banks and hair salons. And one month ahead of Christmas, the head of Britain’s Health Security Agency urged people not to socialize if they don’t need to.

After COVID-19 led to a one-year postponement of the Summer Games, Olympic organizers began to worry about the February Winter Games in Beijing. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said omicron would “certainly bring some challenges in terms of prevention and control.”

World markets continued to seesaw on every piece of medical news, whether worrisome or reassuring. Stocks fell on Wall Street in the morning after Moderna’s CEO expressed concern about the effectiveness of the vaccines against omicron.

Around the globe, stocks mostly slipped as investors weighed how much damage the variant might do to the economy.

Some analysts think a serious economic downturn will probably be averted because many people have been vaccinated. But they also think a return to pre-pandemic levels of economic activity, especially in tourism, has been dramatically delayed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1638297902218.png" alt="Riders on Tuesday aboard the Underground in London-image courtesy Underground Web Camera" />
 <figcaption>Riders on Tuesday aboard the Underground in London-image courtesy Underground Web Camera</figcaption>
 </figure>BRUSSELS (AP) — Economic powerhouses Japan and France reported their first cases of the omicron variant Tuesday, while new findings indicated the mutant coronavirus had already slipped into Europe close to a week before South Africa sounded the alarm.The Netherlands’ RIVM health institute disclosed that patient samples dating from Nov. 19 and 23 were found to contain the variant. It was last Wednesday, Nov. 24, that South African authorities reported the existence of the highly mutated virus to the World Health Organization.That indicates omicron had a bigger head start in the Netherlands than previously believed.Together with the cases in Japan and France, the finding illustrated the difficulty in containing the virus in an age of jet travel and economic globalization. And it left the world once again whipsawed between hopes of returning to normal and fears that the worst is yet to come.U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned in Latvia that “as long as the virus is replicating somewhere, it could be mutating,” which could mean it “can defeat the existing vaccines or induce greater illness or be more transmissible.”Much remains unknown about the new variant, including just how contagious it is, whether it makes people more seriously ill, and whether it can thwart the vaccine.But a WHO official said that given the growing number of omicron cases in South Africa and neighboring Botswana, parts of southern Africa could soon be witnessing a steep rise in infections.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1638285832314.png" alt="A rider on Tuesday using the Underground in London-image courtesy Underground Web Camera" />
 <figcaption>A rider on Tuesday using the Underground in London-image courtesy Underground Web Camera</figcaption>
 </figure>“There is a possibility that really we’re going to be seeing a serious doubling or tripling of the cases as we move along or as the week unfolds,” said Dr. Nicksy Gumede-Moeletsi, a WHO regional virologist.After a period of low transmission in South Africa, new cases began to increase rapidly in mid-November. The country is now seeing nearly 3,000 confirmed new infections per day.It is unclear exactly where or when the variant first emerged, and Tuesday’s Dutch announcement further muddies the timeline.Previously, the Netherlands said it found the variant among passengers who came from South Africa on Friday — the same day the country and other European Union members began imposing flight bans and other restrictions on southern Africa. But the newly identified cases predate that.Belgium reported a case involving a traveler who returned to the country from Egypt on Nov. 11 but did not become sick with mild symptoms until Nov. 22.Japan announced a ban on all foreign visitors starting Tuesday — the same day the country confirmed its first omicron case, in a Namibian diplomat who had recently arrived from his country.France likewise recorded its first case, in the island territory of Reunion in the Indian Ocean. The patient was identified as a man who had returned to Reunion from South Africa and Mozambique on Nov. 20 — before WHO learned of the variant.Many health officials tried to calm fears, insisting that vaccines remain the best defense and that the world must redouble its efforts to get the shots to every part of the globe.Emer Cooke, chief of the European Medicines Agency, said that the 27-nation EU is well prepared for the variant and that the vaccine could be adapted for use against omicron within three or four months if necessary.England reacted to the emerging threat by making face coverings mandatory again on public transportation and in stores, banks and hair salons. And one month ahead of Christmas, the head of Britain’s Health Security Agency urged people not to socialize if they don’t need to.After COVID-19 led to a one-year postponement of the Summer Games, Olympic organizers began to worry about the February Winter Games in Beijing. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said omicron would “certainly bring some challenges in terms of prevention and control.”World markets continued to seesaw on every piece of medical news, whether worrisome or reassuring. Stocks fell on Wall Street in the morning after Moderna’s CEO expressed concern about the effectiveness of the vaccines against omicron.Around the globe, stocks mostly slipped as investors weighed how much damage the variant might do to the economy.Some analysts think a serious economic downturn will probably be averted because many people have been vaccinated. But they also think a return to pre-pandemic levels of economic activity, especially in tourism, has been dramatically delayed.___

