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.

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.

<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.

FBI arrests man in Missouri for attack on US Capitol

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A federal judge approved on Thursday a settlement that aims to fix problems in the child welfare system in Kansas.

U.S. District Judge Daniel Crabtree said in his ruling that the agreement provides “real value” to the more than 7,000 children in the foster care system. The judge said it addresses needs identified in the lawsuit — an end to extreme housing disruption and inadequate mental health care.

While the settlement brings an end to the litigation, Crabtree retained jurisdiction to ensure that it is enforced.

The class-action lawsuit was filed in 2018 by Kansas Appleseed, Lori Burns-Bucklew, Children’s Rights and the National Center for Youth Law against the Kansas Department for Children and Families and others.

“We’ve already begun the heavy lifting required of us to address the provisions laid out in the agreement, we know we have much work ahead of us to reinforce our commitment to Kansas children by building an effective child welfare system.,” DCF Secretary Laura Howard said in a news release.

The agreement focuses on placement stability and mental health services, including more accountability reporting and other improvements.

As part of the deal, the agency organized a placement stability workgroup and will soon offer crisis intervention services across the state.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A federal judge approved on Thursday a settlement that aims to fix problems in the child welfare system in Kansas.U.S. District Judge Daniel Crabtree said in his ruling that the agreement provides “real value” to the more than 7,000 children in the foster care system. The judge said it addresses needs identified in the lawsuit — an end to extreme housing disruption and inadequate mental health care.While the settlement brings an end to the litigation, Crabtree retained jurisdiction to ensure that it is enforced.The class-action lawsuit was filed in 2018 by Kansas Appleseed, Lori Burns-Bucklew, Children’s Rights and the National Center for Youth Law against the Kansas Department for Children and Families and others.“We’ve already begun the heavy lifting required of us to address the provisions laid out in the agreement, we know we have much work ahead of us to reinforce our commitment to Kansas children by building an effective child welfare system.,” DCF Secretary Laura Howard said in a news release.The agreement focuses on placement stability and mental health services, including more accountability reporting and other improvements.As part of the deal, the agency organized a placement stability workgroup and will soon offer crisis intervention services across the state.

Judge approves settlement in Kansas child welfare lawsuit

ANDOVER, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas assisted living facility is accused in a lawsuit of failing to vet staff and turning a blind eye while a woman with dementia was sexually assaulted.

The suit alleges that administrators at Mapleton Assisted Living facility waited six months to perform a background check on former employee 56-year-old Muhammad Akram charged with raping the woman, allowing him to work as a certified nursing assistant despite a sexual battery conviction and a 2008 decision by the Kansas Board of Healing Arts to restrict his solo contact with female patients following sexual misconduct allegations.

The suit said administrators also took steps to dissuade an investigation, including discouraging a sexual assault exam. No one from Mapleton returned a phone message seeking comment.

The woman died in August at the age of 68. Randall Rathbun, the Wichita attorney who filed the lawsuit on behalf of the woman’s estate and her daughter, said there was no autopsy performed but said in the suit that a “contributing factor to her death was the brutal rape.”

The Associated Press is not naming the woman because she is a victim of sexual assault. The family is asking for $1.5 million including $750,000 in punitive damages.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611781627598.png" alt="Akram is no longer in custody in Butler County, according to online jail records." />
 <figcaption>Akram is no longer in custody in Butler County, according to online jail records.</figcaption>
 </figure>ANDOVER, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas assisted living facility is accused in a lawsuit of failing to vet staff and turning a blind eye while a woman with dementia was sexually assaulted.The suit alleges that administrators at Mapleton Assisted Living facility waited six months to perform a background check on former employee 56-year-old Muhammad Akram charged with raping the woman, allowing him to work as a certified nursing assistant despite a sexual battery conviction and a 2008 decision by the Kansas Board of Healing Arts to restrict his solo contact with female patients following sexual misconduct allegations.The suit said administrators also took steps to dissuade an investigation, including discouraging a sexual assault exam. No one from Mapleton returned a phone message seeking comment.The woman died in August at the age of 68. Randall Rathbun, the Wichita attorney who filed the lawsuit on behalf of the woman’s estate and her daughter, said there was no autopsy performed but said in the suit that a “contributing factor to her death was the brutal rape.”The Associated Press is not naming the woman because she is a victim of sexual assault. The family is asking for $1.5 million including $750,000 in punitive damages.

Suit: Background check failure led to Kan. patient's rape

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities say their investigation into a shooting that injured two on Tuesday is complete.

Just after&nbsp;7:00 p.m. January 26, police were dispatched to a Sonic Restaurant, 636 NW US 24 Highway in regards to two individuals suffering from non-life threatening gunshot wounds, according to Topeka Police Lt. Edward Stanley.

One victim was transported by ambulance to a local hospital with minor injuries and the other was treated and released at the scene.

It was discovered that the shooting occurred at a separate location, and then the victims drove to the Sonic restaurant and reported the incident, according to Stanley.

On Thursday, police reported that had identified all parties involved in the case. The shooting is believed to have been accidental, according to police department spokesperson Gretchen Spiker.

