HUDSON, S.D. (AP) — Family members say a 10-year-old boy who died in the Big Sioux River in South Dakota saved one of his younger siblings who had fallen into the water. 

Lincoln County sheriff’s officials say the body of Ricky Lee Sneve was recovered Saturday night. 

His mother, Nicole Eufers, tells the Argus Leader that Ricky was out on the river with his dad and siblings when several fell into the river. 

Eufers says Ricky jumped in to save his sister Chevelle and got her to shore, but when his father and siblings turned around, Ricky was missing. 

The boy’s father, Chad Sneve, said his son was the type of boy to do anything for anyone.

&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/north-platte-post-by-eagle/id1536439700">Download The Post app for iOs</a>

HUDSON, S.D. (AP) — Family members say a 10-year-old boy who died in the Big Sioux River in South Dakota saved one of his younger siblings who had fallen into the water. Lincoln County sheriff’s officials say the body of Ricky Lee Sneve was recovered Saturday night. His mother, Nicole Eufers, tells the Argus Leader that Ricky was out on the river with his dad and siblings when several fell into the river. Eufers says Ricky jumped in to save his sister Chevelle and got her to shore, but when his father and siblings turned around, Ricky was missing. The boy’s father, Chad Sneve, said his son was the type of boy to do anything for anyone.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/north-platte-post-by-eagle/id1536439700">Download The Post app for iOs</a><figure>
 <img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/OouzxwDURKvyvMVuPpnPpjT4NyDfMrMU8SbAYH_rzoghEpSmar-3iuFagSe8Xy5crQYHobDFKwGUIN1FfOJlYSmINBjXeH3KphroGmJyUCtPea3VYY9xuobmGA00oDneeV06L0hE" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

10-year-old dies in South Dakota river after saving sister

HOUSTON (AP) — A federal judge threw out a lawsuit filed by employees of a Houston hospital system over its requirement that all of its staff be vaccinated against COVID-19.

The Houston Methodist Hospital system suspended 178 employees without pay last week over their refusal to get vaccinated. Of them, 117 sued seeking to overturn the requirement and over their suspension and threatened termination.

In a scathing ruling, U.S. District Judge Lynn Hughes of Houston deemed lead plaintiff Jennifer Bridges’ contention that the vaccines are “experimental and dangerous” to be false and otherwise irrelevant. He also found that her likening the vaccination requirement to the Nazis’ forced medical experimentation on concentration camp captives during the Holocaust to be “reprehensible.”

Hughes also ruled that making vaccinations a condition of employment was not coercion, as Bridges contended.

“Bridges can freely choose to accept or refuse a COVID-19 vaccine; however, if she refuses, she will simply need to work somewhere else. If a worker refuses an assignment, changed office, earlier start time, or other directive, he may be properly fired. Every employment includes limits on the worker’s behavior in exchange for remuneration. That is all part of the bargain,” Hughes concluded.

Jared Woodfill, a Houston lawyer representing Bridges and the other clients, promised an appeal.

“All of my clients continue to be committed to fighting this unjust policy,” Woodfill said in a statement. “What is shocking is that many of my clients were on the front line treating COVID-positive patients at Texas Methodist Hospital during the height of the pandemic. As a result, many of them contracted COVID-19. As a thank you for their service and sacrifice, Methodist Hospital awards them a pink slip and sentences them to bankruptcy.”

Employees had a June 7 deadline to complete their immunization.

In a Tuesday memo, the hospital system’s CEO, Marc Boom, said that 24,947 employees had complied with the vaccination requirement and that 27 of the 178 others had received the first of a two-dose vaccine and wouldn’t be fired if they got their second. The rest are subject to termination.

He also wrote that 285 other employees received medical or religious exemptions, and 332 were deferred because they were pregnant or for some other reason.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623673580456.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HOUSTON (AP) — A federal judge threw out a lawsuit filed by employees of a Houston hospital system over its requirement that all of its staff be vaccinated against COVID-19.The Houston Methodist Hospital system suspended 178 employees without pay last week over their refusal to get vaccinated. Of them, 117 sued seeking to overturn the requirement and over their suspension and threatened termination.In a scathing ruling, U.S. District Judge Lynn Hughes of Houston deemed lead plaintiff Jennifer Bridges’ contention that the vaccines are “experimental and dangerous” to be false and otherwise irrelevant. He also found that her likening the vaccination requirement to the Nazis’ forced medical experimentation on concentration camp captives during the Holocaust to be “reprehensible.”Hughes also ruled that making vaccinations a condition of employment was not coercion, as Bridges contended.“Bridges can freely choose to accept or refuse a COVID-19 vaccine; however, if she refuses, she will simply need to work somewhere else. If a worker refuses an assignment, changed office, earlier start time, or other directive, he may be properly fired. Every employment includes limits on the worker’s behavior in exchange for remuneration. That is all part of the bargain,” Hughes concluded.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623674276825.png" alt="Employee protest outside the hospital last week photo courtesy KTRK-TV" />
 <figcaption>Employee protest outside the hospital last week photo courtesy KTRK-TV</figcaption>
 </figure>Jared Woodfill, a Houston lawyer representing Bridges and the other clients, promised an appeal.“All of my clients continue to be committed to fighting this unjust policy,” Woodfill said in a statement. “What is shocking is that many of my clients were on the front line treating COVID-positive patients at Texas Methodist Hospital during the height of the pandemic. As a result, many of them contracted COVID-19. As a thank you for their service and sacrifice, Methodist Hospital awards them a pink slip and sentences them to bankruptcy.”Employees had a June 7 deadline to complete their immunization.In a Tuesday memo, the hospital system’s CEO, Marc Boom, said that 24,947 employees had complied with the vaccination requirement and that 27 of the 178 others had received the first of a two-dose vaccine and wouldn’t be fired if they got their second. The rest are subject to termination.He also wrote that 285 other employees received medical or religious exemptions, and 332 were deferred because they were pregnant or for some other reason.

Federal judge tosses lawsuit by employees who refused vaccine

CAMARILLO, Calif. (AP) — The average U.S. price of regular-grade gasoline rose 2 cents to $3.13 per gallon over the past three weeks. 

Industry analyst Trilby Lundberg of the Lundberg Survey says crude oil prices rose more during the same period but these hikes weren’t passed on to gasoline consumers. She says that’s because of consumer resistance to high prices. 

The price at the pump was 95 cents higher in the June 11 survey than it was a year ago. 

The highest average price in the country was $4.31 a gallon in the San Francisco Bay Area. The lowest average was $2.60 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

CAMARILLO, Calif. (AP) — The average U.S. price of regular-grade gasoline rose 2 cents to $3.13 per gallon over the past three weeks. Industry analyst Trilby Lundberg of the Lundberg Survey says crude oil prices rose more during the same period but these hikes weren’t passed on to gasoline consumers. She says that’s because of consumer resistance to high prices. The price at the pump was 95 cents higher in the June 11 survey than it was a year ago. The highest average price in the country was $4.31 a gallon in the San Francisco Bay Area. The lowest average was $2.60 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Average US price of gas rises 2 cents per gallon to $3.13

JACKSON COUNTY, Kan. —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Texas man wanted for robbery in Nebraska following a two state pursuit Saturday night. 

