WASHINGTON (AP) —The race against the virus that causes COVID-19 has taken a new turn: Mutations are rapidly popping up, and the longer it takes to vaccinate people, the more likely it is that a variant that can elude current tests, treatments and vaccines could emerge.

The coronavirus is becoming more genetically diverse, and health officials say the high rate of new cases is the main reason. Each new infection gives the virus a chance to mutate as it makes copies of itself, threatening to undo the progress made so far to control the pandemic.

&nbsp;The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said a new version first identified in the United Kingdom may become dominant in the U.S. by March. Although it doesn’t cause more severe illness, it will lead to more hospitalizations and deaths just because it spreads much more easily, said the CDC, warning of “a new phase of exponential growth.”

“We’re taking it really very seriously,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, the U.S. government’s top infectious disease expert, said Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

“We need to do everything we can now ... to get transmission as low as we possibly can,” said Harvard University’s Dr. Michael Mina. “The best way to prevent mutant strains from emerging is to slow transmission.”

So far, vaccines seem to remain effective, but there are signs that some of the new mutations may undermine tests for the virus and reduce the effectiveness of antibody drugs as treatments.

“We’re in a race against time” because the virus “may stumble upon a mutation” that makes it more dangerous, said Dr. Pardis Sabeti, an evolutionary biologist at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard.

Younger people may be less willing to wear masks, shun crowds and take other steps to avoid infection because the current strain doesn’t seem to make them very sick, but “in one mutational change, it might,” she warned. Sabeti documented a change in the Ebola virus during the 2014 outbreak that made it much worse.

It’s normal for viruses to acquire small changes or mutations in their genetic alphabet as they reproduce. Ones that help the virus flourish give it a competitive advantage and thus crowd out other versions.

In March, just a couple months after the coronavirus was discovered in China, a mutation called D614G emerged that made it more likely to spread. It soon became the dominant version in the world.

Now, after months of relative calm, “we’ve started to see some striking evolution” of the virus, biologist Trevor Bedford of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle wrote on Twitter last week. “The fact that we’ve observed three variants of concern emerge since September suggests that there are likely more to come.”

One was first identified in the United Kingdom and quickly became dominant in parts of England. It has now been reported in at least 30 countries, including the United States.

Soon afterward, South Africa and Brazil reported new variants, and the main mutation in the version identified in Britain turned up on a different version “that’s been circulating in Ohio ... at least as far back as September,” said Dr. Dan Jones, a molecular pathologist at Ohio State University who announced that finding last week.

“The important finding here is that this is unlikely to be travel-related” and instead may reflect the virus acquiring similar mutations independently as more infections occur, Jones said.

That also suggests that travel restrictions might be ineffective, Mina said. Because the United States has so many cases, “we can breed our own variants that are just as bad or worse” as those in other countries, he said.

Some lab tests suggest the variants identified in South Africa and Brazil may be less susceptible to antibody drugs or convalescent plasma, antibody-rich blood from COVID-19 survivors — both of which help people fight off the virus.

Government scientists are “actively looking” into that possibility, Dr. Janet Woodcock of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration told reporters Thursday. The government is encouraging development of multi-antibody treatments rather than single-antibody drugs to have more ways to target the virus in case one proves ineffective, she said.

Current vaccines induce broad enough immune responses that they should remain effective, many scientists say. Enough genetic change eventually may require tweaking the vaccine formula, but “it’s probably going to be on the order of years if we use the vaccine well rather than months,” Dr. Andrew Pavia of the University of Utah said Thursday on a webcast hosted by the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

Health officials also worry that if the virus changes enough, people might get COVID-19 a second time. Reinfection currently is rare, but Brazil already confirmed a case in someone with a new variant who had been sickened with a previous version several months earlier.

“We’re seeing a lot of variants, viral diversity, because there’s a lot of virus out there,” and reducing new infections is the best way to curb it, said Dr. Adam Lauring, an infectious diseases expert at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

Loyce Pace, who heads the nonprofit Global Health Council and is a member of President-elect Joe Biden’s COVID-19 advisory board, said the same precautions scientists have been advising all along “still work and they still matter.”

“We still want people to be masking up,” she said Thursday on a webcast hosted by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

“We still need people to limit congregating with people outside their household. We still need people to be washing their hands and really being vigilant about those public health practices, especially as these variants emerge.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608566572342.png" alt="Image courtesy GISAID" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy GISAID</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —The race against the virus that causes COVID-19 has taken a new turn: Mutations are rapidly popping up, and the longer it takes to vaccinate people, the more likely it is that a variant that can elude current tests, treatments and vaccines could emerge.The coronavirus is becoming more genetically diverse, and health officials say the high rate of new cases is the main reason. Each new infection gives the virus a chance to mutate as it makes copies of itself, threatening to undo the progress made so far to control the pandemic.&nbsp;The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said a new version first identified in the United Kingdom may become dominant in the U.S. by March. Although it doesn’t cause more severe illness, it will lead to more hospitalizations and deaths just because it spreads much more easily, said the CDC, warning of “a new phase of exponential growth.”“We’re taking it really very seriously,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, the U.S. government’s top infectious disease expert, said Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”“We need to do everything we can now ... to get transmission as low as we possibly can,” said Harvard University’s Dr. Michael Mina. “The best way to prevent mutant strains from emerging is to slow transmission.”So far, vaccines seem to remain effective, but there are signs that some of the new mutations may undermine tests for the virus and reduce the effectiveness of antibody drugs as treatments.“We’re in a race against time” because the virus “may stumble upon a mutation” that makes it more dangerous, said Dr. Pardis Sabeti, an evolutionary biologist at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard.Younger people may be less willing to wear masks, shun crowds and take other steps to avoid infection because the current strain doesn’t seem to make them very sick, but “in one mutational change, it might,” she warned. Sabeti documented a change in the Ebola virus during the 2014 outbreak that made it much worse.MUTATIONS ON THE RISEIt’s normal for viruses to acquire small changes or mutations in their genetic alphabet as they reproduce. Ones that help the virus flourish give it a competitive advantage and thus crowd out other versions.In March, just a couple months after the coronavirus was discovered in China, a mutation called D614G emerged that made it more likely to spread. It soon became the dominant version in the world.Now, after months of relative calm, “we’ve started to see some striking evolution” of the virus, biologist Trevor Bedford of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle wrote on Twitter last week. “The fact that we’ve observed three variants of concern emerge since September suggests that there are likely more to come.”One was first identified in the United Kingdom and quickly became dominant in parts of England. It has now been reported in at least 30 countries, including the United States.Soon afterward, South Africa and Brazil reported new variants, and the main mutation in the version identified in Britain turned up on a different version “that’s been circulating in Ohio ... at least as far back as September,” said Dr. Dan Jones, a molecular pathologist at Ohio State University who announced that finding last week.“The important finding here is that this is unlikely to be travel-related” and instead may reflect the virus acquiring similar mutations independently as more infections occur, Jones said.That also suggests that travel restrictions might be ineffective, Mina said. Because the United States has so many cases, “we can breed our own variants that are just as bad or worse” as those in other countries, he said.___TREATMENT, VACCINE, REINFECTION RISKSSome lab tests suggest the variants identified in South Africa and Brazil may be less susceptible to antibody drugs or convalescent plasma, antibody-rich blood from COVID-19 survivors — both of which help people fight off the virus.Government scientists are “actively looking” into that possibility, Dr. Janet Woodcock of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration told reporters Thursday. The government is encouraging development of multi-antibody treatments rather than single-antibody drugs to have more ways to target the virus in case one proves ineffective, she said.Current vaccines induce broad enough immune responses that they should remain effective, many scientists say. Enough genetic change eventually may require tweaking the vaccine formula, but “it’s probably going to be on the order of years if we use the vaccine well rather than months,” Dr. Andrew Pavia of the University of Utah said Thursday on a webcast hosted by the Infectious Diseases Society of America.Health officials also worry that if the virus changes enough, people might get COVID-19 a second time. Reinfection currently is rare, but Brazil already confirmed a case in someone with a new variant who had been sickened with a previous version several months earlier.___WHAT TO DO“We’re seeing a lot of variants, viral diversity, because there’s a lot of virus out there,” and reducing new infections is the best way to curb it, said Dr. Adam Lauring, an infectious diseases expert at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.Loyce Pace, who heads the nonprofit Global Health Council and is a member of President-elect Joe Biden’s COVID-19 advisory board, said the same precautions scientists have been advising all along “still work and they still matter.”“We still want people to be masking up,” she said Thursday on a webcast hosted by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.“We still need people to limit congregating with people outside their household. We still need people to be washing their hands and really being vigilant about those public health practices, especially as these variants emerge.”___

COVID-19 mutations rise along with cases

FINNEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating alleged mail theft in Garden City.

Just after 10:30 a.m. Jan. 14,., police Department were dispatched to 1200 East Laurel Street in Garden City in reference to an auto burglary, according to Sgt. Lana Urteaga.

When officers arrived, they met with a mail carrier for the United States Postal Service (USPS). 

Officers learned that the mail carrier had parked his postal truck in the 1200 block of East Laurel Street, locked the doors, and began his delivery route. 

Upon return, the mail carrier discovered all remaining mail in the truck had been taken without permission. 

Police remind the public that those expecting mail on or around January 14, 2021, please contact the sender to ensure it was sent. 

