HAMILTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two woman on drug charges after a traffic stop.

Just after 9:00 a.m. February 25, a trooper observed a Nissan Versa fail to stop at a stop sign after it exited Interstate 80 at the Hampton interchange, according to a media release from the Nebraska State Highway Patrol. During the traffic stop, the trooper detected criminal activity.

A search of the vehicle revealed six pounds of methamphetamine, as well less than an ounce of marijuana. The methamphetamine was located in five separate bags in the rear passenger area of the vehicle.

Troopers arrested the driver, Carmen Felix Loera, 36, and passenger, an 18-year-old female, both of San Diego, California, on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute, and no drug tax stamp. The 18-year-old was also cited for possession of marijuana – less than an ounce and possession of drug paraphernalia. Both women remain in the Hamilton County Jail.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614374846078.png" alt="Photo courtesy Nebraska State Patrol" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Nebraska State Patrol</figcaption>
 </figure>HAMILTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two woman on drug charges after a traffic stop.Just after 9:00 a.m. February 25, a trooper observed a Nissan Versa fail to stop at a stop sign after it exited Interstate 80 at the Hampton interchange, according to a media release from the Nebraska State Highway Patrol. During the traffic stop, the trooper detected criminal activity.A search of the vehicle revealed six pounds of methamphetamine, as well less than an ounce of marijuana. The methamphetamine was located in five separate bags in the rear passenger area of the vehicle.Troopers arrested the driver, Carmen Felix Loera, 36, and passenger, an 18-year-old female, both of San Diego, California, on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute, and no drug tax stamp. The 18-year-old was also cited for possession of marijuana – less than an ounce and possession of drug paraphernalia. Both women remain in the Hamilton County Jail.

State trooper arrests woman, teen after finding 6 pounds of meth

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal three-vehicle crash on Friday in Wichita have identified the victims.as 70-year-old Cheryl Sigle and 72-year-old Dennis Sigle both of Wichita and 25-year-old Isaiah Ragazzone.

Just after 3p.m. Friday, police responded to an injury collision in the intersection of South Meridian and Interstate 235 in Wichita, according to officer Tevor Macey.

Upon arrival, Officers located an accident scene involving three vehicles – a white Impala, a tan Buick, and a black Lincoln. Through their investigation, they learned&nbsp;Impala, driven by Isaiah Ragazzone, was&nbsp; southbound on Meridian at a high rate of speed. 

As the Impala approached the intersection of S Meridian and Interstate 235, it collided with a Buick driven by Dennis Sigle, who was attempting to make a left turn onto Interstate 235. 

The force of the impact caused the engine to be ejected from the Buick and strike the Lincoln

EMS transported Dennis Sigle and Isaiah Ragazzone to an area hospital in critical condition. They later died of their injuries, according to Macey. The passenger in the Buick, Cheryl Sigle, was pronounced deceased on scene.&nbsp; There were no injuries to the occupants of the black Lincoln

On Friday, police reported several calls were made to 911 regarding the collision, and one of those callers reported that there had been a disturbance with a weapon with shots fired that occurred just prior to the collision, and just north near 31st Street South and Meridian.

The caller also reported that one of the vehicles involved in the collision was possibly involved in the disturbance with weapons.

Police released no additional details on Sunday.

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal three-vehicle crash in Sedgwick County.

Just after 3p.m. Friday, police were dispatched to an injury collision in the intersection of South Meridian and Interstate 235 in Wichita, according to officer Trevor Macey.

Several calls were made to 911 regarding the collision, and one of those callers reported that there had been a disturbance with a weapon with shots fired that occurred just prior to the collision, and just north near 31st Street South and Meridian.

Upon arrival, Officers located an accident scene involving three vehicles – a white Impala, a tan Buick and a black Lincoln.

Through their investigation, police learned that the Impala was&nbsp; southbound on Meridian at a high rate of speed. As the Impala approached the intersection of South Meridian and Interstate 235, it collided with the Buick which was attempting to make a left turn onto Interstate 235, according to Macey. The force of the impact caused the engine to be ejected from the Buick. The engine struck the Lincoln.

EMS transported the single occupant of the Impala, a 26-year-old man, to an area hospital in critical condition.

EMS also transported the 72-year-old driver of the Buick to the hospital in critical condition. A passenger of the Buick was pronounced deceased on scene. There were no injuries to the occupants of the Lincoln.

Authorities have not released names of the victims.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614428626845.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation Friday evening- photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation Friday evening- photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal three-vehicle crash on Friday in Wichita have identified the victims.as 70-year-old Cheryl Sigle and 72-year-old Dennis Sigle both of Wichita and 25-year-old Isaiah Ragazzone.Just after 3p.m. Friday, police responded to an injury collision in the intersection of South Meridian and Interstate 235 in Wichita, according to officer Tevor Macey.Upon arrival, Officers located an accident scene involving three vehicles – a white Impala, a tan Buick, and a black Lincoln. Through their investigation, they learned&nbsp;Impala, driven by Isaiah Ragazzone, was&nbsp; southbound on Meridian at a high rate of speed. As the Impala approached the intersection of S Meridian and Interstate 235, it collided with a Buick driven by Dennis Sigle, who was attempting to make a left turn onto Interstate 235. The force of the impact caused the engine to be ejected from the Buick and strike the LincolnEMS transported Dennis Sigle and Isaiah Ragazzone to an area hospital in critical condition. They later died of their injuries, according to Macey. The passenger in the Buick, Cheryl Sigle, was pronounced deceased on scene.&nbsp; There were no injuries to the occupants of the black LincolnOn Friday, police reported several calls were made to 911 regarding the collision, and one of those callers reported that there had been a disturbance with a weapon with shots fired that occurred just prior to the collision, and just north near 31st Street South and Meridian.The caller also reported that one of the vehicles involved in the collision was possibly involved in the disturbance with weapons.Police released no additional details on Sunday.------SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal three-vehicle crash in Sedgwick County.Just after 3p.m. Friday, police were dispatched to an injury collision in the intersection of South Meridian and Interstate 235 in Wichita, according to officer Trevor Macey.Several calls were made to 911 regarding the collision, and one of those callers reported that there had been a disturbance with a weapon with shots fired that occurred just prior to the collision, and just north near 31st Street South and Meridian.The caller also reported that one of the vehicles involved in the collision was possibly involved in the disturbance with weapons.Upon arrival, Officers located an accident scene involving three vehicles – a white Impala, a tan Buick and a black Lincoln.Through their investigation, police learned that the Impala was&nbsp; southbound on Meridian at a high rate of speed. As the Impala approached the intersection of South Meridian and Interstate 235, it collided with the Buick which was attempting to make a left turn onto Interstate 235, according to Macey. The force of the impact caused the engine to be ejected from the Buick. The engine struck the Lincoln.EMS transported the single occupant of the Impala, a 26-year-old man, to an area hospital in critical condition.EMS also transported the 72-year-old driver of the Buick to the hospital in critical condition. A passenger of the Buick was pronounced deceased on scene. There were no injuries to the occupants of the Lincoln.Authorities have not released names of the victims.

Police: 2 hospitalized after violent Kan. crash have died

MISSION, Kan. (AP) — When COVID-19 patients inundated St. Louis hospitals, respiratory therapists arriving for yet another grueling shift with a dwindling supply of ventilators would often glance at their assignments and cry, heading into the locker room to collect themselves.

“They were like, ‘Man, another 12 hours of this slog of these on-the-verge-of-death patients who could go at any moment.’ And just knowing that they had to take care of them with that kind of stress in the back of their head,’” recalled Joe Kowalczyk, a respiratory therapist who sometimes works in a supervisory role.

Now the number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 in the U.S. has dropped by 80,000 in six weeks, and 17% of the nation’s adult population has gotten at least one dose of a vaccine, providing some relief to front-line workers like Kowalczyk. On his most recent shift at Mercy Hospital St. Louis, there were only about 20 coronavirus patients, down from as many as 100 at the peak of the winter surge.

“It is so weird to look back on it,” he said. “Everyone was hitting their wit’s end definitely toward the end just because we had been doing it for so long at the end of year.”

The U.S. has seen a dramatic turnaround since December and January, when hospitals were teeming with patients after holiday gatherings and pandemic fatigue caused a surge in cases and deaths. Health officials acknowledge the improvement but point out that hospitalizations are still at about the same level as earlier peaks in April and July and right before the crisis worsened in November. Deaths are still persistently high, though much lower than the peak in early January, when they sometimes exceeded 4,000 per day.

Hospitalizations in Missouri were hovering around 3,000 a day during a stretch from late November into January but have since fallen about 60%. As of Monday, 1,202 people were hospitalized, according to state data.

In Wisconsin, hospitalizations dropped dramatically over the last three and a half months, from a high of 2,277 patients on Nov. 17 to 355 on Wednesday, according to the Wisconsin Hospital Association. And the patients who are hospitalized are not as sick. The number of patients in intensive care has dropped 81% since Nov. 16.

State health officials on Feb. 15 removed all staff from a field hospital set up in October at the state fairgrounds in suburban Milwaukee. They have stopped short of dismantling the facility out of concern that the state could experience a surge in cases sparked by variants of the virus that causes COVID-19.

“It’s a balancing act. You don’t want to close it too soon until you really believe we’re on the other side of this pandemic, yet we don’t want to tie up (the fairgrounds) too long if we’re truly not going to need the facility,” state Department of Health Services Deputy Secretary Julie Willems Van Dijk said.

Behind the overall positive trends in hospitalizations are worrisome hints that the worst may not be over, said Ali Mokdad, professor of health metrics sciences at the University of Washington in Seattle.

