KANSAS CITY(AP) — Tina Morton recently faced a choice: Pay bills — or buy a birthday gift for a child? Derrisa Green is falling further behind on rent. Sylvia Soliz has had her electricity cut off.

Unemployment has forced aching decisions on millions of Americans and their families in the face of a rampaging viral pandemic that has closed shops and restaurants, paralyzed travel and left millions jobless for months. Now, their predicaments stand to grow bleaker yet if Congress fails to extend two unemployment programs that are set to expire the day after Christmas.

If no agreement is reached in negotiations&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/momentum-growing-covid-19-relief-392eb300276f9df7303c64cc4e45cf0e">taking place on Capitol Hill,</a>&nbsp;more than 9 million people will lose federal jobless aid that averages about $320 a week and that typically serves as their only source of income.

Green, 39, and her husband are among them. An end to their unemployment benefits would force them to keep missing rent payments on their home in Dyer, Indiana, near Chicago. The couple have eight children. Green's husband is a self-employed truck driver whose business disappeared when the pandemic erupted in the spring. Only in October did he start to pick up occasional work.

He now receives about $235 a week in unemployment aid. Even so, “all of our bills are late,” Green said. They’ve received several shutoff notices from utilities before managing to pay just before service was to be cut off.

“That’s really scary," Green said, "because what are we going to do when we lose the unemployment money?”

The end of jobless aid is approaching at an especially perilous time. Job growth&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pandemics-health-coronavirus-pandemic-economy-17b58d8673d61754b5a85da3e53d5a07">slowed sharply in November,&nbsp;</a>and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arizona-coronavirus-pandemic-nevada-2308b917aa4466845c1ad123fa34561f">the resurgence of viral cases&nbsp;</a>appears to be out of control across the country.

Even with the prospect of an effective vaccine being widely distributed in coming months, economists say the picture will worsen before it improves. Many foresee a net loss of jobs in December for the first time since April.

On Friday, President-elect Joe Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-travel-health-coronavirus-pandemic-holiday-travel-51cac6ad45b2f7093984c7eae7c43529">called on Congress</a>&nbsp;to quickly approve&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-top-news-coronavirus-pandemic-local-governments-bills-mitch-mcconnell-197485a0ec4c80a18409c2cef99dd998">a bipartisan $908 billion package</a>&nbsp;that would establish a $300-a-week jobless benefit as well as send aid to states and localities, help schools and universities, revive subsidies for businesses and support transit systems and airlines. Details are still being worked out, but the outlines of a final bill could emerge soon.

More than 20 million people are now receiving unemployment benefits. More than half are beneficiaries of two programs that were part of rescue aid legislation Congress enacted in March. One program made self-employed and contract workers eligible for jobless aid for the first time and provided 39 weeks of support. The other program supplied 13 weeks of extended benefits to the 26 weeks that most states provide.

About 9.1 million who are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pandemics-jobless-claims-unemployment-coronavirus-pandemic-united-states-a9abee07cc3eb7246e7e3c8603430a49">receiving aid from those programs</a>&nbsp;will be cut off Dec. 26, according to a report from the Century Foundation. An additional 4.4 million are expected to exhaust all 39 weeks by year's end. If Congress agrees to provide more weeks of aid and to revive both programs, those beneficiaries could keep receiving aid next year.

That would be a life-saver for Sylvia Soliz who lives in Corpus Christi, Texas. Soliz, 36, who still owes part of her rent for November and December, has received an eviction notice. She's also just had her electricity cut off.

Back in March, Soliz was laid off from her job as a nurse's assistant at a senior living facility. She's now receiving $414 in jobless aid every two weeks. With four children, it doesn't go very far.

“The day I get it, it’s already gone because my kids need so many things,” Soliz said. “Of course, I have to pay a portion to whatever bill I have, so that way I can stretch it out. But every time another check comes in, it’s another bill.”

Soliz is applying for a new job, and she checks in with her old employer. So far, no luck. She also worries about contracting COVID-19. Soliz is hopeful that Congress will agree to provide more aid, but she feels “they are basically gambling with us."

A cutoff of jobless benefits now, with so many millions of Americans still receiving the aid, would be unusually early compared with previous recessions. In the aftermath of the Great Recession of 2008-2009, the government extended unemployment benefits to 99 weeks, and the additional aid lasted through 2013. When that program ended, about 1.3 million people lost benefits — a small fraction of the number who would lose jobless aid this time.

Other government protections will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-pandemics-coronavirus-pandemic-education-student-loans-e287c7fe6d44de94e08981899d973a91">also expire at the end of this year</a>, including a federal moratorium on evictions for renters. A suspension of payments on federal student loans will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/financial-markets-coronavirus-pandemic-student-loans-fdba50ad8d575b627284563a62aa6a5e">expire at the end of January.</a>

“I am very afraid of people facing homelessness — that’s our top concern," said Andrew Stettner, a senior fellow at the Century Foundation. “It’s a terrible unforced policy error to make. It will slow the recovery that we’re having by cutting off these benefits so early.”

About one in six renters in the United States are behind on their rent, according to a survey from the Census Bureau. And 12% of adults say their families didn't have enough to eat at some point in the past week, the survey found. That's up from just 3.7% in 2019, according to the left-leaning&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbpp.org/research/poverty-and-inequality/tracking-the-covid-19-recessions-effects-on-food-housing-and">Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.</a>

A wrenching set of choices has confronted Keli Paaske, who lives in the Kansas City area. Since being furloughed in the spring from her sales job at a company that makes fire doors, Paaske, 56, has cut back her grocery budget. She thought she'd be called back once the virus waned. But when her boss phoned in August, it was with a different message: Her job had been eliminated.

Paaske had hesitated to spend $360 needed to euthanize her 15-year old dog, who had a brain tumor, before going through with it. Without unemployment aid, Paaske isn't sure how she would manage. She may seek financial help from her parents, who are in their 80s, something she has resisted doing. If she doesn't find a job by March, she said, she'll stop leasing her car.

Across the country, a cutoff of jobless aid would disproportionately affect Black Americans, according to data from the Century Foundation. About 18% of unemployment aid recipients are Black, the Foundation said, though Black Americans make up just 12% of the workforce. More than 57% of recipients are white. Nearly 13% are Latino. (There is no demographic data on about one-fifth of recipients.)

Tina Morton used to clean houses near where she lives in Winchester, Kentucky. But there’s been little work since the pandemic struck. Like many other single mothers, she has struggled with the need to find another job while simultaneously caring for children — a son and two nephews she has custody of — who are attending school online at home.

“Single parents cannot go out here and ... just find any job," said Morton, 39. “We’ve got our kids here that are stuck at home.”

Last week, Morton had to choose between paying a phone bill and buying one of her nephews a birthday present. (She got him a present). If her jobless aid ends, she expects to face painful decisions.

She's particularly worried about her two nephews.

“That’s what hurts me the most,” she said. “My job is to give them more — give them better than where they came from.”

