WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;is taking up a dispute over a blocked Biden administration policy that would prioritize deportation of people in the country illegally who pose the greatest public safety risk.

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/live.aspx">Click here to listen </a>to the debate

Republican-led states sued and won a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-texas-louisiana-immigration-government-and-politics-ca4a8bc99794bd46beb88f0a2d347cd5">nationwide court order</a>&nbsp;that is meant to limit immigration officers’ discretion in deciding whom to deport. The justices are hearing arguments in the case Tuesday.

It's the latest example of a Republican litigation strategy that has succeeded in slowing Biden administration initiatives by going to GOP-friendly courts.

In a separate ongoing legal dispute, three judges chosen by President Donald Trump are among the four Republican-appointed judges who have so far prevented the administration's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-government-and-politics-f524c55faae26c2066b6795a9d29bc8d">student loan cancellation program</a>&nbsp;from taking effect.

At the center of the immigration legal fight is a September 2021 directive from the Department of Homeland Security that paused deportations unless individuals had committed acts of terrorism, espionage or “egregious threats to public safety.”

The guidance, issued after Joe Biden became president, updated a Trump-era policy that removed people in the country illegally regardless of criminal history or community ties.

The administration said in a written high-court filing that the “decision to prioritize threats to national security, public safety, and border security was both reasonable and reasonably explained,” especially since Congress has not given DHS enough money to vastly increase the number of people it holds and deports.

Texas and Louisiana, which sued over the directive, responded that the administration’s guidance violates federal law that requires the detention of people who are in the U.S. illegally and who have been convicted of serious crimes.

The states said they would face added costs of having to detain people the federal government might allow to remain free inside the United States, despite their criminal records.

Federal appeals courts had reached conflicting decisions over DHS guidance.

The federal appeals court in Cincinnati earlier overturned a district judge’s order that put the policy on hold in a lawsuit filed by Arizona, Ohio and Montana.

But in a separate suit filed by Texas and Louisiana, a federal judge in Texas ordered a nationwide halt to the guidance and a federal appellate panel in New Orleans declined to step in.

In July, the court voted 5-4 to leave the immigration policy frozen nationwide. Conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett joined the court’s three liberals in saying they would have allowed the Biden administration to put in place the guidance.

At the same time, the court said it would hear arguments in the case in late November.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632317716965.png" alt="At the center of the immigration legal fight is a September 2021 directive from the Department of Homeland Security that paused deportations unless individuals had committed acts of terrorism, espionage or “egregious threats to public safety.”-photo Rep. Tony Gonzales" />
 <figcaption>At the center of the immigration legal fight is a September 2021 directive from the Department of Homeland Security that paused deportations unless individuals had committed acts of terrorism, espionage or “egregious threats to public safety.”-photo Rep. Tony Gonzales</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;is taking up a dispute over a blocked Biden administration policy that would prioritize deportation of people in the country illegally who pose the greatest public safety risk.<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/live.aspx">Click here to listen </a>to the debateRepublican-led states sued and won a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-texas-louisiana-immigration-government-and-politics-ca4a8bc99794bd46beb88f0a2d347cd5">nationwide court order</a>&nbsp;that is meant to limit immigration officers’ discretion in deciding whom to deport. The justices are hearing arguments in the case Tuesday.It's the latest example of a Republican litigation strategy that has succeeded in slowing Biden administration initiatives by going to GOP-friendly courts.In a separate ongoing legal dispute, three judges chosen by President Donald Trump are among the four Republican-appointed judges who have so far prevented the administration's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-government-and-politics-f524c55faae26c2066b6795a9d29bc8d">student loan cancellation program</a>&nbsp;from taking effect.At the center of the immigration legal fight is a September 2021 directive from the Department of Homeland Security that paused deportations unless individuals had committed acts of terrorism, espionage or “egregious threats to public safety.”The guidance, issued after Joe Biden became president, updated a Trump-era policy that removed people in the country illegally regardless of criminal history or community ties.The administration said in a written high-court filing that the “decision to prioritize threats to national security, public safety, and border security was both reasonable and reasonably explained,” especially since Congress has not given DHS enough money to vastly increase the number of people it holds and deports.Texas and Louisiana, which sued over the directive, responded that the administration’s guidance violates federal law that requires the detention of people who are in the U.S. illegally and who have been convicted of serious crimes.The states said they would face added costs of having to detain people the federal government might allow to remain free inside the United States, despite their criminal records.Federal appeals courts had reached conflicting decisions over DHS guidance.The federal appeals court in Cincinnati earlier overturned a district judge’s order that put the policy on hold in a lawsuit filed by Arizona, Ohio and Montana.But in a separate suit filed by Texas and Louisiana, a federal judge in Texas ordered a nationwide halt to the guidance and a federal appellate panel in New Orleans declined to step in.In July, the court voted 5-4 to leave the immigration policy frozen nationwide. Conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett joined the court’s three liberals in saying they would have allowed the Biden administration to put in place the guidance.At the same time, the court said it would hear arguments in the case in late November.

🎤Supreme Court weighs deportation policy as crisis rages

Today is Tuesday, Nov. 29, the 333rd day of 2022. There are 32 days left in the year.

On Nov. 29, 1947, the U.N. General Assembly passed a resolution calling for the partitioning of Palestine between Arabs and Jews; 33 members, including the United States, voted in favor of the resolution, 13 voted against while 10 abstained. (The plan, rejected by the Arabs, was never implemented.)

In 1864, a Colorado militia killed at least 150 peaceful Cheyenne Indians in the Sand Creek Massacre.

In 1910, British explorer Robert F. Scott's ship Terra Nova set sail from New Zealand, carrying Scott's expedition on its ultimately futile — as well as fatal — race to reach the South Pole first.

In 1924, Italian composer Giacomo Puccini died in Brussels before he could complete his opera "Turandot." (It was finished by Franco Alfano.)

In 1929, Navy Lt. Cmdr. Richard E. Byrd, pilot Bernt Balchen, radio operator Harold June and photographer Ashley McKinney made the first airplane flight over the South Pole.

In 1961, Enos the chimp was launched from Cape Canaveral aboard the Mercury-Atlas 5 spacecraft, which orbited earth twice before returning.

In 1963, President Lyndon B. Johnson named a commission headed by Earl Warren to investigate the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

In 1981, film star Natalie Wood drowned in a boating accident off Santa Catalina Island, California, at age 43.

In 1986, actor Cary Grant died in Davenport, Iowa, at age 82.

In 1987, a Korean Air 707 jetliner en route from Abu Dhabi to Bangkok was destroyed by a bomb planted by North Korean agents with the loss of all 115 people aboard.

In 2001, former Beatle George Harrison died in Los Angeles following a battle with cancer; he was 58.

In 2008, Indian commandos killed the last remaining gunmen holed up at a luxury Mumbai hotel, ending a 60-hour rampage through India's financial capital by suspected Pakistani-based militants that killed 166 people.

In 2020, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that New York City would reopen its school system to in-person learning, and increase the number of days a week many children attend class, even as the coronavirus pandemic intensified in the city.

Ten years ago: The United Nations voted overwhelmingly to recognize a Palestinian state, a vote that came exactly 65 years after the General Assembly adopted a plan to divide Palestine into separate states for Jews and Arabs. (The vote was 138 in favor; nine members, including the United States, voted against and 41 abstained.) President Barack Obama had lunch with defeated Republican nominee Mitt Romney in the White House's private dining room; the White House says they discussed America's leadership in the world.

Five years ago: North Korea launched its most powerful weapon yet, claiming a new type of intercontinental ballistic missile that some observers believed could put the entire U.S. East Coast within range. "Today" host Matt Lauer was fired for what NBC called "inappropriate sexual behavior" with a colleague; a published report accused him of crude and habitual misconduct with women around the office. Garrison Keillor, who'd entertained public radio listeners for 40 years on "A Prairie Home Companion," was fired by Minnesota Public Radio following allegations of inappropriate workplace behavior.

One year ago: A federal judge blocked the Biden administration from enforcing a coronavirus vaccine mandate on thousands of healthcare workers in 10 states that had brought the first legal challenge against the requirement. Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey stepped down as CEO of the social media platform; he was succeeded by Twitter's chief technology officer, Parag Agrawal. LSU hired Brian Kelly away from Notre Dame, a stunning move by one of the most accomplished coaches in college football jumping from the sport's most storied program to a Southeastern Conference powerhouse. Arlene Dahl, a 1950s movie star who later remained prominent in television, died in New York at 96. Merriam-Webster chose "vaccine" as its 2021 word of the year.

