WASHINGTON (AP) — Union activist Terrence Wise recalls being laughed at when he began pushing for a national $15 per hour minimum wage almost a decade ago. Nearly a year into the pandemic, the idea isn’t so funny.

The coronavirus has renewed focus on challenges facing hourly employees who have continued working in grocery stores, gas stations and other in-person locations even as much of the workforce has shifted to virtual environments. President Joe Biden has responded by including a provision in the massive pandemic relief bill that would more than double the minimum wage from the current $7.25 to $15 per hour.

But the effort is facing an unexpected roadblock: Biden himself. The president has seemingly undermined the push to raise the minimum wage by acknowledging its dim prospects in Congress, where it faces political opposition and procedural hurdles.

That’s frustrating to activists like Wise, who worry their victory is being snatched away at the last minute despite an administration that’s otherwise an outspoken ally.

“To have it this close on the doorstep, they need to get it done,” said Wise, a 41-year-old department manager at a McDonald’s in Kansas City and a national leader of Fight for 15, an organized labor movement. “They need to feel the pressure.”

The minimum wage debate highlights one of the central tensions emerging in the early days of Biden’s presidency. He won the White House with pledges to respond to the pandemic with a barrage of liberal policy proposals. But as a 36-year veteran of the Senate, Biden is particularly attuned to the political dynamics on Capitol Hill and can be blunt in his assessments.

“I don’t think it’s going to survive,” Biden recently told CBS News, referring to the minimum wage hike.

There’s a certain political realism in Biden’s remark.

With the Senate evenly divided, the proposal doesn’t have the 60 votes needed to make it to the floor on its own. Democrats could use an arcane budgetary procedure that would attach the minimum wage to the pandemic response bill and allow it to pass with a simple majority vote.

But even that’s not easy. Some moderate Democratic senators, including Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, have expressed either outright opposition to the hike or said it shouldn’t be included in the pandemic legislation.

The Senate’s parliamentarian may further complicate things with a ruling that the minimum wage measure can’t be included in the pandemic bill.

For now, the measure’s most progressive Senate backers aren’t openly pressuring Biden to step up his campaign for a higher minimum wage.

Bernie Sanders, the chair of the Senate Budget Committee, has said he’s largely focused on winning approval from the parliamentarian to tack the provision onto the pandemic bill. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who like Sanders challenged Biden from the left for the Democratic nomination, has only tweeted that Democrats should “right this wrong.”

Some activists, however, are encouraging Biden to be more aggressive.

The Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II, the co-chair of the Poor People’s Campaign, said Biden has a “mandate” to ensure the minimum wage increases, noting that minority Americans were “the first to go back to jobs, first to get infected, first to get sick, first to die” during the pandemic.

“We cannot be the last to get relief and the last to get treated and paid properly,” Barber said.

The federal minimum wage hasn’t been raised since 2009, the longest stretch without an increase since its creation in 1938. When adjusted for inflation, the purchasing power of the current $7.25 wage has declined more than a dollar in the last 11-plus years.

Democrats have long promised an increase — support for a $15 minimum wage was including in the party’s 2016 political platform — but haven’t delivered.

Supporters say the coronavirus has made a higher minimum wage all the more urgent since workers earning it are disproportionately people of color. The liberal Economic Policy Institute found that more than 19% of Hispanic workers and more than 14% of Black workers earned hourly wages that kept them below federal poverty guidelines in 2017.

Blacks, Hispanics and Native Americans in the U.S. also have rates of hospitalization and death from COVID-19 that are two to four times higher than for whites, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

People of color are a vital part Biden’s constituency, constituting 38% of his support in November’s election, according to AP VoteCast, a nationwide survey of the electorate.

Adrianne Shropshire. executive director of BlackPAC, noted that Biden has promised to address racial inequalities and create a more fair economy. That means he now has a chance to ensure that hourly wage earners “come out of this pandemic in better shape than they went into it.”

“The recovery around COVID shouldn’t just be about how to stabilize and get people back to zero,” Shropshire said. “It should be about how do we create opportunities to move people beyond where they were.”

The White House says Biden isn’t giving up on the issue. His comments to CBS, according to an aide, reflected his own evaluation of where the parliamentarian would rule based on his decades of experience in the Senate dealing with similar negotiations.

Biden suggested in the same interview that he’s prepared to engage in a “separate negotiation” on raising the minimum wage, but White House press secretary Jen Psaki offered no further details on the future of the proposal if it is in fact cut from the final coronavirus aid bill.

One option could be forcing passage by having Vice President Kamala Harris, as the Senate’s presiding officer, overrule the parliamentarian. But Psaki was clear in opposing that: “Our view is that the parliamentarian is who is chosen, typically, to make a decision in a nonpartisan manner.”

Navin Nayak, executive director of the Center for American Progress Action Fund, the political arm of the progressive think tank, said he wasn’t surprised at Biden’s assessment, but still feels the White House is making good faith efforts.

“They’re not putting this in there to lose it — they put it in there to win it,” Nayak said.

Nayak also noted Biden’s comments came before a Congressional Budget Office projection that found the proposal would help lift millions of Americans out of poverty but increase the federal deficit and cost 1.4 million jobs as employers scale back costlier workforces.

Sanders and other supporters argue that the CBO’s finding that raising the minimum wage will increase the deficit means it impacts the budget — and should therefore be allowed as part of the COVID-19 relief bill. But that will ultimately be up to the Senate parliamentarian.

For Wise, potential congressional hurdles pale in comparison to real world realities.

He makes $14 an hour and his fiancé works as a home health care professional. But when she went into quarantine because of possible exposure to the coronavirus and he missed work to care for their three daughters, it wasn’t long before the family was served with an eviction notice.

