WASHINGTON (AP) — With a burst of executive orders, President Joe Biden served notice Thursday that America’s war on COVID-19 is under new command, promising an anxious nation progress to reduce infections and lift the siege it has endured for nearly a year.

At the same time, he tried to manage expectations in his second day in office, saying despite the best intentions “we’re going to face setbacks.” He brushed off a reporter’s question on whether his goal of 100 million coronavirus shots in 100 days should be more ambitious, a point pressed by some public health experts.

The 10 orders signed by Biden are aimed at jump starting his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-pandemics-archive-coronavirus-pandemic-2cceeb30ccf92784a84cbfa16ed6c3ca">national COVID-19 strategy</a>&nbsp;to increase vaccinations and testing, lay the groundwork for reopening schools and businesses, and immediately increase the use of masks — including a requirement that Americans mask up for travel. One directive calls for addressing health care inequities in minority communities hard hit by the virus.

“We didn’t get into this mess overnight, and it will take months to turn this around,” Biden said at the White House. U.S. deaths have have surged past 400,000, and he noted projections that they could reach 500,000 in a month.

But then, looking directly into the TV camera, Biden declared: “To a nation waiting for action, let me be clear on this point: Help is on the way.”

The new president has vowed to take far&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/National-Strategy-for-the-COVID-19-Response-and-Pandemic-Preparedness.pdf" target="_blank">more aggressive measures</a>&nbsp;to contain the virus than his predecessor, starting with stringent adherence to public health guidance. A key difference is that under Biden, the federal government is assuming full responsibility for the COVID response. And instead of delegating major tasks to states, he is offering to help them with technical backup and federal money.

He faces steep obstacles, with the virus actively spreading in most states, slow progress on the vaccine rollout and political uncertainty over whether congressional Republicans will help him pass a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-coronavirus-action-plan-3d8d5841bb9098a81ad9452fb2619024">$1.9 trillion economic relief and COVID response package.</a>

On Thursday a group influential with Republican office holders lent its support to Biden’s strategy. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce said, “We support the new administration’s focus on removing roadblocks to vaccinations and reopening schools, both of which are important steps to accelerating a broad-based economic recovery for all Americans.”

Biden officials have said they’ve been hampered by a lack of cooperation from the Trump administration during the transition. They say they don’t have a complete understanding of their predecessors’ actions on vaccine distribution. And they face a litany of complaints from states that say they are not getting enough vaccine even as they are being asked to vaccinate more categories of people.

The U.S. mask order for travel implemented by Biden applies to airports and planes, ships, intercity buses, trains and public transportation. Travelers from abroad must furnish a negative COVID-19 test before departing for the U.S. and must quarantine upon arrival. Biden has already mandated masks on federal property.

Although airlines, Amtrak and other transport providers now require masks, Biden’s order makes it a federal mandate, leaving little wiggle room for passengers tempted to argue about their rights. It marks a sharp break with the culture of President Donald Trump’s administration, under which masks were optional, and Trump made a point of going maskless and hosting big gatherings of like-minded supporters. Science has shown that masks, properly worn, cut down on coronavirus transmission.

Biden is seeking to expand testing and vaccine availability, with the goal of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/a512629b3af12e89ab42097a81668960">100 million shots in his first 100 days in office</a>. But some independent experts say his administration should strive for two or three times that number. Even with the slow pace of vaccinations, the U.S. is already closing in on 1 million shots a day.

“It’s a disappointingly low bar,” said Dr. Leana Wen, a public health expert and emergency physician.

Asked about that at the White House on Thursday, Biden told a reporter: “When I announced it, you all said it’s not possible. Come on, give me a break, man.”

The Democratic president has directed the Federal Emergency Management Agency to begin setting up vaccination centers, aiming to have 100 up and running in a month. He’s ordering the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to begin a program to make vaccines available through local pharmacies starting next month, building on a plan devised by the Trump administration. And he’s launching an effort to train more people to administer shots.

Biden has set a goal of having most K-8 schools reopen in his first 100 days, and he’s ordering the departments of Education and Health and Human Services to provide clear guidance for reopening them safely. States would also be able to tap FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund to help get schools back open.

Getting schools and child care going will help ease the drag on the U.S. economy, making it easier for parents to return to their jobs and for restaurants to find lunch-time customers.

But administration officials stressed that reopening schools safely depends on increased testing.

Biden is giving government agencies a green light to use the Cold War-era&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/16bf293467703f6b4fceae5a7f272ab5">Defense Production Act</a>&nbsp;to direct manufacturing. It allows the government to direct private industry to produce supplies needed in times of national emergency. In this case it could be anything from swabs, to masks, to certain chemicals.

“We do not have nearly enough testing capacity in this country,” said White House coronavirus coordinator Jeff Zients. “We need (more) money in order to really ramp up testing, which is so important to reopen schools and businesses.”

This means that efforts to boost the economy could hinge on how quickly lawmakers act on the $1.9 trillion package proposed by Biden, which includes separate planks such as $1,400 in direct payments to most working people, a $15 minimum wage and aid to state and local governments that some Republican lawmakers see as unnecessary for addressing the public health emergency.

The Biden plan estimates that a national vaccination strategy with expanded testing requires $160 billion, and he wants an additional $170 billion to aid the reopening of schools and universities. The proposal also calls for major investment in scientific research to track new variants of the virus.

As part of his strategy, Biden ordered establishment of a Health Equity Task Force to ensure that minority and underserved communities are not left out of the government’s response. Blacks, Latinos and Native Americans have borne a heavy burden of death and disease from the virus. Surveys have shown vaccine hesitancy is high among African Americans, a problem the administration plans to address through an education campaign.

But Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith, the top White House health adviser on minority communities, said she’s not convinced that race is a factor in vaccination reluctance. Disparities seem to have more to do with risky jobs and other life circumstances.