Just before 11p.m., a police officer stopped a 2015 Dodge Durango for a traffic infraction in the 400 Block of Arizona Street in Holton, Kansas, according to Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse.&nbsp;

 The suspect vehicle stopped in the Casey’s General Store parking lot. It was discovered that the driver identified as 23-year-old Davionne Marquise Stark-Briggs of Houston, Texas was wanted out of Nebraska on a felony robbery warrant. 

The suspect was to be considered armed and dangerous. The police officer attempted to arrest Stark-Briggs when he allegedly fled in his vehicle striking the Holton Police vehicle. 

Jackson County Deputies entered into the pursuit with Holton Police north of Holton on U.S. Highway 75. 

The pursuit continued into Brown County and into Nebraska. Several law enforcement agencies attempted to use tire deflation devices to stop the pursuit, however, the pursuit continued through Dawson, Nebraska and then east to Fall City. 

Just north of Fall City, the suspect vehicle left the highway and traveled into the ditch. Starks-Briggs fled on foot from the vehicle heading east into a field.

 Jackson County deputies pursued him on foot capturing him and taking him into custody about 200 yards from where the vehicle pursuit ended. Deputies from Brown County and Richardson County, Nebraska assisted with the incident. Starks-Briggs is currently being held in the Richardson County Jail on requested charges of Operating a Motor Vehicle to Avoid Arrest, Willful Reckless Driving, Driving Under Suspension, Resisting Arrest, Possession of a Deadly Weapon by a Prohibited Person. He is also being held on Lancaster County and Douglas County Nebraska warrants. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623586828570.png" alt="Starks-Briggs photo Richardson County" />
 <figcaption>Starks-Briggs photo Richardson County</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY, Kan. —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Texas man wanted for robbery in Nebraska following a two state pursuit Saturday night. Just before 11p.m., a police officer stopped a 2015 Dodge Durango for a traffic infraction in the 400 Block of Arizona Street in Holton, Kansas, according to Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse.&nbsp; The suspect vehicle stopped in the Casey’s General Store parking lot. It was discovered that the driver identified as 23-year-old Davionne Marquise Stark-Briggs of Houston, Texas was wanted out of Nebraska on a felony robbery warrant. The suspect was to be considered armed and dangerous. The police officer attempted to arrest Stark-Briggs when he allegedly fled in his vehicle striking the Holton Police vehicle. Jackson County Deputies entered into the pursuit with Holton Police north of Holton on U.S. Highway 75. The pursuit continued into Brown County and into Nebraska. Several law enforcement agencies attempted to use tire deflation devices to stop the pursuit, however, the pursuit continued through Dawson, Nebraska and then east to Fall City. Just north of Fall City, the suspect vehicle left the highway and traveled into the ditch. Starks-Briggs fled on foot from the vehicle heading east into a field. Jackson County deputies pursued him on foot capturing him and taking him into custody about 200 yards from where the vehicle pursuit ended. Deputies from Brown County and Richardson County, Nebraska assisted with the incident. Starks-Briggs is currently being held in the Richardson County Jail on requested charges of Operating a Motor Vehicle to Avoid Arrest, Willful Reckless Driving, Driving Under Suspension, Resisting Arrest, Possession of a Deadly Weapon by a Prohibited Person. He is also being held on Lancaster County and Douglas County Nebraska warrants.

Wanted robbery suspect captured after 2-state police chase

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Lincoln police say remains found near a lake earlier this week were those of 23-year-old Carly Schaaf, who was reported missing May 19. 

Police say the case is being treated as a suspicious death. 

Schaaf's body was found Thursday at Pawnee Lake near Lincoln. 

An autopsy identified the body but police said the cause and manner of her death are not known.

 Schaaf's mother reported her missing after she had not heard from her daughter for two days. 

Sheriff Terry Wagner had said earlier the body was purposely covered.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Lincoln police say remains found near a lake earlier this week were those of 23-year-old Carly Schaaf, who was reported missing May 19. Police say the case is being treated as a suspicious death. Schaaf's body was found Thursday at Pawnee Lake near Lincoln. An autopsy identified the body but police said the cause and manner of her death are not known. Schaaf's mother reported her missing after she had not heard from her daughter for two days. Sheriff Terry Wagner had said earlier the body was purposely covered.

Police: Remains found near lake were those of Lincoln woman

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A man has been sentenced to at least 40 years in prison for his role in a home invasion that led to the deaths of two people in Lincoln. 

Rubin Thomas, of Lincoln, was sentenced Thursday in the July 2019 break-in that caused the deaths of Audrea Craig and Martae Green.

 Prosecutors alleged Thomas planned the home invasion to rob Craig of drugs and money but was not in the house when the shootings occurred.

 Green and his brother allegedly broke into the home. 

Craig shot Green and he returned fire, killing her.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A man has been sentenced to at least 40 years in prison for his role in a home invasion that led to the deaths of two people in Lincoln. Rubin Thomas, of Lincoln, was sentenced Thursday in the July 2019 break-in that caused the deaths of Audrea Craig and Martae Green. Prosecutors alleged Thomas planned the home invasion to rob Craig of drugs and money but was not in the house when the shootings occurred. Green and his brother allegedly broke into the home. Craig shot Green and he returned fire, killing her. Green died later from his wounds.

Man sentenced in home invasion that led to 2 Lincoln deaths

GRETNA, Neb. (AP) — The parents of three girls killed in a traffic crash in 2019 are suing Sarpy County. 

The lawsuit claims the design of the road where the girls were killed was deficient.

 The families want the county to fix Platteview Road and other parts of the county's southern thoroughfare. 

The lawsuit also challenges Nebraska's $5 million cap on judgments against government entities. 

The lawsuit was filed by the families of 16-year-old Abigail Barth; 15-year-old Alexandria Minardi; and 16-year-old Addisyn Pfeifer, all of Gretna. 

The families of a fourth girl who was killed and another who was injured did not join the lawsuit.

GRETNA, Neb. (AP) — The parents of three girls killed in a traffic crash in 2019 are suing Sarpy County. The lawsuit claims the design of the road where the girls were killed was deficient. The families want the county to fix Platteview Road and other parts of the county's southern thoroughfare. The lawsuit also challenges Nebraska's $5 million cap on judgments against government entities. The lawsuit was filed by the families of 16-year-old Abigail Barth; 15-year-old Alexandria Minardi; and 16-year-old Addisyn Pfeifer, all of Gretna. The families of a fourth girl who was killed and another who was injured did not join the lawsuit.

Parents of 3 Gretna girls killed in crash sue Sarpy County

CASPER, Wyo. (AP) — A legislative committee in Wyoming has voted to pursue legislation that would significantly change the way statewide elections are run as early as next year, including a bill that would create a rank-choice system and another bill that would institute an open primary. 