People “figure it’s something we’re doing wrong. We’re going to work. We’re productive. We’re law-abiding citizens,” Wise said. “It shouldn’t have to be that way.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613424670052.png" alt="President Biden during a call to business owners Monday to discuss how his American Rescue Plan will help them-photo courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>President Biden during a call to business owners Monday to discuss how his American Rescue Plan will help them-photo courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Union activist Terrence Wise recalls being laughed at when he began pushing for a national $15 per hour minimum wage almost a decade ago. Nearly a year into the pandemic, the idea isn’t so funny.The coronavirus has renewed focus on challenges facing hourly employees who have continued working in grocery stores, gas stations and other in-person locations even as much of the workforce has shifted to virtual environments. President Joe Biden has responded by including a provision in the massive pandemic relief bill that would more than double the minimum wage from the current $7.25 to $15 per hour.But the effort is facing an unexpected roadblock: Biden himself. The president has seemingly undermined the push to raise the minimum wage by acknowledging its dim prospects in Congress, where it faces political opposition and procedural hurdles.That’s frustrating to activists like Wise, who worry their victory is being snatched away at the last minute despite an administration that’s otherwise an outspoken ally.“To have it this close on the doorstep, they need to get it done,” said Wise, a 41-year-old department manager at a McDonald’s in Kansas City and a national leader of Fight for 15, an organized labor movement. “They need to feel the pressure.”The minimum wage debate highlights one of the central tensions emerging in the early days of Biden’s presidency. He won the White House with pledges to respond to the pandemic with a barrage of liberal policy proposals. But as a 36-year veteran of the Senate, Biden is particularly attuned to the political dynamics on Capitol Hill and can be blunt in his assessments.“I don’t think it’s going to survive,” Biden recently told CBS News, referring to the minimum wage hike.There’s a certain political realism in Biden’s remark.With the Senate evenly divided, the proposal doesn’t have the 60 votes needed to make it to the floor on its own. Democrats could use an arcane budgetary procedure that would attach the minimum wage to the pandemic response bill and allow it to pass with a simple majority vote.But even that’s not easy. Some moderate Democratic senators, including Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, have expressed either outright opposition to the hike or said it shouldn’t be included in the pandemic legislation.The Senate’s parliamentarian may further complicate things with a ruling that the minimum wage measure can’t be included in the pandemic bill.For now, the measure’s most progressive Senate backers aren’t openly pressuring Biden to step up his campaign for a higher minimum wage.Bernie Sanders, the chair of the Senate Budget Committee, has said he’s largely focused on winning approval from the parliamentarian to tack the provision onto the pandemic bill. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who like Sanders challenged Biden from the left for the Democratic nomination, has only tweeted that Democrats should “right this wrong.”Some activists, however, are encouraging Biden to be more aggressive.The Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II, the co-chair of the Poor People’s Campaign, said Biden has a “mandate” to ensure the minimum wage increases, noting that minority Americans were “the first to go back to jobs, first to get infected, first to get sick, first to die” during the pandemic.“We cannot be the last to get relief and the last to get treated and paid properly,” Barber said.The federal minimum wage hasn’t been raised since 2009, the longest stretch without an increase since its creation in 1938. When adjusted for inflation, the purchasing power of the current $7.25 wage has declined more than a dollar in the last 11-plus years.Democrats have long promised an increase — support for a $15 minimum wage was including in the party’s 2016 political platform — but haven’t delivered.Supporters say the coronavirus has made a higher minimum wage all the more urgent since workers earning it are disproportionately people of color. The liberal Economic Policy Institute found that more than 19% of Hispanic workers and more than 14% of Black workers earned hourly wages that kept them below federal poverty guidelines in 2017.Blacks, Hispanics and Native Americans in the U.S. also have rates of hospitalization and death from COVID-19 that are two to four times higher than for whites, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.People of color are a vital part Biden’s constituency, constituting 38% of his support in November’s election, according to AP VoteCast, a nationwide survey of the electorate.Adrianne Shropshire. executive director of BlackPAC, noted that Biden has promised to address racial inequalities and create a more fair economy. That means he now has a chance to ensure that hourly wage earners “come out of this pandemic in better shape than they went into it.”“The recovery around COVID shouldn’t just be about how to stabilize and get people back to zero,” Shropshire said. “It should be about how do we create opportunities to move people beyond where they were.”The White House says Biden isn’t giving up on the issue. His comments to CBS, according to an aide, reflected his own evaluation of where the parliamentarian would rule based on his decades of experience in the Senate dealing with similar negotiations.Biden suggested in the same interview that he’s prepared to engage in a “separate negotiation” on raising the minimum wage, but White House press secretary Jen Psaki offered no further details on the future of the proposal if it is in fact cut from the final coronavirus aid bill.One option could be forcing passage by having Vice President Kamala Harris, as the Senate’s presiding officer, overrule the parliamentarian. But Psaki was clear in opposing that: “Our view is that the parliamentarian is who is chosen, typically, to make a decision in a nonpartisan manner.”Navin Nayak, executive director of the Center for American Progress Action Fund, the political arm of the progressive think tank, said he wasn’t surprised at Biden’s assessment, but still feels the White House is making good faith efforts.“They’re not putting this in there to lose it — they put it in there to win it,” Nayak said.Nayak also noted Biden’s comments came before a Congressional Budget Office projection that found the proposal would help lift millions of Americans out of poverty but increase the federal deficit and cost 1.4 million jobs as employers scale back costlier workforces.Sanders and other supporters argue that the CBO’s finding that raising the minimum wage will increase the deficit means it impacts the budget — and should therefore be allowed as part of the COVID-19 relief bill. But that will ultimately be up to the Senate parliamentarian.For Wise, potential congressional hurdles pale in comparison to real world realities.He makes $14 an hour and his fiancé works as a home health care professional. But when she went into quarantine because of possible exposure to the coronavirus and he missed work to care for their three daughters, it wasn’t long before the family was served with an eviction notice.People “figure it’s something we’re doing wrong. We’re going to work. We’re productive. We’re law-abiding citizens,” Wise said. “It shouldn’t have to be that way.”

Push for $15 minimum wage facing an unexpected roadblock

MISSION, Kan. (AP) — Kansas is working to fix its troubled system for sending vaccine data to the federal government, saying glitches caused about 100,000 doses that were given to not be registered as being administered.

The state’s vaccination rate has consistently ranked as among the lowest in the country. As of Monday, 10% of the state’s population had been vaccinated, with 394,523 people receiving at least the first of two required doses, state health&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data" target="_blank">data&nbsp;</a>showed.

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data&nbsp;<a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccinations" target="_blank">shows&nbsp;</a>the state administering only 67% of the 581,975 doses it has received. The state, however, puts the figure at 68.9% and says it has received 572,275 doses. Both were an improvement from Friday.

Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly said in her biweekly conference call with elected officials last week that part of the problem is with the system that the state uses to track vaccinations, which is called Kansas WebIZ.

“That system then needs to send that information to the CDC and there have been some glitches really all along the path,” said Kelly. “We are bringing in the vendor who put WebIZ together to work on the technical fixes that need to be in place to smooth out that process.”

Kelly said the state also is working to make sure health care providers aren’t holding onto doses, although she said that caused only a small part of the problem.

The team is working to fix the issues even as new cases drop. Kansas’ health&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas" target="_blank">department&nbsp;</a>added 1,348 new confirmed cases from Friday to Monday, pushing the state’s pandemic total to 287,450. It also added 42 more COVID-19 deaths, pushing the Kansas death toll to 4,406.

“I expect over the next few weeks that we should start to see more realistic numbers coming out of CDC that reflect the number of vaccinations that we are actually doing,” Kelly said.

Marci Nielsen, a special advisor to Kelly, said most of the problems are occurring in six counties — Harvey, Sedgwick, Shawnee, Douglas, Johnson and Wyandotte.

She said one issue is that when vaccines are transferred from one entity with excess vaccine to another that is in need, the accounting systems shows the vaccine is unaccounted for, even if it has been administered. She said that happened with the University of Kansas Health System when it sent some doses to Wyandotte County health officials.

Also, if a field is left blank, the CDC isn’t getting the data, making it appear that the dose hasn’t been administered, Nielsen said.

“Our estimates are that at this point 70% of the quote-unquote unaccounted for doses appear to be doses that we can see have gone into somebody’s arm,” Nielsen said. “But we have to track each of them down.”

She said other states with similar problems have done workarounds while they try to fix the underlying technical problems.

“Kansas I suspect will ultimately have to do that and all options are on the table,” Nielsen said. “We hope you will start seeing a shift in the right direction within a week or two.”

She said the bottom line is that the state’s vaccination numbers are better than they look on paper.

Data problems have been widespread nationally, said Claire Hannan, executive director of the Association of Immunization Managers. She said the organization surveyed its members a few weeks ago to determine why the number of vaccines distributed was so much higher than the vaccines administered. She said the most chosen response was “data reporting issue.”

Dennis Kriesel, executive director of the Kansas Association of Local Health Departments, said the situation has been frustrating for local health departments.

