LONDON (AP) — AstraZeneca and Oxford University on Wednesday acknowledged a manufacturing error that is raising questions about preliminary results of their experimental COVID-19 vaccine.

A statement describing the error came days after the company and the university described the shots as “highly effective” and made no mention of why some study participants didn’t receive as much vaccine in the first of two shots as expected.

In a surprise, the group of volunteers that got a lower dose seemed to be much better protected than the volunteers who got two full doses. In the low-dose group, AstraZeneca said, the vaccine appeared to be 90% effective. In the group that got two full doses, the vaccine appeared to be 62% effective. Combined, the drugmakers said the vaccine appeared to be 70% effective. But the way in which the results were arrived at and reported by the companies has led to pointed questions from experts.

The partial results announced Monday are from large ongoing studies in the U.K. and Brazil designed to determine the optimal dose of vaccine, as well as examine safety and effectiveness. Multiple combinations and doses were tried in the volunteers. They were compared to others who were given a meningitis vaccine or a saline shot.

DID RESEARCHERS MEAN TO GIVE A HALF DOSE?

Before they begin their research, scientists spell out all the steps they are taking, and how they will analyze the results. Any deviation from that protocol can put the results in question.

In a statement Wednesday, Oxford University said some of the vials used in the trial didn’t have the right concentration of vaccine so some volunteers got a half dose. The university said that it discussed the problem with regulators, and agreed to complete the late stage trial with two groups. The manufacturing problem has been corrected, according to the statement.

Experts say the relatively small number of people in the low dose group makes it difficult to know if the effectiveness seen in the group is real or a statistical quirk. Some 2,741 people received a half dose of the vaccine followed by a full dose, AstraZeneca said. A total of 8,895 people received two full doses.

Another factor: none of the people in the low-dose group were over 55 years old. Younger people tend to mount a stronger immune response than older people, so it could be that the youth of the participants in the low-dose group is why it looked more effective, not the size of the dose.

Another point of confusion comes from a decision to pool results from two groups of participants who received different dosing levels to reach an average 70% effectiveness, said David Salisbury, and associate fellow of the global health program at the Chatham House think tank.

“You’ve taken two studies for which different doses were used and come up with a composite that doesn’t represent either of the doses,″ he said of the figure. “I think many people are having trouble with that.″

WHY WOULD A SMALLER FIRST DOSE BE MORE EFFECTIVE?

Oxford researchers say they aren’t certain and they are working to uncover the reason.

Sarah Gilbert, one of the Oxford scientists leading the research, said the answer is probably related to providing exactly the right amount of vaccine to trigger the best immune response.

“It’s the Goldilocks amount that you want, I think, not too little and not too much. Too much could give you a poor quality response as well,” she said. “So you want just the right amount and it’s a bit hit and miss when you’re trying to go quickly to get that perfect first time.”

Details of the trial results will be published in medical journals and provided to U.K. regulators so they can decide whether to authorize distribution of the vaccine. Those reports will include a detailed breakdown that includes demographic and other information about who got sick in each group, and give a more complete picture of how effective the vaccine is.

Moncef Slaoui, who leads the U.S. coronavirus vaccine program Operation Warp Speed, said Tuesday in a call with reporters that U.S. officials are trying to determine what immune response the vaccine produced, and may decide to modify the AstraZeneca study in the U.S. to include a half dose.

“But we want it to be based on data and science,” he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600265317922.png" alt="Photo courtesy AstraZeneca" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy AstraZeneca</figcaption>
 </figure>LONDON (AP) — AstraZeneca and Oxford University on Wednesday acknowledged a manufacturing error that is raising questions about preliminary results of their experimental COVID-19 vaccine.A statement describing the error came days after the company and the university described the shots as “highly effective” and made no mention of why some study participants didn’t receive as much vaccine in the first of two shots as expected.In a surprise, the group of volunteers that got a lower dose seemed to be much better protected than the volunteers who got two full doses. In the low-dose group, AstraZeneca said, the vaccine appeared to be 90% effective. In the group that got two full doses, the vaccine appeared to be 62% effective. Combined, the drugmakers said the vaccine appeared to be 70% effective. But the way in which the results were arrived at and reported by the companies has led to pointed questions from experts.The partial results announced Monday are from large ongoing studies in the U.K. and Brazil designed to determine the optimal dose of vaccine, as well as examine safety and effectiveness. Multiple combinations and doses were tried in the volunteers. They were compared to others who were given a meningitis vaccine or a saline shot.DID RESEARCHERS MEAN TO GIVE A HALF DOSE?Before they begin their research, scientists spell out all the steps they are taking, and how they will analyze the results. Any deviation from that protocol can put the results in question.In a statement Wednesday, Oxford University said some of the vials used in the trial didn’t have the right concentration of vaccine so some volunteers got a half dose. The university said that it discussed the problem with regulators, and agreed to complete the late stage trial with two groups. The manufacturing problem has been corrected, according to the statement.WHAT ABOUT THE RESULTS THEMSELVES?Experts say the relatively small number of people in the low dose group makes it difficult to know if the effectiveness seen in the group is real or a statistical quirk. Some 2,741 people received a half dose of the vaccine followed by a full dose, AstraZeneca said. A total of 8,895 people received two full doses.Another factor: none of the people in the low-dose group were over 55 years old. Younger people tend to mount a stronger immune response than older people, so it could be that the youth of the participants in the low-dose group is why it looked more effective, not the size of the dose.Another point of confusion comes from a decision to pool results from two groups of participants who received different dosing levels to reach an average 70% effectiveness, said David Salisbury, and associate fellow of the global health program at the Chatham House think tank.“You’ve taken two studies for which different doses were used and come up with a composite that doesn’t represent either of the doses,″ he said of the figure. “I think many people are having trouble with that.″WHY WOULD A SMALLER FIRST DOSE BE MORE EFFECTIVE?Oxford researchers say they aren’t certain and they are working to uncover the reason.Sarah Gilbert, one of the Oxford scientists leading the research, said the answer is probably related to providing exactly the right amount of vaccine to trigger the best immune response.“It’s the Goldilocks amount that you want, I think, not too little and not too much. Too much could give you a poor quality response as well,” she said. “So you want just the right amount and it’s a bit hit and miss when you’re trying to go quickly to get that perfect first time.”WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS?Details of the trial results will be published in medical journals and provided to U.K. regulators so they can decide whether to authorize distribution of the vaccine. Those reports will include a detailed breakdown that includes demographic and other information about who got sick in each group, and give a more complete picture of how effective the vaccine is.Moncef Slaoui, who leads the U.S. coronavirus vaccine program Operation Warp Speed, said Tuesday in a call with reporters that U.S. officials are trying to determine what immune response the vaccine produced, and may decide to modify the AstraZeneca study in the U.S. to include a half dose.“But we want it to be based on data and science,” he said.

Manufacturing error clouds virus vaccine study results

LAWRENCE, Kan (AP) — The number of Kansas counties that require face coverings has risen sharply as fewer opted out of Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s latest mask mandate.

Sixty-two Kansas counties now have orders in place, with many coming as Kelly’s new statewide mask order went into effect Wednesday, according to a list compiled by the Kansas Association of Counties. The remaining 43 of the counties have opted out, but most are encouraging or recommending people wear masks.

It’s a stark contrast to the response Kelly received to her first mask order in July, when the majority of counties opted out.

Meanwhile, a Lawrence hotel will serve as a shelter for individuals who need to quarantine or isolate after a positive COVID-19 test or exposure to a positive case, a press release from Douglas County and its Unified Command partners said.

