WASHINGTON (AP) — All of the U.S. military services have now begun disciplinary actions and discharges for troops who have refused to get the mandated coronavirus vaccine, officials said, with as many as 20,000 unvaccinated forces at risk of being removed from service.

On Thursday, the Marine Corps said it has discharged 103 Marines so far for refusing the vaccine, and the Army said it has reprimanded more than 2,700 soldiers and will begin discharge proceedings in January. The Air Force said earlier this week that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-257b231698d17ab3c6aef71867520346">27 airmen had been discharged for refusing the vaccine order</a>. And the Navy laid out its new discipline procedure this week, and has already fired one sailor from his command job for refusing to be tested while he pursues an exemption.

Military leaders have warned for months that troops would face consequences if they did not follow what is considered to be a lawful order to get the COVID-19 vaccine. But only in the last week or so have they publicly begun following through on those threats.

It’s not clear how many could end up being discharged. But according to the services, at least 30,000 service members are not yet vaccinated, but several thousand of those have gotten temporary or permanent medical or administrative exemptions approved. Of the remaining — which is likely 20,000 or more — thousands are working their way through the exemptions process or have flatly refused. That’s about 1.5% of the roughly 1.3 million active duty troops.

The figures reflect a calculated risk — that the number of troops who would be forced from service for refusing the vaccine posed less of a threat to military readiness than the prospect of the virus running rampant among unvaccinated troops.

More than 12,000 have sought religious exemptions. And about 4,800 Army soldiers and Air Force airmen have flatly refused the vaccine, without seeking an exemption. The Navy and Marine Corps have not released their refusal totals.

Pentagon chief spokesman John Kirby said Thursday that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s main concern is getting as many service members vaccinated as possible.

“What he would tell these individuals if he had the chance to speak to them directly is to get the vaccine, if they are medically eligible,” Kirby said. “Get the vaccine because it’s the best way to protect themselves and their units. That’s the readiness concern — getting the vaccination rate as close to 100% as possible.”

His comments came as the Army became the last military service to reach the deadline for requiring active duty troops to get vaccines. On Thursday, the Army said 98% of its active duty force had gotten at least one shot, but that more than 3,800 soldiers flatly refused and could start being removed from the military next month.

The Marine Corps said 95% of its force has gotten at least one dose as of Thursday. About 97.5% of the Air Force and Space Force have gotten at least one shot, and a bit more than 1,000 have flatly refused. And 98.4% of the Navy is fully vaccinated. The Navy does not release totals of those with one dose.

Asked about the impact on military readiness if service members continue to refuse the shots and are discharged from the service, Kirby said troops still have time to do the right thing.

“We obviously hope that they will,” he said. “But if they don’t, it is a lawful order and it has to be obeyed because it is a valid medical requirement.”

While each service has developed its own process, all are following existing rules for when a service member disobeys a lawful order. Getting thrown out of the military for refusing a vaccine has been done very rarely. But service members are routinely discharged for disobeying orders — often getting an honorable discharge or general discharge with honorable conditions.

According to the data released Thursday, the Army, the largest military service, reported the fewest service members seeking religious exemptions — a bit more than 1,700 soldiers — compared with the three smaller services. In comparison, more than 4,700 in the Air Force, 3,100 in the Marine Corps and 2,700 in the Navy sought religious exemptions, according to data released by the services in the past week. None has yet been approved.

The Pentagon&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-vaccine-us-military-requirement-pentagon-3975940c732352f72e41f6e34a3a2669">this year made the COVID-19 vaccine mandatory</a>&nbsp;for all service members, including the National Guard and Reserve. Austin has said repeatedly that getting the vaccine is critical to maintaining a heathy, ready force that can be prepared to defend the nation. The Pentagon is also weighing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-lloyd-austin-john-kirby-06508de37647d9c94e0f120dbacabde8">making the vaccine booster shots mandatory</a>&nbsp;for service members.

The Army’s 478,000 active duty soldiers had until Wednesday to get the shots. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-b145976254f6deab1ae3130cf8159b00">Air Force required vaccines for the active duty by Nov. 2</a>, while members of the Navy and the Marine Corps had until Nov. 28 to get the shots and their Reserve members have until Dec. 28. Air Force Guard and Reserves had until Dec. 2, and the Army Guard and Reserve soldiers have until next June.

“Vaccinating our soldiers against COVID-19 is first and foremost about Army readiness,” Army Secretary Christine Wormuth said in a statement. “To those who continue to refuse the vaccine and are not pending a final decision on a medical or administrative exemption, I strongly encourage you to get the vaccine. If not, we will begin involuntary separation proceedings.”

In addition to the more than 2,700 Army soldiers who received written reprimands for refusing the shot, six were fired from leadership positions. Students at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point who refuse the vaccine and do not get an approved exemption will not be commissioned as officers.

The Army said more than 6,200 soldiers are seeking a temporary or permanent exemption, including the 1,746 religious requests. Nearly 3,900 have received temporary medical or administrative exemptions and four got a permanent medical exemption.

Temporary medical exemptions can include pregnancy or other reasons, and administrative can include those who are retiring or are in remote locations with no available vaccines.

Across the military, the vaccine reaction has mirrored that of society, with thousands reluctant to get shots. But overall the percentage of troops — particularly active duty members — who quickly were vaccinated exceeds nationwide numbers. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 72% of the U.S. population age 18 or older has gotten at least one shot.

Members of the U.S. military are already required to get as many as 17 vaccines, depending on where they are deployed, including for smallpox, hepatitis, polio and the flu.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1635861962000.png" alt="Photo Department of Defense" />
 <figcaption>Photo Department of Defense</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — All of the U.S. military services have now begun disciplinary actions and discharges for troops who have refused to get the mandated coronavirus vaccine, officials said, with as many as 20,000 unvaccinated forces at risk of being removed from service.On Thursday, the Marine Corps said it has discharged 103 Marines so far for refusing the vaccine, and the Army said it has reprimanded more than 2,700 soldiers and will begin discharge proceedings in January. The Air Force said earlier this week that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-257b231698d17ab3c6aef71867520346">27 airmen had been discharged for refusing the vaccine order</a>. And the Navy laid out its new discipline procedure this week, and has already fired one sailor from his command job for refusing to be tested while he pursues an exemption.Military leaders have warned for months that troops would face consequences if they did not follow what is considered to be a lawful order to get the COVID-19 vaccine. But only in the last week or so have they publicly begun following through on those threats.It’s not clear how many could end up being discharged. But according to the services, at least 30,000 service members are not yet vaccinated, but several thousand of those have gotten temporary or permanent medical or administrative exemptions approved. Of the remaining — which is likely 20,000 or more — thousands are working their way through the exemptions process or have flatly refused. That’s about 1.5% of the roughly 1.3 million active duty troops.The figures reflect a calculated risk — that the number of troops who would be forced from service for refusing the vaccine posed less of a threat to military readiness than the prospect of the virus running rampant among unvaccinated troops.More than 12,000 have sought religious exemptions. And about 4,800 Army soldiers and Air Force airmen have flatly refused the vaccine, without seeking an exemption. The Navy and Marine Corps have not released their refusal totals.Pentagon chief spokesman John Kirby said Thursday that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s main concern is getting as many service members vaccinated as possible.“What he would tell these individuals if he had the chance to speak to them directly is to get the vaccine, if they are medically eligible,” Kirby said. “Get the vaccine because it’s the best way to protect themselves and their units. That’s the readiness concern — getting the vaccination rate as close to 100% as possible.”His comments came as the Army became the last military service to reach the deadline for requiring active duty troops to get vaccines. On Thursday, the Army said 98% of its active duty force had gotten at least one shot, but that more than 3,800 soldiers flatly refused and could start being removed from the military next month.The Marine Corps said 95% of its force has gotten at least one dose as of Thursday. About 97.5% of the Air Force and Space Force have gotten at least one shot, and a bit more than 1,000 have flatly refused. And 98.4% of the Navy is fully vaccinated. The Navy does not release totals of those with one dose.Asked about the impact on military readiness if service members continue to refuse the shots and are discharged from the service, Kirby said troops still have time to do the right thing.“We obviously hope that they will,” he said. “But if they don’t, it is a lawful order and it has to be obeyed because it is a valid medical requirement.”While each service has developed its own process, all are following existing rules for when a service member disobeys a lawful order. Getting thrown out of the military for refusing a vaccine has been done very rarely. But service members are routinely discharged for disobeying orders — often getting an honorable discharge or general discharge with honorable conditions.According to the data released Thursday, the Army, the largest military service, reported the fewest service members seeking religious exemptions — a bit more than 1,700 soldiers — compared with the three smaller services. In comparison, more than 4,700 in the Air Force, 3,100 in the Marine Corps and 2,700 in the Navy sought religious exemptions, according to data released by the services in the past week. None has yet been approved.The Pentagon&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-vaccine-us-military-requirement-pentagon-3975940c732352f72e41f6e34a3a2669">this year made the COVID-19 vaccine mandatory</a>&nbsp;for all service members, including the National Guard and Reserve. Austin has said repeatedly that getting the vaccine is critical to maintaining a heathy, ready force that can be prepared to defend the nation. The Pentagon is also weighing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-lloyd-austin-john-kirby-06508de37647d9c94e0f120dbacabde8">making the vaccine booster shots mandatory</a>&nbsp;for service members.The Army’s 478,000 active duty soldiers had until Wednesday to get the shots. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-b145976254f6deab1ae3130cf8159b00">Air Force required vaccines for the active duty by Nov. 2</a>, while members of the Navy and the Marine Corps had until Nov. 28 to get the shots and their Reserve members have until Dec. 28. Air Force Guard and Reserves had until Dec. 2, and the Army Guard and Reserve soldiers have until next June.“Vaccinating our soldiers against COVID-19 is first and foremost about Army readiness,” Army Secretary Christine Wormuth said in a statement. “To those who continue to refuse the vaccine and are not pending a final decision on a medical or administrative exemption, I strongly encourage you to get the vaccine. If not, we will begin involuntary separation proceedings.”In addition to the more than 2,700 Army soldiers who received written reprimands for refusing the shot, six were fired from leadership positions. Students at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point who refuse the vaccine and do not get an approved exemption will not be commissioned as officers.The Army said more than 6,200 soldiers are seeking a temporary or permanent exemption, including the 1,746 religious requests. Nearly 3,900 have received temporary medical or administrative exemptions and four got a permanent medical exemption.Temporary medical exemptions can include pregnancy or other reasons, and administrative can include those who are retiring or are in remote locations with no available vaccines.Across the military, the vaccine reaction has mirrored that of society, with thousands reluctant to get shots. But overall the percentage of troops — particularly active duty members — who quickly were vaccinated exceeds nationwide numbers. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 72% of the U.S. population age 18 or older has gotten at least one shot.Members of the U.S. military are already required to get as many as 17 vaccines, depending on where they are deployed, including for smallpox, hepatitis, polio and the flu.