“In the past week, we’re seeing the slowdown of the decline,” Mokdad said. In many states, hospitalizations are leveling off or actually rising.

The biggest driver in the overall decline in U.S. hospitalizations is people’s behavior in December and January, Mokdad said. For the first time in the U.S., the shape of the wave is symmetrical, with the decline as steep as the rise.

“This didn’t happen before in the previous two waves,” Mokdad said. “For us, in the business, it’s like ‘Wow we are doing something really good right now.’”

In Minnesota, non-intensive care hospitalizations dropped from around 1,400 in late November to just 233 as of Tuesday. The number of intensive care patients has dropped about 85% since early December to just 59 patients on Tuesday, according to state data.

Hospitalizations in Illinois hovered around 6,000 patients for several days in late November but fell to 1,488 by Monday, a decrease of about 75%. The number of patients in intensive care has dropped as well, from 1,224 on Nov. 25 to just 361 on Monday, according to the state health department.

In hard-hit California, hospitalizations have dropped a stunning 70% since January, from 22,821 patients on Jan. 5 to 6,764 on Tuesday. The number of patients in intensive care has fallen from a high of 4,971 on Jan. 10 to 1,842 as of Tuesday, according to state data.

In Kansas, where many rural hospitals lack ventilators, the situation was so dire at one point that patients were being flown hundreds of miles for treatment.

But the number of hospitalizations in the state has dropped nearly 84%, from 1,282 on Dec. 2 to 208 on Sunday, according to the state health department. More than 300 people were in intensive care in December; that’s down to just 50 now, state data shows.

“It has just kind of been quiet out here with COVID,” said physician assistant Ben Kimball, who works primarily at Graham County Hospital in Hill City, a town of about 1,500 in rural northwest Kansas.

At the peak of the surge, he once resorted to flying a patient to a hospital in Denver, about 250 miles (402 kilometers) away. All the closer hospitals capable of providing more advanced care were full and turning away patients.

“We are pretty fortunate, I think,” he said. “I can definitely feel that things are getting better. We aren’t constantly struggling for bed space. We have had a few overnight observation COVID patients, but we haven’t sent anyone out in a while.”

Kris Mathews, the administrator of Decatur Health, a small hospital in rural northwest Kansas, also spent hours on the phone arranging transfers for patients at the peak of the surge. His staff fell ill themselves, and those who were well worked overtime caring for coronavirus patients.

“I could feel the staff’s weariness and fatigue,” he wrote. “Nobody complained to me about it, but I could see and feel them burning out.”

Now it’s been weeks since the hospital cared for a coronavirus inpatient. Thinking back, he said, “I couldn’t be more damn proud.”

MISSION, Kan. (AP) — When COVID-19 patients inundated St. Louis hospitals, respiratory therapists arriving for yet another grueling shift with a dwindling supply of ventilators would often glance at their assignments and cry, heading into the locker room to collect themselves.“They were like, ‘Man, another 12 hours of this slog of these on-the-verge-of-death patients who could go at any moment.’ And just knowing that they had to take care of them with that kind of stress in the back of their head,’” recalled Joe Kowalczyk, a respiratory therapist who sometimes works in a supervisory role.Now the number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 in the U.S. has dropped by 80,000 in six weeks, and 17% of the nation’s adult population has gotten at least one dose of a vaccine, providing some relief to front-line workers like Kowalczyk. On his most recent shift at Mercy Hospital St. Louis, there were only about 20 coronavirus patients, down from as many as 100 at the peak of the winter surge.“It is so weird to look back on it,” he said. “Everyone was hitting their wit’s end definitely toward the end just because we had been doing it for so long at the end of year.”The U.S. has seen a dramatic turnaround since December and January, when hospitals were teeming with patients after holiday gatherings and pandemic fatigue caused a surge in cases and deaths. Health officials acknowledge the improvement but point out that hospitalizations are still at about the same level as earlier peaks in April and July and right before the crisis worsened in November. Deaths are still persistently high, though much lower than the peak in early January, when they sometimes exceeded 4,000 per day.Hospitalizations in Missouri were hovering around 3,000 a day during a stretch from late November into January but have since fallen about 60%. As of Monday, 1,202 people were hospitalized, according to state data.In Wisconsin, hospitalizations dropped dramatically over the last three and a half months, from a high of 2,277 patients on Nov. 17 to 355 on Wednesday, according to the Wisconsin Hospital Association. And the patients who are hospitalized are not as sick. The number of patients in intensive care has dropped 81% since Nov. 16.State health officials on Feb. 15 removed all staff from a field hospital set up in October at the state fairgrounds in suburban Milwaukee. They have stopped short of dismantling the facility out of concern that the state could experience a surge in cases sparked by variants of the virus that causes COVID-19.“It’s a balancing act. You don’t want to close it too soon until you really believe we’re on the other side of this pandemic, yet we don’t want to tie up (the fairgrounds) too long if we’re truly not going to need the facility,” state Department of Health Services Deputy Secretary Julie Willems Van Dijk said.Behind the overall positive trends in hospitalizations are worrisome hints that the worst may not be over, said Ali Mokdad, professor of health metrics sciences at the University of Washington in Seattle.“In the past week, we’re seeing the slowdown of the decline,” Mokdad said. In many states, hospitalizations are leveling off or actually rising.The biggest driver in the overall decline in U.S. hospitalizations is people’s behavior in December and January, Mokdad said. For the first time in the U.S., the shape of the wave is symmetrical, with the decline as steep as the rise.“This didn’t happen before in the previous two waves,” Mokdad said. “For us, in the business, it’s like ‘Wow we are doing something really good right now.’”In Minnesota, non-intensive care hospitalizations dropped from around 1,400 in late November to just 233 as of Tuesday. The number of intensive care patients has dropped about 85% since early December to just 59 patients on Tuesday, according to state data.Hospitalizations in Illinois hovered around 6,000 patients for several days in late November but fell to 1,488 by Monday, a decrease of about 75%. The number of patients in intensive care has dropped as well, from 1,224 on Nov. 25 to just 361 on Monday, according to the state health department.In hard-hit California, hospitalizations have dropped a stunning 70% since January, from 22,821 patients on Jan. 5 to 6,764 on Tuesday. The number of patients in intensive care has fallen from a high of 4,971 on Jan. 10 to 1,842 as of Tuesday, according to state data.In Kansas, where many rural hospitals lack ventilators, the situation was so dire at one point that patients were being flown hundreds of miles for treatment.But the number of hospitalizations in the state has dropped nearly 84%, from 1,282 on Dec. 2 to 208 on Sunday, according to the state health department. More than 300 people were in intensive care in December; that’s down to just 50 now, state data shows.“It has just kind of been quiet out here with COVID,” said physician assistant Ben Kimball, who works primarily at Graham County Hospital in Hill City, a town of about 1,500 in rural northwest Kansas.At the peak of the surge, he once resorted to flying a patient to a hospital in Denver, about 250 miles (402 kilometers) away. All the closer hospitals capable of providing more advanced care were full and turning away patients.“We are pretty fortunate, I think,” he said. “I can definitely feel that things are getting better. We aren’t constantly struggling for bed space. We have had a few overnight observation COVID patients, but we haven’t sent anyone out in a while.”Kris Mathews, the administrator of Decatur Health, a small hospital in rural northwest Kansas, also spent hours on the phone arranging transfers for patients at the peak of the surge. His staff fell ill themselves, and those who were well worked overtime caring for coronavirus patients.“I could feel the staff’s weariness and fatigue,” he wrote. “Nobody complained to me about it, but I could see and feel them burning out.”Now it’s been weeks since the hospital cared for a coronavirus inpatient. Thinking back, he said, “I couldn’t be more damn proud.”___

As hospital numbers fall, fatigued staff get relief at last

BELLE PLAINE, Kan. (AP) — A foul-mouthed Kansas judge accused of bigotry who cursed at courthouse employees so often that a trial clerk kept a “swear journal” documenting his obscene outbursts was on Friday suspended from the bench for one year.

(Click below to listen to the Kansas Supreme Court hearing on the matter of Hon. F. William Cullins)

The Kansas Supreme Court called Montgomery County Judge F. William Cullins’ behavior “quite troubling” while meting out a punishment that was harsher than the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/894102b113cb812dfa3d904d3c342f37">censure and coaching</a>&nbsp;that a disciplinary panel recommended last year.

“He has intimidated and publicly humiliated court employees. He has shown bias and the appearance of bias by his insulting and careless remarks, even while on the bench and presiding over hearings. By his coarse language in the courthouse, he has sullied the dignity and propriety of the judiciary,” the court said in its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kscourts.org/KSCourts/media/KsCourts/Opinions/122565.pdf?ext=.pdf" target="_blank">decision</a>.

The ruling is effective immediately, but the court said it would consider waiving the remaining suspension after 60 days if Cullins enters into an approved plan for training and counseling. It also ordered Cullins to pay all the costs of his disciplinary proceeding.

His attorney did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

The court agreed with the disciplinary panel that Cullins’ conduct violated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/417c50987595c0e4faf7f18cf825f330">judicial canons of decorum, integrity and impartiality.&nbsp;</a>The panel also found he harmed public confidence in the integrity of the judiciary and that his conduct exhibited unfairness and unsound character.

Cullins acknowledged during his December 2019 disciplinary hearing that he frequently cursed in his conversations with employees and attorneys, and was sometimes unprofessional in his conduct, but he insisted he didn’t abuse court staff or direct vulgar and sexist terms at female workers. He called his profanity a lifelong habit,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/492e61efcb4965cc81680a57b3248533">saying he has a “salty” personality</a>&nbsp;that some people see as “down to earth.”

