On a dating app? Think twice before sending revealing photos or videos. Some con artists are taking a sinister approach to <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/scams/17012-bbb-tip-romance-scams" target="_blank">romance scams</a> by blackmailing their victims.

You meet someone you are interested in on a dating app. The <a href="https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2021/09/how-spot-extortion-scams-lgbtq-dating-apps" target="_blank">FTC reports</a>
 that this particular scam is especially common on LGBTQ+ dating apps, 
such as Grindr and Feeld. The person sends you explicit photos of 
themselves and asks you to reply with your own revealing pictures.

If you send the images or videos, the scammer begins to blackmail 
you. Scammers use your phone number or social media profile to look up 
names of your friends, family members, and even your workmates or boss. 
Then, they threaten to send images to the people you care most about.

According to one <a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker" target="_blank">BBB Scam Tracker</a>
 report, after a compromising video call, a woman began “blackmailing 
me, [threatening] to release the video footage on social media and send 
it to my friends and family. [Then] a guy took over blackmailing. They 
were demanding a sum of $3000.”

Scammers often ask for payment via gift card or wired funds – methods
 that can’t be traced to them and make it impossible for you to 
recuperate your funds. If you cooperate, you’ll lose your money, and 
there’s no guarantee the scammers will delete the images and videos. In 
fact, scammers will likely continue contacting you, asking for more 
money periodically.

Protect yourself by reading the <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/scams/17012-bbb-tip-romance-scams" target="_blank">BBB Tip: Romance Scams</a> and visiting <a href="http://www.BBB.org/AvoidScams" target="_blank">BBB.org/AvoidScams</a>. To learn more about the legitimacy of different dating apps, read the BBB Scam Alert on <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/24477-bbb-scam-alert-looking-love-dont-fall-for-a-fake-dating-service">fake dating services</a>.

If you’ve been the victim of an extortion scam, report it to the FTC at <a href="https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/" target="_blank">ReportFraud.ftc.gov</a>. Submit a report to <a href="http://www.BBB.org/ScamTracker" target="_blank">BBB.org/ScamTracker</a> as well to boost community awareness and help others protect themselves.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579883951052.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BBBOn a dating app? Think twice before sending revealing photos or videos. Some con artists are taking a sinister approach to <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/scams/17012-bbb-tip-romance-scams" target="_blank">romance scams</a> by blackmailing their victims.<h2>How the Scam Works</h2>You meet someone you are interested in on a dating app. The <a href="https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2021/09/how-spot-extortion-scams-lgbtq-dating-apps" target="_blank">FTC reports</a>
 that this particular scam is especially common on LGBTQ+ dating apps, 
such as Grindr and Feeld. The person sends you explicit photos of 
themselves and asks you to reply with your own revealing pictures.If you send the images or videos, the scammer begins to blackmail 
you. Scammers use your phone number or social media profile to look up 
names of your friends, family members, and even your workmates or boss. 
Then, they threaten to send images to the people you care most about.According to one <a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker" target="_blank">BBB Scam Tracker</a>
 report, after a compromising video call, a woman began “blackmailing 
me, [threatening] to release the video footage on social media and send 
it to my friends and family. [Then] a guy took over blackmailing. They 
were demanding a sum of $3000.”Scammers often ask for payment via gift card or wired funds – methods
 that can’t be traced to them and make it impossible for you to 
recuperate your funds. If you cooperate, you’ll lose your money, and 
there’s no guarantee the scammers will delete the images and videos. In 
fact, scammers will likely continue contacting you, asking for more 
money periodically.<h2>How to Avoid Dating App Scams</h2><ul>
 <li>Never share your personal information with someone you just met. Don’t
 give your cell phone number, home address, email address, or even your 
social media profile to a stranger. Wait until you know and trust a 
person, preferably when you’ve already met them in person. </li><li>Research your love interest. One telltale sign 
you’re dealing with a scammer is a stolen profile picture. Do a reverse 
image search of the person’s profile picture to make sure it isn’t being
 used under a different name or on multiple profiles. </li><li>Think before you send photos or videos. Once you 
send a photo or video, you cannot get it back. Keep in mind that even 
video calls can be recorded and use good judgement to protect your 
reputation. </li><li>Don’t pay money to scammers. You have no guarantee that scammers won’t use the photos or videos anyway. Plus, your money could be <a href="https://www.ic3.gov/Media/Y2020/PSA200420" target="_blank">funding criminal activity</a>. </li>
 </ul><h2>For More Information</h2>Protect yourself by reading the <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/scams/17012-bbb-tip-romance-scams" target="_blank">BBB Tip: Romance Scams</a> and visiting <a href="http://www.BBB.org/AvoidScams" target="_blank">BBB.org/AvoidScams</a>. To learn more about the legitimacy of different dating apps, read the BBB Scam Alert on <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/24477-bbb-scam-alert-looking-love-dont-fall-for-a-fake-dating-service">fake dating services</a>.If you’ve been the victim of an extortion scam, report it to the FTC at <a href="https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/" target="_blank">ReportFraud.ftc.gov</a>. Submit a report to <a href="http://www.BBB.org/ScamTracker" target="_blank">BBB.org/ScamTracker</a> as well to boost community awareness and help others protect themselves.Cover image courtesy Pixabay

BBB: Blackmailers hunting for victims on online dating sites

KANSAS CITY —Advocates for a man scheduled to be put to death next week are urging Gov. Mike Parson to grant clemency, citing his intellectual disability.

A rally was taking place Wednesday at the Capitol rotunda in Jefferson City in support of Ernest Johnson, 61, who was convicted of killing three people during a robbery at a Columbia convenience store in 1994. Advocates planned to deliver a petition with around 23,000 signatures, asking the Republican governor to halt the execution by lethal injection, scheduled for Tuesday evening at the prison in Bonne Terre.

A message seeking comment from Parson's spokeswoman was not immediately returned.

Johnson's advocates cite the Eighth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which prohibits executing intellectually disabled people.

“Killing him would be unconstitutional, and morally and ethically wrong,” said Lauren Sobchak, organizer for Missourians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty.

Nimrod Chapel Jr., president of the Missouri NAACP, said Johnson “deserves to be treated as a human being.”

Johnson’s attorney, Jeremy Weis, said Johnson’s IQ has been tested nine times with an average score of 67. Weis said the IQ exams and other tests have shown that Johnson “has significant deficits” in intellectual functioning.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-courts-executions-missouri-a992909b76406c9153cb890eb8401b42">The Missouri Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;in August refused to halt the execution on the basis of Johnson's intellectual disability, but Weis requested a rehearing. The court hasn't decided whether to reconsider the case.

If carried out, the execution would be the first in Missouri since convicted killer Walter Barton was put to death in May 2020.

Johnson was convicted of killing 46-year-old Mary Bratcher, 57-year-old Mable Scruggs and 58-year-old Fred Jones during a closing-time robbery of a Casey’s General Store in Columbia in February 1994. Johnson wanted money to buy drugs, authorities said.

All three workers were beaten to death with a claw hammer. Bratcher also was stabbed at least 10 times with a screwdriver and Jones was shot in the face. He hid the bodies in a cooler.

Johnson was arrested after police found a bank bag, stolen money and store receipts at his home.

Johnson had previously asked that his execution be carried out by firing squad. His lawyers argued that Missouri’s lethal injection drug, pentobarbital, could trigger seizures. In 2008, Johnson had most, but not all, of a benign brain tumor removed, and a later MRI revealed that up to 20% of his brain tissue was also removed.

Missouri law does not authorize execution by firing squad.

Johnson has been sentenced to death three times.

He was already on death row in 2001 when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that executing the mentally ill was unconstitutionally cruel and a new sentencing hearing was ordered. Johnson was again sentenced to death in 2003. The Missouri Supreme Court tossed that sentence, too. In 2006, Johnson was sentenced to death a third time.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1621882682950.png" alt="Johnson photo MODOC" />
 <figcaption>Johnson photo MODOC</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Advocates for a man scheduled to be put to death next week are urging Gov. Mike Parson to grant clemency, citing his intellectual disability.A rally was taking place Wednesday at the Capitol rotunda in Jefferson City in support of Ernest Johnson, 61, who was convicted of killing three people during a robbery at a Columbia convenience store in 1994. Advocates planned to deliver a petition with around 23,000 signatures, asking the Republican governor to halt the execution by lethal injection, scheduled for Tuesday evening at the prison in Bonne Terre.A message seeking comment from Parson's spokeswoman was not immediately returned.Johnson's advocates cite the Eighth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which prohibits executing intellectually disabled people.“Killing him would be unconstitutional, and morally and ethically wrong,” said Lauren Sobchak, organizer for Missourians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty.Nimrod Chapel Jr., president of the Missouri NAACP, said Johnson “deserves to be treated as a human being.”Johnson’s attorney, Jeremy Weis, said Johnson’s IQ has been tested nine times with an average score of 67. Weis said the IQ exams and other tests have shown that Johnson “has significant deficits” in intellectual functioning.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-courts-executions-missouri-a992909b76406c9153cb890eb8401b42">The Missouri Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;in August refused to halt the execution on the basis of Johnson's intellectual disability, but Weis requested a rehearing. The court hasn't decided whether to reconsider the case.If carried out, the execution would be the first in Missouri since convicted killer Walter Barton was put to death in May 2020.Johnson was convicted of killing 46-year-old Mary Bratcher, 57-year-old Mable Scruggs and 58-year-old Fred Jones during a closing-time robbery of a Casey’s General Store in Columbia in February 1994. Johnson wanted money to buy drugs, authorities said.All three workers were beaten to death with a claw hammer. Bratcher also was stabbed at least 10 times with a screwdriver and Jones was shot in the face. He hid the bodies in a cooler.Johnson was arrested after police found a bank bag, stolen money and store receipts at his home.Johnson had previously asked that his execution be carried out by firing squad. His lawyers argued that Missouri’s lethal injection drug, pentobarbital, could trigger seizures. In 2008, Johnson had most, but not all, of a benign brain tumor removed, and a later MRI revealed that up to 20% of his brain tissue was also removed.Missouri law does not authorize execution by firing squad.Johnson has been sentenced to death three times.He was already on death row in 2001 when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that executing the mentally ill was unconstitutionally cruel and a new sentencing hearing was ordered. Johnson was again sentenced to death in 2003. The Missouri Supreme Court tossed that sentence, too. In 2006, Johnson was sentenced to death a third time.