If the mail was sent, and you did not receive it, please, notify the United States Postal Service. Please, be aware of potentially fraudulent activity when receiving or cashing checks. As always, contact the Garden City Police Department if you suspect a crime has been committed. 

The Garden City Police Department is requesting assistance from the community. If you witnessed this incident or have information related to this incident, you should call the Garden City Police Department.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611097423631.png" alt="Mail truck returns to the post office in Garden City-google image" />
 <figcaption>Mail truck returns to the post office in Garden City-google image</figcaption>
 </figure>FINNEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating alleged mail theft in Garden City.Just after 10:30 a.m. Jan. 14,., police Department were dispatched to 1200 East Laurel Street in Garden City in reference to an auto burglary, according to Sgt. Lana Urteaga.When officers arrived, they met with a mail carrier for the United States Postal Service (USPS). Officers learned that the mail carrier had parked his postal truck in the 1200 block of East Laurel Street, locked the doors, and began his delivery route. Upon return, the mail carrier discovered all remaining mail in the truck had been taken without permission. Police remind the public that those expecting mail on or around January 14, 2021, please contact the sender to ensure it was sent. If the mail was sent, and you did not receive it, please, notify the United States Postal Service. Please, be aware of potentially fraudulent activity when receiving or cashing checks. As always, contact the Garden City Police Department if you suspect a crime has been committed. The Garden City Police Department is requesting assistance from the community. If you witnessed this incident or have information related to this incident, you should call the Garden City Police Department.

Police investigate theft from mail carrier in SW Kansas

RUSH COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 1p.m. Tuesday in Rush County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2017 Toyota passenger car driven by&nbsp; was Olivia Grace Hanigan, 19, Garden City was northbound on U.S. 183 just north of T Avenue.

The Toyota crossed the center line striking a 2021 Chrysler passenger car driven by Joseph Homer Rainman, 87, Garden City head-on.

EMS transported Hanigan and&nbsp;Rainman to Hays Medical Center where he was pronounced dead. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

RUSH COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 1p.m. Tuesday in Rush County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2017 Toyota passenger car driven by&nbsp; was Olivia Grace Hanigan, 19, Garden City was northbound on U.S. 183 just north of T Avenue.The Toyota crossed the center line striking a 2021 Chrysler passenger car driven by Joseph Homer Rainman, 87, Garden City head-on.EMS transported Hanigan and&nbsp;Rainman to Hays Medical Center where he was pronounced dead. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

87-year-old Kansas man dead after head-on crash

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Authorities are working to determine the cause of a Tuesday morning house fire in Topeka.

Just after 4a.m., crews responded to the report of a house fire at 1119 SW Clay Street in Topeka, according to Fire Marshal Todd Harrison.

Upon arrival, crews found heavy fire coming from the two stor home. Fire crews made a defensive fire attack, and were able to contain the fire. Witnesses reported that all five adults escaped without injuries.

The preliminary investigation determined the dollar loss – $37,000 damage to the structure; $17,000 dollar loss was associated with loss of contents, according to Harrison.

Working smoke detectors were not located in the home.

Any individuals with information about the circumstances of this fire are being asked to please contact Crime Stoppers at (785)234-0007 or Toll Free at 1-800-222 TIPS (8477).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611067196201.png" alt="Tuesday morning house fire photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Tuesday morning house fire photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Authorities are working to determine the cause of a Tuesday morning house fire in Topeka.Just after 4a.m., crews responded to the report of a house fire at 1119 SW Clay Street in Topeka, according to Fire Marshal Todd Harrison.Upon arrival, crews found heavy fire coming from the two stor home. Fire crews made a defensive fire attack, and were able to contain the fire. Witnesses reported that all five adults escaped without injuries.The preliminary investigation determined the dollar loss – $37,000 damage to the structure; $17,000 dollar loss was associated with loss of contents, according to Harrison.Working smoke detectors were not located in the home.Any individuals with information about the circumstances of this fire are being asked to please contact Crime Stoppers at (785)234-0007 or Toll Free at 1-800-222 TIPS (8477).

Family escapes Kan. house fire; cause under investigation

PECOS, Texas. (AP) — Police in west Texas say a woman who drowned in a pool there in 1966 has been identified as a Salina, Kansas, native. Police in Pecos, Texas, announced Tuesday that the drowning victim was 17-year-old Jolaine Hemmy. 

She drowned on July 5, 1966, at the Ropers Motel in Pecos, where she was staying with a man. Police said the man, who has not been identified, was in the couple's motel room when Hemmy died. 

He left with their belongings as emergency responders were trying to revive her. Police reopened the cold case last year and exhumed the body. Pecos police say Hemmy's death remains under investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611107113114.png" alt="Jolaine Hemmy-photo courtesy Pecos Police" />
 <figcaption>Jolaine Hemmy-photo courtesy Pecos Police</figcaption>
 </figure>PECOS, Texas. (AP) — Police in west Texas say a woman who drowned in a pool there in 1966 has been identified as a Salina, Kansas, native. Police in Pecos, Texas, announced Tuesday that the drowning victim was 17-year-old Jolaine Hemmy. <div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Ftownofpecoscity%2Fvideos%2F834190820521866%2F&show_text=false&width=560" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>She drowned on July 5, 1966, at the Ropers Motel in Pecos, where she was staying with a man. Police said the man, who has not been identified, was in the couple's motel room when Hemmy died. He left with their belongings as emergency responders were trying to revive her. Police reopened the cold case last year and exhumed the body. Pecos police say Hemmy's death remains under investigation.

🎥  Woman who drowned in Texas in 1966 identified as Kan. native

LYON COUNTY —The search for a missing a Kansas boy is over and the child is safe, according to Emporia police.

Just after 2:30p.m. Tuesday 41-year-old Jessica Downs, suspect and paternal grandmother of missing 2-year-old Kyrese Cabrera-Downs, was taken into custody at a residence in southwestern Emporia. 

 Downs claimed to have given the child to Devin Downs, Kyrese’s biological father, sometime on Tuesday, in Emporia.  

Devin Downs took Kyrese to his biological mother around 5pm in Emporia.&nbsp; Emporia Police reported they had seen Kyrese and he appears unharmed.  

Jessica Downs was booked into the Lyon County Detention Center on requested charges of Aggravated Interference with Parental Custody.

LYON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities continue their investigation into the report of a missing child and now, Aggravated Interference with Parental Custody, according to&nbsp;Sgt. Lisa Hayes with Emporia police.

In response to the police request for public information Monday, authorities received numerous tips that 4-year-old Kyrese Cabrera-Downs may have been delivered to his father, Devin Downs, in Augusta, Kansas by his grandmother Jessica Downs.

The Augusta Police Department located and interviewed the father and the father allowed officers a search of his home. The child was not located and is believed to still be with Jessica Downs.

Just after 10:30p.m. Monday, Emporia police received a credible tip that Jessica Downs was in Topeka. She was spotted near the Kicks 66 gas station on SW Gage Blvd south of Highway 470, according to Sgt. Hays.

Topeka Police Department responded to this information as soon as it was made available to the Emporia Police Department.&nbsp; They did not locate Jessica Downs or Kyrese.

This investigation is now being treated as a felony level Aggravated Interference with Parental Custody.&nbsp;

Police have had many inquiries about issuing an Amber Alert in this case. Amber Alert has strict criteria and at this time, this case does not meet the criteria. More information about Amber Alerts can be&nbsp;<a href="https://kbi.kansas.gov/ksamber/">found here.</a>

Jessica Downs is a 41-year-old white female. She is 5-foot-8 165 pounds, with blue eyes and blonde hair. She may be driving a black or dark colored 4 door passenger car with a rounded body. Nathan Shown is a white male, 39 years of age, 5-foot-11, 180 pounds, with green eyes and brown hair.&nbsp;

The child, Kyrese Cabrera-Downs, 2-years-old, a mixed race black and white male, approximately 25 pounds, with brown eyes and brown hair was last seen wearing a red “Thomas the Tank Engine” pajama shirt and blue pajama pants.

If you have any information, please contact the Emporia Police Department at 620 343-4225 or Lyon County Crime Stoppers at 620 342-2273. You can also submit tips to Lyon County Crime Stoppers via Smartphone or online application by visiting P3&nbsp;<a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Ftips.com%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR3Q_z1M-mCHOmjWeGlafXzskZi8nMH3PNuGco8kvbQ163kbx-FU9O6jm3E&amp;h=AT1togncYbKoQ9Q3tBJOF5w0pBXF9xml7vdCJWlogzYrj3mNC0jaNCW-9DORh-0GVRkph82E-oNvFw0njpVzs5MNzmw1I_uG1P-lk9MQeqGg6jL-eiOqRsO3pv2en2BngUiAKR8&amp;__tn__=-UK-R&amp;c[0]=AT0WKR9WRkRc_UX_GKlgmy0_zcsgD2PMCyZuMIVFqmINtOoJDBDB1KnwlX7eoW1ZiVWvRXfMK2CrEHHaKSK9PbJ0JhXiqnIfya4epIxKjHdAJEfNu83pXXlX6on8GI3Thu5f7nMnCL4h_nO1VUwjU_Tr1ApwvQXYvSbzKFI0HOVR7qA" target="_blank">tips.com</a>

LYON COUNTY —The Emporia Police Department is seeking the public’s help in locating 2-year-old Kyrese Cabrera-Downs, a mixed race black and white boy last seen with his grandmother, Jessica S. Downs&nbsp; and possibly Nathan Shown, according to a media release from police.

