NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. officials intensified calls Friday for unvaccinated Americans to get inoculated in the face of the new omicron variant that contributed to a record number of infections in New York and threatened to wipe out a second holiday season in Europe.

Though the calendar is about to change, Friday had a distinctly 2020 feel: NFL games were postponed because of COVID-19 infections. The Rockettes Christmas show was canceled for the season. European governments imposed a spate of restrictions that ground travel to a halt and saw travelers lying low.

Much remains unknown about omicron, but officials warn that it appears more transmissible than the delta variant, which has already put pressure on hospitals worldwide. The uncertainty alone was enough for many people to change their plans.

In the United States, President Joe Biden’s administration resisted tightening any restrictions, but also sketched out dire scenarios for the unvaccinated in a plea for hesitant Americans to get the shot.

“For the unvaccinated, you’re looking at a winter of severe illness and death, for yourselves, your families, and the hospitals you may soon overwhelm,” White House coronavirus response coordinator Jeff Zients said Friday, echoing the president’s own comments earlier this week.

The new variant is already in “full force” in New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio said, with new cases hitting a one-day record of more than 8,300 on Thursday. But new hospitalizations and deaths – so far – are well below their spring 2020 peak and even where they were this time last year, city data shows.

The coronavirus also interrupted sports in the U.S. again. The NFL announced Friday that three games would be pushed from the weekend to next week because of outbreaks. The league has not specified whether the cases came from the omicron variant.

The Radio City Rockettes called off four performances scheduled for Friday because of breakthrough COVID-19 cases in the production, and plans for upcoming shows were still being assessed. The popular holiday program generally has four shows per day in December at Radio City Music Hall in Manhattan.

Dr. Stanley Weiss, a Rutgers University epidemiology professor, said officials need to react faster, citing a willingness to redefine fully vaccinated to include booster shots, for example.

“Everyone wants us to be through with this pandemic, but in order to get us through it, we can’t ignore the realities of what’s going on and what is needed,” Weiss said.

Denmark&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-lifestyle-health-travel-art-galleries-58f88e5635dc80fa56ad3a95343d904c">decided to close theaters, concert halls, amusement parks and museums</a>&nbsp;in response to virus cases. In Spain, friends and classmates canceled traditional year-end dinners.

Scotland and Wales on Friday pledged millions of pounds for businesses hurt in Britain’s latest infection surge, a move that heaped pressure on Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government to do the same in England.

Treasury chief Rishi Sunak held talks with business representatives who have demanded more support, decrying a “lockdown by stealth” in which government officials recommend people cut back on socializing as much as possible without officially imposing the strict rules of past shutdowns.

Britain reported record numbers of infections three days in a row this week, the latest on Friday with more than 93,000 cases tallied.

Businesses ranging from vacation providers to pubs and theaters saw a wave of cancellations as customers decided to skip merrymaking for now rather than risk being infected and missing family celebrations later.

Even Britain’s Christmas pantos — beloved and raucous holiday performances — are under threat. The Belgrade Theatre in Coventry in western England had to refund 180,000 pounds ($240,000) in ticket sales after customers decided not to go to shows. It was also forced to cancel 12 performances of “Beauty and the Beast” because half the cast tested positive.

“There’s been a real dent of confidence,” Executive Director Joanna Reid told the BBC.

Scotland’s first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, said Friday that financial assistance for business must come from the central government because it has the borrowing power to finance the scale of aid that is needed.

“Business is already bleeding, every 24 hours counts,” Sturgeon said during a briefing in Edinburgh, Scotland’s capital. “There is no time to waste.”

The already beleaguered travel and tourism industry is being particularly hammered.

Eurostar, which operates trains across the English Channel, sold out of tickets to France on Friday before new rules restricting travel to and from Britain took effect. Long lines snaked around the parking lot at the Eurotunnel, which runs the tunnel that drivers use to cross the water.

Ryanair originally expected to carry about 11 million passengers in December, but that figure dropped to 10 million, chief executive Michael O’Leary told the Guardian. Europe’s biggest airline will also cut about 10% of its capacity in January.

Amanda Wheelock, 29, a graduate student at the University of Michigan, canceled a trip to France with her partner as cases spiked there. Even though the surge isn’t necessarily due to omicron, the uncertainty about the new variant, and a new requirement that all U.S. travelers have to test negative before flying back to the U.S., made her worry that the trip would be more stressful than fun.

Instead, she’s traveling to the Anchorage, Alaska, area to see friends.

“A vacation with a lot of stress is probably not a great vacation,” said Wheelock, who is from Arvada, Colorado.

The Advantage Travel Group, which represents about 350 U.K. travel agents, said business fell by 40% in mid-December from a month earlier. Those numbers, including flights, cruise bookings and package holidays, add to the travel industry’s existing slump, which had already seen business fall by two-thirds since the pandemic began, CEO Julia Lo Bue-Said.

“Our members are dealing with customers who are really nervous about traveling now,” she said “They’re really nervous about bookings for the New Year because they fear that there’s a risk that the government will make more knee-jerk reactions.”

Many in the travel and hospitality trades hoped they had put the worst behind them, nearly two years into a pandemic that has devastated those industries. They saw this holiday season as a chance to claw back some of what was lost — until omicron cast a pall reminiscent of the early days of the crisis.

Richard Stevens estimates he has lost out on 4,000 pounds ($5,300) worth of bookings at his rental ski chalet in the French Alps after the new, stricter travel rules for people coming from Britain were announced.

He lost his first reservation when a guest called to say that the restrictions won’t allow anybody to come to France without a compelling reason, Stevens said. “And the compelling reason doesn’t include going on holiday.”

Celebrity chef Michel Roux and other restaurateurs have invested heavily to remake their venues to address safety concerns — and hoped to reap some of the benefits.

To return to a state of huge uncertainty for a second consecutive Christmas is “like a kick in the stomach,” said Roux, who has a destination restaurant in London.

Jorge Riera, who manages a traditional Spanish diner in central Madrid, said it doesn’t matter that authorities have not imposed specific restrictions and, at most, have only issued recommendations.

“Most of our customers prioritize the well-being of their relatives over going out for a fun night with colleagues,” Riera said.

In the past week alone, cancellations rolled in for about half of the booked space, sometimes on the same day of the event, the manager said.

“People are once again afraid of the virus,” he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638981037777.jpeg" alt="Photo pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Photo pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. officials intensified calls Friday for unvaccinated Americans to get inoculated in the face of the new omicron variant that contributed to a record number of infections in New York and threatened to wipe out a second holiday season in Europe.Though the calendar is about to change, Friday had a distinctly 2020 feel: NFL games were postponed because of COVID-19 infections. The Rockettes Christmas show was canceled for the season. European governments imposed a spate of restrictions that ground travel to a halt and saw travelers lying low.Much remains unknown about omicron, but officials warn that it appears more transmissible than the delta variant, which has already put pressure on hospitals worldwide. The uncertainty alone was enough for many people to change their plans.In the United States, President Joe Biden’s administration resisted tightening any restrictions, but also sketched out dire scenarios for the unvaccinated in a plea for hesitant Americans to get the shot.“For the unvaccinated, you’re looking at a winter of severe illness and death, for yourselves, your families, and the hospitals you may soon overwhelm,” White House coronavirus response coordinator Jeff Zients said Friday, echoing the president’s own comments earlier this week.The new variant is already in “full force” in New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio said, with new cases hitting a one-day record of more than 8,300 on Thursday. But new hospitalizations and deaths – so far – are well below their spring 2020 peak and even where they were this time last year, city data shows.The coronavirus also interrupted sports in the U.S. again. The NFL announced Friday that three games would be pushed from the weekend to next week because of outbreaks. The league has not specified whether the cases came from the omicron variant.The Radio City Rockettes called off four performances scheduled for Friday because of breakthrough COVID-19 cases in the production, and plans for upcoming shows were still being assessed. The popular holiday program generally has four shows per day in December at Radio City Music Hall in Manhattan.Dr. Stanley Weiss, a Rutgers University epidemiology professor, said officials need to react faster, citing a willingness to redefine fully vaccinated to include booster shots, for example.“Everyone wants us to be through with this pandemic, but in order to get us through it, we can’t ignore the realities of what’s going on and what is needed,” Weiss said.Denmark&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-lifestyle-health-travel-art-galleries-58f88e5635dc80fa56ad3a95343d904c">decided to close theaters, concert halls, amusement parks and museums</a>&nbsp;in response to virus cases. In Spain, friends and classmates canceled traditional year-end dinners.Scotland and Wales on Friday pledged millions of pounds for businesses hurt in Britain’s latest infection surge, a move that heaped pressure on Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government to do the same in England.Treasury chief Rishi Sunak held talks with business representatives who have demanded more support, decrying a “lockdown by stealth” in which government officials recommend people cut back on socializing as much as possible without officially imposing the strict rules of past shutdowns.Britain reported record numbers of infections three days in a row this week, the latest on Friday with more than 93,000 cases tallied.Businesses ranging from vacation providers to pubs and theaters saw a wave of cancellations as customers decided to skip merrymaking for now rather than risk being infected and missing family celebrations later.Even Britain’s Christmas pantos — beloved and raucous holiday performances — are under threat. The Belgrade Theatre in Coventry in western England had to refund 180,000 pounds ($240,000) in ticket sales after customers decided not to go to shows. It was also forced to cancel 12 performances of “Beauty and the Beast” because half the cast tested positive.“There’s been a real dent of confidence,” Executive Director Joanna Reid told the BBC.Scotland’s first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, said Friday that financial assistance for business must come from the central government because it has the borrowing power to finance the scale of aid that is needed.“Business is already bleeding, every 24 hours counts,” Sturgeon said during a briefing in Edinburgh, Scotland’s capital. “There is no time to waste.”The already beleaguered travel and tourism industry is being particularly hammered.Eurostar, which operates trains across the English Channel, sold out of tickets to France on Friday before new rules restricting travel to and from Britain took effect. Long lines snaked around the parking lot at the Eurotunnel, which runs the tunnel that drivers use to cross the water.Ryanair originally expected to carry about 11 million passengers in December, but that figure dropped to 10 million, chief executive Michael O’Leary told the Guardian. Europe’s biggest airline will also cut about 10% of its capacity in January.Amanda Wheelock, 29, a graduate student at the University of Michigan, canceled a trip to France with her partner as cases spiked there. Even though the surge isn’t necessarily due to omicron, the uncertainty about the new variant, and a new requirement that all U.S. travelers have to test negative before flying back to the U.S., made her worry that the trip would be more stressful than fun.Instead, she’s traveling to the Anchorage, Alaska, area to see friends.“A vacation with a lot of stress is probably not a great vacation,” said Wheelock, who is from Arvada, Colorado.The Advantage Travel Group, which represents about 350 U.K. travel agents, said business fell by 40% in mid-December from a month earlier. Those numbers, including flights, cruise bookings and package holidays, add to the travel industry’s existing slump, which had already seen business fall by two-thirds since the pandemic began, CEO Julia Lo Bue-Said.“Our members are dealing with customers who are really nervous about traveling now,” she said “They’re really nervous about bookings for the New Year because they fear that there’s a risk that the government will make more knee-jerk reactions.”Many in the travel and hospitality trades hoped they had put the worst behind them, nearly two years into a pandemic that has devastated those industries. They saw this holiday season as a chance to claw back some of what was lost — until omicron cast a pall reminiscent of the early days of the crisis.Richard Stevens estimates he has lost out on 4,000 pounds ($5,300) worth of bookings at his rental ski chalet in the French Alps after the new, stricter travel rules for people coming from Britain were announced.He lost his first reservation when a guest called to say that the restrictions won’t allow anybody to come to France without a compelling reason, Stevens said. “And the compelling reason doesn’t include going on holiday.”Celebrity chef Michel Roux and other restaurateurs have invested heavily to remake their venues to address safety concerns — and hoped to reap some of the benefits.To return to a state of huge uncertainty for a second consecutive Christmas is “like a kick in the stomach,” said Roux, who has a destination restaurant in London.Jorge Riera, who manages a traditional Spanish diner in central Madrid, said it doesn’t matter that authorities have not imposed specific restrictions and, at most, have only issued recommendations.“Most of our customers prioritize the well-being of their relatives over going out for a fun night with colleagues,” Riera said.In the past week alone, cancellations rolled in for about half of the booked space, sometimes on the same day of the event, the manager said.“People are once again afraid of the virus,” he said.___

