By CINDY GONZALEZ <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/05/14/mutual-of-omahas-downtown-move-expected-to-spur-1-billion-in-investment-at-new-and-old-campuses/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

OMAHA
 — Mutual of Omaha’s move from midtown to downtown is now projected to 
spur roughly $1 billion in redevelopment — an escalated $600 million for
 the insurer’s new headquarters and a $400 million makeover at its old 
campus.

That’s the update according to the Fortune 500 company and its real estate developer, Lanoha Real Estate Co.

Jason
 Lanoha told the City Council earlier this week that the cost of the 
future skyline-changing tower has risen from $443 million to an 
estimated $600 million. It is to contain 800,000 square feet of office 
space and 1 million square feet of parking garage.

The additional cost is to be borne by Mutual and not the city, said both Lanoha and Mutual spokesman Jim Nolan.&nbsp;

Driving
 the increase, Lanoha said, are factors including the “current economic 
climate,” exacerbated by inflation and supply chain kinks.

The Omaha City Council is slated to vote next Tuesday, May 17, on the nearly <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/05/02/mutual-of-omaha-envisions-a-potential-second-office-tower-on-city-block-east-of-the-library/">140-page agreement</a> that lays out financial and <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/04/29/mutual-of-omaha-is-to-spread-its-downtown-footprint-beyond-library-site-sell-midtown-parking-garages-to-city/">other obligations</a> of Mutual and the city, including a $68 million tax-increment financing subsidy.

Lanoha told city officials the Mutual project “does not occur” without the planned <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/01/26/omaha-aims-for-revamped-urban-core-with-streetcar-new-downtown-mutual-hq/">modern streetcar</a>
 whose route is to connect Mutual’s new headquarters near 15th and 
Farnam Streets and the 33rd and Farnam Streets campus it is to exit by 
2026.

Few
 details have been shared publicly about what is in store for Mutual’s 
midtown grounds once it is vacated. But Mutual CEO James Blackledge told
 the Nebraska Examiner that Lanoha’s company has the first option to 
redevelop the property currently occupied or owned by Mutual.&nbsp;

That
 includes corporate offices, which Blackledge said were declining to the
 point that Mutual chose to move rather than renovate.

Mutual’s
 holdings also include a swath of land cleared over recent years between
 Mutual’s Midtown Crossing residential and retail campus east to 
Interstate 480. Mutual had been assembling and razing that property to 
make it more attractive for development.

Lanoha
 has been silent on any specific plan for the midtown campus, except for
 telling the City Council this week that he expects roughly $400 million
 to be invested in its renovation and redevelopment.

Blackledge
 said Mutual’s experience with its Midtown Crossing project reinforces 
why the insurance giant will step away from transforming that property 
once the company relocates.

While
 the $365 million Midtown Crossing constructed between 2006 and 2010 
undoubtedly helped re-energize surrounding neighborhoods, Blackledge 
said, the return on investment has not been as robust as hoped.

“We’re
 really not in the development business,” he said. “I think we learned 
that, and we’re better off to find the experts to tell us what makes 
sense.”

Blackledge
 said Mutual currently is down to selling the last of the Midtown 
Crossing condominiums — a process, he said, that originally was expected
 to wrap up a decade or so ago.

“We’ve
 been a magnet for a lot of great improvements here, so we’re not 
dissatisfied with what we’ve done with respect to the community and the 
area,” Blackledge said.

But, he added: “Financially, has it been a good investment? I’d say no.”

Mutual already has sold off various pieces of Midtown Crossing, including the hotel and apartment buildings.

Under
 the redevelopment agreement, the city would buy three parking garages 
on Mutual’s existing campus at a cost of about $53 million. It also 
would begin maintenance of Turner Park, which is surrounded by Midtown 
Crossing condos and stores.

Mutual
 is expected to complete its downtown office tower for its 4,000 local 
employees on the existing W. Dale Clark library block by 2026. The 
library structure is to be demolished and services moved elsewhere.

The
 library teardown remained a sore spot for several who testified during 
this week’s City Council public hearing on the redevelopment plan 
between Mutual and the city.

Opponents
 reiterated frustration about how the process regarding the library 
block where Mutual plans to build proceeded without enough public 
transparency.

Kimara
 Snipes, an east Omaha community organizer and former Omaha Public 
Schools board member, said anger rose in the absence of “real, proper, 
intentional and empathetic” communication.

She described a “culture of fear in this city for simply just speaking your mind” and urged council members to listen.&nbsp;

“The
 city has let it be known they’re going to do what they want and how 
they want,” Snipes said. “Today it’s the library, tomorrow it’s going to
 be something else.”

Alex
 O’Hanlon said she has heard a lot about the impact Mutual’s new 
headquarters and related redevelopment will have on recruiting young 
talent and combating brain drain.

She
 asked city leaders to include local musicians, urban farmers and other 
Omahans early on in the planning process to create a welcoming culture 
for all.

“There’s a lot of brains in this room that are feeling pretty drained right now,” she said.

City
 Councilwoman Juanita Johnson told those who stood up in opposition that
 she appreciated their input and said their concern matters. She said 
she understands Omahans’ discomfort about how the “transaction 
originally started off,” but she noted that the vote regarding the 
library has passed.

She
 said the flow of communication from city administrators to council 
members, while not where she’d like it to be, has improved.

Councilman
 Brinker Harding, noting complications involved in such monumental 
projects, sought clarification of various points in the Mutual 
agreement. He reminded opponents that library services are not going 
away.

He said he looks forward to Mutual’s downtown project and how it will unlock redevelopment in midtown.

“I’m
 excited for the prospects this will present not only for Omaha,” 
Harding said, “but really for the whole metropolitan Omaha.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652713864734.png" alt="Looking west near 31st and Farnam Streets along spine of Midtown Crossing retail and residential area (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Looking west near 31st and Farnam Streets along spine of Midtown Crossing retail and residential area (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>By CINDY GONZALEZ <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/05/14/mutual-of-omahas-downtown-move-expected-to-spur-1-billion-in-investment-at-new-and-old-campuses/">Nebraska Examiner</a>OMAHA
 — Mutual of Omaha’s move from midtown to downtown is now projected to 
spur roughly $1 billion in redevelopment — an escalated $600 million for
 the insurer’s new headquarters and a $400 million makeover at its old 
campus.That’s the update according to the Fortune 500 company and its real estate developer, Lanoha Real Estate Co.Jason
 Lanoha told the City Council earlier this week that the cost of the 
future skyline-changing tower has risen from $443 million to an 
estimated $600 million. It is to contain 800,000 square feet of office 
space and 1 million square feet of parking garage.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652713916009.jpeg" alt="Proposed Mutual of Omaha tower is on the left. (Courtesy of Lanoha Real Estate Co.)" />
 <figcaption>Proposed Mutual of Omaha tower is on the left. (Courtesy of Lanoha Real Estate Co.)</figcaption>
 </figure>The additional cost is to be borne by Mutual and not the city, said both Lanoha and Mutual spokesman Jim Nolan.&nbsp;<h2>No streetcar, no project</h2>Driving
 the increase, Lanoha said, are factors including the “current economic 
climate,” exacerbated by inflation and supply chain kinks.The Omaha City Council is slated to vote next Tuesday, May 17, on the nearly <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/05/02/mutual-of-omaha-envisions-a-potential-second-office-tower-on-city-block-east-of-the-library/">140-page agreement</a> that lays out financial and <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/04/29/mutual-of-omaha-is-to-spread-its-downtown-footprint-beyond-library-site-sell-midtown-parking-garages-to-city/">other obligations</a> of Mutual and the city, including a $68 million tax-increment financing subsidy.Lanoha told city officials the Mutual project “does not occur” without the planned <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/01/26/omaha-aims-for-revamped-urban-core-with-streetcar-new-downtown-mutual-hq/">modern streetcar</a>
 whose route is to connect Mutual’s new headquarters near 15th and 
Farnam Streets and the 33rd and Farnam Streets campus it is to exit by 
2026.Few
 details have been shared publicly about what is in store for Mutual’s 
midtown grounds once it is vacated. But Mutual CEO James Blackledge told
 the Nebraska Examiner that Lanoha’s company has the first option to 
redevelop the property currently occupied or owned by Mutual.&nbsp;That
 includes corporate offices, which Blackledge said were declining to the
 point that Mutual chose to move rather than renovate.<h2>Midtown Crossing ups and downs</h2>Mutual’s
 holdings also include a swath of land cleared over recent years between
 Mutual’s Midtown Crossing residential and retail campus east to 
Interstate 480. Mutual had been assembling and razing that property to 
make it more attractive for development.Lanoha
 has been silent on any specific plan for the midtown campus, except for
 telling the City Council this week that he expects roughly $400 million
 to be invested in its renovation and redevelopment.Blackledge
 said Mutual’s experience with its Midtown Crossing project reinforces 
why the insurance giant will step away from transforming that property 
once the company relocates.While
 the $365 million Midtown Crossing constructed between 2006 and 2010 
undoubtedly helped re-energize surrounding neighborhoods, Blackledge 
said, the return on investment has not been as robust as hoped.“We’re
 really not in the development business,” he said. “I think we learned 
that, and we’re better off to find the experts to tell us what makes 
sense.”Blackledge
 said Mutual currently is down to selling the last of the Midtown 
Crossing condominiums — a process, he said, that originally was expected
 to wrap up a decade or so ago.<h2>‘Magnet’ for improvements</h2>“We’ve
 been a magnet for a lot of great improvements here, so we’re not 
dissatisfied with what we’ve done with respect to the community and the 
area,” Blackledge said.But, he added: “Financially, has it been a good investment? I’d say no.”Mutual already has sold off various pieces of Midtown Crossing, including the hotel and apartment buildings.Under
 the redevelopment agreement, the city would buy three parking garages 
on Mutual’s existing campus at a cost of about $53 million. It also 
would begin maintenance of Turner Park, which is surrounded by Midtown 
Crossing condos and stores.Mutual
 is expected to complete its downtown office tower for its 4,000 local 
employees on the existing W. Dale Clark library block by 2026. The 
library structure is to be demolished and services moved elsewhere.The
 library teardown remained a sore spot for several who testified during 
this week’s City Council public hearing on the redevelopment plan 
between Mutual and the city.<h2>Transparency</h2>Opponents
 reiterated frustration about how the process regarding the library 
block where Mutual plans to build proceeded without enough public 
transparency.Kimara
 Snipes, an east Omaha community organizer and former Omaha Public 
Schools board member, said anger rose in the absence of “real, proper, 
intentional and empathetic” communication.She described a “culture of fear in this city for simply just speaking your mind” and urged council members to listen.&nbsp;“The
 city has let it be known they’re going to do what they want and how 
they want,” Snipes said. “Today it’s the library, tomorrow it’s going to
 be something else.”Alex
 O’Hanlon said she has heard a lot about the impact Mutual’s new 
headquarters and related redevelopment will have on recruiting young 
talent and combating brain drain.She
 asked city leaders to include local musicians, urban farmers and other 
Omahans early on in the planning process to create a welcoming culture 
for all.<h2>‘Feeling pretty drained’</h2>“There’s a lot of brains in this room that are feeling pretty drained right now,” she said.City
 Councilwoman Juanita Johnson told those who stood up in opposition that
 she appreciated their input and said their concern matters. She said 
she understands Omahans’ discomfort about how the “transaction 
originally started off,” but she noted that the vote regarding the 
library has passed.She
 said the flow of communication from city administrators to council 
members, while not where she’d like it to be, has improved.Councilman
 Brinker Harding, noting complications involved in such monumental 
projects, sought clarification of various points in the Mutual 
agreement. He reminded opponents that library services are not going 
away.He said he looks forward to Mutual’s downtown project and how it will unlock redevelopment in midtown.“I’m
 excited for the prospects this will present not only for Omaha,” 
Harding said, “but really for the whole metropolitan Omaha.”