Today's Birthdays: Blues singer-musician John Mayall is 89. Actor Diane Ladd is 87. Songwriter Mark James is 82. Composer-musician Chuck Mangione is 82. Pop singer-musician Felix Cavaliere (The Rascals) is 80. Former Olympic skier Suzy Chaffee is 76. Actor Jeff Fahey is 70. Movie director Joel Coen is 68. Actor-comedian-celebrity judge Howie Mandel is 67. Former Homeland Security Director Janet Napolitano is 65. Former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is 63. Actor Cathy Moriarty is 62. Actor Kim Delaney is 61. Actor Tom Sizemore is 61. Actor Andrew McCarthy is 60. Actor Don Cheadle is 58. Actor-producer Neill Barry is 57. Pop singer Jonathan Knight (New Kids on the Block) is 54. Rock musician Martin Carr (Boo Radleys) is 54. Actor Jennifer Elise Cox is 53. Baseball Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera is 53. Actor Larry Joe Campbell is 52. Rock musician Frank Delgado (Deftones) is 52. Actor Paola Turbay is 52. Contemporary Christian singer Crowder is 51. Actor Gena Lee Nolin is 51. Actor Brian Baumgartner is 50. Actor Julian Ovenden is 47. Actor Anna (AH'-nuh) Faris is 46. Gospel singer James Fortune is 45. Actor Lauren German is 44. Rapper The Game is 43. Actor Janina Gavankar is 42. Rock musician Ringo Garza is 41. Actor-comedian John Milhiser is 41. Actor Lucas Black is 40. NFL quarterback Russell Wilson is 34. Actor Diego Boneta is 32. Actor Lovie Simone (TV: "Greenleaf") is 24.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573488868914.jpeg" alt="Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://shutterstock.com">shutterstock</a>" />
 <figcaption>Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://shutterstock.com">shutterstock</a></figcaption>
 </figure>By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSToday is Tuesday, Nov. 29, the 333rd day of 2022. There are 32 days left in the year.Today's Highlight in History:On Nov. 29, 1947, the U.N. General Assembly passed a resolution calling for the partitioning of Palestine between Arabs and Jews; 33 members, including the United States, voted in favor of the resolution, 13 voted against while 10 abstained. (The plan, rejected by the Arabs, was never implemented.)On this date:In 1864, a Colorado militia killed at least 150 peaceful Cheyenne Indians in the Sand Creek Massacre.In 1910, British explorer Robert F. Scott's ship Terra Nova set sail from New Zealand, carrying Scott's expedition on its ultimately futile — as well as fatal — race to reach the South Pole first.In 1924, Italian composer Giacomo Puccini died in Brussels before he could complete his opera "Turandot." (It was finished by Franco Alfano.)In 1929, Navy Lt. Cmdr. Richard E. Byrd, pilot Bernt Balchen, radio operator Harold June and photographer Ashley McKinney made the first airplane flight over the South Pole.In 1961, Enos the chimp was launched from Cape Canaveral aboard the Mercury-Atlas 5 spacecraft, which orbited earth twice before returning.In 1963, President Lyndon B. Johnson named a commission headed by Earl Warren to investigate the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.In 1981, film star Natalie Wood drowned in a boating accident off Santa Catalina Island, California, at age 43.In 1986, actor Cary Grant died in Davenport, Iowa, at age 82.In 1987, a Korean Air 707 jetliner en route from Abu Dhabi to Bangkok was destroyed by a bomb planted by North Korean agents with the loss of all 115 people aboard.In 2001, former Beatle George Harrison died in Los Angeles following a battle with cancer; he was 58.In 2008, Indian commandos killed the last remaining gunmen holed up at a luxury Mumbai hotel, ending a 60-hour rampage through India's financial capital by suspected Pakistani-based militants that killed 166 people.In 2020, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that New York City would reopen its school system to in-person learning, and increase the number of days a week many children attend class, even as the coronavirus pandemic intensified in the city.Ten years ago: The United Nations voted overwhelmingly to recognize a Palestinian state, a vote that came exactly 65 years after the General Assembly adopted a plan to divide Palestine into separate states for Jews and Arabs. (The vote was 138 in favor; nine members, including the United States, voted against and 41 abstained.) President Barack Obama had lunch with defeated Republican nominee Mitt Romney in the White House's private dining room; the White House says they discussed America's leadership in the world.Five years ago: North Korea launched its most powerful weapon yet, claiming a new type of intercontinental ballistic missile that some observers believed could put the entire U.S. East Coast within range. "Today" host Matt Lauer was fired for what NBC called "inappropriate sexual behavior" with a colleague; a published report accused him of crude and habitual misconduct with women around the office. Garrison Keillor, who'd entertained public radio listeners for 40 years on "A Prairie Home Companion," was fired by Minnesota Public Radio following allegations of inappropriate workplace behavior.One year ago: A federal judge blocked the Biden administration from enforcing a coronavirus vaccine mandate on thousands of healthcare workers in 10 states that had brought the first legal challenge against the requirement. Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey stepped down as CEO of the social media platform; he was succeeded by Twitter's chief technology officer, Parag Agrawal. LSU hired Brian Kelly away from Notre Dame, a stunning move by one of the most accomplished coaches in college football jumping from the sport's most storied program to a Southeastern Conference powerhouse. Arlene Dahl, a 1950s movie star who later remained prominent in television, died in New York at 96. Merriam-Webster chose "vaccine" as its 2021 word of the year.Today's Birthdays: Blues singer-musician John Mayall is 89. Actor Diane Ladd is 87. Songwriter Mark James is 82. Composer-musician Chuck Mangione is 82. Pop singer-musician Felix Cavaliere (The Rascals) is 80. Former Olympic skier Suzy Chaffee is 76. Actor Jeff Fahey is 70. Movie director Joel Coen is 68. Actor-comedian-celebrity judge Howie Mandel is 67. Former Homeland Security Director Janet Napolitano is 65. Former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is 63. Actor Cathy Moriarty is 62. Actor Kim Delaney is 61. Actor Tom Sizemore is 61. Actor Andrew McCarthy is 60. Actor Don Cheadle is 58. Actor-producer Neill Barry is 57. Pop singer Jonathan Knight (New Kids on the Block) is 54. Rock musician Martin Carr (Boo Radleys) is 54. Actor Jennifer Elise Cox is 53. Baseball Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera is 53. Actor Larry Joe Campbell is 52. Rock musician Frank Delgado (Deftones) is 52. Actor Paola Turbay is 52. Contemporary Christian singer Crowder is 51. Actor Gena Lee Nolin is 51. Actor Brian Baumgartner is 50. Actor Julian Ovenden is 47. Actor Anna (AH'-nuh) Faris is 46. Gospel singer James Fortune is 45. Actor Lauren German is 44. Rapper The Game is 43. Actor Janina Gavankar is 42. Rock musician Ringo Garza is 41. Actor-comedian John Milhiser is 41. Actor Lucas Black is 40. NFL quarterback Russell Wilson is 34. Actor Diego Boneta is 32. Actor Lovie Simone (TV: "Greenleaf") is 24.

Today in History - November 29

<a href="https://memorials.martinbeckercarlson.com/john-willey/5081350/obituary.php?_ga=2.148010101.357551074.1669605313-1202697284.1612194326">John WIlley Obituary - Solomon, KS | Martin-Becker-Carlson Funeral Home (martinbeckercarlson.com)</a>

&nbsp;October 2nd, 1938 - November 26th, 2022

John Wesley Willey III, Topeka, KS, left this world to join his beloved wife on Saturday, November 26, 2022, at the age of 84. He was born October 2nd, 1938 in Solomon, KS, the only child to John Wesley Willey, Jr. and Henrietta M Wolfe. 

A graduate of Solomon High School, he was united in marriage to the love of his life, Arlene P Haymond of Salina, KS on June 5, 1960. They lived in Solomon for 31 years and together welcomed three children: a son, John IV, and twin daughters, Linda and Brenda.

In 1990, John and Arlene moved to Abilene, KS. Sadly, Arlene passed away on Dec 2, 2002 and John moved to Topeka, KS shortly after this, where he resided with Mary Wright. John began his lifelong career as a civil engineer with Wilson and Company Engineering and Architects, Salina, KS, at the age of 18. Notably, his first engineering assignment was the design and construction of I-70 at Abilene. Over the next four decades, he was involved in major infrastructure improvements in the mid- and southwest region of the U.S. and for the City of Abilene. In 1989 he was hired as Abilene’s City Engineer. He spent the next 12 years there before retiring in 2001. His most significant contribution was the construction of the first reverse osmosis municipal water treatment plant in the state of Kansas.

He was a Freemason and served as secretary of Solomon City Lodge for 25 years and was a former officer of the Grand Lodge of Kansas. Attending the annual Solomon lodge picnic each June with his family was one event he perpetually looked forward to. He was a man of few words with a quiet, witty sense of humor. Incredibly wise and intelligent, he was the kind of person that when he spoke, everyone listened. Although he was quite stubborn and independent himself, he would drop everything to do anything for his loved ones. An avid NASCAR fan, John often enjoyed a nap with the race playing in the background. His love for his various dogs and cats throughout his life was apparent, and anyone who knew him will always picture him in his wardrobe staples—cowboy boots and sweaters year-round. John and Arlene were their grandchildren’s greatest fans, cheering at every sporting or musical event they were able to attend and taking them on countless day-trip vacations including tours of Big Brutus, old steam engines, airplanes, and fishing. He was known as the grandpa who believed in donuts and Oreo cookies for breakfast and he always had some kind of candy or cookie to bring each time he visited. John was preceded in death by his wife, Arlene.

He leaves behind his son John (Jason) Willey IV, Topeka, KS; Linda (Joe) Duntz, Manhattan, KS; Brenda (Mike)Yamamoto, Colorado Springs, CO; five grandchildren: Dustin, Ashley, TJ, James, and Andrew; and six great-grandchildren. Graveside services will be held at Prairie Mound Cemetery, Solomon, on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022, at 1:00 p.m.

Memorials may be made to the Masonic Lodge. Memorials may be mailed to Carlson-Becker Funeral Home, P.O. Box 308, Solomon, Kansas 67480. 

Online condolences may be sent to www.martinbeckercarlson.com.&nbsp;&nbsp;

To&nbsp;<a href="https://carlsonbecker-funeral-home-solomon.tributestore.com/?oId=26470110" target="_blank">send flowers</a>&nbsp;to the family of John W. , III, please visit our&nbsp;<a href="https://carlsonbecker-funeral-home-solomon.tributestore.com/?oId=26470110" target="_blank">Heartfelt Sympathies Store</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<h2>John W. Willey, III</h2><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669724506088.png" alt="John W. WIlley, III" />
 <figcaption>John W. WIlley, III</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://memorials.martinbeckercarlson.com/john-willey/5081350/obituary.php?_ga=2.148010101.357551074.1669605313-1202697284.1612194326">John WIlley Obituary - Solomon, KS | Martin-Becker-Carlson Funeral Home (martinbeckercarlson.com)</a>&nbsp;October 2nd, 1938 - November 26th, 2022John Wesley Willey III, Topeka, KS, left this world to join his beloved wife on Saturday, November 26, 2022, at the age of 84. He was born October 2nd, 1938 in Solomon, KS, the only child to John Wesley Willey, Jr. and Henrietta M Wolfe. A graduate of Solomon High School, he was united in marriage to the love of his life, Arlene P Haymond of Salina, KS on June 5, 1960. They lived in Solomon for 31 years and together welcomed three children: a son, John IV, and twin daughters, Linda and Brenda. In 1990, John and Arlene moved to Abilene, KS. Sadly, Arlene passed away on Dec 2, 2002 and John moved to Topeka, KS shortly after this, where he resided with Mary Wright. John began his lifelong career as a civil engineer with Wilson and Company Engineering and Architects, Salina, KS, at the age of 18. Notably, his first engineering assignment was the design and construction of I-70 at Abilene. Over the next four decades, he was involved in major infrastructure improvements in the mid- and southwest region of the U.S. and for the City of Abilene. In 1989 he was hired as Abilene’s City Engineer. He spent the next 12 years there before retiring in 2001. His most significant contribution was the construction of the first reverse osmosis municipal water treatment plant in the state of Kansas. He was a Freemason and served as secretary of Solomon City Lodge for 25 years and was a former officer of the Grand Lodge of Kansas. Attending the annual Solomon lodge picnic each June with his family was one event he perpetually looked forward to. He was a man of few words with a quiet, witty sense of humor. Incredibly wise and intelligent, he was the kind of person that when he spoke, everyone listened. Although he was quite stubborn and independent himself, he would drop everything to do anything for his loved ones. An avid NASCAR fan, John often enjoyed a nap with the race playing in the background. His love for his various dogs and cats throughout his life was apparent, and anyone who knew him will always picture him in his wardrobe staples—cowboy boots and sweaters year-round. John and Arlene were their grandchildren’s greatest fans, cheering at every sporting or musical event they were able to attend and taking them on countless day-trip vacations including tours of Big Brutus, old steam engines, airplanes, and fishing. He was known as the grandpa who believed in donuts and Oreo cookies for breakfast and he always had some kind of candy or cookie to bring each time he visited. John was preceded in death by his wife, Arlene. He leaves behind his son John (Jason) Willey IV, Topeka, KS; Linda (Joe) Duntz, Manhattan, KS; Brenda (Mike)Yamamoto, Colorado Springs, CO; five grandchildren: Dustin, Ashley, TJ, James, and Andrew; and six great-grandchildren. Graveside services will be held at Prairie Mound Cemetery, Solomon, on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022, at 1:00 p.m.Memorials may be made to the Masonic Lodge. Memorials may be mailed to Carlson-Becker Funeral Home, P.O. Box 308, Solomon, Kansas 67480. Online condolences may be sent to www.martinbeckercarlson.com.&nbsp;&nbsp;To&nbsp;<a href="https://carlsonbecker-funeral-home-solomon.tributestore.com/?oId=26470110" target="_blank">send flowers</a>&nbsp;to the family of John W. , III, please visit our&nbsp;<a href="https://carlsonbecker-funeral-home-solomon.tributestore.com/?oId=26470110" target="_blank">Heartfelt Sympathies Store</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

John W. Willey, III

K-State Division of Communications and Marketing

As part of the new Kansas State University&nbsp;<a href="https://www.k-state.edu/media/newsreleases/2022-08/regional-community-visits.html" target="_blank">presidential community visit initiative</a>, K-State will host a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.k-state.edu/president/initiatives/regional-community-visits/" target="_blank">community visit</a>&nbsp;in the central Kansas area on Monday.