“They don’t want to be blamed for not inoculating people if they actually have done it. The main concern I have heard is, ‘Hey, the public thinks we have more vaccine than we do. They think we still have some. And our numbers don’t match up. It makes us look like we don’t know what we are doing.’”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613424215408.png" alt="CDC Image" />
 <figcaption>CDC Image</figcaption>
 </figure>MISSION, Kan. (AP) — Kansas is working to fix its troubled system for sending vaccine data to the federal government, saying glitches caused about 100,000 doses that were given to not be registered as being administered.The state’s vaccination rate has consistently ranked as among the lowest in the country. As of Monday, 10% of the state’s population had been vaccinated, with 394,523 people receiving at least the first of two required doses, state health&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data" target="_blank">data&nbsp;</a>showed.U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data&nbsp;<a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccinations" target="_blank">shows&nbsp;</a>the state administering only 67% of the 581,975 doses it has received. The state, however, puts the figure at 68.9% and says it has received 572,275 doses. Both were an improvement from Friday.Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly said in her biweekly conference call with elected officials last week that part of the problem is with the system that the state uses to track vaccinations, which is called Kansas WebIZ.“That system then needs to send that information to the CDC and there have been some glitches really all along the path,” said Kelly. “We are bringing in the vendor who put WebIZ together to work on the technical fixes that need to be in place to smooth out that process.”Kelly said the state also is working to make sure health care providers aren’t holding onto doses, although she said that caused only a small part of the problem.The team is working to fix the issues even as new cases drop. Kansas’ health&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas" target="_blank">department&nbsp;</a>added 1,348 new confirmed cases from Friday to Monday, pushing the state’s pandemic total to 287,450. It also added 42 more COVID-19 deaths, pushing the Kansas death toll to 4,406.“I expect over the next few weeks that we should start to see more realistic numbers coming out of CDC that reflect the number of vaccinations that we are actually doing,” Kelly said.Marci Nielsen, a special advisor to Kelly, said most of the problems are occurring in six counties — Harvey, Sedgwick, Shawnee, Douglas, Johnson and Wyandotte.She said one issue is that when vaccines are transferred from one entity with excess vaccine to another that is in need, the accounting systems shows the vaccine is unaccounted for, even if it has been administered. She said that happened with the University of Kansas Health System when it sent some doses to Wyandotte County health officials.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613412843026.png" alt="Monday Feb. 15, 2021 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Monday Feb. 15, 2021 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>Also, if a field is left blank, the CDC isn’t getting the data, making it appear that the dose hasn’t been administered, Nielsen said.“Our estimates are that at this point 70% of the quote-unquote unaccounted for doses appear to be doses that we can see have gone into somebody’s arm,” Nielsen said. “But we have to track each of them down.”She said other states with similar problems have done workarounds while they try to fix the underlying technical problems.“Kansas I suspect will ultimately have to do that and all options are on the table,” Nielsen said. “We hope you will start seeing a shift in the right direction within a week or two.”She said the bottom line is that the state’s vaccination numbers are better than they look on paper.Data problems have been widespread nationally, said Claire Hannan, executive director of the Association of Immunization Managers. She said the organization surveyed its members a few weeks ago to determine why the number of vaccines distributed was so much higher than the vaccines administered. She said the most chosen response was “data reporting issue.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613424484073.png" alt="CDC image" />
 <figcaption>CDC image</figcaption>
 </figure>Dennis Kriesel, executive director of the Kansas Association of Local Health Departments, said the situation has been frustrating for local health departments.“They don’t want to be blamed for not inoculating people if they actually have done it. The main concern I have heard is, ‘Hey, the public thinks we have more vaccine than we do. They think we still have some. And our numbers don’t match up. It makes us look like we don’t know what we are doing.’”

Kansas struggles to fix vaccine reporting issues

OTTAWA COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities continue to investigate a shooting in Minneapolis, Kansas.

Police responded just before 10:30p.m. February 11, to report of the shooting at a home in the  in 2400 block of Mackenzie Street, according to Police Chief Frank Gent.&nbsp;

A 24-year-old man was injured, transported to Salina Regional Health Center and remains hospitalized, according to Gent. Investigators have suspect information and are continuing to follow up but have not made an arrest.

Investigators are following a few more leads in the case, according to Gent. "This was an isolated incident and there is no threat to the public." Name of the victim has not been released.

OTTAWA COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a&nbsp;shooting on Thursday in Minneapolis.

Police responded just before 10:30p.m. to report of the shooting at a home in the&nbsp; in 2000 block of Mackenzie Street, according to Police Chief Frank Gent.&nbsp;

EMS transported the male victim to Salina Regional Medical Center for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. Authorities released no additional details on Friday afternoon including the name of the victim.

The public was never in any danger, according to Gent.

OTTAWA COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities continue to investigate a shooting in Minneapolis, Kansas.Police responded just before 10:30p.m. February 11, to report of the shooting at a home in the in 2400 block of Mackenzie Street, according to Police Chief Frank Gent.&nbsp;A 24-year-old man was injured, transported to Salina Regional Health Center and remains hospitalized, according to Gent. Investigators have suspect information and are continuing to follow up but have not made an arrest.Investigators are following a few more leads in the case, according to Gent. "This was an isolated incident and there is no threat to the public." Name of the victim has not been released.--------OTTAWA COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a&nbsp;shooting on Thursday in Minneapolis.Police responded just before 10:30p.m. to report of the shooting at a home in the&nbsp; in 2000 block of Mackenzie Street, according to Police Chief Frank Gent.&nbsp;EMS transported the male victim to Salina Regional Medical Center for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. Authorities released no additional details on Friday afternoon including the name of the victim.The public was never in any danger, according to Gent.

Police: Kan. man remains hospitalized after shooting 

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is extending a ban on housing foreclosures to June 30 to help homeowners struggling during the coronavirus pandemic.

The moratorium on foreclosures of federally guaranteed mortgages had been set to expire on March 31. On his first day in office, Biden had extended the moratorium from Jan. 31. Census Bureau figures show that almost 12% of homeowners with mortgages were late on their payments.

The White House says the coordinated actions announced Tuesday by the Departments of Housing and Urban Development, Veterans Affairs and Agriculture also will extend to June 30 the enrollment window for borrowers who want to request mortgage payment forbearance — a pause or reduction in payments — and will provide up to six additional months of forbearance for borrowers who entered forbearance on or before June 30 of last year.

The White House says more than 10 million homeowners are behind on mortgage payments and Biden’s actions are to help keep people in their homes amid “a housing affordability crisis” triggered by the pandemic. It says “homeowners will receive urgently needed relief as we face this unprecedented national emergency.”

Biden’s administration says extending forbearance policies “will provide critical support to homeowners of color, who make up a disproportionate share of borrowers” having trouble paying their loans because of hardships related to the pandemic.

The actions announced Tuesday don’t address a federal moratorium through March 31 on evictions of tenants who’ve fallen behind on rent.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is extending a ban on housing foreclosures to June 30 to help homeowners struggling during the coronavirus pandemic.The moratorium on foreclosures of federally guaranteed mortgages had been set to expire on March 31. On his first day in office, Biden had extended the moratorium from Jan. 31. Census Bureau figures show that almost 12% of homeowners with mortgages were late on their payments.The White House says the coordinated actions announced Tuesday by the Departments of Housing and Urban Development, Veterans Affairs and Agriculture also will extend to June 30 the enrollment window for borrowers who want to request mortgage payment forbearance — a pause or reduction in payments — and will provide up to six additional months of forbearance for borrowers who entered forbearance on or before June 30 of last year.The White House says more than 10 million homeowners are behind on mortgage payments and Biden’s actions are to help keep people in their homes amid “a housing affordability crisis” triggered by the pandemic. It says “homeowners will receive urgently needed relief as we face this unprecedented national emergency.”Biden’s administration says extending forbearance policies “will provide critical support to homeowners of color, who make up a disproportionate share of borrowers” having trouble paying their loans because of hardships related to the pandemic.The actions announced Tuesday don’t address a federal moratorium through March 31 on evictions of tenants who’ve fallen behind on rent.

Biden extends pandemic help for homeowners, renters wait

SALINE COUNTY —A Kansas man lost his house to a fire Monday night in rural Saline County.