Omicron variant had bigger head start than previously believed

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a brawl at a Wichita bar that left one man dead and have made an arrest.

Just after 2a.m. November, police were dispatched to a disturbance at Mulligan’s Pub in the 8300 block of E 32nd Street in&nbsp; Wichita, according to Officer Trevor Macy. 

&nbsp;Callers indicated a disturbance was occurring that involved multiple people. Officers learned that a victim, identified as 31-year-old Alonzo Haywood of Wichita, was at the bar with multiple family members. After closing time, an argument broke out between one of Haywood’s family members and a suspect later identified as 51-year-old James Thomas of Wichita.

&nbsp;Thomas was also there with multiple other people. The argument escalated when Thomas punched Haywood, causing him to fall to the ground and strike his head. At that. point, multiple people then began&nbsp; fighting.

Friends transported Haywood to an area hospital for treatment of serious injuries. Doctors pronounced him deceased on Sunday, according to Macy.

Police located Thomas near the area of the disturbance and arrested him. After interviews, he was booked into the Sedgwick County Jail on a charge of Aggravated Battery, which was later amended to Involuntary Manslaughter after Haywood died.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1638224401238.png" alt="Thomas photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Thomas photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a brawl at a Wichita bar that left one man dead and have made an arrest.Just after 2a.m. November, police were dispatched to a disturbance at Mulligan’s Pub in the 8300 block of E 32nd Street in&nbsp; Wichita, according to Officer Trevor Macy. &nbsp;Callers indicated a disturbance was occurring that involved multiple people. Officers learned that a victim, identified as 31-year-old Alonzo Haywood of Wichita, was at the bar with multiple family members. After closing time, an argument broke out between one of Haywood’s family members and a suspect later identified as 51-year-old James Thomas of Wichita.&nbsp;Thomas was also there with multiple other people. The argument escalated when Thomas punched Haywood, causing him to fall to the ground and strike his head. At that. point, multiple people then began&nbsp; fighting.Friends transported Haywood to an area hospital for treatment of serious injuries. Doctors pronounced him deceased on Sunday, according to Macy.Police located Thomas near the area of the disturbance and arrested him. After interviews, he was booked into the Sedgwick County Jail on a charge of Aggravated Battery, which was later amended to Involuntary Manslaughter after Haywood died.

Police: Kan. man dies from injuries after punched in bar brawl

Finding the fossils of a large duck-billed dinosaur in southern Missouri is exciting enough, but a paleontologist who helped lead the dig believes there are many more in the same area.

The latest fossils are a specimen of Parrosaurus missouriensis, first discovered at the same site in Bollinger County nearly 80 years ago but not confirmed as a new species until the latest dig. Experts believe the plant-eating dinosaurs grew to around 35 feet (11 meters) in length. Remains of four of the species have been found in the same area about 110 miles south of St. Louis.

Last month, a crane hoisted a 2,500-pound chunk of remains from the latest find from the glen of a wooded area. The fossils will go to Chicago's Field Museum for further research.

University of Minnesota Paleontologist Peter Makovicky, who helped lead the dig, said Monday that he believes the remains of many other dinosaurs will be found at the site.

"We actually have something that’s probably a mass death locality, where we have a herd of dinosaurs dying and being sort of buried together, and individuals of different ages,” Makovicky said.

“We can start looking at how these dinosaurs grew, start to understand a little bit about their biology and their possible herd structure. And that’s unique for a site east of the Great Plains. Most of what we know about the North American dinosaur comes from out west,” Makovicky said.

The first dinosaur fossils at the Missouri site were found in the early 1940s, uncovered by a family digging a well. Experts weren't sure what sort of dinosaur it was and the bones were shelved for a long time.