The visit includes activities to engage with, listen to and learn from Kansans in Salina and the central Kansas region.

President Richard Linton and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.k-state.edu/president/initiatives/regional-community-visits/connected-cats/" target="_blank">K-State Connected 'Cats students</a>&nbsp;will lead several events, including community conversations, recruitment activities and events to highlight university partnerships and K-State Research and Extension relationships. The Connected 'Cats students are all from&nbsp;Salina&nbsp;and include Ethan Brown, junior in marketing; Adelaide Easter, sophomore in bakery science and food science with a secondary major in global food systems leadership; and Yulissa Hernandez, junior in professional pilot. SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.k-state.edu/president/initiatives/regional-community-visits/schedule/central-kansas/" target="_blank">View a schedule with full details for the Dec. 5 central Kansas community visit</a>. These events listed below are&nbsp;free and open to all Kansans: community members, leaders, families, current and future students and parents. •&nbsp;Community open forum, 8:30-9:30 a.m., College Center Conference Room, K-State Salina, 2310 Centennial Road, Salina.&nbsp;Linton and the K-State&nbsp;Connected 'Cats&nbsp;students will host a dialogue about university and community connections and the student experience. • Rural mental health and&nbsp;well-being, 12:30-1:30 p.m., Ellsworth Medical Center Conference Room, 1604&nbsp;Aylward Avenue, Ellsworth. Learn how the city of Ellsworth and local partners are taking a comprehensive approach in addressing mental health in rural communities. •&nbsp;Responding to industry needs, 2:30-4 p.m., Great Plains Manufacturing. Take part in a facilitated conversation about ways that education in the Salina region is partnering to meet the needs of industry.&nbsp; •&nbsp;Youth engagement: K-State at the Salina Public Library, 4:15-5:15 p.m., Salina Public Library, 301 W. Elm Street, Salina. Join Linton, Thomas Lane, vice president for student life and dean of students, and the Connected 'Cats students as they partner with the&nbsp;Salina Public Library&nbsp;for two concurrent educational opportunities: Wildcat Story Time and Math Monday. &nbsp; ABOUT THE COMMUNITY VISIT INITIATIVE:&nbsp;The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.k-state.edu/president/initiatives/regional-community-visits/" target="_blank">new K-State presidential community visit initiative</a>&nbsp;focuses on the people of Kansas and their communities. Every academic year, K-State will visit nine communities throughout the state to listen and learn from the Kansans who live there.

K-State Division of Communications and Marketing As part of the new Kansas State University&nbsp;<a href="https://www.k-state.edu/media/newsreleases/2022-08/regional-community-visits.html" target="_blank">presidential community visit initiative</a>, K-State will host a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.k-state.edu/president/initiatives/regional-community-visits/" target="_blank">community visit</a>&nbsp;in the central Kansas area on Monday. The visit includes activities to engage with, listen to and learn from Kansans in Salina and the central Kansas region.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644852343615.png" alt="President Richard Linton and his wife, Sally Linton. Photo courtesy Kansas State University" />
 <figcaption>President Richard Linton and his wife, Sally Linton. Photo courtesy Kansas State University</figcaption>
 </figure> President Richard Linton and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.k-state.edu/president/initiatives/regional-community-visits/connected-cats/" target="_blank">K-State Connected 'Cats students</a>&nbsp;will lead several events, including community conversations, recruitment activities and events to highlight university partnerships and K-State Research and Extension relationships. The Connected 'Cats students are all from&nbsp;Salina&nbsp;and include Ethan Brown, junior in marketing; Adelaide Easter, sophomore in bakery science and food science with a secondary major in global food systems leadership; and Yulissa Hernandez, junior in professional pilot. SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.k-state.edu/president/initiatives/regional-community-visits/schedule/central-kansas/" target="_blank">View a schedule with full details for the Dec. 5 central Kansas community visit</a>. These events listed below are&nbsp;free and open to all Kansans: community members, leaders, families, current and future students and parents. •&nbsp;Community open forum, 8:30-9:30 a.m., College Center Conference Room, K-State Salina, 2310 Centennial Road, Salina.&nbsp;Linton and the K-State&nbsp;Connected 'Cats&nbsp;students will host a dialogue about university and community connections and the student experience. • Rural mental health and&nbsp;well-being, 12:30-1:30 p.m., Ellsworth Medical Center Conference Room, 1604&nbsp;Aylward Avenue, Ellsworth. Learn how the city of Ellsworth and local partners are taking a comprehensive approach in addressing mental health in rural communities. •&nbsp;Responding to industry needs, 2:30-4 p.m., Great Plains Manufacturing. Take part in a facilitated conversation about ways that education in the Salina region is partnering to meet the needs of industry.&nbsp; •&nbsp;Youth engagement: K-State at the Salina Public Library, 4:15-5:15 p.m., Salina Public Library, 301 W. Elm Street, Salina. Join Linton, Thomas Lane, vice president for student life and dean of students, and the Connected 'Cats students as they partner with the&nbsp;Salina Public Library&nbsp;for two concurrent educational opportunities: Wildcat Story Time and Math Monday. &nbsp; ABOUT THE COMMUNITY VISIT INITIATIVE:&nbsp;The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.k-state.edu/president/initiatives/regional-community-visits/" target="_blank">new K-State presidential community visit initiative</a>&nbsp;focuses on the people of Kansas and their communities. Every academic year, K-State will visit nine communities throughout the state to listen and learn from the Kansans who live there.

Kansas State University President Richard Linton to visit Salina next week

<a href="https://www.nsrfh.com/obituary/marsha-kurz">Obituary | Marsha Kurz | Neill-Schwensen-Rook Funeral Home (nsrfh.com)</a>

Marsha Kurz, 74, of Clay Center, died on Monday, November 21, 2022 at Advena Living of Clay Center.&nbsp; She was born on April 20, 1948 in Clay Center, the daughter of Karlton and Helen (Letourneau) Kurz.

Her father was in the military and she lived in several places in the United States and Germany.&nbsp; Her family moved back to Clay Center in 1986.&nbsp; 

Marsha worked at Big Lakes and she also worked in the laundry department at Medicalodge.&nbsp; She was a member of the Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church. &nbsp;

She is preceded in death by her parents and brother, Russell Kurz.

Marsha was an avid bowler, attending many tournaments across the United States, including Reno, Nevada.&nbsp; She enjoyed watching football on television, listening to music, coloring and going out to eat.

Memorial services will be held on Monday, November 28, 2022 at 4:00 p.m. at the Neill-Schwensen-Rook Funeral Home in Clay Center, Kansas.

A private inurnment will take place at a later date in the Aurora Cemetery in Aurora, Kansas.

Memorials may be made to Meadowlark Hospice&nbsp; and can be sent c/o funeral home.

<h2>Marsha Kurz, Clay Center</h2><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669382009942.jpeg" alt="Marsha Kurz" />
 <figcaption>Marsha Kurz</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.nsrfh.com/obituary/marsha-kurz">Obituary | Marsha Kurz | Neill-Schwensen-Rook Funeral Home (nsrfh.com)</a>April 20, 1948 - November 21, 2022Marsha Kurz, 74, of Clay Center, died on Monday, November 21, 2022 at Advena Living of Clay Center.&nbsp; She was born on April 20, 1948 in Clay Center, the daughter of Karlton and Helen (Letourneau) Kurz.Her father was in the military and she lived in several places in the United States and Germany.&nbsp; Her family moved back to Clay Center in 1986.&nbsp; Marsha worked at Big Lakes and she also worked in the laundry department at Medicalodge.&nbsp; She was a member of the Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church. &nbsp;She is preceded in death by her parents and brother, Russell Kurz.Marsha was an avid bowler, attending many tournaments across the United States, including Reno, Nevada.&nbsp; She enjoyed watching football on television, listening to music, coloring and going out to eat.Memorial services will be held on Monday, November 28, 2022 at 4:00 p.m. at the Neill-Schwensen-Rook Funeral Home in Clay Center, Kansas.A private inurnment will take place at a later date in the Aurora Cemetery in Aurora, Kansas.There will be no visitation.Memorials may be made to Meadowlark Hospice&nbsp; and can be sent c/o funeral home.

Marsha Kurz

Today is Wednesday, Nov. 23, the 327th day of 2022. There are 38 days left in the year.

On Nov. 23, 1971, the People's Republic of China was seated in the U.N. Security Council.

In 1889, the first jukebox made its debut in San Francisco, at the Palais Royale Saloon. (The coin-operated device consisted of four listening tubes attached to an Edison phonograph.)

In 1903, Enrico Caruso made his American debut at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York, appearing in "Rigoletto."

In 1936, Life, the photojournalism magazine created by Henry R. Luce, was first published.

In 1963, President Lyndon B. Johnson proclaimed Nov. 25 a day of national mourning following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

In 1980, some 2,600 people were killed by a series of earthquakes that devastated southern Italy.

In 1996, a commandeered Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 767 crashed into the water off the Comoros Islands, killing 125 of the 175 people on board, including all three hijackers.

In 2000, in a setback for Al Gore, the Florida Supreme Court refused to order Miami-Dade County officials to resume hand-counting its election-day ballots. Meanwhile, Gore's lawyers argued in a brief filed with the U.S. Supreme Court that the high court should stay out of the Florida election controversy.

In 2003, five U.S. soldiers were killed in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan. Eduard Shevardnadze resigned as president of Georgia in the face of protests.

In 2006, former KGB spy Alexander Litvinenko died in London from radiation poisoning after making a deathbed statement blaming Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In 2008, the government unveiled a bold plan to rescue Citigroup, injecting a fresh $20 billion into the troubled firm as well as guaranteeing hundreds of billions of dollars in risky assets.

In 2011, Yemen's authoritarian President Ali Abdullah Saleh agreed to step down amid a fierce uprising to oust him after 33 years in power.

In 2020, the federal government recognized Joe Biden as the "apparent winner" of the Nov. 3 election, formally starting the transition of power; President Donald Trump still refused to concede and vowed to continue a court fight after General Services Administrator Emily Murphy gave the green light for Biden to coordinate with federal agencies ahead of his inauguration. Michigan certified Biden's win in the battleground state.

Ten years ago: Supporters and opponents of Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi clashed in the streets of Cairo and other major cities in the worst violence since Morsi took office nearly five months earlier. Actor Larry Hagman, best known for playing the scheming oil baron J.R. Ewing on TV's "Dallas," died in Dallas at the age of 81.

Five years ago: The holiday shopping season kicked off with some major retailers opening on Thanksgiving afternoon or evening, hoping for a lift from a better economy.

