KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas sheriff’s deputy caught on dashcam video running over a Black man who was fleeing shirtless across a field said in a court filing Thursday that he accidently struck the man with his patrol truck.

Kiowa County Sheriff’s Deputy Jeremy Rodriguez, in response to a federal civil rights lawsuit, denied he intentionally swerved his truck to run over Lionel Womack on Aug. 15. The deputy said he learned later that Womack did not possess a weapon.

Womack, a 35-year-old former police detective from Kansas City, Kansas,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-lawsuit-kansas-deputy-run-over-b2ed9f2cde9e1cf22c56968969ca9db1">alleges in the lawsuit&nbsp;</a>filed last month that he sustained serious injuries when Rodriguez intentionally drove over him.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mc3k_qzTNTfo-oNX6qaRwpugkgBIgBKC/view" target="_blank">graphic video</a>&nbsp;is at the crux of the case against Rodriguez in U.S. District Court in Kansas. The lawsuit argues that he used excessive force and was “callously indifferent” to Womack’s civil rights.

Rodriguez generally denied the allegations, and disputes the nature and extent of the damages. He also asserted he is entitled to qualified immunity from all claims in the lawsuit.

He acknowledged he was a part-time sheriff’s deputy with the Kiowa County Sheriffs Office at the time, but is now on administrative leave.

BELLE PLAINE, Kan. (AP) — The dashcam video captured a horrific scene: a Kansas sheriff’s deputy in a patrol truck mowing down a Black man who was running, shirtless, across a field in the summer darkness after fleeing a traffic stop.

Lionel Womack — a 35-year-old former police detective from Kansas City, Kansas — alleges in a excessive force lawsuit filed Thursday that he sustained serious injuries when Kiowa County Sheriff’s Deputy Jeremy Rodriguez intentionally drove over him during the Aug. 15 encounter.

Womack said in a statement that he hadn’t been speeding nor was he under the influence of anything when he was initially pulled over. His driver’s license, insurance and registration were up to date.

“When the first officer turned his lights on, I pulled over and complied ... exactly as you’re supposed to. But when three additional vehicles pulled up quickly and started to surround my car, I freaked out. That’s when I took off, it was a ‘fight or flight’ moment and I was going to live,” he said. “I felt like I was in danger. This was out in the country, late at night, and it was dark. So I ran for my life. That’s what you see in the dashcam video. I’m running in an open field, and I’m scared.”

The graphic video is at the crux of the federal civil rights case filed by attorney Michael Kuckelman against the deputy in U.S. District Court in Kansas. The lawsuit argues that Rodriguez used excessive force and was “callously indifferent” to Womack’s civil rights.

Womack had left the police department earlier in August with hopes of growing his own security business. He was on his way back home from a business trip to California when a Kansas Highway Patrol officer in western Kansas initiated a chase over “an alleged traffic violation,” according to the lawsuit. Sheriff’s deputies from Pratt County and Kiowa County joined in the chase.

The car chase eventually ended on a dirt road, and Womack took off on foot across a nearby farm field.

The dashcam footage from a Pratt County sheriff’s deputy’s vehicle shows Rodriguez using his patrol truck to catch up to Womack, who was unarmed.

Rodriguez swerves his truck to hit Womack, knocking him to the ground and running over him. Womack rolls out from under the truck, his arms and legs flailing on the ground as someone on the video shouts, “lie down, lie down.” A deputy in the second patrol truck can be heard uttering an expletive as he watches what is happening.

Womack alleges in his lawsuit that he sustained serious injuries to his back, pelvis and thigh as well as to his right knee, ankle and foot.

“The dashcam video is disturbing,” Kuckelman said. “It is impossible to watch a video of a deputy driving his truck over Mr. Womack without feeling sick. There was nowhere for Mr. Womack to go. It was an open field, and he was trapped, yet the deputy drove his truck over him anyway.”

Neither Kiowa County Sheriff Chris Tedder nor his attorney has responded to Associated Press requests for comment. No one has explained why Rodriguez chose to run Womack down. The deputy’s race is unclear.

Kuckelman urged Tedder in person and in letters to fire Rodriguez, and the sheriff has refused. Rodriguez remains on patrol. Kuckelman also wants Rodriguez charged criminally and has accused the sheriff of engaging in a coverup of the deputy’s conduct.

Four months later, Womack remains jailed on felony charges of attempting to elude a law enforcement officer by engaging in reckless driving and interference with a law enforcement officer. Court records show he is also charged with several misdemeanor traffic citations, including failure to drive in the right lane on a four-lane highway, improper signal and driving without headlights.

Zee Womack said her husband is still in jail because of an unrelated extradition request from Oklahoma. Online court records show Lionel Womack was charged in Texas County, Oklahoma, with endangering others while eluding or attempting to elude police on Aug. 12, just days before his encounter with law enforcement officers in Kansas.

The records show Womack was arrested by a police officer in the town of Tyrone, less than five miles south of the Kansas state line.

Womack comes from a law enforcement family. His wife and his mother are police officers with the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department. His stepfather retired from police work as a sergeant there. Two aunts are police dispatchers.

Zee Womack watched the video of her husband being run over for the first time on Wednesday, replaying it four times as she struggled to understand why the deputy felt justified in using such force. Her husband is lucky to be alive, she said.

“I am a police officer as well, and I feel like especially right now it is a really difficult time to be a police officer. We don’t always get the support, I guess, that would be helpful in this occupation,” she said shortly after watching the video. “And this makes it a lot more difficult to be an officer.”

An officer who is capable of making decisions like that, she said, should not have a badge.

“To me it showed a blatant disregard for human life,” she said. Zee Womack filed a federal lawsuit last year alleging “rampant racism and sexism” in the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department.

Lionel Womack said in his statement that most police officers are good and that he believes in the “blue brotherhood.”

