SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on new charges after an early morning traffic stop.

Just after 12:30a.m. Monday, a deputy sheriff conducted a traffic stop on a 2005 Chevrolet Suburban near NW Topeka Boulevard and NW Independence Avenue for speeding, according to Shawnee County Deputy Abigail Christian.

 During the investigation, deputies found illegal narcotics and arrested 50-year-old Richard L. Stang of Topeka was arrested and booked him into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections. He is being held on requested charge of possession of methamphetamine, driving under the influence, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, failure to wear a seat belt, driving without a valid driver’s license, operating a vehicle without proper registration and speeding.

Stang has previous convictions for robbery, burglary and use of a false name on a drivers license, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1651575259185.png" alt="Stang has previous convictions for robbery, burglary and use of a false name on a drivers license, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections -photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Stang has previous convictions for robbery, burglary and use of a false name on a drivers license, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections -photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on new charges after an early morning traffic stop.Just after 12:30a.m. Monday, a deputy sheriff conducted a traffic stop on a 2005 Chevrolet Suburban near NW Topeka Boulevard and NW Independence Avenue for speeding, according to Shawnee County Deputy Abigail Christian. During the investigation, deputies found illegal narcotics and arrested 50-year-old Richard L. Stang of Topeka was arrested and booked him into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections. He is being held on requested charge of possession of methamphetamine, driving under the influence, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, failure to wear a seat belt, driving without a valid driver’s license, operating a vehicle without proper registration and speeding.Stang has previous convictions for robbery, burglary and use of a false name on a drivers license, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Kansas felon jailed for alleged DUI, meth possession

WASHINGTON — (AP) — Chief Justice John Roberts on Tuesday confirmed the authenticity of a leaked draft opinion suggesting the Supreme Court may be be poised to overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade case that legalized abortion nationwide. He ordered an investigation into what he called an “egregious breach of trust.”

In the high court's first public comment since the draft was published late Tuesday, Roberts said “Although the document described in yesterday’s reports is authentic, it does not represent a decision by the Court or the final position of any member on the issues in the case.”

In a statement, he said, “To the extent this betrayal of the confidences of the Court was intended to undermine the integrity of our operations, it will not succeed.”

He added: “I have directed the Marshal of the Court to launch an investigation into the source of the leak.”

U.S. Senator Roger Marshall of Kansas said, “This is an egregious attack on the institution of the Supreme Court. For someone to leak this document and the press to be complicit in the leak undermines the legitimacy of the Supreme Court,”&nbsp;

“But, we shouldn’t be surprised because that’s what Democrats do all of the time when they don’t like the outcome: They don’t like the outcome of votes in the Senate so they want to get rid of the filibuster; they don’t like the outcome of the balance of power in the Senate so they want to make Puerto Rico and D.C. states; they don’t like the way the elections go so they want to federalize them and deny states’ rights to run their own elections. All the while, the media is complicit – they help them do their bidding.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1651591949777.png" alt="Chief Justice John Roberts-photo courtesy U.S. Supreme Court" />
 <figcaption>Chief Justice John Roberts-photo courtesy U.S. Supreme Court</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON — (AP) — Chief Justice John Roberts on Tuesday confirmed the authenticity of a leaked draft opinion suggesting the Supreme Court may be be poised to overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade case that legalized abortion nationwide. He ordered an investigation into what he called an “egregious breach of trust.”In the high court's first public comment since the draft was published late Tuesday, Roberts said “Although the document described in yesterday’s reports is authentic, it does not represent a decision by the Court or the final position of any member on the issues in the case.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1651601641368.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>In a statement, he said, “To the extent this betrayal of the confidences of the Court was intended to undermine the integrity of our operations, it will not succeed.”He added: “I have directed the Marshal of the Court to launch an investigation into the source of the leak.”U.S. Senator Roger Marshall of Kansas said, “This is an egregious attack on the institution of the Supreme Court. For someone to leak this document and the press to be complicit in the leak undermines the legitimacy of the Supreme Court,”&nbsp;“But, we shouldn’t be surprised because that’s what Democrats do all of the time when they don’t like the outcome: They don’t like the outcome of votes in the Senate so they want to get rid of the filibuster; they don’t like the outcome of the balance of power in the Senate so they want to make Puerto Rico and D.C. states; they don’t like the way the elections go so they want to federalize them and deny states’ rights to run their own elections. All the while, the media is complicit – they help them do their bidding.”

Chief Justice orders probe into 'egregious' leak of abortion draft

RENO COUNTY — As part of the Haven City Council meeting Monday night, council member Sandra Williams voiced concerns to Haven Police Chief Stephen Schaffer regarding “In God We Trust” decals on Haven’s police vehicles and the quoting of scripture on the Haven Police Department<a href="https://www.facebook.com/HavenPoliceDepartment"> Facebook page.</a>

Williams advised Schaffer that the Council does not feel it is the forum to be talking about God.

Chief Schaffer asked if that was a directive from the Council. Mayor Adam Wright nodded and said, “Yes.” Williams moved to eliminate the quoting of scripture from Haven Police Department’s Facebook page and to remove “In God We Trust” from the police vehicles.

Kylie Rush seconded, and the motion passed unanimously.

RENO COUNTY — As part of the Haven City Council meeting Monday night, council member Sandra Williams voiced concerns to Haven Police Chief Stephen Schaffer regarding “In God We Trust” decals on Haven’s police vehicles and the quoting of scripture on the Haven Police Department<a href="https://www.facebook.com/HavenPoliceDepartment"> Facebook page.</a>Williams advised Schaffer that the Council does not feel it is the forum to be talking about God.Chief Schaffer asked if that was a directive from the Council. Mayor Adam Wright nodded and said, “Yes.” Williams moved to eliminate the quoting of scripture from Haven Police Department’s Facebook page and to remove “In God We Trust” from the police vehicles.Kylie Rush seconded, and the motion passed unanimously.

Council votes to remove "In God We Trust" from police vehicles

MISSION, Kan. (AP) — A school system in suburban Kansas City is eliminating over 100 jobs, including kindergarten aides and library clerks. Oakland, California, is closing seven schools. Other districts around the country are merging classrooms, selling buildings and leaving teaching positions unfilled in order to close budget gaps.

Public school systems are beginning to feel the pinch from enrollment losses tied to the coronavirus pandemic.

Money for schools is driven partly by student headcounts, and emergency provisions in many states allowed schools to maintain funding at pre-pandemic levels. But like the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pandemic-aid-public-school-funding-346d3d4b86f904184e357c34c9754800">billions of dollars of federal relief money&nbsp;</a>that have helped schools weather the crisis, those measures were not meant to last forever.

In Olathe, Kansas, where the school system is cutting 140 jobs, Deputy Superintendent John Hutchison said the extra federal money merely put off the inevitable.

Now it is trimming millions of dollars from its budgets because enrollment, having peaked at more than 30,000 students in fall 2019, fell by around 900 in the first full school year of the pandemic. Less than 100 of those students have returned.

“Where did those kids go?” Hutchison asked during a recent public meeting. “Where are they? They didn’t come back this year. That’s what’s laying on that additional reduction in our funding.”

Families opting for homeschooling, private schools and other options sent enrollment down sharply in the first full school year of the pandemic, and generally it has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-coronavirus-pandemic-race-and-ethnicity-education-e4f3faca4dffec641b11df6dd8259a23">slow to recover</a>.

In Houston, the largest district in Texas, enrollment tumbled by more than 22,000 to around 183,000 in fall 2021 and only about half of those students have returned. The district was shielded from making cuts in the first two years of the pandemic by what are known as “hold harmless” provisions, but those protections are expected to end. Superintendent Millard House has asked departments to cut $60 million from next year’s budget.

Among other states that took steps to protect school budgets, Delaware provided $9.3 million in one-time funding in the fiscal year that ended in summer 2021 to school districts and charter schools to prevent layoffs over enrollment declines, and North Carolina lawmakers decided to allow schools to use pre-pandemic attendance levels.

More districts will be making cuts in coming years, said Alex Spurrier, an associate partner at Bellwether Education Partners, a think tank. The last of the federal aid must be spent by 2024.

“Once the federal funding dries up, it will put a lot more districts in a lot more difficult position if they’re kind of kicking the can down the road of making the adjustments that they’ll need if they are going to be serving smaller student populations in the years to come,” he said.

Some districts have struggled to explain the need for cuts. Albuquerque Public Schools announced this spring that it anticipates a budget shortfall of about $25 million.

“That might sound crazy,” the district wrote in a blog post, acknowledging the influx of federal aid. But it explained that enrollment declines have accelerated amid the pandemic, with the student population falling to 73,000 from 85,000 in just six years. The district hasn’t released a cost-cutting plan but legislative analysts say it will require layoffs and school closures.

