WASHINGTON (AP) — Fresh off passage of the COVID-19 relief bill, President Joe Biden is assembling the next big White House priority, a sweeping $3 trillion package of investments on infrastructure and domestic needs.

Biden huddled privately late Monday with Senate Democrats as Congress has already begun laying the groundwork with legislation for developing roads, hospitals and green energy systems as part of Biden’s “Build Back Better” campaign promise. Much like the $1.9 trillion virus rescue plan signed into law earlier this month, the new package would also include family-friendly policies, this time focusing on education and paid family leave.

The White House plans are still preliminary, with a combined $3 trillion in spending proposed to boost the economy and improve quality of life, according to a person familiar with the options who insisted on anonymity to discuss private conversations.

While the goal is a bipartisan package, Democrats in Congress have signaled a willingness to go it alone if they are blocked by Republicans.

“We need to get it done,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., ahead of the virtual meeting with Biden at the senators’ annual retreat Monday evening.

Biden’s outreach to Senate Democrats comes as the White House is under fire for its handling of the U.S.-Mexico border. Migrant crossings are skyrocketing, with images of cramped holding facilities posing a humanitarian and political dilemma for the administration and its allies in Congress. The focus on infrastructure shifts attention back toward priorities that are potentially more popular with Americans and potentially bipartisan.

An infrastructure package would include roughly $1 trillion for roads, bridges, rail lines, electrical vehicle charging stations and the cellular network, among other items. The goal would be to facilitate the shift to cleaner energy while improving economic competitiveness.

A second component would include investments in workers with free community college, universal pre-kindergarten and paid family leave.

No part of the proposal has been finalized and the eventual details of any spending could change.

The overall price tag first reported Monday by The New York Times has been circulating on Capitol Hill for weeks, since the start of the Biden presidency. With the House and Senate under Democratic control, the proposals are expected to draw support from all corners of Congress.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi asked Democratic committee chairmen earlier this month to start working with their Republican counterparts to begin “to craft a big, bold and transformational infrastructure package.”

Pelosi said the goal is to build swiftly on the coronavirus rescue plan by developing an economic relief plan to help “people in every zip code by creating good-paying jobs for the future.”

The administration is positioning its priorities at a politically and fiscally sensitive time, after funding its $1.9 trillion relief package entirely with debt. The Federal Reserve estimates that spending could push growth this year to 6.5%, and additional spending would only add pressure to an economy already expected to run hot.

Biden’s campaign proposed higher corporate taxes and increases on people making more than $400,000 annually, effectively undoing much of the 2017 tax cuts by his predecessor, Donald Trump.

A White House official said the president has been very clear about his agenda, even though the details are only just starting to surface. The official insisted on anonymity to discuss private conversations.

On Monday, the House Energy and Commerce Committee debated a $300 billion-plus measure to invest in drinking water, broadband and other priorities. On Thursday, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is set to appear before the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Next week, the Senate Finance Committee is scheduled to release a white paper revisiting the overseas tax code as a way to pay for some of the spending.

Republican leader Mitch McConnell used his opening remarks Monday in the Senate to trash the infrastructure proposal, warning it would only lead to tax hikes and what he called “left-wing policies.”

“We’re hearing the next few months might bring a so-called infrastructure proposal that may actually be a Trojan horse for massive tax hikes and other job-killing, left-wing policies,” he said.

He derided the Democratic proposals as similar to the Green New Deal, a sweeping plan to address climate change that he said would cost “unbelievable sums.”

Biden is expected to roll out his budget in the weeks ahead as Congress presses forward on the infrastructure package, which lawmakers have said could be ready by summer.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1614740853199.png" alt="President Biden is expected to roll out his budget in the weeks ahead as Congress presses forward on the infrastructure package, which lawmakers have said could be ready by summer.-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>President Biden is expected to roll out his budget in the weeks ahead as Congress presses forward on the infrastructure package, which lawmakers have said could be ready by summer.-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Fresh off passage of the COVID-19 relief bill, President Joe Biden is assembling the next big White House priority, a sweeping $3 trillion package of investments on infrastructure and domestic needs.Biden huddled privately late Monday with Senate Democrats as Congress has already begun laying the groundwork with legislation for developing roads, hospitals and green energy systems as part of Biden’s “Build Back Better” campaign promise. Much like the $1.9 trillion virus rescue plan signed into law earlier this month, the new package would also include family-friendly policies, this time focusing on education and paid family leave.The White House plans are still preliminary, with a combined $3 trillion in spending proposed to boost the economy and improve quality of life, according to a person familiar with the options who insisted on anonymity to discuss private conversations.While the goal is a bipartisan package, Democrats in Congress have signaled a willingness to go it alone if they are blocked by Republicans.“We need to get it done,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., ahead of the virtual meeting with Biden at the senators’ annual retreat Monday evening.Biden’s outreach to Senate Democrats comes as the White House is under fire for its handling of the U.S.-Mexico border. Migrant crossings are skyrocketing, with images of cramped holding facilities posing a humanitarian and political dilemma for the administration and its allies in Congress. The focus on infrastructure shifts attention back toward priorities that are potentially more popular with Americans and potentially bipartisan.An infrastructure package would include roughly $1 trillion for roads, bridges, rail lines, electrical vehicle charging stations and the cellular network, among other items. The goal would be to facilitate the shift to cleaner energy while improving economic competitiveness.A second component would include investments in workers with free community college, universal pre-kindergarten and paid family leave.No part of the proposal has been finalized and the eventual details of any spending could change.The overall price tag first reported Monday by The New York Times has been circulating on Capitol Hill for weeks, since the start of the Biden presidency. With the House and Senate under Democratic control, the proposals are expected to draw support from all corners of Congress.House Speaker Nancy Pelosi asked Democratic committee chairmen earlier this month to start working with their Republican counterparts to begin “to craft a big, bold and transformational infrastructure package.”Pelosi said the goal is to build swiftly on the coronavirus rescue plan by developing an economic relief plan to help “people in every zip code by creating good-paying jobs for the future.”The administration is positioning its priorities at a politically and fiscally sensitive time, after funding its $1.9 trillion relief package entirely with debt. The Federal Reserve estimates that spending could push growth this year to 6.5%, and additional spending would only add pressure to an economy already expected to run hot.Biden’s campaign proposed higher corporate taxes and increases on people making more than $400,000 annually, effectively undoing much of the 2017 tax cuts by his predecessor, Donald Trump.A White House official said the president has been very clear about his agenda, even though the details are only just starting to surface. The official insisted on anonymity to discuss private conversations.On Monday, the House Energy and Commerce Committee debated a $300 billion-plus measure to invest in drinking water, broadband and other priorities. On Thursday, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is set to appear before the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Next week, the Senate Finance Committee is scheduled to release a white paper revisiting the overseas tax code as a way to pay for some of the spending.Republican leader Mitch McConnell used his opening remarks Monday in the Senate to trash the infrastructure proposal, warning it would only lead to tax hikes and what he called “left-wing policies.”“We’re hearing the next few months might bring a so-called infrastructure proposal that may actually be a Trojan horse for massive tax hikes and other job-killing, left-wing policies,” he said.He derided the Democratic proposals as similar to the Green New Deal, a sweeping plan to address climate change that he said would cost “unbelievable sums.”Biden is expected to roll out his budget in the weeks ahead as Congress presses forward on the infrastructure package, which lawmakers have said could be ready by summer.

Biden's $3T plan: Free community college, universal pre-K

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/03/22/anderson-county-rural-property-owner-compares-wind-farms-to-menacing-strip-clubs-landfills/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Anderson County 
resident Mike Burns ripped pages of his prepared speech in half Monday 
to speak from the heart about why Kansas had to pass a law regulating 
placement of wind farms to protect property rights and bring peace of 
mind to folks in rural areas attractive to developers.

Burns joined dozens of people at the Capitol eager to testify on behalf of <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/sb279_00_0000.pdf">Senate Bill 279</a>,
 which would establish state-crafted regulation of wind generation 
facilities from the turbine to power line. It would replace county 
commission preferences for or against wind farms with state law defining
 turbine setbacks from businesses, parks, homes, property lines and much
 more. The maximum density would be one turbine per square mile, well 
below the current standard. There would be caps on sound and light 
emitted by turbines that sometimes reach 500 feet into the sky.

Landowners and community 
organizations would gain leverage to block projects if the bill became 
law, and wind farm advocates contend passage of the measure would put an
 end to the industry’s growth in Kansas.

Burns said he moved to 
eastern Kansas to open a pharmacy because of the area’s rural appeal. He
 wanted some acreage near Garnett to enjoy the outdoors and build a home
 to raise a family. He was confident there was little anyone could do to
 undermine his dreams.

“I thought there would be 
no chance of anything taking that all away,” he told the Senate 
Utilities Committee. “My family and our assets were protected. My rights
 were protected. So I thought.”

