MOLINE, Ill. (AP) — More than 10,000 Deere &amp; Co. workers went on strike Thursday at midnight after “the company failed to present an agreement that met our members’ demands and needs,” The United Auto Workers union said in statement.

The union had said its members would walk off the job if no deal has been reached by 11:59 p.m. The vast majority of the union rejected a contract offer earlier this week that would have delivered 5% raises to some workers and 6% raises to others.

UAW President Ray Curry, said “The almost one million UAW retirees and active members who stand in solidarity with the striking UAW members at John Deere.”

Thirty-five years have passed since the last major Deere strike, but workers were emboldened to demand more this year after working long hours throughout the pandemic and because companies are facing worker shortages.

“Our members at John Deere strike for the ability to earn a decent living, retire with dignity and establish fair work rules,” said Chuck Browning, vice president and director of the UAW’s Agricultural Implement Department. “We stay committed to bargaining until our members’ goals are achieved.”

Chris Laursen, who works as a painter at Deere, told the Des Moines Register that he thought a strike was imminent and could make a significant difference.

“The whole nation’s going to be watching us,” Laursen said to the newspaper. “If we take a stand here for ourselves, our families, for basic human prosperity, it’s going to make a difference for the whole manufacturing industry. Let’s do it. Let’s not be intimidated.”

Earlier this year, another group of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-strikes-17c318d1250ebfca9f597c5601af820b">UAW-represented workers went on strike at a Volvo Trucks plant in Virginia</a>&nbsp;and wound up with better pay and lower-cost health benefits after rejecting three tentative contract offers.

The contracts under negotiation covered 14 Deere plants across the United States, including seven in Iowa, four in Illinois and one each in Kansas, Colorado and Georgia.

The contract talks at the Moline, Illinois-based company were unfolding as Deere is expecting to report record profits between $5.7 billion and $5.9 billion this year. The company has been reporting strong sales of its agricultural and construction equipment this year.

The Deere production plants are an important contributors to the economy, so local officials hope any strike will be short-lived.

“We definitely want to see our economy stabilize and grow after the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Moline Mayor Sangeetha Rayapati said to the Quad-Cities Times. “Hopefully, these parties can come to a resolution soon.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1634208352309.png" alt="John Deere offices in Coffeyville, Kansas-Google image" />
 <figcaption>John Deere offices in Coffeyville, Kansas-Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>MOLINE, Ill. (AP) — More than 10,000 Deere &amp; Co. workers went on strike Thursday at midnight after “the company failed to present an agreement that met our members’ demands and needs,” The United Auto Workers union said in statement.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FUAW450Members%2Fposts%2F10158858932068040&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="498" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>The union had said its members would walk off the job if no deal has been reached by 11:59 p.m. The vast majority of the union rejected a contract offer earlier this week that would have delivered 5% raises to some workers and 6% raises to others.UAW President Ray Curry, said “The almost one million UAW retirees and active members who stand in solidarity with the striking UAW members at John Deere.”Thirty-five years have passed since the last major Deere strike, but workers were emboldened to demand more this year after working long hours throughout the pandemic and because companies are facing worker shortages.“Our members at John Deere strike for the ability to earn a decent living, retire with dignity and establish fair work rules,” said Chuck Browning, vice president and director of the UAW’s Agricultural Implement Department. “We stay committed to bargaining until our members’ goals are achieved.”Chris Laursen, who works as a painter at Deere, told the Des Moines Register that he thought a strike was imminent and could make a significant difference.“The whole nation’s going to be watching us,” Laursen said to the newspaper. “If we take a stand here for ourselves, our families, for basic human prosperity, it’s going to make a difference for the whole manufacturing industry. Let’s do it. Let’s not be intimidated.”Earlier this year, another group of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-strikes-17c318d1250ebfca9f597c5601af820b">UAW-represented workers went on strike at a Volvo Trucks plant in Virginia</a>&nbsp;and wound up with better pay and lower-cost health benefits after rejecting three tentative contract offers.The contracts under negotiation covered 14 Deere plants across the United States, including seven in Iowa, four in Illinois and one each in Kansas, Colorado and Georgia.The contract talks at the Moline, Illinois-based company were unfolding as Deere is expecting to report record profits between $5.7 billion and $5.9 billion this year. The company has been reporting strong sales of its agricultural and construction equipment this year.The Deere production plants are an important contributors to the economy, so local officials hope any strike will be short-lived.“We definitely want to see our economy stabilize and grow after the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Moline Mayor Sangeetha Rayapati said to the Quad-Cities Times. “Hopefully, these parties can come to a resolution soon.”

John Deere: Workers in Kansas, 4 other states walk off the job

Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Mitchel D. Abraham, 23, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for transportation of a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Abraham to 12 years and 6 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Abraham will begin and 30-year term of supervised release and will be required to register as a sex offender. Judge Buescher ordered Abraham to pay a $10,000 fine.

An investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation determined that on or about December 5, 2020, a 15-year-old minor’s parents, located in Pennsylvania, reported their daughter missing.&nbsp; Through its investigation the FBI learned that the minor was located at a residence in Omaha.&nbsp; On December 31, 2020, the FBI made contact with Abraham at his residence in Omaha.&nbsp; Also present in the residence was the minor.&nbsp;

The investigation revealed that Abraham had previously met the minor on the online platform Snapchat in November 2020.&nbsp; At that time Abraham was 22 years old and the minor was 15 years old.&nbsp; It was determined that on December 8, 2020, Abraham traveled to Pennsylvania in a white Kia sedan to pick up the minor and return to Nebraska where he lived.&nbsp; After arriving in Pennsylvania, Abraham transported the minor to Nebraska with the intent of engaging in sexual activity with the minor.&nbsp; After arriving in Nebraska, Abraham and the minor engaged in sexual activity, which is unlawful under the laws of the State of Nebraska.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

This case was investigated by&nbsp;the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

News Release US Attorney's Office-OmahaActing United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Mitchel D. Abraham, 23, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for transportation of a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Abraham to 12 years and 6 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Abraham will begin and 30-year term of supervised release and will be required to register as a sex offender. Judge Buescher ordered Abraham to pay a $10,000 fine.An investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation determined that on or about December 5, 2020, a 15-year-old minor’s parents, located in Pennsylvania, reported their daughter missing.&nbsp; Through its investigation the FBI learned that the minor was located at a residence in Omaha.&nbsp; On December 31, 2020, the FBI made contact with Abraham at his residence in Omaha.&nbsp; Also present in the residence was the minor.&nbsp;The investigation revealed that Abraham had previously met the minor on the online platform Snapchat in November 2020.&nbsp; At that time Abraham was 22 years old and the minor was 15 years old.&nbsp; It was determined that on December 8, 2020, Abraham traveled to Pennsylvania in a white Kia sedan to pick up the minor and return to Nebraska where he lived.&nbsp; After arriving in Pennsylvania, Abraham transported the minor to Nebraska with the intent of engaging in sexual activity with the minor.&nbsp; After arriving in Nebraska, Abraham and the minor engaged in sexual activity, which is unlawful under the laws of the State of Nebraska.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;This case was investigated by&nbsp;the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Omaha man sentenced to more than 12 years for transporting minor for sex

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden tried to reassure Americans on Wednesday that he can tame&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-consumer-prices-inflation-prices-e80c0c24a6ec5ca1c977eccd6294d01b">high inflation</a>, announcing a deal to expand operations at the Port of Los Angeles as prices keep climbing and container ships wait to dock in a traffic jam threatening the U.S. economy and holiday shopping.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?515317-1/president-biden-announces-steps-ease-global-supply-chain-bottlenecks-nations-ports">Click here to watch </a>the President's statement

Prices are jumping in large part because container ships are stranded at ports and because unloaded goods are waiting for trucks, leading to mass shortages and delays that have caused a longer than expected bout of inflation. The rising costs are eating into worker pay, creating a drag on growth and driving Republican criticism of Biden just as his multitrillion-dollar tax, economic, climate and infrastructure agenda is going through the crucible of congressional negotiations.

The White House responded to the backlog by finalizing an agreement for the Port of Los Angeles to become a 24-hour, seven-days-a-week operation. The hope is that nighttime operations will help to break the logjam and reduce shipping delays for toasters, sneakers, bicycles, cars and more.

“With holidays coming up, you might be wondering if the gifts you plan to buy will arrive on time,” Biden said at the White House. “Today we have some good news: We’re going to help speed up the delivery of goods all across America.”

But the expansion of port operations was also an unspoken recognition that inflation is lingering at higher levels long after the economy began to reopen from the coronavirus pandemic. Businesses were worrying about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-coronavirus-pandemic-lifestyle-business-government-and-politics-2c2d811df7e2b07dd927778fb7944c3a">monthslong delays for shipping containers</a>&nbsp;in June, yet the administration only formed its supply chain task force that month and named a port envoy on Aug. 27 to address the challenge.

