St. Charles, Mo. (AP) — Waiting for the hearse carrying one of the 13 U.S. service members killed in a suicide bombing in Afghanistan two weeks ago, Faye Hillis thought about all the military veterans she had mourned at her hometown's lone funeral home.

Her father who came home from World War II. Her cousin who died in Vietnam. Too many friends and neighbors to count.

“I’m having all these flashbacks,” she said Wednesday as school children, families and veterans lined the village's two main streets to honor Navy Corpsman Maxton Soviak.

While the war in Afghanistan is over, its harsh reality is still coming home as Americans now are beginning to honor and bury&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-kabul-islamic-state-group-14ffbf5bcf4b67596420bd95e89785f6">the last casualties</a>&nbsp;to come back from a 20-year war that claimed more than 2,400 American lives.

Stars and Stripes of all sizes and homemade signs saying “thank you for your service” decorated the procession route through northern Ohio where Soviak, 22, grew up before joining the Navy.

In suburban St Louis, thousands lined Interstate 70 to pay respects Wednesday to Marine Lance Cpl. Jared Schmitz, 20, whose body was escorted from the airport to a funeral home in St. Charles, Missouri. Many people brought American flags, and massive flags flew from the aerial ladders of fire trucks. The procession, which included about 1,000 motorcyclists from the Patriot Guard, was so long the Missouri State Highway Patrol closed the interstate to westbound traffic over the 8 1/2-mile route.

Among those paying his respects was 60-year-old Luther Loughridge, a retired lieutenant with the U.S. Coast Guard, who stood in uniform at salute for more than 20 minutes.

“It’s the last of the Afghanistan war, and he’s the last victim,” Loughridge said. “He gave his entire life and as a veteran, we respond to that.”

These are scenes that will repeat in the coming days in places including Omaha, Nebraska; Laredo, Texas; Logansport, Indiana; and Sacramento, California; for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/42e66fb3b72492dbec3ef070b73cf018">the 13 who died</a>&nbsp;in the bomb attack Aug. 26 at Afghanistan’s Kabul airport during the frantic airlift in the conflict's final days.

On a clear morning in rural Ohio, military veterans on motorcycles escorted Soviak’s remains the final 8 miles to his hometown, first passing through the neighboring village where inventor Thomas Edison was born and then by the stadium where just five years ago, Soviak was a football captain for the Edison High Chargers.

One final turn took the procession by the Soviak family’s home and onto a road dedicated to Army Sgt. David Sexton, who was killed in the Vietnam War, which up until now had been America’s longest war.

Right across the street from the funeral home, some of Soviak’s relatives watched from their front porch as a military honor guard carried his casket inside — just a week after the United States completed its withdrawal from Afghanistan.

The community will come together in a few days to honor Soviak at a public visitation Sunday at the high school. The funeral will be Monday morning at the school’s football stadium.

“We’re all struggling a bit,” said Kami Neuberger, a neighbor who thought of “Max” like another brother. “I just never thought it would happen."

Just one year younger than Soviak, her older brother, who's now a Marine, graduated from high school with him in 2017.

“He was always right alongside my brother, making fun of me, teasing, being goofy,” she said. “He tried to make everyone smile.”

A few houses down, Elyse Colwell sat on a blanket with her two toddlers. She thought about when she was in middle school and her father left for Afghanistan with his Ohio National Guard unit.

And she thought about how Soviak and many of the others killed in the bombing would have been right around the age of her own two children when the war in Afghanistan began shortly after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

“These kids were toddlers when this began. It's almost like they grew up with it,” said Colwell, adding that she's worried about what will come next. “Just because we left doesn't mean it's over.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631189418721.png" alt="Thousands lined Interstate 70 to pay respects Wednesday to Marine Lance Cpl. Jared Schmitz, 20, whose body was escorted from the airport to a funeral home in St. Charles, Missouri. -Photo courtesy KTVI" />
 <figcaption>Thousands lined Interstate 70 to pay respects Wednesday to Marine Lance Cpl. Jared Schmitz, 20, whose body was escorted from the airport to a funeral home in St. Charles, Missouri. -Photo courtesy KTVI</figcaption>
 </figure>St. Charles, Mo. (AP) — Waiting for the hearse carrying one of the 13 U.S. service members killed in a suicide bombing in Afghanistan two weeks ago, Faye Hillis thought about all the military veterans she had mourned at her hometown's lone funeral home.Her father who came home from World War II. Her cousin who died in Vietnam. Too many friends and neighbors to count.“I’m having all these flashbacks,” she said Wednesday as school children, families and veterans lined the village's two main streets to honor Navy Corpsman Maxton Soviak.While the war in Afghanistan is over, its harsh reality is still coming home as Americans now are beginning to honor and bury&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-kabul-islamic-state-group-14ffbf5bcf4b67596420bd95e89785f6">the last casualties</a>&nbsp;to come back from a 20-year war that claimed more than 2,400 American lives.Stars and Stripes of all sizes and homemade signs saying “thank you for your service” decorated the procession route through northern Ohio where Soviak, 22, grew up before joining the Navy.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1630194515800.png" alt="Jared Schmitz United States Marine Corps " />
 <figcaption>Jared Schmitz United States Marine Corps </figcaption>
 </figure>In suburban St Louis, thousands lined Interstate 70 to pay respects Wednesday to Marine Lance Cpl. Jared Schmitz, 20, whose body was escorted from the airport to a funeral home in St. Charles, Missouri. Many people brought American flags, and massive flags flew from the aerial ladders of fire trucks. The procession, which included about 1,000 motorcyclists from the Patriot Guard, was so long the Missouri State Highway Patrol closed the interstate to westbound traffic over the 8 1/2-mile route.Among those paying his respects was 60-year-old Luther Loughridge, a retired lieutenant with the U.S. Coast Guard, who stood in uniform at salute for more than 20 minutes.“It’s the last of the Afghanistan war, and he’s the last victim,” Loughridge said. “He gave his entire life and as a veteran, we respond to that.”These are scenes that will repeat in the coming days in places including Omaha, Nebraska; Laredo, Texas; Logansport, Indiana; and Sacramento, California; for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/42e66fb3b72492dbec3ef070b73cf018">the 13 who died</a>&nbsp;in the bomb attack Aug. 26 at Afghanistan’s Kabul airport during the frantic airlift in the conflict's final days.On a clear morning in rural Ohio, military veterans on motorcycles escorted Soviak’s remains the final 8 miles to his hometown, first passing through the neighboring village where inventor Thomas Edison was born and then by the stadium where just five years ago, Soviak was a football captain for the Edison High Chargers.One final turn took the procession by the Soviak family’s home and onto a road dedicated to Army Sgt. David Sexton, who was killed in the Vietnam War, which up until now had been America’s longest war.Right across the street from the funeral home, some of Soviak’s relatives watched from their front porch as a military honor guard carried his casket inside — just a week after the United States completed its withdrawal from Afghanistan.The community will come together in a few days to honor Soviak at a public visitation Sunday at the high school. The funeral will be Monday morning at the school’s football stadium.“We’re all struggling a bit,” said Kami Neuberger, a neighbor who thought of “Max” like another brother. “I just never thought it would happen."Just one year younger than Soviak, her older brother, who's now a Marine, graduated from high school with him in 2017.“He was always right alongside my brother, making fun of me, teasing, being goofy,” she said. “He tried to make everyone smile.”A few houses down, Elyse Colwell sat on a blanket with her two toddlers. She thought about when she was in middle school and her father left for Afghanistan with his Ohio National Guard unit.And she thought about how Soviak and many of the others killed in the bombing would have been right around the age of her own two children when the war in Afghanistan began shortly after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.“These kids were toddlers when this began. It's almost like they grew up with it,” said Colwell, adding that she's worried about what will come next. “Just because we left doesn't mean it's over.”___

Grief comes home to US towns week after Afghanistan war ends

WASHINGTON (AP) — The summer that was supposed to mark America’s independence from COVID-19 is instead drawing to a close with the U.S. more firmly under the tyranny of the virus, with deaths per day back up to where they were in March.

