KANSAS CITY (AP) — Authorities say a woman who was stabbed on New Year's Eve in Kansas City has died from her injuries.

Police spokesman Sgt. Jacob Becchina said that the woman was transported to a hospital in critical condition Thursday night and died Friday. Police are counting her killing as the first of 2021, even though the initial call was in 2020.

She was in in her 40s, but police didn't immediately release her name. No suspect information was immediately available.

Police are urging anyone with information to come forward. There is a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to an arrest in this case.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Authorities say a woman who was stabbed on New Year's Eve in Kansas City has died from her injuries.Police spokesman Sgt. Jacob Becchina said that the woman was transported to a hospital in critical condition Thursday night and died Friday. Police are counting her killing as the first of 2021, even though the initial call was in 2020.She was in in her 40s, but police didn't immediately release her name. No suspect information was immediately available.Police are urging anyone with information to come forward. There is a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to an arrest in this case.

Woman stabbed on New Year's Eve in KC dies of her injuries

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — As 2021 begins, health officials and elected leaders in Kansas are reflecting on the lessons learned so far about the coronavirus pandemic.

Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly said the pandemic showed Kansas that a “patchwork” response does not work. She closed schools in mid-March and late that month issued a statewide stay-at-home order that remained in place for five weeks.

A law approved in June by the Republican-controlled Legislature gave the state’s 105 counties the authority to opt out of Kelly’s orders. She argued recently that she was forced to accept local control to keep a state of emergency for the pandemic in effect.

“I never thought it was a bright idea,” she said in an Associated Press interview.

She added, “It really puts pressure on the local elected officials that many of them would just as soon not have.”

Russ Johnson, the CEO of LMH Health, formerly Lawrence Memorial Hospital, said the lessons of the pandemic “cut across every jurisdiction” and include the importance of planning and community collaboration.

He said restrictions in early spring could be seen as an overreaction but “accelerated” his organization’s focus on COVID-19 “in a way that we might not have done otherwise.”

Dr. Sam Antonios, chief clinical officer for the Ascension Via Christi health system, said “if you read history,” the coronavirus pandemic raised issues “eerily similar” to those facing communities during the deadly 1918-19 influenza pandemic.

Antonios also said the coronavirus pandemic demonstrated the need for a community health system that includes a strong workforce and healthy hospitals, clinics, technology, nursing homes and home health services.

“It has highlighted how important it is for that to be healthy in order for the community to remain healthy,” he said.

State Rep. Fred Patton, a Topeka Republican who was chairman of a committee that reviewed emergency management laws, said they were designed for short-term disasters, such as fires, floods and tornadoes. The law enacted in June applies only to the current pandemic. Lawmakers expect to consider permanent changes.

“I think we all believe that at the local level, people are better set up to make decisions on what’s impacting them,” Patton said. “It’s situations like this that sometimes challenges that belief, though.”

Incoming Kansas Senate Majority Leader Gene Suellentrop and House Majority Leader Dan Hawkins, both conservative Wichita Republicans, criticize Kelly for closing schools and businesses early in the pandemic. Many Republicans argue that Kelly’s actions damaged the economy more than necessary.

“If we learned anything from this, we learned we need to take measured approaches, step by step, and understand what we’re dealing with more so than just flying off the handle,” Suellentrop said.

When Kelly announced her stay-at-home order in late March, Kansas had reported six coronavirus deaths and fewer than 300 cases.

Kelly has argued that the state needed more information about COVID-19.

As of Friday, the state had reported a total of 2,879 deaths and 227,745 COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began.

“What we’ve learned is that the governor made a bunch of bad mistakes early on,” Hawkins said.

House Minority Leader Tom Sawyer, a Wichita Democrat, argues that Republicans who criticize Kelly for being too aggressive early in the pandemic are “really overplaying” the issue of her closing businesses.

“You can talk about the closing period, but they have struggled since there have been no restrictions from the state,” Sawyer said. “Until we get COVID under control, you know, the economy is going to suffer, businesses are going to suffer, people are going to suffer.”

Rep. Jason Probst, a Hutchinson Democrat, added that Republican lawmakers “act like this was the only state that shut down business.”

Kelly on Wednesday received an early COVID-19 vaccine shot, while some top Republicans passed on the chance, saying they didn’t want to jump ahead of others needing vaccines more more. University of Kansas political scientist Patrick Miller described objections to Kelly’s early inoculation as arising from a political “theater industry.”

“It takes things, sometimes of little importance but sometimes of great importance, and then it repackages and it sells a movie script to you,” he said.

As for the pandemic, Miller said: “At this point, it’s just unavoidable that every single aspect of it is going to become political.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1590011287498.png" alt="In May, Governor Laura Kelly and President Trump met in the White House Cabinet Room -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>In May, Governor Laura Kelly and President Trump met in the White House Cabinet Room -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNATOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — As 2021 begins, health officials and elected leaders in Kansas are reflecting on the lessons learned so far about the coronavirus pandemic.THE DEMOCRATIC GOVERNORDemocratic Gov. Laura Kelly said the pandemic showed Kansas that a “patchwork” response does not work. She closed schools in mid-March and late that month issued a statewide stay-at-home order that remained in place for five weeks.A law approved in June by the Republican-controlled Legislature gave the state’s 105 counties the authority to opt out of Kelly’s orders. She argued recently that she was forced to accept local control to keep a state of emergency for the pandemic in effect.“I never thought it was a bright idea,” she said in an Associated Press interview.She added, “It really puts pressure on the local elected officials that many of them would just as soon not have.”THE HEALTH SYSTEM CEORuss Johnson, the CEO of LMH Health, formerly Lawrence Memorial Hospital, said the lessons of the pandemic “cut across every jurisdiction” and include the importance of planning and community collaboration.He said restrictions in early spring could be seen as an overreaction but “accelerated” his organization’s focus on COVID-19 “in a way that we might not have done otherwise.”THE CHIEF CLINICAL OFFICERDr. Sam Antonios, chief clinical officer for the Ascension Via Christi health system, said “if you read history,” the coronavirus pandemic raised issues “eerily similar” to those facing communities during the deadly 1918-19 influenza pandemic.Antonios also said the coronavirus pandemic demonstrated the need for a community health system that includes a strong workforce and healthy hospitals, clinics, technology, nursing homes and home health services.“It has highlighted how important it is for that to be healthy in order for the community to remain healthy,” he said.THE STUDY COMMITTEE CHAIRMANState Rep. Fred Patton, a Topeka Republican who was chairman of a committee that reviewed emergency management laws, said they were designed for short-term disasters, such as fires, floods and tornadoes. The law enacted in June applies only to the current pandemic. Lawmakers expect to consider permanent changes.“I think we all believe that at the local level, people are better set up to make decisions on what’s impacting them,” Patton said. “It’s situations like this that sometimes challenges that belief, though.”THE REPUBLICAN MAJORITY LEADERSIncoming Kansas Senate Majority Leader Gene Suellentrop and House Majority Leader Dan Hawkins, both conservative Wichita Republicans, criticize Kelly for closing schools and businesses early in the pandemic. Many Republicans argue that Kelly’s actions damaged the economy more than necessary.“If we learned anything from this, we learned we need to take measured approaches, step by step, and understand what we’re dealing with more so than just flying off the handle,” Suellentrop said.When Kelly announced her stay-at-home order in late March, Kansas had reported six coronavirus deaths and fewer than 300 cases.Kelly has argued that the state needed more information about COVID-19.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1609526207240.png" alt="Friday Jan. 1, 2021 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Friday Jan. 1, 2021 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>As of Friday, the state had reported a total of 2,879 deaths and 227,745 COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began.“What we’ve learned is that the governor made a bunch of bad mistakes early on,” Hawkins said.THE DEMOCRATIC LAWMAKERSHouse Minority Leader Tom Sawyer, a Wichita Democrat, argues that Republicans who criticize Kelly for being too aggressive early in the pandemic are “really overplaying” the issue of her closing businesses.“You can talk about the closing period, but they have struggled since there have been no restrictions from the state,” Sawyer said. “Until we get COVID under control, you know, the economy is going to suffer, businesses are going to suffer, people are going to suffer.”Rep. Jason Probst, a Hutchinson Democrat, added that Republican lawmakers “act like this was the only state that shut down business.”THE POLITICAL SCIENTISTKelly on Wednesday received an early COVID-19 vaccine shot, while some top Republicans passed on the chance, saying they didn’t want to jump ahead of others needing vaccines more more. University of Kansas political scientist Patrick Miller described objections to Kelly’s early inoculation as arising from a political “theater industry.”“It takes things, sometimes of little importance but sometimes of great importance, and then it repackages and it sells a movie script to you,” he said.As for the pandemic, Miller said: “At this point, it’s just unavoidable that every single aspect of it is going to become political.”

