EUREKA, Calif. (AP) — The National Weather Service has canceled its tsunami warning for the U.S. West Coast after a 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck early Thursday.

At least 5.3 million people in California were under a tsunami warning after the earthquake struck, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

It was felt as far south as San Francisco, where residents felt a rolling motion for several seconds. It was followed by smaller aftershocks.

There were no immediate reports of major damage or injury.

EUREKA, Calif. (AP) — A strong earthquake was felt widely across Northern California on Thursday and authorities have issued a tsunami warning.

The quake struck at 10:44 a.m. west of Ferndale, a small city in coastal Humboldt County near the Oregon border, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District, known as BART, has stopped traffic in all directions through the underwater tunnel between San Francisco and Oakland.

The San Francisco Zoo’s visitors have been evacuated as a result of the earthquake, the zoo said in a post on the social media platform X. The animals have been secured and staff has been moved to higher ground.

Throughout Northern California phones buzzed with a tsunami warning from the National Weather Service that said: “A series of powerful waves and strong currents may impact coasts near you. You are in danger. Get away from coastal waters. Move to high ground or inland now. Keep away from the coast until local officials say it is safe to return.”

At least 5.3 million people in California were under a tsunami warning after the magnitude 7.0 earthquake, the U.S. Geological Survey said in a yellow alert, which predicts localized but minimal damage.

More than 1.3 million people lived close enough to the quake that they could have felt it, the USGS estimated.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733427227971.png" alt="USGS image" />
 <figcaption>USGS image</figcaption>
 </figure>EUREKA, Calif. (AP) — The National Weather Service has canceled its tsunami warning for the U.S. West Coast after a 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck early Thursday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The tsunami Warning is canceled for the coastal areas of California and Oregon. No tsunami danger presently exists for this area. This will be the final U.S. National Tsunami Warning Center message for this event. Refer to <a href="https://t.co/npoUHxX900">https://t.co/npoUHxX900</a> for more information.&mdash; NWS Tsunami Alerts (@NWS_NTWC) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWS_NTWC/status/1864761274007240888?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 5, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>At least 5.3 million people in California were under a tsunami warning after the earthquake struck, the U.S. Geological Survey said.It was felt as far south as San Francisco, where residents felt a rolling motion for several seconds. It was followed by smaller aftershocks.There were no immediate reports of major damage or injury.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733427249291.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>---------EUREKA, Calif. (AP) — A strong earthquake was felt widely across Northern California on Thursday and authorities have issued a tsunami warning.The quake struck at 10:44 a.m. west of Ferndale, a small city in coastal Humboldt County near the Oregon border, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733427227971.png" alt="USGS image" />
 <figcaption>USGS image</figcaption>
 </figure>It was felt as far south as San Francisco, where residents felt a rolling motion for several seconds. It was followed by smaller aftershocks.The San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District, known as BART, has stopped traffic in all directions through the underwater tunnel between San Francisco and Oakland.The San Francisco Zoo’s visitors have been evacuated as a result of the earthquake, the zoo said in a post on the social media platform X. The animals have been secured and staff has been moved to higher ground.Throughout Northern California phones buzzed with a tsunami warning from the National Weather Service that said: “A series of powerful waves and strong currents may impact coasts near you. You are in danger. Get away from coastal waters. Move to high ground or inland now. Keep away from the coast until local officials say it is safe to return.”At least 5.3 million people in California were under a tsunami warning after the magnitude 7.0 earthquake, the U.S. Geological Survey said in a yellow alert, which predicts localized but minimal damage.More than 1.3 million people lived close enough to the quake that they could have felt it, the USGS estimated.

Tsunami warning canceled: Powerful earthquake strikes off California 

NEW YORK (AP) — The masked gunman who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/manhattan-shooting-death-daa1e8c8c05606197a5bd2e0242f1683">stalked and killed</a>&nbsp;the leader of one of the largest U.S. health insurance companies outside a Manhattan hotel used ammunition emblazoned with the words “deny,” “defend” and “depose,” a law enforcement official said Thursday.

The official was not authorized to publicly discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity.

UnitedHealthcare CEO&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-healthcare-ceo-new-york-shooting-brian-thompson-8a130e64bcab749d1a085f5a34ab8254">Brian Thompson</a>, 50, died in a dawn ambush Wednesday as he walked to the company’s annual investor conference at a Hilton hotel in Midtown, blocks from tourist draws like Radio City Music Hall and the Museum of Modern Art. The reason behind the killing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/unitedhealthcare-ceo-brian-thompson-shooting-79a9710978fc7adbb23d3fed4ea2f70d">remained unknown.</a>

The words on the ammunition may have been a reference to strategies insurance companies allegedly use to try to avoid paying claims.

Investigators recovered several 9 mm shell casings from outside the hotel and a cellphone from the alleyway through which the shooter fled, NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny had said earlier.

The killing and the shooter’s movements in the minutes before and afterward were captured on some of the multitudes of security cameras present in that part of the city.

The hunt for the shooter brought New York City police Thursday morning to at least two hostels on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, based on a tip that the suspected shooter may have stayed at one of the residences, according to a second law enforcement official briefed on the investigation, who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the ongoing search.

Two detectives arrived at the Kama Central Park hostel with a photo of the shooter and asked staff if they recognized the man, an employee confirmed to the AP. They did not, the employee said, and the detectives left. An employee at the nearby HI New York City hostel also confirmed that police had visited the location Thursday, but declined to provide further information.

Also Thursday, police released photos of a person they said was wanted for question in connection with Thompson's shooting.

Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at a news conference Wednesday that while investigators had not yet established a motive, the shooting was no random act of violence. “Many people passed the suspect, but he appeared to wait for his intended target,” she said.

Investigators believe, judging from surveillance video and evidence collected from the scene, that the shooter had at least some prior firearms training and experience with guns and the weapon was equipped with a silencer, said one of the law enforcement officials who spoke with the AP.

Investigators are also looking into whether the suspect had pre-positioned a bike as part of an escape plan, the official said. The shooter fled on a bike and he was last seen riding into Central Park.

Authorities were running DNA and fingerprint analysis on items found nearby, including a water bottle, that they believe the suspect may have discarded, the official said.

Security camera video showed the killer approach Thompson from behind, level his pistol and fire several shots, barely pausing to clear a gun jam while the health executive tumbled to the pavement.

Other cameras captured the initial stages of the gunman's escape. He fled the block across a pedestrian plaza, then escaped on the bicycle. Police used drones, helicopters and dogs in an intensive search, but the killer's whereabouts remained unknown.

Police issued several surveillance images of the man, who wore a hooded jacket and a mask that concealed most of his face and wouldn't have attracted attention on a frigid day. Some of the photos were taken at a Starbucks coffee shop shortly before the shooting. Police offered a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction.

Thompson, a father of two sons, had been with UnitedHealthcare since 2004 and served as CEO for more than three years.

The insurer’s Minnetonka, Minnesota-based parent company, UnitedHealth Group Inc., was holding its annual meeting with investors in New York to update Wall Street on the company’s direction and expectations for the coming year. The company ended the conference early in the wake of Thompson’s death.

“Brian was a highly respected colleague and friend to all who worked with him,” UnitedHealth Group said in a statement. "We are working closely with the New York Police Department and ask for your patience and understanding during this difficult time.”

Thompson’s wife, Paulette Thompson, told NBC News that he told her “there were some people that had been threatening him.” She didn’t have details but suggested the threats may have involved issues with insurance coverage.

Eric Werner, the police chief in the Minneapolis suburb where Thompson lived, said his department had not received any reports of threats against the executive.