One year ago: A jury in Virginia ordered 17 white nationalist leaders and organizations to pay more than $26 million in damages over the violence that erupted during the deadly 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville in 2017. A federal jury in Cleveland found that CVS, Walgreens and Walmart pharmacies recklessly distributed massive amounts of pain pills in two Ohio counties. (A judge awarded $650 million in damages.) NASA launched a spacecraft on a mission to smash into an asteroid and test whether it would be possible to knock a speeding space rock off course. (NASA said the mission was a success.) President Joe Biden ordered a record 50 million barrels of oil released from America's strategic reserve, aiming to bring down gasoline and other costs. The only person convicted in the 2007 murder in Italy of British student Meredith Kercher, Rudy Guede, was freed after serving most of his 16-year prison sentence. Multi-genre performer Jon Batiste scored the most Grammy nominations with 11.

Today's Birthdays: Actor Franco Nero is 81. Screenwriter Joe Eszterhas is 78. Actor-comedy writer Bruce Vilanch is 75. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., is 72. Singer Bruce Hornsby is 68. Former Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., is 67. Actor Maxwell Caulfield is 63. Actor John Henton is 62. TV personality Robin Roberts ("Good Morning America") is 62. Rock singer-musician Ken Block (Sister Hazel) is 56. Actor Salli Richardson-Whitfield is 55. Actor Oded Fehr is 52. Rapper-actor Kurupt (Tha Dogg Pound) is 50. Actor Page Kennedy is 46. Actor Kelly Brook is 43. Actor Lucas Grabeel is 38. TV personality Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi is 35. Actor-singer Miley Cyrus is 30. Actor Olivia Keville (TV: "Splitting Up Together") is 20.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573488868914.jpeg" alt="Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://shutterstock.com">shutterstock</a>" />
 <figcaption>Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://shutterstock.com">shutterstock</a></figcaption>
 </figure>By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSToday is Wednesday, Nov. 23, the 327th day of 2022. There are 38 days left in the year.Today's Highlight in History:On Nov. 23, 1971, the People's Republic of China was seated in the U.N. Security Council.On this date:In 1889, the first jukebox made its debut in San Francisco, at the Palais Royale Saloon. (The coin-operated device consisted of four listening tubes attached to an Edison phonograph.)In 1903, Enrico Caruso made his American debut at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York, appearing in "Rigoletto."In 1936, Life, the photojournalism magazine created by Henry R. Luce, was first published.In 1963, President Lyndon B. Johnson proclaimed Nov. 25 a day of national mourning following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.In 1980, some 2,600 people were killed by a series of earthquakes that devastated southern Italy.In 1996, a commandeered Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 767 crashed into the water off the Comoros Islands, killing 125 of the 175 people on board, including all three hijackers.In 2000, in a setback for Al Gore, the Florida Supreme Court refused to order Miami-Dade County officials to resume hand-counting its election-day ballots. Meanwhile, Gore's lawyers argued in a brief filed with the U.S. Supreme Court that the high court should stay out of the Florida election controversy.In 2003, five U.S. soldiers were killed in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan. Eduard Shevardnadze resigned as president of Georgia in the face of protests.In 2006, former KGB spy Alexander Litvinenko died in London from radiation poisoning after making a deathbed statement blaming Russian President Vladimir Putin.In 2008, the government unveiled a bold plan to rescue Citigroup, injecting a fresh $20 billion into the troubled firm as well as guaranteeing hundreds of billions of dollars in risky assets.In 2011, Yemen's authoritarian President Ali Abdullah Saleh agreed to step down amid a fierce uprising to oust him after 33 years in power.In 2020, the federal government recognized Joe Biden as the "apparent winner" of the Nov. 3 election, formally starting the transition of power; President Donald Trump still refused to concede and vowed to continue a court fight after General Services Administrator Emily Murphy gave the green light for Biden to coordinate with federal agencies ahead of his inauguration. Michigan certified Biden's win in the battleground state.Ten years ago: Supporters and opponents of Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi clashed in the streets of Cairo and other major cities in the worst violence since Morsi took office nearly five months earlier. Actor Larry Hagman, best known for playing the scheming oil baron J.R. Ewing on TV's "Dallas," died in Dallas at the age of 81.Five years ago: The holiday shopping season kicked off with some major retailers opening on Thanksgiving afternoon or evening, hoping for a lift from a better economy.One year ago: A jury in Virginia ordered 17 white nationalist leaders and organizations to pay more than $26 million in damages over the violence that erupted during the deadly 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville in 2017. A federal jury in Cleveland found that CVS, Walgreens and Walmart pharmacies recklessly distributed massive amounts of pain pills in two Ohio counties. (A judge awarded $650 million in damages.) NASA launched a spacecraft on a mission to smash into an asteroid and test whether it would be possible to knock a speeding space rock off course. (NASA said the mission was a success.) President Joe Biden ordered a record 50 million barrels of oil released from America's strategic reserve, aiming to bring down gasoline and other costs. The only person convicted in the 2007 murder in Italy of British student Meredith Kercher, Rudy Guede, was freed after serving most of his 16-year prison sentence. Multi-genre performer Jon Batiste scored the most Grammy nominations with 11.Today's Birthdays: Actor Franco Nero is 81. Screenwriter Joe Eszterhas is 78. Actor-comedy writer Bruce Vilanch is 75. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., is 72. Singer Bruce Hornsby is 68. Former Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., is 67. Actor Maxwell Caulfield is 63. Actor John Henton is 62. TV personality Robin Roberts ("Good Morning America") is 62. Rock singer-musician Ken Block (Sister Hazel) is 56. Actor Salli Richardson-Whitfield is 55. Actor Oded Fehr is 52. Rapper-actor Kurupt (Tha Dogg Pound) is 50. Actor Page Kennedy is 46. Actor Kelly Brook is 43. Actor Lucas Grabeel is 38. TV personality Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi is 35. Actor-singer Miley Cyrus is 30. Actor Olivia Keville (TV: "Splitting Up Together") is 20.

Today in History - November 23

Mrs. Gloria Joyce Vassion, age 83 of Bemidji, Minnesota, passed away peacefully at her home Wednesday morning September 7, 2022.

She was born on January 1, 1939 in Long Beach California to Bart and Marie Chickering.

As toddlers, Gloria and her brother Bart were asked to be a part of the cast for the movie Swiss Robinson Family; however, her parents decided against it. Gloria grew up listening to Big Band Music which her father played in. She loved to go camping at Big Bear, and to go skiing at Shasta Lake in Redding California. Her family moved up to Happy Valley, CA on a farm and this is where her love for animals began. She would always talk about her cow named Ballie. Her favorite activity in high school was roller skating. She would go every weekend with her brother Bart. During high school she worked at the Cascade movie theatre and graduated from Anderson High School in 1957.

Gloria met her Husband Chris after high school who was from Redding, California. Gloria and Chris married on June 9, 1962 at the First Nazarene Church in Salina Kansas. Chris was stationed at Schilling Air Force Base and they decided to make Salina their home. Gloria and Chris have three children, Pam, Todd, and Timothy. She worked at Elmore center and then took a job at Westinghouse, which then became Philips Lighting, and retired after 38 years of service. She made lifetime friends at Philips Lighting and took pride in her job.

Gloria enjoyed traveling and one of her favorite places was Estes Park, Colorado. This became a frequent family destination as she would take her family there often, and would listen to the Grease Soundtrack the whole way there. Gloria also enjoyed going on cruises with her husband Chris, the Cayman Islands were one of their favorites.

Gloria loved spending time with her grandchildren, which included watching them play sports, roller skating, or hanging out and eating cheesecake. She was always involved in their lives and traveled to watch them play their respective college sports.

Gloria loved animals throughout her life, as she had many dogs, cats and birds. She enjoyed planting flowers and working in her pond, where she had turtles and fish.

Gloria will truly be missed and was so very much loved by her family.

Gloria is survived by her husband Chris of 62 years, daughter Pamela Bellew, son-in-law Timothy Bellew, son Todd Vassion, daughter-in-law Jasmine Vassion, son Timothy Vassion, brother Bart Chickering, Sister-in-law Lora Chickering, and four grandchildren; Mason, Claudia, Alex, Chris.

Memorial Service to be held in Salina, Kansas at Emmanuel Foursquare Church on November 26, 2022, at 1:00pm.

Condolences may be left at <a href="http://ceasefuneralhome.com">ceasefuneralhome.com</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669079728624.jpeg" alt="Gloria Vassion" />
 <figcaption>Gloria Vassion</figcaption>
 </figure>Mrs. Gloria Joyce Vassion, age 83 of Bemidji, Minnesota, passed away peacefully at her home Wednesday morning September 7, 2022.She was born on January 1, 1939 in Long Beach California to Bart and Marie Chickering.As toddlers, Gloria and her brother Bart were asked to be a part of the cast for the movie Swiss Robinson Family; however, her parents decided against it. Gloria grew up listening to Big Band Music which her father played in. She loved to go camping at Big Bear, and to go skiing at Shasta Lake in Redding California. Her family moved up to Happy Valley, CA on a farm and this is where her love for animals began. She would always talk about her cow named Ballie. Her favorite activity in high school was roller skating. She would go every weekend with her brother Bart. During high school she worked at the Cascade movie theatre and graduated from Anderson High School in 1957.Gloria met her Husband Chris after high school who was from Redding, California. Gloria and Chris married on June 9, 1962 at the First Nazarene Church in Salina Kansas. Chris was stationed at Schilling Air Force Base and they decided to make Salina their home. Gloria and Chris have three children, Pam, Todd, and Timothy. She worked at Elmore center and then took a job at Westinghouse, which then became Philips Lighting, and retired after 38 years of service. She made lifetime friends at Philips Lighting and took pride in her job.Gloria enjoyed traveling and one of her favorite places was Estes Park, Colorado. This became a frequent family destination as she would take her family there often, and would listen to the Grease Soundtrack the whole way there. Gloria also enjoyed going on cruises with her husband Chris, the Cayman Islands were one of their favorites.Gloria loved spending time with her grandchildren, which included watching them play sports, roller skating, or hanging out and eating cheesecake. She was always involved in their lives and traveled to watch them play their respective college sports.Gloria loved animals throughout her life, as she had many dogs, cats and birds. She enjoyed planting flowers and working in her pond, where she had turtles and fish.Gloria will truly be missed and was so very much loved by her family.Gloria is survived by her husband Chris of 62 years, daughter Pamela Bellew, son-in-law Timothy Bellew, son Todd Vassion, daughter-in-law Jasmine Vassion, son Timothy Vassion, brother Bart Chickering, Sister-in-law Lora Chickering, and four grandchildren; Mason, Claudia, Alex, Chris.Memorial Service to be held in Salina, Kansas at Emmanuel Foursquare Church on November 26, 2022, at 1:00pm.Condolences may be left at <a href="http://ceasefuneralhome.com">ceasefuneralhome.com</a>.

Gloria Joyce Vassion

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — A 22-year-old gunman opened fire in a gay nightclub in Colorado Springs, killing five people and leaving 18 injured before he was subdued by “heroic” patrons and arrested by police who were on the scene within minutes, authorities said Sunday.

Click below to listen to the 9a.m. Sunday police press conference

Two firearms, including a “long rifle,” were found at Club Q after the Saturday night shooting, said Police Chief Adrian Vasquez.

Investigators were still determining a motive, and the attack was being investigated to see if it should be prosecuted as a hate crime, said El Paso County District Attorney Michael Allen.

