PAPILLION, Neb. (AP) - A 23-year-old man charged with fatally shooting two employees at a Nebraska fast food restaurant and wounding two others was denied bond Tuesday at his first court appearance.

Roberto Carlos Silva Jr. faces two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of attempted first-degree murder and other charges in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nebraska-man-arrested-after-attack-762cf044b1b85e2094ee9c206dae7d71" target="_blank">Saturday's attack</a>&nbsp;at a Sonic Drive-in restaurant in the Omaha suburb of Bellevue.

Sarpy County public defender Tom Strigenz said he couldn't immediately comment on the case after his office was appointed to represent Silva.

Silva, of Omaha, also faces&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-bellevue-omaha-arson-fires-575c5382f0fd5dfac22ca95387df5226" target="_blank">four gun charges</a>&nbsp;and an arson charge for setting fire to a U-Haul truck he drove to the restaurant.

Bellevue police said the U-Haul was on fire when officers arrived around 9:30 p.m. Saturday and found the four victims. Silva was arrested nearby shortly after the shooting. Police said he was unarmed and cooperative when he was arrested but four guns were found at the restaurant.

Three days before the shooting, Silva was arrested near the same restaurant for allegedly using someone else's Sonic app to buy $57 worth of food. At the time of that arrest, officers seized three guns from Silva who has a permit to carry a concealed weapon. He was released from jail Thursday after posting $150 bond.

Silva's next court appearance is scheduled for Dec. 15.

Police have said Ryan Helbert, 28, and Nathan Pastrana, 22, were killed in the shooting. The two Sonic workers who were hospitalized are Kenneth Gerner, 25, and Zoey Reece Atalig Lujan, 18. A fifth employee suffered a minor injury but declined treatment.

The owner of the Sonic where the shooting happened, Bryant Morrison, said the store will remain closed until further notice and counseling is being offered to employees.

The shootings "stunned us all," Morrison said in a statement. "We grieve for the families and friends of Nathan and Ryan and we hold Zoey and Kenneth in our hearts and prayers."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1606237126968.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>PAPILLION, Neb. (AP) - A 23-year-old man charged with fatally shooting two employees at a Nebraska fast food restaurant and wounding two others was denied bond Tuesday at his first court appearance.Roberto Carlos Silva Jr. faces two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of attempted first-degree murder and other charges in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nebraska-man-arrested-after-attack-762cf044b1b85e2094ee9c206dae7d71" target="_blank">Saturday's attack</a>&nbsp;at a Sonic Drive-in restaurant in the Omaha suburb of Bellevue.Sarpy County public defender Tom Strigenz said he couldn't immediately comment on the case after his office was appointed to represent Silva.Silva, of Omaha, also faces&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-bellevue-omaha-arson-fires-575c5382f0fd5dfac22ca95387df5226" target="_blank">four gun charges</a>&nbsp;and an arson charge for setting fire to a U-Haul truck he drove to the restaurant.Bellevue police said the U-Haul was on fire when officers arrived around 9:30 p.m. Saturday and found the four victims. Silva was arrested nearby shortly after the shooting. Police said he was unarmed and cooperative when he was arrested but four guns were found at the restaurant.Three days before the shooting, Silva was arrested near the same restaurant for allegedly using someone else's Sonic app to buy $57 worth of food. At the time of that arrest, officers seized three guns from Silva who has a permit to carry a concealed weapon. He was released from jail Thursday after posting $150 bond.Silva's next court appearance is scheduled for Dec. 15.Police have said Ryan Helbert, 28, and Nathan Pastrana, 22, were killed in the shooting. The two Sonic workers who were hospitalized are Kenneth Gerner, 25, and Zoey Reece Atalig Lujan, 18. A fifth employee suffered a minor injury but declined treatment.The owner of the Sonic where the shooting happened, Bryant Morrison, said the store will remain closed until further notice and counseling is being offered to employees.The shootings "stunned us all," Morrison said in a statement. "We grieve for the families and friends of Nathan and Ryan and we hold Zoey and Kenneth in our hearts and prayers."

Bond denied in fatal attack at Nebraska fast food restaurant

RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) — A former Rapid City priest accused of possessing child pornography and having sexual contact with a minor has been sentenced to nearly eight years in federal prison in connection with a separate theft case. 

Marcin Garbacz was sentenced Monday after he was convicted of stealing nearly $260,000 in cash donations from the diocese. 

At his sentencing hearing, Garbacz apologized to parishioners, saying he unfairly harmed them when he was angry at the Diocese of Rapid City and the Catholic Church. 

Garbacz won't go directly to prison because he now faces the charges related to sexual misconduct charges, which were recently unsealed.

RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) — A former Rapid City priest accused of possessing child pornography and having sexual contact with a minor has been sentenced to nearly eight years in federal prison in connection with a separate theft case. Marcin Garbacz was sentenced Monday after he was convicted of stealing nearly $260,000 in cash donations from the diocese. At his sentencing hearing, Garbacz apologized to parishioners, saying he unfairly harmed them when he was angry at the Diocese of Rapid City and the Catholic Church. Garbacz won't go directly to prison because he now faces the charges related to sexual misconduct charges, which were recently unsealed.

Former Rapid City priest gets nearly 8 years in theft case

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A petition drive in Lincoln seeks to recall the mayor and most of the city council, an effort spurred by the city leaders’ actions during the coronavirus pandemic.

 The Lincoln Journal Star reports that LNK Recall organizers on Monday took the petitions to the County-City Building as the council held a meeting. 

Several dozen people waited near the entrance to sign the petitions. 

Meanwhile, a counter protester stood nearby chanting, “My daughter’s a nurse. Don’t make it worse. Wear a mask.” 

The recall effort accuses Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird of seeking authoritarian control and attacking the liberty of Lincoln residents.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A petition drive in Lincoln seeks to recall the mayor and most of the city council, an effort spurred by the city leaders’ actions during the coronavirus pandemic. The Lincoln Journal Star reports that LNK Recall organizers on Monday took the petitions to the County-City Building as the council held a meeting. Several dozen people waited near the entrance to sign the petitions. Meanwhile, a counter protester stood nearby chanting, “My daughter’s a nurse. Don’t make it worse. Wear a mask.” The recall effort accuses Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird of seeking authoritarian control and attacking the liberty of Lincoln residents.

Petition seeks to recall Lincoln mayor, council members

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Omaha’s police chief said two officers acted appropriately when a Black man was fatally shot during a Nebraska traffic stop last week because the man repeatedly didn’t comply with their commands, but video of the confrontation won’t be immediately released. 

Police Chief Todd Schmaderer said Monday the officers followed department policy when Kenneth Jones was shot last Thursday because he reached for a gun in his waistband and disregarded officers’ commands. 

Schmaderer showed several photos from the traffic stop during a news conference Monday but he said the full video won’t be released until after a grand jury reviews what happened.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Omaha’s police chief said two officers acted appropriately when a Black man was fatally shot during a Nebraska traffic stop last week because the man repeatedly didn’t comply with their commands, but video of the confrontation won’t be immediately released. Police Chief Todd Schmaderer said Monday the officers followed department policy when Kenneth Jones was shot last Thursday because he reached for a gun in his waistband and disregarded officers’ commands. Schmaderer showed several photos from the traffic stop during a news conference Monday but he said the full video won’t be released until after a grand jury reviews what happened.

Nebraska police chief defends officers in fatal traffic stop

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — Health officials in Wyoming have reported an increase of 742 confirmed COVID-19 cases from Saturday to Sunday, ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday. 

The Wyoming Eagle Tribune reported that there were 24,309 confirmed COVID-19 cases as of Sunday compared to the 23,567 cases reported Saturday. 

Health officials say Natrona County, which includes Casper, reported the highest number of newly reported cases at 115. 

Laramie County, which includes Cheyenne, reported 105 newly confirmed COVID-19 cases, while Fremont County reported the next highest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases at 95. Statewide, the number of active COVID-19 cases increased to 11,186 on Sunday, or by 482 cases.

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — Health officials in Wyoming have reported an increase of 742 confirmed COVID-19 cases from Saturday to Sunday, ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday. The Wyoming Eagle Tribune reported that there were 24,309 confirmed COVID-19 cases as of Sunday compared to the 23,567 cases reported Saturday. Health officials say Natrona County, which includes Casper, reported the highest number of newly reported cases at 115. Laramie County, which includes Cheyenne, reported 105 newly confirmed COVID-19 cases, while Fremont County reported the next highest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases at 95. Statewide, the number of active COVID-19 cases increased to 11,186 on Sunday, or by 482 cases.

