DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal hit and run accident and asking the public for help to locate a van and driver that fled the scene.

Just after 5p.m. Saturday, police responded to a two-vehicle crash in the 1300 Block of East 1900 Road on the ramp over Kansas 10 Highway between Lawrence and Eudora, according to the Douglas County Sheriff.

According to a preliminary investigation, a 54-year-old man was driving a motorcycle northbound on East 1900 Road with a 9-year-old girl as passenger. As the approached the overpass, an unknown possibly a 2013-19 white Ford Transit van moved forward from the stop sign and the top of the eastbound off ramp from K-10 and into the intersection.

The van struck the motorcycle which overturned. EMS transported the man and the girl to Overland Park Regional Medical Center. He had serious but non life threatening injuries. The girl, who was wearing a helmet suffered critical injuries and died Sunday morning, according the sheriff's department.

Witnesses reported that after the collision, the driver of the white van proceeded down the ramp leaving its black front bumper cover behind and returned to eastbound K-10.&nbsp;

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Douglas Co. Sheriff.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652713174349.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal hit and run accident and asking the public for help to locate a van and driver that fled the scene.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">EAST 1900 Road Fatality Accident After further investigation, Sheriff&#39;s Office detectives now believe the vehicle that left the scene yesterday was a Ford Transit Connect XL Model 2013-2019, more likely a 2018-19. Anyone with info is asked to call the DGSO, 785-843-0250. <a href="https://t.co/NazzZWkS2O">pic.twitter.com/NazzZWkS2O</a>&mdash; Douglas Co. Sheriff (@DGSOSheriff) <a href="https://twitter.com/DGSOSheriff/status/1525963802629505037?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 15, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Just after 5p.m. Saturday, police responded to a two-vehicle crash in the 1300 Block of East 1900 Road on the ramp over Kansas 10 Highway between Lawrence and Eudora, according to the Douglas County Sheriff.According to a preliminary investigation, a 54-year-old man was driving a motorcycle northbound on East 1900 Road with a 9-year-old girl as passenger. As the approached the overpass, an unknown possibly a 2013-19 white Ford Transit van moved forward from the stop sign and the top of the eastbound off ramp from K-10 and into the intersection.The van struck the motorcycle which overturned. EMS transported the man and the girl to Overland Park Regional Medical Center. He had serious but non life threatening injuries. The girl, who was wearing a helmet suffered critical injuries and died Sunday morning, according the sheriff's department.Witnesses reported that after the collision, the driver of the white van proceeded down the ramp leaving its black front bumper cover behind and returned to eastbound K-10.&nbsp;Anyone with information is asked to contact the Douglas Co. Sheriff.

Search continues for van in crash that killed 9-year-old Kan. girl

PITTSFIELD, Mass. (AP) — Two men who participated in an elaborate phone scam that cheated people from across the nation have agreed to repay their victims but avoided time behind bars, Massachusetts prosecutors said.

Ajaykumar Chaudhari, 26, of Pownal, Vermont, and Jitendra Chaudhari, 29, of Williamstown, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty in Berkshire Superior Court to larceny and attempt to commit larceny, according to a statement Wednesday from the office of Berkshire District Attorney Andrea Harrington. They were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/5a039563a11c5d22b1f1974d199a05ee">arrested in June 2020</a>.

The guilty pleas were filed by the court, meaning the defendants won't be sent to jail as long as they stay out of additional legal trouble.

They, together with a third defendant, have agreed to pay more than $200,000 in restitution. That&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-massachusetts-vermont-pittsfield-b6be2c31953b01374a93289866775db8">third defendant, Parth Chaudhari, pleaded guilty to the same charges in December</a>&nbsp;and was sentenced to time served. The restitution money has already been secured, prosecutors said.

All three men are members of the same family, the district attorney's office said.

“The victims in this case overwhelmingly supported a resolution that would return the most money in the most timely manner while sparing them, many of whom are aging and live out of state, from having to travel to Massachusetts to testify,” Harrington said in a statement.

The three men, sometimes posing as government employees, targeted about 20 victims, some of whom sent packages of cash, often to an address in Adams, Massachusetts, prosecutors said.

In one case, they told the victim their Social Security number had been compromised and they needed to send money to fix the problem, according to the DA's office. Victims came from multiple states including California, Missouri, Ohio and Virginia, prosecutors said.

Adams police started investigating in March 2020 after getting tips from out-of-state law enforcement agencies.

During the investigation, victims and law enforcement intercepted packages of cash together worth more than $100,000.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619452442605.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>PITTSFIELD, Mass. (AP) — Two men who participated in an elaborate phone scam that cheated people from across the nation have agreed to repay their victims but avoided time behind bars, Massachusetts prosecutors said.Ajaykumar Chaudhari, 26, of Pownal, Vermont, and Jitendra Chaudhari, 29, of Williamstown, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty in Berkshire Superior Court to larceny and attempt to commit larceny, according to a statement Wednesday from the office of Berkshire District Attorney Andrea Harrington. They were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/5a039563a11c5d22b1f1974d199a05ee">arrested in June 2020</a>.The guilty pleas were filed by the court, meaning the defendants won't be sent to jail as long as they stay out of additional legal trouble.They, together with a third defendant, have agreed to pay more than $200,000 in restitution. That&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-massachusetts-vermont-pittsfield-b6be2c31953b01374a93289866775db8">third defendant, Parth Chaudhari, pleaded guilty to the same charges in December</a>&nbsp;and was sentenced to time served. The restitution money has already been secured, prosecutors said.All three men are members of the same family, the district attorney's office said.“The victims in this case overwhelmingly supported a resolution that would return the most money in the most timely manner while sparing them, many of whom are aging and live out of state, from having to travel to Massachusetts to testify,” Harrington said in a statement.The three men, sometimes posing as government employees, targeted about 20 victims, some of whom sent packages of cash, often to an address in Adams, Massachusetts, prosecutors said.In one case, they told the victim their Social Security number had been compromised and they needed to send money to fix the problem, according to the DA's office. Victims came from multiple states including California, Missouri, Ohio and Virginia, prosecutors said.Adams police started investigating in March 2020 after getting tips from out-of-state law enforcement agencies.During the investigation, victims and law enforcement intercepted packages of cash together worth more than $100,000.

Two men admit to role in nationwide phone scam

By STEVEN A. ABRAMS <a href="https://theconversation.com/whats-behind-the-us-infant-formula-shortage-and-how-to-make-sure-it-doesnt-happen-again-182929">The Conversation</a>

A <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/10/us/baby-formula-shortage.html">baby formula shortage</a> has added to the woes of American parents already confronted with the pressures of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2021/03/isolation-becoming-new-parent-during-pandemic/618244/">raising an infant during a pandemic</a> in a country <a target="_blank" href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/marybethferrante/2019/06/21/unicef-study-confirms-the-u-s-ranks-last-for-family-friendly-policies/?sh=176ff24133ba">ranked low for family-friendly policies</a>.

Media reports have highlighted the plight of mothers, fathers and caregivers across the U.S. who have <a target="_blank" href="https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/baby-formula-shortage-in-washington-has-caregivers-parents/">scrambled to find scarce supplies</a>, or <a target="_blank" href="https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/texas/lake-jackson-texas-mom-drives-hour-baby-formula-amid-shortage/287-d1638ecb-4153-415d-ab63-58e342ec764f">driven long distances</a> to buy formula.

But what is behind the shortage? And how can it be prevented from
 happening again? The Conversation asked Dr. Steven Abrams, a leading <a target="_blank" href="https://dellmed.utexas.edu/directory/steven-a-abrams">expert on pediatric health</a>
 at the University of Texas who has advised both the formula industry 
and government on infant nutrition, these questions along with what 
advice he could give parents facing problems getting adequate supplies 
of infant formula.

1. Why there is a shortage of formula now?

There are really two factors that have driven the current shortage. First, we have the <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/4-reasons-americans-are-still-seeing-empty-shelves-and-long-waits-with-christmas-just-around-the-corner-168635">supply chain problem</a>,
 which has affected all manner of goods since the onset of the pandemic.
 It eased off a little, but then at the beginning of 2022 it <a target="_blank" href="https://www.wired.com/story/supply-chain-crisis-data/">became worse</a>.

Then in February a <a target="_blank" href="https://wwmt.com/news/local/baby-formula-shortage-crisis-intensifies-as-sturgis-plant-remains-shut-down">major baby formula manufacturing plant in U.S. went down</a>. The FDA <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nbcboston.com/news/national-international/fda-to-allow-closed-abbott-plant-to-release-baby-formula-supply-amid-shortage/2717440/">shut down Abbott Nutrition’s factory</a> in Michigan. The closure came after Abbott’s nationwide <a target="_blank" href="https://www.similacrecall.com/us/en/home.html">recall of multiple brands of formula</a>,
 including routine Similac cow milk-based formulas such as Similac 
Advance and several specialty formulas for allergic babies, including 
Similac Alimentum and and Similac EleCare.

Closing the factory had to be done amid an <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/fda-investigation-cronobacter-infections-powdered-infant-formula-february-2022">investigation into bacterial infections</a>
 in connection to powdered formula produced at the plant, and the deaths
 of at least two babies. The problem is there just isn’t much redundancy
 in U.S. infant formula production. In other words, there aren’t enough 
other factories to pick up the slack when one goes down. The Michigan 
plant is the largest producer in the country, so when it goes down, it 
put added strain on the entire U.S. formula distribution system, 
especially for certain formulas for babies with high-risk allergic 
diseases and metabolic disorders.

Over the last couple of weeks the shortage has gotten worse. I can’t 
say for sure why this has happened. But I suspect there has been some 
hoarding going on as parents get anxious. Stores can limit the amount of
 formula that people can buy, but that doesn’t stop people going online 
to buy more.

On top of that, the shortage has gained wide publicity in newspapers,
 on TV and in political speeches. All that publicity feeds into public 
sense that the system is failing, prompting more panic buying and 
hoarding.

A majority of parents will feed babies with formula at some point to 
meet their nutritional needs, especially older infants. At birth and in 
days immediately after, around 80% of babies receive <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/data/reportcard.htm">all their nutrition through breast milk</a>. But by the age of 6 months, the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/data/reportcard.htm">majority of babies get at least some formula</a>.
 The proportion of year-old babies receiving formula is even higher. 
This is largely the result of social dynamics and pressures – mothers 
going back to work after giving birth, but not receiving sufficient 
support to produce and store sufficient amounts of breast milk.