The case will be forwarded to the Shawnee County District Attorney’s Office for criminal charging considering for weapons violations. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611749052208.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities say their investigation into a shooting that injured two on Tuesday is complete.Just after&nbsp;7:00 p.m. January 26, police were dispatched to a Sonic Restaurant, 636 NW US 24 Highway in regards to two individuals suffering from non-life threatening gunshot wounds, according to Topeka Police Lt. Edward Stanley.One victim was transported by ambulance to a local hospital with minor injuries and the other was treated and released at the scene.It was discovered that the shooting occurred at a separate location, and then the victims drove to the Sonic restaurant and reported the incident, according to Stanley.On Thursday, police reported that had identified all parties involved in the case. The shooting is believed to have been accidental, according to police department spokesperson Gretchen Spiker.The case will be forwarded to the Shawnee County District Attorney’s Office for criminal charging considering for weapons violations. ------------

Police report Kansas shooting was accidental 

WASHINGTON—&nbsp;U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. introduced his first piece of legislation as a U.S. Senator&nbsp; Thursday–&nbsp;The Protecting Life in Crisis Act, according to a media release from his office.

The legislation prohibits any funds that are authorized or appropriated for the purposes of preventing, preparing for, or responding to the COVID–19 pandemic, domestically and internationally, from going toward abortions or abortion coverage.&nbsp;

“Being pro-life is just part of who I am and there is no other alternative. As an obstetrician, it’s been a thrill of my life to get to bring thousands of babies into the world and now it’s a thrill of my life to be in the U.S. Senate and continue the fight for pro-life policies,”&nbsp;said Marshall. “While those on the far left including in the new Administration continue to advocate against human life, I will keep doing what Kansans sent me to Washington to do: continue my lifelong fight for the wellbeing of mothers and their babies and working to end the practice of abortion.”

The&nbsp;Protecting Life in Crisis Act, which extends existing Hyde Amendment protections to any COVID-19-related healthcare provisions. Specifically, this bill prohibits any funds that are authorized or appropriated for the purposes of preventing, preparing for, or responding to the COVID–19 pandemic, domestically and internationally, from going toward abortions or abortion coverage. Kansas Senior Senator Jerry Moran is a cosponsor along with seven others.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611861852028.png" alt="Photo courtesy Senator Roger Marshall" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Senator Roger Marshall</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON—&nbsp;U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. introduced his first piece of legislation as a U.S. Senator&nbsp; Thursday–&nbsp;The Protecting Life in Crisis Act, according to a media release from his office.The legislation prohibits any funds that are authorized or appropriated for the purposes of preventing, preparing for, or responding to the COVID–19 pandemic, domestically and internationally, from going toward abortions or abortion coverage.&nbsp;“Being pro-life is just part of who I am and there is no other alternative. As an obstetrician, it’s been a thrill of my life to get to bring thousands of babies into the world and now it’s a thrill of my life to be in the U.S. Senate and continue the fight for pro-life policies,”&nbsp;said Marshall. “While those on the far left including in the new Administration continue to advocate against human life, I will keep doing what Kansans sent me to Washington to do: continue my lifelong fight for the wellbeing of mothers and their babies and working to end the practice of abortion.”The&nbsp;Protecting Life in Crisis Act, which extends existing Hyde Amendment protections to any COVID-19-related healthcare provisions. Specifically, this bill prohibits any funds that are authorized or appropriated for the purposes of preventing, preparing for, or responding to the COVID–19 pandemic, domestically and internationally, from going toward abortions or abortion coverage. Kansas Senior Senator Jerry Moran is a cosponsor along with seven others.

Marshall's first Senate bill blocks COVID funds for abortion

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican legislators in Kansas on Thursday put a proposed pro-life amendment to the state constitution on the ballot for the state’s August 2022 primary election.

The Senate approved the measure 28-11, giving abortion opponents one more vote than the two-thirds majority they needed. The House approved the same measure last week. Approval by a simple majority of voters would change the Kansas Constitution.

The measure would overturn a 2019 Kansas Supreme Court decision that access to abortion is a “fundamental” right under the state’s bill of rights. New language would declare that the state constitution doesn’t grant the right to abortion and that the Legislature can regulate it in line with U.S. Supreme Court decisions.

The measure would not be an abortion ban, but it would allow lawmakers to enact one if the nation’s highest court were to overturn its landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision protecting abortion rights.

Abortion rights opponents have argued that the amendment would allow the Legislature to regulate abortion as it had before the 2019 decision. They warn that future state court decisions could end almost all restrictions on abortion.