Wyoming reports increase in newly confirmed COVID-19 cases

WASHINGTON (AP) — After weeks of fraught delay, the federal government recognized President-elect Joe Biden as the “apparent winner” of the Nov. 3 election on Monday and gave the green light for cooperation on a transition of power. The move came after President Donald Trump suffered yet more legal and procedural defeats in his seemingly futile effort to overturn the election with baseless claims of fraud.

General Services Administrator Emily Murphy cleared the way for Biden to coordinate with federal agencies ahead of his Jan. 20 inauguration after Trump’s efforts to subvert the vote failed across multiple battleground states.

Trump, who has still refused to concede the election — and may never — followed up with a tweet that he was directing his team to cooperate on the transition. The president had grown increasingly frustrated with the flailing tactics of his legal team.

Murphy, explaining her decision, cited “recent developments involving legal challenges and certifications of election results.”

She acted after Michigan on Monday certified Biden’s victory in the battleground state, and a federal judge in Pennsylvania tossed a Trump campaign lawsuit on Saturday seeking to prevent certification in that state.

It also comes as an increasing number of Republicans were publicly acknowledging Biden’s victory, after weeks of tolerating Trump’s baseless claims of fraud.

“With Michigan’s certifying (its) results, Joe Biden has over 270 electoral college votes,” tweeted Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy. “President Trump’s legal team has not presented evidence of the massive fraud which would have had to be present to overturn the election. I voted for President Trump but Joe Biden won.”

Yohannes Abraham, executive director of the Biden transition, said in a statement that the decision “is a needed step to begin tackling the challenges facing our nation, including getting the pandemic under control and our economy back on track.”

He added: “In the days ahead, transition officials will begin meeting with federal officials to discuss the pandemic response, have a full accounting of our national security interests, and gain complete understanding of the Trump administration’s efforts to hollow out government agencies.”

Murphy, a Trump appointee, has faced bipartisan criticism for failing to begin the transition process sooner, preventing Biden’s team from working with career agency officials on plans for his administration. The delay denied Biden access to receive highly classified national security briefings and hindered his team’s ability to begin drawing up its own plans to respond to the raging coronavirus pandemic.

“Please know that I came to my decision independently, based on the law and available facts. I was never directly or indirectly pressured by any Executive Branch official—including those who work at the White House or GSA—with regard to the substance or timing of my decision,” she wrote in a letter to Biden.

Trump tweeted moments after Murphy’s decision: “We will keep up the good fight and I believe we will prevail! Nevertheless, in the best interest of our Country, I am recommending that Emily and her team do what needs to be done with regard to initial protocols, and have told my team to do the same.”

Max Stier, president and CEO of the nonpartisan Partnership for Public Service, criticized the delay, but said Biden’s team would be able to overcome it.

“Unfortunately, every day lost to the delayed ascertainment was a missed opportunity for the outgoing administration to help President-elect Joe Biden prepare to meet our country’s greatest challenges,” he said. “The good news is that the president-elect and his team are the most prepared and best equipped of any incoming administration in recent memory.”

Murphy’s action came just 90 minutes after Michigan election officials on Monday certified Democrat Joe Biden’s 154,000-vote victory in the state. The Board of State Canvassers, which has two Republicans and two Democrats, confirmed the results on a 3-0 vote with one GOP abstention. Trump and his allies had hoped to block the vote to allow time for an audit of ballots in Wayne County, where Trump has claimed without evidence that he was the victim of fraud. Biden crushed the president by more than 330,000 votes there.

Under Michigan law, Biden claims all 16 electoral votes. Biden won by 2.8 percentage points — a larger margin than in other states where Trump is contesting the results like Georgia, Arizona, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.

Some Trump allies had expressed hope that state lawmakers could intervene in selecting Republican electors in states that do not certify. That longshot bid is no longer possible in Michigan.

“The people of Michigan have spoken. President-elect Biden won the State of Michigan by more than 154,000 votes, and he will be our next president on January 20th,” Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, said in a statement, saying it’s “time to put this election behind us.”

The Trump legal team dismissed the certification as “simply a procedural step” and insisted it would continue to mount legal challenges.

Trump’s efforts to stave off the inevitable — formal recognition of his defeat — have faced increasingly stiff resistance from the courts and fellow Republicans with just three weeks to go until the Electoral College meets to certify Biden’s victory. Time and again, Trump’s challenges and baseless allegations of widespread conspiracy and fraud have been met with rejection as states move forward with confirming their results.

In Pennsylvania, a conservative Republican judge shot down the Trump campaign’s biggest legal effort in Pennsylvania with a scathing ruling that questioned why he was supposed to disenfranchise 7 million voters with no evidence to back their claims and an inept legal argument at best.

But the lawyers still hope to block the state’s certification, quickly appealing to the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia, which ordered lawyers to file a brief Monday but did not agree to hear oral arguments.

The campaign, in its filings, asked for urgent consideration so they could challenge the state election results before they are certified next month. If not, they will seek to decertify them, the filings said.

Biden won Pennsylvania by more than 80,000 votes.

Pennsylvania county election boards were voting on Monday, the state deadline, about whether to certify election results to the Department of State. The boards in two populous counties split along party lines, with majority Democrats in both places voting to certify. After all counties have sent certified results to Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar, she must then tabulate, compute and canvass votes for all races. The law requires her to perform that task quickly but does not set a specific deadline.

In Wisconsin, a recount in the state’s two largest liberal counties moved into its fourth day at a slow pace, with election officials in Milwaukee County complaining that Trump observers were hanging up the process with frequent challenges. Trump’s hope of reversing Biden’s victory there depends on disqualifying thousands of absentee ballots -- including the in-person absentee ballot cast by one of Trump’s own campaign attorneys in Dane County.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The General Services Administration ascertained Monday that President-elect Joe Biden is the “apparent winner” of the Nov. 3 election, clearing the way for the start of the transition from President Donald Trump’s administration and allowing Biden to coordinate with federal agencies on plans for taking over on Jan. 20.

Trump, who had refused to concede the election, said in a tweet that he is directing his team to cooperate on the transition but is vowing to keep up the fight.

Administrator Emily Murphy made the determination after Trump efforts to subvert the vote failed across battleground states, citing, “recent developments involving legal challenges and certifications of election results.” Michigan certified Biden’s victory Monday, and a federal judge in Pennsylvania tossed a Trump campaign lawsuit on Saturday seeking to prevent certification in that state.

Yohannes Abraham, the executive director of the Biden transition, said in a statement that the decision “is a needed step to begin tackling the challenges facing our nation, including getting the pandemic under control and our economy back on track.”

Murphy, a Trump appointee, had faced bipartisan criticism for failing to begin the transition process sooner, preventing Biden’s team from working with career agency officials on plans for his administration, including in critical national security and public health areas.

“Please know that I came to my decision independently, based on the law and available facts. I was never directly or indirectly pressured by any Executive Branch official—including those who work at the White House or GSA—with regard to the substance or timing of my decision,” Murphy wrote in a letter to Biden.

Trump tweeted shortly after her letter was made public: “We will keep up the good fight and I believe we will prevail! Nevertheless, in the best interest of our Country, I am recommending that Emily and her team do what needs to be done with regard to initial protocols, and have told my team to do the same.”

Pressure had been mounting on Murphy as an increasing number of Republicans, national security experts and business leaders said it was time for that process to move forward.

Retiring Tennessee Sen. Lamar Alexander, who has repeatedly called for the transition to begin, released a new statement Monday saying that Trump should “put the country first” and help Biden’s administration succeed.

“When you are in public life, people remember the last thing you do,” Alexander said.

Republican Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio on Monday called for Murphy to release money and staffing needed for the transition. Portman, a senior member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, also said Biden should receive high-level briefings on national security and the coronavirus vaccine distribution plan.

Alexander and Portman, who have both aligned themselves with Trump, joined a growing number of Republican officials who in recent days have urged Trump to begin the transition immediately. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., also urged a smooth transition, saying in a statement Monday that “at some point, the 2020 election must end.”

