By MATT O'BRIEN and FRANK BAJAK, Associated Press

Robotic vacuum cleaners wouldn’t start. Doorbell cameras stopped watching for package thieves, though some of those deliveries were canceled anyway. Netflix and Disney movies got interrupted and The Associated Press had trouble publishing the news.

A major outage in Amazon’s cloud computing network Tuesday severely disrupted services at a wide range of U.S. companies for hours, raising questions about the vulnerability of the internet and its concentration in the hands of a few firms.

Amazon has still said nothing about what, exactly, went wrong. The company limited its communications Tuesday to terse technical explanations on an Amazon Web Services dashboard and a brief statement delivered via spokesperson Richard Rocha that acknowledged the outage had affected Amazon’s own warehouse and delivery operations but said the company was “working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.” It didn’t immediately respond to further questions Wednesday.

The incident at Amazon Web Services mostly affected the eastern U.S., but still impacted everything from airline reservations and auto dealerships to payment apps and video streaming services to Amazon’s own massive e-commerce operation.

Amazon Web Services is a cloud-service operation — it stores its customers’ data, runs their online activities and more — and a huge profit center for Amazon. It holds roughly 40% of the $64 billion global cloud infrastructure market, a larger share than its closest rivals Microsoft, Alibaba and Google, combined, according to research firm Gartner.

It was formerly run by Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, who succeeded founder Jeff Bezos in July.

Some cybersecurity experts have warned for years about the potentially ugly consequences of allowing a handful of big tech companies to dominate key internet operations.

“The latest AWS outage is a prime example of the danger of centralized network infrastructure,” said Sean O’Brien, a visiting lecturer in cybersecurity at Yale Law School. “Though most people browsing the internet or using an app don’t know it, Amazon is baked into most of the apps and websites they use each day.” O’Brien said it’s important to build a new network model that resembles the peer-to-peer roots of the early internet. Big outages have already knocked huge swaths of the world offline, as happened&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/facebook-outage-global-reaction-281fded63f1478193d7e5e3e799833fc">during an October Facebook incident</a>.

Even under the current model, companies do have some options to split their services between different cloud providers, although it can be complicated, or to at least make sure they can move their services to a different region run by the same provider. Tuesday’s outage mostly affected Amazon’s “US East 1” region.

“Which means if you had critical systems only available in that region, you were in trouble,” said Servaas Verbiest, lead cloud evangelist at Sungard Availability Services. “If you heavily embraced the AWS ecosystem and are locked into using solely their services and functions, you must ensure you balance your workloads between regions.”

Yes. The last major AWS outage was in November 2020. There have been been numerous other disruptive and lengthy internet outages involving other providers. In June, the behind-the-scenes content distributor Fastly suffered a failure that briefly took down dozens of major internet sites including CNN, The New York Times and Britain’s government home page. Another that month&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-b372a6796f95a3f51fbbb2bc8f6b40bf">affected provider Akamai</a>&nbsp;during peak business hours in Asia in June.

In the October outage, Facebook — now known as Meta Platforms — blamed a “faulty configuration change” for an hours-long worldwide outage that took down Instagram and WhatsApp in addition to its titular platform.

It was unclear how, or whether, Tuesday’s outage affected governments, but many of them also rely on Amazon and its rivals.

Among the most influential organizations to rethink its approach of depending on a single cloud provider was the Pentagon, which in July canceled a disputed cloud-computing contract with Microsoft that could eventually have been worth $10 billion. It will instead pursue a deal with both Microsoft and Amazon and possibly other cloud service providers such as Google, Oracle and IBM.

The National Security Agency earlier this year awarded Amazon a contract with a potential estimated value of $10 billion to be the sole manager of the NSA’s own migration to cloud computing. The contract is known by its agency code name “Wild and Stormy.” The General Accountability Office in October sustained a bid protest by Microsoft, finding that certain parts of the NSA’s decision were “unreasonable,” although the full decision is classified.

By MATT O'BRIEN and FRANK BAJAK, Associated PressRobotic vacuum cleaners wouldn’t start. Doorbell cameras stopped watching for package thieves, though some of those deliveries were canceled anyway. Netflix and Disney movies got interrupted and The Associated Press had trouble publishing the news.A major outage in Amazon’s cloud computing network Tuesday severely disrupted services at a wide range of U.S. companies for hours, raising questions about the vulnerability of the internet and its concentration in the hands of a few firms.HOW DID IT HAPPEN?Amazon has still said nothing about what, exactly, went wrong. The company limited its communications Tuesday to terse technical explanations on an Amazon Web Services dashboard and a brief statement delivered via spokesperson Richard Rocha that acknowledged the outage had affected Amazon’s own warehouse and delivery operations but said the company was “working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.” It didn’t immediately respond to further questions Wednesday.The incident at Amazon Web Services mostly affected the eastern U.S., but still impacted everything from airline reservations and auto dealerships to payment apps and video streaming services to Amazon’s own massive e-commerce operation.Amazon Web Services is a cloud-service operation — it stores its customers’ data, runs their online activities and more — and a huge profit center for Amazon. It holds roughly 40% of the $64 billion global cloud infrastructure market, a larger share than its closest rivals Microsoft, Alibaba and Google, combined, according to research firm Gartner.It was formerly run by Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, who succeeded founder Jeff Bezos in July.TOO MANY EGGS IN ONE BASKET?Some cybersecurity experts have warned for years about the potentially ugly consequences of allowing a handful of big tech companies to dominate key internet operations.“The latest AWS outage is a prime example of the danger of centralized network infrastructure,” said Sean O’Brien, a visiting lecturer in cybersecurity at Yale Law School. “Though most people browsing the internet or using an app don’t know it, Amazon is baked into most of the apps and websites they use each day.” O’Brien said it’s important to build a new network model that resembles the peer-to-peer roots of the early internet. Big outages have already knocked huge swaths of the world offline, as happened&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/facebook-outage-global-reaction-281fded63f1478193d7e5e3e799833fc">during an October Facebook incident</a>.Even under the current model, companies do have some options to split their services between different cloud providers, although it can be complicated, or to at least make sure they can move their services to a different region run by the same provider. Tuesday’s outage mostly affected Amazon’s “US East 1” region.“Which means if you had critical systems only available in that region, you were in trouble,” said Servaas Verbiest, lead cloud evangelist at Sungard Availability Services. “If you heavily embraced the AWS ecosystem and are locked into using solely their services and functions, you must ensure you balance your workloads between regions.”HASN’T THIS HAPPENED BEFORE?Yes. The last major AWS outage was in November 2020. There have been been numerous other disruptive and lengthy internet outages involving other providers. In June, the behind-the-scenes content distributor Fastly suffered a failure that briefly took down dozens of major internet sites including CNN, The New York Times and Britain’s government home page. Another that month&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-b372a6796f95a3f51fbbb2bc8f6b40bf">affected provider Akamai</a>&nbsp;during peak business hours in Asia in June.In the October outage, Facebook — now known as Meta Platforms — blamed a “faulty configuration change” for an hours-long worldwide outage that took down Instagram and WhatsApp in addition to its titular platform.WHAT ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT?It was unclear how, or whether, Tuesday’s outage affected governments, but many of them also rely on Amazon and its rivals.Among the most influential organizations to rethink its approach of depending on a single cloud provider was the Pentagon, which in July canceled a disputed cloud-computing contract with Microsoft that could eventually have been worth $10 billion. It will instead pursue a deal with both Microsoft and Amazon and possibly other cloud service providers such as Google, Oracle and IBM.The National Security Agency earlier this year awarded Amazon a contract with a potential estimated value of $10 billion to be the sole manager of the NSA’s own migration to cloud computing. The contract is known by its agency code name “Wild and Stormy.” The General Accountability Office in October sustained a bid protest by Microsoft, finding that certain parts of the NSA’s decision were “unreasonable,” although the full decision is classified.——

What caused Amazon's outage? Will there be more?

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. (AP) — Tornadoes and severe weather caused catastrophic damage across multiple states late Friday, killing at least six people overnight as a storm system tore through a candle factory in Kentucky, an Amazon facility in Illinois and a nursing home in Arkansas. The Kentucky governor said he feared dozens more could be dead.

Gov. Andy Beshear said about 110 people were in the factory in Mayfield, Kentucky, when the tornado hit.

“We believe our death toll from this event will exceed 50 Kentuckians and probably end up 70 to 100,” he said at a news conference Saturday. “It’s very hard, really tough, and we’re praying for each and every one of those families.”

Kyana Parsons-Perez, a factory employee, was trapped under five feet&nbsp; of debris for at least two hours until rescuers managed to free her.

Kyana Parsons-Perez, a factory employee, was trapped under five feet of debris for at least two hours until rescuers managed to free her.

