KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A suspected serial killer has been charged with killing two people in Kansas. Wyandotte County authorities announced Thursday that 26-year-old Perez Reed was charged with killing two people at an apartment complex in Kansas City, Kansas. 

He has already been charged with four killings in the St. Louis area and the FBI has labeled him a suspected serial killer. Reed was charged Thursday with two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Damon Washington Irvin and Rau'daja De'Naya Farrow.

Their bodies were found during the same week in early November in separate apartments at the Wyandotte Towers Apartments in downtown Kansas City, Kansas.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1636462416961.png" alt="Reed-photo Wyandotte Co." />
 <figcaption>Reed-photo Wyandotte Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A suspected serial killer has been charged with killing two people in Kansas. Wyandotte County authorities announced Thursday that 26-year-old Perez Reed was charged with killing two people at an apartment complex in Kansas City, Kansas. He has already been charged with four killings in the St. Louis area and the FBI has labeled him a suspected serial killer. Reed was charged Thursday with two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Damon Washington Irvin and Rau'daja De'Naya Farrow.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1635889753469.png" alt="Investigators at the apartment building -photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Investigators at the apartment building -photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>Their bodies were found during the same week in early November in separate apartments at the Wyandotte Towers Apartments in downtown Kansas City, Kansas.

Suspect charged in 2 deaths at Kansas apartment building

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. on Friday opened COVID-19 booster shots to all adults and took the extra step of urging people 50 and older to seek one, aiming to ward off a winter surge as coronavirus cases rise even before millions of Americans travel for the holidays.

Until now, Americans faced a confusing list of who was eligible for a booster that varied by age, their health and which kind of vaccine they got first. The Food and Drug Administration authorized changes to Pfizer and Moderna boosters that makes it easier.

Under the new rules, anyone 18 or older can choose either a Pfizer or Moderna booster six months after their last dose. For anyone who got the single-dose Johnson &amp; Johnson vaccine, the wait already was just two months. And people can mix-and-match boosters from any company.

“We heard loud and clear that people needed something simpler — and this, I think, is simple,” FDA vaccine chief Dr. Peter Marks told The Associated Press.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had to agree before the new policy became official late Friday. CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky endorsed a recommendation from her agency’s scientific advisers that — in addition to offering all adults a booster — had stressed that people 50 and older should be urged to get one.

“It’s a stronger recommendation,” said CDC adviser Dr. Matthew Daley of Kaiser Permanente Colorado. “I want to make sure we provide as much protection as we can.”

The CDC also put out a plea for those who had previously qualified but hadn’t yet signed up for a booster to quit putting it off — saying older Americans and people with risks such as obesity, diabetes or other health problems should try to get one before the holidays.

The expansion makes tens of millions more Americans eligible for an extra dose of protection.

The No. 1 priority for the U.S., and the world, still is to get more unvaccinated people their first doses. All three COVID-19 vaccines used in the U.S. continue to offer strong protection against severe illness, including hospitalization and death, without a booster.

But protection against infection can wane with time, and the U.S. and many countries in Europe also are grappling with how widely to recommend boosters as they fight a winter wave of new cases. In the U.S., COVID-19 diagnoses have climbed steadily over the last three weeks, especially in states where colder weather already has driven people indoors.

And about a dozen states didn’t wait for federal officials to act before opening boosters to all adults.

“The direction is not a good one. People are going inside more and, ‘oops,’ next week happens to be the largest travel week of the year, so it probably makes sense to do whatever we can here to try to turn the tide,” Marks told the AP.

Vaccinations began in the U.S. last December, about a year after the coronavirus first emerged. More than 195 million Americans are now fully vaccinated, defined as having received two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or the single-dose J&amp;J. More than 32 million already have received a booster, a large proportion — 17 million — people 65 or older. Experts say that’s reassuring as seniors are at particularly high risk from COVID-19 and were among the first in line for initial vaccinations

Teen boosters aren’t yet under discussion, and kid-sized doses of Pfizer’s vaccine are just now rolling out to children ages 5 to 11.

The Biden administration had originally planned on boosters for all adults but until now, U.S. health authorities — backed by their scientific advisers — had questioned the need for such a widespread campaign. Instead, they first endorsed Pfizer or Moderna boosters only for vulnerable groups such as older Americans or those at high risk of COVID-19 because of health problems, their jobs or their living conditions.

This time around, the experts agreed the overall benefits of added protection from a third dose for any adult — six months after their last shot — outweighed risks of rare side effects from Moderna’s or Pfizer’s vaccine, such as a type of heart inflammation seen mostly in young men.

Several other countries have discouraged use of the Moderna vaccine in young people because of that concern, citing data suggesting the rare side effect may occur slightly more with that vaccine than its competitor.

Pfizer told CDC’s advisers that in a booster study of 10,000 people as young as 16, there were no more serious side effects from a third vaccine dose than earlier ones. That study found a booster restored protection against symptomatic infections to about 95% even while the extra-contagious delta variant was surging.

Britain recently released real-world data showing the same jump in protection once it began offering boosters to middle-aged and older adults, and Israel has credited widespread boosters for helping to beat back another wave of the virus.

While the vaccines spur immune memory that protects against severe disease, protection against infection depends on levels of virus-fighting antibodies that wane with time. No one yet knows how long antibody levels will stay high after a booster.

But even a temporary boost in protection against infection may help over the winter and holidays, said CDC’s Dr. Sara Oliver.

Some experts worry that all the attention to boosters may harm efforts to reach the 47 million U.S. adults who remain unvaccinated. There’s also growing concern that rich countries are offering widespread boosters when poor countries haven’t been able to vaccinate more than a small fraction of their populations.

“In terms of the No. 1 priority for reducing transmission in this country and throughout the world, this remains getting people their first vaccine series,” said Dr. David Dowdy of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1637359841305.png" alt="CDC Director Rochelle Walensky - CDC also put out a plea for those who had previously qualified but hadn’t yet signed up for a booster to quit putting it off — saying older Americans and people with risks such as obesity, diabetes or other health problems should try to get one before the holidays." />
 <figcaption>CDC Director Rochelle Walensky - CDC also put out a plea for those who had previously qualified but hadn’t yet signed up for a booster to quit putting it off — saying older Americans and people with risks such as obesity, diabetes or other health problems should try to get one before the holidays.</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. on Friday opened COVID-19 booster shots to all adults and took the extra step of urging people 50 and older to seek one, aiming to ward off a winter surge as coronavirus cases rise even before millions of Americans travel for the holidays.Until now, Americans faced a confusing list of who was eligible for a booster that varied by age, their health and which kind of vaccine they got first. The Food and Drug Administration authorized changes to Pfizer and Moderna boosters that makes it easier.Under the new rules, anyone 18 or older can choose either a Pfizer or Moderna booster six months after their last dose. For anyone who got the single-dose Johnson &amp; Johnson vaccine, the wait already was just two months. And people can mix-and-match boosters from any company.“We heard loud and clear that people needed something simpler — and this, I think, is simple,” FDA vaccine chief Dr. Peter Marks told The Associated Press.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had to agree before the new policy became official late Friday. CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky endorsed a recommendation from her agency’s scientific advisers that — in addition to offering all adults a booster — had stressed that people 50 and older should be urged to get one.“It’s a stronger recommendation,” said CDC adviser Dr. Matthew Daley of Kaiser Permanente Colorado. “I want to make sure we provide as much protection as we can.”The CDC also put out a plea for those who had previously qualified but hadn’t yet signed up for a booster to quit putting it off — saying older Americans and people with risks such as obesity, diabetes or other health problems should try to get one before the holidays.The expansion makes tens of millions more Americans eligible for an extra dose of protection.The No. 1 priority for the U.S., and the world, still is to get more unvaccinated people their first doses. All three COVID-19 vaccines used in the U.S. continue to offer strong protection against severe illness, including hospitalization and death, without a booster.But protection against infection can wane with time, and the U.S. and many countries in Europe also are grappling with how widely to recommend boosters as they fight a winter wave of new cases. In the U.S., COVID-19 diagnoses have climbed steadily over the last three weeks, especially in states where colder weather already has driven people indoors.And about a dozen states didn’t wait for federal officials to act before opening boosters to all adults.“The direction is not a good one. People are going inside more and, ‘oops,’ next week happens to be the largest travel week of the year, so it probably makes sense to do whatever we can here to try to turn the tide,” Marks told the AP.Vaccinations began in the U.S. last December, about a year after the coronavirus first emerged. More than 195 million Americans are now fully vaccinated, defined as having received two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or the single-dose J&amp;J. More than 32 million already have received a booster, a large proportion — 17 million — people 65 or older. Experts say that’s reassuring as seniors are at particularly high risk from COVID-19 and were among the first in line for initial vaccinationsTeen boosters aren’t yet under discussion, and kid-sized doses of Pfizer’s vaccine are just now rolling out to children ages 5 to 11.The Biden administration had originally planned on boosters for all adults but until now, U.S. health authorities — backed by their scientific advisers — had questioned the need for such a widespread campaign. Instead, they first endorsed Pfizer or Moderna boosters only for vulnerable groups such as older Americans or those at high risk of COVID-19 because of health problems, their jobs or their living conditions.This time around, the experts agreed the overall benefits of added protection from a third dose for any adult — six months after their last shot — outweighed risks of rare side effects from Moderna’s or Pfizer’s vaccine, such as a type of heart inflammation seen mostly in young men.Several other countries have discouraged use of the Moderna vaccine in young people because of that concern, citing data suggesting the rare side effect may occur slightly more with that vaccine than its competitor.Pfizer told CDC’s advisers that in a booster study of 10,000 people as young as 16, there were no more serious side effects from a third vaccine dose than earlier ones. That study found a booster restored protection against symptomatic infections to about 95% even while the extra-contagious delta variant was surging.Britain recently released real-world data showing the same jump in protection once it began offering boosters to middle-aged and older adults, and Israel has credited widespread boosters for helping to beat back another wave of the virus.While the vaccines spur immune memory that protects against severe disease, protection against infection depends on levels of virus-fighting antibodies that wane with time. No one yet knows how long antibody levels will stay high after a booster.But even a temporary boost in protection against infection may help over the winter and holidays, said CDC’s Dr. Sara Oliver.Some experts worry that all the attention to boosters may harm efforts to reach the 47 million U.S. adults who remain unvaccinated. There’s also growing concern that rich countries are offering widespread boosters when poor countries haven’t been able to vaccinate more than a small fraction of their populations.“In terms of the No. 1 priority for reducing transmission in this country and throughout the world, this remains getting people their first vaccine series,” said Dr. David Dowdy of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

US opens COVID boosters to all adults, urges them for 50+

KANSAS CITY(AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs will pay for ongoing medical treatment and other expenses for a young girl who was seriously injured when a vehicle she was in was struck by a car driven by former assistant coach Britt Reid.