Police identified the gunman as Anderson Lee Aldrich, who was in custody and being treated for injuries. A man with the same name and age was arrested in 2021 after his mother reported he threatened her with “a homemade bomb, multiple weapons and ammunition,” according to authorities.

Police did not confirm whether it was the same person, saying they were investigating whether the suspect had been arrested before.

Authorities were called to the Club Q at 11:57 p.m. Saturday with a report of a shooting, and the first officer arrived at midnight.

“At least two heroic people” confronted the gunman and stopped the shooting, Vasquez said, adding: “We owe them a great debt of thanks.”

Of the 18 people injured, some were in critical condition and at least two had been treated and released, officials said, adding that some were hurt trying to flee.

The shooting brought back memories of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-fl-state-wire-massacres-shootings-9c2d0d234e96c821beb29f1cf4c0eb82">the 2016 massacre at the Pulse gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida,</a>&nbsp;that killed 49 people. And it occurred in a state that has experienced several notorious mass killings, including at Columbine High School in 1999, a movie theater in suburban Denver in 2012 and at a Boulder supermarket last year.

It was the sixth mass killing this month and came in a year when the nation was shaken by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/uvalde-school-shooting">deaths of 21 in a school shooting in Uvalde, Texas</a>.

Attorney General Merrick Garland was briefed on the shooting, Justice Department spokesman Anthony Coley said. The FBI said it was assisting but said the police department was leading the investigation.

President Joe Biden said that while the motive for the shootings was not yet clear, “we know that the LGBTQI+ community has been subjected to horrific hate violence in recent years.”

“Places that are supposed to be safe spaces of acceptance and celebration should never be turned into places of terror and violence. Yet it happens far too often,” he said. “We must drive out the inequities that contribute to violence against LGBTQI+ people. We cannot and must not tolerate hate.”

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, who became the first openly gay man in the United States to be elected governor in 2018, called the shooting “sickening.”

“My heart breaks for the family and friends of those lost, injured, and traumatized in this horrific shooting. I have spoken with Mayor (John) Suthers and clarified that every state resource is available to local law enforcement in Colorado Springs,” Polis said. “Colorado stands with our LGTBQ community and everyone impacted by this tragedy as we mourn.”

Ryan Johnson, who lives near Club Q and was there last month, said it was one of only two night spots for the LGBTQ community in conservative-leaning Colorado Springs. “It’s kind of the go-to for pride,” the 26-year-old said, describing it as a medium-sized club.

When he got home early Sunday, he saw police cars crowding the streets.

“It just feels crazy, you hear about it and you don’t think it’ll happen and then it happens,” said Johnson. “You come to Colorado and feel safer than other parts of the country and then this happens.”

Robert Nichols, 35, said he searched frantically Sunday for a friend who had told him she would be at the club and hadn't returned his calls. He said that led to some “anxiety inducing” hours before seeing the friend's car outside her home and deciding she was OK.

Although a motive wasn’t yet clear, nor were the gender identities of the victims, the incident came as anti-gay rhetoric has intensified by extremists. In a statement, Club Q termed the shooting a hate attack.

“Club Q is devastated by the senseless attack on our community,” the club posted on its Facebook page. It said its prayers were with victims and families, adding: “We thank the quick reactions of heroic customers that subdued the gunman and ended this hate attack.”

The CEO of a national LGBTQ-rights organization, Kevin Jennings of Lambda Legal, reacted with a plea for tighter restrictions on guns.

“America’s toxic mix of bigotry and absurdly easy access to firearms means that such events are all too common and LGBTQ+ people, BIPOC communities, the Jewish community and other vulnerable populations pay the price again and again for our political leadership’s failure to act,” he said in a statement. “We must stand together to demand meaningful action before yet another tragedy strikes our nation.”

The shooting came during&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-carolina-legislature-gay-rights-raleigh-government-and-politics-84892bee21af98cfd80d56481ca05458">Transgender Awareness Week</a>&nbsp;and hours before Sunday’s International&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-deaths-america-2022-data-76c8ba3936e9a724377d1733a4619d7c">Transgender Day of Remembrance</a>, when events around the world are held to mourn and remember transgender people lost to violence. The Colorado Springs shooting was sure to bring special resonance to those events.

Club Q is a gay and lesbian nightclub that features a “Drag Diva Drag Show” on Saturdays, according to its website. In addition to the drag show, Club Q's Facebook page said planned entertainment included a “punk and alternative show” preceding a birthday dance party, with a Sunday “all ages brunch.”

Colorado Springs is a city of about 480,000 located about 70 miles (112 kilometers) south of Denver that is home to the U.S. Air Force Academy, as well as Focus on the Family, a prominent evangelical Christian ministry.

In November 2015, three people were killed and eight wounded at a Planned Parenthood clinic in the city when authorities say a man opened fire because he wanted to wage “war” on the clinic because it performed abortions.

In June, 31 members of the neo-Nazi group Patriot Front were arrested in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and charged with conspiracy to riot at a Pride event. Experts warned that extremist groups could see&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-arrests-riots-race-and-ethnicity-religion-a22a3e11521dfd398778d4820f484c50">anti-gay rhetoric as a call to action</a>.

The previous month, a fundamentalist Idaho pastor told his small Boise congregation that gay, lesbian and transgender people should be executed by the government, which lined up with similar sermons from a Texas fundamentalist pastor.

There have been 523 mass killings since 2006 resulting in 2,727 deaths as of Nov. 19, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/graphics/2022/08/18/mass-killings-database-us-events-since-2006/9705311002/">The Associated Press/USA Today database on mass killings in the U.S.</a>

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — A 22-year-old gunman opened fire in a gay nightclub in Colorado Springs, killing five people and injuring 18 before he was subdued by “heroic” patrons and arrested by police who arrived on the scene within about five minutes, police said Sunday.

Two firearms, including a “long rifle,” were found at the scene at Club Q, said Colorado Springs Police Department Chief Adrian Vasquez.

“At least two heroic people” confronted the gunman and stopped the shooting, the chief said, adding: “We owe them a great debt of thanks.”

Authorities received the report of a shooting at Club Q at 11:57 p.m. Saturday, said Lt. Pamela Castro of the Colorado Springs Police Department.

The violence is the sixth mass killing this month and comes in a year when the nation was shaken by the deaths of 21 in a school shooting in Uvalde, Texas.

Castro said the suspect was injured but didn’t know how and that the FBI was on the scene.

Attorney General Merrick Garland has been briefed on the shooting, Justice Department spokesman Anthony Coley said. The FBI said it was providing assistance to Colorado Springs police, but said the police department was leading the investigation.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, who became the first openly gay man in the United States to be elected governor in 2018, said the news was “sickening.”.

Although a motive in the shooting wasn’t yet clear, nor were the gender identities of the victims, the incident came as anti-gay rhetoric has intensified by extremists. In a statement, Club Q termed the shooting a hate attack.

The shooting came during Transgender Awareness Week and hours before Sunday’s International Transgender Day of Remembrance, when events around the world are held to mourn and memorialize transgender people lost to violence. The Colorado Springs shooting was sure to bring special resonance to Sunday’s events.

Club Q is a gay and lesbian nightclub that features a “Drag Diva Drag Show” on Saturdays, according to its website.

In addition to the drag show, Club Q's Facebook page said planned entertainment included a “punk and alternative show” preceding a birthday dance party, with a Sunday “all ages brunch.”

The shooting brought back memories of the 2016 massacre at the Pulse gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, that killed 49 people. And it occurred in a state that has experienced several notorious mass killings, including at Columbine High School in 1999, a movie theater in suburban Denver in 2012 and at a Boulder supermarket last year.

Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff of California said on Twitter he was “sickened and horrified” by the shooting, adding: “The LGBTQ+ community is once again the target of the most terrible violence. And devastating attacks like these will only become more common if we don’t fight back. It must stop.”

Rep.-elect Eric Sorensen, who is Illinois' first openly gay congressman, tweeted that “we must use loud voices to stand up against hate. Our country must turn down the hateful rhetoric aimed at our LGBTQ community.”

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — An attacker opened fire in a gay nightclub late Saturday, killing five people and wounding 18, officials said. The club said the suspect was subdued by patrons.

Authorities received a report of a shooting at Club Q at 11:57 p.m. and responded within minutes, said Lt. Pamela Castro of the Colorado Springs Police Department.

Castro had few details beyond the number of dead and wounded. She said the suspect was injured but didn’t know how and that the FBI was on the scene and assisting.

The police department planned a news conference for 8 a.m. (10 a.m. EST) on the investigation.

The latest incident occurred as anti-gay rhetoric has intensified by extremists. In a statement, Club Q termed the shooting a hate attack.