Abortion rights supporters contend that the measure is a big step toward banning abortion.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611873284716.png" alt="Members of Kansas Senate during Thursday's debate-image courtesy Senate YouTube" />
 <figcaption>Members of Kansas Senate during Thursday's debate-image courtesy Senate YouTube</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican legislators in Kansas on Thursday put a proposed pro-life amendment to the state constitution on the ballot for the state’s August 2022 primary election.The Senate approved the measure 28-11, giving abortion opponents one more vote than the two-thirds majority they needed. The House approved the same measure last week. Approval by a simple majority of voters would change the Kansas Constitution.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">As I said previously: <a href="https://t.co/ZzeOQUbvZM">pic.twitter.com/ZzeOQUbvZM</a>&mdash; Governor Laura Kelly (@GovLauraKelly) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovLauraKelly/status/1354933140574371852?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 28, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The measure would overturn a 2019 Kansas Supreme Court decision that access to abortion is a “fundamental” right under the state’s bill of rights. New language would declare that the state constitution doesn’t grant the right to abortion and that the Legislature can regulate it in line with U.S. Supreme Court decisions.The measure would not be an abortion ban, but it would allow lawmakers to enact one if the nation’s highest court were to overturn its landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision protecting abortion rights.Abortion rights opponents have argued that the amendment would allow the Legislature to regulate abortion as it had before the 2019 decision. They warn that future state court decisions could end almost all restrictions on abortion.Abortion rights supporters contend that the measure is a big step toward banning abortion.

Kan. lawmakers put pro-life measure on 2022 ballot

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Thursday ordered government health insurance markets to reopen for a special sign-up window, offering uninsured Americans a haven as the spread of COVID-19 remains dangerously high and vaccines aren't yet widely available.

<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/01/28/fact-sheet-president-biden-to-sign-executive-orders-strengthening-americans-access-to-quality-affordable-health-care/">Click here to read</a> the executive order

Biden signed an executive order directing the HealthCare.gov insurance markets to take new applications for subsidized benefits, something Donald Trump's administration had refused to do. He also instructed his administration to consider reversing other Trump health care policies, including curbs on abortion counseling and the imposition of work requirements for low-income people getting Medicaid.

“There’s nothing new that we’re doing here other than restoring the Affordable Care Act and restoring Medicaid to the way it was before Trump became president,” Biden said as he signed the directives in the Oval Office. He declared he was reversing “my predecessor’s attack on women’s health."

The actions were only the first steps by Biden, who has promised to build out former President Barack Obama’s health care law to achieve a goal of coverage for all. While Biden rejects the idea of a government-run system that Sen. Bernie Sanders has pushed for in his “Medicare for All” proposal, his more centrist approach will require congressional buy-in. But opposition to “Obamacare” runs deep among Republicans.

The most concrete short-term impact of Biden's orders will come from reopening HealthCare.gov insurance markets as coverage has shrunk in the economic turmoil of the coronavirus pandemic. That's an executive action and no legislation is required.

The new “special enrollment period” will begin Feb. 15 and run through May 15, the White House said. It will be coupled with a promotional campaign and a call for states that run their own insurance markets to match the federal sign-up opportunity.

The Biden administration has ample resources for marketing, said Karen Pollitz, a health insurance expert with the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation. The foundation estimates that the Trump administration left unspent about $1.2 billion in user fees collected from insurers to help pay for running the marketplaces.

“The reason it wasn’t spent is the Trump administration spent its time in office cutting services that support consumer enrollment,” Pollitz said. “All the while the user fee revenue was coming in, (but) they were not allowed to spend it on anything other than marketplace operations.”

Created under the Obama-era Affordable Care Act, the marketplaces offer taxpayer-subsidized coverage regardless of a person’s medical history or preexisting conditions, including COVID-19.

Biden also ordered the immediate reversal of a federal policy that bars taxpayer funding for international health care nonprofits that promote or provide abortions. Known as the Mexico City Policy, it can be switched on or off depending on whether Democrats or Republicans control the White House. Abortion rights supporters call it the “global gag rule.”

Other directives Biden issued could take months to carry out.

He instructed the Department of Health and Human Services to consider rescinding Trump regulations that bar federally funded family planning clinics from referring women for abortions.

HHS will also reexamine a Trump administration policy that allows states to impose work requirements as a condition for low-income people to get Medicaid health insurance. Work requirements have been blocked by federal courts, which found that they led to thousands of people losing coverage and violated Medicaid's legal charge to provide medical services. The Supreme Court has agreed to hear the issue.

And Biden directed HHS to review Trump policies that could undermine protections for people with health problems, such as a rule that facilitated the sale of short-term health insurance plans that don't have to cover preexisting medical conditions.

Such changes cannot happen overnight. Rescinding a federal regulation requires a new regulation, which has to follow an established legal process that involves considering different sides of an issue.

Former Trump health policy adviser Brian Blase said the Biden administration has to take care it doesn't throw out some policies intended to help solidly middle-class people who don't qualify for financial assistance under Obama's law.

“Obamacare plans are generally only attractive to people who receive large subsidies to buy them,” said Blase. He cited a Trump policy that allows employers to provide tax-free money for workers to buy individual plans.

The abortion-related actions brought Biden immediate praise from women's rights groups, as well as condemnation from social and religious conservatives. Under President Trump, abortion opponents had free rein to try to rewrite federal policy, but now the political pendulum has swung back. Trump's abortion counseling restrictions led Planned Parenthood affiliates to leave the federal family planning program.

Biden campaigned on repealing longstanding federal prohibitions against taxpayer funding for most abortions, but that was not part of Thursday's orders. A change of that magnitude to a group of laws known as the Hyde Amendment would require congressional approval.