The high court affirmed the disciplinary panel’s finding that Cullins’ use of foul, derogatory words directed at women manifested a clear gender bias.

It also addressed an instance in which Cullins was recorded in court referring to an out-of-state Black athlete as “not even a Kansas boy” and telling a Black male resident, “you’re a Kansas boy” — language that could be considered demeaning to an African American man.

Although the panel found credible Cullins’ testimony that he was referring to geographic origin and didn’t intend racial derision, it said the term could be interpreted as bias and therefore violated judicial rules. The high court agreed.

“Regardless of inflection, tone, or local custom, this court has little trouble finding there was clear and convincing evidence to support the panel’s conclusion that the statements made by (Cullins) during these bond hearings created a reasonable perception of racial bias,” according to the ruling.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614519264372.png" alt="Judge Cullins and members of the Kansas Supreme Court during a hearing on his behavior." />
 <figcaption>Judge Cullins and members of the Kansas Supreme Court during a hearing on his behavior.</figcaption>
 </figure>BELLE PLAINE, Kan. (AP) — A foul-mouthed Kansas judge accused of bigotry who cursed at courthouse employees so often that a trial clerk kept a “swear journal” documenting his obscene outbursts was on Friday suspended from the bench for one year.(Click below to listen to the Kansas Supreme Court hearing on the matter of Hon. F. William Cullins)<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Fy4ZZGAiWkA?start=108" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>The Kansas Supreme Court called Montgomery County Judge F. William Cullins’ behavior “quite troubling” while meting out a punishment that was harsher than the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/894102b113cb812dfa3d904d3c342f37">censure and coaching</a>&nbsp;that a disciplinary panel recommended last year.“He has intimidated and publicly humiliated court employees. He has shown bias and the appearance of bias by his insulting and careless remarks, even while on the bench and presiding over hearings. By his coarse language in the courthouse, he has sullied the dignity and propriety of the judiciary,” the court said in its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kscourts.org/KSCourts/media/KsCourts/Opinions/122565.pdf?ext=.pdf" target="_blank">decision</a>.The ruling is effective immediately, but the court said it would consider waiving the remaining suspension after 60 days if Cullins enters into an approved plan for training and counseling. It also ordered Cullins to pay all the costs of his disciplinary proceeding.His attorney did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.The court agreed with the disciplinary panel that Cullins’ conduct violated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/417c50987595c0e4faf7f18cf825f330">judicial canons of decorum, integrity and impartiality.&nbsp;</a>The panel also found he harmed public confidence in the integrity of the judiciary and that his conduct exhibited unfairness and unsound character.Cullins acknowledged during his December 2019 disciplinary hearing that he frequently cursed in his conversations with employees and attorneys, and was sometimes unprofessional in his conduct, but he insisted he didn’t abuse court staff or direct vulgar and sexist terms at female workers. He called his profanity a lifelong habit,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/492e61efcb4965cc81680a57b3248533">saying he has a “salty” personality</a>&nbsp;that some people see as “down to earth.”The high court affirmed the disciplinary panel’s finding that Cullins’ use of foul, derogatory words directed at women manifested a clear gender bias.It also addressed an instance in which Cullins was recorded in court referring to an out-of-state Black athlete as “not even a Kansas boy” and telling a Black male resident, “you’re a Kansas boy” — language that could be considered demeaning to an African American man.Although the panel found credible Cullins’ testimony that he was referring to geographic origin and didn’t intend racial derision, it said the term could be interpreted as bias and therefore violated judicial rules. The high court agreed.“Regardless of inflection, tone, or local custom, this court has little trouble finding there was clear and convincing evidence to support the panel’s conclusion that the statements made by (Cullins) during these bond hearings created a reasonable perception of racial bias,” according to the ruling.

🎥Supreme Court suspends foul-mouthed Kansas judge 

TOPEKA - Governor Laura Kelly has appointed Dawn Buehler, Eudora, to serve as Chair of the Kansas Water Authority.

&nbsp;The KWA is responsible for advising the Governor, Legislature and Director of the Kansas Water Office on water policy issues. They also ensure that water policies and programs address the needs of all Kansans as well as serve as advisors of the&nbsp;Kansas Water Vision&nbsp;and&nbsp;Kansas Water Plan.&nbsp;The KWA was established in 1981 and consists of 13 voting members who are appointed by the Governor or Legislative leadership. State agency directors serve as ex-officio members.

&nbsp;“The Kansas Water Authority is comprised of such an important and knowledgeable group of individuals,” Governor Kelly said. “Dawn has shown an incredible commitment to the public and Kansas water resources over the years, and she is an ideal candidate to lead them.”

Dawn is the Kansas Riverkeeper and Executive Director of Friends of the Kaw. 

She recently served as Chair of the Kansas Regional Advisory Committee for the Governor’s Water Vision, a 13-person committee charged with writing goals and action plans for the Kansas Basin.&nbsp;Dawn is also a member of the Stakeholder Leadership Team for the Lower Kansas WRAPS (Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy) Program, is a member of the Topeka Riverfront Advisory Council, is Governor Kelly’s Appointee to the Oil and Gas Advisory Committee, and serves on the Board of Directors for the Kansas Land Trust and the Kansas Alliance for Wetlands and Streams.&nbsp; “My lifelong experiences have shaped and informed much of what I know today, which is that water is the most valuable resource we have and it must be a priority,” Dawn said.&nbsp; “As Chair of the Kansas Water Authority, I look forward to this opportunity to apply the expertise of our state agencies, the experience of our communities, and the leadership of our board members to work on problems and collaborative solutions around&nbsp;water resources.”&nbsp; &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614308642678.jpeg" alt="Dawn Buehler" />
 <figcaption>Dawn Buehler</figcaption>
 </figure>KWOTOPEKA - Governor Laura Kelly has appointed Dawn Buehler, Eudora, to serve as Chair of the Kansas Water Authority.&nbsp;The KWA is responsible for advising the Governor, Legislature and Director of the Kansas Water Office on water policy issues. They also ensure that water policies and programs address the needs of all Kansans as well as serve as advisors of the&nbsp;Kansas Water Vision&nbsp;and&nbsp;Kansas Water Plan.&nbsp;The KWA was established in 1981 and consists of 13 voting members who are appointed by the Governor or Legislative leadership. State agency directors serve as ex-officio members.&nbsp;“The Kansas Water Authority is comprised of such an important and knowledgeable group of individuals,” Governor Kelly said. “Dawn has shown an incredible commitment to the public and Kansas water resources over the years, and she is an ideal candidate to lead them.”Dawn is the Kansas Riverkeeper and Executive Director of Friends of the Kaw. She recently served as Chair of the Kansas Regional Advisory Committee for the Governor’s Water Vision, a 13-person committee charged with writing goals and action plans for the Kansas Basin.&nbsp;Dawn is also a member of the Stakeholder Leadership Team for the Lower Kansas WRAPS (Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy) Program, is a member of the Topeka Riverfront Advisory Council, is Governor Kelly’s Appointee to the Oil and Gas Advisory Committee, and serves on the Board of Directors for the Kansas Land Trust and the Kansas Alliance for Wetlands and Streams.&nbsp; “My lifelong experiences have shaped and informed much of what I know today, which is that water is the most valuable resource we have and it must be a priority,” Dawn said.&nbsp; “As Chair of the Kansas Water Authority, I look forward to this opportunity to apply the expertise of our state agencies, the experience of our communities, and the leadership of our board members to work on problems and collaborative solutions around&nbsp;water resources.”&nbsp; &nbsp;

Eudora woman appointed chair of Kansas Water Authority

By SHERMAN SMITH <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/02/25/senate-bill-would-punish-kansas-employers-for-requiring-covid-19-vaccinations/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Sen. Mark Steffen
 pushed colleagues Thursday to support his legislation banning employers
 from requiring workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19, saying 
lawmakers should reject the idea that society is more important than the
 individual.

<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb213/">Senate Bill 213</a>
 would prohibit employers from taking adverse action against employees 
who refuse the COVID-19 vaccine, and would impose a $1,000 fine for 
employers who violate the restriction. Steffen said this would&nbsp;preserve 
freedom of choice for individuals and relieve employers from the 
liability of imposing a medical procedure on an unwilling worker.

<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/01/31/kansas-senator-believes-political-propaganda-fearmongering-impairs-covid-19-response/">The mask-averse Republican from Hutchinson</a>
 is a board-certified anesthesiologist who specializes in interventional
 pain management, and he repeatedly reminded senators on the Commerce 
Committee that he is a medical doctor.

The debate pitted the 
doctor senator against a doctor representative, and featured conflicting
 insight from an herbal entrepreneur, the Kansas Chamber, business 
attorneys, a pediatrician and a bacterial meningitis survivor. The 
bill’s maskless proponents balked at the possibility of having an 
experimental drug injected into their body without their consent, while 
opponents who wore masks or testified by remote video relished the value
 of being protected from a deadly contagion.

The U.S. Food and Drug 
Administration granted emergency use authorization for Pfizer and 
Moderna vaccines late last year, after the drug companies showed they 
were safe and 95% effective. A third vaccine, from Johnson and Johnson, 
could get approval in the coming days.

Still, Steffen said, it is
 too soon to know what long-term safety risks might be associated with 
the vaccines, which also rely on new RNA technology never before used in
 humans.

“They call it a novel 
virus — it’s a novel vaccination,” Steffen said. “We need to be very 
very cognizant of that. Watch as the opponents come up and talk about 
taking care of a society and their willingness to sacrifice individuals 
in the process. That’s not their decision to make. It’s our decision as 
an individual.”