Meanwhile, more than 160 business leaders asked Murphy to immediately acknowledge Biden as president-elect and begin the transition to a new administration. “Withholding resources and vital information from an incoming administration puts the public and economic health and security of America at risk,″ the business letters said in an open letter to Murphy.

Separately, more than 100 Republican former national security officials — including former Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge, former CIA Director Michael Hayden and former Director of National Intelligence John Negroponte — said in a statement that Trump’s refusal to concede and allow for an orderly transition “constitutes a serious threat” to America’s democratic process. The officials signing the letter worked under four Republican presidents, including Trump.

The statement called on “Republican leaders — especially those in Congress — to publicly demand that President Trump cease his anti-democratic assault on the integrity of the presidential election.”

Trump had publicly refused to accept defeat and launched a series of losing court battles across the country making baseless claims of widespread voter fraud and seeking to overturn the election results.

Murphy missed a deadline on Monday set by House Democrats to brief lawmakers about the delay in beginning the transition, which is usually a routine step between the election and the inauguration. A spokeswoman for the GSA said that a deputy administrator would instead hold two separate briefings for House and Senate committees on Nov. 30.

In response, the Democratic chairs of four committees and subcommittees said they could reschedule the meeting for Tuesday, but no later.

“We cannot wait yet another week to obtain basic information about your refusal to make the ascertainment determination,” the Democrats said in a letter to Murphy. “Every additional day that is wasted is a day that the safety, health, and well-being of the American people is imperiled as the incoming Biden-Harris administration is blocked from fully preparing for the coronavirus pandemic, our nation’s dire economic crisis, and our national security.”

Portman said it was “only prudent” for GSA to begin the transition process immediately.

“Donald Trump is our president until Jan. 20, 2021, but in the likely event that Joe Biden becomes our next president, it is in the national interest that the transition is seamless and that America is ready on Day One of a new administration for the challenges we face,″ Portman wrote in an op-ed calling for the transition to begin.

Murphy’s ascertainment will free up money for the transition and clear the way for Biden’s team to begin placing transition personnel at federal agencies. Trump administration officials had said they would not give Biden the classified presidential daily briefing on intelligence matters until the GSA makes the ascertainment official.

“Now that GSA Administrator Emily Murphy has fulfilled her duty and ascertained the election results, the formal presidential transition can begin in full force,” said Max Stier, president and CEO of the nonpartisan Partnership for Public Service. “Unfortunately, every day lost to the delayed ascertainment was a missed opportunity for the outgoing administration to help President-elect Joe Biden prepare to meet our country’s greatest challenges. The good news is that the president-elect and his team are the most prepared and best equipped of any incoming administration in recent memory.”