UnitedHealthcare is the largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans in the U.S. and manages health insurance coverage for employers and state and federally funded Medicaid programs.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733324311684.png" alt="Brian Thompson courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Brian Thompson courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — The masked gunman who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/manhattan-shooting-death-daa1e8c8c05606197a5bd2e0242f1683">stalked and killed</a>&nbsp;the leader of one of the largest U.S. health insurance companies outside a Manhattan hotel used ammunition emblazoned with the words “deny,” “defend” and “depose,” a law enforcement official said Thursday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733418191516.png" alt="New image shows suspect inside hostel -Photo NYPD&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>New image shows suspect inside hostel -Photo NYPD&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>The official was not authorized to publicly discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity.UnitedHealthcare CEO&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-healthcare-ceo-new-york-shooting-brian-thompson-8a130e64bcab749d1a085f5a34ab8254">Brian Thompson</a>, 50, died in a dawn ambush Wednesday as he walked to the company’s annual investor conference at a Hilton hotel in Midtown, blocks from tourist draws like Radio City Music Hall and the Museum of Modern Art. The reason behind the killing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/unitedhealthcare-ceo-brian-thompson-shooting-79a9710978fc7adbb23d3fed4ea2f70d">remained unknown.</a><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733418156665.png" alt="New image shows suspect inside hostel -Photo NYPD&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>New image shows suspect inside hostel -Photo NYPD&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>The words on the ammunition may have been a reference to strategies insurance companies allegedly use to try to avoid paying claims.Investigators recovered several 9 mm shell casings from outside the hotel and a cellphone from the alleyway through which the shooter fled, NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny had said earlier.The killing and the shooter’s movements in the minutes before and afterward were captured on some of the multitudes of security cameras present in that part of the city.The hunt for the shooter brought New York City police Thursday morning to at least two hostels on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, based on a tip that the suspected shooter may have stayed at one of the residences, according to a second law enforcement official briefed on the investigation, who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the ongoing search.Two detectives arrived at the Kama Central Park hostel with a photo of the shooter and asked staff if they recognized the man, an employee confirmed to the AP. They did not, the employee said, and the detectives left. An employee at the nearby HI New York City hostel also confirmed that police had visited the location Thursday, but declined to provide further information.Also Thursday, police released photos of a person they said was wanted for question in connection with Thompson's shooting.Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at a news conference Wednesday that while investigators had not yet established a motive, the shooting was no random act of violence. “Many people passed the suspect, but he appeared to wait for his intended target,” she said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733417735866.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Investigators believe, judging from surveillance video and evidence collected from the scene, that the shooter had at least some prior firearms training and experience with guns and the weapon was equipped with a silencer, said one of the law enforcement officials who spoke with the AP.Investigators are also looking into whether the suspect had pre-positioned a bike as part of an escape plan, the official said. The shooter fled on a bike and he was last seen riding into Central Park.Authorities were running DNA and fingerprint analysis on items found nearby, including a water bottle, that they believe the suspect may have discarded, the official said.Security camera video showed the killer approach Thompson from behind, level his pistol and fire several shots, barely pausing to clear a gun jam while the health executive tumbled to the pavement.Other cameras captured the initial stages of the gunman's escape. He fled the block across a pedestrian plaza, then escaped on the bicycle. Police used drones, helicopters and dogs in an intensive search, but the killer's whereabouts remained unknown.Police issued several surveillance images of the man, who wore a hooded jacket and a mask that concealed most of his face and wouldn't have attracted attention on a frigid day. Some of the photos were taken at a Starbucks coffee shop shortly before the shooting. Police offered a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction.Thompson, a father of two sons, had been with UnitedHealthcare since 2004 and served as CEO for more than three years.The insurer’s Minnetonka, Minnesota-based parent company, UnitedHealth Group Inc., was holding its annual meeting with investors in New York to update Wall Street on the company’s direction and expectations for the coming year. The company ended the conference early in the wake of Thompson’s death.“Brian was a highly respected colleague and friend to all who worked with him,” UnitedHealth Group said in a statement. "We are working closely with the New York Police Department and ask for your patience and understanding during this difficult time.”Thompson’s wife, Paulette Thompson, told NBC News that he told her “there were some people that had been threatening him.” She didn’t have details but suggested the threats may have involved issues with insurance coverage.Eric Werner, the police chief in the Minneapolis suburb where Thompson lived, said his department had not received any reports of threats against the executive.UnitedHealthcare is the largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans in the U.S. and manages health insurance coverage for employers and state and federally funded Medicaid programs.

New images show person of interest in killing of insurance CEO

KANSAS CITY —Authorities are investigating the cause a fire at a home in Kansas City.

Just after 2p.m. Wednesday, crews responded to a reported fire in a single-story duplex located in the 3800 block of NW. 93rd street in Kanas City, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins

First responders reported heavy fire and smoke coming from the garage of the structure.&nbsp; Searches of the structure came back all clear. The occupants were able to self-evacuate prior to KCFD arrival.

Crews quickly were able to get the fire under control, and contain the fire to the one unit. No injuries were reported at this incident. Red Cross was ordered for two adults and three children.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733348902226.png" alt="Photo KC Fire Department" />
 <figcaption>Photo KC Fire Department</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Authorities are investigating the cause a fire at a home in Kansas City.Just after 2p.m. Wednesday, crews responded to a reported fire in a single-story duplex located in the 3800 block of NW. 93rd street in Kanas City, according to Battalion Chief Michael HopkinsFirst responders reported heavy fire and smoke coming from the garage of the structure.&nbsp; Searches of the structure came back all clear. The occupants were able to self-evacuate prior to KCFD arrival.Crews quickly were able to get the fire under control, and contain the fire to the one unit. No injuries were reported at this incident. Red Cross was ordered for two adults and three children.

2 adults, 3 children escape duplex fire in Kansas City

KINGMAN COUNTY—Law enforcement are&nbsp;investigating two incidents with missing calves and we are asking for the public's help with any information, according to a social media report from the Kingman County Sheriff.

The first incident in southeast Kingman County involved approximately 13 calves that were reported missing.&nbsp; The second incident, in northwest&nbsp; Kingman County involved approximately 37 calves reported missing. 

The Kansas Department of Agriculture Livestock Brand Program and Special Agent Jim Pinegar is assisting with the investigation. 

The sheriff's office encouraged the public to be on the look out and report any suspicious activity.&nbsp; Contact the Kingman County sheriff's office with any details to help with their investigation.

KINGMAN COUNTY—Law enforcement are&nbsp;investigating two incidents with missing calves and we are asking for the public's help with any information, according to a social media report from the Kingman County Sheriff.The first incident in southeast Kingman County involved approximately 13 calves that were reported missing.&nbsp; The second incident, in northwest&nbsp; Kingman County involved approximately 37 calves reported missing. The Kansas Department of Agriculture Livestock Brand Program and Special Agent Jim Pinegar is assisting with the investigation. The sheriff's office encouraged the public to be on the look out and report any suspicious activity.&nbsp; Contact the Kingman County sheriff's office with any details to help with their investigation.

Sheriff investigating alleged missing calves in Kansas

Washington, D.C. –&nbsp;U.S. Senator Roger Marshall questioned executives from United Airlines and American Airlines over their misleading airline miles rewards programs and their lack of transparency over how these programs are funded.

Senator Marshall pointed out these two particular airlines routinely underdeliver on their rewards programs’ benefits for consumers, despite taking massive corporate profits from these programs as members of a U.S. Senate subcommittee took aim at airline executives Wednesday for using an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/airline-fees-disclosure-judges-block-rule-c273957f46401eba023592a40aec79e9">expanding menu of fees</a>&nbsp;to charge customers for early boarding, better seats and other comforts that used to be part of the ticket price.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-lifestyle-travel-airlines-richard-blumenthal-9c0776bb9a4c57b2caaedac1cfc93ad1">Sen. Richard Blumenthal</a>, D-Conn., said he thinks the federal government should review and perhaps fine the airlines for their use of what he called junk fees.

Blumenthal, the chairman of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, said seat fees were pure profit for the airlines because they don't have to create new seats or incur other expenses by allowing customers to pick where to sit.

Some senators expressed frustration during Wednesday's hearing when airline executives could not explain how they set the amount of various fees. They said the vagaries of airline pricing make it hard for consumers to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/budget-airlines-spirit-frontier-southwest-delta-8030d14c5fd8d3ffc53aacf0e9982cc6">budget for trips</a>.

“We’re all captives on your airplanes at a certain point. You just say, ‘You want to pick seat? We’re just going to charge you some random amount more,’” Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., said. “It would be good if you guys could be transparent about what you do and why.”

The fees don't seem to be discouraging anybody. Americans are flying more than ever.

The Transportation Security Administration reported screening nearly 3.1 million travelers at airports around the country on Sunday, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/holiday-travel-record-tsa-airlines-thanksgiving-9b344c4b70c971d2851d184b6e192430">new single-day record</a>. The 15 busiest days in TSA history have all occurred this year, with traffic at airport checkpoints up 5% over 2023.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/airlines-sue-biden-administration-junk-fees-346ad8ad06335587ba8a67240c5cda32">Airline executives bristle</a>&nbsp;at the term “junk fees,” and argue they are merely giving consumers what they want: choices.

“Our customers who prioritize affordability have the option to choose a lower-fare product and, in doing so, opt out of paying for additional services that they do not want,” Andrew Nocella, the chief commercial officer of United Airlines, said in testimony prepared for the panel's hearing. “But we also have customers who seek more services, and they retain the ability to choose the services they value, for an incremental fee, like a seat with extra legroom or checked bags.”

Airlines have been adding fees on desirable seats to take advantage of increasing demand.

The airline executives took offense at the charge that they are gouging travelers.

“It has never been more affordable to fly," said Steve Johnson, chief strategy officer for American Airlines.

Transportation Department figures indicate that airfares have fallen by about one-third since 2000 when taking inflation into account. However, those figures do not include fees.

Senators said fees should be described clearly during the ticket-buying process. The executives said their airlines do that.

Some subcommittee members also criticized airlines for the way they enforce fees.

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., sparred with executives of Frontier Airlines and Spirit Airlines, which paid employees $26 million in bonuses for spotting customers whose carry-on bags were too big to fit under a seat. The passengers were forced to pay a fee — up to $77 on Spirit and $99 on Frontier — to use an overhead bin.

“If people want to know why it’s such a terrible experience to fly, this is news for them today,” Hawley told the airlines executives Wednesday. “Your airlines are paying millions of dollars to your employees to harass people who have already paid!”

Frontier Chief Commercial Officer Robert Schroeter and his counterpart at Spirit, Matthew Klein, said ensuring that people follow the rules was a matter of fairness to all passengers.

When Hawley asked why bag fees may vary from one customer to another, Schroeter said Frontier must cover its costs.

“Overall, our job is to generate the most revenue we can so we can keep profitable as an airline,” he said.