“But we have to hold law enforcement accountable when they cross the line,” he said “These rogue law enforcement officers give a bad name to the good officers, and we have to stop them. I never imagined that I would someday be the victim of excessive force by a fellow law enforcement officer. He could have easily killed me.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608224627585.png" alt="Image from the dashcam video / courtesy Attorney Michael Kuckelman" />
 <figcaption>Image from the dashcam video / courtesy Attorney Michael Kuckelman</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas sheriff’s deputy caught on dashcam video running over a Black man who was fleeing shirtless across a field said in a court filing Thursday that he accidently struck the man with his patrol truck.Kiowa County Sheriff’s Deputy Jeremy Rodriguez, in response to a federal civil rights lawsuit, denied he intentionally swerved his truck to run over Lionel Womack on Aug. 15. The deputy said he learned later that Womack did not possess a weapon.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608219106986.png" alt="Womack-photo Pratt Co." />
 <figcaption>Womack-photo Pratt Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Womack, a 35-year-old former police detective from Kansas City, Kansas,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-lawsuit-kansas-deputy-run-over-b2ed9f2cde9e1cf22c56968969ca9db1">alleges in the lawsuit&nbsp;</a>filed last month that he sustained serious injuries when Rodriguez intentionally drove over him.The&nbsp;<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mc3k_qzTNTfo-oNX6qaRwpugkgBIgBKC/view" target="_blank">graphic video</a>&nbsp;is at the crux of the case against Rodriguez in U.S. District Court in Kansas. The lawsuit argues that he used excessive force and was “callously indifferent” to Womack’s civil rights.Rodriguez generally denied the allegations, and disputes the nature and extent of the damages. He also asserted he is entitled to qualified immunity from all claims in the lawsuit.He acknowledged he was a part-time sheriff’s deputy with the Kiowa County Sheriffs Office at the time, but is now on administrative leave.-------------BELLE PLAINE, Kan. (AP) — The dashcam video captured a horrific scene: a Kansas sheriff’s deputy in a patrol truck mowing down a Black man who was running, shirtless, across a field in the summer darkness after fleeing a traffic stop.Lionel Womack — a 35-year-old former police detective from Kansas City, Kansas — alleges in a excessive force lawsuit filed Thursday that he sustained serious injuries when Kiowa County Sheriff’s Deputy Jeremy Rodriguez intentionally drove over him during the Aug. 15 encounter.Womack said in a statement that he hadn’t been speeding nor was he under the influence of anything when he was initially pulled over. His driver’s license, insurance and registration were up to date.“When the first officer turned his lights on, I pulled over and complied ... exactly as you’re supposed to. But when three additional vehicles pulled up quickly and started to surround my car, I freaked out. That’s when I took off, it was a ‘fight or flight’ moment and I was going to live,” he said. “I felt like I was in danger. This was out in the country, late at night, and it was dark. So I ran for my life. That’s what you see in the dashcam video. I’m running in an open field, and I’m scared.”The graphic video is at the crux of the federal civil rights case filed by attorney Michael Kuckelman against the deputy in U.S. District Court in Kansas. The lawsuit argues that Rodriguez used excessive force and was “callously indifferent” to Womack’s civil rights.Womack had left the police department earlier in August with hopes of growing his own security business. He was on his way back home from a business trip to California when a Kansas Highway Patrol officer in western Kansas initiated a chase over “an alleged traffic violation,” according to the lawsuit. Sheriff’s deputies from Pratt County and Kiowa County joined in the chase.The car chase eventually ended on a dirt road, and Womack took off on foot across a nearby farm field.The dashcam footage from a Pratt County sheriff’s deputy’s vehicle shows Rodriguez using his patrol truck to catch up to Womack, who was unarmed.Rodriguez swerves his truck to hit Womack, knocking him to the ground and running over him. Womack rolls out from under the truck, his arms and legs flailing on the ground as someone on the video shouts, “lie down, lie down.” A deputy in the second patrol truck can be heard uttering an expletive as he watches what is happening.Womack alleges in his lawsuit that he sustained serious injuries to his back, pelvis and thigh as well as to his right knee, ankle and foot.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608219106986.png" alt="Womack photo Pratt Co. jail" />
 <figcaption>Womack photo Pratt Co. jail</figcaption>
 </figure>“The dashcam video is disturbing,” Kuckelman said. “It is impossible to watch a video of a deputy driving his truck over Mr. Womack without feeling sick. There was nowhere for Mr. Womack to go. It was an open field, and he was trapped, yet the deputy drove his truck over him anyway.”Neither Kiowa County Sheriff Chris Tedder nor his attorney has responded to Associated Press requests for comment. No one has explained why Rodriguez chose to run Womack down. The deputy’s race is unclear.Kuckelman urged Tedder in person and in letters to fire Rodriguez, and the sheriff has refused. Rodriguez remains on patrol. Kuckelman also wants Rodriguez charged criminally and has accused the sheriff of engaging in a coverup of the deputy’s conduct.Four months later, Womack remains jailed on felony charges of attempting to elude a law enforcement officer by engaging in reckless driving and interference with a law enforcement officer. Court records show he is also charged with several misdemeanor traffic citations, including failure to drive in the right lane on a four-lane highway, improper signal and driving without headlights.Zee Womack said her husband is still in jail because of an unrelated extradition request from Oklahoma. Online court records show Lionel Womack was charged in Texas County, Oklahoma, with endangering others while eluding or attempting to elude police on Aug. 12, just days before his encounter with law enforcement officers in Kansas.The records show Womack was arrested by a police officer in the town of Tyrone, less than five miles south of the Kansas state line.Womack comes from a law enforcement family. His wife and his mother are police officers with the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department. His stepfather retired from police work as a sergeant there. Two aunts are police dispatchers.Zee Womack watched the video of her husband being run over for the first time on Wednesday, replaying it four times as she struggled to understand why the deputy felt justified in using such force. Her husband is lucky to be alive, she said.“I am a police officer as well, and I feel like especially right now it is a really difficult time to be a police officer. We don’t always get the support, I guess, that would be helpful in this occupation,” she said shortly after watching the video. “And this makes it a lot more difficult to be an officer.”An officer who is capable of making decisions like that, she said, should not have a badge.“To me it showed a blatant disregard for human life,” she said. Zee Womack filed a federal lawsuit last year alleging “rampant racism and sexism” in the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department.Lionel Womack said in his statement that most police officers are good and that he believes in the “blue brotherhood.”“But we have to hold law enforcement accountable when they cross the line,” he said “These rogue law enforcement officers give a bad name to the good officers, and we have to stop them. I never imagined that I would someday be the victim of excessive force by a fellow law enforcement officer. He could have easily killed me.”

Kan. deputy denies intentionally driving over black man

BELLE PLAINE, Kan. (AP) — Kansas could be on the hook for nearly $3.3 million in attorney fees and expenses after losing a lawsuit that challenged a state law requiring documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote.

The law was championed by former Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, who led former President Donald Trump’s now-defunct voter fraud commission. Kobach was a leading source for Trump’s unsubstantiated claim that millions of immigrants living in the U.S. illegally may have voted in the 2016 election.

The latest filing in the case asked the U.S. Court for the District of Kansas to award the plaintiffs’ attorneys fees of more than $2.9 million and non-taxable expenses of nearly $383,000 in litigation that spanned almost five years.

The American Civil Liberties Union said in the court filing late Thursday that the case was necessary to remedy a “mass denial of a fundamental constitutional right” and an erosion of confidence in the electoral system caused by the Kansas law.

A total of 31,089 Kansans, or about 12% of voter registration applicants, were prevented from registering to vote during the three years the law was in effect. The state’s own expert estimated that almost all of those were U.S. citizens who were eligible to vote.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-kansas-voting-rights-elections-us-supreme-court-f12295c7870a94eb7749d94fa5e7019b">U.S. Supreme Court last month rejected&nbsp;</a>an appeal from Kansas that sought to revive the law after a federal appeals court affirmed a trial court ruling that declared it unconstitutional.

Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab, who supported the law when he was in the state Legislature, pursued the Supreme Court appeal over the objection of Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly.

Schwab’s office declined to immediately comment and Kobach has not responded to a message left on his cellphone.

The ACLU filing noted that plaintiffs’ attorneys had spent 9,678 hours on the case, not counting the time spent on a contempt motion against Kobach that was subject to a separate fee petition. The filing said the number of hours was exacerbated by Kobach’s “recalcitrance” in litigating the case.

Kobach represented himself in proceedings at the district court level and on appeal of the preliminary injunction. The lawyers emphasized that Kobach’s conduct unnecessarily multiplied proceedings throughout the litigation. They cited his unprofessional conduct that triggered contempt proceedings on two occasions and discovery sanctions as well as repeated rule violations throughout the trial that also resulted in sanctions.

Kansas had been the only state to require people to show a physical document such as a birth certificate or passport when applying to register to vote. The issue is distinct from state laws that call for people to produce driver licenses or other photo IDs to cast a vote in person.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588187805638.png" alt="Former Kansas Sec. of State Kris Kobach Scott Canon / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>Former Kansas Sec. of State Kris Kobach Scott Canon / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>BELLE PLAINE, Kan. (AP) — Kansas could be on the hook for nearly $3.3 million in attorney fees and expenses after losing a lawsuit that challenged a state law requiring documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote.The law was championed by former Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, who led former President Donald Trump’s now-defunct voter fraud commission. Kobach was a leading source for Trump’s unsubstantiated claim that millions of immigrants living in the U.S. illegally may have voted in the 2016 election.The latest filing in the case asked the U.S. Court for the District of Kansas to award the plaintiffs’ attorneys fees of more than $2.9 million and non-taxable expenses of nearly $383,000 in litigation that spanned almost five years.The American Civil Liberties Union said in the court filing late Thursday that the case was necessary to remedy a “mass denial of a fundamental constitutional right” and an erosion of confidence in the electoral system caused by the Kansas law.A total of 31,089 Kansans, or about 12% of voter registration applicants, were prevented from registering to vote during the three years the law was in effect. The state’s own expert estimated that almost all of those were U.S. citizens who were eligible to vote.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-kansas-voting-rights-elections-us-supreme-court-f12295c7870a94eb7749d94fa5e7019b">U.S. Supreme Court last month rejected&nbsp;</a>an appeal from Kansas that sought to revive the law after a federal appeals court affirmed a trial court ruling that declared it unconstitutional.Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab, who supported the law when he was in the state Legislature, pursued the Supreme Court appeal over the objection of Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly.Schwab’s office declined to immediately comment and Kobach has not responded to a message left on his cellphone.The ACLU filing noted that plaintiffs’ attorneys had spent 9,678 hours on the case, not counting the time spent on a contempt motion against Kobach that was subject to a separate fee petition. The filing said the number of hours was exacerbated by Kobach’s “recalcitrance” in litigating the case.Kobach represented himself in proceedings at the district court level and on appeal of the preliminary injunction. The lawyers emphasized that Kobach’s conduct unnecessarily multiplied proceedings throughout the litigation. They cited his unprofessional conduct that triggered contempt proceedings on two occasions and discovery sanctions as well as repeated rule violations throughout the trial that also resulted in sanctions.Kansas had been the only state to require people to show a physical document such as a birth certificate or passport when applying to register to vote. The issue is distinct from state laws that call for people to produce driver licenses or other photo IDs to cast a vote in person.

