GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska meatpacking plant worker died after he was injured on the job.

 Grand Island police said 48-year-old Esteban Mantilla of Grand Island died at the hospital where he was taken after he was hurt Friday afternoon. 

Police and paramedics were called to the JBS meat processing plant around 3:30 p.m. Friday.

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska meatpacking plant worker died after he was injured on the job. Grand Island police said 48-year-old Esteban Mantilla of Grand Island died at the hospital where he was taken after he was hurt Friday afternoon. Police and paramedics were called to the JBS meat processing plant around 3:30 p.m. Friday.

Nebraska meatpacking worker dies after being hurt on the job

BEIJING (AP) — Only “selected” spectators will be permitted at next month's Beijing Olympics because of the coronavirus pandemic, organizers said Monday.

Beijing had already announced that no fans from outside the country would be permitted at the events, and had not offered tickets to the general public.

Monday’s announcement posted on the organizing committee’s website confirmed expectations that the Winter Games would have few onlookers at the venues, under even more strict conditions than imposed during last year’s Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

China has largely avoided major virus outbreaks with a regimen of lockdowns, mass testing for COVID-19 and travel restrictions, although it continues to fight surges in several cities, including the port of Tianjin, about an hour from Beijing. The capital itself confirmed over the weekend that a 26-year-old woman had contracted the omicron variant of the virus and has tested more than 13,000 people in search of cases of cross transmission.

In its statement, the organizing committee said its measures were intended to “create a pleasant environment for the holding of the Games."

“Given the difficult and complicated work of controlling the epidemic, and to protect the health and safety of those involved with the Games, the original plan of offering tickets to the general public has been altered toward spectators from selected groups," the statement said.

BEIJING (AP) — Only “selected” spectators will be permitted at next month's Beijing Olympics because of the coronavirus pandemic, organizers said Monday.Beijing had already announced that no fans from outside the country would be permitted at the events, and had not offered tickets to the general public.Monday’s announcement posted on the organizing committee’s website confirmed expectations that the Winter Games would have few onlookers at the venues, under even more strict conditions than imposed during last year’s Summer Olympics in Tokyo.China has largely avoided major virus outbreaks with a regimen of lockdowns, mass testing for COVID-19 and travel restrictions, although it continues to fight surges in several cities, including the port of Tianjin, about an hour from Beijing. The capital itself confirmed over the weekend that a 26-year-old woman had contracted the omicron variant of the virus and has tested more than 13,000 people in search of cases of cross transmission.In its statement, the organizing committee said its measures were intended to “create a pleasant environment for the holding of the Games."“Given the difficult and complicated work of controlling the epidemic, and to protect the health and safety of those involved with the Games, the original plan of offering tickets to the general public has been altered toward spectators from selected groups," the statement said.

China: Tickets for Winter Olympics won't be sold to general public

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden packed carrots and apples into food boxes for the hungry and chatted with volunteers Sunday at a food bank as part of a day of service for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

The couple traveled about a half-hour from their Wilmington, Delaware, residence to Philabundance, a hunger relief organization in Philadelphia which serves about 140,000 people a week in the Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey region. Before heading to the warehouse floor where conveyor belts carried cardboard boxes full of donated food, Biden said the child tax credit needed to be renewed.

The traditional day of service is on the holiday, Monday, but there was a bad winter storm heading for the area and events were being rescheduled around the region.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/child-tax-credits-program-ends-5ded3907c72ee0c3ad8a067a29d6b2c0">The monthly credits were part&nbsp;</a>of Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package — and the president had proposed extending them for another full year as part of a separate measure focused on economic and social programs. The added boost was used by families to buy food and other supplies.

But Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., objected to extending the credit out of concern that the money would discourage people from working and that any additional federal spending would fuel inflation that has already climbed to a nearly 40-year high.

“The child tax credit was really helpful. We’ve got to get it renewed,” Biden said.

They walked out to the warehouse floor as “Wish I Didn’t Miss You” by Angie Stone played softly, donned some gloves and got to work. Jill Biden wore a Philadelphia Eagles T-shirt under her blazer in a nod to the team’s playoff game Sunday afternoon against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Biden chatted with volunteers, including one man standing near a crate of macaroni and cheese who told the president his daughter was a teacher. Biden spoke of the first lady’s teaching career and then asked the man for his daughter’s number and said he’d give her a ring.

The food boxes contained spices, fruits, vegetables, noodles, tea and juice boxes plus peanut butter and chickpeas.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said the Senate will take up voting rights legislation on Tuesday, missing a deadline he initially set for action by Monday, which is MLK Day. Biden spoke forcefully of the need to pass the legislation, likening the modern concerns over election subversion and increasing voting restrictions in states to the civil rights struggles of the 1960s.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voting-rights-joe-biden-voting-elections-wv-state-wire-28fce7f5190404f5091158c912bf8d5d">Biden last week said he supported changing</a>&nbsp;Senate rules to allow the slim Democratic majority to push the package through, though he later acknowledged uncertainty it can pass Congress this year following objections from Manchin and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz.

ADVERTISEMENTTrending on AP News<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-business-colorado-river-droughts-canyons-b499fa7949c5de28b52b9c43aa175af3">Scientists see silver lining in fed’s efforts at Lake Powell</a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/race-and-ethnicity-oklahoma-c28e7cbe63a18652d0ea26f365b01528">Bond revoked for businessman accused of killing employee</a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/bill-cosby-chicago-illinois-8f712678855ce6b9c76baefefa9a0645">Illinois judge disparaged lawyer in comments caught on video</a><a href="https://popup.taboola.com/en/?template=colorbox&amp;utm_source=associatedpress-apnews&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=organic-thumbnails-rr:Right%20Rail%20Thumbnails:" target="_blank">by Taboola</a>ADVERTISEMENT

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642419526976.png" alt="The traditional day of service is on the holiday, Monday, but there was a bad winter storm heading for the area and events were being rescheduled around the region-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>The traditional day of service is on the holiday, Monday, but there was a bad winter storm heading for the area and events were being rescheduled around the region-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>PHILADELPHIA (AP) — President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden packed carrots and apples into food boxes for the hungry and chatted with volunteers Sunday at a food bank as part of a day of service for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.The couple traveled about a half-hour from their Wilmington, Delaware, residence to Philabundance, a hunger relief organization in Philadelphia which serves about 140,000 people a week in the Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey region. Before heading to the warehouse floor where conveyor belts carried cardboard boxes full of donated food, Biden said the child tax credit needed to be renewed.The traditional day of service is on the holiday, Monday, but there was a bad winter storm heading for the area and events were being rescheduled around the region.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/child-tax-credits-program-ends-5ded3907c72ee0c3ad8a067a29d6b2c0">The monthly credits were part&nbsp;</a>of Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package — and the president had proposed extending them for another full year as part of a separate measure focused on economic and social programs. The added boost was used by families to buy food and other supplies.But Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., objected to extending the credit out of concern that the money would discourage people from working and that any additional federal spending would fuel inflation that has already climbed to a nearly 40-year high.“The child tax credit was really helpful. We’ve got to get it renewed,” Biden said.They walked out to the warehouse floor as “Wish I Didn’t Miss You” by Angie Stone played softly, donned some gloves and got to work. Jill Biden wore a Philadelphia Eagles T-shirt under her blazer in a nod to the team’s playoff game Sunday afternoon against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.Biden chatted with volunteers, including one man standing near a crate of macaroni and cheese who told the president his daughter was a teacher. Biden spoke of the first lady’s teaching career and then asked the man for his daughter’s number and said he’d give her a ring.The food boxes contained spices, fruits, vegetables, noodles, tea and juice boxes plus peanut butter and chickpeas.Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said the Senate will take up voting rights legislation on Tuesday, missing a deadline he initially set for action by Monday, which is MLK Day. Biden spoke forcefully of the need to pass the legislation, likening the modern concerns over election subversion and increasing voting restrictions in states to the civil rights struggles of the 1960s.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voting-rights-joe-biden-voting-elections-wv-state-wire-28fce7f5190404f5091158c912bf8d5d">Biden last week said he supported changing</a>&nbsp;Senate rules to allow the slim Democratic majority to push the package through, though he later acknowledged uncertainty it can pass Congress this year following objections from Manchin and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz.ADVERTISEMENTTrending on AP News<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-business-colorado-river-droughts-canyons-b499fa7949c5de28b52b9c43aa175af3">Scientists see silver lining in fed’s efforts at Lake Powell</a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/race-and-ethnicity-oklahoma-c28e7cbe63a18652d0ea26f365b01528">Bond revoked for businessman accused of killing employee</a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/bill-cosby-chicago-illinois-8f712678855ce6b9c76baefefa9a0645">Illinois judge disparaged lawyer in comments caught on video</a><a href="https://popup.taboola.com/en/?template=colorbox&amp;utm_source=associatedpress-apnews&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=organic-thumbnails-rr:Right%20Rail%20Thumbnails:" target="_blank">by Taboola</a>ADVERTISEMENT

Bidens volunteer at food bank in honor of Martin Luther King Day

Get ready to learn more Greek letters. Scientists warn that omicron’s whirlwind advance practically ensures it won’t be the last version of the coronavirus to worry the world.

