KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man has been charged in the Nov. 18, 2023, fatal shooting of a man in Kansas City found by police behind a residence, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

Keylen Madge, 27,&nbsp; faces Murder 2nd Degree, Unlawful Use of a Weapon and two counts of Armed Criminal Action charges.

According to court records, Kansas City police officers were dispatched after residents reported hearing gunshots and persons screaming. Officers located a male victim behind the residence. Officers found a large gathering of people. Detectives reviewed surveillance video from more than one location showing the defendant and the victim.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701438625991.png" alt="Madge-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Madge-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man has been charged in the Nov. 18, 2023, fatal shooting of a man in Kansas City found by police behind a residence, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.Keylen Madge, 27,&nbsp; faces Murder 2nd Degree, Unlawful Use of a Weapon and two counts of Armed Criminal Action charges.According to court records, Kansas City police officers were dispatched after residents reported hearing gunshots and persons screaming. Officers located a male victim behind the residence. Officers found a large gathering of people. Detectives reviewed surveillance video from more than one location showing the defendant and the victim.&nbsp;

Surveillance video shows suspect and Kansas City murder victim

SEDGWICK —A man charged in connection to mass shooting that left 11 people injured at a Wichita nightclub made another court appearance last&nbsp; week.

Jaylen Thomas 23, waived his right to a preliminary hearing, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's offic

Thomas was the fourth suspect arrested&nbsp; in connection with the mass&nbsp; shooting in July at the City Nightz Club in Wichita's Old Town.

&nbsp;Thomas is charged with attempted 1st degree murder, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, and unlawful discharge of a firearm in a city, according to the District Attorney's office.

Prosecutors have also charged 19-year-old Ameir King-Ingram and&nbsp;27-year-old John D. Houze&nbsp; with aggravated battery, 6 counts of aggravated assault, 3 counts of criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, and unlawful discharge of a firearm in a city, according to the District Attorney.&nbsp; 

A Missouri man arrested in the case was not charged after the district attorney determined he was acting in self defense.

Just before 1a.m. July 2, police responded to the club in the 200 Block of North Washington, according to Police Lt. Aaron Moses.

There were nine people with gunshot wounds and two people were trampled during the mass exodus out of the club.&nbsp;&nbsp;No one was killed but one person was critically injured.&nbsp; Police originally arrested a Missouri man as a suspect.&nbsp;He was released from jail after the Sedgwick County District Attorney determined he was acting in self defense.

The investigation indicates there were at least four firearms discharged inside the club. Police&nbsp; also seized an additional four firearms as part of the investigation.

The shooting victims included a 21-year-old man, 26-year-old man, 24-year-old woman, 34-year-old man, 21-year-old woman, 30-year-old man, 24-year-old man. The traumatic injury victims were a 31-year-old woman and a 30-year-old man, according to Moses. Two additional gunshot victims checked into the hospital later Sunday.

Thomas remains free after meeting the requirements of a $500,000 bond. He is due back in court Dec. 21 to enter a plea to the charges.

The two&nbsp; other suspects have also waived their right to a preliminary hearing.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689162087966.png" alt="Thomas-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Thomas-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK —A man charged in connection to mass shooting that left 11 people injured at a Wichita nightclub made another court appearance last&nbsp; week.Jaylen Thomas 23, waived his right to a preliminary hearing, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's officThomas was the fourth suspect arrested&nbsp; in connection with the mass&nbsp; shooting in July at the City Nightz Club in Wichita's Old Town.&nbsp;Thomas is charged with attempted 1st degree murder, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, and unlawful discharge of a firearm in a city, according to the District Attorney's office.Prosecutors have also charged 19-year-old Ameir King-Ingram and&nbsp;27-year-old John D. Houze&nbsp; with aggravated battery, 6 counts of aggravated assault, 3 counts of criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, and unlawful discharge of a firearm in a city, according to the District Attorney.&nbsp; <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688300318332.png" alt="Police on the scene of the shooting investigation July 2, -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the shooting investigation July 2, -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>A Missouri man arrested in the case was not charged after the district attorney determined he was acting in self defense.Just before 1a.m. July 2, police responded to the club in the 200 Block of North Washington, according to Police Lt. Aaron Moses.There were nine people with gunshot wounds and two people were trampled during the mass exodus out of the club.&nbsp;&nbsp;No one was killed but one person was critically injured.&nbsp; Police originally arrested a Missouri man as a suspect.&nbsp;He was released from jail after the Sedgwick County District Attorney determined he was acting in self defense.The investigation indicates there were at least four firearms discharged inside the club. Police&nbsp; also seized an additional four firearms as part of the investigation.The shooting victims included a 21-year-old man, 26-year-old man, 24-year-old woman, 34-year-old man, 21-year-old woman, 30-year-old man, 24-year-old man. The traumatic injury victims were a 31-year-old woman and a 30-year-old man, according to Moses. Two additional gunshot victims checked into the hospital later Sunday.Thomas remains free after meeting the requirements of a $500,000 bond. He is due back in court Dec. 21 to enter a plea to the charges.The two&nbsp; other suspects have also waived their right to a preliminary hearing.

Kan. mass shooting suspect remains free on bond, returns to court

JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a violent attack at a Kansas home.

Just before 1p.m. Thursday, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and the Kansas Highway Patrol responded to 505 Highland Ave., in the City of Denison for what was reported as a violent domestic situation, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

 Jackson County EMS responded and provided medical aid to the victims.  The suspect was believed to have left the scene, armed with a knife prior to law enforcement’s arrival. 

 An area resident reported being the victim of the theft of a white Ford 2001 Super Duty pickup with a white Dodge bed trailer.  A Jackson County Sheriff’s Office drone pilot located the truck and trailer in a wooded area north of Denison.  The suspect, Jeffrey Linscott Baumann, 53, of Denison, was captured at a residence on 218th Road north of Denison shortly before 4: 30 P.M. Baumann is being held on requested charges of&nbsp; aggravated battery.Knowingly cause great bodily harm or disfigurement, Criminal threat, Interference with law enforement, Fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement and Criminal restraint.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701438838930.png" alt="Baumann-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Baumann-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a violent attack at a Kansas home.Just before 1p.m. Thursday, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and the Kansas Highway Patrol responded to 505 Highland Ave., in the City of Denison for what was reported as a violent domestic situation, according to Sheriff Tim Morse. Jackson County EMS responded and provided medical aid to the victims. The suspect was believed to have left the scene, armed with a knife prior to law enforcement’s arrival. An area resident reported being the victim of the theft of a white Ford 2001 Super Duty pickup with a white Dodge bed trailer. A Jackson County Sheriff’s Office drone pilot located the truck and trailer in a wooded area north of Denison. The suspect, Jeffrey Linscott Baumann, 53, of Denison, was captured at a residence on 218th Road north of Denison shortly before 4: 30 P.M. Baumann is being held on requested charges of&nbsp; aggravated battery.Knowingly cause great bodily harm or disfigurement, Criminal threat, Interference with law enforement, Fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement and Criminal restraint.

Drone locates Kan. domestic battery suspect, stolen pickup

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/elainepovich/">ELAINE S. POVICH</a>

In 2016, California Democratic state Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva sat with then-California Gov. Jerry Brown at an event where he signed baseball-type cards featuring the image of his dog, Colusa.

But many of the recipients of the cards couldn’t read his cursive signature, Quirk-Silva recalled, much to the Democratic governor’s dismay. “The governor asked me what I did” before becoming a legislator, she remembered. “I said I was a teacher, and he said, ‘You have to bring back cursive writing.’”

After seven years of trying, she finally succeeded.

Last month, the California legislature unanimously passed and Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law requiring the teaching of cursive or “joined italics” handwriting in grades one through six.

While grandparents’ sprawling handwriting on birthday cards or treasured family recipes may spring to mind when many younger people think of cursive, some educators today think it’s a skill worth reviving even — or maybe especially — in an age when most kids spend hours every day on their smartphones. But others think students already have too many subjects to master and that their fingers belong on keyboards.

Some California teachers already were teaching cursive, but not usually in underresourced schools, Quirk-Silva said in an interview.

She argued cursive is valuable to read historical documents, increases writing speed and has become a popular way for teachers to make sure students are not using artificial intelligence to craft their written work.

Teaching cursive in public schools waned after the Common Core standards, which most states adopted, didn’t include cursive in the recommended curriculum. Critics of cursive requirements say time in the classroom could be better spent on new skills such as coding and keyboarding. And Quirk-Silva recalled that some younger lawmakers called the looping writing style “old-fashioned.”