A Missouri paleontologist purchased the property in the 1980s. A second set of dinosaur bones were found then.

Meanwhile, Guy Darrough, a fossil enthusiast and curator of the Sainte Genevieve Museum Learning Center in Ste. Genevieve, Missouri, got permission to start digging around. About 10 years ago, he found fossils confirmed to be a juvenile dinosaur.

That discovery led Makovicky and his team to the site in 2017. Bones of the latest adult dinosaur were discovered, and experts determined that the Missouri dinosaurs were part of their own species. Makovicky believes they roamed the region 75 million to 90 million years ago.

The latest dig was a slow one, in part because of delays connected to the COVID-19 pandemic, but also because the teams had to work cautiously in the wet clay of the Missouri site — fossils are more typically excavated from rock.

“It’s a lot less power tools and a lot more clay sculpting tools you might get an art store,” Makovicky said.

Beyond dinosaur bones, the teams have found remains of massive turtles, prehistoric fish, even crocodiles that may have been to up 50 feet&nbsp; long, Darrough and Makovicky said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1638290317875.png" alt="Last month, a crane hoisted a 2,500-pound chunk of remains from the latest find from the glen of a wooded area. The fossils will go to Chicago's Field Museum for further research.-Photo courtesy KTVI" />
 <figcaption>Last month, a crane hoisted a 2,500-pound chunk of remains from the latest find from the glen of a wooded area. The fossils will go to Chicago's Field Museum for further research.-Photo courtesy KTVI</figcaption>
 </figure>By JIM SALTER, Associated PressFinding the fossils of a large duck-billed dinosaur in southern Missouri is exciting enough, but a paleontologist who helped lead the dig believes there are many more in the same area.The latest fossils are a specimen of Parrosaurus missouriensis, first discovered at the same site in Bollinger County nearly 80 years ago but not confirmed as a new species until the latest dig. Experts believe the plant-eating dinosaurs grew to around 35 feet (11 meters) in length. Remains of four of the species have been found in the same area about 110 miles south of St. Louis.Last month, a crane hoisted a 2,500-pound chunk of remains from the latest find from the glen of a wooded area. The fossils will go to Chicago's Field Museum for further research.University of Minnesota Paleontologist Peter Makovicky, who helped lead the dig, said Monday that he believes the remains of many other dinosaurs will be found at the site."We actually have something that’s probably a mass death locality, where we have a herd of dinosaurs dying and being sort of buried together, and individuals of different ages,” Makovicky said.“We can start looking at how these dinosaurs grew, start to understand a little bit about their biology and their possible herd structure. And that’s unique for a site east of the Great Plains. Most of what we know about the North American dinosaur comes from out west,” Makovicky said.The first dinosaur fossils at the Missouri site were found in the early 1940s, uncovered by a family digging a well. Experts weren't sure what sort of dinosaur it was and the bones were shelved for a long time.A Missouri paleontologist purchased the property in the 1980s. A second set of dinosaur bones were found then.Meanwhile, Guy Darrough, a fossil enthusiast and curator of the Sainte Genevieve Museum Learning Center in Ste. Genevieve, Missouri, got permission to start digging around. About 10 years ago, he found fossils confirmed to be a juvenile dinosaur.That discovery led Makovicky and his team to the site in 2017. Bones of the latest adult dinosaur were discovered, and experts determined that the Missouri dinosaurs were part of their own species. Makovicky believes they roamed the region 75 million to 90 million years ago.The latest dig was a slow one, in part because of delays connected to the COVID-19 pandemic, but also because the teams had to work cautiously in the wet clay of the Missouri site — fossils are more typically excavated from rock.“It’s a lot less power tools and a lot more clay sculpting tools you might get an art store,” Makovicky said.Beyond dinosaur bones, the teams have found remains of massive turtles, prehistoric fish, even crocodiles that may have been to up 50 feet&nbsp; long, Darrough and Makovicky said.

Duck-billed dinosaur may be one of many at Missouri site

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service and Security Summit 
partners today warned taxpayers to be wary of fake charities used by 
scammers to get money as well as sensitive financial and personal 
information from victims.