Casey Burket, 49, was able to escape with his dogs before the fire at 3192 North Weaver Road engulfed his house, according to Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan. 

Just before 10:30p.m. Monday, deputies and firefighters from Rural Fire District No. 5 were dispatched to the fire.

Burket told authorities that a fire had been burning in the fireplace. He awoke to a strange odor and discovered that a spark had apparently gotten out of the fireplace and set a chair on fire, Soldan said.

The house was fully engulfed by the time firefighters arrived. Total loss was estimated at $195,000, Soldan said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613491250479.jpeg" alt="Monday night fire photo Saline County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Monday night fire photo Saline County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —A Kansas man lost his house to a fire Monday night in rural Saline County.Casey Burket, 49, was able to escape with his dogs before the fire at 3192 North Weaver Road engulfed his house, according to Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan. Just before 10:30p.m. Monday, deputies and firefighters from Rural Fire District No. 5 were dispatched to the fire.Burket told authorities that a fire had been burning in the fireplace. He awoke to a strange odor and discovered that a spark had apparently gotten out of the fireplace and set a chair on fire, Soldan said.The house was fully engulfed by the time firefighters arrived. Total loss was estimated at $195,000, Soldan said.

Spark from fireplace blamed for rural Kansas house fire

SHAWNEE COUNTY. – Law enforcement authorities are investigating a&nbsp; shooting that left one man dead.

Just before 11:30 p.m. Monday, the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center started receiving calls about gunshots in the area of the 3700 block of SW Plaza Drive in Topeka, according to Police LT. Matt Danielson.

Officers arrived and located one adult male victim in a parking lot suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. He was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Police used a K9 to track suspects&nbsp; from that location and found three individuals. They were apprehended and transported to the Law Enforcement Center for interviews.&nbsp;

Due to the size of this outdoor crime scene, police asked the public to avoid the area while the scene is processed.&nbsp; Authorities released no additional details early Tuesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613483141832.png" alt="Police on the scene of the shooting investigation -photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the shooting investigation -photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY. – Law enforcement authorities are investigating a&nbsp; shooting that left one man dead.Just before 11:30 p.m. Monday, the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center started receiving calls about gunshots in the area of the 3700 block of SW Plaza Drive in Topeka, according to Police LT. Matt Danielson.Officers arrived and located one adult male victim in a parking lot suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. He was pronounced deceased at the scene.Police used a K9 to track suspects&nbsp; from that location and found three individuals. They were apprehended and transported to the Law Enforcement Center for interviews.&nbsp;Due to the size of this outdoor crime scene, police asked the public to avoid the area while the scene is processed.&nbsp; Authorities released no additional details early Tuesday.

Police questioning 3 suspects after Kan. man found dead

LAWRENCE—The University of Kansas Athletic Director Jeff Long issued a statement&nbsp; Monday following the weekend DUI arrest of head baseball coach Ritch Price.

"After meeting with Coach Price this afternoon, I informed him that he has been suspended for the next two weeks from all team related activities as a result of his DUI arrest this past weekend."

"I also met with the team to inform them of this decision. While I have tremendous respect and appreciation for Coach Price and the manner in which he conducts our baseball program, as well as the leadership he provides our young men, in this instance he failed to meet our expectations. Coach Price expressed to me his sincere remorse for putting himself in that position and the negative impact it will have on the program. I am confident he will learn from this dangerous lapse in judgement and so will his current and future baseball student-athletes.”

In a separate statement, Price said, “I would like to apologize to my family, players, KU administration, alumni, coaches, staff, as well as our donors for embarrassing them, the University of Kansas, our entire athletic department and myself."

 As I shared with my team, the consequences from my actions on Saturday night could have jeopardized members of our community and was irresponsible. I have always held myself to the same high standards as those of my players and take full responsibility for my actions. I will do everything in my power to ensure that this type of behavior will never happen again. I love the University of Kansas, our athletic department and baseball program. Through my actions moving forward, I hope to regain the trust of all Jayhawks.”

Price joined the KU baseball program in 2002 and became head coach the following year. The team has won over 530 games during his time leading the Jayhawks.

Jeff Long further announces that Associate Head Coach, Ryan Graves, will serve as Head Coach during the suspension.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613440228041.png" alt="Coach Ritch Price photo courtesy KU Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Coach Ritch Price photo courtesy KU Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE—The University of Kansas Athletic Director Jeff Long issued a statement&nbsp; Monday following the weekend DUI arrest of head baseball coach Ritch Price."After meeting with Coach Price this afternoon, I informed him that he has been suspended for the next two weeks from all team related activities as a result of his DUI arrest this past weekend.""I also met with the team to inform them of this decision. While I have tremendous respect and appreciation for Coach Price and the manner in which he conducts our baseball program, as well as the leadership he provides our young men, in this instance he failed to meet our expectations. Coach Price expressed to me his sincere remorse for putting himself in that position and the negative impact it will have on the program. I am confident he will learn from this dangerous lapse in judgement and so will his current and future baseball student-athletes.”In a separate statement, Price said, “I would like to apologize to my family, players, KU administration, alumni, coaches, staff, as well as our donors for embarrassing them, the University of Kansas, our entire athletic department and myself." As I shared with my team, the consequences from my actions on Saturday night could have jeopardized members of our community and was irresponsible. I have always held myself to the same high standards as those of my players and take full responsibility for my actions. I will do everything in my power to ensure that this type of behavior will never happen again. I love the University of Kansas, our athletic department and baseball program. Through my actions moving forward, I hope to regain the trust of all Jayhawks.”Price joined the KU baseball program in 2002 and became head coach the following year. The team has won over 530 games during his time leading the Jayhawks.Jeff Long further announces that Associate Head Coach, Ryan Graves, will serve as Head Coach during the suspension.

KU suspends baseball coach after DUI arrest

DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal shooting in rural Douglas County have identified the victims as Ramon V. Muhammad, 51, Lawrence who died at the scene from an apparent gunshot wounds, according to&nbsp;Jennifer Hethcoat, public information officer with the Douglas County Sheriff's office.  

Austin J. Crystal, 31, Lawrence, died at the hospital from apparent gunshot wounds. Ronald W. Crystal, 58, Lawrence, remains in stable condition at an area hospital, according to Hethcoat.

Just before 6:30 p.m Saturday, deputies responded to a call of shots fired in the 2000 block of E 1100 Road north of Lawrence, according Hethcoat.&nbsp;&nbsp;

At the scene, deputies found three men with apparent gunshot wounds. Muhammad was dead when deputies arrived. EMS transported Austin J. Crystal and Ronald W. Crystal to area hospitals with life threatening injuries where Austin Crystal dies.

The sheriff's office released no additional detals.

DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting in rural Douglas County where two victims have died.

Just before 6:30 p.m Saturday, deputies responded to a call of shots fired in the 2000 block of E 1100 Road north of Lawrence, according to Jennifer Hethcoat, public information officer with the Douglas County Sheriff's office.&nbsp;&nbsp;

At the scene, deputies found three individuals with apparent gunshot wounds. One man was dead when deputies arrived. EMS transported two other individuals to area hospitals with life threatening injuries. One of those men died overnight Sunday, according to Hethcoat.&nbsp;&nbsp;The other victim remained hospitalized in stable condition late Sunday.&nbsp;

This crime scene is located outdoors and Douglas County Sheriff’s Office deputies and detectives worked through the night in freezing cold temperatures to process the crime scene before forecasted snow moved in Sunday morning.

Deputies are still investigating and conducting interviews but do not have reason to believe there is a suspect at large in the community.

DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal shooting in rural Douglas County say a second victim has died.