The delta variant is filling hospitals, sickening alarming numbers of children and driving coronavirus deaths in some places to the highest levels of the entire pandemic. School systems that reopened their classrooms are abruptly switching back to remote learning because of outbreaks. Legal disputes, threats and violence have erupted over mask and vaccine requirements.

The U.S. death toll stands at more than 650,000, with one major forecast model projecting it will top 750,000 by Dec. 1.

“It felt like we had this forward, positive momentum,” lamented Katie Button, executive chef and CEO at two restaurants in Asheville, North Carolina. “The delta variant wiped that timeline completely away.”

It wasn’t supposed to be this way. More than six months into the U.S. vaccination drive, President Joe Biden held a White House party on July Fourth to celebrate the country’s freedom from the virus, and other political leaders had high hopes for a close-to-normal summer.

The summer wave was fueled by the extra-contagious delta variant combined with stark resistance to vaccinations that formed along political and geographic lines, said Dr. Sten Vermund, of the Yale School of Public Health.

“The virus was more efficient in spreading among the unvaccinated so that you blunted the expected benefit of vaccines,” Vermund said.

The crisis escalated rapidly from June to August. About 400,000 COVID-19 infections were recorded for all of June. It took all of three days last week to reach the same number.

The U.S. recorded 26,800 deaths and more than 4.2 million infections in August. The number of monthly positive cases was the fourth-highest total since the start of the pandemic.

The 2021 delta-driven onslaught is killing younger Americans at a much higher rate than previous waves of the pandemic in the Northeast last spring, the Sun Belt in the summer of 2020 and the deadly winter surge around the holidays.

During the peaks of those waves, Americans over 75 suffered the highest proportion of death. Now, the most vulnerable age group for death is 50 to 64, according to data from U.S. officials.

Overall, the outbreak is still well below the all-time peaks reached over the winter, when deaths topped out at 3,400 a day and new cases at a quarter-million per day.

The U.S. is now averaging over 150,000 new cases per day, levels not seen since January. Deaths are close to 1,500 per day, up more than a third since late August.

Even before the delta variant became dominant, experts say there were indications that larger gatherings and relaxed social distancing measures were fueling new cases.

“We had been cooped up for over a year and everyone wanted to get out,” said Dr. David Dowdy, an epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. “In the face of that kind of strong change in behavior, even getting almost two-thirds of our adult population vaccinated wasn’t enough.”

The COVID-19 vaccines remain highly effective against hospitalization and death, but many tens of millions of eligible Americans remain unvaccinated. Nearly 40% of Americans 12 and older are not fully protected.

In Rapid City, South Dakota, school officials have recorded nearly 300 cases among students and staff since classes began less than two weeks ago. Still, the majority of school board officials voted this week 5-2 against a proposed two-week mask mandate.

“Nobody wanted to be here. Everyone wanted the personal freedom to be away from masks and free of illness,” said Amy Policky, who introduced the proposal with one other member. “But we have to look at the facts: We’re having illness rage through the school and the community, so what can we do?”

Still, Yale’s Vermund sees reasons to be cautiously optimistic about the next few months. Cases in most states appear to be plateauing and are likely to decline in the fall, buying health authorities more time to vaccinate adults and teenagers before flu season.

“If we can continue making progress between now and Thanksgiving, we may be able to substantially blunt the coronavirus surge in flu season,” Vermund said.

While the economy has been rebounding strongly over the past several months, hiring slowed sharply in August in a sign that the variant is discouraging Americans from flying, shopping or eating out.

And on Monday, unemployment benefits — including an extra $300 a week from the federal government — ran out for millions of Americans.

Button, the North Carolina chef, was feeling great heading into the summer. Her team was mostly vaccinated in May and restrictions were loosening. But the crisis soon changed direction.

Button supports the mask mandate that was recently reinstated in her county but said her employees are exhausted by having to enforce it. And since she has no outdoor seating, some diners have been less comfortable coming in.

“It’s hard to take a step forward and then take three steps back,” she said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631151217421.png" alt="COVID cases by County Sept. 8, 2021 -map John Hopkins University" />
 <figcaption>COVID cases by County Sept. 8, 2021 -map John Hopkins University</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The summer that was supposed to mark America’s independence from COVID-19 is instead drawing to a close with the U.S. more firmly under the tyranny of the virus, with deaths per day back up to where they were in March.The delta variant is filling hospitals, sickening alarming numbers of children and driving coronavirus deaths in some places to the highest levels of the entire pandemic. School systems that reopened their classrooms are abruptly switching back to remote learning because of outbreaks. Legal disputes, threats and violence have erupted over mask and vaccine requirements.The U.S. death toll stands at more than 650,000, with one major forecast model projecting it will top 750,000 by Dec. 1.“It felt like we had this forward, positive momentum,” lamented Katie Button, executive chef and CEO at two restaurants in Asheville, North Carolina. “The delta variant wiped that timeline completely away.”It wasn’t supposed to be this way. More than six months into the U.S. vaccination drive, President Joe Biden held a White House party on July Fourth to celebrate the country’s freedom from the virus, and other political leaders had high hopes for a close-to-normal summer.Then the bottom fell out.The summer wave was fueled by the extra-contagious delta variant combined with stark resistance to vaccinations that formed along political and geographic lines, said Dr. Sten Vermund, of the Yale School of Public Health.“The virus was more efficient in spreading among the unvaccinated so that you blunted the expected benefit of vaccines,” Vermund said.The crisis escalated rapidly from June to August. About 400,000 COVID-19 infections were recorded for all of June. It took all of three days last week to reach the same number.The U.S. recorded 26,800 deaths and more than 4.2 million infections in August. The number of monthly positive cases was the fourth-highest total since the start of the pandemic.The 2021 delta-driven onslaught is killing younger Americans at a much higher rate than previous waves of the pandemic in the Northeast last spring, the Sun Belt in the summer of 2020 and the deadly winter surge around the holidays.During the peaks of those waves, Americans over 75 suffered the highest proportion of death. Now, the most vulnerable age group for death is 50 to 64, according to data from U.S. officials.Overall, the outbreak is still well below the all-time peaks reached over the winter, when deaths topped out at 3,400 a day and new cases at a quarter-million per day.The U.S. is now averaging over 150,000 new cases per day, levels not seen since January. Deaths are close to 1,500 per day, up more than a third since late August.Even before the delta variant became dominant, experts say there were indications that larger gatherings and relaxed social distancing measures were fueling new cases.“We had been cooped up for over a year and everyone wanted to get out,” said Dr. David Dowdy, an epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. “In the face of that kind of strong change in behavior, even getting almost two-thirds of our adult population vaccinated wasn’t enough.”The COVID-19 vaccines remain highly effective against hospitalization and death, but many tens of millions of eligible Americans remain unvaccinated. Nearly 40% of Americans 12 and older are not fully protected.In Rapid City, South Dakota, school officials have recorded nearly 300 cases among students and staff since classes began less than two weeks ago. Still, the majority of school board officials voted this week 5-2 against a proposed two-week mask mandate.“Nobody wanted to be here. Everyone wanted the personal freedom to be away from masks and free of illness,” said Amy Policky, who introduced the proposal with one other member. “But we have to look at the facts: We’re having illness rage through the school and the community, so what can we do?”Still, Yale’s Vermund sees reasons to be cautiously optimistic about the next few months. Cases in most states appear to be plateauing and are likely to decline in the fall, buying health authorities more time to vaccinate adults and teenagers before flu season.“If we can continue making progress between now and Thanksgiving, we may be able to substantially blunt the coronavirus surge in flu season,” Vermund said.While the economy has been rebounding strongly over the past several months, hiring slowed sharply in August in a sign that the variant is discouraging Americans from flying, shopping or eating out.And on Monday, unemployment benefits — including an extra $300 a week from the federal government — ran out for millions of Americans.Button, the North Carolina chef, was feeling great heading into the summer. Her team was mostly vaccinated in May and restrictions were loosening. But the crisis soon changed direction.Button supports the mask mandate that was recently reinstated in her county but said her employees are exhausted by having to enforce it. And since she has no outdoor seating, some diners have been less comfortable coming in.“It’s hard to take a step forward and then take three steps back,” she said.___

