WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of 
Agriculture will begin issuing final pandemic assistance payments to 
timber harvesters and timber hauling businesses through the <a href="https://www.farmers.gov/archive/pathh">Pandemic Assistance for Timber Harvesters and Haulers (PATHH) program</a>
 starting next week. In total, $200 million will be provided to loggers 
and log trucking businesses who experienced a gross revenue loss of at 
least 10% during the period of Jan. 1 through Dec. 1, 2020, compared to 
the period of Jan. 1 through Dec. 1, 2019. This support is part of 
USDA’s broader <a href="https://www.farmers.gov/pandemic-assistance">Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative</a>.

“We know loggers and truckers felt the financial burden of the 
pandemic,” said FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux. “This included lack 
of access to wood processing mills, which caused major disruptions to 
the logging industry. We made initial payments as we enrolled customers 
in PATHH and are happy to now finalize payments to provide this much 
needed assistance.”

“We are grateful for the partnerships with other USDA agencies to 
recognize the tremendous need and to mobilize quickly to assist loggers 
and log truckers adversely impacted by the pandemic,” said Forest 
Service Chief Randy Moore. “The American Loggers Council, Intertribal 
Timber Council, National Association of State Foresters, and Forest 
Resources Association were critical to helping us better understand the 
impacts and tailor a program that best serves these two sectors that are
 critical to forest management across the country.”

Eligible PATHH applicants must have derived at least 50 percent of 
total gross revenue from timber harvesting and/or timber hauling. 
Specifically, eligible activities included cutting timber, transporting 
timber and/or the processing of wood on-site on the forest land, such as
 chipping, grinding, converting to biochar or cutting to smaller 
lengths.

The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, authorized up to $200 
million for PATHH. FSA issued initial payments up to $2,000 as 
applications were approved. Now that signup has ended and FSA has 
evaluated remaining funds, FSA has started to issue second payments to 
those applicants whose calculated payment amount was over $2,000.

Based on the number of actual PATHH applications filed, FSA will be 
required to lower the payment limitation for PATHH from $125,000 to 
$75,000 and apply a payment factor of 70.5% across all calculated 
payments to ensure program outlays do not exceed the available funding. 
These provisions were previously outlined in the <a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/07/23/2021-15683/notice-of-funds-availability-nofa-pandemic-assistance-for-timber-harvesters-and-haulers-program">Notice of Funding Availability</a> in the event the revenue loss reported exceeded available funding.

Pandemic Assistance for Producers Delivered in 2021

As USDA looks for long-term solutions to build back a better food 
system, the Department is committed to delivery of financial assistance 
to farmers, ranchers and agricultural producers and businesses who have 
been impacted by COVID-19 market disruptions. In addition to the funding
 USDA is issuing today, the Department has provided a broad range of 
support to America’s farmers and ranchers as part of its Pandemic 
Assistance for Producers initiative, including:

A full list of Pandemic Assistance is available at <a href="https://www.farmers.gov/pandemic-assistance">farmers.gov/pandemic-assistance</a>. USDA expects further Pandemic Assistance to continue to fill remaining gaps later this year.

USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive 
ways. In the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s
 food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional 
food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to 
healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and
 streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food 
and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure 
and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity
 across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a 
workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit <a href="https://www.usda.gov/">www.usda.gov</a>.

USDAWASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of 
Agriculture will begin issuing final pandemic assistance payments to 
timber harvesters and timber hauling businesses through the <a href="https://www.farmers.gov/archive/pathh">Pandemic Assistance for Timber Harvesters and Haulers (PATHH) program</a>
 starting next week. In total, $200 million will be provided to loggers 
and log trucking businesses who experienced a gross revenue loss of at 
least 10% during the period of Jan. 1 through Dec. 1, 2020, compared to 
the period of Jan. 1 through Dec. 1, 2019. This support is part of 
USDA’s broader <a href="https://www.farmers.gov/pandemic-assistance">Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative</a>.“We know loggers and truckers felt the financial burden of the 
pandemic,” said FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux. “This included lack 
of access to wood processing mills, which caused major disruptions to 
the logging industry. We made initial payments as we enrolled customers 
in PATHH and are happy to now finalize payments to provide this much 
needed assistance.”“We are grateful for the partnerships with other USDA agencies to 
recognize the tremendous need and to mobilize quickly to assist loggers 
and log truckers adversely impacted by the pandemic,” said Forest 
Service Chief Randy Moore. “The American Loggers Council, Intertribal 
Timber Council, National Association of State Foresters, and Forest 
Resources Association were critical to helping us better understand the 
impacts and tailor a program that best serves these two sectors that are
 critical to forest management across the country.”Eligible PATHH applicants must have derived at least 50 percent of 
total gross revenue from timber harvesting and/or timber hauling. 
Specifically, eligible activities included cutting timber, transporting 
timber and/or the processing of wood on-site on the forest land, such as
 chipping, grinding, converting to biochar or cutting to smaller 
lengths.The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, authorized up to $200 
million for PATHH. FSA issued initial payments up to $2,000 as 
applications were approved. Now that signup has ended and FSA has 
evaluated remaining funds, FSA has started to issue second payments to 
those applicants whose calculated payment amount was over $2,000.Based on the number of actual PATHH applications filed, FSA will be 
required to lower the payment limitation for PATHH from $125,000 to 
$75,000 and apply a payment factor of 70.5% across all calculated 
payments to ensure program outlays do not exceed the available funding. 
These provisions were previously outlined in the <a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/07/23/2021-15683/notice-of-funds-availability-nofa-pandemic-assistance-for-timber-harvesters-and-haulers-program">Notice of Funding Availability</a> in the event the revenue loss reported exceeded available funding.<h2>Pandemic Assistance for Producers Delivered in 2021</h2>As USDA looks for long-term solutions to build back a better food 
system, the Department is committed to delivery of financial assistance 
to farmers, ranchers and agricultural producers and businesses who have 
been impacted by COVID-19 market disruptions. In addition to the funding
 USDA is issuing today, the Department has provided a broad range of 
support to America’s farmers and ranchers as part of its Pandemic 
Assistance for Producers initiative, including:<ul>
 <li>More than $19 billion in <a href="https://www.farmers.gov/cfap">Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2</a>
 (CFAP 2) payments, including a fourfold increase in participation by 
historically underserved producers since the program reopened in April 
2021.</li><li>Approximately $270 million in payments to contract producers of eligible livestock and poultry.</li><li>Over $43 million in assistance for those who had to depopulate livestock and poultry due to insufficient processing access (<a href="https://www.farmers.gov/plip">Pandemic Livestock Indemnity Program</a>).</li><li>$1 billion to <a href="https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2021/06/04/usda-invest-1-billion-purchase-healthy-food-food-insecure-americans">purchase healthy food for food insecure Americans and build food bank capacity</a>.</li><li>$350 million in <a href="https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2021/08/19/usda-announces-improvements-dairy-safety-net-and-new-pandemic">additional dairy assistance related to market volatility</a>.</li><li>$500 million <a href="https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2021/03/24/after-identifying-gaps-previous-aid-usda-announces-pandemic">deployed through existing USDA programs</a>.</li>
 </ul>A full list of Pandemic Assistance is available at <a href="https://www.farmers.gov/pandemic-assistance">farmers.gov/pandemic-assistance</a>. USDA expects further Pandemic Assistance to continue to fill remaining gaps later this year.USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive 
ways. In the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s
 food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional 
food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to 
healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and
 streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food 
and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure 
and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity
 across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a 
workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit <a href="https://www.usda.gov/">www.usda.gov</a>.

USDA issues final pandemic payments for timber harvesters, haulers

New York announced three more cases of the omicron variant of the coronavirus Saturday, bringing the number of state cases linked to the new variant to eight.

“The omicron variant is here, and as anticipated we are seeing the beginning of community spread,” state Health Commissioner Mary Bassett said in a news release.

The number of states finding the variant is growing as well, with Massachusetts, Connecticut and Washington state announcing their first cases Saturday, a day after New Jersey, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Maryland reported their first confirmed cases. Missouri reported its first presumed case Friday.

The variant also has been detected in Nebraska, Minnesota, California, Hawaii, Colorado and Utah.

In New York, seven of the cases have been found in New York City, once a global epicenter of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/covid-19-pandemic">the pandemic,</a>&nbsp;and the other in Suffolk County.

The arrival of omicron comes as hospitals statewide continue to strain under a surge in coronavirus cases, most traced to the delta variant, along with staffing shortages.

The number of people testing positive statewide each day for the virus has doubled in the last 30 days.

Gov. Kathy Hochul in recent days has authorized the Health Department to limit nonessential, non-urgent procedures at hospitals close to running out of beds and deployed National Guard teams to relieve healthcare workers at facilities dealing with staffing issues and surging caseloads.

Fifteen members of the National Guard arrived at Monroe Community Hospital in Rochester on Saturday,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rochesterfirst.com/news/local-news/national-guard-members-to-help-monroe-community-hospital-as-covid-19-cases-increase/" target="_blank">WROC reported.</a>&nbsp;Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin said Wednesday the state would send 13 National Guard teams to the western New York county, where County Executive Adam Bello has declared a state of emergency.

New York’s omicron cases so far appear to be unrelated, Hochul said. One of the known cases involved a man from Minnesota who was among 50,000 people who attended a three-day anime festival in New York City in November. Authorities have urged anyone who attended the conference to get tested for COVID-19 and wear a mask in public.

Much remains unknown about omicron, including whether it is more contagious, as some health authorities suspect, whether it can thwart vaccines and whether it makes people as sick as the original strain.

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont on Saturday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-new-york-new-york-city-connecticut-bf5ef2212bfa02867202e44535ad7307">reported his state’s first confirmed case of the variant</a>, saying it may also be linked to the New York City anime convention. The case involves a vaccinated Hartford-area man in his 60s who has a family member who attended the convention. The family member, who is also vaccinated, developed symptoms that have since resolved, Lamont’s office said.