Ports are also just one piece of the puzzle, Biden said. The country needs more truck drivers, private retailers to step up and better infrastructure, as well as a supply chain that can less easily be disrupted by pandemics and extreme weather. The president is trying to use the predicament as a selling point for his policy plans that undergoing congressional scrutiny.

“We need to take a longer view and invest in building greater resiliency to withstand the kinds of shocks we’ve seen over and over, year in and year out, the risk of pandemic, extreme weather, climate change, cyberattacks, weather disruptions,” he said.

The sense of uncertainty is beginning to consume the attention of many Americans.

University of Michigan economist Betsey Stevenson noted on Twitter the “economy is in a very fragile and unprecedented place.” Prices are rising at more than 5%, trade in goods and services have slowed and more Americans are quitting their jobs while the delta variant has made the coronavirus pandemic a risk.

“No one really knows what’s going to happen,” wrote Stevenson, a former member of the White House Council of Economic Advisers under President Barack Obama.

Ports in Los Angeles and Long Beach, California, account for 40% of all shipping containers entering the United States. As of Tuesday, there were 64 ships berthed at the two ports and 80 waiting to dock and unload, according to the Marine Exchange of Southern California.

Commitments by the Los Angeles port’s operator, longshoremen and several of the country’s largest retail and shipping companies are expected to help relieve the backlog.

Walmart, FedEx, UPS, Target, Samsung and The Home Depot committed to unloading during off-peak hours, making it easier for the Los Angeles port to operate nonstop. The Long Beach port has been operating 24 hours daily for seven days for roughly the past three weeks.

Biden also held a virtual roundtable with the heads of Walmart, FedEx Logistics, UPS, Target, Samsung Electronics North America, the Teamsters Union and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, among other groups, before his speech.

Republican lawmakers say&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-vote-coronavirus-relief-package-33f4902ca9a2aed4e76274af6bb2ea5c">Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package</a>&nbsp;has fueled higher prices. A recent analysis issued by the investment bank Goldman Sachs estimates that “supply-constrained goods” account for 80% of this year’s inflation overshoot, yet the political criticism continues to sting as housing and oil prices add to inflationary pressures.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky has made inflation one of his central charges against Biden, a sign that getting prices under control could be essential for Democrats trying to hold onto congressional seats in next year’s elections.

“The Democrats’ inflation is so bad that even though the average American worker has gotten a multiple-percentage-point pay raise over the last year, their actual purchasing power has been cut,” McConnell said in a Senate speech last week. “Even dollar stores are having to raise their prices. Just ask any American family about their last few trips to the supermarket, the gas station or the toy store. Heaven forbid if they’ve had to participate in the housing market or the auto market anytime lately.”

The Biden administration has argued that higher inflation is temporary. Yet the supply chain issues have persisted months after the economy began to reopen and recover as vaccines lessened many of the risks from the pandemic.

Consumer prices climbed 5.4% from a year ago, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Wednesday. That is significantly above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target. Higher energy, food and shelter costs were prime drivers of price increases in September.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1634172701291.png" alt="“With holidays coming up, you might be wondering if the gifts you plan to buy will arrive on time,” Biden said at the White House. “Today we have some good news: We’re going to help speed up the delivery of goods all across America.”" />
 <figcaption>“With holidays coming up, you might be wondering if the gifts you plan to buy will arrive on time,” Biden said at the White House. “Today we have some good news: We’re going to help speed up the delivery of goods all across America.”</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden tried to reassure Americans on Wednesday that he can tame&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-consumer-prices-inflation-prices-e80c0c24a6ec5ca1c977eccd6294d01b">high inflation</a>, announcing a deal to expand operations at the Port of Los Angeles as prices keep climbing and container ships wait to dock in a traffic jam threatening the U.S. economy and holiday shopping.<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?515317-1/president-biden-announces-steps-ease-global-supply-chain-bottlenecks-nations-ports">Click here to watch </a>the President's statementPrices are jumping in large part because container ships are stranded at ports and because unloaded goods are waiting for trucks, leading to mass shortages and delays that have caused a longer than expected bout of inflation. The rising costs are eating into worker pay, creating a drag on growth and driving Republican criticism of Biden just as his multitrillion-dollar tax, economic, climate and infrastructure agenda is going through the crucible of congressional negotiations.The White House responded to the backlog by finalizing an agreement for the Port of Los Angeles to become a 24-hour, seven-days-a-week operation. The hope is that nighttime operations will help to break the logjam and reduce shipping delays for toasters, sneakers, bicycles, cars and more.“With holidays coming up, you might be wondering if the gifts you plan to buy will arrive on time,” Biden said at the White House. “Today we have some good news: We’re going to help speed up the delivery of goods all across America.”But the expansion of port operations was also an unspoken recognition that inflation is lingering at higher levels long after the economy began to reopen from the coronavirus pandemic. Businesses were worrying about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-coronavirus-pandemic-lifestyle-business-government-and-politics-2c2d811df7e2b07dd927778fb7944c3a">monthslong delays for shipping containers</a>&nbsp;in June, yet the administration only formed its supply chain task force that month and named a port envoy on Aug. 27 to address the challenge.Ports are also just one piece of the puzzle, Biden said. The country needs more truck drivers, private retailers to step up and better infrastructure, as well as a supply chain that can less easily be disrupted by pandemics and extreme weather. The president is trying to use the predicament as a selling point for his policy plans that undergoing congressional scrutiny.“We need to take a longer view and invest in building greater resiliency to withstand the kinds of shocks we’ve seen over and over, year in and year out, the risk of pandemic, extreme weather, climate change, cyberattacks, weather disruptions,” he said.The sense of uncertainty is beginning to consume the attention of many Americans.University of Michigan economist Betsey Stevenson noted on Twitter the “economy is in a very fragile and unprecedented place.” Prices are rising at more than 5%, trade in goods and services have slowed and more Americans are quitting their jobs while the delta variant has made the coronavirus pandemic a risk.“No one really knows what’s going to happen,” wrote Stevenson, a former member of the White House Council of Economic Advisers under President Barack Obama.Ports in Los Angeles and Long Beach, California, account for 40% of all shipping containers entering the United States. As of Tuesday, there were 64 ships berthed at the two ports and 80 waiting to dock and unload, according to the Marine Exchange of Southern California.Commitments by the Los Angeles port’s operator, longshoremen and several of the country’s largest retail and shipping companies are expected to help relieve the backlog.Walmart, FedEx, UPS, Target, Samsung and The Home Depot committed to unloading during off-peak hours, making it easier for the Los Angeles port to operate nonstop. The Long Beach port has been operating 24 hours daily for seven days for roughly the past three weeks.Biden also held a virtual roundtable with the heads of Walmart, FedEx Logistics, UPS, Target, Samsung Electronics North America, the Teamsters Union and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, among other groups, before his speech.Republican lawmakers say&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-vote-coronavirus-relief-package-33f4902ca9a2aed4e76274af6bb2ea5c">Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package</a>&nbsp;has fueled higher prices. A recent analysis issued by the investment bank Goldman Sachs estimates that “supply-constrained goods” account for 80% of this year’s inflation overshoot, yet the political criticism continues to sting as housing and oil prices add to inflationary pressures.Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky has made inflation one of his central charges against Biden, a sign that getting prices under control could be essential for Democrats trying to hold onto congressional seats in next year’s elections.“The Democrats’ inflation is so bad that even though the average American worker has gotten a multiple-percentage-point pay raise over the last year, their actual purchasing power has been cut,” McConnell said in a Senate speech last week. “Even dollar stores are having to raise their prices. Just ask any American family about their last few trips to the supermarket, the gas station or the toy store. Heaven forbid if they’ve had to participate in the housing market or the auto market anytime lately.”The Biden administration has argued that higher inflation is temporary. Yet the supply chain issues have persisted months after the economy began to reopen and recover as vaccines lessened many of the risks from the pandemic.Consumer prices climbed 5.4% from a year ago, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Wednesday. That is significantly above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target. Higher energy, food and shelter costs were prime drivers of price increases in September.

🎥President Biden takes action to resolve global supply chain issues

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Officials at the Lincoln Children's Zoo say five big cats tested positive for COVID-19. 

Zoo officials announced Wednesday that two Sumatran tigers and three snow leopards were tested after they began showing symptoms of the virus during the weekend. 

Spokeswoman Sarah Wood said in a news release the cats are the first animals at the zoo to contract the virus. They are being treated with plans that have been successful at other zoos. 

Wood said it's unclear how the animals were infected. She said the public was not in danger because of the distance between the cats and zoo visitors. 

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Officials at the Lincoln Children's Zoo say five big cats tested positive for COVID-19. Zoo officials announced Wednesday that two Sumatran tigers and three snow leopards were tested after they began showing symptoms of the virus during the weekend. Spokeswoman Sarah Wood said in a news release the cats are the first animals at the zoo to contract the virus. They are being treated with plans that have been successful at other zoos. Wood said it's unclear how the animals were infected. She said the public was not in danger because of the distance between the cats and zoo visitors. The animals are expected to recover.