The agreement between the Chiefs and the family of Ariel Young will provide her with "world-class medical care and long-term financial stability,” according to a statement Friday from the team's legal representative and the family's attorney, Tom Porto.

The agreement was reached after several months of discussions between the Chiefs, Ariel Young's family and medical experts. Other details were not released.

Ariel, who was 5 at the time, suffered a traumatic brain injury on Feb. 4 when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nfl-kansas-city-super-bowl-michael-brown-football-048d9a7585d07dfcd4f218df9d50a074">Britt Reid's vehicle hit two stopped vehicles on an Interstate 435 entrance ramp</a>&nbsp;near Arrowhead Stadium.

Ariel was hospitalized in critical condition for weeks before being released from the hospital April 2.

“Ariel’s recovery is a long road, but she has made great strides and continues to improve every day,” the statement said. Earlier this fall, she was able to attend her first day of school.

Reid, who is the son of Chiefs coach Andy Reid, has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nfl-kansas-football-kansas-city-kansas-city-chiefs-d43b085c56ac1d0ec8445f30faa6a4d0">charged with driving while intoxicated</a>&nbsp;and is scheduled to go to trial April 18. Prosecutors have said his blood alcohol level was 0.113 about two hours after the crash. The legal limit is 0.08.

Reid has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-chiefs-michael-brown-super-bowl-nfl-sports-55699bf058c8afe40be7697d8cf47c43">pleaded not guilty</a>. He is allowed to drive after a device that tests a driver's blood alcohol level was installed on his vehicle.

The Chiefs placed him on administrative leave after the crash and allowed his contract to expire, ending his employment with the team.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618277826304.png" alt="Britt Reid who is the son of Chiefs coach Andy Reid, has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nfl-kansas-football-kansas-city-kansas-city-chiefs-d43b085c56ac1d0ec8445f30faa6a4d0">charged with driving while intoxicated</a>&nbsp;and is scheduled to go to trial April 18.-photo KCPD" />
 <figcaption>Britt Reid who is the son of Chiefs coach Andy Reid, has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nfl-kansas-football-kansas-city-kansas-city-chiefs-d43b085c56ac1d0ec8445f30faa6a4d0">charged with driving while intoxicated</a>&nbsp;and is scheduled to go to trial April 18.-photo KCPD</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY(AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs will pay for ongoing medical treatment and other expenses for a young girl who was seriously injured when a vehicle she was in was struck by a car driven by former assistant coach Britt Reid.The agreement between the Chiefs and the family of Ariel Young will provide her with "world-class medical care and long-term financial stability,” according to a statement Friday from the team's legal representative and the family's attorney, Tom Porto.The agreement was reached after several months of discussions between the Chiefs, Ariel Young's family and medical experts. Other details were not released.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612784011749.png" alt="Ariel Young photo GoFundMe" />
 <figcaption>Ariel Young photo GoFundMe</figcaption>
 </figure>Ariel, who was 5 at the time, suffered a traumatic brain injury on Feb. 4 when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nfl-kansas-city-super-bowl-michael-brown-football-048d9a7585d07dfcd4f218df9d50a074">Britt Reid's vehicle hit two stopped vehicles on an Interstate 435 entrance ramp</a>&nbsp;near Arrowhead Stadium.Ariel was hospitalized in critical condition for weeks before being released from the hospital April 2.“Ariel’s recovery is a long road, but she has made great strides and continues to improve every day,” the statement said. Earlier this fall, she was able to attend her first day of school.Reid, who is the son of Chiefs coach Andy Reid, has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nfl-kansas-football-kansas-city-kansas-city-chiefs-d43b085c56ac1d0ec8445f30faa6a4d0">charged with driving while intoxicated</a>&nbsp;and is scheduled to go to trial April 18. Prosecutors have said his blood alcohol level was 0.113 about two hours after the crash. The legal limit is 0.08.Reid has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-chiefs-michael-brown-super-bowl-nfl-sports-55699bf058c8afe40be7697d8cf47c43">pleaded not guilty</a>. He is allowed to drive after a device that tests a driver's blood alcohol level was installed on his vehicle.The Chiefs placed him on administrative leave after the crash and allowed his contract to expire, ending his employment with the team.

Kansas City Chiefs to pay expenses for girl hurt in crash

WASHINGTON —A jury acquitted Kyle Rittenhouse of all charges Friday after he pleaded self-defense in the deadly Kenosha, Wisconsin, shootings that became a flashpoint in the nation’s debate over guns, vigilantism and racial injustice. 

The jury came back with its verdict after close to 3 1/2 days of deliberation.

President Biden issued a statement on the jury's decision.

"While the verdict in Kenosha will leave many Americans feeling angry and concerned, myself included, we must acknowledge that the jury has spoken.&nbsp;I ran on a promise to bring Americans together, because I believe that what unites us is far greater than what divides us.&nbsp; I know that we’re not going to heal our country’s wounds overnight, but I remain steadfast in my commitment to do everything in my power to ensure that every American is treated equally, with fairness and dignity, under the law. I urge everyone to express their views peacefully, consistent with the rule of law.&nbsp; Violence and destruction of property have no place in our democracy.&nbsp; The White House and Federal authorities have been in contact with Governor Evers’s&nbsp;office to prepare for any outcome in this case, and I have spoken with&nbsp;the Governor this afternoon and offered support and any assistance needed to ensure public safety."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1637347582281.png" alt="Kyle Rittenhouse listens to the verdict Friday afternoon -photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Kyle Rittenhouse listens to the verdict Friday afternoon -photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON —A jury acquitted Kyle Rittenhouse of all charges Friday after he pleaded self-defense in the deadly Kenosha, Wisconsin, shootings that became a flashpoint in the nation’s debate over guns, vigilantism and racial injustice. The jury came back with its verdict after close to 3 1/2 days of deliberation.President Biden issued a statement on the jury's decision."While the verdict in Kenosha will leave many Americans feeling angry and concerned, myself included, we must acknowledge that the jury has spoken.&nbsp;I ran on a promise to bring Americans together, because I believe that what unites us is far greater than what divides us.&nbsp; I know that we’re not going to heal our country’s wounds overnight, but I remain steadfast in my commitment to do everything in my power to ensure that every American is treated equally, with fairness and dignity, under the law. I urge everyone to express their views peacefully, consistent with the rule of law.&nbsp; Violence and destruction of property have no place in our democracy.&nbsp; The White House and Federal authorities have been in contact with Governor Evers’s&nbsp;office to prepare for any outcome in this case, and I have spoken with&nbsp;the Governor this afternoon and offered support and any assistance needed to ensure public safety."

Pres. Biden's statement on the Rittenhouse not guilty verdict

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A judge has convicted a white Kansas City police officer of involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action in the fatal shooting of a Black man in a case in which prosecutors said police planted evidence. 

Jackson County Judge Dale Youngs issued the verdict Friday against Officer Eric J. DeValkenaere in the death of 26-year-old Cameron Lamb, who was parking a pickup truck in his backyard when he was shot Dec. 3, 2019. 

DeValkenaere said he fired after Lamb pointed a gun at another detective. But prosecutors argued that police staged the scene to support their claims that Lamb was armed. The judge presided over a bench trial, instead of a jury trial, at DeValkenaere’s request.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A judge was set to rule Friday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-kansas-city-crime-shootings-police-be7e43a11aeb4f2a87e812e311b54ee5">after the trial</a>&nbsp;of a white Kansas City, Missouri, police officer charged with involuntary manslaughter in the fatal shooting of a Black man.

Officer Eric DeValkenaere also is charged with armed criminal action in the death of Cameron Lamb, 26. Lamb was shot while backing into his garage Dec. 3, 2019, after police said he chased his girlfriend’s convertible in a stolen pickup truck.

DeValkenaere testified during the trial before Jackson County Judge Dale Youngs that he fired after Lamb pointed a gun at another detective, Troy Schwalm, and that he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-police-shootings-crime-ba19ecaee14f4f658a070f42e69546ea">believed his actions saved the life of his partner</a>. On the stand, DeValkenaere said: “I’m thinking, ‘I can’t let this happen, I can’t let him shoot Troy.’”

Prosecutors, however, argued that police lacked a warrant to be on the property and staged the shooting scene to support their claims that Lamb was armed. Before he was shot, prosecutors said, Lamb had his left hand on the truck’s steering wheel and his cellphone in his right hand.

Another officer who was the first to arrive on the scene after the shooting testified during the trial that he didn’t see a gun on the ground below Lamb’s left arm, which was hanging out of the window of the truck. Later, though, a gun was there in police photographs.

Two bullets were found in Lamb’s pockets at the morgue, but crime scene technicians didn’t find them at the scene. And prosecutors also raised questions about whether Lamb, who was right-handed, could have used his left hand to pull a gun due to an earlier injury. The defense argued that he could.