Every infection provides a chance for the virus to mutate, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-lifestyle-recycling-louisville-102ea8cdc6a38f01a54816d9f0780aa1">omicron has an edge</a>&nbsp;over its predecessors:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-winter-olympics-sports-health-beijing-32bcad4283011feeff66804e466dedbe">It spreads way faster</a>&nbsp;despite emerging on a planet with a stronger patchwork of immunity from vaccines and prior illness.

That means more people in whom the virus can further evolve. Experts don’t know what the next variants will look like or how they might&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/health?utm_source=apnewsnav&amp;utm_medium=navigation">shape the pandemic</a>, but they say there’s no guarantee the sequels of omicron will cause milder illness or that existing vaccines will work against them.

They urge&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-jair-bolsonaro-health-caribbean-brazil-f67aca81ae08c0a76a1314b4945c4c6c">wider vaccination</a>&nbsp;now, while today’s shots still work.

“The faster omicron spreads, the more opportunities there are for mutation, potentially leading to more variants,” Leonardo Martinez, an infectious disease epidemiologist at Boston University, said.

Since it emerged in mid-November, omicron has raced across the globe like fire through dry grass. Research shows the variant is at least twice as contagious as delta and at least four times as contagious as the original version of the virus.

Omicron is more likely than delta to reinfect individuals who previously had COVID-19 and to cause “breakthrough infections” in vaccinated people while also attacking the unvaccinated. The World Health Organization reported a record 15 million new COVID-19 cases for the week of Jan. 3-9, a 55% increase from the previous week.

Along with keeping comparatively healthy people out of work and school, the ease with which the variant spreads increases the odds the virus will infect and linger inside people with weakened immune systems - giving it more time to develop potent mutations.

“It’s the longer, persistent infections that seem to be the most likely breeding grounds for new variants,” said Dr. Stuart Campbell Ray, an infectious disease expert at Johns Hopkins University. “It’s only when you have very widespread infection that you’re going to provide the opportunity for that to occur.”

Because omicron appears to cause less severe disease than delta, its behavior has kindled hope that it could be the start of a trend that eventually makes the virus milder like a common cold.

It’s a possibility, experts say, given that viruses don’t spread well if they kill their hosts very quickly. But viruses don’t always get less deadly over time.

A variant could also achieve its main goal - replicating - if infected people developed mild symptoms initially, spread the virus by interacting with others, then got very sick later, Ray explained by way of example.

“People have wondered whether the virus will evolve to mildness. But there’s no particular reason for it to do so,” he said. “I don’t think we can be confident that the virus will become less lethal over time.”

Getting progressively better at evading immunity helps a virus to survive over the long term. When SARS-CoV-2 first struck, no one was immune. But infections and vaccines have conferred at least some immunity to much of the world, so the virus must adapt.

There are many possible avenues for evolution. Animals could potentially incubate and unleash new variants. Pet dogs and cats, deer and farm-raised mink are only a few of the animals vulnerable to the virus, which can potentially mutate within them and leap back to people.

Another potential route: With both omicron and delta circulating, people may get double infections that could spawn what Ray calls “Frankenvariants,” hybrids with characteristics of both types.

When new variants do develop, scientists said it’s still very difficult to know from genetic features which ones might take off. For example, omicron has many more mutations than previous variants, around 30 in the spike protein that lets it attach to human cells. But the so-called IHU variant identified in France and being monitored by the WHO has 46 mutations and doesn’t seem to have spread much at all.

To curb the emergence of variants, scientists stress continuing with public health measures such as masking and getting vaccinated. While omicron is better able to evade immunity than delta, experts said, vaccines still offer protection and booster shots greatly reduce serious illness, hospitalizations and deaths.

Anne Thomas, a 64-year-old IT analyst in Westerly, Rhode Island, said she’s fully vaccinated and boosted and also tries to stay safe by mostly staying home while her state has one of the highest COVID-19 case rates in the U.S.

“I have no doubt at all that these viruses are going to continue to mutate and we’re going to be dealing with this for a very long time,” she said.

Ray likened vaccines to armor for humanity that greatly hinders viral spread even if it doesn’t completely stop it. For a virus that spreads exponentially, he said, “anything that curbs transmission can have a great effect.” Also, when vaccinated people get sick, Ray said their illness is usually milder and clears more quickly, leaving less time to spawn dangerous variants.

Experts say the virus won’t become endemic like the flu as long as global vaccination rates are so low. During a recent press conference, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that protecting people from future variants — including those that may be fully resistant to today’s shots — depends on ending global vaccine inequity.

Tedros said he’d like to see 70% of people in every country vaccinated by mid-year. Currently, there are dozens of countries where less than a quarter of the population is fully vaccinated, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/international" target="_blank">Johns Hopkins University statistics</a>. And in the United States, many people continue to resist available vaccines.

“These huge unvaccinated swaths in the U.S., Africa, Asia, Latin America and elsewhere are basically variant factories,” said Dr. Prabhat Jha of the Centre for Global Health Research at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto. “It’s been a colossal failure in global leadership that we have not been able to do this.”

In the meantime, new variants are inevitable, said Louis Mansky, director of the Institute for Molecular Virology at the University of Minnesota.

With so many unvaccinated people, he said, “the virus is still kind of in control of what’s going on.”