COVID 19 surge: Summer of hope ends in gloom

SEWARD, Neb. (AP) — A 19-year-old Omaha man has been sentenced to four to eight years in prison after a passenger in his car died in a wreck during a police pursuit. 

Julio Fernandez Bonilla was sentenced Wednesday after pleading no contest to manslaughter. 

Seventeen-year-old Jasmin Casique-Negrete of Omaha died in the crash near Seward in June 2020. 

The Nebraska State Patrol said a Seward County deputy tried to stop a vehicle near Seward but the driver fled. 

The patrol investigator said Bonilla eventually lost control of the SUV, which went off the road. 

Bonilla and Casique-Negrete were both thrown from the SUV, which was reported stolen from Harrison County, Iowa.

SEWARD, Neb. (AP) — A 19-year-old Omaha man has been sentenced to four to eight years in prison after a passenger in his car died in a wreck during a police pursuit. Julio Fernandez Bonilla was sentenced Wednesday after pleading no contest to manslaughter. Seventeen-year-old Jasmin Casique-Negrete of Omaha died in the crash near Seward in June 2020. The Nebraska State Patrol said a Seward County deputy tried to stop a vehicle near Seward but the driver fled. The patrol investigator said Bonilla eventually lost control of the SUV, which went off the road. Bonilla and Casique-Negrete were both thrown from the SUV, which was reported stolen from Harrison County, Iowa.

Omaha man sentenced for fatal crash during police pursuit

GENEVA (AP) — Rich countries with large supplies of coronavirus vaccines should refrain from offering booster shots through the end of the year and make the doses available for poorer countries, the head of the World Health Organization said Wednesday, doubling down on an earlier appeal for a “moratorium” on boosters that has largely been ignored.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus also said he was “appalled” after hearing comments Tuesday from a top association of pharmaceutical manufacturers that vaccine supplies are high enough to allow for both booster shots for people in well-supplied countries and first jabs in poorer countries that face shortages. He said that’s already been the case.

“I will not stay silent when companies and countries that control the global supply of vaccines think the world’s poor should be satisfied with leftovers,” he told a news conference. “Because manufacturers have prioritized or been legally obliged to fulfill bilateral deals with rich countries willing to pay top dollar, low income countries have been deprived of the tools to protect their people.”

Tedros had previously called for a moratorium on boosters through the end of September. But wealthy countries — including Britain, Denmark, France, Greece, Germany, and Spain — have begun or are considering plans to offer third shots of two-dose vaccines to their vulnerable people such as the elderly or those with compromised immune systems.

Israel has been providing third doses to a wide swath of people who already received a full two-dose regimen months earlier. And last month, U.S. health officials recommended that all Americans get boosters to shore up their protection amid evidence that the vaccines’ effectiveness is falling. WHO officials insist the scientific justification for boosters remains unclear.

Tedros acknowledged that third doses might be necessary for at-risk groups, but said: “We do not want to see widespread use of boosters for healthy people who are fully vaccinated.”

U.S. health officials are continuing to assess the science and utility of boosters, and there are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-coronavirus-pandemic-bd0bcbcfbd76b178d430000c94bf7a7e">growing indications&nbsp;</a>that the U.S. may miss the Biden administration’s Sept. 20 target date for a wide rollout of extra shots for vaccinated people.

The WHO chief said he received a message of “clear support” from health ministers at a meeting of the influential Group of 20 countries this week for a commitment to help hit a WHO target that all countries vaccinate at least 40% of their people by year’s end.

“A month ago, I called for a global moratorium on booster doses, at least until the end of September to prioritize vaccinating the most at risk people around the world who are yet to receive their first dose,” Tedros said. “There has been little change in the global situation since then.”

“So today, I’m calling for an extension of the moratorium until at least the end of the year to enable every country to vaccinate at least 40% of its population,” he said.

The WHO says 5.5 billion coronavirus vaccine doses have been administered so far, but 80% of those have been to upper- and middle-income countries. Rich countries have also offered to donate 1 billion doses to other countries, but fewer than 15% of those doses have “materialized,” Tedros said.

He noted that manufacturers have pledged to prioritize the U.N.-backed COVAX program, which aims to get vaccines to the neediest people in the world — no matter how wealthy the country.

“We don’t want any more promises. We just want the vaccines,” the WHO chief said.

Earlier Wednesday, COVAX managers again scaled back their target to ship doses this year, projecting about 1.4 billion doses will be available through the program by year-end — down from about 1.8 billion previously. They had originally hoped to ship 2 billion doses this year.

Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which co-runs the program, said COVAX has faced setbacks including export restrictions from hard-hit India — a key producer of vaccines — as well as regulatory hurdles for some vaccine candidates and manufacturing troubles elsewhere. But it also said deliveries are ramping up strongly, and another 1.1 billion doses are expected to be available by year-end through the program, up from 330 million so far. Most of those doses have gone to or are destined for poorer countries.

The International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations said Tuesday that about 1.5 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses are now being produced every month, and cited projections that a total of 12 billion will have been produced by year-end.

Dr. Bruce Aylward, a top adviser to Tedros, acknowledged that “some countries may be going ahead with decisions” to widely administer boosters, but that the WHO call for a moratorium “makes a real difference.” He said some countries — which he did not identify — have approached the WHO about whether booster policies could be delayed.

But admittedly, the WHO’s first call for a moratorium through September has not fixed the gaping imbalance in access to vaccines.