In Washington state,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-washington-2ecf86de95ca24efa60081ec6d36db83">three cases of the omicron variant were confirmed Saturday</a>&nbsp;— one each in Thurston, Pierce and King counties, state health officials said. They noted the investigation is still early, and details were not yet known on the travel histories of the patients, two men and a woman who range from 20 to 39 years old.

A Massachusetts woman in her 20s who had traveled out of state is the first known case of the variant detected in her state, the Department of Public Health announced Saturday. The unidentified woman — a resident of Middlesex County — is fully vaccinated and has experienced mild symptoms.

A woman who recently traveled from South Africa&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-lifestyle-health-travel-new-jersey-6ad8d2d59ac62d77814579cedd3a9f43">became both New Jersey and Georgia’s first confirmed case&nbsp;</a>after seeking care for moderate symptoms at an emergency room. The fully vaccinated Georgia resident was in her home state for two days between arriving from South Africa and traveling onward to New Jersey, health officials in both states said.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-larry-hogan-maryland-baltimore-e5077f84e4112f1854ba07eb47eff3f9">Maryland’s first three cases of the omicron variant&nbsp;</a>were found in the Baltimore metropolitan region and include two people from the same household, authorities said. One of the two is a vaccinated person who recently traveled to South Africa. The third case, detected in a vaccinated person with no recent travel history, is unrelated.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-pennsylvania-public-health-philadelphia-36b168cc3b06a71537ebf76aa95cecc4">In Pennsylvania, a man in his 30s from Philadelphia became that state’s first case.&nbsp;</a>The Philadelphia Department of Public Health did not immediately say whether the man was vaccinated against COVID-19 or if he had been traveling.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-st-louis-missouri-0d0a3288f81dbbccdaf873a8e4883c7d">Missouri’s presumed first case&nbsp;</a>involves someone who recently traveled within the U.S., according to state health officials, who did not provide additional details about the St. Louis resident. The St. Louis Health Department said it was awaiting confirmation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Case counts in California, Nebraska and Colorado grew Friday.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-lifestyle-weddings-california-c3de275dbe7c3a8529e66d0bfe2a96d1">Five cases in Northern California were linked to a wedding&nbsp;</a>in Wisconsin late last month, public health officials said. One of the individuals had recently returned from traveling internationally, according to the Alameda County Department of Public Health.

Health officials&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-public-health-nebraska-a258934f6474ff21c443148bb578f3ad">confirmed six new cases of the variant in southeastern Nebraska.&nbsp;</a>State health officials said the state’s first case likely stemmed from one of the six who recently traveled to Nigeria and returned on Nov. 23.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-colorado-africa-denver-ffd7bd48fdec289ad4b0c9ec47f004a9">Colorado detected the state’s second case of the omicron variant</a>&nbsp;just a day after the state’s first confirmed case, officials said Friday.

“We knew the omicron variant was coming and we expect to see more cases. But let me be clear: We are not defenseless,” Hochul said. “We have the tools to help prevent the spread of this deadly virus: Get your vaccine, get your booster, and wear your mask.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638675257907.png" alt="Omicron variant spreading across the United State-image GISAID" />
 <figcaption>Omicron variant spreading across the United State-image GISAID</figcaption>
 </figure>By CAROLYN THOMPSON, Associated PressNew York announced three more cases of the omicron variant of the coronavirus Saturday, bringing the number of state cases linked to the new variant to eight.“The omicron variant is here, and as anticipated we are seeing the beginning of community spread,” state Health Commissioner Mary Bassett said in a news release.The number of states finding the variant is growing as well, with Massachusetts, Connecticut and Washington state announcing their first cases Saturday, a day after New Jersey, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Maryland reported their first confirmed cases. Missouri reported its first presumed case Friday.The variant also has been detected in Nebraska, Minnesota, California, Hawaii, Colorado and Utah.In New York, seven of the cases have been found in New York City, once a global epicenter of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/covid-19-pandemic">the pandemic,</a>&nbsp;and the other in Suffolk County.The arrival of omicron comes as hospitals statewide continue to strain under a surge in coronavirus cases, most traced to the delta variant, along with staffing shortages.The number of people testing positive statewide each day for the virus has doubled in the last 30 days.Gov. Kathy Hochul in recent days has authorized the Health Department to limit nonessential, non-urgent procedures at hospitals close to running out of beds and deployed National Guard teams to relieve healthcare workers at facilities dealing with staffing issues and surging caseloads.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1638148803210.png" alt="3D structure of spike with amino acid changes in Omicron -image GISAID" />
 <figcaption>3D structure of spike with amino acid changes in Omicron -image GISAID</figcaption>
 </figure>Fifteen members of the National Guard arrived at Monroe Community Hospital in Rochester on Saturday,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rochesterfirst.com/news/local-news/national-guard-members-to-help-monroe-community-hospital-as-covid-19-cases-increase/" target="_blank">WROC reported.</a>&nbsp;Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin said Wednesday the state would send 13 National Guard teams to the western New York county, where County Executive Adam Bello has declared a state of emergency.New York’s omicron cases so far appear to be unrelated, Hochul said. One of the known cases involved a man from Minnesota who was among 50,000 people who attended a three-day anime festival in New York City in November. Authorities have urged anyone who attended the conference to get tested for COVID-19 and wear a mask in public.Much remains unknown about omicron, including whether it is more contagious, as some health authorities suspect, whether it can thwart vaccines and whether it makes people as sick as the original strain.Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont on Saturday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-new-york-new-york-city-connecticut-bf5ef2212bfa02867202e44535ad7307">reported his state’s first confirmed case of the variant</a>, saying it may also be linked to the New York City anime convention. The case involves a vaccinated Hartford-area man in his 60s who has a family member who attended the convention. The family member, who is also vaccinated, developed symptoms that have since resolved, Lamont’s office said.In Washington state,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-washington-2ecf86de95ca24efa60081ec6d36db83">three cases of the omicron variant were confirmed Saturday</a>&nbsp;— one each in Thurston, Pierce and King counties, state health officials said. They noted the investigation is still early, and details were not yet known on the travel histories of the patients, two men and a woman who range from 20 to 39 years old.A Massachusetts woman in her 20s who had traveled out of state is the first known case of the variant detected in her state, the Department of Public Health announced Saturday. The unidentified woman — a resident of Middlesex County — is fully vaccinated and has experienced mild symptoms.A woman who recently traveled from South Africa&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-lifestyle-health-travel-new-jersey-6ad8d2d59ac62d77814579cedd3a9f43">became both New Jersey and Georgia’s first confirmed case&nbsp;</a>after seeking care for moderate symptoms at an emergency room. The fully vaccinated Georgia resident was in her home state for two days between arriving from South Africa and traveling onward to New Jersey, health officials in both states said.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-larry-hogan-maryland-baltimore-e5077f84e4112f1854ba07eb47eff3f9">Maryland’s first three cases of the omicron variant&nbsp;</a>were found in the Baltimore metropolitan region and include two people from the same household, authorities said. One of the two is a vaccinated person who recently traveled to South Africa. The third case, detected in a vaccinated person with no recent travel history, is unrelated.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-pennsylvania-public-health-philadelphia-36b168cc3b06a71537ebf76aa95cecc4">In Pennsylvania, a man in his 30s from Philadelphia became that state’s first case.&nbsp;</a>The Philadelphia Department of Public Health did not immediately say whether the man was vaccinated against COVID-19 or if he had been traveling.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-st-louis-missouri-0d0a3288f81dbbccdaf873a8e4883c7d">Missouri’s presumed first case&nbsp;</a>involves someone who recently traveled within the U.S., according to state health officials, who did not provide additional details about the St. Louis resident. The St. Louis Health Department said it was awaiting confirmation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Case counts in California, Nebraska and Colorado grew Friday.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-lifestyle-weddings-california-c3de275dbe7c3a8529e66d0bfe2a96d1">Five cases in Northern California were linked to a wedding&nbsp;</a>in Wisconsin late last month, public health officials said. One of the individuals had recently returned from traveling internationally, according to the Alameda County Department of Public Health.Health officials&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-public-health-nebraska-a258934f6474ff21c443148bb578f3ad">confirmed six new cases of the variant in southeastern Nebraska.&nbsp;</a>State health officials said the state’s first case likely stemmed from one of the six who recently traveled to Nigeria and returned on Nov. 23.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-colorado-africa-denver-ffd7bd48fdec289ad4b0c9ec47f004a9">Colorado detected the state’s second case of the omicron variant</a>&nbsp;just a day after the state’s first confirmed case, officials said Friday.“We knew the omicron variant was coming and we expect to see more cases. But let me be clear: We are not defenseless,” Hochul said. “We have the tools to help prevent the spread of this deadly virus: Get your vaccine, get your booster, and wear your mask.”___

Omicron spreading as hospitals strain under virus surge

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-health-united-states-mississippi-65751e1b9ca7d34f1458ffe9729f82b2">heard arguments</a>&nbsp;in which it was asked to overturn a nationwide right to abortion that has existed for nearly 50 years.

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2021/19-1392">Click here to</a> listen to the replay of the oral arguments.

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2021/19-1392_gfbi.pdf">Click here to read</a> the transcript of the arguments.

The fate of the court’s 1973 Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion throughout the United States and its 1992 ruling in Planned Parenthood v. Casey, which reaffirmed Roe, probably won’t be known until late June.

But during nearly two hours of arguments on Wednesday, conservative justices indicated they had questions about the court’s current abortion framework. The justices were being asked to overrule the two seminal decisions in the context of a Mississippi law that bans abortion after 15 weeks. The court’s Roe and Casey precedents say a state can regulate but not ban abortion before the point of viability, at about 24 weeks. All six conservative justices, including three appointed by former President Donald Trump, indicated they would uphold Mississippi’s law.

In their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-health-voting-rights-john-roberts-32d2ff1e016c8f72012c49a4ed2bf2e1">writings and statements</a>&nbsp;before Wednesday, Justice Clarence Thomas had been the only justice to call openly for overruling Roe and Casey.