Today being Giving Tuesday marks a special day as the holidays 
approach and&nbsp;people give to their favorite causes through charitable 
organizations. Scammers can take advantage of this by setting up fake 
charities to trick unsuspecting donors into providing not only money, 
but also their sensitive information.

The Security Summit –– a coalition of state tax agencies, the 
nation's tax community and the IRS –– urged people to make sure they are
 giving to a legitimate charity. This can help protect taxpayer's 
personal and financial data and help prevent tax-related identity theft.

Donors should always check to make sure they are giving to a 
legitimate charity and can easily do so by using a special IRS tool: the
 <a href="https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/search-for-tax-exempt-organizations">Tax Exempt Organization Search Tool</a>.

This is Day 2 of National Tax Security Awareness Week, now in its 
sixth year. The IRS, state tax agencies and the nation's tax industry ––
 working together as the Security Summit –– are providing tips this week
 to help protect people against identity theft as well as help safeguard
 sensitive tax information that criminals can use to try filing fake tax
 returns and obtaining refunds.

The special week includes special informational graphics and social 
media efforts on platforms including Twitter and Instagram through 
@IRSnews and #TaxSecurity.

The combination of the holiday shopping season, the upcoming tax 
season and the pandemic create additional opportunities for criminals to
 steal sensitive information. People should take extra care while 
shopping online or viewing emails and texts.

The Summit partners remind taxpayers to&nbsp;be on the lookout for 
scammers and identity thieves who set up fake organizations to take 
advantage of the public's generosity. Scammers take advantage of 
tragedies and disasters.

Scams requesting donations for disaster relief efforts are especially
 common over the phone. Taxpayers should always check out a charity 
before they donate, and they should not feel pressured to give 
immediately.

Tips to help taxpayers avoid fake charity scams:

Taxpayers who give money or goods to a charity may be able to 
claim a deduction on their federal tax return by reducing the amount of 
their taxable income. However, to receive a deduction, taxpayers must 
donate to a qualified charity. To check the status of a charity, they 
can use the IRS <a href="https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/tax-exempt-organization-search">Tax Exempt Organization Search</a>&nbsp;tool.

The IRS, state tax agencies, the private sector tax industry, 
including tax professionals, work in partnership as the Security Summit 
to help protect taxpayers from identity theft and refund fraud. This is 
part of a week-long series of tips to raise awareness about identity 
theft. See <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/security-summit">IRS.gov/securitysummit</a> for more details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service and Security Summit 
partners today warned taxpayers to be wary of fake charities used by 
scammers to get money as well as sensitive financial and personal 
information from victims.Today being Giving Tuesday marks a special day as the holidays 
approach and&nbsp;people give to their favorite causes through charitable 
organizations. Scammers can take advantage of this by setting up fake 
charities to trick unsuspecting donors into providing not only money, 
but also their sensitive information.The Security Summit –– a coalition of state tax agencies, the 
nation's tax community and the IRS –– urged people to make sure they are
 giving to a legitimate charity. This can help protect taxpayer's 
personal and financial data and help prevent tax-related identity theft.Donors should always check to make sure they are giving to a 
legitimate charity and can easily do so by using a special IRS tool: the
 <a href="https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/search-for-tax-exempt-organizations">Tax Exempt Organization Search Tool</a>.This is Day 2 of National Tax Security Awareness Week, now in its 
sixth year. The IRS, state tax agencies and the nation's tax industry ––
 working together as the Security Summit –– are providing tips this week
 to help protect people against identity theft as well as help safeguard
 sensitive tax information that criminals can use to try filing fake tax
 returns and obtaining refunds.The special week includes special informational graphics and social 
media efforts on platforms including Twitter and Instagram through 
@IRSnews and #TaxSecurity.The combination of the holiday shopping season, the upcoming tax 
season and the pandemic create additional opportunities for criminals to
 steal sensitive information. People should take extra care while 
shopping online or viewing emails and texts.The Summit partners remind taxpayers to&nbsp;be on the lookout for 
scammers and identity thieves who set up fake organizations to take 
advantage of the public's generosity. Scammers take advantage of 
tragedies and disasters.Scams requesting donations for disaster relief efforts are especially
 common over the phone. Taxpayers should always check out a charity 
before they donate, and they should not feel pressured to give 
immediately.<h2>Tips to help taxpayers avoid fake charity scams:</h2><ul>
 <li>Individuals should never let any caller pressure them.
 A legitimate charity will be happy to get a donation at any time, so 
there's no rush. Donors are encouraged to take time to do their own 
research.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>Confirm the charity is real. Potential 
donors should ask the fundraiser for the charity's exact name, website 
and mailing address so they can confirm it later. Some dishonest 
telemarketers use names that sound like well-known charities to confuse 
people.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>Be careful about how a donation is made. 
Taxpayers shouldn't work with charities that ask for donations by giving
 numbers from a gift card or by wiring money. That's a scam. It's safest
 to pay by credit card or check –– and only after researching the 
charity.</li>
 </ul>Taxpayers who give money or goods to a charity may be able to 
claim a deduction on their federal tax return by reducing the amount of 
their taxable income. However, to receive a deduction, taxpayers must 
donate to a qualified charity. To check the status of a charity, they 
can use the IRS <a href="https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/tax-exempt-organization-search">Tax Exempt Organization Search</a>&nbsp;tool.The IRS, state tax agencies, the private sector tax industry, 
including tax professionals, work in partnership as the Security Summit 
to help protect taxpayers from identity theft and refund fraud. This is 
part of a week-long series of tips to raise awareness about identity 
theft. See <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/security-summit">IRS.gov/securitysummit</a> for more details.