“(O)ur role is to make sure that we put forward the strongest possible arguments and way out of this pandemic — and the way out of that is a moratorium and to extend it,” Aylward said. “Because since the last time we called for it, the equity gap has gotten greater, the amount of vaccine available to low-income countries has gone down.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631128370318.png" alt="WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus during Wednesday press conference&nbsp;acknowledged that third doses might be necessary for at-risk groups, but said: “We do not want to see widespread use of boosters for healthy people who are fully vaccinated.”" />
 <figcaption>WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus during Wednesday press conference&nbsp;acknowledged that third doses might be necessary for at-risk groups, but said: “We do not want to see widespread use of boosters for healthy people who are fully vaccinated.”</figcaption>
 </figure>GENEVA (AP) — Rich countries with large supplies of coronavirus vaccines should refrain from offering booster shots through the end of the year and make the doses available for poorer countries, the head of the World Health Organization said Wednesday, doubling down on an earlier appeal for a “moratorium” on boosters that has largely been ignored.WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus also said he was “appalled” after hearing comments Tuesday from a top association of pharmaceutical manufacturers that vaccine supplies are high enough to allow for both booster shots for people in well-supplied countries and first jabs in poorer countries that face shortages. He said that’s already been the case.“I will not stay silent when companies and countries that control the global supply of vaccines think the world’s poor should be satisfied with leftovers,” he told a news conference. “Because manufacturers have prioritized or been legally obliged to fulfill bilateral deals with rich countries willing to pay top dollar, low income countries have been deprived of the tools to protect their people.”Tedros had previously called for a moratorium on boosters through the end of September. But wealthy countries — including Britain, Denmark, France, Greece, Germany, and Spain — have begun or are considering plans to offer third shots of two-dose vaccines to their vulnerable people such as the elderly or those with compromised immune systems.Israel has been providing third doses to a wide swath of people who already received a full two-dose regimen months earlier. And last month, U.S. health officials recommended that all Americans get boosters to shore up their protection amid evidence that the vaccines’ effectiveness is falling. WHO officials insist the scientific justification for boosters remains unclear.Tedros acknowledged that third doses might be necessary for at-risk groups, but said: “We do not want to see widespread use of boosters for healthy people who are fully vaccinated.”U.S. health officials are continuing to assess the science and utility of boosters, and there are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-coronavirus-pandemic-bd0bcbcfbd76b178d430000c94bf7a7e">growing indications&nbsp;</a>that the U.S. may miss the Biden administration’s Sept. 20 target date for a wide rollout of extra shots for vaccinated people.The WHO chief said he received a message of “clear support” from health ministers at a meeting of the influential Group of 20 countries this week for a commitment to help hit a WHO target that all countries vaccinate at least 40% of their people by year’s end.“A month ago, I called for a global moratorium on booster doses, at least until the end of September to prioritize vaccinating the most at risk people around the world who are yet to receive their first dose,” Tedros said. “There has been little change in the global situation since then.”“So today, I’m calling for an extension of the moratorium until at least the end of the year to enable every country to vaccinate at least 40% of its population,” he said.The WHO says 5.5 billion coronavirus vaccine doses have been administered so far, but 80% of those have been to upper- and middle-income countries. Rich countries have also offered to donate 1 billion doses to other countries, but fewer than 15% of those doses have “materialized,” Tedros said.He noted that manufacturers have pledged to prioritize the U.N.-backed COVAX program, which aims to get vaccines to the neediest people in the world — no matter how wealthy the country.“We don’t want any more promises. We just want the vaccines,” the WHO chief said.Earlier Wednesday, COVAX managers again scaled back their target to ship doses this year, projecting about 1.4 billion doses will be available through the program by year-end — down from about 1.8 billion previously. They had originally hoped to ship 2 billion doses this year.Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which co-runs the program, said COVAX has faced setbacks including export restrictions from hard-hit India — a key producer of vaccines — as well as regulatory hurdles for some vaccine candidates and manufacturing troubles elsewhere. But it also said deliveries are ramping up strongly, and another 1.1 billion doses are expected to be available by year-end through the program, up from 330 million so far. Most of those doses have gone to or are destined for poorer countries.The International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations said Tuesday that about 1.5 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses are now being produced every month, and cited projections that a total of 12 billion will have been produced by year-end.Dr. Bruce Aylward, a top adviser to Tedros, acknowledged that “some countries may be going ahead with decisions” to widely administer boosters, but that the WHO call for a moratorium “makes a real difference.” He said some countries — which he did not identify — have approached the WHO about whether booster policies could be delayed.But admittedly, the WHO’s first call for a moratorium through September has not fixed the gaping imbalance in access to vaccines.“(O)ur role is to make sure that we put forward the strongest possible arguments and way out of this pandemic — and the way out of that is a moratorium and to extend it,” Aylward said. “Because since the last time we called for it, the equity gap has gotten greater, the amount of vaccine available to low-income countries has gone down.”___

WHO Chief: No COVID booster shots for rest of the year

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A leading Republican lawmaker has unveiled a new, proposed Nebraska congressional map that would split Douglas County in half. 

That would likely dilute Democratic strength in the only area where Democratic congressional candidates are competitive. 

The proposed map is one of several presented to the Legislature’s Redistricting Committee. 

The panel will consider its options and unveil its final recommendations to the public on Friday, ahead of next week’s special legislative session. 

It would keep southern Douglas County in the 2nd Congressional District, while adding all of Republican-friendly Sarpy and Saunders counties.&nbsp;

Northern Douglas County would move into the 1st Congressional District, which leans Republican.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A leading Republican lawmaker has unveiled a new, proposed Nebraska congressional map that would split Douglas County in half. That would likely dilute Democratic strength in the only area where Democratic congressional candidates are competitive. The proposed map is one of several presented to the Legislature’s Redistricting Committee. The panel will consider its options and unveil its final recommendations to the public on Friday, ahead of next week’s special legislative session. It would keep southern Douglas County in the 2nd Congressional District, while adding all of Republican-friendly Sarpy and Saunders counties.&nbsp;Northern Douglas County would move into the 1st Congressional District, which leans Republican.

1 proposed congressional map would split Douglas County

BOSTON (AP) — The wife of the late Robert F. Kennedy’s says assassin Sirhan Sirhan should not be released from prison, further roiling a family divide over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-d5e12df9cc3c0241ab108bfc124dda1b">whether the man convicted of killing her husband in California in 1968 should be freed</a>&nbsp;on parole.

In a brief statement released on Twitter by her daughter, lawyer and activist Kerry Kennedy, Ethel Kennedy said bluntly Tuesday: “He should not be paroled.”

“Bobby believed we should work to ‘tame the savageness of man and make gentle the life of the world,’” Kennedy, 93, wrote.

“He wanted to end the war in Vietnam and bring people together to build a better, stronger country. More than anything, he wanted to be a good father and loving husband,” she wrote, adding: “Our family and our country suffered an unspeakable loss due to the inhumanity of one man. We believe in the gentleness that spared his life, but in taming his act of violence, he should not have the opportunity to terrorize again.”

Her statement came a week after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sirhan-sirhan-1986e0afd6f9fc6510abcdd46bac1587">former U.S. Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy II, RFK’s oldest son, also denounced the possible parole</a>&nbsp;of Sirhan, 77.

Two other RFK offspring, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Douglas Kennedy, have said they support the release.

The California Parole Board found last month that Sirhan no longer poses a threat to society, noting that he had enrolled in more than 20 programs including anger management classes, tai chi and Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. Sirhan has served 53 years of a life sentence.

The ruling will be reviewed over the next four months by the board’s staff. Then it will be sent to Gov. Gavin Newsom, who will have 30 days to decide whether to grant it, reverse it or modify it.