“It’s not inherent to race,” she said. “It’s from the exposures.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611316225677.png" alt="President Biden discussed his COVID-19 plan Thursday -image courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>President Biden discussed his COVID-19 plan Thursday -image courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — With a burst of executive orders, President Joe Biden served notice Thursday that America’s war on COVID-19 is under new command, promising an anxious nation progress to reduce infections and lift the siege it has endured for nearly a year.At the same time, he tried to manage expectations in his second day in office, saying despite the best intentions “we’re going to face setbacks.” He brushed off a reporter’s question on whether his goal of 100 million coronavirus shots in 100 days should be more ambitious, a point pressed by some public health experts.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Today, <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> issued a mask mandate on federal property, launching his “100 Day Masking Challenge” as part of our efforts to flatten the COVID-19 curve. <a href="https://t.co/NLGr6JHB0h">pic.twitter.com/NLGr6JHB0h</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1352086017822650368?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The 10 orders signed by Biden are aimed at jump starting his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-pandemics-archive-coronavirus-pandemic-2cceeb30ccf92784a84cbfa16ed6c3ca">national COVID-19 strategy</a>&nbsp;to increase vaccinations and testing, lay the groundwork for reopening schools and businesses, and immediately increase the use of masks — including a requirement that Americans mask up for travel. One directive calls for addressing health care inequities in minority communities hard hit by the virus.“We didn’t get into this mess overnight, and it will take months to turn this around,” Biden said at the White House. U.S. deaths have have surged past 400,000, and he noted projections that they could reach 500,000 in a month.But then, looking directly into the TV camera, Biden declared: “To a nation waiting for action, let me be clear on this point: Help is on the way.”The new president has vowed to take far&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/National-Strategy-for-the-COVID-19-Response-and-Pandemic-Preparedness.pdf" target="_blank">more aggressive measures</a>&nbsp;to contain the virus than his predecessor, starting with stringent adherence to public health guidance. A key difference is that under Biden, the federal government is assuming full responsibility for the COVID response. And instead of delegating major tasks to states, he is offering to help them with technical backup and federal money.He faces steep obstacles, with the virus actively spreading in most states, slow progress on the vaccine rollout and political uncertainty over whether congressional Republicans will help him pass a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-coronavirus-action-plan-3d8d5841bb9098a81ad9452fb2619024">$1.9 trillion economic relief and COVID response package.</a>On Thursday a group influential with Republican office holders lent its support to Biden’s strategy. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce said, “We support the new administration’s focus on removing roadblocks to vaccinations and reopening schools, both of which are important steps to accelerating a broad-based economic recovery for all Americans.”Biden officials have said they’ve been hampered by a lack of cooperation from the Trump administration during the transition. They say they don’t have a complete understanding of their predecessors’ actions on vaccine distribution. And they face a litany of complaints from states that say they are not getting enough vaccine even as they are being asked to vaccinate more categories of people.The U.S. mask order for travel implemented by Biden applies to airports and planes, ships, intercity buses, trains and public transportation. Travelers from abroad must furnish a negative COVID-19 test before departing for the U.S. and must quarantine upon arrival. Biden has already mandated masks on federal property.Although airlines, Amtrak and other transport providers now require masks, Biden’s order makes it a federal mandate, leaving little wiggle room for passengers tempted to argue about their rights. It marks a sharp break with the culture of President Donald Trump’s administration, under which masks were optional, and Trump made a point of going maskless and hosting big gatherings of like-minded supporters. Science has shown that masks, properly worn, cut down on coronavirus transmission.Biden is seeking to expand testing and vaccine availability, with the goal of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/a512629b3af12e89ab42097a81668960">100 million shots in his first 100 days in office</a>. But some independent experts say his administration should strive for two or three times that number. Even with the slow pace of vaccinations, the U.S. is already closing in on 1 million shots a day.“It’s a disappointingly low bar,” said Dr. Leana Wen, a public health expert and emergency physician.Asked about that at the White House on Thursday, Biden told a reporter: “When I announced it, you all said it’s not possible. Come on, give me a break, man.”The Democratic president has directed the Federal Emergency Management Agency to begin setting up vaccination centers, aiming to have 100 up and running in a month. He’s ordering the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to begin a program to make vaccines available through local pharmacies starting next month, building on a plan devised by the Trump administration. And he’s launching an effort to train more people to administer shots.Biden has set a goal of having most K-8 schools reopen in his first 100 days, and he’s ordering the departments of Education and Health and Human Services to provide clear guidance for reopening them safely. States would also be able to tap FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund to help get schools back open.Getting schools and child care going will help ease the drag on the U.S. economy, making it easier for parents to return to their jobs and for restaurants to find lunch-time customers.But administration officials stressed that reopening schools safely depends on increased testing.Biden is giving government agencies a green light to use the Cold War-era&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/16bf293467703f6b4fceae5a7f272ab5">Defense Production Act</a>&nbsp;to direct manufacturing. It allows the government to direct private industry to produce supplies needed in times of national emergency. In this case it could be anything from swabs, to masks, to certain chemicals.“We do not have nearly enough testing capacity in this country,” said White House coronavirus coordinator Jeff Zients. “We need (more) money in order to really ramp up testing, which is so important to reopen schools and businesses.”This means that efforts to boost the economy could hinge on how quickly lawmakers act on the $1.9 trillion package proposed by Biden, which includes separate planks such as $1,400 in direct payments to most working people, a $15 minimum wage and aid to state and local governments that some Republican lawmakers see as unnecessary for addressing the public health emergency.The Biden plan estimates that a national vaccination strategy with expanded testing requires $160 billion, and he wants an additional $170 billion to aid the reopening of schools and universities. The proposal also calls for major investment in scientific research to track new variants of the virus.As part of his strategy, Biden ordered establishment of a Health Equity Task Force to ensure that minority and underserved communities are not left out of the government’s response. Blacks, Latinos and Native Americans have borne a heavy burden of death and disease from the virus. Surveys have shown vaccine hesitancy is high among African Americans, a problem the administration plans to address through an education campaign.But Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith, the top White House health adviser on minority communities, said she’s not convinced that race is a factor in vaccination reluctance. Disparities seem to have more to do with risky jobs and other life circumstances.“It’s not inherent to race,” she said. “It’s from the exposures.”___

Biden’s mask order for travel includes airports, Amtrak and more

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Two people were in custody and a third was being sought after shots were fired toward police officers during a chase early Thursday in downtown Columbia.

The confrontation began when an officer investigated a car that was stopped in the street with no lights on, police said in a news release.

The vehicle chase ended when the suspect's vehicle crashed in front of the Columbia Fire Department administration building.

A suspect allegedly shot at a police vehicle as it approached the area, police said, before the suspects fled on foot. No one was injured.

Anthony Stapleton, 18, of Columbia, was arrested and a juvenile was detained. A third suspect was still at large Thursday afternoon.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611271213022.png" alt="Stapleton photo Boone Co." />
 <figcaption>Stapleton photo Boone Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Two people were in custody and a third was being sought after shots were fired toward police officers during a chase early Thursday in downtown Columbia.The confrontation began when an officer investigated a car that was stopped in the street with no lights on, police said in a news release.The vehicle chase ended when the suspect's vehicle crashed in front of the Columbia Fire Department administration building.A suspect allegedly shot at a police vehicle as it approached the area, police said, before the suspects fled on foot. No one was injured.Anthony Stapleton, 18, of Columbia, was arrested and a juvenile was detained. A third suspect was still at large Thursday afternoon.

2 in custody after shots fired at Missouri officers

COWLEY COUNTY—Three-month old Isabella Consul-Pierce has been located is safe, according to Arkansas City Police.&nbsp;

On Wednesday, her name was entered into National Crime Information Center as an endangered-missing person. Police have released no additional details on where they found the baby or on her mother&nbsp;Melissa Ingram-Perdue.

COWLEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are asking the public for help to locate a woman and her infant.

On Wednesday, three-month-old Isabella Consul-Pierce was entered into National Crime Information Center as an endangered-missing person, according to a media release from Arkansas City, Kansas police.

She is believed to be in the custody of her mother 34-year-old Melissa Ingram-Perdue, who resides in Arkansas City with ties to the Lawrence, Kansas area. She is 5-foot-7 and weighs approximately 175 pounds.

Numerous efforts are underway to locate Isabella and the public's assistance is also being requested.  Melissa potentially is driving a dark grey 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee with Kansas license plate 602NMH.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Should you come into contact with the vehicle, victim or Mrs. Ingram-Perdue, please contact your local area law enforcement agency immediately.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611254457773.png" alt="Ingram-Perdue-photo Arkansas City PD" />
 <figcaption>Ingram-Perdue-photo Arkansas City PD</figcaption>
 </figure>COWLEY COUNTY—Three-month old Isabella Consul-Pierce has been located is safe, according to Arkansas City Police.&nbsp;On Wednesday, her name was entered into National Crime Information Center as an endangered-missing person. Police have released no additional details on where they found the baby or on her mother&nbsp;Melissa Ingram-Perdue.-----COWLEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are asking the public for help to locate a woman and her infant.On Wednesday, three-month-old Isabella Consul-Pierce was entered into National Crime Information Center as an endangered-missing person, according to a media release from Arkansas City, Kansas police.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611254548509.png" alt="IsabellaConsul-Pierce" />
 <figcaption>IsabellaConsul-Pierce</figcaption>
 </figure>She is believed to be in the custody of her mother 34-year-old Melissa Ingram-Perdue, who resides in Arkansas City with ties to the Lawrence, Kansas area. She is 5-foot-7 and weighs approximately 175 pounds.Numerous efforts are underway to locate Isabella and the public's assistance is also being requested. Melissa potentially is driving a dark grey 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee with Kansas license plate 602NMH.&nbsp;&nbsp;Should you come into contact with the vehicle, victim or Mrs. Ingram-Perdue, please contact your local area law enforcement agency immediately.

Police: Missing 3-month-old Kan. girl found safe

WASHINGTON (AP) — Seven Democratic senators on Thursday asked the Senate Ethics Committee to investigate the actions of Republican Sens. Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley “to fully understand their role” in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol by supporters of former President Donald Trump.

Thousands had gathered that day as Congress voted to formally certify President Joe Biden’s victory over Trump in November. Hawley and Cruz led objections in the Senate to Biden’s victory, despite the widespread recognition that the effort would fail.

In the end, Congress certified Biden’s Electoral College victory, but not before thousands marched to the Capitol at Trump’s urging, overwhelmed security and interrupted the proceedings. In the end, the violence led to five deaths, injured dozens of police officers and caused extensive damage to the Capitol.

The Democratic senators said the question for the Senate to determine is not whether Cruz and Hawley had the right to object, but whether the senators failed to put loyalty “to the highest moral principles and to country above loyalty to persons, party, or Government department.” They also said the investigation should determine whether Cruz, of Texas, and Hawley, of Missouri, engaged in “improper conduct reflecting on the Senate.”

“Until then, a cloud of uncertainty will hang over them and over this body,” the Democratic senators wrote in a letter to the leaders of the Senate Ethics Committee.

The Democratic senators said Cruz and Hawley announced their intentions to object even though they knew that claims of election fraud were baseless and had led to threats of violence.

“Their actions lend credence to the insurrectionists’ cause and set the stage for future violence. And both senators used their objections for political fundraising,” the Democratic senators said in their letter.

Cruz and Hawley have condemned the violence on Jan. 6. Cruz called it a "despicable act of terrorism.” Hawley said those who attacked police and broke the law must be prosecuted.

Cruz helped force a vote on Biden's victory in Arizona, while Hawley helped force one on Biden's victory in Pennsylvania.