But the shortage will affect some parents more than others. Not 
surprisingly, the most affected parents are those on the lowest income. 
The federal food program for poorer women, infants and children, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fns.usda.gov/wic">called WIC</a>, provides formula for a majority of babies in low-income families. But costs have gone up and formula has become scarcer.

I’m hearing of some families driving two hours to find stores selling
 formula. Obviously that will be harder to do for poorer families as 
there are costs involved. Likewise, more affluent parents may be able to
 buy more expensive, so-called elite brand formulas.

The other thing to note is that the shortage is affecting both regular infant formula, and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-takes-important-steps-improve-supply-infant-and-specialty-formula-products">specialized versions</a>.
 Regular or standard formula is the type most families are familiar 
with, and around 95% of formula-fed babies get the standard type. 
Specialized formula is for babies with unusual requirements, due to 
allergies, damaged intestines or special nutritional needs. Before the 
Michigan factory closed, it made most of the specialized infant formula 
used in the U.S. So it is an absolute crisis for families needing that 
type of formula.

3. What are the potential consequences of the shortage?

In the first six months, babies should <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/faq/index.htm">only have breast milk or formula</a>
 – anything else fed to them will be nutritionally incomplete. So there 
is a risk that a shortage will mean that babies will not be getting the 
nutrition they need to develop. That could lead to a range of health 
problems affecting their physical growth and brain development.

Then there are concerns that parents may be using unsafe 
alternatives, like watering down their baby’s formula. People have been 
known to try and make their own by mixing powdered milk or vegan milk 
with vitamins. Not only are these alternatives <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7033a4.htm">not nutritionally complete</a>, they may not be entirely sterile.

After the age of six months, things get a little better once the 
infant is able to start eating solid food. But even then, formula or 
breast milk remains the primary source of nutrition. So there may still 
be a risk of nutritional deficiencies, such as iron deficiencies.

Over the age of six months of age, for only reasonably short periods of time, <a target="_blank" href="https://healthychildren.org/English/tips-tools/ask-the-pediatrician/Pages/Are-there-shortages-of-infant-formula-due-to-COVID-19.aspx#.Ynr6sYw9zEQ.twitter">parents can feed infants whole cow milk</a> and look into iron supplements.

It isn’t ideal, and only applies for older babies. For those under 
six months old, cow milk is a real problem. It doesn’t have the right 
protein blend for babies and has next to no iron – risking anemia in 
very young babies. Cow milk also has a misbalance of minerals, 
especially for younger babies.

So what guidance is there for low-income parents?

It is challenging and I can’t provide a magic answer. But food banks 
and the WIC program have been a crucial lifeline. The WIC program in 
particular has proved itself to be very flexible during this shortage. 
When Abbott had to recall products and then couldn’t provide enough 
non-recalled formulas in states in which they were the WIC provider, WIC
 was able to change providers and reprogram EBT cards to allow 
low-income parents to buy different brands.

5. What can be done to prevent this situation happening again in the U.S.?

First we need to help families regain confidence in the formula 
production and supply system. This will prevent problems such as 
hoarding or making home brew formulas.

Then we need to look at how to make sure one plant going down doesn’t
 affect the whole system. The federal government can’t stockpile formula
 in the same way it might stockpile oil, as formula has a shelf life. 
But diversifying infant formula production is a possibility. This would 
involve making sure multiple factories and companies are making the 
formulas that this country needs. This doesn’t necessarily mean 
increased costs – competition could potentially drive down prices.

I believe America also needs to look at the country’s breast feeding 
support system. Don’t get me wrong, some parents will always need 
formula. But those who want to breast feed need everything possible done
 to support them. That includes better family leave policies, and help 
for low-income mothers who want to pump and store milk while they work.

Steven A. Abrams is a professor of pediatrics at the University of Texas at Austin.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652456647413.jpg" alt="Pixabay image" />
 <figcaption>Pixabay image</figcaption>
 </figure>By STEVEN A. ABRAMS <a href="https://theconversation.com/whats-behind-the-us-infant-formula-shortage-and-how-to-make-sure-it-doesnt-happen-again-182929">The Conversation</a>A <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/10/us/baby-formula-shortage.html">baby formula shortage</a> has added to the woes of American parents already confronted with the pressures of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2021/03/isolation-becoming-new-parent-during-pandemic/618244/">raising an infant during a pandemic</a> in a country <a target="_blank" href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/marybethferrante/2019/06/21/unicef-study-confirms-the-u-s-ranks-last-for-family-friendly-policies/?sh=176ff24133ba">ranked low for family-friendly policies</a>.Media reports have highlighted the plight of mothers, fathers and caregivers across the U.S. who have <a target="_blank" href="https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/baby-formula-shortage-in-washington-has-caregivers-parents/">scrambled to find scarce supplies</a>, or <a target="_blank" href="https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/texas/lake-jackson-texas-mom-drives-hour-baby-formula-amid-shortage/287-d1638ecb-4153-415d-ab63-58e342ec764f">driven long distances</a> to buy formula.But what is behind the shortage? And how can it be prevented from
 happening again? The Conversation asked Dr. Steven Abrams, a leading <a target="_blank" href="https://dellmed.utexas.edu/directory/steven-a-abrams">expert on pediatric health</a>
 at the University of Texas who has advised both the formula industry 
and government on infant nutrition, these questions along with what 
advice he could give parents facing problems getting adequate supplies 
of infant formula.<h2>1. Why there is a shortage of formula now?</h2>There are really two factors that have driven the current shortage. First, we have the <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/4-reasons-americans-are-still-seeing-empty-shelves-and-long-waits-with-christmas-just-around-the-corner-168635">supply chain problem</a>,
 which has affected all manner of goods since the onset of the pandemic.
 It eased off a little, but then at the beginning of 2022 it <a target="_blank" href="https://www.wired.com/story/supply-chain-crisis-data/">became worse</a>.Then in February a <a target="_blank" href="https://wwmt.com/news/local/baby-formula-shortage-crisis-intensifies-as-sturgis-plant-remains-shut-down">major baby formula manufacturing plant in U.S. went down</a>. The FDA <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nbcboston.com/news/national-international/fda-to-allow-closed-abbott-plant-to-release-baby-formula-supply-amid-shortage/2717440/">shut down Abbott Nutrition’s factory</a> in Michigan. The closure came after Abbott’s nationwide <a target="_blank" href="https://www.similacrecall.com/us/en/home.html">recall of multiple brands of formula</a>,
 including routine Similac cow milk-based formulas such as Similac 
Advance and several specialty formulas for allergic babies, including 
Similac Alimentum and and Similac EleCare.Closing the factory had to be done amid an <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/fda-investigation-cronobacter-infections-powdered-infant-formula-february-2022">investigation into bacterial infections</a>
 in connection to powdered formula produced at the plant, and the deaths
 of at least two babies. The problem is there just isn’t much redundancy
 in U.S. infant formula production. In other words, there aren’t enough 
other factories to pick up the slack when one goes down. The Michigan 
plant is the largest producer in the country, so when it goes down, it 
put added strain on the entire U.S. formula distribution system, 
especially for certain formulas for babies with high-risk allergic 
diseases and metabolic disorders.Over the last couple of weeks the shortage has gotten worse. I can’t 
say for sure why this has happened. But I suspect there has been some 
hoarding going on as parents get anxious. Stores can limit the amount of
 formula that people can buy, but that doesn’t stop people going online 
to buy more.On top of that, the shortage has gained wide publicity in newspapers,
 on TV and in political speeches. All that publicity feeds into public 
sense that the system is failing, prompting more panic buying and 
hoarding.<h2>2. Who is the shortage affecting?</h2>A majority of parents will feed babies with formula at some point to 
meet their nutritional needs, especially older infants. At birth and in 
days immediately after, around 80% of babies receive <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/data/reportcard.htm">all their nutrition through breast milk</a>. But by the age of 6 months, the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/data/reportcard.htm">majority of babies get at least some formula</a>.
 The proportion of year-old babies receiving formula is even higher. 
This is largely the result of social dynamics and pressures – mothers 
going back to work after giving birth, but not receiving sufficient 
support to produce and store sufficient amounts of breast milk.But the shortage will affect some parents more than others. Not 
surprisingly, the most affected parents are those on the lowest income. 
The federal food program for poorer women, infants and children, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fns.usda.gov/wic">called WIC</a>, provides formula for a majority of babies in low-income families. But costs have gone up and formula has become scarcer.I’m hearing of some families driving two hours to find stores selling
 formula. Obviously that will be harder to do for poorer families as 
there are costs involved. Likewise, more affluent parents may be able to
 buy more expensive, so-called elite brand formulas.The other thing to note is that the shortage is affecting both regular infant formula, and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-takes-important-steps-improve-supply-infant-and-specialty-formula-products">specialized versions</a>.
 Regular or standard formula is the type most families are familiar 
with, and around 95% of formula-fed babies get the standard type. 
Specialized formula is for babies with unusual requirements, due to 
allergies, damaged intestines or special nutritional needs. Before the 
Michigan factory closed, it made most of the specialized infant formula 
used in the U.S. So it is an absolute crisis for families needing that 
type of formula.<h2>3. What are the potential consequences of the shortage?</h2>In the first six months, babies should <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/faq/index.htm">only have breast milk or formula</a>
 – anything else fed to them will be nutritionally incomplete. So there 
is a risk that a shortage will mean that babies will not be getting the 
nutrition they need to develop. That could lead to a range of health 
problems affecting their physical growth and brain development.Then there are concerns that parents may be using unsafe 
alternatives, like watering down their baby’s formula. People have been 
known to try and make their own by mixing powdered milk or vegan milk 
with vitamins. Not only are these alternatives <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7033a4.htm">not nutritionally complete</a>, they may not be entirely sterile.After the age of six months, things get a little better once the 
infant is able to start eating solid food. But even then, formula or 
breast milk remains the primary source of nutrition. So there may still 
be a risk of nutritional deficiencies, such as iron deficiencies.<h2>4. Are there any viable alternatives?</h2>Over the age of six months of age, for only reasonably short periods of time, <a target="_blank" href="https://healthychildren.org/English/tips-tools/ask-the-pediatrician/Pages/Are-there-shortages-of-infant-formula-due-to-COVID-19.aspx#.Ynr6sYw9zEQ.twitter">parents can feed infants whole cow milk</a> and look into iron supplements.It isn’t ideal, and only applies for older babies. For those under 
six months old, cow milk is a real problem. It doesn’t have the right 
protein blend for babies and has next to no iron – risking anemia in 
very young babies. Cow milk also has a misbalance of minerals, 
especially for younger babies.<h2>So what guidance is there for low-income parents?</h2>It is challenging and I can’t provide a magic answer. But food banks 
and the WIC program have been a crucial lifeline. The WIC program in 
particular has proved itself to be very flexible during this shortage. 
When Abbott had to recall products and then couldn’t provide enough 
non-recalled formulas in states in which they were the WIC provider, WIC
 was able to change providers and reprogram EBT cards to allow 
low-income parents to buy different brands.<h2>5. What can be done to prevent this situation happening again in the U.S.?</h2>First we need to help families regain confidence in the formula 
production and supply system. This will prevent problems such as 
hoarding or making home brew formulas.Then we need to look at how to make sure one plant going down doesn’t
 affect the whole system. The federal government can’t stockpile formula
 in the same way it might stockpile oil, as formula has a shelf life. 
But diversifying infant formula production is a possibility. This would 
involve making sure multiple factories and companies are making the 
formulas that this country needs. This doesn’t necessarily mean 
increased costs – competition could potentially drive down prices.I believe America also needs to look at the country’s breast feeding 
support system. Don’t get me wrong, some parents will always need 
formula. But those who want to breast feed need everything possible done
 to support them. That includes better family leave policies, and help 
for low-income mothers who want to pump and store milk while they work.Steven A. Abrams is a professor of pediatrics at the University of Texas at Austin.