Advocates: Intellectually disabled killer should not be put to death next week

WASHINGTON (AP) — With only hours to spare, President Joe Biden signed legislation to avoid a partial federal shutdown and keep the government funded through Dec. 3. Congress had passed the bill earlier Thursday. 

The legislation averts one crisis, but efforts to stave off a second crisis seem likely to continue for the next couple of weeks as Democrats and Republicans dig in on a dispute over how to raise the government’s borrowing cap. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen says failure to raise the debt limit will lead to a financial crisis and economic recession.

WASHINGTON (AP) — With only hours to spare, Congress passed legislation that would avoid a partial federal shutdown and keep the government funded through Dec. 3, and sent the bill to President Joe Biden.

The back-to-back votes by the Senate and then the House will help avert one crisis, but just delay another as the political parties dig in on a dispute over how to raise&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-bills-janet-yellen-9d5327bcc4f18bd2cf3349fdbe6d246b">the government’s borrowing cap</a>&nbsp;before the United States risks a potentially catastrophic default.

The House approved the short-term funding measure by a 254-175 vote not long after Senate passage in a 65-35 vote. A large majority of Republicans in both chambers voted against it. The legislation was needed to keep the government running once the current budget year ended at midnight Thursday. Passage will buy lawmakers more time to craft the spending measures that will fund federal agencies and the programs they administer.

The work to keep the government open and running served as the backdrop during a chaotic day for Democrats as they struggled to get Biden’s top domestic priorities over the finish line, including a bipartisan $1 trillion infrastructure bill at risk of stalling in the House.

With their energy focused on Biden’s agenda, Democrats backed down from a showdown over the debt limit in the government funding bill, deciding to uncouple the borrowing ceiling at the insistence of Republicans. If that cap is not raised by Oct. 18, the U.S. probably will face&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-united-states-bills-economy-janet-yellen-de159a96c61d0679e06bde313881092c">a financial crisis and economic recession</a>, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said.

Republicans say Democrats have the votes to raise the debt limit on their own, and Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky is insisting they do so.

The short-term spending legislation will also provide about $28.6 billion in disaster relief for those recovering from Hurricane Ida and other natural disasters, and help support Afghanistan evacuees from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-islamic-state-group-e10e038baea732dae879c11234507f81">the 20-year war between the U.S. and the Taliban</a>.

“This is a good outcome, one I’m happy we are getting done,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said. “With so many things to take care of in Washington, the last thing the American people need is for the government to grind to a halt.”

Once the government is funded, albeit temporarily, Democrats will turn their full attention to the need to raise the limit on federal borrowing, which now stands at $28.4 trillion.

The U.S. has never defaulted on its debts in the modern era and historically, both parties have voted to raise the limit. Democrats joined the Republican Senate majority in doing so three times during Donald Trump’s presidency. This time Democrats wanted to take care of both priorities in one bill, but Senate Republicans blocked that effort Monday.

Raising or suspending the debt limit allows the federal government to pay obligations already incurred. It does not authorize new spending. McConnell has argued that Democrats should pass a debt limit extension with the same budgetary tools they are using to try to pass a $3.5 trillion effort to expand social safety net programs and tackle climate change. He reiterated that warning as the Senate opened on Thursday, even as Democrats have labeled that option a “nonstarter.”

“We’re able to fund the government today because the majority accepted reality. The same thing will need to happen on the debt limit next week,” McConnell said.

House Democrats pushed through a stand-alone bill late Wednesday that would suspend the debt limit until December 2022. Schumer said he would bring the measure to the Senate floor, but the bill is almost certain to be blocked by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-filibusters-government-and-politics-6cb32ae519a6789eb3a01a0d92094d58">a Republican filibuster</a>.

The arguments made in both chambers about the debt ceiling have followed similar themes.

“You are more interested in punishing Democrats than preserving our credit and that is something I’m having a real tough time getting my head around,” House Rules Committee Chairman Jim McGovern, D-Mass., told Republicans. “The idea of not paying bills just because we don’t like (Biden’s) policies is the wrong way to go.”

Undaunted, Republicans argued that Democrats have chosen to ram through their political priorities on their own and thus are responsible for raising the debt limit on their own.

“So long as the Democratic majority continues to insist on spending money hand over fist, Republicans will refuse to help them lift the debt ceiling,” said Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla.

The Treasury has taken steps to preserve cash, but once it runs out, it will be forced to rely on incoming revenue to pay its obligations. That would likely mean delays in payments to Social Security recipients, veterans and government workers, including military personnel. The Bipartisan Policy Center, a think tank, projects that the federal government would be unable to meet about 40% of payments due in the several weeks that follow.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1633090680808.png" alt="House Speaker Nancy Pelosi held a signing ceremony after the House voted&nbsp; 254-175 to pass the bill.-photo courtesy House Speaker's office" />
 <figcaption>House Speaker Nancy Pelosi held a signing ceremony after the House voted&nbsp; 254-175 to pass the bill.-photo courtesy House Speaker's office</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — With only hours to spare, President Joe Biden signed legislation to avoid a partial federal shutdown and keep the government funded through Dec. 3. Congress had passed the bill earlier Thursday. The legislation averts one crisis, but efforts to stave off a second crisis seem likely to continue for the next couple of weeks as Democrats and Republicans dig in on a dispute over how to raise the government’s borrowing cap. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen says failure to raise the debt limit will lead to a financial crisis and economic recession.----------WASHINGTON (AP) — With only hours to spare, Congress passed legislation that would avoid a partial federal shutdown and keep the government funded through Dec. 3, and sent the bill to President Joe Biden.The back-to-back votes by the Senate and then the House will help avert one crisis, but just delay another as the political parties dig in on a dispute over how to raise&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-bills-janet-yellen-9d5327bcc4f18bd2cf3349fdbe6d246b">the government’s borrowing cap</a>&nbsp;before the United States risks a potentially catastrophic default.The House approved the short-term funding measure by a 254-175 vote not long after Senate passage in a 65-35 vote. A large majority of Republicans in both chambers voted against it. The legislation was needed to keep the government running once the current budget year ended at midnight Thursday. Passage will buy lawmakers more time to craft the spending measures that will fund federal agencies and the programs they administer.The work to keep the government open and running served as the backdrop during a chaotic day for Democrats as they struggled to get Biden’s top domestic priorities over the finish line, including a bipartisan $1 trillion infrastructure bill at risk of stalling in the House.With their energy focused on Biden’s agenda, Democrats backed down from a showdown over the debt limit in the government funding bill, deciding to uncouple the borrowing ceiling at the insistence of Republicans. If that cap is not raised by Oct. 18, the U.S. probably will face&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-united-states-bills-economy-janet-yellen-de159a96c61d0679e06bde313881092c">a financial crisis and economic recession</a>, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said.Republicans say Democrats have the votes to raise the debt limit on their own, and Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky is insisting they do so.The short-term spending legislation will also provide about $28.6 billion in disaster relief for those recovering from Hurricane Ida and other natural disasters, and help support Afghanistan evacuees from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-islamic-state-group-e10e038baea732dae879c11234507f81">the 20-year war between the U.S. and the Taliban</a>.“This is a good outcome, one I’m happy we are getting done,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said. “With so many things to take care of in Washington, the last thing the American people need is for the government to grind to a halt.”Once the government is funded, albeit temporarily, Democrats will turn their full attention to the need to raise the limit on federal borrowing, which now stands at $28.4 trillion.The U.S. has never defaulted on its debts in the modern era and historically, both parties have voted to raise the limit. Democrats joined the Republican Senate majority in doing so three times during Donald Trump’s presidency. This time Democrats wanted to take care of both priorities in one bill, but Senate Republicans blocked that effort Monday.Raising or suspending the debt limit allows the federal government to pay obligations already incurred. It does not authorize new spending. McConnell has argued that Democrats should pass a debt limit extension with the same budgetary tools they are using to try to pass a $3.5 trillion effort to expand social safety net programs and tackle climate change. He reiterated that warning as the Senate opened on Thursday, even as Democrats have labeled that option a “nonstarter.”“We’re able to fund the government today because the majority accepted reality. The same thing will need to happen on the debt limit next week,” McConnell said.House Democrats pushed through a stand-alone bill late Wednesday that would suspend the debt limit until December 2022. Schumer said he would bring the measure to the Senate floor, but the bill is almost certain to be blocked by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-filibusters-government-and-politics-6cb32ae519a6789eb3a01a0d92094d58">a Republican filibuster</a>.The arguments made in both chambers about the debt ceiling have followed similar themes.“You are more interested in punishing Democrats than preserving our credit and that is something I’m having a real tough time getting my head around,” House Rules Committee Chairman Jim McGovern, D-Mass., told Republicans. “The idea of not paying bills just because we don’t like (Biden’s) policies is the wrong way to go.”Undaunted, Republicans argued that Democrats have chosen to ram through their political priorities on their own and thus are responsible for raising the debt limit on their own.“So long as the Democratic majority continues to insist on spending money hand over fist, Republicans will refuse to help them lift the debt ceiling,” said Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla.The Treasury has taken steps to preserve cash, but once it runs out, it will be forced to rely on incoming revenue to pay its obligations. That would likely mean delays in payments to Social Security recipients, veterans and government workers, including military personnel. The Bipartisan Policy Center, a think tank, projects that the federal government would be unable to meet about 40% of payments due in the several weeks that follow.___