“Joe Biden and the Democrats talk about unity but are brazenly trying to silence dissent," Hawley said in a prepared statement. “This latest effort is a flagrant abuse of the Senate ethics process and a flagrant attempt to exact partisan revenge."

Those Democrats requesting the investigation are Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, Ron Wyden of Oregon, Tina Smith of Minnesota, Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, Tim Kaine of Virginia and Sherrod Brown of Ohio.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Seven Democratic senators on Thursday asked the Senate Ethics Committee to investigate the actions of Republican Sens. Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley “to fully understand their role” in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol by supporters of former President Donald Trump.Thousands had gathered that day as Congress voted to formally certify President Joe Biden’s victory over Trump in November. Hawley and Cruz led objections in the Senate to Biden’s victory, despite the widespread recognition that the effort would fail.In the end, Congress certified Biden’s Electoral College victory, but not before thousands marched to the Capitol at Trump’s urging, overwhelmed security and interrupted the proceedings. In the end, the violence led to five deaths, injured dozens of police officers and caused extensive damage to the Capitol.The Democratic senators said the question for the Senate to determine is not whether Cruz and Hawley had the right to object, but whether the senators failed to put loyalty “to the highest moral principles and to country above loyalty to persons, party, or Government department.” They also said the investigation should determine whether Cruz, of Texas, and Hawley, of Missouri, engaged in “improper conduct reflecting on the Senate.”“Until then, a cloud of uncertainty will hang over them and over this body,” the Democratic senators wrote in a letter to the leaders of the Senate Ethics Committee.The Democratic senators said Cruz and Hawley announced their intentions to object even though they knew that claims of election fraud were baseless and had led to threats of violence.“Their actions lend credence to the insurrectionists’ cause and set the stage for future violence. And both senators used their objections for political fundraising,” the Democratic senators said in their letter.Cruz and Hawley have condemned the violence on Jan. 6. Cruz called it a "despicable act of terrorism.” Hawley said those who attacked police and broke the law must be prosecuted.Cruz helped force a vote on Biden's victory in Arizona, while Hawley helped force one on Biden's victory in Pennsylvania.“Joe Biden and the Democrats talk about unity but are brazenly trying to silence dissent," Hawley said in a prepared statement. “This latest effort is a flagrant abuse of the Senate ethics process and a flagrant attempt to exact partisan revenge."Those Democrats requesting the investigation are Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, Ron Wyden of Oregon, Tina Smith of Minnesota, Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, Tim Kaine of Virginia and Sherrod Brown of Ohio.

Democrats ask ethics panel to investigate Senator Hawley

POLK COUNTY—A Missouri woman died in an accident just before 4p.m. Thursday in Polk County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Chevy Cavalier driven by Kathy L. Warner, 61, Buffalo, MO., was westbound on MO 32 three miles east of Halfway.

The car traveled off the road, struck a culvert, became airborne and overturned.&nbsp;

Warner was pronounced dead&nbsp; at the scene and was transported to a funeral home in Buffalo. EMS transported a 14-year-old passenger in the car to Mercy Hospital in Springfield. They were not wearing seat belts, according to the MSHP.

POLK COUNTY—A Missouri woman died in an accident just before 4p.m. Thursday in Polk County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Chevy Cavalier driven by Kathy L. Warner, 61, Buffalo, MO., was westbound on MO 32 three miles east of Halfway.The car traveled off the road, struck a culvert, became airborne and overturned.&nbsp;Warner was pronounced dead&nbsp; at the scene and was transported to a funeral home in Buffalo. EMS transported a 14-year-old passenger in the car to Mercy Hospital in Springfield. They were not wearing seat belts, according to the MSHP.

Missouri woman dead, teen hospitalized after crash

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A Kansas City area McDonald's restaurant owner who attended the Washington rally that spawned a deadly assault on the U.S. Capitol is apologizing after he wrote on social media that he was “glad" he didn't miss the “HISTORICAL DAY."

Jim Wagy said in a statement issued Wednesday that he was not part of the mob that attacked the Capitol on Jan. 6 after a rally in which Republican Donald Trump repeated unsubstantiated claims that the presidential election he lost to Democrat Joe Biden was rigged, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/business/article248644485.html">reports</a>.

“I apologize for, and sincerely regret, the comments I made. At the time of my posts, I did not understand the totality of the devastation caused by the terrible attack on the Capitol,” said Wagy, who owns and operates eight restaurants.

On Facebook, Wagy said he took a 21-hour bus ride to Washington “to peacefully protest election fraud.”

“It was a HISTORICAL DAY in our history! I’m glad that I didn’t miss it!!!” he wrote on his Facebook account, which has since been deleted. He also described it as an “EPIC adventure."

As a franchisee, Wagy is not an employee of McDonald’s, but the chain did denounce his rhetoric, describing it as “troubling and offensive."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611249784996.png" alt="Crowd a the Jan. 6 Trump rally in Washington- photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Crowd a the Jan. 6 Trump rally in Washington- photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — A Kansas City area McDonald's restaurant owner who attended the Washington rally that spawned a deadly assault on the U.S. Capitol is apologizing after he wrote on social media that he was “glad" he didn't miss the “HISTORICAL DAY."Jim Wagy said in a statement issued Wednesday that he was not part of the mob that attacked the Capitol on Jan. 6 after a rally in which Republican Donald Trump repeated unsubstantiated claims that the presidential election he lost to Democrat Joe Biden was rigged, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/business/article248644485.html">reports</a>.“I apologize for, and sincerely regret, the comments I made. At the time of my posts, I did not understand the totality of the devastation caused by the terrible attack on the Capitol,” said Wagy, who owns and operates eight restaurants.On Facebook, Wagy said he took a 21-hour bus ride to Washington “to peacefully protest election fraud.”“It was a HISTORICAL DAY in our history! I’m glad that I didn’t miss it!!!” he wrote on his Facebook account, which has since been deleted. He also described it as an “EPIC adventure."As a franchisee, Wagy is not an employee of McDonald’s, but the chain did denounce his rhetoric, describing it as “troubling and offensive."

KC restaurant owner who attended Trump rally apologizes 

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri legislative leaders said Thursday that they are planning to open a rapid COVID-19 testing clinic inside the Capitol building, after the annual session began with an outbreak of the disease.

The clinic, led by a nurse, would be open to lawmakers, staff and others who regularly work in the Capitol, such as lobbyists and journalists, said House Chief Clerk Dana Rademan Miller. She said it hopefully will open within the next couple weeks.

Although discussions about a Capitol clinic have been ongoing for a month, the concept picked up steam after the Legislature opened its session Jan. 6 and soon started seeing COVID-19 cases. The House canceled its session this week and encouraged most staff to work remotely. The Senate remained in session.

Freshman state Rep. Lisa Thomas told The Associated Press on Thursday that she began experiencing COVID-19 symptoms on Saturday, just one day after she was last at the Capitol, and tested positive for the virus earlier this week. Thomas said she doesn't know exactly how or where she caught the virus.

"It’s very hard to say, but I would tend to think statistically it’s likely that it was at the Capitol,” said Thomas, a Republican from the Lake of the Ozarks area.

She is at least the third House member — along with Democratic Reps. Wes Rogers and Kimberly-Ann Collins — to confirm having COVID-19 since the session started. At least 11 other Missouri state lawmakers have had COVID-19 at some point during pandemic, according to an AP tally.

Missouri recorded more than 11,000 new COVID-19 cases in the past seven days, for an average of nearly 1,600 a day and a testing positivity rate of 12.2%. Those figures are about half of what they were a month or two ago.

Some coronavirus precautions have been taken in the Capitol. For example, public seating is limited in committee rooms. But legislators' desks remain next to each other in the chambers and are particularly close in the House. It's up to each lawmaker to decide whether to wear a mask. As the session began, most Democrats did while most Republicans did not.

Thomas said she generally had not been wearing a mask at the Capitol.

“Masks don’t keep you from having viruses transmitted,” she said. "It's like expecting a chain link fence to stop a BB, it’s not going to happen.”

Though virus particles can still get around or through basic cloth or disposable masks, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people wear masks in public settings to reduce the likelihood of spreading coronavirus to others.

The new coronavirus testing site is to be located in the Capitol basement in an office that, until now, had been used by University of Missouri journalism school students who cover state government. The university is having to find a new place for its students to work.

Senate Republican and Democratic leaders both expressed support Thursday for the coronavirus testing clinic. But Minority Leader John Rizzo, a Democrat from Kansas City, also expressed frustration that temperature screenings weren't conducted on people entering the Capitol this week, as they had been when the session began.

“I think keeping government running and open down here is probably essential to getting people back up and going on Main Street, Missouri," Rizzo said. "We want to do it as safely as possible.”