Mutual of Omaha move expected to spur $1B in investment

The U.S. death toll from COVID-19 hit 1 million on Monday, a once-unimaginable figure that only hints at the multitudes of loved ones and friends staggered by grief and frustration.

The confirmed number of dead is equivalent to a 9/11 attack every day for 336 days. It is roughly equal to how many Americans died in the Civil War and World War II combined. It’s as if Boston and Pittsburgh were wiped out.

“It is hard to imagine a million people plucked from this earth,” said Jennifer Nuzzo, who leads a new pandemic center at the Brown University School of Public Health in Providence, Rhode Island. “It’s still happening and we are letting it happen.”

Some of those left behind say they cannot return to normal. They replay their loved ones’ voicemail messages. Or watch old videos to see them dance. When other people say they are done with the virus, they bristle with anger or ache in silence.

“‘Normal.’ I hate that word,” said Julie Wallace, 55, of Elyria, Ohio, who lost her husband to COVID-19 in 2020. “All of us never get to go back to normal.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-health-native-americans-hispanics-d2234e9d7df7ca8026faf9f88c7baeac">Three out of every four deaths</a>&nbsp;were people 65 and older. More men died than women. White people made up most of the deaths overall. But Black, Hispanic and Native American people have been roughly twice as likely to die from COVID-19 as their white counterparts.

Most deaths happened in urban areas, but rural places — where opposition to masks and vaccinations tends to run high — paid a heavy price at times.

The death toll less than 2 1/2 years into the outbreak is based on death certificate data compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics. But the real number of lives lost to COVID-19, either directly or indirectly, as a result the disruption of the health care system in the world’s richest country, is believed to be far higher.

The milestone comes more than three months after the U.S. reached 900,000 dead. The pace has slowed since a harrowing winter surge fueled by the omicron variant. The U.S. is averaging about 300 COVID-19 deaths per day, compared with a peak of about 3,400 a day in January 2021.

The largest bell at Washington National Cathedral in the nation’s capital tolled 1,000 times a week ago, once for every 1,000 deaths. President Joe Biden on Thursday ordered flags lowered to half-staff and called each life “an irreplaceable loss.”

“As a nation, we must not grow numb to such sorrow,” he said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/05/12/statement-from-president-joe-biden-marking-one-million-american-lives-lost-to-covid-19/" target="_blank">statement</a>. “To heal, we must remember.”

More than half the deaths occurred since vaccines became available in December of 2020. Two-thirds of Americans are fully vaccinated, and nearly half of them have had at least one booster dose. But demand for the vaccine has plummeted, and the campaign to put shots in arms has been plagued by misinformation, distrust and political polarization.

Unvaccinated people have a 10 times greater risk of dying of COVID-19 than the fully vaccinated, according to the CDC.

“To me, that is what is just so particularly heartbreaking,” Nuzzo said. Vaccines are safe and greatly reduce the likelihood of severe illness, she said. They “largely take the possibility of death off the table.”

Angelina Proia, 36, of New York, lost her father to COVID-19 in April 2020. She runs a support group for grieving families on Facebook and has seen it divided over vaccinations. She has booted people from the group for spreading misinformation.

“I don’t want to hear conspiracy theories. I don’t want to hear anti-science,” said Proia, who wishes her father could have been vaccinated.

Sara Atkins, 42, of Wynnewood, Pennsylvania, channels her grief into fighting for global vaccination and better access to health care to honor her father, Andy Rotman-Zaid, who died of COVID-19 in December 2020.

“My father gave me marching orders to end it and make sure it doesn’t happen again,” Atkins said of the pandemic. “He told me, ‘Politicize the hell out of my death if I die of this.’”

Julie Wallace and her husband, Lewis Dunlap, had cellphone numbers one digit apart. She continues paying to keep his number. She calls it just to hear his voice.

“It’s just so important to hear that sometimes,” she said. “It gives you a little bit of reassurance while also tearing your heart out.”

Some have offered solace in poetry. In Philadelphia, poet and social worker Trapeta Mayson, created a&nbsp;<a href="https://philadelphiacontemporary.org/projects/healing-verse-poetry-line" target="_blank">24-hour poetry hotline called Healing Verse</a>. Traffic to the Academy of American Poets’&nbsp;<a href="https://poets.org/" target="_blank">poets.org website</a>&nbsp;rose during the pandemic.

Brian Sonia-Wallace, poet laureate of West Hollywood, California, has traveled the country&nbsp;<a href="https://rentpoet.com/" target="_blank">writing poems for hire</a>. He imagines a memorial of a million poems, written by people who don’t normally write poetry. They would talk to those who are grieving and listen for points of connection.

“What we need as a nation is empathy,” said Tanya Alves, 35, of Weston, Florida, who lost her 24-year-old sister to COVID-19 in October. “Over two years into the pandemic, with all the cases and lives lost, we should be more compassionate and respectful when talking about COVID. Thousands of families changed forever. This virus is not just a cold.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652709604973.png" alt="COVID deaths by county. Not all states report the same information on COVID -Map courtesy John Hopkins Covid Research Center&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>COVID deaths by county. Not all states report the same information on COVID -Map courtesy John Hopkins Covid Research Center&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>By CARLA K. JOHNSON, Associated PressThe U.S. death toll from COVID-19 hit 1 million on Monday, a once-unimaginable figure that only hints at the multitudes of loved ones and friends staggered by grief and frustration.The confirmed number of dead is equivalent to a 9/11 attack every day for 336 days. It is roughly equal to how many Americans died in the Civil War and World War II combined. It’s as if Boston and Pittsburgh were wiped out.“It is hard to imagine a million people plucked from this earth,” said Jennifer Nuzzo, who leads a new pandemic center at the Brown University School of Public Health in Providence, Rhode Island. “It’s still happening and we are letting it happen.”Some of those left behind say they cannot return to normal. They replay their loved ones’ voicemail messages. Or watch old videos to see them dance. When other people say they are done with the virus, they bristle with anger or ache in silence.“‘Normal.’ I hate that word,” said Julie Wallace, 55, of Elyria, Ohio, who lost her husband to COVID-19 in 2020. “All of us never get to go back to normal.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652709580859.png" alt="Map courtesy John Hopkins " />
 <figcaption>Map courtesy John Hopkins </figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-health-native-americans-hispanics-d2234e9d7df7ca8026faf9f88c7baeac">Three out of every four deaths</a>&nbsp;were people 65 and older. More men died than women. White people made up most of the deaths overall. But Black, Hispanic and Native American people have been roughly twice as likely to die from COVID-19 as their white counterparts.Most deaths happened in urban areas, but rural places — where opposition to masks and vaccinations tends to run high — paid a heavy price at times.The death toll less than 2 1/2 years into the outbreak is based on death certificate data compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics. But the real number of lives lost to COVID-19, either directly or indirectly, as a result the disruption of the health care system in the world’s richest country, is believed to be far higher.The milestone comes more than three months after the U.S. reached 900,000 dead. The pace has slowed since a harrowing winter surge fueled by the omicron variant. The U.S. is averaging about 300 COVID-19 deaths per day, compared with a peak of about 3,400 a day in January 2021.The largest bell at Washington National Cathedral in the nation’s capital tolled 1,000 times a week ago, once for every 1,000 deaths. President Joe Biden on Thursday ordered flags lowered to half-staff and called each life “an irreplaceable loss.”“As a nation, we must not grow numb to such sorrow,” he said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/05/12/statement-from-president-joe-biden-marking-one-million-american-lives-lost-to-covid-19/" target="_blank">statement</a>. “To heal, we must remember.”More than half the deaths occurred since vaccines became available in December of 2020. Two-thirds of Americans are fully vaccinated, and nearly half of them have had at least one booster dose. But demand for the vaccine has plummeted, and the campaign to put shots in arms has been plagued by misinformation, distrust and political polarization.Unvaccinated people have a 10 times greater risk of dying of COVID-19 than the fully vaccinated, according to the CDC.“To me, that is what is just so particularly heartbreaking,” Nuzzo said. Vaccines are safe and greatly reduce the likelihood of severe illness, she said. They “largely take the possibility of death off the table.”Angelina Proia, 36, of New York, lost her father to COVID-19 in April 2020. She runs a support group for grieving families on Facebook and has seen it divided over vaccinations. She has booted people from the group for spreading misinformation.“I don’t want to hear conspiracy theories. I don’t want to hear anti-science,” said Proia, who wishes her father could have been vaccinated.Sara Atkins, 42, of Wynnewood, Pennsylvania, channels her grief into fighting for global vaccination and better access to health care to honor her father, Andy Rotman-Zaid, who died of COVID-19 in December 2020.“My father gave me marching orders to end it and make sure it doesn’t happen again,” Atkins said of the pandemic. “He told me, ‘Politicize the hell out of my death if I die of this.’”Julie Wallace and her husband, Lewis Dunlap, had cellphone numbers one digit apart. She continues paying to keep his number. She calls it just to hear his voice.“It’s just so important to hear that sometimes,” she said. “It gives you a little bit of reassurance while also tearing your heart out.”Some have offered solace in poetry. In Philadelphia, poet and social worker Trapeta Mayson, created a&nbsp;<a href="https://philadelphiacontemporary.org/projects/healing-verse-poetry-line" target="_blank">24-hour poetry hotline called Healing Verse</a>. Traffic to the Academy of American Poets’&nbsp;<a href="https://poets.org/" target="_blank">poets.org website</a>&nbsp;rose during the pandemic.Brian Sonia-Wallace, poet laureate of West Hollywood, California, has traveled the country&nbsp;<a href="https://rentpoet.com/" target="_blank">writing poems for hire</a>. He imagines a memorial of a million poems, written by people who don’t normally write poetry. They would talk to those who are grieving and listen for points of connection.“What we need as a nation is empathy,” said Tanya Alves, 35, of Weston, Florida, who lost her 24-year-old sister to COVID-19 in October. “Over two years into the pandemic, with all the cases and lives lost, we should be more compassionate and respectful when talking about COVID. Thousands of families changed forever. This virus is not just a cold.”___