Here are some of the things the justices said during arguments:

Chief Justice John Roberts called a 15-week ban “not a dramatic departure from viability.” He said: “If you think ... that women should have a choice to terminate their pregnancy, that supposes that there is a point at which they’ve had the fair choice, opportunity to choice, and why would 15 weeks be an inappropriate line? Because viability, it seems to me, doesn’t have anything to do with choice. But, if it really is an issue about choice, why is 15 weeks not enough time?”

Justice Clarence Thomas suggested the right to abortion appears nowhere in the Constitution: “If we were talking about the Second Amendment, I know exactly what we’re talking about. If we’re talking about the Fourth Amendment, I know what we’re talking about because it’s written. It’s there. What specifically is the right here that we’re talking about?”

Justice Samuel Alito said people on both sides of the abortion issue have said the court’s viability line “really doesn’t make a lot of sense.” He suggested a woman still “has the same interest in terminating her pregnancy after the viability line has been crossed.” He added: “The fetus has an interest in having a life, and that doesn’t change, does it, from the point before viability to the point after viability?”

Justice Neil Gorsuch asked what the court should do if it were to “reject the viability line.” “Do you see any other intelligible principle that the court could choose?” he asked the Biden administration’s top Supreme Court lawyer, who was arguing that Mississippi’s ban should be struck down.

Justice Brett Kavanaugh suggested overruling precedent has been an important part of the court’s history: “If you think about some of the most important cases, the most consequential cases in this court’s history, there’s a string of them where the cases overruled precedent.” Kavanaugh cited cases that extended rights beyond where they were previously, including those that outlawed segregation and said gay couples have a right to marry. “If we think that the prior precedents are seriously wrong, if that, why then doesn’t the history of this court’s practice with respect to those cases tell us that the right answer is actually a return to the position of neutrality and — and not stick with those precedents in the same way that all those other cases didn’t?”

Justice Amy Coney Barrett suggested that so-called safe haven laws in all 50 states that allow mothers to relinquish parental rights mean women can’t be forced into motherhood. She asked about states “requiring the woman to go 15, 16 weeks more” past the point of viability “and then terminate parental rights at the conclusion.” ”Why didn’t you address the safe haven laws and why don’t they matter?” she asked a lawyer arguing against Mississippi’s ban.

Justice Stephen Breyer said that where the court is overturning a watershed case like Roe it “better be damn sure” before doing so. He quoted the Casey case about the dangers of overruling precedent, saying: “To overrule under fire in the absence of the most compelling reason, to reexamine a watershed decision, would subvert the court’s legitimacy beyond any serious question.”

Justice Sonia Sotomayor said reversing Roe and Casey would damage the court. She asked: “Will this institution survive the stench that this creates in the public perception that the Constitution and its reading are just political acts?”

Justice Elena Kagan said of the current case: “I guess what strikes me when I look at this case is that, you know, not much has changed since Roe and Casey, that people think it’s right or wrong based on the things that they have always thought it was right and wrong for.” Since Roe, however, there’s been “50 years of water under the bridge, 50 years of decisions saying that this is part of our law, that this is part of the fabric of women’s existence in this country.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638369620989.png" alt="Protesters outside the Supreme Court during Wednesday' oral arguments. Image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Protesters outside the Supreme Court during Wednesday' oral arguments. Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-health-united-states-mississippi-65751e1b9ca7d34f1458ffe9729f82b2">heard arguments</a>&nbsp;in which it was asked to overturn a nationwide right to abortion that has existed for nearly 50 years.<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2021/19-1392">Click here to</a> listen to the replay of the oral arguments.<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2021/19-1392_gfbi.pdf">Click here to read</a> the transcript of the arguments.The fate of the court’s 1973 Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion throughout the United States and its 1992 ruling in Planned Parenthood v. Casey, which reaffirmed Roe, probably won’t be known until late June.But during nearly two hours of arguments on Wednesday, conservative justices indicated they had questions about the court’s current abortion framework. The justices were being asked to overrule the two seminal decisions in the context of a Mississippi law that bans abortion after 15 weeks. The court’s Roe and Casey precedents say a state can regulate but not ban abortion before the point of viability, at about 24 weeks. All six conservative justices, including three appointed by former President Donald Trump, indicated they would uphold Mississippi’s law.In their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-health-voting-rights-john-roberts-32d2ff1e016c8f72012c49a4ed2bf2e1">writings and statements</a>&nbsp;before Wednesday, Justice Clarence Thomas had been the only justice to call openly for overruling Roe and Casey.Here are some of the things the justices said during arguments:CONSERVATIVES:Chief Justice John Roberts called a 15-week ban “not a dramatic departure from viability.” He said: “If you think ... that women should have a choice to terminate their pregnancy, that supposes that there is a point at which they’ve had the fair choice, opportunity to choice, and why would 15 weeks be an inappropriate line? Because viability, it seems to me, doesn’t have anything to do with choice. But, if it really is an issue about choice, why is 15 weeks not enough time?”Justice Clarence Thomas suggested the right to abortion appears nowhere in the Constitution: “If we were talking about the Second Amendment, I know exactly what we’re talking about. If we’re talking about the Fourth Amendment, I know what we’re talking about because it’s written. It’s there. What specifically is the right here that we’re talking about?”Justice Samuel Alito said people on both sides of the abortion issue have said the court’s viability line “really doesn’t make a lot of sense.” He suggested a woman still “has the same interest in terminating her pregnancy after the viability line has been crossed.” He added: “The fetus has an interest in having a life, and that doesn’t change, does it, from the point before viability to the point after viability?”Justice Neil Gorsuch asked what the court should do if it were to “reject the viability line.” “Do you see any other intelligible principle that the court could choose?” he asked the Biden administration’s top Supreme Court lawyer, who was arguing that Mississippi’s ban should be struck down.Justice Brett Kavanaugh suggested overruling precedent has been an important part of the court’s history: “If you think about some of the most important cases, the most consequential cases in this court’s history, there’s a string of them where the cases overruled precedent.” Kavanaugh cited cases that extended rights beyond where they were previously, including those that outlawed segregation and said gay couples have a right to marry. “If we think that the prior precedents are seriously wrong, if that, why then doesn’t the history of this court’s practice with respect to those cases tell us that the right answer is actually a return to the position of neutrality and — and not stick with those precedents in the same way that all those other cases didn’t?”Justice Amy Coney Barrett suggested that so-called safe haven laws in all 50 states that allow mothers to relinquish parental rights mean women can’t be forced into motherhood. She asked about states “requiring the woman to go 15, 16 weeks more” past the point of viability “and then terminate parental rights at the conclusion.” ”Why didn’t you address the safe haven laws and why don’t they matter?” she asked a lawyer arguing against Mississippi’s ban.LIBERALS:Justice Stephen Breyer said that where the court is overturning a watershed case like Roe it “better be damn sure” before doing so. He quoted the Casey case about the dangers of overruling precedent, saying: “To overrule under fire in the absence of the most compelling reason, to reexamine a watershed decision, would subvert the court’s legitimacy beyond any serious question.”Justice Sonia Sotomayor said reversing Roe and Casey would damage the court. She asked: “Will this institution survive the stench that this creates in the public perception that the Constitution and its reading are just political acts?”Justice Elena Kagan said of the current case: “I guess what strikes me when I look at this case is that, you know, not much has changed since Roe and Casey, that people think it’s right or wrong based on the things that they have always thought it was right and wrong for.” Since Roe, however, there’s been “50 years of water under the bridge, 50 years of decisions saying that this is part of our law, that this is part of the fabric of women’s existence in this country.”

🎤Abortion remarks by Supreme Court justices indicate how they lean

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Country musician Stonewall Jackson, who sang on the Grand Ole Opry for more than 50 years and had No. 1 hits with “Waterloo” and others, died Saturday after a long battle with vascular dementia. He was 89.

The Opry,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-television-theater-tennessee-nashville-744bbb278ee3bd98eba87bf3cf633ab6">the longest-running radio show in history,&nbsp;</a>announced Jackson’s death in a news release.

Jackson, a guitarist, performed on the Opry beginning in 1956 and was still appearing on the show in 2010. His real name was Stonewall, after Confederate Gen. Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson.

According to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsmv.com/news/longtime-country-singer-stonewall-jackson-dies-at-89/article_be5e03c0-5545-11ec-ac21-efa846c5812d.html" target="_blank">WSMV-TV,</a>&nbsp;the late Porter Wagoner would introduce Stonewall on his show by saying he came to the Opry “with a heart full of love and a sack full of songs.”

“Waterloo” was a hit on the country and pop charts in 1959. His other hits, mostly in the 1960s, included “Don’t Be Angry,” “B.J. the D.J,” “Why I’m Walkin’,” “A Wound Time Can’t Erase” and “I Washed My Hands in Muddy Water.”

In 1971, he recorded his version of Lobo’s “Me and You and a Dog Named Boo.”

Over the course of his career, Jackson landed 44 singles on the Billboard country chart.

In 2008, at age 75, he settled a federal age discrimination lawsuit against the Opry. He claimed Opry officials had cut back his appearances starting in 1998, and sought $10 million in compensatory damages and $10 million in punitive damages. Terms of the settlement were not disclosed.

Jackson was born in eastern North Carolina and was raised on a south Georgia farm.

Jackson’s mentor in his early career was country legend Ernest Tubb, who bought him his first stage clothes and hired him as his opening act. He was presented with the Ernest Tubb Memorial Award in 1997 for his contributions to country music, according to the Grand Ole Opry website.