Among those signing the letter from business leaders were Jon Gray, president of the Blackstone private equity firm; Robert Bakish, president and CEO of ViacomCBS Inc.; Henry Kravis, the co-chief executive of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts &amp; Co., another private equity giant; David Solomon, CEO at Goldman Sachs; and George H. Walker, CEO of the investment firm Neuberger Berman and a second cousin to former President George W. Bush.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604799896568.png" alt="President-elect Joe Biden" />
 <figcaption>President-elect Joe Biden</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — After weeks of fraught delay, the federal government recognized President-elect Joe Biden as the “apparent winner” of the Nov. 3 election on Monday and gave the green light for cooperation on a transition of power. The move came after President Donald Trump suffered yet more legal and procedural defeats in his seemingly futile effort to overturn the election with baseless claims of fraud.General Services Administrator Emily Murphy cleared the way for Biden to coordinate with federal agencies ahead of his Jan. 20 inauguration after Trump’s efforts to subvert the vote failed across multiple battleground states.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I want to thank Emily Murphy at GSA for her steadfast dedication and loyalty to our Country. She has been harassed, threatened, and abused – and I do not want to see this happen to her, her family, or employees of GSA. Our case STRONGLY continues, we will keep up the good...&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1331013907859845121?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 23, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump, who has still refused to concede the election — and may never — followed up with a tweet that he was directing his team to cooperate on the transition. The president had grown increasingly frustrated with the flailing tactics of his legal team.Murphy, explaining her decision, cited “recent developments involving legal challenges and certifications of election results.”She acted after Michigan on Monday certified Biden’s victory in the battleground state, and a federal judge in Pennsylvania tossed a Trump campaign lawsuit on Saturday seeking to prevent certification in that state.It also comes as an increasing number of Republicans were publicly acknowledging Biden’s victory, after weeks of tolerating Trump’s baseless claims of fraud.“With Michigan’s certifying (its) results, Joe Biden has over 270 electoral college votes,” tweeted Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy. “President Trump’s legal team has not presented evidence of the massive fraud which would have had to be present to overturn the election. I voted for President Trump but Joe Biden won.”Yohannes Abraham, executive director of the Biden transition, said in a statement that the decision “is a needed step to begin tackling the challenges facing our nation, including getting the pandemic under control and our economy back on track.”He added: “In the days ahead, transition officials will begin meeting with federal officials to discuss the pandemic response, have a full accounting of our national security interests, and gain complete understanding of the Trump administration’s efforts to hollow out government agencies.”Murphy, a Trump appointee, has faced bipartisan criticism for failing to begin the transition process sooner, preventing Biden’s team from working with career agency officials on plans for his administration. The delay denied Biden access to receive highly classified national security briefings and hindered his team’s ability to begin drawing up its own plans to respond to the raging coronavirus pandemic.Murphy insisted she acted on her own.“Please know that I came to my decision independently, based on the law and available facts. I was never directly or indirectly pressured by any Executive Branch official—including those who work at the White House or GSA—with regard to the substance or timing of my decision,” she wrote in a letter to Biden.Trump tweeted moments after Murphy’s decision: “We will keep up the good fight and I believe we will prevail! Nevertheless, in the best interest of our Country, I am recommending that Emily and her team do what needs to be done with regard to initial protocols, and have told my team to do the same.”Max Stier, president and CEO of the nonpartisan Partnership for Public Service, criticized the delay, but said Biden’s team would be able to overcome it.“Unfortunately, every day lost to the delayed ascertainment was a missed opportunity for the outgoing administration to help President-elect Joe Biden prepare to meet our country’s greatest challenges,” he said. “The good news is that the president-elect and his team are the most prepared and best equipped of any incoming administration in recent memory.”Murphy’s action came just 90 minutes after Michigan election officials on Monday certified Democrat Joe Biden’s 154,000-vote victory in the state. The Board of State Canvassers, which has two Republicans and two Democrats, confirmed the results on a 3-0 vote with one GOP abstention. Trump and his allies had hoped to block the vote to allow time for an audit of ballots in Wayne County, where Trump has claimed without evidence that he was the victim of fraud. Biden crushed the president by more than 330,000 votes there.Under Michigan law, Biden claims all 16 electoral votes. Biden won by 2.8 percentage points — a larger margin than in other states where Trump is contesting the results like Georgia, Arizona, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.Some Trump allies had expressed hope that state lawmakers could intervene in selecting Republican electors in states that do not certify. That longshot bid is no longer possible in Michigan.“The people of Michigan have spoken. President-elect Biden won the State of Michigan by more than 154,000 votes, and he will be our next president on January 20th,” Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, said in a statement, saying it’s “time to put this election behind us.”The Trump legal team dismissed the certification as “simply a procedural step” and insisted it would continue to mount legal challenges.Trump’s efforts to stave off the inevitable — formal recognition of his defeat — have faced increasingly stiff resistance from the courts and fellow Republicans with just three weeks to go until the Electoral College meets to certify Biden’s victory. Time and again, Trump’s challenges and baseless allegations of widespread conspiracy and fraud have been met with rejection as states move forward with confirming their results.In Pennsylvania, a conservative Republican judge shot down the Trump campaign’s biggest legal effort in Pennsylvania with a scathing ruling that questioned why he was supposed to disenfranchise 7 million voters with no evidence to back their claims and an inept legal argument at best.But the lawyers still hope to block the state’s certification, quickly appealing to the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia, which ordered lawyers to file a brief Monday but did not agree to hear oral arguments.The campaign, in its filings, asked for urgent consideration so they could challenge the state election results before they are certified next month. If not, they will seek to decertify them, the filings said.Biden won Pennsylvania by more than 80,000 votes.Pennsylvania county election boards were voting on Monday, the state deadline, about whether to certify election results to the Department of State. The boards in two populous counties split along party lines, with majority Democrats in both places voting to certify. After all counties have sent certified results to Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar, she must then tabulate, compute and canvass votes for all races. The law requires her to perform that task quickly but does not set a specific deadline.In Wisconsin, a recount in the state’s two largest liberal counties moved into its fourth day at a slow pace, with election officials in Milwaukee County complaining that Trump observers were hanging up the process with frequent challenges. Trump’s hope of reversing Biden’s victory there depends on disqualifying thousands of absentee ballots -- including the in-person absentee ballot cast by one of Trump’s own campaign attorneys in Dane County.----------WASHINGTON (AP) — The General Services Administration ascertained Monday that President-elect Joe Biden is the “apparent winner” of the Nov. 3 election, clearing the way for the start of the transition from President Donald Trump’s administration and allowing Biden to coordinate with federal agencies on plans for taking over on Jan. 20.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I want to thank Emily Murphy at GSA for her steadfast dedication and loyalty to our Country. She has been harassed, threatened, and abused – and I do not want to see this happen to her, her family, or employees of GSA. Our case STRONGLY continues, we will keep up the good...&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1331013907859845121?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 23, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump, who had refused to concede the election, said in a tweet that he is directing his team to cooperate on the transition but is vowing to keep up the fight.Administrator Emily Murphy made the determination after Trump efforts to subvert the vote failed across battleground states, citing, “recent developments involving legal challenges and certifications of election results.” Michigan certified Biden’s victory Monday, and a federal judge in Pennsylvania tossed a Trump campaign lawsuit on Saturday seeking to prevent certification in that state.Yohannes Abraham, the executive director of the Biden transition, said in a statement that the decision “is a needed step to begin tackling the challenges facing our nation, including getting the pandemic under control and our economy back on track.”He added: “In the days ahead, transition officials will begin meeting with federal officials to discuss the pandemic response, have a full accounting of our national security interests, and gain complete understanding of the Trump administration’s efforts to hollow out government agencies.”Murphy, a Trump appointee, had faced bipartisan criticism for failing to begin the transition process sooner, preventing Biden’s team from working with career agency officials on plans for his administration, including in critical national security and public health areas.“Please know that I came to my decision independently, based on the law and available facts. I was never directly or indirectly pressured by any Executive Branch official—including those who work at the White House or GSA—with regard to the substance or timing of my decision,” Murphy wrote in a letter to Biden.Trump tweeted shortly after her letter was made public: “We will keep up the good fight and I believe we will prevail! Nevertheless, in the best interest of our Country, I am recommending that Emily and her team do what needs to be done with regard to initial protocols, and have told my team to do the same.”Pressure had been mounting on Murphy as an increasing number of Republicans, national security experts and business leaders said it was time for that process to move forward.Retiring Tennessee Sen. Lamar Alexander, who has repeatedly called for the transition to begin, released a new statement Monday saying that Trump should “put the country first” and help Biden’s administration succeed.“When you are in public life, people remember the last thing you do,” Alexander said.Republican Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio on Monday called for Murphy to release money and staffing needed for the transition. Portman, a senior member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, also said Biden should receive high-level briefings on national security and the coronavirus vaccine distribution plan.Alexander and Portman, who have both aligned themselves with Trump, joined a growing number of Republican officials who in recent days have urged Trump to begin the transition immediately. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., also urged a smooth transition, saying in a statement Monday that “at some point, the 2020 election must end.”Meanwhile, more than 160 business leaders asked Murphy to immediately acknowledge Biden as president-elect and begin the transition to a new administration. “Withholding resources and vital information from an incoming administration puts the public and economic health and security of America at risk,″ the business letters said in an open letter to Murphy.Separately, more than 100 Republican former national security officials — including former Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge, former CIA Director Michael Hayden and former Director of National Intelligence John Negroponte — said in a statement that Trump’s refusal to concede and allow for an orderly transition “constitutes a serious threat” to America’s democratic process. The officials signing the letter worked under four Republican presidents, including Trump.The statement called on “Republican leaders — especially those in Congress — to publicly demand that President Trump cease his anti-democratic assault on the integrity of the presidential election.”Trump had publicly refused to accept defeat and launched a series of losing court battles across the country making baseless claims of widespread voter fraud and seeking to overturn the election results.Murphy missed a deadline on Monday set by House Democrats to brief lawmakers about the delay in beginning the transition, which is usually a routine step between the election and the inauguration. A spokeswoman for the GSA said that a deputy administrator would instead hold two separate briefings for House and Senate committees on Nov. 30.In response, the Democratic chairs of four committees and subcommittees said they could reschedule the meeting for Tuesday, but no later.“We cannot wait yet another week to obtain basic information about your refusal to make the ascertainment determination,” the Democrats said in a letter to Murphy. “Every additional day that is wasted is a day that the safety, health, and well-being of the American people is imperiled as the incoming Biden-Harris administration is blocked from fully preparing for the coronavirus pandemic, our nation’s dire economic crisis, and our national security.”Portman said it was “only prudent” for GSA to begin the transition process immediately.“Donald Trump is our president until Jan. 20, 2021, but in the likely event that Joe Biden becomes our next president, it is in the national interest that the transition is seamless and that America is ready on Day One of a new administration for the challenges we face,″ Portman wrote in an op-ed calling for the transition to begin.Murphy’s ascertainment will free up money for the transition and clear the way for Biden’s team to begin placing transition personnel at federal agencies. Trump administration officials had said they would not give Biden the classified presidential daily briefing on intelligence matters until the GSA makes the ascertainment official.“Now that GSA Administrator Emily Murphy has fulfilled her duty and ascertained the election results, the formal presidential transition can begin in full force,” said Max Stier, president and CEO of the nonpartisan Partnership for Public Service. “Unfortunately, every day lost to the delayed ascertainment was a missed opportunity for the outgoing administration to help President-elect Joe Biden prepare to meet our country’s greatest challenges. The good news is that the president-elect and his team are the most prepared and best equipped of any incoming administration in recent memory.”Among those signing the letter from business leaders were Jon Gray, president of the Blackstone private equity firm; Robert Bakish, president and CEO of ViacomCBS Inc.; Henry Kravis, the co-chief executive of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts &amp; Co., another private equity giant; David Solomon, CEO at Goldman Sachs; and George H. Walker, CEO of the investment firm Neuberger Berman and a second cousin to former President George W. Bush.

Feds agree to help Biden transition after more Trump defeats

BELLEVUE, Neb. (AP) — Authorities have filed additional charges against a 23-year-old man in a shooting at a Nebraska fast food restaurant in which two employees were killed and two others were wounded. 

Roberto Carlos Silva Jr. was charged Monday with two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of attempted first-degree murder, arson and four gun charges in Saturday’s attack at a Sonic Drive-in restaurant in the Omaha suburb of Bellevue. 

Police officers found a U-Haul truck on fire outside the restaurant around 9:30 p.m. Saturday when they responded to the shooting and found the four victims. 

Sarpy County prosecutor Bonnie Moore said Monday that investigators are still trying to determine Silva's motive.

BELLEVUE, Neb. (AP) — Authorities have filed additional charges against a 23-year-old man in a shooting at a Nebraska fast food restaurant in which two employees were killed and two others were wounded. Roberto Carlos Silva Jr. was charged Monday with two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of attempted first-degree murder, arson and four gun charges in Saturday’s attack at a Sonic Drive-in restaurant in the Omaha suburb of Bellevue. Police officers found a U-Haul truck on fire outside the restaurant around 9:30 p.m. Saturday when they responded to the shooting and found the four victims. Sarpy County prosecutor Bonnie Moore said Monday that investigators are still trying to determine Silva's motive.

More charges filed in deadly attack at Nebraska restaurant

OMAHA, Neb.-United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced federal criminal charges against 12 members of the No Name Demons Gang in Lincoln, Nebraska. The charges allege a firearms conspiracy; conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act); drug trafficking crimes; and multiple charges of possessing firearms in furtherance of crimes of violence and drug trafficking crimes.&nbsp; Some of the charged defendants, if convicted, face up to life in federal prison.&nbsp; Other defendants face up to 60 years in federal prison if convicted of their charges. The indictment was unsealed today and appearances by the defendants are scheduled to begin Monday, November 23, 2020, before United States Magistrate Judge Cheryl R. Zwart in Lincoln.