U.S. airlines raised more than $7 billion from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bts.gov/topics/airlines-and-airports/baggage-fees-airline-2023">fees on checked bags</a>&nbsp;last year, with American Airlines and United Airlines leading the pack. They scooped up another $1 billion in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bts.gov/topics/airlines-and-airports/reservation-cancellationchange-fees-airline-2023">ticket-change and cancellation fees</a>, although that was about one-third of what they raised before the coronavirus pandemic, when the biggest airlines dropped change fees.

Exact figures on other types of fees are hard to determine, but the Senate panel reported last week that United, American, Delta Air Lines, Frontier and Spirit collected a combined total of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024.11.25-Majority-Staff-Report-The-Skys-the-Limit-The-Rise-of-Junk-Fees-in-American-Travel-1.pdf">more than $12 billion in seat fees</a>&nbsp;between 2018 and 2023. That included charges for things such as more legroom or an aisle seat near the front of the plane.

Airline fees have been a frequent target of criticism by the Biden administration, all the way up to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-business-3f1130fd2636587adfa1fccd809afe19">President Joe Biden</a>.

A Transportation Department rule that took effect in October requires airlines to make&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/airlines-junk-fees-baggage-delays-c4a93f9ee9a2bf7d9ee07394183a0374">automatic cash refunds</a>&nbsp;for tickets and fees when flights are canceled.

The airline industry is suing to block another regulation requiring more prominent disclosure of baggage and cancellation fees. An appeals court has blocked that rule, and its fate is uncertain under President-elect Donald Trump. Blumenthal asked the five executives to drop the lawsuit. None agreed to do so.

The airline industry and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/buttigieg-airlines-regulations-trump-delta-southwest-e597e66af74f945e51fe71dc990248eb">continued to fight</a>&nbsp;over fees and other regulations, even after the November election.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733347278356.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Washington, D.C. –&nbsp;U.S. Senator Roger Marshall questioned executives from United Airlines and American Airlines over their misleading airline miles rewards programs and their lack of transparency over how these programs are funded.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/myjkJW5Q9-U?si=-8LVFkZpLoWOa2sA" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>Senator Marshall pointed out these two particular airlines routinely underdeliver on their rewards programs’ benefits for consumers, despite taking massive corporate profits from these programs as members of a U.S. Senate subcommittee took aim at airline executives Wednesday for using an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/airline-fees-disclosure-judges-block-rule-c273957f46401eba023592a40aec79e9">expanding menu of fees</a>&nbsp;to charge customers for early boarding, better seats and other comforts that used to be part of the ticket price.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-lifestyle-travel-airlines-richard-blumenthal-9c0776bb9a4c57b2caaedac1cfc93ad1">Sen. Richard Blumenthal</a>, D-Conn., said he thinks the federal government should review and perhaps fine the airlines for their use of what he called junk fees.Blumenthal, the chairman of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, said seat fees were pure profit for the airlines because they don't have to create new seats or incur other expenses by allowing customers to pick where to sit.Some senators expressed frustration during Wednesday's hearing when airline executives could not explain how they set the amount of various fees. They said the vagaries of airline pricing make it hard for consumers to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/budget-airlines-spirit-frontier-southwest-delta-8030d14c5fd8d3ffc53aacf0e9982cc6">budget for trips</a>.“We’re all captives on your airplanes at a certain point. You just say, ‘You want to pick seat? We’re just going to charge you some random amount more,’” Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., said. “It would be good if you guys could be transparent about what you do and why.”The fees don't seem to be discouraging anybody. Americans are flying more than ever.The Transportation Security Administration reported screening nearly 3.1 million travelers at airports around the country on Sunday, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/holiday-travel-record-tsa-airlines-thanksgiving-9b344c4b70c971d2851d184b6e192430">new single-day record</a>. The 15 busiest days in TSA history have all occurred this year, with traffic at airport checkpoints up 5% over 2023.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/airlines-sue-biden-administration-junk-fees-346ad8ad06335587ba8a67240c5cda32">Airline executives bristle</a>&nbsp;at the term “junk fees,” and argue they are merely giving consumers what they want: choices.“Our customers who prioritize affordability have the option to choose a lower-fare product and, in doing so, opt out of paying for additional services that they do not want,” Andrew Nocella, the chief commercial officer of United Airlines, said in testimony prepared for the panel's hearing. “But we also have customers who seek more services, and they retain the ability to choose the services they value, for an incremental fee, like a seat with extra legroom or checked bags.”Airlines have been adding fees on desirable seats to take advantage of increasing demand.The airline executives took offense at the charge that they are gouging travelers.“It has never been more affordable to fly," said Steve Johnson, chief strategy officer for American Airlines.Transportation Department figures indicate that airfares have fallen by about one-third since 2000 when taking inflation into account. However, those figures do not include fees.Senators said fees should be described clearly during the ticket-buying process. The executives said their airlines do that.Some subcommittee members also criticized airlines for the way they enforce fees.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Sen. Josh Hawley to airline executives: &quot;You guys do appreciate that flying on your airlines is a disaster, don&#39;t you?...flying on your airlines is horrible. It&#39;s a terrible experience...Nobody enjoys flying on your airlines. It&#39;s a disaster.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/PopivOoyiR">pic.twitter.com/PopivOoyiR</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1864347738248265937?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 4, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., sparred with executives of Frontier Airlines and Spirit Airlines, which paid employees $26 million in bonuses for spotting customers whose carry-on bags were too big to fit under a seat. The passengers were forced to pay a fee — up to $77 on Spirit and $99 on Frontier — to use an overhead bin.“If people want to know why it’s such a terrible experience to fly, this is news for them today,” Hawley told the airlines executives Wednesday. “Your airlines are paying millions of dollars to your employees to harass people who have already paid!”Frontier Chief Commercial Officer Robert Schroeter and his counterpart at Spirit, Matthew Klein, said ensuring that people follow the rules was a matter of fairness to all passengers.When Hawley asked why bag fees may vary from one customer to another, Schroeter said Frontier must cover its costs.“Overall, our job is to generate the most revenue we can so we can keep profitable as an airline,” he said.U.S. airlines raised more than $7 billion from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bts.gov/topics/airlines-and-airports/baggage-fees-airline-2023">fees on checked bags</a>&nbsp;last year, with American Airlines and United Airlines leading the pack. They scooped up another $1 billion in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bts.gov/topics/airlines-and-airports/reservation-cancellationchange-fees-airline-2023">ticket-change and cancellation fees</a>, although that was about one-third of what they raised before the coronavirus pandemic, when the biggest airlines dropped change fees.Exact figures on other types of fees are hard to determine, but the Senate panel reported last week that United, American, Delta Air Lines, Frontier and Spirit collected a combined total of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024.11.25-Majority-Staff-Report-The-Skys-the-Limit-The-Rise-of-Junk-Fees-in-American-Travel-1.pdf">more than $12 billion in seat fees</a>&nbsp;between 2018 and 2023. That included charges for things such as more legroom or an aisle seat near the front of the plane.Airline fees have been a frequent target of criticism by the Biden administration, all the way up to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-business-3f1130fd2636587adfa1fccd809afe19">President Joe Biden</a>.A Transportation Department rule that took effect in October requires airlines to make&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/airlines-junk-fees-baggage-delays-c4a93f9ee9a2bf7d9ee07394183a0374">automatic cash refunds</a>&nbsp;for tickets and fees when flights are canceled.The airline industry is suing to block another regulation requiring more prominent disclosure of baggage and cancellation fees. An appeals court has blocked that rule, and its fate is uncertain under President-elect Donald Trump. Blumenthal asked the five executives to drop the lawsuit. None agreed to do so.The airline industry and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/buttigieg-airlines-regulations-trump-delta-southwest-e597e66af74f945e51fe71dc990248eb">continued to fight</a>&nbsp;over fees and other regulations, even after the November election.

🎥 U.S. Senators grill airline execs for ripping off customers

The Missouri Attorney General’s Office argued that regulations like informed consent laws should remain because for most women, abortion is ‘against their moral beliefs’

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/annaspoerre/">ANNA SPOERRE</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>

Missouri’s trigger law banning nearly all abortions remains in place. But at 12:01 a.m. Friday,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/11/05/missouri-voters-overturn-states-near-total-abortion-ban/">Amendment 3&nbsp;</a>will go into effect.&nbsp;

The constitutional amendment, which received 51.6% of the nearly 3 million votes cast, prohibits the legislature from regulating abortion prior to the point of fetal viability — generally seen as the point at which a fetus can likely survive outside the womb without extraordinary measures.

Planned Parenthood officials said they have providers and staff prepared to start seeing patients for walk-in medication abortion appointments at three clinics — in Kansas City, St. Louis and Columbia —&nbsp;beginning Friday, followed later by scheduled surgical abortions.&nbsp;

But whether that happens depends on the outcome of a lawsuit that had its first hearing before a Jackson County judge Wednesday morning.&nbsp;

“What we don’t have are the abilities to overcome state restrictions and hurdles that were intended to deny care,” Emily Wales, President and CEO with Planned Parenthood Great Plains, said Wednesday evening.

