WICHITA (AP) —Two Kansas high schools are investigating after students at one school reportedly yelled racist and offensive taunts at the other school's basketball team.

Topeka High School's team was subjected to “racial slurs, threats and disgusting taunts,” during a game on Saturday with Valley Center High School, Coach Geo Lyons said in a Change.org petition. He also said Valley Center students used a Black baby doll to taunt his team during the game.

Lyons has started a petition asking that Valley Center High School fans be removed from sporting events.

Lyons told KSN-TV that his son was shooting a free throw when the Valley Center student section chanted an expletive. He also alleged that racial epithets were used and his team was told they were going to be hanged.

"I had a down locker room, I’m talking about tears were flowing in that locker room,” Lyons said.

Valley Center officials issued an apology Monday to Topeka High School for “inappropriate language and behavior” by students during the game.

The district said in a statement that Topeka and Valley Center officials spent much of the weekend studying videos and interviewing people in attendance. As of Tuesday, the officials had not found evidence of specifically racist taunts but Valley Center acknowledged that students acted inappropriately.

It said students who chanted the expletive at the Topeka student were immediately removed and Valley Center officials worked to prevent any other negative interactions when the game ended.

The Black baby doll was part of a class assignment that requires students to “parent” the baby for a few days, the district said. It was not brought to the game intentionally to taunt Topeka High School but “without context, seeing the baby and images of the ‘baby’ caused hurt and concern to many, and for that we are very sorry,” the statement said.

Valley Center Superintendent Cory Gibson had a “fruitful” conversation about the incident with representatives of the NAACP on Tuesday, spokeswoman Amy Pavlacka said. Gibson and Valley Center High School Principal Bruce Lolling also visited with patrons from both cities to discuss the situation.

“As a district, we sent a letter to all VCHS families and students explaining there would be follow-up consequences for those students involved, and that we, as a community, should learn and grow from this experience,” the statement said.

On Tuesday, Valley Center called off school for Wednesday, Dec. 7 as a result of threats. "Out of an abundance of caution for all of our students and staff and after consulting with local law enforcement, all USD 262 buildings and schools will be closed, and all activities will be canceled, according to a statement sent from Dr. Gibson."&nbsp; 

"Staff members are not to report to work unless specifically requested by their supervisor.&nbsp;The difficult decision to close our schools was a result of online threats received by our district this evening. Law enforcement is investigating these threats."

Topeka schools Superintendent Tiffany Anderson said in a letter to district patrons that the incident has been reported to the Kansas State High School Activities Association.

She said the Topeka district appreciated Valley Center's apology but they hope the district will take appropriate steps to address what occurred with those involved.

“I am so grateful for our coaches, principal (Rebecca) Morrisey and the mighty Trojans at Topeka High who modeled the conduct we expect from our students and we hope that it sets the example of what excellence looks like for others to learn from moving forward,” Anderson wrote.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670380837123.png" alt="Image from Saturday's game courtesy Valley Center High School YouTube" />
 <figcaption>Image from Saturday's game courtesy Valley Center High School YouTube</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA (AP) —Two Kansas high schools are investigating after students at one school reportedly yelled racist and offensive taunts at the other school's basketball team.Topeka High School's team was subjected to “racial slurs, threats and disgusting taunts,” during a game on Saturday with Valley Center High School, Coach Geo Lyons said in a Change.org petition. He also said Valley Center students used a Black baby doll to taunt his team during the game.Lyons has started a petition asking that Valley Center High School fans be removed from sporting events.Lyons told KSN-TV that his son was shooting a free throw when the Valley Center student section chanted an expletive. He also alleged that racial epithets were used and his team was told they were going to be hanged."I had a down locker room, I’m talking about tears were flowing in that locker room,” Lyons said.Valley Center officials issued an apology Monday to Topeka High School for “inappropriate language and behavior” by students during the game.The district said in a statement that Topeka and Valley Center officials spent much of the weekend studying videos and interviewing people in attendance. As of Tuesday, the officials had not found evidence of specifically racist taunts but Valley Center acknowledged that students acted inappropriately.It said students who chanted the expletive at the Topeka student were immediately removed and Valley Center officials worked to prevent any other negative interactions when the game ended.The Black baby doll was part of a class assignment that requires students to “parent” the baby for a few days, the district said. It was not brought to the game intentionally to taunt Topeka High School but “without context, seeing the baby and images of the ‘baby’ caused hurt and concern to many, and for that we are very sorry,” the statement said.Valley Center Superintendent Cory Gibson had a “fruitful” conversation about the incident with representatives of the NAACP on Tuesday, spokeswoman Amy Pavlacka said. Gibson and Valley Center High School Principal Bruce Lolling also visited with patrons from both cities to discuss the situation.“As a district, we sent a letter to all VCHS families and students explaining there would be follow-up consequences for those students involved, and that we, as a community, should learn and grow from this experience,” the statement said.On Tuesday, Valley Center called off school for Wednesday, Dec. 7 as a result of threats. "Out of an abundance of caution for all of our students and staff and after consulting with local law enforcement, all USD 262 buildings and schools will be closed, and all activities will be canceled, according to a statement sent from Dr. Gibson."&nbsp; "Staff members are not to report to work unless specifically requested by their supervisor.&nbsp;The difficult decision to close our schools was a result of online threats received by our district this evening. Law enforcement is investigating these threats."Topeka schools Superintendent Tiffany Anderson said in a letter to district patrons that the incident has been reported to the Kansas State High School Activities Association.She said the Topeka district appreciated Valley Center's apology but they hope the district will take appropriate steps to address what occurred with those involved.“I am so grateful for our coaches, principal (Rebecca) Morrisey and the mighty Trojans at Topeka High who modeled the conduct we expect from our students and we hope that it sets the example of what excellence looks like for others to learn from moving forward,” Anderson wrote.

Kan. district cancels school after threats, investigation of offensive chants 

By DEWEY TERRILL JC Post

Justin
 Aaron, Junction City, reached the semifinal round of "The Voice" competition on NBC but was unable to advance to the finals. Following 
singing performances on Tuesday night, voters reduced the field of eight 
down to five.&nbsp;Aaron was among those who did not move on.

The 
Junction City resident had a strong run through "The Voice" competition 
and received national attention for his singing.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670424659400.jpeg" alt="Justin Aaron" />
 <figcaption>Justin Aaron</figcaption>
 </figure>By DEWEY TERRILL JC PostJustin
 Aaron, Junction City, reached the semifinal round of "The Voice" competition on NBC but was unable to advance to the finals. Following 
singing performances on Tuesday night, voters reduced the field of eight 
down to five.&nbsp;Aaron was among those who did not move on.The 
Junction City resident had a strong run through "The Voice" competition 
and received national attention for his singing.&nbsp;

Kansas singer's run on 'The Voice' comes to an end

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting.

Just after 8p.m. Tuesday, police were dispatched to report of a shooting at a home in the 4900 block of Bellefontaine in Kansas City, according to Police Captain Leslie Forean.

First responders found a woman inside of a residence who had been shot and was unresponsive. Officers begin CPR on the victim.&nbsp; EMS arrived and pronounced her deceased at the scene.&nbsp; Detectives and crime scene personnel responded to the scene and were actively canvassing for witnesses and processing the scene for evidence.&nbsp; Police released no additional details early Wednesday.

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting.Just after 8p.m. Tuesday, police were dispatched to report of a shooting at a home in the 4900 block of Bellefontaine in Kansas City, according to Police Captain Leslie Forean.First responders found a woman inside of a residence who had been shot and was unresponsive. Officers begin CPR on the victim.&nbsp; EMS arrived and pronounced her deceased at the scene.&nbsp; Detectives and crime scene personnel responded to the scene and were actively canvassing for witnesses and processing the scene for evidence.&nbsp; Police released no additional details early Wednesday.

Police: Woman found with gunshot wound in KC home 

ATLANTA (AP) — Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock defeated Republican challenger Herschel Walker in a Georgia runoff election Tuesday, ensuring Democrats an outright majority in the Senate for the rest of President Joe Biden’s term and helping cap an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-donald-trump-government-and-politics-897222c2690df16aac53f52eafafeb80">underwhelming midterm cycle for the GOP</a>&nbsp;in the last major vote of the year.

With Warnock’s second runoff victory in as many years, Democrats will have a 51-49 Senate majority, gaining a seat from the current 50-50 split with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pennsylvania-senate-race-2022-midterm-elections-93709b5b7ab4cef658f45751cd76c090">John Fetterman’s victory in Pennsylvania</a>. There will be divided government, however, with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-house-control-79475a4fc11e4375cd0dded651b9eede">Republicans having narrowly flipped House control</a>.

In last month’s election,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-senate-race-runoff-2022-midterms-b32e84784e9e644b3e3163b7ca9cc569">Warnock led Walker by 37,000 votes</a>&nbsp;out of almost 4 million cast, but fell short of the 50% threshold needed to avoid a runoff. Walker, a football legend who first gained fame at the University of Georgia and later in the NFL in the 1980s, was unable to overcome a bevy of damaging allegations, including claims that he paid for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-2022-midterm-elections-herschel-walker-health-georgia-1a7c86004f571ea10e6f88ea375b439d">two former girlfriends’ abortions</a>.

