O'FALLON, Mo. (AP) — A man who killed a police officer still faces execution later this month after a judge denied a special prosecutor's request to halt the death sentence.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/police-executions-missouri-3c5c00c2e09cc3d4639b827e374e45a1">Kevin Johnson is scheduled to die</a>&nbsp;by injection on Nov. 29. The 37-year-old killed Kirkwood, Missouri, Police Officer William McEntee in 2005.

Last month, St. Louis Circuit Judge Mary Elizabeth Ott appointed a special prosecutor to review the case. The special prosecutor, E.E. Keenan, filed a motion Tuesday night to vacate the death sentence, stating that race played a “decisive factor” in the death sentence. Johnson is Black and the slain officer was white.

But in a ruling Wednesday, Ott denied the request. The two-sentence order didn't state why.

“We are analyzing our options and intend to appeal if we cannot obtain relief in the circuit court,” Keenan said in an email on Thursday. “Our hearts go out to everyone affected by these horrible events, particularly the family of Sgt. McEntee and the law enforcement community.”

Keenan's court filing said former St. Louis County Prosecutor Bob McCulloch's office handled five cases involving the deaths of police officers during his 28 years in office. McCulloch sought the death penalty in the four cases involving Black defendants, but did not seek death in the one case where the defendant was white, the file said.

“The Special Prosecutor’s investigation and motion to vacate raise serious concerns about whether Mr. Johnson received the death penalty because he is Black,” Shawn Nolan, Johnson’s attorney, said in a statement.

McCulloch does not have a listed phone number and could not be reached for comment.

Johnson’s lawyers have cited racism concerns previously. An earlier court petition stated that if not for racial comments by two white jurors at his trial, Johnson could have been convicted of second-degree murder instead of first-degree, and been spared the death penalty.

Johnson's lawyers also have asked the courts to intervene for other reasons, including a history of mental illness and his age — 19 — at the time of the crime. Courts have increasingly moved away from sentencing teen offenders to death since the Supreme Court in 2005&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/explore/locked-up-for-life/Roper-v-Simmons">banned the execution of offenders who were younger than 18</a>&nbsp;at the time of their crime.

The Supreme Court also is weighing a request for a stay of execution. In a response filed Wednesday, the Missouri Attorney General's Office stated there were no grounds for court intervention.

“The surviving victims of Johnson’s crimes have waited long enough for justice, and every day longer that they must wait is a day they are denied the chance to finally make peace with their loss,” the state petition stated.

McEntee, a husband and father of three, was among the police officers sent to Johnson’s home on July 5, 2005, to serve a warrant for his arrest. Johnson was on probation for assaulting his girlfriend, and police believed he had violated probation.

Johnson saw officers arrive and awoke his 12-year-old brother, Joseph “Bam Bam” Long, who ran next door to their grandmother’s house. Once there, the boy, who suffered from a congenital heart defect, collapsed and began having a seizure.

Johnson testified at trial that McEntee kept his mother from entering the house to aid his brother, who died a short time later at a hospital.

Later that evening, McEntee returned to the neighborhood to check on unrelated reports of fireworks being shot off. That’s when he encountered Johnson.

Johnson pulled a gun and shot the officer. He then approached the wounded, kneeling officer and shot him again, killing him.

The execution would be the first of three in the coming months in Missouri. The state plans to execute convicted killers Scott McLaughlin on Jan. 3 and Leonard Taylor on Feb. 7.

Executions have become far less common in recent years. The nation's 16th execution was carried out Thursday in Oklahoma when convicted killer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/executions-oklahoma-mcalester-6a797ea579034b71f59cda8bc375d6ea">Richard Fairchild was put to death</a>&nbsp;for killing a 3-year-old boy. The number of executions nationally peaked at 98 in 1999.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1661445268889.png" alt="Johnson photo MODOC" />
 <figcaption>Johnson photo MODOC</figcaption>
 </figure>O'FALLON, Mo. (AP) — A man who killed a police officer still faces execution later this month after a judge denied a special prosecutor's request to halt the death sentence.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/police-executions-missouri-3c5c00c2e09cc3d4639b827e374e45a1">Kevin Johnson is scheduled to die</a>&nbsp;by injection on Nov. 29. The 37-year-old killed Kirkwood, Missouri, Police Officer William McEntee in 2005.Last month, St. Louis Circuit Judge Mary Elizabeth Ott appointed a special prosecutor to review the case. The special prosecutor, E.E. Keenan, filed a motion Tuesday night to vacate the death sentence, stating that race played a “decisive factor” in the death sentence. Johnson is Black and the slain officer was white.But in a ruling Wednesday, Ott denied the request. The two-sentence order didn't state why.“We are analyzing our options and intend to appeal if we cannot obtain relief in the circuit court,” Keenan said in an email on Thursday. “Our hearts go out to everyone affected by these horrible events, particularly the family of Sgt. McEntee and the law enforcement community.”Keenan's court filing said former St. Louis County Prosecutor Bob McCulloch's office handled five cases involving the deaths of police officers during his 28 years in office. McCulloch sought the death penalty in the four cases involving Black defendants, but did not seek death in the one case where the defendant was white, the file said.“The Special Prosecutor’s investigation and motion to vacate raise serious concerns about whether Mr. Johnson received the death penalty because he is Black,” Shawn Nolan, Johnson’s attorney, said in a statement.McCulloch does not have a listed phone number and could not be reached for comment.Johnson’s lawyers have cited racism concerns previously. An earlier court petition stated that if not for racial comments by two white jurors at his trial, Johnson could have been convicted of second-degree murder instead of first-degree, and been spared the death penalty.Johnson's lawyers also have asked the courts to intervene for other reasons, including a history of mental illness and his age — 19 — at the time of the crime. Courts have increasingly moved away from sentencing teen offenders to death since the Supreme Court in 2005&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/explore/locked-up-for-life/Roper-v-Simmons">banned the execution of offenders who were younger than 18</a>&nbsp;at the time of their crime.The Supreme Court also is weighing a request for a stay of execution. In a response filed Wednesday, the Missouri Attorney General's Office stated there were no grounds for court intervention.“The surviving victims of Johnson’s crimes have waited long enough for justice, and every day longer that they must wait is a day they are denied the chance to finally make peace with their loss,” the state petition stated.McEntee, a husband and father of three, was among the police officers sent to Johnson’s home on July 5, 2005, to serve a warrant for his arrest. Johnson was on probation for assaulting his girlfriend, and police believed he had violated probation.Johnson saw officers arrive and awoke his 12-year-old brother, Joseph “Bam Bam” Long, who ran next door to their grandmother’s house. Once there, the boy, who suffered from a congenital heart defect, collapsed and began having a seizure.Johnson testified at trial that McEntee kept his mother from entering the house to aid his brother, who died a short time later at a hospital.Later that evening, McEntee returned to the neighborhood to check on unrelated reports of fireworks being shot off. That’s when he encountered Johnson.Johnson pulled a gun and shot the officer. He then approached the wounded, kneeling officer and shot him again, killing him.The execution would be the first of three in the coming months in Missouri. The state plans to execute convicted killers Scott McLaughlin on Jan. 3 and Leonard Taylor on Feb. 7.Executions have become far less common in recent years. The nation's 16th execution was carried out Thursday in Oklahoma when convicted killer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/executions-oklahoma-mcalester-6a797ea579034b71f59cda8bc375d6ea">Richard Fairchild was put to death</a>&nbsp;for killing a 3-year-old boy. The number of executions nationally peaked at 98 in 1999.

Judge denies request to halt cop killer's execution

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration plans to ask the Supreme Court to reinstate the president's student debt cancellation plan, according to a Thursday legal filing warning that Americans will face financial strain if the plan remains stalled in court when loan payments are scheduled to restart in January.

The Justice Department is fighting to keep Biden's plan alive after it was halted by two federal courts in recent weeks. On Thursday it asked a federal appeals court in New Orleans to suspend a decision striking down Biden's plan, and in the same filing it announced plans to ask the Supreme Court to overturn a St. Louis appeals court that halted the plan.

Biden’s plan promises $10,000 in federal student debt forgiveness to those with incomes of less than $125,000, or households earning less than $250,000. Pell Grant recipients, who typically demonstrate more financial need, are eligible for an additional $10,000 in relief.

Keeping the debt relief on hold would leave the government with an “unnecessarily perilous choice,” the administration argued in its filing Thursday. If it restarts student loan payments as planned on Jan. 1, millions of Americans will get billed for debt that was promised to be canceled. But if the government extends the payment pause, it will cost billions of dollars in lost revenue.

It builds on arguments the administration made in other filings this week, warning that many Americans won't be able to pay their student debt bills in January if the cancellation plan remains halted.

For typical borrowers, monthly payments would be $200 to $300 higher than they would be if Biden’s plan goes through, the Education Department said. The strain could lead to soaring default rates, which have increased by an average of twentyfold in the wake of other natural disasters.

“We anticipate there could be an historically large increase in the amount of federal student loan delinquency and defaults as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Education Undersecretary James Kvaal said in a Tuesday filing. “This could result in one of the harms that the one-time student loan debt relief program was intended to avoid.”

Biden's plan has drawn a flurry of legal challenges, which have seen mixed results. Opponents of debt forgiveness have asked the Supreme Court to intervene at least twice after their cases failed in lower courts. The Supreme Court rejected both requests.