CDC: US deaths from COVID hit 1 million

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden urged unity Sunday to address the “hate that remains a stain on the soul of America” after a deadly mass shooting at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York, while state officials pleaded for federal action to end the ”uniquely American phenomenon” of mass shootings.

(Click below to watch the President's comments)

Addressing an annual law enforcement ceremony at the U.S. Capitol, Biden said he and his wife, Jill, pray for those who were shot “by a lone gunman, armed with weapons of war and hate-filled soul,” and their families.

Authorities say a white 18-year-old male in military gear opened fire on shoppers and workers at the supermarket on Saturday, killing 10 people, including a retired Buffalo police officer, and wounding three others. Most of the victims were Black.

Law enforcement officials said Sunday that the gunman had researched the local demographics while looking for places with a high concentration of Black people.

“We must all work together to address the hate that remains a stain on the soul of America,” Biden said at the 41st annual National Peace Officers’ Memorial Service honoring fallen law enforcement officers. “Our hearts are heavy once again, but the resolve must never, ever waver.”

“No one understands this more than the people sitting in front of me,” he added.

Biden, speaking at the ceremony for the second time as president, did not address the calls by New York officials — Gov. Kathy Hochul and Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown — for strong federal action to end what Brown said is the ”uniquely American phenomenon” of mass shootings.

The president also did not mention gun control efforts that have stalled in Washington.

Brown expressed frustration that “thoughts and prayers” and pledges to act are offered after every mass shooting, only to be be blocked by “some on one side of the aisle.”

“It seems like there are those that believe owning a gun is more precious than the sanctity of human life,” the mayor told NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “So I think people all across this country have to rise up. They have to speak more loudly and more clearly that there must be gun control in this country. This is a uniquely American phenomenon. These mass shootings don’t happen in other countries across the world.”

Brown said he would like to see “sensible gun control.”

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said tighter gun measures are “a huge priority” for Democrats and the White House. She bemoaned the 60-vote threshold needed in the 50-50 Senate that has made it difficult to advance such legislation, but she pledged on CNN’s “State of the Union” that “we are not going away until the job is done.”

Hochul said most of the illegal guns being used on the streets of her cities come from other states. “We need a national response,” she told NBC.

“We need other states to step up. We need the federal government on our side,” said Hochul, a Buffalo native.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden urged unity Sunday to address the “hate that remains a stain on the soul of America” after a deadly mass shooting at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York, while state officials pleaded for federal action to end the ”uniquely American phenomenon” of mass shootings.(Click below to watch the President's comments)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F1912091172315320%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=343" 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>Addressing an annual law enforcement ceremony at the U.S. Capitol, Biden said he and his wife, Jill, pray for those who were shot “by a lone gunman, armed with weapons of war and hate-filled soul,” and their families.Authorities say a white 18-year-old male in military gear opened fire on shoppers and workers at the supermarket on Saturday, killing 10 people, including a retired Buffalo police officer, and wounding three others. Most of the victims were Black.Law enforcement officials said Sunday that the gunman had researched the local demographics while looking for places with a high concentration of Black people.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Jill and I will travel to Buffalo on Tuesday to grieve with the community that lost ten lives in a senseless and horrific mass shooting.&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1526003099529355264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 16, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“We must all work together to address the hate that remains a stain on the soul of America,” Biden said at the 41st annual National Peace Officers’ Memorial Service honoring fallen law enforcement officers. “Our hearts are heavy once again, but the resolve must never, ever waver.”“No one understands this more than the people sitting in front of me,” he added.Biden, speaking at the ceremony for the second time as president, did not address the calls by New York officials — Gov. Kathy Hochul and Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown — for strong federal action to end what Brown said is the ”uniquely American phenomenon” of mass shootings.The president also did not mention gun control efforts that have stalled in Washington.Brown expressed frustration that “thoughts and prayers” and pledges to act are offered after every mass shooting, only to be be blocked by “some on one side of the aisle.”“It seems like there are those that believe owning a gun is more precious than the sanctity of human life,” the mayor told NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “So I think people all across this country have to rise up. They have to speak more loudly and more clearly that there must be gun control in this country. This is a uniquely American phenomenon. These mass shootings don’t happen in other countries across the world.”Brown said he would like to see “sensible gun control.”House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said tighter gun measures are “a huge priority” for Democrats and the White House. She bemoaned the 60-vote threshold needed in the 50-50 Senate that has made it difficult to advance such legislation, but she pledged on CNN’s “State of the Union” that “we are not going away until the job is done.”Hochul said most of the illegal guns being used on the streets of her cities come from other states. “We need a national response,” she told NBC.“We need other states to step up. We need the federal government on our side,” said Hochul, a Buffalo native.

🎥Biden urges unity to stem racial hate after weekend shootings

DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal hit and run accident and asking the public for help to locate a van and driver that fled the scene.

Just after 5p.m. Saturday, police responded to a two-vehicle crash in the 1300 Block of East 1900 Road on the ramp over Kansas 10 Highway between Lawrence and Eudora, according to the Douglas County Sheriff.

According to a preliminary investigation, a 54-year-old man was driving a motorcycle northbound on East 1900 Road with a 9-year-old girl as passenger. As the approached the overpass, an unknown possibly a 2013-19 white Ford Transit van moved forward from the stop sign and the top of the eastbound off ramp from K-10 and into the intersection.

The van struck the motorcycle which overturned. EMS transported the man and the girl to Overland Park Regional Medical Center. He had serious but non life threatening injuries. The girl, who was wearing a helmet suffered critical injuries and died Sunday morning, according the sheriff's department.

Witnesses reported that after the collision, the driver of the white van proceeded down the ramp leaving its black front bumper cover behind and returned to eastbound K-10.&nbsp;

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Douglas Co. Sheriff.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652713174349.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal hit and run accident and asking the public for help to locate a van and driver that fled the scene.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">EAST 1900 Road Fatality Accident After further investigation, Sheriff&#39;s Office detectives now believe the vehicle that left the scene yesterday was a Ford Transit Connect XL Model 2013-2019, more likely a 2018-19. Anyone with info is asked to call the DGSO, 785-843-0250. <a href="https://t.co/NazzZWkS2O">pic.twitter.com/NazzZWkS2O</a>&mdash; Douglas Co. Sheriff (@DGSOSheriff) <a href="https://twitter.com/DGSOSheriff/status/1525963802629505037?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 15, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Just after 5p.m. Saturday, police responded to a two-vehicle crash in the 1300 Block of East 1900 Road on the ramp over Kansas 10 Highway between Lawrence and Eudora, according to the Douglas County Sheriff.According to a preliminary investigation, a 54-year-old man was driving a motorcycle northbound on East 1900 Road with a 9-year-old girl as passenger. As the approached the overpass, an unknown possibly a 2013-19 white Ford Transit van moved forward from the stop sign and the top of the eastbound off ramp from K-10 and into the intersection.The van struck the motorcycle which overturned. EMS transported the man and the girl to Overland Park Regional Medical Center. He had serious but non life threatening injuries. The girl, who was wearing a helmet suffered critical injuries and died Sunday morning, according the sheriff's department.Witnesses reported that after the collision, the driver of the white van proceeded down the ramp leaving its black front bumper cover behind and returned to eastbound K-10.&nbsp;Anyone with information is asked to contact the Douglas Co. Sheriff.

Search continues for van in crash that killed 9-year-old Kan. girl

PITTSFIELD, Mass. (AP) — Two men who participated in an elaborate phone scam that cheated people from across the nation have agreed to repay their victims but avoided time behind bars, Massachusetts prosecutors said.