Robert F. Kennedy was a U.S. senator from New York and the brother of President John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1963. RFK was seeking the Democratic presidential nomination when he was gunned down at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles moments after delivering a victory speech in the pivotal California primary. Five others were wounded.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1630107734279.png" alt="Sirhan Sirhan-photo California Dept. of Corrections" />
 <figcaption>Sirhan Sirhan-photo California Dept. of Corrections</figcaption>
 </figure>BOSTON (AP) — The wife of the late Robert F. Kennedy’s says assassin Sirhan Sirhan should not be released from prison, further roiling a family divide over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-d5e12df9cc3c0241ab108bfc124dda1b">whether the man convicted of killing her husband in California in 1968 should be freed</a>&nbsp;on parole.In a brief statement released on Twitter by her daughter, lawyer and activist Kerry Kennedy, Ethel Kennedy said bluntly Tuesday: “He should not be paroled.”“Bobby believed we should work to ‘tame the savageness of man and make gentle the life of the world,’” Kennedy, 93, wrote.“He wanted to end the war in Vietnam and bring people together to build a better, stronger country. More than anything, he wanted to be a good father and loving husband,” she wrote, adding: “Our family and our country suffered an unspeakable loss due to the inhumanity of one man. We believe in the gentleness that spared his life, but in taming his act of violence, he should not have the opportunity to terrorize again.”Her statement came a week after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sirhan-sirhan-1986e0afd6f9fc6510abcdd46bac1587">former U.S. Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy II, RFK’s oldest son, also denounced the possible parole</a>&nbsp;of Sirhan, 77.Two other RFK offspring, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Douglas Kennedy, have said they support the release.The California Parole Board found last month that Sirhan no longer poses a threat to society, noting that he had enrolled in more than 20 programs including anger management classes, tai chi and Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. Sirhan has served 53 years of a life sentence.The ruling will be reviewed over the next four months by the board’s staff. Then it will be sent to Gov. Gavin Newsom, who will have 30 days to decide whether to grant it, reverse it or modify it.Robert F. Kennedy was a U.S. senator from New York and the brother of President John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1963. RFK was seeking the Democratic presidential nomination when he was gunned down at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles moments after delivering a victory speech in the pivotal California primary. Five others were wounded.

RFK wife Ethel Kennedy says assassin shouldn't be released

KIRKSVILLE, Mo. (AP) — A Kirksville man who prosecutors said urged an accomplice to fatally shoot a teenager was sentenced Tuesday to 27 years in prison.

Andrew Head, 20, was sentenced for second-degree murder and armed criminal action for his role in the death of 17-year-old Izaiha McFarland. Head was convicted of the charges in June.

Head and Drake Zanoni went to an apartment where McFarland was staying on Feb. 6, 2019, because they felt “disrespected” that he was staying there, according to court documents. Prosecutors said Head told Zanoni to “bust,” McFarland and Zanoni shot the victim in the chest.

Zanoni, of Kirksville, is awaiting trial on second-degree murder and armed criminal action charges.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1622937792292.png" alt="Head photo Adair Co. Jail" />
 <figcaption>Head photo Adair Co. Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>KIRKSVILLE, Mo. (AP) — A Kirksville man who prosecutors said urged an accomplice to fatally shoot a teenager was sentenced Tuesday to 27 years in prison.Andrew Head, 20, was sentenced for second-degree murder and armed criminal action for his role in the death of 17-year-old Izaiha McFarland. Head was convicted of the charges in June.Head and Drake Zanoni went to an apartment where McFarland was staying on Feb. 6, 2019, because they felt “disrespected” that he was staying there, according to court documents. Prosecutors said Head told Zanoni to “bust,” McFarland and Zanoni shot the victim in the chest.Zanoni, of Kirksville, is awaiting trial on second-degree murder and armed criminal action charges.

Missouri man sentenced for encouraging fatal shooting

News Release Nebraska State Patrol

NORFOLK, Neb.-Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol have apprehended two people following separate pursuits in northeast Nebraska.

Monday at approximately 8:45 a.m., a trooper observed a Subaru Outback speeding on Highway 20 in Dixon County. The trooper attempted a traffic stop, but the vehicle refused to yield and fled. The trooper initiated a pursuit.

The vehicle fled on county roads, with speeds in excess of 75 miles per hour. The fleeing driver then failed to notice signs advising a bridge was out, drove into a construction area, and eventually came to a stop about ten feet from the drop-off of the bridge that was out. The driver was then taken into custody without further incident.

The trooper then discovered that there was an adult female and two 15-months old children in the vehicle. The driver, Dawson Emmick, 21, of Sioux City, Iowa, was arrested for felony flight to avoid arrest, willful reckless driving, two counts of child abuse/neglect causing no injury, driving while revoked, speeding, and traveling on a closed road. He was lodged in Dixon County Jail.

Tuesday, at approximately 10:30 a.m., NSP was informed that Platte County Sheriff’s Deputies were in pursuit of a Nissan Altima that had fled a traffic stop, on Highway 81. The pursuit came north in Madison County where other agencies joined to assist. Stop sticks were successfully deployed to slow the vehicle as it entered Norfolk on Highway 81.

Once the vehicle had cleared traffic on the north side of Norfolk, a trooper performed a tactical vehicle intervention to bring the vehicle to a stop. The driver attempted to flee on foot, but she was quickly apprehended. The driver, a 21-year-old female, was cited for felony flight to avoid arrest and was placed in emergency protective custody because of a mental condition.

News Release Nebraska State PatrolNORFOLK, Neb.-Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol have apprehended two people following separate pursuits in northeast Nebraska.Monday at approximately 8:45 a.m., a trooper observed a Subaru Outback speeding on Highway 20 in Dixon County. The trooper attempted a traffic stop, but the vehicle refused to yield and fled. The trooper initiated a pursuit.The vehicle fled on county roads, with speeds in excess of 75 miles per hour. The fleeing driver then failed to notice signs advising a bridge was out, drove into a construction area, and eventually came to a stop about ten feet from the drop-off of the bridge that was out. The driver was then taken into custody without further incident.The trooper then discovered that there was an adult female and two 15-months old children in the vehicle. The driver, Dawson Emmick, 21, of Sioux City, Iowa, was arrested for felony flight to avoid arrest, willful reckless driving, two counts of child abuse/neglect causing no injury, driving while revoked, speeding, and traveling on a closed road. He was lodged in Dixon County Jail.Tuesday, at approximately 10:30 a.m., NSP was informed that Platte County Sheriff’s Deputies were in pursuit of a Nissan Altima that had fled a traffic stop, on Highway 81. The pursuit came north in Madison County where other agencies joined to assist. Stop sticks were successfully deployed to slow the vehicle as it entered Norfolk on Highway 81.Once the vehicle had cleared traffic on the north side of Norfolk, a trooper performed a tactical vehicle intervention to bring the vehicle to a stop. The driver attempted to flee on foot, but she was quickly apprehended. The driver, a 21-year-old female, was cited for felony flight to avoid arrest and was placed in emergency protective custody because of a mental condition.

Multiple pursuits lead to arrests in northeast Nebraska

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture says workers on farms and at meatpacking plants who were severely affected by the coronavirus pandemic will be eligible to get grants of up to $600 per person as part of a new $700 million aid program. 

The grants announced Tuesday are intended to defray some of the costs workers bore as many of them bought their own protective equipment or took unpaid leave as the virus tore through their industries even as they were required to keep showing up for work. 

The United Food and Commercial Workers union estimates that at least 132 meatpacking workers died of COVID-19 and at least 22,000 workers have been infected or exposed to the virus.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631094740484.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture says workers on farms and at meatpacking plants who were severely affected by the coronavirus pandemic will be eligible to get grants of up to $600 per person as part of a new $700 million aid program. The grants announced Tuesday are intended to defray some of the costs workers bore as many of them bought their own protective equipment or took unpaid leave as the virus tore through their industries even as they were required to keep showing up for work. The United Food and Commercial Workers union estimates that at least 132 meatpacking workers died of COVID-19 and at least 22,000 workers have been infected or exposed to the virus.