In its new filing, the Justice Department asks an appeals court to lift a decision from U.S. District Court Judge Mark Pittman&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-texas-education-donald-trump-student-loans-f2e944d85e95792089fa1e2fb9858287">striking down</a>&nbsp;Biden’s plan. Pittman, who was appointed by former President Donald Trump and is based in Fort Worth, Texas, ruled last week that Biden's plan oversteps his presidential authority and usurps Congress' powers to make laws.

It stemmed from a lawsuit brought by two borrowers who are not eligible for relief under the parameters of Biden’s plan. The program was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-business-education-st-louis-student-loans-cf8136bfc75bd70839e9326cabbbf029">separately halted</a>&nbsp;by a St. Louis court after six Republican-led states said it would harm financial institutions.

Almost 26 million people already have applied for the relief, with 16 million approved, but the Education Department&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-business-education-student-loans-government-and-politics-06a1160237717b16091ec864b2a56e4d">stopped accepting and processing applications</a>&nbsp;last week after the plan was ruled illegal.

The White House says it will prevail in court, but the barrage of lawsuits has thrown Biden’s plan into jeopardy. It’s now uncertain whether 40 million borrowers who were promised debt relief will have to start making payments on that debt in January.

The biggest risk is for 18 million borrowers who were told their entire loan balance would be canceled. Even if payments restart, those borrowers might think they’re in the clear and ignore the bills, the Education Department has warned.

Borrowers who fall behind on payments can face heavy consequences, including damage to their credit scores and the withholding of wages and tax refunds.

Advocates and some Democrats in Congress are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-business-education-government-and-politics-3f7971456f690281326a2f27b3772b30">pressuring Biden to extend the payment pause</a>&nbsp;until all legal challenges are resolved, despite his previous assurance that the freeze would end after Dec. 31.

In a Tuesday filing, the Education Department said it’s “examining all available options.” But it warned that extending the pause could cost the federal government “several billion dollars a month in unrecovered loan revenue.”

The freeze already has cost the federal government more than $100 billion in revenue, according to a July report by the Government Accountability Office. Critics caution that another extension could worsen inflation and increase the risk of economic recession.

In a separate action targeting student debt, the Education and Justice departments announced a new policy aiming to make it easier for borrowers to get student loans canceled in bankruptcy court.

When borrowers in bankruptcy try to get their federal student loans canceled, lawyers for the government have typically moved to block it.

Advocates have long complained that only a tiny fraction of borrowers in bankruptcy succeed in getting their student loans erased, and many lawyers won't even take those cases on. As a presidential candidate, Biden promised to fix the problem.

The Justice Department on Thursday sent new guidance to its attorneys clarifying when they can support a borrower's request for student debt forgiveness. Judges still have the final say, but the department said its guidance will lead to “fairer, more consistent results.”

Separately, a federal judge on Wednesday approved an Education Department settlement that will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/education-lawsuits-student-loans-17ee728e5141bf0b02c96ee7def4910e">cancel $6 billion in student debt</a>&nbsp;for borrowers who say they were defrauded by for-profit colleges. The deal was proposed in June but was delayed amid a challenge by several schools.

A federal judge in San Francisco concluded that the settlement is fair. Advocates and the Biden administration applauded the approval, while a for-profit college industry group promised to appeal the decision.

Under the settlement, the Education Department agreed to cancel loans for about 200,000 borrowers who went to one of more than 150 for-profit colleges and later applied for cancellation because of misconduct by their schools.

It stems from a 2019 lawsuit accusing the Trump administration of intentionally stalling the loan relief program while it rewrote the rules.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668197313548.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration plans to ask the Supreme Court to reinstate the president's student debt cancellation plan, according to a Thursday legal filing warning that Americans will face financial strain if the plan remains stalled in court when loan payments are scheduled to restart in January.The Justice Department is fighting to keep Biden's plan alive after it was halted by two federal courts in recent weeks. On Thursday it asked a federal appeals court in New Orleans to suspend a decision striking down Biden's plan, and in the same filing it announced plans to ask the Supreme Court to overturn a St. Louis appeals court that halted the plan.Biden’s plan promises $10,000 in federal student debt forgiveness to those with incomes of less than $125,000, or households earning less than $250,000. Pell Grant recipients, who typically demonstrate more financial need, are eligible for an additional $10,000 in relief.Keeping the debt relief on hold would leave the government with an “unnecessarily perilous choice,” the administration argued in its filing Thursday. If it restarts student loan payments as planned on Jan. 1, millions of Americans will get billed for debt that was promised to be canceled. But if the government extends the payment pause, it will cost billions of dollars in lost revenue.It builds on arguments the administration made in other filings this week, warning that many Americans won't be able to pay their student debt bills in January if the cancellation plan remains halted.For typical borrowers, monthly payments would be $200 to $300 higher than they would be if Biden’s plan goes through, the Education Department said. The strain could lead to soaring default rates, which have increased by an average of twentyfold in the wake of other natural disasters.“We anticipate there could be an historically large increase in the amount of federal student loan delinquency and defaults as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Education Undersecretary James Kvaal said in a Tuesday filing. “This could result in one of the harms that the one-time student loan debt relief program was intended to avoid.”Biden's plan has drawn a flurry of legal challenges, which have seen mixed results. Opponents of debt forgiveness have asked the Supreme Court to intervene at least twice after their cases failed in lower courts. The Supreme Court rejected both requests.In its new filing, the Justice Department asks an appeals court to lift a decision from U.S. District Court Judge Mark Pittman&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-texas-education-donald-trump-student-loans-f2e944d85e95792089fa1e2fb9858287">striking down</a>&nbsp;Biden’s plan. Pittman, who was appointed by former President Donald Trump and is based in Fort Worth, Texas, ruled last week that Biden's plan oversteps his presidential authority and usurps Congress' powers to make laws.It stemmed from a lawsuit brought by two borrowers who are not eligible for relief under the parameters of Biden’s plan. The program was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-business-education-st-louis-student-loans-cf8136bfc75bd70839e9326cabbbf029">separately halted</a>&nbsp;by a St. Louis court after six Republican-led states said it would harm financial institutions.Almost 26 million people already have applied for the relief, with 16 million approved, but the Education Department&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-business-education-student-loans-government-and-politics-06a1160237717b16091ec864b2a56e4d">stopped accepting and processing applications</a>&nbsp;last week after the plan was ruled illegal.The White House says it will prevail in court, but the barrage of lawsuits has thrown Biden’s plan into jeopardy. It’s now uncertain whether 40 million borrowers who were promised debt relief will have to start making payments on that debt in January.The biggest risk is for 18 million borrowers who were told their entire loan balance would be canceled. Even if payments restart, those borrowers might think they’re in the clear and ignore the bills, the Education Department has warned.Borrowers who fall behind on payments can face heavy consequences, including damage to their credit scores and the withholding of wages and tax refunds.Advocates and some Democrats in Congress are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-business-education-government-and-politics-3f7971456f690281326a2f27b3772b30">pressuring Biden to extend the payment pause</a>&nbsp;until all legal challenges are resolved, despite his previous assurance that the freeze would end after Dec. 31.In a Tuesday filing, the Education Department said it’s “examining all available options.” But it warned that extending the pause could cost the federal government “several billion dollars a month in unrecovered loan revenue.”The freeze already has cost the federal government more than $100 billion in revenue, according to a July report by the Government Accountability Office. Critics caution that another extension could worsen inflation and increase the risk of economic recession.In a separate action targeting student debt, the Education and Justice departments announced a new policy aiming to make it easier for borrowers to get student loans canceled in bankruptcy court.When borrowers in bankruptcy try to get their federal student loans canceled, lawyers for the government have typically moved to block it.Advocates have long complained that only a tiny fraction of borrowers in bankruptcy succeed in getting their student loans erased, and many lawyers won't even take those cases on. As a presidential candidate, Biden promised to fix the problem.The Justice Department on Thursday sent new guidance to its attorneys clarifying when they can support a borrower's request for student debt forgiveness. Judges still have the final say, but the department said its guidance will lead to “fairer, more consistent results.”Separately, a federal judge on Wednesday approved an Education Department settlement that will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/education-lawsuits-student-loans-17ee728e5141bf0b02c96ee7def4910e">cancel $6 billion in student debt</a>&nbsp;for borrowers who say they were defrauded by for-profit colleges. The deal was proposed in June but was delayed amid a challenge by several schools.A federal judge in San Francisco concluded that the settlement is fair. Advocates and the Biden administration applauded the approval, while a for-profit college industry group promised to appeal the decision.Under the settlement, the Education Department agreed to cancel loans for about 200,000 borrowers who went to one of more than 150 for-profit colleges and later applied for cancellation because of misconduct by their schools.It stems from a 2019 lawsuit accusing the Trump administration of intentionally stalling the loan relief program while it rewrote the rules.

Student debt cancellation battle may go to Supreme Court

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A man accused hitting and killing two people who were changing a tire on an SUV November 10, made his first court appearance on Wednesday.

Travis Mock, 26 of Wichita, is charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter while driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2014 Ram pickup driven by Mock&nbsp; was northbound on the ramp from Interstate 135 to eastbound Kansas 96 in north central Wichita.

The pickup left the roadway and struck and killed two people changing a driver side tire on a 2002 Chevy Trailblazer.

The victims were identified as 20-year-old&nbsp; Christian L.&nbsp;Evans of Elk City, Kansas and 18-year-old Emily M. Stein of Wichita. They were pronounced dead at the scene.

