WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona announced Friday that she now has registered as an independent, but she does not plan to caucus with Republicans, ensuring Democrats will retain their narrow voting majority in the Senate.

Sinema has modeled her political approach on the renegade style of the late Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona, and has frustrated Democratic colleagues at times with her overtures to Republicans and opposition to Democratic priorities Rather than assailing the Democratic Party in her statement, she said she was “declaring my independence from the broken partisan system in Washington.”

While unusual for a sitting senator to switch party affiliation, the move appears to hold more impact on Sinema’s own political brand than the operations of the Senate.

In a video explaining her decision, she said: “Registering as an independent and showing up to work with the title of independent is a reflection of who I’ve always been. ... Nothing’s going to change for me.’’

The first-term senator wrote in The Arizona Republic that she came into office pledging “to be independent and work with anyone to achieve lasting results. I committed I would not demonize people I disagreed with, engage in name-calling, or get distracted by political drama. I promised I would never bend to party pressure.”

She wrote that her approach is “rare in Washington and has upset partisans in both parties” but “has delivered lasting results for Arizona.” Sinema also said that she has “never fit perfectly in either national party.”

While bold and to some extent rare to have a senator switch party affiliation, the move appears to hold more impact on Sinema’s own political brand than the operations of the Senate.

Before Sinema's announcement, Democrats were set to hold a 51-49 edge in the new Senate come January after the victory Tuesday by Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock in Georgia's runoff election. Until then, the Senate will remain even, with Vice President Kamala Harris the tiebreaking vote for Democrats.

Sinema told Politico in an interview that she will not caucus with Republicans and that she plans to keep voting as she has since winning election to the Senate in 2018 after three House terms.

She is expected to maintain her committee assignments through the Democratic majority, according to a Senate Democratic aide. Two current independents, Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Angus King of Maine, caucus with Democrats and gain their committee seniority through the Democrats.

She is facing reelection in 2024 and is likely to be matched against a well-funded primary challenger after angering much of the Democratic base by blocking or watering down progressive priorities such as a minimum wage increase and President Joe Biden’s big social spending initiatives. She has not said whether she plans to seek another term.

Sinema’s most prominent potential primary challenger is Rep. Ruben Gallego, who has a long history of feuding with her.

The senator wrote that she was joining "the growing numbers of Arizonans who reject party politics by declaring my independence from the broken partisan system in Washington.”

Sinema bemoaned “the national parties' rigid partisanship” and said “pressures in both parties pull leaders to the edges — allowing the loudest, most extreme voices to determine their respective parties’ priorities, and expecting the rest of us to fall in line.”

“In catering to the fringes, neither party has demonstrated much tolerance for diversity of thought. Bipartisan compromise is seen as a rarely acceptable last resort, rather than the best way to achieve lasting progress,” she wrote.

She added: “My approach is rare in Washington, and has upset partisans in both parties."

Along with West Virginia's Joe Manchin, she has been one of two moderate Democrats in the 50-50 Senate, and her willingness to buck the rest of her party has at times limited the ambitions of Biden and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

Sinema is a staunch defender of the filibuster, a Senate rule effectively requiring 60 votes to pass most legislation in the 100-member Senate. Many Democrats, including Biden, say the filibuster leads to gridlock by giving a minority of lawmakers the ability to veto.

Last January, leaders of the Arizona Democratic Party voted to censure Sinema, citing “her failure to do whatever it takes to ensure the health of our democracy″ — namely her refusal to go along with fellow Democrats to alter the Senate rule so they could overcome Republican opposition to a voting rights bill.

While that rebuke was symbolic, it came only a few years since Sinema was heralded for bringing the Arizona Senate seat back into the Democratic fold for the first time in a generation. The move also previewed the persistent opposition that Sinema was likely face within her own party in 2024.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670587177855.png" alt="Senator Krysten Sinema-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Senator Krysten Sinema-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona announced Friday that she now has registered as an independent, but she does not plan to caucus with Republicans, ensuring Democrats will retain their narrow voting majority in the Senate.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">In a natural extension of my service since I was first elected to Congress, I have joined the growing numbers of Arizonans who reject party politics by declaring my independence from the broken partisan system in Washington and formally registering as an Arizona Independent. 1/3 <a href="https://t.co/jUQHAeuxym">pic.twitter.com/jUQHAeuxym</a>&mdash; Kyrsten Sinema (@kyrstensinema) <a href="https://twitter.com/kyrstensinema/status/1601170136781664256?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 9, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>Sinema has modeled her political approach on the renegade style of the late Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona, and has frustrated Democratic colleagues at times with her overtures to Republicans and opposition to Democratic priorities Rather than assailing the Democratic Party in her statement, she said she was “declaring my independence from the broken partisan system in Washington.”While unusual for a sitting senator to switch party affiliation, the move appears to hold more impact on Sinema’s own political brand than the operations of the Senate.In a video explaining her decision, she said: “Registering as an independent and showing up to work with the title of independent is a reflection of who I’ve always been. ... Nothing’s going to change for me.’’The first-term senator wrote in The Arizona Republic that she came into office pledging “to be independent and work with anyone to achieve lasting results. I committed I would not demonize people I disagreed with, engage in name-calling, or get distracted by political drama. I promised I would never bend to party pressure.”She wrote that her approach is “rare in Washington and has upset partisans in both parties” but “has delivered lasting results for Arizona.” Sinema also said that she has “never fit perfectly in either national party.”While bold and to some extent rare to have a senator switch party affiliation, the move appears to hold more impact on Sinema’s own political brand than the operations of the Senate.Before Sinema's announcement, Democrats were set to hold a 51-49 edge in the new Senate come January after the victory Tuesday by Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock in Georgia's runoff election. Until then, the Senate will remain even, with Vice President Kamala Harris the tiebreaking vote for Democrats.Sinema told Politico in an interview that she will not caucus with Republicans and that she plans to keep voting as she has since winning election to the Senate in 2018 after three House terms.She is expected to maintain her committee assignments through the Democratic majority, according to a Senate Democratic aide. Two current independents, Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Angus King of Maine, caucus with Democrats and gain their committee seniority through the Democrats.She is facing reelection in 2024 and is likely to be matched against a well-funded primary challenger after angering much of the Democratic base by blocking or watering down progressive priorities such as a minimum wage increase and President Joe Biden’s big social spending initiatives. She has not said whether she plans to seek another term.Sinema’s most prominent potential primary challenger is Rep. Ruben Gallego, who has a long history of feuding with her.The senator wrote that she was joining "the growing numbers of Arizonans who reject party politics by declaring my independence from the broken partisan system in Washington.”Sinema bemoaned “the national parties' rigid partisanship” and said “pressures in both parties pull leaders to the edges — allowing the loudest, most extreme voices to determine their respective parties’ priorities, and expecting the rest of us to fall in line.”“In catering to the fringes, neither party has demonstrated much tolerance for diversity of thought. Bipartisan compromise is seen as a rarely acceptable last resort, rather than the best way to achieve lasting progress,” she wrote.She added: “My approach is rare in Washington, and has upset partisans in both parties."Along with West Virginia's Joe Manchin, she has been one of two moderate Democrats in the 50-50 Senate, and her willingness to buck the rest of her party has at times limited the ambitions of Biden and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.Sinema is a staunch defender of the filibuster, a Senate rule effectively requiring 60 votes to pass most legislation in the 100-member Senate. Many Democrats, including Biden, say the filibuster leads to gridlock by giving a minority of lawmakers the ability to veto.Last January, leaders of the Arizona Democratic Party voted to censure Sinema, citing “her failure to do whatever it takes to ensure the health of our democracy″ — namely her refusal to go along with fellow Democrats to alter the Senate rule so they could overcome Republican opposition to a voting rights bill.While that rebuke was symbolic, it came only a few years since Sinema was heralded for bringing the Arizona Senate seat back into the Democratic fold for the first time in a generation. The move also previewed the persistent opposition that Sinema was likely face within her own party in 2024.

U.S. Senate scrambled; Kyrsten Sinema quits Democrats

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Brittney Griner returned to the United States early Friday, nearly 10 months after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brittney-griner-freed-viktor-bout-swap-us-russia-ee51f5c14f35dc4d4cf21224a8e44eaa">the basketball star’s detention</a>&nbsp;in Russia made her the most high-profile American jailed abroad and set off a political firestorm.

Griner's status as an openly gay Black woman, her prominence in women's basketball and her imprisonment in a country where authorities have been hostile to the LBGTQ community heightened concerns for her and brought tremendous attention to the case. Russia's invasion of Ukraine after her arrest complicated matters further.

The deal announced Thursday that saw Griner exchanged for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/viktor-bout-russian-arms-dealer-brittney-griner-2afb6b2096e40e5c6b6b1fd26b4fbba0">notorious arms dealer Viktor Bout</a>&nbsp;achieved a top goal for President Joe Biden. But the U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brittney-griner-prisons-antony-blinken-united-states-government-and-politics-975a9e0cccd5d6a8ee74925f9eb3f352">failed to win freedom</a>&nbsp;for another American, Paul Whelan, who has been jailed for nearly four years.

Biden’s authorization to release Bout, the Russian felon once nicknamed “the Merchant of Death,” underscored the heightened urgency that his administration faced to get Griner home, particularly after the recent resolution of her criminal case on drug charges and her subsequent transfer to a penal colony.

Griner,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brittney-griner-wnba-dunk-talent-good-c42a6465a3f3afcd2987ae0f12a6ad61">a two-time Olympic gold medalist</a>&nbsp;and Phoenix Mercury pro basketball star, was seen getting off a plane that landed Friday at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland in Texas.

“So happy to have Brittney back on U.S. soil. Welcome home BG!” tweeted Roger Carstens, the special presidential envoy for hostage affairs.

The WNBA star, who also played pro basketball in Russia, was arrested at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport in February after Russian authorities said she was carrying vape canisters with cannabis oil. The U.S. State Department declared Griner to be “wrongfully detained” — a charge that Russia has sharply rejected.

Griner pleaded guilty in July but still faced trial because admitting guilt in Russia’s judicial system does not automatically end a case. She was sentenced to nine years.

She acknowledged in court that she possessed canisters with cannabis oil but said she had no criminal intent and accidentally packed them. Her defense team presented written statements that she had been prescribed cannabis to treat pain.

The Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed Thursday's swap, saying in a statement carried by Russian news agencies that the exchange took place in Abu Dhabi and Bout had been flown home.