ANALYSIS: What’s behind the U.S. infant formula shortage?

NEW YORK (AP) — Top leaders of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops called on the faithful to pray and fast Friday, in hopes the Supreme Court is on track to overturn the constitutional right to abortion. Yet even among Catholics who oppose abortion, there is some unease about the consequences of such a ruling.

A recently leaked Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-abortion-draft-opinion-07439f9fc4542f1500ab78dfd34036b1">draft opinion</a>&nbsp;suggests that a majority of the nine justices are poised to reverse the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision – a move that would allow individual states to outlaw abortion.

Some anti-abortion Catholics say such an outcome would be the answer to their prayers. Others caution that Catholic leaders should distance themselves from the politically partisan wing of the anti-abortion movement and expand their concept of “pro-life” by supporting broad policies that set up safety nets for unwed mothers and low-income families.

Madison Chastain, a Catholic blogger and disability advocate, describes herself as anti-abortion, yet opposes overturning Roe and criminalizing abortions.

Factors that cause abortion,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncronline.org/news/opinion/im-anti-abortion-disability-advocate-overturning-roe-isnt-answer" target="_blank">she wrote</a>&nbsp;in the National Catholic Reporter, include lack of comprehensive sex education, inadequate health care, and workplace inequalities.

“Making abortion illegal before addressing these injustices is going to kill women, because women will continue to have abortions, secretively and unsafely,” she wrote.”

Sam Sawyer, a journalist and Jesuit priest, says he is a “dedicated pro-life advocate” who favors Roe’s reversal. Yet he responded to the leak with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.americamagazine.org/politics-society/2022/05/06/roe-wade-overturn-fear-242941" target="_blank">an essay</a>&nbsp;listing reasons why abortion rights supporters are so alarmed by that prospect.

“The pro-life movement and its political alliances are perceived as a threat not just to abortion itself but also to democratic norms, to judicial commitments to civil rights, and to women’s health and economic security,“ Sawyer wrote in America, the Jesuit magazine for which he is a senior editor.

Republican politicians, backed by anti-abortion leaders, “have used the lives of the unborn as moral cover for ignoring other calls for justice,” Sawyer wrote. “The pro-life movement’s political allies have gutted social safety net programs that would make it easier for women to carry pregnancies to term.”

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usccb.org/news/2022/faithful-invited-fast-and-pray-rosary-friday-midst-tensions-over-leaked-draft-supreme" target="_blank">call for a day of fasting</a>&nbsp;and prayer came from Archbishop José Gomez of Los Angeles, the president of the U.S. bishops conference, and Archbishop William Lori of Baltimore, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Pro-Life Activities.

They requested prayers for the overturning of Roe and for “the conversion of the hearts and minds of those who advocate for abortion.”

The archbishops echoed the calls of other Catholic leaders who, after the Supreme Court leak, suggested that a reversal of Roe should be coupled with expanded outreach and support for pregnant women and new mothers.

Lori highlighted a USCCB program called Walking With Moms in Need, saying the church should redouble its efforts “to accompany women and couples who are facing unexpected or difficult pregnancies, and during the early years of parenthood.”

The bishops conference has designated the “threat of abortion” as its preeminent priority – a viewpoint that many lay Catholics don’t share. According to Pew Research Center surveys, 56% of U.S. Catholics say abortion should be legal in all or most cases.

Professor O. Carter Snead, who teaches law and political science at the University of Notre Dame, said via email that most Catholics engaging in anti-abortion activism “are not hard political partisans but rather people seeking to care for moms and babies by whatever means are available.”

As an example, Snead cited Notre Dame’s de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture – which he directs – and one of its initiatives, called “Women and Children First: Imagining a Post-Roe World.” Through teaching, research and public engagement, the initiative seeks to strengthen support for “women, children (born and unborn), and families in need.”

However, achieving broad bipartisan collaboration on such initiatives may not come soon, Snead acknowledged.

“It is true, regrettably, that the only political party that has been willing to partner to provide legal protection for the unborn is the Republicans,” he said.

Chad Pecknold, a theology professor at The Catholic University of America, also doubted there could be a post-Roe surge of bipartisanship on abortion.

“So long as Democrats insist on abortion for all nine months of a pregnancy, and as long as Republicans recognize that abortion runs contrary to the 14th Amendment, this will remain a partisan issue,” he said via email.

“But the goal of the pro-life movement has never been partisan,” Pecknold added. “The goal is justice for pre-born persons who have a right to live, to be loved, to be raised in a family.”

Bishop Joseph Strickland of Tyler, Texas – an outspoken critic of Catholic politicians who support abortion rights — said abortion opponents “must continue to provide support and care for the mothers who find themselves in difficult situations.”

“I pray that we may move to a place where mother and child are both held as sacred and society supports both lives in every way possible,” he said via email.

David Gibson, director of the Center on Religion and Culture at Fordham University, questioned the significance of recent promises by Catholic bishops and other anti-abortion leaders to boost support for unwed mothers.

“Can this movement that is so tied to the Republican Party and the conservative movement suddenly pivot to mobilizing its people for socially liberal policies?” Gibson asked, referring to programs such as subsidized child care and paid maternity leaves.

Steven Millies, a professor of public theology at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, says the bishops bear partial responsibility for the entrenched polarization over abortion, which he expects to continue even if Roe is overturned.

“It’s unrealistically hopeful to think that the habits of division will be abandoned,” said Millies, suggesting that the bishops could have done more to reduce abortions over the years by pressing hard for stronger, better-funded social programs.

Rebecca Bratten Weiss, a writer and the digital editor of U.S. Catholic magazine, said she no longer labels herself “pro-life” — though she was active in that movement for many years and believes all life is worthy of protection.

“The people who are working to overturn Roe have made it quite clear they have zero interest in expanding safety nets,” she said. “They either haven’t thought through the consequences, or they are OK with the consequences — a higher rate of infant mortality, more women seeking unsafe abortions, more families driven to desperate measures.”

Thomas Reese, a Jesuit priest who writes for Religion News Service, suggested in&nbsp;<a href="https://religionnews.com/2022/05/04/roe-wade-supreme-court-overturn-after-abortion-catholic-bishops-republicans-democrats/" target="_blank">a column</a>&nbsp;that reversal of Roe should be an occasion for reassessment by the many bishops who embraced the Republican Party because of its anti-abortion stance.

“Catholic bishops will celebrate this victory for which they have worked for decades, but ironically it should lead to a divorce between the bishops and Republicans,” Reese wrote. “The GOP has nothing else to offer them. In fact, except for abortion, its proposals are the opposite of Catholic social teaching.”

Assuming Roe is overturned, Reese added, “the bishops can declare victory on abortion and turn their focus to social programs ... that help women have and raise children so they are not forced to have abortions. ”

“My guess is they will continue to fight as long as there is no consensus in America on abortion,” he wrote. “This will mean sticking with the Republicans and sacrificing all their other priorities.”