Biden's nominee for health secretary, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, has not yet been confirmed by the Senate, but the White House said that will not stop health agencies from immediately going to work on the president's directives.

The idea of reopening Obamacare's health insurance markets in the pandemic has had broad support from consumer, medical, and business organizations. The main insurer trade group, America's Health Insurance Plans, applauded Biden's move.

As the number of uninsured Americans grew because of job losses in the pandemic, the Trump administration resisted calls to reopen HealthCare.gov. Failure to repeal and replace Obamacare was one of the former president's most bitter disappointments. His administration continued trying to find ways to limit the program or unravel it entirely. A Supreme Court decision on Trump’s final legal challenge to the Affordable Care Act is expected this year.

Experts agree that number of uninsured people has risen because of layoffs in the coronavirus economy, but authoritative estimates await government studies due later this year. While some estimates cite 5 million to 10 million newly uninsured people, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office says its analysis suggests a smaller number.

Nonetheless, the CBO projects that nearly 32 million Americans are uninsured and of those, about 2 in 3 are eligible for some kind of subsidized coverage.

The Obama-era health care law covers more than 23 million people through a mix of subsidized private insurance sold in all states, and expanded Medicaid adopted by 38 states.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611863114554.png" alt="President Joe Biden after signing the executive order on Thursday -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>President Joe Biden after signing the executive order on Thursday -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Thursday ordered government health insurance markets to reopen for a special sign-up window, offering uninsured Americans a haven as the spread of COVID-19 remains dangerously high and vaccines aren't yet widely available.<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/01/28/fact-sheet-president-biden-to-sign-executive-orders-strengthening-americans-access-to-quality-affordable-health-care/">Click here to read</a> the executive orderBiden signed an executive order directing the HealthCare.gov insurance markets to take new applications for subsidized benefits, something Donald Trump's administration had refused to do. He also instructed his administration to consider reversing other Trump health care policies, including curbs on abortion counseling and the imposition of work requirements for low-income people getting Medicaid.“There’s nothing new that we’re doing here other than restoring the Affordable Care Act and restoring Medicaid to the way it was before Trump became president,” Biden said as he signed the directives in the Oval Office. He declared he was reversing “my predecessor’s attack on women’s health."The actions were only the first steps by Biden, who has promised to build out former President Barack Obama’s health care law to achieve a goal of coverage for all. While Biden rejects the idea of a government-run system that Sen. Bernie Sanders has pushed for in his “Medicare for All” proposal, his more centrist approach will require congressional buy-in. But opposition to “Obamacare” runs deep among Republicans.The most concrete short-term impact of Biden's orders will come from reopening HealthCare.gov insurance markets as coverage has shrunk in the economic turmoil of the coronavirus pandemic. That's an executive action and no legislation is required.The new “special enrollment period” will begin Feb. 15 and run through May 15, the White House said. It will be coupled with a promotional campaign and a call for states that run their own insurance markets to match the federal sign-up opportunity.The Biden administration has ample resources for marketing, said Karen Pollitz, a health insurance expert with the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation. The foundation estimates that the Trump administration left unspent about $1.2 billion in user fees collected from insurers to help pay for running the marketplaces.“The reason it wasn’t spent is the Trump administration spent its time in office cutting services that support consumer enrollment,” Pollitz said. “All the while the user fee revenue was coming in, (but) they were not allowed to spend it on anything other than marketplace operations.”Created under the Obama-era Affordable Care Act, the marketplaces offer taxpayer-subsidized coverage regardless of a person’s medical history or preexisting conditions, including COVID-19.Biden also ordered the immediate reversal of a federal policy that bars taxpayer funding for international health care nonprofits that promote or provide abortions. Known as the Mexico City Policy, it can be switched on or off depending on whether Democrats or Republicans control the White House. Abortion rights supporters call it the “global gag rule.”Other directives Biden issued could take months to carry out.He instructed the Department of Health and Human Services to consider rescinding Trump regulations that bar federally funded family planning clinics from referring women for abortions.HHS will also reexamine a Trump administration policy that allows states to impose work requirements as a condition for low-income people to get Medicaid health insurance. Work requirements have been blocked by federal courts, which found that they led to thousands of people losing coverage and violated Medicaid's legal charge to provide medical services. The Supreme Court has agreed to hear the issue.And Biden directed HHS to review Trump policies that could undermine protections for people with health problems, such as a rule that facilitated the sale of short-term health insurance plans that don't have to cover preexisting medical conditions.Such changes cannot happen overnight. Rescinding a federal regulation requires a new regulation, which has to follow an established legal process that involves considering different sides of an issue.Former Trump health policy adviser Brian Blase said the Biden administration has to take care it doesn't throw out some policies intended to help solidly middle-class people who don't qualify for financial assistance under Obama's law.“Obamacare plans are generally only attractive to people who receive large subsidies to buy them,” said Blase. He cited a Trump policy that allows employers to provide tax-free money for workers to buy individual plans.The abortion-related actions brought Biden immediate praise from women's rights groups, as well as condemnation from social and religious conservatives. Under President Trump, abortion opponents had free rein to try to rewrite federal policy, but now the political pendulum has swung back. Trump's abortion counseling restrictions led Planned Parenthood affiliates to leave the federal family planning program.Biden campaigned on repealing longstanding federal prohibitions against taxpayer funding for most abortions, but that was not part of Thursday's orders. A change of that magnitude to a group of laws known as the Hyde Amendment would require congressional approval.Biden's nominee for health secretary, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, has not yet been confirmed by the Senate, but the White House said that will not stop health agencies from immediately going to work on the president's directives.The idea of reopening Obamacare's health insurance markets in the pandemic has had broad support from consumer, medical, and business organizations. The main insurer trade group, America's Health Insurance Plans, applauded Biden's move.As the number of uninsured Americans grew because of job losses in the pandemic, the Trump administration resisted calls to reopen HealthCare.gov. Failure to repeal and replace Obamacare was one of the former president's most bitter disappointments. His administration continued trying to find ways to limit the program or unravel it entirely. A Supreme Court decision on Trump’s final legal challenge to the Affordable Care Act is expected this year.Experts agree that number of uninsured people has risen because of layoffs in the coronavirus economy, but authoritative estimates await government studies due later this year. While some estimates cite 5 million to 10 million newly uninsured people, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office says its analysis suggests a smaller number.Nonetheless, the CBO projects that nearly 32 million Americans are uninsured and of those, about 2 in 3 are eligible for some kind of subsidized coverage.The Obama-era health care law covers more than 23 million people through a mix of subsidized private insurance sold in all states, and expanded Medicaid adopted by 38 states.