KANSAS CITY(AP) — Tina Morton recently faced a choice: Pay bills — or buy a birthday gift for a child? Derrisa Green is falling further behind on rent. Sylvia Soliz has had her electricity cut off.Unemployment has forced aching decisions on millions of Americans and their families in the face of a rampaging viral pandemic that has closed shops and restaurants, paralyzed travel and left millions jobless for months. Now, their predicaments stand to grow bleaker yet if Congress fails to extend two unemployment programs that are set to expire the day after Christmas.If no agreement is reached in negotiations&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/momentum-growing-covid-19-relief-392eb300276f9df7303c64cc4e45cf0e">taking place on Capitol Hill,</a>&nbsp;more than 9 million people will lose federal jobless aid that averages about $320 a week and that typically serves as their only source of income.Green, 39, and her husband are among them. An end to their unemployment benefits would force them to keep missing rent payments on their home in Dyer, Indiana, near Chicago. The couple have eight children. Green's husband is a self-employed truck driver whose business disappeared when the pandemic erupted in the spring. Only in October did he start to pick up occasional work.He now receives about $235 a week in unemployment aid. Even so, “all of our bills are late,” Green said. They’ve received several shutoff notices from utilities before managing to pay just before service was to be cut off.“That’s really scary," Green said, "because what are we going to do when we lose the unemployment money?”The end of jobless aid is approaching at an especially perilous time. Job growth&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pandemics-health-coronavirus-pandemic-economy-17b58d8673d61754b5a85da3e53d5a07">slowed sharply in November,&nbsp;</a>and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arizona-coronavirus-pandemic-nevada-2308b917aa4466845c1ad123fa34561f">the resurgence of viral cases&nbsp;</a>appears to be out of control across the country.Even with the prospect of an effective vaccine being widely distributed in coming months, economists say the picture will worsen before it improves. Many foresee a net loss of jobs in December for the first time since April.On Friday, President-elect Joe Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-travel-health-coronavirus-pandemic-holiday-travel-51cac6ad45b2f7093984c7eae7c43529">called on Congress</a>&nbsp;to quickly approve&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-top-news-coronavirus-pandemic-local-governments-bills-mitch-mcconnell-197485a0ec4c80a18409c2cef99dd998">a bipartisan $908 billion package</a>&nbsp;that would establish a $300-a-week jobless benefit as well as send aid to states and localities, help schools and universities, revive subsidies for businesses and support transit systems and airlines. Details are still being worked out, but the outlines of a final bill could emerge soon.More than 20 million people are now receiving unemployment benefits. More than half are beneficiaries of two programs that were part of rescue aid legislation Congress enacted in March. One program made self-employed and contract workers eligible for jobless aid for the first time and provided 39 weeks of support. The other program supplied 13 weeks of extended benefits to the 26 weeks that most states provide.About 9.1 million who are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pandemics-jobless-claims-unemployment-coronavirus-pandemic-united-states-a9abee07cc3eb7246e7e3c8603430a49">receiving aid from those programs</a>&nbsp;will be cut off Dec. 26, according to a report from the Century Foundation. An additional 4.4 million are expected to exhaust all 39 weeks by year's end. If Congress agrees to provide more weeks of aid and to revive both programs, those beneficiaries could keep receiving aid next year.That would be a life-saver for Sylvia Soliz who lives in Corpus Christi, Texas. Soliz, 36, who still owes part of her rent for November and December, has received an eviction notice. She's also just had her electricity cut off.Back in March, Soliz was laid off from her job as a nurse's assistant at a senior living facility. She's now receiving $414 in jobless aid every two weeks. With four children, it doesn't go very far.“The day I get it, it’s already gone because my kids need so many things,” Soliz said. “Of course, I have to pay a portion to whatever bill I have, so that way I can stretch it out. But every time another check comes in, it’s another bill.”Soliz is applying for a new job, and she checks in with her old employer. So far, no luck. She also worries about contracting COVID-19. Soliz is hopeful that Congress will agree to provide more aid, but she feels “they are basically gambling with us."A cutoff of jobless benefits now, with so many millions of Americans still receiving the aid, would be unusually early compared with previous recessions. In the aftermath of the Great Recession of 2008-2009, the government extended unemployment benefits to 99 weeks, and the additional aid lasted through 2013. When that program ended, about 1.3 million people lost benefits — a small fraction of the number who would lose jobless aid this time.Other government protections will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-pandemics-coronavirus-pandemic-education-student-loans-e287c7fe6d44de94e08981899d973a91">also expire at the end of this year</a>, including a federal moratorium on evictions for renters. A suspension of payments on federal student loans will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/financial-markets-coronavirus-pandemic-student-loans-fdba50ad8d575b627284563a62aa6a5e">expire at the end of January.</a>“I am very afraid of people facing homelessness — that’s our top concern," said Andrew Stettner, a senior fellow at the Century Foundation. “It’s a terrible unforced policy error to make. It will slow the recovery that we’re having by cutting off these benefits so early.”About one in six renters in the United States are behind on their rent, according to a survey from the Census Bureau. And 12% of adults say their families didn't have enough to eat at some point in the past week, the survey found. That's up from just 3.7% in 2019, according to the left-leaning&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbpp.org/research/poverty-and-inequality/tracking-the-covid-19-recessions-effects-on-food-housing-and">Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.</a>A wrenching set of choices has confronted Keli Paaske, who lives in the Kansas City area. Since being furloughed in the spring from her sales job at a company that makes fire doors, Paaske, 56, has cut back her grocery budget. She thought she'd be called back once the virus waned. But when her boss phoned in August, it was with a different message: Her job had been eliminated.Paaske had hesitated to spend $360 needed to euthanize her 15-year old dog, who had a brain tumor, before going through with it. Without unemployment aid, Paaske isn't sure how she would manage. She may seek financial help from her parents, who are in their 80s, something she has resisted doing. If she doesn't find a job by March, she said, she'll stop leasing her car.Across the country, a cutoff of jobless aid would disproportionately affect Black Americans, according to data from the Century Foundation. About 18% of unemployment aid recipients are Black, the Foundation said, though Black Americans make up just 12% of the workforce. More than 57% of recipients are white. Nearly 13% are Latino. (There is no demographic data on about one-fifth of recipients.)Tina Morton used to clean houses near where she lives in Winchester, Kentucky. But there’s been little work since the pandemic struck. Like many other single mothers, she has struggled with the need to find another job while simultaneously caring for children — a son and two nephews she has custody of — who are attending school online at home.“Single parents cannot go out here and ... just find any job," said Morton, 39. “We’ve got our kids here that are stuck at home.”Last week, Morton had to choose between paying a phone bill and buying one of her nephews a birthday present. (She got him a present). If her jobless aid ends, she expects to face painful decisions.She's particularly worried about her two nephews.“That’s what hurts me the most,” she said. “My job is to give them more — give them better than where they came from.”

A bleak outlook for millions facing cutoff of US jobless aid

KANSAS CITY — The Kansas City office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms is offering up to a $5000 reward for information leading to arrest and or recovery of guns stolen from DrumMagzines, 4015 Sterling, KCMO Tuesday morning.S

Callers remain anonymous Call 888-ATF-TIPS or <a href="https://twitter.com/KCCrimeStop">@KCCrimeStop</a> 816-474-TIPS or text ATFKC to 63975

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1607449713739.png" alt="Suspect vehicle photo ATF" />
 <figcaption>Suspect vehicle photo ATF</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY — The Kansas City office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms is offering up to a $5000 reward for information leading to arrest and or recovery of guns stolen from DrumMagzines, 4015 Sterling, KCMO Tuesday morning.S<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1607449642701.png" alt="Suspect photo ATF" />
 <figcaption>Suspect photo ATF</figcaption>
 </figure>Callers remain anonymous Call 888-ATF-TIPS or <a href="https://twitter.com/KCCrimeStop">@KCCrimeStop</a> 816-474-TIPS or text ATFKC to 63975 <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1607449846563.png" alt="Suspect photo ATF" />
 <figcaption>Suspect photo ATF</figcaption>
 </figure>

ATF Kansas City: Reward to ID gun theft suspects

SEDGWICK COUNTY — Another earthquake rattled the Wichita area just before 11a.m. Tuesday.

The temblor measured a magnitude 3.0, according to the U.S. Geological Survey and was centered northeast of Eastborough, near 21st and Rock Road in Sedgwick County. The Kansas Geological Survey reported the quake measured<a href="https://chasm.kgs.ku.edu/ords/elog.quake3.SelectQuakes?f_30=1"> a magnitude 3.3.</a>

Tuesday's quake follow a series of 3 quakes over 5 days Nov. 26-30 in the same area that measured from 2.4-2.7, according to the Kansas Geological Survey.

WICHITA&nbsp; — Small earthquakes continue to rattle Wichita. At 9:11 a.m. Monday, a 2.4 magnitude quake shook residents, according <a href="http://maps.kgs.ku.edu/earthquake_mini_viewer/index.html?type=quake&amp;id=1001466143">to the Kansas Geological Survey.</a> This is the third quake since Thanksgiving Day.

The trembler on Thursday measured 2.7 on the Richter scale, while one on Friday had a magnitude of 2.6. 

The threshold for damage usually starts at 4.0.United States Geological Survey geophysicists Paul Caruso said 26 people “in and around Wichita” reported to the USGS feeling Friday’s earthquake. 

The earthquake on Thursday hasn’t yet been reported to the USGS. Both had epicenters in the eastern part of the Wichita.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1607447838014.png" alt="Location of Tuesday's quake -USGS image" />
 <figcaption>Location of Tuesday's quake -USGS image</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — Another earthquake rattled the Wichita area just before 11a.m. Tuesday.The temblor measured a magnitude 3.0, according to the U.S. Geological Survey and was centered northeast of Eastborough, near 21st and Rock Road in Sedgwick County. The Kansas Geological Survey reported the quake measured<a href="https://chasm.kgs.ku.edu/ords/elog.quake3.SelectQuakes?f_30=1"> a magnitude 3.3.</a>Tuesday's quake follow a series of 3 quakes over 5 days Nov. 26-30 in the same area that measured from 2.4-2.7, according to the Kansas Geological Survey.----------WICHITA&nbsp; — Small earthquakes continue to rattle Wichita. At 9:11 a.m. Monday, a 2.4 magnitude quake shook residents, according <a href="http://maps.kgs.ku.edu/earthquake_mini_viewer/index.html?type=quake&amp;id=1001466143">to the Kansas Geological Survey.</a> This is the third quake since Thanksgiving Day.The trembler on Thursday measured 2.7 on the Richter scale, while one on Friday had a magnitude of 2.6. The threshold for damage usually starts at 4.0.United States Geological Survey geophysicists Paul Caruso said 26 people “in and around Wichita” reported to the USGS feeling Friday’s earthquake. The earthquake on Thursday hasn’t yet been reported to the USGS. Both had epicenters in the eastern part of the Wichita.-------------

USGS: Another earthquake shakes Wichita area

BROOKVILLE - A mobile home was destroyed by fire Tuesday morning in Saline County.