In an interview with TODAY, she said it was the “absolutely the most terrifying” event she had ever experienced. “I did not think I was going to make it at all.”

Just before the tornado struck, the building’s lights flickered. She felt a gust of wind, her ears started “popping” and then, “Boom. Everything came down on us.” People started screaming, and she heard Hispanic workers praying in Spanish.

Among those who helped rescue the trapped workers were inmates from the nearby Graves County Jail, she said.

“They could have used that moment to try to run away or anything, but they did not. They were there, helping us,” she said.

At least one person died at an Amazon facility in Edwardsville, Illinois, Police Chief Mike Fillback told reporters Saturday morning. The roof of the building was ripped off and a wall about the length of a football field collapsed.

Two people at the facility were taken by helicopter to hospitals in St. Louis, Fillback said. The chief said he did not know how serious their injuries were. Edwardsville is about 25 miles (40 kilometers) east of St. Louis.

It wasn’t immediately clear whether the damage was caused by straight-line storms or a tornado, but the National Weather Service office near St. Louis reported “radar-confirmed tornadoes” in the Edwardsville area around the time of the collapse.

About 30 people who were in the building were taken by bus to the police station in nearby Pontoon Beach for evaluation.

Early Saturday, rescue crews were still sorting through the rubble. Fillback said the process could take several more hours. Cranes and backhoes were brought in to help move debris.

The Belleville News-Democrat reported that the Amazon fulfillment center in Edwardsville opened with two warehouses in 2016, with 1.5 million square feet (about 139,000 square meters) of space. The warehouses are used to store items until they are shipped to mail-order customers.

“The safety and well-being of our employees and partners is our top priority right now,” Amazon spokesperson Richard Rocha said in a written statement Friday night. “We’re assessing the situation and will share additional information when it’s available.”

Workers at a National Weather Service office had to take shelter as a tornado passed near their office in Weldon Spring, Missouri, about 30 miles west of St. Louis. One person died and two others were injured in building collapses near the towns of Defiance and New Melle, both just a few miles from the weather service office.

A tornado struck the Monette Manor nursing home in Arkansas on Friday night, killing one person and trapping 20 people inside as the building collapsed, Craighead County Judge Marvin Day told The Associated Press.

Five people had serious injuries, and a few others had minor ones, he said. The nursing home has 86 beds.

Three storm-related deaths were confirmed in Tennessee, said Dean Flener, spokesman for the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency. Two of the deaths occurred in Lake County, and the third was in Obion County — both in the northwestern corner of the state.

In Kentucky, several buildings collapsed during the severe weather that struck Mayfield, said Sarah Burgess, a trooper with the Kentucky State Police.

“The entire building is essentially leveled,” she said.

Farther east in Bowling Green, Western Kentucky University said on Twitter that emergency crews were assessing significant storm damage and that no injuries were immediately reported. However, the school called off commencement ceremonies that were planned for Saturday because the campus was without power.

“It’s obvious we had major wind damage,” said Ronnie Ward, a Bowling Green police spokesman, in a telephone interview.

Rescue efforts in Bowling Green and elsewhere were hampered by debris strewn across roads. Ward said numerous apartment complexes in Bowling Green had major structural damage, and some factories had collapsed during the storms.

“Right now we’re focusing on the citizens, trying to get to everybody that needs us,” Ward said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639235312847.png" alt="Two people were killed and at least five hurt after a nursing home was destroyed Friday night during a tornado event in Monette, Arkansas-photo courtesy KARK-TV" />
 <figcaption>Two people were killed and at least five hurt after a nursing home was destroyed Friday night during a tornado event in Monette, Arkansas-photo courtesy KARK-TV</figcaption>
 </figure>EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. (AP) — Tornadoes and severe weather caused catastrophic damage across multiple states late Friday, killing at least six people overnight as a storm system tore through a candle factory in Kentucky, an Amazon facility in Illinois and a nursing home in Arkansas. The Kentucky governor said he feared dozens more could be dead.Gov. Andy Beshear said about 110 people were in the factory in Mayfield, Kentucky, when the tornado hit.“We believe our death toll from this event will exceed 50 Kentuckians and probably end up 70 to 100,” he said at a news conference Saturday. “It’s very hard, really tough, and we’re praying for each and every one of those families.”Kyana Parsons-Perez, a factory employee, was trapped under five feet&nbsp; of debris for at least two hours until rescuers managed to free her.Gov. Andy Beshear said about 110 people were in the factory in Mayfield, Kentucky, when the tornado hit.“We believe our death toll from this event will exceed 50 Kentuckians and probably end up 70 to 100,” he said at a news conference Saturday. “It’s very hard, really tough, and we’re praying for each and every one of those families.”Kyana Parsons-Perez, a factory employee, was trapped under five feet of debris for at least two hours until rescuers managed to free her.In an interview with TODAY, she said it was the “absolutely the most terrifying” event she had ever experienced. “I did not think I was going to make it at all.”Just before the tornado struck, the building’s lights flickered. She felt a gust of wind, her ears started “popping” and then, “Boom. Everything came down on us.” People started screaming, and she heard Hispanic workers praying in Spanish.Among those who helped rescue the trapped workers were inmates from the nearby Graves County Jail, she said.“They could have used that moment to try to run away or anything, but they did not. They were there, helping us,” she said.At least one person died at an Amazon facility in Edwardsville, Illinois, Police Chief Mike Fillback told reporters Saturday morning. The roof of the building was ripped off and a wall about the length of a football field collapsed.Two people at the facility were taken by helicopter to hospitals in St. Louis, Fillback said. The chief said he did not know how serious their injuries were. Edwardsville is about 25 miles (40 kilometers) east of St. Louis.It wasn’t immediately clear whether the damage was caused by straight-line storms or a tornado, but the National Weather Service office near St. Louis reported “radar-confirmed tornadoes” in the Edwardsville area around the time of the collapse.About 30 people who were in the building were taken by bus to the police station in nearby Pontoon Beach for evaluation.Early Saturday, rescue crews were still sorting through the rubble. Fillback said the process could take several more hours. Cranes and backhoes were brought in to help move debris.The Belleville News-Democrat reported that the Amazon fulfillment center in Edwardsville opened with two warehouses in 2016, with 1.5 million square feet (about 139,000 square meters) of space. The warehouses are used to store items until they are shipped to mail-order customers.“The safety and well-being of our employees and partners is our top priority right now,” Amazon spokesperson Richard Rocha said in a written statement Friday night. “We’re assessing the situation and will share additional information when it’s available.”Workers at a National Weather Service office had to take shelter as a tornado passed near their office in Weldon Spring, Missouri, about 30 miles west of St. Louis. One person died and two others were injured in building collapses near the towns of Defiance and New Melle, both just a few miles from the weather service office.A tornado struck the Monette Manor nursing home in Arkansas on Friday night, killing one person and trapping 20 people inside as the building collapsed, Craighead County Judge Marvin Day told The Associated Press.Five people had serious injuries, and a few others had minor ones, he said. The nursing home has 86 beds.Three storm-related deaths were confirmed in Tennessee, said Dean Flener, spokesman for the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency. Two of the deaths occurred in Lake County, and the third was in Obion County — both in the northwestern corner of the state.In Kentucky, several buildings collapsed during the severe weather that struck Mayfield, said Sarah Burgess, a trooper with the Kentucky State Police.“The entire building is essentially leveled,” she said.Farther east in Bowling Green, Western Kentucky University said on Twitter that emergency crews were assessing significant storm damage and that no injuries were immediately reported. However, the school called off commencement ceremonies that were planned for Saturday because the campus was without power.“It’s obvious we had major wind damage,” said Ronnie Ward, a Bowling Green police spokesman, in a telephone interview.Rescue efforts in Bowling Green and elsewhere were hampered by debris strewn across roads. Ward said numerous apartment complexes in Bowling Green had major structural damage, and some factories had collapsed during the storms.“Right now we’re focusing on the citizens, trying to get to everybody that needs us,” Ward said.

Dozens feared dead as tornadoes, storms strike central US 

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. (AP) — Tornadoes and severe weather caused catastrophic damage across multiple states late Friday, killing at least six people overnight.

 And, Kentucky's governor feared dozens were dead after the storm struck a candle factory. 

Police in Illinois say at least one person died at an Amazon facility where the roof was ripped off after a possible tornado. 

Rescue crews are still sorting through the rubble there. Three people have died in severe weather in Tennessee. 

One person has died after an apparent tornado tore through a nursing home in Arkansas. 

At least one fatality has been reported in Missouri. 

Western Kentucky University says emergency crews are assessing storm damage after reports of a tornado in Bowling Green.