Big cats at Lincoln Children's Zoo contract COVID-19

YORK, Neb. (AP) — Investigators say a southeastern Nebraska teen has died after his pickup crashed into the back of semitrailer stopped at a rural intersection. 

The York News-Times reports that the crash happened Tuesday morning at the intersection of U.S. Highway 34 and Road O just northeast of York, killing 18-year-old Kain Verhage, of Fairmont. 

The York County Sheriff's Office says Verhage was westbound on the highway when he ran into the back of the semi. 

Verhage was flown by medical helicopter to a Lincoln hospital, where he died from his injuries.

 Deputies say no one else was hurt in the collision.

YORK, Neb. (AP) — Investigators say a southeastern Nebraska teen has died after his pickup crashed into the back of semitrailer stopped at a rural intersection. The York News-Times reports that the crash happened Tuesday morning at the intersection of U.S. Highway 34 and Road O just northeast of York, killing 18-year-old Kain Verhage, of Fairmont. The York County Sheriff's Office says Verhage was westbound on the highway when he ran into the back of the semi. Verhage was flown by medical helicopter to a Lincoln hospital, where he died from his injuries. Deputies say no one else was hurt in the collision.

Southeastern Nebraska teen killed in crash into back of semi

MOLINE, Ill. (AP) — More than 10,000 Deere &amp; Co. workers appear ready to go on strike if negotiators can't deliver a new agreement by the end of Wednesday.

The United Auto Workers union has said its members would walk off the job if no deal has been reached by 11:59 p.m. The vast majority of the union rejected a contract offer earlier this week that would have delivered 5% raises to some workers and 6% raises to others.

Thirty-five years have passed since the last major Deere strike, but workers are emboldened to demand more this year after working long hours throughout the pandemic and because companies are facing worker shortages.

Chris Laursen, who works as a painter at Deere, told the Des Moines Register that he thinks a strike is imminent and could make a significant difference.

Earlier this year, another group of UAW-represented workers went on strike at a Volvo Trucks plant in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/virginia">Virginia</a>&nbsp;and wound up with better pay and lower-cost health benefits after rejecting three tentative contract offers.

The contracts being under negotiation cover 14 Deere plants across the United States, including seven in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/iowa">Iowa</a>, four in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/illinois">Illinois</a>&nbsp;and one each in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/kansas">Kansas</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/colorado">Colorado</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/georgia">Georgia</a>.

The contract talks at the Moline, Illinois-based company are unfolding as Deere is expecting to report record profits between $5.7 billion and $5.9 billion this year. The company has been reporting strong sales of its agricultural and construction equipment this year.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1634151279010.png" alt="Google image" />
 <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>MOLINE, Ill. (AP) — More than 10,000 Deere &amp; Co. workers appear ready to go on strike if negotiators can't deliver a new agreement by the end of Wednesday.The United Auto Workers union has said its members would walk off the job if no deal has been reached by 11:59 p.m. The vast majority of the union rejected a contract offer earlier this week that would have delivered 5% raises to some workers and 6% raises to others.Thirty-five years have passed since the last major Deere strike, but workers are emboldened to demand more this year after working long hours throughout the pandemic and because companies are facing worker shortages.Chris Laursen, who works as a painter at Deere, told the Des Moines Register that he thinks a strike is imminent and could make a significant difference.“The whole nation’s going to be watching us,” Laursen said to the newspaper. “If we take a stand here for ourselves, our families, for basic human prosperity, it’s going to make a difference for the whole manufacturing industry. Let’s do it. Let’s not be intimidated.”Earlier this year, another group of UAW-represented workers went on strike at a Volvo Trucks plant in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/virginia">Virginia</a>&nbsp;and wound up with better pay and lower-cost health benefits after rejecting three tentative contract offers.The contracts being under negotiation cover 14 Deere plants across the United States, including seven in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/iowa">Iowa</a>, four in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/illinois">Illinois</a>&nbsp;and one each in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/kansas">Kansas</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/colorado">Colorado</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/georgia">Georgia</a>.The contract talks at the Moline, Illinois-based company are unfolding as Deere is expecting to report record profits between $5.7 billion and $5.9 billion this year. The company has been reporting strong sales of its agricultural and construction equipment this year.The Deere production plants are an important contributors to the economy, so local officials hope any strike will be short-lived.“We definitely want to see our economy stabilize and grow after the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Moline Mayor Sangeetha Rayapati said to the Quad-Cities Times. “Hopefully, these parties can come to a resolution soon.”

Deere workers in Kan., 4 other states prepare for strike after rejecting contract

WASHINGTON (AP) — Millions of retirees on Social Security will get&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/why-social-security-cost-of-living-adjustments-will-jump-8d4ad9b73a7e1b3091ba9c9a5a7ae955">a 5.9% boost in benefits for 2022</a>. The biggest cost-of-living adjustment in 39 years follows&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-consumer-prices-inflation-prices-e80c0c24a6ec5ca1c977eccd6294d01b">a burst in inflation</a>&nbsp;as the economy struggles to shake off the drag of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">the coronavirus pandemic</a>.

The COLA, as it’s commonly called, amounts to $92 a month for the average retired worker, according to estimates released Wednesday by the Social Security Administration. That marks an abrupt break from a long lull in inflation that saw&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-virus-outbreak-lifestyle-business-politics-b71b35f7cf238811342caeda8fd541ca">cost-of-living adjustments averaging just 1.65% a year</a>&nbsp;over the past 10 years.

With the increase, the estimated average Social Security payment for a retired worker will be $1,657 a month next year. A typical couple’s benefits would rise by $154 to $2,753 per month.

But that’s just to help make up for rising costs that recipients are already paying for food, gasoline and other goods and services.

“It goes pretty quickly,” retiree Cliff Rumsey said of the cost-of-living increases he’s seen. After a career in sales for a leading steel manufacturer, Rumsey lives near Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. He cares at home for his wife of nearly 60 years, Judy, who has advanced Alzheimer’s disease. Since the coronavirus pandemic, Rumsey said he has also noted price increases for wages paid to caregivers who occasionally spell him and for personal care products for Judy.

The COLA affects household budgets for about 1 in 5 Americans. That includes Social Security recipients, disabled veterans and federal retirees, nearly 70 million people in all. For baby boomers who embarked on retirement within the past 15 years, it will be the biggest increase they’ve seen.

Among them is Kitty Ruderman of Queens in New York City, who retired from a career as an executive assistant and has been collecting Social Security for about 10 years. “We wait to hear every year what the increase is going to be, and every year it’s been so insignificant,” she said. “This year, thank goodness, it will make a difference.”

Ruderman says she times her grocery shopping to take advantage of midweek senior citizen discounts, but even so price hikes have been “extreme.” She says she doesn’t think she can afford a medication that her doctor has recommended.

AARP CEO Jo Ann Jenkins called the government payout increase “crucial for Social Security beneficiaries and their families as they try to keep up with rising costs.”

Policymakers say the COLA was designed as a safeguard to protect Social Security benefits against the loss of purchasing power, and not a pay bump for retirees. About half of seniors live in households where Social Security benefits provide at least 50% of their income, and one-quarter rely on their monthly payment for all or nearly all their income.

“Regardless of the size of the COLA, you never want to minimize the importance of the COLA,” said retirement policy expert Charles Blahous, a former public trustee helping to oversee Social Security and Medicare finances. “What people are able to purchase is very profoundly affected by the number that comes out. We are talking the necessities of living in many cases.”

This year’s Social Security trustees report amplified warnings about the long-range financial stability of the program, but there’s little talk about fixes in Congress with lawmakers’ attention consumed by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-congress-government-overhaul-public-works-9438a78ba7c7865d75428e746d1de04d">President Joe Biden’s massive domestic&nbsp;</a>legislation and partisan machinations over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-congress-bills-financial-markets-9abe4ef546f62521bcfe7dc3c9517eaf">the national debt</a>. Social Security cannot be addressed through&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-financial-markets-nancy-pelosi-3b591443b048d2fbfb7a9f9b6f646f7a">the budget reconciliation process</a>&nbsp;Democrats are attempting to use to deliver Biden’s promises.

Social Security’s turn will come, said Rep. John Larson, D-Conn., chairman of the House Social Security subcommittee and author of legislation to tackle shortfalls that would leave the program unable to pay full benefits in less than 15 years. His bill would raise payroll taxes while also changing the COLA formula to give more weight to health care expenses and other costs that weigh more heavily on the elderly. Larson said he intends to press ahead next year.

“This one-time shot of COLA is not the antidote,” he said.

Although Biden’s domestic package includes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-health-medicaid-medicare-1dda9033a7c4475ae82f679b7d964d72">a major expansion of Medicare</a>&nbsp;to cover dental, hearing and vision care, Larson said he hears from constituents that seniors are feeling neglected by the Democrats.

“In town halls and tele-town halls they’re saying, ‘We are really happy with what you did on the child tax credit, but what about us?’” Larson added. “In a midterm election, this is a very important constituency.”