Democrats’ Georgia victory solidifies the state’s place as a Deep South battleground two years after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/Georgia-election-results-4b82ba7ee3cc74d33e68daadaee2cbf3">Warnock and fellow Georgia Democrat Jon Ossoff won 2021 runoffs</a>&nbsp;that gave the party Senate control just months after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-georgia-elections-bb997641ca36805c0f53f406a3529d87">Biden became the first Democratic presidential candidate in 30 years to win Georgia</a>. Voters returned Warnock to the Senate in the same cycle they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-governor-race-2022-midterm-elections-f976a0e81f193277d22e176faa852acb">reelected Republican Gov. Brian Kemp</a>&nbsp;by a comfortable margin and chose an all-GOP slate of statewide constitutional officers.

“I’ll work with anyone to get things done for the people of Georgia,” Warnock, the state’s first Black senator, said throughout his campaign, a nod to the state’s historically conservative lean and his need to win over GOP-leaning independents and at least some moderate Republicans in a midterm election year.

Warnock, 53, paired that argument with an emphasis on his personal values, buoyed by his status as senior pastor of Atlanta’s Ebenezer Baptist Church, where civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. once preached.

Walker's defeat bookends the GOP’s struggles this year to win with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-donald-trump-00c770068d8b82f165a9f4871eee983b">flawed candidates cast from Trump’s mold</a>, a blow to the former president as he builds his third White House bid.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/herschel-walker-georgia-kamala-harris-congress-government-and-politics-0f6cc74d575921e13c19d7569e4e5382">Democrats’ new outright majority in the Senate means</a>&nbsp;the party will no longer have to negotiate a power-sharing deal with Republicans and won’t have to rely on Vice President Kamala Harris to break as many tie votes.

About 1.9 million runoff votes were cast by mail and during early voting, while the state was on track for a robust Election Day, with state officials estimating an additional 1.4 million votes cast — slightly more than in the November midterm and the 2020 election.

Early and mail voting did not reach the same levels as years past, and it was likely the total number of votes cast would be less than the 2021 Senate runoff election. Voting rights groups point to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-does-new-georgia-gop-election-law-do-87665a200f6442e28ef43cbc60c88653">changes made by state lawmakers after the 2020 election</a>&nbsp;that shortened the period for runoffs, from nine weeks to four, as a major reason for the decline in early and mail voting.

Elections officials reported few problems processing early votes and tabulating ballots cast Tuesday, but there were some delays. In south Georgia’s Lowndes County, two poll workers were in a car accident on the way to the county elections office with the memory cards from one precinct’s polling machines. A Lowndes official said a member of the local elections board went to the accident site to retrieve the memory cards so tabulations could continue.

Walker benefited during the campaign from nearly unmatched name recognition from his football career, yet was dogged by questions about his fitness for office and allegations of hypocrisy.

A multimillionaire businessman, Walker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-sports-business-government-and-politics-herschel-walker-7418cd7deadc414b17e3339048fef180">inflated his philanthropic activities and business achievements</a>, including claiming that his company employed hundreds of people and grossed tens of millions of dollars in sales annually, even though records indicate he had eight employees and averaged about $1.5 million a year. He has suggested that he’s worked as a law enforcement officer and graduated college, though he has done neither.

He was accused by two former girlfriends of encouraging and paying for their abortions, despite&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-warnock-walker-debate-georgia-d831b6cbfce77be05102a0c6f7a0d304">supporting an outright national ban on the procedure</a>&nbsp;during the campaign. He denied both women’s claims.

He was also forced to acknowledge during the campaign that he had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-herschel-walker-nashville-government-and-politics-115fc9e55e007f9203f3a0592ac83452">fathered three children out of wedlock</a>&nbsp;whom he had never before spoken about publicly. The mother of one of those children told The Daily Beast that Walker had not seen his young son since January 2016 and had to be taken to court for child support — in direct conflict with Walker’s years spent criticizing absentee fathers and his calls for Black men, in particular, to play an active role in their kids’ lives.

His ex-wife said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/herschel-walker-nfl-georgia-senate-704738fdbed64383e25e3435684d7341">Walker once held a gun to her head</a>&nbsp;and threatened to kill her. He has never denied those specifics and wrote of his violent tendencies in a 2008 memoir that attributed the behavior to mental illness.

As a candidate, he sometimes mangled policy discussions, attributing the climate crisis to China’s “bad air” overtaking “good air” from the United States and arguing that diabetics could manage their health by “eating right,” a practice that isn’t enough for insulin-dependent diabetic patients.

On Tuesday, Atlanta voter Tom Callaway praised the Republican Party’s strength in Georgia and said he’d supported Kemp in the opening round of voting. But he said he cast his ballot for Warnock because he didn’t think “Herschel Walker has the credentials to be a senator.”

“I didn’t believe he had a statement of what he really believed in or had a campaign that made sense,” Callaway said.

Walker, meanwhile, sought to portray Warnock as a yes-man for Biden. He sometimes made the attack in especially personal terms, accusing Warnock of “being on his knees, begging” at the White House — a searing charge for a Black challenger to level against a Black senator about his relationship with a white president.

“My opponent is not a serious person,” Warnock said during the runoff campaign. “But the election is very serious. Don’t get those two things confused.”

Warnock promoted his Senate accomplishments, touting a provision he sponsored to cap insulin costs for Medicare patients. He hailed deals on infrastructure and maternal health care forged with Republican senators, mentioning those GOP colleagues more than he did Biden or other Washington Democrats.

Warnock distanced himself from Biden, whose approval ratings have lagged as inflation remains high. After the general election, Biden promised to help Warnock in any way he could, even if it meant staying away from Georgia.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/herschel-walker-biden-georgia-1091b7502bca21c9c847d564042fa845">Bypassing the president</a>, Warnock decided instead to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-herschel-walker-georgia-atlanta-83ecb9128b7db96022256efc06965718">campaign with former President Barack Obama</a>&nbsp;in the days before the runoff election.

Walker, meanwhile, avoided campaigning with Trump until the campaign’s final day, when the pair conducted a conference call Monday with supporters.

