CHEROKEE COUNTY—Authorities are investigating the drowning death of two men in Kansas.

On Tuesday night, authorities began searching strip mining pits in Cherokee County for two men from Joplin, according to a media release from the Sheriff's Department.

&nbsp;The men's families reported they didn't return home following a day of fishing.

Early Wednesday, a deputy sheriff located the vehicle they had been in at Mined Wildlife Land #40, northwest of Columbus Kansas, near Northwest 70th and StarValley Road.

Officials recovered the bodies of 70-year-old Robert Sleep and 71-year-old Stephen LeMasters from the water. The initial investigation indicates both men fell through ice and drowned. Although no foul play is suspected, autopsies will be conducted in Kansas City.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614272962304.png" alt="Location of the drowning in Southeast Kansas -Google map" />
 <figcaption>Location of the drowning in Southeast Kansas -Google map</figcaption>
 </figure>CHEROKEE COUNTY—Authorities are investigating the drowning death of two men in Kansas.On Tuesday night, authorities began searching strip mining pits in Cherokee County for two men from Joplin, according to a media release from the Sheriff's Department.&nbsp;The men's families reported they didn't return home following a day of fishing.Early Wednesday, a deputy sheriff located the vehicle they had been in at Mined Wildlife Land #40, northwest of Columbus Kansas, near Northwest 70th and StarValley Road.Officials recovered the bodies of 70-year-old Robert Sleep and 71-year-old Stephen LeMasters from the water. The initial investigation indicates both men fell through ice and drowned. Although no foul play is suspected, autopsies will be conducted in Kansas City.

Sheriff: 2 men fishing in Kansas fell through ice, drowned

NEW YORK (AP) — A public service ad<a href="https://getvaccineanswers.org/"> campaign </a>unveiled Thursday aims to convince Americans to get vaccinated against COVID-19, telling them “It’s Up to You.”

<a href="https://getvaccineanswers.org/">The campaign</a> by the Ad Council and its partners is focused on those who may be hesitant to get the shots. One print ad reads: “Getting back to hugs starts with getting informed,” and directs readers to a website with information about vaccines in seven languages.

“Our goal is to move them from being hesitant to being confident” in vaccines, said Lisa Sherman, the Ad Council’s president.

As many as 1 in 3 Americans say they definitely or probably won’t get the COVID-19 vaccine, according to a recent poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Some scientists estimate that more than 2 in 3 Americans will need to get vaccinated to stop the epidemic that has killed more than 500,000 people in the U.S.

The large, national campaign is producing an array of English and Spanish ads for TV, billboards, bus shelters, social media and publications that will be rolled out over the next few months. A few of the ads are expected to feature celebrities like the actors Angela Bassett and John Leguizamo, CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta, and the government’s top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci.

The spots are expected to run throughout the year.

The effort includes materials specifically for church leaders, doctors, pharmacists and others in Black and Hispanic communities

The new campaign was funded by $52 million in donations — supplemented with donated labor and resources, said Sherman. The advertising industry-backed group calls it one of the largest public education efforts in U.S. history. It’s famous for many iconic public service campaigns that include “The Toughest Job You’ll Ever Love” campaign for the Peace Corps.

Print versions show an adhesive bandage framing the words “It’s Up to You.” One video spot shows a series of illustrated arms of different colors and one robotic, all with a bandage on the upper arm, blending in to a mosaic of the U.S. map. “You’ve got questions. And that’s normal” reads another ad. It invites viewers to go to a website,&nbsp;<a href="https://getvaccineanswers.org/" target="_blank">GetVaccineAnswers.org</a>, to get more information.

Although vaccines have been available — in limited supplies — in the U.S. since mid-December, the timing of the ad campaign is actually good, said Jay Winsten, a Harvard University public health communications expert.

It takes a while for people who question the effectiveness or safety of vaccines to gain faith in shots, said Winsten, who is known as the architect of a national designated driver campaign that aimed to reduce drunk driving injuries and deaths.

But it also helps that millions of Americans have already gotten shots, and they did not suffer serious side effects, he added.

“People will be more open to the messaging now” because of that, he said.

The federal government is involved in the Ad Council’s campaign, but also has its own in the works. A $300 million U.S. Department of Health and Human Services campaign was put on pause late in the Trump administration. Biden administration officials have picked it up but have not said when it will launch.

NEW YORK (AP) — A public service ad<a href="https://getvaccineanswers.org/"> campaign </a>unveiled Thursday aims to convince Americans to get vaccinated against COVID-19, telling them “It’s Up to You.”<a href="https://getvaccineanswers.org/">The campaign</a> by the Ad Council and its partners is focused on those who may be hesitant to get the shots. One print ad reads: “Getting back to hugs starts with getting informed,” and directs readers to a website with information about vaccines in seven languages.“Our goal is to move them from being hesitant to being confident” in vaccines, said Lisa Sherman, the Ad Council’s president.As many as 1 in 3 Americans say they definitely or probably won’t get the COVID-19 vaccine, according to a recent poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Some scientists estimate that more than 2 in 3 Americans will need to get vaccinated to stop the epidemic that has killed more than 500,000 people in the U.S.The large, national campaign is producing an array of English and Spanish ads for TV, billboards, bus shelters, social media and publications that will be rolled out over the next few months. A few of the ads are expected to feature celebrities like the actors Angela Bassett and John Leguizamo, CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta, and the government’s top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci.The spots are expected to run throughout the year.The effort includes materials specifically for church leaders, doctors, pharmacists and others in Black and Hispanic communitiesThe new campaign was funded by $52 million in donations — supplemented with donated labor and resources, said Sherman. The advertising industry-backed group calls it one of the largest public education efforts in U.S. history. It’s famous for many iconic public service campaigns that include “The Toughest Job You’ll Ever Love” campaign for the Peace Corps.Print versions show an adhesive bandage framing the words “It’s Up to You.” One video spot shows a series of illustrated arms of different colors and one robotic, all with a bandage on the upper arm, blending in to a mosaic of the U.S. map. “You’ve got questions. And that’s normal” reads another ad. It invites viewers to go to a website,&nbsp;<a href="https://getvaccineanswers.org/" target="_blank">GetVaccineAnswers.org</a>, to get more information.Although vaccines have been available — in limited supplies — in the U.S. since mid-December, the timing of the ad campaign is actually good, said Jay Winsten, a Harvard University public health communications expert.It takes a while for people who question the effectiveness or safety of vaccines to gain faith in shots, said Winsten, who is known as the architect of a national designated driver campaign that aimed to reduce drunk driving injuries and deaths.But it also helps that millions of Americans have already gotten shots, and they did not suffer serious side effects, he added.“People will be more open to the messaging now” because of that, he said.The federal government is involved in the Ad Council’s campaign, but also has its own in the works. A $300 million U.S. Department of Health and Human Services campaign was put on pause late in the Trump administration. Biden administration officials have picked it up but have not said when it will launch.___

Ad campaign launches to build public trust in COVID-19 shots

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal accident found on Wednesday believe the victim actually died in the crash on Sunday.

Just after 11:30a.m. Wednesday, police responded to the 6100 Block of Riverview after report of an accident involving a vehicle in a creek bed, according to police department spokesperson Nancy Chartrand.&nbsp;

First responders found the sole occupant, a man in his 60s, was dead.&nbsp; 

Investigators determined the vehicle was westbound Sunday evening on Riverview when it left the road, struck an embankment and landed in a semi-frozen creek bed. 

The location of the crash in a wooded area and the position in which&nbsp; the vehicle came to rest made it extremely difficult for passing motorists to have seen, according to Chartrand.&nbsp; Police have not released the victim's name or additional details.

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal accident found on Wednesday believe the victim actually died in the crash on Sunday.Just after 11:30a.m. Wednesday, police responded to the 6100 Block of Riverview after report of an accident involving a vehicle in a creek bed, according to police department spokesperson Nancy Chartrand.&nbsp;First responders found the sole occupant, a man in his 60s, was dead.&nbsp; Investigators determined the vehicle was westbound Sunday evening on Riverview when it left the road, struck an embankment and landed in a semi-frozen creek bed. The location of the crash in a wooded area and the position in which&nbsp; the vehicle came to rest made it extremely difficult for passing motorists to have seen, according to Chartrand.&nbsp; Police have not released the victim's name or additional details.

Man who died Sunday in crash into Kan. creek found Wednesday

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas may have paid $600 million worth of bogus claims for unemployment benefits last year, a legislative audit said Wednesday, more than double an estimate from the state Department of Labor.

<a href="https://www.kslpa.org/audit-report-library/evaluating-the-kansas-department-of-labors-response-to-covid-19-unemployment-claims-part-1/" target="_blank">The report</a>&nbsp;from the Republican-controlled Legislature’s nonpartisan auditing division suggested that nearly 1 in 4 unemployment claims paid last year could have been fraudulent amid a surge in filings during the COVID-19 pandemic, based on the Department of Labor’s own data. The department on Tuesday estimated last year’s fraudulent claims as worth $290 million.