Fearing omicron variant, holiday revelers curb celebrations

KANSAS CITY(AP) — Soon after losing his trucking job amid the pandemic, Freddie Davis got another blow: His landlord in Miami was almost doubling the rent on his Miami apartment.

Davis girded for what he feared would come next. In September he was evicted — just over a month after a federal eviction moratorium ended. He’s now languishing in a hotel, aided by a nonprofit that helps homeless people.

The 51-year-old desperately wants to find a new apartment. But it’s proving impossible on his $1,000-a-month disability check.

“We live in America, and the thing is, people like me, we got to go to the street if we don’t have no other place to go because we can’t afford rent,” said Davis, who lost a leg to diabetes, suffers congestive heart failure and is recovering from multiple wounds on his other leg and foot. “I really can’t do nothing.”

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-coronavirus-pandemic-f0085d9d4547b897a27323bb95cc890c">federal ban</a>, along with a mix of state and federal moratoriums, is credited with keeping Davis and millions of others in their homes during the pandemic and preventing the spread of the coronavirus.

There was a brief&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/evictions-moratorium-ends-pandemic-5ea6a36efe4e5e7d169fcefbd1dd298a">lull</a>&nbsp;in evictions filings after the ban ended. But housing advocates say they’re on the rise in many parts of the country —- though numbers remain below pre-pandemic levels due to the infusion of federal rental assistance and other pandemic-related assistance like expanded child tax credit payments that are also set to end.

Part of the increase is due to courts catching up on the backlog of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/evictions-moratorium-ends-pandemic-5ea6a36efe4e5e7d169fcefbd1dd298a">eviction cases</a>. But advocates say the upsurge also shows the limits of federal emergency rental assistance in places where distribution remains slow and tenant protections are weak. Rising housing prices in many markets also are playing a role.

According to the latest data from the&nbsp;<a href="https://evictionlab.org/eviction-tracking/" target="_blank">Eviction Lab</a>&nbsp;at Princeton University, eviction filings have been rising in most of the 31 cities and six states where it collects data. They increased 10.4% from the first half of August to the first half of September. In the first half of October, numbers were 38% above August levels and 25% higher than in September. Filings fell around 7% from the first half of October to November and now remain about 48% below pre-pandemic levels.

Among places where eviction filings are returning to normal are Connecticut as well as Houston, Indianapolis, and Cincinnati and Columbus, Ohio, according to the Eviction Lab. Florida, too, has seen a significant rise, with filings in Tampa and Gainesville returning to near pre-pandemic levels.

“There was a batch of initial commentary coming out when the moratorium ended and the tone ... was, well, there wasn’t a tsunami so we don’t have an eviction crisis on our hands,” said Ben Martin, senior researcher at Texas Housers, a nonprofit focused on housing issues.

“That initial narrative was somewhat misleading. What we are seeing is a reflection of reality, which is that evictions take time to work their way into and through the court system.”

Among the concerns is that some landlords who got federal assistance are still evicting tenants. A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nhlp.org/covid/survey/" target="_blank">survey</a>&nbsp;of nearly 120 attorneys nationwide from the National Housing Law Project found 86% had seen cases like this. They also saw increasing instances of landlords lying in court to evict tenants and illegally locking out tenants.

“In many states, landlord tenant law is antiquated and designed to provide results for landlords,” said Shamus Roller, executive director of the National Housing Law Project. “Instead of adjudicating the facts, courts function as conveyor belts, moving tenants toward eviction.”

Among those who contend they were illegally evicted is Faye Moore. The 72-year-old returned home from work in October to find her life spread out on the sidewalk.

Behind several thousand dollars rent on her two-bedroom townhouse in an Atlanta suburb, Moore figured she would get the chance to present her case to a judge, including that management refused to take her rent money for months and that she was given no notice before she was evicted.

“I’m devastated. It was a house full of furniture. Everything,” said Moore, a retired mental health therapist who is now staying in a hotel with her 61-year-old partner, Garry Betared. “It was like a storm came in and devastated everything. I can’t find my important papers or anything.”

Cicely Murray, a HUD housing counselor with the Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America who is working with Moore, was most upset that the couple was evicted without a court hearing and forced to fend for themselves.

“I’m angry that anyone would put an elderly couple out without trying to figure out what resources are there,” Murray said. “We are still in a pandemic. ... You are putting people in precarious situations who are some of the most fragile.”

As Christmas approaches, there are plenty of signs that eviction cases will keep rising.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey, those saying they weren’t confident of paying next month’s rent increased from about 5 million at the end of September to 6.3 million in the latest data.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-business-health-coronavirus-pandemic-5f1a2b734a06eacad423298c1f0f6f3f">Landlords, especially smaller ones&nbsp;</a>who own a handful of apartments, have also struggled. They believed the moratorium was illegal and saddled them with months of back rent they may never get back. Others were forced to lay off maintenance staff or sell units as they awaited federal rental assistance that was slow to be distributed.

Some localities have lagged behind in getting out their portion of the $46.5 billion in federal Emergency Rental Assistance. According to a November&nbsp;<a href="https://nlihc.org/sites/default/files/ERA-Spending-and-Performance-Trends.pdf" target="_blank">report&nbsp;</a>from the National Low Income Housing Coalition, 28% of grantees — 32 states and 80 localities — spent less than 30% of their first allocation of money and risk losing those funds.

Among them is Nebraska, which spent only 6% of its funding through September and just 7% through October. Some landlords are refusing to take part in the program, said Caitlin Cedfeldt, a staff attorney at Legal Aid of Nebraska, while others have grown tired of waiting and are moving to evict. Tenants, some of whom got initial help but still face economic hardship, are being told they can’t yet reapply for additional help.

Missouri only spent 18% of its funding through September but has since improved.

“We have so much more work to do,” U.S. Rep. Cori Bush, a St. Louis Democrat, said, citing data showing that evictions during the pandemic “have taken lives.”

There are some states and local governments that “feel, ’We don’t want this money. We don’t want this federal aid,” she said. “And, we have some landlords who say that they don’t want the money as well. So that makes it harder for the money to be dispersed.”

Gene Sperling, who is charged with overseeing implementation of President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus rescue package, said some increase in evictions was inevitable after the ban ended. “But fortunately because the Emergency Rental Assistance program is now paying full back-rent to about 500,000 renters each month, the eviction tsunami that experts feared has not occurred,” he said.

On the flip side are states and cities running out of rental assistance. The Treasury Department expects that upwards of $30 billion, or about two-thirds of the money, will have been spent or allocated by the end of the year. As the law dictates, Treasury is expected to begin reallocating funds from places not spending it to those in need.

Texas has stopped accepting new applicants because it has allocated all its funds, though it continues to process applications received before the deadline. Oregon has stopped taking new applicants for now.

The state of New York has spent or committed nearly all of its money, as has Philadelphia. California will soon exhaust its funds, while Atlanta has closed its program to new applicants. Austin, Texas, also stopped taking applications.

“It’s particularly concerning that a number of these programs are now shutting down because all funds have been expended or obligated,” said Peter Hepburn, research fellow at the Eviction Lab.

“If that funding gets removed, landlords may have less incentive to work with tenants.”