Biden spoke by phone with Griner. U.S. officials said she would be offered specialized medical services and counseling.

In releasing Bout, the U.S. freed a former Soviet Army lieutenant colonel whom the Justice Department once described as one of the world’s most prolific arms dealers. He was arrested in Thailand in 2008 and extradited to the U.S. in 2010.

Bout was serving a 25-year sentence on charges that he conspired to sell tens of millions of dollars in weapons that U.S officials said were to be used against Americans.

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — A plane believed to be carrying Brittney Griner landed in the United States early Friday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brittney-griner-freed-viktor-bout-swap-us-russia-ee51f5c14f35dc4d4cf21224a8e44eaa">nearly 10 months after the basketball star was detained in Russia</a>&nbsp;and became the most high-profile American jailed abroad.

Griner was exchanged for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/viktor-bout-russian-arms-dealer-brittney-griner-2afb6b2096e40e5c6b6b1fd26b4fbba0">notorious arms dealer Viktor Bout</a>. A plane believed to be carrying her touched down at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland in Texas.

The deal achieved a top goal for President Joe Biden — but failed to win freedom for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/bbf0c7e3029fea40d604b11fd271533f">another American, Paul Whelan</a>, who has been jailed for nearly four years.

Griner, who also played pro basketball in Russia, was arrested at an airport there after Russian authorities said she was carrying vape canisters with cannabis oil. Before her conviction, the U.S. State Department declared Griner to be “wrongfully detained” — a charge that Russia has sharply rejected.

Griner is a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brittney-griner-wnba-dunk-talent-good-c42a6465a3f3afcd2987ae0f12a6ad61">two-time Olympic gold medalist</a>, Baylor University All-American and Phoenix Mercury pro basketball star. Her status as an openly gay Black woman, locked up in a country where authorities have been hostile to the LBGTQ community, injected racial, gender and social dynamics into her legal saga and brought unprecedented attention to the population of wrongful detainees.

The Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed the swap, saying in a statement carried by Russian news agencies that the exchange took place in Abu Dhabi and Bout had been flown home.

Following Griner’s arrest at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport in February, she pleaded guilty in July but still faced trial because admitting guilt in Russia’s judicial system does not automatically end a case.

She acknowledged in court that she possessed canisters with cannabis oil but said she had no criminal intent and she accidentally packed them. Her defense team presented written statements that she had been prescribed cannabis to treat pain.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670583590715.png" alt="In this image made from video provided by Russian Federal Security Service, WNBA star and two-time Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner sits in the plane as she flies to Abu Dhabi to be exchanged for Russian citizen Viktor Bout, in Russia, Friday, Dec. 9, 2022. (Russian Federal Security Service via AP)" />
 <figcaption>In this image made from video provided by Russian Federal Security Service, WNBA star and two-time Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner sits in the plane as she flies to Abu Dhabi to be exchanged for Russian citizen Viktor Bout, in Russia, Friday, Dec. 9, 2022. (Russian Federal Security Service via AP)</figcaption>
 </figure>SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Brittney Griner returned to the United States early Friday, nearly 10 months after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brittney-griner-freed-viktor-bout-swap-us-russia-ee51f5c14f35dc4d4cf21224a8e44eaa">the basketball star’s detention</a>&nbsp;in Russia made her the most high-profile American jailed abroad and set off a political firestorm.Griner's status as an openly gay Black woman, her prominence in women's basketball and her imprisonment in a country where authorities have been hostile to the LBGTQ community heightened concerns for her and brought tremendous attention to the case. Russia's invasion of Ukraine after her arrest complicated matters further.The deal announced Thursday that saw Griner exchanged for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/viktor-bout-russian-arms-dealer-brittney-griner-2afb6b2096e40e5c6b6b1fd26b4fbba0">notorious arms dealer Viktor Bout</a>&nbsp;achieved a top goal for President Joe Biden. But the U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brittney-griner-prisons-antony-blinken-united-states-government-and-politics-975a9e0cccd5d6a8ee74925f9eb3f352">failed to win freedom</a>&nbsp;for another American, Paul Whelan, who has been jailed for nearly four years.Biden’s authorization to release Bout, the Russian felon once nicknamed “the Merchant of Death,” underscored the heightened urgency that his administration faced to get Griner home, particularly after the recent resolution of her criminal case on drug charges and her subsequent transfer to a penal colony.Griner,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brittney-griner-wnba-dunk-talent-good-c42a6465a3f3afcd2987ae0f12a6ad61">a two-time Olympic gold medalist</a>&nbsp;and Phoenix Mercury pro basketball star, was seen getting off a plane that landed Friday at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland in Texas.“So happy to have Brittney back on U.S. soil. Welcome home BG!” tweeted Roger Carstens, the special presidential envoy for hostage affairs.The WNBA star, who also played pro basketball in Russia, was arrested at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport in February after Russian authorities said she was carrying vape canisters with cannabis oil. The U.S. State Department declared Griner to be “wrongfully detained” — a charge that Russia has sharply rejected.Griner pleaded guilty in July but still faced trial because admitting guilt in Russia’s judicial system does not automatically end a case. She was sentenced to nine years.She acknowledged in court that she possessed canisters with cannabis oil but said she had no criminal intent and accidentally packed them. Her defense team presented written statements that she had been prescribed cannabis to treat pain.The Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed Thursday's swap, saying in a statement carried by Russian news agencies that the exchange took place in Abu Dhabi and Bout had been flown home.Biden spoke by phone with Griner. U.S. officials said she would be offered specialized medical services and counseling.In releasing Bout, the U.S. freed a former Soviet Army lieutenant colonel whom the Justice Department once described as one of the world’s most prolific arms dealers. He was arrested in Thailand in 2008 and extradited to the U.S. in 2010.Bout was serving a 25-year sentence on charges that he conspired to sell tens of millions of dollars in weapons that U.S officials said were to be used against Americans.___SAN ANTONIO (AP) — A plane believed to be carrying Brittney Griner landed in the United States early Friday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brittney-griner-freed-viktor-bout-swap-us-russia-ee51f5c14f35dc4d4cf21224a8e44eaa">nearly 10 months after the basketball star was detained in Russia</a>&nbsp;and became the most high-profile American jailed abroad.Griner was exchanged for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/viktor-bout-russian-arms-dealer-brittney-griner-2afb6b2096e40e5c6b6b1fd26b4fbba0">notorious arms dealer Viktor Bout</a>. A plane believed to be carrying her touched down at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland in Texas.The deal achieved a top goal for President Joe Biden — but failed to win freedom for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/bbf0c7e3029fea40d604b11fd271533f">another American, Paul Whelan</a>, who has been jailed for nearly four years.Biden’s authorization to release Bout, the Russian felon once nicknamed “the Merchant of Death,” underscored the heightened urgency that his administration faced to get Griner home, particularly after the recent resolution of her criminal case on drug charges and her subsequent transfer to a penal colony.Griner, who also played pro basketball in Russia, was arrested at an airport there after Russian authorities said she was carrying vape canisters with cannabis oil. Before her conviction, the U.S. State Department declared Griner to be “wrongfully detained” — a charge that Russia has sharply rejected.Griner is a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brittney-griner-wnba-dunk-talent-good-c42a6465a3f3afcd2987ae0f12a6ad61">two-time Olympic gold medalist</a>, Baylor University All-American and Phoenix Mercury pro basketball star. Her status as an openly gay Black woman, locked up in a country where authorities have been hostile to the LBGTQ community, injected racial, gender and social dynamics into her legal saga and brought unprecedented attention to the population of wrongful detainees.The Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed the swap, saying in a statement carried by Russian news agencies that the exchange took place in Abu Dhabi and Bout had been flown home.Biden spoke by phone with Griner. U.S. officials said she would be offered specialized medical services and counseling.In releasing Bout, the U.S. freed a former Soviet Army lieutenant colonel whom the Justice Department once described as one of the world’s most prolific arms dealers. He was arrested in Thailand in 2008 and extradited to the U.S. in 2010.Bout was serving a 25-year sentence on charges that he conspired to sell tens of millions of dollars in weapons that U.S officials said were to be used against Americans.Following Griner’s arrest at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport in February, she pleaded guilty in July but still faced trial because admitting guilt in Russia’s judicial system does not automatically end a case.She acknowledged in court that she possessed canisters with cannabis oil but said she had no criminal intent and she accidentally packed them. Her defense team presented written statements that she had been prescribed cannabis to treat pain.___

Brittney Griner back home in US after Russian prisoner swap

WASHINGTON (AP) —U.S. regulators on Thursday cleared doses of the updated COVID-19 vaccines for children younger than age 5.

The Food and <a href="https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/coronavirus-covid-19-update-fda-authorizes-updated-bivalent-covid-19-vaccines-children-down-6-months">Drug Administration’s decision</a> aims to better protect the littlest kids from severe COVID-19 at a time when children’s hospitals already are packed with tots suffering from a variety of respiratory illnesses.

Omicron-targeted booster shots made by Moderna and rival Pfizer already were open to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-business-covid-daaf1a4e5223d3b1251c4606b422ee0d">everyone 5 and older.</a>

The FDA now has cleared their use in tots starting at age 6 months -- but just who is eligible depends on what vaccinations they’ve already had, and which kind. Few youngsters have gotten the full primary series since shots for the littlest kids&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-health-centers-for-disease-control-and-prevention-rochelle-walensky-222bc528985a897c2a2d6173cd3659a9">began in June.</a>

--Children under age 6 who’ve already gotten two original doses of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine can get a single booster of Moderna’s updated formula if it’s been at least two months since their last shot.

--Pfizer’s vaccine requires three initial doses for tots under age 5 -- and those who haven’t finished that vaccination series will get the original formula for the first two shots and the omicron-targeted version for their third shot.

--Children under 5 who already got all three Pfizer doses aren’t yet eligible for an updated booster. Data expected next month should help the FDA determine if and when those tots need the omicron-targeted booster.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is expected to sign off soon, the final step for shots to begin.

Just 3% of tots under 2 and nearly 5% of those 2 to 4 have gotten their primary doses so far, according to the CDC.

“Vaccines remain the best defense against the most devastating consequences of disease caused by the currently circulating omicron variant,” FDA vaccine chief Dr. Peter Marks said in a statement.

The updated vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer are combination shots, containing half the original vaccine and half tweaked to match the BA.4 and BA.5 omicron strains that until recently were dominant. Now BA.5 descendants are responsible for most COVID-19 cases.