Ajaykumar Chaudhari, 26, of Pownal, Vermont, and Jitendra Chaudhari, 29, of Williamstown, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty in Berkshire Superior Court to larceny and attempt to commit larceny, according to a statement Wednesday from the office of Berkshire District Attorney Andrea Harrington. They were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/5a039563a11c5d22b1f1974d199a05ee">arrested in June 2020</a>.

The guilty pleas were filed by the court, meaning the defendants won't be sent to jail as long as they stay out of additional legal trouble.

They, together with a third defendant, have agreed to pay more than $200,000 in restitution. That&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-massachusetts-vermont-pittsfield-b6be2c31953b01374a93289866775db8">third defendant, Parth Chaudhari, pleaded guilty to the same charges in December</a>&nbsp;and was sentenced to time served. The restitution money has already been secured, prosecutors said.

All three men are members of the same family, the district attorney's office said.

“The victims in this case overwhelmingly supported a resolution that would return the most money in the most timely manner while sparing them, many of whom are aging and live out of state, from having to travel to Massachusetts to testify,” Harrington said in a statement.

The three men, sometimes posing as government employees, targeted about 20 victims, some of whom sent packages of cash, often to an address in Adams, Massachusetts, prosecutors said.

In one case, they told the victim their Social Security number had been compromised and they needed to send money to fix the problem, according to the DA's office. Victims came from multiple states including California, Missouri, Ohio and Virginia, prosecutors said.

Adams police started investigating in March 2020 after getting tips from out-of-state law enforcement agencies.

During the investigation, victims and law enforcement intercepted packages of cash together worth more than $100,000.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619452442605.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>PITTSFIELD, Mass. (AP) — Two men who participated in an elaborate phone scam that cheated people from across the nation have agreed to repay their victims but avoided time behind bars, Massachusetts prosecutors said.Ajaykumar Chaudhari, 26, of Pownal, Vermont, and Jitendra Chaudhari, 29, of Williamstown, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty in Berkshire Superior Court to larceny and attempt to commit larceny, according to a statement Wednesday from the office of Berkshire District Attorney Andrea Harrington. They were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/5a039563a11c5d22b1f1974d199a05ee">arrested in June 2020</a>.The guilty pleas were filed by the court, meaning the defendants won't be sent to jail as long as they stay out of additional legal trouble.They, together with a third defendant, have agreed to pay more than $200,000 in restitution. That&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-massachusetts-vermont-pittsfield-b6be2c31953b01374a93289866775db8">third defendant, Parth Chaudhari, pleaded guilty to the same charges in December</a>&nbsp;and was sentenced to time served. The restitution money has already been secured, prosecutors said.All three men are members of the same family, the district attorney's office said.“The victims in this case overwhelmingly supported a resolution that would return the most money in the most timely manner while sparing them, many of whom are aging and live out of state, from having to travel to Massachusetts to testify,” Harrington said in a statement.The three men, sometimes posing as government employees, targeted about 20 victims, some of whom sent packages of cash, often to an address in Adams, Massachusetts, prosecutors said.In one case, they told the victim their Social Security number had been compromised and they needed to send money to fix the problem, according to the DA's office. Victims came from multiple states including California, Missouri, Ohio and Virginia, prosecutors said.Adams police started investigating in March 2020 after getting tips from out-of-state law enforcement agencies.During the investigation, victims and law enforcement intercepted packages of cash together worth more than $100,000.

Two men admit to role in nationwide phone scam

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on multiple charges after an incident in northeast Kansas.

Just before 10a.m. Friday, the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center broadcasted information regarding a woman attempting to jump out of a vehicle near SE 22nd Street and SE California Avenue, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

A deputy that was patrolling in the southeast part of Shawnee County responded to the area. She observed a red 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt drive towards oncoming traffic while passing multiple vehicles in an intersection.

The deputy immediately conducted a traffic stop near SE 38th Street and SE Adams Street. During the investigation, illegal narcotics were located.

The driver, Brent A. Haverkamp, 32, of Goff, Kan., was placed into custody and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

The passenger, Amber K. Bloomquist, 30, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections for two warrants for her arrest, one felony warrant and one misdemeanor warrant. Bloomquist was also booked on a requested charge of felony interference with law enforcement.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652628706174.png" alt="Haverkamp" />
 <figcaption>Haverkamp</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on multiple charges after an incident in northeast Kansas.Just before 10a.m. Friday, the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center broadcasted information regarding a woman attempting to jump out of a vehicle near SE 22nd Street and SE California Avenue, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.A deputy that was patrolling in the southeast part of Shawnee County responded to the area. She observed a red 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt drive towards oncoming traffic while passing multiple vehicles in an intersection.The deputy immediately conducted a traffic stop near SE 38th Street and SE Adams Street. During the investigation, illegal narcotics were located.The driver, Brent A. Haverkamp, 32, of Goff, Kan., was placed into custody and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.The passenger, Amber K. Bloomquist, 30, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections for two warrants for her arrest, one felony warrant and one misdemeanor warrant. Bloomquist was also booked on a requested charge of felony interference with law enforcement.

Sheriff: Wanted Kan. woman tried to jump from moving car

By STEVEN A. ABRAMS <a href="https://theconversation.com/whats-behind-the-us-infant-formula-shortage-and-how-to-make-sure-it-doesnt-happen-again-182929">The Conversation</a>

A <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/10/us/baby-formula-shortage.html">baby formula shortage</a> has added to the woes of American parents already confronted with the pressures of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2021/03/isolation-becoming-new-parent-during-pandemic/618244/">raising an infant during a pandemic</a> in a country <a target="_blank" href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/marybethferrante/2019/06/21/unicef-study-confirms-the-u-s-ranks-last-for-family-friendly-policies/?sh=176ff24133ba">ranked low for family-friendly policies</a>.

Media reports have highlighted the plight of mothers, fathers and caregivers across the U.S. who have <a target="_blank" href="https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/baby-formula-shortage-in-washington-has-caregivers-parents/">scrambled to find scarce supplies</a>, or <a target="_blank" href="https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/texas/lake-jackson-texas-mom-drives-hour-baby-formula-amid-shortage/287-d1638ecb-4153-415d-ab63-58e342ec764f">driven long distances</a> to buy formula.

But what is behind the shortage? And how can it be prevented from
 happening again? The Conversation asked Dr. Steven Abrams, a leading <a target="_blank" href="https://dellmed.utexas.edu/directory/steven-a-abrams">expert on pediatric health</a>
 at the University of Texas who has advised both the formula industry 
and government on infant nutrition, these questions along with what 
advice he could give parents facing problems getting adequate supplies 
of infant formula.

1. Why there is a shortage of formula now?

There are really two factors that have driven the current shortage. First, we have the <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/4-reasons-americans-are-still-seeing-empty-shelves-and-long-waits-with-christmas-just-around-the-corner-168635">supply chain problem</a>,
 which has affected all manner of goods since the onset of the pandemic.
 It eased off a little, but then at the beginning of 2022 it <a target="_blank" href="https://www.wired.com/story/supply-chain-crisis-data/">became worse</a>.

Then in February a <a target="_blank" href="https://wwmt.com/news/local/baby-formula-shortage-crisis-intensifies-as-sturgis-plant-remains-shut-down">major baby formula manufacturing plant in U.S. went down</a>. The FDA <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nbcboston.com/news/national-international/fda-to-allow-closed-abbott-plant-to-release-baby-formula-supply-amid-shortage/2717440/">shut down Abbott Nutrition’s factory</a> in Michigan. The closure came after Abbott’s nationwide <a target="_blank" href="https://www.similacrecall.com/us/en/home.html">recall of multiple brands of formula</a>,
 including routine Similac cow milk-based formulas such as Similac 
Advance and several specialty formulas for allergic babies, including 
Similac Alimentum and and Similac EleCare.

Closing the factory had to be done amid an <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/fda-investigation-cronobacter-infections-powdered-infant-formula-february-2022">investigation into bacterial infections</a>
 in connection to powdered formula produced at the plant, and the deaths
 of at least two babies. The problem is there just isn’t much redundancy
 in U.S. infant formula production. In other words, there aren’t enough 
other factories to pick up the slack when one goes down. The Michigan 
plant is the largest producer in the country, so when it goes down, it 
put added strain on the entire U.S. formula distribution system, 
especially for certain formulas for babies with high-risk allergic 
diseases and metabolic disorders.

Over the last couple of weeks the shortage has gotten worse. I can’t 
say for sure why this has happened. But I suspect there has been some 
hoarding going on as parents get anxious. Stores can limit the amount of
 formula that people can buy, but that doesn’t stop people going online 
to buy more.

On top of that, the shortage has gained wide publicity in newspapers,
 on TV and in political speeches. All that publicity feeds into public 
sense that the system is failing, prompting more panic buying and 
hoarding.

A majority of parents will feed babies with formula at some point to 
meet their nutritional needs, especially older infants. At birth and in 
days immediately after, around 80% of babies receive <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/data/reportcard.htm">all their nutrition through breast milk</a>. But by the age of 6 months, the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/data/reportcard.htm">majority of babies get at least some formula</a>.
 The proportion of year-old babies receiving formula is even higher. 
This is largely the result of social dynamics and pressures – mothers 
going back to work after giving birth, but not receiving sufficient 
support to produce and store sufficient amounts of breast milk.

But the shortage will affect some parents more than others. Not 
surprisingly, the most affected parents are those on the lowest income. 
The federal food program for poorer women, infants and children, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fns.usda.gov/wic">called WIC</a>, provides formula for a majority of babies in low-income families. But costs have gone up and formula has become scarcer.

I’m hearing of some families driving two hours to find stores selling
 formula. Obviously that will be harder to do for poorer families as 
there are costs involved. Likewise, more affluent parents may be able to
 buy more expensive, so-called elite brand formulas.