Biden signs bill to avert partial government shutdown

LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (AP) — Federal authorities say two former prison guards at Leavenworth Detention Center have been indicted by a federal grand jury on counts accusing them of smuggling drugs and other contraband into the prison. A news release Thursday from the U.S. Department of Justice says 25-year-old Jacqueline Sifuentes, of Laredo, Texas, and 29-year-old Cheyonte Harris, of Raytown, Missouri, were both indicted Sept. 22. 

Sifuentes was arrested Tuesday and is charged with bribery, conspiring to commit bribery and provide contraband, and providing contraband to an inmate. 

She faces up to 40 years in prison if convicted. Harris was arrested Monday and is charged with conspiring to commit bribery and provide contraband and making false statements to federal agents. She faces up to 10 years in prison.

LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (AP) — Federal authorities say two former prison guards at Leavenworth Detention Center have been indicted by a federal grand jury on counts accusing them of smuggling drugs and other contraband into the prison. A news release Thursday from the U.S. Department of Justice says 25-year-old Jacqueline Sifuentes, of Laredo, Texas, and 29-year-old Cheyonte Harris, of Raytown, Missouri, were both indicted Sept. 22. Sifuentes was arrested Tuesday and is charged with bribery, conspiring to commit bribery and provide contraband, and providing contraband to an inmate. She faces up to 40 years in prison if convicted. Harris was arrested Monday and is charged with conspiring to commit bribery and provide contraband and making false statements to federal agents. She faces up to 10 years in prison.

2 ex-Kan. prison guards indicted for smuggling drugs

WASHINGTON (AP) —Three Democratic members of Congress on Thursday offered deeply personal testimony about their own abortions as a congressional committee examined how to respond to conservative states that are passing laws&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-lifestyle-health-travel-texas-fbc505c3db4a08af51ba409a91ea161c">limiting abortion access</a>.

Rep. Cori Bush of Missouri said she was raped on a church youth trip. Rep. Barbara Lee of California said she received a “back-alley” abortion in Mexico after a teenage pregnancy. And Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington said she opted for an abortion after being told her pregnancy would be high risk for her and the baby.

“Choosing to have an abortion was the hardest decision I had ever made, but at 18 years old, I knew it was the right decision for me,” Bush told the House Committee on Oversight Reform.

The hearing comes weeks after a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-texas-courts-dallas-ac56b654f88471753b22e19587956c29">Texas law</a>&nbsp;took effect that bans abortions after six weeks of pregnancy with no exception for rape or incest. Other conservative states are considering similar measures.

Meanwhile, a federal appeals court is weighing the fate of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-courts-health-laws-st-louis-8310eaa67debfe2f06bd331d918b2cd9">Missouri law</a>&nbsp;that bans abortions after eight weeks of pregnancy, also with no rape or incest exceptions. And, the U.S. Supreme Court in December will hear arguments over a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-courts-coronavirus-pandemic-us-supreme-court-b2399021aa925d655be3942c8e2edd2b">Mississippi law</a>&nbsp;that would ban abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy.

The hearing also looked at what the federal government can do to ensure abortion access. Options include ending the Hyde Amendment, which restricts government funding for most abortions, and passing a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-texas-courts-laws-voting-rights-7814a3cddec1fcc65119846641603a44">law guaranteeing a woman’s right to an abortion</a>. The House passed that measure last week, but Republican opposition would almost certainly doom it in the Senate.

Committee Chairwoman Carolyn B. Maloney, a Democrat from New York, said the majority of Americans support abortion rights.

“But with a hostile Supreme Court, extremist state governments are no longer chipping away at constitutional rights -- they are bulldozing right through them,” Maloney said.

Republican Rep. James Comen of Kentucky said the oversight committee should focus on problems with President Joe Biden’s administration, not a state matter over which it “has absolutely no jurisdiction.” Another Republican, Virginia Foxx of North Carolina, said abortion “only compounds the sorrow.”

“Whether a pregnancy is planned or unplanned, or even the result of horrific circumstances, ending that child’s life with an abortion to empower or protect the, quote, freedom, end quote, of the mother is not an answer,” Foxx said.

Bush, a 45-year-old first-term lawmaker from St. Louis, testified that she had just graduated from high school in the summer of 1994 and went on a church youth trip to Mississippi. She said she befriended a man who was about 20. She said they flirted and he asked to go to the room she was sharing with another girl. Her roommate was already asleep when the man showed up.

“I answered the door and quietly told him he could come in, imagining that we would talk and laugh like we had done over the phone,” Bush said. “But the next thing I knew, he was on top of me, messing with my clothes, and not saying anything at all.”

When it was over, Bush said, she was “confused.”

“I was embarrassed, I was ashamed,” she said. “I asked myself, ‘Was it something I’d done?’”

About a month later, soon after she turned 18, Bush learned she was pregnant.

“To all the Black women and girls who have had abortions or will have abortions -- know this: We have nothing to be ashamed of,” Bush said.

Jayapal said her first child, Janak, now 25, was born prematurely and weighed less than 2 pounds, which resulted in medical conditions that frequently required his hospitalization. Jayapal said other stresses combined with the sick baby resulted in postpartum depression so bad that she contemplated suicide.

She said that when she became pregnant again, she consulted with doctors “who told me that any future pregnancy would likely also be high risk to me and the child, similar to what I had gone through with Janak.”

“I very much wanted to have more children,” she said, “but I simply could not imagine going through that again.”

Ending the pregnancy was “the most difficult choice I’ve made in my life, but it was my choice,” Jayapal said.

Lee became pregnant at age 16 in the mid-1960s. Abortion in California was illegal at the time so a family friend helped send her to a “back-alley clinic in Mexico,” she said.

She had no ill effects from the procedure, but she said many other women weren’t so lucky in that era.

“In the 1960s, unsafe septic abortions were the primary killer — primary killer — of African American women,” Lee said.

A Republican lawmaker had her own personal story about an abortion that didn’t happen.

Rep. Kat Cammack of Florida said her mother suffered a stroke while pregnant with Cammack’s older sister. Years later, when pregnant with Cammack, Cammack’s mother was urged by doctors to have an abortion.