The CDC&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-covid-centers-for-disease-control-and-prevention-government-politics-cac663e28e4d6e44800f57c8ad50c707">last month</a>&nbsp;released the first real-world data showing that an updated booster, using either company’s version, does offer added protection to adults. The analysis found the greatest benefit was in people who’d never had a prior booster, just two doses of the original COVID-19 vaccine -- but that even those who’d had a summertime dose were more protected than if they’d skipped the newest shot.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635537216378.png" alt="The FDA now has cleared their use in tots starting at age 6 months -- but just who is eligible depends on what vaccinations they’ve already had.-Photo courtesy Pfizer" />
 <figcaption>The FDA now has cleared their use in tots starting at age 6 months -- but just who is eligible depends on what vaccinations they’ve already had.-Photo courtesy Pfizer</figcaption>
 </figure>By LAURAN NEERGAARDWASHINGTON (AP) —U.S. regulators on Thursday cleared doses of the updated COVID-19 vaccines for children younger than age 5.The Food and <a href="https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/coronavirus-covid-19-update-fda-authorizes-updated-bivalent-covid-19-vaccines-children-down-6-months">Drug Administration’s decision</a> aims to better protect the littlest kids from severe COVID-19 at a time when children’s hospitals already are packed with tots suffering from a variety of respiratory illnesses.Omicron-targeted booster shots made by Moderna and rival Pfizer already were open to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-business-covid-daaf1a4e5223d3b1251c4606b422ee0d">everyone 5 and older.</a>The FDA now has cleared their use in tots starting at age 6 months -- but just who is eligible depends on what vaccinations they’ve already had, and which kind. Few youngsters have gotten the full primary series since shots for the littlest kids&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-health-centers-for-disease-control-and-prevention-rochelle-walensky-222bc528985a897c2a2d6173cd3659a9">began in June.</a>The FDA decided that:--Children under age 6 who’ve already gotten two original doses of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine can get a single booster of Moderna’s updated formula if it’s been at least two months since their last shot.--Pfizer’s vaccine requires three initial doses for tots under age 5 -- and those who haven’t finished that vaccination series will get the original formula for the first two shots and the omicron-targeted version for their third shot.--Children under 5 who already got all three Pfizer doses aren’t yet eligible for an updated booster. Data expected next month should help the FDA determine if and when those tots need the omicron-targeted booster.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is expected to sign off soon, the final step for shots to begin.Just 3% of tots under 2 and nearly 5% of those 2 to 4 have gotten their primary doses so far, according to the CDC.“Vaccines remain the best defense against the most devastating consequences of disease caused by the currently circulating omicron variant,” FDA vaccine chief Dr. Peter Marks said in a statement.The updated vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer are combination shots, containing half the original vaccine and half tweaked to match the BA.4 and BA.5 omicron strains that until recently were dominant. Now BA.5 descendants are responsible for most COVID-19 cases.The CDC&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-covid-centers-for-disease-control-and-prevention-government-politics-cac663e28e4d6e44800f57c8ad50c707">last month</a>&nbsp;released the first real-world data showing that an updated booster, using either company’s version, does offer added protection to adults. The analysis found the greatest benefit was in people who’d never had a prior booster, just two doses of the original COVID-19 vaccine -- but that even those who’d had a summertime dose were more protected than if they’d skipped the newest shot.—-

FDA clears updated COVID-19 vaccines for kids under age 5

BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities have arrested a&nbsp;suspect in&nbsp;the 1980 homicide of&nbsp;Mary Robin Walter, according to Barton County Sheriff Brian Bellendir. The suspect, Steven L. Hanks, age 68, Burden, Kansas, is being transported to Barton County at this time.&nbsp;Hanks was arrested at Oxford in Sumner County.&nbsp; Hanks has previous convictions in 1983 for rape, aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary and aggravated battery&nbsp;

The Barton County Sheriff’s Office, Barton County Attorney’s Office and the Kansas Bureau of&nbsp;Investigation will release more information on the case Friday morning.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670609613326.jpeg" alt="Hanks- photo Barton Co." />
 <figcaption>Hanks- photo Barton Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities have arrested a&nbsp;suspect in&nbsp;the 1980 homicide of&nbsp;Mary Robin Walter, according to Barton County Sheriff Brian Bellendir. The suspect, Steven L. Hanks, age 68, Burden, Kansas, is being transported to Barton County at this time.&nbsp;Hanks was arrested at Oxford in Sumner County.&nbsp; Hanks has previous convictions in 1983 for rape, aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary and aggravated battery&nbsp; The Barton County Sheriff’s Office, Barton County Attorney’s Office and the Kansas Bureau of&nbsp;Investigation will release more information on the case Friday morning.&nbsp;

Sheriff: Kansas felon arrested in 1980 cold case homicide

KANSAS CITY – A criminal complaint was filed Thursday in Federal Court charging two individuals with escaping confinement and a third individual with assisting them, according to the United State's Attorney.

Trevor Scott Sparks, 33, Kansas City and Sergio Perez Martinez, 43, Panorama City, CA, were charged in a two-count criminal complaint with escape from confinement and aiding or assisting in escape from confinement. 

A third individual, Steven Lydell Williams, Sr., 64, Kansas City, was also charged in the complaint with a single count of aiding or assisting in the escape.

&nbsp;Sparks and Perez Martinez, who escaped from the Cass County jail south of Kansas City, remain at large. 

Williams, Sr. is scheduled to made his initial appearance before a federal Magistrate Judge Thursday afternoon and will remain in federal custody pending a detention hearing next week where the United States will argue for his continued pretrial detention pending resolution of the charge.

Anyone with information regarding the two escaped individuals are urged to contact law enforcement or the TIPS hotline at (816) 474-TIPS, 1-800-Call-FBI or online at&nbsp;<a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Ftips.fbi.gov%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR1nE_5SYQNMe-WqIpjNI6DQFjGDwc6XyqzoaiTDHRpYh0FW1nkCGbo7DCg&amp;h=AT3OxKHHDB74mLcbJE754ptru7MMpAdUwruXaSgaJKN6dIORTvEoT4dPVVgeuTdugKvw68tTWHQheMi83N8d5zwnwKTj_h6QmyprS4eapzqdEI5gzPXNXy7WjDeNVfnGmorfxG0&amp;__tn__=R]-R&amp;c[0]=AT2kLmGFUWn6ReA7ClYTffnK3NSRKpYG3PdhTmYQGzgeO6d4Dz4yGBcKXpp9--tE46P5BseH2KrRx1JNs384cmEnawU3yuzxuafCj1i0absEgNvewRUtZfO085NxJHAy4rn6GJ1OGxU2r1JitqWqQtZEyUN-YSc_8s_BTSiL8HZU_7neQHxhEkLiL7snWy-Rmr19vyvqIAt_" target="_blank">tips.fbi.gov</a>&nbsp;if they wish to remain anonymous. The U.S. Marshals is offering a $5,000 reward for each individual for tips that lead to their capture.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670413662559.png" alt="Perez-Martinez-photo Cass Co." />
 <figcaption>Perez-Martinez-photo Cass Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY – A criminal complaint was filed Thursday in Federal Court charging two individuals with escaping confinement and a third individual with assisting them, according to the United State's Attorney.Trevor Scott Sparks, 33, Kansas City and Sergio Perez Martinez, 43, Panorama City, CA, were charged in a two-count criminal complaint with escape from confinement and aiding or assisting in escape from confinement. A third individual, Steven Lydell Williams, Sr., 64, Kansas City, was also charged in the complaint with a single count of aiding or assisting in the escape.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670413683995.png" alt="Sparks-photo Cass Co." />
 <figcaption>Sparks-photo Cass Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;Sparks and Perez Martinez, who escaped from the Cass County jail south of Kansas City, remain at large. Williams, Sr. is scheduled to made his initial appearance before a federal Magistrate Judge Thursday afternoon and will remain in federal custody pending a detention hearing next week where the United States will argue for his continued pretrial detention pending resolution of the charge.Anyone with information regarding the two escaped individuals are urged to contact law enforcement or the TIPS hotline at (816) 474-TIPS, 1-800-Call-FBI or online at&nbsp;<a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Ftips.fbi.gov%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR1nE_5SYQNMe-WqIpjNI6DQFjGDwc6XyqzoaiTDHRpYh0FW1nkCGbo7DCg&amp;h=AT3OxKHHDB74mLcbJE754ptru7MMpAdUwruXaSgaJKN6dIORTvEoT4dPVVgeuTdugKvw68tTWHQheMi83N8d5zwnwKTj_h6QmyprS4eapzqdEI5gzPXNXy7WjDeNVfnGmorfxG0&amp;__tn__=R]-R&amp;c[0]=AT2kLmGFUWn6ReA7ClYTffnK3NSRKpYG3PdhTmYQGzgeO6d4Dz4yGBcKXpp9--tE46P5BseH2KrRx1JNs384cmEnawU3yuzxuafCj1i0absEgNvewRUtZfO085NxJHAy4rn6GJ1OGxU2r1JitqWqQtZEyUN-YSc_8s_BTSiL8HZU_7neQHxhEkLiL7snWy-Rmr19vyvqIAt_" target="_blank">tips.fbi.gov</a>&nbsp;if they wish to remain anonymous. The U.S. Marshals is offering a $5,000 reward for each individual for tips that lead to their capture.&nbsp;

Man charged with helping KC-area inmates escape from jail

SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas woman accused in the death of a man whose body was found in rural Sumner County made her first court appearance Wednesday.

Tehya Turner, 19 of Haysville, is charged with 1st&nbsp;degree murder, burglary, and a misdemeanor count of theft, according to the Sedgwick County District attorney's office.

On November 29, police were contacted by a 69-year-old man who reported 41-year-old Brent Boone, of Wichita, missing under unusual circumstances, according to Officer Chad Ditch.

Boone was last seen on November 24, 2022, at 9:30 pm at his residence in the 1300 block of N. Pershing in Wichita before leaving in a vehicle with two individuals – identified as 31-year-old Saul Chavez Valenciana and 19- year-old Tehya Turner, both of Wichita. 

It is believed that an altercation occurred inside the car, during which Boone was killed.

On November 30, follow-up investigation led officers to a crime scene in the 9300 block of S. Pattie in Haysville, where they began processing evidence. Police located the vehicle on December 1, near 21st and Ridge, abandoned, according to Ditch.