The other thing to note is that the shortage is affecting both regular infant formula, and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-takes-important-steps-improve-supply-infant-and-specialty-formula-products">specialized versions</a>.
 Regular or standard formula is the type most families are familiar 
with, and around 95% of formula-fed babies get the standard type. 
Specialized formula is for babies with unusual requirements, due to 
allergies, damaged intestines or special nutritional needs. Before the 
Michigan factory closed, it made most of the specialized infant formula 
used in the U.S. So it is an absolute crisis for families needing that 
type of formula.

3. What are the potential consequences of the shortage?

In the first six months, babies should <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/faq/index.htm">only have breast milk or formula</a>
 – anything else fed to them will be nutritionally incomplete. So there 
is a risk that a shortage will mean that babies will not be getting the 
nutrition they need to develop. That could lead to a range of health 
problems affecting their physical growth and brain development.

Then there are concerns that parents may be using unsafe 
alternatives, like watering down their baby’s formula. People have been 
known to try and make their own by mixing powdered milk or vegan milk 
with vitamins. Not only are these alternatives <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7033a4.htm">not nutritionally complete</a>, they may not be entirely sterile.

After the age of six months, things get a little better once the 
infant is able to start eating solid food. But even then, formula or 
breast milk remains the primary source of nutrition. So there may still 
be a risk of nutritional deficiencies, such as iron deficiencies.

Over the age of six months of age, for only reasonably short periods of time, <a target="_blank" href="https://healthychildren.org/English/tips-tools/ask-the-pediatrician/Pages/Are-there-shortages-of-infant-formula-due-to-COVID-19.aspx#.Ynr6sYw9zEQ.twitter">parents can feed infants whole cow milk</a> and look into iron supplements.

It isn’t ideal, and only applies for older babies. For those under 
six months old, cow milk is a real problem. It doesn’t have the right 
protein blend for babies and has next to no iron – risking anemia in 
very young babies. Cow milk also has a misbalance of minerals, 
especially for younger babies.

So what guidance is there for low-income parents?

It is challenging and I can’t provide a magic answer. But food banks 
and the WIC program have been a crucial lifeline. The WIC program in 
particular has proved itself to be very flexible during this shortage. 
When Abbott had to recall products and then couldn’t provide enough 
non-recalled formulas in states in which they were the WIC provider, WIC
 was able to change providers and reprogram EBT cards to allow 
low-income parents to buy different brands.

5. What can be done to prevent this situation happening again in the U.S.?

First we need to help families regain confidence in the formula 
production and supply system. This will prevent problems such as 
hoarding or making home brew formulas.

Then we need to look at how to make sure one plant going down doesn’t
 affect the whole system. The federal government can’t stockpile formula
 in the same way it might stockpile oil, as formula has a shelf life. 
But diversifying infant formula production is a possibility. This would 
involve making sure multiple factories and companies are making the 
formulas that this country needs. This doesn’t necessarily mean 
increased costs – competition could potentially drive down prices.

I believe America also needs to look at the country’s breast feeding 
support system. Don’t get me wrong, some parents will always need 
formula. But those who want to breast feed need everything possible done
 to support them. That includes better family leave policies, and help 
for low-income mothers who want to pump and store milk while they work.

Steven A. Abrams is a professor of pediatrics at the University of Texas at Austin.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652456647413.jpg" alt="Pixabay image" />
 <figcaption>Pixabay image</figcaption>
 </figure>By STEVEN A. ABRAMS <a href="https://theconversation.com/whats-behind-the-us-infant-formula-shortage-and-how-to-make-sure-it-doesnt-happen-again-182929">The Conversation</a>A <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/10/us/baby-formula-shortage.html">baby formula shortage</a> has added to the woes of American parents already confronted with the pressures of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2021/03/isolation-becoming-new-parent-during-pandemic/618244/">raising an infant during a pandemic</a> in a country <a target="_blank" href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/marybethferrante/2019/06/21/unicef-study-confirms-the-u-s-ranks-last-for-family-friendly-policies/?sh=176ff24133ba">ranked low for family-friendly policies</a>.Media reports have highlighted the plight of mothers, fathers and caregivers across the U.S. who have <a target="_blank" href="https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/baby-formula-shortage-in-washington-has-caregivers-parents/">scrambled to find scarce supplies</a>, or <a target="_blank" href="https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/texas/lake-jackson-texas-mom-drives-hour-baby-formula-amid-shortage/287-d1638ecb-4153-415d-ab63-58e342ec764f">driven long distances</a> to buy formula.But what is behind the shortage? And how can it be prevented from
 happening again? The Conversation asked Dr. Steven Abrams, a leading <a target="_blank" href="https://dellmed.utexas.edu/directory/steven-a-abrams">expert on pediatric health</a>
 at the University of Texas who has advised both the formula industry 
and government on infant nutrition, these questions along with what 
advice he could give parents facing problems getting adequate supplies 
of infant formula.<h2>1. Why there is a shortage of formula now?</h2>There are really two factors that have driven the current shortage. First, we have the <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/4-reasons-americans-are-still-seeing-empty-shelves-and-long-waits-with-christmas-just-around-the-corner-168635">supply chain problem</a>,
 which has affected all manner of goods since the onset of the pandemic.
 It eased off a little, but then at the beginning of 2022 it <a target="_blank" href="https://www.wired.com/story/supply-chain-crisis-data/">became worse</a>.Then in February a <a target="_blank" href="https://wwmt.com/news/local/baby-formula-shortage-crisis-intensifies-as-sturgis-plant-remains-shut-down">major baby formula manufacturing plant in U.S. went down</a>. The FDA <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nbcboston.com/news/national-international/fda-to-allow-closed-abbott-plant-to-release-baby-formula-supply-amid-shortage/2717440/">shut down Abbott Nutrition’s factory</a> in Michigan. The closure came after Abbott’s nationwide <a target="_blank" href="https://www.similacrecall.com/us/en/home.html">recall of multiple brands of formula</a>,
 including routine Similac cow milk-based formulas such as Similac 
Advance and several specialty formulas for allergic babies, including 
Similac Alimentum and and Similac EleCare.Closing the factory had to be done amid an <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/fda-investigation-cronobacter-infections-powdered-infant-formula-february-2022">investigation into bacterial infections</a>
 in connection to powdered formula produced at the plant, and the deaths
 of at least two babies. The problem is there just isn’t much redundancy
 in U.S. infant formula production. In other words, there aren’t enough 
other factories to pick up the slack when one goes down. The Michigan 
plant is the largest producer in the country, so when it goes down, it 
put added strain on the entire U.S. formula distribution system, 
especially for certain formulas for babies with high-risk allergic 
diseases and metabolic disorders.Over the last couple of weeks the shortage has gotten worse. I can’t 
say for sure why this has happened. But I suspect there has been some 
hoarding going on as parents get anxious. Stores can limit the amount of
 formula that people can buy, but that doesn’t stop people going online 
to buy more.On top of that, the shortage has gained wide publicity in newspapers,
 on TV and in political speeches. All that publicity feeds into public 
sense that the system is failing, prompting more panic buying and 
hoarding.<h2>2. Who is the shortage affecting?</h2>A majority of parents will feed babies with formula at some point to 
meet their nutritional needs, especially older infants. At birth and in 
days immediately after, around 80% of babies receive <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/data/reportcard.htm">all their nutrition through breast milk</a>. But by the age of 6 months, the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/data/reportcard.htm">majority of babies get at least some formula</a>.
 The proportion of year-old babies receiving formula is even higher. 
This is largely the result of social dynamics and pressures – mothers 
going back to work after giving birth, but not receiving sufficient 
support to produce and store sufficient amounts of breast milk.But the shortage will affect some parents more than others. Not 
surprisingly, the most affected parents are those on the lowest income. 
The federal food program for poorer women, infants and children, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fns.usda.gov/wic">called WIC</a>, provides formula for a majority of babies in low-income families. But costs have gone up and formula has become scarcer.I’m hearing of some families driving two hours to find stores selling
 formula. Obviously that will be harder to do for poorer families as 
there are costs involved. Likewise, more affluent parents may be able to
 buy more expensive, so-called elite brand formulas.The other thing to note is that the shortage is affecting both regular infant formula, and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-takes-important-steps-improve-supply-infant-and-specialty-formula-products">specialized versions</a>.
 Regular or standard formula is the type most families are familiar 
with, and around 95% of formula-fed babies get the standard type. 
Specialized formula is for babies with unusual requirements, due to 
allergies, damaged intestines or special nutritional needs. Before the 
Michigan factory closed, it made most of the specialized infant formula 
used in the U.S. So it is an absolute crisis for families needing that 
type of formula.<h2>3. What are the potential consequences of the shortage?</h2>In the first six months, babies should <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/faq/index.htm">only have breast milk or formula</a>
 – anything else fed to them will be nutritionally incomplete. So there 
is a risk that a shortage will mean that babies will not be getting the 
nutrition they need to develop. That could lead to a range of health 
problems affecting their physical growth and brain development.Then there are concerns that parents may be using unsafe 
alternatives, like watering down their baby’s formula. People have been 
known to try and make their own by mixing powdered milk or vegan milk 
with vitamins. Not only are these alternatives <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7033a4.htm">not nutritionally complete</a>, they may not be entirely sterile.After the age of six months, things get a little better once the 
infant is able to start eating solid food. But even then, formula or 
breast milk remains the primary source of nutrition. So there may still 
be a risk of nutritional deficiencies, such as iron deficiencies.<h2>4. Are there any viable alternatives?</h2>Over the age of six months of age, for only reasonably short periods of time, <a target="_blank" href="https://healthychildren.org/English/tips-tools/ask-the-pediatrician/Pages/Are-there-shortages-of-infant-formula-due-to-COVID-19.aspx#.Ynr6sYw9zEQ.twitter">parents can feed infants whole cow milk</a> and look into iron supplements.It isn’t ideal, and only applies for older babies. For those under 
six months old, cow milk is a real problem. It doesn’t have the right 
protein blend for babies and has next to no iron – risking anemia in 
very young babies. Cow milk also has a misbalance of minerals, 
especially for younger babies.<h2>So what guidance is there for low-income parents?</h2>It is challenging and I can’t provide a magic answer. But food banks 
and the WIC program have been a crucial lifeline. The WIC program in 
particular has proved itself to be very flexible during this shortage. 
When Abbott had to recall products and then couldn’t provide enough 
non-recalled formulas in states in which they were the WIC provider, WIC
 was able to change providers and reprogram EBT cards to allow 
low-income parents to buy different brands.<h2>5. What can be done to prevent this situation happening again in the U.S.?</h2>First we need to help families regain confidence in the formula 
production and supply system. This will prevent problems such as 
hoarding or making home brew formulas.Then we need to look at how to make sure one plant going down doesn’t
 affect the whole system. The federal government can’t stockpile formula
 in the same way it might stockpile oil, as formula has a shelf life. 
But diversifying infant formula production is a possibility. This would 
involve making sure multiple factories and companies are making the 
formulas that this country needs. This doesn’t necessarily mean 
increased costs – competition could potentially drive down prices.I believe America also needs to look at the country’s breast feeding 
support system. Don’t get me wrong, some parents will always need 
formula. But those who want to breast feed need everything possible done
 to support them. That includes better family leave policies, and help 
for low-income mothers who want to pump and store milk while they work.Steven A. Abrams is a professor of pediatrics at the University of Texas at Austin.