The indictment alleges, as part of the firearms conspiracy, the defendants stole firearms, to include a .45 caliber Smith and Wesson Tactical Handgun that was used in a homicide earlier this year, and purchased weapons illegally in order to arm juvenile members of the gang.&nbsp; The defendants are alleged to have used the firearms not only to further their drug trafficking but also to commit robberies of individuals in Lincoln.

Lorenzo Anderson, aka “Peace”, age 27

Special Agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, alongside officers and investigators of the Lincoln Police Department, deputies from the United States Marshals Service, and deputies and investigators with the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office, executed a series of search warrants in connection with these charges earlier today and worked together to take these defendants into custody quickly and safely.&nbsp; All are in custody without incident.&nbsp; The charges announced today are a direct result of the hard work, successful cooperation, and seamless coordination amongst all of these state and federal law enforcement partners.&nbsp;

U.S. Attorney Kelly praised the efforts of the Lincoln Police Department, the Lancaster County Attorney’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and other agencies for coming together on this investigation and prosecution. Kelly added, “Federal statutes provide effective tools to combat violent crimes involving firearms and the cooperation of all levels of law enforcement, as here, will keep our communities safe.”

After today’s arrests, FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel said, “Protecting the public from violent criminals is a fundamental core of the FBI's mission.&nbsp;Today a violent gang has been dismantled.&nbsp;Working closely with our&nbsp;federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, the Lincoln Safe Streets Gang Task Force has struck a major blow against violent gang activity in the Lincoln area.&nbsp; We will continue to investigate, arrest, and charge violent gang members who terrorize our community.&nbsp; Our Safe Streets Task Force is committed to&nbsp;creating a higher quality of life for all residents in Lincoln by eliminating the threat of gang violence.”

Lincoln Chief of Police Jeffrey Bliemeister stated, “The collaborative efforts of federal and local law enforcement agencies combined with the support of the citizens of Lincoln are critical to impacting violent crime.&nbsp; We appreciate the focused work by so many talented and driven staff leading to the arrests.”

An Indictment is simply an accusation. Defendants are presumed innocent until evidence proves their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case is part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/projectguardian">https://www.justice.gov/projectguardian</a>.

This case was primarily investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Lincoln Police Department with operational assistance from the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Marshals Service.

News Release US Attorneys OfficeOMAHA, Neb.-United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced federal criminal charges against 12 members of the No Name Demons Gang in Lincoln, Nebraska. The charges allege a firearms conspiracy; conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act); drug trafficking crimes; and multiple charges of possessing firearms in furtherance of crimes of violence and drug trafficking crimes.&nbsp; Some of the charged defendants, if convicted, face up to life in federal prison.&nbsp; Other defendants face up to 60 years in federal prison if convicted of their charges. The indictment was unsealed today and appearances by the defendants are scheduled to begin Monday, November 23, 2020, before United States Magistrate Judge Cheryl R. Zwart in Lincoln.The indictment alleges, as part of the firearms conspiracy, the defendants stole firearms, to include a .45 caliber Smith and Wesson Tactical Handgun that was used in a homicide earlier this year, and purchased weapons illegally in order to arm juvenile members of the gang.&nbsp; The defendants are alleged to have used the firearms not only to further their drug trafficking but also to commit robberies of individuals in Lincoln.The defendants are:Jupree Y. Hill, age 25Krysean Reynolds, age 19Rice A. Hill, aka “Shay”, age 18David L. Atem, age 20Lorenzo Anderson, aka “Peace”, age 27Kyce James Davis, age 18Orion J. Ross, age 19Yuko Joseph Gusko, age 18Tang Lian, age 19Isaiah James Dorsey, age 19Bryan Castillo, age 18Kalam K. Yiel, age 20Special Agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, alongside officers and investigators of the Lincoln Police Department, deputies from the United States Marshals Service, and deputies and investigators with the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office, executed a series of search warrants in connection with these charges earlier today and worked together to take these defendants into custody quickly and safely.&nbsp; All are in custody without incident.&nbsp; The charges announced today are a direct result of the hard work, successful cooperation, and seamless coordination amongst all of these state and federal law enforcement partners.&nbsp;U.S. Attorney Kelly praised the efforts of the Lincoln Police Department, the Lancaster County Attorney’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and other agencies for coming together on this investigation and prosecution. Kelly added, “Federal statutes provide effective tools to combat violent crimes involving firearms and the cooperation of all levels of law enforcement, as here, will keep our communities safe.”After today’s arrests, FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel said, “Protecting the public from violent criminals is a fundamental core of the FBI's mission.&nbsp;Today a violent gang has been dismantled.&nbsp;Working closely with our&nbsp;federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, the Lincoln Safe Streets Gang Task Force has struck a major blow against violent gang activity in the Lincoln area.&nbsp; We will continue to investigate, arrest, and charge violent gang members who terrorize our community.&nbsp; Our Safe Streets Task Force is committed to&nbsp;creating a higher quality of life for all residents in Lincoln by eliminating the threat of gang violence.”Lincoln Chief of Police Jeffrey Bliemeister stated, “The collaborative efforts of federal and local law enforcement agencies combined with the support of the citizens of Lincoln are critical to impacting violent crime.&nbsp; We appreciate the focused work by so many talented and driven staff leading to the arrests.”An Indictment is simply an accusation. Defendants are presumed innocent until evidence proves their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.This case is part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/projectguardian">https://www.justice.gov/projectguardian</a>.This case was primarily investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Lincoln Police Department with operational assistance from the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Marshals Service.

12 Lincoln gang members indicted in violent crimes, firearms conspiracy

SIOUX FALLS, S..D. (AP) — South Dakota has reported its first flu death of the season, saying the person was in their 80s and lived in Potter County.

 Additional information about the individual was not released in order to protect patient confidentiality. 

State epidemiologist Josh Clayton says the death is a reminder that the flu can be serious, and it's not too late to get vaccinated. 

Clayton said flu activity statewide is classified as sporadic.

 In addition to one death, the state is reporting four lab-confirmed cases of the flu and two flu-related hospitalizations. 

Every year, an average of 48 flu-related deaths are reported in South Dakota.

SIOUX FALLS, S..D. (AP) — South Dakota has reported its first flu death of the season, saying the person was in their 80s and lived in Potter County. Additional information about the individual was not released in order to protect patient confidentiality. State epidemiologist Josh Clayton says the death is a reminder that the flu can be serious, and it's not too late to get vaccinated. Clayton said flu activity statewide is classified as sporadic. In addition to one death, the state is reporting four lab-confirmed cases of the flu and two flu-related hospitalizations. Every year, an average of 48 flu-related deaths are reported in South Dakota.

South Dakota reports 1st flu death of season

DETROIT (AP) — General Motors will recall about 7 million big pickup trucks and SUVs worldwide to replace potentially dangerous Takata air bag inflators.

The move came Monday after the U.S. government told the automaker it had to recall 6 million of the vehicles in the U.S.

The recall will cost the Detroit automaker an estimated $1.2 billion, about one third of its net income so far this year.

GM says it will not fight the recall, even though it believes the vehicles are safe.

The automaker had petitioned the agency four times starting in 2016 to avoid a recall, contending the air bag inflator canisters have been safe on the road and in testing. But the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Monday denied the petitions, saying the inflators still run the risk of exploding.

Owners who filed comments with NHTSA said the company was placing profits over safety.

Exploding Takata inflators caused the largest series of auto recalls in U.S. history, with at least 63 million inflators recalled. The U.S. government says that as of September, more than 11.1 million had not been fixed. About 100 million inflators have been recalled worldwide.

Takata used volatile ammonium nitrate to create a small explosion to fill air bags in a crash. But the chemical can deteriorate when exposed to heat and humidity and explode with too much force, blowing apart a metal canister and spewing shrapnel.

Twenty-seven people have been killed worldwide by the exploding inflators including 18 in the U.S.

The recall covers GM full-size pickup trucks and SUVs from the 2007 through 2014 model years, including the Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 2500 and 3500 pickups. The Silverado is GM’s top-selling vehicle and the second-best selling vehicle in the U.S. Also covered are the Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe and Avalanche, the Cadillac Escalade, GMC Sierra 1500, 2500 and 3500, and the GMC Yukon.