In 1991, he privately published his autobiography, “From the Bottom Up.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638676211309.png" alt="Over the course of his career, Jackson landed 44 singles on the Billboard country chart." />
 <figcaption>Over the course of his career, Jackson landed 44 singles on the Billboard country chart.</figcaption>
 </figure>NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Country musician Stonewall Jackson, who sang on the Grand Ole Opry for more than 50 years and had No. 1 hits with “Waterloo” and others, died Saturday after a long battle with vascular dementia. He was 89.The Opry,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-television-theater-tennessee-nashville-744bbb278ee3bd98eba87bf3cf633ab6">the longest-running radio show in history,&nbsp;</a>announced Jackson’s death in a news release.Jackson, a guitarist, performed on the Opry beginning in 1956 and was still appearing on the show in 2010. His real name was Stonewall, after Confederate Gen. Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson.According to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsmv.com/news/longtime-country-singer-stonewall-jackson-dies-at-89/article_be5e03c0-5545-11ec-ac21-efa846c5812d.html" target="_blank">WSMV-TV,</a>&nbsp;the late Porter Wagoner would introduce Stonewall on his show by saying he came to the Opry “with a heart full of love and a sack full of songs.”“Waterloo” was a hit on the country and pop charts in 1959. His other hits, mostly in the 1960s, included “Don’t Be Angry,” “B.J. the D.J,” “Why I’m Walkin’,” “A Wound Time Can’t Erase” and “I Washed My Hands in Muddy Water.”In 1971, he recorded his version of Lobo’s “Me and You and a Dog Named Boo.”Over the course of his career, Jackson landed 44 singles on the Billboard country chart.In 2008, at age 75, he settled a federal age discrimination lawsuit against the Opry. He claimed Opry officials had cut back his appearances starting in 1998, and sought $10 million in compensatory damages and $10 million in punitive damages. Terms of the settlement were not disclosed.Jackson was born in eastern North Carolina and was raised on a south Georgia farm.Jackson’s mentor in his early career was country legend Ernest Tubb, who bought him his first stage clothes and hired him as his opening act. He was presented with the Ernest Tubb Memorial Award in 1997 for his contributions to country music, according to the Grand Ole Opry website.In 1991, he privately published his autobiography, “From the Bottom Up.”

Grand Ole Opry country singer Stonewall Jackson dies at 89

PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) — The parents of a teen accused of killing four students in a shooting at a&nbsp;Michigan&nbsp;high school were caught early Saturday, several hours after a prosecutor filed involuntary manslaughter charges against them, officials said.

James and Jennifer Crumbley were captured in a commercial building in Detroit that housed artwork, Detroit Police Chief James E. White told a news conference. White said the couple “were aided in getting into the building,” and that a person who helped them may also face charges.

A Detroit business owner spotted a car tied to the Crumbleys in his parking lot late Friday, Oakland County Undersheriff Michael McCabe said in a statement. A woman seen near the vehicle ran away when the business owner called 911, McCabe said. The couple was later located and arrested by Detroit police.

A prosecutor filed involuntary manslaughter charges against the Crumbleys on Friday, accusing them of failing to intervene on the day of the tragedy despite being confronted with a drawing and chilling message — “blood everywhere” — that was found at the boy’s desk.

The Crumbleys committed “egregious” acts, from buying a gun on Black Friday and making it available to Ethan Crumbley to resisting his removal from school when they were summoned a few hours before the shooting, Oakland County prosecutor Karen McDonald said.

Authorities had been looking for the couple since Friday afternoon. Late Friday, U.S. Marshals announced a reward of up to $10,000 each for information leading to their arrests.

The Crumbley's attorney, Shannon Smith, said the pair had left town earlier in the week “for their own safety.” Smith told The Associated Press they would be returning to Oxford to be arraigned.

However, White said the Crumbleys “appeared to be hiding” in the building where they were found. He added that the parents appeared to be “distressed” when they were captured.

“Head down... just very upset,” he said of one of the parents. The couple was booked into the Oakland County Jail.

Earlier, the prosecutor offered the most precise account so far of the events that led to the shooting at Oxford High School, roughly 30 miles&nbsp; north of Detroit.

Ethan Crumbley, 15, emerged from a bathroom with a gun, shooting students in the hallway, investigators said. He’s charged as an adult with murder, terrorism and other crimes.

Under Michigan law, the involuntary manslaughter charge filed against the parents can be pursued if authorities believe someone contributed to a situation where there was a high chance of harm or death.

Parents in the U.S. are rarely charged in school shootings involving their children, even as most minors get guns from a parent or relative’s house, according to experts.

School officials became concerned about the younger Crumbley on Monday, a day before the shooting, when a teacher saw him searching for ammunition on his phone, McDonald said.

Jennifer Crumbley was contacted and subsequently told her son in a text message: “Lol. I’m not mad at you. You have to learn not to get caught,” according to the prosecutor.

On Tuesday, a teacher found a note on Ethan’s desk and took a photo. It was a drawing of a gun pointing at the words, “The thoughts won’t stop. Help me,” McDonald said.

There also was a drawing of a bullet, she said, with words above it: “Blood everywhere.”

Between the gun and the bullet was a person who appeared to have been shot twice and is bleeding. He also wrote, “My life is useless” and “The world is dead,” according to the prosecutor.

The school quickly had a meeting with Ethan and his parents, who were told to get him into counseling within 48 hours, McDonald said.

The Crumbleys failed to ask their son about the gun or check his backpack and “resisted the idea of their son leaving the school at that time,” McDonald said.

Instead, the teen returned to class and the shooting subsequently occurred.

“The notion that a parent could read those words and also know that their son had access to a deadly weapon that they gave him is unconscionable — it’s criminal,” the prosecutor said.

Jennifer Crumbley texted her son after the shooting, saying, “Ethan, don’t do it,” McDonald said.

James Crumbley called 911 to say that a gun was missing from their home and that Ethan might be the shooter. The gun had been kept in an unlocked drawer in the parents’ bedroom, McDonald said.

Ethan accompanied his father for the gun purchase on Nov. 26 and posted photos of the firearm on social media, saying, “Just got my new beauty today,” McDonald said.

Over the long Thanksgiving weekend, Jennifer Crumbley wrote on social media that it is a “mom and son day testing out his new Christmas present,” the prosecutor said.

Asked at a news conference if the father could be charged for purchasing the gun for the son, McDonald said that would be the decision of federal authorities.

In a video message to the community Thursday, the head of Oxford Community Schools said the high school looks like a “war zone” and won’t be ready for weeks. Superintendent Tim Throne repeatedly complimented students and staff for how they responded to the violence.

He also acknowledged the meeting of Crumbley, the parents and school officials. Throne offered no details but summed it up by saying, “No discipline was warranted.”

McDonald was asked about the decision to keep Crumbley in school.

“Of course, he shouldn’t have gone back to that classroom. ... I believe that is a universal position. I’m not going to chastise or attack, but yeah,” she said.

Asked if school officials may potentially be charged, McDonald said: “The investigation’s ongoing.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638621716369.png" alt="James Crumbley-photo Oakland Co. Jail" />
 <figcaption>James Crumbley-photo Oakland Co. Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) — The parents of a teen accused of killing four students in a shooting at a&nbsp;Michigan&nbsp;high school were caught early Saturday, several hours after a prosecutor filed involuntary manslaughter charges against them, officials said.James and Jennifer Crumbley were captured in a commercial building in Detroit that housed artwork, Detroit Police Chief James E. White told a news conference. White said the couple “were aided in getting into the building,” and that a person who helped them may also face charges.A Detroit business owner spotted a car tied to the Crumbleys in his parking lot late Friday, Oakland County Undersheriff Michael McCabe said in a statement. A woman seen near the vehicle ran away when the business owner called 911, McCabe said. The couple was later located and arrested by Detroit police.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638621694054.png" alt="Jennifer Crumbley-photo Oakland Co. Jail" />
 <figcaption>Jennifer Crumbley-photo Oakland Co. Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>A prosecutor filed involuntary manslaughter charges against the Crumbleys on Friday, accusing them of failing to intervene on the day of the tragedy despite being confronted with a drawing and chilling message — “blood everywhere” — that was found at the boy’s desk.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638552839270.png" alt="Oakland County prosecutor Karen McDonald during Friday's news conference" />
 <figcaption>Oakland County prosecutor Karen McDonald during Friday's news conference</figcaption>
 </figure>The Crumbleys committed “egregious” acts, from buying a gun on Black Friday and making it available to Ethan Crumbley to resisting his removal from school when they were summoned a few hours before the shooting, Oakland County prosecutor Karen McDonald said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638622850263.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Authorities had been looking for the couple since Friday afternoon. Late Friday, U.S. Marshals announced a reward of up to $10,000 each for information leading to their arrests.The Crumbley's attorney, Shannon Smith, said the pair had left town earlier in the week “for their own safety.” Smith told The Associated Press they would be returning to Oxford to be arraigned.However, White said the Crumbleys “appeared to be hiding” in the building where they were found. He added that the parents appeared to be “distressed” when they were captured.“Head down... just very upset,” he said of one of the parents. The couple was booked into the Oakland County Jail.Earlier, the prosecutor offered the most precise account so far of the events that led to the shooting at Oxford High School, roughly 30 miles&nbsp; north of Detroit.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638551635768.png" alt="Ethan Crumbley-photo Oakland Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Ethan Crumbley-photo Oakland Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>Ethan Crumbley, 15, emerged from a bathroom with a gun, shooting students in the hallway, investigators said. He’s charged as an adult with murder, terrorism and other crimes.Under Michigan law, the involuntary manslaughter charge filed against the parents can be pursued if authorities believe someone contributed to a situation where there was a high chance of harm or death.Parents in the U.S. are rarely charged in school shootings involving their children, even as most minors get guns from a parent or relative’s house, according to experts.School officials became concerned about the younger Crumbley on Monday, a day before the shooting, when a teacher saw him searching for ammunition on his phone, McDonald said.Jennifer Crumbley was contacted and subsequently told her son in a text message: “Lol. I’m not mad at you. You have to learn not to get caught,” according to the prosecutor.On Tuesday, a teacher found a note on Ethan’s desk and took a photo. It was a drawing of a gun pointing at the words, “The thoughts won’t stop. Help me,” McDonald said.There also was a drawing of a bullet, she said, with words above it: “Blood everywhere.”Between the gun and the bullet was a person who appeared to have been shot twice and is bleeding. He also wrote, “My life is useless” and “The world is dead,” according to the prosecutor.The school quickly had a meeting with Ethan and his parents, who were told to get him into counseling within 48 hours, McDonald said.The Crumbleys failed to ask their son about the gun or check his backpack and “resisted the idea of their son leaving the school at that time,” McDonald said.Instead, the teen returned to class and the shooting subsequently occurred.“The notion that a parent could read those words and also know that their son had access to a deadly weapon that they gave him is unconscionable — it’s criminal,” the prosecutor said.Jennifer Crumbley texted her son after the shooting, saying, “Ethan, don’t do it,” McDonald said.James Crumbley called 911 to say that a gun was missing from their home and that Ethan might be the shooter. The gun had been kept in an unlocked drawer in the parents’ bedroom, McDonald said.Ethan accompanied his father for the gun purchase on Nov. 26 and posted photos of the firearm on social media, saying, “Just got my new beauty today,” McDonald said.Over the long Thanksgiving weekend, Jennifer Crumbley wrote on social media that it is a “mom and son day testing out his new Christmas present,” the prosecutor said.Asked at a news conference if the father could be charged for purchasing the gun for the son, McDonald said that would be the decision of federal authorities.In a video message to the community Thursday, the head of Oxford Community Schools said the high school looks like a “war zone” and won’t be ready for weeks. Superintendent Tim Throne repeatedly complimented students and staff for how they responded to the violence.He also acknowledged the meeting of Crumbley, the parents and school officials. Throne offered no details but summed it up by saying, “No discipline was warranted.”McDonald was asked about the decision to keep Crumbley in school.“Of course, he shouldn’t have gone back to that classroom. ... I believe that is a universal position. I’m not going to chastise or attack, but yeah,” she said.Asked if school officials may potentially be charged, McDonald said: “The investigation’s ongoing.”