Amid the upheaval, some states have gained students. Florida was among the leaders, according to the data-tracking site Burbio. And some districts’ headcounts benefited from new families, including some who moved to less costly areas as work went virtual.

In California, which announced this month that enrollment had fallen by an additional 110,283 students, Oakland's planned school closures are leading to protests. The ACLU filed a complaint this month alleging that they disproportionately affect Black students and families.

Further complicating the situation is a tight labor market and demands for teacher and staff raises.

In Minneapolis Public Schools, where a nearly three-week long teacher strike ended with a new contract, the district said it needed to make $27.1 million in budget cuts in the upcoming school year to pay for it. Federal relief money helped cover the $53.5 million price tag for the more lucrative contract for teachers and support staff for the current school year. Since the pandemic began, the district also has lost more than 4,000 students, along with the state funding they generate.

School officials in the city of Lawrence — home to the main University of Kansas campus — are creating multi-grade level elementary classrooms, which will allow the district to get by with fewer teachers. It is part of an effort to close a budget shortfall brought on by declining enrollment and to free up money for raises.

“You can’t cut close to $7 million and not change how you do business,” Lawrence Superintendent Anthony Lewis acknowledged at a meeting this month.

In Iowa, the Des Moines district canceled a conference, sold a building and isn’t replacing some retiring teachers as it cuts $9.4 million in spending for the upcoming school year. The cuts were needed partially because the district’s enrollment has fallen by 1,600 students since the pandemic began.

The district, which is the state’s largest with 31,000 students, anticipates that it will need to make even deeper cuts next year.

“I think it’s fair to say, the federal aid helped offset some of the financial challenges,” said Phil Roeder, a spokesman for the district. “It did help to get us through what’s been a historically bad moment in history. But it was a temporary, stopgap, not a long-term solution for school districts.”

MISSION, Kan. (AP) — A school system in suburban Kansas City is eliminating over 100 jobs, including kindergarten aides and library clerks. Oakland, California, is closing seven schools. Other districts around the country are merging classrooms, selling buildings and leaving teaching positions unfilled in order to close budget gaps.Public school systems are beginning to feel the pinch from enrollment losses tied to the coronavirus pandemic.Money for schools is driven partly by student headcounts, and emergency provisions in many states allowed schools to maintain funding at pre-pandemic levels. But like the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pandemic-aid-public-school-funding-346d3d4b86f904184e357c34c9754800">billions of dollars of federal relief money&nbsp;</a>that have helped schools weather the crisis, those measures were not meant to last forever.In Olathe, Kansas, where the school system is cutting 140 jobs, Deputy Superintendent John Hutchison said the extra federal money merely put off the inevitable.Now it is trimming millions of dollars from its budgets because enrollment, having peaked at more than 30,000 students in fall 2019, fell by around 900 in the first full school year of the pandemic. Less than 100 of those students have returned.“Where did those kids go?” Hutchison asked during a recent public meeting. “Where are they? They didn’t come back this year. That’s what’s laying on that additional reduction in our funding.”Families opting for homeschooling, private schools and other options sent enrollment down sharply in the first full school year of the pandemic, and generally it has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-coronavirus-pandemic-race-and-ethnicity-education-e4f3faca4dffec641b11df6dd8259a23">slow to recover</a>.In Houston, the largest district in Texas, enrollment tumbled by more than 22,000 to around 183,000 in fall 2021 and only about half of those students have returned. The district was shielded from making cuts in the first two years of the pandemic by what are known as “hold harmless” provisions, but those protections are expected to end. Superintendent Millard House has asked departments to cut $60 million from next year’s budget.Among other states that took steps to protect school budgets, Delaware provided $9.3 million in one-time funding in the fiscal year that ended in summer 2021 to school districts and charter schools to prevent layoffs over enrollment declines, and North Carolina lawmakers decided to allow schools to use pre-pandemic attendance levels.More districts will be making cuts in coming years, said Alex Spurrier, an associate partner at Bellwether Education Partners, a think tank. The last of the federal aid must be spent by 2024.“Once the federal funding dries up, it will put a lot more districts in a lot more difficult position if they’re kind of kicking the can down the road of making the adjustments that they’ll need if they are going to be serving smaller student populations in the years to come,” he said.Some districts have struggled to explain the need for cuts. Albuquerque Public Schools announced this spring that it anticipates a budget shortfall of about $25 million.“That might sound crazy,” the district wrote in a blog post, acknowledging the influx of federal aid. But it explained that enrollment declines have accelerated amid the pandemic, with the student population falling to 73,000 from 85,000 in just six years. The district hasn’t released a cost-cutting plan but legislative analysts say it will require layoffs and school closures.Amid the upheaval, some states have gained students. Florida was among the leaders, according to the data-tracking site Burbio. And some districts’ headcounts benefited from new families, including some who moved to less costly areas as work went virtual.In California, which announced this month that enrollment had fallen by an additional 110,283 students, Oakland's planned school closures are leading to protests. The ACLU filed a complaint this month alleging that they disproportionately affect Black students and families.Further complicating the situation is a tight labor market and demands for teacher and staff raises.In Minneapolis Public Schools, where a nearly three-week long teacher strike ended with a new contract, the district said it needed to make $27.1 million in budget cuts in the upcoming school year to pay for it. Federal relief money helped cover the $53.5 million price tag for the more lucrative contract for teachers and support staff for the current school year. Since the pandemic began, the district also has lost more than 4,000 students, along with the state funding they generate.School officials in the city of Lawrence — home to the main University of Kansas campus — are creating multi-grade level elementary classrooms, which will allow the district to get by with fewer teachers. It is part of an effort to close a budget shortfall brought on by declining enrollment and to free up money for raises.“You can’t cut close to $7 million and not change how you do business,” Lawrence Superintendent Anthony Lewis acknowledged at a meeting this month.In Iowa, the Des Moines district canceled a conference, sold a building and isn’t replacing some retiring teachers as it cuts $9.4 million in spending for the upcoming school year. The cuts were needed partially because the district’s enrollment has fallen by 1,600 students since the pandemic began.The district, which is the state’s largest with 31,000 students, anticipates that it will need to make even deeper cuts next year.“I think it’s fair to say, the federal aid helped offset some of the financial challenges,” said Phil Roeder, a spokesman for the district. “It did help to get us through what’s been a historically bad moment in history. But it was a temporary, stopgap, not a long-term solution for school districts.”

Headcounts are down at public schools. Now budgets are too

WASHINGTON (AP) — A draft opinion suggests the U.S. Supreme Court could be poised to overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade case that legalized abortion nationwide, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2022/05/02/supreme-court-abortion-draft-opinion-00029473" target="_blank">Politico report</a>&nbsp;released Monday.

A decision to overrule Roe would lead to abortion bans in roughly half the states and could have huge ramifications for this year’s elections. But it’s unclear if the draft represents the court’s final word on the matter — opinions often change in ways big and small in the drafting process.

Whatever the outcome, the Politico report represents an extremely rare breach of the court’s secretive deliberation process, and on a case of surpassing importance.

“Roe was egregiously wrong from the start,” the draft opinion states. It was signed by Justice Samuel Alito, a member of the court’s 6-3 conservative majority who was appointed by former President George W. Bush.

The document was labeled a “1st Draft” of the “Opinion of the Court” in a case challenging Mississippi’s ban on abortion after 15 weeks, a case known as Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization.

The court is expected to rule on the case before its term ends in late June or early July.

The draft opinion in effect states there is no constitutional right to abortion services and would allow individual states to more heavily regulate or outright ban the procedure.

“We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled,” it states, referencing the 1992 case Planned Parenthood v. Casey that affirmed Roe’s finding of a constitutional right to abortion services but allowed states to place some constraints on the practice. “It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people’s elected representatives.”

A Supreme Court spokeswoman said the court had no comment and The Associated Press could not immediately confirm the authenticity of the draft Politico posted, which dates from February.

olitico said only that it received “a copy of the draft opinion from a person familiar with the court’s proceedings in the Mississippi case along with other details supporting the authenticity of the document.”

The draft opinion strongly suggests that when the justices met in private shortly after arguments in the case on Dec. 1, at least five voted to overrule Roe and Casey, and Alito was assigned the task of writing the court’s majority opinion.

Votes and opinions in a case aren’t final until a decision is announced or, in a change wrought by the coronavirus pandemic, posted on the court’s website.

The report comes amid a legislative push to restrict abortion in several Republican-led states — Oklahoma being the most recent — even before the court issues its decision. Critics of those measures have said low-income women will disproportionately bear the burden of the new restrictions.