Further investigation led officers to a rural area Southwest of Clearwater, one mile west of N Clearwater Road and 140th Ave N, where a body was located. At this time, it is believed to be Boone, according to Ditch.

Police took Turner into custody on Dec. 2, and are actively searching for Saul Chavez&nbsp;Valenciana in connection to this case. 

Turner is being held on a one million dollar bond, according to the district attorney's office. Attorneys in the case are due to discuss it further on Dec. 19.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670173983028.png" alt="Turner-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Turner-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas woman accused in the death of a man whose body was found in rural Sumner County made her first court appearance Wednesday.Tehya Turner, 19 of Haysville, is charged with 1st&nbsp;degree murder, burglary, and a misdemeanor count of theft, according to the Sedgwick County District attorney's office.On November 29, police were contacted by a 69-year-old man who reported 41-year-old Brent Boone, of Wichita, missing under unusual circumstances, according to Officer Chad Ditch.Boone was last seen on November 24, 2022, at 9:30 pm at his residence in the 1300 block of N. Pershing in Wichita before leaving in a vehicle with two individuals – identified as 31-year-old Saul Chavez Valenciana and 19- year-old Tehya Turner, both of Wichita. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670023341610.png" alt="Valenciana-photo Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Valenciana-photo Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>It is believed that an altercation occurred inside the car, during which Boone was killed.On November 30, follow-up investigation led officers to a crime scene in the 9300 block of S. Pattie in Haysville, where they began processing evidence. Police located the vehicle on December 1, near 21st and Ridge, abandoned, according to Ditch.Further investigation led officers to a rural area Southwest of Clearwater, one mile west of N Clearwater Road and 140th Ave N, where a body was located. At this time, it is believed to be Boone, according to Ditch.Police took Turner into custody on Dec. 2, and are actively searching for Saul Chavez&nbsp;Valenciana in connection to this case. Turner is being held on a one million dollar bond, according to the district attorney's office. Attorneys in the case are due to discuss it further on Dec. 19.

Woman held on $1M bond after man's body found in rural Kansas

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal crash on Sunday have positively identified the victims as&nbsp; 16-year-old Michael Tolan Jr. and 18-year-old Eric Gonzales-Del Real both of Topeka, according to the Shawnee County Coroner.

According to Police Lt. Michael Hren, two vehicles collided at 6th and Madison. After impact, the car traveled over the bridge onto Interstate 70. Gonzalez-Real was pronounced deceased at scene. First responders transported Tolan, Jr. to the hospital with life threatening injuries. Just after 10:30a.m. Monday, police reported he had also died.

Police released no additional details Thursday afternoon.

SHAWNEE COUNTY(WIBW)—A second person has died from injuries accident just before 2:30 pm Sunday in Shawnee County.

According to Police Lt. Michael Hren, two vehicles collided at 6th and Madison. After impact, the car traveled over the bridge onto Interstate 70. One person was pronounced deceased at scene. First responders transported another person to the hospital with life threatening injuries. Just after 10:30a.m. Monday, police reported that person had also died.

Police asked the public to avoid the area of SE 6th and Madison as well as westbound Interstate 70 at 10th Street.

Just before 5a.m. Monday, Police Lt. Kerry Connell reported all roads in the area were open.&nbsp; Police have not reported names of the victims or additional details of the accident.

SHAWNEE COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 2:30 pm Sunday in Shawnee County.

According to Police Lt. Michael Hren, two vehicles collided at 6th and Madison. After impact, the car traveled over the bridge onto Interstate 70. One person was pronounced deceased at scene. First responders transported another person to the hospital with life threatening injuries. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670238218069.png" alt="Photo by Lane Gillespie courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Lane Gillespie courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal crash on Sunday have positively identified the victims as&nbsp; 16-year-old Michael Tolan Jr. and 18-year-old Eric Gonzales-Del Real both of Topeka, according to the Shawnee County Coroner.According to Police Lt. Michael Hren, two vehicles collided at 6th and Madison. After impact, the car traveled over the bridge onto Interstate 70. Gonzalez-Real was pronounced deceased at scene. First responders transported Tolan, Jr. to the hospital with life threatening injuries. Just after 10:30a.m. Monday, police reported he had also died.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670238098086.png" alt="Photo by Lane Gillespie courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Lane Gillespie courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>Police released no additional details Thursday afternoon.------------SHAWNEE COUNTY(WIBW)—A second person has died from injuries accident just before 2:30 pm Sunday in Shawnee County.According to Police Lt. Michael Hren, two vehicles collided at 6th and Madison. After impact, the car traveled over the bridge onto Interstate 70. One person was pronounced deceased at scene. First responders transported another person to the hospital with life threatening injuries. Just after 10:30a.m. Monday, police reported that person had also died.Police asked the public to avoid the area of SE 6th and Madison as well as westbound Interstate 70 at 10th Street.Just before 5a.m. Monday, Police Lt. Kerry Connell reported all roads in the area were open.&nbsp; Police have not reported names of the victims or additional details of the accident.---------SHAWNEE COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 2:30 pm Sunday in Shawnee County.According to Police Lt. Michael Hren, two vehicles collided at 6th and Madison. After impact, the car traveled over the bridge onto Interstate 70. One person was pronounced deceased at scene. First responders transported another person to the hospital with life threatening injuries. Police asked the public to avoid the area of SE 6th and Madison as well as westbound Interstate 70 at 10th Street.Just before 5a.m. Monday, Police Lt. Kerry Connell reported all roads in the area were open.&nbsp; Police have not reported names of the victims or additional details of the accident.

Police ID Kan. teens who died in crash that sent car over bridge

KANSAS CITY (AP) — The ACLU of Missouri is suing a suburban Kansas City school district over its policy of automatically removing any challenged library material before it is reviewed.

The ACLU argues in a federal lawsuit filed this week that the Independence School District's current policy violates students' First Amendment rights because it “restricts their access to ideas and information for an improper purpose and without any prior notice.”

Under the current policy, a library material is automatically removed after it is challenged. A committee then evaluates the material and the school board votes on whether to keep it, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/education/article269669086.html#storylink=cpy">reported</a>.

The district said in a statement Wednesday that it stands by the policy, which it said was "thoughtful, well-considered, and calculated to balance and protect the rights of all students and their parents.”

The district said its policy is nearly identical to policies used by numerous public school districts in Missouri.

“The District will vigorously defend against this lawsuit,” the statement said. "It is unfortunate that the District will be required to expend taxpayer funds to defend against the ACLU’s latest unfounded complaint.”

The lawsuit, filed on behalf of four parents in the district, comes after a parent in April challenged the children’s book “Cats vs. Robots #1: This Is War” because it includes a nonbinary character. The book was removed from shelves while a committee reviewed it, and the school board then voted to permanently remove it from elementary school libraries.

The book, with themes about science, technology, engineering and mathematics, is marketed toward children ages 8 through 12. Only three pages of the 307-page book discuss the character being nonbinary, the ACLU’s suit says.

The current policy also doesn't provide an appeal process, which the ACLU argues violates students' rights “because it restricts their access to ideas and information for an improper purpose and without any prior notice.”

The lawsuit comes as efforts to remove books in school and public libraries increase across the country.

The ACLU’s lawsuit says 138 school districts in 32 states removed more than 2,500 books during the 2021-22 school year. And 41% of all books banned nationwide during the school year contained LGBTQ characters while 40% of book removals included important characters of color and 21% of the banned books directly addressed issues of race and racism, according to the suit.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — The ACLU of Missouri is suing a suburban Kansas City school district over its policy of automatically removing any challenged library material before it is reviewed.The ACLU argues in a federal lawsuit filed this week that the Independence School District's current policy violates students' First Amendment rights because it “restricts their access to ideas and information for an improper purpose and without any prior notice.”Under the current policy, a library material is automatically removed after it is challenged. A committee then evaluates the material and the school board votes on whether to keep it, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/education/article269669086.html#storylink=cpy">reported</a>.The district said in a statement Wednesday that it stands by the policy, which it said was "thoughtful, well-considered, and calculated to balance and protect the rights of all students and their parents.”The district said its policy is nearly identical to policies used by numerous public school districts in Missouri.“The District will vigorously defend against this lawsuit,” the statement said. "It is unfortunate that the District will be required to expend taxpayer funds to defend against the ACLU’s latest unfounded complaint.”The lawsuit, filed on behalf of four parents in the district, comes after a parent in April challenged the children’s book “Cats vs. Robots #1: This Is War” because it includes a nonbinary character. The book was removed from shelves while a committee reviewed it, and the school board then voted to permanently remove it from elementary school libraries.The book, with themes about science, technology, engineering and mathematics, is marketed toward children ages 8 through 12. Only three pages of the 307-page book discuss the character being nonbinary, the ACLU’s suit says.The current policy also doesn't provide an appeal process, which the ACLU argues violates students' rights “because it restricts their access to ideas and information for an improper purpose and without any prior notice.”The lawsuit comes as efforts to remove books in school and public libraries increase across the country.The ACLU’s lawsuit says 138 school districts in 32 states removed more than 2,500 books during the 2021-22 school year. And 41% of all books banned nationwide during the school year contained LGBTQ characters while 40% of book removals included important characters of color and 21% of the banned books directly addressed issues of race and racism, according to the suit.

ACLU sues KC-area school district over book removal policy

By JOHN HANNA and HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH&nbsp;

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — An oil spill in a creek in northeastern Kansas shut down a major pipeline that carries oil from Canada to the Texas Gulf Coast, briefly causing oil prices to rise on Thursday.

Canada-based TC Energy said it shut down its Keystone system Wednesday night following a drop in pipeline pressure. It said oil spilled into a creek in Washington County, Kansas, about 150 miles (241 kilometers) northwest of Kansas City.

The company said in a news release that the pipeline segment where the spill occurred had been “isolated” and that the company was using booms, or barriers, to keep the spilled oil from moving downstream. It didn't say how much oil was spilled or what caused the spill.

“People are sometimes not aware of of the havoc that these things can wreak until the disaster happens,” said Zack Pistora, who lobbies the Kansas Legislature for the Sierra Club's state chapter.