IRS: Scammers using fake charities to take advantage of Giving Tuesday

TOPEKA –&nbsp;The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) is continuing to monitor&nbsp;the&nbsp;COVID-19 variant Omicron. No confirmed cases have been identified in Kansas&nbsp;or the United States&nbsp;to date, according to a media release from the agency.

<a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data">Click here for Data</a>&nbsp;about the COVID-19 vaccine.

<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional virus numbers from the KDHE.

This variant is&nbsp;new,&nbsp;and&nbsp;it is still unknown how transmissible&nbsp;or contagious this variant is.&nbsp;It is unclear how quickly it will spread,&nbsp;but&nbsp;it has been found in&nbsp;17&nbsp;countries already&nbsp;and&nbsp;we should assume that it&nbsp;is&nbsp;only&nbsp;a matter of time before it will be found in the United States. KDHE will continue to sequence positive COVID-19 samples to look for&nbsp;the Omicron variant.&nbsp;&nbsp;

With over 64% of the eligible population fully vaccinated, Kansas is more prepared for Omicron than previous variants.&nbsp;Experts continue to believe that the COVID-19 vaccine will continue to protect those who are vaccinated against severe disease and death.&nbsp;The COVID-19 vaccine is available for all individuals aged&nbsp;five years and over. The vaccine booster dose is available for all adults aged&nbsp;18 and over.&nbsp;Boosters increase the strength of your antibody response, so&nbsp;even if&nbsp;the virus mutates, a boost makes it more likely that your antibodies can&nbsp;prevent you from getting sick or seriously ill, even&nbsp;with&nbsp;the new variant. If you are six months past your second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or two months past your J&amp;J vaccine, get boosted now.&nbsp;