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. (AP) — Tornadoes and severe weather caused catastrophic damage across multiple states late Friday, killing at least six people overnight. And, Kentucky's governor feared dozens were dead after the storm struck a candle factory. Police in Illinois say at least one person died at an Amazon facility where the roof was ripped off after a possible tornado. Rescue crews are still sorting through the rubble there. Three people have died in severe weather in Tennessee. One person has died after an apparent tornado tore through a nursing home in Arkansas. At least one fatality has been reported in Missouri. Western Kentucky University says emergency crews are assessing storm damage after reports of a tornado in Bowling Green.

Tornadoes, storms strike US; Kentucky gov fears dozens dead

HELENA, Mont. (AP) — This winter, more motorists may find themselves stuck on snowy highways or have their travel delayed due to a shortage of snowplow drivers.

States from Washington to Pennsylvania and some in the Rocky Mountains are having trouble finding enough people willing to take the comparatively low-paying jobs that require a Commercial Driver's License and often entail working at odd hours in dangerous conditions. 

States are warning that it could take longer for the plows to clear highways during winter storms. 

State transportation departments are competing for drivers with trucking companies with the ability to increase pay and offer signing bonuses. And trucking companies are short on drivers, too.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639170227894.jpg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HELENA, Mont. (AP) — This winter, more motorists may find themselves stuck on snowy highways or have their travel delayed due to a shortage of snowplow drivers.States from Washington to Pennsylvania and some in the Rocky Mountains are having trouble finding enough people willing to take the comparatively low-paying jobs that require a Commercial Driver's License and often entail working at odd hours in dangerous conditions. States are warning that it could take longer for the plows to clear highways during winter storms. State transportation departments are competing for drivers with trucking companies with the ability to increase pay and offer signing bonuses. And trucking companies are short on drivers, too.

Shortage of snowplow drivers hampers states as storms arrive

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Those used to taking a quick commuter flight from Lincoln to Minneapolis and back will soon be out of luck. 

The Lincoln Journal Star reports that Delta Air Lines has informed Lincoln Airport officials that it will end the twice-daily fights between the two cities next month. 

Airport executive director David Haring says the cancellation of the flights was unexpected. 

Haring said airport officials have spent days reaching out to representatives of both Delta and SkyWest Airlines, the regional carrier contracted by Delta that operates the Minneapolis flights to and from Lincoln, but to no avail. 

The last of the flights to Minneapolis from Lincoln is scheduled for Jan. 10.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639170037826.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Those used to taking a quick commuter flight from Lincoln to Minneapolis and back will soon be out of luck. The Lincoln Journal Star reports that Delta Air Lines has informed Lincoln Airport officials that it will end the twice-daily fights between the two cities next month. Airport executive director David Haring says the cancellation of the flights was unexpected. Haring said airport officials have spent days reaching out to representatives of both Delta and SkyWest Airlines, the regional carrier contracted by Delta that operates the Minneapolis flights to and from Lincoln, but to no avail. The last of the flights to Minneapolis from Lincoln is scheduled for Jan. 10.

Delta Air Lines cancels flights between Lincoln, Minneapolis

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Michael Nesmith, the singer-songwriter, author, actor-director and entrepreneur who will likely be best remembered as the wool-hatted, guitar-strumming member of the made-for-television rock band The Monkees, has died at 78.

Nesmith, who had undergone quadruple bypass surgery in 2018, died at home Friday of natural causes, his family said in a statement.

Nesmith was a struggling singer-songwriter in September 1966 when “The Monkees” television debut turned him and fellow band members Micky Dolenz, Peter Tork and David Jones into overnight rock stars.

After the group broke up in 1970, Nesmith moved on to a long and creative career, not only as a musician but as a writer, producer and director of films, author of several books, head of a media arts company and creator of a music video format that led to the creation of MTV.

Nesmith was running “hoot nights” at the popular West Hollywood nightclub The Troubadour when he saw a trade publication ad seeking “four insane boys” to play rock musicians in a band modeled after the Beatles.

The show featured the comical misadventures of a quartet that tooled around Los Angeles in a tricked-out Pontiac GTO called the MonkeeMobile and, when they weren’t chasing girls, pursued music stardom.

Each episode rolled out two or three new Monkees songs, six of which became Top 10 Billboard hits during the show’s two-year run. Three others, “I’m a Believer,” ″Daydream Believer” and “Last Train to Clarksville,” reached No. 1.

Jones, with his British accent and boyish good looks, was the group’s cute lead singer. Dolenz became the wacky drummer, although he had to learn to play the drums as the show went along. Tork, a folk-rock musician, portrayed the comically clueless bass player. Nesmith, with his twangy Texas accent and the wool hat he’d worn to his audition, became the serious but naive lead guitarist.

A prankster by nature, he’d arrived at the audition carrying a guitar and bag of dirty laundry he said he planned to wash immediately afterward. With a harmonica around his neck, he stormed into a casting office, banging the door loudly. After pausing to gaze at a painting as if it were a mirror, he sat down and immediately put his feet up on a desk.

But he rebelled almost immediately when producers told him they were going to call his character “Wool Hat.” He demanded they use his real name, as they did with the other actors.

It would be the first of many confrontations Nesmith would have with producers during a tumultuous two-year run in which “The Monkees” won the 1967 Emmy for best comedy series.

Nesmith and Tork, the group’s two most accomplished musicians, railed against the program’s refusal to allow them to play their own instruments at recording sessions. But when Nesmith revealed that fact to reporters, music critics quickly turned on “The Monkees,” dismissing the show as a fraud and the band as the “Prefab Four,” a mocking reference to the Beatles’ nickname, Fab Four.

Nesmith, meanwhile, had written several songs he hoped to debut on the show, but almost all were dismissed by music producer Don Kirshner, as sounding too country.

Among them was “Different Drum,” which Linda Ronstadt recorded in 1967 for her first hit single, validating to Nesmith his opinion that Kirshner, hailed by the pop music industry as “The Man With The Golden Ear,” didn’t know what he was talking about.

Things came to a head when all four Monkees demanded they take control of the music. They were warned they would be sued for breach of contract.

At that, Nesmith rose from his seat and smashed his fist through a wall, telling Kirshner it could have been his face.

For years Nesmith would refuse to confirm or deny the incident, even as the other three gleefully recounted it to reporters. In his 2017 memoir, “Infinite Tuesday,” he did acknowledge it, saying he’d lost his temper when he felt his integrity was being questioned.

“It was an absurd moment in so many ways,” he wrote.

It did give the Monkees control over their music, however, beginning with the group’s third album, “Headquarters.”

After the show concluded in 1968 the band embarked on a lengthy concert tour where members sang many of their own songs and played their own instruments before crowds of adoring fans. Jimi Hendrix was sometimes their opening act.

Following the band’s breakup Nesmith rarely rejoined the others for reunion tours, leading many to believe he disliked the band and the show, something he steadfastly denied.

“I really enjoyed being in the show. I really enjoyed working with Davy and Micky and Peter,” he told Australian Musician magazine in 2019.

It was, he would often say, that he was simply too busy doing other things.

Over the years he recorded more than a dozen albums and toured with the First National Band, the country-rock-folk group he assembled.

He wrote scores of songs, including “Some of Shelly’s Blues,” “Papa Gene’s Blues,” You Just May Be the One” and “The Girl That I knew Somewhere” that he performed with the Monkees. Others, performed with the First National Band, included “Joanne,” “Propinquity (I’ve Just Begun to Care)” and “Different Drum.”

For the Monkees’ 30th anniversary he induced the others to reunite to record a new album, “Justus,” for which all four composed the songs and played the instruments. He also rejoined the others for a brief tour and wrote and directed their 1997 TV reunion film, “Hey, Hey, It’s the Monkees.”

Nesmith also wrote and produced the 1982 science-fiction film “Timerider: The Adventure of Lyle Swann” and earned executive producer credits on “Repo Man,” “Tape Heads” and other films.

His 1981 comedy-music video “Elephant Parts” won a Grammy and led to “PopClips,” a series of music videos broadcast on the Nickelodeon cable network that in turn led to the creation of MTV.

Nesmith even published two well received novels, 1998’s “The Long Sandy Hair of Neftoon Zamora” and 2009’s “The America Gene.”

In 1999 he prevailed in a bitter courtroom battle with the Public Broadcasting System over royalties from a home-video deal his media company, Pacific Arts, had struck with PBS. A federal jury awarded him $48 million, concluding the popular purveyor of children’s shows and documentaries had defrauded him.

Nesmith, showing he hadn’t lost his Monkees sense of humor, said afterward: “It’s like catching your grandmother stealing your stereo. You’re glad to get your stereo back, but you’re sad to find out that Grandma’s a thief.”

Both sides agreed on an undisclosed settlement and Nesmith founded another company, Videoranch.

After Jones died in 2012 he began to rejoin the Monkees more frequently, their concerts now earning glowing reviews from critics. He attributed that to most of the group’s original critics having died or retired.