Just before 6:30 p.m Saturday, deputies responded to a call of shots fired in the 2000 block of E 1100 Road north of Lawrence, according to Jennifer Hethcoat, public information officer with the Douglas County Sheriff's office.&nbsp;

At the scene, deputies found three individuals with apparent gunshot wounds. One man was dead when deputies arrived. EMS transported two other individuals to area hospitals with life threatening injuries.

One of the men transported to a hospital died overnight from apparent gunshot wounds, according to Hethcoat. Authorities have not released names of the victims or reported an arrest.

DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting in rural Douglas County.

At the scene, deputies found three individuals with apparent gunshot wounds. One individual was dead when deputies arrived. EMS transported other individuals to area hospitals with life threatening injuries.

Authorities released no additional details.

DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal shooting in rural Douglas County have identified the victims as Ramon V. Muhammad, 51, Lawrence who died at the scene from an apparent gunshot wounds, according to&nbsp;Jennifer Hethcoat, public information officer with the Douglas County Sheriff's office. Austin J. Crystal, 31, Lawrence, died at the hospital from apparent gunshot wounds. Ronald W. Crystal, 58, Lawrence, remains in stable condition at an area hospital, according to Hethcoat.Just before 6:30 p.m Saturday, deputies responded to a call of shots fired in the 2000 block of E 1100 Road north of Lawrence, according Hethcoat.&nbsp;&nbsp;At the scene, deputies found three men with apparent gunshot wounds. Muhammad was dead when deputies arrived. EMS transported Austin J. Crystal and Ronald W. Crystal to area hospitals with life threatening injuries where Austin Crystal dies.The sheriff's office released no additional detals.----------DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting in rural Douglas County where two victims have died.Just before 6:30 p.m Saturday, deputies responded to a call of shots fired in the 2000 block of E 1100 Road north of Lawrence, according to Jennifer Hethcoat, public information officer with the Douglas County Sheriff's office.&nbsp;&nbsp;At the scene, deputies found three individuals with apparent gunshot wounds. One man was dead when deputies arrived. EMS transported two other individuals to area hospitals with life threatening injuries. One of those men died overnight Sunday, according to Hethcoat.&nbsp;&nbsp;The other victim remained hospitalized in stable condition late Sunday.&nbsp;This crime scene is located outdoors and Douglas County Sheriff’s Office deputies and detectives worked through the night in freezing cold temperatures to process the crime scene before forecasted snow moved in Sunday morning.Deputies are still investigating and conducting interviews but do not have reason to believe there is a suspect at large in the community.--------DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal shooting in rural Douglas County say a second victim has died.Just before 6:30 p.m Saturday, deputies responded to a call of shots fired in the 2000 block of E 1100 Road north of Lawrence, according to Jennifer Hethcoat, public information officer with the Douglas County Sheriff's office.&nbsp;At the scene, deputies found three individuals with apparent gunshot wounds. One man was dead when deputies arrived. EMS transported two other individuals to area hospitals with life threatening injuries.One of the men transported to a hospital died overnight from apparent gunshot wounds, according to Hethcoat. Authorities have not released names of the victims or reported an arrest.---------DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting in rural Douglas County.Just before 6:30 p.m Saturday, deputies responded to a call of shots fired in the 2000 block of E 1100 Road north of Lawrence, according to Jennifer Hethcoat, public information officer with the Douglas County Sheriff's office.&nbsp;At the scene, deputies found three individuals with apparent gunshot wounds. One individual was dead when deputies arrived. EMS transported other individuals to area hospitals with life threatening injuries.Authorities released no additional details.

Sheriff IDs 2 who died in rural Kansas shooting

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Sorrow reverberated across the country as Americans, including President Joe Biden, joined a Florida community in remembering the 17 lives lost three years ago in the Parkland school shooting massacre.

The president used the occasion to call on Congress to strengthen gun laws, including requiring background checks on all gun sales and banning assault weapons.

There was no time to wait, the president said. “We owe it to all those we’ve lost and to all those left behind to grieve to make a change. The time to act is now.”

Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered flags be lowered to half staff from sunrise to sunset across the state to honor those who perished when a former student of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School opened fire on campus with an AR-15 rifle on Valentines Day in 2018.

When the gunfire ended, 14 students and three staff members were dead, and 17 others were wounded.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-trials-florida-coronavirus-pandemic-school-shootings-ece0803d42d5d4c11ebadcf96d9d4399">The suspect, Nikolas Cruz, is still awaiting trial</a>.

In his proclamation for a day of remembrance, DeSantis asked fellow Floridians to pause for a moment of silence at 3 p.m. Sunday.

“The Parkland community is resilient in the wake of tragedy, reminding us just how strong and united Floridians can be in the face of such devastating loss,” the governor said in his proclamation.

The Republican governor also noted some of the school safety measures enacted since the tragedy three years ago, including money to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/24e93391693326f7123a5fbc1e653ee8">install panic alert systems at schools</a>&nbsp;across the state and to strengthen programs meant to prevent violence before they occur.

The panic alert measure was dubbed “Alyssa’s Law,” in honor of 14-year-old Alyssa Alhadeff, one of the students killed three years ago.

Parkland parents have been divided over how lawmakers should respond.

Ryan Petty, whose daughter Alaina was 14 when she was killed in the shooting, addressed the president in a tweet Sunday.

“Mr. President, thank you for remembering the loved ones taken from us 3 years ago,” he wrote. “Alaina loved this country and the freedoms it guarantees. Common sense tells us that honoring her life does not require infringement on the rights of law-abiding citizens.”

In an interview Sunday, Petty said the president’s proposals won’t prevent more tragedies.

“It’s wrong to focus on the weapon,” said Petty, who is now a member of the state school board. “For those who understand what happened that day, there were mistakes. This was the most preventable school shooting in the history of our country. The warning signs were there. It was clear the killer had intentions to attack the school.”

Petty remembered his daughter as a friend to everyone, and recounted how important community service was to her.

“For those of us who lost loved ones that day, it’s pretty much like any other day. We miss them. There’s nothing we can do to bring them back. The only thing we can do is move forward and try to honor their memories and make sure this doesn’t happen to any other families,” he said.

But critics of the governor and Republican-controlled Legislature say guns are too easily accessible and say more needs to be done to keep assault-style guns away from potentially bad actors.

“The passage of time has done little to heal the heartbreak we felt upon hearing the shocking news three years ago today, nor dulled our sense of outrage at the lack of consequential legislative action from lawmakers since that horrible morning — laws that would prevent another Parkland from ever happening again,” said Manny Diaz, the chair of the Florida Democratic Party.

Over the years, deadly violence targeting schools has shaken the nation — including the Virginia Tech shootings in 2007 that claimed 32 lives and the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre in 2012. Even before the Parkland tragedy, there was already plenty of anguish in Florida over gun violence. Less than two years before, another gunman shot up the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, killing 49 people.

None of the deadly events produced comprehensive gun laws. Mass shootings have galvanized gun control advocates, who have been met with resistance from Republican lawmakers and their 2nd Amendment allies. It remains to be seen what will be done on the federal level, despite Democratic control of the White House and both chambers of Congress.

“This Administration will not wait for the next mass shooting to heed that call. We will take action to end our epidemic of gun violence and make our schools and communities safer,” the president said his statement Sunday.

In addition to background checks and an assault-weapons ban, Biden is calling on Congress to outlaw high-capacity magazines and make gun manufacturers liable for the role their products play in violence.

“For three years now, the Parkland families&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-news-fort-lauderdale-shootings-coronavirus-pandemic-d00f6da69ec467e00a2ae32f33ed1f27">have spent birthdays and holidays</a>&nbsp;without their loved ones,” Biden said.