ANALYSIS: What’s behind the U.S. infant formula shortage?

NEW YORK (AP) — Top leaders of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops called on the faithful to pray and fast Friday, in hopes the Supreme Court is on track to overturn the constitutional right to abortion. Yet even among Catholics who oppose abortion, there is some unease about the consequences of such a ruling.

A recently leaked Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-abortion-draft-opinion-07439f9fc4542f1500ab78dfd34036b1">draft opinion</a>&nbsp;suggests that a majority of the nine justices are poised to reverse the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision – a move that would allow individual states to outlaw abortion.

Some anti-abortion Catholics say such an outcome would be the answer to their prayers. Others caution that Catholic leaders should distance themselves from the politically partisan wing of the anti-abortion movement and expand their concept of “pro-life” by supporting broad policies that set up safety nets for unwed mothers and low-income families.

Madison Chastain, a Catholic blogger and disability advocate, describes herself as anti-abortion, yet opposes overturning Roe and criminalizing abortions.

Factors that cause abortion,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncronline.org/news/opinion/im-anti-abortion-disability-advocate-overturning-roe-isnt-answer" target="_blank">she wrote</a>&nbsp;in the National Catholic Reporter, include lack of comprehensive sex education, inadequate health care, and workplace inequalities.

“Making abortion illegal before addressing these injustices is going to kill women, because women will continue to have abortions, secretively and unsafely,” she wrote.”

Sam Sawyer, a journalist and Jesuit priest, says he is a “dedicated pro-life advocate” who favors Roe’s reversal. Yet he responded to the leak with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.americamagazine.org/politics-society/2022/05/06/roe-wade-overturn-fear-242941" target="_blank">an essay</a>&nbsp;listing reasons why abortion rights supporters are so alarmed by that prospect.

“The pro-life movement and its political alliances are perceived as a threat not just to abortion itself but also to democratic norms, to judicial commitments to civil rights, and to women’s health and economic security,“ Sawyer wrote in America, the Jesuit magazine for which he is a senior editor.

Republican politicians, backed by anti-abortion leaders, “have used the lives of the unborn as moral cover for ignoring other calls for justice,” Sawyer wrote. “The pro-life movement’s political allies have gutted social safety net programs that would make it easier for women to carry pregnancies to term.”

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usccb.org/news/2022/faithful-invited-fast-and-pray-rosary-friday-midst-tensions-over-leaked-draft-supreme" target="_blank">call for a day of fasting</a>&nbsp;and prayer came from Archbishop José Gomez of Los Angeles, the president of the U.S. bishops conference, and Archbishop William Lori of Baltimore, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Pro-Life Activities.

They requested prayers for the overturning of Roe and for “the conversion of the hearts and minds of those who advocate for abortion.”

The archbishops echoed the calls of other Catholic leaders who, after the Supreme Court leak, suggested that a reversal of Roe should be coupled with expanded outreach and support for pregnant women and new mothers.

Lori highlighted a USCCB program called Walking With Moms in Need, saying the church should redouble its efforts “to accompany women and couples who are facing unexpected or difficult pregnancies, and during the early years of parenthood.”

The bishops conference has designated the “threat of abortion” as its preeminent priority – a viewpoint that many lay Catholics don’t share. According to Pew Research Center surveys, 56% of U.S. Catholics say abortion should be legal in all or most cases.

Professor O. Carter Snead, who teaches law and political science at the University of Notre Dame, said via email that most Catholics engaging in anti-abortion activism “are not hard political partisans but rather people seeking to care for moms and babies by whatever means are available.”

As an example, Snead cited Notre Dame’s de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture – which he directs – and one of its initiatives, called “Women and Children First: Imagining a Post-Roe World.” Through teaching, research and public engagement, the initiative seeks to strengthen support for “women, children (born and unborn), and families in need.”

However, achieving broad bipartisan collaboration on such initiatives may not come soon, Snead acknowledged.

“It is true, regrettably, that the only political party that has been willing to partner to provide legal protection for the unborn is the Republicans,” he said.

Chad Pecknold, a theology professor at The Catholic University of America, also doubted there could be a post-Roe surge of bipartisanship on abortion.

“So long as Democrats insist on abortion for all nine months of a pregnancy, and as long as Republicans recognize that abortion runs contrary to the 14th Amendment, this will remain a partisan issue,” he said via email.

“But the goal of the pro-life movement has never been partisan,” Pecknold added. “The goal is justice for pre-born persons who have a right to live, to be loved, to be raised in a family.”

Bishop Joseph Strickland of Tyler, Texas – an outspoken critic of Catholic politicians who support abortion rights — said abortion opponents “must continue to provide support and care for the mothers who find themselves in difficult situations.”

“I pray that we may move to a place where mother and child are both held as sacred and society supports both lives in every way possible,” he said via email.

David Gibson, director of the Center on Religion and Culture at Fordham University, questioned the significance of recent promises by Catholic bishops and other anti-abortion leaders to boost support for unwed mothers.

“Can this movement that is so tied to the Republican Party and the conservative movement suddenly pivot to mobilizing its people for socially liberal policies?” Gibson asked, referring to programs such as subsidized child care and paid maternity leaves.

Steven Millies, a professor of public theology at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, says the bishops bear partial responsibility for the entrenched polarization over abortion, which he expects to continue even if Roe is overturned.

“It’s unrealistically hopeful to think that the habits of division will be abandoned,” said Millies, suggesting that the bishops could have done more to reduce abortions over the years by pressing hard for stronger, better-funded social programs.

Rebecca Bratten Weiss, a writer and the digital editor of U.S. Catholic magazine, said she no longer labels herself “pro-life” — though she was active in that movement for many years and believes all life is worthy of protection.

“The people who are working to overturn Roe have made it quite clear they have zero interest in expanding safety nets,” she said. “They either haven’t thought through the consequences, or they are OK with the consequences — a higher rate of infant mortality, more women seeking unsafe abortions, more families driven to desperate measures.”

Thomas Reese, a Jesuit priest who writes for Religion News Service, suggested in&nbsp;<a href="https://religionnews.com/2022/05/04/roe-wade-supreme-court-overturn-after-abortion-catholic-bishops-republicans-democrats/" target="_blank">a column</a>&nbsp;that reversal of Roe should be an occasion for reassessment by the many bishops who embraced the Republican Party because of its anti-abortion stance.

“Catholic bishops will celebrate this victory for which they have worked for decades, but ironically it should lead to a divorce between the bishops and Republicans,” Reese wrote. “The GOP has nothing else to offer them. In fact, except for abortion, its proposals are the opposite of Catholic social teaching.”

Assuming Roe is overturned, Reese added, “the bishops can declare victory on abortion and turn their focus to social programs ... that help women have and raise children so they are not forced to have abortions. ”

“My guess is they will continue to fight as long as there is no consensus in America on abortion,” he wrote. “This will mean sticking with the Republicans and sacrificing all their other priorities.”