The Casper Star-Tribune reported that the state Legislature’s Joint Committee on Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivision voted Monday. 

The committee voted to pursue these approaches because the ranked-choice and open primary systems do not require runoff elections, which happen if no one candidate gets a certain share of the vote. But not everyone agreed with the proposals.

CASPER, Wyo. (AP) — A legislative committee in Wyoming has voted to pursue legislation that would significantly change the way statewide elections are run as early as next year, including a bill that would create a rank-choice system and another bill that would institute an open primary. The Casper Star-Tribune reported that the state Legislature’s Joint Committee on Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivision voted Monday. The committee voted to pursue these approaches because the ranked-choice and open primary systems do not require runoff elections, which happen if no one candidate gets a certain share of the vote. But not everyone agreed with the proposals.

Wyoming lawmakers to consider changes to statewide elections

By SUZANNE PEREZ <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/controversy-over-critical-race-theory-creeping-kansas-schools">Kansas News Service</a>

WICHITA, Kansas — Kansas schools find themselves entangled in a 
debate about the past and whether critical race theory — the left's 
notion that America has yet to atone for its white supremacist origins 
and the right’s allergy to that world view — ought to guide the teaching
 of history and politics.

The theory marks the latest academic concept to become intensely politicized.

<a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2017/04/19/523563345/a-theory-to-better-understand-diversity-and-who-really-benefits" target="_blank">Critical race theory</a>
 emerged out of the civil rights movement of the 1960s and ’70s. Its 
core idea holds that racism isn’t an individual trait, but rather one 
embedded in American culture and policies.

It became more widely 
known and talked about after the killing of George Floyd, when many 
Americans argued that the police officer convicted of his murder was not
 just “one bad cop,” but part of a racist system in need of fundamental 
reform.

Academics and politicians also pointed to — and clashed over — <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/08/14/magazine/1619-america-slavery.html" target="_blank">The 1619 Project</a>, a New York Times Magazine piece by Nikole Hannah-Jones that explored the legacy and history of Black Americans and slavery.

According
 to The Times, the project “aims to reframe the country’s history by 
placing the consequences of slavery and the contributions of black 
Americans at the very center of our national narrative.” Since its 
publication in 2019, it has been debated in Congress and state 
legislatures and held up as an example of critical race theory.

Some
 conservatives argue that the concept is unnecessarily divisive, 
portraying white Americans as oppressors and the United States as 
inherently wicked.

In a recent email to supporters, Kansas Attorney General Derek 
Schmidt, a Republican candidate for governor, called critical race 
theory “a radical new curriculum” and called on the U.S. Department of 
Education to “withdraw its priorities” to teach it in classrooms.

“It’s
 the Far Left’s new strategy to teach our students that they should be 
ashamed of America,” Schmidt said in the email, “and that our skin color
 should define who we are.”

Earlier this month, state Sen. Brenda
 Dietrich, a Topeka Republican, asked the Board of Regents to produce a 
list of courses at Kansas universities that teach critical race theory. 
That sparked a backlash. Some professors and others called it a threat 
to academic freedom.

Journalist David M. Perry posted a screenshot of an email sent to faculty at Pittsburg State University.

“Imagine receiving an email from your chair about whether you teach 
any other set of ideas, a theory, a concept,” Perry wrote. “Even these 
days, an email saying ‘do you teach marxism’ is unlikely (note: We have 
lots of classes on Marxism pretty much everywhere).”

He added that Pittsburg State University leaders “should refuse to comply with this attempt at censorship.”

Dietrich,
 the state lawmaker who made the request, is considered by most to be a 
moderate in the Kansas Statehouse. She said the request wasn’t an 
attempt to quash university courses or discussion, but only to seek 
general information so she could answer constituent emails.

“That’s
 really one of the most important things we do as legislators: we find 
out information and we pass it on to our constituents. I think we have 
an obligation to make sure it’s accurate,” Dietrich <a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article251898553.html" target="_blank">told The Kansas City Star</a>.

Kansas university leaders said <a href="https://www.kansascity.com/article252001133.html" target="_blank">few if any courses focus on critical race theory</a>, but some professors address it during discussions on race and equity.

Shirley
 Lefever, interim provost at Wichita State University, described 
critical race theory as “an area of study that explores racial 
disparities and their origins, as well as the impact of those 
disparities over time.”

Lefever said the topic could be included 
in various courses or programs at Wichita State. Debates about it should
 be expected, she said.

“History is always in the eyes of the 
beholder,” Lefever said in an email. “When a person’s perspective or 
experience is different from someone else’s, it can create discord or 
discomfort. However, those are also opportunities for learning.

“To see something from another person’s perspective can be enlightening and powerful.”

Lawmakers
 in at least 16 states have introduced or passed legislation seeking to 
limit the teaching of critical race theory. The bills, including <a href="https://www.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills211/hlrbillspdf/2087H.02C.pdf" target="_blank">one introduced in Missouri</a>, resemble a now-defunct executive order by then-President Donald Trump that prohibited federally funded institutions from <a href="https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2020/10/07/colleges-cancel-diversity-programs-response-trump-order" target="_blank">teaching “divisive concepts” about race and gender</a>.

Kansas Education Commissioner Randy Watson said opposition to critical race theory is becoming an issue for local districts.

“All
 of you are getting on probably a daily, weekly basis: What are you 
gonna do about critical race theory?” Watson told state Board of 
Education members at their June meeting. “That is a curriculum that may 
or may not be taught, but it’s not in our standards at all. But they 
want you to do something about it.”

Watson’s comments came during a discussion about legislative action — and potential overreach — in the education realm.

Over the past year, Kansas lawmakers have pushed for curriculum changes or new graduation requirements focused on <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2301/" target="_blank">financial literacy</a>, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/legislature-kansas-immigration-topeka-bills-a9aa34d63eca9d061a3487f6ccfb07f5" target="_blank">civics</a> and <a href="https://www.ksde.org/Home/Quick-Links/News-Room/board-votes-to-allow-computer-science-to-count-as-core-math-science-credit-1" target="_blank">computer science</a>. Prior to that, the Kansas Legislature weighed in on <a href="https://www.kansas.com/news/politics-government/article1134825.html" target="_blank">Common Core standards</a> for math and reading.

Now the hot topic is critical race theory, Watson said.

“But
 that’s just the topic of the week. I mean, next week it’ll be something
 else,” Watson said. “Because whoever’s emailing you doesn’t like that 
topic. That’s what makes this difficult. Because then if you don’t 
react, where do they go? The Legislature.”

On June 12, educators in more than a dozen states plan to demonstrate as part of <a href="https://www.zinnedproject.org/news/pledge-to-teach-truth#sign" target="_blank">a “Teach the Truth” rally</a> organized by the <a href="https://www.zinnedproject.org/" target="_blank">Zinn Education Project</a> and <a href="https://www.blacklivesmatteratschool.com/" target="_blank">Black Lives Matter at School</a>.
 The groups are urging teachers to sign a pledge saying they “refuse to 
lie to young people about U.S. history and current events— regardless of
 the law.”