Across services, troops face discipline for refusing vaccine

The obituary for Renay Corren has been lighting up the internet since her passing on Dec. 11.

Click <a href="https://www.fayobserver.com/obituaries/m0028451?fbclid=IwAR2AEE8XiBNg8zymJj8g4e640P5ZiIu223RQANGOZ8hmeCKMoV89fXXLk6Y">HERE</a> to read the tribute.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.hutchpost.com/posts/5ed6bba3ebfb13423b26c8f6">In 2020, there was a similarly themes tribute written.&nbsp;</a>

The obituary for Renay Corren has been lighting up the internet since her passing on Dec. 11.Click <a href="https://www.fayobserver.com/obituaries/m0028451?fbclid=IwAR2AEE8XiBNg8zymJj8g4e640P5ZiIu223RQANGOZ8hmeCKMoV89fXXLk6Y">HERE</a> to read the tribute.&nbsp;<a href="http://www.hutchpost.com/posts/5ed6bba3ebfb13423b26c8f6">In 2020, there was a similarly themes tribute written.&nbsp;</a>

Irreverent — and hilarious — obituary goes viral

WASHINGTON (AP) —A federal appeals court panel on Friday allowed President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for larger private employers to move ahead.

The 2-1 decision by a panel of the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reverses a decision by a federal judge in a separate court that had paused the mandate nationwide.

The rule from the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration was to take effect Jan. 4. With Friday’s ruling, it’s not clear when the requirement may be put in place.

Republican-led states joined with conservative groups, business associations and some individual businesses to push back against the requirement as soon as OSHA published the rules in early November. They argued that OSHA was not authorized to make the emergency rule.

The case was consolidated before the Cincinnati-based 6th circuit, which is dominated by Republican-appointed judges. Of the two ruling in favor of the OSHA mandate, one was appointed by a Democratic president and the other by a Republican. The dissenting judge was appointed by former President Donald Trump.

“Given OSHA’s clear and exercised authority to regulate viruses, OSHA necessarily has the authority to regulate infectious diseases that are not unique to the workplace,” Judge Julia Smith Gibbons wrote in her majority opinion.

Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge said she would ask the U.S. Supreme Court to block the order.

“The Sixth Circuit’s decision is extremely disappointing for Arkansans because it will force them to get the shot or lose their jobs,” she said.

South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, who also is chairman of the Republican Attorneys General Association, said in a Twitter message Friday that he was confident the mandate could be stopped.

The vaccine requirement would apply to companies with 100 or more employees and would cover about 84 million workers. Employees who are not fully vaccinated would have to wear masks and be subject to weekly tests for the coronavirus. There would be exceptions for those who work outdoors or only at home.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1636210096288.png" alt="The rule from the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration was to take effect Jan. 4. With Friday’s ruling, it’s not clear when the requirement may be put in place -White House Photo" />
 <figcaption>The rule from the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration was to take effect Jan. 4. With Friday’s ruling, it’s not clear when the requirement may be put in place -White House Photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —A federal appeals court panel on Friday allowed President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for larger private employers to move ahead.The 2-1 decision by a panel of the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reverses a decision by a federal judge in a separate court that had paused the mandate nationwide.The rule from the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration was to take effect Jan. 4. With Friday’s ruling, it’s not clear when the requirement may be put in place.Republican-led states joined with conservative groups, business associations and some individual businesses to push back against the requirement as soon as OSHA published the rules in early November. They argued that OSHA was not authorized to make the emergency rule.The case was consolidated before the Cincinnati-based 6th circuit, which is dominated by Republican-appointed judges. Of the two ruling in favor of the OSHA mandate, one was appointed by a Democratic president and the other by a Republican. The dissenting judge was appointed by former President Donald Trump.“Given OSHA’s clear and exercised authority to regulate viruses, OSHA necessarily has the authority to regulate infectious diseases that are not unique to the workplace,” Judge Julia Smith Gibbons wrote in her majority opinion.Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge said she would ask the U.S. Supreme Court to block the order.“The Sixth Circuit’s decision is extremely disappointing for Arkansans because it will force them to get the shot or lose their jobs,” she said.South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, who also is chairman of the Republican Attorneys General Association, said in a Twitter message Friday that he was confident the mandate could be stopped.The vaccine requirement would apply to companies with 100 or more employees and would cover about 84 million workers. Employees who are not fully vaccinated would have to wear masks and be subject to weekly tests for the coronavirus. There would be exceptions for those who work outdoors or only at home.

Court allows Biden employer vaccine mandate to take effect

(AP)-Federal environmental officials have announced a $1 billion infusion to the Superfund program. 

The money comes from the infrastructure bill&nbsp;that President Joe Biden recently signed into law. It'll help officials tackle a backlog of highly polluted Superfund sites in 24 states. 

Nearly 50 toxic waste sites will be cleaned up, and ongoing work at dozens of others will get a funding boost. 

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan made the announcement Friday at a Superfund site in Philadelphia. He says most of the sites are in minority communities that have suffered disproportionately from contamination.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/7/1563804610898.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>(AP)-Federal environmental officials have announced a $1 billion infusion to the Superfund program. The money comes from the infrastructure bill&nbsp;that President Joe Biden recently signed into law. It'll help officials tackle a backlog of highly polluted Superfund sites in 24 states. Nearly 50 toxic waste sites will be cleaned up, and ongoing work at dozens of others will get a funding boost. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan made the announcement Friday at a Superfund site in Philadelphia. He says most of the sites are in minority communities that have suffered disproportionately from contamination.

EPA releases $1B to clean up toxic waste sites in 24 states

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on drug charges.