<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/committees/ctte_s_utils_1/misc_documents/download_testimony/ctte_s_utils_1_20210322_48_testimony.html">In 2015, Burns said,</a>
 a representative of Calpine Energy called to inquire about leasing 
ground on his property for a wind farm. He turned away the offer after 
concluding wind farms, which he referred to as “power plants,” were 
recipients of massive tax subsidies, created few permanent jobs, 
fostered community divisiveness, negatively influenced health, created 
issues with daytime flicker shadows and nighttime blinking lights, 
depended on “predatory” leases with landowners, disrupted sleep with 
sound pollution and were subjected to relatively little regulation.

Burns said the Anderson 
County Commission listened to skeptics and adopted some barriers to 
deter developers of wind farms. The problem, he said, was that dozens of
 Kansas counties didn’t have zoning to restrain fat-cat developers and 
their persuasive attorneys and lobbyists. The Kansas Legislature should 
stop treating rural people like second-class citizens and stand up for 
uniform management of wind projects and the protection of rural property
 rights, he said.

“Why are there no wind 
power plants in Johnson County? Wyandotte? Sedgwick? Shawnee?” Burns 
said. “If they have no impact, then why? How would any of you feel if 
there were a massage parlor or night club coming into your neighborhood?
 Fast food, gas station or even a landfill or factory?”

He was joined by seven 
other people who spoke to the committee in desperate terms about their 
desire to stop spread of wind farms in Kansas, a state with more than 
3,000 turbines scattered among 40 developments in 30 counties. 
Twenty-five people had signed up to personally share testimony with 
senators, while more than 40 submitted written comments in favor of 
Senate Bill 279.

Opponents of the bill take
 the microphone Tuesday in an attempt to sway the Republican-led 
committee chaired by Sen. Mike Thompson, a Johnson County Republican who
 called wind turbines a public nuisance in need of retraint afforded by 
state statute.

Alan Anderson, a Kansas 
attorney who specializes in energy development projects, said during a 
news conference at the Capitol that $14 billion had been invested so far
 in wind farms scattered in Kansas. These projects created 22,000 
construction, operational and indirect jobs during the past 20 years.

Companies with turbines on
 private land pay $48 million annually in lease payments to those 
individuals, he said. Over the 20-year life of the Kansas wind farms in 
operation now, he said, an estimated $962 million in lease payments 
would be made to landowners.

In addition, he said, 
companies investing in Kansas wind farms had committed to providing 
communities with $657 million over 20 years in property taxes and for 
priorities ranging from law enforcement to education.

“The message that a bill 
like Senate Bill 279 sends out to these different companies is … maybe 
we’re not a stable environment, maybe we are not a place you should 
consider locating,” Anderson said. “Make no mistake at all. Senate Bill 
279 would end all wind energy development in Kansas. That’s frankly the 
intent of the bill. This isn’t a bill to actually talk about rational 
siting. It’s to end wind energy development.”

Kimberly Svaty, who 
represents Advanced Power Alliance, said testimony from wind developers 
scheduled to speak Tuesday would demonstrate reluctance to invest in new
 wind farms in Kansas under terms of the Senate bill. It’s too easy for 
wind investment companies to pivot to locations in other heartland 
states, she said.

“They’re all saying that 
they will not invest another penny in the state of Kansas,” she said. 
“It’s not a threat, but it underscores the competition the state is in 
for jobs and investment.”

Dennis Hedke, a former 
member of the Kansas House who operates Hedke Geoscience Consulting in 
Wichita, said the Senate bill was necessary because so many Kansans 
experienced unrest, physical discomfort, mental anguish and economic 
hardship as a result of prolific development of industrial wind energy 
in this state. He said there was no justification for construction of 
turbines so close to private dwellings that residents struggled to sleep
 or dealt with irritation of vibration caused by blades with an outward 
speed over 150 mph.

“Study after study by 
highly credentialed professionals have unequivocally confirmed the 
negative impacts experienced by residents in many states and countries,”
 Hedke said. “Yet, a large number of county commissions have ignored 
their pleas for relief. Some commissioners have, in absolute fact, 
colluded with developers and are culpable for the tactics that have been
 deployed against private citizens.”

He said wind projects did 
“absoluely nothing to bring material benefit to the earth’s climate” 
despite claims to the contrary. It’s high time the wind industry accept 
it cannot replace fossil and nuclear fuels to sustain electricity grid 
requirements, he said.

Gayla Randel, a retired 
educator living near the community of Frankfort in Marshall County, said
 NextEra Energies introduced the Irish Creek Wind Project in 2019 with 
plans to start construction in April. The unregulated environment could 
lead to more than 100 turbines, each 500 feet tall, with the consent of 
32 property owners in the wind farm footprint. Of 85 nonparticipating or
 uncompensated landowners nearby, she said, half had at least one 
turbine within 3,900 feet of their homes. None of those residents are 
more than two miles from a turbine, she said.

“One nonparticipating 
landowner will have nine turbines within a mile of their home,” Randel 
said. “Three nonparticipating landowners will have eight turbines within
 a mile of their homes.”

She said Marshall County 
was recognized as a Flint Hills counties, but the county wasn’t included
 in the wind farm moritorium initiated by Democratic Gov. Kathleen 
Sebelius in 2005 nor the expanded exclusion zone adopted by Republican 
Gov. Sam Brownback in 2011.