“But because of her strength,” Cammack said, “she chose life.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1633020941883.png" alt="Rep. Cori Bush during her testimony Thursday -photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Cori Bush during her testimony Thursday -photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —Three Democratic members of Congress on Thursday offered deeply personal testimony about their own abortions as a congressional committee examined how to respond to conservative states that are passing laws&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-lifestyle-health-travel-texas-fbc505c3db4a08af51ba409a91ea161c">limiting abortion access</a>.Rep. Cori Bush of Missouri said she was raped on a church youth trip. Rep. Barbara Lee of California said she received a “back-alley” abortion in Mexico after a teenage pregnancy. And Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington said she opted for an abortion after being told her pregnancy would be high risk for her and the baby.“Choosing to have an abortion was the hardest decision I had ever made, but at 18 years old, I knew it was the right decision for me,” Bush told the House Committee on Oversight Reform.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">To all the Black women and girls who have had or will have abortions — know this: We have nothing to be ashamed of. We live in a society that has failed to legislate love and justice for us. But we deserve better. We demand better. We are worthy of better. <a href="https://t.co/lZkpucCQ9v">pic.twitter.com/lZkpucCQ9v</a>&mdash; Congresswoman Cori Bush (@RepCori) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepCori/status/1443593643324026881?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The hearing comes weeks after a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-texas-courts-dallas-ac56b654f88471753b22e19587956c29">Texas law</a>&nbsp;took effect that bans abortions after six weeks of pregnancy with no exception for rape or incest. Other conservative states are considering similar measures.Meanwhile, a federal appeals court is weighing the fate of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-courts-health-laws-st-louis-8310eaa67debfe2f06bd331d918b2cd9">Missouri law</a>&nbsp;that bans abortions after eight weeks of pregnancy, also with no rape or incest exceptions. And, the U.S. Supreme Court in December will hear arguments over a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-courts-coronavirus-pandemic-us-supreme-court-b2399021aa925d655be3942c8e2edd2b">Mississippi law</a>&nbsp;that would ban abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy.The hearing also looked at what the federal government can do to ensure abortion access. Options include ending the Hyde Amendment, which restricts government funding for most abortions, and passing a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-texas-courts-laws-voting-rights-7814a3cddec1fcc65119846641603a44">law guaranteeing a woman’s right to an abortion</a>. The House passed that measure last week, but Republican opposition would almost certainly doom it in the Senate.Committee Chairwoman Carolyn B. Maloney, a Democrat from New York, said the majority of Americans support abortion rights.“But with a hostile Supreme Court, extremist state governments are no longer chipping away at constitutional rights -- they are bulldozing right through them,” Maloney said.Republican Rep. James Comen of Kentucky said the oversight committee should focus on problems with President Joe Biden’s administration, not a state matter over which it “has absolutely no jurisdiction.” Another Republican, Virginia Foxx of North Carolina, said abortion “only compounds the sorrow.”“Whether a pregnancy is planned or unplanned, or even the result of horrific circumstances, ending that child’s life with an abortion to empower or protect the, quote, freedom, end quote, of the mother is not an answer,” Foxx said.Bush, a 45-year-old first-term lawmaker from St. Louis, testified that she had just graduated from high school in the summer of 1994 and went on a church youth trip to Mississippi. She said she befriended a man who was about 20. She said they flirted and he asked to go to the room she was sharing with another girl. Her roommate was already asleep when the man showed up.“I answered the door and quietly told him he could come in, imagining that we would talk and laugh like we had done over the phone,” Bush said. “But the next thing I knew, he was on top of me, messing with my clothes, and not saying anything at all.”When it was over, Bush said, she was “confused.”“I was embarrassed, I was ashamed,” she said. “I asked myself, ‘Was it something I’d done?’”About a month later, soon after she turned 18, Bush learned she was pregnant.“To all the Black women and girls who have had abortions or will have abortions -- know this: We have nothing to be ashamed of,” Bush said.Jayapal said her first child, Janak, now 25, was born prematurely and weighed less than 2 pounds, which resulted in medical conditions that frequently required his hospitalization. Jayapal said other stresses combined with the sick baby resulted in postpartum depression so bad that she contemplated suicide.She said that when she became pregnant again, she consulted with doctors “who told me that any future pregnancy would likely also be high risk to me and the child, similar to what I had gone through with Janak.”“I very much wanted to have more children,” she said, “but I simply could not imagine going through that again.”Ending the pregnancy was “the most difficult choice I’ve made in my life, but it was my choice,” Jayapal said.Lee became pregnant at age 16 in the mid-1960s. Abortion in California was illegal at the time so a family friend helped send her to a “back-alley clinic in Mexico,” she said.She had no ill effects from the procedure, but she said many other women weren’t so lucky in that era.“In the 1960s, unsafe septic abortions were the primary killer — primary killer — of African American women,” Lee said.A Republican lawmaker had her own personal story about an abortion that didn’t happen.Rep. Kat Cammack of Florida said her mother suffered a stroke while pregnant with Cammack’s older sister. Years later, when pregnant with Cammack, Cammack’s mother was urged by doctors to have an abortion.“But because of her strength,” Cammack said, “she chose life.”

🎥 Congressional members share own abortion stories at hearing

WILSON COUNTY –&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation, the Neodesha Police Department and the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office arrested two men after they discovered over 82 pounds of methamphetamine in their vehicle, according to a media release from the KBI.

Just after 11:30p.m. Wednesday, officer from the Neodesha Police Department conducted a traffic stop for speeding on a 2006 Chevy Silverado, at 400 Main St. in Neodesha. 

Probable cause to search the vehicle was established, and the search uncovered an excess of 82 pounds of methamphetamine. The methamphetamine has an approximate street value of $3.7 million.&nbsp;

Officers arrested the driver, Alejandro Salazar, 19, of Dallas, Texas, was on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine with the intent to sell, possession of drug sale paraphernalia, and driving without a valid license.

Roger Mercado, 19, from Garland, Texas, was arrested on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine with the intent to sell, and possession of drug sale paraphernalia. He was a passenger in the pickup truck.

Following their arrests, Salazar and Mercado were booked into the Wilson County Jail.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1633027045852.png" alt="Salazar photo Wilson County" />
 <figcaption>Salazar photo Wilson County</figcaption>
 </figure>WILSON COUNTY –&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation, the Neodesha Police Department and the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office arrested two men after they discovered over 82 pounds of methamphetamine in their vehicle, according to a media release from the KBI.Just after 11:30p.m. Wednesday, officer from the Neodesha Police Department conducted a traffic stop for speeding on a 2006 Chevy Silverado, at 400 Main St. in Neodesha. Probable cause to search the vehicle was established, and the search uncovered an excess of 82 pounds of methamphetamine. The methamphetamine has an approximate street value of $3.7 million.&nbsp;Officers arrested the driver, Alejandro Salazar, 19, of Dallas, Texas, was on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine with the intent to sell, possession of drug sale paraphernalia, and driving without a valid license.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1633027020664.png" alt="Mercado photo Wilson County" />
 <figcaption>Mercado photo Wilson County</figcaption>
 </figure>Roger Mercado, 19, from Garland, Texas, was arrested on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine with the intent to sell, and possession of drug sale paraphernalia. He was a passenger in the pickup truck.Following their arrests, Salazar and Mercado were booked into the Wilson County Jail.Official charges are pending.

KBI: Traffic stop uncovers 82 pounds of meth worth $3.7M

ELLIS COUNTY — A 57-year-old Hays man died from his injuries after a shooting outside a residence in the Ellis County community of Munjor, according to a media release from the sheriff's office.

The victim was identified as Ronald Lewis Blackburn. 


At about 5 a.m. Monday, a 911 call reported Blackburn pounded on a resident's front door in the 1800 block of Kazan Street complaining he had shot himself in the leg and was asking for help. 


Law enforcement and EMS personnel performed life saving measures including CPR and applying a tourniquet. Blackburn was transported to HaysMed in serious condition where he later died. 


The Ellis County Sheriffs Office along with 23rd Judicial District Coroner Lyle Noordhoek continue to investigate the circumstance surrounding the shooting, which was believed to be accidental in nature.&nbsp;

ELLIS COUNTY — A 57-year-old Hays man died from his injuries after a shooting outside a residence in the Ellis County community of Munjor, according to a media release from the sheriff's office.The victim was identified as Ronald Lewis Blackburn. 
At about 5 a.m. Monday, a 911 call reported Blackburn pounded on a resident's front door in the 1800 block of Kazan Street complaining he had shot himself in the leg and was asking for help. 
Law enforcement and EMS personnel performed life saving measures including CPR and applying a tourniquet. Blackburn was transported to HaysMed in serious condition where he later died. 
The Ellis County Sheriffs Office along with 23rd Judicial District Coroner Lyle Noordhoek continue to investigate the circumstance surrounding the shooting, which was believed to be accidental in nature.&nbsp;

Kan. man dies in reported accidental shooting

RAYTOWN, Mo. (AP) — A suburban Kansas City school district is investigating a report that a teacher used a racial epithet during a discussion in class.

Raytown Superintendent of Schools Allan Markley said in a letter to parents and guardians that a Raytown High School teacher used the N word during class on Wednesday.

Markley declined to give details about any disciplinary action that might be taken against the teacher.

“Regardless of the teacher’s intent, we understand the offensive and inappropriate nature of this word,” Markley wrote.

Also Wednesday, the mother of a student at a Blue Springs middle school alleged in a published column that her 11-year-old son, who is Black, had been taunted by another student because of his race.

Lakeisha Veal said her son is the only Black student in a class that had been discussing slavery. On Monday, she said, one of the students yelled “Is that cotton?” at her son during class. She said the student was given three days of in-school suspension.

A spokeswoman for the Blue Springs district did not immediately return messages seeking a response to the allegation.

RAYTOWN, Mo. (AP) — A suburban Kansas City school district is investigating a report that a teacher used a racial epithet during a discussion in class.Raytown Superintendent of Schools Allan Markley said in a letter to parents and guardians that a Raytown High School teacher used the N word during class on Wednesday.Markley declined to give details about any disciplinary action that might be taken against the teacher.“Regardless of the teacher’s intent, we understand the offensive and inappropriate nature of this word,” Markley wrote.Also Wednesday, the mother of a student at a Blue Springs middle school alleged in a published column that her 11-year-old son, who is Black, had been taunted by another student because of his race.Lakeisha Veal said her son is the only Black student in a class that had been discussing slavery. On Monday, she said, one of the students yelled “Is that cotton?” at her son during class. She said the student was given three days of in-school suspension.A spokeswoman for the Blue Springs district did not immediately return messages seeking a response to the allegation.