On Thursday,&nbsp;members of the Topeka Police Department Narcotics Unit and the Shawnee County Drug Task Force served a search warrant at a home in the 2000 Block Illinois Avenue in Topeka related to an ongoing investigation, according to Lt Jerry Monasmith. 

Officers located marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and a firearm.

As a result, officer arrested 21-year-old Amari Wilkerson and 21-year-old Blanca Cortes both of Topeka. They were transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections.

&nbsp;Wilkerson is being held on requested charges of Possession of marijuana with the intent of distribution, Aggravated endangering a child; reckless situation, unlawful to acquire proceeds from a drug transaction, Possession of drug paraphernalia with the intent of distribution and&nbsp;Felony Obstruction.

Blanca Cortes is jailed on requested charges of Possession of marijuana with the intent of distribution,&nbsp;Aggravated endangering a child; reckless situation, Unlawful to acquire proceeds from a drug transaction, Possession of drug paraphernalia with the intent of distribution and Felony Obstruction.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639739787285.png" alt="Wilkerson-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Wilkerson-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on drug charges.On Thursday,&nbsp;members of the Topeka Police Department Narcotics Unit and the Shawnee County Drug Task Force served a search warrant at a home in the 2000 Block Illinois Avenue in Topeka related to an ongoing investigation, according to Lt Jerry Monasmith. Officers located marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and a firearm.As a result, officer arrested 21-year-old Amari Wilkerson and 21-year-old Blanca Cortes both of Topeka. They were transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639739696335.png" alt="Cortes-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Cortes-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;Wilkerson is being held on requested charges of Possession of marijuana with the intent of distribution, Aggravated endangering a child; reckless situation, unlawful to acquire proceeds from a drug transaction, Possession of drug paraphernalia with the intent of distribution and&nbsp;Felony Obstruction.Blanca Cortes is jailed on requested charges of Possession of marijuana with the intent of distribution,&nbsp;Aggravated endangering a child; reckless situation, Unlawful to acquire proceeds from a drug transaction, Possession of drug paraphernalia with the intent of distribution and Felony Obstruction.

Police finds drugs, a gun and children at Kan. home

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Prosecutors say they are likely to file upgraded charges against an Omaha man accused of setting fire to his wife nearly three years ago after the woman recently died from her injuries. 

The Omaha World-Herald reports that 68-year-old Carl Bohm is currently charged with first-degree arson and two felony counts of assault. 

Police say he used gasoline to set fire to the family home in February 2019, severely burning his wife, Janet Franks-Bohn, and injuring his adult daughter.

 But the Douglas County Attorney's Office is now reviewing the case after Franks-Bohm's recently died in a Colorado hospital. She underwent more than 30 surgeries after the fire to try to repair the damage from extensive third-degree burns.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Prosecutors say they are likely to file upgraded charges against an Omaha man accused of setting fire to his wife nearly three years ago after the woman recently died from her injuries. The Omaha World-Herald reports that 68-year-old Carl Bohm is currently charged with first-degree arson and two felony counts of assault. Police say he used gasoline to set fire to the family home in February 2019, severely burning his wife, Janet Franks-Bohn, and injuring his adult daughter. But the Douglas County Attorney's Office is now reviewing the case after Franks-Bohm's recently died in a Colorado hospital. She underwent more than 30 surgeries after the fire to try to repair the damage from extensive third-degree burns.

Wife's death has prosecutors looking at upgraded charges

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Federal judges in Louisiana and Texas continue to chip away at Biden administration COVID-19 vaccine mandates.

The latest of the piecemeal blows to the vaccine mandates came Thursday in lawsuit filed by Louisiana, Indiana and Mississippi. In that case, U.S. District Judge Dee Drell in Alexandria, Louisiana, declined to block a requirement that all employees of federal contractors get vaccinated — noting that there is already a nationwide block on that mandate issued by a Georgia-based federal judge.

But Drell did issue a preliminary injunction blocking the mandate in federal contracts or grant agreements between any of the three states and the federal government. He said Louisiana, Mississippi and Indiana have nearly $100 million in contracts with the federal government.

And he cited testimony that the University of Louisiana at Lafayette faced the possible loss of a National Institutes of Health grant if it did not impose the mandate on employees; and that an employee of the university feared the loss of her job if she declined the vaccine for religious reasons.

“This ensures Louisiana will remain protected if the nationwide injunction is overturned,” Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry said on Twitter after Drell’s ruling.

Also, a Texas-based federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction blocking the mandate for health care workers in that state. With that ruling, dated Tuesday, the health worker mandate is now blocked in half the states. The federal Center for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services has not said whether it will enforce the mandate in the other states.

There had been a nationwide court ban on the health care worker mandate, based on a Louisiana federal judge's ruling. But a federal appeals court in New Orleans this week limited that ruling to the 14 states that sued in the Louisiana court. A separate ruling in Missouri blocked the mandate in 10 other states. Texas brings the number of states where the health care mandate is blocked to 25.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Federal judges in Louisiana and Texas continue to chip away at Biden administration COVID-19 vaccine mandates.The latest of the piecemeal blows to the vaccine mandates came Thursday in lawsuit filed by Louisiana, Indiana and Mississippi. In that case, U.S. District Judge Dee Drell in Alexandria, Louisiana, declined to block a requirement that all employees of federal contractors get vaccinated — noting that there is already a nationwide block on that mandate issued by a Georgia-based federal judge.But Drell did issue a preliminary injunction blocking the mandate in federal contracts or grant agreements between any of the three states and the federal government. He said Louisiana, Mississippi and Indiana have nearly $100 million in contracts with the federal government.And he cited testimony that the University of Louisiana at Lafayette faced the possible loss of a National Institutes of Health grant if it did not impose the mandate on employees; and that an employee of the university feared the loss of her job if she declined the vaccine for religious reasons.“This ensures Louisiana will remain protected if the nationwide injunction is overturned,” Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry said on Twitter after Drell’s ruling.Also, a Texas-based federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction blocking the mandate for health care workers in that state. With that ruling, dated Tuesday, the health worker mandate is now blocked in half the states. The federal Center for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services has not said whether it will enforce the mandate in the other states.There had been a nationwide court ban on the health care worker mandate, based on a Louisiana federal judge's ruling. But a federal appeals court in New Orleans this week limited that ruling to the 14 states that sued in the Louisiana court. A separate ruling in Missouri blocked the mandate in 10 other states. Texas brings the number of states where the health care mandate is blocked to 25.

Courts keep chipping away at Biden COVID vaccine mandates

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday permanently removed a major obstacle for women seeking abortion pills, eliminating a long-standing requirement that they pick up the medication in person.

Millions of American women will now be able to get a prescription via an online consultation and receive the pills through the mail. FDA officials said a scientific review supported broadening access, including no longer limiting dispensing to a small number of specialty clinics and doctor’s offices.

But prescribers will still need to undergo certification and training. Additionally, the agency said dispensing pharmacies will have to be certified.

The decision is the latest shift in the polarized legal battle over medication abortion, which has only intensified amid the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is certain to spur legal challenges and more restrictions in Republican-led states.

Earlier this year the FDA stopped enforcing the in-person requirement because of the pandemic. Under Thursday’s decision, the agency permanently dropped the 20-year-old rule, which has long been opposed by medical societies, including the American Medical Association, which say the restriction offers no clear benefit to patients.

The FDA’s latest scientific review stems from a 2017 lawsuit led by the American Civil Liberties Union, which argued that the agency’s restrictions block or delay medical care, especially for people in low-income and rural communities.

The ACLU hailed the elimination of the strictest requirements but said regulators should have gone further and allowed prescribing by any physician and broader pharmacy dispensing. Abortion opponents said the FDA decision would result in more drug-related side effects and complications for women.

Physicians who prescribe the drug, mifepristone, will have to certify that they can provide emergency care to deal with potential adverse effects, including excessive bleeding, FDA officials said Thursday.

The change still means many more doctors will be able to write prescriptions and American women will be able to fill their orders at far more pharmacies, including via online and mail-order services.

The effect will vary by state. More than a dozen Republican-led states&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-abortion-health-covid-19-pandemic-medication-31791ed14247c4c8ad35ef078982078e">have passed measures</a>&nbsp;that limit access to the pills, including outlawing delivery by mail.