Walker joins failed Senate nominees Dr. Mehmet Oz of Pennsylvania, Blake Masters of Arizona, Adam Laxalt of Nevada and Don Bolduc of New Hampshire as Trump loyalists who ultimately lost races that Republicans once thought they would — or at least could — win.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669567002976.jpeg" alt="Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., and Republican Senate candidate Herschel Walker. (AP Photo" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., and Republican Senate candidate Herschel Walker. (AP Photo</figcaption>
 </figure>ATLANTA (AP) — Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock defeated Republican challenger Herschel Walker in a Georgia runoff election Tuesday, ensuring Democrats an outright majority in the Senate for the rest of President Joe Biden’s term and helping cap an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-donald-trump-government-and-politics-897222c2690df16aac53f52eafafeb80">underwhelming midterm cycle for the GOP</a>&nbsp;in the last major vote of the year.With Warnock’s second runoff victory in as many years, Democrats will have a 51-49 Senate majority, gaining a seat from the current 50-50 split with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pennsylvania-senate-race-2022-midterm-elections-93709b5b7ab4cef658f45751cd76c090">John Fetterman’s victory in Pennsylvania</a>. There will be divided government, however, with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-house-control-79475a4fc11e4375cd0dded651b9eede">Republicans having narrowly flipped House control</a>.In last month’s election,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-senate-race-runoff-2022-midterms-b32e84784e9e644b3e3163b7ca9cc569">Warnock led Walker by 37,000 votes</a>&nbsp;out of almost 4 million cast, but fell short of the 50% threshold needed to avoid a runoff. Walker, a football legend who first gained fame at the University of Georgia and later in the NFL in the 1980s, was unable to overcome a bevy of damaging allegations, including claims that he paid for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-2022-midterm-elections-herschel-walker-health-georgia-1a7c86004f571ea10e6f88ea375b439d">two former girlfriends’ abortions</a>.Democrats’ Georgia victory solidifies the state’s place as a Deep South battleground two years after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/Georgia-election-results-4b82ba7ee3cc74d33e68daadaee2cbf3">Warnock and fellow Georgia Democrat Jon Ossoff won 2021 runoffs</a>&nbsp;that gave the party Senate control just months after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-georgia-elections-bb997641ca36805c0f53f406a3529d87">Biden became the first Democratic presidential candidate in 30 years to win Georgia</a>. Voters returned Warnock to the Senate in the same cycle they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-governor-race-2022-midterm-elections-f976a0e81f193277d22e176faa852acb">reelected Republican Gov. Brian Kemp</a>&nbsp;by a comfortable margin and chose an all-GOP slate of statewide constitutional officers.“I’ll work with anyone to get things done for the people of Georgia,” Warnock, the state’s first Black senator, said throughout his campaign, a nod to the state’s historically conservative lean and his need to win over GOP-leaning independents and at least some moderate Republicans in a midterm election year.Warnock, 53, paired that argument with an emphasis on his personal values, buoyed by his status as senior pastor of Atlanta’s Ebenezer Baptist Church, where civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. once preached.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1666276868984.png" alt="Kansas Senator Roger Marshall campaigned for Walker in October -Marshall" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Senator Roger Marshall campaigned for Walker in October -Marshall</figcaption>
 </figure>Walker's defeat bookends the GOP’s struggles this year to win with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-donald-trump-00c770068d8b82f165a9f4871eee983b">flawed candidates cast from Trump’s mold</a>, a blow to the former president as he builds his third White House bid.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/herschel-walker-georgia-kamala-harris-congress-government-and-politics-0f6cc74d575921e13c19d7569e4e5382">Democrats’ new outright majority in the Senate means</a>&nbsp;the party will no longer have to negotiate a power-sharing deal with Republicans and won’t have to rely on Vice President Kamala Harris to break as many tie votes.About 1.9 million runoff votes were cast by mail and during early voting, while the state was on track for a robust Election Day, with state officials estimating an additional 1.4 million votes cast — slightly more than in the November midterm and the 2020 election.Early and mail voting did not reach the same levels as years past, and it was likely the total number of votes cast would be less than the 2021 Senate runoff election. Voting rights groups point to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-does-new-georgia-gop-election-law-do-87665a200f6442e28ef43cbc60c88653">changes made by state lawmakers after the 2020 election</a>&nbsp;that shortened the period for runoffs, from nine weeks to four, as a major reason for the decline in early and mail voting.Elections officials reported few problems processing early votes and tabulating ballots cast Tuesday, but there were some delays. In south Georgia’s Lowndes County, two poll workers were in a car accident on the way to the county elections office with the memory cards from one precinct’s polling machines. A Lowndes official said a member of the local elections board went to the accident site to retrieve the memory cards so tabulations could continue.Walker benefited during the campaign from nearly unmatched name recognition from his football career, yet was dogged by questions about his fitness for office and allegations of hypocrisy.A multimillionaire businessman, Walker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-sports-business-government-and-politics-herschel-walker-7418cd7deadc414b17e3339048fef180">inflated his philanthropic activities and business achievements</a>, including claiming that his company employed hundreds of people and grossed tens of millions of dollars in sales annually, even though records indicate he had eight employees and averaged about $1.5 million a year. He has suggested that he’s worked as a law enforcement officer and graduated college, though he has done neither.He was accused by two former girlfriends of encouraging and paying for their abortions, despite&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-warnock-walker-debate-georgia-d831b6cbfce77be05102a0c6f7a0d304">supporting an outright national ban on the procedure</a>&nbsp;during the campaign. He denied both women’s claims.He was also forced to acknowledge during the campaign that he had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-herschel-walker-nashville-government-and-politics-115fc9e55e007f9203f3a0592ac83452">fathered three children out of wedlock</a>&nbsp;whom he had never before spoken about publicly. The mother of one of those children told The Daily Beast that Walker had not seen his young son since January 2016 and had to be taken to court for child support — in direct conflict with Walker’s years spent criticizing absentee fathers and his calls for Black men, in particular, to play an active role in their kids’ lives.His ex-wife said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/herschel-walker-nfl-georgia-senate-704738fdbed64383e25e3435684d7341">Walker once held a gun to her head</a>&nbsp;and threatened to kill her. He has never denied those specifics and wrote of his violent tendencies in a 2008 memoir that attributed the behavior to mental illness.As a candidate, he sometimes mangled policy discussions, attributing the climate crisis to China’s “bad air” overtaking “good air” from the United States and arguing that diabetics could manage their health by “eating right,” a practice that isn’t enough for insulin-dependent diabetic patients.On Tuesday, Atlanta voter Tom Callaway praised the Republican Party’s strength in Georgia and said he’d supported Kemp in the opening round of voting. But he said he cast his ballot for Warnock because he didn’t think “Herschel Walker has the credentials to be a senator.”“I didn’t believe he had a statement of what he really believed in or had a campaign that made sense,” Callaway said.Walker, meanwhile, sought to portray Warnock as a yes-man for Biden. He sometimes made the attack in especially personal terms, accusing Warnock of “being on his knees, begging” at the White House — a searing charge for a Black challenger to level against a Black senator about his relationship with a white president.“My opponent is not a serious person,” Warnock said during the runoff campaign. “But the election is very serious. Don’t get those two things confused.”Warnock promoted his Senate accomplishments, touting a provision he sponsored to cap insulin costs for Medicare patients. He hailed deals on infrastructure and maternal health care forged with Republican senators, mentioning those GOP colleagues more than he did Biden or other Washington Democrats.Warnock distanced himself from Biden, whose approval ratings have lagged as inflation remains high. After the general election, Biden promised to help Warnock in any way he could, even if it meant staying away from Georgia.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/herschel-walker-biden-georgia-1091b7502bca21c9c847d564042fa845">Bypassing the president</a>, Warnock decided instead to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-herschel-walker-georgia-atlanta-83ecb9128b7db96022256efc06965718">campaign with former President Barack Obama</a>&nbsp;in the days before the runoff election.Walker, meanwhile, avoided campaigning with Trump until the campaign’s final day, when the pair conducted a conference call Monday with supporters.Walker joins failed Senate nominees Dr. Mehmet Oz of Pennsylvania, Blake Masters of Arizona, Adam Laxalt of Nevada and Don Bolduc of New Hampshire as Trump loyalists who ultimately lost races that Republicans once thought they would — or at least could — win.

Democratic Sen. Warnock wins Georgia runoff against Walker

KANSAS CITY —Police investigating the death of a 5-year-old at a Kansas City home ruled the death is a homicide, according to Police Captain Leslie Foreman.

According to court records, On November 3, Kansas City police were dispatched to the 5700 block of St. John Avenue on a report of a deceased child. Officers found two children, one deceased and the other non-responsive. The mother called police dispatch and reported one of the children had been dead for several days.

Adair R. Fish, 43, has been charged with Abuse or Neglect of a Child Resulting in Death, Abuse or Neglet of a Child, and two Endangering the Welfare of a Child 1st Degree charges, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

The mother was the legal guardian of the child and had care, custody and control of their health and well-being. A doctor diagnosed that the deceased child suffered from malnutrition and dehydration.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670192753456.png" alt="Fish-photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Fish-photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Police investigating the death of a 5-year-old at a Kansas City home ruled the death is a homicide, according to Police Captain Leslie Foreman.According to court records, On November 3, Kansas City police were dispatched to the 5700 block of St. John Avenue on a report of a deceased child. Officers found two children, one deceased and the other non-responsive. The mother called police dispatch and reported one of the children had been dead for several days.Adair R. Fish, 43, has been charged with Abuse or Neglect of a Child Resulting in Death, Abuse or Neglet of a Child, and two Endangering the Welfare of a Child 1st Degree charges, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.The mother was the legal guardian of the child and had care, custody and control of their health and well-being. A doctor diagnosed that the deceased child suffered from malnutrition and dehydration.

Police rule Kansas City child's death from neglect a homicide 

WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas man was sentenced to 28-years in prison for production of child pornography, according to the United State's Attorney.

&nbsp;Dillon Everman, 30, of Parsons admitted in pleading guilty that he encouraged and requested co-defendant Dustin Strom to sexually abuse two young children and send him images of the abuse, according to court documents. Everman then saved the images and created a shareable link that he made available to Strom and others.

In October 2022, Dustin Strom, 26, of Parsons was sentenced to 60 years in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit sexual exploitation of a child, production of child pornography.

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) investigated the case.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670274587610.png" alt="Everman-photo Butler Co." />
 <figcaption>Everman-photo Butler Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas man was sentenced to 28-years in prison for production of child pornography, according to the United State's Attorney.&nbsp;Dillon Everman, 30, of Parsons admitted in pleading guilty that he encouraged and requested co-defendant Dustin Strom to sexually abuse two young children and send him images of the abuse, according to court documents. Everman then saved the images and created a shareable link that he made available to Strom and others.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1666385836272.png" alt="Strom-photo Butler Co." />
 <figcaption>Strom-photo Butler Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>In October 2022, Dustin Strom, 26, of Parsons was sentenced to 60 years in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit sexual exploitation of a child, production of child pornography.Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) investigated the case.

Kan. man encouraged man to create, send child porn images

SUMNER COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities investigating a dead body found in rural Sumner County, believed to be connected to an ongoing investigation in Wichita have arrested one suspect and continue to search for another.

On November 29, police were contacted by a 69-year-old man who reported 41-year-old Brent Boone, of Wichita, missing under unusual circumstances, according to Officer Chad Ditch.

Boone was last seen on November 24, 2022, at 9:30 pm at his residence in the 1300 block of N. Pershing in Wichita before leaving in a vehicle with two individuals – identified as 31-year-old Saul Chavez Valenciana and 19- year-old Tehya Turner, both of Wichita. 

It is believed that an altercation occurred inside the car, during which Boone was killed.

On Wednesday, November 30, follow-up investigation led officers to a crime scene in the 9300 block of S. Pattie in Haysville, where they began processing evidence.

Police located the vehicle on Thursday, December 1, near 21st and Ridge, abandoned, according to Ditch.

Further investigation led officers to a rural area Southwest of Clearwater, one mile west of N Clearwater Road and 140th Ave N, where a body was located. Investigators with WPD and members of the Sumner County Sheriff's Office are working to confirm the body's identity, but at this time, it is believed to be Boone.

The investigation is still in the early stages, but at this time, it is not believed to be a random incident, and it is believed that the victim and suspects are known to each other.

Police took Turner into custody on Saturday and are actively searching for Saul Chavez&nbsp;Valenciana and in connection to this case. <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20073183">Turner is being held</a> on requested charges of first degree murder, burglary and possession of marijuana, according to online jail records.