Racial incidents alleged at 2 Kansas City-area schools

By DAVID CONDOS <a href="https://www.hppr.org/hppr-news/2021-09-30/for-hundreds-of-afghan-evacuees-the-next-stop-is-kansas">Kansas News Service</a>

Hundreds of people evacuated from Afghanistan will start new lives in Kansas over the next few months.

That
 has refugee resettlement groups rallying their staffs and volunteers to
 find homes, jobs and a myriad of other essentials for the families who 
fled their war-torn country in the wake of the American withdrawal.

A majority of the Kansas newcomers will land in Wichita, where <a href="https://www.rescue.org/united-states/wichita-ks" target="_blank">The International Rescue Committee</a>,
 or IRC, plans to resettle 400 of the roughly 500 Afghan evacuees headed
 for the state. The first Afghans should arrive by mid-October.

Michele
 Green, executive director of the IRC’s Wichita office, said the total 
number of evacuees will likely be more people than her staff usually 
resettles in an entire year.

And because the people coming from Afghanistan aren’t technically classified as refugees — most will arrive as <a href="https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/21_0903_oaw-fact-sheet_508.pdf" target="_blank">humanitarian parolees</a> — it’s <a href="https://wpln.org/post/many-afghans-coming-to-middle-tennessee-arent-technically-refugees-and-wont-get-the-same-government-benefits/" target="_blank">still unclear</a> if and when they all might get the same type of federal safety net benefits and financial support that refugees do.

“Because everything’s happening so fast … it’s a little kind of up in the air,” Green said. “We’re just taking it day by day.”

It's
 a similar story for other Kansas organizations from Garden City to 
Kansas City, where the speed and magnitude of the influx will make this 
resettlement especially challenging.

“These people were in their home one day, and they are on a plane the next day,” Debbie Snapp, executive director of <a href="https://catholiccharitiesswks.org/" target="_blank">Catholic Charities of Southwest Kansas</a>, said. “So it’s a disaster response almost as much as it is a migration response.”

The
 federal government typically notifies local partners at least two weeks
 before a refugee family arrives in town. But this time, organizations 
will likely just get 24-48 hours’ notice.

That makes it harder to line up things like housing and furniture.

“We’re
 just trying to stay positive in the midst of a really difficult 
situation,” said Kasey Featherston, director of refugee and immigration 
services for <a href="https://catholiccharitiesks.org/" target="_blank">Catholic Charities in Kansas City</a>. “We know that’s what our clients deserve: to be welcomed and feel welcomed.”

In the Kansas City area, some of the evacuees from Afghanistan have already started to arrive.

A
 few weeks ago, Catholic Charities in Kansas City resettled a family of 
five that was evacuated from Afghanistan with a special immigrant visa 
as the country came under Taliban control.

In all, the 
organization plans to resettle at least 75 Afghan evacuees through the 
end of this year in Kansas City, Overland Park, Olathe, Lawrence, 
Manhattan and, potentially, Topeka. But Featherston said that number is 
likely to inch up closer to 150 people as time goes on.

In 
southwest Kansas, Catholic Charities expects to welcome 25 Afghan 
evacuees to Garden City and Dodge City starting in the first half of 
October. That marks a big jump for the agency, which saw its 
resettlement numbers drop from 47 people in 2018 to fewer than 10 in the
 past year.

But Debbie Snapp said the organization had already 
begun adding more workers and volunteers over the past few months in 
response to President Joe Biden raising the federal refugee cap.

“We feel like we’re ready,” she said. “We're just waiting for the notice that they're coming in so we can get started.”

The
 ones who have arrived in the U.S. are currently spread out at military 
bases across the country for final security vetting and processing with 
the State Department. They’re also going through a full medical 
screening, which includes being vaccinated against COVID-19 and other 
diseases.

That’s part of the reason why more of them haven’t 
arrived in Kansas yet: They have to wait at least 21 days after their 
measles shot before they can travel.

Even though some Republican politicians like U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner and U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall have <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/kansas-lawmakers-demand-rigorous-vetting-of-afghan-refugees/" target="_blank">stoked fears</a>
 about the security and health risks of the state welcoming the evacuees
 so quickly, Michele Green of the IRC said those concerns don’t line up 
with reality.

“The evacuation is immediate,” she said, “but the process that they’ve been going through has been ongoing for quite some time.”

Green
 has spent time working on the ground in Afghanistan, so she’s seen the 
vetting process first-hand. She said that most of the evacuees have gone
 through years of vetting as part of their work with the U.S. government or military in Afghanistan, in addition to the vetting that’s happening at military bases now.

“The
 bigger concerns,” she said, “are ensuring that they get the services 
they need to really integrate and become self-sufficient in our 
community.”

That’s where local resettlement organizations come in.

Once
 the evacuees reach town, the organizations will help connect them with 
essentials like medical care, employment and education.

In cities 
with existing Afghan communities — Green estimates that Wichita has 
around 200 Afghans already — connecting evacuees with people from their 
home country will also be key in helping them process what they’ve been 
through and feel more at home.

And the organizations said they’re already seeing their cities step up to volunteer and donate.

“We’ve
 had an incredible response,” Kasey Featherston in Kansas City said. “So
 it’s been really heartwarming to see the community respond.”

People who want to support these organizations’ efforts have a <a href="https://www.rescue.org/announcement/how-help-our-afghan-neighbors-kansas" target="_blank">number of options</a>, ranging from <a href="https://catholiccharitiesswks.networkforgood.com/projects/130899-hope-and-fulfillment" target="_blank">donating</a> money or <a href="https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/243SNEI5O7VUO?ref_=wl_share" target="_blank">household items</a> to <a href="https://catholiccharitiesks.org/covid-volunteering/" target="_blank">volunteering</a> to help an Afghan family navigate life in a new country.

And
 Green said that the benefits of volunteering go both ways: Kansans who 
take the time to get to know people arriving from Afghanistan might find
 that they have more in common with these new neighbors than they 
expected.

“They’re incredibly warm and fun-loving people,” she said. “Just give it a chance.”

You can find out more details about supporting resettlement efforts by contacting these Kansas organizations:

<a href="https://www.rescue.org/united-states/wichita-ks" target="_blank">International Rescue Committee</a> in Wichita: 316-351-5495

<a href="https://catholiccharitiesswks.org/services/refugees-and-immigrants" target="_blank">Catholic Charities</a> of Southwest Kansas: 620-277-9100

<a href="https://catholiccharitiesks.org/refugees/" target="_blank">Catholic Charities</a> of Northeast Kansas: 913-433-2100