As we continue to learn more about the Omicron variant,&nbsp;taking steps to prevent the spread of&nbsp;the&nbsp;COVID-19 virus&nbsp;remains&nbsp;the same.&nbsp;Kansans should receive the COVID-19 vaccine or booster shot, wear a mask in public indoor settings, wash their hands frequently, physically distance from others as much as possible, stay home if they feel sick, and get tested if they have been exposed to COVID-19 disease or have symptoms.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1638148803210.png" alt="&nbsp;3D structure of spike with amino acid changes in Omicron -photo courtesy GISAID" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;3D structure of spike with amino acid changes in Omicron -photo courtesy GISAID</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA –&nbsp;The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) is continuing to monitor&nbsp;the&nbsp;COVID-19 variant Omicron. No confirmed cases have been identified in Kansas&nbsp;or the United States&nbsp;to date, according to a media release from the agency.<a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data">Click here for Data</a>&nbsp;about the COVID-19 vaccine.<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional virus numbers from the KDHE.This variant is&nbsp;new,&nbsp;and&nbsp;it is still unknown how transmissible&nbsp;or contagious this variant is.&nbsp;It is unclear how quickly it will spread,&nbsp;but&nbsp;it has been found in&nbsp;17&nbsp;countries already&nbsp;and&nbsp;we should assume that it&nbsp;is&nbsp;only&nbsp;a matter of time before it will be found in the United States. KDHE will continue to sequence positive COVID-19 samples to look for&nbsp;the Omicron variant.&nbsp;&nbsp;With over 64% of the eligible population fully vaccinated, Kansas is more prepared for Omicron than previous variants.&nbsp;Experts continue to believe that the COVID-19 vaccine will continue to protect those who are vaccinated against severe disease and death.&nbsp;The COVID-19 vaccine is available for all individuals aged&nbsp;five years and over. The vaccine booster dose is available for all adults aged&nbsp;18 and over.&nbsp;Boosters increase the strength of your antibody response, so&nbsp;even if&nbsp;the virus mutates, a boost makes it more likely that your antibodies can&nbsp;prevent you from getting sick or seriously ill, even&nbsp;with&nbsp;the new variant. If you are six months past your second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or two months past your J&amp;J vaccine, get boosted now.&nbsp;As we continue to learn more about the Omicron variant,&nbsp;taking steps to prevent the spread of&nbsp;the&nbsp;COVID-19 virus&nbsp;remains&nbsp;the same.&nbsp;Kansans should receive the COVID-19 vaccine or booster shot, wear a mask in public indoor settings, wash their hands frequently, physically distance from others as much as possible, stay home if they feel sick, and get tested if they have been exposed to COVID-19 disease or have symptoms.&nbsp;

KDHE: State more prepared for Omicron than Delta variant

BARTON COUNTY&nbsp;– A Texas woman has been sentenced to life without the possibility of parole on capital murder charges stemming from the deaths of Alfred “Sonny” Carpenter and Pauline Carpenter, both of Wichita&nbsp;who were working as vendors at the Barton County fair in July July 2018, according to&nbsp; Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt.

Kimberley Stacey Younger, 55, of Aransas Pass, Texas, was sentenced on one count of capital murder in Barton County District Court. Senior Judge James Fleetwood sentenced Younger an additional 245 months for one count of conspiracy to commit murder, one count of solicitation to commit murder and one count of theft. The sentences are to be served consecutively in a Kansas Department of Corrections facility. Because the State did not seek the death penalty in this case, the only authorized sentence was life without parole.

Younger’s sentence is for her role in connection with the July 2018 deaths of Alfred “Sonny” Carpenter and Pauline Carpenter, both of Wichita. Four other individuals have been convicted for their connection to the crimes.

Police in Arkansas alleged that a Kansas carnival worker posed as a member of a mafia group and ordered fellow workers to kill the couple as part of an initiation. Investigators have said a “carnival mafia” does not exist.

The case was investigated by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation and the Great Bend Police Department in Kansas, as well as the Van Buren Police Department, Crawford County (Arkansas) Sheriff’s Office, and the Arkansas State Police. Deputy Attorney General Vic Braden and Assistant Attorney General Jessica Domme of Schmidt’s office prosecuted the case

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1582210805867.png" alt="Police at the scene of the murder investigation near Van Buren Arkansas -photo courtesy KFSM TV" />
 <figcaption>Police at the scene of the murder investigation near Van Buren Arkansas -photo courtesy KFSM TV</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY&nbsp;– A Texas woman has been sentenced to life without the possibility of parole on capital murder charges stemming from the deaths of Alfred “Sonny” Carpenter and Pauline Carpenter, both of Wichita&nbsp;who were working as vendors at the Barton County fair in July July 2018, according to&nbsp; Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt.Kimberley Stacey Younger, 55, of Aransas Pass, Texas, was sentenced on one count of capital murder in Barton County District Court. Senior Judge James Fleetwood sentenced Younger an additional 245 months for one count of conspiracy to commit murder, one count of solicitation to commit murder and one count of theft. The sentences are to be served consecutively in a Kansas Department of Corrections facility. Because the State did not seek the death penalty in this case, the only authorized sentence was life without parole.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1582210167788.png" alt="Kimberly Younger photo Barton Co." />
 <figcaption>Kimberly Younger photo Barton Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Younger’s sentence is for her role in connection with the July 2018 deaths of Alfred “Sonny” Carpenter and Pauline Carpenter, both of Wichita. Four other individuals have been convicted for their connection to the crimes.Police in Arkansas alleged that a Kansas carnival worker posed as a member of a mafia group and ordered fellow workers to kill the couple as part of an initiation. Investigators have said a “carnival mafia” does not exist.The case was investigated by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation and the Great Bend Police Department in Kansas, as well as the Van Buren Police Department, Crawford County (Arkansas) Sheriff’s Office, and the Arkansas State Police. Deputy Attorney General Vic Braden and Assistant Attorney General Jessica Domme of Schmidt’s office prosecuted the case---------.