Biden reopens Obamacare sign-up window for uninsured 

By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-01-27/members-of-a-topeka-hospital-board-and-its-fundraising-foundation-got-early-covid-shots">Kansas News Service</a>

Members of a Topeka hospital’s board — and a separate board focused 
on its fundraising — got COVID-19 vaccinations during the first phase of
 the immunization rollout when the coveted shots were meant for people 
at greatest risk from infection.

While thousands of Kansans who 
live in assisted living centers, work in schools or grocery stores, or 
respond to fires and other 911 emergencies wait in line for the second 
phase of the rollout, board members and fundraising leaders at Stormont 
Vail Health got offered the shots earlier.

But Phase 1 focused on nursing homes and health care workers. State health officials say fundraising boards were not part of it.

A
 spokeswoman for the state health department said “we would direct you 
to the specific hospital for how they made the determination” to 
vaccinate board members.

As for hospital boards, neither state nor federal guidelines say someone should get the shot simply for being a member.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/recommendations/hcp.html" target="_blank">guidelines for early access</a>
 recommend vaccinating unpaid health care workers if they “have the 
potential for direct or indirect exposure to patients or infectious 
materials.”

The <a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/DocumentCenter/View/121/Vaccine-Prioritization-Slides-PDF" target="_blank">Kansas plan</a>
 similarly lists unpaid people “in healthcare or healthcare-associated 
jobs, who are unable to work from home and may be directly or indirectly
 exposed to patients or infectious materials as a result of their job.”

A
 spokesman for Stormont Vail Health defended giving early access to the 
fundraising and hospital boards. Their decisions help govern the 
hospital and “make sure that everything’s running day to day,” Matt Lara
 told the Kansas News Service.

He said state health officials agreed the hospital could give vaccines to its team.

“For us, our team members include … our boards,” Lara said. “So, yes, the foundation board did receive the vaccine.”

Stormont Vail workers who see patients got the shots first, though, he said.

<a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/DocumentCenter/View/121/Vaccine-Prioritization-Slides-PDF" target="_blank">Phase 1</a>
 of the vaccine rollout in Kansas focused on nursing homes, health care 
workers and other workers critical to the pandemic response.

Both the state and federal guidance offer lots of examples, but don’t name boards and fundraising leaders.

Kansas moved to Phase 2 of vaccine distribution last week.

That
 phase includes group living situations (such as assisted living and 
prisons), teachers, police, and other critical workers whose jobs put 
them in close contact with a lot of people and potential coronavirus 
germs.

Boards typically give long-term direction to staff. They 
include unpaid community members who are separate from the paid hospital
 and foundation staff. They’re often recruited based on their ability to give or raise money or to represent a segment of the community.

Stormont
 Vail's tax forms indicate that hospital board members spend an average 
of three hours a week on their duties, and that members of the Stormont 
Vail Foundation invest one hour a week.

The foundation is the 
not-for-profit hospital’s fundraising entity. It reported about $2.8 
million in gifts and grants for 2018, according to tax forms filed to 
the IRS.

Facilities in other states have also allowed their 
hospital and fundraising boards to jump ahead in the vaccination line. 
That’s sparked criticism.

This month, the New York State 
Department of Health said it would investigate one facility over that 
decision. Boards aren’t the same as volunteers who work at the hospital 
daily, the department told the <a href="https://www.recordonline.com/story/news/local/2021/01/13/state-investigates-garnet-health-vaccinating-ineligible-board-members/6653240002/" target="_blank">Times Herald-Record</a>. The agency said frontline workers should be “insulted” by the argument that board members qualified for the shots.