A bench trial&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-police-shootings-kansas-city-missouri-b36e3e88f2896aae18b48dbf7732933d">was held last week</a>&nbsp;before Youngs without a jury at DeValkenaere’s request.

The case is a rare example of a white officer from the city being criminally accused of killing a Black man. In 1942, two officers were acquitted in a killing, The Kanas City Star reported.

The killing of Lamb, a father of three, was often invoked during racial injustice protests in Kansas City last year. And it was among several cases cited by a group of civil rights organizations in a petition urging U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland to investigate the Kansas City Police Department.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ahmaud-arbery-donald-trump-race-and-ethnicity-police-racial-injustice-97ef60a6995d4052c96f00f7d23a9cf2">indictment in the case</a>&nbsp;came days after Lamb’s death garnered renewed attention stemming from his family’s meeting with then-President Donald Trump in 2020.

In the past year, prosecutors have brought criminal charges against five white Kansas City police officers for allegedly using excessive force against Black people. DeValkenaere was the only officer charged in an on-duty killing.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592994941014.png" alt="DeValkenaere-photo KCPD" />
 <figcaption>DeValkenaere-photo KCPD</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A judge has convicted a white Kansas City police officer of involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action in the fatal shooting of a Black man in a case in which prosecutors said police planted evidence. Jackson County Judge Dale Youngs issued the verdict Friday against Officer Eric J. DeValkenaere in the death of 26-year-old Cameron Lamb, who was parking a pickup truck in his backyard when he was shot Dec. 3, 2019. DeValkenaere said he fired after Lamb pointed a gun at another detective. But prosecutors argued that police staged the scene to support their claims that Lamb was armed. The judge presided over a bench trial, instead of a jury trial, at DeValkenaere’s request.-----------------KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A judge was set to rule Friday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-kansas-city-crime-shootings-police-be7e43a11aeb4f2a87e812e311b54ee5">after the trial</a>&nbsp;of a white Kansas City, Missouri, police officer charged with involuntary manslaughter in the fatal shooting of a Black man.Officer Eric DeValkenaere also is charged with armed criminal action in the death of Cameron Lamb, 26. Lamb was shot while backing into his garage Dec. 3, 2019, after police said he chased his girlfriend’s convertible in a stolen pickup truck.DeValkenaere testified during the trial before Jackson County Judge Dale Youngs that he fired after Lamb pointed a gun at another detective, Troy Schwalm, and that he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-police-shootings-crime-ba19ecaee14f4f658a070f42e69546ea">believed his actions saved the life of his partner</a>. On the stand, DeValkenaere said: “I’m thinking, ‘I can’t let this happen, I can’t let him shoot Troy.’”Prosecutors, however, argued that police lacked a warrant to be on the property and staged the shooting scene to support their claims that Lamb was armed. Before he was shot, prosecutors said, Lamb had his left hand on the truck’s steering wheel and his cellphone in his right hand.Another officer who was the first to arrive on the scene after the shooting testified during the trial that he didn’t see a gun on the ground below Lamb’s left arm, which was hanging out of the window of the truck. Later, though, a gun was there in police photographs.Two bullets were found in Lamb’s pockets at the morgue, but crime scene technicians didn’t find them at the scene. And prosecutors also raised questions about whether Lamb, who was right-handed, could have used his left hand to pull a gun due to an earlier injury. The defense argued that he could.A bench trial&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-police-shootings-kansas-city-missouri-b36e3e88f2896aae18b48dbf7732933d">was held last week</a>&nbsp;before Youngs without a jury at DeValkenaere’s request.The case is a rare example of a white officer from the city being criminally accused of killing a Black man. In 1942, two officers were acquitted in a killing, The Kanas City Star reported.The killing of Lamb, a father of three, was often invoked during racial injustice protests in Kansas City last year. And it was among several cases cited by a group of civil rights organizations in a petition urging U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland to investigate the Kansas City Police Department.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ahmaud-arbery-donald-trump-race-and-ethnicity-police-racial-injustice-97ef60a6995d4052c96f00f7d23a9cf2">indictment in the case</a>&nbsp;came days after Lamb’s death garnered renewed attention stemming from his family’s meeting with then-President Donald Trump in 2020.In the past year, prosecutors have brought criminal charges against five white Kansas City police officers for allegedly using excessive force against Black people. DeValkenaere was the only officer charged in an on-duty killing.___

White Kansas City officer convicted in Black man’s 2019 death

KENOSHA, Wis. (AP) — Kyle Rittenhouse was acquitted of all charges Friday after pleading self-defense in the deadly Kenosha shootings that became a flashpoint in the nation’s debate over guns, vigilantism and racial injustice.

Rittenhouse, 18, cried and hugged one of his attorneys upon hearing the verdict.

He had been charged with homicide, attempted homicide and reckless endangering after killing two men and wounding a third with an AR-style semi-automatic rifle during a tumultuous night of protests over police violence against Black people in the summer of 2020. The former police youth cadet is white, as were those he shot.

The jury, which appeared to be overwhelmingly white, deliberated for close to 3 1/2 days.

Rittenhouse could have gotten life in prison if found guilty on the most serious charge, first-degree intentional homicide, or what some other states call first-degree murder.

As the verdict drew near, Gov. Tony Evers pleaded for calm and said 500 National Guard members would be ready for duty in Kenosha if needed.

Rittenhouse was 17 when he went from his home in Antioch, Illinois, to Kenosha after businesses in the city were ransacked and burned over the shooting of a Black man, Jacob Blake, by a white police officer.

Carrying a weapon that authorities said was illegally purchased for the underage Rittenhouse, he joined other armed citizens in what he said was an effort to protect property and provide medical aid.

Bystander and drone video captured most of the frenzied chain of events that followed: Rittenhouse killed Joseph Rosenbaum, 36, then shot to death protester Anthony Huber, 26, and wounded demonstrator Gaige Grosskreutz, now 28.

Prosecutors portrayed Rittenhouse as a “wannabe soldier” who had gone looking for trouble that night and was responsible for creating a dangerous situation in the first place by pointing his rifle at demonstrators.

But Rittenhouse testified: “I didn’t do anything wrong. I defended myself.”

Breaking into sobs at one point, he told the jury he opened fire after Rosenbaum chased him and made a grab for his gun. He said he was afraid his rifle was going to be wrested away and used to kill him.

Huber was then killed after hitting Rittenhouse in the head or neck with a skateboard, and Grosskreutz was shot after pointing a gun of his own at Rittenhouse.

The case was part of an extraordinary confluence of trials that reflected the deep divide over race in the United States: In Georgia, three white men are on trial in the killing of Ahmaud Arbery, while in Virginia, a trial is underway in a lawsuit over the deadly white-supremacist rally held in Charlottesville in 2017.

The exact racial makeup of the Rittenhouse jury wasn’t clear because jurors were not asked about their race in court.

The bloodshed in Kenosha took place during a summer of sometimes-violent protests set off across the U.S. by the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis and other cases involving the police use of force against Black people.

While some Americans condemned Rittenhouse as a vigilante, some on the right hailed him as a hero who exercised his Second Amendment gun rights and tried to put a stop to lawlessness.

Then-President Donald Trump said it appeared Rittenhouse had been “very violently attacked.” Supporters donated more than $2 million toward his legal defense.

Rittenhouse had also been charged with possession of a dangerous weapon by a person under 18, a misdemeanor that had appeared likely to lead to a conviction. But Judge Bruce Schroeder threw out that charge before jury deliberations after the defense argued that the Wisconsin law did not apply to the long-barreled rifle used by Rittenhouse.

Schroeder’s handling of the trial drew attention at several points, including when he led the applause for military veterans on Veterans Day just before a defense witness who had been in the Army was about to take the stand. The judge also let Rittenhouse himself draw juror numbers from a raffle drum to set the final 12 who deliberated.

Video and testimony from some of the prosecution’s own witnesses seemed to buttress Rittenhouse’s claim of self-defense.

Witnesses described Rosenbaum as “hyperaggressive” and said that he dared others to shoot him and threatened to kill Rittenhouse earlier that night. A videographer testified Rosenbaum lunged for the rifle just before he was shot, and a pathologist said his injuries appeared to indicate his hand was over the barrel.

Also, Rosenbaum’s fiancee disclosed that he was on medication for bipolar disorder and depression. Rittenhouse’s lawyers branded Rosenbaum a “crazy person.”

Some civil rights activists saw a racial double standard in the way the white gunman was treated.

On the night of the shootings, law enforcement officers saw Rittenhouse and other armed people on the streets despite a curfew and gave them bottles of water, with one officer heard saying over a loudspeaker, “We appreciate you guys.”