KANSAS CITY(AP) — Soon after losing his trucking job amid the pandemic, Freddie Davis got another blow: His landlord in Miami was almost doubling the rent on his Miami apartment.Davis girded for what he feared would come next. In September he was evicted — just over a month after a federal eviction moratorium ended. He’s now languishing in a hotel, aided by a nonprofit that helps homeless people.The 51-year-old desperately wants to find a new apartment. But it’s proving impossible on his $1,000-a-month disability check.“We live in America, and the thing is, people like me, we got to go to the street if we don’t have no other place to go because we can’t afford rent,” said Davis, who lost a leg to diabetes, suffers congestive heart failure and is recovering from multiple wounds on his other leg and foot. “I really can’t do nothing.”The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-coronavirus-pandemic-f0085d9d4547b897a27323bb95cc890c">federal ban</a>, along with a mix of state and federal moratoriums, is credited with keeping Davis and millions of others in their homes during the pandemic and preventing the spread of the coronavirus.There was a brief&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/evictions-moratorium-ends-pandemic-5ea6a36efe4e5e7d169fcefbd1dd298a">lull</a>&nbsp;in evictions filings after the ban ended. But housing advocates say they’re on the rise in many parts of the country —- though numbers remain below pre-pandemic levels due to the infusion of federal rental assistance and other pandemic-related assistance like expanded child tax credit payments that are also set to end.Part of the increase is due to courts catching up on the backlog of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/evictions-moratorium-ends-pandemic-5ea6a36efe4e5e7d169fcefbd1dd298a">eviction cases</a>. But advocates say the upsurge also shows the limits of federal emergency rental assistance in places where distribution remains slow and tenant protections are weak. Rising housing prices in many markets also are playing a role.According to the latest data from the&nbsp;<a href="https://evictionlab.org/eviction-tracking/" target="_blank">Eviction Lab</a>&nbsp;at Princeton University, eviction filings have been rising in most of the 31 cities and six states where it collects data. They increased 10.4% from the first half of August to the first half of September. In the first half of October, numbers were 38% above August levels and 25% higher than in September. Filings fell around 7% from the first half of October to November and now remain about 48% below pre-pandemic levels.Among places where eviction filings are returning to normal are Connecticut as well as Houston, Indianapolis, and Cincinnati and Columbus, Ohio, according to the Eviction Lab. Florida, too, has seen a significant rise, with filings in Tampa and Gainesville returning to near pre-pandemic levels.ADVERTISEMENT“There was a batch of initial commentary coming out when the moratorium ended and the tone ... was, well, there wasn’t a tsunami so we don’t have an eviction crisis on our hands,” said Ben Martin, senior researcher at Texas Housers, a nonprofit focused on housing issues.“That initial narrative was somewhat misleading. What we are seeing is a reflection of reality, which is that evictions take time to work their way into and through the court system.”Among the concerns is that some landlords who got federal assistance are still evicting tenants. A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nhlp.org/covid/survey/" target="_blank">survey</a>&nbsp;of nearly 120 attorneys nationwide from the National Housing Law Project found 86% had seen cases like this. They also saw increasing instances of landlords lying in court to evict tenants and illegally locking out tenants.“In many states, landlord tenant law is antiquated and designed to provide results for landlords,” said Shamus Roller, executive director of the National Housing Law Project. “Instead of adjudicating the facts, courts function as conveyor belts, moving tenants toward eviction.”Among those who contend they were illegally evicted is Faye Moore. The 72-year-old returned home from work in October to find her life spread out on the sidewalk.Behind several thousand dollars rent on her two-bedroom townhouse in an Atlanta suburb, Moore figured she would get the chance to present her case to a judge, including that management refused to take her rent money for months and that she was given no notice before she was evicted.“I’m devastated. It was a house full of furniture. Everything,” said Moore, a retired mental health therapist who is now staying in a hotel with her 61-year-old partner, Garry Betared. “It was like a storm came in and devastated everything. I can’t find my important papers or anything.”Cicely Murray, a HUD housing counselor with the Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America who is working with Moore, was most upset that the couple was evicted without a court hearing and forced to fend for themselves.“I’m angry that anyone would put an elderly couple out without trying to figure out what resources are there,” Murray said. “We are still in a pandemic. ... You are putting people in precarious situations who are some of the most fragile.”As Christmas approaches, there are plenty of signs that eviction cases will keep rising.According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey, those saying they weren’t confident of paying next month’s rent increased from about 5 million at the end of September to 6.3 million in the latest data.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-business-health-coronavirus-pandemic-5f1a2b734a06eacad423298c1f0f6f3f">Landlords, especially smaller ones&nbsp;</a>who own a handful of apartments, have also struggled. They believed the moratorium was illegal and saddled them with months of back rent they may never get back. Others were forced to lay off maintenance staff or sell units as they awaited federal rental assistance that was slow to be distributed.Some localities have lagged behind in getting out their portion of the $46.5 billion in federal Emergency Rental Assistance. According to a November&nbsp;<a href="https://nlihc.org/sites/default/files/ERA-Spending-and-Performance-Trends.pdf" target="_blank">report&nbsp;</a>from the National Low Income Housing Coalition, 28% of grantees — 32 states and 80 localities — spent less than 30% of their first allocation of money and risk losing those funds.Among them is Nebraska, which spent only 6% of its funding through September and just 7% through October. Some landlords are refusing to take part in the program, said Caitlin Cedfeldt, a staff attorney at Legal Aid of Nebraska, while others have grown tired of waiting and are moving to evict. Tenants, some of whom got initial help but still face economic hardship, are being told they can’t yet reapply for additional help.Missouri only spent 18% of its funding through September but has since improved.“We have so much more work to do,” U.S. Rep. Cori Bush, a St. Louis Democrat, said, citing data showing that evictions during the pandemic “have taken lives.”There are some states and local governments that “feel, ’We don’t want this money. We don’t want this federal aid,” she said. “And, we have some landlords who say that they don’t want the money as well. So that makes it harder for the money to be dispersed.”Gene Sperling, who is charged with overseeing implementation of President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus rescue package, said some increase in evictions was inevitable after the ban ended. “But fortunately because the Emergency Rental Assistance program is now paying full back-rent to about 500,000 renters each month, the eviction tsunami that experts feared has not occurred,” he said.On the flip side are states and cities running out of rental assistance. The Treasury Department expects that upwards of $30 billion, or about two-thirds of the money, will have been spent or allocated by the end of the year. As the law dictates, Treasury is expected to begin reallocating funds from places not spending it to those in need.Texas has stopped accepting new applicants because it has allocated all its funds, though it continues to process applications received before the deadline. Oregon has stopped taking new applicants for now.The state of New York has spent or committed nearly all of its money, as has Philadelphia. California will soon exhaust its funds, while Atlanta has closed its program to new applicants. Austin, Texas, also stopped taking applications.“It’s particularly concerning that a number of these programs are now shutting down because all funds have been expended or obligated,” said Peter Hepburn, research fellow at the Eviction Lab.“If that funding gets removed, landlords may have less incentive to work with tenants.”___

Evictions on the rise months after federal moratorium ends

Apple's App Store and Google Play list dozen of holiday-themed apps: 
children can video chat live with Santa himself, light the menorah, 
watch Santa feed live reindeer, track his sleigh on Christmas Eve, or 
relay their Christmas wish-lists. With COVID-19 continuing to affect 
kids' access to in-person activities like visits with Santa, apps may 
continue to play a large role in the holiday season. Before allowing a 
child to download any app, be sure what data it's collecting and set 
permission requirements.&nbsp;

BBB National Programs’ Cameryn Gonnella, Compliance Manager for the <a href="https://bbbprograms.org/programs/all-programs/caru">Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU)</a> recommended these tips to keep in mind this holiday season.&nbsp;

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement/rules/rulemaking-regulatory-reform-proceedings/childrens-online-privacy-protection-rule">Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)</a>&nbsp;gives
 parents control over who collects information from and about their 
children. COPPA applies to all mobile apps and websites directed to 
kids, even those based at the North Pole.&nbsp;COPPA, updated in 2013, was 
designed to ensure that parents can consent to the collection of 
personal information from children under the age of 13. Personal 
information includes names and addresses, email addresses, birth dates, 
photographs, or geolocation information.

Before downloading any app, parents should:

CARU asks parents who come across an app or other online service 
that they think violates COPPA to file an anonymous consumer complaint 
on&nbsp;<a href="https://bbbprograms.org/programs/all-programs/caru/complaintsandchallenges">CARU's website</a>. For more information about CARU and keeping children safe online, please visit the <a href="https://bbbprograms.org/programs/all-programs/caru">BBB National Programs’ website</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639937394304.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>BBBApple's App Store and Google Play list dozen of holiday-themed apps: 
children can video chat live with Santa himself, light the menorah, 
watch Santa feed live reindeer, track his sleigh on Christmas Eve, or 
relay their Christmas wish-lists. With COVID-19 continuing to affect 
kids' access to in-person activities like visits with Santa, apps may 
continue to play a large role in the holiday season. Before allowing a 
child to download any app, be sure what data it's collecting and set 
permission requirements.&nbsp;BBB National Programs’ Cameryn Gonnella, Compliance Manager for the <a href="https://bbbprograms.org/programs/all-programs/caru">Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU)</a> recommended these tips to keep in mind this holiday season.&nbsp;Know your Privacy Rights&nbsp;The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement/rules/rulemaking-regulatory-reform-proceedings/childrens-online-privacy-protection-rule">Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)</a>&nbsp;gives
 parents control over who collects information from and about their 
children. COPPA applies to all mobile apps and websites directed to 
kids, even those based at the North Pole.&nbsp;COPPA, updated in 2013, was 
designed to ensure that parents can consent to the collection of 
personal information from children under the age of 13. Personal 
information includes names and addresses, email addresses, birth dates, 
photographs, or geolocation information.Tips for ParentsBefore downloading any app, parents should:<ul>
 <li>Look for a privacy policy and give it a skim: 
Responsible apps directed to children provide a description of the 
service’s information collection practices before a parent or child 
downloads an app to their device. COPPA requires, at the very least, 
that the privacy policy be on the homepage of the app when you open it. 
Many apps also have a link in the app store platforms. If you can’t find
 a privacy policy, that’s a red flag. It’s very likely that they’re on 
Santa’s naughty list. A privacy policy should include: A list of who is 
collecting personal information; what information the device collects 
and how it’s used; how personal information is stored; who has access to
 data; a list of your parental rights, and consumer opt-out tools </li><li>Learn what personal information is collected: 
Online services directed to children may not collect, maintain or share a
 photograph, video or voice recordings or even a device identifier of a 
child from children without first getting consent from a parent or 
guardian. The law also requires that apps get parental consent before 
allowing kids to disclose personal information publicly.&nbsp;Before your 
child downloads an app, check out what information it might collect 
using helpful tools like Apple's new <a href="https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211970">Privacy Details</a> section in the App Store. </li><li>Set permission requirements:&nbsp;Many apps that are 
listed as free in the app store have in-app purchases that might be 
accessed by children after a parent has allowed them to download the 
app.&nbsp; Ensure that your child’s device is set to require a password for 
each download. </li><li>Be wary of free apps: Most free apps contain more 
advertising than apps that require even a nominal fee. Free apps, even 
those labeled as educational, may have deceptive and disruptive 
advertising practices—some even advertise inappropriate content. Ads may
 pop up extremely frequently and kids are often required to view these 
ads in full to continue in the game. Ads may also trick kids into 
clicking by placing them behind enticing items like coins or adorable 
creatures. If an app is meant for both children and parents to use, then
 not all of its advertisements may be appropriate for younger children; 
it may contain ads for games or films intended for older audiences. 
Finally, even a free app that does not display advertising might have 
third-party code collecting data for later&nbsp;&nbsp;future ad targeting. To 
avoid surreptitious ad targeting, make sure to adjust your <a href="https://www.theverge.com/22403523/ios-14-5-tracking-consent-app-transparency-how-to" target="_blank">iOS</a> or <a href="https://www.techrepublic.com/article/how-to-opt-out-of-personalized-ads-on-your-android-device/" target="_blank">Android </a>device settings. </li><li>Think before you download: Sometimes, free apps 
might contain a form of malicious code called malware. To avoid 
downloading an app that might cause problems with your phone, make sure 
it’s page in the app store has a privacy policy link, contact 
information, and address information for the app publisher. Use common 
sense when looking at the app to see if it appears reputable. Crude 
designs or imitations of commonly known cartoon or fictional characters 
might be a red flag. </li><li>Check out reviews: Services such as Common Sense Media tell whether the app’s content is appropriate for your child.</li>
 </ul> CARU asks parents who come across an app or other online service 
that they think violates COPPA to file an anonymous consumer complaint 
on&nbsp;<a href="https://bbbprograms.org/programs/all-programs/caru/complaintsandchallenges">CARU's website</a>. For more information about CARU and keeping children safe online, please visit the <a href="https://bbbprograms.org/programs/all-programs/caru">BBB National Programs’ website</a>.

Scam alert: Is that Santa app safe? Better check it twice

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas woman shot by police after she pointed a gun at officers was scheduled for sentencing Tuesday, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. The hearing was continued and and authorities have not scheduled a new sentencing date, according to the DA's office.

Jennifer Miller, 34 of Wichita, was found guilty of aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer and criminal possession of a firearm.

On March 31, two police officers were proactively checking the Red Roof Inn, 7335 East Kellogg and Sky Palace, 7321 East Kellogg in Wichita after numerous calls and complaints over several months involving assaults, burglaries, drugs, stolen cars, underage parties and other things that would constitute a nuisance to the neighborhood and the businesses.

While checking the businesses, the officers saw a stolen Subaru Legacy behind the Red Roof Inn. The car had been reported stolen on March 30. As officers approached the car, they saw Miller enter the car's trunk, grab items and walk toward her room at the Sky Palace.

One officer approached Miller. A second officer arrived to assist and asked Miller for identification. Miller reached into her purse, pulled out a black handgun and pointed it at both officers, according to Wichita Police Captain Jason Stephens.

One officer pulled his handgun and fired one shot striking Miller in the neck. The officers began life saving measures and called EMS.&nbsp; She was transported to a local hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.&nbsp;

She was released from the hospital April 9 and booked into the Sedgwick County Jail.&nbsp;Before sentencing this week, Miller's attorney told Judge Williams his client was high on methamphetamine and heroin at the time of the incident.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618056359501.png" alt="Miller photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Miller photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas woman shot by police after she pointed a gun at officers was scheduled for sentencing Tuesday, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. The hearing was continued and and authorities have not scheduled a new sentencing date, according to the DA's office.Jennifer Miller, 34 of Wichita, was found guilty of aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer and criminal possession of a firearm.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617291763952.png" alt="Photo from the officers body camera released by Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo from the officers body camera released by Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>On March 31, two police officers were proactively checking the Red Roof Inn, 7335 East Kellogg and Sky Palace, 7321 East Kellogg in Wichita after numerous calls and complaints over several months involving assaults, burglaries, drugs, stolen cars, underage parties and other things that would constitute a nuisance to the neighborhood and the businesses.While checking the businesses, the officers saw a stolen Subaru Legacy behind the Red Roof Inn. The car had been reported stolen on March 30. As officers approached the car, they saw Miller enter the car's trunk, grab items and walk toward her room at the Sky Palace.One officer approached Miller. A second officer arrived to assist and asked Miller for identification. Miller reached into her purse, pulled out a black handgun and pointed it at both officers, according to Wichita Police Captain Jason Stephens.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617293757915.png" alt="Miller has previous convictions that include ID theft, forgery, theft and flee and elude, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections-photo Sedgwick County&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Miller has previous convictions that include ID theft, forgery, theft and flee and elude, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections-photo Sedgwick County&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>One officer pulled his handgun and fired one shot striking Miller in the neck. The officers began life saving measures and called EMS.&nbsp; She was transported to a local hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.&nbsp;She was released from the hospital April 9 and booked into the Sedgwick County Jail.&nbsp;Before sentencing this week, Miller's attorney told Judge Williams his client was high on methamphetamine and heroin at the time of the incident.-----------

Kan. woman shot by police after she pointed gun will go to prison

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A 19-year-old has been charged with fatally shooting his 15-year-old friend with a pink gun while playing with it at a Kansas City-area home, according to court records.

Elijah Soliz was charged Friday with first-degree involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action in the Dec. 11 shooting in Independence. No attorney is listed for him in online court records.

A police detective wrote in the probable cause statement that Soliz described the shooting as accidental. He told an officer at the scene that he was just holding the gun and it went off. During a later interview, he said he dropped it and that it went off when he caught it. He also admitted to smoking marijuana, the probable cause statement said.

Several days later, the mother of a witness reached out to police. The witness said that someone else racked the slide of the pistol, putting a round in the chamber, before handing it to Soliz, the probable cause statement said.

The witness said Soliz had the pistol pointed at the victim’s head for 30 to 45 seconds before it slipped and fired. The witness said he wasn't sure if Soliz knew that there was a bullet in the chamber and that he didn't believe the shooting was intentional.

The 15-year-old was struck in the head and was pronounced dead at a hospital.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639857344524.png" alt="Soliz-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Soliz-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — A 19-year-old has been charged with fatally shooting his 15-year-old friend with a pink gun while playing with it at a Kansas City-area home, according to court records.Elijah Soliz was charged Friday with first-degree involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action in the Dec. 11 shooting in Independence. No attorney is listed for him in online court records.A police detective wrote in the probable cause statement that Soliz described the shooting as accidental. He told an officer at the scene that he was just holding the gun and it went off. During a later interview, he said he dropped it and that it went off when he caught it. He also admitted to smoking marijuana, the probable cause statement said.Several days later, the mother of a witness reached out to police. The witness said that someone else racked the slide of the pistol, putting a round in the chamber, before handing it to Soliz, the probable cause statement said.The witness said Soliz had the pistol pointed at the victim’s head for 30 to 45 seconds before it slipped and fired. The witness said he wasn't sure if Soliz knew that there was a bullet in the chamber and that he didn't believe the shooting was intentional.The 15-year-old was struck in the head and was pronounced dead at a hospital.

Teens playing with gun before 15-year-old was killed

WASHINGTON (AP) — All of the U.S. military services have now begun disciplinary actions and discharges for troops who have refused to get the mandated coronavirus vaccine, officials said, with as many as 20,000 unvaccinated forces at risk of being removed from service.

On Thursday, the Marine Corps said it has discharged 103 Marines so far for refusing the vaccine, and the Army said it has reprimanded more than 2,700 soldiers and will begin discharge proceedings in January. The Air Force said earlier this week that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-257b231698d17ab3c6aef71867520346">27 airmen had been discharged for refusing the vaccine order</a>. And the Navy laid out its new discipline procedure this week, and has already fired one sailor from his command job for refusing to be tested while he pursues an exemption.

Military leaders have warned for months that troops would face consequences if they did not follow what is considered to be a lawful order to get the COVID-19 vaccine. But only in the last week or so have they publicly begun following through on those threats.

It’s not clear how many could end up being discharged. But according to the services, at least 30,000 service members are not yet vaccinated, but several thousand of those have gotten temporary or permanent medical or administrative exemptions approved. Of the remaining — which is likely 20,000 or more — thousands are working their way through the exemptions process or have flatly refused. That’s about 1.5% of the roughly 1.3 million active duty troops.

The figures reflect a calculated risk — that the number of troops who would be forced from service for refusing the vaccine posed less of a threat to military readiness than the prospect of the virus running rampant among unvaccinated troops.

More than 12,000 have sought religious exemptions. And about 4,800 Army soldiers and Air Force airmen have flatly refused the vaccine, without seeking an exemption. The Navy and Marine Corps have not released their refusal totals.

Pentagon chief spokesman John Kirby said Thursday that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s main concern is getting as many service members vaccinated as possible.

“What he would tell these individuals if he had the chance to speak to them directly is to get the vaccine, if they are medically eligible,” Kirby said. “Get the vaccine because it’s the best way to protect themselves and their units. That’s the readiness concern — getting the vaccination rate as close to 100% as possible.”

His comments came as the Army became the last military service to reach the deadline for requiring active duty troops to get vaccines. On Thursday, the Army said 98% of its active duty force had gotten at least one shot, but that more than 3,800 soldiers flatly refused and could start being removed from the military next month.

The Marine Corps said 95% of its force has gotten at least one dose as of Thursday. About 97.5% of the Air Force and Space Force have gotten at least one shot, and a bit more than 1,000 have flatly refused. And 98.4% of the Navy is fully vaccinated. The Navy does not release totals of those with one dose.