The COLA is only one part of the annual financial equation for seniors. An announcement about Medicare’s Part B premium for outpatient care is expected soon. It’s usually an increase, so at least some of any Social Security raise goes for health care. The Part B premium is now $148.50 a month, and the Medicare trustees report estimated a $10 increase for 2022.

Economist Marilyn Moon, who also served as public trustee for Social Security and Medicare, said she believes the current spurt of inflation is an adjustment to highly unusual economic circumstances and the pattern of restraint on prices will reassert itself with time.

“I would think there is going to be an increase this year that you won’t see reproduced in the future,” Moon said.

Policymakers should not delay getting to work on retirement programs, she said.

“We’re at a point in time where people don’t react to policy needs until there is a sense of desperation, and both Social Security and Medicare are programs that benefit from long-range planning rather short-range machinations,” she said.

Social Security is financed by payroll taxes collected from workers and their employers. Each pays 6.2% on wages up to a cap, which is adjusted each year for inflation. Next year the maximum amount of earnings subject to Social Security payroll taxes will increase to $147,000.

The financing scheme dates to the 1930s,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-medicare-business-elizabeth-warren-politics-e75a52c8a98846f3ab2fddd335915dd2">the brainchild of President Franklin D. Roosevelt,</a>&nbsp;who believed a payroll tax would foster among average Americans a sense of ownership that would protect the program from political interference.

That argument still resonates. “Social Security is my lifeline,” said Ruderman, the New York retiree. “It’s what we’ve worked for.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1634133091707.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Millions of retirees on Social Security will get&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/why-social-security-cost-of-living-adjustments-will-jump-8d4ad9b73a7e1b3091ba9c9a5a7ae955">a 5.9% boost in benefits for 2022</a>. The biggest cost-of-living adjustment in 39 years follows&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-consumer-prices-inflation-prices-e80c0c24a6ec5ca1c977eccd6294d01b">a burst in inflation</a>&nbsp;as the economy struggles to shake off the drag of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">the coronavirus pandemic</a>.The COLA, as it’s commonly called, amounts to $92 a month for the average retired worker, according to estimates released Wednesday by the Social Security Administration. That marks an abrupt break from a long lull in inflation that saw&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-virus-outbreak-lifestyle-business-politics-b71b35f7cf238811342caeda8fd541ca">cost-of-living adjustments averaging just 1.65% a year</a>&nbsp;over the past 10 years.With the increase, the estimated average Social Security payment for a retired worker will be $1,657 a month next year. A typical couple’s benefits would rise by $154 to $2,753 per month.But that’s just to help make up for rising costs that recipients are already paying for food, gasoline and other goods and services.—“It goes pretty quickly,” retiree Cliff Rumsey said of the cost-of-living increases he’s seen. After a career in sales for a leading steel manufacturer, Rumsey lives near Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. He cares at home for his wife of nearly 60 years, Judy, who has advanced Alzheimer’s disease. Since the coronavirus pandemic, Rumsey said he has also noted price increases for wages paid to caregivers who occasionally spell him and for personal care products for Judy.The COLA affects household budgets for about 1 in 5 Americans. That includes Social Security recipients, disabled veterans and federal retirees, nearly 70 million people in all. For baby boomers who embarked on retirement within the past 15 years, it will be the biggest increase they’ve seen.Among them is Kitty Ruderman of Queens in New York City, who retired from a career as an executive assistant and has been collecting Social Security for about 10 years. “We wait to hear every year what the increase is going to be, and every year it’s been so insignificant,” she said. “This year, thank goodness, it will make a difference.”Ruderman says she times her grocery shopping to take advantage of midweek senior citizen discounts, but even so price hikes have been “extreme.” She says she doesn’t think she can afford a medication that her doctor has recommended.AARP CEO Jo Ann Jenkins called the government payout increase “crucial for Social Security beneficiaries and their families as they try to keep up with rising costs.”Policymakers say the COLA was designed as a safeguard to protect Social Security benefits against the loss of purchasing power, and not a pay bump for retirees. About half of seniors live in households where Social Security benefits provide at least 50% of their income, and one-quarter rely on their monthly payment for all or nearly all their income.“Regardless of the size of the COLA, you never want to minimize the importance of the COLA,” said retirement policy expert Charles Blahous, a former public trustee helping to oversee Social Security and Medicare finances. “What people are able to purchase is very profoundly affected by the number that comes out. We are talking the necessities of living in many cases.”This year’s Social Security trustees report amplified warnings about the long-range financial stability of the program, but there’s little talk about fixes in Congress with lawmakers’ attention consumed by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-congress-government-overhaul-public-works-9438a78ba7c7865d75428e746d1de04d">President Joe Biden’s massive domestic&nbsp;</a>legislation and partisan machinations over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-congress-bills-financial-markets-9abe4ef546f62521bcfe7dc3c9517eaf">the national debt</a>. Social Security cannot be addressed through&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-financial-markets-nancy-pelosi-3b591443b048d2fbfb7a9f9b6f646f7a">the budget reconciliation process</a>&nbsp;Democrats are attempting to use to deliver Biden’s promises.Social Security’s turn will come, said Rep. John Larson, D-Conn., chairman of the House Social Security subcommittee and author of legislation to tackle shortfalls that would leave the program unable to pay full benefits in less than 15 years. His bill would raise payroll taxes while also changing the COLA formula to give more weight to health care expenses and other costs that weigh more heavily on the elderly. Larson said he intends to press ahead next year.“This one-time shot of COLA is not the antidote,” he said.Although Biden’s domestic package includes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-health-medicaid-medicare-1dda9033a7c4475ae82f679b7d964d72">a major expansion of Medicare</a>&nbsp;to cover dental, hearing and vision care, Larson said he hears from constituents that seniors are feeling neglected by the Democrats.“In town halls and tele-town halls they’re saying, ‘We are really happy with what you did on the child tax credit, but what about us?’” Larson added. “In a midterm election, this is a very important constituency.”The COLA is only one part of the annual financial equation for seniors. An announcement about Medicare’s Part B premium for outpatient care is expected soon. It’s usually an increase, so at least some of any Social Security raise goes for health care. The Part B premium is now $148.50 a month, and the Medicare trustees report estimated a $10 increase for 2022.Economist Marilyn Moon, who also served as public trustee for Social Security and Medicare, said she believes the current spurt of inflation is an adjustment to highly unusual economic circumstances and the pattern of restraint on prices will reassert itself with time.“I would think there is going to be an increase this year that you won’t see reproduced in the future,” Moon said.Policymakers should not delay getting to work on retirement programs, she said.“We’re at a point in time where people don’t react to policy needs until there is a sense of desperation, and both Social Security and Medicare are programs that benefit from long-range planning rather short-range machinations,” she said.Social Security is financed by payroll taxes collected from workers and their employers. Each pays 6.2% on wages up to a cap, which is adjusted each year for inflation. Next year the maximum amount of earnings subject to Social Security payroll taxes will increase to $147,000.The financing scheme dates to the 1930s,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-medicare-business-elizabeth-warren-politics-e75a52c8a98846f3ab2fddd335915dd2">the brainchild of President Franklin D. Roosevelt,</a>&nbsp;who believed a payroll tax would foster among average Americans a sense of ownership that would protect the program from political interference.That argument still resonates. “Social Security is my lifeline,” said Ruderman, the New York retiree. “It’s what we’ve worked for.”

Social Security cost-of-living adjustment largest in decades

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Lincoln man accused of mispresenting himself as a financial adviser has been been arrested after police say he bilked four people out of more than $1 million. 

The Lincoln Journal Star reports that 65-year-old Douglas Cmelik turned himself in to police Tuesday and was arrested on suspicion of four counts of sale of securities by an unregistered investment adviser.

Investigators say the scheme dates back to 2013, when a Lincoln man reportedly invested $500,000 with Cmelik. 

Police say three other Lincoln residents together invested another $768,000 with Cmelik, who was charging fees for his services. 

Police say the four people reported significant losses due to Cmelik investing their money in high-risk stocks.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Lincoln man accused of mispresenting himself as a financial adviser has been been arrested after police say he bilked four people out of more than $1 million. The Lincoln Journal Star reports that 65-year-old Douglas Cmelik turned himself in to police Tuesday and was arrested on suspicion of four counts of sale of securities by an unregistered investment adviser.Investigators say the scheme dates back to 2013, when a Lincoln man reportedly invested $500,000 with Cmelik. Police say three other Lincoln residents together invested another $768,000 with Cmelik, who was charging fees for his services. Police say the four people reported significant losses due to Cmelik investing their money in high-risk stocks.

Lincoln man arrested, accused of bilking investors of $1M

VAN HORN, Texas (AP) — Hollywood’s Captain Kirk, 90-year-old William Shatner, has blasted into space and safely returned to Earth in a convergence of science fiction and science reality. He set out Wednesday morning for the final frontier aboard a ship built by Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin company. 