David Condos covers western Kansas for High Plains Public Radio and the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/davidcondos" target="_blank">@davidcondos</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1633022472259.png" alt="The scene at Fort Pickett in Virginia, where families evacuated from Afghanistan are being processed before heading to their new homes. Hillary Snyder / Catholic Charities of Southwest Kansas" />
 <figcaption>The scene at Fort Pickett in Virginia, where families evacuated from Afghanistan are being processed before heading to their new homes. Hillary Snyder / Catholic Charities of Southwest Kansas</figcaption>
 </figure>By DAVID CONDOS <a href="https://www.hppr.org/hppr-news/2021-09-30/for-hundreds-of-afghan-evacuees-the-next-stop-is-kansas">Kansas News Service</a>Hundreds of people evacuated from Afghanistan will start new lives in Kansas over the next few months.That
 has refugee resettlement groups rallying their staffs and volunteers to
 find homes, jobs and a myriad of other essentials for the families who 
fled their war-torn country in the wake of the American withdrawal.A majority of the Kansas newcomers will land in Wichita, where <a href="https://www.rescue.org/united-states/wichita-ks" target="_blank">The International Rescue Committee</a>,
 or IRC, plans to resettle 400 of the roughly 500 Afghan evacuees headed
 for the state. The first Afghans should arrive by mid-October.Michele
 Green, executive director of the IRC’s Wichita office, said the total 
number of evacuees will likely be more people than her staff usually 
resettles in an entire year.And because the people coming from Afghanistan aren’t technically classified as refugees — most will arrive as <a href="https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/21_0903_oaw-fact-sheet_508.pdf" target="_blank">humanitarian parolees</a> — it’s <a href="https://wpln.org/post/many-afghans-coming-to-middle-tennessee-arent-technically-refugees-and-wont-get-the-same-government-benefits/" target="_blank">still unclear</a> if and when they all might get the same type of federal safety net benefits and financial support that refugees do.“Because everything’s happening so fast … it’s a little kind of up in the air,” Green said. “We’re just taking it day by day.”In process&nbsp;It's
 a similar story for other Kansas organizations from Garden City to 
Kansas City, where the speed and magnitude of the influx will make this 
resettlement especially challenging.“These people were in their home one day, and they are on a plane the next day,” Debbie Snapp, executive director of <a href="https://catholiccharitiesswks.org/" target="_blank">Catholic Charities of Southwest Kansas</a>, said. “So it’s a disaster response almost as much as it is a migration response.”The
 federal government typically notifies local partners at least two weeks
 before a refugee family arrives in town. But this time, organizations 
will likely just get 24-48 hours’ notice.That makes it harder to line up things like housing and furniture.“We’re
 just trying to stay positive in the midst of a really difficult 
situation,” said Kasey Featherston, director of refugee and immigration 
services for <a href="https://catholiccharitiesks.org/" target="_blank">Catholic Charities in Kansas City</a>. “We know that’s what our clients deserve: to be welcomed and feel welcomed.”In the Kansas City area, some of the evacuees from Afghanistan have already started to arrive.A
 few weeks ago, Catholic Charities in Kansas City resettled a family of 
five that was evacuated from Afghanistan with a special immigrant visa 
as the country came under Taliban control.In all, the 
organization plans to resettle at least 75 Afghan evacuees through the 
end of this year in Kansas City, Overland Park, Olathe, Lawrence, 
Manhattan and, potentially, Topeka. But Featherston said that number is 
likely to inch up closer to 150 people as time goes on.In 
southwest Kansas, Catholic Charities expects to welcome 25 Afghan 
evacuees to Garden City and Dodge City starting in the first half of 
October. That marks a big jump for the agency, which saw its 
resettlement numbers drop from 47 people in 2018 to fewer than 10 in the
 past year.But Debbie Snapp said the organization had already 
begun adding more workers and volunteers over the past few months in 
response to President Joe Biden raising the federal refugee cap.“We feel like we’re ready,” she said. “We're just waiting for the notice that they're coming in so we can get started.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1633022543793.png" alt="This map shows the cities in Kansas where organizations are planning to resettle Afghan evacuees." />
 <figcaption>This map shows the cities in Kansas where organizations are planning to resettle Afghan evacuees.</figcaption>
 </figure>A new homeSo where are the Afghan evacuees now?The
 ones who have arrived in the U.S. are currently spread out at military 
bases across the country for final security vetting and processing with 
the State Department. They’re also going through a full medical 
screening, which includes being vaccinated against COVID-19 and other 
diseases.That’s part of the reason why more of them haven’t 
arrived in Kansas yet: They have to wait at least 21 days after their 
measles shot before they can travel.Even though some Republican politicians like U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner and U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall have <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/kansas-lawmakers-demand-rigorous-vetting-of-afghan-refugees/" target="_blank">stoked fears</a>
 about the security and health risks of the state welcoming the evacuees
 so quickly, Michele Green of the IRC said those concerns don’t line up 
with reality.“The evacuation is immediate,” she said, “but the process that they’ve been going through has been ongoing for quite some time.”Green
 has spent time working on the ground in Afghanistan, so she’s seen the 
vetting process first-hand. She said that most of the evacuees have gone
 through years of vetting as part of their work with the U.S. government or military in Afghanistan, in addition to the vetting that’s happening at military bases now.“The
 bigger concerns,” she said, “are ensuring that they get the services 
they need to really integrate and become self-sufficient in our 
community.”That’s where local resettlement organizations come in.Once
 the evacuees reach town, the organizations will help connect them with 
essentials like medical care, employment and education.In cities 
with existing Afghan communities — Green estimates that Wichita has 
around 200 Afghans already — connecting evacuees with people from their 
home country will also be key in helping them process what they’ve been 
through and feel more at home.And the organizations said they’re already seeing their cities step up to volunteer and donate.“We’ve
 had an incredible response,” Kasey Featherston in Kansas City said. “So
 it’s been really heartwarming to see the community respond.”People who want to support these organizations’ efforts have a <a href="https://www.rescue.org/announcement/how-help-our-afghan-neighbors-kansas" target="_blank">number of options</a>, ranging from <a href="https://catholiccharitiesswks.networkforgood.com/projects/130899-hope-and-fulfillment" target="_blank">donating</a> money or <a href="https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/243SNEI5O7VUO?ref_=wl_share" target="_blank">household items</a> to <a href="https://catholiccharitiesks.org/covid-volunteering/" target="_blank">volunteering</a> to help an Afghan family navigate life in a new country.And
 Green said that the benefits of volunteering go both ways: Kansans who 
take the time to get to know people arriving from Afghanistan might find
 that they have more in common with these new neighbors than they 
expected.“They’re incredibly warm and fun-loving people,” she said. “Just give it a chance.”You can find out more details about supporting resettlement efforts by contacting these Kansas organizations:<a href="https://www.rescue.org/united-states/wichita-ks" target="_blank">International Rescue Committee</a> in Wichita: 316-351-5495<a href="https://catholiccharitiesswks.org/services/refugees-and-immigrants" target="_blank">Catholic Charities</a> of Southwest Kansas: 620-277-9100<a href="https://catholiccharitiesks.org/refugees/" target="_blank">Catholic Charities</a> of Northeast Kansas: 913-433-2100David Condos covers western Kansas for High Plains Public Radio and the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/davidcondos" target="_blank">@davidcondos</a>.

For hundreds of Afghan evacuees, the next stop is Kansas

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Sedgwick County Sheriff Jeff Easter and District Attorney Marc Bennett held a press conference Thursday morning to discuss the tragic events leading to the death and subsequent KBI and Sheriff’s Office investigation of 17-year-old Cedric “CJ” Lofton, of Wichita. 

Lofton was briefly in the custody of the Sedgwick County Corrections Juvenile Intake and Assessment Center (JIAC) after being booked on September 24, 2021 for four counts of battery on a law enforcement officer by the Wichita Police Department. 

While in custody, Lofton assaulted JIAC staff and was restrained. After restraining the juvenile, he became unresponsive and EMS was summoned. Lofton was transported to a local hospital and died on September 26, 2021.

BELLE PLAINE, Kan. (AP) — Multiple staff members at a Kansas juvenile facility engaged in a physical struggle with a 17-year-old youth who was restrained and died two days later at a hospital, authorities said.

Details of the events leading up to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-wichita-c46e524dc4dd062827c83c96c2ee3a3d">the in-custody death</a>&nbsp;of Cedric “CJ’ Lofton emerged late Tuesday in a news release from the Kansas Bureau of Investigation that also identified the Wichita teen for the first time.

An autopsy has been conducted and a cause of death is pending further investigation and toxicology results, the agency said.

The Black teenager’s encounter with law enforcement authorities began at about 1 a.m. Friday when officers from the Wichita Police Department responded to a disturbance call and found Lofton outside a house. The teen appeared paranoid and was behaving erratically, the KBI said. Officers tried to convince him to voluntarily seek mental health treatment before trying to take him into custody. He resisted by assaulting the officers, according to the release.

After a physical struggle, he was arrested on suspicion of battery of a law enforcement officer. A police report from that incident indicates all three police officers involved were white men.

Lofton was taken to the Sedgwick County juvenile intake and assessment center in a WRAP restraint system, a device described by the sheriff’s office as a way to restrain a person who’s “out of control” so they don’t hurt themselves or others. The device is comprised of a locking shoulder harness, leg restraints and ankle straps.

Once he was at the facility, that device and handcuffs were removed and he was placed in a single holding cell, authorities said.

“When we left the facility, the individual was upright and communicating,” said police spokesman Charley Davidson.

Lofton was later allowed out of the holding cell to use the restroom. When a staff member at the juvenile center tried to escort him back to the holding cell, Lofton assaulted the staff member, according to the KBI news release.

The KBI said multiple corrections staff engaged in “a lengthy physical struggle” to get him into the holding cell and place him in handcuffs. A police report shows there were Black, white and Hispanic staff at the facility.

Once Lofton was under control, corrections staff monitoring him noticed he was unresponsive.

Life-saving measures were initiated, the KBI said. Emergency medical responders transported him to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead at about 1:55 a.m. Sunday.

A youth justice organization, Progeny, has called for “a transparent and thorough investigation.”

“This is a tragic example of the immense harm caused when young people are placed behind bars, and much worse, restrained like animals under the supervision of adults who are supposed to keep them safe,” the group said in a written statement. “These facilities are devastating our community. They need to be stopped.”

Wichita pastor Maurice “Moe” Evans, a director at the Community Empowerment and Resilience Coalition, called the WRAP restraint “a torture device” that restricts a person’s comfort, breathing and circulation. He said authorities don’t know if Lofton’s injuries came from the police officers’ use of the WRAP or from the later altercation at the intake center.

“Something was clearly done incorrectly because the claim that he was just suddenly fine and then all of a sudden went unresponsive and then passed away two days later — that just doesn’t happen,” he said. “There are some extenuating circumstances here that they are not yet sharing. We will get to the bottom of it.”

The WRAP is used in more than 1,400 hospitals, youth detention facilities, sheriff’s offices and police departments where people have to deal with combative subjects, said Charles Hammond, president and chief executive officer of Safe Restraints Inc., the company that makes it.

Its purpose is to quickly stop conflict to prevent injury and death, allowing a person to be seated upright so that medical care can be provided, he said, adding the restraint is not a pain tool. It reduces mobility with no breathing restriction, he said.