Attorneys seek nearly $3.3M in Kansas voting rights suit

MCPHERSON—Police in McPherson are investigating a stabbing and have a suspect in custody.

Just before 3 p.m. Friday, McPherson County Emergency Communications/911 dispatched McPherson Police Officers, EMS, and Fire Rescue to a report of a 28-year-old woman with a stab wound at a residence in the 300 block of East Allison Street in McPherson, according to a media release.

McPherson EMS transported the woman from the residence to McPherson Center for Health in stable condition.

A person of interest has been identified and is in custody on an unrelated warrant.

MCPHERSON—Police in McPherson are investigating a stabbing and have a suspect in custody.Just before 3 p.m. Friday, McPherson County Emergency Communications/911 dispatched McPherson Police Officers, EMS, and Fire Rescue to a report of a 28-year-old woman with a stab wound at a residence in the 300 block of East Allison Street in McPherson, according to a media release.McPherson EMS transported the woman from the residence to McPherson Center for Health in stable condition.A person of interest has been identified and is in custody on an unrelated warrant.

Police: Woman stabbed, suspect arrested in McPherson

WAYNOKA, Okla. (AP) — Two Oklahoma firefighters were among four people killed early Friday in a house fire in northwestern Oklahoma, a fire official said.

Assistant Oklahoma State Fire Marshal James Fullingim said the blaze was reported just after 3 a.m. Friday in Waynoka, about 110 miles (180 kilometers) northwest of Oklahoma City.

The fire was reported by a person reportedly trapped in a bedroom of the home, Fullingim said, and two firefighters who arrived at the scene entered the home and found a man and woman in the bedroom.

The four died as the firefighters tried to remove the occupants from the home.

“We don’t know exactly what happened,” Fullingim said. “One firefighter was trying to locate an exit route out of the house.”

The names of the four were not immediately released. Fullingim said both firefighters were male and the two inside the home were a male and a female.

The cause of the fire has not been determined, Fullingim said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611956281136.png" alt="The four died as the firefighters tried to remove the occupants from the home. -photo courtesy KOCO TV" />
 <figcaption>The four died as the firefighters tried to remove the occupants from the home. -photo courtesy KOCO TV</figcaption>
 </figure>WAYNOKA, Okla. (AP) — Two Oklahoma firefighters were among four people killed early Friday in a house fire in northwestern Oklahoma, a fire official said.Assistant Oklahoma State Fire Marshal James Fullingim said the blaze was reported just after 3 a.m. Friday in Waynoka, about 110 miles (180 kilometers) northwest of Oklahoma City.The fire was reported by a person reportedly trapped in a bedroom of the home, Fullingim said, and two firefighters who arrived at the scene entered the home and found a man and woman in the bedroom.The four died as the firefighters tried to remove the occupants from the home.“We don’t know exactly what happened,” Fullingim said. “One firefighter was trying to locate an exit route out of the house.”The names of the four were not immediately released. Fullingim said both firefighters were male and the two inside the home were a male and a female.The cause of the fire has not been determined, Fullingim said.

2 firefighters among 4 killed in NW Okla. fire

WASHINGTON — Dr. Anthony Fauci says the Biden administration hopes to begin vaccinating younger children by late spring or early summer.

The government’s top public health expert says clinical studies to determine whether approved coronavirus vaccines are safe for younger children will begin in the “next couple of months.”

The results could influence the debate over how to safely reopen public schools.

The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines currently given to health care workers, nursing home residents and older Americans weren’t tested on younger children.

Biden has set a goal of reopening most schools in his first 100 days in office or near the end of April.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611941719034.png" alt="Dr. Fauci during Friday's virtual White House virus briefing" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Fauci during Friday's virtual White House virus briefing</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON — Dr. Anthony Fauci says the Biden administration hopes to begin vaccinating younger children by late spring or early summer.The government’s top public health expert says clinical studies to determine whether approved coronavirus vaccines are safe for younger children will begin in the “next couple of months.”The results could influence the debate over how to safely reopen public schools.The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines currently given to health care workers, nursing home residents and older Americans weren’t tested on younger children.Biden has set a goal of reopening most schools in his first 100 days in office or near the end of April.

Dr. Fauci: May start vaccinating children by summer

TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly named Amber Shultz, Lawrence, as the new Secretary of the Kansas Department of Labor (KDOL).&nbsp;Shultz will serve in an acting capacity until the Kansas Senate confirms her as the new head of the agency.

“When we began the search for the permanent Secretary of the Kansas Department of Labor, we knew we needed someone who could both lead the agency in its continued efforts to improve services for unemployed Kansans and oversee a complete overhaul of the out-of-date IT system,”&nbsp;Governor Kelly said.&nbsp;“Amber has a wealth of leadership experience when it comes to technology and innovation, and I have no doubt she will hit the ground running at the Department of Labor as we work to modernize the unemployment insurance system.”

Shultz has 25 years of experience in technology and innovation, with an emphasis on creating value, strengthening community, and leading with purpose.&nbsp;

Amber began her professional career as a Research Assistant at the Kansas Data Access &amp; Support Center at the Kansas Geological Survey, and has since held many positions in Kansas and Missouri related to data and asset management, systems administration, and technical innovation.&nbsp;

Most recently, she worked as the General Manager of Municipal Services &amp; Operations Department for the City of Lawrence. During her time there, she worked to rebuild the city's enterprise and operational services, facilitate efficient data management, and cultivate superior public service for Lawrence community members.&nbsp;&nbsp;

She has a Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Arts, all from the University of Kansas.&nbsp;

“I am honored and excited that Governor Kelly&nbsp;has provided me this opportunity to serve,”&nbsp;Shultz said.&nbsp;“I value public service along with utilizing innovation and technology to solve problems,&nbsp;and I will use this experience along with our team to address the challenges ahead.”&nbsp;

“I want to extend my thanks and appreciation to Ryan Wright and Brett Flachsbarth, who both served as Acting Secretaries of Labor while we searched for the right candidate to fill the position permanently,”&nbsp;Governor Kelly said.&nbsp;“Under their leadership, and with the dedication of many hardworking KDOL employees, the agency made important progress in stabilizing the antiquated unemployment system, reducing the claim backlog and getting funds to Kansans who need it most.”&nbsp;