The “Star Trek” hero becomes the oldest person to ride a rocket. The fully automatic spacecraft reached an estimated altitude of 66 miles over the West Texas desert. The up-and-down flight lasted about 10 minutes, with Shatner and his three fellow passengers parachuting back to Earth in the capsule.

VAN HORN, Texas (AP) — Hollywood’s Captain Kirk, 90-year-old William Shatner, has blasted into space in a convergence of science fiction and science reality. He set out Wednesday morning for the final frontier aboard a ship built by Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin company. 

The “Star Trek” hero becomes the oldest person to ride a rocket. The fully automatic spacecraft is set to reach an altitude of 66 miles over the West Texas desert. The up-and-down flight should last about 10 minutes, with Shatner and his three fellow passengers parachuting back to Earth in the capsule.

VAN HORN, Texas (AP) — Actor William Shatner is counting down to his wildest role yet: riding a rocket into space, courtesy of “Star Trek” fan Jeff Bezos. Best known for his role as Captain Kirk, the 90-year-old Shatner is joining three other passengers for Wednesday morning's launch from West Texas. 

He will become the oldest person in space. Bezos' space travel company, Blue Origin, invited Shatner on the brief jaunt to the fringes of the final frontier. It will be Blue Origin's second passenger flight and should last just 10 minutes, like Bezos' own spaceflight in July.

VAN HORN, Texas (AP) — As William Shatner prepares to be beamed up Wednesday for his first real-life spaceflight, and to become at 90 the oldest person ever to enter the final frontier, he’s bringing out the awe in the small handful of people around a rural Texas spaceport.

Shatner’s 10-minute trip with three others on the second passenger flight from Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin will be more like the first space launches of the 1960s than the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shatner-blue-origin-2f300ec9fc37e5625d56bbc6de3f42b7">fictional galactic voyages of the Starship Enterprise</a>&nbsp;on “Star Trek,” but the very idea of him leaving the atmosphere is powerful.

“It’s time Captain Kirk actually physically got up into space. I’m kind of excited about that,” said Becky Brewster, mayor of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-technology-travel-texas-space-tourism-da559b0b6f84606829c4e79163e602d8">Van Horn, a rural town of about 1,800 people</a>&nbsp;on what was once desolate desert ranchland in far West Texas that has been transformed by the presence of the Blue Origin spaceport facilities 25 miles away.

The mayor, a lifelong “Star Trek” fan, said she was disappointed she wasn’t invited to the launch site but is savoring the moment anyway. She’s planning to watch from her backyard with the livestream playing.

“He and Mr. Spock were the ones that got me interested in space and science fiction and and everything else,” Brewster said. “So, from junior high age up to now where William Shatner is actually in our town fixing to go up into space. You know, it’s kind of like the whole circle now for me.”

Beyond his celebrity identity, Shatner being space-bound at his age is a kick for close observers.

Joseph Barra, who works as a bartender for a Los Angeles catering company, heard only that he was getting an unusual gig at a remote Texas launch site.

“I’m like stop. You had me at space. Had no clue what else,” Barra said. “And then all I heard was their gonna send some 90-year-old man into space. And I’m like, Dang, that sounds intense. Like, I wonder who that is. Then you get in site and I’m like, Oh, it’s William Shatner.”

Barra said the experience of serving drinks to Shatner and his crew mates has been surreal and then some.

“We’re seeing that the man who in a sense like made space popular or made or gave everybody dreams of going to space,” Barra said. “Now he’s the one going to space and he’s the one setting the bar. It’s inspiring. Some like here, this man is 90 years old, proving that no matter how old you are, you still have more to do and accomplish on this Earth, and you can still give people an inspiration and a source and something to aspire to.”

Barra said he heard Shatner say he plans to just gaze out the window at Earth during his minutes of weightlessness.

But he has a bit more planned apparently.

A Twitter user asked Shatner, an avid tweeter, on Tuesday whether he will post from space.

“I cannot bring my phone but I’ve prearranged a little something,”&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/WilliamShatner/status/1447906641823756288" target="_blank">Shatner replied</a>&nbsp;with a wink emoji.

Earlier in the week he tweeted a photo of himself and his fellow crew members in blue flight suits that are far more futuristic than the yellow leotard-style uniform he wore on the original “Star Trek.”

“Aren’t we all adorbs!”&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/WilliamShatner/status/1447367260473987074" target="_blank">Shatner said</a>.

Bezos, who was on Blue Origin’s debut flight in July, is also a big “Star Trek” fan, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/william-shatner-star-trek-blue-origin-space-jeff-bezos-e10877d624a4cc0be9385585c2647cdd">invited Shatner to take the flight as a guest</a>.

He’ll join three others — two of them paying customers in the burgeoning business of space tourism — aboard a Blue Origin capsule.

The fully automated flight, delayed by a day due to weather, will take them no higher than about 66 miles (106 kilometers). The capsule will parachute back to the desert floor, not far from where it took off.

Shatner plans to get right back to his work as Captain Kirk once he’s back down to Earth.

“I’m doing Space, then Indiana Comic Con, &amp; then on Sunday Wizard World Chicago,”&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/WilliamShatner/status/1447759827577368578" target="_blank">he tweeted</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1634138062297.png" alt="William Shatner as he emerged from the capsule after the flight-photo Blue Origin" />
 <figcaption>William Shatner as he emerged from the capsule after the flight-photo Blue Origin</figcaption>
 </figure>VAN HORN, Texas (AP) — Hollywood’s Captain Kirk, 90-year-old William Shatner, has blasted into space and safely returned to Earth in a convergence of science fiction and science reality. He set out Wednesday morning for the final frontier aboard a ship built by Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin company. <div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uEhdlIor-do" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>The “Star Trek” hero becomes the oldest person to ride a rocket. The fully automatic spacecraft reached an estimated altitude of 66 miles over the West Texas desert. The up-and-down flight lasted about 10 minutes, with Shatner and his three fellow passengers parachuting back to Earth in the capsule.--------VAN HORN, Texas (AP) — Hollywood’s Captain Kirk, 90-year-old William Shatner, has blasted into space in a convergence of science fiction and science reality. He set out Wednesday morning for the final frontier aboard a ship built by Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin company. The “Star Trek” hero becomes the oldest person to ride a rocket. The fully automatic spacecraft is set to reach an altitude of 66 miles over the West Texas desert. The up-and-down flight should last about 10 minutes, with Shatner and his three fellow passengers parachuting back to Earth in the capsule.--------<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1634134056055.png" alt="Shatner in the final steps ahead of boarding the spacecraft Wednesday morning -photo Blue Origin" />
 <figcaption>Shatner in the final steps ahead of boarding the spacecraft Wednesday morning -photo Blue Origin</figcaption>
 </figure>VAN HORN, Texas (AP) — Actor William Shatner is counting down to his wildest role yet: riding a rocket into space, courtesy of “Star Trek” fan Jeff Bezos. Best known for his role as Captain Kirk, the 90-year-old Shatner is joining three other passengers for Wednesday morning's launch from West Texas. He will become the oldest person in space. Bezos' space travel company, Blue Origin, invited Shatner on the brief jaunt to the fringes of the final frontier. It will be Blue Origin's second passenger flight and should last just 10 minutes, like Bezos' own spaceflight in July.----------<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1634134171505.png" alt="Special delivery: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NS18?src=hashtag_click">#NS18</a> astronauts put pen to postcard ahead of their flight. When they take to the skies, they’ll boldly go where no mail carrier has gone before.-photo Blue Origin" />
 <figcaption>Special delivery: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NS18?src=hashtag_click">#NS18</a> astronauts put pen to postcard ahead of their flight. When they take to the skies, they’ll boldly go where no mail carrier has gone before.-photo Blue Origin</figcaption>
 </figure>VAN HORN, Texas (AP) — As William Shatner prepares to be beamed up Wednesday for his first real-life spaceflight, and to become at 90 the oldest person ever to enter the final frontier, he’s bringing out the awe in the small handful of people around a rural Texas spaceport.Shatner’s 10-minute trip with three others on the second passenger flight from Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin will be more like the first space launches of the 1960s than the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shatner-blue-origin-2f300ec9fc37e5625d56bbc6de3f42b7">fictional galactic voyages of the Starship Enterprise</a>&nbsp;on “Star Trek,” but the very idea of him leaving the atmosphere is powerful.“It’s time Captain Kirk actually physically got up into space. I’m kind of excited about that,” said Becky Brewster, mayor of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-technology-travel-texas-space-tourism-da559b0b6f84606829c4e79163e602d8">Van Horn, a rural town of about 1,800 people</a>&nbsp;on what was once desolate desert ranchland in far West Texas that has been transformed by the presence of the Blue Origin spaceport facilities 25 miles away.The mayor, a lifelong “Star Trek” fan, said she was disappointed she wasn’t invited to the launch site but is savoring the moment anyway. She’s planning to watch from her backyard with the livestream playing.“He and Mr. Spock were the ones that got me interested in space and science fiction and and everything else,” Brewster said. “So, from junior high age up to now where William Shatner is actually in our town fixing to go up into space. You know, it’s kind of like the whole circle now for me.”Beyond his celebrity identity, Shatner being space-bound at his age is a kick for close observers.Joseph Barra, who works as a bartender for a Los Angeles catering company, heard only that he was getting an unusual gig at a remote Texas launch site.“I’m like stop. You had me at space. Had no clue what else,” Barra said. “And then all I heard was their gonna send some 90-year-old man into space. And I’m like, Dang, that sounds intense. Like, I wonder who that is. Then you get in site and I’m like, Oh, it’s William Shatner.”Barra said the experience of serving drinks to Shatner and his crew mates has been surreal and then some.“We’re seeing that the man who in a sense like made space popular or made or gave everybody dreams of going to space,” Barra said. “Now he’s the one going to space and he’s the one setting the bar. It’s inspiring. Some like here, this man is 90 years old, proving that no matter how old you are, you still have more to do and accomplish on this Earth, and you can still give people an inspiration and a source and something to aspire to.”Barra said he heard Shatner say he plans to just gaze out the window at Earth during his minutes of weightlessness.But he has a bit more planned apparently.A Twitter user asked Shatner, an avid tweeter, on Tuesday whether he will post from space.“I cannot bring my phone but I’ve prearranged a little something,”&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/WilliamShatner/status/1447906641823756288" target="_blank">Shatner replied</a>&nbsp;with a wink emoji.Earlier in the week he tweeted a photo of himself and his fellow crew members in blue flight suits that are far more futuristic than the yellow leotard-style uniform he wore on the original “Star Trek.”“Aren’t we all adorbs!”&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/WilliamShatner/status/1447367260473987074" target="_blank">Shatner said</a>.Bezos, who was on Blue Origin’s debut flight in July, is also a big “Star Trek” fan, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/william-shatner-star-trek-blue-origin-space-jeff-bezos-e10877d624a4cc0be9385585c2647cdd">invited Shatner to take the flight as a guest</a>.He’ll join three others — two of them paying customers in the burgeoning business of space tourism — aboard a Blue Origin capsule.The fully automated flight, delayed by a day due to weather, will take them no higher than about 66 miles (106 kilometers). The capsule will parachute back to the desert floor, not far from where it took off.Shatner plans to get right back to his work as Captain Kirk once he’s back down to Earth.“I’m doing Space, then Indiana Comic Con, &amp; then on Sunday Wizard World Chicago,”&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/WilliamShatner/status/1447759827577368578" target="_blank">he tweeted</a>.