“When young people see the inequalities that persist 
today — in income, or education, or justice — they ask, ‘Why?’” said 
Deborah Menkart, co-director of the Zinn Education Project, in a news 
release about the event.

“Under these current laws or proposals, 
teachers would be banned from answering these important questions. 
That’s not teaching history. That’s hiding it.”

Suzanne Perez reports on education for KMUW in Wichita and the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter @SuzPerezICT&nbsp;or email her at perez@kmuw.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623421888455.png" alt="Chris, flickr Creative Commons" />
 <figcaption>Chris, flickr Creative Commons</figcaption>
 </figure>By SUZANNE PEREZ <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/controversy-over-critical-race-theory-creeping-kansas-schools">Kansas News Service</a>WICHITA, Kansas — Kansas schools find themselves entangled in a 
debate about the past and whether critical race theory — the left's 
notion that America has yet to atone for its white supremacist origins 
and the right’s allergy to that world view — ought to guide the teaching
 of history and politics.The theory marks the latest academic concept to become intensely politicized.<a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2017/04/19/523563345/a-theory-to-better-understand-diversity-and-who-really-benefits" target="_blank">Critical race theory</a>
 emerged out of the civil rights movement of the 1960s and ’70s. Its 
core idea holds that racism isn’t an individual trait, but rather one 
embedded in American culture and policies.It became more widely 
known and talked about after the killing of George Floyd, when many 
Americans argued that the police officer convicted of his murder was not
 just “one bad cop,” but part of a racist system in need of fundamental 
reform.Academics and politicians also pointed to — and clashed over — <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/08/14/magazine/1619-america-slavery.html" target="_blank">The 1619 Project</a>, a New York Times Magazine piece by Nikole Hannah-Jones that explored the legacy and history of Black Americans and slavery.According
 to The Times, the project “aims to reframe the country’s history by 
placing the consequences of slavery and the contributions of black 
Americans at the very center of our national narrative.” Since its 
publication in 2019, it has been debated in Congress and state 
legislatures and held up as an example of critical race theory.Some
 conservatives argue that the concept is unnecessarily divisive, 
portraying white Americans as oppressors and the United States as 
inherently wicked.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623421939632.png" alt=" Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt, who is running for governor in 2022, has been a vocal opponent of critical race theory in schools. Credit Kansas News Service/File photo" />
 <figcaption> Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt, who is running for governor in 2022, has been a vocal opponent of critical race theory in schools. Credit Kansas News Service/File photo</figcaption>
 </figure>In a recent email to supporters, Kansas Attorney General Derek 
Schmidt, a Republican candidate for governor, called critical race 
theory “a radical new curriculum” and called on the U.S. Department of 
Education to “withdraw its priorities” to teach it in classrooms.“It’s
 the Far Left’s new strategy to teach our students that they should be 
ashamed of America,” Schmidt said in the email, “and that our skin color
 should define who we are.”Earlier this month, state Sen. Brenda
 Dietrich, a Topeka Republican, asked the Board of Regents to produce a 
list of courses at Kansas universities that teach critical race theory. 
That sparked a backlash. Some professors and others called it a threat 
to academic freedom.Journalist David M. Perry posted a screenshot of an email sent to faculty at Pittsburg State University.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623421968759.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>“Imagine receiving an email from your chair about whether you teach 
any other set of ideas, a theory, a concept,” Perry wrote. “Even these 
days, an email saying ‘do you teach marxism’ is unlikely (note: We have 
lots of classes on Marxism pretty much everywhere).”He added that Pittsburg State University leaders “should refuse to comply with this attempt at censorship.”Dietrich,
 the state lawmaker who made the request, is considered by most to be a 
moderate in the Kansas Statehouse. She said the request wasn’t an 
attempt to quash university courses or discussion, but only to seek 
general information so she could answer constituent emails.“That’s
 really one of the most important things we do as legislators: we find 
out information and we pass it on to our constituents. I think we have 
an obligation to make sure it’s accurate,” Dietrich <a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article251898553.html" target="_blank">told The Kansas City Star</a>.Kansas university leaders said <a href="https://www.kansascity.com/article252001133.html" target="_blank">few if any courses focus on critical race theory</a>, but some professors address it during discussions on race and equity.Shirley
 Lefever, interim provost at Wichita State University, described 
critical race theory as “an area of study that explores racial 
disparities and their origins, as well as the impact of those 
disparities over time.”Lefever said the topic could be included 
in various courses or programs at Wichita State. Debates about it should
 be expected, she said.“History is always in the eyes of the 
beholder,” Lefever said in an email. “When a person’s perspective or 
experience is different from someone else’s, it can create discord or 
discomfort. However, those are also opportunities for learning.“To see something from another person’s perspective can be enlightening and powerful.”Lawmakers
 in at least 16 states have introduced or passed legislation seeking to 
limit the teaching of critical race theory. The bills, including <a href="https://www.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills211/hlrbillspdf/2087H.02C.pdf" target="_blank">one introduced in Missouri</a>, resemble a now-defunct executive order by then-President Donald Trump that prohibited federally funded institutions from <a href="https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2020/10/07/colleges-cancel-diversity-programs-response-trump-order" target="_blank">teaching “divisive concepts” about race and gender</a>.Kansas Education Commissioner Randy Watson said opposition to critical race theory is becoming an issue for local districts.“All
 of you are getting on probably a daily, weekly basis: What are you 
gonna do about critical race theory?” Watson told state Board of 
Education members at their June meeting. “That is a curriculum that may 
or may not be taught, but it’s not in our standards at all. But they 
want you to do something about it.”Watson’s comments came during a discussion about legislative action — and potential overreach — in the education realm.Over the past year, Kansas lawmakers have pushed for curriculum changes or new graduation requirements focused on <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2301/" target="_blank">financial literacy</a>, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/legislature-kansas-immigration-topeka-bills-a9aa34d63eca9d061a3487f6ccfb07f5" target="_blank">civics</a> and <a href="https://www.ksde.org/Home/Quick-Links/News-Room/board-votes-to-allow-computer-science-to-count-as-core-math-science-credit-1" target="_blank">computer science</a>. Prior to that, the Kansas Legislature weighed in on <a href="https://www.kansas.com/news/politics-government/article1134825.html" target="_blank">Common Core standards</a> for math and reading.Now the hot topic is critical race theory, Watson said.“But
 that’s just the topic of the week. I mean, next week it’ll be something
 else,” Watson said. “Because whoever’s emailing you doesn’t like that 
topic. That’s what makes this difficult. Because then if you don’t 
react, where do they go? The Legislature.”On June 12, educators in more than a dozen states plan to demonstrate as part of <a href="https://www.zinnedproject.org/news/pledge-to-teach-truth#sign" target="_blank">a “Teach the Truth” rally</a> organized by the <a href="https://www.zinnedproject.org/" target="_blank">Zinn Education Project</a> and <a href="https://www.blacklivesmatteratschool.com/" target="_blank">Black Lives Matter at School</a>.
 The groups are urging teachers to sign a pledge saying they “refuse to 
lie to young people about U.S. history and current events— regardless of
 the law.”“When young people see the inequalities that persist 
today — in income, or education, or justice — they ask, ‘Why?’” said 
Deborah Menkart, co-director of the Zinn Education Project, in a news 
release about the event.“Under these current laws or proposals, 
teachers would be banned from answering these important questions. 
That’s not teaching history. That’s hiding it.”Suzanne Perez reports on education for KMUW in Wichita and the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter @SuzPerezICT&nbsp;or email her at perez@kmuw.org.