The department strongly disputed the audit’s figure and said in a written response that the report was “rife” with “factual errors.” The department took the uncommon step of asking the auditing division to withdraw its estimate, but Justin Stowe, the division’s director, immediately stood by its work, calling its estimate not precise but “reasonable.”

(Advance player to 17:40 to hear the governor's comments on the audit)

Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, who’s faced intensifying criticism from GOP lawmakers over the department’s problems, defended the department’s figure. But she added that she has ordered a separate, outside audit to determine the amount of fraud. Kelly said that with the legislative audit, “There are questions that people have.”

“We want to answer those questions,” Kelly said during a Statehouse news conference.

For Republican lawmakers, the legislative audit Wednesday confirmed their view that problems with unemployment fraud and distributing legitimate benefits to jobless workers represents a major failure of Kelly’s administration.

“The fraud has been there for a long time, and they’ve mismanaged it,” said Senate Commerce Committee Chair Rob Olson, an Olathe Republican, who called the fraud problem “a disgrace.”

Kelly has said her administration is doing “everything in our power” to combat fraud and resolve problems with distributing benefits during the pandemic. She and department officials also have said the problems are nationwide.

Deputy Labor Secretary Brett Flachsbarth told the legislative committee overseeing auditors’ work that Republican lawmakers’ repeated suggestions that fraud in Kansas is worse than in other states is a misleading “preconceived narrative.”

“Any sort of assertion — that we have had publicly made and numerous times — that Kansas is somehow the only state or an outlier or No. 1 in fraud is categorically false,” Flachsbarth said.

Republican lawmakers said their assertions that Kansas’ fraud problems are unusually bad are based on information from companies with operations in multiple states and data indicating unusual spikes in claims.

“From what we can tell, Kansas was a much bigger problem,” said House commerce committee Chair Sean Tarwater, a Stilwell Republican.

Olson renewed his call&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-legislature-kansas-coronavirus-pandemic-topeka-d859fffe8b2a110ac8c1e47dbf873108">to strip the governor of control</a>&nbsp;over the department and create an independent board to oversee its day-to-day operations, similar to the board that oversees&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kpers.org/about/board.html#members" target="_blank">the state pension system</a>&nbsp;for teachers and government workers. Olson said he’s holding off on a committee vote on&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/fisc_note_sb177_00_0000.pdf" target="_blank">a bill</a>&nbsp;aimed at overhauling the unemployment system so that he can develop a proposal.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legislature-kansas-coronavirus-pandemic-covid-19-pandemic-topeka-74ac0a21fa8c04ac74e62602605c471d">Republican legislators&nbsp;</a>have expressed concerns that employers, who pay taxes to finance benefits, could be on the hook for covering the costs of bogus claims.

Kelly and the department have blamed the problems on decades-old computer technology. They’ve said that system wasn’t equipped to handle the surge of 4 million claims that came after restrictions imposed to check the spread of COVID-19, including a statewide stay-at-home order imposed by Kelly last spring. Kelly has included $37.5 million in her proposed budget to upgrade the department’s technology.

The Department of Labor&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-topeka-f79ed0b839ad8501cf50650ca51dcbb1">shut down</a>&nbsp;the Kansas unemployment system from Jan. 30 to Feb. 2 to install new security protocols. It said it has blocked about 5 million fraudulent log-in attempts by scammers or internet bots, or roughly three every second. The department said it has referred more than 50,000 cases to federal law enforcement officials.

The governor also sees much of the criticism as Republicans “just laying the groundwork” to try to prevent her reelection in 2022.

Acting Labor Secretary Amber Schultz on Tuesday also blamed Congress for some of the problems when it created several new programs to provide additional benefits to jobless workers. She said congressional measures handcuffed states’ efforts to limit fraud until the most recent COVID-19 relief package in December.

The audit agreed that how Congress structured a program aimed at providing benefits for the first time to self-employed workers and independent contractors made it a big and early target for scammers. It also said scammers have relied on “large scale identity theft.”

But the auditors also said that the department relied on “manual” methods to detect fraud that were “ineffective” amid a flood of claims.

“I want to know when we’re going to stop blaming other people,” said Rep. Kristey Williams, an Augusta Republican and chair of the legislative audit committee. “Somebody has to be responsible.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614257985849.png" alt="Kansas Governor Laura Kelly during a Wednesday news conference said she has ordered a separate, outside audit to determine the amount of fraud." />
 <figcaption>Kansas Governor Laura Kelly during a Wednesday news conference said she has ordered a separate, outside audit to determine the amount of fraud.</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas may have paid $600 million worth of bogus claims for unemployment benefits last year, a legislative audit said Wednesday, more than double an estimate from the state Department of Labor.<a href="https://www.kslpa.org/audit-report-library/evaluating-the-kansas-department-of-labors-response-to-covid-19-unemployment-claims-part-1/" target="_blank">The report</a>&nbsp;from the Republican-controlled Legislature’s nonpartisan auditing division suggested that nearly 1 in 4 unemployment claims paid last year could have been fraudulent amid a surge in filings during the COVID-19 pandemic, based on the Department of Labor’s own data. The department on Tuesday estimated last year’s fraudulent claims as worth $290 million.The department strongly disputed the audit’s figure and said in a written response that the report was “rife” with “factual errors.” The department took the uncommon step of asking the auditing division to withdraw its estimate, but Justin Stowe, the division’s director, immediately stood by its work, calling its estimate not precise but “reasonable.”(Advance player to 17:40 to hear the governor's comments on the audit)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FGovLauraKelly%2Fvideos%2F167433801857085%2F&show_text=false&width=560" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, who’s faced intensifying criticism from GOP lawmakers over the department’s problems, defended the department’s figure. But she added that she has ordered a separate, outside audit to determine the amount of fraud. Kelly said that with the legislative audit, “There are questions that people have.”“We want to answer those questions,” Kelly said during a Statehouse news conference.For Republican lawmakers, the legislative audit Wednesday confirmed their view that problems with unemployment fraud and distributing legitimate benefits to jobless workers represents a major failure of Kelly’s administration.“The fraud has been there for a long time, and they’ve mismanaged it,” said Senate Commerce Committee Chair Rob Olson, an Olathe Republican, who called the fraud problem “a disgrace.”Kelly has said her administration is doing “everything in our power” to combat fraud and resolve problems with distributing benefits during the pandemic. She and department officials also have said the problems are nationwide.Deputy Labor Secretary Brett Flachsbarth told the legislative committee overseeing auditors’ work that Republican lawmakers’ repeated suggestions that fraud in Kansas is worse than in other states is a misleading “preconceived narrative.”“Any sort of assertion — that we have had publicly made and numerous times — that Kansas is somehow the only state or an outlier or No. 1 in fraud is categorically false,” Flachsbarth said.Republican lawmakers said their assertions that Kansas’ fraud problems are unusually bad are based on information from companies with operations in multiple states and data indicating unusual spikes in claims.“From what we can tell, Kansas was a much bigger problem,” said House commerce committee Chair Sean Tarwater, a Stilwell Republican.Olson renewed his call&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-legislature-kansas-coronavirus-pandemic-topeka-d859fffe8b2a110ac8c1e47dbf873108">to strip the governor of control</a>&nbsp;over the department and create an independent board to oversee its day-to-day operations, similar to the board that oversees&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kpers.org/about/board.html#members" target="_blank">the state pension system</a>&nbsp;for teachers and government workers. Olson said he’s holding off on a committee vote on&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/fisc_note_sb177_00_0000.pdf" target="_blank">a bill</a>&nbsp;aimed at overhauling the unemployment system so that he can develop a proposal.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legislature-kansas-coronavirus-pandemic-covid-19-pandemic-topeka-74ac0a21fa8c04ac74e62602605c471d">Republican legislators&nbsp;</a>have expressed concerns that employers, who pay taxes to finance benefits, could be on the hook for covering the costs of bogus claims.Kelly and the department have blamed the problems on decades-old computer technology. They’ve said that system wasn’t equipped to handle the surge of 4 million claims that came after restrictions imposed to check the spread of COVID-19, including a statewide stay-at-home order imposed by Kelly last spring. Kelly has included $37.5 million in her proposed budget to upgrade the department’s technology.The Department of Labor&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-topeka-f79ed0b839ad8501cf50650ca51dcbb1">shut down</a>&nbsp;the Kansas unemployment system from Jan. 30 to Feb. 2 to install new security protocols. It said it has blocked about 5 million fraudulent log-in attempts by scammers or internet bots, or roughly three every second. The department said it has referred more than 50,000 cases to federal law enforcement officials.The governor also sees much of the criticism as Republicans “just laying the groundwork” to try to prevent her reelection in 2022.Acting Labor Secretary Amber Schultz on Tuesday also blamed Congress for some of the problems when it created several new programs to provide additional benefits to jobless workers. She said congressional measures handcuffed states’ efforts to limit fraud until the most recent COVID-19 relief package in December.The audit agreed that how Congress structured a program aimed at providing benefits for the first time to self-employed workers and independent contractors made it a big and early target for scammers. It also said scammers have relied on “large scale identity theft.”But the auditors also said that the department relied on “manual” methods to detect fraud that were “ineffective” amid a flood of claims.“I want to know when we’re going to stop blaming other people,” said Rep. Kristey Williams, an Augusta Republican and chair of the legislative audit committee. “Somebody has to be responsible.”