Less than 24 hours after voters narrowly approved Amendment 3, the ACLU of Missouri, Planned Parenthood Great Plains and Planned Parenthood Great Rivers filed a lawsuit seeking to take down decades worth of overlapping restrictions and bans on abortion on the books in Missouri.&nbsp;

There was no disagreement between Planned Parenthood and the Missouri Attorney General’s office that Amendment 3 makes unconstitutional the trigger law that went into effect in June 2022 when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the right to abortion.&nbsp;

The disagreement instead revolves around more than a dozen “targeted regulation of abortion providers” laws, also known as TRAP laws, that previously made abortions all but inaccessible in Missouri prior to the total ban taking effect.

Planned Parenthood is asking a Jackson County judge to grant a preliminary injunction which would immediately declare the current ban and the TRAP laws&nbsp;unconstitutional.&nbsp;

“Every single day that Missourians cannot access their constitutional rights, they’re being denied critical care,” Wales said.

Solicitor General Josh Divine, who argued Wednesday’s hearing on behalf of the state,&nbsp; characterized the lawsuit as “unusually aggressive,” saying it would be more appropriate for the plaintiffs to challenge each TRAP law individually rather than all together “on a very short fuse.”&nbsp;

He added that preliminary injunctions should only be granted in “drastic, extraordinary circumstances.” The lawsuit at hand, he contended, does not apply because Missourians are still able to access abortion in Illinois to the east and Kansas to the west.

“Nobody’s actually going to be materially affected by what this court does,” Divine added.

A decade ago, more than 5,000 abortions were performed in Missouri, according to data from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.&nbsp;

By 2020, two years before the abortion ban went into effect, that number dropped to 167 as a result of the TRAP laws.&nbsp;

Sam Lee, a longtime Missouri anti-abortion activist and lobbyist, said he’s been pleased by the attorney general’s defense of Missouri’s anti-abortion laws.

If the TRAP laws remain in effect, as Lee is hoping, “it may severely affect Planned Parenthood’s ability to do abortions, because they weren’t doing abortions when those laws were in effect some years ago.”

Judge Jerri Zhang, who is overseeing the case, did not immediately rule on the injunction when the hearing concluded late Wednesday evening.&nbsp;

She did, however, deny the state’s request to remove Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker as a defendant and move the case to Cole County. Earlier this year, a Cole County judge&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/09/20/missouri-supreme-court-opinions-amendment-3-abortion/">struck Amendment 3 from the ballot,</a>&nbsp;a decision that was quickly overridden by the Missouri Court of Appeals.

The attorney general’s office said they plan to appeal Zhang’s decisions, arguing that Peters Baker does not appropriately represent all statewide prosecutors because of her previous statements in support of abortion rights.

The Missouri Attorney General’s Office also posed a court challenge to the Planned Parenthood suit.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/fv/c/Petition.PDF?courtCode=19&amp;di=3370878" target="_blank">This latest lawsuit,</a>&nbsp;filed last week in Cole County, questions Planned Parenthood Great Plains’ ability to sue the state, claiming a 2010 settlement agreement prevents them from doing so.&nbsp;

For decades, Missouri legislators have passed laws restricting abortion access and regulating the procedure.&nbsp;

“The voters have now changed all of that,” Eleanor Spottswood, an attorney with Planned Parenthood, argued before the court Wednesday.

Amendment 3 states, in part, that “the right to reproductive freedom shall not be denied, interfered with, delayed, or otherwise restricted unless the government demonstrates that such action is justifiable by a compelling governmental interest achieved by the least restrictive means.”&nbsp;

The litigation challenges numerous current laws, including a mandatory 72-hour waiting period between an initial appointment and the abortion procedure; requirements that abortion clinics must have admitting privileges at a hospital roughly 15 minutes away; and a requirement that the same physician who initially saw the patient also perform the abortion.&nbsp;

The lawsuit is also challenging the current law criminalizing physicians who perform abortions.

Spottswood argued that a failure to immediately strike down the TRAP laws would cause “irreparable harm” to Missourians because “patients and providers have to do twice the work to access abortion.”

Meanwhile, the attorney general’s office argued that striking down such laws would cause more harm.&nbsp;

Divine on multiple occasions cited an<a href="https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2023/020687Orig1s025Lbl.pdf" target="_blank">&nbsp;FDA label for mifepristone</a>, one of two medications used to induce a medication abortion, that shows that according to two U.S. studies of about 1,00 women, up to 5% of women who took mifepristone ended up in the emergency room. It did not specify if the emergency room visits were necessary.&nbsp;

The same FDA label says that across three studies of more than 14,000 women who took mifepristone, fewer than 0.6% were admitted to the hospital as a result of the medication.

Divine also noted that no individual women seeking abortions were named as plaintiffs in the lawsuit, arguing that’s because women don’t actually want abortions once given more information. He said this is why the state’s requirements that those seeking abortions first be given the state’s&nbsp;<a href="https://health.mo.gov/living/families/womenshealth/pregnancyassistance/pdf/Mo.InformedConsentBooklet-Revisedpgs.12-15August2019jkOGCReviewed.pdf" target="_blank">informed consent booklet&nbsp;</a>should remain.&nbsp;

“It’s against their moral beliefs,” Divine said. “But they’re being pressured, often by an abusive partner, by parents, things of that nature, so what we’re trying to do is we’re trying to create a situation where those women can in fact make the choice that they want to do, and we know most of the time that’s childbirth.”&nbsp;

About&nbsp;<a href="https://www.guttmacher.org/fact-sheet/induced-abortion-united-states#:~:text=Approximately%20one%20in%20four%20women,45%2C%20given%202020%20abortion%20rates.&amp;text=According%20to%20data%20from%20the,14%20weeks'%20gestation%20or%20later." target="_blank">one in four women in the United States have an abortion</a>&nbsp;before the age of 45, according to 2020 data. In 2021, around 94% of abortions occurred before 14 weeks gestation. Abortions later than 20 weeks&nbsp; account for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/womens-health-policy/issue-brief/abortions-later-in-pregnancy-in-a-post-dobbs-era/#:~:text=Abortions%20at%20or%20after%2021,require%20travel%20and%20lost%20wages." target="_blank">fewer than 1% of all abortions in the United States</a>, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Divine, in his final arguments Wednesday, characterized the state’s TRAP laws as incidental, much like speeding laws or road construction that could delay someone getting to an abortion. But he said the TRAP laws don’t fall under the strict scrutiny requirement and therefore don’t require an immediate ruling.

Zhang asked if delaying an abortion through the required 72-hour waiting period would infringe on a patient’s autonomy, especially if the patient was a day or two shy of 10 weeks gestation, when procedures switch from medication to surgical abortions.

Divine responded that the attorney general’s office believes Amendment 3 gives Missourians the right to an abortion, but doesn’t give them the right to a certain abortion procedure.&nbsp;