By LAURA UNGAR, Associated PressGet ready to learn more Greek letters. Scientists warn that omicron’s whirlwind advance practically ensures it won’t be the last version of the coronavirus to worry the world.Every infection provides a chance for the virus to mutate, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-lifestyle-recycling-louisville-102ea8cdc6a38f01a54816d9f0780aa1">omicron has an edge</a>&nbsp;over its predecessors:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-winter-olympics-sports-health-beijing-32bcad4283011feeff66804e466dedbe">It spreads way faster</a>&nbsp;despite emerging on a planet with a stronger patchwork of immunity from vaccines and prior illness.That means more people in whom the virus can further evolve. Experts don’t know what the next variants will look like or how they might&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/health?utm_source=apnewsnav&amp;utm_medium=navigation">shape the pandemic</a>, but they say there’s no guarantee the sequels of omicron will cause milder illness or that existing vaccines will work against them.They urge&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-jair-bolsonaro-health-caribbean-brazil-f67aca81ae08c0a76a1314b4945c4c6c">wider vaccination</a>&nbsp;now, while today’s shots still work.“The faster omicron spreads, the more opportunities there are for mutation, potentially leading to more variants,” Leonardo Martinez, an infectious disease epidemiologist at Boston University, said.Since it emerged in mid-November, omicron has raced across the globe like fire through dry grass. Research shows the variant is at least twice as contagious as delta and at least four times as contagious as the original version of the virus.Omicron is more likely than delta to reinfect individuals who previously had COVID-19 and to cause “breakthrough infections” in vaccinated people while also attacking the unvaccinated. The World Health Organization reported a record 15 million new COVID-19 cases for the week of Jan. 3-9, a 55% increase from the previous week.Along with keeping comparatively healthy people out of work and school, the ease with which the variant spreads increases the odds the virus will infect and linger inside people with weakened immune systems - giving it more time to develop potent mutations.“It’s the longer, persistent infections that seem to be the most likely breeding grounds for new variants,” said Dr. Stuart Campbell Ray, an infectious disease expert at Johns Hopkins University. “It’s only when you have very widespread infection that you’re going to provide the opportunity for that to occur.”Because omicron appears to cause less severe disease than delta, its behavior has kindled hope that it could be the start of a trend that eventually makes the virus milder like a common cold.It’s a possibility, experts say, given that viruses don’t spread well if they kill their hosts very quickly. But viruses don’t always get less deadly over time.A variant could also achieve its main goal - replicating - if infected people developed mild symptoms initially, spread the virus by interacting with others, then got very sick later, Ray explained by way of example.“People have wondered whether the virus will evolve to mildness. But there’s no particular reason for it to do so,” he said. “I don’t think we can be confident that the virus will become less lethal over time.”Getting progressively better at evading immunity helps a virus to survive over the long term. When SARS-CoV-2 first struck, no one was immune. But infections and vaccines have conferred at least some immunity to much of the world, so the virus must adapt.There are many possible avenues for evolution. Animals could potentially incubate and unleash new variants. Pet dogs and cats, deer and farm-raised mink are only a few of the animals vulnerable to the virus, which can potentially mutate within them and leap back to people.Another potential route: With both omicron and delta circulating, people may get double infections that could spawn what Ray calls “Frankenvariants,” hybrids with characteristics of both types.When new variants do develop, scientists said it’s still very difficult to know from genetic features which ones might take off. For example, omicron has many more mutations than previous variants, around 30 in the spike protein that lets it attach to human cells. But the so-called IHU variant identified in France and being monitored by the WHO has 46 mutations and doesn’t seem to have spread much at all.To curb the emergence of variants, scientists stress continuing with public health measures such as masking and getting vaccinated. While omicron is better able to evade immunity than delta, experts said, vaccines still offer protection and booster shots greatly reduce serious illness, hospitalizations and deaths.Anne Thomas, a 64-year-old IT analyst in Westerly, Rhode Island, said she’s fully vaccinated and boosted and also tries to stay safe by mostly staying home while her state has one of the highest COVID-19 case rates in the U.S.“I have no doubt at all that these viruses are going to continue to mutate and we’re going to be dealing with this for a very long time,” she said.Ray likened vaccines to armor for humanity that greatly hinders viral spread even if it doesn’t completely stop it. For a virus that spreads exponentially, he said, “anything that curbs transmission can have a great effect.” Also, when vaccinated people get sick, Ray said their illness is usually milder and clears more quickly, leaving less time to spawn dangerous variants.Experts say the virus won’t become endemic like the flu as long as global vaccination rates are so low. During a recent press conference, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that protecting people from future variants — including those that may be fully resistant to today’s shots — depends on ending global vaccine inequity.Tedros said he’d like to see 70% of people in every country vaccinated by mid-year. Currently, there are dozens of countries where less than a quarter of the population is fully vaccinated, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/international" target="_blank">Johns Hopkins University statistics</a>. And in the United States, many people continue to resist available vaccines.“These huge unvaccinated swaths in the U.S., Africa, Asia, Latin America and elsewhere are basically variant factories,” said Dr. Prabhat Jha of the Centre for Global Health Research at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto. “It’s been a colossal failure in global leadership that we have not been able to do this.”In the meantime, new variants are inevitable, said Louis Mansky, director of the Institute for Molecular Virology at the University of Minnesota.With so many unvaccinated people, he said, “the virus is still kind of in control of what’s going on.”___

Scientists: Omicron won't be the last coronavirus variant

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A 68-year-old man died at an Omaha hospital Friday just over a week after he pled guilty to starting the fire that led to his wife’s death. 

Douglas County jail officials said Carl Bohm of Omaha had been hospitalized since Jan. 6 — one day after he was found guilty of first-degree arson and first-degree assault in connection with the February 2019 fire. 

Authorities said the fire critically injured Janet Franks-Bohm who needed to have at least 30 surgeries to repair third-degree burns that covered more than 60% of her body. She died in October. 

The fire also injured the couple’s daughter.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A 68-year-old man died at an Omaha hospital Friday just over a week after he pled guilty to starting the fire that led to his wife’s death. Douglas County jail officials said Carl Bohm of Omaha had been hospitalized since Jan. 6 — one day after he was found guilty of first-degree arson and first-degree assault in connection with the February 2019 fire. Authorities said the fire critically injured Janet Franks-Bohm who needed to have at least 30 surgeries to repair third-degree burns that covered more than 60% of her body. She died in October. The fire also injured the couple’s daughter.

Man who pled guilty to setting fatal fire dies at hospital

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — Wyoming has asked the federal government to remove protections from grizzly bears in and around Yellowstone National Park. 

If approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the request could allow the animals to be hunted. 

Wyoming officials say in their petition Monday the bears have recovered from as few as 136 animals in the 1970s to more than 1,000 today. 

The federal government removed protections for Yellowstone's grizzlies in 2017. 

Wyoming and Idaho were set to allow grizzly hunting when a judge restored those protections under the Endangered Species Act. 

The Center for Biological Diversity says grizzly delisting still isn't supported by science.

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — Wyoming has asked the federal government to remove protections from grizzly bears in and around Yellowstone National Park. If approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the request could allow the animals to be hunted. Wyoming officials say in their petition Monday the bears have recovered from as few as 136 animals in the 1970s to more than 1,000 today. The federal government removed protections for Yellowstone's grizzlies in 2017. Wyoming and Idaho were set to allow grizzly hunting when a judge restored those protections under the Endangered Species Act. The Center for Biological Diversity says grizzly delisting still isn't supported by science.

Wyoming tries again to remove Yellowstone grizzly protection

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. health officials have updated their mask guidance, encouraging more Americans to wear N95 or KN95 masks to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

Those kinds of masks are considered better at filtering the air. But they were in short supply previously, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials had said they should be prioritized for health care workers.

 President Joe Biden continues to urge Americans to get vaccinated and to wear a mask. "I think it's part of your patriotic duty to wear a mask," he said ahead of a meeting with his COVID response team.

In&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/types-of-masks.html" target="_blank">updated guidance</a>&nbsp;posted late Friday,&nbsp; CDC officials removed concerns related to supply shortages and more clearly said that properly fitted N95 and KN95 masks offer the most protection.

However, agency officials noted some masks are harder to tolerate than others, and urged people to choose good-fitting masks that they will wear consistently.

“Our main message continues to be that any mask is better than no mask,” Kristen Nordlund, a CDC spokeswoman, said in a statement.

The CDC has evolved its mask guidance throughout the pandemic.

In its last update, in September, CDC officials became more encouraging of disposable N95 masks, saying they could be used in certain situations if supplies were available. Examples included being near a lot of people for extended periods of time on a train, bus or airplane; taking care of someone in poor health; or being more susceptible to severe illness.

On Thursday, President Joe Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-health-6eb679fb606d9ec2e98db7ab2767d1c0">announced</a>&nbsp;that his administration was planning to make “high-quality masks,” including N95s, available for free. He said more details were coming next week. The federal government has a stockpile of more than 750 million N95 masks, the White House said.