The leak jumpstarted the intense political reverberations that the high court’s ultimate decision was expected to have in the midterm election year. Already, politicians on both sides of the aisle were seizing on the report to fundraise and energize their supporters on either side of the hot-button issue.

An&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-reproductive-rights-bd86cf1c8ddbfd09c5e221c7a9d41e01">AP-NORC poll</a>&nbsp;in December found that Democrats increasingly see protecting abortion rights as a high priority for the government.

Other polling shows relatively few Americans want to see Roe overturned. In 2020, AP VoteCast found that 69% of voters in the presidential election said the Supreme Court should leave the Roe v. Wade decision as is; just 29% said the court should overturn the decision. In general, AP-NORC polling finds a majority of the public favors abortion being legal in most or all cases.

Still, when asked about abortion policy generally, Americans have nuanced attitudes on the issue, and many don’t think that abortion should be possible after the first trimester or that women should be able to obtain a legal abortion for any reason.

Alito, in the draft, said the court can’t predict how the public might react and shouldn’t try. “We cannot allow our decisions to be affected by any extraneous influences such as concern about the public’s reaction to our work,” Alito wrote in the draft opinion, according to Politico.

People on both sides of the issue quickly gathered outside the Supreme Court waving signs and chanting on a balmy spring night, following the release of the Politico report.

Reaction was swift from elected officials in Congress and across the country.

In a joint statement from Congress’ top two Democrats, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said, “If the report is accurate, the Supreme Court is poised to inflict the greatest restriction of rights in the past fifty years — not just on women but on all Americans.”

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, also a Democrat, said people seeking abortions could head to New York. “For anyone who needs access to care, our state will welcome you with open arms. Abortion will always be safe &amp; accessible in New York,” Hochul said in a tweet.

Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch said in a statement, “We will let the Supreme Court speak for itself and wait for the Court’s official opinion.” But local officials were praising the draft.

“This puts the decision making back into the hands of the states, which is where it should have always been,” said Mississippi state Rep. Becky Currie.

Congress could act, too, though a bill that would write Roe’s protections into federal law stalled in the Senate after passing the House last year with only Democratic votes.

At Supreme Court arguments in December, all six conservative justices signaled that they would uphold the Mississippi law, and five asked questions that suggested that overruling Roe and Casey was a possibility.

Only Chief Justice John Roberts seemed prepared to take the smaller step of upholding the 15-week ban, though that too would be a significant weakening of abortion rights.

Until now, the court has allowed states to regulate but not ban abortion before the point of viability, around 24 weeks.

The court’s three liberal justices seemed likely to be in dissent.

It’s impossible to know what efforts are taking place behind the scenes to influence any justice’s vote. If Roberts is inclined to allow Roe to survive, he need only pick off one other conservative vote to deprive the court of a majority to overrule the abortion landmark.

Twenty-six states are certain or likely to ban abortion if Roe v. Wade is overturned, according to the pro-abortion rights think tank the Guttmacher Institute. Of those, 22 states already have total or near-total bans on the books that are currently blocked by Roe, aside from Texas. The state’s law banning it after six weeks has already been allowed to go into effect by the Supreme Court due to its unusual civil enforcement structure. Four more states are considered likely to quickly pass bans if Roe is overturned.

Sixteen states and the District of Columbia, meanwhile, have protected access to abortion in state law.

This year, anticipating a decision overturning or gutting Roe, eight conservative states have already moved to restrict abortion rights. Oklahoma, for example, passed several bills in recent weeks, including one that goes into effect this summer making it a felony to perform an abortion. Like many anti-abortion bills passed in GOP-led states this year, it does not have exceptions for rape or incest, only to save the life of the mother.

Eight Democratic-leaning states protected or expanded access to the procedure, including California, which has passed legislation making the procedure less expensive and is considering other bills to make itself an “abortion sanctuary” if Roe is overturned.

The draft looked legitimate to some followers of the court. Veteran Supreme Court lawyer Neal Katyal, who worked as a clerk to Justice Stephen Breyer and therefore has been in a position to see drafts, wrote on Twitter: “There are lots of signals the opinion is legit. The length and depth of analysis, would be very hard to fake. It says it is written by Alito and definitely sounds like him.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — A draft opinion suggests the U.S. Supreme Court could be poised to overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade case that legalized abortion nationwide, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2022/05/02/supreme-court-abortion-draft-opinion-00029473" target="_blank">Politico report</a>&nbsp;released Monday.A decision to overrule Roe would lead to abortion bans in roughly half the states and could have huge ramifications for this year’s elections. But it’s unclear if the draft represents the court’s final word on the matter — opinions often change in ways big and small in the drafting process.Whatever the outcome, the Politico report represents an extremely rare breach of the court’s secretive deliberation process, and on a case of surpassing importance.“Roe was egregiously wrong from the start,” the draft opinion states. It was signed by Justice Samuel Alito, a member of the court’s 6-3 conservative majority who was appointed by former President George W. Bush.The document was labeled a “1st Draft” of the “Opinion of the Court” in a case challenging Mississippi’s ban on abortion after 15 weeks, a case known as Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization.The court is expected to rule on the case before its term ends in late June or early July.The draft opinion in effect states there is no constitutional right to abortion services and would allow individual states to more heavily regulate or outright ban the procedure.“We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled,” it states, referencing the 1992 case Planned Parenthood v. Casey that affirmed Roe’s finding of a constitutional right to abortion services but allowed states to place some constraints on the practice. “It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people’s elected representatives.”A Supreme Court spokeswoman said the court had no comment and The Associated Press could not immediately confirm the authenticity of the draft Politico posted, which dates from February.olitico said only that it received “a copy of the draft opinion from a person familiar with the court’s proceedings in the Mississippi case along with other details supporting the authenticity of the document.”The draft opinion strongly suggests that when the justices met in private shortly after arguments in the case on Dec. 1, at least five voted to overrule Roe and Casey, and Alito was assigned the task of writing the court’s majority opinion.Votes and opinions in a case aren’t final until a decision is announced or, in a change wrought by the coronavirus pandemic, posted on the court’s website.The report comes amid a legislative push to restrict abortion in several Republican-led states — Oklahoma being the most recent — even before the court issues its decision. Critics of those measures have said low-income women will disproportionately bear the burden of the new restrictions.The leak jumpstarted the intense political reverberations that the high court’s ultimate decision was expected to have in the midterm election year. Already, politicians on both sides of the aisle were seizing on the report to fundraise and energize their supporters on either side of the hot-button issue.An&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-reproductive-rights-bd86cf1c8ddbfd09c5e221c7a9d41e01">AP-NORC poll</a>&nbsp;in December found that Democrats increasingly see protecting abortion rights as a high priority for the government.Other polling shows relatively few Americans want to see Roe overturned. In 2020, AP VoteCast found that 69% of voters in the presidential election said the Supreme Court should leave the Roe v. Wade decision as is; just 29% said the court should overturn the decision. In general, AP-NORC polling finds a majority of the public favors abortion being legal in most or all cases.Still, when asked about abortion policy generally, Americans have nuanced attitudes on the issue, and many don’t think that abortion should be possible after the first trimester or that women should be able to obtain a legal abortion for any reason.Alito, in the draft, said the court can’t predict how the public might react and shouldn’t try. “We cannot allow our decisions to be affected by any extraneous influences such as concern about the public’s reaction to our work,” Alito wrote in the draft opinion, according to Politico.People on both sides of the issue quickly gathered outside the Supreme Court waving signs and chanting on a balmy spring night, following the release of the Politico report.Reaction was swift from elected officials in Congress and across the country.In a joint statement from Congress’ top two Democrats, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said, “If the report is accurate, the Supreme Court is poised to inflict the greatest restriction of rights in the past fifty years — not just on women but on all Americans.”New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, also a Democrat, said people seeking abortions could head to New York. “For anyone who needs access to care, our state will welcome you with open arms. Abortion will always be safe &amp; accessible in New York,” Hochul said in a tweet.Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch said in a statement, “We will let the Supreme Court speak for itself and wait for the Court’s official opinion.” But local officials were praising the draft.“This puts the decision making back into the hands of the states, which is where it should have always been,” said Mississippi state Rep. Becky Currie.Congress could act, too, though a bill that would write Roe’s protections into federal law stalled in the Senate after passing the House last year with only Democratic votes.At Supreme Court arguments in December, all six conservative justices signaled that they would uphold the Mississippi law, and five asked questions that suggested that overruling Roe and Casey was a possibility.Only Chief Justice John Roberts seemed prepared to take the smaller step of upholding the 15-week ban, though that too would be a significant weakening of abortion rights.Until now, the court has allowed states to regulate but not ban abortion before the point of viability, around 24 weeks.The court’s three liberal justices seemed likely to be in dissent.It’s impossible to know what efforts are taking place behind the scenes to influence any justice’s vote. If Roberts is inclined to allow Roe to survive, he need only pick off one other conservative vote to deprive the court of a majority to overrule the abortion landmark.Twenty-six states are certain or likely to ban abortion if Roe v. Wade is overturned, according to the pro-abortion rights think tank the Guttmacher Institute. Of those, 22 states already have total or near-total bans on the books that are currently blocked by Roe, aside from Texas. The state’s law banning it after six weeks has already been allowed to go into effect by the Supreme Court due to its unusual civil enforcement structure. Four more states are considered likely to quickly pass bans if Roe is overturned.Sixteen states and the District of Columbia, meanwhile, have protected access to abortion in state law.This year, anticipating a decision overturning or gutting Roe, eight conservative states have already moved to restrict abortion rights. Oklahoma, for example, passed several bills in recent weeks, including one that goes into effect this summer making it a felony to perform an abortion. Like many anti-abortion bills passed in GOP-led states this year, it does not have exceptions for rape or incest, only to save the life of the mother.Eight Democratic-leaning states protected or expanded access to the procedure, including California, which has passed legislation making the procedure less expensive and is considering other bills to make itself an “abortion sanctuary” if Roe is overturned.The draft looked legitimate to some followers of the court. Veteran Supreme Court lawyer Neal Katyal, who worked as a clerk to Justice Stephen Breyer and therefore has been in a position to see drafts, wrote on Twitter: “There are lots of signals the opinion is legit. The length and depth of analysis, would be very hard to fake. It says it is written by Alito and definitely sounds like him.”___