Evans has also set up a GoFundMe account for the teen’s mother, Sarah Harrison.

“The community is preparing to organize around this so this is not something that is just going to go away,” Evans said. “We are going to find justice for the mom.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1633019917195.png" alt="Sedgwick County Sheriff Jeff Easter and&nbsp;District Attorney Marc Bennett answered questions during a Thursday morning news conference" />
 <figcaption>Sedgwick County Sheriff Jeff Easter and&nbsp;District Attorney Marc Bennett answered questions during a Thursday morning news conference</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Sedgwick County Sheriff Jeff Easter and District Attorney Marc Bennett held a press conference Thursday morning to discuss the tragic events leading to the death and subsequent KBI and Sheriff’s Office investigation of 17-year-old Cedric “CJ” Lofton, of Wichita. <div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FSedgwickCountySheriff%2Fvideos%2F400841661443170%2F&show_text=true&width=560&t=0" width="560" height="429" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Lofton was briefly in the custody of the Sedgwick County Corrections Juvenile Intake and Assessment Center (JIAC) after being booked on September 24, 2021 for four counts of battery on a law enforcement officer by the Wichita Police Department. While in custody, Lofton assaulted JIAC staff and was restrained. After restraining the juvenile, he became unresponsive and EMS was summoned. Lofton was transported to a local hospital and died on September 26, 2021.-----------BELLE PLAINE, Kan. (AP) — Multiple staff members at a Kansas juvenile facility engaged in a physical struggle with a 17-year-old youth who was restrained and died two days later at a hospital, authorities said.Details of the events leading up to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-wichita-c46e524dc4dd062827c83c96c2ee3a3d">the in-custody death</a>&nbsp;of Cedric “CJ’ Lofton emerged late Tuesday in a news release from the Kansas Bureau of Investigation that also identified the Wichita teen for the first time.An autopsy has been conducted and a cause of death is pending further investigation and toxicology results, the agency said.The Black teenager’s encounter with law enforcement authorities began at about 1 a.m. Friday when officers from the Wichita Police Department responded to a disturbance call and found Lofton outside a house. The teen appeared paranoid and was behaving erratically, the KBI said. Officers tried to convince him to voluntarily seek mental health treatment before trying to take him into custody. He resisted by assaulting the officers, according to the release.After a physical struggle, he was arrested on suspicion of battery of a law enforcement officer. A police report from that incident indicates all three police officers involved were white men.Lofton was taken to the Sedgwick County juvenile intake and assessment center in a WRAP restraint system, a device described by the sheriff’s office as a way to restrain a person who’s “out of control” so they don’t hurt themselves or others. The device is comprised of a locking shoulder harness, leg restraints and ankle straps.Once he was at the facility, that device and handcuffs were removed and he was placed in a single holding cell, authorities said.“When we left the facility, the individual was upright and communicating,” said police spokesman Charley Davidson.Lofton was later allowed out of the holding cell to use the restroom. When a staff member at the juvenile center tried to escort him back to the holding cell, Lofton assaulted the staff member, according to the KBI news release.The KBI said multiple corrections staff engaged in “a lengthy physical struggle” to get him into the holding cell and place him in handcuffs. A police report shows there were Black, white and Hispanic staff at the facility.Once Lofton was under control, corrections staff monitoring him noticed he was unresponsive.Life-saving measures were initiated, the KBI said. Emergency medical responders transported him to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead at about 1:55 a.m. Sunday.A youth justice organization, Progeny, has called for “a transparent and thorough investigation.”“This is a tragic example of the immense harm caused when young people are placed behind bars, and much worse, restrained like animals under the supervision of adults who are supposed to keep them safe,” the group said in a written statement. “These facilities are devastating our community. They need to be stopped.”Wichita pastor Maurice “Moe” Evans, a director at the Community Empowerment and Resilience Coalition, called the WRAP restraint “a torture device” that restricts a person’s comfort, breathing and circulation. He said authorities don’t know if Lofton’s injuries came from the police officers’ use of the WRAP or from the later altercation at the intake center.“Something was clearly done incorrectly because the claim that he was just suddenly fine and then all of a sudden went unresponsive and then passed away two days later — that just doesn’t happen,” he said. “There are some extenuating circumstances here that they are not yet sharing. We will get to the bottom of it.”The WRAP is used in more than 1,400 hospitals, youth detention facilities, sheriff’s offices and police departments where people have to deal with combative subjects, said Charles Hammond, president and chief executive officer of Safe Restraints Inc., the company that makes it.Its purpose is to quickly stop conflict to prevent injury and death, allowing a person to be seated upright so that medical care can be provided, he said, adding the restraint is not a pain tool. It reduces mobility with no breathing restriction, he said.Evans has also set up a GoFundMe account for the teen’s mother, Sarah Harrison.“The community is preparing to organize around this so this is not something that is just going to go away,” Evans said. “We are going to find justice for the mom.”___

🎥  Sheriff, DA update investigation of Kan. teen's death after restrained 

LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina Post

SALINA —An alleged test drive turned into a stolen vehicle from a Salina dealership.

A man who is believed to have provided false information asked to test-drive a 2018 Chevrolet Silverado at Marshall Motor Company, 3500 S. Ninth Street, on Wednesday afternoon, according to Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester. The man was supposed to test-drive the pickup for two hours, but he never returned with it.

The pickup, which had some customization on it, was valued at $70,000. It had a Kansas dealer tag of D944AM on it.

The man was described as white, six-foot tall, and weighing 190 pounds.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1633017665295.png" alt="The pickup had a Kansas dealer tag of D944AM -.Google image" />
 <figcaption>The pickup had a Kansas dealer tag of D944AM -.Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina PostSALINA —An alleged test drive turned into a stolen vehicle from a Salina dealership.A man who is believed to have provided false information asked to test-drive a 2018 Chevrolet Silverado at Marshall Motor Company, 3500 S. Ninth Street, on Wednesday afternoon, according to Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester. The man was supposed to test-drive the pickup for two hours, but he never returned with it.The pickup, which had some customization on it, was valued at $70,000. It had a Kansas dealer tag of D944AM on it.The man was described as white, six-foot tall, and weighing 190 pounds.

Police: Man took $70,000 pickup for test drive, didn't return

SEDGWICK COUNTY— A Kansas felon accused in a fatal stabbing made his first court appearance in the case Tuesday.

James Shaw, 60 of Wichita, is charged with 1st degree murder.&nbsp;

Just after 10 p.m. Sept. 21, police responded to a shooting call at a home in the 100 block of North Glenn in Wichita, according to Officer Charley Davidson.&nbsp; Upon arrival, officers located 67-year-old Kurt Petersen and determined he had been stabbed multiple times.&nbsp; Petersen was pronounced deceased on the scene.

The investigation revealed, Petersen’s caretaker came to the home to check on him and found him lying on the kitchen floor with injuries and called 911.&nbsp; James Shaw was also inside of the residence when the caretaker arrived.&nbsp; Examination of evidence and interviews led to Shaw’s arrest, according to Davidson. Shaw was hospitalized for his injuries in the altercation and booked into jail two days later.

Shaw and Petersen were known to each other, according to Davidson.&nbsp; Shaw has had previous felony arrests and convictions and was currently on parole through the Kansas Department of Corrections (KDOC).&nbsp; He was paroled to Wichita from Wyandotte County.&nbsp;&nbsp;

His remains jailed on bond of $300,000. His next court appearance is October 7, according to the district attorney's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632486359786.png" alt="Shaw-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Shaw-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY— A Kansas felon accused in a fatal stabbing made his first court appearance in the case Tuesday.James Shaw, 60 of Wichita, is charged with 1st degree murder.&nbsp;Just after 10 p.m. Sept. 21, police responded to a shooting call at a home in the 100 block of North Glenn in Wichita, according to Officer Charley Davidson.&nbsp; Upon arrival, officers located 67-year-old Kurt Petersen and determined he had been stabbed multiple times.&nbsp; Petersen was pronounced deceased on the scene.The investigation revealed, Petersen’s caretaker came to the home to check on him and found him lying on the kitchen floor with injuries and called 911.&nbsp; James Shaw was also inside of the residence when the caretaker arrived.&nbsp; Examination of evidence and interviews led to Shaw’s arrest, according to Davidson. Shaw was hospitalized for his injuries in the altercation and booked into jail two days later.Shaw and Petersen were known to each other, according to Davidson.&nbsp; Shaw has had previous felony arrests and convictions and was currently on parole through the Kansas Department of Corrections (KDOC).&nbsp; He was paroled to Wichita from Wyandotte County.&nbsp;&nbsp;His remains jailed on bond of $300,000. His next court appearance is October 7, according to the district attorney's office.

Kansas felon on parole charged in knife attack killing

KANSAS CITY (AP) — The spread of COVID-19 vaccination requirements across the U.S. hasn’t had the desired effect so far, with the number of Americans getting their first shots plunging in recent weeks. And some experts worry that the move to dispense boosters could just make matters worse.

The fear is that the rollout of booster shots will lead some people to question the effectiveness of the vaccine in the first place.