Woman sentenced for murder of couple working at Barton Co. fair

WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Monday rejected a request by Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt that his state’s National Guard be exempt from a Pentagon requirement that all military members be vaccinated against COVID-19.

Stitt, a Republican, had asked Austin in early November to suspend the mandate for members of the Oklahoma Guard. In his response denying the request, Austin laid out the Pentagon’s rationale for the mandate and noted potential consequences of Stitt’s stated intention to defy the requirement.

In his letter to Stitt, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press, Austin left open the question of how the vaccine requirement will be enforced and how far the Pentagon will go to force the issue. He did suggest that Guard troops who refuse the shots could lose their federal status, which could impact their pay and future benefits.

Austin wrote that all members of the Oklahoma Army and Air National Guard, “regardless of duty status,” must follow the directions of Army and Air Force service secretaries for COVID-19 vaccine compliance deadlines. “Failure to do so may lead to a prohibition on the member’s participation in drills and training” conducted under Title 32 of the U.S. Code, “and jeopardize the member’s status in the National Guard.”

The dispute is the first critical test of the military’s authority to require National Guard troops to get the shot, and it could lay the groundwork for legal battles with states that oppose the vaccine requirement.

So far, Stitt is the only governor to publicly challenge the military mandate.

In his Nov. 2 letter to Austin, Stitt wrote that the mandate “violates the personal freedoms of many Oklahomans, as it asks them to potentially sacrifice their personal beliefs in order to not lose their jobs.” He said the state needs its Guard members for storms and other weather emergencies, and he asserted that it would be “irresponsible for the federal government to place mandatory vaccine obligations on Oklahoma national guardsmen which could potentially limit the number of individuals that I can call upon to assist the state during an emergency.”

In his response, Austin wrote: “The concerns raised in your letter do not negate the need for this important military readiness requirement.”

Under orders from Stitt, the state’s adjutant general, Brig. Gen. Thomas Mancino, put out a memo telling his troops that they aren’t required to get the shot and “no negative administrative or legal action” would be taken against them if they refuse.

First to be impacted could be members of Oklahoma’s Air Guard, who have until Dec. 2 to get vaccinated under a deadline set by the Air Force. Lingering questions include whether unvaccinated Air Guard members reporting for their monthly drill in December or January will be required to get a shot, or be sent home or reassigned if they refuse.

Stitt’s spokeswoman, Carly Atchison, has said that about 89% of the state’s Air Guard — estimated at more than 2,000 troops — has been vaccinated. A military official said that the Air Guard rate is expected to reach about 95% by the December deadline. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss statistics not yet public.

Austin’s decision was widely expected, since the Pentagon has argued for months that the vaccine is critical to maintaining a ready force that can deploy on a moment’s notice to protect the nation. Defense leaders say that as defense chief, Austin can set medical requirements for the military, including the Guard and Reserve, and that governors don’t have the authority to relieve troops of those requirements.

Vaccines against a variety of diseases have long been required for troops, with some getting as many as 17 for deployments around the world. And defense officials warn that service members who refuse to comply will risk losing their National Guard jobs.