Increased use of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-abortion-texas-covid-19-pandemic-health-13c2fbe3f1de416d88a5ef6d1ca3406e">mail-order abortion pills</a>&nbsp;could pose a dilemma for the anti-abortion movement, given that its leaders generally say they don’t favor criminalizing the actions of women seeking abortions and because mail deliveries can be an elusive target for prosecutors.

The latest policy shift comes as advocates on both sides of the abortion debate wait to see whether&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-donald-trump-us-supreme-court-health-amy-coney-barrett-a3b5cf9621315e6c623dc80a790842d8">the conservative Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;will weaken or even overturn the Roe v. Wade decision that guarantees the right to abortion nationwide.

Roe’s demise would likely prompt at least 20 Republican-governed states to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-religion-cdfb7122c609bd3563c2702af28d3254">impose sweeping bans</a>&nbsp;while perhaps 15 states governed by Democrats would reaffirm support for abortion access. More complicated would be politically divided states, where fights over abortion laws could be ferocious.

Medication abortion has been available in the United States since 2000, when the FDA first approved mifepristone to terminate pregnancies up to 10 weeks. Taken with a hormone blocker called misoprostol, it constitutes the so-called abortion pill.

About 40% of all abortions in the U.S. are now done through medication — rather than surgery — and that option has become more pivotal during the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the time of approval, the FDA imposed limits on how the drug could be distributed, including barring it from regular pharmacies and requiring that all doctors providing the drug undergo special certification. Women were also required to sign a form indicating they understood the medication’s risks. The FDA said Thursday there have been 26 deaths associated with the drug since 2000, though not all of those can be directly attributed to the medication due to underlying health conditions and other factors.

Common drug side effects include cramping, bleeding, nausea, headache and diarrhea. In some cases excess bleeding needs to be stopped with a surgical procedure.

Near the beginning of the outbreak, the FDA waived in-person requirements for virtually all medications, but left them in place for mifepristone.

That triggered a lawsuit from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, which successfully overturned the restriction in federal court. The Trump administration then appealed the ruling to the Supreme Court, which reinstated the requirement in January.

The point became moot — at least temporarily — in April when the FDA said it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-news-medication-abortion-coronavirus-pandemic-covid-19-pandemic-1bd5c161f8e0f9f80e98b63002f50d37">would not enforce</a>&nbsp;the dispensing limits during the current public health emergency.

“The FDA’s decision will come as a tremendous relief for countless abortion and miscarriage patients,” said Georgeanne Usova, a lawyer with the ACLU. “However, it is disappointing that the FDA fell short of repealing all of its medically unnecessary restrictions on mifepristone and these remaining obstacles should also be lifted.”

Jeanne Mancini, president of the March for Life Education and Defense Fund, said the decision “will lead to more lives lost to abortion, and will increase the number of mothers who suffer physical and psychological harm from chemical abortions.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday permanently removed a major obstacle for women seeking abortion pills, eliminating a long-standing requirement that they pick up the medication in person.Millions of American women will now be able to get a prescription via an online consultation and receive the pills through the mail. FDA officials said a scientific review supported broadening access, including no longer limiting dispensing to a small number of specialty clinics and doctor’s offices.But prescribers will still need to undergo certification and training. Additionally, the agency said dispensing pharmacies will have to be certified.The decision is the latest shift in the polarized legal battle over medication abortion, which has only intensified amid the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is certain to spur legal challenges and more restrictions in Republican-led states.Earlier this year the FDA stopped enforcing the in-person requirement because of the pandemic. Under Thursday’s decision, the agency permanently dropped the 20-year-old rule, which has long been opposed by medical societies, including the American Medical Association, which say the restriction offers no clear benefit to patients.The FDA’s latest scientific review stems from a 2017 lawsuit led by the American Civil Liberties Union, which argued that the agency’s restrictions block or delay medical care, especially for people in low-income and rural communities.The ACLU hailed the elimination of the strictest requirements but said regulators should have gone further and allowed prescribing by any physician and broader pharmacy dispensing. Abortion opponents said the FDA decision would result in more drug-related side effects and complications for women.Physicians who prescribe the drug, mifepristone, will have to certify that they can provide emergency care to deal with potential adverse effects, including excessive bleeding, FDA officials said Thursday.The change still means many more doctors will be able to write prescriptions and American women will be able to fill their orders at far more pharmacies, including via online and mail-order services.The effect will vary by state. More than a dozen Republican-led states&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-abortion-health-covid-19-pandemic-medication-31791ed14247c4c8ad35ef078982078e">have passed measures</a>&nbsp;that limit access to the pills, including outlawing delivery by mail.Increased use of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-abortion-texas-covid-19-pandemic-health-13c2fbe3f1de416d88a5ef6d1ca3406e">mail-order abortion pills</a>&nbsp;could pose a dilemma for the anti-abortion movement, given that its leaders generally say they don’t favor criminalizing the actions of women seeking abortions and because mail deliveries can be an elusive target for prosecutors.The latest policy shift comes as advocates on both sides of the abortion debate wait to see whether&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-donald-trump-us-supreme-court-health-amy-coney-barrett-a3b5cf9621315e6c623dc80a790842d8">the conservative Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;will weaken or even overturn the Roe v. Wade decision that guarantees the right to abortion nationwide.Roe’s demise would likely prompt at least 20 Republican-governed states to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-religion-cdfb7122c609bd3563c2702af28d3254">impose sweeping bans</a>&nbsp;while perhaps 15 states governed by Democrats would reaffirm support for abortion access. More complicated would be politically divided states, where fights over abortion laws could be ferocious.Medication abortion has been available in the United States since 2000, when the FDA first approved mifepristone to terminate pregnancies up to 10 weeks. Taken with a hormone blocker called misoprostol, it constitutes the so-called abortion pill.About 40% of all abortions in the U.S. are now done through medication — rather than surgery — and that option has become more pivotal during the COVID-19 pandemic.At the time of approval, the FDA imposed limits on how the drug could be distributed, including barring it from regular pharmacies and requiring that all doctors providing the drug undergo special certification. Women were also required to sign a form indicating they understood the medication’s risks. The FDA said Thursday there have been 26 deaths associated with the drug since 2000, though not all of those can be directly attributed to the medication due to underlying health conditions and other factors.Common drug side effects include cramping, bleeding, nausea, headache and diarrhea. In some cases excess bleeding needs to be stopped with a surgical procedure.Near the beginning of the outbreak, the FDA waived in-person requirements for virtually all medications, but left them in place for mifepristone.That triggered a lawsuit from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, which successfully overturned the restriction in federal court. The Trump administration then appealed the ruling to the Supreme Court, which reinstated the requirement in January.The point became moot — at least temporarily — in April when the FDA said it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-news-medication-abortion-coronavirus-pandemic-covid-19-pandemic-1bd5c161f8e0f9f80e98b63002f50d37">would not enforce</a>&nbsp;the dispensing limits during the current public health emergency.“The FDA’s decision will come as a tremendous relief for countless abortion and miscarriage patients,” said Georgeanne Usova, a lawyer with the ACLU. “However, it is disappointing that the FDA fell short of repealing all of its medically unnecessary restrictions on mifepristone and these remaining obstacles should also be lifted.”Jeanne Mancini, president of the March for Life Education and Defense Fund, said the decision “will lead to more lives lost to abortion, and will increase the number of mothers who suffer physical and psychological harm from chemical abortions.”___

FDA: Women can now receive abortion pills through the mail

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today issued the 2022 
optional standard mileage rates used to calculate the deductible costs 
of operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical or moving 
purposes.

Beginning on January 1, 2022, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car (also vans, pickups or panel trucks) will be:

The standard mileage rate for business use is based on an annual
 study of the fixed and variable costs of operating an automobile. The 
rate for medical and moving purposes is based on the variable costs.

It is important to note that under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, 
taxpayers cannot claim a miscellaneous itemized deduction for 
unreimbursed employee travel expenses. Taxpayers also cannot claim a 
deduction for moving expenses, unless they are members of the Armed 
Forces on active duty moving under orders to a permanent change of 
station. For more details see <a href="https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc455">Moving Expenses for Members of the Armed Forces</a>.

Taxpayers always have the option of calculating the actual costs of 
using their vehicle rather than using the standard mileage rates.

Taxpayers can use the standard mileage rate but must opt to use it in
 the first year the car is available for business use. Then, in later 
years, they can choose either the standard mileage rate or actual 
expenses. Leased vehicles must use the standard mileage rate method for 
the entire lease period (including renewals) if the standard mileage 
rate is chosen.