Rep. John Eplee, a Republican <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/11/18/white-house-task-force-assessment-of-covid-19-in-kansas-exponential-and-unyielding-spread/">physician from Atchison</a>,
 said Steffen’s argument pales in comparison to the 44 million doses of 
vaccines that have already been administered without serious 
complications.

Medical providers and 
other employers already mandate vaccinations for influenza and other 
illnesses, Eplee told the committee, and courts have upheld those 
mandates. He said if Steffen’s bill passes, the state will expend 
resources in a losing legal battle.

“I’m really questioning 
why would we do that. It really concerns me,” Eplee said. “And why would
 government in this case pre-empt business decisions?”

Connie Newcome said Senate
 Bill 213 is the employee-employer version of “value them both,” the 
name given to the anti-abortion constitutional amendment passed earlier 
this year.

“The employer is free to 
operate the business honoring employees as thinking, intelligent humans 
rather than an owner of their bodies,” Newcome said. “Employees are not 
slaves.”

Newcome, who owns Herb 
House Natural Medicine in Inman, is the founder of Kansans for Health 
Freedom. She said most employers are not qualified to recommend, let 
alone require, a medical procedure.

Doctors try to bully people into taking vaccines, Newcome said.

“Opponents of this bill do
 believe in coercion, bribery, discrimination and mandates,” she said, 
and they should have to answer some questions: “Why the employer has the
 right to own another person’s body, how this preserves personal liberty
 and bodily autonomy, how the employer even knows what is best for each 
person, and who they deem should be liable for vaccine injury and 
death.”

Michelle Suter, a Johnson 
County business attorney, said pharmaceutical companies have an 
obligation to shareholders — not the health of Kansans.

By passing this law, she said, businesses can avoid conflict about how the experimental drug will turn out.

“Employers are desperate 
for a bright line, a signal on what they can do and what they don’t have
 to do,” Suter said. “They are panicking, they’re fearful and they’re 
trying to stay alive.”

Steffen said a large part 
of the population has a small risk of “adverse outcome” from contracting
 COVID-19. He asserted it was more likely the vaccine would fail to 
provide immunity than it was to “have a problem from catching the 
virus.”

“Our country is based on 
individual rights, and we’re crossing the line with these vaccinations, 
particularly under these circumstances,” Steffen said.

Gretchen Homan, 
president-elect of the Kansas chapter of the American Academy of 
Pediatrics, said she opposes Steffen’s bill because she prioritizes the 
health and safety of children.

“Because of the pandemic, 
our children have and for many years to come will continue to pay the 
price for missing out on foundational life experiences because adults 
were seriously affected by COVID-19,” she said.

Homan said her strong 
opinion on the matter is shaped by being exposed to infectious disease 
through her day-to-day work. She wants her employer to have the 
authority to protect her from contracting a contagious disease.

She referenced the wisdom of TV personality Mister Rogers, who said in times of trouble, look for the helpers.

“Please, in this time of 
decision, look to those who are motivated to help, who offer facts, and 
who have dedicated their careers to help promote healthy lives for 
Kansas,” Homan said.

Eric Stafford, a lobbyist 
for the Kansas Chamber, said government should not have a role in 
business decisions about mandating vaccinations.

He said he wasn’t aware of
 any businesses currently mandating the COVID-19 vaccines, but some 
employers are offering incentives for workers who agree to be 
inoculated.

“We strongly believe in 
the ability for employers to make their determinations for what’s best 
for their company and their customers,” Stafford said.

Eplee referenced Newcome’s
 remarks about doctors bullying patients into taking vaccines as he 
talked about his work as a family physician at Amberwell Health hospital
 in Atchison.

“I learn new things about 
myself all the time,” he said. “Being called a bully is something new in
 my wheelhouse, but I’ll wear that for this moment, for this hearing.”

Andy Marso, who survived 
bacterial meningitis as a student at the University of Kansas in 2004, 
questioned the timing by lawmakers for considering Steffen’s bill.

More than a half-million 
Americans and nearly 5,000 Kansans have died from the contagious disease
 in the past 12 months. Multiple vaccines now reduce the risk of dying 
from COVID-19 to essentially 0%, Marso said.

“And yet this body’s 
reaction is, ‘Well, we better explore ways to make it harder for 
businesses to leverage these tools to protect their workforce and 
customers.’ That’s a strange reaction, practically speaking,” Marso 
said.

Marso’s views are shaped 
by his 2004 illness, which could have been prevented with a vaccine. He 
awoke from a three-week coma to learn an infection is his bloodstream 
had caused tissue damage equal to third-degree burns over 30% of his 
body. His toes and most of his fingers were amputated. His medical bills
 amounted to $1.5 million.

At the close of the 
90-minute hearing, Sen. Caryn Tyson, R-Parker, demanded to know what 
Marso does for a living. Marso indicated he wasn’t testifying on behalf 
of his employer, but Tyson persisted with her inquiry. Marso said he is 
an editor for a medical journal published by the American Academy of 
Family Physicians.

Tyson then delivered a question inspired by Marso’s testimony.

“We have a president who 
has just opened the borders, and these people are not necessarily 
vaccinated coming into the United States,” Tyson said. “And here we’re 
requiring employees, citizens of the United States, to be vaccinated 
while we’re not requiring others. Would you address that please?”

“I mean, I would love to vaccinate everybody that comes into the country,” Marso replied.

Tyson also questioned Marso’s logic of pointing out that employees at restaurants are required to wash their hands.

“Washing your hands and wearing a hairnet are not putting chemicals in your body,” Tyson said.

“You’re putting chemicals on your body,” Marso said.

“OK,” said Sen. Rob Olson, an Olathe Republican and committee chairman. “We’re adjourned.”