Attorneys in the case are scheduled to discuss it on November 28. Mock&nbsp; remains in jail on a $250,000 bond, according to the district attorney.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668129627770.png" alt="First responders on the scene of fatal crash -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>First responders on the scene of fatal crash -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A man accused hitting and killing two people who were changing a tire on an SUV November 10, made his first court appearance on Wednesday.Travis Mock, 26 of Wichita, is charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter while driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2014 Ram pickup driven by Mock&nbsp; was northbound on the ramp from Interstate 135 to eastbound Kansas 96 in north central Wichita.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668629657672.png" alt="Mock-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Mock-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>The pickup left the roadway and struck and killed two people changing a driver side tire on a 2002 Chevy Trailblazer.The victims were identified as 20-year-old&nbsp; Christian L.&nbsp;Evans of Elk City, Kansas and 18-year-old Emily M. Stein of Wichita. They were pronounced dead at the scene.Attorneys in the case are scheduled to discuss it on November 28. Mock&nbsp; remains in jail on a $250,000 bond, according to the district attorney.

Kan. man charged for crash that killed 2 who were changing a tire

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Ticketmaster says <a href="https://twitter.com/Ticketmaster/status/1593333211769106433">it is canceling Friday's planned general public sale</a> for Taylor Swift's upcoming stadium tour because it doesn't have enough tickets.

The decision came two days after a presale event caused the site to crash and <a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-ticketmaster-concert-tickets-parents-34399cca6403c97f0983a5c69c7edec0">left many fans without tickets</a>. The ticketing company <a href="https://business.ticketmaster.com/business-solutions/the-taylor-swift-on-sale-explained-2/">said in a statement Thursday</a>
 two million tickets to The Eras tour next year were sold during 
presales on Tuesday, the most tickets ever sold on the platform in a 
single day.

Ticketmaster cited "extraordinarily high demands on 
ticketing systems and insufficient remaining ticket inventory to meet 
that demand" as a reason for calling off Friday's sale.

Questions 
remain about how remaining tickets — and how many — would be sold. But 
Ticketmaster said about 1.5 million fans who had gone through an early 
verification process — called Verified Fan — were invited to purchase 
tickets and the remaining 2 million were placed on a waiting list.

A company representative said Ticketmaster is not involved in ticket resales for Swift's shows.

It's been a record year for Swift after releasing <a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-music-taylor-swift-930a204fbbfccea45f6012f0da4feef6">her latest album “Midnights," which also broke a Billboard record.</a>

The
 52-date Eras Tour kicks off March 17 in Glendale, Arizona, and wraps up
 with five shows in Los Angeles ending Aug. 9. International dates will 
be announced as well. It’s Swift’s first tour since 2018.

But fans and families around the country <a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-ticketmaster-concert-tickets-parents-34399cca6403c97f0983a5c69c7edec0">battled it out with long queues and error messages</a> to try to race to the checkout cart.

Ticketmaster
 said that the site was overwhelmed both by real people and bot attacks 
resulting in unprecedented traffic on their site. The statement said 
about 15 percent of interactions with the site had problems, including 
errors that caused people to lose tickets after they had waited in an 
online queue.

"While it’s impossible for everyone to get tickets 
to these shows, we know we can do more to improve the experience and 
that’s what we’re focused on," the company statement said.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Ticketmaster says <a href="https://twitter.com/Ticketmaster/status/1593333211769106433">it is canceling Friday's planned general public sale</a> for Taylor Swift's upcoming stadium tour because it doesn't have enough tickets.The decision came two days after a presale event caused the site to crash and <a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-ticketmaster-concert-tickets-parents-34399cca6403c97f0983a5c69c7edec0">left many fans without tickets</a>. The ticketing company <a href="https://business.ticketmaster.com/business-solutions/the-taylor-swift-on-sale-explained-2/">said in a statement Thursday</a>
 two million tickets to The Eras tour next year were sold during 
presales on Tuesday, the most tickets ever sold on the platform in a 
single day.Ticketmaster cited "extraordinarily high demands on 
ticketing systems and insufficient remaining ticket inventory to meet 
that demand" as a reason for calling off Friday's sale.Questions 
remain about how remaining tickets — and how many — would be sold. But 
Ticketmaster said about 1.5 million fans who had gone through an early 
verification process — called Verified Fan — were invited to purchase 
tickets and the remaining 2 million were placed on a waiting list.A company representative said Ticketmaster is not involved in ticket resales for Swift's shows.It's been a record year for Swift after releasing <a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-music-taylor-swift-930a204fbbfccea45f6012f0da4feef6">her latest album “Midnights," which also broke a Billboard record.</a>The
 52-date Eras Tour kicks off March 17 in Glendale, Arizona, and wraps up
 with five shows in Los Angeles ending Aug. 9. International dates will 
be announced as well. It’s Swift’s first tour since 2018.But fans and families around the country <a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-ticketmaster-concert-tickets-parents-34399cca6403c97f0983a5c69c7edec0">battled it out with long queues and error messages</a> to try to race to the checkout cart.Ticketmaster
 said that the site was overwhelmed both by real people and bot attacks 
resulting in unprecedented traffic on their site. The statement said 
about 15 percent of interactions with the site had problems, including 
errors that caused people to lose tickets after they had waited in an 
online queue."While it’s impossible for everyone to get tickets 
to these shows, we know we can do more to improve the experience and 
that’s what we’re focused on," the company statement said.Cover image courtesy Pixabay

Ticketmaster canceling next Taylor Swift concert ticket sale

Two Ellis County residents face rape and other charges related to an incident in March 2021.&nbsp;

According to court records, Michael Patrick Schmidt, 22, and Casey Ray Robben, 22, appeared in Ellis County District Court this week after an arrest warrant was issued for both men on Nov. 7.

In the filed criminal complaints, Robben was charged with rape, aggravated criminal sodomy and breach of privacy.

Schmidt was charged with rape and aggravated criminal sodomy.

The charges stem from an incident alleged to have occurred on March 17, 2021.

During the incident, the unidentified victim was said to have been assaulted by both men while intoxicated and unable to offer consent, according to court documents.

Robben also allegedly filmed the victim in a state of undress and is accused of sharing that video without consent.

Schmidt was also charged on suspicion of rape in a second incident reported to have occurred with a separate unidentified victim on August 12, 2021.

Bond for Schmidt was set at $100,000, and he was no longer listed as being held in the Ellis County jail as of Thursday morning.

A hearing to reduce a $250,000 bond for Robben was set for 10 a.m. Thursday. The motion was presented through his attorney Andrew Walter and sought his release without a bond but under the supervision of a court services officer.

By JAMES BELL Hays PostTwo Ellis County residents face rape and other charges related to an incident in March 2021.&nbsp;According to court records, Michael Patrick Schmidt, 22, and Casey Ray Robben, 22, appeared in Ellis County District Court this week after an arrest warrant was issued for both men on Nov. 7.In the filed criminal complaints, Robben was charged with rape, aggravated criminal sodomy and breach of privacy.Schmidt was charged with rape and aggravated criminal sodomy.The charges stem from an incident alleged to have occurred on March 17, 2021.During the incident, the unidentified victim was said to have been assaulted by both men while intoxicated and unable to offer consent, according to court documents.Robben also allegedly filmed the victim in a state of undress and is accused of sharing that video without consent.Schmidt was also charged on suspicion of rape in a second incident reported to have occurred with a separate unidentified victim on August 12, 2021.Bond for Schmidt was set at $100,000, and he was no longer listed as being held in the Ellis County jail as of Thursday morning.A hearing to reduce a $250,000 bond for Robben was set for 10 a.m. Thursday. The motion was presented through his attorney Andrew Walter and sought his release without a bond but under the supervision of a court services officer.

Two Kansas men accused of rape, sharing video of victim

SHAWNEE COUNTY —One person died in a house fire Thursday in Topeka.

Just before 4:30a.m., crews responded to the report of a house fire at 1814 SW Randolph Street, according to Fire Marshal Alan Stahl.

 While fire crews were on their way to the fire, they were notified of the possibility of occupants still being in the home.

&nbsp;Firefighters made an attack on the fire and quickly extinguished it. During a search of the one story home, investigators found one victim identified as 68-year-old Kenneth L. Lindeen, 68, of Topeka.&nbsp; He was pronounced dead.

The total damage is estimated to be $90,000, with $55,000 associated with structural loss and $35,000 associated with content loss.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668717497568.png" alt="The total damage is estimated to be $90,000, with $55,000 associated with structural loss and $35,000 associated with content loss-photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>The total damage is estimated to be $90,000, with $55,000 associated with structural loss and $35,000 associated with content loss-photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —One person died in a house fire Thursday in Topeka.Just before 4:30a.m., crews responded to the report of a house fire at 1814 SW Randolph Street, according to Fire Marshal Alan Stahl. While fire crews were on their way to the fire, they were notified of the possibility of occupants still being in the home.&nbsp;Firefighters made an attack on the fire and quickly extinguished it. During a search of the one story home, investigators found one victim identified as 68-year-old Kenneth L. Lindeen, 68, of Topeka.&nbsp; He was pronounced dead.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668702628928.png" alt="Photo WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Photo WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>The total damage is estimated to be $90,000, with $55,000 associated with structural loss and $35,000 associated with content loss.

Fire Marshal IDs Kansas man who died in house fire

By BLAISE MESA <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-11-17/kansas-is-adding-court-programs-that-help-veterans-struggling-with-trauma-and-addiction">Kansas News Service</a>

TOPEKA, Kansas — Corey Schramm had been on probation twice because of legal troubles, but it didn’t help. His life before recovery was not great.

