TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A newly elected Kansas lawmaker accused of threatening two state officials and abusive behavior toward girls and young women before taking his seat will get a public warning about his past conduct rather than facing possible removal from office, a committee decided Friday.

A state House committee reviewing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legislature-kansas-city-kansas-topeka-a8396d22a454fb712cce1bf40193e8c7">a complaint</a>&nbsp;against state Rep. Aaron Coleman, of Kansas City, Kansas, said it will draft and send him a public letter of warning that will include expectations about his future conduct. The panel’s three Democrats preferred stronger action against Coleman, but its three Republicans were wary of disciplining him for actions occurring before he took office.

Some Democrats wanted to censure or expel the 20-year-old Coleman, but either action would take a two-thirds majority. The chamber’s Republican leaders were wary of overturning an election, and during Friday’s committee meeting, members of both parties said they didn’t want to base their decision on Coleman’s behavior as a minor.

The committee’s decision means a complaint filed against Coleman by 13 Democrats, including House Minority Leader Tom Sawyer, of Wichita, will be dismissed. But committee members said the letter will act as a guide for Coleman, and if he does not abide by what it spells out, he could face another complaint.

Coleman was elected to the House as a Democrat but dropped affiliation with any party after Sawyer refused to give him committee assignments. He identifies as a progressive and socialist.

“Mr. Coleman’s going to be watched,” said committee Chair John Barker, an Abilene Republican.

A new allegation against Coleman became public Friday. Heather Sprague Scanlon, Sawyer’s former chief of staff, said in&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/committees/ctte_spc_select_investigating_committee_1/misc_documents/download_testimony/ctte_spc_select_investigating_committee_1_20210122_08_testimony.html" target="_blank">a written statement</a>&nbsp;that Coleman called her during the summer after House Democrats had denounced Coleman on social media and launched into a “raging diatribe.” She said Coleman made threats to physically harm Sawyer.

When those statements were read to him, Coleman told the committee, “That is not accurate.”

But he later apologized to Sawyer and said he’s willing to apologize to Scanlon for his “inappropriate conduct.” He publicly asked for a Statehouse mentor and said he’s spoken to his attorney about counseling.

“I welcome an informal letter of warning and I am willing to voluntarily accept any recommendations,” he said.

The committee’s action ends the possibility of Coleman becoming the first state lawmaker in Kansas ousted from office. The Kansas State Library has found no record of any legislator being expelled, although in the past six years, lawmakers in at least four states have been expelled for misconduct.

“I know that prior to becoming a member of the Kansas House of Representatives, I have not always lived up to my own ideals of treating others with dignity and respect,” Coleman said in opening remarks that he read to the committee.

Coleman narrowly ousted a veteran Democratic lawmaker in the August primary while running on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/d7ea4a5bc168f3b608ea96c81efb6c78">a platform&nbsp;</a>that included providing universal health coverage, ending college tuition and legalizing marijuana. He won that race even after admitting on social media that he had circulated revenge porn as a “sick and troubled” middle school-aged boy.

He faced only write-in candidates in the election, even as at least two other accusations of threatening or&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-kansas-city-kansas-elections-topeka-d6ea4066903abd8ef70d60bebe6c8a3c">abusing&nbsp;</a>girls or young women came to light. In December, the campaign manager for his primary opponent obtained an anti-stalking court order against him, but they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-state-courts-legislature-kansas-city-lawsuits-fa6cd16ccb10518f157e4796522d214b">settled the lawsuit</a>&nbsp;she filed against him earlier this month.

The complaint against Coleman said another reason to expel him was a now-deleted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-kansas-topeka-elections-fd91a21ee706c19194c7d302a2315d28">post-November election tweet</a>&nbsp;in which Coleman suggested Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly would face an “extremely bloody” primary in 2022 for not being progressive enough. Kelly has called Coleman unfit to serve in the Legislature.

“People will realize one day when I call a hit out on you it’s real,” he wrote. He later said he meant to use the phrase ”political hit.”

Coleman told the committee that the language of the tweet was “inappropriate” and said he now has a team of people handling social media posts for him.

Sawyer had called Coleman “a danger to women” and had said his removal from office was necessary to protect other lawmakers and the Legislature’s staff.

“We would not want this person to blow up and do something dangerous to someone else,” Sawyer told the committee Friday.

But later, Sawyer said he hopes a public letter will tell Coleman “he’s got to change or he’s gone,” and prevent bad behavior.

“I don’t want to send the wrong message and say it’s okay to be abusive to women and continue that pattern and get by with it,” Sawyer told reporters.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611410498739.png" alt="Photo courtesy Rep. Aaron Coleman" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Rep. Aaron Coleman</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A newly elected Kansas lawmaker accused of threatening two state officials and abusive behavior toward girls and young women before taking his seat will get a public warning about his past conduct rather than facing possible removal from office, a committee decided Friday.A state House committee reviewing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legislature-kansas-city-kansas-topeka-a8396d22a454fb712cce1bf40193e8c7">a complaint</a>&nbsp;against state Rep. Aaron Coleman, of Kansas City, Kansas, said it will draft and send him a public letter of warning that will include expectations about his future conduct. The panel’s three Democrats preferred stronger action against Coleman, but its three Republicans were wary of disciplining him for actions occurring before he took office.Some Democrats wanted to censure or expel the 20-year-old Coleman, but either action would take a two-thirds majority. The chamber’s Republican leaders were wary of overturning an election, and during Friday’s committee meeting, members of both parties said they didn’t want to base their decision on Coleman’s behavior as a minor.The committee’s decision means a complaint filed against Coleman by 13 Democrats, including House Minority Leader Tom Sawyer, of Wichita, will be dismissed. But committee members said the letter will act as a guide for Coleman, and if he does not abide by what it spells out, he could face another complaint.Coleman was elected to the House as a Democrat but dropped affiliation with any party after Sawyer refused to give him committee assignments. He identifies as a progressive and socialist.“Mr. Coleman’s going to be watched,” said committee Chair John Barker, an Abilene Republican.A new allegation against Coleman became public Friday. Heather Sprague Scanlon, Sawyer’s former chief of staff, said in&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/committees/ctte_spc_select_investigating_committee_1/misc_documents/download_testimony/ctte_spc_select_investigating_committee_1_20210122_08_testimony.html" target="_blank">a written statement</a>&nbsp;that Coleman called her during the summer after House Democrats had denounced Coleman on social media and launched into a “raging diatribe.” She said Coleman made threats to physically harm Sawyer.When those statements were read to him, Coleman told the committee, “That is not accurate.”But he later apologized to Sawyer and said he’s willing to apologize to Scanlon for his “inappropriate conduct.” He publicly asked for a Statehouse mentor and said he’s spoken to his attorney about counseling.“I welcome an informal letter of warning and I am willing to voluntarily accept any recommendations,” he said.The committee’s action ends the possibility of Coleman becoming the first state lawmaker in Kansas ousted from office. The Kansas State Library has found no record of any legislator being expelled, although in the past six years, lawmakers in at least four states have been expelled for misconduct.“I know that prior to becoming a member of the Kansas House of Representatives, I have not always lived up to my own ideals of treating others with dignity and respect,” Coleman said in opening remarks that he read to the committee.Coleman narrowly ousted a veteran Democratic lawmaker in the August primary while running on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/d7ea4a5bc168f3b608ea96c81efb6c78">a platform&nbsp;</a>that included providing universal health coverage, ending college tuition and legalizing marijuana. He won that race even after admitting on social media that he had circulated revenge porn as a “sick and troubled” middle school-aged boy.He faced only write-in candidates in the election, even as at least two other accusations of threatening or&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-kansas-city-kansas-elections-topeka-d6ea4066903abd8ef70d60bebe6c8a3c">abusing&nbsp;</a>girls or young women came to light. In December, the campaign manager for his primary opponent obtained an anti-stalking court order against him, but they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-state-courts-legislature-kansas-city-lawsuits-fa6cd16ccb10518f157e4796522d214b">settled the lawsuit</a>&nbsp;she filed against him earlier this month.The complaint against Coleman said another reason to expel him was a now-deleted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-kansas-topeka-elections-fd91a21ee706c19194c7d302a2315d28">post-November election tweet</a>&nbsp;in which Coleman suggested Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly would face an “extremely bloody” primary in 2022 for not being progressive enough. Kelly has called Coleman unfit to serve in the Legislature.“People will realize one day when I call a hit out on you it’s real,” he wrote. He later said he meant to use the phrase ”political hit.”Coleman told the committee that the language of the tweet was “inappropriate” and said he now has a team of people handling social media posts for him.Sawyer had called Coleman “a danger to women” and had said his removal from office was necessary to protect other lawmakers and the Legislature’s staff.“We would not want this person to blow up and do something dangerous to someone else,” Sawyer told the committee Friday.But later, Sawyer said he hopes a public letter will tell Coleman “he’s got to change or he’s gone,” and prevent bad behavior.“I don’t want to send the wrong message and say it’s okay to be abusive to women and continue that pattern and get by with it,” Sawyer told reporters.___

Kan. House panel to warn new member over abusive behavior

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on drug charges after a drug bust at a Kansas home.