NEW YORK (AP) — Top leaders of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops called on the faithful to pray and fast Friday, in hopes the Supreme Court is on track to overturn the constitutional right to abortion. Yet even among Catholics who oppose abortion, there is some unease about the consequences of such a ruling.A recently leaked Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-abortion-draft-opinion-07439f9fc4542f1500ab78dfd34036b1">draft opinion</a>&nbsp;suggests that a majority of the nine justices are poised to reverse the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision – a move that would allow individual states to outlaw abortion.Some anti-abortion Catholics say such an outcome would be the answer to their prayers. Others caution that Catholic leaders should distance themselves from the politically partisan wing of the anti-abortion movement and expand their concept of “pro-life” by supporting broad policies that set up safety nets for unwed mothers and low-income families.Madison Chastain, a Catholic blogger and disability advocate, describes herself as anti-abortion, yet opposes overturning Roe and criminalizing abortions.Factors that cause abortion,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncronline.org/news/opinion/im-anti-abortion-disability-advocate-overturning-roe-isnt-answer" target="_blank">she wrote</a>&nbsp;in the National Catholic Reporter, include lack of comprehensive sex education, inadequate health care, and workplace inequalities.“Making abortion illegal before addressing these injustices is going to kill women, because women will continue to have abortions, secretively and unsafely,” she wrote.”Sam Sawyer, a journalist and Jesuit priest, says he is a “dedicated pro-life advocate” who favors Roe’s reversal. Yet he responded to the leak with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.americamagazine.org/politics-society/2022/05/06/roe-wade-overturn-fear-242941" target="_blank">an essay</a>&nbsp;listing reasons why abortion rights supporters are so alarmed by that prospect.“The pro-life movement and its political alliances are perceived as a threat not just to abortion itself but also to democratic norms, to judicial commitments to civil rights, and to women’s health and economic security,“ Sawyer wrote in America, the Jesuit magazine for which he is a senior editor.Republican politicians, backed by anti-abortion leaders, “have used the lives of the unborn as moral cover for ignoring other calls for justice,” Sawyer wrote. “The pro-life movement’s political allies have gutted social safety net programs that would make it easier for women to carry pregnancies to term.”The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usccb.org/news/2022/faithful-invited-fast-and-pray-rosary-friday-midst-tensions-over-leaked-draft-supreme" target="_blank">call for a day of fasting</a>&nbsp;and prayer came from Archbishop José Gomez of Los Angeles, the president of the U.S. bishops conference, and Archbishop William Lori of Baltimore, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Pro-Life Activities.They requested prayers for the overturning of Roe and for “the conversion of the hearts and minds of those who advocate for abortion.”The archbishops echoed the calls of other Catholic leaders who, after the Supreme Court leak, suggested that a reversal of Roe should be coupled with expanded outreach and support for pregnant women and new mothers.Lori highlighted a USCCB program called Walking With Moms in Need, saying the church should redouble its efforts “to accompany women and couples who are facing unexpected or difficult pregnancies, and during the early years of parenthood.”The bishops conference has designated the “threat of abortion” as its preeminent priority – a viewpoint that many lay Catholics don’t share. According to Pew Research Center surveys, 56% of U.S. Catholics say abortion should be legal in all or most cases.Professor O. Carter Snead, who teaches law and political science at the University of Notre Dame, said via email that most Catholics engaging in anti-abortion activism “are not hard political partisans but rather people seeking to care for moms and babies by whatever means are available.”As an example, Snead cited Notre Dame’s de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture – which he directs – and one of its initiatives, called “Women and Children First: Imagining a Post-Roe World.” Through teaching, research and public engagement, the initiative seeks to strengthen support for “women, children (born and unborn), and families in need.”However, achieving broad bipartisan collaboration on such initiatives may not come soon, Snead acknowledged.“It is true, regrettably, that the only political party that has been willing to partner to provide legal protection for the unborn is the Republicans,” he said.Chad Pecknold, a theology professor at The Catholic University of America, also doubted there could be a post-Roe surge of bipartisanship on abortion.“So long as Democrats insist on abortion for all nine months of a pregnancy, and as long as Republicans recognize that abortion runs contrary to the 14th Amendment, this will remain a partisan issue,” he said via email.“But the goal of the pro-life movement has never been partisan,” Pecknold added. “The goal is justice for pre-born persons who have a right to live, to be loved, to be raised in a family.”Bishop Joseph Strickland of Tyler, Texas – an outspoken critic of Catholic politicians who support abortion rights — said abortion opponents “must continue to provide support and care for the mothers who find themselves in difficult situations.”“I pray that we may move to a place where mother and child are both held as sacred and society supports both lives in every way possible,” he said via email.David Gibson, director of the Center on Religion and Culture at Fordham University, questioned the significance of recent promises by Catholic bishops and other anti-abortion leaders to boost support for unwed mothers.“Can this movement that is so tied to the Republican Party and the conservative movement suddenly pivot to mobilizing its people for socially liberal policies?” Gibson asked, referring to programs such as subsidized child care and paid maternity leaves.Steven Millies, a professor of public theology at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, says the bishops bear partial responsibility for the entrenched polarization over abortion, which he expects to continue even if Roe is overturned.“It’s unrealistically hopeful to think that the habits of division will be abandoned,” said Millies, suggesting that the bishops could have done more to reduce abortions over the years by pressing hard for stronger, better-funded social programs.Rebecca Bratten Weiss, a writer and the digital editor of U.S. Catholic magazine, said she no longer labels herself “pro-life” — though she was active in that movement for many years and believes all life is worthy of protection.“The people who are working to overturn Roe have made it quite clear they have zero interest in expanding safety nets,” she said. “They either haven’t thought through the consequences, or they are OK with the consequences — a higher rate of infant mortality, more women seeking unsafe abortions, more families driven to desperate measures.”Thomas Reese, a Jesuit priest who writes for Religion News Service, suggested in&nbsp;<a href="https://religionnews.com/2022/05/04/roe-wade-supreme-court-overturn-after-abortion-catholic-bishops-republicans-democrats/" target="_blank">a column</a>&nbsp;that reversal of Roe should be an occasion for reassessment by the many bishops who embraced the Republican Party because of its anti-abortion stance.“Catholic bishops will celebrate this victory for which they have worked for decades, but ironically it should lead to a divorce between the bishops and Republicans,” Reese wrote. “The GOP has nothing else to offer them. In fact, except for abortion, its proposals are the opposite of Catholic social teaching.”Assuming Roe is overturned, Reese added, “the bishops can declare victory on abortion and turn their focus to social programs ... that help women have and raise children so they are not forced to have abortions. ”Yet Reese doubts this will happen.“My guess is they will continue to fight as long as there is no consensus in America on abortion,” he wrote. “This will mean sticking with the Republicans and sacrificing all their other priorities.”

Some Catholic abortion foes are uneasy about overturning Roe

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A total lunar eclipse will grace the night skies this weekend, providing longer than usual thrills for stargazers across North and South America.

The celestial action unfolds Sunday night into early Monday morning, with the moon bathed in the reflected red and orange hues of Earth’s sunsets and sunrises for about 1 1/2 hours, one of the longest totalities of the decade. It will be the first so-called blood moon in a year.

Observers in the eastern half of North America and all of Central and South America will have prime seats for the whole show, weather permitting. Partial stages of the eclipse will be visible across Africa, Europe and the Middle East. Left out: Alaska, Asia and Australia.

“This is really an eclipse for the Americas,” said NASA’s Noah Petro, a planetary geologist who specializes in the moon. “It’s going to be a treat.”

All you need, he noted, are “patience and eyeballs.”

<a href="https://moon.nasa.gov/news/173/livestream-the-eclipse/">Click here to watch</a> the livestream from NASA

A total eclipse occurs when Earth passes directly between the moon and the sun, and casts a shadow on our constant, cosmic companion. The moon will be 225,000 miles (362,000 kilometers) away at the peak of the eclipse — around midnight on the U.S. East Coast.

“This is this gradual, slow, wonderful event that as long as it’s clear where you are, you get to see it,” Petro said.

If not, NASA will provide a&nbsp;<a href="https://moon.nasa.gov/news/173/livestream-the-eclipse/" target="_blank">livestream of the eclipse</a>&nbsp;from various locations; so will the Slooh network of observatories.

There’ll be another lengthy total lunar eclipse in November, with Africa and Europe lucking out again, but not the Americas. Then the next one isn’t until 2025.

Launched last fall, NASA’s asteroid-seeking Lucy spacecraft will photograph this weekend’s event from 64 million miles (103 million kilometers) away, as ground controllers continue their effort to fix a loose solar panel.

NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins, a geologist, plans to set her alarm clock early aboard the International Space Station.

“Hopefully, we can be up in time and be at the right place at the right time to catch a good glimpse,” she told The Associated Press earlier this week.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652473991120.png" alt="Image&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/4980">Credit: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center/Scientific Visualization Studio</a>" />
 <figcaption>Image&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/4980">Credit: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center/Scientific Visualization Studio</a></figcaption>
 </figure>CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A total lunar eclipse will grace the night skies this weekend, providing longer than usual thrills for stargazers across North and South America.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lNi5UFpales?start=1" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>The celestial action unfolds Sunday night into early Monday morning, with the moon bathed in the reflected red and orange hues of Earth’s sunsets and sunrises for about 1 1/2 hours, one of the longest totalities of the decade. It will be the first so-called blood moon in a year.Observers in the eastern half of North America and all of Central and South America will have prime seats for the whole show, weather permitting. Partial stages of the eclipse will be visible across Africa, Europe and the Middle East. Left out: Alaska, Asia and Australia.“This is really an eclipse for the Americas,” said NASA’s Noah Petro, a planetary geologist who specializes in the moon. “It’s going to be a treat.”All you need, he noted, are “patience and eyeballs.”<a href="https://moon.nasa.gov/news/173/livestream-the-eclipse/">Click here to watch</a> the livestream from NASAA total eclipse occurs when Earth passes directly between the moon and the sun, and casts a shadow on our constant, cosmic companion. The moon will be 225,000 miles (362,000 kilometers) away at the peak of the eclipse — around midnight on the U.S. East Coast.“This is this gradual, slow, wonderful event that as long as it’s clear where you are, you get to see it,” Petro said.If not, NASA will provide a&nbsp;<a href="https://moon.nasa.gov/news/173/livestream-the-eclipse/" target="_blank">livestream of the eclipse</a>&nbsp;from various locations; so will the Slooh network of observatories.There’ll be another lengthy total lunar eclipse in November, with Africa and Europe lucking out again, but not the Americas. Then the next one isn’t until 2025.Launched last fall, NASA’s asteroid-seeking Lucy spacecraft will photograph this weekend’s event from 64 million miles (103 million kilometers) away, as ground controllers continue their effort to fix a loose solar panel.NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins, a geologist, plans to set her alarm clock early aboard the International Space Station.“Hopefully, we can be up in time and be at the right place at the right time to catch a good glimpse,” she told The Associated Press earlier this week.___

Moon goes blood red Sunday night: Total lunar eclipse 

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Shoppers out on a weekend afternoon and a retired police officer working as a security guard were among the 10 shot and killed at a Buffalo supermarket by a white teenager who authorities say was motivated by racial hatred.

Police said Payton Gendron shot, in total, 11 Black people and two white people Saturday in a rampage at the Tops Friendly Market that the 18-year-old broadcast live before surrendering to authorities.