“Today, as we mourn with the Parkland community, we mourn for all who have lost loved ones to gun violence,” he said.

“Over these three years, the Parkland families have taught all of us something profound,” the president continued. “Time and again, they have showed us how we can turn our grief into purpose –&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ca307749419aecb1ed3a211571153aab">to march, organize</a>, and build a strong, inclusive, and durable movement for change.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613424862610.png" alt="President Biden arriving at the Pentagon -image courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>President Biden arriving at the Pentagon -image courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Sorrow reverberated across the country as Americans, including President Joe Biden, joined a Florida community in remembering the 17 lives lost three years ago in the Parkland school shooting massacre.The president used the occasion to call on Congress to strengthen gun laws, including requiring background checks on all gun sales and banning assault weapons.There was no time to wait, the president said. “We owe it to all those we’ve lost and to all those left behind to grieve to make a change. The time to act is now.”Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered flags be lowered to half staff from sunrise to sunset across the state to honor those who perished when a former student of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School opened fire on campus with an AR-15 rifle on Valentines Day in 2018.When the gunfire ended, 14 students and three staff members were dead, and 17 others were wounded.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-trials-florida-coronavirus-pandemic-school-shootings-ece0803d42d5d4c11ebadcf96d9d4399">The suspect, Nikolas Cruz, is still awaiting trial</a>.In his proclamation for a day of remembrance, DeSantis asked fellow Floridians to pause for a moment of silence at 3 p.m. Sunday.“The Parkland community is resilient in the wake of tragedy, reminding us just how strong and united Floridians can be in the face of such devastating loss,” the governor said in his proclamation.The Republican governor also noted some of the school safety measures enacted since the tragedy three years ago, including money to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/24e93391693326f7123a5fbc1e653ee8">install panic alert systems at schools</a>&nbsp;across the state and to strengthen programs meant to prevent violence before they occur.The panic alert measure was dubbed “Alyssa’s Law,” in honor of 14-year-old Alyssa Alhadeff, one of the students killed three years ago.Parkland parents have been divided over how lawmakers should respond.Ryan Petty, whose daughter Alaina was 14 when she was killed in the shooting, addressed the president in a tweet Sunday.“Mr. President, thank you for remembering the loved ones taken from us 3 years ago,” he wrote. “Alaina loved this country and the freedoms it guarantees. Common sense tells us that honoring her life does not require infringement on the rights of law-abiding citizens.”In an interview Sunday, Petty said the president’s proposals won’t prevent more tragedies.“It’s wrong to focus on the weapon,” said Petty, who is now a member of the state school board. “For those who understand what happened that day, there were mistakes. This was the most preventable school shooting in the history of our country. The warning signs were there. It was clear the killer had intentions to attack the school.”Petty remembered his daughter as a friend to everyone, and recounted how important community service was to her.“For those of us who lost loved ones that day, it’s pretty much like any other day. We miss them. There’s nothing we can do to bring them back. The only thing we can do is move forward and try to honor their memories and make sure this doesn’t happen to any other families,” he said.But critics of the governor and Republican-controlled Legislature say guns are too easily accessible and say more needs to be done to keep assault-style guns away from potentially bad actors.“The passage of time has done little to heal the heartbreak we felt upon hearing the shocking news three years ago today, nor dulled our sense of outrage at the lack of consequential legislative action from lawmakers since that horrible morning — laws that would prevent another Parkland from ever happening again,” said Manny Diaz, the chair of the Florida Democratic Party.Over the years, deadly violence targeting schools has shaken the nation — including the Virginia Tech shootings in 2007 that claimed 32 lives and the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre in 2012. Even before the Parkland tragedy, there was already plenty of anguish in Florida over gun violence. Less than two years before, another gunman shot up the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, killing 49 people.None of the deadly events produced comprehensive gun laws. Mass shootings have galvanized gun control advocates, who have been met with resistance from Republican lawmakers and their 2nd Amendment allies. It remains to be seen what will be done on the federal level, despite Democratic control of the White House and both chambers of Congress.“This Administration will not wait for the next mass shooting to heed that call. We will take action to end our epidemic of gun violence and make our schools and communities safer,” the president said his statement Sunday.In addition to background checks and an assault-weapons ban, Biden is calling on Congress to outlaw high-capacity magazines and make gun manufacturers liable for the role their products play in violence.“For three years now, the Parkland families&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-news-fort-lauderdale-shootings-coronavirus-pandemic-d00f6da69ec467e00a2ae32f33ed1f27">have spent birthdays and holidays</a>&nbsp;without their loved ones,” Biden said.“Today, as we mourn with the Parkland community, we mourn for all who have lost loved ones to gun violence,” he said.“Over these three years, the Parkland families have taught all of us something profound,” the president continued. “Time and again, they have showed us how we can turn our grief into purpose –&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ca307749419aecb1ed3a211571153aab">to march, organize</a>, and build a strong, inclusive, and durable movement for change.”___

President Biden calls for tougher gun laws

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A woman has been charged with fatally shooting a man who was then left at a fire station, Jackson County prosecutors said Monday.

Sarah Devera, 27, of Blue Summit, an unincorporated area near Kansas City, was charged with second-degree murder and armed criminal action in the death of 31-year-old Zachary Jewell.

Prosecutors said Jackson County Sheriff's deputy went to the Inter City Fire Protection District Friday in response to a shooting. He found firefighters trying to resuscitate Jewell, who died later at a hospital.

Witnesses said they had heard Devers banging on the station's door and screaming “I shot him!” before she left, according to court documents.

Devera told investigators she shot Jewell because she believed he was going to shoot her, according to court documents.

However, investigators did not find a firearm on Jewell and her statements about what happened did not match surveillance video, detectives said. Prosecutors requested a $50,000 bond. Online court records do not name an attorney for Devera.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613407526733.png" alt="Devera-photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Devera-photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — A woman has been charged with fatally shooting a man who was then left at a fire station, Jackson County prosecutors said Monday.Sarah Devera, 27, of Blue Summit, an unincorporated area near Kansas City, was charged with second-degree murder and armed criminal action in the death of 31-year-old Zachary Jewell.Prosecutors said Jackson County Sheriff's deputy went to the Inter City Fire Protection District Friday in response to a shooting. He found firefighters trying to resuscitate Jewell, who died later at a hospital.Witnesses said they had heard Devers banging on the station's door and screaming “I shot him!” before she left, according to court documents.Devera told investigators she shot Jewell because she believed he was going to shoot her, according to court documents.However, investigators did not find a firearm on Jewell and her statements about what happened did not match surveillance video, detectives said. Prosecutors requested a $50,000 bond. Online court records do not name an attorney for Devera.

Woman charged in death of man left at KC fire station

NEW YORK (AP) — All the words abounded — the ones that you’re not supposed to hear on broadcast television or, for that matter, in a lot of other places.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivVOPWrFfW4&amp;feature=youtu.be">Click here&nbsp;</a>to watch the video shown by House Impeachment managers of the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol

Former President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial last week featured explicit language rarely heard on American airwaves, particularly during a dramatic 13-minute video presented by House managers that showed scenes from the Jan. 6 Capitol riot and the enraged, violent mob that caused it.

Why was hearing that language on network television unusual? And what might it mean for the future when it comes to broadcast standards?

Repeated obscenities were shouted by members of the angry and agitated pro-Trump mob as they moved toward and inside the U.S. Capitol that day. They included a chant of “f—- the blue,” apparently directed at police officers, and other swear words including “motherf——-,” as the crowd became more confrontational and violent.

They were heard on several networks, including ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, Fox News Channel and MSNBC. Often, they were seen as well; the House managers printed some of the dialogue on screens so viewers were clear about the often-muffled sounds that they were hearing.