Just after 1a.m.,&nbsp; deputies and firefighters from Rural Fire District No. 3 were sent to 126 East Anderson Street in Brookville for report of a mobile home fire, according to Sheriff Roger Soldan.

The residents, John Goracke, 59, and Brenda Freeman, 52, had been burning something in their wood-burning stove and threw in some paper towels, according to Soldan. It is believed that the ashes from the paper towels blew onto the roof and set the mobile home ablaze.

$3,000 worth of damage was done to items in the residence. Authorities did not have a loss estimate for the mobile home early Tuesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1607443849005.jpeg" alt="RFD No. 3 firefighters battle the blaze early Tuesday -Photo Saline County Sheriff's Office" />
 <figcaption>RFD No. 3 firefighters battle the blaze early Tuesday -Photo Saline County Sheriff's Office</figcaption>
 </figure>BROOKVILLE - A mobile home was destroyed by fire Tuesday morning in Saline County.Just after 1a.m.,&nbsp; deputies and firefighters from Rural Fire District No. 3 were sent to 126 East Anderson Street in Brookville for report of a mobile home fire, according to Sheriff Roger Soldan.The residents, John Goracke, 59, and Brenda Freeman, 52, had been burning something in their wood-burning stove and threw in some paper towels, according to Soldan. It is believed that the ashes from the paper towels blew onto the roof and set the mobile home ablaze.$3,000 worth of damage was done to items in the residence. Authorities did not have a loss estimate for the mobile home early Tuesday.

Sheriff: Home a total loss after rural Kansas fire

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Trump administration said Monday that it fully restored the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program that shields hundreds of thousands of young people from deportation, complying with a federal judge’s order.

The Department of Homeland Security posted on its website that it is accepting new applications, petitions for two-year renewals and requests for permission to temporarily leave the U.S.

The department said it “may seek relief from the order,” signaling that its concession to the court order may be short-lived if its legal efforts succeed.

The announcement is still a major victory for young people who have been unable to apply since Trump ended DACA in September 2017. His administration has long argued that DACA is unconstitutional.

After the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in June that Trump violated federal law in how he ended the program, Chad Wolf, the acting Homeland Security secretary, said the administration would study its options and, until then, wouldn’t accept new applications and would grant renewals for one year instead two. DACA shields about 650,000 people from deportation and makes them eligible for work permits.

Monday’s announcement came hours before a deadline set by District Judge Nicholas Garaufis in the Eastern District of New York for the administration to post public notice that it would accept applications under terms before Trump ended DACA in 2017. The judge ruled Friday that Wolf was unlawfully serving in his position.

DACA was started in 2012 during the Obama administration. It allows certain immigrants who were brought to the country illegally as children to work and be exempt from deportation, though it does not confer legal status on recipients.

President-elect Joe Biden has pledged to reinstate DACA when he takes office in January but permanent legal status and a path to citizenship would require congressional approval.

DACA recipients and their supporters greeted the news with a mix of elation and awareness that their futures are precarious, even with Biden’s support.

Maria Garcia, 18, an aerospace engineering student at Arizona State University, said she will apply for the program as soon as she can. She and her parents and two brothers arrived in Phoenix in 2006 Mexico. Her older brother, now 23, is already a DACA recipient and has a job. Her younger brother, now 16, is in high school and plans to eventually seek DACA protection as well.

Garcia said the court’s decision last week “was wonderful news.”

“There are a lot of other students who are undocumented who don’t qualify for DACA. They have to find a permanent solution,” she said.

Michelle Celleri, an attorney at advocacy group Alliance San Diego, was preparing an application for a client who was putting the final touches on her petition when Trump canceled DACA in 2017.

“Her feeling is, ‘I’ll do anything. I’m sick of being in the dark and I want to move forward,’” Celleri said.

Celleiri said she is advising clients to submit applications before Dec. 22, when there is a key hearing in Texas in a lawsuit by several states challenging DACA’s legality.

“There’s just way too much happening right now,” she said. “I don’t want people caught in the crossfire.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592490581956.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Trump administration said Monday that it fully restored the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program that shields hundreds of thousands of young people from deportation, complying with a federal judge’s order.The Department of Homeland Security posted on its website that it is accepting new applications, petitions for two-year renewals and requests for permission to temporarily leave the U.S.The department said it “may seek relief from the order,” signaling that its concession to the court order may be short-lived if its legal efforts succeed.The announcement is still a major victory for young people who have been unable to apply since Trump ended DACA in September 2017. His administration has long argued that DACA is unconstitutional.After the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in June that Trump violated federal law in how he ended the program, Chad Wolf, the acting Homeland Security secretary, said the administration would study its options and, until then, wouldn’t accept new applications and would grant renewals for one year instead two. DACA shields about 650,000 people from deportation and makes them eligible for work permits.Monday’s announcement came hours before a deadline set by District Judge Nicholas Garaufis in the Eastern District of New York for the administration to post public notice that it would accept applications under terms before Trump ended DACA in 2017. The judge ruled Friday that Wolf was unlawfully serving in his position.DACA was started in 2012 during the Obama administration. It allows certain immigrants who were brought to the country illegally as children to work and be exempt from deportation, though it does not confer legal status on recipients.President-elect Joe Biden has pledged to reinstate DACA when he takes office in January but permanent legal status and a path to citizenship would require congressional approval.DACA recipients and their supporters greeted the news with a mix of elation and awareness that their futures are precarious, even with Biden’s support.Maria Garcia, 18, an aerospace engineering student at Arizona State University, said she will apply for the program as soon as she can. She and her parents and two brothers arrived in Phoenix in 2006 Mexico. Her older brother, now 23, is already a DACA recipient and has a job. Her younger brother, now 16, is in high school and plans to eventually seek DACA protection as well.Garcia said the court’s decision last week “was wonderful news.”“There are a lot of other students who are undocumented who don’t qualify for DACA. They have to find a permanent solution,” she said.Michelle Celleri, an attorney at advocacy group Alliance San Diego, was preparing an application for a client who was putting the final touches on her petition when Trump canceled DACA in 2017.“Her feeling is, ‘I’ll do anything. I’m sick of being in the dark and I want to move forward,’” Celleri said.Celleiri said she is advising clients to submit applications before Dec. 22, when there is a key hearing in Texas in a lawsuit by several states challenging DACA’s legality.“There’s just way too much happening right now,” she said. “I don’t want people caught in the crossfire.”

US fully restores protections for young immigrants

World War II flying ace Chuck Yeager, the first pilot to break the sound barrier, has died at 97. His wife, Victoria Yeager, said on his Twitter account that Yeager died Monday. 

NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine called the death “a tremendous loss to our nation.” 

The retired Air Force brigadier general became the fastest human in 1947 when he piloted the experimental X-1 rocket plane past 660 mph. It was the first time anyone had flown faster than the speed of sound. 

Yeager became a fighter pilot in World War II and shot down 13 German planes. He was shot down over German-held France but escaped with the help of French partisans.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1607439470645.png" alt="Yeager / U.S. Air Force" />
 <figcaption>Yeager / U.S. Air Force</figcaption>
 </figure>Associated PressWorld War II flying ace Chuck Yeager, the first pilot to break the sound barrier, has died at 97. His wife, Victoria Yeager, said on his Twitter account that Yeager died Monday. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine called the death “a tremendous loss to our nation.” The retired Air Force brigadier general became the fastest human in 1947 when he piloted the experimental X-1 rocket plane past 660 mph. It was the first time anyone had flown faster than the speed of sound. Yeager became a fighter pilot in World War II and shot down 13 German planes. He was shot down over German-held France but escaped with the help of French partisans.

Chuck Yeager, first to break sound barrier, dies at 97

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a case of alleged arson and have a suspect in custody.

Just before 1:30a.m. Dec. 6, fire crews responded to a vehicle fire at 522 SW 6th Avenue in Topeka, according to Fire Marshal Todd Harrison.&nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;Upon arrival, fire crews found smoke and flames coming from a passenger car.

A Preliminary investigation indicates the fire was intentionally set. The estimated dollar loss is $1,200.00; all of which is associated with the loss of the vehicle, according to Harrison.&nbsp;

On Monday, police arrested 33-year-old Rashonda Mendez and booked her into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of burglary and arson, according to Harrison.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1607427910513.png" alt="Mendez photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Mendez photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a case of alleged arson and have a suspect in custody.Just before 1:30a.m. Dec. 6, fire crews responded to a vehicle fire at 522 SW 6th Avenue in Topeka, according to Fire Marshal Todd Harrison.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Upon arrival, fire crews found smoke and flames coming from a passenger car.A Preliminary investigation indicates the fire was intentionally set. The estimated dollar loss is $1,200.00; all of which is associated with the loss of the vehicle, according to Harrison.&nbsp;On Monday, police arrested 33-year-old Rashonda Mendez and booked her into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of burglary and arson, according to Harrison.