Supporters recently have had some success in bringing it back, pointing to studies that show a link between cursive and cognitive abilities, including helping with reading and writing disabilities such as dyslexia and dysgraphia.

In May,&nbsp;New Hampshire Republican Gov. Chris Sununu&nbsp;signed&nbsp;a bill requiring schools to teach cursive and multiplication tables.

More than 20 states have implemented state directives to teach cursive in the past decade or so, according to Connie Slone, founder of MyCursive.com, a company that provides cursive learning materials to teachers and schools.

A few others don’t require cursive, but instead encourage it without specific mandates, according to the Zaner-Bloser company, another cursive instructional vendor.

Critics of teaching cursive remain skeptical. There’s “not much evidence that cursive matters,” said Morgan Polikoff, an associate professor of education at the University of Southern California.

“If you are going to spend time on some indication of written communication, keyboarding skills are more important,” Polikoff said. “In the scheme of educational policies, I’m not sure there’s a single topic I care less about. We’ve fallen behind during COVID, we’re dealing with chronic absenteeism, student mental health is in crisis, and we’re spending time on cursive? That’s what we’re mandating?”

The Indiana legislature and governor this year changed a bill that would have required cursive, amending it so that it now only requires a study of the use of cursive in public schools. An education department report is due Dec. 1.

Over the past few years, cursive bills have been introduced but not taken up in several states, Slone said, including Colorado, Minnesota and Washington.

The late William Klemm, a neuroscience professor at Texas A&amp;M University, is widely cited by advocates for his article a decade ago in Psychology Today maintaining that learning cursive “is an important tool for cognitive development.” Cursive helps to train “the brain to learn ‘functional specialization’ — that is, the capacity for optimal efficiency,” he wrote.

A 2019&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6366728/">study</a>&nbsp;published by PLOS One and listed in the National Library of Medicine, found that “there is increasing evidence that mastering handwriting skills play an important role on academic achievement.”

And a 2020&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7399101/">study</a>&nbsp;from researchers in Norway made the direct connection between “writing by hand” and “synchronized activity” in a particular part of the brain “important for memory and for the encoding of new information and, therefore, provides the brain with optimal conditions for learning.” The study recommended that all forms of writing — printing, cursive and typing — be taught to strengthen “both cognitive development and learning efficiency.”

Suzanne McLeod, coordinator of educational leadership at Binghamton University, a state university of New York, said cursive developed into wide use during the quill pen-and-ink era before the 1800s. It was largely because quill pens tended to blot when they were lifted off the page, she said. That means centuries of historical documents are written in cursive, and historians have to be able to read it to do original research.

“Not to have an underpinning in basic cursive where the letters connect would mean that you would need remediation in that area,” she said. “You would find it absolutely unapproachable.”

In Michigan, Democratic&nbsp;state Rep. Brenda Carter&nbsp;this year&nbsp;succeeded in getting a bill through the&nbsp;state&nbsp;House&nbsp;that encouraged — though didn’t require — teaching cursive. There was virtually no opposition, she said. But the state Senate never took up the bill before adjourning.

Carter, who must leave the House after 2024 because of term limits, said she is seeking GOP&nbsp;backing for&nbsp;the measure and is encouraged because the state Department of Education&nbsp;supports it.

“Our young people are missing out on so much,” she said. “All of the founding documents are written in cursive. Where is our history if we can’t read this? Are we depriving future generations of our history?”

This article first appeared in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://stateline.org/2023/11/17/cursive-makes-a-comeback-by-law-in-public-schools/">Stateline</a>, which is part of States Newsroom network, as is the Nebraska Examiner. Stateline maintains editorial independence.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700923149797.png" alt=" A child in Florida practices cursive writing exercises at home. After nearly dying out, cursive is making a comeback in public schools, with more than 20 states requiring it so far. (Wilfredo Lee/The Associated Press)" />
 <figcaption> A child in Florida practices cursive writing exercises at home. After nearly dying out, cursive is making a comeback in public schools, with more than 20 states requiring it so far. (Wilfredo Lee/The Associated Press)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/elainepovich/">ELAINE S. POVICH</a>In 2016, California Democratic state Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva sat with then-California Gov. Jerry Brown at an event where he signed baseball-type cards featuring the image of his dog, Colusa.But many of the recipients of the cards couldn’t read his cursive signature, Quirk-Silva recalled, much to the Democratic governor’s dismay. “The governor asked me what I did” before becoming a legislator, she remembered. “I said I was a teacher, and he said, ‘You have to bring back cursive writing.’”After seven years of trying, she finally succeeded.Last month, the California legislature unanimously passed and Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law requiring the teaching of cursive or “joined italics” handwriting in grades one through six.While grandparents’ sprawling handwriting on birthday cards or treasured family recipes may spring to mind when many younger people think of cursive, some educators today think it’s a skill worth reviving even — or maybe especially — in an age when most kids spend hours every day on their smartphones. But others think students already have too many subjects to master and that their fingers belong on keyboards.Some California teachers already were teaching cursive, but not usually in underresourced schools, Quirk-Silva said in an interview.She argued cursive is valuable to read historical documents, increases writing speed and has become a popular way for teachers to make sure students are not using artificial intelligence to craft their written work.<h2>Dropped from Common Core</h2>Teaching cursive in public schools waned after the Common Core standards, which most states adopted, didn’t include cursive in the recommended curriculum. Critics of cursive requirements say time in the classroom could be better spent on new skills such as coding and keyboarding. And Quirk-Silva recalled that some younger lawmakers called the looping writing style “old-fashioned.”Supporters recently have had some success in bringing it back, pointing to studies that show a link between cursive and cognitive abilities, including helping with reading and writing disabilities such as dyslexia and dysgraphia.In May,&nbsp;New Hampshire Republican Gov. Chris Sununu&nbsp;signed&nbsp;a bill requiring schools to teach cursive and multiplication tables.More than 20 states have implemented state directives to teach cursive in the past decade or so, according to Connie Slone, founder of MyCursive.com, a company that provides cursive learning materials to teachers and schools.A few others don’t require cursive, but instead encourage it without specific mandates, according to the Zaner-Bloser company, another cursive instructional vendor.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700923223527.png" alt="This original rough draft of the Declaration of Independence, in Thomas Jefferson’s handwriting, is the kind of historic document some teachers say young people should know how to read. (Courtesy of the Library of Congress)" />
 <figcaption>This original rough draft of the Declaration of Independence, in Thomas Jefferson’s handwriting, is the kind of historic document some teachers say young people should know how to read. (Courtesy of the Library of Congress)</figcaption>
 </figure>Critics of teaching cursive remain skeptical. There’s “not much evidence that cursive matters,” said Morgan Polikoff, an associate professor of education at the University of Southern California.“If you are going to spend time on some indication of written communication, keyboarding skills are more important,” Polikoff said. “In the scheme of educational policies, I’m not sure there’s a single topic I care less about. We’ve fallen behind during COVID, we’re dealing with chronic absenteeism, student mental health is in crisis, and we’re spending time on cursive? That’s what we’re mandating?”The Indiana legislature and governor this year changed a bill that would have required cursive, amending it so that it now only requires a study of the use of cursive in public schools. An education department report is due Dec. 1.Over the past few years, cursive bills have been introduced but not taken up in several states, Slone said, including Colorado, Minnesota and Washington.The late William Klemm, a neuroscience professor at Texas A&amp;M University, is widely cited by advocates for his article a decade ago in Psychology Today maintaining that learning cursive “is an important tool for cognitive development.” Cursive helps to train “the brain to learn ‘functional specialization’ — that is, the capacity for optimal efficiency,” he wrote.A 2019&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6366728/">study</a>&nbsp;published by PLOS One and listed in the National Library of Medicine, found that “there is increasing evidence that mastering handwriting skills play an important role on academic achievement.”And a 2020&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7399101/">study</a>&nbsp;from researchers in Norway made the direct connection between “writing by hand” and “synchronized activity” in a particular part of the brain “important for memory and for the encoding of new information and, therefore, provides the brain with optimal conditions for learning.” The study recommended that all forms of writing — printing, cursive and typing — be taught to strengthen “both cognitive development and learning efficiency.”<h2>Quill pen-and-ink era</h2>Suzanne McLeod, coordinator of educational leadership at Binghamton University, a state university of New York, said cursive developed into wide use during the quill pen-and-ink era before the 1800s. It was largely because quill pens tended to blot when they were lifted off the page, she said. That means centuries of historical documents are written in cursive, and historians have to be able to read it to do original research.“Not to have an underpinning in basic cursive where the letters connect would mean that you would need remediation in that area,” she said. “You would find it absolutely unapproachable.”In Michigan, Democratic&nbsp;state Rep. Brenda Carter&nbsp;this year&nbsp;succeeded in getting a bill through the&nbsp;state&nbsp;House&nbsp;that encouraged — though didn’t require — teaching cursive. There was virtually no opposition, she said. But the state Senate never took up the bill before adjourning.Carter, who must leave the House after 2024 because of term limits, said she is seeking GOP&nbsp;backing for&nbsp;the measure and is encouraged because the state Department of Education&nbsp;supports it.“Our young people are missing out on so much,” she said. “All of the founding documents are written in cursive. Where is our history if we can’t read this? Are we depriving future generations of our history?”This article first appeared in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://stateline.org/2023/11/17/cursive-makes-a-comeback-by-law-in-public-schools/">Stateline</a>, which is part of States Newsroom network, as is the Nebraska Examiner. Stateline maintains editorial independence.