On January 22, members of the Topeka Police Department Narcotics Unit and the Shawnee County Drug Task Force served a search warrant in the 2800 SE Illinois Ave, related to an ongoing investigation, according to Lt. Jerry Monasmith.

While conducting the search warrant, officers located methamphetamine, marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and an environment unsafe for children.

As a result, Joshua McGarity 24, and Darrell Levi, 46, both of Topeka, were transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections.

McGarity is being held on requested charges of&nbsp;Possession of marijuana with the intent of distribution, Aggravated child endangerment; reckless situation and&nbsp;Possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to distribute.

Levi is being held on requested charges that include Possession of methamphetamine with the intent of distribution within 1000 feet of a school, possession of drug paraphernalia with intent, aggravated child endangerment; reckless situation and Failure to have a drug tax stamp for a controlled substance.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611410042620.png" alt="Levi photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Levi photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on drug charges after a drug bust at a Kansas home.On January 22, members of the Topeka Police Department Narcotics Unit and the Shawnee County Drug Task Force served a search warrant in the 2800 SE Illinois Ave, related to an ongoing investigation, according to Lt. Jerry Monasmith.While conducting the search warrant, officers located methamphetamine, marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and an environment unsafe for children.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611410016294.png" alt="McGarity-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>McGarity-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>As a result, Joshua McGarity 24, and Darrell Levi, 46, both of Topeka, were transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections.McGarity is being held on requested charges of&nbsp;Possession of marijuana with the intent of distribution, Aggravated child endangerment; reckless situation and&nbsp;Possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to distribute.Levi is being held on requested charges that include Possession of methamphetamine with the intent of distribution within 1000 feet of a school, possession of drug paraphernalia with intent, aggravated child endangerment; reckless situation and Failure to have a drug tax stamp for a controlled substance.

2 Kan. men accused of drug distribution, child endangerment

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The Lawrence City Council has unanimously approved a measure to return to a Native American tribe a prayer rock that was transformed into a monument honoring Kansas settlers. The council voted 5-0 Tuesday to return the rock to the Kaw Nation. 

Before the Kaw people were forcibly moved from Kansas to what is now Oklahoma in 1873, they held ceremonies and gathering before the 23-ton boulder known as the “Big Red Rock.” As Lawrence prepared for its 75th anniversary in 1929, the rock was moved to a park in town. Last month, the tribe sent a letter to the city seeking the rock's return.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1607822821935.png" alt="Big Red Rock -google image" />
 <figcaption>Big Red Rock -google image</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The Lawrence City Council has unanimously approved a measure to return to a Native American tribe a prayer rock that was transformed into a monument honoring Kansas settlers. The council voted 5-0 Tuesday to return the rock to the Kaw Nation. Before the Kaw people were forcibly moved from Kansas to what is now Oklahoma in 1873, they held ceremonies and gathering before the 23-ton boulder known as the “Big Red Rock.” As Lawrence prepared for its 75th anniversary in 1929, the rock was moved to a park in town. Last month, the tribe sent a letter to the city seeking the rock's return.

Kan. community will return sacred prayer rock to Kaw Nation

OLATHE – A former Kansas insurance agent has pleaded guilty to insurance fraud charges and agreed to repay nearly $86,000 in restitution, according to&nbsp; Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt.

Armond R. Peghee, 42, pleaded guilty in Johnson County District Court to one count of fraudulent insurance act, one count of theft, one count of unlawful acts concerning computers, and three counts of identity theft. Peghee also agreed to repay $85,897.87 in restitution. Johnson County District Court Chief Judge Thomas Kelly Ryan accepted the plea agreement and set a sentencing date of March 17.

An investigation by the Kansas Insurance Department determined that Peghee engaged in a fraudulent scheme where he submitted false applications for insurance policies for his customers without his customers’ knowledge. Peghee would receive the commission for the sale of the policies. The customers were unaware of the policies and the premiums went unpaid. The policies were eventually canceled for nonpayment, but investigators found Peghee kept the commissions.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1591455268753.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>OLATHE – A former Kansas insurance agent has pleaded guilty to insurance fraud charges and agreed to repay nearly $86,000 in restitution, according to&nbsp; Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt.Armond R. Peghee, 42, pleaded guilty in Johnson County District Court to one count of fraudulent insurance act, one count of theft, one count of unlawful acts concerning computers, and three counts of identity theft. Peghee also agreed to repay $85,897.87 in restitution. Johnson County District Court Chief Judge Thomas Kelly Ryan accepted the plea agreement and set a sentencing date of March 17.An investigation by the Kansas Insurance Department determined that Peghee engaged in a fraudulent scheme where he submitted false applications for insurance policies for his customers without his customers’ knowledge. Peghee would receive the commission for the sale of the policies. The customers were unaware of the policies and the premiums went unpaid. The policies were eventually canceled for nonpayment, but investigators found Peghee kept the commissions.

Kan. insurance agent admits ID theft, will repay $85,000.00

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Migrant workers lined up by the hundreds during a break from picking produce this week to receive the coronavirus vaccine on a Southern California grape farm.

The farmworkers who got their shots are among vulnerable immigrants in the United States — particularly the 11 million in the country illegally — who advocacy groups say may be some of the most difficult people to reach during the largest vaccination campaign in American history.

Some immigrants in the country illegally fear that information taken during vaccinations could be turned over to authorities and so may not seek out vaccines, while those who speak little or no English may find it difficult to access them.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-norc-poll-us-half-want-vaccine-shots-4d98dbfc0a64d60d52ac84c3065dac55">Like other groups</a>, some are also hesitant about receiving a newly approved shot — and language barriers may also make it harder to get messages countering misinformation to them.

While these challenges may exist for many vulnerable immigrant groups, they are particularly worrying for Latino immigrants, who make a large portion of the workforce in industries where they have a significant risk of exposure.

“There is anxiety and it’s real ... but so is the fear of dying of COVID-19,” said Pablo Alvarado, director of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network.

To tackle these challenges, groups that advocate for Latino immigrants are heading into farm fields to bring vaccines and information to migrant laborers and trying to counter misinformation in Spanish and other languages.

In California’s sprawling Riverside County, home to a $1.3 billion agriculture industry, the health care nonprofit that brought vaccines to the grape farm recently took tablets into the fields to register workers for vaccine appointments, said Conrado Bárzaga, CEO of Desert Healthcare District and Foundation. The organization also shares information about the virus and how to get tested for it on WhatsApp in Spanish and Purépecha, an indigenous language from western Mexico spoken by some farm workers in California.

The National Day Laborer Organizing Network has used a Spanish-language radio show on social media to share information throughout the pandemic about the virus. Now, the show’s hosts, many of them migrants and low-income workers themselves, plan to spend airtime debunking myths about the vaccine to their 300,000 weekly listeners, Alvarado said.

He believes countering misinformation on social media is key to overcoming most hesitancy about the vaccine — such as knocking down&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3287934e9316b008e2a6c7735b7b01df">false claims that the vaccine would insert a microchip&nbsp;</a>into people.

Daniel Cortés, a 58-year-old Mexican immigrant who lives in New York, is among those with doubts. He’s not authorized to live in the U.S. but any fears of deportation have nothing to do with it. He says he would not take the vaccine because he is healthy and fears a bad reaction. Trials for the vaccines being given in the U.S. involving tens of thousands of participants have so far surfaced no signs of serious side effects, and few unexpected adverse reactions have been reported in the early days of vaccine distribution in the country.

“I maintain social distancing, wash my hands, change my clothes when I get home,” Cortés said, explaining that he thinks those precautions are enough. “I haven’t been sick in eight years and hopefully it will stay that way.”

President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion “American Rescue Plan” includes a program to set up community vaccination centers across the U.S. and use mobile clinics to access hard-to-reach communities. It has also said it would take steps to make the vaccine free to all U.S. residents independent of their immigration status.

But some advocacy groups say the legacy of the Trump administration’s restrictive immigration policies will make reaching some immigrants especially tough.

In Florida, Maria Rodriguez, executive director of the Florida Immigrant Coalition in Miami, said fears persist about the former administration’s so-called public charge rule, which sought to deny green cards to immigrants who receive food stamps or other public benefits.

While the public charge rule never restricted access to testing or vaccinations for a communicable disease — and it is being challenged in courts — Rodriguez says, “it doesn’t matter, the perception still exists.”

Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts recently came under criticism when he said workers with legal status would be prioritized in the state’s vaccine rollout over those without legal status when he was asked about the plan to protect the state’s meatpacking facilities, which historically have relied on foreign-born labor. But a day later, Ricketts appeared to walk back his statement, saying through his spokesman that “proof of citizenship is not required for vaccination,”&nbsp;<a href="https://omaha.com/news/state-and-regional/us-citizenship-not-a-requirement-for-covid-vaccine-in-nebraska/article_4da1d138-4fac-11eb-89a9-c3052b2306d2.html" target="_blank">the Omaha-World Herald reported</a>.

Blanca Flores, a community organizer at the Alianza Nacional de Campesinas, an alliance of female farmworkers, said many of the women she works with in rural Homestead, Florida, believe that any personal information they provide could somehow be used against them later. They also worry about missing a few day’s work and possibly getting fired if they suffer adverse side effects.

“They would like to wait a month or two to see what happens and decide later,” said Flores, a Colombian-born immigrant with legal residency.

But others are eager — perhaps reflecting the way in which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/d3c55be27a2549afa2906c190fe5adc9">Latino immigrant communities</a>&nbsp;have been disproportionately hit by the virus. In New York, Francisco Flores, a Mexican immigrant who lost a brother, a brother-in-law and a sister-in-law to COVID-19, said he would not hesitate to take the shot.

Flores, who is 54 and has lived without authorization in the U.S. for more than 20 years, plans to sign up the moment he can.

“The government already has my data. I have been here for a long time. I have a driver’s license, bank accounts. I have nothing to fear,” said Flores, who works for a company that makes golf courses. “And after what we went through with COVID, I would not hesitate to take the vaccine.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1609851067615.png" alt="Vaccine arrived January 18 in Southwest Kansas- photo courtesy Western Plains Medical Center" />
 <figcaption>Vaccine arrived January 18 in Southwest Kansas- photo courtesy Western Plains Medical Center</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — Migrant workers lined up by the hundreds during a break from picking produce this week to receive the coronavirus vaccine on a Southern California grape farm.The farmworkers who got their shots are among vulnerable immigrants in the United States — particularly the 11 million in the country illegally — who advocacy groups say may be some of the most difficult people to reach during the largest vaccination campaign in American history.Some immigrants in the country illegally fear that information taken during vaccinations could be turned over to authorities and so may not seek out vaccines, while those who speak little or no English may find it difficult to access them.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-norc-poll-us-half-want-vaccine-shots-4d98dbfc0a64d60d52ac84c3065dac55">Like other groups</a>, some are also hesitant about receiving a newly approved shot — and language barriers may also make it harder to get messages countering misinformation to them.While these challenges may exist for many vulnerable immigrant groups, they are particularly worrying for Latino immigrants, who make a large portion of the workforce in industries where they have a significant risk of exposure.“There is anxiety and it’s real ... but so is the fear of dying of COVID-19,” said Pablo Alvarado, director of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network.To tackle these challenges, groups that advocate for Latino immigrants are heading into farm fields to bring vaccines and information to migrant laborers and trying to counter misinformation in Spanish and other languages.In California’s sprawling Riverside County, home to a $1.3 billion agriculture industry, the health care nonprofit that brought vaccines to the grape farm recently took tablets into the fields to register workers for vaccine appointments, said Conrado Bárzaga, CEO of Desert Healthcare District and Foundation. The organization also shares information about the virus and how to get tested for it on WhatsApp in Spanish and Purépecha, an indigenous language from western Mexico spoken by some farm workers in California.The National Day Laborer Organizing Network has used a Spanish-language radio show on social media to share information throughout the pandemic about the virus. Now, the show’s hosts, many of them migrants and low-income workers themselves, plan to spend airtime debunking myths about the vaccine to their 300,000 weekly listeners, Alvarado said.He believes countering misinformation on social media is key to overcoming most hesitancy about the vaccine — such as knocking down&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3287934e9316b008e2a6c7735b7b01df">false claims that the vaccine would insert a microchip&nbsp;</a>into people.Daniel Cortés, a 58-year-old Mexican immigrant who lives in New York, is among those with doubts. He’s not authorized to live in the U.S. but any fears of deportation have nothing to do with it. He says he would not take the vaccine because he is healthy and fears a bad reaction. Trials for the vaccines being given in the U.S. involving tens of thousands of participants have so far surfaced no signs of serious side effects, and few unexpected adverse reactions have been reported in the early days of vaccine distribution in the country.“I maintain social distancing, wash my hands, change my clothes when I get home,” Cortés said, explaining that he thinks those precautions are enough. “I haven’t been sick in eight years and hopefully it will stay that way.”President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion “American Rescue Plan” includes a program to set up community vaccination centers across the U.S. and use mobile clinics to access hard-to-reach communities. It has also said it would take steps to make the vaccine free to all U.S. residents independent of their immigration status.But some advocacy groups say the legacy of the Trump administration’s restrictive immigration policies will make reaching some immigrants especially tough.In Florida, Maria Rodriguez, executive director of the Florida Immigrant Coalition in Miami, said fears persist about the former administration’s so-called public charge rule, which sought to deny green cards to immigrants who receive food stamps or other public benefits.While the public charge rule never restricted access to testing or vaccinations for a communicable disease — and it is being challenged in courts — Rodriguez says, “it doesn’t matter, the perception still exists.”Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts recently came under criticism when he said workers with legal status would be prioritized in the state’s vaccine rollout over those without legal status when he was asked about the plan to protect the state’s meatpacking facilities, which historically have relied on foreign-born labor. But a day later, Ricketts appeared to walk back his statement, saying through his spokesman that “proof of citizenship is not required for vaccination,”&nbsp;<a href="https://omaha.com/news/state-and-regional/us-citizenship-not-a-requirement-for-covid-vaccine-in-nebraska/article_4da1d138-4fac-11eb-89a9-c3052b2306d2.html" target="_blank">the Omaha-World Herald reported</a>.Blanca Flores, a community organizer at the Alianza Nacional de Campesinas, an alliance of female farmworkers, said many of the women she works with in rural Homestead, Florida, believe that any personal information they provide could somehow be used against them later. They also worry about missing a few day’s work and possibly getting fired if they suffer adverse side effects.“They would like to wait a month or two to see what happens and decide later,” said Flores, a Colombian-born immigrant with legal residency.But others are eager — perhaps reflecting the way in which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/d3c55be27a2549afa2906c190fe5adc9">Latino immigrant communities</a>&nbsp;have been disproportionately hit by the virus. In New York, Francisco Flores, a Mexican immigrant who lost a brother, a brother-in-law and a sister-in-law to COVID-19, said he would not hesitate to take the shot.Flores, who is 54 and has lived without authorization in the U.S. for more than 20 years, plans to sign up the moment he can.“The government already has my data. I have been here for a long time. I have a driver’s license, bank accounts. I have nothing to fear,” said Flores, who works for a company that makes golf courses. “And after what we went through with COVID, I would not hesitate to take the vaccine.”___

Language barriers, wariness make vaccinating immigrants hard

By STEPHAN BISAHA <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/kansas-teachers-say-hybrid-learning-no-better-all-virtual-classes">Kansas News Service</a>

Hybrid learning has become the go-to compromise for Kansas’ largest school districts to get students back in classrooms.

Districts
 in Lawrence, Topeka, Olathe and elsewhere rotate students between 
in-person and online lessons. Kids get physical time in front of a 
teacher without risking crowded classrooms during the pandemic.

But some Kansas teachers say the hybrid model isn’t much better than keeping students online full-time.

The
 constant shift from the classroom to the screen disrupts learning. 
Teachers say they have twice the workload while splitting their focus 
between online and in-person students, giving neither the attention they
 deserve.

Educators say hybrid makes it easier to help kids 
struggling the most, but both hybrid and online-only are leading to 
students falling behind.

Monique
 Goodeyon loves that students will soon return to her classroom. The 
high school calculus teacher at Shawnee Mission East got into education 
to teach students face-to-face, not face-to-screen.

Shawnee Mission went from <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://fox4kc.com/news/shawnee-mission-school-district-to-begin-hybrid-learning-for-elementary-students-beginning-in-october/&amp;sa=D&amp;ust=1611267009871000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1jI6QVYtYVsPzyIm53T95Q" target="_blank">hybrid</a>
 learning to full remote around Thanksgiving because of concerns that 
holiday travel would lead to further coronavirus spikes. Students will <a href="https://shawneemissionpost.com/2021/01/05/middle-and-high-schoolers-in-smsd-are-returning-to-in-person-learning-what-you-need-to-know-110138/" target="_blank">return</a> to school and hybrid learning Jan. 26.

But, like other teachers, Goodeyon’s not convinced it’s better for students.

“The kids are not learning as much as they should,” Goodeyon said.

Yes,
 when students actually sit in Goodeyon’s classroom two days a week, 
they do better than when they’re on a computer. But she said when those 
students return to online learning for the other half of the week, they 
do worse than when they stuck with online-only.