<a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/n-22-03.pdf">Notice 22-03</a>&nbsp;PDF,
 contains the optional 2022 standard mileage rates, as well as the 
maximum automobile cost used to calculate the allowance under a fixed 
and variable rate (FAVR) plan. In addition, the notice provides the 
maximum fair market value of employer-provided automobiles first made 
available to employees for personal use in calendar year 2022 for which 
employers may use the fleet-average valuation rule in or the vehicle 
cents-per-mile valuation rule.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today issued the 2022 
optional standard mileage rates used to calculate the deductible costs 
of operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical or moving 
purposes.Beginning on January 1, 2022, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car (also vans, pickups or panel trucks) will be:<ul>
 <li>58.5 cents per mile driven for business use, up 2.5 cents from the rate for 2021,</li><li>18 cents per mile driven for medical, or moving purposes for 
qualified active-duty members of the Armed Forces, up 2 cents from the 
rate for 2021 and</li><li>14 cents per mile driven in service of charitable organizations; the rate is set by statute and remains unchanged from 2021.</li>
 </ul>The standard mileage rate for business use is based on an annual
 study of the fixed and variable costs of operating an automobile. The 
rate for medical and moving purposes is based on the variable costs.It is important to note that under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, 
taxpayers cannot claim a miscellaneous itemized deduction for 
unreimbursed employee travel expenses. Taxpayers also cannot claim a 
deduction for moving expenses, unless they are members of the Armed 
Forces on active duty moving under orders to a permanent change of 
station. For more details see <a href="https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc455">Moving Expenses for Members of the Armed Forces</a>.Taxpayers always have the option of calculating the actual costs of 
using their vehicle rather than using the standard mileage rates.Taxpayers can use the standard mileage rate but must opt to use it in
 the first year the car is available for business use. Then, in later 
years, they can choose either the standard mileage rate or actual 
expenses. Leased vehicles must use the standard mileage rate method for 
the entire lease period (including renewals) if the standard mileage 
rate is chosen.<a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/n-22-03.pdf">Notice 22-03</a>&nbsp;PDF,
 contains the optional 2022 standard mileage rates, as well as the 
maximum automobile cost used to calculate the allowance under a fixed 
and variable rate (FAVR) plan. In addition, the notice provides the 
maximum fair market value of employer-provided automobiles first made 
available to employees for personal use in calendar year 2022 for which 
employers may use the fleet-average valuation rule in or the vehicle 
cents-per-mile valuation rule.

IRS issues standard mileage rates for 2022

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats' vast social and environment package was stuck in the Senate on Thursday as leaders' hopes for an accord with holdout Sen. Joe Manchin and approval of their flagship domestic measure in the year's waning days seemed all but dead.

After a closed-door lunch among Senate Democrats, Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., told reporters that a statement by President Joe Biden was expected shortly giving an update on “his conversations with Sen. Manchin and others.” Talks on the 10-year, roughly $2 trillion bill between Biden and Manchin, who wants to cut and reshape the measure, are said to have yielded little progress.

Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., had set Senate passage before Christmas as his goal, but disputes with Manchin and other Democrats remain. It has become clear that the party is seeking explicit intervention from Biden in hopes he will cut a deal with Manchin, D-W.Va., or urge lawmakers to delay action until January.

Biden "wants to get this done as soon as possible," White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters, She added, "But we understand it’s going to take time and we’re going to continue to do the work.”

Schumer barely mentioned the legislation as the day’s business began. Instead, he described Democrats’ efforts to break a logjam on voting rights legislation and a pile of nominations the Senate will consider “as we continue working to bring the Senate to a position where we can move forward” on the social and environment bill.

Using his sway in a 50-50 Senate where Democrats need unanimity to prevail, Manchin has continued his drive to force his party to cut the bill's cost and eliminate programs he opposes. All Republicans oppose the package, arguing the measure carrying many of Biden’s paramount domestic priorities is too expensive and would worsen inflation.

“The best Christmas gift Washington could give working families would be putting this bad bill on ice," said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.

The rocky status of the Biden-Manchin talks was described Wednesday by a person who spoke only on condition of anonymity. The person said Manchin was pushing to eliminate the bill's renewal of expanded benefits under the child tax credit, a keystone of Democratic efforts to reduce child poverty.

Manchin told reporters Wednesday that assertions he wants to strip the child tax credit improvements were “a lot of bad rumors.” Asked if he backed eliminating one of the bill’s child tax credit improvements — monthly checks sent to millions of families — he said, “I’m not negotiating with any of you.”

Adding further doubt about quick Senate action this year, Biden suggested that Democrats should instead prioritize voting rights legislation, a primary party goal that Republicans have long stymied. Democrats face an uphill fight on the voting measure, but focusing on it would let them wage a battle that energizes the party's voters while lawmakers work behind the scenes on the social and environment bill.

Asked whether Congress should quickly consider the voting legislation and delay the $2 trillion bill to next year, Biden told reporters, “If we can get the congressional voting rights done, we should do it.” He added, “There's nothing domestically more important than voting rights." Biden spoke Wednesday as he toured tornado damage in Dawson Springs, Kentucky.

Letting the social and environment legislation slip into next year, when congressional elections will be held, would be ominous for the bill's ultimate prospects.

With Democrats having blown past previous self-imposed deadlines on the push, another delay would fuel Republican accusations that they are incompetently running a government they control. Democrats are bracing for November elections when the GOP has a real chance of winning control of the House and Senate.

Word of Manchin's stance prompted a backlash from colleagues, whom he's frustrated for months with constant demands to cut the bill's size and scope. The measure also has money for health care, universal prekindergarten and climate change programs, largely paid for with tax boosts on big corporations and the rich.

The second-ranking Democrat, Sen. Richard Durbin of Illinois, said “the level of emotion” among Democrats over the child tax credit “is very high,” and said he was “stunned” when he heard about Manchin's demands.

Manchin has wanted the overall bill's 10-year price tag to fall below $2 trillion. He also wants all its programs to last the full decade.

The current bill would extend the enhanced child tax credit for just one year, a device to contain the bill's cost. Renewing the improved benefits for 10 years would increase its current one-year cost of around $100 billion to over $1 trillion, and doing that while cutting the overall bill's size would wreak havoc on Democrats' other priorities in the bill.

The Treasury Department says the expanded tax credit has helped the families of 61 million children.

Another impediment to Democrats is a time-consuming review by the Senate parliamentarian, Elizabeth MacDonough, about whether many of the bill's provisions violate the chamber's rules and should be dropped. Her written opinions on that, including on provisions letting many migrants remain temporarily in the U.S., may not be ready until the weekend or later.

Manchin's other demands have included removing a new requirement for paid family leave. Disputes among other lawmakers include how to increase federal tax deductions for state and local taxes.