Cursive makes a comeback — by law — in public schools

BY:&nbsp;ARIANA FIGUEROA&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/30/u-s-judge-rules-insurers-dont-have-to-cover-many-free-preventive-health-services/">States Newsroom</a>

WASHINGTON — The U.S. House Thursday passed a bill to bar the use of public lands for temporary housing for migrants applying for asylum.

The bill,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/5283/cosponsors?s=4&amp;r=2&amp;q=%7B%22search%22%3A%22H.R.+5283%22%7D">H.R. 5283</a>, passed with a majority of Republicans in support,<a target="_blank" href="https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2023689?Page=2">&nbsp;224-203.&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;The GOP members from Kansas and Missouri supported the measure.

Six Democrats voted with Republicans: Reps. Henry Cuellar of Texas, Don Davis of North Carolina, Jared Golden of Maine, Vicente Gonzalez of Texas, Mary Peltola of Alaska and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington.

It’s dead on arrival in the U.S. Senate, where Democrats hold a slim majority, and many Democrats criticized the bill as a messaging tactic for the 2024 elections, where hard-line immigration policies are the cornerstone of the GOP platform.

The Senate is currently negotiating a $14 billion request from the White House for U.S. border security.

“The mission of the National Park Service is to conserve the natural and cultural resources for the enjoyment of future generations, not bail out the failed border policies of the Biden administration,” the chair of the House Committee on Natural Resources, Bruce Westerman of Arkansas, said during debate Wednesday.

The push for the bill comes after the Biden administration granted New York City officials’ request to build temporary housing and facilities for migrant families at Floyd Bennett Field in Southeastern Brooklyn.

The bill prohibits this type of action from land under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, or the Forest Service.

It also revokes a 2023 lease between the National Park Service and New York City to use portions of the Gateway National Recreation Area to provide housing for migrants.

The bill’s sponsor, Republican Rep. Nicole Malliotakis of New York, said that New York City’s decision to house migrant families on public land is “encouraging people to take that treacherous journey instead of applying (for asylum) from the next safe country.”

This is not the first time House Republicans have passed legislation in response to New York City’s handling of migrants in its city.

<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/07/20/public-schools-banned-from-sheltering-migrants-under-bill-passed-by-u-s-house/">In July, House Republicans passed a bill</a>&nbsp;to bar the use of public K-12 school facilities to provide shelter for migrants seeking asylum. That bill, which will also go nowhere in the Senate, was in response to a May decision by New York City officials to convert several current and former school gyms to temporarily house about 300 migrants.

The top Democrat on the House Committee on Natural Resources, Rep. Raúl Grijalva of Arizona, said the bill voted on Thursday to bar the use of public lands to temporarily house migrants was a “political stunt that will invite even more hateful anti-immigration rhetoric from the extreme MAGA wing of the Republican Party.”

During the House Rules Committee meeting on the public lands bill Tuesday, Republicans argued that the area used to house migrants at Floyd Bennett Field&nbsp; posed a danger to Americans who live nearby because there are single adult men in the temporary structures. However, a majority of migrants staying at Floyd Bennett Field are families.

About 500 people are currently living at Floyd Bennett Field for up to 60 days, but it can house up to 2,000 people,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nps.gov/aboutus/foia/upload/FINAL-Lease-Floyd-Bennet-Field-09-15-2023-2.pdf">according to the lease agreement</a>. As temperatures drop in New York City, there’s concern that the plastic tents will not be warm enough for those families,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.thecity.nyc/2023/11/22/floyd-bennett-field-shelter-families-cold/">THE CITY reported</a>.

Minnesota Republican Rep. Pete Stauber said the bill is needed because “Republicans are taking action to address our Southern border crisis, because the Biden administration has failed to do so.”

Democratic Rep. Chellie Pingree of Maine, said the bill does not help cities dealing with newly arrived migrants. She said a big issue is that because of the current asylum law, migrants have to wait six months before they are authorized to work.

Pingree advocated for her legislation, which would cut that waiting period to 30 days so that migrants aren’t spending six months relying “on social safety nets to survive.”

The Biden administration<a target="_blank" href="https://alabamareflector.com/2023/09/21/biden-administration-offers-temporary-protection-to-venezuelan-migrants/">&nbsp;recently redesignated the Temporary Protected Status&nbsp;</a>for nearly half a million Venezuelan nationals, which allows them to work in the U.S. The September decision came after multiple requests from cities that have struggled to house asylum seekers and calls from Democratic lawmakers to redesignate TPS for those Venezuelan nationals.

New Jersey Democratic Rep. Bob Menendez said that Republicans were vilifying families seeking refuge.

“This bill has no purpose other than to score cheap political points for House Republicans,” he said.

Republican Rep. Juan Ciscomani of Arizona, who came to the U.S. as an immigrant when he was a child and later became a naturalized citizen, argued that New York City’s decision would encourage migrants to make the long and dangerous journey to the U.S.

“This is no way to treat immigrants seeking asylum,” Ciscomani said.

House Republicans argued that national parks should be solely for the use of&nbsp; American citizens.

“Americans shouldn’t be denied access to national parks and lands paid for by their tax dollars because of this administration’s destructive immigration policies,” Rep. Jen Kiggans, Republican of Virginia, said.

However, national parks are not limited to use for only American citizens, as there is no citizenship requirement to enter a park and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.doi.gov/ocl/national-parks-visitation">millions of international visitors attend national parks each year.&nbsp;</a>

Republican Rep. Tom Tiffany of Wisconsin said that he was concerned about the damage that can be done to a national park by using it to temporarily house people.

He said he wants the bill passed to ensure that “the public lands we all cherish are not transformed into squatting grounds.”

Lawmakers voted on two amendments to the bill, one from Tennessee Republican Rep. Andy Ogles and another from New York Democratic Rep. Nydia Velázquez.

<a target="_blank" href="https://amendments-rules.house.gov/amendments/OGLES_326_xml231128114506785.pdf?_gl=1*mwhub4*_ga*MjA4NDA3MzkxNi4xNjk1MDQ0NzAx*_ga_N4RTJ5D08B*MTcwMTM1NTg5OC44LjEuMTcwMTM1NTkxNC4wLjAuMA..">The amendment</a>&nbsp;from Ogles would require the U.S. Department of Interior and U.S. Department of Agriculture to submit a report to Congress on the number of immigrants who were housed on federal lands.

“This amendment requires accountability,” Ogles said.

Grijalva said the amendment was unnecessary because the bill, if passed into law, would ban migrants from being temporarily housed on federal lands.

“It’s a permanent requirement for reporting on nothing, paid for by the taxpayer,” he said.

The other<a target="_blank" href="https://amendments-rules.house.gov/amendments/VELAZQ_059_xml231122114954056.pdf?_gl=1*brsgpl*_ga*MjA4NDA3MzkxNi4xNjk1MDQ0NzAx*_ga_N4RTJ5D08B*MTcwMTM1NTg5OC44LjEuMTcwMTM1NTk3NC4wLjAuMA..">&nbsp;amendment</a>, by Velázquez, would allow the U.S. Secretary of the Interior to provide housing for migrants under certain criteria.

They would include when the original state those migrants came to has transferred them to another state; the original state has funded that transportation; the original state has not given 48 hours of notice to the governor of the destination state; and if the original state failed to give those migrants accurate information on the conditions of the state they are being transferred to.

That amendment is in response to Republican governors, especially Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who have sent buses of migrants to cities such as New York, often without warning local officials.