Controversy over critical race theory creeping into Kan. schools 

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Ann Tillery could see by her own image on the Zoom screen that something was wrong when the left side of her face began to droop. Her speech slurred and her left arm felt heavy. 

All of the signs of a stroke were there, and the technology of the video conferencing platform helped the Lincoln woman realize it fast enough to get lifesaving help. 

The Lincoln Journal Star reports that Tillery was on camera on a Zoom call with state lawmakers on May 18 advocating for the Alzheimer’s Association when her symptoms emerged. 

She was able to call 911 and was rushed to the hospital.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Ann Tillery could see by her own image on the Zoom screen that something was wrong when the left side of her face began to droop. Her speech slurred and her left arm felt heavy. All of the signs of a stroke were there, and the technology of the video conferencing platform helped the Lincoln woman realize it fast enough to get lifesaving help. The Lincoln Journal Star reports that Tillery was on camera on a Zoom call with state lawmakers on May 18 advocating for the Alzheimer’s Association when her symptoms emerged. She was able to call 911 and was rushed to the hospital.

Nebraska woman recognizes stroke symptoms on Zoom

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — Park officials have launched the first tests of electric vehicles in Yellowstone National Park that are capable of operating without drivers. 

The Billings Gazette reported that the park on Wednesday launched a $360,000 public experiment into the potential future of visitor transportation, unveiling two eight-passenger, cube-shaped vehicles that will be tested at Canyon Village.

 Park Superintendent Cam Sholly said Tuesday that the vehicles are expected to navigate the parking lot of Canyon Village through Aug. 31.

 Each 3D-printed vehicle can carry 1,350 pounds and has $300,000 worth of technology installed inside. 

Similar vehicles have been deployed in Maryland, Italy and Berlin.

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — Park officials have launched the first tests of electric vehicles in Yellowstone National Park that are capable of operating without drivers. The Billings Gazette reported that the park on Wednesday launched a $360,000 public experiment into the potential future of visitor transportation, unveiling two eight-passenger, cube-shaped vehicles that will be tested at Canyon Village. Park Superintendent Cam Sholly said Tuesday that the vehicles are expected to navigate the parking lot of Canyon Village through Aug. 31. Each 3D-printed vehicle can carry 1,350 pounds and has $300,000 worth of technology installed inside. Similar vehicles have been deployed in Maryland, Italy and Berlin.

Yellowstone National Park unveils automated electric cars

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — Police in Sioux Falls have arrested a man after he allegedly smashed out the windows of two cars with an ax and threatened a teenager. 

The Sioux Falls Argus Leader reports that police got a call late Wednesday afternoon about a man outside an apartment complex with an ax. 

Police said the 34-year-old man used the three-foot ax to smash the window of a 1994 Ford Mustang and a 2018 Honda Civic.

 He also threatened a 15-year-old boy who saw the incident with the ax.

 Officers found the man and arrested him a short time after they arrived.

 Police said he knew somebody at the apartment complex but that person didn't own the cars the man vandalized.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — Police in Sioux Falls have arrested a man after he allegedly smashed out the windows of two cars with an ax and threatened a teenager. The Sioux Falls Argus Leader reports that police got a call late Wednesday afternoon about a man outside an apartment complex with an ax. Police said the 34-year-old man used the three-foot ax to smash the window of a 1994 Ford Mustang and a 2018 Honda Civic. He also threatened a 15-year-old boy who saw the incident with the ax. Officers found the man and arrested him a short time after they arrived. Police said he knew somebody at the apartment complex but that person didn't own the cars the man vandalized.

SD man arrested after smashing cars with ax

Rubin Thomas, of Lincoln, was sentenced Thursday in the July 2019 break-in that caused the deaths of Audrea Craig and Martae Green. 

Prosecutors alleged Thomas planned the home invasion to rob Craig of drugs and money but was not in the house when the shootings occurred. 

Green and his brother allegedly broke into the home. 

Craig shot Green and he returned fire, killing her. Green died later from his wounds.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623458069793.png" alt="Thomas" />
 <figcaption>Thomas</figcaption>
 </figure>LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A man has been sentenced to at least 40 years in prison for his role in a home invasion that led to the deaths of two people in Lincoln. Rubin Thomas, of Lincoln, was sentenced Thursday in the July 2019 break-in that caused the deaths of Audrea Craig and Martae Green. Prosecutors alleged Thomas planned the home invasion to rob Craig of drugs and money but was not in the house when the shootings occurred. Green and his brother allegedly broke into the home. Craig shot Green and he returned fire, killing her. Green died later from his wounds.

NORFOLK&nbsp; — The Nebraska State Patrol is investigating a crash that claimed the lives of three people Friday afternoon in Neligh. The crash occurred at approximately 1:00 p.m. at the junction of Highway 14 and Highway 275.

After preliminary investigation, troopers believe a truck tractor/semi-trailer was traveling southbound on Highway 14 when it failed to stop at the controlled intersection with Highway 275.&nbsp; The truck tractor/semi-trailer collided with a Dodge Journey that was traveling westbound on Highway 275.&nbsp;After the collision, both vehicles traveled southbound into a residential area and collided with an unoccupied, parked GMC Terrain.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The driver of the Journey, Geraldine Elsberry, 74, and passenger, Norman Elsberry, 72, both of Orchard, were pronounced deceased at the scene. The semi driver, Shane Ernest, 31, of Dalton, was also pronounced deceased at the scene.

The truck tractor/semi-trailer rolled onto its side spilling its load of pelletized lime.&nbsp;The two passenger vehicles made contact with a residential home, causing moderate damage to the residence

The Antelope County Sheriff’s Office, Neligh Police Department, and Neligh Fire/Recue assisted at the scene. The investigation is ongoing. The Nebraska State Patrol Carrier Enforcement Division is conducting a Post-Crash inspection on the truck tractor/semi-trailer. Highway 14 southbound through Neligh was closed for several hours.