The latest CDC guidance notes that there is a special category of “surgical N95” masks, that are specially designed for protection against blood splashes and other operating room hazards. Those are not generally available for sale to the public, and should continue to be reserved for health care workers, the agency said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642088735613.png" alt="President Biden said it's your patriotic duty to wear a mask-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>President Biden said it's your patriotic duty to wear a mask-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. health officials have updated their mask guidance, encouraging more Americans to wear N95 or KN95 masks to slow the spread of the coronavirus.Those kinds of masks are considered better at filtering the air. But they were in short supply previously, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials had said they should be prioritized for health care workers. President Joe Biden continues to urge Americans to get vaccinated and to wear a mask. "I think it's part of your patriotic duty to wear a mask," he said ahead of a meeting with his COVID response team.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F627100008618297%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=182" 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>In&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/types-of-masks.html" target="_blank">updated guidance</a>&nbsp;posted late Friday,&nbsp; CDC officials removed concerns related to supply shortages and more clearly said that properly fitted N95 and KN95 masks offer the most protection.However, agency officials noted some masks are harder to tolerate than others, and urged people to choose good-fitting masks that they will wear consistently.“Our main message continues to be that any mask is better than no mask,” Kristen Nordlund, a CDC spokeswoman, said in a statement.The CDC has evolved its mask guidance throughout the pandemic.In its last update, in September, CDC officials became more encouraging of disposable N95 masks, saying they could be used in certain situations if supplies were available. Examples included being near a lot of people for extended periods of time on a train, bus or airplane; taking care of someone in poor health; or being more susceptible to severe illness.On Thursday, President Joe Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-health-6eb679fb606d9ec2e98db7ab2767d1c0">announced</a>&nbsp;that his administration was planning to make “high-quality masks,” including N95s, available for free. He said more details were coming next week. The federal government has a stockpile of more than 750 million N95 masks, the White House said.The latest CDC guidance notes that there is a special category of “surgical N95” masks, that are specially designed for protection against blood splashes and other operating room hazards. Those are not generally available for sale to the public, and should continue to be reserved for health care workers, the agency said.

 🎥 Biden: It's part of your patriotic duty to wear a mask

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court said Friday it will hear the case of a former Seattle-area football coach who was removed from his job because he refused to stop praying on the field.

Former Bremerton High School coach Joe Kennedy’s lawyers say the religious beliefs of their client, who is Christian, “compelled him to give thanks through prayer at the conclusion of each game for what the players accomplished and for the opportunity to be part of their lives through football.” After games had ended and after both teams’ players and coaches met at midfield to shake hands, Kennedy would kneel and offer a silent or quiet prayer.

His practice evolved, however. Students came to join him, and he eventually began to give motivational speeches that often included religious content and a short prayer.

The school district says that when it learned what Kennedy was doing it tried to accommodate him, asking that he pray separately from students. But the district says Kennedy ultimately declined to change his practice, was put on paid leave and sued. Lower courts sided with the school district.

In 2019, at an earlier stage of the case, the high court rejected getting involved. At that time, however, four conservative justices said while it was too early to get involved, they were interested in the case and the legal issues it raises.

In a statement issued Friday after the court agreed to hear the case, Kelly Shackelford, the head of First Liberty Institute, which is representing Kennedy, said, “No teacher or coach should lose their job for simply expressing their faith while in public.”

“By taking this important case, the Supreme Court can protect the right of every American to engage in private religious expression, including praying in public, without fear of punishment,” Shackelford said.

But the head of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, which represents the school district, said it had followed the law, calling Kennedy's actions “coercive prayers.”

"This case is not about a school employee praying silently during a private religious devotion. Rather, this case is about protecting impressionable students who felt pressured by their coach to participate repeatedly in public prayer, and a public school district that did right by its students and families,” Rachel Laser said in a statement.

The case is expected to be argued in the spring.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641555607497.png" alt="The case is expected to be argued in the spring -photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>The case is expected to be argued in the spring -photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court said Friday it will hear the case of a former Seattle-area football coach who was removed from his job because he refused to stop praying on the field.Former Bremerton High School coach Joe Kennedy’s lawyers say the religious beliefs of their client, who is Christian, “compelled him to give thanks through prayer at the conclusion of each game for what the players accomplished and for the opportunity to be part of their lives through football.” After games had ended and after both teams’ players and coaches met at midfield to shake hands, Kennedy would kneel and offer a silent or quiet prayer.His practice evolved, however. Students came to join him, and he eventually began to give motivational speeches that often included religious content and a short prayer.The school district says that when it learned what Kennedy was doing it tried to accommodate him, asking that he pray separately from students. But the district says Kennedy ultimately declined to change his practice, was put on paid leave and sued. Lower courts sided with the school district.In 2019, at an earlier stage of the case, the high court rejected getting involved. At that time, however, four conservative justices said while it was too early to get involved, they were interested in the case and the legal issues it raises.In a statement issued Friday after the court agreed to hear the case, Kelly Shackelford, the head of First Liberty Institute, which is representing Kennedy, said, “No teacher or coach should lose their job for simply expressing their faith while in public.”“By taking this important case, the Supreme Court can protect the right of every American to engage in private religious expression, including praying in public, without fear of punishment,” Shackelford said.But the head of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, which represents the school district, said it had followed the law, calling Kennedy's actions “coercive prayers.”"This case is not about a school employee praying silently during a private religious devotion. Rather, this case is about protecting impressionable students who felt pressured by their coach to participate repeatedly in public prayer, and a public school district that did right by its students and families,” Rachel Laser said in a statement.The case is expected to be argued in the spring.

Supreme Court to hear case of praying football coach forced from his job

PALMYRA, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say one person is dead and two others are in critical condition following a head-on crash between a semi-truck and an SUV. 

Deputies from the Otoe County Sheriff’s Office and troopers from the Nebraska State Patrol responded to the crash between a westbound semi and an eastbound SUV in the westbound lanes of Nebraska 2 just before 1 a.m. Saturday. 

The Lincoln Journal World reports that 45-year-old Michael McClintock of Pawnee City, Nebraska, was taken to a local hospital where he was later pronounced dead. 

His two passengers were in critical but stable condition as of Saturday afternoon.

PALMYRA, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say one person is dead and two others are in critical condition following a head-on crash between a semi-truck and an SUV. Deputies from the Otoe County Sheriff’s Office and troopers from the Nebraska State Patrol responded to the crash between a westbound semi and an eastbound SUV in the westbound lanes of Nebraska 2 just before 1 a.m. Saturday. The Lincoln Journal World reports that 45-year-old Michael McClintock of Pawnee City, Nebraska, was taken to a local hospital where he was later pronounced dead. His two passengers were in critical but stable condition as of Saturday afternoon.

1 dead, 2 critically hurt after crash with semi-truck in Otoe County

PAWNEE COUNTY – A Pawnee County jury found Roy Gene Hill, 59 of Osage, Kansas guilty of a child sex crime during a trial Thursday, according to Pawnee County Attorney Doug McNett.

The jury heard testimony that the Pawnee County Sheriff’s Department received a 911 call on February 10, 2019, at approximately 5 a.m. to respond to a possible sexual assault of a minor at a residence in Garfield, Kansas. 

Once at the residence the responding officers were advised by the owners that their 13 year old granddaughter had been awaken in her bedroom at approximately 3 a.m. by a man touching her inappropriately. 

The girl told the officers that she recognized the assailant as being her grandparent’s house guest.

The teenager testified at trial that after the assault occurred she was too scared to leave her room as she would have to pass the defendant to get to her grandmother’s room. 

Hill had been staying on the family’s couch for several weeks. She attempted to call and text her grandmother serval times, but her grandmother did not wake up for over an hour. Hill was arrested at the scene without incident. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation handled the follow-up investigation.

The jury made up of 7 men and 5 women deliberated for approximately one hour Thursday afternoon before returning Guilty verdict of Aggravated Indecent Liberties with a Child Under the Age of 14. The defense argued law enforcement rushed to judgment and conducted an insufficient investigation.

Hill previously entered a No Contest plea on December 16, 2021, to Count 2 in the case to a charge of Failing to Register as a Sex Offender with the Pawnee County Sheriff.

Under the Kansas Offender Registration Act, offenders are required to notify the local sheriff if they remain in a County for more than 3 days. At the time, Hill was subject to life-time registration due to a previous Aggravated Indecent Liberties conviction for an incident in Neosho County in 2002. 

Pursuant to a pretrial order, the Jury was not informed of Hill’s prior sex conviction, nor his duty to register.