Abbott has also&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.texastribune.org/2023/05/11/texas-abbott-migrant-buses-washington-kamala-harris-title-42/#:~:text=Abbott%27s%20office%20launched%20the%20controversial,given%20the%20option%20by%20officials.">sent buses to Washington, D.C.</a>, dropping off migrants, in the cold and without proper clothing, outside the residence of Vice President Kamala Harris, who has been tasked by Biden to address the root causes of migration along the Southern border.

The Velázquez amendment failed, 206 to 223.

BY:&nbsp;ARIANA FIGUEROA&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/30/u-s-judge-rules-insurers-dont-have-to-cover-many-free-preventive-health-services/">States Newsroom</a>WASHINGTON — The U.S. House Thursday passed a bill to bar the use of public lands for temporary housing for migrants applying for asylum.The bill,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/5283/cosponsors?s=4&amp;r=2&amp;q=%7B%22search%22%3A%22H.R.+5283%22%7D">H.R. 5283</a>, passed with a majority of Republicans in support,<a target="_blank" href="https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2023689?Page=2">&nbsp;224-203.&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;The GOP members from Kansas and Missouri supported the measure.Six Democrats voted with Republicans: Reps. Henry Cuellar of Texas, Don Davis of North Carolina, Jared Golden of Maine, Vicente Gonzalez of Texas, Mary Peltola of Alaska and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington.It’s dead on arrival in the U.S. Senate, where Democrats hold a slim majority, and many Democrats criticized the bill as a messaging tactic for the 2024 elections, where hard-line immigration policies are the cornerstone of the GOP platform.The Senate is currently negotiating a $14 billion request from the White House for U.S. border security.“The mission of the National Park Service is to conserve the natural and cultural resources for the enjoyment of future generations, not bail out the failed border policies of the Biden administration,” the chair of the House Committee on Natural Resources, Bruce Westerman of Arkansas, said during debate Wednesday.The push for the bill comes after the Biden administration granted New York City officials’ request to build temporary housing and facilities for migrant families at Floyd Bennett Field in Southeastern Brooklyn.The bill prohibits this type of action from land under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, or the Forest Service.It also revokes a 2023 lease between the National Park Service and New York City to use portions of the Gateway National Recreation Area to provide housing for migrants.The bill’s sponsor, Republican Rep. Nicole Malliotakis of New York, said that New York City’s decision to house migrant families on public land is “encouraging people to take that treacherous journey instead of applying (for asylum) from the next safe country.”<h2>Migrants in NYC</h2>This is not the first time House Republicans have passed legislation in response to New York City’s handling of migrants in its city.<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/07/20/public-schools-banned-from-sheltering-migrants-under-bill-passed-by-u-s-house/">In July, House Republicans passed a bill</a>&nbsp;to bar the use of public K-12 school facilities to provide shelter for migrants seeking asylum. That bill, which will also go nowhere in the Senate, was in response to a May decision by New York City officials to convert several current and former school gyms to temporarily house about 300 migrants.The top Democrat on the House Committee on Natural Resources, Rep. Raúl Grijalva of Arizona, said the bill voted on Thursday to bar the use of public lands to temporarily house migrants was a “political stunt that will invite even more hateful anti-immigration rhetoric from the extreme MAGA wing of the Republican Party.”During the House Rules Committee meeting on the public lands bill Tuesday, Republicans argued that the area used to house migrants at Floyd Bennett Field&nbsp; posed a danger to Americans who live nearby because there are single adult men in the temporary structures. However, a majority of migrants staying at Floyd Bennett Field are families.About 500 people are currently living at Floyd Bennett Field for up to 60 days, but it can house up to 2,000 people,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nps.gov/aboutus/foia/upload/FINAL-Lease-Floyd-Bennet-Field-09-15-2023-2.pdf">according to the lease agreement</a>. As temperatures drop in New York City, there’s concern that the plastic tents will not be warm enough for those families,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.thecity.nyc/2023/11/22/floyd-bennett-field-shelter-families-cold/">THE CITY reported</a>.Minnesota Republican Rep. Pete Stauber said the bill is needed because “Republicans are taking action to address our Southern border crisis, because the Biden administration has failed to do so.”Democratic Rep. Chellie Pingree of Maine, said the bill does not help cities dealing with newly arrived migrants. She said a big issue is that because of the current asylum law, migrants have to wait six months before they are authorized to work.Pingree advocated for her legislation, which would cut that waiting period to 30 days so that migrants aren’t spending six months relying “on social safety nets to survive.”The Biden administration<a target="_blank" href="https://alabamareflector.com/2023/09/21/biden-administration-offers-temporary-protection-to-venezuelan-migrants/">&nbsp;recently redesignated the Temporary Protected Status&nbsp;</a>for nearly half a million Venezuelan nationals, which allows them to work in the U.S. The September decision came after multiple requests from cities that have struggled to house asylum seekers and calls from Democratic lawmakers to redesignate TPS for those Venezuelan nationals.New Jersey Democratic Rep. Bob Menendez said that Republicans were vilifying families seeking refuge.“This bill has no purpose other than to score cheap political points for House Republicans,” he said.Republican Rep. Juan Ciscomani of Arizona, who came to the U.S. as an immigrant when he was a child and later became a naturalized citizen, argued that New York City’s decision would encourage migrants to make the long and dangerous journey to the U.S.“This is no way to treat immigrants seeking asylum,” Ciscomani said.<h2>National parks and citizens</h2>House Republicans argued that national parks should be solely for the use of&nbsp; American citizens.“Americans shouldn’t be denied access to national parks and lands paid for by their tax dollars because of this administration’s destructive immigration policies,” Rep. Jen Kiggans, Republican of Virginia, said.However, national parks are not limited to use for only American citizens, as there is no citizenship requirement to enter a park and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.doi.gov/ocl/national-parks-visitation">millions of international visitors attend national parks each year.&nbsp;</a>Republican Rep. Tom Tiffany of Wisconsin said that he was concerned about the damage that can be done to a national park by using it to temporarily house people.He said he wants the bill passed to ensure that “the public lands we all cherish are not transformed into squatting grounds.”<h2>Amendments considered</h2>Lawmakers voted on two amendments to the bill, one from Tennessee Republican Rep. Andy Ogles and another from New York Democratic Rep. Nydia Velázquez.<a target="_blank" href="https://amendments-rules.house.gov/amendments/OGLES_326_xml231128114506785.pdf?_gl=1*mwhub4*_ga*MjA4NDA3MzkxNi4xNjk1MDQ0NzAx*_ga_N4RTJ5D08B*MTcwMTM1NTg5OC44LjEuMTcwMTM1NTkxNC4wLjAuMA..">The amendment</a>&nbsp;from Ogles would require the U.S. Department of Interior and U.S. Department of Agriculture to submit a report to Congress on the number of immigrants who were housed on federal lands.“This amendment requires accountability,” Ogles said.Grijalva said the amendment was unnecessary because the bill, if passed into law, would ban migrants from being temporarily housed on federal lands.“It’s a permanent requirement for reporting on nothing, paid for by the taxpayer,” he said.The amendment passed by a voice vote.The other<a target="_blank" href="https://amendments-rules.house.gov/amendments/VELAZQ_059_xml231122114954056.pdf?_gl=1*brsgpl*_ga*MjA4NDA3MzkxNi4xNjk1MDQ0NzAx*_ga_N4RTJ5D08B*MTcwMTM1NTg5OC44LjEuMTcwMTM1NTk3NC4wLjAuMA..">&nbsp;amendment</a>, by Velázquez, would allow the U.S. Secretary of the Interior to provide housing for migrants under certain criteria.They would include when the original state those migrants came to has transferred them to another state; the original state has funded that transportation; the original state has not given 48 hours of notice to the governor of the destination state; and if the original state failed to give those migrants accurate information on the conditions of the state they are being transferred to.That amendment is in response to Republican governors, especially Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who have sent buses of migrants to cities such as New York, often without warning local officials.Abbott has also&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.texastribune.org/2023/05/11/texas-abbott-migrant-buses-washington-kamala-harris-title-42/#:~:text=Abbott%27s%20office%20launched%20the%20controversial,given%20the%20option%20by%20officials.">sent buses to Washington, D.C.</a>, dropping off migrants, in the cold and without proper clothing, outside the residence of Vice President Kamala Harris, who has been tasked by Biden to address the root causes of migration along the Southern border.The Velázquez amendment failed, 206 to 223.