Later, amid the tumult, Rittenhouse managed to get past a police line with his weapon slung over his shoulder and was not arrested that night.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1637347582281.png" alt="Kyle Rittenhouse listens to the verdict Friday afternoon -photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Kyle Rittenhouse listens to the verdict Friday afternoon -photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>KENOSHA, Wis. (AP) — Kyle Rittenhouse was acquitted of all charges Friday after pleading self-defense in the deadly Kenosha shootings that became a flashpoint in the nation’s debate over guns, vigilantism and racial injustice.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">&quot;We the jury find the defendant Kyle H. Rittenhouse not guilty.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/91TRqhj2ws">pic.twitter.com/91TRqhj2ws</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1461766352633569287?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Rittenhouse, 18, cried and hugged one of his attorneys upon hearing the verdict.He had been charged with homicide, attempted homicide and reckless endangering after killing two men and wounding a third with an AR-style semi-automatic rifle during a tumultuous night of protests over police violence against Black people in the summer of 2020. The former police youth cadet is white, as were those he shot.The jury, which appeared to be overwhelmingly white, deliberated for close to 3 1/2 days.Rittenhouse could have gotten life in prison if found guilty on the most serious charge, first-degree intentional homicide, or what some other states call first-degree murder.As the verdict drew near, Gov. Tony Evers pleaded for calm and said 500 National Guard members would be ready for duty in Kenosha if needed.Rittenhouse was 17 when he went from his home in Antioch, Illinois, to Kenosha after businesses in the city were ransacked and burned over the shooting of a Black man, Jacob Blake, by a white police officer.Carrying a weapon that authorities said was illegally purchased for the underage Rittenhouse, he joined other armed citizens in what he said was an effort to protect property and provide medical aid.Bystander and drone video captured most of the frenzied chain of events that followed: Rittenhouse killed Joseph Rosenbaum, 36, then shot to death protester Anthony Huber, 26, and wounded demonstrator Gaige Grosskreutz, now 28.Prosecutors portrayed Rittenhouse as a “wannabe soldier” who had gone looking for trouble that night and was responsible for creating a dangerous situation in the first place by pointing his rifle at demonstrators.But Rittenhouse testified: “I didn’t do anything wrong. I defended myself.”Breaking into sobs at one point, he told the jury he opened fire after Rosenbaum chased him and made a grab for his gun. He said he was afraid his rifle was going to be wrested away and used to kill him.Huber was then killed after hitting Rittenhouse in the head or neck with a skateboard, and Grosskreutz was shot after pointing a gun of his own at Rittenhouse.The case was part of an extraordinary confluence of trials that reflected the deep divide over race in the United States: In Georgia, three white men are on trial in the killing of Ahmaud Arbery, while in Virginia, a trial is underway in a lawsuit over the deadly white-supremacist rally held in Charlottesville in 2017.The exact racial makeup of the Rittenhouse jury wasn’t clear because jurors were not asked about their race in court.The bloodshed in Kenosha took place during a summer of sometimes-violent protests set off across the U.S. by the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis and other cases involving the police use of force against Black people.While some Americans condemned Rittenhouse as a vigilante, some on the right hailed him as a hero who exercised his Second Amendment gun rights and tried to put a stop to lawlessness.Then-President Donald Trump said it appeared Rittenhouse had been “very violently attacked.” Supporters donated more than $2 million toward his legal defense.Rittenhouse had also been charged with possession of a dangerous weapon by a person under 18, a misdemeanor that had appeared likely to lead to a conviction. But Judge Bruce Schroeder threw out that charge before jury deliberations after the defense argued that the Wisconsin law did not apply to the long-barreled rifle used by Rittenhouse.Schroeder’s handling of the trial drew attention at several points, including when he led the applause for military veterans on Veterans Day just before a defense witness who had been in the Army was about to take the stand. The judge also let Rittenhouse himself draw juror numbers from a raffle drum to set the final 12 who deliberated.Video and testimony from some of the prosecution’s own witnesses seemed to buttress Rittenhouse’s claim of self-defense.Witnesses described Rosenbaum as “hyperaggressive” and said that he dared others to shoot him and threatened to kill Rittenhouse earlier that night. A videographer testified Rosenbaum lunged for the rifle just before he was shot, and a pathologist said his injuries appeared to indicate his hand was over the barrel.Also, Rosenbaum’s fiancee disclosed that he was on medication for bipolar disorder and depression. Rittenhouse’s lawyers branded Rosenbaum a “crazy person.”Some civil rights activists saw a racial double standard in the way the white gunman was treated.On the night of the shootings, law enforcement officers saw Rittenhouse and other armed people on the streets despite a curfew and gave them bottles of water, with one officer heard saying over a loudspeaker, “We appreciate you guys.”Later, amid the tumult, Rittenhouse managed to get past a police line with his weapon slung over his shoulder and was not arrested that night.

 🎥 Not guilty: Kyle Rittenhouse cleared of all charges in Kenosha shootings

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases* (see below) in Kansas increased by 2,880 to a total of 455,789, the state health department reported Friday y afternoon.&nbsp;

The state reported 0 additional COVID-19 deaths for a total of 6634.

<a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data">Click here for Data</a> about the COVID-19 vaccine.

<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional virus numbers from the KDHE.

As of August 1, 2021, in accordance with an&nbsp;<a href="https://ndc.services.cdc.gov/conditions/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/" target="_blank">updated CDC/CSTE surveillance case definition</a>, a confirmed case is defined as a person who tested positive by molecular detection (e.g., PCR, NAA) or identification of SARS-CoV-2 through genetic sequencing. A probable case is defined as a person with: a) presumptive lab evidence (antigen) or b) no lab testing but meeting clinical case criteria and is epi-linked. A person will be counted as a new surveillance case (e.g. reinfection) if they test positive for SARS-CoV-2 by a diagnostic test (i.e., molecular, antigen) and it has been greater than 90 days since the previous positive diagnostic test. In addition, a person with sequencing results identifying different SARS-CoV-2 lineages regardless of the time since the previous specimen sequenced will be counted as a new surveillance case.&nbsp;

Cases occurring between&nbsp;September 1, 2020&nbsp;and July 29, 2021 were classified by&nbsp;<a href="https://ndc.services.cdc.gov/conditions/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/" target="_blank">previous CDC/CSTE case definition,&nbsp;</a>and cases prior to September 1, 2020 were classified by the&nbsp;<a href="https://ndc.services.cdc.gov/case-definitions/coronavirus-disease-2019-2020/" target="_blank">original case definition</a>.

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases* (see below) in Kansas increased by 2,880 to a total of 455,789, the state health department reported Friday y afternoon.&nbsp;The state reported 0 additional COVID-19 deaths for a total of 6634.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1637345605619.png" alt="Friday November 19, 2021 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Friday November 19, 2021 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data">Click here for Data</a> about the COVID-19 vaccine.<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional virus numbers from the KDHE.As of August 1, 2021, in accordance with an&nbsp;<a href="https://ndc.services.cdc.gov/conditions/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/" target="_blank">updated CDC/CSTE surveillance case definition</a>, a confirmed case is defined as a person who tested positive by molecular detection (e.g., PCR, NAA) or identification of SARS-CoV-2 through genetic sequencing. A probable case is defined as a person with: a) presumptive lab evidence (antigen) or b) no lab testing but meeting clinical case criteria and is epi-linked. A person will be counted as a new surveillance case (e.g. reinfection) if they test positive for SARS-CoV-2 by a diagnostic test (i.e., molecular, antigen) and it has been greater than 90 days since the previous positive diagnostic test. In addition, a person with sequencing results identifying different SARS-CoV-2 lineages regardless of the time since the previous specimen sequenced will be counted as a new surveillance case.&nbsp;Cases occurring between&nbsp;September 1, 2020&nbsp;and July 29, 2021 were classified by&nbsp;<a href="https://ndc.services.cdc.gov/conditions/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/" target="_blank">previous CDC/CSTE case definition,&nbsp;</a>and cases prior to September 1, 2020 were classified by the&nbsp;<a href="https://ndc.services.cdc.gov/case-definitions/coronavirus-disease-2019-2020/" target="_blank">original case definition</a>.

KDHE: Latest COVID-19 numbers in Kansas

By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY SALINA POST

SALINE COUNTY— A Kansas man crash his recently purchased Chevrolet Camaro after a short, high-speed chase through central Salina Thursday evening.

A deputy sheriff was eastbound and stopped at the light at the intersection of S. Santa Fe Avenue and Crawford Street when he heard a vehicle accelerating and tires squealing, and a westbound silver 2000 Chevrolet Camaro shot by him, according to Sheriff Roger Soldan.

The deputy turned around to pursue the Camaro, which turned south on Highland Avenue and continued south at a high rate of speed.

The driver of the Camaro ran a stop sign and failed to negotiate a turn at the intersection of Highland Avenue and W. Republic Avenue and the car crashed through two fences on the southeast corner before coming to a stop when it hit a tree.

The driver, identified as Camrin Bowdin, 25, of Salina, was arrested on the following requested charges of Reckless driving, Racing on highways, Vehicle registration violation, No proof of insurance, Improper turn, Failure to yield at a stop sign, Driving at unsafe speeds and Obstruction, according to Soldan.

The Camaro sustained damage to the front end and all down the driver's side. Preliminary damage estimates to the property include $20,000 to the fences, $500 to the yard, $500 to landscaping, and $500 to a shrub, Soldan said.

Soldan said Bowden had recently purchased the Camaro and had not yet registered it.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1637340001118.jpeg" alt="The high-speed chase ended when the Camaro struck a tree. Photos courtesy Saline County Sheriff's Office" />
 <figcaption>The high-speed chase ended when the Camaro struck a tree. Photos courtesy Saline County Sheriff's Office</figcaption>
 </figure>By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY SALINA POSTSALINE COUNTY— A Kansas man crash his recently purchased Chevrolet Camaro after a short, high-speed chase through central Salina Thursday evening.A deputy sheriff was eastbound and stopped at the light at the intersection of S. Santa Fe Avenue and Crawford Street when he heard a vehicle accelerating and tires squealing, and a westbound silver 2000 Chevrolet Camaro shot by him, according to Sheriff Roger Soldan.The deputy turned around to pursue the Camaro, which turned south on Highland Avenue and continued south at a high rate of speed.The driver of the Camaro ran a stop sign and failed to negotiate a turn at the intersection of Highland Avenue and W. Republic Avenue and the car crashed through two fences on the southeast corner before coming to a stop when it hit a tree.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1637340320820.jpeg" alt="Camrin Bowdin photo Saline County" />
 <figcaption>Camrin Bowdin photo Saline County</figcaption>
 </figure>The driver, identified as Camrin Bowdin, 25, of Salina, was arrested on the following requested charges of Reckless driving, Racing on highways, Vehicle registration violation, No proof of insurance, Improper turn, Failure to yield at a stop sign, Driving at unsafe speeds and Obstruction, according to Soldan.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1637340469165.jpeg" alt="The Camaro was towed from the scene." />
 <figcaption>The Camaro was towed from the scene.</figcaption>
 </figure>The Camaro sustained damage to the front end and all down the driver's side. Preliminary damage estimates to the property include $20,000 to the fences, $500 to the yard, $500 to landscaping, and $500 to a shrub, Soldan said.Soldan said Bowden had recently purchased the Camaro and had not yet registered it.