Sentencing is scheduled for March 24, 2022, at 2:00 p.m.. The defendant has been in the custody of the Pawnee County Sheriff since February 10, 2019. Based on his prior sex offense, Hill now faces a mandatory 40 year under the Jessica’s Law sentencing provisions, according to McNett.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642114839130.png" alt="Hill-photo Ford Co." />
 <figcaption>Hill-photo Ford Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>PAWNEE COUNTY – A Pawnee County jury found Roy Gene Hill, 59 of Osage, Kansas guilty of a child sex crime during a trial Thursday, according to Pawnee County Attorney Doug McNett.The jury heard testimony that the Pawnee County Sheriff’s Department received a 911 call on February 10, 2019, at approximately 5 a.m. to respond to a possible sexual assault of a minor at a residence in Garfield, Kansas. Once at the residence the responding officers were advised by the owners that their 13 year old granddaughter had been awaken in her bedroom at approximately 3 a.m. by a man touching her inappropriately. The girl told the officers that she recognized the assailant as being her grandparent’s house guest.The teenager testified at trial that after the assault occurred she was too scared to leave her room as she would have to pass the defendant to get to her grandmother’s room. Hill had been staying on the family’s couch for several weeks. She attempted to call and text her grandmother serval times, but her grandmother did not wake up for over an hour. Hill was arrested at the scene without incident. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation handled the follow-up investigation.The jury made up of 7 men and 5 women deliberated for approximately one hour Thursday afternoon before returning Guilty verdict of Aggravated Indecent Liberties with a Child Under the Age of 14. The defense argued law enforcement rushed to judgment and conducted an insufficient investigation.Hill previously entered a No Contest plea on December 16, 2021, to Count 2 in the case to a charge of Failing to Register as a Sex Offender with the Pawnee County Sheriff.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642115281720.png" alt="Hill-photo Kan. Offender Registry" />
 <figcaption>Hill-photo Kan. Offender Registry</figcaption>
 </figure>Under the Kansas Offender Registration Act, offenders are required to notify the local sheriff if they remain in a County for more than 3 days. At the time, Hill was subject to life-time registration due to a previous Aggravated Indecent Liberties conviction for an incident in Neosho County in 2002. Pursuant to a pretrial order, the Jury was not informed of Hill’s prior sex conviction, nor his duty to register.Sentencing is scheduled for March 24, 2022, at 2:00 p.m.. The defendant has been in the custody of the Pawnee County Sheriff since February 10, 2019. Based on his prior sex offense, Hill now faces a mandatory 40 year under the Jessica’s Law sentencing provisions, according to McNett.

Kan. sex offender faces 40-years in prison for another child sex crime

KANSAS CITY (AP) —For companies that were waiting to hear from the U.S. Supreme Court before deciding whether to require vaccinations or regular coronavirus testing for workers, the next move is up to them.

Many large corporations were silent on Thursday’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-vaccine-mandate-eb5899ae1fe5b62b6f4d51f54a3cd375">ruling by the high court&nbsp;</a>to block a requirement that workers at businesses with at least 100 employees be fully vaccinated or else test regularly for COVID-19 and wear a mask on the job.

Target’s response was typical: The big retailer said it wanted to review the decision and “how it will impact our team and business.”

The Biden administration argues that nothing in federal law prevents private businesses from imposing their own vaccine requirements. However, companies could run into state bans on vaccine mandates in Republican-controlled states. And relatively few businesses enacted their own rules ahead of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration requirement, raising doubt that there will be rush for them now.

In legal terms, the Supreme Court’s conservative majority said the OSHA lacked authority to impose such a mandate on big companies. The court, however, let stand a vaccination requirement for most health-care workers.

The National Retail Federation, the nation’s largest retail trade organization and one of the groups that challenged the OSHA action, called the court’s decision “a significant victory for employers.” It complained that OSHA acted without first allowing public comments, although administration officials met with many business and labor groups before issuing the rule.

Chris Spear, the president of the American Trucking Associations, another of the groups that fought the OSHA rule, said it “would interfere with individuals’ private health care decisions.”

Karen Harned, an official with the National Federation of Independent Business, said that as small businesses try to recover from nearly two years of pandemic, “the last thing they need is a mandate that would cause more business challenges.”

But mandate supporters called it a matter of safety for employees and customers.

Dan Simons, co-owner of the Founding Farmers chain of restaurants in the Washington area, said vaccine mandates are “common sense.” He requires his 1,000 employees to be fully vaccinated; those who request an exemption must wear a mask and submit weekly COVID test results.

“If your priority is the economy, or your own health, or the health of others, you would agree with my approach,” Simons said.

Administration officials believe that even though the OSHA rule has been blocked, it drove millions of people to get vaccinated. Companies that used mandates to achieve relatively high vaccination rates may decide that they have accomplished enough.

Ford Motor Co. said it was “encouraged by the 88% of U.S. salaried employees who are already vaccinated.” The car maker said it would review the court decision to see if it needs to change a requirement that most U.S. salaried workers get the shots.

Labor advocates were dismayed by the ruling.

“This decision will have no impact on most professional and white collar workers, but it will endanger millions of frontline workers who risk their lives daily and who are least able to protect themselves,” said David Michaels, who led OSHA during the Obama administration and now teaches at the George Washington University’s School of Public Health.

For their part,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-police-oregon-coronavirus-pandemic-workers-rights-05ff3bd3325fb47f90061b1cc8e339a1">labor unions had been divided all along&nbsp;</a>about Biden’s attempt to create a vaccine mandate, with many nurses and teachers groups in favor, but many police and fire unions opposed. Some unions wanted the right to bargain over the issue with companies.

The United Auto Workers, which encourages workers to get vaccinated, said the decision won’t change safety protocols such as face masks, temperature checks and distancing when possible for more than 150,000 union members at General Motors, Ford and Stellantis factories.

Among 543 U.S. companies surveyed in November by insurance broker and consulting firm Willis Towers Watson, employers were split on what to do with their unvaccinated workers. Fewer than one in five required vaccination. Two-thirds had no plans to require the shots unless the courts upheld the OSHA requirement.

Jeff Levin-Scherz, an executive in the firm’s health practice, said most companies with mandates will keep them because they are working. He said nothing short of a mandate can get vaccination rates to 90%, and “you really need a very high level of vaccination to prevent community outbreaks.”

United Airlines was one of the first major employers to announce a mandate, back in August. CEO Scott Kirby has said that 99% of United employees either got vaccinated or submitted a request for exemption on medical or religious grounds.

United declined to comment Thursday, but in earlier comments Kirby has sounded committed to the mandate for his employees because “it was the right thing to do for safety.”

Airlines fall under a separate Biden order that required federal contractors to get their workers vaccinated. That requirement was not part of Thursday’s Supreme Court ruling, but it has been tied up separately since early December, when a federal district judge in Georgia issued a preliminary injunction barring enforcement of the mandate.