It’s difficult 
for teachers to give the proper attention to both kids in the classroom 
and those tuning in via the computer screen. Teachers say the split 
focus hurts all students.

Instead, Goodeyon spends her class time
 attending to the kids physically present. Those at home can tune in if 
they want, but they have their own independent work.

She’s also 
calculated — math teachers can’t help it — her students get about 90 
fewer minutes of instruction time from her a week compared to when the 
school is in full remote.

“Between remote and hybrid, it is hard 
to decide which one is better,” Goodeyon said. “The 90 minutes I have 
them is wonderful. But is that worth them having to learn 90 minutes of 
material on their own?”

Teachers also say hybrid doubles their 
workload. They must make one lesson plan for the remote kids and another
 for those learning in-person that day. Shuffling lessons doesn’t work 
for a subject like calculus where a student must understand concept A 
before moving onto concept B.

Educators and experts said hybrid learning does come with a few clear benefits — the largest being intervention.

A
 teacher can better provide help to struggling students in-person. 
Educators are also more likely to realize a student even needs help — 
for both individual lessons and larger problems. Early identification of
 learning disorders such as dyslexia can prevent problems from 
snowballing.

It also gives an outside adult a chance to notice signs of problems in the home.

“Teachers
 are the ones to see a kid come in with a bruise,” said Katharine 
Strunk, a professor of education policy at Michigan State University. 
“Teachers are the first people to notice when a kid is not OK.”

But
 teachers say many of those positive learning gains happening inside the
 classroom begin to disappear once students return to at-home learning. 
Neither remote or hybrid has kept students from slipping behind where 
they would be during a normal school year.

“I have no control 
over their environment,” said Shane Heiman, a third-grade teacher at New
 York Elementary in Lawrence. “They are becoming more behind because 
even though I’m providing content for them, there’s still limited ways 
where I can engage them.”

Blue Valley North High School English teacher Shelly Weir calls hybrid a mixed bag.

A back and forth discussion on Brave New World becomes a slog with half the class divided into squares on a screen.

“It takes the Zoom classroom twice as long to give their discussion because I have to physically call them out,” Weir.

But
 she’s found success keeping the discussion to just the in-person kids. 
Those at home get assigned their dystopian novel of choice to read 
before it’s their turn in the school building.

Weir surveyed her 
students about whether they preferred hybrid or all remote learning — 
and a slim majority preferred the remote option.

Her students 
told her school just didn’t feel like school, especially when your best 
friend attends on opposite days. Some students did not want to come back
 because they didn’t feel safe with coronavirus cases so high.

“They said ‘You know what? We know that coronavirus is escalating. Why are you bringing us back?’ ” Weir said.

Despite hybrid’s flaws, more of the state’s largest school districts are adopting the model.

School
 districts like Blue Valley and Wichita started the school year without a
 hybrid option — schools would either be all in-person or all remote.

Both
 districts eventually accepted the hybrid trend. The idea of some 
students not having any classroom time since March — excluding the 
elementary students that started the school year in-person — became 
unbearable for educators and parents.

New <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/students-kansas-largest-school-districts-return-classrooms-during-pandemic" target="_blank">research</a>
 also suggested having kids in school buildings — with students 
remaining masked and socially distanced — hasn’t led to the massive 
disease spread educators and health officials worried about over the 
summer.

Wichita School Board member Ben Blankley thinks hybrid 
learning is the worst option for teachers and students. But he voted to 
bring middle and high school students back under hybrid on Jan. 25 
anyway.

He said filling classrooms will let the district make the
 inevitable switch back to full in-person learning swiftly. Hybrid means
 cafeterias reopen. Security guards come back. Custodians reopen 
mothballed sections of school buildings.

“Even though it's got more drawbacks than remote, It’s on our way to getting to fully in-person,” Blankley said.

Moving
 to hybrid for the first time means Wichita North High School business 
teacher Brent Lewis will have three different sets of students in the 
same class — students at home on the hybrid schedule, students in-person
 and students who opted to remain remote full-time.

Lewis said 
the biggest challenge will be maintaining equity for all three groups. 
He can’t have the students in front of him collaborate on an involved 
mock business plan if the online students get left behind. So he’ll 
start the new semester teaching as if all students were on a computer 
screen.

“I can’t say for sure what success looks like,” Lewis 
said. “It’s going to take a lot of learning from what’s working, what’s 
not working to go beyond treating everyone like they’re remote.”

Lewis thinks he’ll eventually find some benefits to hybrid — but he’ll need the school district’s help to get there.

“We’re professionals,” Lewis said. “We’re going to rise to the challenge. But we’re going to need support.”

Stephan Bisaha reports on education and young adult life for the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/stevebisaha" target="_blank">@SteveBisaha</a> or email him at bisaha@kmuw.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611328411099.png" alt="Chris Neal / For the Kansas News Service " />
 <figcaption>Chris Neal / For the Kansas News Service </figcaption>
 </figure>By STEPHAN BISAHA <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/kansas-teachers-say-hybrid-learning-no-better-all-virtual-classes">Kansas News Service</a>Hybrid learning has become the go-to compromise for Kansas’ largest school districts to get students back in classrooms.Districts
 in Lawrence, Topeka, Olathe and elsewhere rotate students between 
in-person and online lessons. Kids get physical time in front of a 
teacher without risking crowded classrooms during the pandemic.But some Kansas teachers say the hybrid model isn’t much better than keeping students online full-time.The
 constant shift from the classroom to the screen disrupts learning. 
Teachers say they have twice the workload while splitting their focus 
between online and in-person students, giving neither the attention they
 deserve.Educators say hybrid makes it easier to help kids 
struggling the most, but both hybrid and online-only are leading to 
students falling behind.<h2>Split attention</h2>Monique
 Goodeyon loves that students will soon return to her classroom. The 
high school calculus teacher at Shawnee Mission East got into education 
to teach students face-to-face, not face-to-screen.Shawnee Mission went from <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://fox4kc.com/news/shawnee-mission-school-district-to-begin-hybrid-learning-for-elementary-students-beginning-in-october/&amp;sa=D&amp;ust=1611267009871000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1jI6QVYtYVsPzyIm53T95Q" target="_blank">hybrid</a>
 learning to full remote around Thanksgiving because of concerns that 
holiday travel would lead to further coronavirus spikes. Students will <a href="https://shawneemissionpost.com/2021/01/05/middle-and-high-schoolers-in-smsd-are-returning-to-in-person-learning-what-you-need-to-know-110138/" target="_blank">return</a> to school and hybrid learning Jan. 26.But, like other teachers, Goodeyon’s not convinced it’s better for students.“The kids are not learning as much as they should,” Goodeyon said.Yes,
 when students actually sit in Goodeyon’s classroom two days a week, 
they do better than when they’re on a computer. But she said when those 
students return to online learning for the other half of the week, they 
do worse than when they stuck with online-only.It’s difficult 
for teachers to give the proper attention to both kids in the classroom 
and those tuning in via the computer screen. Teachers say the split 
focus hurts all students.Instead, Goodeyon spends her class time
 attending to the kids physically present. Those at home can tune in if 
they want, but they have their own independent work.She’s also 
calculated — math teachers can’t help it — her students get about 90 
fewer minutes of instruction time from her a week compared to when the 
school is in full remote.“Between remote and hybrid, it is hard 
to decide which one is better,” Goodeyon said. “The 90 minutes I have 
them is wonderful. But is that worth them having to learn 90 minutes of 
material on their own?”Teachers also say hybrid doubles their 
workload. They must make one lesson plan for the remote kids and another
 for those learning in-person that day. Shuffling lessons doesn’t work 
for a subject like calculus where a student must understand concept A 
before moving onto concept B.Educators and experts said hybrid learning does come with a few clear benefits — the largest being intervention.A
 teacher can better provide help to struggling students in-person. 
Educators are also more likely to realize a student even needs help — 
for both individual lessons and larger problems. Early identification of
 learning disorders such as dyslexia can prevent problems from 
snowballing.It also gives an outside adult a chance to notice signs of problems in the home.“Teachers
 are the ones to see a kid come in with a bruise,” said Katharine 
Strunk, a professor of education policy at Michigan State University. 
“Teachers are the first people to notice when a kid is not OK.”But
 teachers say many of those positive learning gains happening inside the
 classroom begin to disappear once students return to at-home learning. 
Neither remote or hybrid has kept students from slipping behind where 
they would be during a normal school year.“I have no control 
over their environment,” said Shane Heiman, a third-grade teacher at New
 York Elementary in Lawrence. “They are becoming more behind because 
even though I’m providing content for them, there’s still limited ways 
where I can engage them.”Blue Valley North High School English teacher Shelly Weir calls hybrid a mixed bag.A back and forth discussion on Brave New World becomes a slog with half the class divided into squares on a screen.“It takes the Zoom classroom twice as long to give their discussion because I have to physically call them out,” Weir.But
 she’s found success keeping the discussion to just the in-person kids. 
Those at home get assigned their dystopian novel of choice to read 
before it’s their turn in the school building.Weir surveyed her 
students about whether they preferred hybrid or all remote learning — 
and a slim majority preferred the remote option.Her students 
told her school just didn’t feel like school, especially when your best 
friend attends on opposite days. Some students did not want to come back
 because they didn’t feel safe with coronavirus cases so high.“They said ‘You know what? We know that coronavirus is escalating. Why are you bringing us back?’ ” Weir said.<h2>Hybrid semester</h2>Despite hybrid’s flaws, more of the state’s largest school districts are adopting the model.School
 districts like Blue Valley and Wichita started the school year without a
 hybrid option — schools would either be all in-person or all remote.Both
 districts eventually accepted the hybrid trend. The idea of some 
students not having any classroom time since March — excluding the 
elementary students that started the school year in-person — became 
unbearable for educators and parents.New <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/students-kansas-largest-school-districts-return-classrooms-during-pandemic" target="_blank">research</a>
 also suggested having kids in school buildings — with students 
remaining masked and socially distanced — hasn’t led to the massive 
disease spread educators and health officials worried about over the 
summer.Wichita School Board member Ben Blankley thinks hybrid 
learning is the worst option for teachers and students. But he voted to 
bring middle and high school students back under hybrid on Jan. 25 
anyway.He said filling classrooms will let the district make the
 inevitable switch back to full in-person learning swiftly. Hybrid means
 cafeterias reopen. Security guards come back. Custodians reopen 
mothballed sections of school buildings.“Even though it's got more drawbacks than remote, It’s on our way to getting to fully in-person,” Blankley said.Moving
 to hybrid for the first time means Wichita North High School business 
teacher Brent Lewis will have three different sets of students in the 
same class — students at home on the hybrid schedule, students in-person
 and students who opted to remain remote full-time.Lewis said 
the biggest challenge will be maintaining equity for all three groups. 
He can’t have the students in front of him collaborate on an involved 
mock business plan if the online students get left behind. So he’ll 
start the new semester teaching as if all students were on a computer 
screen.“I can’t say for sure what success looks like,” Lewis 
said. “It’s going to take a lot of learning from what’s working, what’s 
not working to go beyond treating everyone like they’re remote.”Lewis thinks he’ll eventually find some benefits to hybrid — but he’ll need the school district’s help to get there.“We’re professionals,” Lewis said. “We’re going to rise to the challenge. But we’re going to need support.”Stephan Bisaha reports on education and young adult life for the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/stevebisaha" target="_blank">@SteveBisaha</a> or email him at bisaha@kmuw.org.