Sherman Smith has written award-winning news stories about the instability of the Kansas foster care system, misconduct by government officials, sexual abuse, technology, education, and the Legislature.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614364391093.png" alt="Sen. Mark Steffen, R-Hutchinson, testifies in support of his bill to prohibit employers from mandating COVID-19 vaccination for their employees. (Lucas Lord for Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Mark Steffen, R-Hutchinson, testifies in support of his bill to prohibit employers from mandating COVID-19 vaccination for their employees. (Lucas Lord for Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By SHERMAN SMITH <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/02/25/senate-bill-would-punish-kansas-employers-for-requiring-covid-19-vaccinations/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Sen. Mark Steffen
 pushed colleagues Thursday to support his legislation banning employers
 from requiring workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19, saying 
lawmakers should reject the idea that society is more important than the
 individual.<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb213/">Senate Bill 213</a>
 would prohibit employers from taking adverse action against employees 
who refuse the COVID-19 vaccine, and would impose a $1,000 fine for 
employers who violate the restriction. Steffen said this would&nbsp;preserve 
freedom of choice for individuals and relieve employers from the 
liability of imposing a medical procedure on an unwilling worker.<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/01/31/kansas-senator-believes-political-propaganda-fearmongering-impairs-covid-19-response/">The mask-averse Republican from Hutchinson</a>
 is a board-certified anesthesiologist who specializes in interventional
 pain management, and he repeatedly reminded senators on the Commerce 
Committee that he is a medical doctor.The debate pitted the 
doctor senator against a doctor representative, and featured conflicting
 insight from an herbal entrepreneur, the Kansas Chamber, business 
attorneys, a pediatrician and a bacterial meningitis survivor. The 
bill’s maskless proponents balked at the possibility of having an 
experimental drug injected into their body without their consent, while 
opponents who wore masks or testified by remote video relished the value
 of being protected from a deadly contagion.The U.S. Food and Drug 
Administration granted emergency use authorization for Pfizer and 
Moderna vaccines late last year, after the drug companies showed they 
were safe and 95% effective. A third vaccine, from Johnson and Johnson, 
could get approval in the coming days.Still, Steffen said, it is
 too soon to know what long-term safety risks might be associated with 
the vaccines, which also rely on new RNA technology never before used in
 humans.“They call it a novel 
virus — it’s a novel vaccination,” Steffen said. “We need to be very 
very cognizant of that. Watch as the opponents come up and talk about 
taking care of a society and their willingness to sacrifice individuals 
in the process. That’s not their decision to make. It’s our decision as 
an individual.”Rep. John Eplee, a Republican <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/11/18/white-house-task-force-assessment-of-covid-19-in-kansas-exponential-and-unyielding-spread/">physician from Atchison</a>,
 said Steffen’s argument pales in comparison to the 44 million doses of 
vaccines that have already been administered without serious 
complications.Medical providers and 
other employers already mandate vaccinations for influenza and other 
illnesses, Eplee told the committee, and courts have upheld those 
mandates. He said if Steffen’s bill passes, the state will expend 
resources in a losing legal battle.“I’m really questioning 
why would we do that. It really concerns me,” Eplee said. “And why would
 government in this case pre-empt business decisions?”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614364454352.png" alt="Connie Newcome, who owns Herb House Natural Medicine in Inman and a founder of Kansans for Health Freedom, says employees shouldn’t be treated as slaves. (Lucas Lord for Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Connie Newcome, who owns Herb House Natural Medicine in Inman and a founder of Kansans for Health Freedom, says employees shouldn’t be treated as slaves. (Lucas Lord for Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Anti-mandate supporters</h2>Connie Newcome said Senate
 Bill 213 is the employee-employer version of “value them both,” the 
name given to the anti-abortion constitutional amendment passed earlier 
this year.“The employer is free to 
operate the business honoring employees as thinking, intelligent humans 
rather than an owner of their bodies,” Newcome said. “Employees are not 
slaves.”Newcome, who owns Herb 
House Natural Medicine in Inman, is the founder of Kansans for Health 
Freedom. She said most employers are not qualified to recommend, let 
alone require, a medical procedure.Doctors try to bully people into taking vaccines, Newcome said.“Opponents of this bill do
 believe in coercion, bribery, discrimination and mandates,” she said, 
and they should have to answer some questions: “Why the employer has the
 right to own another person’s body, how this preserves personal liberty
 and bodily autonomy, how the employer even knows what is best for each 
person, and who they deem should be liable for vaccine injury and 
death.”Michelle Suter, a Johnson 
County business attorney, said pharmaceutical companies have an 
obligation to shareholders — not the health of Kansans.By passing this law, she said, businesses can avoid conflict about how the experimental drug will turn out.“Employers are desperate 
for a bright line, a signal on what they can do and what they don’t have
 to do,” Suter said. “They are panicking, they’re fearful and they’re 
trying to stay alive.”Steffen said a large part 
of the population has a small risk of “adverse outcome” from contracting
 COVID-19. He asserted it was more likely the vaccine would fail to 
provide immunity than it was to “have a problem from catching the 
virus.”“Our country is based on 
individual rights, and we’re crossing the line with these vaccinations, 
particularly under these circumstances,” Steffen said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614364493014.png" alt="Gretchen Homan, whose strong opinion on the bill is shaped by her work as a pediatrician, calls on lawmakers to “look to those who are motivated to help, who offer facts, and who have dedicated their careers to help promote healthy lives for Kansas.” (Screen capture by Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Gretchen Homan, whose strong opinion on the bill is shaped by her work as a pediatrician, calls on lawmakers to “look to those who are motivated to help, who offer facts, and who have dedicated their careers to help promote healthy lives for Kansas.” (Screen capture by Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Vaccine supporters</h2>Gretchen Homan, 
president-elect of the Kansas chapter of the American Academy of 
Pediatrics, said she opposes Steffen’s bill because she prioritizes the 
health and safety of children.“Because of the pandemic, 
our children have and for many years to come will continue to pay the 
price for missing out on foundational life experiences because adults 
were seriously affected by COVID-19,” she said.Homan said her strong 
opinion on the matter is shaped by being exposed to infectious disease 
through her day-to-day work. She wants her employer to have the 
authority to protect her from contracting a contagious disease.She referenced the wisdom of TV personality Mister Rogers, who said in times of trouble, look for the helpers.“Please, in this time of 
decision, look to those who are motivated to help, who offer facts, and 
who have dedicated their careers to help promote healthy lives for 
Kansas,” Homan said.Eric Stafford, a lobbyist 
for the Kansas Chamber, said government should not have a role in 
business decisions about mandating vaccinations.He said he wasn’t aware of
 any businesses currently mandating the COVID-19 vaccines, but some 
employers are offering incentives for workers who agree to be 
inoculated.“We strongly believe in 
the ability for employers to make their determinations for what’s best 
for their company and their customers,” Stafford said.Eplee referenced Newcome’s
 remarks about doctors bullying patients into taking vaccines as he 
talked about his work as a family physician at Amberwell Health hospital
 in Atchison.“I learn new things about 
myself all the time,” he said. “Being called a bully is something new in
 my wheelhouse, but I’ll wear that for this moment, for this hearing.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614364524585.png" alt="Andy Marso, a survivor of bacterial meningitis, said the proposed legislation was a strange reaction to vaccines that effectively prevent death from a disease that has killed a half-million Americans and 5,000 Kansans. (Screen capture by Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Andy Marso, a survivor of bacterial meningitis, said the proposed legislation was a strange reaction to vaccines that effectively prevent death from a disease that has killed a half-million Americans and 5,000 Kansans. (Screen capture by Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Strange timing</h2>Andy Marso, who survived 
bacterial meningitis as a student at the University of Kansas in 2004, 
questioned the timing by lawmakers for considering Steffen’s bill.More than a half-million 
Americans and nearly 5,000 Kansans have died from the contagious disease
 in the past 12 months. Multiple vaccines now reduce the risk of dying 
from COVID-19 to essentially 0%, Marso said.“And yet this body’s 
reaction is, ‘Well, we better explore ways to make it harder for 
businesses to leverage these tools to protect their workforce and 
customers.’ That’s a strange reaction, practically speaking,” Marso 
said.Marso’s views are shaped 
by his 2004 illness, which could have been prevented with a vaccine. He 
awoke from a three-week coma to learn an infection is his bloodstream 
had caused tissue damage equal to third-degree burns over 30% of his 
body. His toes and most of his fingers were amputated. His medical bills
 amounted to $1.5 million.At the close of the 
90-minute hearing, Sen. Caryn Tyson, R-Parker, demanded to know what 
Marso does for a living. Marso indicated he wasn’t testifying on behalf 
of his employer, but Tyson persisted with her inquiry. Marso said he is 
an editor for a medical journal published by the American Academy of 
Family Physicians.Tyson then delivered a question inspired by Marso’s testimony.“We have a president who 
has just opened the borders, and these people are not necessarily 
vaccinated coming into the United States,” Tyson said. “And here we’re 
requiring employees, citizens of the United States, to be vaccinated 
while we’re not requiring others. Would you address that please?”“I mean, I would love to vaccinate everybody that comes into the country,” Marso replied.Tyson also questioned Marso’s logic of pointing out that employees at restaurants are required to wash their hands.“Washing your hands and wearing a hairnet are not putting chemicals in your body,” Tyson said.“You’re putting chemicals on your body,” Marso said.“OK,” said Sen. Rob Olson, an Olathe Republican and committee chairman. “We’re adjourned.”Sherman Smith has written award-winning news stories about the instability of the Kansas foster care system, misconduct by government officials, sexual abuse, technology, education, and the Legislature.

Senate bill would punish Kan. employers for requiring COVID vaccinations

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is telling California’s Santa Clara County that it can’t enforce a ban on indoor religious worship services put in place because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The high court issued&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/orders/courtorders/022621zr_1bo2.pdf" target="_blank">an order&nbsp;</a>Friday evening in a case brought by a handful of churches.

The justices, in early February,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-us-supreme-court-california-coronavirus-pandemic-ea77004949becf4b74f9b98930ddec18">told the state of California that it can’t bar indoor church services because of the pandemic</a>. The justices said at the time that the state could cap indoor services at 25% of a building’s capacity and continue to bar singing and chanting.

But Santa Clara had argued that its temporary ban on indoor gatherings of any kind including worship services should be allowed to stand. The county, which includes San Jose, said that it was treating houses of worship no differently from other indoor spaces where it prohibits gatherings and caps attendance. The county said people could go into houses of worship to pray or go to confession, among other things, but couldn’t gather with groups of others. The county said the same was true of retail establishments, where shoppers can go but not gather for an event such as a book reading.

The justices’ unsigned order Friday said that their action was “clearly dictated” by their order from earlier this month. The court’s three liberal justices dissented.

Santa Clara had told the court in a letter Thursday that coronavirus cases in the county have recently continued to decline and that it was already close to lifting its ban on indoor gatherings. If the data continued the positive trend, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/20/20A138/170114/20210225220817920_2021.02.25%20Gateway%20Letter%20-%20To%20File.pdf" target="_blank">letter&nbsp;</a>said, the county expected to allow all indoor gatherings, subject to restrictions, as soon as next Wednesday.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is telling California’s Santa Clara County that it can’t enforce a ban on indoor religious worship services put in place because of the coronavirus pandemic.The high court issued&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/orders/courtorders/022621zr_1bo2.pdf" target="_blank">an order&nbsp;</a>Friday evening in a case brought by a handful of churches.The justices, in early February,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-us-supreme-court-california-coronavirus-pandemic-ea77004949becf4b74f9b98930ddec18">told the state of California that it can’t bar indoor church services because of the pandemic</a>. The justices said at the time that the state could cap indoor services at 25% of a building’s capacity and continue to bar singing and chanting.But Santa Clara had argued that its temporary ban on indoor gatherings of any kind including worship services should be allowed to stand. The county, which includes San Jose, said that it was treating houses of worship no differently from other indoor spaces where it prohibits gatherings and caps attendance. The county said people could go into houses of worship to pray or go to confession, among other things, but couldn’t gather with groups of others. The county said the same was true of retail establishments, where shoppers can go but not gather for an event such as a book reading.The justices’ unsigned order Friday said that their action was “clearly dictated” by their order from earlier this month. The court’s three liberal justices dissented.Santa Clara had told the court in a letter Thursday that coronavirus cases in the county have recently continued to decline and that it was already close to lifting its ban on indoor gatherings. If the data continued the positive trend, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/20/20A138/170114/20210225220817920_2021.02.25%20Gateway%20Letter%20-%20To%20File.pdf" target="_blank">letter&nbsp;</a>said, the county expected to allow all indoor gatherings, subject to restrictions, as soon as next Wednesday.

Supreme Court tells community it can't bar in-person worship

KANSAS CITY – A Kansas City woman who led police officers on a high-speed chase down Grand Avenue was indicted by a federal grand jury Thursday for two armed bank robberies, according to the United State's Attorney.

Sarah Theresa Watkins, 41, was charged in a two-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City. Thursday’s indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Watkins on Feb. 5, 2021.

The indictment charges Watkins with the armed robbery of Central Bank in Claycomo, Mo., on Feb. 1, 2021, and the armed robbery of Capitol Federal Savings in Liberty, Mo., on Feb. 2, 2021.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaints, Watkins entered Central Bank at 11:24 a.m. on Feb. 1, 2021, and approached a teller window. Watkins handed the teller a note that stated "HAND OVER ALL THE MONEY AND I WON'T SHOOT." She allegedly pulled a gun out of her purse and pointed it at the teller. When the teller pulled the money out of the drawers and placed it on the counter, the affidavit says, Watkins took the money and ran out of the bank. The bank reported a loss of $1,819.