If anyone has information regarding his location, please call 911. Additionally, should you wish to remain anonymous, you can submit tips to Crime Stoppers by calling 316-267-2111.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670023341610.png" alt="Valenciana-photo Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Valenciana-photo Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SUMNER COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities investigating a dead body found in rural Sumner County, believed to be connected to an ongoing investigation in Wichita have arrested one suspect and continue to search for another.On November 29, police were contacted by a 69-year-old man who reported 41-year-old Brent Boone, of Wichita, missing under unusual circumstances, according to Officer Chad Ditch.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670173983028.png" alt="Turner-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Turner-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Boone was last seen on November 24, 2022, at 9:30 pm at his residence in the 1300 block of N. Pershing in Wichita before leaving in a vehicle with two individuals – identified as 31-year-old Saul Chavez Valenciana and 19- year-old Tehya Turner, both of Wichita. It is believed that an altercation occurred inside the car, during which Boone was killed.On Wednesday, November 30, follow-up investigation led officers to a crime scene in the 9300 block of S. Pattie in Haysville, where they began processing evidence.Police located the vehicle on Thursday, December 1, near 21st and Ridge, abandoned, according to Ditch.Further investigation led officers to a rural area Southwest of Clearwater, one mile west of N Clearwater Road and 140th Ave N, where a body was located. Investigators with WPD and members of the Sumner County Sheriff's Office are working to confirm the body's identity, but at this time, it is believed to be Boone.The investigation is still in the early stages, but at this time, it is not believed to be a random incident, and it is believed that the victim and suspects are known to each other.Police took Turner into custody on Saturday and are actively searching for Saul Chavez&nbsp;Valenciana and in connection to this case. <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20073183">Turner is being held</a> on requested charges of first degree murder, burglary and possession of marijuana, according to online jail records.If anyone has information regarding his location, please call 911. Additionally, should you wish to remain anonymous, you can submit tips to Crime Stoppers by calling 316-267-2111.

Police continue search for suspect in rural Kan. murder

NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump’s company was convicted of tax fraud on Tuesday in a case brought by the Manhattan District Attorney, a significant repudiation of financial practices at the former president’s business.

A jury found two corporate entities at the Trump Organization guilty on all 17 counts, including conspiracy charges and falsifying business records.

The verdict came on the second day of deliberations following a trial in which the Trump Organization was accused of being complicit in a scheme by top executives to avoid paying personal income taxes on job perks such as rent-free apartments and luxury cars.

The conviction is a validation for New York prosecutors, who have spent three years investigating the former president and his businesses, though the penalties aren’t expected to be severe enough to jeopardize the future of Trump’s company.

As punishment, the Trump Organization could be fined up to $1.6 million — a relatively small amount for a company of its size, though the conviction might make some of its future deals more complicated.

Trump, who recently announced he was running for president again, has said the case against his company was part of a politically motivated “witch hunt” waged against him by vindictive Democrats.

Trump himself was not on trial but prosecutors alleged he “knew exactly what was going on” with the scheme, though he and the company’s lawyers have denied that.

The case against the company was built largely around testimony from the Trump Organization’s former finance chief, Allen Weisselberg, who previously pleaded guilty to charges that he manipulated the company’s books and his own compensation package to illegally reduce his taxes.

Weisselberg testified in exchange for a promised five-month jail sentence.

To convict the Trump Organization, prosecutors had to convince jurors that Weisselberg or his subordinate, Senior Vice President and Controller Jeffrey McConney, were “high managerial” agents acting on the company’s behalf and that the company also benefited from his scheme.

Trump Organization lawyers repeated the mantra “Weisselberg did it for Weisselberg” throughout the monthlong trial. They contended the executive had gone rogue and betrayed the company’s trust. No one in the Trump family or the company was to blame, they argued.

Though he testified as a prosecution witness, Weisselberg also attempted to take responsibility on the witness stand, saying nobody in the Trump family knew what he was doing.

“It was my own personal greed that led to this,” an emotional Weisselberg testified.

Weisselberg, who pleaded guilty to dodging taxes on $1.7 million in fringe benefits, testified that he and McConney conspired to hide that extra compensation from his income by deducting their cost from his pre-tax salary and issuing falsified W-2 forms.

During his closing argument, prosecutor Joshua Steinglass attempted to refute the claim that Trump knew nothing about the scheme. He showed jurors a lease Trump signed for Weisselberg’s company-paid apartment and a memo Trump initialed authorizing a pay cut for another executive who got perks.

“Mr. Trump is explicitly sanctioning tax fraud,” Steinglass argued.

The verdict doesn’t end Trump’s battle with Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat who took office in January.

Bragg has said that a related investigation of Trump that began under his predecessor, District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr., is “active and ongoing.”

In that wide-ranging probe, investigators have examined whether Trump misled banks and others about the value of his real estate holdings, golf courses and other assets — allegations at the heart of New York Attorney General Letitia James’ pending lawsuit against the former president and his company.

The district attorney’s office has also investigated whether any state laws were broken when Trump’s allies made payments to two women who claimed to have had sexual affairs with the Republican years ago.

Near the end of his tenure last year, Vance directed deputies to present evidence to a grand jury for a possible indictment of Trump. After taking office, though, Bragg let that grand jury disband so he could give the case a fresh look.

On Monday, he confirmed that a new lead prosecutor had been brought on to handle that investigation, signaling again that it was still active.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670363815905.png" alt="The verdict came on the second day of deliberations-Google image" />
 <figcaption>The verdict came on the second day of deliberations-Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump’s company was convicted of tax fraud on Tuesday in a case brought by the Manhattan District Attorney, a significant repudiation of financial practices at the former president’s business.A jury found two corporate entities at the Trump Organization guilty on all 17 counts, including conspiracy charges and falsifying business records.The verdict came on the second day of deliberations following a trial in which the Trump Organization was accused of being complicit in a scheme by top executives to avoid paying personal income taxes on job perks such as rent-free apartments and luxury cars.The conviction is a validation for New York prosecutors, who have spent three years investigating the former president and his businesses, though the penalties aren’t expected to be severe enough to jeopardize the future of Trump’s company.As punishment, the Trump Organization could be fined up to $1.6 million — a relatively small amount for a company of its size, though the conviction might make some of its future deals more complicated.Trump, who recently announced he was running for president again, has said the case against his company was part of a politically motivated “witch hunt” waged against him by vindictive Democrats.Trump himself was not on trial but prosecutors alleged he “knew exactly what was going on” with the scheme, though he and the company’s lawyers have denied that.The case against the company was built largely around testimony from the Trump Organization’s former finance chief, Allen Weisselberg, who previously pleaded guilty to charges that he manipulated the company’s books and his own compensation package to illegally reduce his taxes.Weisselberg testified in exchange for a promised five-month jail sentence.To convict the Trump Organization, prosecutors had to convince jurors that Weisselberg or his subordinate, Senior Vice President and Controller Jeffrey McConney, were “high managerial” agents acting on the company’s behalf and that the company also benefited from his scheme.Trump Organization lawyers repeated the mantra “Weisselberg did it for Weisselberg” throughout the monthlong trial. They contended the executive had gone rogue and betrayed the company’s trust. No one in the Trump family or the company was to blame, they argued.Though he testified as a prosecution witness, Weisselberg also attempted to take responsibility on the witness stand, saying nobody in the Trump family knew what he was doing.“It was my own personal greed that led to this,” an emotional Weisselberg testified.Weisselberg, who pleaded guilty to dodging taxes on $1.7 million in fringe benefits, testified that he and McConney conspired to hide that extra compensation from his income by deducting their cost from his pre-tax salary and issuing falsified W-2 forms.During his closing argument, prosecutor Joshua Steinglass attempted to refute the claim that Trump knew nothing about the scheme. He showed jurors a lease Trump signed for Weisselberg’s company-paid apartment and a memo Trump initialed authorizing a pay cut for another executive who got perks.“Mr. Trump is explicitly sanctioning tax fraud,” Steinglass argued.The verdict doesn’t end Trump’s battle with Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat who took office in January.Bragg has said that a related investigation of Trump that began under his predecessor, District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr., is “active and ongoing.”In that wide-ranging probe, investigators have examined whether Trump misled banks and others about the value of his real estate holdings, golf courses and other assets — allegations at the heart of New York Attorney General Letitia James’ pending lawsuit against the former president and his company.The district attorney’s office has also investigated whether any state laws were broken when Trump’s allies made payments to two women who claimed to have had sexual affairs with the Republican years ago.Near the end of his tenure last year, Vance directed deputies to present evidence to a grand jury for a possible indictment of Trump. After taking office, though, Bragg let that grand jury disband so he could give the case a fresh look.On Monday, he confirmed that a new lead prosecutor had been brought on to handle that investigation, signaling again that it was still active.

Jury: Trump Organization guilty of tax fraud on all counts

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — Police are investigating after a swastika was sprayed on an elementary elementary school during a vandalism spree.

The vandalism at York Elementary School in Springfield, which is under construction, was found on Saturday morning, police spokeswoman Cris Waters said.

Stephen Hall, spokesman for Springfield Public Schools, said the district immediately replaced the window where the swastika was found and removed the graffiti. He declined to say how much damage was found but said it will require the district to file an insurance claim to recover the costs, the Springfield News-Leader&nbsp;<a href="https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/education/2022/12/05/anti-semitic-symbol-vandalism-reported-at-springfield-elementary/69702726007/">reported</a>.

Hall said the vandalism will not delay the opening of the new York Elementary School in January.

The vandalism comes amid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/twitter-inc-entertainment-sports-business-racial-injustice-d3a65fc9f71f3bcbdab643c38fd135c3">a surge of anti-Jewish incidents</a>&nbsp;across the country, including antisemitic comments from some celebrities such as the rapper Ye.