NEW YORK (AP) — Top leaders of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops called on the faithful to pray and fast Friday, in hopes the Supreme Court is on track to overturn the constitutional right to abortion. Yet even among Catholics who oppose abortion, there is some unease about the consequences of such a ruling.A recently leaked Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-abortion-draft-opinion-07439f9fc4542f1500ab78dfd34036b1">draft opinion</a>&nbsp;suggests that a majority of the nine justices are poised to reverse the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision – a move that would allow individual states to outlaw abortion.Some anti-abortion Catholics say such an outcome would be the answer to their prayers. Others caution that Catholic leaders should distance themselves from the politically partisan wing of the anti-abortion movement and expand their concept of “pro-life” by supporting broad policies that set up safety nets for unwed mothers and low-income families.Madison Chastain, a Catholic blogger and disability advocate, describes herself as anti-abortion, yet opposes overturning Roe and criminalizing abortions.Factors that cause abortion,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncronline.org/news/opinion/im-anti-abortion-disability-advocate-overturning-roe-isnt-answer" target="_blank">she wrote</a>&nbsp;in the National Catholic Reporter, include lack of comprehensive sex education, inadequate health care, and workplace inequalities.“Making abortion illegal before addressing these injustices is going to kill women, because women will continue to have abortions, secretively and unsafely,” she wrote.”Sam Sawyer, a journalist and Jesuit priest, says he is a “dedicated pro-life advocate” who favors Roe’s reversal. Yet he responded to the leak with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.americamagazine.org/politics-society/2022/05/06/roe-wade-overturn-fear-242941" target="_blank">an essay</a>&nbsp;listing reasons why abortion rights supporters are so alarmed by that prospect.“The pro-life movement and its political alliances are perceived as a threat not just to abortion itself but also to democratic norms, to judicial commitments to civil rights, and to women’s health and economic security,“ Sawyer wrote in America, the Jesuit magazine for which he is a senior editor.Republican politicians, backed by anti-abortion leaders, “have used the lives of the unborn as moral cover for ignoring other calls for justice,” Sawyer wrote. “The pro-life movement’s political allies have gutted social safety net programs that would make it easier for women to carry pregnancies to term.”The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usccb.org/news/2022/faithful-invited-fast-and-pray-rosary-friday-midst-tensions-over-leaked-draft-supreme" target="_blank">call for a day of fasting</a>&nbsp;and prayer came from Archbishop José Gomez of Los Angeles, the president of the U.S. bishops conference, and Archbishop William Lori of Baltimore, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Pro-Life Activities.They requested prayers for the overturning of Roe and for “the conversion of the hearts and minds of those who advocate for abortion.”The archbishops echoed the calls of other Catholic leaders who, after the Supreme Court leak, suggested that a reversal of Roe should be coupled with expanded outreach and support for pregnant women and new mothers.Lori highlighted a USCCB program called Walking With Moms in Need, saying the church should redouble its efforts “to accompany women and couples who are facing unexpected or difficult pregnancies, and during the early years of parenthood.”The bishops conference has designated the “threat of abortion” as its preeminent priority – a viewpoint that many lay Catholics don’t share. According to Pew Research Center surveys, 56% of U.S. Catholics say abortion should be legal in all or most cases.Professor O. Carter Snead, who teaches law and political science at the University of Notre Dame, said via email that most Catholics engaging in anti-abortion activism “are not hard political partisans but rather people seeking to care for moms and babies by whatever means are available.”As an example, Snead cited Notre Dame’s de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture – which he directs – and one of its initiatives, called “Women and Children First: Imagining a Post-Roe World.” Through teaching, research and public engagement, the initiative seeks to strengthen support for “women, children (born and unborn), and families in need.”However, achieving broad bipartisan collaboration on such initiatives may not come soon, Snead acknowledged.“It is true, regrettably, that the only political party that has been willing to partner to provide legal protection for the unborn is the Republicans,” he said.Chad Pecknold, a theology professor at The Catholic University of America, also doubted there could be a post-Roe surge of bipartisanship on abortion.“So long as Democrats insist on abortion for all nine months of a pregnancy, and as long as Republicans recognize that abortion runs contrary to the 14th Amendment, this will remain a partisan issue,” he said via email.“But the goal of the pro-life movement has never been partisan,” Pecknold added. “The goal is justice for pre-born persons who have a right to live, to be loved, to be raised in a family.”Bishop Joseph Strickland of Tyler, Texas – an outspoken critic of Catholic politicians who support abortion rights — said abortion opponents “must continue to provide support and care for the mothers who find themselves in difficult situations.”“I pray that we may move to a place where mother and child are both held as sacred and society supports both lives in every way possible,” he said via email.David Gibson, director of the Center on Religion and Culture at Fordham University, questioned the significance of recent promises by Catholic bishops and other anti-abortion leaders to boost support for unwed mothers.“Can this movement that is so tied to the Republican Party and the conservative movement suddenly pivot to mobilizing its people for socially liberal policies?” Gibson asked, referring to programs such as subsidized child care and paid maternity leaves.Steven Millies, a professor of public theology at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, says the bishops bear partial responsibility for the entrenched polarization over abortion, which he expects to continue even if Roe is overturned.“It’s unrealistically hopeful to think that the habits of division will be abandoned,” said Millies, suggesting that the bishops could have done more to reduce abortions over the years by pressing hard for stronger, better-funded social programs.Rebecca Bratten Weiss, a writer and the digital editor of U.S. Catholic magazine, said she no longer labels herself “pro-life” — though she was active in that movement for many years and believes all life is worthy of protection.“The people who are working to overturn Roe have made it quite clear they have zero interest in expanding safety nets,” she said. “They either haven’t thought through the consequences, or they are OK with the consequences — a higher rate of infant mortality, more women seeking unsafe abortions, more families driven to desperate measures.”Thomas Reese, a Jesuit priest who writes for Religion News Service, suggested in&nbsp;<a href="https://religionnews.com/2022/05/04/roe-wade-supreme-court-overturn-after-abortion-catholic-bishops-republicans-democrats/" target="_blank">a column</a>&nbsp;that reversal of Roe should be an occasion for reassessment by the many bishops who embraced the Republican Party because of its anti-abortion stance.“Catholic bishops will celebrate this victory for which they have worked for decades, but ironically it should lead to a divorce between the bishops and Republicans,” Reese wrote. “The GOP has nothing else to offer them. In fact, except for abortion, its proposals are the opposite of Catholic social teaching.”Assuming Roe is overturned, Reese added, “the bishops can declare victory on abortion and turn their focus to social programs ... that help women have and raise children so they are not forced to have abortions. ”Yet Reese doubts this will happen.“My guess is they will continue to fight as long as there is no consensus in America on abortion,” he wrote. “This will mean sticking with the Republicans and sacrificing all their other priorities.”

Some Catholic abortion foes are uneasy about overturning Roe

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A total lunar eclipse will grace the night skies this weekend, providing longer than usual thrills for stargazers across North and South America.

The celestial action unfolds Sunday night into early Monday morning, with the moon bathed in the reflected red and orange hues of Earth’s sunsets and sunrises for about 1 1/2 hours, one of the longest totalities of the decade. It will be the first so-called blood moon in a year.

Observers in the eastern half of North America and all of Central and South America will have prime seats for the whole show, weather permitting. Partial stages of the eclipse will be visible across Africa, Europe and the Middle East. Left out: Alaska, Asia and Australia.

“This is really an eclipse for the Americas,” said NASA’s Noah Petro, a planetary geologist who specializes in the moon. “It’s going to be a treat.”

All you need, he noted, are “patience and eyeballs.”

<a href="https://moon.nasa.gov/news/173/livestream-the-eclipse/">Click here to watch</a> the livestream from NASA

A total eclipse occurs when Earth passes directly between the moon and the sun, and casts a shadow on our constant, cosmic companion. The moon will be 225,000 miles (362,000 kilometers) away at the peak of the eclipse — around midnight on the U.S. East Coast.

“This is this gradual, slow, wonderful event that as long as it’s clear where you are, you get to see it,” Petro said.

If not, NASA will provide a&nbsp;<a href="https://moon.nasa.gov/news/173/livestream-the-eclipse/" target="_blank">livestream of the eclipse</a>&nbsp;from various locations; so will the Slooh network of observatories.

There’ll be another lengthy total lunar eclipse in November, with Africa and Europe lucking out again, but not the Americas. Then the next one isn’t until 2025.

Launched last fall, NASA’s asteroid-seeking Lucy spacecraft will photograph this weekend’s event from 64 million miles (103 million kilometers) away, as ground controllers continue their effort to fix a loose solar panel.

NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins, a geologist, plans to set her alarm clock early aboard the International Space Station.

“Hopefully, we can be up in time and be at the right place at the right time to catch a good glimpse,” she told The Associated Press earlier this week.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652473991120.png" alt="Image&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/4980">Credit: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center/Scientific Visualization Studio</a>" />
 <figcaption>Image&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/4980">Credit: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center/Scientific Visualization Studio</a></figcaption>
 </figure>CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A total lunar eclipse will grace the night skies this weekend, providing longer than usual thrills for stargazers across North and South America.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lNi5UFpales?start=1" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>The celestial action unfolds Sunday night into early Monday morning, with the moon bathed in the reflected red and orange hues of Earth’s sunsets and sunrises for about 1 1/2 hours, one of the longest totalities of the decade. It will be the first so-called blood moon in a year.Observers in the eastern half of North America and all of Central and South America will have prime seats for the whole show, weather permitting. Partial stages of the eclipse will be visible across Africa, Europe and the Middle East. Left out: Alaska, Asia and Australia.“This is really an eclipse for the Americas,” said NASA’s Noah Petro, a planetary geologist who specializes in the moon. “It’s going to be a treat.”All you need, he noted, are “patience and eyeballs.”<a href="https://moon.nasa.gov/news/173/livestream-the-eclipse/">Click here to watch</a> the livestream from NASAA total eclipse occurs when Earth passes directly between the moon and the sun, and casts a shadow on our constant, cosmic companion. The moon will be 225,000 miles (362,000 kilometers) away at the peak of the eclipse — around midnight on the U.S. East Coast.“This is this gradual, slow, wonderful event that as long as it’s clear where you are, you get to see it,” Petro said.If not, NASA will provide a&nbsp;<a href="https://moon.nasa.gov/news/173/livestream-the-eclipse/" target="_blank">livestream of the eclipse</a>&nbsp;from various locations; so will the Slooh network of observatories.There’ll be another lengthy total lunar eclipse in November, with Africa and Europe lucking out again, but not the Americas. Then the next one isn’t until 2025.Launched last fall, NASA’s asteroid-seeking Lucy spacecraft will photograph this weekend’s event from 64 million miles (103 million kilometers) away, as ground controllers continue their effort to fix a loose solar panel.NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins, a geologist, plans to set her alarm clock early aboard the International Space Station.“Hopefully, we can be up in time and be at the right place at the right time to catch a good glimpse,” she told The Associated Press earlier this week.___

Moon goes blood red Sunday night: Total lunar eclipse 

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Shoppers out on a weekend afternoon and a retired police officer working as a security guard were among the 10 shot and killed at a Buffalo supermarket by a white teenager who authorities say was motivated by racial hatred.

Police said Payton Gendron shot, in total, 11 Black people and two white people Saturday in a rampage at the Tops Friendly Market that the 18-year-old broadcast live before surrendering to authorities.

Among the dead was security guard Aaron Salter — a retired Buffalo police officer — who fired multiple shots at Gendron, Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia said Saturday. A bullet hit the gunman's armor, but had no effect. Gendron then killed Salter, before hunting more victims.

Also killed was Ruth Whitfield, 86, the mother of retired Buffalo Fire Commissioner Garnell Whitfield who told the Buffalo News that his “mother was a mother to the motherless.”

“She was a blessing to us all,” he added.