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri legislative leaders said Thursday that they are planning to open a rapid COVID-19 testing clinic inside the Capitol building, after the annual session began with an outbreak of the disease.The clinic, led by a nurse, would be open to lawmakers, staff and others who regularly work in the Capitol, such as lobbyists and journalists, said House Chief Clerk Dana Rademan Miller. She said it hopefully will open within the next couple weeks.Although discussions about a Capitol clinic have been ongoing for a month, the concept picked up steam after the Legislature opened its session Jan. 6 and soon started seeing COVID-19 cases. The House canceled its session this week and encouraged most staff to work remotely. The Senate remained in session.Freshman state Rep. Lisa Thomas told The Associated Press on Thursday that she began experiencing COVID-19 symptoms on Saturday, just one day after she was last at the Capitol, and tested positive for the virus earlier this week. Thomas said she doesn't know exactly how or where she caught the virus."It’s very hard to say, but I would tend to think statistically it’s likely that it was at the Capitol,” said Thomas, a Republican from the Lake of the Ozarks area.She is at least the third House member — along with Democratic Reps. Wes Rogers and Kimberly-Ann Collins — to confirm having COVID-19 since the session started. At least 11 other Missouri state lawmakers have had COVID-19 at some point during pandemic, according to an AP tally.Missouri recorded more than 11,000 new COVID-19 cases in the past seven days, for an average of nearly 1,600 a day and a testing positivity rate of 12.2%. Those figures are about half of what they were a month or two ago.Some coronavirus precautions have been taken in the Capitol. For example, public seating is limited in committee rooms. But legislators' desks remain next to each other in the chambers and are particularly close in the House. It's up to each lawmaker to decide whether to wear a mask. As the session began, most Democrats did while most Republicans did not.Thomas said she generally had not been wearing a mask at the Capitol.“Masks don’t keep you from having viruses transmitted,” she said. "It's like expecting a chain link fence to stop a BB, it’s not going to happen.”Though virus particles can still get around or through basic cloth or disposable masks, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people wear masks in public settings to reduce the likelihood of spreading coronavirus to others.The new coronavirus testing site is to be located in the Capitol basement in an office that, until now, had been used by University of Missouri journalism school students who cover state government. The university is having to find a new place for its students to work.Senate Republican and Democratic leaders both expressed support Thursday for the coronavirus testing clinic. But Minority Leader John Rizzo, a Democrat from Kansas City, also expressed frustration that temperature screenings weren't conducted on people entering the Capitol this week, as they had been when the session began.“I think keeping government running and open down here is probably essential to getting people back up and going on Main Street, Missouri," Rizzo said. "We want to do it as safely as possible.”

Virus test clinic planned at Missouri Capitol after outbreak

TOPEKA, Kan. — Gov. Laura Kelly held a press conference&nbsp; Thursday to give an update regarding Kansas’s current phase within her administration’s COVID-19 vaccination framework, and other virus information for the state of Kansas. She reminded residents the state has a new vaccine information web site.&nbsp; <a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/">Click here </a>to access the web site.

The Republican-led House on Thursday approved a bill that would extend the state’s pandemic emergency declaration. The 119-3 vote sends the bill to Gov. Laura Kelly, who has until Jan. 26 to act before the declaration expires. It expands the use of telemedicine and adds flexibility in health care licensing through March 31. But it also limits Kelly’s ability to close businesses and allows counties to opt out of mask mandates and other health orders she issues.&nbsp;

&nbsp;The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 3590 to a total of 263,412, the state health department reported Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp;

Coronavirus deaths were reported at 3575 an increase of 50

<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional numbers from the KDHE.

TOPEKA, Kan. — Gov. Laura Kelly held a press conference&nbsp; Thursday to give an update regarding Kansas’s current phase within her administration’s COVID-19 vaccination framework, and other virus information for the state of Kansas. She reminded residents the state has a new vaccine information web site.&nbsp; <a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/">Click here </a>to access the web site.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FGovLauraKelly%2Fvideos%2F3948694321829209%2F&show_text=false&width=560" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>The Republican-led House on Thursday approved a bill that would extend the state’s pandemic emergency declaration. The 119-3 vote sends the bill to Gov. Laura Kelly, who has until Jan. 26 to act before the declaration expires. It expands the use of telemedicine and adds flexibility in health care licensing through March 31. But it also limits Kelly’s ability to close businesses and allows counties to opt out of mask mandates and other health orders she issues.&nbsp;&nbsp;The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 3590 to a total of 263,412, the state health department reported Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp;Coronavirus deaths were reported at 3575 an increase of 50<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional numbers from the KDHE.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611166114849.png" alt="Wednesday Jan. 20, 2021 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Wednesday Jan. 20, 2021 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>

Gov. moves state into in Phase 2 of COVID-19 vaccination plan 

By NOAH TABORDA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/01/21/kcc-oil-and-gas-associations-push-bill-to-accelerate-plugging-abandoned-wells-in-kansas/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Legislation heard
 Wednesday would clarify legal responsibility and make it easier to fund
 plugging thousands of abandoned gas and oil wells across Kansas, 
advocates of the bill say.

Estimates indicate there 
are currently about 5,600 wells that require plugging and 10,000 wells 
plugged to date in the state. Last year, 349 were plugged, but there was
 only a net of 21 wells total plugged.

The proposed bill would 
combine two funds used to pay to plug the wells, making access to the 
money easier. It would also clarify who is legally responsible for 
plugging a well and authorize reimbursement in certain cases.

Dwight Keen, chairman of 
the Kansas Corporation Commission, which worked directly on the bill 
language, said the measure is a “win-win-win” for stakeholders.

“It’s a win for the 
environment, a win for the regulatory process and a win for the 
regulated oil and gas industry,” Kenn said. “Simply stated, it provides 
greater regulatory clarity, stability and certainty for the regulator, 
the regulated industry and for the public. In every respect, this bill 
advances the cause of good government.”

Representatives of the KCC
 and multiple oil and gas associations testified before the House 
Appropriations Committee, chaired by Rep. Troy Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill,
 saying the bill would provide the sense of certainty they have been 
working for decades to accomplish. The single opponent of the bill 
expressed concern the legislation does not include the environmental 
imperative to ensure the wells are taken care of.

The legislation is nearly 
identical to a bill that passed through committee last year before the 
measure died when COVID-19 cut the session short.

Currently, Kansas has two 
pools it can pull funds from to manage the abandoned wells — one for 
wells drilled before 1996 and one for those drilled after. Waymaster 
said the post-1996 fund has barely been touched since its creation two 
decades ago.

Under the proposed law, 
the funds would be combined into one pool for all abandoned wells. Ryan 
Hoffman, director of KCC’s conservation division, said combined, the 
funds would total $6.73 million.

“We’ve already have almost
 $3 million in projects lined up for taking care of them,” Hoffman said,
 “so having access to that additional money is key.”

Hoffman said additional 
funding would be needed to fully address the issue, but that the KCC 
would take a phased approach to ensure the necessary money is available.

The bill would 
also clarify who KCC can assign responsibility to for plugging wells, 
which would accelerate the process and allow landowners to be reimbursed
 if they take the initiative to cap wells — as long as the landowner is 
not determined to be the party responsible for the wells.

While those who testified 
were largely supportive of the proposed changes to the law, Zack 
Pistora, a lobbyist for the Kansas Chapter of the Sierra Club, expressed
 concern with the removal of a clause that dictates that any well that 
has been abandoned or not plugged properly will be deemed likely to 
cause pollution of any useable water.

“That is the only 
statutory language in actual law that provides the imperative for the 
state to continue to plug abandoned wells because it is likely to cause 
pollution,” Pistora said.