“Every day, I was either stoned, or drunk or probably both,” Schramm said.

His
 relationship with his kids suffered and he bounced from job to job. But
 his life changed when he was enrolled in veterans court, a special type
 of court exclusively for military members tailored to deal with mental 
health issues and other challenges they face.

Schramm said after 
going through the court, his marriage is as strong as it has ever been 
and his relationship with his children has improved. He is even trying 
to become an addiction counselor.

“There’s a lot more happiness 
and a lot more stuff going forward instead of backward.” said Schramm, 
who served in the Army from 2003-2012.

More people in Kansas could
 be receiving that type of help soon because $3.1 million in grants will
 establish programs in Shawnee, Sedgwick and Leavenworth counties. The 
funding will be paid out over four years.

These three courts join 
the two specialty programs that already exist in Johnson County and 
Wyandotte County. All five veterans courts could be launched by January 
2023.

The money will also create a statewide specialty court 
coordinator position. This position will first focus on the veterans 
program before overseeing other courts.

These courts work by 
building a support group around veterans, including parole officers, 
rehab specialists and others who served in the military. Mental health 
and substance abuse courts exist for members of the general public, 
though it depends county by county if they are available.

Schramm said there is a special bond between service members that this type of court leverages.

“The
 staff in veterans court kind of understood what made you tick,” he 
said. “I don’t think (civilians will) ever understand unless you 
actually go through it.”

One in four active duty members show 
signs of mental health conditions, a 2014 study from JAMA Psychiatry 
found. Those issues might also be specific to veterans, like PTSD from 
being deployed, which is why a court specifically focusing on that 
population can help.

Veterans courts, like all specialty courts, 
are no walk in the park. They could involve regular supervision, 
counseling and even drug tests – which for Schramm sometimes came five 
times a week.

Johnson County Judge Timothy McCarthy said service 
members likely need a combination of mental health and substance abuse 
services, something these specialty courts combine.

About 10 
people graduate from the Johnson County veterans court each year, and 
that program has graduated about 60 people since its inception in 2016. 
Another 20 are currently in the program.

McCarthy said these 
courts save taxpayers money because the services can keep people out of 
jail or prison, which are far more expensive. He said about 95% of the 
people who graduate from the court avoid future legal troubles, a better
 rate than other court programs.

Veterans courts are starting to 
boom across the country. Johnson County’s court was the 287th in the 
country, but now there are over 600. The first court was launched in 
2008 by now-retired judge Robert Russell in Buffalo, New York.

Russell said on a <a href="https://bja.ojp.gov/podcast/story-of-veterans-treatment-courts" target="_blank">Department of Justice podcast</a>
 that military members were coming to his court often with substance use
 and mental health issues. He remembers one instance of a veteran being 
unresponsive to treatment and when Russell asked him why, he barely got a
 response. The person didn’t even make eye contact with the judge.

It
 wasn’t until two veterans who were also in court that day talked to the
 person and convinced them to engage more with treatment.

Bill 
Turner, director of the Kansas Commission on Veterans Affairs Office, 
said these programs also help connect people with service in the 
Department of Veterans Affairs.

Northeast Kansas has a large swath
 of veterans, and Topeka, Wichita and Leavenworth have the three VA 
medical centers in the state – though plenty of outpatient clinics are 
scattered throughout Kansas.

Turner, a retired brigadier general, 
said the courts could provide a more comfortable way to engage in VA 
services. Having court personnel and other service members also adds an 
extra layer of accountability.

“This is a proactive program,” Turner said. “It's a proactive way to get veterans to … (get) this help.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668694220881.png" alt="Corey Schramm (middle) graduates from a veterans court in Johnson County next to U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids (right). Courtesy Corey Schramm" />
 <figcaption>Corey Schramm (middle) graduates from a veterans court in Johnson County next to U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids (right). Courtesy Corey Schramm</figcaption>
 </figure>By BLAISE MESA <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-11-17/kansas-is-adding-court-programs-that-help-veterans-struggling-with-trauma-and-addiction">Kansas News Service</a>TOPEKA, Kansas — Corey Schramm had been on probation twice because of legal troubles, but it didn’t help. His life before recovery was not great.“Every day, I was either stoned, or drunk or probably both,” Schramm said.His
 relationship with his kids suffered and he bounced from job to job. But
 his life changed when he was enrolled in veterans court, a special type
 of court exclusively for military members tailored to deal with mental 
health issues and other challenges they face.Schramm said after 
going through the court, his marriage is as strong as it has ever been 
and his relationship with his children has improved. He is even trying 
to become an addiction counselor.“There’s a lot more happiness 
and a lot more stuff going forward instead of backward.” said Schramm, 
who served in the Army from 2003-2012.More people in Kansas could
 be receiving that type of help soon because $3.1 million in grants will
 establish programs in Shawnee, Sedgwick and Leavenworth counties. The 
funding will be paid out over four years.These three courts join 
the two specialty programs that already exist in Johnson County and 
Wyandotte County. All five veterans courts could be launched by January 
2023.The money will also create a statewide specialty court 
coordinator position. This position will first focus on the veterans 
program before overseeing other courts.These courts work by 
building a support group around veterans, including parole officers, 
rehab specialists and others who served in the military. Mental health 
and substance abuse courts exist for members of the general public, 
though it depends county by county if they are available.Schramm said there is a special bond between service members that this type of court leverages.“The
 staff in veterans court kind of understood what made you tick,” he 
said. “I don’t think (civilians will) ever understand unless you 
actually go through it.”One in four active duty members show 
signs of mental health conditions, a 2014 study from JAMA Psychiatry 
found. Those issues might also be specific to veterans, like PTSD from 
being deployed, which is why a court specifically focusing on that 
population can help.Veterans courts, like all specialty courts, 
are no walk in the park. They could involve regular supervision, 
counseling and even drug tests – which for Schramm sometimes came five 
times a week.Johnson County Judge Timothy McCarthy said service 
members likely need a combination of mental health and substance abuse 
services, something these specialty courts combine.About 10 
people graduate from the Johnson County veterans court each year, and 
that program has graduated about 60 people since its inception in 2016. 
Another 20 are currently in the program.McCarthy said these 
courts save taxpayers money because the services can keep people out of 
jail or prison, which are far more expensive. He said about 95% of the 
people who graduate from the court avoid future legal troubles, a better
 rate than other court programs.Veterans courts are starting to 
boom across the country. Johnson County’s court was the 287th in the 
country, but now there are over 600. The first court was launched in 
2008 by now-retired judge Robert Russell in Buffalo, New York.Russell said on a <a href="https://bja.ojp.gov/podcast/story-of-veterans-treatment-courts" target="_blank">Department of Justice podcast</a>
 that military members were coming to his court often with substance use
 and mental health issues. He remembers one instance of a veteran being 
unresponsive to treatment and when Russell asked him why, he barely got a
 response. The person didn’t even make eye contact with the judge.It
 wasn’t until two veterans who were also in court that day talked to the
 person and convinced them to engage more with treatment.Bill 
Turner, director of the Kansas Commission on Veterans Affairs Office, 
said these programs also help connect people with service in the 
Department of Veterans Affairs.Northeast Kansas has a large swath
 of veterans, and Topeka, Wichita and Leavenworth have the three VA 
medical centers in the state – though plenty of outpatient clinics are 
scattered throughout Kansas.Turner, a retired brigadier general, 
said the courts could provide a more comfortable way to engage in VA 
services. Having court personnel and other service members also adds an 
extra layer of accountability.“This is a proactive program,” Turner said. “It's a proactive way to get veterans to … (get) this help.”

Kansas court programs help vets struggling with trauma, addiction

WASHINGTON (AP) —Among U.S. faith leaders and denominations, there are sharp differences over the bill advancing in the Senate that would protect same-sex and interracial marriages in federal law.

The measure, a high priority for congressional Democrats, won a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/same-sex-marriage-senate-democrats-d09d4716102cf003212bab1f970e6a41">key test vote</a>&nbsp;Wednesday when 12 Senate Republicans joined all Democrats to forward the bill for a final vote in the coming days. At least 10 GOP senators were needed for that to happen.

On Tuesday, one of the most prominent conservative-leaning denominations --&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-relationships-gay-rights-utah-07847f4b7e3e96d81c10a298a199b860">The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints</a>&nbsp;-- came out in favor of the legislation. But the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention remain opposed, saying the bill – even with a newly added amendment aimed at attracting Republican support – is a dire threat to religious liberty.

A paramount concern for these leaders of the country's two largest denominations is that even the updated bill would not protect religious schools or faith-based nonprofits such as adoption and foster care providers.

The bill “is an intentional attack on the religious freedom of millions of Americans with sincerely held beliefs about marriage, based on dictates of faith in God,” leaders of the Missouri Baptist Convention, an SBC affiliate, said in a letter this week to U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt, a Missouri Republican.

The letter failed to sway Blunt; he voted for the bill.

Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, chairman of the Catholic bishops’ Committee for Religious Liberty, dismissed the bipartisan amendment as failing even the “meager goal” of preserving the status quo in balancing religious freedom with the right to same-sex marriage.

“The bill will be a new arrow in the quiver of those who wish to deny religious organizations’ liberty to freely exercise their religious duties, strip them of their tax exemptions, or exclude them from full participation in the public arena,” Dolan said earlier this week.