Katherine Massey, who had gone to the store to pick up some groceries, also was killed, according to the newspaper.

It wasn't immediately clear why Gendron had traveled about 200 miles from his Conklin,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/new-york">New York</a>, to Buffalo and that particular grocery store, located in a predominantly Black neighborhood, but screenshots purporting to be from the Twitch broadcast appear to show a racial epithet scrawled on the rifle used in the attack, as well as the number 14, a likely reference to a white supremacist slogan.

At the earlier news briefing, Erie County Sheriff John Garcia pointedly called the shooting a hate crime.

“This was pure evil. It was (a) straight up racially motivated hate crime from somebody outside of our community, outside of the City of Good Neighbors ... coming into our community and trying to inflict that evil upon us,” Garcia said.

Twitch said in a statement that it ended Gendron’s transmission “less than two minutes after the violence started.”

The massacre sent shockwaves through an unsettled nation gripped with racial tensions, gun violence and a spate of hate crimes. In the day prior to the shooting, Dallas police said they were investigating a series of shootings in Koreatown as hate crimes. The Buffalo attack came just one month after another mass shooting on a Brooklyn subway train wounded 10 people and just over a year after a mass shooting in a&nbsp;Colorado&nbsp;supermarket killed 10.

Gendron, confronted by police in the store's vestibule, put a rifle to his neck but was convinced to drop it. He was arraigned later Saturday on a murder charge, appearing before a judge in a paper gown.

A law enforcement official told The Associated Press that investigators were looking into whether he had posted a manifesto online. The official was not permitted to speak publicly on the matter and did so on the condition of anonymity.

Buffalo police declined to comment on the document, circulated widely online, that purports to outline the attacker’s racist, anti-immigrant and antisemitic beliefs, including a desire to drive all people not of European descent from the U.S. It said he drew inspiration the man who killed 51 people at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, in 2019.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — A gunman wearing military-style clothing and body armor opened fire with a rifle at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York, killing at least 10 people before being taken into custody Saturday afternoon, law enforcement officials told The Associated Press.

Details on the number of additional people shot at the Tops Friendly Market and their conditions weren’t immediately available. The two officials were not permitted to speak publicly on the matter and did so on the condition of anonymity. The suspect was being questioned Saturday evening by the FBI, one of the officials said.

Investigators believe the gunman may have been streaming the shooting through a camera affixed to his helmet, one of the officials said. The video showed the gunman, dressed in military gear, pulling up to the front of the store with a rifle on the front seat and then pointing the rifle at people in the parking lot as he exited the vehicle and opening fire, the official said.

It also shows the suspect walking into the supermarket and shooting several other victims inside, the official said. One of the victims was a recently retired police officer who was working as a security guard at the store, according to the official.

One of the officials cautioned the investigation was in its preliminary stages and that authorities hadn’t yet discerned a clear motive, but were investigating whether the shooting was racially motivated.

The supermarket is in a predominately Black neighborhood, about 3 miles (5 kilometers) north of downtown Buffalo. The surrounding area is primarily residential, with a Family Dollar store and fire station near the store.

Buffalo police confirmed the shooter was in custody in a tweet, but did not identify the suspect. Police officials did not immediately respond to messages from the AP seeking comment.

Witnesses reported the gunman was wearing military-style clothing in addition to the body armor, one of the officials said

Braedyn Kephart and Shane Hill, both 20, pulled into the parking lot just as the shooter was exiting. They described him as a white male in his late teens or early twenties sporting full camo, a black helmet and what appeared to be a rifle.

“He was standing there with the gun to his chin. We were like what the heck is going on? Why does this kid have a gun to his face?” Kephart said. He dropped to his knees. “He ripped off his helmet, dropped his gun, and was tackled by the police.”

At the White House, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said President Joe Biden is receiving regular updates on the shooting and its aftermath.

“The president has been briefed by his Homeland Security advisor on the horrific shooting in Buffalo, N.Y., this afternoon. He will continue to receive updates throughout the evening and tomorrow as further information develops,” she said, adding the president and first lady were praying for the victims and their loved ones.

Tops Friendly Markets released a statement saying, “We are shocked and deeply saddened by this senseless act of violence and our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families.”

Police closed off the block, lined by spectators, and yellow police taped surrounded the full parking lot. Mayor Byron Brown and Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz were at the scene late Saturday afternoon, gathered in a parking lot across the street from the Tops store and expected to address the media.

More than two hours of the shooting, Erica Pugh-Mathews was waiting outside the store, behind the police tape.

“We would like to know the status of my aunt, my mother’s sister. She was in there with her fiance, they separated and went to different aisles,” she said. “A bullet barely missed him. He was able to hide in a freezer but he was not able to get to my aunt and does not know where she is. We just would like word either way if she’s OK.”

Gov. Kathy Hochul tweeted that she was “closely monitoring the shooting at a grocery store in Buffalo,” her hometown. She said state officials have offered help to local authorities. The Erie County Sheriff’s Office said on social media that it ordered all available personnel to assist Buffalo police.

Attorney General Merrick Garland was briefed on the shooting, Justice Department spokesperson Anthony Coley said.

The shooting came little more than a year after a March 2021 attack at a King Soopers grocery in Boulder, Colorado, that killed 10 people. Investigators have not released any information about why they believe the man charged in that attack targeted the supermarket.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — A gunman opened fire with a rifle Saturday at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York, in what authorities called a “hate crime and racially motived violent extremism,” killing 10 people and wounding three others before being taken in custody, law enforcement officials said.

The suspect was identified as Payton Gendron of Conklin, about 200 miles southeast of Buffalo in New York state, two law enforcement officials told The Associated Press. The officials were not permitted to speak publicly on the matter and did so on the condition of anonymity. The suspect was being questioned Saturday evening by the FBI, one of the officials said.

Officials said 11 of the victims are Black and two are white. The shooting happened in a predominantly Black neighborhood a few miles (kilometers) north of downtown Buffalo.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652568426409.png" alt="Investigators believe the gunman may have been streaming the shooting through a camera affixed to his helmet, one of the officials said. -photo courtesy WKBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Investigators believe the gunman may have been streaming the shooting through a camera affixed to his helmet, one of the officials said. -photo courtesy WKBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Shoppers out on a weekend afternoon and a retired police officer working as a security guard were among the 10 shot and killed at a Buffalo supermarket by a white teenager who authorities say was motivated by racial hatred.Police said Payton Gendron shot, in total, 11 Black people and two white people Saturday in a rampage at the Tops Friendly Market that the 18-year-old broadcast live before surrendering to authorities.Among the dead was security guard Aaron Salter — a retired Buffalo police officer — who fired multiple shots at Gendron, Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia said Saturday. A bullet hit the gunman's armor, but had no effect. Gendron then killed Salter, before hunting more victims.Also killed was Ruth Whitfield, 86, the mother of retired Buffalo Fire Commissioner Garnell Whitfield who told the Buffalo News that his “mother was a mother to the motherless.”“She was a blessing to us all,” he added.Katherine Massey, who had gone to the store to pick up some groceries, also was killed, according to the newspaper.It wasn't immediately clear why Gendron had traveled about 200 miles from his Conklin,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/new-york">New York</a>, to Buffalo and that particular grocery store, located in a predominantly Black neighborhood, but screenshots purporting to be from the Twitch broadcast appear to show a racial epithet scrawled on the rifle used in the attack, as well as the number 14, a likely reference to a white supremacist slogan.At the earlier news briefing, Erie County Sheriff John Garcia pointedly called the shooting a hate crime.“This was pure evil. It was (a) straight up racially motivated hate crime from somebody outside of our community, outside of the City of Good Neighbors ... coming into our community and trying to inflict that evil upon us,” Garcia said.Twitch said in a statement that it ended Gendron’s transmission “less than two minutes after the violence started.”The massacre sent shockwaves through an unsettled nation gripped with racial tensions, gun violence and a spate of hate crimes. In the day prior to the shooting, Dallas police said they were investigating a series of shootings in Koreatown as hate crimes. The Buffalo attack came just one month after another mass shooting on a Brooklyn subway train wounded 10 people and just over a year after a mass shooting in a&nbsp;Colorado&nbsp;supermarket killed 10.Gendron, confronted by police in the store's vestibule, put a rifle to his neck but was convinced to drop it. He was arraigned later Saturday on a murder charge, appearing before a judge in a paper gown.A law enforcement official told The Associated Press that investigators were looking into whether he had posted a manifesto online. The official was not permitted to speak publicly on the matter and did so on the condition of anonymity.Buffalo police declined to comment on the document, circulated widely online, that purports to outline the attacker’s racist, anti-immigrant and antisemitic beliefs, including a desire to drive all people not of European descent from the U.S. It said he drew inspiration the man who killed 51 people at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, in 2019.___BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — A gunman wearing military-style clothing and body armor opened fire with a rifle at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York, killing at least 10 people before being taken into custody Saturday afternoon, law enforcement officials told The Associated Press.Details on the number of additional people shot at the Tops Friendly Market and their conditions weren’t immediately available. The two officials were not permitted to speak publicly on the matter and did so on the condition of anonymity. The suspect was being questioned Saturday evening by the FBI, one of the officials said.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">It is with profound sadness that we watch reports of the racially-motivated shooting the community of Buffalo has experienced today. We pray for the Buffalo community and the men and women of law enforcement as they assist in this investigation so that justice may be served.&mdash; Kansas City, Kansas Police Department (@KCKPDChief) <a href="https://twitter.com/KCKPDChief/status/1525604322834321410?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 14, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Investigators believe the gunman may have been streaming the shooting through a camera affixed to his helmet, one of the officials said. The video showed the gunman, dressed in military gear, pulling up to the front of the store with a rifle on the front seat and then pointing the rifle at people in the parking lot as he exited the vehicle and opening fire, the official said.It also shows the suspect walking into the supermarket and shooting several other victims inside, the official said. One of the victims was a recently retired police officer who was working as a security guard at the store, according to the official.One of the officials cautioned the investigation was in its preliminary stages and that authorities hadn’t yet discerned a clear motive, but were investigating whether the shooting was racially motivated.The supermarket is in a predominately Black neighborhood, about 3 miles (5 kilometers) north of downtown Buffalo. The surrounding area is primarily residential, with a Family Dollar store and fire station near the store.Buffalo police confirmed the shooter was in custody in a tweet, but did not identify the suspect. Police officials did not immediately respond to messages from the AP seeking comment.Witnesses reported the gunman was wearing military-style clothing in addition to the body armor, one of the officials saidBraedyn Kephart and Shane Hill, both 20, pulled into the parking lot just as the shooter was exiting. They described him as a white male in his late teens or early twenties sporting full camo, a black helmet and what appeared to be a rifle.“He was standing there with the gun to his chin. We were like what the heck is going on? Why does this kid have a gun to his face?” Kephart said. He dropped to his knees. “He ripped off his helmet, dropped his gun, and was tackled by the police.”At the White House, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said President Joe Biden is receiving regular updates on the shooting and its aftermath.“The president has been briefed by his Homeland Security advisor on the horrific shooting in Buffalo, N.Y., this afternoon. He will continue to receive updates throughout the evening and tomorrow as further information develops,” she said, adding the president and first lady were praying for the victims and their loved ones.Tops Friendly Markets released a statement saying, “We are shocked and deeply saddened by this senseless act of violence and our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families.”Police closed off the block, lined by spectators, and yellow police taped surrounded the full parking lot. Mayor Byron Brown and Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz were at the scene late Saturday afternoon, gathered in a parking lot across the street from the Tops store and expected to address the media.More than two hours of the shooting, Erica Pugh-Mathews was waiting outside the store, behind the police tape.“We would like to know the status of my aunt, my mother’s sister. She was in there with her fiance, they separated and went to different aisles,” she said. “A bullet barely missed him. He was able to hide in a freezer but he was not able to get to my aunt and does not know where she is. We just would like word either way if she’s OK.”Gov. Kathy Hochul tweeted that she was “closely monitoring the shooting at a grocery store in Buffalo,” her hometown. She said state officials have offered help to local authorities. The Erie County Sheriff’s Office said on social media that it ordered all available personnel to assist Buffalo police.Attorney General Merrick Garland was briefed on the shooting, Justice Department spokesperson Anthony Coley said.The shooting came little more than a year after a March 2021 attack at a King Soopers grocery in Boulder, Colorado, that killed 10 people. Investigators have not released any information about why they believe the man charged in that attack targeted the supermarket.---------BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — A gunman opened fire with a rifle Saturday at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York, in what authorities called a “hate crime and racially motived violent extremism,” killing 10 people and wounding three others before being taken in custody, law enforcement officials said.The suspect was identified as Payton Gendron of Conklin, about 200 miles southeast of Buffalo in New York state, two law enforcement officials told The Associated Press. The officials were not permitted to speak publicly on the matter and did so on the condition of anonymity. The suspect was being questioned Saturday evening by the FBI, one of the officials said.Officials said 11 of the victims are Black and two are white. The shooting happened in a predominantly Black neighborhood a few miles (kilometers) north of downtown Buffalo.