Kansas leaders reflect on pandemic lessons from 2020

A huge U.S. study of another COVID-19 vaccine candidate is underway as states continue to roll out scarce supplies of the first shots to a nation anxiously awaiting relief from the catastrophic outbreak.

Public health experts say more options in addition to the two vaccines now being dispensed — one made by Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech, the other by Moderna — are critical to amassing enough shots for the country and the world.

The candidate made by Novavax Inc. is the fifth to reach final-stage testing in the United States. Some 30,000 volunteers are needed to prove if the shot — a different kind than its Pfizer and Moderna competitors — really works and is safe.

“If you want to have enough vaccine to vaccinate all the people in the U.S. who you’d like to vaccinate — up to 85% or more of the population — you’re going to need more than two companies,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top U.S. infectious disease expert, told The Associated Press.

The coronavirus is blamed for about 1.8 million deaths worldwide, including more than 330,000 in the U.S. This has been the deadliest month of the outbreak in the U.S. yet, with about 65,000 deaths in December so far, according to the COVID Tracking Project. The nation has repeatedly recorded more than 3,000 dead per day over the past few weeks.

And the U.S. could be facing a terrible winter: Despite warnings to stay home and avoid others over Christmastime, nearly 1.3 million people went through the nation’s airports, the highest one-day total since the crisis took hold in the U.S. nine months ago.

The Trump administration’s Operation Warp Speed expects to have shipped 20 million doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to states by the beginning of January,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/general-gustave-perna-vaccine-shipments-6e61f8f1eb9bb0151669d1fe2d9b5646">fewer than originally estimated</a>&nbsp;to the frustration of states and health officials trying to schedule the shots.

There is no real-time tracking of how quickly people are getting the first of the two required doses. As of Monday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had reports of more than 2.1 million vaccinations out of 11.4 million doses shipped — but the agency knows that count is outdated. It can take days for reports from vaccine providers to trickle in and get added to the site.

“Just because a vaccine arrives doesn’t mean we can put an on-the-spot clinic up and running,” said Jenny Barta, a public health official in Carlton County, Minnesota.

But Tuesday, her agency aims to vaccinate 100 people in a drive-thru clinic for emergency medical workers that Barta hopes could become a model for larger attempts at mass vaccination. Nurses will wheel vaccine to cars lined up in a county-owned snowplow garage. Once the drivers get their shots, they will wait in parking spaces to be sure they don’t have an allergic reaction before heading home.

“Vaccinating one individual at a time is how we’re going to work our way out of this pandemic,” she said.

Yet another worry hanging over the vaccine scramble: Will shots block a new variant of the coronavirus that emerged in Britain and might spread more easily? Fauci said that data from Britain indicates the vaccines still will protect against the virus but that National Institutes of Health researchers will be “looking at it very intensively” to be sure.

A look at the frontrunners in the global vaccine race:

The U.S. based its emergency rollout of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and a similar one made by Moderna and the NIH on studies suggesting they are both roughly 95% effective. Europe over the weekend began its first vaccinations with the Pfizer shot, and on Jan. 6 will decide whether to add Moderna’s.

These shots are made with a brand-new technology that injects a piece of genetic code for the spike protein that coats the coronavirus. That messenger RNA, or mRNA, induces the body to produce some harmless spike protein, enough to prime the immune system to react if it later encounters the real virus.

Both vaccines must be kept frozen, the Pfizer shot at ultra-low temperatures that complicate its delivery to poor or rural areas.

Additional companies are working toward their own mRNA candidates, including Germany’s CureVac, which has begun a large study in Europe.

The Novavax candidate is made differently, using what Fauci called a “more tried and true” technology that needs only ordinary refrigeration. The Maryland company grows harmless copies of the coronavirus spike protein in the laboratory and mixes in an immune-boosting chemical.

Novavax already has enrolled 15,000 people in a late-stage study in Britain and 4,000 in South Africa. The newest and largest study, funded by the U.S. government, will recruit volunteers at more than 115 sites in the U.S. and Mexico and target high-risk older adults along with volunteers from Black and Hispanic communities, which have been hit hard by the virus.

“We’ve got to protect our community and our people,” said the Rev. Peter Johnson, 75, a prominent civil rights activist in Dallas who was among the first volunteers.

Two-thirds of participants will receive vaccine and the rest dummy shots, a twist from earlier vaccine studies that gave half their volunteers a placebo. That should help researchers recruit people who wonder whether it’s better to take part in a study or wait their turn for an existing shot, said Dr. Gregory Glenn, research chief at Novavax.

For many people, that would be a long wait: The Pfizer and Moderna shots are slated first for health care workers and nursing home residents, followed by people 75 and older and essential workers.

“If you wanted to hedge your bets, for most people who aren’t in those very high-risk groups, the shortest route to getting the vaccine would be to sign up for a trial,” said NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins.

The next big vaccine news may come from Johnson &amp; Johnson, which is aiming for a one-dose COVID-19 vaccine.

Made in yet another way, it uses a harmless virus – a cold virus called an adenovirus -- to carry the spike gene into the body. In mid-December, J&amp;J finished enrolling about 45,000 volunteers in a final-stage study in the U.S. and a half-dozen other countries. Fauci expects early results sometime next month.

In Britain, regulators also are considering clearing a similar vaccine made by AstraZeneca and Oxford University.

Tests of the shots in Britain, South Africa and Brazil suggested they are safe and partially protective — about 70%. But questions remain about how well the vaccine works in people over 55 and how to interpret results from a small number of people given a different set of doses.

A U.S. study of the AstraZeneca shots is still recruiting volunteers; Fauci said researchers hope it will provide a more clear answer.

Companies in China and Russia also are producing adenovirus-based vaccines and began administering them before the results of final testing came in. Argentina is expected to soon use the Russian vaccine.

Spike-focused vaccines aren’t the only option. Making vaccines by growing a disease-causing virus and then killing it is a still older approach that gives the body a sneak peek at the germ itself rather than just that single spike protein.

China has three such “inactivated” COVID-19 vaccines in final testing in several countries and has allowed emergency use in some people ahead of results. An Indian company is testing its own inactivated candidate.