Fugitive parents of alleged Michigan school shooter captured 

By LAURA OLSON <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/12/02/at-home-covid-tests-to-be-covered-by-insurance-but-details-still-to-come/">States Newsroom</a>

WASHINGTON — State health officials 
on Thursday welcomed the Biden administration’s plan to require private 
health insurers to reimburse Americans for the cost of rapid, at-home 
COVID-19 tests — though the officials also raised questions about 
whether the process will be burdensome.

Making those tests more accessible 
will allow Americans to get results quickly and in the privacy of their 
own homes. That change may encourage more people to swab their nose when
 they first notice potential symptoms, experts from the Association of 
State and Territorial Health Officials told reporters.

“In this next phase of the pandemic, 
rapid access to rapid testing will be key,” said Nirav Shah, director of
 Maine’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, adding that it can 
help to combat potential surges and to pinpoint infections quickly so 
antiviral treatments can be used.

But several challenges could limit the impact of the cost reduction.

That includes lingering problems with
 sufficient supplies, uncertainty about the details of the reimbursement
 process, and questions about any potential effect on the data that’s 
reaching state and local health departments about infections in their 
communities.

Under the proposal that President Joe
 Biden announced Thursday, three federal departments — Health and Human 
Services, Labor and the Treasury — will issue official guidance by Jan. 
15 that will detail what exactly private insurers must cover when it 
comes to rapid COVID-19 tests.

Those insurers already are required 
to pay for the PCR tests that must be sent to a laboratory for 
processing and take longer for results.

The upcoming change requiring 
insurance coverage of rapid, at-home tests, won’t be retroactive. That 
means Americans who have been shelling out roughly $25 for a package 
containing two of the popular Abbott BinaxNOW rapid tests can’t submit 
receipts for tests they’ve already purchased.

Other details of that requirement 
were unclear Thursday, including if there will be any limitations on the
 number of at-home tests that must be covered.

While the Biden administration has 
sought to reduce supply bottlenecks in producing those tests, Shah said 
some states are still having difficulty acquiring large volumes of the 
Abbott at-home tests.

That brand, which has been found to 
be highly accurate, has been relied on heavily even as more options have
 come on the market. Part of that demand comes from familiarity: Those 
administering tests in large settings have become familiar with their 
use.

Another challenge with increasing the
 use of at-home tests will be ensuring that individuals know what to do 
if they test positive.

Michael Fraser, ASTHO’s chief 
executive officer, said state health officials have been discussing 
whether those at-home tests should include an insert to help explain who
 to call and other next steps, so that contact tracing can occur.

“There is some concern that with the 
increase in at-home testing, getting those results reported to state 
health departments might be difficult, because the result doesn’t 
automatically go to public health authorities,” Fraser said.

However, there won’t be many results 
to get to state and local health officials if Americans with private 
insurance balk at fronting the money for tests while they await 
reimbursement.

Shah said a more accessible model 
would be to have individuals show their insurance card at a pharmacy as 
they would when getting a flu shot or picking up a prescription, rather 
than being charged at the register.

Having to pay for the tests, then wait for repayment, “introduces an access challenge for a lot of folks,” he said.

The Biden administration also plans 
to boost the number of free at-home tests distributed at community 
health centers and rural clinics, though those are intended to aid those
 who are not covered by private insurance.

Laura Olson covers the nation's capital as a senior reporter for States Newsroom, a network of nonprofit outlets that includes Kansas Reflector.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638546938939.png" alt="Under a proposal announced Thursday by President Joe Biden, Americans can get reimbursed for the roughly $25 cost of Abbott BinaxNOW rapid tests. (Laura Olson/States Newsroom)" />
 <figcaption>Under a proposal announced Thursday by President Joe Biden, Americans can get reimbursed for the roughly $25 cost of Abbott BinaxNOW rapid tests. (Laura Olson/States Newsroom)</figcaption>
 </figure>By LAURA OLSON <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/12/02/at-home-covid-tests-to-be-covered-by-insurance-but-details-still-to-come/">States Newsroom</a>WASHINGTON — State health officials 
on Thursday welcomed the Biden administration’s plan to require private 
health insurers to reimburse Americans for the cost of rapid, at-home 
COVID-19 tests — though the officials also raised questions about 
whether the process will be burdensome.Making those tests more accessible 
will allow Americans to get results quickly and in the privacy of their 
own homes. That change may encourage more people to swab their nose when
 they first notice potential symptoms, experts from the Association of 
State and Territorial Health Officials told reporters.“In this next phase of the pandemic, 
rapid access to rapid testing will be key,” said Nirav Shah, director of
 Maine’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, adding that it can 
help to combat potential surges and to pinpoint infections quickly so 
antiviral treatments can be used.But several challenges could limit the impact of the cost reduction.That includes lingering problems with
 sufficient supplies, uncertainty about the details of the reimbursement
 process, and questions about any potential effect on the data that’s 
reaching state and local health departments about infections in their 
communities.<h2>Official guidance in January</h2>Under the proposal that President Joe
 Biden announced Thursday, three federal departments — Health and Human 
Services, Labor and the Treasury — will issue official guidance by Jan. 
15 that will detail what exactly private insurers must cover when it 
comes to rapid COVID-19 tests.Those insurers already are required 
to pay for the PCR tests that must be sent to a laboratory for 
processing and take longer for results.The upcoming change requiring 
insurance coverage of rapid, at-home tests, won’t be retroactive. That 
means Americans who have been shelling out roughly $25 for a package 
containing two of the popular Abbott BinaxNOW rapid tests can’t submit 
receipts for tests they’ve already purchased.Other details of that requirement 
were unclear Thursday, including if there will be any limitations on the
 number of at-home tests that must be covered.While the Biden administration has 
sought to reduce supply bottlenecks in producing those tests, Shah said 
some states are still having difficulty acquiring large volumes of the 
Abbott at-home tests.That brand, which has been found to 
be highly accurate, has been relied on heavily even as more options have
 come on the market. Part of that demand comes from familiarity: Those 
administering tests in large settings have become familiar with their 
use.<h2>What if you test positive?</h2>Another challenge with increasing the
 use of at-home tests will be ensuring that individuals know what to do 
if they test positive.Michael Fraser, ASTHO’s chief 
executive officer, said state health officials have been discussing 
whether those at-home tests should include an insert to help explain who
 to call and other next steps, so that contact tracing can occur.“There is some concern that with the 
increase in at-home testing, getting those results reported to state 
health departments might be difficult, because the result doesn’t 
automatically go to public health authorities,” Fraser said.However, there won’t be many results 
to get to state and local health officials if Americans with private 
insurance balk at fronting the money for tests while they await 
reimbursement.Shah said a more accessible model 
would be to have individuals show their insurance card at a pharmacy as 
they would when getting a flu shot or picking up a prescription, rather 
than being charged at the register.Having to pay for the tests, then wait for repayment, “introduces an access challenge for a lot of folks,” he said.The Biden administration also plans 
to boost the number of free at-home tests distributed at community 
health centers and rural clinics, though those are intended to aid those
 who are not covered by private insurance.Laura Olson covers the nation's capital as a senior reporter for States Newsroom, a network of nonprofit outlets that includes Kansas Reflector.&nbsp;

At-home COVID tests to be covered by insurance — details still to come

This holiday shopping season, <a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker" target="_blank">BBB Scam Tracker</a>
 has received numerous reports about shipping tricks that scammers use 
to steal from online shoppers. The con artists are exploiting PayPal's 
polices by delivering incorrect items and using stolen tracking numbers.