Shoppers, guard among 10 dead in Buffalo supermarket attack

WASHINGTON (AP) — Supporters of abortion rights took to the streets across America on Saturday to make clear their anger at the prospect that the Supreme Court will soon strike down the constitutional right to abortion. Cries of “My body, my choice” rang out as activists committed to fighting for what they called reproductive freedom.

Incensed after a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-abortion-draft-opinion-07439f9fc4542f1500ab78dfd34036b1">leaked draft opinion</a>&nbsp;suggested the conservative majority on the court would vote to overturn the landmark&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-is-roe-v-wade-33c08858dc8b0aa5f0450858b51a648a">Roe v. Wade</a>&nbsp;ruling, activists rallied to express their outrage and mobilize for the future as Republican-led states are poised to enact tighter restrictions.

In the nation’s capital, thousands gathered at the Washington Monument before marching to the Supreme Court, which is now surrounded by two layers of security fences.

Caitlin Loehr, 34, of Washington, wore a black T-shirt with an image of the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s “dissent” collar on it and a necklace that spelled out “vote.”

“I think that women should have the right to choose what to do with their bodies and their lives. And I don’t think banning abortion will stop abortion. It just makes it unsafe and can cost a woman her life,” Loehr said.

From Kansas City, Pittsburgh to Pasadena, California, and Nashville, Tennessee, to Lubbock, Texas, tens of thousands participated in “Bans off our Bodies” events. Organizers expected that among the hundreds of events, the largest would take place in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles and other big cities.

“If it’s a fight they want, it’s a fight they’ll get,” Rachel Carmona, executive director of the Women’s March, said before the march.

Polls show that most Americans want to preserve access to abortion — at least in the earlier stages of pregnancy — but the Supreme Court appeared to be poised to let the states have the final say. If that happens, roughly half of states, mostly in the South and Midwest, are expected to quickly ban abortion.

Teisha Kimmons, who traveled 80 miles to attend the Chicago rally, said she fears for women in states that are ready to ban abortion. She said she might not be alive today if she had not had a legal abortion when she was 15.

“I was already starting to self harm and I would have rather died than have a baby,” said Kimmons, a massage therapist from Rockford, Illinois.

At that rally, speaker after speaker told the crowd that if abortion is banned that the rights of immigrants, minorities and others will also be “gutted,” as Amy Eshleman, wife of Chicago Mayor Lori lightfoot put it.

“This has never been just about abortion. It’s about control,” Eshleman told the crowd of thousands. “My marriage is on the menu and we cannot and will not let that happen,” she added.

The upcoming high court ruling in a case from Mississippi stands to energize voters,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-us-supreme-court-business-congress-36b1c6a0fc5aec46fab8ea4d617d1ca4">potentially shaping the upcoming midterm elections.</a>

In Texas, which has a strict law banning many abortions, the challenger to one of the last anti-abortion Democrats in Congress marched in San Antonio.

Jessica Cisneros joined demonstrators just days before early voting begins in her primary runoff against U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar. The race could be one of the first tests over whether the court leak will galvanize voters.

In Chicago, Kjirsten Nyquist, a nurse toting daughters ages 1 and 3, agreed about the need to vote. “As much as federal elections, voting in every small election matters just as much,” she said.

Saturday’s rallies come three days after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-biden-us-supreme-court-filibusters-congress-759beeba80ac56aa95271711a8e915da">Senate failed to muster enough votes</a>&nbsp;to codify Roe v. Wade. Sponsors included the Women’s March, Move On, Planned Parenthood, UltraViolet, MoveOn, SEIU and other organizations.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652547228074.png" alt="'Bans off our bodies' rally in Kansas City-image courtesy Planned Parenthood Action" />
 <figcaption>'Bans off our bodies' rally in Kansas City-image courtesy Planned Parenthood Action</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Supporters of abortion rights took to the streets across America on Saturday to make clear their anger at the prospect that the Supreme Court will soon strike down the constitutional right to abortion. Cries of “My body, my choice” rang out as activists committed to fighting for what they called reproductive freedom.Incensed after a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-abortion-draft-opinion-07439f9fc4542f1500ab78dfd34036b1">leaked draft opinion</a>&nbsp;suggested the conservative majority on the court would vote to overturn the landmark&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-is-roe-v-wade-33c08858dc8b0aa5f0450858b51a648a">Roe v. Wade</a>&nbsp;ruling, activists rallied to express their outrage and mobilize for the future as Republican-led states are poised to enact tighter restrictions.In the nation’s capital, thousands gathered at the Washington Monument before marching to the Supreme Court, which is now surrounded by two layers of security fences.Caitlin Loehr, 34, of Washington, wore a black T-shirt with an image of the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s “dissent” collar on it and a necklace that spelled out “vote.”“I think that women should have the right to choose what to do with their bodies and their lives. And I don’t think banning abortion will stop abortion. It just makes it unsafe and can cost a woman her life,” Loehr said.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Let&#39;s all make our voices heard: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BansOffOurBodies?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BansOffOurBodies</a>! <a href="https://t.co/dXbiIyaRTq">pic.twitter.com/dXbiIyaRTq</a>&mdash; Planned Parenthood Action (@PPact) <a href="https://twitter.com/PPact/status/1525554752976654337?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 14, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>From Kansas City, Pittsburgh to Pasadena, California, and Nashville, Tennessee, to Lubbock, Texas, tens of thousands participated in “Bans off our Bodies” events. Organizers expected that among the hundreds of events, the largest would take place in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles and other big cities.“If it’s a fight they want, it’s a fight they’ll get,” Rachel Carmona, executive director of the Women’s March, said before the march.Polls show that most Americans want to preserve access to abortion — at least in the earlier stages of pregnancy — but the Supreme Court appeared to be poised to let the states have the final say. If that happens, roughly half of states, mostly in the South and Midwest, are expected to quickly ban abortion.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652558835992.png" alt="Photo courtesy Planned Parenthood Action" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Planned Parenthood Action</figcaption>
 </figure>Teisha Kimmons, who traveled 80 miles to attend the Chicago rally, said she fears for women in states that are ready to ban abortion. She said she might not be alive today if she had not had a legal abortion when she was 15.“I was already starting to self harm and I would have rather died than have a baby,” said Kimmons, a massage therapist from Rockford, Illinois.At that rally, speaker after speaker told the crowd that if abortion is banned that the rights of immigrants, minorities and others will also be “gutted,” as Amy Eshleman, wife of Chicago Mayor Lori lightfoot put it.“This has never been just about abortion. It’s about control,” Eshleman told the crowd of thousands. “My marriage is on the menu and we cannot and will not let that happen,” she added.The upcoming high court ruling in a case from Mississippi stands to energize voters,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-us-supreme-court-business-congress-36b1c6a0fc5aec46fab8ea4d617d1ca4">potentially shaping the upcoming midterm elections.</a>In Texas, which has a strict law banning many abortions, the challenger to one of the last anti-abortion Democrats in Congress marched in San Antonio.Jessica Cisneros joined demonstrators just days before early voting begins in her primary runoff against U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar. The race could be one of the first tests over whether the court leak will galvanize voters.In Chicago, Kjirsten Nyquist, a nurse toting daughters ages 1 and 3, agreed about the need to vote. “As much as federal elections, voting in every small election matters just as much,” she said.Saturday’s rallies come three days after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-biden-us-supreme-court-filibusters-congress-759beeba80ac56aa95271711a8e915da">Senate failed to muster enough votes</a>&nbsp;to codify Roe v. Wade. Sponsors included the Women’s March, Move On, Planned Parenthood, UltraViolet, MoveOn, SEIU and other organizations.