“Many of my patients are already saying, ‘If we need a third dose, what was the point?’” said Dr. Jason Goldman, a physician in Coral Springs, Florida.

The average daily count of Americans getting a first dose of vaccine has been falling for six weeks, plummeting more than 50% from about 480,000 in early August to under 230,000 by the middle of last week, according to the most recently available federal data.

An estimated 70 million vaccine-eligible Americans have yet to start vaccinations, despite a summer surge in infections, hospitalizations and deaths driven by the delta variant.

This is the case despite a growing number of businesses announcing vaccination requirements for their employees, including Google, McDonald’s, Microsoft and Disney. Also, big cities such as New York and San Francisco are demanding people be vaccinated to eat at restaurants or enter certain other businesses.

Separately, President Joe Biden announced sweeping new vaccine requirements for as many as 100 million Americans on Sept. 9. Employees at businesses with more than 100 people on the payroll will have to get vaccinated or undergo weekly testing. But the mandates have yet to go into effect; the necessary regulations are still being drawn up.

Allie French, of Omaha, Nebraska, said the move toward booster shots only reinforced her strong belief that vaccinations aren’t necessary, particularly for people who take care of themselves.

“It comes back to a mindset of not needing your hand held through every situation,” said French, founder of a small advocacy group called Nebraskans Against Government Overreach.

Tara Dukart, a 40-year-old rancher from Hazen, North Dakota, and a board member for Health Freedom North Dakota, an organization that has fought mask and vaccine mandates, said: “I think that there is a tremendous amount of hesitancy because why get a third shot if the first two shots didn’t work?”

Scientists have emphasized that the vaccine remains highly effective against serious illness and death from COVID-19, noting that the unvaccinated account for the vast majority of the dead and hospitalized recently. But experts have also seen signs that the vaccine’s protection may be slipping, and they want to get out ahead of the problem.

Experts have long said the key to ending the U.S. epidemic is vaccinating the vast majority of the American public — perhaps as much as 90%. But of the more than 283 million Americans age 12 and older who are eligible for shots, only about 65% — 184 million — are fully vaccinated, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. Children under 12 are not yet eligible to get vaccinated, meaning only about 55% of the U.S. public is fully protected.

CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said Tuesday that health officials have not lost sight of that problem. The booster effort “will not distract us from our most important focus — to get as many people as possible vaccinated with a primary series,” she said.

White House officials said they doubt the need for boosters is a real concern among the vast majority of the unvaccinated, who for a variety of reasons, including misinformation, have continued to resist getting their shots despite nearly a year’s worth of data showing their lifesaving potential.

They argue, too, that as the pool of unvaccinated Americans gradually shrinks, there will be declines in the numbers of new people getting shots. They say the latest numbers should not be read as a sign that mandates aren’t working, noting that most businesses haven’t yet put in place the Biden administration’s vaccinate-or-test policy.

Indeed, despite the downward vaccination trends seen in CDC data, they say there is evidence employer mandates are already working. White House officials cited a number of success stories, including strong increases in the percentage of vaccinated employees at the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit, United Airlines and the Defense Department.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1633006485546.png" alt="The Lawrence-Douglas County Kansas Public Health Department started a COVID vaccine booster clinic on Wednesday- photo courtesy Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>The Lawrence-Douglas County Kansas Public Health Department started a COVID vaccine booster clinic on Wednesday- photo courtesy Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — The spread of COVID-19 vaccination requirements across the U.S. hasn’t had the desired effect so far, with the number of Americans getting their first shots plunging in recent weeks. And some experts worry that the move to dispense boosters could just make matters worse.The fear is that the rollout of booster shots will lead some people to question the effectiveness of the vaccine in the first place.“Many of my patients are already saying, ‘If we need a third dose, what was the point?’” said Dr. Jason Goldman, a physician in Coral Springs, Florida.The average daily count of Americans getting a first dose of vaccine has been falling for six weeks, plummeting more than 50% from about 480,000 in early August to under 230,000 by the middle of last week, according to the most recently available federal data.An estimated 70 million vaccine-eligible Americans have yet to start vaccinations, despite a summer surge in infections, hospitalizations and deaths driven by the delta variant.This is the case despite a growing number of businesses announcing vaccination requirements for their employees, including Google, McDonald’s, Microsoft and Disney. Also, big cities such as New York and San Francisco are demanding people be vaccinated to eat at restaurants or enter certain other businesses.Separately, President Joe Biden announced sweeping new vaccine requirements for as many as 100 million Americans on Sept. 9. Employees at businesses with more than 100 people on the payroll will have to get vaccinated or undergo weekly testing. But the mandates have yet to go into effect; the necessary regulations are still being drawn up.Allie French, of Omaha, Nebraska, said the move toward booster shots only reinforced her strong belief that vaccinations aren’t necessary, particularly for people who take care of themselves.“It comes back to a mindset of not needing your hand held through every situation,” said French, founder of a small advocacy group called Nebraskans Against Government Overreach.Tara Dukart, a 40-year-old rancher from Hazen, North Dakota, and a board member for Health Freedom North Dakota, an organization that has fought mask and vaccine mandates, said: “I think that there is a tremendous amount of hesitancy because why get a third shot if the first two shots didn’t work?”Scientists have emphasized that the vaccine remains highly effective against serious illness and death from COVID-19, noting that the unvaccinated account for the vast majority of the dead and hospitalized recently. But experts have also seen signs that the vaccine’s protection may be slipping, and they want to get out ahead of the problem.Experts have long said the key to ending the U.S. epidemic is vaccinating the vast majority of the American public — perhaps as much as 90%. But of the more than 283 million Americans age 12 and older who are eligible for shots, only about 65% — 184 million — are fully vaccinated, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. Children under 12 are not yet eligible to get vaccinated, meaning only about 55% of the U.S. public is fully protected.CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said Tuesday that health officials have not lost sight of that problem. The booster effort “will not distract us from our most important focus — to get as many people as possible vaccinated with a primary series,” she said.White House officials said they doubt the need for boosters is a real concern among the vast majority of the unvaccinated, who for a variety of reasons, including misinformation, have continued to resist getting their shots despite nearly a year’s worth of data showing their lifesaving potential.They argue, too, that as the pool of unvaccinated Americans gradually shrinks, there will be declines in the numbers of new people getting shots. They say the latest numbers should not be read as a sign that mandates aren’t working, noting that most businesses haven’t yet put in place the Biden administration’s vaccinate-or-test policy.Indeed, despite the downward vaccination trends seen in CDC data, they say there is evidence employer mandates are already working. White House officials cited a number of success stories, including strong increases in the percentage of vaccinated employees at the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit, United Airlines and the Defense Department.Noel Brewer, a University of North Carolina professor of health behavior, said the mandates show promise and there is good reason to be optimistic.“I think we’re heading into a great season for vaccinations. Everything is lining up in a good way,” said Brewer, who advises the CDC and the World Health Organization on COVID-19 vaccination policy.Last week, the Food and Drug Administration and the CDC&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-coronavirus-pandemic-coronavirus-vaccine-203d8c288858e815175880753cbc9b8f">authorized&nbsp;</a>booster doses of Pfizer’s vaccine for tens of millions of Americans who are 65 and older, have underlying health conditions or work in jobs that put them at high risk. The extra dose would be given six months after the two-shot regimen.Regulators have yet to take up the question of booster shots for people who got the Moderna or the Johnson &amp; Johnson vaccine.More than 400,000 Americans got boosters at drugstores over the weekend, and 1 million more have signed up for them, according to White House officials.But some members of an expert panel that advises the CDC worried last week that the booster discussion was a distraction from the more pressing need to get more Americans vaccinated.“We have a very effective vaccine, and it’s like saying, ‘It’s not working,’” said Dr. Pablo Sanchez of Ohio State University.At that meeting, a CDC official presented unpublished data from a recent 1,000-person survey that suggested that offering boosters would make 25% of unvaccinated Americans much less likely to get a shot. This week, a Kaiser Family Foundation poll of more than 1,500 adults found that 71% of the unvaccinated say the recent news about boosters is a sign that the vaccines aren’t working.Some outside experts saw this coming.Dr. James Conway, a pediatric infectious diseases expert at the University of Wisconsin, said last week that if vaccine-hesitant people “start to get the idea that this is only going to last for six or eight or 10 months,” they may be further soured on the whole idea.Meanwhile, the pandemic’s summer surge has shown signs of easing. Deaths are still running high at over 2,000 a day on average, but cases and hospitalizations are trending down.While any ebb in COVID-19′s toll is welcome, it also may undercut health officials’ effort to instill a sense of urgency in the unvaccinated. That could be a difficult task even when cases were exploding.Dr. Alex Jahangir, director of orthopedic trauma surgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and the head of a coronavirus task force in Nashville, Tennessee, recalled operating on an elderly man injured in a car wreck over the summer. The man survived those injuries but ended up dying from COVID-19.Jahangir said he was struck by how the man’s family seemed to absorb the facts about the COVID-19′s dangers only at the very end.“Only when they were negatively impacted did they seek the truth,” Jahangir said.___