The motive behind Saturday's shooting was not immediately known but it brought back memories of the 2016 massacre at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, that killed 49 people. And it occurred in a state that has experienced several notorious mass killings, including at Columbine High School in 1999, a movie theater in suburban Denver in 2012 and at a Boulder supermarket last year.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668949980895.png" alt="Club Q is a gay and lesbian nightclub that features a “Drag Diva Drag Show” on Saturdays, according to its website.-photo courtesy KKTV" />
 <figcaption>Club Q is a gay and lesbian nightclub that features a “Drag Diva Drag Show” on Saturdays, according to its website.-photo courtesy KKTV</figcaption>
 </figure>COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — A 22-year-old gunman opened fire in a gay nightclub in Colorado Springs, killing five people and leaving 18 injured before he was subdued by “heroic” patrons and arrested by police who were on the scene within minutes, authorities said Sunday.Click below to listen to the 9a.m. Sunday police press conference<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=476&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fcspdpio%2Fvideos%2F685654389569596%2F&show_text=false&width=267&t=26" width="267" height="476" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Two firearms, including a “long rifle,” were found at Club Q after the Saturday night shooting, said Police Chief Adrian Vasquez.Investigators were still determining a motive, and the attack was being investigated to see if it should be prosecuted as a hate crime, said El Paso County District Attorney Michael Allen.Police identified the gunman as Anderson Lee Aldrich, who was in custody and being treated for injuries. A man with the same name and age was arrested in 2021 after his mother reported he threatened her with “a homemade bomb, multiple weapons and ammunition,” according to authorities.Police did not confirm whether it was the same person, saying they were investigating whether the suspect had been arrested before.Authorities were called to the Club Q at 11:57 p.m. Saturday with a report of a shooting, and the first officer arrived at midnight.“At least two heroic people” confronted the gunman and stopped the shooting, Vasquez said, adding: “We owe them a great debt of thanks.”Of the 18 people injured, some were in critical condition and at least two had been treated and released, officials said, adding that some were hurt trying to flee.The shooting brought back memories of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-fl-state-wire-massacres-shootings-9c2d0d234e96c821beb29f1cf4c0eb82">the 2016 massacre at the Pulse gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida,</a>&nbsp;that killed 49 people. And it occurred in a state that has experienced several notorious mass killings, including at Columbine High School in 1999, a movie theater in suburban Denver in 2012 and at a Boulder supermarket last year.It was the sixth mass killing this month and came in a year when the nation was shaken by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/uvalde-school-shooting">deaths of 21 in a school shooting in Uvalde, Texas</a>.Attorney General Merrick Garland was briefed on the shooting, Justice Department spokesman Anthony Coley said. The FBI said it was assisting but said the police department was leading the investigation.President Joe Biden said that while the motive for the shootings was not yet clear, “we know that the LGBTQI+ community has been subjected to horrific hate violence in recent years.”“Places that are supposed to be safe spaces of acceptance and celebration should never be turned into places of terror and violence. Yet it happens far too often,” he said. “We must drive out the inequities that contribute to violence against LGBTQI+ people. We cannot and must not tolerate hate.”Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, who became the first openly gay man in the United States to be elected governor in 2018, called the shooting “sickening.”“My heart breaks for the family and friends of those lost, injured, and traumatized in this horrific shooting. I have spoken with Mayor (John) Suthers and clarified that every state resource is available to local law enforcement in Colorado Springs,” Polis said. “Colorado stands with our LGTBQ community and everyone impacted by this tragedy as we mourn.”Ryan Johnson, who lives near Club Q and was there last month, said it was one of only two night spots for the LGBTQ community in conservative-leaning Colorado Springs. “It’s kind of the go-to for pride,” the 26-year-old said, describing it as a medium-sized club.When he got home early Sunday, he saw police cars crowding the streets.“It just feels crazy, you hear about it and you don’t think it’ll happen and then it happens,” said Johnson. “You come to Colorado and feel safer than other parts of the country and then this happens.”Robert Nichols, 35, said he searched frantically Sunday for a friend who had told him she would be at the club and hadn't returned his calls. He said that led to some “anxiety inducing” hours before seeing the friend's car outside her home and deciding she was OK.Although a motive wasn’t yet clear, nor were the gender identities of the victims, the incident came as anti-gay rhetoric has intensified by extremists. In a statement, Club Q termed the shooting a hate attack.“Club Q is devastated by the senseless attack on our community,” the club posted on its Facebook page. It said its prayers were with victims and families, adding: “We thank the quick reactions of heroic customers that subdued the gunman and ended this hate attack.”The CEO of a national LGBTQ-rights organization, Kevin Jennings of Lambda Legal, reacted with a plea for tighter restrictions on guns.“America’s toxic mix of bigotry and absurdly easy access to firearms means that such events are all too common and LGBTQ+ people, BIPOC communities, the Jewish community and other vulnerable populations pay the price again and again for our political leadership’s failure to act,” he said in a statement. “We must stand together to demand meaningful action before yet another tragedy strikes our nation.”The shooting came during&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-carolina-legislature-gay-rights-raleigh-government-and-politics-84892bee21af98cfd80d56481ca05458">Transgender Awareness Week</a>&nbsp;and hours before Sunday’s International&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-deaths-america-2022-data-76c8ba3936e9a724377d1733a4619d7c">Transgender Day of Remembrance</a>, when events around the world are held to mourn and remember transgender people lost to violence. The Colorado Springs shooting was sure to bring special resonance to those events.Club Q is a gay and lesbian nightclub that features a “Drag Diva Drag Show” on Saturdays, according to its website. In addition to the drag show, Club Q's Facebook page said planned entertainment included a “punk and alternative show” preceding a birthday dance party, with a Sunday “all ages brunch.”Colorado Springs is a city of about 480,000 located about 70 miles (112 kilometers) south of Denver that is home to the U.S. Air Force Academy, as well as Focus on the Family, a prominent evangelical Christian ministry.In November 2015, three people were killed and eight wounded at a Planned Parenthood clinic in the city when authorities say a man opened fire because he wanted to wage “war” on the clinic because it performed abortions.In June, 31 members of the neo-Nazi group Patriot Front were arrested in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and charged with conspiracy to riot at a Pride event. Experts warned that extremist groups could see&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-arrests-riots-race-and-ethnicity-religion-a22a3e11521dfd398778d4820f484c50">anti-gay rhetoric as a call to action</a>.The previous month, a fundamentalist Idaho pastor told his small Boise congregation that gay, lesbian and transgender people should be executed by the government, which lined up with similar sermons from a Texas fundamentalist pastor.There have been 523 mass killings since 2006 resulting in 2,727 deaths as of Nov. 19, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/graphics/2022/08/18/mass-killings-database-us-events-since-2006/9705311002/">The Associated Press/USA Today database on mass killings in the U.S.</a>------COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — A 22-year-old gunman opened fire in a gay nightclub in Colorado Springs, killing five people and injuring 18 before he was subdued by “heroic” patrons and arrested by police who arrived on the scene within about five minutes, police said Sunday.Click below to listen to the 9a.m. Sunday police press conference<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=476&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fcspdpio%2Fvideos%2F685654389569596%2F&show_text=false&width=267&t=26" width="267" height="476" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Two firearms, including a “long rifle,” were found at the scene at Club Q, said Colorado Springs Police Department Chief Adrian Vasquez.“At least two heroic people” confronted the gunman and stopped the shooting, the chief said, adding: “We owe them a great debt of thanks.”Authorities received the report of a shooting at Club Q at 11:57 p.m. Saturday, said Lt. Pamela Castro of the Colorado Springs Police Department.The violence is the sixth mass killing this month and comes in a year when the nation was shaken by the deaths of 21 in a school shooting in Uvalde, Texas.Castro said the suspect was injured but didn’t know how and that the FBI was on the scene.Attorney General Merrick Garland has been briefed on the shooting, Justice Department spokesman Anthony Coley said. The FBI said it was providing assistance to Colorado Springs police, but said the police department was leading the investigation.Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, who became the first openly gay man in the United States to be elected governor in 2018, said the news was “sickening.”.“My heart breaks for the family and friends of those lost, injured, and traumatized in this horrific shooting. I have spoken with Mayor (John) Suthers and clarified that every state resource is available to local law enforcement in Colorado Springs,” Polis said. “Colorado stands with our LGTBQ community and everyone impacted by this tragedy as we mourn.”Although a motive in the shooting wasn’t yet clear, nor were the gender identities of the victims, the incident came as anti-gay rhetoric has intensified by extremists. In a statement, Club Q termed the shooting a hate attack.“Club Q is devastated by the senseless attack on our community,” the club posted on its Facebook page. It said its prayers were with victims and families, adding: “We thank the quick reactions of heroic customers that subdued the gunman and ended this hate attack.”The shooting came during Transgender Awareness Week and hours before Sunday’s International Transgender Day of Remembrance, when events around the world are held to mourn and memorialize transgender people lost to violence. The Colorado Springs shooting was sure to bring special resonance to Sunday’s events.Club Q is a gay and lesbian nightclub that features a “Drag Diva Drag Show” on Saturdays, according to its website.In addition to the drag show, Club Q's Facebook page said planned entertainment included a “punk and alternative show” preceding a birthday dance party, with a Sunday “all ages brunch.”Colorado Springs is a city of about 480,000 located about 70 miles (112 kilometers) south of Denver that is home to the U.S. Air Force Academy, as well as Focus on the Family, a prominent evangelical Christian ministry.In November 2015, three people were killed and eight wounded at a Planned Parenthood clinic in the city when authorities say a man opened fire because he wanted to wage “war” on the clinic because it performed abortions.The shooting brought back memories of the 2016 massacre at the Pulse gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, that killed 49 people. And it occurred in a state that has experienced several notorious mass killings, including at Columbine High School in 1999, a movie theater in suburban Denver in 2012 and at a Boulder supermarket last year.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Sickened and horrified by the shooting at Club Q in Colorado Springs. The LGBTQ+ community is once again the target of the most terrible violence. And devastating attacks like these will only become more common if we don’t fight back. It must stop.&mdash; Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepAdamSchiff/status/1594327197019422722?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 20, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff of California said on Twitter he was “sickened and horrified” by the shooting, adding: “The LGBTQ+ community is once again the target of the most terrible violence. And devastating attacks like these will only become more common if we don’t fight back. It must stop.”Rep.-elect Eric Sorensen, who is Illinois' first openly gay congressman, tweeted that “we must use loud voices to stand up against hate. Our country must turn down the hateful rhetoric aimed at our LGBTQ community.”In June, 31 members of the neo-Nazi group Patriot Front were arrested in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and charged with conspiracy to riot at a Pride event. Experts warned that extremist groups could see&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-arrests-riots-race-and-ethnicity-religion-a22a3e11521dfd398778d4820f484c50">anti-gay rhetoric as a call to action</a>.The previous month, a fundamentalist Idaho pastor told his small Boise congregation that gay, lesbian and transgender people should be executed by the government, which lined up with similar sermons from a Texas fundamentalist pastor.There have been 523 mass killings since 2006 resulting in 2,727 deaths as of Nov. 19, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/graphics/2022/08/18/mass-killings-database-us-events-since-2006/9705311002/">The Associated Press/USA Today database on mass killings in the U.S.</a>-----COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — An attacker opened fire in a gay nightclub late Saturday, killing five people and wounding 18, officials said. The club said the suspect was subdued by patrons.Authorities received a report of a shooting at Club Q at 11:57 p.m. and responded within minutes, said Lt. Pamela Castro of the Colorado Springs Police Department.The violence is the sixth mass killing this month and comes in a year when the nation was shaken by the deaths of 21 in a school shooting in Uvalde, Texas.Castro had few details beyond the number of dead and wounded. She said the suspect was injured but didn’t know how and that the FBI was on the scene and assisting.The police department planned a news conference for 8 a.m. (10 a.m. EST) on the investigation.The latest incident occurred as anti-gay rhetoric has intensified by extremists. In a statement, Club Q termed the shooting a hate attack.“Club Q is devastated by the senseless attack on our community,” the club posted on its Facebook page. It said its prayers were with victims and families, adding: “We thank the quick reactions of heroic customers that subdued the gunman and ended this hate attack.”Club Q is a gay and lesbian nightclub that features a “Drag Diva Drag Show” on Saturdays, according to its website.In addition to the drag show, Club Q's Facebook page said planned entertainment included a “punk and alternative show” preceding a birthday dance party, with a Sunday “all ages brunch.”Colorado Springs is a city of about 480,000 located about 70 miles (112 kilometers) south of Denver that is home to the U.S. Air Force Academy, as well as Focus on the Family, a prominent evangelical Christian ministry.In November 2015, three people were killed and eight wounded at a Planned Parenthood clinic in the city when authorities say a man opened fire because he wanted to wage “war” on the clinic because it performed abortions.The motive behind Saturday's shooting was not immediately known but it brought back memories of the 2016 massacre at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, that killed 49 people. And it occurred in a state that has experienced several notorious mass killings, including at Columbine High School in 1999, a movie theater in suburban Denver in 2012 and at a Boulder supermarket last year.In June, 31 members of the neo-Nazi group Patriot Front were arrested in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and charged with conspiracy to riot at a Pride event. Experts warned that extremist groups could see&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-arrests-riots-race-and-ethnicity-religion-a22a3e11521dfd398778d4820f484c50">anti-gay rhetoric as a call to action</a>.The previous month, a fundamentalist Idaho pastor told his small Boise congregation that gay, lesbian and transgender people should be executed by the government, which lined up with similar sermons from a Texas fundamentalist pastor.There have been 523 mass killings since 2006 resulting in 2,727 deaths as of Nov. 19, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/graphics/2022/08/18/mass-killings-database-us-events-since-2006/9705311002/">The Associated Press/USA Today database on mass killings in the U.S.</a>-------------

🎥Police ID gunman in mass shooting at  LGBTQ club in Colorado 

BALTIMORE (AP) — Even as they signaled a continued hardline stance on opposing abortion and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-relationships-gay-rights-marriage-a6d9a92c4a5cda6e4b977f516a9a71a7">same-sex marriage</a>, the nation’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-religion-sexual-abuse-by-clergy-81eacc2fc6d53f81eacdcadc459b500a">Catholic bishops</a>&nbsp;acknowledged Wednesday that they’re struggling to reach a key audience: their own flock.