Meanwhile, many left-of-center faith leaders are cheering the bill, including some who planned a Thursday morning rally at the U.S. Capitol. Rally sponsors include the Interfaith Alliance, the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, the United Church of Christ Justice and Local Church Ministries and Hindus for Human Rights.

“This is common sense legislation which provides religious liberty for all and not just a few,” said Tarunjit Singh Butalia, executive director of Religions for Peace USA. “Faith communities need to work on living out the principles of marriage enshrined in their own faith without imposing their religious views on people of other faiths and no faith."

The bill won approval in the House in July. A final Senate vote is expected soon, and the measure — if approved — would then return to the House for consideration of Senate changes.

The bill has gained steady momentum since the Supreme Court’s June&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">decision that overturned Roe v. Wade</a>&nbsp;and the federal right to abortion. An opinion at that time from Justice Clarence Thomas suggested that an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-health-marriage-71af5f7862f8008299702f7b1a4147b5">earlier high court decision</a>&nbsp;protecting same-sex marriage could also come under threat.

Rachel Laser, president of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, noted the court opinions in her statement lauding Wednesday's vote. She called the legislation a “vital step in our nation’s march toward freedom without favor and equality without exception.”

The legislation included a proposed Senate amendment, designed to bring more Republicans on board, clarifying that it does not affect rights of private individuals or businesses that are already enshrined in law. Another tweak would make clear that a marriage is between two people, an effort to ward off some far-right criticism that the legislation could endorse polygamy.

However, numerous conservative faith leaders scoffed at the changes.

“The new amended Senate bill—the ‘commonsense’ bill that ‘protects Americans’ religious liberties’—actually does no such thing,” wrote the Rev. Al Mohler Jr., president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, in an opinion piece. “What is left wide open is the threat to ministries such as Christian orphanages and children’s care as well as adoption ministries and foster care.”

The head of the Southern Baptist’s public policy arm, Brent Leatherwood of the Ethics &amp; Religious Liberty Commission, faulted the bill’s Senate backers for pushing legislation “that will only divide us.”

“We oppose this bill because marriage is an institution created by God, one with a very specific design: A union between one man and one woman for life,” Leatherwood said via email.

Pastor Jack Hibbs who leads Calvary Chapel Chino Hills, an evangelical megachurch in Southern California, said the legislation “creates an atmosphere of great disrespect for marriage.”

“We have seen this in recent years, for example, regarding businesses that provide services for weddings, from wedding venues to bakeries and florists,” he said, adding that nonprofits could be sued “because of their personal and foundational convictions, which should be protected by the First Amendment.”

San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone, chairman of the Catholic bishops' Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life, and Youth, said the bill provided inadequate religious protections.

“I object to language like exceptions, because it means that we’re allowed a pass to discriminate,” he said in an interview Wednesday. “But that’s not what we’re doing at all. We’re affirming that children need a mother and a father."

He acknowledged that leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints “seem to be moving in a different direction” regarding same-sex marriage. “But they’ve been very, very strong partners with us in trying to keep the focus on the the need to preserve the family."

In its statement Tuesday, the Utah-based LDS said church doctrine would continue to consider same-sex relationships to be against God’s commandments, but that it would support rights for same-sex couples as long as they didn’t infringe upon religious groups’ right to believe as they choose.

Among the faith leaders urging passage of the bill was the Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, an American Baptist pastor who is president of Interfaith Alliance and is part of a same-sex marriage.

”There is a misconception that faith and LGBTQ+ equality are fundamentally incompatible,” he wrote in an opinion piece carried Wednesday by Religion News Service.

“As a religious leader, I regard this historic legislation as an important contribution to America’s religious freedom,” he wrote. ”More immediately, I am not willing to leave the status of the marriages I’ve performed or my own to chance.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668632835182.png" alt="On Wednesday 12 Senate Republicans joined all Democrats to forward the bill for a final vote in the coming days.-photo courtesy CSPAn" />
 <figcaption>On Wednesday 12 Senate Republicans joined all Democrats to forward the bill for a final vote in the coming days.-photo courtesy CSPAn</figcaption>
 </figure>By DAVID CRARYWASHINGTON (AP) —Among U.S. faith leaders and denominations, there are sharp differences over the bill advancing in the Senate that would protect same-sex and interracial marriages in federal law.The measure, a high priority for congressional Democrats, won a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/same-sex-marriage-senate-democrats-d09d4716102cf003212bab1f970e6a41">key test vote</a>&nbsp;Wednesday when 12 Senate Republicans joined all Democrats to forward the bill for a final vote in the coming days. At least 10 GOP senators were needed for that to happen.On Tuesday, one of the most prominent conservative-leaning denominations --&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-relationships-gay-rights-utah-07847f4b7e3e96d81c10a298a199b860">The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints</a>&nbsp;-- came out in favor of the legislation. But the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention remain opposed, saying the bill – even with a newly added amendment aimed at attracting Republican support – is a dire threat to religious liberty.A paramount concern for these leaders of the country's two largest denominations is that even the updated bill would not protect religious schools or faith-based nonprofits such as adoption and foster care providers.The bill “is an intentional attack on the religious freedom of millions of Americans with sincerely held beliefs about marriage, based on dictates of faith in God,” leaders of the Missouri Baptist Convention, an SBC affiliate, said in a letter this week to U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt, a Missouri Republican.The letter failed to sway Blunt; he voted for the bill.Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, chairman of the Catholic bishops’ Committee for Religious Liberty, dismissed the bipartisan amendment as failing even the “meager goal” of preserving the status quo in balancing religious freedom with the right to same-sex marriage.“The bill will be a new arrow in the quiver of those who wish to deny religious organizations’ liberty to freely exercise their religious duties, strip them of their tax exemptions, or exclude them from full participation in the public arena,” Dolan said earlier this week.Meanwhile, many left-of-center faith leaders are cheering the bill, including some who planned a Thursday morning rally at the U.S. Capitol. Rally sponsors include the Interfaith Alliance, the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, the United Church of Christ Justice and Local Church Ministries and Hindus for Human Rights.“This is common sense legislation which provides religious liberty for all and not just a few,” said Tarunjit Singh Butalia, executive director of Religions for Peace USA. “Faith communities need to work on living out the principles of marriage enshrined in their own faith without imposing their religious views on people of other faiths and no faith."The bill won approval in the House in July. A final Senate vote is expected soon, and the measure — if approved — would then return to the House for consideration of Senate changes.The bill has gained steady momentum since the Supreme Court’s June&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">decision that overturned Roe v. Wade</a>&nbsp;and the federal right to abortion. An opinion at that time from Justice Clarence Thomas suggested that an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-health-marriage-71af5f7862f8008299702f7b1a4147b5">earlier high court decision</a>&nbsp;protecting same-sex marriage could also come under threat.Rachel Laser, president of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, noted the court opinions in her statement lauding Wednesday's vote. She called the legislation a “vital step in our nation’s march toward freedom without favor and equality without exception.”The legislation included a proposed Senate amendment, designed to bring more Republicans on board, clarifying that it does not affect rights of private individuals or businesses that are already enshrined in law. Another tweak would make clear that a marriage is between two people, an effort to ward off some far-right criticism that the legislation could endorse polygamy.However, numerous conservative faith leaders scoffed at the changes.“The new amended Senate bill—the ‘commonsense’ bill that ‘protects Americans’ religious liberties’—actually does no such thing,” wrote the Rev. Al Mohler Jr., president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, in an opinion piece. “What is left wide open is the threat to ministries such as Christian orphanages and children’s care as well as adoption ministries and foster care.”The head of the Southern Baptist’s public policy arm, Brent Leatherwood of the Ethics &amp; Religious Liberty Commission, faulted the bill’s Senate backers for pushing legislation “that will only divide us.”“We oppose this bill because marriage is an institution created by God, one with a very specific design: A union between one man and one woman for life,” Leatherwood said via email.Pastor Jack Hibbs who leads Calvary Chapel Chino Hills, an evangelical megachurch in Southern California, said the legislation “creates an atmosphere of great disrespect for marriage.”“We have seen this in recent years, for example, regarding businesses that provide services for weddings, from wedding venues to bakeries and florists,” he said, adding that nonprofits could be sued “because of their personal and foundational convictions, which should be protected by the First Amendment.”San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone, chairman of the Catholic bishops' Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life, and Youth, said the bill provided inadequate religious protections.“I object to language like exceptions, because it means that we’re allowed a pass to discriminate,” he said in an interview Wednesday. “But that’s not what we’re doing at all. We’re affirming that children need a mother and a father."He acknowledged that leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints “seem to be moving in a different direction” regarding same-sex marriage. “But they’ve been very, very strong partners with us in trying to keep the focus on the the need to preserve the family."In its statement Tuesday, the Utah-based LDS said church doctrine would continue to consider same-sex relationships to be against God’s commandments, but that it would support rights for same-sex couples as long as they didn’t infringe upon religious groups’ right to believe as they choose.Among the faith leaders urging passage of the bill was the Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, an American Baptist pastor who is president of Interfaith Alliance and is part of a same-sex marriage.”There is a misconception that faith and LGBTQ+ equality are fundamentally incompatible,” he wrote in an opinion piece carried Wednesday by Religion News Service.“As a religious leader, I regard this historic legislation as an important contribution to America’s religious freedom,” he wrote. ”More immediately, I am not willing to leave the status of the marriages I’ve performed or my own to chance.”__

Faith groups split over bill to protect same-sex marriage

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?524319-1/house-speaker-pelosi-announce-future-plans-floor-speech&amp;live">Click here to</a> watch Speaker Pelosi's address&nbsp;

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nancy-pelosi">Nancy Pelosi</a>&nbsp;said Thursday that she will not seek a leadership position in the new Congress, a pivotal realignment making way for a new generation of leaders after Democrats lost control of the House to Republicans in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections">the midterm elections</a>.