The Kansas Division of Emergency Management is providing funding for shelter services at the Baymont Inn and Suites. It’s available to homeless individuals, those who cannot safely isolate or quarantine at home due to numerous people living in the same home and first responders and those who work in high-risk professions.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1590784947764.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Kan (AP) — The number of Kansas counties that require face coverings has risen sharply as fewer opted out of Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s latest mask mandate.Sixty-two Kansas counties now have orders in place, with many coming as Kelly’s new statewide mask order went into effect Wednesday, according to a list compiled by the Kansas Association of Counties. The remaining 43 of the counties have opted out, but most are encouraging or recommending people wear masks.It’s a stark contrast to the response Kelly received to her first mask order in July, when the majority of counties opted out.Meanwhile, a Lawrence hotel will serve as a shelter for individuals who need to quarantine or isolate after a positive COVID-19 test or exposure to a positive case, a press release from Douglas County and its Unified Command partners said.The Kansas Division of Emergency Management is providing funding for shelter services at the Baymont Inn and Suites. It’s available to homeless individuals, those who cannot safely isolate or quarantine at home due to numerous people living in the same home and first responders and those who work in high-risk professions.

More Kan. counties require masks as new mandate takes effect

JACKSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas couple on drug charges following a traffic stop.

On Nov. 21, a police officer in Hoyt stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation, according to Chief of Police Dan Wentling.

Officers arrested&nbsp; the driver identified as 52-year old Michael J. Andrews and passenger 49-year old Jennifer A. Courtney&nbsp; both of Topeka. 

During a search of the vehicle, officers found suspected drugs, paraphernalia and a weapon, according to Wentling.

Andrews was booked on requested charges of Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Criminal Possession of a Firearm, and traffic infractions.

Courtney was booked on requested charge of Possession of Methamphetamine and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Both were booked into the Jackson County Detention Center. Courtney was later released on a $2,500 bond. Andrews remains in custody with a $15,000 bond, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1606228074707.png" alt="Andrews-photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Andrews-photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas couple on drug charges following a traffic stop.On Nov. 21, a police officer in Hoyt stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation, according to Chief of Police Dan Wentling.Officers arrested&nbsp; the driver identified as 52-year old Michael J. Andrews and passenger 49-year old Jennifer A. Courtney&nbsp; both of Topeka. During a search of the vehicle, officers found suspected drugs, paraphernalia and a weapon, according to Wentling.Andrews was booked on requested charges of Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Criminal Possession of a Firearm, and traffic infractions.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1606228043973.png" alt="Courtney-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Courtney-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Courtney was booked on requested charge of Possession of Methamphetamine and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Both were booked into the Jackson County Detention Center. Courtney was later released on a $2,500 bond. Andrews remains in custody with a $15,000 bond, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

Police find drugs, gun during Kansas traffic stop

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Thursday that he will leave the White House if the Electoral College formalizes President-Elect Joe Biden’s victory — even as he insisted such a decision would be a “mistake” — as he spent his Thanksgiving renewing baseless claims that “massive fraud” and crooked officials in battleground states caused his election defeat.

“Certainly I will. But you know that,” Trump said Thursday when asked whether he would vacate the building, allowing a peaceful transition of power in January. But Trump — taking questions for the first time since Election Day — insisted that “a lot of things” would happen between now and then that might alter the results.

“This has a long way to go,” Trump said, even though he lost.

The fact that a sitting American president even had to address whether or not he would leave office after losing reelection underscores the extent to which Trump has smashed one convention after another over the last three weeks. While there is no evidence of the kind of widespread fraud Trump has been alleging, he and his legal team have nonetheless been working to cast doubt on the integrity of the election and trying to overturn voters’ will in an unprecedented breach of Democratic norms.

Trump spoke to reporters in the White House’s ornate Diplomatic Reception Room after holding a teleconference with U.S. military leaders stationed across the globe. He thanked them for their service and jokingly warned them not to eat too much turkey, then turned to the election after ending the call. He repeated grievances and angrily denounced officials in Georgia and Pennsylvania, two key swing states that helped give Biden the win.

Trump claimed, despite the results, that this may not be his last Thanksgiving at the White House. And he insisted there had been “massive fraud,” even though state officials and international observers have said no evidence of that exists and Trump’s campaign has repeatedly failed in court.

Trump’s administration has already given the green light for a formal transition to get underway. But Trump took issue with Biden moving forward.

“I think it’s not right that he’s trying to pick a Cabinet,” Trump said, even though officials from both teams are already working together to get Biden’s team up to speed.

And as he refused to concede, Trump announced that he will be traveling to Georgia to rally supporters ahead of two Senate runoff elections that will determine which party controls the Senate. Trump said the rally for Republican Sens. David Perdue and Sen. Kelly Loeffler would likely be held Saturday. The White House later clarified he had meant Dec. 5.

One of the reasons Republicans have stood by Trump and his baseless claims of fraud has been to keep his loyal base energized ahead of those runoffs on Jan. 5. But Trump, in his remarks, openly questioned whether that election would be fair in a move that could dampen Republican turnout.

“I think you’re dealing with a very fraudulent system. I’m very worried about that,” he said. “People are very disappointed that we were robbed.”

As for the Electoral College, Trump made clear that he will likely never formally concede, even if he said he would leave the White House.

“It’s gonna be a very hard thing to concede. Because we know there was massive fraud,” he said, noting that, “time isn’t on our side.”

“If they do,” vote against him, Trump added, “they’ve made a mistake.”

Asked whether he would attend Biden’s inauguration, Trump said he knew the answer but didn’t want to share it yet.

But there were some signs that Trump was coming to terms with his loss.

At one point he urged reporters not to allow Biden the credit for pending coronavirus vaccines. “Don’t let him take credit for the vaccines because the vaccines were me and I pushed people harder than they’ve ever been pushed before,” he said.

As for whether or not he plans to formally declare his candidacy to run again in 2024 — as he has discussed with aides— Trump he didn’t “want to talk about 2024 yet.”

All states must certify their results before the Electoral College meets on Dec. 14, and any challenge to the results must be resolved by Dec. 8. State have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-elections-electoral-college-presidential-elections-c137768e478442dd635d999e446035a3">already begun</a>&nbsp;that process, including Michigan, where Trump and his allies tried and failed to delay the process, and Georgia and Pennsylvania.

Vote certification at the local and state level is typically a ministerial task that gets little notice, but that changed this year with Trump’s refusal to concede and his unprecedented attempts to overturn the results of the election through a fusillade of legal challenges and attempts to manipulate the certification process in battleground states he lost.

Biden won by wide margins in both the Electoral College and popular vote, where he received nearly 80 million votes, a record.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Thursday that he will leave the White House if the Electoral College formalizes President-Elect Joe Biden’s victory — even as he insisted such a decision would be a “mistake” — as he spent his Thanksgiving renewing baseless claims that “massive fraud” and crooked officials in battleground states caused his election defeat.“Certainly I will. But you know that,” Trump said Thursday when asked whether he would vacate the building, allowing a peaceful transition of power in January. But Trump — taking questions for the first time since Election Day — insisted that “a lot of things” would happen between now and then that might alter the results.“This has a long way to go,” Trump said, even though he lost.The fact that a sitting American president even had to address whether or not he would leave office after losing reelection underscores the extent to which Trump has smashed one convention after another over the last three weeks. While there is no evidence of the kind of widespread fraud Trump has been alleging, he and his legal team have nonetheless been working to cast doubt on the integrity of the election and trying to overturn voters’ will in an unprecedented breach of Democratic norms.Trump spoke to reporters in the White House’s ornate Diplomatic Reception Room after holding a teleconference with U.S. military leaders stationed across the globe. He thanked them for their service and jokingly warned them not to eat too much turkey, then turned to the election after ending the call. He repeated grievances and angrily denounced officials in Georgia and Pennsylvania, two key swing states that helped give Biden the win.Trump claimed, despite the results, that this may not be his last Thanksgiving at the White House. And he insisted there had been “massive fraud,” even though state officials and international observers have said no evidence of that exists and Trump’s campaign has repeatedly failed in court.Trump’s administration has already given the green light for a formal transition to get underway. But Trump took issue with Biden moving forward.“I think it’s not right that he’s trying to pick a Cabinet,” Trump said, even though officials from both teams are already working together to get Biden’s team up to speed.And as he refused to concede, Trump announced that he will be traveling to Georgia to rally supporters ahead of two Senate runoff elections that will determine which party controls the Senate. Trump said the rally for Republican Sens. David Perdue and Sen. Kelly Loeffler would likely be held Saturday. The White House later clarified he had meant Dec. 5.One of the reasons Republicans have stood by Trump and his baseless claims of fraud has been to keep his loyal base energized ahead of those runoffs on Jan. 5. But Trump, in his remarks, openly questioned whether that election would be fair in a move that could dampen Republican turnout.“I think you’re dealing with a very fraudulent system. I’m very worried about that,” he said. “People are very disappointed that we were robbed.”As for the Electoral College, Trump made clear that he will likely never formally concede, even if he said he would leave the White House.“It’s gonna be a very hard thing to concede. Because we know there was massive fraud,” he said, noting that, “time isn’t on our side.”“If they do,” vote against him, Trump added, “they’ve made a mistake.”Asked whether he would attend Biden’s inauguration, Trump said he knew the answer but didn’t want to share it yet.But there were some signs that Trump was coming to terms with his loss.At one point he urged reporters not to allow Biden the credit for pending coronavirus vaccines. “Don’t let him take credit for the vaccines because the vaccines were me and I pushed people harder than they’ve ever been pushed before,” he said.As for whether or not he plans to formally declare his candidacy to run again in 2024 — as he has discussed with aides— Trump he didn’t “want to talk about 2024 yet.”All states must certify their results before the Electoral College meets on Dec. 14, and any challenge to the results must be resolved by Dec. 8. State have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-elections-electoral-college-presidential-elections-c137768e478442dd635d999e446035a3">already begun</a>&nbsp;that process, including Michigan, where Trump and his allies tried and failed to delay the process, and Georgia and Pennsylvania.Vote certification at the local and state level is typically a ministerial task that gets little notice, but that changed this year with Trump’s refusal to concede and his unprecedented attempts to overturn the results of the election through a fusillade of legal challenges and attempts to manipulate the certification process in battleground states he lost.Biden won by wide margins in both the Electoral College and popular vote, where he received nearly 80 million votes, a record.