It took the agency more than four years to arrive at its decision, which comes toward the end of President Donald Trump’s four-year term.

NHTSA said in a prepared statement that it analyzed all available data on the air bags, including engineering and statistical analyses, aging tests and field data.

“Based on this information and information provided to the petition’s public docket, NHTSA concluded that the GM inflators in question are at risk of the same type of explosion after long-term exposure to high heat and humidity as other recalled Takata inflators,” the agency said.

The company has 30 days to give NHTSA a proposed schedule for notifying vehicle owners and starting the recall, the statement said.

GM said that although it believes a recall isn’t warranted based on the factual and scientific records, it will abide by NHTSA’s decision.

GM spokesman Dan Flores said Monday that none of the inflators have blown apart in the field or in laboratory testing. But he said GM doesn’t want a drawn-out fight with the government.

“Although we are confident that the inflators in the GMT900 vehicles do not pose an unreasonable risk to safety, continue to perform as designed in the field and will continue to perform as designed in line with the results of our accelerated aging studies, we will abide by NHTSA’s decision to maintain the trust and confidence of customers and regulators,” he said in an email.

The decision means that all Takata ammonium nitrate inflators in the U.S. will be recalled, NHTSA said. Earlier this year the agency decided not to seek a recall of inflators with a moisture-absorbing chemical called a dessicant. But NHTSA said it would monitor those inflators and take action if a problem arose.

In a 2019 petition to NHTSA, GM said the inflators were designed to its specifications and are safe, with no explosions even though nearly 67,000 air bags have deployed in the field.

But Takata declared the GM front passenger inflators defective under a 2015 agreement with the government.

In its petition, GM said that Northrop Grumman tested 4,270 inflators by artificially exposing them to added humidity and temperature cycling, and there were no explosions or abnormal deployments. It says GM has “established that worse-than-worst-case humidity exposure and temperature cycling will not cause inflator ruptures ... at any point within even unrealistically conservative vehicle service life estimates.”

Shares of GM rose nearly 3% in Monday morning trading to $44.16.

Drivers can check to see if their vehicles have been recalled by going to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls" target="_blank">https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls</a>&nbsp;and keying in their 17-digit vehicle identification number.

The recalls drove Japan’s Takata into bankruptcy and brought criminal charges against the company. Eventually it was purchased by a Chinese-owned auto parts supplier.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1576782225717.png" alt="Photo courtesy National Highway Traffic Safety Administratoion" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy National Highway Traffic Safety Administratoion</figcaption>
 </figure>DETROIT (AP) — General Motors will recall about 7 million big pickup trucks and SUVs worldwide to replace potentially dangerous Takata air bag inflators.The move came Monday after the U.S. government told the automaker it had to recall 6 million of the vehicles in the U.S.The recall will cost the Detroit automaker an estimated $1.2 billion, about one third of its net income so far this year.GM says it will not fight the recall, even though it believes the vehicles are safe.The automaker had petitioned the agency four times starting in 2016 to avoid a recall, contending the air bag inflator canisters have been safe on the road and in testing. But the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Monday denied the petitions, saying the inflators still run the risk of exploding.Owners who filed comments with NHTSA said the company was placing profits over safety.Exploding Takata inflators caused the largest series of auto recalls in U.S. history, with at least 63 million inflators recalled. The U.S. government says that as of September, more than 11.1 million had not been fixed. About 100 million inflators have been recalled worldwide.Takata used volatile ammonium nitrate to create a small explosion to fill air bags in a crash. But the chemical can deteriorate when exposed to heat and humidity and explode with too much force, blowing apart a metal canister and spewing shrapnel.Twenty-seven people have been killed worldwide by the exploding inflators including 18 in the U.S.The recall covers GM full-size pickup trucks and SUVs from the 2007 through 2014 model years, including the Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 2500 and 3500 pickups. The Silverado is GM’s top-selling vehicle and the second-best selling vehicle in the U.S. Also covered are the Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe and Avalanche, the Cadillac Escalade, GMC Sierra 1500, 2500 and 3500, and the GMC Yukon.It took the agency more than four years to arrive at its decision, which comes toward the end of President Donald Trump’s four-year term.NHTSA said in a prepared statement that it analyzed all available data on the air bags, including engineering and statistical analyses, aging tests and field data.“Based on this information and information provided to the petition’s public docket, NHTSA concluded that the GM inflators in question are at risk of the same type of explosion after long-term exposure to high heat and humidity as other recalled Takata inflators,” the agency said.The company has 30 days to give NHTSA a proposed schedule for notifying vehicle owners and starting the recall, the statement said.GM said that although it believes a recall isn’t warranted based on the factual and scientific records, it will abide by NHTSA’s decision.GM spokesman Dan Flores said Monday that none of the inflators have blown apart in the field or in laboratory testing. But he said GM doesn’t want a drawn-out fight with the government.“Although we are confident that the inflators in the GMT900 vehicles do not pose an unreasonable risk to safety, continue to perform as designed in the field and will continue to perform as designed in line with the results of our accelerated aging studies, we will abide by NHTSA’s decision to maintain the trust and confidence of customers and regulators,” he said in an email.The decision means that all Takata ammonium nitrate inflators in the U.S. will be recalled, NHTSA said. Earlier this year the agency decided not to seek a recall of inflators with a moisture-absorbing chemical called a dessicant. But NHTSA said it would monitor those inflators and take action if a problem arose.In a 2019 petition to NHTSA, GM said the inflators were designed to its specifications and are safe, with no explosions even though nearly 67,000 air bags have deployed in the field.But Takata declared the GM front passenger inflators defective under a 2015 agreement with the government.In its petition, GM said that Northrop Grumman tested 4,270 inflators by artificially exposing them to added humidity and temperature cycling, and there were no explosions or abnormal deployments. It says GM has “established that worse-than-worst-case humidity exposure and temperature cycling will not cause inflator ruptures ... at any point within even unrealistically conservative vehicle service life estimates.”Shares of GM rose nearly 3% in Monday morning trading to $44.16.Drivers can check to see if their vehicles have been recalled by going to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls" target="_blank">https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls</a>&nbsp;and keying in their 17-digit vehicle identification number.The recalls drove Japan’s Takata into bankruptcy and brought criminal charges against the company. Eventually it was purchased by a Chinese-owned auto parts supplier.

GM to recall 7M pickup trucks, SUVs to replace air bags

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota health officials are reporting 42 deaths due to the coronavirus in the last day, lifting the state’s death toll to 819 since the start of the pandemic.

 There have been 404 virus fatalities in the state in the month of November. 

The COVID Tracking Project reports that South Dakota ranks No. 2 behind North Dakota for the number of virus cases per capita in the last two weeks. 

One in every 110 people in South Dakota tested positive in the past week. 

The state processed 851 positive tests since Saturday, lifting the total case count to 73.065. Hospitalizations fell by three in the last day, to 577.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota health officials are reporting 42 deaths due to the coronavirus in the last day, lifting the state’s death toll to 819 since the start of the pandemic. There have been 404 virus fatalities in the state in the month of November. The COVID Tracking Project reports that South Dakota ranks No. 2 behind North Dakota for the number of virus cases per capita in the last two weeks. One in every 110 people in South Dakota tested positive in the past week. The state processed 851 positive tests since Saturday, lifting the total case count to 73.065. Hospitalizations fell by three in the last day, to 577.

South Dakota reports 42 deaths due to COVID-19 in last day

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Lincoln man is accused of waving a chain saw at a Black neighbor and yelling racial epithets at her.

 The Lincoln Journal Star reports a woman was entering her apartment building Saturday afternoon when a 41-year-old man allegedly confronted her with a chain saw, told her to leave the property and yelled racial epithets. 

The woman ran away and called the police. 

The man was arrested on suspicion of making terroristic threats. It wasn’t immediately clear if he has been charged.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Lincoln man is accused of waving a chain saw at a Black neighbor and yelling racial epithets at her. The Lincoln Journal Star reports a woman was entering her apartment building Saturday afternoon when a 41-year-old man allegedly confronted her with a chain saw, told her to leave the property and yelled racial epithets. The woman ran away and called the police. The man was arrested on suspicion of making terroristic threats. It wasn’t immediately clear if he has been charged.