The House approved its version of the legislation in November.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631875943863.png" alt="President Biden wants to get this done as soon as possible but understands it’s going to take time -White House photo" />
 <figcaption>President Biden wants to get this done as soon as possible but understands it’s going to take time -White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats' vast social and environment package was stuck in the Senate on Thursday as leaders' hopes for an accord with holdout Sen. Joe Manchin and approval of their flagship domestic measure in the year's waning days seemed all but dead.After a closed-door lunch among Senate Democrats, Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., told reporters that a statement by President Joe Biden was expected shortly giving an update on “his conversations with Sen. Manchin and others.” Talks on the 10-year, roughly $2 trillion bill between Biden and Manchin, who wants to cut and reshape the measure, are said to have yielded little progress.Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., had set Senate passage before Christmas as his goal, but disputes with Manchin and other Democrats remain. It has become clear that the party is seeking explicit intervention from Biden in hopes he will cut a deal with Manchin, D-W.Va., or urge lawmakers to delay action until January.Biden "wants to get this done as soon as possible," White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters, She added, "But we understand it’s going to take time and we’re going to continue to do the work.”Schumer barely mentioned the legislation as the day’s business began. Instead, he described Democrats’ efforts to break a logjam on voting rights legislation and a pile of nominations the Senate will consider “as we continue working to bring the Senate to a position where we can move forward” on the social and environment bill.Using his sway in a 50-50 Senate where Democrats need unanimity to prevail, Manchin has continued his drive to force his party to cut the bill's cost and eliminate programs he opposes. All Republicans oppose the package, arguing the measure carrying many of Biden’s paramount domestic priorities is too expensive and would worsen inflation.“The best Christmas gift Washington could give working families would be putting this bad bill on ice," said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.The rocky status of the Biden-Manchin talks was described Wednesday by a person who spoke only on condition of anonymity. The person said Manchin was pushing to eliminate the bill's renewal of expanded benefits under the child tax credit, a keystone of Democratic efforts to reduce child poverty.Manchin told reporters Wednesday that assertions he wants to strip the child tax credit improvements were “a lot of bad rumors.” Asked if he backed eliminating one of the bill’s child tax credit improvements — monthly checks sent to millions of families — he said, “I’m not negotiating with any of you.”Adding further doubt about quick Senate action this year, Biden suggested that Democrats should instead prioritize voting rights legislation, a primary party goal that Republicans have long stymied. Democrats face an uphill fight on the voting measure, but focusing on it would let them wage a battle that energizes the party's voters while lawmakers work behind the scenes on the social and environment bill.Asked whether Congress should quickly consider the voting legislation and delay the $2 trillion bill to next year, Biden told reporters, “If we can get the congressional voting rights done, we should do it.” He added, “There's nothing domestically more important than voting rights." Biden spoke Wednesday as he toured tornado damage in Dawson Springs, Kentucky.Letting the social and environment legislation slip into next year, when congressional elections will be held, would be ominous for the bill's ultimate prospects.With Democrats having blown past previous self-imposed deadlines on the push, another delay would fuel Republican accusations that they are incompetently running a government they control. Democrats are bracing for November elections when the GOP has a real chance of winning control of the House and Senate.Word of Manchin's stance prompted a backlash from colleagues, whom he's frustrated for months with constant demands to cut the bill's size and scope. The measure also has money for health care, universal prekindergarten and climate change programs, largely paid for with tax boosts on big corporations and the rich.The second-ranking Democrat, Sen. Richard Durbin of Illinois, said “the level of emotion” among Democrats over the child tax credit “is very high,” and said he was “stunned” when he heard about Manchin's demands.Manchin has wanted the overall bill's 10-year price tag to fall below $2 trillion. He also wants all its programs to last the full decade.The current bill would extend the enhanced child tax credit for just one year, a device to contain the bill's cost. Renewing the improved benefits for 10 years would increase its current one-year cost of around $100 billion to over $1 trillion, and doing that while cutting the overall bill's size would wreak havoc on Democrats' other priorities in the bill.The Treasury Department says the expanded tax credit has helped the families of 61 million children.Another impediment to Democrats is a time-consuming review by the Senate parliamentarian, Elizabeth MacDonough, about whether many of the bill's provisions violate the chamber's rules and should be dropped. Her written opinions on that, including on provisions letting many migrants remain temporarily in the U.S., may not be ready until the weekend or later.Manchin's other demands have included removing a new requirement for paid family leave. Disputes among other lawmakers include how to increase federal tax deductions for state and local taxes.The House approved its version of the legislation in November.

Biden's $2T social, environmental bill all but dead for now

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Kellogg's has reached a new tentative agreement with its 1,400 striking cereal plant workers that could bring an end to the strike that began Oct. 5. 

Members of the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union will vote Sunday on the new offer that includes cost-of-living adjustments and a $1.10 per hour raise for all employees. 

Kellogg's CEO Steve Cahillane said he hopes the union will approve this contract. Last week, the union overwhelmingly rejected a previous offer. 

The strike includes four plants in Omaha, Nebraska; Battle Creek, Michigan; Lancaster, Pennsylvania; and Memphis, Tennessee.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Kellogg's has reached a new tentative agreement with its 1,400 striking cereal plant workers that could bring an end to the strike that began Oct. 5. Members of the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union will vote Sunday on the new offer that includes cost-of-living adjustments and a $1.10 per hour raise for all employees. Kellogg's CEO Steve Cahillane said he hopes the union will approve this contract. Last week, the union overwhelmingly rejected a previous offer. The strike includes four plants in Omaha, Nebraska; Battle Creek, Michigan; Lancaster, Pennsylvania; and Memphis, Tennessee.

Kellogg's reaches tentative agreement with striking workers

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas’ Republican governor has told Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin that the state will not direct its National Guard members to comply with a Biden administration order requiring all members of the military to get vaccinated for COVID-19. 

Gov. Greg Abbott's rejection of the order Thursday reflects growing Republican opposition to it. 

It comes after five other GOP governors sent Austin a milder letter this week urging him to reconsider the requirements for Guard members on state active duty, when they are under their governor’s orders but still funded by the federal government. 

Abbott told the Texas National Guard in October that its more than 20,000 members were covered by his executive orders banning any governmental entity from imposing vaccine mandates.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas’ Republican governor has told Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin that the state will not direct its National Guard members to comply with a Biden administration order requiring all members of the military to get vaccinated for COVID-19. Gov. Greg Abbott's rejection of the order Thursday reflects growing Republican opposition to it. It comes after five other GOP governors sent Austin a milder letter this week urging him to reconsider the requirements for Guard members on state active duty, when they are under their governor’s orders but still funded by the federal government. Abbott told the Texas National Guard in October that its more than 20,000 members were covered by his executive orders banning any governmental entity from imposing vaccine mandates.

GOP governors challenge Pentagon over Guard vaccine mandate

By LAURAN NEERGAARD and MIKE STOBBE, Associated. Press

Most Americans should be given the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines instead of the Johnson &amp; Johnson shot that can cause rare but serious blood clots, U.S. health advisers recommended Thursday.

The strange clotting problem has caused nine confirmed deaths after J&amp;J vaccinations — while the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines don’t come with that risk and also appear to be more effective, advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

It’s an unusual move and the CDC’s director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, must decide whether to accept the panel’s advice.

Until now the U.S. has treated all three COVID-19 vaccines available to Americans as an equal choice, since large studies found they all offered strong protection and early supplies were limited. J&amp;J’s vaccine initially was welcomed as a single-dose option that could be especially important for hard-to-reach groups like homeless people who might not get the needed second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna options.

But the CDC’s advisers said Thursday that it was time to recognize a lot has changed since vaccines began rolling out a year ago. More than 200 million Americans are considered fully vaccinated, including about 16 million who got the J&amp;J shot.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600861747887.png" alt="Photo courtesy Johnson &amp; Johnson" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Johnson &amp; Johnson</figcaption>
 </figure>By LAURAN NEERGAARD and MIKE STOBBE, Associated. PressMost Americans should be given the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines instead of the Johnson &amp; Johnson shot that can cause rare but serious blood clots, U.S. health advisers recommended Thursday.The strange clotting problem has caused nine confirmed deaths after J&amp;J vaccinations — while the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines don’t come with that risk and also appear to be more effective, advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.It’s an unusual move and the CDC’s director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, must decide whether to accept the panel’s advice.Until now the U.S. has treated all three COVID-19 vaccines available to Americans as an equal choice, since large studies found they all offered strong protection and early supplies were limited. J&amp;J’s vaccine initially was welcomed as a single-dose option that could be especially important for hard-to-reach groups like homeless people who might not get the needed second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna options.But the CDC’s advisers said Thursday that it was time to recognize a lot has changed since vaccines began rolling out a year ago. More than 200 million Americans are considered fully vaccinated, including about 16 million who got the J&amp;J shot.

CDC panel: 9 confirmed deaths after J&J COVID vaccinations 

KANSAS CITY, Mo (AP) — Three people were killed after a firetruck collided with a sport utility vehicle, then plowed over a sidewalk and into a building in a Kansas City entertainment district.

Police said the collision happened Wednesday night in the Westport area as the pumper was headed to an emergency call with its lights and sirens flashing. The impact forced the pumper and the SUV over a sidewalk, where a woman who was walking was hit. The vehicles came to a stop in building that had been home to the Riot Room, a bar and music venue that recently closed.

Two of the victims were found soon after the crash in a sport utility vehicle. The pedestrian's body was buried in the rubble and found Thursday, police said.

No firefighters were injured. Police have not released the names of those killed.

Kansas City Fire Chief Donna Lake said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/KCMOFireDept?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor">tweet&nbsp;</a>that the department's “hearts, prayers, and thoughts are with the families, friends and loved ones of everyone involved."