President Trump says he'll leave if Electoral College seats Biden

WETMORE, Kan. (AP) — A man has been killed in a fire in northeast Kansas, according to the State Fire Marshal.

WIBW=TV&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wibw.com/2020/11/26/nemaha-co-fire-claims-one-persons-life/" target="_blank">reports</a>&nbsp;that that a neighbor reported the fire around 5:30 a.m. Friday in the Nemaha County town of Wetmore. The State Fire Marshal’s Office said the victim was a 62-year-old man who lived alone in the home.

The office said the cause of the fire is not yet determined but was most likely accidental.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1606435207775.png" alt="Scene of the fatal Thanksgiving day fire photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Scene of the fatal Thanksgiving day fire photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>WETMORE, Kan. (AP) — A man has been killed in a fire in northeast Kansas, according to the State Fire Marshal.WIBW=TV&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wibw.com/2020/11/26/nemaha-co-fire-claims-one-persons-life/" target="_blank">reports</a>&nbsp;that that a neighbor reported the fire around 5:30 a.m. Friday in the Nemaha County town of Wetmore. The State Fire Marshal’s Office said the victim was a 62-year-old man who lived alone in the home.The office said the cause of the fire is not yet determined but was most likely accidental.

Fire Marshal: 62-year-old man dies in Kan. house fire

KANSAS CITY (AP)— A new government report says the U.S. is still missing nearly eight coronavirus infections for every one counted.

By the end of September, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calculates that as many as 53 million Americans had been infected. That is just under eight times the confirmed cases reported at the time.

Previously, the CDC estimated that one of every 10 infections were being missed.

The latest CDC calculation is meant to give a more accurate picture of how many people actually have caught the virus since the pandemic began. Of the 53 million estimated infections, the CDC says about 45 million were sick at some point and about 2.4 million were hospitalized.

KANSAS CITY (AP)— A new government report says the U.S. is still missing nearly eight coronavirus infections for every one counted.By the end of September, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calculates that as many as 53 million Americans had been infected. That is just under eight times the confirmed cases reported at the time.Previously, the CDC estimated that one of every 10 infections were being missed.The latest CDC calculation is meant to give a more accurate picture of how many people actually have caught the virus since the pandemic began. Of the 53 million estimated infections, the CDC says about 45 million were sick at some point and about 2.4 million were hospitalized.

CDC estimates only 1/8th of infections caught

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Medical debts totaling more than $5.2 million owed by more than 3,200 families in Kansas and Oklahoma have been paid through a project of the United Church of Christ Kansas-Oklahoma Conference, church officials said Tuesday.

“As a result of our campaign that netted $40,000, with that $40,000 we were able to abolish $5,211,729 in medical debt” for more than 3,200 families in 76 counties in Kansas and 60 Oklahoma counties, according to conference President Bobbie Henderson of Tulsa.

The money was sent to New York-based RIP Medical Debt, an non-profit organization that purchased the debt at a discount and forgave the amount owed.

The average amount forgiven per household was $1,612.54, according to the church. The church does not know who the recipients are, said spokesperson Connie Larkman.

The medical debt forgiveness project began in 2019 and has now eliminated about $57 million in medical debt nationwide, according to a statement from the UCC.

The UCC, based in Cleveland, has 40 churches in Kansas, 13 in Oklahoma and about 7,000 members in the two states, according to UCC Minister Edith Guffey of Lawrence, Kansas.

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Medical debts totaling more than $5.2 million owed by more than 3,200 families in Kansas and Oklahoma have been paid through a project of the United Church of Christ Kansas-Oklahoma Conference, church officials said Tuesday.“As a result of our campaign that netted $40,000, with that $40,000 we were able to abolish $5,211,729 in medical debt” for more than 3,200 families in 76 counties in Kansas and 60 Oklahoma counties, according to conference President Bobbie Henderson of Tulsa.The money was sent to New York-based RIP Medical Debt, an non-profit organization that purchased the debt at a discount and forgave the amount owed.The average amount forgiven per household was $1,612.54, according to the church. The church does not know who the recipients are, said spokesperson Connie Larkman.The medical debt forgiveness project began in 2019 and has now eliminated about $57 million in medical debt nationwide, according to a statement from the UCC.The UCC, based in Cleveland, has 40 churches in Kansas, 13 in Oklahoma and about 7,000 members in the two states, according to UCC Minister Edith Guffey of Lawrence, Kansas.

Church organization in Kansas pays medical debts

WASHINGTON (AP) — As coronavirus cases surge again nationwide the Supreme Court late Wednesday barred New York from enforcing certain limits on attendance at churches and synagogues in areas designated as hard hit by the virus.

The justices&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/20pdf/20a87_4g15.pdf" target="_blank">split 5-4</a>&nbsp;with new Justice Amy Coney Barrett in the majority. It was the conservative’s first publicly discernible vote as a justice. The court’s three liberal justices and Chief Justice John Roberts dissented.

The move was a shift for the court. Earlier this year, when Barrett’s liberal predecessor, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, was still on the court, the justices divided 5-4 to leave in place pandemic-related capacity restrictions affecting churches in California and Nevada.

The court’s action Wednesday could push New York to reevaluate its restrictions on houses of worship in areas designated virus hot spots. But the impact of the court’s action is also muted because the Catholic and Orthodox Jewish groups that sued to challenge the restrictions are no longer subject to them.

The Diocese of Brooklyn and Agudath Israel of America have churches and synagogues in areas of Brooklyn and Queens previously designated red and orange zones. In those red and orange zones, the state had capped attendance at houses of worship at 10 and 25 people, respectively. But the those particular areas are now designated as yellow zones with less restrictive rules neither group challenged.

The justices acted on an emergency basis, temporarily barring New York from enforcing the restrictions against the groups while their lawsuits continue. In an unsigned opinion the court said the restrictions “single out houses of worship for especially harsh treatment.”

“Members of this Court are not public health experts, and we should respect the judgment of those with special expertise and responsibility in this area. But even in a pandemic, the Constitution cannot be put away and forgotten. The restrictions at issue here, by effectively barring many from attending religious services, strike at the very heart of the First Amendment’s guarantee of religious liberty,” the opinion said.