Lincoln man accused of waving chain saw at neighbor

LONDON (AP) — Pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca said Monday that late-stage trials showed its coronavirus vaccine was up to 90% effective, giving public health officials hope they may soon have access to a vaccine that is cheaper and easier to distribute than some of its rivals.

The results are based on interim analysis of trials in the U.K. and Brazil of a vaccine developed by Oxford University and manufactured by AstraZeneca. No hospitalizations or severe cases of COVID-19 were reported in those receiving the vaccine.

AstraZeneca is the third major drug company to report late-stage results for a potential COVID-19 vaccine as the world anxiously waits for scientific breakthroughs that will bring an end to a pandemic that has wrought economic devastation and resulted in nearly 1.4 million confirmed deaths.

Pfizer and Moderna last week reported preliminary results from late-stage trials showing their vaccines were almost 95% effective. But, unlike its rivals, the AstraZeneca vaccine doesn’t have to be stored at ultra-cold temperatures, making it easier to distribute, especially in developing countries.

“I think these are really exciting results,” Dr. Andrew Pollard, chief investigator for the trial, said during a news conference. “Because the vaccine can be stored at fridge temperatures, it can be distributed around the world using the normal immunization distribution system. And so our goal … to make sure that we have a vaccine that was accessible everywhere, I think we’ve actually managed to do that.”

The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is also cheaper. AstraZeneca, which has pledged it won’t make a profit on the vaccine during the pandemic, has reached agreements with governments and international health organizations that put its cost at about $2.50 a dose. Pfizer’s vaccine costs about $20 a dose, while Moderna’s is $15 to $25, based on agreements the companies have struck to supply their vaccines to the U.S. government.

All three vaccines must be approved by regulators before they can be widely distributed.

Oxford researchers and AstraZeneca stressed that they aren’t competing with other projects, and that multiple vaccines will be needed to reach enough of the world’s population and end the pandemic.

“We’re not thinking about vaccinations working in terms of one person at a time. We have to think about vaccinating communities, populations, reducing transmission within those populations, so that we really get on top of this pandemic,″ said Sarah Gilbert, a leader of the Oxford research team. “And that’s what it now looks like we’re going to have the ability to contribute to in a really big way.″

The results come as a second wave of COVID-19 hits many countries, once again shutting businesses, restricting social interaction and pummeling the world economy.

AstraZeneca said it will immediately apply for early approval of the vaccine where possible, and it will seek an emergency use listing from the World Health Organization, so it can make the vaccine available in low-income countries.

The AstraZeneca trial looked at two different dosing regimens. A half-dose of the vaccine followed by a full dose at least one month later was 90% effective. Another approach, giving patients two full doses one month apart, was 62% effective. The combined results showed an average efficacy rate of 70%.

The vaccine uses a weakened version of a common cold virus that is combined with genetic material for the characteristic spike protein of the virus that causes COVID-19. After vaccination, the spike protein primes the immune system to attack the virus if it later infects the body.

The vaccine can be transported under “normal refrigerated conditions” of 2 to 8 degrees Celsius (36 to 46 degrees Fahrenheit), AstraZeneca said. By comparison, Pfizer plans to distribute its vaccine using specially designed “thermal shippers” that use dry ice to maintain temperatures of minus-70 degrees Celsius (minus-94 degrees Fahrenheit).

Peter Openshaw, professor of experimental medicine at Imperial College London, said the finding that a smaller initial dose is more effective than a larger one is good news because it may reduce costs and mean more people can be vaccinated.

“The report that an initial half-dose is better than a full dose seems counterintuitive for those of us thinking of vaccines as normal drugs: With drugs, we expect that higher doses have bigger effects, and more side-effects,” he said. “But the immune system does not work like that.”

The results reported Monday come from trials in the U.K. and Brazil that involved 23,000 people. Late-stage trials are also underway in the U.S., Japan, Russia, South Africa, Kenya and Latin America, with further trials planned for other European and Asian countries.

AstraZeneca has been ramping up manufacturing capacity, so it can supply hundreds of millions of doses of the vaccine starting in January, Chief Executive Pascal Soriot said earlier this month.

Soriot said Monday that the Oxford vaccine’s simpler supply chain and AstraZeneca’s commitment to provide it on a nonprofit basis during the pandemic mean it will be affordable and available to people around the world.

“This vaccine’s efficacy and safety confirm that it will be highly effective against COVID-19 and will have an immediate impact on this public health emergency,” Soriot said.

British Health Secretary Matt Hancock said he felt “a great sense of relief” at the news from AstraZeneca.

Britain has ordered 100 million doses of the Oxford vaccine, and the government says several million doses can be produced before the end of the year if it is approved by regulators.

Just months ago, “the idea that by November we would have three vaccines, all of which have got high effectiveness … I would have given my eye teeth for,” Hancock said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602590971875.png" alt="Photo courtesy Johnson &amp; Johnson" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Johnson &amp; Johnson</figcaption>
 </figure>LONDON (AP) — Pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca said Monday that late-stage trials showed its coronavirus vaccine was up to 90% effective, giving public health officials hope they may soon have access to a vaccine that is cheaper and easier to distribute than some of its rivals.The results are based on interim analysis of trials in the U.K. and Brazil of a vaccine developed by Oxford University and manufactured by AstraZeneca. No hospitalizations or severe cases of COVID-19 were reported in those receiving the vaccine.AstraZeneca is the third major drug company to report late-stage results for a potential COVID-19 vaccine as the world anxiously waits for scientific breakthroughs that will bring an end to a pandemic that has wrought economic devastation and resulted in nearly 1.4 million confirmed deaths.Pfizer and Moderna last week reported preliminary results from late-stage trials showing their vaccines were almost 95% effective. But, unlike its rivals, the AstraZeneca vaccine doesn’t have to be stored at ultra-cold temperatures, making it easier to distribute, especially in developing countries.“I think these are really exciting results,” Dr. Andrew Pollard, chief investigator for the trial, said during a news conference. “Because the vaccine can be stored at fridge temperatures, it can be distributed around the world using the normal immunization distribution system. And so our goal … to make sure that we have a vaccine that was accessible everywhere, I think we’ve actually managed to do that.”The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is also cheaper. AstraZeneca, which has pledged it won’t make a profit on the vaccine during the pandemic, has reached agreements with governments and international health organizations that put its cost at about $2.50 a dose. Pfizer’s vaccine costs about $20 a dose, while Moderna’s is $15 to $25, based on agreements the companies have struck to supply their vaccines to the U.S. government.All three vaccines must be approved by regulators before they can be widely distributed.Oxford researchers and AstraZeneca stressed that they aren’t competing with other projects, and that multiple vaccines will be needed to reach enough of the world’s population and end the pandemic.“We’re not thinking about vaccinations working in terms of one person at a time. We have to think about vaccinating communities, populations, reducing transmission within those populations, so that we really get on top of this pandemic,″ said Sarah Gilbert, a leader of the Oxford research team. “And that’s what it now looks like we’re going to have the ability to contribute to in a really big way.″The results come as a second wave of COVID-19 hits many countries, once again shutting businesses, restricting social interaction and pummeling the world economy.AstraZeneca said it will immediately apply for early approval of the vaccine where possible, and it will seek an emergency use listing from the World Health Organization, so it can make the vaccine available in low-income countries.The AstraZeneca trial looked at two different dosing regimens. A half-dose of the vaccine followed by a full dose at least one month later was 90% effective. Another approach, giving patients two full doses one month apart, was 62% effective. The combined results showed an average efficacy rate of 70%.The vaccine uses a weakened version of a common cold virus that is combined with genetic material for the characteristic spike protein of the virus that causes COVID-19. After vaccination, the spike protein primes the immune system to attack the virus if it later infects the body.The vaccine can be transported under “normal refrigerated conditions” of 2 to 8 degrees Celsius (36 to 46 degrees Fahrenheit), AstraZeneca said. By comparison, Pfizer plans to distribute its vaccine using specially designed “thermal shippers” that use dry ice to maintain temperatures of minus-70 degrees Celsius (minus-94 degrees Fahrenheit).Peter Openshaw, professor of experimental medicine at Imperial College London, said the finding that a smaller initial dose is more effective than a larger one is good news because it may reduce costs and mean more people can be vaccinated.“The report that an initial half-dose is better than a full dose seems counterintuitive for those of us thinking of vaccines as normal drugs: With drugs, we expect that higher doses have bigger effects, and more side-effects,” he said. “But the immune system does not work like that.”The results reported Monday come from trials in the U.K. and Brazil that involved 23,000 people. Late-stage trials are also underway in the U.S., Japan, Russia, South Africa, Kenya and Latin America, with further trials planned for other European and Asian countries.AstraZeneca has been ramping up manufacturing capacity, so it can supply hundreds of millions of doses of the vaccine starting in January, Chief Executive Pascal Soriot said earlier this month.Soriot said Monday that the Oxford vaccine’s simpler supply chain and AstraZeneca’s commitment to provide it on a nonprofit basis during the pandemic mean it will be affordable and available to people around the world.“This vaccine’s efficacy and safety confirm that it will be highly effective against COVID-19 and will have an immediate impact on this public health emergency,” Soriot said.British Health Secretary Matt Hancock said he felt “a great sense of relief” at the news from AstraZeneca.Britain has ordered 100 million doses of the Oxford vaccine, and the government says several million doses can be produced before the end of the year if it is approved by regulators.Just months ago, “the idea that by November we would have three vaccines, all of which have got high effectiveness … I would have given my eye teeth for,” Hancock said.___