Kansas woman accused of burglary, setting car on fire

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration will hold a White House summit Tuesday as Pfizer’s vaccine is expected to be endorsed by a panel of Food and Drug Administration advisers as soon as this week, with delivery of 100 million doses — enough for 50 million Americans — expected in coming months.

The Pfizer vaccine is one of two on track for emergency FDA authorization this month, the other coming from drugmaker Moderna.

Seeking to tamp down public skepticism over the vaccine and secure a key component of Trump’s legacy, Tuesday’s summit will highlight the administration’s plans to distribute and administer the vaccine. But officials from President-elect Joe Biden’s transition team, which will oversee the bulk of the largest vaccination program in the nation’s history once he takes office Jan. 20, were not invited.

The “Operation Warp Speed” summit will feature Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and a host of government experts, state leaders and business executives, as the White House looks to explain that the vaccine is safe and lay out the administration’s plans to bring it to the American people.

Senior administration officials provided details on the summit on Monday. An official with the Biden transition confirmed no invitation was extended.

Officials from the pharmaceutical companies developing the vaccines also were not expected to attend, despite receiving invitations, according to people familiar with the matter. Some expressed concerns about the event contributing to the politicization of the vaccine development process and potentially further inhibiting public confidence in the drugs.

Trump is set to kick off the event with remarks aiming to “celebrate” vaccine development, according to an official who previewed the event. Trump also will sign an executive order to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/race-and-ethnicity-hunger-coronavirus-pandemic-4c7f1705c6d8ef5bac241e6cc8e331bb">prioritize Americans for coronavirus vaccines procured by the federal government</a>. A second official said the order would restrict the U.S. government from donating doses to other nations until there is excess supply to meet domestic demand. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss plans for the summit.

It was not immediately clear what, if any, impact the order would have on other nations’ abilities to access the vaccines. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Monday he expects his country to receive about 250,000 doses of a vaccine from Pfizer by the end of the year.

The Food and Drug Administration’s panel of outside vaccine experts is to meet Thursday to conduct a final review of the Pfizer drug, and it will meet later this month on a vaccine developed by Moderna. The FDA is not required to follow the panel’s advice, though it usually does. Agency decisions on the two drugs are expected within days of each meeting. Both have been determined to be 95% effective against the virus that causes COVID-19. Plans call for distributing and then administering about 40 million doses of the two companies’ vaccines by the end of the year — with the first doses shipping within hours of FDA clearance.

Biden said Friday that “there’s no detailed plan that we’ve seen” for how to get the vaccines out of containers, into syringes and then into people’s arms.

Trump administration officials insist that such plans have been developed, with the bulk of the work falling to states and municipal governments to ensure their most vulnerable populations are vaccinated first. The administration says it has leveraged partnerships with manufacturers, distributers and health care providers, so that outside of settings like veterans’ hospitals, “it is highly unlikely that a single federal employee will touch a dose of vaccine before it goes into your arm.”

In all, about 50,000 vaccination sites are enrolled in the government’s distribution system, the officials said.

Each of the forthcoming vaccines has unique logistical challenges related to distribution and administration. The Pfizer vaccine must be transported at super-cooled temperatures, and comes in batches of 975 doses. Each vial contains 5 doses, requiring careful plannning. The administration has prepared detailed videos for providers on how to safely prepare and administer doses, to be posted after the FDA issues its emergency use authorization.

One such plan is to be announced Tuesday: Pharmacy chains CVS and Walgreens have stood up a “mobile vaccination service” ready to vaccinate people in every nursing home and long-term care facility in the country. The roughly 3 million residents of those facilities are among the most vulnerable for COVID-19 and have been placed at the front of the line to access the vaccine, along with more than 20 million healthcare workers. So far 80-85% of the facilities have signed on to the service, the officials said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600861747887.png" alt="Photo courtesy Johnson &amp; Johnson" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Johnson &amp; Johnson</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration will hold a White House summit Tuesday as Pfizer’s vaccine is expected to be endorsed by a panel of Food and Drug Administration advisers as soon as this week, with delivery of 100 million doses — enough for 50 million Americans — expected in coming months.The Pfizer vaccine is one of two on track for emergency FDA authorization this month, the other coming from drugmaker Moderna.Seeking to tamp down public skepticism over the vaccine and secure a key component of Trump’s legacy, Tuesday’s summit will highlight the administration’s plans to distribute and administer the vaccine. But officials from President-elect Joe Biden’s transition team, which will oversee the bulk of the largest vaccination program in the nation’s history once he takes office Jan. 20, were not invited.The “Operation Warp Speed” summit will feature Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and a host of government experts, state leaders and business executives, as the White House looks to explain that the vaccine is safe and lay out the administration’s plans to bring it to the American people.Senior administration officials provided details on the summit on Monday. An official with the Biden transition confirmed no invitation was extended.Officials from the pharmaceutical companies developing the vaccines also were not expected to attend, despite receiving invitations, according to people familiar with the matter. Some expressed concerns about the event contributing to the politicization of the vaccine development process and potentially further inhibiting public confidence in the drugs.Trump is set to kick off the event with remarks aiming to “celebrate” vaccine development, according to an official who previewed the event. Trump also will sign an executive order to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/race-and-ethnicity-hunger-coronavirus-pandemic-4c7f1705c6d8ef5bac241e6cc8e331bb">prioritize Americans for coronavirus vaccines procured by the federal government</a>. A second official said the order would restrict the U.S. government from donating doses to other nations until there is excess supply to meet domestic demand. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss plans for the summit.It was not immediately clear what, if any, impact the order would have on other nations’ abilities to access the vaccines. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Monday he expects his country to receive about 250,000 doses of a vaccine from Pfizer by the end of the year.The Food and Drug Administration’s panel of outside vaccine experts is to meet Thursday to conduct a final review of the Pfizer drug, and it will meet later this month on a vaccine developed by Moderna. The FDA is not required to follow the panel’s advice, though it usually does. Agency decisions on the two drugs are expected within days of each meeting. Both have been determined to be 95% effective against the virus that causes COVID-19. Plans call for distributing and then administering about 40 million doses of the two companies’ vaccines by the end of the year — with the first doses shipping within hours of FDA clearance.Biden said Friday that “there’s no detailed plan that we’ve seen” for how to get the vaccines out of containers, into syringes and then into people’s arms.Trump administration officials insist that such plans have been developed, with the bulk of the work falling to states and municipal governments to ensure their most vulnerable populations are vaccinated first. The administration says it has leveraged partnerships with manufacturers, distributers and health care providers, so that outside of settings like veterans’ hospitals, “it is highly unlikely that a single federal employee will touch a dose of vaccine before it goes into your arm.”In all, about 50,000 vaccination sites are enrolled in the government’s distribution system, the officials said.Each of the forthcoming vaccines has unique logistical challenges related to distribution and administration. The Pfizer vaccine must be transported at super-cooled temperatures, and comes in batches of 975 doses. Each vial contains 5 doses, requiring careful plannning. The administration has prepared detailed videos for providers on how to safely prepare and administer doses, to be posted after the FDA issues its emergency use authorization.One such plan is to be announced Tuesday: Pharmacy chains CVS and Walgreens have stood up a “mobile vaccination service” ready to vaccinate people in every nursing home and long-term care facility in the country. The roughly 3 million residents of those facilities are among the most vulnerable for COVID-19 and have been placed at the front of the line to access the vaccine, along with more than 20 million healthcare workers. So far 80-85% of the facilities have signed on to the service, the officials said.___

White House Summit aims to boost faith in virus vaccine

By HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH, Associated Press

The radiology technician slept in an RV in the parking lot of his rural Kansas hospital for more than a week because his co-workers were out sick with COVID-19 and no one else was available to take X-rays.

A doctor and physician assistant tested positive on the same day in November, briefly leaving the hospital without anyone who could write prescriptions or oversee patient care. The hospital is full, but diverting patients isn’t an option because surrounding medical centers are overwhelmed.

The situation at Rush County Memorial Hospital in La Crosse illustrates the depths of the COVID-19 crisis in rural America at a time when the virus is killing more than 2,000 people a day and inundating hospitals.

The virus is sidelining nurses, doctors and medical staff nationwide, but the problem is particularly dire in rural communities like La Crosse because they don’t have much of a bullpen - or many places to send patients with regional hospitals full.

The staff shortages have forced people like Eric Lewallen, a Gulf War veteran and alfalfa farmer who moonlights as a radiology technician, to mount a last line of defense. To keep the hospital open, he had no choice but to start living in his RV in the parking lot because he needed to be on site as the only remaining healthy staffer to perform X-rays.

“I’m it,” Lewallen said shortly after begging the hospital laundry staff to start washing his scrubs because he had run out of clean ones.