Kan. man crashes recently purchased Camaro during police chase

TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly announced on Friday the departure of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) Secretary Lee Norman, according to a media release from her office.

“I want to thank Dr. Lee Norman for his service to the people of Kansas these last three years, and particularly for his leadership and his tireless efforts to fight this unprecedented pandemic,”&nbsp;Governor Kelly said. “From the first confirmed case until today, Dr. Norman has played a vital role within this administration to provide guidance and help steer our state’s response to the virus. His and his team’s work to keep Kansans safe during this once-in-a-century public health crisis has cemented his place as the most consequential Secretary of Health and Environment in Kansas history.”

KDHE Deputy Secretary Ashley Goss will serve as Acting Secretary until a permanent candidate is appointed. Senior Advisor for COVID-19 Vaccine Equity Ximena Garcia is Acting State Health Officer and Medicaid Medical Director.

Dr. Lee Norman has served as the KDHE Secretary since Governor Kelly took office in 2019. Under his leadership KDHE has spearheaded Kansas’ response to COVID-19 including the state’s Unified Testing Strategy, the deployment of the COVID-19 vaccine that has been administered to more than 1.7 million Kansans, and a robust, statewide vaccine hesitancy campaign. In addition to leading KDHE’s COVID-19 response, Dr. Norman oversees the agency’s three divisions, including Health, Environment and Healthcare Finance, which includes the Medicaid program (KanCare).

“I want to thank Governor Kelly for the privilege of serving the people of Kansas during this unique, challenging, and important moment in our state’s history,”&nbsp;Dr. Norman said.&nbsp;“I could not be more proud of each and every staff member at the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. For the last two years they have gone above and beyond facing unimaginable circumstances to create and execute the framework of the Kansas’ COVID-19 response strategy. While leaving was not an easy decision, I have no doubt that the leadership will maintain a seamless continuity of operations as the agency continues its transition from crisis response to steady state.”

Before joining the Office of Governor Laura Kelly, Norman had a distinguished career in the United States Air Force as a family physician, flight surgeon, and combat medicine instructor. Dr. Norman has served as a chief medical officer for over 26 years, most recently at the University of Kansas Health System and before that the Swedish Health System in Seattle, beginning in 1991.

The governor's office released no additional details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589828525221.png" alt="KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman answers questions during a June 2020 COVID-19 news conference in Topeka-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman answers questions during a June 2020 COVID-19 news conference in Topeka-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly announced on Friday the departure of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) Secretary Lee Norman, according to a media release from her office.“I want to thank Dr. Lee Norman for his service to the people of Kansas these last three years, and particularly for his leadership and his tireless efforts to fight this unprecedented pandemic,”&nbsp;Governor Kelly said. “From the first confirmed case until today, Dr. Norman has played a vital role within this administration to provide guidance and help steer our state’s response to the virus. His and his team’s work to keep Kansans safe during this once-in-a-century public health crisis has cemented his place as the most consequential Secretary of Health and Environment in Kansas history.”KDHE Deputy Secretary Ashley Goss will serve as Acting Secretary until a permanent candidate is appointed. Senior Advisor for COVID-19 Vaccine Equity Ximena Garcia is Acting State Health Officer and Medicaid Medical Director.Dr. Lee Norman has served as the KDHE Secretary since Governor Kelly took office in 2019. Under his leadership KDHE has spearheaded Kansas’ response to COVID-19 including the state’s Unified Testing Strategy, the deployment of the COVID-19 vaccine that has been administered to more than 1.7 million Kansans, and a robust, statewide vaccine hesitancy campaign. In addition to leading KDHE’s COVID-19 response, Dr. Norman oversees the agency’s three divisions, including Health, Environment and Healthcare Finance, which includes the Medicaid program (KanCare).“I want to thank Governor Kelly for the privilege of serving the people of Kansas during this unique, challenging, and important moment in our state’s history,”&nbsp;Dr. Norman said.&nbsp;“I could not be more proud of each and every staff member at the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. For the last two years they have gone above and beyond facing unimaginable circumstances to create and execute the framework of the Kansas’ COVID-19 response strategy. While leaving was not an easy decision, I have no doubt that the leadership will maintain a seamless continuity of operations as the agency continues its transition from crisis response to steady state.”Before joining the Office of Governor Laura Kelly, Norman had a distinguished career in the United States Air Force as a family physician, flight surgeon, and combat medicine instructor. Dr. Norman has served as a chief medical officer for over 26 years, most recently at the University of Kansas Health System and before that the Swedish Health System in Seattle, beginning in 1991.The governor's office released no additional details.

Dr. Lee Norman steps down as leader at KDHE 

WASHINGTON — Democrats brushed aside months-long divisions and pushed their expansive social and environment bill through a sharply divided House on Friday, as President Joe Biden and his party moved closer to capitalizing on their control of government by funneling its resources toward their top domestic priorities.

The House approved the legislation by a near party-line 220-213 vote, sending the measure to a Senate where cost-cutting demands by moderate Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and that chamber’s strict rules seem certain to force significant changes. That will prompt fresh disputes between party centrists and progressives that will likely take weeks to resolve.

Even so, House passage marked a watershed for a measure remarkable for the breadth and depth of the changes it would make in federal policies. Wrapped into one bill are far-reaching changes in taxation, health care, energy, climate change, family services, education and housing. That shows the Democrats’ desire to achieve their goals while controlling the White House and Congress, a dominance that could end after next year’s midterm elections.

Biden hailed the vote as “another giant step forward” for the country.

“Above all, it puts us on the path to build our economy back better than before by rebuilding the backbone of America: working people and the middle class,” he said in a statement.

Democrats gathered in front of the chamber, many arm in arm, as the final roll call ticked down. “Build Back Better,” many chanted, using Biden’s name for the measure. Their cheering grew louder as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi gaveled the vote to a close.

Republicans had little to celebrate, but showed some feistiness. “Good luck in the Senate,” taunted Rep. Kat Cammack of Florida.

The House vote also gave Biden a momentary taste of victory, and probably relief, during perhaps the rockiest period of his presidency. He’s been battered by falling approval in polls, reflecting voters’ concerns over inflation, gridlocked supply chains and the persistent&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/coronavirus/?itid=lk_inline_manual_11" target="_blank">coronavirus</a>&nbsp;pandemic, leaving Democrats worried that their legislative efforts are not breaking through to voters.

“If you are a parent, a senior, a child, a worker, if you’re an American, this bill’s for you,” said Pelosi, underscoring Democrats’ efforts to impress the public.

Maine Rep. Jared Golden was the only Democrat to vote no.

Biden this week signed a $1 trillion package of highway and other infrastructure projects, another priority that overcame months of internal Democratic battling. The president has spent recent days promoting that measure around the country.

Final approval of the bigger bill, which had been expected Thursday, was delayed when Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., delivered an eight and one-half hour&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-donald-trump-joe-biden-kevin-mccarthy-congress-4e62762dee96af071d139ac9d4624b01">broadside</a>&nbsp;criticizing Biden, Democrats and the bill, the longest speech ever made in the House. When he finished his remarks near dawn, the House recessed briefly before resuming its work, dozens of members designating colleagues to cast their votes.

Standing and referring occasionally to a binder on his desk, McCarthy shouted and rasped hoarsely at times. Democrats sporadically booed and groaned as McCarthy glared back, underscoring partisan hostility only deepened by this week’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-entertainment-marjorie-taylor-greene-censures-alexandria-ocasio-cortez-854fd412b7a1049c8fb9a83fe2c56b8f">censure of Rep. Paul Gosar</a>, R-Ariz., for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-arizona-kevin-mccarthy-alexandria-ocasio-cortez-cortez-2d3c043a97b49e3e0c5192c5454fe2d6">threatening tweets</a>&nbsp;aimed at Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.

McCarthy, who hopes to become speaker if Republicans capture the chamber in next year’s elections, recited problems the country has faced under Biden, including inflation, China’s rise and large numbers of immigrants crossing the Southwest border. “Yeah, I want to go back,” he said in mocking reference to the “Build Back Better” name Biden uses for the legislation.

House rules do not limit how long party leaders may speak. In 2018, Pelosi, minority leader at the time,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-nancy-pelosi-ap-top-news-pope-francis-politics-2e040c93cda0458e9b73dfb3b11ac4aa">held the floor for just over eight hours</a>&nbsp;demanding action on immigration. Until McCarthy’s speech, hers was the House’s longest ever.

Friday’s vote came after the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated that the package would worsen federal deficits by $160 billion over the coming decade. The agency also recalculated the measure’s 10-year price tag at $1.68 trillion, though that figure wasn’t directly comparable to a $1.85 trillion figure Democrats have been using.

The 2,100-page bill’s initiatives include bolstering child care assistance, creating free preschool, curbing seniors’ prescription drug costs and increasing efforts to slow climate change. Also included are tax credits to spur clean energy development, bolstered child care assistance and extended tax breaks for millions of families with children, lower-earning workers and people buying private health insurance.

Most of it would be paid for by tax increases on the wealthy, big corporations and companies doing business abroad.

The measure would provide $109 billion to create free preschool for 3- and 4-year-olds. There are large sums for home health care for seniors, new Medicare coverage for hearing and a new requirement for four weeks of paid family leave. The family leave program, however, was expected to be removed in the Senate, where it’s been opposed by Manchin.

There is also language to let the government issue work permits to millions of immigrants that would let them stay in the U.S. temporarily, and to save $297 billion by letting the government curb prescription drug costs. The fate of both those provisions is uncertain in the Senate, where the chamber’s nonpartisan parliamentarian enforces rules that limit provisions allowed in budget bills.