U.S. House votes to bar use of public lands for housing migrants

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — An American warship and multiple commercial ships came under attack Sunday in the Red Sea, the Pentagon said.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/houthis">Yemen's Houthi rebels</a>&nbsp;later claimed attacks on two ships they described as being linked to Israel, but did not acknowledge targeting a U.S. Navy vessel.

The attack potentially marked a major escalation in a series of maritime attacks in the Mideast linked to the Israel-Hamas war.

“We’re aware of reports regarding attacks on the USS Carney and commercial vessels in the Red Sea and will provide information as it becomes available,” the Pentagon told The Associated Press.

The Carney is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. It remained unclear what damage, if any, the vessels sustained in the attacks.

The British military earlier said there had been a suspected drone attack and explosions in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/red-sea">the Red Sea</a>, without elaborating.

The Pentagon did not identify where it believed the fire came from. However, Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree claimed the attacks, saying the first vessel was hit by a missile and the second by a drone while in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait that links the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. He described the ships as allegedly ignoring warnings from Houthi officials prior to the attack.

Saree did not mention any U.S. warship being involved in the attack.

“The Yemeni armed forces continue to prevent Israeli ships from navigating the Red Sea (and Gulf of Aden) until the Israeli aggression against our steadfast brothers in the Gaza Strip stops,” Saree said. “The Yemeni armed forces renew their warning to all Israeli ships or those associated with Israelis that they will become a legitimate target if they violate what is stated in this statement.”

Saree identified the first vessel attacked as the Bahamas-flagged bulk carrier Unity Explorer, which is owned by a British firm that includes Dan David Ungar, who lives in Israel, as one of its officers. The second was a Panamanian-flagged container ship called Number 9, which is linked to Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement. Managers for the two vessels could not be immediately reached for comment.

Israeli media identified Ungar as being the son of Israeli shipping billionaire Abraham “Rami” Ungar.

The Houthis have been launching a series of attacks on vessels in the Red Sea, as well as launching drones and missiles targeting Israel amid the war.

A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence matters, said the attack began about 10 a.m. in Sanaa, Yemen, and had gone on for as much as five hours. Another U.S. official who similarly spoke on condition of anonymity for the same reason said the Carney had intercepted at least one drone during the attack.

Global shipping had increasingly been targeted as the Israel-Hamas war threatens to become a wider regional conflict — even as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-ceasefire-what-to-know-af1cfbc9dcaa1485ed7a9efaca7ec2b7">a truce briefly halted fighting</a>&nbsp;and Hamas exchanged hostages for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. However, the collapse of the truce and the resumption of punishing Israeli airstrikes and its ground offensive there had raised the risk of the seaborne attacks resuming.

Earlier in November, the Houthis&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-red-sea-ship-yemen-houthis-65b611ff878a411900037e7c9a8ee17b">seized a vehicle transport ship</a>&nbsp;also linked to Israel in the Red Sea off Yemen. The rebels still hold the vessel near the port city of Hodeida. Missiles also landed near another U.S. warship last week after it assisted a vessel linked to Israel that had briefly been seized by gunmen.

However, the Houthis had not directly targeted the Americans for some time, further raising the stakes in the growing maritime conflict. In 2016, the U.S. launched Tomahawk cruise missiles that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/events-general-news-united-states-presidential-election-f03b50ff873a471c88ebb1538c1e3dc9">destroyed three coastal radar sites</a>&nbsp;in Houthi-controlled territory to retaliate for missiles being fired at U.S. Navy ships at the time.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — An American warship and multiple commercial ships came under attack Sunday in the Red Sea, the Pentagon said.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/houthis">Yemen's Houthi rebels</a>&nbsp;later claimed attacks on two ships they described as being linked to Israel, but did not acknowledge targeting a U.S. Navy vessel.The attack potentially marked a major escalation in a series of maritime attacks in the Mideast linked to the Israel-Hamas war.“We’re aware of reports regarding attacks on the USS Carney and commercial vessels in the Red Sea and will provide information as it becomes available,” the Pentagon told The Associated Press.The Carney is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. It remained unclear what damage, if any, the vessels sustained in the attacks.The British military earlier said there had been a suspected drone attack and explosions in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/red-sea">the Red Sea</a>, without elaborating.The Pentagon did not identify where it believed the fire came from. However, Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree claimed the attacks, saying the first vessel was hit by a missile and the second by a drone while in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait that links the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. He described the ships as allegedly ignoring warnings from Houthi officials prior to the attack.Saree did not mention any U.S. warship being involved in the attack.“The Yemeni armed forces continue to prevent Israeli ships from navigating the Red Sea (and Gulf of Aden) until the Israeli aggression against our steadfast brothers in the Gaza Strip stops,” Saree said. “The Yemeni armed forces renew their warning to all Israeli ships or those associated with Israelis that they will become a legitimate target if they violate what is stated in this statement.”Saree identified the first vessel attacked as the Bahamas-flagged bulk carrier Unity Explorer, which is owned by a British firm that includes Dan David Ungar, who lives in Israel, as one of its officers. The second was a Panamanian-flagged container ship called Number 9, which is linked to Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement. Managers for the two vessels could not be immediately reached for comment.Israeli media identified Ungar as being the son of Israeli shipping billionaire Abraham “Rami” Ungar.The Houthis have been launching a series of attacks on vessels in the Red Sea, as well as launching drones and missiles targeting Israel amid the war.A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence matters, said the attack began about 10 a.m. in Sanaa, Yemen, and had gone on for as much as five hours. Another U.S. official who similarly spoke on condition of anonymity for the same reason said the Carney had intercepted at least one drone during the attack.Global shipping had increasingly been targeted as the Israel-Hamas war threatens to become a wider regional conflict — even as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-ceasefire-what-to-know-af1cfbc9dcaa1485ed7a9efaca7ec2b7">a truce briefly halted fighting</a>&nbsp;and Hamas exchanged hostages for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. However, the collapse of the truce and the resumption of punishing Israeli airstrikes and its ground offensive there had raised the risk of the seaborne attacks resuming.Earlier in November, the Houthis&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-red-sea-ship-yemen-houthis-65b611ff878a411900037e7c9a8ee17b">seized a vehicle transport ship</a>&nbsp;also linked to Israel in the Red Sea off Yemen. The rebels still hold the vessel near the port city of Hodeida. Missiles also landed near another U.S. warship last week after it assisted a vessel linked to Israel that had briefly been seized by gunmen.However, the Houthis had not directly targeted the Americans for some time, further raising the stakes in the growing maritime conflict. In 2016, the U.S. launched Tomahawk cruise missiles that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/events-general-news-united-states-presidential-election-f03b50ff873a471c88ebb1538c1e3dc9">destroyed three coastal radar sites</a>&nbsp;in Houthi-controlled territory to retaliate for missiles being fired at U.S. Navy ships at the time.

US warship, multiple commercial ships under attack in the Red Sea

NEW YORK (AP) — Flu is picking up steam while RSV lung infections that can hit kids and older people hard may be peaking, U.S. health officials said Friday.

COVID-19, though, continues to cause the most hospitalizations and deaths among respiratory illnesses — about 15,000 hospitalizations and about 1,000 deaths every week, said Dr. Mandy Cohen, head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The agency is also looking into reports of pneumonia outbreaks in children in two states, but Cohen said “there is no evidence" that they are due to anything unusual.

As for the flu season, seven states were reporting high levels of flu-like illnesses in early November. In a new CDC report on Friday, the agency said the tally was up to 11 states — mostly in the South and Southwest.

In the last month, RSV infections rose sharply in some parts of the country, nearly filling hospital emergency departments in Georgia, Texas and some other states. But "we think we’re near the peak of RSV season or will be in the next week or so," Cohen said.

RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus is a common cause of mild coldlike symptoms but it can be dangerous for infants and older people.

Cohen was asked about pneumonia cases in children reported in Massachusetts and in Warren County, Ohio, near Cincinnati. There are a number of possible causes of the lung infection, and it can be a complication of COVID-19, flu, or RSV.

In Ohio, health officials have reported 145 cases since August and most of the children recovered at home. The illnesses were caused by a variety of common viruses and bacteria, officials said.

Massachusetts health officials said there’s been a modest increase in pneumonia in kids but that it is appropriate for the season.