“To keep a critical access hospital open, you have to have X-ray and lab functioning,” he said. “If one of those go down, you go on diversion and you lose your ER at that point. We don’t want that to happen, especially for the community.”

La Crosse, a town of 1,300 people that dubs itself as the “Barbed Wire Capital of the World” and is home to a barbed wire museum, is like many small towns struggling with the virus. Case numbers have soared, there’s an outbreak at the nursing home, and its county has opted out of Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s latest mask mandate.

And there are few larger medical centers to send its sickest patients with the rest of the region also overrun by the virus.

The larger Hays Medical Center, which is just 25 miles (40.23 kilometers) away from La Crosse, was always willing to take patients that needed more advanced care in the past. But it turned away 103 transfers in November alone. In the 14 years prior, it had rejected transfers just twice, said Dr. Heather Harris, the medical director there.

Physician assistant Kai Englert was able to fill in for six days at La Crosse, overseeing several COVID-19 patients, one of whom died after no larger hospital would take the patient. The La Crosse hospital doesn’t have a ventilator and the oxygen it provided wasn’t sufficient with the patient’s “chest full of COVID.” But Englert doubts more advanced would have made much difference because the patient was so sick.

He said the message from large hospitals is: “We are not going to waste a bed on someone who is going to die anyway. They can die in a small town and that is the sad reality of the situation.”

In November, the hospital had to close its attached clinic and turn to a temporary staffing agency to keep the emergency room open after the doctor and physician assistant tested positive for the virus on the same day. The nurse practitioner was also out on medical leave. Currently, a certified nursing assistant is quarantining, and at least two other nurses tested positive previously.

The doctor and physician assistant returned Thursday after finishing their quarantine and were swamped with a backlog of patients.

Michael Cooper, the hospital’s CEO, said it was a stroke of luck that he could find anyone to fill in while they were gone given the level of strain on the state’s hospitals. According to the Kansas Hospital Association, 42% of them are reporting staffing shortages.

“You go through your contingency plans and in the back of your mind you are thinking, ‘I am going to have to go on diversion and find a bed for these patients in a time where there are no beds to be found anywhere in the state,’” he said. “That is the crisis that I was really concerned about. If I can’t find a provider that can check on these patients then I am going to have to get rid of these patients. And there is no where to send them.”

Cooper said he would like to have more nurses, too, because of the volume of patients the hospital is treating, but staffing agencies are charging $140 to $240 an hour. “That is more than I pay my doctor.” Instead he is encouraging overtime, which is up about 20 or 25%.

Some of the nurses have taken him up on the offer, working a week straight as the virus surges in the county of 3,300 residents.

“We just kind of piece it together,” said Jolene Morgan, a registered nurse who suspects she contracted the illness in September. She quarantined for 14 days, although she was never tested.

Lewallen, the radiology technician, acknowledges it might get worse but said everyone is working hard from the kitchen and laundry staff to the nurses. The veteran is trying to keep the proper perspective after his experience in the military.

“It’s not like anyone shooting at us or anything, so I am confident we will get through it alright. It will just be a tough spell for awhile,” he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1607431447900.png" alt="Photo courtesy Rush County Memorial Hospital" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Rush County Memorial Hospital</figcaption>
 </figure>By HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH, Associated PressThe radiology technician slept in an RV in the parking lot of his rural Kansas hospital for more than a week because his co-workers were out sick with COVID-19 and no one else was available to take X-rays.A doctor and physician assistant tested positive on the same day in November, briefly leaving the hospital without anyone who could write prescriptions or oversee patient care. The hospital is full, but diverting patients isn’t an option because surrounding medical centers are overwhelmed.The situation at Rush County Memorial Hospital in La Crosse illustrates the depths of the COVID-19 crisis in rural America at a time when the virus is killing more than 2,000 people a day and inundating hospitals.The virus is sidelining nurses, doctors and medical staff nationwide, but the problem is particularly dire in rural communities like La Crosse because they don’t have much of a bullpen - or many places to send patients with regional hospitals full.The staff shortages have forced people like Eric Lewallen, a Gulf War veteran and alfalfa farmer who moonlights as a radiology technician, to mount a last line of defense. To keep the hospital open, he had no choice but to start living in his RV in the parking lot because he needed to be on site as the only remaining healthy staffer to perform X-rays.“I’m it,” Lewallen said shortly after begging the hospital laundry staff to start washing his scrubs because he had run out of clean ones.“To keep a critical access hospital open, you have to have X-ray and lab functioning,” he said. “If one of those go down, you go on diversion and you lose your ER at that point. We don’t want that to happen, especially for the community.”La Crosse, a town of 1,300 people that dubs itself as the “Barbed Wire Capital of the World” and is home to a barbed wire museum, is like many small towns struggling with the virus. Case numbers have soared, there’s an outbreak at the nursing home, and its county has opted out of Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s latest mask mandate.And there are few larger medical centers to send its sickest patients with the rest of the region also overrun by the virus.The larger Hays Medical Center, which is just 25 miles (40.23 kilometers) away from La Crosse, was always willing to take patients that needed more advanced care in the past. But it turned away 103 transfers in November alone. In the 14 years prior, it had rejected transfers just twice, said Dr. Heather Harris, the medical director there.Physician assistant Kai Englert was able to fill in for six days at La Crosse, overseeing several COVID-19 patients, one of whom died after no larger hospital would take the patient. The La Crosse hospital doesn’t have a ventilator and the oxygen it provided wasn’t sufficient with the patient’s “chest full of COVID.” But Englert doubts more advanced would have made much difference because the patient was so sick.He said the message from large hospitals is: “We are not going to waste a bed on someone who is going to die anyway. They can die in a small town and that is the sad reality of the situation.”In November, the hospital had to close its attached clinic and turn to a temporary staffing agency to keep the emergency room open after the doctor and physician assistant tested positive for the virus on the same day. The nurse practitioner was also out on medical leave. Currently, a certified nursing assistant is quarantining, and at least two other nurses tested positive previously.The doctor and physician assistant returned Thursday after finishing their quarantine and were swamped with a backlog of patients.Michael Cooper, the hospital’s CEO, said it was a stroke of luck that he could find anyone to fill in while they were gone given the level of strain on the state’s hospitals. According to the Kansas Hospital Association, 42% of them are reporting staffing shortages.“You go through your contingency plans and in the back of your mind you are thinking, ‘I am going to have to go on diversion and find a bed for these patients in a time where there are no beds to be found anywhere in the state,’” he said. “That is the crisis that I was really concerned about. If I can’t find a provider that can check on these patients then I am going to have to get rid of these patients. And there is no where to send them.”Cooper said he would like to have more nurses, too, because of the volume of patients the hospital is treating, but staffing agencies are charging $140 to $240 an hour. “That is more than I pay my doctor.” Instead he is encouraging overtime, which is up about 20 or 25%.Some of the nurses have taken him up on the offer, working a week straight as the virus surges in the county of 3,300 residents.“We just kind of piece it together,” said Jolene Morgan, a registered nurse who suspects she contracted the illness in September. She quarantined for 14 days, although she was never tested.Lewallen, the radiology technician, acknowledges it might get worse but said everyone is working hard from the kitchen and laundry staff to the nurses. The veteran is trying to keep the proper perspective after his experience in the military.“It’s not like anyone shooting at us or anything, so I am confident we will get through it alright. It will just be a tough spell for awhile,” he said.

As virus spreads, Kansas hospital runs out of staff

WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers are giving themselves more time to sort through their end-of-session business on government spending and COVID-19 relief, preparing a one-week stopgap spending bill that would prevent a shutdown this weekend.

House floor leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said on Twitter that the temporary government funding bill is slated for a vote on Wednesday, when it is sure to easily pass. The development comes as Capitol Hill is struggling to figure out how to deliver long-delayed pandemic relief, including additional help for businesses hard hit by the pandemic, further unemployment benefits, funding to distribute COVID-19 vaccines and funding demanded by Democrats for state and local governments.

Disagreements flared Monday over one key provision — a proposed liability shield from COVID-19-related lawsuits for businesses, schools and organizations that reopen.

Hoyer had previously told lawmakers that this week would probably be the last of the session, but talks are going more slowly than hoped on a $1.4 trillion omnibus spending bill under assembly by senior members of the powerful Appropriations committees. The stopgap measure would prevent a government shutdown through Dec. 18.

“I am disappointed that we have not yet reached agreement on government funding,” Hoyer said.

Three main items of legislation are at issue in the end-of-session agenda: a defense policy bill that President Donald Trump is threatening to veto; the $1.4 trillion government-wide spending bill; and perhaps $900 billion in long-sought COVID-19 relief.

There are two sets of talks on COVID-19 relief — on the leadership level and by a group of Senate moderates — occurring at the same time, and it’s unclear how the negotiators might sort themselves out, lending an air of confusion to the process.