Kan. teachers say hybrid learning no better than all-virtual classes 

MONTGOMERY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a burglary and have made two arrests.

On January 16, deputies were called to the scene of two separate incidents involving burglary and theft, according to Sheriff Ron Wade.

On January 16, deputies were called to the east side of Independence when a witness from a previous case observed a truck pulling a trailer that the witness knew to be stolen. 

Upon further investigation it was learned the individual who possessed the trailer had just purchased it from a woman identified as Tanna Darnell, 36, of Independence and a man later identified as Terry “TJ” Werner, 39, Cherryvale, according to Wade.

It was also learned the individual that purchased the trailer also purchased other items that have been identified as stolen property from a separate incident.

Deputies responded to the location where the individual told deputies he purchased the property. While at that location a Deputy observed a blue ford F-150 being driven by Darnell and Werner as a passenger. The two entered a house near the location and deputies arrested them in the house. It was later determined that the home owner did not know Darnell or Werner and they did not have permission to be at the home.

Werner and Darnell are being held on requested charges to include Possession of stolen property, and Burglary. Werner also had multiple arrest warrants. Deputies also recommend drug charges after finding what is believed to be narcotic among her personal belongings.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611250176178.png" alt="Werner-photo Montgomery County" />
 <figcaption>Werner-photo Montgomery County</figcaption>
 </figure>MONTGOMERY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a burglary and have made two arrests.On January 16, deputies were called to the scene of two separate incidents involving burglary and theft, according to Sheriff Ron Wade.On January 16, deputies were called to the east side of Independence when a witness from a previous case observed a truck pulling a trailer that the witness knew to be stolen. Upon further investigation it was learned the individual who possessed the trailer had just purchased it from a woman identified as Tanna Darnell, 36, of Independence and a man later identified as Terry “TJ” Werner, 39, Cherryvale, according to Wade.It was also learned the individual that purchased the trailer also purchased other items that have been identified as stolen property from a separate incident.Deputies responded to the location where the individual told deputies he purchased the property. While at that location a Deputy observed a blue ford F-150 being driven by Darnell and Werner as a passenger. The two entered a house near the location and deputies arrested them in the house. It was later determined that the home owner did not know Darnell or Werner and they did not have permission to be at the home.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611250104512.png" alt="Darnell photo Montgomery Co." />
 <figcaption>Darnell photo Montgomery Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Werner and Darnell are being held on requested charges to include Possession of stolen property, and Burglary. Werner also had multiple arrest warrants. Deputies also recommend drug charges after finding what is believed to be narcotic among her personal belongings.&nbsp;

Deputies find burglary suspects at rural Kansas home

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — Federal agents have been found justified in fatally shooting a man during a Springfield drug investigation.

Greene County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Patterson announced this week that Drug Enforcement agents John Stuart and Anthony Gasperoni would not face charges for the Nov. 2 death of Caleb Slay.

The shooting happened after a U-Haul driver who was suspected in a drug exchange came to a stop in front of the home in which Slay lived, according to Patterson’s report.

Slay then got out of a car that was parked in front of the home and refused to get back inside. That worried Stuart, who believed at the time that Slay and another person in the car were there to do a drug deal, the report said.

Craig Lowther, a lawyer hired by Caleb Slay’s mother, said previously that Slay merely stumbled into the investigation.

While Slay was being arrested, a struggle ensued and Stuart was knocked to the ground, the report said. Gasperoni said he opened fire when Slay broke free from Stuart and reached his hand to his hip.

Stuart recovered a loaded handgun from Slay’s waistband.

Lowther, the family's attorney, said Slay carried a gun because he once worked as a bouncer at a Springfield nightclub. But he said Slay never displayed it.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — Federal agents have been found justified in fatally shooting a man during a Springfield drug investigation.Greene County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Patterson announced this week that Drug Enforcement agents John Stuart and Anthony Gasperoni would not face charges for the Nov. 2 death of Caleb Slay.The shooting happened after a U-Haul driver who was suspected in a drug exchange came to a stop in front of the home in which Slay lived, according to Patterson’s report.Slay then got out of a car that was parked in front of the home and refused to get back inside. That worried Stuart, who believed at the time that Slay and another person in the car were there to do a drug deal, the report said.Craig Lowther, a lawyer hired by Caleb Slay’s mother, said previously that Slay merely stumbled into the investigation.While Slay was being arrested, a struggle ensued and Stuart was knocked to the ground, the report said. Gasperoni said he opened fire when Slay broke free from Stuart and reached his hand to his hip.Stuart recovered a loaded handgun from Slay’s waistband.Lowther, the family's attorney, said Slay carried a gun because he once worked as a bouncer at a Springfield nightclub. But he said Slay never displayed it.

DEA agents deemed justified in deadly Missouri shooting

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Missouri Legislature is continuing to grow after lawmakers converged at the Capitol to begin their annual session.

Four additional lawmakers told The Associated Press on Friday that they had contracted the virus, bringing the total to at least seven since the session began Jan. 6. The outbreak is among the larger ones being reported as state legislatures across the country get to work this month.

The House canceled all work this week because of the virus. The Senate continued to meet.

Among those confirming Friday that they had become ill with the disease was state Sen. Andrew Koenig. The Republican from St. Louis County had presented legislation Wednesday during a lengthy Senate committee hearing proposing to crack down on public health orders that limit the number of people who can gather in homes, businesses and places of worship. Koenig also was present Thursday for the Senate's short session.

Although Koenig said he believes he caught the virus from his wife, some other lawmakers said they likely came down with it at the Capitol.

“We got sworn in that week before with people from all over the state. I’d say there’s a pretty good chance,” said Rep. Jeff Knight, a Republican from Lebanon who said he just completed his isolation period after testing positive for COVID-19.

With hundreds of people working in the Capitol, "unfortunately, it was bound to happen,” said Rep. Dan Houx, a Republican from Warrensburg who contracted the virus last week.

Republican Rep. Craig Fishel, of Springfield, said he tested positive for COVID-19 after the first week of the legislative session, but he doesn't view its prevalence among lawmakers as anything different than what's going on in communities across the nation. He's ready for the House to resume its work.

“There’s business that we have to take care of," Fishel said.