“I would expect many federal contractors are going to wait and see because they don’t want to implement something if they don’t have to,” said Christopher Slottee, a commercial law attorney in Anchorage, Alaska.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642266101298.png" alt="Entrance to a Target store in northeast Kansas -google image" />
 <figcaption>Entrance to a Target store in northeast Kansas -google image</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) —For companies that were waiting to hear from the U.S. Supreme Court before deciding whether to require vaccinations or regular coronavirus testing for workers, the next move is up to them.Many large corporations were silent on Thursday’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-vaccine-mandate-eb5899ae1fe5b62b6f4d51f54a3cd375">ruling by the high court&nbsp;</a>to block a requirement that workers at businesses with at least 100 employees be fully vaccinated or else test regularly for COVID-19 and wear a mask on the job.Target’s response was typical: The big retailer said it wanted to review the decision and “how it will impact our team and business.”The Biden administration argues that nothing in federal law prevents private businesses from imposing their own vaccine requirements. However, companies could run into state bans on vaccine mandates in Republican-controlled states. And relatively few businesses enacted their own rules ahead of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration requirement, raising doubt that there will be rush for them now.In legal terms, the Supreme Court’s conservative majority said the OSHA lacked authority to impose such a mandate on big companies. The court, however, let stand a vaccination requirement for most health-care workers.The National Retail Federation, the nation’s largest retail trade organization and one of the groups that challenged the OSHA action, called the court’s decision “a significant victory for employers.” It complained that OSHA acted without first allowing public comments, although administration officials met with many business and labor groups before issuing the rule.Chris Spear, the president of the American Trucking Associations, another of the groups that fought the OSHA rule, said it “would interfere with individuals’ private health care decisions.”Karen Harned, an official with the National Federation of Independent Business, said that as small businesses try to recover from nearly two years of pandemic, “the last thing they need is a mandate that would cause more business challenges.”But mandate supporters called it a matter of safety for employees and customers.Dan Simons, co-owner of the Founding Farmers chain of restaurants in the Washington area, said vaccine mandates are “common sense.” He requires his 1,000 employees to be fully vaccinated; those who request an exemption must wear a mask and submit weekly COVID test results.“If your priority is the economy, or your own health, or the health of others, you would agree with my approach,” Simons said.Administration officials believe that even though the OSHA rule has been blocked, it drove millions of people to get vaccinated. Companies that used mandates to achieve relatively high vaccination rates may decide that they have accomplished enough.Ford Motor Co. said it was “encouraged by the 88% of U.S. salaried employees who are already vaccinated.” The car maker said it would review the court decision to see if it needs to change a requirement that most U.S. salaried workers get the shots.Labor advocates were dismayed by the ruling.“This decision will have no impact on most professional and white collar workers, but it will endanger millions of frontline workers who risk their lives daily and who are least able to protect themselves,” said David Michaels, who led OSHA during the Obama administration and now teaches at the George Washington University’s School of Public Health.For their part,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-police-oregon-coronavirus-pandemic-workers-rights-05ff3bd3325fb47f90061b1cc8e339a1">labor unions had been divided all along&nbsp;</a>about Biden’s attempt to create a vaccine mandate, with many nurses and teachers groups in favor, but many police and fire unions opposed. Some unions wanted the right to bargain over the issue with companies.The United Auto Workers, which encourages workers to get vaccinated, said the decision won’t change safety protocols such as face masks, temperature checks and distancing when possible for more than 150,000 union members at General Motors, Ford and Stellantis factories.Among 543 U.S. companies surveyed in November by insurance broker and consulting firm Willis Towers Watson, employers were split on what to do with their unvaccinated workers. Fewer than one in five required vaccination. Two-thirds had no plans to require the shots unless the courts upheld the OSHA requirement.Jeff Levin-Scherz, an executive in the firm’s health practice, said most companies with mandates will keep them because they are working. He said nothing short of a mandate can get vaccination rates to 90%, and “you really need a very high level of vaccination to prevent community outbreaks.”United Airlines was one of the first major employers to announce a mandate, back in August. CEO Scott Kirby has said that 99% of United employees either got vaccinated or submitted a request for exemption on medical or religious grounds.United declined to comment Thursday, but in earlier comments Kirby has sounded committed to the mandate for his employees because “it was the right thing to do for safety.”Airlines fall under a separate Biden order that required federal contractors to get their workers vaccinated. That requirement was not part of Thursday’s Supreme Court ruling, but it has been tied up separately since early December, when a federal district judge in Georgia issued a preliminary injunction barring enforcement of the mandate.“I would expect many federal contractors are going to wait and see because they don’t want to implement something if they don’t have to,” said Christopher Slottee, a commercial law attorney in Anchorage, Alaska.___

Businesses react to ruling against Biden vaccine mandate

DENVER (AP) — Two weeks after a Colorado wildfire destroyed over 1,000 homes and buildings, the search for one person listed as missing is is still underway.

 Authorities have not named the woman they are looking for at a site where a home burned on the outskirts of the town of Superior. But relatives have identified her as 91-year-old Nadine Turnbull.

 The remains of the other person who was classified as missing in the Dec. 30 fire were found a week later. 

The brother of Robert Sharpe believes he stayed at the home in an attempt to save a large collection of family history, personal writing and records of his community activism.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642254003037.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>DENVER (AP) — Two weeks after a Colorado wildfire destroyed over 1,000 homes and buildings, the search for one person listed as missing is is still underway. Authorities have not named the woman they are looking for at a site where a home burned on the outskirts of the town of Superior. But relatives have identified her as 91-year-old Nadine Turnbull. The remains of the other person who was classified as missing in the Dec. 30 fire were found a week later. The brother of Robert Sharpe believes he stayed at the home in an attempt to save a large collection of family history, personal writing and records of his community activism.

Woman, 91, still missing 2 weeks after massive Colorado fire

By HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH AND JOHN HANNA, Associated Press

MISSION, Kan. (AP) — Nursing homes are facing COVID-19 outbreaks, schools are closing and hospitals in the&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;City area are seeing so many deaths that they are raising alarms about morgue capacity.

The problems come as Kansas yet again shattered its record for new confirmed and probable cases. The state reported an average of 7,887 new cases a day for the seven days ending Friday — nearly triple what had been the biggest peak in November 2020, according to state health department data.

While the omicron variant is less deadly, hospitalizations are approaching the previous high from December 2020, new state data shows.

The rise in cases, combined with a surge of staff absences, has hospitals across a large swath of the state halting elective procedures. And hospitals in the Kansas City area are now talking to the medical examiner and county health officials about how to handle the excessive death. Already they have sought help tracking down more ventilators.

“They are running out of morgue capacity,” said. Dr. Sanmi Areola, director of the health department in Johnson County, the state’s most populous county. “It does not take being an expert in public health to know that things are pretty bad."

The county has been looking for new testing sites and expanding hours at exiting ones. The positivity rate now tops 30%.

“Quite frankly the numbers we are getting in are exceeding all capacity at all levels," said Dr. Elizabeth Holzschuh, director of epidemiology at the county's Department of Health and Environment.

She noted that since the beginning of the year, nearly 30 county residents have died of COVID-19, with the vast majority of them unvaccinated. Nursing homes in the county also are hard hit with cases, said Areola.

“Virtually all of them have outbreaks going on," he said, adding, “The good news is because of the high vaccination rate and the high rates of booster uptake we haven’t seen very high levels of hospitalizations and death, at least not yet in that group. So our message continues to be get vaccinated, get boosted.”

Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly told reporters that she believes Kansas should rethink restrictions on remote learning in public schools enacted last year, but top Republicans in the GOP-dominated Legislature are so far standing behind the policy.

Her comments come as a growing number of schools closed, including Eudora, Desoto, Manhattan-Ogden, Bonner Springs and El Dorado. Many cited staffing shortages, which are so severe that the state announced this week that substitute teachers in Kansas will not be required to have college credit hours.

Meanwhile, Kansas City, Kansas, schools warned parents to start preparing for school closures and said buses would be 15 to 20 minutes late Friday because of staff shortages. And the Olathe district, which is the state’s second-largest, is about 65 staff absences away from having to cancel school, warned Superintendent Brent Yeager.

“We all know the best place for our kids to be is right in our schools so we will continue to work hard and make that the case,” Yeager said at the district’s board meeting on Thursday.

The Wichita district, which is the state’s largest with about 47,000 students, issued a similar warning that closures were possible earlier this week.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1634925184239.jpg" alt="Photo University of Kansas Health System" />
 <figcaption>Photo University of Kansas Health System</figcaption>
 </figure>By HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH AND JOHN HANNA, Associated PressMISSION, Kan. (AP) — Nursing homes are facing COVID-19 outbreaks, schools are closing and hospitals in the&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;City area are seeing so many deaths that they are raising alarms about morgue capacity.The problems come as Kansas yet again shattered its record for new confirmed and probable cases. The state reported an average of 7,887 new cases a day for the seven days ending Friday — nearly triple what had been the biggest peak in November 2020, according to state health department data.While the omicron variant is less deadly, hospitalizations are approaching the previous high from December 2020, new state data shows.The rise in cases, combined with a surge of staff absences, has hospitals across a large swath of the state halting elective procedures. And hospitals in the Kansas City area are now talking to the medical examiner and county health officials about how to handle the excessive death. Already they have sought help tracking down more ventilators.“They are running out of morgue capacity,” said. Dr. Sanmi Areola, director of the health department in Johnson County, the state’s most populous county. “It does not take being an expert in public health to know that things are pretty bad."The county has been looking for new testing sites and expanding hours at exiting ones. The positivity rate now tops 30%.“Quite frankly the numbers we are getting in are exceeding all capacity at all levels," said Dr. Elizabeth Holzschuh, director of epidemiology at the county's Department of Health and Environment.She noted that since the beginning of the year, nearly 30 county residents have died of COVID-19, with the vast majority of them unvaccinated. Nursing homes in the county also are hard hit with cases, said Areola.“Virtually all of them have outbreaks going on," he said, adding, “The good news is because of the high vaccination rate and the high rates of booster uptake we haven’t seen very high levels of hospitalizations and death, at least not yet in that group. So our message continues to be get vaccinated, get boosted.”Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly told reporters that she believes Kansas should rethink restrictions on remote learning in public schools enacted last year, but top Republicans in the GOP-dominated Legislature are so far standing behind the policy.Her comments come as a growing number of schools closed, including Eudora, Desoto, Manhattan-Ogden, Bonner Springs and El Dorado. Many cited staffing shortages, which are so severe that the state announced this week that substitute teachers in Kansas will not be required to have college credit hours.Meanwhile, Kansas City, Kansas, schools warned parents to start preparing for school closures and said buses would be 15 to 20 minutes late Friday because of staff shortages. And the Olathe district, which is the state’s second-largest, is about 65 staff absences away from having to cancel school, warned Superintendent Brent Yeager.“We all know the best place for our kids to be is right in our schools so we will continue to work hard and make that the case,” Yeager said at the district’s board meeting on Thursday.The Wichita district, which is the state’s largest with about 47,000 students, issued a similar warning that closures were possible earlier this week.