He also noted that Amendment 3 doesn’t specifically mention the legalization of mifepristone, alluding to future attempts by the incoming GOP administration to enforce the Comstock Act, an 1873 law that bans mailing obscene material, including for the use of abortion.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733401879071.png" alt=" Solicitor General Josh Divine called Planned Parenthood’s lawsuit seeking to unravel Missouri’s abortion restrictions “unusually aggressive” while speaking to media Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024, outside the Jackson County Courthouse (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> Solicitor General Josh Divine called Planned Parenthood’s lawsuit seeking to unravel Missouri’s abortion restrictions “unusually aggressive” while speaking to media Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024, outside the Jackson County Courthouse (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>The Missouri Attorney General’s Office argued that regulations like informed consent laws should remain because for most women, abortion is ‘against their moral beliefs’</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/annaspoerre/">ANNA SPOERRE</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>Missouri’s trigger law banning nearly all abortions remains in place. But at 12:01 a.m. Friday,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/11/05/missouri-voters-overturn-states-near-total-abortion-ban/">Amendment 3&nbsp;</a>will go into effect.&nbsp;The constitutional amendment, which received 51.6% of the nearly 3 million votes cast, prohibits the legislature from regulating abortion prior to the point of fetal viability — generally seen as the point at which a fetus can likely survive outside the womb without extraordinary measures.Planned Parenthood officials said they have providers and staff prepared to start seeing patients for walk-in medication abortion appointments at three clinics — in Kansas City, St. Louis and Columbia —&nbsp;beginning Friday, followed later by scheduled surgical abortions.&nbsp;But whether that happens depends on the outcome of a lawsuit that had its first hearing before a Jackson County judge Wednesday morning.&nbsp;“What we don’t have are the abilities to overcome state restrictions and hurdles that were intended to deny care,” Emily Wales, President and CEO with Planned Parenthood Great Plains, said Wednesday evening.Less than 24 hours after voters narrowly approved Amendment 3, the ACLU of Missouri, Planned Parenthood Great Plains and Planned Parenthood Great Rivers filed a lawsuit seeking to take down decades worth of overlapping restrictions and bans on abortion on the books in Missouri.&nbsp;There was no disagreement between Planned Parenthood and the Missouri Attorney General’s office that Amendment 3 makes unconstitutional the trigger law that went into effect in June 2022 when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the right to abortion.&nbsp;The disagreement instead revolves around more than a dozen “targeted regulation of abortion providers” laws, also known as TRAP laws, that previously made abortions all but inaccessible in Missouri prior to the total ban taking effect.Planned Parenthood is asking a Jackson County judge to grant a preliminary injunction which would immediately declare the current ban and the TRAP laws&nbsp;unconstitutional.&nbsp;“Every single day that Missourians cannot access their constitutional rights, they’re being denied critical care,” Wales said.Solicitor General Josh Divine, who argued Wednesday’s hearing on behalf of the state,&nbsp; characterized the lawsuit as “unusually aggressive,” saying it would be more appropriate for the plaintiffs to challenge each TRAP law individually rather than all together “on a very short fuse.”&nbsp;He added that preliminary injunctions should only be granted in “drastic, extraordinary circumstances.” The lawsuit at hand, he contended, does not apply because Missourians are still able to access abortion in Illinois to the east and Kansas to the west.“Nobody’s actually going to be materially affected by what this court does,” Divine added.A decade ago, more than 5,000 abortions were performed in Missouri, according to data from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.&nbsp;By 2020, two years before the abortion ban went into effect, that number dropped to 167 as a result of the TRAP laws.&nbsp;Sam Lee, a longtime Missouri anti-abortion activist and lobbyist, said he’s been pleased by the attorney general’s defense of Missouri’s anti-abortion laws.If the TRAP laws remain in effect, as Lee is hoping, “it may severely affect Planned Parenthood’s ability to do abortions, because they weren’t doing abortions when those laws were in effect some years ago.”Judge Jerri Zhang, who is overseeing the case, did not immediately rule on the injunction when the hearing concluded late Wednesday evening.&nbsp;She did, however, deny the state’s request to remove Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker as a defendant and move the case to Cole County. Earlier this year, a Cole County judge&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/09/20/missouri-supreme-court-opinions-amendment-3-abortion/">struck Amendment 3 from the ballot,</a>&nbsp;a decision that was quickly overridden by the Missouri Court of Appeals.The attorney general’s office said they plan to appeal Zhang’s decisions, arguing that Peters Baker does not appropriately represent all statewide prosecutors because of her previous statements in support of abortion rights.The Missouri Attorney General’s Office also posed a court challenge to the Planned Parenthood suit.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/fv/c/Petition.PDF?courtCode=19&amp;di=3370878" target="_blank">This latest lawsuit,</a>&nbsp;filed last week in Cole County, questions Planned Parenthood Great Plains’ ability to sue the state, claiming a 2010 settlement agreement prevents them from doing so.&nbsp;<h2>Missouri’s TRAP laws</h2>For decades, Missouri legislators have passed laws restricting abortion access and regulating the procedure.&nbsp;“The voters have now changed all of that,” Eleanor Spottswood, an attorney with Planned Parenthood, argued before the court Wednesday.Amendment 3 states, in part, that “the right to reproductive freedom shall not be denied, interfered with, delayed, or otherwise restricted unless the government demonstrates that such action is justifiable by a compelling governmental interest achieved by the least restrictive means.”&nbsp;The litigation challenges numerous current laws, including a mandatory 72-hour waiting period between an initial appointment and the abortion procedure; requirements that abortion clinics must have admitting privileges at a hospital roughly 15 minutes away; and a requirement that the same physician who initially saw the patient also perform the abortion.&nbsp;The lawsuit is also challenging the current law criminalizing physicians who perform abortions.Spottswood argued that a failure to immediately strike down the TRAP laws would cause “irreparable harm” to Missourians because “patients and providers have to do twice the work to access abortion.”Meanwhile, the attorney general’s office argued that striking down such laws would cause more harm.&nbsp;Divine on multiple occasions cited an<a href="https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2023/020687Orig1s025Lbl.pdf" target="_blank">&nbsp;FDA label for mifepristone</a>, one of two medications used to induce a medication abortion, that shows that according to two U.S. studies of about 1,00 women, up to 5% of women who took mifepristone ended up in the emergency room. It did not specify if the emergency room visits were necessary.&nbsp;The same FDA label says that across three studies of more than 14,000 women who took mifepristone, fewer than 0.6% were admitted to the hospital as a result of the medication.Divine also noted that no individual women seeking abortions were named as plaintiffs in the lawsuit, arguing that’s because women don’t actually want abortions once given more information. He said this is why the state’s requirements that those seeking abortions first be given the state’s&nbsp;<a href="https://health.mo.gov/living/families/womenshealth/pregnancyassistance/pdf/Mo.InformedConsentBooklet-Revisedpgs.12-15August2019jkOGCReviewed.pdf" target="_blank">informed consent booklet&nbsp;</a>should remain.&nbsp;“It’s against their moral beliefs,” Divine said. “But they’re being pressured, often by an abusive partner, by parents, things of that nature, so what we’re trying to do is we’re trying to create a situation where those women can in fact make the choice that they want to do, and we know most of the time that’s childbirth.”&nbsp;About&nbsp;<a href="https://www.guttmacher.org/fact-sheet/induced-abortion-united-states#:~:text=Approximately%20one%20in%20four%20women,45%2C%20given%202020%20abortion%20rates.&amp;text=According%20to%20data%20from%20the,14%20weeks'%20gestation%20or%20later." target="_blank">one in four women in the United States have an abortion</a>&nbsp;before the age of 45, according to 2020 data. In 2021, around 94% of abortions occurred before 14 weeks gestation. Abortions later than 20 weeks&nbsp; account for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/womens-health-policy/issue-brief/abortions-later-in-pregnancy-in-a-post-dobbs-era/#:~:text=Abortions%20at%20or%20after%2021,require%20travel%20and%20lost%20wages." target="_blank">fewer than 1% of all abortions in the United States</a>, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Divine, in his final arguments Wednesday, characterized the state’s TRAP laws as incidental, much like speeding laws or road construction that could delay someone getting to an abortion. But he said the TRAP laws don’t fall under the strict scrutiny requirement and therefore don’t require an immediate ruling.Zhang asked if delaying an abortion through the required 72-hour waiting period would infringe on a patient’s autonomy, especially if the patient was a day or two shy of 10 weeks gestation, when procedures switch from medication to surgical abortions.Divine responded that the attorney general’s office believes Amendment 3 gives Missourians the right to an abortion, but doesn’t give them the right to a certain abortion procedure.&nbsp;He also noted that Amendment 3 doesn’t specifically mention the legalization of mifepristone, alluding to future attempts by the incoming GOP administration to enforce the Comstock Act, an 1873 law that bans mailing obscene material, including for the use of abortion.

Judge could allow Planned Parenthood to begin performing abortions in Missouri Friday

MIAMI COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating the death of a juvenile in rural Miami County, Kansas.

Just before 3p.m. Wednesday, emergency personnel responded to a death investigation in the 22800 block of Lewis Drive, located in rural Miami County, according to a media release from the sheriff's office.

While on scene, additional resources were requested to assist with the investigation. One juvenile was pronounced deceased at the scene, while another juvenile was taken into custody.

The sheriff's office released no additional details.&nbsp; Check the Post for more information as it becomes available.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733398221816.png" alt="Law enforcement on the scene of the investigation on Wednesday-photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Law enforcement on the scene of the investigation on Wednesday-photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>MIAMI COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating the death of a juvenile in rural Miami County, Kansas.Just before 3p.m. Wednesday, emergency personnel responded to a death investigation in the 22800 block of Lewis Drive, located in rural Miami County, according to a media release from the sheriff's office.While on scene, additional resources were requested to assist with the investigation. One juvenile was pronounced deceased at the scene, while another juvenile was taken into custody.The sheriff's office released no additional details.&nbsp; Check the Post for more information as it becomes available.

Juvenile in custody after juvenile found dead in rural Kan.

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating another homicide in Topeka have identified the victim as 49-year-old&nbsp;Lavaughn E. Lewis of Topeka, according to police spokesperson Rosie Nichols.

Just before 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, police responded to a shooting in the 2000 Block of SW 12th Street. Upon arrival, first responders found Lewis with life-threatening injuries.

Medical staff&nbsp;pronounced him deceased on scene. This is the city’s 20th homicide investigation of 2024.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733348510836.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating another homicide in Topeka have identified the victim as 49-year-old&nbsp;Lavaughn E. Lewis of Topeka, according to police spokesperson Rosie Nichols.Just before 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, police responded to a shooting in the 2000 Block of SW 12th Street. Upon arrival, first responders found Lewis with life-threatening injuries.Medical staff&nbsp;pronounced him deceased on scene. This is the city’s 20th homicide investigation of 2024.

Police ID Kansas man who died in shooting 

JOHNSON COUNTY —Firefighters stopped a deck fire from spreading into a home near 154th Terrace and Ridgeview in Olathe, according to a social media report from the Olathe Fire Department.

The fire occurred just before 2:30p.m. Wednesday. No injuries. Investigators say discarded smoking&nbsp;materials caused the fire.&nbsp;

If you smoke:
 Smoke on a surface that won't burn like concrete; put cigarettes out, all the way, in an ashtray or non-combustible bucket with sand and douse the ashes and butts with water to make sure they are completely out

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733359545363.jpeg" alt="Photos Olathe Fire Department" />
 <figcaption>Photos Olathe Fire Department</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —Firefighters stopped a deck fire from spreading into a home near 154th Terrace and Ridgeview in Olathe, according to a social media report from the Olathe Fire Department.The fire occurred just before 2:30p.m. Wednesday. No injuries. Investigators say discarded smoking&nbsp;materials caused the fire.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733359525944.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>If you smoke:
 Smoke on a surface that won't burn like concrete; put cigarettes out, all the way, in an ashtray or non-combustible bucket with sand and douse the ashes and butts with water to make sure they are completely out

Discarded smoking materials caused deck fire at Kan. home

NEW YORK (AP) — Investigators are searching for clues that could help them identify the masked gunman who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/manhattan-shooting-death-daa1e8c8c05606197a5bd2e0242f1683">stalked and killed</a>&nbsp;the leader of one of the largest U.S. health insurance companies on a Manhattan sidewalk, then disappeared into Central Park.