Police believe Downs could be traveling to Augusta, KS with the child. EPD is currently investigating this case as a missing child and Interference with Parental Custody.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611105365287.png" alt="Jessica Downs, the grandmother of the missing boy is being held in the Lyon Co. Jail." />
 <figcaption>Jessica Downs, the grandmother of the missing boy is being held in the Lyon Co. Jail.</figcaption>
 </figure>LYON COUNTY —The search for a missing a Kansas boy is over and the child is safe, according to Emporia police.Just after 2:30p.m. Tuesday 41-year-old Jessica Downs, suspect and paternal grandmother of missing 2-year-old Kyrese Cabrera-Downs, was taken into custody at a residence in southwestern Emporia. Downs claimed to have given the child to Devin Downs, Kyrese’s biological father, sometime on Tuesday, in Emporia. Devin Downs took Kyrese to his biological mother around 5pm in Emporia.&nbsp; Emporia Police reported they had seen Kyrese and he appears unharmed. Jessica Downs was booked into the Lyon County Detention Center on requested charges of Aggravated Interference with Parental Custody.----------LYON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities continue their investigation into the report of a missing child and now, Aggravated Interference with Parental Custody, according to&nbsp;Sgt. Lisa Hayes with Emporia police.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611018035850.png" alt="Kyrese, Jessica Downs and Nathan Shown-photo Emporia police. Shown has various convictions that include for robbery, driving while suspended, giving worthless checks and for drugs, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections." />
 <figcaption>Kyrese, Jessica Downs and Nathan Shown-photo Emporia police. Shown has various convictions that include for robbery, driving while suspended, giving worthless checks and for drugs, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.</figcaption>
 </figure>In response to the police request for public information Monday, authorities received numerous tips that 4-year-old Kyrese Cabrera-Downs may have been delivered to his father, Devin Downs, in Augusta, Kansas by his grandmother Jessica Downs.The Augusta Police Department located and interviewed the father and the father allowed officers a search of his home. The child was not located and is believed to still be with Jessica Downs.Just after 10:30p.m. Monday, Emporia police received a credible tip that Jessica Downs was in Topeka. She was spotted near the Kicks 66 gas station on SW Gage Blvd south of Highway 470, according to Sgt. Hays.Topeka Police Department responded to this information as soon as it was made available to the Emporia Police Department.&nbsp; They did not locate Jessica Downs or Kyrese.This investigation is now being treated as a felony level Aggravated Interference with Parental Custody.&nbsp;Police have had many inquiries about issuing an Amber Alert in this case. Amber Alert has strict criteria and at this time, this case does not meet the criteria. More information about Amber Alerts can be&nbsp;<a href="https://kbi.kansas.gov/ksamber/">found here.</a>Jessica Downs is a 41-year-old white female. She is 5-foot-8 165 pounds, with blue eyes and blonde hair. She may be driving a black or dark colored 4 door passenger car with a rounded body. Nathan Shown is a white male, 39 years of age, 5-foot-11, 180 pounds, with green eyes and brown hair.&nbsp;The child, Kyrese Cabrera-Downs, 2-years-old, a mixed race black and white male, approximately 25 pounds, with brown eyes and brown hair was last seen wearing a red “Thomas the Tank Engine” pajama shirt and blue pajama pants.If you have any information, please contact the Emporia Police Department at 620 343-4225 or Lyon County Crime Stoppers at 620 342-2273. You can also submit tips to Lyon County Crime Stoppers via Smartphone or online application by visiting P3&nbsp;<a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Ftips.com%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR3Q_z1M-mCHOmjWeGlafXzskZi8nMH3PNuGco8kvbQ163kbx-FU9O6jm3E&amp;h=AT1togncYbKoQ9Q3tBJOF5w0pBXF9xml7vdCJWlogzYrj3mNC0jaNCW-9DORh-0GVRkph82E-oNvFw0njpVzs5MNzmw1I_uG1P-lk9MQeqGg6jL-eiOqRsO3pv2en2BngUiAKR8&amp;__tn__=-UK-R&amp;c[0]=AT0WKR9WRkRc_UX_GKlgmy0_zcsgD2PMCyZuMIVFqmINtOoJDBDB1KnwlX7eoW1ZiVWvRXfMK2CrEHHaKSK9PbJ0JhXiqnIfya4epIxKjHdAJEfNu83pXXlX6on8GI3Thu5f7nMnCL4h_nO1VUwjU_Tr1ApwvQXYvSbzKFI0HOVR7qA" target="_blank">tips.com</a>----------LYON COUNTY —The Emporia Police Department is seeking the public’s help in locating 2-year-old Kyrese Cabrera-Downs, a mixed race black and white boy last seen with his grandmother, Jessica S. Downs&nbsp; and possibly Nathan Shown, according to a media release from police.Jessica Downs is a 41-year-old white female. She is 5-foot-8 165 pounds, with blue eyes and blonde hair. She may be driving a black or dark colored 4 door passenger car with a rounded body. Nathan Shown is a white male, 39 years of age, 5-foot-11, 180 pounds, with green eyes and brown hair.&nbsp;The child, Kyrese Cabrera-Downs, 2-years-old, a mixed race black and white male, approximately 25 pounds, with brown eyes and brown hair was last seen wearing a red “Thomas the Tank Engine” pajama shirt and blue pajama pants.Police believe Downs could be traveling to Augusta, KS with the child. EPD is currently investigating this case as a missing child and Interference with Parental Custody.If you have any information, please contact the Emporia Police Department at 620 343-4225 or Lyon County Crime Stoppers at 620 342-2273. You can also submit tips to Lyon County Crime Stoppers via Smartphone or online application by visiting P3&nbsp;<a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Ftips.com%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR3Q_z1M-mCHOmjWeGlafXzskZi8nMH3PNuGco8kvbQ163kbx-FU9O6jm3E&amp;h=AT1togncYbKoQ9Q3tBJOF5w0pBXF9xml7vdCJWlogzYrj3mNC0jaNCW-9DORh-0GVRkph82E-oNvFw0njpVzs5MNzmw1I_uG1P-lk9MQeqGg6jL-eiOqRsO3pv2en2BngUiAKR8&amp;__tn__=-UK-R&amp;c[0]=AT0WKR9WRkRc_UX_GKlgmy0_zcsgD2PMCyZuMIVFqmINtOoJDBDB1KnwlX7eoW1ZiVWvRXfMK2CrEHHaKSK9PbJ0JhXiqnIfya4epIxKjHdAJEfNu83pXXlX6on8GI3Thu5f7nMnCL4h_nO1VUwjU_Tr1ApwvQXYvSbzKFI0HOVR7qA" target="_blank">tips.com</a>

Police: Grandmother in jail, missing Kan. boy safe

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a theft and have a suspect in custody.

Just before 11:30a.m. Jan. 14, police observed a suspect later identified as 25-year-old&nbsp;Kevin Blanton of Wichita exit and employee entrance at Target in the 7500 Block of West Maple in Wichita, according to officer Paul Cruz.

Blanton ran to a Grey Infiniti Q50, threw a vacuum and other items from the store into the SUV and drove from the parking lot at a hight rate of speed. Police attempted to stop Blanton.&nbsp; He failed to stop, drove the SUV over a curb and ran from the vehicle while leaving it in drive, according to Cruz.

The officer tracked Blanton down at a residence in the 8000 Block of West Maple and took him into custody. He remains in the Sedgwick County jail on requested charges of theft, criminal damage to property and flee and elude and a misdemeanor warrant.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610805284587.png" alt="Blanton photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Blanton photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a theft and have a suspect in custody.Just before 11:30a.m. Jan. 14, police observed a suspect later identified as 25-year-old&nbsp;Kevin Blanton of Wichita exit and employee entrance at Target in the 7500 Block of West Maple in Wichita, according to officer Paul Cruz.Blanton ran to a Grey Infiniti Q50, threw a vacuum and other items from the store into the SUV and drove from the parking lot at a hight rate of speed. Police attempted to stop Blanton.&nbsp; He failed to stop, drove the SUV over a curb and ran from the vehicle while leaving it in drive, according to Cruz.The officer tracked Blanton down at a residence in the 8000 Block of West Maple and took him into custody. He remains in the Sedgwick County jail on requested charges of theft, criminal damage to property and flee and elude and a misdemeanor warrant.&nbsp;

Kan. man jailed after police watch him run with items from store

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Four nurses at a rural health department in Kansas are refusing to administer any COVID-19 vaccines, citing the fast development and production of the shots.

Coffey County Public Health Administrator Lindsay Payer said the nurses made their own decisions and expressed their concerns one by one. She called the vaccine documents concerning.

“I strongly feel that if people want this vaccine, they should receive it. Absolutely,” Payer said. “But just like it’s their choice to receive it or not, I feel like it should also be my choice to give it or not.”