By LAURAN NEERGAARD, Associated PressA huge U.S. study of another COVID-19 vaccine candidate is underway as states continue to roll out scarce supplies of the first shots to a nation anxiously awaiting relief from the catastrophic outbreak.Public health experts say more options in addition to the two vaccines now being dispensed — one made by Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech, the other by Moderna — are critical to amassing enough shots for the country and the world.The candidate made by Novavax Inc. is the fifth to reach final-stage testing in the United States. Some 30,000 volunteers are needed to prove if the shot — a different kind than its Pfizer and Moderna competitors — really works and is safe.“If you want to have enough vaccine to vaccinate all the people in the U.S. who you’d like to vaccinate — up to 85% or more of the population — you’re going to need more than two companies,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top U.S. infectious disease expert, told The Associated Press.The coronavirus is blamed for about 1.8 million deaths worldwide, including more than 330,000 in the U.S. This has been the deadliest month of the outbreak in the U.S. yet, with about 65,000 deaths in December so far, according to the COVID Tracking Project. The nation has repeatedly recorded more than 3,000 dead per day over the past few weeks.And the U.S. could be facing a terrible winter: Despite warnings to stay home and avoid others over Christmastime, nearly 1.3 million people went through the nation’s airports, the highest one-day total since the crisis took hold in the U.S. nine months ago.The Trump administration’s Operation Warp Speed expects to have shipped 20 million doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to states by the beginning of January,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/general-gustave-perna-vaccine-shipments-6e61f8f1eb9bb0151669d1fe2d9b5646">fewer than originally estimated</a>&nbsp;to the frustration of states and health officials trying to schedule the shots.There is no real-time tracking of how quickly people are getting the first of the two required doses. As of Monday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had reports of more than 2.1 million vaccinations out of 11.4 million doses shipped — but the agency knows that count is outdated. It can take days for reports from vaccine providers to trickle in and get added to the site.“Just because a vaccine arrives doesn’t mean we can put an on-the-spot clinic up and running,” said Jenny Barta, a public health official in Carlton County, Minnesota.But Tuesday, her agency aims to vaccinate 100 people in a drive-thru clinic for emergency medical workers that Barta hopes could become a model for larger attempts at mass vaccination. Nurses will wheel vaccine to cars lined up in a county-owned snowplow garage. Once the drivers get their shots, they will wait in parking spaces to be sure they don’t have an allergic reaction before heading home.“Vaccinating one individual at a time is how we’re going to work our way out of this pandemic,” she said.Yet another worry hanging over the vaccine scramble: Will shots block a new variant of the coronavirus that emerged in Britain and might spread more easily? Fauci said that data from Britain indicates the vaccines still will protect against the virus but that National Institutes of Health researchers will be “looking at it very intensively” to be sure.A look at the frontrunners in the global vaccine race:GENETIC CODE VACCINESThe U.S. based its emergency rollout of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and a similar one made by Moderna and the NIH on studies suggesting they are both roughly 95% effective. Europe over the weekend began its first vaccinations with the Pfizer shot, and on Jan. 6 will decide whether to add Moderna’s.These shots are made with a brand-new technology that injects a piece of genetic code for the spike protein that coats the coronavirus. That messenger RNA, or mRNA, induces the body to produce some harmless spike protein, enough to prime the immune system to react if it later encounters the real virus.Both vaccines must be kept frozen, the Pfizer shot at ultra-low temperatures that complicate its delivery to poor or rural areas.Additional companies are working toward their own mRNA candidates, including Germany’s CureVac, which has begun a large study in Europe.PROTEIN VACCINESThe Novavax candidate is made differently, using what Fauci called a “more tried and true” technology that needs only ordinary refrigeration. The Maryland company grows harmless copies of the coronavirus spike protein in the laboratory and mixes in an immune-boosting chemical.Novavax already has enrolled 15,000 people in a late-stage study in Britain and 4,000 in South Africa. The newest and largest study, funded by the U.S. government, will recruit volunteers at more than 115 sites in the U.S. and Mexico and target high-risk older adults along with volunteers from Black and Hispanic communities, which have been hit hard by the virus.“We’ve got to protect our community and our people,” said the Rev. Peter Johnson, 75, a prominent civil rights activist in Dallas who was among the first volunteers.Two-thirds of participants will receive vaccine and the rest dummy shots, a twist from earlier vaccine studies that gave half their volunteers a placebo. That should help researchers recruit people who wonder whether it’s better to take part in a study or wait their turn for an existing shot, said Dr. Gregory Glenn, research chief at Novavax.For many people, that would be a long wait: The Pfizer and Moderna shots are slated first for health care workers and nursing home residents, followed by people 75 and older and essential workers.“If you wanted to hedge your bets, for most people who aren’t in those very high-risk groups, the shortest route to getting the vaccine would be to sign up for a trial,” said NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins.TROJAN HORSE VACCINESThe next big vaccine news may come from Johnson &amp; Johnson, which is aiming for a one-dose COVID-19 vaccine.Made in yet another way, it uses a harmless virus – a cold virus called an adenovirus -- to carry the spike gene into the body. In mid-December, J&amp;J finished enrolling about 45,000 volunteers in a final-stage study in the U.S. and a half-dozen other countries. Fauci expects early results sometime next month.In Britain, regulators also are considering clearing a similar vaccine made by AstraZeneca and Oxford University.Tests of the shots in Britain, South Africa and Brazil suggested they are safe and partially protective — about 70%. But questions remain about how well the vaccine works in people over 55 and how to interpret results from a small number of people given a different set of doses.A U.S. study of the AstraZeneca shots is still recruiting volunteers; Fauci said researchers hope it will provide a more clear answer.Companies in China and Russia also are producing adenovirus-based vaccines and began administering them before the results of final testing came in. Argentina is expected to soon use the Russian vaccine.“KILLED” VACCINESSpike-focused vaccines aren’t the only option. Making vaccines by growing a disease-causing virus and then killing it is a still older approach that gives the body a sneak peek at the germ itself rather than just that single spike protein.China has three such “inactivated” COVID-19 vaccines in final testing in several countries and has allowed emergency use in some people ahead of results. An Indian company is testing its own inactivated candidate.___

More COVID-19 vaccines in the pipeline as US effort ramps up

JACKSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects.&nbsp;

Just after 9a.m. New Year's Eve, a sheriff’s Deputy stopped a Ford Explorer north of 134th Road on U.S. 75 for allegedly displaying a license plate that wasn’t assigned to the vehicle, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

The driver, Robert Motoyoski Thornbrough, 37, of Bakersfield, California, was arrested on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia, driving while suspended and no insurance, according to Morse.

The passenger, Kimber Leigh Hunt, 32, of Topeka, was jailed on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1609554255698.png" alt="Thornbrough- photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Thornbrough- photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects.&nbsp;Just after 9a.m. New Year's Eve, a sheriff’s Deputy stopped a Ford Explorer north of 134th Road on U.S. 75 for allegedly displaying a license plate that wasn’t assigned to the vehicle, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.The driver, Robert Motoyoski Thornbrough, 37, of Bakersfield, California, was arrested on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia, driving while suspended and no insurance, according to Morse.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1609554189764.png" alt="Hunt-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Hunt-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>The passenger, Kimber Leigh Hunt, 32, of Topeka, was jailed on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia.

Sheriff: Calif. driver jailed for meth possession in Kansas

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Kansas City recorded 180 homicide victims in 2020, the highest number of killings in a single year in its history, as gun violence surged nationwide.

The last time the city saw anywhere close to as many homicides was 2017, when it recorded 155 killings, including four fatal police shootings.

In addition to the homicide record, 2020 also marked a dramatic surge in nonfatal shootings. More than 620 people were shot and survived — a statistic that Mayor Quinton Lucas described as “crazy” and “embarrassing.”

The city’s current response to killings is “not smart,” said Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker. If the approach doesn’t change, she said, Kansas City will continue to have a “disgusting homicide rate” year after year.

Baker was the chief architect of a previous anti-violence strategy, KC NoVA, which garnered national attention after killings dropped to 86 in 2014, the fewest in Kansas City in more than four decades. The police department, under Chief Rick Smith, abandoned the strategy after he took the helm in 2017.

In September, Lucas announced a new effort aimed at reducing violence called Reform Project KC. The focus is meant to be on prevention, intervention, enforcement and administrative reforms.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Kansas City recorded 180 homicide victims in 2020, the highest number of killings in a single year in its history, as gun violence surged nationwide.The last time the city saw anywhere close to as many homicides was 2017, when it recorded 155 killings, including four fatal police shootings.In addition to the homicide record, 2020 also marked a dramatic surge in nonfatal shootings. More than 620 people were shot and survived — a statistic that Mayor Quinton Lucas described as “crazy” and “embarrassing.”The city’s current response to killings is “not smart,” said Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker. If the approach doesn’t change, she said, Kansas City will continue to have a “disgusting homicide rate” year after year.Baker was the chief architect of a previous anti-violence strategy, KC NoVA, which garnered national attention after killings dropped to 86 in 2014, the fewest in Kansas City in more than four decades. The police department, under Chief Rick Smith, abandoned the strategy after he took the helm in 2017.In September, Lucas announced a new effort aimed at reducing violence called Reform Project KC. The focus is meant to be on prevention, intervention, enforcement and administrative reforms.

Kansas City suffers deadliest year ever with 180 killings

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas will rely on genetic tests to identify cases of a new and apparently more contagious coronavirus strain that was first seen in England, the director of the state Department of Health and Environment said this week.

No cases of the new strain have been detected in Kansas. Cases have been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/miami-coronavirus-pandemic-donna-shalala-e7db939436099206667f956363af4909">confirmed</a>&nbsp;in Colorado, Florida and California.

Dr. Lee Norman said Kansas already does genetic testing with about 1% of COVID-19 patients and it plans to increase its lab capacity so that it can do more tests.

Norman told reporters during a Statehouse news conference this week that Kansas already has seen other variations of the virus that causes COVID-19, including a “Utah strain” and a “Wisconsin strain.”

“Viruses always change, kind of over time, with minor genetic variations. Mostly, they don’t make much difference,” Norman said. “They’re more alike than different, quite honestly.”

The state on Friday reported another 138 deaths from COVID-19 since Wednesday, for a total of 2,879 since the pandemic began. Kansas has confirmed 227,745 COVID-19 cases, an increase of 5,312 since Wednesday, the health department said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1607605686018.png" alt="KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman" />
 <figcaption>KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas will rely on genetic tests to identify cases of a new and apparently more contagious coronavirus strain that was first seen in England, the director of the state Department of Health and Environment said this week.No cases of the new strain have been detected in Kansas. Cases have been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/miami-coronavirus-pandemic-donna-shalala-e7db939436099206667f956363af4909">confirmed</a>&nbsp;in Colorado, Florida and California.Dr. Lee Norman said Kansas already does genetic testing with about 1% of COVID-19 patients and it plans to increase its lab capacity so that it can do more tests.Norman told reporters during a Statehouse news conference this week that Kansas already has seen other variations of the virus that causes COVID-19, including a “Utah strain” and a “Wisconsin strain.”“Viruses always change, kind of over time, with minor genetic variations. Mostly, they don’t make much difference,” Norman said. “They’re more alike than different, quite honestly.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1609526207240.png" alt="Friday Jan. 1, 2021 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Friday Jan. 1, 2021 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>The state on Friday reported another 138 deaths from COVID-19 since Wednesday, for a total of 2,879 since the pandemic began. Kansas has confirmed 227,745 COVID-19 cases, an increase of 5,312 since Wednesday, the health department said.