UnitedHealthcare CEO&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-healthcare-ceo-new-york-shooting-brian-thompson-8a130e64bcab749d1a085f5a34ab8254">Brian Thompson</a>, 50, died in a dawn ambush Wednesday as he walked to the company's annual investor conference at a Hilton in Midtown, blocks from tourist draws like Radio City Music Hall and the Museum of Modern Art.

The killing, and the shooter's movements in the minutes before and afterward, were captured on some of the multitudes of security cameras present in that part of the city.

One video showed him approach Thompson from behind, level his pistol and fire several shots, barely pausing to clear a brief gun jam while the dying health executive tumbled to the pavement.

Other security cameras captured the initial stages of the gunman's escape. He was seen fleeing the block across a pedestrian plaza, then escaping on a bicycle into Central Park, where he vanished.

Police used drones, helicopters and dogs in an intense search, but the killer's whereabouts remained unknown late into the night.

New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said that while investigators had not yet established a motive, the shooting was no random act of violence.

“Many people passed the suspect, but he appeared to wait for his intended target,” Tisch said at a news conference Wednesday.

“From watching the video, it does seem that he’s proficient in the use of firearms as he was able to clear the malfunctions pretty quickly,” NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said.

Police issued several surveillance images of the man, who wore a hooded jacket and a mask that concealed most of his face and wouldn't have attracted attention on a frigid winter day. Some of the photos were taken at a Starbucks coffee shop shortly before the shooting.

The police department offered a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction.

“Brian was a highly respected colleague and friend to all who worked with him,” the insurer’s Minnetonka, Minnesota-based parent company, UnitedHealth Group Inc., said in a statement. "We are working closely with the New York Police Department and ask for your patience and understanding during this difficult time.”

Investigators recovered several 9 mm shell casings from outside the hotel and a cellphone from the alleyway through which the shooter fled. They were also searching Thompson's hotel room, interviewing his UnitedHealthcare colleagues and reviewing his social media, Kenny said.

Police initially said the shooter rode into Central Park on a bicycle from the city’s bike-share program, CitiBike. But a spokesperson for the program’s operator, Lyft, said police officials informed the company Wednesday afternoon that the bike was not from the CitiBike fleet.

Health care giant UnitedHealth Group was holding its annual meeting with investors to update Wall Street on the company's direction and expectations for the coming year. The company ended the conference early in the wake of Thompson's death.

Thompson, a father of two sons, had been with the company since 2004 and served as CEO for more than three years.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/GovTimWalz/status/1864326551661154556">posted on the social platform X</a>&nbsp;that the state is “sending our prayers to Brian’s family and the UnitedHealthcare team.”

“This is horrifying news and a terrible loss for the business and health care community in Minnesota,” the Democrat wrote.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733331413907.png" alt="" />
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 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Investigators are searching for clues that could help them identify the masked gunman who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/manhattan-shooting-death-daa1e8c8c05606197a5bd2e0242f1683">stalked and killed</a>&nbsp;the leader of one of the largest U.S. health insurance companies on a Manhattan sidewalk, then disappeared into Central Park.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FNYPD%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02gMCRPER4h5ybagucFTvoLqVTVwCL12xbPMZ5PACT719o9pFnAuMhWKFXkiJenkWKl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="703" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>UnitedHealthcare CEO&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-healthcare-ceo-new-york-shooting-brian-thompson-8a130e64bcab749d1a085f5a34ab8254">Brian Thompson</a>, 50, died in a dawn ambush Wednesday as he walked to the company's annual investor conference at a Hilton in Midtown, blocks from tourist draws like Radio City Music Hall and the Museum of Modern Art.The killing, and the shooter's movements in the minutes before and afterward, were captured on some of the multitudes of security cameras present in that part of the city.One video showed him approach Thompson from behind, level his pistol and fire several shots, barely pausing to clear a brief gun jam while the dying health executive tumbled to the pavement.Other security cameras captured the initial stages of the gunman's escape. He was seen fleeing the block across a pedestrian plaza, then escaping on a bicycle into Central Park, where he vanished.Police used drones, helicopters and dogs in an intense search, but the killer's whereabouts remained unknown late into the night.New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said that while investigators had not yet established a motive, the shooting was no random act of violence.“Many people passed the suspect, but he appeared to wait for his intended target,” Tisch said at a news conference Wednesday.“From watching the video, it does seem that he’s proficient in the use of firearms as he was able to clear the malfunctions pretty quickly,” NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said.Police issued several surveillance images of the man, who wore a hooded jacket and a mask that concealed most of his face and wouldn't have attracted attention on a frigid winter day. Some of the photos were taken at a Starbucks coffee shop shortly before the shooting.The police department offered a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction.“Brian was a highly respected colleague and friend to all who worked with him,” the insurer’s Minnetonka, Minnesota-based parent company, UnitedHealth Group Inc., said in a statement. "We are working closely with the New York Police Department and ask for your patience and understanding during this difficult time.”Thompson’s wife, Paulette Thompson, told NBC News that he told her “there were some people that had been threatening him.” She didn’t have details but suggested the threats may have involved issues with insurance coverage.Eric Werner, the police chief in the Minneapolis suburb where Thompson lived, said his department had not received any reports of threats against the executive.Investigators recovered several 9 mm shell casings from outside the hotel and a cellphone from the alleyway through which the shooter fled. They were also searching Thompson's hotel room, interviewing his UnitedHealthcare colleagues and reviewing his social media, Kenny said.Police initially said the shooter rode into Central Park on a bicycle from the city’s bike-share program, CitiBike. But a spokesperson for the program’s operator, Lyft, said police officials informed the company Wednesday afternoon that the bike was not from the CitiBike fleet.Health care giant UnitedHealth Group was holding its annual meeting with investors to update Wall Street on the company's direction and expectations for the coming year. The company ended the conference early in the wake of Thompson's death.Thompson, a father of two sons, had been with the company since 2004 and served as CEO for more than three years.UnitedHealthcare is the largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans in the U.S. and manages health insurance coverage for employers and state and federally funded Medicaid programs.Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/GovTimWalz/status/1864326551661154556">posted on the social platform X</a>&nbsp;that the state is “sending our prayers to Brian’s family and the UnitedHealthcare team.”“This is horrifying news and a terrible loss for the business and health care community in Minnesota,” the Democrat wrote.___

Search continues for suspect who gunned down health insurance CEO

KANSAS CITY —A woman has been charged with stealing packages from porches throughout the Kansas City area this past weekend, according to a statement from the Clay County, Missouri Sheriff.

Kayley Worthington, 24, of Excelsior Springs is charged with one count of felony theft and one count of felony possession of a controlled substance. She is being held in the Clay County Detention Center on a $20,000 bond. If she posts bond, one of the conditions of her bond is that she may not be within 100 feet of anyone’s porch other than her own. Additional charges against additional suspects are possible.

After seeing multiple reports on social media of packages being stolen in Liberty, Smithville, and Kansas City, North, over the weekend, Sheriff’s Office investigators began collaborating with police departments in those cities and working to identify the thieves. Their investigation led them to a home in Excelsior Springs early Monday evening, where they located Worthington and took her into custody. Deputies served a search warrant at the house and recovered 51 stolen items, as well as methamphetamine.

Detectives have so far identified nine victims. Clay County residents who had a package stolen Nov. 29 – Dec. 1 and have not yet filed a police report are encouraged to do so.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733275672983.png" alt="Worthington photo Clay County" />
 <figcaption>Worthington photo Clay County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A woman has been charged with stealing packages from porches throughout the Kansas City area this past weekend, according to a statement from the Clay County, Missouri Sheriff.Kayley Worthington, 24, of Excelsior Springs is charged with one count of felony theft and one count of felony possession of a controlled substance. She is being held in the Clay County Detention Center on a $20,000 bond. If she posts bond, one of the conditions of her bond is that she may not be within 100 feet of anyone’s porch other than her own. Additional charges against additional suspects are possible.After seeing multiple reports on social media of packages being stolen in Liberty, Smithville, and Kansas City, North, over the weekend, Sheriff’s Office investigators began collaborating with police departments in those cities and working to identify the thieves. Their investigation led them to a home in Excelsior Springs early Monday evening, where they located Worthington and took her into custody. Deputies served a search warrant at the house and recovered 51 stolen items, as well as methamphetamine.Detectives have so far identified nine victims. Clay County residents who had a package stolen Nov. 29 – Dec. 1 and have not yet filed a police report are encouraged to do so.

Deputies catch Kansas City area porch pirate, recover items

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Abortion-rights advocates on Wednesday asked a judge to overturn Missouri’s near-total ban on the procedure, less than a month after voters backed an abortion-rights&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-missouri-amendment-ballot-election-f114445b087e77d0cc786d3eeb2eb615">constitutional amendment</a>.