Concerns that spills could pollute waterways spurred opposition to plans by TC Energy to build another crude oil pipeline in the Keystone system, the 1,200-mile Keystone XL, which would have cut across Montana, South Dakota and Nebraska. Critics also argued that using crude from western Canada's oil sands would make climate change worse, and President Joe Biden's cancelation of a U.S. permit for the project led the company&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-joe-biden-keystone-pipeline-canada-environment-and-nature-141eabd7cca6449dfbd2dab8165812f2">to pull the plug last year.</a>

In 2019, the Keystone pipeline&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nd-state-wire-ne-state-wire-us-news-mo-state-wire-sd-state-wire-d3f301c4e5014981949be28fae8e15d7">leaked an estimated 383,000 gallons</a>&nbsp;(1.4 million liters) of oil in eastern North Dakota, damaging about five acres.

Janet Kleeb, who founded the Bold Nebraska environmental and landowner rights group that campaigned against the Keystone XL, said there have been at least 22 spills along the original Keystone pipeline since it went into service in 2010. She said federal studies have shown that the type of heavy tar sands oil the pipeline carries can be especially difficult to clean up in water because it tends to sink.

“All oil spills are difficult, but tar sands in particular are very toxic and very difficult, so I’m awfully concerned,” said Kleeb, who is also the Nebraska Democratic Party's chair.

But the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said there were no known effects yet on drinking water wells or the public. Randy Hubbard, the Washington County Emergency Management coordinator, said there had been no evacuations because the break happened in a rural area in the middle of a pasture.

Keystone said in its statement: “Our primary focus right now is the health and safety of onsite staff and personnel, the surrounding community, and mitigating risk to the environment through the deployment of booms downstream as we work to contain and prevent further migration of the release.”

There was a brief surge in oil prices midday Thursday as word of the spill in Kansas began to spread, with the cost for a barrel of oil for near-term contracts rising by nearly 5%, and above the cost of oil contracts further into the future. That typically suggests there is anxiety in the market over immediate supply.

A U.S. Energy Information Administration spokesperson said the Keystone pipeline moves about 600,000 barrels of oil per day from Canada to Cushing, Oklahoma, where it can connect to another pipeline to the Gulf Coast. That’s compared to the total of 3.5 million to 4 million barrels of Canadian oil imported into the U.S. every day.

Past Keystone spills have led to outages that lasted about two weeks, but this outage could possibly be longer because it involves a body of water, said analysts at RBC Capital Markets in a note to investors. Depending on the spill’s location, it’s possible that a portion of the pipeline could restart sooner, they said.

“It’s something to keep an eye on, but not necessarily an immediate impact for now,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, which tracks gasoline prices. “It could eventually impact oil supplies to refiners, which could be severe if it lasts more than a few days.”

The spill was 5 miles (8 kilometers) northeast of Washington, the county seat of about 1,100 residents. Paul Stewart, an area farmer, said part of it was contained on his land using yellow booms and a dam of dirt. The spill occurred in Mill Creek, which flows into the Little Blue River. That river feeds the Big Blue River, which flows into Tuttle Creek Lake, north of Manhattan, home of Kansas State University.

Dan Thalmann, the publisher and editor of The Washington County News, a weekly publication, said crews were creating a rock path to the creek because recent rains made the fields too soft to move heavy machinery over them.

“Gosh, the traffic past my house is unbelievable — trucks after trucks after trucks,” said Stewart, who took down an electric fence he'd finished putting up Wednesday, fearing that heavy equipment might knock it down and drag it into a field.

Chris Pannbacker said the pipeline runs through her family's farm. She and her husband drove north of the family's farmhouse and across a bridge over Mill Creek.

“We looked at it from both sides, and it was black on both sides,” said Pannbacker, who also is a reporter for the Marysville Advocate newspaper.

Junior Roop, the sexton of a cemetery near the site of the spill, said people could smell the oil in town.

“It was about like driving by a refinery,” he said.

“Much of the oil through Keystone gets exported, so we expect little to no impact on domestic gasoline prices,” said Andrew Gross, spokesman for AAA. “Any spike in reaction will likely subside quickly as other news takes over.”

Randy Hubbard, the Washington County Emergency Management coordinator, said there had been no evacuations because the break happened in a rural area in the middle of a pasture. He didn’t know the name of the creek or what body of water it flows into.

He said the pipeline operator hasn’t disclosed how much oil was discharged and that it could take a day and a half to get that data.

He said he hadn’t been to the site but is supporting investigators with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and and Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

The Kansas department's spokesman, Matt Lara, said it was sending a team to the site but had no information. The EPA didn't immediately respond to a request for comment and officials with the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration didn’t immediately respond to questions about the oil spill Thursday.

“Everyone is in their fact-finding process,” Hubbard said.

Canada-based TC Energy said it shut down its Keystone system Wednesday night following a drop in pipeline pressure. It said oil spilled into a creek in Washington County, Kansas, about 150 miles northwest of Kansas City.

There was a brief surge in oil prices midday Thursday as word of the spill began to spread, with the cost for a barrel of oil for near-term contracts rising by nearly 5%, and above the cost of oil contracts further into the future. That typically suggests there is anxiety in the market over immediate supply.

The Keystone pipeline&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nd-state-wire-ne-state-wire-us-news-mo-state-wire-sd-state-wire-d3f301c4e5014981949be28fae8e15d7">in 2019 leaked</a>&nbsp;an estimated 383,000 gallons (1.4 million liters) of oil in eastern North Dakota, damaging about five acres.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670525599435.png" alt="Oil spilled into a creek in Washington County, Kansas, about 150 miles northwest of Kansas City.- Photo courtesy TC Energy&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Oil spilled into a creek in Washington County, Kansas, about 150 miles northwest of Kansas City.- Photo courtesy TC Energy&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNA and HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH&nbsp;TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — An oil spill in a creek in northeastern Kansas shut down a major pipeline that carries oil from Canada to the Texas Gulf Coast, briefly causing oil prices to rise on Thursday.Canada-based TC Energy said it shut down its Keystone system Wednesday night following a drop in pipeline pressure. It said oil spilled into a creek in Washington County, Kansas, about 150 miles (241 kilometers) northwest of Kansas City.The company said in a news release that the pipeline segment where the spill occurred had been “isolated” and that the company was using booms, or barriers, to keep the spilled oil from moving downstream. It didn't say how much oil was spilled or what caused the spill.“People are sometimes not aware of of the havoc that these things can wreak until the disaster happens,” said Zack Pistora, who lobbies the Kansas Legislature for the Sierra Club's state chapter.Concerns that spills could pollute waterways spurred opposition to plans by TC Energy to build another crude oil pipeline in the Keystone system, the 1,200-mile Keystone XL, which would have cut across Montana, South Dakota and Nebraska. Critics also argued that using crude from western Canada's oil sands would make climate change worse, and President Joe Biden's cancelation of a U.S. permit for the project led the company&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-joe-biden-keystone-pipeline-canada-environment-and-nature-141eabd7cca6449dfbd2dab8165812f2">to pull the plug last year.</a>In 2019, the Keystone pipeline&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nd-state-wire-ne-state-wire-us-news-mo-state-wire-sd-state-wire-d3f301c4e5014981949be28fae8e15d7">leaked an estimated 383,000 gallons</a>&nbsp;(1.4 million liters) of oil in eastern North Dakota, damaging about five acres.Janet Kleeb, who founded the Bold Nebraska environmental and landowner rights group that campaigned against the Keystone XL, said there have been at least 22 spills along the original Keystone pipeline since it went into service in 2010. She said federal studies have shown that the type of heavy tar sands oil the pipeline carries can be especially difficult to clean up in water because it tends to sink.“All oil spills are difficult, but tar sands in particular are very toxic and very difficult, so I’m awfully concerned,” said Kleeb, who is also the Nebraska Democratic Party's chair.But the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said there were no known effects yet on drinking water wells or the public. Randy Hubbard, the Washington County Emergency Management coordinator, said there had been no evacuations because the break happened in a rural area in the middle of a pasture.Keystone said in its statement: “Our primary focus right now is the health and safety of onsite staff and personnel, the surrounding community, and mitigating risk to the environment through the deployment of booms downstream as we work to contain and prevent further migration of the release.”There was a brief surge in oil prices midday Thursday as word of the spill in Kansas began to spread, with the cost for a barrel of oil for near-term contracts rising by nearly 5%, and above the cost of oil contracts further into the future. That typically suggests there is anxiety in the market over immediate supply.A U.S. Energy Information Administration spokesperson said the Keystone pipeline moves about 600,000 barrels of oil per day from Canada to Cushing, Oklahoma, where it can connect to another pipeline to the Gulf Coast. That’s compared to the total of 3.5 million to 4 million barrels of Canadian oil imported into the U.S. every day.Past Keystone spills have led to outages that lasted about two weeks, but this outage could possibly be longer because it involves a body of water, said analysts at RBC Capital Markets in a note to investors. Depending on the spill’s location, it’s possible that a portion of the pipeline could restart sooner, they said.“It’s something to keep an eye on, but not necessarily an immediate impact for now,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, which tracks gasoline prices. “It could eventually impact oil supplies to refiners, which could be severe if it lasts more than a few days.”The spill was 5 miles (8 kilometers) northeast of Washington, the county seat of about 1,100 residents. Paul Stewart, an area farmer, said part of it was contained on his land using yellow booms and a dam of dirt. The spill occurred in Mill Creek, which flows into the Little Blue River. That river feeds the Big Blue River, which flows into Tuttle Creek Lake, north of Manhattan, home of Kansas State University.Dan Thalmann, the publisher and editor of The Washington County News, a weekly publication, said crews were creating a rock path to the creek because recent rains made the fields too soft to move heavy machinery over them.“Gosh, the traffic past my house is unbelievable — trucks after trucks after trucks,” said Stewart, who took down an electric fence he'd finished putting up Wednesday, fearing that heavy equipment might knock it down and drag it into a field.Chris Pannbacker said the pipeline runs through her family's farm. She and her husband drove north of the family's farmhouse and across a bridge over Mill Creek.“We looked at it from both sides, and it was black on both sides,” said Pannbacker, who also is a reporter for the Marysville Advocate newspaper.Junior Roop, the sexton of a cemetery near the site of the spill, said people could smell the oil in town.“It was about like driving by a refinery,” he said.------------TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — An oil spill in a creek in northeastern Kansas shut down a major pipeline that carries oil from Canada to the Texas Gulf Coast, briefly causing oil prices to rise on Thursday.Canada-based TC Energy said it shut down its Keystone system Wednesday night following a drop in pipeline pressure. It said oil spilled into a creek in Washington County, Kansas, about 150 miles (241 kilometers) northwest of Kansas City.The company said in a news release that the pipeline segment where the spill occurred had been “isolated” and that the company was using booms, or barriers, to keep the spilled oil from moving downstream. It didn't say how much oil was spilled or what caused the spill.Concerns that spills could pollute waterways spurred opposition to plans by TC Energy to build another crude oil pipeline in the Keystone system, the 1,200-mile Keystone XL, which would have cut across Montana, South Dakota and Nebraska. Critics also argued that using crude from western Canada's oil sands would make climate change worse, and President Joe Biden's cancelation of a U.S. permit for the project led the company&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-joe-biden-keystone-pipeline-canada-environment-and-nature-141eabd7cca6449dfbd2dab8165812f2">to pull the plug last year.</a>In 2019, the Keystone pipeline&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nd-state-wire-ne-state-wire-us-news-mo-state-wire-sd-state-wire-d3f301c4e5014981949be28fae8e15d7">leaked an estimated 383,000 gallons</a>&nbsp;(1.4 million liters) of oil in eastern North Dakota, damaging about five acres.There was a brief surge in oil prices midday Thursday as word of the spill in Kansas began to spread, with the cost for a barrel of oil for near-term contracts rising by nearly 5%, and above the cost of oil contracts further into the future. That typically suggests there is anxiety in the market over immediate supply.“It’s something to keep an eye on, but not necessarily an immediate impact for now,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, which tracks gasoline prices. “It could eventually impact oil supplies to refiners, which could be severe if it lasts more than a few days.”Past Keystone spills have led to outages that lasted about two weeks, but this outage could possibly be longer because it involves a body of water, said analysts at RBC Capital Markets in a note to investors. Depending on the spill’s location, it’s possible that a portion of the pipeline could restart sooner, they said.“Much of the oil through Keystone gets exported, so we expect little to no impact on domestic gasoline prices,” said Andrew Gross, spokesman for AAA. “Any spike in reaction will likely subside quickly as other news takes over.”Randy Hubbard, the Washington County Emergency Management coordinator, said there had been no evacuations because the break happened in a rural area in the middle of a pasture. He didn’t know the name of the creek or what body of water it flows into.He said the pipeline operator hasn’t disclosed how much oil was discharged and that it could take a day and a half to get that data.He said he hadn’t been to the site but is supporting investigators with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and and Kansas Department of Health and Environment.Keystone said in its statement: “Our primary focus right now is the health and safety of onsite staff and personnel, the surrounding community, and mitigating risk to the environment through the deployment of booms downstream as we work to contain and prevent further migration of the release.”The Kansas department's spokesman, Matt Lara, said it was sending a team to the site but had no information. The EPA didn't immediately respond to a request for comment and officials with the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration didn’t immediately respond to questions about the oil spill Thursday.“Everyone is in their fact-finding process,” Hubbard said.-------TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — An oil spill in a creek in northeastern Kansas shut down a major pipeline that carries oil from Canada to the Texas Gulf Coast, briefly causing oil prices to rise on Thursday.Canada-based TC Energy said it shut down its Keystone system Wednesday night following a drop in pipeline pressure. It said oil spilled into a creek in Washington County, Kansas, about 150 miles northwest of Kansas City.The company said in a news release that the pipeline segment where the spill occurred had been “isolated” and that the company was using booms, or barriers, to keep the spilled oil from moving downstream. It didn't say how much oil was spilled or what caused the spill.There was a brief surge in oil prices midday Thursday as word of the spill began to spread, with the cost for a barrel of oil for near-term contracts rising by nearly 5%, and above the cost of oil contracts further into the future. That typically suggests there is anxiety in the market over immediate supply.“It’s something to keep an eye on, but not necessarily an immediate impact for now,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, which tracks gasoline prices. “It could eventually impact oil supplies to refiners, which could be severe if it lasts more than a few days.”Past Keystone spills have led to outages that lasted about two weeks, but this outage could possibly be longer because it involves a body of water, said analysts at RBC Capital Markets in a note to investors. Depending on the spill’s location, it’s possible that a portion of the pipeline could restart sooner, they said.“Much of the oil through Keystone gets exported, so we expect little to no impact on domestic gasoline prices,” said Andrew Gross, spokesman for AAA. “Any spike in reaction will likely subside quickly as other news takes over.”Randy Hubbard, the Washington County Emergency Management coordinator, said there had been no evacuations because the break happened in a rural area in the middle of a pasture. He didn’t know the name of the creek or what body of water it flows into.He said the pipeline operator hasn’t disclosed how much oil was discharged and that it could take a day and a half to get that data.He said he hadn’t been to the site but is supporting investigators with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and and Kansas Department of Health and Environment.The Kansas department's spokesman, Matt Lara, said it was sending a team to the site but had no information. The EPA didn't immediately respond to a request for comment and officials with the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration didn’t immediately respond to questions about the oil spill Thursday.“Everyone is in their fact-finding process,” Hubbard said.The Keystone pipeline&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nd-state-wire-ne-state-wire-us-news-mo-state-wire-sd-state-wire-d3f301c4e5014981949be28fae8e15d7">in 2019 leaked</a>&nbsp;an estimated 383,000 gallons (1.4 million liters) of oil in eastern North Dakota, damaging about five acres.