Kan. to use genetic testing to ID highly infectious COVID-19 variant 

WASHINGTON —Kansas Senator-elect Roger Marshall announced on his twitter account Saturday that he would follow Missouri Senator Josh Hawley to raise objections next week when Congress meets to affirm President-elect Joe Biden's victory.

The move will force House and Senate votes that are likely to delay and could change— the final&nbsp;certification&nbsp;of&nbsp;Biden’s win.

When Congress convenes to certify the Electoral College results, any lawmaker can object to a state’s votes on any grounds. But the objection is not taken up unless it is in writing and signed by both a member of the House and a member of the Senate.

When there is such a request, then the joint session suspends and the House and Senate go into separate sessions to consider it. For the objection to be sustained, both chambers must agree to it by a simple majority vote. If they disagree, the original electoral votes are counted.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., said Wednesday he will raise objections next week when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-count-electoral-college-vote-5605532631a251ac8f902d1d1ca55428">Congress meets to affirm President-elect Joe Biden’s victory</a>&nbsp;in the election, forcing House and Senate votes that are likely to delay and could change — the final&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-270-electoral-college-vote-d429ef97af2bf574d16463384dc7cc1e">certification</a>&nbsp;of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-wins-white-house-ap-fd58df73aa677acb74fce2a69adb71f9">Biden’s win</a>.

President Donald Trump has, without evidence, claimed there was widespread fraud in the election. He has pushed Republican senators to pursue his unfounded charges even though the Electoral College this month cemented Biden’s 306-232 victory and multiple legal efforts to challenge the results have failed.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-mo-brooks-elections-927d23e741ff7b2ca73afe734ffe278d">A group of Republicans</a>&nbsp;in the Democratic-majority House have already said they will object on Trump’s behalf during the Jan. 6 count of electoral votes, and they had needed just a single senator to go along with them to force votes in both chambers.

Without giving specifics or evidence, Hawley said he would object because “some states, including notably Pennsylvania” did not follow their own election laws. Lawsuits challenging Biden’s victory in Pennsylvania have been unsuccessful.

“At the very least, Congress should investigate allegations of voter fraud and adopt measures to secure the integrity of our elections,” Hawley said in a statement. He also criticized the way Facebook and Twitter handled content related to the election, characterizing it as an effort to help Biden.

Biden transition spokeswoman Jen Psaki dismissed Hawley’s move as “antics” that will have no bearing on Biden being sworn in on Jan. 20.

“The American people spoke resoundingly in this election and 81 million people have voted for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris,” Psaki said in a call with reporters. She added: “Congress will certify the results of the election as they do every four years.”

The last time such an objection was considered was 2005, when Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones of Ohio and Sen. Barbara Boxer of California, both Democrats, objected to Ohio’s electoral votes by claiming there were voting irregularities. Both chambers debated the objection and rejected it. It was only the second time such a vote had occurred.

As president of the Senate, Vice President Mike Pence will preside over the Jan. 6 session and declare the winner.

Asked about Hawley’s announcement, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said, “I have no doubt that on next Wednesday, a week from today, that Joe Biden will be confirmed by the acceptance of the vote of the electoral college as the 46th president of the United States.”

Hawley is a first-term senator and potential contender in the 2024 presidential primary, and his decision to join the House objectors is rebuff to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mitch-mcconnell-congratulates-joe-biden-2ed09a34fbbc3342fe45c733ee0dd725">had asked his caucus not to participate</a>&nbsp;in a futile quest to overturn the results.

Aware that the Democratic-led House would not support such a challenge and that it would put most of his fellow GOP senators in a bind, McConnell told them on a private call Dec. 15 that it would be a “terrible vote” to have to take.

While some Republicans have echoed Trump’s unsubstantiated claims, or at least refused to counter them, McConnell and an increasing number of GOP senators have acknowledged that Biden won and will be inaugurated Jan. 20.

The Senate’s No. 2 Republican, South Dakota Sen. John Thune, said earlier this month that if the Senate were forced to vote on a challenge “it would go down like a shot dog.” Thune said it didn’t make sense to put senators through a vote when “you know what the ultimate outcome is gonna be.”

A range of nonpartisan election officials and Republicans have confirmed there was no fraud in the November contest that would change the results of the election. That includes former Attorney General William Barr, who said he saw no reason to appoint a special counsel to look into the president’s claims about the 2020 election. He then resigned from his post last week.

Trump and his allies have filed roughly 50 lawsuits challenging election results, and nearly all have been dismissed or dropped. He’s also lost twice at the Supreme Court.

The group of House Republicans have said they plan to challenge the election results from Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Georgia and Nevada. All are states that Biden carried.

Alabama Rep. Mo Brooks, one of the Republicans who is leading the efforts, has raised questions about the way state elections were conducted. Some of the states made changes to ballots and procedures during the pandemic. While the new procedures may have led to confusion in some places, state and federal officials have said there was no credible evidence of widespread fraud.

In addition to having to go on the record with a vote, Republicans are worried about negative effects on the two Senate runoff elections in Georgia on Tuesday. GOP Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler face Democratic challengers Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock in a state that flipped in November for Biden.

WASHINGTON —Kansas Senator-elect Roger Marshall announced on his twitter account Saturday that he would follow Missouri Senator Josh Hawley to raise objections next week when Congress meets to affirm President-elect Joe Biden's victory.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We must hold accountable any state that disregarded the law or our constitution. The Electoral College is only as strong as the states who are entrusted to follow election laws. That is why I will be supporting objection and debate next week.&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1345426262081286145?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The move will force House and Senate votes that are likely to delay and could change— the final&nbsp;certification&nbsp;of&nbsp;Biden’s win.When Congress convenes to certify the Electoral College results, any lawmaker can object to a state’s votes on any grounds. But the objection is not taken up unless it is in writing and signed by both a member of the House and a member of the Senate.When there is such a request, then the joint session suspends and the House and Senate go into separate sessions to consider it. For the objection to be sustained, both chambers must agree to it by a simple majority vote. If they disagree, the original electoral votes are counted.------WASHINGTON (AP) — Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., said Wednesday he will raise objections next week when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-count-electoral-college-vote-5605532631a251ac8f902d1d1ca55428">Congress meets to affirm President-elect Joe Biden’s victory</a>&nbsp;in the election, forcing House and Senate votes that are likely to delay and could change — the final&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-270-electoral-college-vote-d429ef97af2bf574d16463384dc7cc1e">certification</a>&nbsp;of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-wins-white-house-ap-fd58df73aa677acb74fce2a69adb71f9">Biden’s win</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Millions of voters concerned about election integrity deserve to be heard. I will object on January 6 on their behalf <a href="https://t.co/kTaaPPJGHE">pic.twitter.com/kTaaPPJGHE</a>&mdash; Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) <a href="https://twitter.com/HawleyMO/status/1344307458085412867?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>President Donald Trump has, without evidence, claimed there was widespread fraud in the election. He has pushed Republican senators to pursue his unfounded charges even though the Electoral College this month cemented Biden’s 306-232 victory and multiple legal efforts to challenge the results have failed.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-mo-brooks-elections-927d23e741ff7b2ca73afe734ffe278d">A group of Republicans</a>&nbsp;in the Democratic-majority House have already said they will object on Trump’s behalf during the Jan. 6 count of electoral votes, and they had needed just a single senator to go along with them to force votes in both chambers.Without giving specifics or evidence, Hawley said he would object because “some states, including notably Pennsylvania” did not follow their own election laws. Lawsuits challenging Biden’s victory in Pennsylvania have been unsuccessful.“At the very least, Congress should investigate allegations of voter fraud and adopt measures to secure the integrity of our elections,” Hawley said in a statement. He also criticized the way Facebook and Twitter handled content related to the election, characterizing it as an effort to help Biden.Biden transition spokeswoman Jen Psaki dismissed Hawley’s move as “antics” that will have no bearing on Biden being sworn in on Jan. 20.“The American people spoke resoundingly in this election and 81 million people have voted for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris,” Psaki said in a call with reporters. She added: “Congress will certify the results of the election as they do every four years.”When Congress convenes to certify the Electoral College results, any lawmaker can object to a state’s votes on any grounds. But the objection is not taken up unless it is in writing and signed by both a member of the House and a member of the Senate.When there is such a request, then the joint session suspends and the House and Senate go into separate sessions to consider it. For the objection to be sustained, both chambers must agree to it by a simple majority vote. If they disagree, the original electoral votes are counted.The last time such an objection was considered was 2005, when Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones of Ohio and Sen. Barbara Boxer of California, both Democrats, objected to Ohio’s electoral votes by claiming there were voting irregularities. Both chambers debated the objection and rejected it. It was only the second time such a vote had occurred.As president of the Senate, Vice President Mike Pence will preside over the Jan. 6 session and declare the winner.Asked about Hawley’s announcement, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said, “I have no doubt that on next Wednesday, a week from today, that Joe Biden will be confirmed by the acceptance of the vote of the electoral college as the 46th president of the United States.”Hawley is a first-term senator and potential contender in the 2024 presidential primary, and his decision to join the House objectors is rebuff to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mitch-mcconnell-congratulates-joe-biden-2ed09a34fbbc3342fe45c733ee0dd725">had asked his caucus not to participate</a>&nbsp;in a futile quest to overturn the results.Aware that the Democratic-led House would not support such a challenge and that it would put most of his fellow GOP senators in a bind, McConnell told them on a private call Dec. 15 that it would be a “terrible vote” to have to take.While some Republicans have echoed Trump’s unsubstantiated claims, or at least refused to counter them, McConnell and an increasing number of GOP senators have acknowledged that Biden won and will be inaugurated Jan. 20.The Senate’s No. 2 Republican, South Dakota Sen. John Thune, said earlier this month that if the Senate were forced to vote on a challenge “it would go down like a shot dog.” Thune said it didn’t make sense to put senators through a vote when “you know what the ultimate outcome is gonna be.”A range of nonpartisan election officials and Republicans have confirmed there was no fraud in the November contest that would change the results of the election. That includes former Attorney General William Barr, who said he saw no reason to appoint a special counsel to look into the president’s claims about the 2020 election. He then resigned from his post last week.Trump and his allies have filed roughly 50 lawsuits challenging election results, and nearly all have been dismissed or dropped. He’s also lost twice at the Supreme Court.The group of House Republicans have said they plan to challenge the election results from Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Georgia and Nevada. All are states that Biden carried.Alabama Rep. Mo Brooks, one of the Republicans who is leading the efforts, has raised questions about the way state elections were conducted. Some of the states made changes to ballots and procedures during the pandemic. While the new procedures may have led to confusion in some places, state and federal officials have said there was no credible evidence of widespread fraud.In addition to having to go on the record with a vote, Republicans are worried about negative effects on the two Senate runoff elections in Georgia on Tuesday. GOP Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler face Democratic challengers Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock in a state that flipped in November for Biden.