China recently had a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-respiratory-illnesses-who-ff6da613bf15d6848f12095b8e0d8fd1">surge in respiratory illnesses</a>&nbsp;which health officials there attributed to the flu and other customary causes.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701471467343.png" alt="CDC map" />
 <figcaption>CDC map</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Flu is picking up steam while RSV lung infections that can hit kids and older people hard may be peaking, U.S. health officials said Friday.COVID-19, though, continues to cause the most hospitalizations and deaths among respiratory illnesses — about 15,000 hospitalizations and about 1,000 deaths every week, said Dr. Mandy Cohen, head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.The agency is also looking into reports of pneumonia outbreaks in children in two states, but Cohen said “there is no evidence" that they are due to anything unusual.As for the flu season, seven states were reporting high levels of flu-like illnesses in early November. In a new CDC report on Friday, the agency said the tally was up to 11 states — mostly in the South and Southwest.In the last month, RSV infections rose sharply in some parts of the country, nearly filling hospital emergency departments in Georgia, Texas and some other states. But "we think we’re near the peak of RSV season or will be in the next week or so," Cohen said.RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus is a common cause of mild coldlike symptoms but it can be dangerous for infants and older people.Cohen was asked about pneumonia cases in children reported in Massachusetts and in Warren County, Ohio, near Cincinnati. There are a number of possible causes of the lung infection, and it can be a complication of COVID-19, flu, or RSV.In Ohio, health officials have reported 145 cases since August and most of the children recovered at home. The illnesses were caused by a variety of common viruses and bacteria, officials said.Massachusetts health officials said there’s been a modest increase in pneumonia in kids but that it is appropriate for the season.China recently had a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-respiratory-illnesses-who-ff6da613bf15d6848f12095b8e0d8fd1">surge in respiratory illnesses</a>&nbsp;which health officials there attributed to the flu and other customary causes.

Flu is on the rise while RSV infections may be peaking, US health officials say

TOKYO (AP) — A search continued Saturday for seven missing military personnel following the crash of an Osprey off the coast of southern Japan, and a body pulled from the ocean was formally identified.

Air Force Staff Sgt. Jacob Galliher of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, was formally identified by the the Air Force Special Operations Command on Saturday, after tributes had begun pouring in the day before.

His family issued a statement Saturday saying it was in mourning and asking for privacy and prayers for his wife, two children and other family members.

“Jacob was an incredible son, brother, husband, father and friend to so many. His short life touched and made better the lives of hundreds, if not thousands in Pittsfield, in this region and everywhere he served,” the family said. “Jacob lived to serve his family, his country and the people he loved.”

Galliher was the only crew member recovered while the others remained missing after the crash on Wednesday off Yakushima Island. Participants in the search operation Saturday included the U.S military, Japanese Self Defense Force, Coast Guard, law enforcement and civilian volunteers.

“We want to assure our air commandos’ families that our efforts will continue and include every possible capability at our disposal,” said Rear Adm. Jeromy Williams, Pacific commander for the Special Operations Command.

The cause of the crash, which occurred during a training mission, was under investigation.

U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command said the CV-22B Osprey was one of six deployed to Yokota Air Base, home to U.S. Forces Japan and the Fifth Air Force, and assigned to the 353rd Special Operations Wing.

The Osprey is a tilt-rotor aircraft that takes off and lands like a helicopter but can tilt its propellers horizontally to fly like an airplane while aloft. U.S. Osprey operations continued in Japan, but the remaining five Ospreys from the squadron involved in Wednesday’s crash weren’t flying, officials said Friday.

TOKYO (AP) — A search continued Saturday for seven missing military personnel following the crash of an Osprey off the coast of southern Japan, and a body pulled from the ocean was formally identified.Air Force Staff Sgt. Jacob Galliher of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, was formally identified by the the Air Force Special Operations Command on Saturday, after tributes had begun pouring in the day before.His family issued a statement Saturday saying it was in mourning and asking for privacy and prayers for his wife, two children and other family members.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FPittsfieldPolice%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0BvaGmgPeiZjkGG5bGr2VHxDeo1FuN93JavXpKbpoAvfnPQ1mfme5hvTjRPvVLBvNl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="775" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>“Jacob was an incredible son, brother, husband, father and friend to so many. His short life touched and made better the lives of hundreds, if not thousands in Pittsfield, in this region and everywhere he served,” the family said. “Jacob lived to serve his family, his country and the people he loved.”Galliher was the only crew member recovered while the others remained missing after the crash on Wednesday off Yakushima Island. Participants in the search operation Saturday included the U.S military, Japanese Self Defense Force, Coast Guard, law enforcement and civilian volunteers.“We want to assure our air commandos’ families that our efforts will continue and include every possible capability at our disposal,” said Rear Adm. Jeromy Williams, Pacific commander for the Special Operations Command.The cause of the crash, which occurred during a training mission, was under investigation.U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command said the CV-22B Osprey was one of six deployed to Yokota Air Base, home to U.S. Forces Japan and the Fifth Air Force, and assigned to the 353rd Special Operations Wing.The Osprey is a tilt-rotor aircraft that takes off and lands like a helicopter but can tilt its propellers horizontally to fly like an airplane while aloft. U.S. Osprey operations continued in Japan, but the remaining five Ospreys from the squadron involved in Wednesday’s crash weren’t flying, officials said Friday.

Remains of U.S. airman from Osprey crash identified, others remain missing

DALLAS —Over the last 30 years, Dr Pepper has awarded over $17.5M in tuition to deserving students. The company is giving away more than anticipated this year. The showdown for tuition at halftime of the Big 12 championship, where two contestants throw footballs into a massive Dr Pepper cans, had a double overtime finish and ultimately a shootout.&nbsp;

It didn't end there. A few hours later Dr. Pepper announced that an on-field technical error was responsible for officials incorrectly breaking the tie. Anyone who knows how to count and was watching probably saw the mistake.&nbsp;

Dr. Pepper decided to give both finalists, Gavin from Ohio State and Ryan from Penn, the $100,000 tuition prize.&nbsp;

DALLAS —Over the last 30 years, Dr Pepper has awarded over $17.5M in tuition to deserving students. The company is giving away more than anticipated this year. The showdown for tuition at halftime of the Big 12 championship, where two contestants throw footballs into a massive Dr Pepper cans, had a double overtime finish and ultimately a shootout.&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The Dr. Pepper Tuition Giveaway (chest pass) contest went to DOUBLE OVERTIME at the Big 12 Championship. 🏈🚨🚨 <a href="https://t.co/2vo0DZOVla">pic.twitter.com/2vo0DZOVla</a>&mdash; Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) <a href="https://twitter.com/awfulannouncing/status/1731031297806713275?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 2, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>It didn't end there. A few hours later Dr. Pepper announced that an on-field technical error was responsible for officials incorrectly breaking the tie. Anyone who knows how to count and was watching probably saw the mistake.&nbsp;Dr. Pepper decided to give both finalists, Gavin from Ohio State and Ryan from Penn, the $100,000 tuition prize.&nbsp;

🎥: Dr. Pepper tuition giveaway ends in double OT controversy

WASHINGTON — Aircraft from the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) Carrier Air Wing intercepted an Iranian Mohajer-6 Surveillance and Attack Drone Saturday, according to a statement of U.S. Central Command.

The drone was Operating in an “Unsafe and Unprofessional Manner” near Carrier Strike Group 2 (CSG-2) in the Persian Gulf; there was no damage to ships or crew during the Interception.

A U.S. Navy warship sailing near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait shot down a drone launched from Yemen on Wednesday, the U.S. military said, in the latest in a string of threats from Iranian-backed Houthi rebels.

U.S. Central Command said the USS Carney, a Navy destroyer, downed the drone — an Iranian-made KAS-04 — which was launched from a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen and was heading toward the warship.

The ship was operating in the the southern Red Sea and was moving toward the strait. At the time of the morning shootdown, the Carney was escorting the USNS Supply, a Military Sealift Command fast combat supply ship, as well as another U.S. flagged and crewed ship carrying military equipment to the region. There were no injuries to U.S. personnel and no damage to the ships, the command said in a statement.

The shootdown came a day after a Iranian drone flew within 1,500 yards (1,370 meters) of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier as it was conducting flight operations in international waters.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701554833967.png" alt="Photo U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>Photo U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON — Aircraft from the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) Carrier Air Wing intercepted an Iranian Mohajer-6 Surveillance and Attack Drone Saturday, according to a statement of U.S. Central Command.The drone was Operating in an “Unsafe and Unprofessional Manner” near Carrier Strike Group 2 (CSG-2) in the Persian Gulf; there was no damage to ships or crew during the Interception.A U.S. Navy warship sailing near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait shot down a drone launched from Yemen on Wednesday, the U.S. military said, in the latest in a string of threats from Iranian-backed Houthi rebels.U.S. Central Command said the USS Carney, a Navy destroyer, downed the drone — an Iranian-made KAS-04 — which was launched from a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen and was heading toward the warship.The ship was operating in the the southern Red Sea and was moving toward the strait. At the time of the morning shootdown, the Carney was escorting the USNS Supply, a Military Sealift Command fast combat supply ship, as well as another U.S. flagged and crewed ship carrying military equipment to the region. There were no injuries to U.S. personnel and no damage to the ships, the command said in a statement.The shootdown came a day after a Iranian drone flew within 1,500 yards (1,370 meters) of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier as it was conducting flight operations in international waters.