Report: Supreme Court set to overturn Roe v. Wade case that legalized abortion

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal weekend shooting.

Just after 9:15 p.m. Sunday, police responded to a Disturbance Weapon call in the 3000 block of South Elizabeth in Wichita, according to Officer Chad Ditch.

 Upon arrival, officers located 25-year-old Vincent White unconscious and not breathing in front of a residence. White would be pronounced deceased on the scene.

The investigation revealed White was in a verbal altercation with a relative. The relative would contact a 39-year-old neighbor for assistance. White charged at the relative and neighbor causing the neighbor to point a gun at White and shoot him.

The investigation is ongoing and will be presented to the District Attorney’s office.

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal weekend shooting.Just after 9:15 p.m. Sunday, police responded to a Disturbance Weapon call in the 3000 block of South Elizabeth in Wichita, according to Officer Chad Ditch. Upon arrival, officers located 25-year-old Vincent White unconscious and not breathing in front of a residence. White would be pronounced deceased on the scene.The investigation revealed White was in a verbal altercation with a relative. The relative would contact a 39-year-old neighbor for assistance. White charged at the relative and neighbor causing the neighbor to point a gun at White and shoot him.The investigation is ongoing and will be presented to the District Attorney’s office.

Kan. man asked to help, shot and killed neighbor's relative

TOPEKA&nbsp;– On Monday, Governor Laura Kelly announced that Kansas’ total tax-only receipts for April were $1.5 billion. Those collections are $178.4 million, or 13.4%, more than the recently revised estimate, according to a media release from her office.

&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjA1MDIuNTczMDMzNjEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2NvbnRlbnQuZ292ZGVsaXZlcnkuY29tL2F0dGFjaG1lbnRzL0tTT0cvMjAyMi8wNS8wMi9maWxlX2F0dGFjaG1lbnRzLzIxNDc2MzcvMTBfQXByaWxfUmV2ZW51ZV9GWTIwMjJfMDUtMDItMjAyMl9GaW5hbC5wZGYifQ.-g5UFvfPATNxwHnk75aiH-TPx6vwFGNPFJJLhFmnHdc/s/1303160919/br/130696456897-l" target="_blank">Click here to view the April t</a>ax spreadsheet

“Last week, we passed ‘Axe the Food Tax’ legislation to eliminate the state’s sales tax on groceries, which is a good first step, but we can do more,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;“These tax collection receipts reiterate the state’s fiscal health, and clearly shows we can afford to move up the ‘axe the food tax’ implementation date to July 1 of this year. I’m calling on the Kansas Legislature to do so as soon as they come back later this month.”

The July 1 date is still viable as Kansas would be joining 23 other states that use the same definitions for what will be exempt from state sales tax. Many retailers and point-of-sale software vendors are already familiar with and utilizing those definitions. In addition, KDOR will provide educational information to assist retailers in this change.

Individual income tax collections for April were $1.0 billion, which is $178.1 million, or 21.2%, more than the estimate for the month. April corporate income tax collections were $141.5 million, only $0.5 million below the estimated amount for the month.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“It is reassuring to see the receipts meeting and exceeding the latest revised estimates for Fiscal Year 2022,”&nbsp;Secretary of Revenue Mark Burghart said.

Retail sales tax collections continued the growth trend for state revenues, as those collections were $245.0 million. That is $8.4 million, or 3.6%, more than April 2021. Compensating use tax receipts were $65.0 million, which was 10.4% less than the estimate for the month, but 9.8% above April 2021 receipts. The combined sales and use taxes associated with personal and corporate expenditures grew by 4.8% over April 2021.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1636397666116.png" alt="The July 1 date is still viable as Kansas would be joining 23 other states that use the same definitions for what will be exempt from state sales tax." />
 <figcaption>The July 1 date is still viable as Kansas would be joining 23 other states that use the same definitions for what will be exempt from state sales tax.</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA&nbsp;– On Monday, Governor Laura Kelly announced that Kansas’ total tax-only receipts for April were $1.5 billion. Those collections are $178.4 million, or 13.4%, more than the recently revised estimate, according to a media release from her office.&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjA1MDIuNTczMDMzNjEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2NvbnRlbnQuZ292ZGVsaXZlcnkuY29tL2F0dGFjaG1lbnRzL0tTT0cvMjAyMi8wNS8wMi9maWxlX2F0dGFjaG1lbnRzLzIxNDc2MzcvMTBfQXByaWxfUmV2ZW51ZV9GWTIwMjJfMDUtMDItMjAyMl9GaW5hbC5wZGYifQ.-g5UFvfPATNxwHnk75aiH-TPx6vwFGNPFJJLhFmnHdc/s/1303160919/br/130696456897-l" target="_blank">Click here to view the April t</a>ax spreadsheet“Last week, we passed ‘Axe the Food Tax’ legislation to eliminate the state’s sales tax on groceries, which is a good first step, but we can do more,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;“These tax collection receipts reiterate the state’s fiscal health, and clearly shows we can afford to move up the ‘axe the food tax’ implementation date to July 1 of this year. I’m calling on the Kansas Legislature to do so as soon as they come back later this month.”The July 1 date is still viable as Kansas would be joining 23 other states that use the same definitions for what will be exempt from state sales tax. Many retailers and point-of-sale software vendors are already familiar with and utilizing those definitions. In addition, KDOR will provide educational information to assist retailers in this change.Individual income tax collections for April were $1.0 billion, which is $178.1 million, or 21.2%, more than the estimate for the month. April corporate income tax collections were $141.5 million, only $0.5 million below the estimated amount for the month.&nbsp;&nbsp;“It is reassuring to see the receipts meeting and exceeding the latest revised estimates for Fiscal Year 2022,”&nbsp;Secretary of Revenue Mark Burghart said.Retail sales tax collections continued the growth trend for state revenues, as those collections were $245.0 million. That is $8.4 million, or 3.6%, more than April 2021. Compensating use tax receipts were $65.0 million, which was 10.4% less than the estimate for the month, but 9.8% above April 2021 receipts. The combined sales and use taxes associated with personal and corporate expenditures grew by 4.8% over April 2021.

Kelly: April tax collection show Kan. could move up 'axe food tax'

RENO COUNTY — Police arrested a man staying at a Hutchinson motel Sunday after he allegedly robbed a Papa John's delivery driver.

Just after 11:30p.m. Sunday, a 25-year-old female driver from Papa John's reported to the police that she had tried to deliver pizzas to a location in Hutchison that didn't exist, then was called to go to the parking lot at the Hampton Inn just east of 11th and K-61 to deliver the pizzas.

A man, later identified as 22-year-old Damien Daron Devine, flagged the delivery driver down, displayed a handgun and stole the pizzas and cash from her.