NORFOLK&nbsp; — The Nebraska State Patrol is investigating a crash that claimed the lives of three people Friday afternoon in Neligh. The crash occurred at approximately 1:00 p.m. at the junction of Highway 14 and Highway 275.After preliminary investigation, troopers believe a truck tractor/semi-trailer was traveling southbound on Highway 14 when it failed to stop at the controlled intersection with Highway 275.&nbsp; The truck tractor/semi-trailer collided with a Dodge Journey that was traveling westbound on Highway 275.&nbsp;After the collision, both vehicles traveled southbound into a residential area and collided with an unoccupied, parked GMC Terrain.&nbsp;&nbsp;The driver of the Journey, Geraldine Elsberry, 74, and passenger, Norman Elsberry, 72, both of Orchard, were pronounced deceased at the scene. The semi driver, Shane Ernest, 31, of Dalton, was also pronounced deceased at the scene.The truck tractor/semi-trailer rolled onto its side spilling its load of pelletized lime.&nbsp;The two passenger vehicles made contact with a residential home, causing moderate damage to the residenceThe Antelope County Sheriff’s Office, Neligh Police Department, and Neligh Fire/Recue assisted at the scene. The investigation is ongoing. The Nebraska State Patrol Carrier Enforcement Division is conducting a Post-Crash inspection on the truck tractor/semi-trailer. Highway 14 southbound through Neligh was closed for several hours.

Crash in Neligh claims 3 lives

MILWAUKEE (AP) — A federal judge has halted a loan forgiveness program for farmers of color in response to a lawsuit alleging the program discriminates against white farmers.

U.S. District Judge William Griesbach in Milwaukee issued a temporary restraining order Thursday suspending the program for socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/2021/06/10/judge-suspends-biden-debt-relief-program-farmers-color/7646187002/">Milwaukee Journal Sentinel</a>&nbsp;reported.

The program pays up to 120% of direct or guaranteed farm loan balances for Black, American Indian, Hispanic, Asian American or Pacific Islander farmers. President Joe Biden's administration created the loan forgiveness program as part of its COVID-19 pandemic relief plan.

Minority farmers have maintained for decades that they have been unfairly denied farm loans and other government assistance. Federal agriculture officials in 1999 and 2010 settled lawsuits from Black farmers accusing the agency of discriminating against them.

Conservative law firm Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wisconsin-lawsuits-business-31e568255f85fb7655d20319d8dc271d">filed suit in April</a>&nbsp;arguing white farmers aren’t eligible, amounting to a violation of their constitutional rights. The firm sued on behalf of 12 farmers from Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota, Missouri, Iowa, Arkansas, Oregon and Kentucky.

MILWAUKEE (AP) — A federal judge has halted a loan forgiveness program for farmers of color in response to a lawsuit alleging the program discriminates against white farmers.U.S. District Judge William Griesbach in Milwaukee issued a temporary restraining order Thursday suspending the program for socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/2021/06/10/judge-suspends-biden-debt-relief-program-farmers-color/7646187002/">Milwaukee Journal Sentinel</a>&nbsp;reported.The program pays up to 120% of direct or guaranteed farm loan balances for Black, American Indian, Hispanic, Asian American or Pacific Islander farmers. President Joe Biden's administration created the loan forgiveness program as part of its COVID-19 pandemic relief plan.Minority farmers have maintained for decades that they have been unfairly denied farm loans and other government assistance. Federal agriculture officials in 1999 and 2010 settled lawsuits from Black farmers accusing the agency of discriminating against them.Conservative law firm Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wisconsin-lawsuits-business-31e568255f85fb7655d20319d8dc271d">filed suit in April</a>&nbsp;arguing white farmers aren’t eligible, amounting to a violation of their constitutional rights. The firm sued on behalf of 12 farmers from Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota, Missouri, Iowa, Arkansas, Oregon and Kentucky.

Judge pauses loan forgiveness program for farmers of color

WASHINGTON (AP) —U.S. regulators are allowing the release of about 10 million doses of Johnson &amp; Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine from a troubled Baltimore factory, but many more doses can't be used and must be thrown out.

The Food and Drug Administration announced Friday that it had determined that two batches could be released from the plant, which is owned by Emergent BioSolutions and has been shuttered for eight weeks. But it said several other batches are not suitable for use and additional batches are still under review.

The agency wouldn't specify the size of those batches or why they can't be used, but a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press that they could have yielded tens of millions of doses and that they possibly were contaminated. Another person familiar with the situation said the doses to be discarded were made about the same time as a vaccine batch equal to about 15 million doses that was contaminated earlier this year and thrown out.

Neither person was authorized to release details about the decision and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.

J&amp;J and Emergent wouldn't give any details on the size of the batches that are usable, nor those being discarded.

The two batches from the factory known as Bayview can be used in the U.S. or exported to other countries. They are the first J&amp;J vaccines from Bayview approved for use.

The FDA said if any of the vaccine is exported, J&amp;J and Emergent must allow the agency to share information about the manufacture of those batches confidentially with regulators in other countries.

The FDA statement implied that the batches didn't meet all of the agency's manufacturing quality standards. “This review has been taking place while Emergent BioSolutions prepares to resume manufacturing operations with corrective actions to ensure compliance with the FDA’s” manufacturing requirements, Dr. Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, said in a statement.

The agency said the vaccines are “critically needed,” given the current public health emergency, and that it made the decisions after reviewing records and the results of quality testing.

The FDA, however, stopped short of allowing the plant to restart vaccine production. The agency said it was working through issues there with J&amp;J and Emergent BioSolutions management.

Emergent is one of several J&amp;J contractors that produce its one-shot vaccine in bulk. The concentrated vaccine then is shipped to other factories for final steps, including diluting them to the correct strength, putting them in vials and packaging them up.

Roughly 100 million doses made from bulk vaccine produced at Emergent’s factory, including those just approved for use, had been set aside for additional review by FDA staff after factory employees accidentally contaminated an earlier batch.

That contamination led the FDA to shut down the factory in mid-April and send in a team of inspectors. They spent a week going through the factory and reviewing security camera footage that showed employees carelessly handling vaccine materials. The inspectors reported unsanitary conditions, poorly trained employees and other problems.

The lapses have hampered J&amp;J's efforts to be a major player in vaccinating people, particularly in remote areas and poor countries, given that it’s the only drugmaker with an authorized vaccine that only requires one dose and standard refrigeration. It's also cheaper than some other vaccines.

The productions problems have forced J&amp;J to import millions of doses from its factory in the Netherlands to the U.S. and to miss supply commitments.

Emergent’s factory had a history of FDA citations for problems including mold, dirty walls and floors, poorly trained employees and an inadequate strategy to prevent contamination, yet it was given a huge role in COVID-19 vaccine production by the Trump administration. Emergent was handed a lucrative contract to make many millions of COVID-19 vaccines for both J&amp;J and AstraZeneca at the Bayview factory.

Emergent’s chief executive has blamed the contamination and other problems on the complexity of scaling up the factory in just months to make two different vaccines.

The Biden administration is working to find a different American manufacturing partner for the British drugmaker, which has yet to request authorization to distribute it in the U.S.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Johnson &amp; Johnson said Thursday that U.S. regulators extended the expiration date on millions of doses of its COVID-19 vaccine by six weeks.

The company said a Food and Drug Administration review concluded the shots remain safe and effective for at least 4 1/2 months. In February, the FDA originally authorized J&amp;J’s vaccine for up to three months when stored at normal refrigeration levels.