Pistora said if that language were to be added back, the Sierra Club would be neutral or in favor of the bill.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611267031984.png" alt="Rep. Troy Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill, and members of the House Appropriations Committee heard testimony Wednesday on a bill advocates say would clarify years of work to address abandoned wells in Kansas. (Noah Taborda/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Troy Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill, and members of the House Appropriations Committee heard testimony Wednesday on a bill advocates say would clarify years of work to address abandoned wells in Kansas. (Noah Taborda/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By NOAH TABORDA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/01/21/kcc-oil-and-gas-associations-push-bill-to-accelerate-plugging-abandoned-wells-in-kansas/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Legislation heard
 Wednesday would clarify legal responsibility and make it easier to fund
 plugging thousands of abandoned gas and oil wells across Kansas, 
advocates of the bill say.Estimates indicate there 
are currently about 5,600 wells that require plugging and 10,000 wells 
plugged to date in the state. Last year, 349 were plugged, but there was
 only a net of 21 wells total plugged.The proposed bill would 
combine two funds used to pay to plug the wells, making access to the 
money easier. It would also clarify who is legally responsible for 
plugging a well and authorize reimbursement in certain cases.Dwight Keen, chairman of 
the Kansas Corporation Commission, which worked directly on the bill 
language, said the measure is a “win-win-win” for stakeholders.“It’s a win for the 
environment, a win for the regulatory process and a win for the 
regulated oil and gas industry,” Kenn said. “Simply stated, it provides 
greater regulatory clarity, stability and certainty for the regulator, 
the regulated industry and for the public. In every respect, this bill 
advances the cause of good government.”Representatives of the KCC
 and multiple oil and gas associations testified before the House 
Appropriations Committee, chaired by Rep. Troy Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill,
 saying the bill would provide the sense of certainty they have been 
working for decades to accomplish. The single opponent of the bill 
expressed concern the legislation does not include the environmental 
imperative to ensure the wells are taken care of.The legislation is nearly 
identical to a bill that passed through committee last year before the 
measure died when COVID-19 cut the session short.Currently, Kansas has two 
pools it can pull funds from to manage the abandoned wells — one for 
wells drilled before 1996 and one for those drilled after. Waymaster 
said the post-1996 fund has barely been touched since its creation two 
decades ago.Under the proposed law, 
the funds would be combined into one pool for all abandoned wells. Ryan 
Hoffman, director of KCC’s conservation division, said combined, the 
funds would total $6.73 million.“We’ve already have almost
 $3 million in projects lined up for taking care of them,” Hoffman said,
 “so having access to that additional money is key.”Hoffman said additional 
funding would be needed to fully address the issue, but that the KCC 
would take a phased approach to ensure the necessary money is available.The bill would 
also clarify who KCC can assign responsibility to for plugging wells, 
which would accelerate the process and allow landowners to be reimbursed
 if they take the initiative to cap wells — as long as the landowner is 
not determined to be the party responsible for the wells.While those who testified 
were largely supportive of the proposed changes to the law, Zack 
Pistora, a lobbyist for the Kansas Chapter of the Sierra Club, expressed
 concern with the removal of a clause that dictates that any well that 
has been abandoned or not plugged properly will be deemed likely to 
cause pollution of any useable water.“That is the only 
statutory language in actual law that provides the imperative for the 
state to continue to plug abandoned wells because it is likely to cause 
pollution,” Pistora said.Pistora said if that language were to be added back, the Sierra Club would be neutral or in favor of the bill.

Bill would accelerate plugging of abandoned gas, oil wells in Kan.

WASHINGTON (AP) —President Joe Biden revoked a recent Trump <a href="https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/The-Presidents-Advisory-1776-Commission-Final-Report.pdf">administration report </a>that aimed to promote “patriotic education” in schools but that historians mocked and rejected as political propaganda.

In an executive order signed on Wednesday in his first day in office, Biden disbanded&nbsp;Donald Trump’s <a href="https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/The-Presidents-Advisory-1776-Commission-Final-Report.pdf">presidential 1776 Commission&nbsp;</a>and withdrew a report it released Monday. Trump established the group in September to rally support from white voters and as a response to The New York Times’ “1619 Project,” which highlights the lasting consequences of slavery in America.

<a href="https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/The-Presidents-Advisory-1776-Commission-Final-Report.pdf">In its report, </a>which Trump hoped would be used in classrooms across the nation, the commission glorifies the country’s founders, plays down America’s role in slavery, condemns the rise of progressive politics and argues that the civil rights movement ran afoul of the “lofty ideals” espoused by the Founding Fathers.

The panel, which included no professional historians of the United States, complained of “false and fashionable ideologies” that depict the country’s story as one of “oppression and victimhood.” Instead, it called for renewed efforts to foster “a brave and honest love for our country.”

Historians widely panned the report, saying it offers a false and outdated version of American history that ignores decades of research.

“It’s an insult to the whole enterprise of education. Education is supposed to help young people learn to think critically,” said David Blight, a Civil War historian at Yale University. “That report is a piece of right-wing propaganda.”

Trump officials heralded the report as “a definitive chronicle of the American founding,” but scholars say it disregards the most basic rules of scholarship. It offers no citations, for example, or a list of its source materials.

It also includes several passages copied directly from other writings by members of the panel, as one professor found after running the report through software that’s used to detect plagiarism.

Matthew Spalding, the panel’s executive director and a vice president at the conservative Hillsdale College, denied any wrongdoing, saying the panel’s members “contributed our own work and writing, under our own names, to the 1776 Report, which was an advisory report to the president.”

Spalding and other commission leaders did not immediately respond to other criticism leveled against the report.

In his order dissolving the panel, Biden said it “sought to erase America’s history of racial injustice.”

The American Historical Association condemned the document, saying it glorifies the founders while ignoring the histories and contributions of enslaved people, Indigenous communities and women. In a statement also signed by 13 other academic groups, the organization says the report seeks “government indoctrination of American students.”

The sharpest criticism of the report was directed at its presentation of slavery and race. The report attempts to undermine allegations of hypocrisy against Founding Fathers who owned slaves even as they espoused equality. It also attempts to soften America’s role in slavery and explain it as a product of the times.

“Many Americans labor under the illusion that slavery was somehow a uniquely American evil,” the panel wrote in the 20-page report. “The unfortunate fact is that the institution of slavery has been more the rule than the exception throughout human history.”

Blight, at Yale, compared it to “a sixth or seventh grade kind of approach to history — to make the children feel good.” He added: “But it’s worse than that, because it comes out of an agenda of political propaganda.”

The authors argue that the civil rights movement was distorted to advance programs promoting inequality and “group privilege.” It complains, for example, about affirmative action and other forms of “preferential treatment.”

Ibram X. Kendi, a scholar and historian of racism at Boston University, called the report “the last great lie from a Trump administration of great lies.”

“If we have commonly been given preferential treatment, then why do Black people remain on the lower and dying end of nearly every racial disparity?” Kendi said on Twitter. “Whenever they answer this question, they express racist ideas of Black inferiority while claiming they are ‘not racist.’”

Other scholars underscored what was left out. The report includes nothing of Native American history, and its only reference to Indigenous people is a racial slur quoted from the Declaration of Independence.

In one passage jeered by historians, the authors draw a comparison between the progressive movement in America and fascist dictator Benito Mussolini.

James Grossman, executive director of the American Historical Association, said the report is intended to discredit contemporary public policies rooted in America’s progressive reform movement. He worries that, even after Biden dissolved the commission, its report could end up in some classrooms.

“Historians need to be paying attention to curriculum conversations in localities and at the state level,” Grossman said. “The nonsense that’s in this report will be used to legitimate similar nonsense.”

In a public meeting of the commission this month, some members held out hope that Biden would keep the commission alive. But others said they needed to push the report to state and local education officials.

“It’s really going to be up to governors and state legislators and school board members and parents and higher education commissioners even students to take this charge and carry this work forward,” said Doug Hoelscher, a White House assistant under Trump.

The report ultimately demands a shift in teaching at schools and at U.S. universities, which the panel describes as “hotbeds of anti-Americanism.” It denounces any teaching that breeds contempt for American ideals, blaming that kind of “destructive scholarship” for the nation’s divisions and for “so much of the violence in our cities.”