In April, the Anti-Defamation League reported a record number of antisemitic reports in 2021. The organization said the 2,717 incidents of assault, harassment and vandalism was a 34% increase over the previous year and the highest number since the ADL began tracking the events in 1979.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670353706344.png" alt="Stephen Hall, spokesman for Springfield Public Schools, said the district immediately replaced the window where the swastika was found and removed the graffiti.- photo courtesy KYTV" />
 <figcaption>Stephen Hall, spokesman for Springfield Public Schools, said the district immediately replaced the window where the swastika was found and removed the graffiti.- photo courtesy KYTV</figcaption>
 </figure>SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — Police are investigating after a swastika was sprayed on an elementary elementary school during a vandalism spree.The vandalism at York Elementary School in Springfield, which is under construction, was found on Saturday morning, police spokeswoman Cris Waters said.Stephen Hall, spokesman for Springfield Public Schools, said the district immediately replaced the window where the swastika was found and removed the graffiti. He declined to say how much damage was found but said it will require the district to file an insurance claim to recover the costs, the Springfield News-Leader&nbsp;<a href="https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/education/2022/12/05/anti-semitic-symbol-vandalism-reported-at-springfield-elementary/69702726007/">reported</a>.Hall said the vandalism will not delay the opening of the new York Elementary School in January.The vandalism comes amid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/twitter-inc-entertainment-sports-business-racial-injustice-d3a65fc9f71f3bcbdab643c38fd135c3">a surge of anti-Jewish incidents</a>&nbsp;across the country, including antisemitic comments from some celebrities such as the rapper Ye.In April, the Anti-Defamation League reported a record number of antisemitic reports in 2021. The organization said the 2,717 incidents of assault, harassment and vandalism was a 34% increase over the previous year and the highest number since the ADL began tracking the events in 1979.

Vandalism at elementary school includes a swastika

WASHINGTON —Kraft Heinz Foods Company of Kirksville, Missouri, is recalling approximately 2,400 pounds of ready-to-eat ham and cheese loaf products due to possible cross-contamination with under-processed products, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced Tuesday, according to a statement from the USDA.

The ready-to-eat ham and cheese loaf products were produced on Oct. 10, 2022.&nbsp;

The products subject to recall bear establishment number “Est. 537V” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to distribution centers in Ohio and Virginia, and further distributed for retail sales.

The problem was discovered when the establishment notified FSIS that the product was sliced on the same equipment as product that had been under processed, and the equipment was not cleaned between runs of the under-processed and fully cooked product. This has led to concerns of possible cross-contamination of the fully cooked ham and cheese loaf product.

There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an injury or illness should contact a healthcare provider.&nbsp;&nbsp;

FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ refrigerators or freezers. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.

FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers. When available, the retail distribution lists will be posted on the FSIS website at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls">www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls</a>.

Consumers and members of the media with questions about the recall can contact Lynsey Elve, Associate Director, Global Corporate Communications, The Kraft Heinz Food Company, at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:lynsey.elve@kraftheinz.com">lynsey.elve@kraftheinz.com</a>&nbsp;or call the Kraft Heinz Food Company Consumer Hotline at 1-866-572-3806.

Consumers with food safety questions can call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-MPHotline (888-674-6854) or live chat via&nbsp;<a href="https://ask.usda.gov/">Ask USDA</a>&nbsp;from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Consumers can also browse food safety messages at&nbsp;<a href="https://ask.usda.gov/">Ask USDA</a>&nbsp;or send a question via email to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:MPHotline@usda.gov">MPHotline@usda.gov</a>. For consumers that need to report a problem with a meat, poultry, or egg product, the online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day at&nbsp;<a href="https://foodcomplaint.fsis.usda.gov/eCCF/">https://foodcomplaint.fsis.usda.gov/eCCF/</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670348951082.png" alt="16-oz. rigid vacuum-packed packages containing “Oscar Mayer Ham &amp; Cheese LOAF”&nbsp; &nbsp;with codes from “07 Feb 2023 20:40 7B” through “07 Feb 2023 22:16 7B” on the label.-USDA image" />
 <figcaption>16-oz. rigid vacuum-packed packages containing “Oscar Mayer Ham &amp; Cheese LOAF”&nbsp; &nbsp;with codes from “07 Feb 2023 20:40 7B” through “07 Feb 2023 22:16 7B” on the label.-USDA image</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON —Kraft Heinz Foods Company of Kirksville, Missouri, is recalling approximately 2,400 pounds of ready-to-eat ham and cheese loaf products due to possible cross-contamination with under-processed products, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced Tuesday, according to a statement from the USDA.The ready-to-eat ham and cheese loaf products were produced on Oct. 10, 2022.&nbsp;The products subject to recall bear establishment number “Est. 537V” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to distribution centers in Ohio and Virginia, and further distributed for retail sales.The problem was discovered when the establishment notified FSIS that the product was sliced on the same equipment as product that had been under processed, and the equipment was not cleaned between runs of the under-processed and fully cooked product. This has led to concerns of possible cross-contamination of the fully cooked ham and cheese loaf product.There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an injury or illness should contact a healthcare provider.&nbsp;&nbsp;FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ refrigerators or freezers. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers. When available, the retail distribution lists will be posted on the FSIS website at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls">www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls</a>.Consumers and members of the media with questions about the recall can contact Lynsey Elve, Associate Director, Global Corporate Communications, The Kraft Heinz Food Company, at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:lynsey.elve@kraftheinz.com">lynsey.elve@kraftheinz.com</a>&nbsp;or call the Kraft Heinz Food Company Consumer Hotline at 1-866-572-3806.Consumers with food safety questions can call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-MPHotline (888-674-6854) or live chat via&nbsp;<a href="https://ask.usda.gov/">Ask USDA</a>&nbsp;from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Consumers can also browse food safety messages at&nbsp;<a href="https://ask.usda.gov/">Ask USDA</a>&nbsp;or send a question via email to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:MPHotline@usda.gov">MPHotline@usda.gov</a>. For consumers that need to report a problem with a meat, poultry, or egg product, the online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day at&nbsp;<a href="https://foodcomplaint.fsis.usda.gov/eCCF/">https://foodcomplaint.fsis.usda.gov/eCCF/</a>.

Oscar Mayer cold cuts recalled due to possible cross-contamination

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration is still actively searching for ways to safeguard abortion access for millions of women, even as it bumps up against a complex web of strict new state laws enacted in the months&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">after the Supreme Court stripped</a>&nbsp;the constitutional right.

Looking to seize on momentum following a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-inflation-health-religion-9c15e24b280fe9c65f4f0c3ab4febb2a">midterm election</a>&nbsp;where voters&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-us-supreme-court-health-michigan-23bfba4a07de57b175d9de1281ecace6">widely rebuked tougher abortion restrictions,</a>&nbsp;there’s a renewed push at the White House to find ways to help women in states that have virtually outlawed or limited the treatment, and to keep the issue top of mind for voters.

In reality, though, the administration is shackled by a ban on federal funding for most abortions, a conservative-leaning Supreme Court inclined to rule against abortion rights and a split Congress unwilling to pass legislation on the matter.

Meanwhile, frustration on the ground in the most abortion-restricted states is mounting.

“This is not going away anytime soon," said Jen Klein of the Biden administration's Gender Policy Council. “Tens of millions of Americans are living under bans of various sorts, many of them quite extreme, and even in states where abortion is legal, we’re all seeing the impact on providers and on systems being loaded by people who are coming across state lines.”

Since the U.S. Supreme Court decision in June, roughly half the states have some type of abortion restrictions in place, with at least 11 states essentially banning the procedure.

Administration officials are meeting Tuesday and Wednesday with state lawmakers ahead of their 2023 sessions, including in states with more extreme bans on the table, and will discuss safeguarding rights and helping women access care as top issues. The meetings follow sit-downs with roughly nine governors, attorneys general and Democratic state legislators from more than 30 states.

The administration, meanwhile, is implementing Biden’s executive orders signed in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-biden-us-supreme-court-government-and-politics-0e6496122de46f1039cbb2b5145d6d60">July</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-biden-health-medicaid-edbef331da1b96baf2b7a3eee54c36f4">August that</a>&nbsp;directed federal agencies to push back on abortion restrictions and protect women traveling out of their state to seek one, though some women’s rights advocates say it doesn't go far enough.

And there are still other avenues left for the administration to explore, said Kathleen Sebelius, a former U.S. health and human services secretary.

HHS might look to wield its power around federal protections for health care providers, life-saving abortions, abortion pills and travel for women in abortion-restricted states, she said. During her tenure, for example, the agency did some policy maneuvering to expand rights for same-sex couples, including a requirement that any hospitals receiving federal funds allow their patients to select a same-sex partner as a visitor, years before gay marriage was legalized.

“It’s amazing how broad a lot of the agency’s authorities are and how much creative thinking can go on,” Sebelius said.

Already, the Justice Department has sued Idaho over its restrictive abortion policy and indicted at least 20 people who have been accused of obstructing access to abortion clinics. Attorney General Merrick Garland has said he would protect the right for women to travel between states for medical care.

Veterans and their beneficiaries are able to access abortion, even in states that have outlawed it, through the Department of Veteran Affairs in cases where the woman’s life or health is at risk or in cases of rape or incest. The Defense Department will cover leave and travel costs for troops seeking abortions if they are not available in their state.

The Federal Trade Commission has sued at least one data broker for selling information that tracks people at reproductive health care clinics, while the Federal Communication Commission reminded 15 mobile carriers of privacy laws in a recent letter.

Perhaps most consequentially, the Department of Health and Human Services told hospitals they “must” provide abortions if a mother’s life is at risk. The agency cited federal law,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-lawsuits-xavier-becerra-ken-paxton-79b4db553df2d9f757e105eb7a64ada4">called the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act</a>, or EMTALA, that requires medical facilities to provide treatment if a person may be in labor or faces an emergency health situation.

But “no executive action can replace a precedent of nearly 50 years,” Klein said. “The most important thing is to fight for national legislation.”

None is upcoming in the lame-duck session before Republicans take control of the House. And Biden is limited in what else he can do.