Following Tork’s death in 2019, Nesmith and Dolenz took on the name The Monkees Mike &amp; Micky.

Robert Michael Nesmith was born Dec. 30, 1942, in Houston, Texas, the only child of Warren and Bette Nesmith.

His parents divorced when he was 4 and his mother often worked two jobs, as a secretary and painter, to support her son and herself. It was that latter job that inspired her to whip up a typewriter correction fluid called Liquid Paper in her kitchen blender. By the mid-1970s it had made her a fortune, which she eventually left to her son and to nonprofit foundations she endowed to promote women in business and the arts.

Her son, who was married and divorced three times, is survived by four children, Christian, Jason, Jessica and Jonathan.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639165324949.png" alt="Mike Nesmith, Micky Dolenz, Peter Tork and Davy Jones pose for an album cover in the late 1960s" />
 <figcaption>Mike Nesmith, Micky Dolenz, Peter Tork and Davy Jones pose for an album cover in the late 1960s</figcaption>
 </figure>LOS ANGELES (AP) — Michael Nesmith, the singer-songwriter, author, actor-director and entrepreneur who will likely be best remembered as the wool-hatted, guitar-strumming member of the made-for-television rock band The Monkees, has died at 78.Nesmith, who had undergone quadruple bypass surgery in 2018, died at home Friday of natural causes, his family said in a statement.Nesmith was a struggling singer-songwriter in September 1966 when “The Monkees” television debut turned him and fellow band members Micky Dolenz, Peter Tork and David Jones into overnight rock stars.After the group broke up in 1970, Nesmith moved on to a long and creative career, not only as a musician but as a writer, producer and director of films, author of several books, head of a media arts company and creator of a music video format that led to the creation of MTV.Nesmith was running “hoot nights” at the popular West Hollywood nightclub The Troubadour when he saw a trade publication ad seeking “four insane boys” to play rock musicians in a band modeled after the Beatles.The show featured the comical misadventures of a quartet that tooled around Los Angeles in a tricked-out Pontiac GTO called the MonkeeMobile and, when they weren’t chasing girls, pursued music stardom.Each episode rolled out two or three new Monkees songs, six of which became Top 10 Billboard hits during the show’s two-year run. Three others, “I’m a Believer,” ″Daydream Believer” and “Last Train to Clarksville,” reached No. 1.Jones, with his British accent and boyish good looks, was the group’s cute lead singer. Dolenz became the wacky drummer, although he had to learn to play the drums as the show went along. Tork, a folk-rock musician, portrayed the comically clueless bass player. Nesmith, with his twangy Texas accent and the wool hat he’d worn to his audition, became the serious but naive lead guitarist.A prankster by nature, he’d arrived at the audition carrying a guitar and bag of dirty laundry he said he planned to wash immediately afterward. With a harmonica around his neck, he stormed into a casting office, banging the door loudly. After pausing to gaze at a painting as if it were a mirror, he sat down and immediately put his feet up on a desk.He got the job.But he rebelled almost immediately when producers told him they were going to call his character “Wool Hat.” He demanded they use his real name, as they did with the other actors.It would be the first of many confrontations Nesmith would have with producers during a tumultuous two-year run in which “The Monkees” won the 1967 Emmy for best comedy series.Nesmith and Tork, the group’s two most accomplished musicians, railed against the program’s refusal to allow them to play their own instruments at recording sessions. But when Nesmith revealed that fact to reporters, music critics quickly turned on “The Monkees,” dismissing the show as a fraud and the band as the “Prefab Four,” a mocking reference to the Beatles’ nickname, Fab Four.Nesmith, meanwhile, had written several songs he hoped to debut on the show, but almost all were dismissed by music producer Don Kirshner, as sounding too country.Among them was “Different Drum,” which Linda Ronstadt recorded in 1967 for her first hit single, validating to Nesmith his opinion that Kirshner, hailed by the pop music industry as “The Man With The Golden Ear,” didn’t know what he was talking about.Things came to a head when all four Monkees demanded they take control of the music. They were warned they would be sued for breach of contract.At that, Nesmith rose from his seat and smashed his fist through a wall, telling Kirshner it could have been his face.For years Nesmith would refuse to confirm or deny the incident, even as the other three gleefully recounted it to reporters. In his 2017 memoir, “Infinite Tuesday,” he did acknowledge it, saying he’d lost his temper when he felt his integrity was being questioned.“It was an absurd moment in so many ways,” he wrote.It did give the Monkees control over their music, however, beginning with the group’s third album, “Headquarters.”After the show concluded in 1968 the band embarked on a lengthy concert tour where members sang many of their own songs and played their own instruments before crowds of adoring fans. Jimi Hendrix was sometimes their opening act.Following the band’s breakup Nesmith rarely rejoined the others for reunion tours, leading many to believe he disliked the band and the show, something he steadfastly denied.“I really enjoyed being in the show. I really enjoyed working with Davy and Micky and Peter,” he told Australian Musician magazine in 2019.It was, he would often say, that he was simply too busy doing other things.Over the years he recorded more than a dozen albums and toured with the First National Band, the country-rock-folk group he assembled.He wrote scores of songs, including “Some of Shelly’s Blues,” “Papa Gene’s Blues,” You Just May Be the One” and “The Girl That I knew Somewhere” that he performed with the Monkees. Others, performed with the First National Band, included “Joanne,” “Propinquity (I’ve Just Begun to Care)” and “Different Drum.”For the Monkees’ 30th anniversary he induced the others to reunite to record a new album, “Justus,” for which all four composed the songs and played the instruments. He also rejoined the others for a brief tour and wrote and directed their 1997 TV reunion film, “Hey, Hey, It’s the Monkees.”Nesmith also wrote and produced the 1982 science-fiction film “Timerider: The Adventure of Lyle Swann” and earned executive producer credits on “Repo Man,” “Tape Heads” and other films.His 1981 comedy-music video “Elephant Parts” won a Grammy and led to “PopClips,” a series of music videos broadcast on the Nickelodeon cable network that in turn led to the creation of MTV.Nesmith even published two well received novels, 1998’s “The Long Sandy Hair of Neftoon Zamora” and 2009’s “The America Gene.”In 1999 he prevailed in a bitter courtroom battle with the Public Broadcasting System over royalties from a home-video deal his media company, Pacific Arts, had struck with PBS. A federal jury awarded him $48 million, concluding the popular purveyor of children’s shows and documentaries had defrauded him.Nesmith, showing he hadn’t lost his Monkees sense of humor, said afterward: “It’s like catching your grandmother stealing your stereo. You’re glad to get your stereo back, but you’re sad to find out that Grandma’s a thief.”Both sides agreed on an undisclosed settlement and Nesmith founded another company, Videoranch.After Jones died in 2012 he began to rejoin the Monkees more frequently, their concerts now earning glowing reviews from critics. He attributed that to most of the group’s original critics having died or retired.Following Tork’s death in 2019, Nesmith and Dolenz took on the name The Monkees Mike &amp; Micky.Robert Michael Nesmith was born Dec. 30, 1942, in Houston, Texas, the only child of Warren and Bette Nesmith.His parents divorced when he was 4 and his mother often worked two jobs, as a secretary and painter, to support her son and herself. It was that latter job that inspired her to whip up a typewriter correction fluid called Liquid Paper in her kitchen blender. By the mid-1970s it had made her a fortune, which she eventually left to her son and to nonprofit foundations she endowed to promote women in business and the arts.Her son, who was married and divorced three times, is survived by four children, Christian, Jason, Jessica and Jonathan.

Michael Nesmith, the Monkee for all seasons, dies at 78

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Officials say an autopsy showed that excessive heat was the main factor in an Omaha high school football player's death during practice in August. 

Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine tells the Omaha World-Herald that the autopsy showed the primary cause of death as hyperthermia. But Kleine says it also showed 16-year-old Drake Geiger suffered from heart problems that contributed to his death. 

Geiger had been practicing with the Omaha South football team the afternoon of Aug. 10 when he collapsed. 

The temperature was 91 degrees with a heat index of 105 at the time Geiger collapsed, and the National Weather Service had issued a heat advisory for the day.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Officials say an autopsy showed that excessive heat was the main factor in an Omaha high school football player's death during practice in August. Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine tells the Omaha World-Herald that the autopsy showed the primary cause of death as hyperthermia. But Kleine says it also showed 16-year-old Drake Geiger suffered from heart problems that contributed to his death. Geiger had been practicing with the Omaha South football team the afternoon of Aug. 10 when he collapsed. The temperature was 91 degrees with a heat index of 105 at the time Geiger collapsed, and the National Weather Service had issued a heat advisory for the day.