A search warrant was executed for Devine's car and motel room and evidence was found for grounds for an arrest. Police also found a small amount of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

Police booked Devine into jail on requested charges of aggravated robbery and drug offenses.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1651510799824.png" alt="Devine-photo Reno Co." />
 <figcaption>Devine-photo Reno Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>RENO COUNTY — Police arrested a man staying at a Hutchinson motel Sunday after he allegedly robbed a Papa John's delivery driver.Just after 11:30p.m. Sunday, a 25-year-old female driver from Papa John's reported to the police that she had tried to deliver pizzas to a location in Hutchison that didn't exist, then was called to go to the parking lot at the Hampton Inn just east of 11th and K-61 to deliver the pizzas.A man, later identified as 22-year-old Damien Daron Devine, flagged the delivery driver down, displayed a handgun and stole the pizzas and cash from her.A search warrant was executed for Devine's car and motel room and evidence was found for grounds for an arrest. Police also found a small amount of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.Police booked Devine into jail on requested charges of aggravated robbery and drug offenses.

Police: Kan. man robbed pizza delivery driver at gunpoint

SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas man accused of shooting a relative in the back yard of a home made his first court appearance Friday.

Phoukhong Khamvongsa, 62, Wichita, is charged with attempted 1st degree murder, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney.

Just before 5:30p.m. April 25, deputies were sent to a disturbance call involving a weapon in the 4500 block of south Meadowview in Wichita, according to Sheriff's Lt. Benjamin Blick.

When deputies arrived, they located a 55-year-old man suffering from multiple gunshot wounds in the backyard of a residence. 

EMS transported the victim to a local hospital for treatment of critical injuries.&nbsp; The suspect identified as 62-year-old Phoukhong Khamvongsa&nbsp; of Wichita, was arrested at the residence <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=142445">and booked </a>into the Sedgwick County Detention Facility on requested charges of Aggravated Battery.

The victim and suspect are family members, according to Blick.

He is scheduled for another court appearance on May 9. He remains jailed on a $500,000 bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1650989518111.png" alt="Khamvongsa-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Khamvongsa-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas man accused of shooting a relative in the back yard of a home made his first court appearance Friday.Phoukhong Khamvongsa, 62, Wichita, is charged with attempted 1st degree murder, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney.Just before 5:30p.m. April 25, deputies were sent to a disturbance call involving a weapon in the 4500 block of south Meadowview in Wichita, according to Sheriff's Lt. Benjamin Blick.When deputies arrived, they located a 55-year-old man suffering from multiple gunshot wounds in the backyard of a residence. EMS transported the victim to a local hospital for treatment of critical injuries.&nbsp; The suspect identified as 62-year-old Phoukhong Khamvongsa&nbsp; of Wichita, was arrested at the residence <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=142445">and booked </a>into the Sedgwick County Detention Facility on requested charges of Aggravated Battery.The victim and suspect are family members, according to Blick.He is scheduled for another court appearance on May 9. He remains jailed on a $500,000 bond.

Attempted murder: Kan. man charged with shooting family member

FORD COUNTY —The National Weather Service office in Dodge City on Sunday honored three meteorology students who died in an accident Friday night traveling back from storm chasing in Kansas.

'Tonight's 0Z radiosonde launch is dedicated to Nicholas Nair, Gavin Short, and Drake Brooks, the 3 OU meteorology students who tragically were killed in a car accident Friday night. RIP," the National Weather Service in Dodge City wrote on social media.

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol reported Nicholas Nair, 20, of Denton, Texas; Gavin Short, 19, of Grayslake, Illinois; and Drake Brooks, 22, of Evansville, Indiana, died in the crash shortly before 11:30 p.m. Friday.

The three were in a vehicle being driven by Nair southbound on Interstate 35 when the vehicle hydroplaned and was struck by a tractor-trailer rig in Tonkawa, about 85 miles north of Oklahoma City.

A statement released by OU said: “The university is devastated to learn of the tragic passing of three students. Each were valued and loved members of our community.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1651452887068.png" alt="National Weather Service Dodge City" />
 <figcaption>National Weather Service Dodge City</figcaption>
 </figure>FORD COUNTY —The National Weather Service office in Dodge City on Sunday honored three meteorology students who died in an accident Friday night traveling back from storm chasing in Kansas.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Tonight&#39;s 0Z radiosonde launch is dedicated to Nicholas Nair, Gavin Short, and Drake Brooks, the 3 OU meteorology students who tragically were killed in a car accident Friday night. RIP. <a href="https://t.co/1mpPXcm4Pc">pic.twitter.com/1mpPXcm4Pc</a>&mdash; NWS Dodge City (@NWSDodgeCity) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSDodgeCity/status/1520899083036098560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 1, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">On this very sad day in the Norman weather community, our evening weather balloon launch is dedicated to Nic, Drake and Gavin - OU meteorology students who died in a tragic traffic accident last night. <a href="https://t.co/49q2eepp8l">pic.twitter.com/49q2eepp8l</a>&mdash; NWS Norman (@NWSNorman) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSNorman/status/1520547165935964160?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>'Tonight's 0Z radiosonde launch is dedicated to Nicholas Nair, Gavin Short, and Drake Brooks, the 3 OU meteorology students who tragically were killed in a car accident Friday night. RIP," the National Weather Service in Dodge City wrote on social media.The Oklahoma Highway Patrol reported Nicholas Nair, 20, of Denton, Texas; Gavin Short, 19, of Grayslake, Illinois; and Drake Brooks, 22, of Evansville, Indiana, died in the crash shortly before 11:30 p.m. Friday.The three were in a vehicle being driven by Nair southbound on Interstate 35 when the vehicle hydroplaned and was struck by a tractor-trailer rig in Tonkawa, about 85 miles north of Oklahoma City.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/Ast06ncrw4">pic.twitter.com/Ast06ncrw4</a>&mdash; Joseph Harroz, Jr. - OU President (@OU_President) <a href="https://twitter.com/OU_President/status/1520819226495307776?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 1, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>A statement released by OU said: “The university is devastated to learn of the tragic passing of three students. Each were valued and loved members of our community.”

NWS honors students killed returning from storm chasing in Kansas

WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris tested negative on Monday for COVID-19, six days after she tested positive for the virus, and has been cleared to return to the White House on Tuesday.

Harris press secretary Kirsten Allen said Harris, who was prescribed the antiviral treatment Paxlovid last week, was negative on a rapid antigen test. Allen said Harris would continue to wear a “well-fitting mask while around others” in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines until through her tenth day after her positive test.

CDC guidance allows people to leave isolation on the sixth day after they tested positive, as long as they wear a mask around others. The White House exceeds those guidelines, requiring a negative rapid test before people who have been infected are allowed to return to the complex.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1650996759503.png" alt="Vice President Harris, 57, who tested positive for COVID April 26, received her first dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine weeks before taking office and a second dose just days after Inauguration Day in 2021. She received a booster shot in late October and an additional booster on April 1. -photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Vice President Harris, 57, who tested positive for COVID April 26, received her first dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine weeks before taking office and a second dose just days after Inauguration Day in 2021. She received a booster shot in late October and an additional booster on April 1. -photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris tested negative on Monday for COVID-19, six days after she tested positive for the virus, and has been cleared to return to the White House on Tuesday.Harris press secretary Kirsten Allen said Harris, who was prescribed the antiviral treatment Paxlovid last week, was negative on a rapid antigen test. Allen said Harris would continue to wear a “well-fitting mask while around others” in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines until through her tenth day after her positive test.CDC guidance allows people to leave isolation on the sixth day after they tested positive, as long as they wear a mask around others. The White House exceeds those guidelines, requiring a negative rapid test before people who have been infected are allowed to return to the complex.

Vice President negative for COVID-19 after taking antiviral pill

BUTLER COUNTY —One westbound lane of U.S. 54/400 at Andover reopened Monday morning after being closed by tornado damage, according to the Kansas Department of Transportation.

One westbound lane remains closed: from Yorktown on west to Meadowlark on east. Westbound traffic is directed to slow down. Eastbound lanes reopened earlier.

The tornado damaged more than more than 1,000 buildings in south-central Kansas, generated winds up to 165 mph and carved a path of destruction nearly 13 miles long. 

BUTLER COUNTY —One westbound lane of U.S. 54/400 at Andover reopened Monday morning after being closed by tornado damage, according to the Kansas Department of Transportation.One westbound lane remains closed: from Yorktown on west to Meadowlark on east. Westbound traffic is directed to slow down. Eastbound lanes reopened earlier.The tornado damaged more than more than 1,000 buildings in south-central Kansas, generated winds up to 165 mph and carved a path of destruction nearly 13 miles long.

Portion of U.S. 54 reopens after closed due to tornado

ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man following hit and run accident.