A <a href="https://fredericksburg.com/news/local/some-mary-washington-hospital-foundation-trustees-get-early-vaccinations/article_71e630b6-c095-5fcd-ac39-26f38b4430be.html" target="_blank">Virginia hospital</a> also gave its board members early access, arguing that they are volunteers.

In <a href="https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/times-watchdog/special-access-to-covid-19-vaccine-for-overlake-medical-center-donors-draws-inslee-rebuke/" target="_blank">Washington state</a>,
 a hospital invited board members, top donors and others to get their 
shots over the weekend, even though the facility’s public waitlist was 
booked through March. It backtracked when the governor’s office 
complained.

At least four other hospitals in California and 
Florida have drawn public scrutiny over board members or donors 
receiving shots early in the rollout.

Counties set priorities 
locally for how to handle the bottleneck of eager vaccine seekers in 
those groups. When Douglas County opened its first 500 slots for Phase 
2, people grabbed up all the slots in less than half an hour, The <a href="https://www2.ljworld.com/news/general-news/2021/jan/20/douglas-county-announces-it-will-start-vaccinating-people-65-and-older-appointments-for-first-clinic-fill-up-in-minutes/" target="_blank">Lawrence Journal-World</a> reported.

In
 a public update this week, Stormont Vail CEO Robert Kenagy said his 
hospital is working with the county health department to help with the 
rollout, and is “primarily charged with reaching out to patients 65 and 
older.”

The hospital has more than 60,000 patients in that age 
group, so it kicked off Phase 2 on Monday by giving priority to those 
over the age of 74, Kenagy said.

“We are in a situation currently 
where demand for the vaccine is greater than supply,” he wrote. “We are 
working diligently to get the vaccine supply we receive into the arms of
 our community members as safely and quickly as possible.”

Celia Llopis-Jepsen reports on consumer health and education for the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/Celia_LJ" target="_blank">@celia_LJ</a> or email her at celia@kcur.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611844088979.png" alt="Members of a fundraising board got early access to COVID-19 shots at Stormont Vail Hospital in Topeka. Celia Llopis-Jepsen / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>Members of a fundraising board got early access to COVID-19 shots at Stormont Vail Hospital in Topeka. Celia Llopis-Jepsen / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-01-27/members-of-a-topeka-hospital-board-and-its-fundraising-foundation-got-early-covid-shots">Kansas News Service</a>Members of a Topeka hospital’s board — and a separate board focused 
on its fundraising — got COVID-19 vaccinations during the first phase of
 the immunization rollout when the coveted shots were meant for people 
at greatest risk from infection.While thousands of Kansans who 
live in assisted living centers, work in schools or grocery stores, or 
respond to fires and other 911 emergencies wait in line for the second 
phase of the rollout, board members and fundraising leaders at Stormont 
Vail Health got offered the shots earlier.But Phase 1 focused on nursing homes and health care workers. State health officials say fundraising boards were not part of it.A
 spokeswoman for the state health department said “we would direct you 
to the specific hospital for how they made the determination” to 
vaccinate board members.As for hospital boards, neither state nor federal guidelines say someone should get the shot simply for being a member.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/recommendations/hcp.html" target="_blank">guidelines for early access</a>
 recommend vaccinating unpaid health care workers if they “have the 
potential for direct or indirect exposure to patients or infectious 
materials.”The <a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/DocumentCenter/View/121/Vaccine-Prioritization-Slides-PDF" target="_blank">Kansas plan</a>
 similarly lists unpaid people “in healthcare or healthcare-associated 
jobs, who are unable to work from home and may be directly or indirectly
 exposed to patients or infectious materials as a result of their job.”A
 spokesman for Stormont Vail Health defended giving early access to the 
fundraising and hospital boards. Their decisions help govern the 
hospital and “make sure that everything’s running day to day,” Matt Lara
 told the Kansas News Service.He said state health officials agreed the hospital could give vaccines to its team.“For us, our team members include … our boards,” Lara said. “So, yes, the foundation board did receive the vaccine.”Stormont Vail workers who see patients got the shots first, though, he said.<a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/DocumentCenter/View/121/Vaccine-Prioritization-Slides-PDF" target="_blank">Phase 1</a>
 of the vaccine rollout in Kansas focused on nursing homes, health care 
workers and other workers critical to the pandemic response.Both the state and federal guidance offer lots of examples, but don’t name boards and fundraising leaders.Kansas moved to Phase 2 of vaccine distribution last week.That
 phase includes group living situations (such as assisted living and 
prisons), teachers, police, and other critical workers whose jobs put 
them in close contact with a lot of people and potential coronavirus 
germs.Boards typically give long-term direction to staff. They 
include unpaid community members who are separate from the paid hospital
 and foundation staff. They’re often recruited based on their ability to give or raise money or to represent a segment of the community.Stormont
 Vail's tax forms indicate that hospital board members spend an average 
of three hours a week on their duties, and that members of the Stormont 
Vail Foundation invest one hour a week.The foundation is the 
not-for-profit hospital’s fundraising entity. It reported about $2.8 
million in gifts and grants for 2018, according to tax forms filed to 
the IRS.Facilities in other states have also allowed their 
hospital and fundraising boards to jump ahead in the vaccination line. 
That’s sparked criticism.This month, the New York State 
Department of Health said it would investigate one facility over that 
decision. Boards aren’t the same as volunteers who work at the hospital 
daily, the department told the <a href="https://www.recordonline.com/story/news/local/2021/01/13/state-investigates-garnet-health-vaccinating-ineligible-board-members/6653240002/" target="_blank">Times Herald-Record</a>. The agency said frontline workers should be “insulted” by the argument that board members qualified for the shots.A <a href="https://fredericksburg.com/news/local/some-mary-washington-hospital-foundation-trustees-get-early-vaccinations/article_71e630b6-c095-5fcd-ac39-26f38b4430be.html" target="_blank">Virginia hospital</a> also gave its board members early access, arguing that they are volunteers.In <a href="https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/times-watchdog/special-access-to-covid-19-vaccine-for-overlake-medical-center-donors-draws-inslee-rebuke/" target="_blank">Washington state</a>,
 a hospital invited board members, top donors and others to get their 
shots over the weekend, even though the facility’s public waitlist was 
booked through March. It backtracked when the governor’s office 
complained.At least four other hospitals in California and 
Florida have drawn public scrutiny over board members or donors 
receiving shots early in the rollout.Counties set priorities 
locally for how to handle the bottleneck of eager vaccine seekers in 
those groups. When Douglas County opened its first 500 slots for Phase 
2, people grabbed up all the slots in less than half an hour, The <a href="https://www2.ljworld.com/news/general-news/2021/jan/20/douglas-county-announces-it-will-start-vaccinating-people-65-and-older-appointments-for-first-clinic-fill-up-in-minutes/" target="_blank">Lawrence Journal-World</a> reported.In
 a public update this week, Stormont Vail CEO Robert Kenagy said his 
hospital is working with the county health department to help with the 
rollout, and is “primarily charged with reaching out to patients 65 and 
older.”The hospital has more than 60,000 patients in that age 
group, so it kicked off Phase 2 on Monday by giving priority to those 
over the age of 74, Kenagy said.“We are in a situation currently 
where demand for the vaccine is greater than supply,” he wrote. “We are 
working diligently to get the vaccine supply we receive into the arms of
 our community members as safely and quickly as possible.”Celia Llopis-Jepsen reports on consumer health and education for the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/Celia_LJ" target="_blank">@celia_LJ</a> or email her at celia@kcur.org.