Autopsy: Heat main factor in Omaha football player's death

WASHINGTON – The Internal Revenue Service today <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/newsroom/fs-2021-17.pdf">updated frequently asked questions (FAQs) regarding the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit</a>&nbsp;PDF
 (FS-2021-17). Individuals who didn't get the full first and second 
Economic Impact Payments may be eligible to claim the 2020 Recovery 
Rebate Credit.

The first and second rounds of Economic Impact Payments were issued 
in 2020 and early 2021. The first two rounds of Economic Impact Payments
 were advance payments of the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit claimed on a 
2020 tax return.

Individuals who are missing the first or second stimulus payments 
should review the revised answers to determine their eligibility and 
whether they need to claim a Recovery Rebate Credit for tax year 2020. 
If they're eligible to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit, they will need 
to file a 2020 tax return if they have not filed yet or amend their 2020
 tax return if it's already been processed.

These FAQs are being issued to provide general information to taxpayers and tax professionals as expeditiously as possible

More information about <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/general-overview-of-taxpayer-reliance-on-guidance-published-in-the-internal-revenue-bulletin-and-faqs">reliance</a> is available.

More information on the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit">Recovery Rebate Credit</a> is available on IRS.gov.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON – The Internal Revenue Service today <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/newsroom/fs-2021-17.pdf">updated frequently asked questions (FAQs) regarding the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit</a>&nbsp;PDF
 (FS-2021-17). Individuals who didn't get the full first and second 
Economic Impact Payments may be eligible to claim the 2020 Recovery 
Rebate Credit.The first and second rounds of Economic Impact Payments were issued 
in 2020 and early 2021. The first two rounds of Economic Impact Payments
 were advance payments of the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit claimed on a 
2020 tax return.Individuals who are missing the first or second stimulus payments 
should review the revised answers to determine their eligibility and 
whether they need to claim a Recovery Rebate Credit for tax year 2020. 
If they're eligible to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit, they will need 
to file a 2020 tax return if they have not filed yet or amend their 2020
 tax return if it's already been processed.These FAQs are being issued to provide general information to taxpayers and tax professionals as expeditiously as possibleMore information about <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/general-overview-of-taxpayer-reliance-on-guidance-published-in-the-internal-revenue-bulletin-and-faqs">reliance</a> is available.More information on the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit">Recovery Rebate Credit</a> is available on IRS.gov.

IRS: Guidance on 2020 credits for COVID Economic Impact Payments

WASHINGTON(AP) — The Supreme Court has ruled that Texas abortion providers can sue over the state’s ban on most abortions, but the justices are allowing the law to remain in effect.

The court acted Friday, more than a month after hearing arguments over the law that makes abortion illegal after cardiac activity is detected in an embryo. That’s around six weeks, before some women even know they are pregnant. There are no exceptions for rape or incest.

The outcome is at best only a partial victory for abortion providers. The same federal judge who already has once blocked the law almost certainly will be asked to do so again. But then his decision will be reviewed by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which has twice voted to allow enforcement of the abortion ban.

The case could return to the justices and so far there have not been five votes on the nine-member court to put the law on hold while the legal fight plays out.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/10/1571309298669.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON(AP) — The Supreme Court has ruled that Texas abortion providers can sue over the state’s ban on most abortions, but the justices are allowing the law to remain in effect.The court acted Friday, more than a month after hearing arguments over the law that makes abortion illegal after cardiac activity is detected in an embryo. That’s around six weeks, before some women even know they are pregnant. There are no exceptions for rape or incest.The law has been in place since Sept. 1.The outcome is at best only a partial victory for abortion providers. The same federal judge who already has once blocked the law almost certainly will be asked to do so again. But then his decision will be reviewed by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which has twice voted to allow enforcement of the abortion ban.The case could return to the justices and so far there have not been five votes on the nine-member court to put the law on hold while the legal fight plays out.

Supreme Court won't stop nation's most restrictive abortion law

COLUMBIA (AP) — A Nebraska-based coffee shop chain is coming to South Carolina. Richland County Councilmember Joe Walker III and business partner Andrew Reed plan to bring 25 Scooter’s Coffee locations to the state.

 Scooter’s was founded in 1998 and is based in Nebraska. There are more than 300 Scooter’s locations across 21 states. 

Walker told The State newspaper that he has rights to bring the franchise to Richland, Orangeburg and Sumter counties in the Midlands area; and to Pickens, Anderson and Oconee counties in the Upstate.

COLUMBIA (AP) — A Nebraska-based coffee shop chain is coming to South Carolina. Richland County Councilmember Joe Walker III and business partner Andrew Reed plan to bring 25 Scooter’s Coffee locations to the state. Scooter’s was founded in 1998 and is based in Nebraska. There are more than 300 Scooter’s locations across 21 states. Walker told The State newspaper that he has rights to bring the franchise to Richland, Orangeburg and Sumter counties in the Midlands area; and to Pickens, Anderson and Oconee counties in the Upstate.

Council member bringing Nebraska-based coffee chain to S.C.

By DAVID A. LIEB and GEOFF MULVIHILL, Associated Press

Tens of millions of workers across the U.S. are in limbo as federal courts have put President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 vaccine mandates affecting private companies on hold. On Tuesday, a federal judge in Georgia stayed a vaccine mandate for employers of companies that contract with the federal government. That follows similar nationwide suspensions of Biden administration mandates for employees of larger private companies and certain health care workers.

The courts are responding to lawsuits brought by Republican-led states, businesses and other opponents. Numerous other legal challenges are pending, some involving groups of states and others filed by states acting alone.

The rulings have led vaccine mandates to be halted at some large employers. They include Michigan Medicine, the academic medical center of the University of Michigan, the three largest state universities in Kansas and the city of Phoenix. Two large aircraft parts makers in Wichita also suspended their vaccination deadlines.

Despite other legal challenges, separate Biden administration vaccine mandates for federal government employees and the military remain in effect, as do mask requirements for airline passengers and people using public transportation.

The legal cases concern whether the federal government can force employers to require vaccinations. Courts have generally been accepting of requirements that businesses and universities have put in place on their own.

<a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccinations_vacc-people-onedose-pop-5yr">More than four-fifths of adults nationwide already have received at least one dose&nbsp;</a>of a COVID-19 vaccine. But Biden contends his various workforce vaccine mandates are an important step to drive up vaccination rates and containing the virus outbreak, which has killed more than 790,000 people in the U.S.

Opponents have taken a three-tiered approach to challenging the requirements. In lawsuits, they contend the vaccine mandates were imposed without proper public comment, were not authorized by Congress and infringe on states' rights to regulate public health matters.

“The reasoning across the cases is basically the same, which is that these statutes don’t give the president or the agency in question the authority to issue the mandates," said Gregory Magarian, a constitutional law professor at Washington University in St. Louis.

The Biden administration contends its rule-making authority is firm and supersedes any state policies prohibiting vaccine requirements. Recent experience shows that such mandates generally prompt people to get vaccinated: By the time a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-lifestyle-health-business-travel-99b820492135ceeaf23e51b834d6ab79">Biden requirement for federal workers to be vaccinated&nbsp;</a>took effect last month, 92% had received at least their first dose of the shot.

Following is a rundown of some of Biden's most sweeping vaccine requirements and the status of the legal fights over them.

What it would do: Under&nbsp;<a href="https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2021-23643.pdf">a rule published by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration&nbsp;</a>on Nov. 5, businesses with 100 or more workers are to require employees to be vaccinated. If they are not, they would need to be tested weekly and wear masks while working, with exceptions for those who work alone or mostly outdoors. The rule was to go into effect Jan. 4. The requirement would affect businesses with a cumulative 84 million employees, and OSHA projected it could save 6,500 lives and prevent 250,000 hospitalizations over six months.

Who’s challenging it: The requirement is being challenged by 27 Republican-led state governments plus conservative and business groups and some individual businesses. The states mostly filed lawsuits in groups, though Indiana challenged it alone. Their arguments include that it’s the job of states, not the federal government, to deal with public health measures. The Biden administration maintains that the measure is legal. Some labor unions also contested the rule, though not for the same reasons as the Republicans and business group. They say it doesn't go far enough to protect workers.

Where it stands: The rule is on hold. A day after states challenged the rule, a panel of three&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/appeals-court-stays-vaccine-mandate-coronavirus-biden-b235b6fa858bd23b02ab5f9c009428db">judges in the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals blocked it</a>. At first, it was a temporary suspension, then a more permanent one. The legal challenges originally were filed in various U.S. appeals courts. The cases subsequently were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-us-supreme-court-business-health-62a918becbcd80a77fbc12ca56dd14ad">consolidated&nbsp;</a>into a court that was selected at random, the Cincinnati-based 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

What’s next: The Biden administration is asking the 6th Circuit to set aside the order from the 5th Circuit and allow the vaccine requirement. In the meantime, OSHA has suspended implementation of the rule. Groups that are suing want the questions decided by all the judges on the 6th Circuit rather than a panel of just some of them.