The opinion noted that in red zones, while a synagogue or church cannot admit more than 10 people, businesses deemed “essential,” from grocery stores to pet shops, can remain open without capacity limits. And in orange zones, while synagogues and churches are capped at 25 people, “even non-essential businesses may decide for themselves how many persons to admit.”

Roberts, in dissent, wrote that there was “simply no need” for the court’s action. “None of the houses of worship identified in the applications is now subject to any fixed numerical restrictions,” he said, adding that New York’s 10 and 25 person caps “do seem unduly restrictive.”

“The Governor might reinstate the restrictions. But he also might not. And it is a significant matter to override determinations made by public health officials concerning what is necessary for public safety in the midst of a deadly pandemic,” he wrote.

Roberts and four other justices wrote separately to explain their views. Barrett did not.

The court’s action was a victory for the Roman Catholic Church and Orthodox Jewish synagogues that had sued to challenge state restrictions announced by Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Oct. 6.

The Diocese of Brooklyn, which covers Brooklyn and Queens, argued houses of worship were being unfairly singled out by the governor’s executive order. The diocese argued it had previously operated safely by capping attendance at 25% of a building’s capacity and taking other measures. Parts of Brooklyn and Queens are now in yellow zones where attendance at houses of worship is capped at 50% of a building’s capacity, but the church is keeping attendance lower.

“We are extremely grateful that the Supreme Court has acted so swiftly and decisively to protect one of our most fundamental constitutional rights — the free exercise of religion,” said Randy Mastro, an attorney for the diocese, in a statement.

Avi Schick, an attorney for Agudath Israel of America, wrote in an email: “This is an historic victory. This landmark decision will ensure that religious practices and religious institutions will be protected from government edicts that do not treat religion with the respect demanded by the Constitution.”

Two lower courts had sided with New York in allowing the restrictions to remain in place. New York had argued that religious gatherings were being treated less restrictively than secular gatherings that carried the same infection risk, like concerts and theatrical performances. An email sent early Thursday by The Associated Press to the governor’s office seeking comment was not immediately returned.

There are currently several areas in New York designated orange zones but no red zones, according to a state website that tracks areas designated as hot spots.

WASHINGTON (AP) — As coronavirus cases surge again nationwide the Supreme Court late Wednesday barred New York from enforcing certain limits on attendance at churches and synagogues in areas designated as hard hit by the virus.The justices&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/20pdf/20a87_4g15.pdf" target="_blank">split 5-4</a>&nbsp;with new Justice Amy Coney Barrett in the majority. It was the conservative’s first publicly discernible vote as a justice. The court’s three liberal justices and Chief Justice John Roberts dissented.The move was a shift for the court. Earlier this year, when Barrett’s liberal predecessor, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, was still on the court, the justices divided 5-4 to leave in place pandemic-related capacity restrictions affecting churches in California and Nevada.The court’s action Wednesday could push New York to reevaluate its restrictions on houses of worship in areas designated virus hot spots. But the impact of the court’s action is also muted because the Catholic and Orthodox Jewish groups that sued to challenge the restrictions are no longer subject to them.The Diocese of Brooklyn and Agudath Israel of America have churches and synagogues in areas of Brooklyn and Queens previously designated red and orange zones. In those red and orange zones, the state had capped attendance at houses of worship at 10 and 25 people, respectively. But the those particular areas are now designated as yellow zones with less restrictive rules neither group challenged.The justices acted on an emergency basis, temporarily barring New York from enforcing the restrictions against the groups while their lawsuits continue. In an unsigned opinion the court said the restrictions “single out houses of worship for especially harsh treatment.”“Members of this Court are not public health experts, and we should respect the judgment of those with special expertise and responsibility in this area. But even in a pandemic, the Constitution cannot be put away and forgotten. The restrictions at issue here, by effectively barring many from attending religious services, strike at the very heart of the First Amendment’s guarantee of religious liberty,” the opinion said.The opinion noted that in red zones, while a synagogue or church cannot admit more than 10 people, businesses deemed “essential,” from grocery stores to pet shops, can remain open without capacity limits. And in orange zones, while synagogues and churches are capped at 25 people, “even non-essential businesses may decide for themselves how many persons to admit.”Roberts, in dissent, wrote that there was “simply no need” for the court’s action. “None of the houses of worship identified in the applications is now subject to any fixed numerical restrictions,” he said, adding that New York’s 10 and 25 person caps “do seem unduly restrictive.”“The Governor might reinstate the restrictions. But he also might not. And it is a significant matter to override determinations made by public health officials concerning what is necessary for public safety in the midst of a deadly pandemic,” he wrote.Roberts and four other justices wrote separately to explain their views. Barrett did not.The court’s action was a victory for the Roman Catholic Church and Orthodox Jewish synagogues that had sued to challenge state restrictions announced by Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Oct. 6.The Diocese of Brooklyn, which covers Brooklyn and Queens, argued houses of worship were being unfairly singled out by the governor’s executive order. The diocese argued it had previously operated safely by capping attendance at 25% of a building’s capacity and taking other measures. Parts of Brooklyn and Queens are now in yellow zones where attendance at houses of worship is capped at 50% of a building’s capacity, but the church is keeping attendance lower.“We are extremely grateful that the Supreme Court has acted so swiftly and decisively to protect one of our most fundamental constitutional rights — the free exercise of religion,” said Randy Mastro, an attorney for the diocese, in a statement.Avi Schick, an attorney for Agudath Israel of America, wrote in an email: “This is an historic victory. This landmark decision will ensure that religious practices and religious institutions will be protected from government edicts that do not treat religion with the respect demanded by the Constitution.”Two lower courts had sided with New York in allowing the restrictions to remain in place. New York had argued that religious gatherings were being treated less restrictively than secular gatherings that carried the same infection risk, like concerts and theatrical performances. An email sent early Thursday by The Associated Press to the governor’s office seeking comment was not immediately returned.There are currently several areas in New York designated orange zones but no red zones, according to a state website that tracks areas designated as hot spots.

Supreme Court blocks coronavirus limits on houses of worship

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and have identified the victim&nbsp;50-year-old Kamilu Boyede of Wichita

Just after 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, police responded to a check residence call in the 600 block of South Ida, according to officer Kevin Wheeler.

 A neighbor reported to 911 that the the victim’s door to his residence was open. Upon arrival, police made entry into the residence and located Boyede deceased with multiple gunshot wounds.

Police asked the public for help with information to help locate a suspect.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1606353689137.png" alt="Police on the scene Wednesday -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene Wednesday -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and have identified the victim&nbsp;50-year-old Kamilu Boyede of WichitaJust after 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, police responded to a check residence call in the 600 block of South Ida, according to officer Kevin Wheeler. A neighbor reported to 911 that the the victim’s door to his residence was open. Upon arrival, police made entry into the residence and located Boyede deceased with multiple gunshot wounds.Police asked the public for help with information to help locate a suspect.

Police ID victim in deadly Kansas shooting

MISSION, Kan. (AP) — Democratic Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly warned residents Wednesday not to let down their guard during Thanksgiving Day celebrations as coronavirus cases soar and hospitals overflow.

The number of confirmed and probable case cases rose by 5,738 from Monday to 147,797, bringing the daily average to 2,743 over the past week. The number of deaths increased by 47 over the past two days to 1,503, according to state health officials.

“I understand how discouraging and frustrating it is to not get together with family members over special holidays like Thanksgiving,” Kelly said. “I know you all want this to be over. We all want to return to some semblance of normal, but we cannot return to any semblance of normal until this virus is under control, until we flatten the curve, until a vaccine is available, widely distributed and vaccination rates are significant. Until then I encourage Kansans to hunker down.”

Her admonition came on the same day that a new mask mandate took effect, although Kansas law still allows the state’s 105 counties to opt out. Most counties did so the first time Kelly tried to require masks in July, but only about 45 have done so this time, according to the Kansas Association of Counties. Kelly said she was “glad of that” because health care workers are “experiencing severe burnout.”

Kansas health chief Dr. Lee Norman warned that hospitals are running out of beds and especially staff.