Still, the National Guard presents a unique case. When Guard troops are on state active duty, such as responding to local events, they report to the governor and are paid by the state. But during their monthly or annual training or when they are responding to larger disasters in the state, they are in what is called Title 32 status, and are controlled by the governor but funded by the federal government.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1630115953785.png" alt="Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin-photo Department of Defense" />
 <figcaption>Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin-photo Department of Defense</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Monday rejected a request by Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt that his state’s National Guard be exempt from a Pentagon requirement that all military members be vaccinated against COVID-19.Stitt, a Republican, had asked Austin in early November to suspend the mandate for members of the Oklahoma Guard. In his response denying the request, Austin laid out the Pentagon’s rationale for the mandate and noted potential consequences of Stitt’s stated intention to defy the requirement.In his letter to Stitt, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press, Austin left open the question of how the vaccine requirement will be enforced and how far the Pentagon will go to force the issue. He did suggest that Guard troops who refuse the shots could lose their federal status, which could impact their pay and future benefits.Austin wrote that all members of the Oklahoma Army and Air National Guard, “regardless of duty status,” must follow the directions of Army and Air Force service secretaries for COVID-19 vaccine compliance deadlines. “Failure to do so may lead to a prohibition on the member’s participation in drills and training” conducted under Title 32 of the U.S. Code, “and jeopardize the member’s status in the National Guard.”The dispute is the first critical test of the military’s authority to require National Guard troops to get the shot, and it could lay the groundwork for legal battles with states that oppose the vaccine requirement.So far, Stitt is the only governor to publicly challenge the military mandate.In his Nov. 2 letter to Austin, Stitt wrote that the mandate “violates the personal freedoms of many Oklahomans, as it asks them to potentially sacrifice their personal beliefs in order to not lose their jobs.” He said the state needs its Guard members for storms and other weather emergencies, and he asserted that it would be “irresponsible for the federal government to place mandatory vaccine obligations on Oklahoma national guardsmen which could potentially limit the number of individuals that I can call upon to assist the state during an emergency.”In his response, Austin wrote: “The concerns raised in your letter do not negate the need for this important military readiness requirement.”Under orders from Stitt, the state’s adjutant general, Brig. Gen. Thomas Mancino, put out a memo telling his troops that they aren’t required to get the shot and “no negative administrative or legal action” would be taken against them if they refuse.First to be impacted could be members of Oklahoma’s Air Guard, who have until Dec. 2 to get vaccinated under a deadline set by the Air Force. Lingering questions include whether unvaccinated Air Guard members reporting for their monthly drill in December or January will be required to get a shot, or be sent home or reassigned if they refuse.Stitt’s spokeswoman, Carly Atchison, has said that about 89% of the state’s Air Guard — estimated at more than 2,000 troops — has been vaccinated. A military official said that the Air Guard rate is expected to reach about 95% by the December deadline. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss statistics not yet public.Austin’s decision was widely expected, since the Pentagon has argued for months that the vaccine is critical to maintaining a ready force that can deploy on a moment’s notice to protect the nation. Defense leaders say that as defense chief, Austin can set medical requirements for the military, including the Guard and Reserve, and that governors don’t have the authority to relieve troops of those requirements.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1629972789785.png" alt="Photo courtesy U.S. Dept. of Defense" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy U.S. Dept. of Defense</figcaption>
 </figure>Vaccines against a variety of diseases have long been required for troops, with some getting as many as 17 for deployments around the world. And defense officials warn that service members who refuse to comply will risk losing their National Guard jobs.Still, the National Guard presents a unique case. When Guard troops are on state active duty, such as responding to local events, they report to the governor and are paid by the state. But during their monthly or annual training or when they are responding to larger disasters in the state, they are in what is called Title 32 status, and are controlled by the governor but funded by the federal government.The Guard can also be activated for federal duty, including for overseas deployments, under a different status, called Title 10, that treats them like active-duty troops, under federal control and funding.Retired Brig. Gen. J. Roy Robinson, president of the National Guard Association of the U.S., said in an interview that is it common for Guard soldiers to have gaps or delays in their annual or routine medical requirements. And he said they often will arrive for monthly drill or their annual two-week training needing various vaccines or medical and dental check-ups.Robinson, however, said he believes that until a service member is activated in Title 10 status, and is under the control of the federal government, the state retains any authority for enforcing requirements, such as the vaccine.According to Stitt’s office, more than 1,000 Army and Air Force Guard members, or about 13% of the state’s 8,200 troops, have indicated they won’t get the vaccine, according to an internal survey. Atchison added that about 40% of Oklahoma’s Army Guard members are vaccinated, but they have until next June to get their shots, under a deadline set by the Army.