US carrier group in Mideast intercepts Iranian-produced drone

SHAWNEE COUNTY– Law enforcement authorities are investigating a registered sex offender on new allegations.

This week, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office’s Criminal Investigations Division conducted an investigation into child sex crimes and made an arrest.

Deputies took 54-year-old&nbsp; Craig Melvin Wilson Jr. into custody on requested charges of Aggravated Indecent Liberties with a Child and an Offender Registration Violation, according to Sheriff's Lt. Scott Wanamaker.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701364633603.png" alt="Wilson-photo KBI offender registry" />
 <figcaption>Wilson-photo KBI offender registry</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY– Law enforcement authorities are investigating a registered sex offender on new allegations.This week, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office’s Criminal Investigations Division conducted an investigation into child sex crimes and made an arrest.Deputies took 54-year-old&nbsp; Craig Melvin Wilson Jr. into custody on requested charges of Aggravated Indecent Liberties with a Child and an Offender Registration Violation, according to Sheriff's Lt. Scott Wanamaker.

Kansas sex offender accused of new child sex crimes

KANSAS CITY –A&nbsp; judge sentenced a Kansas City man this week to 25 years in state prison for the fatal shooting of a Kansas City man in June 2022, as well as the wounding of a female victim, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

Andrew Young, 30, pleaded guilty earlier this year to Murder 2nd Degree, Assault in the 1st Degree and two counts of Armed Criminal Action. As part of a plea agreement, the defendant was sentenced to 22 years on the Murder 2nd Degree and Assault convictions, while three more years were added for the Armed Criminal Action convictions. The total sentence was 25 years.&nbsp;

According to court records, Kansas City police officers responded to the 4500 block of Colonial Terrace on a reported shooting. A woman victim told them she had been struck by gunfire and officers found a second victim deceased in the residence. 

The woman stated the deceased victim had been involved in a car deal with a man who arrived at the residence and fired shots at both, wounding the woman and fatally wounding the man.

 While at the residence, the defendant drank a beer, which detectives were able to connect to the defendant through DNA. Phone records and the defendant himself subsequently confirmed that the two were communicating about selling a car.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701192565939.png" alt="Young-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Young-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY –A&nbsp; judge sentenced a Kansas City man this week to 25 years in state prison for the fatal shooting of a Kansas City man in June 2022, as well as the wounding of a female victim, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.Andrew Young, 30, pleaded guilty earlier this year to Murder 2nd Degree, Assault in the 1st Degree and two counts of Armed Criminal Action. As part of a plea agreement, the defendant was sentenced to 22 years on the Murder 2nd Degree and Assault convictions, while three more years were added for the Armed Criminal Action convictions. The total sentence was 25 years.&nbsp;According to court records, Kansas City police officers responded to the 4500 block of Colonial Terrace on a reported shooting. A woman victim told them she had been struck by gunfire and officers found a second victim deceased in the residence. The woman stated the deceased victim had been involved in a car deal with a man who arrived at the residence and fired shots at both, wounding the woman and fatally wounding the man. While at the residence, the defendant drank a beer, which detectives were able to connect to the defendant through DNA. Phone records and the defendant himself subsequently confirmed that the two were communicating about selling a car.

Kansas City man sentenced for killing over car deal

WICHITA —A federal grand jury in Wichita&nbsp;returned an indictment charging two men with drug crimes.

According to court documents, Omar Cebreros, 42 and Mario Ahumada-Adame, 32, both of Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico, were indicted on two counts of possession with the intent to distribute cocaine, two counts of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and two counts of possession with intention to distribute methamphetamine.

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Kansas Highway Patrol are investigating the case.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701287865847.png" alt="Cebreros-photo Butler Co." />
 <figcaption>Cebreros-photo Butler Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA —A federal grand jury in Wichita&nbsp;returned an indictment charging two men with drug crimes.According to court documents, Omar Cebreros, 42 and Mario Ahumada-Adame, 32, both of Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico, were indicted on two counts of possession with the intent to distribute cocaine, two counts of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and two counts of possession with intention to distribute methamphetamine.The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Kansas Highway Patrol are investigating the case.

2 from Mexico accused of selling fentanyl, cocaine in Kansas

By&nbsp;RACHEL MIPRO&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — A leading Kansas civil rights organization says an estimated 30,000 people living in the state should be informed they have the right to vote.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas launched a campaign to reach out to Kansans with felony records and encourage them to register to vote and to participate in local, state and national elections.

“Many Kansans don’t know their voting rights have been restored after they complete probation or parole, but the law is clear that they have the right to vote,” said Micah Kubic, executive director of the ACLU of Kansas. “We invite everyone in our state, including and especially election and corrections officials, to join us in this work to inform our fellow Kansans when they are eligible and how to register to vote.”

Kansas has more stringent voting restrictions than about half of the country, the ACLU said. In&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/felon-voting-rights">more than 20 states</a>, including Indiana and Ohio, voting rights are only restricted while the person is incarcerated. In Maine, Vermont and Washington, D.C., people never lose the right to vote, even while in prison or jail.&nbsp;

In Kansan, individuals who complete their sentences and fulfill their incarceration and supervised release requirements — which can sometimes be a long and arduous process— have voting rights restored&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ksrevisor.org/statutes/chapters/ch22/022_037_0022.html">under statute</a>.

Eliza Barr, executive director of Reaching Out from Within, an organization focused on rehabilitation and healing for people involved in the corrections system, said felony disenfranchisement laws are rooted in racism.&nbsp; In a statement announcing the voting rights campaign in Kansas, Barr said the justice system disproportionately targets Black people, people of color and poorer citizens.&nbsp;

“Withholding access to vote – even if that’s just through voter confusion or lack of clarity – still prolongs punishment against those who have already served their sentence,” Barr said. “When Kansans have had their voting rights restored, we should be enthusiastically empowering them to register to vote if they wish to.”

“Anything short of proactively including system-impacted Kansans in the voting process contradicts what it means for us to be the Free State,” Barr said.&nbsp;

The ACLU’s current goal is to register a minimum of 2,400 eligible voters in Kansas.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701356450030.png" alt="Thousands of Kansans with felony records are eligible to vote, according to the ACLU of Kansas. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Thousands of Kansans with felony records are eligible to vote, according to the ACLU of Kansas. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;RACHEL MIPRO&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — A leading Kansas civil rights organization says an estimated 30,000 people living in the state should be informed they have the right to vote.The American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas launched a campaign to reach out to Kansans with felony records and encourage them to register to vote and to participate in local, state and national elections.“Many Kansans don’t know their voting rights have been restored after they complete probation or parole, but the law is clear that they have the right to vote,” said Micah Kubic, executive director of the ACLU of Kansas. “We invite everyone in our state, including and especially election and corrections officials, to join us in this work to inform our fellow Kansans when they are eligible and how to register to vote.”Kansas has more stringent voting restrictions than about half of the country, the ACLU said. In&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/felon-voting-rights">more than 20 states</a>, including Indiana and Ohio, voting rights are only restricted while the person is incarcerated. In Maine, Vermont and Washington, D.C., people never lose the right to vote, even while in prison or jail.&nbsp;In Kansan, individuals who complete their sentences and fulfill their incarceration and supervised release requirements — which can sometimes be a long and arduous process— have voting rights restored&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ksrevisor.org/statutes/chapters/ch22/022_037_0022.html">under statute</a>.Eliza Barr, executive director of Reaching Out from Within, an organization focused on rehabilitation and healing for people involved in the corrections system, said felony disenfranchisement laws are rooted in racism.&nbsp; In a statement announcing the voting rights campaign in Kansas, Barr said the justice system disproportionately targets Black people, people of color and poorer citizens.&nbsp;“Withholding access to vote – even if that’s just through voter confusion or lack of clarity – still prolongs punishment against those who have already served their sentence,” Barr said. “When Kansans have had their voting rights restored, we should be enthusiastically empowering them to register to vote if they wish to.”“Anything short of proactively including system-impacted Kansans in the voting process contradicts what it means for us to be the Free State,” Barr said.&nbsp;The ACLU’s current goal is to register a minimum of 2,400 eligible voters in Kansas.&nbsp;

ACLU launches effort to inform Kansans with felony records of their voting rights

SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas felon accused in a Thanksgiving week fatal crash made his first court appearance this week.