Oil spill in rural Kansas creek shuts down pipeline

By NATE KING Salina Post

After securing his re-election in the midterm election, Clarke Sanders, State Representative of the 69th&nbsp;Kansas House District sat down for an exclusive interview&nbsp;with Salina Post. Sanders talked about the possibility of legislation that would allow for medical marijuana, the partisan divide between the state legislature and Governor Laura Kelly, rural broadband access, and his reflections on his campaign.&nbsp;

According to the unofficial election results provided by the Kansas Secretary of State's Office, Sanders won the race&nbsp;with 4,420 votes, to his Democrat opponent Sarah Crews, 2,202 votes.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Issues likely to be discussed this legislative session

Each legislative session, a myriad of bills, acts, and resolutions make their way through the halls of the statehouse. A vast amount of the votes held, according to Sanders, are bipartisan, involving support by both political parties.&nbsp;

"What people need to understand is on 80 to 85 percent of the things we vote on, passes in the Kansas House&nbsp;with overwhelming majorities 121 to three or&nbsp; 117 to six," Sanders said. "I mean, but these are things that you don't ever hear about."&nbsp;&nbsp;

Like House Resolution 6027—a resolution that congratulated the 2021-2022 University of Kansas men's basketball team for an outstanding season and for&nbsp;winning the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship, which passed&nbsp;without even a roll call vote.&nbsp;&nbsp; Sanders pointed out that the selection of the state's official fruit, the Sand Hill Plum, only had had five votes against it.&nbsp;Representatives had jokingly opposed the measure in favor of fruit suggestions made by schools in their districts.&nbsp;

Sanders however, did not deny that both political parties in the state have disagreements&nbsp;with one another surrounding social and appropriation policy. One issue likely to be discussed this session is the legalization of medical marijuana.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"I want to make my position clear on this. I'm definitely in favor of medicinal marijuana. I'm sure that's going to come up this legislative session," Sanders said. "I'm going to be voting in favor of medicinal marijuana. I am not sold at all on recreational marijuana, but there are a lot of drugs, morphine would be at the top of the list, that have good uses when they're in a controlled situation. I think that marijuana falls into that category. From what I understand. It's a real good reliever of pain&nbsp;without the nausea."&nbsp;

Kansas legislators on the joint Special Committee on Medical Marijuana met on Oct. 12 and Oct. 19&nbsp; to read through and discuss the medical marijuana legislation. This comes after&nbsp;Wichita City voted during first reading of a motion to do away with hundreds of marijuana possession prosecutions. By po in the second largest metropolitan area in the state.&nbsp;

This year, several attempts were made to pass medical cannabis legislation, including Senate Bill 158 and Senate Bill 560. Senate leadership managed to obstruct those efforts and both bills failed. Senator Robert Olsen, representing the 23rd&nbsp;Kansas Senate District and Representative John Barker representing the 70th&nbsp;District in the Kansas House of Representatives are advocates of medical cannabis and plan to introduce legislation in the 2023.&nbsp;&nbsp;

According to a&nbsp;<a href="https://news.ku.edu/2022/03/23/speed-test-surveys-show-1-million-kansans-may-have-inadequate-internet" target="_blank">Kansas University research study</a>&nbsp;conducted from January 2021 to January 2022, more than 1 million Kansan's live in a ZIP code where average download speeds are below 100 Mbps download speeds and&nbsp; 20 Mbps upload speeds. Sanders said that more is needed to be done by the legislature to address this issue.

&nbsp;"Another thing that we're going to address that is absolutely critical is rural broadband access. There are vast areas of this state where you don't have an internet connection, and if you do it isn't very good," Sanders said. "If we're going to attract population, to this state, somewhere other than northeast Kansas - we don't have any trouble attracting population there, but to the rural areas of this state, the areas that I and several of my colleagues represent, we have got to have rural broadband access. And so that's something I'm going to be working on."&nbsp;

Sanders said that the campaign cycle this election was more amicable than the last time he ran for office.&nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;"Last time, there was a lot of rancor. You know, I'm sure that I participated in that to somewhat of an extent, but I was really being attacked last time. I appreciate that. Sarah Crews didn't run a campaign that was interested in doing that. We pretty much stuck to the issues."&nbsp;&nbsp;

Now that the door-knocking, campaigning and stump speeches are over, Rep. Sanders said that he was surprised that of the doors he knocked on, many of his constituents didn't have much to say.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"A lot of times, people aren't really that interested in talking to you [the candidate.]" Sanders said. "I mean, they're pleasant, they're not impolite by any means - but they say, 'Oh, thank you, or I'll consider on voting for you or whatever.' You don't,&nbsp; hear that much at the doors, which is kind of surprising."&nbsp;

Makeup of the 2023 Legislature and closing remarks

Of the 125 representatives in the Kansas House, 85 of them will be Republicans in the 2023 legislative session, that is one less than they had last session.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"It would have made a world of difference if Derek Schmidt had been elected governor, and from my perspective," Sanders said. "If you've got same party governor, then you need 63 votes to pass a piece of legislation in the House, and there's a strong possibility the governor is going to sign it. If you have a Democrat governor, like we will continue to have you can pass legislation with 63 or 65 or 71 votes or at 83, but if she vetoes something, then we've got to muster at least four votes to override Kelly's vetoes."&nbsp;