Governor Kelly announced as part of her proposed budget that the state would allocate $37.5 million to resume the process of modernizing KDOL’s 40-year-old IT system, that had been paused since the beginning of the pandemic. The Kansas Department of Labor has made significant progress addressing unemployment claims this year in spite of a record number of claimants, including:&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611950427571.png" alt="Amber Schultz" />
 <figcaption>Amber Schultz</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly named Amber Shultz, Lawrence, as the new Secretary of the Kansas Department of Labor (KDOL).&nbsp;Shultz will serve in an acting capacity until the Kansas Senate confirms her as the new head of the agency.“When we began the search for the permanent Secretary of the Kansas Department of Labor, we knew we needed someone who could both lead the agency in its continued efforts to improve services for unemployed Kansans and oversee a complete overhaul of the out-of-date IT system,”&nbsp;Governor Kelly said.&nbsp;“Amber has a wealth of leadership experience when it comes to technology and innovation, and I have no doubt she will hit the ground running at the Department of Labor as we work to modernize the unemployment insurance system.”Shultz has 25 years of experience in technology and innovation, with an emphasis on creating value, strengthening community, and leading with purpose.&nbsp;Amber began her professional career as a Research Assistant at the Kansas Data Access &amp; Support Center at the Kansas Geological Survey, and has since held many positions in Kansas and Missouri related to data and asset management, systems administration, and technical innovation.&nbsp;Most recently, she worked as the General Manager of Municipal Services &amp; Operations Department for the City of Lawrence. During her time there, she worked to rebuild the city's enterprise and operational services, facilitate efficient data management, and cultivate superior public service for Lawrence community members.&nbsp;&nbsp;She has a Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Arts, all from the University of Kansas.&nbsp;“I am honored and excited that Governor Kelly&nbsp;has provided me this opportunity to serve,”&nbsp;Shultz said.&nbsp;“I value public service along with utilizing innovation and technology to solve problems,&nbsp;and I will use this experience along with our team to address the challenges ahead.”&nbsp;“I want to extend my thanks and appreciation to Ryan Wright and Brett Flachsbarth, who both served as Acting Secretaries of Labor while we searched for the right candidate to fill the position permanently,”&nbsp;Governor Kelly said.&nbsp;“Under their leadership, and with the dedication of many hardworking KDOL employees, the agency made important progress in stabilizing the antiquated unemployment system, reducing the claim backlog and getting funds to Kansans who need it most.”&nbsp;Governor Kelly announced as part of her proposed budget that the state would allocate $37.5 million to resume the process of modernizing KDOL’s 40-year-old IT system, that had been paused since the beginning of the pandemic. The Kansas Department of Labor has made significant progress addressing unemployment claims this year in spite of a record number of claimants, including:&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>Returning the agency to normal operations in all program areas, including workers' compensation and industrial safety and health.</li><li>Instituted a fraud program that has stopped over 250,000 fraudulent claims:&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.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.Qq3T08K7RCNlLBJqxLLndu5Nzw5XVb6nasowOl2iIcY/s/1303160919/br/94675621618-l" target="_blank">www.ReportFraud.ks.gov</a>.</li><li>Implementing an enhanced LexisNexis identity verification security system with multifactor authentication for the unemployment benefits system. Once the system is live on February 2, the new system will greatly reduce or eliminate fraudulent claim notices from being sent to identity theft victims and employers.</li><li>Since March 15, paying out more than 3.9 million weekly claims totaling over $2.6 billion in unemployment. Previously, it took 8 years to reach $2 billion in unemployment payments.</li><li>Today, KDOL has eliminated the backlog of regular unemployment claims, which totaled approximately 25,000 at the height of the pandemic in June, 2020.</li><li>Made significant progress on the buildout of the PUA Unemployment System, including a critical component that allows the agency to address the PUA backlog.&nbsp;Since completing a system upgrade at the end of November, the department has reduced the PUA backlog from 25,000 claims to approximately 9,900 claimants. Now claimants can more easily provide required documentation and KDOL can make determinations in a more timely manner.</li><li>Improved call center customer service, added hundreds of new operators and streamlined operations. Now, once a caller enters an initial call queue they can speak to a customer service representative within 15 minutes. If the call queues are full they are not able to connect to the system, which prevents callers from remaining on hold for hours.</li>
 </ul>

Gov. appoints new leader for Kan. Department of Labor

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Former Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback said he plans to make promoting racial reconciliation a focus of his life as a private citizen after more than a quarter century in politics.

Brownback, 64, stepped down as the country’s ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom last week after Democrat Joe Biden took office. In&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article248779685.html" target="_blank">an interview</a>&nbsp;with the Kansas City Star, Brownback declined to discuss any political plans he may still have but said he’ll now focus on racial reconciliation while continuing to promote religious freedom.

“I think my side, conservatives, need to put forward a racial reconciliation agenda and how we would address it,” he said.

Brownback promoted racial reconciliation during his stints in Congress and as governor, when he sponsored or signed government apologies to Blacks and Native Americans who had been wronged historically.

Some are skeptical about Brownback’s stated intentions. As governor, he enacted significant restrictions on public assistance and left the position of executive director for the Kansas African American Affairs Commission open for seven months in 2015.

Anthony Hensley, the Democratic leader in the state Senate during Brownback’s tenure as governor, also questioned the diversity of Brownback’s cabinet.

“I don’t know if I saw or experienced Sam Brownback going out of his way to try to bring about racial reconciliation in his seven years as governor,” he said.

Brownback said protests over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody last May “intensified the conversation” around reconciliation and galvanized another generation to move forward.

Brownback wasn’t specific about his racial reconciliation work, but he said a conservative agenda must begin by discussing historical wrongs. As an example, he cited Georgetown University, which apologized for its role in the sale of nearly 300 slaves and is giving admissions preferences to their descendants.

“We really need to do it to get the healing we need in the land,” he said.

Brownback stepped down as Kansas governor in 2018 to take the new ambassadorship created by President Donald Trump. He was deeply unpopular with Kansas voters at the time because of the impact of income tax cuts that he had pushed through.

His nomination for the ambassador role was stalled for several months after criticism of his record on gay rights and Islam, and he was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/4626e11a24c1415195cc4774b23961de">finally confirmed</a>&nbsp;on a 50-49 vote, with Vice President Mike Pence breaking the tie.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586052372246.png" alt="Former Kansas governor Sam Brownback, served as President Trump’s special envoy for religious freedom-photo courtesy U.S. State Department" />
 <figcaption>Former Kansas governor Sam Brownback, served as President Trump’s special envoy for religious freedom-photo courtesy U.S. State Department</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Former Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback said he plans to make promoting racial reconciliation a focus of his life as a private citizen after more than a quarter century in politics.Brownback, 64, stepped down as the country’s ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom last week after Democrat Joe Biden took office. In&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article248779685.html" target="_blank">an interview</a>&nbsp;with the Kansas City Star, Brownback declined to discuss any political plans he may still have but said he’ll now focus on racial reconciliation while continuing to promote religious freedom.“I think my side, conservatives, need to put forward a racial reconciliation agenda and how we would address it,” he said.Brownback promoted racial reconciliation during his stints in Congress and as governor, when he sponsored or signed government apologies to Blacks and Native Americans who had been wronged historically.Some are skeptical about Brownback’s stated intentions. As governor, he enacted significant restrictions on public assistance and left the position of executive director for the Kansas African American Affairs Commission open for seven months in 2015.Anthony Hensley, the Democratic leader in the state Senate during Brownback’s tenure as governor, also questioned the diversity of Brownback’s cabinet.“I don’t know if I saw or experienced Sam Brownback going out of his way to try to bring about racial reconciliation in his seven years as governor,” he said.Brownback said protests over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody last May “intensified the conversation” around reconciliation and galvanized another generation to move forward.Brownback wasn’t specific about his racial reconciliation work, but he said a conservative agenda must begin by discussing historical wrongs. As an example, he cited Georgetown University, which apologized for its role in the sale of nearly 300 slaves and is giving admissions preferences to their descendants.“We really need to do it to get the healing we need in the land,” he said.Brownback stepped down as Kansas governor in 2018 to take the new ambassadorship created by President Donald Trump. He was deeply unpopular with Kansas voters at the time because of the impact of income tax cuts that he had pushed through.His nomination for the ambassador role was stalled for several months after criticism of his record on gay rights and Islam, and he was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/4626e11a24c1415195cc4774b23961de">finally confirmed</a>&nbsp;on a 50-49 vote, with Vice President Mike Pence breaking the tie.

Former Kan. governor moves from Trump admin. to new role

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 2168 to a total of 274,685, the state health department reported Friday afternoon.&nbsp;

Coronavirus deaths were reported at 3779 an increase of 61

<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— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 2168 to a total of 274,685, the state health department reported Friday afternoon.&nbsp;Coronavirus deaths were reported at 3779 an increase of 61<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.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611943608301.png" alt="Friday Jan. 29, 2021 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Friday Jan. 29, 2021 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>

KDHE: Latest coronavirus numbers in Kansas

DOUGLAS COUNTY —A suspect wanted in connection with the murder of a Kansas woman is in custody.

During an unrelated investigation Thursday, Topeka Police discovered information that 43-year-old Johnathon Lee West of Lawrence may have been involved in the killing of 41-year-old Jennifer Marie Mosby of Lawrence earlier this week, according to police department spokesman Patrick Compton.

On Wednesday, police discovered the deceased woman at her residence in the 800 block of Kentucky Street in Lawrence.

West remains in the custody of Shawnee County pending transfer to Douglas County on a requested charge of second-degree murder.