Asked about the impact on military readiness if service members continue to refuse the shots and are discharged from the service, Kirby said troops still have time to do the right thing.

“We obviously hope that they will,” he said. “But if they don’t, it is a lawful order and it has to be obeyed because it is a valid medical requirement.”

While each service has developed its own process, all are following existing rules for when a service member disobeys a lawful order. Getting thrown out of the military for refusing a vaccine has been done very rarely. But service members are routinely discharged for disobeying orders — often getting an honorable discharge or general discharge with honorable conditions.

According to the data released Thursday, the Army, the largest military service, reported the fewest service members seeking religious exemptions — a bit more than 1,700 soldiers — compared with the three smaller services. In comparison, more than 4,700 in the Air Force, 3,100 in the Marine Corps and 2,700 in the Navy sought religious exemptions, according to data released by the services in the past week. None has yet been approved.

The Pentagon&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-vaccine-us-military-requirement-pentagon-3975940c732352f72e41f6e34a3a2669">this year made the COVID-19 vaccine mandatory</a>&nbsp;for all service members, including the National Guard and Reserve. Austin has said repeatedly that getting the vaccine is critical to maintaining a heathy, ready force that can be prepared to defend the nation. The Pentagon is also weighing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-lloyd-austin-john-kirby-06508de37647d9c94e0f120dbacabde8">making the vaccine booster shots mandatory</a>&nbsp;for service members.

The Army’s 478,000 active duty soldiers had until Wednesday to get the shots. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-b145976254f6deab1ae3130cf8159b00">Air Force required vaccines for the active duty by Nov. 2</a>, while members of the Navy and the Marine Corps had until Nov. 28 to get the shots and their Reserve members have until Dec. 28. Air Force Guard and Reserves had until Dec. 2, and the Army Guard and Reserve soldiers have until next June.

“Vaccinating our soldiers against COVID-19 is first and foremost about Army readiness,” Army Secretary Christine Wormuth said in a statement. “To those who continue to refuse the vaccine and are not pending a final decision on a medical or administrative exemption, I strongly encourage you to get the vaccine. If not, we will begin involuntary separation proceedings.”

In addition to the more than 2,700 Army soldiers who received written reprimands for refusing the shot, six were fired from leadership positions. Students at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point who refuse the vaccine and do not get an approved exemption will not be commissioned as officers.

The Army said more than 6,200 soldiers are seeking a temporary or permanent exemption, including the 1,746 religious requests. Nearly 3,900 have received temporary medical or administrative exemptions and four got a permanent medical exemption.

Temporary medical exemptions can include pregnancy or other reasons, and administrative can include those who are retiring or are in remote locations with no available vaccines.

Across the military, the vaccine reaction has mirrored that of society, with thousands reluctant to get shots. But overall the percentage of troops — particularly active duty members — who quickly were vaccinated exceeds nationwide numbers. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 72% of the U.S. population age 18 or older has gotten at least one shot.

Members of the U.S. military are already required to get as many as 17 vaccines, depending on where they are deployed, including for smallpox, hepatitis, polio and the flu.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1635861962000.png" alt="Photo Department of Defense" />
 <figcaption>Photo Department of Defense</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — All of the U.S. military services have now begun disciplinary actions and discharges for troops who have refused to get the mandated coronavirus vaccine, officials said, with as many as 20,000 unvaccinated forces at risk of being removed from service.On Thursday, the Marine Corps said it has discharged 103 Marines so far for refusing the vaccine, and the Army said it has reprimanded more than 2,700 soldiers and will begin discharge proceedings in January. The Air Force said earlier this week that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-257b231698d17ab3c6aef71867520346">27 airmen had been discharged for refusing the vaccine order</a>. And the Navy laid out its new discipline procedure this week, and has already fired one sailor from his command job for refusing to be tested while he pursues an exemption.Military leaders have warned for months that troops would face consequences if they did not follow what is considered to be a lawful order to get the COVID-19 vaccine. But only in the last week or so have they publicly begun following through on those threats.It’s not clear how many could end up being discharged. But according to the services, at least 30,000 service members are not yet vaccinated, but several thousand of those have gotten temporary or permanent medical or administrative exemptions approved. Of the remaining — which is likely 20,000 or more — thousands are working their way through the exemptions process or have flatly refused. That’s about 1.5% of the roughly 1.3 million active duty troops.The figures reflect a calculated risk — that the number of troops who would be forced from service for refusing the vaccine posed less of a threat to military readiness than the prospect of the virus running rampant among unvaccinated troops.More than 12,000 have sought religious exemptions. And about 4,800 Army soldiers and Air Force airmen have flatly refused the vaccine, without seeking an exemption. The Navy and Marine Corps have not released their refusal totals.Pentagon chief spokesman John Kirby said Thursday that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s main concern is getting as many service members vaccinated as possible.“What he would tell these individuals if he had the chance to speak to them directly is to get the vaccine, if they are medically eligible,” Kirby said. “Get the vaccine because it’s the best way to protect themselves and their units. That’s the readiness concern — getting the vaccination rate as close to 100% as possible.”His comments came as the Army became the last military service to reach the deadline for requiring active duty troops to get vaccines. On Thursday, the Army said 98% of its active duty force had gotten at least one shot, but that more than 3,800 soldiers flatly refused and could start being removed from the military next month.The Marine Corps said 95% of its force has gotten at least one dose as of Thursday. About 97.5% of the Air Force and Space Force have gotten at least one shot, and a bit more than 1,000 have flatly refused. And 98.4% of the Navy is fully vaccinated. The Navy does not release totals of those with one dose.Asked about the impact on military readiness if service members continue to refuse the shots and are discharged from the service, Kirby said troops still have time to do the right thing.“We obviously hope that they will,” he said. “But if they don’t, it is a lawful order and it has to be obeyed because it is a valid medical requirement.”While each service has developed its own process, all are following existing rules for when a service member disobeys a lawful order. Getting thrown out of the military for refusing a vaccine has been done very rarely. But service members are routinely discharged for disobeying orders — often getting an honorable discharge or general discharge with honorable conditions.According to the data released Thursday, the Army, the largest military service, reported the fewest service members seeking religious exemptions — a bit more than 1,700 soldiers — compared with the three smaller services. In comparison, more than 4,700 in the Air Force, 3,100 in the Marine Corps and 2,700 in the Navy sought religious exemptions, according to data released by the services in the past week. None has yet been approved.The Pentagon&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-vaccine-us-military-requirement-pentagon-3975940c732352f72e41f6e34a3a2669">this year made the COVID-19 vaccine mandatory</a>&nbsp;for all service members, including the National Guard and Reserve. Austin has said repeatedly that getting the vaccine is critical to maintaining a heathy, ready force that can be prepared to defend the nation. The Pentagon is also weighing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-lloyd-austin-john-kirby-06508de37647d9c94e0f120dbacabde8">making the vaccine booster shots mandatory</a>&nbsp;for service members.The Army’s 478,000 active duty soldiers had until Wednesday to get the shots. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-b145976254f6deab1ae3130cf8159b00">Air Force required vaccines for the active duty by Nov. 2</a>, while members of the Navy and the Marine Corps had until Nov. 28 to get the shots and their Reserve members have until Dec. 28. Air Force Guard and Reserves had until Dec. 2, and the Army Guard and Reserve soldiers have until next June.“Vaccinating our soldiers against COVID-19 is first and foremost about Army readiness,” Army Secretary Christine Wormuth said in a statement. “To those who continue to refuse the vaccine and are not pending a final decision on a medical or administrative exemption, I strongly encourage you to get the vaccine. If not, we will begin involuntary separation proceedings.”In addition to the more than 2,700 Army soldiers who received written reprimands for refusing the shot, six were fired from leadership positions. Students at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point who refuse the vaccine and do not get an approved exemption will not be commissioned as officers.The Army said more than 6,200 soldiers are seeking a temporary or permanent exemption, including the 1,746 religious requests. Nearly 3,900 have received temporary medical or administrative exemptions and four got a permanent medical exemption.Temporary medical exemptions can include pregnancy or other reasons, and administrative can include those who are retiring or are in remote locations with no available vaccines.Across the military, the vaccine reaction has mirrored that of society, with thousands reluctant to get shots. But overall the percentage of troops — particularly active duty members — who quickly were vaccinated exceeds nationwide numbers. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 72% of the U.S. population age 18 or older has gotten at least one shot.Members of the U.S. military are already required to get as many as 17 vaccines, depending on where they are deployed, including for smallpox, hepatitis, polio and the flu.

Across services, troops face discipline for refusing vaccine

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The Wichita police chief who was one of the first law enforcement officials to call the death of George Floyd a murder has announced that he is resigning. 

Gordon Ramsay announced Friday morning that he plans to resign from his position on March 1. Ramsay said he wanted to spend more time with family and is weighing a run for St. Louis County Sheriff in Duluth, where he was police chief before getting hired in Wichita. 

Ramsay said his diversification of the police department is one of his proudest accomplishments.

Ramsay was appointed as the Wichita Police Chief in January 2016 and has served as a police officer since 1993, according to his bio on the city web site.

He is nationally recognized for his work and expertise with citizen oversight boards, co-responders models, police-community relations, and the use of technology and crime reduction.&nbsp; Due to his work in these areas, Chief Ramsay was selected to serve as a Commissioner on the Presidential Commission on Law Enforcement and the Kansas Governor's Commission on Racial Equity and Justice.&nbsp;

Overall, WPD experienced a decrease in part one crimes under Chief Ramsay's leadership. In partnership with his staff, he has implemented innovative methods to reduce crime, including shot spotter technology, Operation Save a Casing, and created the first Crime Gun Intelligence Center in Kansas.&nbsp; Additionally, they have added several embedded caseworkers who assist families in crisis, caseworkers who assist with housing stabilization, and a co-responder model for mental health response. Chief Ramsay implemented Wichita's first Citizen Review Board in 2018.