In one major but expected difference with the White House, the Congressional Budget Office estimated that the bill’s added $80 billion to increase IRS tax enforcement would let it collect $207 billion in new revenue over the coming decade. That meant net savings of $127 billion, well below the White House’s more optimistic $400 billion estimate.

In a scorekeeping quirk, CBO officially estimated that the overall legislation would drive up federal deficits by $367 billion over the coming decade. Agency guidelines require it to ignore IRS savings when measuring a bill’s deficit impact, but it acknowledged that the IRS savings would ease budget shortfalls by a lower $160 billion.

Biden and other Democratic leaders have said the measure would pay for itself, largely through tax increases on the wealthy, big corporations and companies doing business abroad.

Both parties worry about deficits selectively. Republicans passed tax cuts in 2017 that worsened red ink by $1.9 trillion, while Democrats enacted a COVID-19 relief bill this year with that same price tag.

Republicans said the latest legislation would damage the economy, give tax breaks to some wealthy taxpayers and make government bigger and more intrusive. Drawing frequent GOP attacks was a provision boosting the limit on state and local taxes that people can deduct from federal taxes, which disproportionately helps top earners from high-tax coastal states.

Moderate Democrats were reassured by CBO’s figures.

Florida Democratic Rep. Stephanie Murphy, a leading centrist, backed the measure, saying the latest numbers showed the legislation “is fiscally disciplined.”

Vice President Kamala Harris’ tie-breaking vote gives Democrats control of the 50-50 Senate. That leaves Democrats with zero votes to spare, giving enormous leverage to Manchin in upcoming bargaining. The altered bill would have to return to the House before going to Biden’s desk.

The nonpartisan private Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, which preaches fiscal constraint, estimated that the bill’s overall cost would be nearly $5 trillion if Democrats hadn’t made some of its programs temporary. That includes tax credits for children that Democrats extended for just one year, making their price tags appear lower, even though the party would like those programs to be permanent.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1637335989918.png" alt="House Speaker Nancy Pelosi celebrated passage during a Friday news conference. Wrapped into this one bill are far-reaching changes in taxation, health care, energy, climate change, family services, education and housing-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>House Speaker Nancy Pelosi celebrated passage during a Friday news conference. Wrapped into this one bill are far-reaching changes in taxation, health care, energy, climate change, family services, education and housing-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON — Democrats brushed aside months-long divisions and pushed their expansive social and environment bill through a sharply divided House on Friday, as President Joe Biden and his party moved closer to capitalizing on their control of government by funneling its resources toward their top domestic priorities.The House approved the legislation by a near party-line 220-213 vote, sending the measure to a Senate where cost-cutting demands by moderate Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and that chamber’s strict rules seem certain to force significant changes. That will prompt fresh disputes between party centrists and progressives that will likely take weeks to resolve.Even so, House passage marked a watershed for a measure remarkable for the breadth and depth of the changes it would make in federal policies. Wrapped into one bill are far-reaching changes in taxation, health care, energy, climate change, family services, education and housing. That shows the Democrats’ desire to achieve their goals while controlling the White House and Congress, a dominance that could end after next year’s midterm elections.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Biden and his administration LIED to the American people. BBB will cost American taxpayers BILLIONS of dollars. <a href="https://t.co/FOkWk6J5cC">https://t.co/FOkWk6J5cC</a>&mdash; Tracey Mann (@RepMann) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepMann/status/1461698269415890944?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Biden hailed the vote as “another giant step forward” for the country.“Above all, it puts us on the path to build our economy back better than before by rebuilding the backbone of America: working people and the middle class,” he said in a statement.Democrats gathered in front of the chamber, many arm in arm, as the final roll call ticked down. “Build Back Better,” many chanted, using Biden’s name for the measure. Their cheering grew louder as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi gaveled the vote to a close.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I just voted NO on the Democrats’ radical Build Back Better agenda. The fact is, Kansans want the federal government to spend less of their hard-earned money. The Build Back Better agenda does the opposite. It’s reckless, irresponsible, and disastrous for Kansas taxpayers. 👇👇 <a href="https://t.co/bKMqzfjc2S">pic.twitter.com/bKMqzfjc2S</a>&mdash; Rep. Jake LaTurner (@RepLaTurner) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepLaTurner/status/1461708337758838793?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Republicans had little to celebrate, but showed some feistiness. “Good luck in the Senate,” taunted Rep. Kat Cammack of Florida.The House vote also gave Biden a momentary taste of victory, and probably relief, during perhaps the rockiest period of his presidency. He’s been battered by falling approval in polls, reflecting voters’ concerns over inflation, gridlocked supply chains and the persistent&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/coronavirus/?itid=lk_inline_manual_11" target="_blank">coronavirus</a>&nbsp;pandemic, leaving Democrats worried that their legislative efforts are not breaking through to voters.“If you are a parent, a senior, a child, a worker, if you’re an American, this bill’s for you,” said Pelosi, underscoring Democrats’ efforts to impress the public.Maine Rep. Jared Golden was the only Democrat to vote no.Biden this week signed a $1 trillion package of highway and other infrastructure projects, another priority that overcame months of internal Democratic battling. The president has spent recent days promoting that measure around the country.Final approval of the bigger bill, which had been expected Thursday, was delayed when Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., delivered an eight and one-half hour&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-donald-trump-joe-biden-kevin-mccarthy-congress-4e62762dee96af071d139ac9d4624b01">broadside</a>&nbsp;criticizing Biden, Democrats and the bill, the longest speech ever made in the House. When he finished his remarks near dawn, the House recessed briefly before resuming its work, dozens of members designating colleagues to cast their votes.Standing and referring occasionally to a binder on his desk, McCarthy shouted and rasped hoarsely at times. Democrats sporadically booed and groaned as McCarthy glared back, underscoring partisan hostility only deepened by this week’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-entertainment-marjorie-taylor-greene-censures-alexandria-ocasio-cortez-854fd412b7a1049c8fb9a83fe2c56b8f">censure of Rep. Paul Gosar</a>, R-Ariz., for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-arizona-kevin-mccarthy-alexandria-ocasio-cortez-cortez-2d3c043a97b49e3e0c5192c5454fe2d6">threatening tweets</a>&nbsp;aimed at Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.McCarthy, who hopes to become speaker if Republicans capture the chamber in next year’s elections, recited problems the country has faced under Biden, including inflation, China’s rise and large numbers of immigrants crossing the Southwest border. “Yeah, I want to go back,” he said in mocking reference to the “Build Back Better” name Biden uses for the legislation.House rules do not limit how long party leaders may speak. In 2018, Pelosi, minority leader at the time,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-nancy-pelosi-ap-top-news-pope-francis-politics-2e040c93cda0458e9b73dfb3b11ac4aa">held the floor for just over eight hours</a>&nbsp;demanding action on immigration. Until McCarthy’s speech, hers was the House’s longest ever.Friday’s vote came after the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated that the package would worsen federal deficits by $160 billion over the coming decade. The agency also recalculated the measure’s 10-year price tag at $1.68 trillion, though that figure wasn’t directly comparable to a $1.85 trillion figure Democrats have been using.The 2,100-page bill’s initiatives include bolstering child care assistance, creating free preschool, curbing seniors’ prescription drug costs and increasing efforts to slow climate change. Also included are tax credits to spur clean energy development, bolstered child care assistance and extended tax breaks for millions of families with children, lower-earning workers and people buying private health insurance.Most of it would be paid for by tax increases on the wealthy, big corporations and companies doing business abroad.The measure would provide $109 billion to create free preschool for 3- and 4-year-olds. There are large sums for home health care for seniors, new Medicare coverage for hearing and a new requirement for four weeks of paid family leave. The family leave program, however, was expected to be removed in the Senate, where it’s been opposed by Manchin.There is also language to let the government issue work permits to millions of immigrants that would let them stay in the U.S. temporarily, and to save $297 billion by letting the government curb prescription drug costs. The fate of both those provisions is uncertain in the Senate, where the chamber’s nonpartisan parliamentarian enforces rules that limit provisions allowed in budget bills.In one major but expected difference with the White House, the Congressional Budget Office estimated that the bill’s added $80 billion to increase IRS tax enforcement would let it collect $207 billion in new revenue over the coming decade. That meant net savings of $127 billion, well below the White House’s more optimistic $400 billion estimate.In a scorekeeping quirk, CBO officially estimated that the overall legislation would drive up federal deficits by $367 billion over the coming decade. Agency guidelines require it to ignore IRS savings when measuring a bill’s deficit impact, but it acknowledged that the IRS savings would ease budget shortfalls by a lower $160 billion.Biden and other Democratic leaders have said the measure would pay for itself, largely through tax increases on the wealthy, big corporations and companies doing business abroad.Both parties worry about deficits selectively. Republicans passed tax cuts in 2017 that worsened red ink by $1.9 trillion, while Democrats enacted a COVID-19 relief bill this year with that same price tag.Republicans said the latest legislation would damage the economy, give tax breaks to some wealthy taxpayers and make government bigger and more intrusive. Drawing frequent GOP attacks was a provision boosting the limit on state and local taxes that people can deduct from federal taxes, which disproportionately helps top earners from high-tax coastal states.Moderate Democrats were reassured by CBO’s figures.Florida Democratic Rep. Stephanie Murphy, a leading centrist, backed the measure, saying the latest numbers showed the legislation “is fiscally disciplined.”Vice President Kamala Harris’ tie-breaking vote gives Democrats control of the 50-50 Senate. That leaves Democrats with zero votes to spare, giving enormous leverage to Manchin in upcoming bargaining. The altered bill would have to return to the House before going to Biden’s desk.The nonpartisan private Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, which preaches fiscal constraint, estimated that the bill’s overall cost would be nearly $5 trillion if Democrats hadn’t made some of its programs temporary. That includes tax credits for children that Democrats extended for just one year, making their price tags appear lower, even though the party would like those programs to be permanent.___

Divided House passes Biden's $1.9T Build Back Better Act

HARVEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a teen suspect from another state after a chase through&nbsp;Harvey and Sedgwick counties.