Indeed, the administration's moves so far have made little difference in Ohio, said Kellie Copeland, the executive director at Pro-Choice Ohio. A law that would essentially ban abortion once fetal cardiac activity is detected is awaiting a court ruling. Currently, abortion is banned at 22 weeks, state Medicaid funds can't be used for abortion and parental consent is required for a minor to receive care.

“I can say as an advocate in Ohio, no one is saying, ‘Oh wow, this has made a difference,’” Copeland said. “The impact has not been felt.”

Copeland's organization is one of about 50 local advocacy groups and abortion clinics entrenched in states and cities that asked the president in an August letter to offer federal travel and childcare vouchers for people living in states where abortion is banned, introduce federal protections for mailing abortion pills, and gather hospital attorneys to reiterate that doctors must give abortions in life-saving situations.

Meanwhile, there's chaos at hospitals located in the country's most restrictive states,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-science-health-business-890e813d855b57cf8e92ff799580e7e8">where doctors treating critically ill pregnant patients must weigh their medical recommendations against potential punishments like prison time</a>. Reports of sick pregnant women&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-texas-government-and-politics-da85c82bf3e9ced09ad499e350ae5ee3">turned away by doctors or facing unsafe delays</a>&nbsp;in medical care are pouring in.

HHS is investigating at least&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-business-missouri-joplin-4204d1c9c7e9b83a93c833603e55a588">one hospital in Missouri</a>&nbsp;after officials there refused to let doctors perform an abortion on a woman during a medical emergency, but won't say how many complaints it has received against providers or hospital system for failing to provide life-saving care.

In August, HHS also invited states to apply for Medicaid waivers that would unlock federal funds to pay for travel costs for women who live in states where abortion procedures have been severely restricted.

Not a single state has applied, although the agency said it is in talks with officials in some states about applications.

In Louisiana,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-louisiana-lawsuits-government-and-politics-2aee46370d4a236c91a63515e0e0cca2">where abortion is banned except</a>&nbsp;in certain cases where a mother's life is at stake, federal policies around travel are likely to have the most impact, said Michelle Erenberg of the New Orleans-based abortion rights advocacy group Lift Louisiana.

She's not hopeful that other federal proposals will ease how women access abortion directly in the state.

"It’s a little frustrating,” Erenberg said. “Also, we understand there’s only so much the administration is going to be able to do when a state like Louisiana has decided to enact a near total ban on abortion care.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1666127025170.png" alt="Since the U.S. Supreme Court decision in June, roughly half the states have some type of abortion restrictions in place, with at least 11 states essentially banning the procedure-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>Since the U.S. Supreme Court decision in June, roughly half the states have some type of abortion restrictions in place, with at least 11 states essentially banning the procedure-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration is still actively searching for ways to safeguard abortion access for millions of women, even as it bumps up against a complex web of strict new state laws enacted in the months&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">after the Supreme Court stripped</a>&nbsp;the constitutional right.Looking to seize on momentum following a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-inflation-health-religion-9c15e24b280fe9c65f4f0c3ab4febb2a">midterm election</a>&nbsp;where voters&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-us-supreme-court-health-michigan-23bfba4a07de57b175d9de1281ecace6">widely rebuked tougher abortion restrictions,</a>&nbsp;there’s a renewed push at the White House to find ways to help women in states that have virtually outlawed or limited the treatment, and to keep the issue top of mind for voters.In reality, though, the administration is shackled by a ban on federal funding for most abortions, a conservative-leaning Supreme Court inclined to rule against abortion rights and a split Congress unwilling to pass legislation on the matter.Meanwhile, frustration on the ground in the most abortion-restricted states is mounting.“This is not going away anytime soon," said Jen Klein of the Biden administration's Gender Policy Council. “Tens of millions of Americans are living under bans of various sorts, many of them quite extreme, and even in states where abortion is legal, we’re all seeing the impact on providers and on systems being loaded by people who are coming across state lines.”Since the U.S. Supreme Court decision in June, roughly half the states have some type of abortion restrictions in place, with at least 11 states essentially banning the procedure.Administration officials are meeting Tuesday and Wednesday with state lawmakers ahead of their 2023 sessions, including in states with more extreme bans on the table, and will discuss safeguarding rights and helping women access care as top issues. The meetings follow sit-downs with roughly nine governors, attorneys general and Democratic state legislators from more than 30 states.The administration, meanwhile, is implementing Biden’s executive orders signed in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-biden-us-supreme-court-government-and-politics-0e6496122de46f1039cbb2b5145d6d60">July</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-biden-health-medicaid-edbef331da1b96baf2b7a3eee54c36f4">August that</a>&nbsp;directed federal agencies to push back on abortion restrictions and protect women traveling out of their state to seek one, though some women’s rights advocates say it doesn't go far enough.And there are still other avenues left for the administration to explore, said Kathleen Sebelius, a former U.S. health and human services secretary.HHS might look to wield its power around federal protections for health care providers, life-saving abortions, abortion pills and travel for women in abortion-restricted states, she said. During her tenure, for example, the agency did some policy maneuvering to expand rights for same-sex couples, including a requirement that any hospitals receiving federal funds allow their patients to select a same-sex partner as a visitor, years before gay marriage was legalized.“It’s amazing how broad a lot of the agency’s authorities are and how much creative thinking can go on,” Sebelius said.Already, the Justice Department has sued Idaho over its restrictive abortion policy and indicted at least 20 people who have been accused of obstructing access to abortion clinics. Attorney General Merrick Garland has said he would protect the right for women to travel between states for medical care.Veterans and their beneficiaries are able to access abortion, even in states that have outlawed it, through the Department of Veteran Affairs in cases where the woman’s life or health is at risk or in cases of rape or incest. The Defense Department will cover leave and travel costs for troops seeking abortions if they are not available in their state.The Federal Trade Commission has sued at least one data broker for selling information that tracks people at reproductive health care clinics, while the Federal Communication Commission reminded 15 mobile carriers of privacy laws in a recent letter.Perhaps most consequentially, the Department of Health and Human Services told hospitals they “must” provide abortions if a mother’s life is at risk. The agency cited federal law,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-lawsuits-xavier-becerra-ken-paxton-79b4db553df2d9f757e105eb7a64ada4">called the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act</a>, or EMTALA, that requires medical facilities to provide treatment if a person may be in labor or faces an emergency health situation.But “no executive action can replace a precedent of nearly 50 years,” Klein said. “The most important thing is to fight for national legislation.”None is upcoming in the lame-duck session before Republicans take control of the House. And Biden is limited in what else he can do.Indeed, the administration's moves so far have made little difference in Ohio, said Kellie Copeland, the executive director at Pro-Choice Ohio. A law that would essentially ban abortion once fetal cardiac activity is detected is awaiting a court ruling. Currently, abortion is banned at 22 weeks, state Medicaid funds can't be used for abortion and parental consent is required for a minor to receive care.“I can say as an advocate in Ohio, no one is saying, ‘Oh wow, this has made a difference,’” Copeland said. “The impact has not been felt.”Copeland's organization is one of about 50 local advocacy groups and abortion clinics entrenched in states and cities that asked the president in an August letter to offer federal travel and childcare vouchers for people living in states where abortion is banned, introduce federal protections for mailing abortion pills, and gather hospital attorneys to reiterate that doctors must give abortions in life-saving situations.Meanwhile, there's chaos at hospitals located in the country's most restrictive states,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-science-health-business-890e813d855b57cf8e92ff799580e7e8">where doctors treating critically ill pregnant patients must weigh their medical recommendations against potential punishments like prison time</a>. Reports of sick pregnant women&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-texas-government-and-politics-da85c82bf3e9ced09ad499e350ae5ee3">turned away by doctors or facing unsafe delays</a>&nbsp;in medical care are pouring in.HHS is investigating at least&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-business-missouri-joplin-4204d1c9c7e9b83a93c833603e55a588">one hospital in Missouri</a>&nbsp;after officials there refused to let doctors perform an abortion on a woman during a medical emergency, but won't say how many complaints it has received against providers or hospital system for failing to provide life-saving care.In August, HHS also invited states to apply for Medicaid waivers that would unlock federal funds to pay for travel costs for women who live in states where abortion procedures have been severely restricted.Not a single state has applied, although the agency said it is in talks with officials in some states about applications.In Louisiana,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-louisiana-lawsuits-government-and-politics-2aee46370d4a236c91a63515e0e0cca2">where abortion is banned except</a>&nbsp;in certain cases where a mother's life is at stake, federal policies around travel are likely to have the most impact, said Michelle Erenberg of the New Orleans-based abortion rights advocacy group Lift Louisiana.She's not hopeful that other federal proposals will ease how women access abortion directly in the state."It’s a little frustrating,” Erenberg said. “Also, we understand there’s only so much the administration is going to be able to do when a state like Louisiana has decided to enact a near total ban on abortion care.”

Biden's efforts to protect abortion access hit roadblocks

DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a wrong-way, DUI crash and asking the public for help with information.

Just after 7:30p.m. Monday, sheriff's deputies arrested a Eudora, Kansas woman for driving eastbound in the westbound lanes of Kansas Highway 10.&nbsp; Her vehicle struck a Eudora Police officer's vehicle and several other westbound vehicles, according to the Douglas County sheriff's office.

Deputies are asking anyone who was traveling westbound on K-10&nbsp;between the exit E 1900 Road and N 1400 Road near Eudora on Monday evening and had to avoid a collision to contact them.

DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a wrong-way, DUI crash and asking the public for help with information.Just after 7:30p.m. Monday, sheriff's deputies arrested a Eudora, Kansas woman for driving eastbound in the westbound lanes of Kansas Highway 10.&nbsp; Her vehicle struck a Eudora Police officer's vehicle and several other westbound vehicles, according to the Douglas County sheriff's office.Deputies are asking anyone who was traveling westbound on K-10&nbsp;between the exit E 1900 Road and N 1400 Road near Eudora on Monday evening and had to avoid a collision to contact them.

Kansas woman in DUI, wrong-way crash struck police vehicle

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Major freight railroads are facing pressure to add sick days for their workers from a new front: An influential investment group says some of its members are now pushing the measure that Congress declined to as part of the contracts they imposed last week to avert a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-economy-strikes-climate-and-environment-government-politics-92ea7632a29f807ccc0e2658c50d731e">potentially devastating</a>&nbsp;nationwide rail strike.

The Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility said Monday that two investment managers it works with to help promote social change at companies had filed proposals at Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern railroads to give shareholders a vote on whether rail workers should get paid sick leave. Similar proposals are likely to be filed at CSX and at BNSF's parent company of Berkshire Hathaway, but they haven't been submitted yet. The ICCR represents 300 members with over $4 trillion in assets.

The lack of paid sick time in the industry became a major sticking point this fall in contract talks between the railroads and their 12 unions. Four of those unions&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-congress-government-and-politics-79d2e2c2779598b0a14396464ee4f7e9">rejected five-year deals</a>&nbsp;that included 24% raises and $5,000 in bonuses because of their concerns about sick leave, demanding schedules and other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-economy-government-and-politics-207229bcd558b6a6c1d58f3f85e2d804">quality-of-life concerns.</a>

President Joe Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-business-economy-government-and-politics-fe5f657b036b2b612d072368584e00cd">signed a bill Friday</a>&nbsp;that forces railroad workers to accept those deals that were negotiated back in September and prohibits them from going on strike. A separate bill that would have required sick time&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-pete-buttigieg-strikes-congress-c95510555dcd4cdc2d839e61d1195b06">failed in the Senate</a>.

Labor groups said after Congress acted they will keep fighting for sick time and better working conditions even though this round of negotiations that began three years ago is now over because their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-economy-strikes-congress-d2ae4d3aecb27f176418518d977e69e1">concerns linger</a>.

Marvin Owens with nonprofit investment manager Impact Shares filed the shareholder proposal at Norfolk Southern. Impact Shares works with groups like the YWCA and NAACP to establish criteria for funds. Owens said companies should consider sick time as an investment in its workforce, not an expense.

“In this day and age, this really boggles the mind why a company would not provide that given the need to retain workers and really provide workers with the kind of support needed to keep them in place and to keep them healthy. Paid sick leave is key to that," Owens said.

The railroads refused to add sick time during these negotiations because they said the unions had agreed over the decades to forgo paid sick leave in favor of higher wages and strong short-term disability benefits that start to kick in after four or seven days and replace part of a worker's wages for up to a year.

The railroads also say employees can take personal leave days or vacation days for illnesses, although workers say those have to be approved far ahead of time so they aren't very useful for illnesses. Workers are also allowed to take unpaid time off for illnesses but they may be penalized under a railroad's attendance policy if they miss too many days.

The Association of American Railroads trade group also said the special board of arbitrators that intervened in the contract dispute this summer opted not to recommend paid sick time.

A spokesman for the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division union that rejected its deal with the railroads praised the investors' action.

“The railroads never engaged on this issue in good faith. Their arrogance led us to this juncture and it has rightfully left their public reputation bruised. That’s their fault,” said Clark Ballew with the BMWED. ”There’s no excuse other than their insatiable greed and that is a flimsy, pathetic excuse at that."

Union Pacific said in a statement that it “knows quality of life concerns are real and we are working with employees to make changes.”

Norfolk Southern declined to comment on the investor proposal.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Major freight railroads are facing pressure to add sick days for their workers from a new front: An influential investment group says some of its members are now pushing the measure that Congress declined to as part of the contracts they imposed last week to avert a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-economy-strikes-climate-and-environment-government-politics-92ea7632a29f807ccc0e2658c50d731e">potentially devastating</a>&nbsp;nationwide rail strike.The Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility said Monday that two investment managers it works with to help promote social change at companies had filed proposals at Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern railroads to give shareholders a vote on whether rail workers should get paid sick leave. Similar proposals are likely to be filed at CSX and at BNSF's parent company of Berkshire Hathaway, but they haven't been submitted yet. The ICCR represents 300 members with over $4 trillion in assets.The lack of paid sick time in the industry became a major sticking point this fall in contract talks between the railroads and their 12 unions. Four of those unions&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-congress-government-and-politics-79d2e2c2779598b0a14396464ee4f7e9">rejected five-year deals</a>&nbsp;that included 24% raises and $5,000 in bonuses because of their concerns about sick leave, demanding schedules and other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-economy-government-and-politics-207229bcd558b6a6c1d58f3f85e2d804">quality-of-life concerns.</a>President Joe Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-business-economy-government-and-politics-fe5f657b036b2b612d072368584e00cd">signed a bill Friday</a>&nbsp;that forces railroad workers to accept those deals that were negotiated back in September and prohibits them from going on strike. A separate bill that would have required sick time&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-pete-buttigieg-strikes-congress-c95510555dcd4cdc2d839e61d1195b06">failed in the Senate</a>.Labor groups said after Congress acted they will keep fighting for sick time and better working conditions even though this round of negotiations that began three years ago is now over because their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-economy-strikes-congress-d2ae4d3aecb27f176418518d977e69e1">concerns linger</a>.Marvin Owens with nonprofit investment manager Impact Shares filed the shareholder proposal at Norfolk Southern. Impact Shares works with groups like the YWCA and NAACP to establish criteria for funds. Owens said companies should consider sick time as an investment in its workforce, not an expense.“In this day and age, this really boggles the mind why a company would not provide that given the need to retain workers and really provide workers with the kind of support needed to keep them in place and to keep them healthy. Paid sick leave is key to that," Owens said.The railroads refused to add sick time during these negotiations because they said the unions had agreed over the decades to forgo paid sick leave in favor of higher wages and strong short-term disability benefits that start to kick in after four or seven days and replace part of a worker's wages for up to a year.The railroads also say employees can take personal leave days or vacation days for illnesses, although workers say those have to be approved far ahead of time so they aren't very useful for illnesses. Workers are also allowed to take unpaid time off for illnesses but they may be penalized under a railroad's attendance policy if they miss too many days.The Association of American Railroads trade group also said the special board of arbitrators that intervened in the contract dispute this summer opted not to recommend paid sick time.A spokesman for the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division union that rejected its deal with the railroads praised the investors' action.“The railroads never engaged on this issue in good faith. Their arrogance led us to this juncture and it has rightfully left their public reputation bruised. That’s their fault,” said Clark Ballew with the BMWED. ”There’s no excuse other than their insatiable greed and that is a flimsy, pathetic excuse at that."Union Pacific said in a statement that it “knows quality of life concerns are real and we are working with employees to make changes.”Norfolk Southern declined to comment on the investor proposal.

Investors press railroads to add sick time for workers

WYANDOTTE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a woman's shooting death have filed charges against her husband.

Police have arrested the suspect in the November 21, homicide of 23-year-old Loren Flores, according to Kansas City Kansas&nbsp; Police.&nbsp;

Miguel Flores, 32, of Kansas City, Kan., is charged with first-degree murder, according to the Wyandotte County District Attorney’s Office. Detectives reported the couple were married, but in the process of a divorce when he shot his estranged wife outside a residence. 

Flores then fled the scene, but was taken into custody a short time later by police.&nbsp;Flores is currently being held in the Wyandotte County Jail on a $250,000 bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670279334296.png" alt="Flores-photo Wyandotte Co." />
 <figcaption>Flores-photo Wyandotte Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>WYANDOTTE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a woman's shooting death have filed charges against her husband.Police have arrested the suspect in the November 21, homicide of 23-year-old Loren Flores, according to Kansas City Kansas&nbsp; Police.&nbsp;Miguel Flores, 32, of Kansas City, Kan., is charged with first-degree murder, according to the Wyandotte County District Attorney’s Office. Detectives reported the couple were married, but in the process of a divorce when he shot his estranged wife outside a residence. Flores then fled the scene, but was taken into custody a short time later by police.&nbsp;Flores is currently being held in the Wyandotte County Jail on a $250,000 bond.

Kansas man accused of killing his estranged wife

WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;'s conservative majority sounded sympathetic Monday to a Christian graphic artist who objects to designing wedding websites for gay couples, a dispute that's the latest clash of religion and gay rights to land at the highest court.

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2022/21-476">Click here to listen</a> to the oral argument or<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2022/21-476_8n59.pdf"> here to read</a> the transcript

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ketanji-brown-jackson-us-supreme-court-entertainment-religion-discrimination-075f74b1f2828d117dc933d75b8bf191">designer and her supporters say</a>&nbsp;that ruling against her would force artists — from painters and photographers to writers and musicians — to do work that is against their beliefs. Her opponents, meanwhile, say that if she wins, a range of businesses will be able to discriminate, refusing to serve Black customers, Jewish or Muslim people, interracial or interfaith couples or immigrants, among others.

Over more than two hours of spirited arguments, the justices repeatedly tested out what ruling for the designer could mean, using detailed and sometimes colorful hypothetical scenarios. Those included a Black Santa asked to take a picture with a child dressed in a Ku Klux Klan outfit, a photographer asked to take pictures for the Jewish dating website JDate and also the marital infidelity website Ashley Madison, and a food business called “Grandma Helen's Protestant Provisions.”