Many of the networks bleeped out the offending language when repeating videos later, but not when they were broadcast live.

The Federal Communications Commission prohibits broadcasters from airing indecent or profane content on television between the hours of 6 a.m. and 10 p.m., when children could reasonably be expected to be in the audience.

You can thank the late comic George Carlin for perpetuating that standard. When his famous routine, “The Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television,” was played on a New York radio station in 1973, it led to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that affirmed the FCC’s authority to fine radio or television stations for using such words and, potentially, take away their license to broadcast.

ARE THE RULES THE SAME FOR BROADCAST, CABLE AND STREAMING SERVICES?

No. Broadcasters — networks like ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox and PBS — are subject to penalties because their signals are sent over public airwaves. The other services are different, because users subscribe to them, and thus are not subject to FCC penalties.

So-called “basic” cable services like CNN, ESPN or USA tend to keep profanity to a minimum because they don’t want to offend advertisers. Premium services like HBO and Netflix don’t depend on advertising, so they can let their freak flags fly.

WHAT’S THE LIKELIHOOD THAT BROADCAST NETWORKS WILL BE PENALIZED?

The first requirement for FCC action is getting a complaint from the public, which would lead the government body to open an investigation. There have been some complaints, an agency spokesman said Friday. But enforcement is unlikely for several reasons.

The FCC fined ABC and Fox in 2012 after they aired obscenities blurted out during an awards show, but the Supreme Court threw the action out, saying the networks could not have anticipated the language. Networks could argue the same thing with the impeachment trial; it strengthens that point when they “bleeped” out the bad language for later reruns.

The FCC received complaints in 2018 after news programs aired stories about Trump referring to some African and Latin American nations as “s—-hole countries,” but did not take enforcement action.

That’s not in the rules. But in practice, that’s the case, says Paul Levinson, a professor of communications and media studies at Fordham University. “The FCC doesn’t want to get anywhere near what would be considered political censorship,” he said.

News executives who aired the language this week argued that it would be wrong to edit language being used on the floor of the U.S. Senate. Given the explicitness of the language used this week, during daytime hours, Levinson said he believes it’s a watershed moment in broadcast standards.

“The fact that this language was put out there,” he says, “is a very important step forward in terms of freedom of expression.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612901110052.png" alt="Protesters inside the capitol as shown in the video from the House impeachment managers -via CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Protesters inside the capitol as shown in the video from the House impeachment managers -via CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — All the words abounded — the ones that you’re not supposed to hear on broadcast television or, for that matter, in a lot of other places.<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivVOPWrFfW4&amp;feature=youtu.be">Click here&nbsp;</a>to watch the video shown by House Impeachment managers of the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. CapitolFormer President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial last week featured explicit language rarely heard on American airwaves, particularly during a dramatic 13-minute video presented by House managers that showed scenes from the Jan. 6 Capitol riot and the enraged, violent mob that caused it.Why was hearing that language on network television unusual? And what might it mean for the future when it comes to broadcast standards?WHAT DID THE RIOTERS SAY?Repeated obscenities were shouted by members of the angry and agitated pro-Trump mob as they moved toward and inside the U.S. Capitol that day. They included a chant of “f—- the blue,” apparently directed at police officers, and other swear words including “motherf——-,” as the crowd became more confrontational and violent.They were heard on several networks, including ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, Fox News Channel and MSNBC. Often, they were seen as well; the House managers printed some of the dialogue on screens so viewers were clear about the often-muffled sounds that they were hearing.Many of the networks bleeped out the offending language when repeating videos later, but not when they were broadcast live.WHY IS THAT UNUSUAL?The Federal Communications Commission prohibits broadcasters from airing indecent or profane content on television between the hours of 6 a.m. and 10 p.m., when children could reasonably be expected to be in the audience.You can thank the late comic George Carlin for perpetuating that standard. When his famous routine, “The Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television,” was played on a New York radio station in 1973, it led to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that affirmed the FCC’s authority to fine radio or television stations for using such words and, potentially, take away their license to broadcast.ARE THE RULES THE SAME FOR BROADCAST, CABLE AND STREAMING SERVICES?No. Broadcasters — networks like ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox and PBS — are subject to penalties because their signals are sent over public airwaves. The other services are different, because users subscribe to them, and thus are not subject to FCC penalties.So-called “basic” cable services like CNN, ESPN or USA tend to keep profanity to a minimum because they don’t want to offend advertisers. Premium services like HBO and Netflix don’t depend on advertising, so they can let their freak flags fly.WHAT’S THE LIKELIHOOD THAT BROADCAST NETWORKS WILL BE PENALIZED?The first requirement for FCC action is getting a complaint from the public, which would lead the government body to open an investigation. There have been some complaints, an agency spokesman said Friday. But enforcement is unlikely for several reasons.The FCC fined ABC and Fox in 2012 after they aired obscenities blurted out during an awards show, but the Supreme Court threw the action out, saying the networks could not have anticipated the language. Networks could argue the same thing with the impeachment trial; it strengthens that point when they “bleeped” out the bad language for later reruns.The FCC received complaints in 2018 after news programs aired stories about Trump referring to some African and Latin American nations as “s—-hole countries,” but did not take enforcement action.ARE STANDARDS DIFFERENT FOR NEWS EVENTS?That’s not in the rules. But in practice, that’s the case, says Paul Levinson, a professor of communications and media studies at Fordham University. “The FCC doesn’t want to get anywhere near what would be considered political censorship,” he said.News executives who aired the language this week argued that it would be wrong to edit language being used on the floor of the U.S. Senate. Given the explicitness of the language used this week, during daytime hours, Levinson said he believes it’s a watershed moment in broadcast standards.“The fact that this language was put out there,” he says, “is a very important step forward in terms of freedom of expression.”___

Trump impeachment evidence trial tested TV’s standards

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A Kansas City man has been charged with second-degree murder and armed criminal action in the stabbing death of his sister that police say was over a $100 debt.

Michael Childs, 68, faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted of killing his sister, Stephanie Hunt.

Police said the stabbing happened Friday, when Childs said he and Hunt had been drinking and had begun arguing over $100 he said she owed him. Childs told police that his sister attacked him, knocking him down twice while holding a butcher knife. Childs said he grabbed the knife away from her and began waving it in front of him “to fend her off.”

Childs told police she then went to lie down on a bed, while he cleaned up. Childs told officers he was not aware he had mortally wounded Hunt until hours later.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A Kansas City man has been charged with second-degree murder and armed criminal action in the stabbing death of his sister that police say was over a $100 debt.Michael Childs, 68, faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted of killing his sister, Stephanie Hunt.Police said the stabbing happened Friday, when Childs said he and Hunt had been drinking and had begun arguing over $100 he said she owed him. Childs told police that his sister attacked him, knocking him down twice while holding a butcher knife. Childs said he grabbed the knife away from her and began waving it in front of him “to fend her off.”Childs told police she then went to lie down on a bed, while he cleaned up. Childs told officers he was not aware he had mortally wounded Hunt until hours later.

Police: Brother charged in sister's stabbing death over $100

TOPEKA –&nbsp;A second Kansas case of the United Kingdom, or UK, variant known as B.1.1.7, has been identified in Sedgwick County. The first case was identified earlier this month in Ellis County. A case investigation has been conducted and close contacts notified. The case investigation indicates that the person likely became infected while traveling out of state. Further details concerning the patient, including demographics, will not be released.

The variant was determined through the whole genome sequencing (WGS) conducted through the laboratories at the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE).