“Some hospitals have clinics that can shut down to increase capacity, while others have electric surgeries and cancer care that they can defer, at least for a period of time to free up capacity,” he said.

The problem is so severe that doctors and nurses in rural parts of the state have been complaining about spending hours on the phone arranging transfers. Some patients are being flown hundreds of miles because closer hospitals have no capacity.

Norman said that the good news is that a new program called Mission Control, which helps line up beds and transportation, has helped coordinate more than 3,200 patients transfers. He said it is now in use in more than 30 facilities, with additional hospitals being added daily.

“It will allow patients to be transferred to an open ICU bed and relieve some of the strain on the state’s health care system since some areas of the state are already near capacity in their intensive care units,” Norman said.

But he also said the public needs to step up as nurses, doctors and correctional officers grow exhausted.

“We owe them all terrific debt of gratitude and appreciation,” he said. “But more than that we owe them the commitment to live safely and protect our communities from this virus.”

MISSION, Kan. (AP) — Democratic Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly warned residents Wednesday not to let down their guard during Thanksgiving Day celebrations as coronavirus cases soar and hospitals overflow.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FGovLauraKelly%2Fvideos%2F195263332136278%2F&show_text=0&width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>The number of confirmed and probable case cases rose by 5,738 from Monday to 147,797, bringing the daily average to 2,743 over the past week. The number of deaths increased by 47 over the past two days to 1,503, according to state health officials.“I understand how discouraging and frustrating it is to not get together with family members over special holidays like Thanksgiving,” Kelly said. “I know you all want this to be over. We all want to return to some semblance of normal, but we cannot return to any semblance of normal until this virus is under control, until we flatten the curve, until a vaccine is available, widely distributed and vaccination rates are significant. Until then I encourage Kansans to hunker down.”Her admonition came on the same day that a new mask mandate took effect, although Kansas law still allows the state’s 105 counties to opt out. Most counties did so the first time Kelly tried to require masks in July, but only about 45 have done so this time, according to the Kansas Association of Counties. Kelly said she was “glad of that” because health care workers are “experiencing severe burnout.”Kansas health chief Dr. Lee Norman warned that hospitals are running out of beds and especially staff.“Some hospitals have clinics that can shut down to increase capacity, while others have electric surgeries and cancer care that they can defer, at least for a period of time to free up capacity,” he said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1606339227129.png" alt="Wednesday Nov. 25, 2020 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Wednesday Nov. 25, 2020 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>The problem is so severe that doctors and nurses in rural parts of the state have been complaining about spending hours on the phone arranging transfers. Some patients are being flown hundreds of miles because closer hospitals have no capacity.Norman said that the good news is that a new program called Mission Control, which helps line up beds and transportation, has helped coordinate more than 3,200 patients transfers. He said it is now in use in more than 30 facilities, with additional hospitals being added daily.“It will allow patients to be transferred to an open ICU bed and relieve some of the strain on the state’s health care system since some areas of the state are already near capacity in their intensive care units,” Norman said.But he also said the public needs to step up as nurses, doctors and correctional officers grow exhausted.“We owe them all terrific debt of gratitude and appreciation,” he said. “But more than that we owe them the commitment to live safely and protect our communities from this virus.”

🎥 Gov. Kelly urges state to 'hunker down' amid virus surge

HASKELL COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 11:30p.m. Wednesday in Haskell County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1998 Ford Taurus driven by&nbsp; Johnnie Trevor Coates, 18, Holcomb, was northbound on County Road FF at County Road 170.

The car left the roadway to the left, began to rotate on all four tires in a clockwise direction and rolled. The driver&nbsp; was not wearing his seatbelt and was ejected from the car.

Coates was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Swaim Funeral Chapel.

HASKELL COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 11:30p.m. Wednesday in Haskell County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1998 Ford Taurus driven by&nbsp; Johnnie Trevor Coates, 18, Holcomb, was northbound on County Road FF at County Road 170.The car left the roadway to the left, began to rotate on all four tires in a clockwise direction and rolled. The driver&nbsp; was not wearing his seatbelt and was ejected from the car.Coates was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Swaim Funeral Chapel.

Kansas teen dies after being ejected in crash

WASHINGTON (AP) — Monday seemed like the end of President Donald Trump’s relentless challenges to the election, after the federal government acknowledged President-elect Joe Biden was the “apparent winner” and Trump cleared the way for cooperation on a transition of power.

But his claims have a way of coming back. And back. And back.

By Wednesday, Trump was phoning into a local Pennsylvania Republican lawmakers’ meeting that had been orchestrated by his campaign to assert falsely, again, that the election was tainted.

“This election was rigged and we can’t let that happen,” Trump said by phone, offering no specific evidence.

The 2020 presidential race is turning into the zombie election that Trump just won’t let die. Despite dozens of legal and procedural setbacks, his campaign keeps filing new challenges that have no hope of succeeding and making fresh, unfounded claims of fraud.

But that’s the point. Trump’s strategy wasn’t to change the outcome, but to create a host of phantom claims about the 2020 presidential race that would infect the nation with doubt, even though the winner was clear and there has been no evidence of mass voter fraud.

“Zombies are dead people walking among the living — this litigation is the same thing,” said Franita Tolson, a professor at the University of Southern California Gould School of Law. “In terms of litigation that could change the election, all these cases are basically dead men walking.”

It’s a strategy tolerated by many Republicans, most notably Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, who are clinging to Trump as they face a test of retaining their own power in the form of two runoff elections in Georgia in January.

“This really is our version of a polite coup d’etat,” said Thomas Mann, senior resident scholar at the Institute of Governmental Studies at the University of California at Berkeley. “It could end quickly if the Republican Party acknowledged what was going on. But they cower in the face of Trump’s connection with the base.”

A day after Trump said his administration should begin working with Biden’s team, three more lawsuits were filed by allies attempting to stop the certification in two more battleground states. In Minnesota, a judge did not rule on the suit&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-jesse-ventura-minnesota-elections-0d3e71aca92857b6f50a6c1363ddc186">and the state certified the results for Biden</a>. Another was filed in Wisconsin, which doesn’t certify until Tuesday. Arizona Republicans filed a complaint over ballot inspection; the state certification is due Monday.

And the campaign legal team said state lawmakers in Arizona and Michigan would hold meetings on the election “to provide confidence that all of the legal votes have been counted and the illegal votes have not been counted in the November 3rd election.”

In Pennsylvania, where state Republican lawmakers met at Gettysburg on Wednesday to air grievances about the election, Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani attended in person and Trump dialed in from the Oval Office.

“We have all the evidence,” Trump asserted. “All we need is to have some judge listen to it properly without having a political opinion.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-donald-trump-pennsylvania-elections-talk-radio-433b6efe72720d8648221f405c2111f9">But the strongest legal rebuke yet came</a>&nbsp;from a conservative Republican judge in federal court in Pennsylvania, who on Saturday dismissed the Trump team’s lawsuit seeking to throw out the results of the election. The judge admonished the Trump campaign in a scathing ruling about its lack of evidence. The campaign has appealed.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fraud-claims-aimed-trump-base-loyal-e1c3c5147d11a033fb43ebe66a29f7e8">Trump’s allies have privately acknowledged</a>&nbsp;their plan would never actually overturn the results, but rather might provide Trump an off-ramp for a loss he wasn’t owning up to and an avenue to keep his base loyal for whatever he does next.

“And then our governing and politics will be hellish, because he will continue doing what he’s doing from his private own perch,” Mann predicted.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/emily-murphy-say-transitional-launch-110eea5e33860598a0e177708081dd47">Emily Murphy, the top official at the General Services Administration,&nbsp;</a>declared Biden the “apparent winner” Monday, a procedural yet critical step that allowed for the transition to begin in earnest. She made the determination after Trump’s efforts to subvert the vote failed across battleground states. She cited “recent developments involving legal challenges and certifications of election results.”

Michigan certified Biden’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/michigan-consider-certifying-joe-biden-4ee6fbfd69f9a2a4daf9be449c6fe31d">154,000-count victory Monday</a>, despite calls by Trump to the GOP members to block the vote to allow for an audit of ballots in Wayne County, where Trump claimed he was the victim of fraud. Biden crushed the president by more than 330,000 votes there.