Just after 6:30p.m. Friday, a vehicle driven by 22-year-old Ethan D. Hale of Atchison, struck a vehicle at U.S.73 and RavenHill Road and left the scene, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.&nbsp;&nbsp;

A police officer later located Hale in the 400 block South 10th. The&nbsp; Kansas Highway Patrol took him into custody. He remains jailed without bond on requested charges that include aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, criminal damage to property, DUI and reckless driving, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1651493742909.png" alt="Hale-photo Atchison County" />
 <figcaption>Hale-photo Atchison County</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man following hit and run accident.Just after 6:30p.m. Friday, a vehicle driven by 22-year-old Ethan D. Hale of Atchison, struck a vehicle at U.S.73 and RavenHill Road and left the scene, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.&nbsp;&nbsp;A police officer later located Hale in the 400 block South 10th. The&nbsp; Kansas Highway Patrol took him into custody. He remains jailed without bond on requested charges that include aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, criminal damage to property, DUI and reckless driving, according to online jail records.

Kansas man jailed without bond after hit and run crash

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Food and Drug Administration on Friday set tentative dates in June to publicly review COVID-19 vaccines for the youngest American children, typically the final step before authorizing the shots.

The meeting announcement follows months of frustration from families impatient for a chance to vaccinate their little children, along with complaints from politicians bemoaning the slow pace of the process.

The FDA said it plans to convene its outside panel of vaccine experts on June 8, 21 and 22 to review applications from Moderna and Pfizer for child vaccines. The dates are not final and the FDA said it will provide more details as each company completes its application.

While questions have swirled about what’s taking so long, FDA Commissioner Robert Califf emphasized Friday that the agency can’t evaluate the vaccines until all the data is submitted.

“There will be no delays,” Califf told reporters at a health journalism conference. “We’ll review the data, hold an advisory committee meeting and make a decision as quickly as possible once we get the applications.”

Currently, only children ages 5 or older can be vaccinated in the U.S. with Pfizer’s vaccine, leaving 18 million younger tots unprotected.

On Thursday, Moderna submitted some of its data to the FDA that it hopes will prove its two low-dose shots can protect children younger than 6. Moderna has filed FDA applications for older kids, but the FDA hasn’t ruled on them. It’s not clear if that data children will be considered at the June meetings.

Pfizer is soon expected to announce if three of its even smaller-dose shots work for the littlest kids, months after the disappointing discovery that two doses weren’t quite strong enough.

On Monday, a top House Democrat requested a briefing from FDA on the status of vaccines for children after media reports that the FDA was considering delaying its work on Moderna’s application to jointly review it with Pfizer’s at a later date.

The FDA also set a June 7 meeting to review Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine for adults. The Maryland-based company’s shots are authorized in Europe and elsewhere but have been delayed by production problems.

The advisory group will also convene June 28 to discuss whether the current U.S. COVID-19 vaccines should be updated to better target coronavirus variants.

WASHINGTON (AP)—Moderna on Thursday asked U.S. regulators to authorize low doses of its COVID-19 vaccine for children younger than 6, a long-awaited move toward potentially opening shots for millions of tots by summer.

Frustrated families are waiting impatiently for a chance to protect the nation’s littlest kids as all around them people shed masks and other public health precautions -- even though highly contagious coronavirus mutants continue to spread.

Moderna submitted data to the Food and Drug Administration that it hopes will prove two low-dose shots can protect babies, toddlers and preschoolers -- albeit not as effectively during the omicron surge as earlier in the pandemic.

“There is an important unmet medical need here with these youngest kids,” Dr. Paul Burton, Moderna’s chief medical officer, told The Associated Press. Two kid-size shots “will safely protect them. I think it is likely that over time they will need additional doses. But we’re working on that.”

Now, only children ages 5 or older can be vaccinated in the U.S., using rival Pfizer’s vaccine, leaving 18 million younger tots unprotected.

Moderna’s vaccine isn’t the only one in the race. Pfizer is soon expected to announce if three of its even smaller-dose shots work for the littlest kids, months after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-business-health-coronavirus-vaccine-c283d0644db46578f18b0b1aa1bfb9a0">disappointing discovery that two doses weren’t quite strong enough.</a>

Whether it’s one company’s shots or both, FDA vaccine chief Dr. Peter Marks said the agency will “move quickly without sacrificing our standards” in deciding if tot-sized doses are safe and effective.

While questions are swirling about what’s taking so long, Marks pointedly told lawmakers this week that the FDA can’t evaluate a product until a manufacturer completes its application. FDA will publicly debate the evidence with its scientific advisers before making a decision, and Marks said multiple meetings would be set to cover several expected applications.

“It’s critically important that we have the proper evaluation so that parents will have trust in any vaccines that we authorize,” Marks told a Senate committee.

If FDA clears vaccinations for the littlest, next the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would have to recommend who needs them -- all tots or just those at higher risk from COVID-19.

Many parents are desperate for whichever vaccine gets to the scientific finish line first.

“We’ve been kind of left behind as everybody else moves on,” said Meagan Dunphy-Daly, a Duke University marine biologist whose 6-year-old daughter is vaccinated -- but whose 3-year-old and 18-month-old sons are part of Pfizer’s trial.

The family continues to mask and take other precautions until it’s clear if the boys got real vaccine or dummy shots. If it turns out they weren’t protected in the Pfizer study and Moderna’s shots are cleared first, Dunphy-Daly said she’d seek them for her sons.

“I will feel such a sense of relief when I know my boys are vaccinated and that the risk of them getting a serious infection is so low,” she said.

Some parents even have urged the government to let families choose shots before all the evidence is in.

“This strain of COVID feels almost impossible to dodge,” Dana Walker, a mother of an 8-month-old, tearfully told a CDC meeting last week. “Cut red tape and allow parents to protect their kids.”

The FDA will face some complex questions.

In a study of kids ages 6 months through 5 years, two Moderna shots — each a quarter of the regular dose — triggered high levels of virus-fighting antibodies, the same amount proven to protect young adults, Burton said. There were no serious side effects, and the shots triggered fewer fevers than other routine vaccinations.

But the vaccine proved between about 40% and 50% effective at preventing symptomatic COVID-19 during the trial. Burton blamed the omicron variant’s ability to partially evade vaccine immunity, noting that unboosted adults showed similarly less effectiveness against milder omicron infections. While no children became severely ill during the study, he said high antibody levels are a proxy for protection against more serious illness — and the company will test a child booster dose.

Another issue: So far in the U.S., Moderna’s vaccine is restricted to adults. Other countries have expanded the shot to kids as young as 6. But months ago the FDA cited concern about a rare side effect, heart inflammation, in teen boys, and it hasn’t ruled on Moderna’s earlier pediatric applications.

Burton said the FDA may consider its vaccine for children of all ages — but also might open it first to the youngest kids who have no other option. He said safety data from millions of older children given Moderna vaccinations abroad should help reassure parents.

While COVID-19 generally isn’t as dangerous in youngsters as adults, some do become severely ill or even die. About 475 children younger than 5 have died from COVID-19 since the pandemic’s start, according to the CDC, and child hospitalizations soared at omicron’s peak.