An affidavit has been submitted to the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office for charging consideration, according to Compton.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611880295415.png" alt="West photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>West photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>DOUGLAS COUNTY —A suspect wanted in connection with the murder of a Kansas woman is in custody.During an unrelated investigation Thursday, Topeka Police discovered information that 43-year-old Johnathon Lee West of Lawrence may have been involved in the killing of 41-year-old Jennifer Marie Mosby of Lawrence earlier this week, according to police department spokesman Patrick Compton.On Wednesday, police discovered the deceased woman at her residence in the 800 block of Kentucky Street in Lawrence.West remains in the custody of Shawnee County pending transfer to Douglas County on a requested charge of second-degree murder.An affidavit has been submitted to the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office for charging consideration, according to Compton.

Police find information leading to arrest in Kan. woman's murder

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas gun rights supporters are pushing to lower the age for concealed carry of firearms from 21 to 18.

Wichita Republican Rep. Blake Carpenter and a Kansas State Rifle Association lobbyist on Wednesday told the House Federal and State Affairs Committee that it’s already legal in Kansas for those 18 to 21 to carry firearms openly in Kansas.

“The second they put on a coat or they put on a jacket — now they are breaking the law,” said rifle association lobbyist Jason Watkins.

The bill would create a provisional permit for those 18 to 21, issued by the state attorney general. Permit holders would have to complete a background check and undergo gun safety training.

Carpenter, a Derby Republican, said many Kansans are responsible gun owners at 18.

“Some of these Kansans are serving in our armed forces where they have bigger weapons than the ones that we are even discussing here today,” Carpenter said. He noted that 18-year-olds are allowed to vote.

Rep. Stephanie Clayton, an Overland Park Democrat, pointed out how the minimum drinking age is 21.

“Do you support, say, lowering the drinking age back to 18 for more of a universally accepted line of what is and what is not an adult?” Clayton said.

Rabbi Moti Rieber, executive director of Kansas Interfaith Action, said people younger than 21 have less developed risk assessment and decision making skills.

Three members of gun control group Moms Demand Action also spoke in opposition to the bill. One of them was Angela Lee, whose 18-year-old was fatally shot by a juvenile in Topeka about three years ago. She said opposing the bill is common sense gun safety.

“Kids can’t even decide what they are going to eat or what they’re going to wear, let alone, we are asking them to carry a gun,” Lee said.

The committee is also considering moves to expand the state’s recognition of concealed carry permits for out-of-state visitors who carry their own state’s permits.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611872388704.png" alt="Rep. Blake Carpenter speaking to the House Federal and State Affairs Committee-image courtesy <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiQHtDdxyLM">House YouTube</a>" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Blake Carpenter speaking to the House Federal and State Affairs Committee-image courtesy <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiQHtDdxyLM">House YouTube</a></figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas gun rights supporters are pushing to lower the age for concealed carry of firearms from 21 to 18.Wichita Republican Rep. Blake Carpenter and a Kansas State Rifle Association lobbyist on Wednesday told the House Federal and State Affairs Committee that it’s already legal in Kansas for those 18 to 21 to carry firearms openly in Kansas.“The second they put on a coat or they put on a jacket — now they are breaking the law,” said rifle association lobbyist Jason Watkins.The bill would create a provisional permit for those 18 to 21, issued by the state attorney general. Permit holders would have to complete a background check and undergo gun safety training.Carpenter, a Derby Republican, said many Kansans are responsible gun owners at 18.“Some of these Kansans are serving in our armed forces where they have bigger weapons than the ones that we are even discussing here today,” Carpenter said. He noted that 18-year-olds are allowed to vote.Rep. Stephanie Clayton, an Overland Park Democrat, pointed out how the minimum drinking age is 21.“Do you support, say, lowering the drinking age back to 18 for more of a universally accepted line of what is and what is not an adult?” Clayton said.Rabbi Moti Rieber, executive director of Kansas Interfaith Action, said people younger than 21 have less developed risk assessment and decision making skills.Three members of gun control group Moms Demand Action also spoke in opposition to the bill. One of them was Angela Lee, whose 18-year-old was fatally shot by a juvenile in Topeka about three years ago. She said opposing the bill is common sense gun safety.“Kids can’t even decide what they are going to eat or what they’re going to wear, let alone, we are asking them to carry a gun,” Lee said.The committee is also considering moves to expand the state’s recognition of concealed carry permits for out-of-state visitors who carry their own state’s permits.____

Kan. considers concealed carry for people under 21

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Police in Kansas City have identified a man found shot to death outside an apartment complex this week.

The shooting happened around 12:30 a.m. Thursday at a complex near 54th and North Summit streets, where police were summoned for a shooting. Arriving officers found 20-year-old Shi’on Kendall-Hodge with gunshot wounds and declared him dead at the scene.

Police have not announced and suspects or arrests in the case and have asked anyone with information about the killing to call homicide detectives or the city's TIPS hotline.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Police in Kansas City are investigating the city’s latest homicide after finding a man shot to death outside an apartment complex early Thursday.

The shooting happened around 12:30 a.m. Thursday at a complex near 54th and North Summit streets, where police were summoned for a shooting. Arriving officers found a man with gunshot wounds and declared him dead at the scene.

Police have not released the man’s name and did not immediately announce any arrests in the case.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Police in Kansas City have identified a man found shot to death outside an apartment complex this week.The shooting happened around 12:30 a.m. Thursday at a complex near 54th and North Summit streets, where police were summoned for a shooting. Arriving officers found 20-year-old Shi’on Kendall-Hodge with gunshot wounds and declared him dead at the scene.Police have not announced and suspects or arrests in the case and have asked anyone with information about the killing to call homicide detectives or the city's TIPS hotline.-----------KANSAS CITY (AP) — Police in Kansas City are investigating the city’s latest homicide after finding a man shot to death outside an apartment complex early Thursday.The shooting happened around 12:30 a.m. Thursday at a complex near 54th and North Summit streets, where police were summoned for a shooting. Arriving officers found a man with gunshot wounds and declared him dead at the scene.Police have not released the man’s name and did not immediately announce any arrests in the case.

Police ID man found dead outside Kansas City apartment 

WASHINGTON — The new director of the Centers for Disease Control says officials have “scaled up” their surveillance of new <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/transmission/variant-cases.html">coronavirus variants in the United States.</a>

CDC Director Rochelle Walensky told ABC’s “Good Morning America” that previously “there has not been a public health infrastructure” to track such variants. 

Also, there weren’t resources to do “mass sequencing” of the virus across the country. She noted the coronavirus aid plan pushed by the Biden Administration includes funds to improve such tracing.

However, Walensky says it was “concerning” the two South Carolina individuals who were diagnosed with the more virulent strain first identified in South Africa didn’t know each other or travel there, so the “presumption” is there’s “community spread of this strain.”

The mutated version of the virus, first identified in South Africa, was found in two cases in South Carolina. Public health officials said it’s almost certain that there are more infections that have not been identified yet. They are also concerned that this version spreads more easily and that vaccines could be less effective against it.

The two cases were discovered in adults in different regions of the state and do not appear to be connected. Neither of the people infected has traveled recently, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control said Thursday.

“That’s frightening,” because it means there could be more undetected cases within the state, said Dr. Krutika Kuppalli, an infectious diseases physician at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. “It’s probably more widespread.”

The arrival of the variant shows that “the fight against this deadly virus is far from over,” Dr. Brannon Traxler, South Carolina’s interim public health director, said in a statement. “While more COVID-19 vaccines are on the way, supplies are still limited. Every one of us must recommit to the fight by recognizing that we are all on the front lines now. We are all in this together.”

Viruses constantly mutate, and coronavirus variants are circulating around the globe, but scientists are primarily concerned with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/infectious-diseases-coronavirus-pandemic-12d1f000ed9601f99c1c7c08e020ba7b">the emergence of three&nbsp;</a>that researchers believe may spread more easily. Other variants first reported in the United Kingdom and Brazil were previously confirmed in the U.S.

As the variants bring a potential for greater infection risks in the U.S., pandemic-weary lawmakers in several states are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pennsylvania-maryland-tom-wolf-coronavirus-pandemic-7d5710f2d8aa4e659c0ec68400ad3d3c">pushing back against mask mandates</a>, business closures and other protective restrictions ordered by governors.