Among the dead was security guard Aaron Salter — a retired Buffalo police officer — who fired multiple shots at Gendron, Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia said Saturday. A bullet hit the gunman's armor, but had no effect. Gendron then killed Salter, before hunting more victims.

Also killed was Ruth Whitfield, 86, the mother of retired Buffalo Fire Commissioner Garnell Whitfield who told the Buffalo News that his “mother was a mother to the motherless.”

“She was a blessing to us all,” he added.

Katherine Massey, who had gone to the store to pick up some groceries, also was killed, according to the newspaper.

It wasn't immediately clear why Gendron had traveled about 200 miles from his Conklin,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/new-york">New York</a>, to Buffalo and that particular grocery store, located in a predominantly Black neighborhood, but screenshots purporting to be from the Twitch broadcast appear to show a racial epithet scrawled on the rifle used in the attack, as well as the number 14, a likely reference to a white supremacist slogan.

At the earlier news briefing, Erie County Sheriff John Garcia pointedly called the shooting a hate crime.

“This was pure evil. It was (a) straight up racially motivated hate crime from somebody outside of our community, outside of the City of Good Neighbors ... coming into our community and trying to inflict that evil upon us,” Garcia said.

Twitch said in a statement that it ended Gendron’s transmission “less than two minutes after the violence started.”

The massacre sent shockwaves through an unsettled nation gripped with racial tensions, gun violence and a spate of hate crimes. In the day prior to the shooting, Dallas police said they were investigating a series of shootings in Koreatown as hate crimes. The Buffalo attack came just one month after another mass shooting on a Brooklyn subway train wounded 10 people and just over a year after a mass shooting in a&nbsp;Colorado&nbsp;supermarket killed 10.

Gendron, confronted by police in the store's vestibule, put a rifle to his neck but was convinced to drop it. He was arraigned later Saturday on a murder charge, appearing before a judge in a paper gown.

A law enforcement official told The Associated Press that investigators were looking into whether he had posted a manifesto online. The official was not permitted to speak publicly on the matter and did so on the condition of anonymity.

Buffalo police declined to comment on the document, circulated widely online, that purports to outline the attacker’s racist, anti-immigrant and antisemitic beliefs, including a desire to drive all people not of European descent from the U.S. It said he drew inspiration the man who killed 51 people at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, in 2019.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — A gunman wearing military-style clothing and body armor opened fire with a rifle at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York, killing at least 10 people before being taken into custody Saturday afternoon, law enforcement officials told The Associated Press.

Details on the number of additional people shot at the Tops Friendly Market and their conditions weren’t immediately available. The two officials were not permitted to speak publicly on the matter and did so on the condition of anonymity. The suspect was being questioned Saturday evening by the FBI, one of the officials said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652568426409.png" alt="Investigators believe the gunman may have been streaming the shooting through a camera affixed to his helmet, one of the officials said. -photo courtesy WKBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Investigators believe the gunman may have been streaming the shooting through a camera affixed to his helmet, one of the officials said. -photo courtesy WKBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Shoppers out on a weekend afternoon and a retired police officer working as a security guard were among the 10 shot and killed at a Buffalo supermarket by a white teenager who authorities say was motivated by racial hatred.Police said Payton Gendron shot, in total, 11 Black people and two white people Saturday in a rampage at the Tops Friendly Market that the 18-year-old broadcast live before surrendering to authorities.Among the dead was security guard Aaron Salter — a retired Buffalo police officer — who fired multiple shots at Gendron, Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia said Saturday. A bullet hit the gunman's armor, but had no effect. Gendron then killed Salter, before hunting more victims.Also killed was Ruth Whitfield, 86, the mother of retired Buffalo Fire Commissioner Garnell Whitfield who told the Buffalo News that his “mother was a mother to the motherless.”“She was a blessing to us all,” he added.Katherine Massey, who had gone to the store to pick up some groceries, also was killed, according to the newspaper.It wasn't immediately clear why Gendron had traveled about 200 miles from his Conklin,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/new-york">New York</a>, to Buffalo and that particular grocery store, located in a predominantly Black neighborhood, but screenshots purporting to be from the Twitch broadcast appear to show a racial epithet scrawled on the rifle used in the attack, as well as the number 14, a likely reference to a white supremacist slogan.At the earlier news briefing, Erie County Sheriff John Garcia pointedly called the shooting a hate crime.“This was pure evil. It was (a) straight up racially motivated hate crime from somebody outside of our community, outside of the City of Good Neighbors ... coming into our community and trying to inflict that evil upon us,” Garcia said.Twitch said in a statement that it ended Gendron’s transmission “less than two minutes after the violence started.”The massacre sent shockwaves through an unsettled nation gripped with racial tensions, gun violence and a spate of hate crimes. In the day prior to the shooting, Dallas police said they were investigating a series of shootings in Koreatown as hate crimes. The Buffalo attack came just one month after another mass shooting on a Brooklyn subway train wounded 10 people and just over a year after a mass shooting in a&nbsp;Colorado&nbsp;supermarket killed 10.Gendron, confronted by police in the store's vestibule, put a rifle to his neck but was convinced to drop it. He was arraigned later Saturday on a murder charge, appearing before a judge in a paper gown.A law enforcement official told The Associated Press that investigators were looking into whether he had posted a manifesto online. The official was not permitted to speak publicly on the matter and did so on the condition of anonymity.Buffalo police declined to comment on the document, circulated widely online, that purports to outline the attacker’s racist, anti-immigrant and antisemitic beliefs, including a desire to drive all people not of European descent from the U.S. It said he drew inspiration the man who killed 51 people at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, in 2019.___BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — A gunman wearing military-style clothing and body armor opened fire with a rifle at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York, killing at least 10 people before being taken into custody Saturday afternoon, law enforcement officials told The Associated Press.Details on the number of additional people shot at the Tops Friendly Market and their conditions weren’t immediately available. The two officials were not permitted to speak publicly on the matter and did so on the condition of anonymity. The suspect was being questioned Saturday evening by the FBI, one of the officials said.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">It is with profound sadness that we watch reports of the racially-motivated shooting the community of Buffalo has experienced today. We pray for the Buffalo community and the men and women of law enforcement as they assist in this investigation so that justice may be served.&mdash; Kansas City, Kansas Police Department (@KCKPDChief) <a href="https://twitter.com/KCKPDChief/status/1525604322834321410?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 14, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Investigators believe the gunman may have been streaming the shooting through a camera affixed to his helmet, one of the officials said. The video showed the gunman, dressed in military gear, pulling up to the front of the store with a rifle on the front seat and then pointing the rifle at people in the parking lot as he exited the vehicle and opening fire, the official said.It also shows the suspect walking into the supermarket and shooting several other victims inside, the official said. One of the victims was a recently retired police officer who was working as a security guard at the store, according to the official.One of the officials cautioned the investigation was in its preliminary stages and that authorities hadn’t yet discerned a clear motive, but were investigating whether the shooting was racially motivated.The supermarket is in a predominately Black neighborhood, about 3 miles (5 kilometers) north of downtown Buffalo. The surrounding area is primarily residential, with a Family Dollar store and fire station near the store.Buffalo police confirmed the shooter was in custody in a tweet, but did not identify the suspect. Police officials did not immediately respond to messages from the AP seeking comment.Witnesses reported the gunman was wearing military-style clothing in addition to the body armor, one of the officials saidBraedyn Kephart and Shane Hill, both 20, pulled into the parking lot just as the shooter was exiting. They described him as a white male in his late teens or early twenties sporting full camo, a black helmet and what appeared to be a rifle.“He was standing there with the gun to his chin. We were like what the heck is going on? Why does this kid have a gun to his face?” Kephart said. He dropped to his knees. “He ripped off his helmet, dropped his gun, and was tackled by the police.”At the White House, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said President Joe Biden is receiving regular updates on the shooting and its aftermath.“The president has been briefed by his Homeland Security advisor on the horrific shooting in Buffalo, N.Y., this afternoon. He will continue to receive updates throughout the evening and tomorrow as further information develops,” she said, adding the president and first lady were praying for the victims and their loved ones.Tops Friendly Markets released a statement saying, “We are shocked and deeply saddened by this senseless act of violence and our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families.”Police closed off the block, lined by spectators, and yellow police taped surrounded the full parking lot. Mayor Byron Brown and Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz were at the scene late Saturday afternoon, gathered in a parking lot across the street from the Tops store and expected to address the media.More than two hours of the shooting, Erica Pugh-Mathews was waiting outside the store, behind the police tape.“We would like to know the status of my aunt, my mother’s sister. She was in there with her fiance, they separated and went to different aisles,” she said. “A bullet barely missed him. He was able to hide in a freezer but he was not able to get to my aunt and does not know where she is. We just would like word either way if she’s OK.”Gov. Kathy Hochul tweeted that she was “closely monitoring the shooting at a grocery store in Buffalo,” her hometown. She said state officials have offered help to local authorities. The Erie County Sheriff’s Office said on social media that it ordered all available personnel to assist Buffalo police.Attorney General Merrick Garland was briefed on the shooting, Justice Department spokesperson Anthony Coley said.The shooting came little more than a year after a March 2021 attack at a King Soopers grocery in Boulder, Colorado, that killed 10 people. Investigators have not released any information about why they believe the man charged in that attack targeted the supermarket.---------BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — A gunman opened fire with a rifle Saturday at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York, in what authorities called a “hate crime and racially motived violent extremism,” killing 10 people and wounding three others before being taken in custody, law enforcement officials said.The suspect was identified as Payton Gendron of Conklin, about 200 miles southeast of Buffalo in New York state, two law enforcement officials told The Associated Press. The officials were not permitted to speak publicly on the matter and did so on the condition of anonymity. The suspect was being questioned Saturday evening by the FBI, one of the officials said.Officials said 11 of the victims are Black and two are white. The shooting happened in a predominantly Black neighborhood a few miles (kilometers) north of downtown Buffalo.