Thursday’s announcement comes after state officials warned that many doses in storage would expire before the end of the month. The change gives health providers more time to try and use remaining J&amp;J shots sitting at pharmacies, hospitals and clinics. Many states have adopted a “first-in-first-out” approach to try and use their oldest vaccines first.

Vaccine expiration dates are based on information from drugmakers on how long the shots stay at the right strength. J&amp;J said the FDA added six weeks based on data from ongoing studies assessing the vaccine’s stability.

The FDA has been reviewing expiration dates on all three U.S. authorized vaccines as companies have continued to test batches in the months since the shots first rolled out. Vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna, authorized in December, have a six-month shelf life.

The J&amp;J extension will help maintain vaccine supplies even as the number of Americans getting shots has slipped. The country averaged about 800,000 new injections per day last week. That’s down from a high of nearly 2 million daily shots two months ago. Government officials and companies have turned to incentives to encourages shots, including paid time off and $1 million lottery prizes.

As vaccinations have slowed it’s become clear the U.S. is unlikely to meet President Joe Biden’s goal to have 70% of adults partially vaccinated by July 4. Roughly 64% of Americans older than 18 have had at least one dose, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

J&amp;J’s vaccine was highly anticipated because of its one-and-done formulation and easy-to-ship refrigeration. The shot was expected to play a key role in vaccination campaigns in rural areas and low-income countries with limited health care infrastructure.

But rival drugmakers Pfizer and Moderna, which started shipping shots months earlier, have already supplied more than enough doses to meet U.S. demand. More than 129 million Americans have been fully vaccinated with the companies’ two-dose shots. By comparison, just 11 million Americans have been vaccinated with the J&amp;J shot. About 10 million more J&amp;J doses have been sent to states, according to the CDC.

Use of J&amp;J’s vaccine has been hurt by links to a rare blood clot disorder. That issue led U.S. health officials to “pause” use of the shot for an 11-day review. Officials lifted the hold in late April after concluding that the vaccine’s benefits outweighed its risks

J&amp;J’s rollout has also been slowed by contamination problems at a Baltimore factory that helps make the shots. The facility was shuttered after an FDA inspection uncovered unsanitary conditions and other problems in April. None of the vaccines made there have been distributed.

WASHINGTON (AP) —U.S. regulators are allowing the release of about 10 million doses of Johnson &amp; Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine from a troubled Baltimore factory, but many more doses can't be used and must be thrown out.The Food and Drug Administration announced Friday that it had determined that two batches could be released from the plant, which is owned by Emergent BioSolutions and has been shuttered for eight weeks. But it said several other batches are not suitable for use and additional batches are still under review.The agency wouldn't specify the size of those batches or why they can't be used, but a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press that they could have yielded tens of millions of doses and that they possibly were contaminated. Another person familiar with the situation said the doses to be discarded were made about the same time as a vaccine batch equal to about 15 million doses that was contaminated earlier this year and thrown out.Neither person was authorized to release details about the decision and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.J&amp;J and Emergent wouldn't give any details on the size of the batches that are usable, nor those being discarded.The two batches from the factory known as Bayview can be used in the U.S. or exported to other countries. They are the first J&amp;J vaccines from Bayview approved for use.The FDA said if any of the vaccine is exported, J&amp;J and Emergent must allow the agency to share information about the manufacture of those batches confidentially with regulators in other countries.The FDA statement implied that the batches didn't meet all of the agency's manufacturing quality standards. “This review has been taking place while Emergent BioSolutions prepares to resume manufacturing operations with corrective actions to ensure compliance with the FDA’s” manufacturing requirements, Dr. Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, said in a statement.The agency said the vaccines are “critically needed,” given the current public health emergency, and that it made the decisions after reviewing records and the results of quality testing.The FDA, however, stopped short of allowing the plant to restart vaccine production. The agency said it was working through issues there with J&amp;J and Emergent BioSolutions management.Emergent is one of several J&amp;J contractors that produce its one-shot vaccine in bulk. The concentrated vaccine then is shipped to other factories for final steps, including diluting them to the correct strength, putting them in vials and packaging them up.Roughly 100 million doses made from bulk vaccine produced at Emergent’s factory, including those just approved for use, had been set aside for additional review by FDA staff after factory employees accidentally contaminated an earlier batch.That contamination led the FDA to shut down the factory in mid-April and send in a team of inspectors. They spent a week going through the factory and reviewing security camera footage that showed employees carelessly handling vaccine materials. The inspectors reported unsanitary conditions, poorly trained employees and other problems.The lapses have hampered J&amp;J's efforts to be a major player in vaccinating people, particularly in remote areas and poor countries, given that it’s the only drugmaker with an authorized vaccine that only requires one dose and standard refrigeration. It's also cheaper than some other vaccines.The productions problems have forced J&amp;J to import millions of doses from its factory in the Netherlands to the U.S. and to miss supply commitments.Emergent’s factory had a history of FDA citations for problems including mold, dirty walls and floors, poorly trained employees and an inadequate strategy to prevent contamination, yet it was given a huge role in COVID-19 vaccine production by the Trump administration. Emergent was handed a lucrative contract to make many millions of COVID-19 vaccines for both J&amp;J and AstraZeneca at the Bayview factory.Emergent’s chief executive has blamed the contamination and other problems on the complexity of scaling up the factory in just months to make two different vaccines.The Biden administration is working to find a different American manufacturing partner for the British drugmaker, which has yet to request authorization to distribute it in the U.S.-------WASHINGTON (AP) — Johnson &amp; Johnson said Thursday that U.S. regulators extended the expiration date on millions of doses of its COVID-19 vaccine by six weeks.The company said a Food and Drug Administration review concluded the shots remain safe and effective for at least 4 1/2 months. In February, the FDA originally authorized J&amp;J’s vaccine for up to three months when stored at normal refrigeration levels.Thursday’s announcement comes after state officials warned that many doses in storage would expire before the end of the month. The change gives health providers more time to try and use remaining J&amp;J shots sitting at pharmacies, hospitals and clinics. Many states have adopted a “first-in-first-out” approach to try and use their oldest vaccines first.Vaccine expiration dates are based on information from drugmakers on how long the shots stay at the right strength. J&amp;J said the FDA added six weeks based on data from ongoing studies assessing the vaccine’s stability.The FDA has been reviewing expiration dates on all three U.S. authorized vaccines as companies have continued to test batches in the months since the shots first rolled out. Vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna, authorized in December, have a six-month shelf life.The J&amp;J extension will help maintain vaccine supplies even as the number of Americans getting shots has slipped. The country averaged about 800,000 new injections per day last week. That’s down from a high of nearly 2 million daily shots two months ago. Government officials and companies have turned to incentives to encourages shots, including paid time off and $1 million lottery prizes.As vaccinations have slowed it’s become clear the U.S. is unlikely to meet President Joe Biden’s goal to have 70% of adults partially vaccinated by July 4. Roughly 64% of Americans older than 18 have had at least one dose, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.J&amp;J’s vaccine was highly anticipated because of its one-and-done formulation and easy-to-ship refrigeration. The shot was expected to play a key role in vaccination campaigns in rural areas and low-income countries with limited health care infrastructure.But rival drugmakers Pfizer and Moderna, which started shipping shots months earlier, have already supplied more than enough doses to meet U.S. demand. More than 129 million Americans have been fully vaccinated with the companies’ two-dose shots. By comparison, just 11 million Americans have been vaccinated with the J&amp;J shot. About 10 million more J&amp;J doses have been sent to states, according to the CDC.Use of J&amp;J’s vaccine has been hurt by links to a rare blood clot disorder. That issue led U.S. health officials to “pause” use of the shot for an 11-day review. Officials lifted the hold in late April after concluding that the vaccine’s benefits outweighed its risksJ&amp;J’s rollout has also been slowed by contamination problems at a Baltimore factory that helps make the shots. The facility was shuttered after an FDA inspection uncovered unsanitary conditions and other problems in April. None of the vaccines made there have been distributed.___