States including Arizona, Michigan, Ohio, Maryland, Kentucky and Indiana are weighing proposals to limit their governors’ abilities to impose emergency restrictions. Wisconsin’s Republican-controlled Assembly had been expected to vote to repeal Democratic Gov. Tony Evers’ mask mandate, but lawmakers abruptly called off the vote Thursday in the face of broad criticism and out of concern it would jeopardize more than $49 million in federal aid. Pennsylvania lawmakers are considering a constitutional amendment to strip the governor of many of his emergency powers.

Governors argue that they need authority to act swiftly in a crisis, and limitations could slow critical emergency responses.

Meanwhile, Nebraska health officials said the state could be days away from lifting restrictions on indoor gatherings, citing a low percentage of COVID-19 hospitalizations. Other states seeing declining infections are also loosening&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-public-health-gretchen-whitmer-michigan-coronavirus-pandemic-f2e1f01d695d2a017db0369d675591d4">limitations on restaurants and other businesses</a>, though experts have warned the public to stay vigilant about masks and social distancing or risk further surges.

In South Carolina, the state health agency said the variant was found in one person from the state’s coastal region and another in its northeastern corner. The state gave little other information, citing privacy concerns, though Traxler said neither of the people was contagious any longer.

“Both were tested very early in the month, and my understanding is that both are doing well,” Traxler said.

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, a Republican, loosened most of the state’s remaining pandemic restrictions in the fall. Spokesman Brian Symmes said McMaster does not plan to order new restrictions based on the discovery of the variant.

“This is important information for South Carolinians to have,” McMaster said in a tweet, “but it isn’t a reason for panic.”

Scientists last week reported preliminary signs that some of the recent mutations may modestly curb the effectiveness of two vaccines, although they stressed that the shots still protect against the disease. There are also signs that some of the new mutations may undermine tests for the virus and reduce the effectiveness of certain treatments.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">coronavirus</a>&nbsp;has already sickened millions and killed roughly 430,000 people in the United States.

While the rollout of vaccines has been slow, President Joe Biden has pledged to deliver 100 million injections in his first 100 days in office — and suggested it’s possible the U.S. could reach&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-ap-top-news-global-trade-coronavirus-pandemic-economy-72be976a6b4f93a2d3db2feac03070d1">1.5 million shots a day.</a>

While some European countries do extensive genetic testing to detect these variants, the U.S. has done little of this detective work. But scientists have been been quickly trying to do more, which has revealed the more contagious variants.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported at least 315 cases of the U.K.-discovered variant in the United States. Those reports have come from at least 28 states, and health officials believe it could become the dominant strain in the U.S. by March. That variant has been reported in at least 70 countries.

Full Coverage:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/tag/Coronaviruspandemic">Coronavirus pandemic</a>

The first U.S. case of the variant found in Brazil was announced earlier this week by health officials in Minnesota. It was a person who recently traveled to that South American nation. That version of the virus has popped up in more than a half-dozen countries.

The variant first found in South Africa was detected in October. Since then, it has been found in at least 30 other countries.

Some tests suggest the South African and Brazilian variants may be less susceptible to antibody drugs or antibody-rich blood from COVID-19 survivors, both of which help people fight off the virus.

Health officials also worry that if the virus changes enough, people might get COVID-19 a second time.

Biden on Monday reinstated COVID-19 travel restrictions on most non-U.S. travelers from Brazil, the U.K. and South Africa. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that Americans avoid travel.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608566572342.png" alt="Image courtesy GISAID" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy GISAID</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON — The new director of the Centers for Disease Control says officials have “scaled up” their surveillance of new <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/transmission/variant-cases.html">coronavirus variants in the United States.</a>CDC Director Rochelle Walensky told ABC’s “Good Morning America” that previously “there has not been a public health infrastructure” to track such variants. Also, there weren’t resources to do “mass sequencing” of the virus across the country. She noted the coronavirus aid plan pushed by the Biden Administration includes funds to improve such tracing.However, Walensky says it was “concerning” the two South Carolina individuals who were diagnosed with the more virulent strain first identified in South Africa didn’t know each other or travel there, so the “presumption” is there’s “community spread of this strain.”The mutated version of the virus, first identified in South Africa, was found in two cases in South Carolina. Public health officials said it’s almost certain that there are more infections that have not been identified yet. They are also concerned that this version spreads more easily and that vaccines could be less effective against it.The two cases were discovered in adults in different regions of the state and do not appear to be connected. Neither of the people infected has traveled recently, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control said Thursday.“That’s frightening,” because it means there could be more undetected cases within the state, said Dr. Krutika Kuppalli, an infectious diseases physician at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. “It’s probably more widespread.”The arrival of the variant shows that “the fight against this deadly virus is far from over,” Dr. Brannon Traxler, South Carolina’s interim public health director, said in a statement. “While more COVID-19 vaccines are on the way, supplies are still limited. Every one of us must recommit to the fight by recognizing that we are all on the front lines now. We are all in this together.”Viruses constantly mutate, and coronavirus variants are circulating around the globe, but scientists are primarily concerned with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/infectious-diseases-coronavirus-pandemic-12d1f000ed9601f99c1c7c08e020ba7b">the emergence of three&nbsp;</a>that researchers believe may spread more easily. Other variants first reported in the United Kingdom and Brazil were previously confirmed in the U.S.As the variants bring a potential for greater infection risks in the U.S., pandemic-weary lawmakers in several states are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pennsylvania-maryland-tom-wolf-coronavirus-pandemic-7d5710f2d8aa4e659c0ec68400ad3d3c">pushing back against mask mandates</a>, business closures and other protective restrictions ordered by governors.States including Arizona, Michigan, Ohio, Maryland, Kentucky and Indiana are weighing proposals to limit their governors’ abilities to impose emergency restrictions. Wisconsin’s Republican-controlled Assembly had been expected to vote to repeal Democratic Gov. Tony Evers’ mask mandate, but lawmakers abruptly called off the vote Thursday in the face of broad criticism and out of concern it would jeopardize more than $49 million in federal aid. Pennsylvania lawmakers are considering a constitutional amendment to strip the governor of many of his emergency powers.Governors argue that they need authority to act swiftly in a crisis, and limitations could slow critical emergency responses.Meanwhile, Nebraska health officials said the state could be days away from lifting restrictions on indoor gatherings, citing a low percentage of COVID-19 hospitalizations. Other states seeing declining infections are also loosening&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-public-health-gretchen-whitmer-michigan-coronavirus-pandemic-f2e1f01d695d2a017db0369d675591d4">limitations on restaurants and other businesses</a>, though experts have warned the public to stay vigilant about masks and social distancing or risk further surges.In South Carolina, the state health agency said the variant was found in one person from the state’s coastal region and another in its northeastern corner. The state gave little other information, citing privacy concerns, though Traxler said neither of the people was contagious any longer.“Both were tested very early in the month, and my understanding is that both are doing well,” Traxler said.South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, a Republican, loosened most of the state’s remaining pandemic restrictions in the fall. Spokesman Brian Symmes said McMaster does not plan to order new restrictions based on the discovery of the variant.“This is important information for South Carolinians to have,” McMaster said in a tweet, “but it isn’t a reason for panic.”Scientists last week reported preliminary signs that some of the recent mutations may modestly curb the effectiveness of two vaccines, although they stressed that the shots still protect against the disease. There are also signs that some of the new mutations may undermine tests for the virus and reduce the effectiveness of certain treatments.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">coronavirus</a>&nbsp;has already sickened millions and killed roughly 430,000 people in the United States.While the rollout of vaccines has been slow, President Joe Biden has pledged to deliver 100 million injections in his first 100 days in office — and suggested it’s possible the U.S. could reach&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-ap-top-news-global-trade-coronavirus-pandemic-economy-72be976a6b4f93a2d3db2feac03070d1">1.5 million shots a day.</a>While some European countries do extensive genetic testing to detect these variants, the U.S. has done little of this detective work. But scientists have been been quickly trying to do more, which has revealed the more contagious variants.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported at least 315 cases of the U.K.-discovered variant in the United States. Those reports have come from at least 28 states, and health officials believe it could become the dominant strain in the U.S. by March. That variant has been reported in at least 70 countries.Full Coverage:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/tag/Coronaviruspandemic">Coronavirus pandemic</a>The first U.S. case of the variant found in Brazil was announced earlier this week by health officials in Minnesota. It was a person who recently traveled to that South American nation. That version of the virus has popped up in more than a half-dozen countries.The variant first found in South Africa was detected in October. Since then, it has been found in at least 30 other countries.Some tests suggest the South African and Brazilian variants may be less susceptible to antibody drugs or antibody-rich blood from COVID-19 survivors, both of which help people fight off the virus.Health officials also worry that if the virus changes enough, people might get COVID-19 a second time.Biden on Monday reinstated COVID-19 travel restrictions on most non-U.S. travelers from Brazil, the U.K. and South Africa. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that Americans avoid travel.