None of the nurses, including Payer, feel “comfortable” administering a vaccine that has gone through a speedy testing process with new technology, the Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article248535290.html" target="_blank">reported</a>.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-vaccine-health-workers-676e03a99badfd5ce3a6cfafe383f6af">Studies involving tens of thousands of people</a>&nbsp;found that the two vaccines approved for emergency use in the U.S. are nearly 95% effective at preventing COVID-19 illness. The studies discovered no major safety problems, although the vaccines do come with a caution about rare, serious allergic reactions. That’s why people are supposed to be observed for 15 minutes after the injection, so any adverse reactions can be treated promptly.

But because very rare side effects sometimes can’t be detected until vaccines are given to millions of people, multiple systems now are tracking recipients’ health so authorities can rapidly investigate any reported problems and determine if they’re related to the shots. So far, the vaccines have been given to more than 10 million people in the U.S. with no additional warnings issued.

“Vaccination of Kansans is critical to reach the end of this pandemic,” Kristi Zears, a spokeswoman with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, said in an email. “We are not aware of any other health departments who have expressed concerns regarding the vaccine and would point them to the safety data.”

The Coffey County Health Department posted on its Facebook page Friday that it had received a shipment of COVID-19 vaccines a day earlier and was able to safely vaccinate 36 health care workers. It did not mention who administered the shots.

“I would suggest there are parts of the state that are definitely embracing the vaccine,” said Linda MowBray, president of the Kansas Health Care Association, a nursing home advocacy group. “But they also embrace social distancing, masks and whatnot. There are still parts of the state denying this is a crisis.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611091546005.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Four nurses at a rural health department in Kansas are refusing to administer any COVID-19 vaccines, citing the fast development and production of the shots.Coffey County Public Health Administrator Lindsay Payer said the nurses made their own decisions and expressed their concerns one by one. She called the vaccine documents concerning.“I strongly feel that if people want this vaccine, they should receive it. Absolutely,” Payer said. “But just like it’s their choice to receive it or not, I feel like it should also be my choice to give it or not.”None of the nurses, including Payer, feel “comfortable” administering a vaccine that has gone through a speedy testing process with new technology, the Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article248535290.html" target="_blank">reported</a>.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-vaccine-health-workers-676e03a99badfd5ce3a6cfafe383f6af">Studies involving tens of thousands of people</a>&nbsp;found that the two vaccines approved for emergency use in the U.S. are nearly 95% effective at preventing COVID-19 illness. The studies discovered no major safety problems, although the vaccines do come with a caution about rare, serious allergic reactions. That’s why people are supposed to be observed for 15 minutes after the injection, so any adverse reactions can be treated promptly.But because very rare side effects sometimes can’t be detected until vaccines are given to millions of people, multiple systems now are tracking recipients’ health so authorities can rapidly investigate any reported problems and determine if they’re related to the shots. So far, the vaccines have been given to more than 10 million people in the U.S. with no additional warnings issued.“Vaccination of Kansans is critical to reach the end of this pandemic,” Kristi Zears, a spokeswoman with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, said in an email. “We are not aware of any other health departments who have expressed concerns regarding the vaccine and would point them to the safety data.”The Coffey County Health Department posted on its Facebook page Friday that it had received a shipment of COVID-19 vaccines a day earlier and was able to safely vaccinate 36 health care workers. It did not mention who administered the shots.“I would suggest there are parts of the state that are definitely embracing the vaccine,” said Linda MowBray, president of the Kansas Health Care Association, a nursing home advocacy group. “But they also embrace social distancing, masks and whatnot. There are still parts of the state denying this is a crisis.”

Nurses in Kansas county refuse to give COVID-19 vaccine

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump offered rare, kind words to his successor in a farewell video, while failing to address him by name, as he spent his final full day in office preparing to issue a flurry of pardons in a near-deserted White House, surrounded by an extraordinary security presence outside.

“This week we inaugurate a new administration and pray for its success in keeping America safe and prosperous,” Trump said in the video “farewell address,” released by the White House Tuesday afternoon. “We extend our best wishes. And we also want them to have luck. A very important word.”

Trump, who spent months trying to delegitimize President-elect Joe Biden’s win with baseless allegations of mass voter fraud, referenced the “next administration,” but declined to utter Biden’s name. Many of Trump’s supporters continue to believe the election was stolen from him, even though a long list of judges, Republican state officials and even Trump’s own government have said there is no evidence to support that claim.

The American public — regular people who have spent years languishing in prison — as well as politically connected friends and allies like those he’s pardoned in the past.

Trump spent much of the address trumpeting what he sees as his top achievements, including efforts to normalize relations in the Middle East, the development of coronavirus vaccinations and the creation of a new Space Force.

“We did what we came here to do — and so much more,” he said in the nearly 20-minute address.

Trump has remained largely out of sight since his supporters stormed the Capitol building earlier this month, trying to halt the peaceful transfer of power. Aides had urged him to spend his final days in office participating in a series of legacy-burnishing events. But Trump, who remains consumed with anger and grievance over his election loss, largely refused. He has not been seen in public since last week, when he traveled to Texas for one last photo opportunity at the border wall he pushed so adamantly throughout his presidency. In the end, he spent less than 45 minutes on the ground there and spoke just 21 minutes.

Trump is set to leave Washington early Wednesday morning and has been planning a grand farewell event at nearby Joint Base Andrews. Once there, he will board Air Force One for a final time, flying to Florida and becoming the first outgoing president in more than a century to skip the inauguration of his successor.

Trump has also refused to take part in any of the symbolic passing-of-the-torch traditions that have been the capstones of the peaceful transition of power from one administration to the next. He is boycotting not just the ceremony at the Capitol, but also passed on inviting the Bidens to the White House for a get-to-know-you meeting. And it remains unclear whether he will write Biden a personal welcome letter, like the one he received from former President Obama when he moved in.

Denied his Twitter bullhorn and with little else planned, Trump did participate in multiple meetings over the long weekend to discuss pending clemency actions, according to a White House official, who, like others, spoke on condition of anonymity because the action had yet to be made public.

Trump was personally involved in the effort to sift through requests, mostly from first-time drug offenders sentenced to life, rejecting some applications and greenlighting others, according to one of the people involved in the effort. Also playing a key role has been the president’s daughter, Ivanka Trump, who personally met with advocates, reviewed cases and brought them to the Department of Justice and pardon attorney.

Jessica Jackson, a lawyer and criminal justice advocate who has been working with the administration, said that she came to Ivanka Trump with the case of Darrell Frazier, who has served more than 29 years of a life sentence with no parole for his role in a drug conspiracy. While incarcerated, he founded a non-profit foundation in Tennessee that teaches tennis to 100-200 kids a week.

“I heard his story and brought it to Ivanka,” said Jackson. “Once she heard the story, she took it to the DOJ, she took it to the pardon attorney.”

Trump had been expected to move forward with additional pardons and commutations earlier this month, but discussions were put on hold after the insurrection at the Capitol by pro-Trump rioters incited by the president’s fiery and baseless election challenges. That threw an already paralyzed White House into even further chaos.

Trump has since been impeached for a second time and a sense of wariness has set in, with the president’s inner circle fearful of doing anything that could provoke a conviction in the Senate that would potentially bar him from ever holding office again.

That would curtail any chance of a 2024 comeback run that Trump had hoped would at least stoke the rumors of a campaign to remain relevant and a GOP kingmaker. Trump aides nervously watched Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s Tuesday denunciation of the president’s words that incited the riot; if McConnell, who has not signaled how he will vote in the trial, opts to convict, enough Republicans may follow suit to oust Trump, who does not have his Twitter account to keep his adopted party in line.

A long list of Trump staffers have already packed their offices and departed the White House, leaving the West Wing deserted — a warren of empty offices and bare walls — surrounded by an unprecedented security apparatus with National Guard troops, military vehicles and checkpoints aimed at staving off further violence.

Moving trucks were spotted in Florida on Monday arriving at Trump’s private Mar-a-Lago club.

As advocates and prisoners await Trump’s clemency decisions, it remains unclear whether Trump will pardon Steve Bannon, his former top strategist, or offer pre-emptive reprieves to his attorney, Rudy Giuliani, his adult children and or even himself — uncharted legal territory.

Bannon has been charged with duping thousands of investors who believed their money would be used to fulfill Trump’s chief campaign promise to build a wall along the southern border. Instead, Bannon is charged with diverting over a million dollars, paying a salary to one campaign official and personal expenses for himself.

Giuliani said on his Sunday radio show that, while he fears that prosecutors might “try to frame me,” he is “willing to run that risk.”

“I do not need a pardon. I don’t commit crimes,” he said.

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who speaks often with Trump, said on Fox’s Sunday Morning Futures that there are also “a lot of people” urging the president to pardon those who participated in the storming of the Capitol building — pleas he urged the president to swiftly reject.

“I don’t care if you went there and spread flowers on the floor, you breached the security of the Capitol, you interrupted a joint session of Congress, you tried to intimidate us all. You should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and to seek a pardon of these people would be wrong,” he said. He warned that such a move “would destroy President Trump and I hope we don’t go down that road.”

In addition to the bold-faced names, Trump’s list is expected to include people whose cases have been championed by criminal justice reform advocates. They are people like Chris Young, who was sentenced to life in prison for drug possession because of federal sentencing minimums and whose case has been championed by reality TV star Kim Kardashian West.

“Our nation is not well served by spending millions of taxpayer dollars burying people alive under outdated federal drug laws,” said his attorney, Brittany K. Barnett, who is co-founder of the Buried Alive Project, a criminal justice reform advocacy group.