Under Chief Ramsay's leadership, federal grants have quadrupled in dollar amounts and are helping reduce gun violence and fund important crime reduction initiatives.&nbsp;

Chief Ramsay is currently an executive board member with the Major City Police Chiefs Association representing the central U.S. and has his Bachelor's Degree in Criminology and Sociology and a Master's Degree in Management. He previously served as the General Chair of the Mid-Sized Agency Section of the IACP, President of the Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association and is currently an Advisory Board Member of the Council of State Governments-Justice Center and is on the Board of the Wichita area YMCA's, the Boys and Girls Clubs of South Central Kansas and Rise Up for Youth.&nbsp; He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy session 222.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1591132639079.png" alt="Chief Gordon Ramsay-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Chief Gordon Ramsay-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The Wichita police chief who was one of the first law enforcement officials to call the death of George Floyd a murder has announced that he is resigning. Gordon Ramsay announced Friday morning that he plans to resign from his position on March 1. Ramsay said he wanted to spend more time with family and is weighing a run for St. Louis County Sheriff in Duluth, where he was police chief before getting hired in Wichita. Ramsay said his diversification of the police department is one of his proudest accomplishments.Ramsay was appointed as the Wichita Police Chief in January 2016 and has served as a police officer since 1993, according to his bio on the city web site. He is nationally recognized for his work and expertise with citizen oversight boards, co-responders models, police-community relations, and the use of technology and crime reduction.&nbsp; Due to his work in these areas, Chief Ramsay was selected to serve as a Commissioner on the Presidential Commission on Law Enforcement and the Kansas Governor's Commission on Racial Equity and Justice.&nbsp; Overall, WPD experienced a decrease in part one crimes under Chief Ramsay's leadership. In partnership with his staff, he has implemented innovative methods to reduce crime, including shot spotter technology, Operation Save a Casing, and created the first Crime Gun Intelligence Center in Kansas.&nbsp; Additionally, they have added several embedded caseworkers who assist families in crisis, caseworkers who assist with housing stabilization, and a co-responder model for mental health response. Chief Ramsay implemented Wichita's first Citizen Review Board in 2018.Under Chief Ramsay's leadership, federal grants have quadrupled in dollar amounts and are helping reduce gun violence and fund important crime reduction initiatives.&nbsp;Chief Ramsay is currently an executive board member with the Major City Police Chiefs Association representing the central U.S. and has his Bachelor's Degree in Criminology and Sociology and a Master's Degree in Management. He previously served as the General Chair of the Mid-Sized Agency Section of the IACP, President of the Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association and is currently an Advisory Board Member of the Council of State Governments-Justice Center and is on the Board of the Wichita area YMCA's, the Boys and Girls Clubs of South Central Kansas and Rise Up for Youth.&nbsp; He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy session 222.

Largest police department in Kansas looking for new leader

DOUGLAS COUNTY —The Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health was notified Friday of the first confirmed case of the Omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in Douglas County by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, according to a media release from the agency.

It is the second confirmed case of Omicron in Kansas. On Thursday, the KDHE reported the state's first individual with the Omicron variant. A vaccinated adult in Franklin County.

Dr. Jennifer Schrimsher, deputy county health officer and infectious disease physician at LMH Health, said detection of the variant in Douglas County does not come as a surprise as it has rapidly spread across the country since the first confirmed U.S. case of Omicron was identified on Dec. 1.

“This virus is highly infectious and transmittable,” she said. “Vaccines remain the best public health measure to protect people from COVID-19, slow transmission and reduce the likelihood of new variants emerging.”

The individual with the Omicron variant in Douglas County is a vaccinated adult who has received a booster dose. The health department released no additional details on the individual to protect their privacy.

Health officials urge residents to use the following tools to protect against COVID-19 and the Omicron variant:

“Masks work and vaccines are safe and effective at preventing serious disease and death,” Schrimsher said. “These are two keystones of keeping our loved ones and the community at large safer.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1638148803210.png" alt="3D structure of spike with amino acid changes in Omicron -photo courtesy GISAID" />
 <figcaption>3D structure of spike with amino acid changes in Omicron -photo courtesy GISAID</figcaption>
 </figure>DOUGLAS COUNTY —The Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health was notified Friday of the first confirmed case of the Omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in Douglas County by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, according to a media release from the agency.It is the second confirmed case of Omicron in Kansas. On Thursday, the KDHE reported the state's first individual with the Omicron variant. A vaccinated adult in Franklin County.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">In Kansas we now have 2 documented cases of Omicron. There could be 1,000 in two week’s time. Say we actually have 50 Omicron cases today, we could have well over 1,000 new cases every 7 days. Seniors and those at risk: GET YOUR BOOSTERS ASAP. <a href="https://t.co/W4q4TC1O6k">https://t.co/W4q4TC1O6k</a>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1472243654278492171?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Dr. Jennifer Schrimsher, deputy county health officer and infectious disease physician at LMH Health, said detection of the variant in Douglas County does not come as a surprise as it has rapidly spread across the country since the first confirmed U.S. case of Omicron was identified on Dec. 1.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639685332683.png" alt="Omicron detected in over half of U.S. states-image courtesy GISAID" />
 <figcaption>Omicron detected in over half of U.S. states-image courtesy GISAID</figcaption>
 </figure>“This virus is highly infectious and transmittable,” she said. “Vaccines remain the best public health measure to protect people from COVID-19, slow transmission and reduce the likelihood of new variants emerging.”The individual with the Omicron variant in Douglas County is a vaccinated adult who has received a booster dose. The health department released no additional details on the individual to protect their privacy.Health officials urge residents to use the following tools to protect against COVID-19 and the Omicron variant:<ul>
 <li>Get vaccinated and boosted. The three authorized COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective in preventing serious illness, hospitalizations and death. Scientists expect the vaccines to prevent serious illness, hospitalizations, and death in people infected with the Omicron variant. COVID-19 vaccines are now authorized for people ages 5 and older. The COVID-19 booster shots are authorized for all individuals ages 16 and older. To find a vaccine near you, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://vaccines.gov/">Vaccines.gov</a>.</li><li>Wear a mask. Masks offer protection against all variants. It is recommended that people wear a well-fitting mask in public indoor settings, where COVID-19 transmission remains high, regardless of vaccination status.</li><li>Get tested. If you are sick or have been in close contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19, it is recommended that you get tested for COVID-19. COVID-19 tests are widely available. Go to&nbsp;<a href="http://knowbeforeyougoks.com/">KnowBeforeYouGoKS.com</a>&nbsp;to find a free testing location near you. At-home tests are available for purchase at grocery stores and pharmacies. These can be used at home, work or anywhere and can provide rapid results. If a positive result is received through an at-home test, individuals should follow up with a health care provider about a confirmation test.</li><li>Social distance. When in public settings, stay at least 6 feet from other people, especially if you are at higher risk of getting sick.</li>
 </ul>“Masks work and vaccines are safe and effective at preventing serious disease and death,” Schrimsher said. “These are two keystones of keeping our loved ones and the community at large safer.”

Omicron detected in Kan. vaccinated adult who received a booster

The obituary for Renay Corren has been lighting up the internet since her passing on Dec. 11.

Click <a href="https://www.fayobserver.com/obituaries/m0028451?fbclid=IwAR2AEE8XiBNg8zymJj8g4e640P5ZiIu223RQANGOZ8hmeCKMoV89fXXLk6Y">HERE</a> to read the tribute.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.hutchpost.com/posts/5ed6bba3ebfb13423b26c8f6">In 2020, there was a similarly themes tribute written.&nbsp;</a>

The obituary for Renay Corren has been lighting up the internet since her passing on Dec. 11.Click <a href="https://www.fayobserver.com/obituaries/m0028451?fbclid=IwAR2AEE8XiBNg8zymJj8g4e640P5ZiIu223RQANGOZ8hmeCKMoV89fXXLk6Y">HERE</a> to read the tribute.&nbsp;<a href="http://www.hutchpost.com/posts/5ed6bba3ebfb13423b26c8f6">In 2020, there was a similarly themes tribute written.&nbsp;</a>

Irreverent — and hilarious — obituary goes viral

CLAY COUNTY —Wildlife experts are working to help an injured bald eagle rescued from Smithville Lake north of Kansas City, according to a report from the Missouri Department of Conservation.

Corporal Brian Bartlett responded to a call about an injured eagle at the lake.&nbsp; He transported the eagle to a local vet, but an x-ray found no shotgun injuries or broken wings. 

Blood tests are being performed to see if the raptor is suffering from lead poisoning or a bacterial infection. 

Authorities will then take the eagle for rehabilitation.&nbsp; The Missouri Department of Conservation thanked all who participated in the rescue and are hoping for a speedy recovery.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639843128652.png" alt="Photo Missouri Dept. of Conservation" />
 <figcaption>Photo Missouri Dept. of Conservation</figcaption>
 </figure>CLAY COUNTY —Wildlife experts are working to help an injured bald eagle rescued from Smithville Lake north of Kansas City, according to a report from the Missouri Department of Conservation.Corporal Brian Bartlett responded to a call about an injured eagle at the lake.&nbsp; He transported the eagle to a local vet, but an x-ray found no shotgun injuries or broken wings. Blood tests are being performed to see if the raptor is suffering from lead poisoning or a bacterial infection. Authorities will then take the eagle for rehabilitation.&nbsp; The Missouri Department of Conservation thanked all who participated in the rescue and are hoping for a speedy recovery.

Injured bald eagle rescued from lake near Kansas City

By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-12-17/kansas-city-hospitals-are-full-again-omicron-has-arrived-and-doctors-are-begging-for-your-help">Kansas News Service</a>

Doctors across Kansas City, Lawrence and Topeka banded together 
Friday to offer a sobering public message: They’ve seen COVID-19 cases 
and hospitalizations double, triple and continue to get worse in a 
matter of weeks.

Some hospitals are once again postponing 
non-emergency, non-coronavirus care to free up beds and health care 
workers for the region’s second dramatic surge in hospitalizations since
 the delta variant arrived last summer.

Hospitals are struggling daily to find enough nurses and scrambling to recruit health care workers from other countries.