Yet it’s not clear how many parents intend to vaccinate the youngest kids. Less than a third of children ages 5 to 11 have had two vaccinations, and 58% of those ages 12 to 17.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1634902668202.jpeg" alt="photo courtesy Moderna" />
 <figcaption>photo courtesy Moderna</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Food and Drug Administration on Friday set tentative dates in June to publicly review COVID-19 vaccines for the youngest American children, typically the final step before authorizing the shots.The meeting announcement follows months of frustration from families impatient for a chance to vaccinate their little children, along with complaints from politicians bemoaning the slow pace of the process.The FDA said it plans to convene its outside panel of vaccine experts on June 8, 21 and 22 to review applications from Moderna and Pfizer for child vaccines. The dates are not final and the FDA said it will provide more details as each company completes its application.While questions have swirled about what’s taking so long, FDA Commissioner Robert Califf emphasized Friday that the agency can’t evaluate the vaccines until all the data is submitted.“There will be no delays,” Califf told reporters at a health journalism conference. “We’ll review the data, hold an advisory committee meeting and make a decision as quickly as possible once we get the applications.”Currently, only children ages 5 or older can be vaccinated in the U.S. with Pfizer’s vaccine, leaving 18 million younger tots unprotected.On Thursday, Moderna submitted some of its data to the FDA that it hopes will prove its two low-dose shots can protect children younger than 6. Moderna has filed FDA applications for older kids, but the FDA hasn’t ruled on them. It’s not clear if that data children will be considered at the June meetings.Pfizer is soon expected to announce if three of its even smaller-dose shots work for the littlest kids, months after the disappointing discovery that two doses weren’t quite strong enough.On Monday, a top House Democrat requested a briefing from FDA on the status of vaccines for children after media reports that the FDA was considering delaying its work on Moderna’s application to jointly review it with Pfizer’s at a later date.The FDA also set a June 7 meeting to review Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine for adults. The Maryland-based company’s shots are authorized in Europe and elsewhere but have been delayed by production problems.The advisory group will also convene June 28 to discuss whether the current U.S. COVID-19 vaccines should be updated to better target coronavirus variants.--------WASHINGTON (AP)—Moderna on Thursday asked U.S. regulators to authorize low doses of its COVID-19 vaccine for children younger than 6, a long-awaited move toward potentially opening shots for millions of tots by summer.Frustrated families are waiting impatiently for a chance to protect the nation’s littlest kids as all around them people shed masks and other public health precautions -- even though highly contagious coronavirus mutants continue to spread.Moderna submitted data to the Food and Drug Administration that it hopes will prove two low-dose shots can protect babies, toddlers and preschoolers -- albeit not as effectively during the omicron surge as earlier in the pandemic.“There is an important unmet medical need here with these youngest kids,” Dr. Paul Burton, Moderna’s chief medical officer, told The Associated Press. Two kid-size shots “will safely protect them. I think it is likely that over time they will need additional doses. But we’re working on that.”Now, only children ages 5 or older can be vaccinated in the U.S., using rival Pfizer’s vaccine, leaving 18 million younger tots unprotected.Moderna’s vaccine isn’t the only one in the race. Pfizer is soon expected to announce if three of its even smaller-dose shots work for the littlest kids, months after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-business-health-coronavirus-vaccine-c283d0644db46578f18b0b1aa1bfb9a0">disappointing discovery that two doses weren’t quite strong enough.</a>Whether it’s one company’s shots or both, FDA vaccine chief Dr. Peter Marks said the agency will “move quickly without sacrificing our standards” in deciding if tot-sized doses are safe and effective.While questions are swirling about what’s taking so long, Marks pointedly told lawmakers this week that the FDA can’t evaluate a product until a manufacturer completes its application. FDA will publicly debate the evidence with its scientific advisers before making a decision, and Marks said multiple meetings would be set to cover several expected applications.“It’s critically important that we have the proper evaluation so that parents will have trust in any vaccines that we authorize,” Marks told a Senate committee.If FDA clears vaccinations for the littlest, next the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would have to recommend who needs them -- all tots or just those at higher risk from COVID-19.Many parents are desperate for whichever vaccine gets to the scientific finish line first.“We’ve been kind of left behind as everybody else moves on,” said Meagan Dunphy-Daly, a Duke University marine biologist whose 6-year-old daughter is vaccinated -- but whose 3-year-old and 18-month-old sons are part of Pfizer’s trial.The family continues to mask and take other precautions until it’s clear if the boys got real vaccine or dummy shots. If it turns out they weren’t protected in the Pfizer study and Moderna’s shots are cleared first, Dunphy-Daly said she’d seek them for her sons.“I will feel such a sense of relief when I know my boys are vaccinated and that the risk of them getting a serious infection is so low,” she said.Some parents even have urged the government to let families choose shots before all the evidence is in.“This strain of COVID feels almost impossible to dodge,” Dana Walker, a mother of an 8-month-old, tearfully told a CDC meeting last week. “Cut red tape and allow parents to protect their kids.”The FDA will face some complex questions.In a study of kids ages 6 months through 5 years, two Moderna shots — each a quarter of the regular dose — triggered high levels of virus-fighting antibodies, the same amount proven to protect young adults, Burton said. There were no serious side effects, and the shots triggered fewer fevers than other routine vaccinations.But the vaccine proved between about 40% and 50% effective at preventing symptomatic COVID-19 during the trial. Burton blamed the omicron variant’s ability to partially evade vaccine immunity, noting that unboosted adults showed similarly less effectiveness against milder omicron infections. While no children became severely ill during the study, he said high antibody levels are a proxy for protection against more serious illness — and the company will test a child booster dose.Another issue: So far in the U.S., Moderna’s vaccine is restricted to adults. Other countries have expanded the shot to kids as young as 6. But months ago the FDA cited concern about a rare side effect, heart inflammation, in teen boys, and it hasn’t ruled on Moderna’s earlier pediatric applications.Burton said the FDA may consider its vaccine for children of all ages — but also might open it first to the youngest kids who have no other option. He said safety data from millions of older children given Moderna vaccinations abroad should help reassure parents.While COVID-19 generally isn’t as dangerous in youngsters as adults, some do become severely ill or even die. About 475 children younger than 5 have died from COVID-19 since the pandemic’s start, according to the CDC, and child hospitalizations soared at omicron’s peak.Yet it’s not clear how many parents intend to vaccinate the youngest kids. Less than a third of children ages 5 to 11 have had two vaccinations, and 58% of those ages 12 to 17.___

Moderna COVID shots for littlest kids possibly available next month

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The tornado that damaged more than more than 1,000 buildings in south-central Kansas generated winds up to 165 mph&nbsp; and carved a path of destruction nearly 13 miles long.

The National Weather Service said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tornadoes-kansas-wichita-d3d493c5036bafdacfd173dbe40ac451">the tornado that caused extensive damage Friday</a>&nbsp;mostly in the Wichita suburb of Andover and injured several people rated an EF3 on the Enhanced Fujita scale it uses to assess tornadoes.

Andover Fire Chief Chad Russell said that at least 300 to 400 buildings were destroyed by the storm as part of a total of 1,074 buildings that were damaged. The Weather Service said the tornado was on the ground for 21 minutes Friday evening.

Four people, including two firefighters who were responding to a call in Andover, were injured during the storm but their injuries were minor.

Russell said it will take years for Andover to recover from this storm.

“The city of Andover will be affected by this for years,” he said. “We still have scars from 1991 (EF5 tornado). I’m so thankful this tornado was not as bad as that, but we will literally be doing this for years.”

By Sunday, utility crews had restored power to nearly all of the more than 15,000 customers who lost power during the storm. Evergy said less than 1,000 people still lacked power in the Wichita area Sunday morning.

In addition to the storm damage, the Oklahoma State Patrol said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-indiana-oklahoma-evansville-city-d61b5bcec6115509d21cd32d27617426">three University of Oklahoma meteorology students were killed</a>&nbsp;in a car crash about 85 miles&nbsp; north of Oklahoma City in Oklahoma Friday evening as they returned from storm chasing in Kansas.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1651369443627.png" alt="Photo courtesy office of Governor Kelly" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy office of Governor Kelly</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The tornado that damaged more than more than 1,000 buildings in south-central Kansas generated winds up to 165 mph&nbsp; and carved a path of destruction nearly 13 miles long.The National Weather Service said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tornadoes-kansas-wichita-d3d493c5036bafdacfd173dbe40ac451">the tornado that caused extensive damage Friday</a>&nbsp;mostly in the Wichita suburb of Andover and injured several people rated an EF3 on the Enhanced Fujita scale it uses to assess tornadoes.Andover Fire Chief Chad Russell said that at least 300 to 400 buildings were destroyed by the storm as part of a total of 1,074 buildings that were damaged. The Weather Service said the tornado was on the ground for 21 minutes Friday evening.Four people, including two firefighters who were responding to a call in Andover, were injured during the storm but their injuries were minor.Russell said it will take years for Andover to recover from this storm.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1651286221103.png" alt="photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>“The city of Andover will be affected by this for years,” he said. “We still have scars from 1991 (EF5 tornado). I’m so thankful this tornado was not as bad as that, but we will literally be doing this for years.”By Sunday, utility crews had restored power to nearly all of the more than 15,000 customers who lost power during the storm. Evergy said less than 1,000 people still lacked power in the Wichita area Sunday morning.In addition to the storm damage, the Oklahoma State Patrol said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-indiana-oklahoma-evansville-city-d61b5bcec6115509d21cd32d27617426">three University of Oklahoma meteorology students were killed</a>&nbsp;in a car crash about 85 miles&nbsp; north of Oklahoma City in Oklahoma Friday evening as they returned from storm chasing in Kansas.

Kansas tornado generated 165 mph winds as it destroyed homes

SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas man died in an accident just after 10p.m. Saturday in Sedgwick County.

A GMC Sierra driven by&nbsp;26-year-old David Fuentes of Wichita was northbound in the 2900 Block of North Broadway in Wichita, according to Officer Chad Ditch.

The driver lost control of the pickup. It struck railroad tracks, flipped and Fuentes was ejected from the vehicle.

First responders pronounced him dead at the scene, according to Ditch. The accident remains under investigation. Speed is believed to be a factor, according to Ditch.

SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas man died in an accident just after 10p.m. Saturday in Sedgwick County.A GMC Sierra driven by&nbsp;26-year-old David Fuentes of Wichita was northbound in the 2900 Block of North Broadway in Wichita, according to Officer Chad Ditch.The driver lost control of the pickup. It struck railroad tracks, flipped and Fuentes was ejected from the vehicle.First responders pronounced him dead at the scene, according to Ditch. The accident remains under investigation. Speed is believed to be a factor, according to Ditch.