“Why is this development 
being allowed to happen? Because Kansas has no guidance for our county 
commissioners who repeatedly said we cannot stop it unless we want to be
 sued. They were ill-prepared to make such a life changing decision. 
Wind developers can do this because no one has said they cannot,” Randel
 said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616507535992.png" alt="Anderson County resident Mike Burns, center, registered support Monday for a Senate bill that would impose sweeping regulations on wind farm developments and protect property rights of people living in rural areas with terrain and breezes to support turbines. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Anderson County resident Mike Burns, center, registered support Monday for a Senate bill that would impose sweeping regulations on wind farm developments and protect property rights of people living in rural areas with terrain and breezes to support turbines. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/03/22/anderson-county-rural-property-owner-compares-wind-farms-to-menacing-strip-clubs-landfills/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Anderson County 
resident Mike Burns ripped pages of his prepared speech in half Monday 
to speak from the heart about why Kansas had to pass a law regulating 
placement of wind farms to protect property rights and bring peace of 
mind to folks in rural areas attractive to developers.Burns joined dozens of people at the Capitol eager to testify on behalf of <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/sb279_00_0000.pdf">Senate Bill 279</a>,
 which would establish state-crafted regulation of wind generation 
facilities from the turbine to power line. It would replace county 
commission preferences for or against wind farms with state law defining
 turbine setbacks from businesses, parks, homes, property lines and much
 more. The maximum density would be one turbine per square mile, well 
below the current standard. There would be caps on sound and light 
emitted by turbines that sometimes reach 500 feet into the sky.Landowners and community 
organizations would gain leverage to block projects if the bill became 
law, and wind farm advocates contend passage of the measure would put an
 end to the industry’s growth in Kansas.Burns said he moved to 
eastern Kansas to open a pharmacy because of the area’s rural appeal. He
 wanted some acreage near Garnett to enjoy the outdoors and build a home
 to raise a family. He was confident there was little anyone could do to
 undermine his dreams.“I thought there would be 
no chance of anything taking that all away,” he told the Senate 
Utilities Committee. “My family and our assets were protected. My rights
 were protected. So I thought.”<h2>Property rights</h2><a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/committees/ctte_s_utils_1/misc_documents/download_testimony/ctte_s_utils_1_20210322_48_testimony.html">In 2015, Burns said,</a>
 a representative of Calpine Energy called to inquire about leasing 
ground on his property for a wind farm. He turned away the offer after 
concluding wind farms, which he referred to as “power plants,” were 
recipients of massive tax subsidies, created few permanent jobs, 
fostered community divisiveness, negatively influenced health, created 
issues with daytime flicker shadows and nighttime blinking lights, 
depended on “predatory” leases with landowners, disrupted sleep with 
sound pollution and were subjected to relatively little regulation.Burns said the Anderson 
County Commission listened to skeptics and adopted some barriers to 
deter developers of wind farms. The problem, he said, was that dozens of
 Kansas counties didn’t have zoning to restrain fat-cat developers and 
their persuasive attorneys and lobbyists. The Kansas Legislature should 
stop treating rural people like second-class citizens and stand up for 
uniform management of wind projects and the protection of rural property
 rights, he said.“Why are there no wind 
power plants in Johnson County? Wyandotte? Sedgwick? Shawnee?” Burns 
said. “If they have no impact, then why? How would any of you feel if 
there were a massage parlor or night club coming into your neighborhood?
 Fast food, gas station or even a landfill or factory?”He was joined by seven 
other people who spoke to the committee in desperate terms about their 
desire to stop spread of wind farms in Kansas, a state with more than 
3,000 turbines scattered among 40 developments in 30 counties. 
Twenty-five people had signed up to personally share testimony with 
senators, while more than 40 submitted written comments in favor of 
Senate Bill 279.Opponents of the bill take
 the microphone Tuesday in an attempt to sway the Republican-led 
committee chaired by Sen. Mike Thompson, a Johnson County Republican who
 called wind turbines a public nuisance in need of retraint afforded by 
state statute.<h2>Economic impact</h2>Alan Anderson, a Kansas 
attorney who specializes in energy development projects, said during a 
news conference at the Capitol that $14 billion had been invested so far
 in wind farms scattered in Kansas. These projects created 22,000 
construction, operational and indirect jobs during the past 20 years.Companies with turbines on
 private land pay $48 million annually in lease payments to those 
individuals, he said. Over the 20-year life of the Kansas wind farms in 
operation now, he said, an estimated $962 million in lease payments 
would be made to landowners.In addition, he said, 
companies investing in Kansas wind farms had committed to providing 
communities with $657 million over 20 years in property taxes and for 
priorities ranging from law enforcement to education.“The message that a bill 
like Senate Bill 279 sends out to these different companies is … maybe 
we’re not a stable environment, maybe we are not a place you should 
consider locating,” Anderson said. “Make no mistake at all. Senate Bill 
279 would end all wind energy development in Kansas. That’s frankly the 
intent of the bill. This isn’t a bill to actually talk about rational 
siting. It’s to end wind energy development.”Kimberly Svaty, who 
represents Advanced Power Alliance, said testimony from wind developers 
scheduled to speak Tuesday would demonstrate reluctance to invest in new
 wind farms in Kansas under terms of the Senate bill. It’s too easy for 
wind investment companies to pivot to locations in other heartland 
states, she said.“They’re all saying that 
they will not invest another penny in the state of Kansas,” she said. 
“It’s not a threat, but it underscores the competition the state is in 
for jobs and investment.”<h2>Tactical collusion</h2>Dennis Hedke, a former 
member of the Kansas House who operates Hedke Geoscience Consulting in 
Wichita, said the Senate bill was necessary because so many Kansans 
experienced unrest, physical discomfort, mental anguish and economic 
hardship as a result of prolific development of industrial wind energy 
in this state. He said there was no justification for construction of 
turbines so close to private dwellings that residents struggled to sleep
 or dealt with irritation of vibration caused by blades with an outward 
speed over 150 mph.“Study after study by 
highly credentialed professionals have unequivocally confirmed the 
negative impacts experienced by residents in many states and countries,”
 Hedke said. “Yet, a large number of county commissions have ignored 
their pleas for relief. Some commissioners have, in absolute fact, 
colluded with developers and are culpable for the tactics that have been
 deployed against private citizens.”He said wind projects did 
“absoluely nothing to bring material benefit to the earth’s climate” 
despite claims to the contrary. It’s high time the wind industry accept 
it cannot replace fossil and nuclear fuels to sustain electricity grid 
requirements, he said.Gayla Randel, a retired 
educator living near the community of Frankfort in Marshall County, said
 NextEra Energies introduced the Irish Creek Wind Project in 2019 with 
plans to start construction in April. The unregulated environment could 
lead to more than 100 turbines, each 500 feet tall, with the consent of 
32 property owners in the wind farm footprint. Of 85 nonparticipating or
 uncompensated landowners nearby, she said, half had at least one 
turbine within 3,900 feet of their homes. None of those residents are 
more than two miles from a turbine, she said.“One nonparticipating 
landowner will have nine turbines within a mile of their home,” Randel 
said. “Three nonparticipating landowners will have eight turbines within
 a mile of their homes.”She said Marshall County 
was recognized as a Flint Hills counties, but the county wasn’t included
 in the wind farm moritorium initiated by Democratic Gov. Kathleen 
Sebelius in 2005 nor the expanded exclusion zone adopted by Republican 
Gov. Sam Brownback in 2011.“Why is this development 
being allowed to happen? Because Kansas has no guidance for our county 
commissioners who repeatedly said we cannot stop it unless we want to be
 sued. They were ill-prepared to make such a life changing decision. 
Wind developers can do this because no one has said they cannot,” Randel
 said.

Kan. property owner compares wind farms to strip clubs, landfills

WASHINGTON (AP) — Results from a U.S. trial of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine may have included “outdated information” and that could mean the company provided an incomplete view of efficacy data, American federal health officials said early Tuesday.

A spokesman from the drug company said Tuesday it was “looking into it.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-data-shows-astrazeneca-vaccine-safe-all-ages-a73e711c7309be4444c65d5f9ae90c43">AstraZeneca reported Monday</a>&nbsp;that its COVID-19 vaccine provided strong protection among adults of all ages in a long-anticipated U.S. study, a finding that some experts hoped would help rebuild public confidence in the shot around the world and move it a step closer to clearance in the U.S.

In the study of more than 30,000 people, the company reported that the vaccine was found to be 79% effective at preventing symptomatic cases of COVID-19 — including in older adults. There were no severe illnesses or hospitalizations among vaccinated volunteers, compared with five such cases in participants who received dummy shots — a small number, but consistent with findings from Britain and other countries that the vaccine protects against the worst of the disease.

AstraZeneca also said the study’s independent safety monitors found no serious side effects, including no increased risk of rare blood clots like those identified in Europe, a scare that led numerous countries to briefly suspend vaccinations last week.

But just hours after those encouraging results were reported, the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases issued an unusual statement.

The agency said the Data and Safety Monitoring Board “expressed concern that AstraZeneca may have included outdated information from that trial, which may have provided an incomplete view of the efficacy data.”

“We urge the company to work with the DSMB to review the efficacy data and ensure the most accurate, up-to-date efficacy data be made public as quickly as possible,” the statement added.

The company aims to file an application with the Food and Drug Administration in the coming weeks, and the government’s outside advisers will then publicly debate the evidence.

Authorization and guidelines for use of the vaccine in the United States will be determined by the FDA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention after thorough review of the data by independent advisory committees.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616409995625.png" alt="Photo courtesy AstraZeneca" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy AstraZeneca</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Results from a U.S. trial of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine may have included “outdated information” and that could mean the company provided an incomplete view of efficacy data, American federal health officials said early Tuesday.A spokesman from the drug company said Tuesday it was “looking into it.”<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-data-shows-astrazeneca-vaccine-safe-all-ages-a73e711c7309be4444c65d5f9ae90c43">AstraZeneca reported Monday</a>&nbsp;that its COVID-19 vaccine provided strong protection among adults of all ages in a long-anticipated U.S. study, a finding that some experts hoped would help rebuild public confidence in the shot around the world and move it a step closer to clearance in the U.S.In the study of more than 30,000 people, the company reported that the vaccine was found to be 79% effective at preventing symptomatic cases of COVID-19 — including in older adults. There were no severe illnesses or hospitalizations among vaccinated volunteers, compared with five such cases in participants who received dummy shots — a small number, but consistent with findings from Britain and other countries that the vaccine protects against the worst of the disease.AstraZeneca also said the study’s independent safety monitors found no serious side effects, including no increased risk of rare blood clots like those identified in Europe, a scare that led numerous countries to briefly suspend vaccinations last week.But just hours after those encouraging results were reported, the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases issued an unusual statement.The agency said the Data and Safety Monitoring Board “expressed concern that AstraZeneca may have included outdated information from that trial, which may have provided an incomplete view of the efficacy data.”“We urge the company to work with the DSMB to review the efficacy data and ensure the most accurate, up-to-date efficacy data be made public as quickly as possible,” the statement added.The company aims to file an application with the Food and Drug Administration in the coming weeks, and the government’s outside advisers will then publicly debate the evidence.Authorization and guidelines for use of the vaccine in the United States will be determined by the FDA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention after thorough review of the data by independent advisory committees.

US: Drug maker may have used outdated info in vaccine trial

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Police on Tuesday identified a 21-year-old man as the suspect in the killing of 10 people at a Boulder, Colorado, supermarket.

Suspect Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa was from Arvada, Colorado and had lived most of his life in the U.S., said Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty. He was undergoing treatment at a hospital and was expected to be booked into the county jail later Tuesday, Dougherty said.

Authorities also identified nine victims after previously identifying police officer 51-year-old Eric Tally who had been killed.

According to a media release from Boulder police, the other victims are Denny Strong, 20; Neven Stanisic, 23; Rikki Olds, 25; Tralana Bartkowiak, 49; Suzanne Fountain, 59; Teri Leiker, 51; Kevin Mahoney, 61; Lynn Murray, 62 and Jody Waters, 65.

The shooting Monday at the crowded supermarket sent terrorized shoppers and workers scrambling for safety and stunned a state and a nation that has grieved several mass killings.

Herold said police engaged in a shootout with the suspect inside the supermarket and that is when Officer Eric Talley was killed.

Investigators don’t know yet why the suspect opened fire inside the grocery store, Dougherty said. He said the investigation is in the early stages but that detectives believe the suspect was the only shooter, Dougherty said.