People are shopping online and are finding amazing deals, often brand
 name goods at a significant discount. Often, the items are large – such
 as pieces of furniture or a vaccum cleaner. The website and the 
products look legitimate, so consumers are deciding to take a chance and
 make a purchase. The site directs them to pay through PayPal, which 
leads many to believe it's safe. &nbsp;

After checkout, a confirmation email arrives that contains a tracking
 number from UPS, FedEx, or another shipping service. After a few weeks,
 the package arrives, but it’s not what was expected. For example, one 
shopper ordered a 6 foot artificial Christmas tree, but “received a 
bottle brush Christmas tree no bigger than my hand.” &nbsp;Another shopper 
told BBB that they ordered “a pressured machine washer for $78...” and 
received “a yellow shirt that’s not worth $2.” In another common version
 of this scam, the package is delivered... but to the wrong address.&nbsp;

When consumers try to correct the mistake, they are finding that the 
ecommerce site is either unresponsive or unhelpful. In some cases, the 
site doesn’t provide contact information; in others, no one responds to 
emails or calls.&nbsp;

Some scam victims report filing claims with PayPal in order to get a refund. PayPal's <a href="https://www.paypal.com/us/webapps/mpp/paypal-safety-and-security" target="_blank">protection promise</a>
 says customers can open a dispute if the package never arrives, if the 
item received is counterfeit or differs significantly from what was 
ordered. However, not all claims were resolved to the buyer’s 
satisfaction. For example, one shopper reported the following experience
 after ordering a desk online and filing a dispute though PayPal. “I was
 contacted by PayPal and told they had found in favor of the seller. 
They had apparently received confirmation of delivery of said desk to my
 house according to the tracking number… PayPal did not give me any 
option to discuss their decision, to argue why they found in favor of 
the seller. They just closed the case.” &nbsp;

BBB contacted PayPal about the <a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker" target="_blank">BBB Scam Tracker</a>
 reports. After looking into the stolen tracking code issue, they 
replied: "We notified various shipping carriers of this issue allowing 
tracking data to be stolen and we believe it has been closed. In 
addition, we made enhancements to our algorithms to identify and disable
 these fraudulent bad actors. In fact, we are stopping a significant 
majority of these fraudulent sellers at first transaction through our 
detection program and have refunded customers impacted by this fraud 
scheme even if they did not appeal our decision."

Protect Yourself from a Package Delivery Scam: &nbsp;

Learn more about spotting and reporting <a href="https://www.paypal.com/us/smarthelp/article/how-do-i-report-potential-fraud,-spoof-or-unauthorized-transactions-to-paypal-faq2422" target="_blank">PayPal fraud</a>. For more resources on shipping fraud, see&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fedex.com/en-us/trust-center/report-fraud.html" target="_blank">FedEx's website</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ups.com/us/en/help-center/legal-terms-conditions/fight-fraud.page" target="_blank">UPS's online resource center</a>. To learn more about&nbsp;scams, go to <a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtips" target="_blank">BBB.org/ScamTips</a>.

If you’ve been targeted by this scam, help others avoid the same problem by reporting your experience at <a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker" target="_blank">BBB.org/ScamTracker</a>.&nbsp;

NOTE: <a href="https://www.bbb.org/us/ca/san-jose/profile/payment-processing-services/paypal-inc-1216-210387" target="_blank">PayPal Inc.</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/us/tn/memphis/profile/mailing-services/fedex-corporation-0543-3310" target="_blank">FedEx Corporation</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/us/ga/atlanta/profile/delivery-service/united-parcel-service-0443-8866" target="_blank">United Parcel Service</a>&nbsp;are BBB Accredited Businesses.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579883951052.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BBBThis holiday shopping season, <a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker" target="_blank">BBB Scam Tracker</a>
 has received numerous reports about shipping tricks that scammers use 
to steal from online shoppers. The con artists are exploiting PayPal's 
polices by delivering incorrect items and using stolen tracking numbers.<h2>How the&nbsp;Scam&nbsp;Works:&nbsp;</h2>People are shopping online and are finding amazing deals, often brand
 name goods at a significant discount. Often, the items are large – such
 as pieces of furniture or a vaccum cleaner. The website and the 
products look legitimate, so consumers are deciding to take a chance and
 make a purchase. The site directs them to pay through PayPal, which 
leads many to believe it's safe. &nbsp;After checkout, a confirmation email arrives that contains a tracking
 number from UPS, FedEx, or another shipping service. After a few weeks,
 the package arrives, but it’s not what was expected. For example, one 
shopper ordered a 6 foot artificial Christmas tree, but “received a 
bottle brush Christmas tree no bigger than my hand.” &nbsp;Another shopper 
told BBB that they ordered “a pressured machine washer for $78...” and 
received “a yellow shirt that’s not worth $2.” In another common version
 of this scam, the package is delivered... but to the wrong address.&nbsp;When consumers try to correct the mistake, they are finding that the 
ecommerce site is either unresponsive or unhelpful. In some cases, the 
site doesn’t provide contact information; in others, no one responds to 
emails or calls.&nbsp;Some scam victims report filing claims with PayPal in order to get a refund. PayPal's <a href="https://www.paypal.com/us/webapps/mpp/paypal-safety-and-security" target="_blank">protection promise</a>
 says customers can open a dispute if the package never arrives, if the 
item received is counterfeit or differs significantly from what was 
ordered. However, not all claims were resolved to the buyer’s 
satisfaction. For example, one shopper reported the following experience
 after ordering a desk online and filing a dispute though PayPal. “I was
 contacted by PayPal and told they had found in favor of the seller. 
They had apparently received confirmation of delivery of said desk to my
 house according to the tracking number… PayPal did not give me any 
option to discuss their decision, to argue why they found in favor of 
the seller. They just closed the case.” &nbsp;BBB contacted PayPal about the <a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker" target="_blank">BBB Scam Tracker</a>
 reports. After looking into the stolen tracking code issue, they 
replied: "We notified various shipping carriers of this issue allowing 
tracking data to be stolen and we believe it has been closed. In 
addition, we made enhancements to our algorithms to identify and disable
 these fraudulent bad actors. In fact, we are stopping a significant 
majority of these fraudulent sellers at first transaction through our 
detection program and have refunded customers impacted by this fraud 
scheme even if they did not appeal our decision."<h2>Protect Yourself from a Package Delivery Scam: &nbsp;</h2><ul>
 <li>Before paying, know your rights and responsibilities.&nbsp;In everything from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/investigations/18409-bbb-study-shows-how-fake-check-scams-bait-consumers" target="_blank">check cashing scams</a>&nbsp;to cons involving new&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/scams/13038-how-to-avoid-digital-wallet-scams-on-paypal-venmo-and-other-services" target="_blank">peer-to-peer payment systems</a>,
 scammers often take advantage of what consumers don’t know when it 
comes to processing payments. Don’t make a purchase from a shady seller 
assuming the purchase will be protected no matter what.&nbsp; </li><li>Before buying online, confirm the site has real contact information.&nbsp;Make sure the seller has a working phone number and address on the website, so you can contact them in case of problems. </li><li>Don’t wait too long to file a dispute. Scammers 
know that PayPal and credit cards have time limits for disputes. They 
often try to delay the process long enough so that shoppers miss the 
window. </li><li>If the price seems too good to be true, there's probably something wrong. Be wary if the item is selling for significantly lower than what's been advertised elsewhere. &nbsp;</li><li>Review BBB online shopping tips.&nbsp;Many online purchase scams use similar tactics. See&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/tips/14040-bbb-tip-smart-shopping-online" target="_blank">BBB.org/ShoppingOnline</a>&nbsp;for more advice.</li>
 </ul><h2>For More Information</h2>Learn more about spotting and reporting <a href="https://www.paypal.com/us/smarthelp/article/how-do-i-report-potential-fraud,-spoof-or-unauthorized-transactions-to-paypal-faq2422" target="_blank">PayPal fraud</a>. For more resources on shipping fraud, see&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fedex.com/en-us/trust-center/report-fraud.html" target="_blank">FedEx's website</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ups.com/us/en/help-center/legal-terms-conditions/fight-fraud.page" target="_blank">UPS's online resource center</a>. To learn more about&nbsp;scams, go to <a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtips" target="_blank">BBB.org/ScamTips</a>.If you’ve been targeted by this scam, help others avoid the same problem by reporting your experience at <a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker" target="_blank">BBB.org/ScamTracker</a>.&nbsp;NOTE: <a href="https://www.bbb.org/us/ca/san-jose/profile/payment-processing-services/paypal-inc-1216-210387" target="_blank">PayPal Inc.</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/us/tn/memphis/profile/mailing-services/fedex-corporation-0543-3310" target="_blank">FedEx Corporation</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/us/ga/atlanta/profile/delivery-service/united-parcel-service-0443-8866" target="_blank">United Parcel Service</a>&nbsp;are BBB Accredited Businesses.

Scam alert: Tracking code trick costs online shoppers

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Friday pledged to make it “very, very difficult” for Russia’s Vladimir Putin to take military action in Ukraine and said new initiatives coming from his administration are intended to deter Russian aggression.

The president offered the measured warning to Putin in response to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-russia-ukraine-crimea-158c3406821bb207c07a279c5d48fadf">growing concern about a Russian buildup&nbsp;</a>of troops on the Ukrainian border and increasingly bellicose rhetoric from the Kremlin.

“What I am doing is putting together what I believe to be will be the most comprehensive and meaningful set of initiatives to make it very, very difficult for Mr. Putin to go ahead and do what people are worried he may do,” Biden told reporters.

There are signs that the White House and Kremlin are close to arranging a conversation next week between Biden and Putin. Putin’s foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov told reporters Friday that arrangements have been made for a Putin-Biden call in the coming days, adding that the date will be announced after Moscow and Washington finalize details. The Russians say a date has been agreed upon, but declined to say when.

Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have also tentatively agreed to have a call next week, according to a person close to the Ukrainian president who was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said administration officials have “engaged in the possibility” of a Biden-Putin call. White House officials did not respond to a request for comment on the expected Zelenskyy call.

“It certainly would be an opportunity to discuss our serious concerns about the bellicose rhetoric, about the military buildup that we’re seeing on the border of Ukraine,” Psaki said of a potential Biden-Putin call.

Biden did not detail what actions he was weighing. But Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who met Thursday with Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Sweden, said the U.S. has threatened new sanctions. He did not detail the potential sanctions but suggested the effort would not be effective.