🎥 William Shatner, TV's Capt. Kirk, becomes oldest in space

WASHINGTON — The Biden’s administration’s mandate that employers with 100 or more workers require coronavirus vaccinations or institute weekly virus testing has moved one step closer to enforcement.

On Tuesday, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration finalized the initial draft of the emergency order and sent it to the White House Office of Management and Budget for review. That’s according to the Department of Labor.

OMB’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs will conduct a standard review of the regulation.

Officials did not immediately provide an estimate for the OMB examination. The agency has 90 days to review the rule or send it back to OSHA for revision. Text of the proposed order won’t be published until OMB completes its review.

Owing to the bureaucracy surrounding the rulemaking process, President Joe Biden has encouraged businesses to implement mandates ahead of the final rule being implemented.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1629663997116.png" alt="President Joe Biden has encouraged businesses to implement mandates ahead of the final rule being implemented." />
 <figcaption>President Joe Biden has encouraged businesses to implement mandates ahead of the final rule being implemented.</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON — The Biden’s administration’s mandate that employers with 100 or more workers require coronavirus vaccinations or institute weekly virus testing has moved one step closer to enforcement.On Tuesday, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration finalized the initial draft of the emergency order and sent it to the White House Office of Management and Budget for review. That’s according to the Department of Labor.OMB’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs will conduct a standard review of the regulation.Officials did not immediately provide an estimate for the OMB examination. The agency has 90 days to review the rule or send it back to OSHA for revision. Text of the proposed order won’t be published until OMB completes its review.Owing to the bureaucracy surrounding the rulemaking process, President Joe Biden has encouraged businesses to implement mandates ahead of the final rule being implemented.

Biden vaccine mandate another step closer to enforcement

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Police in Lincoln say a motorcyclist was killed when his bike hit a curb and threw him. 

The crash happened Monday night near a roundabout in northwestern Lincoln. Investigators say the 61-year-old man's motorcycle hit a curb as he approached the roundabout. 

Police and paramedics tried to save the man's life, but he was pronounced dead at a hospital. His name was not immediately released.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Police in Lincoln say a motorcyclist was killed when his bike hit a curb and threw him. The crash happened Monday night near a roundabout in northwestern Lincoln. Investigators say the 61-year-old man's motorcycle hit a curb as he approached the roundabout. Police and paramedics tried to save the man's life, but he was pronounced dead at a hospital. His name was not immediately released.

Police say Lincoln man killed when motorcycle hits curb

WASHINGTON (AP) — Members of the House on Tuesday pushed through a short-term increase to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/debt-limit-explained-8c9cbcd3d0c4a8fe989a0110f5159f7c">the nation’s debt limit</a>, ensuring the federal government can continue fully paying its bills into December and temporarily averting an unprecedented default that would have decimated the economy.

The $480 billion increase in the country’s borrowing ceiling&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-congress-mitch-mcconnell-6e330d9fb94b73787ea70e7807b87151">cleared the Senate last week</a>&nbsp;on a party-line vote. The House approved it swiftly so President Joe Biden can sign it into law this week.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-congress-janet-yellen-cf59ef71fe0dfd51d8343aea84fe3bd6">Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen had warned</a>&nbsp;that steps to stave off a default on the country’s debts would be exhausted by Monday, and from that point, the department would soon be unable to fully meet the government’s financial obligations.

A default would have immense fallout on global financial markets built upon the bedrock safety of U.S. government debt. Routine government payments to Social Security beneficiaries, disabled veterans and active-duty military personnel would also be called into question.

The relief provided by passage of the legislation will only be temporary though, forcing Congress to revisit the issue in December — a time when lawmakers will also be laboring to complete federal spending bills and avoid a damaging government shutdown. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-congress-filibusters-27ee5558714da1347b68d58952cc137b">yearend backlog&nbsp;</a>raises risks for both parties and threatens a tumultuous close to Biden’s first year in office.

“I’m glad that this at least allows us to prevent a totally self-made and utterly preventable economic catastrophe as we work on a longer-term plan,” said Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass.

Republicans signaled the next debt limit debate won’t be any easier and warned Democrats not to expect their help.

“Unless and until Democrats give up on their dream of a big-government, socialist America, Republicans cannot and will not support raising the debt limit and help them pave the superhighway to a great entitlement society,” said Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla.

Procedurally, the House took a single vote Tuesday that had the effect of passing the Senate bill. The measure passed by a party-line vote of 219-206.

The present standoff over the debt ceiling eased when Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., agreed to help pass the short-term increase. But he insists he won’t do so again.

In a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-congress-economy-bills-f2b52bc7ff5d1f241ed12e73e382c6b8">letter sent Friday</a>&nbsp;to Biden, McConnell said Democrats will have to handle the next debt-limit increase on their own using the same process they have tried to use to pass Biden’s massive social spending and environment plan. Reconciliation allows legislation to pass the Senate with 51 votes rather than the 60 that’s typically required. In the 50-50 split Senate, Vice President Kamala Harris gives Democrats the majority with her tiebreaking vote.

Lawmakers from both parties have used the debt ceiling votes as leverage for other priorities. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi threatened to vote against raising the debt ceiling when President Donald Trump was in office, saying she had no intention of supporting lifting the debt ceiling to enable Republicans to give another tax break to the rich. And Republicans in 2011 managed to coerce President Barack Obama into accepting about $2 trillion in deficit cuts as a condition for increasing the debt limit — though lawmakers later rolled back some of those cuts.

Pelosi told reporters Tuesday that over the years Republicans and Democrats have voted against lifting the debt ceiling, “but never to the extent of jeopardizing it.”

Pelosi offered her hope that Congress would lift the debt ceiling in a bipartisan way this December because of the stakes involved. But she also floated a bill sponsored by Rep. Brendan Boyle, D-Pa., that would transfer the duty of raising the debt limit away from Congress and vest it with the Treasury secretary, saying, “I think it has merit.”

In his focus on the debt limit, McConnell has tried to link Biden’s big federal government spending boost with the nation’s rising debt load, even though they are separate and the debt ceiling will have to be increased or suspended regardless of whether Biden’s $3.5 trillion plan makes it into law.

“Your lieutenants on Capitol Hill now have the time they claimed they lacked to address the debt ceiling through standalone reconciliation, and all the tools to do it,” McConnell said in a letter to the president. “They cannot invent another crisis and ask for my help.”