J& J ordered to throw out thousands of COVID doses

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The teenager who pulled out her cellphone and recorded the police restraint and death of George Floyd has been awarded a special citation by the Pulitzer Prizes. 

Darnella Frazier was cited “for courageously recording the murder of George Floyd, a video that spurred protests against police brutality, around the world, highlighting the crucial role of citizens in journalists' quest for truth and justice," the Pulitzer Prizes said.

Frazier’s publicist did not immediately respond to an Associated Press message seeking comment.

Frazier was 17 when she recorded the arrest of Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, on May 25, 2020. Her video, which she posted to Facebook hours after it happened, sparked a reckoning on race in America and demands for an end to police brutality.

The video was seen worldwide and was prominent in the trial of Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer who knelt on Floyd's neck, pinning him to the pavement for 9 minutes, 29 seconds, as he said repeatedly that he couldn't breathe. Chauvin was convicted in April of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter. He will be sentenced June 25.

Frazier was also honored last year by PEN America, a literary and human rights organization. She was awarded the PEN/Benenson Courage Award.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The teenager who pulled out her cellphone and recorded the police restraint and death of George Floyd has been awarded a special citation by the Pulitzer Prizes. <div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kQ_0PAVpQoU?start=1103" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>Darnella Frazier was cited “for courageously recording the murder of George Floyd, a video that spurred protests against police brutality, around the world, highlighting the crucial role of citizens in journalists' quest for truth and justice," the Pulitzer Prizes said.Frazier’s publicist did not immediately respond to an Associated Press message seeking comment.Frazier was 17 when she recorded the arrest of Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, on May 25, 2020. Her video, which she posted to Facebook hours after it happened, sparked a reckoning on race in America and demands for an end to police brutality.The video was seen worldwide and was prominent in the trial of Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer who knelt on Floyd's neck, pinning him to the pavement for 9 minutes, 29 seconds, as he said repeatedly that he couldn't breathe. Chauvin was convicted in April of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter. He will be sentenced June 25.Frazier was also honored last year by PEN America, a literary and human rights organization. She was awarded the PEN/Benenson Courage Award.

 🎥  Teen who recorded Floyd's arrest, death wins Pulitzer nod

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Police say the death of a man who fatally shot himself as he was being chased by officers in north Omaha will be investigated as an in-custody death.

 Police say the shooting happened Thursday night when an officer tried to stop a car and the driver fled. 

Police say a chase ensued until the car ran a stop sign and crashed into another vehicle, and the fleeing car's driver jumped out holding a handgun and ran off. 

Officers soon found the man hiding behind a house, and when confronted, the man shot himself and died at the scene. 

Nebraska law requires a grand jury investigation any time someone dies in state or police custody or during an arrest.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Police say the death of a man who fatally shot himself as he was being chased by officers in north Omaha will be investigated as an in-custody death. Police say the shooting happened Thursday night when an officer tried to stop a car and the driver fled. Police say a chase ensued until the car ran a stop sign and crashed into another vehicle, and the fleeing car's driver jumped out holding a handgun and ran off. Officers soon found the man hiding behind a house, and when confronted, the man shot himself and died at the scene. Nebraska law requires a grand jury investigation any time someone dies in state or police custody or during an arrest.

Investigation planned into death during Omaha police chase

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A man serving a life sentence for murdering an Omaha woman in 1999 failed to win a new trial despite his claims that follow-up DNA testing exonerated him. 

The Nebraska Supreme Court upheld the first-degree murder conviction of Daryle Duncan. 

Duncan was convicted in 2001 of fatally stabbing of one of his neighbors, Lucille Bennett. 

He also was sentenced to up to 20 years in prison for use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony. 

Duncan argued in his appeal that new DNA evidence found on two billfolds should have cleared his name.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A man serving a life sentence for murdering an Omaha woman in 1999 failed to win a new trial despite his claims that follow-up DNA testing exonerated him. The Nebraska Supreme Court upheld the first-degree murder conviction of Daryle Duncan. Duncan was convicted in 2001 of fatally stabbing of one of his neighbors, Lucille Bennett. He also was sentenced to up to 20 years in prison for use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony. Duncan argued in his appeal that new DNA evidence found on two billfolds should have cleared his name.

Nebraska court rejects inmate's request for new murder trial

SCRIBNER, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska State Patrol has identified four people killed in a head-on crash as a family from Fremont. 

The crash happened around 9:45 a.m. Thursday on U.S. Highway 275 just east of Scribner when a sedan and semitrailer collided. 

Investigators say the driver of the car, 37-year-old Heidi Lykens-Huisman, her husband, 29-year-old Joshua Huisman, and 10-year-old Jaymasin Lykens were all pronounced dead at the scene. 

The couple's 9-month-old baby, Nova Huisman, died a short time later at a Fremont hospital. 

The patrol says the 37-year-old semi driver was not injured.

SCRIBNER, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska State Patrol has identified four people killed in a head-on crash as a family from Fremont. The crash happened around 9:45 a.m. Thursday on U.S. Highway 275 just east of Scribner when a sedan and semitrailer collided. Investigators say the driver of the car, 37-year-old Heidi Lykens-Huisman, her husband, 29-year-old Joshua Huisman, and 10-year-old Jaymasin Lykens were all pronounced dead at the scene. The couple's 9-month-old baby, Nova Huisman, died a short time later at a Fremont hospital. The patrol says the 37-year-old semi driver was not injured.

State patrol IDs 4 killed in crash on Nebraska highway

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — Authorities are investigating the discovery of two bodies found in a semi-trailer along Interstate 29 in southeastern South Dakota. 

The state Division of Criminal Investigation says the semi was found on Tuesday in the southbound lane of the interstate in Union County. 

There were two dead adults in the cab of the truck. 

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — Authorities are investigating the discovery of two bodies found in a semi-trailer along Interstate 29 in southeastern South Dakota. The state Division of Criminal Investigation says the semi was found on Tuesday in the southbound lane of the interstate in Union County. There were two dead adults in the cab of the truck. Investigators are not looking for suspects and say there is no threat to the public. No further information has been released.