A law enforcement official briefed on the shooting told The Associated Press that the gunman used an AR-15 rifle, a lightweight semi-automatic rifle. Officials were working fast to trace the gun. The official was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Police have identified a 21-year-old man as the suspect in the killing of 10 people at a Boulder, Colorado, supermarket. 

Authorities on Tuesday also identified nine victims after previously identifying a police officer who had been killed. Authorities say the victims were men and women between the ages of 20 and 65. 

The shooting Monday at the crowded supermarket sent terrorized shoppers and workers scrambling for safety and stunned a state and a nation that has grieved several mass killings. Boulder Police Chief Maris Herold said police engaged in a shootout with the suspect inside the supermarket and that is when Officer Eric Talley was killed.

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — A shooting at a crowded Colorado supermarket that killed 10 people, including the first police officer to arrive, sent terrorized shoppers and workers scrambling for safety and stunned a state that has grieved several mass killings. A lone suspect was in custody, authorities said.

Hundreds of police officers from throughout the Denver metropolitan area responded to the Monday afternoon attack, converging on a King Soopers supermarket in a busy shopping plaza in southern Boulder. SWAT officers carrying ballistic shields slowly approached the store as others quickly escorted frightened people away from the building, some of its windows shattered. Customers and employees fled through a back loading dock to safety. Others took refuge in nearby shops.

One suspect was in custody, a tearful Boulder Police Chief Maris Herold said late Monday. Authorities didn’t identify the suspect, though Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty said the suspect was the only person injured and was receiving medical care.

Officers had escorted a shirtless man in handcuffs, blood running down his leg, from the store during the siege. Authorities would not say if he was the suspect. Foothills Hospital in Boulder was treating one person from the shooting scene but refused further comment, said Rich Sheehan, spokesman for Boulder Community Health, which operates the hospital.

“This is a tragedy and a nightmare for Boulder County,” Dougherty said. “These were people going about their day, doing their shopping. I promise the victims and the people of the state of Colorado that we will secure justice.”

Herold identified the slain officer as Eric Talley, 51, who had been with Boulder police since 2010. He was the first to arrive after responding to a call about shots fired and someone carrying a rifle, she said.

“He was by all accounts one of the outstanding officers of the Boulder Police Department, and his life was cut too short,” Dougherty said.

Dozens of police and emergency vehicles, their lights flashing, escorted an ambulance carrying the officer from the shooting scene after nightfall. Some residents stood along the route, their arms raised in salute.

Identities of the other nine victims were not disclosed as police were still notifying their family members.

Dougherty said it was too early to speculate on a motive and that the investigation involving local, state and federal agencies would take days.

The attack in Boulder, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) northwest of Denver and home to the University of Colorado, stunned a state that has seen several mass shootings, including the 1999&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/aee576bf6a5b48ab9257042832b4bf14">Columbine High School</a>&nbsp;massacre and the 2012 Aurora&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/731169d15e0242d995b939ead622c438">movie theater shooting</a>.

Monday’s midafternoon attack was the seventh mass killing this year in the U.S., following the March 16 shooting that left eight people dead at three Atlanta-area massage businesses, according to a database compiled by The Associated Press, USA Today and Northeastern University.

It follows a lull in mass killings during the pandemic in 2020, which had the smallest number of such attacks in more than a decade, according to the database, which tracks mass killings defined as four or more dead, not including the shooter.

Dean Schiller said he had just left the supermarket when he heard gunshots. He saw three people lying face down — one in a doorway and two in the parking lot. Schiller said he couldn’t tell if they were breathing.

Sarah Moonshadow and her son, Nicolas Edwards, had just bought strawberries when they heard gunfire. Moonshadow told The Denver Post they ducked and “just ran.” Outside, Edwards said, arriving police pulled up next to a body in the parking lot.

“I knew we couldn’t do anything for the guy,” he said. “We had to go.”

Video posted on YouTube showed one person on the floor inside the store and two more outside on the ground. What sounds like two gunshots are heard at the beginning of the video.

Investigators had just started sorting through the crime scene and conducting witness interviews, Dougherty said. Matthew Kirsch, the acting U.S. attorney for Colorado, pledged that “the full weight of federal law enforcement” will support the investigation. He said investigators from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were at the crime scene, along with FBI agents.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki tweeted that President Joe Biden had been briefed on the shooting. Gov. Jared Polis, meanwhile, said in a statement that “Today we saw the face of evil. I am grieving with my community and all Coloradans.” The King Soopers chain said in a statement that it was offering prayers and support “to our associates, customers, and the first responders who so bravely responded to this tragic situation.”

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — A shooting at a Colorado supermarket killed 10 people Monday, including a police officer, and a suspect was in custody, authorities said.

Boulder <a href="https://bouldercolorado.gov/city-manager/maris-herold">police Chief Maris Herold </a>announced the death toll at a news conference Monday night, fighting back tears.

The suspect was getting medical treatment and there was no further threat to the public, authorities said. Officers had escorted a shirtless man with blood running down his leg out of the store in handcuffs but authorities would not say if he was the suspect.

The officer who was killed was Eric Talley, 51, who had been with Boulder police since 2010, Herold said.

Victims' families were still being notified so their names weren't released, Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty said.

“This is a tragedy and a nightmare for Boulder County, and in response, we have cooperation and assistance from local, state and federal authorities,” Dougherty said.

Yamaguchi said police were still investigating and didn't have details on a motive for the shooting at the King Soopers store in Boulder, which is about 25 miles (40 kilometers) northwest of Denver and home to the University of Colorado.

Dean Schiller told The Associated Press that he had just left the supermarket when he heard gunshots and saw three people lying face down, two in the parking lot and one near the doorway. He said he “couldn’t tell if they were breathing."

Video posted on YouTube showed one person on the floor inside the store and two more outside on the ground. What sounds like two gunshots are also heard at the beginning of the video.

Law enforcement vehicles and officers massed outside the store, including SWAT teams, and at least three helicopters landed on the roof. Some windows at the front of the store were broken.

At one point, authorities said over a loudspeaker that the building was surrounded and that “you need to surrender."

Sarah Moonshadow told the Denver Post that two shots rang out just after she and her son, Nicolas Edwards, finished buying strawberries. She said she told her son to get down and then “we just ran.”

Once they got outside, she said they saw a body in the parking lot. Edwards said police were speeding into the lot and pulled up next to the body.

James Bentz told the Post that he was in the meat section when he heard what he thought was a misfire, then a series of pops.

“I was then at the front of a stampede,” he said.

Bentz said he jumped off a loading dock out back to escape and that younger people were helping older people off of it.

One person was taken from the shooting scene to Foothills Hospital in Boulder, said Rich Sheehan, spokesman for Boulder Community Health, which operates the hospital.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis tweeted a statement that his “heart is breaking as we watch this unspeakable event unfold in our Boulder community."

Police had told people to shelter in place amid a report of an “armed, dangerous individual” about 3 miles (5 kilometers) away from the grocery store but said at the news conference later that it wasn't related to the shooting.

The FBI said it’s helping in the investigation at the request of police.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki tweeted that President Joe Biden had been briefed on the shooting.

In a statement, the King Soopers chain offered “thoughts, prayers and support to our associates, customers, and the first responders who so bravely responded to this tragic situation. We will continue to cooperate with local law enforcement and our store will remain closed during the police investigation.”

Kevin Daly, owner of Under the Sun Eatery and Pizzeria Restaurant a block or so from the supermarket, said he was in his shop when he saw police cars arriving and shoppers running from the grocery store. He said he took in several people to keep them warm, and others boarded a bus provided by Boulder police and were taken away.

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Police say multiple people were killed in a shooting at a Colorado supermarket, including a police officer. 