Sanders said that getting four people to be on the same page on controversial bills is hard to do, which means Republicans in Kansas have a slightly steeper hill to climb to override Kelly's vetoes.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"She is probably the most veto-overridden governor in our history. Two sessions ago, she had nine overrides in one morning, nine pieces of things she had vetoed, we overrode. And we didn't do quite as well, this past time around," Sanders said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"I think that we have a more like-minded group this session," Sanders said. "It's not necessarily all well, some of us - a lot of us, would've liked to be at 90 or 92. But that is not the reality."&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670526693175.jpeg" alt="State Representative Clarke Sanders. Photo courtesy" />
 <figcaption>State Representative Clarke Sanders. Photo courtesy</figcaption>
 </figure>By NATE KING Salina PostAfter securing his re-election in the midterm election, Clarke Sanders, State Representative of the 69th&nbsp;Kansas House District sat down for an exclusive interview&nbsp;with Salina Post. Sanders talked about the possibility of legislation that would allow for medical marijuana, the partisan divide between the state legislature and Governor Laura Kelly, rural broadband access, and his reflections on his campaign.&nbsp;According to the unofficial election results provided by the Kansas Secretary of State's Office, Sanders won the race&nbsp;with 4,420 votes, to his Democrat opponent Sarah Crews, 2,202 votes.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>Issues likely to be discussed this legislative session</h2>Each legislative session, a myriad of bills, acts, and resolutions make their way through the halls of the statehouse. A vast amount of the votes held, according to Sanders, are bipartisan, involving support by both political parties.&nbsp;"What people need to understand is on 80 to 85 percent of the things we vote on, passes in the Kansas House&nbsp;with overwhelming majorities 121 to three or&nbsp; 117 to six," Sanders said. "I mean, but these are things that you don't ever hear about."&nbsp;&nbsp;Like House Resolution 6027—a resolution that congratulated the 2021-2022 University of Kansas men's basketball team for an outstanding season and for&nbsp;winning the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship, which passed&nbsp;without even a roll call vote.&nbsp;&nbsp; Sanders pointed out that the selection of the state's official fruit, the Sand Hill Plum, only had had five votes against it.&nbsp;Representatives had jokingly opposed the measure in favor of fruit suggestions made by schools in their districts.&nbsp;Sanders however, did not deny that both political parties in the state have disagreements&nbsp;with one another surrounding social and appropriation policy. One issue likely to be discussed this session is the legalization of medical marijuana.&nbsp;&nbsp;"I want to make my position clear on this. I'm definitely in favor of medicinal marijuana. I'm sure that's going to come up this legislative session," Sanders said. "I'm going to be voting in favor of medicinal marijuana. I am not sold at all on recreational marijuana, but there are a lot of drugs, morphine would be at the top of the list, that have good uses when they're in a controlled situation. I think that marijuana falls into that category. From what I understand. It's a real good reliever of pain&nbsp;without the nausea."&nbsp;Kansas legislators on the joint Special Committee on Medical Marijuana met on Oct. 12 and Oct. 19&nbsp; to read through and discuss the medical marijuana legislation. This comes after&nbsp;Wichita City voted during first reading of a motion to do away with hundreds of marijuana possession prosecutions. By po in the second largest metropolitan area in the state.&nbsp;This year, several attempts were made to pass medical cannabis legislation, including Senate Bill 158 and Senate Bill 560. Senate leadership managed to obstruct those efforts and both bills failed. Senator Robert Olsen, representing the 23rd&nbsp;Kansas Senate District and Representative John Barker representing the 70th&nbsp;District in the Kansas House of Representatives are advocates of medical cannabis and plan to introduce legislation in the 2023.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>Rural broadband access</h2>According to a&nbsp;<a href="https://news.ku.edu/2022/03/23/speed-test-surveys-show-1-million-kansans-may-have-inadequate-internet" target="_blank">Kansas University research study</a>&nbsp;conducted from January 2021 to January 2022, more than 1 million Kansan's live in a ZIP code where average download speeds are below 100 Mbps download speeds and&nbsp; 20 Mbps upload speeds. Sanders said that more is needed to be done by the legislature to address this issue.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669648438467.png" alt="A map of Kansas showing broadband download speeds. Map courtesy Institute for Policy and Social Research, The University of Kansas" />
 <figcaption>A map of Kansas showing broadband download speeds. Map courtesy Institute for Policy and Social Research, The University of Kansas</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;"Another thing that we're going to address that is absolutely critical is rural broadband access. There are vast areas of this state where you don't have an internet connection, and if you do it isn't very good," Sanders said. "If we're going to attract population, to this state, somewhere other than northeast Kansas - we don't have any trouble attracting population there, but to the rural areas of this state, the areas that I and several of my colleagues represent, we have got to have rural broadband access. And so that's something I'm going to be working on."&nbsp;<h2>2022 campaign</h2>Sanders said that the campaign cycle this election was more amicable than the last time he ran for office.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Last time, there was a lot of rancor. You know, I'm sure that I participated in that to somewhat of an extent, but I was really being attacked last time. I appreciate that. Sarah Crews didn't run a campaign that was interested in doing that. We pretty much stuck to the issues."&nbsp;&nbsp;Now that the door-knocking, campaigning and stump speeches are over, Rep. Sanders said that he was surprised that of the doors he knocked on, many of his constituents didn't have much to say.&nbsp;&nbsp;"A lot of times, people aren't really that interested in talking to you [the candidate.]" Sanders said. "I mean, they're pleasant, they're not impolite by any means - but they say, 'Oh, thank you, or I'll consider on voting for you or whatever.' You don't,&nbsp; hear that much at the doors, which is kind of surprising."&nbsp;<h2>Makeup of the 2023 Legislature and closing remarks</h2>Of the 125 representatives in the Kansas House, 85 of them will be Republicans in the 2023 legislative session, that is one less than they had last session.&nbsp;&nbsp;"It would have made a world of difference if Derek Schmidt had been elected governor, and from my perspective," Sanders said. "If you've got same party governor, then you need 63 votes to pass a piece of legislation in the House, and there's a strong possibility the governor is going to sign it. If you have a Democrat governor, like we will continue to have you can pass legislation with 63 or 65 or 71 votes or at 83, but if she vetoes something, then we've got to muster at least four votes to override Kelly's vetoes."&nbsp;Sanders said that getting four people to be on the same page on controversial bills is hard to do, which means Republicans in Kansas have a slightly steeper hill to climb to override Kelly's vetoes.&nbsp;&nbsp;"She is probably the most veto-overridden governor in our history. Two sessions ago, she had nine overrides in one morning, nine pieces of things she had vetoed, we overrode. And we didn't do quite as well, this past time around," Sanders said.&nbsp;&nbsp;"I think that we have a more like-minded group this session," Sanders said. "It's not necessarily all well, some of us - a lot of us, would've liked to be at 90 or 92. But that is not the reality."&nbsp;

State Rep. discusses upcoming Kansas legislative session

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House gave final approval Thursday to legislation protecting same-sex marriages, a monumental step in a decadeslong battle for nationwide recognition of such unions that reflects a stunning turnaround in societal attitudes.

(Click below to watch Speaker Pelosi and Members of the Equality Caucus, sign the Respect for Marriage Act.)

President Joe Biden is expected to promptly sign the measure, which requires all states to recognize same-sex marriages, a relief for hundreds of thousands of couples who have married since the Supreme Court’s 2015 decision that legalized those marriages nationwide.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-religion-gay-rights-marriage-clarence-thomas-2d09d9213472d04195c64d09644f124c">bipartisan legislation,</a>&nbsp;which passed 258-169 with almost 40 Republican votes, would also protect interracial unions by requiring states to recognize legal marriages regardless of “sex, race, ethnicity, or national origin.” Kansas 3rd District Congresswoman Sharice Davids was the only member of the Kansas House delegation to vote in favor of the bill.

After months of talks, the Senate passed the bill last week with 12 Republican votes.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In debate ahead of the vote, several gay members of Congress talked about what it would mean for them and their families. Rep. Chris Pappas, D-N.H., said he was set to marry “the love of my life” next year and that it is “unthinkable” that his marriage might not be recognized in some states.

Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Wis., said he and his husband should be able to visit each other in the hospital just like any other married couple and receive spousal benefits “regardless of if your spouse’s name Samuel or Samantha.”

Rep. David Cicilline, D-R.I., said that the idea of marriage equality used to be a “far fetched idea, Now it’s the law of the land and supported by the vast majority of Americans.”

Democrats moved the bill quickly through the House and Senate after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">Supreme Court’s June decision that overturned the federal right to an abortion.</a>&nbsp;That ruling included a concurring opinion from Justice Clarence Thomas that suggested same-sex marriage should also be reconsidered.

The legislation lost some Republican support since July, when 47 Republicans voted for it — a robust and unexpected show of support that kick-started serious negotiations in the Senate. But most of those lawmakers held firm.

“To me this is really just standing with the Constitution,” said Republican Rep. Ann Wagner of Missouri, who voted for it both times. She pushed back on GOP arguments that it would affect religious rights of those who don't believe in same sex marriage.

“No one’s religious. liberties are affected in any way, shape or form,” Wagner said.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., presided over the vote as one of her last acts in leadership before stepping aside in January. She said the legislation "will ensure that “the federal government will never again stand in the way of marrying the person you love.”

The legislation would not require states to allow same-sex couples to marry, as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-courts-marriage-supreme-court-of-the-united-states-united-states-government-9e1933cd1e1a4e969ab45f5952bbb45f">Supreme Court's 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges decision now does</a>. But it would require states to recognize all marriages that were legal where they were performed and it would protect current same-sex unions if the Obergefell decision were overturned.

While it's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-oklahoma-couples-marriage-fd530c9c3042503f134d5e09af9afb8f">not everything</a>&nbsp;advocates may have wanted, passage of the legislation represents a watershed moment. Just a decade ago, many Republicans openly campaigned on blocking same-sex marriages; today more than two-thirds of the public support them.

Still, most Republicans opposed the legislation and some conservative advocacy groups lobbied aggressively against it in recent weeks, arguing that it doesn’t do enough to protect those who want to refuse services for same-sex couples.

“God’s perfect design is indeed marriage between one man and one woman for life,” said Rep. Bob Good, R-Va, ahead of the vote. “And it doesn’t matter what you think or what I think, that’s what the Bible says.”

Rep. Vicky Hartzler, R-Mo., choked up as she begged colleagues to vote against the bill, which she said undermines “natural marriage” between a man and a woman.