McConnell was one of 11 Republicans who sided with Democrats to advance the debt ceiling reprieve to a final vote. Subsequently, McConnell and his GOP colleagues voted against final passage.

The debate over the debt ceiling has at times gotten personal. McConnell last week suggested that Democrats were playing “Russian roulette” with the economy because they had not dealt with the debt ceiling through the process he had insisted upon. He called out Pelosi for traveling to Europe last week.

“I can only presume she hopes the full faith and credit of the United States will get sorted out,” McConnell said.

Pelosi did not let the shot pass. “Russian roulette from Moscow Mitch. Interesting,” she said.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said Tuesday’s vote marked the 50th time dating back to President Ronald Reagan that he has voted on extending the debt limit.

“Nobody has clean hands when it comes to the debt limit,” he said.

Because the Senate bill only allowed for a stopgap extension, Hoyer called it a “lousy deal.”

“And then we’re going to play this game one more time, a despicable and irresponsible act for adults who know better,” Hoyer said.

Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, said he wanted to “thank” Hoyer for sharing that he had previously voted for raising the debt ceiling 49 times.

“When he came into this body, the debt was about a trillion dollars,” Roy said. “Thank you, I guess, on behalf of the people of America who are staring at 28-and-a-half trillion dollars of debt.”

The current debt ceiling is $28.4 trillion. Both parties have contributed to that load with decisions that have left the government rarely operating in the black.

The calamitous ramifications of default are why lawmakers have been able to reach a compromise to lift or suspend the debt cap some 18 times since 2002, often after frequent rounds of brinkmanship.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1634082573669.png" alt="House Speaker Nancyi Pelosi offered her hope that Congress would lift the debt ceiling in a bipartisan way this December because of the stakes involved." />
 <figcaption>House Speaker Nancyi Pelosi offered her hope that Congress would lift the debt ceiling in a bipartisan way this December because of the stakes involved.</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Members of the House on Tuesday pushed through a short-term increase to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/debt-limit-explained-8c9cbcd3d0c4a8fe989a0110f5159f7c">the nation’s debt limit</a>, ensuring the federal government can continue fully paying its bills into December and temporarily averting an unprecedented default that would have decimated the economy.The $480 billion increase in the country’s borrowing ceiling&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-congress-mitch-mcconnell-6e330d9fb94b73787ea70e7807b87151">cleared the Senate last week</a>&nbsp;on a party-line vote. The House approved it swiftly so President Joe Biden can sign it into law this week.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-congress-janet-yellen-cf59ef71fe0dfd51d8343aea84fe3bd6">Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen had warned</a>&nbsp;that steps to stave off a default on the country’s debts would be exhausted by Monday, and from that point, the department would soon be unable to fully meet the government’s financial obligations.A default would have immense fallout on global financial markets built upon the bedrock safety of U.S. government debt. Routine government payments to Social Security beneficiaries, disabled veterans and active-duty military personnel would also be called into question.The relief provided by passage of the legislation will only be temporary though, forcing Congress to revisit the issue in December — a time when lawmakers will also be laboring to complete federal spending bills and avoid a damaging government shutdown. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-congress-filibusters-27ee5558714da1347b68d58952cc137b">yearend backlog&nbsp;</a>raises risks for both parties and threatens a tumultuous close to Biden’s first year in office.“I’m glad that this at least allows us to prevent a totally self-made and utterly preventable economic catastrophe as we work on a longer-term plan,” said Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass.Republicans signaled the next debt limit debate won’t be any easier and warned Democrats not to expect their help.“Unless and until Democrats give up on their dream of a big-government, socialist America, Republicans cannot and will not support raising the debt limit and help them pave the superhighway to a great entitlement society,” said Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla.Procedurally, the House took a single vote Tuesday that had the effect of passing the Senate bill. The measure passed by a party-line vote of 219-206.The present standoff over the debt ceiling eased when Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., agreed to help pass the short-term increase. But he insists he won’t do so again.In a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-congress-economy-bills-f2b52bc7ff5d1f241ed12e73e382c6b8">letter sent Friday</a>&nbsp;to Biden, McConnell said Democrats will have to handle the next debt-limit increase on their own using the same process they have tried to use to pass Biden’s massive social spending and environment plan. Reconciliation allows legislation to pass the Senate with 51 votes rather than the 60 that’s typically required. In the 50-50 split Senate, Vice President Kamala Harris gives Democrats the majority with her tiebreaking vote.Lawmakers from both parties have used the debt ceiling votes as leverage for other priorities. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi threatened to vote against raising the debt ceiling when President Donald Trump was in office, saying she had no intention of supporting lifting the debt ceiling to enable Republicans to give another tax break to the rich. And Republicans in 2011 managed to coerce President Barack Obama into accepting about $2 trillion in deficit cuts as a condition for increasing the debt limit — though lawmakers later rolled back some of those cuts.Pelosi told reporters Tuesday that over the years Republicans and Democrats have voted against lifting the debt ceiling, “but never to the extent of jeopardizing it.”Pelosi offered her hope that Congress would lift the debt ceiling in a bipartisan way this December because of the stakes involved. But she also floated a bill sponsored by Rep. Brendan Boyle, D-Pa., that would transfer the duty of raising the debt limit away from Congress and vest it with the Treasury secretary, saying, “I think it has merit.”In his focus on the debt limit, McConnell has tried to link Biden’s big federal government spending boost with the nation’s rising debt load, even though they are separate and the debt ceiling will have to be increased or suspended regardless of whether Biden’s $3.5 trillion plan makes it into law.“Your lieutenants on Capitol Hill now have the time they claimed they lacked to address the debt ceiling through standalone reconciliation, and all the tools to do it,” McConnell said in a letter to the president. “They cannot invent another crisis and ask for my help.”McConnell was one of 11 Republicans who sided with Democrats to advance the debt ceiling reprieve to a final vote. Subsequently, McConnell and his GOP colleagues voted against final passage.The debate over the debt ceiling has at times gotten personal. McConnell last week suggested that Democrats were playing “Russian roulette” with the economy because they had not dealt with the debt ceiling through the process he had insisted upon. He called out Pelosi for traveling to Europe last week.“I can only presume she hopes the full faith and credit of the United States will get sorted out,” McConnell said.Pelosi did not let the shot pass. “Russian roulette from Moscow Mitch. Interesting,” she said.House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said Tuesday’s vote marked the 50th time dating back to President Ronald Reagan that he has voted on extending the debt limit.“Nobody has clean hands when it comes to the debt limit,” he said.Because the Senate bill only allowed for a stopgap extension, Hoyer called it a “lousy deal.”“And then we’re going to play this game one more time, a despicable and irresponsible act for adults who know better,” Hoyer said.Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, said he wanted to “thank” Hoyer for sharing that he had previously voted for raising the debt ceiling 49 times.“When he came into this body, the debt was about a trillion dollars,” Roy said. “Thank you, I guess, on behalf of the people of America who are staring at 28-and-a-half trillion dollars of debt.”The current debt ceiling is $28.4 trillion. Both parties have contributed to that load with decisions that have left the government rarely operating in the black.The calamitous ramifications of default are why lawmakers have been able to reach a compromise to lift or suspend the debt cap some 18 times since 2002, often after frequent rounds of brinkmanship.

House sends debt limit hike to Biden; budget battle contiues

JACKSON, Wyo. (AP) — Cross-country traveler Gabby Petito was strangled to death, a Wyoming coroner announced Tuesday.

Petito, 22, died three to four weeks before her body was found Sept. 19 near an undeveloped camping area along the border of Grand Teton National Park in remote northern Wyoming, Teton County Coroner Dr. Brent Blue said in a news conference.

It wasn’t clear if the determination might lead to additional charges against Petito’s boyfriend and traveling partner, Brian Laundrie, who is considered a person of interest in her disappearance and remains unaccounted for.

Blue declined to say more about the autopsy or the case overall, saying he was prevented by Wyoming law that limits what coroners can release.

Petito had been on a cross-country trip with her boyfriend. She was reported missing Sept. 11 by her parents after she did not respond to calls and texts for several days while the couple visited parks in the West.

Blue previously classified Petito’s death as a homicide — meaning her death was caused by another person — but had not disclosed how she was killed pending further autopsy results.

Petito’s case has led to renewed calls for people to pay greater attention to cases involving missing Indigenous women and other people of color, with some commentators describing the intense coverage of her disappearance as “missing white woman syndrome.”

The search for Laundrie has generated a frenzy, with TV personalities like Duane Chapman — known as Dog the Bounty Hunter — and longtime “America’s Most Wanted” host John Walsh working to track him down.

Petito and Laundrie posted online about their trip in a white Ford Transit van converted into a camper. They got into a physical altercation Aug. 12 in Moab, Utah, that led to a police stop, which ended with police deciding to separate the quarreling couple for the night. No charges were filed, and no serious injuries were reported.

Investigators have searched for Laundrie in Florida and also searched his parents’ home in North Port, about 35 miles (56 kilometers) south of Sarasota.