<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/11/17/statement-by-president-joe-biden-on-speaker-nancy-pelosi-stepping-down-from-democratic-leadership-in-the-house-of-representatives/">Click here to read</a> President Biden's statement of Pelosi's announcement

Pelosi announced in a spirited speech on the House floor that she will step aside after leading Democrats for nearly 20 years and in the aftermath of the brutal attack on her husband, Paul, last month in their San Francisco home.

The California Democrat, who rose to become the nation’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-donald-trump-nancy-pelosi-ca-state-wire-paul-ryan-fe8c03d9af54423abed1100334f22e6f">first woman to wield the speaker’s gavel</a>, said she would remain in Congress as the representative from San Francisco, a position she has held for 35 years, when the new Congress convenes in January.

“Now we must move boldly into the future,” Pelosi said.

“I will not seek reelection to Democratic leadership in the next Congress,” Pelosi said. "For me, the hour has come for a new generation to lead the Democratic caucus that I so deeply respect.”

She received a standing ovation after her remarks, and members one by one went up to offer her hugs and well wishes.

It’s an unusual choice for a party leader to stay on after withdrawing from congressional leadership but one befitting of Pelosi, who has long defied convention in pursuing power in Washington.

Pelosi recapped her career, from seeing the Capitol the first time as a young girl with her father, a former congressman and mayor, to serving as speaker alongside three U.S. presidents and doing “the people's work.”

“Every day I am in power of the majestic miracle of American democracy,” she said.

Democrats cheered Pelosi as she arrived in the chamber at noon. On short notice, lawmakers filled the House, at least on the Democratic side, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer joined. The Speaker’s Gallery filled with Pelosi staff and guest. Some Republicans, including some newly-elected members, also attended.

Earlier, Pelosi had noted in a statement after The Associated Press called&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-house-control-79475a4fc11e4375cd0dded651b9eede">control of the chamber</a>&nbsp;that, in the next Congress, House Democrats will have “strong leverage over a scant Republican majority.”

The first women to become speaker, and the only person in decades to be twice elected to the role, she has led Democrats through consequential moments, including passage of the Affordable Care Act with President Barack Obama and the impeachments of President Donald Trump.

By announcing her decision, Pelosi could launch a domino effect in House Democratic leadership ahead of internal party elections next month as Democrats reorganize as the minority party for the new Congress.

Pelosi’s leadership team, with Majority Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland and Democratic Whip James Clyburn of South Carolina, has long moved as a triumvirate. Hoyer and Clyburn are also making decisions about their futures.

All now in their 80s, the three House Democratic leaders have faced restless colleagues eager for them to step aside and allow a new generation to take charge.

Democratic Reps. Hakeem Jeffries of New York, Katherine Clark of Massachusetts and Pete Aguilar of California have similarly moved as a trio, all working toward becoming the next generation of leaders. Jeffries could make history if he enters the race to become the nation’s first Black speaker of the House.

One idea circulating on Capitol Hill was that Pelosi and the others could emerge as emeritus leaders as they pass the baton to new Democrats.

Clyburn, the highest-ranking Black American in Congress, has said he has no interest in being speaker or leader of the minority at this point in his life but expects to stay in Congress next year.

“I do wish to remain at the leadership table,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kevin-mccarthy-nancy-pelosi-congress-government-and-politics-dc947aadd41de192e4d1f018d0eaf193">Clyburn said a week after the midterms</a>. “As to what capacity that will be, I will leave that up to our Democratic caucus.”

Hoyer has not spoken publicly of his plans.

First elected in 1987, Pelosi has been a pivotal figure in American politics, long ridiculed by Republicans as a San Francisco liberal while steadily rising as a skilled legislator and fundraising powerhouse. Her own Democratic colleagues have intermittently appreciated but also feared her powerful brand of leadership.

Pelosi first became speaker in 2007, saying she had cracked the “marble ceiling,” after Democrats swept to power in the 2006 midterm elections in a backlash to then-President George W. Bush and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

When she was poised in 2018 to return as speaker, in the Trump era, she vowed “to show the power of the gavel.”

Pelosi has repeatedly withstood leadership challenges over the years and had suggested in 2018 she would serve four more years as leader. But she had not discussed those plans more recently.

Typically unsentimental, Pelosi let show&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nancy-pelosi-government-and-politics-ef64738a18e3fbd2f3c3b12a3b18e30a">a rare moment of emotion</a>&nbsp;on the eve of the midterm elections as she held back tears discussing the grave assault on her husband of nearly 60 years.

<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/paul-pelosi">Paul Pelosi</a>&nbsp;suffered a fractured skull after an intruder broke into their home in the middle the night seeking the Democratic leader. The intruder’s question — “Where is Nancy?” — echoed the chants of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">the pro-Trump rioters at the Capitol</a>&nbsp;on Jan. 6, 2021, as they hunted for Pelosi and tried to stop Congress from certifying&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-wins-white-house-ap-fd58df73aa677acb74fce2a69adb71f9">Joe Biden’s election victory over Trump</a>.

David DePape is being held without bail on attempted murder and other charges in what authorities said was a political attack. Police said DePape broke in and woke up Paul Pelosi, and the two struggled over a hammer before DePape struck the 82-year-old on the head. DePape, 42, has pleaded not guilty to federal charges of attempting to kidnap a federal official and assaulting a federal official’s family member.

Paul Pelosi was hospitalized for a week but is expected to recover, though his wife has said it will be a long haul.

At the time, Speaker Pelosi would not discuss her political plans but would only disclose that the attack on her husband would impact her decision.