Boulder police Cmdr. Kerry Yamaguchi said at a news conference Monday that a person of interest is in custody and is being treated. He didn’t give more details on how many people were killed or other details about the shooting. He said they’re still investigating and didn’t have details on motive.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616505527834.png" alt="&nbsp;The slain officer was identified as Eric Talley, 51, who had been with Boulder police since 2010. -courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;The slain officer was identified as Eric Talley, 51, who had been with Boulder police since 2010. -courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Police on Tuesday identified a 21-year-old man as the suspect in the killing of 10 people at a Boulder, Colorado, supermarket.Suspect Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa was from Arvada, Colorado and had lived most of his life in the U.S., said Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty. He was undergoing treatment at a hospital and was expected to be booked into the county jail later Tuesday, Dougherty said.Authorities also identified nine victims after previously identifying police officer 51-year-old Eric Tally who had been killed.According to a media release from Boulder police, the other victims are Denny Strong, 20; Neven Stanisic, 23; Rikki Olds, 25; Tralana Bartkowiak, 49; Suzanne Fountain, 59; Teri Leiker, 51; Kevin Mahoney, 61; Lynn Murray, 62 and Jody Waters, 65.The shooting Monday at the crowded supermarket sent terrorized shoppers and workers scrambling for safety and stunned a state and a nation that has grieved several mass killings.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616515468159.png" alt="Shooting suspect Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa-photo Boulder Police" />
 <figcaption>Shooting suspect Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa-photo Boulder Police</figcaption>
 </figure>Herold said police engaged in a shootout with the suspect inside the supermarket and that is when Officer Eric Talley was killed.Investigators don’t know yet why the suspect opened fire inside the grocery store, Dougherty said. He said the investigation is in the early stages but that detectives believe the suspect was the only shooter, Dougherty said.A law enforcement official briefed on the shooting told The Associated Press that the gunman used an AR-15 rifle, a lightweight semi-automatic rifle. Officials were working fast to trace the gun. The official was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.-----------BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Police have identified a 21-year-old man as the suspect in the killing of 10 people at a Boulder, Colorado, supermarket. Authorities on Tuesday also identified nine victims after previously identifying a police officer who had been killed. Authorities say the victims were men and women between the ages of 20 and 65. The shooting Monday at the crowded supermarket sent terrorized shoppers and workers scrambling for safety and stunned a state and a nation that has grieved several mass killings. Boulder Police Chief Maris Herold said police engaged in a shootout with the suspect inside the supermarket and that is when Officer Eric Talley was killed.--------<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616462650652.png" alt="First responders on the scene of the mass shooting -photo courtesy Boulder Police" />
 <figcaption>First responders on the scene of the mass shooting -photo courtesy Boulder Police</figcaption>
 </figure>BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — A shooting at a crowded Colorado supermarket that killed 10 people, including the first police officer to arrive, sent terrorized shoppers and workers scrambling for safety and stunned a state that has grieved several mass killings. A lone suspect was in custody, authorities said.Hundreds of police officers from throughout the Denver metropolitan area responded to the Monday afternoon attack, converging on a King Soopers supermarket in a busy shopping plaza in southern Boulder. SWAT officers carrying ballistic shields slowly approached the store as others quickly escorted frightened people away from the building, some of its windows shattered. Customers and employees fled through a back loading dock to safety. Others took refuge in nearby shops.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Rest In peace Officer Eric Talley. Your service will never be forgotten <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BoulderShooting?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BoulderShooting</a> <a href="https://t.co/FVximvhS2E">pic.twitter.com/FVximvhS2E</a>&mdash; Boulder Police Dept. (@boulderpolice) <a href="https://twitter.com/boulderpolice/status/1374200720350580741?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 23, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>One suspect was in custody, a tearful Boulder Police Chief Maris Herold said late Monday. Authorities didn’t identify the suspect, though Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty said the suspect was the only person injured and was receiving medical care.Officers had escorted a shirtless man in handcuffs, blood running down his leg, from the store during the siege. Authorities would not say if he was the suspect. Foothills Hospital in Boulder was treating one person from the shooting scene but refused further comment, said Rich Sheehan, spokesman for Boulder Community Health, which operates the hospital.“This is a tragedy and a nightmare for Boulder County,” Dougherty said. “These were people going about their day, doing their shopping. I promise the victims and the people of the state of Colorado that we will secure justice.”Herold identified the slain officer as Eric Talley, 51, who had been with Boulder police since 2010. He was the first to arrive after responding to a call about shots fired and someone carrying a rifle, she said.“He was by all accounts one of the outstanding officers of the Boulder Police Department, and his life was cut too short,” Dougherty said.Dozens of police and emergency vehicles, their lights flashing, escorted an ambulance carrying the officer from the shooting scene after nightfall. Some residents stood along the route, their arms raised in salute.Identities of the other nine victims were not disclosed as police were still notifying their family members.Dougherty said it was too early to speculate on a motive and that the investigation involving local, state and federal agencies would take days.The attack in Boulder, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) northwest of Denver and home to the University of Colorado, stunned a state that has seen several mass shootings, including the 1999&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/aee576bf6a5b48ab9257042832b4bf14">Columbine High School</a>&nbsp;massacre and the 2012 Aurora&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/731169d15e0242d995b939ead622c438">movie theater shooting</a>.Monday’s midafternoon attack was the seventh mass killing this year in the U.S., following the March 16 shooting that left eight people dead at three Atlanta-area massage businesses, according to a database compiled by The Associated Press, USA Today and Northeastern University.It follows a lull in mass killings during the pandemic in 2020, which had the smallest number of such attacks in more than a decade, according to the database, which tracks mass killings defined as four or more dead, not including the shooter.Dean Schiller said he had just left the supermarket when he heard gunshots. He saw three people lying face down — one in a doorway and two in the parking lot. Schiller said he couldn’t tell if they were breathing.Sarah Moonshadow and her son, Nicolas Edwards, had just bought strawberries when they heard gunfire. Moonshadow told The Denver Post they ducked and “just ran.” Outside, Edwards said, arriving police pulled up next to a body in the parking lot.“I knew we couldn’t do anything for the guy,” he said. “We had to go.”Video posted on YouTube showed one person on the floor inside the store and two more outside on the ground. What sounds like two gunshots are heard at the beginning of the video.Investigators had just started sorting through the crime scene and conducting witness interviews, Dougherty said. Matthew Kirsch, the acting U.S. attorney for Colorado, pledged that “the full weight of federal law enforcement” will support the investigation. He said investigators from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were at the crime scene, along with FBI agents.White House press secretary Jen Psaki tweeted that President Joe Biden had been briefed on the shooting. Gov. Jared Polis, meanwhile, said in a statement that “Today we saw the face of evil. I am grieving with my community and all Coloradans.” The King Soopers chain said in a statement that it was offering prayers and support “to our associates, customers, and the first responders who so bravely responded to this tragic situation.”___BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — A shooting at a Colorado supermarket killed 10 people Monday, including a police officer, and a suspect was in custody, authorities said.Boulder <a href="https://bouldercolorado.gov/city-manager/maris-herold">police Chief Maris Herold </a>announced the death toll at a news conference Monday night, fighting back tears.The suspect was getting medical treatment and there was no further threat to the public, authorities said. Officers had escorted a shirtless man with blood running down his leg out of the store in handcuffs but authorities would not say if he was the suspect.The officer who was killed was Eric Talley, 51, who had been with Boulder police since 2010, Herold said.Victims' families were still being notified so their names weren't released, Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty said.“This is a tragedy and a nightmare for Boulder County, and in response, we have cooperation and assistance from local, state and federal authorities,” Dougherty said.Yamaguchi said police were still investigating and didn't have details on a motive for the shooting at the King Soopers store in Boulder, which is about 25 miles (40 kilometers) northwest of Denver and home to the University of Colorado.Dean Schiller told The Associated Press that he had just left the supermarket when he heard gunshots and saw three people lying face down, two in the parking lot and one near the doorway. He said he “couldn’t tell if they were breathing."Video posted on YouTube showed one person on the floor inside the store and two more outside on the ground. What sounds like two gunshots are also heard at the beginning of the video.Law enforcement vehicles and officers massed outside the store, including SWAT teams, and at least three helicopters landed on the roof. Some windows at the front of the store were broken.At one point, authorities said over a loudspeaker that the building was surrounded and that “you need to surrender."Sarah Moonshadow told the Denver Post that two shots rang out just after she and her son, Nicolas Edwards, finished buying strawberries. She said she told her son to get down and then “we just ran.”Once they got outside, she said they saw a body in the parking lot. Edwards said police were speeding into the lot and pulled up next to the body.“I knew we couldn’t do anything for the guy,” he said. “We had to go.”James Bentz told the Post that he was in the meat section when he heard what he thought was a misfire, then a series of pops.“I was then at the front of a stampede,” he said.Bentz said he jumped off a loading dock out back to escape and that younger people were helping older people off of it.One person was taken from the shooting scene to Foothills Hospital in Boulder, said Rich Sheehan, spokesman for Boulder Community Health, which operates the hospital.Colorado Gov. Jared Polis tweeted a statement that his “heart is breaking as we watch this unspeakable event unfold in our Boulder community."Police had told people to shelter in place amid a report of an “armed, dangerous individual” about 3 miles (5 kilometers) away from the grocery store but said at the news conference later that it wasn't related to the shooting.The FBI said it’s helping in the investigation at the request of police.White House press secretary Jen Psaki tweeted that President Joe Biden had been briefed on the shooting.In a statement, the King Soopers chain offered “thoughts, prayers and support to our associates, customers, and the first responders who so bravely responded to this tragic situation. We will continue to cooperate with local law enforcement and our store will remain closed during the police investigation.”Kevin Daly, owner of Under the Sun Eatery and Pizzeria Restaurant a block or so from the supermarket, said he was in his shop when he saw police cars arriving and shoppers running from the grocery store. He said he took in several people to keep them warm, and others boarded a bus provided by Boulder police and were taken away.———BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Police say multiple people were killed in a shooting at a Colorado supermarket, including a police officer. Boulder police Cmdr. Kerry Yamaguchi said at a news conference Monday that a person of interest is in custody and is being treated. He didn’t give more details on how many people were killed or other details about the shooting. He said they’re still investigating and didn’t have details on motive.