The bipartisan Senate group was set to meet again Monday evening. But a long weekend of talks pushed senators apart on one difficult negotiation, the proposed liability protection that has been a priority of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

“We have seen some hopeful signs of engagement from our Democratic colleagues, but we have no reason to think the underlying disagreements about policy are going to evaporate overnight,” McConnell said Monday.

Republicans initially proposed a sweeping five-year liability shield, retroactive to December 2019, to protect companies and organizations from COVID-19-related lawsuits. Democrats, along with their allies in labor and civil rights groups, roundly dismissed that approach as a danger to workers.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., said she wants to make sure “we’re not sacrificing the rights of people who have been made sick or killed by their employers with a pro-corporate liability release.”

Lawmakers heard from a coalition of 142 labor and civil rights groups urging them to resist granting companies liability for COVID claims.

“Any type of immunity would directly harm Black, Latino, and other workers of color who are overrepresented in ‘essential’ and in-person, reopened jobs,” the coalition wrote in a letter to Congress.

Negotiators suggested a scaled-back liability shield, but a six-month proposal was panned by Republicans and there is no agreement yet from Democrats. The powerful AFL-CIO said Monday it opposes even a short-term liability provision.

It’s clear that McConnell’s Republican majority is demanding the liability protection in exchange for the Democrats’ push for additional money for states and cities battling the COVID-19 crisis.

“The leader had made clear that state and local money is tied to liability protection, so there’s either going to be none for both of those or both of those are going to be provided for,” Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, told reporters. “My hope is we’ll do both.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-global-trade-media-5685903ea82ed6c8691376b27e2d7ce4">White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow</a>&nbsp;said Monday that Trump is comfortable with a deal along the lines of one being put together by the group of Senate moderates and pragmatists. That $900 billion plan does not include direct payments sought by Trump before the election.

Without another round of fresh aid, after the $1,200 checks sent to Americans in spring, lawmakers on the left and right said they would have trouble backing the package.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said last week he would need to direct payments for his support, and GOP Sen. Josh Hawley said Monday that he encouraged Trump to reject any package without them.

“I urged him to veto,” Hawley said he told the president during a recent phone call.

If an agreement isn’t possible on the omnibus bill, lawmakers might have no option but to pass another continuing resolution that would keep the government running on autopilot and permit them to punt the unfinished spending bills into next year.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1607426585699.png" alt="The U.S. House of Representatives on Monday-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>The U.S. House of Representatives on Monday-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers are giving themselves more time to sort through their end-of-session business on government spending and COVID-19 relief, preparing a one-week stopgap spending bill that would prevent a shutdown this weekend.House floor leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said on Twitter that the temporary government funding bill is slated for a vote on Wednesday, when it is sure to easily pass. The development comes as Capitol Hill is struggling to figure out how to deliver long-delayed pandemic relief, including additional help for businesses hard hit by the pandemic, further unemployment benefits, funding to distribute COVID-19 vaccines and funding demanded by Democrats for state and local governments.Disagreements flared Monday over one key provision — a proposed liability shield from COVID-19-related lawsuits for businesses, schools and organizations that reopen.Hoyer had previously told lawmakers that this week would probably be the last of the session, but talks are going more slowly than hoped on a $1.4 trillion omnibus spending bill under assembly by senior members of the powerful Appropriations committees. The stopgap measure would prevent a government shutdown through Dec. 18.“I am disappointed that we have not yet reached agreement on government funding,” Hoyer said.Three main items of legislation are at issue in the end-of-session agenda: a defense policy bill that President Donald Trump is threatening to veto; the $1.4 trillion government-wide spending bill; and perhaps $900 billion in long-sought COVID-19 relief.There are two sets of talks on COVID-19 relief — on the leadership level and by a group of Senate moderates — occurring at the same time, and it’s unclear how the negotiators might sort themselves out, lending an air of confusion to the process.The bipartisan Senate group was set to meet again Monday evening. But a long weekend of talks pushed senators apart on one difficult negotiation, the proposed liability protection that has been a priority of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.“We have seen some hopeful signs of engagement from our Democratic colleagues, but we have no reason to think the underlying disagreements about policy are going to evaporate overnight,” McConnell said Monday.Republicans initially proposed a sweeping five-year liability shield, retroactive to December 2019, to protect companies and organizations from COVID-19-related lawsuits. Democrats, along with their allies in labor and civil rights groups, roundly dismissed that approach as a danger to workers.Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., said she wants to make sure “we’re not sacrificing the rights of people who have been made sick or killed by their employers with a pro-corporate liability release.”Lawmakers heard from a coalition of 142 labor and civil rights groups urging them to resist granting companies liability for COVID claims.“Any type of immunity would directly harm Black, Latino, and other workers of color who are overrepresented in ‘essential’ and in-person, reopened jobs,” the coalition wrote in a letter to Congress.Negotiators suggested a scaled-back liability shield, but a six-month proposal was panned by Republicans and there is no agreement yet from Democrats. The powerful AFL-CIO said Monday it opposes even a short-term liability provision.It’s clear that McConnell’s Republican majority is demanding the liability protection in exchange for the Democrats’ push for additional money for states and cities battling the COVID-19 crisis.“The leader had made clear that state and local money is tied to liability protection, so there’s either going to be none for both of those or both of those are going to be provided for,” Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, told reporters. “My hope is we’ll do both.”<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-global-trade-media-5685903ea82ed6c8691376b27e2d7ce4">White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow</a>&nbsp;said Monday that Trump is comfortable with a deal along the lines of one being put together by the group of Senate moderates and pragmatists. That $900 billion plan does not include direct payments sought by Trump before the election.Without another round of fresh aid, after the $1,200 checks sent to Americans in spring, lawmakers on the left and right said they would have trouble backing the package.Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said last week he would need to direct payments for his support, and GOP Sen. Josh Hawley said Monday that he encouraged Trump to reject any package without them.“I urged him to veto,” Hawley said he told the president during a recent phone call.If an agreement isn’t possible on the omnibus bill, lawmakers might have no option but to pass another continuing resolution that would keep the government running on autopilot and permit them to punt the unfinished spending bills into next year.__

Virus relief talks drag; lawmakers fight over 1 key issue

LYON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect following a high-speed chase in Lyon County.

Just after 2:30a.m. Dec. 6, sheriff's deputies attempted to stop a Dodge Challenger in the 600 Block of East South Avenue in Emporia, according to a media release.

The driver later identified as Mark A Grigsby, 38, of Leavenworth refused to stop led officers on a pursuit that reached speeds of more than 100 miles per hour.

The pursuit ended when Dodge was stopped in the 1300 block of Route 160.

Deputies took Grigsby into custody without further incident at the scene. He was booked&nbsp; and remains in the Lyon County Jail in Emporia on requested charges of fleeing and eluding; reckless driving; and suspicion of driving under the influence.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1607341584701.png" alt="Grigsby photo Lyon County" />
 <figcaption>Grigsby photo Lyon County</figcaption>
 </figure>LYON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect following a high-speed chase in Lyon County.Just after 2:30a.m. Dec. 6, sheriff's deputies attempted to stop a Dodge Challenger in the 600 Block of East South Avenue in Emporia, according to a media release.The driver later identified as Mark A Grigsby, 38, of Leavenworth refused to stop led officers on a pursuit that reached speeds of more than 100 miles per hour.The pursuit ended when Dodge was stopped in the 1300 block of Route 160.Deputies took Grigsby into custody without further incident at the scene. He was booked&nbsp; and remains in the Lyon County Jail in Emporia on requested charges of fleeing and eluding; reckless driving; and suspicion of driving under the influence.

Kansas man led deputies on chase at 100mph

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court declined Monday to take up an appeal from parents&nbsp; who want to prevent transgender students from using locker rooms and bathrooms of the gender with which they identify, rather than their sex assigned at birth.

The case came from a school district near Salem, Oregon’s capital city. The federal appeals court in San Francisco had upheld a Dallas, Oregon, school district policy that allows transgender students to use bathrooms and locker rooms that align with their gender identity.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/af3b12ab5f654d0db98893c948ba9c91">Parents sued</a>&nbsp;over the policy in 2017, saying it caused embarrassment and stress.

A lower court refused to block the policy and the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed that ruling, writing that the school district did not violate students’ constitutional rights or a law that protects people from discrimination based on sex in education programs.

Similar lawsuits have been dismissed by courts in other parts of the country.

About 15,000 people live in Dallas, a town in an agricultural area 15 miles&nbsp; west of Salem.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court declined Monday to take up an appeal from parents&nbsp; who want to prevent transgender students from using locker rooms and bathrooms of the gender with which they identify, rather than their sex assigned at birth.The case came from a school district near Salem, Oregon’s capital city. The federal appeals court in San Francisco had upheld a Dallas, Oregon, school district policy that allows transgender students to use bathrooms and locker rooms that align with their gender identity.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/af3b12ab5f654d0db98893c948ba9c91">Parents sued</a>&nbsp;over the policy in 2017, saying it caused embarrassment and stress.A lower court refused to block the policy and the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed that ruling, writing that the school district did not violate students’ constitutional rights or a law that protects people from discrimination based on sex in education programs.Similar lawsuits have been dismissed by courts in other parts of the country.About 15,000 people live in Dallas, a town in an agricultural area 15 miles&nbsp; west of Salem.