Police: Speed a factor in fatal Kansas crash

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Gas prices are still relatively high, but at least they aren't that much different than last week.

"Things have seemed to settle down a bit," said Shawn Steward with AAA of Kansas. "We are seeing some tight gasoline supplies now, which are preventing prices from falling at the pumps.".

"There could be some pretty high demand for gas as people take off on summer vacations, despite the higher gas prices than we've seen in recent years," Steward said.

Steward notes that people may modify other choices like how nice a hotel to book in an effort to have the additional money to spend on gas.

"There's nothing new here," Steward said. "It's just the fluctuating crude oil prices, with global uncertainty and volatility going on. That's impacting what we're seeing for gas prices."

The national average continues to be considerably above Kansas at $4.19 a gallon Monday

NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — Gas prices are still relatively high, but at least they aren't that much different than last week."Things have seemed to settle down a bit," said Shawn Steward with AAA of Kansas. "We are seeing some tight gasoline supplies now, which are preventing prices from falling at the pumps."."There could be some pretty high demand for gas as people take off on summer vacations, despite the higher gas prices than we've seen in recent years," Steward said.Steward notes that people may modify other choices like how nice a hotel to book in an effort to have the additional money to spend on gas."There's nothing new here," Steward said. "It's just the fluctuating crude oil prices, with global uncertainty and volatility going on. That's impacting what we're seeing for gas prices."The national average continues to be considerably above Kansas at $4.19 a gallon Monday

AAA Kansas: Gas prices still relatively high, but more stable

WASHINGTON (AP)— Black and Hispanic Americans remain far more cautious in their approach to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">COVID-19&nbsp;</a>than white Americans, recent polls show, reflecting diverging preferences on how to deal with the pandemic as federal, state and local restrictions fall by the wayside.

Despite&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-business-health-travel-lifestyle-df8d9d7e46db0b9a85e29ac762a41a51">majority favorability</a>&nbsp;among U.S. adults overall for measures like mask mandates, public health experts said divided opinions among racial groups reflect not only the unequal impact of the pandemic on people of color but also apathy among some white Americans.

Black Americans (63%) and Hispanic Americans (68%) continue to be more likely than white Americans (45%) to say they are at least somewhat worried about themselves or a family member being infected with COVID-19, according to an April poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

Throughout the pandemic, Black and Hispanic communities have experienced higher rates of illness and death from COVID, said Amelia Burke-Garcia, public health program area director at NORC. Those experiences have resulted in greater levels of stress, anxiety and awareness of the risks of catching COVID-19, she said, which means people of color are more likely to feel&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-travel-florida-public-centers-for-disease-control-and-prevention-918c37c5fc5e250f84f4f6cbf77bbcec">measures like mask mandates</a>&nbsp;are needed.

“We’ve seen these trends endure throughout the entire pandemic,” Burke-Garcia said. “What we’re seeing now as mitigation measures are being rolled back is there’s still great concern amongst Black Americans and Hispanic Americans around the risk of getting sick.”

Seventy-one percent of Black Americans say they favor requiring face masks for people traveling on airplanes, trains and other types of public transportation. That’s more than the 52% of white Americans who support mask mandates for travelers; 29% of white Americans are opposed. Among Hispanic Americans, 59% are in favor and 20% are opposed. The poll was conducted before a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-business-travel-tampa-3408cc825582126fbda5fbedd3a49dd3">ruling by a federal judge&nbsp;</a>scuttled the government’s mask mandate for travelers.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612200579953.png" alt="CDC image" />
 <figcaption>CDC image</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP)— Black and Hispanic Americans remain far more cautious in their approach to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">COVID-19&nbsp;</a>than white Americans, recent polls show, reflecting diverging preferences on how to deal with the pandemic as federal, state and local restrictions fall by the wayside.Despite&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-business-health-travel-lifestyle-df8d9d7e46db0b9a85e29ac762a41a51">majority favorability</a>&nbsp;among U.S. adults overall for measures like mask mandates, public health experts said divided opinions among racial groups reflect not only the unequal impact of the pandemic on people of color but also apathy among some white Americans.Black Americans (63%) and Hispanic Americans (68%) continue to be more likely than white Americans (45%) to say they are at least somewhat worried about themselves or a family member being infected with COVID-19, according to an April poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.Throughout the pandemic, Black and Hispanic communities have experienced higher rates of illness and death from COVID, said Amelia Burke-Garcia, public health program area director at NORC. Those experiences have resulted in greater levels of stress, anxiety and awareness of the risks of catching COVID-19, she said, which means people of color are more likely to feel&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-travel-florida-public-centers-for-disease-control-and-prevention-918c37c5fc5e250f84f4f6cbf77bbcec">measures like mask mandates</a>&nbsp;are needed.“We’ve seen these trends endure throughout the entire pandemic,” Burke-Garcia said. “What we’re seeing now as mitigation measures are being rolled back is there’s still great concern amongst Black Americans and Hispanic Americans around the risk of getting sick.”Seventy-one percent of Black Americans say they favor requiring face masks for people traveling on airplanes, trains and other types of public transportation. That’s more than the 52% of white Americans who support mask mandates for travelers; 29% of white Americans are opposed. Among Hispanic Americans, 59% are in favor and 20% are opposed. The poll was conducted before a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-business-travel-tampa-3408cc825582126fbda5fbedd3a49dd3">ruling by a federal judge&nbsp;</a>scuttled the government’s mask mandate for travelers.In Indiana, Tuwanna Plant said she sees fewer and fewer people wearing masks in public, even though she said she has been diligent in always wearing one. Plant, who is Black, said she sees people treating the pandemic like it’s over, and she wants the mask mandate to continue.Plant, a 46-year-old sous chef, said she had some concerns about getting the vaccine and took every other precaution, such as cleaning and masking, to avoid getting sick but recently was hospitalized for COVID-19.The experience scared her — she has a preexisting lung condition, and knew family members who died from COVID-19. She said she plans to get vaccinated as soon as she can.“I called my children while I was in the emergency room,” Plant said. “I didn’t know ... if it was going to get better or worse, I didn’t know. So it was the experience for me altogether.”Dr. Celine Gounder, an infectious disease specialist and epidemiologist and editor-at-large at Kaiser Health News, said people’s lived experiences deeply shape how they perceive the pandemic. Anecdotes and personal experience can have a larger impact on behavior than numbers, she said, and people of color are more likely to have had negative experiences with health care prior to and during the pandemic.While new medicines and vaccines have made it easier to treat COVID-19, Gounder said many people still face systemic barriers to accessing that medical care. Others risk losing their jobs or are unable to take time off if they do fall ill, she said, or cannot avoid things like public transit to reduce their exposures.“When people argue that they don’t have to mask on the plane, that means something very different for someone who has access to all of these new innovations than it does for somebody who has no health insurance, who struggles to care for an elderly parent and their children, who’s maybe a single mom working in a job where she has no paid sick and family medical leave,” Gounder said. “It’s just a completely different calculation.”In January, an AP-NORC poll showed Black and Hispanic Americans were more likely than white Americans to feel certain things would be essential for getting back to life without feeling at risk of infection. For example, 76% of Black Americans and 55% of Hispanic Americans said it was essential for getting back to normal that most people regularly wear face masks in public indoor places, compared with 38% of white Americans.Last month, an AP-NORC poll showed Black and Hispanic Americans, 69% and 49%, were more likely than white Americans, 35%, to say they always or often wear a face mask around others.Lower support for mask mandates and other precautions among white Americans may also reflect less sensitivity towards what occurs in communities of color. In a 2021&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8284029/" target="_blank">study</a>&nbsp;of mask wearing during the early part of the pandemic, researchers found that mask wearing among white people increased when white people were dying at greater rates in the surrounding community. When Black and Hispanic people were dying, mask usage was lower.Berkeley Franz, a co-author of the paper, said that in addition to residential segregation that separates white people from communities of color, past research has shown that white people can display ambivalence toward policies that they believe mostly help people of color.“Anti-Blackness is really pervasive and has tremendous consequences, both in terms of the policies that get passed, and what doesn’t,” Franz said. “White people can still have really racist actions without seeing themselves that way and understanding the consequences. It’s largely below the surface and unintentional but has tremendous consequences in terms of equity.”Communities of color also have a different perception of risk from the pandemic than their white counterparts, said Michael Niño, a sociology professor at the University of Arkansas who co-authored a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7814861/" target="_blank">paper&nbsp;</a>on race, gender and masking in the pandemic.“Masking is something that is relatively cheap, it’s effective, and it’s something that can be easily done,” he said. “It doesn’t require any sort of governmental response. These broader histories of racism and sexism in the United States are most certainly shaping some of the patterns we’re seeing.”___