“The board’s duty today is very clear,” said Aaron Van Langevelde, the Republican vice chair. “We have a duty to certify this election based on these returns.”

Still, the Trump legal team dismissed the certification as “simply a procedural step” and insisted it would fight on.

Trump and his allies have brought at least four cases in Michigan that sought — unsuccessfully — to block certification of election results in part or all of the state.

In Pennsylvania, after Gov. Tom Wolf certified Biden as the winner, an appeals court judge ordered state officials to halt any further steps toward certifying election results. The state has appealed to Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court.

In Arizona, just as lawyers for a woman in the Phoenix area dropped a case alleging that equipment was unable to record her ballot because she completed it with a county-issued Sharpie pen, Trump’s campaign filed its own lawsuit echoing some of the same complaints. As that suit was about to be dismissed, lawyers for the woman filed a new case reviving the claims and demanding that she be allowed to recast her ballot. All three of the cases have now been dismissed.

“The legal process seems to be unfolding the way it’s supposed to, but the Trump campaign has made clear its desire to throw wrenches in the system wherever it can,” said Lisa Marshall Manheim, a professor at the University of Washington School of Law.

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani is headed to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, to continue his fight to overturn the results of the election and secure Trump a second term.

Pennsylvania has already certified its results and awarded its 20 electors to Democrat Joe Biden, who was declared the winner of the Nov. 3 election.

Giuliani is leading legal challenges to the balloting in Pennsylvania and other states as the Republican president seeks to maintain his base of supporters and keep his options open for opportunities post-presidency.

Giuliani claimed in a Wednesday interview with New York radio station AM 970 that illegal votes were cast, especially in Philadelphia, that he wants to see disqualified. But a broad coalition of top government and industry officials says the Nov. 3 election was “the most secure in American history.”

In Pennsylvania on Saturday, a conservative Republican judge shot down the Trump campaign’s biggest legal effort in the state with a scathing ruling that questioned why he was supposed to disenfranchise 7 million voters with no evidence to back its claims and an inept legal argument at best.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1605823833108.png" alt="Former Mayor of New York Rudy Giuliani, a lawyer for President Donald Trump during a news conference Nov. 19 in Washington -photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Former Mayor of New York Rudy Giuliani, a lawyer for President Donald Trump during a news conference Nov. 19 in Washington -photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Monday seemed like the end of President Donald Trump’s relentless challenges to the election, after the federal government acknowledged President-elect Joe Biden was the “apparent winner” and Trump cleared the way for cooperation on a transition of power.But his claims have a way of coming back. And back. And back.By Wednesday, Trump was phoning into a local Pennsylvania Republican lawmakers’ meeting that had been orchestrated by his campaign to assert falsely, again, that the election was tainted.“This election was rigged and we can’t let that happen,” Trump said by phone, offering no specific evidence.The 2020 presidential race is turning into the zombie election that Trump just won’t let die. Despite dozens of legal and procedural setbacks, his campaign keeps filing new challenges that have no hope of succeeding and making fresh, unfounded claims of fraud.But that’s the point. Trump’s strategy wasn’t to change the outcome, but to create a host of phantom claims about the 2020 presidential race that would infect the nation with doubt, even though the winner was clear and there has been no evidence of mass voter fraud.“Zombies are dead people walking among the living — this litigation is the same thing,” said Franita Tolson, a professor at the University of Southern California Gould School of Law. “In terms of litigation that could change the election, all these cases are basically dead men walking.”It’s a strategy tolerated by many Republicans, most notably Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, who are clinging to Trump as they face a test of retaining their own power in the form of two runoff elections in Georgia in January.“This really is our version of a polite coup d’etat,” said Thomas Mann, senior resident scholar at the Institute of Governmental Studies at the University of California at Berkeley. “It could end quickly if the Republican Party acknowledged what was going on. But they cower in the face of Trump’s connection with the base.”A day after Trump said his administration should begin working with Biden’s team, three more lawsuits were filed by allies attempting to stop the certification in two more battleground states. In Minnesota, a judge did not rule on the suit&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-jesse-ventura-minnesota-elections-0d3e71aca92857b6f50a6c1363ddc186">and the state certified the results for Biden</a>. Another was filed in Wisconsin, which doesn’t certify until Tuesday. Arizona Republicans filed a complaint over ballot inspection; the state certification is due Monday.And the campaign legal team said state lawmakers in Arizona and Michigan would hold meetings on the election “to provide confidence that all of the legal votes have been counted and the illegal votes have not been counted in the November 3rd election.”In Pennsylvania, where state Republican lawmakers met at Gettysburg on Wednesday to air grievances about the election, Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani attended in person and Trump dialed in from the Oval Office.“We have all the evidence,” Trump asserted. “All we need is to have some judge listen to it properly without having a political opinion.”<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-donald-trump-pennsylvania-elections-talk-radio-433b6efe72720d8648221f405c2111f9">But the strongest legal rebuke yet came</a>&nbsp;from a conservative Republican judge in federal court in Pennsylvania, who on Saturday dismissed the Trump team’s lawsuit seeking to throw out the results of the election. The judge admonished the Trump campaign in a scathing ruling about its lack of evidence. The campaign has appealed.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fraud-claims-aimed-trump-base-loyal-e1c3c5147d11a033fb43ebe66a29f7e8">Trump’s allies have privately acknowledged</a>&nbsp;their plan would never actually overturn the results, but rather might provide Trump an off-ramp for a loss he wasn’t owning up to and an avenue to keep his base loyal for whatever he does next.“And then our governing and politics will be hellish, because he will continue doing what he’s doing from his private own perch,” Mann predicted.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/emily-murphy-say-transitional-launch-110eea5e33860598a0e177708081dd47">Emily Murphy, the top official at the General Services Administration,&nbsp;</a>declared Biden the “apparent winner” Monday, a procedural yet critical step that allowed for the transition to begin in earnest. She made the determination after Trump’s efforts to subvert the vote failed across battleground states. She cited “recent developments involving legal challenges and certifications of election results.”Michigan certified Biden’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/michigan-consider-certifying-joe-biden-4ee6fbfd69f9a2a4daf9be449c6fe31d">154,000-count victory Monday</a>, despite calls by Trump to the GOP members to block the vote to allow for an audit of ballots in Wayne County, where Trump claimed he was the victim of fraud. Biden crushed the president by more than 330,000 votes there.“The board’s duty today is very clear,” said Aaron Van Langevelde, the Republican vice chair. “We have a duty to certify this election based on these returns.”Still, the Trump legal team dismissed the certification as “simply a procedural step” and insisted it would fight on.Trump and his allies have brought at least four cases in Michigan that sought — unsuccessfully — to block certification of election results in part or all of the state.In Pennsylvania, after Gov. Tom Wolf certified Biden as the winner, an appeals court judge ordered state officials to halt any further steps toward certifying election results. The state has appealed to Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court.In Arizona, just as lawyers for a woman in the Phoenix area dropped a case alleging that equipment was unable to record her ballot because she completed it with a county-issued Sharpie pen, Trump’s campaign filed its own lawsuit echoing some of the same complaints. As that suit was about to be dismissed, lawyers for the woman filed a new case reviving the claims and demanding that she be allowed to recast her ballot. All three of the cases have now been dismissed.“The legal process seems to be unfolding the way it’s supposed to, but the Trump campaign has made clear its desire to throw wrenches in the system wherever it can,” said Lisa Marshall Manheim, a professor at the University of Washington School of Law.----------WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani is headed to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, to continue his fight to overturn the results of the election and secure Trump a second term.Pennsylvania has already certified its results and awarded its 20 electors to Democrat Joe Biden, who was declared the winner of the Nov. 3 election.Giuliani is leading legal challenges to the balloting in Pennsylvania and other states as the Republican president seeks to maintain his base of supporters and keep his options open for opportunities post-presidency.Giuliani claimed in a Wednesday interview with New York radio station AM 970 that illegal votes were cast, especially in Philadelphia, that he wants to see disqualified. But a broad coalition of top government and industry officials says the Nov. 3 election was “the most secure in American history.”In Pennsylvania on Saturday, a conservative Republican judge shot down the Trump campaign’s biggest legal effort in the state with a scathing ruling that questioned why he was supposed to disenfranchise 7 million voters with no evidence to back its claims and an inept legal argument at best.