<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=150467">Dalton Huffman,</a> 30, was charged&nbsp;with&nbsp;involuntary manslaughter, leaving the scene of an accident and driving while suspended, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Just after 10p.m. November 22, a pickup driven by Huffman was southbound near Central and Ridge Road in Wichita, according to police. The pickup collided with a northbound vehicle driven by 24-year-old Anastasia Carter of Wichita.

EMS transported both drivers to an area hospital where Carter was pronounced deceased. Huffman was treated for non-life-threatening injuries and booked into jail on Thanksgiving.&nbsp;

&nbsp;Huffman has a previous conviction for drug possession in Ford County, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections. He is being held jailed on $250,000 bond, according to the district attorney's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701194075344.png" alt="Huffman-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Huffman-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas felon accused in a Thanksgiving week fatal crash made his first court appearance this week.<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=150467">Dalton Huffman,</a> 30, was charged&nbsp;with&nbsp;involuntary manslaughter, leaving the scene of an accident and driving while suspended, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.Just after 10p.m. November 22, a pickup driven by Huffman was southbound near Central and Ridge Road in Wichita, according to police. The pickup collided with a northbound vehicle driven by 24-year-old Anastasia Carter of Wichita.EMS transported both drivers to an area hospital where Carter was pronounced deceased. Huffman was treated for non-life-threatening injuries and booked into jail on Thanksgiving.&nbsp;&nbsp;Huffman has a previous conviction for drug possession in Ford County, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections. He is being held jailed on $250,000 bond, according to the district attorney's office.

Kan. felon makes court appearance for crash that killed woman

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. life expectancy rose last year — by more than a year — but still isn't close to what it was before the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2022 rise was mainly due to the waning pandemic, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention researchers&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/vsrr/vsrr031.pdf">said Wednesday</a>. But even with the large increase, U.S. life expectancy is only back to 77 years, 6 months — about what it was two decades ago.

Life expectancy is an estimate of the average number of years a baby born in a given year might expect to live, assuming the death rates at that time hold constant. The snapshot statistic is considered one of the most important measures of the health of the U.S. population. The 2022 calculations released Wednesday are provisional, and could change a little as the math is finalized.

For decades, U.S. life expectancy rose a little nearly every year. But about a decade ago, the trend flattened and even declined some years — a stall blamed largely on overdose deaths and suicides.

Then came the coronavirus, which has killed&nbsp;<a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#datatracker-home">more than 1.1 million people</a>&nbsp;in the U.S. since early 2020. The measure of American longevity plunged, dropping from 78 years, 10 months in 2019 to 77 years in 2020, and then to 76 years, 5 months in 2021.

“We basically have lost 20 years of gains,” said the CDC’s Elizabeth Arias.

A decline in COVID-19 deaths drove 2022’s improvement.

In 2021, COVID was the nation's third leading cause of death (after heart disease and cancer). Last year, it fell to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/72/wr/mm7218a3.htm">fourth leading cause</a>. With more than a month left in the current year, preliminary data suggests COVID-19 could end up being the ninth or 10th leading cause of death in 2023.

But the U.S. is battling other issues, including drug overdose deaths and suicides.

The number of U.S. suicides reached an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/suicides-record-2022-guns-48511d74deb24d933e66cec1b6f2d545">all-time high</a>&nbsp;last year, and the national suicide rate was the highest seen since 1941, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/vsrr/vsrr034.pdf">a second CDC report</a>&nbsp;released Wednesday.

Drug overdose deaths in the U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-overdose-deaths-cdc-3c3848da5f8aa01d7b9f232ba5a34152">went up slightly</a>&nbsp;last year after two big leaps at the beginning of the pandemic. And through the first six months of this year, the estimated overdose death toll&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/drug-overdose-data.htm">continued to inch up</a>.

U.S. life expectancy also continues to be lower than that of dozens of other countries. It also didn't rebound as quickly as it did in other places, including France, Italy, Spain and Sweden.

Steven Woolf, a mortality researcher at Virginia Commonwealth University, said he expects the U.S. to eventually get back to the pre-pandemic life expectancy.

But “what I’m trying to say is: That is not a great place to be,” he added.

Some other highlights from the new report:

— Life expectancy increased for both men and women, and for every racial and ethnic group.

— The decline in COVID-19 deaths drove 84% of the increase in life expectancy. The next largest contributor was a decline in heart disease deaths, credited with about 4% of the increase. But experts note that heart disease deaths increased during COVID-19, and both factored into many pandemic-era deaths.

— Changes in life expectancy varied by race and ethnicity. Hispanic Americans and American Indians and Alaska Natives saw life expectancy rise more than two years in 2022. Black life expectancy rose more than 1 1/2 years. Asian American life expectancy rose one year and white life expectancy rose about 10 months.

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. life expectancy rose last year — by more than a year — but still isn't close to what it was before the COVID-19 pandemic.The 2022 rise was mainly due to the waning pandemic, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention researchers&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/vsrr/vsrr031.pdf">said Wednesday</a>. But even with the large increase, U.S. life expectancy is only back to 77 years, 6 months — about what it was two decades ago.Life expectancy is an estimate of the average number of years a baby born in a given year might expect to live, assuming the death rates at that time hold constant. The snapshot statistic is considered one of the most important measures of the health of the U.S. population. The 2022 calculations released Wednesday are provisional, and could change a little as the math is finalized.For decades, U.S. life expectancy rose a little nearly every year. But about a decade ago, the trend flattened and even declined some years — a stall blamed largely on overdose deaths and suicides.Then came the coronavirus, which has killed&nbsp;<a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#datatracker-home">more than 1.1 million people</a>&nbsp;in the U.S. since early 2020. The measure of American longevity plunged, dropping from 78 years, 10 months in 2019 to 77 years in 2020, and then to 76 years, 5 months in 2021.“We basically have lost 20 years of gains,” said the CDC’s Elizabeth Arias.A decline in COVID-19 deaths drove 2022’s improvement.In 2021, COVID was the nation's third leading cause of death (after heart disease and cancer). Last year, it fell to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/72/wr/mm7218a3.htm">fourth leading cause</a>. With more than a month left in the current year, preliminary data suggests COVID-19 could end up being the ninth or 10th leading cause of death in 2023.But the U.S. is battling other issues, including drug overdose deaths and suicides.The number of U.S. suicides reached an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/suicides-record-2022-guns-48511d74deb24d933e66cec1b6f2d545">all-time high</a>&nbsp;last year, and the national suicide rate was the highest seen since 1941, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/vsrr/vsrr034.pdf">a second CDC report</a>&nbsp;released Wednesday.Drug overdose deaths in the U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-overdose-deaths-cdc-3c3848da5f8aa01d7b9f232ba5a34152">went up slightly</a>&nbsp;last year after two big leaps at the beginning of the pandemic. And through the first six months of this year, the estimated overdose death toll&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/drug-overdose-data.htm">continued to inch up</a>.U.S. life expectancy also continues to be lower than that of dozens of other countries. It also didn't rebound as quickly as it did in other places, including France, Italy, Spain and Sweden.Steven Woolf, a mortality researcher at Virginia Commonwealth University, said he expects the U.S. to eventually get back to the pre-pandemic life expectancy.But “what I’m trying to say is: That is not a great place to be,” he added.Some other highlights from the new report:— Life expectancy increased for both men and women, and for every racial and ethnic group.— The decline in COVID-19 deaths drove 84% of the increase in life expectancy. The next largest contributor was a decline in heart disease deaths, credited with about 4% of the increase. But experts note that heart disease deaths increased during COVID-19, and both factored into many pandemic-era deaths.— Changes in life expectancy varied by race and ethnicity. Hispanic Americans and American Indians and Alaska Natives saw life expectancy rise more than two years in 2022. Black life expectancy rose more than 1 1/2 years. Asian American life expectancy rose one year and white life expectancy rose about 10 months.But the changes are relative, because Hispanic Americans and Native Americans were hit harder at the beginning of COVID-19. Hispanic life expectancy dropped more than four years between 2019 and 2021, and Native American life expectancy fell more than six years.