Hospitals raise morgue capacity concerns, schools close

WASHINGTON (AP) — The federal website where Americans can request free COVID-19 tests will begin accepting orders on Wednesday as the White House looks to address nationwide shortages, but supplies will be limited to just four free tests per home.

Starting on Jan. 19, the website COVIDTests.gov will provide tests at no cost, including no shipping fee, the White House announced Friday.

As he faced criticism for low inventory and long lines for testing, President Joe Biden announced last month that the U.S. would purchase 500 million at-home tests to launch the program and on Thursday the president announced that he was doubling the order to 1 billion tests.

But Americans shouldn't expect a rapid turn-around on the orders and they will have to plan ahead and request the tests well before they meet federal guidelines for when to use a test.

The White House said “tests will typically ship within 7-12 days of ordering" through the U.S. Postal Service, which reports shipping times of 1-3 days for its first-class package service in the continental United States.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends at-home testing when experiencing COVID-19 systems including fever, cough, sore throat, respiratory symptoms and muscle aches, five days after a potential COVID-19 exposure, or as part of test-to-stay protocols in schools and workplaces.

“Certainly if you’re going to gather with family, if you’re going to a gathering where people are immunocompromised or where they’re elderly or where you have people who might be unvaccinated or poorly protected from a vaccine that might be an opportunity you want to test,” said Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the CDC director, on Wednesday.

Officials emphasized that the federal website is just one way for people to procure COVID-19 tests. Starting on Saturday, private insurance companies will be required to cover the cost of at-home rapid tests, allowing Americans to be reimbursed for tests they purchase at pharmacies and online retailers. That covers up to eight tests per month.

The White House said the four-test limit on website orders will be applied to each residential address and will apply to the first tranche of 500 million tests. It estimates that the cost of purchasing and distributing the first block of tests at $4 billion.

Officials said they are cognizant that any launch of a website carries some risks — and memories of the disastrous roll-out during the Obama administration of Healthcare.gov are still fresh — but said they believe they are well-positioned to handle expected demand for tests.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642104330616.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The federal website where Americans can request free COVID-19 tests will begin accepting orders on Wednesday as the White House looks to address nationwide shortages, but supplies will be limited to just four free tests per home.Starting on Jan. 19, the website COVIDTests.gov will provide tests at no cost, including no shipping fee, the White House announced Friday.As he faced criticism for low inventory and long lines for testing, President Joe Biden announced last month that the U.S. would purchase 500 million at-home tests to launch the program and on Thursday the president announced that he was doubling the order to 1 billion tests.But Americans shouldn't expect a rapid turn-around on the orders and they will have to plan ahead and request the tests well before they meet federal guidelines for when to use a test.The White House said “tests will typically ship within 7-12 days of ordering" through the U.S. Postal Service, which reports shipping times of 1-3 days for its first-class package service in the continental United States.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends at-home testing when experiencing COVID-19 systems including fever, cough, sore throat, respiratory symptoms and muscle aches, five days after a potential COVID-19 exposure, or as part of test-to-stay protocols in schools and workplaces.“Certainly if you’re going to gather with family, if you’re going to a gathering where people are immunocompromised or where they’re elderly or where you have people who might be unvaccinated or poorly protected from a vaccine that might be an opportunity you want to test,” said Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the CDC director, on Wednesday.Officials emphasized that the federal website is just one way for people to procure COVID-19 tests. Starting on Saturday, private insurance companies will be required to cover the cost of at-home rapid tests, allowing Americans to be reimbursed for tests they purchase at pharmacies and online retailers. That covers up to eight tests per month.The White House said the four-test limit on website orders will be applied to each residential address and will apply to the first tranche of 500 million tests. It estimates that the cost of purchasing and distributing the first block of tests at $4 billion.Officials said they are cognizant that any launch of a website carries some risks — and memories of the disastrous roll-out during the Obama administration of Healthcare.gov are still fresh — but said they believe they are well-positioned to handle expected demand for tests.

Order free COVID tests from federal website starting January 19

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Heavy snow spread across a large swath of the Midwest, where travel conditions deteriorated and scores of schools closed or moved to online instruction. 

The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for parts of Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Illinois, where forecasters were expecting up to 10 inches of fresh snow.

 The weather service tweeted that the snow will combine with gusty winds to produce slippery roads and reduced visibility. 

Forecasters say the fast-moving storm may make travel difficult across parts of the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest into the Mid-Mississippi Valley through Saturday morning.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Heavy snow spread across a large swath of the Midwest, where travel conditions deteriorated and scores of schools closed or moved to online instruction. The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for parts of Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Illinois, where forecasters were expecting up to 10 inches of fresh snow. The weather service tweeted that the snow will combine with gusty winds to produce slippery roads and reduced visibility. Forecasters say the fast-moving storm may make travel difficult across parts of the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest into the Mid-Mississippi Valley through Saturday morning.

Heavy snow in Midwest slows travel, closes scores of schools

GRAND ISLAND&nbsp; — Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol have arrested two people after locating 130 pounds of marijuana and a firearm during a traffic stop on Thursday.

At approximately 4:00 p.m., a trooper observed a Ford Explorer fail to signal a turn after exiting Interstate 80 at mile marker 360, near Waco. During the traffic stop, the trooper became suspicious of criminal activity.

A search of the vehicle revealed 130 pounds of marijuana, located in duffel bags in the cargo area. Troopers also located a handgun in the vehicle.

The driver, Alexander Garcia, 24, of Summerfield, Florida, and passenger, Ashley Gornto, 29, of Belleview, Florida, were arrested for possession of marijuana – more than one pound, possession with intent to deliver, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, possession of a firearm during a drug violation, and no drug tax stamp.

GRAND ISLAND&nbsp; — Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol have arrested two people after locating 130 pounds of marijuana and a firearm during a traffic stop on Thursday.At approximately 4:00 p.m., a trooper observed a Ford Explorer fail to signal a turn after exiting Interstate 80 at mile marker 360, near Waco. During the traffic stop, the trooper became suspicious of criminal activity.A search of the vehicle revealed 130 pounds of marijuana, located in duffel bags in the cargo area. Troopers also located a handgun in the vehicle.The driver, Alexander Garcia, 24, of Summerfield, Florida, and passenger, Ashley Gornto, 29, of Belleview, Florida, were arrested for possession of marijuana – more than one pound, possession with intent to deliver, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, possession of a firearm during a drug violation, and no drug tax stamp. Both were lodged in York County Jail.

Troopers locate 130 LBs of marijuana, handgun during traffic stop

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The Lincoln Police Department is facing another sexual discrimination lawsuit filed by a female officer. 

Department spokeswoman Erin Spilker alleges in her lawsuit that she has faced years of discrimination.

 She also criticizes the department's handling of alleged sexual assaults by male officers and discipline against women who complain. 

Within the last year, two other female officers have sued the department for discrimination. 

The city settled one of the lawsuits for $65,000. 