The members of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-539937dc8c2369d10a247428119d34f4">U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops</a>&nbsp;rounded out their leadership bench during the last day of public sessions of their fall annual meeting in Baltimore, which concludes with private meetings Thursday.

They also set in motion a plan to recirculate their long-standing election document in 2024 — a 15-year-old statement that prioritizes opposition to abortion — while acknowledging it’s outdated and adding a cover statement addressing such things as the teachings of Pope Francis and the Supreme Court’s Dobbs ruling in June that overturned the nationwide right to abortion.

The bishops elected Oklahoma City Archbishop Paul Coakley as secretary in a 130-104 vote over Cardinal Joseph Tobin of Newark, New Jersey, who had been named a cardinal by Pope Francis. It’s the second time in five years that the bishops have passed over a Francis-appointed cardinal for a key leadership post.

Earlier this year, Coakley had applauded the decision by San Francisco’s archbishop&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-congress-nancy-pelosi-san-francisco-religion-cd68155b976a60fc4f6b948acb217858">to deny Communion to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi,</a>&nbsp;a Catholic Democrat from that city who supports abortion rights. So had the bishops’ new point man on opposition to abortion -- Bishop Michael Burbidge of Arlington, Virginia, elected Wednesday as chairman of its Committee on Pro-Life Activities.

The votes came a day after the bishops elected as their new president Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services. Broglio is also seen as more of a culture warrior than Pope Francis, though Broglio has dismissed the idea of any “dissonance” between the two.

At the same time, Coakley cited the importance of Francis’ priorities in a news conference Wednesday.

Coakley is leading the bishops’ review of, “Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship,” a document they have used in election years with only minor revisions since 2007.

While a full revision will take years, bishops approved Coakley’s recommendation to begin drafting a new introduction to issue with the document in time for 2024′s election. It would incorporate recent events such as the Ukraine war and the Dobbs decision.

The plan also includes using parish bulletins and social media to share main ideas from the lengthy document.

Coakley said the new introduction needs to reflect Pope Francis’ priorities, such as promoting civil discourse and protecting the environment.

“It’s a rich pontificate that offers us plenty to lay out for people … to embrace the vision that Pope Francis has articulated,” Coakley said.

Bishops from both the progressive and conservative flanks of the church echoed concern that Catholics aren’t reading the document.

Bishop John Stowe of Lexington, Kentucky, a Francis appointee, said that bishops need a statement that’s relevant amid the shaken confidence in democracy following the U.S. Capitol riot and in the wake of Dobbs and defeats for abortion opponents in votes on five state ballot measures. “It’s irresponsible to issue an old teaching and suggest the church has nothing new to say when so much of this context has changed,” he said.

Bishop Joseph Strickland of Tyler, Texas, one of the most outspoken conservative bishops, lamented the recent state ballot measures. Polls show Catholics to be mixed on legal abortion.

“I think it’s a solid document,” Strickland said, but “I think we have to acknowledge people aren’t listening.”

The gap between Francis and the U.S. bishops reflects in part the conference’s continued emphasis on culture-war battles over abortion and same-sex marriage.

Francis, while also opposing both in keeping with church teaching, has used his papacy to emphasize a wider agenda of bringing mercy to those at the margins, such as migrants and other poor. The Vatican said in 2021 the church cannot bless gay unions because God “cannot bless sin,” but Francis has made outreach to the church’s LGBTQ members a hallmark of his papacy. As recently as last Friday, Francis met with the Rev. James Martin, an American Jesuit priest whom the pontiff has supported in his calls for dialogue with LGBTQ Catholics.

Both Pelosi and President Joe Biden, another Catholic who favors legalized abortion, have received Communion since 2021 in churches in Rome, the pope’s own diocese.

The bishops also heard an impassioned talk Wednesday by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-zelenskyy-europe-religion-moscow-0c674a1029a3f989aed16f7d93704514">Archbishop Borys Gudziak of the Ukrainian Archeparchy of Philadelphia</a>&nbsp;on behalf of war-torn Ukraine.

Gudziak thanked U.S. Catholics for providing millions in relief for displaced Ukrainians and urged continued American support for Ukraine’s self-defense, saying Russian assaults have left many vulnerable in the coming winter.

At the same time, he said that on a conference call with staff at a Catholic university in Lviv, he heard only joy and resolve even amid losses of electrical power in Russia’s missile barrage Tuesday. One staff member told him, “Better without electricity and with Kherson,” he said, alluding to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-zelenskyy-europe-business-war-crimes-037bd016533420a707250d15e8075536">recently liberated city</a>.

Gudziak accused Russia of a “genocide” through such attacks and through its denial of Ukrainians’ identity as a separate people.

Also Wednesday, a small group of survivors of sexual abuse and their supporters held a sidewalk news conference outside Baltimore Marriott Waterfront, where the bishops are meeting. While this year marks the 20th anniversary of the bishops’ landmark policy barring all abusers from ministry, advocates are seeking more transparency.

They called for bishops in every diocese to post detailed lists of credibly accused abusers and to stop lobbying against state legislation that would extend statutes of limitations for abuse lawsuits.

David Lorenz, Maryland director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, cited Archbishop Broglio’s archdiocese as one of the few that still does not publish even a minimal list of abusers. Broglio declined to comment.

“I don’t need another apology because it doesn’t do anything to protect kids,” Lorenz added. “I want action to help kids. I want them (bishops) to be totally, absolutely transparent.”

Also Wednesday, the bishops voted to advance efforts to have three American women declared saints.

They include Michelle Duppong of North Dakota, a campus missionary who died of cancer in 2014 and is credited with showing faithfulness in suffering.

They also include two 20th century women: Cora Evans, a Catholic convert from Utah who reported mystical experiences from an early age; and Mother Margaret Mary Healy Murphy of Texas, founder of a religious order, who provided education and other ministry to African Americans.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635514031020.png" alt="In Oct. of 2021&nbsp;First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, President Joe Biden and Pope Francis meet at the Vatican - President Joe Biden, a Catholic who favors legalized abortion, has received Communion since 2021 in churches in Rome, the pope’s own diocese. -photo courtesy CSPAN. " />
 <figcaption>In Oct. of 2021&nbsp;First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, President Joe Biden and Pope Francis meet at the Vatican - President Joe Biden, a Catholic who favors legalized abortion, has received Communion since 2021 in churches in Rome, the pope’s own diocese. -photo courtesy CSPAN. </figcaption>
 </figure>BALTIMORE (AP) — Even as they signaled a continued hardline stance on opposing abortion and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-relationships-gay-rights-marriage-a6d9a92c4a5cda6e4b977f516a9a71a7">same-sex marriage</a>, the nation’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-religion-sexual-abuse-by-clergy-81eacc2fc6d53f81eacdcadc459b500a">Catholic bishops</a>&nbsp;acknowledged Wednesday that they’re struggling to reach a key audience: their own flock.The members of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-539937dc8c2369d10a247428119d34f4">U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops</a>&nbsp;rounded out their leadership bench during the last day of public sessions of their fall annual meeting in Baltimore, which concludes with private meetings Thursday.They also set in motion a plan to recirculate their long-standing election document in 2024 — a 15-year-old statement that prioritizes opposition to abortion — while acknowledging it’s outdated and adding a cover statement addressing such things as the teachings of Pope Francis and the Supreme Court’s Dobbs ruling in June that overturned the nationwide right to abortion.The bishops elected Oklahoma City Archbishop Paul Coakley as secretary in a 130-104 vote over Cardinal Joseph Tobin of Newark, New Jersey, who had been named a cardinal by Pope Francis. It’s the second time in five years that the bishops have passed over a Francis-appointed cardinal for a key leadership post.Earlier this year, Coakley had applauded the decision by San Francisco’s archbishop&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-congress-nancy-pelosi-san-francisco-religion-cd68155b976a60fc4f6b948acb217858">to deny Communion to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi,</a>&nbsp;a Catholic Democrat from that city who supports abortion rights. So had the bishops’ new point man on opposition to abortion -- Bishop Michael Burbidge of Arlington, Virginia, elected Wednesday as chairman of its Committee on Pro-Life Activities.The votes came a day after the bishops elected as their new president Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services. Broglio is also seen as more of a culture warrior than Pope Francis, though Broglio has dismissed the idea of any “dissonance” between the two.At the same time, Coakley cited the importance of Francis’ priorities in a news conference Wednesday.Coakley is leading the bishops’ review of, “Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship,” a document they have used in election years with only minor revisions since 2007.While a full revision will take years, bishops approved Coakley’s recommendation to begin drafting a new introduction to issue with the document in time for 2024′s election. It would incorporate recent events such as the Ukraine war and the Dobbs decision.The plan also includes using parish bulletins and social media to share main ideas from the lengthy document.Coakley said the new introduction needs to reflect Pope Francis’ priorities, such as promoting civil discourse and protecting the environment.“It’s a rich pontificate that offers us plenty to lay out for people … to embrace the vision that Pope Francis has articulated,” Coakley said.Bishops from both the progressive and conservative flanks of the church echoed concern that Catholics aren’t reading the document.Bishop John Stowe of Lexington, Kentucky, a Francis appointee, said that bishops need a statement that’s relevant amid the shaken confidence in democracy following the U.S. Capitol riot and in the wake of Dobbs and defeats for abortion opponents in votes on five state ballot measures. “It’s irresponsible to issue an old teaching and suggest the church has nothing new to say when so much of this context has changed,” he said.Bishop Joseph Strickland of Tyler, Texas, one of the most outspoken conservative bishops, lamented the recent state ballot measures. Polls show Catholics to be mixed on legal abortion.“I think it’s a solid document,” Strickland said, but “I think we have to acknowledge people aren’t listening.”The gap between Francis and the U.S. bishops reflects in part the conference’s continued emphasis on culture-war battles over abortion and same-sex marriage.Francis, while also opposing both in keeping with church teaching, has used his papacy to emphasize a wider agenda of bringing mercy to those at the margins, such as migrants and other poor. The Vatican said in 2021 the church cannot bless gay unions because God “cannot bless sin,” but Francis has made outreach to the church’s LGBTQ members a hallmark of his papacy. As recently as last Friday, Francis met with the Rev. James Martin, an American Jesuit priest whom the pontiff has supported in his calls for dialogue with LGBTQ Catholics.Both Pelosi and President Joe Biden, another Catholic who favors legalized abortion, have received Communion since 2021 in churches in Rome, the pope’s own diocese.The bishops also heard an impassioned talk Wednesday by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-zelenskyy-europe-religion-moscow-0c674a1029a3f989aed16f7d93704514">Archbishop Borys Gudziak of the Ukrainian Archeparchy of Philadelphia</a>&nbsp;on behalf of war-torn Ukraine.Gudziak thanked U.S. Catholics for providing millions in relief for displaced Ukrainians and urged continued American support for Ukraine’s self-defense, saying Russian assaults have left many vulnerable in the coming winter.At the same time, he said that on a conference call with staff at a Catholic university in Lviv, he heard only joy and resolve even amid losses of electrical power in Russia’s missile barrage Tuesday. One staff member told him, “Better without electricity and with Kherson,” he said, alluding to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-zelenskyy-europe-business-war-crimes-037bd016533420a707250d15e8075536">recently liberated city</a>.Gudziak accused Russia of a “genocide” through such attacks and through its denial of Ukrainians’ identity as a separate people.Also Wednesday, a small group of survivors of sexual abuse and their supporters held a sidewalk news conference outside Baltimore Marriott Waterfront, where the bishops are meeting. While this year marks the 20th anniversary of the bishops’ landmark policy barring all abusers from ministry, advocates are seeking more transparency.They called for bishops in every diocese to post detailed lists of credibly accused abusers and to stop lobbying against state legislation that would extend statutes of limitations for abuse lawsuits.David Lorenz, Maryland director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, cited Archbishop Broglio’s archdiocese as one of the few that still does not publish even a minimal list of abusers. Broglio declined to comment.“I don’t need another apology because it doesn’t do anything to protect kids,” Lorenz added. “I want action to help kids. I want them (bishops) to be totally, absolutely transparent.”Also Wednesday, the bishops voted to advance efforts to have three American women declared saints.They include Michelle Duppong of North Dakota, a campus missionary who died of cancer in 2014 and is credited with showing faithfulness in suffering.They also include two 20th century women: Cora Evans, a Catholic convert from Utah who reported mystical experiences from an early age; and Mother Margaret Mary Healy Murphy of Texas, founder of a religious order, who provided education and other ministry to African Americans.___