🎥  Bogus unemployment claims may have cost Kan. more than first reported

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans rallied solidly Wednesday against Democrats’ proposed $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill as lawmakers awaited a decision by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/8893a3f95038cac51ba66066554bcd20" target="_blank">the Senate’s parliamentarian&nbsp;</a>that could bolster or potentially kill a pivotal provision hiking the federal minimum wage.

Despite their paper-thin congressional majorities, Democratic leaders were poised to push the sweeping package through the House on Friday. They were hoping the Senate, where changes seem likely, would follow quickly enough to have legislation on President Joe Biden’s desk by mid-March.

By late Wednesday, not one Republican in either chamber had publicly said he or she would back the legislation. GOP leaders were honing attacks on the package as a job killer that does too little to reopen schools or businesses shuttered for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/b08eb8f76932cc71049732ddd60a035d" target="_blank">the pandemic</a>&nbsp;and that was not only wasteful but also even unscrupulous.

“I haven’t seen a Republican yet that’s found something in there that they agree with,” said House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. “I think all Republicans believe in three simple things: They want a bill that puts us back to work, back to school and back to health. This bill is too costly, too corrupt and too liberal.”

The hardening opposition suggested that Biden’s first major legislative initiative could encounter unanimous GOP opposition. That was a counterpoint to the new president’s refrain during his campaign about bringing the country together and a replay of the Republican wall that new President Barack Obama encountered in 2009 and most of his administration.

Democrats showed no signs of backing down, citing the assistance the measure would spread to people, businesses and state and local governments.

“If congressional Republicans want to oppose all that, my response is: Good luck,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said on the Senate floor.

By Wednesday evening, the most suspense was over a decision anticipated from Elizabeth MacDonough, the Senate’s nonpartisan arbiter of its rules, that promised enormous political and legislative consequences.

The relief bill includes a provision that over five years would hike the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour. The parliamentarian is involved because Democrats are pushing the overall $1.9 trillion measure through Congress under special rules that will let them avoid a Senate filibuster by Republicans.

Those same rules prohibit provisions with only an “incidental” impact on the federal budget because they are chiefly driven by other policy purposes. The parliamentarian decides if a provision passes that test.

With Republicans strongly against a minimum wage increase, the only way for it to survive is by including it in a filibuster-proof bill like the COVID-19 relief measure. To end a filibuster, Democrats would need 60 votes, an impossibility for them in the evenly divided 50-50 Senate.

If the parliamentarian decides the minimum wage provision can remain in the bill, it would be a major boost for its proponents. But there would be no guarantee the measure would survive because some moderates oppose it or want it dialed back. That suggests grueling bargaining on its final form would lie ahead.

A decision by the parliamentarian that the minimum wage hike must fall from the bill could be fatal, but not necessarily. Democrats could employ a rarely used procedural move to muscle the minimum wage provision into the bill with just 51 votes anyway, but it was unclear if they could muster enough support to do that.

The minimum wage has stood at $7.25 since 2009. Winning the increase is a top priority for progressives at a time when Democrats control Congress and the White House.

The overall bill would provide millions of Americans with $1,400 direct payments to help them weather the pandemic that’s stalled much of the economy for a year and killed half a million people. It contains billions of dollars for vaccines and COVID-19 testing, schools, state and local governments and emergency jobless benefits while providing tax cuts or payments for many families with children.

In a sign of hardball politics ahead, top Republicans suggested that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Schumer squeezed money into the bill for their own states.

McCarthy said the bill had $100 million to help extend the San Francisco area’s BART commuter rail system south to San Jose. That project was approved previously by the Trump administration and is not in Pelosi’s San Francisco district, a top Democratic aide said.

McCarthy and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., suggested Schumer had won money for a bridge connecting upstate New York to Canada. A senior Democratic aide said the bill contains $1.5 million for the bridge, which is in the district of Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y. The aide said it was requested in 2020 by the Trump administration’s Transportation Department, which was headed by Elaine Chao, McConnell’s wife.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614216931503.png" alt="“I haven’t seen a Republican yet that’s found something in there that they agree with," said House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy&nbsp;(R-CA) -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>“I haven’t seen a Republican yet that’s found something in there that they agree with," said House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy&nbsp;(R-CA) -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans rallied solidly Wednesday against Democrats’ proposed $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill as lawmakers awaited a decision by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/8893a3f95038cac51ba66066554bcd20" target="_blank">the Senate’s parliamentarian&nbsp;</a>that could bolster or potentially kill a pivotal provision hiking the federal minimum wage.Despite their paper-thin congressional majorities, Democratic leaders were poised to push the sweeping package through the House on Friday. They were hoping the Senate, where changes seem likely, would follow quickly enough to have legislation on President Joe Biden’s desk by mid-March.By late Wednesday, not one Republican in either chamber had publicly said he or she would back the legislation. GOP leaders were honing attacks on the package as a job killer that does too little to reopen schools or businesses shuttered for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/b08eb8f76932cc71049732ddd60a035d" target="_blank">the pandemic</a>&nbsp;and that was not only wasteful but also even unscrupulous.“I haven’t seen a Republican yet that’s found something in there that they agree with,” said House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. “I think all Republicans believe in three simple things: They want a bill that puts us back to work, back to school and back to health. This bill is too costly, too corrupt and too liberal.”The hardening opposition suggested that Biden’s first major legislative initiative could encounter unanimous GOP opposition. That was a counterpoint to the new president’s refrain during his campaign about bringing the country together and a replay of the Republican wall that new President Barack Obama encountered in 2009 and most of his administration.Democrats showed no signs of backing down, citing the assistance the measure would spread to people, businesses and state and local governments.“If congressional Republicans want to oppose all that, my response is: Good luck,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said on the Senate floor.By Wednesday evening, the most suspense was over a decision anticipated from Elizabeth MacDonough, the Senate’s nonpartisan arbiter of its rules, that promised enormous political and legislative consequences.The relief bill includes a provision that over five years would hike the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour. The parliamentarian is involved because Democrats are pushing the overall $1.9 trillion measure through Congress under special rules that will let them avoid a Senate filibuster by Republicans.Those same rules prohibit provisions with only an “incidental” impact on the federal budget because they are chiefly driven by other policy purposes. The parliamentarian decides if a provision passes that test.With Republicans strongly against a minimum wage increase, the only way for it to survive is by including it in a filibuster-proof bill like the COVID-19 relief measure. To end a filibuster, Democrats would need 60 votes, an impossibility for them in the evenly divided 50-50 Senate.If the parliamentarian decides the minimum wage provision can remain in the bill, it would be a major boost for its proponents. But there would be no guarantee the measure would survive because some moderates oppose it or want it dialed back. That suggests grueling bargaining on its final form would lie ahead.A decision by the parliamentarian that the minimum wage hike must fall from the bill could be fatal, but not necessarily. Democrats could employ a rarely used procedural move to muscle the minimum wage provision into the bill with just 51 votes anyway, but it was unclear if they could muster enough support to do that.The minimum wage has stood at $7.25 since 2009. Winning the increase is a top priority for progressives at a time when Democrats control Congress and the White House.The overall bill would provide millions of Americans with $1,400 direct payments to help them weather the pandemic that’s stalled much of the economy for a year and killed half a million people. It contains billions of dollars for vaccines and COVID-19 testing, schools, state and local governments and emergency jobless benefits while providing tax cuts or payments for many families with children.In a sign of hardball politics ahead, top Republicans suggested that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Schumer squeezed money into the bill for their own states.McCarthy said the bill had $100 million to help extend the San Francisco area’s BART commuter rail system south to San Jose. That project was approved previously by the Trump administration and is not in Pelosi’s San Francisco district, a top Democratic aide said.McCarthy and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., suggested Schumer had won money for a bridge connecting upstate New York to Canada. A senior Democratic aide said the bill contains $1.5 million for the bridge, which is in the district of Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y. The aide said it was requested in 2020 by the Trump administration’s Transportation Department, which was headed by Elaine Chao, McConnell’s wife.

GOP rallies against $1.9T virus relief package ahead of vote

SHAWNEE COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 4:30p.m. Wednesday in Shawnee County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2005 Kenworth semi driven by&nbsp; Jesse C. Vannoy, 38, Knob Noster, Missouri, was eastbound on Interstate 70 in the inside lane just east of SW Topeka Boulevard. The semi lost its load of large, metal pipes. The pipes traveled over the concrete barrier wall and into the westbound lanes of traffic.

One metal pipe struck the driver's side rear quarter panel and window of a 2014 Ford Expedition driven by Amy M. Mitchell, 47, Sabetha, then landed on top of a 2020 Kia Forte driven by Brooke N. Rees, 29, Manhattan. 