Senator-elect Marshall will also object to Biden's electoral votes

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and have made two arrests.

Just after 12:05 a.m. Friday, officers responded to a shooting in the 1200 block of South Ida in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson..&nbsp; A citizen called and reported hearing shots and a man lying on the sidewalk.

Upon officers arriving, they located 22-year-old Gabriel Campos-Torres, who had been shot.&nbsp; He was pronounced deceased on the scene, according to Davidson.

Through the investigation, an additional crime scene was located at a home in the 1200 block of South Laura, where Campos-Torres was shot.&nbsp; Investigators also learned that 18-year-old Noah Martin and a 16-year-old were involved in the shooting.&nbsp; They were located at the home on Laura and arrested.&nbsp; Officers also recovered a firearms inside of the home.

Martin of Wichita is being <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20065752">held on a requested</a> charge of 2nd-degree murder and felon in possession of a firearm.&nbsp; The 16-year-old boy is being held a requested charge of 2nd-degree murder, according to Davidson.

The case will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1609538313369.png" alt="Martin-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Martin-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and have made two arrests.Just after 12:05 a.m. Friday, officers responded to a shooting in the 1200 block of South Ida in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson..&nbsp; A citizen called and reported hearing shots and a man lying on the sidewalk.Upon officers arriving, they located 22-year-old Gabriel Campos-Torres, who had been shot.&nbsp; He was pronounced deceased on the scene, according to Davidson.Through the investigation, an additional crime scene was located at a home in the 1200 block of South Laura, where Campos-Torres was shot.&nbsp; Investigators also learned that 18-year-old Noah Martin and a 16-year-old were involved in the shooting.&nbsp; They were located at the home on Laura and arrested.&nbsp; Officers also recovered a firearms inside of the home.Martin of Wichita is being <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20065752">held on a requested</a> charge of 2nd-degree murder and felon in possession of a firearm.&nbsp; The 16-year-old boy is being held a requested charge of 2nd-degree murder, according to Davidson.The case will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.

Police: Kan. teen jailed for New Year's Day murder

By STEPHEN KORANDA <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-12-21/tents-police-radios-and-a-grocery-some-of-the-ways-kansas-is-using-1-billion-in-covid-19-aid">Kansas News Service</a>

LAWRENCE — In north Lawrence, the city set up 20 white-and-gray tents in a park to house people who are homeless.

It’s not health care, or COVID-19 tests, but federal coronavirus tax dollars are paying for the camp.

“If
 we put our homeless population into the shelter, there’s a higher 
chance that they’ll get the virus and then they’ll spread it across the 
community,” Douglas County Commissioner Patrick Kelly said.

The 
camp marks but one example of the creative ways communities are using 
the federal money. They scrambled to spend the cash before a deadline at
 the end of December, but Congress is now giving them more time. 
Restrictions also mean that money can’t go to some of the top priorities
 in local budgets.

In <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyphillipserb/2020/12/20/congress-reaches-an-agreement-on-a-relief-package-including-new-stimulus-checks/?sh=67acee7dc5e6" target="_blank">a deal just days before the deadline</a>, congressional leaders decided to give state and local governments an extra year to spend the money as part of a larger economic stimulus plan.

The state allocated the $1 billion in <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2019_20/committees/ctte_spc_2020_economic_recovery_1/documents/testimony/20201208_01.pdf" target="_blank">three rounds</a>, with plans to have the rest spent by the deadline later this month. Of that, $400 million was <a href="https://covid.ks.gov/covid-data/" target="_blank">sent to local governments</a> to spend on the particular needs in those communities.

The
 camp in Lawrence might seem unconventional, but much of the $25 million
 allocated to Douglas County is going to things more obviously tied to 
the pandemic. Testing, protective equipment and financial help for local
 businesses, including music clubs.

“We have a lot of live 
music here in Lawrence, Kansas,” Kelly said, “and they came to us very 
early and said they were the first to shut down and there’ll be the last
 to open up.”

Douglas County isn’t the only place getting 
creative with spending the $1 billion. A group of counties used money to
 upgrade their emergency response radio system.

Bourbon County in southeast Kansas is helping pay for <a href="https://www.koamnewsnow.com/new-grocery-store-coming-to-downtown-fort-scott/" target="_blank">a grocery store.</a>

Kansas
 Transportation Secretary Julie Lorenz heads the governor’s office that 
works with counties on spending the federal money. She said the grocery 
store plan needed some tweaking to have a solid connection to the 
pandemic.

“They’ve seen a spike in their unemployment 
because of COVID, which then made their food desert situation even 
worse,” Lorenz said in an interview.

The state and local 
governments worked fast because the money had to be used by the end of 
this month, and there were contingency plans so it could be spent in 
time.

Earlier this month, Lorenz said she hoped Congress would give them some relief.

“My holiday wish from Congress would be a big three-part,” she said, “more money, more time and more flexibility.”

In the last-minute deal, Lorenz will get the extra time she wished for.

Congress
 forced the unconventional thinking with the original deadline and 
spending rules. It wanted states and counties to have money to cover 
pandemic costs, not replace tax revenue that dried up during the 
pandemic.

“You can’t just say, ‘We’ve got a budget hole 
somewhere, we want to patch it with this,’” said Jared Walczak, vice 
president of state projects with the right-leaning Tax Foundation.

Some states might risk getting a little too creative. In West Virginia, there was <a href="https://www.theintelligencer.net/news/top-headlines/2020/08/questions-raised-over-west-virginia-using-cares-act-funds-for-road-repairs/" target="_blank">pushback</a> over spending the money on <a href="https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2020/08/07/critics-question-cares-act-spending-in-some-states" target="_blank">road projects</a>.

Walczak
 warns states to be careful because federal auditors could demand the 
money go back to Washington if the spending’s not connected to the 
pandemic.

“(The Department of the) Treasury will probably 
give them some latitude, but it’s not unlimited,” he said. “You start 
going out there and doing bold economic development projects that have 
nothing to do with COVID-19 and you’re going to get some scrutiny.”

The unorthodox thinking has also spread to implementing programs paid for with federal money, to make them most effective.