Historians have noted that other consequential political figures had careers as rank-and-file members of Congress, including John Quincy Adams, the former president, who went on to serve for nearly 18 years in Congress.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668705937278.png" alt="Pelosi announced in a spirited speech on the House floor that she will step aside after leading Democrats for nearly 20 years and in the aftermath of the brutal attack on her husband, Paul, last month in their San Francisco home.-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Pelosi announced in a spirited speech on the House floor that she will step aside after leading Democrats for nearly 20 years and in the aftermath of the brutal attack on her husband, Paul, last month in their San Francisco home.-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?524319-1/house-speaker-pelosi-announce-future-plans-floor-speech&amp;live">Click here to</a> watch Speaker Pelosi's address&nbsp;WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nancy-pelosi">Nancy Pelosi</a>&nbsp;said Thursday that she will not seek a leadership position in the new Congress, a pivotal realignment making way for a new generation of leaders after Democrats lost control of the House to Republicans in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections">the midterm elections</a>.<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/11/17/statement-by-president-joe-biden-on-speaker-nancy-pelosi-stepping-down-from-democratic-leadership-in-the-house-of-representatives/">Click here to read</a> President Biden's statement of Pelosi's announcementPelosi announced in a spirited speech on the House floor that she will step aside after leading Democrats for nearly 20 years and in the aftermath of the brutal attack on her husband, Paul, last month in their San Francisco home.The California Democrat, who rose to become the nation’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-donald-trump-nancy-pelosi-ca-state-wire-paul-ryan-fe8c03d9af54423abed1100334f22e6f">first woman to wield the speaker’s gavel</a>, said she would remain in Congress as the representative from San Francisco, a position she has held for 35 years, when the new Congress convenes in January.“Now we must move boldly into the future,” Pelosi said.“I will not seek reelection to Democratic leadership in the next Congress,” Pelosi said. "For me, the hour has come for a new generation to lead the Democratic caucus that I so deeply respect.”She received a standing ovation after her remarks, and members one by one went up to offer her hugs and well wishes.It’s an unusual choice for a party leader to stay on after withdrawing from congressional leadership but one befitting of Pelosi, who has long defied convention in pursuing power in Washington.Pelosi recapped her career, from seeing the Capitol the first time as a young girl with her father, a former congressman and mayor, to serving as speaker alongside three U.S. presidents and doing “the people's work.”“Every day I am in power of the majestic miracle of American democracy,” she said.Democrats cheered Pelosi as she arrived in the chamber at noon. On short notice, lawmakers filled the House, at least on the Democratic side, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer joined. The Speaker’s Gallery filled with Pelosi staff and guest. Some Republicans, including some newly-elected members, also attended.Earlier, Pelosi had noted in a statement after The Associated Press called&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-house-control-79475a4fc11e4375cd0dded651b9eede">control of the chamber</a>&nbsp;that, in the next Congress, House Democrats will have “strong leverage over a scant Republican majority.”The first women to become speaker, and the only person in decades to be twice elected to the role, she has led Democrats through consequential moments, including passage of the Affordable Care Act with President Barack Obama and the impeachments of President Donald Trump.By announcing her decision, Pelosi could launch a domino effect in House Democratic leadership ahead of internal party elections next month as Democrats reorganize as the minority party for the new Congress.Pelosi’s leadership team, with Majority Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland and Democratic Whip James Clyburn of South Carolina, has long moved as a triumvirate. Hoyer and Clyburn are also making decisions about their futures.All now in their 80s, the three House Democratic leaders have faced restless colleagues eager for them to step aside and allow a new generation to take charge.Democratic Reps. Hakeem Jeffries of New York, Katherine Clark of Massachusetts and Pete Aguilar of California have similarly moved as a trio, all working toward becoming the next generation of leaders. Jeffries could make history if he enters the race to become the nation’s first Black speaker of the House.One idea circulating on Capitol Hill was that Pelosi and the others could emerge as emeritus leaders as they pass the baton to new Democrats.Clyburn, the highest-ranking Black American in Congress, has said he has no interest in being speaker or leader of the minority at this point in his life but expects to stay in Congress next year.“I do wish to remain at the leadership table,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kevin-mccarthy-nancy-pelosi-congress-government-and-politics-dc947aadd41de192e4d1f018d0eaf193">Clyburn said a week after the midterms</a>. “As to what capacity that will be, I will leave that up to our Democratic caucus.”Hoyer has not spoken publicly of his plans.First elected in 1987, Pelosi has been a pivotal figure in American politics, long ridiculed by Republicans as a San Francisco liberal while steadily rising as a skilled legislator and fundraising powerhouse. Her own Democratic colleagues have intermittently appreciated but also feared her powerful brand of leadership.Pelosi first became speaker in 2007, saying she had cracked the “marble ceiling,” after Democrats swept to power in the 2006 midterm elections in a backlash to then-President George W. Bush and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.When she was poised in 2018 to return as speaker, in the Trump era, she vowed “to show the power of the gavel.”Pelosi has repeatedly withstood leadership challenges over the years and had suggested in 2018 she would serve four more years as leader. But she had not discussed those plans more recently.Typically unsentimental, Pelosi let show&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nancy-pelosi-government-and-politics-ef64738a18e3fbd2f3c3b12a3b18e30a">a rare moment of emotion</a>&nbsp;on the eve of the midterm elections as she held back tears discussing the grave assault on her husband of nearly 60 years.<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/paul-pelosi">Paul Pelosi</a>&nbsp;suffered a fractured skull after an intruder broke into their home in the middle the night seeking the Democratic leader. The intruder’s question — “Where is Nancy?” — echoed the chants of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">the pro-Trump rioters at the Capitol</a>&nbsp;on Jan. 6, 2021, as they hunted for Pelosi and tried to stop Congress from certifying&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-wins-white-house-ap-fd58df73aa677acb74fce2a69adb71f9">Joe Biden’s election victory over Trump</a>.David DePape is being held without bail on attempted murder and other charges in what authorities said was a political attack. Police said DePape broke in and woke up Paul Pelosi, and the two struggled over a hammer before DePape struck the 82-year-old on the head. DePape, 42, has pleaded not guilty to federal charges of attempting to kidnap a federal official and assaulting a federal official’s family member.Paul Pelosi was hospitalized for a week but is expected to recover, though his wife has said it will be a long haul.At the time, Speaker Pelosi would not discuss her political plans but would only disclose that the attack on her husband would impact her decision.Historians have noted that other consequential political figures had careers as rank-and-file members of Congress, including John Quincy Adams, the former president, who went on to serve for nearly 18 years in Congress.Democratic Reps. Hakeem Jeffries of New York, Katherine Clark of Massachusetts and Pete Aguilar of California have similarly moved as a trio, all working toward becoming the next generation of leaders. Jeffries could make history if he enters the race to become the nation’s first Black speaker of the House.One idea circulating on Capitol Hill was that Pelosi and the others could emerge as emeritus leaders as they pass the baton to new Democrats.Clyburn, the highest-ranking Black American in Congress, has said he has no interest in being speaker or leader of the minority at this point in his life but expects to stay in Congress next year.“I do wish to remain at the leadership table,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kevin-mccarthy-nancy-pelosi-congress-government-and-politics-dc947aadd41de192e4d1f018d0eaf193">Clyburn said a week after the midterms</a>. “As to what capacity that will be, I will leave that up to our Democratic caucus.”Hoyer has not spoken publicly of his plans.First elected in 1987, Pelosi has been a pivotal figure in American politics, long ridiculed by Republicans as a San Francisco liberal while steadily rising as a skilled legislator and fundraising powerhouse. Her own Democratic colleagues have intermittently appreciated but also feared her powerful brand of leadership.Pelosi first became speaker in 2007, saying she had cracked the “marble ceiling,” after Democrats swept to power in the 2006 midterm elections in a backlash to then-President George W. Bush and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.When she was poised in 2018 to return as speaker, in the Trump era, she vowed “to show the power of the gavel.”Pelosi has repeatedly withstood leadership challenges over the years and had suggested in 2018 she would serve four more years as leader. But she had not discussed those plans more recently.Typically unsentimental, Pelosi let show&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nancy-pelosi-government-and-politics-ef64738a18e3fbd2f3c3b12a3b18e30a">a rare moment of emotion</a>&nbsp;on the eve of the midterm elections as she held back tears discussing the grave assault on her husband of nearly 60 years.<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/paul-pelosi">Paul Pelosi</a>&nbsp;suffered a fractured skull after an intruder broke into their home in the middle the night seeking the Democratic leader. The intruder’s question — “Where is Nancy?” — echoed the chants of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">the pro-Trump rioters at the Capitol</a>&nbsp;on Jan. 6, 2021, as they hunted for Pelosi and tried to stop Congress from certifying&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-wins-white-house-ap-fd58df73aa677acb74fce2a69adb71f9">Joe Biden’s election victory over Trump</a>.David DePape is being held without bail on attempted murder and other charges in what authorities said was a political attack. Police said DePape broke in and woke up Paul Pelosi, and the two struggled over a hammer before DePape struck the 82-year-old on the head. DePape, 42, has pleaded not guilty to federal charges of attempting to kidnap a federal official and assaulting a federal official’s family member.Paul Pelosi was hospitalized for a week but is expected to recover, though his wife has said it will be a long haul.At the time, Speaker Pelosi would not discuss her political plans but would only disclose that the attack on her husband would impact her decision.Historians have noted that other consequential political figures had careers as rank-and-file members of Congress, including John Quincy Adams, the former president, who went on to serve for nearly 18 years in Congress.

🎥 Pelosi won't seek leadership role, plans to stay in Congress

KANSAS CITY (AP) —Starbucks workers at more than 100 U.S. stores are on strike Thursday in their largest labor action since a campaign to unionize the company’s stores began late last year.

The walkouts include the Starbucks store at&nbsp;10201 West 75th Street in Overland Park, Kansas and&nbsp;E. 39th and Arrowhead in the Kansas City suburb of Independence, Missouri, according to <a href="https://sbworkersunited.org/red-cup-map">the union </a>website.

The walkouts coincide with Starbucks’ annual Red Cup Day, when the company gives free reusable cups to customers who order a holiday drink. Workers say it’s often one of the busiest days of the year. Starbucks declined to say how many red cups it plans to distribute.

Workers say they’re seeking better pay, more consistent schedules and higher staffing levels in busy stores. Stores in 25 states planned to take part in the labor action, according to Starbucks Workers United, the group organizing the effort. Strikers are handing out their own red cups with union logos.

Starbucks, which opposes the unionization effort, said it is aware of the walkouts and respects its employees’ right to lawfully protest. The Seattle company noted that the protests are happening at a small number of its 9,000 company-run U.S. locations.

“We remain committed to all partners and will continue to work together, side-by-side, to make Starbucks a company that works for everyone,” the company said Thursday in a statement.

Some workers planned to picket all day while others will do shorter walkouts. The union said the goal is to shut stores down during the strikes, and noted that the company usually has difficulty staffing during Red Cup Day because it’s so busy.

Willow Montana, a shift manager at a Starbucks store in Brighton, Massachusetts, planned to strike because Starbucks hasn’t begun bargaining with the store despite a successful union vote in April.

“If the company won’t bargain in good faith, why should we come to work where we are understaffed, underpaid and overworked?” Montana said.

Others, including Michelle Eisen, a union organizer at one of the first stores to organize in Buffalo, New York, said workers are angry that Starbucks promised&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-howard-schultz-449c5aa25f46dd5efb1b5ecef76f0ebd">higher pay and benefits</a>&nbsp;to non-union stores. Starbucks says it is following the law and can’t give union stores pay hikes without bargaining.

At least 257 Starbucks stores have voted to unionize since late last year, according to the National Labor Relations Board. Fifty-seven stores have held votes where workers opted not to unionize.

Starbucks and the union&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-howard-schultz-449c5aa25f46dd5efb1b5ecef76f0ebd">have begun contract talks</a>&nbsp;at 53 stores, with 13 additional sessions scheduled, Starbucks Workers United said. No agreements have been reached so far.

The process has been contentious. Earlier this week, a regional director with the NLRB filed a request for an injunction against Starbucks in federal court, saying the company violated labor law when it fired a union organizer in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The regional director asked the court to direct Starbucks to reinstate the employee and stop interfering in the unionization campaign nationwide.

It was the fourth time the NLRB has asked a federal court to intervene. In August,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/memphis-national-labor-relations-board-43f21bd91286aa9a9c8f77d1291795e4">a federal judge ruled</a>&nbsp;that Starbucks had to reinstate seven union organizers who were fired in Memphis, Tennessee. A similar case in Buffalo has yet to be decided, while a federal judge ruled against the NLRB in a case in Phoenix.