A 2011 Ford F250 driven by Robert W. Torrey, 60, Axtel, was unable to stop and rear-ended the Kia. The impacted forced the Kia to rotate counterclockwise and strike the outside concrete bridge rail. 

A 1996 Chevy 1500 driven by Jeffery Munz, 66, Great Bend, struck another metal pipe. This forced the pickup to travel to the inside lane and then back across the outside lane and become disabled. 

A 2008 Toyota Camry driven by Bruce L. Bowers, 54,&nbsp;Harveyville, struck a metal pipe and became disabled in the inside lane. 

A metal pipe also struck the front end of a 2019 Freightline semi driven by Timothy S. Hess, 53, Atkins, Virginia, as it traveled across the westbound lanes. 

Another metal pipe that was struck traveled into a KDOT guardrail, destroying a section of it. Due to the severity of the collision with the pipe, Rees was pronounced deceased at the scene and was transported to First Call.

Vannoy, Mitchell, 3 passengers in the Expedition,&nbsp;Torrey and 3 passengers in the Ford, Munz, Bowers and Hess, were not injured. All were properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614251650388.png" alt="KHP on the scene of Wednesday's 7-vehicle crash on I-70 near Topeka photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>KHP on the scene of Wednesday's 7-vehicle crash on I-70 near Topeka photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 4:30p.m. Wednesday in Shawnee County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2005 Kenworth semi driven by&nbsp; Jesse C. Vannoy, 38, Knob Noster, Missouri, was eastbound on Interstate 70 in the inside lane just east of SW Topeka Boulevard. The semi lost its load of large, metal pipes. The pipes traveled over the concrete barrier wall and into the westbound lanes of traffic.One metal pipe struck the driver's side rear quarter panel and window of a 2014 Ford Expedition driven by Amy M. Mitchell, 47, Sabetha, then landed on top of a 2020 Kia Forte driven by Brooke N. Rees, 29, Manhattan. A 2011 Ford F250 driven by Robert W. Torrey, 60, Axtel, was unable to stop and rear-ended the Kia. The impacted forced the Kia to rotate counterclockwise and strike the outside concrete bridge rail. A 1996 Chevy 1500 driven by Jeffery Munz, 66, Great Bend, struck another metal pipe. This forced the pickup to travel to the inside lane and then back across the outside lane and become disabled. A 2008 Toyota Camry driven by Bruce L. Bowers, 54,&nbsp;Harveyville, struck a metal pipe and became disabled in the inside lane. A metal pipe also struck the front end of a 2019 Freightline semi driven by Timothy S. Hess, 53, Atkins, Virginia, as it traveled across the westbound lanes. Another metal pipe that was struck traveled into a KDOT guardrail, destroying a section of it. Due to the severity of the collision with the pipe, Rees was pronounced deceased at the scene and was transported to First Call.Vannoy, Mitchell, 3 passengers in the Expedition,&nbsp;Torrey and 3 passengers in the Ford, Munz, Bowers and Hess, were not injured. All were properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

Kansas woman dies in crash after semi lost load of pipes on I-70

MAPLEWOOD, Mo. (AP) — After 3 1/2 years living inside a Missouri church to avoid deportation, Honduran immigrant Alex Garcia finally stepped outside Wednesday, following a promise from President Joe Biden’s administration to let him be.

Garcia, a married father of five, was slated for removal from the U.S. in 2017, the first year of President Donald Trump’s administration. Days before he would have been deported, Christ Church United Church of Christ in the St. Louis suburb of Maplewood offered sanctuary.

Sara John of the St. Louis Inter-Faith Committee on Latin America said Garcia’s decision to leave the church came after Immigration and Customs Enforcement declared that he was no longer a deportation priority and that the agency would not pursue his detention or removal.

Garcia, braced by a hand on his shoulder from a son and fighting back tears, told a cheering crowd of about 100 people that he was separated from living with his family for 1,252 days.

“Hi everyone,” Garcia said. “Thank you everyone for showing support for me and my family. Today is the day I’m going to get out of sanctuary after three years and a half.”

“We are not done yet,” Garcia said, reading from a written statement. “There is still so much work that has to be done,” he added, nothing that he will be fighting for “permanent protection.

In his first weeks as president, Biden has signed several executive orders on immigration issues that undo his predecessor’s policies, though several Republican members of Congress are pushing legal challenges.

Myrna Orozco, organizing coordinator at Church World Service said 33&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-churches-sanctuary-biden-9904b23125e3db6fa0844be34982438c">immigrants remain inside churches</a>&nbsp;across the U.S. and that number should continue to drop.

“We expect it to change in the next couple of weeks as we get more clarity from ICE or (immigrants) get a decision on their cases,” Orozco said.

Others who have emerged from sanctuary since Biden took office include Jose Chicas, a 55-year-old El Salvador native, who left a church-owned house in Durham, North Carolina, on Jan. 22. Saheeda Nadeem, a 65-year-old from Pakistan, left a Kalamazoo, Michigan, church this month. Edith Espinal, a native of Mexico, left an Ohio church after more than three years.

In Maplewood, emotion spilled out during a brief ceremony marking Garcia’s departure. The church’s bell tolled. Mayor Barry Greenberg’s voice broke as he told Garcia he couldn’t grant him U.S. citizenship, but he could make him an honorary citizen of Maplewood. He presented a key to the city that Garcia’s young daughter immediately took out of the box to play with.

“Oh God, we want to burst into song!” Pastor Becky Turner said during a prayer, but noting that prayer “isn’t enough. We have to do the work that we pray for.”

Garcia’s exit came just two days after U.S. Rep. Cori Bush, a St. Louis Democrat, announced she was sponsoring a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/michael-brown-st-louis-legislation-immigration-alex-garcia-2e7a3248904e51ae02ab8b9ef4f2c7a5">private bill seeking permanent residency for Garcia</a>. Bush said Wednesday that she will still push the bill forward.

“ICE has promised not to deport Alex, and we will stop at nothing to ensure that they keep their promise,” Bush said in a statement.

Garcia fled extreme poverty and violence in Honduras, his advocates have said. After entering the U.S. in 2004, he hopped a train that he thought was headed for Houston, but instead ended up in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, a town of about 17,000 residents in the southeastern corner of the state.

He landed a job and met his wife, Carly, a U.S. citizen, and for more than a decade they lived quietly with their blended family.

In 2015, Garcia accompanied his sister to an immigration office for a check-in in Kansas City&nbsp; where officials realized Garcia was in the country illegally. He received two one-year reprieves during Barack Obama’s administration.

MAPLEWOOD, Mo. (AP) — After 3 1/2 years living inside a Missouri church to avoid deportation, Honduran immigrant Alex Garcia finally stepped outside Wednesday, following a promise from President Joe Biden’s administration to let him be.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=476&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FMaplewoodUCC%2Fvideos%2F746769525974556%2F&show_text=false&width=267" width="267" height="476" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Garcia, a married father of five, was slated for removal from the U.S. in 2017, the first year of President Donald Trump’s administration. Days before he would have been deported, Christ Church United Church of Christ in the St. Louis suburb of Maplewood offered sanctuary.Sara John of the St. Louis Inter-Faith Committee on Latin America said Garcia’s decision to leave the church came after Immigration and Customs Enforcement declared that he was no longer a deportation priority and that the agency would not pursue his detention or removal.Garcia, braced by a hand on his shoulder from a son and fighting back tears, told a cheering crowd of about 100 people that he was separated from living with his family for 1,252 days.“Hi everyone,” Garcia said. “Thank you everyone for showing support for me and my family. Today is the day I’m going to get out of sanctuary after three years and a half.”“We are not done yet,” Garcia said, reading from a written statement. “There is still so much work that has to be done,” he added, nothing that he will be fighting for “permanent protection.In his first weeks as president, Biden has signed several executive orders on immigration issues that undo his predecessor’s policies, though several Republican members of Congress are pushing legal challenges.Myrna Orozco, organizing coordinator at Church World Service said 33&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-churches-sanctuary-biden-9904b23125e3db6fa0844be34982438c">immigrants remain inside churches</a>&nbsp;across the U.S. and that number should continue to drop.“We expect it to change in the next couple of weeks as we get more clarity from ICE or (immigrants) get a decision on their cases,” Orozco said.Others who have emerged from sanctuary since Biden took office include Jose Chicas, a 55-year-old El Salvador native, who left a church-owned house in Durham, North Carolina, on Jan. 22. Saheeda Nadeem, a 65-year-old from Pakistan, left a Kalamazoo, Michigan, church this month. Edith Espinal, a native of Mexico, left an Ohio church after more than three years.In Maplewood, emotion spilled out during a brief ceremony marking Garcia’s departure. The church’s bell tolled. Mayor Barry Greenberg’s voice broke as he told Garcia he couldn’t grant him U.S. citizenship, but he could make him an honorary citizen of Maplewood. He presented a key to the city that Garcia’s young daughter immediately took out of the box to play with.“Oh God, we want to burst into song!” Pastor Becky Turner said during a prayer, but noting that prayer “isn’t enough. We have to do the work that we pray for.”Garcia’s exit came just two days after U.S. Rep. Cori Bush, a St. Louis Democrat, announced she was sponsoring a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/michael-brown-st-louis-legislation-immigration-alex-garcia-2e7a3248904e51ae02ab8b9ef4f2c7a5">private bill seeking permanent residency for Garcia</a>. Bush said Wednesday that she will still push the bill forward.“ICE has promised not to deport Alex, and we will stop at nothing to ensure that they keep their promise,” Bush said in a statement.Garcia fled extreme poverty and violence in Honduras, his advocates have said. After entering the U.S. in 2004, he hopped a train that he thought was headed for Houston, but instead ended up in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, a town of about 17,000 residents in the southeastern corner of the state.He landed a job and met his wife, Carly, a U.S. citizen, and for more than a decade they lived quietly with their blended family.In 2015, Garcia accompanied his sister to an immigration office for a check-in in Kansas City&nbsp; where officials realized Garcia was in the country illegally. He received two one-year reprieves during Barack Obama’s administration.