Justice Neil Gorsuch, one of three high court appointees of former President Donald Trump, described&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-religion-colorado-discrimination-360d60888809823779d033acce40c9bf">Lorie Smith</a>, the website designer in the case, as “an individual who says she will sell and does sell to everyone, all manner of websites, (but) that she won’t sell a website that requires her to express a view about marriage that she finds offensive.”

Where to draw the line for what a business might do without violating state anti-discrimination laws was a big question in Monday's arguments at the high court.

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson asked whether a photography store in a shopping mall could refuse to take pictures of Black people on Santa's lap.

“Their policy is that only white children can be photographed with Santa in this way, because that’s how they view the scenes with Santa that they’re trying to depict,” Jackson said.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor repeatedly pressed Kristen Waggoner, the lawyer for Smith, over other categories. “How about people who don’t believe in interracial marriage? Or about people who don’t believe that disabled people should get married? Where’s the line?” Sotomayor asked.

But Justice Samuel Alito, who seemed to favor Smith, asked whether it's “fair to equate opposition to same-sex marriage to opposition to interracial marriage?”

The case comes at a time when the court is dominated 6-3 by conservatives and follows a series of cases in which the justices have sided with religious plaintiffs. Across the street from the court, lawmakers at the Capitol are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-religion-gay-rights-marriage-clarence-thomas-2d09d9213472d04195c64d09644f124c">finalizing what would be a landmark bill</a>&nbsp;protecting same-sex marriage.

The proposed law, which also would protect interracial marriage, has gained momentum following the high court's decision earlier this year to end constitutional protections for abortion. That decision&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">to overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling</a>&nbsp;prompted questions about whether the court — now that it is more conservative — might also overturn its 2015 decision declaring a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-courts-marriage-supreme-court-of-the-united-states-united-states-government-9e1933cd1e1a4e969ab45f5952bbb45f">nationwide right to same-sex marriage</a>. Justice&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/clarence-thomas">Clarence Thomas</a>&nbsp;explicitly said that decision should be reconsidered.

The case being argued before the high court Monday involves Smith, a graphic artist and website designer in Colorado who wants to begin offering wedding websites. Smith says her Christian faith prevents her from creating websites celebrating same-sex marriages.

“Ms. Smith believes opposite-sex marriage honors scripture and same-sex marriage contradicts it,” Waggoner told the justices.

But offering wedding websites to same-sex couples and refusing to design them for opposite sex couples could get Smith in trouble with state law. Colorado, like most other states, has what's called a public accommodation law that says if Smith offers wedding websites to the public, she must provide them to all customers. Businesses that violate the law can be fined, among other things.

Five years ago, the Supreme Court heard a different challenge involving Colorado's law and a baker, Jack Phillips, who objected to designing a wedding cake for a gay couple. That case&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-ap-top-news-courts-supreme-courts-politics-459b5e723c4c47ffa40df839097503c9">ended with a limited decision</a>&nbsp;and set up a return of the issue to the high court. Waggoner, of the Alliance Defending Freedom, also represented Phillips.

Like Phillips, Smith says her objection is not to working with gay people. She has had gay clients, her lawyer said. But she objects to creating messages supporting same-sex marriage, just as she wouldn't create a website for a couple who met while they both were married to other people and then divorced.

Smith says Colorado’s law violates her free speech rights. Her opponents, including the Biden administration, the American Civil Liberties Union and the NAACP Legal Defense &amp; Educational Fund, disagree.

Twenty mostly liberal states, including California and New York, are supporting Colorado, while 20 other, mostly Republican,states, including Arizona, Indiana, Ohio and Tennessee, are supporting Smith.

The case is 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis, 21-476.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670097259543.png" alt="Web designer Lorie Smith is shown in her office on Nov. 7, 2022, in the southwest part of Littleton, Colo. The Supreme Court is being warned about the potentially dire consequences of a case involving Smith, a Christian graphic artist, who objects to designing wedding websites for same-sex couples. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)" />
 <figcaption>Web designer Lorie Smith is shown in her office on Nov. 7, 2022, in the southwest part of Littleton, Colo. The Supreme Court is being warned about the potentially dire consequences of a case involving Smith, a Christian graphic artist, who objects to designing wedding websites for same-sex couples. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;'s conservative majority sounded sympathetic Monday to a Christian graphic artist who objects to designing wedding websites for gay couples, a dispute that's the latest clash of religion and gay rights to land at the highest court.<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2022/21-476">Click here to listen</a> to the oral argument or<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2022/21-476_8n59.pdf"> here to read</a> the transcriptThe&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ketanji-brown-jackson-us-supreme-court-entertainment-religion-discrimination-075f74b1f2828d117dc933d75b8bf191">designer and her supporters say</a>&nbsp;that ruling against her would force artists — from painters and photographers to writers and musicians — to do work that is against their beliefs. Her opponents, meanwhile, say that if she wins, a range of businesses will be able to discriminate, refusing to serve Black customers, Jewish or Muslim people, interracial or interfaith couples or immigrants, among others.Over more than two hours of spirited arguments, the justices repeatedly tested out what ruling for the designer could mean, using detailed and sometimes colorful hypothetical scenarios. Those included a Black Santa asked to take a picture with a child dressed in a Ku Klux Klan outfit, a photographer asked to take pictures for the Jewish dating website JDate and also the marital infidelity website Ashley Madison, and a food business called “Grandma Helen's Protestant Provisions.”Justice Neil Gorsuch, one of three high court appointees of former President Donald Trump, described&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-religion-colorado-discrimination-360d60888809823779d033acce40c9bf">Lorie Smith</a>, the website designer in the case, as “an individual who says she will sell and does sell to everyone, all manner of websites, (but) that she won’t sell a website that requires her to express a view about marriage that she finds offensive.”Where to draw the line for what a business might do without violating state anti-discrimination laws was a big question in Monday's arguments at the high court.Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson asked whether a photography store in a shopping mall could refuse to take pictures of Black people on Santa's lap.“Their policy is that only white children can be photographed with Santa in this way, because that’s how they view the scenes with Santa that they’re trying to depict,” Jackson said.Justice Sonia Sotomayor repeatedly pressed Kristen Waggoner, the lawyer for Smith, over other categories. “How about people who don’t believe in interracial marriage? Or about people who don’t believe that disabled people should get married? Where’s the line?” Sotomayor asked.But Justice Samuel Alito, who seemed to favor Smith, asked whether it's “fair to equate opposition to same-sex marriage to opposition to interracial marriage?”The case comes at a time when the court is dominated 6-3 by conservatives and follows a series of cases in which the justices have sided with religious plaintiffs. Across the street from the court, lawmakers at the Capitol are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-religion-gay-rights-marriage-clarence-thomas-2d09d9213472d04195c64d09644f124c">finalizing what would be a landmark bill</a>&nbsp;protecting same-sex marriage.The proposed law, which also would protect interracial marriage, has gained momentum following the high court's decision earlier this year to end constitutional protections for abortion. That decision&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">to overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling</a>&nbsp;prompted questions about whether the court — now that it is more conservative — might also overturn its 2015 decision declaring a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-courts-marriage-supreme-court-of-the-united-states-united-states-government-9e1933cd1e1a4e969ab45f5952bbb45f">nationwide right to same-sex marriage</a>. Justice&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/clarence-thomas">Clarence Thomas</a>&nbsp;explicitly said that decision should be reconsidered.The case being argued before the high court Monday involves Smith, a graphic artist and website designer in Colorado who wants to begin offering wedding websites. Smith says her Christian faith prevents her from creating websites celebrating same-sex marriages.“Ms. Smith believes opposite-sex marriage honors scripture and same-sex marriage contradicts it,” Waggoner told the justices.But offering wedding websites to same-sex couples and refusing to design them for opposite sex couples could get Smith in trouble with state law. Colorado, like most other states, has what's called a public accommodation law that says if Smith offers wedding websites to the public, she must provide them to all customers. Businesses that violate the law can be fined, among other things.Five years ago, the Supreme Court heard a different challenge involving Colorado's law and a baker, Jack Phillips, who objected to designing a wedding cake for a gay couple. That case&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-ap-top-news-courts-supreme-courts-politics-459b5e723c4c47ffa40df839097503c9">ended with a limited decision</a>&nbsp;and set up a return of the issue to the high court. Waggoner, of the Alliance Defending Freedom, also represented Phillips.Like Phillips, Smith says her objection is not to working with gay people. She has had gay clients, her lawyer said. But she objects to creating messages supporting same-sex marriage, just as she wouldn't create a website for a couple who met while they both were married to other people and then divorced.Smith says Colorado’s law violates her free speech rights. Her opponents, including the Biden administration, the American Civil Liberties Union and the NAACP Legal Defense &amp; Educational Fund, disagree.Twenty mostly liberal states, including California and New York, are supporting Colorado, while 20 other, mostly Republican,states, including Arizona, Indiana, Ohio and Tennessee, are supporting Smith.The case is 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis, 21-476.

🎤 Court sympathetic to designer opposed to gay marriage

CRAWFORD COUNTY—A Kansas man died in an accident just before 11:30p.m. Monday in Crawford County.

CRAWFORD COUNTY—A Kansas man died in an accident just before 11:30p.m. Monday in Crawford County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2008 Hyundai Vera Cruz driven by Robert E. Shaver, 70,&nbsp; Pittsburg, Kansas, was southbound at 1065 220th Road. The SUV traveled off the roadway to the west,&nbsp; struck a concrete culvert and overturned into a field.Shaver was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to Derfelt Funeral Home. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.