“If the new ‘sanctions from hell’ come, we will respond,” Lavrov said. “We can’t fail to respond.”

Psaki said the administration would look to coordinate with European allies if it moved forward with sanctions. She noted that bitter memories of Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula that had been under Ukraine’s control since 1954, are front of mind as the White House considers the way forward.

“We know what President Putin has done in the past,” Psaki said. “We see that he is putting in place the capacity to take action in short order.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-europe-russia-ukraine-moscow-aae934e3b73e428da957e9b1b6ddc4f1">Deep differences were on display</a>&nbsp;during the Blinken-Lavrov meeting, with the Russia official charging the West was “playing with fire” by denying Russia a say in any further NATO expansion into countries of the former Soviet Union. Zelenskyy has pushed for Ukraine to join the alliance, which holds out the promise of membership but hasn’t set a a timeline.

Blinken this week said the U.S. has “made it clear to the Kremlin that we will respond resolutely, including with a range of high-impact economic measures that we’ve refrained from using in the past.”

He did not detail what sanctions were being weighed, but one potentially could be to cut off Russia from the SWIFT system of international payments. The European Union’s Parliament approved a nonbinding resolution in April to cut off Russia from SWIFT if its troops entered Ukraine.

Such a move would go far toward blocking Russian businesses from the global financial system. Western allies reportedly considered such a step in 2014 and 2015, during earlier Russian-led escalations of tensions over Ukraine.

Then-Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said it would be tantamount to “a declaration of war.”

U.S.-Russia relations have been rocky since Biden took office.

In addition to the Ukraine issue, the Biden administration has levied sanctions against Russian targets and called out Putin on Kremlin interference in U.S. elections, malign cyberactivity against U.S. businesses, and the treatment of opposition figure Alexei Navalny, who was poisoned last year and then later imprisoned.

Putin and Biden met face to face in Geneva in June, with the U.S. president warning if Russia crossed certain red lines — including going after major American infrastructure — his administration would respond and “the consequences of that would be devastating.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638561538098.png" alt="President Biden did not detail what actions he was weighing during a White House Press conference Friday -photo courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>President Biden did not detail what actions he was weighing during a White House Press conference Friday -photo courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Friday pledged to make it “very, very difficult” for Russia’s Vladimir Putin to take military action in Ukraine and said new initiatives coming from his administration are intended to deter Russian aggression.The president offered the measured warning to Putin in response to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-russia-ukraine-crimea-158c3406821bb207c07a279c5d48fadf">growing concern about a Russian buildup&nbsp;</a>of troops on the Ukrainian border and increasingly bellicose rhetoric from the Kremlin.“What I am doing is putting together what I believe to be will be the most comprehensive and meaningful set of initiatives to make it very, very difficult for Mr. Putin to go ahead and do what people are worried he may do,” Biden told reporters.There are signs that the White House and Kremlin are close to arranging a conversation next week between Biden and Putin. Putin’s foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov told reporters Friday that arrangements have been made for a Putin-Biden call in the coming days, adding that the date will be announced after Moscow and Washington finalize details. The Russians say a date has been agreed upon, but declined to say when.Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have also tentatively agreed to have a call next week, according to a person close to the Ukrainian president who was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.White House press secretary Jen Psaki said administration officials have “engaged in the possibility” of a Biden-Putin call. White House officials did not respond to a request for comment on the expected Zelenskyy call.“It certainly would be an opportunity to discuss our serious concerns about the bellicose rhetoric, about the military buildup that we’re seeing on the border of Ukraine,” Psaki said of a potential Biden-Putin call.Biden did not detail what actions he was weighing. But Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who met Thursday with Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Sweden, said the U.S. has threatened new sanctions. He did not detail the potential sanctions but suggested the effort would not be effective.“If the new ‘sanctions from hell’ come, we will respond,” Lavrov said. “We can’t fail to respond.”Psaki said the administration would look to coordinate with European allies if it moved forward with sanctions. She noted that bitter memories of Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula that had been under Ukraine’s control since 1954, are front of mind as the White House considers the way forward.“We know what President Putin has done in the past,” Psaki said. “We see that he is putting in place the capacity to take action in short order.”<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-europe-russia-ukraine-moscow-aae934e3b73e428da957e9b1b6ddc4f1">Deep differences were on display</a>&nbsp;during the Blinken-Lavrov meeting, with the Russia official charging the West was “playing with fire” by denying Russia a say in any further NATO expansion into countries of the former Soviet Union. Zelenskyy has pushed for Ukraine to join the alliance, which holds out the promise of membership but hasn’t set a a timeline.Blinken this week said the U.S. has “made it clear to the Kremlin that we will respond resolutely, including with a range of high-impact economic measures that we’ve refrained from using in the past.”He did not detail what sanctions were being weighed, but one potentially could be to cut off Russia from the SWIFT system of international payments. The European Union’s Parliament approved a nonbinding resolution in April to cut off Russia from SWIFT if its troops entered Ukraine.Such a move would go far toward blocking Russian businesses from the global financial system. Western allies reportedly considered such a step in 2014 and 2015, during earlier Russian-led escalations of tensions over Ukraine.Then-Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said it would be tantamount to “a declaration of war.”U.S.-Russia relations have been rocky since Biden took office.In addition to the Ukraine issue, the Biden administration has levied sanctions against Russian targets and called out Putin on Kremlin interference in U.S. elections, malign cyberactivity against U.S. businesses, and the treatment of opposition figure Alexei Navalny, who was poisoned last year and then later imprisoned.Putin and Biden met face to face in Geneva in June, with the U.S. president warning if Russia crossed certain red lines — including going after major American infrastructure — his administration would respond and “the consequences of that would be devastating.”—

Biden warns Russia's Vladimir Putin against Ukraine invasion

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) — A Grand Island man who set his wife on fire before stabbing and beating her has avoided jail time after being sentenced to probation. 

District Judge Andrew Butler sentenced 39-year-old Giannini Cervantes on Tuesday to 42 months' probation for second-degree domestic assault.

 Cervantes pleaded no contest to the charge in September.

 In exchange, a weapons count and two charges of third-degree domestic assault were dropped. 

Police arrested Cervantes in May, three weeks after they say he poured alcohol on his wife's leg and lit it on fire. 

Police say he then stabbed his wife in the leg. In a subsequent attack, police described a vicious assault Cervantes carried out on his wife that left her with broken ribs and a disfigured face.

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) — A Grand Island man who set his wife on fire before stabbing and beating her has avoided jail time after being sentenced to probation. District Judge Andrew Butler sentenced 39-year-old Giannini Cervantes on Tuesday to 42 months' probation for second-degree domestic assault. Cervantes pleaded no contest to the charge in September. In exchange, a weapons count and two charges of third-degree domestic assault were dropped. Police arrested Cervantes in May, three weeks after they say he poured alcohol on his wife's leg and lit it on fire. Police say he then stabbed his wife in the leg. In a subsequent attack, police described a vicious assault Cervantes carried out on his wife that left her with broken ribs and a disfigured face.

Nebraska man who set fire to and stabbed wife gets probation

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Health officials have confirmed six cases of the omicron variant in southeastern Nebraska, adding to the growing number of confirmations of the new, mutant version of the coronavirus around the country. 

State and local health officials said Friday in a news release that the state's first case likely stemmed from one of the six who recently traveled to Nigeria and returned on Nov. 23. Officials say that person became symptomatic the following day. Health officials say the five others were likely exposed through household contact with the first case. Officials say only one of the six is vaccinated. None of the six had required hospitalization as of Friday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1638148803210.png" alt="&nbsp;3D structure of spike with amino acid changes in Omicron -photo courtesy GISAID" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;3D structure of spike with amino acid changes in Omicron -photo courtesy GISAID</figcaption>
 </figure>OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Health officials have confirmed six cases of the omicron variant in southeastern Nebraska, adding to the growing number of confirmations of the new, mutant version of the coronavirus around the country. State and local health officials said Friday in a news release that the state's first case likely stemmed from one of the six who recently traveled to Nigeria and returned on Nov. 23. Officials say that person became symptomatic the following day. Health officials say the five others were likely exposed through household contact with the first case. Officials say only one of the six is vaccinated. None of the six had required hospitalization as of Friday.

6 cases of omicron variant confirmed in Nebraska

OXFORD TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — A prosecutor filed involuntary manslaughter charges Friday against the parents of a 15-year-old&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/michigan-oxford-high-school-shooting-1fc42fc06308770d302a59c266604c58">accused of killing four students&nbsp;</a>and wounding seven other people at a Michigan High School.

James and Jennifer Crumbley were charged with four counts each of involuntary manslaughter.

Authorities have said Ethan Crumbley opened fire shortly before 1 p.m. Tuesday at Oxford High School, roughly 30 miles (50 kilometers) north of Detroit. Seven students and a teacher were shot before Crumbley surrendered to sheriff’s deputies.

Three of the students died Tuesday. The fourth died Wednesday at a hospital.

The semi-automatic gun used in the shooting was purchased legally by Crumbley’s father last week, according to investigators, and given to the boy.

“The parents were the only individuals in the position to know the access to weapons,” Oakland County prosecutor Karen McDonald said Thursday. The gun “seems to have been just freely available to that individual.”

She said then that the parents’ actions went “far beyond negligence.”

During a Friday news conference, McDonald said the parents were summoned a few hours before the shooting after a teacher found a drawing of a gun, a person bleeding and the words “help me.” 