Jackson County Circuit Judge Jerri Zhang did not immediately rule after the hearing. Planned Parenthood and other plaintiffs had asked her to issue a temporary order blocking enforcement of Missouri’s numerous abortion laws.

Emily Wales, the president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, said abortions could begin Friday in clinics in Kansas City, Columbia and St. Louis if the judge issues the order.

“Every single day that they cannot access abortion rights they are being denied critical care," Wales said of Missouri residents.

Several anti-abortion protesters knelt on the ground as they prayed outside the courthouse during the hearing. They covered their mouths with a red piece of tape that read “life.”

Missouri is one of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-ballot-measures-harris-trump-florida-missouri-49c9073cbb6056b66a8a7d0d099795d1">five states where voters approved ballot measures</a>&nbsp;this year to add the right to an abortion to their state constitutions. Nevada voters also approved an amendment, but they’ll need to pass it again in 2026 for it to take effect. Another that bans discrimination on the basis of “pregnancy outcomes” prevailed in New York.

Reproductive rights advocates in Arizona on Tuesday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arizona-election-canvass-abortion-0a899d1a78fc8e8b76bf8f75e868e249">sued to undo</a>&nbsp;a 15-week abortion ban that conflicts with that state's new constitutional amendment expanding access up to fetal viability.

The Missouri amendment does not specifically override any state laws. Instead the measure leaves it to advocates to ask courts to knock down bans that they believe would now be unconstitutional.

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, an abortion opponent, last week issued&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-missouri-ballot-fed343e84ce8e07c0f5d7bb32fda57e9">an opinion</a>&nbsp;agreeing that most abortions will be legal when the amendment takes effect Thursday.

But Bailey’s office is still fighting for a ban on most abortions after viability, along with a number of regulations that Planned Parenthood argues made it nearly impossible to offer abortions in the state even before abortion was almost completely banned in 2022.

Missouri’s constitutional amendment allows lawmakers to restrict abortion after viability, with exceptions to “protect the life or physical or mental health of the pregnant person.”

The term “viability” is used by health care providers to describe whether a pregnancy is expected to continue developing normally or whether a fetus might survive outside the uterus. Though there’s no defined time frame, doctors say it is sometime after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-technology-science-health-birmingham-7fc806f3c06aeae94c5d6ed1b06a6461">21st week</a>&nbsp;of pregnancy.

Other abortion laws that Bailey is defending include a 72-hour waiting period before an abortion can be performed; bans on abortions based on race, sex or a possible Down syndrome diagnosis; and a requirement that medical facilities that provide abortions be licensed as ambulatory surgical centers.

Missouri Solicitor General Josh Divine argued in court that the right to reproductive freedom includes the right to childbirth, which he said supports laws such as the state's 72-hour waiting period.

“Those laws are enabling childbirth,” he said. "They are giving time to choose childbirth.”

But Planned Parenthood Federation of America attorney Ella Spottswood during the hearing told the judge that by 2019, the slew of Missouri laws regulating abortion had effectively limited access to a single St. Louis clinic.

“The voters have changed all that,” she said. “The questions should begin and end with the amendment.”

It is unclear when Zhang will rule on the request for a preliminary injunction.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725887984419.png" alt="Photo Anna Spoerre" />
 <figcaption>Photo Anna Spoerre</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Abortion-rights advocates on Wednesday asked a judge to overturn Missouri’s near-total ban on the procedure, less than a month after voters backed an abortion-rights&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-missouri-amendment-ballot-election-f114445b087e77d0cc786d3eeb2eb615">constitutional amendment</a>.Jackson County Circuit Judge Jerri Zhang did not immediately rule after the hearing. Planned Parenthood and other plaintiffs had asked her to issue a temporary order blocking enforcement of Missouri’s numerous abortion laws.Emily Wales, the president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, said abortions could begin Friday in clinics in Kansas City, Columbia and St. Louis if the judge issues the order.“Every single day that they cannot access abortion rights they are being denied critical care," Wales said of Missouri residents.Several anti-abortion protesters knelt on the ground as they prayed outside the courthouse during the hearing. They covered their mouths with a red piece of tape that read “life.”Missouri is one of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-ballot-measures-harris-trump-florida-missouri-49c9073cbb6056b66a8a7d0d099795d1">five states where voters approved ballot measures</a>&nbsp;this year to add the right to an abortion to their state constitutions. Nevada voters also approved an amendment, but they’ll need to pass it again in 2026 for it to take effect. Another that bans discrimination on the basis of “pregnancy outcomes” prevailed in New York.Reproductive rights advocates in Arizona on Tuesday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arizona-election-canvass-abortion-0a899d1a78fc8e8b76bf8f75e868e249">sued to undo</a>&nbsp;a 15-week abortion ban that conflicts with that state's new constitutional amendment expanding access up to fetal viability.The Missouri amendment does not specifically override any state laws. Instead the measure leaves it to advocates to ask courts to knock down bans that they believe would now be unconstitutional.Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, an abortion opponent, last week issued&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-missouri-ballot-fed343e84ce8e07c0f5d7bb32fda57e9">an opinion</a>&nbsp;agreeing that most abortions will be legal when the amendment takes effect Thursday.But Bailey’s office is still fighting for a ban on most abortions after viability, along with a number of regulations that Planned Parenthood argues made it nearly impossible to offer abortions in the state even before abortion was almost completely banned in 2022.Missouri’s constitutional amendment allows lawmakers to restrict abortion after viability, with exceptions to “protect the life or physical or mental health of the pregnant person.”The term “viability” is used by health care providers to describe whether a pregnancy is expected to continue developing normally or whether a fetus might survive outside the uterus. Though there’s no defined time frame, doctors say it is sometime after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-technology-science-health-birmingham-7fc806f3c06aeae94c5d6ed1b06a6461">21st week</a>&nbsp;of pregnancy.Other abortion laws that Bailey is defending include a 72-hour waiting period before an abortion can be performed; bans on abortions based on race, sex or a possible Down syndrome diagnosis; and a requirement that medical facilities that provide abortions be licensed as ambulatory surgical centers.Missouri Solicitor General Josh Divine argued in court that the right to reproductive freedom includes the right to childbirth, which he said supports laws such as the state's 72-hour waiting period.“Those laws are enabling childbirth,” he said. "They are giving time to choose childbirth.”But Planned Parenthood Federation of America attorney Ella Spottswood during the hearing told the judge that by 2019, the slew of Missouri laws regulating abortion had effectively limited access to a single St. Louis clinic.“The voters have changed all that,” she said. “The questions should begin and end with the amendment.”It is unclear when Zhang will rule on the request for a preliminary injunction.___

Judge considers first lawsuit to overturn Mo. near-total abortion ban

FORD COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a series of reports of criminal damage in southwest Kansas and have made arrests.

On Tuesday, police responded to multiple reports of property damage at various locations around Dodge City, according to a media release. Thanks to information provided by the public, officers identified a black Jeep Wrangler suspected of being involved in the criminal activity. 

Officers were able to locate the vehicle and, through investigation, arrested four juveniles from Dodge City. The boys have been linked to 25 different cases of criminal damage to Christmas decorations and&nbsp; vehicle windows.

 Charges will be filed with the Ford County Attorney's Office for the crime of Criminal Damage.&nbsp;

FORD COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a series of reports of criminal damage in southwest Kansas and have made arrests.On Tuesday, police responded to multiple reports of property damage at various locations around Dodge City, according to a media release. Thanks to information provided by the public, officers identified a black Jeep Wrangler suspected of being involved in the criminal activity. Officers were able to locate the vehicle and, through investigation, arrested four juveniles from Dodge City. The boys have been linked to 25 different cases of criminal damage to Christmas decorations and&nbsp; vehicle windows. Charges will be filed with the Ford County Attorney's Office for the crime of Criminal Damage.&nbsp;

Police in SW Kan. make arrests for damage to Christmas decorations 

WASHINGTON (AP) — Hearing a high-profile culture-war clash, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday seemed likely to uphold Tennessee's ban on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-gender-affirming-supreme-court-tennessee-c302c0e307dc1ab70f01b84bab72eaf0">gender-affirming care for minors</a>.

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2024/23-477">Click here to listen to</a> a replay of the oral argument

The justices’ decision, not expected for several months, could affect similar laws enacted by another 25 states and a range of other efforts&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/san-jose-state-volleyball-d00b36355c69f48de712339821682b52">to regulate the lives of transgender people</a>, including which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/gender-in-sports-track-and-field-roller-derby-new-york-gender-2fe769675c174632925e446f15c6294b">sports competitions</a>&nbsp;they can join and which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sarah-mcbride-speaker-johnson-transgender-bathroom-f3943e1b3b2dc9c8d62d2ba6660aaf91">bathrooms they can use</a>.

The case is being weighed by a conservative-dominated court after a presidential election in which Donald Trump and his allies promised to roll back&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-harris-transgender-politics-61cff97a64fac581ffc5f762be4c57d3">protections</a>&nbsp;for transgender people, showcasing the uneasy intersection between law, politics and individual rights.

The Biden administration's top Supreme Court lawyer warned a decision favorable to Tennessee also could be used to justify nationwide restrictions on transgender healthcare for minors.

In arguments that lasted more than two hours, five of the six conservative justices voiced varying degrees of skepticism of arguments made by the administration and Chase Strangio, the ACLU lawyer for Tennessee families challenging the ban.