Court declines case against bathroom access for transgender students

BELLE PLAINE, Kan. (AP) — A former Kansas teacher who was caught on camera kicking a kindergarten student in the school library has been sentenced to 30 days in jail and a year of probation. Online court records show that 55-year-old Crystal Smith as also ordered to attend anger management classes. 

She pleaded guilty Thursday in Johnson County District Court to battery. A security camera at the Bluejacket-Flint Elementary School in Shawnee captured footage of the February 2019 incident, which unfolded after the rest of the class had left the library. 

The girl had crawled into a bookshelf opening. Smith yanked her out, then kicked the girl as she lay huddled on the floor.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1582734209741.png" alt="Image from the security camera video courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Image from the security camera video courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>BELLE PLAINE, Kan. (AP) — A former Kansas teacher who was caught on camera kicking a kindergarten student in the school library has been sentenced to 30 days in jail and a year of probation. Online court records show that 55-year-old Crystal Smith as also ordered to attend anger management classes. She pleaded guilty Thursday in Johnson County District Court to battery. A security camera at the Bluejacket-Flint Elementary School in Shawnee captured footage of the February 2019 incident, which unfolded after the rest of the class had left the library. The girl had crawled into a bookshelf opening. Smith yanked her out, then kicked the girl as she lay huddled on the floor.

Ex-teacher sentenced for kicking Kansas kindergarten student

BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on drug charges following a weekend arrest.

Just after 6:3 a.m. Sunday a police officer&nbsp; investigated a suspicious vehicle parked in the 200 block of East 2nd Street in Ellinwood, according to a media release.

As the officer approached the vehicle, he found two occupants hiding inside. While the officer questioned the occupants, he observed drug paraphernalia in the vehicle.

The occupants were detained and the vehicle searched. Investigators found over $3,000 in cash, three handguns, marijuana, methamphetamine and various prescription medications and paraphernalia in the vehicle.

Officers arrested Sonia Alejandra Candia, 20 of Pratt and Brandon Lee Gross, 24 of Great Bend, were and transported them to the Barton County Jail.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1607370315149.png" alt="Sonia Alejandra Candia photo Barton Co." />
 <figcaption>Sonia Alejandra Candia photo Barton Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on drug charges following a weekend arrest.Just after 6:3 a.m. Sunday a police officer&nbsp; investigated a suspicious vehicle parked in the 200 block of East 2nd Street in Ellinwood, according to a media release.As the officer approached the vehicle, he found two occupants hiding inside. While the officer questioned the occupants, he observed drug paraphernalia in the vehicle.The occupants were detained and the vehicle searched. Investigators found over $3,000 in cash, three handguns, marijuana, methamphetamine and various prescription medications and paraphernalia in the vehicle.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1607370339203.png" alt="Gross photo Barton Co." />
 <figcaption>Gross photo Barton Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Officers arrested Sonia Alejandra Candia, 20 of Pratt and Brandon Lee Gross, 24 of Great Bend, were and transported them to the Barton County Jail.

Police find 2 Kan. drug suspects hiding in vehicle

Senate turns page to new crew, House sticks with status quo

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/12/07/republican-democratic-legislators-select-new-partisan-leadership-for-2021-session/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — House Speaker Ron
 Ryckman and House Minority Leader Tom Sawyer faced no opposition from 
colleagues to retain their legislative leadership positions Monday, 
while partisan caucuses in the Senate led to selection of Republican Ty 
Masterson to serve as president and Dinah Sykes to be the chamber’s 
Democratic leader.

The choices are 
significant because Republicans holding positions of House speaker and 
Senate president control committee appointments, assignment of bills to 
committees, the calender of legislation debated on the floor and have a 
larger platform to advance a legislative agenda. Major issues during the
 upcoming session are likely to include abortion, taxes, judicial 
selection, Medicaid expansion, response to the pandemic and redrawing 
legislative district boundaries.

The approach by Democrats 
and Republicans in the House was to affirm the status quo. Several 
retirements, the departure of GOP moderates and a top Democrat’s 
election loss in November forced the Senate to simultaneously fill the 
four most prominent posts for the first time in decades.

Democratic Gov. Laura 
Kelly congratulated the newly selected leaders of the Legislature, which
 has two-thirds GOP majorities capable of overriding her vetoes.

“I look forward to working
 together on the issues that matter to Kansans: funding schools, keeping
 Kansans healthy and increasing access to affordable health care, 
building a stronger infrastructure and continuing down the path to 
economic recovery,” Kelly said.

Ryckman, an 
Olathe Republican who grew up in rural Kansas, was granted a third term 
of two years as House speaker. Typically, House speakers in Kansas serve
 a maximum of two terms in that role.

Wichita GOP Rep.
 Brenda Landwehr endorsed Ryckman for another term as speaker, citing 
his ability to bring together members of their party. She also took an 
opportunity to reprimand Kelly, a former state senator from Topeka.

“He knows how to
 work with each one of us and he does bring us together,” Landwehr said.
 “He knows how to pull votes together and get things done even with our 
governor who for some reason continues to act as a minority member of 
the Senate rather than the leader.”

Masterson, an Andover 
Republican who has led the conservative Truth Caucus at the Capitol, 
describes himself as an anti-abortion, limited-government, low-tax 
legislator who believes the Legislature must be a check on the executive
 branch. He’s been a member of the Senate and House since 2005. He will 
replace retiring Senate President Susan Wagle, a Wichita Republican who 
didn’t seek re-election.

“I was honored to get 
unanimous support. So, I hope it brings unity to our caucus,” Masterson 
said in an interview. “I think fundamentally that’s the purpose of this 
body, is to be a check on on the executive branch of government.”

Sen. John Doll, a Garden City Republican, nominated Masterson to serve as president of the Senate.

“We need a strong leader 
probably more than any time in our lifetime anyway,” Doll said. “We need
 a Senate president we can come to and perhaps disagree with and not 
feel like we’re going to be punished by getting our committees taken 
away or our chairmanships taken away if we happen to disagree 
respectfully.”

GOP senators, including 
some voting by proxy due to COVID-19, elected Sen. Rick Wilborn to be 
the Senate’s vice president. He’s a McPherson Republican and has led the
 Senate Judiciary Committee. He replaced Sen. Jeff Longbine, an Emporia 
Republican who didn’t seek re-election to that post. In addition, 
Republicans in the Senate selected Sen. Gene Suellentrop, of Wichita, to
 be the chamber’s majority leader. retiring Sen. Jim Denning, a Johnson 
County lawmaker who didn’t seek re-election after angering GOP 
colleagues for working on Medicaid expansion with Kelly.

On the Democratic side of 
the ledger, Sykes of Lenexa was chosen by her peers to be the Senate’s 
Democratic leader. She has served in the Senate since 2017 and was 
originally elected as a Republican, but quit the GOP due to policy 
differences. Sykes moves into the slot held by Senate Minority Leader 
Anthony Hensley, who is the longest-serving legislator in Kansas 
history.

“While the Republican 
Party enjoys the majority of the seats, I’m confident that the majority 
of Kansans share our values: affordable health care, exceptional 
education and good jobs for hard-working people,” she said.

Over in the House, Ryckman
 retained his role as House speaker and two legislators who came to the 
House with him in 2013 kept their leadership jobs. House Majority Leader
 Dan Hawkins, of Wichita, and Speaker Pro Tem Blaine Finch, of Ottawa, 
will return to those slots when the 2021 session begins in January. None
 faced opposition in the Republican caucus.

Hawkins was nominated by Rep. Will Carpenter, an El Dorado Republican, who kept his nomination speech brief.

“Hawkins has the
 qualities which we should all look for in a leader,” Carpenter said. “A
 man that we can trust that has integrity and works hard. He upholds our
 conservative values.”

Sawyer, a Wichita Democrat who currently serving as House minority leader, was re-elected to that post without opposition.

The final voting for these
 top Kansas legislative leadership positions won’t be conducted until 
the session officials starts next month. Republicans hold large 
majorities in the House and Senate, but generally these final votes are 
unanimous in both chambers.

Returning and new members 
of the Legislature traditionally convene in December to decide which 
members of their political parties hold jobs of House speaker, majority 
leader, speaker pro tem and who leads Democrats in the House. GOP 
senators pick a president, majority leader and vice president as well as
 a minority leader.