On
 a sunny Sunday this month, workers from Lawrence Memorial Hospital 
handed out COVID-19 tests in the city’s downtown. The day before, this 
group had distributed almost 2,000 tests.

Lesli Smith came out to get tests for herself and her kids.

“I work in the service industry and they go hybrid learning,” she said, “so it’s just nice to know.”

Douglas
 County had started with drive-through events managed by the hospital. 
Those continue, but the strategy has shifted to simply handing out the 
tests in busy places.

Sarah Hartsig, community health 
planner with Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health, said the goal is 
testing the widest cross section of people possible.

“To 
identify asymptomatic, positive people,” she said, “we have to try a lot
 of different strategies and reach people in a lot of different ways.”

Stephen Koranda is the Statehouse reporter for Kansas Public Radio and the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter<a href="https://twitter.com/kprkoranda" target="_blank"> </a><a href="https://twitter.com/kprkoranda" target="_blank">@kprkoranda</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608644787522.png" alt="Federal money helped pay for free COVID-19 testing in downtown Lawrence. Stephen Koranda / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>Federal money helped pay for free COVID-19 testing in downtown Lawrence. Stephen Koranda / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By STEPHEN KORANDA <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-12-21/tents-police-radios-and-a-grocery-some-of-the-ways-kansas-is-using-1-billion-in-covid-19-aid">Kansas News Service</a>LAWRENCE — In north Lawrence, the city set up 20 white-and-gray tents in a park to house people who are homeless.It’s not health care, or COVID-19 tests, but federal coronavirus tax dollars are paying for the camp.“If
 we put our homeless population into the shelter, there’s a higher 
chance that they’ll get the virus and then they’ll spread it across the 
community,” Douglas County Commissioner Patrick Kelly said.The 
camp marks but one example of the creative ways communities are using 
the federal money. They scrambled to spend the cash before a deadline at
 the end of December, but Congress is now giving them more time. 
Restrictions also mean that money can’t go to some of the top priorities
 in local budgets.In <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyphillipserb/2020/12/20/congress-reaches-an-agreement-on-a-relief-package-including-new-stimulus-checks/?sh=67acee7dc5e6" target="_blank">a deal just days before the deadline</a>, congressional leaders decided to give state and local governments an extra year to spend the money as part of a larger economic stimulus plan.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608644875733.png" alt="Federal COVID-19 aid helped pay for tents for the homeless in Lawrence. Stephen Koranda" />
 <figcaption>Federal COVID-19 aid helped pay for tents for the homeless in Lawrence. Stephen Koranda</figcaption>
 </figure>The state allocated the $1 billion in <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2019_20/committees/ctte_spc_2020_economic_recovery_1/documents/testimony/20201208_01.pdf" target="_blank">three rounds</a>, with plans to have the rest spent by the deadline later this month. Of that, $400 million was <a href="https://covid.ks.gov/covid-data/" target="_blank">sent to local governments</a> to spend on the particular needs in those communities.The
 camp in Lawrence might seem unconventional, but much of the $25 million
 allocated to Douglas County is going to things more obviously tied to 
the pandemic. Testing, protective equipment and financial help for local
 businesses, including music clubs.“We have a lot of live 
music here in Lawrence, Kansas,” Kelly said, “and they came to us very 
early and said they were the first to shut down and there’ll be the last
 to open up.”Douglas County isn’t the only place getting 
creative with spending the $1 billion. A group of counties used money to
 upgrade their emergency response radio system.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608644915986.png" alt="Douglas County Commissioner Patrick Kelly / Stephen Koranda photo" />
 <figcaption>Douglas County Commissioner Patrick Kelly / Stephen Koranda photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Bourbon County in southeast Kansas is helping pay for <a href="https://www.koamnewsnow.com/new-grocery-store-coming-to-downtown-fort-scott/" target="_blank">a grocery store.</a>Kansas
 Transportation Secretary Julie Lorenz heads the governor’s office that 
works with counties on spending the federal money. She said the grocery 
store plan needed some tweaking to have a solid connection to the 
pandemic.“They’ve seen a spike in their unemployment 
because of COVID, which then made their food desert situation even 
worse,” Lorenz said in an interview.The state and local 
governments worked fast because the money had to be used by the end of 
this month, and there were contingency plans so it could be spent in 
time.Earlier this month, Lorenz said she hoped Congress would give them some relief.“My holiday wish from Congress would be a big three-part,” she said, “more money, more time and more flexibility.”In the last-minute deal, Lorenz will get the extra time she wished for.Congress
 forced the unconventional thinking with the original deadline and 
spending rules. It wanted states and counties to have money to cover 
pandemic costs, not replace tax revenue that dried up during the 
pandemic.“You can’t just say, ‘We’ve got a budget hole 
somewhere, we want to patch it with this,’” said Jared Walczak, vice 
president of state projects with the right-leaning Tax Foundation.Some states might risk getting a little too creative. In West Virginia, there was <a href="https://www.theintelligencer.net/news/top-headlines/2020/08/questions-raised-over-west-virginia-using-cares-act-funds-for-road-repairs/" target="_blank">pushback</a> over spending the money on <a href="https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2020/08/07/critics-question-cares-act-spending-in-some-states" target="_blank">road projects</a>.Walczak
 warns states to be careful because federal auditors could demand the 
money go back to Washington if the spending’s not connected to the 
pandemic.“(The Department of the) Treasury will probably 
give them some latitude, but it’s not unlimited,” he said. “You start 
going out there and doing bold economic development projects that have 
nothing to do with COVID-19 and you’re going to get some scrutiny.”The unorthodox thinking has also spread to implementing programs paid for with federal money, to make them most effective.On
 a sunny Sunday this month, workers from Lawrence Memorial Hospital 
handed out COVID-19 tests in the city’s downtown. The day before, this 
group had distributed almost 2,000 tests.Lesli Smith came out to get tests for herself and her kids.“I work in the service industry and they go hybrid learning,” she said, “so it’s just nice to know.”Douglas
 County had started with drive-through events managed by the hospital. 
Those continue, but the strategy has shifted to simply handing out the 
tests in busy places.Sarah Hartsig, community health 
planner with Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health, said the goal is 
testing the widest cross section of people possible.“To 
identify asymptomatic, positive people,” she said, “we have to try a lot
 of different strategies and reach people in a lot of different ways.”Stephen Koranda is the Statehouse reporter for Kansas Public Radio and the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter<a href="https://twitter.com/kprkoranda" target="_blank"> </a><a href="https://twitter.com/kprkoranda" target="_blank">@kprkoranda</a>.

Tents, radios, a grocery: Some ways Kansas is using COVID-19 aid

KANSAS CITY (AP) — When Andre Avery drives his commercial truck through Detroit, he keeps his pistol close.

Avery, 57, grew up in the Motor City and is aware that homicides and shootings are surging, even though before the pandemic they were dropping in Detroit and elsewhere. His gun is legal, and he carries it with him for protection.

“I remain extremely alert,” said Avery, who now lives in nearby Belleville. “I’m not in crowds. If something looks a little suspicious, I’m out of there.”

In Detroit, Chicago, New York, Philadelphia and even smaller Grand Rapids, Michigan, and Milwaukee, 2020 has been deadly not only because of the pandemic, but because gun violence is spiking.

Authorities and some experts say there is no one clear-cut reason for the spike. They instead point to social and economic upheaval caused by the COVID-19 virus, public sentiment toward police following George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis police custody and a historic shortage of jobs and resources in poorer communities as contributing factors. It’s happening in cities large and small, Democrat and Republican-led.

Two years ago, Detroit had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/c43536132a0996ba53d763cae281c084">261 homicides</a>&nbsp;— the fewest in decades. The tally has hovered around there with about 786 shootings for a city of more than 672,000.

But with only a few days left in 2020, homicides already have topped 300, while non-fatal shootings are up more than 50% at more than 1,124 through the middle of December.

“I think the pandemic — COVID — has had a significant emotional impact on people across the country,” Detroit Police Chief James Craig said. “Individuals are not processing how they manage disputes. Whether domestics, arguments, disputes over drugs, there’s this quickness to use an illegally carried firearm.”

About 7,000 guns had been seized through mid-December in Detroit, with more than 5,500 arrests for illegal guns. There were 2,797 similar arrests last year.

“I’ve not seen a spike like this. But when it’s happening in other cities — some smaller — what do we all have in common?” Craig said of the slayings and shootings. “That’s when you start thinking about COVID.”

Washington, D.C., a city of about 700,000, has seen more than 187 homicides this year, eclipsing last year’s total by more than 20. Among the most horrible: A 15-month-old baby boy was shot to death during a drive-by shooting.

“We’re all sick of the heinous crimes in our city,” said Mayor Muriel Bowser.