Police release names of Colo. supermarket shooter, victims

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A former Kansas City-area priest who faced multiple allegations of sexually abusing minors was officially dismissed from the priesthood by the Vatican four days before he died, church officials said.

Bishop James Johnston Jr., of the Kansas City-St. Joseph diocese, announced this month that the Vatican had confirmed an earlier decision to defrock Michael Tierney because of the sexual abuse.

Tierney, who repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, appealed the first ruling. The decision upholding his dismissal was made on Dec. 11. Tierney died Dec. 15 at the age of 76.

Tierney served in several Kansas City-area parishes after being ordained in 1969. He was removed from pastoral duties in 2011 and was included on a list of more than two dozen credibly accused priests published by the diocese in 2019. He was never prosecuted.

In 2014, Tierney was one of the priests covered in a $10 million settlement agreement the diocese made covering 32 lawsuits filed from September 2010 through February 2014. The lawsuits alleged sexual abuse involving 14 current and former priests in cases over spanned three decades.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616438007375.png" alt="Michael Tierney -Photo courtesy of Muehlebach Funeral Care" />
 <figcaption>Michael Tierney -Photo courtesy of Muehlebach Funeral Care</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — A former Kansas City-area priest who faced multiple allegations of sexually abusing minors was officially dismissed from the priesthood by the Vatican four days before he died, church officials said.Bishop James Johnston Jr., of the Kansas City-St. Joseph diocese, announced this month that the Vatican had confirmed an earlier decision to defrock Michael Tierney because of the sexual abuse.Tierney, who repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, appealed the first ruling. The decision upholding his dismissal was made on Dec. 11. Tierney died Dec. 15 at the age of 76.Tierney served in several Kansas City-area parishes after being ordained in 1969. He was removed from pastoral duties in 2011 and was included on a list of more than two dozen credibly accused priests published by the diocese in 2019. He was never prosecuted.In 2014, Tierney was one of the priests covered in a $10 million settlement agreement the diocese made covering 32 lawsuits filed from September 2010 through February 2014. The lawsuits alleged sexual abuse involving 14 current and former priests in cases over spanned three decades.

Vatican defrocked Kansas City-area priest before he died

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a Kansas teacher for possible sexual relations with a student have made an arrest.

Earlier this month, police in Wichita were notified of the sexual relationship between 41-year-old Matthew McFarren, a teacher and coach at Trinity Academy,&nbsp;12345 E. 21st Street, in Wichita and a 16-year-old student, according to officer Charley Davidson.

On Saturday, police arrested McFarren on a requested charges of Unlawful Sexual Relations in violation of K.S.A. 21-5512.&nbsp;

Dr. Kneeland Brown, president of Trinity Academy, said in a media release the school is devastated at the news but cooperating with the investigation. "This alleged behavior runs directly counter to the school beliefs and values."

Two weeks ago, the school fired McFarren for a violation of expectations and school policy, according to the release.

&nbsp;The case has been presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office, according to Davidson.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616444824202.png" alt="McFarren photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>McFarren photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a Kansas teacher for possible sexual relations with a student have made an arrest.Earlier this month, police in Wichita were notified of the sexual relationship between 41-year-old Matthew McFarren, a teacher and coach at Trinity Academy,&nbsp;12345 E. 21st Street, in Wichita and a 16-year-old student, according to officer Charley Davidson.On Saturday, police arrested McFarren on a requested charges of Unlawful Sexual Relations in violation of K.S.A. 21-5512.&nbsp;Dr. Kneeland Brown, president of Trinity Academy, said in a media release the school is devastated at the news but cooperating with the investigation. "This alleged behavior runs directly counter to the school beliefs and values."Two weeks ago, the school fired McFarren for a violation of expectations and school policy, according to the release.&nbsp;The case has been presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office, according to Davidson.

Kan. teacher accused of unlawful sex relations with student

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas legislators on Monday approved a measure that would give judges and prosecutors a little more than two years to clear a backlog of criminal cases that built up during the coronavirus pandemic.

The state House&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/vote_view/je_20210322111607_550198/" target="_blank">voted 114-7</a>&nbsp;to pass a plan for clearing an estimated backlog of 5,000 criminal cases.&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/supp_note_hb2078_02_0000.pdf" target="_blank">The measure</a>&nbsp;goes next to Gov. Laura Kelly because the Senate&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/vote_view/je_20210317204043_746422/" target="_blank">approved it</a>&nbsp;last week.

The House vote came just before the state Department of Health and Environment reported that more than 1 million COVID-19 vaccine shots have been administered in Kansas. The state also said 23% of its 2.9 million residents have had at least one shot.

The court-backlog bill would suspend until May 1, 2023, a state law designed to protect defendants’ constitutional right to a speedy trial. The law requires cases to come to trial within five months of a jailed defendant entering a plea and within six months if the defendant is free on bond.

The courts have the backlog because trials have been postponed during the pandemic. Prosecutors have worried that if the deadlines remain in effect, judges will be forced to release some offenders accused of violent crimes.

“It’s just not feasible, given the backlog that we have, that we’re going to get caught up quicker,” said House Judiciary Committee Chair Fred Patton, a Topeka Republican. “People who committed heinous crimes, we don’t want them walking free.”

The measure had broad support in the Republican-controlled Legislature, and the Democratic governor has expressed support for the idea. However, a few legislators, mostly GOP conservatives, had misgivings about not pressing the courts more aggressively to clear the backlog.

“If I was sitting in jail, I wouldn’t want to be waiting until that date to get a speedy trial,” said Republican Rep. Michael Houser, of Columbus, one of the no votes in the House.

Kansas has seen new COVID-19 cases drop to numbers as low as it saw in late June 2020. Most of the state’s 286 school districts have a majority of their students taking in-person classes, according to the State Department of Education.

But many Republican lawmakers argue that all parents who want their children taking in-person classes should have the option because it’s better for kids academically and emotionally. The House gave first-round approval Monday to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/supp_note_sb63_02_0000.pdf" target="_blank">a bill</a>&nbsp;that would require all districts to offer full-time in-person classes to all students by March 31.

It’s the second attempt to impose such a mandate. A proposal to set a March 26 deadline passed the Senate but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legislature-kansas-school-boards-topeka-coronavirus-pandemic-bf81e60bd6228f52d7fa3e6a17b8a1f9">failed in the House</a>&nbsp;last week.

“The school-parents are watching, and they want someone to fight for their children,” said Rep. Sean Tarwater, a Stilwell Republican.

The House expects to take a final vote Tuesday on the measure. It would go next to the Senate, which could act on it as early as Tuesday.

Democrats argued that state lawmakers should trust locally elected school boards to make decisions on when it is safe to offer full-time, in-person classes.

“The last thing parents need is a hasty reopening,” said Democratic Rep. Stephanie Clayton of Overland Park.

The state health department reported that about 676,000 Kansas residents have had at least one COVID-19 shot, while roughly 342,000 have had a required second vaccine dose. The state averaged more than 23,300 shots per day for the seven days ending Monday.

The health department’s data showed that Kansas had an average of 272 new confirmed or probable cases a day for the seven days ending Monday, with an average of two additional deaths a day during that period.

The state added 615 cases to its pandemic total since Friday, bringing it to 300,125. It also reported eight additional deaths since Friday, to make the pandemic total 4,850.

The Kansas Department of Corrections said a 54-year-old employee died last week from COVID-19 complications, bringing its total staff deaths for the pandemic to six. David Warner worked at the minimum-security prison in Winfield in south-central Kansas, first as a corrections officer, then as an instructor for inmates awaiting release.