🎥  Man exits Missouri church after years in sanctuary from deportation

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on new charges after a traffic stop.

Just before 7:30 a.m. Monday, a deputy conducted a traffic stop on a 1999 Ford Explorer at NW Menninger Road and NW Alice Drive, according to deputy Abigail Christian.

During the investigation, deputies located narcotics and drug paraphernalia. They arrested Hope E. Thommen, 38, of Topeka on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, interference with law enforcement, driving with a suspended license, driving when view is obstructed and defective tag lamps, according to Christian.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614184813195.png" alt="Thommen has 7 previous forgery convictions in addition to convictions for identity theft and for drugs." />
 <figcaption>Thommen has 7 previous forgery convictions in addition to convictions for identity theft and for drugs.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on new charges after a traffic stop.Just before 7:30 a.m. Monday, a deputy conducted a traffic stop on a 1999 Ford Explorer at NW Menninger Road and NW Alice Drive, according to deputy Abigail Christian.During the investigation, deputies located narcotics and drug paraphernalia. They arrested Hope E. Thommen, 38, of Topeka on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, interference with law enforcement, driving with a suspended license, driving when view is obstructed and defective tag lamps, according to Christian.

 Deputies catch Kan. felon driving with drugs, suspended license

WICHITA, KAN. (AP) —&nbsp;Sedgwick County’s top prosecutor has cleared five Wichita officers and county sheriff’s deputies of wrongdoing in the fatal 2019 shooting of a Wichita man outside his home.

Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett said Tuesday in a news conference that a toxicology report found evidence of methamphetamine, amphetamine and PCP use by 49-year-old Robert Sabater, who was shot and killed by police on May 27, 2019.

Police say Sabater twice called police to his home in the hours before he was killed, claiming people were outside. Bennett said officers returned a third time on a report of shots fired inside Sabater's home. When officers and deputies arrived, Sabater fired shots at them from his front door, police said.

Sabater later ran into the street with a gun and pointed it at police when he was ordered to drop it, Bennett said. The investigation showed officers fired fired 46 rounds at Sabater.

“Based upon the totality of the circumstances, what I had found here in this report is that these officers and these deputies are immune from prosecution under&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/kansas">Kansas</a>&nbsp;law,” Bennett said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614176804717.png" alt="Police on the scene of the May 2019 investigation photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the May 2019 investigation photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, KAN. (AP) —&nbsp;Sedgwick County’s top prosecutor has cleared five Wichita officers and county sheriff’s deputies of wrongdoing in the fatal 2019 shooting of a Wichita man outside his home.Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett said Tuesday in a news conference that a toxicology report found evidence of methamphetamine, amphetamine and PCP use by 49-year-old Robert Sabater, who was shot and killed by police on May 27, 2019.Police say Sabater twice called police to his home in the hours before he was killed, claiming people were outside. Bennett said officers returned a third time on a report of shots fired inside Sabater's home. When officers and deputies arrived, Sabater fired shots at them from his front door, police said.Sabater later ran into the street with a gun and pointed it at police when he was ordered to drop it, Bennett said. The investigation showed officers fired fired 46 rounds at Sabater.“Based upon the totality of the circumstances, what I had found here in this report is that these officers and these deputies are immune from prosecution under&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/kansas">Kansas</a>&nbsp;law,” Bennett said.

Kan. officers, deputies cleared in killing of man outside his home

TOPEKA —A woman seriously injured in a Sunday night fire in Topeka has died.

Just after 8:30p.m. Sunday crews responded to a fire at 625 SW Polk Street in Topeka, according to Fire Marshal Todd Harrison.&nbsp;

Upon arrival, fire crews found heavy smoke and flames coming from the single story masonry commercial structure that is used by Inward Faith Outreach Ministries, according to online records. The structure was believed to be vacant at the time of the fire. 

However, during a primary search of the structure, firefighters located 30-year-old Rashawn Brooks. Firefighters rescued her from from the fire and began life saving measures.&nbsp; American Medical Response transported her to Stormont Vail Health with life threatening injuries.

On Thursday, fire officials were notified that she died.

A preliminary investigation indicates the fire cause to be incendiary, more likely than not associated with a warming fire.

The estimated dollar loss – $50,000.00; all of which is associated with structural loss. Working smoke detectors were not located in the building, according to Harrison.

TOPEKA —A woman was seriously injured in a Sunday night fire in Topeka.

However, during a primary search of the structure, firefighters located one unresponsive adult female victim. Firefighters rescued her from from the fire and began life saving measures.&nbsp; American Medical Response transported her to Stormont Vail Health with life threatening injuries.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614005332959.png" alt="Crews on the scene of Sunday's fire at Inward Faith Outreach Ministries in Topeka -photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Crews on the scene of Sunday's fire at Inward Faith Outreach Ministries in Topeka -photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA —A woman seriously injured in a Sunday night fire in Topeka has died.Just after 8:30p.m. Sunday crews responded to a fire at 625 SW Polk Street in Topeka, according to Fire Marshal Todd Harrison.&nbsp;Upon arrival, fire crews found heavy smoke and flames coming from the single story masonry commercial structure that is used by Inward Faith Outreach Ministries, according to online records. The structure was believed to be vacant at the time of the fire. However, during a primary search of the structure, firefighters located 30-year-old Rashawn Brooks. Firefighters rescued her from from the fire and began life saving measures.&nbsp; American Medical Response transported her to Stormont Vail Health with life threatening injuries.On Thursday, fire officials were notified that she died.A preliminary investigation indicates the fire cause to be incendiary, more likely than not associated with a warming fire.The estimated dollar loss – $50,000.00; all of which is associated with structural loss. Working smoke detectors were not located in the building, according to Harrison.----------TOPEKA —A woman was seriously injured in a Sunday night fire in Topeka.Just after 8:30p.m. Sunday crews responded to a fire at 625 SW Polk Street in Topeka, according to Fire Marshal Todd Harrison.&nbsp;Upon arrival, fire crews found heavy smoke and flames coming from the single story masonry commercial structure that is used by Inward Faith Outreach Ministries, according to online records. The structure was believed to be vacant at the time of the fire. However, during a primary search of the structure, firefighters located one unresponsive adult female victim. Firefighters rescued her from from the fire and began life saving measures.&nbsp; American Medical Response transported her to Stormont Vail Health with life threatening injuries.A preliminary investigation indicates the fire cause to be incendiary, more likely than not associated with a warming fire.The estimated dollar loss – $50,000.00; all of which is associated with structural loss. Working smoke detectors were not located in the building, according to Harrison.

Kan. woman injured in warming fire at vacant church has died

LOS ANGELES (AP) — In a career filled with remarkable comebacks, Tiger Woods faces perhaps his toughest recovery of all.

The golf star was driving alone on a sweeping, downhill stretch of road through coastal Los Angeles suburbs when his SUV struck a raised median, crossed into oncoming lanes and flipped several times. The crash caused “significant” injuries to Woods’ right leg, and he underwent what was described as a “long surgical procedure” at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.

(LA County Sheriff Villanueva discussed current events for 2 minutes and then the crash involving Tiger Woods in Rancho Palos Verdes)

Dr. Anish Mahajan, chief medical officer, said Woods shattered bones in his lower leg in multiple places. Some of his fractures went through the skin and were stabilized by a rod, while screws and pins were used for his ankle and foot injuries.

A statement on Woods’&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/TigerWoods/status/1364447580520738820" target="_blank">Twitter account</a>&nbsp;said he was awake and recovering.

“I will say that it’s very fortunate that Mr. Woods was able to come out of this alive,” said Carlos Gonzalez, a Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy who was the first to arrive after a neighbor called 911.

Police said there was no evidence of drugs or alcohol. Sheriff Alex Villanueva said Wednesday on a Facebook livestream that it was “purely an accident” on a downhill section of road known for crashes.

Dr. Joseph Patterson, an orthopedic trauma surgeon at Keck Medicine of USC in Los Angeles, said injuries like Woods’ are among the most common seen in emergency rooms.