Tim Carpenter has reported on Kansas for 35 years. He covered the Capitol for 16 years at the Topeka Capital-Journal and previously worked for the Lawrence Journal-World and United Press International.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1607368575494.png" alt="House Speaker Ron Ryckman, left, and House Majority Leader Dan Hawkins will retain their leadership positions in the House for the 2021 session, while Senate Republicans elected Sen. Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican, to be Senate president. (Nick Krug/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>House Speaker Ron Ryckman, left, and House Majority Leader Dan Hawkins will retain their leadership positions in the House for the 2021 session, while Senate Republicans elected Sen. Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican, to be Senate president. (Nick Krug/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Senate turns page to new crew, House sticks with status quo</h2>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/12/07/republican-democratic-legislators-select-new-partisan-leadership-for-2021-session/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — House Speaker Ron
 Ryckman and House Minority Leader Tom Sawyer faced no opposition from 
colleagues to retain their legislative leadership positions Monday, 
while partisan caucuses in the Senate led to selection of Republican Ty 
Masterson to serve as president and Dinah Sykes to be the chamber’s 
Democratic leader.The choices are 
significant because Republicans holding positions of House speaker and 
Senate president control committee appointments, assignment of bills to 
committees, the calender of legislation debated on the floor and have a 
larger platform to advance a legislative agenda. Major issues during the
 upcoming session are likely to include abortion, taxes, judicial 
selection, Medicaid expansion, response to the pandemic and redrawing 
legislative district boundaries.The approach by Democrats 
and Republicans in the House was to affirm the status quo. Several 
retirements, the departure of GOP moderates and a top Democrat’s 
election loss in November forced the Senate to simultaneously fill the 
four most prominent posts for the first time in decades.Democratic Gov. Laura 
Kelly congratulated the newly selected leaders of the Legislature, which
 has two-thirds GOP majorities capable of overriding her vetoes.“I look forward to working
 together on the issues that matter to Kansans: funding schools, keeping
 Kansans healthy and increasing access to affordable health care, 
building a stronger infrastructure and continuing down the path to 
economic recovery,” Kelly said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1607368689953.jpeg" alt="Sen. Ty Masterson, a conservative Republican from Andover and member of the Legislature since 2005, will be the new president of the Kansas Senate. He will replace retiring President Susan Wagle, a Wichita Republican, when the 2021 session starts in January. Sen. Dinah Sykes, of Lenexa, will be the Senate’s Democratic leader. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Ty Masterson, a conservative Republican from Andover and member of the Legislature since 2005, will be the new president of the Kansas Senate. He will replace retiring President Susan Wagle, a Wichita Republican, when the 2021 session starts in January. Sen. Dinah Sykes, of Lenexa, will be the Senate’s Democratic leader. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>Ryckman, an 
Olathe Republican who grew up in rural Kansas, was granted a third term 
of two years as House speaker. Typically, House speakers in Kansas serve
 a maximum of two terms in that role.Wichita GOP Rep.
 Brenda Landwehr endorsed Ryckman for another term as speaker, citing 
his ability to bring together members of their party. She also took an 
opportunity to reprimand Kelly, a former state senator from Topeka.“He knows how to
 work with each one of us and he does bring us together,” Landwehr said.
 “He knows how to pull votes together and get things done even with our 
governor who for some reason continues to act as a minority member of 
the Senate rather than the leader.”Masterson, an Andover 
Republican who has led the conservative Truth Caucus at the Capitol, 
describes himself as an anti-abortion, limited-government, low-tax 
legislator who believes the Legislature must be a check on the executive
 branch. He’s been a member of the Senate and House since 2005. He will 
replace retiring Senate President Susan Wagle, a Wichita Republican who 
didn’t seek re-election.“I was honored to get 
unanimous support. So, I hope it brings unity to our caucus,” Masterson 
said in an interview. “I think fundamentally that’s the purpose of this 
body, is to be a check on on the executive branch of government.”Sen. John Doll, a Garden City Republican, nominated Masterson to serve as president of the Senate.“We need a strong leader 
probably more than any time in our lifetime anyway,” Doll said. “We need
 a Senate president we can come to and perhaps disagree with and not 
feel like we’re going to be punished by getting our committees taken 
away or our chairmanships taken away if we happen to disagree 
respectfully.”GOP senators, including 
some voting by proxy due to COVID-19, elected Sen. Rick Wilborn to be 
the Senate’s vice president. He’s a McPherson Republican and has led the
 Senate Judiciary Committee. He replaced Sen. Jeff Longbine, an Emporia 
Republican who didn’t seek re-election to that post. In addition, 
Republicans in the Senate selected Sen. Gene Suellentrop, of Wichita, to
 be the chamber’s majority leader. retiring Sen. Jim Denning, a Johnson 
County lawmaker who didn’t seek re-election after angering GOP 
colleagues for working on Medicaid expansion with Kelly.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1607368717057.jpeg" alt="Kansas House Republicans voted to retain their key legislative leaders, from left, House Majority Leader Dan Hawkins, House Speaker Ron Ryckman and Speaker Pro Tem Blaine Finch. Democrats will retain House Minority Leader Tom Sawyer as their partisan leader. (Noah Taborda/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas House Republicans voted to retain their key legislative leaders, from left, House Majority Leader Dan Hawkins, House Speaker Ron Ryckman and Speaker Pro Tem Blaine Finch. Democrats will retain House Minority Leader Tom Sawyer as their partisan leader. (Noah Taborda/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>On the Democratic side of 
the ledger, Sykes of Lenexa was chosen by her peers to be the Senate’s 
Democratic leader. She has served in the Senate since 2017 and was 
originally elected as a Republican, but quit the GOP due to policy 
differences. Sykes moves into the slot held by Senate Minority Leader 
Anthony Hensley, who is the longest-serving legislator in Kansas 
history.“While the Republican 
Party enjoys the majority of the seats, I’m confident that the majority 
of Kansans share our values: affordable health care, exceptional 
education and good jobs for hard-working people,” she said.Over in the House, Ryckman
 retained his role as House speaker and two legislators who came to the 
House with him in 2013 kept their leadership jobs. House Majority Leader
 Dan Hawkins, of Wichita, and Speaker Pro Tem Blaine Finch, of Ottawa, 
will return to those slots when the 2021 session begins in January. None
 faced opposition in the Republican caucus.Hawkins was nominated by Rep. Will Carpenter, an El Dorado Republican, who kept his nomination speech brief.“Hawkins has the
 qualities which we should all look for in a leader,” Carpenter said. “A
 man that we can trust that has integrity and works hard. He upholds our
 conservative values.”Sawyer, a Wichita Democrat who currently serving as House minority leader, was re-elected to that post without opposition.The final voting for these
 top Kansas legislative leadership positions won’t be conducted until 
the session officials starts next month. Republicans hold large 
majorities in the House and Senate, but generally these final votes are 
unanimous in both chambers.Returning and new members 
of the Legislature traditionally convene in December to decide which 
members of their political parties hold jobs of House speaker, majority 
leader, speaker pro tem and who leads Democrats in the House. GOP 
senators pick a president, majority leader and vice president as well as
 a minority leader.Tim Carpenter has reported on Kansas for 35 years. He covered the Capitol for 16 years at the Topeka Capital-Journal and previously worked for the Lawrence Journal-World and United Press International.&nbsp;

Kansas GOP, Democratic legislators select new leadership for '21 session

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an armed robbery and have made two arrests.

Just before 9p.m. Dec. 3, police responded to an armed robbery call at the Jumpstart, 3805 W. 21st&nbsp;Street North in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.

A store employee told police two suspects entering the store and demanding cash while one suspect was armed with a rifle.

Cash was taken by the suspects, who then fled the store on foot.&nbsp; No one was injured.

Through the investigation of the Jumpstart robbery, investigators learned of the involvement of two suspects.&nbsp; Police arrested 26-year-old Antonio D. Martin and 28-year-old Carmen Burns both of Wichita on Friday evening.&nbsp;

Investigators learned Martin was involved in four additional armed robberies that began in July and that Burns was involved in a second armed robbery as well.&nbsp; The two long guns were recovered and determined to be bb guns, according to Davidson.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1607177814900.png" alt="Burns-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Burns-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an armed robbery and have made two arrests.Just before 9p.m. Dec. 3, police responded to an armed robbery call at the Jumpstart, 3805 W. 21st&nbsp;Street North in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.A store employee told police two suspects entering the store and demanding cash while one suspect was armed with a rifle.Cash was taken by the suspects, who then fled the store on foot.&nbsp; No one was injured.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1607177871108.png" alt="Martin photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Martin photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Through the investigation of the Jumpstart robbery, investigators learned of the involvement of two suspects.&nbsp; Police arrested 26-year-old Antonio D. Martin and 28-year-old Carmen Burns both of Wichita on Friday evening.&nbsp;Investigators learned Martin was involved in four additional armed robberies that began in July and that Burns was involved in a second armed robbery as well.&nbsp; The two long guns were recovered and determined to be bb guns, according to Davidson.Martin is being held on requested charges of five counts of aggravated robbery, aggravated assault, and outstanding warrants and Burns on requested charges of two counts of aggravated robbery.