At least 19 Missouri lawmakers have confirmed they have had COVID-19 at some point since last March, according to an AP tally. Nationwide, the AP has counted about 300 state lawmakers who tested positive for the virus.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Missouri Legislature is continuing to grow after lawmakers converged at the Capitol to begin their annual session.Four additional lawmakers told The Associated Press on Friday that they had contracted the virus, bringing the total to at least seven since the session began Jan. 6. The outbreak is among the larger ones being reported as state legislatures across the country get to work this month.The House canceled all work this week because of the virus. The Senate continued to meet.Among those confirming Friday that they had become ill with the disease was state Sen. Andrew Koenig. The Republican from St. Louis County had presented legislation Wednesday during a lengthy Senate committee hearing proposing to crack down on public health orders that limit the number of people who can gather in homes, businesses and places of worship. Koenig also was present Thursday for the Senate's short session.Although Koenig said he believes he caught the virus from his wife, some other lawmakers said they likely came down with it at the Capitol.“We got sworn in that week before with people from all over the state. I’d say there’s a pretty good chance,” said Rep. Jeff Knight, a Republican from Lebanon who said he just completed his isolation period after testing positive for COVID-19.With hundreds of people working in the Capitol, "unfortunately, it was bound to happen,” said Rep. Dan Houx, a Republican from Warrensburg who contracted the virus last week.Republican Rep. Craig Fishel, of Springfield, said he tested positive for COVID-19 after the first week of the legislative session, but he doesn't view its prevalence among lawmakers as anything different than what's going on in communities across the nation. He's ready for the House to resume its work.“There’s business that we have to take care of," Fishel said.At least 19 Missouri lawmakers have confirmed they have had COVID-19 at some point since last March, according to an AP tally. Nationwide, the AP has counted about 300 state lawmakers who tested positive for the virus.

Confirmed virus cases increasing among Missouri lawmakers

TOPEKA— Republicans on Friday pushed a proposed pro-life amendment to the Kansas Constitution through the state House on the 48th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s historic decision protecting abortion rights.

Governor Laura Kelly immediately responded to the news with a warning.

“I’ve always believed that every woman’s reproductive decisions should be left to her, her family, and her physician. While I know others do not share my belief, I don’t think those supporting this amendment are aware of the consequences it will have for the state of Kansas and our reputation.

“We already know how this ends – North Carolina’s notorious bathroom bill cost that state nearly $4 billion in economic development – and this amendment has the same potential to do irreparable damage to our COVID-19 economic recovery efforts and our long-term prospects to recruit businesses and workforce talent.”

<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/hcr5003_00_0000.pdf" target="_blank">The measure&nbsp;</a>was approved 86-38, giving abortion opponents two votes more than the two-thirds majority necessary for passage. It goes next to the Senate for debate, possibly next week.

The proposal would overturn&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3f479b218a6140719e1694fcfcdb8036">a Kansas Supreme Court decision&nbsp;</a>in 2019 declaring access to abortion a “fundamental” right under the state’s Bill of Rights. It would declare that the state constitution does not grant a right to abortion.

Abortion opponents argued that the measure would simply allow the Legislature to regulate abortion as it has in the past and in line with U.S. Supreme Court decisions.

Abortion rights supporters argued that the measure would allow Kansas to ban abortion if a more conservative U.S. Supreme Court overturns its 1973 Roe v. Wade decision.

If the measure is approved by two-thirds majorities in both chambers, it would go on the August 2022&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legislature-constitutions-kansas-general-elections-elections-56b272878ee505c44931b2a1840636b7">primary ballot.&nbsp;</a>Critics said abortion opponents are choosing that timing because the smaller primary electorate tends to be more conservative than a broader November general electorate.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611420285465.png" alt="The proposal would overturn&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3f479b218a6140719e1694fcfcdb8036">a Kansas Supreme Court decision&nbsp;</a>in 2019 declaring access to abortion a “fundamental” right under the state’s Bill of Rights." />
 <figcaption>The proposal would overturn&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3f479b218a6140719e1694fcfcdb8036">a Kansas Supreme Court decision&nbsp;</a>in 2019 declaring access to abortion a “fundamental” right under the state’s Bill of Rights.</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA— Republicans on Friday pushed a proposed pro-life amendment to the Kansas Constitution through the state House on the 48th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s historic decision protecting abortion rights.Governor Laura Kelly immediately responded to the news with a warning.“I’ve always believed that every woman’s reproductive decisions should be left to her, her family, and her physician. While I know others do not share my belief, I don’t think those supporting this amendment are aware of the consequences it will have for the state of Kansas and our reputation.“We already know how this ends – North Carolina’s notorious bathroom bill cost that state nearly $4 billion in economic development – and this amendment has the same potential to do irreparable damage to our COVID-19 economic recovery efforts and our long-term prospects to recruit businesses and workforce talent.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">My statement on today&#39;s vote: <a href="https://t.co/nnTxhIgzrd">pic.twitter.com/nnTxhIgzrd</a>&mdash; Governor Laura Kelly (@GovLauraKelly) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovLauraKelly/status/1352684958666657799?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/hcr5003_00_0000.pdf" target="_blank">The measure&nbsp;</a>was approved 86-38, giving abortion opponents two votes more than the two-thirds majority necessary for passage. It goes next to the Senate for debate, possibly next week.The proposal would overturn&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3f479b218a6140719e1694fcfcdb8036">a Kansas Supreme Court decision&nbsp;</a>in 2019 declaring access to abortion a “fundamental” right under the state’s Bill of Rights. It would declare that the state constitution does not grant a right to abortion.Abortion opponents argued that the measure would simply allow the Legislature to regulate abortion as it has in the past and in line with U.S. Supreme Court decisions.Abortion rights supporters argued that the measure would allow Kansas to ban abortion if a more conservative U.S. Supreme Court overturns its 1973 Roe v. Wade decision.If the measure is approved by two-thirds majorities in both chambers, it would go on the August 2022&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legislature-constitutions-kansas-general-elections-elections-56b272878ee505c44931b2a1840636b7">primary ballot.&nbsp;</a>Critics said abortion opponents are choosing that timing because the smaller primary electorate tends to be more conservative than a broader November general electorate.___

Gov. issues warning on Kan. pro-life amendment to constitution

LONDON (AP) — There is some evidence that a new coronavirus variant first identified in southeast England carries a higher risk of death .than the original strain, the British government’s chief scientific adviser said Friday -- though he stressed that the data is uncertain

Patrick Vallance told a news conference that “there is evidence that there is an increased risk for those who have the new variant.”

He said that for a man in his 60s with the original version of the virus, “the average risk is that for 1,000 people who got infected, roughly 10 would be expected to unfortunately die.”

“With the new variant, for 1,000 people infected, roughly 13 or 14 people might be expected to die,” he said.

But Vallance stressed that “the evidence is not yet strong” and more research is needed.

In contrast to that uncertainty, he said, there is growing confidence that the variant is more easily passed on than the original coronavirus strain. He said it appears to be between 30% and 70% more transmissible.

Maria Van Kerkhove, the World Health Organization’s technical lead on COVID-19, said studies were underway to look at the transmission and severity of new virus variants.

She said so far “they haven’t seen an increase in severity” but that more transmission could lead to “an overburdened health care system” and thus more deaths.

The evidence for the new variant being more deadly is i&nbsp;<a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/955239/NERVTAG_paper_on_variant_of_concern__VOC__B.1.1.7.pdf" target="_blank">n a paper prepared by a group of scientists that advises the government on new respiratory viruses</a>, based on several studies.

The British scientists said that although initial analyses suggested that the strain, first identified in September, did not cause more severe disease, several more recent ones suggest it might. However, the numbers of deaths are relatively small, and case fatality rates are affected by many things including the care patients get and their age and health beyond having COVID-19.

The British scientists stress that the information so far has major limitations, and that they do not know how representative the cases included in the analyses are of what’s happening throughout the country or elsewhere.

One analysis did not find an increased risk of death among people admitted to a hospital with the new strain. In another, the odds of being admitted to a hospital with the new strain compared to the previously dominant one were no different.

There is a lag in reporting hospitalizations after infection, and a further lag from infection to death, so officials expect to learn more in several weeks.

Paul Hunter, Professor in Medicine at the University of East Anglia, said “there is quite a bit of difference in the estimated increased risk of death between the different analyses, though most, but not all, show increased risk of death,” he said.

Ian Jones, professor of Virology at the University of Reading, said “the data is limited and the conclusions preliminary. However, an increased case fatality rate is certainly possible with a virus that has upped its game in transmission.”

British officials say they are confident that the vaccines that have been authorized for use against COVID-19 will be effective against the new strain identified in the country.

But Vallance said scientists are concerned that variants identified in Brazil and South Africa could be more resistant to vaccines, adding that more research needs to be done.