CDC struggles to track dangerous COVID-19 variants

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats in Congress and the White House have rejected a Republican pitch to split President Joe Biden’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-coronavirus-action-plan-3d8d5841bb9098a81ad9452fb2619024">$1.9 trillion COVID-19 rescue plan</a>&nbsp;into smaller chunks, with lawmakers appearing primed to muscle the sweeping economic and virus aid forward without GOP help.

Despite Biden’s calls for unity, Democrats said the stubbornly high unemployment numbers and battered U.S. economy leave them unwilling to waste time courting Republican support that might not materialize. They also don’t want to curb the size and scope of a package that they say will provide desperately needed money to distribute the vaccine, reopen schools and send cash to American households and businesses.

Biden has been appealing directly to Republican and Democratic lawmakers while signaling his priority to press ahead.

“We’ve got a lot to do, and the first thing we’ve got to do is get this COVID package passed,” Biden said Thursday in the Oval Office.

The standoff over Biden’s first legislative priority is turning the new rescue plan into a political test — of his new administration, of Democratic control of Congress and of the role of Republicans in a post-Trump political landscape.

Success would give Biden a signature accomplishment in his first 100 days in office, unleashing $400 billion to expand vaccinations and to reopen schools, $1,400 direct payments to households, and other priorities, including a gradual increase in the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour. Failure would be a high-profile setback early in his presidency.

Democrats in the House and Senate are operating as though they know they are borrowed time. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi are laying the groundwork to start the go-it-alone approach as soon as next week.

They are drafting a budget reconciliation bill that would start the process to pass the relief package with a simple 51-vote Senate majority — rather than the 60-vote threshold typically needed in the Senate to advance legislation. The goal would be passage by March, when jobless benefits, housing assistance and other aid is set to expire.

Schumer said he drew from Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen’s advice to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/janet-yellen-confirmation-hearing-bdbc5217e582aaacbf668bc639dd72d5">“act big”&nbsp;</a>to weather the COVID-19 economic crisis.

“Everywhere you look, alarm bells are ringing,” Schumer said from the Senate floor.

Senate Republicans in a bipartisan group warned their colleagues in a “frank” conversation late Wednesday that Biden and Democrats are making a mistake by loading up the aid bill with other priorities and jamming it through Congress without their support, according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the private session.

Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, a former White House budget director under George W. Bush, wants a deeper accounting of what funds remain from the $900 billion coronavirus aid package from December.

“Literally, the money has not gone out the door,” he said. “I’m not sure I understand why there’s a grave emergency right now.”

Biden spoke directly with Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, who is leading the bipartisan effort with Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., that is racing to strike a compromise.

Collins said she and the president had a “good conversation.”

“We both expressed our shared belief that it is possible for the Senate to work in a bipartisan way to get things done for the people of this country,” she said.

The emerging debate is highly reminiscent of the partisan divide over the 2009 financial rescue in the early months of the Obama administration, when Biden was vice president, echoing those battles over the appropriate level of government intervention.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said that although Biden wants a bipartisan package, the administration is opposed to breaking it up to win Republican support.

“We’re open for business and open to hear from members of Congress on that,” she said, noting that lawmakers are not “wallflowers.”

But, she said, “we’re not going to do this in a piecemeal way or break apart a big package that’s meant to address the crisis we’re facing.”

On Thursday, more than 120 economists and policymakers signed a&nbsp;<a href="https://investinamericanow.com/economist-letter/" target="_blank">letter</a>&nbsp;in support of Biden’s package, saying the $900 billion that Congress approved in December before he took office was “too little and too late to address the enormity of the deteriorating situation.”

Employers shed workers in December, retail sales have slumped and COVID-19 deaths kept rising. More than 430,000 people in the U.S. have died from the coronavirus as of Thursday.

At the same time, the number of Americans applying for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pandemics-jobless-claims-coronavirus-pandemic-united-states-00d5212fdfc69c630b807bbe35bfe933">unemployment benefits</a>&nbsp;remained at a historically high 847,000 last week, and a new report said the U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-economy-shrink-in-2020-b59f9be06dcf1da924f64afde2ce094c">economy shrunk&nbsp;</a>by an alarming 3.5% last year.

“The risks of going too small dramatically outweigh the risks of going too big,” said Gene Sperling, a former director of the White House National Economic Council, who signed the letter.

The government&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-economy-shrink-in-2020-b59f9be06dcf1da924f64afde2ce094c">reported Thursday</a>&nbsp;that the economy showed dangerous signs of stalling in the final three months of last year, ultimately shrinking in size by 3.5% for the whole of 2020 — the sharpest downturn since the demobilization that followed the end of World War II.

The decline was not as severe as initially feared, largely because the government has steered roughly $4 trillion in aid, an unprecedented emergency expenditure, to keep millions of Americans housed, fed, employed and able to pay down debt and build savings amid the crisis.

Republican allies touted the 4% annualized growth during the last quarter, with economic analyst Stephen Moore calling the gains “amazing.”

Republicans have also raised concerns about adding to the deficit, which skyrocketed in the Trump administration.

Republican Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming, the third-ranking party leader, said Biden should stick to the call for unity he outlined in his inaugural address, particularly with the evenly split Senate. “If there’s ever been a mandate to move to the middle, it’s this,” he said. “It’s not let’s just go off the cliff.”

But Democrats argue that low interest rates make the debt manageable and that the possibility of returning to work will do more to improve people’s well-being.