Chief medical officers said the vast majority of the patients in local hospitals have not gotten the COVID-19 vaccine.

At
 a briefing for reporters and the public, they urged people to roll up 
their sleeves for a shot that shields themselves and their loved ones.

“For
 the past couple of weeks, all 100% (of people) in ICU, all 100% on 
ventilators have been unvaccinated people,” Raghu Adiga, chief medical 
officer at Liberty Hospital in Missouri, said of the situation at his 
facility. “We just want people to help us take better care of them.”

The delta variant continues to fuel most cases locally, but omicron has joined the mix <a href="https://www.kcur.org/2021-12-16/an-eastern-kansas-resident-is-the-states-first-confirmed-case-of-the-omicron-covid-19-variant" target="_blank">in Kansas</a> and <a href="https://www.kcur.org/health/2021-12-03/a-st-louis-resident-is-missouris-first-confirmed-case-of-the-omicron-variant" target="_blank">Missouri</a>.
 Doctors fear the swift surge of hospitalizations in recent weeks could 
set the stage for numbers in January and February that will surpass last
 winter’s crisis.

White House chief medical advisor <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/12/15/fauci-says-covid-boosters-work-against-omicron-no-need-for-variant-specific-third-shot-.html" target="_blank">Dr. Anthony Fauci</a> says vaccines and booster shots protect most people against landing in the hospital with the omicron variant.

“We
 still have a lot of unvaccinated folks. We set ourselves up for 
danger,” University of Kansas Health System chief medical officer Steven
 Stites said. “That danger is real. … It’s at our doorstep. … We are in 
trouble.”

Other states face a similar predicament. Hospitals in 
Kansas City are receiving calls in search of open beds from facilities 
as far away as Michigan, Minnesota and Texas.

The KU Health System is so strained, it’s now turning down 70% to 80% of transfer requests.

And other local health systems described similar situations.

“We
 currently have 43 patients … in our ERs waiting for inpatient beds,” 
said Kim Megow, chief medical officer for HCA Midwest Health. “No beds 
available. And only 12 ICU beds across the market are available this 
morning.”

The situation echoes the virus’ earlier peaks last winter and this summer.

But staffing levels, hospitals say, have only gotten worse over the course of the pandemic.

The
 rush of hospitalizations since November has filled beds fast, but even 
facilities that still have space often can’t take in more patients 
because they lack enough nurses.

“At the beginning of the 
pandemic, it was like going off to war … the energy level was high,” 
said Elizabeth Long, chief medical officer for Olathe Health.

But since then, many health care workers have burned out and quit.

“We are definitely in a dire situation,” Long said. “We’re trying to even get foreign nurses in” but face immigration hurdles.

Megow at HCA Midwest Health called the situation more than a daily struggle – it’s an “hourly struggle.”

“We
 have gone outside of the country to hire nurses. We have pulled nurses 
in from other areas,” she said. “We have hired temporary and contract 
nurses.”

“Every hour, we are constantly monitoring how many nurses
 we need,” she said. “How many can we get? When can they get here? How 
long can they stay? What do we need to pay them?”

The KU Health 
System’s St. Francis hospital in Topeka was forced to push back several 
inpatient surgeries this month. LMH Health in Lawrence said it can’t 
accept any patients from outside of Douglas County.

So
 far, daily hospitalizations remain below the peak they saw last winter,
 but have already climbed back to the levels seen during this summer’s 
intense and swift initial delta wave.

<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/variants/omicron-variant.html" target="_blank">The omicron variant</a>
 has been found in at least 37 states as of Friday morning. Public 
health officials had expected it to turn up in Missouri and Kansas fast,
 which it did.

Kansas announced <a href="https://www.kcur.org/2021-12-16/an-eastern-kansas-resident-is-the-states-first-confirmed-case-of-the-omicron-covid-19-variant" target="_blank">its first confirmed case</a> of the omicron variant on Thursday, in Franklin County south of Lawrence. Missouri first identified one <a href="https://www.kcur.org/health/2021-12-03/a-st-louis-resident-is-missouris-first-confirmed-case-of-the-omicron-variant" target="_blank">two weeks ago</a> in St. Louis.

Scientists are scrambling to learn more about the variant. <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/12/14/who-says-omicron-is-spreading-at-a-rate-not-seen-with-any-other-covid-variant.html" target="_blank">The World Health Organization says</a> omicron is moving faster across the globe than other versions of COVID-19.

The
 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says it’s too early to say 
with certainty how omicron infections differ from delta and other 
iterations.

Anyone ages 5 and up can get vaccinated. The vaccines 
are free, and so are the booster shots available to people over the age 
of 16.

Vaccines prevent the vast majority of people from ending up in the hospital with COVID-19.

Still,
 even if someone who is vaccinated comes in contact with the virus and 
develops little to no symptoms, they could still pass the germs to loved
 ones and other people.

Wearing masks and exercising caution remain important.

Many places also offer free COVID-19 tests. In Kansas, you can find a free test by visiting <a href="https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flnks.gd%2Fl%2FeyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTEyMTYuNTA0MzMzNTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vd3d3Lmtub3diZWZvcmV5b3Vnb2tzLmNvbS8_dXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fc291cmNlPWdvdmRlbGl2ZXJ5In0.7w6dgJFBcZfLiw-HfEmluWBIWYGzpij5RSfEDlNpCSU%2Fs%2F1305913544%2Fbr%2F123296003041-l&amp;data=04%7C01%7Cllopisjepsenc%40umkc.edu%7Cd9091a3ddb1e4fcf9e6a08d9c0ceee51%7Ce3fefdbef7e9401ba51a355e01b05a89%7C0%7C0%7C637752817259443487%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&amp;sdata=mBVatLZzUEwe15IjLuxLJAooUD2A4zSTZcbpiSEUcOE%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">KnowBeforeYouGoKS.com</a>.

Celia
 Llopis-Jepsen reports on consumer health for the Kansas News Service. 
You can follow her on Twitter @celia_LJ or email her at celia@kcur.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639772265433.png" alt="Physicians are urging more people to get the COVID-19 vaccine as cases surge again. Carlos Moreno / KCUR 89.3" />
 <figcaption>Physicians are urging more people to get the COVID-19 vaccine as cases surge again. Carlos Moreno / KCUR 89.3</figcaption>
 </figure>By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-12-17/kansas-city-hospitals-are-full-again-omicron-has-arrived-and-doctors-are-begging-for-your-help">Kansas News Service</a>Doctors across Kansas City, Lawrence and Topeka banded together 
Friday to offer a sobering public message: They’ve seen COVID-19 cases 
and hospitalizations double, triple and continue to get worse in a 
matter of weeks.Some hospitals are once again postponing 
non-emergency, non-coronavirus care to free up beds and health care 
workers for the region’s second dramatic surge in hospitalizations since
 the delta variant arrived last summer.Hospitals are struggling daily to find enough nurses and scrambling to recruit health care workers from other countries.Chief medical officers said the vast majority of the patients in local hospitals have not gotten the COVID-19 vaccine.At
 a briefing for reporters and the public, they urged people to roll up 
their sleeves for a shot that shields themselves and their loved ones.“For
 the past couple of weeks, all 100% (of people) in ICU, all 100% on 
ventilators have been unvaccinated people,” Raghu Adiga, chief medical 
officer at Liberty Hospital in Missouri, said of the situation at his 
facility. “We just want people to help us take better care of them.”The delta variant continues to fuel most cases locally, but omicron has joined the mix <a href="https://www.kcur.org/2021-12-16/an-eastern-kansas-resident-is-the-states-first-confirmed-case-of-the-omicron-covid-19-variant" target="_blank">in Kansas</a> and <a href="https://www.kcur.org/health/2021-12-03/a-st-louis-resident-is-missouris-first-confirmed-case-of-the-omicron-variant" target="_blank">Missouri</a>.
 Doctors fear the swift surge of hospitalizations in recent weeks could 
set the stage for numbers in January and February that will surpass last
 winter’s crisis.White House chief medical advisor <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/12/15/fauci-says-covid-boosters-work-against-omicron-no-need-for-variant-specific-third-shot-.html" target="_blank">Dr. Anthony Fauci</a> says vaccines and booster shots protect most people against landing in the hospital with the omicron variant.“We
 still have a lot of unvaccinated folks. We set ourselves up for 
danger,” University of Kansas Health System chief medical officer Steven
 Stites said. “That danger is real. … It’s at our doorstep. … We are in 
trouble.”Other states face a similar predicament. Hospitals in 
Kansas City are receiving calls in search of open beds from facilities 
as far away as Michigan, Minnesota and Texas.The KU Health System is so strained, it’s now turning down 70% to 80% of transfer requests.And other local health systems described similar situations.“We
 currently have 43 patients … in our ERs waiting for inpatient beds,” 
said Kim Megow, chief medical officer for HCA Midwest Health. “No beds 
available. And only 12 ICU beds across the market are available this 
morning.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639772352620.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The situation echoes the virus’ earlier peaks last winter and this summer.But staffing levels, hospitals say, have only gotten worse over the course of the pandemic.The
 rush of hospitalizations since November has filled beds fast, but even 
facilities that still have space often can’t take in more patients 
because they lack enough nurses.“At the beginning of the 
pandemic, it was like going off to war … the energy level was high,” 
said Elizabeth Long, chief medical officer for Olathe Health.But since then, many health care workers have burned out and quit.“We are definitely in a dire situation,” Long said. “We’re trying to even get foreign nurses in” but face immigration hurdles.Megow at HCA Midwest Health called the situation more than a daily struggle – it’s an “hourly struggle.”“We
 have gone outside of the country to hire nurses. We have pulled nurses 
in from other areas,” she said. “We have hired temporary and contract 
nurses.”“Every hour, we are constantly monitoring how many nurses
 we need,” she said. “How many can we get? When can they get here? How 
long can they stay? What do we need to pay them?”The KU Health 
System’s St. Francis hospital in Topeka was forced to push back several 
inpatient surgeries this month. LMH Health in Lawrence said it can’t 
accept any patients from outside of Douglas County.More about the omicron variantSo
 far, daily hospitalizations remain below the peak they saw last winter,
 but have already climbed back to the levels seen during this summer’s 
intense and swift initial delta wave.<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/variants/omicron-variant.html" target="_blank">The omicron variant</a>
 has been found in at least 37 states as of Friday morning. Public 
health officials had expected it to turn up in Missouri and Kansas fast,
 which it did.Kansas announced <a href="https://www.kcur.org/2021-12-16/an-eastern-kansas-resident-is-the-states-first-confirmed-case-of-the-omicron-covid-19-variant" target="_blank">its first confirmed case</a> of the omicron variant on Thursday, in Franklin County south of Lawrence. Missouri first identified one <a href="https://www.kcur.org/health/2021-12-03/a-st-louis-resident-is-missouris-first-confirmed-case-of-the-omicron-variant" target="_blank">two weeks ago</a> in St. Louis.Scientists are scrambling to learn more about the variant. <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/12/14/who-says-omicron-is-spreading-at-a-rate-not-seen-with-any-other-covid-variant.html" target="_blank">The World Health Organization says</a> omicron is moving faster across the globe than other versions of COVID-19.The
 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says it’s too early to say 
with certainty how omicron infections differ from delta and other 
iterations.Anyone ages 5 and up can get vaccinated. The vaccines 
are free, and so are the booster shots available to people over the age 
of 16.Vaccines prevent the vast majority of people from ending up in the hospital with COVID-19.Still,
 even if someone who is vaccinated comes in contact with the virus and 
develops little to no symptoms, they could still pass the germs to loved
 ones and other people.Wearing masks and exercising caution remain important.Many places also offer free COVID-19 tests. In Kansas, you can find a free test by visiting <a href="https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flnks.gd%2Fl%2FeyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTEyMTYuNTA0MzMzNTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vd3d3Lmtub3diZWZvcmV5b3Vnb2tzLmNvbS8_dXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fc291cmNlPWdvdmRlbGl2ZXJ5In0.7w6dgJFBcZfLiw-HfEmluWBIWYGzpij5RSfEDlNpCSU%2Fs%2F1305913544%2Fbr%2F123296003041-l&amp;data=04%7C01%7Cllopisjepsenc%40umkc.edu%7Cd9091a3ddb1e4fcf9e6a08d9c0ceee51%7Ce3fefdbef7e9401ba51a355e01b05a89%7C0%7C0%7C637752817259443487%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&amp;sdata=mBVatLZzUEwe15IjLuxLJAooUD2A4zSTZcbpiSEUcOE%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">KnowBeforeYouGoKS.com</a>.Celia
 Llopis-Jepsen reports on consumer health for the Kansas News Service. 
You can follow her on Twitter @celia_LJ or email her at celia@kcur.org.