Just before 10:30 a.m. Thursday, police were dispatched to the Chisholm Trail Shopping Center,&nbsp; 601 SE 36th Street in Newton, after a report of a person in a car acting suspicious around the businesses, according to a media release.

 When the first officer arrived, the driver of the car immediately fled, intentionally striking the officer’s car on the way out of the parking lot.

Police pursued the suspect north on Kansas Avenue, onto U.S. 50 and then back south on Kansas Avenue. As the car entered Sedgwick County, assistance from Sedgwick County law enforcement was requested. At 85th Street North, the driver intentionally swerved and tried to strike a Valley Center Police car. 

The chase continued for a short time on residential streets in Valley Center, where the suspect again struck the same Newton Police car, disabling it, before entering Interstate 135 southbound. 

The suspect’s car had slowed considerably because of a flat tire but continued to flee. North of the 61st Street North exit, the Kansas Highway Patrol was able to successfully stop the car with a Tactical Vehicle Intervention, using the patrol car to force the suspect’s vehicle sideways.

The suspect was taken into custody without further incident and transported back to Newton.  

The 17-year-old male suspect was wanted in Minnesota, and the car was determined to be stolen from South Dakota. The suspect is being held on requested charges including two counts of aggravated battery on law enforcement, four counts of aggravated assault on law enforcement, felony flee and elude while engaging in reckless driving, felony flee and elude in a stolen vehicle, felony flee and elude by avoiding tire deflation device, felony flee and elude while committing five or more moving violations, felony possession of stolen property, possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana, minor in possession of alcohol, and numerous traffic violations.  

Two Newton Police officers had minor injuries and were evaluated by EMS at the scene. The suspect was not injured. 

Police continue to investigate what other crimes the suspect may have committed between the time the car was stolen and when he was arrested. The case will be presented to the Harvey County Attorney’s Office for review of charges

HARVEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a teen suspect from another state after a chase through&nbsp;Harvey and Sedgwick counties.Just before 10:30 a.m. Thursday, police were dispatched to the Chisholm Trail Shopping Center,&nbsp; 601 SE 36th Street in Newton, after a report of a person in a car acting suspicious around the businesses, according to a media release. When the first officer arrived, the driver of the car immediately fled, intentionally striking the officer’s car on the way out of the parking lot.Police pursued the suspect north on Kansas Avenue, onto U.S. 50 and then back south on Kansas Avenue. As the car entered Sedgwick County, assistance from Sedgwick County law enforcement was requested. At 85th Street North, the driver intentionally swerved and tried to strike a Valley Center Police car. The chase continued for a short time on residential streets in Valley Center, where the suspect again struck the same Newton Police car, disabling it, before entering Interstate 135 southbound. The suspect’s car had slowed considerably because of a flat tire but continued to flee. North of the 61st Street North exit, the Kansas Highway Patrol was able to successfully stop the car with a Tactical Vehicle Intervention, using the patrol car to force the suspect’s vehicle sideways.The suspect was taken into custody without further incident and transported back to Newton. The 17-year-old male suspect was wanted in Minnesota, and the car was determined to be stolen from South Dakota. The suspect is being held on requested charges including two counts of aggravated battery on law enforcement, four counts of aggravated assault on law enforcement, felony flee and elude while engaging in reckless driving, felony flee and elude in a stolen vehicle, felony flee and elude by avoiding tire deflation device, felony flee and elude while committing five or more moving violations, felony possession of stolen property, possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana, minor in possession of alcohol, and numerous traffic violations. Two Newton Police officers had minor injuries and were evaluated by EMS at the scene. The suspect was not injured. Police continue to investigate what other crimes the suspect may have committed between the time the car was stolen and when he was arrested. The case will be presented to the Harvey County Attorney’s Office for review of charges

Wanted teen jailed after chase, crash into Kansas police vehicles

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. regulators on Friday opened up COVID-19 booster shots to all adults, expanding the government’s campaign to shore up protection and get ahead of rising coronavirus cases that may worsen with the holidays.

Pfizer and Moderna announced the Food and Drug Administration’s decision after at least 10 states already had started offering boosters to all adults. The latest action simplifies what until now has been a confusing list of who’s eligible by allowing anyone 18 or older to choose either company’s booster six months after their last dose — regardless of which vaccine they had first.

But there’s one more step: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must agree to expand Pfizer and Moderna boosters to even healthy young adults. Its scientific advisers were set to debate later Friday.

If the CDC agrees, tens of millions more Americans could have three doses of protection ahead of the new year. Anyone who got the one-dose Johnson &amp; Johnson vaccine can already get a booster.

All three COVID-19 vaccines used in the U.S. still offer strong protection against severe illness including hospitalization and death, but protection against infection can wane with time. Previously, the government had cleared boosters of Pfizer and BioNTech’s vaccine, as well as the similar Moderna vaccine, only for vulnerable groups including older Americans and people with chronic health problems.

The move to expand comes as new COVID-19 cases have climbed steadily over the last two weeks, especially in states where colder weather is driving people indoors.

Sparked by those worrying trends, some states didn’t wait for federal officials to act. Utah and Massachusetts were the latest states to announce in the past week that they’re opening boosters to all adults.

Boosters for everyone was the Biden administration’s original goal. But in September, a panel of FDA advisers voted overwhelmingly against that idea based on the vaccines’ continued effectiveness in most age groups. Instead they endorsed an extra Pfizer dose only for the most vulnerable.

Since then, administration officials, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, have continued making the case for using boosters more widely, noting that even milder infections in younger people can cause “long COVID” and other complications.

“I don’t know of any other vaccine where we only worry about keeping people out of the hospital,” said Fauci at a briefing Wednesday.

Last week, Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech filed new data to make the case that broader boosters could help tamp down infections at a critical period.

“We have absolutely no chance in the current situation to control the pandemic without providing boosters to everyone,” BioNTech CEO Ugur Sahin told reporters during a visit to Washington last week.

The companies studied 10,000 adults of all ages and found that a booster restored protection against symptomatic infections to about 95% even while the extra-contagious delta variant was surging. It’s too soon to know if that high level of protection will last longer after a third shot than after the second, something Sahin said the companies will carefully track.

Backing up that evidence, Britain released real-world data this week showing the same jump in protection once it began offering boosters to middle-aged and older adults. Israel has credited widespread boosters for helping to beat back another wave of the virus in that country.

More than 195 million Americans are fully vaccinated, defined as having received two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or the single-dose Johnson &amp; Johnson vaccine. More than 30 million already have received a booster.

Before the expansion, people who received the Pfizer or Moderna vaccinations were eligible for a third dose if they’re elderly or at high risk of COVID-19 because of health problems or their jobs or living conditions. Because a single J&amp;J shot hasn’t proven as effective as its two-dose competitors, any J&amp;J recipient can get a booster at least two months later.

But people who don’t meet the criteria often score an extra shot because many vaccine sites don’t check qualifications.

The FDA previously ruled that people getting a booster can receive a different brand from the vaccine they received initially.

Some experts worry that all the attention to boosters may harm efforts to reach the 60 million Americans who are eligible for vaccinations but haven’t gotten the shots. There’s also growing concern that rich countries are offering widespread boosters when poor countries haven’t been able to vaccinate more than a small fraction of their populations.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635085085116.png" alt="A booster vaccination event last month in Lawrence-photo courtesy Douglas County" />
 <figcaption>A booster vaccination event last month in Lawrence-photo courtesy Douglas County</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. regulators on Friday opened up COVID-19 booster shots to all adults, expanding the government’s campaign to shore up protection and get ahead of rising coronavirus cases that may worsen with the holidays.Pfizer and Moderna announced the Food and Drug Administration’s decision after at least 10 states already had started offering boosters to all adults. The latest action simplifies what until now has been a confusing list of who’s eligible by allowing anyone 18 or older to choose either company’s booster six months after their last dose — regardless of which vaccine they had first.But there’s one more step: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must agree to expand Pfizer and Moderna boosters to even healthy young adults. Its scientific advisers were set to debate later Friday.If the CDC agrees, tens of millions more Americans could have three doses of protection ahead of the new year. Anyone who got the one-dose Johnson &amp; Johnson vaccine can already get a booster.All three COVID-19 vaccines used in the U.S. still offer strong protection against severe illness including hospitalization and death, but protection against infection can wane with time. Previously, the government had cleared boosters of Pfizer and BioNTech’s vaccine, as well as the similar Moderna vaccine, only for vulnerable groups including older Americans and people with chronic health problems.The move to expand comes as new COVID-19 cases have climbed steadily over the last two weeks, especially in states where colder weather is driving people indoors.Sparked by those worrying trends, some states didn’t wait for federal officials to act. Utah and Massachusetts were the latest states to announce in the past week that they’re opening boosters to all adults.Boosters for everyone was the Biden administration’s original goal. But in September, a panel of FDA advisers voted overwhelmingly against that idea based on the vaccines’ continued effectiveness in most age groups. Instead they endorsed an extra Pfizer dose only for the most vulnerable.Since then, administration officials, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, have continued making the case for using boosters more widely, noting that even milder infections in younger people can cause “long COVID” and other complications.“I don’t know of any other vaccine where we only worry about keeping people out of the hospital,” said Fauci at a briefing Wednesday.Last week, Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech filed new data to make the case that broader boosters could help tamp down infections at a critical period.“We have absolutely no chance in the current situation to control the pandemic without providing boosters to everyone,” BioNTech CEO Ugur Sahin told reporters during a visit to Washington last week.The companies studied 10,000 adults of all ages and found that a booster restored protection against symptomatic infections to about 95% even while the extra-contagious delta variant was surging. It’s too soon to know if that high level of protection will last longer after a third shot than after the second, something Sahin said the companies will carefully track.Backing up that evidence, Britain released real-world data this week showing the same jump in protection once it began offering boosters to middle-aged and older adults. Israel has credited widespread boosters for helping to beat back another wave of the virus in that country.More than 195 million Americans are fully vaccinated, defined as having received two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or the single-dose Johnson &amp; Johnson vaccine. More than 30 million already have received a booster.Before the expansion, people who received the Pfizer or Moderna vaccinations were eligible for a third dose if they’re elderly or at high risk of COVID-19 because of health problems or their jobs or living conditions. Because a single J&amp;J shot hasn’t proven as effective as its two-dose competitors, any J&amp;J recipient can get a booster at least two months later.But people who don’t meet the criteria often score an extra shot because many vaccine sites don’t check qualifications.The FDA previously ruled that people getting a booster can receive a different brand from the vaccine they received initially.Some experts worry that all the attention to boosters may harm efforts to reach the 60 million Americans who are eligible for vaccinations but haven’t gotten the shots. There’s also growing concern that rich countries are offering widespread boosters when poor countries haven’t been able to vaccinate more than a small fraction of their populations.“In terms of the No. 1 priority for reducing transmission in this country and throughout the world, this remains getting people their first vaccine series,” said Dr. David Dowdy of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.___