Surveillance video footage from an exterior ATM of the bank captured video footage of a white Hyundai, four-door sedan. This vehicle appears to be the same vehicle that was involved in a bank robbery that occurred the next day, on Feb. 2, 2021.

According to the affidavit, Watkins entered Capitol Federal Savings in Liberty at 3:30 p.m. on Feb. 2, 2021. Watkins took a note out of her bag and placed it on the counter, the affidavit says. The note stated: "HAND ME ALL THE MONEY OR I WILL SHOOT." While the teller was reading the note, Watkins allegedly stated: "All of it, hurry up, all of it!" The teller began opening her cash drawer, the affidavit says, when she heard the noise of a heavy object hitting the counter. The teller saw that Watkins had a black semi-automatic handgun in her hand, resting on the counter and pointed at the teller. When the teller took money out of the drawer and placed it on the counter, Watkins allegedly took the money, put it in her bag, and left through the main door of the lobby. The bank reported a loss of $971.

Surveillance video cameras captured footage of the white Hyundai four-door sedan (and license plate number) allegedly driven by Watkins when she arrived at the bank, and when she left the bank.

Law enforcement officers located the vehicle on Feb. 4, 2021. Kansas City police officers attempted to initiate a traffic stop in the area of 27th Street and Brooklyn Avenue. Watkins, however, drove around the officers in an attempt to flee. A vehicle pursuit ensued, during which officers attempted to immobilize Watkins’ vehicle on three occasions, but she continued to drive around the officers and flee. The pursuit continued at high rates of speed, up to 70 miles per hour while going northbound on Grand Avenue. During the pursuit, traffic was congested at different points along Grand Avenue. The pursuit ended when Watkins lost control of the vehicle in the area E. 21st Street and Walnut Street. Watkins attempted to flee on foot, but was apprehended by police officers. As she exited the vehicle, the affidavit says, Watkins reached into her waistband, then pointed at officers with her index finger extended forward, and her thumb extended upward, possibly attempting to imitate a handgun. &nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612996673889.png" alt="Sarah Watkins as seen in security camera images courtesy FBI Kansas City" />
 <figcaption>Sarah Watkins as seen in security camera images courtesy FBI Kansas City</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY – A Kansas City woman who led police officers on a high-speed chase down Grand Avenue was indicted by a federal grand jury Thursday for two armed bank robberies, according to the United State's Attorney.Sarah Theresa Watkins, 41, was charged in a two-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City. Thursday’s indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Watkins on Feb. 5, 2021.The indictment charges Watkins with the armed robbery of Central Bank in Claycomo, Mo., on Feb. 1, 2021, and the armed robbery of Capitol Federal Savings in Liberty, Mo., on Feb. 2, 2021.According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaints, Watkins entered Central Bank at 11:24 a.m. on Feb. 1, 2021, and approached a teller window. Watkins handed the teller a note that stated "HAND OVER ALL THE MONEY AND I WON'T SHOOT." She allegedly pulled a gun out of her purse and pointed it at the teller. When the teller pulled the money out of the drawers and placed it on the counter, the affidavit says, Watkins took the money and ran out of the bank. The bank reported a loss of $1,819.Surveillance video footage from an exterior ATM of the bank captured video footage of a white Hyundai, four-door sedan. This vehicle appears to be the same vehicle that was involved in a bank robbery that occurred the next day, on Feb. 2, 2021.According to the affidavit, Watkins entered Capitol Federal Savings in Liberty at 3:30 p.m. on Feb. 2, 2021. Watkins took a note out of her bag and placed it on the counter, the affidavit says. The note stated: "HAND ME ALL THE MONEY OR I WILL SHOOT." While the teller was reading the note, Watkins allegedly stated: "All of it, hurry up, all of it!" The teller began opening her cash drawer, the affidavit says, when she heard the noise of a heavy object hitting the counter. The teller saw that Watkins had a black semi-automatic handgun in her hand, resting on the counter and pointed at the teller. When the teller took money out of the drawer and placed it on the counter, Watkins allegedly took the money, put it in her bag, and left through the main door of the lobby. The bank reported a loss of $971.Surveillance video cameras captured footage of the white Hyundai four-door sedan (and license plate number) allegedly driven by Watkins when she arrived at the bank, and when she left the bank.Law enforcement officers located the vehicle on Feb. 4, 2021. Kansas City police officers attempted to initiate a traffic stop in the area of 27th Street and Brooklyn Avenue. Watkins, however, drove around the officers in an attempt to flee. A vehicle pursuit ensued, during which officers attempted to immobilize Watkins’ vehicle on three occasions, but she continued to drive around the officers and flee. The pursuit continued at high rates of speed, up to 70 miles per hour while going northbound on Grand Avenue. During the pursuit, traffic was congested at different points along Grand Avenue. The pursuit ended when Watkins lost control of the vehicle in the area E. 21st Street and Walnut Street. Watkins attempted to flee on foot, but was apprehended by police officers. As she exited the vehicle, the affidavit says, Watkins reached into her waistband, then pointed at officers with her index finger extended forward, and her thumb extended upward, possibly attempting to imitate a handgun. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Indictment: KC woman told bank teller, "Hand me the money or I will shoot"

NEMAHA COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a case of alleged animal cruelty.

Just before 7p.m. Friday deputies responded to an animal call located on E Road approximately 200 yards north of 224th Road, according to a social media report from the Nemaha County Sheriff's Office in Seneca, Kansas.

Deputies found a dog that had been shot several times and left in the roadway.  It is believed that the shooting happened between 5:00 and 6:00 p.m. on Friday.

The Sheriff's Department wanted anyone with information on the case to contact them.&nbsp; On Saturday, the sheriff's department did not provide an update on the dog breed or condition.

NEMAHA COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a case of alleged animal cruelty.Just before 7p.m. Friday deputies responded to an animal call located on E Road approximately 200 yards north of 224th Road, according to a social media report from the Nemaha County Sheriff's Office in Seneca, Kansas.Deputies found a dog that had been shot several times and left in the roadway. It is believed that the shooting happened between 5:00 and 6:00 p.m. on Friday.The Sheriff's Department wanted anyone with information on the case to contact them.&nbsp; On Saturday, the sheriff's department did not provide an update on the dog breed or condition.

Sheriff: Deputies find dog shot, left on rural Kansas road

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. health advisers endorsed a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEoZ-M4pEwk&amp;list=PLslqZ7OaczKEUNNDVq-u_OE31P2k7UwKc&amp;index=105" target="_blank">one-dose COVID-19 vaccine&nbsp;</a>from Johnson &amp; Johnson on Friday, putting the nation on the cusp of adding an easier-to-use option to fight the pandemic.

The acting head of the Food and Drug Administration said in a statement that the agency will move quickly to follow the recommendation, which would make J&amp;J’s shot the third vaccine authorized for emergency use in the U.S. Vaccinations are picking up speed, but new supplies are urgently needed to stay ahead of a mutating virus that has killed more than 500,000 Americans.

After daylong discussions, the FDA panelists voted unanimously that the benefits of the vaccine outweighed the risks for adults. Once FDA issues a final decision, shipments of a few million doses could begin as early as Monday.

“There’s an urgency to get this done,” said Dr. Jay Portnoy of Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City “We’re in a race between the virus mutating — and new variants coming out that can cause further disease — and stopping it.”

More than 47 million people in the U.S., or 14% of the population, have received at least one shot of the two-dose vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna, which FDA authorized in December. But the pace of vaccinations has been strained by limited supplies and delays due to winter storms.

While early J&amp;J supplies will be small, the company has said it can deliver 20 million doses by the end of March and a total of 100 million by the end of June.

J&amp;J’s vaccine protects against the worst effects of COVID-19 after one shot, and it can be stored up to three months at refrigerator temperatures, making it easier to handle than the previous vaccines, which must be frozen.

One challenge in rolling out the new vaccine will be explaining how protective the J&amp;J shot is after the astounding success of the first U.S. vaccines.

“It’s important that people do not think that one vaccine is better than another,” said panelist Dr. Cody Meissner of Tufts University.

The two-dose Pfizer and Moderna shots were found to be about 95% effective against symptomatic COVID-19. The numbers from J&amp;J’s study are not that high, but it’s not an apples-to-apples comparison. One dose of the J&amp;J vaccine was 85% protective against the most severe COVID-19. After adding in moderate cases, the total effectiveness dropped to about 66%.

Some experts fear that lower number could feed public perceptions that J&amp;J’s shot is a “second-tier vaccine.” But the difference in protection reflects when and where J&amp;J conducted its studies.

J&amp;J’s vaccine was tested in the U.S., Latin America and South Africa at a time when more contagious&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/how-many-coronavirus-variants-are-there-12d1f000ed9601f99c1c7c08e020ba7b">mutated versions</a>&nbsp;of the virus were spreading. That wasn’t the case last fall, when Pfizer and Moderna were wrapping up testing, and it’s not clear if their numbers would hold against the most worrisome of those variants.

Importantly, the FDA reported this week that, just like its predecessors, the J&amp;J shot offers strong protection against the worst outcomes, hospitalization and death.

While J&amp;J is seeking FDA authorization for its single-dose version, the company is also studying whether a second dose boosts protection.

Panel member Dr. Paul Offit warned that launching a two-dose version of the vaccine down the road might cause problems.

“You can see where that would be confusing to people thinking, ’Maybe I didn’t get what I needed,’” said Offit, a vaccine expert at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. “It’s a messaging challenge.”

J&amp;J representatives said they chose to begin with the single shot because the World Health Organization and other experts agreed it would be a faster, more effective tool in an emergency.