&nbsp;Crumbley was returned to his classroom and later emerged from a bathroom, firing a gun at students. He’s charged with murder and other other charges.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638551635768.png" alt="Ethan Crumbley has been charged as an adult with two dozen crimes, including murder, attempted murder and terrorism. -photo Oakland Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Ethan Crumbley has been charged as an adult with two dozen crimes, including murder, attempted murder and terrorism. -photo Oakland Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>OXFORD TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — A prosecutor filed involuntary manslaughter charges Friday against the parents of a 15-year-old&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/michigan-oxford-high-school-shooting-1fc42fc06308770d302a59c266604c58">accused of killing four students&nbsp;</a>and wounding seven other people at a Michigan High School.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638552839270.png" alt="Oakland County prosecutor Karen McDonald during Friday's announcement-image courtesy Oakland Co. District Attorney's office" />
 <figcaption>Oakland County prosecutor Karen McDonald during Friday's announcement-image courtesy Oakland Co. District Attorney's office</figcaption>
 </figure>James and Jennifer Crumbley were charged with four counts each of involuntary manslaughter.Authorities have said Ethan Crumbley opened fire shortly before 1 p.m. Tuesday at Oxford High School, roughly 30 miles (50 kilometers) north of Detroit. Seven students and a teacher were shot before Crumbley surrendered to sheriff’s deputies.Three of the students died Tuesday. The fourth died Wednesday at a hospital.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638381044457.png" alt="First responders on the scene of the school shooting photo courtesy WWJT" />
 <figcaption>First responders on the scene of the school shooting photo courtesy WWJT</figcaption>
 </figure>The semi-automatic gun used in the shooting was purchased legally by Crumbley’s father last week, according to investigators, and given to the boy.“The parents were the only individuals in the position to know the access to weapons,” Oakland County prosecutor Karen McDonald said Thursday. The gun “seems to have been just freely available to that individual.”She said then that the parents’ actions went “far beyond negligence.”During a Friday news conference, McDonald said the parents were summoned a few hours before the shooting after a teacher found a drawing of a gun, a person bleeding and the words “help me.” &nbsp;Crumbley was returned to his classroom and later emerged from a bathroom, firing a gun at students. He’s charged with murder and other other charges.&nbsp;

Teen suspect's parents charged in Michigan school shooting

KANSAS CITY (AP) — The omicron variant of COVID-19, which had been undetected in the U.S. before the middle of this week, had been discovered <a href="https://www.gisaid.org/hcov19-variants/">in at least five states </a>by the end of Thursday, showing yet again how mutations of the virus can circumnavigate the globe with speed and ease.

Just a day after the first known U.S. case was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-new-variant-omicron-explainer-116ef818ac4a8e7bc23bb28d6511ecad">found in California</a>, tests showed the omicron variant had infected at least five people in the New York City metropolitan area, plus a man from Minnesota who had attended an anime convention in Manhattan in late November.

A Colorado woman who had recently traveled to southern Africa, a Hawaii resident with no recent travel history, and another California resident who traveled to South Africa last month also were infected by the variant, officials said.

Health officials in each state said there was no cause for undue alarm. But the spread of the cases, some involving people who hadn’t been away from home recently, meant the variant was likely already circulating domestically in some parts of the U.S.

“We gotta assume there’s a lot more behind that and that it has been here for a meaningful amount of time,” New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said at a news conference with Gov. Kathy Hochul.

The infected New Yorkers included a 67-year-old woman on Long Island who had recently traveled to South Africa, residents of Brooklyn and Queens and another case possibly linked to travel. At least one person had received a dose of a COVID-19 vaccine but officials did not have details about the vaccination status of the four other cases.

In Minnesota, health officials said a man who had not traveled outside the U.S. began experiencing symptoms the day after attending the Anime NYC 2021 convention in New York City. Minnesota Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm said it’s likely the man contracted COVID-19 at the convention, but officials did not know for sure.

Officials in New York said they were working to trace attendees of the convention, which was held Nov. 19-21 and drew about 50,000 people, according to event organizers. Attendees were required to wear masks and show proof of having received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

It was held at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center as New York City prepared to host the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and braced for throngs of tourists to return after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-lifestyle-health-canada-75b91e1770dc99c3a9d682129e2e006c">U.S. opened up to vaccinated international travelers.</a>

City Health Commissioner Dave Chokshi urged people who attended the event to get tested.

“This is not just due to people who are traveling to southern Africa or to other parts of the world where omicron has already been identified,” Chokshi said Thursday.

The Minnesota man began experiencing mild symptoms Nov. 22. He had been vaccinated and received a booster shot in early November, according to health officials in his home state. He sought COVID-19 testing Nov. 24, and his symptoms have subsided, officials said.

Nov. 22 was the same day the person infected in the first California case returned to the U.S. from South Africa.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-lifestyle-health-travel-1f007a419afc45c840ad1d8d80eede8f">The California traveler, who was vaccinated,&nbsp;</a>developed mild symptoms and tested positive Monday. The second person in the state didn’t need medical care and was also vaccinated.

The unvaccinated adult infected with the variant in Hawaii had gotten COVID-19 a year ago. The person isn’t currently hospitalized and had “mild-to-moderate” symptoms including headache, body aches and cough, Hawaii Epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Kemble said.

She wouldn’t identify the patient other to say the person lives on the island of Oahu.

Omicron is classified by the World Health Organization as a “variant of concern” as scientists work to determine how it may compare with the predominant delta variant in terms of transmissibility and severity. Scientists also are studying the degree to which existing vaccines and therapies protect against omicron.

Scientists in South Africa first reported it, but the samples came from several countries in southern Africa. And health officials in the Netherlands now say it was found there prior to the South Africa detection.

As comfort over air travel returns, it’s inevitable that new variants like omicron will spread from country to country and state to state, said professor Danielle Ompad, an epidemiologist at New York University’s School of Global Public Health.

“We shouldn’t panic, but we should be concerned,” she said.

Hochul said the case involving the Minnesota visitor underlined the need for everyone who is eligible to get vaccinated against COVID-19 or receive a booster shot if they have not already.

“There is one way to address this — New Yorkers, get vaccinated, get boosted, and get ready,” the Democrat said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638537167399.png" alt="Most recent reported occurrences across the United State-image courtesy GISAID-The GISAID Initiative promotes the rapid sharing of data from all influenza viruses and the coronavirus causing COVID-19. " />
 <figcaption>Most recent reported occurrences across the United State-image courtesy GISAID-The GISAID Initiative promotes the rapid sharing of data from all influenza viruses and the coronavirus causing COVID-19. </figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — The omicron variant of COVID-19, which had been undetected in the U.S. before the middle of this week, had been discovered <a href="https://www.gisaid.org/hcov19-variants/">in at least five states </a>by the end of Thursday, showing yet again how mutations of the virus can circumnavigate the globe with speed and ease.Just a day after the first known U.S. case was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-new-variant-omicron-explainer-116ef818ac4a8e7bc23bb28d6511ecad">found in California</a>, tests showed the omicron variant had infected at least five people in the New York City metropolitan area, plus a man from Minnesota who had attended an anime convention in Manhattan in late November.A Colorado woman who had recently traveled to southern Africa, a Hawaii resident with no recent travel history, and another California resident who traveled to South Africa last month also were infected by the variant, officials said.Much remains unknown about omicron, including whether it is more contagious, as some health authorities suspect, whether it can thwart vaccines and whether it makes people as sick as the original strain.Health officials in each state said there was no cause for undue alarm. But the spread of the cases, some involving people who hadn’t been away from home recently, meant the variant was likely already circulating domestically in some parts of the U.S.“We gotta assume there’s a lot more behind that and that it has been here for a meaningful amount of time,” New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said at a news conference with Gov. Kathy Hochul.The infected New Yorkers included a 67-year-old woman on Long Island who had recently traveled to South Africa, residents of Brooklyn and Queens and another case possibly linked to travel. At least one person had received a dose of a COVID-19 vaccine but officials did not have details about the vaccination status of the four other cases.In Minnesota, health officials said a man who had not traveled outside the U.S. began experiencing symptoms the day after attending the Anime NYC 2021 convention in New York City. Minnesota Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm said it’s likely the man contracted COVID-19 at the convention, but officials did not know for sure.Officials in New York said they were working to trace attendees of the convention, which was held Nov. 19-21 and drew about 50,000 people, according to event organizers. Attendees were required to wear masks and show proof of having received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.It was held at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center as New York City prepared to host the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and braced for throngs of tourists to return after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-lifestyle-health-canada-75b91e1770dc99c3a9d682129e2e006c">U.S. opened up to vaccinated international travelers.</a>City Health Commissioner Dave Chokshi urged people who attended the event to get tested.“This is not just due to people who are traveling to southern Africa or to other parts of the world where omicron has already been identified,” Chokshi said Thursday.The Minnesota man began experiencing mild symptoms Nov. 22. He had been vaccinated and received a booster shot in early November, according to health officials in his home state. He sought COVID-19 testing Nov. 24, and his symptoms have subsided, officials said.Nov. 22 was the same day the person infected in the first California case returned to the U.S. from South Africa.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-lifestyle-health-travel-1f007a419afc45c840ad1d8d80eede8f">The California traveler, who was vaccinated,&nbsp;</a>developed mild symptoms and tested positive Monday. The second person in the state didn’t need medical care and was also vaccinated.The unvaccinated adult infected with the variant in Hawaii had gotten COVID-19 a year ago. The person isn’t currently hospitalized and had “mild-to-moderate” symptoms including headache, body aches and cough, Hawaii Epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Kemble said.She wouldn’t identify the patient other to say the person lives on the island of Oahu.Omicron is classified by the World Health Organization as a “variant of concern” as scientists work to determine how it may compare with the predominant delta variant in terms of transmissibility and severity. Scientists also are studying the degree to which existing vaccines and therapies protect against omicron.Scientists in South Africa first reported it, but the samples came from several countries in southern Africa. And health officials in the Netherlands now say it was found there prior to the South Africa detection.As comfort over air travel returns, it’s inevitable that new variants like omicron will spread from country to country and state to state, said professor Danielle Ompad, an epidemiologist at New York University’s School of Global Public Health.“We shouldn’t panic, but we should be concerned,” she said.Hochul said the case involving the Minnesota visitor underlined the need for everyone who is eligible to get vaccinated against COVID-19 or receive a booster shot if they have not already.“There is one way to address this — New Yorkers, get vaccinated, get boosted, and get ready,” the Democrat said.___