US Catholic bishops worry about abortion views in the pews

By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/11/18/alex-gino-author-of-book-that-sparked-effort-to-close-kansas-towns-library-speaks-out/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Alex Gino wanted to write a 
book that reflected transgender youths’ experiences, the sort of book 
they wished they’d had when they were young.

It took them 12 years to write the 
book, which went on to receive several literary awards, including a 
Children’s Choice award and the Lambda literary award.

Now, the St. Marys City Commission is <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/11/16/future-of-kansas-towns-library-uncertain-after-outpouring-of-support-at-commission-meeting/">threatening the existence</a> of a public library for simply <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/11/14/future-of-kansas-towns-library-in-jeopardy-over-refusal-to-remove-divisive-books/">having Gino’s book in stock</a>.

“It hurts my heart,” Gino said. “The 
implication is that my existence is so monstrous that it should be 
withheld from children. And what happens is, you end up with adults like
 me, who didn’t have good role models or good reflections of people like
 them growing up, and the road does not change who you are, but it makes
 the road much more painful. And it makes the road a lot more 
dangerous.”

The book in question, “Melissa,” is 
about a transgender girl in middle school who fights to be accepted as a
 girl among her peers, family, and fellow students. Melissa learns to 
advocate for herself and her friends by playing the role of Charlotte in
 her school’s production of “Charlotte’s Web.”

The book, which was published in 2015, was added to the Pottawatomie
 Wabaunsee Regional Library in St. Marys after it made the William Allen
 White Award 2017-2018 Master List for grades 3-5.

“Melissa” had only been checked out 
four times from the library when it became the center of uproar this 
summer. Parent Dave Perry demanded the book be removed from the library,
 saying the contents were unsuitable for children and encouraged 
“chemical castration.”

Following Perry’s demands for 
removal, St. Marys city commissioners asked the library to accept a 
lease clause that would remove all books that dealt with sexuality, 
race, or LGBTQ themes.

The lease stipulated that the library
 not “supply, distribute, loan, encourage, or coerce acceptance of or 
approval of explicit sexual or racially or socially divisive material, 
or events (such as ‘drag queen story hours’) that support the LGBTQ+ or 
critical theory ideology or practice.”

The library refused to accept the 
“morals clause,” and commissioners remain undetermined on whether or not
 they’ll allow the library to stay in the St. Marys location. At the 
latest commission meeting, officials discussed allowing the library to 
have a short-term lease while they decided if the library met the “moral
 standards” of the commissioners. The commissioners will vote on the 
lease in early December. The library’s lease ends Dec. 31.

The American Civil Liberties Union of
 Kansas issued a statement in support of the library Wednesday, urging 
that the library continue to be funded and that the commission abandon 
the ban of these materials. The ACLU condemned the actions of the 
commission and said it will&nbsp; monitor the situation.

“The residents of the various cities 
served by the library have a First Amendment right to the targeted 
content,” said Sharon Brett, legal director of the ACLU of Kansas. “And 
the St. Mary’s commission’s insistence on banning items containing 
content they don’t like could have constitutional implications when it 
comes to library patrons’ rights to free expression and the right to 
receive information.”

Gino said the commissioners’ actions 
would damage transgender and LGBTQ youths in St. Marys, a town which is 
already heavily conservative and contains a large religious population 
associated with the Society of Saint Pius X.

St. Marys Vice-Mayor Francis 
Awerkamp, a Republican who also serves in the Kansas House, said he 
wouldn’t support the public library in any form because of the LGBTQ 
material it housed.

Gino said they are used to extreme reactions to “Melissa” but that this case was fairly extreme.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668797134203.png" alt="St. Marys residents line the walls to listen to the discussion of the library’s lease renewal during a Nov. 15, 2022, city commission meeting. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>St. Marys residents line the walls to listen to the discussion of the library’s lease renewal during a Nov. 15, 2022, city commission meeting. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/11/18/alex-gino-author-of-book-that-sparked-effort-to-close-kansas-towns-library-speaks-out/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Alex Gino wanted to write a 
book that reflected transgender youths’ experiences, the sort of book 
they wished they’d had when they were young.It took them 12 years to write the 
book, which went on to receive several literary awards, including a 
Children’s Choice award and the Lambda literary award.Now, the St. Marys City Commission is <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/11/16/future-of-kansas-towns-library-uncertain-after-outpouring-of-support-at-commission-meeting/">threatening the existence</a> of a public library for simply <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/11/14/future-of-kansas-towns-library-in-jeopardy-over-refusal-to-remove-divisive-books/">having Gino’s book in stock</a>.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668797191108.jpeg" alt="Alex Gino, author of “Melissa,” says transgender youths need to hear stories that reflect their experiences. (Submitted by Alex Gino)" />
 <figcaption>Alex Gino, author of “Melissa,” says transgender youths need to hear stories that reflect their experiences. (Submitted by Alex Gino)</figcaption>
 </figure>“It hurts my heart,” Gino said. “The 
implication is that my existence is so monstrous that it should be 
withheld from children. And what happens is, you end up with adults like
 me, who didn’t have good role models or good reflections of people like
 them growing up, and the road does not change who you are, but it makes
 the road much more painful. And it makes the road a lot more 
dangerous.”The book in question, “Melissa,” is 
about a transgender girl in middle school who fights to be accepted as a
 girl among her peers, family, and fellow students. Melissa learns to 
advocate for herself and her friends by playing the role of Charlotte in
 her school’s production of “Charlotte’s Web.”The book, which was published in 2015, was added to the Pottawatomie
 Wabaunsee Regional Library in St. Marys after it made the William Allen
 White Award 2017-2018 Master List for grades 3-5.“Melissa” had only been checked out 
four times from the library when it became the center of uproar this 
summer. Parent Dave Perry demanded the book be removed from the library,
 saying the contents were unsuitable for children and encouraged 
“chemical castration.”Following Perry’s demands for 
removal, St. Marys city commissioners asked the library to accept a 
lease clause that would remove all books that dealt with sexuality, 
race, or LGBTQ themes.The lease stipulated that the library
 not “supply, distribute, loan, encourage, or coerce acceptance of or 
approval of explicit sexual or racially or socially divisive material, 
or events (such as ‘drag queen story hours’) that support the LGBTQ+ or 
critical theory ideology or practice.”The library refused to accept the 
“morals clause,” and commissioners remain undetermined on whether or not
 they’ll allow the library to stay in the St. Marys location. At the 
latest commission meeting, officials discussed allowing the library to 
have a short-term lease while they decided if the library met the “moral
 standards” of the commissioners. The commissioners will vote on the 
lease in early December. The library’s lease ends Dec. 31.The American Civil Liberties Union of
 Kansas issued a statement in support of the library Wednesday, urging 
that the library continue to be funded and that the commission abandon 
the ban of these materials. The ACLU condemned the actions of the 
commission and said it will&nbsp; monitor the situation.“The residents of the various cities 
served by the library have a First Amendment right to the targeted 
content,” said Sharon Brett, legal director of the ACLU of Kansas. “And 
the St. Mary’s commission’s insistence on banning items containing 
content they don’t like could have constitutional implications when it 
comes to library patrons’ rights to free expression and the right to 
receive information.”Gino said the commissioners’ actions 
would damage transgender and LGBTQ youths in St. Marys, a town which is 
already heavily conservative and contains a large religious population 
associated with the Society of Saint Pius X.St. Marys Vice-Mayor Francis 
Awerkamp, a Republican who also serves in the Kansas House, said he 
wouldn’t support the public library in any form because of the LGBTQ 
material it housed.Gino said they are used to extreme reactions to “Melissa” but that this case was fairly extreme.“When trans people are harmed because the people in his community don’t know who we are, that blood is on his hands,” Gino said.Gino’s book is no longer kept in the 
library: Perry, the parent who objected to Gino’s book, said he had paid
 to have the book removed from the library.Gino referenced Perry’s speech in 
support of the library during a Nov. 15 debate on whether or not to 
renew the library’s lease. Perry had said he wanted the library to stay,
 and that the whole thing had gone too far.“The parent who brought up the book 
does not want the library closed. And it’s this case of, ‘No, no, I 
wanted censorship my way, but now you’re going too far.’ But you opened 
the door to censorship. That’s why we don’t do that,” Gino said.“The scary thing is that the 
alternative is to remove the library, so I don’t even know how to feel,”
 Gino added. “But in general, the idea of taking my book off the shelves
 because one individual or small group of individuals are trying to 
outweigh the librarian and the library, it’s selfish. I think it’s a 
fragile action. And I think it’s not American. It is not in favor of 
free speech, and it’s not the world I want to be in.”Gino said the sort of censorship seen
 in St. Marys and in the U.S. at large has worsened over the past few 
years, though they’ve been battling harsh responses to the book since it
 was published.Gino said “Melissa” was the No.1 most
 banned and challenged book on the American Library Association’s banned
 books list for three years in a row. The book has been challenged in 
Kansas before, with Wichita Public Schools refusing to buy the book in 
2017, bucking the custom of purchasing books from the William Allen 
White Children’s Book Awards Committee.“The issue of banned and challenged 
books is much, much worse in the last two or so years,” Gino said. “It’s
 becoming a real epidemic. It’s gotten to the point where people are 
going in with an entire list of books that they want removed.”At the November commission meeting, 
many St. Marys residents spoke in favor of keeping the library, but few 
supported the book itself. One speaker said the book would encourage 
children to become “frankensteins.” More than one person said “Melissa” 
would cause the town youths to want to chemically castrate themselves. 
Another said that LGBTQ books were the work of a “silver tongued devil.”Gino’s message remains firm.“I really just want to send my 
support to the trans kids, to the queer kids out there, to the families 
out there,” Gino said. “The majority does support you, and you are 
loved, and you are welcome in your space.”