By JOHN HANNATOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas legislators on Monday approved a measure that would give judges and prosecutors a little more than two years to clear a backlog of criminal cases that built up during the coronavirus pandemic.The state House&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/vote_view/je_20210322111607_550198/" target="_blank">voted 114-7</a>&nbsp;to pass a plan for clearing an estimated backlog of 5,000 criminal cases.&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/supp_note_hb2078_02_0000.pdf" target="_blank">The measure</a>&nbsp;goes next to Gov. Laura Kelly because the Senate&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/vote_view/je_20210317204043_746422/" target="_blank">approved it</a>&nbsp;last week.The House vote came just before the state Department of Health and Environment reported that more than 1 million COVID-19 vaccine shots have been administered in Kansas. The state also said 23% of its 2.9 million residents have had at least one shot.The court-backlog bill would suspend until May 1, 2023, a state law designed to protect defendants’ constitutional right to a speedy trial. The law requires cases to come to trial within five months of a jailed defendant entering a plea and within six months if the defendant is free on bond.The courts have the backlog because trials have been postponed during the pandemic. Prosecutors have worried that if the deadlines remain in effect, judges will be forced to release some offenders accused of violent crimes.“It’s just not feasible, given the backlog that we have, that we’re going to get caught up quicker,” said House Judiciary Committee Chair Fred Patton, a Topeka Republican. “People who committed heinous crimes, we don’t want them walking free.”The measure had broad support in the Republican-controlled Legislature, and the Democratic governor has expressed support for the idea. However, a few legislators, mostly GOP conservatives, had misgivings about not pressing the courts more aggressively to clear the backlog.“If I was sitting in jail, I wouldn’t want to be waiting until that date to get a speedy trial,” said Republican Rep. Michael Houser, of Columbus, one of the no votes in the House.Kansas has seen new COVID-19 cases drop to numbers as low as it saw in late June 2020. Most of the state’s 286 school districts have a majority of their students taking in-person classes, according to the State Department of Education.But many Republican lawmakers argue that all parents who want their children taking in-person classes should have the option because it’s better for kids academically and emotionally. The House gave first-round approval Monday to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/supp_note_sb63_02_0000.pdf" target="_blank">a bill</a>&nbsp;that would require all districts to offer full-time in-person classes to all students by March 31.It’s the second attempt to impose such a mandate. A proposal to set a March 26 deadline passed the Senate but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legislature-kansas-school-boards-topeka-coronavirus-pandemic-bf81e60bd6228f52d7fa3e6a17b8a1f9">failed in the House</a>&nbsp;last week.“The school-parents are watching, and they want someone to fight for their children,” said Rep. Sean Tarwater, a Stilwell Republican.The House expects to take a final vote Tuesday on the measure. It would go next to the Senate, which could act on it as early as Tuesday.Democrats argued that state lawmakers should trust locally elected school boards to make decisions on when it is safe to offer full-time, in-person classes.“The last thing parents need is a hasty reopening,” said Democratic Rep. Stephanie Clayton of Overland Park.The state health department reported that about 676,000 Kansas residents have had at least one COVID-19 shot, while roughly 342,000 have had a required second vaccine dose. The state averaged more than 23,300 shots per day for the seven days ending Monday.The health department’s data showed that Kansas had an average of 272 new confirmed or probable cases a day for the seven days ending Monday, with an average of two additional deaths a day during that period.The state added 615 cases to its pandemic total since Friday, bringing it to 300,125. It also reported eight additional deaths since Friday, to make the pandemic total 4,850.The Kansas Department of Corrections said a 54-year-old employee died last week from COVID-19 complications, bringing its total staff deaths for the pandemic to six. David Warner worked at the minimum-security prison in Winfield in south-central Kansas, first as a corrections officer, then as an instructor for inmates awaiting release.

Plan approved for clearing COVID-19 backlog in Kansas courts

NEW YORK (AP) — The replacement for Rush Limbaugh is... Rush Limbaugh, at least in part.

Premiere Networks, the company that syndicated Limbaugh's afternoon program to some 600 radio stations across the country, said Monday that it would continue airing a series of guest hosts that play archival audio footage of the late personality. Limbaugh died of cancer on Feb. 17.

“No one can replace Rush Limbaugh, and Premiere Networks will continue to provide millions of loyal listeners with the voice of Rush for the long term,” said Rachel Nelson, company spokeswoman.

Through Limbaugh's absence for cancer treatments and since his death, the show has had guest hosts like Todd Herman, Ken Matthews and Brett Winterble, who guide listeners through clips of Limbaugh talking on various issues.

The announcement indicates there has been no serious erosion in listeners for the program in Limbaugh's physical absence, said Michael Harrison, publisher of the trade publication Talkers magazine.

There will almost certainly be an effort by competitors to siphon off some of the stations that Limbaugh held, and personalities like Dana Loesch, Dan Bongino and Erick Erickson are making those moves, Harrison said.

For Premiere, appointing a single host to replace Limbaugh would put a huge burden on that person, he said.

NEW YORK (AP) — The replacement for Rush Limbaugh is... Rush Limbaugh, at least in part.Premiere Networks, the company that syndicated Limbaugh's afternoon program to some 600 radio stations across the country, said Monday that it would continue airing a series of guest hosts that play archival audio footage of the late personality. Limbaugh died of cancer on Feb. 17.“No one can replace Rush Limbaugh, and Premiere Networks will continue to provide millions of loyal listeners with the voice of Rush for the long term,” said Rachel Nelson, company spokeswoman.Through Limbaugh's absence for cancer treatments and since his death, the show has had guest hosts like Todd Herman, Ken Matthews and Brett Winterble, who guide listeners through clips of Limbaugh talking on various issues.The announcement indicates there has been no serious erosion in listeners for the program in Limbaugh's physical absence, said Michael Harrison, publisher of the trade publication Talkers magazine.There will almost certainly be an effort by competitors to siphon off some of the stations that Limbaugh held, and personalities like Dana Loesch, Dan Bongino and Erick Erickson are making those moves, Harrison said.For Premiere, appointing a single host to replace Limbaugh would put a huge burden on that person, he said.

Rush Limbaugh's syndicator to keep his voice alive on radio

CHICAGO (AP) — A package containing 445 counterfeit designer purses and other items was seized at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport mail branch, officials said Friday.

The shipment from Thailand was intercepted March 18 by Customs and Border Protection officers, the agency reported.

The manufacturer’s suggested retail price for the actual items would have topped $635,000, authorities said.

The bogus products were seized for violating trademark laws. They were being shipped to a home in Wichita, Kansas.

Items included 11 Louis Vuitton, 11 Gucci, eight Chanel and four Christian Dior handbags; 131 pairs of Chanel; 72 pairs of Gucci earrings; and 52 Chanel hairclips.

“As consumers increasingly purchase from online or third-party vendors, our officers are at the frontline to guard against defrauders expecting to make money selling fake merchandise,” said Shane Campbell, Customs and Border Protection area port director.

Consumers in the United States fall victim to about 20% of counterfeit goods illegally sold around the globe, according to the agency which added that the goods commonly are sold in underground outlets and on third-party e-commerce websites.

Nationally, customs officers seized more than 26,500 shipments in fiscal year 2020 that violated intellectual property rights. If those seized items were legitimate, their estimated value would have been close to $1.3 billion.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616250508834.png" alt="photo U.S. Customs and Border Protection" />
 <figcaption>photo U.S. Customs and Border Protection</figcaption>
 </figure>CHICAGO (AP) — A package containing 445 counterfeit designer purses and other items was seized at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport mail branch, officials said Friday.The shipment from Thailand was intercepted March 18 by Customs and Border Protection officers, the agency reported.The manufacturer’s suggested retail price for the actual items would have topped $635,000, authorities said.The bogus products were seized for violating trademark laws. They were being shipped to a home in Wichita, Kansas.Items included 11 Louis Vuitton, 11 Gucci, eight Chanel and four Christian Dior handbags; 131 pairs of Chanel; 72 pairs of Gucci earrings; and 52 Chanel hairclips.“As consumers increasingly purchase from online or third-party vendors, our officers are at the frontline to guard against defrauders expecting to make money selling fake merchandise,” said Shane Campbell, Customs and Border Protection area port director.Consumers in the United States fall victim to about 20% of counterfeit goods illegally sold around the globe, according to the agency which added that the goods commonly are sold in underground outlets and on third-party e-commerce websites.Nationally, customs officers seized more than 26,500 shipments in fiscal year 2020 that violated intellectual property rights. If those seized items were legitimate, their estimated value would have been close to $1.3 billion.

Counterfeit purses, other items were shipped to Kansas

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The only Asian American lawmaker serving in the Kansas Legislature says he was physically threatened in a western Kansas bar by an out-of-state patron, who he said questioned if he had been carrying COVID-19.

State Rep. Rui Xu, a Westwood Democrat, said the man also, using an expletive, questioned why he was wearing a face mask. Many members of the Asian American community see the shootings at three Georgia massage businesses and spas that left eight people dead, six of them women of Asian descent, as a reminder of harassment and violence that have been occurring against Asian Americans since COVID-19 entered the country.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616456821351.png" alt="Rep. Rui Xu-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Rui Xu-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The only Asian American lawmaker serving in the Kansas Legislature says he was physically threatened in a western Kansas bar by an out-of-state patron, who he said questioned if he had been carrying COVID-19.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I just received this from the city of Russell. Again, I can’t speak highly enough of the town… the incident was obviously unfortunate, but it’s provided an opportunity to open up a conversation with a town I previously had no relationship with. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ksleg?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ksleg</a> <a href="https://t.co/bM6BaCg5zi">pic.twitter.com/bM6BaCg5zi</a>&mdash; Rui Xu (@RuiXuKS) <a href="https://twitter.com/RuiXuKS/status/1374116723683627013?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 22, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>State Rep. Rui Xu, a Westwood Democrat, said the man also, using an expletive, questioned why he was wearing a face mask. Many members of the Asian American community see the shootings at three Georgia massage businesses and spas that left eight people dead, six of them women of Asian descent, as a reminder of harassment and violence that have been occurring against Asian Americans since COVID-19 entered the country.