“To restore our society,” the report says, “academics must return to their vocation of relentlessly pursuing the truth and engaging in honest scholarship that seeks to understand the world and America’s place in it.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611233837065.png" alt="<a href="https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/The-Presidents-Advisory-1776-Commission-Final-Report.pdf">Click here t</a>o read Donald Trump's 1776 Report" />
 <figcaption><a href="https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/The-Presidents-Advisory-1776-Commission-Final-Report.pdf">Click here t</a>o read Donald Trump's 1776 Report</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —President Joe Biden revoked a recent Trump <a href="https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/The-Presidents-Advisory-1776-Commission-Final-Report.pdf">administration report </a>that aimed to promote “patriotic education” in schools but that historians mocked and rejected as political propaganda.In an executive order signed on Wednesday in his first day in office, Biden disbanded&nbsp;Donald Trump’s <a href="https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/The-Presidents-Advisory-1776-Commission-Final-Report.pdf">presidential 1776 Commission&nbsp;</a>and withdrew a report it released Monday. Trump established the group in September to rally support from white voters and as a response to The New York Times’ “1619 Project,” which highlights the lasting consequences of slavery in America.<a href="https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/The-Presidents-Advisory-1776-Commission-Final-Report.pdf">In its report, </a>which Trump hoped would be used in classrooms across the nation, the commission glorifies the country’s founders, plays down America’s role in slavery, condemns the rise of progressive politics and argues that the civil rights movement ran afoul of the “lofty ideals” espoused by the Founding Fathers.The panel, which included no professional historians of the United States, complained of “false and fashionable ideologies” that depict the country’s story as one of “oppression and victimhood.” Instead, it called for renewed efforts to foster “a brave and honest love for our country.”Historians widely panned the report, saying it offers a false and outdated version of American history that ignores decades of research.“It’s an insult to the whole enterprise of education. Education is supposed to help young people learn to think critically,” said David Blight, a Civil War historian at Yale University. “That report is a piece of right-wing propaganda.”Trump officials heralded the report as “a definitive chronicle of the American founding,” but scholars say it disregards the most basic rules of scholarship. It offers no citations, for example, or a list of its source materials.It also includes several passages copied directly from other writings by members of the panel, as one professor found after running the report through software that’s used to detect plagiarism.Matthew Spalding, the panel’s executive director and a vice president at the conservative Hillsdale College, denied any wrongdoing, saying the panel’s members “contributed our own work and writing, under our own names, to the 1776 Report, which was an advisory report to the president.”Spalding and other commission leaders did not immediately respond to other criticism leveled against the report.In his order dissolving the panel, Biden said it “sought to erase America’s history of racial injustice.”The American Historical Association condemned the document, saying it glorifies the founders while ignoring the histories and contributions of enslaved people, Indigenous communities and women. In a statement also signed by 13 other academic groups, the organization says the report seeks “government indoctrination of American students.”The sharpest criticism of the report was directed at its presentation of slavery and race. The report attempts to undermine allegations of hypocrisy against Founding Fathers who owned slaves even as they espoused equality. It also attempts to soften America’s role in slavery and explain it as a product of the times.“Many Americans labor under the illusion that slavery was somehow a uniquely American evil,” the panel wrote in the 20-page report. “The unfortunate fact is that the institution of slavery has been more the rule than the exception throughout human history.”Blight, at Yale, compared it to “a sixth or seventh grade kind of approach to history — to make the children feel good.” He added: “But it’s worse than that, because it comes out of an agenda of political propaganda.”The authors argue that the civil rights movement was distorted to advance programs promoting inequality and “group privilege.” It complains, for example, about affirmative action and other forms of “preferential treatment.”Ibram X. Kendi, a scholar and historian of racism at Boston University, called the report “the last great lie from a Trump administration of great lies.”“If we have commonly been given preferential treatment, then why do Black people remain on the lower and dying end of nearly every racial disparity?” Kendi said on Twitter. “Whenever they answer this question, they express racist ideas of Black inferiority while claiming they are ‘not racist.’”Other scholars underscored what was left out. The report includes nothing of Native American history, and its only reference to Indigenous people is a racial slur quoted from the Declaration of Independence.In one passage jeered by historians, the authors draw a comparison between the progressive movement in America and fascist dictator Benito Mussolini.James Grossman, executive director of the American Historical Association, said the report is intended to discredit contemporary public policies rooted in America’s progressive reform movement. He worries that, even after Biden dissolved the commission, its report could end up in some classrooms.“Historians need to be paying attention to curriculum conversations in localities and at the state level,” Grossman said. “The nonsense that’s in this report will be used to legitimate similar nonsense.”In a public meeting of the commission this month, some members held out hope that Biden would keep the commission alive. But others said they needed to push the report to state and local education officials.“It’s really going to be up to governors and state legislators and school board members and parents and higher education commissioners even students to take this charge and carry this work forward,” said Doug Hoelscher, a White House assistant under Trump.The report ultimately demands a shift in teaching at schools and at U.S. universities, which the panel describes as “hotbeds of anti-Americanism.” It denounces any teaching that breeds contempt for American ideals, blaming that kind of “destructive scholarship” for the nation’s divisions and for “so much of the violence in our cities.”“To restore our society,” the report says, “academics must return to their vocation of relentlessly pursuing the truth and engaging in honest scholarship that seeks to understand the world and America’s place in it.”

Pres. Biden revokes report promoting 'patriotic education'

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. — A North Platte man is being held in the Lincoln County Detention Center, accused of robbing a local business.

According
 to North Platte police, on Jan. 18, at 11:20 p.m., officers 
responded to a business in the 1600 block of East Fourth for a robbery that had just occurred. 

Police say upon arrival, officers made contact 
with an employee who stated the suspect had departed on foot prior to 
officers arrival. 

According to police, the employee stated that 
the male suspect had entered the business and approached the front 
counter.  The male suspect then demanded money from the employee and 
made movements that led the employee to believe the suspect had a 
weapon. 

Police say the employee reached under the counter and 
then sprayed the suspect with bear mace, which encouraged the suspect to
 leave the store empty handed. 

 Officers were able to obtain security footage of the incident and identified the suspect as 34-year-old Steven Gastineau. 

Police
 say after further investigation, officers were able to develop probable
 cause, and contact was made with Gastineau on January 20.  

Gastineau
 was placed under arrest at that time and a subsequent search of 
Gastineau's person was conducted where officers located suspected 
methamphetamine. 

 Gastineau was incarcerated at the Lincoln County Detention Center on suspicion of robbery and possession of methamphetamine.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611247115968.jpeg" alt="Gastineau-photo Lincoln County" />
 <figcaption>Gastineau-photo Lincoln County</figcaption>
 </figure>NORTH PLATTE, Neb. — A North Platte man is being held in the Lincoln County Detention Center, accused of robbing a local business.According
 to North Platte police, on Jan. 18, at 11:20 p.m., officers 
responded to a business in the 1600 block of East Fourth for a robbery that had just occurred. Police say upon arrival, officers made contact 
with an employee who stated the suspect had departed on foot prior to 
officers arrival. According to police, the employee stated that 
the male suspect had entered the business and approached the front 
counter. The male suspect then demanded money from the employee and 
made movements that led the employee to believe the suspect had a 
weapon. Police say the employee reached under the counter and 
then sprayed the suspect with bear mace, which encouraged the suspect to
 leave the store empty handed. Officers were able to obtain security footage of the incident and identified the suspect as 34-year-old Steven Gastineau. Police
 say after further investigation, officers were able to develop probable
 cause, and contact was made with Gastineau on January 20. Gastineau
 was placed under arrest at that time and a subsequent search of 
Gastineau's person was conducted where officers located suspected 
methamphetamine. Gastineau was incarcerated at the Lincoln County Detention Center on suspicion of robbery and possession of methamphetamine.Police did not identify the business.

Employee at Neb. business uses bear mace to thwart robbery

KANSAS CITY (AP) — The co-owner of a one-time Kansas City payday lending company has pleaded guilty to a bankruptcy fraud count related to his 2015 personal bankruptcy, in which prosecutors say he hid more than $1 million in assets.

Del Kimball, 53, pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court and faces up to five years in prison when he’s sentenced on June 2. Kimball will remain free on bond until his sentencing.

Prosecutors said Kimball and the payday loan company he co-owned, LTS Management, were forced into bankruptcy by creditors who said they were owed millions. Two years later, a bankruptcy trustee accused Kimball of concealing assets, bank accounts and income from his bankruptcy disclosures. Those included the sale of a warehouse for nearly $1 million, the sale of three cars for more than $120,000, eight wristwatches worth more than $29,000 and a painting by Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood.

Kimball was charged with failing to disclose the transfer of money to a relative and the existence of a company he owned that was formed to conceal income from creditors.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — The co-owner of a one-time Kansas City payday lending company has pleaded guilty to a bankruptcy fraud count related to his 2015 personal bankruptcy, in which prosecutors say he hid more than $1 million in assets.Del Kimball, 53, pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court and faces up to five years in prison when he’s sentenced on June 2. Kimball will remain free on bond until his sentencing.Prosecutors said Kimball and the payday loan company he co-owned, LTS Management, were forced into bankruptcy by creditors who said they were owed millions. Two years later, a bankruptcy trustee accused Kimball of concealing assets, bank accounts and income from his bankruptcy disclosures. Those included the sale of a warehouse for nearly $1 million, the sale of three cars for more than $120,000, eight wristwatches worth more than $29,000 and a painting by Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood.Kimball was charged with failing to disclose the transfer of money to a relative and the existence of a company he owned that was formed to conceal income from creditors.

KC payday lender pleads guilty to bankruptcy fraud

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden moved swiftly to dismantle Donald Trump’s legacy on his first day in office, signing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-pandemics-climate-climate-change-health-b5b409da08e42414b9a12e2c67ee2df6">a series of executive actions</a>&nbsp;that reverse course on immigration, climate change, racial equity and the handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

The new president signed the orders just hours after taking the oath of office at the Capitol, pivoting quickly from his pared-down inauguration ceremony to enacting his agenda. With the stroke of a pen, Biden ordered a halt to the construction of Trump’s U.S.-Mexico border wall, ended the ban on travel from some Muslim-majority countries, declared his intent to rejoin&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/0cafd1e56b124f5b9cf17ace7031d6d0">the Paris Climate Accord</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/9dc4077f95d183649ca24a32a18abf01">the World Health Organization</a>&nbsp;and revoked the approval of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/keystone-pipeline">the Keystone XL oil pipeline</a>, aides said.