Concerns about newly identified variants have triggered a spate of new travel restrictions around the world. Many countries have closed their borders to travelers from Britain, and the U.K. has halted flights from Brazil and South Africa.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said there could be further restrictions.

“We may need to go further to protect our borders,” he said.

Britain has recorded 95,981 deaths among people who tested positive for the coronavirus, the highest confirmed total in Europe.

The U.K. is currently in a lockdown in an attempt to slow the latest surge of the coronavirus outbreak. Pubs, restaurants, entertainment venues and many shops are closed, and people are required to stay largely at home.

The number of new infections has begun to fall, but deaths remain agonizingly high, averaging more than 1,000 a day, and the number of hospitalized patients is 80% higher than at the first peak of the pandemic in the spring.

Johnson, who has often been accused of giving overly optimistic predictions about relaxing coronavirus restrictions, sounded gloomy.

“We will have to live with coronavirus in one way or another for a long while to come,” he said, adding that “it’s an open question” when measures could be eased.

“At this stage you’ve got to be very, very cautious indeed,” he said. Vallance agreed, “I don’t think this virus is going anywhere,” he said. “It’s going to be around, probably, forever.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608566572342.png" alt="Image courtesy GISAID" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy GISAID</figcaption>
 </figure>LONDON (AP) — There is some evidence that a new coronavirus variant first identified in southeast England carries a higher risk of death .than the original strain, the British government’s chief scientific adviser said Friday -- though he stressed that the data is uncertainPatrick Vallance told a news conference that “there is evidence that there is an increased risk for those who have the new variant.”He said that for a man in his 60s with the original version of the virus, “the average risk is that for 1,000 people who got infected, roughly 10 would be expected to unfortunately die.”“With the new variant, for 1,000 people infected, roughly 13 or 14 people might be expected to die,” he said.But Vallance stressed that “the evidence is not yet strong” and more research is needed.In contrast to that uncertainty, he said, there is growing confidence that the variant is more easily passed on than the original coronavirus strain. He said it appears to be between 30% and 70% more transmissible.Maria Van Kerkhove, the World Health Organization’s technical lead on COVID-19, said studies were underway to look at the transmission and severity of new virus variants.She said so far “they haven’t seen an increase in severity” but that more transmission could lead to “an overburdened health care system” and thus more deaths.The evidence for the new variant being more deadly is i&nbsp;<a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/955239/NERVTAG_paper_on_variant_of_concern__VOC__B.1.1.7.pdf" target="_blank">n a paper prepared by a group of scientists that advises the government on new respiratory viruses</a>, based on several studies.The British scientists said that although initial analyses suggested that the strain, first identified in September, did not cause more severe disease, several more recent ones suggest it might. However, the numbers of deaths are relatively small, and case fatality rates are affected by many things including the care patients get and their age and health beyond having COVID-19.The British scientists stress that the information so far has major limitations, and that they do not know how representative the cases included in the analyses are of what’s happening throughout the country or elsewhere.One analysis did not find an increased risk of death among people admitted to a hospital with the new strain. In another, the odds of being admitted to a hospital with the new strain compared to the previously dominant one were no different.There is a lag in reporting hospitalizations after infection, and a further lag from infection to death, so officials expect to learn more in several weeks.Paul Hunter, Professor in Medicine at the University of East Anglia, said “there is quite a bit of difference in the estimated increased risk of death between the different analyses, though most, but not all, show increased risk of death,” he said.Ian Jones, professor of Virology at the University of Reading, said “the data is limited and the conclusions preliminary. However, an increased case fatality rate is certainly possible with a virus that has upped its game in transmission.”British officials say they are confident that the vaccines that have been authorized for use against COVID-19 will be effective against the new strain identified in the country.But Vallance said scientists are concerned that variants identified in Brazil and South Africa could be more resistant to vaccines, adding that more research needs to be done.Concerns about newly identified variants have triggered a spate of new travel restrictions around the world. Many countries have closed their borders to travelers from Britain, and the U.K. has halted flights from Brazil and South Africa.Prime Minister Boris Johnson said there could be further restrictions.“We may need to go further to protect our borders,” he said.Britain has recorded 95,981 deaths among people who tested positive for the coronavirus, the highest confirmed total in Europe.The U.K. is currently in a lockdown in an attempt to slow the latest surge of the coronavirus outbreak. Pubs, restaurants, entertainment venues and many shops are closed, and people are required to stay largely at home.The number of new infections has begun to fall, but deaths remain agonizingly high, averaging more than 1,000 a day, and the number of hospitalized patients is 80% higher than at the first peak of the pandemic in the spring.Johnson, who has often been accused of giving overly optimistic predictions about relaxing coronavirus restrictions, sounded gloomy.“We will have to live with coronavirus in one way or another for a long while to come,” he said, adding that “it’s an open question” when measures could be eased.“At this stage you’ve got to be very, very cautious indeed,” he said. Vallance agreed, “I don’t think this virus is going anywhere,” he said. “It’s going to be around, probably, forever.”

UK chief scientist says new virus variant may be more deadly

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Larry King, the suspenders-sporting everyman whose broadcast interviews with world leaders, movie stars and ordinary Joes helped define American conversation for a half-century, died Saturday. He was 87.

King died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, Ora Media, the studio and network he co-founded,&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/kingsthings/status/1352960673978880000/photo/2" target="_blank">tweeted.&nbsp;</a>No cause of death was given, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/los-angeles-larry-king-coronavirus-pandemic-talk-shows-us-news-7cd892f589671d503a4d45de00890f64">CNN had earlier reported</a>&nbsp;he was hospitalized with COVID-19.

A longtime nationally syndicated radio host, from 1985 through 2010 he was a nightly fixture on CNN, where he won many honors, including two Peabody awards.

With his celebrity interviews, political debates and topical discussions, King wasn’t just an enduring on-air personality. He also set himself apart with the curiosity be brought to every interview, whether questioning the assault victim known as the “Central Park Jogger” or billionaire industrialist Ross Perot, who in 1992 rocked the presidential contest by announcing his candidacy on King’s show.

In its early years, “Larry King Live” was based in Washington, D.C., which gave the show an air of gravitas. Likewise King. He was the plainspoken go-between through whom Beltway bigwigs could reach their public, and they did, earning the show prestige as a place where things happened, where news was made.

King conducted an estimated 50,000 on-air interviews. In 1995 he presided over a Middle East peace summit with PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat, King Hussein of Jordan and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. He welcomed everyone from the Dalai Lama to Elizabeth Taylor, from Mikhail Gorbachev to Barack Obama, Bill Gates to Lady Gaga.

Especially after he relocated to Los Angeles, his shows were frequently in the thick of breaking celebrity news, including Paris Hilton talking about her stint in jail in 2007 and Michael Jackson’s friends and family members talking about his death in 2009.

King boasted of never over-preparing for an interview. His nonconfrontational style relaxed his guests and made him readily relatable to his audience.

“I don’t pretend to know it all,” he said in a 1995 Associated Press interview. “Not, `What about Geneva or Cuba?′ I ask, `Mr. President, what don’t you like about this job?′ Or `What’s the biggest mistake you made?′ That’s fascinating.”

At a time when CNN, as the lone player in cable news, was deemed politically neutral, and King was the essence of its middle-of-the-road stance, political figures and people at the center of controversies would seek out his show.

And he was known for getting guests who were notoriously elusive. Frank Sinatra, who rarely gave interviews and often lashed out at reporters, spoke to King in 1988 in what would be the singer’s last major TV appearance. Sinatra was an old friend of King’s and acted accordingly.

“Why are you here?” King asks. Sinatra responds, “Because you asked me to come and I hadn’t seen you in a long time to begin with, I thought we ought to get together and chat, just talk about a lot of things.”

King had never met Marlon Brando, who was even tougher to get and tougher to interview, when the acting giant asked to appear on King’s show in 1994. The two hit it off so famously they ended their 90-minute talk with a song and an on-the-mouth kiss, an image that was all over media in subsequent weeks.

After a gala week marking his 25th anniversary in June 2010, King abruptly announced he was retiring from his show, telling viewers, “It’s time to hang up my nightly suspenders.” Named as his successor in the time slot: British journalist and TV personality Piers Morgan.

By King’s departure that December, suspicion had grown that he had waited a little too long to hang up those suspenders. Once the leader in cable TV news, he ranked third in his time slot with less than half the nightly audience his peak year, 1998, when “Larry King Live” drew 1.64 million viewers.

His wide-eyed, regular-guy approach to interviewing by then felt dated in an era of edgy, pushy or loaded questioning by other hosts.

Meanwhile, occasional flubs had made him seem out of touch, or worse. A prime example from 2007 found King asking Jerry Seinfeld if he had voluntarily left his sitcom or been canceled by his network, NBC.

“I was the No. 1 show in television, Larry,” replied Seinfeld with a flabbergasted look. “Do you know who I am?”