Police Chief Teresa Ewins said in a statement that the department investigates all allegations of discrimination and has taken proper disciplinary action.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The Lincoln Police Department is facing another sexual discrimination lawsuit filed by a female officer. Department spokeswoman Erin Spilker alleges in her lawsuit that she has faced years of discrimination. She also criticizes the department's handling of alleged sexual assaults by male officers and discipline against women who complain. Within the last year, two other female officers have sued the department for discrimination. The city settled one of the lawsuits for $65,000. Police Chief Teresa Ewins said in a statement that the department investigates all allegations of discrimination and has taken proper disciplinary action.

Third woman sues Lincoln police for sex discrimination

WASHINGTON (AP) — All but conceding defeat, President Joe Biden said Thursday he’s now unsure the Democrats’ major elections and voting rights legislation can pass Congress this year. He spoke at the Capitol after a key fellow Democrat, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, dramatically announced her refusal to go along with changing Senate rules to muscle the bill past a Republican filibuster.

Biden had come to the Capitol to prod Democratic senators in a closed-door meeting, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voting-rights-joe-biden-elections-voting-congress-6f8d20e337743c53cc39f7d9372c4108">he was not optimistic</a>&nbsp;when he emerged. He vowed to keep fighting for the sweeping legislation that advocates say is vital to protecting elections.

“The honest to God answer is I don’t know whether we can get this done,” Biden said. He told reporters, his voice rising, “As long as I’m in the White House, as long as I’m engaged at all, I’m going to be fighting.”

Sinema all but dashed the bill’s chances minutes earlier, declaring just before Biden arrived on Capitol Hill that she could not support a “short sighted” rules change.

She said in a speech on the Senate floor that the answer to divisiveness in the Senate and in the country is not to change filibuster rules so one party, even hers, can pass controversial bills. “We must address the disease itself, the disease of division, to protect our democracy,” she said.

The moment once again leaves Biden empty-handed after a high-profile visit to Congress. Earlier forays did little to advance his other big priority, the “Build Back Better Act” of social and climate change initiatives. Instead, Biden returned to the White House with his agenda languishing in Congress.

Biden spoke for more than an hour in private with restive Democrats in the Senate, including Joe Manchin of West Virginia, who also opposes changing Senate rules.

Manchin said in a statement later: “Ending the filibuster would be the easy way out. I cannot support such a perilous course for this nation.”

Both senators went to the White House Thursday evening for an additional hour, which the White House later described as “a candid and respectful exchange of views.”

Since taking control of Congress and the White House last year, Democrats have vowed to counteract a wave of new state laws, inspired by former President Donald Trump’s false claims of a stolen election, that have made it harder to vote. But their efforts have stalled in the narrowly divided Senate, where they lack the 60 votes out of 100 needed to overcome a Republican filibuster.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642158990209.png" alt="President Biden leaving a meeting with Democrats Thursday-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>President Biden leaving a meeting with Democrats Thursday-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — All but conceding defeat, President Joe Biden said Thursday he’s now unsure the Democrats’ major elections and voting rights legislation can pass Congress this year. He spoke at the Capitol after a key fellow Democrat, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, dramatically announced her refusal to go along with changing Senate rules to muscle the bill past a Republican filibuster.Biden had come to the Capitol to prod Democratic senators in a closed-door meeting, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voting-rights-joe-biden-elections-voting-congress-6f8d20e337743c53cc39f7d9372c4108">he was not optimistic</a>&nbsp;when he emerged. He vowed to keep fighting for the sweeping legislation that advocates say is vital to protecting elections.“The honest to God answer is I don’t know whether we can get this done,” Biden said. He told reporters, his voice rising, “As long as I’m in the White House, as long as I’m engaged at all, I’m going to be fighting.”Sinema all but dashed the bill’s chances minutes earlier, declaring just before Biden arrived on Capitol Hill that she could not support a “short sighted” rules change.She said in a speech on the Senate floor that the answer to divisiveness in the Senate and in the country is not to change filibuster rules so one party, even hers, can pass controversial bills. “We must address the disease itself, the disease of division, to protect our democracy,” she said.The moment once again leaves Biden empty-handed after a high-profile visit to Congress. Earlier forays did little to advance his other big priority, the “Build Back Better Act” of social and climate change initiatives. Instead, Biden returned to the White House with his agenda languishing in Congress.Biden spoke for more than an hour in private with restive Democrats in the Senate, including Joe Manchin of West Virginia, who also opposes changing Senate rules.Manchin said in a statement later: “Ending the filibuster would be the easy way out. I cannot support such a perilous course for this nation.”Both senators went to the White House Thursday evening for an additional hour, which the White House later described as “a candid and respectful exchange of views.”Since taking control of Congress and the White House last year, Democrats have vowed to counteract a wave of new state laws, inspired by former President Donald Trump’s false claims of a stolen election, that have made it harder to vote. But their efforts have stalled in the narrowly divided Senate, where they lack the 60 votes out of 100 needed to overcome a Republican filibuster.For weeks, Sinema and Manchin have come under intense pressure to support rules changes that would allow the party to pass their legislation with a simple majority — a step both have long opposed.Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., called Sinema’s speech an important act of “political courage” that could “save the Senate as an institution.” Her own colleagues weren’t as charitable.Sen. Angus King, a Maine independent who once opposed changing the Senate rules said, “She believes that the risk of changing the filibuster is greater than the risk of what’s going on in the states. I hope profoundly that she’s right. I fear that she’s wrong.”The Democratic package of voting and ethics legislation would usher in the biggest overhaul of U.S. elections in a generation, striking down hurdles to voting enacted in the name of election security, reducing the influence of big money in politics and limiting partisan influence over the drawing of congressional districts. The package would create national election standards that would trump the state-level GOP laws. It would also restore the ability of the Justice Department to police election laws in states with a history of discrimination.Biden’s trip to the Capitol, where he served for decades as a senator from Delaware, was part of weeklong effort to jolt the stalled legislation. On Tuesday he gave a fiery speech in Atlanta, likening opponents of the legislation to racist historical figures and telling lawmakers they will be “judged by history.”Republicans are nearly unanimous in opposing the legislation, viewing it as federal overreach that would infringe on states’ abilities to conduct their own elections. And they’ve pointed out that Democrats opposed changes to the filibuster that Trump sought when he was president.But for Democrats and Biden, the legislation is viewed as a political imperative. Failure to pass it would break a major campaign promise to Black voters, who helped hand Democrats control of the White House and Congress, and would come just before midterm elections when slim Democratic majorities will be on the line.During the closed-door meeting, Biden and the senators engaged in a spirited conversation, the president drawing on his own years in the chamber, senators said. He fielded questions and comments, including from Manchin, who expressed reluctance to changing Senate rules. Biden’s message to the senators: It’s an “opportunity to do something that will do so much good for so many at a time where it’s so necessary,” according to Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va.Democrats have still pledged to force a public showdown over the bill on the Senate floor, which could stretch for days and carry echoes of civil rights battles a generation ago that led to some of the most famous filibusters in Senate history.Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer had initially set Monday’s Martin Luther King Jr. holiday as a deadline to either pass the voting legislation or consider revising the filibuster rules. But after one Democratic senator tested positive for COVID-19 and went into isolation, denying the party a needed vote, Schumer canceled a planned Senate recess week and said debate would instead begin Tuesday.Democrats shifted their legislative strategy, too, as they sought to pressure Manchin and Sinema. Under their new approach, which uses a procedural shortcut, they will be able to debate the bill without being blocked by a filibuster — a feat after Republicans used the filibuster four times in recent months to stop deliberation.The mechanics work like this: The House amended and passed an unrelated bill that was already approved by both chambers of Congress, combining Democrats’ voting proposals into one bill. Because that bill already passed both chambers, it can be called for debate in the Senate with a simple majority, though Senate Republicans can still block a final vote to pass the measure.“Members of this chamber were elected to debate and vote, particularly on an issue as vital to the beating heart of democracy as this one,” Schumer said late Thursday.Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock questioned the wisdom of Manchin and Sinema’s reflexive pursuit of bipartisanship.“It can’t be the only important thing,” said Warnock, who is Georgia’s first Black senator. “Slavery was bipartisan. Jim Crow segregation was bipartisan. The denial of women’s suffrage was bipartisan.”___