Crime in parts of the U.S. dropped during the early weeks of the pandemic when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bbb7adc88d3fa067c5c1b5c72a1a8aa6">stay-at-home orders closed businesses and forced many people to remain indoors.</a>

University of Pennsylvania economics professor David Abrams said crime began to spike in May and June when initial orders in some states were lifted.

Some people “may have been a little stir crazy,” Abrams said. “At the end of May, George Floyd’s killing led to protests and looting. That led to police reform movements. Any of that could have potentially affected individual behavior and also the police response to that.”

Calls for some cities to reduce funding for police departments may have led some officers to take a less aggressive approach to policing, he added.

What the COVID-19 virus did was exacerbate all of the frustration and anger that some in Black and brown communities already were dealing with, according to retired Michigan State University sociology professor Carl Taylor. The virus has killed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-coronavirus-deaths-top-3-million-e2bc856b6ec45563b84ee2e87ae8d5e7">more than 300,000 people&nbsp;</a>across the country, with minority communities hardest hit.

“The COVID has been absolutely the trigger of an everlasting bomb that’s exploding in many parts of our community,”

Nowhere is that more true than inside people’s homes. “The COVID crisis and the economic shutdown is forcing people into their homes, creating conditions where people are more volatile,” said Kim Foxx, the top prosecutor in Cook County, which includes Chicago. And the most jarring statistic that illustrates that volatility is this: The number of domestic-related homicides in the nation’s third-largest city are up more than 60% compared with last year.

President Donald Trump claimed spiking crime was somehow related to massive protests over police brutality that swept the nation this year, but the majority of those protests were peaceful. Trump also claimed the crime was concentrated in Democratic-run cities, but there have been spikes in Republican-run cities as well. Federal agents and resources were poured into Detroit and a number of other cities this summer to help local authorities collar the rising crime rates.

By early October, more homicides — 363 — were recorded&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-homicide-shootings-violence-philadelphia-ebe03dcb7e05777b7e73892e46b78b01">in Philadelphia&nbsp;</a>than the 356 committed in 2019. There were 354 killings&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-new-york-violent-crime-new-york-city-violence-6d7e05e85b81d4281a14d3a03981d677">in New York</a>&nbsp;through Oct. 11 — 90 more than at the same time last year.

Between Jan. 1 and Nov. 5, 165 homicides were recorded in Milwaukee,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-homicide-milwaukee-shootings-5179d42d4cc421ce1178e6834b55f66e">the most&nbsp;</a>since 1991. And in Chicago, after three years of falling homicide numbers, the totals skyrocketed to 739 in mid-December compared with 475 at the same point last year.

Even smaller cities like Grand Rapids are suffering. By mid-December there were 35 homicides compared with 16 through all of 2019 and nine the year before. From this January to October, non-fatal shootings topped 200 in the city, which is home to about 200,000 people. Over the same period last year there were 131 non-fatal shootings.

“This year, is it because of COVID? The political polarization we have seen?” asked Sgt. Dan Adams, spokesman for the Grand Rapids Police Department. “This year has been a year like no other. I don’t think you can point to any one ‘why.’”

It is the same for other mid-sized cities. Last year, there were 18 homicides in Rockford, a city of about 170,000 people in northern Illinois. More than 30 have been killed so far this year,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rockford-shootings-illinois-c0692de8b46ca5cc8f642855eb2eef15">including three Saturday&nbsp;</a>at a bowling alley.

“As we come to the end of this most difficult year and we look ahead at this New Year upon us, we know that this type of violence needs to stop,” Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara said.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — When Andre Avery drives his commercial truck through Detroit, he keeps his pistol close.Avery, 57, grew up in the Motor City and is aware that homicides and shootings are surging, even though before the pandemic they were dropping in Detroit and elsewhere. His gun is legal, and he carries it with him for protection.“I remain extremely alert,” said Avery, who now lives in nearby Belleville. “I’m not in crowds. If something looks a little suspicious, I’m out of there.”In Detroit, Chicago, New York, Philadelphia and even smaller Grand Rapids, Michigan, and Milwaukee, 2020 has been deadly not only because of the pandemic, but because gun violence is spiking.Authorities and some experts say there is no one clear-cut reason for the spike. They instead point to social and economic upheaval caused by the COVID-19 virus, public sentiment toward police following George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis police custody and a historic shortage of jobs and resources in poorer communities as contributing factors. It’s happening in cities large and small, Democrat and Republican-led.Two years ago, Detroit had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/c43536132a0996ba53d763cae281c084">261 homicides</a>&nbsp;— the fewest in decades. The tally has hovered around there with about 786 shootings for a city of more than 672,000.But with only a few days left in 2020, homicides already have topped 300, while non-fatal shootings are up more than 50% at more than 1,124 through the middle of December.“I think the pandemic — COVID — has had a significant emotional impact on people across the country,” Detroit Police Chief James Craig said. “Individuals are not processing how they manage disputes. Whether domestics, arguments, disputes over drugs, there’s this quickness to use an illegally carried firearm.”About 7,000 guns had been seized through mid-December in Detroit, with more than 5,500 arrests for illegal guns. There were 2,797 similar arrests last year.“I’ve not seen a spike like this. But when it’s happening in other cities — some smaller — what do we all have in common?” Craig said of the slayings and shootings. “That’s when you start thinking about COVID.”Washington, D.C., a city of about 700,000, has seen more than 187 homicides this year, eclipsing last year’s total by more than 20. Among the most horrible: A 15-month-old baby boy was shot to death during a drive-by shooting.“We’re all sick of the heinous crimes in our city,” said Mayor Muriel Bowser.Crime in parts of the U.S. dropped during the early weeks of the pandemic when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bbb7adc88d3fa067c5c1b5c72a1a8aa6">stay-at-home orders closed businesses and forced many people to remain indoors.</a>University of Pennsylvania economics professor David Abrams said crime began to spike in May and June when initial orders in some states were lifted.Some people “may have been a little stir crazy,” Abrams said. “At the end of May, George Floyd’s killing led to protests and looting. That led to police reform movements. Any of that could have potentially affected individual behavior and also the police response to that.”Calls for some cities to reduce funding for police departments may have led some officers to take a less aggressive approach to policing, he added.What the COVID-19 virus did was exacerbate all of the frustration and anger that some in Black and brown communities already were dealing with, according to retired Michigan State University sociology professor Carl Taylor. The virus has killed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-coronavirus-deaths-top-3-million-e2bc856b6ec45563b84ee2e87ae8d5e7">more than 300,000 people&nbsp;</a>across the country, with minority communities hardest hit.“The COVID has been absolutely the trigger of an everlasting bomb that’s exploding in many parts of our community,”Nowhere is that more true than inside people’s homes. “The COVID crisis and the economic shutdown is forcing people into their homes, creating conditions where people are more volatile,” said Kim Foxx, the top prosecutor in Cook County, which includes Chicago. And the most jarring statistic that illustrates that volatility is this: The number of domestic-related homicides in the nation’s third-largest city are up more than 60% compared with last year.President Donald Trump claimed spiking crime was somehow related to massive protests over police brutality that swept the nation this year, but the majority of those protests were peaceful. Trump also claimed the crime was concentrated in Democratic-run cities, but there have been spikes in Republican-run cities as well. Federal agents and resources were poured into Detroit and a number of other cities this summer to help local authorities collar the rising crime rates.By early October, more homicides — 363 — were recorded&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-homicide-shootings-violence-philadelphia-ebe03dcb7e05777b7e73892e46b78b01">in Philadelphia&nbsp;</a>than the 356 committed in 2019. There were 354 killings&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-new-york-violent-crime-new-york-city-violence-6d7e05e85b81d4281a14d3a03981d677">in New York</a>&nbsp;through Oct. 11 — 90 more than at the same time last year.Between Jan. 1 and Nov. 5, 165 homicides were recorded in Milwaukee,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-homicide-milwaukee-shootings-5179d42d4cc421ce1178e6834b55f66e">the most&nbsp;</a>since 1991. And in Chicago, after three years of falling homicide numbers, the totals skyrocketed to 739 in mid-December compared with 475 at the same point last year.Even smaller cities like Grand Rapids are suffering. By mid-December there were 35 homicides compared with 16 through all of 2019 and nine the year before. From this January to October, non-fatal shootings topped 200 in the city, which is home to about 200,000 people. Over the same period last year there were 131 non-fatal shootings.“This year, is it because of COVID? The political polarization we have seen?” asked Sgt. Dan Adams, spokesman for the Grand Rapids Police Department. “This year has been a year like no other. I don’t think you can point to any one ‘why.’”It is the same for other mid-sized cities. Last year, there were 18 homicides in Rockford, a city of about 170,000 people in northern Illinois. More than 30 have been killed so far this year,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rockford-shootings-illinois-c0692de8b46ca5cc8f642855eb2eef15">including three Saturday&nbsp;</a>at a bowling alley.“As we come to the end of this most difficult year and we look ahead at this New Year upon us, we know that this type of violence needs to stop,” Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara said.___

As COVID-19 ravages US, shootings, killings also up

GARDEN CITY, Kan. (AP) — Prosecutors have dismissed a murder charge in the shooting death of a Garden City restaurant owner but said the charge could be refiled if new evidence emerges.