The 15 executive actions, and two directives, amount to an attempt to rewind the last four years of federal policies with striking speed. Only two recent presidents signed executive actions on their first day in office — and each signed just one. But Biden, facing the debilitating&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/virus-outbreak">coronavirus pandemic, a damaged economy and a riven electorate</a>, is intent on demonstrating a sense of urgency and competence that he argues has been missing under his Republican predecessor.

“There’s no time to start like today,” Biden said in his first comments to reporters as president.

Biden wore a mask as he signed the orders in the Oval Office — a marked departure from Trump, who rarely wore a face covering in public and never during events in the Oval Office. But virus precautions are now required in the building. Among the executive actions signed Wednesday was one requiring masks and physical distancing on federal property and by federal employees. Biden’s order also extended the federal eviction freeze to aid those struggling from the pandemic economic fallout, created a new federal office to coordinate a national response to the virus and restored the White House’s National Security Council directorate for global health security and defense, an office his predecessor had closed.

The actions reflected the new president’s top policy priority — getting a handle on a debilitating pandemic. In his inaugural address, Biden paused for what he called his first act as president — a moment of a silent prayer for the victims of the nation’s worst public health crisis in more than a century.

He declared that he would “press forward with speed and urgency” in coming weeks. “For we have much to do in this winter of peril and significant possibilities — much to repair, much to restore, much to heal, much to build and much to gain,” he said in the speech.

But Biden’s blitz of executive actions went beyond the pandemic. He targeted Trump’s environmental record, calling for a review of all regulations and executive actions that are deemed damaging to the environment or public health, aides said Tuesday as they previewed the moves.

Another order instructs federal agencies to prioritize racial equity and review policies that reinforce systemic racism. Biden revoked two Trump orders related to the 2020 census. The first attempted to discern the citizenship status of every U.S. resident, and the second sought to exclude people in the U.S. illegally from the numbers used for apportioning congressional seats among the states.”

He also ordered federal employees to take an ethics pledge that commits them to upholding the independence of the Justice Department.

The president also revoked the just-issued report of Trump’s “1776 Commission” that promotes “patriotic education.”

Those moves and others will be followed by dozens more in the next 10 days, the president’s aides said, as Biden looks to redirect the country without having to go through a Senate that Democrats control by the narrowest margin and will soon turn to the impeachment trial of Trump, who is charged by the House with inciting the insurrection at the Capitol.

Republicans signaled that Biden will face fierce opposition on some parts of his agenda.

One of his orders seeks to fortify the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, known as DACA, a signature effort of the Obama administration that provided hundreds of thousands of young immigrants protection from deportation and a pathway to citizenship. That’s part of a broader immigration plan Biden sent to Congress on Wednesday that would provide an eight-year path to citizenship for an estimated 11 million people living in the U.S. without legal status.

The plan would lead to “a permanent cycle of illegal immigration and amnesty that would hurt hard-working Americans and the millions of legal immigrants working their way through the legal immigration process,” said Chris Hartline, a spokesman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

Even that familiar criticism seemed a return to the normalcy Biden has promised after years of disruptive and overheated politics. Hewing to tradition, Biden started his day by attending church with both Democratic and Republican leaders of Congress. His press secretary, Jen Psaki, held a briefing for reporters, a practice the Trump White House had all but abandoned in the final two months of the presidency. Psaki said she intended to restore regular briefings as part of the White House’s commitment to transparency.

“I have deep respect for the role of a free and independent press in our democracy and for the role all of you play,” she said.

Biden took other steps to try to signal his priorities and set the tone in his White House. As he swore in dozens of political appointees in a virtual ceremony, he declared he expected “honesty and decency” from all that worked for his administration and would fire anyone who shows disrespect to others “on the spot.”

“Everyone is entitled to human decency and dignity,” Biden said. “That’s been missing in a big way for the last four years.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611228674924.png" alt="President Joe Biden wore a mask as he signed the orders in the Oval Office Wednesday -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>President Joe Biden wore a mask as he signed the orders in the Oval Office Wednesday -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden moved swiftly to dismantle Donald Trump’s legacy on his first day in office, signing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-pandemics-climate-climate-change-health-b5b409da08e42414b9a12e2c67ee2df6">a series of executive actions</a>&nbsp;that reverse course on immigration, climate change, racial equity and the handling of the coronavirus pandemic.The new president signed the orders just hours after taking the oath of office at the Capitol, pivoting quickly from his pared-down inauguration ceremony to enacting his agenda. With the stroke of a pen, Biden ordered a halt to the construction of Trump’s U.S.-Mexico border wall, ended the ban on travel from some Muslim-majority countries, declared his intent to rejoin&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/0cafd1e56b124f5b9cf17ace7031d6d0">the Paris Climate Accord</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/9dc4077f95d183649ca24a32a18abf01">the World Health Organization</a>&nbsp;and revoked the approval of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/keystone-pipeline">the Keystone XL oil pipeline</a>, aides said.The 15 executive actions, and two directives, amount to an attempt to rewind the last four years of federal policies with striking speed. Only two recent presidents signed executive actions on their first day in office — and each signed just one. But Biden, facing the debilitating&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/virus-outbreak">coronavirus pandemic, a damaged economy and a riven electorate</a>, is intent on demonstrating a sense of urgency and competence that he argues has been missing under his Republican predecessor.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Today, <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> issued a mask mandate on federal property, launching his “100 Day Masking Challenge” as part of our efforts to flatten the COVID-19 curve. <a href="https://t.co/NLGr6JHB0h">pic.twitter.com/NLGr6JHB0h</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1352086017822650368?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“There’s no time to start like today,” Biden said in his first comments to reporters as president.Biden wore a mask as he signed the orders in the Oval Office — a marked departure from Trump, who rarely wore a face covering in public and never during events in the Oval Office. But virus precautions are now required in the building. Among the executive actions signed Wednesday was one requiring masks and physical distancing on federal property and by federal employees. Biden’s order also extended the federal eviction freeze to aid those struggling from the pandemic economic fallout, created a new federal office to coordinate a national response to the virus and restored the White House’s National Security Council directorate for global health security and defense, an office his predecessor had closed.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Today, President Biden rejoined the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. <a href="https://t.co/V4fVV2i2jZ">pic.twitter.com/V4fVV2i2jZ</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1352076100764127237?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The actions reflected the new president’s top policy priority — getting a handle on a debilitating pandemic. In his inaugural address, Biden paused for what he called his first act as president — a moment of a silent prayer for the victims of the nation’s worst public health crisis in more than a century.He declared that he would “press forward with speed and urgency” in coming weeks. “For we have much to do in this winter of peril and significant possibilities — much to repair, much to restore, much to heal, much to build and much to gain,” he said in the speech.But Biden’s blitz of executive actions went beyond the pandemic. He targeted Trump’s environmental record, calling for a review of all regulations and executive actions that are deemed damaging to the environment or public health, aides said Tuesday as they previewed the moves.Another order instructs federal agencies to prioritize racial equity and review policies that reinforce systemic racism. Biden revoked two Trump orders related to the 2020 census. The first attempted to discern the citizenship status of every U.S. resident, and the second sought to exclude people in the U.S. illegally from the numbers used for apportioning congressional seats among the states.”He also ordered federal employees to take an ethics pledge that commits them to upholding the independence of the Justice Department.The president also revoked the just-issued report of Trump’s “1776 Commission” that promotes “patriotic education.”Those moves and others will be followed by dozens more in the next 10 days, the president’s aides said, as Biden looks to redirect the country without having to go through a Senate that Democrats control by the narrowest margin and will soon turn to the impeachment trial of Trump, who is charged by the House with inciting the insurrection at the Capitol.Republicans signaled that Biden will face fierce opposition on some parts of his agenda.One of his orders seeks to fortify the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, known as DACA, a signature effort of the Obama administration that provided hundreds of thousands of young immigrants protection from deportation and a pathway to citizenship. That’s part of a broader immigration plan Biden sent to Congress on Wednesday that would provide an eight-year path to citizenship for an estimated 11 million people living in the U.S. without legal status.The plan would lead to “a permanent cycle of illegal immigration and amnesty that would hurt hard-working Americans and the millions of legal immigrants working their way through the legal immigration process,” said Chris Hartline, a spokesman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee.Even that familiar criticism seemed a return to the normalcy Biden has promised after years of disruptive and overheated politics. Hewing to tradition, Biden started his day by attending church with both Democratic and Republican leaders of Congress. His press secretary, Jen Psaki, held a briefing for reporters, a practice the Trump White House had all but abandoned in the final two months of the presidency. Psaki said she intended to restore regular briefings as part of the White House’s commitment to transparency.“I have deep respect for the role of a free and independent press in our democracy and for the role all of you play,” she said.Biden took other steps to try to signal his priorities and set the tone in his White House. As he swore in dozens of political appointees in a virtual ceremony, he declared he expected “honesty and decency” from all that worked for his administration and would fire anyone who shows disrespect to others “on the spot.”“Everyone is entitled to human decency and dignity,” Biden said. “That’s been missing in a big way for the last four years.”