Asian American Kan. lawmaker says he was threatened at bar

By STEPHEN KORANDA <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-03-22/kansas-considers-making-medical-marijuana-legal-but-very-hard-to-get">Kansas News Service</a>

TOPEKA, Kan.&nbsp;— Kansas stands among a <a href="https://www.ncsl.org/research/health/state-medical-marijuana-laws.aspx" target="_blank">shrinking handful of states</a> that makes cannabis an outlaw drug, even as a medical tool.

Lawmakers
 trying to overcome resistance to any legalization are looking at 
adopting medical marijuana rules so tight that, for instance, only 
patients who’ve been with specially certified doctors for a full year 
could get it.

A House committee is planning to debate<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2184/" target="_blank"> a bill </a>this
 week that borrows and tweaks strict limitations tried in other states. 
Backers hope the plan can overcome long-standing opposition from some 
conservative Republicans and law enforcement groups.

Republican Senate President Ty Masterson said he doesn’t want a system where anyone can get a marijuana recommendation.

“You
 don’t really believe we have that many 18-year-olds with glaucoma that 
need to smoke weed for a medical benefit,” he said. “That’s 
recreational.”

To win over people like Masterson, this year’s bill <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-02-26/medical-marijuana-for-kansas-proposed-with-tight-rules-in-hopes-of-winning-legalization" target="_blank">borrows restrictive policies</a> tried elsewhere.

From <a href="https://www.medicalmarijuana.ohio.gov/faqs" target="_blank">Ohio</a>,
 the latest Kansas plan takes the idea that only physicians with a 
specific certification could recommend marijuana for about two dozen 
conditions ranging from seizures to chronic pain. Plus, the marijuana 
could not be smoked, but would be available in other forms like edibles 
and oils.

The Kansas plan borrows an idea from <a href="https://www.nj.gov/health/medicalmarijuana/physicians/" target="_blank">New Jersey’s medical marijuana law</a>
 and makes it even more limiting. Patients would need to see one of 
those certified physicians for a year before getting a recommendation 
for marijuana. State regulators could also create alternate ways to establish that physician relationship in the future.

The
 limits have attracted support from some Republicans. Democratic Gov. 
Laura Kelly has also said she supports legalizing medical marijuana. She
 proposed <a href="https://apnews.com/article/legislature-medical-marijuana-kansas-marijuana-medicaid-a11663e4684db69315b71f1db5353013" target="_blank">using revenue from medical cannabis to pay for Medicaid expansion</a>, but that bill isn’t getting traction.

Under
 the plan being considered in the House, Kansas would legalize medicinal
 marijuana with some of the tighter rules in the country. Even with 
that, it still must overcome opposition from some conservative 
Republicans and influential law enforcement groups.

Law 
enforcement groups say because marijuana is illegal under federal law, 
state legalization establishes a conflict. It also creates other issues,
 like requiring a database so officers can verify medical marijuana ID 
cards.

In Ohio, a law that was nearly as restrictive as the Kansas proposal overcame opposition and took effect two years ago.

“We
 thought we were late to the dance. You guys are way behind us,” said 
Ohio advocate Mary Jane Borden, who helped the Ohio Rights Group push 
for that state’s law.

Borden said the tight rules in Ohio create 
some challenges. In some areas, there’s a shortage of doctors with a 
marijuana certification and places to buy cannabis.

Kansas could 
end up in the same spot, leaving people in rural areas with no practical
 place to get a doctor’s recommendation or supplies.

“I would really consider, ‘How do you reach the people?’” Borden said, “‘the suffering patients, in those outlying counties?’”

In Ohio, <a href="https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2019/02/07/ohios-medical-marijuana-patient-registry-triples-second-month/2799791002/" target="_blank">the most common use</a> for medical marijuana is treatment of chronic pain.

Eric
 Voth is a retired Kansas physician who specialized in internal 
medicine, pain and addiction. He said claims of pain can be a loophole. 
He said the law should have additional oversight to regulate physicians 
recommending medical cannabis.

“First of all, what constitutes the
 pain?” Voth said in an interview. “What is required for the diagnosis …
 and the supervision?”

Voth wants most of the uses in the bill 
removed and restrictions added for the use of marijuana to treat pain. 
He’d also only allow lower concentrations of THC, the chemical that 
makes people high.

Most of all, Voth is telling lawmakers not to give in to the legalization movement.

“I’d hold it up as a badge of honor,” Voth said, “to say we’ve held back this tidal wave.”

Stephen Koranda is the Statehouse reporter for Kansas Public Radio and the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/Stephen_Koranda" target="_blank">@Stephen_Koranda</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616440141392.png" alt="Nomin Ujiyediin / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>Nomin Ujiyediin / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By STEPHEN KORANDA <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-03-22/kansas-considers-making-medical-marijuana-legal-but-very-hard-to-get">Kansas News Service</a>TOPEKA, Kan.&nbsp;— Kansas stands among a <a href="https://www.ncsl.org/research/health/state-medical-marijuana-laws.aspx" target="_blank">shrinking handful of states</a> that makes cannabis an outlaw drug, even as a medical tool.Lawmakers
 trying to overcome resistance to any legalization are looking at 
adopting medical marijuana rules so tight that, for instance, only 
patients who’ve been with specially certified doctors for a full year 
could get it.A House committee is planning to debate<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2184/" target="_blank"> a bill </a>this
 week that borrows and tweaks strict limitations tried in other states. 
Backers hope the plan can overcome long-standing opposition from some 
conservative Republicans and law enforcement groups.Republican Senate President Ty Masterson said he doesn’t want a system where anyone can get a marijuana recommendation.“You
 don’t really believe we have that many 18-year-olds with glaucoma that 
need to smoke weed for a medical benefit,” he said. “That’s 
recreational.”To win over people like Masterson, this year’s bill <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-02-26/medical-marijuana-for-kansas-proposed-with-tight-rules-in-hopes-of-winning-legalization" target="_blank">borrows restrictive policies</a> tried elsewhere.From <a href="https://www.medicalmarijuana.ohio.gov/faqs" target="_blank">Ohio</a>,
 the latest Kansas plan takes the idea that only physicians with a 
specific certification could recommend marijuana for about two dozen 
conditions ranging from seizures to chronic pain. Plus, the marijuana 
could not be smoked, but would be available in other forms like edibles 
and oils.The Kansas plan borrows an idea from <a href="https://www.nj.gov/health/medicalmarijuana/physicians/" target="_blank">New Jersey’s medical marijuana law</a>
 and makes it even more limiting. Patients would need to see one of 
those certified physicians for a year before getting a recommendation 
for marijuana. State regulators could also create alternate ways to establish that physician relationship in the future.The
 limits have attracted support from some Republicans. Democratic Gov. 
Laura Kelly has also said she supports legalizing medical marijuana. She
 proposed <a href="https://apnews.com/article/legislature-medical-marijuana-kansas-marijuana-medicaid-a11663e4684db69315b71f1db5353013" target="_blank">using revenue from medical cannabis to pay for Medicaid expansion</a>, but that bill isn’t getting traction.Under
 the plan being considered in the House, Kansas would legalize medicinal
 marijuana with some of the tighter rules in the country. Even with 
that, it still must overcome opposition from some conservative 
Republicans and influential law enforcement groups.Law 
enforcement groups say because marijuana is illegal under federal law, 
state legalization establishes a conflict. It also creates other issues,
 like requiring a database so officers can verify medical marijuana ID 
cards.In Ohio, a law that was nearly as restrictive as the Kansas proposal overcame opposition and took effect two years ago.“We
 thought we were late to the dance. You guys are way behind us,” said 
Ohio advocate Mary Jane Borden, who helped the Ohio Rights Group push 
for that state’s law.Borden said the tight rules in Ohio create 
some challenges. In some areas, there’s a shortage of doctors with a 
marijuana certification and places to buy cannabis.Kansas could 
end up in the same spot, leaving people in rural areas with no practical
 place to get a doctor’s recommendation or supplies.“I would really consider, ‘How do you reach the people?’” Borden said, “‘the suffering patients, in those outlying counties?’”In Ohio, <a href="https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2019/02/07/ohios-medical-marijuana-patient-registry-triples-second-month/2799791002/" target="_blank">the most common use</a> for medical marijuana is treatment of chronic pain.Eric
 Voth is a retired Kansas physician who specialized in internal 
medicine, pain and addiction. He said claims of pain can be a loophole. 
He said the law should have additional oversight to regulate physicians 
recommending medical cannabis.“First of all, what constitutes the
 pain?” Voth said in an interview. “What is required for the diagnosis …
 and the supervision?”Voth wants most of the uses in the bill 
removed and restrictions added for the use of marijuana to treat pain. 
He’d also only allow lower concentrations of THC, the chemical that 
makes people high.Most of all, Voth is telling lawmakers not to give in to the legalization movement.“I’d hold it up as a badge of honor,” Voth said, “to say we’ve held back this tidal wave.”Stephen Koranda is the Statehouse reporter for Kansas Public Radio and the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/Stephen_Koranda" target="_blank">@Stephen_Koranda</a>.