Trump has already pardoned a number of longtime associates and supporters, including his former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort; the father of his son-in-law, Charles Kushner; his longtime friend and adviser Roger Stone and his former national security adviser Michael Flynn.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611096506367.png" alt="President Trump is scheduled to leave Washington Wednesday morning -image courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>President Trump is scheduled to leave Washington Wednesday morning -image courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump offered rare, kind words to his successor in a farewell video, while failing to address him by name, as he spent his final full day in office preparing to issue a flurry of pardons in a near-deserted White House, surrounded by an extraordinary security presence outside.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F270628861310657%2F&show_text=false&width=560" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>“This week we inaugurate a new administration and pray for its success in keeping America safe and prosperous,” Trump said in the video “farewell address,” released by the White House Tuesday afternoon. “We extend our best wishes. And we also want them to have luck. A very important word.”Trump, who spent months trying to delegitimize President-elect Joe Biden’s win with baseless allegations of mass voter fraud, referenced the “next administration,” but declined to utter Biden’s name. Many of Trump’s supporters continue to believe the election was stolen from him, even though a long list of judges, Republican state officials and even Trump’s own government have said there is no evidence to support that claim.The American public — regular people who have spent years languishing in prison — as well as politically connected friends and allies like those he’s pardoned in the past.Trump spent much of the address trumpeting what he sees as his top achievements, including efforts to normalize relations in the Middle East, the development of coronavirus vaccinations and the creation of a new Space Force.“We did what we came here to do — and so much more,” he said in the nearly 20-minute address.Trump has remained largely out of sight since his supporters stormed the Capitol building earlier this month, trying to halt the peaceful transfer of power. Aides had urged him to spend his final days in office participating in a series of legacy-burnishing events. But Trump, who remains consumed with anger and grievance over his election loss, largely refused. He has not been seen in public since last week, when he traveled to Texas for one last photo opportunity at the border wall he pushed so adamantly throughout his presidency. In the end, he spent less than 45 minutes on the ground there and spoke just 21 minutes.Trump is set to leave Washington early Wednesday morning and has been planning a grand farewell event at nearby Joint Base Andrews. Once there, he will board Air Force One for a final time, flying to Florida and becoming the first outgoing president in more than a century to skip the inauguration of his successor.Trump has also refused to take part in any of the symbolic passing-of-the-torch traditions that have been the capstones of the peaceful transition of power from one administration to the next. He is boycotting not just the ceremony at the Capitol, but also passed on inviting the Bidens to the White House for a get-to-know-you meeting. And it remains unclear whether he will write Biden a personal welcome letter, like the one he received from former President Obama when he moved in.Denied his Twitter bullhorn and with little else planned, Trump did participate in multiple meetings over the long weekend to discuss pending clemency actions, according to a White House official, who, like others, spoke on condition of anonymity because the action had yet to be made public.Trump was personally involved in the effort to sift through requests, mostly from first-time drug offenders sentenced to life, rejecting some applications and greenlighting others, according to one of the people involved in the effort. Also playing a key role has been the president’s daughter, Ivanka Trump, who personally met with advocates, reviewed cases and brought them to the Department of Justice and pardon attorney.Jessica Jackson, a lawyer and criminal justice advocate who has been working with the administration, said that she came to Ivanka Trump with the case of Darrell Frazier, who has served more than 29 years of a life sentence with no parole for his role in a drug conspiracy. While incarcerated, he founded a non-profit foundation in Tennessee that teaches tennis to 100-200 kids a week.“I heard his story and brought it to Ivanka,” said Jackson. “Once she heard the story, she took it to the DOJ, she took it to the pardon attorney.”Trump had been expected to move forward with additional pardons and commutations earlier this month, but discussions were put on hold after the insurrection at the Capitol by pro-Trump rioters incited by the president’s fiery and baseless election challenges. That threw an already paralyzed White House into even further chaos.Trump has since been impeached for a second time and a sense of wariness has set in, with the president’s inner circle fearful of doing anything that could provoke a conviction in the Senate that would potentially bar him from ever holding office again.That would curtail any chance of a 2024 comeback run that Trump had hoped would at least stoke the rumors of a campaign to remain relevant and a GOP kingmaker. Trump aides nervously watched Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s Tuesday denunciation of the president’s words that incited the riot; if McConnell, who has not signaled how he will vote in the trial, opts to convict, enough Republicans may follow suit to oust Trump, who does not have his Twitter account to keep his adopted party in line.A long list of Trump staffers have already packed their offices and departed the White House, leaving the West Wing deserted — a warren of empty offices and bare walls — surrounded by an unprecedented security apparatus with National Guard troops, military vehicles and checkpoints aimed at staving off further violence.Moving trucks were spotted in Florida on Monday arriving at Trump’s private Mar-a-Lago club.As advocates and prisoners await Trump’s clemency decisions, it remains unclear whether Trump will pardon Steve Bannon, his former top strategist, or offer pre-emptive reprieves to his attorney, Rudy Giuliani, his adult children and or even himself — uncharted legal territory.Bannon has been charged with duping thousands of investors who believed their money would be used to fulfill Trump’s chief campaign promise to build a wall along the southern border. Instead, Bannon is charged with diverting over a million dollars, paying a salary to one campaign official and personal expenses for himself.Giuliani said on his Sunday radio show that, while he fears that prosecutors might “try to frame me,” he is “willing to run that risk.”“I do not need a pardon. I don’t commit crimes,” he said.Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who speaks often with Trump, said on Fox’s Sunday Morning Futures that there are also “a lot of people” urging the president to pardon those who participated in the storming of the Capitol building — pleas he urged the president to swiftly reject.“I don’t care if you went there and spread flowers on the floor, you breached the security of the Capitol, you interrupted a joint session of Congress, you tried to intimidate us all. You should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and to seek a pardon of these people would be wrong,” he said. He warned that such a move “would destroy President Trump and I hope we don’t go down that road.”In addition to the bold-faced names, Trump’s list is expected to include people whose cases have been championed by criminal justice reform advocates. They are people like Chris Young, who was sentenced to life in prison for drug possession because of federal sentencing minimums and whose case has been championed by reality TV star Kim Kardashian West.“Our nation is not well served by spending millions of taxpayer dollars burying people alive under outdated federal drug laws,” said his attorney, Brittany K. Barnett, who is co-founder of the Buried Alive Project, a criminal justice reform advocacy group.Trump has already pardoned a number of longtime associates and supporters, including his former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort; the father of his son-in-law, Charles Kushner; his longtime friend and adviser Roger Stone and his former national security adviser Michael Flynn.

🎥  Pres. Trump wishes Biden luck in farewell video

CRAWFORD COUNTY –&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and the Crawford County Sheriff are investigating a&nbsp; suspicious death investigation that took place in Arcadia, Kansas.

Just before midnight Jan. 13, deputies from the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office&nbsp; received a tip indicating that a body could be located at 111 S. Kansas in Arcadia, according to a media release from the KBI.

Deputies went to the address and made contact with 37-year-old Nicholas Adam Carrillo. He gave permission for them to look around the property. When searching, deputies discovered a deceased subject in the backyard. Carrillo fled from the area on foot.

Just after 1a.m. on Jan. 14, the KBI was asked to assist in the case. Special agents and the Crime Scene Response Team responded to Arcadia to investigate.

Authorities located Carrillo was located on the evening of Jan. 15, in Arcadia and booked him into the Crawford County Jail at around 10 p.m. Carrillo was arrested on requested charges of criminal desecration of a body, possession of opiates, opium, narcotic drugs or certain stimulants, possession of drug paraphernalia, and interference with law enforcement. He is currently being held on $15,000 bond.

The deceased is a male subject reported missing to the Kansas City Missouri Police Department (KCPD). Investigators believe the death occurred in Kansas City, Mo., and as such they will be conducting further investigation into the man’s death, according to the KBI.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611093365128.png" alt="Carrillo-photo Crawford Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Carrillo-photo Crawford Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>CRAWFORD COUNTY –&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and the Crawford County Sheriff are investigating a&nbsp; suspicious death investigation that took place in Arcadia, Kansas.Just before midnight Jan. 13, deputies from the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office&nbsp; received a tip indicating that a body could be located at 111 S. Kansas in Arcadia, according to a media release from the KBI.Deputies went to the address and made contact with 37-year-old Nicholas Adam Carrillo. He gave permission for them to look around the property. When searching, deputies discovered a deceased subject in the backyard. Carrillo fled from the area on foot.Just after 1a.m. on Jan. 14, the KBI was asked to assist in the case. Special agents and the Crime Scene Response Team responded to Arcadia to investigate.Authorities located Carrillo was located on the evening of Jan. 15, in Arcadia and booked him into the Crawford County Jail at around 10 p.m. Carrillo was arrested on requested charges of criminal desecration of a body, possession of opiates, opium, narcotic drugs or certain stimulants, possession of drug paraphernalia, and interference with law enforcement. He is currently being held on $15,000 bond.The deceased is a male subject reported missing to the Kansas City Missouri Police Department (KCPD). Investigators believe the death occurred in Kansas City, Mo., and as such they will be conducting further investigation into the man’s death, according to the KBI.

KBI: Suspect in death investigation in custody

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas is a big fan of the Chiefs, but he couldn't help but worry as he watched news coverage of fans celebrating close together after the team's 22-17 NFL playoff game win over Cleveland.