Federal officials in Wyoming last month charged Laundrie with unauthorized use of a debit card, alleging he used a Capital One Bank card and someone’s personal identification number to make unauthorized withdrawals or charges worth more than $1,000 during the period in which Petito went missing. They did not say to whom the card belonged.

In Florida, FBI-led search teams have been looking in a vast nature preserve for any sign of Laundrie. Weeks of searching in the swampy Carlton Reserve south of Sarasota — where Laundrie’s parents say he went after returning home from the West — have turned up nothing.

Laundrie family lawyer Steve Bertolino said in an email there was “nothing new” in the search.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1634065134730.png" alt="Gabby Petito and her boyfriend and traveling partner, Brian Laundrie traveled down Interstate 70 in Kansas on the way to Wyoming. Laundrie, who is considered a person of interest in her death remains unaccounted for.-photo FBI Denver" />
 <figcaption>Gabby Petito and her boyfriend and traveling partner, Brian Laundrie traveled down Interstate 70 in Kansas on the way to Wyoming. Laundrie, who is considered a person of interest in her death remains unaccounted for.-photo FBI Denver</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON, Wyo. (AP) — Cross-country traveler Gabby Petito was strangled to death, a Wyoming coroner announced Tuesday.Petito, 22, died three to four weeks before her body was found Sept. 19 near an undeveloped camping area along the border of Grand Teton National Park in remote northern Wyoming, Teton County Coroner Dr. Brent Blue said in a news conference.It wasn’t clear if the determination might lead to additional charges against Petito’s boyfriend and traveling partner, Brian Laundrie, who is considered a person of interest in her disappearance and remains unaccounted for.Blue declined to say more about the autopsy or the case overall, saying he was prevented by Wyoming law that limits what coroners can release.Petito had been on a cross-country trip with her boyfriend. She was reported missing Sept. 11 by her parents after she did not respond to calls and texts for several days while the couple visited parks in the West.Blue previously classified Petito’s death as a homicide — meaning her death was caused by another person — but had not disclosed how she was killed pending further autopsy results.Petito’s case has led to renewed calls for people to pay greater attention to cases involving missing Indigenous women and other people of color, with some commentators describing the intense coverage of her disappearance as “missing white woman syndrome.”The search for Laundrie has generated a frenzy, with TV personalities like Duane Chapman — known as Dog the Bounty Hunter — and longtime “America’s Most Wanted” host John Walsh working to track him down.Petito and Laundrie posted online about their trip in a white Ford Transit van converted into a camper. They got into a physical altercation Aug. 12 in Moab, Utah, that led to a police stop, which ended with police deciding to separate the quarreling couple for the night. No charges were filed, and no serious injuries were reported.Investigators have searched for Laundrie in Florida and also searched his parents’ home in North Port, about 35 miles (56 kilometers) south of Sarasota.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1634065104645.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Federal officials in Wyoming last month charged Laundrie with unauthorized use of a debit card, alleging he used a Capital One Bank card and someone’s personal identification number to make unauthorized withdrawals or charges worth more than $1,000 during the period in which Petito went missing. They did not say to whom the card belonged.In Florida, FBI-led search teams have been looking in a vast nature preserve for any sign of Laundrie. Weeks of searching in the swampy Carlton Reserve south of Sarasota — where Laundrie’s parents say he went after returning home from the West — have turned up nothing.Laundrie family lawyer Steve Bertolino said in an email there was “nothing new” in the search.

Coroner: Gabby Petito was strangled to death

Older adults without heart disease shouldn’t take daily low-dose aspirin to prevent a first heart attack or stroke, an influential health guidelines group said in preliminary updated advice released Tuesday.

Bleeding risks for adults in their 60s and up who haven’t had a heart attack or stroke outweigh any potential benefits from aspirin, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force said in its draft guidance.

For the first time, the panel said there may be a small benefit for adults in their 40s who have no bleeding risks. For those in their 50s, the panel softened advice and said evidence of benefit is less clear.

The recommendations are meant for people with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity or other conditions that increase their chances for a heart attack or stroke. Regardless of age, adults should talk with their doctors about stopping or starting aspirin to make sure it’s the right choice for them, said task force member Dr. John Wong, a primary-care expert at Tufts Medical Center.

“Aspirin use can cause serious harms, and risk increases with age,” he said.

If finalized, the advice for older adults would backtrack on recommendations the panel issued in 2016 for helping prevent a first heart attack and stroke, but it would be in line with more recent guidelines from other medical groups.

The task force previously said certain people in their 50s and 60s may want to consider a daily aspirin to prevent a first heart attack and stroke, and that they might get protection against colorectal cancer, too. The updated guidance says more evidence of any benefit for colorectal cancer is needed.

Doctors have long recommended daily low-dose aspirin for many patients who already have had a heart attack or stroke. The task force guidance does not change that advice.

The guidance was posted online to allow for public comments until Nov. 8. The group will evaluate that input and then make a final decision.

The independent panel of disease-prevention experts analyzes medical research and literature and issues periodic advice on measures to help keep Americans healthy. Newer studies and a re-analysis of older research prompted the updated advice, Wong said.

Aspirin is best known as a pain reliever but it is also a blood thinner that can reduce chances for blood clots. But aspirin also has risks, even at low doses — mainly bleeding in the digestive tract or ulcers, both of which can be life-threatening.

Dr. Lauren Block, an internist-researcher at Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research in Manhasset, New York, said the guidance is important because so many adults take aspirin even though they have never had a heart attack or stroke.

Block, who is not on the task force, recently switched one of her patients from aspirin to a cholesterol-lowering statin drug because of the potential harms.

The patient, 70-year-old Richard Schrafel, has high blood pressure and knows about his heart attack risks. Schrafel, president of a paperboard-distribution business, said he never had any ill effects from aspirin, but he is taking the new guidance seriously.

Rita Seefeldt, 63, also has high blood pressure and took a daily aspirin for about a decade until her doctor told her two years ago to stop.

“He said they changed their minds on that,” recalled the retired elementary school teacher from Milwaukee. She said she understands that science evolves.

Wong acknowledged that the backtracking might leave some patients frustrated and wondering why scientists can’t make up their minds.

“It’s a fair question,” he said. ‘’What’s really important to know is that evidence changes over time.’’

By LINDSEY TANNER, Associated PressOlder adults without heart disease shouldn’t take daily low-dose aspirin to prevent a first heart attack or stroke, an influential health guidelines group said in preliminary updated advice released Tuesday.Bleeding risks for adults in their 60s and up who haven’t had a heart attack or stroke outweigh any potential benefits from aspirin, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force said in its draft guidance.For the first time, the panel said there may be a small benefit for adults in their 40s who have no bleeding risks. For those in their 50s, the panel softened advice and said evidence of benefit is less clear.The recommendations are meant for people with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity or other conditions that increase their chances for a heart attack or stroke. Regardless of age, adults should talk with their doctors about stopping or starting aspirin to make sure it’s the right choice for them, said task force member Dr. John Wong, a primary-care expert at Tufts Medical Center.“Aspirin use can cause serious harms, and risk increases with age,” he said.If finalized, the advice for older adults would backtrack on recommendations the panel issued in 2016 for helping prevent a first heart attack and stroke, but it would be in line with more recent guidelines from other medical groups.The task force previously said certain people in their 50s and 60s may want to consider a daily aspirin to prevent a first heart attack and stroke, and that they might get protection against colorectal cancer, too. The updated guidance says more evidence of any benefit for colorectal cancer is needed.Doctors have long recommended daily low-dose aspirin for many patients who already have had a heart attack or stroke. The task force guidance does not change that advice.The guidance was posted online to allow for public comments until Nov. 8. The group will evaluate that input and then make a final decision.The independent panel of disease-prevention experts analyzes medical research and literature and issues periodic advice on measures to help keep Americans healthy. Newer studies and a re-analysis of older research prompted the updated advice, Wong said.Aspirin is best known as a pain reliever but it is also a blood thinner that can reduce chances for blood clots. But aspirin also has risks, even at low doses — mainly bleeding in the digestive tract or ulcers, both of which can be life-threatening.Dr. Lauren Block, an internist-researcher at Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research in Manhasset, New York, said the guidance is important because so many adults take aspirin even though they have never had a heart attack or stroke.Block, who is not on the task force, recently switched one of her patients from aspirin to a cholesterol-lowering statin drug because of the potential harms.The patient, 70-year-old Richard Schrafel, has high blood pressure and knows about his heart attack risks. Schrafel, president of a paperboard-distribution business, said he never had any ill effects from aspirin, but he is taking the new guidance seriously.Rita Seefeldt, 63, also has high blood pressure and took a daily aspirin for about a decade until her doctor told her two years ago to stop.“He said they changed their minds on that,” recalled the retired elementary school teacher from Milwaukee. She said she understands that science evolves.Wong acknowledged that the backtracking might leave some patients frustrated and wondering why scientists can’t make up their minds.“It’s a fair question,” he said. ‘’What’s really important to know is that evidence changes over time.’’___