“As first responders, we are entrusted to respond to incidents and help people, and we are heartbroken by last night’s tragic collision," she said.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Two people in a vehicle were killed and a pedestrian was feared buried under rubble after a firetruck collided with another vehicle, then plowed over a sidewalk and into a building a Kansas City entertainment district.

Police said two people in a sport utility vehicle hit by the firetruck Wednesday night died in the crash, and a pedestrian struck during the collision was believed to be buried under the wreckage and rubble from the partially-collapsed building.

The crash happened just before 10:30 p.m. as the firetruck headed to an emergency call with its lights and siren on, hitting the SUV at an intersection in the Westport entertainment district, police said. The collision forced both vehicles over a sidewalk, where a woman who was walking was hit, and into a building that had been home to the Riot Room, a bar and music venue that recently closed.

No firefighters were injured. Police have not released the names of those killed or the missing pedestrian.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639665850854.png" alt="The crash happened just before 10:30 p.m. Wednesday as the firetruck headed to an emergency call with its lights and siren on-photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>The crash happened just before 10:30 p.m. Wednesday as the firetruck headed to an emergency call with its lights and siren on-photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo (AP) — Three people were killed after a firetruck collided with a sport utility vehicle, then plowed over a sidewalk and into a building in a Kansas City entertainment district.Police said the collision happened Wednesday night in the Westport area as the pumper was headed to an emergency call with its lights and sirens flashing. The impact forced the pumper and the SUV over a sidewalk, where a woman who was walking was hit. The vehicles came to a stop in building that had been home to the Riot Room, a bar and music venue that recently closed.Two of the victims were found soon after the crash in a sport utility vehicle. The pedestrian's body was buried in the rubble and found Thursday, police said.No firefighters were injured. Police have not released the names of those killed.Kansas City Fire Chief Donna Lake said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/KCMOFireDept?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor">tweet&nbsp;</a>that the department's “hearts, prayers, and thoughts are with the families, friends and loved ones of everyone involved."“As first responders, we are entrusted to respond to incidents and help people, and we are heartbroken by last night’s tragic collision," she said.-----------KANSAS CITY (AP) — Two people in a vehicle were killed and a pedestrian was feared buried under rubble after a firetruck collided with another vehicle, then plowed over a sidewalk and into a building a Kansas City entertainment district.Police said two people in a sport utility vehicle hit by the firetruck Wednesday night died in the crash, and a pedestrian struck during the collision was believed to be buried under the wreckage and rubble from the partially-collapsed building.The crash happened just before 10:30 p.m. as the firetruck headed to an emergency call with its lights and siren on, hitting the SUV at an intersection in the Westport entertainment district, police said. The collision forced both vehicles over a sidewalk, where a woman who was walking was hit, and into a building that had been home to the Riot Room, a bar and music venue that recently closed.No firefighters were injured. Police have not released the names of those killed or the missing pedestrian.

Update: 3 dead after firetruck, SUV crash in Kansas City

By FRANK MORRIS and CARLOS MORENO <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-12-15/the-storms-across-kansas-fanned-fires-and-smoke-that-carried-as-far-as-the-great-lakes">Kansas News Service</a>

High winds scraping across the Kansas landscape Wednesday ripped down
 power lines, sparked fires and fanned flames that blew smoke from the 
Flint Hills through Kansas City and as far as the Great Lakes.

In 
Trego County west of Hays, Kansas, exhausted volunteer firefighters 
battled what they could well into the night and prepared to head back 
out Thursday morning to tame grass fires singing acres of prairie and 
farmland.

At times, the winds gusted more than 100 mph in parts of
 Kansas, stoking wildfires from the Great Plains to the Missouri River 
Valley.

“It’s just crazy,” said Kathleen Fabrizius, the emergency 
management director for Trego County. “I would have never ever thought 
that something like this could have happened.”

Fabrizius said she’s seen some of the largest Kansas wildfires in recent years.

“But
 this is not like those because it’s just across the entire county,” she
 said. “It was all sparked by power lines, and it was just one after the
 other. You don’t know which way to even go.”

Fabrizius said all the downed power lines presented their own 
dangers. Firefighters couldn’t cross them until they were sure the lines
 were dead.

She said Trego County fires destroyed at least three 
homes along with outbuildings and several abandoned farmsteads. And she 
said flames were sprouting in all the nearby counties, too. That meant 
volunteer fire departments that ordinarily would have traveled in to 
help found themselves occupied battling flames closer to home.

“Normally
 we would have backups from other counties,” Fabrizius said. “We just 
don’t have that. They’re all dealing with the same thing we are.”

Meanwhile,
 the winds blew down trees, ripped away roofs and tangled enough power 
lines that Evergy, the state’s largest electric utility, reported as 
many as 170,000 customers without power.

“We will not get 
everybody back on tonight. We will not be able to get everybody back on 
tomorrow,” said Evergy spokesman Chuck Caisley, <a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/article256640446.html" target="_blank">according to The Kansas City Star</a>.
 “This outage is going to extend in some areas into multiple days as the
 amount of damage would just be impossible to get done in a 24-hour 
period.”

The wind storm came with hail and triggered a series of tornado 
watches across the region. Caisley said the weather brought “some of the
 most widespread damage across our service territory that Evergy has 
ever seen.”

Some flights to Kansas City International Airport were
 diverted and outgoing flights were delayed after air traffic 
controllers were briefly evacuated from the cab of the tower.

Across
 Kansas, the winds limited visibility and sent semitractor-trailers 
weaving. Interstate 70 and a handful of other highways in western Kansas
 were closed down for hours.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639666917994.png" alt="Reno County Fire District No. 6 / Courtesy KNS" />
 <figcaption>Reno County Fire District No. 6 / Courtesy KNS</figcaption>
 </figure>By FRANK MORRIS and CARLOS MORENO <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-12-15/the-storms-across-kansas-fanned-fires-and-smoke-that-carried-as-far-as-the-great-lakes">Kansas News Service</a>High winds scraping across the Kansas landscape Wednesday ripped down
 power lines, sparked fires and fanned flames that blew smoke from the 
Flint Hills through Kansas City and as far as the Great Lakes.In 
Trego County west of Hays, Kansas, exhausted volunteer firefighters 
battled what they could well into the night and prepared to head back 
out Thursday morning to tame grass fires singing acres of prairie and 
farmland.At times, the winds gusted more than 100 mph in parts of
 Kansas, stoking wildfires from the Great Plains to the Missouri River 
Valley.“It’s just crazy,” said Kathleen Fabrizius, the emergency 
management director for Trego County. “I would have never ever thought 
that something like this could have happened.”Fabrizius said she’s seen some of the largest Kansas wildfires in recent years.“But
 this is not like those because it’s just across the entire county,” she
 said. “It was all sparked by power lines, and it was just one after the
 other. You don’t know which way to even go.”Fabrizius said all the downed power lines presented their own 
dangers. Firefighters couldn’t cross them until they were sure the lines
 were dead.She said Trego County fires destroyed at least three 
homes along with outbuildings and several abandoned farmsteads. And she 
said flames were sprouting in all the nearby counties, too. That meant 
volunteer fire departments that ordinarily would have traveled in to 
help found themselves occupied battling flames closer to home.“Normally
 we would have backups from other counties,” Fabrizius said. “We just 
don’t have that. They’re all dealing with the same thing we are.”Meanwhile,
 the winds blew down trees, ripped away roofs and tangled enough power 
lines that Evergy, the state’s largest electric utility, reported as 
many as 170,000 customers without power.“We will not get 
everybody back on tonight. We will not be able to get everybody back on 
tomorrow,” said Evergy spokesman Chuck Caisley, <a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/article256640446.html" target="_blank">according to The Kansas City Star</a>.
 “This outage is going to extend in some areas into multiple days as the
 amount of damage would just be impossible to get done in a 24-hour 
period.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Heads up to eastern Kansas: this is what’s coming your way <a href="https://t.co/Dg7JPgFUc0">pic.twitter.com/Dg7JPgFUc0</a>&mdash; David Condos (@davidcondos) <a href="https://twitter.com/davidcondos/status/1471248069840842759?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 15, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> </div>The wind storm came with hail and triggered a series of tornado 
watches across the region. Caisley said the weather brought “some of the
 most widespread damage across our service territory that Evergy has 
ever seen.”Some flights to Kansas City International Airport were
 diverted and outgoing flights were delayed after air traffic 
controllers were briefly evacuated from the cab of the tower.Across
 Kansas, the winds limited visibility and sent semitractor-trailers 
weaving. Interstate 70 and a handful of other highways in western Kansas
 were closed down for hours.