Meat, farm workers to get $600 grants in new $700M aid plan

GREENWOOD, Neb. (AP) — Officials say a 20-year-old Bennington man has died in a crash near Greenwood in eastern Nebraska. 

The Omaha World-Herald reports that the crash happened Monday morning on Interstate 80. 

The Cass County Sheriff's Office says first responders found a car that had been eastbound on the interstate when it veered into the median, jumped a creek and rolled.

 Officials say the driver, Chaz Clark, was declared dead at the scene. Investigators believe speed played a role in the crash.

GREENWOOD, Neb. (AP) — Officials say a 20-year-old Bennington man has died in a crash near Greenwood in eastern Nebraska. The Omaha World-Herald reports that the crash happened Monday morning on Interstate 80. The Cass County Sheriff's Office says first responders found a car that had been eastbound on the interstate when it veered into the median, jumped a creek and rolled. Officials say the driver, Chaz Clark, was declared dead at the scene. Investigators believe speed played a role in the crash.

Officials: Bennington man killed in rollover crash on I-80

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Jane Raybould, a Lincoln city council member and former Lancaster County commissioner, has announced her candidacy for an open seat in the Nebraska Legislature. 

Raybould says she’s running for Legislative District 28, an area of Lincoln neighborhoods just south of downtown. 

The seat is currently held by state Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks, a fellow Democrat who is ineligible to run again in 2022 because of term limits. 

The district is heavily Democratic, even though the Legislature is officially nonpartisan. 

In a statement, Raybould says she’d focus on public education, criminal justice reform, mental health services and restoring state aid to cities and counties. 

Her announcement included an endorsement from Pansing Brooks.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631094937609.png" alt="Raybould" />
 <figcaption>Raybould</figcaption>
 </figure>LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Jane Raybould, a Lincoln city council member and former Lancaster County commissioner, has announced her candidacy for an open seat in the Nebraska Legislature. Raybould says she’s running for Legislative District 28, an area of Lincoln neighborhoods just south of downtown. The seat is currently held by state Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks, a fellow Democrat who is ineligible to run again in 2022 because of term limits. The district is heavily Democratic, even though the Legislature is officially nonpartisan. In a statement, Raybould says she’d focus on public education, criminal justice reform, mental health services and restoring state aid to cities and counties. Her announcement included an endorsement from Pansing Brooks.

Lincoln council member Jane Raybould to run for Legislature

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House is preparing an urgent and populist message for selling President Joe Biden's $3.5 trillion “build back better” agenda, even as House committee leaders begin churning out pieces of the forthcoming measure.

In a memo being sent Tuesday to Capitol Hill and obtained by The Associated Press, the administration warns there is no time to waste in passing the package of corporate tax hikes and domestic initiatives by the end of the month.

“We face a fundamental choice in America right now as we rebuild our economy: this time, will everyone get in on the deal?” the memo says. “The time is now. We have to meet the needs in front of us. Not tomorrow, not months from now, not next year. Right now.”

The urgent appeal comes at a crucial time, with House and Senate Democrats hoping to assemble the package by a self-imposed Sept. 15 deadline. It also comes as Biden seeks to refocus on his core campaign promises after a brutal summer, punctuated by spiking COVID-19 cases and the deadly evacuations and withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Illustrating Democrats' ambition as well as the challenges they face, House Ways and Means Chairman Richard Neal released part of his panel's portion of the bill Tuesday.

The Massachusetts Democrat proposed creating a new paid family and medical leave program for workers that is more generous than Biden's own plan and expanding Medicare to provide dental, vision and hearing benefits.

But Neal also did not immediately unveil tax boosts on the rich and corporations that Democrats say will pay for much of the measure's cost, saving that for coming days.

The tax increases are likely to be among the most contentious items in the package, with some moderate Democrats facing tough reelection fights wary of them. But they are crucial if the party wants to support its claim that those tax boosts and other savings will pay for the entire measure, which they say will cost $3.5 trillion over 10 years.

Neal and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore., are trying to resolve differences over some items in hopes the measure the House ultimately approves will largely face smooth sailing in the Senate, said Democrats who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe the legislation's status.

The bill will need the support of virtually every Democrat to clear the closely divided Congress. The Ways and Means panel has jurisdiction over the biggest chunk of the overall bill, and its members plan to begin voting on their piece of the plan on Thursday and Friday.

“This is our historic opportunity to support working families and ensure our economy is stronger, more inclusive, and more resilient for generations to come,” Neal said in a statement.

Republicans say Neal's measure will end up raising taxes on people earning under $400,000, which Biden and Democrats have said will not happen. “They're hiding the ball,” said J.P. Freire, the panel's GOP spokesman.

The committee's proposal will pay for up to 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave for workers, beginning in 2023, including for higher earners. Biden's plan would be phased in over the decade.

Neal's proposal would also phase in Medicare coverage for vision benefits starting in 2022, hearing in 2023 and dental in 2028. Missing in the details he released Tuesday was a proposal to lower the Medicare eligibility age to 60, which has been considered unlikely to be included because it is expensive.

It includes increased spending for child care, long-term care facilities, better benefits for workers laid off due to imports and training health care workers. It would also require many employers to automatically enroll workers in savings arrangements like IRAs or 401(k) plans.

Inside the White House, September is seen as a crucial month to make gains on Biden's agenda. In speeches and travel, the president is expected to take a more aggressively populist tone as he rallies support for the plan.

Congressional approval is not guaranteed as Democrats work to fundamentally reorder aspects of the U.S. economy and its governmental support systems.

Democrats are already preparing for an onslaught of attacks over what Republicans call Biden's big tax and spending plans, as the GOP tries to wrest control of Congress by winning House and Senate seats in next year's midterm elections.

In framing the arguments ahead as a choice, the White House is showing congressional Democrats one way the administration plans to counter those Republican attacks.

“Republicans who oppose the Build Back Better agenda have chosen whose side they are on, too,” said the memo from White House Communications Director Kate Bedingfield to House Democratic communicators.