Patterson didn’t treat Woods and wouldn’t comment specifically about the golfer’s injuries but said the risk of infection is extremely high for patients with fractures that break the skin.

“Tissue can be exposed to bacteria, dirt and clothing. The outcomes can be a lot worse if that tissue gets infected,” Patterson said. Such open fractures can require multiple surgeries to repair.

Washington Football Team quarterback Alex Smith suffered an open fracture to his lower leg while being tackled. He nearly lost the leg due to infection but made a remarkable recovery and played last season.

The crash was the latest setback for Woods, who at times has looked unstoppable with his 15 major championships and record-tying 82 victories on the PGA Tour. He is among the world’s most recognizable sports figures, and at 45, with a reduced schedule from nine previous surgeries, remains golf’s biggest draw.

He won the 2008 U.S. Open with shredded knee ligaments and two stress fractures in his left leg. His personal life imploded on Thanksgiving weekend in 2009 when he was caught having multiple extramarital affairs and crashed his vehicle near his Florida home. He returned to win his 11th award as PGA Tour player of the year and reach No. 1.

And then after four back surgeries that kept him out of golf for the better part of two years, he won the Masters in April 2019 for the fifth time, a victory that ranks among the great comebacks in the sport.

Now it’s no longer a matter of when he plays again — the Masters is seven weeks away — but if he plays again.

Woods was in Los Angeles over the weekend as the tournament host of the Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club. Monday and Tuesday had been set aside for Woods to give golf tips to celebrities on Discovery-owned GOLFTV. A tweet Monday showed him in a cart with comedian David Spade. He also worked with NBA great Dwyane Wade, who&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CLo-cCgH0H1/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link" target="_blank">posted a video</a>&nbsp;on Instagram.

“It was a great day,” Wade said Tuesday night on Turner Sports, where he is a studio analyst. “And I woke up today so proud to be able to post that moment for the world, like a little snippet of our moment together. And I took a nap, and I woke up to the news. So, you know, just like everybody out there, my thoughts and prayers are all to his loved ones.”

They have come from everywhere — Jack Nicklaus and Michael Jordan, Mike Tyson and former Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump. Woods played golf with both presidents, and Trump awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2019.

Woods had a fifth back surgery, a microdiscectomy, on Dec. 23, just three days after he played the PNC Championship with his son Charlie, who now is 12. Woods also has a 13-year-old daughter, Samantha.

Woods was driving his courtesy vehicle from the Genesis Invitational when he crashed. Gonzalez, the deputy, does traffic enforcement on the road and said he sometimes catches people topping 80 mph (129 kph) in the downhill, 45-mph zone. Crashes are common.

Police said Woods was alert as firefighters pried open the front windshield to get him out. The sheriff says the airbags deployed and the inside of the SUV stayed mostly intact, which “gave him a cushion to survive the crash.”

Villanueva said Wednesday that the department hasn’t yet pulled information from the vehicle’s event data recorder, or “black box,” which would give details about speed and could be a factor.

In 2017, Florida police found him asleep behind the wheel of a car parked awkwardly on the side of the road. He was arrested on a DUI charge and said he had an unexpected reaction to prescription medicine for his back pain. Woods later pleaded guilty to reckless driving and checked into a clinic to get help with prescription medication and a sleep disorder.

Woods hasn’t won since the Zozo Championship in Japan in fall 2019, and he’s reduced his playing schedule in recent years because of injuries. Besides his five back surgeries, he’s had four surgeries on his left knee.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — In a career filled with remarkable comebacks, Tiger Woods faces his toughest recovery of all.

Woods was driving through a sweeping, downhill stretch of road through coastal suburbs of Los Angeles when his SUV struck a sign, crossed over a raised median and two oncoming lanes before it toppled down an embankment, coming to a halt on its side.

The airbags deployed. A sheriff’s deputy poked his head through a hole in the windshield to see Woods, still wearing his seatbelt, sitting in the driver’s seat.

The crash caused “significant” injuries all down his right leg that featured rods, pins and screws during what was described as a “long surgical procedure” at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.

Anish Mahajan, the chief medical officer, said Woods shattered tibia and fibula bones on his right leg in multiple locations. Those were stabilized by a rod in the tibia. He said a combination of screws and pins were used to stabilize additional injuries in the ankle and foot.

A statement on his&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/TigerWoods/status/1364447580520738820" target="_blank">Twitter account</a>&nbsp;said he was awake, responsive and recovering.

“I will say that it’s very fortunate that Mr. Woods was able to come out of this alive,” said Carlos Gonzalez, the deputy from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department who was the first on the scene after a neighbor called 911.

“As if his body hasn’t endured enough,” Jon Rahm, the No. 2 player in the world, said from the Workday Championship in Florida. “I just hope he can get out of the hospital after recovery and he can still play with his kids and have a normal life.”

The single-car crash was the latest setback for Woods, who at times has looked unstoppable on the golf course with his 15 major championships and record-tying 82 victories on the PGA Tour. He is among the most recognizable sports figures in the world, and at 45 with a reduced schedule from nine previous surgeries, remains golf’s biggest draw.

He won the 2008 U.S. Open with shredded knee ligaments and two stress fractures in his left leg. His personal life imploded on Thanksgiving weekend in 2009 when he was caught having multiple extramarital affairs, and he returned to win his 11th award as PGA Tour player of the year and reach No. 1.

No charges were filed, and police said there was no evidence he was impaired.

Woods was in Los Angeles over the weekend as the tournament host of the Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club. Monday and Tuesday had been set aside for Discovery-owned GOLFTV for Woods to give playing tips to celebrities. A tweet Monday showed him in a cart at Rolling Hills Country Club with comedian David Spade. He also worked with NBA great Dwyane Wade, who&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CLo-cCgH0H1/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link" target="_blank">posted a video</a>&nbsp;to his Instagram account.

Woods was headed to Rolling Hills on Tuesday when the accident happened.

Thoughts and prayers have come from everywhere — Jack Nicklaus and Michael Jordan, Mike Tyson, and former Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump. Woods played golf with both of them, and Trump awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2019 after perhaps his great triumph — the Masters after he had gone through four back surgeries.

The news put a damper on the World Golf Championship in Florida, where Woods was eligible to play if healthy.

“I’m sick to my stomach,” said Justin Thomas, No. 3 in the world and among the younger players whom Woods has embraced. “It hurts to see one of my closest friends get in an accident. Man, I just hope he’s all right.”

The crash happened about 7:15 a.m. as he drove his courtesy vehicle from the Genesis Invitational through the upscale suburbs. Gonzalez says he sometimes catches people topping 80 mph (129 kph) in the 45 mph zone and crashes are common.

Police said Woods was alert as firefighters pried open the front windshield to get him out. Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said the airbags deployed and the inside of the SUV stayed mostly intact, which “gave him a cushion to survive the crash.”

Authorities said they checked for any odor of alcohol or other signs he was under the influence of a substance and found none. They didn’t say how fast he was driving.

This is the third time Woods has been involved in a car investigation. The most notorious was the early morning after Thanksgiving in 2009, when his SUV ran over a fire hydrant and hit a tree. That was the start of shocking revelations that he had been cheating on his wife with multiple women.

In May 2017, Florida police found him asleep behind the wheel of a car parked awkwardly on the side of the road. He was arrested on a DUI charge and said he had an unexpected reaction to prescription medicine for his back pain. Woods later pleaded guilty to reckless driving and checked into a clinic to get help with prescription medication and a sleep disorder.