“I’ll tell you my priorities,” Hartzler said. “Protect religious liberty, protect people of faith and protect Americans who believe in the true meaning of marriage.”

Democrats in the Senate, led by Wisconsin's Tammy Baldwin and Arizona's Kyrsten Sinema, tried to address those GOP concerns by negotiating an amendment that would clarify that the legislation does not affect the rights of private individuals or businesses that are already enshrined in current law. The amended bill would also make clear that a marriage is between two people, an effort to ward off some far-right criticism that the legislation could endorse polygamy.

In the end, several religious groups, including The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-relationships-gay-rights-utah-07847f4b7e3e96d81c10a298a199b860">came out</a>&nbsp;in support of the bill. The Mormon church said it would support rights for same-sex couples as long as they didn’t infringe upon religious groups’ right to believe as they choose.

Thursday's vote came as the LGBTQ community has faced violent attacks, such as the shooting earlier this month at a gay nightclub in Colorado that killed five people and injured at least 17.

“We have been through a lot,” said Kelley Robinson, the incoming president of the advocacy group Human Rights Campaign. But Robinson says the votes show “in such an important way” that the country values LBGTQ people.

“We are part of the full story of what it means to be an American,” said Robinson, who was inside the Senate chamber for last week’s vote with her wife and young son. “It really speaks to them validating our love.”

The vote was personal for many senators, too. The day the bill passed their chamber, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer was wearing the tie he wore at his daughter’s wedding to another woman. He recalled that day as “one of the happiest moments of my life.”

Baldwin, the first openly gay senator who has been working on gay rights issues for almost four decades, tearfully hugged Schumer as the final vote was underway. She tweeted thanks to the same-sex and interracial couples who she said made the moment possible.

“By living as your true selves, you changed the hearts and minds of people around you,” she wrote.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670518871901.png" alt="House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Leader Chuck Schumer celebrate passage of HR 8404, the Respect for Marriage Act." />
 <figcaption>House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Leader Chuck Schumer celebrate passage of HR 8404, the Respect for Marriage Act.</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The House gave final approval Thursday to legislation protecting same-sex marriages, a monumental step in a decadeslong battle for nationwide recognition of such unions that reflects a stunning turnaround in societal attitudes.(Click below to watch Speaker Pelosi and Members of the Equality Caucus, sign the Respect for Marriage Act.)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FNancyPelosi%2Fvideos%2F1336075067163768%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=126" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>President Joe Biden is expected to promptly sign the measure, which requires all states to recognize same-sex marriages, a relief for hundreds of thousands of couples who have married since the Supreme Court’s 2015 decision that legalized those marriages nationwide.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-religion-gay-rights-marriage-clarence-thomas-2d09d9213472d04195c64d09644f124c">bipartisan legislation,</a>&nbsp;which passed 258-169 with almost 40 Republican votes, would also protect interracial unions by requiring states to recognize legal marriages regardless of “sex, race, ethnicity, or national origin.” Kansas 3rd District Congresswoman Sharice Davids was the only member of the Kansas House delegation to vote in favor of the bill.After months of talks, the Senate passed the bill last week with 12 Republican votes.&nbsp;&nbsp;In debate ahead of the vote, several gay members of Congress talked about what it would mean for them and their families. Rep. Chris Pappas, D-N.H., said he was set to marry “the love of my life” next year and that it is “unthinkable” that his marriage might not be recognized in some states.Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Wis., said he and his husband should be able to visit each other in the hospital just like any other married couple and receive spousal benefits “regardless of if your spouse’s name Samuel or Samantha.”Rep. David Cicilline, D-R.I., said that the idea of marriage equality used to be a “far fetched idea, Now it’s the law of the land and supported by the vast majority of Americans.”Democrats moved the bill quickly through the House and Senate after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">Supreme Court’s June decision that overturned the federal right to an abortion.</a>&nbsp;That ruling included a concurring opinion from Justice Clarence Thomas that suggested same-sex marriage should also be reconsidered.The legislation lost some Republican support since July, when 47 Republicans voted for it — a robust and unexpected show of support that kick-started serious negotiations in the Senate. But most of those lawmakers held firm.“To me this is really just standing with the Constitution,” said Republican Rep. Ann Wagner of Missouri, who voted for it both times. She pushed back on GOP arguments that it would affect religious rights of those who don't believe in same sex marriage.“No one’s religious. liberties are affected in any way, shape or form,” Wagner said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670513089801.png" alt="House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the legislation "will ensure that “the federal government will never again stand in the way of marrying the person you love.”-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the legislation "will ensure that “the federal government will never again stand in the way of marrying the person you love.”-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., presided over the vote as one of her last acts in leadership before stepping aside in January. She said the legislation "will ensure that “the federal government will never again stand in the way of marrying the person you love.”The legislation would not require states to allow same-sex couples to marry, as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-courts-marriage-supreme-court-of-the-united-states-united-states-government-9e1933cd1e1a4e969ab45f5952bbb45f">Supreme Court's 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges decision now does</a>. But it would require states to recognize all marriages that were legal where they were performed and it would protect current same-sex unions if the Obergefell decision were overturned.While it's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-oklahoma-couples-marriage-fd530c9c3042503f134d5e09af9afb8f">not everything</a>&nbsp;advocates may have wanted, passage of the legislation represents a watershed moment. Just a decade ago, many Republicans openly campaigned on blocking same-sex marriages; today more than two-thirds of the public support them.Still, most Republicans opposed the legislation and some conservative advocacy groups lobbied aggressively against it in recent weeks, arguing that it doesn’t do enough to protect those who want to refuse services for same-sex couples.“God’s perfect design is indeed marriage between one man and one woman for life,” said Rep. Bob Good, R-Va, ahead of the vote. “And it doesn’t matter what you think or what I think, that’s what the Bible says.”Rep. Vicky Hartzler, R-Mo., choked up as she begged colleagues to vote against the bill, which she said undermines “natural marriage” between a man and a woman.“I’ll tell you my priorities,” Hartzler said. “Protect religious liberty, protect people of faith and protect Americans who believe in the true meaning of marriage.”Democrats in the Senate, led by Wisconsin's Tammy Baldwin and Arizona's Kyrsten Sinema, tried to address those GOP concerns by negotiating an amendment that would clarify that the legislation does not affect the rights of private individuals or businesses that are already enshrined in current law. The amended bill would also make clear that a marriage is between two people, an effort to ward off some far-right criticism that the legislation could endorse polygamy.In the end, several religious groups, including The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-relationships-gay-rights-utah-07847f4b7e3e96d81c10a298a199b860">came out</a>&nbsp;in support of the bill. The Mormon church said it would support rights for same-sex couples as long as they didn’t infringe upon religious groups’ right to believe as they choose.Thursday's vote came as the LGBTQ community has faced violent attacks, such as the shooting earlier this month at a gay nightclub in Colorado that killed five people and injured at least 17.“We have been through a lot,” said Kelley Robinson, the incoming president of the advocacy group Human Rights Campaign. But Robinson says the votes show “in such an important way” that the country values LBGTQ people.“We are part of the full story of what it means to be an American,” said Robinson, who was inside the Senate chamber for last week’s vote with her wife and young son. “It really speaks to them validating our love.”The vote was personal for many senators, too. The day the bill passed their chamber, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer was wearing the tie he wore at his daughter’s wedding to another woman. He recalled that day as “one of the happiest moments of my life.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">PASSED: H.R. 8404 The Respect for Marriage Act 🏳️‍🌈 This is the first major LGBTQ+ civil rights bill to pass Congress in a decade. This bipartisan legislation provides crucial safeguards for same-sex &amp; interracial couples.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LoveWins?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LoveWins</a> <a href="https://t.co/Y0fZoLJgLb">pic.twitter.com/Y0fZoLJgLb</a>&mdash; LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus (@LGBTEqCaucus) <a href="https://twitter.com/LGBTEqCaucus/status/1600889118845997057?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Baldwin, the first openly gay senator who has been working on gay rights issues for almost four decades, tearfully hugged Schumer as the final vote was underway. She tweeted thanks to the same-sex and interracial couples who she said made the moment possible.“By living as your true selves, you changed the hearts and minds of people around you,” she wrote.

🎥Bill protecting same-sex marriage going to Biden for his signature

By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays Post

A 21-year-old Mexican citizen will serve a year in prison for a drunk driving crash that killed a 56-year-old Schoenchen man in October 2021.

After pleading guilty to vehicular homicide in September, Martin Efren Velazquez Cruz was sentenced Tuesday in Ellis County District Court to one year in prison.

Cruz was initially charged with six different counts in connection to the Oct. 3, 2021, crash south of Hays.

According to the Kansas Highway Patrol, Cruz was traveling southbound on U.S. 183 and tried to pass another vehicle. He collided head-on with a northbound passenger car driven by 56-year-old James Kohl of Schoenchen.

Cruz was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, “under the legal limit of .08 but to a degree that renders the person incapable of safely driving the vehicle.”

He was also charged with vehicular homicide, reckless driving, speeding, passing on left with insufficient clearance and display or possess fictitious or fraudulent ID card.

As a result of Cruz pleading guilty to vehicular homicide and entering into a diversion into the driving under the influence charge, the four other charges were dismissed by the state.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1633447475823.jpeg" alt="James Kohl courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>James Kohl courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays PostA 21-year-old Mexican citizen will serve a year in prison for a drunk driving crash that killed a 56-year-old Schoenchen man in October 2021.After pleading guilty to vehicular homicide in September, Martin Efren Velazquez Cruz was sentenced Tuesday in Ellis County District Court to one year in prison.Cruz was initially charged with six different counts in connection to the Oct. 3, 2021, crash south of Hays.According to the Kansas Highway Patrol, Cruz was traveling southbound on U.S. 183 and tried to pass another vehicle. He collided head-on with a northbound passenger car driven by 56-year-old James Kohl of Schoenchen.Kohl was killed in the accident.Cruz was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, “under the legal limit of .08 but to a degree that renders the person incapable of safely driving the vehicle.”He was also charged with vehicular homicide, reckless driving, speeding, passing on left with insufficient clearance and display or possess fictitious or fraudulent ID card.As a result of Cruz pleading guilty to vehicular homicide and entering into a diversion into the driving under the influence charge, the four other charges were dismissed by the state.In Kansas, vehicular homicide is a class A misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in prison.Cruz will also be required to pay restitution covering Kohl’s funeral costs and the cost of his car