“The Build Back Better agenda is about tackling those challenges, and leveling the playing field to ensure the wealthiest and corporations pay their fair share and working families get a fighting chance to succeed and prosper in this country," the memo said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631062749047.png" alt="President Biden visited a neighborhood in Manville, New Jersey and toured the damage left by Hurricane Ida. Photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>President Biden visited a neighborhood in Manville, New Jersey and toured the damage left by Hurricane Ida. Photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House is preparing an urgent and populist message for selling President Joe Biden's $3.5 trillion “build back better” agenda, even as House committee leaders begin churning out pieces of the forthcoming measure.In a memo being sent Tuesday to Capitol Hill and obtained by The Associated Press, the administration warns there is no time to waste in passing the package of corporate tax hikes and domestic initiatives by the end of the month.“We face a fundamental choice in America right now as we rebuild our economy: this time, will everyone get in on the deal?” the memo says. “The time is now. We have to meet the needs in front of us. Not tomorrow, not months from now, not next year. Right now.”The urgent appeal comes at a crucial time, with House and Senate Democrats hoping to assemble the package by a self-imposed Sept. 15 deadline. It also comes as Biden seeks to refocus on his core campaign promises after a brutal summer, punctuated by spiking COVID-19 cases and the deadly evacuations and withdrawal from Afghanistan.Illustrating Democrats' ambition as well as the challenges they face, House Ways and Means Chairman Richard Neal released part of his panel's portion of the bill Tuesday.The Massachusetts Democrat proposed creating a new paid family and medical leave program for workers that is more generous than Biden's own plan and expanding Medicare to provide dental, vision and hearing benefits.But Neal also did not immediately unveil tax boosts on the rich and corporations that Democrats say will pay for much of the measure's cost, saving that for coming days.The tax increases are likely to be among the most contentious items in the package, with some moderate Democrats facing tough reelection fights wary of them. But they are crucial if the party wants to support its claim that those tax boosts and other savings will pay for the entire measure, which they say will cost $3.5 trillion over 10 years.Neal and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore., are trying to resolve differences over some items in hopes the measure the House ultimately approves will largely face smooth sailing in the Senate, said Democrats who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe the legislation's status.The bill will need the support of virtually every Democrat to clear the closely divided Congress. The Ways and Means panel has jurisdiction over the biggest chunk of the overall bill, and its members plan to begin voting on their piece of the plan on Thursday and Friday.“This is our historic opportunity to support working families and ensure our economy is stronger, more inclusive, and more resilient for generations to come,” Neal said in a statement.Republicans say Neal's measure will end up raising taxes on people earning under $400,000, which Biden and Democrats have said will not happen. “They're hiding the ball,” said J.P. Freire, the panel's GOP spokesman.The committee's proposal will pay for up to 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave for workers, beginning in 2023, including for higher earners. Biden's plan would be phased in over the decade.Neal's proposal would also phase in Medicare coverage for vision benefits starting in 2022, hearing in 2023 and dental in 2028. Missing in the details he released Tuesday was a proposal to lower the Medicare eligibility age to 60, which has been considered unlikely to be included because it is expensive.It includes increased spending for child care, long-term care facilities, better benefits for workers laid off due to imports and training health care workers. It would also require many employers to automatically enroll workers in savings arrangements like IRAs or 401(k) plans.Inside the White House, September is seen as a crucial month to make gains on Biden's agenda. In speeches and travel, the president is expected to take a more aggressively populist tone as he rallies support for the plan.Congressional approval is not guaranteed as Democrats work to fundamentally reorder aspects of the U.S. economy and its governmental support systems.Democrats are already preparing for an onslaught of attacks over what Republicans call Biden's big tax and spending plans, as the GOP tries to wrest control of Congress by winning House and Senate seats in next year's midterm elections.In framing the arguments ahead as a choice, the White House is showing congressional Democrats one way the administration plans to counter those Republican attacks.“Republicans who oppose the Build Back Better agenda have chosen whose side they are on, too,” said the memo from White House Communications Director Kate Bedingfield to House Democratic communicators.“The Build Back Better agenda is about tackling those challenges, and leveling the playing field to ensure the wealthiest and corporations pay their fair share and working families get a fighting chance to succeed and prosper in this country," the memo said.

Administration wants Biden's $3.5T plan passed this month

NEMAHA COUNTY—Authorities investigating a fatal Labor Day accident have identified the teen who died as 16-year-old Lawson Schmelzle of Seneca.

Just before 10:30 a.m. Monday, deputies responded to report of a crash on Q Road south of 112th, according to the Nemaha County Sheriff.

Investigators determined a 2005 Chevrolet pickup driven by Schmelzle was northbound, traveled left of center and struck the rear axle of a southbound&nbsp; 1989 Freightliner semi driven by Craig Nolte, 32, Seneca. 

After impact, the pickup traveled off the east side of the road and flipped. Schmelzle was pronounced dead at the scene. The sheriff's department reported no additional information.

NEMAHA COUNTY—Authorities investigating a fatal Labor Day accident have identified the teen who died as 16-year-old Lawson Schmelzle of Seneca.Just before 10:30 a.m. Monday, deputies responded to report of a crash on Q Road south of 112th, according to the Nemaha County Sheriff.Investigators determined a 2005 Chevrolet pickup driven by Schmelzle was northbound, traveled left of center and struck the rear axle of a southbound&nbsp; 1989 Freightliner semi driven by Craig Nolte, 32, Seneca. After impact, the pickup traveled off the east side of the road and flipped. Schmelzle was pronounced dead at the scene. The sheriff's department reported no additional information.

Sheriff IDs Kansas teen who died after crash with a semi

WYANDOTTE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal weekend shooting have identified the victim as 27-year-old Travis Eugene Bowman of Kansas City, Kansas, according to police. The suspect is 35-year-old Darnell D. Walker of Kansas City, Kansas.

Just after 10:30p.m. Saturday, police responded to report of a shooting in the 2200 Block of Silver Court in Kansas City, Kansas.

They found Bowman with a gunshot wound. EMS transported the him to an area hospital where he died.&nbsp;

Police believe the shooting occurred as the result of an argument and physical altercation between the two men over a missing Amazon package that had been delivered to the apartment of the victim's sister.

Walker is being held on a $250,000 bond on requested charges of first degree murder.

WYANDOTTE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and have made an arrest.

Just after 10:30p.m. Saturday, police responded to report of a shooting in the 2200 Block of Silver Court in Kansas City, Kansas, according to a media release.

They found a man in his late 20s with a gunshot wound. EMS transported the victim to an area hospital where he died. Police took a suspect into custody. Police have not released the victim's name or additional details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1630976998538.png" alt="Walker-photo Wyandotte Co." />
 <figcaption>Walker-photo Wyandotte Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>WYANDOTTE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal weekend shooting have identified the victim as 27-year-old Travis Eugene Bowman of Kansas City, Kansas, according to police. The suspect is 35-year-old Darnell D. Walker of Kansas City, Kansas.Just after 10:30p.m. Saturday, police responded to report of a shooting in the 2200 Block of Silver Court in Kansas City, Kansas.They found Bowman with a gunshot wound. EMS transported the him to an area hospital where he died.&nbsp;Police believe the shooting occurred as the result of an argument and physical altercation between the two men over a missing Amazon package that had been delivered to the apartment of the victim's sister.Walker is being held on a $250,000 bond on requested charges of first degree murder.---------WYANDOTTE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and have made an arrest.Just after 10:30p.m. Saturday, police responded to report of a shooting in the 2200 Block of Silver Court in Kansas City, Kansas, according to a media release.They found a man in his late 20s with a gunshot wound. EMS transported the victim to an area hospital where he died. Police took a suspect into custody. Police have not released the victim's name or additional details.

Kansas man killed over missing Amazon package

ST. CHARLES, Mo. (AP) — Police have arrested a Missouri woman accused of cutting the throat of a 6-year-old boy late last month.

Natalia Jacquemin, 46, of St. Peters, has been charged with first-degree assault and armed criminal action in the Aug. 27 attack, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/st-peters-woman-charged-with-slitting-throat-of-6-year-old-boy/article_28570c0c-73f3-57e3-98e0-b34b3f881470.html" target="_blank">St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported</a>. Jacquemin called police late that night to report she had “slit the throat” of the boy, whom she thought was dead, police said.

Jacquemin said on the call that she cut the boy’s throat and had tried to get the boy “away from his dad,” according to authorities. The boy survived but suffered an 8-inch laceration across the front of his neck that damaged his muscles and required surgery, police said.