He was asked during the CBS broadcast Sunday at Riviera about recovering from his back surgery in time to play the Masters and Woods replied, “God, I hope so. I’ve got to get there first.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614166677367.png" alt="The SUV Tiger Woods was driving in Tuesday's crash as it is removed from scene of the accident. photo courtesy KTLA" />
 <figcaption>The SUV Tiger Woods was driving in Tuesday's crash as it is removed from scene of the accident. photo courtesy KTLA</figcaption>
 </figure>LOS ANGELES (AP) — In a career filled with remarkable comebacks, Tiger Woods faces perhaps his toughest recovery of all.The golf star was driving alone on a sweeping, downhill stretch of road through coastal Los Angeles suburbs when his SUV struck a raised median, crossed into oncoming lanes and flipped several times. The crash caused “significant” injuries to Woods’ right leg, and he underwent what was described as a “long surgical procedure” at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.(LA County Sheriff Villanueva discussed current events for 2 minutes and then the crash involving Tiger Woods in Rancho Palos Verdes)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FLosAngelesCountySheriffsDepartment%2Fvideos%2F741778876538172%2F&show_text=false&width=560" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Dr. Anish Mahajan, chief medical officer, said Woods shattered bones in his lower leg in multiple places. Some of his fractures went through the skin and were stabilized by a rod, while screws and pins were used for his ankle and foot injuries.A statement on Woods’&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/TigerWoods/status/1364447580520738820" target="_blank">Twitter account</a>&nbsp;said he was awake and recovering.“I will say that it’s very fortunate that Mr. Woods was able to come out of this alive,” said Carlos Gonzalez, a Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy who was the first to arrive after a neighbor called 911.Police said there was no evidence of drugs or alcohol. Sheriff Alex Villanueva said Wednesday on a Facebook livestream that it was “purely an accident” on a downhill section of road known for crashes.Dr. Joseph Patterson, an orthopedic trauma surgeon at Keck Medicine of USC in Los Angeles, said injuries like Woods’ are among the most common seen in emergency rooms.Patterson didn’t treat Woods and wouldn’t comment specifically about the golfer’s injuries but said the risk of infection is extremely high for patients with fractures that break the skin.“Tissue can be exposed to bacteria, dirt and clothing. The outcomes can be a lot worse if that tissue gets infected,” Patterson said. Such open fractures can require multiple surgeries to repair.Washington Football Team quarterback Alex Smith suffered an open fracture to his lower leg while being tackled. He nearly lost the leg due to infection but made a remarkable recovery and played last season.The crash was the latest setback for Woods, who at times has looked unstoppable with his 15 major championships and record-tying 82 victories on the PGA Tour. He is among the world’s most recognizable sports figures, and at 45, with a reduced schedule from nine previous surgeries, remains golf’s biggest draw.He won the 2008 U.S. Open with shredded knee ligaments and two stress fractures in his left leg. His personal life imploded on Thanksgiving weekend in 2009 when he was caught having multiple extramarital affairs and crashed his vehicle near his Florida home. He returned to win his 11th award as PGA Tour player of the year and reach No. 1.And then after four back surgeries that kept him out of golf for the better part of two years, he won the Masters in April 2019 for the fifth time, a victory that ranks among the great comebacks in the sport.Now it’s no longer a matter of when he plays again — the Masters is seven weeks away — but if he plays again.Woods was in Los Angeles over the weekend as the tournament host of the Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club. Monday and Tuesday had been set aside for Woods to give golf tips to celebrities on Discovery-owned GOLFTV. A tweet Monday showed him in a cart with comedian David Spade. He also worked with NBA great Dwyane Wade, who&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CLo-cCgH0H1/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link" target="_blank">posted a video</a>&nbsp;on Instagram.“It was a great day,” Wade said Tuesday night on Turner Sports, where he is a studio analyst. “And I woke up today so proud to be able to post that moment for the world, like a little snippet of our moment together. And I took a nap, and I woke up to the news. So, you know, just like everybody out there, my thoughts and prayers are all to his loved ones.”They have come from everywhere — Jack Nicklaus and Michael Jordan, Mike Tyson and former Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump. Woods played golf with both presidents, and Trump awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2019.Woods had a fifth back surgery, a microdiscectomy, on Dec. 23, just three days after he played the PNC Championship with his son Charlie, who now is 12. Woods also has a 13-year-old daughter, Samantha.Woods was driving his courtesy vehicle from the Genesis Invitational when he crashed. Gonzalez, the deputy, does traffic enforcement on the road and said he sometimes catches people topping 80 mph (129 kph) in the downhill, 45-mph zone. Crashes are common.Police said Woods was alert as firefighters pried open the front windshield to get him out. The sheriff says the airbags deployed and the inside of the SUV stayed mostly intact, which “gave him a cushion to survive the crash.”Villanueva said Wednesday that the department hasn’t yet pulled information from the vehicle’s event data recorder, or “black box,” which would give details about speed and could be a factor.In 2017, Florida police found him asleep behind the wheel of a car parked awkwardly on the side of the road. He was arrested on a DUI charge and said he had an unexpected reaction to prescription medicine for his back pain. Woods later pleaded guilty to reckless driving and checked into a clinic to get help with prescription medication and a sleep disorder.Woods hasn’t won since the Zozo Championship in Japan in fall 2019, and he’s reduced his playing schedule in recent years because of injuries. Besides his five back surgeries, he’s had four surgeries on his left knee.___LOS ANGELES (AP) — In a career filled with remarkable comebacks, Tiger Woods faces his toughest recovery of all.Woods was driving through a sweeping, downhill stretch of road through coastal suburbs of Los Angeles when his SUV struck a sign, crossed over a raised median and two oncoming lanes before it toppled down an embankment, coming to a halt on its side.The airbags deployed. A sheriff’s deputy poked his head through a hole in the windshield to see Woods, still wearing his seatbelt, sitting in the driver’s seat.The crash caused “significant” injuries all down his right leg that featured rods, pins and screws during what was described as a “long surgical procedure” at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.Anish Mahajan, the chief medical officer, said Woods shattered tibia and fibula bones on his right leg in multiple locations. Those were stabilized by a rod in the tibia. He said a combination of screws and pins were used to stabilize additional injuries in the ankle and foot.A statement on his&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/TigerWoods/status/1364447580520738820" target="_blank">Twitter account</a>&nbsp;said he was awake, responsive and recovering.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/vZitnFV0YA">pic.twitter.com/vZitnFV0YA</a>&mdash; Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) <a href="https://twitter.com/TigerWoods/status/1364447580520738820?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 24, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“I will say that it’s very fortunate that Mr. Woods was able to come out of this alive,” said Carlos Gonzalez, the deputy from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department who was the first on the scene after a neighbor called 911.“As if his body hasn’t endured enough,” Jon Rahm, the No. 2 player in the world, said from the Workday Championship in Florida. “I just hope he can get out of the hospital after recovery and he can still play with his kids and have a normal life.”The single-car crash was the latest setback for Woods, who at times has looked unstoppable on the golf course with his 15 major championships and record-tying 82 victories on the PGA Tour. He is among the most recognizable sports figures in the world, and at 45 with a reduced schedule from nine previous surgeries, remains golf’s biggest draw.He won the 2008 U.S. Open with shredded knee ligaments and two stress fractures in his left leg. His personal life imploded on Thanksgiving weekend in 2009 when he was caught having multiple extramarital affairs, and he returned to win his 11th award as PGA Tour player of the year and reach No. 1.And then after four back surgeries that kept him out of golf for the better part of two years, he won the Masters in April 2019 for the fifth time, a victory that ranks among the great comebacks in the sport.Now it’s no longer a matter of when he plays again — the Masters is seven weeks away — but if he plays again.No charges were filed, and police said there was no evidence he was impaired.Woods was in Los Angeles over the weekend as the tournament host of the Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club. Monday and Tuesday had been set aside for Discovery-owned GOLFTV for Woods to give playing tips to celebrities. A tweet Monday showed him in a cart at Rolling Hills Country Club with comedian David Spade. He also worked with NBA great Dwyane Wade, who&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CLo-cCgH0H1/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link" target="_blank">posted a video</a>&nbsp;to his Instagram account.Woods was headed to Rolling Hills on Tuesday when the accident happened.“It was a great day,” Wade said Tuesday night on Turner Sports, where he is a studio analyst. “And I woke up today so proud to be able to post that moment for the world, like a little snippet of our moment together. And I took a nap, and I woke up to the news. So, you know, just like everybody out there, my thoughts and prayers are all to his loved ones.”Thoughts and prayers have come from everywhere — Jack Nicklaus and Michael Jordan, Mike Tyson, and former Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump. Woods played golf with both of them, and Trump awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2019 after perhaps his great triumph — the Masters after he had gone through four back surgeries.Woods had a fifth back surgery, a microdiscectomy, on Dec. 23, just three days after he played the PNC Championship with his son Charlie, who now is 12. Woods also has a 13-year-old daughter, Samantha.The news put a damper on the World Golf Championship in Florida, where Woods was eligible to play if healthy.“I’m sick to my stomach,” said Justin Thomas, No. 3 in the world and among the younger players whom Woods has embraced. “It hurts to see one of my closest friends get in an accident. Man, I just hope he’s all right.”The crash happened about 7:15 a.m. as he drove his courtesy vehicle from the Genesis Invitational through the upscale suburbs. Gonzalez says he sometimes catches people topping 80 mph (129 kph) in the 45 mph zone and crashes are common.Police said Woods was alert as firefighters pried open the front windshield to get him out. Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said the airbags deployed and the inside of the SUV stayed mostly intact, which “gave him a cushion to survive the crash.”Authorities said they checked for any odor of alcohol or other signs he was under the influence of a substance and found none. They didn’t say how fast he was driving.This is the third time Woods has been involved in a car investigation. The most notorious was the early morning after Thanksgiving in 2009, when his SUV ran over a fire hydrant and hit a tree. That was the start of shocking revelations that he had been cheating on his wife with multiple women.In May 2017, Florida police found him asleep behind the wheel of a car parked awkwardly on the side of the road. He was arrested on a DUI charge and said he had an unexpected reaction to prescription medicine for his back pain. Woods later pleaded guilty to reckless driving and checked into a clinic to get help with prescription medication and a sleep disorder.Woods hasn’t won since the Zozo Championship in Japan in fall 2019, and he’s reduced his playing schedule in recent years because of injuries. Besides his five back surgeries, he’s had four surgeries on his left knee.He was asked during the CBS broadcast Sunday at Riviera about recovering from his back surgery in time to play the Masters and Woods replied, “God, I hope so. I’ve got to get there first.”___

🎥  Lucky to be alive, Tiger Woods faces difficult recovery

TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly held a press conference Wednesday to give an update regarding COVID-19 for the state of Kansas.