KC hospitals are full again — and doctors are begging for your help

RENO COUNTY —As law enforcement authorities investigate nationwide threats made against schools, a student in USD 308-Hutchinson is facing charges for a joke on social media that was not funny.

On Friday, the administration and School Resource Officer at Hutchinson High School were made aware of a photoshopped image on social media of a gun being pointed at one of the students, according to a statement from principal&nbsp;Ryan Ewy,

The student was quickly identified by school staff and the School Resource Officer immediately started investigating and took the student into custody.

The student responsible for the photo has admitted it was fake and done as a joke. The photo has been sent to several students, and the case has been turned over to the Hutchinson Police Department.

&nbsp;The student is facing a serious person felony, according to Hutchinson Police.

We will continue to be vigilant with an increased police presence and the monitoring of social media, according to Ewy's statement

RENO COUNTY —As law enforcement authorities investigate nationwide threats made against schools, a student in USD 308-Hutchinson is facing charges for a joke on social media that was not funny.On Friday, the administration and School Resource Officer at Hutchinson High School were made aware of a photoshopped image on social media of a gun being pointed at one of the students, according to a statement from principal&nbsp;Ryan Ewy,The student was quickly identified by school staff and the School Resource Officer immediately started investigating and took the student into custody.The student responsible for the photo has admitted it was fake and done as a joke. The photo has been sent to several students, and the case has been turned over to the Hutchinson Police Department.&nbsp;The student is facing a serious person felony, according to Hutchinson Police.We will continue to be vigilant with an increased police presence and the monitoring of social media, according to Ewy's statement

Police: Student facing charges after gun joke on social media

<a href="https://salinapost.com">Salina Post</a>

SALINA — Shaun Cassidy and Kathleen Madigan are coming to the Stiefel Theatre.

The performance is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. June 16 in the historic Stiefel Theatre, 151 S. Santa Fe Avenue.

Tickets start at $49 and are now on sale. To buy tickets online go only to the official Stiefel website at: <a href="http://www.stiefeltheatre.org">www.stiefeltheatre.org</a>.
 Additionally, tickets can be purchased at the walk-up Stiefel box 
office, which is open noon-5 p.m. Monday through Friday in person or by 
phone at 785-827-1998. Please check the <a href="http://www.stiefeltheatre.org">Stiefel website</a> for current COVID policies.

Performer information from the Stiefel Theatre

Shaun
 Cassidy is an American writer, producer, actor and singer. After making
 his name as a performer, Cassidy went on to create, write, and/or 
produce a number of critically acclaimed television series including 
AMERICAN GOTHIC (produced with Sam Raimi), ROAR (starring a then unknown
 Heath Ledger), COLD CASE, COVER ME, THE AGENCY, BLUE BLOODS, INVASION, 
and EMERALD CITY. Cassidy currently serves as executive producer and 
writer for the hit NBC series NEW AMSTERDAM.  

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639776980828.jpeg" alt="Shaun Cassidy and Kathleen Madigan are scheduled to perform in the Stiefel Theatre next summer. Image courtesy Stiefel Theatre" />
 <figcaption>Shaun Cassidy and Kathleen Madigan are scheduled to perform in the Stiefel Theatre next summer. Image courtesy Stiefel Theatre</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://salinapost.com">Salina Post</a>SALINA — Shaun Cassidy and Kathleen Madigan are coming to the Stiefel Theatre.The performance is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. June 16 in the historic Stiefel Theatre, 151 S. Santa Fe Avenue.Tickets start at $49 and are now on sale. To buy tickets online go only to the official Stiefel website at: <a href="http://www.stiefeltheatre.org">www.stiefeltheatre.org</a>.
 Additionally, tickets can be purchased at the walk-up Stiefel box 
office, which is open noon-5 p.m. Monday through Friday in person or by 
phone at 785-827-1998. Please check the <a href="http://www.stiefeltheatre.org">Stiefel website</a> for current COVID policies.Performer information from the Stiefel TheatreShaun
 Cassidy is an American writer, producer, actor and singer. After making
 his name as a performer, Cassidy went on to create, write, and/or 
produce a number of critically acclaimed television series including 
AMERICAN GOTHIC (produced with Sam Raimi), ROAR (starring a then unknown
 Heath Ledger), COLD CASE, COVER ME, THE AGENCY, BLUE BLOODS, INVASION, 
and EMERALD CITY. Cassidy currently serves as executive producer and 
writer for the hit NBC series NEW AMSTERDAM. The son of Tony 
award winning actor Jack Cassidy and Academy award winner Shirley Jones 
(and half-brother of the late singer/actor David Cassidy), Shaun grew up
 in Los Angeles and New York City. While still in high school, he signed
 a contract with Warner Brothers records. This led to three 
multi-platinum albums and numerous top ten hits including "Da Doo Ron 
Ron", "That's Rock n' Roll", "Hey Deanie", and "Do You Believe In 
Magic?" Cassidy received a Grammy nomination for his efforts and 
performed at every major arena in the country including Houston’s 
Astrodome and New York’s Madison Square Garden. Almost concurrently, he 
starred in the ABC television series THE HARDY BOYS MYSTERIES. While
 appearing on Broadway in the hit musical BLOOD BROTHERS, Shaun wrote 
his first television pilot, AMERICAN GOTHIC. When the show debuted, The 
New York Times called it “The most original new show of the season.” In
 2019, Cassidy took his self-penned music and storytelling show, THE 
MAGIC OF A MIDNIGHT SKY, to the stage. He played to SRO crowds 
nationwide, and last year, in collaboration with No Kid Hungry, he 
successfully introduced a collection of fine wines, MY FIRST CRUSH, 
which donates two dollars per bottle to feed hungry children nationwide.
 Currently working under an exclusive long term development deal
 with NBC/Universal television, Shaun makes his home in the wine country
 of Santa Barbara with his wife, Tracey, their four children, and more 
animals than he can count. Comedian Kathleen Madigan's 32-year 
comedy career is showing no signs of slowing down. Madigan has been 
touring 250 nights a year on the road and has risen from performing in 
comedy clubs to performing in marquee theaters with sold out shows. 
She's squeezed in over 40 appearances on late night talk shows and 
multiple comedy specials airing on Netflix, Comedy Central and HBO. She 
also recently joined Jerry Seinfeld on his Netflix show "Comedians in 
Cars Getting Coffee" and made the most of the pandemic by launching a 
podcast, "Madigan's Pubcast," on all streaming outlets. Her most recent 
special "Bothering Jesus" is her fifth hour long standup special and 
will be her third special to be available on NETFLIX. Her album of the 
“Bothering Jesus” special, was the highest selling comedy album and most
 played comedy album on streaming services since 2014. Madigan 
has performed internationally at festivals in theaters in Ireland, 
England, Hong Kong, Australia and has filmed seven Montreal Gala Shows 
at the Montreal Comedy Festival for CBC TV. She also has joined numerous
 USO trips to entertain troops around the globe, including Iraq and 
Afghanistan. She's won the American Comedy Award for "Best Female 
Comedian" and the Phyllis Diller award for "Best Female Comedian." She 
has written and produced for Lewis Black's "Root of All Evil" on Comedy 
Central and done multiple USO tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. "The USO 
shows are the best. Trust me, no crowd is as appreciative and fired up 
to see any entertainer. I'm glad I have the chance because God knows I 
don't wanna have to do their job!" Madigan is an advocate and fundraiser for Cystic Fibrosis and Autism.