“This finding does not change our public health recommendations. We continue to encourage people to take the appropriate precautions. This includes wearing a mask that fits snuggly around the nose and face and has multiple layers of fabric or layering thinner masks with an additional cloth face mask to improve the fit. Kansans should also follow isolation and quarantine recommendations, practice physical distancing, good hygiene, staying home if ill and getting the vaccine if you are able to, once the supply is sufficient,” Dr. Norman, KDHE Secretary, said.

“In addition to following these healthy behaviors, this finding also shows the importance of getting tested for COVID-19,” Adrienne Byrne, Sedgwick County Health Director, adds.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608566572342.png" alt="VIrus variant image courtesy GISAID" />
 <figcaption>VIrus variant image courtesy GISAID</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA –&nbsp;A second Kansas case of the United Kingdom, or UK, variant known as B.1.1.7, has been identified in Sedgwick County. The first case was identified earlier this month in Ellis County. A case investigation has been conducted and close contacts notified. The case investigation indicates that the person likely became infected while traveling out of state. Further details concerning the patient, including demographics, will not be released.The variant was determined through the whole genome sequencing (WGS) conducted through the laboratories at the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE).“This finding does not change our public health recommendations. We continue to encourage people to take the appropriate precautions. This includes wearing a mask that fits snuggly around the nose and face and has multiple layers of fabric or layering thinner masks with an additional cloth face mask to improve the fit. Kansans should also follow isolation and quarantine recommendations, practice physical distancing, good hygiene, staying home if ill and getting the vaccine if you are able to, once the supply is sufficient,” Dr. Norman, KDHE Secretary, said.“In addition to following these healthy behaviors, this finding also shows the importance of getting tested for COVID-19,” Adrienne Byrne, Sedgwick County Health Director, adds.

Second case of UK COVID-19 variant identified in Kansas

TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly held a press conference Monday afternoon to give an update regarding extreme winter weather in Kansas.

Kansas is under a state of emergency declaration as frigid temperatures and life-threatening wind chills grip the state. Kelly issued the order Sunday. The extreme cold endangers people and puts stress on utility and natural gas providers, who have asked residents to conserve energy. The disaster declaration authorizes the use of state resources and personnel to help respond in affected counties. In addition to the governor, Maj. Gen. David Weishaar, Adjutant General and Director of the Kansas Division of Emergency Management and Andrew French, Chairman of the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) attended the news conference and answered questions.

TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly held a press conference Monday afternoon to give an update regarding extreme winter weather in Kansas.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FGovLauraKelly%2Fvideos%2F140643707905642%2F&show_text=false&width=560" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Kansas is under a state of emergency declaration as frigid temperatures and life-threatening wind chills grip the state. Kelly issued the order Sunday. The extreme cold endangers people and puts stress on utility and natural gas providers, who have asked residents to conserve energy. The disaster declaration authorizes the use of state resources and personnel to help respond in affected counties. In addition to the governor, Maj. Gen. David Weishaar, Adjutant General and Director of the Kansas Division of Emergency Management and Andrew French, Chairman of the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) attended the news conference and answered questions.

 🎥  Governor on extreme winter weather across Kansas

TOPEKA —Frigid weather that has sent temperatures plunging across Kansas and the rest of middle America also has power and gas utilities urging customers to dial down the thermostat. 

In addition during a special meeting Monday, Commissioners for the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) issued an emergency order directing utilities&nbsp; to do all things possible and necessary to ensure adequate amounts of natural gas and electricity to meet the needs of Kansas customers including interconnected non-jurisdictional utilities that depend on them for power, according to a media release from the KCC.

The prolonged stretch of extremely cold temperatures has increased demand, created natural gas supply constraints, and potentially reliability issues.

“It’s in every Kansan’s best interest to conserve electricity and natural gas over the next few days when possible,” said KCC Chairperson Andrew French. “Reducing your usage will help ensure everyone continues to receive these services, and&nbsp;it will save you money on future utility bills.”

Utilities are experiencing wholesale gas prices anywhere from 10 to 200 times higher than normal. Those costs will eventually impact customers through increases in monthly natural gas and electric bills.

Monday’s order also authorizes every jurisdictional electric and natural gas distribution utility that incurs extraordinary costs associated with ensuring its customers continue to receive utility service during this cold weather event to defer those costs to a regulatory asset account for future review by the Commission.&nbsp; This deferral is for accounting purposes only. Any decisions related to ratepayer recovery will be addressed in future proceedings.

Monday order can be <a href="https://estar.kcc.ks.gov/estar/ViewFile.aspx/Emergency_order_naturalgas.coldweather2__(002).pdf?Id=20da2a43-e05a-4255-aee4-deb442fcb6fb">viewed here.</a>

A recording of the Special Business Meeting featuring additional details from KCC Utility staff is available on the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_jyOcfev6o">KCC YouTube channel.</a>

<a href="https://kcc.ks.gov/">Click here t</a>o find conservation tips on the KCC website home page:&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613415088742.png" alt="Commissioners for the Kansas Corporation Commission during Monday's virtual meeting -courtesy&nbsp;&nbsp;the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_jyOcfev6o">KCC YouTube channel.</a>" />
 <figcaption>Commissioners for the Kansas Corporation Commission during Monday's virtual meeting -courtesy&nbsp;&nbsp;the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_jyOcfev6o">KCC YouTube channel.</a></figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA —Frigid weather that has sent temperatures plunging across Kansas and the rest of middle America also has power and gas utilities urging customers to dial down the thermostat. In addition during a special meeting Monday, Commissioners for the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) issued an emergency order directing utilities&nbsp; to do all things possible and necessary to ensure adequate amounts of natural gas and electricity to meet the needs of Kansas customers including interconnected non-jurisdictional utilities that depend on them for power, according to a media release from the KCC.The prolonged stretch of extremely cold temperatures has increased demand, created natural gas supply constraints, and potentially reliability issues.“It’s in every Kansan’s best interest to conserve electricity and natural gas over the next few days when possible,” said KCC Chairperson Andrew French. “Reducing your usage will help ensure everyone continues to receive these services, and&nbsp;it will save you money on future utility bills.”Utilities are experiencing wholesale gas prices anywhere from 10 to 200 times higher than normal. Those costs will eventually impact customers through increases in monthly natural gas and electric bills.Monday’s order also authorizes every jurisdictional electric and natural gas distribution utility that incurs extraordinary costs associated with ensuring its customers continue to receive utility service during this cold weather event to defer those costs to a regulatory asset account for future review by the Commission.&nbsp; This deferral is for accounting purposes only. Any decisions related to ratepayer recovery will be addressed in future proceedings.Monday order can be <a href="https://estar.kcc.ks.gov/estar/ViewFile.aspx/Emergency_order_naturalgas.coldweather2__(002).pdf?Id=20da2a43-e05a-4255-aee4-deb442fcb6fb">viewed here.</a>A recording of the Special Business Meeting featuring additional details from KCC Utility staff is available on the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_jyOcfev6o">KCC YouTube channel.</a><a href="https://kcc.ks.gov/">Click here t</a>o find conservation tips on the KCC website home page:&nbsp;

Emergency order in Kan. to ensure adequate natural gas, electricity available

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 1348 to a total of 287,450, the state health department reported Monday afternoon.&nbsp;

Coronavirus deaths were reported at 4406 an increase of 42

<a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data">Click here for Data</a> about the COVID-19 vaccine.

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 1348 to a total of 287,450, the state health department reported Monday afternoon.&nbsp;Coronavirus deaths were reported at 4406 an increase of 42<a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data">Click here for Data</a> about the COVID-19 vaccine.<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional virus numbers from the KDHE.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613412843026.png" alt="Monday February 15, 2021 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Monday February 15, 2021 KDHE image</figcaption>
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