&nbsp;The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 1,122 to a total of 292,837, the state health department reported Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp; Coronavirus deaths were reported at 4724, an increase of 81

<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.

TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly held a press conference Wednesday to give an update regarding COVID-19 for the state of Kansas.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FGovLauraKelly%2Fvideos%2F167433801857085%2F&show_text=false&width=560" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>&nbsp;The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 1,122 to a total of 292,837, the state health department reported Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp; Coronavirus deaths were reported at 4724, an increase of 81<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614195691711.png" alt="Wednesday February 24 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Wednesday February 24 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.

🎥  Governor updates battle against COVID-19 in Kansas 

WASHINGTON&nbsp; (AP)—The latest federal bill related to college sports would allow athletes to earn money from endorsements, loosen restrictions around transfers and permit players to return to school after entering a professional league’s draft.

The proposed legislation introduced Wednesday by Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., also would require the wealthiest athletic programs to increase spending on long-term medical care for athletes.

“The Amateur Athletes Protection and Compensation Act would create a national standard of guidelines to make certain student athletes can benefit from the use of their name, image and likeness without hurting their eligibility to compete as a student athlete,” Moran said in a statement.

The bill is the fourth to emerge from the Senate since December and second from a Republican. Most recently, Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., introduced a bill narrowly focused on giving college athletes the right to earn money off their names, images and likenesses.

In December, Sens. Cory Booker, D-N.J., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., introduced the College Athlete Bill of Rights, a sweeping proposal that could undercut the NCAA’s ability to govern college sports if passed.

That came after Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., announced he was sponsoring a bill that opened the door for athletes to be compensated for endorsement and sponsorship deals but largely protected the NCAA’s ability to set its own rules.

Moran’s bill lands somewhere in between the College Athlete Bill of Rights and Wicker’s: broader in scope than the Republican’s, but not potentially disruptive to the status quo in college athletics as the Democrats’.

It would create an independent body to oversee NIL regulations and permit athletes to have agents and give athletes a lifetime undergraduate scholarship.

Moran’s proposal would also make it possible for athletes to enter professional drafts and not lose their college eligibility — as is currently the case — and push schools to cover medical expenses athletes incur after their college careers because of injuries suffered during college competition.

The NCAA was expected to pass new NIL rules in January, but that was put on hold after scrutiny from the U.S. Department of Justice.

The NCAA is looking for help from Congress in the form of a federal NIL law that would usurp myriad potential state laws working their way through legislatures around the country. Florida’s NIL law is scheduled to go into effect on July 1.

WASHINGTON&nbsp; (AP)—The latest federal bill related to college sports would allow athletes to earn money from endorsements, loosen restrictions around transfers and permit players to return to school after entering a professional league’s draft.The proposed legislation introduced Wednesday by Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., also would require the wealthiest athletic programs to increase spending on long-term medical care for athletes.“The Amateur Athletes Protection and Compensation Act would create a national standard of guidelines to make certain student athletes can benefit from the use of their name, image and likeness without hurting their eligibility to compete as a student athlete,” Moran said in a statement.The bill is the fourth to emerge from the Senate since December and second from a Republican. Most recently, Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., introduced a bill narrowly focused on giving college athletes the right to earn money off their names, images and likenesses.In December, Sens. Cory Booker, D-N.J., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., introduced the College Athlete Bill of Rights, a sweeping proposal that could undercut the NCAA’s ability to govern college sports if passed.That came after Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., announced he was sponsoring a bill that opened the door for athletes to be compensated for endorsement and sponsorship deals but largely protected the NCAA’s ability to set its own rules.Moran’s bill lands somewhere in between the College Athlete Bill of Rights and Wicker’s: broader in scope than the Republican’s, but not potentially disruptive to the status quo in college athletics as the Democrats’.It would create an independent body to oversee NIL regulations and permit athletes to have agents and give athletes a lifetime undergraduate scholarship.Moran’s proposal would also make it possible for athletes to enter professional drafts and not lose their college eligibility — as is currently the case — and push schools to cover medical expenses athletes incur after their college careers because of injuries suffered during college competition.The NCAA was expected to pass new NIL rules in January, but that was put on hold after scrutiny from the U.S. Department of Justice.The NCAA is looking for help from Congress in the form of a federal NIL law that would usurp myriad potential state laws working their way through legislatures around the country. Florida’s NIL law is scheduled to go into effect on July 1.

Moran proposal allows college athletes to profit off their name, image 

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — LGBTQ-rights advocates warned Kansas legislators Tuesday that their discussion of a proposed ban on transgender students in girls’ and women’s school sports would lead to bullying, and one group promised to sue the state if such a law is enacted.

The state Senate Education Committee had a hearing on&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/sb208_00_0000.pdf" target="_blank">a bill</a>&nbsp;backed by some athletes, Republican lawmakers and conservative groups. It would apply to K-12 school and college sports. Supporters portrayed it as an attempt to ensure competition remains fair and that girls and woman aren’t deprived of scholarships and other opportunities in sports.

Idaho’s Republican-controlled Legislature enacted such a law last year. Lawmakers in at least 20 states are considering the idea after an executive order from Democratic President Joe Biden prohibiting discrimination against transgender students sparked a backlash. But in the GOP-controlled Kansas Legislature, Republicans appear split over how aggressively to pursue the measure.

Critics told the Senate committee that merely holding a hearing would tell transgender students that they’re not wanted, and several LGBTQ-rights advocates predicted that news reports would lead to harassment of vulnerable students. They said allowing transgender girls to participate in girls’ sports affirms their identities, making it less likely that they will become suicidal.

“I’m tired of burying trans kids,” said Kendall Hawkins, policy coordinator for the Kansas chapter of GLSEN, an LGBTQ-rights group. “Why aren’t you?”

The Kansas State High School Activities Association, which oversees sports and other activities in K-12 schools, says it has been notified of five transgender students who are active in middle school or high school activities. The association does not track the individual students’ performance, and there’s no record of a transgender athlete winning a championship.

“This bill is telling children like my daughter that she is less than other children,” said Ryann Brooks, the mother of a 12-year-old transgender girl in Emporia. “You’re telling children like my daughter that they don’t belong in activities.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614129442761.png" alt="State Rep. Stephanie Byers is the first transgender member of the Kansas legislature. She is against the bill." />
 <figcaption>State Rep. Stephanie Byers is the first transgender member of the Kansas legislature. She is against the bill.</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNATOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — LGBTQ-rights advocates warned Kansas legislators Tuesday that their discussion of a proposed ban on transgender students in girls’ and women’s school sports would lead to bullying, and one group promised to sue the state if such a law is enacted.The state Senate Education Committee had a hearing on&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/sb208_00_0000.pdf" target="_blank">a bill</a>&nbsp;backed by some athletes, Republican lawmakers and conservative groups. It would apply to K-12 school and college sports. Supporters portrayed it as an attempt to ensure competition remains fair and that girls and woman aren’t deprived of scholarships and other opportunities in sports.Idaho’s Republican-controlled Legislature enacted such a law last year. Lawmakers in at least 20 states are considering the idea after an executive order from Democratic President Joe Biden prohibiting discrimination against transgender students sparked a backlash. But in the GOP-controlled Kansas Legislature, Republicans appear split over how aggressively to pursue the measure.Critics told the Senate committee that merely holding a hearing would tell transgender students that they’re not wanted, and several LGBTQ-rights advocates predicted that news reports would lead to harassment of vulnerable students. They said allowing transgender girls to participate in girls’ sports affirms their identities, making it less likely that they will become suicidal.“I’m tired of burying trans kids,” said Kendall Hawkins, policy coordinator for the Kansas chapter of GLSEN, an LGBTQ-rights group. “Why aren’t you?”The Kansas State High School Activities Association, which oversees sports and other activities in K-12 schools, says it has been notified of five transgender students who are active in middle school or high school activities. The association does not track the individual students’ performance, and there’s no record of a transgender athlete winning a championship.“This bill is telling children like my daughter that she is less than other children,” said Ryann Brooks, the mother of a 12-year-old transgender girl in Emporia. “You’re telling children like my daughter that they don’t belong in activities.”The U.S. Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ef3c19a79b65c060fd9e82b9dd87a1d9">ruled last year</a>&nbsp;that a federal law barring employment discrimination based on sex also bars bias based on sexual orientation or gender identify, and a federal judge last year&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boise-lawsuits-politics-gender-identity-courts-89b70fd5f82812c9368f985e389c485d">blocked Idaho’s law</a>&nbsp;against transgender athletes, though the ruling has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legislature-brad-little-boise-courts-gender-identity-593957554063ca606e3ae50e68c4a135">been appealed.</a>&nbsp;Kendall Seal, advocacy director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas, said after the hearing that if lawmakers pass the bill, “We’ll see you in court.”