What it would do:: Under&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/biden-harris-administration-issues-emergency-regulation-requiring-covid-19-vaccination-health-care">a rule published by the Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid</a>&nbsp;on Nov. 5, a wide range of health care providers that receive federal Medicare or Medicaid funding were to require workers to receive the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine by Dec. 6 and be fully vaccinated by Jan. 4. The rule would affect more than 17 million workers in about 76,000 health care facilities and home health care providers.

Who's challenging it: The rule was challenged in four separate lawsuits filed by Republican-led states, mostly in groups. Florida and Texas mounted their own challenges. The states argued that there were no grounds for an emergency rule, that CMS had no clear legal authority to issue the mandate and that the rule infringes on states' responsibilities.

Where it stands: The rule is on hold.&nbsp;<a href="https://hosted.ap.org/semissourian/article/2d05c688115e139b034ec4a497140c3b/e710c221e0648cfa24346c36e60e6ae9">A Missouri-based federal judge issued a preliminary injunction</a>&nbsp;Nov. 29 barring its enforcement in 10 states that had originally sued. The next day, a Louisiana-based federal judge also issued a preliminary injunction barring enforcement in the rest of the states.

What's next: Both court rulings are being appealed by the Biden administration. The case filed in Missouri is being considered by the St. Louis-based 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The case filed in Louisiana, which was brought by a coalition of 14 states, is being considered by the 5th Circuit. So far, there's been no move to consolidate the challenges in a single court.

What would it do: Under an executive order issued by Biden on Sept. 9, contractors and subcontractors for the federal government are required to comply with workplace safety guidelines developed by a federal task force. That task force&nbsp;<a href="https://www.saferfederalworkforce.gov/downloads/Guidance%20for%20Federal%20Contractors_Safer%20Federal%20Workforce%20Task%20Force_20211110.pdf">subsequently issued guidelines</a>&nbsp;requiring that new, renewed or extended contracts include a clause requiring employees to be fully vaccinated Jan. 18. That meant those receiving a two-dose vaccine must get their second shot by Jan. 4. There are limited exceptions for medical or religions reasons. The requirements could apply to millions of employees.

Who's challenging it: The guidelines have been challenged through more than a dozen lawsuits, including seven brought by Republican-led states or coalitions of states. The arguments are similar to those against other vaccine mandates, asserting the Biden administration exceeded the procurement rule-making powers granted by Congress, infringed on states' responsibilities and didn't properly gather public comment.

Where it stands: The rule is on hold. A federal judge in Georgia&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-health-business-augusta-684571e6fb81014caed440c66e2b7fa2">issued a ruling Dec. 7</a>&nbsp;prohibiting enforcement of the requirement for contractors nationally. The ruling came a week after a judge in Kentucky barred enforcement of the requirement in Kentucky, Ohio and Tennessee.

What's next: Legal challenges pending in several other states could lead to additional rulings on requests for injunctions. The Kentucky or Georgia rulings also could be appealed.

A quick consolidation of the federal contractor lawsuits appears unlikely.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1630439593928.png" alt="The Biden administration contends its rule-making authority is firm-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>The Biden administration contends its rule-making authority is firm-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By DAVID A. LIEB and GEOFF MULVIHILL, Associated PressTens of millions of workers across the U.S. are in limbo as federal courts have put President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 vaccine mandates affecting private companies on hold. On Tuesday, a federal judge in Georgia stayed a vaccine mandate for employers of companies that contract with the federal government. That follows similar nationwide suspensions of Biden administration mandates for employees of larger private companies and certain health care workers.The courts are responding to lawsuits brought by Republican-led states, businesses and other opponents. Numerous other legal challenges are pending, some involving groups of states and others filed by states acting alone.The rulings have led vaccine mandates to be halted at some large employers. They include Michigan Medicine, the academic medical center of the University of Michigan, the three largest state universities in Kansas and the city of Phoenix. Two large aircraft parts makers in Wichita also suspended their vaccination deadlines.Despite other legal challenges, separate Biden administration vaccine mandates for federal government employees and the military remain in effect, as do mask requirements for airline passengers and people using public transportation.The legal cases concern whether the federal government can force employers to require vaccinations. Courts have generally been accepting of requirements that businesses and universities have put in place on their own.<a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccinations_vacc-people-onedose-pop-5yr">More than four-fifths of adults nationwide already have received at least one dose&nbsp;</a>of a COVID-19 vaccine. But Biden contends his various workforce vaccine mandates are an important step to drive up vaccination rates and containing the virus outbreak, which has killed more than 790,000 people in the U.S.Opponents have taken a three-tiered approach to challenging the requirements. In lawsuits, they contend the vaccine mandates were imposed without proper public comment, were not authorized by Congress and infringe on states' rights to regulate public health matters.“The reasoning across the cases is basically the same, which is that these statutes don’t give the president or the agency in question the authority to issue the mandates," said Gregory Magarian, a constitutional law professor at Washington University in St. Louis.The Biden administration contends its rule-making authority is firm and supersedes any state policies prohibiting vaccine requirements. Recent experience shows that such mandates generally prompt people to get vaccinated: By the time a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-lifestyle-health-business-travel-99b820492135ceeaf23e51b834d6ab79">Biden requirement for federal workers to be vaccinated&nbsp;</a>took effect last month, 92% had received at least their first dose of the shot.Following is a rundown of some of Biden's most sweeping vaccine requirements and the status of the legal fights over them.LARGE BUSINESS MANDATEWhat it would do: Under&nbsp;<a href="https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2021-23643.pdf">a rule published by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration&nbsp;</a>on Nov. 5, businesses with 100 or more workers are to require employees to be vaccinated. If they are not, they would need to be tested weekly and wear masks while working, with exceptions for those who work alone or mostly outdoors. The rule was to go into effect Jan. 4. The requirement would affect businesses with a cumulative 84 million employees, and OSHA projected it could save 6,500 lives and prevent 250,000 hospitalizations over six months.Who’s challenging it: The requirement is being challenged by 27 Republican-led state governments plus conservative and business groups and some individual businesses. The states mostly filed lawsuits in groups, though Indiana challenged it alone. Their arguments include that it’s the job of states, not the federal government, to deal with public health measures. The Biden administration maintains that the measure is legal. Some labor unions also contested the rule, though not for the same reasons as the Republicans and business group. They say it doesn't go far enough to protect workers.Where it stands: The rule is on hold. A day after states challenged the rule, a panel of three&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/appeals-court-stays-vaccine-mandate-coronavirus-biden-b235b6fa858bd23b02ab5f9c009428db">judges in the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals blocked it</a>. At first, it was a temporary suspension, then a more permanent one. The legal challenges originally were filed in various U.S. appeals courts. The cases subsequently were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-us-supreme-court-business-health-62a918becbcd80a77fbc12ca56dd14ad">consolidated&nbsp;</a>into a court that was selected at random, the Cincinnati-based 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.What’s next: The Biden administration is asking the 6th Circuit to set aside the order from the 5th Circuit and allow the vaccine requirement. In the meantime, OSHA has suspended implementation of the rule. Groups that are suing want the questions decided by all the judges on the 6th Circuit rather than a panel of just some of them.HEALTH WORKER MANDATEWhat it would do:: Under&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/biden-harris-administration-issues-emergency-regulation-requiring-covid-19-vaccination-health-care">a rule published by the Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid</a>&nbsp;on Nov. 5, a wide range of health care providers that receive federal Medicare or Medicaid funding were to require workers to receive the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine by Dec. 6 and be fully vaccinated by Jan. 4. The rule would affect more than 17 million workers in about 76,000 health care facilities and home health care providers.Who's challenging it: The rule was challenged in four separate lawsuits filed by Republican-led states, mostly in groups. Florida and Texas mounted their own challenges. The states argued that there were no grounds for an emergency rule, that CMS had no clear legal authority to issue the mandate and that the rule infringes on states' responsibilities.Where it stands: The rule is on hold.&nbsp;<a href="https://hosted.ap.org/semissourian/article/2d05c688115e139b034ec4a497140c3b/e710c221e0648cfa24346c36e60e6ae9">A Missouri-based federal judge issued a preliminary injunction</a>&nbsp;Nov. 29 barring its enforcement in 10 states that had originally sued. The next day, a Louisiana-based federal judge also issued a preliminary injunction barring enforcement in the rest of the states.What's next: Both court rulings are being appealed by the Biden administration. The case filed in Missouri is being considered by the St. Louis-based 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The case filed in Louisiana, which was brought by a coalition of 14 states, is being considered by the 5th Circuit. So far, there's been no move to consolidate the challenges in a single court.FEDERAL CONTRACTOR MANDATEWhat would it do: Under an executive order issued by Biden on Sept. 9, contractors and subcontractors for the federal government are required to comply with workplace safety guidelines developed by a federal task force. That task force&nbsp;<a href="https://www.saferfederalworkforce.gov/downloads/Guidance%20for%20Federal%20Contractors_Safer%20Federal%20Workforce%20Task%20Force_20211110.pdf">subsequently issued guidelines</a>&nbsp;requiring that new, renewed or extended contracts include a clause requiring employees to be fully vaccinated Jan. 18. That meant those receiving a two-dose vaccine must get their second shot by Jan. 4. There are limited exceptions for medical or religions reasons. The requirements could apply to millions of employees.Who's challenging it: The guidelines have been challenged through more than a dozen lawsuits, including seven brought by Republican-led states or coalitions of states. The arguments are similar to those against other vaccine mandates, asserting the Biden administration exceeded the procurement rule-making powers granted by Congress, infringed on states' responsibilities and didn't properly gather public comment.Where it stands: The rule is on hold. A federal judge in Georgia&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-health-business-augusta-684571e6fb81014caed440c66e2b7fa2">issued a ruling Dec. 7</a>&nbsp;prohibiting enforcement of the requirement for contractors nationally. The ruling came a week after a judge in Kentucky barred enforcement of the requirement in Kentucky, Ohio and Tennessee.What's next: Legal challenges pending in several other states could lead to additional rulings on requests for injunctions. The Kentucky or Georgia rulings also could be appealed.A quick consolidation of the federal contractor lawsuits appears unlikely.