Update: President's legal team continues election fight 

BARTON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating&nbsp;a string of recent burglaries in Barton County.

 On November 24, 2020 sheriff's deputies developed enough probable cause to obtain a search warrant and executed it at a home at 1814 Odell Street in the city of Great Bend. Deputies were looking for stolen property.

When deputies gained entry to the residence, they located three persons on the property and found stolen property from at least three burglaries. 

As the investigation continued deputies also discovered methamphetamine and homemade explosives.&nbsp; Deputies notified the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Wichita Police Department bomb squad responded to the scene. 

The pipe bombs were secured and transported to Wichita by the bomb squad for disposal.

Three persons were arrested at the scene. Derek Devine age 34 of Great Bend was booked on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute within 1000 feet of a school, possession of explosives, felony theft, burglary as well as possession of stolen property. He’s being held in lieu of a $25,000 bond. 

Caitlin Robinson age 26 of Great Bend was arrested and booked on requested charges of possession of stolen property and possession of methamphetamine. Her bond is set at $20,000. 

Michael Wheeler age 50 of Great Bend was arrested on requested charges of of possession of methamphetamine and his bond is set at $10,000. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1606339581793.png" alt="Robinson photo Barton Co." />
 <figcaption>Robinson photo Barton Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating&nbsp;a string of recent burglaries in Barton County. On November 24, 2020 sheriff's deputies developed enough probable cause to obtain a search warrant and executed it at a home at 1814 Odell Street in the city of Great Bend. Deputies were looking for stolen property.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1606339555035.png" alt="Deputies at the scene of the investigation-Photo Barton Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Deputies at the scene of the investigation-Photo Barton Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>When deputies gained entry to the residence, they located three persons on the property and found stolen property from at least three burglaries. As the investigation continued deputies also discovered methamphetamine and homemade explosives.&nbsp; Deputies notified the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Wichita Police Department bomb squad responded to the scene. The pipe bombs were secured and transported to Wichita by the bomb squad for disposal.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1606339702197.png" alt="Devine-photo Barton Co." />
 <figcaption>Devine-photo Barton Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Three persons were arrested at the scene. Derek Devine age 34 of Great Bend was booked on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute within 1000 feet of a school, possession of explosives, felony theft, burglary as well as possession of stolen property. He’s being held in lieu of a $25,000 bond. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1606339653754.png" alt="Wheeler-photo Barton Co." />
 <figcaption>Wheeler-photo Barton Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Caitlin Robinson age 26 of Great Bend was arrested and booked on requested charges of possession of stolen property and possession of methamphetamine. Her bond is set at $20,000. Michael Wheeler age 50 of Great Bend was arrested on requested charges of of possession of methamphetamine and his bond is set at $10,000.

Deputies find pipe bombs during Kansas drug bust

MORTON COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 1p.m. Wednesday in Morton County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2002 GMC Sierra driven by&nbsp; Schwindt, Jaxon D. Schwindt, 15, Rolla, Kansas, was eastbound on Rd J at Road 24 one mile south of the U.S. 56 and K51 intersection in Rolla.

Vehicle 2 was traveling northbound on Rd 24. 

The driver failed to stop at the stop sign. A northbound 2000 Ford Mustang driven by Austin Ray Hayes, 22, Goodwell, Oklahoma, struck the GMC pickup at the intersection. The pickup began to overturn before striking a powerline pole.

A passenger in the GMC Jace W. Schwindt, 14, Boise City, Oklahoma, was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Henson-Novack Mortuary.

Jaxon Schwindt, Hayes and a second passenger in the GMC Ali Ortiz, 18, from Mexico, were transported to the Morton County Hospital. The occupants of the GMC pickup were not wearing seat belts, according to the KHP.

MORTON COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 1p.m. Wednesday in Morton County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2002 GMC Sierra driven by&nbsp; Schwindt, Jaxon D. Schwindt, 15, Rolla, Kansas, was eastbound on Rd J at Road 24 one mile south of the U.S. 56 and K51 intersection in Rolla.Vehicle 2 was traveling northbound on Rd 24. The driver failed to stop at the stop sign. A northbound 2000 Ford Mustang driven by Austin Ray Hayes, 22, Goodwell, Oklahoma, struck the GMC pickup at the intersection. The pickup began to overturn before striking a powerline pole.A passenger in the GMC Jace W. Schwindt, 14, Boise City, Oklahoma, was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Henson-Novack Mortuary.Jaxon Schwindt, Hayes and a second passenger in the GMC Ali Ortiz, 18, from Mexico, were transported to the Morton County Hospital. The occupants of the GMC pickup were not wearing seat belts, according to the KHP.

Teen dead, 3 hospitalized after 2-vehicle Kansas crash

RENO COUNTY—&nbsp;Officers of the Hutchinson Police Department conducted an undercover operation into the solicitation of a child for sex on Wednesday and made an arrest.

At 9:34 a.m.,&nbsp; members of the Hutchinson Police Department Special Operations and Investigations Bureau completed an investigation into a Juvenile Sex Offense, according to a media release.

Police arrested David A. Johnson, 33, Hutchinson, for indecent solicitation of a child, sexual exploitation of a child, and electronic solicitation.

After lengthy conversations between Johnson and officers, who Johnson believed to be a juvenile, Johnson went to a local residence to meet up with the juvenile to engage in sexual activity, but instead Johnson met up with officers who arrested him.

RENO COUNTY—&nbsp;Officers of the Hutchinson Police Department conducted an undercover operation into the solicitation of a child for sex on Wednesday and made an arrest.At 9:34 a.m.,&nbsp; members of the Hutchinson Police Department Special Operations and Investigations Bureau completed an investigation into a Juvenile Sex Offense, according to a media release.Police arrested David A. Johnson, 33, Hutchinson, for indecent solicitation of a child, sexual exploitation of a child, and electronic solicitation.After lengthy conversations between Johnson and officers, who Johnson believed to be a juvenile, Johnson went to a local residence to meet up with the juvenile to engage in sexual activity, but instead Johnson met up with officers who arrested him.

Police arrest Kan. man during undercover child sex sting

FINNEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and have made an arrest.

Just before 1p.m. Wednesday, police were called to a shooting that had just occurred, according to&nbsp;Sergeant Lana Urteaga. The victim notified dispatch he was in the area of Abe Hubert Elementary School,&nbsp;1205 A Street in Garden City.

Once officers arrived, they located a 16-year-old juvenile with a gunshot wound. Officers learned neither the school nor USD 457 was involved in the incident. EMS transported the boy to St. Catherine Hospital with critical injuries. 

While officers were investigating the incident in the parking lot of the school dispatchers were notified of a second shooting victim at 1307 north 12th Street. Upon arrival, Officers located a 4-year-old girl with a gunshot wound. 

Officers learned the incident occurred as a result of a domestic dispute. The 4-year old girl sustained life-threatening injuries and was transported by Finney County EMS to St. Catherine Hospital, where she was later pronounced deceased.

Police located and arrested Justin Franco, 31, Garden City, at his North 12th Street residence and took him into custody without incident. Police released no additional details late Wednesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1606345570144.png" alt="Police on the scene&nbsp; of the shooting Wednesday -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene&nbsp; of the shooting Wednesday -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>FINNEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and have made an arrest.Just before 1p.m. Wednesday, police were called to a shooting that had just occurred, according to&nbsp;Sergeant Lana Urteaga. The victim notified dispatch he was in the area of Abe Hubert Elementary School,&nbsp;1205 A Street in Garden City.Once officers arrived, they located a 16-year-old juvenile with a gunshot wound. Officers learned neither the school nor USD 457 was involved in the incident. EMS transported the boy to St. Catherine Hospital with critical injuries. While officers were investigating the incident in the parking lot of the school dispatchers were notified of a second shooting victim at 1307 north 12th Street. Upon arrival, Officers located a 4-year-old girl with a gunshot wound. Officers learned the incident occurred as a result of a domestic dispute. The 4-year old girl sustained life-threatening injuries and was transported by Finney County EMS to St. Catherine Hospital, where she was later pronounced deceased.Police located and arrested Justin Franco, 31, Garden City, at his North 12th Street residence and took him into custody without incident. Police released no additional details late Wednesday.