Kan. storms fanned fires and smoke that carried as far as the Great Lakes

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — The remaining members of a missionary group who were kidnapped two months ago have been freed, Haiti police and the group said Thursday.

The spokesman for Haiti’s National Police, Gary Desrosiers, confirmed to The Associated Press that the remaining hostages had been released, but did not immediately provide additional details.

“We glorify God for answered prayer — the remaining 12 hostages are FREE!” Christian Aid Ministries said in a statement. “Join us in praising God that all 17 of our loved ones are now safe.”

The Ohio group said it hopes to provide more information later.

The missionaries were kidnapped by the 400 Mawozo gang on Oct. 16. There were five children in the group of 16 U.S. citizens and one Canadian, including an 8-month-old. Their Haitian driver also was abducted, according to a local human rights organization.

The leader of the 400 Mawozo gang had threatened to kill the hostages unless his demands are met. Authorities had said the gang was demanding $1 million per person, although it wasn’t immediately clear that included the children in the group.

Check the Post for more information as it becomes available

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1634471859759.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — The remaining members of a missionary group who were kidnapped two months ago have been freed, Haiti police and the group said Thursday.The spokesman for Haiti’s National Police, Gary Desrosiers, confirmed to The Associated Press that the remaining hostages had been released, but did not immediately provide additional details.“We glorify God for answered prayer — the remaining 12 hostages are FREE!” Christian Aid Ministries said in a statement. “Join us in praising God that all 17 of our loved ones are now safe.”The Ohio group said it hopes to provide more information later.The missionaries were kidnapped by the 400 Mawozo gang on Oct. 16. There were five children in the group of 16 U.S. citizens and one Canadian, including an 8-month-old. Their Haitian driver also was abducted, according to a local human rights organization.The leader of the 400 Mawozo gang had threatened to kill the hostages unless his demands are met. Authorities had said the gang was demanding $1 million per person, although it wasn’t immediately clear that included the children in the group.Check the Post for more information as it becomes available

Police: All from kidnapped US missionary group freed in Haiti

CHICAGO (AP) — States and the federal government carried out 11 executions this year. 

That's the fewest since 1988. Pandemic-related disruptions partly accounted for the low number of executions this year, but 2021 marked the seventh consecutive year when there were fewer than 30 executions and fewer than 50 new death sentences.&nbsp;That’s according to an annual report on the death penalty released Thursday. 

Three of the death sentences were carried out in January during an unprecedented run of federal executions that ended days before President Donald Trump left office. 

Annual executions have steadily declined since peaking at 98 in 1999.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639662283598.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>CHICAGO (AP) — States and the federal government carried out 11 executions this year. That's the fewest since 1988. Pandemic-related disruptions partly accounted for the low number of executions this year, but 2021 marked the seventh consecutive year when there were fewer than 30 executions and fewer than 50 new death sentences.&nbsp;That’s according to an annual report on the death penalty released Thursday. Three of the death sentences were carried out in January during an unprecedented run of federal executions that ended days before President Donald Trump left office. Annual executions have steadily declined since peaking at 98 in 1999.

Report: 11 executions in 2021 mark three-decade low

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service and the Treasury Department
 announced today that millions of American families will soon receive 
their final advance Child Tax Credit (CTC) payment for the month of 
December. Eligible families who did not receive advance payments can 
claim the Child Tax Credit on their 2021 federal tax return to receive 
missed payments and the other half of the credit.

This final batch of advance monthly payments for 2021, totaling about
 $16 billion, will reach more than 36 million families across the 
country.&nbsp;Most payments are being made by direct deposit.

Under the American Rescue Plan, eligible families have received more 
than 200 million payments totaling more than $93 billion. Most eligible 
families received payments dated July 15, August 13, September 15, 
October 15, November 15 and December 15. For eligible families, 
each&nbsp;payment is up to $300 per month for each child under age 6 and up 
to $250 per month for each child ages 6 through 17.

Here are more details on the December payments:

Claim the full Child Tax Credit on the 2021 tax return

Eligible families who did not receive any <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-payments-in-2021">advance Child Tax Credit payments</a>
 can claim the full amount of the Child Tax Credit on their 2021 federal
 tax return, filed in 2022. This includes families who don't normally 
need to file a return.

Families who received advance payments will need to file a 2021 tax 
return and compare the advance Child Tax Credit payments they received 
in 2021 with the amount of the Child Tax Credit they can properly claim 
on their 2021 tax return.

To help taxpayers reconcile the advance payments, the IRS will send 
Letter 6419 in January 2022 with the total amount of advance Child Tax 
Credit payments taxpayers received in 2021 and the number of qualifying 
children used to calculate the advance payments. People should keep this
 and any other IRS letters about advance Child Tax Credit payments with 
their tax records.

See <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/2021-child-tax-credit-and-advance-child-tax-credit-payments-topic-h-reconciling-your-advance-child-tax-credit-payments-on-your-2021-tax-return">Reconciling Your Advance Child Tax Credit Payments on Your 2021 Tax Return</a> for more information.

Links to online tools, answers to frequently asked questions and other helpful resources are available on the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-payments-in-2021">IRS's special advance CTC 2021 page</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service and the Treasury Department
 announced today that millions of American families will soon receive 
their final advance Child Tax Credit (CTC) payment for the month of 
December. Eligible families who did not receive advance payments can 
claim the Child Tax Credit on their 2021 federal tax return to receive 
missed payments and the other half of the credit.This final batch of advance monthly payments for 2021, totaling about
 $16 billion, will reach more than 36 million families across the 
country.&nbsp;Most payments are being made by direct deposit.Under the American Rescue Plan, eligible families have received more 
than 200 million payments totaling more than $93 billion. Most eligible 
families received payments dated July 15, August 13, September 15, 
October 15, November 15 and December 15. For eligible families, 
each&nbsp;payment is up to $300 per month for each child under age 6 and up 
to $250 per month for each child ages 6 through 17.Here are more details on the December payments:<ul>
 <li>Families will see the direct deposit payments in their accounts 
starting December 15. Like the prior payments, the vast majority of 
families will receive them by direct deposit.</li><li>For those receiving payments by paper check, be sure to allow extra time, through the end of December, for delivery by mail.</li><li>Payments are going to eligible families who filed a 2019 or 2020 
federal income tax return. Returns processed by December 1 are reflected
 in these payments. This includes people who don't typically file a 
return but either during 2020 successfully filed a return to register 
for Economic Impact Payments using the IRS Non-Filers tool on IRS.gov, 
or in 2021 successfully filed a return by using the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/child-tax-credit-non-filer-sign-up-tool">Non-filer Sign-up Tool for advance CTC</a>.</li><li>Families who did not get a July, August, September, October or 
November payment and are getting their first monthly payment this month 
will still receive their total advance payment amount for the year 
(which is half of their total Child Tax Credit). This means that the 
total advance payment amount will be made in one December payment.</li>
 </ul><h2>Claim the full Child Tax Credit on the 2021 tax return</h2>Eligible families who did not receive any <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-payments-in-2021">advance Child Tax Credit payments</a>
 can claim the full amount of the Child Tax Credit on their 2021 federal
 tax return, filed in 2022. This includes families who don't normally 
need to file a return.Families who received advance payments will need to file a 2021 tax 
return and compare the advance Child Tax Credit payments they received 
in 2021 with the amount of the Child Tax Credit they can properly claim 
on their 2021 tax return.To help taxpayers reconcile the advance payments, the IRS will send 
Letter 6419 in January 2022 with the total amount of advance Child Tax 
Credit payments taxpayers received in 2021 and the number of qualifying 
children used to calculate the advance payments. People should keep this
 and any other IRS letters about advance Child Tax Credit payments with 
their tax records.See <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/2021-child-tax-credit-and-advance-child-tax-credit-payments-topic-h-reconciling-your-advance-child-tax-credit-payments-on-your-2021-tax-return">Reconciling Your Advance Child Tax Credit Payments on Your 2021 Tax Return</a> for more information.Links to online tools, answers to frequently asked questions and other helpful resources are available on the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-payments-in-2021">IRS's special advance CTC 2021 page</a>.