Now, with the Chiefs hosting Buffalo in the AFC Championship Game on Sunday, Lucas is urging fans to keep COVID-19 preventative measures in mind as they gather to watch.

Lucas noticed that some celebrating fans were not wearing masks and not following social distancing guidelines.

He said the city will touch base with entertainment districts to make sure crowds next weekend don't leave “a lot of people sick around the Super Bowl.”

The AFC winner earns a spot in the Super Bowl on Feb. 7 against the NFC winner. Tampa Bay plays at Green Bay in the NFC game on Sunday.

Lucas said it's safer to watch and celebrate with family rather than high-fiving strangers, and safer to watch outside if the weather allows.

“We all have to celebrate responsibly,” Lucas said, adding that the city has “a lot more work to do as we fight COVID.”

Missouri has reported 440,197 confirmed cases and 6,263 deaths since the coronavirus pandemic began early last year. The state health department's COVID-19 dashboard on Tuesday offered some reason for hope: The number of new cases dropped 40% over the past seven days compared to the previous seven-day period, and deaths dropped 50%.

But hospitals across Missouri are still dangerously full. The state dashboard showed that just 22% of in-patient beds were available, and 21% of intensive care unit beds were available.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611090275778.png" alt="Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas is a big fan of the Chiefs, but he couldn't help but worry as he watched news coverage of fans celebrating close together after the team's 22-17 NFL playoff game win over Cleveland.Now, with the Chiefs hosting Buffalo in the AFC Championship Game on Sunday, Lucas is urging fans to keep COVID-19 preventative measures in mind as they gather to watch.Lucas noticed that some celebrating fans were not wearing masks and not following social distancing guidelines.He said the city will touch base with entertainment districts to make sure crowds next weekend don't leave “a lot of people sick around the Super Bowl.”The AFC winner earns a spot in the Super Bowl on Feb. 7 against the NFC winner. Tampa Bay plays at Green Bay in the NFC game on Sunday.Lucas said it's safer to watch and celebrate with family rather than high-fiving strangers, and safer to watch outside if the weather allows.“We all have to celebrate responsibly,” Lucas said, adding that the city has “a lot more work to do as we fight COVID.”Missouri has reported 440,197 confirmed cases and 6,263 deaths since the coronavirus pandemic began early last year. The state health department's COVID-19 dashboard on Tuesday offered some reason for hope: The number of new cases dropped 40% over the past seven days compared to the previous seven-day period, and deaths dropped 50%.But hospitals across Missouri are still dangerously full. The state dashboard showed that just 22% of in-patient beds were available, and 21% of intensive care unit beds were available.

KC Mayor to Chiefs fans: Celebrate with COVID-19 in mind

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — State office buildings near the Statehouse have been closed to the public and the Legislature has curtailed its meetings due to security concerns ahead of President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration in Washington, D.C.

The closures came in response to an FBI warning about the potential for armed protests nationwide following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/14c73ee280c256ab4ec193ac0f49ad54">mob violence&nbsp;</a>Jan. 6 at the U.S. Capitol. Supporters of President Donald Trump, encouraged by unfounded allegations of election fraud, stormed the building, interrupting Congress’ certification of Biden’s victory over Trump.

“We encourage everyone to work remotely as much as possible Tuesday and Wednesday to limit traffic in the statehouse,” House Speaker Ron Ryckman Jr., an Olathe Republican, said in an email to colleagues Monday evening. “We encourage you to have your staff work remotely on Tuesday and Wednesday as well.”

Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s office&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-capitol-siege-legislature-kansas-coronavirus-pandemic-0764f55150f44c985034289ff8b0ded9">told lawmakers last week&nbsp;</a>that it had information about potential events at the Kansas Statehouse on Sunday and later in the week, including Wednesday, the day of Biden’s inauguration. The Sunday event did not materialize.

Kelly restricted access to the Statehouse and increased security in the area, then decided to close the offices near the Statehouse on Tuesday and Wednesday. Leaders of the Republican-controlled Legislature said their chambers would conduct no major business on those days, and most committees postponed meetings.

The office of Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican, also emailed senators Monday evening, urging them not to come to the chamber Tuesday and saying they would be marked present for the daily roll call. Both chambers scheduled only housekeeping sessions for Wednesday so most members would not have to be present.

About 200 Trump supporters&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-kansas-elections-coronavirus-pandemic-1d62ac6c2ee8ea226b8fbbc1cdd20939">rallied at the Kansas Statehouse</a>&nbsp;on Jan. 6, but their event was peaceful, and they entered the building through its main security checkpoint. There were no arrests or problems reported.

Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, a Lenexa Democrat, was working from home.

“If there is an issue, I would rather be overly cautious than to have something happen where people are injured or severely hurt,” she said.

Kelly said the buildings closed include the three largest ones housing state agencies near the Statehouse. The state Department for Children and Families announced that it was closing its service centers in Topeka and Kansas City, Kansas, both days as well.

State Supreme Court Chief Justice Marla Luckert announced that the Kansas Judicial Center also would be closed Tuesday and Wednesday due to security concerns.

TOPEKA&nbsp;- Governor Laura Kelly announced the State Office Buildings in the Capitol Complex, which includes Curtis, Landon, and Eisenhower, will be closed starting Tuesday, January 19, and Wednesday, January 20. Additional administration buildings will also be closed including the Kansas Department for Children and Families service centers in Topeka and Kansas City, Kansas. “The safety and wellbeing of our employees is my top priority,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;“These steps are taken out of an abundance of caution – and I thank all employees for their patience and understanding during this time.” Employees are instructed to work remotely. If an employee’s regular duties require them to be in the office – and they cannot work from home – they are instructed not to report to work Tuesday, January 19 or Wednesday, January 20. Governor Kelly encourages agency heads with offices in the immediate surrounding area beyond the State Office Buildings to follow similar procedure. The Statehouse will be open for individuals having business with the Legislature, Governor’s or Lt. Governor’s Offices. All Statehouse access will be through the Visitor Center entrance only.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610659131053.png" alt="Photo courtesy Kansas Capitol Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Kansas Capitol Police</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — State office buildings near the Statehouse have been closed to the public and the Legislature has curtailed its meetings due to security concerns ahead of President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration in Washington, D.C.The closures came in response to an FBI warning about the potential for armed protests nationwide following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/14c73ee280c256ab4ec193ac0f49ad54">mob violence&nbsp;</a>Jan. 6 at the U.S. Capitol. Supporters of President Donald Trump, encouraged by unfounded allegations of election fraud, stormed the building, interrupting Congress’ certification of Biden’s victory over Trump.“We encourage everyone to work remotely as much as possible Tuesday and Wednesday to limit traffic in the statehouse,” House Speaker Ron Ryckman Jr., an Olathe Republican, said in an email to colleagues Monday evening. “We encourage you to have your staff work remotely on Tuesday and Wednesday as well.”Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s office&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-capitol-siege-legislature-kansas-coronavirus-pandemic-0764f55150f44c985034289ff8b0ded9">told lawmakers last week&nbsp;</a>that it had information about potential events at the Kansas Statehouse on Sunday and later in the week, including Wednesday, the day of Biden’s inauguration. The Sunday event did not materialize.Kelly restricted access to the Statehouse and increased security in the area, then decided to close the offices near the Statehouse on Tuesday and Wednesday. Leaders of the Republican-controlled Legislature said their chambers would conduct no major business on those days, and most committees postponed meetings.The office of Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican, also emailed senators Monday evening, urging them not to come to the chamber Tuesday and saying they would be marked present for the daily roll call. Both chambers scheduled only housekeeping sessions for Wednesday so most members would not have to be present.About 200 Trump supporters&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-kansas-elections-coronavirus-pandemic-1d62ac6c2ee8ea226b8fbbc1cdd20939">rallied at the Kansas Statehouse</a>&nbsp;on Jan. 6, but their event was peaceful, and they entered the building through its main security checkpoint. There were no arrests or problems reported.Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, a Lenexa Democrat, was working from home.“If there is an issue, I would rather be overly cautious than to have something happen where people are injured or severely hurt,” she said.Kelly said the buildings closed include the three largest ones housing state agencies near the Statehouse. The state Department for Children and Families announced that it was closing its service centers in Topeka and Kansas City, Kansas, both days as well.State Supreme Court Chief Justice Marla Luckert announced that the Kansas Judicial Center also would be closed Tuesday and Wednesday due to security concerns.-------TOPEKA&nbsp;- Governor Laura Kelly announced the State Office Buildings in the Capitol Complex, which includes Curtis, Landon, and Eisenhower, will be closed starting Tuesday, January 19, and Wednesday, January 20. Additional administration buildings will also be closed including the Kansas Department for Children and Families service centers in Topeka and Kansas City, Kansas. “The safety and wellbeing of our employees is my top priority,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;“These steps are taken out of an abundance of caution – and I thank all employees for their patience and understanding during this time.” Employees are instructed to work remotely. If an employee’s regular duties require them to be in the office – and they cannot work from home – they are instructed not to report to work Tuesday, January 19 or Wednesday, January 20. Governor Kelly encourages agency heads with offices in the immediate surrounding area beyond the State Office Buildings to follow similar procedure. The Statehouse will be open for individuals having business with the Legislature, Governor’s or Lt. Governor’s Offices. All Statehouse access will be through the Visitor Center entrance only.