Workers across U.S. are in limbo over Biden's vaccine mandate

MANHATTAN —Law enforcement authorities investigating a suspicious "Discord chat" concerning a possible threat of violence at Eisenhower Middle School, 800 Walters Drive, Manhattan, have arrested a 12-year-old student of the Manhattan-Ogden USD 383 School District, according to the Riley County Police Department.

Police have uncovered no evidence the student planned on, made an effort, or had the means to ever carry out a violent act at Eisenhower Middle School or in the community.

School principal Tracy Newell told families in an email, "it has been brought to the attention of school administration that on Thursday morning, Dec. 9, a social media post was made about a possible school shooting at the middle school."  According to Newell,  the RCPD notified the school staff of the alleged threat.

&nbsp;Police released no additional details.

MANHATTAN —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspicious "Discord chat" concerning a possible threat of violence at Eisenhower Middle School,&nbsp;800 Walters Drive, Manhattan, according to a report from the Riley County Police Department.

The message did not give a specified time frame for the possible threat.

At this time, police do not believe there is credible danger to the students or staff at the school. The RCPD will provide updated information as it is available.

School principal Tracy Newell told families in an email, "it has been brought to the attention of school administration that on Thursday morning, Dec. 9, a social media post was made about a possible school shooting at the middle school."&nbsp; According to Newell,&nbsp; the RCPD notified the school staff of the alleged threat.&nbsp;

Anyone with information can contact RCPD at (785) 537-2112 or Crime Stoppers at (785) 539-7777.

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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573757762937.png" alt="" />
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 </figure>MANHATTAN —Law enforcement authorities investigating a suspicious "Discord chat" concerning a possible threat of violence at Eisenhower Middle School, 800 Walters Drive, Manhattan, have arrested a 12-year-old student of the Manhattan-Ogden USD 383 School District, according to the Riley County Police Department.Police have uncovered no evidence the student planned on, made an effort, or had the means to ever carry out a violent act at Eisenhower Middle School or in the community.School principal Tracy Newell told families in an email, "it has been brought to the attention of school administration that on Thursday morning, Dec. 9, a social media post was made about a possible school shooting at the middle school." According to Newell, the RCPD notified the school staff of the alleged threat.&nbsp;Police released no additional details.--------MANHATTAN —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspicious "Discord chat" concerning a possible threat of violence at Eisenhower Middle School,&nbsp;800 Walters Drive, Manhattan, according to a report from the Riley County Police Department.The message did not give a specified time frame for the possible threat.At this time, police do not believe there is credible danger to the students or staff at the school. The RCPD will provide updated information as it is available.School principal Tracy Newell told families in an email, "it has been brought to the attention of school administration that on Thursday morning, Dec. 9, a social media post was made about a possible school shooting at the middle school."&nbsp; According to Newell,&nbsp; the RCPD notified the school staff of the alleged threat.&nbsp;Anyone with information can contact RCPD at (785) 537-2112 or Crime Stoppers at (785) 539-7777.

Police arrest 12-year-old for alleged threat at Kansas middle school

SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas felon jailed for a violent, fatal stabbing made his first court appearance on Wednesday.&nbsp;

Goldy Metcalf, 36, is charged with 1st&nbsp;degree murder, attempted 1st&nbsp;degree murder, aggravated burglary, burglary, theft, two counts of criminal damage to property, criminal damage to property and criminal trespass, according to the Sedgwick County District attorney's office.

Just after 8 a.m. Saturday, police responded to a disturbance with a weapon at a home in the 600 block of South Green in Wichita, according to Officer Charley Davidson.

 Upon arrival, officers located a 64-year-old woman and a 73-year-old man with multiple stab wounds. 

EMS transported both victims to an area hospital where the 64-year-old woman died, according to Davidson. The 73-year-old man had serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

The investigation revealed at approximately 5 a.m. on Saturday, officers responded to a call in the 1800 block of North Kansas regarding a citizen who had 36-year-old Goldy L. Metcalf of Wichita at gunpoint for unlawfully entering his vehicle.&nbsp; 

Metcalf was cooperative with officers, cited for misdemeanor tampering with an automobile, and given a courtesy transport to St. Francis Hospital for medical treatment due to a previous injury to his mouth, according to Davidson.

Metcalf left St. Francis against medical advice and at approximately 8 a.m. stole a blue Ford pick-up in the 600 block of North Waco that was left running.

Metcalf fled in the truck and crashed it into a building in the 600 block of South Green. Metcalf then fled the scene and forced his way into the residence on South Green, where he stabbed the two victims. Metcalf fled from that residence and entered an unoccupied residence in 600 block of South Erie, and attempted to gain access to a church in the same block. Thanks to information provided by citizens, police responded quickly, located&nbsp; Metcalf and arrested him.

Metcalf was paroled from prison in July and has prior convictions for aggravated battery, criminal possession of a firearm, burglary, flee law enforcement, and aggravated robbery, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

His next court appearance is scheduled for December 20, according to the district attorneys office. He remains jailed on a bond $507,500.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638721469657.png" alt="Metcalf-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Metcalf-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas felon jailed for a violent, fatal stabbing made his first court appearance on Wednesday.&nbsp;Goldy Metcalf, 36, is charged with 1st&nbsp;degree murder, attempted 1st&nbsp;degree murder, aggravated burglary, burglary, theft, two counts of criminal damage to property, criminal damage to property and criminal trespass, according to the Sedgwick County District attorney's office.Just after 8 a.m. Saturday, police responded to a disturbance with a weapon at a home in the 600 block of South Green in Wichita, according to Officer Charley Davidson. Upon arrival, officers located a 64-year-old woman and a 73-year-old man with multiple stab wounds. EMS transported both victims to an area hospital where the 64-year-old woman died, according to Davidson. The 73-year-old man had serious but non-life-threatening injuries.The investigation revealed at approximately 5 a.m. on Saturday, officers responded to a call in the 1800 block of North Kansas regarding a citizen who had 36-year-old Goldy L. Metcalf of Wichita at gunpoint for unlawfully entering his vehicle.&nbsp; Metcalf was cooperative with officers, cited for misdemeanor tampering with an automobile, and given a courtesy transport to St. Francis Hospital for medical treatment due to a previous injury to his mouth, according to Davidson.Metcalf left St. Francis against medical advice and at approximately 8 a.m. stole a blue Ford pick-up in the 600 block of North Waco that was left running.Metcalf fled in the truck and crashed it into a building in the 600 block of South Green. Metcalf then fled the scene and forced his way into the residence on South Green, where he stabbed the two victims. Metcalf fled from that residence and entered an unoccupied residence in 600 block of South Erie, and attempted to gain access to a church in the same block. Thanks to information provided by citizens, police responded quickly, located&nbsp; Metcalf and arrested him.Metcalf was paroled from prison in July and has prior convictions for aggravated battery, criminal possession of a firearm, burglary, flee law enforcement, and aggravated robbery, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.His next court appearance is scheduled for December 20, according to the district attorneys office. He remains jailed on a bond $507,500.&nbsp;

Kan. man paroled in July, charged with killing woman in her home

By LAURAN NEERGAARD and MATTHEW PERRONE, Associated Press

The U.S. is expanding COVID-19 boosters, ruling that 16- and 17-year-olds can get a third dose of Pfizer’s vaccine.

The U.S. and many other nations already were urging adults to get booster shots to pump up immunity that can wane months after vaccination, calls that intensified with the discovery of the worrisome new omicron variant.