Abortion rights backers rally in Kansas City, across the nation

By KYLIE CAMERON <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/news/2022-05-11/report-airlines-not-adapting-well-to-increased-passenger-traffic">Kansas News Service</a>

Airlines are struggling with increased passenger volume following the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the annual<a href="https://www.wichita.edu/about/wsunews-releases/2022/05-may/aqr_2022_3.php" target="_blank"> Airline Quality Report</a> by Wichita State University.

The
 report found that the number of domestic airline travelers rose by 83% 
in 2021 from 2020. But fewer planes arrived on time last year, more 
flights were overbooked and more bags were lost.

“So anytime the 
system has higher demand or volume, performance goes down,” researcher 
Dean Headley said. “Not illogical, but it's unfortunate.

“So when the system is taxed with volume and demand for passenger opportunity, the airlines just don't really step up.”

The
 report found that complaints dropped dramatically from 2020 but were 
still higher than average, with most complaints concerning refunds or 
flight issues.

“It's not going to be good for several years simply
 because the airlines just can't get back to where they want to be or 
where they were, say in 2018,” Headley said. “ … just not going to 
happen.”

That’s because it’s going to take some time to address 
the main issues airlines are struggling with: staffing and plane 
inventory shortages. The staffing problems include a lack of pilots.

“Say,
 ‘Well, you have this whole regional system, aren’t there a bunch of 
pilots here that want to move up to the big boys, to the major leagues?’
 Well, yeah, but most of them don’t have the hours or the training,” 
Headley said.

“It takes two, three years to get that and train, so
 the problems that we’re having, I don’t see solving for the next two, 
three years.”

The report ranks the nation’s 10 largest airlines 
based on lost bags; on-time performance; involuntary denied boardings, 
and consumer complaints.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652459203138.png" alt="Southwest Airlines was rated first for airline quality in the annual Airline Quality Report. Pieter van Marion / Flickr Creative Commons" />
 <figcaption>Southwest Airlines was rated first for airline quality in the annual Airline Quality Report. Pieter van Marion / Flickr Creative Commons</figcaption>
 </figure>By KYLIE CAMERON <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/news/2022-05-11/report-airlines-not-adapting-well-to-increased-passenger-traffic">Kansas News Service</a>Airlines are struggling with increased passenger volume following the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the annual<a href="https://www.wichita.edu/about/wsunews-releases/2022/05-may/aqr_2022_3.php" target="_blank"> Airline Quality Report</a> by Wichita State University.The
 report found that the number of domestic airline travelers rose by 83% 
in 2021 from 2020. But fewer planes arrived on time last year, more 
flights were overbooked and more bags were lost.“So anytime the 
system has higher demand or volume, performance goes down,” researcher 
Dean Headley said. “Not illogical, but it's unfortunate.“So when the system is taxed with volume and demand for passenger opportunity, the airlines just don't really step up.”The
 report found that complaints dropped dramatically from 2020 but were 
still higher than average, with most complaints concerning refunds or 
flight issues.“It's not going to be good for several years simply
 because the airlines just can't get back to where they want to be or 
where they were, say in 2018,” Headley said. “ … just not going to 
happen.”That’s because it’s going to take some time to address 
the main issues airlines are struggling with: staffing and plane 
inventory shortages. The staffing problems include a lack of pilots.“Say,
 ‘Well, you have this whole regional system, aren’t there a bunch of 
pilots here that want to move up to the big boys, to the major leagues?’
 Well, yeah, but most of them don’t have the hours or the training,” 
Headley said.“It takes two, three years to get that and train, so
 the problems that we’re having, I don’t see solving for the next two, 
three years.”The report ranks the nation’s 10 largest airlines 
based on lost bags; on-time performance; involuntary denied boardings, 
and consumer complaints.1. Southwest (1)*2. Hawaiian (9)3. Delta (3)4. Allegiant (2)5. Alaska (4)6. United (8)7. Frontier (10)8. JetBlue (6)9. American (7)10. Spirit (5)*2020 ranking in parentheses

Report: Airlines not adapting well to increased passenger traffic

CHILLICOTHE, Mo. (AP) — A former respiratory therapist charged with first-degree murder in the death of a patient in Missouri 20 years ago has been arrested in northeastern Kansas, authorities said.

Jennifer Hall, 41, was arrested in Johnson County, Kansas, on Thursday evening under the name Jennifer Semaboye, of Overland Park, Kansas, the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office said. The discrepancy in her last name wasn't immediately clear, but a worker with the Johnson County jail said booking documents showed she was divorced and that she also went by the name Jennifer Hall. Online records indicate she is being held without bond.

She was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-franco-missouri-e1b5b5d9b9341349bc921776c169c1ab">charged this month in the 2002 death</a>&nbsp;of Fern Franco — one of nine people who died at Hedrick Medical Center in Chillicothe over several months in 2002 amid a series of “medically suspicious” events at the hospital, according to court documents in Hall’s case.

Hall worked as a respiratory therapist at the hospital when the patients all died from cardiac collapse, officials have said. Matthew O’Connor, who has represented Hall in the past, said earlier this week that no evidence exists to connect Hall to the deaths. Hall has previously denied any involvement.

The case was revived after an analysis of Franco’s tissue samples found morphine and a powerful muscle relaxant used in anesthesia in her system. Neither drug was prescribed or ordered for her by her doctors, investigators said.

Some staff at the hospital&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lawsuits-missouri-eb1f83b41c6749218dc02ecad99a295a">believed Hall was responsible</a>&nbsp;because of her proximity to the stricken patients, her access to deadly pharmaceuticals, and because she notified staff of every patient’s cardiac emergency, according to court documents.

Hall was placed on administrative leave three days after Franco’s death.

LIVINGSTON COUNTY, Missouri—Law enforcement authorities in Kansas have arrested a former respiratory therapist who worked at a hospital in Missouri where nine people died under suspicions circumstances twenty years ago.

According to a social media report from the Livingston County Sheriff's office, Jennifer Anne Hall, 41, was arrested by authorities in Kansas on a Livingston County arrest warrant for alleged 1st degree Murder. Extradition process will begin at the earliest opportunity, according to the report.

&nbsp;Hall was charged last week with first-degree murder in the 2002 death of Fern Franco, who was one of nine people who died of cardiac collapse between Dec. 16, 2001, and May 18, 2002, at Hedrick Medical Center in Chillicothe, Missouri.

The Livingston County Sheriff's office said Tuesday authorities were&nbsp; searching for Hall, who might be using the name Semaboye.

Hall worked as a respiratory therapist at the 49-bed hospital when the patients died. Doctors and nurses at the hospital viewed the numbers of deaths as “medically suspicious,” according to a law enforcement record supporting the probable cause for her arrest.

The case was revived after an analysis of Franco’s tissue samples found succinylcholine and morphine, which were not prescribed or ordered for her by her doctors, according to a probable cause statement by Chillicothe Police Officer Brian Schmidt.

Some staff at the hospital&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lawsuits-missouri-eb1f83b41c6749218dc02ecad99a295a">believed Hall was responsible&nbsp;</a>because of her proximity to the stricken patients, her access to deadly pharmaceuticals, and because she notified staff of every patient's cardiac emergency, according to the probable cause.

She was placed on administrative leave on May 21, 2002, three days after Franco’s death.

An overdose of succinylcholine causes slow suffocation. At least nine suspicious deaths and 18 suspicious medical emergencies at Hedrick Medical Center during that time period were suspected overdoses of succinylcholine or other drugs.

Hall denied involvement in the deaths during an interview with the Kansas City Star in 2015.

Matthew O’Connor, a Kansas City attorney who represented Hall in the past, said the murder charge was based on “conjecture and speculation.”

“This isn’t lawyer talk — there aren’t facts in support of it because Ms. Hall did not commit these acts,” he said.

Before she worked at Hedrick Medical Center, Hall was convicted of setting fire to Cass Medical Center in Harrisonville, Missouri, where she was hired as a respiratory therapist. She spent a year in prison before an appeals court vacated her conviction because she received ineffective counsel at trial. A jury acquitted her at a subsequent retrial.

The families of five of the nine patients who died during that period filed wrongful death lawsuits against the hospital in 2010, claiming the hospital covered up possible foul play in their relatives' deaths. An appeal filed in 2013 alleged that employees at the hospital believed they would be fired if they raised suspicions about the deaths.