Update on security concerns that curtail Kan. Legislature

In a college application season like no other, students who have seen every aspect of their lives disrupted by the coronavirus are grappling with how to show their potential.

High school seniors around the U.S. are facing January and February college application deadlines without SAT and ACT entrance exam scores, community service records and resumes flush with extracurricular activities — all casualties of an era of social distancing and remote learning that has carried over from their junior year.

The pandemic has prompted colleges to make tests optional and find new ways to evaluate students, including student-athletes, like southern California high school senior Anthony Correra. The pandemic canceled his last football season, shortening the highlight tapes that he’d hoped to share with college recruiters.

“Colleges and universities don’t have the same tools that they did to evaluate students before,” said Angel Perez, chief executive of the National Association for College Admission Counseling, or NACAC. “The experience that students are going through right now is drastically different from many others.”

For the first time, the Common Application that allows students to apply to multiple institutions at the same time added an optional space so students can explain in 250 words or less the pandemic’s impacts.

A sampling of responses provided to The Associated Press illustrate the pandemic’s academic, emotional and financial toll.

“My parents losing their jobs made it very hard financially and we struggled to get by,” a student wrote. “It was already hard before the pandemic but with the low amount of money flowing in as a result of Covid-19’s safe to say our situations got even worse.”

Others wrote of struggling to focus alongside siblings and parents in noisy households disrupted by work and school Zoom calls, or of money and technology challenges.

“We want to provide colleges with the information they need, with the goal of having students answer COVID-19 questions only once while using the rest of the application as they would have before to share their interests and perspectives beyond COVID-19,” the nonprofit Common Application said.

Correra, an all-season athlete at Grand Terrace High School in California, said he hadn’t thought much about college until recently, describing a side effect of life on what he called “quarantine time” where months and milestones pass unremarkably. He has applied to schools in the University of California and California State University systems, as well as some private colleges.

The colleges that have shown interest have been understanding because so many students are in the same situation, said his father, Mike Correra.

“It’s been kind of refreshing a little bit because I’m not as stressed as I was,” said Mike Correra, who said one coach even viewed his cellphone video from his son’s games.

Colleges have been eager to work with applicants amid concerns about enrollment declines and an alarming drop in the number of potential students,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/4e0667bb51f18bf54656ce5c504d5859">particularly low-income students</a>, filling out financial aid documents — an indicator they may not pursue college.

Very competitive colleges, though, have had the opposite problem of trying to juggle large numbers of students who deferred acceptance last year on top of increasing applications for the coming year. Harvard College, for one, marked its most competitive early admissions cycle ever, the Harvard Crimson reported. The college invited 747 of 10,086 early applicants to join its Class of 2025, down from 895 of 6,424 applicants last year.

More than 1,600 institutions have made it optional for students to submit admissions test scores in an acknowledgement of cancelled testing sessions, Perez said. Instead, admissions officers will lean more heavily on essays, grades and the rigor of coursework, pre-pandemic extracurriculars and more than ever, the interest students show in attending.

“Usually this time of year, schools would be all over the country and the world, recruiting. ... But now they’ve moved into this online space where they are seeking individual conversations, interviews, engagement with students and families,” Perez said. “So I would also say to students, raise your hand and reach out individually to an admissions counselor if you’re interested in those institutions.”

With in-person interviews difficult, institutions including Washington University in St. Louis and Bowdoin in Maine are inviting students to send videos introducing themselves, a practice that was catching on before the pandemic. Bowdoin this year also said applicants could swap out a usual teacher evaluation with an “other” recommendation from a friend, employer or someone else with insight about their character.

But rounding up any kind of letters remotely can be challenging.

“It’s definitely preferable to be able to discuss those in person instead of emailing back and forth,” said Claire Gelillo, a high school senior in Rockville, Maryland. “One of the big things is not having the support of peers and teachers as readily available.”

Lexington, Kentucky, high school senior Gabriella Staykova had planned to visit several colleges during spring break in her junior year, but with her school shut down since March 13 she is applying for many colleges sight unseen. She crossed Barnard College in New York City off the list and has reservations about others in unfamiliar cities.

“I’m just hoping that things will clear up enough before Decision Day that I’ll be able to either tour the schools in person or that the schools will offer some sort of online alternative that’s a lot more personal than what they usually would do,” she said. “That way maybe I can make more educated guesses.”

By CAROLYN THOMPSON, Associated PressIn a college application season like no other, students who have seen every aspect of their lives disrupted by the coronavirus are grappling with how to show their potential.High school seniors around the U.S. are facing January and February college application deadlines without SAT and ACT entrance exam scores, community service records and resumes flush with extracurricular activities — all casualties of an era of social distancing and remote learning that has carried over from their junior year.The pandemic has prompted colleges to make tests optional and find new ways to evaluate students, including student-athletes, like southern California high school senior Anthony Correra. The pandemic canceled his last football season, shortening the highlight tapes that he’d hoped to share with college recruiters.“Colleges and universities don’t have the same tools that they did to evaluate students before,” said Angel Perez, chief executive of the National Association for College Admission Counseling, or NACAC. “The experience that students are going through right now is drastically different from many others.”For the first time, the Common Application that allows students to apply to multiple institutions at the same time added an optional space so students can explain in 250 words or less the pandemic’s impacts.A sampling of responses provided to The Associated Press illustrate the pandemic’s academic, emotional and financial toll.“My parents losing their jobs made it very hard financially and we struggled to get by,” a student wrote. “It was already hard before the pandemic but with the low amount of money flowing in as a result of Covid-19’s safe to say our situations got even worse.”Others wrote of struggling to focus alongside siblings and parents in noisy households disrupted by work and school Zoom calls, or of money and technology challenges.“We want to provide colleges with the information they need, with the goal of having students answer COVID-19 questions only once while using the rest of the application as they would have before to share their interests and perspectives beyond COVID-19,” the nonprofit Common Application said.Correra, an all-season athlete at Grand Terrace High School in California, said he hadn’t thought much about college until recently, describing a side effect of life on what he called “quarantine time” where months and milestones pass unremarkably. He has applied to schools in the University of California and California State University systems, as well as some private colleges.The colleges that have shown interest have been understanding because so many students are in the same situation, said his father, Mike Correra.“It’s been kind of refreshing a little bit because I’m not as stressed as I was,” said Mike Correra, who said one coach even viewed his cellphone video from his son’s games.Colleges have been eager to work with applicants amid concerns about enrollment declines and an alarming drop in the number of potential students,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/4e0667bb51f18bf54656ce5c504d5859">particularly low-income students</a>, filling out financial aid documents — an indicator they may not pursue college.Very competitive colleges, though, have had the opposite problem of trying to juggle large numbers of students who deferred acceptance last year on top of increasing applications for the coming year. Harvard College, for one, marked its most competitive early admissions cycle ever, the Harvard Crimson reported. The college invited 747 of 10,086 early applicants to join its Class of 2025, down from 895 of 6,424 applicants last year.More than 1,600 institutions have made it optional for students to submit admissions test scores in an acknowledgement of cancelled testing sessions, Perez said. Instead, admissions officers will lean more heavily on essays, grades and the rigor of coursework, pre-pandemic extracurriculars and more than ever, the interest students show in attending.“Usually this time of year, schools would be all over the country and the world, recruiting. ... But now they’ve moved into this online space where they are seeking individual conversations, interviews, engagement with students and families,” Perez said. “So I would also say to students, raise your hand and reach out individually to an admissions counselor if you’re interested in those institutions.”With in-person interviews difficult, institutions including Washington University in St. Louis and Bowdoin in Maine are inviting students to send videos introducing themselves, a practice that was catching on before the pandemic. Bowdoin this year also said applicants could swap out a usual teacher evaluation with an “other” recommendation from a friend, employer or someone else with insight about their character.But rounding up any kind of letters remotely can be challenging.“It’s definitely preferable to be able to discuss those in person instead of emailing back and forth,” said Claire Gelillo, a high school senior in Rockville, Maryland. “One of the big things is not having the support of peers and teachers as readily available.”Lexington, Kentucky, high school senior Gabriella Staykova had planned to visit several colleges during spring break in her junior year, but with her school shut down since March 13 she is applying for many colleges sight unseen. She crossed Barnard College in New York City off the list and has reservations about others in unfamiliar cities.“I’m just hoping that things will clear up enough before Decision Day that I’ll be able to either tour the schools in person or that the schools will offer some sort of online alternative that’s a lot more personal than what they usually would do,” she said. “That way maybe I can make more educated guesses.”

Pandemic's toll shows up on students' college applications

TOPEKA —Kansas Department of Health Secretary Dr. Lee Norman and&nbsp;Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Quinton Lucas joined physicians at the University of Kansas Health System Tuesday morning to discuss the progress of vaccinations in Kansas and Missouri.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 3688 to a total of 259,822, the state health department reported Monday afternoon.&nbsp; Coronavirus deaths were reported at 3525 an increase of 23.

A new phase of vaccinations began Monday in Missouri that allows older people and those with certain pre-existing conditions to be vaccinated.

Missouri health officials on Monday reported at least 11,983 COVID-19 cases in the past week. That's about 1,712 newly reported cases per day.

At least 6,256 deaths in Missouri have been attributed to the virus.