Topeka hospital board, fundraisers got early COVID shots

By NOAH TABORDA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/01/27/kansas-bill-proposes-crackdown-on-cellphone-use-by-drivers-in-school-and-work-zones/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — A 
disproportionate amount of motor vehicle accidents in Kansas come as a 
result of distracted driving, but a proposed bill aims to limit mobile 
phone disturbances while operating a motor vehicle.

The
 Kansas Department of Transportation cites 15,000 crashes per year — one
 in every four — in Kansas are the result of inattentive driving. From 
2014 to 2019, 75 people lost their lives to distracted driving on Kansas
 roads, including 34 who died while drivers used cellphones.

These
 statistics have led to a bill that would prohibit cellphone use in a 
school zone or construction zone, except in specific emergency 
circumstances. It would also totally prohibit the use of cellphones 
while driving for those under 18 years of age.

“Distracted
 driving is a pretty large encompassing term, but I think we all might 
agree that using your phone, being distracted with your phone, is 
certainly a large contributor to that effect,” said Travis Lowe, a 
lobbyist representing AAA Kansas. “We believe this legislation will 
improve road safety as well as innocent bystanders near the road.”

Proponents
 of the legislation say this bill would help reduce distracted driving 
and educate the public on proper driving habits in work zones. The bill,
 which supporters say has strong support from the public, did not have 
any opponent testimony Wednesday in a hearing before the Senate 
Transportation Committee.

According
 to the Kansas Department of Revenue, Kansas drivers under the graduated
 driver’s license program have a wireless restriction except in an 
emergency&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksrevenue.org/dovgdl.html" target="_blank">until the age of 17</a>. The bill would extend the age restriction to anyone under 18, even if in possession of a non-restricted driver’s license.

Emergency
 exceptions include calling to prevent injury to yourself or others, 
reporting wrongdoing to law enforcement or calling for repair on a 
vehicle.

If
 found guilty of violating the law, the distracted driver would face a 
minimum $60 fine in addition to any court costs or additional charges.

The
 bill would not impact the current statewide ban on texting while 
driving or any stricter regulations imposed by local government.

Sen.
 J.R. Claeys, R-Salina, supported the initiative to impose stricter 
regulations on those under 18 but questioned the need for a law directed
 at adults.

“It
 seems to me that adults could be educated on the need to not use their 
phone in a school or construction zone and that it doesn’t require a 
legal remedy here,” Claeys said.

Jennifer
 Smith, president of Stop Distractions, a nonprofit dedicated to 
eliminating distracted driving accidents through work with families of 
victims and advocacy, said Claeys’ approach may be wishful thinking.