Police: SW Kan. girl killed, teen wounded in shooting

KANSAS CITY (AP) —&nbsp; Authorities are cracking down on restaurants that violate rules designed to stem the spread of the coronavirus.

Kansas City’s liquor control authorities found two dozen bars and restaurants in violation of the city’s new COVID-19 restrictions after a weekend sweep of 185 establishments. The city’s Department of Regulated Industries, which governs liquor licenses, used to rely primarily on complaints to enforce restrictions.

But as the latest set of rules issued by Mayor Quinton Lucas took effect Friday — limiting bars and restaurants to 50% capacity and a closing time of 10 p.m. — the city became more proactive. Staffers will be out every weekend checking on businesses, said Jim Ready, manager of Regulated Industries.

“We’re doing it — not to pick on the business. It’s because the COVID-19 numbers in Kansas City are really scary,” he said. “The hospitals are getting stretched to the max.”

KANSAS CITY (AP) —&nbsp; Authorities are cracking down on restaurants that violate rules designed to stem the spread of the coronavirus.Kansas City’s liquor control authorities found two dozen bars and restaurants in violation of the city’s new COVID-19 restrictions after a weekend sweep of 185 establishments. The city’s Department of Regulated Industries, which governs liquor licenses, used to rely primarily on complaints to enforce restrictions.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1606339227129.png" alt="Wednesday Nov. 25, 2020 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Wednesday Nov. 25, 2020 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>But as the latest set of rules issued by Mayor Quinton Lucas took effect Friday — limiting bars and restaurants to 50% capacity and a closing time of 10 p.m. — the city became more proactive. Staffers will be out every weekend checking on businesses, said Jim Ready, manager of Regulated Industries.“We’re doing it — not to pick on the business. It’s because the COVID-19 numbers in Kansas City are really scary,” he said. “The hospitals are getting stretched to the max.”

Kansas City cracks down on restaurant virus rule breakers

GRANT COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an accidental shooting.

Just before 5p.m. Thursday police responded to report of a shooting at a home in the 1300 Block of Oklahoma Avenue in Ulysses, according to Police Chief Alan Olsen.

At the scene, officers located an 11-year-old girl with a gunshot wound to her face. Grant County EMS transported her to Bob Wilson Memorial Hospital.

Investigators have learned that a 13-year-old boy at the home was handling a firearm when it discharged and struck the girl.

GRANT COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an accidental shooting.Just before 5p.m. Thursday police responded to report of a shooting at a home in the 1300 Block of Oklahoma Avenue in Ulysses, according to Police Chief Alan Olsen.At the scene, officers located an 11-year-old girl with a gunshot wound to her face. Grant County EMS transported her to Bob Wilson Memorial Hospital.Investigators have learned that a 13-year-old boy at the home was handling a firearm when it discharged and struck the girl.Police released no additional details.

Police: 11-year-old Kansas girl shot in the face

KANSAS CITY (AP) —Millions of Americans took to the skies and hit the road ahead of Thanksgiving at the risk of pouring gasoline on the coronavirus fire, disregarding increasingly dire warnings that they stay home and limit their holiday gatherings to members of their own household.

Those who are flying witnessed a distinctly 2020 landscape at the nation’s airports during what is traditionally one of the busiest travel periods of the year: plexiglass barriers in front of the ID stations, rapid virus testing sites inside terminals, and paperwork asking them to quarantine upon arrival at their destination.

While the number of Americans traveling by air over the past several days was down dramatically from the same time last year, plenty of others pressed ahead with their holiday plans amid skyrocketing deaths, hospitalizations and confirmed infections across the U.S.

Many were tired of more than eight months of social distancing and determined to spend time with loved ones.

“I think with the holidays and everything, it’s so important right now, especially because people are so bummed out because of the whole pandemic,” said 25-year-old Cassidy Zerkle of Phoenix, who flew to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/kansas">Kansas</a>&nbsp;City,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/missouri">Missouri</a>, to visit family.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584650381811.png" alt="Photo courtesy Kanas City International airport" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Kanas City International airport</figcaption>
 </figure>BY LISA MARIE PANEKANSAS CITY (AP) —Millions of Americans took to the skies and hit the road ahead of Thanksgiving at the risk of pouring gasoline on the coronavirus fire, disregarding increasingly dire warnings that they stay home and limit their holiday gatherings to members of their own household.Those who are flying witnessed a distinctly 2020 landscape at the nation’s airports during what is traditionally one of the busiest travel periods of the year: plexiglass barriers in front of the ID stations, rapid virus testing sites inside terminals, and paperwork asking them to quarantine upon arrival at their destination.While the number of Americans traveling by air over the past several days was down dramatically from the same time last year, plenty of others pressed ahead with their holiday plans amid skyrocketing deaths, hospitalizations and confirmed infections across the U.S.Many were tired of more than eight months of social distancing and determined to spend time with loved ones.“I think with the holidays and everything, it’s so important right now, especially because people are so bummed out because of the whole pandemic,” said 25-year-old Cassidy Zerkle of Phoenix, who flew to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/kansas">Kansas</a>&nbsp;City,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/missouri">Missouri</a>, to visit family.She brought snacks and her own hand sanitizer and said the flight was half full. She had a row of seats to herself.“As long as you’re maintaining your distance, you’re not touching stuff and you’re sanitizing your hands, people should see their families right now," she said.The coronavirus is blamed for more than 12.6 million confirmed infections and over 269,000 deaths in the U.S.More than 88,000 people in the U.S. — an all-time high — were in the hospital with COVID-19 as of Tuesday, and new cases have soared to an average of over 174,000 per day, the highest level on record. Deaths have surged to more than 1,600 per day, a mark last seen in May, when the crisis in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/new-york">New York</a>&nbsp;City area was easing.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state and local authorities have begged people not to travel and urged them to keep their Thanksgiving celebrations small.“That’ll make sure that your extended family are around to celebrate Christmas and to celebrate the holidays next year,"&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/kentucky">Kentucky</a>&nbsp;Gov. Andy Beshear said.About 1 million people per day passed through U.S. airport checkpoints from Friday through Tuesday, a drop-off of around 60% from the same time a year ago. Still, those have been the biggest crowds since the COVID-19 crisis took hold in the U.S. in March.Last year, a record 26 million passengers and crew passed through U.S. airport screening in the 11-day period around Thanksgiving.People tend to drive rather than fly during the holiday, but AAA has projected those numbers also are likely to be lower this year. How much lower the auto club has not said.Many states and cities have adopted precautions. Travelers to Los Angeles — either by plane or train — are being required to fill out an online form acknowledging&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/california">California</a>’s request that people quarantine for two weeks after arrival in the state.The resurgence of the virus and the refusal of many people to wear masks or keep their distance from others have caused despair among health care officials and front-line workers.“I’ll just to confess to you guys, I’m exhausted trying to convince folks to do stuff. It’s just going nowhere,” said Dr. Thomas Dobbs,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/mississippi">Mississippi</a>’s state health officer.Anne Moore, a 60-year-old woman from Chicago, flew to Albany, New York, to be with her daughter for the holiday. Her daughter is a senior at Dartmouth University, and Moore and her husband were worried about her driving back to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/illinois">Illinois</a>&nbsp;by herself.Before the spike, the family had planned to hold a Thanksgiving gathering of fewer than 10 people. But instead it will be just Moore, her husband and her daughter.“I have friends who are alone. And I’m not inviting them. And I feel badly about that,” she said. "We’ll take a walk or something instead. But yeah, the three of us are isolating.”