TOPEKA —Kansas Department of Health Secretary Dr. Lee Norman and&nbsp;Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Quinton Lucas joined physicians at the University of Kansas Health System Tuesday morning to discuss the progress of vaccinations in Kansas and Missouri.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fkuhospital%2Fvideos%2F287525866112036%2F&show_text=false&width=560" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 3688 to a total of 259,822, the state health department reported Monday afternoon.&nbsp; Coronavirus deaths were reported at 3525 an increase of 23.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610558093974.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>A new phase of vaccinations began Monday in Missouri that allows older people and those with certain pre-existing conditions to be vaccinated.Missouri health officials on Monday reported at least 11,983 COVID-19 cases in the past week. That's about 1,712 newly reported cases per day.At least 6,256 deaths in Missouri have been attributed to the virus.

🎥 Dr. Lee Norman gives update on COVID vaccination

SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a woman on weapons and other charges after a shooting at a Salina nursing home.

Just after 6:3 p.m. Monday, police were sent to Pinnacle Park Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, 2936 Georgia Avenue in Salina, for the report of a disturbance, according to Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester.

Officers made contact with Danielle Robinson, 31, of Salina, who reported she was with a subject in Solomon and the subject pushed her out of a moving vehicle.

&nbsp;The woman told police that she got back into the vehicle and the subject drove her to Salina. She then got out of the vehicle and was chased to Pinnacle Park Nursing home.

According to Forrester, Robinson requested paramedics but then refused to go with them, and left the area running westbound. 

At 8:02 p.m., officers were sent back to the nursing home for the report of gunfire.&nbsp; Witnesses reported hearing a loud noise, then Robinson made entry into the property holding a firearm and said she had been shot. Police could find no evidence that she had been shot, according to Forrester.&nbsp;

Robinson then began waving the gun around and pointed it at several individuals. Robinson then put the gun down and one of the other people there kicked it away from her.

Officers collected a Ruger LCP and found the west entry glass door to the home had been shot. Officers also collected a shell casing in the foyer, according to Forrester. 

Police arrested Robinson on requested charges that include Aggravated assault, Aggravated burglary, Criminal use of a weapon and Interference with a law enforcement officer.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611066657536.jpeg" alt="Robinson-Saline Co." />
 <figcaption>Robinson-Saline Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a woman on weapons and other charges after a shooting at a Salina nursing home.Just after 6:3 p.m. Monday, police were sent to Pinnacle Park Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, 2936 Georgia Avenue in Salina, for the report of a disturbance, according to Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester.Officers made contact with Danielle Robinson, 31, of Salina, who reported she was with a subject in Solomon and the subject pushed her out of a moving vehicle.&nbsp;The woman told police that she got back into the vehicle and the subject drove her to Salina. She then got out of the vehicle and was chased to Pinnacle Park Nursing home.According to Forrester, Robinson requested paramedics but then refused to go with them, and left the area running westbound. At 8:02 p.m., officers were sent back to the nursing home for the report of gunfire.&nbsp; Witnesses reported hearing a loud noise, then Robinson made entry into the property holding a firearm and said she had been shot. Police could find no evidence that she had been shot, according to Forrester.&nbsp;Robinson then began waving the gun around and pointed it at several individuals. Robinson then put the gun down and one of the other people there kicked it away from her.Officers collected a Ruger LCP and found the west entry glass door to the home had been shot. Officers also collected a shell casing in the foyer, according to Forrester. Police arrested Robinson on requested charges that include Aggravated assault, Aggravated burglary, Criminal use of a weapon and Interference with a law enforcement officer.

Police: Kansas woman jailed after gunfire at nursing home

WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Joe Biden has tapped Pennsylvania Health Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-discrimination-pennsylvania-virus-outbreak-2702d3f6961f2c355c0c0f73018a1f5f">Rachel Levine</a>&nbsp;to be his assistant secretary of health, leaving her poised to become the first openly transgender federal official to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

A pediatrician and former Pennsylvania physician general, Levine was appointed to her current post by Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf in 2017, making her one of the few transgender people serving in elected or appointed positions nationwide. She won past confirmation by the Republican-majority Pennsylvania Senate and has emerged as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-health-pennsylvania-archive-0ea47128a21526aa9a1bbab69e9e6266">the public face of the state’s response to the coronavirus pandemic</a>.

“Dr. Rachel Levine will bring the steady leadership and essential expertise we need to get people through this pandemic — no matter their zip code, race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability — and meet the public health needs of our country in this critical moment and beyond,” Biden said in a statement. “She is a historic and deeply qualified choice to help lead our administration’s health efforts.”

A graduate of Harvard and of Tulane Medical School, Levine is president of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials. She’s written in the past on the opioid crisis, medical marijuana, adolescent medicine, eating disorders and LGBTQ medicine.

Biden and his transition team have already begun negotiating with members of Congress, promoting speedy passage of the president-elect’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-unveil-plan-coronavirus-economy-a512629b3af12e89ab42097a81668960">$1.9 trillion plan</a>&nbsp;to bring&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/virus-outbreak">the coronavirus</a>, which&nbsp;<a href="https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html" target="_blank">has killed nearly 400,000 people in the United States</a>, under control. It seeks to enlist federal emergency personnel to run mass vaccination centers and provide&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/a512629b3af12e89ab42097a81668960">100 immunization shots</a>&nbsp;in his administration’s first 100 days while using government spending to stimulate the pandemic-hammered economy,

Biden also says that, in one of his first acts as president, he’ll ask Americans to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-jake-tapper-coronavirus-pandemic-fa365aa74f80e768bce3edc1649e4e8a">wear masks for 100 days</a>&nbsp;to slow the virus’ spread.

Vice President-elect Kamala Harris called Levine “a remarkable public servant with the knowledge and experience to help us contain this pandemic, and protect and improve the health and well-being of the American people.”

Levine joins Biden’s Health and Human Services secretary nominee&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-pandemics-coronavirus-pandemic-xavier-becerra-harvard-bc89947ff5ad8d21bc272743607d01fa">Xavier Becerra</a>, a Latino politician who rose from humble beginnings to serve in Congress and as California’s attorney general.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611066522458.png" alt="Rachel Levine-photo courtesy office of Gov. Tom Wolf" />
 <figcaption>Rachel Levine-photo courtesy office of Gov. Tom Wolf</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Joe Biden has tapped Pennsylvania Health Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-discrimination-pennsylvania-virus-outbreak-2702d3f6961f2c355c0c0f73018a1f5f">Rachel Levine</a>&nbsp;to be his assistant secretary of health, leaving her poised to become the first openly transgender federal official to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.A pediatrician and former Pennsylvania physician general, Levine was appointed to her current post by Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf in 2017, making her one of the few transgender people serving in elected or appointed positions nationwide. She won past confirmation by the Republican-majority Pennsylvania Senate and has emerged as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-health-pennsylvania-archive-0ea47128a21526aa9a1bbab69e9e6266">the public face of the state’s response to the coronavirus pandemic</a>.“Dr. Rachel Levine will bring the steady leadership and essential expertise we need to get people through this pandemic — no matter their zip code, race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability — and meet the public health needs of our country in this critical moment and beyond,” Biden said in a statement. “She is a historic and deeply qualified choice to help lead our administration’s health efforts.”A graduate of Harvard and of Tulane Medical School, Levine is president of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials. She’s written in the past on the opioid crisis, medical marijuana, adolescent medicine, eating disorders and LGBTQ medicine.Biden and his transition team have already begun negotiating with members of Congress, promoting speedy passage of the president-elect’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-unveil-plan-coronavirus-economy-a512629b3af12e89ab42097a81668960">$1.9 trillion plan</a>&nbsp;to bring&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/virus-outbreak">the coronavirus</a>, which&nbsp;<a href="https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html" target="_blank">has killed nearly 400,000 people in the United States</a>, under control. It seeks to enlist federal emergency personnel to run mass vaccination centers and provide&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/a512629b3af12e89ab42097a81668960">100 immunization shots</a>&nbsp;in his administration’s first 100 days while using government spending to stimulate the pandemic-hammered economy,Biden also says that, in one of his first acts as president, he’ll ask Americans to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-jake-tapper-coronavirus-pandemic-fa365aa74f80e768bce3edc1649e4e8a">wear masks for 100 days</a>&nbsp;to slow the virus’ spread.Vice President-elect Kamala Harris called Levine “a remarkable public servant with the knowledge and experience to help us contain this pandemic, and protect and improve the health and well-being of the American people.”Levine joins Biden’s Health and Human Services secretary nominee&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-pandemics-coronavirus-pandemic-xavier-becerra-harvard-bc89947ff5ad8d21bc272743607d01fa">Xavier Becerra</a>, a Latino politician who rose from humble beginnings to serve in Congress and as California’s attorney general.Businessman Jeff Zients is Biden’s coronavirus response coordinator, while Biden picked infectious-disease specialist Rochelle Walensky to run the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Vivek Murthy as surgeon general and Yale epidemiologist Marcella Nunez-Smith to head a working group to ensure fair and equitable distribution of vaccines and treatments.The government’s top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, will also work closely with the Biden administration.A transition spokesperson also said Tuesday that Dawn O’Connell will serve as senior counselor for coronavirus response to the health and human services secretary. O’Connell most recently served as director of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations and was the senior counselor and deputy chief of staff to Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell during the Obama administration.