On Thursday, the Food and Drug Administration gave emergency authorization for 16- and 17-year-olds to get a third dose of the vaccine made by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech -- if it’s been six months since their last shot.

There's one more step: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must formally recommend the boosters for this age group and a decision is expected soon.

The Pfizer vaccine is the only option in the U.S. for anyone younger than 18, either for initial vaccination or for use as a booster. It’s not yet clear if or when teens younger than 16 might need a third Pfizer dose.

Vaccinations for children as young as 5 just began last month, using special low-dose Pfizer shots. By this week, about 5 million 5- to 11-year-olds had gotten a first dose.

The extra-contagious delta variant is causing nearly all COVID-19 infections in the U.S., and in much of the world. It’s not yet clear how vaccines will hold up against the new and markedly different omicron mutant. But there’s strong evidence that boosters offer a jump in protection against delta-caused infections, currently the biggest threat.

Complicating the decision to extend boosters to 16- and 17-year-olds is that the Pfizer shot -- and a similar vaccine made by Moderna -- have been linked to a rare side effect. Called myocarditis, it’s a type of heart inflammation seen mostly in younger men and teen boys.

Health officials in Israel, which already gives boosters to teens, have said the side effect continues to be rare with third doses.

A U.S. study this week offered additional reassurance. Researchers from children’s hospitals around the country checked medical records and found the rare side effect usually is mild and people recover quickly, while COVID-19 itself can cause more serious heart inflammation. The research was published Monday in the journal Circulation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1637329411498.png" alt="Drive through vaccine event this fall in Lawerence -photo Lawrence-Douglas County. Public Health" />
 <figcaption>Drive through vaccine event this fall in Lawerence -photo Lawrence-Douglas County. Public Health</figcaption>
 </figure>By LAURAN NEERGAARD and MATTHEW PERRONE, Associated PressThe U.S. is expanding COVID-19 boosters, ruling that 16- and 17-year-olds can get a third dose of Pfizer’s vaccine.The U.S. and many other nations already were urging adults to get booster shots to pump up immunity that can wane months after vaccination, calls that intensified with the discovery of the worrisome new omicron variant.On Thursday, the Food and Drug Administration gave emergency authorization for 16- and 17-year-olds to get a third dose of the vaccine made by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech -- if it’s been six months since their last shot.There's one more step: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must formally recommend the boosters for this age group and a decision is expected soon.The Pfizer vaccine is the only option in the U.S. for anyone younger than 18, either for initial vaccination or for use as a booster. It’s not yet clear if or when teens younger than 16 might need a third Pfizer dose.Vaccinations for children as young as 5 just began last month, using special low-dose Pfizer shots. By this week, about 5 million 5- to 11-year-olds had gotten a first dose.The extra-contagious delta variant is causing nearly all COVID-19 infections in the U.S., and in much of the world. It’s not yet clear how vaccines will hold up against the new and markedly different omicron mutant. But there’s strong evidence that boosters offer a jump in protection against delta-caused infections, currently the biggest threat.Complicating the decision to extend boosters to 16- and 17-year-olds is that the Pfizer shot -- and a similar vaccine made by Moderna -- have been linked to a rare side effect. Called myocarditis, it’s a type of heart inflammation seen mostly in younger men and teen boys.Health officials in Israel, which already gives boosters to teens, have said the side effect continues to be rare with third doses.A U.S. study this week offered additional reassurance. Researchers from children’s hospitals around the country checked medical records and found the rare side effect usually is mild and people recover quickly, while COVID-19 itself can cause more serious heart inflammation. The research was published Monday in the journal Circulation.

FDA expands Pfizer COVID booster, opens extra dose to age 16

AP - Newspaper publisher Lee Enterprises has rejected a takeover offer from the Alden Global Capital hedge fund that is one of the largest newspaper owners in the country with a reputation for intense cost cuts and layoffs. 

Lee said Thursday that its board unanimously rejected Alden’s offer to buy the company for $24 per share or about $141 million because it “grossly undervalues” Lee. 

Also Thursday, Lee reported $5.3 million fiscal fourth-quarter profit this year, rebounding from a $1.3 million loss a year ago, as the number of digital-only subscribers at the company grew 65% to 402,000.

AP - Newspaper publisher Lee Enterprises has rejected a takeover offer from the Alden Global Capital hedge fund that is one of the largest newspaper owners in the country with a reputation for intense cost cuts and layoffs. Lee said Thursday that its board unanimously rejected Alden’s offer to buy the company for $24 per share or about $141 million because it “grossly undervalues” Lee. Also Thursday, Lee reported $5.3 million fiscal fourth-quarter profit this year, rebounding from a $1.3 million loss a year ago, as the number of digital-only subscribers at the company grew 65% to 402,000.

Lee Enterprises rejects takeover bid from Alden hedge fund

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate narrowly approved a resolution Wednesday to nullify the Biden administration’s requirement that&nbsp;businesses with 100 or more workers have their employees be vaccinated against the coronavirus or submit to weekly testing.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639053472760.png" alt="Kansas Senator Roger Marshall joined Sen. Mike Braun to lead other Republican senators pushing for rollback of Biden vaccine mandate for businesses-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Senator Roger Marshall joined Sen. Mike Braun to lead other Republican senators pushing for rollback of Biden vaccine mandate for businesses-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate narrowly approved a resolution Wednesday to nullify the Biden administration’s requirement that&nbsp;businesses with 100 or more workers have their employees be vaccinated against the coronavirus or submit to weekly testing.The vote was 52-48. The Democratic-led House is unlikely to take the measure up, which means the mandate would stand, though courts have put it on hold for now. Still, the vote gave senators a chance to voice opposition to a policy that they say has sparked fears back home from businesses and from unvaccinated constituents who worry about losing their jobs&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-business-health-lawsuits-2d05c688115e139b034ec4a497140c3b">should the rule go into effect</a>.“Every so often Washington D.C. does something that lights up the phone lines. This is one of these moments,” said Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont. At home, he said, “this issue is what I hear about. This issue is a top-of-mind issue.”Lawmakers can invalidate certain federal agency regulations if a joint resolution is approved by both houses of Congress and signed by the president, or if Congress overrides a presidential veto. That’s unlikely to happen in this case.Under the rule, private-sector companies with 100 or more workers must require their employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or be tested for the virus weekly and wear masks on the job. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration said it would work with companies on compliance but would fine them up to more than $13,000 for each violation, though implementation and enforcement is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.osha.gov/coronavirus/ets2" target="_blank">suspended as the litigation unfolds.</a>Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Americans who have refused to get vaccinated are the biggest impediment to ending the pandemic. He implied that some of the resistance to mandated vaccines is based on politics.“Some of the anti-vaxxers here in this chamber remind me of what happened 400 years ago when people were clinging to the fact that the sun revolved around the Earth. They just didn’t believe science. Or 500 years ago when they were sure the Earth was flat,” Schumer said.Schumer said social media has played a role in spreading falsehoods about the vaccine, and “so has the far right.” He urged senators to vote against the resolution, sponsored by Sen. Mike Braun, R-Ind.Republicans said they are supportive of the vaccine, but that the mandate amounts to government overreach.“His mandates are under fire in the courts. Main Street job creators are complaining against it, and tonight, the U.S. Senate must send a clear message: back off this bad idea,” Braun said.Some argued that the mandate may even contribute to people not getting vaccinated.“I think, actually, the mandate has made it worse in terms of hardening people who don’t want to be told what to do by the government,” said Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo.Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., said a telephone town hall she recently held with constituents made clear they are concerned about keeping their a job if the mandate goes into effect.“If you look at my state, 40% of my state’s workforce stands to lose their job under this mandate,” Capito said. “It will be a killer to our economy.”In the end, two Democratic lawmakers voted with 50 Republicans to void the mandate, Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Jon Tester of Montana. Manchin had said in a tweet that he does not support any federal vaccine mandate for private businesses. Tester’s office said his opposition is based on conversations with Montana businesses who “expressed deep concerns about the negative effect on their bottom lines and our state’s economy during this fragile recovery period.”Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., sided with the Biden administration, noting that the pandemic is still raging and that deaths are overwhelmingly among the unvaccinated.“How on earth does it make sense right now to undercut one of the strongest tools that we have to get people vaccinated and stop this virus?” Murray said. “In what world is that a good idea?”The White House released a statement earlier this week stating that Biden’s advisers would recommend he veto the resolution in the unlikely event it makes it to his desk.“The president wants to see Americans back on the job, and Americans back at work should not face risk from those who are not vaccinated and who refuse to be tested,” the White House said.Deaths in the United States stemming from COVID-19 are running close to 1,600 a day on average. The overall U.S. death toll less than two years into the pandemic could soon reach 800,000.