Police have not said what Jacquemin’s relationship is to the child. She is being held on $2 million cash bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631046246488.png" alt="Jacquemin-photo St. Charles Co." />
 <figcaption>Jacquemin-photo St. Charles Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>ST. CHARLES, Mo. (AP) — Police have arrested a Missouri woman accused of cutting the throat of a 6-year-old boy late last month.Natalia Jacquemin, 46, of St. Peters, has been charged with first-degree assault and armed criminal action in the Aug. 27 attack, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/st-peters-woman-charged-with-slitting-throat-of-6-year-old-boy/article_28570c0c-73f3-57e3-98e0-b34b3f881470.html" target="_blank">St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported</a>. Jacquemin called police late that night to report she had “slit the throat” of the boy, whom she thought was dead, police said.Jacquemin said on the call that she cut the boy’s throat and had tried to get the boy “away from his dad,” according to authorities. The boy survived but suffered an 8-inch laceration across the front of his neck that damaged his muscles and required surgery, police said.Police have not said what Jacquemin’s relationship is to the child. She is being held on $2 million cash bond.

Police: Missouri woman cut throat of 6-year-old boy

SEDGWICK COUNTY— Two people including a Kansas sheriff's deputy were injured in an accident during a pursuit just before 12:30a.m. Monday in Sedgwick County.

A deputy had observed suspicious activity between individuals at a gas station at Seneca and McCormick in Wichita, according to Sedgwick County Undersheriff Brian White during a Tuesday press conference.&nbsp;

The deputy requested assistance and another deputy responded to the location. As the deputy neared the location, the individuals involved in the suspicious activity left the area eastbound on McCormick in a Chevy HHR without headlights on.

Both deputies pulled in behind the SUV and attempted a traffic stop near Lincoln and McLean. The driver refused to stop and the chase was underway. The pursuit continued for approximately 7 minutes and 30 seconds at speeds from 70-80 miles per hour, according to White.&nbsp;

At one point the fleeing driver turned north on Topeka, a one-way street for southbound traffic.&nbsp; The pursuit continued until the the 2014 Dodge Charger driven by Deputy Justin Mixon, 32, collided at the intersection with a westbound 2020 Honda CRV driven by Muktaben&nbsp;Bhakta, 52, Wichita, and then struck a building. Immediately after the crash, the second deputy involved ended the pursuit, requested EMS and rendered aid to Bhatka.&nbsp;

EMS transported Bhatka and Deputy Mixon to an area hospital in serious condition. Mixon has been released from the hospital, according to White. He had no update on the Bhatka's condition Tuesday afternoon.

Officers continue to search for the suspect wanted in the pursuit.

SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas deputy was injured in a crash during pursuit just before 12:30a.m. Monday in Sedgwick County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2014 Dodge Charger driven by Deputy Justin Mixon, 32, Derby, was&nbsp;northbound on Topeka Street at Douglas in pursuit of another vehicle.

The Charger collided at the intersection with a westbound 2020 Honda CRV driven by Muktaben&nbsp;Bhakta, 52, Wichita, and then struck a building.

EMS transported both drivers to a Wichita hospital. Officers continue to search for the suspect wanted in the pursuit.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1630973561276.png" alt="The Sedgwick County deputies's Dodge Charger as it is removed from the crash scene. -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>The Sedgwick County deputies's Dodge Charger as it is removed from the crash scene. -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY— Two people including a Kansas sheriff's deputy were injured in an accident during a pursuit just before 12:30a.m. Monday in Sedgwick County.A deputy had observed suspicious activity between individuals at a gas station at Seneca and McCormick in Wichita, according to Sedgwick County Undersheriff Brian White during a Tuesday press conference.&nbsp;The deputy requested assistance and another deputy responded to the location. As the deputy neared the location, the individuals involved in the suspicious activity left the area eastbound on McCormick in a Chevy HHR without headlights on.Both deputies pulled in behind the SUV and attempted a traffic stop near Lincoln and McLean. The driver refused to stop and the chase was underway. The pursuit continued for approximately 7 minutes and 30 seconds at speeds from 70-80 miles per hour, according to White.&nbsp;At one point the fleeing driver turned north on Topeka, a one-way street for southbound traffic.&nbsp; The pursuit continued until the the 2014 Dodge Charger driven by Deputy Justin Mixon, 32, collided at the intersection with a westbound 2020 Honda CRV driven by Muktaben&nbsp;Bhakta, 52, Wichita, and then struck a building. Immediately after the crash, the second deputy involved ended the pursuit, requested EMS and rendered aid to Bhatka.&nbsp;EMS transported Bhatka and Deputy Mixon to an area hospital in serious condition. Mixon has been released from the hospital, according to White. He had no update on the Bhatka's condition Tuesday afternoon.Officers continue to search for the suspect wanted in the pursuit.--------------SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas deputy was injured in a crash during pursuit just before 12:30a.m. Monday in Sedgwick County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2014 Dodge Charger driven by Deputy Justin Mixon, 32, Derby, was&nbsp;northbound on Topeka Street at Douglas in pursuit of another vehicle.The Charger collided at the intersection with a westbound 2020 Honda CRV driven by Muktaben&nbsp;Bhakta, 52, Wichita, and then struck a building.EMS transported both drivers to a Wichita hospital. Officers continue to search for the suspect wanted in the pursuit.

Update: Kan. woman, deputy injured after crash during chase

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Police in Lincoln have identified a man killed over the weekend in an apartment shooting and announced an arrest in the case. 

Police say 28-year-old Alonzo Jones died in the Sunday morning shooting at the Tanglewood apartment complex. 

Police say 23-year-old Lendell Harris immediately turned himself to the Lancaster County Jail and was arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder and use of a weapon to commit a felony. But an attorney for Harris, Dick Clark, says Jones was the aggressor and that Harris shot him in self-defense.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631045683809.png" alt="Harris" />
 <figcaption>Harris</figcaption>
 </figure>LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Police in Lincoln have identified a man killed over the weekend in an apartment shooting and announced an arrest in the case. Police say 28-year-old Alonzo Jones died in the Sunday morning shooting at the Tanglewood apartment complex. Police say 23-year-old Lendell Harris immediately turned himself to the Lancaster County Jail and was arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder and use of a weapon to commit a felony. But an attorney for Harris, Dick Clark, says Jones was the aggressor and that Harris shot him in self-defense.

Police ID man killed in Lincoln apartment shooting; arrest made

OMAHA, Neb.-Officials with the Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium in Omaha said an escaped rhinoceros is safe and back in his enclosure.

According to zoo officials, staff was alerted to an Indian rhino out of its enclosure at around 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday.

The zoo enacted its emergency protocols to ensure the safety of guests, students, animals and employees.

Students and guests were immediately moved to a secure location and all entry points to the zoo were closed.

Officials said the rhino was found about 30 feet from his enclosure eating grass.

Staff used pickups and treats like apples to entice the rhino back into his enclosure.

After about 50 minutes, the rhino, Jontu, was safely returned to his enclose, and normal zoo operations continued.

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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631045356506.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By Scott Carlson North Platte PostOMAHA, Neb.-Officials with the Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium in Omaha said an escaped rhinoceros is safe and back in his enclosure.According to zoo officials, staff was alerted to an Indian rhino out of its enclosure at around 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday.The zoo enacted its emergency protocols to ensure the safety of guests, students, animals and employees.Students and guests were immediately moved to a secure location and all entry points to the zoo were closed.Officials said the rhino was found about 30 feet from his enclosure eating grass.Staff used pickups and treats like apples to entice the rhino back into his enclosure.After about 50 minutes, the rhino, Jontu, was safely returned to his enclose, and normal zoo operations continued.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FOmahaZoo%2Fvideos%2F804405516919647%2F&show_text=true&width=560&t=0" width="560" height="429" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>