Marcus Roady, 31, was charged in the death of Charles Ernie Ortiz, 69, the owner of the El Conquistador Restaurant in Garden City.

The Finney County attorney’s office said Thursday that current circumstances dictate dismissal of the charge but did not elaborate. The office said the case remains an open investigation.

Officers found Ortiz&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/93d4d5083515448f8d4429441ca60f33">lying in the restaurant’s parking lot</a>&nbsp;on Sept. 23, 2019. He was suffering from several gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at a Garden City restaurant.

Police said at the time that the shooting could have been related to an attempted robbery.

No other arrests have been made in the case.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1609440279836.png" alt="Marcus Roady remains jailed in Finney County, according to online jail records" />
 <figcaption>Marcus Roady remains jailed in Finney County, according to online jail records</figcaption>
 </figure>GARDEN CITY, Kan. (AP) — Prosecutors have dismissed a murder charge in the shooting death of a Garden City restaurant owner but said the charge could be refiled if new evidence emerges.Marcus Roady, 31, was charged in the death of Charles Ernie Ortiz, 69, the owner of the El Conquistador Restaurant in Garden City.The Finney County attorney’s office said Thursday that current circumstances dictate dismissal of the charge but did not elaborate. The office said the case remains an open investigation.Officers found Ortiz&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/93d4d5083515448f8d4429441ca60f33">lying in the restaurant’s parking lot</a>&nbsp;on Sept. 23, 2019. He was suffering from several gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at a Garden City restaurant.Police said at the time that the shooting could have been related to an attempted robbery.No other arrests have been made in the case.

Suspect remains in SW Kan. jail after murder charge dismissed

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that fatally injured 26-year-old Nicholas Sims of Wichita.

At 4 a.m. Friday, officers responded to a shooting at a home in the 2600 block of North Bullinger in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson. 

Upon arrival, officers located Sims, who had been shot. He was pronounced deceased on the scene.

The investigation revealed a party was taking place at the home with at least 50 individuals. During the party, an argument ensued between Sims and a suspect inside the home. The argument moved to outside of the home, where Sims was shot by the suspect.

Investigators are working to determine the circumstances of what occurred in this case.

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that fatally injured 26-year-old Nicholas Sims of Wichita.At 4 a.m. Friday, officers responded to a shooting at a home in the 2600 block of North Bullinger in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson. Upon arrival, officers located Sims, who had been shot. He was pronounced deceased on the scene.The investigation revealed a party was taking place at the home with at least 50 individuals. During the party, an argument ensued between Sims and a suspect inside the home. The argument moved to outside of the home, where Sims was shot by the suspect.Investigators are working to determine the circumstances of what occurred in this case.

Kan. man dies after shooting at party New Year's morning

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress has overridden President Donald Trump’s veto of a defense policy bill, a first by lawmakers since he took office nearly four years ago.

In an extraordinary New Year’s Day session, the Republican-controlled Senate easily turned aside the veto, dismissing Trump’s objections to the $740 billion bill and handing him a stinging rebuke just weeks before his term ends.

Trump had lashed out at GOP lawmakers on Twitter, charging earlier this week that “Weak and tired Republican ‘leadership’ will allow the bad Defense Bill to pass.″

Trump called the looming override vote a “disgraceful act of cowardice and total submission by weak people to Big Tech. Negotiate a better Bill, or get better leaders, NOW!”

The 81-13 vote in the Senate followed an earlier 322-87 override vote in the House of the widely popular defense measure. The bill provides a 3% pay raise for U.S. troops and guides defense policy, cementing decisions about troop levels, new weapons systems and military readiness, personnel policy and other military goals. Many programs, including military construction, can only go into effect if the bill is approved.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said before the vote that Congress has passed the National Defense Authorization Act every year for 59 years in a row, “and one way or another, we are going to complete the 60th annual NDAA and pass it into law before this Congress concludes on Sunday.″

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1609533677186.png" alt="Kansas Senator Pat Roberts (upper right) working New Years's Day on the floor of the United State's Senate. Roberts, Senator Jerry Moran and Missouri Senator Roy Blunt voted to override. Missouri Senator Josh Hawley voted to uphold the veto. image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Senator Pat Roberts (upper right) working New Years's Day on the floor of the United State's Senate. Roberts, Senator Jerry Moran and Missouri Senator Roy Blunt voted to override. Missouri Senator Josh Hawley voted to uphold the veto. image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress has overridden President Donald Trump’s veto of a defense policy bill, a first by lawmakers since he took office nearly four years ago.In an extraordinary New Year’s Day session, the Republican-controlled Senate easily turned aside the veto, dismissing Trump’s objections to the $740 billion bill and handing him a stinging rebuke just weeks before his term ends.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Our Republican Senate just missed the opportunity to get rid of Section 230, which gives unlimited power to Big Tech companies. Pathetic!!! Now they want to give people ravaged by the China Virus $600, rather than the $2000 which they so desperately need. Not fair, or smart!&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1345111621430091777?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 1, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump had lashed out at GOP lawmakers on Twitter, charging earlier this week that “Weak and tired Republican ‘leadership’ will allow the bad Defense Bill to pass.″Trump called the looming override vote a “disgraceful act of cowardice and total submission by weak people to Big Tech. Negotiate a better Bill, or get better leaders, NOW!”The 81-13 vote in the Senate followed an earlier 322-87 override vote in the House of the widely popular defense measure. The bill provides a 3% pay raise for U.S. troops and guides defense policy, cementing decisions about troop levels, new weapons systems and military readiness, personnel policy and other military goals. Many programs, including military construction, can only go into effect if the bill is approved.Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said before the vote that Congress has passed the National Defense Authorization Act every year for 59 years in a row, “and one way or another, we are going to complete the 60th annual NDAA and pass it into law before this Congress concludes on Sunday.″The bill “looks after our brave men and women who volunteer to wear the uniform,″ McConnell said. “But it’s also a tremendous opportunity: to direct our national security priorities to reflect the resolve of the American people and the evolving threats to their safety, at home and abroad. It’s our chance to ensure we keep pace with competitors like Russia and China.″The Senate override was delayed after Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., objected to moving ahead until McConnell allowed a vote on a Trump-backed plan to increase COVID-19 relief payments to $2,000. McConnell did not allow that vote; instead he used his parliamentary power to set a vote limiting debate on the defense measure, overcoming a filibuster threat by Sanders and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York.Without a bipartisan agreement, a vote on the bill could have been delayed until Saturday night. Lawmakers, however, agreed to an immediate roll call Friday once the filibuster threat was stopped.Trump rejected the defense measure last week, saying it failed to limit social media companies he claimed were biased against him during his failed reelection campaign. Trump also opposed language that allows for the renaming of military bases that honor Confederate leaders.There was no immediate comment Friday from Trump or the White House.Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said he was “disappointed” with Trump’s veto and called the bill “absolutely vital to our national security and our troops.″“This is the most important bill we have,″ Inhofe said. “It puts members of the military first.″Trump has succeeded throughout his four-year term in enforcing party discipline in Congress, with few Republicans willing to publicly oppose him. The bipartisan overrides on the defense bill showed the limits of Trump’s influence in the final weeks of his term.Earlier this week, 130 House Republicans voted against the Trump-backed COVID relief checks, with many arguing they were unnecessary and would increase the federal budget deficit.The Democratic-controlled House approved the larger payments, but the plan is all but dead in the Senate, another sign of Trump’s fading hold over Congress.Besides his concerns about social media and military base names, Trump also said the defense bill restricted his ability to conduct foreign policy, “particularly my efforts to bring our troops home.″ Trump was referring to provisions in the bill that impose conditions on his plan to withdraw thousands of troops from Afghanistan and Germany. The measures require the Pentagon to submit reports certifying that the proposed withdrawals would not jeopardize U.S. national security.Trump has vetoed eight other bills, but those were all sustained because supporters did not gain the two-thirds vote needed in each chamber for the bills to become law without Trump’s signature.Rhode Island Sen. Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, called Trump’s Dec. 23 veto a “parting gift” to Russian President Vladimir Putin “and a lump of coal for our troops. Donald Trump is showing more devotion to Confederate base names than to the men and women who defend our nation.″