Always a workaholic, King would be back doing specials for CNN within a few months of performing his nightly duties.

He found a new sort of celebrity as a plain-spoken natural on Twitter when the platform emerged, winning over more than 2 million followers who simultaneously mocked and loved him for his esoteric style.

“I’ve never been in a canoe. #Itsmy2cents,” he said in a typical tweet in 2015.

His Twitter account was essentially a revival of a USA Today column he wrote for two decades full of one-off, disjointed thoughts. Norm Macdonald delivered a parody version of the column when he played King on “Saturday Night Live,” with deadpan lines like, “The more I think about it, the more I appreciate the equator.”

King was constantly parodied, often through old-age jokes on late-night talk shows from hosts including David Letterman and Conan O’Brien, often appearing with the latter to get in on the roasting himself.

King came by his voracious but no-frills manner honestly.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1609638834672.png" alt="Larry King moderated a presidential candidate debate in 2004 -photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Larry King moderated a presidential candidate debate in 2004 -photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>LOS ANGELES (AP) — Larry King, the suspenders-sporting everyman whose broadcast interviews with world leaders, movie stars and ordinary Joes helped define American conversation for a half-century, died Saturday. He was 87.King died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, Ora Media, the studio and network he co-founded,&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/kingsthings/status/1352960673978880000/photo/2" target="_blank">tweeted.&nbsp;</a>No cause of death was given, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/los-angeles-larry-king-coronavirus-pandemic-talk-shows-us-news-7cd892f589671d503a4d45de00890f64">CNN had earlier reported</a>&nbsp;he was hospitalized with COVID-19.A longtime nationally syndicated radio host, from 1985 through 2010 he was a nightly fixture on CNN, where he won many honors, including two Peabody awards.With his celebrity interviews, political debates and topical discussions, King wasn’t just an enduring on-air personality. He also set himself apart with the curiosity be brought to every interview, whether questioning the assault victim known as the “Central Park Jogger” or billionaire industrialist Ross Perot, who in 1992 rocked the presidential contest by announcing his candidacy on King’s show.In its early years, “Larry King Live” was based in Washington, D.C., which gave the show an air of gravitas. Likewise King. He was the plainspoken go-between through whom Beltway bigwigs could reach their public, and they did, earning the show prestige as a place where things happened, where news was made.King conducted an estimated 50,000 on-air interviews. In 1995 he presided over a Middle East peace summit with PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat, King Hussein of Jordan and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. He welcomed everyone from the Dalai Lama to Elizabeth Taylor, from Mikhail Gorbachev to Barack Obama, Bill Gates to Lady Gaga.Especially after he relocated to Los Angeles, his shows were frequently in the thick of breaking celebrity news, including Paris Hilton talking about her stint in jail in 2007 and Michael Jackson’s friends and family members talking about his death in 2009.King boasted of never over-preparing for an interview. His nonconfrontational style relaxed his guests and made him readily relatable to his audience.“I don’t pretend to know it all,” he said in a 1995 Associated Press interview. “Not, `What about Geneva or Cuba?′ I ask, `Mr. President, what don’t you like about this job?′ Or `What’s the biggest mistake you made?′ That’s fascinating.”At a time when CNN, as the lone player in cable news, was deemed politically neutral, and King was the essence of its middle-of-the-road stance, political figures and people at the center of controversies would seek out his show.And he was known for getting guests who were notoriously elusive. Frank Sinatra, who rarely gave interviews and often lashed out at reporters, spoke to King in 1988 in what would be the singer’s last major TV appearance. Sinatra was an old friend of King’s and acted accordingly.“Why are you here?” King asks. Sinatra responds, “Because you asked me to come and I hadn’t seen you in a long time to begin with, I thought we ought to get together and chat, just talk about a lot of things.”King had never met Marlon Brando, who was even tougher to get and tougher to interview, when the acting giant asked to appear on King’s show in 1994. The two hit it off so famously they ended their 90-minute talk with a song and an on-the-mouth kiss, an image that was all over media in subsequent weeks.After a gala week marking his 25th anniversary in June 2010, King abruptly announced he was retiring from his show, telling viewers, “It’s time to hang up my nightly suspenders.” Named as his successor in the time slot: British journalist and TV personality Piers Morgan.By King’s departure that December, suspicion had grown that he had waited a little too long to hang up those suspenders. Once the leader in cable TV news, he ranked third in his time slot with less than half the nightly audience his peak year, 1998, when “Larry King Live” drew 1.64 million viewers.His wide-eyed, regular-guy approach to interviewing by then felt dated in an era of edgy, pushy or loaded questioning by other hosts.Meanwhile, occasional flubs had made him seem out of touch, or worse. A prime example from 2007 found King asking Jerry Seinfeld if he had voluntarily left his sitcom or been canceled by his network, NBC.“I was the No. 1 show in television, Larry,” replied Seinfeld with a flabbergasted look. “Do you know who I am?”Always a workaholic, King would be back doing specials for CNN within a few months of performing his nightly duties.He found a new sort of celebrity as a plain-spoken natural on Twitter when the platform emerged, winning over more than 2 million followers who simultaneously mocked and loved him for his esoteric style.“I’ve never been in a canoe. #Itsmy2cents,” he said in a typical tweet in 2015.His Twitter account was essentially a revival of a USA Today column he wrote for two decades full of one-off, disjointed thoughts. Norm Macdonald delivered a parody version of the column when he played King on “Saturday Night Live,” with deadpan lines like, “The more I think about it, the more I appreciate the equator.”King was constantly parodied, often through old-age jokes on late-night talk shows from hosts including David Letterman and Conan O’Brien, often appearing with the latter to get in on the roasting himself.King came by his voracious but no-frills manner honestly.He was born Lawrence Harvey Zeiger in 1933, a son of Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe who ran a bar and grill in Brooklyn. But after his father’s death when Larry was a boy, he faced a troubled, sometimes destitute youth.A fan of such radio stars as Arthur Godfrey and comedians Bob &amp; Ray, King on reaching adulthood set his sights on a broadcasting career. With word that Miami was a good place to break in, he headed south in 1957 and landed a job sweeping floors at a tiny AM station. When a deejay abruptly quit, King was put on the air — and was handed his new surname by the station manager, who thought Zeiger “too Jewish.”A year later he moved to a larger station, where his duties were expanded from the usual patter to serving as host of a daily interview show that aired from a local restaurant. He quickly proved equally adept at talking to the waitresses, and the celebrities who began dropping by.By the early 1960s King had gone to yet a larger Miami station, scored a newspaper column and become a local celebrity himself.At the same time, he fell victim to living large.“It was important to me to come across as a ‘big man,”’ he wrote in his autobiography, which meant “I made a lot of money and spread it around lavishly.”He accumulated debts and his first broken marriages (he was married eight times to seven women). He gambled, borrowed wildly and failed to pay his taxes. He also became involved with a shady financier in a scheme to bankroll an investigation of President Kennedy’s assassination. But when King skimmed some of the cash to pay his overdue taxes, his partner sued him for grand larceny in 1971. The charges were dropped, but King’s reputation appeared ruined.King lost his radio show and, for several years, struggled to find work. But by 1975 the scandal had largely blown over and a Miami station gave him another chance. Regaining his local popularity, King was signed in 1978 to host radio’s first nationwide call-in show.Originating from Washington on the Mutual network, “The Larry King Show” was eventually heard on more than 300 stations and made King a national phenomenon.A few years later, CNN founder Ted Turner offered King a slot on his young network. “Larry King Live” debuted on June 1, 1985, and became CNN’s highest-rated program. King’s beginning salary of $100,000 a year eventually grew to more than $7 million.A three-packs-a-day cigarette habit led to a heart attack in 1987, but King’s quintuple-bypass surgery didn’t slow him down.Meanwhile, he continued to prove that, in his words, “I’m not good at marriage, but I’m a great boyfriend.”He was just 18 when he married high school girlfriend Freda Miller, in 1952. The marriage lasted less than a year. In subsequent decades he would marry Annette Kay, Alene Akins (twice), Mickey Sutfin, Sharon Lepore and Julie Alexander.In 1997, he wed Shawn Southwick, a country singer and actress 26 years his junior. They would file for divorce in 2010, rescind the filing, then file for divorce again in 2019.The couple had two sons, King’s fourth and fifth kids, Chance Armstrong, born in 1999, and Cannon Edward, born in 2000. In 2020, King lost his two eldest children, Andy King and Chaia King, who died of unrelated health problems within weeks of each other.He had many other medical issues in recent decades, including more heart attacks and diagnoses of type 2 diabetes and lung cancer.Early in 2021, CNN reported that King was hospitalized for more than a week with COVID-19.Through his setbacks he continued to work into his late 80s, taking on online talk shows and infomercials as his appearances on CNN grew fewer.“Work,” King once said. “It’s the easiest thing I do.”___