FDA expands COVID boosters to all adults ahead of CDC decision

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities continue their investigation of a fatal Tuesday shooting. The man accused of shooting his roommate is no longer in custody, according to online jail records.

 Just before 1 a.m. Tuesday, police responded to a shooting call at a home in the 2800 block of West Maple in Wichita, according to Officer Charley Davidson.

 Upon arrival, officers located 27-year-old Matthew Rodriguez  who had been shot multiple times. He was pronounced deceased on the scene.

Police contacted 28-year-old Charles Burnham and another 30-year-old man who were at the home, according to Davidson.

The investigation revealed that all three men live at the home together and that Rodriguez  had made statements of ending his life.&nbsp; Rodriguez &nbsp;shot himself one time and Burnham then immediately obtained the handgun and fired multiple shots striking him, according to Davidson.

Burnham was initially jailed on requested charges of&nbsp;<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20073367">first-degree murder</a>. The district attorney's office has not charged him as the investigation continues.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1637084856781.png" alt="Burnham -photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Burnham -photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities continue their investigation of a fatal Tuesday shooting. The man accused of shooting his roommate is no longer in custody, according to online jail records. Just before 1 a.m. Tuesday, police responded to a shooting call at a home in the 2800 block of West Maple in Wichita, according to Officer Charley Davidson. Upon arrival, officers located 27-year-old Matthew Rodriguez who had been shot multiple times. He was pronounced deceased on the scene.Police contacted 28-year-old Charles Burnham and another 30-year-old man who were at the home, according to Davidson.The investigation revealed that all three men live at the home together and that Rodriguez had made statements of ending his life.&nbsp; Rodriguez &nbsp;shot himself one time and Burnham then immediately obtained the handgun and fired multiple shots striking him, according to Davidson.Burnham was initially jailed on requested charges of&nbsp;<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20073367">first-degree murder</a>. The district attorney's office has not charged him as the investigation continues.

Kansas man accused of killing roommate released from jail

WASHINGTON (AP) —The Biden administration is taking steps to help distribute several billion dollars in aid for winter heating and utility bills, an unprecedented sum that comes largely from its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-vote-coronavirus-relief-package-33f4902ca9a2aed4e76274af6bb2ea5c">$1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package</a>.

The package provided an additional $4.5 billion for the government’s Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which typically has funding of $3 billion to $4 billion annually. Aid for renters can also cover utility costs, while the money provided to state, local and tribal governments can help families that face high heating bills and are ineligible for other programs.

“It’s another example of where the American Rescue Plan included extra precautions to ensure we would be prepared,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-coronavirus-pandemic-gene-sperling-financial-markets-financial-crisis-5dc2a177b5d4017a754b658fe796047b">Gene Sperling</a>, who is overseeing coronavirus relief for the White House. “These new programs and funding were designed to ensure that if the weather was colder or the prices were higher, we would have the highest resources ever to help as many hard-pressed families as possible.”

The White House sent out invites for a call Thursday afternoon with representatives from governors’ offices to discuss ways to distribute the funds and coordinate across programs. Speakers on the call will include Sperling, Energy Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-technology-biden-cabinet-michigan-jennifer-granholm-15acadc1a86559e3a8a7e1d026a0732f">Jennifer Granholm</a>, Health and Human Services Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-biden-cabinet-cabinets-coronavirus-pandemic-hispanics-1e2d25d910ac52c29e5a4ce4acae0b8b">Xavier Becerra</a>&nbsp;and the governors of Connecticut, Maine and Michigan.

The aid helps to create a cushion that limits the shock of higher energy costs ahead of winter. Republican lawmakers have said the relief package, which became law in March, caused&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-consumer-prices-inflation-economy-prices-10e00ba16f8fb94f45ced724f2ea2e45">higher levels of inflation</a>, with prices in October 6.2% higher than a year ago. The GOP argument is that the Biden relief package sent too much money into&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-business-elections-health-3054e6daddcb03262da8b60c8c382fbf">the economy</a>, causing prices to rise and hurting middle-class and lower-income families.

“The Democrats’ inflation is functioning like an ultra-punitive tax on the American families who can least afford it,” Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said in a Wednesday floor speech.

But in this instance, the spending from the aid package is already helping to insulate millions of households from higher utility bills and reducing strains on household budgets. Estimates by the Urban Institute based off a Census Bureau survey indicate that a third of families used the monthly payments from the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/child-tax-credit-bank-account">expanded child tax credit</a>&nbsp;to pay their utility bills between July and October 2021.

Electricity and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-europe-asia-united-states-prices-cc94e4f9bfc479a84639abea2f9de771">natural gas prices</a>&nbsp;are roughly 11% higher than a year ago, according to the Labor Department’s consumer price index.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-prices-inflation-28e1231bdb445d482bb2d2e25dff1983">Heating oil prices</a>&nbsp;have more than doubled over the past year, according to the Energy Information Administration.

The administration is also calling on utilities and energy companies to use the available government resources to protect their most vulnerable customers. DTE Energy, Eversource, National Grid and NorthWestern Energy have already agreed to identify and notify eligible recipients and guarantee no shutoffs for customers seeking assistance.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1637234431368.png" alt="The package provided an additional $4.5 billion for the government’s Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which typically has funding of $3 billion to $4 billion annually.-White House photo&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>The package provided an additional $4.5 billion for the government’s Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which typically has funding of $3 billion to $4 billion annually.-White House photo&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —The Biden administration is taking steps to help distribute several billion dollars in aid for winter heating and utility bills, an unprecedented sum that comes largely from its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-vote-coronavirus-relief-package-33f4902ca9a2aed4e76274af6bb2ea5c">$1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package</a>.The package provided an additional $4.5 billion for the government’s Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which typically has funding of $3 billion to $4 billion annually. Aid for renters can also cover utility costs, while the money provided to state, local and tribal governments can help families that face high heating bills and are ineligible for other programs.“It’s another example of where the American Rescue Plan included extra precautions to ensure we would be prepared,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-coronavirus-pandemic-gene-sperling-financial-markets-financial-crisis-5dc2a177b5d4017a754b658fe796047b">Gene Sperling</a>, who is overseeing coronavirus relief for the White House. “These new programs and funding were designed to ensure that if the weather was colder or the prices were higher, we would have the highest resources ever to help as many hard-pressed families as possible.”The White House sent out invites for a call Thursday afternoon with representatives from governors’ offices to discuss ways to distribute the funds and coordinate across programs. Speakers on the call will include Sperling, Energy Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-technology-biden-cabinet-michigan-jennifer-granholm-15acadc1a86559e3a8a7e1d026a0732f">Jennifer Granholm</a>, Health and Human Services Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-biden-cabinet-cabinets-coronavirus-pandemic-hispanics-1e2d25d910ac52c29e5a4ce4acae0b8b">Xavier Becerra</a>&nbsp;and the governors of Connecticut, Maine and Michigan.The aid helps to create a cushion that limits the shock of higher energy costs ahead of winter. Republican lawmakers have said the relief package, which became law in March, caused&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-consumer-prices-inflation-economy-prices-10e00ba16f8fb94f45ced724f2ea2e45">higher levels of inflation</a>, with prices in October 6.2% higher than a year ago. The GOP argument is that the Biden relief package sent too much money into&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-business-elections-health-3054e6daddcb03262da8b60c8c382fbf">the economy</a>, causing prices to rise and hurting middle-class and lower-income families.“The Democrats’ inflation is functioning like an ultra-punitive tax on the American families who can least afford it,” Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said in a Wednesday floor speech.But in this instance, the spending from the aid package is already helping to insulate millions of households from higher utility bills and reducing strains on household budgets. Estimates by the Urban Institute based off a Census Bureau survey indicate that a third of families used the monthly payments from the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/child-tax-credit-bank-account">expanded child tax credit</a>&nbsp;to pay their utility bills between July and October 2021.Electricity and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-europe-asia-united-states-prices-cc94e4f9bfc479a84639abea2f9de771">natural gas prices</a>&nbsp;are roughly 11% higher than a year ago, according to the Labor Department’s consumer price index.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-prices-inflation-28e1231bdb445d482bb2d2e25dff1983">Heating oil prices</a>&nbsp;have more than doubled over the past year, according to the Energy Information Administration.The administration is also calling on utilities and energy companies to use the available government resources to protect their most vulnerable customers. DTE Energy, Eversource, National Grid and NorthWestern Energy have already agreed to identify and notify eligible recipients and guarantee no shutoffs for customers seeking assistance.