Meanwhile, Starbucks has asked the NLRB to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elections-national-labor-relations-board-0ddf8d632e1daca24d5bb70f2344f806">temporarily suspend</a>&nbsp;all union elections at its U.S. stores, citing allegations from a board employee that regional officials improperly coordinated with union organizers. A decision in that case is pending.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668703000777.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) —Starbucks workers at more than 100 U.S. stores are on strike Thursday in their largest labor action since a campaign to unionize the company’s stores began late last year.The walkouts include the Starbucks store at&nbsp;10201 West 75th Street in Overland Park, Kansas and&nbsp;E. 39th and Arrowhead in the Kansas City suburb of Independence, Missouri, according to <a href="https://sbworkersunited.org/red-cup-map">the union </a>website.The walkouts coincide with Starbucks’ annual Red Cup Day, when the company gives free reusable cups to customers who order a holiday drink. Workers say it’s often one of the busiest days of the year. Starbucks declined to say how many red cups it plans to distribute.Workers say they’re seeking better pay, more consistent schedules and higher staffing levels in busy stores. Stores in 25 states planned to take part in the labor action, according to Starbucks Workers United, the group organizing the effort. Strikers are handing out their own red cups with union logos.Starbucks, which opposes the unionization effort, said it is aware of the walkouts and respects its employees’ right to lawfully protest. The Seattle company noted that the protests are happening at a small number of its 9,000 company-run U.S. locations.“We remain committed to all partners and will continue to work together, side-by-side, to make Starbucks a company that works for everyone,” the company said Thursday in a statement.Some workers planned to picket all day while others will do shorter walkouts. The union said the goal is to shut stores down during the strikes, and noted that the company usually has difficulty staffing during Red Cup Day because it’s so busy.Willow Montana, a shift manager at a Starbucks store in Brighton, Massachusetts, planned to strike because Starbucks hasn’t begun bargaining with the store despite a successful union vote in April.“If the company won’t bargain in good faith, why should we come to work where we are understaffed, underpaid and overworked?” Montana said.Others, including Michelle Eisen, a union organizer at one of the first stores to organize in Buffalo, New York, said workers are angry that Starbucks promised&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-howard-schultz-449c5aa25f46dd5efb1b5ecef76f0ebd">higher pay and benefits</a>&nbsp;to non-union stores. Starbucks says it is following the law and can’t give union stores pay hikes without bargaining.At least 257 Starbucks stores have voted to unionize since late last year, according to the National Labor Relations Board. Fifty-seven stores have held votes where workers opted not to unionize.Starbucks and the union&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-howard-schultz-449c5aa25f46dd5efb1b5ecef76f0ebd">have begun contract talks</a>&nbsp;at 53 stores, with 13 additional sessions scheduled, Starbucks Workers United said. No agreements have been reached so far.The process has been contentious. Earlier this week, a regional director with the NLRB filed a request for an injunction against Starbucks in federal court, saying the company violated labor law when it fired a union organizer in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The regional director asked the court to direct Starbucks to reinstate the employee and stop interfering in the unionization campaign nationwide.It was the fourth time the NLRB has asked a federal court to intervene. In August,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/memphis-national-labor-relations-board-43f21bd91286aa9a9c8f77d1291795e4">a federal judge ruled</a>&nbsp;that Starbucks had to reinstate seven union organizers who were fired in Memphis, Tennessee. A similar case in Buffalo has yet to be decided, while a federal judge ruled against the NLRB in a case in Phoenix.Meanwhile, Starbucks has asked the NLRB to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elections-national-labor-relations-board-0ddf8d632e1daca24d5bb70f2344f806">temporarily suspend</a>&nbsp;all union elections at its U.S. stores, citing allegations from a board employee that regional officials improperly coordinated with union organizers. A decision in that case is pending.

Starbucks workers strike at more than 100 stores including Kan., Mo.

THOMAS COUNTY —U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Kansas State Director Christy Davis announced Thursday that the agency is lending&nbsp;$108,249,000 to help Citizens Medical Center in Colby&nbsp;expand critical healthcare services, according to a media release from the agency.

On November 2, the community broke ground on a 184,000 square-foot replacement hospital and rural healthcare facility in Colby.

The new facility will incorporate operations of both the hospital-Citizens Medical Center- and family practice clinic-Family Center for Health Care-under one roof, according to a media release from the Citizen's Foundation.&nbsp; The new facility will encompass all currently available services plus additional capabilities that include future service expansions. The new facility will be located south of the existing campus. 

The current facilities will be repurposed and remain as functional aspects of the organization.

“There is no better way to celebrate National Rural Health Day than to invest in our state’s rural healthcare infrastructure.”&nbsp; Davis said.&nbsp; “USDA is committed to ensuring rural Americans have access to reliable quality health care, like that provided by Citizens Medical Center.” &nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668700691051.png" alt="On Nov. 2, Citizens Health held a ground breaking for the new facility -courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>On Nov. 2, Citizens Health held a ground breaking for the new facility -courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>THOMAS COUNTY —U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Kansas State Director Christy Davis announced Thursday that the agency is lending&nbsp;$108,249,000 to help Citizens Medical Center in Colby&nbsp;expand critical healthcare services, according to a media release from the agency.On November 2, the community broke ground on a 184,000 square-foot replacement hospital and rural healthcare facility in Colby.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668701872720.png" alt="Courtesy image of the new facility" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy image of the new facility</figcaption>
 </figure>The new facility will incorporate operations of both the hospital-Citizens Medical Center- and family practice clinic-Family Center for Health Care-under one roof, according to a media release from the Citizen's Foundation.&nbsp; The new facility will encompass all currently available services plus additional capabilities that include future service expansions. The new facility will be located south of the existing campus. The current facilities will be repurposed and remain as functional aspects of the organization.“There is no better way to celebrate National Rural Health Day than to invest in our state’s rural healthcare infrastructure.”&nbsp; Davis said.&nbsp; “USDA is committed to ensuring rural Americans have access to reliable quality health care, like that provided by Citizens Medical Center.” &nbsp;&nbsp;

USDA providing $108M in loans for new hospital in NW Kansas

By ALLISON KITE <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/11/16/kansas-gov-laura-kelly-pledges-focus-on-water-waiting-for-a-miracle-is-not-an-option/">Kansas Reflector</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668694338367.png" alt="Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly greets staff from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Wednesday in Manhattan, where she spoke at the Governor’s Conference on the Future of Water in Kansas. (Submitted)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly greets staff from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Wednesday in Manhattan, where she spoke at the Governor’s Conference on the Future of Water in Kansas. (Submitted)</figcaption>
 </figure>By ALLISON KITE <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/11/16/kansas-gov-laura-kelly-pledges-focus-on-water-waiting-for-a-miracle-is-not-an-option/">Kansas Reflector</a>MANHATTAN
 — Kansans have “a responsibility to do something” about the state’s 
rapidly depleting water supply and the risk of widespread contamination,
 Gov. Laura Kelly said at a conference Wednesday in Manhattan.“Waiting for a miracle is not an 
option,” she told a crowd of about 500 at the 11th annual Governor’s 
Conference on the Future of Water in Kansas.Kelly, who won reelection earlier 
this month, said that for decades lawmakers have kicked the can down the
 road on solving the state’s water crisis. She pledged to stop that.“I give you my word that protecting 
our water supply will remain a top priority in Topeka over the next four
 years,” Kelly said. “I refuse to allow the can to be kicked any further
 down the road.”In Kansas, the arid west meets the 
humid east. While eastern Kansas can be susceptible to flooding, streams
 and rivers in western Kansas have largely dried up. The western part of
 the state gets its water from underground aquifers —&nbsp;the Ogallala and 
the High Plains. The Ogallala Aquifer stretches from South Dakota to 
Texas and is among the world’s largest underground water supplies.But for decades, western Kansas has 
been using more water from the Ogallala each year than the aquifer can 
recharge. That imbalance means the water supply has been depleting for 
more than half a century.Parts of western Kansas supplied by the Ogallala have just 10 years of water left.And if it dries up, as one legislator said this spring, <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/06/09/southwest-kansas-water-crisis-through-eyes-of-a-liberal-farmer-this-drought-is-real/">communities that lose access to water</a> may fold up and blow away.“But if we want to continue that record-breaking economic growth, we need an adequate water supply,” Kelly said Wednesday.Kelly acknowledged the structural 
imbalance, saying the rate at which Kansas is using water now is 
unsustainable. And she said Kansans didn’t need <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/10/17/severe-drought-triggers-assistance-in-nearly-all-of-kansas-half-of-missouri/">this year’s severe drought </a>to remind them of the urgent situation.The responsibility to conserve water in Kansas has been largely borne by <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/10/21/officials-plan-to-truck-6000-gallons-of-water-from-missouri-river-across-kansas/">local communities and officials</a>,
 and an effort earlier this year to overhaul the state’s approach to 
water met resistance from farmers, ranchers and groundwater managers in 
western Kansas.<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/03/01/shooting-themselves-in-the-foot-committee-guts-kansas-bill-to-protect-water/">Legislation that would have established more state oversight of water was gutted</a> in a Kansas House committee and never received a floor vote.But Kelly noted that in her first 
term, the state updated and fully funded its water plan for the first 
time in more than a decade.“The Ogallala Aquifer is one of our 
most precious resources, and preserving it is crucial for the sake of 
future generations and communities across Kansas, not to mention the 
agriculture community that forms the backbone of our economy,” Kelly 
said.&nbsp;She added: “I am determined to build on the progress my administration has made thus far in protecting our water.”