Chief Justice John Roberts, who voted in the majority in a 2020 case in favor of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2024-transgender-rights-lgbtq-donald-trump-3bb3ace81ff32b6dec382b486ec6a772">transgender rights</a>, questioned whether judges, rather than lawmakers, should be weighing in on a question of regulating medical procedures, an area usually left to the states.

”The Constitution leaves that question to the people’s representatives, rather than to nine people, none of whom is a doctor,” Roberts said in an exchange with Strangio.

The court’s three liberal justices seemed firmly on the side of the challengers. But it’s not clear that any of the conservatives will go along.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor pushed back against the assertion that the democratic process would be the best way to address objections to the law. She cited a history of laws discriminating against others, noting that transgender people make up less than 1% of the U.S. population, according to studies. There are an estimated 1.3 million adults and 300,000 adolescents aged 13 to 17 who identify as transgender, according the UCLA law school's Williams Institute.

“Blacks were a much larger part of the population and it didn’t protect them. It didn’t protect women for whole centuries,” Sotomayor said in an exchange with Tennessee Solicitor General Matt Rice.

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson said she saw some troubling parallels between arguments made by Tennessee and those advanced by Virginia and rejected by a unanimous court, in the 1967&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/c6df18d20eb141e1b55bd5c3b02bf91d">Loving decision</a>&nbsp;that legalized interracial marriage nationwide.

Quoting from the 57-year-old decision, Jackson noted that Virginia argued then that “the scientific evidence is substantially in doubt and, consequently, the court should defer to the wisdom of the state legislature.”

Justice Neil Gorsuch, who wrote the majority opinion in 2020, said nothing during the arguments.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733335063328.png" alt="Photo ACLU" />
 <figcaption>Photo ACLU</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Hearing a high-profile culture-war clash, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday seemed likely to uphold Tennessee's ban on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-gender-affirming-supreme-court-tennessee-c302c0e307dc1ab70f01b84bab72eaf0">gender-affirming care for minors</a>.<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2024/23-477">Click here to listen to</a> a replay of the oral argumentThe justices’ decision, not expected for several months, could affect similar laws enacted by another 25 states and a range of other efforts&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/san-jose-state-volleyball-d00b36355c69f48de712339821682b52">to regulate the lives of transgender people</a>, including which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/gender-in-sports-track-and-field-roller-derby-new-york-gender-2fe769675c174632925e446f15c6294b">sports competitions</a>&nbsp;they can join and which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sarah-mcbride-speaker-johnson-transgender-bathroom-f3943e1b3b2dc9c8d62d2ba6660aaf91">bathrooms they can use</a>.The case is being weighed by a conservative-dominated court after a presidential election in which Donald Trump and his allies promised to roll back&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-harris-transgender-politics-61cff97a64fac581ffc5f762be4c57d3">protections</a>&nbsp;for transgender people, showcasing the uneasy intersection between law, politics and individual rights.The Biden administration's top Supreme Court lawyer warned a decision favorable to Tennessee also could be used to justify nationwide restrictions on transgender healthcare for minors.In arguments that lasted more than two hours, five of the six conservative justices voiced varying degrees of skepticism of arguments made by the administration and Chase Strangio, the ACLU lawyer for Tennessee families challenging the ban.Chief Justice John Roberts, who voted in the majority in a 2020 case in favor of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2024-transgender-rights-lgbtq-donald-trump-3bb3ace81ff32b6dec382b486ec6a772">transgender rights</a>, questioned whether judges, rather than lawmakers, should be weighing in on a question of regulating medical procedures, an area usually left to the states.”The Constitution leaves that question to the people’s representatives, rather than to nine people, none of whom is a doctor,” Roberts said in an exchange with Strangio.The court’s three liberal justices seemed firmly on the side of the challengers. But it’s not clear that any of the conservatives will go along.Justice Sonia Sotomayor pushed back against the assertion that the democratic process would be the best way to address objections to the law. She cited a history of laws discriminating against others, noting that transgender people make up less than 1% of the U.S. population, according to studies. There are an estimated 1.3 million adults and 300,000 adolescents aged 13 to 17 who identify as transgender, according the UCLA law school's Williams Institute.“Blacks were a much larger part of the population and it didn’t protect them. It didn’t protect women for whole centuries,” Sotomayor said in an exchange with Tennessee Solicitor General Matt Rice.Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson said she saw some troubling parallels between arguments made by Tennessee and those advanced by Virginia and rejected by a unanimous court, in the 1967&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/c6df18d20eb141e1b55bd5c3b02bf91d">Loving decision</a>&nbsp;that legalized interracial marriage nationwide.Quoting from the 57-year-old decision, Jackson noted that Virginia argued then that “the scientific evidence is substantially in doubt and, consequently, the court should defer to the wisdom of the state legislature.”Justice Neil Gorsuch, who wrote the majority opinion in 2020, said nothing during the arguments.The arguments produced some riveting moments. Justice Samuel Alito repeatedly pressed Strangio, the first openly transgender lawyer to argue at the nation's highest court, about whether transgender people should be legally designated as a group that’s susceptible to discrimination.Strangio answered that being transgender does fit that legal definition, though he acknowledged under Alito’s questioning there are a small number of people who de-transition. “So it's not an immutable characteristic, is it?” Alito said.Strangio did not retreat from his view, though he said the court did not have to decide the issue to resolve the case in his clients' favor.There were dueling rallies outside the court in the hours before the arguments. Speeches and music filled the air on the sidewalk below the court’s marble steps. Advocates of the ban bore signs like “Champion God’s Design” and “Kids Health Matters,” while the other side proclaimed “Fight like a Mother for Trans Rights” and “Freedom to be Ourselves."Four years ago, the court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/courts-supreme-courts-mi-state-wire-neil-gorsuch-ap-top-news-5a7b0e41a47a3c571dda69194758e7b1">ruled</a>&nbsp;in favor of Aimee Stephens, who was fired by a Michigan funeral home after she informed its owner that she was a transgender woman. The court held that transgender people, as well as gay and lesbian people, are protected by a landmark federal civil rights law that prohibits sex discrimination in the workplace.The Biden administration and the families and health care providers who challenged the Tennessee law urged the justices to apply the same sort of analysis that the majority, made up of liberal and conservative justices, embraced in the case four years ago when it found that “sex plays an unmistakable role” in employers' decisions to punish transgender people for traits and behavior they otherwise tolerate.The issue in the Tennessee case is whether the law violates the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment, which requires the government to treat similarly situated people the same.Tennessee's law bans puberty blockers and hormone treatments for transgender minors, but allows the same drugs to be used for other purposes.Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, the administration's top Supreme Court lawyer, called the law sex-based line drawing to ban the use of drugs that have been safely prescribed for decades and said the state “decided to completely override the views of the patients, the parents, the doctors.”She contrasted the Tennessee law with one enacted by West Virginia, which set conditions for the health care for transgender minors, but stopped short of an outright ban.Rice countered that lawmakers acted to regulate “risky, unproven medical interventions” and, at one point, likened the use of puberty blockers and hormone treatments to lobotomies and eugenics, now thoroughly discredited but once endorsed by large segments of the medical community.Rice argued that the Tennessee law doesn’t discriminate based on sex, but rather based on the purpose of the treatment. Children can get puberty blockers to treat early onset puberty, but not as a treatment for gender dysphoria.“Our fundamental point is there is no sex-based line here,” Rice said.While the challengers invoked the 2020 ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County for support, Tennessee relied on the court's precedent-shattering Dobbs decision in 2022 that ended nationwide protections for abortion and returned the issue to the states.The two sides battled in their legal filings over the appropriate level of scrutiny the court should apply. It's more than an academic exercise.The lowest level is known as rational basis review and almost every law looked at that way is ultimately upheld. Indeed, the federal appeals court in Cincinnati that allowed the Tennessee law to be enforced held that lawmakers acted rationally to regulate medical procedures, well within their authority.The appeals court reversed a trial court that employed a higher level of review, heightened scrutiny, that applies in cases of sex discrimination. Under this more searching examination, the state must identify an important objective and show that the law helps accomplish it.If the justices opt for heightened scrutiny, they could return the case to the appeals court to apply it. That's the course Prelogar and Strangio pushed for on Wednesday, though there did not seem to be much support for it.Gender-affirming care for youth is supported by every major medical organization, including the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Psychiatric Association.But Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Brett Kavanaugh all highlighted a point made by Tennessee in its legal briefs claiming that health authorities in Sweden, Finland, Norway and the United Kingdom found that the medical treatments "pose significant risks with unproven benefits.”If those countries “are pumping the brakes on this kind of treatment," Kavanaugh said, why should the Supreme Court question Tennessee's actions?None of those countries has adopted a ban similar to the one in Tennessee and individuals can still obtain treatment, Prelogar said.Kavanaugh, who has coached his daughters’ youth basketball teams, also wondered whether a ruling against Tennessee would give transgender athletes "a constitutional right to participate in girls' sports.”Prelogar said a narrow decision would not affect the sports issue.___Associated Press writers Lindsay Whitehurst, Andrew DeMillo in Little Rock, Arkansas, Geoff Mulvihill in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and Kimberlee Kruesi in Nashville, Tennessee contributed to this report.