Cases and hospitalizations have fallen dramatically since their January peak that followed the winter holidays. But public health officials warned that those gains may be stalling as more variants take root in the U.S.

“We may be done with the virus, but clearly the virus is not done with us,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Dr. Rochelle Walensky, said during a White House briefing Friday. She noted that new COVID-19 cases have increased over the past few days.

While it’s too early to tell if the trend will last, Walensky said adding a third vaccine “will help protect more people faster.” More vaccines are in the pipeline.

On Sunday, a CDC panel is expected to meet to recommend how to best prioritize use of the J&amp;J vaccine.

Other parts of the world already are facing which-is-best challenges. Italy’s main teachers’ union recently protested when the government decided to reserve Pfizer and Moderna shots for the elderly and designate AstraZeneca’s vaccine for younger, at-risk workers. AstraZeneca’s vaccine was deemed to be about 70% effective in testing. Canada became the latest country Friday to allow use of AstraZeneca’s vaccine.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602590971875.png" alt="Photo courtesy Johnson &amp; Johnson" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Johnson &amp; Johnson</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. health advisers endorsed a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEoZ-M4pEwk&amp;list=PLslqZ7OaczKEUNNDVq-u_OE31P2k7UwKc&amp;index=105" target="_blank">one-dose COVID-19 vaccine&nbsp;</a>from Johnson &amp; Johnson on Friday, putting the nation on the cusp of adding an easier-to-use option to fight the pandemic.The acting head of the Food and Drug Administration said in a statement that the agency will move quickly to follow the recommendation, which would make J&amp;J’s shot the third vaccine authorized for emergency use in the U.S. Vaccinations are picking up speed, but new supplies are urgently needed to stay ahead of a mutating virus that has killed more than 500,000 Americans.After daylong discussions, the FDA panelists voted unanimously that the benefits of the vaccine outweighed the risks for adults. Once FDA issues a final decision, shipments of a few million doses could begin as early as Monday.“There’s an urgency to get this done,” said Dr. Jay Portnoy of Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City “We’re in a race between the virus mutating — and new variants coming out that can cause further disease — and stopping it.”More than 47 million people in the U.S., or 14% of the population, have received at least one shot of the two-dose vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna, which FDA authorized in December. But the pace of vaccinations has been strained by limited supplies and delays due to winter storms.While early J&amp;J supplies will be small, the company has said it can deliver 20 million doses by the end of March and a total of 100 million by the end of June.J&amp;J’s vaccine protects against the worst effects of COVID-19 after one shot, and it can be stored up to three months at refrigerator temperatures, making it easier to handle than the previous vaccines, which must be frozen.One challenge in rolling out the new vaccine will be explaining how protective the J&amp;J shot is after the astounding success of the first U.S. vaccines.“It’s important that people do not think that one vaccine is better than another,” said panelist Dr. Cody Meissner of Tufts University.The two-dose Pfizer and Moderna shots were found to be about 95% effective against symptomatic COVID-19. The numbers from J&amp;J’s study are not that high, but it’s not an apples-to-apples comparison. One dose of the J&amp;J vaccine was 85% protective against the most severe COVID-19. After adding in moderate cases, the total effectiveness dropped to about 66%.Some experts fear that lower number could feed public perceptions that J&amp;J’s shot is a “second-tier vaccine.” But the difference in protection reflects when and where J&amp;J conducted its studies.J&amp;J’s vaccine was tested in the U.S., Latin America and South Africa at a time when more contagious&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/how-many-coronavirus-variants-are-there-12d1f000ed9601f99c1c7c08e020ba7b">mutated versions</a>&nbsp;of the virus were spreading. That wasn’t the case last fall, when Pfizer and Moderna were wrapping up testing, and it’s not clear if their numbers would hold against the most worrisome of those variants.Importantly, the FDA reported this week that, just like its predecessors, the J&amp;J shot offers strong protection against the worst outcomes, hospitalization and death.While J&amp;J is seeking FDA authorization for its single-dose version, the company is also studying whether a second dose boosts protection.Panel member Dr. Paul Offit warned that launching a two-dose version of the vaccine down the road might cause problems.“You can see where that would be confusing to people thinking, ’Maybe I didn’t get what I needed,’” said Offit, a vaccine expert at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. “It’s a messaging challenge.”J&amp;J representatives said they chose to begin with the single shot because the World Health Organization and other experts agreed it would be a faster, more effective tool in an emergency.Cases and hospitalizations have fallen dramatically since their January peak that followed the winter holidays. But public health officials warned that those gains may be stalling as more variants take root in the U.S.“We may be done with the virus, but clearly the virus is not done with us,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Dr. Rochelle Walensky, said during a White House briefing Friday. She noted that new COVID-19 cases have increased over the past few days.While it’s too early to tell if the trend will last, Walensky said adding a third vaccine “will help protect more people faster.” More vaccines are in the pipeline.On Sunday, a CDC panel is expected to meet to recommend how to best prioritize use of the J&amp;J vaccine.Other parts of the world already are facing which-is-best challenges. Italy’s main teachers’ union recently protested when the government decided to reserve Pfizer and Moderna shots for the elderly and designate AstraZeneca’s vaccine for younger, at-risk workers. AstraZeneca’s vaccine was deemed to be about 70% effective in testing. Canada became the latest country Friday to allow use of AstraZeneca’s vaccine.___

Third US vaccine now raises the question: Which shot is best?

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A 3-year-old child died and two adults suffered minor injuries in a fire at a Blue Springs apartment complex on Friday.

The fire was reported Friday morning at the Apple Gate East apartment complex, said Fire Chief Jeff Grote, of the Central Jackson County Fire Protection District. A man and woman were able to escape the blaze. Firefighters had the fire under control within 15 minutes but found the child dead inside, Grote said.

The two adults were treated at a hospital for minor injuries. Grote did not say how the child and adults were related. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Blue Springs is approximately 19 miles east of Kansas City.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A 3-year-old child died and two adults suffered minor injuries in a fire at a Blue Springs apartment complex on Friday.The fire was reported Friday morning at the Apple Gate East apartment complex, said Fire Chief Jeff Grote, of the Central Jackson County Fire Protection District. A man and woman were able to escape the blaze. Firefighters had the fire under control within 15 minutes but found the child dead inside, Grote said.The two adults were treated at a hospital for minor injuries. Grote did not say how the child and adults were related. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Blue Springs is approximately 19 miles east of Kansas City.

3-year-old dies, 2 adults injured in KC-area apartment fire

Just after 3p.m. Friday, police were
dispatched to an injury collision in the intersection of South Meridian and Interstate 235 in Wichita, according to officer Trevor Macey.

Several calls were made to 911 regarding the collision, and one of those callers
reported that there had been a disturbance with a weapon with shots fired that occurred
just prior to the collision, and just north near 31st Street South and Meridian. 

The caller also
reported that one of the vehicles involved in the collision was possibly involved in the
disturbance with weapons.


Upon arrival, Officers located an accident scene involving three vehicles – a
white Impala, a tan Buick and a black Lincoln. 

Through their investigation, police learned
that the Impala was&nbsp; southbound on Meridian at a high rate of speed. As
the Impala approached the intersection of South Meridian and Interstate 235, it collided with the Buick which was attempting to make a left turn onto Interstate 235, according to Macey. The force of the impact
caused the engine to be ejected from the Buick. The engine struck the Lincoln.

EMS transported the single occupant of the Impala, a 26-year-old man, to an
area hospital in critical condition. 

EMS also transported the 72-year-old driver of the Buick to the hospital in critical condition. A passenger of the Buick was
pronounced deceased on scene. There were no injuries to the occupants of the Lincoln.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614428626845.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation Friday evening- photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation Friday evening- photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal three-vehicle crash in Sedgwick County.Just after 3p.m. Friday, police were
dispatched to an injury collision in the intersection of South Meridian and Interstate 235 in Wichita, according to officer Trevor Macey.Several calls were made to 911 regarding the collision, and one of those callers
reported that there had been a disturbance with a weapon with shots fired that occurred
just prior to the collision, and just north near 31st Street South and Meridian. The caller also
reported that one of the vehicles involved in the collision was possibly involved in the
disturbance with weapons.
Upon arrival, Officers located an accident scene involving three vehicles – a
white Impala, a tan Buick and a black Lincoln. Through their investigation, police learned
that the Impala was&nbsp; southbound on Meridian at a high rate of speed. As
the Impala approached the intersection of South Meridian and Interstate 235, it collided with the Buick which was attempting to make a left turn onto Interstate 235, according to Macey. The force of the impact
caused the engine to be ejected from the Buick. The engine struck the Lincoln.EMS transported the single occupant of the Impala, a 26-year-old man, to an
area hospital in critical condition. EMS also transported the 72-year-old driver of the Buick to the hospital in critical condition. A passenger of the Buick was
pronounced deceased on scene. There were no injuries to the occupants of the Lincoln.Authorities have not released names of the victims.

Police: 1 dead in 3-vehicle crash after report of shots fired

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House approved&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-personal-taxes-legislation-coronavirus-pandemic-local-governments-2409cc7b60e46ee9f9721b787dd7c623">a $1.9 trillion pandemic relief bill&nbsp;</a>in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-bills-coronavirus-pandemic-local-governments-minimum-wage-c543f26d45b39a8cf0113e11ed5f7aaf">a win for President Joe Biden,</a>&nbsp;even as top Democrats tried assuring agitated progressives that they’d revive their derailed drive to boost the minimum wage.