“I
 don’t want to be negative, but the part about educating adults to not 
use our phones in the school zones and work zones — sadly, we’ve been 
doing this for over and decade. … If education were simply enough, I 
would love that,” Smith said.

Smith
 said amid the COVID-19 pandemic and with the rise of the social media 
app TikTok, the number of people using their phones while driving is 
increasing.

“Our
 school zones and work zones, those are our most vulnerable loved ones,”
 Smith said. “Our family members are working in those work zones, and 
our children are walking through the school zones.”

She
 noted both states with similar laws and those without show a majority 
of the public support this type of legislation. Earlier testimony placed
 the figure at 87.2% support in states with a hands-free law.

For Sen. Rick Kloos, R-Berryton, the proposed legislation struck a personal note.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611770218405.png" alt="Travis Lowe, a lobbyist representing AAA Kansas, says a proposed bill is another effort to limit distracted driving across the state. State data shows about one in four motor vehicle deaths are the result of inattentive driving. (Noah Taborda/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Travis Lowe, a lobbyist representing AAA Kansas, says a proposed bill is another effort to limit distracted driving across the state. State data shows about one in four motor vehicle deaths are the result of inattentive driving. (Noah Taborda/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By NOAH TABORDA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/01/27/kansas-bill-proposes-crackdown-on-cellphone-use-by-drivers-in-school-and-work-zones/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — A 
disproportionate amount of motor vehicle accidents in Kansas come as a 
result of distracted driving, but a proposed bill aims to limit mobile 
phone disturbances while operating a motor vehicle.The
 Kansas Department of Transportation cites 15,000 crashes per year — one
 in every four — in Kansas are the result of inattentive driving. From 
2014 to 2019, 75 people lost their lives to distracted driving on Kansas
 roads, including 34 who died while drivers used cellphones.These
 statistics have led to a bill that would prohibit cellphone use in a 
school zone or construction zone, except in specific emergency 
circumstances. It would also totally prohibit the use of cellphones 
while driving for those under 18 years of age.“Distracted
 driving is a pretty large encompassing term, but I think we all might 
agree that using your phone, being distracted with your phone, is 
certainly a large contributor to that effect,” said Travis Lowe, a 
lobbyist representing AAA Kansas. “We believe this legislation will 
improve road safety as well as innocent bystanders near the road.”Proponents
 of the legislation say this bill would help reduce distracted driving 
and educate the public on proper driving habits in work zones. The bill,
 which supporters say has strong support from the public, did not have 
any opponent testimony Wednesday in a hearing before the Senate 
Transportation Committee.According
 to the Kansas Department of Revenue, Kansas drivers under the graduated
 driver’s license program have a wireless restriction except in an 
emergency&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksrevenue.org/dovgdl.html" target="_blank">until the age of 17</a>. The bill would extend the age restriction to anyone under 18, even if in possession of a non-restricted driver’s license.Emergency
 exceptions include calling to prevent injury to yourself or others, 
reporting wrongdoing to law enforcement or calling for repair on a 
vehicle.If
 found guilty of violating the law, the distracted driver would face a 
minimum $60 fine in addition to any court costs or additional charges.The
 bill would not impact the current statewide ban on texting while 
driving or any stricter regulations imposed by local government.Sen.
 J.R. Claeys, R-Salina, supported the initiative to impose stricter 
regulations on those under 18 but questioned the need for a law directed
 at adults.“It
 seems to me that adults could be educated on the need to not use their 
phone in a school or construction zone and that it doesn’t require a 
legal remedy here,” Claeys said.Jennifer
 Smith, president of Stop Distractions, a nonprofit dedicated to 
eliminating distracted driving accidents through work with families of 
victims and advocacy, said Claeys’ approach may be wishful thinking.“I
 don’t want to be negative, but the part about educating adults to not 
use our phones in the school zones and work zones — sadly, we’ve been 
doing this for over and decade. … If education were simply enough, I 
would love that,” Smith said.Smith
 said amid the COVID-19 pandemic and with the rise of the social media 
app TikTok, the number of people using their phones while driving is 
increasing.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611770274980.jpeg" alt="Sen. Rick Kloos, R-Berryton, shared a personal impetus Wednesday for supporting the legislation restricting mobile phone use while driving. (Noah Taborda/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Rick Kloos, R-Berryton, shared a personal impetus Wednesday for supporting the legislation restricting mobile phone use while driving. (Noah Taborda/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>“Our
 school zones and work zones, those are our most vulnerable loved ones,”
 Smith said. “Our family members are working in those work zones, and 
our children are walking through the school zones.”She
 noted both states with similar laws and those without show a majority 
of the public support this type of legislation. Earlier testimony placed
 the figure at 87.2% support in states with a hands-free law.For Sen. Rick Kloos, R-Berryton, the proposed legislation struck a personal note.“My
 wife’s dad, my father-in-law, was killed by a teenage driver who was 
driving and talking on the phone,” Kloos said. “I will support this 
bill.”Senators
 asked that the legislation be clarified to indicate a driver using a 
phone in a parked vehicle would not violate these laws.