In 2019, the Missouri Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/statutes-missouri-b55d384d0cac46919c3734c855354da6">threw out the lawsuits</a>, ruling that the families had filed their actions after the statute of limitations had run out.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652474493585.png" alt="Jennifer Hall, 41, was arrested in Johnson County, Kansas, on Thursday evening under the name Jennifer Semaboye, of Overland Park, Kansas-photo Johnson Co." />
 <figcaption>Jennifer Hall, 41, was arrested in Johnson County, Kansas, on Thursday evening under the name Jennifer Semaboye, of Overland Park, Kansas-photo Johnson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>CHILLICOTHE, Mo. (AP) — A former respiratory therapist charged with first-degree murder in the death of a patient in Missouri 20 years ago has been arrested in northeastern Kansas, authorities said.Jennifer Hall, 41, was arrested in Johnson County, Kansas, on Thursday evening under the name Jennifer Semaboye, of Overland Park, Kansas, the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office said. The discrepancy in her last name wasn't immediately clear, but a worker with the Johnson County jail said booking documents showed she was divorced and that she also went by the name Jennifer Hall. Online records indicate she is being held without bond.She was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-franco-missouri-e1b5b5d9b9341349bc921776c169c1ab">charged this month in the 2002 death</a>&nbsp;of Fern Franco — one of nine people who died at Hedrick Medical Center in Chillicothe over several months in 2002 amid a series of “medically suspicious” events at the hospital, according to court documents in Hall’s case.Hall worked as a respiratory therapist at the hospital when the patients all died from cardiac collapse, officials have said. Matthew O’Connor, who has represented Hall in the past, said earlier this week that no evidence exists to connect Hall to the deaths. Hall has previously denied any involvement.The case was revived after an analysis of Franco’s tissue samples found morphine and a powerful muscle relaxant used in anesthesia in her system. Neither drug was prescribed or ordered for her by her doctors, investigators said.Some staff at the hospital&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lawsuits-missouri-eb1f83b41c6749218dc02ecad99a295a">believed Hall was responsible</a>&nbsp;because of her proximity to the stricken patients, her access to deadly pharmaceuticals, and because she notified staff of every patient’s cardiac emergency, according to court documents.Hall was placed on administrative leave three days after Franco’s death.---------LIVINGSTON COUNTY, Missouri—Law enforcement authorities in Kansas have arrested a former respiratory therapist who worked at a hospital in Missouri where nine people died under suspicions circumstances twenty years ago.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652449498878.png" alt="Hall-photo Livingston Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Hall-photo Livingston Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>According to a social media report from the Livingston County Sheriff's office, Jennifer Anne Hall, 41, was arrested by authorities in Kansas on a Livingston County arrest warrant for alleged 1st degree Murder. Extradition process will begin at the earliest opportunity, according to the report.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652204964045.png" alt="Hall-photo Livingston Co." />
 <figcaption>Hall-photo Livingston Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;Hall was charged last week with first-degree murder in the 2002 death of Fern Franco, who was one of nine people who died of cardiac collapse between Dec. 16, 2001, and May 18, 2002, at Hedrick Medical Center in Chillicothe, Missouri.The Livingston County Sheriff's office said Tuesday authorities were&nbsp; searching for Hall, who might be using the name Semaboye.Hall worked as a respiratory therapist at the 49-bed hospital when the patients died. Doctors and nurses at the hospital viewed the numbers of deaths as “medically suspicious,” according to a law enforcement record supporting the probable cause for her arrest.The case was revived after an analysis of Franco’s tissue samples found succinylcholine and morphine, which were not prescribed or ordered for her by her doctors, according to a probable cause statement by Chillicothe Police Officer Brian Schmidt.Some staff at the hospital&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lawsuits-missouri-eb1f83b41c6749218dc02ecad99a295a">believed Hall was responsible&nbsp;</a>because of her proximity to the stricken patients, her access to deadly pharmaceuticals, and because she notified staff of every patient's cardiac emergency, according to the probable cause.She was placed on administrative leave on May 21, 2002, three days after Franco’s death.An overdose of succinylcholine causes slow suffocation. At least nine suspicious deaths and 18 suspicious medical emergencies at Hedrick Medical Center during that time period were suspected overdoses of succinylcholine or other drugs.Hall denied involvement in the deaths during an interview with the Kansas City Star in 2015.Matthew O’Connor, a Kansas City attorney who represented Hall in the past, said the murder charge was based on “conjecture and speculation.”“This isn’t lawyer talk — there aren’t facts in support of it because Ms. Hall did not commit these acts,” he said.Before she worked at Hedrick Medical Center, Hall was convicted of setting fire to Cass Medical Center in Harrisonville, Missouri, where she was hired as a respiratory therapist. She spent a year in prison before an appeals court vacated her conviction because she received ineffective counsel at trial. A jury acquitted her at a subsequent retrial.The families of five of the nine patients who died during that period filed wrongful death lawsuits against the hospital in 2010, claiming the hospital covered up possible foul play in their relatives' deaths. An appeal filed in 2013 alleged that employees at the hospital believed they would be fired if they raised suspicions about the deaths.In 2019, the Missouri Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/statutes-missouri-b55d384d0cac46919c3734c855354da6">threw out the lawsuits</a>, ruling that the families had filed their actions after the statute of limitations had run out.The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Therapist charged in hospital death held without bond in Kansas

WASHINGTON (AP) — Many parents are hunting for infant formula because of a combination of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-business-health-d3e32ba9e2381f77c299391e762abe21">short- and long-term problems</a>&nbsp;that has hit most of the biggest U.S. brands.

(Click the video listen watch the White House statement on the formula shortage)

Millions of babies in the U.S. rely on formula, which is the only source of nutrition recommended for infants who aren’t exclusively breastfed.

Here’s a look at what’s behind the problem and what parents can do:

Ongoing supply disruptions have combined with a recent safety recall to leave many pharmacy and supermarket shelves bare.

The problems began last year as the COVID-19 pandemic led to disruptions in labor, transportation and raw materials — economy-wide issues that didn’t spare the formula industry. Inventory was further squeezed by parents stockpiling during COVID-19 lockdowns.

Then in February, Abbott Nutrition&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-business-health-michigan-sturgis-a44d06262482d776ae465e0d22382d2d">recalled several major brands</a>&nbsp;of powdered formula and shut down its Sturgis, Michigan, factory when federal officials began investigating four babies who suffered bacterial infections after consuming formula from the facility.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652447550275.png" alt="&nbsp;On Thursday, President Biden spoke with retailers and manufacturers to discuss ways we can all work together to do more to help families access infant formula." />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;On Thursday, President Biden spoke with retailers and manufacturers to discuss ways we can all work together to do more to help families access infant formula.</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Many parents are hunting for infant formula because of a combination of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-business-health-d3e32ba9e2381f77c299391e762abe21">short- and long-term problems</a>&nbsp;that has hit most of the biggest U.S. brands.(Click the video listen watch the White House statement on the formula shortage)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F1514977988918412%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=2" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Millions of babies in the U.S. rely on formula, which is the only source of nutrition recommended for infants who aren’t exclusively breastfed.Here’s a look at what’s behind the problem and what parents can do:WHY IS THERE A SHORTAGE?Ongoing supply disruptions have combined with a recent safety recall to leave many pharmacy and supermarket shelves bare.The problems began last year as the COVID-19 pandemic led to disruptions in labor, transportation and raw materials — economy-wide issues that didn’t spare the formula industry. Inventory was further squeezed by parents stockpiling during COVID-19 lockdowns.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648164055231.png" alt="In February Abbott, one of the country’s largest infant formula makers announced a recall of Similac-FDA image" />
 <figcaption>In February Abbott, one of the country’s largest infant formula makers announced a recall of Similac-FDA image</figcaption>
 </figure>Then in February, Abbott Nutrition&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-business-health-michigan-sturgis-a44d06262482d776ae465e0d22382d2d">recalled several major brands</a>&nbsp;of powdered formula and shut down its Sturgis, Michigan, factory when federal officials began investigating four babies who suffered bacterial infections after consuming formula from the facility.Abbott is one of only a handful of companies that produce the vast majority of the U.S. formula supply, so their recall wiped out a large segment of the market.WHAT IS IN BABY FORMULA?Most formulas contain protein from cow’s milk that’s been altered to be easier to digest and enhanced with extra nutrients needed for growth and development. The Food and Drug Administration sets specific nutritional requirements, including minimum amounts of protein, fat, calcium and a number of vitamins. Formula makers achieve those levels by adding various sugars, oils and minerals.The formulas are designed to mimic breast milk, though studies have repeatedly shown better health outcomes for babies who are breastfed.WHY CAN’T ALL MOTHERS RELY ON BREAST MILK?Health professionals recommend exclusively breastfeeding babies until they are 6 months old. But federal figures show that only 1 in 4 are relying solely on breast milk at that age.Mothers face a number of challenges to long-term breastfeeding, including returning to work and finding the time and equipment needed to pump breast milk. About 60% of mothers stop breastfeeding sooner than they had planned, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/pdf/breastfeeding-cdcs-work-508.pdf" target="_blank">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.</a>State and federal laws have been enacted to encourage breastfeeding by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.womenshealth.gov/supporting-nursing-moms-work/what-law-says-about-breastfeeding-and-work" target="_blank">requiring&nbsp;</a>break time and accommodations for mothers of infants.Rates of breastfeeding have consistently been lower among Black babies than other groups. About three quarters of Black babies are breast fed in infancy, below the national average of 84%, according to the CDC.WHAT SHOULD PARENTS DO IF THEY ARE HAVING TROUBLE FINDING FORMULA?Talk with your pediatrician or call a local food bank to see if they can help locate some options. Experts also recommend checking with smaller stores and pharmacies, which may still have supplies when larger stores run out.Most regular baby formulas contain the same basic ingredients and nutrients, so parents shouldn’t hesitate to buy a different brand if they’re having trouble finding their regular one.Some infants require specialty formulas due to allergies, digestive problems and other medical conditions. Parents should talk to their doctor if they can’t find those products, which manufacturers usually distribute through pharmacies and clinics.Families that qualify for WIC — a federal program similar to food stamps that pays for about half the formula used in the U.S. — can also contact their local agency.Health officials also warn against buying formula via social media websites or outside of conventional retailers because they could be counterfeit.WHY ARE PARENTS TOLD NOT TO USE MAKE-YOUR-OWN FORMULA RECIPES ONLINE?Many do-it-yourself formula recipes are made from cow’s milk and granular sugar that may be difficult for young babies to digest. They also lack the specific vitamins and proteins found in breastmilk and FDA-approved formulas that are needed for basic nutrition.“Particularly for small babies, many of these formulas and mixtures that are found online don’t contain even the most basic nutrient mixes that babies need to survive,” said Dr. Steven Abrams, a pediatrician at the University of Texas, Austin.Abrams also stressed that parents should never dilute infant formula.WHAT ARE RETAILERS DOING TO KEEP FORMULA IN STOCK?Several national chains have limited the number of containers customers can purchase in stores and online. For CVS and Walgreens, the limit is three per customer. Target limits purchases to four per person when buying online.Amazon said Thursday it is working to keep the products available on its website and monitoring third-party sellers for price-gouging.“If we identify a price that violates our policy, we remove the offer and take appropriate action with the seller,” a company spokesperson said in a statement.WHEN ARE SUPPLIES LIKELY TO IMPROVE?Health regulators recently announced several steps designed to boost supply, including allowing faster importation of formula made overseas. Typically, 98% of baby formula consumed in the U.S. is made domestically, according to federal officials.The FDA is working with Abbott to fix the violations that triggered the shutdown of its Michigan plant, which produces Similac, EleCare and several other leading powdered formulas.The company says its products have not been directly linked to the bacterial infections in children, pointing out that genetic samples collected from its factory did not match those found in several infants who got sick.The Chicago-based company said this week that, pending FDA approval, it could restart manufacturing at its plant within two weeks. After that it would take another six to eight weeks before new products hit store shelves.But even then, experts caution that many of the industrywide issues will continue to restrain supplies.“This is going to be a problem and it’s not going away for at least a period of several months,” Abrams said.