Biden signs orders on immigration, racial equality, masks and more

NEWTON COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 9p.m. Wednesday in Newton County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2011 Ford F250 driven by Jeramiah T. Durbin, 40, Neosho, was westbound on Old Highway 60 six miles west of Neosho.&nbsp;

The pickup traveled off the road, struck a tree and overturned.

Durbin was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to the county medical examiner's office. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP.

NEWTON COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 9p.m. Wednesday in Newton County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2011 Ford F250 driven by Jeramiah T. Durbin, 40, Neosho, was westbound on Old Highway 60 six miles west of Neosho.&nbsp;The pickup traveled off the road, struck a tree and overturned.Durbin was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to the county medical examiner's office. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP.

Missouri man dies after pickup strikes tree, overturns

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The top health official in Kansas has told lawmakers that the state will likely see a small uptick in immediate supply of the COVID-19 vaccine with the change in presidential administrations as&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly is set to announce the statewide move to Phase 2 of Kansas’ COVID-19 vaccination plan.&nbsp;

In a joint hearing Tuesday before&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8e40fZ3T5w" target="_blank">Senate and House health panels</a>, Dr. Lee Norman, head of the state health department, said he has been told the state will probably get a 1% or 2% increase in its vaccine supply in the short run.

“The shortages are going to be something we are going to have to live with,” Norman said.

The federal government allocates vaccines to states based on population. Kansas, with its population of 3 million, receives 1% of the nation’s allocated vaccines, he said, adding that the state has at times been shorted as much as half of its anticipated supply.

The state’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout prioritizes health care workers and nursing homes in its first phase. About a third of the state’s population will be covered in the second phase, which covers people ages 65 and older, those in congregate settings such as prisons, and high-contact critical workers.

“The problem is there is not enough (vaccine) — and that has been the thing we have not been able to slay yet,” Norman told lawmakers.

Norman also questioned whether it makes sense to open more vaccination sites if there is not enough vaccine being supplied.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data" target="_blank">reported Wednesday&nbsp;</a>that 111,905 people, or about 3.8% of the state’s population, have received the COVID-19 vaccine to date. Kansas has received about 202,225 doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines so far and administered at least 129,349, including 17,712 second doses, according to the agency’s website.

Norman told lawmakers that the state has been administering about 60% of the vaccine it receives, far above the 39% average for the nation.

Kansas counties do not have to move “in lockstep” into phase two, and can do so once everyone in the first phase who wants the vaccine has received it, Norman told the joint panel.

Sedgwick County health officials said Tuesday that the COVID-19 vaccine is in such short supply in the Wichita area that the county health department plans to initially limit its second phase of vaccinations to those aged 90 or older.

Gov. Laura Kelly is expected to announce a move into the second phase later this week, expanding eligibility to the vaccine to anyone 65 or older. But it could be weeks or months before the youngest in that age group are vaccinated in the Wichita area, the Wichita Eagle reported.

Deputy County Manager Tim Kaufman told Sedgwick County commissioners Tuesday that instead of opening vaccinations up to the entire 65-plus population, the county will “focus on people that are most likely to be negatively impacted by coronavirus and the folks that are most likely to die from coronavirus.”

In Johnson County, thousands of residents trying to complete a coronavirus vaccine survey overwhelmed the online system, prompting the local health department to boost its server capacity.

Kansas health officials also added another 3,590 COVID-19 cases from Monday to Wednesday, pushing the tally in the state to 263,412 since since the start of the pandemic. It reported 50 more coronavirus-related deaths since Monday, bringing the state’s death toll to at least 3,575.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610637104552.png" alt="Dr. Lee Norman told lawmakers, “The problem is there is not enough (vaccine) — and that has been the thing we have not been able to slay yet."" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Lee Norman told lawmakers, “The problem is there is not enough (vaccine) — and that has been the thing we have not been able to slay yet."</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The top health official in Kansas has told lawmakers that the state will likely see a small uptick in immediate supply of the COVID-19 vaccine with the change in presidential administrations as&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly is set to announce the statewide move to Phase 2 of Kansas’ COVID-19 vaccination plan.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610104544544.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>In a joint hearing Tuesday before&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8e40fZ3T5w" target="_blank">Senate and House health panels</a>, Dr. Lee Norman, head of the state health department, said he has been told the state will probably get a 1% or 2% increase in its vaccine supply in the short run.“The shortages are going to be something we are going to have to live with,” Norman said.The federal government allocates vaccines to states based on population. Kansas, with its population of 3 million, receives 1% of the nation’s allocated vaccines, he said, adding that the state has at times been shorted as much as half of its anticipated supply.The state’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout prioritizes health care workers and nursing homes in its first phase. About a third of the state’s population will be covered in the second phase, which covers people ages 65 and older, those in congregate settings such as prisons, and high-contact critical workers.“The problem is there is not enough (vaccine) — and that has been the thing we have not been able to slay yet,” Norman told lawmakers.Norman also questioned whether it makes sense to open more vaccination sites if there is not enough vaccine being supplied.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611166114849.png" alt="Wednesday Jan. 20, 2021 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Wednesday Jan. 20, 2021 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>The Kansas Department of Health and Environment&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data" target="_blank">reported Wednesday&nbsp;</a>that 111,905 people, or about 3.8% of the state’s population, have received the COVID-19 vaccine to date. Kansas has received about 202,225 doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines so far and administered at least 129,349, including 17,712 second doses, according to the agency’s website.Norman told lawmakers that the state has been administering about 60% of the vaccine it receives, far above the 39% average for the nation.Kansas counties do not have to move “in lockstep” into phase two, and can do so once everyone in the first phase who wants the vaccine has received it, Norman told the joint panel.Sedgwick County health officials said Tuesday that the COVID-19 vaccine is in such short supply in the Wichita area that the county health department plans to initially limit its second phase of vaccinations to those aged 90 or older.Gov. Laura Kelly is expected to announce a move into the second phase later this week, expanding eligibility to the vaccine to anyone 65 or older. But it could be weeks or months before the youngest in that age group are vaccinated in the Wichita area, the Wichita Eagle reported.Deputy County Manager Tim Kaufman told Sedgwick County commissioners Tuesday that instead of opening vaccinations up to the entire 65-plus population, the county will “focus on people that are most likely to be negatively impacted by coronavirus and the folks that are most likely to die from coronavirus.”In Johnson County, thousands of residents trying to complete a coronavirus vaccine survey overwhelmed the online system, prompting the local health department to boost its server capacity.Kansas health officials also added another 3,590 COVID-19 cases from Monday to Wednesday, pushing the tally in the state to 263,412 since since the start of the pandemic. It reported 50 more coronavirus-related deaths since Monday, bringing the state’s death toll to at least 3,575.

Kan. moves to vaccine Plan Phase 2 amid vaccine shortage

ST. LOUIS (AP) — A Missouri appeals court on Wednesday denied a second challenge from St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly M. Gardner to an order removing her and her office from prosecution of Mark McCloskey, who along with his wife, Patricia, pointed weapons at racial injustice protesters last year.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1598321927035.png" alt="Mark and Patty McCloskey during their taped statement at the GOP National Convention-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Mark and Patty McCloskey during their taped statement at the GOP National Convention-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>ST. LOUIS (AP) — A Missouri appeals court on Wednesday denied a second challenge from St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly M. Gardner to an order removing her and her office from prosecution of Mark McCloskey, who along with his wife, Patricia, pointed weapons at racial injustice protesters last year.Gardner had contended that the disqualification of her and her office from Mark McCloskey's case should not have also been applied to the case against Patricia McCloskey.Gardner's office said it would appeal the latest decision, meaning the Missouri Supreme Court would need to overturn her office's exclusion from the McCloskey case, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/court-rejects-gardner-s-second-appeal-in-mccloskey-gun-waving-case/article_fb060e90-4787-5819-b21d-e40a5d809464.html#tracking-source=home-the-latest">reported</a>.Mark McCloskey, 64, and Patricia McCloskey, 61,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-us-news-st-louis-racial-injustice-7e60289216e4a3c72fff8c4ae08ddc1e">pleaded not guilty</a>&nbsp;in October to weapons and evidence tampering charges after they waved guns at protesters walking past the couple's mansion in a private St. Louis neighborhood last June.Gardner and her office&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/st-louis-racial-injustice-766e539b40199607e935bdb968c38159">were removed</a>&nbsp;from the case after the McCloskeys' attorney argued she exploited the prosecution by mentioning it in fundraising emails for her successful Democratic primary campaign in August. Gardner, St. Louis’ first Black circuit attorney, won reelection in November.If the ruling stands, a special prosecutor could be appointed to the case.