Cheaper COVID-19 vaccine headed for approval

GILLETTE, Wyo. (AP) — A growing online conspiracy theory says Wyoming doesn't really exist. Proponents of the idea discuss it on Reddit, where a “Wyoming doesn't exist” group with 24,000 members has almost twice as many people as a group dedicated to the state itself. 

The Gillette News Record reports the group's moderators include a Wyoming native, 21-year-old Dalen Brazelton. Brazelton says people who discuss the theory say Wyoming is a big state but they've never met anybody from Wyoming. 

Others say aliens may be involved. The theories get zanier the more they are explored.

GILLETTE, Wyo. (AP) — A growing online conspiracy theory says Wyoming doesn't really exist. Proponents of the idea discuss it on Reddit, where a “Wyoming doesn't exist” group with 24,000 members has almost twice as many people as a group dedicated to the state itself. The Gillette News Record reports the group's moderators include a Wyoming native, 21-year-old Dalen Brazelton. Brazelton says people who discuss the theory say Wyoming is a big state but they've never met anybody from Wyoming. Others say aliens may be involved. The theories get zanier the more they are explored.

Growing online theory says Wyoming doesn't exist

RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) — A former priest convicted of stealing $260,000 in cash donations from the Diocese of Rapid City is now accused of having sexual contact with a minor and possessing child pornography. 

The Rapid City Journal reports 42-year-old Marcin Garbacz was indicted in February but the case was only unsealed on Friday. 

Garbacz is scheduled for a sentencing hearing on Monday after a jury convicted him in March of 65 financial crimes.

 The new charges stem from an FBI agent coming across child pornography on one of Garbacz’s thumb drives during the financial crimes investigation.

RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) — A former priest convicted of stealing $260,000 in cash donations from the Diocese of Rapid City is now accused of having sexual contact with a minor and possessing child pornography. The Rapid City Journal reports 42-year-old Marcin Garbacz was indicted in February but the case was only unsealed on Friday. Garbacz is scheduled for a sentencing hearing on Monday after a jury convicted him in March of 65 financial crimes. The new charges stem from an FBI agent coming across child pornography on one of Garbacz’s thumb drives during the financial crimes investigation.

Former Rapid City priest faces child pornography charges

U.S. health officials agreed to allow emergency use of a second antibody drug to help the immune system fight COVID-19, an experimental medicine that President Donald Trump was given when he was sickened last month.

The Food and Drug Administration authorized use of the <a href="https://www.gilead.com/news-and-press/press-room/press-releases/2020/10/us-food-and-drug-administration-approves-gileads-antiviral-veklury-remdesivir-for-treatment-of-covid19">Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. drug to </a>try to prevent hospitalization and worsening disease from developing in patients with mild-to-moderate symptoms.

The drug is given as a one-time treatment through an IV. The FDA allowed its use in adults and children 12 and over who weigh at least 88 pounds and who are at high risk of severe illness from COVID-19 because of age or certain other medical conditions.

Emergency authorization allows use of the drug to start while studies are continuing to establish safety and effectiveness. Early results suggest the drug may reduce COVID-19-related hospitalization or emergency room visits in patients at high risk for disease progression, the FDA said.

Regeneron said that initial doses will be made available to roughly 300,000 patients through a federal government allocation program. Those patients will not be charged for the drug but may have to pay part of the cost of giving the IV.

Initial supplies will likely be vastly outstripped by demand as the U.S. has surged past 12 million reported cases, with the country facing what health experts say will be a dark winter due to uncontrolled spread of the virus.

Antibodies are proteins the body makes to target and help eliminate viruses, but it can take weeks for the best ones to form after an infection occurs. The drugs are concentrated versions of ones that proved best able to do this in lab and animal tests, and in theory help the body start to fight the virus right away.

The Regeneron drug is a combo of two antibodies to enhance the chances it will prove effective. Earlier this month, the FDA gave emergency authorization to a single-antibody drug from Eli Lilly that also is still being studied.

There’s no way to know whether the Regeneron drug helped Trump recover; he received a host of treatments and most COVID-19 patients recover on their own.

FDA regulators authorized the Regeneron drug using their emergency powers to quickly speed the availability of experimental drugs and other medical products during public health crises.

In normal times the FDA requires “substantial evidence” to show that a drug is safe and effective, usually through one or more large, rigorously controlled patient studies. But during public health emergencies the agency can lower those standards and require only that an experimental treatment’s potential benefits outweigh its risks.

The emergency authorization functions like a temporary approval for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic. To win full approval, Regeneron will have to submit additional research to fully define the drug’s safety and benefit for patients.

By MARILYNN MARCHIONE, Associated PressU.S. health officials agreed to allow emergency use of a second antibody drug to help the immune system fight COVID-19, an experimental medicine that President Donald Trump was given when he was sickened last month.The Food and Drug Administration authorized use of the <a href="https://www.gilead.com/news-and-press/press-room/press-releases/2020/10/us-food-and-drug-administration-approves-gileads-antiviral-veklury-remdesivir-for-treatment-of-covid19">Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. drug to </a>try to prevent hospitalization and worsening disease from developing in patients with mild-to-moderate symptoms.The drug is given as a one-time treatment through an IV. The FDA allowed its use in adults and children 12 and over who weigh at least 88 pounds and who are at high risk of severe illness from COVID-19 because of age or certain other medical conditions.Emergency authorization allows use of the drug to start while studies are continuing to establish safety and effectiveness. Early results suggest the drug may reduce COVID-19-related hospitalization or emergency room visits in patients at high risk for disease progression, the FDA said.Regeneron said that initial doses will be made available to roughly 300,000 patients through a federal government allocation program. Those patients will not be charged for the drug but may have to pay part of the cost of giving the IV.Initial supplies will likely be vastly outstripped by demand as the U.S. has surged past 12 million reported cases, with the country facing what health experts say will be a dark winter due to uncontrolled spread of the virus.Antibodies are proteins the body makes to target and help eliminate viruses, but it can take weeks for the best ones to form after an infection occurs. The drugs are concentrated versions of ones that proved best able to do this in lab and animal tests, and in theory help the body start to fight the virus right away.The Regeneron drug is a combo of two antibodies to enhance the chances it will prove effective. Earlier this month, the FDA gave emergency authorization to a single-antibody drug from Eli Lilly that also is still being studied.There’s no way to know whether the Regeneron drug helped Trump recover; he received a host of treatments and most COVID-19 patients recover on their own.FDA regulators authorized the Regeneron drug using their emergency powers to quickly speed the availability of experimental drugs and other medical products during public health crises.In normal times the FDA requires “substantial evidence” to show that a drug is safe and effective, usually through one or more large, rigorously controlled patient studies. But during public health emergencies the agency can lower those standards and require only that an experimental treatment’s potential benefits outweigh its risks.The emergency authorization functions like a temporary approval for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic. To win full approval, Regeneron will have to submit additional research to fully define the drug’s safety and benefit for patients.The White House cast the decision as a victory for Trump’s efforts “to deliver cutting-edge treatments with highly promising results to protect the health and safety of the most vulnerable Americans,” according to a statement from spokesman Michael Bars.___