The new president’s vision for flushing cash to individuals, businesses, states and cities battered by COVID-19 passed on a near party-line 219-212 vote early Saturday. That ships the massive measure to the Senate, where Democrats seem bent on resuscitating their minimum wage push and fights could erupt over state aid and other issues.

Democrats said the still-faltering economy and the half-million American lives lost demanded quick, decisive action. GOP lawmakers, they said, were out of step with a public that polling shows largely views the bill favorably.

“I am a happy camper tonight,” Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., said Friday. “This is what America needs. Republicans, you ought to be a part of this. But if you’re not, we’re going without you.”

Republicans said the bill was too expensive and said too few education dollars would be spent quickly to immediately reopen schools. They said it was laden with gifts to Democratic constituencies like labor unions and funneled money to Democratic-run states they suggested didn’t need it because their budgets had bounced back.

“To my colleagues who say this bill is bold, I say it’s bloated,” said House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. “To those who say it’s urgent, I say it’s unfocused. To those who say it’s popular, I say it is entirely partisan.”

Moderate Democratic Reps. Jared Golden of Maine and Kurt Schrader of Oregon were the only two lawmakers to cross party lines. That sharp partisan divide is making the fight a showdown over who voters will reward for heaping more federal spending to combat the coronavirus and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-consumer-rebound-boost-spending-75da4e4aae346edc86773127194b0a65">revive the economy</a>&nbsp;atop the $4 trillion approved last year.

The battle is also emerging as an early test of Biden’s ability to hold together his party’s fragile congressional majorities — just 10 votes in the House and an evenly divided 50-50 Senate.

At the same time, Democrats were trying to figure out how to assuage progressives who lost their top priority in a jarring Senate setback Thursday.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gop-rally-against-democrat-virus-relief-225cea9a0247f6a0f01ca5f1d2216350">That chamber’s nonpartisan parliamentarian, Elizabeth MacDonough</a>, said Senate rules require that a federal minimum wage increase would have to be dropped from the COVID-19 bill, leaving the proposal on life support. The measure would gradually lift that minimum to $15 hourly by 2025, doubling the current $7.25 floor in effect since 2009.

Hoping to revive the effort in some form, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., is considering adding a provision to the Senate version of the COVID-19 relief bill that would penalize large companies that don’t pay workers at least $15 an hour, said a senior Democratic aide who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal conversations.

That was in line with ideas floated Thursday night by Sens. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., a chief sponsor of the $15 plan, and Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden, D-Ore., to boost taxes on corporations that don’t hit certain minimum wage targets.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., offered encouragement, too, calling a minimum wage increase “a financial necessity for our families, a great stimulus for our economy and a moral imperative for our country.” She said the House would “absolutely” approve a final version of the relief bill because of its widespread benefits, even if it lacked progressives’ treasured goal.

While Democratic leaders were eager to signal to rank-and-file progressives and liberal voters that they would not yield on the minimum wage fight, their pathway was unclear because of GOP opposition and questions over whether they had enough Democratic support.

House Ways and Means Committee Chair Richard Neal, D-Mass., sidestepped a question on taxing companies that don’t boost pay, saying of Senate Democrats, “I hesitate to say anything until they decide on a strategy.”

Progressives were demanding that the Senate press ahead anyway on the minimum wage increase, even if it meant changing that chamber’s rules and eliminating the filibuster, a tactic that requires 60 votes for a bill to move forward.

“We’re going to have to reform the filibuster because we have to be able to deliver,” said Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., a progressive leader.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., another high-profile progressive, also said Senate rules must be changed, telling reporters that when Democrats meet with their constituents, “We can’t tell them that this didn’t get done because of an unelected parliamentarian.”

Traditionalists of both parties — including Biden, who served as a senator for 36 years — have opposed eliminating filibusters because they protect parties’ interests when they are in the Senate minority. Biden said weeks ago that he didn’t expect the minimum wage increase to survive the Senate’s rules.

Pelosi, too, seemed to shy away from dismantling Senate procedures, saying, “We will seek a solution consistent with Senate rules, and we will do so soon.”

The House COVID-19 bill includes the minimum wage increase, so the real battle over its fate will occur when the Senate debates its version over the next two weeks.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614427934581.png" alt="House Speaker Nancy Pelosi celebrates the win for President Biden early Saturday-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>House Speaker Nancy Pelosi celebrates the win for President Biden early Saturday-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The House approved&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-personal-taxes-legislation-coronavirus-pandemic-local-governments-2409cc7b60e46ee9f9721b787dd7c623">a $1.9 trillion pandemic relief bill&nbsp;</a>in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-bills-coronavirus-pandemic-local-governments-minimum-wage-c543f26d45b39a8cf0113e11ed5f7aaf">a win for President Joe Biden,</a>&nbsp;even as top Democrats tried assuring agitated progressives that they’d revive their derailed drive to boost the minimum wage.The new president’s vision for flushing cash to individuals, businesses, states and cities battered by COVID-19 passed on a near party-line 219-212 vote early Saturday. That ships the massive measure to the Senate, where Democrats seem bent on resuscitating their minimum wage push and fights could erupt over state aid and other issues.Democrats said the still-faltering economy and the half-million American lives lost demanded quick, decisive action. GOP lawmakers, they said, were out of step with a public that polling shows largely views the bill favorably.“I am a happy camper tonight,” Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., said Friday. “This is what America needs. Republicans, you ought to be a part of this. But if you’re not, we’re going without you.”Republicans said the bill was too expensive and said too few education dollars would be spent quickly to immediately reopen schools. They said it was laden with gifts to Democratic constituencies like labor unions and funneled money to Democratic-run states they suggested didn’t need it because their budgets had bounced back.“To my colleagues who say this bill is bold, I say it’s bloated,” said House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. “To those who say it’s urgent, I say it’s unfocused. To those who say it’s popular, I say it is entirely partisan.”Moderate Democratic Reps. Jared Golden of Maine and Kurt Schrader of Oregon were the only two lawmakers to cross party lines. That sharp partisan divide is making the fight a showdown over who voters will reward for heaping more federal spending to combat the coronavirus and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-consumer-rebound-boost-spending-75da4e4aae346edc86773127194b0a65">revive the economy</a>&nbsp;atop the $4 trillion approved last year.The battle is also emerging as an early test of Biden’s ability to hold together his party’s fragile congressional majorities — just 10 votes in the House and an evenly divided 50-50 Senate.At the same time, Democrats were trying to figure out how to assuage progressives who lost their top priority in a jarring Senate setback Thursday.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gop-rally-against-democrat-virus-relief-225cea9a0247f6a0f01ca5f1d2216350">That chamber’s nonpartisan parliamentarian, Elizabeth MacDonough</a>, said Senate rules require that a federal minimum wage increase would have to be dropped from the COVID-19 bill, leaving the proposal on life support. The measure would gradually lift that minimum to $15 hourly by 2025, doubling the current $7.25 floor in effect since 2009.Hoping to revive the effort in some form, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., is considering adding a provision to the Senate version of the COVID-19 relief bill that would penalize large companies that don’t pay workers at least $15 an hour, said a senior Democratic aide who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal conversations.That was in line with ideas floated Thursday night by Sens. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., a chief sponsor of the $15 plan, and Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden, D-Ore., to boost taxes on corporations that don’t hit certain minimum wage targets.House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., offered encouragement, too, calling a minimum wage increase “a financial necessity for our families, a great stimulus for our economy and a moral imperative for our country.” She said the House would “absolutely” approve a final version of the relief bill because of its widespread benefits, even if it lacked progressives’ treasured goal.While Democratic leaders were eager to signal to rank-and-file progressives and liberal voters that they would not yield on the minimum wage fight, their pathway was unclear because of GOP opposition and questions over whether they had enough Democratic support.House Ways and Means Committee Chair Richard Neal, D-Mass., sidestepped a question on taxing companies that don’t boost pay, saying of Senate Democrats, “I hesitate to say anything until they decide on a strategy.”Progressives were demanding that the Senate press ahead anyway on the minimum wage increase, even if it meant changing that chamber’s rules and eliminating the filibuster, a tactic that requires 60 votes for a bill to move forward.“We’re going to have to reform the filibuster because we have to be able to deliver,” said Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., a progressive leader.Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., another high-profile progressive, also said Senate rules must be changed, telling reporters that when Democrats meet with their constituents, “We can’t tell them that this didn’t get done because of an unelected parliamentarian.”Traditionalists of both parties — including Biden, who served as a senator for 36 years — have opposed eliminating filibusters because they protect parties’ interests when they are in the Senate minority. Biden said weeks ago that he didn’t expect the minimum wage increase to survive the Senate’s rules.Pelosi, too, seemed to shy away from dismantling Senate procedures, saying, “We will seek a solution consistent with Senate rules, and we will do so soon.”The House COVID-19 bill includes the minimum wage increase, so the real battle over its fate will occur when the Senate debates its version over the next two weeks.The overall relief bill would provide $1,400 payments to individuals, extend emergency unemployment benefits through August and increase tax credits for children and federal subsidies for health insurance.It also provides billions for schools and colleges, state and local governments, COVID-19 vaccines and testing, renters, food producers and struggling industries like airlines, restaurants, bars and concert venues.Democrats are pushing the relief measure through Congress under special rules that will let them avoid a Senate GOP filibuster, meaning that if they are united they won’t need any Republican votes.It also lets the bill move faster, a top priority for Democrats who want the bill on Biden’s desk before the most recent emergency jobless benefits end on March 14.But those same Senate rules prohibit provisions with only an “incidental” impact on the federal budget because they are chiefly driven by other policy purposes. MacDonough decided that the minimum wage provision failed that test.Republicans oppose the $15 minimum wage target as an expense that would hurt businesses and cost jobs.___