The days and weeks ahead, against the backdrop of Trump’s impeachment trial on a charge of inciting an insurrection with the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">U.S. Capitol siege</a>, will set the tone, tenor and parameters of what will be possible in Washington.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611265778286.png" alt="“We’ve got a lot to do, and the first thing we’ve got to do is get this COVID package passed,” Biden said Thursday in the Oval Office." />
 <figcaption>“We’ve got a lot to do, and the first thing we’ve got to do is get this COVID package passed,” Biden said Thursday in the Oval Office.</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats in Congress and the White House have rejected a Republican pitch to split President Joe Biden’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-coronavirus-action-plan-3d8d5841bb9098a81ad9452fb2619024">$1.9 trillion COVID-19 rescue plan</a>&nbsp;into smaller chunks, with lawmakers appearing primed to muscle the sweeping economic and virus aid forward without GOP help.Despite Biden’s calls for unity, Democrats said the stubbornly high unemployment numbers and battered U.S. economy leave them unwilling to waste time courting Republican support that might not materialize. They also don’t want to curb the size and scope of a package that they say will provide desperately needed money to distribute the vaccine, reopen schools and send cash to American households and businesses.Biden has been appealing directly to Republican and Democratic lawmakers while signaling his priority to press ahead.“We’ve got a lot to do, and the first thing we’ve got to do is get this COVID package passed,” Biden said Thursday in the Oval Office.The standoff over Biden’s first legislative priority is turning the new rescue plan into a political test — of his new administration, of Democratic control of Congress and of the role of Republicans in a post-Trump political landscape.Success would give Biden a signature accomplishment in his first 100 days in office, unleashing $400 billion to expand vaccinations and to reopen schools, $1,400 direct payments to households, and other priorities, including a gradual increase in the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour. Failure would be a high-profile setback early in his presidency.Democrats in the House and Senate are operating as though they know they are borrowed time. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi are laying the groundwork to start the go-it-alone approach as soon as next week.They are drafting a budget reconciliation bill that would start the process to pass the relief package with a simple 51-vote Senate majority — rather than the 60-vote threshold typically needed in the Senate to advance legislation. The goal would be passage by March, when jobless benefits, housing assistance and other aid is set to expire.Schumer said he drew from Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen’s advice to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/janet-yellen-confirmation-hearing-bdbc5217e582aaacbf668bc639dd72d5">“act big”&nbsp;</a>to weather the COVID-19 economic crisis.“Everywhere you look, alarm bells are ringing,” Schumer said from the Senate floor.Senate Republicans in a bipartisan group warned their colleagues in a “frank” conversation late Wednesday that Biden and Democrats are making a mistake by loading up the aid bill with other priorities and jamming it through Congress without their support, according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the private session.Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, a former White House budget director under George W. Bush, wants a deeper accounting of what funds remain from the $900 billion coronavirus aid package from December.“Literally, the money has not gone out the door,” he said. “I’m not sure I understand why there’s a grave emergency right now.”Biden spoke directly with Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, who is leading the bipartisan effort with Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., that is racing to strike a compromise.Collins said she and the president had a “good conversation.”“We both expressed our shared belief that it is possible for the Senate to work in a bipartisan way to get things done for the people of this country,” she said.The emerging debate is highly reminiscent of the partisan divide over the 2009 financial rescue in the early months of the Obama administration, when Biden was vice president, echoing those battles over the appropriate level of government intervention.White House press secretary Jen Psaki said that although Biden wants a bipartisan package, the administration is opposed to breaking it up to win Republican support.“We’re open for business and open to hear from members of Congress on that,” she said, noting that lawmakers are not “wallflowers.”But, she said, “we’re not going to do this in a piecemeal way or break apart a big package that’s meant to address the crisis we’re facing.”On Thursday, more than 120 economists and policymakers signed a&nbsp;<a href="https://investinamericanow.com/economist-letter/" target="_blank">letter</a>&nbsp;in support of Biden’s package, saying the $900 billion that Congress approved in December before he took office was “too little and too late to address the enormity of the deteriorating situation.”Employers shed workers in December, retail sales have slumped and COVID-19 deaths kept rising. More than 430,000 people in the U.S. have died from the coronavirus as of Thursday.At the same time, the number of Americans applying for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pandemics-jobless-claims-coronavirus-pandemic-united-states-00d5212fdfc69c630b807bbe35bfe933">unemployment benefits</a>&nbsp;remained at a historically high 847,000 last week, and a new report said the U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-economy-shrink-in-2020-b59f9be06dcf1da924f64afde2ce094c">economy shrunk&nbsp;</a>by an alarming 3.5% last year.“The risks of going too small dramatically outweigh the risks of going too big,” said Gene Sperling, a former director of the White House National Economic Council, who signed the letter.The government&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-economy-shrink-in-2020-b59f9be06dcf1da924f64afde2ce094c">reported Thursday</a>&nbsp;that the economy showed dangerous signs of stalling in the final three months of last year, ultimately shrinking in size by 3.5% for the whole of 2020 — the sharpest downturn since the demobilization that followed the end of World War II.The decline was not as severe as initially feared, largely because the government has steered roughly $4 trillion in aid, an unprecedented emergency expenditure, to keep millions of Americans housed, fed, employed and able to pay down debt and build savings amid the crisis.Republican allies touted the 4% annualized growth during the last quarter, with economic analyst Stephen Moore calling the gains “amazing.”Republicans have also raised concerns about adding to the deficit, which skyrocketed in the Trump administration.Republican Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming, the third-ranking party leader, said Biden should stick to the call for unity he outlined in his inaugural address, particularly with the evenly split Senate. “If there’s ever been a mandate to move to the middle, it’s this,” he said. “It’s not let’s just go off the cliff.”But Democrats argue that low interest rates make the debt manageable and that the possibility of returning to work will do more to improve people’s well-being.The days and weeks ahead, against the backdrop of Trump’s impeachment trial on a charge of inciting an insurrection with the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">U.S. Capitol siege</a>, will set the tone, tenor and parameters of what will be possible in Washington.

Standoff: Lawmakers battle over $1.9T COVID-19 relief deal

PAWNEE COUNTY —Three suspects arrested in connection with a drug investigation appeared in&nbsp;in custody via Zoom before a Pawnee County judge Thursday to face charges.

Just after 10a.m. January 23, the Pawnee County Sheriff's Office and K9 Unit executed a search warrant at a home in Larned as a result of an on-going drug investigation.

Deputies arrested&nbsp;Mark Larson, 53, Tammy Lee Smith, 52, and Trapper Larson, 20, all of Larned&nbsp; and confiscated numerous drugs along with currency and a homemade explosive, according to the Sheriff's Department.

They are all charged with Possession of Methamphetamine with intent to distribute within 1000 feet of school property, Possession of Marijuana with intent to distribute within 1000 feet of school property, felony drug paraphernalia suitable to distribute a control substance, No Kansas Drug Stamp and misdemeanor drug paraphernalia suitable to consume a controlled substance

Mark and Trapper Larson are also charged with Criminal Possession of an Explosive Device.

Preliminary Hearings have been scheduled for February 11. Mark Larson and Tammy Smith are being held in the custody of the Pawnee County Sheriff in lieu of $90,000 bond. Trapper Larson is being held in the custody of the Barton County Sheriff in lieu of $90,000 bond, according to the. Pawnee County Attorney.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611884074893.png" alt="Photo Pawnee Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo Pawnee Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>PAWNEE COUNTY —Three suspects arrested in connection with a drug investigation appeared in&nbsp;in custody via Zoom before a Pawnee County judge Thursday to face charges.Just after 10a.m. January 23, the Pawnee County Sheriff's Office and K9 Unit executed a search warrant at a home in Larned as a result of an on-going drug investigation.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611883981020.png" alt="Trapper Larson" />
 <figcaption>Trapper Larson</figcaption>
 </figure>Deputies arrested&nbsp;Mark Larson, 53, Tammy Lee Smith, 52, and Trapper Larson, 20, all of Larned&nbsp; and confiscated numerous drugs along with currency and a homemade explosive, according to the Sheriff's Department.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611883931690.png" alt="Smith photo Pawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Smith photo Pawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>They are all charged with Possession of Methamphetamine with intent to distribute within 1000 feet of school property, Possession of Marijuana with intent to distribute within 1000 feet of school property, felony drug paraphernalia suitable to distribute a control substance, No Kansas Drug Stamp and misdemeanor drug paraphernalia suitable to consume a controlled substance<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611883904506.png" alt="Mark Larson photo Pawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Mark Larson photo Pawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Mark and Trapper Larson are also charged with Criminal Possession of an Explosive Device.Preliminary Hearings have been scheduled for February 11. Mark Larson and Tammy Smith are being held in the custody of the Pawnee County Sheriff in lieu of $90,000 bond. Trapper Larson is being held in the custody of the Barton County Sheriff in lieu of $90,000 bond, according to the. Pawnee County Attorney.

Drugs, cash, explosive device found in Kansas home

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — A man who was accused of taking part in the attack on the U.S. Capitol was arrested Thursday in southwest Missouri.

FBI agents took Zachary Martin into custody without incident on federal charges of unlawful activities on Capitol Grounds, disorderly conduct and demonstrating in the Capitol building, FBI spokeswoman Bridget Patton said in a news release.

No court documents have been posted yet on the case, and Patton said she didn't know whether he had an attorney.

The storming of the Capitol by supporters of Donald Trump happened Jan. 6 as Congress was meeting to vote to affirm Joe Biden’s presidential electoral win. Five people died in the mayhem.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611919114987.png" alt="Martin is being held in the Greene County Jail" />
 <figcaption>Martin is being held in the Greene County Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — A man who was accused of taking part in the attack on the U.S. Capitol was arrested Thursday in southwest Missouri.FBI agents took Zachary Martin into custody without incident on federal charges of unlawful activities on Capitol Grounds, disorderly conduct and demonstrating in the Capitol building, FBI spokeswoman Bridget Patton said in a news release.No court documents have been posted yet on the case, and Patton said she didn't know whether he had an attorney.The storming of the Capitol by supporters of Donald Trump happened Jan. 6 as Congress was meeting to vote to affirm Joe Biden’s presidential electoral win. Five people died in the mayhem.Law enforcement officials across the country have been working to locate and arrest suspects who committed federal crimes and have brought dozens of cases in federal court and the District of Columbia Superior Court.